Ginger Syrup

Ginger Syrup from "Gifted" by Mags Kandis

3 cups Water
2 cups Sugar
6oz fresh chopped unpeeled ginger

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Simmer about 20-30min until reduced by about half. Remove from heat and let cool. Strain into bottle and refrigerate until ready to give.

Suggestions:
Add 1-2 tsp to hot or cold tea.

Add 1 Tbsp to tall glass filled with Ice and add club soda to make ginger ale.

Keep Syrup Refrigerated

Tomato Jam

Tomato Jam
from "Gifted" by Mags Kandis

3lb ripe red tomatoes (Roma works well), cored, seeded, and coarsely chopped.
2 cups white sugar
2 good size limes, freshly squeezed
3" piece of ginger, peeled and grated or minced
1 Tbsp ground cumin
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
2 good sized jalapenos seeded and minced

Combine everything in a medium size saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring often. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered stirring occasionally for 1 1/4-1 1/2 hours until sauce has consistency of thick jam. Taste and adjust seasoning, then cool and refrigerate until using.

Suggestions: With Indian type foods, with creamcheese topped crackers or swirled in bowl of tomato soup.

Will keep refrigerated 2-3 weeks.

Vanilla Sugar

Vanilla Sugar
from "Gifted" by Mags Kandis

1 vanilla bean, cut into 1in pieces
3 cups extra fine sugar

Add vanilla bean pieces to the sugar. Cover and let sit for 2 weeks before using. Do not remove vanilla bean pieces. Store in Airtight container.

Suggestions: Serve with strawberries. Use in Darjeeling Tea. Sprinkle on Crepes.

Lamb and Prune Meatballs

Lamb and Prune Meatballs
From "Chocolate and Zucchini" by Clotilde Dusoulier

1lb ground lamb meat (preferably from shoulder)
12 good quality prunes pitted and finely chopped
2 small shallots finely chopped
1 clove garlic finely chopped
1/4 cup (packed) flat leaf parsley finely chopped
1 Tbsp (packed) freshly grated and minced orange zest. About 2 oranges worth.
1/4 tsp allspice
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 Tbsp + 1tsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

In medium bowl combine meat, prunes, shallots, garlic, parsley, zest, spices, egg, and 1 Tbps of the olive oil. (Aka everything, it looks like) Mix well and refrigerate at least 10 minutes or up to 8 hours.

Scoop out rounded Tbsps of meat and roll into balls. Heat the 1 tsp of olive oil in a nonstick frying pan over medium heat. Add the meatballs but don't crowd them in. Cook rolling them around occasionally for 8-10 minutes until browned all over. Put them aside and cover with foil while you cook up the rest of them. When that's done put them all in the same pan, cover, and let them heat for 2 more minutes so they're all hot. Now they're done. Serve with Couscous and greek yogurt.

You can also just make 4-6 patties instead.

Flemish Carbonades (Beef Stew)

Flemish Carbonades
From "Chocolate and Zucchini" by Clotilde Dusoulier

2 Tbsp unsalted butter
3 1/2 lbs well trimmed boneless beef chuck in 1in slices
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
3 Tbsp flour
2 lbs yellow onions sliced
3 cups (24oz or 2 bottles) rich amber ale
3 Tbsp light brown sugar
1 Tbsp fresh Thyme or 1 1/2 tsp dried
2 bay leaves
3 whole cloves
2 slices of day old peasant type bread (not sourdough) 1/2in thick
2 Tbps strong dijon mustard

Melt butter in large heavy pot on medium heat. Add half the meat in a single layer and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side until browned. Transfer to a plate and brown the rest of the meat. Return all the meat to the pot and sprinkle with salt, pepper and flour. Stir to coat. Add the onions and stir. Cook for 5 minutes stirring regularly.

Pour in 1 cup warm water and stir to deglaze. Pour in the beer and 1 more cup of water, stir and bring to a simmer.

Add the sugar, thyme, bay leaves, and cloves. Lower the heat to medium low, cover and simmer for 2 /12 hours stirring every once in a while. After 1 hour spread the mustard on the bread slices and drop them in, they should dissolve eventually.

Uncover and turn up the heat to medium high. Cook for 20 minutes more, stirring regularly until sauce is thick enough to cling a bit to the meat. Serve with potatoes. You can make the stew a day ahead, just skim off the fat and re-heat over gentle heat.

Apple Cake

Le Gateau De Mamy (Grandmothers Apple Cake)
From "Chocolate and Zucchini" by Clotilde Dusoulier

1/2 cup + 1 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 lb baking apples (about 2)
3/4 cup sugar
2 large eggs

Preheat oven to 350f. Melt butter in microwave or saucepan. Use 1 Tbsp to grease an 8in round cake pan. Combine flour baking powder and salt in small bowl. Wash peel and core the apples. Cut in eighths and arrange over bottom of pan.

