Tasty Recipes from Recipe Wizards

We all know the appliances in our kitchen that we use most (fridge, faucet and stove) and those that we never use (the cotton candy maker that seemed like a good idea at the time). But then there are the appliances that just bring us the most joy, those that make us happy to be in the kitchen despite all of the hard work that goes on in there.

A group of food lovers and food writers came up with this list of their favorite kitchen tools. You’ll find many of them at your local cookware shop or department store, at garage sales or at the sites listed.

Seltzer water maker

I used to feel as if I spent my life lugging seltzer water up to my apartment and then lugging the bottles down to recycling. But I haven’t done that in two years, thanks to this miracle Soda Stream appliance that turns my tap water into carbonated water – that becomes soda when my kids add some juice or fruit syrup. I just need to change the CO2 canister (which is easy to find) every couple of months, and I’m golden. sodastream.com

-Monica Eng

Immersion blender

I just love reading the recipe that says to pour the hot soup in batches from the pan into a blender, and instead I just whip out the hand blender, and in a minute I have my butternut squash/apple soup or carrot-orange soup ready to go. braun.com/global

-Mark Caro

Double-sided spatula

This Chef’n red spatula was given to me as a hostess gift from a friend who said, “You will use this constantly.” She was absolutely right. I reach for this spatula when I start cooking and barely put it down. But if I do put it down, I can just leave it right in the pan because it is silicone and can handle temps up to 650 degrees. chefn.com/product.aspx?idequals143

-Laura Moran

Pizzelle iron

I put off buying it because I thought pizzelles (those crisp, waferlike Italian cookies) would be hard to make. This nifty appliance makes it a breeze, and the recipe that comes with the machine produces fabulous pizzelles. cuisinart.com/products/waffle-makers

-Renee Enna

Old cast-iron skillet

My grandmother’s crusty-on-the-outside, smooth-as-silk-on-the-inside version. I cook everything in it, from seared steaks to chilies and pasta sauces (yes, I even do tomato sauces in it; as long as they don’t sit in the pan for ages, they won’t pick up any iron flavors.) lodgemfg.com

-Carol Mighton Haddix

Japanese mandoline

I use it for so many things. Just made paper-thin slices of fingerling potatoes. Shards of aged Parmesan cheese for salad. Shaved raw beets for chips. benriner.com

-David Syrek

Paring knife

The guys at Porsche (yes, the “we make cars that go fast” guys) designed this Chroma knife (along with the rest of the Type 301 series). I’ve never had a knife so naturally feel like an extension of my hand. It just sits there perfectly in my palm, ready to core peppers, apples or perform other delicate feats. chroma.us.com

-Steve Cavendish

Vintage kitchen scale

Purchased at a flea market for a few bucks. Most days it just sits there looking cute, putting my garlic cloves on a pedestal, but on several occasions I actually used it for measuring proportions in baking and cooking. It doesn’t take up a lot of space, but it adds a lot of character and is truly functional.

-Lauren Viera

Food chopper

It fits in the palm of my hand and is one of those rare appliances that actually deliver on the promise of saving time. I have a favorite salsa recipe that calls for finely chopped black olives, and the little electric chopper takes a 15-minute job and changes it into about 15 seconds. Bonus: Cleanup is easy-peasy. proctorsilex.com

-Denise Joyce

Flat-bottomed wok

It’s sturdy, develops no-stick properties. Flat bottom allows use on ordinary gas/electric stoves. Wooden handle is easy to use, stays cool.

-Bill Daley

Old wooden spoon

I used it when my grandmother and mother taught me to cook. Has traveled with me wherever I’ve lived.

-Judy Hevrdejs

Kitchen shears

I use them to slice pizza, cut apart a whole chicken, snip herbs. Also, the Microplane: I thought, how dumb. But, really, it is super easy to get fresh Parmesan in an instant. us.microplane.com

-Linda Bergstrom

Pasta roller attachment

Originally, I was against this KitchenAid stand mixer attachment, seeing it as a dubious advancement; it was loud, and the bigger sin, it wasn’t my hand-crank model. But the ease of rolling out sheets of pasta with the powered rollers soon persuaded me. Now I can make a batch of homemade pasta in under 30 minutes (not counting dough resting, of course). Kitchenaid.com

-Joe Gray

Prep time: 30 minutes

Cook time: 20 minutes

Serves 4

This dish, popular at Les Ecureuils farmhouse in Valle d’ Aosta, Italy, is from “The Italian Farmer’s Table” (Three Forks, $19.95, 320 pages).

