Mini Almond Cakes in Raspberry Sauce

The almond cakes can be made a day in advance. Just strain the raspberry sauce, add fresh fruit and you have a quick, delicious and healthy dessert. Serves 4.

Recipe

ALMOND CAKES
1/4 c. whole raw almonds
1/4 c. sugar
1/4 c. flour
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1 egg
3 T. melted butter
2 T. dark rum

RASPBERRY SAUCE
12 oz. frozen raspberries, defrosted
1/3 c. strawberry or raspberry preserves (seedless)

GARNISH
1/2 c. blueberries
1/2 c. sliced strawberries
4 sprigs fresh mint

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Put 4 paper liners in muffin tins. Put the almonds, sugar, flour, and baking powder in a small food processor and process until smooth. In a medium bowl whisk together the egg, melted butter and rum. Add the almond mixture and whisk gently until just combined. Pour the batter into the muffin cups and bake 15 minutes. Unmold and cool on a rack.

For the sauce, push the defrosted raspberries through a food mill and then strain through a sieve.

Put the almond cakes on a plate and surround them with the fresh fruit. Generously drizzle the sauce over, garnish with a sprig of mint and serve. If you like your cakes more saturated, roll them around in the raspberry sauce, then put on a plate.

– Jacques Pépin, "More Fast Food My Way"

Stuffed Pork Tenderloin on Grape Tomatoes

A butterflied pork tenderloin is stuffed with fresh spinach and cheddar and served over a bed of sautéed whole grape tomatoes. A 1 to 1-1/4 lb. tenderloin serves 4 people. If you're uncomfortable butterflying the tenderloin, have your butcher do it for you.

Watch Jacques prepare this dish here (at about the 8:25 mark)

Recipe

4 T. olive oil
1/2 c. chopped onion
1 8-oz. package baby spinach
3/4 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper
Pork Tenderloin (about 1-1/4 lbs.)
3/4 c. grated cheddar cheese
1 pint grape tomatoes
1/4 c. fresh chopped parsley

Heat 2 T. of the oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the onion and cook for about 1 minute, then add the spinach, pushing down into the skillet, and the salt and pepper. Cover and cook over medium heat until the spinach is wilted, about 2-3 minutes. Remove the lid and cook, uncovered, until the liquid from the spinach has evaporated. Transfer to a plate and let cool.

Trim the tenderloin of any fat and silverskin. I had a bit of trouble butterflying it, so I sliced it lengthwise to within about an inch of the other side, laid it open as flat as I could, covered it with saran wrap and pounded it to an even thickness and wide enough that it would enclose the stuffing. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, turn over and lay half of the spinach down the middle, then the cheese, and the rest of the spinach on top. Fold up the sides to enclose the filling. Wrap two strips of foil, about 1" wide, around the tenderloin to keep the stuffing inside. You can also put a bit of foil over the ends so the stuffing doesn't fall out.

Preheat the oven to 350. Heat the remaining 2 T. oil in a large ovenproof skillet. Sprinkle the outside of the tenderloin with salt and pepper and place it in the skillet over medium high heat to brown it on all sides. This takes about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, take off the foil strips and put the skillet in the oven and bake for about 15 to 20 minutes (depending on the thickness of the pork tenderloin). When done, transfer to a platter.

Add the tomatoes to the hot skillet and season with the remaining salt and pepper and add the chopped parsley. Saute over high heat for about 2 to 3 minutes until softened.

Slice the tenderloin crosswise into 8 pieces and spread the tomatoes all around and serve.

– Jacques Pépin, "More Fast Food My Way"

Razor Clams with Pecan Crust and Lime Aioli

The best fried razor clams ever! I've been preparing this recipe for over 15 years now, but for some inexplicable reason, this time I made a few changes. Not a good idea. First of all, instead of a food processor, I decided to use the Vitamix to mix the pecan crust ingredients. The motor is much too powerful and within a few seconds made a nut butter out of the pecans. Second mistake was using a nonstick pan rather than my tried and true cast iron. You just can't get that perfectly even high heat sear with nonstick! So much for experiments. I'll continue to make this fantastic recipe the way I always have.

Recipe

Razor clams (pounded VERY lightly to an even thickness)
Buttermilk
Flour

PECAN MIXTURE
2 c. toasted pecans
3/4 c. flour
1 to 2 tsp. cayenne (depending on your taste)
1/4 c. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. salt

LIME AIOLI: Mix all the ingredients in a small bowl and keep refrigerated.
2 c. mayonnaise
1/4 c. minced garlic
1/8 c. minced shallots
1/2 tsp. worcestershire sauce
1-1/2 tsp. seasoned salt
1/4 c. lime juice

For the pecan crust, pulse the flour, cayenne, brown sugar and salt until grainy in a food processor; add the toasted, cooled pecans, then blend. Lay out a plate with flour, a bowl with buttermilk, and another plate with the pecan mixture. Dredge the razor clams in the flour, then dip in the buttermilk, then press into the pecan mixture.

Fry in peanut or vegetable oil in a searing hot pan for 45 seconds per side ( no more, no less). Serve immediately with the lime aioli.

Vegetable Risotto

Hearty and creamy. Feel free to add whatever vegetables you like. For mine I used fennel, asparagus, peas, red pepper and mushrooms.

Recipe

2 T. olive oil
1/4 c. chopped onion
1 c. Arborio rice
32 oz. vegetable stock
2/3 c. chopped fennel bulb
5 asparagus spears, trimmed, peeled and cut into 1/2" pieces
1 c. frozen peas
1 red pepper, peeled (peel with a vegetable peeler), seeded and chopped
5 large mushrooms cut into 1/4" thick strips
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 c. freshly grated Parmesan
2 T. butter

Heat the oil in a large skillet, then add the onion and sauté for 1 minute. Add the rice, stir well, then stir in 2-1/2 c. of the stock. Cook for 12 minutes, covered, over medium heat – stir 2 or 3 times otherwise the rice will stick to the bottom of the pan. Uncover and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the stock has been absorbed.

Add the fennel, along with another cup of the stock and cook, covered, for 5 minutes, stirring once or twice.

Add the remainder of the vegetables, the remaining stock and the salt and cook, uncovered for another 5-10 minutes, stirring until the mixture is creamy and the rice is tender. Remove from the heat, stir in the cheese and butter and serve immediately. Top with more grated parmesan.

– adapted from Jacques Pépin, "Essential Pepin"

Stuffed Artichoke Hearts

An elegant start to any meal. You can trim a whole artichoke to get at the heart, or buy frozen artichoke bottoms at any Mediterranean market. The cooking method is the same whether fresh or frozen (no need to thaw the frozen artichoke bottoms). I served as a first course to a grilled New York steak with lemon-thyme butter and vegetable risotto.

Recipe

2 T. butter
2 c. chopped mushrooms (1/2" pieces)
1 T. cognac
2/3 c. heavy cream
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. freshly ground pepper
1 T. chopped mixed fresh tarragon and parsley
1/2 tsp. potato starch dissolved in 1 T. cold water
6 artichoke hearts (bottoms)
2 T. freshly ground parmesan (or pecorino romano)

Cook the artichoke hearts (bottoms) in 4 c. water, 2 T. olive oil, 2 T. fresh lemon juice and 1/2 tsp. salt. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer 35-40 minutes until hearts are tender when pierced with a knife. Remove from heat, drain and arrange on a baking sheet.

For the sauce, melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and cook until the liquid from the mushrooms has evaporated. Add the cognac and cook for 30 seconds (you can flame it, or not). Add 1/4 c. of the cream, salt, pepper and herbs and bring to a boil. Add the dissolved potato starch, mix well and boil to thicken. Remove from the heat.

Preheat the broiler.

Whip the remaining cream until stiff and rapidly fold into the mushroom mixture; immediately fill the artichoke bottoms and sprinkle with the cheese. Put under the broiler for 2 minutes or until browned.

– Jacques Pépin, "Essential Pepin"

Ragout of Broccolini, Beans, Sausage and Clams

Fall has arrived just in time for a ragout of broccolini, beans, sausage and clams. The clams lend a bit of Spanish flair to this dish. I used a mild Portuguese linguica sausage but feel free to substitute a hot or mild italian sausage. Don't forget some rustic bread to dip into the delicious sauce!

Recipe

2 T. olive oil
6 oz. hot Italian sausage (remove casing), chopped
1/2 c. chopped onion
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 tsp. salt
pinch of red pepper flakes
1 small bunch broccolini (about 15 stems), chopped into 2" pieces
1 15.5-oz. can cannellini beans (I used mixed beans)
1 10-oz. can clams (or two 6.5 oz. cans)
Grated parmesan for garnish

Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over high heat. Add the sausage and brown for a few minutes. Add the onion, garlic and red pepper flake, stir and cook for 1 minute. Add the broccolini, salt, and the juice from both the can of beans and clams. Bring to a boil, cover and cook for about 3 minutes. Remove cover and stir in the beans and clams. Bring to a boil and cook for another 2 minutes, uncovered.

Serve with a drizzle of olive oil and some grated parmesan, with a crusty bread.

– adapted from Jacques Pépin, "More Fast Food My Way"