Chimichurri is what all the cool kids are eating now, according to Saturday’s Irish Times. I made this three-herb chimichurri a few weeks ago, inspired by the herbs I got from Living Flavour last month, so I’m feeling very smug and ahead of the trends.

Chimichurri is usually only made with parsley, but this version, using cilantro and mint as well, is even better. And now that so many people are growing their own these days, it’s an ideal recipe for using up some of the herbs from your garden.

If you want to make this recipe even faster (and less expensive) to cook, use steaks or even chicken instead of a pricey tenderloin. I served sweet potato wedges with this, but a selection of roasted or grilled vegetables would be fantastic too.

Beef Tenderloin with Three-herb Chimichurri
adapted from Bon Appétit, July 2006

Serves 4 to 6

The original recipe calls for the beef to be grilled, but since my Weber hasn’t been used (and therefore cleaned) since about 2006, I opted to roast it instead. I also scaled down the original quantities to make this more suitable for a family dinner. Click on the link above for grilling instructions and for ingredient quantities to serve 8 to 10.

for the spice rub:
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
1 teaspoon chipotle chile powder or ancho chile powder (optional)
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

for the chimichurri:
1/4 cup (60 ml) olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 garlic clove, peeled
1 medium shallot, peeled and quartered
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper (optional)
1 1/2 cups (packed) (30 g) stemmed fresh parsley
1 cup (packed) (20 g) stemmed fresh cilantro
1/2 cup (packed) (15 g) stemmed fresh mint

1 x 2 lb (900 g) beef tenderloin
olive oil

To make the spice rub, combine all the ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside.

To make the chimichurri sauce, combine the olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, shallot, salt, pepper and crushed red pepper in a blender or food processor. Blend until almost smooth. Add one-quarter of each of the herbs and blend until incorporated. Add the remaining herbs in three more additions, pureeing until almost smooth after each addition. Add in a little more olive oil if you think it needs it — you want it to have a pesto-like consistency, not a paste.

Let the beef stand at room temperature 1 hour before roasting. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat it to 425°F (220°C). Pat the beef dry with paper towels, then brush with oil. Sprinkle all over with the spice rub, using all of the mixture (the coating will be thick). Heat a splash of olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat and sear the beef for 1 minute on all sides. Transfer the beef to a foil-lined baking sheet (for easier clean-up) and roast for about 30 to 40 minutes, until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat registers 125°F to 130°F (52°C to 54°C) for medium-rare. Transfer to a platter, cover loosely with foil and allow to rest for 15 minutes. Thinly slice the beef crosswise and serve with the chimichurri sauce.

When you make friends in the virtual world of blogging, it turns out you can have a virtual party too — an online pizza party, in our case. A few Irish foodies were chatting on Twitter last week, a few pizza craving comments were casually tossed around and before we knew it Sarah had taken the lead in planning a #twizzaparty last Thursday, where nine of us were to all make homemade pizzas, tweet about it and blog it, with Lorraine volunteering to judge the results and even donate some prizes from her Italian deli in Limerick.

Sure, it’s easier to order take-out, and with a good pizzeria only a five-minute drive away we certainly do our fair share of that, but one of the great things about making your own pizzas is that kids love helping out with it, so it’s a fun way to get them involved in the kitchen. But if you’re not crazy about the idea of making your own dough, then you could buy ready-made pizza bases or dough at the grocery store and load them up with your own fresh toppings. I’ve included a list of all the toppings made for the twizzaparty (we would appear to like Parma ham a lot), as well as a few more from around the internet to get you going.

What are your favorite pizza toppings? Let us know in the comments!

This dough is absolutely foolproof and is the only recipe I use now. Resting the dough overnight is a tip that’s new to me, and if nothing else I found that it made the dough easier to roll out the next day (Lorraine also passed on a tip to cover it with a damp tea towel to keep it from rising too much in the fridge). And everyone loves a secret ingredient, so I’ll let you in on the one in my tomato sauce — anchovy paste. Don’t worry, it doesn’t make the sauce taste at all fishy, it just adds a little hit of umami goodness.

Basic Pizza Dough
adapted from The River Cottage Family Cookbook by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall

Makes enough for 2 pizzas or 1 loaf of white bread

4 1/4 cups (500 g) strong white flour, plus extra for dusting the work surface
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons (1 x 7 g sachet) easy-blend (fast-action) yeast
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons sugar or honey
1 1/4 cup (300 ml) warm water
cornmeal/polenta, for the base of the pizza (optional)

To make the dough in a bread machine, simply follow the usual instructions for your machine, then skip to the last step.

To make the dough by hand, put the flour in a large mixing bowl, add the salt and yeast and stir with a wooden spoon until well combined. Pour the warm water into a measuring jug, then add the olive oil and sugar (or honey). Stir well. Pour the water mixture onto the flour in the bowl, a little at a time. Either with the wooden spoon or your hands, work the water into the flour and gradually bring it all together into a mass of soft, slightly stick dough. If the dough feels very sticky, add a little more flour. If it feels as if it won’t come together, then work in some more warm water — a soft dough is much easier to knead.

Flour the work surface and turn the dough out onto it. It will look rough and saggy at this stage, so it has to be kneaded until it’s smooth and bouncy. Keep kneading for at least 10 minutes (or you could use the dough hook of a stand mixer). Shape the dough into a neat ball, put it back in the mixing bowl and cover the bowl with some cling film or a damp kitchen towel to prove in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in size — this will take 90 minutes to 2 hours.

When the dough has risen, preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Lightly grease a pizza pan or baking sheet with olive oil, then sprinkle over some cornmeal, if using. Knock out the air and roll the dough out into a 12-inch round (or whatever size will fit your pan/sheet) and place in the prepared pan or baking sheet. Cover the dough with your toppings and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden (check after 10 minutes to make sure nothing is burning). Allow to stand for 10 minutes, then cut into slices and serve immediately.

***

Tomato Sauce with a Secret Ingredient

Makes more than enough for 2 pizzas

2 x 6 oz cans (or 1 x 300 g jar) tomato paste (a.k.a. tomato puree)
3/4 cup (175 ml) water (or more if you prefer a thinner sauce)
2 or 3 garlic cloves, finely minced
1/4 cup (25 g) finely grated Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons anchovy paste (optional, but come on, it’s the secret ingredient!)
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon dried chili flakes (optional)
salt and freshly ground black pepper
pinch of sugar

In a small bowl, combine the tomato paste and water, stirring to combine. Add the garlic, Parmesan, anchovy paste, basil, oregano and chili flakes. Add seasoning to taste, but watch the salt if you’ve used the anchovy paste, as it’s quite salty. Mix together well and add a generous pinch of sugar (or to taste) to counteract the acidity of the tomato paste. Allow the sauce to stand for at least 30 minutes to blend the flavors (though the longer you can leave it, the better), then taste again and adjust the seasoning if needed. Spread the sauce over your pizza dough, then pile on the toppings. Use any leftovers as a pasta sauce, or freeze.

