Freezer Espresso Mascarpone Cake

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Ingredients:

• 3 cups heavy cream divided
• 9 tablespoons sugar divided
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 9 ounces mascarpone cheese
• 1 9 ounce box chocolate wafers
• 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder
• nonstick cooking spray for pan
• chocolate for garnish
• plain espresso beans for garnish
• fresh mint sprig for garnish

Steps:

• Beat 2 cups heavy cream with 6 tbsp sugar with a mixer 4 minutes
• Reduce speed to medium and add mascarpone extracts mix until well blended
• Spray a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray
• Layer 1 1/4 c mascarpone mix on bottom of pan
• Spread a layer of chocolate biscuits about 14 over
• Repeat layer of mascarpone and wafers finish with a layer of mascarpone
• Cover with foil and freeze for 1 hour
• Transfer to refrigerator and chill for 8 hrs or overnight
• Pulse remaining wafers in a processor until finely ground
• Beat remaining 1 cup cream with espresso powder and 3 tbsp sugar until whipped to stiff peaks 3 minutes or so
• Remove foil and pan from cake
• Frost all over with espresso cream
• Sprinkle edges with wafer crumbs
• Serve cold
• Garnish with mint leaves and espresso beans optional

Fu Ju Fermented Tofu or Bean Curd

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Ingredients:

• 8 slices fresh firm tofu 3 x 3 x 3/4-inch
• 1 teaspoon crushed dried chili
• 1/2 teaspoon szechuan peppercorns
• 1/2 teaspoon fennel seed
• 3 tablespoons fine salt
• 1/2 cup shaoshing rice wine or 1/2 cup dry sherry

Steps:

• Press the bean curd for 2 hours Dry with towels and cut into 9 pieces Use a very thin 5 to 6 inch bamboo or wooden skewer thread 4 small squares of curd onto each Leave space between eachd Place in covered steamer pot in well aired room for 2 to 4 days Trust me you want it well aired It will develop a orangish yellow mold and have a slippery appearance and strong odor
• Grind the crushed peppers peppercorns and fennel Add salt and mix well then pour into a dish Carefully take a skewer and sprinkle seasoning mix over all of the fermented curd Repeat until done
• Put into a wide-mouth jar and pull out skewers carefully Pour wine to cover and sprinkle salt mix on top Cover in keep in refrigerator IT will be ready to use in a week and will keep indefinitely
• NOTE this is highly seasoned Use small portions If wine is too strong use salt dissolved in water It may be made without the spices and just the salt

Khatta Channa a Punjabi Indian Speciality Chickpeas Dish

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Ingredients:

• 100 g black channa washed and soaked in plenty of waterovernight black chickpeas NOT white chickpeas
• 2 tablespoons pure wesson canola oil
• 1/4 teaspoon asafoetida powder
• 1/4 teaspoon ground fenugreek
• 1/2 teaspoon coriander powder
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1/2 teaspoon red chili powder
• salt
• 1 tablespoon gram flour
• 1/2 cup tamarind juice
• 2 1/2-3 cups water
• 1 tablespoon mango powder amchur

Steps:

• Soak the black channa overnight in a large bowl with lots of water
• The water level should be atleast 3 inches above the level of the black channachickpeas
• The next morning drain out the water completely and wash the channa in a bowl of fresh and clean water
• Now put the washed channa in a large pot
• Add watershould be 2-3 inches over the level of the chickpeas
• Boil the chickpeas on high heat
• Heat oil in a pot
• Add asafoetida fenugreek corriander turmeric and red chilli powders with salt to taste
• Mix well and stir-fry for a few seconds
• Prepare tamarind water by dissolving a lemon-sized piece of tamarind in 1/2 cup of HOT water
• Squeeze the tamarind ball really hard to let its juices flow into the water
• Pass this through a strainer and into a bowl
• Your tamarind water is ready
• In a bowl dissolve the gramflour in 3 tbsps
• of water
• Mix this really well ensuring that no lumps remain
• Add this mixture and the tamarind water to the pot containing all the spice powdersmasalas
• Stir well and bring to a boil
• Lower flame add the boiled chickpeas dry mango powder and 2 1/2- 3 cups of water
• Boil for 10-15 minutes on medium flame
• Remove from flame
• Serve hot over a bowl of white long-grain Basmati rice
• Enjoy

Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes

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Ingredients:

• 3 whole garlic heads
• 1/2 cup pure olive oil
• sea salt
• fresh ground pepper
• 2 lbs yukon gold potatoes
• 1 -1 1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
• 1 tablespoon garlic paste
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream to taste
• sea salt preferably gray sea salt
• fresh ground black pepper

Steps:

• The night before cube the potatoes and put them in a large saucepan with salted cold water and place in the refrigerator overnight
• Roast the garlic Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F peel the outermost layers of skin off the heads of garlic; cut off the top 1/3 of the heads to open the cloves and heat olive oil in a large oven-safe saute pan over medium heat; Add garlic and saute for about 10 minutes; Season with salt and pepper and transfer pan to the oven to roast for 15 minutes; Remove from heat and let cool
• For the garlic paste Pop garlic cloves from their skins and place cloves in a blender along with any olive oil left in the pan; Puree until smooth; you should have a paste-like consistency
• For the potatoes The next day add some more salt and then bring to a boil over high heat
• Cook until tender about 10 minutes
• Drain well place potato cubes in a food mill and grind to remove skins
• Alternatively smash the potatoes with a large fork or potato masher
• Heat 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat until the butter stops foaming and turns a light brown
• Add the garlic paste and cook quickly
• Add the cream season to taste with salt and pepper and bring to a boil
• Reduce the heat to low and fold in potatoes with a wooded spoon or large whisk
• Add the remaining butter by tablespoons until taste suits you stirring after each addition
• Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve