Homemade Whole-Egg Mayonnaise

Making homemade mayo was surprisingly easy and fast. I now only make it from scratch -- it only takes a few minutes, so it's ready and available right when I need it. Mayonnaise is a condiment that I use both sparingly and infrequently, so it is especially helpful to be able to make a small amount on demand.

And don't worry about not having the ingredients... other than the use of a lone egg (highly likely you've got one lurking in the fridge), this recipe exclusively calls for pantry-only ingredients. Plus, many mayo recipes call for only the egg yolks, but I hate waste so this one uses the whole egg. No fussing and separating required.

I'd much rather whip this mayo up in a few minutes than take ten to run to the store for a big jar that will sit there taking up fridge space for months! You'll find this homemade spread to be far fresher and creamier than anything you'll find on the shelf. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1/4 t. dry mustard powder (or 1/2 t. dijon mustard)
1/4 t. salt
1 whole egg
1-2 tablespoons white or cider vinegar
1 cup canola or vegetable oil

Directions: Using a food processor (or immersion or regular blender) add the first four ingredients up until the oil. Turn the processor on and allow the ingredients to mix. Then, VERY SLOWLY drizzle the cup of oil into the running processor. It will look to be a liquid consistency at first, but you'll notice that toward the end of the cup of oil it will have firmed up to be thick and creamy.

If desired, add a little more vinegar (I like mine slightly more tart) or even spices like curry or cayenne to create a flavored mayo.

Pin it on Pinterest!

Source: pumpkinprose.blogspot.com via Lauren on Pinterest

Lemon Cake with Fresh Lemon Curd

 

Spring has sprung!

This brightly colored and flavored lemon cake with fresh lemon curd is like capturing the sun on a plate.

It was perfect for my Easter celebration, but I think that making this cake is also a wonderful way to celebrate the coming of warm months ahead. It's just so zesty, sweet, and tart. Your mouth will pucker. Your lips will smile. Your fork will dive in for more. 

The lemon curd is just oh-so-delightful. How did it take me this long to make this amazing ode to the lemon? Its color pops. Its flavor sings. Its consistency is smooth, pure, and luscious.

Sure, I had eaten lemon curd before. We used to have it as a spread for our scones at Christmas Tea at The Four Seasons in Philadelphia. I used to think it was delicious, swirled with butter and washed down with my tea. But now I'm wondering if that lemon curd was out of a jar. I think it must have been, because in my memory it now pales in comparison to this unbelievably fresh recipe.

Anyway, I'll get down to sharing it with you! Enough of keeping to to myself. Time to let the Spring out! Bake it out, whisk it out, zest it out, and squeeze it out to the last lemony drop.

Lemon Cake:

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup granulated white sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

4 large eggs, room temperature

2 heaping tablespoons fresh lemon zest

2 cups all purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degress. Grease and flour two 8" round cake pans and set aside.
In a large bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until light yellow and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scape down the sides as needed. Beat in the vanilla extract. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Sift together the zest, flour, baking powder, and salt. Then add the flour mixture alternately with the lemon juice mixture in 3 additions, beating between additions and scraping down the sides.
Pour the batter evenly into each of the two pans and gently drop the pans against the counter top a few times to release air bubbles. Bake on the center rack until a toothpick comes out clean, approximately 20 minutes.

Lemon Curd: makes about 2 cups
6 large egg yolks
4 tablespoons fresh lemon zest
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
12 tablespoons granulated sugar
 8 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Directions:
Add the lemon zest and sugar to a small saucepan. Place a fine mesh strainer over the saucepan and add the yolks into the strainer, stirring gently to release them through the strainer.Then pour the lemon juice over the yolks in the strainer, stirring, to force down the rest of the yolks (this will leave the membranes in the strainer without having them compromise the consistency of your curd). Place the saucepan over medium heat and stir constantly with a wooden spoon, scraping the bottoms and sides of the pan, until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon, from 10-15 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and add the butter, once piece at a time, stirring after each addition until it is completely dissolved.
Pour the curd into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap so that the wrap touches the top of the curd. This keeps a skin from forming. Allow to cool completely, then refrigerate for at least one hour to thicken.

