Swiss Chard with Raisins and Almonds

Bill spotted this recipe in Gourmet Magazine and we ended up making it for dinner two nights in a row. Mmmmmm...greens...We halved the amount of swiss chard originally called for, and added a little extra spice. (Photo by Ruth Cousineau)
Ingredients
1/2 large onion, sliced lengthwise 1/4 inch thick (1 cup)
2 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1/4 teaspoon Spanish smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon cumin
salt and pepper to taste
1 lb Swiss chard, center ribs discarded and leaves coarsely chopped
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup coarsely chopped almonds with skins

Cook onion with 1/4 teaspoon salt in 2 tablespoons oil in a 5- to 6-quart heavy pot over medium heat, stirring, until softened. Sprinkle with paprika and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add chard in batches, stirring frequently, until wilted, then add raisins and water. Cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until chard is tender, about 7 minutes. Season with salt.

Cook almonds in remaining 1/2 tablespoon oil in a small heavy skillet over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until golden, 3 to 5 minutes. Sprinkle almonds over chard.

Roasted Cod with Shitakes in Miso Broth

We made this light, clean, healthy dish two nights in a row after spotting the "ten minute" recipe in this month's Gourmet. I added sesame oil, a quick marinade for the fish and substituted hatcho miso paste for the miso soup mix originally called for. Photo by Maggie Ruggiero.

2 (6-oz) pieces Pacific cod or hake fillet (about 1 inch thick)
toasted sesame oil
soy sauce
salt and pepper to taste
mirin
1/4 lb sliced shiitake mushroom caps
2 cups prepared miso soup, or soup made with fresh miso
1 scallion, thinly sliced

Preheat oven to 450°F with rack in middle.

Pat fish dry in a small shallow baking pan and drizzle with equal amounts of sesame oil, soy sauce and mirin and then sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Toss mushrooms with sesame oil and 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper, then spread in another small shallow baking pan.

Roast fish and mushrooms, stirring mushrooms once or twice, until fish is just cooked through and mushrooms are crisp. The mushrooms will take about 15-20 minutes, and the fish will take ten

Meanwhile, prepare soup according to package instructions.

Divide soup, mushrooms, and fish among 4 bowls and top with scallions.

Serves 2

Neo-pernil

There's been quite a lot of excited talk about pernil around here lately. We had the best pernil I've ever eaten at Bill's family's Christmas dinner -- and that's saying a whole lot, after a lifetime of chasing after tender, juicy, crisp-skinned pernil like the holy grail all over Cuba, Puerto Rico, Miami, Spanish Harlem and the Bronx. This holiday roast is one of the most revered comfort foods in my pork-centric world, and Cindy's version at the Toles family xmas was absolutely perfect. Next year I'd like to film her pernil production, and start a little DVD family cookbook for the kids to inherit: Cindy's pernil, Tempi's cobbler, my empanadas and matzoh ball soup, Sharon's seafood stew, spoonbread...the possibilities are endless.
But back to pernil for a minute, before I get lost in dreaming up a new project to distract me from finishing my PhD...this recipe, for a smaller, easier to manage neo-pernil, was printed in Saveur with photos by Andre Baranowski. Maybe for the superbowl...

2 tbsp. cumin seeds
1 tbsp. black peppercorns
2 tbsp. dried oregano
1⁄4 tsp. cayenne
12 cloves garlic
Kosher salt, to taste
1 bone-in skin-on pork picnic shoulder (about
8 lbs.)
1 cup fresh orange juice
1⁄2 cup fresh lime juice
2 tbsp. olive oil

1. Toast cumin and peppercorns in a skillet over medium heat, 2–3 minutes. Transfer to a small food processor along with oregano, cayenne, garlic, and 1 tbsp. salt; process to a paste. Cut about twenty-five 1 1⁄2"-wide slits in the pork about 1" deep. Rub garlic paste all over pork, pressing it into slits. Transfer pork to a roasting pan. Whisk together orange juice, lime juice, oil, and 2 tbsp. salt in a bowl; pour over pork. Cover and refrigerate, turning occasionally, for 18–24 hours.

