The Craft of Baking

This Sunday’s Times Magazine features a story by Pete Wells with a recipe for spicy caramel popcorn from Karen DeMasco’s first book, “The Craft of Baking.” I was eager to get my hands on it; DeMasco is one of New York City’s most celebrated and talented pastry chefs. She baked at Fore Street in Portland, Me., at Chanterelle in Manhattan and then under Claudia Fleming at Gramercy Tavern. In 2001, she relocated a block south, where she shaped her baking style as Tom Colicchio’s pastry chef at Craft, Craftbar and ‘wichcraft. After a brief hiatus from the restaurant grind, she is back in it, this time as the pastry chef at Andrew Carmellini’s Locanda Verde.

In her book, we see a combination of DeMasco the mom (she has two young daughters) and DeMasco the chef. Her recipes are the opposite of restaurant-y and include treats like yellow birthday cake with milk-chocolate buttercream, grandma’s cashew brittle, coconut marshmallows and Hostess-style cupcakes.

The recipes I followed worked perfectly and tasted delicious: brown-sugar cake (a favorite), peach and plum cobbler, pecan shortbread cookies (vanilla meets nutty butter), coffee-cake muffins with pecan streusel (not nearly as pretty as hers) and cacao-nib granita. The spicy popcorn, which has just the right kick of cayenne to mellow the sweet caramel, is so addictive that my colleagues cursed me for bringing all four quarts into the office.

One thing to note: DeMasco’s recipes call for kosher salt, but she doesn’t mention which brand she uses, Diamond Crystal or Morton. (Though they look similar, the brands vary quite a bit by weight.) She said in an e-mail message that she uses Diamond Crystal kosher salt exclusively. When using this book, either use Diamond Crystal kosher salt or adjust the quantity accordingly: 1/2 teaspoon of Diamond Crystal kosher salt = 3/8 teaspoon of Morton kosher salt = 1/4 teaspoon of fine sea or iodized salt.

Pecan Shortbread Cookies
3/4 cup pecans, roughly chopped
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar
Half of a vanilla bean, split lengthwise, seeds scraped out, seeds and bean reserved
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
1 egg yolk, lightly beaten
3 tablespoons Demerara sugar.

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Spread the pecans out on a baking sheet and bake until fragrant and toasted, about 5 minutes. Place the baking sheet on a wire rack and cool completely. Keep the oven on.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, confectioner’s sugar, vanilla bean and seeds, vanilla extract and salt on medium speed until no visible chunks of butter remain, about 3 minutes.
4. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour in three additions, mixing each well before adding the next. Stir in the pecans.
5. Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured wood surface. Remove the vanilla bean and reserve it for another use. Roll the dough into a log about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Wrap it in parchment paper, making sure to cover the ends completely, and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour or overnight. (The dough can be frozen, well wrapped, for up to 1 month.)
6. Let the dough stand at room temperature until it is soft enough to slice, about 5 minutes.
7. Brush the log of dough with the egg yolk, roll it in the Demerara sugar to coat it evenly, and then slice it into 1/2-inch-thick rounds. Place the rounds about 1 inch apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake, rotating the sheet halfway through, until the cookies are lightly golden and fragrant, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. The cookies can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. Makes 24 to 30 cookies.

Cacao-Nib Granita
3 cups whole milk
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup cacao nibs
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt.

1. Whisk together the milk, sugar, cacao nibs, cocoa powder, vanilla and salt in a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove the pan from the heat and pour the mixture into a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold, about 1 hour.
2. Strain the granita mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a shallow nonreactive baking pan. Freeze until solid, at least 2 hours, or overnight.
3. Transfer the frozen granita to a food processor and purée. Transfer the purée to an airtight container and place plastic wrap directly over the surface of the granita to prevent ice crystals from forming. Cover the container and freeze until the granita is firm, about 1 hour, or up to 4 hours before serving. (The granita will keep for up to 5 days.) Makes about 1 quart.
Recipes adapted from “The Craft of Baking” by Karen DeMasco and Mindy Fox.

Lentil Cookies

Bal Arneson, Global BC: Friday, December 4, 2009

3/4 cup margarine
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 cup mixed lentils, cooked, drained well, and pureed
2 tsp vanilla
2 cups quick rolled oats
1 ½ cups whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
½ cup chocolate chips
1 cup slivered almonds
½ cup pumpkin seeds

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a cookie sheet.
Cream the margarine and sugar together. Add the egg and mix well. Stir in the lentil puree and vanilla. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix everything well.
Drop by spoonfuls on the baking sheet and flatten with a fork.
Bake for 13 to 18 minutes. Cool on a rack.

