Tag: easy

cake, chocolate, Desserts, gluten-free

Flourless Chocolate Cake

by Lynda Balslev14 Comments on Flourless Chocolate Cake
Flourless Chocolate Cake

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Flourless chocolate cake is the little black dress of desserts. Minimal, simple and universally pleasing, this go-to recipe is a classic. With a short list of ingredients, minus any flour,  you can whip this cake up in an hour. It’s a lighter version of my Sinfully Rich Chocolate Cake, which makes it more of an every day cake and a guaranteed hit with children. Serve simply naked or adorned with a dusting of sugar and a scoop of whipped cream.

Flourless Chocolate Cake

With so few ingredients, quality makes a difference. If possible, use a European-style butter such as Lurpak or Plugra and a high quality dark chocolate. I prefer Valrhona or Lindt. Serves 12.

8 ounces dark chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
6 eggs, separated
1/2 cup granulated sugar

Preheat oven to 300 F. Butter a 9 inch springform pan. Line the bottom with parchment and butter the parchment. Melt the chocolate and butter together in a double boiler over just-simmering water, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat and transfer to a large bowl; cool to lukewarm. Whisk in the egg yolks.
Beat egg whites in a bowl of an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Add sugar and continue to beat until stiff glossy peaks form. Mix 1/4 of the egg whites into the chocolate. Gently fold in remaining egg whites. Pour into prepared pan and smooth with a spatula. Bake until edges pull away from the pan, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes clean, about 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool on a rack. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature.


Fish and Shellfish, gluten-free

Sriracha Baked Salmon and Cauliflower

by Lynda Balslev7 Comments on Sriracha Baked Salmon and Cauliflower
Sriracha Baked Salmon and Cauliflower

Salmon, cauliflower, sriracha and a little parsley.

Salmon, cauliflower and sriracha come together beautifully in this easy
and healthy recipe. The heat of the sriracha is tamed by baking, while it amplifies the flavors of the salmon and cauliflower. It’s delicious as is, or serve it with a dollop of Roasted Pepper and Sriracha Sauce. Can you tell that I love sriracha?

Sriracha Salmon and Cauliflower
Serves 4

Salmon:
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons sriracha
1 salmon filet, 1 1/2 – 2 pounds
1 small cauliflower, trimmed, broken into florets
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Fresh parsley for garnish

Roasted Pepper and Sriracha Sauce
1 large red bell pepper, roasted, skinned
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons sriracha
1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste

Preheat oven to 350 F. Whisk olive oil and sriracha together in a small bowl. Arrange salmon in a baking pan. Brush with the sriracha oil.
Slice cauliflower florets in 1/4 inch pieces and place in a bowl. Pour remaining oil over the cauliflower and toss to coat. Scatter the cauliflower around the salmon. Sprinkle salmon and cauliflower with salt and pepper.
Bake in oven until salmon is cooked through, about 30 minutes, depending on thickness of the fish. Garnish with parsley. Serve with Sriracha Roasted Pepper Sauce.

To make the sauce, combine all of the ingredients in a bowl of a food processor. Puree to form a smooth sauce.

Appetizers, Crostini, Fruit, Vegetarian

Peach and Blue Cheese Bruschetta with Honey and Thyme

by Lynda Balslev16 Comments on Peach and Blue Cheese Bruschetta with Honey and Thyme

Organic California peaches are now available in our market, and I am very excited. When I see peaches it means that summer is just around the corner. Hard to believe, I know, but in a few weeks school will be out, and the summer holiday will stretch ahead with unstructured time, travel, camps and sunny activities.

For now, I will focus on the peaches. This recipe combines fragrant peaches with crumbly blue cheese, a drizzle of honey and thyme. The flavors play off and elevate each other in wonderful harmony. For extra freshness and crunch, arugula may be added as a bed for the peaches. It’s all good.



Peach and Blue Cheese Bruschetta with Honey and Thyme
Makes 4

4 slices country-style bread, cut 1/4 inch thick
Extra-virgin olive oil
Sea salt
2 ripe, but not too soft, peaches, halved and pitted
1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese
Runny honey
Thyme sprigs

Preheat oven broiler. Arrange bread slices on a baking pan with a rack. Brush both sides with olive oil. Sprinkle with a little sea salt. Broil, turning once, until golden brown on both sides. Remove and transfer slices to a plate or platter.
Thinly slice peach halves. Arrange on bread, overlapping slightly. Sprinkle blue cheese over the peaches. Drizzle with honey and garnish with thyme sprigs.

