Christmas Eve

Patrick, my dad, and I got dinner ready for this eve, while our hard working female counterparts worked the day away. It was gooooood.

Asian-Marinated Flank Steak

1 cup soy sauce

1 cup sake

1/2 cup sugar

1 large bunch fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped (about 1.5 cups)

1 2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled, cut into thick slices

4 cloves garlic

1.25 tsp dried crushed red pepper

STEAK

Combine first 7 ingredients (...not the steak) in a food processor or blender, blend until pureed. Pour marinade into a large heavy-duty freezer bag. Add the steak to marinade in bag and seal.

Refrigerate at least 4 hours and up to 1 day, turning bag occasionally.

Remove steaks from marinate and grill over medium heat to desired doneness.

Rigatoni with Gorgonzola Cheese

2.5 Tbsp butter

.5 cup fresh breadcrumbs

1.25 cups whole milk

.5 cup whipping cream

1 Tbsp flour

12 oz Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled

1 lb rigatoni or penne pasta

.25 cup grated Parmasan cheese

Preheat oven to 400°. Butter 13x9x2 inch glass baking dish. Melt 1/2 Tbsp butter in small nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add breadcrumbs and stir until golden, about 4 minutes. Remove skillet from heat.

Bring milk and cream to simmer in medium saucepan. Remove from heat. Melt remaining 2 Tbsp butter in another medium saucepan over low heat. Add flour, stir for 2 minutes. Whisk in milk mixture. Whisk until slightly thickened, about 4 minutes. Add Gorgonzola and whisk until cheese melts and sauce is almost smooth. Set aside.

Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite. Drain. Return pasta to pot. Add Gorgonzola sauce to pasta and toss to coat. Season pasta to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese and breadcrumbs. Bake pasta until sauce bubbles, about 25 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

We also made green beans with vinaigrette, the sweet potato biscuits, and a salad.

Balls of Chicken

Chicken and Cilantro Bites

makes about 30

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup rice vinegar

1 lb ground chicken (not breast meat)

1 large egg

1/2 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro

2 scallions, finely chopped

2 tsp Asian sesame oil

1 tsp salt

3/4 cup cornstarch

1/2 cup vegetable oil

Stir together soy and vinegar in a bowl for dipping sauce.

Stir together chicken, egg, cilantro, scallions, sesame oil, and salt with a fork until just blended.

Spread cornstarch in a shallow baking pan. With wet hands form chicken mixture into 1 inch balls, transferring them to baking pan as formed. Wash and dry your hands, then gently roll balls in cornstarch until coated.

Heat 1/4 cup vegetable oil in a 12 inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then cook half of balls, turning occasionally, until firm and golden (they will flatten slightly), 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain. Add remaining 1/4 cup oil to skillet and cook remaining balls in same manner.

Serve meatballs with dipping sauce.

Sesame Noodles

1 lb whole-wheat spaghetti

1/2 cup soy sauce

2 Tbsp sesame oil

2 Tbsp canola oil

2 Tbsp rice-wine vinegar or fresh lime juice

1.5 tsp crushed red pepper

1 bunch scallions, sliced, divided

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, divided

4 cups snow peas, trimmed and sliced on the bias

1 medium red bell pepper, thinly sliced

1/2 cup toasted sesame seeds

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook spaghetti. Drain; rinse under cold water.

Meanwhile, whisk soy sauce, sesame oil, canola oil, vinegar (or lime juice), crushed red pepper, 1/4 cup scallions and 2 Tbsp cilantro. Add noodles, snow peas and bell pepper; toss to coat.

To serve, mix in sesame seeds and garnish with remaining scallions and cilantro.

Carrot Curry with Shallots and Chiles

2 Tbsp corn or peanut oil

5 Tbsp chopped shallots

1 fresh hot green chile, finely chopped

1 lb medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch thick rounds

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground coriander

1/2 tsp ground fennel

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

1/4 tsp ground turmeric

10-15 fresh curry leaves if available

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 cup coconut milk, from a well-shaken can

Pour the oil into a heavy medium pan and set over medium heat. When the oil is hot, put in the shallots and chiles. Stir and fry for 2 minutes, or until the shallots have softened a bit. Add the carrots, cumin, coriander, fennel, cayenne pepper, turmeric, curry leaves, and salt and continue to stir and fry over medium heat for 2-3 minutes. Add the coconut milk and bring to a simmer. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer very gently for 5 [or as long as 25] minutes.

