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Bacon and Caramelized Onion Tart From Charlie Trotter. It really is a great tart...And it's obviously a savory course not a dessert tart... DOUGH 2 c flour 1/2 tsp salt 1 c cold unsalted butter, chopped 2/3 c ice water FILLING 3 large yellow onions, julienned 2 T unsalted butter Salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 lb bacon, julienned 1 egg yolk 1/2 c heavy whipping cream 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves TO PREPARE THE DOUGH: Place the flour, salt, and butter in a medium bowl. Using a pastry cutter or fork, cut the butter into the flour until it forms pea-sized chunks. Add the water and mix with a fork until the dough just comes together (it should have visible streaks of butter). Form the dough into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. TO PREPARE THE FILLING: Cook the onions with the butter over medium heat, stirring occasionly, for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the onions are golden brown and caramelized. Season with salt and pepper and cool to room temperature. Cook the bacon in a large saute' pan over medium heat, stirring occasionlly, for 15 to 20 minutes, or until crisp. Drain on paper towels and cool to room temperature. Combine the bacon with the onions. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Whisk together the egg yolks, cream, and thyme in a small bowl. TO PREPARE THE TART: On a floured surface, roll out the dough 1/8 inch thick, and then press into an 8-or9-inch tart pan, trimming any excess. Spoon the onion-bacon mixture on top of the dough, pour in the cream mixture, and top with freshly ground pepper. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until just firm to the touch and a light golden brown. Cool slightly before cutting and serving. INSIGHTS: THis tart can also be cut into 1-inch squares for canape's. To prepare the canape's ahead, cook according to above. Just prior to serving, cut the tart into 1-inch squares, place the squares on a baking sheet, and place in a 350 degree oven for 10 minutes, or until warm. Keywords: Appetizer, Tart, Hors d'oeuvre ( RG527 )

Salmon Furikaki Serves 4 as Main Dishor 12 as Appetizer. This is a very delicious and simple salmon recipe. You will need two special ingredients though. Wasabe, which is the Japanese green horseradish and Furikaki, which is a seaweed condiment generally used for sprinkling on rice. Both are available in Japanese markets, or a big supermarket with an asian section. This is a very yummy recipe, and doesn't have a strong seaweed flavor. 4 T furikake 4 T wasabe (not powdered) 4 T mayonnaise 16 oz salmon filet (skin on is okay) Rinse the salmon in cold water, set onto baking pan, skin side down. Mix the wasabe and mayonnaise in a small bowl. Using the back of a spoon, dollop the wasabe/mayo mixture onto the fish and coat the top of the fish. Sprinkle the furikake over the coating generously. Bake at 400F for 15 minutes. Then turn the oven to broil and broil for an additional 5-10 minutes. The skin will likely be stuck to the pan, gently slide a serving fork between the fish and the skin, and serve. Some people really love salmon skin, you could put this back in the broiler for another 3-4 minutes, and serve the salmon skin on the side. I don't like it myself, but some people really enjoy it. As an appetizer, first remove all the salmon bones, then using kitchen shears, cut the salmon skin and all into cubes. Then you follow the rest of the recipe. It's yummy. Keywords: Japanese, Main Dish, Seafood, Fish, Easy ( RG526 )

Pickled Jalapenos This recipe, more properly a method, was inviented by my dad about 30 years ago. He had been doing some work in Mexico and was struck by the difference in the jalapenos that were always served in the restaurants. I did some checking when I spent some time down there and this recipe confirms that he was right. Spices and the amounts are at your discretion. I do know that they seem to use a lot more than you see in the stuff we buy. The vinegar that is used is milder, too. For each pint jar c vinegar (see below) c water tsp pickling salt tsp spices ( see below) T sesame oil Choose firm peppers and other ingredients (carrots, onion, garlic cloves, cauliflower, etc.) Wash thoroughly and pack into a pint jar pickling jar. Wide mouths are easier to work with. If you leave the peppers whole, slit the side so the pickling solution can fill the peppers. You might want to slice the peppers and remove the stem, seeds and membranes. This will make for a milder pickle. Distribute the spices into each jar while packing with the peppers. Bring the vinegar, water and salt to a boil and pour into each jar leaving 1/2 to 3/4 inch headspace. Heat sesame oil gently (less than 150 degrees) and add 2 tablespoons to each jar. Seal the jar and process in a hot water bath (barely simmering) for 10 minutes. Let stand for a couple of weeks before using. Refrigerate after opening. Vinegars: The classic is a homemade fruit vinegar such as pineapple that good cooks in Mexico keep going in a crock on the counter. The fruity flavor and milder acidity really makes this recipe sing. If you aren't up to making your own, look for a milder vinegar like rice wine. I have been known to cheat and add a couple of teaspoons of pineapple juice to a low acid vinegar. Spices: pickling spice mixture, bay leaf, Mexican oregano, cumin seed, corainder seed, allspice berries, whole cloves. A lot of preparations I have seen in Mexico seem to have more than the starter teaspoon. Add more or less of different ones to your taste. (I add a lot of almost everything. And I don't skimp on the garlic.) Keywords: Appetizer, Side, Hot and Spicy, Snack, Tex-Mex ( RG525 )

