All-In-One Holiday Bundt Cake

When I spotted this recipe in the New York Times last week, I knew I had to make it. Pumpkin, cranberries, pecans, cinnamon, nutmeg-the ingredients were some of my favorites. The recipe was adapted from Baking With Dorie, a culinary app. I wasn't interested in the app but the cake sounded wonderful and it is. By the way, Dorie is Dorie Greenspan, the writer of fabulous cookbooks, especially on baking. Please try this one. It is not too sweet, keeps well and is perfect with tea or coffee.

1 1/4 stickes (10 tbl.) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for the pan

2 cups flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. grated nutmeg

pinch salt

1 1/2 tsp. grated fresh ginger (or 1 tsp. ginger powder)

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

2 large eggs, at room temperature

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1/1/4 cups canned unsweetened pumpkin puree

1 large apple, peeled, cored and finely chopped

1 cup cranberries, halved or coarsely chopped

1 cup pecans, coarsely chopped

Maple icing (optional; see note)

Heat oven to 350 with rack in center. Butter a 9-10 inch Bundt pan (12 cup).

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and ginger powder, if you're using it instead of the grated ginger.

Working with a standing mixer or with hand mixer in a large bowl, beat together the remaining butter and both sugars at medium speed until light and fluffy, 2 or 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time and beat for one minute after each addition. Beat in the vanilla.

Reduce speed to low and add the pumpkin, apple and grated ginger, if using it. Don't be concerned if batter looks curdled (mine did not). Add the dry ingredients, mixing only until they are incorporated. With a rubber spatula, stir in the cranberries and pecans. Scrape the batter into the pan and smooth the top.

Bake for 60-70 minutes or until a thin knife inserted in center comes out clean. Transfer to a rack and cool for 10 minutes before unmolding, then cool to room temperature on the rack. Serve in thick slices.

Serves 12 0r more

Notes: For maple icing, sift 6 tbl. confectioners sugar into a bowl. Stir in 2 tbl. maple syrup. Add syrup little by little until you have an icing that runs nicely off the tip of the spoon. Put the cooled cake on wax paper and drizzle the icing from the tip of the spoon over it. Let the icing set for a few minutes.

Wrapped well, the cake will keep at room temperature for up to 5 days. It is then good for toasting. The cake can also be frozen for up to 2 months.

Since I'm trying to be careful about cholesterol, I used vegetable oil instead of butter. The cake was still fantastic. I did not make the icing but the cake is not overly sweet and the icing would probably taste wonderful on it.

Sea Bass with Garlic in Parchment

I have always wanted to try making fish in parchment since those cooking packets look so elegant in the photos. My latest favorite cookbook, Purple Citrus & Sweet Perfume, by Silvena Rowe had a parchment recipe that I adapted to the ingredients I had on hand. The packets were fun to prepare and once assembled made for easy cooking. I can't report that the dish was exciting. The flavors were subtle and the fish succulent. Sometimes that is what you want.

I served the fish with brown rice mixed with sauteed fennel, mushrooms and sliced almonds.

4 sea bass fillets

4 tbl. lemon juice

4 tbl. olive oil

1 large garlic clove, minced

2 ripe plum tomatoes, sliced into 12 rounds

12 pearl onions, peeled

4 lemon slices

4 bay leaves

2 tsp. crushed sumac

4 tbl. raki or other anise flavored liqueur

sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Have ready four 16 inch squares of parchment paper. For each serving, place a fillet in the center of the bottom half of a parchment square. Drizzle with 1 tbl. each of lemon juice and olive oil and 1/4 of the minced garlic. Add 3 tomato rounds, 3 pearl onions, 1 slice of lemon and 1 bay leaf. Sprinkle with 1/2 tsp. of sumac, then 1 tbl of raki or pernod. Season with salt and pepper. Fold the paper in half, then tightly crimp the three open sides to create a parcel. Transfer the parcel to a baking sheet. Follow the same steps for the three other squares of parchment.