Breads, Pasta, Rice, Grains, gluten-free, spring

Lemon Risotto with Mint

by Lynda Balslev12 Comments on Lemon Risotto with Mint
Lemon Risotto with Mint

I have an opinion about risotto. A good risotto should be creamy, but not soupy. The rice should be tender, but not mushy.  The ingredients should be minimal without overwhelming. My ideal risotto reflects the season, and elegantly plays a role in a meal as a first course or side to a main. Lemon Risotto with Mint accomplishes all of this. It’s planted firmly in spring, redolent with lemon and fresh mint. It’s not too heavy, but creamy and rich enough to keep you coming back for more.

Lemon Risotto with Mint
Serves 6

6 cups chicken stock
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small yellow onion or 2 spring onions, white and pale green parts only, finely chopped
2 cups arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus extra for garnish
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 teaspoons lemon zest, plus extra for garnish
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves, plus extra for garnish

Bring stock to a simmer. Reduce heat to lowest setting and keep warm.
Heat 1 tablespoon butter and oil in a deep skillet or pot over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until softened, 2 minutes. Add rice and stir to coat. Add wine. Cook, stirring, until the wine evaporates. Add stock 1 cup at a time, stirring until nearly all of the liquid is absorbed before adding the next cup. Continue until the rice is tender but not mushy. Remove pan from the heat. Stir in 1 tablespoon butter, 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, lemon juice and lemon zest. Add mint leaves and serve immediately in bowls garnished with extra cheese, lemon zest and mint.

Appetizers, gluten-free, Vegetables and Salads

Roasted Asparagus and Prosciutto Spears

by Lynda Balslev4 Comments on Roasted Asparagus and Prosciutto Spears

If you are looking for a too-easy-to-believe appetizer, then this recipe is the one. Requiring merely 3 ingredients, an oven and less than half an hour to prepare, the finger-licking results belie the ease. This recipe takes advantage of spring’s tender asparagus and salty prosciutto, which is always in season in our home. Baking crisps and coaxes the salt from the ham, while olive oil lightly naps the spears. Be sure to eat these warm straight from the oven – with your fingers.

Roasted Asparagus and Prosciutto Spears
Makes 12

12 asparagus, medium thickness
6 prosciutto slices, halved lengthwise
Extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 Lemon (ok, that’s a 4th ingredient, but it’s optional)

Preheat oven to 375 F. (190 C.)
Snap off the woody stems of the asparagus and trim the bottoms with a knife. Wrap a slice of prosciutto diagonally around the asparagus stalks, leaving the tips and base exposed. Brush the exposed bits of the asparagus with olive oil. Arrange on a baking tray. Roast until the asparagus tips are tinged brown and the prosciutto is crispy,  about 15 minutes. Remove from oven and arrange on a plate. Drizzle with a little lemon juice, if desired.

Cookies, Desserts

Lemon Bars

by Lynda Balslev12 Comments on Lemon Bars

Citrus is winter’s gift, so why not put this gift to use and make lemon bars? Bright and zingy, Lemon Bars will bring a ray of sunshine into your kitchen. Whether you are knee deep in snow or lucky enough to live where lemons grow on trees, this is one pick-me-up everyone will enjoy at this time of year. Cool creamy custard bursting with zest rests on a firm bed of shortbread. Each bite is a balance of sweet and tart. The recipe is simple and quick to make – the only caveat is that the results are dangerously addictive. Be forewarned: One will never be enough.

Lemon Bars with Sea Salt

This recipe is adapted from and inspired by many sources, including Ina Garten, Food52,  and my personal weakness for sea salt. Makes 32 (2-inch) square bars.

Shortbread:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter, slightly softened but still cool, cut into cubes

Filling:
6 large eggs
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
2 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon salt

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 9 by 13-inch baking pan, then line the pan with parchment and butter the parchment.
2. Combine the shortbread ingredients in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix until the dough resembles coarse lumps and just begins to come together. Dump the dough into the prepared pan and, with your fingers, evenly press the dough to cover the bottom of the pan.
3. Bake the crust until it just begins to turn golden, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven, but do not turn off the oven heat.
4. Whisk the filling ingredients together in a large bowl until blended, then evenly pour over the crust. Return the pan to the oven and bake until the filling is set but not coloring, about 25 minutes. Remove and cool completely on a rack.
5. Cut into bars. Dust with confectioners’ sugar and lightly sprinkle with sea salt flakes before serving.