Venison Medallions with Dried Cherry Sauce Serves 2 as Main Dish. This dish offsets the rich and powerful flavor of venison with the sweetness and tartness of dried cherries – creating a unique balance. The side dishes are designed to further emphasize the complexity of the flavor of venison. The corncakes provide a sweet and spicy earthiness while the greens add a punch of bitter to offset the sweet. The dish should pair well with a good quality Merlot or a medium to light bodied Cabernet Sauvignon. Venison 1/2 lb venison medallions Salt and freshly ground black pepper 2 tsp chopped fresh thyme 2 tsp chopped fresh sage 1 T crushed juniper berries 1/2 tsp coarse mustard 1/2 c extra virgin olive oil 1 T frozen butter Dried Cherry Sauce 3/4 c dried cherries 1/2 c fresh chicken stock (can substitute with low-sodium chicken broth) 1/4 c Brandy 1 bay leaf 1/4 tsp chopped fresh thyme 1/2 clove garlic (sliced) 1 whole clove 1/2 tsp green peppercorns Spicy Corn Cakes 2 ears fresh corn (can substitute 1 small can crisp sweet corn, well rinsed) 3 green onions, chopped up to the green 2 T fresh jalapeno chili, minced 1 egg 1/4 c milk 1/2 c flour 1/4 c cornmeal 1-1/4 tsp baking powder 1 tsp salt 1 tsp red chili powder 1/2 tsp sugar Canola oil unsalted butter Pan Wilted Vinegared Greens 1 bunch chopped Fresh Kale or Chard (spinach can be substituted) 1 T butter 1 T canola oil 2 tsp salt 2 T sherry vinegar (red wine vinegar can be substituted) Season the medallions with salt and pepper. Combine all the remaining ingredients except the butter in a mixing bowl. Place the venison in a large ziplock bag and pour the combined ingredients into the bag. Eliminate as much air as possible from the bag and place in the refrigerator overnight. Remove the venison (still in the marinade) and allow to come to room temperature (30-45 minutes). Heat a large, heavy frying pan over high heat. Add the medallions and sear on each side for 4 minutes. Remove the venison from the frying pan and let rest for 2 minutes before serving. Heat the dried cherry sauce (see below) and whisk in the frozen butter. Serve the venison with the dried cherry sauce poured over them and with the corn cakes (recipe below) and greens (recipe below) on the side. Enjoy Dried Cherry Sauce Reserve ¼ cup of dried cherries. Combine all remaining ingredients in a saucepan over high heat. Bring contents to a boil and lower heat to a very low simmer. Cook until liquid is reduced by ½. Strain through fine strainer and add the, roughly chopped, reserved cherries and salt and pepper to taste. Hold covered off the heat at room temperature for at least 15 minutes until ready to serve. (See instructions above for serving notes.) Note: Can be prepared in advance, refrigerated and reheated. Spicy Corn Cakes Bring a pot of water to a boil and add the shucked corn to it. Cover and remove from the heat for 8 minutes. Remove the corn from the pot and cool in running cold water. Once cooled, cut the kernels off the cob and combine in a bowl with the green onions, jalapeno, milk and eggs. Combine the dry ingredients in another bowl. Combine dry and wet ingredients and mix well. Heat a nonstick pan over medium heat and add oil and butter in equal parts. When the butter is melted, ladle the corn cake mixture into the pan to create 4 inch pancakes. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until golden brown and flip. Repeat for the other side. Note: Can be prepared in advance and reheated in a medium oven. Pan Wilted Vinegared Greens Wash the greens well and do not dry. Heat the butter and oil in a large, flat bottomed pan until butter is melted. Add the greens and the salt. Using tongs, stir and toss the greens constantly until they begin to wilt. When wilted, remove from heat. Strain the greens and serve with the vinegar sprinkled over them. Keywords: Main Dish, Intermediate, Game, Dinner, American ( RG524 )

Thai Omelet (Kai yat sai) This is a recipe that invites improvisation. I'm giving the minimal version I had for my midnight snack, but feel free to throw in anything that feels remotely Southeast Asian, including any combination of pork, shrimp (fresh or dried), shallot, garlic, and cilantro. 2 large eggs 1 tsp fish sauce 1 tsp lime juice, freshly squeezed 1/2 tsp white pepper, freshly ground 2 tsp peanut oil (see note) Whisk together the eggs, fish sauce, lime juice, and pepper. Heat the peanut oil over medium heat in a 10" nonstick skillet. Pour in the eggs, stir, and let cook until just shy of fully set. Do not overcook. Fold into thirds like a business letter and turn out onto a warm plate. Eat with nam pla prik (sliced Thai chiles in fish sauce) for dipping or spooning over. Note: Peanut oil is expensive, so if you're going to use it, choose one that has real peanut flavor. You can get unfiltered oil in health food stores, but it burns easily. The cold-filtered Asian brands are best, and the clear standout among these is Lion and Globe, from Hong Kong; I get it by the quart at Uwajimaya for $4.79. Keywords: Main Dish, Breakfast, Dinner, Thai, The Daily Gullet ( RG523 )

Pickled Shallots 4 lb Shallots, preferably home-grown 6 oz salt 3 pt water 2 tsp Black peppercorns 10 cloves 4 bay leaves 2-1/2 pt Malt vinegar 4 oz caster sugar 16 Fresh Ginger slices (optional) dried Birds Eye Chilis Peel the shllots and trim the root end (and stalk if any) This is the biggest hassle. Doing it in a bowl or water keeps the smell down Soak the shallots in a brine made from the salt and the water for 24 hours. Meantime put the spices and sugar in the vinegar and bring just to the boil, then remove from the heat. Let cool to room temperature, and strain out the spices.You can use white or brown vinegar depending how you want them to look. Pour off the brine and rinse well. Dry on a tea towel. Pack the shallots into glass jars, Add ginger and chilis if liked, and a decorative Bay leaf. Seal with a vinegar proof lid (I use french clip-on preserving jars). Store for at least a month before eating. The will keep, if allowed to do so, for at year in a cool dark place Keywords: Side ( RG522 )

HUMMUS This is my version of a recipe given to me by my good friend Mary Ann who makes the very best hummus I’ve ever tasted. If the oil in the tahini has separated (you’ll see it floating on the top), put it into a blender and blend until smooth. 2 15 1/2 ounce cans of chickpeas, drained and rinsed 1 garlic clove pounded into a paste with 2 teaspoons salt 1/2 c tahini Juice of 2 lemons, or more, to taste, plus 1 tablespoon, for garnish 1/4 c cold water, or more, as needed 3/4 tsp toasted, ground cumin 2 T olive oil, for garnish 2 T finely chopped parsley, for garnish 1. Place the chick peas, tahimi, the juice of 2 lemons, 1/4 cup water and the cumin into a food processor and blend to a thick, grainy consistency. (Do not overprocess; what makes a hummus taste nice is the coarse texture; a mousse-like hummus does not have the same taste). Add more cold water if the hummus is too thick and more lemon juice, if you like. 2. Scrape out onto the serving plate. Drizzle with the olive oil and then with the lemon juice, and sprinkle with the parsley. Serve with warm toasted pita bread or fresh vegetables. Keywords: Hors d'oeuvre, Dip, Vegetarian, Middle Eastern ( RG521 )

