Grilled Swordfish with Mint-Cucumber Salsa

Dressings & Sauces, fish, herbed, main courses

from Bon Appetit, August 1995

2 Servings; can be doubled

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup diced seeded peeled cucumber
  • 6 tablespoons chopped red onion
  • 3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
  • 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
  • 2 6-to 7-ounce swordfish steaks (about 1 inch thick)

Preparation

Combine cucumber, onion, mint, vinegar, 1 1/2 teaspoons oil and sugar in medium bowl; toss to blend. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.)

Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat) or preheat broiler. Brush swordfish with remaining 1 teaspoon oil; season with salt and pepper. Grill or broil swordfish until just opaque in center, about 4 minutes per side. Place swordfish on plates. Top with salsa.

Chocolate Chunk Oatmeal Coconut Cookies

chocolate, dessert

From Gourmet | August 2001

Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 1 hr

Yield: Makes about 24 large cookies

Ingredients:

  • 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup packed brown sugar
  • 6 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 1/4 cups old-fashioned oats
  • 1 1/2 cups packaged finely shredded unsweetened coconut
  • 12 oz semisweet or bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened), cut into 1/2-inch chunks (about 2 cups)
  • 3/4 cup almonds with skins (4 oz), toasted, cooled, and chopped

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Beat together butter and sugars in a bowl with an electric mixer at high speed until fluffy. Add eggs and beat until just blended, then beat in vanilla, baking soda, and salt. Add flour and mix at low speed until just blended. Stir in oats, coconut, chocolate, and almonds.

Arrange 1/4-cup mounds of cookie dough about 3 inches apart on 2 lightly buttered large baking sheets (about 8 cookies per sheet), then gently pat down each mound to about 1/2 inch thick. Bake in upper and lower thirds of oven, switching position and rotating pans halfway through baking, until golden, 15 to 18 minutes total.

Cool cookies on sheets 1 minute, then transfer with a spatula to racks to cool completely. Make more cookies in same manner.

Ginger Ale

beverages, easy

From http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/20/dining/201grex.html?ref=dining
Time: 5 minutes

  • 4 teaspoons fresh ginger juice (see note)
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice plus lime wedge, for garnish
  • 1 1/4 cups cold club soda.

Stir ginger juice, sugar and lime juice in 16-ounce glass until sugar is dissolved. Add ice and the club soda. Garnish with lime wedge.

Yield: One drink.

Note: Ginger juice can be made with a juice extractor or purchased from most health stores and juice bars. If making a large quantity of ginger ale, ginger syrup can be prepared ahead of time by dissolving 3/4 cup sugar in 1 cup ginger juice. Add lime juice and club soda to two tablespoons syrup just before serving.

Toasted Coconut and Dark Chocolate Meringues

dessert

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup unsweetened medium shredded coconut
  • 3 large egg whites
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup coarsely chopped bittersweet or semisweet chocolate (pieces will vary in size from shavings to the size of small peas; about 2 1/2 ounces)

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spread coconut evenly on baking sheet; bake until toasted and evenly golden, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Cool.

Reduce oven temperature to 275°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment Using electric mixer, beat egg whites in large bowl to soft peaks. Gradually add sugar; beat until peaks are thick and fluffy. Fold in coconut and chocolate.

Drop generous rounded teaspoonfuls batter onto prepared sheets, spacing 1 inch apart. Bake until crisp on outside but still soft inside, about 27 minutes. Cool. (Can be made up to 3 days ahead; store in airtight container.)

Test-kitchen tip: Make these cookies extra-fabulous by drizzling them with melted chocolate after they have cooled.

Mac’s Macaroni & Cheese

main courses, tastes scrumptious

Cabot recipe!

This time-honored recipe comes from one of our favorite Cabot employees. It’s got a generous portion of tangy cheddar, a golden crumb topping, and a hint of cayenne and mustard.

2 cups small elbow macaroni
3 tablespoons Cabot Salted Butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
Pinch ground red pepper (cayenne)
1 dash Worcestershire sauce
2 cups whole milk, heated
4 cups grated Cabot Sharp Cheddar (about 16 ounces), divided
1/2 cup buttered bread crumbs
Continue reading Mac’s Macaroni & Cheese →

Cauliflower & Potato Soup

easy, soup, tastes good, winter

Ingredients

  • 1 head cauliflower, cut into florets and stems sliced
  • 2 med. potatoes, peeled and cubed
  • 1 tbsp. butter
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 c. coarsely chopped onion
  • 1/2 c. minced fresh parsley
  • 2 tsp. soy sauce
  • 1/4 tsp. cardamom
  • 3/4 tsp. salt
  • Dash or more cayenne
  • Freshly ground pepper to taste

OPTIONAL: 1 c. low fat milk

Preparation

1. Steam cauliflower for 5 minutes until florets are just tender. Set aside but save cooking water. Parboil potatoes for 10 minute or until tender. Set aside but save cooking water.

2. Melt butter, add garlic and onion and saute until soft. Combine reserved cauliflower, potatoes, garlic/onion mixture and parsley and puree in blender or food processor in batches, adding the reserved liquid as needed.

3. Transfer the puree to a large saucepan and add additional cooking liquid to achieve a consistency somewhat thicker than ultimately desired. Stir in soy sauce, cardamom, salt, pepper, and cayenne.

OPTIONAL: Add milk, stirring soup to blend. Reheat the soup; do not boil.

Moroccan Chicken with Green Olives and Lemon

easy, main courses

yield: Makes 4 servings

active time: 25 minutes

total time: 55 minutes
Ingredients

* 2 Meyer lemons or regular lemons
* 1 tablespoon olive oil
* 1 large onion, halved, thinly sliced
* 2 garlic cloves, pressed
* 1 tablespoon paprika
* 2 teaspoons ground cumin
* 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1 teaspoon ground ginger
* 2 cups low-salt chicken broth
* 1 4 1/2-pound chicken, cut into 8 pieces, skin removed
* 1/2 cup green olives

Preparation

Cut 1 lemon into 8 wedges. Squeeze enough juice from second lemon to measure 2 tablespoons; set wedges and juice aside.

Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and sprinkle with salt and pepper; sauté until golden brown, about 8 minutes. Add next 5 ingredients; stir 1 minute.

Add broth; bring to boil. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper; add to skillet. Add lemon wedges. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until chicken is cooked through, turning occasionally, 25 to 30 minutes.

Transfer chicken to platter. Add olives and 2 tablespoons lemon juice to skillet. Increase heat to high; boil uncovered to thicken slightly, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Pour over chicken.

Carrot Cake with Marmalade Cream Cheese Frosting

dessert

Cake

* 2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
* 2 teaspoons baking soda
* 2 teaspoons baking powder
* 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 4 large eggs
* 3/4 cup vegetable oil
* 3/4 cup sugar
* 2/3 cup packed golden brown sugar
* 1/2 cup orange marmalade
* 1/2 cup orange juice
* 3 cups (lightly packed) grated peeled carrots
* 3/4 cup chopped toasted walnuts

Frosting

* 4 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
* 2 cups powdered sugar
* 1 1/4 cups (about) orange marmalade
* 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
* 2 teaspoons grated orange peel
* 1 1/4 cups finely chopped toasted walnuts (about 6 ounces)

Preparation

For Cake:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour two 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 2-inch-high sides. Sift first 5 ingredients into medium bowl. Beat eggs, oil, sugars, marmalade and juice in large bowl until blended. Stir in dry ingredients. Fold in carrots and nuts. Divide batter between cake pans. Bake until tester inserted into centers comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Transfer cakes to racks; cool 15 minutes. Turn out cakes onto racks; cool completely.

For Frosting:
Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar in large bowl until smooth. Add 3/4 cup marmalade, butter and orange peel and beat just until smooth. If necessary, cover and chill until firm enough to spread.

Place 1 cake on plate. Spread with 1/4 cup marmalade. Spread 1 cup frosting over. Top with second cake. Spoon 2 cups frosting into pastry bag fitted with large star tip. Spread remaining frosting smoothly over top and sides of cake.

Pipe frosting in 4 parallel lines atop cake, spacing evenly. Pipe 5 lines atop cake in opposite direction, forming lattice. Press 1 cup nuts onto sides of cake. Pipe ring of frosting around top edge of cake. Stir 1/4 cup marmalade to loosen; spoon some into 1 row of lattice diamonds. Spoon some of remaining nuts into next row of diamonds. Repeat, alternating marmalade and nuts, filling rows completely. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover with cake dome and chill.)