Category Archives: Recipes by Season

Saffron Cardamom Coconut Macaroons

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This recipe, adapted from Monica Bhide’s Modern Spice: Inspired Indian Flavors for the Contemporary Kitchen, is for simple, coconut-y cookies that look like little snowballs. Even better, it uses two spices Bhide loves for holiday baking: saffron and green cardamon, which she calls “diva spices” because of their heady flavor and aroma. For the best results, she recommends buying whole green cardamom pods; grind the skin and seeds in a mortar and pestle or spice grinder. When buying saffron, choose whole threads.

saffron-cardamom-coconut-macaroonsNonstick cooking spray
1 (14-ounce) package shredded sweetened coconut
10 ounces sweetened condensed milk from a 14-ounce can (about a scant cup)
1-1/2 teaspoons ground green cardamom
1 teaspoon saffron threads, crushed
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
2 large egg whites

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Line 2 sheet pans with parchment paper. Lightly spray with nonstick spray.

Combine coconut, condensed milk, cardamom, saffron and salt in a large bowl. (It will form a mixture that is not like typical cookie dough.  But once the egg whites are folded in, the mixture will stay together during baking.)

Place egg whites in a large bowl. Beat with a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment until stiff peaks form (do not overbeat). Gently fold whipped egg whites into coconut mixture. Using a spoon, mold the mixture into tablespoon-size balls and place 1 inch apart on the prepared pans.

Bake at 350 F for 14-16 minutes or until the exterior is very slightly brown, the middle is still soft and the bottoms begin to turn golden brown. Remove from oven.  Allow to cool for 20 minutes on the baking sheets as they will be too fragile to move when hot. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to a week.

Yields about 3 dozen macaroons

Cardamom Gingersnap Cookies

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Inspired by Monica Bhide’s suggestion, we’ve updated traditional gingersnaps with the addition of freshly ground green cardamom for a sweet pungency that underscores the warmth of the ginger. We also use maple syrup instead of traditional, stronger-flavored molasses so the spices can really shine. And for deeper flavor, I’ll use our DIY Ghee instead of regular butter.  A 2-teaspoon cookie scoop is ideal to portion out the dough. Gently flattening the dough with the bottom of a sugar-dipped glass gives them a uniform shape and lends a pretty sparkle to the finished cookies. Or, if you like your gingersnaps thin and crispy, roll the dough to a 1/8-inch thickness and cut it out with a cookie cutter for a spicy spin on traditional sugar cookies. When rolling the dough out, I find it helpful to roll it between two sheets of parchment or waxed paper and chill it for 15 minutes before cutting out shapes. This makes it easier to remove the paper and to cut the cookies cleanly.

cardamom-gingersnap-cookies-recipe1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground green cardamom
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
6 tablespoons (3 ounces) butter OR DIY Ghee, softened
1/2 cup sugar, plus additional for shaping cookies
1/3 cup maple syrup
1 tablespoon water
Turbinado sugar, for sprinkling (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Whisk together the first 6 ingredients; set aside.

Place butter and 1/2 cup sugar in a large bowl. Beat with a mixer until thoroughly combined. Add maple syrup and water; beat until thoroughly combined. Beat in flour mixture. Chill dough for 15 minutes.

Drop dough in 2-teaspoonful mounds onto 2 cookie sheets lined with parchment paper. Place about 1/4 cup sugar in a shallow bowl. Dip the bottom of a small glass into regular or turbinado sugar, and use the bottom of the glass to gently flatten each cookis to a 2-inch diameter. (Continue dipping the glass into the sugar as needed to prevent it from sticking to the cookies.) (Or roll dough to 1/8-inch thickness between 2 sheets of parchment or waxed paper, chill 15 minutes, and use a 2-inch cookie cutter to cut out cookies. Then sprinkle cookies with regular or turbinado sugar.)

Bake at 375 F for 12-14 minutes or until light golden-brown. Cool on pans for 2 minutes. Remove from pans and cool completely on a wire rack.

Yields 18 cookies

Dark Molasses Cranberry Granola

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This double batch of spiced mahogany granola is good enough to eat on its own. To turn it into home-cooked gifts, simply package it in paper coffee sacks and a bit of ribbon. For more easy gift ideas, check out our 6 Homemade Spice Blends. We’ve got savory, spicy and sweet options, so there’s something for everyone on your list!

1/2 cup honey
6 tablespoons maple syrup
6 tablespoons molasses
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup canola oil
4 cups rolled oats
2 cups sliced almonds
1 cup raw sunflower seeds
1-1/2 cups sweetened dried cranberries
1/4 cup diced crystallized ginger

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Grease 2 rimmed baking sheets.

Combine first 9 ingredients in a large bowl. Stir until thoroughly mixed. Add oats, almonds and sunflower seeds, tossing to combine.