2. Remove pork from refrigerator 2 hours before you are ready to roast, to allow it to come to room temperature. Heat oven to 325°. Roast, basting every 30 minutes, until a meat thermometer inserted in thickest part of pork registers 160°, about 3 hours total. (Add 1 cup water to pan when liquid evaporates; cover loosely with foil if skin gets too dark.) Let rest for 15 minutes, then carve (see Carving Pork Shoulder) and serve.

1. Using a carving knife and fork, slice down to the bone near the shank end of the pork shoulder. Make a second, diagonal downward cut to produce a wedge. Set wedge aside on the carving platter.
2. While holding the pork shoulder firmly with the carving fork, repeat the diagonal downward cut (using wide, sweeping strokes) to create thick slices, leaving them attached at the bottom.

3. Continue slicing away from the shank end until you can cut no farther. Make a horizontal cut underneath the slices to separate them from the rest of the shoulder.

4. Working around the remainder of the pork shoulder, cut off slices where possible. Using the knife and carving fork, transfer the slices to a serving platter and arrange. Serves 8

Habichuelas Coloradas (Cuban Red Beans)

This is the quick weeknight version, using canned beans. Nothing makes me happier than a big plate of rice and beans. Except maybe a big plate of Virgil's ribs. Or a big plate of green papaya salad. Or a giant bowl of steamers. Or else a bag full of hot char sui bao. Or...well, anyway...here are the beans:

1 small link of chorizo, sliced in half lengthwise and then cut 1/8 inch half moons
Olive oil
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped into fine dice
1/2 large Spanish onion, chopped into fine dice
1 1/2 - 2 cups of tomato sauce or tomato paste thinned with a little water
(In a pinch, commercially packaged Goya sofrito could be substituted for the pepper, onion and tomato sauce)
1/2 medium potato, peeled and sliced into 8 pieces (or equal amount of calabaza)
Ground cumin to taste
Oregano to taste
Garlic Powder to taste
Salt and pepper
2-3 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 can good quality red or black beans drained and rinsed
1/3 cup green olives with pimentos
A splash of vinegar-based hot sauce, or to taste
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

Saute the chorizo in a pot over medium heat, until it is lightly browned and some of the oil has rendered out. Remove sausage from the pot and set aside. Add a little olive oil to the pot if necessary to create a film of oil, and saute the onion and peppers until softened - 5 minutes. Add the spices, tomato sauce and potatoes and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and cook, covered, until the potato is cooked through -- about 12 minutes, taking care not to let the mixture burn. Add more tomato sauce if it starts to get dry. Add the garlic, beans, olives and hot sauce and cook until everythign is heated through. Taste and adjust seasoning. Add chopped cilantro and mix thoroughly just before serving.
Serve with plenty of rice.
Serves 3-4

Coconut Curry Noodle Soup

I made this for dinner tonight, along with a platter of Bo Luc Lac. The soup was right on the money. Its my own recipe, (although I have to admit that there's nothing very original about it.) True comfort food.

1/2 package rice noodles (any size), cooked, drained and oiled to keep them from sticking, set aside
1/2 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined OR sliced boneless skinless chicken
2 t thai red chili paste
2 t madras curry powder
1 can coconut milk
2 cups of chicken (or fish or shrimp stock if using shrimp)
1 T fish sauce, or more to taste
2 shallots, sliced into thin rings
2 cloves of garlic, sliced thin
1 knob ginger, cut into thick slices
1 or 2 stalks lemongrass, bruised and cut into thick slices
fish sauce, to taste
Lemon juice to taste
Chopped cilantro, basil chiffonade, lemon wedges and bean sprouts for garnish

In a pot over high heat combine 2 cups stock, fish sauce, chili paste, curry powder, ginger, lemongrass and shallots. Bring to a boil, turn heat down to low and simmer for twenty to thirty minutes. Add the coconut milk.

