Homemade Ricotta with Herb Honey and Orange Toast

My favorite food city is, without question, New York. I love everything about the food atmosphere there. More so than any place I've ever traveled to, New Yorkers seem to really care about what they eat. Dining out is as much about the experience as it is about the food.

One dish in particular that stands out of the dozens I've tried in New York is whipped sheep's milk ricotta. At Locanda Verde, a restaurant in TriBeCa, it is served with truffle honey. And a hint of thyme. And burnt orange toast. Take it in.

Whipped sheep's milk ricotta, though? I know, that may sound a bit strange. And truffle honey and thyme and burnt orange toast? I know, it's a mouthful. But this appetizer (although, to be honest, I could eat it a whole bowl as a meal) is so insanely good. After my perfect cheesecake, this is the best thing I've ever  shared on this blog.

Despite the multiple components of the dish, it really is so simple. Cheese + bread = yum. For this reason, it's imperative that the star - the ricotta cheese - is of the best quality you can find. Using fresh ricotta is vital. Surprisingly, fresh ricotta can be somewhat difficult to track down, even in Los Angeles, where I made this with my sister. After coming up empty at Whole Foods, we headed to The Cheesestore of Silverlake. They, too, were out. We were pretty discouraged by this point (if a cheese shop didn't have it, then who else would?), but the woman working at the cheese shop started on about how easy it was to make ricotta cheese at home.

And she's right. I'd read about it countless times before. While it's not technically ricotta cheese because it doesn't use the leftover whey  from the cheese-making process like real ricotta does, it's undeniably delicious and miles ahead of anything store-bought in terms of texture and flavor. Creamy with a sweet, milky flavor, the ricotta is further enhanced with a drizzle of honey and a sprinkle of salt and pepper.

Taking inspiration from Locanda Verde, we then grilled up slices of a crusty hearth loaf and spritzed them with orange juice. Oh my. I was a bit nervous that our homemade ricotta simply wouldn't stand up to the lofty memories I had of Locanda Verde's rendition. Was I ever wrong. Even if I won't be making it back to New York soon to indulge in all its epicurean offerings, I'll rest assured that I can treat myself to this simplest of treats anytime.

Fresh Ricotta with Herb Honey and Orange Toast 
Inspired by Locanda Verde's Whipped Sheep's Milk Ricotta

If you used a lower-fat milk to make the homemade ricotta instead of whole milk, you can make the ricotta richer here by substituting half and half or heavy cream for the milk. Orange zest can be used in place of the lemon zest. To warm the honey, place it in a microwave-safe bowl and heat on medium power for 1 minute. Be careful that the honey doesn't overflow. Alternatively, heat it in a small saucepan over low heat.

Yield: 4-6 servings

About 1 cup fresh ricotta cheese, homemade (recipe below) or store-bought
3-4 tablespoons milk
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 teaspoon lemon zest
Herb Honey, warmed (recipe below)
Orange Toast (recipe below)

In a small bowl, combine ricotta and milk. The ricotta should be creamy but not too loose. Add more milk to reach the desired consistency. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Add the lemon zest and stir to combine. Drizzle the Herb Honey over the ricotta. Serve alongside warm slices of Orange Toast. 

Homemade Ricotta
Adapted from Serious Eats

Most versions of homemade ricotta utilize the stove to separate the curds in the milk from the whey. This version is far easier and far less fussy, using the microwave instead. It's important to use pasteurized milk instead of ultra-pasteurized milk. We used whole milk when we made this, but I have a feeling that using a lower-fat milk will work just as fine; the resulting ricotta won't taste exactly as rich, but you can certainly remedy this by using half and half or heavy cream instead of milk to mix with the ricotta in the first step of the recipe for Fresh Ricotta with Herb Honey and Orange Toast.

Yield: about 1 cup ricotta cheese

4 cups milk, preferably whole (see note)
1/2 teaspoon table salt
4 tablespoons lemon juice (about 1 lemon)

Begin by lining a colander with 4 layers of cheesecloth or 2 layers of paper towels and set over a large bowl. Combine 2 cups milk, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 2 tablespoons lemon juice in a microwave-safe glass 1-quart measuring cup. Microwave on high heat until lightly bubbling around the edges, anywhere from 2 to 4 minutes (ours took about 3 1/2 minutes). Remove from the microwave, and stir gently for 5 seconds. The milk should separate into solid white curds and translucent liquid whey. If not, microwave for 30 seconds longer, repeating as necessary until fully separated.

Using a slotted spoon or wire skimmer, transfer the curds to the prepared colander. Cover the exposed top with plastic wrap and allow to drain for about 5 minutes. Transfer the ricotta to a small bowl, wiping as much of the ricotta from the cheesecloth as possible. Repeat with the remaining 2 cups milk, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 2 tablespoons lemon juice.

