MANGO SALSA

I love the interplay of sweet and spicy in this condiment. The luscious flesh of the mango pairs perfectly with the crisp body of a jalapeño. Make a giant batch of this and serve it all week with fish, on chips, in tacos. It fits your every need!

INGREDIENTS

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• Two Mangos, peeled and cut into small cubes
• Juice of one Lime
• 1 Jalapeño, diced
• 1/4 cup chopped Cilantro
• Salt to taste

BUSINESS

1. Chop everything, toss in a bowl, then enjoy! It gets better if you let it sit together in the fridge.

YOGURT TART

Breakfast desserts are a wonderful venue for experimentation. With this treat I took some morning time favorites and reframed them with an eye toward the tart/pie family. The crust is an oatmeal crumble, the body a tremble of yogurt set with gelatin, and the top is crowned in fruit. A joy eaten in the morning and a secret eaten at night, this tart will become a staple in your repertoire once you've tried it. Any fruit on top will do, I swap it out as the seasons shift. My new favorite? Fillets of mango spiraled around the yogurt. 

INGREDIENTS

Crust

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• 1 cup GF Oats

• ½ cup Brown Sugar

• ⅓ cup Millet Flour

• ¼ cup Almond Meal

• ½ tsp Salt

• 3 ounces Coconut Oil

Peaches

• 3 large Peaches

• 3 tablespoons Maple Syrup

• 1 tsp Ground Cardamom 

Panna Cotta

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• 1 packet Powdered Gelatin

• 3 tbs Water

• 2 cups Yoghurt (any variety will do)

• 2 tbs Honey

• Juice of ½ Lemon

• 1 tsp Vanilla

• ½ tsp Salt

BUSINESS

1. Heat your oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9-inch pie dish with a circle of parchment paper.

2. In a small bowl mix the ingredients for the crust with your hands. Squeeze and massage the mixture until there are no visible clumps.

3. Press the crust into your pie dish and up the sides. Bake the crust for 15-20 minutes or until it is just starting to brown around the edges. Remove it from the oven and let it cool.

4. While the crust is baking slice the peaches into small wedges. Stir them with the maple syrup and cardamom, then spill them into a roasting pan.

5. Roast the peaches in your already warm oven for 20-25 minutes, until they’re just showing some color and slightly withered. Remove them from the oven and allow them to cool.

6. While the crust and peaches are cooling, pour the gelatin over the water in a shallow bowl and let it sit for 5-10 minutes.

7. In a large saucepan whisk the yoghurt, lemon, vanilla, salt and honey over medium heat. When it is quite warm to the touch, turn off the heat.

8. Pour the gelatin into the yoghurt mixture and whisk until it is completely dissolved.

9. Pour the yoghurt mixture into the pie dish, into the crust.

10. Arrange the peaches on top however you like (scattered or spiralled).

11. Put the dish in your refrigerator at least 3 hours, or overnight, to set.

12. Slice and eat!

TAMARIND APPLE SALAD

I'm not a fan of the hotel fruit salad, a jubilee of unseasonal and underripe cubes with little or no thought to structure and shape. And so when I set out to make a fruit salad it must have perspective, maturity, and reason. You'll never find a tumble of melons, citrus, berries, and grapes on my table. Our brunch was in close enough proximity to Passover that my brain subtly injected this reference to Charoset. Chopped apples, dates, and cashews, dressed with lemon and tamarind. It's a Southeast Asian take on my Jewish roots, and I'm eagerly awaiting a repeat performance. 

Ingredients

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• 3 Honeycrisp Apples
• 1 1/2 cups Raw Cashews, chopped
• 1 1/2 cups Dates, pitted and chopped
• 1/4 cup Tamarind Paste
• Juice of one Lemon
• 1/2 teaspoon Fresh Ground Black Pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon Ground Cardamom
• 1/4 teaspoon Salt

Business

1. Peel and chop the apples into small cubes. 
2. In a large bowl mix the apples, chopped cashews, and chopped dates until evenly distributed. 
3. In a separate bowl whisk together the remaining ingredients. If the sauce is too thick, add water one tablespoon at a time until it is easily whiskable. 
4. Pour the sauce over the fruit and nut mix, toss to combine.

ORANGE WALNUT CAKE

A delight of layers, this cake has enough personality to please every texture nerd. I line the pan with caramelized walnuts, then pour the batter on top for baking. Once the cake is out of the oven and cool, I plaster the top with an easy chocolate mousse. Though it may look complicated, fret not- this is a cake you can throw together with minutes on the clock and look like a winner when the buzzer sounds.