***

Topping suggestions

Here’s what we made for the twizzaparty:

• Hickory BBQ sauce, smoked Applewood cheese, red onions and roasted chicken (my pizza, pictured)
• Mushroom, Manchego cheese and sage (An American in Ireland)
• Chicken, asparagus, sweetcorn, feta, red onion, mozzarella (Babaduck Babbles)
• Parma ham, salami, garlic mushrooms, Taleggio, mozzarella (Babaduck Babbles)
• Pork, onion, tomato, mushroom, mozzarella, basil (Babaduck Babbles)
• Roast asparagus, soft Knockalara sheep’s cheese and roasted hazelnuts (Bibliocook)
• Parma ham, mozzarella, chili oil and fresh basil (Gluttony for Beginners)
• Caramelized onions and goat’s cheese with cherry tomatoes (I Can Has Cook?)
• Parboiled asparagus tips, Parma ham and mascarpone cheese (I Can Has Cook?)
• Wilted spinach, cherry tomatoes and ricotta cheese (I Can Has Cook?)
• Buffalo mozzerella, Parma ham, black olives, green olives stuffed with pimento paste, capers and sun-dried tomatoes (Like Mam Used to Bake)
• Caramelized onion and goat’s cheese (Musings of a Med Student)
• Mozzarella, mature cheddar, Gruyère, baked ham and Parma ham (Smörgåsblog)

And here are some more suggestions from around the internet:

• Asparagus, fingerling potato and goat’s cheese
• Artichoke and feta
• Baby spinach, cherry tomatoes, goat’s cheese and pine nuts
• Bacon, potato, rosemary and fontina
• Broccoli rabe, fennel and hot sausage
• Butternut squash, Parmesan and sage
• Cashel blue cheese, caramelized onions and thyme
• Chorizo, sun-dried tomatoes, red onion and mozzarella
• Four cheese (quattro formaggi)
• Four seasons pizza
• Greek pizza (feta, Kalamata olives and/or tapenade, tomato, onion, green pepper, spinach and gyros meat or chicken)
• Italian sausages, peppers and onion
• Grilled California pizza
• Pissaladiere (French pizza with onions and anchovies)
• Puttanesca pizza
• Red peppers and feta
• Reuben pizza (Swiss cheese, sliced corned beef, sauerkraut, mustard and caraway seeds)
• Roasted peppers, ricotta and capers
• Roasted squash and Gorgonzola
• Roasted vegetables with a drizzle of basil pesto
• Sausage, red onion and wild mushrooms
• Sweet potatoes with goat’s cheese and pine nuts
• Or go to www.epicurious.com or www.foodnetwork.com and do a search for pizza to see hundreds of results.

This was originally going to be tilapia, Veracruz style but Reuben was too enamored with the halibut to pass it up. I especially liked this preparation not only for the taste but also because the sauce can be made the night before. As you can see from my photo (thank you Reuben for my early birthday present), it’s even pretty enough for guests.

I try to serve seafood at least once a week, not only because it’s healthy, but also because it is quick. U.S. tilapia and wild Alaskan salmon are my fish of choice — the tilapia for its price and the wild salmon for its omega-3. Both fish are also sustainable. I recommend Monterey Bay’s Seafood Watch Program to check whether your seafood choices have low toxin levels and minimal environmental impact.

Halibut, Veracruz Style
adapted from Bon Appétit, May 2003

Serves 6

1 x 28-oz (780-g) can diced tomatoes in juice, well drained, juices reserved
1/4 cup (60 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 onion, finely chopped
3 large garlic cloves, minced
2 small bay leaves
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
1/3 cup (50 g) chopped pitted green olives
2 tablespoons raisins
2 tablespoons drained capers
6 halibut, tilapia or red snapper fillets (about 1 1/2 lbs/680 g total)
pickled jalapeño chilies, sliced

Place the drained tomatoes in a medium bowl. Using a potato masher, crush the tomatoes to a coarse puree. Drain again, reserving juices.

Heat the oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and stir 30 seconds. Add the garlic and stir 30 seconds. Add the tomato puree and cook 1 minute. Add the bay leaves, parsley, oregano, and 1/4 cup (60 ml) reserved tomato juices. Simmer until the sauce thickens, about 3 minutes. Add the olives, raisins, capers, and all the remaining reserved tomato juices. Simmer until the sauce thickens again, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Season the sauce to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)

Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Spread 3 tablespoons of sauce in the bottom of a 13 x 9-inch glass baking dish. Arrange the fish on top of the sauce. Sprinkle the fish lightly with salt and pepper. Spoon the remaining sauce over the fish. Bake uncovered until the fish is just opaque in center, about 15 to 20 minutes. Using a long spatula, transfer the fish with sauce to plates. Garnish with the pickled jalapeño slices. Serve with rice.

***

Orange-Lime Cumin Vinaigrette
adapted from Manger La Ville!

Makes about 1/2 cup (120 ml)

1 small clove garlic
kosher salt
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
3 tablespoons fresh orange juice
2 teaspoons minced shallot
1/2  teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon honey
1/4 cup (60 ml) olive oil
freshly ground pepper

Mince and mash clove of garlic with about 1/2 teaspoon salt. In a medium bowl whisk the garlic paste, lime, orange juice, shallot, cumin and honey. Slowly add the oil while whisking to emulsify the mixture. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

About seven or eight years ago, I made a Martha Stewart version of the infamous Campbell’s green bean casserole for the holidays. Instead of a can of cream of mushroom soup and a can of french-fried onions, her recipe called for Gruyère cheese, which back then I could only find in Dublin, and pan-fried shallots. I had such high hopes for the recipe, but for all the fancy ingredients, Matt and I swore it tasted just the same as the casserole of our childhoods. It had a bad work-to-glory ratio. What I love about the ham, which I’ve made every Christmas for the past five years, and these maple pecan pie squares, which I made a couple weeks ago, is that they have a high work-to-glory ratio. The gist of the theory is that the recipes are simple but absolutely delicious, as opposed to something that’s time consuming or difficult that winds up tasting not much better than what you can get out of a can. As much as I love to cook and indulge at the holidays, I’m all for basking in the glory of a house full of well-fed people at Christmas with a minimum amount of work.

***

Mulled Wine (Glühwein)
adapted from Rachel’s Favourite Food for Friends by Rachel Allen

Serves 6 to 8

1 bottle of red wine (you don’t need your best red, but something decent)
1/2 cup (100 g) sugar
1 cinnamon stick, broken in half
4 cloves
1/2 orange, cut into 4 chunks
1 lemon, cut into 4 chunks
1 cup (240 ml) brandy
halved orange slices from the remaining 1/2 orange, to serve

Put the wine, sugar, cinnamon, cloves, orange and lemon into a saucepan. Heat very gently, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Keep on a low heat, without boiling, for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the brandy. Serve in glasses, each with a new orange slice in it.

***

Fully Festive Ham
adapted from Feast by Nigella Lawson

Serves 8 to 10

The only slightly tricky bit about this menu is timing the ham if you want to make the cabbage with the stock, since the ham takes about 4 hours to cook and the cabbage needs 1 hour. Just be sure to take note of that and leave yourself plenty of time.

7 1/2 to 8 lb (3.4 to 3.6 kg) ham
2 quarts (2 liters) apple juice
2 quarts (2 liters) cranberry juice
2 cinnamon sticks, halved
2 onions, halved but not peeled
1 tablespoon allspice berries (optional)

for the cranberry glaze:
4 tablespoons cranberry jelly or 6 tablespoons cranberry sauce
1 tablespoon runny honey
1 tablespoon English mustard powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Put the ham into a large saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil and then immediately drain and rinse the ham in a colander, which will get rid of any excess saltiness.

