Holiday Biscotti With Cranberries and Pistachios

SERVES 42

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon whole anise seed
• 1 cup dried sweetened cranberries
• 3/4 cup shelled natural unsalted pistachios
• 6 ounces imported white chocolate, chopped (i use 1-2 cups of white chocolate chips)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325°F Line 3 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Sift first 3 ingredients into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter and sugar in large bowl to blend well. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Mix in lemon peel, vanilla, and aniseed. Beat in flour mixture just until blended. Stir in cranberries and pistachios (dough will be sticky). Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface. Gather dough together; divide in half. Roll each half into 15-inch-long log (about 1 1/4 inches wide). Carefully transfer logs to 1 prepared baking sheet, spacing 3 inches apart.
2. Bake logs until almost firm to touch but still pale, about 28 minutes. Cool logs on baking sheet 10 minutes. Maintain oven temperature.
3. Carefully transfer logs still on parchment to cutting board. Using serrated knife and gentle sawing motion, cut logs crosswise into generous 1/2-inch-thick slices. Place slices, 1 cut side down, on remaining 2 prepared sheets. Bake until firm and pale golden, about 9 minutes per side. Transfer cookies to racks and cool.
4. Line another baking sheet with waxed paper. Stir white chocolate in top of double boiler over barely simmering water just until smooth. Remove from over water. Dip 1 end of each cookie into melted chocolate, tilting pan if necessary; shake off excess chocolate. Place cookies on prepared sheet. Chill until chocolate is firm, about 30 minutes. (Can be made 5 days ahead. Store airtight between sheets of waxed paper at room temperature.).
5. Makes about 3 1/2 dozen.

Montreal Bagels

12 bagels

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups water
• 5 tablespoons sugar
• 3 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 (8 g) package dry yeast
• 1 tablespoon beaten egg
• 1 tablespoon malt drink powder or syrup
• 4 1/2 cups unbleached white bread flour (you may need more)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 cup poppy seed (or 1/2 cup sesame seeds, or be creative and try a combination)
• 6 quarts water
• 1/3 cup honey

Directions

1. In a large bowl, stir together the warm water, sugar, canola oil, yeast (not instant), egg and malt; keep combining until the yeast dissolves. Then, stir in salt and one cup of the flour.
2. Gently add enough flour to make a soft dough, about 3 cups.
3. Knead your dough for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring in extra flour as you need it. When your dough is firm and smooth, cover with inverted bowl and let sit 10 minutes.
4. Next, divvy up the dough into 12 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a 10-inch rope, then curve each one around your hand, pressing together ends to make a bagel shape. You may need to use a few drops of water to help the ends stay together.
5. Let bagels rise for 30 minutes.
6. When ready, fill a large pot with the 6 quarts of water and then stir in the honey; bring that up to a boil.
7. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 425 degrees F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or Silpat mats.
8. When the honey-water has come up to the boil, drop in bagels and boil for about 90 seconds (1 1/2 minutes), turning only once. Drain your bagels on clean, dry dish towels and then place on baking sheets. Sprinkle both sides of bagels with seeds. Be generous!
9. Place your bagels in preheated oven and bake until golden in appearance, about 20 minutes, turning just once. Enjoy!

Indian Rice Pudding

SERVES 4 -6

Ingredients

• 1 cup cooked long-grain rice or basmati rice
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 3/4 cup coconut milk
• 2 ounces sugar, approximately 1/4 cup
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1 1/2 ounces golden raisins, approximately 1/3 cup
• 1 1/2 ounces chopped unsalted pistachios, approximately 1/3 cup

Directions

1. In a large nonstick sauté pan over medium heat, combine cooked rice and whole milk. Heat until mixture begins to boil.
2. Decrease heat to low and cook to a simmer, stirring frequently, until mixture begins to thicken, approximately 5 minutes.
3. Increase heat to medium, add heavy cream, coconut milk, sugar, and cardamom. Continue to cook until mixture just begins to thicken again, approximately 5-10 minutes. Use a whisk to prevent the cardamom from clumping.
4. Once mixture begins to thicken, remove from heat and stir in raisins and pistachios.
5. Transfer the mixture to individual serving dishes or a glass bowl and place plastic wrap directly on the surface of the pudding.
6. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
7. Note: The mixture may not seem thick enough when you remove it from the heat, but once you add the raisins and pistachios and chill, it will get nice and creamy. I like my rice pudding a little sweet, so I also added a little bit more sugar than the 2 oz. called for in the recipe to suit my personal taste.

Easy Naan (Bread Machine)

makes 8 large naan

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup yogurt
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 cups bread flour
• 4 1/2 teaspoons bread machine yeast

Directions

1. Add ingredients to the bread pan according to the manufacturer's directions.
2. Set Cycle: dough; Loaf size: 2 lb.
3. fter about 5 minutes, check the dough; add a tablespoon of water at a time if too dry, or a tablespoon of flour at a time if too wet.
4. Preheat oven to 450F, put 2 baking sheets in to heat for 10 minutes (this will help the naan to puff up and brown).
5. When dough cycle is done, turn dough onto a floured surface and punch down; Divide into 8 pieces.
6. Working one at a time, with the other pieces covered, roll dough out to a thickness of about 1/4 inch.
7. Bake for about 4 minutes, until puffed up.
8. Brown tops under the broiler, then wrap in a towel to keep warm while cooking the remaining naan.
9. These freeze very well.

Clementine Cake Recipe # 2

a second version from Shirley in case of variations. From: http://www.nigella.com/recipe/recipe_detail.aspx?rid=20002


INGREDIENTS

4-5 clementines (about 375g total weight)
6 eggs
225g sugar
250g ground almonds
1 heaped teaspoon baking powder


METHOD

1. Put the clementines in a pan with some cold water, bring to the boil and cook for 2 hours. Drain and, when cool, cut each clementine in half and remove the pips. Dump the clementines - skins, pith, fruit and all - and give a quick blitz. Then tip in all the remaining ingredients and pulse to a pulp. Preheat the oven to gas mark 5/190ºC. Butter and line a 21cm Springform tin.
2. Beat the eggs. Add the sugar, almonds and baking powder. Mix well, adding the pulped oranges. I don’t like using the processor for this, and frankly, you can’t baulk at a little light stirring.
3. Pour the cake mixture into the prepared tin and bake for an hour, when a skewer will come out clean; you'll probably have to cover with foil or greaseproof after about 40 minutes to stop the top burning. Remove from the oven and leave to cool, on a rack, but in the tin. When the cake's cold, you can take it out of the tin. I think this is better a day after it's made, but I don't complain about eating it at any time.
4. I've also made this with an equal weight of oranges, and with lemons, in which case I increase the sugar to 250g and slightly anglicise it, too, by adding a glaze made of icing sugar mixed to a paste with lemon juice and a little water.

Clementine Cake Recipe # 1 from the Food Network

from Shirley. two versions in case of variations. This one is from the Food Network. But both are Nigella Lawson's recipe. from URL: http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/cda/recipe_print/0,1946,FOOD_9936_36069_RECIPE-PRINT-FULL-PAGE-FORMATTER,00.html

Prep Time: 10 min
Inactive Prep Time: hr min
Cook Time: 2 hr 40 min
Level: Easy
Serves: 1 (8-inch) cake

Ingredients

* 4 to 5 clementines (about 1 pound total weight)
* 6 eggs
* 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
* 2 1/3 cups ground almonds
* 1 heaping teaspoon baking powder

Directions

Put the clementines in a pot with cold water to cover, bring to the boil, and cook for 2 hours. Drain and, when cool, cut each clementine in half and remove the seeds. Then finely chop the skins, pith, and fruit in the processor (or by hand, of course).

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Butter and line an 8-inch springform pan with parchment paper.

Beat the eggs. Add the sugar, almonds, and baking powder. Mix well, adding the chopped clementines. I don't like using the processor for this, and frankly, you can't balk at a little light stirring.

Pour the cake mixture into the prepared pan and bake for 1 hour, when a skewer will come out clean; you'll probably have to cover the cake with foil after about 40 minutes to stop the top from burning. Remove from the oven and leave to cool, in the pan on a rack. When the cake is cold, you can take it out of the pan. I think this is better a day after it's made, but I don't complain about eating it anytime.

I've also made this with an equal weight of oranges and lemons, in which case I increase the sugar to 1 1/4 cups and slightly Anglicize it, too, by adding a glaze made of confectioners' sugar mixed to a paste with lemon juice and a little water.

Thai Green Curry

Thai Green Curry Paste (Nam Prik Kaeng Khiaw Waan)
This green curry paste recipe from Thailand can be used to prepare any type of green curry, especially with chicken or catfish. You may store it in a small freezer storage bag up to one week refrigerated or frozen for up to 1 year.

Ingredients
15 large fresh green hot chilies
3 shallots, sliced
9 cloves garlic
1 tsp finely sliced fresh galangal
1 tbsp sliced fresh lemon grass
9 tsp finely sliced kaffir lime rind
1 tsp chopped coriander root
5 white peppercorns
1 tbsp roasted coriander seeds*
1 tsp roasted cumin seeds*
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp shrimp paste

Preparation
Combine coriander seeds, cumin and peppercorn in a mortar, pound well. Transfer to a bowl and put aside.
Pound hot chilies and salt together well. Add the remaining ingredients except shrimp paste, pound until mixed well.
Add the cumin mixture and shrimp paste, continue pounding until smooth and fine.

from: http://www.templeofthai.com/recipes/thai_green_curry_paste.php

*See how to roast coriander and cumin seeds either just below or at http://www.templeofthai.com/recipes/cumin_coriander.php

Thai Spices - Cumin & Coriander
Whole Coriander and Cumin Seeds - How to Dry Roast Spices for Curry Pastes & Satay
If you have never taken the time to dry-roast spices, you should try it, just for the wonderful smells that the spices will emit. Dried whole spices are often much more fragrant and flavorful then already ground spices, because the natural oils are retained better.

It's best to dry-roast each spice separately, as smaller spices take less time then larger ones. A small heavy pan (e.g. cast iron) works best for this task. Roast the spices a little longer once they first release their perfume into the air. Uniformly brown but not burnt, the spices will be roasted to the core and not just toasted on the surface. Be sure to stir or shake the pan frequently for even browning. Be careful not to burn them though or your dish will be bitter.
Whole Thai coriander seeds (look pak chee) are smaller than Western varieties and have a sweeter, more fragrant flavor.

Cumin seeds (mellet yira) are sometimes mistakenly called fennel or caraway on Thai packaging and as a result in some Thai recipes.

Freshly dried ground spices can be added to curry pastes, marinades and dipping sauces. Store tightly sealed in a cool place.

See the Thai Green Curry Recipe for use with this paste at http://www.templeofthai.com/recipes/thai_green_curry.php or read more about different Thai curry recipes at http://www.templeofthai.com/cooking/about_thai_curry.php.