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CAKE INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups Crushed/Chopped Walnuts
• 1/4 cup Brown Sugar
• 1/4 cup Bourbon
• 1/2 cup Brown Rice Flour
• 1/3 cup Tapioca Starch
• 1/3 cup White RIce Flour
• 2 teaspoons Baking Powder
• 3/4 teaspoon Salt
• 3/4 teaspoon Xanthan Gum
• 3 Eggs
• 3/4 cup Sugar
• 3/4 cup Coconut Milk
• 3/4 cup Safflower Oil
• Zest of two Oranges

BUSINESS

1. In a large saute pan, heat the walnuts with brown sugar and bourbon over medium flame. When everything is sticky and melted, remove from the stove and pour into the bottom of a lined 9-inch springform cake pan.
2. Heat your oven to 350 degrees.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients (everything up until Eggs on the list).
4. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs with the sugar until slightly thickened and lighter in color. Whisk in the oil, milk, and orange zest. 
5. Add the dry ingredients to the wet, mixing to combine.
6. Pour the batter into the cake pan, over the caramelized walnuts.
7. Bake the cake for 40-50 minutes, until browned on top and springy to the touch.
8. Allow the cake to cool completely before frosting.

FROSTING BUSINESS

I swear by this genius chocolate mousse posted on Food52, originated by Hervé This. Make a batch with orange juice from your remaining skinned oranges, and slather it on top of the cake before serving.

GRILLED PÃO

It wasn't until I was in college that my family (all living gluten free at that moment) discovered the wonder of this Brazilian bread. No yeast, no complicated blend of gluten free flours, this batter comes together in a few minutes with a small list of ingredients. You can make it with or without cheese. Adding handfuls of something sharp will amp up the flavor, though I must admit an addiction to this simple, dairy free, version. Traditionally, the batter is baked into small muffins, small rolls, but I've taken this opportunity to present you with my favorite alternative: the grill. Pour the batter directly onto a cast iron grill/griddle and you'll be rewarded with an alchemical transformation. 

INGREDIENTS

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• 1 Egg
• 1/3 cup Olive Oil
• 2/3 cup Coconut Milk (or regular milk)
• 1 1/2 cups Tapioca Flour
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• Optional: 1/2 cup Grated Cheese

BUSINESS

1. Heat a cast iron grill pan over medium-high flame.
2. In a large bowl, whisk all ingredients fiercely, until the batter is smooth and shiny. 
3. When the grill is hot, pour the batter directly onto the iron. If it resists spreading, you can give it a nudge with a spatula, though gravity will most likely take care of the job. 
4. Let the bread grill until it curls up at the ends, about 10-15 minutes. Check the bottom for good color, then flip it over and grill the nude side for another 10-15 minutes (or until sufficiently toasted).
5. Remove and tear into fingers for serving.

SARDINE MOUSSE

A briny whip to start the evening, this mousse is wonderful with a glass of something cold and crisp (be that white wine, or beer). It's deceptively hearty and creamy with the addition of walnuts, great for spreading on toasts or crackers. Make a double batch and keep half in the freezer, you'll be all set for your next party with no planning necessary.

INGREDIENTS

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• 4 cans Sardines packed in Olive Oil
• Juice of 2 Lemons
• 3 cups Toasted Walnuts
• 1 cup Torn Parsley Leaves
• Salt and Pepper to taste (beware, the sardines are already salted)

BUSINESS

1. Add all ingredients to a food processor (including the olive oil remaining in the sardine tins).
2. Buzz and whir the mixture until it is your desired consistency. The mousse can be smooth or chunky, it's delicious either way.

SALT AND PEPPER KALE CHIPS

It's downright irresponsible to have a late breakfast without some sort of vegetable on the table. Though it may run counter to your upbringing, the breakfasts of my young adulthood have always featured something green to accompany my meats and starches. But I'll cut you some slack here, it is the morning after, after all. Have a bunch of kale in your fridge? Is it starting to wilt? Yes, of course it is. Well strip the leaves from the stems and let them crisp up in the oven. Everybody loves a good chip.

INGREDIENTS

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• 1 bunch Kale (curly leaf)
• 3-4 tablespoons Olive Oil
• Salt and Pepper (don't be shy here)

BUSINESS

1. Heat your oven to 325 degrees.
2. Strip the leaves from the stems of your kale, add them to your largest roasting tray/pan. If they are too bunched in the pan (i.e. on top of each other), bake them in batches.
3. Drizzle olive oil, and sprinkle salt and pepper over the kale, then toss with your hands until evenly distributed. 
4. Bake for 30-40 minutes, shaking the pan intermittently, until crisp and dry.

