Tasty Recipes from Recipe Wizards

Making what chefs call a liaison is usually taught in French technique classes at culinary school. A liaison is nothing more than mixing a warm liquid with egg yolks so that the egg yolks coagulate slowly and thicken the sauce making it rich and creamy. The danger, of course, is that you add the hot liquid too quickly and you scramble the eggs. But with a little practice, a liaison is a useful technique every cook can master. It’s great as a base for making ice creams and puddings and for thickening soups and sauces.

I learned to make a liaison some 30 years ago from a chef/professor in a Greek cooking class at the Culinary Institute of America.

Chef Dimitri, who was already 80 years old when I was a student, was a small gentleman with a huge moustache. He could whip up the perfect liaison every time and never ended up with scrambled eggs. He had us practice the technique making Greek Egg and Lemon Soup.

This creamy, tart, golden yellow soup is like slurping a bowl of warm sunshine. It is traditionally made from chicken stock, however it is equally delicious made with vegetable stock. It is also typically made with white rice but you can substitute orzo if you prefer.

GREEK EGG AND LEMON SOUP

8 cups vegetable broth or low-sodium vegetable broth

1 cup white basmati rice or orzo

2 whole garlic cloves, peeled

5 egg yolks

Zest of 1 lemon

Juice of 3 lemons

Fresh-ground black pepper, to taste

Combine the vegetable broth with rice or orzo and whole garlic cloves. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 20 minutes or until tender. Discard garlic cloves.

In a mixing bowl, combine yolks, lemon zest, lemon juice and ground pepper. Whisk until well combined.

When the orzo or rice is tender, dip out about 2 cups hot broth into a glass measuring cup. While you whisk the egg mixture, very slowly drizzle the 2 cups hot broth into the egg yolk mixture; if you add it too quickly you will scramble the egg yolks. This is what you want to avoid. Continue whisking and adding liquid to the egg yolks until the measuring cup is empty.

Remove the saucepan with the orzo or rice from the burner and, once again, very slowly whisk the yolk mixture back into the saucepan combining well until thickened. Serve immediately. Makes 8 servings.

Per serving made with regular vegetable broth: 142 calories, 19 percent calories from fat, 3 grams total fat, 1 gram saturated fat, 131 milligrams cholesterol, 25 grams carbohydrates, .4 gram total fiber, 2 grams total sugars, 24 grams net carbs, 4 grams protein, 946 milligrams sodium.

Per serving made with low-sodium vegetable broth: 142 calories, 19 percent calories from fat, 3 grams total fat, 1 gram saturated fat, 131 milligrams cholesterol, 25 grams carbohydrates, .4 gram total fiber, 2 grams total sugars, 24 grams net carbs, 4 grams protein, 146 milligrams sodium.

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 40 minutes

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

4 tablespoons butter, divided

4 ounces smoked deli-sliced turkey breast, chopped

1 large yellow onion, diced

1 1/2 cups arborio rice

1 cup white wine

1 quart chicken stock or broth, warmed to a simmer

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

INSTRUCTIONS

In a medium skillet over medium-high heat, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter.

Add the turkey and sauté until browned and crisp, about 5 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain, then set aside.

In a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Add the onion and sauté for 4 minutes.

Add the rice and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Add the wine and cook, stirring constantly, until completely absorbed.

Add half of the chicken stock or broth, stir several times, then let simmer until nearly completely absorbed.

Continue adding stock, 1/2 cup at a time and stirring constantly until absorbed between each addition.

When all of the stock has been added and absorbed, the rice should be tender, but still just barely firm at the center. Stir in the cinnamon, salt and pepper.

Add the cheese and mix until melted and creamy. Adjust seasonings.

Divide the risotto between serving plates, then top with crispy smoked turkey.

Per serving: 514 cal.; 26 pro.; 40 g carb.; 23 g fat (12 sat.); 68 mg chol.; 1356 mg sod.; 1 g fiber; 40 percent calories from fat.

I had been in meetings all day and almost had myself talked into getting takeout for dinner. But I decide that I want to work with food. So I crack open the refrigerator and pull things out making up the menu as I sipped a glass of riesling.

I’m glad I did. I often have some unique foodstuffs in my kitchen that you may not. However, that was not the case this evening.

