JOHNS TUNA FISH SANDWICH

1 whole baguette
3 Hardboiled Eggs (recipe follows)
Marinated Roasted Peppers(recipe follows)
1 cup arugula leaves or one bunch watercress
¼ c Niçoise, Alfonso or Kalamata olives, pitted
A few slices of red onion, cut into half moons
¼ c cherry tomatoes (preferably Sweet 100s) cut in half
4T good quality mayonnaise
1 jar 7.8 oz Ortiz oil-packed tuna (or other olive oil packed tuna)
2T Olive oil
1 T Balsamic Vinegar
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Optional: 4T fresh basil leaves



Marinated Roasted Peppers :
2 ripe red bell peppers
2T extra virgin olive oil
2t toasted fennel seeds
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1T chopped parsley
1/2t red chili flakes
zest of ½ a lemon
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 375f. Rinse the peppers, pat dry and cut in half through the stem. Remove seeds and ribs and brush with 2t of the oil . Season with salt and pepper and place cut side down on a baking sheet. Bake 15-20 minutes or until the skin is slightly blackened and blistered. While still hot, place peppers in a plastic bag or a small mixing bowl covered with plastic wrap. Cool. With the aid of a small paring knife, remove the skins .
Place the remaining ingredients in a bowl and toss well. Refrigerate for up to three days.


Hardboiled Eggs:
Place the eggs in a small pot, add cold water to cover by one inch, add a pinch of salt , and bring to a simmer. Simmer two minutes, turn of the heat , cover the pot and set the pot off the stove for 10 minutes. Remove the eggs and plunge into cold water . When the eggs are cold to the touch , peel , rinse and slice each egg into 5 or 6 slices. Season with salt and pepper.




To assemble the sandwich:
Preheat the oven to 400 F. Cut baguette in half horizontally. Remove a little bit of the crumb from the top half of the loaf and discard.Toast the bread into golden brown. Cool the bread slightly and spread the mayo on the bottom half of the sandwich.
In a small mixing bowl, toss together the arugula, onion,olives, and tomato with the oil, vinegar and some salt and pepper.


Drain the tuna from the oil, leaving a little oil adhering to the tuna for moisture , and season with a little bit of salt and pepper.
Layer the peppers on top of the bread, followed by the tuna, the eggs and the salad mixture. Place the top half of the bread on top of the sandwich. Cut the baguette into 4-6 pieces. Serve immediately.

MASHED POTATOES

Cream cheese and Leek Mashed Potatoes( serves 12)

8 fist-sized Yukon Gold Potatoes , peeled and diced
1/2 # unsalted butter, softened
8 oz cream cheese or Mascarpone, softened
6 leeks, rinsed, dark green part and outer layer discarded , diced
2 Tbsp. kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper

In a small nonreactive pot, bring water to a boil with 1/2 tsp. salt. Add 3 Tbsp. butter, bring to a boil and add the leeks. Cover and simmer gently until the leeks are tender but not mushy,about 15 minutes. Set aside.
Place the potatoes in a large pot . Add water just to cover and the remaining salt and bring to a boil. Cook at a steady simmer until the potatoes are very tender and easily pierced with a fork.
Gently rewarm the leek mixture. Drain the potatoes well and immediately pass through a ricer into the empty potato cooking pot. Fold in the butter, Mascarpone and leeks , along with a few tablespoons of the leek cooking liquid. Season with freshly ground pepper and more salt , if necessary. Serve immediately.

Chorizo and Scallion Mashed Potatoes (serves 12)

8 fist-sized Yukon Gold Potatoes, peeled and diced
1/4# unsalted butter , softened
1 Cup extra virgin olive oil
1# chorizo
4 scallions, thinly sliced
1 Tbsp. kosher salt
freshly ground pepper

Place the chorizo in a small pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil and simmer 5 minutes. Drain and cool completely. Dice chorizo and set aside.
Place the potatoes in a large pot. Add water just to cover and the salt and bring to a boil. Cook at a steady simmer until the potatoes are very tender and easily pierced with a fork.
In a medium sauce pan, gently rewarm the sausage in 1/2 t of the olive oil, being careful not to fry the sausage. Drain the potatoes well and pass through a ricer into the empty cooking pot.
Fold in the softened butter, olive oil, warm sausage and any oil from the sausage cooking pan, and scallions. Season with lots of freshly ground pepper and additional salt if necessary.
Serve immediately.