Chili

1 lb ground beef

1 large onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, chopped

2 cans kidney beans

1 Tbsp chili powder

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

32 oz tomato sauce

Brown the meat and add the onion and garlic and cook until done. Add the chili powder, salt, and pepper to this and cook for a couple of minutes. Add the beans and tomato sauce and simmer for 30 minutes.

Tamara, this is from you, I believe?

Brudding

We found this to be good, but a bit bland. Try using more cheese and sharper cheese.

Bread Pudding

8 oz slightly stale bread, torn into 2 inch pieces

3/4 cup grated cheese, such as Swiss or cheddar, or a combination of mild cheese and hard grating cheese

1/2 cup finely chopped mixed fresh herbs, including scallions or chives or basil

1/4 cup chopped smoked ham

3 cups whole milk

5 extra-large eggs

3/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

Preheat the oven to 350°. Place a rack at the middle level. Butter a 9 by 12 inch gratin dish.

In a large bowl, toss the bread pieces with the cheese, herbs, and ham, then spread in the gratin dish.

In a large bowl, whisk the milk eggs, salt and pepper, then pour over the bread.

Bake the bread pudding for 45 minutes or until golden brown and the custard is set.

Chowda

Scallop and Corn Chowder

2 cups canned creamed corn

1 quart heavy cream or half-and-half

1/2 lb applewood-smoked bacon or another smoked bacon

1/2 cup diced onion

1/2 cup diced celery

1/2 cup diced leeks

2 cups diced all-purpose or waxy potatoes

2 cups low-sodium chicken stock

Sea salt and pepper, to taste

16 large sea scallops, cleaned

1 Tbsp vegetable oil

8 Tbsp (1 stick) butter

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

2 Tbsp chopped chives

Juice of 1 lime

Simmer the corn with the cream for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, cook 2 strips of the bacon until crisp. Drain and reserve. Pour off the bacon grease. Combine the onion, celery, leeks, potatoes and the remaining slices of bacon in the saucepan. Add the chicken stock and the cream-corn mixture. Simmer for 30 minutes and season with salt and pepper.

Season the sea scallops with salt and pepper. Heat a nonstick skillet and sear the scallops until caramelized all over and medium-rare, just a couple of minutes on each side. Remove from the pan, add the oil and let it heat, then return the scallops to the hot pan, cooking for an additional minute. Add 4 Tbsp of the butter and simmer for 1 minute, taking care not to overcook.

Season the chowder with cilantro, reserving a little for a garnish, and chives. Dice the remaining 4 Tbsp of butter and swirl it in, along with the lime juice to taste. Arrange the scallops in the center of soup plates, ladle the chowder around them and crumble the reserved bacon on top. Sprinkle with the remaining cilantro and serve.

We also had: corn muffins, salad, green beans, roasted broccoli with breadcrumbs, and GREAT chicken breasts cooked with wine...will have to get that down here sometime.

Zuppa

This soup is great. Bread in soups is a good old peasant contribution, adding some density and creaminess to it. The pancakes are also much better than one might suspect. And if you are thinking about leaving out the yogurt, DON'T, it's awesome.

Zuppa Arcidossana

2 Tbsp olive oil

1/4 lb sweet Italian sausage, removed from casings

1 cup .5 inch diced carrots

1 large onion chopped

3 or 4 cloves garlic, chopped

Salt and black pepper

1 cup stale bread (use coarse, country-style bread), cut in 1/2 inch cubes

1/2 lb spinach, trimmed, washed and roughly chopped

1/4 to 1/2 cup ricotta salata, cut in 1/2 inch cubes (feta may be substituted)

1. Put oil in a large pot or deep skillet and brown sausage over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. When sausage is cooked through and leaving brown bits in pan, add carrots, onion and garlic, and continue to cook until vegetables begin to soften and brown, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

2. Add bread to pan and stir for a minute or 2; add spinach and continue cooking just until it wilts, a couple of minutes.