Bake until the parcels look slightly puffed and the fish is opaque (open a parcel to check), about 20 minutes. Do not overcook. Place each parcel on a dinner plate and serve immediately allowing each guest to open a parcel and enjoy the aroma.

Serves 4

Notes: The original recipe calls for 1/2 cup finely chopped garlic scapes but I substituted a garlic clove. I had a package of frozen peeled pearl onions and used those. I used pernod for the anise flavored liqueuer but if you don't like anise, substitute white wine.

Halibut in Hazelnut Romesco Sauce

Because Mark Bittman raved about piquillo peppers, I bought a jar. It sat in my kitchen for a year. A few days ago I went to Epicurious.com and typed in "pequillo peppers". A few recipes came up and I chose this one. It is a keeper-tasty, a beautiful rosy color and not too involved. Two confessions, though.

Halibut was $30/pound in Citarella's. I bought hake.

I still have a half filled jar of peppers in my fridge.

1 large tomato

1/2 cup husked toasted hazelnuts

1/2 cup coarsely chopped drained piquillo peppers from a jar or can

4 tbl. extra-virgin olive oil, divided

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1 1/2 tsp. smoked paprika

1 tsp. Sherry wine vinegar or red wine vinegar

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

4 6 ounce halibut fillets

1/2 cup low salt chicken broth

12 baby Yukon Gold potatoes, halved, steamed until tender or steamed rice

Chopped, fresh parsley (optional)

Preheat broiler. Place tomato on rimmed baking sheet and broil til skin is blistered and slipping off, turning once with tongs, about 3 minutes. When cool enough to handle, peel skin off, then cut tomato in half and squeeze out seeds.

Chop nuts in processor; add tomato, piquillo peppers, 2 tbl. olive oil, garlic, paprika, vinegar, salt and cayenne, then puree. Transfer romesco sauce to bowl. Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.

Add the remaining 2 tbl. oil to large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add halibut and cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side(fish will not be cooked through). Transfer halibut to plate.

Add broth to same skillet and bring to boil; stir in romesco sauce. Add halibut; reduce heat to medium low, cover, and simmer until halibut is opaque in center, about 2 minutes. Transfer halibut to plates. Place steamed potatoes or rice alongside. Spoon romesco sauce over; sprinkle with parsley, if desired.

Serves 4

Notes: I used the toaster oven to roast the tomatoes. Canned fire-roasted tomatoes should also work well. If you don't have piquillo peppers, don't fret. Regular jarred roasted peppers will be fine. Ditto the smoked paprika-use hot paprika instead.

Romesco sauce would also taste good made with toasted almonds instead hazelnuts, which are harder to find in NYC.

This dish can be made in advance until the fish goes into the romesco sauce. That makes it a good choice for a company dinner.

Carrots with Coconut and Sesame Seeds

My kitchen is filled with interesting ingredients that I forget about until they are so old they have to be dumped. That makes me feel bad. I've been trying to remember what I already have on hand before darting out to get the next new spice, herb, etc. When I returned from the farmer's market with a big bunch of carrots I decided to jazz them up. I sliced and boiled them. Then tossed the carrots in some dried coconut, black sesame seeds and olive oil. Seasoned with a little salt and pepper, they were delish.

Thank you Deb for those black sesame seeds. They look great in the bright orange carrots and taste crunchy and intriguing.

Honey and Za'atar Glazed Chicken

Who could resist picking up a cookbook called Purple Citrus & Sweet Perfume: Cuisine of the Eastern Meditteranean? Written by Silvena Rowe it is filled with exotic Turkish and Syrian recipes. I took the book home from the library and prepared a wonderful chicken dish that evening using the fabulous middle eastern spice za'atar, which I happened to have in my cabinet. Try this. It is easy to prepare and has a haunting flavor.

