Hollandaise Sauce
Hollandaise Sauce is used to prepare eggs Florentine. It also pairs nicely with poached fish and roasted or steamed asparagus.
INGREDIENTS
4 Egg Yolks
2 Tablespoons Fresh Lemon & Lime Juice
1 Tablespoon Water
1/8 Teaspoon Salt
1/8 Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
¼ Freshly Ground White Pepper
2 Sticks Melted Unsalted Butter
Set a bowl over a saucepan filled with simmering water. Combine the egg yolks, lemon and lime juice and water. Whisk constantly until the mixture begins to thicken. You must not turn your back on this process and make sure to whisk constantly. Whisk another minute more. Remove the bowl from over the saucepan. Add the salt, cayenne and white pepper. With a blender mix while slowly pouring in the melted butter for two minutes. Cover and keep warm over a very low heat until ready to serve. Makes 2 cups
Bearnaise Sauce
It is useful to have basic sauces up your sleeve to dress up any dish. Bearnaise Sauce is a rich yet tangy topping for steak, grilled chicken, vegetables or poached eggs. If you don’t have tarragon vinegar then use white wine vinegar and toss in an extra tablespoon of fresh tarragon.
INGREDIENTS
½ Cup Tarragon Vinegar
1/3 Cup Dry White Wine
2 Finely Chopped Shallots
3 Large Egg Yolks
¼ Cup Water
1/8 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper
1 Stick Cold Butter – Cut Into Pieces
1 Tablespoon Chopped Fresh Tarragon
¼ Teaspoon Salt
In a (nonreactive) saucepan, combine the vinegar, wine and shallots. Heat to boiling over a high heat. Boil for 7 minutes until the liquid has reduced to ¼ cup. With the back of a spoon, press the mixture through a fine sieve into a medium bowl or on the top of a double boiler. With a wire whisk, beat the egg yolks, water and pepper into the vinegar mixture. Set the bowl over the saucepan of the simmering water. Cook, whisking constantly, for 10 minutes until the egg yolk mixture bubbles around the edges and has thickened. Reduce heat to a very low. With a wire whisk, whisk in the butter, one piece at a time, until each addition is incorporated and sauce has thickened. Remove from heat and stir in the tarragon and salt. Makes 1 cup
Creamy Polenta
Dubbed by some as “Italian Grits,” polenta has been popular and been abundant in the North of Italy since ancient times. First made from wild grains and later from a primitive wheat, faro, millet, spelt or chickpeas these grains were mixed with water to form a paste and then cooked on a hot stone. Sometime in the 15th or 16th century a new crop known as maize arrived from the New World. It was a perfect crop from the farms of Northern Italy and landowners were able to grow vast fields of corn for profit. Polenta was eaten either in porridge or in a hard cake like form. The best polenta that I have ever had was a few years ago at the now closed, L’Impero, in New York. It was the creamiest and served with a delicious mushroom sauce.
INGREDIENTS
2 Cups Cold Water
1 Teaspoon Salt
1 ½ Cups Yellow Cornmeal
4 ½ Cups Boiling Water
½ Cup Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese
4 Tablespoons Butter Cut Into Pieces
Combine cold water and salt in a large Dutch oven. With a wire whisk, gradually beat in the cornmeal until smooth. Whisk in the boiling water and heat to boiling over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium low and cook stirring frequently with a wooden spoon for 25 minutes. The mixture should be very thick. Stir in the Parmesan cheese and butter into the polenta until the butter has melted. Serve immediately. Serves 8
Cherry Tomato & Zucchini Gratin
A Great Way To Use Up Those Prolific Summer Zucchini!
INGREDIENTS
½ Cup Plain Dried Bread Crumbs
½ Cup Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese
3 Crushed Garlic Cloves
¼ Teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper
3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 Pint Ripe Cherry Tomatoes
3 Sliced Shallots
2 Sliced Medium Zucchini
¼ Cup Butter
¼ Cup Freshly Chopped Basil
Preheat the oven to 425° F. In a small bowl, combine the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, garlic, pepper and oil until blended. Place cherry tomatoes, zucchini and shallots in a shallow 2 quart casserole dish. Cut the butter into pieces and place on top of the vegetables. Top with the bread crumb mixture and sprinkle with the chopped basil. Bake, uncovered, for 20 minutes until heated through and the bread crumbs have browned. Serves 6
Homemade Ketchup
Asian and Indonesian cultures invented what we know today as ketchup. Dating back thousands of years, ke-tsiap or kecap, was popular in the 17th century China. Ketchup started as a spicy, pickled fish sauce made of anchovies, walnuts, mushrooms and kidney beans. British seamen brought ke-tsiap home with them where the name was changed to catchup and then finally ketchup. It wasn’t until the late 1700s that New Englanders added tomatoes to the blend. Homemade tomato ketchup has a fresher, more robust flavor than commercial ketchup when using fresh organic tomatoes and spices.
INGREDIENTS
3 Pounds Cored & Quartered Ripe Tomatoes
½ Cup Cider OR Malt Vinegar
¼ Cup Sugar
½ Teaspoon Ground Ginger
½ Teaspoon Salt
2 Garlic Cloves
1 Small Onion
1/8 Teaspoon Ground Cloves
½ Teaspoon White Pepper
Cut the tomatoes in quarters and puree them in a food processor. Strain the puree through a coarse sieve to remove the skins and seeds. Next, puree the onion and garlic cloves. Combine with the tomato puree and pour into a large cooking pot. Cook and stir occasionally over a low heat until it is reduced by about a third and is considerably thicker. While the ketchup is cooking stir in the vinegar, sugar, ground ginger, salt, ground cloves and white pepper. Continue cooking, uncovered and stirring, for 30 minutes until thick. You can adjust any of these ingredients to suit you. You can add more or less sugar if you like. Let your tongue be the guide. If you want to can the ketchup just pour into sterile canning jars leaving 1/8 inch of head space and process in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes. Makes 2 cups of ketchup
Portobello Mushroom Stroganoff
The meaty taste of Portobello mushrooms makes this meatless pasta dish very satisfying!
INGREDIENTS
8 Ounces Fettuccine Or Pasta Of Your Choice
8 Ounces Sour Cream
2 Tablespoons Unbleached Flour
¾ Cup White Wine
1 Crumbled Vegetable Bouillon Cube
½ Teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper
2 Diced Onions
3 Tablespoons Butter
5 Cups Sliced Portobello Mushrooms
2 Minced Garlic Cloves
Cook the fettuccine, drain and keep warm. Do NOT rinse the pasta. I like to drizzle the cooked pasta with olive oil to keep it from sticking together. In a small bowl combine the sour cream and unbleached flour. Stir in the water, bouillon and black pepper. Set aside. In a large skillet heat the butter over a medium heat and add the onion. Cook for 5 minutes until tender. Stir constantly. Stir in the garlic and mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes. Remove the mushroom mixture from the pan and add to the pasta. Keep warm. Wipe out the skillet and stir in the sour cream. Cook until bubbly. Pour the sour cream mixture over the pasta and mushroom mixture. Stir gently to coat. Serve warm. Serves 4
Lady Baltimore Cake
A Southern specialty that has many variations and often used as a favorite wedding cake. It is said to have originated in “The Lady Baltimore Tea Room” in Charleston, South Carolina, toward the end of the 19th century. It has been suggested that it is a variation of a cake that was favored by Dolley Madison (1768-1849), the wife of President James Madison. I love this recipe and find that it is extremely versatile.
INGREDIENTS
Cake:
2 Cups Sugar
1 Cup Butter
4 Separated Eggs
1 Cup Milk
3 Cups Unbleached Flour
4 Teaspoons Baking Powder
½ Teaspoon Salt
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1 Teaspoon Almond Extract
Frosting:
2 Egg Whites
1 ½ Cups Sugar
1/3 Cup Cold Water
½ Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1/8 Teaspoon Salt
1 Cup Chopped Raisins
1 Cup Chopped Walnuts
12 Finely Cut Dried Figs
¼ Cup Candied Cherries
Cream together the sugar and butter. Add the egg yolks one at a time and mix. Alternately add the milk and the dry ingredients. Set aside. Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold the beaten egg whites, vanilla and almond extract into the yolk mixture. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake in two 9 inch greased cake pans for 35 minutes until done. When done remove from the oven and cool cakes in their pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Then remove from pans and continue cooking. Prepare the frosting and spread between the cake layers as a filling and then spread the remaining frosting to ice the entire cake. Serves 8
To make the frosting: In a 3 quart saucepan over very low heat beat egg whites, sugar, water, vanilla and salt until stiff peaks form. You can use an electric hand mixer on medium speed to beat the egg whites. This should take about 15 minutes. Immediately remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the chopped raisins, chopped walnuts, dried figs and candied cherries. You can omit the cherries if you wish. 
Cherry Cobbler
This dessert is very easy to make and is always a big hit. You can make it ahead for easy entertaining!
INGREDIENTS
1 Cup Unbleached Flour
2 Tablespoons Sugar
1 ½ Teaspoons Baking Powder
¼ Teaspoon Salt
½ Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
¼ Cup Butter
6 Cups Pitted Tart Cherries
1 Cup Sugar
2 Tablespoons Cornstarch
1 Large Egg
¼ Cup Milk
Preheat your oven to 400° F. In a medium sized bowl, for the topping stir together flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs and set aside. In a large saucepan, for the filling, combine the cherries, 1 cup sugar and the cornstarch. Cook over a medium heat until the cherries release juices. Stir occasionally. Continue to cook over medium heat until it thickens and bubbles. Keep hot. In a small bowl stir together the egg and milk and add to the flour mixture. Stir just until the flour mixture is moistened. Transfer the hot cherry filling to a 2 quart square baking dish. With a spoon, immediately drop the topping into six mounds on top of the filling. Bake for 20 minutes until topping is golden. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack for 1 hour. Serve with vanilla ice cream. Serves 6
Summer Melon Salsa
This salsa recipe is refreshing and light. Serve it with tortilla chips, over grilled chicken or fish or just serve it as a fresh fruit salad.
INGREDIENTS
2 Cups Cubed Seedless Cantaloupe, Watermelon and/or Honeydew
1 Cup Chopped Seedless Cucumber
½ Cup Chopped Orange Bell Pepper
½ Cup Chopped Green Bell Pepper
½ Cup Fresh Corn Cut From The Cob
4 Tablespoons Chopped Fresh Cilantro
1 Tablespoon Finely Chopped Red Onion
3 Tablespoons Fresh Lime Juice
1 Tablespoon Honey
In a medium bowl combine the melon, cucumber, peppers, corn, cilantro and onion. In a small bowl whisk together the lime juice and honey and toss with the melon mixture. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving. Serves 4
Homemade Habanero Hot Sauce
This sauce is HOT, HOT, HOT!!!!! Get yourself a doctor’s note and proceed with caution!
INGREDIENTS
20 Fresh Habaneros
5 Garlic Cloves
½ Cup Champagne Vinegar
½ Cup Water
1 Teaspoon Sea Salt
1 Teaspoon Smoked Paprika
½ Teaspoon Chili Powder
1 Teaspoon Raw Sugar
Slice and remove the insides of the habaneros. If you want hotter sauce you can use the insides in the sauce as the seed are the hottest part of the habanero. Peel the garlic and cut into quarters. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Oil a pan and roast the habaneros and garlic for 20 minutes until golden brown on top. Make sure that you keep an eye on them as you don’t want them to burn. Roasting the habaneros and the garlic really adds to the flavor.
After removing the habaneros and garlic from the oven, put them into a food processor and add the champagne vinegar, water, sea salt, smoked paprika, chili powder, raw sugar and puree. If you find that the sauce is too thick then add more vinegar and water in equal parts. Pour into a storage container or bottle and refrigerate. This sauce should keep for quite awhile. Use it on eggs, sandwiches, tacos, burgers, pasta, rice dishes or anything that you want to add a kick to. Makes 1 ½ to 2 cups