INGREDIENTS

6 ounces rye bread, cut into 1/2-inch cubes and toasted

1 quart low-sodium chicken broth

4 ounces shredded Fontina cheese

2 ounces crumbled goat cheese

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 shallots, cut into fine dice

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 teaspoon lightly crushed juniper berries

INSTRUCTIONS

In a 4-quart saucepan, add the rye bread to the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Add the Fontina and goat cheeses, and stir constantly with a spoon until the cheese begins to melt. Season to taste with salt and pepper. With an immersion blender or in a standard blender, purée the soup until smooth. In a 10-inch skillet over medium heat, sauté the shallots in butter until they are tender and just beginning to brown, about 7 minutes. Add the juniper berries and continue to cook until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Ladle the soup into individual crocks or bowls and spoon the shallots and juniper berries on top. Serve immediately.

Per serving: 336 cal.; 17 g pro.; 25 g carb.; 19 g fat (11 sat., 3 monounsat., 1 polyunsat., 4 other); 52 mg chol.; 845 mg sod.; 2 g fiber; 5 g sugar; 50 percent calories from fat.

The creator: Chris Dooley, mixologist at Ella Dining Room and Bar, 1131 K St., Sacramento, and bartender competition winner at Midtown Cocktail Week

Degree of difficulty: Medium

Inspiration for his eggnog: “From time to time, we do an eggnog milkshake that’s spiked with brandy and bourbon. For this one, we use a layered effect by making a foam and compiling a latte without having to heat the eggnog.”

The recipe:

INGREDIENTS

2 ounces Sailor Jerry spiced rum

1/2 ounce simple syrup

3/4 ounce fresh squeezed orange juice

4 ounces eggnog

2 ounces skim milk

1/8 teaspoon lecithin

1 egg white

Cinnamon

Nutmeg

Orange peel

INSTRUCTIONS

Mix rum, simple syrup and orange juice in a glass. Add ice and strain into a chilled 14-ounce Pilsner glass. In a bowl, combine eggnog, skim milk and lecithin. Blend with a hand-held immersion blender until light and frothy. Scoop off the foam and save. In another bowl, use the blender to lightly beat egg white. Fold together gently. Pour eggnog mix into pilsner glass and top the final 1/3 of the glass with the foam, kind of like a latte. Garnish with shaved cinnamon and nutmeg and a twist of orange peel.

I love to rummage through my refrigerator searching for ingredients for an impromptu meal of soup. What makes this especially appealing is that I don’t have to run to the grocery store to get exotic or expensive ingredients. Who would think that a handful of vegetables, beans, pasta and broth would make a dish fit for a main course for Sunday supper?

Soup is also ideal for entertaining since it can be made a day or two in advance, allowing time for flavors to develop and meld. Soups from scratch are wholesome, and they taste wonderful because you make them yourself from fresh, good-quality ingredients.

There is a simple formula for making a variety of creamy pureed soups. I generally start by sauteing lots of onion in olive oil or butter until soft. Sometimes I’ll add chopped carrots, a leek and celery. You can roughly chop them because it’s all going to be finished in the blender. Stir in herbs and spices, or garlic and tomato puree if needed.

After another minute or so the main ingredient goes in: mushrooms for a mushroom soup for instance, or tomatoes, broccoli, or winter squash. I’ll add a cut-up peeled potato if I’m using a vegetable without much body, such as spinach or asparagus. Sauteing the vegetables with the onions, spices and herbs give the soup a depth of flavor. After a few minutes more liquid is added and everything is simmered until the vegetables are tender, but not mushy.

Puree in a food processor, blender or with an immersion blender until smooth, add a touch of cream to enrich, and adjust seasoning. This meal-in-a bowl is the classic comfort food and needs only a salad and some whole-grain bread to complete the menu.

CAULIFLOWER SOUP WITH WHITE TRUFFLE OIL (photo above)

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 1/2 cups sliced yellow onion, about 1 medium

2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme

1 pound white cauliflower florets

2 cups vegetable stock

1 cup heavy cream

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

White truffle oil (optional)

Melt butter in a medium stockpot over medium low heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until the onion is softened and translucent. Add the thyme and cook for a minute more. Add the cauliflower and stir to coat with the onions and butter. Cook for another 3 minutes. Add stock and bring the mixture to a boil; reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for 20 minutes. Add the cream and cook for an additional 15 minutes or until the cauliflower is tender and the mixture is slightly reduced.

Transfer the cauliflower mixture to a blender and process until pureed. Season the soup with salt and pepper. Ladle 3/4 cup of the soup into six bowls and drizzle each serving with 1 to 2 drops of the truffle oil, if using. Serve immediately. Makes 6 servings.

Source: “Hot and Hot Fish Club Cookbook – A Celebration of Food, Family, and Traditions” by Chris and Idie Hastings with Katherine Cobbs (Running Press, $35).

Per serving: 235 calories (73 percent from fat), 19.6 g fat (11.9 g saturated, 5.7 g monounsaturated), 66.9 mg cholesterol, 4.8 g protein, 11.8 g carbohydrates, 2.6 g fiber, 541.9 mg sodium.

(Carole Kotkin is manager of the Ocean Reef Club cooking school and co-author of “Mmmmiami: Tempting Tropical Tastes for Home Cooks Everywhere.”)

Thanks to helpful readers, we’ve found just the recipe for M.W., whose Pakistani son-in-law wished to taste again a dish his late mother made for breakfast with rice, milk, carrots, raisins and pistachios.

“This sounds like carrot halavah, which I first met in India in the ’50s,” wrote Kay Carpenter of Cudjoe Key. “We ate it as a dessert but why not breakfast, too?”

A reader named Pam contacted a friend in Pakistan who identified the dish as gajraila, and said it can also be served as dessert. Basmati rice, carrots, milk, cardamom pods and sugar are cooked until very soft. Just before serving a few drops of warm rose essence (kewra) are added along with grated almonds, coconut and pistachios.

The recipe here was recommended by K. Ghouri, who said he happened upon it while trying to find Americanized versions of Pakistani dishes for friends. It’s from “Endangered Recipes” by Lari Robling (Stewart, Taboori & Chang, $17.95). The cookbook, by the way, is a personal favorite among this year’s offerings, showcasing nearly forgotten recipes dishes such as Welsh rarebit, Parker House rolls and green goddess dressing.

I liked this best warm. I grated the carrots very fine with a food processor, and found the pudding got thick without extra mashing.

PAKISTANI CARROT PUDDING (Gajraila)

1 (4 cups) quart milk

1/4 cup basmati or Carolina long-grain rice

1 pound carrots, scrubbed and grated

1/2 cup sugar (or more, depending on sweetness of the carrots)

3/4 teaspoon ground cardamom

1/2 cup golden raisins

1/4 cup shelled pistachios

Combine milk and rice in a medium saucepan, and set aside 30 minutes to soak. Add grated carrots, sugar and cardamom, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 1 1/2 hours, scraping down the sides of the pan and stirring occasionally to keep rice from sticking. If a thick pudding is desired, mash some of the mixture with a potato masher or immersion blender. Add raisins and taste for sweetness, adding more sugar if desired. Cook 30 minutes longer, stirring every so often. When pudding is done, transfer to a 1-quart serving dish or individual ramekins and sprinkle with pistachios. Serve warm or chilled. Makes 3 cups, 6 servings.

Per serving: 293 calories (23 percent from fat), 7.9 g fat (3.4 g saturated, 2.6 g monounsaturated), 6.3 mg cholesterol, 8.1 g protein, 50.1 g carbohydrates, 3.4 g fiber, 119.2 mg sodium.

BAKE-OFF FAVES

In another installment of our Pillsbury Bake-Off showcase, Karen Lanzer of Kure Beach, N.C., shared a the wonderful, short-cut caramel-roll recipe here. Very similar to monkey bread, it the grand prize winner in the 1976 Bake-Off.

CRESCENT CARAMEL SWIRL

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter

1/2 cup chopped nuts

3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar

2 (8-ounce) cans refrigerated crescent rolls

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Melt butter in a small (1-quart) saucepan. Coat bottom and sides of a 12-cup bundt pan with 2 tablespoons of the melted butter, and sprinkle on 3 tablespoons of the nuts. Add remaining nuts, brown sugar and 1 tablespoon water to the saucepan, and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Boil 1 minute, stirring constantly.

Remove dough from cans; do not unroll. Cut each long roll into 4 slices (for a total of 16 slices). Arrange 8 slices, cut side down, in the nut-lined pan. Separate each pinwheel slightly. Spoon half the brown sugar mix over dough. Place remaining dough slices over bottom layer and spoon on remaining brown sugar. Bake at 350 degrees for 23 to 33 minutes.

Cool for 3 minutes and invert onto a serving platter. Serve warm. Makes 12 rolls.

Per roll: 283 calories (43 percent from fat), 13.9 g fat (5.8 g saturated, 3.9 g monounsaturated), 20.3 mg cholesterol, 4.9 g protein, 36.2 g carbohydrates, 2.2 g fiber, 221.6 mg sodium.

