Majestic and Moist New Year's Honey Cake

Most people dutifully eat honey cake on special holidays because it is traditional. But often the cake is dry and tasteless. If you like the idea of honey cake more than the reality, this recipe will change your mind forever. It is moist and filled with spicy flavor reminiscent of the Caribbean. Using oil instead of butter makes the batter come together quickly and it keeps for days. You will love this cake. The recipe appeared in A Treasury of Jewish Holiday Baking by Marcy Goldman.

3 1/2 cups flour

1 tbl. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

4 tsps. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ground cloves

1/2 tsp. ground allspice

1 cup vegetable oil

1 cup honey

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

3 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

1 cup warm coffee or strong tea

1/2 cup fresh orange juice

1/4 cup rye or whiskey (see Notes)

1/2 cup slivered or sliced almonds (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 10 inch tube or bundt pan (see Notes) and line the bottom with lightly greased parchment paper.

In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices. Make a well in the center and add the vegetable oil, honey, sugars, eggs, vanilla, coffee or tea, orange juice and rye or whiskey. Using a strong wire whisk or electric mixer on a slow speed, combine the ingredients well to make a thick batter, making sure that no ingredients are stuck to the bottom of the bowl.

Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle the top of the cake evenly with the almonds. Place the cake pan on two baking sheets stacked together and bake until the cake springs back when you touch it gently in the center (about 60 to 70 minutes). This is a liquidy batter and, depending on your oven, it may need extra time. Cake should spring back when gently pressed.

Let the cake stand for 15 minutes before removing it from the pan. Then invert it on a wire rack to let it cool completely.

Yield: 8 to 10 slices.

Notes: Ms. Goldman likes to use a 9 inch angel food pan. Instructions are the same as for the tube or bundt pan. You can also use a lightly greased 9 by 13 inch sheet pan or three lightly greased 8 by 4 1/2 inch loaf pans. Baking time for sheet cake is 40 to 45 minutes and for loaf cakes 45 to 55 minutes.

I used Grand Marnier instead of the rye or whiskey. If you prefer not to use any alcohol, orange juice or coffee can be substituted.

Sauteed Oyster Mushrooms

Henry and I went to a local restaurant for Christmas Eve dinner. We shared this appetizer which is simplicity itself. It was so delicious that I bought some oyster mushrooms from the supermarket to see if I could replicate the taste at home. It worked. There is no secret ingredient or cooking technique. Just be sure that the mushrooms are very fresh. Served with crusty bread, the dish is heavenly.

olive oil

garlic, minced

oyster mushrooms, trimmed of stems and large caps halved

salt and pepper to taste

parsley, finely chopped (optional)

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and add garlic. Reduce the heat to medium low and saute gently until garlic is just beginning to turn golden (about 2 minutes). Add the mushrooms and saute ingredients stirring gently for about 5 minutes or until mushrooms are tender and succulent. Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with parsley, if using.

Potato Pancakes (Latkes)

I know that it is a little late in the season for a latke recipe. Chanukah has come and gone and I should be thinking about New Year's Eve. But latkes are delicious all year round and should be eaten more often than eight days in December (sounds like the title of a movie). My potato pancakes have few ingredients. That allows the potatoes to be the stars. Hand grating is tedious but essential and wringing out the water in a towel is messy but also essential. Make a small batch so that you aren't overwhelmed by it all. As always, applesauce or sour cream are perfect accompaniments. By the way, these latkes are gluten free, which may be important to a friend or family member. Thanks to Gourmet (Dec. 2000) for this recipe.

1 pound potatoes

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

1 large egg, lightly beaten

salt to taste

1/2 cup olive oil

Fill a large bowl with cold water. Peel potatoes and coarsely grate with a metal grater placing the grated potatoes in the bowl as you go. When all the potatoes are grated, let them soak in the cold water for another two minutes. Drain well in a colander.

Spread the grated potatoes and the onion on a kitchen towel. Twist the towel tightly to wring out as much liquid as possible. Transfer the potatoes and onions to a medium bowl and add egg and salt to blend.

Heat 1/4 cup of oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Spoon 2 tbl. of potato mixture per latke into the skillet and flatten slightly with a fork. (You will be able to do four latkes at a time.) Reduce heat to medium and cook until browned on the bottom, about 5 minutes. Using a spatula, turn latkes over and brown second side, about 5 more minutes. Transfer browned latkes to a plate lined with paper towels. Add more oil to the skillet as needed.