Once you have made all the ricotta, either chill it in the refrigerator until you're ready to use it or use immediately. If you opt to chill the ricotta until you're ready to use it, allow it to come to room temperature before serving.

Herb Honey

Any combination of spices and fresh herbs would be wonderful here. Instead of (or in addition to) cloves, think about peppercorns, cinnamon sticks, or ginger. Similarly, other herbs like thyme, mint, and basil would also be delicious. Keep an eye on the honey as it heats (especially if you opt to use the microwave) to avoid any overflow.

Yield: About 1/4 cup honey

About 3 tablespoons honey
4-6 cloves
2-3 sprigs fresh rosemary

In a microwave-safe bowl, combine honey, cloves, and rosemary. Microwave until warm, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the microwave and allow to sit until ready to use. Alternatively, combine the honey, cloves, and rosemary in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook until bubbling. Remove from heat and allow to sit until ready to use.

Orange Toast 

Any hearty country loaf, such as ciabatta, will work wonderfully here. Slice the bread about 1/2- to 3/4-inch thick. If you don't have a grill pan, toast the bread in the oven or in the skillet. Toast in the oven at 400 degrees F or in a skillet set over medium heat for about 5 minutes per side, or until golden brown.

Yield: 4 - 6 servings

8 slices (about half a loaf) of hearty, crusty bread (see note)
Extra virgin olive oil
Juice of half an orange

Heat a grill pan over medium heat. Place the slices of bread on the grill pan and brush with extra-virgin olive oil. Grill for about 5 minutes per side, or until golden brown. Flip the bread slices and grill for another 5 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove the toast slices from the grill pan and spritz with the orange juice (not too much, or the bread will become soggy). Use or serve immediately.

Homemade Pizza Two Ways

When I was little, we used to go to a restaurant that would give kids little balls of pizza dough to play with before the food arrived. It was so much more exciting than crayons and a coloring book. Although I can't remember what restaurant it was that offered this unusual activity, I do remember how fun it was to stretch and mold that dough. It was like all-natural play-doh, but you could actually eat it (or, you could eat it and it wouldn't taste awful).

I hadn't thought about this distant memory for many years until yesterday. As I was making my own pizza dough, the aroma of flour and yeast suddenly brought me back to my childhood. It's safe to say that the scent of fresh dough is one of my favorites, right behind the smell of warm butter and sugar.

Although it's hard to believe, there was a brief time a few years ago when I didn't even like pizza (gasp!). Thank goodness my tastes have adapted, because good pizza is really one of my favorite foods. And when you can make good pizza at home? Even better.

It's my goal this summer to make homemade bread and this pizza was a successful foray into yeast breads. The dough itself was incredibly easy to make. Kneading the dough by hand really allows you to experience the transformation from a shaggy, floury amalgamation to a smooth, elastic ball of dough. After a leisurely rise, the dough was ready to be stretched and adorned with toppings.

I think my favorite thing about pizza is how creative you can be with the toppings. This batch of dough made enough for two medium-sized pizzas and I wanted to make one classic pizza and one that was a bit more whimsical. For the classic pizza, I took inspiration from one of my new cookbooks, Molto Gusto by Mario Batali. There are dozens of pizza recipes in the book, and one that looked particularly delicious combined tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella cheese, anchovies, and capers.

Romana pizza with tomato, fresh mozzarella, anchovies, and capers

While that pizza is decidedly savory, the other has several sweet components. The pizza has a base of sweet caramelized onions; fig jam, mascarpone cheese, balsamic reduction, and chopped pistachios finish the pizza, offering contrasting tastes and textures.

Pizza with caramelized onions, fig jam, mascarpone, pistachios, and balsamic syrup

Both of these pizzas are equally delicious (my mom enjoyed the caramelized onion and fig pizza, while I was fonder of the tomato and anchovy one) and their brief sojourn on a baking stone in a searingly hot oven rendered the crust crisp yet chewy.

We couldn't stop "mmm"-ing and "ahh"-ing over this simple yet satisfying meal. With pizza this good and this easy, it's safe to say we will be for a good while longer.

Pizza so good you'll eat half a slice before photos have been taken (*cough* mom! *cough*)

Homemade Pizza
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

If you want to make a plain (not whole-wheat) pizza dough, simply use 3 cups of all-purpose flour. The dough may not need as much water (as whole-wheat flour absorbs more moisture than all-purpose) and may not need as much time to rise, so adjust accordingly. You can use dry active yeast instead of instant yeast. Simply use the same amount of yeast but add lukewarm water (about 105 to 110 degrees F) to the dry ingredients.

Yield: enough dough for 2 medium-sized thin crust pizzas

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting work surface
1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon water
1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Cornmeal, for dusting
2 recipes of pizza toppings (see two variations below)

Mix flours, salt, and yeast in a large bowl. Add water and olive oil and mix until just combined and the dough is shaggy. Pour the dough onto a well-floured surface (I used a large Silpat baking mat) and knead, folding the dough into itself, until the dough is smooth, about 2 to 4 minutes. Form the dough into a ball.

