Fried Crab-Stuffed Zucchini Blossoms

Makes about 16

½ pound fresh crabmeat, picked over

1 cup crushed Ritz crackers, divided

3 tablespoons (⅜ stick) unsalted butter

2 tablespoons finely chopped green bell pepper

2 tablespoons finely chopped onion

2 tablespoons canned evaporated milk

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

¾ teaspoon kosher salt, divided

⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

about 2 dozen zucchini blossoms (stamens removed)

10 tablespoons all-purpose flour

¼ cup whole milk

1 medium egg

6 ounces chilled Pilsner, lager-style beer, or club soda

Vegetable oil (for frying)

Sea salt

1. Mix crabmeat and ½ cup cracker crumbs in a large bowl.  Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add green pepper and onion; sauté until soft, about 5 minutes.  Add to bowl with crab mixture.  Stir in evaporated milk, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire, ¼ teaspoon salt, and pepper.  Cover; chill for 1-6 hours.
2. Fill each blossom with scant 2 tablespoons crab mixture.  Combine flour, whole milk, remaining salt, and egg in a medium bowl, then whisk in beer until almost smooth (some small lumps are welcome -- don’t overwhisk or you’ll deflate the batter).  Place remaining cracker crumbs in another bowl.  One by one, dredge the filled blossoms in batter, shaking off excess, then coat well with crumbs.
3. In a large pot, heat about 2 inches oil over medium heat until a deep-fry thermometer reads 350°.  Gently lay blossoms in the oil, without crowding the pan.  Cook, flipping once with a slotted spoon, until golden brown, 3-4½ minutes total.  Transfer to paper towels to drain.  Sprinkle with sea salt and devour while hot.

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.

Sumerian Ricotta-Ice Cream Toasts with Asparagus and Poached Eggs

1½ scoops dulce de leche ice cream

½ cup ricotta

2 slices toasted thick-cut country bread

Salt and black pepper

¼ pound steamed asparagus

2 tablespoons warmed chocolate sauce

2 poached eggs

Pinch cinnamon

2 slices cooked bacon, crumbled

1 tablespoon chopped roasted, salted cashews

Black pepper

1. In a small bowl, stir together ice cream and ricotta; spread mixture over the toast and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Layer with asparagus spears; drizzle chocolate sauce over asparagus.  Top with eggs.  Sprinkle with cinnamon, bacon, cashews, and pepper.

Breakfast Dijon Rice “Pudding” and Chicken Bowls

    Serves 4

    40 teaspoons brown rice

    2 4-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breasts, rinsed, patted dry, and trimmed of visible fat

    ½ teaspoon paprika

    ⅜ teaspoon sea salt, divided

    ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

    ½ tablespoon olive oil

    ½ cup frozen unsweetened dark cherries, thawed and halved

    8 teaspoons low-fat sour cream

    ½ tablespoon Dijon mustard

    2 tablespoons skim milk

    ½ tablespoon fresh lemon juice

    ¾ teaspoon chopped fresh tarragon

2 teaspoons pure maple syrup

¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

½ packet stevia

½ tablespoon safflower oil

1 packed cup spinach, coarsely chopped

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

¼ teaspoon finely grated orange zest

2 tablespoons water

1. Cook rice according to package directions; set aside.
2. Meanwhile, sprinkle both sides of chicken with paprika, ⅛ teaspoon salt, and pepper.  In a large nonstick skillet, heat olive oil on medium-high.  Add chicken and cherries and cook for 5-6 minutes per side, until cooked through..  Remove from skillet and transfer to a large plate.  Cover and set aside.
3. Reduce heat to medium and add sour cream, Dijon, milk, lemon juice, tarragon, and maple syrup.  Bring to a boil, scraping up browned bits from bottom and sides of skillet with a wooden spoon.  Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and stevia.  Uncover chicken and slice into strips.  Spoon ½ tablespoon sour cream mixture over top, dividing evenly.  Cover and set aside.
4. Add rice, safflower oil, spinach, cinnamon, lemon zest, orange zest, water, and remaining salt to remaining sour cream mixture.  Stir gently until spinach is wilted, about 20 seconds.  Spoon onto serving plates and top with chicken mixture, dividing evenly.

Luau Beet, Coconut, and Fennel Soup with Kefir

    Serves 3

    2 teaspoons sugar

    2 teaspoons water

1 tablespoon olive oil

½ cup chopped onion

½ cup chopped fennel bulb

¾ teaspoon fennel seeds

1 lime slice

1 large (2½- to 3-inch diameter) beets, peeled, cut into ½-inch cubes

1 maraschino cherry

1 cup low-salt chicken broth

3 fresh young coconuts (green skin cut away)

2 tablespoons canned unsweetened coconut milk

2 tablespoons light rum

½ cup unflavored kefir

2 tablespoons gold rum

4 teaspoons fresh lime juice

1 tablespoon pineapple juice

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Bring sugar and water to boil in small saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves.  Cool simple syrup.
2. Heat olive oil in large saucepan over medium heat.  Add chopped onion, chopped fennel, and fennel seeds.  Sauté until vegetables soften, about 5 minutes.  Add lime slice, cubed beets, and maraschino cherry, and stir to coat.  Add broth and bring to a boil.  Cover; reduce heat to medium-low.  Cook until beets are tender, 18 to 20 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, cut off top 2 inches of coconuts; reserve coconut water.
4. Puree soup in batches in blender.  Return to same saucepan.  Whisk in 2 tablespoons simple syrup, coconut milk, light rum, ½ cup unflavored kefir, gold rum, lime juice, pineapple juice, and ¼ vcup reserved coconut water, and season soup with salt and freshly ground black pepper.  Rewarm soup.
5. Ladle soup into coconuts, dividing equally.  Drizzle with additional unflavored kefir; garnish with fennel fronds.

Chocolate-Dipped Steak Pizza-Layered Cannoli with Pistachios

      Serves 4

    ½ pound boneless sirloin steak, trimmed and cut into ¼-inch slices

2 teaspoons olive oil, divided

¼ teaspoon salt, divided

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided

2 teaspoons minced fresh garlic

½ tablespoon fresh oregano

½ (28-ounce) can unsalted whole tomatoes, undrained

⅓ cup part-skim ricotta cheese

1 tablespoon ⅓-less-fat cream cheese

1 ounce shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese (about ¼ cup)

½ teaspoon grated orange rind

⅛ teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons powdered sugar

1 (1-inch-thick) slice ciabatta bread, cut lengthwise into 4 strips

4 (5-inch-long) cannoli shells

1½ tablespoons finely chopped roasted pistachios

2 tablespoons torn basil leaves

½ teaspoon finely chopped bittersweet chocolate

1. Preheat broiler to high.
2. Heat a large skillet over high heat.  Combine steak and ½ teaspoon oil in a large bowl; toss to coat.  Sprinkle steak with ⅛ teaspoon salt and ⅛ teaspoon pepper.  Add steak to pan; cook for 2 minutes or until browned, stirring occasionally.  Remove steak from pan.
3. Reduce heat to medium-high.  Add remaining oil to pan, and swirl to coat.  Add garlic, and sauté for 30 seconds.  Add oregano, remaining salt, remaining pepper, and tomatoes.  Reduce heat, and simmer 6 minutes, mashing tomato mixture with potato masher.  Return steak to pan, and toss to coat.  
4. Place ricotta, cream cheese, mozzarella, orange rind, and vanilla extract in a mini food processor; process until smooth.  Add powdered sugar, and pulse until well combined.  Place cheese mixture in a small heavy-duty zip-top plastic bag; seal bag.
5. Place bread on a baking sheet; broil 1 minute or until lightly toasted. Spoon tomato mixture evenly over bread strips; place 1 strip bread at bottom of each cannoli shell. Snip a ½-inch hole in one bottom corner of bag containing cheese mixture.  Squeeze cheese mixture into top of cannoli shells until shells are full.  Broil 2 minutes or until cheese begins to brown.
6. Combine pistachios, basil, and chocolate in a small bowl.  Evenly dip ends of cannoli in pistachio mixture.

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.

Fruity Sparkling Baked Beans

Serves 12 (serving size: about ¾ cup)

½ pound dried navy beans (about 1 cup)

Cooking spray

8 teaspoons brandy

¾ cup chopped yellow onion

8 teaspoons peach schnapps

¼ cup diced salt pork (about 2 ounces)

6 tablespoons maple syrup, divided

¾ tablespoon sugar

2¾ cups water

1 (750-milliliter) bottle white Rioja wine

¾ tablespoon Dijon mustard

½ lemon, thinly sliced

½ teaspoon salt

½ small navel orange, quartered and sliced

⅛ teaspoon hot pepper sauce (such as Tabasco)

½ green apple, cored and sliced

½ ripe peach, peeled and sliced

½ (12-ounce bottle sparkling water, chilled

1. Sort and wash beans; place in a large bowl. Cover with water to 2 inches above beans; cover and let stand 8 hours or overnight. Drain beans.
2. Preheat oven to 325°.
3. Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Coat oven with cooking spray. Add brandy, onion, schnapps, and pork to pan; sauté 5 minutes. Add beans, ¼ cup syrup, and next 10 ingredients (through peach); bring to a boil. Cover and bake at 325° for 2½ hours or until beans are tender, stirring occasionally. Uncover and bake an additional 30 minutes or until mixture begins to thicken. Stir in remaining syrup and sparkling water; serve immediately.

Peanut Butter-Chicken Hummus-Yakitori Rice Bowl

Serves 6

1 (3.5-ounce) bag boil-in-bag basmati rice

1½ tablespoons creamy peanut butter

1½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons lower-sodium soy sauce

2½ teaspoons olive oil

2 tablespoons mirin (sweet rice wine)

¼ teaspoon ground cumin

1½ tablespoons sugar

¼ teaspoon black pepper

½ tablespoon rice vinegar

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

1 tablespoon fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth

½ (15½-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

1 garlic clove, minced

3½ tablespoons water

1½ tablespoons peanut oil, divided

½ pound skinless, boneless chicken thighs

4 ounces snow peas, halved lengthwise diagonally

½ bunch green onions, cut into 1-inch pieces

½ English cucumber, cut into 24 ¼-inch-thick slices

1. Cook rice according to package directions, omitting rice and fat.
2. Combine peanut butter and next 12 ingredients (through garlic) in a small saucepan;bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 3 minutes. Transfer to food processor; with food processor running, slowly drizzle in water. Process until smooth.
3. Heat a large nonstick skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon peanut oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add chicken thighs to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until browned. Transfer to a cutting board; cool slightly. Cut into (1-inch) strips.
4. Return pan to medium-high heat; add remaining peanut oil to pan. Add snow peas and onions; sauté 2 minutes. Add hummus mixture and chicken to pan; cook 2 minutes or until liquid is syrupy and chicken thoroughly heated, stirring frequently. Divide rice evenly among 6 shallow bowls; top each serving evenly with chicken mixture. Finish with 4 cucumber slices atop each bowl.

Salted Potato-Caramel Cheesecake Gratins

Serves 10
1 medium baking potato, peeled and cut into ¼-inch-thick slices (about 1½ cups)
1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cut into ¼-inch-thick slices (about 2 cups)
1 quart no-salt-added chicken stock (such as Swanson)
15 vanilla wafers
2 tablespoons canola oil
1½ tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 garlic cloves, crushed
¾ cup 2% reduced-fat milk
1 thyme sprig
³⁄₈ teaspoon kosher salt, divided
¹⁄₈ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1½ ounces aged Gruyère cheese, shredded (about 6 tablespoons)
Cooking spray
⅓ cup packed light brown sugar
⅓ cup plain fat-free Greek yogurt
6 ounces ⅓-less-fat cream cheese, softened
¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
¹⁄₈ teaspoon table salt
1 large egg
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives, divided
¾ teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon water
½ tablespoon butter
¼ cup evaporated milk
½ ounce fresh Parmiggiano-Reggiano cheese, grated (about ¼ cup)
¼ teaspoon flake salt

1. Preheat oven to 325˚.
2. Place potatoes in a large stockpot; cover with stock.  Bring mixture to a boil; cook 4 minutes.  Remove from heat.  Carefully remove potatoes from pot using a slotted spoon, reserving cooking liquid.  Arrange potato slices in a single layer on a jelly-roll pan; set aside.  Strain cooking liquid through a fine-mesh sieve over a bowl; reserve ½ cup cooking liquid.  Discard solids and remaining cooking liquid.
3. Place cookies in a food processor; process until finely ground crumbs measure about ½ cup.  Heat a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Add oil to pan.  Sprinkle over oil; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly with a whisk.  Add garlic; cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently.  Combine milk and reserved cooking liquid.  Gradually pour milk mixture into flour mixture in pan, stirring constantly with a whisk.  Add thyme sprig to pan.  Bring mixture to a boil; cook 4 minutes or until slightly thick, stirring frequently.  Remove from heat.  Strain mixture through a fine-mesh sieve over a bowl, reserving liquid; discard solids.  Stir ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, pepper, cookie crumbs, and Gruyère cheese into milk mixture.
4. Coat a 10-cup muffin tin well with cooking spray.  Evenly divide ½ cup crumb mixture among muffin cups, reserving the rest; press crumb mixture firmly into bottom.  Bake at 325˚ for 7 minutes or until lightly browned.  Remove from oven; cool.
5. Wipe food processor clean.  Place brown sugar, yogurt, and cream cheese in processor; process until smooth.  Add vanilla, potatoes, table salt, and egg; process until smooth.  Spoon batter evenly between muffin cups.  Sprinkle evenly with remaining kosher salt, ½ tablespoon chives, and chopped thyme.  Bake at 325˚ for 18 minutes or until centers of cheesecakes barely move when pan is touched.  Remove pan from oven; cool on a wire rack to room temperature.  Cover pan; refrigerate cheesecakes 3 hours or until well chilled.
6. Combine granulated sugar and water in a medium, heavy saucepan over medium-high heat; cook until suhgar dissolves, stirring gently as needed to dissolve sugar evenly (about 3 minutes).  Continue cooking 12 minutes or until the color of light brown sugar (do not stir).  Remove from heat; carefully stir in butter, remaining crumb mixture, and evaporated milk (caramelized sugar will harden and stick to spoon).  Place pan over medium-high heat until caramelized sugar melts. Bring to a boil; cook 1 minute.  Remove pan from heat; cool caramel to room temperature.  Cover and chill 1 hour or until slightly thickened.
7. Spoon sauce mixture evenly over cheesecakes. Sprinkle with Parmiggiano-Reggiano cheese.  Bake at 325˚ for 1 hour or until cheesecakes are tender when pierced with a knife.
8. Remove cheesecakes from oven.  Preheat broiler to high.
9. Place cheesecakes in oven.  Broil cheesecakes 3 minutes or until browned.  Run a thin knife around outside edge of each cheesecake.  Carefully remove cheesecakes from pan; place on a platter.  Sprinkle with flake salt and remaining chives.  Chill cheesecakes until ready to 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.

Curried Pepper-Veggie-Steak Rolls

                Serves 4

                1 pouch (10 ounces) frozen cooked brown rice

                1 tablespoon vegetable oil

                ½ tablespoon chopped fresh ginger

                1 clove garlic, chopped

                ⅝ teaspoon curry powder

                ½ can (15.5 ounce) chickpeas, rinsed

                ½ can (13.5 ounce) coconut milk

                1½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

                ½ large onion, sliced

                ½ bag (10 ounces) frozen sliced bell peppers

                Salt and pepper

                ½ container (5 ounces) baby spinach leaves

                1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

                ½ teaspoon crumbled dried oregano

                3½ ounce flatiron steak

                4 hero (sub) rolls, split, some inner crumbs removed

1.       Position a broiler rack 4 to 5 inches from the heat, and a second rack in the lower third of the oven.  Preheat the broiler.

2.       Microwave or heat the rice according to package directions.

3.       Meanwhile, in a medium skillet, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat and cook the ginger and garlic, stirring for 2 minutes.  Add the curry powder and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.

4.       Stir in the chickpeas and coconut milk and bring to a boil; cook 2 minutes.  Increase heat to medium-high and add ½ tablespoon olive oil, onion, and bell peppers; season with salt and pepper.  Cook, stirring, 2 minutes.  Stir in the spinach and cook, stirring, until just wilted, about 2 minutes.

5.       Meanwhile, whisk together the vinegar, oregano, and remaining olive oil.  Season with salt and pepper.

6.       Season the steak with salt and pepper and broil, turning once, for about 8 minutes for medium-rare.  While the steak is broiling, toast the rolls on a baking sheet on the bottom rack for 3 minutes.

7.       Let the steak rest for 5 minutes, then thinly slice.  Toss with curry mixture, then with dressing.  Divide rice among half of rolls and top with curry mixture; top with other half of rolls.