Rinse the saucepan and put the ham back in and add all of the above ingredients (except for the glaze). If the fruit juices don’t cover the ham, then add some water; it really depends on how snugly your ham fits into the pot. Bring the liquid to a boil and cook the ham at a fast simmer for about 3 1/2 to 4 hours. Partially cover the pot with a lid if the liquid is boiling away and the top of the ham is getting dry.

Once the ham is cooked, remove it from the hot and now salty juice, and sit it on a board (if you’re making the cabbage with the stock, don’t throw the stock away). If you want, you can cook this well ahead of schedule and let it get cold before glazing and roasting it. If that’s the case, cook it for half an hour less in the pot and then let it get cold in the cooking liquid.

But if you’re going ahead now, wait until the ham’s bearable to the touch – it’s easy to scald yourself on hot sugary fat – and then cut and peel the rind off the cooked ham, and make sure you have a thin layer of white fat off with it, or just use a knife to shave some fat off, so you’re left with a thin coating. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 420°F, though you can make this work with whatever setting you need your oven to be.

Heat the remaining glaze ingredients together in a saucepan until the jelly or sauce melts into the honey, mustard and cinnamon to make a smooth glaze. It needs to be thick enough not to run off the ham in the oven.

Cover your roasting tin with two layers of tin foil (to make doubly sure nothing gets through) and place the ham in the tin. Pour the glaze over the ham so that all of the fat/top is covered. Put the ham into the oven and cook for 15 minutes or until the fat is coloured and burnished by the sugary glaze. If you’ve let the ham cool completely before you glaze it, it will need a good 40 minutes at 350°F and you might have to give a final blast of real heat at the end too. And this is based on its being at room temperature, not fridge cold, when it goes in.

***

Fully Festive Red Cabbage
adapted from Feast by Nigella Lawson

Serves 6

1 to 1 1/2 heads of red cabbage, shredded
cranberry and apple juice stock from the Fully Festive Ham

Bring the ham stock back to the boil and add the shredded cabbage. Cook for approx. 1 to 1 1/4 hours at a steady simmer, covering the pan if it’s losing too much liquid. Strain to serve.

***

Cranberry Chutney with Crystallized Ginger and Dried Cherries
adapted from A Homemade Life by Molly Wizenberg

Makes about 5 cups

This will keep for a week in the fridge, stored in an airtight container. Note that this chutney reaches its thick, jammy consistency only as it cools, so it will still be somewhat loose when you first remove it from the heat.

24 oz (680 g) apricot preserves
3/4 cup (180 ml) raspberry vinegar (or 3/4 cup (180 ml) white vinegar plus 1 1/2 teaspoons raspberry preserves)
pinch of salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 cup (60 ml) Grand Marnier, Cointreau or Triple Sec (or orange juice for a nonalcoholic version)
24 oz (680 g) fresh cranberries, picked over
1/2 cup (70 g) finely chopped crystallized ginger
1 1/4 cups (150 g) dried cherries

In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the apricot preserves, raspberry vinegar (or vinegar and raspberry preserves), salt, cloves and Grand Marnier. Stir to mix, then place over a medium-high heat. Bring the mixture back to a boil and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, or until it has thickened slightly. If will bubble, so stir it regularly with a long-handled wooden spoon to keep it from burning.

Reduce the heat to medium, add the cranberries and cook until they’re soft but not popped. When you hear one or two pop, it’s a good sign that the rest are getting soft. Add the ginger and cherries, stir well, and remove from the heat. Cool completely before serving. The chutney will thicken considerably as it cools.

***

Spiced Whipped Sweet Potatoes
adapted from Bon Appétit, November 2002

Serves 6 to 8

This dish can be made 1 day ahead (always a bonus for a big holiday dinner). Cover and refrigerate, then rewarm over a medium-low heat, stirring frequently. Alternatively, cover with plastic wrap and rewarm in a microwave oven on high until heated through.

6 x 8-oz (225-g) sweet potatoes (yams)
1/2 cup (packed) (85 g) golden brown sugar
1/4 cup (55 g) butter, room temperature
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons orange zest
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ground allspice
3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
cinnamon sticks, to garnish (optional)
orange peel strips, to garnish (optional)

***

Maple Pecan Pie Squares with Bourbon Whipped Cream
adapted from Ezra Pound Cake

Makes 25 squares

Don’t be put off by the long list of ingredients and lengthy method. I made these in about 15 minutes, and with two little kids underfoot at that. These can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

for the crust:
1 1/4 cups (150 g) all-purpose flour
1/3 cup (60 g) firmly packed golden brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (110 g) cold unsalted butter, cut into 3/4-inch pieces

for the maple pecan filling:
6 tablespoons (90 g) unsalted butter
1/3 cup (80 ml) pure maple syrup
2/3 cup (120 g) firmly packed golden brown sugar
1/3 cup (80 ml) heavy cream
2 cups (8 oz/250 g) coarsely chopped pecans (don’t chop them too small)

for the bourbon whipped cream:
1 cup (240 ml) whipping cream
1 tablespoon bourbon
1 tablespoon sugar

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat it to 350°F (180°C). Line a 9-inch square baking pan with aluminum foil or baking parchment paper, letting the foil or paper extend up the sides and over the edges. If using foil, butter the foil, or spray it with nonstick spray.

To make the crust, combine the flour, brown sugar and salt in a food processor (or by hand). Add the butter and pulse (or use a pastry blender) until the mixture forms pea-sized coarse crumbs. Press the crumbs into the bottom of the pan and bake until the edges are lightly browned and the top feels firm, 12 to 17 minutes. Set aside.

To make the filling, combine the butter, maple syrup and brown sugar in a small saucepan over a medium heat. Stir until the butter melts and the brown sugar dissolves. Bring to a boil and boil for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and immediately stir in the cream. Stir in the pecans. Pour the hot filling over the partially baked crust, spreading it to the edges with an offset spatula or wooden spoon.

Bake until the filling is set when you give the pan a gentle shake, 22 to 25 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool until firm, about 1 1/2 hours.

Meanwhile, to make the bourbon whipped cream, whip the cream, bourbon and sugar together until soft peaks form. Taste and add more sugar if you think it needs it to balance the bourbon. Set aside in the fridge until ready to serve.

Using the ends of the foil or paper liner, carefully lift the maple-pecan square in its liner from the baking pan. Run a knife around the edges of the square to loosen it from the foil or paper. Using a large, sharp knife, cut into 25 small squares. Serve with a dollop of the bourbon whipped cream on the side.

From Issaquah to Birmingham, towns across the globe are finding that the recession has driven consumers from the ubiquitous Borders or Barnes & Nobles back to public libraries. Libraries are especially useful for people like me who love drooling over glossy cookbook pages but are too cheap to actually buy them. The stash of cookbooks at our East Side library is so overwhelming that I’ve taken to letting Sam pick out the cookbook we bring home with us. This week, I decided to try random picks at the beginning of the alphabet. Tonight we had “B” for Bittman — Mark Bittman, the New York Times’s Minimalist with the most. I’ve made several of his recipes, clipped from the inky pages of the Times, but this was my first time browsing through one of his cookbooks. I couldn’t be happier with my choice (Mark Bittman’s Quick and Easy Recipes from the New York Times). The book is filled with quick and easy recipes, just as it promises, with lots of notes on how to adapt the recipes depending on what you have on hand.

Though I’m not normally impressed with entree salads (it takes a lot of lettuce to fill me up), this chicken salad is truly satisfying. The scallion pancakes make a nice savory accompaniment, but a good baguette would work as well.

