Dump-and-Stir Banana Bread with Cinnamon Butter

At one time or another, we've all had overripe bananas sitting on our counter tops waiting to be consumed. Unfortunately, most of the time they end up in the trash. I'm not a big fan of bananas in general, so that happens to me all the time. But I absolutely love using them as a device in baking. I almost purposely let them go brown just to have an excuse to use them for baking. I've made many baked goods using overripe bananas: Banana Cake with Sour Cream Glaze, Cranberry-Banana Quinoa Bread, Pumpkin-Banana Mini Whoopie Pies, and Banana Walnut Oatmeal Chocolate Chunk Cookies.

Banana bread is one of those confections that's always great to have on hand to offer friends when they stop by. Anyone would enjoy a thick slice spread with cinnamon butter served alongside coffee or tea. It's perfect for breakfast, brunch, or an afternoon pick-me-up. Banana bread also makes a great gift at holiday time or can be shared with coworkers, especially if baked as muffins. Even if you don't like bananas, like me, you will love this banana bread. The best part about this recipe is that it uses only two bowls. In one the dry ingredients are combined and in the other the wet. All one needs to do is dump and stir. No special culinary expertise required.

A good banana bread has to be moist but not greasy and sweet but not cloying. This recipe achieves that by using a half stick of butter and brown sugar instead of white. To make up for the smaller amount of butter, applesauce and is used. In most recipes, half the butter, oil, or shortening can be substituted with applesauce. The addition of sour cream (yogurt works too) lends richness to the bread without adding fat. Banana bread is made even better with the addition of nuts and dried fruit, adding pockets of texture and flavor. This recipe is up to adaptation: Instead of walnuts and raisins, pecans and dried cranberries work too. And the addition of chocolate chips make anything better. These are the endless ways to use those lonely browned bananas without letting them go to waste.

Dump-and-Stir Banana Bread

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup light-brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 cup (about 3 medium) mashed ripe bananas
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup apple sauce
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup raisins

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a large (9-by-5-by-3-inch) loaf pan.

In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, sugar, and salt.

In a medium bowl, combine the wet ingredients: eggs, bananas, butter, apple sauce, sour cream, and vanilla. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix well to incorporate. Stir in nuts and raisins. Pour into prepared pan.

Bake for 1 hour 10 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely. Yield: 9 slices.

Cinnamon Butter

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 tablespoon honey
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Thoroughly combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Serve at room temperature.

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Fresh Fig Tart with Honey-Orange Custard

For a long time, the closest I had ever come to what I thought was a real fig was the dried kind or Fig Newtons. It wasn't until a family friend gave us a fig tree that I learned figs are actually fresh before they are dried. Not only that, but I discovered that fresh figs were worlds apart from the dried ones. We weren't the only family with a fig tree in the neighborhood. Italian and Portuguese neighbors had them too. That's because figs are native to the Mediterranean region, where they have been revered since ancient and biblical times. You can't not find mention of it in ancient Greek and Roman texts and of course the Bible's creation story. What would we have done without fig leaves?

For a number of years we were lucky to have our own Garden of Eden with a flourishing fig tree in the backyard. With much ingenuity we were able to keep it protected through many winters until one year it finally didn't survive the cold. But I can never forget how anxious I was all summer long as I waited for the figs to ripen. It seemed to me they always took so long. But fig season is late September, so I had to learn to be patient because there was nothing I could do to speed up mother nature.

Figs really are the fruit of the gods. They're unusual yet very succulent, tender, and sweet as honey when perfectly ripe. The interesting thing about them is that they are actually flowers not fruit. The little hole that exists on the underside is actually the opening that wasps enter to pollinate. Because these flowers or figs are so perishable, most are sold dried. Fresh figs can be very expensive, but when in season they can be found more affordably at farmers' markets. Now without a tree I buy my fresh figs at the market just like everyone else. And this year I found the loveliest black Mission figs to create this Greek-inspired tart.

When shopping for figs, look for ones that are plump but not mushy. Blemishes are not much of a concern unless the fruit looks damaged. Once home, the figs will ripen very quickly on the counter. But to slow the ripening process, stow them safely in the refrigerator until ready to eat or use. When they are ripe, figs should be soft to the touch, smell sweet, and a bit of sap-like liquid can ooze from the bottom. These are the kinds that are sure to taste like honey. For this recipe, ripe figs are the best.

Fresh Fig Tart with Honey-Orange Custard

Filling inspired by recipe from Fine Cooking.

2 pounds ripe black Mission figs
1 8-ounce container Greek yogurt
1 large egg yolk
1 tablespoon light-brown sugar
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon orange zest

Cut off stems from figs. Slice into halves if small or quarters if large. In a small bowl, combine yogurt, egg yolk, sugar, honey, and orange zest. Spread mixture in bottom of cooled tart shell. Arrange figs on top. Bake at 400 degrees F. for 30 minutes or until crust is golden brown, custard is set, and figs have released their juices. Serve warm. Yield: 10 to 12 slices.

Tart Shell

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, chilled, cut into small pieces
1 large egg yolk
3 to 4 tablespoons ice water

In a large bowl, combine flours, sugar, and salt. Mix together with a whisk to aerate. Add butter and work with a pastry blender until mixture resembles course meal.

In a small bowl, beat together egg yolk and 3 tablespoons ice water. Drizzle liquid mixture into dry ingredients. Mix until dough comes together. If too dry, 1 tablespoon ice water can be added.