Root Vegetable Mashed Potatoes ( serves 12)

8 fist-sized Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced
1/3 # unsalted butter, softened
1 medium celery root , peeled and diced, stored in cold water with a splash of lemon
1 Cup diced butternut squash
2 small rutabagas, peeled and diced
1 1/2 Cup buttermilk, room temperature
2 Tbps. kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper

In a medium nonreactive pot, bring celery root, rutabagas , water to cover and 1 tsp.kosher salt to a boil. Simmer 5 minutes, add the butternut and simmer another 10 minutes and cook until the root vegetables are very tender but not falling apart. Drain and cool on a sheet pan.
Place the potatoes in a large pot. Add water just to cover and the remaining salt and bring to a boil. Cook at a steady simmer until the potatoes are very tender and easily pierced with a fork.
In a medium sauce pan,gently rewarm the root vegetables in 1 Tbsp. of the butter. Drain the potatoes well and pass through a ricer into the empty cooking pot.
Fold in the softened butter, buttermilk, root vegetables and freshly ground black pepper, Season with additional salt if necessary. Serve immediately.

Garlic Confit Mashed Potatoes (serves 12)

8 fist-sized Yukon Gold potatoes,peeled and diced
1/3# unsalted butter, softened
10 garlic cloves, peeled
1 Cup half and half
2 Tbsp. Kosher salt
freshly ground pepper
fresh dill for garnish

In a small , heavy bottomed pot set on a flame tamer over gentle heat, melt 4T butter and skim off the milk solids. Add the garlic , cover the pan and cook until soft and caramelized about 30 minutes.
Remove the garlic from the cream and force through siece back into the cream. Set aside
Place the potatoes in a large pot. Add water just to cover,salt and bring to a boil. Cook at a steady simmer until the potatoes are very tender and easily pierced with a fork.
Gently rewarm the garlic cream mixture. Drain the potatoes well and pass through a ricer into the empty cooking pot. Fold in the softened butter and cream mixture. Season with freshly ground pepper and more salt if necessary. Garnish with dill and serve immediately

CHOCOLATE ORANGE LOLITA COOKIES

1 1/4 C flour
12 oz bittersweet chocolate chopped
2 ounces butter
2 large eggs
1/2 C almond flour
1/2 C Grand Marnier or other orange liqueur
1 Tbs. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbs. granulated sugar
zest of an orange

For rolling the cookies:

1 Cup confectioners sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar

Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the almond flour. On a heat resistant, over a saucepan of simmering water, melt the chocolate with the butter, stirring until smooth. Lightly whisk together eggs, liqueur, orange zest and granulated sugar in another bowl. Stir in flour mixture and chocolate. The batter will feel pretty soft at this point. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill until firm, at least 2 hours.
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Sift confectioners sugar onto a large bowl and place granulated sugar in another one. Using a small cookie scoop or a spoon drop the dough into the granulated sugar bowl and roll into a small ball then on the confectioners sugar to generously coat. Arrange balls 2" apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper and bake in just until puffed and cracked but centers are still a bit soft, 10-12 minutes. DO NOT OVERBAKE. Transfer to racks to cool.

YASMIN'S FRENCH TOAST RECIPE

FRENCH TOAST (SERVES 4)
3/4 cup half and half
3 eggs
2 T maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon orange zest
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt

4- 1-inch-thick slices bread, such as challah, brioche, preferably day-old
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter
2 tablespoons canola oil
Powdered sugar
Pure Maple syrup, ( preferably Grade A)
Whisk first 9 ingredients in medium bowl, cover and leave in the refrigerator overnight. When ready to use, place bread in a shallow baking dish large enough to hold bread slices in a single layer. Pour egg mixture over bread; soak only for a couple of minutes and turn slices over; soak 1 more minute until coated but make sure not to oversoak the slices ... Preheat the oven to 250°. Place a wire rack on a baking sheet, and set aside. Heat 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat. Fry half the bread slices until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to wire rack; place in oven while cooking remaining bread. Wipe skillet, and repeat with remaining butter, oil, and bread. Keep in oven until ready to serve. Sift a little powdered sugar over the French toast. Serve warm with maple syrup.

JAPANESE SPINACH SALAD

(serves 4)

1 # large-leafed curly spinach such as Bloomsdale, stemmed, washed and dried
4 Tbs. salt
3 Tbs. bonito flakes
1 piece Oboru Kombu*
1 tsp. togarashi*
4 Tbs. soy sauce
1 Tbs. rice vinegar
4 Tbs. mirin
2 Tbs. sesame seeds

To make the dashi:
In a small saucepan, bring 1 Cup water, 2 Tbs. bonito flakes, and the kombu to a boil. Cover the pan, remove from the heat and allow to cool completely.
Strain.
To make the dressing:
Whisk together the dashi, soy sauce, mirin, rice vinegar, soy sauce, and togarashi. The dressing should be assertively flavored. Add more soy, togarashi and rice vinegar as needed.
Chill until ready to use
To prepare the spinach:
Bring 4 qts. of water to a boil with the salt. Place a bowl of ice water near the pot. In two batches, blanch the spinach, about 20 seconds, and immediately immerse in ice water.



When the spinach is cool, drain in a colander, and blot on paper towels. It is important that you thoroughly remove any excess water from the spinach.
To prepare the salad:
Place 4 or 5 equal-sized spinach leaves on a tatami mat. Roll into tight cylinders, and cut each cylinder horizontally into 3 equal pieces, discarding the ends.
Place 4 or 5 cylinders on the tatami, roll tightly into one large roll and slice into 2 inch cylinders.


Place four rolls in the center of each of 4 entree-sized pasta bowls and drizzle a generous amount of dressing over each one.
Toast the sesame seeds in a saute pan until golden brown. Immediately transfer to a plate (they will burn if left in the pan).
Garnish each spinach salad with the sesame seeds (they're best if they're slightly warm) and the remaining tablespoon of bonito flakes.



Notes:
All the ingredients and the sushi mat can be found in an Asian supermarket and often at your regular supermarket.

* Oboru Kombu is the dried seaweed variety used to make Dashi.
* Togarashi is a Japanese pepper seasoning that contains sesame seeds, orange peel and seaweed.

VIETNAMESE SANDWICH

Vietnamese Pork Sandwich ( serves 4)

for the pork:
1.5# boneless pork butt
6 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
3T canola oil
1T five spice powder
1 t salt

for the dipping sauce:

2 garlic cloves
2T raw sugar
6T fish sauce
juice of 1/2 a lime
2T rice vinegar
1 fresh jalapeno, sliced thin

for the sandwich:

1 large baguette ( such as La Brea or Udi's) or 4 small baguettes or french rolls
3T soft butter
Roasted Pork
1 medium carrot , peeled and shredded on a mandolincc
1 medium cucumber, preferrably English or Japanese,shredded on a mandolin
24 cilantro leaves , stems included
16 mint leaves
1c daikon sprouts
4T chopped roasted peanuts
Dipping Sauce


For the Pork:
At least six hours before serving, mix together the oil, garlic, salt, and five spice powder in a stainless bowl or baking dish and coat the pork in it. Refrigerate until 1 hour before cooking.
Preheat oven to 275f.
Wipe garlic from the pork , heat a little additional oil, in a medium saute pan, and brown the pork all over. Transfer the pork to a baking dish with a small rack set in it. Bake for about 1 hour, or to an internal temperatrue of 140f.



Allow to rest for at least 30 minutes before slicing. Slice as thinly as possible, adding a little more salt if necessary.

For the Dipping Sauce:
In a mortar and pestle, crush the garlic with the sugar. Slice the jalapeno, add it to the mortar and lightly crush it. Transfer the mixture ,along with the remaining ingredients to a small pot , and bring to a boil. Cool completely before using.

To assemble the sandwich:
Preheat broiler.
Slice the baguette or rolls in half horizontally. Warm the pork for about 4 minutes. Toast the bread until lightly golden. Mix together the salad ingredients with 1/3 the dipping sauce. Butter the interior of the bread. Arrange the sliced pork in a neatly overlapping row on the bottom piece of the bread.



Top with the salad and cover with the top layer. If using the whole baguette, cut into four equal portions using a serrated knife. Serve immediately with dipping sauce on the side.

AUTUMN VEGETABLE STEW

(Serves 4)

2 T olive oil
3 T butter
2 large rutabagas, cut in batons
2 large celery root, cut in batons
1 small butternut squash, cut in batons
2 large carrots, cut in batons (or 8 baby carrots, peeled)
12 cippolini onions (or 24 pearl onions)
1 t toasted cumin seed
1/4 t ground cinnamon
1/2 t paprika
pinch cayenne
kosher salt
black pepper
1 T brown sugar
1 T ginger, julienned
4 cloves garlic, sliced thin
2 c vegetable stock or chicken stock
2 T HONEY
1 t harissa
3 T dried currants
about 20 leaves cilantro
juice of ½ a lemon
Preheat oven to 350 f
In a large cast iron pan, or heavy bottomed oven proof pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat...Add the rutabagas, carrots, squash and onions and half the cumin, cinnamon, paprika, cayenne, along with a pinch of salt and pepper. Add a tablespoon of butter and the brown sugar. Place the pan in the oven and roast the vegetables for 5 minutes. Turn the vegetables and roast for 5 minutes more. Remove the pan from the oven, wipe out any excess grease and return to a burner on medium heat. Add the ginger and garlic, cook until fragrant but not colored, about 1 minute. Add the stock, harissa and honey, and reduce by 2/3. Swirl in the butter, add half the cilantro and turn off the heat.
Add the lemon juice and the remaining spice mixture.
Divide among four plates, or serve on a large platter. Garnish with toasted almonds and the remaining cilantro.
Serve as a side dish or as a main course with steamed white rice.

CIDER BRAISED APPLES

4 Apples (A sweet, juicy red apple with a nice balance of tartness such as Elstar or Jonagold are best suited for this dessert)
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups unfiltered apple cider
1 cup water
2 cinnamon sticks
Large strips of orange zest
juice of half a lemon
8 black peppercorns

In a covered saucepan large enough to hold the apples in a single layer, place the cider, water, sugar, cinnamon, and orange zest, lemon juice and peppercorns. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 5 to 10 minutes. Core the apples from the bottom trying to keep the shape of the apple intact. Leave the skin on.
Gently add the apples to the poaching liquid. If necessary, add some extra liquid, cider or water to completely cover the fruits. Simmer gently for 15 to 20 minutes or until a skewer poked into an apple center meets little resistance. Allow to cool down completely in the liquid, preferably over night.
Using the slotted spoon, remove the apples from their liquid and stand upright in a serving dish deep enough for the reduced liquid to be poured over. Remove zest and cinnamon stick and continue simmering to reduce the liquid to a syrupy consistency. Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or (John and I prefer it this way)room temperature.

REAL QUICHE

In 1982, at the dawn of the age of Reagan, a screenwriter named Bruce Feirstein published a popular book of reactionary humor called Real Men Don't Eat Quiche. Until the men's movement emerged a decade later and gave satirists "armpit-sniffing” and "drum-beating” as choice epithets to describe the New Male, "quiche-eater" was second only to "sensitive Alan Alda- type" as a term of masculine disparagement. Although some of Feirstein’s observations now seem outdated (real men don't use zip codes) or just plain bizarre (real men don't floss) , he was on to something, in his own narrow-minded way: a good quiche is a trembling , fussy, high maintenance little thing .
Chefs are touchy creatures, and the male American ones reacted to this slander on the quiches manliness by producing that staple of delis and cheap restaurants everywhere: the Macho Quiche. Five inches high, with a thick, irregular weather-resistant crust, a dense eggy filling and a top as leathery as Charles Bronson’s face, this is a quiche than none would dare call sissy food.
Yas’s version is made with a thin, flaky tart crust, a smooth custard and flavor-packed garnishes. Served with a few lightly dressed greens and a glass of chilled Chenin Blanc, it's the perfect lunch for the metrosexual.

Here are a few imperatives to keep in mind when preparing a quiche:

A quiche is a tart, not a pie.
A good quiche crust is fragile and flaky, and best suited to a 1” high tart pan.
A custard that's baked in an army-sized pie pan will be hard and rubbery on the sides by the time the center is set.
Also, quiche is a rich dish and best served in small portions.

The filling is a custard, not a baked omelet.
Egg should not be the predominant flavor in a quiche.
Use cream rather than milk for your custard, so you can use fewer eggs and minimize the eggy taste.
Use a combination of egg yolks and whole eggs to avoid that rubbery texture.
Remove the quiche when the middle is set but not firm. Do not overcook the custard or you'll end up with scrambled eggs.