To assemble the cake: Place one cake layer on a cake stand, then pour half of the lemon curd over it, spreading evenly out to the sides. Place the other cake layer on top, and repeat with the remaining lemon curd. Dust with powdered sugar if desired, and serve.

Note: Lemon curd freezes very well. Simply store in an airtight glass container in the freezer, leaving enough room for expansion at the top. Thaw in the refrigerator.

Homemade Hoisin Sauce

5 T. Soy Sauce
3 T Smooth Peanut Butter
1.5 t. honey
2 t. sesame oil
2 t. hot sauce or hot chili paste
1/4 t. garlic powder
dash salt and pepper

Mix all ingredients well until combined.

Cranberry Apple Chutney

This chutney is easy to make and ready in minutes -- without any need to use the stove. Its flavors are more complex than traditional cranberry sauce. It yields an interesting citrusy, sweet, and slightly spiced flavor that will keep guests reaching for more.

Ingredients:
12 oz. bag fresh cranberries, rinsed and drained
1 apple, peeled and cored (sweet, firm varieties best, such as Fuji, Braeburn, or Jonagold)
1 orange, cut into wedges, skin and peel left on
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 t. salt
3/4 t. apple pie spice (can also use ginger)

Directions: Add all of the ingredients to a food processor and process until all the ingredients are incorporated, scraping down the sides occasionally. It will resemble a coarse meal. Allow to sit for a day in the fridge so that the flavors combine.

Can be made up to four days in advance.

Traditional Cranberry Sauce

Traditional, sweet, and slightly tart. It's not Thanksgiving without this seasonal accompaniment.

Ingredients:
12oz. bag of fresh cranberries, rinsed and drained
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup water
zest of 1/2 small orange

Directions: Bring the water and sugar to a gentle boil over medium heat. Reduce to a simmer for five minutes, then add in the cranberries and stir. Simmer for ten minutes, or until the cranberries pop, then remove from the stove and cool. The sauce will thicken as it sits.

Can be made up to four days ahead.

Mole Sauce

This simple, easy, and delicious recipe for mole sauce is absolutely a keeper. Thankfully, you'll have leftovers enough for at least two (or maybe three) more uses of the remaining sauce. It's wonderful served atop enchiladas, but would be equally as delicious baked over chicken and served with rice.

Sweet and Spicy Mole Sauce: adapted from Ingrid Hoffman's Food Network recipe
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 Serrano chiles
1 cup raisins
2 cups canned stewed tomatoes with chiles
3 tablespoons smooth peanut butter
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (or 1.5 oz. unsweetened chocolate)
2 T hot sauce
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Place a large pot over medium heat and heat the oil. Add the onion and cook for a few minutes, then the garlic and stir. Cook another 1-2 minutes. Add the chiles, raisins, and canned tomatoes, stirring to combine. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Add the peanut butter, broth, chili powder, and cinnamon. Using a hand-held immersion blender (or carefully transfer into a blender), puree the mixture until completely smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Continue to cook the sauce for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Then add the chocolate and hot sauce and stir until fully incorporated.

Leftovers can be frozen in separate portions in tightly sealed bags.

Vegetable Bolognese: A Stovetop Makeover to a Traditional Favorite

Hearty and healthy, this vegetable bolognese was an experiment in using the traditional method of making a bolognese using untraditional ingredients. Bolognese, usually a rich sauce cooked with hearty hunks of ground or shredded meat in cream and wine, could certainly use a lightening up for everyday eating. I craved the flavor, but not the heaviness.

I decided to use mushrooms for their meaty consistency and flavor, along with tender and sweet carrots and fresh diced tomatoes. The result was wonderful: a robust sauce flavored with slow-simmered vegetables in a savory blend of broth and spices, with heavenly undertones of garlic and onion and just a dash of milk and parmesan for a hint of creaminess.

