Suzie's Pumpkin and Mascarpone Roulade

Watch out, this dessert is a killer!  Suzie made this for us one Xmas and it has remained one of our absolute favorite desserts ever since, especially for Thanksgiving. I have to be in the baking mood and have a helper nearby as the recipe, although easy enough can also be a bit intimidating. Originally hailing from the Barefoot Contessa, Ina Garten can do no wrong! And Suzie's baking is always the best!

3/4 cup all purpose flour

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

3 extra-large eggs, at room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup canned pumpkin (not pie filling)

1/4 cup confectioner's sugar, plus extra for dusting FILLING

12 oz. Italian marscapone cheese

1 1/4 cups sifted confectioner's sugar

2 tbsp whipping cream (35%)

1/4 cup minced dried crystallized ginger Pinch kosher salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease 13- by 18- by 1 inch rimmed baking sheet.  Line pan with parchment paper; grease and flour paper.

     In small bowl, sift together flour,cinnamon, ground ginger, baking powder, baking soda, salt and ground nutmeg; stir to combine.  Place eggs and granulated sugar in bowl of electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment and beat on medium-high speed for 3 minutes or until light yellow and thickened.  With mixer on low, add canned pumpkin, then slowly add flour mixture, mixing just until incorporated.  Finish mixing batter by hand with rubber spatula.  Pour into prepared pan and spread evenly.  Bake cake for 10 to 12 minutes or until top springs back when gently touched.

     While cake is baking, lay out clean, thin cotton dish towel on flat surface and evenly sift entire 1/4 cup confectioner's sugar over it.  (This will prevent cake from sticking to towel.)  As soon as you remove cake from oven, loosen it around edges and invert squarely onto prepared towel.  Peel away parchment paper.  Starting at short end of cake and with light touch, roll warm cake and towel together (don't press).  Let cool completely on wire rack.

     Filling:  Meanwhile, in bowl of electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat together mascarpone cheese, confectioner's sugar and cream for about 1 minute or until light and fluffy.  Stir in crystallized ginger and salt.

     To assemble, carefully unroll cake onto board with towel underneath.  Spread evenly with filling.  Reroll cake in spiral using towel as guide.  Remove towel and trim ends to make neat edge.  Dust with confectioner's sugar and slice to serve.

Bon Appetit!!

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Succulent Slow Roasted Salmon, Fennel and Citrus

A slow roast gives this salmon dish its rich and succulent flavour and texture. Served atop scented basmati rice, or with a simple green salad, it is a definite winner. 

With a mandolin or a very sharp knife, as thinly as possible slice about 6-8 slivers of both lemon and
orange with the rind. Do the same with fennel, but double the amount. Finely chop a fresh red chili pepper or chili flakes as a good substitute.  

In a bowl or cast iron pan mix all of this with a generous pour of olive oil, good amount of salt and pepper.  Place it unarranged in a baking pan or the cast iron pan in which you can broil.

Broil the above for a few minutes until you begin to get a char. Then remove and set the oven to 275F degrees.

Place the fish filet (skin on or off) on top of the fruit and veg and drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper.

Roast the dish for about 30-45 minutes, depending on the size and thickness of the filet.  It should pull apart moistly with a fork when done. Top with fresh dill or fennel fronds.

This is really a new find for me in terms of cooking fish.  I think it could be really fun with many variations of vegetables and fruit. Will need to experiment!!

One of my all time fave dishes. 

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Brown Butter Butternut Squash Ravioli

Butternut squash, brown butter and sage is a combination made in heaven.  Add a few roasted hazelnuts and you have reached Nirvana!

Get a big, plump butternut squash, cut it in half, seeds out and roast it at 375 degrees for about 45 minutes.  Oh boy...that alone is fabulous to eat.

After it cools, scoop out the flesh into a large bowl.  Add and mix:
1 egg
some nutmeg, to taste but gotta have it in there!
salt and pepper
a bug handful of parmesan cheese

We buy the fresh lasagna sheets to make the ravioli.  Its a good idea to dip the sheets in hot water before you use them to make them easier to manipulate. Get a medium sized glass and cut out rounds.

Put a bit of the squash mixture on one round and cover with another.  Use a fork to pin down the edges.  Sometimes an egg wash can help it stick. These will be placed in boiling water until they float to the top of the pot and have heated up enough, say 3-4 minutes or so.