Ms. Rowe serves the chicken with salsify and cauliflower puree but I didn't. Rice pilaf with chickpeas, apricots and sliced almonds worked well along with a salad.

1 small chicken, about 3 lbs.

sea salt and freshly ground pepper

1/3 cup honey

1/4 cup Za'atar

3 tbl. peeled and grated fresh ginger

1 tsp. ground cumin

4 tbl. unsalted butter, melted

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Put the chicken on a rack in a roasting pan and season inside and out. Combine the honey, za'atar, ginger and cumin in a bowl. Brush the mixture all over the chicken, drizzle with melted butter and add a little water to the pan. Roast for about 1 1/2 hours (basting at about 1 1/4 hours) or until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thigh reads 170 degrees. Let stand for 20 minutes.

Serves 4

Note: I used about 2 tbl. of olive oil instead of 4 tbl. of butter.

jicama, avocado and grapefruit salad

I guess the name of this salad says it all. Jicama suddenly appeared in my local supermarket. I snapped it up, looking forward to enjoying it's crunchy, juicy sweetness. Jicama doesn't have much flavor; the crunch is the draw. Combining it with a luscious ripe avocado and pink grapefruit slices brought out the best in all the ingredients. I used a mustardy vinaigrette for the dressing. The flavors and textures were wonderful. Try this simple, refreshing salad.

Masala Scallops

A few weeks ago Deb bought a bunch of Indian spices and generously shared some with me. That garam masala sitting in my cupboard was on my mind and I decided to use it with the scallops I bought this afternoon. I got an idea from a Bon Appetit recipe (9/01) for shrimp, simplified it and substituted scallops. Here is what I made for dinner tonight along with basmati rice and zucchini sauteed with ginger. The meal was delicious.

Masala Sauce

1 tbl. vegetable oil

1 cup chopped onions

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 heaping tsps. garam masala

2 tsps. curry powder

1 tsp. ground coriander

1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper

1 16 oz. can diced tomatoes in juice

1/2 cup yogurt

salt and pepper, to taste

Scallops

1 tbl. vegetable oil

1 lb. sea scallops

6 1/2 oz. unsweetened coconut milk

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

2 tbl. fresh lemon juice

Masala Sauce-Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and saute til golden, about 12 minutes. Add garlic and all spices and stir for 1 minute. Cool for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, thoroughly mix tomatoes and juice with yogurt in a medium bowl. When onion mixture is cooled, add it to the tomatoes and yogurt and incorporate all ingredients. Season with salt and pepper.

Scallops- Wipe out skillet with a paper towel and heat oil in skillet. Over medium high heat, add scallops and saute for about 3 minutes. Stir in coconut milk, cilantro, lemon juice and masala sauce. Simmer until scallops are cooked through, about 4 minutes longer. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serves 4

Notes: The masala sauce can be made a day in advance. The recipe can easily be doubled.

Instead of buying canned coconut milk I heat the same amount of milk and add dried, shredded coconut. After it simmers for a few minutes, I allow it to cool and then strain out the coconut, pressing on the coconut to release all the milk. I use the warm coconutty milk in the recipe.

Broiled Mackerel with Ginger and Garlic

Although I consider myself a fairly adventurous eater, I've avoided trying mackerel. Described as an oily, strong tasting fish I always passed it up. Yesterday, I went to the farmer's market and got on the long line to buy fish. I was about to ask for the usual but changed my mind and bought mackerel fillets for half the price of most everything else. I thought of ginger, garlic and lime as good foils for the fish and found the perfect recipe on Epicurious.com. I served steamed quinoa and sauteed shallots and asparagus alongside the mackerel and enjoyed the bold flavor.

4 8 oz. mackerel fillets

2 tb. minced, peeled, fresh ginger

2 tb. minced garlic

2 tb. fresh lime juice

1 tb. vegetable oil

11/2 tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. turmeric

salt and pepper, to taste

1 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves (optional)

Place fillets, skin side down, in a lightly oiled large, shallow baking pan. In a small bowl, stir together ginger, garlic, lime juice, oil, chili powder, turmeric, salt and pepper. Rub the mixture onto the mackerel and marinate for 10 minutes.

Preheat the broiler. Broil fish 5-6 inches from the heat without turning until the fillets are cooked through and lightly browned (7-8 minutes). Top with cilantro, if using.

Notes: I made the same amount of topping for only 1 lb. of fish and would do that again. I also doubled the amount of chili powder. My fillets were very small so the cooking time was even shorter.

Cilantro Pesto Arctic Char

Since I love all the ingredients in cilantro pesto, I've been wanting to try it for ages. The recipe I had in front of me called for hazelnuts but there were none in the house. I did have almonds, though, and threw those in. The taste was wonderful. I spooned the pesto on top of arctic char, my favorite fish of the moment. The results were tasty, colorful and very easy to prepare. If you have hazelnuts, do try them. I'm sure they will be fabulous in the pesto. Also experiment with other kinds of fish such as salmon or salmon trout. This recipe is based on one found in the September 2006 issue of Gourmet. I served it with brown basmati rice and sauteed asparagus and baby portobello mushrooms.

1 garlic clove

1 cup cilantro sprigs

1/2 cup almonds, toasted (or use hazelnuts, toasted and rubbed to remove skins)

salt and pepper, to taste

1/4 tsp. cayenne

1/4 cup olive oil

1 1/2 lbs. arctic char, sliced into 4 fillets

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and place the rack in the middle of the oven.

In a food processor, add the garlic clove and finely chop. Stop the processor and add the cilantro, nuts, salt, pepper and cayenne. Blend the mixture until it is coarsely chopped. With the motor on, add the olive oil and blend until just incorporated. The pesto should still be coarse.

Place the arctic char fillets, skin side down, in a lightly oiled baking dish. Spoon the pesto on top of the fillets. Bake in the oven until opaque (just cooked through) about 15 minutes.

Serves 4

Braised Chicken with Dates and Moroccan Spices

The blueprint for this recipe was published in Bon Appetit magazine a few months ago. It won terrific reviews on Epicurious.com and the ingredients appealed to me. I wasn't sure of the dates but was more than willing to give them a try. The main ingredients were shallots and chicken. What I wanted, though, was to incorporate veggies into the dish and reduce the amount of chicken to make it a one pot meal. I added zucchini, yellow squash and carrots and loved the results. Tasty, colorful and wonderful the next day, this recipe was a hit. Experiment with other veggies but be sure to use the shallots as they taste fantastic. I served the braise with brown basmati rice and lentils. The lentils were added to the rice during the last 30 minutes of cooking. The combination was great.

2 tbl. olive oil

1 1/2 lbs. chicken parts

8 shallots, peeled and halved

3 cinnamon sticks

1 1/2 tsps. ground ginger

1 tbl. ground cumin

1/8 tsp. cayenne

3 cups low sodium chicken broth

5 tbls. lemon juice-divided

2 medium zucchini, sliced 1/2 inch thick

2 medium yellow squash, sliced 1/2 inch thick

3 medium carrots, sliced 1/2 inch thick

8 dates, pitted, and quartered

1/4 cup almonds, toasted, coarsely chopped

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Add the oil to a 12 inch skillet and heat over medium high heat. Sprinkle the chicken parts with salt and pepper to taste and saute the chicken in the skillet, turning, until it is well browned, about 15 minutes. Remove the chicken to a bowl and drain off all but 1 tbl. of oil. Over medium heat, add the shallots to the skillet and saute until golden, about 6 minutes. Add the cinnamon sticks, ginger, cumin, cayenne and stir 1 minute.

Over high heat add the chicken broth and 3 tbls. lemon juice. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer until shallots soften, about 18 minutes. Put the chicken atop the shallots and add the zucchini, yellow squash and carrots. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium low and cover. Simmer about 30 minutes, stirring a few times, until the chicken and vegetables are tender.