Pizza dough before the rising period

Spray the bowl you mixed the dough in with non-stick baking spray (or drizzle with olive oil). Add the ball of dough to the bowl and coat with the oil. Cover the bowl with a layer of plastic wrap and allow to rise in a draft-free space for about 90 minutes, until the dough has doubled in size.

 Pizza dough after the rising period 

Pizza dough after being shaped into two balls

Once the dough has doubled in size, preheat a baking stone (or an overturned sheet pan) in the oven to 500 degrees F. Transfer the dough to a well-floured surface and gently press the air out of the dough with the palm of your hand. Take half of the dough and pat it into a round with your hands. Using your fingertips, poke dimples into the dough, slowly pushing the dough outward. Once the dough is about 8 inches in diameter, begin to gently stretch the dough thinner. Placing one hand in the center of the round, use your other hand to stretch the dough outward. Turn the dough as you go to evenly stretch the dough.

When the dough is stretched very thin (about 1/8 inch thick), dust a pizza peel or a sheet of parchment with cornmeal. Carefully transfer the dough round to the peel or parchment and add the toppings.

Once the toppings are added, transfer the dough to the oven. If the dough is on a pizza peel, slide the dough onto the baking stone or overturned pan by quickly jerking the peel forward and then pulling it back. If the dough is on a sheet of parchment, simply transfer the parchment to the baking stone or slide the dough off of the parchment and onto the stone.

Bake for 10 minutes, or until the crust is golden and crisp and the toppings are bubbly and delicious.

Carefully remove the pizza from the oven and allow to cool for a minute or two before cutting into slices, serving, and devouring.

Romana Pizza Topping
Inspired by Mario Batali's Molto Gusto

It's important to use fresh mozzarella here and not the the low-moisture, pre-shredded stuff, which won't melt as well and taste as creamy as the fresh kind. Anchovies often get a bad rap for being overly fishy and salty, but the heat of the oven really transforms them. Here, they are not fishy at all but subtly salty and savory; in a word: awesome. However, if you're still worried about an unwelcome fishiness in your pizza, white anchovies are much more mild than the more common brown anchovies, and you may find that they are less offensive to you. The capers add a welcome brininess that complements the creamy cheese and slightly sweet tomato sauce. If you have a favorite pizza sauce, feel free to use 1 cup of that. 

Yield: enough topping for 1 pizza

About 1 cup canned tomato sauce
2 teaspoons dried Italian herb blend (or a mixture of dried basil, thyme, and oregano)
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
About ounces fresh mozzarella cheese
8 anchovy fillets, rinsed
2 tablespoons capers, drained

In a small bowl, combine tomato sauce, 1 teaspoon of the dried herbs, garlic powder, and salt and pepper to taste. Spoon the tomato sauce onto the pizza dough, spreading it out in an even layer, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Tear the cheese into medium-sized pieces and distribute it in an even layer on top of the sauce. Arrange the anchovies on top of the cheese, making sure to distribute them evenly (I placed whole fillets in the center then put smaller pieces around the edges). Distribute the capers evenly on top of the pizza. Finally, sprinkle the remaining 1 teaspoon of dried herbs evenly over the pizza.

The finished product: pure deliciousness

Caramelized Onion and Fig Pizza Topping

Although this topping has several components, all of the elements are easy to prepare. In this recipe, I use my favorite way to caramelize onions, which uses no oil or sugar (I promise you don't need it!). You can make the caramelized onions ahead of time and store them in the refrigerator for several days. The measurements in this topping are not exact. If you want a sweeter or  cheesier pizza, for example, add more of the fig jam and mascarpone cheese. Instead of mascarpone cheese, a creamy cheese like Fontina, Brie, or Gruyere would also be incredibly delicious.

Yield: enough topping for 1 pizza

1/2 large onion, sliced into half-inch rounds 
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
About 1/2 cup water
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 to 3 tablespoons fig jam
3 to 4 tablespoons mascarpone cheese
1/4 cup shelled pistachios, roughly chopped

Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and add the onions in an even layer. Leave the onions alone for about a minute, until they begin to slightly brown around the edges and stick to the pan. They'll begin to get sticky. Season them liberally with salt and pepper and stir with a spatula. After another minute or so, you'll begin to see a brown film develop on the bottom of the pan (these are the sugars from the onion). Add a few tablespoons of water and scrape the bottom of the pan to release the browned bits. The onions should begin to take on a golden brown color. Continue stirring until all the browned bits have been released from the pan.

