Chicken Piccata with lemon slices

6 thin chicken cutlets

salt and pepper

1/2C flour

3 Tbsp. olive oil

1/3C dry white wine

1 tsp. peeled and minced garlic

3/4C chicken stock

3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

1-1/2 Tbsp. capers, drained

3 Tbsp. unsalted butter

2 Tbsp. Italian parsley leaves, finely chopped

12 slice lemon slices

salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Season the chicken with salt and pepper then dust with flour.  Heat a sauté pan, add the oil and heat.  Sauté the cutlet 2- 3 minutes on one side.  Turn and sauté the other side 1 – 2 minutes.  Transfer cutlets to warm plates and pour off any excess fat.

Add the wine and minced garlic and cook 2 – 3 minutes.  Add the chicken stock, lemon juice, capers and parsley and heat.  Return the cutlets to the pan and cook one minute, basting with the sauce.  Divide cutlets among the plates.  Add the butter and lemon slices to a pan and turn of the heat.  Whisk until the butter has thickened the sauce.  Season with salt and pepper to taste and spoon the sauce over the cutlets.

MAKES:  6 servings 

Bittersweet chocolate cake

12 oz. bittersweet chocolate, cut in pieces

3 sticks unsalted butter, cut in pieces

1/3C water

1C sugar

6 whites

6 yolks

sifted powdered sugar

1/2C cream beaten with sugar and vanilla to taste

Preheat oven to 300F.  Line a 10-inch spring form pan with parchment and butter.  Melt chocolate and butter in a bowl over simmering water, remove from water and let cool slightly.  Beat whites until soft peaks, add sugar and beat until almost stiff.  Add water to chocolate mixture.  Add the yolks one by one, stirring gently after each addition.  Fold in 1/3 of the whites to lightly the mixture.  Gently fold in the reminder.

Turn the mixture into the prepared pan and bake 50 – 60 minutes or until a thick crust forms on the top and the center does not shake when the pan is moved gently.  Cool cake briefly on a rack.  Run a knife around the inside of the pan and release the ring but leave it around the cake.  When ready to serve, sprinkle with sifted powdered sugar and cut in wedges and serve with whipped cream.

MAKES:  12 servings

Apple Pie Bars

Crust

1-1/2 sticks unsalted butter, soft

1/3C sugar

1-1/2C flour

¼ tsp. salt

Filling

3 Tbsp. unsalted butter

1/4C light brown sugar

6 Granny Smith apples (about 3 lb.), peeled, cored and thinly sliced

1-1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg

1/2C water, as necessary

Topping

1/3C toasted walnuts

1-1/2C quick cooking oats

1C flour

3/4C light brown sugar

½ tsp. ground cinnamon

¼ tsp. baking soda

¼ tsp. salt

1-1/2 sticks unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes, chilled

vanilla ice cream (optional)

For the crust:  Preheat oven to 375F.  Cream butter and sugar in a food processor.  Pulse in the flour and salt to form a soft dough.  Press the dough into the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch pan.  Bake in the center of the oven for 15 minutes or until golden.  Let cool on a rack.

For the filling:  Melt the butter and the brown sugar in a sauté pan, add the apples and cook over medium high heat, stirring occasionally,

until softened.  Stir in the cinnamon and nutmeg and cook until the apples are caramelized and very tender and the liquid has evaporated.  Add the water and let cool.

For the topping:  Mix the oats, walnuts, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, baking soda and salt in a food processor and pulse.  Pulse in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse meal.

Spread the apple filling over the crust and scatter the crumbs on top, pressing them; lightly into an even layer.  Bake in the center of the oven for about 40 minutes or until the topping is golden, rotating the pan halfway through baking.  Let cool and cut into 2-inch bars.

If desired, serve with ice cream.

MAKES:  2 dozen bars

Chocolate Almond Torte

½ lb. bittersweet chocolate, chopped

½ lb. toasted, sliced almonds (about 1-1/2C)

1 heaping cup sugar

6 large eggs, room temperature and separated

½ tsp. vanilla

1/2C cream beaten with sugar and vanilla to taste

Preheat oven to 325F.  Line a 9-inch spring form pan with parchment and butter.

Place the chocolate, almonds and sugar in a food processor fitted with the steel blade and process until coarsely chopped; transfer to a bowl.

Beat yolks and sugar until light yellow and very thick.  Beat whites until fairly stiff.  Fold half of chocolate mixture into yolk mixture, add half the whites and then the remaining chocolate mixture and gently fold in the remaining whites.

Turn the mixture into the prepared pan and bake one hour.  Cool slightly, remove sides of pan and dust with sifted powdered sugar.  Serve with whipped cream.

MAKES:  8 to 10 servings

Chicken Tikka Kebabs

1-1/2 lb. boned and skinned chicken breasts, cut into

  one-inch pieces

1-1/4 tsp. salt

3 Tbsp. lemon juice

1 Tbsp. peeled and very finely grated fresh ginger

2 garlic cloves, crushed to a pulp

1 tsp. ground cumin

1 tsp. red paprika

½ tsp. cayenne pepper (or more to taste)

6 Tbsp. yogurt or cream

½ tsp. garam masala

3 Tbsp. oil (for brushing)

Tikka Masala sauce

Put the chicken in a bowl, add the salt and lemon juice and rub them in.  Prod the pieces lightly with the tip of a knife and rub the seasonings in again.  Set aside for 20 minutes.  Then add the ginger, garlic, cumin, paprika, cayenne pepper, yogurt (or cream) and garam masala.  Mix well, cover and refrigerate for 6 to 8 hours.

Just before serving, preheat the broiler or grill.  Thread the meat onto two or four skewers.  Brush with oil and grill or place on a cookie sheet lined with foil and place 5 inches from the source of the heat to broil.  Cook until lightly browned and cooked through.  Fold into Tikka Masala sauce.

MAKES:  4 – 6 servings

Tikka Masala sauce

1/4C oil

1 Tbsp. fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated

5 garlic cloves, peeled crushed to a pulp

1 medium onion, peeled and thinly sliced

1 Tbsp. coriander

1 tsp. ground cumin

2 tsp. dried fenugreek leaves

1 tsp. ground paprika

¼ - ½ tsp. cayenne pepper

1 tsp. garam masala (1/2 tsp., ½ tsp.)

1 tsp. salt

1/4C yogurt

2 medium tomatoes

1/2C coarsely chopped fresh cilantro + 2 Tbsp. (garnish)

1C chicken stock

Heat the oil in a sauté pan over medium-high heat, add the onions and stir until reddish-brown, 6 to 7 minutes.  Add the ginger and garlic and continue to sauté, stirring, for one minutes.  Add the coriander, cumin, fenugreek, paprika, cayenne and half of the garam masala and stir for 10 seconds.  Add the yogurt one tablespoon at a time.  Puree the tomatoes and  1/2C cilantro together in a food processor and add along with the broth and salt.  Bring to a simmer and simmer gently for 15 minutes or until the sauce becomes thick.  Stir in the remaining garam masala and 2 tablespoons cilantro leaves.  Fold in the cooked chicken cubes, reheat and serve.

MAKES:  4 – 6 servings