Annie's Cooking Club

Makes 4

Time 1 ¾ hours (includes 1 ½ hours of simmering)

1 bottle of red wine

½ cup sugar

½ cup orange juice

1 cinnamon stick

1 tsp. Whole cloves

4 pears, Bartlett or Anjou, peeled

¼ cup vanilla yogurt

¼ cup sour cream

1 Tbsp. brown sugar

¼ cup sliced almonds, toasted

Heat wine, sugar, orange juice, cinnomon, and cloves in a sauce pan over medium until sugar has dissolved, 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

Add pears and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until pears are tender (1 ½ hours), turning occasionally.  Keep warm until ready to serve.

Whisk yogurt, sour cream, and brown sugar together in a small bowl.

Serve each pear with vanilla cream and almonds.

As a dessert for a nice meal, cut the pears in half after poaching (leaving the stem in, and cutting on either side of the stem) and use a melon baller to remove area containing seeds.  Then “stick” back together in bowl. 

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. 

For the Cake:

¾ cup sugar

½ cup bisquick baking mix

2 eggs

2-8 oz. packages of Cream Cheese, cut into cubes and softened

2 tsp. Vanilla

½ tsp. Grated lemon peel

For the topping:

1 cup plain yogurt (try sour cream for a more tart kick)

2 Tbsp. sugar

2 tsp. Vanilla

Cake:

Preheat 350°

Grease 9 x 1 ¼ in pie plate.

Place all ingredients for cake in a large bowl.  Blend on high, stopping occasionally to stir, until smooth, with a hand blender.  About 2 minutes.

Pour into plate

Bake just until puffed and center is dry, about 30 minutes.  DO NOT OVERBAKE. 

Refrigerate until chilled, at least 3 hours.  Serve with the topping.

Topping:

Mix all topping ingredients together. 

8 oz. Mascarpone cheese

½ cup sugar

2 ½ cup whipping cream, divided

1 cup strong coffee or espresso

¼ cup coffee liqueur

6-8 oz. Lady fingers

1 tsp. Cocoa

Beat cheese, sugar and ½ cup of whipping cream at medium speed until creamy. 

Beat remaining whipping cream until soft peaks form.  Fold into cream cheese mixture.

Stir together coffee and liqueur.

Layer ladyfingers, brushed with coffee mixture, with cheese mixture, powered with cocoa in a glass bowl until full. 

Chill for several hours.

Makes 4 serving

Time: about 30 minutes

4 fresh salmon fillets, 4 oz. each

Salt and pepper

¼ cup red onion

Pinch of red pepper flakes

2 tsp. Olive oil

3 Tbsp. lemon juice

2 Tbsp. sugar

1/3 cup jarred sweet red pepper, cut into strips

3 Tbsp. silvered almonds, toasted

2 Tbsp. dried currants

1 cup spinach leaves

Place a roasting pan half-filled with water inside oven.  Preheat the oven at 325°.  Coat a small cooling rack with nonstick spray.  Place salmon on rack, season with salt and pepper.  Set rack over water in roasting pan, making sure water does not touch fish.  Steam until firm, about 10-15 minutes.

Saute onion and pepper flakes for the sauce in oil in skillet over medium heat.  Cook until onion is slightly caramelized, about 3 minutes. 

Whish lemon juice and sugar together, add to onion, and simmer until syrupy, about 2 minutes. 

Stir in red pepper, almonds, and currants; simmer briefly.  Add spinach just before serving.  Season with salt and pepper; serve over salmon.  

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. 

1 ¼ lbs. Sea scallops, cut off tough ligament

7 T. unsalted butter, cubed

¼ cup dry white wine

¼ cup white-wine vinegar

1 T. chopped Tarragon

Sprinkle scallops with salt and pepper. 

Heat 1 T. of butter in a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat, until  butter begins to brown.  Sear scallops, turning once, until golden brown and just cooked through, about 5 minutes. 

Transfer to platter.

Deglaze with wine and vinegar.  Reduce to 2 T.

Reduce heat to low and add butter a tablespoon at a time. 

Makes 12 cups

30 minutes + marinating time

For the Salad:

            3 avocados, peeled and cut into thick slices

            2 T. lemon juice

            3 roma tomatoes, cut into slices

            ½ small red onion

            4 oz. of feta cheese, crumbled

            12 oz. of mixed spring greens

For the vinaigrette dressing:

            ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil

            ¼ cup white wine vinegar

            salt/pepper to taste

Whisk together vinaigrette ingredients, set aside

Toss avocados in lemon juice.  In a shallow baking dish, layer avocados on bottom, then tomatoes, then onions, then feta. 

Pour vinaigrette over the layers, cover and chill 2-3 hours.

Serve the marinated layers over the greens, serve immediately. 

Makes 8 Wellingtons

Saute in 1 T. olive oil; Chill:

2                    pork tenderloins, trimmed and cut into 8 medallions

salt and pepper to season

Saute in 1 T. olive oil:

1                    T. garlic, minced

½          t. red pepper flakes

6                      oz. Spinach

Prepare; Assemble with:

1                    box frozen puff pastry, thawed (17 oz.)

4                    oz. Prosciutto, thinly sliced, divided into enough portions per    Wellington

      Seared medallions

      ²/₃                  cup goat cheese, divided (about 3 oz. Per Wellington)

                 Spinach, divided into enough portions per Wellington

Brush with:

2                     eggs beaten with 2 T. water

Directions:

Slice tenderloin into 5-6 oz. Pieces, for a total of 8 medallions.  Season with salt and pepper.

Sear  medallions in 1 T. oil in a non-stick skillet over medium high heat on both sides, 10 minutes total.  Transfer to a plate and chill until completely cool, at least 30 minutes.

Saute garlic and pepper flakes in 1 T. oil in a large skillet over medium high heat until fragrant.  Add spinach and season with salt.  Drain spinach in a sieve, pressing until dry, then divide in to 8 equal portions. 

Thaw  puff pastry sheet according to box directions.  Roll out each sheet then cut into four 4” squares, per sheet. 

Preheat oven to 425°

Assemble Wellingtons by first laying a slice of prosciutto on each square, then topping with a pork medallion.  Top pork with goat cheese and spinach, then another slice of ham. 

Fold one corner of the pastry square up to the top of the layering.  Fold the opposite corner up to the center, use egg wash to ‘glue’ together.  Fold the two remaining sides up similar to wrapping a gift and secure with egg wash.  If tears in the pastry occur, stretch the pastry to cover the holes.  Transfer them to a parchment lined baking sheet coated with a non-stick spray.  Place the folds on the bottom.  Brush entire Wellington with egg wash.

Bake until golden brown, 30 minutes.  Rest 5 minutes before serving.