In medium bowl whisk eggs and sugar until fluffy. Add the flour mix and whisk until combined. Add the melted butter and whisk some more. Pour the batter over the apples and bake for 40min until top is set and golden brown.

Cool on rack for 10min, then run a knife around the edge to loosen and flip the cake onto a plate. Flip onto your serving plate let cool a little and serve room temp.

You can make the cake with other fruit too.

Eta: I tried this on October 1st. Instead of apples I ended up using the lonely nectarines that have been lurking in the back of the fridge for a long time. Cooked it in the big sturdy pie-plate :) It reminds me a lot of the apple oven pancakes I used to make. Fairly dense, and a bit eggy. Eleanor really liked it (it reminded her of the cakes her grandmother used to make), and everyone ate it up so I will call it a success!

Honey Spice Loaf

Honey Spice Loaf
From "Chocolate and Zucchini" by Clotilde Dusoulier

2 tsp veg oil to grease the pan
1 1/2 cup milk
2/3 cup honey (grease the measuring cup first to help it out)
1/3 cup mild flavored dark molasses
1 cup flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp each ground cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and ginger
1/4 cup finely diced candied ginger or candied orange peel or a little bit of both (optional)

Preheat oven to 350f. Oil bottom and sides of 9x5in loaf pan and line bottom with parchment paper. Combine milk, honey, and molasses in small saucepan over medium heat. Heat without boiling stirring with spatula until all dissolved. Set aside and let cool.

In large bowl combine flours, baking soda and powder, salt and spices. In a small bowl combine ginger and/or orange peel with 2 tsp of flour mix and set aside.

Form a well in center of flour and pour in the milk slowly whisking in a circular motion starting from center until all the flour has been incorporated. The Batter will be thin. Fold in the ginger/orange. Pour into the loaf pan and bake for 40-50min until browned and tester comes out clean. Cool on rack for 20 minutes. Run knife around sides and unmold. Cool completely, wrap in foil and let rest until next day

Yogurt Cake

Yogurt Cake
From "Chocolate and Zucchini" by Clotilde Dusoulier

1/3 cup veg oil + 1tsp to grease pan
1 cup plain yogurt
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 Tbsp light or amber rum
1 2/3 cup flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
pinch of sea salt

Heat oven to 350f. Oil sides of 10in round cake pan or springform and line bottom with parchment. In large bowl whisk together yogurt and sugar. Add eggs one by one beating well after each addition. Add vanilla, oil, and rum. Whisk. In another bowl sift together flour, baking powder and soda, and salt. Pour into wet ingredients and stir until combined. Pour into cake pan and bake 35-40 minutes until golden brown and tester comes out clean. Cool on rack for 10 minutes. Run knife around edge to loosen and unmold.

Nectarine, Peach, and Ginger Tart

Nectarine, Peach, and Ginger Tart
From "Chocolate and Zucchini" by Clotilde Dusoulier

For Pate Sablee

1in knob of fresh ginger
1/3 cup sugar
1 cup + 2 Tbsp flour
1/4 tsp salt
7 Tbsp chilled unsalted butter + a pat for the pan
1-2 Tbsp cold milk

For Filling

2 ripe peaches, about 7oz
3 ripe nectarines
2 Tbsp candied ginger diced
2 Tbsp sour cream
1 large egg
1-3 Tbsp light brown sugar

Peel and grate ginger. Prepare the Pate Sablee According to instructions adding ginger pulp and juice at same time as butter.

Grease a 10in tart or quiche pan with butter.

In medium bowl combine sugar, flour, and salt. Add butter and rub it in/ cut it in with a pastry blender until mix resembles a coarse meal. Add Tbsp of milk and blend it in, handling dough as lightly as possible. Dough should be crumbly but should clump if you gently squeeze a handful. If it doesn't add a little more milk, tsp by tsp and blend again still working lightly until right consistency. Pour mix into prepared tart pan and use spoon to spread evenly over bottom. Use heels of hands to press down on dough until the pan is covered with a rim all around. Cover with plastic an refrigerate 30 minutes or up to a day.

Heat oven to 350f bake shell for 15-20 minutes until golden keep an eye on it. Remove and let cool for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile peel peaches core and slice all the fruit about 12 per fruit and drain for 15 min if they are really juicy. In a medium bowl whisk together the cream and egg. Arrange fruit in circular pattern in shell. Pour egg mixture over fruit. Sprinkle with 1-3 Tbsp brown sugar and candied ginger.