Lamb Curry Serves 8 as Main Dish. Based on a recipe from Sunset's Cooking with Spices and Herbs. It's also good with beef instead of the lamb. Obviously freshly toasted and ground spices will improve the quality of the dish, but it's good even with run-of-the-mill supermarket spices. For a mild curry, omit the chile. Otherwise, leave it in until the curry reaches the desired level of heat. 3 lb boneless lamb 2 onions 2 garlic cloves, peeled 2 c plain yogurt 1 T lemon juice 2 T ground coriander 2 tsp salt 2 tsp ground cumin 1-1/2 tsp ground cloves 1-1/2 tsp ground cardamom 1-1/2 tsp ground black pepper 1 tsp ground ginger 1 tsp ground cinnamon 2 T cornstarch 1 small dried chiles (optional) 3 T olive oil or butter Cut the lamb into cubes about 1-1/2 inches (or make friends with your butcher and have him do it). Cut one of the onions into quarters. Toss the onion, garlic, yogurt amd lemon juice into a blender jar and puree. Add remaining ingredients except chile peppers and oil and blend. (Or finely mince the garlic and onion and blend with remaining ingredients). Pour the yogurt mixture over the lamb cubes, cover and marinate for 2 hours at room temp or overnight in the refrigerator. Stir occasionally. Heat the oil or butter in a large heavy pan. Slice the remaining onion and saute until soft. Add the meat and marinade and bring just to a simmer. Add the chiles (whole) if using. Continue to simmer for 2 hours or so, or until meat is tender. Taste occasionally and remove the chiles when the heat reaches the desired level. Adjust seasoning. Serve with couscous or rice. Keywords: Main Dish, Lamb, Middle Eastern, The Daily Gullet ( RG520 )

Balsamic Vinegar Ice Cream adapted from Pierre Gagnaire 500 g whole milk 125 g granulated sugar 4 g ice cream stabilizer, optional 90 g pasteurized egg yolks 125 g heavy cream 25 g balsamic vinegar 35 g aceto balsamico Reggio Emilia, red label 1. Place milk in a non-reactive saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. 2. Meanwhile, combine sugar and stabilizer, if using. Whisk sugar mixture into egg yolks 3. Remove boiled milk from heat and temper into egg yolks. Return to low heat and cook to 84ºC/183ºF. Remove from heat. 4. Add cream and both vinegars to base and strain through a chinois. Chill in an ice water bath and allow to mature 12 hours. 5. Process in a batch freezer. Keywords: Ice Cream, Dessert ( RG518 )

French Buttercream 1 egg (large) 5 yolks (large) 400 g sugar 80 g water 700 g unsalted butter cut into cubes weigh sugar and place in samll heavy saucepan then pou in the water do not stir it. Cover the pan and copok on high until the solution comes to a boil Remove cover and continue cooking to hard ball meanwhile in your handy stand mixer using the whisk start whipping the yolks and the egg if you start the eggs and sugar at the same time the yolk mix will be beautifully fluffy by the time the sugar is ready while continuing to wgip the yolks at high speed carefully pour your sugar in a steady stream into the yolks making sure you do not allow it to hit the whisk (use the side of the bowl if you need support and guidance. Once all the sugar syrup is in, just let it keep on whipping until the bowl feels merely warm to your hand when you touch the bottom While continuing the whipping start tossing in the butter cubes once all the butter is in if you want to flavor it mocha, I would add melted chocolate directly to the buttercream then add in a paste of instant espresso with just a bit of water. Probably 2-4 ounces of chocolate and about 3 tablespoons of instant espresso for a strong mocha taste Keywords: Dessert, Topping/Frosting ( RG517 )

Teriyaki Sauce 2/3 c soy 2/3 c sake 2/3 c mirin 1 T of sugar Mix everything together. I make a huge batch and keep it in the refrigerator for quite a while so I don't add anything else, this way also I can doctor it up a bit depending on my feeling. Some ginger, some scallion, some garlic, some pineapple, or a little of everything. It is a great base sauce and great on its own. Keywords: Sauce, Japanese ( RG516 )

