Elite life
Vatican City State (Vatican Recipes)
Servings: 4
Ingredients:
1/3 cup barbecue sauce
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1 canned chipotle chile in adobo, optional
2 pounds leftover
Barbecued or plain grilled chicken
1 small red onion
1 red bell pepper
1/2 cup fresh cilantro sprigs
Cooking Instructions:
In a large bowl whisk together barbecue sauce and mayonnaise. Wearing rubber gloves, finely chop chipotle and whisk into dressing. Discard bones from chicken and cut meat into 1/2-inch pieces. Finely chop enough onion to measure 1/3 cup. Finely chop bell pepper and cilantro separately and add to dressing with chicken and onion, stirring to combine well. Season salad with salt and pepper.
Ingredients:
2 15-ounce cans black beans, rinsed, drained
3/4 cup tahini (sesame seed paste)*
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup (packed) chopped fresh cilantro
4 green onions, sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Pita bread rounds, cut into triangles
Cooking Instructions:
Combine first 9 ingredients in processor until smooth. Season hummus to taste with salt and pepper. Spoon hummus into bowl. Serve with pita triangles. Makes 3 1/2 cups.
Servings: 4
Ingredients:
Roasted Lemons:
12 thin lemon slices (from 2 lemons)
Olive oil
Chicken:
4 large skinless boneless chicken breast halves
All purpose flour
5 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup sliced pitted green Sicilian olives or other brine-cured green olives
2 tablespoons drained capers
1 1/2 cups chicken stock or canned low-salt chicken broth
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, cut into 4 pieces
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Cooking Instructions:
For roasted lemons: Preheat oven to 325°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange lemon slices in single layer on prepared sheet. Brush lemon slices with olive oil; sprinkle lightly with salt. Roast until slightly dry and beginning to brown around edges, about 25 minutes.
For chicken: Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Dredge chicken in flour to coat both sides; shake off excess. Heat 5 tablespoons oil in heavy large skillet over high heat. Add chicken and cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side. Stir in olives and capers. Add stock and bring to boil, scraping up browned bits from bottom of skillet. Boil until liquid is reduced to syrup consistency, turning chicken over after 3 minutes, about 5 minutes. Add butter, roasted lemon slices, and 2 tablespoons parsley; simmer until butter melts and chicken is cooked through, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to platter. Sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon parsley.
Serving: 1
Ingredients:
2 slices rye bread or pumpernickel
2 teaspoons butter, at room temperature
2 tablespoons Reuben's Russian Dressing
1/4 cup well-drained, fresh-style sauerkraut
2 ounces thinly sliced Gruyère or Switzerland Swiss cheese
1/4 pound thinly sliced corned beef
Cooking Instructions:
Butter each slice of bread evenly to the edges on one side. Place one slice, buttered side down, in a small cold skillet: Build the sandwich in the skillet you'll grill it in. Spread 1 tablespoon of the Russian dressing on the face-up, dry side of the bread. Then put on the sauerkraut, spreading it evenly. Arrange the cheese in an even layer over the sauerkraut, then do the same with the corned beef. Spread another 1 tablespoon Russian dressing on the dry side of the second slice of bread and place it, dressing side down, buttered side up, over the corned beef. Place the skillet over medium-low heat and grill the sandwich slowly, pressing down on it a few times with a wide metal spatula. Grill until the bread is browned and crisped, then turn the sandwich over with the help of the spatula. Now weight the sandwich down by placing a plate (or another small skillet) over the sandwich, then adding on a weight, such as a 28-ounce can of tomatoes. Grill until the second side has browned and crisped, then flip the sandwich over one more time to briefly reheat the other side. Serve immediately.
Servings: 6
Ingredients:
For Port reduction:
2 cups Ruby Port (500 ml)
1/2 cup superfine granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns
2 fresh mint leaves, torn into bits
For scallops:
6 thin crosswise slices applewood-smoked bacon (1/4 lb), cut into thirds
18 bay scallops (preferably Nantucket; 1/3 lb), tough muscle from side of each discarded if attached
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Special equipment: wooden picks
Cooking Instructions:
Make Port reduction: Bring Port, superfine sugar, peppercorns, and mint to a simmer in a 2-quart saucepan over moderately low heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat, then carefully ignite Port with a kitchen match, letting flames die down (this will take a few minutes). Simmer over moderately low heat until sauce is thickened and reduced to about 1/2 cup, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and cool to warm.
Cook scallops: Heat a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, then cook bacon until some fat has rendered and edges of bacon start to brown, about 1 1/2 minutes per side. Transfer bacon to paper towels to drain.
Pat scallops dry and season with salt and pepper. When bacon is cool enough to handle, wrap a piece of bacon around each scallop and pierce scallop with a wooden pick to secure. Heat oil and butter in cleaned skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté scallops, turning over once, until bacon is browned and scallops are opaque, about 5 minutes total. Transfer to a plate and serve with Port reduction for dipping.
Servings: 6
Ingredients:
1 heavy coconut (without any cracks and containing liquid)
3 garlic cloves
1 small onion, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced lengthwise
2 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon cumin seeds, ground in an electric coffee/spice grinder
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 (4-inch) fresh red chile, halved lengthwise, keeping stem intact
1 large head cauliflower (2 1/2 lb), cut into 1-inch-wide florets
1/2 lb medium shrimp (31 to 35 per lb), peeled
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 (1-inch) piece tamarind from a pliable block
1 (13- to 14-oz) can unsweetened coconut milk
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
Accompaniment: steamed basmati rice
Cooking Instructions:
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 400°F. Pierce softest eye of coconut with a metal skewer or small screwdriver and drain liquid. Bake coconut 15 minutes. Break shell with a hammer or back of a heavy cleaver and remove flesh, prying it out carefully with tip of a flat-head screwdriver. Remove brown membrane with a sharp paring knife or vegetable peeler. Coarsely chop one third of coconut (reserve remainder for another use) and finely grind in a blender. Measure out 1/2 cup ground coconut (reserve remainder for another use) and purée with garlic, half of onion, and 1/2 cup water in blender until a paste forms. Cook remaining onion in oil in a wide 4- to 5-quart heavy pot over moderate heat, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add coconut paste, cumin, turmeric, and chile and cook at a bare simmer (do not let boil), stirring, 3 minutes. Stir in 2 cups water and cook at a bare simmer (do not let boil), uncovered, 15 minutes. Add cauliflower and cook at a bare simmer (do not let boil), uncovered, stirring occasionally, until just tender, 15 to 20 minutes. While cauliflower cooks, toss shrimp with 1/2 teaspoon salt in a small bowl. Gently mash tamarind pulp with remaining 2 tablespoons water in another small bowl until pulp is softened. Force pulp through a sieve into a bowl, discarding seeds and thick fibers. Pat shrimp dry and stir into cauliflower along with tamarind, canned coconut milk, and vinegar. Bring to a bare simmer (do not let boil) and cook until shrimp are just cooked through, about 3 minutes. Stir in remaining teaspoon salt.
Servings: 6-8
Ingredients:
4 lb boneless country-style pork ribs
1 large onion, finely chopped (2 cups)
4 garlic cloves, minced (2 tablespoons)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups ketchup (12 oz)
2/3 cup honey
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
6 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from 2 lemons)
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon dry mustard
2 teaspoons drained bottled horseradish
1 teaspoon black pepper
Cooking Instructions:
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Put ribs in a 6- to 8-quart pot and cover with water by two inches. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, skimming froth, 30 minutes. Meanwhile, cook onion and garlic in oil in a 3- to 4-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until onion is tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in remaining ingredients and simmer, stirring occasionally, 15 minutes. Drain pork in a colander and pat dry, then arrange in 1 layer using tongs in a 13- by 9-inch baking dish. Pour sauce over pork to coat evenly, then cover dish tightly with foil. Bake 1 hour, then remove foil and carefully turn pork over with tongs and cook, uncovered, until very tender, about 30 minutes. Skim fat from sauce if desired.
Servings: 4-6
Ingredients:
1/4 cup olive oil
4 pounds pork spareribs, cut into individual ribs
1 pound onions, thinly sliced
10 large garlic cloves, chopped
8 cherry peppers from jar, drained, seeded, chopped
3/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
3 28-ounce cans Italian-style tomatoes in juice
1 cup canned low-salt chicken broth
1 cup dry white wine
4 large fresh thyme sprigs
2 bay leaves
1 pound rigatoni
1 1/2 cups freshly grated Parmesan
1/3 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
Cooking Instructions:
Heat oil in heavy large pot over high heat. Sprinkle spareribs with salt and pepper. Working in batches, add ribs to pot and brown on all sides, about 6 minutes. Transfer ribs to bowl. Add onions, garlic, cherry peppers and crushed red pepper to pot. Sauté until onions just begin to brown, about 10 minutes. Add tomatoes with their juices. Using back of fork or potato masher, coarsely crush tomatoes. Return spareribs and juices to pot. Add broth, wine, thyme and bay leaves and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium- low. Simmer uncovered until spareribs are very tender and sauce thickens, stirring occasionally, about 2 hours. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Cool slightly. Refrigerate until cold, then cover and keep chilled. Remove chilled fat from top of sauce, if desired. Rewarm before continuing). Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite. Drain and return pasta to same pot. Add cheese, parsley and some sauce from spareribs and toss to coat. Transfer pasta to large bowl. Top with spareribs and remaining sauce and serve.