SPICED BACON

Bacon needs no introduction, it begs no accoutrements, but sometimes (just sometimes) it likes to be treated like a GD star. It doesn't take much to put bacon in the spotlight, just of touch of sweet spice and some proper cooking. I like my bacon straight and stiff as a board, thick and crisp. For my tastes, there is no better purveyor of the porky strip than John O'Groats in LA. I base my cooking technique on their expert presentation, and it doesn't fail. 

INGREDIENTS

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• 1 pound Bacon, thickly cut
• 2 tablespoons Garam Masala
• 2 teaspoons Brown Sugar

BUSINESS

1. Heat your oven to 475 degrees.
2. In a medium bowl mix together both the Garam Masala and brown sugar.
3. Dredge each bacon slice through the spice mixture, coating both sides liberally.
4. Line a large roasting tray with the bacon slices, keeping them in one layer.
5. Place a rack on top of the bacon slices, to keep them flat while they bake.
6. Bake the bacon for 15-20 minutes, or until browned and crisp all around.
7. Remove the bacon from the oven and, using a fork, take each slice out of the roasting tray while still hot and let it drain on a separate rack.

BANANA CORNMEAL PANCAKES

Whether or not you had an inadvertent overnight guest, take a few minutes and flap some jacks this morning. Pancakes aren't complicated, and if you make them a semi-regular part of your morning routine (say, perhaps, a weekend tradition) you'll find you know the formula by heart in no time. I threw some bananas into the mix, but if you don't have any on hand, skip 'em. Pancakes ahoy!

INGREDIENTS

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• 2 Bananas
• 1 Egg
• 1/2 cup Milk (alternatives will work)
• 2 tablespoons Brown Sugar
• 1 tablespoon Safflower Oil
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• 1/2 cup Corn Grits
• 1/2 cup Millet Flour
• 1 teaspoon Baking Powder

BUSINESS

1. Mash bananas in bowl, whisk in egg, milk, sugar, oil, and salt.
2. Stir in grits, millet flour, and baking powder.
3. Heat griddle over medium-high flame and ladle batter onto surface.
4. Cook pancakes for 2-3 minutes, until bubbles appear around edges, then flip.
5. Cook for another 2 minutes, then remove to plate and enjoy. 

RED WINE BROWNIES

Though I'd love to take credit for these brownies, I must bow my head to the inimitable David Lebovitz. He published this recipe for brownies in 2011 and I've been making them ever since. The batter is drop-dead simple with one caveat: you must beat it for at least a minute (as he states). The structural alchemy that occurs during your fervent whisking is what makes these brownies irresistible. They normally emerge from the oven with a crisp top but this time I've taken them for a ride with red wine and raspberry jam, baking a sticky-sweet layer on top of the bitter chocolate. 

Adapted from David Lebovitz

INGREDIENTS

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• 6 tablespoons (85g) Refined Coconut Oil
• 8 ounces (225g) Bittersweet Chocolate (at least 65%), chopped
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 3/4 cup (150g) Sugar
• 2 large Eggs
• 1 tablespoon Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
• 3 tablespoons (30g) Corn Starch
• 1/2 cup Raspberry Jam
• 3 tablespoons Red Wine
• 1 tablespoon Corn Starch (yes, again)

BUSINESS

1. Grease an 8 or 9-inch square pan. Heat your oven to 350 degrees.
2. Melt the coconut oil, chocolate, and salt in a medium saucepan over low heat. Stir until smooth.
3. Remove the chocolate mixture from the stove, pour it into a medium sized mixing bowl and stir in the sugar, then the eggs one at a time.
4. Sift the cocoa powder and 3 tablespoons corn starch over the chocolate mixture and stir to combine. Beat the batter vigorously for at least on minute, until it is no longer grainy and nearly smooth. It will pull away from the sides of the bowl a bit. Pour batter into prepared baking pan.
5. In a separate bowl, whisk together the raspberry jam, wine, and 1 tablespoon corn starch.
6. Pour the raspberry mixture over the chocolate batter and slide the dish into your oven.
7. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until the jam is dark and thick and the edges of the brownies are crisp. Remove from the oven and let cool before slicing.

CARAWAY SMASHED POTATOES

This date night meal needed some heft (I intend to put my dear friend into a food coma) and what adds more power to a meal than the humble potato? Boiled, smashed, and pan fried, this potato has everything: a tender center, a crisp skin, salt, garlic. It was only missing one thing: intrigue. Enter caraway. You think of it as the flavor of rye bread, and it's the perfect compliment to a smashed potato.