Japanese Curry This is based on the recipe for 'Minced Meat Curry' in 'Stone Soup' (one of my favourite Japanese cookbooks!). It makes lots- enough for a few days, which is great because it always tastes better the second day (sometimes I 'cheat' and make it early in the day, stick it in the fridge for a few hours, then reheat to get that second day flavour on the first day!). But if you don't want to eat curry for days then you can half the recipe. 3 large onions, chopped 2 T vegetable oil 6 cloves garlic, minced 1 knob ginger, peeled and grated 1 T (approximately) spices- I use a mix of curry powder, turmeric and cumin. 400 g ground pork (or beef) 400 ml beef bouillon 400 ml tomato juice 2 bay leaves 160 g curry roux (a full box, a spicy kind is better than a sweet one) salt, pepper and more spices to taste Saute onion in oil for a few minutes, add garlic, ginger and spices, saute until fragrant. Add ground meat and saute until browned. Add bouillon, tomato juice and bay leaves, simmer about 10 minutes, skimming the foam from the top from time to time. Turn off heat and add the curry roux, stirring until the roux dissolves. Turn heat back on, taste the curry and add salt and pepper if needed. More spices can be added too, but be sure to simmer for another 10 minutes or so. Curry can be eaten when heated through, or it can be simmered for as long as you wish to make the spices smoother and milder. Good over rice, great with nan, and can be frozen Keywords: Main Dish, Dinner, Japanese ( RG515 )

Caramel Sauce This recipe is from Really Nice! 1 c sugar 1/2 c butter (1 stick) 1/4 c water 1/4 tsp salt 1 tsp vanilla extract In a large saucepan add sugar, butter, water and salt. Cook about 10 minutes; stirring constantly to prevent burning. You want the mixture to start turning a light brown. When this happens remove mixture from heat, add vanilla and stir. Careful, it will bubble up. Allow to cool to near room temperature for it to thicken up. Keywords: Dessert, Sauce ( RG514 )

Cashew Caramel I'll offer you a nice version that I use, for everything from a layer in entremets to dipped or enrobed in chocolate as a petit four. The quantity is indeed large. I pour it into caramel rulers, set onto a full sheet pan sized silpat, but the recipe can easily be broken down by half or in thirds, if you like. The addition of the cocoa butter, in the form of milk chocolate, adds just enough structure; the recipes that call for cooking sugar and cream or milk to a certain temperature can be fickle. If coating in chocolate, I'll let it set for a day or so at room temperature (I treat it just like an enrobed ganache. Allow it to set or crystallize, apply a 'foot' or coating of chocolate for the bottom, cut, allow it to form a bit of a 'crust', then dip); if I'm using it as a layer in an entremet or individual dessert, I'll chill or freeze either as a sheet or in appropriate forms- but once it is chilled or frozen, the moisture from condensation alone will give it a softer texture once thawed. I prefer it made with salted cashews or peanuts, but any roasted nuts will suffice, though I might add a bit of salt if the nuts are unsalted... 300 g granulated sugar 125 g glucose 375 g heavy cream, warm 200 g milk couverture, chopped 600 g roasted, salted cashews, chopped 1. Combine sugar and glucose in a heavy, non-reactive sauce pan and cook to a medium-dark caramel. 2. Remove from heat and deglaze with a portion of the warm cream. Add remaining cream and cook until caramelized sugar has dissolved and mixture is homogeneous. Final amount of caramel should measure approximately 675g. 3. Combine chocolate and cashews in a large bowl. Pour the hot caramel into the bowl, stirring to combine completely, ensuring all chocolate is melted and thoroughly incorporated. 4. Pour into silpat-lined frame or other form and allow to set at room temperature or under refrigeration. Keywords: Dessert, Sauce ( RG513 )

Buttertart Squares! Serves 24. 125 g all-purpose flour 25 g brown sugar 115 g butter 2 eggs, beaten 330 g packed brown sugar 40 g rolled oats 2 g salt 2 g baking powder 5 ml vanilla extract 80 g raisins (optional) 20 g flaked coconut (optional Directions 1 Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Butter a 9x9 inch baking pan. 2 In a medium bowl, combine flour and 2 tablespoons brown sugar. Cut in butter until mixture is crumbly. Press into the bottom of the prepared pan. 3 Bake for 15 minutes in preheated oven. Crust should not be fully cooked. 4 In a large bowl, mix together the eggs and remaining brown sugar. Combine the oats, salt, and baking powder; stir into the egg mixture along with the vanilla. Mix in raisins and coconut, if desired. Spread the mixture evenly over the partially baked crumb layer in pan. 5 Bake 20 minutes more. Cool, and cut into squares Keywords: Dessert, Brownies/Bars ( RG512 )