Asian Chicken Salad with Greens
adapted from Mark Bittman’s Quick and Easy Recipes from the New York Times

Serves 4

1 1/2 lb (680 g) skinless, boneless chicken thighs (recommended) or breasts
1/4 cup (60 ml) soy sauce
3 tablespoons tahini or peanut butter
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 clove garlic, peeled
a few drops of hot sauce
salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar or other mild vinegar
1 cucumber
6 cups (7 oz/200 g) salad greens
2  scallions, chopped
cilantro and grated carrot, to garnish

Preheat the broiler. Cut the chicken meat into 1/2– to 1-inch chunks, then place in a 13 x 9-inch baking dish and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the soy sauce.

In a blender, combine the remaining soy sauce with the tahini, sesame oil, garlic, hot sauce, salt, pepper, sugar and vinegar. Turn the blender on and add 1/3 cup (80 ml) hot water, a teaspoon at a time, until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Cool the dressing in the refrigerator.

Broil the chicken, turning once or twice. Total cooking time will be 10 to 12 minutes for thighs or 6 to 8 minutes for breasts. Meanwhile, peel the cucumber (if it’s waxed), slice it in half the long way, and scoop out the seeds with a grapefruit spoon. Cut it into 1/2-inch dice, and combine in a bowl with the dressing. When the chicken is done, let it rest and cool for a few minutes, then toss it and the cucumber with a few tablespoons of the dressing. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Serve the chicken and cucumbers on top of greens, garnished with cilantro and shredded carrot. Pass extra dressing so everyone can add dressing to his or her taste.

***

Scallion Pancakes
from Mark Bittman’s Quick and Easy Recipes from the New York Times

Serves 4

salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 bunches scallions or spring onions, about 1 lb (450 g)
1 egg
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1/2 cup (60 g) flour
peanut, canola or olive oil as needed

Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil while you trim the scallions. Roughly chop three bunches, and mince the fourth.

Add the larger portion of scallions to the water, and cook for about 5 minutes, or until tender. Drain, reserving about 1/2 cup (120 ml) of the cooking liquid. Puree the cooked scallions in a blender, adding just enough of the cooking liquid to allow the machine to do its work.

Mix the puree with the egg and soy, then gently stir in the flour until blended. Add pepper to taste, then the reserved minced scallions. Film a nonstick or well-seasoned skillet with oil, and turn the heat to medium-high. Drop the batter into the pan by the tablespoon or quarter cup, and cook about 2 minutes to a side, or until lightly browned. If necessary, the pancakes can be kept warm in a 200°F (95°C) oven for about 30 minutes.

This year is my first time to host Thanksgiving. In fact, except for the Christmas when I was 9+ months pregnant and didn’t dare venture away from my doctor, I’ve never hosted a major holiday, so I was really excited to spend some time researching recipes and planning our menu. Luckily, my sister-in-law and mother-in-law are also cooking dishes  so I won’t be overwhelmed with cooking. Unlike Kristin, except for the pecan pie, I haven’t made any of my Thanksgiving recipes but they sound good to me and, almost as important, they don’t seem too time consuming. Speaking of time, for those of you who are also planning your menus right now, I’ll lay out my game plan. Sunday, shop for all beverages and groceries. Monday, wash table linens and polish candlesticks. Tuesday, make herb butter (for turkey), clean house. Wednesday, bake pie and cornbread, cube cornbread and French bread (for stuffing). Thursday, put turkey in the oven, set table, prepare remaining dishes, pour glass of wine and enjoy!

Herb-roasted Turkey with Shallot Pan Gravy
from Bon Appétit, November 2000

Serves 10

3/4 cup (180 g) butter, room temperature
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley plus 3 whole sprigs
2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage plus 3 whole sprigs
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme plus 3 whole sprigs
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1 x 15– to 16-lb (7-kg) turkey, rinsed and patted dry
1 1/2 lb (680 g) shallots, peeled and halved lengthwise through root end
3 cups (720 ml) (or more) low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup (240 ml) dry white wine
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Mix the butter, chopped parsley, chopped sage, chopped thyme, 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a medium bowl to blend. (This can be prepared 3 days ahead. Transfer the herb butter to a small bowl; cover and refrigerate. Bring the butter to room temperature before using.) Position a rack in the bottom third of the oven and preheat to 350°F (180°C). Sprinkle the main cavity of the turkey with salt and pepper. Place the whole parsley, sage and thyme sprigs and 4 shallot halves in the cavity. Starting at the neck end, carefully slide your hand between the skin and breast meat to loosen the skin. Spread 3 tablespoons herb butter over the breast meat under the skin. Tuck the wing tips under, then tie the legs together to hold their shape. Place the turkey on a rack set in a large roasting pan. Rub 4 tablespoons of the herb butter over the turkey. Cover only the breast area of the turkey with a sheet of heavy-duty foil. Scatter the remaining shallots in the pan around the turkey.

Roast the turkey for 30 minutes, then baste with 1/2 cup (120 ml) broth. Continue roasting the turkey for 1 1/2 hours, basting with 1/2 cup (120 ml) broth every 30 minutes. Remove the foil from over the turkey breast. Continue to roast the turkey until golden brown and a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 180°F (80°C), basting with pan juices every 20 minutes, for about 1 hour longer. Transfer the turkey to a platter. Brush with 1 tablespoon of herb butter. Tent loosely with foil and let stand 20 minutes.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer the shallots from the roasting pan to a plate. Pour the pan juices into a medium bowl; spoon off the fat and discard. Add the wine and 1 cup (240 ml) of chicken broth to the roasting pan. Set the pan directly over 2 burners and bring the broth mixture to a boil, scraping up any browned bits. Continue to boil until reduced by half, about 3 minutes; pour into a large glass measuring cup. Add the degreased pan juices. Add enough broth, if necessary, to equal 3 cups (720 ml) liquid.

Blend the flour into the remaining herb butter. Pour the broth mixture into a heavy medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Gradually whisk in the herb butter mixture. Add any accumulated juices from the turkey platter. Boil until the gravy thickens enough to coat a spoon lightly, whisking occasionally, about 6 minutes. Add the shallots to the gravy and simmer for 1 minute. Season the gravy with salt and pepper. Serve the turkey with the gravy.

***

Thanksgiving Stuffing
from The Pioneer Woman

Serves 10

1 pan of cornbread
1 loaf French bread, somewhat crusty
1 stick (110 g) butter
1 whole medium onion, diced
2 cups (250 g) celery, chopped
4 cups (1 liter) low-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup (10 g) chopped fresh parsley
2 to 3 teaspoons fresh chopped rosemary
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
salt to taste

Chop the cornbread and loaf of French bread into 1-inch cubes. Spread them out on two baking sheets and let them dry for approximately 24 hours.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the butter. When it’s melted, add the onion and celery and cook for a few minutes, until the onions are almost translucent. While the onion and celery are cooking, chop up any fresh herbs you will be using.

Add 4 cups of chicken broth and bring to a boil. Add the parsley, rosemary, basil and thyme. Stir until combined.

Place all of your dried bread cubes into a large bowl and mix them up a bit. Gradually ladle the broth mixture into the bread, tossing lightly as you go. Keep gradually adding the broth mixture, tasting as you go and adding more seasoning and herbs if needed. Add salt carefully. You don’t want to over-salt your stuffing. If the mixture isn’t quite moist enough, add a bit more chicken broth and stir.