Form the dough into a flat disc and wrap in plastic. Chill for at least 1 hour before rolling.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

On a lightly floured work surface, roll out tart dough to 1/8-inch thickness. Carefully lay dough into a 10-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom. Press dough into the sides. Remove excess dough with a knife. Fill any holes or gaps with excess dough. Chill shell for 15 minutes.

Using a fork, prick the bottom of the pan all over. Line the inside of the pan with foil and fill with pie weights. Bake for 10 minutes. Then carefully remove pie weights with foil. Continue to bake until light brown, about 15 minutes. Let cool completely.

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Drunken Mussels with Leek and Lovage

For me there's nothing more representative of the ocean than shellfish, particularly the beautiful blue mussel. I have always had an affinity for the ocean, and before my foray into marine biology, I was first and foremost a young curious kid who avidly collected shells to learn all about them. As a kid though I wouldn't eat mussels, or any shellfish for that matter; I thought they were just too beautiful or too gross. Now I can hardly remember a time that I didn't love eating shellfish. Ever since my first time having moules marinière, I have been in love with the sweet briny flavor of mussels. With a slice of crusty bread in hand, I now dive into a bowl of mussels with conviction.

That flavor marries perfectly with white wine and garlic, the basis for preparing moules in any of the Mediterranean countries. In this recipe, I augment those traditional flavors with the addition of slowly sautéed leeks for a sweet onion flavor and a unique fresh celery-like herb, lovage. This cousin of celery most resembles a cross between celery and parsley, both in appearance and in taste. An interesting fact is that the spice commonly sold as dried celery seed is actually lovage seed. As a fresh herb, lovage lends a bright flavor to foods, and just a few sprigs can add wonderful flavor profiles to soups and stews. Here in this recipe, it replaces the more traditionally used parsley just for one final twist.

The great thing about mussels is that they are much less expensive than other shellfish. They are so easy to make at home that it's not worth paying exorbitant restaurant prices for a heaping plate of them. First, one must be willing to scrub and handle them with a Julia Child–like determination. Thank goodness it's not like cooking lobster, but, yes, mussels are alive when you buy them. To get the freshest product, they have to be.

When buying mussels, look for shells that are unbroken and unopened. Just like any fish, they should smell of the sea. Once home, the test of liveliness is to rap any shells that are slightly open. If they close on their own, then they are fine and were just taking in some fresh air. If they do not close, they should be thrown away. Mussels that do not open after steaming are more likely stubborn than dead and should be cooked a bit longer.

Drunken Mussels with Leek and Lovage

2 pounds mussels
1 medium leek
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup off-dry white wine
freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup chopped lovage leaves

Add mussels to a large bowl and fill with cold water; let soak for 20 minutes. Scrub each mussel and remove the beard by pulling toward the hinge using a towel between your thumb and forefinger for leverage. Let mussels drain in a colander.

Slice leek lengthwise and wash to remove grit. Cut off the dark green ends and discard. Slice leek into thin ribbons.

Warm oil and melt butter in a large sauté pan with a tight-fitting lid over low heat. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add leek and cook until very soft, about 10 minutes. Add wine and half the lovage. Season with pepper.

Raise heat to high. Once wine begins to simmer, add mussels and cover. Cook until all the mussels have opened, no more than 3 to 5 minutes. Shake the pan to encourage the process. Sprinkle with the remaining lovage. Serve immediately. Yield: 4 appetizer servings or 2 main course servings.

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Vegetable Frittata

What do you turn to when it seems like there's nothing to eat and the stack of leftovers in the fridge is way past its prime? I turn to eggs. It's a staple I always have in the fridge. It's great to have on hand for baking and of course for a fast healthy and nutritious breakfast. But eggs can also make a great meal in a pinch. The other day I had nothing to eat and all I could find were some vegetables I hadn't yet used and a carton of eggs. So supper became this simple frittata, an Italian-style omelette that's baked. Dinner doesn't need to be complicated when you have a frittata recipe in your back pocket.

With only a few easy steps, this egg-forward dish is very quick to put together. Some light sautéing is required, but beyond that it's just assemble and bake. Any vegetable at hand works well. I happened to have cremini mushrooms, zucchini, and cherry tomatoes. Fresh herbs are also very welcome in this dish. Parsley or basil work the best. And a frittata is not complete without a topping of cheese. A good melting cheese, like mozzarella, Swiss, or Parmesan adds an abundance of flavor. And for some ultimate decadence, add bits of crisped bacon or pancetta.

Make sure to use an ovensafe nonstick pan for this recipe. It should not have a plastic handle. I do not like to use the traditional Teflon nonstick, because of the fumes that can be emitted at very high temperatures. My choice of pan has a Thermalon nonstick surface, commonly marketed under the name GreenPan. I find that this type of pan releases food exceptionally well and also makes food crispier than usual. It also doesn't flake like Teflon normally does after much wear. Try it and you may soon add it to your coterie of pots and pans.

Vegetable Frittata

5 large eggs
5 large egg whites
fine sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 garlic clove, minced
4 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced
8 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved
1 small zucchini, sliced
2 tablespoons torn basil leaves
1/4 cup grated Gruyère

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Using a whisk, beat together eggs and egg whites until frothy. Season with salt and pepper.

Warm olive oil and butter in a 10-inch ovenproof nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and zucchini, cook until tender, about 5 to 8 minutes. Lower the heat. To the pan add the tomatoes and basil. Season with salt and pepper. Stir and distribute vegetables evenly in pan. Pour in the egg mixture. Let eggs set for a few minutes. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the frittata has puffed and is light brown. Yield: 4 servings.

