Corn Casserole

  • 1 can whole kernel corn, drained
  • 1 can creamed corn
  • 2 eggs beaten
  • 1 stick butter, melted
  • 4 heaping T. all purpose flour
  • 2 T. sugar
  • 1 can diced green chiles
  • 1 C. whole milk
  • 1/2 C. shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1/4 tsp each salt and pepper

Combine all ingredients and pour into a greased casserole dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hr. 20 min.


Corn Cakes

  • 1 1/2 cups (235g) corn flour (see Note, below)
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder (preferably aluminum-free)
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon chile powder or cayenne
  • 4 tablespoons (55g) unsalted butter, at room temperature, cubed
  • 1 cup (250ml) whole or lowfat milk
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 2 ears of fresh corn (2 cups kernels, 300g)
  • optional: a spoonful of freshly chopped chile peppers
  • 2 large eggs, separated
  • 1 large egg white

1. Whisk together the corn flour, baking powder, salt and chile powder in a large bowl.

2. In a small saucepan, heat the butter with the milk and honey, until the butter is melted. Set aside until tepid, then make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and stir in the milk mixture, the 2 egg yolks, the corn, and the chopped chile, if using.

3. In a clean, dry bowl, beat the 3 egg whites until stiff and they hold their shape, then fold them completely into the corn mixture.

4. Heat some butter in a skillet. When hot, spoon batter in mounds into the pan, spaced apart – making as many as will comfortably fit in the pan. (I used a spring-loaded ice cream scoop, which holds about 1/4 cup, 60ml, of batter. You can use a large spoon if you wish.) Flatten them slightly if the batter is too rounded.

5. Let the corn cakes cook until browned on the bottom and starting to bubble around the edges. Flip the corn cakes with a spatula and cook on the other side for about a minute, until lightly browned on the reverse side.


Cranberry Orange Sauce

  • 12 oz cranberries
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup fresh orange juice
  • 1 jar Trader Joe’s Mandarin Oranges, drained
  • 3/4 cup chopped walnuts

Combine first 4 ingredients in medium saucepan; bring to boil over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Cook until cranberries are tender and mixture thickens, stirring occasionally, about 12 minutes. Remove from heat. Mix in orange pieces and walnuts. Transfer to bowl. Cover and chill


Cranberry Cherry Sauce

  • 2 1/2 cups Cherry Cider
  • 1 8-ounce package Montmorency Cherries
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 12-ounce package cranberries
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

Bring cider to simmer in large saucepan. Add cherries. Mix in sugar, then cranberries and cloves. Cook over medium-high heat until cranberries burst, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Refrigerate until cold. (Sauce will thicken as it cools.)


Apple Cranberry Sauce

  • 1 12-ounce bag cranberries
  • 1 3/4 cups apple cider
  • 3/4 cup honey
  • 2 cinnamon sticks, broken in half
  • 1 tablespoon grated orange peel
  • ¼ tsp cloves
  • Pinch of salt

Combine all ingredients in heavy large saucepan. Bring to boil over medium heat. Simmer until berries burst and sauce thickens, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Remove cinnamon sticks. Refrigerate sauce until cold.


Maple Cranberry Sauce

  • 2 12-ounce packages fresh cranberries
  • 1 1/2 cups pure maple syrup
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Combine all ingredients in heavy large saucepan. Bring to boil, stirring often. Reduce heat to medium; simmer until cranberries pop, stirring often, about 12 minutes. Transfer to bowl. Cool completely. (Can be made 5 days ahead. Cover; chill.)


Triple Cranberry Sauce

  • 1 cup 100% Cranberry Juice
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 1 12-ounce package cranberries
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries (about 2 ounces)
  • 3 tablespoons orange marmalade
  • 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
  • 2 teaspoons minced orange peel
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

Combine cranberry juice and sugar in medium saucepan. Bring to boil over high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Add fresh and dried cranberries and cook until dried berries begin to soften and fresh berries begin to pop, stirring often, about 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in orange marmalade, orange juice, orange peel and allspice. Chill.


Tofu Salad

  • 1 pound extra-firm tofu or dry pressed tofu
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon hot chili oil, or to taste
  • 3 tablespoons sesame oil
  • 2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into matchsticks
  • 5 shallots or 1 medium red onion, sliced.

1. If using extra-firm tofu, drain well, cut in two and place between two paper towels. Place under heavy cutting board or other weight at least 30 minutes, changing towels if they become too wet. Cut into 2-inch cubes or matchsticks. If using dry pressed tofu, just cut it into cubes or matchsticks.

2. Whisk together soy sauce, hot oil and sesame oil. Add tofu, carrots and shallots. Toss everything together, and let marinate at least 2 hours in refrigerator. Toss again before serving. Taste, and add more soy sauce, chili oil or sesame oil if necessary.


Braised Eggplant With Mushrooms

  • 3 tablespoons peanut or neutral oil, like corn or canola
  • 1 1/2 pounds eggplant, preferably the long, thin kind, trimmed and cut into 1-inch segments 1 large onion, cut in two and sliced
  • 2 or 3 dried chilies, optional
  • 2 large oyster or bai-ling mushrooms, or several small oyster mushrooms, or 1 portobello, in 1/2-inch chunks
  • Salt and pepper
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • Chopped cilantro for garnish, optional.

1. Put oil in a large skillet, preferably nonstick, and place over medium-high heat. A minute later add eggplant, and stir once or twice until it sizzles. Add onion, chilies, mushrooms, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion softens and eggplant and mushrooms brown nicely, 10 to 15 minutes. Adjust heat so mixture browns without burning.

2. Add sugar and 1/4 cup water, and cook, stirring once in a while, until mixture is dry again. Eggplant should be very soft and quite brown.

3. Turn off heat, and stir in soy sauce; taste, and adjust seasoning. Garnish and serve.


Scallion Pancakes

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour, or more if needed
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup sesame oil, or more if needed
  • 1 cup finely chopped scallions
  • Neutral oil, like corn, canola or grapeseed
  • Coarse salt or good soy sauce.

1. Place flour and salt in a food processor; turn it on, and add about 3/8 cup water through feed tube, until dough forms a ball. Alternatively, slowly pour water into flour-salt mixture in a bowl, and stir rapidly with fork until dough forms ball around fork.

2. Knead by hand about 1 minute, until dough is smooth. Place dough in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rest about 1 hour (or up to a day refrigerated).

3. Pinch off 1 1/2-inch balls of dough. On a lightly floured surface, roll each into a 4- or 5-inch disk. Lightly brush one disk with sesame oil, and sprinkle with scallions. Lay another disk on top, and press edges together with fingertips. Brush the top disk with sesame oil, sprinkle with scallions and fold the little sandwich in half. Roll out to make a rough circle about 1/4-inch thick, adding flour as necessary. Repeat with remaining dough, making 4 to 6 pancakes.

4. Generously coat a large, deep skillet with neutral oil, and place over medium-low heat. When oil is hot, place as many pancakes in skillet as will fit without crowding. Cook until brown, 3 to 5 minutes, and turn and brown other side; continue turning and browning until quite dark and crisp. Repeat with remaining pancakes. Sprinkle with coarse salt or soy sauce. Serve hot or warm.


Rice with Cheese

  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 cup arborio or another good short-grain rice
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 1/2 cup grated fontina or other good semisoft cheese
  • 1 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish.

1. Bring a pot of water to a boil, and salt it as for cooking pasta. Add rice in a steady steam, and stir. When water returns to a boil, lower heat, and simmer rice, stirring occasionally, until it is tender but not mushy, about 15 minutes. Drain.

2. Put butter in a saucepan large enough to hold rice, and turn heat to medium. When butter melts and just begins to turn brown, add rice, and toss together. Stir in fontina, then about a cup of grated Parmesan, along with some salt and pepper. Serve, passing more Parmesan at the table.


Escarole and Bell Peppers With Olive Oil

  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
  •  tablespoon minced garlic
  • 1 or 2 dried chilies, or 1 teaspoon dried red chili flakes, or to taste
  • 1 red or yellow bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and cut in strips
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 1/2 pounds escarole, radicchio, endive or other bitter green or vegetable.

1. Put all but 1 tablespoon oil in a large, deep skillet or casserole that can be covered, and place over medium heat. Set aside 1 teaspoon garlic, and put the rest in the oil, along with chilies, bell pepper, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until pepper softens, about 5 minutes.

2. Add escarole, along with 1/2 cup water, and adjust heat so mixture simmers steadily. Cover.

3. Cook about 20 minutes, checking and stirring occasionally and adding water if mixture starts to dry out. When escarole is tender, remove lid, and raise heat if necessary to cook off excess liquid; stir in reserved garlic, and cook a minute more.

4. Taste, and adjust seasoning. Serve hot or at room temperature, drizzling with reserved olive oil just before serving.