Either stuff the bird and cook according to directions or place in a baking dish and bake at 350°F (180°C) for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown on top.

***

Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes
from A New Way to Cook by Sally Schneider

Serves 4 [Note: I plan to double this recipe]

You can make the potatoes up to 3 hours ahead. About 20 minutes before serving, warm them in a double boiler, stirring frequently, until hot.

1 1/4 lb (570 g) thin-skinned potatoes, such as Yellow Finns or Yukon Golds, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks if large
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
3/4 cup (180 ml) buttermilk, warmed (not hot)
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
freshly ground black pepper

Place the potatoes and 1 teaspoon of the salt in a medium saucepan, add enough water to cover, and bring to a boil over a high heat. Reduce the heat to moderate and simmer until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork, about 45 minutes. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup of the cooking water.

Return the potatoes to the pan and set over a low heat, uncovered, for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, to let the potatoes dry out a little (too much moisture will dilute their flavor). For the smoothest potatoes, pass them through a food mill or potato ricer. For a slightly coarser puree, mash them with a potato masher or fork or use a hand mixer. Beat the buttermilk into the potatoes with a wooden spoon until thoroughly incorporated. If you prefer even creamier potatoes, add a little of the reserved cooking liquid. Beat in the butter, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and plenty of pepper. Serve at once, or keep the potatoes warm, covered, in a double boiler over hot water for up to 1 hour.

***

Honeyed Pecan Pie

Serves 8

1 cup (170 g) brown sugar (lightly packed)
1 cup (200 g) (or a bit less) light corn syrup (or golden syrup)
1/4 cup (60 ml) honey
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup (80 g) butter, melted
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups (150 g) roasted, chopped pecans
1 x 9-inch pie crust
whipped cream (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).

Combine the brown sugar, corn syrup, honey, salt, and melted butter in a large bowl. Stir in the beaten eggs and mix well. Stir in the pecans. Pour the pecan mixture into the prepared pie crust and bake at 350°F (180°C) for 1 hour. Serve the pie warm or at room temperature with a dollop of freshly whipped cream, if desired.

I know what you’re thinking — it’s only November 9th and she already has her entire Thanksgiving menu planned? I could try to blame it on the blog and say that I just wanted to get these recipes out there so that anyone who wanted to make any of them would have them well ahead of time so they can plan accordingly themselves … and that’s partly true. It’s also true that I’ve been making most of these recipes for years now, so I’m more or less just sticking to my tried-and-tested menu. But it’s also true that I had my children’s big Christmas presents ordered in July. I can’t help it — as a third-generation Virgo, planning ahead is just in my blood.

I should point out that this turkey recipe only uses the crown, which means you won’t get that Norman Rockwell moment of bringing a whole gloriously roasted turkey to the table. But honestly, don’t most people prefer the breast meat anyway? I find that using only the crown makes it easier and less time consuming to cook, not to mention that it takes up a lot less space in my fridge. Having said that, though, you could easily play around with this recipe to adjust it for a whole turkey. For anyone curious about the method behind the madness of brining a turkey, there are some interesting articles about it here and here. As for me, I’ve been brining turkey for years and think it’s the only way to go.

Poinsettia Cocktail
from Nigella Christmas by Nigella Lawson

Makes 8 to 9 glasses

1 x 75cl bottle of Prosecco or other fizzy dry wine, chilled
120 ml Cointreau, Grand Marnier or Triple Sec, chilled
500 ml cranberry juice, chilled

Mix all the ingredients in a large pitcher. Pour into wine glasses or champagne flutes and serve.

***

Cider-brined Turkey with Maple Chili Glaze
adapted from A Kitchen Year by Paula McIntyre

Serves 8

1 x 11-lb (5-kg) turkey crown
4 oz (110 g) butter, softened
salt and freshly ground black pepper

for the brine solution:
9 oz (250 g) sea salt
3 cups (510 g) Demerara sugar or light brown sugar
8 cups (2 litres) cider
8 cups (2 litres) water
2 cinnamon sticks
juice and zest of 2 oranges
1 onion, chopped
handful fresh chopped sage, rosemary and thyme

for the maple chili glaze:
1 red chili
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 onion, finely chopped
4 tablespoons maple syrup
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
3/4 cup (180 ml) cider
salt

To make the brine, bring all the brine ingredients to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Cool completely and add the turkey. Refrigerate for at least 24 hours. Remove from the brine and pat dry with paper towels.

To make the glaze, soak the chili in boiling water for 20 minutes. When cool enough to handle, remove the seeds and chop roughly. Heat the oil in a saucepan over a medium heat and add the onion. Cook until the onion is soft and golden, about 10 minutes. Add the chopped chili, maple syrup, vinegar and cider and simmer until the liquid has reduced by half. Blend to a smooth puree in a blender or food processor and pass through a fine-meshed sieve (if you have one; don’t worry about it if you don’t). Return to the pan and simmer until it has reached a syrupy consistency, about 10 minutes. Check the seasoning.

To cook the turkey, preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Place the turkey on a roasting rack and rub all over with the softened butter. Season well with salt and pepper. Cover with tin foil and place in the oven. Cook for 1 hour. Remove the foil and brush the glaze all over. Return to the oven and baste every 10 minutes. A good rule of thumb for cooking turkey is to allow 30 minutes per 2 1/4 lb (1 kg) plus an extra 15 minutes’ cooking time. A 11-lb (5-kg) turkey breast will take just over 3 hours to cook and the internal temperature should register at least 160°F (70°C). Allow to rest at least 20 minutes before carving.

***

Homemade Stuffing
adapted from The New Vegetarian Epicure by Anna Thomas

Serves 10 (or enough for a 16 to 20-lb (7 to 9-kg) turkey or 2 medium casseroles)

Homemade stuffing isn’t nearly as hard to make as you might think, and it tastes so much better than Stovetop. This is the recipe I use for every Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner at our house now. It’s not as fancy or elaborate as a lot of stuffing recipes, but I like it for its unfussy simplicity. If you want to make this ahead (though not more than 1 day), make it up to the point where you spoon it into the casserole, then cook it in the oven when you want to serve it (though it might need longer in the oven than the 45 minutes given here).

3/4 cup (170 g) butter
2 cups chopped onions (2 or 3 onions)
2 cups sliced or chopped celery (3 or 4 stalks of celery)
1 to 2 teaspoons salt
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
3 teaspoons dried sage
3 teaspoons poultry seasoning
1/2 cup (10 g) chopped fresh parsley
2 to 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
4 quarts (about 4 liters) of 1/2-inch bread cubes
2 cups (480 ml) vegetable or chicken broth, or both

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).

Melt the butter in a large pot and saute the chopped onion and celery in it until they are soft and just starting to color. Add about a teaspoon of salt, pepper to your taste, the herbs and the cider vinegar. Stir well and remove from the heat.

Put the bread cubes into the pot with the sauteed vegetables and herbs with all their butter, tossing everything together until it’s thoroughly combined. Drizzle on half the broth, toss again, and test. You’re aiming for a mixture that’s soft and moist throughout, but not soggy or soupy. Keep adding broth, a little at a time, mixing everything up well after each addition, until you have the consistency you like. The amount of broth used will vary quite a bit, depending on what kind of bread you use and how dry it is. If you’re roasting a turkey and plan to bake the stuffing separately but want the flavor of the turkey in it, you could add some drippings in place of part of the broth. In that case, however, cut down a little on the butter. If, on the other hand, you plan to stuff a turkey, leave the stuffing just a little on the dry side. When the texture feels right, taste and correct the seasoning with more salt or pepper if needed.

