by Ann Myers
Date-Night Cherry Tomato Gratin
Serves 4 to 6
INGREDIENTS
4 c of day-old or relatively dry French baguette, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 lb cherry tomatoes
⅓ c freshly grated Parmesan cheese
¼ c extra-virgin olive oil
¼ c flat-leaf parsley, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
½ t kosher salt
½ t cumin
½ t coriander
½ t dried or fresh oregano
¼ t freshly ground pepper
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 375˚ F. Lightly oil a 9-inch ceramic casserole dish. In a large bowl, mix olive oil, salt, pepper, spices, grated Parmesan, parsley, and garlic. Add bread and tomatoes and toss thoroughly. Scrape into the baking dish and bake in the center of the oven for 35 minutes or until the bread is golden brown and the tomatoes are tender. Serve warm or at room temperature. This dish can be baked alongside your soufflé, since both require the same time and oven temperature.
Note: You can mix all the ingredients and place in the prepared baking dish a few hours ahead of time. Cover with cling wrap and refrigerate until ready to bake.
Flori’s Magic Chocoflan
Servings: 12
EQUIPMENT
Bundt pan (straight-sided or classic rounded shapes will be easiest for unmolding) and a roasting pan large enough to hold the Bundt pan and a water bath.
INGREDIENTS
CARAMEL
½ c cajeta quemada (goat’s milk caramel; can be found in Mexican groceries, online, or in some large supermarkets) or other prepared caramel sauce (salted caramel is particularly yummy)
FOR THE FLAN
3 eggs
1 can sweetened condensed milk (14 oz.)
1 can evaporated milk (12 oz.)
1 t vanilla
¼ t table salt
FOR THE CAKE
¾ c sugar
¾ c all-purpose flour
½ c unsweetened cocoa powder
½ t baking soda
¼ t baking powder
pinch of salt
½ c buttermilk (or use a scant cup of milk with approximately 1 T of lemon juice added)
3 T olive or canola oil
1 egg, at room temperature
½ t pure vanilla extract
Prepare your oven, pan, and bain-marie (water bath). Set a rack in the middle of your oven, with space for a Bundt pan above. Spray oil or bakers’ oil plus flour on the bottom and sides of the Bundt pan. Add hot water to the bain-marie pan, enough so the water will come about 2 inches up the sides of your filled Bundt pan (press down on the empty Bundt pan to test the water level). Set the pan in the oven and preheat to 375˚ F.
Pour the caramel into the bottom of your Bundt pan, tipping the pan for even coverage. If your caramel is too thick to pour, heat slightly in the microwave.
Make the cake. Combine the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl and whisk until well blended. In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, vegetable oil, egg, and vanilla. Add to the flour mixture, mixing until thoroughly combined. Pour the cake batter into the pan, spread to make the top even, and set aside.
Make the flan. Whisk the eggs, vanilla, and salt in large bowl. Add evaporated milk and condensed milk and whisk again. Gently ladle the flan liquid over the cake batter.
Wearing oven mitts, carefully pull out the oven rack with the bain-marie. Place the Bundt pan in the water bath and (again, carefully!) push the rack back into place. During the baking, the flan and cake batters will magically trade places, with the cake rising to the top. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 40 to 45 minutes.
Remove the Bundt pan from the bain-marie dish, place on a rack, and allow to cool for at least 2 hours. To unmold, soften the caramel by placing the pan in a hot-water bath for a few minutes. Check the sides of the cake. If any parts of the cake seem to be stuck to the pan, loosen with a spatula or knife. Now, to flip. Hold a plate firmly over the top of the Bundt pan and flip quickly and boldly. If all goes right, you’ll have a beautiful caramel-draped flan on top and moist chocolate cake on the bottom. Magic!
Note: For a super-quick chocoflan, use any store-bought chocolate cake mix in place of the cake recipe above. Mix the cake as directed on the box, and proceed with the caramel and flan steps above.
Crystal’s Springtime Strawberry-Mint Agua Fresca
Makes about five cups
INGREDIENTS
2 c cold water
2 c fresh strawberries, washed and destemmed (one or two reserved for garnish)
¼ c sugar
1 T fresh lime juice
1 t fresh mint or peppermint, plus a few leaves set aside for garnish
DIRECTIONS
Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Pour through a fine-mesh strainer into a pitcher. If not drinking right away, chill and stir before serving. Garnish with mint, a thin slice of lime, and a few strawberry slices.
About the Author
ANN MYERS, her husband, and extra-large housecat live in Colorado but, like Rita, feel most at home in Santa Fe. Follow Ann’s writing, cooking, and Southwest adventures at www.facebook.com/AnnMyers.writer.
Discover great authors, exclusive offers, and more at hc.com.
Also by Ann Myers
BREAD OF THE DEAD
CINCO DE MAYHEM
Copyright
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
CINCO DE MAYHEM. Copyright © 2016 by Ann Perramond. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the nonexclusive, nontransferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse-engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins e-books.
EPub Edition APRIL 2016 ISBN: 9780062382306
Print Edition ISBN: 978-0-06-238229-0
William Morrow® and HarperCollins® are registered trademarks of HarperCollins Publishers.
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