Remove the ginger and lemongrass. Add the shrimp, and cover, reducing the heat to low. Cook just until the shrimp are opaque throughout -- 3 minutes or so.
Add more fish sauce to your liking. Portion noodles and cilantro and/or basil into individual bowls. Pour soup over noodles, arranging shrimp on top of the noodles. Top with bean sprouts and a lemon wedge. Serve hot.
Serves 4

Wandering Chopsticks' Goi Cuon (Vietnamese salad rolls)

Another fresh and flavorful recipe from Wandering Chopsticks, with only minimal adjustments on my part. Check out her most excellent blog at www.wanderingchopsticks.blogspot.com


1/2 to 1 lb pork, preferably with skin attached
1/2 - 1 lb jumbo shrimp, plan on two shrimp per roll
a mix of lettuce and herbs, preferably mint, cilantro, mung bean sprouts, etc.
package of rice paper
package of rice vermicelli noodles, not bean thread vermicelli noodles
crushed peanuts or cashews (optional)

Boil noodles and allow to drain in colander.
Fill 5-quart stock pot halfway with water and a dash of salt. When water boils, add pork and turn heat down to medium. Allow to simmer until meat is fully cooked. Take meat out and allow to rest for about 15 minutes, or until pork is cool enough to touch. Slice thinly.

While pork is resting, toss shrimp into pot. It should take only a few minutes for the shrimp to turn pink and be fully cooked. Scoop shrimp out and onto a plate.

At the table, assemble a plate of the sliced pork, shrimp, noodles, herbs, and rice paper, along with a bowl of warm water for soaking the rice paper.

Gently slide the rice paper into the water until it is all covered. You want the rice paper to be just wet enough that it will turn pliable in a few minutes, but it should still be stiff when you take it out. When you're assembling your goi cuon, the stiffness will turn pliable. If you literally soak your rice paper, in a few minutes it'll turn to mush and fall apart.

Place two shrimp on upper portion of rice paper. Then add noodles, lettuce and herbs, and a slice or two of pork. Fold in the two sides. You want it to just touch the edges of the filling so that it will be tight enough to hold everything in.Then fold top edge down, gently pushing in filling as you go along.

Serve these with nuoc cham (Vietnamese dipping sauce), plum sauce or sweet chili sauce,

Wandering Chopsticks' Bo Luc Lac (Vietnamese Shaking Beef)

We put away several platters of Bo Luc Lac during a marathon dinner with 14 friends at Tamarind Tree in Seattle last week, and then just yesterday I stumbled across this recipe at Wandering Chopsticks' mouthwatering and informative blog. This was spectacular. If you haven't seen Wandering Chopsticks blog - go check it out. The recipe (with a couple of minor edits) and photo are both hers. I'm going to make her salad rolls next...

2 lbs beef, filet mignon or sirloin, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 onion, sliced
1 or 2 tomatoes, sliced (or a handful of cherry tomatoes, sliced in half)
1 bunch watercress, or mixed field greens or lettuce
2 cloves garlic
1/2 cup white or rice vinegar
2 tsp fish sauce
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp sugar
Optional: Add 1 minced fresh red chili into the marinade.

Dice the beef into 1-inch cubes. Add 2 tsp fish sauce, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp ground black pepper, and 1/2 tsp sugar to marinade. Set aside and let it marinate at room temperature.
Slice onion as thin as possible. Arrange onion slices in a shallow bowl and add enough vinegar just so the onions are covered, about 1/2 a cup or so. The vinegar will soften the harshness of the onions and add a tartness to the salad.
Wash greens. Slice tomatoes. Arrange on the plate in an attractive pattern, with concentric circles of greens on the outside and an inner circle of tomatoes. Top with vinegared onions (just the onions, you don't want the vinegar juices).
Mince garlic.
In a wok on high heat, drizzle a bit of oil. Add minced garlic. Add in the beef and "shake" it until edges are charred and beef is cooked to your liking.
Scoop beef onto salad, making sure to drizzle beef juices over the salad as well. Serve with rice on the side.
Serves 6

Carrot Cake

This is straight up the best carrot cake I've ever had. I first tested the recipe (which hails from Taunton's Fine Cooking) when my friend Nada Gordon requested that I make a carrot cake for her bridal shower a few years back. Thirty hungry, raucus ladies zipped through two enormous, raunchily decorated carrot cakes on that memorable afternoon, and I've been waiting for a chance to make carrot cake again ever since. I finally had occasion to make this moist, spicy cake for Bill's family's Christmas celebration this year, and I was very happy with the results. The cream cheese frosting is just ridiculously good. We even schlepped a piece of this cake with us all the way across the country to Seattle so my friend Niall, arbiter of good tastes, could give it his thumbs up.