3. Add about 2 cups water and stir to loosen any remaining brown bits from pan. This is more of a stew than a soup, but there should be some broth, so add another cup of water if necessary. When broth is consistency of thin gravy, ladle stew into serving bowls and top with cheese and some freshly chopped parsley if you have it.

Zucchini Pancakes

For the Pancakes:

3 medium zucchini, shredded

Salt and pepper

3 large eggs, beaten

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 cup crumbled feta cheese

3 scallions, finely chopped

1/3 cup finely chopped dill

1 tsp baking powder

4 to 6 Tbsp vegetable oil, more as needed

For the Yogurt Sauce:

2/3 cup plain yogurt

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1/2 tsp salt

1. Preheat oven to 250°. Place zucchini in a colander over a bowl, and mix with 1/2 tsp salt. Allow to drain for five minutes. Transfer to a cloth kitchen towel, and squeeze hard to extract as much moisture as possible. Squeeze a second time; volume will shrink to about half the original.

2. In a large bowl combine zucchini and eggs. Using a fork, mix well. Add flour, 1/2 tsp salt, olive oil, feta, scallions, dill and 1/2 tsp pepper. Mix well, add baking powder, and mix again.

3. Place a cast iron skillet or other heavy skillet over medium heat. Add 2 Tbsp vegetable oil and heat.

Fry 5-6 minutes.

Asian

We did have green beans and salad with this meal, but these two dishes have a good asian feel to them, which is fitting with our heritage....am I right?

Fried Rice

(really you can put whatever vegetables you want into this)

2 Tbsp canola oil

1 cup peeled, finely diced broccoli stems

3/4 cup finely diced carrots

3/4 cup finely diced red bell peppers

3/4 cup frozen shelled edamame

3/4 cup corn kernels, fresh or frozen

4 scallions, (green and white parts) thinly sliced

2 Tbsp finely grated fresh ginger

2 large cloves garlic, minced

4 cups very cold cooked brown rice

3/4 cup finely diced ham

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1/4 cup lower-sodium soy sauce

Heat up all but 1 tsp of the il in a large nonstick skillet or stir-fry pan over medium-high heat. Add the broccoli stems, carrots, and bell pepper and cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables begin to soften, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the edamame and corn and cook until the edamame is thawed, about 1 minute. Add the scallion, ginger, and garlic and cook, stirring, until the raw garlic aroma subsides, about 1 minute. Add the rice and ham and cook, stirring, until heated through, 3 to 5 minutes.

Make a three inch well in the center of the rice mixture. Add the remaining tsp of oil, then the eggs, and cook, stirring, until the eggs are almost fully scrambled. Stir the eggs into the rice mixture.

Stir in the soy sauce and serve.

Thai Chicken Coconut Soup

1 10- to 12- oz boneless, skinless chicken breast

3 stalks fresh lemongrass or 1/4 cup dried

4 cups chicken stock

1/4 cup thickly sliced galangal or fresh ginger

8 kaffir lime leaves or 4 thin strips lime zest

1 cup "lite" coconut milk

2 cups fresh mushrooms, thinly sliced

2 tsp cornstartch dissolved in 1 Tbsp water

4 to 5 Tbsp fish sauce

4 to 5 Tbsp fresh lime juice

12 fresh basil leaves, julienned

1 to 4 jalapenos, thinly sliced widthwise (optional)

1. Wash and dry the chicken breast and trim off any fat. Slice the chicken breast on the diagonal as thinly as possible.

Trim the green leaves and root ends off the lemongrass stalks and strip off the outside leaves. Cut the lemongrass sharply on the diagonal into 1/4 inch slices.

2. Combine the chicken stock, lemongrass, galangal, and kaffir lime leaves in a large saucepan and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the coconut milk and bring to a boil, stirring steadily. Reduce the heat and simmer the soup until richly flavored, about 5 minutes. Strain the soup into another saucepan, discarding the flavorings, or remove them with a slotted spoon.