Again, leave the onions alone for a few minutes, until they start to stick to the pan and more browned bits develop on the bottom of the pan. Add more water as before. Continue this process as necessary -- adding more water, scraping, and leaving the onions alone -- until the onions are soft, deeply brown, and sweet. It could take anywhere from 15 to 20 minutes longer. When the onions are fully caramelized, transfer them to a bowl and either store in the refrigerator for up to a week or use on the pizza immediately.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, heat the balsamic vinegar over medium-low heat until it has reduced to about 2 tablespoons and is thick and syrupy. Reduce the heat to low and set aside until you are ready to top the pizza.

To top the pizza, spread the dough with the caramelized onions in an even layer, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Next, dot the pizza with the fig jam and mascarpone cheese. Drizzle the balsamic syrup evenly over the pizza. Finally, sprinkle the chopped pistachios over the top.

The finished product: sweet and savory pizza heaven

Cheddar and Scallion Muffins

By now we're probably all pretty tired of sweets and candies. (If you aren't, stay tuned because I've got more where that comes from.) Honestly, I don't think I could ever tire of sweet baked goods, but today I thought I'd change it up a bit.
One of my favorite things to bake is quick bread, from muffins to scones to loaves. They give you the sense of accomplishment associated with bread-baking without all the finicky techniques involved in yeast-risen bread. (In all honesty, I am simultaneously fascinated with and terrified by old-fashioned bread baking.)
In search of a savory muffin recipe to serve along white bean soup (more on that later), I arrived at these simple little things. This is the kind of bare basics recipe that I love. The method is foolproof and the variations are endless. I decided to go with a classic cheddar and scallion version, but there are dozens of potential cheese and herb combinations, and I've listed some below.
The muffins boast a tender, slightly irregular crumb and pack a bunch of flavor in such a small package ("good" cheese and fresh herbs certainly help). Perfect as an accompaniment to a soup or salad or just by themselves, these muffins are ones I will return to again and again.
Chedder and Scallion Muffins
Adapted from Sugarcrafter

My favorite thing about these muffins is how much the flavor can change just by swapping in different combinations of cheese, herbs, and other add-ins. Instead of cheddar cheese, you could use Gruyere, Swiss, parmesan, Manchego (my absolute favorite cheese), Chevre, Comte, Fontina, Taleggio, or blue cheese. You could even combine cheeses for a more complex flavor (Fontina in the muffin and parmesan sprinkled on top, for example). Really, any good melting cheese would be fabulous. Instead of scallions, you could use chives, parsley, cilantro (if you're into that sort of thing), thyme, rosemary, sage, marjoram, or basil. Again, any fresh herb would be a fantastic complement if it's paired with a cheese harmoniously. I'd use 2 to 4 tablespoons depending on how strong of an herb flavor you want. For more inspiration, look to the end of the recipe for more detailed variations. Depending on how much batter you put in the muffin tins, you will get anywhere from 9 to 12 muffins. (I ended up with 9 but the muffins were a little larger.)

Yield: 9 to 12 muffins (see above)

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 scant tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese (yellow or white), plus 1/2 cup (optional), grated
1 large scallion, chopped
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 cup milk (I used 1%)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Position an oven rack to the center position and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a muffin tin with paper liners or spray with vegetable oil spray.

In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt together to combine. Add 1 cup of cheese and whisk again to combine.

In a measuring cup, stir the scallions, egg, milk, and butter together. Add to the dry ingredients and whisk quickly to combine. Don't overmix or the muffins will be tough instead of tender.

Divide the batter among the muffin tins. If you like, sprinkle the additional 1/2 cup of cheese evenly over the muffins. The additional cheese will melt into a nice crust of sorts on the top of the muffins, but you can certainly omit it or use a different cheese if you are so inclined.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Let cool for 5 to 10 minutes before serving. Store leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to a week.

Flavor variations:
Gruyere cheese, thyme, and caramelized onions. Parmesan and Fontina, rosemary, and sundried tomatoes. Goat cheese, roasted red peppers, and parsley. Swiss, finely diced ham, and basil.

The Rogovin Family Stuffing

Let's talk about stuffing. Or, rather, dressing. I think some people take the difference between the two terms very seriously, but in our house, even though the only thing it stuffs is our bellies, it's always been stuffing.

For the past two years, I've been dying to make a homemade stuffing. I dreamed of toasted cubes of artisanal breads, sauteed wild mushrooms, buttered leeks, and woodsy rosemary and sage. Despite the deliciousness of the stuffing that we have made every year since I can remember, I was fully willing to cast it aside for a "foodier" (a word I just made up meant to signify more "foodie"-like; reminds me of "truthiness," but I digress...) recipe. You see, we use the Pepperidge Farms stuffing cubes in our recipe. Unfortunately, my food snob mentality had me believing that the entire product was pre-made (like that jiggly cranberry mold that comes from the can) and therefore unacceptable on our Thanksgiving table.

And then, a revelation.