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Pear and Almond Cream Tart

Today is the first day of autumn, a season that is celebrated for the bounties of late summer and of the harvest. And for many the season is best represented by baking. Bread, pies, and tarts have become synonymous with the season of change. Baking with fall fruit such as apples, pears, plums, and quinces are a perfect way to celebrate. For me the fruit that best represents fall is the pear. Even though most pear varieties are picked unripe during the summer, the fruit can last in cold storage all throughout autumn and winter. If picked ripe, the pear is mushy, but when allowed to ripen on the counter or in a paper bag, a pear can be the most flavorful fruit. Some criticize it for its grainy texture, but I appreciate it for that uniqueness. The perfume of a ripening pear is like no other fruit. With pears in mind, I decided to put together one of my favorite tarts.

A French confection with the utmost elegance, this pear and almond cream tart is great for entertaining this season. Pears and almonds are a true match for one another. Their flavors and textures work harmoniously in this recipe. The almond cream base is traditionally called a frangipane and can be used as a base in a variety of desserts, but its most common companion is the pear. The frangipane uses blanched almonds, which can be found readily in supermarkets. But whole almonds can easily be blanched in boiling water so that their thin brown skins slip off easily. The crust on the other hand uses almond meal to add extra nuttiness and texture. Made from whole ground almonds that include their skins, almond meal or flour can be found in specialty markets or can be made right in the food processor.

This recipe may look complicated, but it basically involves three main rather simple sections. The tart dough is easily made a day in advance. It's quick to put together and once baked is very rewarding in its crispiness and color. The poached pears can also be made in advance, even days before. Just let the pears cool in the poaching liquid and refrigerate until ready to use. And don't discard the poaching liquid. Use it for poaching other fruits and make a compote or apple sauce. A shopping tip: When buying pears, look for ones that are firm and free of blemishes. For this recipes, the pears do not need to be ripe, but instead should be firm to hold up to cooking. For eating, check ripeness by pressing the stem end of the fruit.

Pear and Almond Cream Tart

for the crust:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
1/4 cup almond meal
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, chilled, cut into small pieces
1 large egg yolk
3 to 5 tablespoons ice water

for the poached pears:
3 firm Bosc or Bartlett pears
1 lemon, juiced
2 cups dry white wine
2 cups water
1 cinnamon stick
6 cardamom pods
6 whole cloves
3/4 cup sugar

for the almond cream:
1-1/3 cup blanched almonds
2 tablespoons flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into small pieces
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract

To make the dough, combine flours, almond meal, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Mix together with a whisk to aerate. Add butter and work with a pastry blender until mixture resembles course meal.

In a small bowl, beat together egg yolk and 3 tablespoons ice water. Drizzle liquid mixture into dry ingredients. Mix until dough comes together. If too dry, 1 to 2 tablespoons ice water can be added.

Form the dough into a flat disc and wrap in plastic. Chill for at least 1 hour before rolling.

To make the poached pears, peel, core, and slice pears in half. Toss in lemon juice. Combine wine, water, and spices. Bring mixture to a boil. Add pears and lower heat. Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes until pears are knife tender. Remove pears to a plate and let cool. Thinly slice each pear half crosswise.

On a lightly floured work surface, roll out tart dough to 1/8-inch thickness. Carefully lay dough into a 10-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom. Press dough into the sides. Remove excess dough with a knife. Fill any holes or gaps with excess dough. Chill shell for 15 minutes.

To make the almond cream, combine almonds, flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor. Process until very fine. Add butter, egg, and extracts. Process until a smooth paste forms.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Spread the almond cream in the tart shell. Chill for 15 minutes.

Using a spatula lift each sliced pear half and place on the almond cream with the stem end facing center. Fan the slices toward the center.

Place the tart on a baking sheet and bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until the almond cream has puffed and is golden brown. Yield: 8 to 10 slices.

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Deep-Dish Rectangular Apple Pie

It's that time of season where the leaves begin to fall and so do the apples. Though seeing summer end is bittersweet, early fall in all its glory is one of my favorite times of the year, mainly because of apple season. Picking apples at this time of year is a tradition in many families, as it is in mine. I always go to Silverman's Farm to pick the most beautiful apples available in a wide array of varieties. My absolute favorite apples to eat are Honeycrisp and Jonathan, but my favorite apples to bake with are Cortland and Crispin (aka Mutsu). Every year I bake an apple pie with varying results. In the end I always try to make a better one than in the previous year, perfecting my own so-called perfect recipe.

This time I sought new inspiration and decided to turn to a cookbook in my mother's collection. It's a well used old Hungarian cookbook from circa 1931 that had belonged to my grandmother's sister. In it I found the most unique pie crust recipe, which I have adapted here. The combination of ingredients is very European, and one of them might even be considered very unusual, white wine. I've heard of and read about Christoper Kimball's discovery of the foolproof pie crust made with vodka, but it looks to me Europeans had been using alcohol as an ingredient in baking for a long time.



I think that this recipe is pretty much foolproof. The rule with baking pies is to use cold ingredients and bake it hot. It's a tip I always follow and I'm never afraid to stick the dough back in the fridge if it starts to become unmanageable. Another thing I've learned is to use potato starch as a thickening agent because it does not create a cloudy filling as flour or cornstarch would. And to prevent a soggy crust, I use ground nuts sprinkled on the bottom layer of dough. It's a technique I learned from my mom. The reason for the rectangular shape? It's because my mom always makes pies that way and it's how I've always seen other Hungarians make them, too. But ultimately the shape doesn't matter, it's is all about the warm spices and sweet yet tart fruit all enveloped in the flakiest pie crust. It's sure to please and feed everyone at the table and then some.



Deep-Dish Rectangular Apple Pie

Tip: Use firm, tart apples for the best results. Exceptional pie-baking apples include Cortland, Crispin (Mutsu), Fuji, and Granny Smith.

6 to 8 apples (about 4 pounds), peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
1 lemon, zested and juiced
2 tablespoons brandy
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1-1/2 tablespoons potato starch
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
pie crust, recipe follows
1/4 cup ground almonds
1 egg white, beaten, for egg wash

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

In a large bowl, combine sliced apples, lemon zest and juice, brandy, sugar, starch, salt, and spices.

On a lightly floured work surface, knead dough for a minute to develop a little bit of gluten, making rolling much easier. Sprinkle with flour if dough is too sticky. Roll out pie dough to 1/8-inch thickness. One rectangle should be slightly larger than the other.

Line a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with the larger of the two rectangles of dough. Spread ground almonds in the bottom of the dough-lined baking dish. Pour in apple mixture, spreading and compacting evenly. Cover with top layer of dough, tucking and pressing the edges together securely. To decorate the edge, use a cookie cutter or sharp knife to cut leaf shapes out of leftover dough, gluing them down using egg wash. Brush the top with egg wash. Cut slits for steam ventilation.

Bake pie on a sheet pan for 45 minutes to 1 hour. The crust should be golden brown and the filling bubbling. Cool completely before slicing and serving. Yield: 10 to 12 slices.

Pie Crust

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1-1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, chilled, cut into small pieces
3 large egg yolks
3 tablespoons sour cream
3 tablespoons dry white wine

Combine flour, salt, and sugar in a food processor. Pulse to aerate.

Add butter and pulse for ten seconds or until mixture resembles course meal.

In a small bowl, mix together egg yolks, sour cream, and wine. With the food processor running, stream in mixture. Process until the dough comes together.

Divide the dough into two parts, one slightly larger than the other, and wrap in plastic wrap, forming squares. Chill for at least one hour before rolling.

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Gratinéed Cucumbers

I think it's an American consensus that any dish covered with cheese is better. Steamed broccoli drowned in bright yellow processed cheese comes to mind. But what dinner table in America is without scalloped or gratinéed potatoes? Too bad we Americans can't claim the idea as our own invention. The French came up with gratiné, the method of topping ingredients with breadcrumbs, butter, and cheese and baking under a broiler. Potatoes are the most popular cooked in this method, but other vegetables also deserve this special treatment. Cucumbers, a vegetable that really never gets cooked, make the perfect gratiné.

Why cucumbers? In Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Julia Child offers up her recipe for baked cucumbers and in Julie & Julia, Julie Powell discovers the deliciousness of Julia's baked cucumbers. While reading these books in anticipation of the movie, I couldn't keep cucumbers out of my mind. I just was unable to fathom cooked or baked cucumbers. Then on an episode of Julia and Jacques on PBS, I saw Jacques Pépin sauté cucumbers to serve alongside fish. So I had to try preparing something with cucumbers for myself.

I decided to follow Julia's initial steps for her baked cucumbers. By adding vinegar, salt, and sugar to the cut cucumbers, the excess liquid is drawn out. This step tenderizes the cucumbers, much like steaming or blanching would, and it also means less time spent at the stove. Then I diverge slightly from Julia's recipe and decided to make a gratin. Still there's lots of butter involved just like Julia would have it. The end result is a subtly flavored dish of tender cucumbers with a slight vinegary tang and a play on texture with the crunchy and cheesy crust. It makes a wonderful side dish for roast or grilled meats and white-fleshed fish, but it even holds up to being enjoyed on its own.

Gratinéed Cucumbers

4 long English cucumbers
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup melted butter
freshly ground black pepper
2 slices dry bread
1/3 cup grated Gruyère

Prepare cucumbers by peeling and cutting off ends, slicing lengthwise, and removing seeds. Cut into 2-inch-by-1/4-inch batons. Combine with vinegar, salt, and sugar in a bowl. Let soak for 30 minutes up to 1 hour.

Drain cucumbers and pat dry. In a large gratin dish, combine cucumbers with half the melted butter. Spread cucumber evenly. Season with pepper.

Break bread into breadcrumbs using a knife or a food processor. In a bowl, combine breadcrumbs with remaining butter. Spread mixture over cucumbers. Season with salt and pepper. Top with cheese. Bake covered with aluminum foil for 30 minutes. Remove cover and continue to bake until top is brown and cucumbers are tender when pierced, about 20 to 30 minutes. Serve immediately. Yield: 4 to 6 servings.

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Meatloaf Burgers with Onion Marmalade

Meatloaf does not have to be limited to the loaf pan shape. If you think about it, meatloaf is just the big brother of the burger and meatball. These personal-size meatloaf burgers are inspired by my mother's Hungarian hamburgers or fasírt (fuh-sheert). When I was a kid, the only way I could explain my mom's fasírt to others kids was by calling them Hungarian hamburgers. I've never been able to decipher the history of fasírt, but I'd like to believe it's a leftover from the Ottoman rule over Hungary since they most resemble ground meat kebabs. Traditionally, fasírt is not eaten on a bun, but is usually served with vegetable stews, potatoes, or pickles. But here I take fasírt and reinterpret it into an American gourmet meatloaf burger, that's no less flavorful than it's Hungarian cousin.

