This is a blender recipe, to take all the stress out of getting it to emulsify. Place the egg yolks, garlic, and the mustard in the container of a blender. Cover and pulse to blend completely, about 1 minute. Remove the center of the lid, and begin to pour the olive oil into the container in a thin stream, still running on slow. When the mixture comes together and looks like mayonnaise (usually about when half the oil is incorporated), stop pouring oil and add in the vinegar, salt, and pepper. Blend. Add in another thin stream of olive oil while blending. Stop when about 2 tablespoons of oil are left to add. Add a splash of lemon juice. Blend. Adjust seasonings to taste. Add the rest of the oil if needed. The sauce should be thick, creamy, and rich, with a lovely tang of garlic.
If you don’t want to use raw eggs for this, don’t worry. Start with a cup of good-quality regular mayonnaise. Whisk in ½ cup olive oil, 3 cloves finely minced garlic, and the juice of 1 lemon. It won’t be as good, but it’s close, and you won’t have to worry about using raw eggs.
SPINACH QUICHE
½ cup butter
3 cloves garlic, smashed, peeled, and finely minced
1 small onion, trimmed, peeled, and finely chopped
1 pint fresh mushrooms, cleaned and thinly sliced
1 (10-oz.) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed
and drained
4 ounces herbed feta cheese, crumbled
8 ounces good-quality cheddar cheese, shredded,
divided
½ teaspoon kosher or sea salt, or to taste
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 deep-dish pie crust, unbaked
4 eggs
1 cup milk
Serves six.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and onion. Stir gently and cook until onion is soft and slightly browned on the edges, about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and stir until warmed through and reduced, about 3 minutes. Add spinach, feta cheese, and half of the cheddar cheese. Add salt and pepper, to taste.
Place mixture into unbaked pie shell.
In a medium bowl, whisk eggs until blended, add milk, whisk to combine well. Pour into pie shell over vegetable mixture.
Place filled pie shell on cookie sheet to keep it from overflowing.
Place into preheated oven. Reduce oven heat to 375 degrees F. Bake for 20 minutes. Top quiche with remaining cheddar cheese. Return to oven and bake for and additional 30 to 40 minutes. Quiche is done when the eggs are set and firm in the center.
Remove from oven and let sit for 10 minutes. Serve warm.
CHOCOLATE SOUFFLÉ
Soufflés, by definition, are temperamental. If something goes odd, or somebody bumps the oven wrong, or the phone rings at the wrong time, the thing can deflate like a kid’s balloon. So go into this knowing that it will taste good, even if it doesn’t look good. But it’s actually pretty easy to make-it just isn’t always goof-proof.
But it will usually look fantastic, and it will impress your guests like almost nothing else will.
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
½ cup sugar, divided use
6 egg whites
4 ounces best-quality dark chocolate, chopped
½ cup very cold water
cup cocoa powder
Confectioner’s sugar, for garnish (optional)
Berries, for garnish (optional)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Coat the insides of 6 individual soufflé dishes completely with ½ tablespoon butter. Refrigerate until the butter is set, about 3 minutes. Place a teaspoon of sugar into each dish. Shake and turn the dishes until sugar completely coats the butter. Tip out any excess. Add more sugar if needed.
Place prepared dishes on a baking sheet and set aside.
In a very clean mixing bowl (any fat will keep the eggs from whipping well), beat the egg whites on medium to high speed until foamy. Gradually add the remaining sugar a little at a time, and beat until eggs are glossy and soft peaks form when beaters are lifted. Set aside.
Place a large metal mixing bowl over a pan of simmering water. Place the chocolate into the bowl, and stir until melted, glossy, and smooth. Remove from heat. Add the water and the cocoa powder. Stir until smooth. Let cool 1 minute.
Add about of the egg-white mixture to the cooled chocolate mixture, folding together gently.
Add the folded mixture to the remaining egg whites. Fold together gently.
Spoon into prepared dishes. Using a straight-edged knife, level the egg mixture in the dishes even with the tops of the dishes. Wipe the edges of the dishes with a dampened towel to clean them.
Bake until soufflés puff up and are cooked through but still moist in the center, 12 to 14 minutes.
Sprinkle with confectioner’s sugar and garnish with berries, if using, and serve immediately.
PASTA PRIMAVERA
6 ounces bow tie pasta
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, smashed, peeled, and minced
2 chicken breasts, de-boned, skinned, and chopped
into 1-inch cubes
½ pound of asparagus, trimmed, washed, and sliced
into 1-inch pieces
½ pound cherry or grape tomatoes, rinsed and
halved
½ pound baby squashes, rinsed, trimmed, and
halved
¼ cup fresh basil leaves, julienned
Kosher or sea salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
¼-½ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
cheese, or to taste
Serves four.
Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add bowtie pasta and cook according to package directions.
While pasta is cooking, place olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and chicken to the pan, cook until garlic is soft and chicken is browned, about 5 to 8 minutes. Add vegetables and cook until vegetables are warmed through and beginning to soften but still retain a little bite, about 6 to 8 minutes.
Stir in fresh basil and remove mixture from heat. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Drain cooked pasta. Toss chicken and veggie mixture with pasta. Top with cheese. Serve warm.
WARM BRIE TOPPED WITH WALNUTS, MAPLE SYRUP, AND BERRIES
This looks great, tastes better than it looks, and takes almost no effort.
1 small round Brie, at room temperature
1 cup peeled, chopped walnuts
1 cup good-quality maple syrup, divided
1 quart rinsed berries, any type
Assorted crackers
Serves four.
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
Cut the top rind off a small circle of Brie. Place on an oven-safe serving platter. Top with walnuts and ½ cup maple syrup. Turn oven off. Turn broiler on high. Broil cheese until nuts are toasted and cheese is soft. This is something you’ll have to watch closely-the nuts can burn quite quickly. Remove from oven.
Add remaining syrup. Surround Brie wheel with alternating pools of berries and crackers. Serve immediately.
Julie Hyzy
