Nick Malgieri's Amaretti

These are the cookies served with our chocolate fondue in December.

One 8-oz.can almond paste (do not use almond paste from tube---too much sugar)
3/4 C. sugar
2 large egg whites, beaten just to break up
1/4 lb. pine nuts (optional)---I didn't use them.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment. Cut almond paste into 1/2 inch cubes and toss into bowl of mixer fitted with paddle attachment or use hand-held mixer. Add half the sugar and mix on low speed until the paste is broken into small crumbs. Add the rest of sugar and mix until the crumbs are very fine, about 2 minutes. Add egg whites in 3 to 4 additions, scraping down the bowl when mixture starts to stick to the bottom and beating until the batter is free of lumps. You don't want to beat a lot of air into this mixture, because it will cause the amaretti to rise in the oven and then fall--what you want is a nice, even puff that persists.

Pipe cookies in mounds on the lined baking sheets with a pastry bag fitted with a 3/4 inch plain tip. Each cookies should be about 1-1/4 inch in diameter and about 1/2inch high. Leave about 1-1/2 inches between cookies. Alternatively you can use a small scoop to form the cookies, using about 1 TBS. batter for each.

Just before baking, wet a cotton or linen kitchen towel(not terry cloth) and gently squeeze out excess water. Don't wring cloth--you want it to be wet. Fold the towel into a strip 2 inches wide and, holding one end ot the towel in each hand and letting the center droop, gently dab the tops of the cookies with the center of the cloth. Use an up-and-down motion to pat the cookies with the towel several times, until their tops are smooth, slightly flattened and glistening. (Wetting the tops will remove the piping ridges and will help produce the crinkly top that is typical of these cookies.) If you are using pine nuts, press them gently onto the amaretti.

Bake on center rack until they are well risen, lightly colored and covered with fine cracks, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer cookies, parchment paper and all, to racks and cool completely.

Gently peel the amaretti off the paper. If any of the cookies stick, just lift the paper, brush the underside with a little hot water, and give it a few seconds to seep ink then peel off the cookie.

Kept in an airtight tin or plastic container, amaretti will remain moist and chewy for a few days, than become dry and crisp.
Yields bout 3 dozen cookies.

A little time-consuming, but worth it. Janet

Lean and Delicious Pork with Fennel from Janet

Janet prepared the following pork tenderloin recipe for our dinner last week. The fennel was a wonderful companion flavor to the pork.

Pork Tenderloin with Fennel----2 Servings

2 tsp. olive oil
1/2C. chopped fresh fennel
2 large garlic cloves, minced
2/3 C. canned unsalted chicken broth
1/2 tsp. fennel seeds, crushed
8 oz. pork tenderloin

Saute fennel and half of garlic over medium heat until almost tender, about 5 minutes. Pour in 1/3 C. chicken broth and sprinkle in half of fennel seeds. Cover and simmer until fennel is very tender and liquid is absorbed, about 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper and cool.

Starting 1/2 inch up on 1 long side, cut through tenderloin to within 1/2 inch of opposite side. Open as for book. Continue cutting through thick portion of tenderloin until meat forms 1/2 inch thick rectangle. Spread fennel mixture evenly over pork. Beginning at 1 long end, roll pork up jelly roll style. Tie with string to secure. (Can be prepared 8 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place pork in oven-proof skillet. Rub with remaining garlic clove and 1/4 tsp. fennel seeds. Season with salt and pepper. Roast for about 25 minutes. Remove from skillet and keep warm. Deglaze pan with remaining chicken broth. Boil until reduced by half. Cut pork into 1/2 inch slices and spoon sauce over.

Torta al Vina with Red Grapes by Martha

This is the recipe I selected for "Lite and Luscious" night at Janet's. I took about five recipes that I liked and entered the ingredients into Weight Watcher's "build a recipe" tool and this cake came out at only 5 points per serving. It needs no icing, no side sauce. It was easy to make and has lots of complex flavors and textures. It is basically from Lydia Batianich's book, Lydia's Family Table. I added some fresh thyme to her recipe which I thought would add another complimentary layer of flavor. I used the thyme that's in my garden, but no one could taste it. Perhaps the flavor of winter thyme is too gentle. So next time I make this cake, I'll use fresh thyme from the store or use my thyme only in the summer when it full of sunbaked flavor.

The first time I made this cake, I followed the directions about mixing the grapes into the top half of the batter. Lydia said they would sink. Well, no sinkage occurred and the grapes stayed at the top of the cake. (It was still delicious.) The second time I thought I would compensate, so I poured half of the batter into the pan, sprinkled 1 cup of grapes, poured the second. So, of course, the second time, the grapes sank and they were all at the bottom of the cake (still delicious). I will definitely make this again and really won't care where the grapes end up. This is a wonderful recipe.

1 ½ c all purpose flour, plus extra to flour cakepan and to coat the grapes
1 ½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
1/8 tsp. salt
6 tbsp. soft butter, plus 1 tbsp for the cake pan
2/3 c sugar
2 eggs
1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tbsp. lemon or orange zest
1 tbsp. thyme
¾ c dry white wine
2 c small red seedless grapes

For Topping the Cake During Baking

2 tbsp. butter
1 tbsp. Sugar in the Raw

Arrange rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 375.
Assemble a springform pan, butter and flour the insides.

Sift or stir together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.

With a stand mixer on low speed, cream the butter and sugar together in a big bowl. When blended, beat on high speed for a couple of minutes until smooth and light. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat in the eggs, one at the time, mixing well at moderate speed, then mix in the olive oil, the vanilla, the thyme and the citrus zest. Beat on high speed for 2 minutes or so to lighten and smooth the batter.

Pour and scrape all of the batter into the cake pan and spread it in an even layer. Sprinkle a teaspoon of flour over the grapes and toss to coat. Scatter the grapes over the surface of the batter. Swirl a spatula or knife around them, folding and stirring them into the top of the batter. Don’t fold or swirl deeper than an inch. The fruits don’t need to be completed covered because they will sink as the cake rises. (Maybe.)

Set the pan in the oven and bake for 25 minutes until the top is set. The batter underneath will still be loose and will shake. Carefully remove from oven and scatter butter bits and then the sugar on the top. Return the cake to the oven and bake another 15 minutes or so, a total of 40 minutes, until the cake is set and the top is golden brown and lightly glazed by the final sugar and butter. Remove to a cooling rack and after about 10 minutes, remove the side ring. Cool thoroughly. Serve at room temperature, sliced into wedges.

Eliza's Sauces for Chinoise Fondue

Asian Dipping Sauces

-Makes about 1 cup dipping sauce for each recipe-

Spicy Peanut dipping sauce

1/2 cup unsweetened chunky peanut butter (I prefer the freshly grounded)
1 tablespoon of Thai red curry paste
1 teaspoon fish sauce
1 ½ teaspoons shrimp paste (my favorite is with bean oil)
3 teaspoons white vinegar
1 teaspoon palm sugar or corn syrup
1/3 cup water

Mix all ingredients above in a bowl. Add more water, a tablespoon at a time, if you like your sauce thinner.


Cilantro/Ginger dipping sauce

1 cup cilantro leaves and soft stems
1 scallion, chopped half way through the green stem
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon minced ginger
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon soy sauce or to taste
1 tablespoon water
Juice of half a lime

Put all ingredients in a food processor and grind to a paste. Use a blender instead if you want a smoother version.


Soy/Sesame sauce

1/3 cup soy sauce (light sodium would be better)
1/4 cup rice vinegar
2 tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon light corn syrup
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
Chopped chives for garnish

Whisk all liquid ingredients together, add the sesame seeds and decorate with chives

2009 Meeting Schedule

All meetings are scheduled the third Thursday of the month and begin at 6 PM. Here's the current list of dates and hostesses:

January 15 -- Janet -- healthy cuisine
February 19 -- Monica
March 19 -- Eliza
April -- beach trip
May 21 --Vicki
June 18 -- Susan
July 16 -- Guest dinner party -- Martha
August 20
September 17
October 15
November 19
December 17 -- Martha -- fondue

Better Late than Never by Monica

Winter has its perks. Cold weather nights, and sometimes afternoons, are so inviting to a warm cozy drink. I'm not talking about hot cocoa, but a bit more adult beverage that is absolutely delicious, a Gluehwein (aka mulled or spiced wine.) In Germany Gluehwein is usually served during the Christmas season all over the Christmas markets. One of my fondest memories of Germany include seating around with family and friends sipping on Gluehwein and eating traditional Christmas cookies. Gluehwein is now a tradition in our household, one that we also cherish with our dear friends, as we did for our Ladies of the Knife Christmas Fondue dinner at Martha's this past December. I am enclosing the recipe for your enjoyment.

Ingredients:

1 bottle of red wine (preferably German, but a nice Merlot of Shiraz will also do nicely)
1/3 c. sugar
1/3 c. honey
12 cloves
1 large cinnamon stick
1 large bay leaf
1 Orange, sliced and peeled (remove the pith from the peeled orange)
1 small lemon, sliced and peeled (optional-if using lemon, remove the pith as well)

Preparation:
Pour the wine in a medium size pot and set on the stove at medium heat. Add the sugar, honey, cloves, cinnamon, bay leaf and orange (and lemon) zest/s until the wine simmers (do not boil as it will make the wine bitter.) Add the orange/lemon slices once the wine has simmered and continue simmering for another 5 minutes or so, or until the flavors have melded. Serve warm. Prosst!!!

Lite and Luscious Night at Janet's

Our January meeting will be on Thursday, January 15 at Janet's house and in keeping with New Year's tradition, we will focus on Lite and Luscious.



Here's the offeriings for the evening:



Janet: roasted pork tenderloin with Fennel from Bon Appetit

Eliza: roasted beet salad with queso fresco and cilantro pesto

Martha:

Susan:

Monica: appetizer platter, with salmon and ham rolls, olives, almonds

Nancy:

Ingrid:

Vicki: unable to attend