Stir in dates, 2 tbls. lemon juice and simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from heat, remove the cinnamon sticks, sprinkle with almonds and cilantro and serve.

Serves 6

Panko-Crusted Salmon

Here is yet another Ina Garten recipe from Barefoot Contessa how easy is that? It's almost too simple to call a recipe and the results are wonderful. The key ingredient is panko, those magical bread crumbs from Japan. No substitutes, please.

2/3 cup panko crumbs

2 tbl. minced, fresh parsley

1 tsp. grated lemon zest

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

2 tbl. good olive oil

4 6-8 oz. salmon fillets, skin on

2 tbl. Dijon mustard

2 tbl. vegetable oil

lemon wedges

Preheat oven to 425 degrees

In a small bowl, mix together the panko, parsley, lemon zest, salt and pepper. Drizzle with the olive oil and stir until crumbs are evenly coated. Set aside.

Place the salmon fillets, skin side down, on a board. Generously brush the top of the fillets with mustard and then sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Press the panko mixture thickly on top of the mustard on each salmon fillet. The mustard will help the panko adhere.

Heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat in a 12 inch cast iron skillet or large heavy, ovenproof pan. When the oil is very hot, add the salmon fillets, skin side down, and sear for 3-4 minutes, without turning, to brown the skin.

Transfer the pan to the hot oven for 5-7 minutes (see note) until the salmon is almost cooked and the panko is browned. Remove from oven, cover with aluminum foil, and allow to rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Serve the salmon hot or at room temperature with lemon wedges.

Serves 4

NOTE: My fillets were about 8 ounces each and required about 9 minutes in the oven to be cooked medium rare. I served the salmon with brown rice mixed with sauteed mushrooms and onions.

Wild Rice Salad

This salad is perfect throughout the year. Wild rice is the mainstay but you can easily substitute many fruits and nuts for those listed in the recipe. Consider this salad on a buffet table since it can be made in advance. It looks lovely and goes beautifully with other salads, chicken or turkey. The recipe is from Ina Garten's latest cookbook, Barefoot Contessa how easy is that? When I made it, I reduced the salt and traded oranges for clementines.

1 cup long grain wild rice (6 ounces)

Kosher salt

2 navel oranges

2 tbls. good olive oil

2 tbls. freshly squeezed orange juice

2 tbls. raspberry vinegar

1/2 cup seedless green grapes, cut in half

1/2 cup pecans, toasted

1/4 cup dried cranberries

2 tbls. scallions, white and green parts, chopped

1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper

Place the wild rice in a medium pot with 4 cups of water and 2 teaspoons of salt (I used much less salt) and bring to a boil. Simmer uncovered for 50-60 minutes, until the rice is very tender. Drain well and place the rice back in the pot. Cover and allow to steam for 10 minutes.

While the rice is still warm, place it in a mixing bowl. Peel the oranges with a sharp knife, removing all the white pith. Cut between the membranes and add the orange sections to the bowl with the rice. Add the olive oil, orange juice, raspberry vinegar, grapes, pecans, cranberries, scallions, salt and pepper to taste. Allow to sit for 30 minutes for the flavors to blend. Taste for seasonings and serve at room temperature.

Serves 4-6

Notes:Use almost any citrus fruit, sliced Fuyu persimmons,sliced apples (tossed in lemon juice), walnuts, hazelnuts, pomegranate seeds.

Pumpkin Ginger Bars

I have never been in The Magnolia Bakery but have noticed the long lines waiting to get in. So when I saw the Complete Magnolia Bakery Cookbook in my library I grabbed it. There were lots of tempting recipes and most seemed easy to prepare. I selected the pumpkin bars but made a few changes-ramped up the spices, added candied ginger and substituted a light glaze for the cream cheese frosting. The bars were so delicious that I had to freeze half of the batch to avoid eating them all. These are perfect with tea or coffee.

