Fare Exchange: ‘Sinful’ chocolate, cheesy crescents and upside-down ‘taters

Good morning, good company of readers. In the waning week of March there is plenty of food talk. We’ve got questions about radishes, gin-raisin potions, foods for the gluten sensitive (as opposed to gluten intolerant), kale soup, braised meats, trout dishes and sous-vide methods. What variety, what variety.

This may be the first ever request for radish recipes, though radishes featured prominently and colorfully in a Blue Apron meal not long ago. Lucy Boyd is hoping “to have a recipe in which radishes are a main ingredient, but that takes out some of the hot flavor.”

An anonymous writer wants the specifics about gin-and-raisins mixed to treat arthritis.

N G., whom we encountered at Aldi this week, asked wistfully for “recipes for the gluten-sensitive diet.” She was stocking up on vegetables and fruits as we spoke.

And then there was a round table in a certain cafeteria where I sat down in the very middle of a food discussion. One man, obviously an expert on organic foods, began to talk about the kale soup he and his wife prepared. It was finished, of all things, with a little apple, not too sweet but a definite flavor enhancer.

He also spoke of a trout recipe, again most healthful, that would also be welcome in this column.

Then his colleague across the table declared that he was doing nothing but braising meats lately, to his family’s great satisfaction. Another colleague discussed the cooking method popular in her family of late, sous-vide, a French term that means “vacuum.”

Having reported all this, I now hope you will supply some details on these topics. And, as for the ones around that round table, I would be delighted to get recipes from you, as would all who read Fare Exchange.

CHOCOLATE

Ginny Gaines answered the chocolate call with two recipes. “The first one was introduced to me in this way: ‘Go ahead and sin a little.’ I would add to that comment that the recipe is ‘killer excellent.’ There are 490 calories per serving.”

Go Ahead and Sin Chocolate Dessert

1 pound bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

1 cup unsalted butter

cup chocolate, hazelnut or coffee liqueur (I did coffee liqueur)

1 teaspoons vanilla

7 eggs at room temperature (required)

1 cup granulated sugar

Confectioner’s sugar

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-inch, deep-sided springform pan, line with parchment paper and butter the parchment.

In a large saucepan, simmer bittersweet chocolate, butter and liqueur. When mixture is melted and smooth, stir in vanilla extract. Set aside to cool.

Beat eggs with granulated sugar over medium heat for 5 minutes or until fluffy. Gradually add eggs to chocolate mixture. Spoon batter into pan. Bake for about 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted into center comes out with a few crumbs attached. Cool for 1 hour in pan and then loosen springform and remove. When cool, sprinkle cake with confectioners’ sugar. Store in refrigerator. Makes 12 servings.

Ms. Gaines continued, “The second recipe I actually have baking in my oven right now. This is a lighter version with only 294 calories per serving.”

Fudgy Sheet Cake

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa (sifted)

1/2 cup boiling water

2 cups sifted cake flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1/3 cup vegetable shortening

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 large eggs

1 cup low-fat buttermilk

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a 9-by-13-inch baking dish by coating with cooking spray.

Combine 1/2 cup cocoa and boiling water in a small bowl. Let cool.

Combine flour, baking soda and salt with shortening. Set aside. Beat shortening and sugar with a mixer at medium speed until well blended, then add vanilla. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in cocoa mixture. Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture and beating well after each addition.

Pour into prepared pan. Bake 30 to 35 minutes.

Cool in pan 10 minutes. Cover with the following icing.

Icing

1 1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar

3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa

2 tablespoons low fat

1 teaspoon butter, melted

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Definitely ice this cake while still warm. It’s a lighter version of those wonderful Texas sheet cakes that we’ve all enjoyed over the years.

CHEESY CRESCENTS

We are grateful to Barbara Mann for this easy and cheesy contribution to the crescent roll collection.

Cheesy Crescent Rolls

1 can refrigerated crescent rolls

8 mini BabyBel cheese wheels

Non-stick spray

Spray 8 muffin tin cups with non-stick spray.

Unroll crescent rolls into 8 triangles. Wrap each around one BabyBel wheel. Bake in muffin tin cups at 375 degrees about 11 minutes or until golden. Crescents may be lightly sprinkled with garlic powder.

FOOD ‘N’ FLOWERS

There is a very real connection between food and flowers, and that connection is hospitality. So it’s no surprise that one can sometimes purchase the Clay Pot “Recipes of the Week” cookbook at Joe Jumper’s creative flower emporium, the Clay Pot in Riverview.

Here are two recipes from that book:

Billie’s Upside-Down Parmesan Potatoes

8 to 10 red potatoes, medium-size

1 stick butter or margarine

1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Wash potatoes and cut once lengthwise.

Melt butter in a 9-by-13-inch dish. Sprinkle shredded Parmesan cheese over melted butter. Place potatoes cut side down in dish.

Bake uncovered for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Remove with spatula. Flip bottom side up and serve, adding salt and pepper to taste.

Broccoli Salad

1 head broccoli, washed and chopped

1 small onion, chopped

1 cup raisins

cup mayonnaise

1 to 2 tablespoons sugar

1 to 2 tablespoons vinegar

Your choice of bacon crumbles, sliced almonds or sunflower seeds

Put broccoli, onion and raisins in a bowl. Mix mayonnaise, sugar and vinegar together and add to broccoli mixture.

Top salad with your choice of bacon, almonds or sunflower seeds. Serve cold.

Thank you for the lovely and varied recipes in this column, and thank you in advance for more of same.