One original recipe called an apple crisp, with equal amounts of Calvados and fresh lemon juice, along with a little Cointreau, turns out to be puckeringly sour (though it does sport a fetching crab-apple garnish).
But when blood oranges appear on the market, I'll be the first on my block to try Mautone's blood orange sparkler: blood orange flesh muddled with sugar, heightened with sweet vermouth and completed with sparkling wine; blood orange slices are the garnish. I can't wait.
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Chocolate bouchons
Total time: 50 minutes
Servings: 16 (2-inch) cakes
Note: From "Bouchon" by Thomas Keller. Keller uses Valrhona Equatoriale (55% cacao) chocolate.
Butter and flour for the timbale molds
3/4 cup flour
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3 eggs
3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
24 tablespoons (12 ounces)
unsalted butter, melted, just slightly warm
6 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped into pieces the size of chocolate chips
Confectioner's sugar
1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour 16 (2-ounce) timbale molds or fleximolds. Set aside. Sift the flour, cocoa powder and salt into a bowl; set aside.
2. In the bowl of a mixer with a paddle attachment, or in another large bowl if using a hand-held mixer, mix the eggs and sugar on medium speed for about 3 minutes, or until very pale in color. Mix in the vanilla.
3. On low speed, add about one-third of the dry ingredients, then one-third of the butter, and continue alternating with the remaining flour and butter. Add the chocolate and mix to combine. (The batter can be refrigerated for up to a day.)
4. Put the timbale molds on a baking sheet. Place the batter in a pastry bag without a tip, or with a large plain tip, and fill each mold two-thirds full.
5. Place in the oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes. When the tops look shiny and set (like a brownie), test one cake with a wooden skewer or toothpick. It should come out clean but not dry (there may be some melted chocolate from the chopped chocolate).
6. Transfer the bouchons to a cooling rack. After a couple of minutes, invert the timbale molds and let the bouchons cool upside down in the molds, then lift off the molds. (The bouchons are best eaten the day they are baked.) To serve: Invert the bouchons and dust them with confectioner's sugar. Serve with ice cream if desired.
Each serving: 296 calories; 4 grams protein; 25 grams carbohydrates;
3 grams fiber; 22 grams fat; 13 grams saturated fat; 86 mg. cholesterol; 133 mg. sodium.
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Slow-sauteed turnips
Total time: 25 minutes
Servings: 4
Note: From "The Simpler the Better"
by Leslie Revsin
2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/4 pounds medium white
turnips
Salt, pepper
1. Peel the turnips and cut them in half lengthwise. Lay cut sides down and slice them into one-half-inch-thick slices. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the turnips and stir to coat. Season with salt.
2. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the turnips are golden brown and tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Season lightly with pepper.
Each serving: 103 calories; 1 gram protein; 7 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams fiber; 9 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat;
0 cholesterol; 67 mg. sodium.
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Sardinian-style meatballs
Total time: 1 hour
Servings: 4 to 6
Note: Adapted from "Italian Slow and Savory" by Joyce Goldstein. Serve with mashed potatoes, or, if you are cooking for children, with spaghetti.
1 pound ground pork
1/4 cup diced bread crumbs, or
1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs
2 eggs
6 tablespoons grated pecorino cheese
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf
parsley
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground
pepper
2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 3/4 cups canned tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1/2 cup water
1. In a bowl, combine the pork, bread crumbs, eggs, cheese, garlic, parsley, salt and pepper and mix together until smooth. Form the mixture into balls about 1 inch in diameter.
2. In a saute pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until softened, about 8 minutes. Add the tomatoes and water, mix well, and then add the meatballs.
3. Bring to a gentle boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, until the meatballs are cooked through and tender, about 45 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Each of 6 servings: 308 calories;
20 grams protein; 9 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram fiber; 21 grams fat; 7 grams saturated fat; 129 mg. cholesterol; 406 mg. sodium.