Quiche is not nursery food.
Fat blunts flavor. A quiche is made with a lot of eggs, butter, cream and cheese. You need to season the custard aggressively to cut through the blandness and for the garnishes, to use strongly flavored ingredients like cave-aged Gruyere, bacon or pancetta, olives, oven-dried tomatoes and anchovies. Avoid using ingredients with a high water content like uncooked spinach, celery or large pieces of tomatoes; these will make for a watery custard.
Be gentle.
Do not overmix the dough.
Use as little flour as possible when rolling out the crust and be careful not to overwork it.
Whisk the custard mixture gently. A foamy custard mixture will make for a rubbery quiche.
Do not refrigerate the quiche if possible. Cool to room temperature, then serve.
If you're going to reheat the quiche, for god's sake do not use a microwave oven.

Quiche w/ Cherry Tomatoes, Sage and Goat Cheese (makes 1- 8” tart)
4For the crust:
1-1/4 c all-purpose flour
3 oz by weight (1 stick) cold diced unsalted butter
1T granulated sugar
1/2 tsp kosher salt
2 Tbs cold heavy cream
pinch cayenne pepper
1 Tbs grated parmesan cheese (optional)
1 egg white, lightly beaten
note: use a tart pan with a removable bottom if possible



In the bowl of a Cuisinart, place the flour, sugar, salt, pepper and parmesan cheese if using. Add the butter and pulse until the butter is evenly distributed and the size of small peas. Add the cream and pulse until the mixture starts to come together but is not yet a solid mass.



Dump the dough into a large sheet of plastic wrap and press the dough together by bringing together the corners of the plastic wrap until you have a solid mass.



Chill the dough for 30 minutes. Remove from the refrigerator and allow sit at room temperature for 2-3 minutes before using.
Preheat the oven to 335 F.
Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface, preferably wood or granite, to a diameter slightly larger than the diameter of the pan.




Fold the dough over the lightly floured rolling pin and press the dough into the fluted sides of the pan using your bent index finger . Trim away any excess dough using a rolling pin or your thumb.



With a fork, score the bottom of the tart shell.


Chill the dough for 15 minutes.
Blind bake the dough until the crust is set, about 12 minutes.




Carefully remove the wax paper and beans, and place the crust back in the oven until the crust is a light golden brown color, about 15 minutes.



Remove the crust from the oven, and immediately brush the bottom with the egg white (this will keep the bottom of the tart from getting soggy once the custard mixture has been added). Set aside.

Meanwhile, prepare the custard mixture:
For the Custard Mixture and Garnish:
2 egg yolks
1 whole egg
1 c heavy cream
salt
freshly ground black pepper
nutmeg
cayenne pepper
4 ounces fresh goat cheese, such as Laura Chenel or Haystack Mountain
8 sage leaves
12-16 cherry tomatoes, depending on the size, halved if large

In a small stainless steel mixing bowl using a fork or whisk, lightly mix together egg, egg yolks, cream and spices. Transfer the mixture to a pitcher.
Line the tart shell at regular intervals with the cherry tomatoes if using halved tomatoes, place them cut side up ). Alternate the tomatoes with the whole sage leaves in a bicycle –spoke pattern. Sprinkle with the goat cheese, leaving the cheese in fairly large chunks.


Place the tart shell on a baking sheet, open the oven door and pull out the middle rack of the oven a few inches. Place the baking sheet with tart shell on the rack. Lightly whisk the custard mixture (this will ensure that the spices are evenly distributed) and carefully pour the custard into the tart shell.





Close the oven and bake about 15-20 minutes until the custard is just set but slightly jiggly in the middle.
Cool the tart for about 10 minutes, then, using a large offset spatula, carefully remove the tart from the pan and cool on a wire rack.
Gently rewarm in a 300 F oven and serve with a small green salad.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP

1 RIPE BUTTERNUT SQUASH (ABOUT 2#)
3 TBS. OLIVE OIL
SALT AND FRESHLY GROUND PEPPER
2 SMALL SHALLOTS DICED
1/2 SMALL ONION DICED
1 INCH PIECE OF FRESH GINGER, PEELED AND SLICED THIN
1 T BUTTER
1/4 tsp. CINNAMON
1/8 tsp. CAYENNE PEPPER
3 CUPS CHICKEN BROTH
3/4 CUP LITE COCONUT MILK (SUCH AS "THAI KITCHEN")

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cut the squash in half horizontally, drizzle with 2 T olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place cut side down on a heavy duty baking sheet. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for about 1 hour or until the flesh yields to the touch. Remove from the oven.