Bake 25 minutes until fruit is softened and leave tart in closed oven for another 10 minutes. Cool completely before serving.

Orange Flower Shuttle Cookies

Orange Flower Shuttle Cookies
From "Chocolate and Zucchini" by Clotilde Dusoulier

4 Tbsp (half stick) of unsalted butter at room temp
1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg beaten
3 Tbsp orange flower water (or 3 Tbsp water + 1 Tbsp finely chopped orange zest)
2 cup flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 large egg yolk lightly beaten with 1 Tbsp water

Combine butter and sugar in food processor and process until fluffy. Add the egg and orange flower water mix until well blended. Add flour and salt, mix until smooth. Turn dough onto lightly floured surface gently knead into a ball. If it's too moist add a little more flour, too dry a little ice water 1 tsp at a time. Divide into 2 slightly flattened balls, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for an hour.

Heat oven to 350f and line baking sheet with parchment.

Get one ball and divide it into 8 equal pieces. Roll each into a 3in log. Cut each of these in two. Pinch the ends of each and flatten the top a bit to form a little boat. With the tip of a round ended knife carve a deep slit lengthwise down the center, not quite reaching the other side or ends. Arrange on a baking sheet and brush with egg wash. Bake for 15min until golden and slightly browned at tips. Cool on rack.

Lemon Butter Cookies

Lemon Butter Cookies
From "Chocolate and Zucchini" by Clotilde Dusoulier

1 lemon with its zest
1 cup + 2 Tbsp flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp kosher salt or fluer de sel
7 Tbsp chilled unsalted butter (diced)
1 large egg yolk
1 cup confectioners sugar

In a large bowl combine flour, sugar, salt, and lemon zest. Add the butter and rub in with fingers or pastry cutter. Add the egg yolk and stir until blended. Knead the dough until it forms a ball If too dry add a little icewater 1 tsp at a time, if to wet add a little flour. Divide the dough in 2 and roll each half into a log about 1in diameter. Wrap each in plastic and freeze for 30min.

Heat oven to 350f and line baking sheet with parchment. Remove log of dough from freezer and slice in 1/4in rounds with a sharp knife. Rotate the log a little after each cut to keep things round. Put on the baking sheet keeping 1/2in apart from each other. Bake for 12min until lightly golden at edges. Cool completely before glazing (about an hour).

Squeeze the lemon to get 3 Tbsp of juice. Put the confectioners sugar in a bowl, add the juice and whisk until smooth and syrupy. Use a brush or the back of a spoon to glaze the cookies. Let glaze set for about an hour.

Should make about 40 little cookies.

Spinach and Ginger Soup

Spinach and Ginger Soup (Perfumed with Cloves)
From "At Home with Madhur Jaffrey"

4 cups chicken stock
10oz spinach, well washed and coarsely chopped
1 medium carrot, peeled and cut crossways into thick slices
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
1 large potato, coarsely chopped
1/2-1 hot chili, chopped (1/4 jalapeno)
1in piece of fresh ginger, peeled and very finely chopped
2 whole cloves
10 black peppercorns
Salt
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tsp lemon juice

Pour sauce into a good size pan. Stir in the spinach, carrots, onions, potatoes, chili, ginger, cloves, and peppercorns. Bring to a boil. Cover, turn heat to low and simmer 20min until potatoes are tender. Blend the soup in batches until smooth. Pour back into pan trough a coarse strainer, adding 3/4 tsp salt (more if the stock was unsalted) the 1/2 cup of cream and the lemon juice. Mix and bring to a boil on medium heat stirring and tasting for seasoning. Dribble a little extra cream on each serving if desired.

Pakistani Tandoori Style Fish

Pakistani Tandoori Style Fish
From "At Home with Madhur Jaffrey"

2 tsp grated peeled ginger
1 tsp finely crushed garlic
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4-1/2 tsp cayenne
1 tsp paprika (No to this obviously)
1/2 tsp garam masala
1/4 tsp ground turmeric
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp sugar
3/4 tsp salt
1-1 1/4lb fillet of mackerel cut crossways into 3in pieces.
2 Tbsp oil

In small bowl mix the ginger, garlic, cumin, thyme, pepper, cayenne, garam masala, turmeric, lemon juice, sugar, and salt. Put this paste on both sides of the fish pieces and set aside for 30min. Put 1 Tbsp oil in a nonstick pan over medium-high heat. When hot put in half the fish pieces, flesh side down and cook 2min or until nicely browned. Turn over and brown the skin side for another 2 minutes. Remove to dish and leave in warm place while you cook the rest of the fish.

Serves 2-3