Fig Newtons, Made at Home

Servings: 30 cookies
Preheat: 325
Prep Time: 
Source: Food 52 Blog

This recipe grew out of a need to satisfy cravings for my favorite childhood cookie. I knew that if I went to the store and simply bought a package of Fig Newtons, I would probably be disappointed, as taste memories always seem to be more vibrant than the food that inspired them.

But I had a hunch that homemade Fig Newtons might just live up to my nostalgia-fueled expectations — and boy, did they ever. Soft and slightly chewy with the pleasant pop of tiny fig seeds in the filling, these figgy lovelies manage not only to outshine the cookie that inspired them, but they’re also good enough to make new memories.

Ingredients: 

For the cookie dough

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) butter, softened
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Zest of one orange

For the fig filling

1 pound dried figs, cut into small pieces
1/2 cup water

Directions: 

Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a mixing bowl and set aside. In a large bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment), beat the butter and brown sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy, about 3 to 5 minutes.

Add the egg, vanilla, and orange zest and beat until combined. Stir the flour mixture into the butter mixture until well blended. Scoop the dough onto a piece of plastic wrap, shape into a disc, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.

Meanwhile, make the filling. Combine the figs and water in a medium saucepan. Bring the water to a boil, cover, and allow the water to boil until the figs have absorbed it. Transfer the figs to a food processor and pulse until the mixture is completely smooth.
Preheat the oven to 325? F. Place a large piece of parchment on your work surface and flour it liberally. Divide the chilled dough into 4 pieces, place one piece on the parchment, and return the other 3 to the refrigerator.

Shape the piece of dough into a rectangle, then roll the dough, stopping frequently to make sure it isn’t sticking to the parchment, into a long rectangle (about 4 inches wide by 12 inches long). Be vigilant about lifting and reflouring the dough as you roll to prevent sticking.
Scoop the fig filling into a pastry bag or a plastic zip-top bag with one corner cut off. Pipe the filling in a 1-inch strip down the center of the dough rectangle. Fold one side of the dough over the filling, then the other. Press down on the seam to close it.

Using the parchment, flip the cookie roll over, seam-side down. Transfer it gingerly to a baking sheet and refrigerate while you repeat this step with the other 3 pieces of dough. Bake the logs of dough for about 16 minutes or until the dough is no longer tacky and has begun to brown around the edges.
While the cookie rolls are still warm, cut them into 1 1/2- to 2-inch cookies. Immediately place the cookies in a single layer inside a plastic zip-top bag and close the bag. This seems counterintuitive, but in order to keep the cookies soft, like the real thing, they need to steam.

Cool the cookies completely. Remove them from the bags and place in an airtight container. They can be kept, at room temperature, for up to 2 weeks.

Carrots with Pistachio-Herb Butter

Servings: 8
Preheat: 0
Prep Time: 
Source: Fine Cooking, Issue #131

Lime and pistachios add brightness and crunch to crisp-tender carrots. This recipe is designed so that you can do most of the work well in advance, making it perfect for a Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner. Then all you need to do is cook the carrots and toss them with their seasonings. See the Make-Ahead Tips for details.

Ingredients: 

1/2 cup salted, roasted, shelled pistachios
1/2 cup lightly packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
1 Tbs. packed fresh mint leaves
2 oz. (4 Tbs.) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 oz. finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (1/2 cup)
1 tsp. packed finely grated lime zest
4 to 6 drops hot sauce, such as Sriracha
Kosher salt
3 lb. carrots, peeled and cut into pieces about 2 inches long and 1/2 inch wide.
2 tsp. fresh lime juice; more as needed

Directions: 

Make the pistachio butter

Coarsely chop the pistachios in a food processor. Set aside half of the nuts. Pulse the remaining nuts until they are quite fine but not pasty. Add the parsley and mint, and pulse again until the herbs are finely chopped. Add the butter, cheese, zest, hot sauce, and 1 tsp. salt; pulse until well blended. If working ahead, scrape the butter onto plastic wrap, shape into a log, wrap, and freeze. Seal the reserved pistachios in a small zip-top freezer bag or other airtight container and freeze.

Cook and finish the carrots

Take the butter out of the refrigerator if made ahead. Combine the carrots and 1 tsp. salt in a 4-quart saucepan and add enough water to just cover. Cover the pan and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer and cook to your liking, about 5 minutes for crisp-tender.