Good ground meat is the most important ingredient in meatloaf or fasírt, which are both commonly made with beef or a combination of beef and pork. In this recipe I use turkey for its leanness and pork for its unbeatable flavor and to keep the burgers moist. Mushrooms are also added for moistness and earthy flavor. Some cooks prefer using finely ground meat for fasírt, but there is a tendency for a very dry patty. Regular ground meat or very finely minced meat works the best. Dry bread reconstituted in milk adds lightness and is far better than store-bought breadcrumbs. Fresh parsley is a key ingredient in fasírt, but I switch it out for sage instead. Sage, a pungent and peppery herb, native to the Balkans and Turkey, is the perfect complement to pork and poultry. It brings the recipe back to its Ottoman influences.

To make these meatloaf burgers extra special, I serve them topped with an onion marmalade. Sliced sweet onions, such as Vidalia or Texas, are slowly caramelized with brown sugar and honey; and red wine and balsamic vinegar is added for color, tartness, and rich flavor. Served on a whole-wheat challah roll with lettuce and tomato, it's a sandwich made for enjoyment at any time. With a craving for home-style cooking emerging as autumn approaches, this meal is just right for a large family gathering before the cold sets in.

Meatloaf Burgers

2 dry dinner rolls or 3 slices of dry bread
1/4 to 1/3 cup whole milk
1 pound ground dark meat turkey
1 pound ground pork
2 large shallots, minced
2 garlic cloves, crushed into paste
4 ounces cremini mushrooms, minced
1/4 cup minced fresh sage
2 large eggs
coarse sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
canola oil
12 whole wheat brioche or challah rolls, sliced and toasted
Boston lettuce leaves
large tomato, sliced
onion marmalade, recipe follows

In a small bowl, crumble dry bread and moisten with just enough milk as needed.

In a large bowl, combine the ground meats, shallots, garlic, mushrooms, sage, moistened bread, and eggs. Season with salt and pepper. Mix until thoroughly combined.

Form meatloaf mixture into 12 evenly sized burger patties and place on a tray lined with parchment paper.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Warm oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear patties in batches until golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes per side.

Place patties on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until cooked through and juices run clear when pierced, about 20 to 25 minutes.

Assemble sandwiches on toasted rolls with lettuce and tomato. Spread onion marmalade on burgers. Serve immediately. Yield: 12 sandwiches.

Onion Marmalade

2 tablespoons butter
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 large sweet onions (about 1-1/2 pounds), halved and sliced
1/4 cup light-brown sugar
2 tablespoons honey
coarse sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
2/3 cup dry red wine
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
2 bay leaves

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add onions, sugar, and honey; sauté until onions are caramelized and brown, about 15 to 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add wine, vinegar, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil and reduce to medium-low heat. Simmer until liquid has reduced and thickened, about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove bay leaves. Serve warm or at room temperature. Yield: 1-1/2 cups.

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Sautéed Baby Artichokes

I had always thought of artichokes as an unwieldy vegetable, one that involved too much work to eat. After becoming a fan of the hassle-free jarred artichokes many years ago, I finally built up the courage to try cooking fresh artichokes for the first time. Then I realized that I had been missing out on a very unique and ancient vegetable, actually a flower bud. Artichokes originate from the Mediterranean countries and have been revered since Roman times. There are many varieties, but here in the United States only two varieties are readily available, the large globe, and the small baby, which are not actually babies but a fully grown small variety. I decided to set my knife upon them since their size would be perfect for tackling the first time around.

There is a certain way to clean and prepare baby artichokes. It seems daunting at first, but after a few of these little buds are peeled, it's easy to develop a rhythm. With a sharp paring knife, pretty much anything can be done. It's all about peeling, peeling, and more peeling to get down to the tender light green part of the artichoke. If you think you've peeled enough, peel some more. But be careful because artichokes are prickly, I know from experience. there's no need to remove the choke since these artichokes are much more tender than larger varieties. After some trimming to remove the tough skin from the base, it's time for a quick bath in acidulated water (lemon water) to keep the discoloration at bay. Once drained, the artichokes are ready for cooking any which way.

Following this simple Mediterranean-style recipe, these prickly vegetables turn out wonderfully. After the more rigorous techniques above, it's on to a very simple way of cooking. Simmering the artichokes for a period in chicken stock infuses them with flavor, and a finishing dash of vinegar adds a touch of tartness. But the pièce de résistance is a dusting of freshly grated Parmesan cheese, adding another level of flavor. This makes a great side dish or an ingredient that can be used in a main dish like pasta or as a topping on pizza. The possibilities are limitless.

Sautéed Baby Artichokes

2 pounds baby artichokes
1 cup chicken stock
olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar
coarse sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Prepare a bowl of acidulated water: a large bowl of water with the juice of two lemons. Wash the artichokes. Working with one at a time, trim each artichoke by cutting off the stem within a 1/4 inch from the base, peeling the base while removing the dark leaves until pale green leaves are visible, and lastly by cutting off the pointy tips of the remaining leaves. Quarter the artichokes and add to the bowl of acidulated water. Drain before using.

Warm olive oil in a large skillet set over medium heat. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add artichokes and stock. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and simmer over medium heat for about 10 to 20 minutes, until artichokes are tender. Remove the cover and continue to cook until any remaining liquid has evaporated. Add vinegar. Check seasoning. Serve with grated Parmesan. Yield: 4 to 6 servings.

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Peach Galette

I can never tire of a rustic dessert, especially one made with fresh, perfectly ripe peaches. Fruits like these when at their peak always make the difference, turning a ho-hum dessert into a spectacular one. I'd like to think that peach desserts are an American specialty, particularly a Southern one. There is the traditional peach cobbler, peach crisp, and peach crumble. There are also the peach pie and tart. But when simply baked on a pan with the edges of the dough turned over, you have what the French call a galette and the Italians a crostata. An extra crispy crust sets the galette or crostata apart from pies and tarts.

This crispiness is achieved by baking at high temperature and can not only be attained by professional bakers, but by home bakers too. Preheat the oven with a pizza stone and after adequately heating for a half hour, bake the galette in a pan placed over the stone. This is the foolproof method for the crispiest crust, but what if it's sill soggy? The French secret to keeping the crust from getting soggy is a thin layer of ground nuts between the dough and fruit. The Italians use amaretti crumbs. The nuts or crumbs absorb the excess liquid from the fruit and create a thickened consistency. They almost go unnoticed in the finished dessert.

When prepping for this recipe, it's best to start with the very best peaches. They should be firm yet ripe and only give slightly to pressure. When peaches are perfectly ripe, their skins slip off easily with little help from a knife. If having trouble, the peaches can be dipped into boiling water to facilitate the removal of the skin. Avoid bruised and mealy peaches, which are usually the supermarket ones that have been picked underripe. The best places to buy peaches are at pick-your-own farms and farmers' markets. There you know that the best is available, rewarding you with juicy, ripe fruit as well as noteworthy desserts.

Peach Galette

2 pounds ripe peaches (about 4 or 5 large), peeled and cut into eighths
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon potato starch
1/4 cup light-brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup ground walnuts

Preheat oven with pizza stone to 400 degrees F.

Combine lemon juice, potato starch, sugar, and salt; pour over peaches. Toss carefully to coat. Let macerate for 10 minutes.

Roll out dough on a sheet of lightly floured parchment paper to 13 inches in diameter. Carefully lay dough with parchment paper on a baking sheet.

Spread ground walnuts on the dough within 2 inches from the edge. Arrange peach slices in a decorative pattern over the ground walnuts. Pour in remaining juices. Fold up the 2-inch border of the dough, overlapping when necessary. Bake for 40 minutes until the peach juices are bubbling and the crust is golden brown. Yield: 6 servings.

Crust

1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, chilled, cut into small pieces
3 to 4 tablespoons ice water

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, and salt. Mix together with a whisk to aerate

Add butter and work with a pastry blender until mixture resembles course meal.

Add water 1 tablespoon at a time. Mix until dough comes together.

Form the dough into a flat disc and wrap in plastic. Chill for at least 1 hour before rolling.

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Plum Flognarde

Plums are among my absolute favorite fruits, from white to the darkest red or black. I especially like the Italian prune plum variety, the dark blue almost black kind that are long and tapered at each end. They are more firm than the common round plums and are ideal for baking. They are also the plums used for making dried prunes. The best part about them is their freestones: the pits separate easily from the flesh unlike most plums. So for a recipe like this, freestone plums are a requirement to make pitting that much easier and less messy. Baked any which way, these prune plums will reward you with wonderful flavor and runny purple juice.

With plums I had purchased at the Tucker Square Greenmarket last week, I decided to make a country-style dessert, a flognarde. Originating from the Limousin region of France, flognarde is a fruit dessert made with a thin crêpe-like batter that when baked resembles a custard. When made with cherries it is called a clafoutis, but when made with any other fruit is called a flognarde. I was tempted to call this a clafoutis like many similar recipes I have seen, but once I did my research I knew that I had to be historically accurate. But whatever you call it, this concoction is more than worth making.

The key to this homey dessert is the batter, which is literally whizzed together in a blender. The preparation is as simple as cutting the plums, tossing them in brandy and sugar before adding them to the baking dish, and then covering them with the batter. Half way through baking, I like to sprinkle the top with sugar to create a sweet and browned crust. I tend to dislike a pale clafoutis or flognarde and prefer this crusty top to one dusted with confectioners sugar. The crunchy top; creamy, custard-like interior; and the juicy, sweet fruit create an elegant dessert, a fine way to elevate the humble plum.

Plum Flognarde

2 pounds Italian prune plums
1/2 cup plus 4 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided
2 tablespoons brandy
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup whole milk
3 large eggs
3 tablespoons melted butter, plus more for pan
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Butter a shallow 2-quart baking dish.

Cut each plum in half crosswise and remove the pit. Combine the pitted plums with brandy and 2 tablespoons sugar. Let macerate for 10 minutes.

Place plums in the bottom of the baking dish, reserving the liquid.

In a blender, combine flour, 1/2 cup sugar, salt, milk, eggs, butter, vanilla, and liquid from plums. Pulse until incorporated, scraping down the sides if needed. Pour batter over plums. Bake for 30 minutes until batter is set. Sprinkle remaining 2 tablespoons sugar over the top and bake for an additional 20 minutes. The plum juices should be bubbling and the top brown and crusty. If darker color is desired, set under broiler for no more than 2 minutes to brown sugared top. Let cool before serving. Yield: 6 servings.

