Pasta Rhubarboise

    12 ounces spaghetti

    ½ cup coarsely chopped rhubarb

    1 can (5 ounces) oil-packed tuna, drained (reserve 1 tablespoon oil)

    ¾ cup maple syrup

    2 minced cloves garlic

    ⅜ teaspoon fresh grated ginger

    8 teaspoons chopped green olives

    pinch salt

1 teaspoon herbes de provence or ½ tablespoon thyme
1 cup water

lemon wedges

1. Cook pasta; save ½ cup cooking water.
2. In small saucepan, combine rhubarb, tuna (with oil), syrup, garlic, ginger, olives, salt, herbs, and water.  Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook until fruit breaks down and syrup thickens, about 30 minutes.  Toss with pasta and reserved cooking water; serve with lemon wedges.

Jicama, Butternut Squash, and Pomegranate Au Gratin with Wild Mushrooms and Crispy Bacon

    Serves 7 (serving size: about 13 tablespoons)

    1½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

    1 thinly sliced green onion

    4 cups finely diced peeled butternut squash, divided (about 2 pounds)

    ⅜ teaspoon kosher salt, divided

    1 center-cut bacon slice

    2 ounces sliced chantarelle mushrooms

    2 ounces sliced shiitake mushroom caps

    ¾ tablespoon chopped fresh sage

    2 tablespoons unsalted beef stock (such as Swanson)

    1 ounce Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated and divided (about ¼ cup)

    1½ cups julienne-cut peeled jicama (about ½ medium)

    1 tablespoon part-skim ricotta cheese

    ¼ cup pomegranate arils

    8 teaspoons vertically sliced red onion

⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

    2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

    Cooking spray

    2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

    ½ tablespoon agave nectar

    3 ounces oyster mushrooms, sliced

    ⅛ teaspoon ground red pepper

1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add ½ tablespoon oil; swirl to coat.  Add green onion; sauté 30 seconds.  Add 3 cups squash; sauté 2 minutes.  Reduce heat to medium-low, and stir in ⅛ teaspoon salt.  Cook, covered, 15 minutes or until tender.  Increase heat to medium-high.  Cook, uncovered, 2 minutes or until liquid evaporates, stirring frequently.  Place squash mixture in a large bowl; mash with a potato masher or fork until smooth.
3. Cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until crisp.  Remove bacon from pan, reserving drippings in pan; crumble bacon.  Add chantarelles, shiitakes, and sage to drippings; sauté 8 minutes or until mushrooms are browned.  Add stock; cook 3 minutes or until liquid almost evaporates.  Add mushroom mixture, remaining squash, ⅛ teaspoon salt, ½ ounce Parmigian-Reggiano cheese, jicama, ricotta cheese, pomegranate, red onion, black pepper, and cilantro to mashed squash mixture, stirring to combine.  Spoon squash mixture into a broiler-safe 11 x 7-inch glass or ceramic baking dish coated with cooking spray.  Cover with foil; bake for 1 hour.  Remove pan from oven; discard foil.
4. Preheat broiler to high.
5. Combine bacon, remaining Parmigiano-Reggiano, remaining oil, remaining salt, lime juice, nectar, oyster mushrooms, and red pepper in a bowl, stirring with a whisk; pour over gratin.  Broil 6 minutes or until lightly browned.  Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Buttermilk-Miso Pie with Vegetables and Fresh Strawberries

Serves 7

2 medium eggs

9 tablespoons sugar

1½ tablespoons all-purpose flour

14 tablespoons low-fat buttermilk

¾ cup water

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted

¼ 0.7-ounce package instant miso soup, with or without seaweed

½ cup broccoli florets

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons sliced white mushrooms

1 slice fresh ginger, finely shredded

⅛ teaspoon grated or ground nutmeg

1 9-inch store-bought crust

10 baby spinach leaves

1 pint strawberries, hulled and halved

1 ounce baked Oriental-style tofu, cubed

1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
2. Whisk together eggs, sugar, and flour in a large bowl. Add buttermilk, water, and butter, and whisk until combined. Stir in miso soup, broccoli, vanilla, mushrooms, ginger, and nutmeg. Pour buttermilk mixture into crust, and bake 40 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Cool completely.
3. Combine spinach, strawberries, and tofu in a small microwave-safe bowl, and microwave 30 seconds. Place strawberry mixture evenly on top of pie, and serve.