 Divide mixture evenly between baking sheets and place in oven on two centermost racks. Bake 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes and rotating pans between racks. Remove from oven and toss with cranberries and crystallized ginger. Granola will dry as it cools. Once cool, store in an airtight bags or containers. Keeps for several weeks.

Makes about 10 cups

Buffalo (Bison) Carbonnade

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Carbonnade is the Belgian version of French boeuf bourguignonne, only the meat is braised in dark ale instead of red wine. Chimay — a Belgian ale made by Trappist monks — is traditional in this dish. But you can experiment with other types of ale or even stout (a commenter below asks about using Guinness, which is ideal, and I’ve even used chocolate stout with nice results). Our interpretation uses bison (buffalo) stew meat, which you can find online and in many health-food stores. Ounce, for ounce, it has about 20% fewer calories and half the fat of beef. Grass-fed beef stew meat also works well here. Serve over egg noodles or our Celery Root, Potato and Apple Mash.

buffalo-bison-carbonnade2-3 tablespoons canola oil, divided
1-1/2 pounds bison (buffalo) stew meat, cut into 1-1/2 cubes
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 medium onion, thinly vertically sliced
2 cups dark ale (such as Chimay Bleu)*
1 cup beef stock
1-1/2 teaspoons brown sugar
2 thyme sprigs
1 bay leaf
Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, for garnish

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.

Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat and swirl in 1 tablespoon oil. Pat meat dry with a paper towel, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place flour in a shallow bowl and dredge meat in flour, shaking off excess. Add meat to pan and cook 4-5 minutes, turning to brown on all sides. (Brown the meat in batches, using extra oil as needed, so you don’t overcrowd the pan.) Remove meat from pan.

Swirl another tablespoon of oil into the pan. Add onion and saute 5 minutes or until tender. Add ale to pan and scrape the bottom of the pan to loosen any browned bits. Cook 2 minutes or until until ale is reduced by half. Return beef to pan. Add stock. Stir in sugar. Add thyme sprigs and bay leaf. Bring to a boil. Cover and place in the oven for 2 hours and 15 minutes or until meat is fork-tender. Discard thyme sprigs and bay leaf. Adjust seasoning. Garnish with chopped parsley.

Serves 6

*Belgian ales like Chimay typically come in large, 750-ml bottles. If you substitute a dark ale sold in standard 12-ounce bottles, just use 1 bottle in this recipe and increase the stock to 1-1/2 cups.

Pea Soup with Spanish Chorizo & Sherry Vinegar

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This spicy play on pea soup is weeknight-friendly, thanks to split peas, which you don’t need to soak, and a pressure cooker. You also can cook this in a large saucepan or Dutch oven, but you’ll need to simmer the soup for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until the peas are completely tender. Serve this thick and hearty pea soup with crusty bread. Note: This recipe calls for dry-cured Spanish chorizo, not fresh Mexican chorizo. If you can’t find Spanish chorizo, substitute another type of spicy dry-cured pork sausage, such as pepperoni, linguisa or even kielbasa. To move this along, you can chop the onion and garlic while the chorizo renders its fat. Leftovers are terrific for lunch or dinner another night; the soup thickens as it cools, so just stir in more stock or water to achieve your desired consistency.

pea-soup-spanish-chorizo4 ounces Spanish chorizo, diced
1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups chicken stock
1 pound split peas
3 cups water
1 teaspoon dried thyme
Sea salt and black pepper, to taste
Sherry vinegar, for drizzling (you can substitute red wine vinegar)
Chopped flat-leaf parsley, for garnish

Add chorizo to cooker. Turn heat on to medium-low, and cook 7 minutes or until chorizo renders its fat, stirring occasionally. Use a slotted spoon to remove chorizo from cooker, leaving the drippings in the cooker. Drain chorizo on a paper towel.

Add onion to drippings in cooker. Cook 3 minutes or until tender. Add garlic; cook 30 seconds or until fragrant. Add chicken stock to cooker, scraping bottom of cooker to loosen any browned bits. Add peas, water and thyme. Lock lid in place, and bring to high pressure over high heat. Reduce heat, and cook 30 minutes or until peas are very tender. Release pressure using automatic pressure release OR carefully transfer cooker to skin and run cool water over rim until pressure drops. Remove lid, tilting it away from you, to allow steam to escape.

Stir in salt and black pepper to taste. The soup will have a hearty rustic texture. If you prefer a smoother consistency, use an immersion blender to puree soup to desired texture (or transfer soup in batches to a food processor or blender). Stir in chorizo. Ladle soup into bowls. Drizzle each serving with a splash of vinegar and sprinkle with parsley.

