Ingredients

Waffles:

• 300 g caster/superfine sugar
• 450 g butter
• 3 eggs
• 3 tbsp. milk
• 600 g flour
• cinnamon
• salt

Syrup:

• 600 g cane-sugar syrup (or light corn syrup)
• 300 g butter

Preparation

Mix the sugar with the eggs, milk, flower, cinnamon, salt and the butter sliced in pieces. Make 12 small balls.

Preheat the waffle iron [CP: this needs to be an old-fashioned, cast iron waffle iron that makes relatively thin waffles, not a Belgian/American waffle iron]. Squeeze a paste ball in the iron. Bake the waffle in about 30 seconds.

Cut the waffle in two thin waffles and spread the waffle with the mix of syrup and butter.

www.stroopwafelshop.com

Ingredients

• 1 giant, round crusty loaf
• 2 good steaks (boneless)
• 5-6 tbsp. butter
• 1 lb. mushrooms, sliced
• 7 oz. shallots, diced
• salt and pepper
• some garlic
• some brandy
• Worcestershire sauce
• horseradish
• Dijon mustard

Preparation

Slice the top off of your crusty loaf, and hollow out the middle. Melt the butter, and cook the shallots and mushrooms. Add garlic, brandy, salt and pepper, and Worcestershire sauce to taste. Sautee your steaks in some butter or oil of their own, seasoned w/ salt and pepper. Place one of the steaks into the loaf. Add all the mushroom mixture. Top with the other steak. Spread horseradish and Dijon, to taste, over the top. Take the whole loaf, wrap in parchment paper, string, and tin foil, and weight down with a cutting board and some nice heavy books, overnight (preferably in your cool basement, not in the refrigerator). The next day, slice into wedges as you’d cut a pie (just cut through the paper/foil), and enjoy.

The Grauniad

Ingredients

• 12 cups chicken broth
• 5 TBSP lemon juice
• zest of 1 lemon
• 12 egg yolks
• salt and white pepper to taste
• thinly sliced lemon

Preparation

Heat the chicken broth until it is scalding hot. Add the lemon juice and zest. Whisk egg yolks, then gradually whisk in some of the hot broth. Slowly return to broth, lower heat, and stir constantly while warming and thickening. Serve immediately, garnished with the lemon slices.

Ingredients

• Iceberg, red or romaine lettuce leaves, washed and chilled
• Fried rice [Mom: I’ve been making Yangzhou Fried Rice (Epicurious, 7/08)]
• Bamboo shoots
• Snow peas
• One large pork chop
• 1 tbsp. soy sauce
• 1 tbsp. mirin, rice wine, sherry, etc.
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 6 oz. mushrooms, sliced thinly

Preparation

Julienne bamboo shoots and snow peas. Thinly slice pork and marinate in soy, wine, and sugar. Stirfry all together with bamboo shoots and mushrooms. Serve in wraps with fried rice.

Ingredients for Dolmades

• 2 lbs. ground lamb
• 2 large onions, grated
• 1/2 cup minced parsley
• 1/2 cup long grain rice
• 2 egg whites (save yolks for sauce)
• 2 TBSP minced fresh mint
• s & p
• 1 jar grape leaves
• chicken broth

Preparation for Dolmades

Combine all filling ingredients and mix well. Rinse, drain, and separate grape leaves. Cover the bottom of a 4-quart saucepan with 4-5 leaves. Roll 1 TBSP filling in each grape leaf. Place close together in even layers in saucepan. Add enough chicken broth to cover rolls. Place a small plate directly on top of rolls to weigh down. Cover and simmer for 1 hour.

Ingredients for Sauce

• 2 to 3 cups broth from pot
• 2 eggs
• 2 egg yolks
• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 1 TBSP cornstarch

Preparation for Sauce

In small saucepan, boil broth. Combine eggs, yolks, juice, and cornstarch in blender. With blender running, slowly add hot broth. Return to saucepan and stir over low heat until thickened. Pour sauce over rolls. Eat.

Grandmommy

Ingredients

• 1 mango, peeled and diced small
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced small
• 1 c. thinly sliced scallions
• 1 c. chopped cilantro
• 1 tbsp. vegetable oil
• 2 tbsp. wine or balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper
• 2 c. cooked quinoa, cooled (~3/4 c. raw)
• 1 15-oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1-2 finely diced jalapeño peppers (optional)

Preparation

Mix everything together and serve over greens.

Penzey’s Spices

Ingredients

• 1 medium eggplant, peeled, cut into thick chunks
• 1 head fresh garlic, peeled
• 5-6 tomatoes (smaller, vine-ripe), quartered and seeds removed
• 1/4 c. olive oil
• 3 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
• 1/2-1 tsp. salt (optional)
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• 2 tbsp. Penzey’s Tuscan Sunset or other spice blend
• 1 16-oz. can white beans
• 1 tsp. chili powder
• 1/2 tsp. oregano (pref. Mexican)
• 2 tbsp. lemon juice

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375. Place the vegetables in a shallow baking dish. Add the oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, and spice blend. Toss well to coat. Carefully spread into a single layer and place the pan in the oven. Roast for 45 minutes. Note: Vegetables can also be roasted on a pan in a gas grill. Cool vegetable mixture, or let rest overnight in the fridge.

Rinse and drain the white beans and place in a blender with 2 c. of the vegetable mixture. The vegetables should have exuded quite a bit of liquid so make sure to include some of this in the 2 cups. Blend the beans and vegetables. Add the chili powder and oregano and the lemon juice. Blend well and pour into a bowl. Serve with any firm cracker.

Penzey’s Spices

Ingredients

• 8 parts brandy/Cognac
• 2 parts Cointreau
• 1 part lemon juice

Preparation

Shake with ice, strain, serve in martini glass.

Ingredients

• 2 parts gin
• 1 part Cointreau
• 1 part lemon juice

Preparation

Shake with ice, strain, serve in martini glass.

Ingredients

• 3/4 pound fettuccine
• 2 tablespoons butter, divided
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 8 garlic cloves, peeled, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh sage
• 1 pound sweet Italian sausages, casings removed
• 1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper (optional)
• 1 cup grated Asiago cheese (about 3 ounces)

Preparation

Meanwhile, melt 1 tablespoon butter with oil in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic slices and sauté until light golden, about 45 seconds. Using slotted spoon, transfer garlic to bowl.

Increase heat to medium-high; add sage to same skillet and stir until beginning to crisp, about 10 seconds. Add sausage and sauté until browned and crisp in spots, breaking up with fork, about 8 minutes.

Drain pasta; add pasta and remaining 1 tablespoon butter to skillet. Using tongs, toss pasta with sausage mixture. Add crushed red pepper, if desired; season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer pasta to large bowl. Top with crispy garlic and grated Asiago cheese.

Bon Appetit, March 2008