In the meantime, Chop several leaves of  fresh sage. Also roast a few crushed hazelnuts and keep handy. You need to make enough butter sauce to spoon on top of the ravioli so melt half or a whole stick of butter in a medium hot pan.  Don't move it around too much, just let it froth until you see it turning brown on the edge.  Then swirl it few times until a nice golden color.  The aroma will be nutty and buttery, add the sage to infuse for a minute or so.

This is spooned over the ravioli just before it is served so all is hot. Add a few hazelnuts on top of each portion.

This is a descendent and addictive dish. My daughter makes it best!!!!

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Tomato and Peach Quinoa Salad

This is such a fresh and quick summer salad, full of sweet and salty flavour, pretty addictive!  The tomato and peach combo is a classic, and when paired with fresh herbs and a salty add in, it's just delicious.

Cook 1/2 cup quinoa in 1 cup chicken broth, bring to a boil and then a low simmer for about 15 min.
Once cooled add:

lots of halved cherry tomatoes
2 sweet ripe peaches cut in cubes (ripe nectarines work too)
1 small cucumber, cubed
several pitted and chopped kalamata olives

Add the zest of 1 lemon, a large amount of finely chopped basil and mint.  The mint is really essential in this salad, it just elevates all of the other flavours.

Make a sweet and tart vinaigrette.  I like to mix olive oil, alt and pepper with white wine and balsamic vinegar. With the lemon zest, this is a powerful burst of flavour and the quinoa just soaks it up.

If you like nuts, add some toasted almonds, pistachios or pine nuts.

This is a super BBQ side dish or a terrific lunch salad, another "taste of summer" dish to share...

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Late Summer Roasted Tomato Soup

On a nice and hot late summer day, find some super ripe tomatoes to make this amazing comfort soup. Luckily, we have farmer's markets in our neck of the woods where we can find them aplenty.

Pre-heat your oven to 425 F degrees. In a dutch oven/creuset type pot, (stovetop to oven pot) combine the following:

• 6-8 super ripe tomatoes, quartered
• 1 small sweet onion or a couple of big shallots, or both, quartered
• a good swirl of olive oil
• a handful of fresh thyme leaves
• kosher salt and pepper
• 1 or 2 smashed cloves of garlic 
• 1 chopped Jalapeno pepper (optional)

Put your pot in the oven and let the tomatoes roast for at least 30 min, or until they seem roasted enough. Sometimes takes up to 45 or 50 minutes for the right appealing "smell".

Once cooked enough, pull the pot out and let the tomatoes cool down. Puree this concoction in a blender or with an immersion blender. I like to add tons of fresh parsley and basil when blending.  If you like a kick, add a fresh red chili pepper or two!

On the stovetop, warm soup if needed and add:

• 1 cup of milk, or the amount you like best to make a creamy soup consistency. You could also use Greek yogourt or cream

When serving, if you wish, add:

• 1/3 cup basil pesto or a big handful of fresh chopped basil, to swirl around
• shaved parmesan for serving, always yummy!!

This delicious soup just tastes of summer...and even better the next day!

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Beast's Baked Mustard Crusted Cod

Inspired by my sister's delicious recipe, this is a 1-2-3 meal packed with flavour.  Cod is such a great fish, a clean palate for many interpretations.  This quick baked meal is moist and delicious, perfect with a side of basmati rice to go with the buttery "zumi".

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.

Prepare as many filets of fish as you would like, thicker filets are more moist

In a small bowl, combine:
1/2 pound of softened butter
a good dollop of dijon mustard, really to taste
fresh thyme
salt and pepper

To this, add breadcrumbs until you get a paste consistency. I like the panko crumbs best as they seem to get crispier in the oven.

Place the fish in a pyrex and smear the paste over each filet.  Cook the fish for about 15 minutes, and if needed, broil for just a minute or two to further brown the yummy mustard topping.

Serve right away so it doesn't get mushy!  Such a wonderful easy fish dish, will become a staple in your kitchen!

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Greek Pecan Cookies

Here is the recipe for these mouth-watering cookies, as per my son:

Pre-heat oven to 350  degrees.

1 pound of unsalted butter (the big brick)
lots of confectioner's sugar,
lots of crushed up pecans,
2 or 3 cups of flour, depending...
A really good electric mixer

Whip the softened butter in a large bowl, whip it, whip it good!  Has to be fluffy so it takes quite some time, hence the electric whipper. Start adding the confectioner's sugar and alternate with the flour. Once the texture becomes moist to the touch, like cookie dough, and rollable, it is done!  This may take a while...bake until done, whatever that means in terms of time. Experiment!! Sprinkle with confectioner's sugar for flair.

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