Winter Fruit Salad

• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3 star anise
• 1/2 of plump vanilla bean, split in half lengthwise
• 8 dried Turkish apricots, cut in half
• 4 dried figs, quartered
• 4 2" pieces lemon zest (peeled with vegetable peeler) from a Meyer lemon if you can find one
• Juice of the zest lemon
• 3 firm Bosc pears
• 1 firm tart apple
• Seeds from half a pomegranate

Fill a medium saucepan with 4 cups water. Add the sugar, star anise, vanilla bean and lemon zest. Bring to a boil, and cook until all the sugar is dissolved. Let it cool for just a few minutes (it should still be hot) and then stir in the dried figs and apricots. Let it cool completely.

Meanwhile, peel and core pears and apple. Slice thinly lengthwise and place in a large bowl, and toss with the lemon juice.

Once the syrup with dried fruit has cooled, pour it over the apples and pears. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill it overnight in the refrigerator.

The next morning, using a slotted spoon, ladle the fruit into a serving bowl, sprinkle with the pomegranate seeds and serve. Remove the vanilla beans (you can rinse and save what is left of them for another use) and lemon peels if you wish, or leave them in for decoration.

Do ahead Syrup can be made in advance and kept in the fridge for a day or two. Hot syrup can be poured over the dried fruit and kept in the fridge for a day or so. Prepared salad keeps in the fridge for a day or two, but is best fresh.

VERDICT:  I suspect it was the kind of apricot and lemon I used, but I didn't really care for them.  Apart from that, a lovely winter salad--the flavor was deemed "intriguing," but in a good way.  Keep.

Genmaicha Granola Bars

• 2 cups/170 g old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1/2 cup/60 g millet
• 1/3 cup/30 g raw sunflower seeds
• 2 tbsp raw unseasoned pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
• 1 tbsp sesame seeds
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
• 1/3 cup/50 g toasted pecans
• 1/3 cup/50 g toasted skin-on almonds
• 1 packed cup pitted Medjool dates
• 1/3 cup/75 ml Grade B maple syrup, plus more as needed
• 1/4 cup/60 ml honey or brown rice syrup
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp genmaicha tea leaves (optional)

Preheat the oven to 325°F/165°C/gas 3. Line an 8-in/20-cm square baking pan with parchment paper with overlapping flaps.

Stir together the oats, millet, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl.

Pulse the pecans and almonds in a food processor until coarsely chopped (it’s OK if some nuts are coarsely ground and a little powdery). Stir into the oat mixture.

Pulse the dates in a food processor until a thick paste forms. Add the maple syrup, honey, and vanilla, and pulse until a purée forms. Scrape out the purée with a rubber spatula and stir into the oats mixture. Continue stirring (your clean hands work best), adding the tea leaves if using, until the oats and nuts are sticky and coated with the purée. If the mixture doesn’t clump together easily, add up to 1 tbsp of maple syrup.

Transfer the granola to the prepared baking pan and press into a smooth, even layer. Bake until just starting to brown around the edges, about 25 minutes. Transfer to the counter to cool slightly in the baking pan, about 15 minutes. Grab the flaps of parchment paper and lift out the whole batch transfer to a cutting board. Cut into 8 to 10 bars while still warm. Let them cool completely and serve, or store in an airtight container for up to 1 week. 

Yield: 8-10 bars.

VERDICT:  I got one weird bite that tasted off--maybe concentrated tea leaves?--but on the whole the flavor is good, with just enough salt.  They use ingredients I mostly have on hand (especially now that I have an enormous bag of millet).   Keep.

Sweet Potato and Kale Tortilla Soup

• 2 T. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 or 2 jalapeño chiles, seeded and minced
• 1 t. chili powder
• 3/4 t. cumin
• 1 lg sweet potato or garnet yam, cut into bite-sized cubes
• 5-6 cups vegetable stock or water
• 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
• sea salt
• 1 bunch kale, stemmed and chopped
• full-fat plain or Greek yogurt for dolloping
• queso fresco for sprinkling
• fresh cilantro leaves for sprinkling
• 1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and chopped
• 4 radishes, thinly sliced
• 4-6 limes, cut into wedges

Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and just golden brown, 5-8 minutes.  Add the garlic, jalapeños, chili powder, and cumin and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.  Add the sweet potato, stock and tomatoes with their juices and bring to a boil.  Add 1/4 tsp. salt, cover loosely, and reduce the heat to medium-low.  Simmer until the sweet potatoes are completely tender, 30-35 minutes.  Uncover the pot, add the kale, and cook until just wilted, about 3 minutes.

Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish.  Serve warm with the lime wedges.

Serves 4-6.

VERDICT:  I didn't record here the directions for making tortilla strips, since I will never, ever do that.  It probably diminished the overall effect, but I just crushed up some tortilla chips and threw them in.  I also didn't bother with the queso fresco.  In future, I might use that and skip the yogurt, which disintegrated quickly.  I like the hearty vegetables, and it's a nice warming soup for winter.  Keep.

Torrone Sardo

• 1/2 pound nuts, such as whole almonds
• 1/2 pound honey
• 2 egg whites

Prepare a small square or rectangular baking dish with a layer of ostia (traditional wafer) cut to size or two layers of parchment cut to size, one long piece covering the dish vertically, another long piece covering it horizontally, so that the sides of the dish will be covered and you can fold the parchment over the top of the torrone while it is setting.

For the nuts, it's traditional to use 100% whole peeled almonds, but you can leave them unpeeled or do a mix, substituting a portion of almonds for other nuts or even dried fruit such as figs. Place the nuts on a single layer in a baking tray and toast in oven at 325º F, about 10-15 minutes or until shiny and fragrant. Set aside.

Place honey in a large bowl over a saucepan of water (bain marie) on the lowest heat. Make sure the bowl is not touching the water. Heat honey until it melts, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon.

In the meantime, whisk egg whites to stiff peaks in a separate bowl. Add the whites to the bowl of honey, stirring with the wooden spoon to incorporate. It should turn into a caramel-coloured cream. Keep cooking, stirring slowly but continuously over gentle heat for 45 minutes. The mixture should thicken and become pale. A small test should determine that your torrone is at a good stage – a drop of the mixture in a glass of water should solidify into a soft ball, not dissolve immediately.

Add the nuts to the mixture and continue cooking and stirring for 30 minutes. Pour into your prepared baking tin. Fold over the parchment to cover the top and smooth it down, pressing the torrone gently with your hands. If using the more traditional ostia, place another layer of ostia cut to size on top and press gently but firmly. Place in a cool place to set for a couple of hours.

When set, cut the torrone into thick slices with a sharp, heavy knife (a little olive oil wiped onto the knife helps). Wrap in parchment or cellophane and tie with pretty string or ribbon for the perfect homemade holiday gift. Keeps very well wrapped in parchment or cellophane and stored somewhere cool.

VERDICT:  Well, this took a long, long time and a lot of stirring, but it worked--I made nougat!  I overbeat the eggs and added an extra white to bring them back to stiff peaks, but that doesn't seem to have caused any terrible problems.  I cooked it ten minutes extra at the first stage.  It also didn't come away from the parchment paper at all easily, but I'm so pleased that it's edible that I don't really care.  I took the advice of a commenter and brushed the pieces with cornstarch for easy handling. Keep.

Pear Upside-Down Gingerbread

• 3 peeled small pears, cored and cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices (about 1 pound)
• 2 tablespoons grated peeled fresh ginger, divided
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• Cooking spray
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup butter or stick margarine, softened
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon powdered sugar 

Preheat oven to 350°.

Combine pears, 1 tablespoon ginger, and lemon juice. Coat a 9 x 2-inch round cake pan with cooking spray; sprinkle with granulated sugar. Arrange pears in bottom of pan in a circular pattern.

Combine brown sugar and butter in a large bowl; beat at medium speed of a mixer until well-blended. Beat in egg. Add buttermilk, molasses, and 1 tablespoon ginger; beat until well-blended. Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 6 ingredients (flour through nutmeg). Add flour mixture to batter; stir until well-blended. Pour over pears. Bake at 350° for 40 minutes or until cake springs back when touched lightly in center. Cool in pan 20 minutes on a wire rack. Place a plate sprinkled with powdered sugar upside down on top of cake pan; invert cake onto plate.

Yield: 8 servings; 244 calories.

VERDICT:  I made this for Christmas dinner.  It's pretty good--best with vanilla ice cream.  Keep.
 