Servings: 6
Ingredients:
1/2 vanilla bean, halved lengthwise
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup sugar
4 1/2 oz Valrhona bittersweet chocolate (61%), finely chopped
5 large egg yolks
Special equipment: 6 (4-oz) ramekins
Cooking Instructions:
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 275°F. Scrape seeds from vanilla bean into a 2- to 3-quart heavy saucepan with tip of a paring knife, then add pod, milk, cream, and sugar and bring just to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Add chocolate and cook over moderately high heat, stirring gently with a whisk, until chocolate is melted and mixture just boils. Remove from heat. Pour mixture into a metal bowl. Set bowl in a larger bowl of ice and cold water and cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Whisk in yolks, then pour through a fine-mesh sieve into a 1-quart measure, discarding pod and any other solids. Divide mixture among ramekins. Bake in a water bath until puddings are just set around edge but centers wobble when ramekins are gently shaken, about 1 hour. Cool puddings in water bath 1 hour, then remove from water and chill, uncovered, until cold, at least 1 hour.
Servings: 6
Ingredients:
6 large egg yolks
7 tablespoons sugar
2 1/4 cups whipping cream
2 tablespoons Grand Marnier or other orange liqueur
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 tablespoons (packed) golden brown sugar
Cooking Instructions:
Preheat oven to 325°F. Whisk yolks and 7 tablespoons sugar in medium bowl until thick and pale yellow, about 2 minutes. Bring cream to simmer in heavy small saucepan. Gradually whisk hot cream into yolk mixture. Whisk in Grand Marnier and vanilla; divide custard among six 3/4-cup custard cups. Arrange cups in 13x9x2-inch metal pan. Pour enough hot water into pan to come halfway up sides of cups. Bake custards until gently set in center, about 25 minutes. Remove cups from water and refrigerate uncovered until cold, at least 3 hours. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and keep chilled). Preheat broiler. Place custards on baking sheet. Sprinkle 1/2 tablespoon brown sugar onto each. Broil until sugar starts to bubble and color, turning sheet often to prevent burning, about 2 minutes. Chill until topping is hard and brittle, at least 1 hour and up to 6 hours.
Servings: 6
Ingredients:
Crust:
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably Dutch process)
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 large egg yolk
Filling:
3 1/2 ounces high-quality milk chocolate (such as Lindt
or Perugina), chopped
2 cups heavy whipping cream, divided
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons water
For dusting:
Unsweetened cocoa powder
Cooking Instructions:
Make crust: Whisk flour and cocoa in medium bowl. Beat butter and powdered sugar in another medium bowl until well blended. Beat in yolk. Add flour mixture in 2 additions, beating just until blended. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate 2 hours. Divide dough into 6 equal pieces. Press each onto bottom and up sides of 4 1/2-inch-diameter tartlet pan with removable bottom. Refrigerate crusts 1 hour or freeze 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 375°F. Bake cold crusts until set and dry-looking, about 12 minutes, pressing with back of spoon if bubbles form. Cool crusts in pans.
Make filling: Place milk chocolate in medium bowl. Bring 1 1/2 cups cream to simmer in small saucepan. Pour hot cream over chocolate; let stand 1 minute, then whisk until melted and smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold, at least 4 hours or overnight.
Combine remaining 1/2 cup cream and butter in small saucepan and stir over medium heat until butter melts; remove from heat. Combine sugar and 3 tablespoons water in heavy small saucepan. Stir over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and boil without stirring until color is deep amber, occasionally brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush and swirling pan, about 8 minutes. Immediately add hot cream-butter mixture (mixture will bubble vigorously). Remove from heat and stir until any caramel bits dissolve. Transfer caramel to small bowl and chill until slightly firm (semi-soft), stirring often, about 40 minutes. Spoon caramel into center of baked crusts (about 2 generous tablespoons for each crust). Set aside. Using electric mixer, beat chilled milk chocolate-cream mixture until peaks form; spoon atop caramel in crusts, dividing equally (about 1/2 cup for each crust) and spreading evenly. Chill at least 2 hours. Remove tartlets from pans. Lightly sift cocoa powder over tartlets and serve.
Servings: 8
Ingredients:
10 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
5 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter
1 tablespoon dark rum
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 large eggs, separated
Pinch of cream of tartar
Powdered sugar
Cooking Instructions:
Combine first 7 ingredients in heavy medium saucepan. Stir over low heat until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat; cool to lukewarm. (Chocolate base can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; chill. Stir over low heat just until lukewarm before continuing). Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter eight 3/4-cup ramekins or custard cups and coat insides with sugar. Whisk egg yolks into lukewarm chocolate base. Using electric mixer, beat egg whites and cream of tartar in large bowl until soft peaks form. Fold whites into chocolate base in 3 additions. Divide soufflé mixture among prepared ramekins; place on baking sheet. Bake soufflés until puffed but still moist in center, about 15 minutes. Sift powdered sugar over soufflés and serve immediately.
