Apple and Black Currant (or other small fruits) Brown Betty

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, at room temperature, for dish
6 large apples, peeled, cored, and sliced ¼ inch thick (3 pounds prepped)
1 cup (5 ounces) black currants stemmed
½ cup apple juice or apple cider
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
2 cups (5 ounces) crushed graham crackers or bread crumbs
½ cup (4 ounces) unsalted butter, melted
½ cup (3 ½ ounces) granulated sugar

Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 9-inch square baking dish.

Combine the apples and black currants in a bowl. Stir the apple juice, lemon zest and juice, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg together in liquid measuring cup, then stir into the fruit.

Stir the bread crumbs, melted butter, and sugar together, then sprinkle one-third of the crumbs over the bottom of the prepared pan. Spread half the fruit over the crumbs in an even layer, top with another third of the crumbs, then top with the remaining fruit. Sprinkle the remaining crumbs over the fruit.

Cover with foil and bake in the lower third of the oven for 30 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for an additional 25 to 35 minutes, or until the topping is toasted and the filling is bubbling all over. Serve warm, preferably topped with a scoop of Vanilla Ice Cream.

Baking time: 55 to 65 minutes/ Serves 8 to 12

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Zucchini Frittata

1½ lb (750 g) small zucchini (courgettes), trimmed and cut crosswise into very thin slices
Salt
10 eggs
¼ cup (1 oz/30 g) grated parmesan cheese
Freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
Tomato sauce

Evenly spread one-third of the zucchini slices in a colander set over a bowl. Sprinkle with salt. Spread half of the remaining slices over the first layer of zucchini, salt them, then spread and salt the remainder. Set aside to drain for 30 minutes. Then, pick up the zucchini in small handfuls and squeeze out the juices. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).

In a bowl, using a fork beat the eggs until lightly frothy. Add the zucchini and half of the Parmesan and stir gently to combine; season to taste with pepper.

In a 10-inch (25-cm) ovenproof, nonstick frying pan over medium heat, melt the butter with the olive oil. Add the egg mixture, spread it evenly. Sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan. Place in the oven and bake until set but slightly moist, about 20 minutes.

Serve the frittata directly from the pan, or loosen the edges with a knife tip and slide it out or invert onto a warmed platter. Cut into wedges and top with the tomato sauce. Best served at once.

Serves 4-6

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Tomato Sauce

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove garlic cut in half
6 plums tomatoes, halved lengthwise
1 teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon dried mint

Warm the oil in a small sauté pan over medium heat. Add garlic, tomatoes, oregano, and mint. Cover and cook for 5 minutes. Uncover and break up tomatoes with a wooden spoon. Stir to mix well. Re-cover and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes. Using a wooden spoon, force the tomato mixture through a sieve set over a small bowl. If serving hot, reheat gently.

Makes about 1 cup (8 fl oz/250 ml)

From:

Tamari Roasted Nuts

2 cups raw nuts (cashews, almonds, pecans, walnuts, or hazelnuts)
3 tablespoons tamari soy sauce

Preheat the oven to 350°.

Spread the nuts on baking sheet and bake for 5 minutes. Drizzle the soy sauce on the nuts and stir them well. Return the baking sheet to the oven for 5 minutes. Then turn off the oven. Stir the nuts again and leave them in the oven for a final 5 minutes.

The nuts will become dry and crisp. The baking sheet will look like a disaster, but fear not, because the soy sauce easily rinses off.

Allow nuts to cool. Store them in a covered container to retain their crispness.

Makes two cups

From:

Carrot Salad

Carrots, grated
Lemon juice, fresh
Olive oil
Parsley, fresh, finely chopped
Salt and black pepper
Garlic, pressed

Variations:

Add one or two of the following seasonings:

Coriander seed, ground
Mint, fresh, chopped or dried
Chives or scallions, fresh, chopped

For an Asian salad, substitute rice vinegar for the lemon juice and dark sesame oil for the olive oil and add ginger root, fresh, grated.

From:

Corn and Edamame-Sesame Salad

Dressing:
              
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon rice vinegar 
2 teaspoons tamari or soy sauce
        
Salad:
                    
2 cups frozen, shelled edamame
1 cup fresh corn (1 or 2 ears, depending on the size) or partially thawed frozen corn
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
Generous pinch of salt

Bring a big pot of water to a boil. Meanwhile, whisk all the dressing ingredients in a  medium-sized mixing bowl.

Boil the edamame for 3 minutes. Add the corn and boil for another 2 minutes. Drain into a colander and run under cold water until cool enough to touch. Add the edamame and corn to the dressing and toss to combine. Add the sesame seeds and toss again. Salt to taste .Cover and chill for at least 15 minutes.

Serves 4 to 6

From:

Butternut squash and pumpkin seed rice paper rolls

Rolls:
1 pound butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into ¼-inch cubes
2-3 tsp olive oil
12 (8-inch) round rice paper wrappers
4 ounces vermicelli rice noodles or rice sticks
1 cup (or more) fresh cilantro, torn in bite-size pieces (Thai basil makes a nice variation)
⅓ cup roasted, salted pumpkin seeds, chopped coarsely

Dipping sauce, mix together:
2 Tbsp soy sauce
3 Tbsp rice vinegar
1 Tbsp Asian hot chile oil (or more)
2 tsp toasted sesame oil
2 Tbsp sugar

Preheat oven to 400°F. Place the butternut cubes on a baking sheet and rub them all over with the oil; drizzle on another tsp if you need to. Arrange  the cubes in a single layer and roast for 15 min. Remove from oven, toss, and cook for 10 more minutes until tender and slightly caramelized. Set aside to cool.
 
While the squash is cooking, prepare noodles. Boil a large pot of water, turn off the heat, add noodles, and cook for 10 minutes stirring occasionally. Drain in colander and run cold water over them. Set aside.
 
To assemble, fill a large plate or bowl with very warm water. Place two rice paper wrappers in the water at a time, completely submerged and let sit for about a minute, until they have softened.
 
Handle each wrapper gently as you place it on your work surface. Place about 1/4 cup of rice noodles in the lower third of the wrapper, leaving about 1½ inches of margin from the far edges on either side (you’ll be folding those in). Place a layer of butternut squash above the noodles. Sprinkle with the cilantro and pumpkin seeds. If  some of the seeds get stuck to your fingers, just dip them in the water. To roll, snugly fold the left and right sides of the wrapper over the filling. Lift the bottom of the wrapper over the filling and tuck it underneath the filling, then roll firmly but gently. Place the rolls seam side down on a plate and cut in half when ready to serve.

Makes 12 rolls

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