Carrot Soup with Chives and Popcorn

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 1 garlic clove, smashed
• 1" piece peeled fresh ginger, chopped
• 2 lbs. carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped
• 4 to 5 cups vegetable stock or water
• 1 sprig fresh thyme (optional)
• Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 cups fresh carrot juice
• 1 to 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil (optional)
• Finishing oil for drizzling
• 1/2 cup full-fat plain yogurt
• Handful popped popcorn
• 3-4 tbsp chopped or snipped fresh chives

Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the carrots, enough stock to cover (4 cups if you like a thicker soup, 5 cups if you like yours thinner), and the thyme (if using) and bring to a boil. Season with salt and pepper. Cover loosely and reduce the heat to low.

Simmer until the vegetables are completely tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Remove the thyme and discard. Transfer the soup to a blender in batches or use an immersion blender to process until smooth, about 3 minutes. Return to the pot and stir in the carrot juice with a wooden spoon, reheating over a low flame if needed to warm through. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Stir in the extra-virgin olive oil, if desired. Keep warm over a low flame until you are ready to serve.

Ladle the soup into bowls and drizzle with finishing oil. Top with a dollop of yogurt, a couple of popped popcorn kernels, and a sprinkle of chives. Serve warm.

Yield: 4-6.

VERDICT:  This soup was good but not great.  John picked it for the interesting popcorn garnish, but the soft part of the kernel ended up soggy after a second in the soup, while the husk-y part stayed intact--an odd and unwelcome texture.  Toss.

Yogurt Bread with Molasses

• 2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour (I like a mix of white whole wheat and rye, but use whatever you have on hand)
• 1/2 cup medium- or coarse-grind cornmeal
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 2/3 cup whole milk yogurt, or 1 1/2 cups whole milk + 2 tablespoons white or apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup molasses
• Optional: 1 to 1 1/2 cups cranberries, chopped fruit, or nuts
• Butter, for greasing the pan

Preheat your oven to 325° F. If you're using milk, mix it with the vinegar and set it aside.

Mix together your dry ingredients in a wide bowl (rather than one with straight sides; this makes it easier to mix). Whisk your yogurt (or vinegary milk) with your molasses.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients in 2 or 3 batches, stirring in round, sweeping motions. Make sure to incorporate the flour at the bottom of the bowl. Mix until just combined. The dough should fizz, subtly, like a science experiment. If you're adding in fruit, etc: Fold it in when there are still a few small pockets of flour.

Slice a pat of butter into either a loaf pan or a 7-inch cast iron skillet. Put it into the oven until the butter melts. Remove, then swirl the butter around to grease the pan. Pour batter into pan, without mixing it any further. (Be gentle!)

Bake for one hour, or until a cake tester comes out clean when inserted. Touch the top of the bread: it should give a little bit, and feel supple, but it should still resist your touch and not feel like there's goo beneath there. Very important: Let the bread cool before you slice it.

Yield: 1 loaf.

VERDICT:  I kind of can't believe this worked, but it did.  I had fat-free yogurt, so I subbed in a tablespoon of olive oil for a tablespoon of the yogurt as suggested in the comments.  I also added fresh cranberries.  It's quite molasses-y, which I don't mind, but I might try it with honey to see if I can turn out something John will also like.  A good back-pocket recipe--no eggs or butter.  Keep!

Mushroom-Barley Soup

• 1 oz. dried porcini mushrooms
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 8 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2 ribs celery, finely chopped
• 2 medium carrots, finely chopped
• 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
• 1 lb. white button mushrooms, thinly sliced
• ¼ cup sherry
• 8 cups beef stock
• ½ cup pearl barley
• 2 tsp. thyme leaves
• 2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• ⅓ cup finely chopped parsley

Place dried porcinis in a bowl and cover with 1 cup boiling water; let sit until soft, about 30 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer mushrooms to a cutting board and finely chop; set aside. Pour soaking liquid through a fine strainer into a bowl, leaving some liquid at the bottom along with any dirt or sediment; set soaking liquid aside.

Heat oil in a 6-qt. Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add garlic, celery, carrots, and onion, and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add reserved porcini and white mushrooms, and cook, stirring, until mushrooms give off their liquid and it evaporates, about 14 minutes. Add sherry, and cook until evaporated, about 2 minutes. Add reserved soaking liquid along with stock, barley, and thyme, and bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium-low, and cook, covered and stirring occasionally, until barley is tender, about 30 minutes. Stir in juice and season with salt and pepper. Garnish with parsley.

Serves 8-10.

VERDICT: I used vegetable broth and added some cooked lentils and the end.  It was quite good day of, but I'm a little sick of leftovers now.  Keep for a crowd.