Cursing silently, I stirred molasses into the batter and slapped in a tumblerful of vinegar. I brandished a flat grater and insisted that grating whole nutmeg was essential. While demonstrating, I unfortunately grated three of my right knuckles, and blood spurted onto the nutmeg flecks. Without bothering to sift or whisk the flour and spices together, I dumped the whole mess into the molasses mixture and clicked the mixer over to “stir.” The mixer moaned and sent up a windspout of spicy flour. I groped for a towel to wipe the powdery mess off my face. My microphone squealed.
Mexican Egg Rolls
with Spicy Guacamole
Dipping Sauce
2 tablespoons vegetable oil,
plus additional oil for deep-fat frying
1½ pounds chicken breast, trimmed of fat and finely chopped (½-inch square pieces)
2½ cups chopped onions
1 to 2 tablespoons prepared dry chile mix, to taste
1 cup canned black beans, well drained
4 ounces (1 small can) chopped green chiles
1 cup grated Cheddar cheese
1 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese
½ cup finely chopped cilantro
½ jalapeño chile, seeded and finely chopped
3 tablespoons of picante sauce
1 teaspoon salt
1 pound egg-roll wrappers (16 in a package)
In a wide frying pan, heat the 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Add the chicken and onions, stir well, then add the chile powder and stir again. Stir for several minutes, until the onions turn translucent and the chicken is just cooked. Remove the pan from the heat, and add the beans, chiles, cheeses, cilantro, jalapeño, picante sauce, and salt, and set aside. On a very lightly floured surface, place 1 egg-roll wrapper at a time and, following the directions on the wrapper package, roll ¼ cup of the filling into each egg roll. Complete the 16.
In a wide frying pan, pour vegetable oil to a depth of ½ inch. Heat to 370°F, then place no more than three egg rolls at a time into the oil and fry for 3 minutes per side, or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Serve with sauce.
Makes 16 egg rolls
Guacamole Dipping Sauce:
1 avocado, peeled, seeded, and chopped
juice of 1 lime
1 cup fat-free or regular sour cream
½ cup medium-hot picante sauce
⅓ cup finely chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon grated onion
½ very finely chopped jalapeño chile, whirled in a small blender or food processor
Either mash all ingredients together until well combined, or whirl in a food processor until smooth. Chill and serve with egg rolls.
Chesapeake Crab Cakes
with Sauce Gribiche
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
½ cup finely chopped celery
½ cup finely chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, crushed
⅔ cup lowfat mayonnaise
¾ teaspoon dry mustard
½ teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon salt
⅛ to ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, to taste
1 pound crabmeat (can use refrigerated pasteurized crab)
1⅓ cups club cracker crumbs, divided in half
2 additional tablespoons vegetable oil, divided in half, plus extra to oil baking pan
In a frying pan, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat, add the celery and onion, lower heat, and add garlic. Sauté over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, for 3 to 5 minutes, or until translucent but not brown. Remove from the heat and set aside.
In a large bowl, combine mayonnaise with spices. Add crab, ⅔ cup cracker crumbs, celery, onion, and garlic. Stir until well combined. Using a ½-cup measure, scoop out crab mixture and form into 6 cakes about 4 or 5 inches in diameter.
Spread the last ⅔ cup cracker crumbs on a plate. Dredge the cakes in the crumbs.
Preheat oven to 300°F. Lightly oil a 9x13-inch baking pan.
In a wide frying pan, heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil over medium heat until it shimmers. Place 3 crab cakes into the pan and cook approximately 4 minutes per side, until golden brown. Place the cooked crab cakes into the baking pan and put them in the oven while you cook the rest of the crab cakes. Add the second tablespoon of oil to the hot frying pan and cook the last 3 crab cakes approximately 4 minutes per side, until golden brown. Place in the baking pan in the heated oven while preparing the sauce.
Makes 6 crab cakes
Sauce Gribiche:
1½ teaspoons finely chopped shallots
2 gherkins, minced
1½ teaspoons capers, drained
1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
1½ teaspoons minced fresh tarragon
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
¼ teaspoon dry mustard
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon sugar
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 cup lowfat mayonnaise
1 large egg, hard-boiled and finely chopped
In a small electric mincer or well-cleaned coffee grinder, combine shallots, gherkins, capers, parsley, and-tarragon. Pulse for about 5 seconds, or until thoroughly combined and well minced. Set aside. Stir together lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, dry mustard, salt, sugar, and black pepper. Stir into mayonnaise along with egg and minced shallot mixture. Serve with crab cakes.
Ice-Capped
Gingersnaps
½ pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1½ cups dark brown sugar
2 eggs
½ cup dark molasses
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
4 cups all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
Frosting (recipe follows)
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter two cookie sheets.
Beat butter until creamy. Add brown sugar and eggs and beat until well combined, then add molasses and vinegar and beat thoroughly. Sift together all the dry ingredients and add-gradually to butter mixture. Using a 1½-tablespoon scoop, space cookies out 2 inches apart on sheets. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, until cookies have puffed and flattened and appear slightly dry. Allow to cool on sheet 1 minute, then transfer to racks and allow to cool completely.
Frosting:
1½ cups confectioners’ sugar
2 tablespoons whipping cream
2 tablespoons milk
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
In a shallow bowl, mix all ingredients well with a whisk. Holding the cooled cookies upside down by the edges, dip the tops into the icing. Allow to cool, icing side up, on racks until the icing hardens. Store between layers of wax paper in an airtight container.
Makes 5 dozen cookies
I wondered if Arthur had opened the bottle of dessert wine, and if he’d let me chug it after the show.
Muttering, I scooped the fragrant dough into Ping-Pong-ball-size spheres. The phone volunteers raised eyebrows at each other: Some caterer! I slapped the uncooked cookies into what Arch called the “pretend” oven and struggled to compose a last enthusiastic pitch about new equipment for PBS.
Two lights above the phone bank flashed as the ringing halfheartedly resumed. I rinsed my hands and wiped them on the towel. Volunteers murmured to the donors. How much longer? My watch was obscured by gingersnap batter. I plunged back into my monologue, urging viewers to tuck crab-cake sandwiches into their packs before a full day of skiing.