While the squash is cooling, warm the butter and the remaining T of olive oil in a heavy bottomed 4 quart pot. Add the onions and shallots and cook until translucent. Add a pinch of salt. Add the ginger and crush with a wooden spoon against the side of the pot.



Meanwhile with a large spoon remove the seeds of the squash. Scoop out the flesh and transfer into the pot. Stir well to coat with the onion mixture and lightly caramelize the squash. Add the chicken broth, coconut milk, cinnamon and cayenne pepper. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Bring the soup to a boil.
Blend the soup in batches. You should have a slightly coarse puree. To serve, gently reward the soup. Garnish with a dollop of sour cream and sliced toasted almonds or walnut pieces.

Notes: -When blending hot liquids it's important not to overfill the blender. Start the blender on low speed and increase to high. We also like to cover the top of the blender with a kitchen towel.
-To create well balanced, deeply flavored dishes, we recommend seasoning your food throughout the cooking process.

- It's important to use lite coconut milk because it has a more subtle flavor and won't overwhelm the delicate taste of the squash.

SAFFRON RICE PILAF

Saffron Rice Pilaf ( serves 6-8)


2 cups basmati rice
1 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbs unsalted butter
1 medium yellow onion, cut in a fine dice
1 tsp minced garlic
1 Tbs black peppercorns
pinch saffron threads
½ tsp cayenne pepper
2 tsp kosher salt
1 bay leaf
3 c water
1 Tbs fennel seeds
optional:
1 cup Birdseye mixture ( frozen carrots and peas)
¼ cup sliced almonds

Place the rice in a fine strainer and rinse well. Drain.




If using, the Birdseye mixture, defrost 1 cup.
In a small sauté pan over high heat, toast the fennel seeds until they begin to change color. Immediately remove from heat and transfer the fennel seeds to a plate.




In a heavy bottomed 2qt pot, heat the butter and oil over medium-low heat. Add the onion, toss to coat with the butter and oil and sweat until soft but not colored, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and sweat for about 30 seconds.



Add the rice and stir well to coat with fat, about two minutes. Be careful not to brown the rice. Add the peppercorns, saffron, cayenne pepper, salt and bay leaf and stir well, about 1 minute.
Add the water, bring to a boil over high heat.




Immediately cover the pot and turn down the heat to low. Cook about 8 minutes.
Turn off the heat and let the rice sit covered for about 5 minutes.
While the rice is resting, toast the almonds. In a small sauté pan over high heat toast the almonds, tossing every 30 seconds until they begin to change color.




Immediately transfer to a plate to stop cooking.
Remove the lid from the rice. Gently, using a fork and being careful not to bruise the rice, fold in the fennel seeds and add additional salt and cayenne pepper as needed. Fold in the Birdseye mixture if using. Serve immediately.

CRAB CAKES

(yields 4)
8 ounces Premium Lump Backfin Crab meat (such as Phillips)
8 ounces Crab Claw Meat
1/2 red bell pepper, minced
3 Tbsp. minced yellows onion
3 Tbsp. minced celery heart
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 cup mayonnaise
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
2 tsp. Old Bay Seasoning
grated zest of 1 lemon
1/2 tsp Salt
Freshly Ground Black Pepper
1 tsp. Hot Sauce
1/4 cup Panko (Japanese Bread Crumbs) plus additional 1 cup for breading
2 T Canola Oil plus 1 T Butter (for frying)








In a small frying pan, heat the olive oil to smoking point, add the peppers and toss to coat with oil. Cook over low-medium heat until the peppers are soft but not colored, about 10 minutes.



Remove from heat, transfer to a plate and season with salt and pepper. Cool.
In a medium size mixing bowl, gently fold both crab meats and the remaining ingredients.




Taste for seasoning, adding salt and pepper and additional hot sauce. On a large plate, sprinkle the 1/4 cup of Panko. If using a ring mold, place a quarter of the crab cake mixture into it, firmly pressing the preparation into the mold with the bottom of a spoon. Sprinkle the top of the crab cakes with about a Tbsp. of Panko. Repeat the process until you have 4 crab cakes.



