Very Good Recipes

• 2 cups black beans, cooked, drained and rinsed
  
• 4 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate
  
• 2 tablespoons prepared strong coffee
• 4 ounces butter
  
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 3 eggs, separated
  
• 1/3 c ground walnuts
  
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  

Preparation:

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Generously butter a 9-inch springform pan. Puree black beans until very smooth; set aside. Melt chocolate and coffee in the top of a double boiler set over boiling water; set aside to cool. In a large bowl, cream butter and 3/4 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Add cooled chocolate, ground walnuts, vanilla and pureed beans and blend well. In a separate bowl beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Add 1 T sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks form. Using a rubber spatula fold 1/3 of the egg whites into the batter to lighten it; incorporate fully. Gently fold in remaining egg whites until completely blended. Pour batter into pan, smoothing the top and filling the pan from side-to-side. Bake in center of oven for 50 to 60 minutes. The middle will still be soft but will set as it cools. Do not overbake. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edge and remove outside ring of pan. Allow to cool completely.

Dust with confectioner’s sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder or garnish with orange peel curls. Serve with sweetened whipped cream. Serves 8-10.

• 250gr of good bitter chocolate (Valrhona is excellent)
• 80gr de powdered sugar(caster)
• 2 TBS flour
• 4 eggs
• 125gr softened butter (a stick is 100gr)

break the chocolate into pieces, add a TBS of water and melt in the microwave for about 1mn. Make sure not to overcook it.

Stir with a spatula.

Cut  butter in small pieces and stir into the melted chocolate.

Add sugar, flour and whole eggs one at a time.

Pour this batter into you mold .(buttered and floured if not non-stick one).

Bake (double  boiling method)  at 180°C for about 30mn.  (350F)

Middle of the cake should be firm when touching with your finger.

Let it cool and remove from mold.

Then you can cut circles (size to match with your clay pot).

I use rubber mold ( Demarle, flexipan brand) so I do not have to butter and flour the mold. Also double boiling is not necessary.

You can either use a large mold and you’ll cut the circles out of it.

Or  use individual molds and then you’ll choose the clay pot according to the size of your molds.

If you use individual molds, the cakes are cooked before 30mn.

You should experiment with your molds and oven.

Martine Jablonski-Cahours

My children LOVE, LOVE, LOVE mixing ingredients. If I don’t give them something to mix, they will find stuff to mix on their own (which always involves an enormous mess on my kitchen floor). This was a good task for them. Simple ingredients, simple process, and they got to crank the heck out of the pasta machine. Don’t be afraid to make your own pasta – it is really much easier (and tastier) than you can imagine. This is a true hit with the kids because (1) they get to help make it, and (2) it’s GREEN!!!

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbs. flaxseed meal
• 4 Tbs. water
• 4 Tbs. olive oil
• 1 cup fresh spinach leaves
• ½ tsp. salt
• 1 cup flour

Pesto:

• 2 cups lightly packed spinach leaves (2 oz.)
• ¼ cup pine nuts, toasted
• 1 Tbs. lemon juice
• ½ Tbs. garlic, minced
• ¼ tsp. salt
• Pinch of black pepper
• 1/3 cup nutritional yeast
• 1/3 cup olive oil

• 1 lb.  baby bok choy, blanched and sliced in half
• 4 oz shitake mushrooms, sliced
• 1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 3 lg garlic, cloves minced
• 1 1/2 tsp. herbes de provence
• 1 tsp. red pepper flake
• ¼ cup white wine, dry
• flaked smoked sea salt sprinkled on top

1. In a large heated frying pan add the olive oil.  Add the garlic to the pan and sauté for about 1 minute.
2. Add bok choy, herbs and red pepper flakes to the pan.  Fry for 5-6 minutes.  Toss in the mushrooms and wine. Allow the alcohol to cook off for about 1-2 minutes. Plate up and sprinkle with sea salt flakes.

• 16 oz Cream Cheese, at room temperature
• 1 cup Jellied Cranberry Sauce
• 1 tablespoon Lemon Juice
• 3 Eggs, beaten
• 1 cup Whipping Cream  
• 2/3 cup Sugar
• 4 tablespoons Flour

For Frosting

• 1 cup Sour Cream
• 1/4 cup Whipping Cream
• 3 tablespoons Sugar

Topping (optional, your idea!)

• 1 Strawberry
• 2 oz Cream Cheese
• 1 tablespoon Sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon Melted chocolate
• Gingerbread Cookie

Instructions:

Ingredients:

• 1 cup All purpose flour, shifted
• 4 Egg Yolks
• 4 Egg Whites
• 2 teaspoons Baking Powder
• 1 ½ stick Butter
• 2/3 cup Sugar
• 1/4 cup Milk
• 1 canned Pear (15 oz) , cut into small pieces
• 1/4 cup White Chocolate Chip, chopped finely

Directions:

1.Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour loaf pan. (9.3”x 5.2”x 2.7”)

2.In a bowl, cream butter and add sugar. Mix well until the mixture turns frothy. Add egg yolk one by one. Mix well. Then add milk, Mix well.

3.In another bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks are just about to form. Then add to the egg yolks mixture bowl. Mix well. Add flour and baking powder and mix gently. (try not to break meringue) Pour the batter into the cake pan. Put pears on top. Bake for 35-40 minutes.

4.Sprinkle chopped white chocolate on top.