Cake

1 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. ginger

1 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1 1/4 cup canned pumpkin

1 1/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup vegetable oil

3 large eggs, at room temperature

1/2 cup coarsely chopped toasted pecans

1/2 cup candied ginger, diced

Glaze

1 cup confectioners sugar

2 tbl. water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Grease and lightly flour a 13x9 inch baking pan

In a small bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat the pumpkin, sugar, oil and eggs until smooth-about 3 minutes on medium speed. Add the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly. Stir in the pecans and ginger. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake 25-30 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.

Remove from oven and cool completely on a rack before glazing.

Glaze-In a small bowl stir together the sugar and water until smooth. Drizzle decoratively over the cooled cake.

Makes 12 3 inch bars

Note: If adding candied ginger doesn't appeal to you, simply leave it out or substitute dried cranberries

Chickpea and Spinach Soup

For a few years I couldn't eat chickpeas or spinach because they interacted with a drug I was taking. This was a big loss in my life. Much to my delight, I'm now off the drug and back on chickpeas and spinach. I made this hearty soup today beginning with dried chickpeas soaked overnight. It makes a wonderful cold weather meal with good bread. If soaking beans isn't your thing, use three cups of canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed. The basic recipe is from Back To Square One by Joyce Goldstein. I simplified it and did not include the shrimp Ms. Goldstein calls for.

2 cups dried chickpeas

1 tbl. olive oil

2 onions, chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

1 baking potato, sliced

1 stalk celery, diced

5-6 cups chicken stock

salt and pepper, to taste

2 tbl. olive oil

5 cups, spinach leaves, stems removed and cut into shreds

6 tbl. toasted sliced almonds, coarsely chopped

If using dried chickpeas, rinse them and soak overnight in cold water to cover. Drain and rinse again. Put the chickpeas in a Dutch Oven or stock pot with fresh, cold water to cover. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, covered, until tender, about 1 hour.

Heat the olive oil in the Dutch Oven over medium heat. Add the onions and cook slowly for about 10 minutes, until translucent. Add the garlic and cook, stirring for 1 more minute. Add the potato slices, celery, half the cooked chickpeas and 5 cups of the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until the potato and beans are falling apart, about 20 minutes. Puree using an immersion blender or mash with a potato masher for a chunkier soup. Add the salt and pepper to taste.

In a large skillet, heat 2 tbl. of olive oil over medium heat. Add the spinach and cook, stirring, until wilted, about 3 minutes. Toast the sliced almonds in the toaster oven until golden and set aside.

When ready to serve, thin the soup with 1 cup stock or water and bring it to a simmer. Add the spinach and almonds along with the remaining chickpeas. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Serves 6-8

Notes:To make a main dish soup add 1 lb. of medium shrimp which have bee previously poached in white wine or add chunks of cod directly to the soup shortly before serving. The fish should be cooked in a few minutes.

Date Nut Spice Bread

A few weeks ago my lovely niece Liz surprised me with a loaf of this date nut bread. I took one bite and fell in love. It is absolutely perfect. I would not change a thing. Liz got the recipe from Ina Garten's cookbook Back to Basics. Actually Liz sings the praises of Ina Garten's recipes. She says that they are not difficult and they work. This one sure works for me.

The accompanying cream cheese spread does not appeal to me and seems unnecessary but most people would disagree. You're the boss on this one.

2 cups coarsely chopped dates, 10 oz. pitted

1/3 cup orange liqueur

4 tbl. (1/2 cup) unsalted butter at room temperature

3/4 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed

1 extra large egg

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1 tbl. grated orange zest (2 oranges)

2 cups flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp. ground cloves

1 tsp. Kosher salt

3/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (3 oranges)

3/4 cup coarsely chopped pecans (3 oz.)

For the cream cheese spread:

6 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 tbl. grated orange zest

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter the bottom of an 8 1/2 by 4 1/2 by 2 1/2" loaf pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper, then butter and flour the pan.

