Ingredients

• 4 1/2 (2 kg) pounds fresh mussels in the shell
• 6.7 ounces (200 mL) dry white wine
• 1/2 pound leeks (white and light green parts) cleaned
• 4 1/2 ounces lightly smoked streaky bacon, thickly sliced
• 1 tablespoon sunflower oil
• 1 ounce unsalted butter
• Fine sea salt and freshly milled black pepper

Preparation

Clean the mussels and put them in a sauteuse pan with the wine. Bring to a boil, and cook just long enough for all the shells to open. Drain and remove the mussels from the pan.

Halve the leeks lengthwise and cut them in finger-thick slices. Cut bacon slices in very small pieces. Heat the oil in a large skillet, turn down the heat to medium, add bacon, and stir-fry until the bacon begins to render its fat (don’t let it get crisp).

Add leeks and stir-fry until they just begin to soften. Lower the heat, add the butter, and when melted, stir in the mussels carefully. Simmer together just long enough for the mussels to warm up. Add salt to taste and be generous with the pepper. Serve on a heated platter with warm French bread or ciabatta. Any leftover mussels can be used the next day to stuff an omelet.

Serves 4-6.

Florine Boucher, via National Geographic

Ingredients

• 1 quart milk
• 5 teaspoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper
• 3.5 ounces cocoa powder

Preparation

Pour the milk, sugar, and pepper in a medium-size saucepan. Keep stirring to avoid burning the bottom until almost cooked. Put the cocoa powder in a big bowl and add one cup of the hot milk. Mix the milk and cocoa powder. Add the mix to the rest of the milk in the pan and keep stirring. Stir until it starts cooking and thickens. Pour the hot chocolate into cups and enjoy.

Makes 4 mugs.

Kees Raat, via National Geographic

Ingredients

• 1 cup milk
• 1 egg
• 2 Tbsp oil
• 2 Tbsp honey
• 2 Tbsp ground flax seed
• 2 tsp salt
• 360 g whole wheat flour
• 1 Tbsp yeast
• 1 Tbsp gluten

Preparation

Place all ingredients in the bread machine in the order given. Use whole wheat cycle and 1.5 lb loaf size.

My Byrd House

Ingredients

• 5 cups fresh strawberries
• 1 cup water
• 3 tablespoons corn starch
• 3/4 c sugar
• 1 9inch graham cracker pie crust
• cool whip for serving

Preparation

Place 4 cups strawberries pointing up in pie shell. Mash remaining strawberries. Cook water and mashed strawberries (1 cup). Cook in microwave on high 4 minutes, stirring once. Combine sugar and cornstarch. Stir into strawberry juice. Cook 2 - 3 minutes in microwave on high until transparent, stirring often. Pour glaze over berries, chill. Serve with cool whip.

Emily Weiburg

Ingredients

• 1 whole fish (800 g, or about 1 3/4 lb.)
• 1 tbsp shao xin wine (or rice wine, or sherry)
• 2 tbsp. fresh ginger, finely sliced in strips
• 2 tbsp. green onion strips
• 3 tbsp. light soy sauce
• 4 tbsp. black vinegar
• 4 tbsp. brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 c. chicken or fish stock
• 1/2 tbsp. corn starch and 2 tbsp. water, mixed well
• sesame oil (optional)

Preparation

1. Remove the scales & clean the fish. If the fish is thick, butterfly it. Make a couple of slashes on the thickest part of the body to help it cook faster. Put the fish in a skillet with high sides and scatter ginger strips under and over the fish. Pour the wine all over the fish.

2. Steam the fish for 10-12 minutes depending on the thickness of the body. Test with a fork by flaking the thickest part of the body. If it flakes off easily from the bone, it is done. Do not over cook.

3. While fish is steaming, put the soy sauce, black vinegar, brown sugar, and salt into a small pot and cook over low heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. When sugar is dissolved, add 1 cup stock to the sauce. When sauce boils, add the corn starch solution and stir well until sauce becomes shiny and thickened. Taste and adjust with more sugar, vinegar, or salt to taste.

4. Add a splash of sesame oil (if using) to the thickened sauce and pour it over the steamed fish. Sprinkle the green onion strips on the fish. Serve hot.

Adapted from Terri at Hunger Hunger (A Daily Obsession)

Ingredients

• 3 mint sprigs
• 2 oz gin
• 3/4 oz fresh lime juice
• 3/4 oz simple syrup
• 1 small dash bitters (optional)

Preparation

Bruise two sprigs of mint gently in a cocktail shaker. Add ingredients. Add ice. Shake. Strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with remaining mint leaf.

Toby Maloney, Chicago Tribune

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lb ground turkey or lean ground beef
• 2-4 Tbl dried minced white onion
• 1-3 Tbl dried minced garlic
• 1/4 c water
• 1-2 Tbl sweet curry poweder
• 1 tsp dried cilantro
• 1/4 c crunchy peanut butter
• 2 tsp chopped crystalized ginger (optional)

Preparation

Cover the minced white onion and garlic with the water for 5 minutes. Drain off any excess liquid and combine the onions and garlic with the ground meat, curry powder, and cilantro. Mix well and form 4 patties. Grill or broil just short of your preferred degree of doneness, turning once. Put 1 tbl of crunchy peanut butter atop each patty, cover the grill, and finish grilling or broiling to your desired doneness–at least another minute to soften and warm the peanut butter. Chop the crystalized ginger into small bits and sprinkle on the peanut butter topping for the final minute of cooking if desired.

Penzey’s, Summer 2010

Ingredients

• 3 tbl vegetable oil
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1/2 lb pork, finely minced
• 1 1/2 tbl light soy sauce
• 2 c chicken broth
• 1 tsp honey or granulated sugar
• 1/4 tsp white pepper (optional)
• 1/4 tsp powdered ginger (optional)
• 1 lb lobster meat–meat from 2 1-lb lobsters or 1 1/2 lbs lobster tail, cleaned, shelled, and cut into 2 inch pieces (may substitute equal parts crab)
• 2 tbl cornstarch
• 2 tbl cold water
• 2 green onions, washed and chopped (green part only)
• 1 egg, slightly beaten

Preparation

Heat the oil in a large wok or skillet over high heat. Add the garlic and pork and stir-fry until the pork loses its pink color. Stir in the soy sauce, chicken broth, honey, pepper, and ginger; bring to a boil. Add the raw lobster pieces, cover, reduce heat and cook for 10 min. Mix the cornstarch and cold water into a smooth paste. Add to the lobster and stir until the gravy is thickened. Stir in the chopped green onions. Pour the beaten egg over the lobster and stir until the egg is just set. Do not over cook! Remove and arrange on a platter. Serve with rice and veggies.

Penzey’s, Summer 2010

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped onion
• 2 teaspoons ground turmeric
• 1 pound tomatillos, husked, washed, quartered
• 3/4 pound okra, sliced 1/2-inch thick
• 2 large plum tomatoes, chopped
• 1 jalapeno, seeded, minced
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Preparation

Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat; add onion and turmeric. Cook, stirring, 3 minutes. Add tomatillos and okra; cook over medium-high heat, stirring until browned and vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, jalapeno, ginger and water; season with salt. Simmer over low heat until okra is tender and most of liquid has evaporated, about 8 minutes. Add cilantro.

Judy Hevrdejs, Tribune Newspapers

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Pinch of ground coriander
• 2/3 cup sugar
• Grated zest of 1 lime
• 2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 2/3 cup sweetened shredded coconut
• 1/2 cup finely chopped macademia nuts (don’t be afraid to use salted nuts)

Preparation

Whisk together the flour, cornstarch, salt and coriander.

If you want to get a little more flavor out of the lime zest, put the sugar and zest in the mixer bowl and, using your fingertips, work the zest into the sugar until the sugar is moist and the mixture fragrant.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter, sugar and zest on medium speed for about 3 minutes, or until smooth. Beat in the vanilla extract. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour mixture, mixing only until the dry ingredients disappear. Add the coconut and nuts and pulse to incorporate them. There will probably be some dry ingredients in the bottom of the bowl–don’t work them in with the mixer, just reach into the bowl and knead them in.

Transfer the soft, sticky dough to a gallon-size zipper-lock bag. Put the bag on a flat surface, leaving the top open, and roll the dough into a 9-x-10 1/2-inch rectangle that’s 1/4 inch thick. As you roll, turn the bag occasionally and lift the plastic from the dough so it doesn’t cause creases. When you get the right size and thickness, seal the bag, pressing out as much air as possible, and refrigerate the dough for at least 2 hours or for up to 2 days.

GETTING READY TO BAKE: Position the racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats.

Put the plastic bag on a cutting board and slit it open. Turn the dough out onto the board (discard the bag), and, using a ruler as a guide and a sharp knife, cut it into 32 squares, each roughly 1 1/2 inches on a side. Transfer the squares to the baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between them, and carefully prick each one twice with a fork, gently pushing the tines through the cookies to the sheet.

Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, rotating the sheets from top to bottom and fromt to back at the midway point. The shortbreads will be very pale–they shouldn’t take on much color. Transfer the cookies to a rack and cool to room temperature.

Makes 32 cookies.

Dorie Greenspan, Baking: From My Home to Yours, pg 145, from Barefoot Kitchen Witch