Loosely cover the plate with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Remove cakes from refrigerator. In a large non stick pan or cast iron skillet heat Canola oil over medium heat. At the last minute gently re-bread crab cakes in the remaining Panko. Place the crab cakes in the skillet and add the butter. Fry for about 4 minutes or until golden brown. Gently turn over. Fry another 4 minutes.Serve immediately. Garnish with avocado, a wedge of lemon and mayonnaise.

Notes: Panko, also known as Japanese Bread Crumbs is made from the crumbs rather that the crust of the bread and its flaked rather than ground. It gives breaded food a lighter and crunchier texture. Panko is available at Asian Market as well as the ethnic section of most supermarket.

Old Bay Seasoning is a spice mixture made by the Maryland based Mc.Cormick Company. It's most often used to prepare boiled crabs or crab cakes. It contains a variety of hot peppers and spices, although its most distinctive flavor is celery salt. Until Mc Cormick relocated its factory to suburban Hunt Valley Baltimore, Inner Harbor was permeated with the wonderful smell of roasting spices.

YASMIN'S MANGO SORBET

"In this sorbet, the aroma of the peel is brought out with the addition of a soupçon, literally a "suspicion", of clove powder."

MANGO SORBET

3 cups of mango puree
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon lime juice
1/4 cup of a good quality rum (I use Venezuelan Rum...you can use your favorite one)
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground cloves
Combine water, sugar and lime juice in saucepan over low heat. Stir until sugar is completely dissolved -- Bring it to a simmer. Remove from the heat. What you have now is nothing more than a Simple Syrup (in this case with a little touch of lime juice) and it can be use as your sweetener base for any other fruit sorbet. Mix Mango puree, Simple Syrup,rum and spices. Pour into sorbet freezer. Set timer to 15 minutes, or follow the freezer directions.

John's Tunafish Sandwich

1 whole baguette
3 Hardboiled Eggs (recipe follows)
Marinated Roasted Peppers(recipe follows)
1 cup arugula leaves or one bunch watercress
¼ c Niçoise, Alfonso or Kalamata olives, pitted
A few slices of red onion, cut into half moons
¼ c cherry tomatoes (preferably Sweet 100s) cut in half
4T good quality mayonnaise
1 jar 7.8 oz Ortiz oil-packed tuna (or other olive oil packed tuna)
2T Olive oil
1 T Balsamic Vinegar
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Optional: 4T fresh basil leaves



Marinated Roasted Peppers :
2 ripe red bell peppers
2T extra virgin olive oil
2t toasted fennel seeds
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1T chopped parsley
1/2t red chili flakes
zest of ½ a lemon
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 375f. Rinse the peppers, pat dry and cut in half through the stem. Remove seeds and ribs and brush with 2t of the oil . Season with salt and pepper and place cut side down on a baking sheet. Bake 15-20 minutes or until the skin is slightly blackened and blistered. While still hot, place peppers in a plastic bag or a small mixing bowl covered with plastic wrap. Cool. With the aid of a small paring knife, remove the skins .
Place the remaining ingredients in a bowl and toss well. Refrigerate for up to three days.


Hardboiled Eggs:
Place the eggs in a small pot, add cold water to cover by one inch, add a pinch of salt , and bring to a simmer. Simmer two minutes, turn of the heat , cover the pot and set the pot off the stove for 10 minutes. Remove the eggs and plunge into cold water . When the eggs are cold to the touch , peel , rinse and slice each egg into 5 or 6 slices. Season with salt and pepper.




To assemble the sandwich:
Preheat the oven to 400 F. Cut baguette in half horizontally. Remove a little bit of the crumb from the top half of the loaf and discard.Toast the bread into golden brown. Cool the bread slightly and spread the mayo on the bottom half of the sandwich.
In a small mixing bowl, toss together the arugula, onion,olives, and tomato with the oil, vinegar and some salt and pepper.


Drain the tuna from the oil, leaving a little oil adhering to the tuna for moisture , and season with a little bit of salt and pepper.
Layer the peppers on top of the bread, followed by the tuna, the eggs and the salad mixture. Place the top half of the bread on top of the sandwich. Cut the baguette into 4-6 pieces. Serve immediately.