Rasam Lemon Sized piece of tamarind pulp 2 c hot water 20 garlic cloves 2 tsp oil salt, curry leaves Paste - 2 tsp oil 4 red chillis 3/4 tsp black peppercorns 2 tsp coriander seeds 1 tsp bengal gram dal 1 tsp cumin seeds curry leaves Tarka - 2 tsp ghee 1 tsp mustard seeds 2 red chillis Heat oil for paste in a frying pan - add chilli, peppercorns, coriander seeds, dal and saute for a few minutes. Make into a paste with the cumin seeds and curry leaves. Soak the tamarind in the hot water for 15 minutes and strain. Toss the oulpy bits. Place juice in a saucepan, add salt, curry leaves and simmer on low heat until the raw smell of tamarind is gone Saute the peeled garlic in 2 tsps oil until golden. Add to the simmering tamarind juice and boil until flavors are blended. Add water if needed. Pour hot spluttering tarka on top. Keywords: Appetizer, Soup, Indian ( RG511 )

Baby Back Ribs I do start them in the oven -- especially in the summer when it's 100 degrees, I don't like standing out there sweating over the ribs. Sometimes I even cook them in the oven a day or two before, so I have more time to sit around swilling Sangria with my guests. And, I don't have a hot oven heating up my kitchen during the party. Night before: remove membrane from ribs (very important and many people - often even restaurants - skip this step). For one rack of ribs, marinate overnight in mixture of: 2 c apple cider 1/2 c bottled Teriyaki sauce 1/4 c brown sugar Bake ribs slowly in 250 degree oven, basting frequently. Pretty darn good that way but for BBQ ribs, finish off on outdoor grill. (Can add flavorful woodchips of some kind to coals if using gas grill.) Can baste with some sort of traditional BBQ sauce last few minutes of grilling to caramelize sauce, or just serve as is with sauce on side. (Note - True BBQ rib aficionados never cook their ribs to "falling off the bone" tender. They believe that doing so reduces the texture of the meat to mush. In fact, doing that at BBQ cookoffs will get you jeered at - and disqualified - the theory being that any fool can overcook meat beyond recognition. All that is required in order to do that is time and inattention. On the other hand, getting the meat "just right" demands the ability and attentiveness of a skilled pitmaster. The texture of the meat, they believe, should be discernible as being meat - tender and juicy, granted, but still attached to the bone, offering give, but slight resistance.) Keywords: Main Dish, Pork ( RG510 )

South Carolina Mustard Barbecue Sauce 2/3 c yellow prepared mustard 1/2 c white sugar 1/4 c light brown sugar 1 c cider vinegar 2 T chili powder (I use guajullo molido and ancho instead) 1 tsp black pepper 1 tsp white pepper 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (I add crushed red pepper and if I want it even hotter I use fresh ground pequins) 4 drops Tabasco (I use Louisiana style hot sauce and lots of it instead) 1/2 tsp soy sauce 2 T butter Combine all ingredients except the soy sauce and butter in a saucepan and simmer 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in soy sauce and butter. May be used as a basting sauce for barbecue meat or as a condiment. I also added the juice of 1 lime and spiced it up quite a bit. Experiment and enjoy! Keywords: Sauce, Barbeque ( RG509 )

A Drink I Haven't Named Yet 2 fl oz light rum Juice from half a blood orange (about 1-1/4 oz.) 1/2 fl oz fresh lime juice 1/2 fl oz triple sec Vigorously stir or shake all ingredients over ice. Strain into chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with an orange twist if you like. Keywords: Cocktail, The Daily Gullet, eGCI ( RG508 )

Tequila Gimlet I know I said that Margaritas shouldn't be made with Rose's. But this is not a Margarita 2-1/2 oz Tequila 3/4 oz Rose's lime juice 1/4 oz fresh lime juice Vigorously stir or shake all ingredients over ice. Strain into chilled cocktail glass. Keywords: Cocktail, The Daily Gullet ( RG507 )

Bitter Lemon Drop 2 fl oz Vodka 1 fl oz fresh lemon juice 1/4 fl oz simple syrup Big dash bitters Vigorously stir or shake all ingredients over ice. Strain into chilled cocktail glass. If you want, thinly coat the rim of the glass with fine sugar. Keywords: Cocktail, The Daily Gullet, eGCI ( RG506 )

Kale for your Cornbread 1 T vegetable oil or bacon grease 1 bunch kale (about 1 lb) 1/2 medium onion, minced 1/2 tsp curry powder (this seems like a reasonable use of commercial curry powder to me. I use Penzeys Hot) 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 c water 1. Strip the leaves of the kale from the stems with a sharp knife and slice the leaves into 1/4" shreds. Discard the stems or reserve for another use. 2. Heat the oil or grease over medium-high heat in a medium saucepan. Add the onion and cook until it begins to brown. 3. Add the kale, curry powder, salt, and water. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and cook 20-25 minutes, while the cornbread is in the oven. Serve hot, letting the juices moisten the cornbread while you're eating. Keywords: Side, Condiment, The Daily Gullet ( RG505 )

Southern Cornbread Note: Of course, it's hard to argue the Puritanism of this recipe when it has cheese and bacon it in, but the Puritans lived in the North, right? If this is your first experience with Southern cornbread, leave out the bacon bits and cheese, and commune with corn. 2 strips bacon 4 oz white flint cornmeal (see note) 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp cream of tartar 3/4 c buttermilk 1 egg 1 oz cheddar cheese, grated 1. Fry the bacon in a skillet until crisp. Pour 1 tbsp of the fat through a sieve into an 8" cast-iron skillet. You could, of course, cook the bacon in the cast iron, but I find it leaves behind microscopic bacon nodules, which burn. 2. Place the cast-iron skillet in the oven and set the temperature to 425 F. 3. Chop or crumble the bacon into small bits. Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl and whisk the egg and buttermilk in a liquid measuring cup. 4. When your oven claims to be preheated, give it five more minutes with the skillet inside. Pour the liquid ingredients all at once into the dry ingredients and give a few turns with a whisk to combine. Let sit for one minute. 5. Remove the skillet from the oven and slosh the grease around carefully to coat the bottom and sides. Pour the batter into the skillet and return to the oven. 6. Bake 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and invert immediately onto a plate. Bisect the cornbread parallel to the plate like a layer cake. Remove the top layer, add a layer of cheese, and replace the layer of bread. Serve immediately, crisp side up (it doesn't look as nice but stays crispier). Acquiring white flint cornmeal: Morgan's Mills (207-785-4900), of Maine, has five-pound bags for just under $20 with USPS shipping. Keywords: Side, Bread, American, The Daily Gullet ( RG504 )

Yankee Cornbread Serves 4. 1-1/2 c yellow cornmeal 1-1/2 c flour 2/3 c sugar 1-1/2 tsp salt (or 1 tbsp kosher salt) 1 T baking powder 1 tsp baking soda 1 stick butter, melted 1/2 c milk 1-1/2 c buttermilk 2 eggs, beaten 1 jalapeno pepper, minced 4 oz corn kernels (fresh, frozen, or canned) 3 oz cheddar cheese, grated 1/4 c minced scallions 2 T chopped cilantro 1. Preheat the oven to 425 F. 2. Combine the first six ingredients in a large bowl. 3. In another bowl, combine the butter, buttermilk, milk, and eggs, and turn with a whisk until combined. Pour over the dry ingredients all at once and stir until just combined. Add the jalapeno, corn kernels, cheese, scallions, and cilantro and again stir until just combined. 4. Pour the mixture into five buttered mini-loaf pans. I use foil pans from the grocery store, which makes the bread easy to transport and give away. The pans are about 6"x3.5"x2". Bake 25 minutes and serve Keywords: Side, Bread, American, The Daily Gullet ( RG503 )

Cabbage with Black mustard seeds (Muttakos Poriyal) Recipe from Monica Bhide's upcoming book, Everything Indian, copyright © 2003 Adams Media 2 T vegetable oil 1 tsp black mustard seeds 2 small dried red chilies, roughly pounded 8 curry leaves 1 lb cabbage, finely shredded Salt to taste 1/2 tsp turmeric powder 1/4 tsp red chili powder 2 T dried coconut flakes In a large skillet heat the oil on medium heat. Add the mustard seeds, red chilies and curry leaves. When the mustard seeds being to crackle add the cabbage. Saute the cabbage for about 2 minutes. Add the salt, turmeric and red chili powder. Mix well and sauté for another minute. Cover the cabbage and cook on low heat till the cabbage is tender. During the cooking process, stir occasionally. If the cabbage appears too dry or to be sticking to the pan, add a few tablespoons of water. Add the coconut and cook for another 2 minutes on medium heat. Serve hot. Keywords: Side, Vegetables, Lunch, Indian, The Daily Gullet ( RG502 )