Basic short-crust pastry

Basic short-crust pastry

Makes enough dough for 1 large (11- or 12-inch) quiche shell. • 1½ cups flour • ½ to ¾ tsp. salt • ½ cup butter, well chilled • scant ⅓ cup ice water 1. Sift together the flour and the salt. Slice the cold butter rapidly and drop the slices into the flour. With a…

Spiced farmer cheese

Spiced farmer cheese

• ¾ lb. hoop or farmer cheese • 1 cup sour cream • 1 Tbs. minced fresh dill weed • ⅓ cup chopped chives • 1 tsp. lemon juice • ¼ tsp. hot paprika • salt to taste • fresh-ground black pepper to taste 1. Combine the cheese and the sour cream and mash them together…

Mamalyga

Mamalyga

This is one of those refreshing cold dishes so welcome during the summer heat: pleasant and filling but not overpowering. A Russian peasant dish, it goes very nicely with a light, cool borscht or a fruit soup. Serves 8 to 10 • ¾ cup yellow corn meal • 5½ to 6 cups…

Liptauer cheese 2

Liptauer cheese 2

Here is yet another version of Liptauer Cheese, for which so many variations have been devised. The rich flavor of this one is largely owed to the camembert, but don’t use a Camembert that is too ripe, or the mixture will be runny. Serves 10 to 12 • 8 oz. Camembert…

Liptauer cheese

Liptauer cheese

Serves 8 to 10 • ½ lb. pot cheese • 3 oz. cream cheese • 3 Tbs. butter • 1 to 1½ tsp. French mustard, to taste • 2 Tbs. beer • 1 Tbs. minced capers • 5 Tbs. finely minced onion • 1½ tsp. paprika • cayenne pepper to taste • ¼ to ½ tsp. ground cumin or caraway seeds, to…

Bibbelkäse (spiced white cheese)

Bibbelkäse (spiced white cheese)

It makes a little more than 2 cups. • 2 cups small-curd cottage cheese • 6 Tbs. sour cream • 3 cloves garlic, minced or mashed to a pulp; 2½ Tbs. minced fresh parsley • minced chives (optional) • fresh-ground pepper to taste • salt to taste 1. Press the cottage cheese…

Italian fondue

Italian fondue

For a really special meal, try this: Prepare an antipasto assortment of, for example, Marinated Mushrooms, Peperonata, Garbanzo Bean Salad, and Insalatone. Add some hot peperoncini and a few cured olives and serve everything at once with a good Italian white wine. For…

Egg croquettes

Egg croquettes

Serves 6 to 8 • 5 Tbs. butter • ¾ cup flour • 2 cups warm milk • 1 raw egg • 6 hard-boiled eggs, sieved or finely chopped • 5 Tbs. grated Parmesan cheese • 5 Tbs. chopped parsley • 1½ tsp. salt • fresh-ground black pepper to taste • dash of nutmeg • dash of cayenne…

Corn and cheese pudding

Corn and cheese pudding

Serves 4 to 6 • 2 eggs • 3 Tbs. flour • ½ cup cream • 1 cup milk • ½ tsp. salt • ¼ tsp. white pepper • 1 Tbs. sugar • 1½ cups fresh-scraped corn (about 3 ears) • 3 Tbs. butter, melted • 3 oz. sharp Cheddar cheese, grated • ¼ cup finely chopped California green chilis…

Eggplant with cheese and walnuts

Eggplant with cheese and walnuts

Serves 8 • 2½ lbs. firm eggplant • salt • 3 or 4 cloves garlic, sliced • ½ cup olive oil • 2 red onions, peeled, halved, and sliced • 3 cups peeled plum tomatoes (with all their juice) • ⅓ cup dry white wine • fresh-ground black pepper • 1⅓ cup walnut pieces • ½ lb….

Giant mushrooms stuffed with eggplant

Giant mushrooms stuffed with eggplant

Serves 4 • 8 very large, firm mushrooms (about 3 inches across) • 2 to 3 Tbs. butter • 1 medium-sized eggplant • 1 tsp. salt, and more to taste • 1 medium-sized red bell pepper • 2 Tbs. olive oil • ½ tsp. ground cumin • 1 tsp. paprika • 3 large cloves garlic, minced •…

French fried mushrooms

French fried mushrooms

The mushrooms can be fried ahead of time and then reheated for about 10 minutes in a very hot oven, but the crusts will lose just a bit of their crispy pizzazz that way. Serves 6 • 1½ lbs. fresh, firm mushrooms • 1 cup dry bread or cracker crumbs • ⅓ cup minced fresh…