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Vegetable Tian

Summer is coming to an end, and as I'm having trouble saying goodbye, I'm comforted by all the beautiful produce still available in the farmers' markets this late in the season. Last week I visited the Tucker Square Greenmarket at the corner of Columbus Avenue and 66th Street. They are a compact market with about six or eight small yet bounteous stands. I couldn't help but notice all the fruits: last-of-the-season white and yellow peaches and a few early varieties of apples, such as honey crisp. But what really caught my attention during this visit was a crate full of beautiful green and yellow zucchini. That's when I immediately decided on making this recipe for vegetable tian.

A tian is technically a name for a type of French earthenware casserole commonly used in the region of Provençe. But the name "tian" also carries over to the meal cooked in the earthenware container. This vegetable tian is possibly one of the simplest recipes that can be made especially with an abundance of late-summer vegetables like zucchini, squash, eggplant, and tomatoes. Similar to a gratin, this casserole features layers of thinly sliced vegetables artfully assembled together, topped with Swiss cheese, and baked until tender and brown.



Many vegetable tians also use potatoes, but I've omitted them, preferring to use eggplants. At the same market I found many different varieties of eggplants including long Japanese and Chinese in white and purple, Italian, globe, and small round graffiti ones. I decided to use a combination of different eggplants in this recipe because their varying colors are so eye-catching. Yellow squash also works well if yellow zucchini cannot be found. As long as all the colors of summer are represented in this dish, it will look truly festive. Pair the tian with a juicy roasted chicken and a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc and you will have a meal to celebrate a summer's end that won't soon be forgotten.

Vegetable Tian

olive oil
1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
coarse sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
12 fresh thyme sprigs, leaves only
2 medium green zucchini
2 medium yellow zucchini
2 thin eggplants
4 plum tomatoes
1/4 cup grated Gruyère

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Brush the bottom and sides of a 9-by-13 baking dish with oil.

Warm oil in a heavy-bottomed sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the onions and cook until soft and translucent, about 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add half the thyme leaves. Spread the onion and garlic mixture in the bottom of the baking dish.

Cut the zucchini, eggplants, and tomatoes into 1/4-inches thick slices, discarding the ends. Layer the slices in the the baking dish on top of the onions and garlic, alternating the vegetables to create a colorful design. Drizzle surface of vegetables with oil. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with remaining thyme leaves.

Cover baking dish with aluminum foil and bake 30 to 40 minutes. Remove foil cover. Sprinkle top of vegetables with cheese. Bake for an additional 10 to 20 minutes. Let cool to room temperature before serving. Yield: 8 servings.

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Pasta with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes and Fresh Herbs

With my garden laden with cherry tomatoes this year, I've tried to come up with different solutions for using them in recipes besides eating them raw as fast as they ripen. Last year I made this cherry tomato salad, but even then the plants were so abundant that I fed my coworkers with tomatoes for weeks upon weeks. This year, my cherry tomatoes are the only ones that haven't been affected by the blight, which has caused havoc on farms in the Northeast. Some farmers have now resorted to burning their crops. Luckily the disease hasn't been so drastic in the small scale. This year I'm keeping all the tomatoes to myself.

For me each raw cherry tomato is a burst of powerful summer flavor, but with a bit of cooking, they are even better. One of the best ways to get the maximum flavor from vegetables is by roasting them. Roasting cherry tomatoes concentrates their flavor so that they taste almost like sun-dried tomatoes. In this recipe, I roast them with the addition of garlic, oil, red pepper flakes, and vinegar. The balsamic vinegar brings out a layer of savory sweetness while the other ingredients create a simple and very tasty sauce. There are no long hours of cooking sauce on the stove top required. Once the pasta and roasted tomatoes are combined, the addition of fresh herbs releases perfumed aromas and pungent flavors. It's truly a very satisfying and quick-to-make pasta dish.

Pasta with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes and Fresh Herbs

2 pounds cherry tomatoes
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
4 garlic cloves, minced
coarse sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 cup chopped fresh oregano
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup torn basil leaves
1 pound linguine

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a 9-by-13-inch glass baking dish, combine tomatoes, garlic, oil, vinegar, and crushed red pepper flakes. Season with salt and pepper. Roast tomatoes until tender, juicy, and skins have popped, about 40 to 50 minutes.

Cook linguine according to package directions in a large pot of liberally salted water until al dente. Drain and return to pot. Add tomato mixture, oregano, parsley, and basil. Toss together and serve immediately. Yield: 4 servings.

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Top 5 Food Books for Fall 2009

The five books I have been reading and browsing through all summer have made me laugh, drool, jump for joy, almost buy a plane ticket, and have given me immense amounts of cooking inspiration. As the season changes we plan, make changes, and look toward the future with new and adventurous aspirations bubbling to the surface. These books will have you planning your next trip to Paris; discovering the unique cuisine of Europe's westernmost jewel, Portugal; mixing cocktails for your friends and family this coming Labor Day, and possibly contemplating a move to the Sonoma valley to organically farm fruits and vegetables. And if you are a student set on culinary stardom with Food Network dreams, you might want to re-think that unless you have the determination of a bull or Anthony Bourdain. Here are the picks I recommend you add to your fall reading list.