Q: I would like to get the recipe for the tangy tomato salad dressing that Outback restaurants serve. I have tried to duplicate it without success.

-Robin, Key West, Fla.

A: The Outback does not release its proprietary recipes. An Internet search turned up lots of copycat versions, but they all seemed to start with ketchup, onion powder and a lot of sugar or corn syrup and in some cases a lot of oil. Since this is billed as a fat-free, low-calorie dressing, I knew those were off the mark, so I experimented and came up with the one here – a zesty, fat-free take on Catalina-style dressing. You may use a sugar substitute as long as it is heat stable.

SLEUTH’S CORNER

Q: When I was a child my mother would buy the most amazing chocolate cakes that were decorated with pecans around the edge from a bakery that was in the Town and Country shopping center on Kendall Drive in Miami. I was wondering if there is any way of finding the recipe and if anyone remembers the name of the bakery.

-Annie R., Miami

TANGY TOMATO SALAD DRESSING

1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes with roasted garlic and onion

1/4 cup sugar, or to taste

1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1 teaspoon cayenne

1/4 cup lemon juice

Salt and additional lemon juice to taste

Puree tomatoes in a blender or food processor. Add the remaining ingredients and pulse to mix thoroughly. Transfer to a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook, stirring often, about 5 minutes, until dressing thickens. Remove from heat, taste for seasoning and add salt, pepper, sugar and/or lemon juice as desired. (I added a teaspoon of horseradish for extra kick.) Chill. Makes about 1 1/2 cups, 12 (2-tablespoon) servings.

Per tablespoon: 28 calories (3 percent from fat), 0.1 g fat (0 saturated, 0 monounsaturated), 0 cholesterol, 0.4 g protein, 7 g carbohydrates, 0.5 g fiber, 78 mg sodium.

It’s 106 degrees. I think I’ll make soup.

Yes, soup.

The hotter-than-hot days we’ve been enduring lately don’t lend themselves to much, except sitting on the couch, watching Food Network, waiting for the heat to be over.

Moving is optional. Cooking is unthinkable.

But everyone’s gotta eat. So, after a few nights of sandwiches for dinner, I got my act together and cooked something. My editor, who ever so politely asked that I pick a cold soup for this week’s column, gave me the recipe – chilled carrot soup with dill.

The upside: It was sooo refreshing. The downside: I had to turn on the stove.

The recipe came from a book titled “300 Sensational Soups.” It looked like the perfect summer meal – healthy, light and flavorful. The carrot juice and cardamom promised sweetness; the lemon juice and ginger promised tang and spice.

When I braved the heat and went to the store all that promise went out the window. They didn’t have carrot juice. Cardamom cost $11.49 per bottle. What was I thinking?

I sent my husband to a second store for the carrot juice – and the white wine, which I forgot to buy in my heat-induced stupor – and set about making the soup.

Prep was easy, just a bit of slicing. I used the immersion blender to puree the soup, which took about three minutes.

I pretended not to notice the part of the recipe where it said to simmer for 20 minutes. There was no way I was going to keep the stove on that long.

Still, the finished product was everything you could hope for in a summer soup. Not too rich, not too creamy, but silky and sweet, with just the right amount of spice.

This recipe is a winner. Too bad you have to turn on the stove.

CHILLED CARROT SOUP WITH DILL

Serves: 4

This recipe is from “300 Sensational Soups,” by Carla Snyder and Meredith Deeds (Robert Rose, $23.95).

Ingredients:

1/4 cup unsalted butter

1 onion, sliced

1 pound carrots, thinly sliced

1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom

1/3 cup dry white wine

1 knob gingerroot (about 1 inch), minced

2 cups carrot juice

2 cups chicken stock

1/2 teaspoon salt

Pinch freshly ground black pepper

2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/4 cup snipped fresh dill

Instructions:

In a heavy saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion and saute until softened, about six minutes. Add carrots and cardamom; saute for two minutes. Add wine and ginger; cook until wine has evaporated, about five minutes. Add carrot juice, chicken stock, salt and pepper; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer gently until carrots are tender, about 20 minutes.

Using an immersion blender, or in a food processor or blender in batches, puree soup until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and stir in lemon juice. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, if necessary. Cover and refrigerate until cold, about three hours. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary.

Ladle into chilled bowls and garnish with dill.

Bee staff writer Kerry McCray can be reached at 578-2358 or at kmccray@modbee.com.