Pair this sauce with your favorite whole-grain or wheat pasta for even more filling nutrition. This vegetable bolognese has all of the teaste of comforting, homemade Italian dinner without any reason to hesitate heading to the pot for seconds.

Vegetable Bolognese: serves 2
Ingredients:
1 T. olive oil
1 T. butter
1/2 cup chopped Spanish onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 t. Sea salt
1 small can mushrooms, drained, rinsed and pressed, then diced into small pieces
1 carrot, peeled and diced
2-3 Roma tomatoes, diced into 1" pieces, juices reserved
2 T. tomato paste
1/2 cup vegetable stock
1/8 cup milk (preferably whole)
4 T. grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 T. dried parsley
salt & pepper to taste

1/2 lb. whole wheat pasta, cooking water reserved

Directions:
In a large pot, set the olive oil and butter to melt together over medium heat. Add the onion and stir 4-5 minutes until tender, then add the garlic and salt and stir another minute. Add the mushrooms and carrots and saute for a few minutes, then stir together with the tomatoes and tomato paste. Deglaze the bottom of the pan with a dash of the vegetable stock, scraping up all of the cooked bits, then pour in the rest of the stock. Simmer until everything is tender and incorporated, and meanwhile cook the pasta in a large pot of salted water.

When the pasta is done cooking and the vegetables are tender, stir in the milk and parmesan cheese, then salt and pepper to taste. Add reserved cooking water one T. at a time if needed. Stir in dried parsley and top the pasta with the sauce. Serve with extra parmesan cheese on the side.

Pasta & Vegetables in Garlicky Walnut Sauce

It's my heaven: walnut spread tossed with pasta and vegetables for dinner.

How simple, fast, and uniquely satisfying. The crunchy and garlicky walnut spread, which can be whipped up fast for this meal and the rest saved for a number of other uses, was fantastic when warmed together with the chewy pasta and crisp asparagus.The creamy hunks of  feta crumbled on top started to warm through, becoming perfectly soft and goey -- the perfect finishing touch to this nutritious and comforting dinner.

What's great is that the nutty and garlicky sauce would be delicious with a wide variety of vegetables, such as gently sauteed zucchini or squash, diced sweet potatoes, or tender onions. And since the consistency of this toasty sauce is somewhat thick,  it hugs the pasta best when a wide noodle gives it room to stick (linguine, taliatelle) or a tubular pasta (penne, conchiglie) gives it places to hide inside. However you mix it all up, it's delicious and perfect for Fall. Enjoy!

Pasta & Vegetables in Garlicky Walnut Sauce: serves 2
Ingredients:
1 recipe Walnut Pate
1/2 lb. regular or whole-wheat pasta of choice
Vegetables of choice that keep their shape well, such as squash, asparagus, broccoli, and onions
Olive oil
2 T. cream or milk
Crumbled feta or other soft cheese
Salt & pepper to taste

Reserved cooking liquid from the pasta.

Directions: Put a large pot of salted water to boil. Meanwhile, saute the vegetables in a few T. of olive oil until tender. When the pasta is slightly more chewy than al-dente (it will continue cooking for a couple of minutes in the pan with the sauce), transfer it directly in with the vegetables, reserving the cooking water. Stir together with 1/4 cup walnut pate, the cream, and thin as desired with the cooking water. Season to taste with salt & pepper, then top with feta.

Grandma Wicks's Walnut Pate

It's nutty, it's toasty, it's salty, its garlicy. It's completely and utterly addicting.

I was first introduced to this walnut spread last winter by Camille, my friend and fellow food enthusiast. It was one of the many nights when both of our Matthews were on call at the hospital, and rather than each spend the evening alone, she and I had gotten into the practice of spending it cooking together. Those evenings were often our little forum for trying out new recipes. Around that time Camille had become experimental with bread baking. She was regularly producing fantastic, rustic, and hearty loaves. 

That night, as our dinner baked away in the oven, she presented her most recent loaf: a large and beautiful round boule with picture-perfect cracks spread out from the center of its crunchy outer crust; the interior of which was light, spongy, and as soft as butter. She put it on the table with a big bread knife, a small butter knife, and a curious brown topping in a small plastic container. I hesitated. "It's walnut spread," she explained. "My grandma used to call it walnut pate. It's kind of addicting." 

Clearly, Camille's kitchen talents are genetic: her grandma Wicks was a lifelong cook who taught high school home economics and had her own cooking-class business. She even authored a food processor cookbook that Camille uses regularly, which was sold at Sears when the food processor first came out in the 70s. Pretty neat, huh?

Anyway, I can't say that she didn't give me fair warning. Even though the bread-making phase has come and gone , this walnut spread is definitely here to stay, and I'm so glad that it was passed on to me, too. I am fairly certain that Camille had to coax the tub of walnut pate from my loving hands so that we could finally sit down to our actual meal. I was, and still am, in love at first bite.

Since Camille is hosting our book club's potluck dinner tonight, it occured to me to whip up a batch of her walnut spread last night. I was suddenly struck by a craving for this nutty and intensely flavorful treat, and since it's ready in a matter of minutes, that craving was satisfied fast. Although it's wonderful eaten on baguette, in sandwiches, or with crackers, I tossed half of my batch with pasta and vegetables to create last night's dinner of capunti with a creamy walnut sauce. I'll post that recipe tomorrow, but it was fantastic!

Grandma Wicks's walnut spread is versatile and delicious. Its uses are endless, but only if you are able to keep keep the batch around for long enough to find them all!

Grandma's Walnut Pate: In a food processor or blender, process 2 cloves of garlic with 1 T. salt, then add about 1 to 2 cups of walnuts (I like to lightly toast them first to bring out their flavors). Pulse a few times to incorporate, then turn the blender back on and slowly pour a few tablespoons of olive oil into the top until it forms a thick, chunky walnut spread. Adjust walnut and or garlic to taste.

Scrumptious Black Bean Cheeseburgers

topped with spicy chipotle mayo & served with cumin carrots:

YUM! It's one of my favorite weeknight dinners. Healthy but incredibly flavorful, I am absolutely in love with these easy, delicious, and budget-friendly burgers.

Whip up some creamy chipotle mayo to top them with -- it's an addition that makes a wonderful difference. Just mix hot sauce, cayenne pepper, a dash of chili powder, and mayo. It's a spread that is both cool and spicy at the same time.  With every bite it smothers the lightly crisped burger in a positively delectable, heavenly way.

The bean patty itself is toasty on the outside and soft on the inside. It's earthy, richly flavorful, and simply feels good to eat. It's all best when served between an extra-soft hamburger bun. Perhaps you'll want to top yours with sour cream, guacamole, salsa, shredded lettuce...

... with a side of sweet and spicy cumin scented carrots, I think I'll take this burger just the way it is: purely delicious.

Black Bean Burgers: serves 2

Ingredients:

1/4 of a Spanish onion

1 (14-oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained. Divide in two portions.

2 T. mayo

1/4 cup dry whole wheat breadcrumbs 

1 t. ground cumin

1 t. chile powder

1/4 t. cayenne pepper

1/8 cup cilantro, chopped (optional)

1 T. olive oil

2 soft hamburger buns

1/2 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend

Directions:

Process the Spanish onion, then pulse 1/2 the can of beans together with the mayo, bread crumbs, and spices until a lumpy puree forms. Transfer into a bowl and stir together with the 1/2 can of whole beans. Preheat pan to medium-high heat, then add the olive oil. Form two evenly sized patties, as from 3/4-1" thick, then place down in the pan. Heat for a couple of minutes on one side, then when it's crisped, flip over. In the last minute of cooking, add the cheese on top to melt and toast the bun if you'd like. Top with chipotle mayo and any other desired toppings. 

Cumin Carrots:

Ingredients:

2 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch rounds

1 T. olive oil

1 t. salt

1 t. cayenne pepper

2 t. cumin

1 t. hot sauce

1/2 t. cinnamon

Directions:

Toss together all the ingredients in a bowl, until the carrots are evenly coated with the oil and spices. Heat a pan over medium heat and add the entire bowl's contents. Cook the carrots until tender and soft.

Basil Dressing... An Extension of Summer Vacation

It can't be over, it just can't be! Where did the summer go? And why so suddenly, it seems?

How could it be that just yesterday I was jogging along the cliffs in Newport, Rhode Island, shielding the morning sun from my eyes as I watched surfers battle the waves... and today? Today I was biking through the streets of Philly, shielding my eyes from the morning sun as I prayed not to get sideswiped by a cab or fly into a pothole. I was en-route to spend the day with over a hundred nervous and excited 9th graders on their first day of high school.

Despite summer being in my proverbial rear-view-mirror, today was an awesome day. How much fun is the first day of school!? How much more fun is it to watch new students navigate new friends in a new school, and to get to help them do that? It was pretty darn fun. I think I'll go back tomorrow.

Anyway, this post is about basil dressing, I promise. I'll get to the point: ending my day with big bites of crispy salad and juicy tomatoes coated in this cool and creamy basil dressing was like a second chance at summer, if just for the evening.

Once again, basil saves the day! Each pulse of the processor released that lovely and familiar fragrance of sweet basil as it was mixed with the tart tang of fresh lemon and gently pungent kick of white onion. What a fabulous dressing it was. Completely light and entirely refreshing.

It is an absolute pleasure to eat. It's a pandora's box of all that is delicious and carefree in life.... I encourage you to eat it all September long with fond dreams of your summer months.

Basil Dressing:
1 cup basil, rinsed
1/4 small white onion, or 1/2 shallot
3 T. light mayo
2 T. quality olive oil
2 T. white balsamic vinegar (can use dark balsamic, only the color will be affected)
3/4 T. salt
a generous squeeze of 1/4 of a lemon
freshly ground black pepper to taste

Combine all of the above ingredients in a food processor, in the order they are listed, until well incorporated. Dressing will be slightly textured.

Tomato-Basil Sauce

Got basil? This fresh and easy tomato basil red sauce adds an incredible depth and brightness to any pasta dish.

Ingredients:
2 T. olive oil
1/2 Spanish onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, smashed
1 carrot, diced
2 28 oz. cans of crushed, diced or whole tomatoes
2 cups fresh basil
2 T. fresh cream
2 T. sugar
1 T. hot chile flakes
1 t. cinnamon
salt & pepper to taste

Directions:
Preheat a large pot over medium heat. Add olive oil and when it shimmers, add the onions and carrots and stir, 2 minutes. Add the garlic and saute another minute. Add the tomatoes and simmer 20 minutes, then add the rest of the ingredients. Blend well with an immersion blender. Serve or save in jars.

Basil Pesto

This weekend I slowly perused the outdoor market in Rittenhouse Square Park taking in the sights and smells. The produce from local farmers was plentiful: pints of bright yellow, orange and red heirloom tomatoes; ripe, deep purple blueberries; zucchini and squash in all sorts of twisted shapes and sizes. Indulgent baked goods -- sweet breads, oversized cookies, loaves of dough stuffed with pepperoni and cheese -- beckoned to be bought and consumed on the spot. The variety of fresh local cheeses all looked so rich and creamy that I wished I could bring a generous hunk of each home....

Despite the many temptations waiting under each crisp, white tent, I gravitated toward only one item: a large, leafy bright green basil plant sitting in a small cup of dirt. I could smell the plant's slightly tart, slightly citrusy aroma from a few feet away. I knew this plant would be coming home with me.

I snugly tucked the rather large plant in my shoulder bag and proceeded to do a few more hours worth of shopping around town. I am pretty sure that the looks I got at Anthropologie and City Sports had more to do with the giant tree I had growing out from under my shoulder than anything else.