Like so many things on this great earth of ours, the revelation came from Ina Garten. I was watching a Thanksgiving episode of hers, and she made stuffing with the same Pepperidge Farm stuffing cubes that we do! If it's good enough for Ina, it's certainly good enough for me. (I did not, however, approve of her serving cupcakes for Thanksgiving dessert. Really, Ina? I know it wasn't her actual Thanksgiving dinner, but the thought is unsettling enough.) Gosh, I am such a food snob.

Anyway, this recipe is so delicious that I've convinced my mom that we need to make two pans to keep up with people's demands for it. The recipe below makes only one pan and that will certainly be enough if you don't have ravenous stuffing-philes in your home.

Unlike many stuffing recipes, this one contains no meat and no butter. It does contain savory mushrooms and celery, which are moistened with chicken stock and baked with those bread cubes into a tried and true stuffing that is just as delicious covered in gravy, on a turkey sandwich, or completely unadorned (my preference). You would never guess that ingredients this simple could make something so incredibly scrumptious.
Rogovin Family Stuffing

You can assemble the stuffing early in the day (or the night before) and refrigerate it, covered in aluminum foil, until you are ready to bake it. The oven temperature and baking time are pretty flexible. We bake the stuffing at 325 because it cooks along with the more delicate carrot ring. However, you could increase the baking temperature and decrease the time accordingly to suit your baking schedule. Just look for visual cues that the stuffing is done: a moist interior and crunchy top layer.

Yield: 10-12 servings

8 ounced cremini mushrooms, coarsely chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
5 stalks of celery, diced into 1/2-inch pieces
2 1/2 cups of chicken stock
1 bag of Pepperidge Farm herbed stuffing cubes

Adjust an oven rack to the upper-middle position and preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. In a large bowl, mix mushrooms and celery with chicken stock. Add stuffing cubes and toss to coat. Pour into a 9-by-13-inch pan. Bake for 45 minutes to an hour, until the top is golden and toasty. Serve hot.

Carrot Ring

Last week I talked about the virtues of a corn-syrup-free pecan pie. There's just something about using plain sugar that seems more wholesome than corn syrup. In a way, it's like serving dishes using ingredients available at the very first Thanksgiving. (Of course, I'm not sure what that means for our stuffing, but I'm working on that front.)

And while I'm not so big on pecan pie because of its inherent sweetness, I am a devout lover of carrot ring.

You might be wondering what "carrot ring" is. It's somewhere between a souffle and a pound cake in texture. It's simultaneously dense and light. As for the flavor, it's certainly more intense than run-of-the-mill carrot cake, but it's not so overpoweringly sweet as to be considered a dessert. In fact, it's a side dish on our Thanksgiving table, and it has been for as long as I can remember. Quite simply, I adore it. Not only is it a wonderful supporting member of the Thanksgiving cast, but it is also delicious for breakfast (or dessert).

Like the origins of pecan pie (dark, mysterious, corn syrup-laden origins), the beginnings of carrot ring were somewhat questionable. While corn syrup irks me a little, shortening just plain freaks me out. The combination of its color, flavor (ahem, lack thereof), goopy texture (reminiscent of Vaseline), and solidity at room temperature are enough to make me rid all recipes I come across of this "ingredient."

(Now that I've thoroughly grossed you out talking about a "food" resembling Vaseline, please read on. I promise it gets better. And tastier.)

Luckily, my mom shares similar feelings when it comes to shortening (only countered by the fact that she a) tried the whipped lardo at Del Posto ["It tastes like bacon fat"... duh] and b) continues to grease the bundt pans for carrot ring with shortening). When my mom first received this recipe from my paternal grandmother (Nama) many years ago when she started to host Thanksgiving, she immediately set out to rid it of the unnecessary fat and calories. (Indeed, you can see the original ingredients on the recipe card below.)

Another heirloom recipe, but (warning!) these directions are super confusing.
Terse instructions on old recipes really annoy me.

Thankfully, she succeeded exceptionally well. By replacing the fat with whipped egg whites and applesauce, she both lightened the texture and moistened the crumb. She cut back on the sugar substantially, which lets the carrot flavor really shine through and justifies its side dish status. Of course, I've never had the original version, but my guess is that her changes accomplished these feats. Either way, the result is a dish that I eagerly await every year and one that will forever be on my Thanksgiving table. Enjoy this - it's a Rogovin family classic.

(Unfortunately, I have no picture to show you of this beautiful carrot ring. However, I think I successfully identified it in this picture. It is just below the wall outlet, to the left of the large green bowl. Note to self: take pictures of everything you make this Thanksgiving!)

Carrot Ring
Adapted from Nama

To cook the carrots, we place them in a microwaveable dish with some water and cook them until they're very tender. Then we put them in a food processor and process until they're mostly smooth. You don't want them to be completely pureed; lumps are perfectly fine. You could also just use a potato masher or fork to mash them up. You can use either a hand mixer or stand mixer to beat the egg whites. This recipe makes 2 carrot rings. We bake one in a pretty Bundt pan mold and serve it on Thanksgiving. The other we keep, unbaked, in the refrigerator for a few days and bake it whenever the first carrot ring is almost gone. I prefer carrot ring either warm or cold. It's a delicious complement to a sweet/tart cranberry conserve.

Yield: 2 carrot rings

1 3/4 cups applesauce
8 large egg whites, divided
2 tablespoons cold water
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup dark brown sugar
2 pounds carrots, peeled, cooked, and mashed (see note)
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Grease two Bundt pans (or ring-shaped cake pans) with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.

In a large bowl, mix together the applesauce and 4 of the egg whites. Add the water, lemon juice, vanilla, and brown sugar and mix until well-blended. Mix in the carrot puree.

In a separate bowl, mix the salt, baking powder, baking soda, and flour. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients until just blended.

Meanwhile, beat the remaining 4 egg whites until stiff peaks form. Carefully fold the beaten egg whites into the carrot mixture. Divide the batter between the two Bundt pans (they should be about halfway full).

Put a kettle of water on to boil. Place the Bundt pan in a larger roasting pan. Put the whole set-up in the oven. Quickly and carefully pour the boiling water into the roasting pan so that it comes about halfway up the sides of the pan. Bake for 1 hour.

Let cool before inverting onto a serving platter. Serve warm, cold, or at room temperature. The carrot ring will keep, covered well with plastic wrap, for at least a week.

Healthy Zucchini Bread

I’ve long nagged my mom about planting different vegetables and fruits in our backyard to harvest. Imagine the wealth of tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, and squash that we could get! And a fig tree? Don’t even get me started.

When my mom told me that we could harvest some vegetables from her friend’s own garden, I was elated. Although there were no fig trees to be found, we ended up with a wonderful variety of homegrown summer produce. A few peppers, some cucumbers, and a couple of cute cherry tomatoes, not to mention an assortment of delicious herbs. Oh, and a zucchini.

It was a pretty sizable bounty. And when I say sizable, I mean it. Our lone zucchini tipped the scales at over three and a half pounds. Yes, you read that correctly: three and a half pounds. About 60 ounces of pure vegetation. The problem with a three and a half-pound zucchini? Only about two and a half of those pounds are usable. Unlike average sized zucchini, this humongous squash had the most developed seed structure I’ve ever seen in a summer squash. It was more like a winter squash, and anyone who has ever prepped a butternut or acorn squash (or even scooped out a pumpkin for Halloween) knows that there’s a whole mess of seed webbing to work through and that the outer flesh is the only usable part.
But when life gives you a three and a half-pound zucchini, what does one do? Ah, one makes zucchini bread. My mom pulled out an “heirloom” recipe for zucchini bread. I call it heirloom because of its odd combination of ingredients. (“Baking powder and baking soda? Sure, why not, even though there’s nothing for the baking soda to react with, it just sounds right. While we’re at it, let’s list all the ingredients and an oven temperature and just leave it at that. No further directions are required. After all, we’re only dealing with kitchen alchemy and the like.”) So I had a few reservations about how this would turn out, especially when my mom began substituting and adjusting ingredients left and right. But you know what? It came out really well. Aside from the loaves’ squatness (I’ve elected to call them tea cakes, instead), our own little kitchen experiment has a happy—and delicious—ending. Although it’s hard for me to detect any zucchini flavor (it’s a rather mild-tasting vegetable to begin with), a dose of cinnamon lends it a taste that reminds me of banana bread (it provides a wonderful scent, too). Chopped pecans add a great contrast of texture. Speaking of texture, I think the texture of the bread improves with age. The crumb gets denser and more toothsome.

This bread is also just about the healthiest quick bread recipe you may ever find. My mom swapped in applesauce for all the oil and cut back on the sugar by a third. (Apparently we have similar opinions about using vegetable oil and shortening.) Final verdict: an excellent use for our mammoth zucchini and perfect for breakfast in the morning or for a more healthful midnight snack.

Healthy Zucchini Bread
Adapted from an old family recipe

Shred the zucchini on the large holes of a box grater. Admittedly, we totally omitted the vanilla by accident, but the bread was just as tasty anyway. Include it if you like, but know that you can omit it also. I'd reason that the vanilla accents the other ingredients (much like salt - don't leave that out!) and also adds a floral note to the bread. This bread really improves with age and tastes delicious cold, as the crumb becomes especially tooth-sinking and dense. The loaves can be stored, wrapped in plastic and stored in the refrigerator, for up to one week.

Yield: 2 (shortish) loaves

3 large eggs
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 cup granulated sugar
2 cups shredded zucchini
1 tablespoon vanilla
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 cup of chopped pecans

Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour two 9 by 5-inch loaf pans.

Combine eggs, applesauce, sugar, zucchini, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Whisk until combined.

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon until well-combined. Meanwhile, toast the pecans in a dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant and lightly browned. Set aside.

