Ingredients

-6 ounces green beans, strings removed and cut in half
-13 ounces chayote (vegetable pear/choko), peeled, cut in half to remove core, and cut into 1/8-inch slices
-14 ounces fresh peas, shelled
-14 ounces potatoes, peeled and sliced
For the Fritters:
-10 ounces carrots, peeled and sliced
-1 egg
-1 tablespoon queso anejo or dry feta cheese, shredded
-1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
-1/2 cup all-purpose flour
-1/2 cup vegetable oil
For the Chile Sauce:
-2 1/2 ancho chiles, stems removed, seeded, deveined, toasted briefly over direct flame, and soaked
-1 1/2 cups water
-1/2 tablespoon cider vinegar
-Pinch ground cumin
-3 1/2 queso anejo or dry feta cheese, crumbled
-1 onion, halved and sliced

Directions

Cook the green beans, chayote, peas, and potatoes seperately in boiling, salted water until tender.

FOR THE FRITTERS:
Puree the carrots in a blender with the egg, cheese and salt to taste. Remove to a bowl and mix in the flour. Using your hands, form 10 flattish, round fritters with the mixture and fry in the oil over high heat for approximately 2 minutes on each side. Drain on paper towels.

Place the chiles in a blender with the water, vinegar, cumin, and salt. Blend until very smooth.

In an oiled serving dish approximately 10x6x2 inches, layer the potatoes, chayote, green beans, carrot, fritters and peas. Cover with half the chile sauce, repeat the layers, and finish with the remaining sauce.

Garnish with the cheese and onion, and serve.

Ingredients

-½ a small red onion
-1-2 fresh red chillies
-3 ripe avocados
-1 bunch of fresh coriander
-6 ripe cherry tomatoes
-2 limes, juice from
-extra virgin olive oil
-sea salt
-freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Peel the onion and deseed 1 chilli, then roughly chop it all on a large board. Destone the avocados and scoop the flesh onto the board.

Start chopping it all together until fine and well combined. Pick over most of the coriander leaves, roughly chop and add the tomatoes, then continue chopping it all together.

Add the juice from 1 lime and 1 tablespoon of oil, then season to taste with salt, pepper and lime juice. Deseed, finely chop and scatter over the remaining chilli if you want more of a kick, pick over the reserved coriander leaves, then serve.

Ingredients

For the caramel :
-6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus more for pan
-3/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
-1/4 cup honey
-1 1/4 cups sliced or slivered almonds, lightly toasted
For the cake :
-1 1/4 cups cake flour (not self rising)
-1/2 cup cocoa powder, preferably Dutch-processed
-1 teaspoon baking soda
-1/2 teaspoon salt
-1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
-1 1/2 cups sugar
-3 large eggs
-1 cup buttermilk
-1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions

Prepare the topping: Generously butter a 10-inch round nonstick cake pan. Pour 6 tablespoons melted butter into the cake pan and swirl to coat the bottom; sprinkle in brown sugar. Drizzle honey over sugar and sprinkle evenly with almonds.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Prepare the cake: Sift flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt together three times to make the cake extra light. Place butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat until smooth and fluffy. Add sugar and continue mixing. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Continue beating until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. With the mixer running on low speed, add a third of the dry ingredients and mix to combine. Add half the buttermilk and continue mixing. Add another third of the dry ingredients, mix, and add remaining buttermilk and vanilla. Add remaining dry ingredients and mix until smooth. Pour the batter into the pan.

Bake until set in the center and springy, 45 to 55 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of the pan and immediately invert the pan onto a serving platter. Let it sit with the pan still on top for 5 minutes so the caramel can soak into the cake a bit, before removing the pan. If the topping is sticking to the pan, warm the pan surface over a low burner to loosen the caramel and then pour it over the cake. Let cool completely. Cut into wedges with a serrated knife.

Ingredients

-3 pounds chicken wings, cut at the joint
-4 tablespoons butter
-4 tablespoons hot sauce (preferred brand: Frank’s Red Hot)
-1/4 cup fig preserves

From your pantry:
-Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Heat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a rimmed sheet tray with foil and lightly spritz with nonstick spray.
Add the wings to the prepared sheet tray and season on both sides with salt and pepper. Bake until golden and crisp, 45 to 50 minutes, flipping the wings halfway through baking.
Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small saucepan. Add the hot sauce and fig preserves and stir until melted together. Simmer over medium heat, until just thickened, about 2 minutes.
Place wings into a large bowl, drizzle with the sauce and toss.

Ingredients

-6 large hard-boiled eggs, peeled and sliced in half
-1/3 cup whipped cream cheese
-2 teaspoons capers, drained and finely chopped
-2 teaspoons minced red onion
-6 thin slices of smoked salmon (from a 4-ounce package of Nova Scotia Lox)
-Dill, for garnish
-Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Remove yolks, place them in a medium bowl and mash with a fork.
Stir in the cream cheese, capers and onion. Season the mixture with salt and pepper.
Fill eggs with yolk filling.
Cut each thin slice of lox in half and drape over egg.
Garnish with a plush of dill.

Tip: To hard boil eggs: Add eggs to a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil and turn off heat. Cover with lid and let sit in the hot water for 10 minutes. Rinse under cold water to cool, then peel.

Ingredients

-1 tablespoon olive oil
-6 ounces lean ground turkey
-3 tablespoon diced red onion
-1 small carrot, peeled and diced
-1 tablespoon curry powder
-1/4 cup frozen peas
-2 sheets puff pastry, thawed
-1 large egg, beaten
-Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add turkey and saute, breaking up with the back of a wooden spoon until browned and crumbly, about 5 minutes. Add the onion and carrot and continue to cook for 3 minutes, until softened. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle in the curry powder and cook for 1 minute, until fragrant. Add 1/2 cup water, and cook until mixture is almost dry, about 4-5 minutes. Toss in the frozen peas and stir until warmed. Remove mixture to a bowl and cool completely.

Lightly dust your work surface with flour. Unfold the puff pastry and cut along the seam to make 3 equal pieces. Cut each long strip in half to make 6 rectangles. Repeat with the second sheet of pastry for a total of 12.

Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment. Lay 6 rectangles on the parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush the edges with the beaten egg. Divide the filling between the 6 rectangles. Top each with an evenly sized piece of puffed pastry, press the edges to seal, then use the tines of a fork to crimp the edges.

Place in the freezer for 10 minutes to firm. Heat oven to 400 degrees F.

Bake for 20 minutes, until golden and bubbly around the edges.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons cooking oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger
1 jalapeno pepper, seeds and ribs removed, chopped
1 tablespoon curry powder
3/4 cup canned low-sodium chicken broth or homemade stock
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/3 pounds in all), cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 apple, preferably Granny Smith, peeled, cored, and diced
2 plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1/4 cup canned unsweetened coconut milk or heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro (optional)
1/2 pound vermicelli

Directions

In a large nonstick frying pan, heat the oil over moderately low heat. Add the onion and saute, stirring occasionally, until it begins to soften, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger and jalapeno and cook, stirring, for 1 minute longer. Stir in the curry powder and then the chicken broth. Bring the liquid to a simmer. Stir in the cubed chicken, cover the pan, and remove it from the heat. Let the chicken steam in the hot broth until almost done, about 5 minutes. Add the apple, tomatoes, coconut milk, salt and the cilantro, if using. Simmer gently until the sauce thickens slightly, about 3 minutes.
In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the vermicelli until just done, about 9 minutes. Drain the pasta and toss with the curry sauce.