Later, when I got home, I plucked off almost every leaf and used it to make this bright, fragrant, and summery pesto. Then, I potted the plant, gave it a little love, and asked it to sprout some more leaves as soon as possible.

Fresh Basil Pesto: (makes a little over 1 cup)

Ingredients:
4 cups packed fresh basil leaves, washed
1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted until golden and fragrant
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan (about 1 1/2 ounces)
2 large garlic cloves
juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
sea salt

Directions:

Place the garlic and pine nuts into the food processor and pulse, scraping down the sides to chop completely. 

Add the basil leaves and turn the processor on, pouring the olive oil through the top, then the lemon juice, and then the parmesan. Season to taste with sea salt.

Store in a tightly sealed container for a day, freeze, or use immediately.This pesto is wonderful spread on a sandwich, used as a dip for grilled breads and vegetables, or tossed with orichette pasta and ripe, cherry tomatoes.

Thai Peanut Sauce

My Thai peanut sauce is a little bit different every time. It always consists of a little bit of this and a little bit of that until it tastes just right and I have the amount of it that I need. For the purposes of getting the recipe down here, though, I've pinned down the essential ingredients in approximate amounts, but you should feel free to adjust to your liking. 

Most peanut sauces have fewer ingredients, some with just peanut butter, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and water. I think that the three essentials of Thai cooking are basil, garlic, and ginger, and so these get included in my sauce, along with lots of red pepper flakes and hot sauce for spice. Regardless of how you like yours, this is an incredibly satisfying and delicious sauce that is versatile for dipping or pouring over rice or noodles.

Spicy Thai Peanut Sauce

Ingredients:

1/4 cup smooth honey roasted peanut butter (not natural)

1/8 cup reduced sodium soy sauce

1/8 cup milk, coconut milk, or water
2 T. rice vinegar

1 T. sesame oil

1 T. hot sauce or chili paste

2 t. garlic powder or one fresh garlic clove, minced and pressed into a paste

2 t. dried basil or 1 T. fresh

2 t. curry powder

1 t. Chinese Five Spice

1/2 t. ginger powder

2 t. crushed red pepper flakes

1/4 of a lemon, freshly squeezed (you may want to wait to squeeze the lemon over the dish you're serving with the sauce so that the milk does not curdle. If you have used water, feel free to mix the lemon in)

Whisk ingredients together until well blended, or use a processor to blend. Adjust to taste.

If you don't have all of the above spices or ingredients, don't worry. You can substitute regular white or cider vinegar for the rice vinegar, and pumpkin or apple pie spice for the Chinese five spice, etc. 

A well stocked spice cabinet is the most useful way to add flavor to a dish though, so definitely keep your eyes peeled for a good spice store nearby and start collecting!

Spicy and Sweet Homemade Pasta Sauce

A favorite memory of growing up is actually an aroma... the sweet, slightly tangy smell of long and slow simmering tomato sauce. On pasta night, Thursday nights, my mom would stand at the stove preparing a number of ingredients that remained a mystery to me at that age. Then she'd ask me to stir it occasionally to keep it from burning while she went out for her afternoon walk.

I loved the smell of that sauce, for it's simplicity and comfort, as well as for its complexities I still aim to recreate. Although I can't re-live my childhood, I have to admit that when I now make my own homemade pasta sauce, I have an ulterior motive: to fill my apartment with the equally enticing smells that wafted from my mother's pot and filled our Connecticut home. I admit to taking the dog out as my sauce cooks simply so I can enter again, inhaling deeply, testing my own ability to reproduce a smell as delicious and inviting as that from years ago... Who knows, maybe someday my children will feel the same about this sauce as I do about the one that brought our Italian family around the table for yet another Thursday night dinner together.