Fold dry ingredients into wet ingredients until just-combined. Don't overmix; there should be no large streaks of white flour remaining, but lumps are fine. Stir in the pecans.

Divide the batter evenly among the loaf pans and bake for 45 minutes, or until a toothpick or wooden skewer inserted into the loaves comes out clean. Cool in the pans on a wire rack until the loaves reach room temperature.

Bread Salad

I know "Bread Salad" is about as unglamorous a title for a dish as you can think of, but in our house, it always elicits excitement. But for those of you who want a fancier name, let me tell you about a dish that the Italians call "panzanella."

Thanks to my family's extreme fondness for vegetables year-round, as well as to the ingenious concept of wholesale food clubs, our house is rarely without the bread salad quartet of tomatoes, bell peppers, cucumbers, and bread.

This recipe, like so many of our favorites, is inspired by Ina Garten. As we've made the salad countless times in the past year or so (why we never decided to make it before, I have no idea), we have of course made a few modifications from Ina's original recipe.

Usually the process goes something like this:

"You know we have all the stuff to make bread salad, right?" I'll tell my mom nonchalantly. She'll nod, and we'll agree to make it for tomorrow's dinner. The better for me to mentally prepare myself for the deliciousness.

At around 7:30, I'll come downstairs and wash the vegetables. Two large tomatoes (we usually have beefsteak, but five or six Roma tomatoes would be fine, as well.), one whole English cucumber, and two bell peppers are about right. Then I'll dice up five or six slices of bread (my favorite is whole wheat).

Usually right about now my mom, inevitably knitting at the kitchen table, will chime in with "Can I do anything to help?" Now, while I strangely enjoy chopping vegetables and those kinds of menial prepwork tasks, I really can't stand to wash and dry greens and make salad dressing. So I let my mom do my leftover tasks, and she is always happy to do so (plus I am convinced that she makes amazing salad dressing, which is just as important a component in this dish as the bread and vegetables).

The whole meal comes together very quickly. I always toast the bread in the oven (rather than in a skillet on the stove), and I sprinkle it with salt and pepper to make sure it's seasoned well. While the bread toasts, the vegetables are sitting happily in a huge (and I mean huge - way too big for just my mom and me) salad bowl, soaking up all that delicious vinaigrette. Once the bread is toasted, it goes straight into the bowl, and the warm cubes of bread readily absorb the dressing, too.

And, finally, a shout-out to the behind-the-scenes star of this dish, the capers, which at first glance can seem insignificant. After all, how can such a tiny berry make that great a difference in this sea of vegetables and bread? But they add a welcome brininess to the salad and a little pop of acidity that wonderfully complements the sweetness of the tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers. I say it almost every time we make this salad, and I'll say it again: the capers make the bread salad.

And even though this dish is redolent of summer's bounty and bursting with bright colors, it is secretly dangerous. If you're not paying attention, you will quickly find yourself four bowls deep, wondering to yourself where all that bread salad went. I've found this out the hard way, because we used to place the bowl right on the table, where it would practically call out to you. The last time we made this, I made the wise decision to leave the bowl in the kitchen, away from view. Somehow, we ended up with leftovers, but, of course, those were quickly devoured, too.
Bread Salad

Adapted from Ina Garten

If you like, you can also add half of a diced red onion (or sweet onion) to this salad. The onion adds a nice crunch and pungency. I like to soak the red onion in some cold water for about 10 minutes, which can mitigate that "Whoa, raw onion!" heat. But if you're not into raw onion, the salad will be no less delicious without it.

Yield: 4 servings

2 large beefsteak tomatoes (or 5 to 6 Roma tomatoes)
1 large English cucumber
2 bell peppers (red, orange, or yellow but not green)
5 or 6 slices of hearty bread, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
7 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons champagne or white wine vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 1/2 teaspoons mayonnaise
1 garlic clove, minced (or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder)
2 tablespoons choppped fresh herbs (preferably basil but a mixture of leafy green herbs like parsley, mint, or chives with the basil also works)
3 heaping tablespoons capers
Enough lettuce greans for four (about two heads of romaine or 4 cups of greens)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and line a baking sheet with foil.

Cut the tomatoes, cucumber, and bell peppers into about 1/2-inch pieces. Place in a large salad bowl.

Place the bread on the baking sheet and season with salt and pepper to taste. Toast the bread until golden brown and fragrant, about 10 minutes.

While the bread is toasting, make the dressing. Combine the olive oil, vinegar, mustard, mayonnaise, garlic and herbs in a jar or container. Seal the jar or container and shake vigorously to mix the dressing. Pour the dressing over the vegetables to coat (you may have extra; save some for salad later). Add the capers and toss the vegetables to distribute the dressing evenly throughout. Add the toasted bread to the salad and toss again to distribute the bread, making sure that the bread is coated with dressing.

To serve, place a handful of greens in a bowl and top with as much bread salad as you like.