Intense Halibut, Fruit, and Chorizo Gelée with Garlic Toasts

Serves 18
Cooking spray
1 teaspoon olive oil, divided
1 ounce Spanish chorizo sausage, diced
¾ cup sugar, divided
6 tablespoons pomegranate concentrate, tangerine concentrate, or cranberry puree
2 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
2 tablespoons light-colored corn syrup
½ cup chopped onion
3 garlic cloves, sliced
¼ cup dry sherry
¼ cup fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
¾ tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ (28-ounce) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, drained
½ (15-ounce) can no-salt-added chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained
2 (5-ounce) skinless halibut fillets
½ (3-ounce) package liquid fruit pectin (such as Certo)
½ teaspoon fresh lemon juice
4 (½-ounce) slices ciabatta bread
1 garlic clove, halved

1. Preheat broiler to high.  Line a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with plastic wrap; coat plastic with cooking spray.
2. Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat.  Add ½ teaspoon oil to pan; swirl to coat.  Add chorizo; sauté 2½ minutes.  Increase heat to high; add 10 tablespoons sugar, fruit concentrate or puree, applesauce, and corn syrup in a saucepan.  Bring to a boil; cook 30 seconds.  Add onion; sauté 3 minutes or until just tender.  Add sliced garlic; sauté 1 minute.  Add sherry; cook 1½ minutes, scraping pan to loosen browned bits.  Stir in broth and next 5 ingredients (through chickpeas); stir to combine.  Nestle halibut fillets in stew; spoon tomato mixture over fillets.  Cover and simmer 4 minutes.  Add pectin; return to a boil.  Cook 1 minute, stirring frequently, until fish flakes easily with a fork or desired degree of doneness.  Remove from heat.  Stir in the lemon juice.  Pour mixture into prepared pan; cool.  Cover; let stand at room temperature overnight.
3. Meanwhile, place ciabatta slices on a baking sheet.  Broil 1 minute or until toasted.  Brush toasts with remaining oil; rub toasts with cut sides of halved garlic clove.
4. Sprinkle top of gelée evenly with ½ tablespoon sugar.  Invert onto a cutting board.  Discard plastic.  Cut into 18 pieces.  Place remaining sugar in a shallow dish; gently roll gelées in sugar.  Serve piled over toasts.

Raspberry-Roasted Tomato-Pecan Blondies with Pesto (I like to call them "Redheads")

Serves 10

BLONDIES:

½ large red bell pepper

1 pound tomatoes

1 cup canned tomato-vegetable juice (such as V-8), divided

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ cucumber, peeled, seeded, chopped

1½ green onions, chopped

1 garlic clove, peeled

Pepper

2 cups all purpose flour

¼ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon baking soda

1 cup (packed) golden brown sugar

6 tablespoons (¾ stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 large egg

½ cup coarsely chopped pecans (about 1½ ounces)

½ ½-pint basket fresh raspberries

PESTO:

½ cup (packed) fresh basil leaves

1 tablespoon pine nuts

1 garlic clove, peeled

8 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

1. FOR BLONDIES: Preheat oven to 350^o F. Line 9x9x2-inch metal baking pan with aluminum foil, extending foil over sides by 2 inches.
2. Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Lightly oil grill rack. Cut 1-inch-wide slice from top and bottom of bell pepper and reserve. Cut pepper open lengthwise and press flat. Cut off ribs and remove seeds; discard. Grill tomatoes, flattened pepper, and top and bottom slices of pepper until skins are charred, turning occasionally, about 7 minutes for tomatoes and 10 minutes for pepper; transfer to plate to cool. Peel tomatoes and pepper; coarsely chop pepper.
3. Puree tomatoes, pepper, ¼ cup juice, vanilla, cucumber, onions, and garlic in processor until almost smooth. Add remaining juice; season to taste with pepper.
4. Butter and flour aluminum foil in baking pan. Whisk flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in medium bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat brown sugar and butter in large bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in egg, then tomato mixture. Add flour mixture and beat until ust blended. Stir in chopped pecans. Spread batter evenly in prepared pan. Sprinkle raspberries over top.
5. Bake until top is golden and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 50 minutes. Cool completely in pan on rack.
6. FOR PESTO: Finely chop basil leaves, pine nuts, and garlic in processor. With machine running, add oil and puree until almost smooth. Season pesto to taste with salt and pepper. (Blondies and pesto can be made 1 day ahead. Cover separately with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before serving.)
7. Cut blondies into 10 squares. Top each with ½ spoonful pesto. Serve.

Winter Greens, Farro, Mushroom, and Grape Leaves Pasta Salad

Serves 6½ cup farro1½ cups water3 oz. angel hair pasta3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided4 oz. cremini mushrooms, sliced½ leek, white and light green parts only, chopped1 garlic clove, minced½ bunch dandelion greens, stems removed and chopped in thirds2½ preserved grape leaves, patted dry and chopped2 oz. radicchio, roughly chopped⁵/₈ tsp. kosher salt, divided8 tsp. dried currants, soaked in hot water to soften, then drained¼ cup walnuts, toasted and chopped8 tsp. flat-leaf parsley leaves½ tbsp. lemon juice¹/₈ tsp. pepperRed chile flakes (optional)¼ cup low-fat or whole-milk ricotta cheeseAbout 2 tbsp. toasted plain croutons, crushed

1. Pick over farro for any debris, then rinse. Simmer farro in a medium saucepan with water until tender, 25 minutes; drain.
2. Cook pasta according to package directions. Reserve ½ cup pasta water, then drain.
3. Heat 1 tbsp. oil in a large frying pan over high heat. Add mushrooms and cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in leek and garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add greens, leaves, radicchio, and ½ tsp. salt and cook until just warm, about 1 minute (add a bit of water if pan starts to scorch).
4. Toss pasta, cooked vegetables, reserved pasta water, currants, walnuts, parsley, 1 tbsp. olive oil, lemon juice, remaining salt, pepper, and chile flakes. Top with dollops of ricotta, croutons, and a drizzle of remaining oil.

Potato-Banana-Yam Sundaes with Bacon-Fudge-Spinach Sauce

5 servings

3 slices applewood-smoked bacon (about 3 ounces), cut crosswise into ½-inch pieces

½ large onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, pressed

½ teaspoon dried thyme

½ 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes in juice

1½ very ripe bananas, peeled, each cut crosswise into 4 pieces

1 5-ounce yam (red-skinned sweet potato), peeled, quartered lengthwise, cut crosswise into ¹/₃-inch-thick slices

1 medium Yukon Gold potato (about 5 ounces), quartered lengthwise, cut crosswise into ¹/₃-inch-thick slices

1 medium red-skinned potato (about 5 ounces), quartered lengthwise, cut crosswise into ¹/₃-inch-thick slices

½ 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk, divided

½ cup half and half

2 to 2½ cups low-salt chicken broth

1 tablespoon light corn syrup

½ tablespoon fresh lemon juice

½ 5- to 6-ounce package baby spinach

¼ cup bittersweet chocolate chips

½ ripe banana, peeled, diced (for garnish)

Salt and pepper

1. Sauté bacon in large pot over medium heat until crisp. Transfer to paper towels to drain.
2. Add onion to drippings in pot; increase heat to medium-high and sauté until beginning to brown, about 7 minutes. Add garlic and thyme; stir 1 minute. Add tomatoes with juice. Stir until almost all liquid evaporates, about 2 minutes. Add banana and all potatoes; stir to coat.
3. Add ¾ cup condensed milk, half and half, 2 cupsbroth, corn syrup, and lemon juice; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover with lid slightly ajar. Simmer until potatoes are tender, stirring occasionally, 10 to 12 minutes.
4. Puree broth mixture in processor until smooth. Transfer to ice cream maker; process according to manufacturer's instructions. Transfer to container. Freeze until firm, about 4 hours.
5. Heat ¼ cup sweetened condensed milk and ½ tablespoon broth in small saucepan over medium heat; add spinach, chocolate, and bacon. Stir until melted and smooth, adding more broth by teaspoonfuls if sauce is very thick.
6. Divide ice cream among bowls. Drizzle sauce over; top with diced banana, salt, and pepper.