INGREDIENTS

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• 6 Red Skinned New Potatoes
• 1/4 cup White Wine Vinegar
• Olive Oil for pan frying 
• 1 head Garlic Cloves, smashed and peeled
• 1 tablespoon Whole Caraway Seeds

BUSINESS

1. Clean your potatoes and place them in a large stock pot. Cover them with cold water, until it is at least an inch above the potatoes. Put a lid on the pot and bring it to a boil. Cook until the potatoes are fork tender, about 35-40 minutes.
2. Remove the potatoes from the water, drain them and let them cool. When they're cool enough to handle, use a heavy pan to press them down (or smash them) until they're relatively flat.
3. In a wok or cast iron skillet, heat a good pour of olive oil. Add the garlic and sprinkle in some caraway seeds (judge the amount depending on how many batches of potatoes you'll be frying). Cook garlic and caraway until fragrant.
4. Add potatoes (don't crowd the pan, maybe only two at a time) and fry until golden brown, then flip and cook again until golden.
5. Remove from the pan and serve.

SPICED NUTS

I could ruin an entire meal by nibbling snacks before dinner, and these nuts only contribute to my mealtime treason. Roasted nuts are easy to make ahead of time in large batches. They keep well in the freezer so you'll always have something on hand to feed those precocious guests arriving before you've finished in the kitchen.

INGREDIENTS

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• 3 pounds Mixed Raw Nuts 
• 3 Egg Whites
• 1 large bunch Rosemary, minced (~1/4 cup)
• 7 cloves Garlic, minced (~2 1/2 tablespoons)
• 2 tablespoons Granulated Palm Sugar
• 2 tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons Salt
• 2 1/2 teaspoons Ground Black Pepper
• 2 teaspoons Onion Powder
• 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
• 1 teaspoon Hot Paprika

GET BUSY

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
2. Mix the nuts in a large bowl and then spread them evenly over two cookie sheets. Make sure to keep them in one layer for even roasting.
3. Roast the nuts for 12-15 minutes, or until toasted and fragrant. Remove them from the oven and set aside while you make the coating.
4. Reduce your oven temp. to 250 degrees.
5. In a large bowl whisk together the egg whites, rosemary, garlic, palm sugar, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder and paprika. Whisk until everything is just incorporated and slightly foamy- we’re not looking to really turn this into a meringue.
6. Dump the dry roasted nuts into your egg white mixture and mix everything up. Use your hands, your favorite spatula or your kids, just make sure the coating is evenly distributed over all the nuts.
7. Spread the now coated nuts back onto their cookie sheets (again for even roasting) and put the trays back in the oven for 4 minutes to 1 hour, or until the coating looks baked on and toasty.
8. Remove the trays from your oven, let the nuts cool on the trays and then break apart and serve!

SCALLION PANCAKES

The perfect appetizer for a small group. Make a batch and let your friends gather in the kitchen to nibble the crisp edges as you scrape these off the hot griddle.

INGREDIENTS

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• 9 tablespoons White Rice Flour
• 6 tablespoons Sorghum Flour
• 1/2 tablespoon Tapioca Flour
• 1/2 tablespoon Potato Flour (flour, not starch, take heed)
• 1/4 teaspoon Xanthan Gum
• 1/2 cup Boiling Water (boil first, measure later)
• Salt and Pepper
• Sesame Oil
• ~1/4 cup finely chopped Scallions
• Oil for pan frying

GET BUSY

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients.
2. Pour the boiling water over the flour mixture and stir everything together. The dough will be tough, so get in there with your hands and knead it toward the end.
3. Pinch off some dough the size of a ping pong ball. Dust your counter with some extra rice flour and roll the dough out into an oblong shape, about 1/8 inch thick.
4. Brush the flattened dough with sesame oil and sprinkle gently with salt and pepper.
5. Scatter about one tablespoon of chopped scallion on the dough.
6. Roll the dough up like a cigar and pinch the ends to secure.
7. Roll the cigar into a spiral.
8. Using your rolling pin, roll this spiral out to about 1/4 inch thick. You should have a pancake roughly 5 inches in diameter.
9. Heat some oil in a saute pan until it is almost smoking.
10. Pan fry the cake for 2-3 minutes per side, or until golden brown and crisp all over.
11. Let the cakes cool on a paper towel to absorb some of the oil, then slice and serve!

MATCHA CUSTARD

It's remarkable how many times I change a dessert when menu planning. What began as chocolate cupcakes with ginger sabayon morphed three times until it ended up as mossy green ramekins of matcha custard. I love the herbal note to end a meal, it feels complete. 

INGREDIENTS

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• 1 can Coconut Milk
• 1/2 cup Almond Milk
• 2 tablespoons Matcha Green Tea Powder
• 1 Vanilla Bean, split and scraped (or 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract)
• 3 Eggs
• 2 Egg Yolks
• 1/2 cup Sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt

GET BUSY

1. Preheat your oven to 325 degrees. You will need 6 ramekins or one large casserole dish set on top of a dish towel in a large baking pan (more on this later).
2. In a sauce pan combine the coconut milk, almond milk, matcha, and vanilla bean scrapings over low heat. Whisk until the matcha is incorporated into the milk (no clumps allowed)
3. Fill a tea kettle or another sauce pan with water and bring it to a boil. You’ll need this later.
4. In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, egg yolks, sugar and salt until pale yellow and slightly thickened.
5. Remove the milk mixture from the heat and drizzle it slowly into the egg mixture, whisking all the time. If you pour too quickly you’ll end up with scrambled eggs. 
6. Pour the custard base through a strainer and then ladle it into each ramekin, roughly 2/3 cup per dish. Set the filled ramekins on top of the towel in the baking pan. The towel helps to prevent burnt bottoms.
7. Slide the baking pan into your oven and then pour the simmering water in the pan, around the ramekins. Be careful to keep the water out of the ramekins and fill the baking pan until the water is about 2/3 up the ramekins. This will help evenly bake the custards.
8. Bake the custard for 28-32 minutes or until the custard is gently set. It should tremble ever so slightly when you give it a tap on the side.
9. Remove the ramekins from the water bath and allow them to cool for an hour on a rack. Then cover them tightly with plastic wrap and set them in the fridge to chill.

SESAME-OATMEAL CRISPS

A good cup of tea needs a strong biscuit, and my green tea custard is no different. These cookies have a touch of ginger and a handful of black sesame seeds to ring in the Chinese New Year. Mix the dough with your hands, save a spoon.

INGREDIENTS

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• 1 cup Oats
• 1/2 cup Brown Sugar
• 1/3 cup Millet Flour
• 1/3 cup Black Sesame Seeds
• 3/4 teaspoon Ground Ginger
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 3 ounces Coconut Oil

BUSINESS

1. Heat your oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a small bowl mix all ingredients with your hands. Squeeze and massage the mixture until there are no visible clumps.

3. Press the crust into a 9-inch pie dish (or some equivalently sized glass baking dish). Bake the cookies  for 15-20 minutes or until just brown around the edges. Remove dish from the oven and cut it into slices while it's still hot. Let it cool before removing from dish.

CUMIN ROASTED CARROTS

Appetizers don't have to be fried and starchy (though I am a fan of a good french fry), start your next party with an extra serving of veggies. Carrots are perfect finger food.

INGREDIENTS

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• 6 slim Carrots, with greens attached
• 3-4 tablespoons Olive Oil
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• 1/4 teaspoon Ground Cumin
• 1 teaspoon Orange Zest

GET BUSY

1. Heat your oven to 375 degrees.
2. Bisect the carrots from green to tip (without going through the top root). Then turn the carrot 90* and repeat, making four squiddy legs to the vegetable. Place them in a roasting tray.
3. Drizzle oil over the carrots, then sprinkle salt and cumin. Toss to distribute spice.
4. Roast the carrots for 18-22 minutes, until just barely fork tender and slightly browned at the narrow tip.
5. Remove the carrots from the oven and sprinkle orange zest over them. Plate the vegetables and serve.

BEETS AND CHORIZO

Beets are always paired with blue cheese, which is lovely but needed a kick in bum for this dinner party. Cheese provides fat and acid which pair well with beets, so I opted to trade them for chorizo. Spicy, fatty, crisp, they make the perfect accompaniment to luscious beets.

INGREDIENTS

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• 3 medium Beets
• 2-3 tablespoons Olive Oil
• 4 small Chorizo (the hard, cured kind, not raw meat)
• 2 tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
• Salt to taste

GET BUSY

1. Heat your oven to 375 degrees.
2. Peel and quarter your beets. Place in a roasting tray and drizzle with oil.
3. Roast the beets for 75-90 minutes, until they're fork tender.
4. While the beets are roasting, slice the chorizo into small discs and throw them in a large sauté pan. Cook the chorizo over a medium-low flame, rendering out the fat, for 10-15 minutes, stirring constantly, until crispy. Scoop the crisped meat out of the rendered fat (save the fat for another recipe).
5. Remove the beets from the oven, allow them 10 minutes to cool, then slice them into filets.
6. Toss the beets and chorizo together in a bowl with salt and balsamic vinegar. Plate and serve.