SWEET POTATO AND PANCETTA GRATIN

➥ Ingredients :

• 2 medium sweet potatoes (1 pound)
• 4 ounces Gruyère cheese, shredded (1 cup)
• 4 ounces pancetta, cut into small dice (1 cup)
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
• ¾ cup heavy cream

➥ Preparation Steps :

1. Heat the oven to 400°F. Generously coat a 12-cup muffin tin with butter, oil, or nonstick cooking spray.

2. Peel the sweet potatoes and slice into 1/8-inch-thick rounds. Put a slice of the sweet potato into each muffin cup.

Top each with about a teaspoon of the shredded Gruyère and diced pancetta; sprinkle with a little salt and white pepper. Repeat twice, overlapping smaller sweet potato slices if necessary to make a full layer and using all the slices. Scatter the remaining cheese and pancetta on top. Spoon a tablespoon of heavy cream on top of each gratin.

3. Cover the pan loosely with a sheet of aluminum foil. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake, uncovered, for 20 to 25 minutes, until the sweet potatoes are tender.

4. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before removing the gratins from the muffin tin and serving.

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WARM ORZO SALAD WITH BEETS AND GREENS

WARM CUSTARD SPOON BREAD

WARM CUSTARD SPOON BREAD

✢ Ingredients :

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ¾ cup stone-ground cornmeal
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• 2 large eggs
• 2 cups milk (I use 2%)
• 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1½ tablespoons white vinegar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup heavy cream

✢ Preparation Steps :

1. Heat the oven to 350°F. Place an ungreased 8-inch square baking dish in the oven on the middle rack to warm.

2. Mix the dry ingredients together in a large bowl.

3. In another, large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, 2 tablespoons of the melted butter, the vinegar, and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients and slowly stir until the batter is smooth and free of lumps.

4. Remove the heated baking dish from the oven and add the remaining 2 teaspoons butter, using a brush to coat the base and sides of the dish. Slowly scrape the batter into the dish and place it on the oven rack. Slowly pour the cream over the batter; do not stir. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the top layer is golden brown and a knife comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

5. Enjoy!

WARM ORZO SALAD WITH BEETS AND GREENS

♦ Ingredients :

• ¼ cup pine nuts
• 12 ounces medium beets with greens attached
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• ½ medium red onion, thinly sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 8 ounces orzo
• 3 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

♦ Preparation Steps :

1. Toast the pine nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat until they begin to brown. Watch carefully, as they will burn in a flash. Remove from the heat and transfer to a bowl to cool.

2. Remove the beet greens and reserve. Peel the beets and chop them into bite-size pieces. Remove the stems from the beet greens and slice the leaves into strips. Wash the greens thoroughly to remove any grit.

3. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the red onion and garlic and cook until the onion is tender and golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the beet greens. Cover and cook, tossing occasionally, until the greens are wilted, about 5 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, cook the beets in a pot of boiling salted water until just tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove the beets from the pot using a slotted spoon and set aside.

5. Return the water to a boil and add the pasta. Cook until al dente; drain.

6. Transfer the orzo to a bowl, add the beets, pine nuts, beet greens, and crumbled feta, and toss. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve. 

FIG AND BLUE CHEESE SAVOURIES

♦ Ingredients :

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 4 ounces blue cheese, crumbled
• Freshly ground black pepper
• About 3 tablespoons fig preserves

♦ Preparation Steps :

1. Heat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Place the flour, butter, blue cheese, and a few grinds of black pepper in the bowl of a food processor and process until the dough just comes together and starts to form a ball.

3. Dump the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead a few times to pull it together. Then roll out to a 1/8 -inch thick circle with a floured rolling pin. Cut rounds out of the dough with a floured 1-inch round cutter and transfer to the parchment-lined baking sheet. Reroll the scraps (no more than once) and cut more rounds.

4. Using the back of a rounded ½-teaspoon measure or your knuckle, make an indentation in the center of each dough round. Spoon about ¼ teaspoon of the fig preserves into each indentation, using your finger to push the preserves as best as possible into the indentation.

5. Bake the savouries until the preserves are bubbling and the pastry is light golden on the bottom, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool on the baking sheet for at least 10 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to finish cooling.

♥ See Also : 

VEGETABLE SOUP RECIPE