Makes 12-16 latkes

Notes: I used a two burner griddle which makes about 8 latkes at a time. If making the latkes in advance, reheat on a wire rack in a shallow pan in a 350 degree oven for 5 minutes. This setup insures that the latkes will stay crispy.

Orange Chicken with Golden Raisins

Now that my oven is not working I'm on the lookout for stove top recipes. I made this chicken stew yesterday and served it tonight for dinner. The original recipe comes from A Fistful of Lentils: Syrian-Jewish Recipes From Grandma Fritzie's Kitchen by Jennifer Felicia Abadi. I adapted it to suit my taste and added beans and some more veggies. The stew was tasty and easy to prepare. As Ms. Abadi indicated, the dish tastes even better the next day.

Sauce

1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped yellow onions

2 cups peeled and cubed white potatoes (any kind)

2 cups sliced carrots

1 cup winter squash, cubed

1/4 cup golden raisins

1 1/2 cups fresh orange juice, strained

4 1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp. curry powder

1/2 tbl. soy sauce

Chicken

3 pounds chicken pieces (white and dark meat)

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 tsp. ground allspice

1/2 tsp. paprika

4 1/2 tsp. olive oil

Prepare the sauce: Combine all the sauce ingredients in a medium size bowl and set aside.

Prepare the chicken: Place the chicken pieces on a plate. Combine the salt, pepper, allspice and paprika in a small bowl. Rub the spices into the chicken skin.

Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. When the oil is very hot, add the chicken and brown, cooking for 2-3 minutes on each side. Pour the sauce over the chicken and simmer, covered, over medium-low heat until chicken is cooked through, 30-45 minutes. Right before the chicken is done, add 1 can of navy beans.

Serve the chicken pieces with rice or bulgur wheat, with the sauce spooned on top.

Serves 4-5

Notes: The original recipe called for 1/2 cup of figs, which I omitted. I browned the chicken in two batches. Since we prefer dark meat I used only chicken drumsticks. I added carrots and winter squash but any root vegetable would work well.

Triple Ginger Cookies

I was in the mood to do some holiday baking and began with these cookies. The recipe appeared in the December issue of Bon Appetit and got great reviews on Epicurious.com. I had all the ingredients needed at home, including a bottle of molasses that had been in the cupboard for a few years. When all the cookie dough balls were laid out on two baking sheets, I discovered that my oven was on the fritz. What to do? My niece Julie was with me and we walked the two cookie sheets over to her house, one block away. Once in a working oven, the cookie dough balls, did what they were supposed to do and turned into cookies. They tasted better the next day, as the flavors had a chance to develop. Also consider adding more fresh and crystallized ginger if you enjoy a very gingery flavor.

For the time being, further baking plans are on hold pending an oven repair (or replacement). How could this happen right before Christmas?

2 1/2 cups flour

1/3 cup minced crystallized ginger

2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 cup packed golden brown sugar

1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar

1 large egg, room temperature

1/4 cup light (mild flavored) molasses

1 1/2 tsp. finely grated fresh peeled ginger

1 1/2 tsp. ground ginger

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ground cloves

1/3 cup (about) sugar

Position 1 rack in top third and 1 rack in bottom third of oven: preheat to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, whisk flour, crystallized ginger, baking soda, and 1/4 tsp. salt together. In a large bowl, using electric mixer, beat butter until creamy and light, about 2 minutes. Gradually beat in both sugars. Beat on medium-high speed until creamy, about 3 minutes. Add egg, molasses, fresh ginger, ground ginger, cinnamon, and cloves. Beat to blend. Add flour mixture in 2 additions, beating on low speed just to blend between additions.

Place 1/3 cup sugar in small bowl. Measure 1 tbl. dough. Roll into ball between palms of hands, then roll in sugar in bowl to coat; place on baking sheet. Repeat with remaining cookie dough, spacing cookies 1 1/2 to 2 inches apart.

Bake cookies until surfaces crack and cookies are firm around edges but still slightly soft in center, about 15 minutes. Cool completely on sheets on rack.

Makes about 40 cookies

Notes: I beat all ingredients by hand and used only light brown sugar, not a combination of light and dark brown. I used Grandma's molasses which isn't labeled light or dark. For a stronger ginger flavor increase the crystallized ginger to 1/2 cup and fresh ginger to 2 tsp.