Reserve about 1/4 cup of the cooking water, drain the carrots, and then return them to the pan. Add the butter in pieces and toss to melt and coat the carrots. Add the lime juice and some of the reserved water, if necessary. Season to taste with salt and more lime juice. Serve topped with the reserved pistachios.

Make Ahead Tips

The butter can be made up to one month ahead and frozen (along with the reserved pistachios). Thaw the butter in the refrigerator for one day and the pistachios at room temperature.

The carrots can be peeled and cut up to two days ahead. Seal in a zip-top bag or other airtight container and refrigerate.

Turkey Hash With Brussels Sprouts and Parsnips

Servings: 4 to 6
Preheat: 400
Prep Time: 
Source: David Tanis, New York Times

Though it’s derived from a French word that means chopped, hash is quintessentially American. It’s most often made with roasted or boiled meat (sometimes corned beef) and potatoes, cut into cubes and fried into a crisp-bottomed cake. Invariably, it’s then topped with an egg, poached or fried. This one, made with roast turkey, makes good use of holiday leftovers. Scallions and jalapeño lend it brightness.

Ingredients: 

12 ounces parsnips, chopped, about 2 cups
Butter, oil or lard
4 ounces thick-sliced bacon, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1 large onion, diced, about 2 cups
Salt and pepper
1 pound cooked turkey, preferable dark meat, diced
2 tablespoons chopped sage
1 cup turkey or chicken broth
1 ½ cups slivered brussels sprouts
6 scallions, chopped
1 jalapeño, finely chopped (optional)
4 to 6 eggs, for frying
Cilantro sprigs for garnish (optional)

Directions: 

Simmer parsnips in salted water for about 2 minutes, until cooked through but firm. Drain and set aside. Heat oven to 400 degrees.

Put 4 tablespoons butter in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add bacon and fry lightly for 1 minute, then add onions and reduce heat to medium. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are soft and beginning to color, about 10 minutes. Season well with salt and pepper.

Add parsnips, turkey and sage. Stir to coat well. Let sizzle, adding more butter as needed, until mixture is well browned, about 10 minutes. Check seasoning. Add broth and transfer skillet to oven. Bake, uncovered, until broth is absorbed and hash is crisp, 10 to 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook brussels sprouts: Heat a small amount of butter or oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add slivered sprouts, salt and pepper; stir-fry briefly, until sprouts are just cooked, about 2 minutes. Stir in scallions and jalapeño. Spoon sprouts over hash mixture and set aside to keep warm.

For each portion, cook 1 large egg sunny-side up. Top hash with fried eggs and garnish with cilantro sprigs.

Alfred’s Deep Dish Apple Pie

Servings: 10
Preheat: 350
Prep Time: 
Source: Carol

This is Alfred Sulzberger’s recipe for deep dish apple pie. The recipe is written out as a list of ingredients on a stained and faded 3 x 5 index card at the bottom of which is printed “good luck”. The pie dough portion of this recipe is more like a not very sweet cookie than traditional pie dough.

Ingredients: 

For the crust:
½ lb butter softened
1 egg yolk
pinch of salt
2 tsp rum
6 tsp sugar
3 cups flour

For the filling
5-6 apples
3 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Directions: 

Place the softened butter in the bowl of a mixer with the paddle attachment. Cream the butter and add the sugar and rum. Add the flour and turn the mixer on to low. Mix till just combined. Turn the dough out onto a piece wax paper and divide into two pieces. Wrap each piece in wax paper and refrigerate while you prepare the filling.

Peel, core and slice the apples. Combine with the sugar and cinnamon.
Preheat the oven to 350. Butter a round pyrex baking dish. Take one of the dough pieces out of the fridge and break off pieces of dough and press them into the baking dish to form the bottom crust. Fill with the apple mixture. Place the second dough piece between two pieces of wax paper. Roll the dough out to form the top crust. Cover the top of the pyrex dish with the second dough piece and use your fingers to push the edges down until they are pressed into the bottom crust. Cut some decorative slits in the top crust to let steam escape. Bake the pie for about an hour. The crust should be a deep golden brown and the filling should be thick and bubbling.

sauce for cocktail meatballs

Servings: 8
Preheat: 0
Prep Time: 
Source: Fine Cooking, # 125

Ingredients: 

For the sauce

1/2 cup olive oil
1 large yellow onion, chopped (1-1/2 cups)
3 medium cloves garlic, crushed
2 tsp. chopped fresh oregano or 1 tsp. dry oregano
1 bay leaf
1 Tbs. tomato paste
2 26- to 28-oz. containers diced tomatoes, preferably Pomì brand
Kosher salt

Directions: 

Make the sauce

Heat the olive oil in a heavy-duty 4-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, oregano, and bay leaf. Cook, stirring often, until the onion is soft, 6 to 10 minutes.

Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, until darkened, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the tomatoes and their juice and 1 tsp. salt. Bring to a boil and then simmer over low heat, stirring frequently, until the sauce has reduced by about a third, 40 to 60 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and season to taste with salt. Keep warm, covered. (The sauce can also be refrigerated for up to 5 days, or frozen for 1 month.)

Smoked Salmon on Belgian Endive with Crème Fraîche & Chives

Servings: 40
Preheat: 0
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Source: Fine Cooking, Issue 75

To get ahead, you can prep everything in advance, but for best results, assemble just before serving.

Ingredients: 

4 large heads Belgian endive, preferably a mix of green and red endive
1/3 cup crème fraîche (available in the specialty cheese section of some supermarkets)
1/4 lb. thinly sliced smoked salmon, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-wide strips
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 medium lemon (ES AND DHO do not use lemon)
1 small bunch fresh chives, sliced diagonally into 1/4-inch segments

Directions: 

Discard any damaged outer endive leaves. Trim the root end and separate the leaves. You should end up with 35 to 40 large leaves (save the small inner leaves for a salad). Arrange the leaves on a baking sheet.

Put the crème fraîche in a squeeze bottle or a small piping bag. You can also make a piping bag by trimming one corner of a small zip-top bag). Pipe a small dollop of crème fraîche on each endive leaf. Gently arrange a small pile (about 4 strips) of the sliced salmon on top of the crème fraîche. Season the salmon with some black pepper and a little squeeze of lemon juice. Sprinkle a few chives on top (you may not need them all), arrange the leaves on a platter, and serve.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND CARMELIZED ONION GALETTE

Servings: 6
Preheat: 400
Prep Time: 1 hour
Source: Smitten Kitchen

Fabulous fall tart.

Ingredients: 

For the pastry

2½ cups (320 g) all-purpose flour, including 1/2 cup whole-wheat flour if you like, plus more for work surface
1/2 teaspoon (2 g) table salt
16 tablespoons (227 g) or 2 sticks, unsalted butter
1/2 cup (64 g) sour cream or full-fat Greek yogurt, strained
1 tablespoon (15 mL) white wine vinegar
1/3 cup (79 mL) ice water

For the filling

2 small or 1 large butternut squash, about 21/2 pounds (1134 g)
3 tablespoons (45 mL) oil
1½ teaspoons (5 g) tsp table salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon (14 g) butter
2 large sweet onions, such as Spanish or Vidalia, halved, thinly sliced in half-moons
1/4 teaspoon (1 g) sugar
1/4 teaspoon (1 g) cayenne pepper, or to taste (optional
2 cups (180 g) grated Italian Fontina cheese
1 teaspoon (4 g) chopped fresh thyme, or 2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage
1 egg beaten with 1 tsp (4 g) water, for glaze (optional, but makes for a croissant-looking finish)

Directions: 

To make pastry: In a bowl, combine the flour and salt. Add the whole sticks of butter and, using a pastry blender, break up the bits of butter until the texture is like cornmeal, with the biggest pieces the size of pebbles. In a small bowl, whisk together the sour cream, vinegar and water, and pour this over the butter-flour mixture. Stir with a spoon or a rubber spatula until a dough forms, kneading it once or twice on the counter if needed to bring it together. Pat the dough into a ball, wrap it in plastic and chill it in the refrigerator for an hour or up to two days.

To prepare squash: Peel the squash, then halve and scoop out seeds. Cut into ½-inch to ¾-inch chunks. Pour 2 tablespoons (30 mL) of the olive oil into one or two smaller baking sheets, spreading it to an even slick. Lay the squash chunks on the baking sheet in one layer, sprinkle with ½ teaspoon (2 g) of the salt, and freshly ground black pepper, and roast in a 400 F oven for 30 minutes, or until squash is tender, turning the pieces occasionally so that they brown evenly. Set aside to cool slightly. Leave the oven on.

While the squash is roasting, melt the butter and remaining tablespoon of olive oil in a heavy frying pan, and cook the onions over medium-low heat with the sugar and remaining teaspoon of salt, stirring occasionally, until soft and tender, about 25 minutes. Stir in the cayenne pepper, if using.

Mix the squash, caramelized onions, cheese and herbs together in a bowl
To assemble the galette: On a floured work surface, roll the dough out into a 16- to 17-inch round. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Spread the squash-and-cheese mixture over the dough, leaving a 2 to 2½-inch border. Fold the border over the squash and cheese, pleating the edge to make it fit. The centre will be open. Brush the outside of the crust with the egg-yolk wash, if using.

Bake until golden brown, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove the galette from the oven, let stand for five minutes, then slide onto a serving plate. Cut into wedges and serve hot, warm or at room temperature.

Makes 1 hearty 12-inch galette, serving 6

Liz’s Lemon Ice Cream

Servings: 4
Preheat: 0
Prep Time: 
Source: Liz Riley

wonderful

Ingredients: 

1lemon juiced
Grate the rind of the lemon
1cup sugar
1cup cream
1cup whole milk

Directions: 

Freeze over-night in small cups or ice trey

Mix all ingredients

Spiced Chickpea and Carrot Salad

Servings: 4
Preheat: 0
Prep Time: 
Source: Carol

5 Times this recipe will serve 35 to 40 people

Ingredients: 

1 15 ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 large onion sliced
1 cup sliced carrots
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
2 to 3 TBS olive oil
2 cloves garlic minced
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp paprika
1 TBS white wine vinegar
1 TBS honey
salt and peper

Directions: 

Drain chickpeas and toss them with carrots
Heat olive oil. Saute onions and then add garlic.
Add spices, stir and cook for one minute.
Add carrots and chickpeas. Saute, stirring for a few minutes. Remove from heat and add vinegar and honey.
Salt and Pepper to taste.
Add cilantro

Plum Clafoutis

Servings: 4 to 6
Preheat: 425
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Source: Fine Cooking, Issue 118

Clafoutis is a traditional French dessert made by pouring a custard over fruit and baking it. Quickly sautéing the fruit first concentrates its juice and creates a flavorful syrup that permeates the custard. You can make this dessert with any ripe but relatively firm fruit that will remain intact, such as cherries, apricots, pears, or figs.

Ingredients: 

1 Tbs. sliced almonds
7 Tbs. granulated sugar
1 oz. (2 Tbs.) unsalted butter; more for the pie plate
12 oz. (3 to 5 medium) red or black plums, pitted and quartered
1 Tbs. brandy
1 Tbs. amaretto
1-1/2 oz. (1/3 cup) unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. table salt
3 large eggs
3/4 cup whole milk
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
Confectioners’ sugar for dusting

Directions: 

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F.

Put the almonds in a 9-inch ceramic or metal pie plate and toast in the oven until pale golden, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer the nuts to a small bowl to cool, stir in 1 Tbs. of the sugar, and set aside. Return the pie plate to the oven and raise the temperature to 425°F.

Melt the butter in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. When the butter is bubbling and hot, add the plums, and cook, turning, until they begin to soften, 1 to 2 minutes. Sprinkle 3 Tbs. of the sugar over the fruit. Reduce the heat to medium low and cook until the sugar melts into the fruit juices and becomes a syrup, 1 to 2 minutes. Turn off the heat and stir in the brandy and amaretto.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and the remaining 3 Tbs. sugar. Whisk in the eggs until the mixture is completely smooth; then whisk in the milk, cream, and vanilla.

Remove the pie plate from the oven and carefully butter it. Pour the fruit and syrup into the pie plate, spreading the fruit evenly.

Pour the custard over the fruit (the pie plate will be very full). Bake, sprinkling the reserved almond topping over the batter halfway through baking, until puffy and the center is set, about 15 minutes.

Let the clafoutis cool to warm, 10 to 15 minutes (it will deflate). Dust liberally with confectioners’ sugar and serve.