Which travel guide will you reach for on your next trip to Paris? If you're unsure buy The Sweet Life in Paris by David Lebovitz, it's all you'll ever need for navigating among the people of Paris. Chez Panisse pastry chef turned author turned blogger David Lebovitz shares his unique views about the city that enticed him to make his new home. With hilarious anecdotes that include some nudity, the book tells of his adventures in adapting to the culture of a rather unyielding people. Lebovitz recounts the first time he truly felt Parisian: it happened when he dressed properly in shirt and slacks to take out the garbage. As David explains, in Paris, the way you look and present yourself to others is key. You will learn to iron your kitchen towels; eat your banana with fork and knife; and that the entrée is actually the appetizer, not the main course; among many other lessons to help you, the unsuspecting American, blend into Parisian society. According to Lebovitz, the worst part about Paris is horrible coffee and that people cutting in line is expected, but can be prevented with special tactics sometimes just short of tackling. Lebovitz's account of the sweet yet sometimes tart life will have you laughing, nodding in agreement, and scratching your head, most likely all at the same time. This book is well worth reading before any trip to Paris or just for the fun of it.

In his pseudo-memoir Field Days, university professor Jonah Raskin chronicles a year spent traveling through Sonoma’s amazing farmlands and talking and working with local farmers, day laborers, and organic-farming advocates. With eloquent prose, Raskin recalls stories from his own past of moving with his parents from Long Island to California, praises how farming has evolved today, and laments how urban sprawl and DDT usage has ruined much of the land. He romanticizes the young farmers of today who move out to Sonoma from the East Coast and set up farms rented from landlords to experiment with growing everything from vegetables to marijuana. Modest and little-known organic farmers, winemakers, and chefs are brought to light, such as farmer Warren Weber and chef John McReynolds. Raskin calls Weber one of the leaders in the organic movement and McReynolds, a Keller-like figure who avoids today's culinary limelight. These people are the backbone of Sonoma, a county that has always been known as a fertile, bounteous land since American Indians first tamed the region. Not only for the eco-conscious, this book is for those who appreciate the long-fought history of the organic movement, the rising focus on local ingredients, and farmers who care for the land in a way that speaks volumes in the produce sold at markets.

In the vein of Kitchen Confidential, food writer and former cook Jason Sheehan, gives us Cooking Dirty, his story of cooking dangerously on the line. Not your four-star, champagne and foie gras-laden memoir, this is the real stuff of what it means to be a chef. Sheehan does not transfigure the kitchen into a manicured space of Michelin-star beauty, but tells it as it really is: a well-worn machine; a metal box of heat, steam, fire, meat, and sharp instruments. The kitchens of his former jobs are all battlefields where only the fittest survive. Sheehan begins the book by describing his start at the tender age of fifteen, working at a small pizzeria scraping and washing baking trays and mopping floors. That begins a long career of jumping from restaurant to restaurant, braving anything that's thrown at him, even illness and unemployment. A despondent Sheehan, urged by the insistence of his then girlfriend now wife, tries his hand at writing and finds a job at a small newspaper, eventually leading him to become the anonymous food critic for Denver's Westword, and to winning a James Beard Award for food criticism in 2003. What a jump! This book is an exciting read for those who want to know what it's truly like behind the kitchen doors. And as Sheehan describes, in colorful language and cook's slang, it's not glitz and glamour, but blood and guts.

David Leite's New Portuguese Table, the cookbook I've been waiting for all year, does not disappoint. It is a primer for the oft overlooked cuisine of Portugal and a jewel box of information with background on the eleven regions and a glossary of necessary ingredients. Its recipes marry the old and weathered traditions of Portugal's past with the new cuisine that is Portugal today. David Leite, James Beard Award—winning writer and publisher of the site LeitesCulianria.com, began his journey into Portuguese cuisine first by being born to a Portuguese family whose lives centered around food, and second by realizing that if he didn't do something about it, the recipes of his grandmother would be lost. Leite traveled throughout Portugal attempting to re-experience the food he had grown up with, but in the end discovered that Portugal had changed and adapted its cuisine. The people Leite met along the way, from restaurateurs to chefs, helped inform his research, allowing him to present Portugal's cuisine in a broad new light. The collected recipes not only hint at old Portugal but present a new Portugal that is embracing fusion cuisine. With recipes such as salt cod fritters, cilantro bread soup, and braised beef shanks, among many others, this cookbook truly delivers fun, exciting, and accessible cuisine to an American public that is just beginning to discover what a little country like Portugal has to offer.

With a title like Mix Shake Stir, you know this book is just the one to have for aspiring bartenders and entertaining hosts and hostesses alike. It’s full of recipes for cocktails from New York restaurateur Danny Meyer's Union Square Hospitality Group (Union Square Cafe, Gramercy Tavern, Eleven Madison Park, The Modern, etc.) and features a guide for the necessary bar tools along with simple instruction for using ingredients and techniques properly. In his foreword, Meyer reveals that cocktails were not his focus when he first opened his restaurants, possibly due to the fact that the cocktails his parents drank were far from inspiring, but now he realizes that cocktails are as much of an extension of the food as is wine. In creating cocktails for the restaurants, the bartenders and chefs keep a dialog and are constantly inspired by one another. With the freshest products at their fingertips, Meyer's bartenders invent drinks that celebrate the ingredients. Many of these drink recipes are signatures at these establishments. This book brings together the classic cocktails such as the old-fashioned, negroni, and mojito and ones called new classics like the pomegranate gimlet and cherry blossom sling, among countless other appetizing cocktails. And a section on mouthwatering bar fare does not leave you drunk and empty stomached. This book is an indispensable addition to anyone’s home bar.

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