Combine the dates and orange liqueur in a small bowl and set aside for 30 minutes. Stir occasionally.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment beat the butter and sugar together on medium speed for 1 minute. Scrape down the bowl. With the mixer on low, add the egg, vanilla and orange zest. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt. With the mixture still on low, add the flour alternately with the orange juice to the creamed mixture, beating only until combined. By hand, stir in the dates and their liquid and the pecans.

Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. Bake the cake for 50-60 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.

Meanwhile in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the cream cheese, sugar and orange zest until just combined.

Slice the bread and serve as is or with the orange cream cheese on the side for spreading.

Makes one 8" loaf

Salmon Curry

I bought salmon fillet for dinner and wanted a change from my usual broiled salmon. The rest of the meal was simple; roasted sweet potatoes and steamed broccoli with mustard vinaigrette. I found a recipe for a very quick and easy curry in a cookbook called Feast of India by Rani and made some changes to suit my taste. Since I have many of the spices used in Indian cuisine I just had to pull them out of the kitchen cabinet. The salmon was delicious. Rice would have been a more traditional accompaniment but those roasted sweet potatoes were terrific. If you don't have all of the spices called for just use what you have. The salmon will still taste great. If you have some chutney, this is the time to get it from the back of the fridge and put it on the table.

lb. salmon fillet

salt to taste

2 tbl. vegetable oil

1 small onion, peeled and diced

3 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed

1 1" pice fresh gingerroot, peeled and chopped fine

1/2 tsp. poppy seeds

black pepper, to taste

1 tsp. ground coriander

1 tsp. ground cumin

1/2 tsp. ground dried red chilies

1 large tomato, chopped

juice of 1 small lemon

1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves

Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the onion, garlic, and ginger and cook over medium heat until the onion is browned. Mix in the poppy seeds and ground pepper, stirring for a minute. Add the coriander, cumin and ground chili and cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the tomato and stir. Add the salmon fillet and lemon juice, gently mixing the masala sauce over the salmon. Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until the fish is done.

Garnish with cilantro leaves.

Serves 3

NOTE: Rani uses salmon steaks. She puts the salmon steaks on a plate and sprinkles them with lemon juice, turmeric and salt and allows them to marinate for 15 minutes, while making the masala sauce. She adds the marinated salmon and lemon juice after the tomato goes into the masala. I didn't think that a 15 minute marinade would add extra flavor so I eliminated that step. If using steaks, cook the fish for 10-15 minutes.

Wild Rice and Mushroom Soup

I can't seem to get enough home-made, hearty soup lately. It must be the snow and freezing temperatures that have been in New York City for weeks. It's also a pleasure to cook up a big batch of soup and have it around for a few meals. This soup comes from Martha Rose Shulman and her online series for the New York Times called Recipes for Health. The dried mushrooms give the soup a meaty flavor and feel and the time investment is minimal. Enjoy the soup with great bread, a salad and cheese.

1/2 oz. dried porcini mushrooms

2 cups boiling water

1-2 tbl. extra virgin olive oil, as needed

1 large onion, chopped

2 medium carrots, diced

2 ribs celery, diced

1/2 lb. cremini mushrooms, cleaned, trimmed and sliced thick

2 large garlic cloves, minced

salt to taste

2/3 cup wild rice

2 quarts chicken or veggie stock or water

bouquet garnis of a few sprigs of thyme and parsley, bay leaf and Parmesan rind (see Notes)

1 cup frozen peas

freshly grated pepper to taste

1. Place the dried porcini mushrooms in a bowl or a Pyrex measuring cup, and pour on 2 cups boiling water. Let sit for 30 minutes. Set a strainer over a bowl and line it with cheesecloth. Lift the mushrooms from the water, and squeeze them over the strainer. Rinse in several changes of water, squeeze out the water and set aside. Pour the soaking water through the cheesecloth-lined strainer, and set aside.