3. Stir in the chicken and mushrooms and simmer until the chicken is cooked, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the dissolved cornstarch and bring the soup to a boil: It should thicken slightly. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the fish sauce, lime juice, basil, and chilies. Correct the seasoning, adding fish sauce or lime juice as necessary to achieve a balance between saltiness and tartness.

The First Real Snow

I'm not sure how much it snowed here while I was gone last week, but I'm calling this the first REAL snow, about a half foot. We also had Sam Kanner over for dinner tonight, so thats great.

Indonesian Ginger Pork

1 cup honey

3/4 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup grated peeled fresh ginger

1/4 cup minced garlic (8-12 cloves)

2 pork tenderloins

In a small saucepan, cook the honey, soy sauce, ginger and garlic over low heat until honey is melted. Place the pork in a large shallow roasting pan, and pour on the sauce. Marinate overnight in the fridge.

Bring to room temperature before cooking. Roast at 350° for 30 minutes, or until pork reaches 130° on an instant-read thermometer.

*For chicken: Need 2 3.5 pound chickens, quartered, backs removed. Bake the chicken at 350°, covered for 30 minutes. Uncover the pan, turn the chicken skin side up, and increase the oven temperature to 375°. Bake for 30 minutes more, or until the juices run clear when you cut between the leg and the thigh and the sauce is rich dark brown.

Tagliatelle with Mascarpone and Breadcrumbs

1 lb dried egg tagliatelle

1 lb mascarpone cheese

4 egg yolks

1/2 cup olive oil

4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1.25 cups freshly grated Parmesan

sea salt and pepper

Herb breadcrumbs:

1 loaf french bread, made into coarse crumbs

1/2 cup olive oil

6 garlic cloves, left whole

3 Tbsp each of chopped fresh thyme (or dried, but slightly less) and marjoram

Slowly mix the mascarpone and egg yolks together in a food processor. Add the oil, drop by drop, as for mayonnaise. Stir in the chopped garlic and Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper.

Heat the oil for the breadcrumbs in a small saucepan and add the whole garlic cloves.
Cook gently until a deep golden color, then remove the cloves. Add the bread crumbs to the garlic-flavored oil and cook until golden. Just before they turn brown, add the herbs.

Immediately remove the bread crumbs and herbs from the oil using a slotted spoon, and drain on paper towels.

Cook the tagliatelle in a large pan of boiling salted water until done, then drain. Mix with the mascarpone and generously cover with the herb breadcrumbs.

We also had sweet potato biscuits, roasted broccoli and salad.

Thanksgiving pt 3

Whoa, thanksgiving was awhile ago... I was too devastated by how much I ate, that I just couldn't bear to get this posted. But after a week in NYC/DC, here it is. The sweet potato biscuits should certainly be made even if its not thanksgiving. Very good.


This was everything. As you can see, we also had gravy, succotash, sweet potatoes, rice, and mashed potatoes, thanks to Michael and Jimmy. Not that those aren't worth putting up, but it was just too much.


This was everyone.

I heard some people had issues with the turkey making, and so did we. It ended up cooking fairly unevenly, and took much longer. We did however have an 18 pounder. So, if you are going to flatten it out, use smaller turkeys.

Here is how Turkey ended up:

Pre-op.


Post-op.


Smoosh

Seasoned


Partly cooked?

Sweet potato biscuits

makes 24

5 cups flour

1 cup packed brown sugar

2 Tbsp baking powder

1.5 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp salt

1 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp ground allspice

1 cup shortening (or margarine)

2 cups cooked and cooled mashed sweet potatoes*

1 cup whipping cream

Preheat to 350°.

Stir together the 5 cups flour, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, ginger, and allspice in a large mixing bowl.

Cut in the shortening or margarine with two knives or a dough cutter until crumbly. Add the sweet potatoes and mix well with a spoon. Add the cream and stir just until moistened.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll it out to a thickness of 1.5 inches. Cut out biscuits a wine glass rim. Place biscuits 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheets.

Bake until golden brown, 25-30 minutes.

* to cook the sweet potatoes, bake them while in a 400° oven on a sheet of aluminum foil to catch the drips. They should be done in about 1 hour, depending on their size. They are ready when they are very tender. To get 2 cups, you'll need to bake 1.5 lbs of sweet potatoes.

Creamed Leeks

4 large leeks (about 2 pounds total; white and pale green parts only), halved lengthwise and chopped

2 Tbsp unsalted butter

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/3 cup chicken stock or store-bought low-sodium broth

Pinch freshly grated nutmeg

Salt

Pinch of white pepper

Wash leeks in a large bowl of cold water, then lift out and drain well. Heat butter in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat until foam subsides. Add leeks and stir to coat with butter. Add cream and stock and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring, then reduce heat to moderate and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until leeks are tender and sauce is thickened, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in nutmeg, salt to taste, and white pepper.

Stuffing

a loaf and a half of french bread (about 2 lbs), cubed

2 sticks butter

2 medium onions, chopped

1.5 cups celery, chopped

2 tsp dried thyme

2+ cups broth

2 eggs

Salt and pepper to taste

Saute the onions and celery with a stick of butter until translucent or browned. Add thyme and salt and pepper for a minute or so. Transfer to a large bowl and mix with the cubed bread. Melt the other stick of butter and mix it into the bowl of bread. Put into buttered baking dishes (whatever size, probably makes enough for two 9x13 inch ceramic dishes).

In another bowl beat two eggs into two cups of broth (turkey, chicken, vegetable, whatever). Pour over bread mixture in baking dishes. You do not want it to be soaked, but you want everything to be moist, so add more broth if needed.

Bake at 350° until it looks done, brown on top, maybe 30 minutes.

This recipe is pretty much done with guess work by my mom while doing it, so the exactness of the amounts is unclear and unnecessary.

Apple Pie

Thanksgiving pt 2: Easiest, Fastest Turkey

Last year my mom decided to try something new.  Instead of having to worry about if the turkey will take hours and hours, you can count on this one to take under an hour.  

 

Below is what Mark Bittman says about his recipe.  Also, currently up under the NY times Dining section there is a video showing how to do this, check it out here. 

This recipe for 45-Minute Roast Turkey simplifies the process enormously. (Don’t let removing the backbone intimidate you; it’s not that difficult.) Unorthodox though it may sound, you’ll thank me: It will be done in about 40 minutes. Really. It will also be more evenly browned, more evenly cooked, and moister than a conventionally roasted bird. It only works for small turkeys (8 to 12 pounds) but, again, that makes it easier to handle. And it will still serve 10 at least, and more if you’re all OK with eating less meat--something I recommend anyway.

45–Minute Roast Turkey   

MAKES: At least 10 servings
TOTAL TIME: 45 minutes

One 8- to 12-pound turkey
10 or more garlic cloves, lightly crushed
Several sprigs fresh tarragon or thyme or several pinches dried
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil or melted butte
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Heat the oven to 450°F. Put the turkey on a stable cutting board, breast side down, and cut out the backbone (use a heavy knife to cut on each side of the backbone, cutting from front to rear). Turn the bird over and press on it to flatten. Put it breast side up in a roasting pan that will accommodate it (a slightly snug fit is okay). The wings should partially cover the breasts, and the legs should protrude a bit.

2. Tuck the garlic and the herb under the bird and in the nooks of the wings and legs. Drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper.

3. Roast for 20 minutes, undisturbed. By this time the bird should be browning; remove it from the oven, baste with the pan juices, and return it to the oven. Reduce the heat to 400°F (or 350°F if it seems to be browning very quickly).

4. Begin to check the bird’s temperature about 15 minutes later (10 minutes if the bird is on the small side). It is done when the thigh meat measures 155–165°F on an instant-read meat thermometer; check it in a couple of places.

5. Let the bird rest for a few minutes before carving, then serve with the garlic cloves and pan juices. (Or make gravy.) Or serve at room temperature.