Spoon the stuffing into two buttered casserole dishes, or one very large one, cover well, and bake for about 45 minutes. Alternatively, spoon it into a turkey that’s been prepared for roasting.

***

Cranberry Sauce
adapted from The New Vegetarian Epicure by Anna Thomas

Serves 6 to 8

This keeps in the fridge for about 1 week, so is an ideal dish to make ahead.

12 oz (340 g) fresh cranberries
zest of 1 large orange
1 cup (240 ml) freshly squeezed orange juice
3/4 cup (150 g) sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
pinch of ground cloves

Wash the cranberries and discard any that are soft or spoiled. Combine the orange zest and juice in a heavy-bottomed saucepan with the sugar, cinnamon and cloves and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Add the cranberries, return to a boil, and stir over a medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes. Use a long-handled wooden spoon, as the cranberries can really spit at you as they cook and pop. When most of the cranberries have popped and the liquid is somewhat thickened, the sauce is done. Pour it into a serving dish and allow it to cool, then chill.

***

Bourbon Sweet Potato Puree with Mascarpone and Caramelized Maple Pecans

Serves 6 to 8

These caramelized pecans (or you could use walnuts) would also make a wonderful accompaniment to an after-dinner cheese plate. They can also be made up to a few days in advance to save time on the day. If you like this puree, you’ll also like these bourbon-mashed sweet potatoes.

for the sweet potato puree:
3 lb (1.4 kg) sweet potatoes (2 or 3 large potatoes)
3 tablespoons bourbon
1/2 cup (120 ml) mascarpone

for the caramelized maple pecans:
1/3 cup (75 g) sugar
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 cup (100 g) pecans

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Prick the potatoes with a fork and place them on the baking sheet. Bake for about 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until the potatoes are tender. (If using very large potatoes, make sure they are cooked all the way through.)

Meanwhile, to make the caramelized maple pecans, place the sugar, maple syrup and pecans in a small saucepan on a medium heat. Allow the sugar and syrup to caramelize slightly, without stirring, which will take about 15 minutes. Gently swirl the pan to spread the sugar evenly, then replace the pan on the heat to allow the sugar to caramelize completely. Once all the sugar has melted and has nicely browned and caramelized, carefully pour the pecans onto parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Allow the pecans to cool and harden, then break up the mixture to separate the nuts. Set aside.

When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, peel them and transfer to a food processor. Add the bourbon and mascarpone and process until the mixture is smooth.

Transfer the potato puree to a large gratin dish or casserole dish and smooth the top. Bake in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes, until heated through. Sprinkle the caramelized pecans evenly over the top and serve.

***

Roasted Winter Vegetables
adapted from Barefoot Contessa Family Style by Ina Garten

1 lb (450 g) carrots, peeled
1 lb (450 g) parsnips, peeled
1 large sweet potato, peeled
1 small butternut squash, peeled and seeded (about 2 lb/900 g)
3 tablespoons good-quality olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).

Cut the carrots, parsnips, sweet potato, and butternut squash into 1-inch cubes. All the vegetables will shrink while baking, so don’t cut them too small. Place all the cut vegetables in a single layer on 2 baking sheets. Drizzle them with olive oil, salt, and pepper and toss well. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, until all the vegetables are tender, turning once with a metal spatula. Sprinkle with parsley, season to taste, and serve hot.

***

Nutmeg-maple Cream Pie
pie is adapted from The New York Times and the crust from Orangette

Serves 8

Pastry is not my forte, but I’ve had good results with this crust from Orangette. If you have your own favorite pie crust recipe, by all means use that instead, or use a store-bought pie shell. Smitten Kitchen has two helpful pie crust tutorials here and here.

for the nutmeg-maple cream pie filling:
3/4 cup (180 ml) maple syrup
2 1/4 cups (540 ml) heavy cream
4 egg yolks
1 whole egg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

for the crust:
4 tablespoons ice water, plus more as needed
3/4 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 cups (180 g) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
9 tablespoons (4 1/2 oz/130 g) cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes

To make the crust, combine the 4 tablespoons of  ice water and the cider vinegar in a small bowl or measuring cup.

In the bowl of a food processor, combine the flour, sugar, and salt. Pulse to blend. Add the butter, and pulse until the mixture resembles a coarse meal; there should be no pieces of butter bigger than a large pea. With the motor running, slowly add the water-vinegar mixture, processing just until moist clumps form. If you pick up a handful of the dough and squeeze it in your fist, it should hold together. If the dough seems a bit dry, add more ice water by the teaspoon, pulsing to incorporate. (Molly at Orangette sometimes finds that 1 additional teaspoon is perfect.)

Turn the dough out onto a wooden board or clean countertop, and gather it, massaging and pressing, until it just holds together. Shape it into a ball, and press it into a disk about 1 1/2 inches thick. If the disk cracks a bit at the edges, don’t worry; just pinch the cracks together as well as you can. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and then press it a bit more, massaging away any cracks around the edges, allowing the constraint of the plastic wrap to help you form it into a smooth disk. Refrigerate the wrapped dough for at least 2 hours. (Dough can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 1 month. Thaw it in the refrigerator overnight before using.) Before rolling it out, allow the dough to soften slightly at room temperature.

On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a circle wide enough to fit a 9-inch removable-bottom pie dish. Transfer the dough gently into the dish and ease it into the corners and up the sides. Trim the edges to extend about 1/2 inch beyond the dish, then fold the overhang inward and press it against the side of the pan to reinforce the edge.

To par-bake the pie crust, preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line the pie shell with foil or parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until it’s beginning to set. Remove the foil with weights and bake for 15 to 18 minutes longer, or until golden. If the shell puffs during baking, press it down with the back of spoon. Cool on a wire rack.

To make the pie filling, lower the oven to 300°F (150°C). In a medium saucepan over a medium-high heat, reduce the maple syrup by a quarter, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the cream and bring to a simmer. Remove from the heat.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and egg. Whisking constantly, slowly add the cream mixture to the eggs. Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a cup or bowl with a pouring spout. Stir in the salt, nutmeg and vanilla.

To assemble, pour the filling into the crust and transfer to a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until the pie is firm to the touch but jiggles slightly when moved, about 1 hour. Let cool to room temperature before serving.

Iron Chef may be one of television’s finest creations. And lest you think I’m recommending Food Network’s knockoff show Iron Chef America, I’m not. I’m referring to the original Japanese Iron Chef with dubbed in voices, wacky commentary, and often grotesque dishes (which more often than not involve some poor animal’s liver or reproductive parts). I first saw Iron Chef in the 90s on my first trip to New York. I still remember randomly stumbling across the competitive cooking show while staying up late watching cable. Reuben and I were instantly addicted. Unfortunately, being poor college kids at the time, we didn’t get cable or access to Iron Chef until several years later. Now, we are the proud owners of a nearly complete set of dubbed Iron Chef episodes and a limited edition Iron Chef board game (how geeky!). Though Iron Chef is great entertainment, I wouldn’t want to eat everything that’s prepared on the show, such as cod roe ice cream. On the other hand, there are a few dishes that look too good not to try out, one of them being Iron Chef Chinese Chen Kenichi’s Mapo Dofu. Though Chen cooks this tofu dish regularly in competition, I’ve only seen it on the menu of a handful of Chinese restaurants. I made the mistake of ordering it once in Salt Lake City — not the best place for authentic Chinese. After eating that blander-than-bland version, I figured I couldn’t do much worse at home. Reuben did some research and came up with a fantastic recipe. I’m not sure how close it is to the Iron Chef’s dish, but we love it.