Spicy and Sweet Pasta Sauce
Ingredients:
2 28 oz. cans crushed tomatoes
1 can tomato paste
1 medium to large white or Spanish onion
4 cloves garlic
2 T olive oil
1 to 2 T red pepper flakes
2T sugar or 3 T. grape jam (mom would cringe, we never kept grape jam!)
fresh chopped or dried basil, oregano, thyme, salt, and pepper to taste
*optional, reserved pasta cooking water to thin

Directions:

In a large saucepan, set the olive oil over medium heat. Meanwhile, finely chop the onion and garlic. Add the onion to the saucepan and stir with a wooden spoon. Allow to cook until golden and soft, approx. 6 minutes. Turn the heat down slightly. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, about two more minutes. Next, add the tomato paste and stir to coat the onion and garlic. Add both cans of crushed tomatoes, the sugar or jam, crushed red pepper, and Italian seasonings. Simmer on low for as long as desired, partly uncovered. Salt to taste. If desired, thin the sauce out with a little bit of cooking water from the pasta. The starches in the water bring flavor to the sauce without diluting it.

The crushed tomatoes that are used in this recipe make for a fabulous combination of both chunky and smooth sauce that truly sticks to every bite. However, if you hate chunks, feel free to use tomato puree. Then, if you're my mother or me, load twice as much sauce onto your plate as you have pasta and enjoy!

Peanut Chile Salsa

When I was at DiBruno's Market in Philadelphia yesterday, the vine-ripe tomatoes smelled so sweet and looked so fresh that I had to buy a couple of pounds. When I got home, I knew exactly what I would do with them... Convert them to a rich, nutty and spicy sauce I had seen recently in the New York Times Recipes for Health. The recipe requests Roma tomatoes and spicy chiles, neither of which I exactly had on hand. So I broiled my tomatoes on the vine and used a few dashes of hot sauce and half of a jalapeno instead for a kick. Made almost creamy by the pureed peanuts, this thick salsa begs eating by the spoonful. This is a serious sauce that will stick with love to whatever it's poured over... namely, the seared tuna steaks I have waiting in the fridge for tomorrow night...

Peanut Chile Salsa

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon mild ground chili powder or 6 de arbol chiles
1 1/4 pounds tomatoes, preferably roma tomatoes
1 plump garlic clove, skin on
1/2 to 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, preferably Mexican
1 clove
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, preferably Mexican
1/2 cup roasted unsalted peanuts
1 1/2 tablespoons canola oil
About 2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
Salt to taste

Directions:
1. If using the dried chiles, heat a dry skillet or griddle over medium heat, and toast the chiles just until they change color — a few seconds on each side. Remove from the heat, and place in a bowl. Cover with hot water, and place a saucer on top to keep them submerged. Soak for 15 minutes. Drain and remove the stems.

2. Meanwhile, preheat the broiler. Cover a baking sheet with foil, and place the tomatoes on top. Place under the broiler a couple of inches from the heat. Broil until blistered and charred on one side, five to six minutes. Using tongs, turn the tomatoes over and repeat on the other side. Remove from the heat, and allow to cool until you can handle them, then cut away the core and transfer to a blender.

3. Meanwhile, heat a dry skillet over medium heat, and toast the garlic, turning often, until it smells toasty, has softened and is colored in spots. Remove from the heat. Remove the skin and trim away the root end. Add to the blender, along with the cinnamon, clove, chili powder (or the stemmed, soaked chiles), oregano and peanuts. Blend to a purée, adding a little stock if necessary.

4. Set a large, heavy saucepan over medium-high heat, and add the oil. When the oil is hot and a small amount of the purée sears when you add it to the pan, add all of the purée. It will splatter, so have a lid close by. Cook the purée, stirring constantly, until it thickens and darkens, five to eight minutes. Add the remaining stock, and combine well. Bring to a boil, and reduce to a simmer, stirring often, until the sauce has thickened and darkened, eight to 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt. The salsa should be thick. Remove from the heat, and serve hot or warm, with grains and vegetables (or with fish).

Yield: Makes 1 3/4 cups, serving about six.

Advance preparation: The salsa keeps well for several days in the refrigerator and freezes well. Reheat and stir after thawing.
Recipe from Martha Rose Shulman's 'Recipes for Health'