Crab Cakes

From OnceUponaChef.com

Makes 6 large crab cakes

For the Crab Cakes
2 large eggs
2-1/2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1-1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
1/4 teaspoon salt
One stalk celery, finely diced
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
1 pound lump crab meat
1/2 cup panko
Vegetable oil, for cooking

For the Quick Tartar Sauce
1 cup mayonnaise
1-1/2 tablespoons diced pickles
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon minced red onion
1-2 tablespoons lemon juice, to taste
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste


For the Crab Cakes
Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil for easy clean-up.

Combine the eggs, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire, Old Bay, salt, celery, and parsley in a large bowl and mix well. Add the crab meat (be sure to check the meat for any hard and sharp cartilage) and panko; using a rubber spatula, gently fold the mixture together until just combined, being careful not to shred the crab meat. Shape into 6 crab cakes (each about ½ cup) and place on the prepared baking sheet. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. This helps them set.

Preheat a large nonstick pan to medium heat and coat with canola oil. When the oil is hot, place the crab cakes in the pan and cook until golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Be careful as oil may splatter. Serve immediately with tartar sauce or a squeeze of lemon.

For the Quick Tartar Sauce
Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl. Cover and chill until ready to serve.

Corn and black bean chowder

Adapted from SmittenKitchen.com

8 medium/large ears corn, husks and silks removed
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 large onion, chopped fine
2 medium cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeño pepper, finely chopped
1 tablespoon mild chili powder or 1 teaspoon of a hotter one
3 tablespoons (25 grams) all-purpose flour
4 cups (945 ml) vegetable or chicken stock or broth
3 15-ounce cans  black beans, drained and rinsed (2 cups dried if cooking)
1 cup (235 ml) whole milk
Salt and freshly ground black pepper or cayenne to taste
1/2 to 1 cup (120 to 235 ml) heavy cream

FINISH
1/4 cup (50 grams) mayonnaise
1/4 cup (60 grams) sour cream or Mexican crema
1/2 cup (110 grams) finely crumbled Cotija, feta or ricotta salata cheese, plus more for serving
1 lime, divided

Make the soup: With a sharp knife, cut kernels from 8 ears corn (you should have about 6 cups); transfer to a bowl. Firmly scrape any pulp remaining on cobs with back of knife into bowl with corn. Set corn aside.

In a large (5 quarts is ideal) heavy pot, heat olive oil and butter over medium. Add onion and cook until tender and beginning to brown at the edges, about 6 to 8 minutes. Add garlic, jalapeño and chili powder and cook together for 2 minutes more. Add flour and stir into onion-garlic mixture until it disappears. Stirring constantly, gradually add stock. Add beans, corn, and 1 cup milk and bring to a simmer. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 13 minutes, until corn is tender. Add salt (I used about 1 tablespoon Diamond kosher salt total here) and freshly ground black pepper or cayenne to taste. Add cream to taste (we found 1/2 cup sufficient, but it will be less creamy than traditional) and cook for 3 minutes more. Use an emersion blender to half-blend the soup, leaving plenty of intact beans and corn

To finish: Combine mayonnaise, sour cream or crema, cheese, and juice of half a lime in a bowl; stir to combine. Cut second half of lime into wedges.

Ladle soup into bowls and dollop in center with 1 tablespoon (or more to taste) of mayo-cheese mixture. Squeeze lime juice over to taste.

Lemon Poppyseed Loaf Cake

From Sweet

• 3large eggs
• 1cup plus 2 tablespoons (225 grams) granulated sugar
• 1/2cup (120 grams) sour cream
• 5tablespoons (70 grams) unsalted butter, cubed, plus extra for greasing
• 1tablespoon poppy seeds
• Finely grated zest of 3 lemons (1 tablespoon)
• 1 1/3cups (170 grams) all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4teaspoon salt
• 3/4cup (90 grams) confectioners' sugar, sifted
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  
  