Serves 6-8

Pumpkin-Oat Bread with Golden Raisins and Walnuts

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This quick bread uses several of the nourishing nonperishables–canned pumpkin, oats, walnuts and whole-grain flour–that Ruthi Solari of SuperFood Drive encourages people to donate to food banks. Enjoy this anytime of day–for breakfast, an afternoon snack or even dessert. It’s also nice baked as muffins or into little 5 x 2-1/2-inch loaves to give as gifts. (Use the leftover pumpkin to make a batch of our Pumpkin Spice Oatmeal with Toasted Pecans.)

pumpkin-oat-bread3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup rolled (a k a old-fashioned) oats
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1-1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 cup canola oil
1 tablespoon maple syrup
2 large eggs
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup golden raisins
Nonstick cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine first 7 ingredients in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients.

Combine sugars, pumpkin puree, oil, maple syrup and eggs in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk until thoroughly combined. Add liquid ingredients to dry ingredients, stirring with a spoon just until combined (don’t overmix or your bread will turn out tough). Gently fold in nuts and raisins. Scrape batter into a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Bake for 60-70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan 5 minutes. Remove loaf from pan, and cool completely on a wire rack.

Serves 12

Root Veggie Latkes

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Who says Hanukkah latkes have to be made with potatoes? A trio of root veggies — carrots, parsnips and golden beets — lend our latkes a golden hue and a touch of sweetness while exotic spices add a bit of heat.

[amd-zlrecipe-recipe:185]

Millet-Stuffed Kabocha Squash with Indian Spices

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Millet is a gluten-free whole grain that soaks up flavors something fierce — in this case, the heady mix of Indian spices that pair so beautifully with Kabocha squash.

[amd-zlrecipe-recipe:189]

Turkey Enchilada Verde Casserole

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I made a batch of Lia’s Roasted Tomatillo and Chile Sauce to use in this enchilada casserole (OK, a Mexican lasagna, really), though you could substitute your favorite jarred salsa verde. We call for cooked, shredded or diced turkey as a way to use up those Thanksgiving leftovers, but this would also work wonderfully with chicken, shredded pork or even diced firm tofu. Serve with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkling of cilantro.

turkey enchilada verde casserole1 recipe Roasted Tomatillo and Chile Sauce OR 2 cups jarred salsa verde
Nonstick cooking spray
12-15 (6-inch) corn tortillas
3/4 pound finely shredded or diced cooked turkey (about 3 cups)
1 cup fresh corn (about 1 ear)
1-1/4 cups (5 ounces) shredded queso panela OR Monterey Jack cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Spread 1/2 cup sauce in the bottom of a 3-quart casserole dish coated with cooking spray. Top with 4 tortillas, and trim 1 tortilla as needed to fill in any gaps. Top with 1/2 cup sauce, half the turkey, half the corn and 1/3 cup cheese. Top with 4 tortillas, and trim 1 tortilla as needed to fill in any gaps. Top with 1/2 cup sauce, remaining turkey, remaining corn and 1/3 cup cheese. Top with  4 tortillas, trimming an extra tortilla as needed to fill any gaps. Top with remaining sauce and cheese.  Cover and bake at 400 F for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 10 minutes or until hot and tortillas are golden brown around the edges. Let stand 5-10 minutes before slicing.

Serves 6-8

Cream of Mushroom Soup with Chanterelles

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This mushroom soup employs an old restaurant strategy of using affordable button or cremini mushrooms, for the base, then garnishing with more expensive fungi. You can cook the soup, cool to room temperature and refrigerate the base and mushrooms for garnish in separate containers. Gently warm it up over medium-low heat. Serve in little teacups, demitasse cups or even shooters. This is lovely with Manchego and Nutmeg Gougeres.

cream-of-mushroom-soup-chanterelles1 ounce dried mushrooms (such as chanterelles, porcini, oysters or a mix)
1-1/2 cups chicken stock
1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
sea salt to taste
8 ounces fresh cremini or button mushrooms, chopped
1/2 cup finely chopped shallot
Freshly ground black pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 cup sherry
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

Place dried mushrooms in a medium bowl. Cover with 2 cups hot water, and let stand 30 minutes. Drain mushrooms, reserving soaking liquid. Combine soaking liquid and stock in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and keep warm (do not boil).

Heat a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add 1-1/2 teaspoons oil to pan. Add rehydrated mushrooms. Sprinkle with salt and cook 2-4 minutes or until mushrooms are tender, stirring frequently. Transfer mushrooms to a bowl. Set aside approximately 1/2 cup of the prettiest specimens to use for garnish.

Heat remaining 1-1/2 teaspoons oil in pan. Add fresh mushrooms and shallot. Sprinkle with salt and pepper; cook 2-4 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently. Add garlic; cook 30 seconds or until fragrant. Increase heat to medium-high, and stir in the sherry. Simmer 3 minutes or until liquid is reduced by half. Whisk flour into stock mixture. Stir stock mixture into mushroom mixture, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 30 minutes. Add reserved rehydrated mushrooms (except the ones you’re using for garnish). Puree soup in a blender or food processor until smooth (or use an immersion blender to puree it in the pot). Stir in cream and adjust seasoning as needed. Ladle soup into cups and garnish with reserved rehydrated mushrooms.

Yields about 4 cups; serves 6-8