© Copyright (c) CW Media Inc.

Limoncello Cupcake

Here's a recipe using limoncello

Limoncello drinking tips: Store your limoncello in the freezer and serve in frozen shot glasses for maximum enjoyment. Limoncello and soda is easy and refreshing; a shot of the liqueur added to your cheap summer red wine makes instant sangria. You can even pour a little over ice cream or sorbet.
The liqueur also acts as a boozy sweet-and-sour mix, adding a complex citrus flavor and light sweetness to any cocktail without the acidity of lemon juice. Mix one part limoncello with two parts whiskey to replace the "sour" in your whiskey sour with high-octane aromatherapy. The same thing with tequila or dark rum makes a warm-weather cocktail that's far from fruit salad.


Not only is limoncello a welcome addition to drinks, it also adds a perky zest to edible recipes. My husband's favorite asparagus preparation includes a limoncello beurre blanc sauce which is a buoyant accompaniment to countless other vegetable, seafood and poultry preparations. Limoncello imparts a sweet hint of lemon to a marinade and is a bright finish to fresh fruit, pound cake or drizzled in a sunny ribbon over ice cream. Here I've added limoncello to a simple cupcake recipe. The result is a moist, lemony cake topped with a fluffy hat of cream cheese frosting that I also infused with a bit of limoncello. The batter puffs up to a moist golden cake from only a small portion of batter in each cup.


1/2 cup plus 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1 stick plus 1 tablespoon butter, softened
2 eggs, room temperature
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon peel, no pith
2 teaspoons plus 2 tablespoons limoncello
1 tablespoon milk
1 batch cream cheese frosting, recipe follows
a variety of organic edible flowers, see resource guide

equipment: 16 bun muffin pan lined with cupcake papers
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In the bowl of a food processor, combine all ingredients except for 2 tablespoons limoncello and milk. Pulse until the batter is smooth. As the food processor runs, slowly add in remaining limoncello and milk through the funnel and mix until completely incorporated into the batter.
2. Divide the mixture up into the 16 bun muffin pan and bake for 15-20 minutes until the cupcakes have risen and are golden brown on top. Remove from the oven and cool the cupcakes for a few minutes in the tin before removing from the tin and cooling completely. Once cool, frost and top each with a flower. Serve with chilled limoncello. Makes 16 cupcakes.
Cream Cheese Frosting

8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 stick butter, softened
2 teaspoons limoncello
1/4 teaspoon grated lemon zest
2 cups sifted confectioners sugar
In a large mixing bowl beat the cream cheese, butter, limoncello and lemon zest at medium speed until smooth. Slowly add the confectioners sugar and beat at high until full incorporated and the frosting is light and fluffy, about three minutes.

Notes:

This amount of frosting will exceed the amount needed for the cupcakes but the remainder can be refrigerated for up to two weeks and used for additional recipes.

Breakfast Grain Salad with Blueberries, Hazelnuts & Lemon

Here's another breakfast recipe to try.

Makes 8 servings

1 cup steel-cut oats
1 cup golden quinoa
1/2 cup millet
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 inch fresh ginger, peeled and cut into coins
2 large lemons, zest and juice
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 cup Greek yogurt (or soy yogurt, if you want to make this vegan)
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
2 cups hazelnuts, roughly chopped and toasted
2 cups blueberries or mixed berries

Mix the oats, quinoa, and millet in a fine mesh strainer and rinse for about a minute under running water. Set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a 3-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the rinsed grains and cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until they begin smelling toasted. Pour in 4 1/2 cups water and stir in 3/4 teaspoon salt, the ginger coins, and the zest of 1 lemon.

Bring to boil, cover, turn down the heat, and simmer for 20 minutes. Turn off the heat and let sit for 5 minutes, then remove the lid and fluff with a fork. Remove the ginger. Spread hot grains on a large baking sheet and let cool for at least half an hour.

Spoon the cooled grains into a large bowl. Stir in the zest of the second lemon.

In a medium bowl whisk the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil with the juice of both lemons until emulsified. Whisk in the maple syrup, yogurt, and nutmeg. Pour this into the grains and stir until well-coated. Stir in the toasted hazelnuts and blueberries. Taste and season with additional salt, if necessary.