  1. Heat the oven to 350° F. Grease a loaf pan and line with parchment paper, then set aside.
  2. Place the eggs and granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer with the whisk attachment in place and whisk on medium-high speed for about 2 minutes, until pale and frothy. Add the sour cream and continue to beat for about 2 minutes, until the mixture has combined. 
  3. In the meantime, melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat, stir in the poppy seeds and lemon zest, and set aside.
  4. Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together into a bowl, then use a rubber spatula to fold this into the egg mixture before folding in the butter, poppy seeds, and zest.
  5. Spoon the mixture into the loaf pan so that it rises three-quarters of the way up the sides. Place on a baking sheet and bake for about 50 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. 
  6. To make the glaze, whisk the confectioners' sugar with the lemon juice in a bowl. 
  7. Pour the glaze over the top of the cake as soon as it comes out of the oven, spreading it over the top so that it sinks in and creates a nice coating. Set aside to cool for 30 minutes before removing from the pan. Leave to come to room temperature before serving.

Beet/ginger/sour cream cake

From Sweet

1/2 cup (100g) finely chopped candied or crystalized ginger
1 2/3 cups (200g) flour
3/4 cup (150g) sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder, preferably aluminum-free
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large red beets, peeled and grated (9 oz/260 g)
finely grated zest of one large orange
2/3 cup (75g) toasted walnuts, chopped
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1/4 cup (60g) sour cream
1/2 cup (125ml) sunflower or canola oil
1 (1500mg) vitamin C tablet, crushed to a fine powder (optional)

Butter an 8-inch (20cm) square or round pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper.

Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC).

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the grated beets, orange zest, walnuts and candied ginger to the bowl, but do not stir in.

Whisk together the eggs, sour cream, oil, and vitamin C is a small bowl. Pour the mixture over the dry ingredients in the large bowl and use a spatula to mix the ingredients together, stirring just until thoroughly combined. The batter will be pink and thick.

Scrape the batter into the prepared cake pan, even the top, and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 50 minutes.

Remove the cake from the oven and let cool for 30 minutes on a wire rack, then remove the cake from the pan, peel off the parchment paper, and let cool completely before frosting.

Frosting

5 1/2 oz (160 g) cream cheese, at room temperature

1/2 cup (60 oz) confectioner's sugar, sifted

1/3 cup (80 ml) heavy cream

2 1/3 cup/6-cm piece of fresh ginger, grated into a fine-mesh sieve placed over a bowl and the flesh squeezed to extract all the juices; reserve the juice

Place the cream cheese in the bowl of an electric mixer with the paddle attachment in place and beat for about 10 seconds, until smooth (the amount of time it takes to become smooth will vary, depending on the consistency of your cream cheese). Add the confectioner's sugar and beat until well incorporated. Add the cream and beat for about 1 minute, until the frosting is thick and smooth. Add the ginger juice, beat for a few final seconds. Use an offset spatula to spread over the top fo the cake, and serve.

White bean/corn gazpacho

From VegetarianVentures.com

• 2 pints sweet yellow tomatoes
• 3 ears of corn (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 1 yellow bell pepper , quartered
• 1/2 of 1 small shallot or 1/2 of 1 small onion , chopped
• 2 tsp . sea salt
• 1 tsp garlic chili paste
• 1 15.5 oz can Great Northern white beans strained and washed
• 1/4 cup sherry vinegar
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• Pepper
• Yogurt , for garnish (optional)

1. Add tomatoes, corn, bell peppers, and shallots to a large bowl. Stir in salt and let sit for thirty minutes.
2. Working in two batches, transfer to a high speed blender along with chili paste, beans, and vinegar. Begin blending and slowly pour the olive oil. Let blend until completely smooth. Season with pepper and more salt (if needed).
3. Transfer to four bowls and garnish with corn, yogurt, or more olive oil.

Yellow dal/curried black eyed peas

From SmittenKitchen.com


Dal

1 cup yellow split peas, soaked in cold water for 1 hour
1 large tomato (about 8 ounces), cut into 8 wedges
1/4 cup canola oil
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 medium red onion, finely chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
5 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon coriander seeds, finely ground
3/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon cayenne (I used 1/4, thought it was plenty, although I may be a wuss.)
1/4 cup minced cilantro leaves (I abhor cilantro, and always replace it with flat-leaf parsley.)
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 teaspoon salt

Instructions: Drain the dal (split peas) and place in a large saucepan. Add the tomato and 3 cups of water and bring to a boil.

Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover and cook until peas are tender, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Pick out any tomato skins and whisk dal to emulsify it. Keep warm over very low heat.

Heat the oil in a medium skillet over high heat. When the oil begins to smoke, add the cumin seeds, covering the pan with a lid or splatter screen. After the seeds have stopped sputtering, add the onion and saute over medium heat. About 3 minutes later, add the garlic and saute until most of the onion has turned dark brown, about 5 minutes altogether. Add the coriander, turmeric and cayenne, stir and pour mixture over the dal. Add the cilantro, butter and salt to the dal and simmer for another 5 minutes. Serve hot.

Curried Black-Eyed Peas

1 cup dried black-eyed peas or two 15-ounce cans, drained
2 tablespoons, canola oil
1 small yellow onion, minced (about 1 cup)
1 teaspoon coriander seeds, finely ground
1/2 teaspoon finely grated garlic (about 1 large clove)
1/2 teaspoon finely grated ginger (about a 1-inch piece)
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon cayenne (I always start with the half the suggested cayenne, and then decide if it needs more. Mine didn’t.)
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds, finely ground
1/4 cup minced tomato (1 small tomato)
2 cups (or 1 cup if using canned peas) hot water
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste if using canned peas
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 cup canned coconut milk
2 tablespoons minced cilantro leaves
1 tablespoon lemon juice

If using dried black-eyed peas, rinse and soak them in enough water to cover for 6 to 8 hours. Drain.

In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium-low heat and saute the onion until it turns dark brown, about 8 minutes. Add the coriander, garlic, ginger, turmeric, cayenne and cumin, and stir for 2 minutes. Add the tomato and stir over low heat until it disintegrates.

Add the peas and mix well. Pour in the hot water, if using, add the salt and sugar, and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down to low, cover, and simmer until the peas are cooked through, about 20 minutes. If using canned peas, simmer for only 10 minutes (it is essential to simmer the canned peas, too, so that all the flavors blend better). Stir in the coconut milk and simmer uncovered for another 8 to 10 minutes, again allowing the flavors to come together.

Add the cilantro and lemon juice, simmer for 1 minute more, and remove from heat. Serve hot.

Mediterranean eggplant and barley salad

From SmittenKitchen.com

1 1/2 lb eggplant, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
3/4 lb zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
10 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup chopped scallion (from 1 bunch)
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon cayenne (note: I used 1/8 tsp. and it was plenty spicy; adjust to taste)
1 1/4 cups pearl barley (8 oz)
1 (14-oz) can reduced-sodium vegetable or chicken broth (1 3/4 cups)
3/4 cup water
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/2 lb cherry tomatoes, quartered
1/3 cup Kalamata or other brine-cured black olives, pitted and halved
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion, rinsed and drained if desired
1 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/2 cup chopped fresh mint


Roast eggplant and zucchini: Put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 425°F.

Toss eggplant and zucchini with 5 tablespoons oil, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 3/4 teaspoon pepper in a bowl, then spread in 2 oiled large shallow (1-inch-deep) baking pans. Roast vegetables in oven, stirring occasionally and switching position of pans halfway through baking, until vegetables are golden brown and tender, 20 to 25 minutes total. Combine vegetables in 1 pan and cool, reserving other pan for cooling barley.

Cook barley: Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a 3- to 4-quart heavy pot over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then cook scallion, cumin, coriander, and cayenne, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add barley and cook, stirring until well coated with oil, 2 minutes more. Add broth and water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until all of liquid is absorbed and barley is tender, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, 5 minutes. Transfer to reserved shallow baking pan and spread to quickly cool, uncovered, to room temperature, about 20 minutes.

Make dressing and assemble salad: Whisk together lemon juice, garlic, sugar, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and 3 tablespoons oil in a large bowl. Add barley, roasted vegetables, and remaining ingredients to bowl with dressing and toss until combined well.