--Mark Bittman

Thanksgiving pt 1

We're having thanksgiving on Friday because my parents are both working tomorrow, but my mom is making a lot of food ahead of time, so it will be coming in slow installments. A lot of desserts this year.

Cranberry, Shallot, and Dried-Cherry Compote
(stewed, basically in place of cranberry sauce)

Makes about 3 cups
1/2 lb small shallots or pearl onions, left unpeeled
1 Tbsp unsalted butter or vege oil
3/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup white-wine vinegar
1 cup dry white wine
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup dried sour cherries (5 oz)
2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries (8 oz; not thawed if frozen)
1/2 cup water

Blanch shallots in 3 quart saucepan of boiling water for 1 minute, then drain. Peel them and separate into cloves if necessary.

Cook shallots in butter in the saucepan over moderate heat, stirring, 1 minute. Add sugar and 1 Tbsp vinegar and cook, stirring frequently, until sugar mixture turns a golden caramel, 15-20 minutes. Carefully add remaining vinegar, wine, and salt and boil, stirring, 1 minute. Add cherries and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until shallots are tender and liquid is syrupy, about 45 minutes.

Add cranberries and water and gently boil over moderate heat, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until cranberries have burst, about 10 minutes. Transfer compote to a bowl and cool completely.

Four-Layer Pumpkin Cake with Orange-Cream Cheese Frosting

For the cake:
3 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp Chinese five-spice powder, available in the spice section of most stores
1/2 tsp fine sea salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temp
2 cups (packed) brown sugar
3 large eggs
1 15 oz can pure pumpkin
1/2 cup whole milk

For frosting:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temp
2 8 oz packages cream cheese, room temp
1 Tbsp finely grated orange peel
2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
Chopped walnuts, toasted

Cake: Position rack in bottom third of oven; preheat 350°. Spray two 9 inch cake pans with 1.5 inch sides with nonstick spray. Line bottoms with parchment; spray parchment.
Whisk flour and next 4 ingredients in a large bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat butter in another large bowl until smooth. Beat in brown sugar. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating to blend between additions. Beat in pumpkin. Add dry ingredients to butter mixture in 3 additions alternating with milk in 2 additions, beating to blend between additions. Divide batter between pans.
Bake cakes until tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Cool in pans 15 minutes. Run knife around cakes to loosen. Invert cakes onto racks. Remove parchment. Using tart pan bottom as aid, turn cakes over onto racks, top sides up, and cool completely.

Frosting: Using electric mixer, beat butter in a large bowl until smooth. Add cream cheese and orange peel; beat until smooth. Add powdered sugar and beat on low speed until smooth.

Trim rounded tops from cakes.
Using long serrated knife, cut each cake horizontally in half. Place 1 cake layer, cut side up, on a large platter. Smooth 2/3 cup frosting atop cake; and over edges. Repeat 2 more times with cake and frosting; top with remaining layer, cut side down.

Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake.

Decorate cake with walnuts.

This is what the magazine's looked like. Pretty good!

Pecan, Caramel and Fudge Pie

For crust

1.5 cups chocolate wafer cookie crumbs (about 7 oz)

5 Tbsp butter, melted

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

For filling

3/4 cup (1.5 sticks) unsalted butter

3/4 cup (packed) brown sugar

6 Tbsp light corn syrup

3 cups pecan halves (about 10 oz)

3 Tbsp whipping cream

2 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped

For crust: Blend all ingredients in processor. Press crumb mixture onto bottom and sides of 9 inch diameter glass pie dish. Cover crust and freeze while preparing filling.

For filling: Preheat 350°. Combine butter, brown sugar and corn syrup in a heavy medium saucepan. Bring to boil, stirring often. Boil 1 minute. Stir in nuts and cream. Boil until mixture thickens slightly, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Add chocolate. Stir until chocolare melts and mixture is well blended.

Pour hot filling into crust.

Using a spoon, evenly distribute nuts. Bake until filling bubbles all over, about 10 minutes. Transfer pie to rack and cool.

Fig Crostata

I'm not going to put the recipe for this up because it was really hard to make, but if you really want it, email me.

This was the filling: