Dippy

Break out the food processor.  These are basic flavors you can play with.  Add more or less of any of these ingredients.  All of these dips also work well as an accompaniment to sautéed chicken or grilled fish   Enjoy!  

Olive Tapenade

2-3 cups pitted, kalamata olives

½ cup sundried tomatoes

1 tbsp fresh rosemary

1 bunch Italian flat leaf parsley

Extra virgin olive oil

 

Cannellini Pesto Hummus

2-3 cups cannellini beans

2 tbsp pesto* 

Juice of ½ lemon

Extra virgin olive oil

*Simple pesto: Place basil leaves, 1-3 cloves fresh garlic and pinch of salt in food processor and as processor blends ingredients, drizzle olive oil until paste forms.

Edamame Puree

12 ounces defrosted, shelled soybeans

2 tsp sesame oil

1 tbsp miso paste

1 tbsp soy sauce

Juice ½ lemon

1 clove garlic

2 tsp sriracha (chili sauce)

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Best Brownies

A little more chocolate never hurt anyone

1/3 cup cocoa

1 cup boiling or hot water

2 eggs

2 egg yolks

½ cup plus 2 tbsp vegetable oil

2 ½ cups sugar

1 ¾ cups all purpose flour

½ tsp table salt

1 tbsp vanilla extract

½ tsp almond extract

4 tbsp unsalted butter

2 ounces unsweetened chocolate

6 ounces bittersweet chocolate chunks

Equipment: large mixing bowl, whisk, 9”x13” pan

Preheat oven to 350°

1.  Prep your pan: Make a foil “sling” by placing a sheet of foil down in the pan leaving an inch of overhang then lay another piece of foil perpendicular to the first with an inch of overhang.  Grease the foil and be sure to grease up the sides of the pan.

2.  Whisk cocoa and water in large bowl until smooth

3.  Lightly beat eggs and oil together in a small bowl and set aside

4.  Melt butter and unsweetened chocolate together in the microwave in 45 second increments.  Be careful not to burn the chocolate

5.  Add melted chocolate/butter mixture to the cocoa water mixture and whisk until smooth.

6.  Add eggs, oil and vanilla to the large bowl and whisk until all ingredients are incorporated.  Add the sugar and mix to combine.

7.  Fold in salt and flour until no white streaks remain then mix in the chips

8.  Bake 30-35 minutes or until moist crumbs cling to a toothpick inserted into the middle of the brownie pan.   

9.  After cooling for 5 minutes or so, lift the sling from the pan onto the cooling rack.  Let cool completely before cutting.

Possible Additions:

1 cup chopped walnuts, hazelnuts, etc.

1/2 cup shredded coconut

3/4 cup chopped dried cherries or cranberries

Adapted from Cook’s Illustrated

Flourless Chocolate Torte

16 ounces bittersweet chocolate*

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter

6 large eggs, room temperature

*Guittard, Ghiradelli or Callebaut: step away from the Nestle

Equipment: One 8-inch spring form pan buttered, and lined with buttered parchment or wax paper on the bottom; outside of pan wrapped with a double layer of heavy-duty foil. Roasting pan to serve as a water bath.

Stand mixer with whisk attachment or hand mixer

Preheat the oven to 425°

 

1.  Melt chocolate and butter in microwave safe bowl, stirring every 20 seconds until mixture is smooth.  Be careful not to burn the chocolate.

2.  Add eggs to stand mixer bowl and set over a pan of simmering water and heat the eggs, stirring constantly with a wire whisk, until just warm to the touch.

3.  Move bowl to the stand mixer and with the whisk attachment on high speed, beat about 5 minutes until triple in volume and the eggs are fluffy and lighter in color.

4.  Use a rubber spatula to fold half the eggs into the chocolate mixture until almost evenly incorporated.  Fold in the remaining eggs until almost no streaks remain. Use a rubber spatula to finish folding, scraping up the mixture from the bottom to make sure the all chocolate mixture gets incorporated.

5.  Scrape the mixture into the prepared pan and set it in the larger pan. Place it in the oven and add 1 inch of hot water to the larger pan. Bake for 5 minutes then cover it loosely with a sheet of buttered foil and bake another 10 minutes. (It will wobble when moved.)

6.  Remove the cake pan from the water bath and allow it to cool for about 45 minutes.  Here’s what it will look like:

7.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate it until very firm, at least 3 hours.

To unmold the cake:

Have a serving plate that has at least an 8-inch flat center portion and an 8-inch plate, covered with greased plastic wrap.

Use a hot damp towel to wipe the sides of the pan. Run a thin metal spatula around the sides of the torte and release the sides of the spring form pan.

Place the plastic-wrapped plate on top and invert the torte onto it.  Remove the bottom of the spring form pan. Peel off the parchment and re-invert the torte onto the serving plate.

To serve:

Cut the torte, using a thin-bladed knife dipped in hot water between each slice.  This helps to keep the sides smooth and it looks pretty.  Ice cream, whipped cream, anything goes. 

After testing and tweaking tons of flourless chocolate torte recipes, this by far exceeds all exptectations.  Adapted from the Cake Bible.

Enjoy!
MJM

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