To start, I make an endive salad tossed with walnuts, which I don’t even roast. I add them to sliced pears dressed with olive oil and lemon juice. I have this amazing Stilton cheese, a blue-veined variety like gorgonzola or blue. It has oranges and dates pureed into the cheese, which makes it more amazing. But in this salad, any blue-veined cheese will work.

My entree is ravioli cooked al dente and tossed with arugula, extra-virgin olive oil, crushed dried red pepper flakes and parmesan cheese. I use commercially prepared ravioli stuffed with spinach and portobello mushrooms. You can use tortellini, if you prefer.

The menu, made with very few ingredients, is simple and tastes incredible.

For dessert, I scoop frozen vanilla yogurt into a bowl, add fresh raspberries and a drizzle of honey. I make my own frozen yogurt by sticking a container of Greek vanilla yogurt in the freezer while I cook.

Everything is so good, I’ll have to make it again for company. For that reason, I give you recipes that serve two.

ENDIVE SALAD WITH STILTON, PEAR AND WALNUTS

Chef Steve’s tip: This can be served as is or over leaf lettuce.

2 heads endive, thinly sliced crosswise into rounds

1/4 cup crumbled stilton, blue or gorgonzola cheese

1/4 cup chopped walnuts

1 ripe pear, halved, cored and sliced thinly crosswise

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Juice of 1/2 lemon

Kosher salt and fresh-ground black pepper, to taste

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and toss. Makes 2 servings.

Per serving: 360 calories, 56 percent calories from fat, 22 grams total fat, 5 grams saturated fat, 13 milligrams cholesterol, 34 grams carbohydrates, 20 grams total fiber, 10 grams total sugars, 14 grams net carbs, 14 grams protein, 350 milligrams sodium.

RAVIOLI WITH ARUGULA AND HOT CHILIES

1 pound uncooked prepared refrigerated ravioli of your choice

Water

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 teaspoon crushed dried red pepper flakes

Juice of 1/2 lemon

1 1/4 cup fresh arugula

2 tablespoons freshly grated parmesan cheese

Kosher salt, to taste

Cook ravioli in plenty of boiling water to cover according to package directions until al dente. This usually takes about 4 minutes.

Drain ravioli well and place in a large mixing bowl. Add remaining ingredients and toss until the arugula wilts slightly. Serve immediately. Makes 2 servings.

Per serving: 433 calories, 52 percent calories from fat, 25 grams total fat, 8 grams saturated fat, 155 milligrams cholesterol, 36 grams carbohydrates, 2 grams total fiber, .4 gram total sugars, 34 grams net carbs, 17 grams protein, 343 milligrams sodium.

Prep Time: 45 minutes

Cook time: 15 minutes

Serves 5

In Indonesia, spicy peanut sauce is the traditional accompaniment to satay. These beef skewers are paired with a sweet and salty tamarind-based glaze. The ingredient list may be long, but nearly all the work is done by the food processor.

INGREDIENTS

1 medium yellow onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, chopped

one 2-inch piece fresh ginger, grated

1 anchovy, mashed

1 scallion, roughly chopped

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground cardamom

1 teaspoon curry powder

1 teaspoon ground cloves

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 cup roasted peanuts, roughly chopped

1/2 bunch fresh cilantro

2 eggs

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1 pound ground beef

Salt and ground black pepper, to taste

1 teaspoon tamarind concentrate

1 cup water

1/4 cup soy sauce

4 tablespoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons sesame oil

INSTRUCTIONS

In a shallow bowl filled with water, soak 10 bamboo skewers.

In a food processor, pulse the onion, garlic, ginger, anchovy, scallion, cumin, cardamom, curry powder, cloves, chili powder, peanuts, cilantro, eggs and flour until finely chopped. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl.

Add the beef, then use your hands to knead the mixture until well combined. Form the mixture into logs roughly 4 inches long and 1 inch around. Gently insert a skewer into each log. Alternatively, the logs can be formed around each skewer. Set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk together the tamarind concentrate and water. Set aside.

In a small saucepan over medium-high, combine the soy sauce and brown sugar. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Add the tamarind mixture and simmer until it thickens. Remove from the heat and stir in the sesame oil. Set aside.

Heat a grill to medium. Brush the grill grates with olive oil. Grill the skewers until one side is cooked through, about 2 minutes. Carefully turn the skewers and let cook for another minute, basting with the glaze. Repeat until the beef is cooked fully, about 1 to 2 more turns.

Per serving: 403 cal.; 27 g pro.; 22 g carb.; 23 g fat (6 sat., 11 monounsat., 6 polyunsat.); 119 mg chol.; 1423 mg sod.; 3 g fiber; 15 g sugar; 51 percent calories from fat.

LARRY CROWE Associated Press

Prep Time: 1 hour

Cook time: 35 minutes

Serves 4

To speed up this recipe, skip the dough and substitute purchased wonton wrappers (available in the produce section at most grocers).

Use a large round cookie cutter to trim the wrappers into circles.

INGREDIENTS

For the dough:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

5 tablespoons ghee (clarified butter), room temperature

1/2 to 1 cup ice water

For the sauce:

3 tablespoons garlic jelly

2 tablespoons lime juice

2 tablespoons water

1/2 tablespoon hot sauce

For the filling:

1 tablespoon black mustard seeds

1 tablespoon yellow mustard seeds

1 tablespoon ghee

1 teaspoon turmeric

1 teaspoon garam masala

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

one 1/4-inch piece fresh ginger, grated

6 medium potatoes, boiled, peeled and cut into 1/3-inch cubes

1 cup peas, steamed

Salt, to taste

Vegetable oil, for frying

INSTRUCTIONS

To make the dough, in a food processor combine the flour and salt. Pulse several times. Add the ghee and pulse until it resembles coarse bread crumbs. With the processor running, drizzle in enough water to form a dough that is soft and elastic. Transfer the dough to a bowl, cover and let rest for 1 hour.

Meanwhile, prepare the sauce. In a small bowl, whisk together the jelly, lime juice, water and hot sauce. Set aside. If desired, the sauce can be heated briefly just before serving.

To make the filling, in a large sauté pan over low, toast both mustard seeds. Once the seeds begin to pop in the pan, add the ghee, turmeric, garam masala, pepper and ginger. Saute for 2 minutes, then add the potatoes.

Remove the pan from heat, then stir in the peas and season with salt. Set aside.

When the dough is ready, shape it into a log and cut it into 16 pieces. On a lightly floured surface, roll each piece into a 5-inch circle. Use a finger dipped in water to moisten the edges.

Place 1 to 2 tablespoons of the potato mixture in the center of each circle, then fold the edges together to form a half-circle. Use a fork to crimp and seal the edges.

In a large, heavy saucepan over medium-high, heat 2 inches of oil to 300 degrees. Working in batches, add the samosas and fry until golden, about 3 to 4 minutes, using a spoon to turn them as needed in the oil.

Transfer the samosas to paper towels to drain. Serve with the dipping sauce.

Per serving: 673 cal.; 14 g pro.; 90 g carb.; 30 g fat (13 sat., 8 monounsat., 5 polyunsat., 4 other); 49 mg chol.; 547 mg sod.; 7 g fiber; 6 g sugar; 39 percent calories from fat.

Prep time: 30 minutes

Cook time: 2 minutes

Serves 6

INGREDIENTS

11/2 pounds green beans, ends trimmed

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons sherry or red wine vinegar

3 cloves garlic, minced

Salt and ground black pepper, to taste

1 cup Marcona almonds, roughly chopped or crushed

1/4 cup crumbled aged cheddar or Parmesan (roughly 1/4-inch chunks)

INSTRUCTIONS

Fill a large bowl with cold water and ice.

Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the green beans and blanch for 2 minutes. Drain and immediately add the green beans to the ice water to cool. Drain again and spread on a kitchen towel to dry.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar and garlic, then season with salt and pepper.

Add the green beans to the dressing, then toss to coat. Add three-quarters of the almonds and cheese, then toss. Sprinkle the remaining almonds and cheese over the salad. Serve immediately or chill.

Per serving: 211 cal.; 7 g pro.; 12 g carb.; 16 g fat (2 sat., 11 monounsat., 3 polyunsat.); 3 mg chol.; 279 mg sod.; 3 g fiber; 0 g sugar; 66 percent calories from fat.