Crushed Blackberry and Cornmeal Cake

by Hilary Gauntt on November 4, 2024

Alison Roman calls this a snacking cake rather than a dessert cake; not too sweet and made for “nibbling and coffee drinking.” I love the slight crunch the cornmeal gives it. I needed to fill in for some missing blackberries and a cup of blueberries was perfect. This recipe from her latest cook book “Nothing Fancy” is a winner! I especially loved it heated in the microwave or oven.

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted, plus softened butter for greasing the pan and for serving

2 pints blackberries, raspberries, or blueberries

1/3 cup plus 2 Tbs. granulated sugar

1 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 cup medium grind yellow cornmeal

2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 cup light brown sugar

1 tsp. kosher salt

2 large eggs

1/2 cup buttermilk

1/4 cup canola oil

Good quality honey (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9-inch round cake pan with softened butter or nonstick cooking spray.

Place the blackberries and 2 Tbs. granulated sugar in a medium bowl and, using your hands, (or a fork), crush the berries just to break them up a bit and release their juices.

Whisk the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, brown sugar, salt, and remaining 1/3 cup granulated sugar in a medium bowl.

Whisk the eggs and buttermilk together in another medium bowl or measuring cup. Whisk into the dry ingredients until just barely combined, then add the melted butter and the oil, whisking until no obvious lumps or dry spots remain. Add half of the crushed berries and gently fold, encouraging the streaking of the juices.

Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and scatter the top with the remaining berries and their juices. Bake until the edges of the cake start to pull away from the sides of the pan and are turning a nice deep golden brown, 45 to 50 minutes. Let cool slightly before eating with some nice honey and softened butter, if you like. Serves 8 to 10.

Do ahead: This cake is best eaten in the first 48 hours. Keep it wrapped tightly at room temperature.

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Thai-Inspired Coconut Cod

by Hilary Gauntt on October 15, 2024

This recipe was created by Jamie Vespa, a registered dietitian and food journalist. I was searching for a way to use some fresh cod, and happened to have all these ingredients hanging around. Easy and delicious! Perfect over jasmine rice and the leftovers were divine with a package of Momofuku noodles for lunch the next day. Easy to add in vegetables like baby bok choy, asparagus cut into bite size pieces, and even an ear of fresh corn. So good!

1 to 1.25 lbs. cod fillets (preferable cod from Norway)

Kosher salt and black pepper

2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil

1 small red pepper, thinly sliced (about 1 heaping cup)

1/2 cup minced shallots

2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced

2 Tbs. minced fresh ginger

2 Tbs. Thai red curry paste (or more)

1 13.5-oz. can coconut milk

1 tsp. fish sauce

2 Tbs. fresh lime juice

1/3 cup finely chopped scallions

1/3 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped or torn (substitute basil)

Cooked white rice or rice noodles for serving

Pat cod fillets dry with a paper towel and season generously with salt and pepper.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add bell pepper and shallots; cook 3 to 4 minutes until soft. Add garlic, ginger, and red curry paste; stir to combine. Cook 2 minutes, until aromatic, and season with 1/4 tsp. salt.

Add coconut milk and fish sauce; bring mixture to a simmer. Nestle seasoned cod fillets in skillet, cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Gently simmer for 10 to 12 minutes until the cod is cooked through and flakes easily with a fork.

Remove from heat and add fresh lime juice. Garnish with green onion and cilantro, and serve over rice or noodles. Serves 4.

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Angel Hair Pasta

by Hilary Gauntt on August 9, 2024

I just finished the leftovers of this for lunch, and it was just as good! Made with pantry staples, it comes together quickly – angel hair cooks in 2 minutes!. Olive oil, butter, garlic, herbs and softened pan roasted tomatoes is a favorite combo; especially with a hefty dose of Parmesan cheese to serve. Wanting to add some protein, I sautéed some shrimp with olive oil, salt and pepper first; set them aside and then added them back in at the end. A dash of white wine along with the shallots and garlic is a nice idea as well. I did feel the pasta to sauce ratio was off though; perhaps use 1/2 to 2/3 pound of angel hair ? Credit to Dan Pelosi of the New York Times for this quick and easy recipe.

Salt

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

3 Tbs. butter

1 pound cherry or grape tomatoes, halved

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 shallot, minced

Freshly ground black pepper

Crushed red pepper (optional)

1 pound angel hair pasta

2 Tbs. minced fresh parsley or 2 tsp. dried parsley

2 Tbs. minced fresh basil or 2 tsp. dried

Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

Heat a large pasta pot of salted water to boil.

To a large pan over medium heat, add olive oil and butter. Allow the butter to melt, then add cherry tomatoes. Cook until tomatoes are beginning to soften and the skins are a little blistered, 4 to 6 minutes.

Add garlic, shallot, 1 tsp. each of kosher salt and black pepper, and a pinch of red pepper, if using, and toss to combine with the tomatoes. Cook for about 6 minutes, until the shallots are translucent and the tomatoes are fully softened yet still intact. Meanwhile, add pasta to the boiling salted water and cook until al dente according to the package directions, about 2 minutes. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, then strain the pasta.

Add the cooked pasta, herbs and a bit of the reserved pasta water to the pan and cook for 2 minutes, stirring to combine, until you have a glossy pan sauce; add more pasta water slowly, if needed. Serve topped with plenty of Parmesan. Serves 4.

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Ina’s Blueberry Ricotta Breakfast Cake

by Hilary Gauntt on July 20, 2024

A lovely moist cake that works after dinner just as well. Easy to make in a stand mixer, and most any berry will work here. I made this a day ahead and left it wrapped on the counter, and doubt anyone could tell the difference. A few people commented that even with the toothpick coming out clean, the center wasn’t quite done. I baked it for the full 55 minutes and it was fine. This is from Ina Garten’s Go-To Dinners cook book.

10 Tbs. (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar

3 extra-large eggs, at room temperature

1 cup whole-milk ricotta

2 Tbs. sour cream

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract, such as Nielsen-Massey

1 tsp. grated lemon zest

1 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1 Tbs. baking powder

Kosher salt

2 cups fresh blueberries (12 ounces), divided

Sifted confectioner’s sugar, for dusting

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.. Grease and flour a 9-inch round springform pan, shaking out any excess flour.

Place the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium speed for 3 minutes, until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. With the mixer on low, add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after every addition. Add the ricotta, sour cream, vanilla, and lemon zest and mix well. (The batter will look curdled.)

In a small bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, and 1 tsp. salt. With the mixer on low, slowly add the dry ingredients to the batter, mixing until just incorporated. With a rubber spatula, fold two thirds of the berries into the batter. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and smooth the top. Scatter the remaining blueberries on the cake, pressing them lightly into the surface.

Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Remove the sides of the pan and lightly dust the top with the confectioners sugar. Serve warm or at room temperature. Serves 6-8.

Note: You can roll the berries in a bit of flour to keep them from dropping to the bottom.

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Honey-Roasted Fig and Prosciutto Bruschetta

July 15, 2024

Milk Street Magazine discovered this sweet and savory bruschetta at Silene Piccolo Ristorante in the central Italian town of Foligno. Fresh figs are roasted with rosemary and garlic, and layered with prosciutto and arugula on toasts rubbed with garlic. Fresh figs can be hard to find, and I used the suggested substitute of a ripe […]

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Mustard Balsamic Pork Chops

June 19, 2024

This recipe couldn’t be easier. A 5 minute prep, which you can do an hour ahead or overnight. Then pop your baking dish into a hot oven and about 15-20 minutes later you’ve got tender, flavorful pork chops. The oven is the perfect temperature to roast some vegetables at the same time; just start them […]

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Linguine With Zucchini, Corn and Shrimp

June 11, 2024

This is a great summer recipe that I know I will make often. Just a quick sauté of zucchini and corn to keep their crunch and freshness, with garlic, olive oil butter and shallots adding to the glossy sauce. Feel free to add whatever else calls to you, like olives or capers. My modifications were […]

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Slow-Baked Sheet Pan Salmon with Gin-Soaked Tomatoes

May 29, 2024

The new Food & Wine Magazine is titled The Summer Playbook, and this is the cover photo recipe. It is so gorgeous I didn’t even try to take one myself, and am posting it below. The low slow cooking method is perfect for melting the fat and creating tender forkfuls of salmon, which combined with […]

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Corn Tortilla Quiche

May 18, 2024

At a reunion of 5 high school girlfriends in Paso Robles last week (and H.S. was a loong time ago!) this was what Sue brought for breakfast. And she got the recipe when Fran served it to her on a visit years before! It was published on a website called Mr.Breakfast.com, which is still up […]

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Sheet Pan Bruschetta Chicken Dinner with Potatoes and Asparagus

April 29, 2024

I have been enjoying the recipes from Marzia at Little Spice Jar. Lots of flavor, ingredients I favor and nothing too complicated! She lives in (sweltering) Texas, and is a nutritionist, food lover and coffee addict. She admits to going through food phases; 2014 was the Year of the black bean! I love the simplicity […]

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