Annie's Cooking Club

Serves 4

4 shallots, white parts chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced and crushed

2 tsp. Ground cumin

2 heads of cauliflower, stalks removed and head cut into florets

Olive oil

2 cups chicken stock

½ cup heavy cream

8 medium scallops

2 Tbs. Of butter

salt and pepper

Steam shallots, garlic, cumin, and cauliflower in olive oil for about 7 minutes or until garlic and shallots are soft.  Add the stock and bring to a boil.  Cook until the cauliflower is just tender.

Puree the soup until all is smooth.  Add the cream and blend until thoroughly mixed.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Sear scallops in butter, season and add to center of soup. 

2 bunches of fresh broccoli, washed in cut into pieces

1 package shredded cheddar cheese

1 package of bacon, cooked crispy and broken into small pieces

1 cup Mayo

¼ cup white sugar

2 Tbs. white vinegar

Mix first 3 ingredients in a large bowl.

Whisk mayo, sugar and vinegar until smooth.

Pour mayo mixture over broccoli mixture and stir to thoroughly coat.

Cool in frig for 2-3 hours.

1 ½ cups butternut squash, cubed

½ lbs. or about 2 cups of cheese tortellini

1 T. olive oil

2 slices proscuitto, cut into strips

5 T. unsalted butter

1 T sage

2T. dry white wine

1 t. sugar

juice of ½ lemon

parsley and pepper to taste

Cook squash in boiling water for 3 minutes.  Add the tortellini, cook until tortellini is done and squash is tender.  Drain both and set aside.

Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.  Add proscuitto, cook until crispy then drain on a paper towel.  Return skillet, with drippings, to burner; reduce heato to medium. 

Melt butter, add sage and cook until the butter is browned, about 4 minutes.  Stir in wine and sugar; cook 30 seconds, then add squash and tortellini, and proscuitto.  Toss to heat thoroughly. 

Off heat, finish with lemon juice, parsley and pepper. 

2 1/2 lb medium asparagus, trimmed
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 oz feta (preferably French), crumbled (1/2 cup)

Put oven rack in lower third of oven and preheat oven to 500°F.

Toss asparagus with oil, salt, and pepper in a large shallow baking pan and arrange in 1 layer. Roast, shaking pan once about halfway through roasting, until asparagus is just tender when pierced with a fork, 8 to 14 minutes total. Serve asparagus sprinkled with cheese.

¼ cup onion

¼ tsp. Ground cinnamon

2 tsp. Unsalted butter

¼ cup dry brown rice

¼ cup dry wild rice

¾ cup low-sodium chicken broth

¾ cup water

¼ cup sliced dried apricots

2 Tbsp. Sliced almonds, toasted

2 Tbsp. parsley

salt to taste

Sauté the onion and cinnamon in butter in a large sauté pan over medium heat until soft, 5 minutes.

Add brown and wild rice, cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently. 

Stir in broth and water, and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until rice is tender and all liquid is absorbed, 1 hour.

Stir in apricots, then cover and let stand off heat until fruit has softened, 10 minutes.  Stir in almonds, parsley, and salt. 

10 cups cold water

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

1 T. salt

4 bay leaves

2 cups yellow cornmeal, medium grain

8 T. butter

1 ½ cups gorgonzola, crumbled

½ cup parmesan

Combine water, oil, salt, bay leaves, and cornmeal in a pot.  Stir until mixed.  Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring often, for about 10 minutes.  When thick and bubbly, reduce heat to low and partially cover.  Cook until glossy, stirring often, for 25-35 minutes.

After its done, spread about 2 cups of polenta in a 8”-10” skillet or pan that has been cooled by rinsing it in cold water first.  Dot the top with 2 ½ T. butter, ¾ cup of gorgonzola, and 2 T. parmesan. 

Continue layering for three layers.  Cover with plastic and chill for 1-24 hours.  Bake at 400° on a foil-lined baking sheet until sizzling and deep golden, 45-60 minutes. 

Makes 8 cakes

Time: 1 hour

3 cups cooked jasmine or Botonia rice, cooled to room temperature.

1 T sugar

1 T rice vinegar

1 t. cornstarch

1 t. salt

2 t. sesame seeds

2-4 T vegetable oil

Combine rice, sugar, vinegar, cornstarch, and salt.  Scoop and press rice into a ¼-cup measuring cup coated with nonstick spray.  Tap cake out onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. 

Grently press ¼ t. sesame seeds on the tops of each cake.

Heat 2 T. oil in a large skillet over medium-high.  Add rice cakes, seed side down, and sauté 5 minutes on each side, or until rice is golden.  Add additional oil is needed to prevent burning. 

FOR THE CRUMBS—

Combine; Pulse and Saute:

4                    T. unsalted butter, softened

¼         cup prepared horseradish

4                    slices bread (a heavy bread like sourdough or French works best)

salt and pepper

2                    T. parsley

FOR THE GREEN BEANS—

Simmer in ½ cup water; Add:

1          lb. Fresh green beans, trimmed

2          T. unsalted butter

1                      T. Dijon mustard

Directions:

Combine butter and horseradish for the crumbs in a small bowl, then spread over bread slices.  Tear bread into pieces and pulse with salt and pepper to taste in a food processor until course.  Saute crumbs in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until crisp, about 10 minutes, stirring often.  Off heat, add parsley, then spread crumbs on a baking sheet to cool; set aside.

Simmer beans in ½ cup boiling salted water in a large sauté pan, covered 5 minutes.  Remove lid and simmer until water is nearly evaporated; add butter and mustard, and toss to melt butter.  Transfer beans to a serving platter and sprinkle with crumb mixture. 

Makes about 2 cups

Time: 30 minutes

1 large cucumber, seeded, cut in half, and sliced in ¼” thick slices

1 t. salt

3 T. mayonnaise

3 T. sour cream

2 T. white vinegar

1 T. sugar

1 T. chopped dill

Place cucumber slices in a colander, sprinkle with salt, toss to coat and let set for 15 minutes.  Then rinse and pat dry.

Combine mayo, sour cream, vinegar, sugar, dill, and cucumbers in a mixing bowl.  Allow to chill for at least 5 minutes before serving.

4 oz. of angel hair pasta

3T. heavy cream

2T. grated parmesan cheese

1 t. lemon zest

Pinch (each) of red pepper flakes, salt and black pepper

1 cup fresh spinach leaves.

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil.

Add the pasta and cook till done.

Mix cooked pasta with the remaining ingredients.