Refrigerate overnight; the flavors of this really come together overnight in the fridge.

Anti-Cancer Wellness Menu

This is what Judy Sim says and her anticancer-wellness menu.
by R Aspiras

Upon waking up, drink at least 2 glasses of warm water to induce bowel movement.

For breakfast.

• Slow cooked Quaker oats (not quick or instant)
• Topped with sliced fresh green onions, turmeric ginger (luyang dilaw) and garlic
• May add 6 pcs. raw ground almond/walnut
• 1 whole small or medium papaya
• Vitamin and mineral supplements
• Zymitol Enzyme supplements

For lunch
* Fresh organic salad (Romaine lettuce, tomato, fresh corn, carrot, celery, cucumber, sprouted vegetables, 6 pcs. ground almonds or walnuts ,with extra virgin olive oil and lemon dressing)
* Steamed brown rice, or brown rice congee mixed with Quaker oats
* Topped with sliced fresh green onions, turmeric ginger (luyang dilaw) and garlic
* May add seaweeds, fresh or dried (unseasoned)
* May add ground nuts (6 pcs. almonds or walnut) and/or 1 tbsp. ground flax seed
* May add lentils (green, red or yellow), garbanzos, and beets, except soy beans.

For dinner (eat 3 hrs. before sleeping)
* Fresh vegetable soup (Mix the following, and slow cook for 30-45 min. Do not add water.)
* Fresh vegetables (at least 6 varieties) preferably organic, if not organic, use ozonator to remove toxin. Ex. Ampalaya,arugula, asparagus, burdock, Baguio beans, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, celery, corn, cucumber, green papaya, green peas, okra, potato, radish, sayote, squash, string beans, tomatoes, turnips, zucchini,etc. no nuts, no sprouts)
* Add steamed camote tops, kangkong, ching kong chai, bokchoy or watercress
* Add mushrooms: reishi, shitake,and/or maitake; fresh (clean and dried under the sun to get Vit. D), or powdered (without additives).
* White fungus or wood ear fungus
* Top with green onion, garlic, turmeric ginger (luyang dilaw)
* Steamed brown rice, brown rice congee mixed with Quaker oats
* Topped with sliced fresh green onions, turmeric ginger and garlic
* Add 1 tbsp. ground flax seed or flax seed meal.

In-between meals

• Eat oatmeal three to four times a day. I eat 100-percent natural Australian Rolled Oats Brown label, without preservatives. I top this with sliced apple, other fruits that are not too sweet.
• Eat fresh fruits like apricots, berries, cranberries, figs, green apples, kiwi, nectarines, oranges, papayas, pomelos, plums and tangerines.
• Eat in moderation sweet fruits like bananas, grapes, mangoes, pears, pineapples. (Sugar hastens cancer or tumor growth.)
• Drink 10-12 glasses of warm water (alkaline, mineral or filtered).
• Eat raw nuts like almonds/walnuts, six pieces each time. May also eat roasted fresh chestnuts.
• Eat a small handful of raw and unseasoned seeds like squash, sesame, sunflower, watermelon, pumpkin.

Consume at least six times a day:
1. Green apple and carrot juice extracted from one peeled green apple and three pieces peeled medium-size carrots; or
2. Green leaves juice extracted from green apple, kangkong, kamote tops or spinach. Romaine lettuce and homegrown wheat grass if available.
3. Drink one glass of warm water ½ hour later.

Totally abstain from the following:
Refined sugar
Rock or iodized salt
Fried, preserved, canned, packaged and bottled food
Fast, junk, restaurant food
Dairy products except goat milk
Beef, pork, fish and other seafood
Soy products, peanuts, cashew nuts
Preservatives, chemicals, artificial flavoring or coloring

Optional after 6 months diet

May eat once a month:
Steamed organic chicken (cooked with green onions, turmeric ginger and garlic).
Boiled organic egg
Steamed deep-sea fish like Alaskan salmon, sea bass, halibut

Personal notes

• I do not eat anything with a face.
• If you cannot go completely vegetarian, at least shift toward 60/40. Eat 60 percent organic vegetables, raw, juices consume between five minutes; 20 percent fruit that's not too sweet; 10 percent protein like nuts or seeds; 10 percent good oil like flaxseed, virgin oils.
• I take different kinds of enzymes and supplements. Please consult a doctor or alternative doctor regarding the supplements.
• I assess my improvement monthly by blood exams.
• Read labels of supplements. Always choose organic or herbal, without additives or preservatives.
• Use green-leaf Stevia powder as sweetener, preferably the white variety.
• Use sun-dried sea salt as seasoning. Add herbs and spices to flavor food.
• Eat fresh yogurt.
• Eat sprouted vegetables like monggo sprouts, alfalfa, broccoli.
• Do not use microwave oven for cooking or heating food because 80 percent of food nutrients are lost.
• Use ceramic or glass cookware. Avoid metal cookware.
• I do coffee enema once a week or as needed.
• I do Q2 Hydrotherapy Detoxification Method.
• I use a Bio-Energizing Zapper to cleanse my body of parasites, bacteria, viruses and kill cancer cells. (Because of Judy many of us have purchased this contraption. It works like a charm! All aches and pains gone, leaves you feeling so healthy and full of energy!) Call Allan at 0920-5578381 or visit www.maycozapper.org.
• I use an ozonizer to remove toxins from my vegetables. Call 3764987.
• Brisk-walk 10-20 minutes daily. Walk leisurely for two to four hours daily.
• Keep a daily journal of food I take and note my body's reactions.
• Rest for one hour after lunch. Sleep for six to eight hours each night at around 9 p.m. to repair, rejuvenate, revive and remake new cells and hormones.
• Consume maximum two to three tablespoons of organic extra-virgin olive oil, but do not heat or use for cooking.
• Sunbathe for at least 30 minutes before 9 a.m. daily. If you eat a lot of Trans-fats and hydrogenated fats and then apply sunscreen or tanning lotion before sunbathing, that could be the cause of all kinds of skin cancer.
• Do aerobic exercise for 45 minutes thrice a week.
• Do deep-breathing exercise once a day in the morning.
• Stay away from pesticides and chemicals even on hair, skin and clothing.
• Eat according to your blood type. Refer to "Eat Right For Your Type," written by Dr. Peter J. D'Adarno with Catherine Whitney.
• Be happy and have a positive mental attitude.
• Fervently pray for God's healing.
• Surround yourself with loving family and true friends. Be willing to take risks. This paid off. I am now cancer-free!

For a full copy of Judy Sim's diet, call 9289296 and look for Anne.
E-mail the author at raspiras@inquirer.com.ph

Chicken Breasts with Guava and Ginger

My brother-in-law gave us a bottle of homemade guava jelly so I wanted to try this recipe from Ingrid Hoffman's Simply Delicioso cook book. I served it with my version of chef's salad. I prepared the dish way ahead of time, to by the time we had dinner, the sauce had caramelized. Next time, my husband suggested putting some water under the broiler pan.

Guava adds a wonderful sweetness and gorgeous color to this chicken dish. The flavor is exciting and exotic, and it really livens up the chicken breast halves. If you can't find guava jam or marmalade, use any sweet jam in its place, such as a mango or fig jam or a citrus marmalade.

2/3 cup guava jam or marmalade (not guava paste)

2 tbsp. lime juice (from about 1 lime)

1 tbsp. soy sauce

2 scallions, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced

1/2 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, trimmed of excess fat,

rinsed and patted dry

1 tbsp. canola or vegetable oil for greasing the broiler pan

1. Whisk the jam or marmalade, lime juice, soy sauce, scallions and ginger together in a small saucepan over high heat. When it reaches a boil, transfer the mixture to a bowl and let it cool slightly.
2. Place the chicken in a large bowl and add 3 tbsp. of the guava marinade. Turn the chicken to coat, cover with plastic wrap, and marinate in your refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or up to 1 hour.
3. Preheat your oven to 350F. Line the bottom of a broiler pan with aluminum foil and lightly grease the perforated top with the oil. Place the chicken on the oiled top and cover loosely with foil. Bake for about 15 minutes, then remove the foil and baste the chicken with the remaining guava marinade. Return to the oven, uncovered, and bake until the chicken is completely cooked through, 13 to 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve.

Serves 4.

Cook's note: The next time your market has a special on chicken breasts, buy a bunch to freeze. Wrap each chicken breast in freezer-safe plastic wrap (regular plastic wrap lets air get through) and freeze them flat on a baking sheet. Transfer the flat, frozen chicken to a freezer bag. Now you can defrost however many you need - from one to a few.