Any Way Strata

In terms of a recipe standby that is not only always comforting and delicious but that I can also always make, no matter what is in the refrigerator, nothing quite beats strata. Imagine a frittata enlivened by hearty, savory bread and you get the idea. We first started making this strata years ago, and it’s always a hit for brunch. But, in my opinion, it’s even better for dinner. You can make it early in the day and let it sit for a few hours in the fridge before baking it just before dinner.

Aside from the ease of preparation involved, I also love how flexible the recipe is. Seriously, you can make this with just about anything. Have some bell peppers on hand? Saute them up. Spinach that’s not quite crisp enough to eat raw in a salad? Perfect for this! And the list goes on: broccoli, onions, asparagus, fennel, mushrooms, Swiss chard, zucchini, squash—they’d all work perfectly in this. And when coupled with gooey cheese and the more substantial bread, which soaks up the egg and almost takes on the texture of beautifully tender potatoes (hey, potatoes would be great in this, too!), you have a fabulous meal that needs only a green salad for accompaniment.

That said, there’s not exactly a precise recipe for this strata. The keys are cooking the vegetables until they’re tender and have given up all their moisture (no one likes a soggy strata, after all) and allowing enough time for the bread to soak up the eggs and milk. Play around with different vegetable, bread, and cheese combinations. (My most recent rendition included colorful bell peppers, fresh broccoli, and baby spinach; rosemary baguette; and nutty Parmesan cheese.) The possibilities are truly endless and the results are no less than delectable.

Strata—Your Way

Yield: About 8 or 9 servings (but less if I’m eating)

1 vegetable combination (choose from those I’ve listed below or create one of your own)
Kosher salt
Ground black pepper
½ teaspoon garlic powder or ½ teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon dried Italian herb seasoning
9 eggs
2½ cups milk
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
8 cups of hearty bread (not sandwich bread), cut into ¾- to 1-inch pieces*
1¼ cups cheese, divided**

Heat 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. If using bell peppers, onions, or fennel, add them first to the pan, stirring occasionally, until they become soft and translucent (in the case of onions or fennel), about 5 minutes. Season with ¼ teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Add the remaining vegetables and cook, continuing to stir occasionally. If using spinach or another leafy green vegetable, add them last and cook until just wilted, about 1 minute. Continue cooking the vegetables until they are tender and all the moisture has evaporated.

(Note: If you elect to use potatoes, either sweet or regular, you need to make sure that they are completely cooked before they are put in the oven with the rest of the strata. You can accomplish this by either roasting the potatoes in the oven until they’re tender or boiling them in water until they’re tender. Add the potatoes to the rest of the vegetables before adding garlic powder and herbs.)

Once vegetables are completely cooked through, add garlic powder (or nutmeg) and herbs and mix thoroughly. Remove pan from heat and allow vegetables to cool slightly.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl whisk together eggs, milk, and Dijon mustard. Season with ¼ teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine bread and 1 cup of cheese. Add vegetable mixture to bread and toss to combine.

Spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray and add bread-vegetable mixture. Carefully pour egg mixture evenly over bread. Sprinkle remaining ¼ cup of cheese over baking dish. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.

Before baking, adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Bake strata until the eggs are completely set and the top is browned, 45 to 55 minutes. If the strata begins to brown too much, place a sheet of aluminum foil over the baking pan to prevent further browning. Remove strata from oven and cool for 10 minutes. Serve immediately. Stored in the refrigerator covered in aluminum foil or plastic wrap, the strata will keep for up to 1 week.

*My particular favorite bread in strata is a hearty whole wheat loaf. Baguettes or other crusty breads also work well (and are even better if they’ve started to become stale).
**You can use practically any type of cheese, as well as combinations of cheeses. Cheddar, Swiss, Gruyere, Parmesan, Pecorino Romano, Monterrey Jack, and low-moisture Mozzarella are all wonderful choices. Be creative with your pairings of bread, cheese, and vegetables. For example, a Tex-Mex version could include onion, bell pepper, and mushrooms; a milder baguette; and pepper jack cheese, with some hot sauce added to the egg mixture.

Vegetable Combinations:
Choose 3 or 4 vegetables from the list below. In the end you’ll want about 4 cups of cooked vegetables.

½ diced onion, 1 diced zucchini or yellow squash, 1 diced bell pepper, 8 ounces sliced mushrooms, 8 ounces broccoli (cut into ½-inch pieces), 1 diced fennel bulb, 8 ounces asparagus (cut into ½-inch pieces), 1 medium sweet or regular potato (cut into ½-inch pieces), 8 ounces spinach or other leafy green (such as Swiss chard).

You can also use 12-ounce bags of frozen vegetables if you have some on hand. Frozen spinach is especially convenient. Take the bag out of the freezer when you begin to saute the vegetables and add them to the pan according to the recipe, making sure to let the moisture evaporate in the pan before combining the vegetables with the bread.