Appetizers, Cookbooks, Main Course, Summer, Vegetarian, Wine and food pairings

Easy Late Summer Dinner: Tomato Tart

by Lynda Balslev4 Comments on Easy Late Summer Dinner: Tomato Tart
Easy Late Summer Dinner: Tomato Tart

Tomato Tart

Early September brings beautiful tomatoes, their sunny colors cheerily keeping autumn at bay, reminding us that summer is not yet finished.  Sweet, juicy, sunkissed heirlooms, early girls, and cherries promise to bring a little sunshine to our dinner plates while the days grow shorter, cooler and crisper.

This tomato tart is an easy, light dinner for a busy weekday night that takes advantage of the kaleidescope of cherry tomatoes falling in our gardens and showcased in the market. The tart’s ease of preparation is, in part, due to the usage of store-bought frozen puff pastry dough.  I confess that as much as I try to homemake everything, homemade pastry (unless made well ahead of time and frozen) doesn’t conveniently figure into a spontaneous week night meal.  Fortunately, high quality frozen pastry dough is available in many stores.  I buy mine at Whole Foods, and while the price is not cheap, I see it as a break-even when considering the cost of the ingredients and time I would need to make it myself.


Tomato Tart
Serves 4 as a light meal or 6-8 as a side dish

1 sheet (11 oz./300 g.) frozen puff-pastry dough, thawed
1 1/2 lbs. (750 g.) cherry tomatoes, multi-colored if possible, halved lengthwise
1-2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons fresh marjoram

Prepare tart:
Preheat oven to 400 F. (200 C.)

On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/4″ thickness.  Pierce dough all over with a fork, leaving a 1″ border in tact.  Transfer dough to a parchment-lined baking tray and refrigerate 15 minutes.
Bake in oven until lightly golden, 12-15 minutes.  Remove from oven, but do not turn off heat.

Arrange tomato halves, cut-side up, on crust, leaving the 1″ border clear. Drizzle tart with olive oil. Sprinkle with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.  Return to oven and bake 15-20 minutes, or until crust is golden brown.  Remove tart from oven, and transfer to serving platter.  Garnish with fresh marjoram (or basil) and serve immediately.

For a complete rustic meal serve with a wedge of soft, runny Camembert or Saint Nectaire cheese, thick slices of pain paysan and a salad of mixed seasonal greens.

 

 

Breads, Pasta, Rice, Grains, Main Course, Vegetarian

Summer Pasta Provençal

by Lynda Balslev2 Comments on Summer Pasta Provençal


Provencal Pasta Salad

What is it about summer holiday?  I had visions of lazy, sultry, unscheduled down-time where the days would stretch out, tantalizing us with infinite possibilities.  Our only responsibilities would be remembering the sunblock and planning our dinner, while we read books, relaxed in the sun, and watched the hummingbirds hover in our garden.  Apparently, we are not on holiday yet.  Since the children were let out of school last month the days seem to have accelerated in a blur.  There is little time to laze, attempt sultriness or admire hummingbirds.  Sunscreen is haphazardly remembered and wisely applied immediately after breakfast otherwise risking delinquency.  The days evolve into a series of carpooling forays and playdate arrangements, punctuated by uncomfortably frequent stops at the gas station.  Dinnertime arrives unexpectedly in a whiplash fashion, and I realize I never made it to the market, let alone had a moment to serenely mull over a creation to present at the kitchen table.   Is this the summer holiday?  What was I thinking?

This afternoon I returned home from a long day as described above.  I did not shop, and we were all hungry.  In fact, the only full family member was our recently filled car’s gas tank (which seems to be eating more these days) and we opted to eat in tonight.  So, I will prepare an easy pasta salad dish that makes use of the vegetables, cheese, and olives I have stashed in my refrigerator.  This recipe is forgiving in its ingredients and it encourages fiddling and adjusting depending on what you have available.*  Because of its versatility, its name is rather generic: I simply call it Summer Pasta Provençal, because its ingredients reflect the season, and the ease of preparation reflects our crazy summer schedule.

Summer Pasta Provençal
Serves 4-6

1 lb. (500 grams) farfalle

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 red pepper, stemmed, seeded, ribs removed, sliced in julienne
2 cups small cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cup kalamata olives, pitted, halved
2 fresh mozzarellas
1/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1 garlic clove, minced

1 bunch, about 1/2 cup, fresh basil leaves, shredded
Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Pecorino Romano cheese as garnish

Bring a pot of salted water to boil.  Add pasta and cook until al dente.  Drain. 
Pour pasta into a large serving bowl.  Toss with 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil.
Add remaining ingredients and toss to combine well.  Adjust seasoning to taste.
Serve warm or at room temperature with grated cheese on the side.

*Experiment with ingredients you have in your refrigerator.  Try substituting grilled eggplant or zucchini, roasted sweet peppers, olivada, parsley, or arugula.