One-Pot Pasta Recipes

From Huffington Post.

Weekdays are busy. They're also really long. And even though we all have to eat, making dinner at the end of a workday is the last thing we want to do. Right? If you're nodding your head in agreement, we have good news: We have found a simple dinner option. Let us introduce you to our new favorite super-easy, one pot pasta recipes.

No, "one pot" does NOT mean that you boil your pasta in a pot, drain it, and cook your sauce in the same pot. It means you literally throw all the ingredients in one pot-- pasta, sauce and all -- and cook it all at once. Do you know what that means? Fewer steps, and so little clean up. Consider your weeknights saved.

One-Pot Chorizo Pasta (from Damn Delicious)

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pound spaghetti
• 1 (12.8-ounce) package smoked andouille sausage, thinly sliced
• 1 large onion, thinly sliced
• 3 cups halved grape tomatoes
• 2 cups fresh basil leaves, loosely packed
• 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 cup grated Parmesan

INSTRUCTIONS

• In a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium high heat, combine spaghetti, sausage, onion, tomatoes, basil, garlic and 4 1/2 cups water; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, until pasta is cooked through and liquid has reduced, about 8-10 minutes. Stir in Parmesan.
• Serve immediately.

Eggplant and mushroom vegan pasta (from Minimalist baker)

Healthy, one pot vegan pasta with sauteed mushrooms and eggplant. Easy, customizable and super delicious.

Author: Minimalist Baker

Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS

• 12 ounces dry pasta*
• 1/2 small eggplant, cubed
• 2 cups cremini or button mushrooms, sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced and divided
• 1.5 cups vegan marinara sauce
• 2 cup water
• 2 tsp sea salt + more for eggplant
• 1 tsp ground black pepper
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• Optional: Fresh parsley or basil for finishing

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Rinse and dice eggplant into small, bite-sized cubes. Place in a colander in the sink and sprinkle generously with salt to draw out some of the moisture. Wait 20-30 minutes, then rinse and pat thoroughly dry with a towel. Set aside. If you’re short on time, skip the eggplant and double the mushrooms.
2. Heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add 2-3 Tbsp olive oil, the eggplant and 1 clove of minced garlic. Sprinkle with 1/2 tsp sea salt and stir. Sautee for 3-5 minutes or until a golden brown color is achieved, then add the mushrooms and cook for 2 minutes more or until all of the veggies have color. Set aside and cover – you will top the pasta with it.
3. To the same saucepan, add the pasta, water, marinara sauce, the remaining cloves of garlic. Start with 1.5 tsp sea salt and 1 tsp black pepper (you will likely add more later depending on the saltiness of your marinara/your personal taste).
4. Bring mixture to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to a simmer until the pasta is cooked to al dente – will vary depending on kind of pasta – but typically an average of 10 minutes, stirring once or twice so it doesn’t stick to the pan.
5. Once cooked, stir and taste to adjust seasonings. I added more salt and fresh herbs at this point.
6. Remove from heat and top with eggplant-mushroom mixture and more fresh parsley or basil. Serve immediately. Serves 3-4.

NOTES

For the pasta, I used 3/4 of a 16-ounce bag of orecchiette, but would recommend a spaghetti or penne as it’s not as likely to clump together.
* Use gluten free pasta to keep gluten free.
*Adapted from Martha Stewart.
* Inspired by Vegan Miam.

Huevos Rancheros: 2 versions

By 

SARAH KARNASIEWICZ

Updated Aug. 22, 2014 11:42 a.m. ET

23 COMMENTS

I'M NOT A churchgoer, but, come Sunday morning, there is a trinity I hold sacred: eggs, beans and chilies. A workaday sort of magic inhabits that melding of silky yolk and meaty bean, the soothing warmth punctuated by the eye-opening pop and burn of pepper. Scrambled or poached, refried or pinto, red or green, most any variation on the basic elements will do the trick. But add a foundation of warm corn tortillas and a flurry of crumbly cheese—in other words, make huevos rancheros—and that's when the hallelujahs really begin.

While these days the dish is ubiquitous on brunch menus from Seattle to Savannah, huevos rancheros is, as the name suggests, simply a codification of the hearty, humble country breakfast that has for generations fueled ranchers throughout Mexico and the American Southwest. My own devotion wasn't inherited (my family, all Connecticut Yankees, prefers their beans with rye bread and a touch of molasses) but rather adopted during my 20s, when I was a teacher living in Albuquerque, N.M.