Ingredients:
Softened butter and flour for the pan
1/2 cup dried currants
1 lb. carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
10 oz. (2-1/4 cups) all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. table salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ground allspice
1/4 tsp. ground mace
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
3 oz. (3/4 cup) walnuts or pecans, coarsely chopped
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup walnut oil (preferably toasted walnut oil)
For the frosting:
8 oz. (1 cup) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces and completely softened at room temperature
1 lb. cream cheese, cut into pieces and completely softened at room temperature
4-1/4 oz. (1 cup) confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1 Tbs. pure vanilla extract
1 oz. (1/2 cup) chopped walnuts or pecans for garnish (optional)


Position a rack in the bottom third of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F. Butter and flour a 9x13-inch heavy-duty metal cake pan. Soak the currants in 1/2 cup hot tap water for 15 minutes. Drain and set aside.

In a food processor (use the steel blade), chop the carrots very finely to about the consistency of couscous. Transfer to a small bowl and rinse the food processor bowl (you’ll need it again).

In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, salt, and spices. Whisk to blend thoroughly. Transfer 1/4 cup of this mixture to a small bowl and add the drained currants and the 3 oz. nuts. Toss to combine.

In the food processor (again use the steel blade), mix the eggs and sugars until blended. With the machine running, slowly add the oils in a steady stream until combined. Scrape this mixture into the flour mixture. Stir with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula to combine. Add the carrots and the raisin-nut mixture; stir to combine.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, about 50 minutes. Let cool on a rack to room temperature before inverting the pan to remove the cake. Let cool completely before frosting.
Make the frosting:

Fit a stand mixer with the paddle attachment (a hand mixer works, too). Beat the butter on medium speed until it’s quite light, fluffy, and resembles whipped cream, about 3 minutes. Add the cream cheese one piece at a time, beating well after each addition. When all the cream cheese is incorporated, reduce the speed to medium low and gradually add the sugar and vanilla, stopping the mixer each time you add the sugar. Mix just enough to remove any lumps; scrape the bowl as needed. If the frosting seems a bit loose, refrigerate it for a few minutes until it seems spreadable.
Frost the cake:

Scrape about two-thirds of the frosting onto the center of the cake. With a narrow metal offset spatula, push the frosting from the center out to and just over the cake’s edges. Spread with as few strokes as possible to prevent crumbs from catching in the frosting. Cover the top of the cake first then use the remaining frosting along with what’s creeping over the edges of the cake to cover the sides. Once the cake is covered, drag the front tip of the spatula back and forth from end to end to create a textured surface on the top of the cake. If you like, sprinkle the nuts on top of the cake and press them into the sides.

From Fine Cooking 63, pp. 50
photo: Scott Phillips

Dead-Simple Chocolate Walnut Fudge

This originally appeared as "15-minute Chocolate Walnut Fudge" in Cook's Illustrated, recipe by David Pazmino. I made a batch of it last year to give as gifts to the kids on my list, and it was so good and was met with such enthusiastic squealing (!) that I think I'm going to have to make it again this year...

Yield: 49 pieces

16 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped fine
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped fine
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

Note: Don't omit the walnuts, which are crucial to the fudge's texture.

Line bottom of an 8-inch square pan with foil, leaving 1-inch overhanging at two opposite sides of pan. Spray foil with nonstick cooking spray.

Toss chocolates, baking soda and salt in medium heatproof bowl until baking soda is evenly distributed. Stir in sweetened condensed milk and vanilla. Set bowl over 4-quart saucepan containing 2 cups simmering water. Stir with rubber spatula until chocolate is almost fully melted and few small pieces remain, 2 to 4 minutes.

Remove bowl from heat and continue to stir until chocolate is fully melted and mixture is smooth, about 2 minutes. Stir in walnuts. Transfer fudge to prepared pan and spread in even layer with spatula. Refrigerate until set, about 2 hours. Remove fudge from pan using foil and cut into squares.

Rack of Lamb Persillade

3 small or 2 large racks of lamb, frenched
Good olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups loosely packed fresh parsley leaves
1 tablespoon chopped garlic cloves (3 cloves)
1 cup fresh white bread crumbs
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Place the racks in a roasting pan, fat side up. Rub the tops with olive oil and sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Roast the lamb for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, place the parsley and garlic in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade and process until they're both finely minced. Add the bread crumbs and lemon zest and process for a second until combined.

Take the lamb out of the oven and quickly press the parsley mixture on top of the meat. Drizzle with the melted butter and return immediately to the oven and roast for another 15 minutes.

Take the lamb out of the oven and cover with aluminum foil. Allow it to rest for 15 minutes, cut in double chops, and serve.

Cranberry-Orange Vodka

Raves all around when we handed out bottles of this bright, potent, flavorful stuff as presents last year. Time to make a new batch. (Recipe by Michael Chiarello)

1 pound cranberries
1 cup sugar
1 vanilla bean, split
2 oranges, peels cut into 2-inch strips
1 (750-ml) bottle vodka

To serve:
1 bottle tonic water
Lime slices, for garnish

Place cranberries, sugar and vanilla in a medium saucepan. Place pan over medium heat and stir. Simmer cranberry mixture until the berries burst, about 5 to 6 minutes.

Place orange peels in a large glass container with an airtight lid, or large mason jars with lids. Pour vodka over the orange peels.

Allow the cranberry mixture to cool. Pour the cooled mixture into the glass container(s). Cover tightly and set aside for 1 week. After 1 week, strain out the cranberries and orange peels and pour mixture into a clean bottle, using a funnel. Store vodka in the refrigerator.

To serve: Pour 2 ounces of vodka mixture over ice in a tall glass and top with tonic water. Garnish with a slice of lime.

Bobo's Bread Pudding

Check out this month's Sugar High Fridays roundup at http://kochtopf.twoday.net/stories/4494853/

I have a student who's a pastry chef, and she sent me this outstanding bread pudding recipe today. It got me thinking about bread pudding again, in all of its permutations. In the mid '90s I was working in the kitchen at a certain restaurant in NYC; and over that holiday season we must have turned out easily a thousand of the restaurant's signature bread puddings. The "myth of authenticity" was that the bread pudding recipe had come directly from the sous chef's Italian grandmother; but after quite a lot of drinks at the bar one night, the sous chef confessed to me that it wasn't his grandmother's recipe at all. He explained that when the restaurant first opened, the chefs all agreed that they wanted bread pudding on the menu, but, as often happened, no one could agree on how they wanted it to taste. They tested and re-tested recipes without reaching any consensus, until finally the sous chef came in one day and said "this is the bread pudding you have to try -- its my grandmother's recipe." Then he handed them a plate of the exact same fabulous bread pudding he had been feeding them for weeks, and the chefs all emphatically agreed that "grandma's" recipe was the authentic version they had been searching for all along.
For me, "the sous chef's grandmother's recipe" is still the bread pudding I love most -- full of chocolate and raisins and cinnamon, and served warm in a big towering hunk of fluffy melting goodness. But this caramel apple version is fantastic too. I'll be making it for sure.

Ingredients:
3 eggs and 2 yolks
10 ½ oz. sugar
1 tsp vanilla
½ tsp nutmeg
½ tsp cinnamon
2 ½ oz. butter melted
9 oz. milk
9 oz. heavy cream
4 oz. raisins (soaked with rum or brandy at least 4 hours or overnight)
5 cups bread

(Caramel Apple mixture (optional) See below

Butter a medium baking dish
Cut the bread into cubes about 1 ½ inches big and toss with the raisins and any leftover liquor
Combine the milk and cream
Lightly whisk the eggs and egg yolks together then stir in the sugar, vanilla and spices.
Whisk the milk mixture into the eggs slowly trying not to create a lot of foam.
Whisk the melted butter into the above mixture.
Pour the custard over the bread and press down to submerge the bread.
Cover the pudding with plastic wrap and let soak overnight. You can place a dish on top of the plastic to keep the bread under the custard.
Preheat the oven to 325˚ and bake the bread pudding until it puffs up a little and is set in the center. Do not over bake it. Serve warm.

My student Susan writes:
I like to cook sugar to a caramel and pour it into the baking dish then I saute apple wedges in butter and sugar and line the bottom of the baking dish with them. If I do it this way I soak the bread in a separate container and pour it on top of the caramel and apples right before I bake it.

Eggplant Parmesan

3 medium-large eggplants, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch slices
Olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 large clove garlic, thinly sliced
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 28-ounce can no-salt plum tomatoes or crushed tomatoes
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1/2 cup (packed) fresh basil leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, or as needed
1/3 cup fine dry bread crumbs
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano leaves, optional.

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Brush both sides of eggplant slices with oil, and place in a single layer on two or more baking sheets. Bake until undersides are golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes, then turn and bake until other sides are lightly browned. Set aside. Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees.
2. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan over medium heat, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil and add onion. Sauté until soft, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and dried oregano and sauté another 30 seconds. Add tomatoes and their juices, breaking up whole tomatoes with your hands. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer 15 to 20 minutes.
3. Add vinegar, basil and salt and pepper to taste. Into a 9-by-9-inch, 10-by-5-inch or 10-by-6-inch baking pan, spoon a small amount of tomato sauce, then add a thin scattering of parmigiano, then a single layer of eggplant. Repeat until all ingredients are used, ending with a little sauce and a sprinkling of parmigiano. In a small bowl, combine bread crumbs and oregano, if using, with just enough olive oil to moisten. Sprinkle on top. If desired, recipe can be made to this point and refrigerated. Bring to room temperature before baking.
4. Bake until eggplant mixture is bubbly and center is hot, 30 to 45 minutes depending on size of pan and thickness of layers. Remove from heat and allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving. Recipe can also be reheated.
Yield: 4 to 5 main dish servings.

Individual Apricot Souffles with Bitter Chocolate Sauce

This recipe ran in the Times last year, and I served it for dessert on New Year's Eve, as the end of a five course banquet. Completely fabulous.

10 ounces dried apricots
4 tablespoons melted butter
3 tablespoons plus ½ cup sugar
4 ounces high-quality unsweetened chocolate (99 percent cacao)
4 tablespoons light corn syrup
4 tablespoons Tokaji aszu or grand marnier
1 teaspoon almond extract
10 large egg whites at room temperature.

1. Place apricots in a bowl, pour in just enough hot water to cover them and set aside to soak 2 hours. Brush 6 1-cup soufflé dishes or ramekins with butter and dust with 3 tablespoons sugar. Set aside on a baking sheet.

2. Melt chocolate over low heat. Stir in corn syrup and ½ cup water. Cook briefly, until well combined. Transfer to a serving bowl and set aside.

3. When apricots are soft and have absorbed most of the soaking water, drain and purée in a food processor. Place in a very large bowl and stir in wine and almond extract. Heat oven to 375 degrees.

4. Beat egg whites by machine, using a whisk attachment, until very softly peaked. Gradually beat in remaining ½ cup sugar until whites are very glossy, hold their shape but are not rigid. Stir one-fourth of whites into apricot mixture and fold in the rest. Divide among soufflé dishes, place in oven on baking sheet and bake about 15 minutes, until lightly browned on top. Serve, with room temperature chocolate sauce on the side.

Yield: 6 servings.

Spoonbread For Two

Bill's been asking about spoonbread again. I hadn't made it since last year, that poor guy! I imagined that I could probably cut the recipe down to yield exactly two golden brown ramekins worth, and it worked out just fine. Just ten minutes to stir together. Let it snow...

1/4c cup cornmeal
1 cup 2 % milk
Pinch of salt
Scant 1/8 cup sugar
1/2 tablespoon butter, plus more for buttering the dish and serving
1 egg, separated

**These take a much longer time in the oven than you might guess. The first batch were in for an hour and fifteen minutes and were still a little too wet inside. Next time I'm going to raise the heat to 400 degrees and see what happens. I might also try cooking them inside a bain marie. Works for souffles...

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Whisk the cornmeal into half of the milk and set aside. In a small bowl, beat the egg white until soft peaks form. Set aside. In a small pot, scald the other half of the milk and stir the cornmeal mixture into it, whisking over medium heat until the mixture has thickened, about 8 minutes. Off the heat, stir the sugar, salt and butter into the cornmeal mixture. Let cool for a few minutes and stir in the egg yolk. Gently fold in the egg white. Divide the mixture between two well buttered 8 or 6 ounce ramekins. Bake until tops are brown and crusty, and the inside is fluffy and set, approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes.