New Potato Salad

Ingredients

For the potatoes:
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 1/2 lbs new potatoes, washed and cut in half

1/2 lb thick cut bacon, cut into 1/4" dice
3 medium Vidalia onions, cut crosswise into 1/2" slices
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
6 green onions (white part only), thinly sliced crosswise and skewered
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh Italian parsley
1 tablespoon finely chopped thyme

For the dressing:
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons sherry vinegar
3 tablespoons chicken broth
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Procedure

1. Light a chimney 3/4 full of charcoal. When the charcoal is fully lit and covered in gray ash, pour coals out and arrange them on one side of the charcoal grate, keeping the other side empty. Clean and oil the grilling grate.

2. Toss potatoes with the olive oil, salt, and pepper. Place potatoes over the hot side of the grill, and cook until nicely browned on all sides, about 2-3 minutes per side. When browned, move to cool side of the grill and cover. Cooking an additional 10-15 minutes, until the potatoes can be easily pierced with a paring knife. Remove the potatoes from the grill and set aside to cool.

3. Cook bacon in skillet over medium heat until crispy and fat has almost completely rendered, about 10 minutes. Remove bacon bits with a slotted spoon and add them in with the cooling potatoes. Reserve the rendered bacon fat.

4. Brush onion slices with reserved bacon fat and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook on the hot side of the grill until browned and tender, about 5-7 minutes per side. Baste with bacon fat again 1/2 way through cooking process. Remove onion slices from the grill, cut into quarters, and add them in with the potatoes and bacon bits. Add the parsley, green onions, and thyme in the with potatoes.

5. In a medium bowl whisk together all the ingredients for the dressing. Pour dressing over the potatoes and toss gently to evenly coat. Allow potato salad to sit out at room temperature for 1 hour before serving.

Inside-Out Peanut Butter Cups

Ingredients

For the peanut butter shells:
4 tablespoons butter, softened
6 tablespoons brown sugar
2 1/2 tablespoons peanut butter (creamy works best)
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup flour

For the filling:

1 cup confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon peanut butter (creamy works best)
2 1/2 teaspoons baking cocoa
1 tablespoon butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Procedure

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Place either 12 regular sized cupcake liners, or 24 mini ones, in a muffin/cupcake tin. Set aside.

2. In a mixing bowl, cream the butter, brown sugar, peanut butter and vanilla until light and fluffy. Gradually add the flour until combined—the mixture will be fairly crumbly.

3. Take about 2/3 of the mixture and press into half of the cupcake cups in your prepared muffin tin, making sure to press the mixture into the bottom and up the sides of the cups.

4. With the remaining mixture, press the dough into only the bottom of the remaining cups—so you will have half of the cups filled on the bottom and sides, and half just pressed into the bottom of the cups.

5. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned and set. Let cool.

6. In the meantime, make your filling. combine all of the ingredients either in a microwave-safe bowl for 30 seconds until combined and creamy. Pour into each of your waiting peanut butter cups. If your flat tops have not crumbled, put them on top; if they have, then go ahead and simply crumble them on top.

7. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or until the filling has set. After the filling has set, they can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container.

Little Baileys Cheesecakes

6 butternut snap cookies or other plain sweet cookie
1/3C baileys
200g (7oz) ricotta
250g (9oz) philidelphia cream cheese
1/3C (60g or 2oz) icing sugar (powdered sugar)

Line a large muffin tin with 6 muffin papers.

Place cookies upside down in the base of each – you may need to trim them with a knife to get them to sit flat. Drizzle 1 teaspoon of baileys over each cookie.

Combine remaining baileys, ricotta, cream cheese and icing sugar in a food processor and whizz until smooth – alternatively mash it all together with a fork.

Divide ricotta mixture between muffin papers and refrigerate until you’re ready to eat.

Baked French Toast Casserole

• 1 loaf French bread (13 to 16 ounces)
• 8 large eggs
• 2 cups half-and-half
• 1 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• Dash salt
• Praline Topping, recipe follows
• Maple syrup

Directions
Slice French bread into 20 slices, 1-inch each. Arrange slices in a generously buttered 9 by 13-inch flat baking dish in 2 rows, overlapping the slices. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, half-and-half, milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt and beat with a rotary beater or whisk until blended but not too bubbly. Pour mixture over the bread slices, making sure all are covered evenly with the milk-egg mixture. Spoon some of the mixture in between the slices. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.
The next day, preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Spread Praline Topping evenly over the bread and bake for 40 minutes, until puffed and lightly golden. Serve with maple syrup.
Praline Topping:
• 1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and blend well. Makes enough for Baked French Toast Casserole.

Orecchiette with Veal, Capers and White Wine

Ingredients

1. 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2. 1 medium onion, finely chopped
3. 1 garlic clove, minced
4. 1 pound ground veal
5. Salt and freshly ground pepper
6. 1/2 cup dry white wine
7. 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
8. 1 teaspoon chopped thyme
9. 1/2 teaspoon chopped rosemary
10. 2 tablespoons small capers, rinsed
11. 3/4 pound orecchiette
12. 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
13. 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
14. 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Directions

1. In a large, deep skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the chopped onion and minced garlic and cook over moderately high heat, stirring frequently, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the veal, season with salt and pepper and raise the heat to high. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the veal is no longer pink and any liquid has evaporated, about 8 minutes.
2. Add the white wine to the skillet and boil over high heat until nearly evaporated, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken stock, thyme, rosemary and capers and simmer over moderate heat until the liquid is reduced by half, about 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, cook the orecchiette in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Drain the pasta well and add it to the skillet along with the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, chopped parsley and butter. Cook over moderate heat, stirring frequently, until the sauce is thick and creamy, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to bowls and serve right away.

Beer-Braised Turkey Tacos

Ingredients

1. 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2. Two 1-pound bone-in turkey thighs or drumsticks, skin and fat removed
3. Salt and freshly ground pepper
4. 4 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
5. 1 medium white onion, cut into 1-inch dice, plus minced white onion, for serving
6. 1 large oregano sprig
7. 1 medium tomato, coarsely chopped
8. 1 ancho chile—stemmed, seeded and coarsely chopped or torn
9. One 2-inch cinnamon stick
10. One 12-ounce bottle Mexican dark beer, such as Modelo Negro
11. 1 cup water
12. 12 corn tortillas
13. 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds and cilantro sprigs, for serving

Directions

1. In a large enameled cast-iron casserole, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Season the turkey with salt and pepper and cook over moderately high heat until richly browned all over, about 8 minutes. Transfer the turkey to a plate.
2. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to the casserole along with the garlic, diced onion, and oregano and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until the onion is softened, about 8 minutes. Add the tomato, ancho and cinnamon stick and cook, stirring, until the tomato releases its juices.
3. Return the turkey to the casserole, add the beer and water and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer over low heat, turning once, until the turkey thighs are tender, about 1 hour. Transfer the turkey to a plate and let cool. Discard the oregano sprig and cinnamon stick and boil the sauce over high heat until reduced to 1/4 cup, about 12 minutes.
4. Preheat the oven to 350°. Wrap the tortillas in foil and bake for about 8 minutes, until softened and heated through. Remove the turkey meat and shred it. Transfer the sauce to a food processor and puree. Return the sauce to the pot and stir in the shredded turkey. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon the turkey onto the tortillas. Top with minced onion, sesame seeds and cilantro sprigs and serve.

Braised Chicken all'Arrabbiata

Ingredients

1. 6 whole chicken legs, split into drumsticks and thighs
2. Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3. 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4. 1 large red onion, diced
5. 6 large garlic cloves, minced
6. 1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper
7. 1 bay leaf
8. 1 large yellow bell pepper, diced
9. 1 small poblano, diced
10. 1 tablespoon tomato paste
11. 1 cup dry white wine
12. One 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes, chopped and juices reserved
13. 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
14. 2 marjoram sprigs, plus 1 tablespoon chopped marjoram leaves

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. In a large ovenproof skillet, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the chicken skin side down and cook over moderately high heat, turning once, until browned, 7 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a platter skin side up.
2. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of fat from the skillet. Add the onion, garlic, crushed red pepper and bay leaf and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until the onion is softened. Add the bell pepper and poblano and cook until softened. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Add the wine and boil for 2 minutes, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Add the tomatoes and their juices, the vinegar and marjoram sprigs and bring to a simmer.
3. Set the chicken legs in the skillet skin side up. Bake in the upper third of the oven for 35 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Discard the marjoram and season the sauce with salt and pepper. Garnish with the chopped marjoram and serve.

1.