Searching4Zen

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  • Basic Custard Base for Ice Cream

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    This basic custard base is my adaption of the blank slate custard ice cream as proposed by Dana Cree the author of “Hello, My Name is Ice Cream: The Art and Science of the Scoop“. Her book, which I strongly recommend, provides a lot of the science and reasoning as to why this base is […]

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  • Pasta With Blistered Cherry Tomato Sauce

    12 minutes
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    Author’s Notes Cherry tomatoes are almost always sweeter, riper, and higher in pectin than larger tomatoes at the supermarket. All of these factors mean that cherry tomatoes are fantastic for making a rich, thick, flavorful sauce. Even better: It takes only four ingredients and about 10 minutes, start to finish—less time than it takes to […]

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  • Best Summer Tomato Gratin

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    Ingredients 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 6 ounces crusty baguette, cut into ¾ inch cubes (4 cups) 3 garlic cloves, sliced thin 3 pounds tomatoes, cored and cut into 3/4-inch pieces 2 teaspoons sugar 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon pepper 1 ½ ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (¾ cup) 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil Instructions Adjust […]

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  • Pasta and Fresh Tomato Sauce with Chile Pepper and Basil

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    Ingredients 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil ¾ teaspoon red pepper flakes 2 medium cloves garlic, minced or pressed with garlic press 2 pounds ripe tomatoes, cored, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil table salt 1 pound pasta (see note) Instructions Heat 2 tablespoons oil, pepper flakes, and garlic in […]

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  • Pesto alla trapanese (A Sicilian tomato pesto)

    45 minutes
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    Ingredients 400g (½ lb.) ripe, fresh tomatoes 2-3 cloves of garlic A handful of fresh basil A handful of blanched almonds Salt and pepper Olive oil, 100g (4 oz.) grated pecorino cheese 400g (½ lb.) of pasta of your choice Instructions Make your pesto by adding garlic, basil, almond, salt and pepper in the food […]

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  • Apple and Onion Compote

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    This is modified from the Susan Herrmann Loomis cookbook “French Grill”. Ingredients 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, more if needed 1 tablespoon olive oil, more if needed 12 ounces (360 g) onions, brimmed and thinly sliced Fine sea salt 4 medium (about 6 ounces: 180 g) flavorful apples, such as Pink Lady, cored, peeled and cut […]

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  • The Ultimate Grilled Cheese Sandwich

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    This recipe is a combination of many grilled cheese recipes that I have tried and has resulted in the truly ultimate grilled cheese. Clearly cooking the sandwich over a medium low heat (or setting if you are using a panini grill like I do), but also using mayonnaise instead of butter to oil the bread […]

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  • Salmon Burgers

    20 minutes
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    If you finely grind part of the salmon, it will bind the rest, which can be coarsely chopped to retain its moisture during cooking. Some bread crumbs keep the burger from becoming as densely packed as (bad) meatloaf. This approach, along with a few simple seasonings, produce delicious burgers in not much more time than […]

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  • Spaghetti with Garlic & Spinach

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    This easy, five-ingredient dinner is one of those gems to keep handy for weeknights when you have no idea what to make. Quickly cooking the garlic over low heat draws out some of its pungency, leaving behind lots of garlicky taste without the bite. If your garlic has a green sprout growing in the center […]

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  • Garlicky Spaghetti with Lemon and Pine Nuts for Two

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    Author’s Notes The key to a flavor-packed spaghetti made from pantry ingredients is making the most of the garlic. We mince our garlic to make sure that all of it cooks at the same rate. Toasting the garlic over low heat in extra-virgin olive oil ensures that it cooks to a pale golden brown. Any […]

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