If you haven’t had homemade angel food cake, you’re really missing out. The Styrofoam-like store-bought versions can’t hold a candle to a fresh-baked angel food cake. Tonight’s cake was leftover from my father-in-law’s birthday party. I made two cakes for the party, one with chocolate whipped cream frosting and the other with a lemon glaze. Though both were good, the chocolate version looked prettier. Of course I forgot to take a picture, but you’ll have to take my word for it.

Quick and Easy Mapo Dofu
adapted from About.com

Serves 4

1/2 lb (225 g) ground pork
1 tablespoon soy sauce
pinch of cornstarch
1 package firm tofu, drained
4 green onions
1 clove garlic
2 tablespoons oil, for stir-frying
1/4 teaspoon sambal or chili paste with garlic
2 tablespoons black bean sauce
2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon Szechuan peppercorn or ground coriander
rice, to serve

Marinate the ground pork in the soy sauce and cornstarch for 15 to 20 minutes. While pork is marinating, cut the tofu into 1/2-inch cubes, cut the green onions on the diagonal into 1-inch pieces, and peel and mince the garlic.

Heat a wok or large skillet over a high heat and add the oil. When the oil is hot, add the chili paste and garlic. Stir-fry until aromatic, about 30 seconds. Add the ground pork and stir-fry until the pork is nearly cooked through.

Lower the heat to medium and add the black bean sauce, tofu and green onions. Cook, stirring frequently, until the tofu is browned (8 to 10 minutes). Add water as needed. Just before serving, sprinkle with the Szechuan peppercorn or ground coriander. Serve over rice.

***

Angel Food Supreme Cake
adapted from Betty Crocker’s Cookbook/40th Anniversary Edition

Serves 10

3/4 cup (150 g) sugar
1 cup (115 g) cake flour
1 1/2 cups egg whites (about 11 eggs’ worth)
1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar
3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
1 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Whisk together 3/4 cup sugar and flour; set aside.

Beat the egg whites and cream of tartar in large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until foamy. Beat in the granulated sugar 2 tablespoons at a time on high speed, until the meringue holds stiff peaks. Fold in the vanilla, almond extract and salt. Sprinkle the sugar-flour mixture, 1/4 cup at a time, over the egg white mixture, folding in until the sugar-flour mixture disappears. Push the batter into a 10-inch ungreased angel food cake pan (tube pan). Cut gently through the batter with a butter knife to remove any air bubbles.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the top is golden and springs back when touched lightly. Invert the pan onto a heatproof funnel or wine bottle. Let it hang until the cake is completely cool. Loosen the side of the cake with a knife and remove from the pan. Cut with a serrated knife to serve.

***

Chocolate Whipped Cream Frosting
from Bon Appétit, October 1991

1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar
1/2 cup (60 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup (60 ml) milk
pinch of cream of tartar
2 cups (480 ml) chilled whipping cream

Whisk the powdered sugar, cocoa powder, milk and cream of tartar in a large bowl until smooth. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled, about 1 hour. (Can be prepared 4 hours ahead.)

Using an electric mixer, gradually beat the cream into the chocolate mixture. Continue beating until stiff peaks form. Place the cake on a platter. Spread the top and sides of cake with icing. Slice into wedges and serve.

Nigella Lawson’s How to Eat: The Pleasures and Principles of Good Food is one of the bibles of modern-day cookbooks. It’s also one of the first cookbooks I bought in Ireland, and has taught me how to make things I’d never even heard of before moving abroad, like Yorkshire pudding and trifle. It also spells out the makings of something else that was completely foreign to me: a proper Sunday lunch. Nigella Lawson writes about it for four straight pages in How to Eat, but what sums it up rather romantically is this: “Sunday lunch … is about solidity, the family, the home.”

Sunday lunch is an institution in a lot of families, but it took me a long time to come around to its charms, especially since I’m the one doing all the cooking that goes into a big Sunday lunch, not my mother. In my case, I like to have our big meal as a late lunch at the weekends now simply because my kids are in better moods at that time of day, which not only means they’re more likely to eat what I put in front of them, but makes for a more pleasant dinner for all of us. Plus now that my daughter needs a packed lunch every day for school, a roast does double duty as Sunday’s dinner and Monday’s sandwich.

Strictly speaking, this menu isn’t a traditional Sunday lunch — there’s no roast potatoes, or the vegetables like carrots, parsnips or broccoli that you’d usually expect. But one of the things I love about How to Eat is that it contains lots of ready-to-go menus, not just stand-alone recipes, and this is Nigella’s late-summer roast beef menu from the “Weekend Lunch” chapter (though I made the French apple tart instead of the Yorkshire pudding with syrup and cream she calls for, and I also prefer Bon Appétit’s one-pot version of the cannellini beans with garlic and sage for being easier and more straightforward than Nigella’s recipe). After holding out all month, it’s finally time to embrace autumn, and this dinner seemed like a good compromise.

It’s National Organic Week in Ireland! Click here for a listing of events throughout the country.

Cold Roast Fillet of Beef
from How to Eat by Nigella Lawson

Serves 8

fillet of beef — allow about 7 oz (200 g) per person
olive oil

Allow the beef to come to room temperature before you cook it (otherwise the cooking times here won’t be correct).

Preheat the oven to 480°F (250°C). If it’s possible to switch off the fan in your oven, do so in order to reduce evaporation (75% of lean meat is water, so fan ovens can make even good cuts of meat dry and tough).

Place the fillet in an ovenproof dish or roasting tray. Rub the beef all over with olive oil. (Nigella advises using a rosemary-infused oil for this menu, but plain olive oil works just fine too.)

Cook the beef for 15 minutes at the very high heat, then reduce the oven to 350°F (180°C). Cook the beef for 15 minutes per 18 oz (500 g) for rare; 18 minutes per 18 oz (500 g) for medium; and 25 minutes per 18 oz (500 g) for well done.

After the meat has had its advised cooking time, test it: either press it (if it feels soft it’s rare, bouncy it’s medium, hard it’s well-done) or pierce it with a knife to see. Always let any meat rest out of the oven for at least 10 minutes before carving.

If you’re cooking the beef ahead of time, take it out of the fridge 2 hours before you want to eat it. It should be cold, but not chilled. Or you could cook the fillet early enough in the day to simply allow it to cool to room temperature by the time you want to eat.

***

Rosemary and Anchovy Mayonnaise

1 cup (240 ml) mayonnaise
8 anchovy fillets in oil, drained and diced
1 sprig rosemary, finely chopped
1 tablespoon lemon juice
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Combine all the ingredients, mixing well. Chill until ready to serve. Serve alongside the beef. (This is also great to make sandwiches with the beef leftovers.)

***

Cannellini Beans with Garlic and Sage
from Bon Appétit, October 2009

Makes about 6 cups

1 lb (450 g) dried cannellini beans
8 cups (2 liters) room-temperature water
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large head of garlic, unpeeled, top 1/2 inch cut off to expose cloves
1 large sprig of fresh sage
1/4 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
extra virgin olive oil (for drizzling)

Place the beans in a large bowl. Cover with cold water (at least 6 cups/1 1/2 liters) and soak overnight.

Drain the beans and place in a heavy, large pot. Add the 8 cups (2 liters) of room-temperature water, olive oil, garlic, sage, and black peppercorns. Bring to a simmer over a medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, for 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally. Mix in the coarse salt. Continue to simmer until the beans are tender, adding more water if needed to keep beans covered, about 30 minutes longer. Cool the beans in the cooking liquid for 1 hour.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer the beans to a serving bowl, reserving the bean cooking liquid, if desired, but discarding the garlic, sage, and peppercorns. Season the beans to taste with pepper and more coarse salt. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and serve.

***

Tomato Salad
from How to Eat by Nigella Lawson

For this salad, simply slice some tomatoes (the best and ripest you can find) and arrange them on a plate. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and sugar (only if you think they need it, and even so, just a pinch), as well as some finely chopped spring onions or chives, a drop or two of balsamic or red wine vinegar, and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

***

French Apple Tart (or Tarte Fine Aux Pommes, as Nigella Lawson calls it)
adapted from Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics by Ina Garten and Nigella Express by Nigella Lawson

Serves 4 to 6

This is mostly Nigella’s recipe, but the apricot jam and Calvados brushed on top is Ina’s touch from her version. The tart will still be delicious if you don’t add the jam mixture though. I pulled this together in 10 minutes, so it would also be a quick weeknight treat.

1 sheet shop-bought ready-rolled puff pastry, defrosted if frozen
2 large Granny Smith apples
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons (30 g) cold unsalted butter, small diced
1/4 cup (60 ml) apricot jam
2 tablespoons Calvados, rum, or water

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.

Lay the sheet of puff pastry on the lined baking sheet. Using the tip of a sharp knife, mark a 1/2-inch border all the way around the edge of the rectangle. You need to score the lines on the pastry rather than cut all the way through it. This will allow a frame to rise above the apple filling. Refrigerate the dough while you prepare the apples.

Peel the apples and core them, then cut them in half. Slice the apples into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Working from the inside edge, place the apple slices, closely overlapping, within the border of the pastry frame. Create neat lines of apple slices until the pastry is covered. Sprinkle with the sugar and dot with the butter.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the pastry is browned and the edges of the apples start to brown. Rotate the pan once during cooking. If the pastry puffs up in one area, cut a little slit with a knife to let the air out. And don’t worry if the apple juices burn in the pan, the tart will be fine. When the tart’s done, gently heat the apricot jam together with the Calvados, rum, or water and brush the apples and the pastry completely with the jam mixture. Loosen the tart with a spatula so it doesn’t stick to the paper. Allow to cool and serve warm or at room temperature, cut into squares or slices.

If you’ve ever been invited to dinner at my house, chances are this is what I served you. The dishes always turn out well. Even people who think they don’t like Indian food like this meal. The tikka masala is an adaptation from a Chicago Tribune recipe. It’s probably not even an ounce authentic, but I still love it. The accompaniments, raita and chutney, are traditionally served with Indian meals. I’d say the chutney is optional. My husband loves chutney but I’m not a fan. But don’t skip the raita, it really makes the meal come together.

If you like this menu, you might also like to try tandoori chicken with Bombay potatoes.

Chicken Tikka Masala
adapted from Chicago Tribune

Serves 4

for the marinade:
1 cup (240 ml) plain yogurt
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1 x 1-inch piece ginger root, minced or grated
1 1/2 lb (680 g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes

for the sauce:
2 tablespoons (30 g) unsalted butter
3 to 4 cloves garlic, minced
2 jalapeños, minced
3 teaspoons ground coriander
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons garam masala
1/2 teaspoon salt
12 oz (340 g) tomato sauce
1 1/2 cups (350 ml) half and half (or whipping cream)
1/2 oz (15 g) chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

For the marinade, combine all the marinade ingredients (except chicken) in a medium bowl or food-safe plastic bag. Stir in the chicken and cover. Marinate in the refrigerator for 1 to 3 hours. Meanwhile, soak bamboo skewers in enough water to cover them for 30 minutes (unless using metal skewers).

For the sauce, melt the butter in a large, deep skillet over a medium heat. Add the garlic and jalapeño and cook for 1 minute. Stir in all the sauce spices and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until fragrant. Stir in the tomato sauce (I usually use about 12 oz (340 g) of the 14 oz (400 g) can). Simmer for 15 minutes. Stir in the half and half (or cream) until the sauce has the desired color/consistency (sometimes I use up to 2 cups (480 ml), depending on how much tomato sauce I used). Simmer for 5 minutes, until the sauce thickens. Add in the chopped cilantro, if using.

Meanwhile, heat the grill (or broiler). Remove the chicken from the refrigerator. Thread the chicken onto skewers and discard the marinade. Grill or broil the chicken, turning at least 2 times, until cooked through, about 8 to 12 minutes. Remove the chicken from the skewers and add to the sauce. Simmer for 5 minutes. Serve with basmati rice  or naan bread.

***

To cook this side dish, I like to use a thinner wok with a cover instead of a kadhi, which is traditionally used. The cauliflower will cook without liquid for a long time — you’ll want to use a lidded pan thick enough not to scorch the cauliflower but thin enough to allow it to “roast.”

Pan-roasted Curried Cauliflower and Peas

Serves 4

3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 or 2 green chiles, such as jalapeño or serrano, minced
1 head cauliflower, cut into florets (white or purple, as shown above)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
1 cup (110 g) peas (defrosted if frozen or blanched if fresh)
1/2 oz (15 g) cilantro, chopped (optional)

Heat the oil in a large, lidded skillet, wok, or kadhai. Add the mustard seeds. Once the mustard seeds start crackling, add the chiles. After 1 minute, add the cauliflower florets and salt. Lower the flame and cover with a lid. Cook for 25 to 40 minutes, stirring frequently, until the cauliflower is caramelized in spots and almost cooked through.

Stir in the spices and peas. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes over a medium-high heat until the peas and cauliflower are cooked. Stir in the cilantro if using and serve.

***

Cucumber Raita

Serves 4

1 1/2 cups (360 ml) plain yogurt
1/4 cup (60 ml) milk
1/2 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced small
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Beat together the yogurt and milk with a whisk until very smooth. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Sprinkle with cayenne or garam masala and chill. Serve this as a side dish to any spicy Indian dish.

***

Apricot Chutney
adapted from Indianfoodforever.com

Makes about 2 cups (480 ml)

1 lb (450 g) apricots
2 cups (480 ml) water
8 long strips of ginger
1 clove garlic, chopped
4 teaspoons raisins
1 cup (240 ml) apple cider vinegar
9 oz (250 g) sugar
2 teaspoons salt
2 big cardamom seeds, crushed
1/2 level teaspoon red chili pepper

Cook the apricots in boiling water till soft, then peel and mash them. Strain the pulp and wash the apricot stones with 1 cup (240 ml) of water. Reserve this water.

Cook the apricot pulp, ginger, garlic, 1 cup (240 ml) of fresh water plus the water from the washed stones, and raisins until all the water is absorbed. Add the vinegar, sugar, salt, cardamom seeds and chili and cook until the mixture is thick and golden brown (2 to 3 hours). All to cool, then transfer to a clean jar. This can be kept in the refrigerator for 1 year.