2. Heat the oil in a large, heavy soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot and celery. Cook, stirring often, until just about tender, about five minutes. Add the sliced fresh mushrooms. Cook, stirring, until the mushrooms are beginning to soften, about three minutes. Add the garlic and a generous pinch of salt. Continue to cook for about five minutes until the mixture is juicy and fragrant. Add the reconstituted dried mushrooms, the wild rice, bouquet garni, mushroom soaking liquid, stock or water, and salt to taste. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, cover and simmer one hour. Add the peas, and simmer another 10 minutes. Remove the bouquet garni, taste and adjust salt, add a generous amount of freshly ground pepper and serve.

Serves six.

Advance preparation: The soup will keep for about three days in the refrigerator, but the rice will swell and absorb the liquid, so you will have to add more to the pot when you reheat.

NOTES: Since I did not have the ingredients for a bouquet garnis, I added what I had on hand, a bay leaf and 1/2 tsp. of dried thyme. I removed the bay leaf when the soup was done. I doubled the amount of carrot and celery called for and did not add the frozen peas. Truthfully, I also did not use wild rice. That would have tasted delicious but I had leftover bulgur wheat (from the Georgian beef ragout meal (see 1/16/11) and added that during the last 10 minutes of cooking. Next time I will try the soup with the wild rice.

Georgian Beef Ragout

When Deb comes for dinner it's a perfect time to cook red meat. She is a carnivore and I have an excuse to take a break from chicken and fish. I prepared Georgian Beef Ragout a day in advance since it tastes better the following day. Alas, snow was in the forecast and Deb decided to hightail it home. What was I to do with a pot of ragout serving six? Henry and I had a feast and the rest is in the freezer awaiting Deb's next visit. The recipe is from Joyce Goldstein's cookbook Back To Square One. I made a few minor changes but basically followed the recipe. If you have a Deb in your life, surprise her with this.

1 tsp. finely minced garlic

2 tsp. paprika

1 tsp. coriander

3 lbs. beef chuck, cut into 1 1/2 inch squares

2-3 tbl. olive oil

3 large onions, diced (about 4 cups)

1 tbl. minced garlic

2 tsp. paprika

1 tsp. ground coriander

1 1/2 cups diced, canned tomatoes

1 1/2 cups water or beef stock

2 cups pitted prunes

1 cup chopped walnuts, toasted

1 tbl. grated lemon zest

3 tbl. chopped fresh cilantro

1 1/2 tsp. chopped fresh tarragon

salt and pepper to taste

Combine the garlic, paprika and coriander and rub into beef cubes. Cover and refrigerate overnight (see note).

Heat 2 tbl. olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add as many beef cubes as will comfortably fit without crowding and brown on all sides. Transfer to a stew pot or Dutch oven. Repeat to brown all beef cubes, adding oil to the pan as needed for each batch. Add the onions to the skillet and cook 12 minutes. Add the garlic, paprika and coriander and cook 5 more minutes. Scrape the onion mixture into the stew pot with the beef and then add the tomatoes and water or stock. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer, covered, until the meat is tender, 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Add the prunes, walnuts, lemon zest, cilantro and tarragon during the last 30 minutes of cooking time. Season to taste and serve with noodles, kasha or potatoes.

The stew can be made 1 to 2 days in advance and reheated over a low flame or in a 350 degree oven.

Serves 6-8

NOTES: I put the spices on the meat a few hours before cooking, not overnight. If you skip this step altogether I think the ragout would still taste fine.

I used only 1 cup of prunes and quartered them before putting into the stew pot. I did not have the fresh tarragon so eliminated it and doubled the amount of cilantro. I added 4 sliced carrots during the last 30 minutes of cooking since I didn't plan on serving a separate vegetable. It worked for me.

I think that noodles or kasha would be heavenly with this dish but didn't have them. Bulgur wheat was a fine substitute.