More than sharpened pencils and new shoes, the smell of charred green chilies is what I associate with the end of summer. In New Mexico, late August and September is prime chili-roasting season, when practically every grocery store parking lot and major intersection holds a gas-fired roasting drum filled with bright green pods, blistering and filling the air with smoky, vegetal perfume. When I lived in Albuquerque, and my responsibilities began and ended with a stack of projects to grade, weekend mornings were for hiking with friends in the Sandia foothills or meandering, sleepy-eyed, under the cottonwoods along the Rio Grande. Afterward, we'd retire, ritually, to someone's poky kitchen and pile plates with chewy tortillas and fried eggs and spoonfuls of stewed beans, plus the obligatory and always welcome helping of green chilies. Warm and sunny, like the yawning blue skies above us, the meal was a kind of fortification, if not for a day in the fields, then against the week ahead.

Now, a decade later and a dozen states away, when late-summer mornings begin to take on a tinge of autumn, I still crave a bulwark of a breakfast. New Mexican green chilies are harder to come by on the avenues of Brooklyn, where I now live, though local Whole Foods markets have been known to carry them at this time of year, and they're available online at hatch-green-chile.com. When I do find myself back in the Land of Enchantment, I make a point to stock up.

I've also come around to another riff on the eggs-legumes-chilies troika: the mélange of curry-spiced lentils topped with yogurt and poached eggs that chef April Bloomfieldsends out to grateful diners at the Breslin in Manhattan—a seriously comforting dish whose lineage winds back through London and Mumbai. Paired with soft naan or pita bread (perfect for sopping up those golden yolks) and brightened by the tang of yogurt and the green bite of cilantro, it becomes a sort of huevos rancheros in translation. Amen to that.

NEW MEXICAN HUEVOS RANCHEROS

Active Time: 30 minutes Total Time: 50 minutes Serves: 4

• 2 cups chopped roasted green chilies
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 1 yellow onion, coarsely chopped
• 2 teaspoons Mexican oregano
• 6 cloves garlic, crushed then chopped
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 (15-ounce) cans pinto beans
• Canola oil
• 4 corn tortillas
• 8 eggs
• 2 medium ripe tomatoes, chopped
• 1 cup cotija cheese

1. Make chili sauce: Place olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onions, oregano and garlic and saute until onions are soft and fragrant, about 8 minutes. Add stock and chilies and bring to a boil, then lower heat to a simmer and cook until reduced by about ⅓, about 15 minutes. In a small cup, combine cornstarch and 2 tablespoons water, stirring to form a smooth slurry. Add slurry to chili mixture, stir and let simmer until sauce is thick but pourable, about 15 minutes. Season generously with salt and pepper. Keep sauce warm over low heat until ready to serve.

2. Warm pinto beans in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Season generously with salt and pepper. Decrease heat and keep warm until ready to serve.

3. Fry tortillas: Heat ½ inch canola oil in a large skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Use tongs to dip 1 tortilla into oil until it softens, about 3 seconds. Remove and set aside on a paper towel-lined plate. Repeat with remaining tortillas. Cover plate with a kitchen towel to keep tortillas warm.

4. Pour most of oil out of skillet, then place skillet back over medium heat. Fry eggs, two at a time, until over easy, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and set aside. Repeat with remaining eggs.

5. To serve: Divide warmed tortillas among 4 plates. Divide beans and eggs evenly among tortillas, then top with green chili sauce, tomatoes and cotija cheese. Season with salt and pepper.

—Adapted from "The Rancho de Chimayo Cookbook" by Cheryl and Bill Jamison

CURRIED LENTILS WITH EGGS AND NAAN

Active Time: 20 minutes Total Time: 50 minutes Serves: 4

• 8 black peppercorns
• 8 whole cloves
• 4 whole allspice
• 2 cardamom pods
• 1 star anise
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 1 serrano chili, seeded and finely chopped
• 1 carrot, finely chopped
• 1 stalk celery, finely chopped
• 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1½ teaspoons curry powder
• 1½ teaspoons ground coriander
• ½ teaspoon allspice
• ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ pound dried lentils
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• ½ cup white vinegar
• 8 eggs
• 4 pieces toasted naan or pita bread
• Plain yogurt
• Cilantro

1. Make spice bundle: Place peppercorns, cloves, cardamom and star anise in the center of a small square of cheesecloth. Gather edges of cheesecloth so spices are enclosed, then tie securely with kitchen string. Set spice bundle aside.

2. Make curried lentils: Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Once hot, add garlic, chili, carrots, celery and onions to pan and cook until soft, about 10 minutes. Add reserved spice bundle, tomato paste, curry, coriander, allspice, nutmeg and cinnamon and continue to cook, stirring, until paste is slightly caramelized, about 3 minutes. Add lentils and 4½ cups water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, until lentils are tender, about 30 minutes. Remove spice bundle and discard. Season lentils with salt and pepper and keep warm.

3. Fill a large sauté pan with water and bring to a simmer over high heat. Add vinegar and stir, then reduce heat to medium. When water is just barely simmering, crack half the eggs and poach until whites are firm but yolks are still soft, about 3 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer eggs to a warm, paper towel-lined plate. Repeat with remaining eggs. Divide naan among four plates, then top each with lentils and 2 eggs. Garnish with yogurt and cilantro.

—Adapted from April Bloomfield of the Breslin, New York

Apple Bread

Active Time: 30 minutes Total Time: 1 ½ hours Makes: 1 loaf

• 1 stick plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, plus more for pan
• 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, plus more for pan
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 tablespoons buttermilk or sour cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups peeled, diced apples
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons chopped walnuts or pecans

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter and flour a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan.

2. Make batter: Use an electric mixer to cream 1 stick butter and 1 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, blending well. Stir in 2 cups flour and salt.

3. Add baking soda to buttermilk and allow to dissolve. Add buttermilk to batter, mixing well. Stir vanilla and apples into batter.

4. Make topping: Use an electric mixer to cream remaining butter and sugar. Stir in cinnamon, nuts and remaining flour.

5. Spoon batter into loaf pan and sprinkle with topping. Bake until set, 55-60 minutes. Let cool slightly before removing from pan, then transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.

—Adapted from “Applehood & Motherpie: Handpicked Recipes from Upstate New York” by the Junior League of Rochester, 1981

Which brings us to Apple Bread. “Good as a coffee cake for teas and brunches,” Rochester Junior Leaguer Patricia A. Hainen tells us. The recipe that follows is for a buttery loaf cake studded with apple chunks and sprinkled with streusel, containing nothing more exotic than walnuts. The apple variety is left unspecified, a reminder that sometimes the best recipe is the one made from what’s on hand, in the time it takes your friends to fire up their sous-vide machines. Bake it on a Sunday and you’ll have the pleasure of a thick, crumbly slab to go with your morning coffee all week.

Inspired by the Junior League’s no-nonsense style and faced with a crisper drawer overflowing after a recent apple-picking excursion, I tried my hand at working the fall fruit into a simple dish as well suited to weekend brunch as apple bread is to weekday mornings. The result, a savory, sliceable bread pudding, marries the sweetness of apple with salty bacon and Gruyère cheese. I used Challah, but it can be made with an equal volume of cubed bread from virtually any sort of loaf. For goodness' sake, use whatever you have in the cupboard.

The addition of bacon brings salty richness to this apple bread pudding

Active Time: 30 minutes Total Time: 1 ½ hours Makes: 1 loaf

• Butter for greasing pan
• 6 slices bacon, preferably applewood-smoked
• 1 shallot, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 cups peeled, diced apples
• 1 ½ cups whole milk
• ½ cup heavy cream
• 5 large eggs
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 6 cups cubed (about 1-inch pieces) Challah bread (from 1 loaf)
• ½ cup shredded Gruyère cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and place rack in middle. Butter a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan.

2. In a large skillet over medium heat, cook bacon until crisp, 5-7 minutes. Transfer bacon to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain, then coarsely crumble.

3. Pour off most, but not all, of bacon fat from skillet. Increase heat to medium-high. Sauté shallots and garlic, stirring, until fragrant and softened, about 1 minute. Add apples and cook, stirring, until softened, 2 minutes.

4. In a large bowl, whisk together milk, cream, eggs, salt and pepper. Stir in bread, apple mixture and bacon. Transfer to loaf pan, then sprinkle top with Gruyère.

5. Cover pan with foil and bake 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake until golden, about 15 minutes more. Serve warm.

This will come out better and cheaper if you use 1 1/2 cans of evaporated milk instead of 1 1/2 cups of milk and a 1/2 cup of cream.