Leticia Moreinos Schwartz | The Brazilian Kitchen | Kyle Books, 2010 | Makes about 30 rolls

A soft, chewy bread roll infused with cheese flavor, pão de queijo is Brazil’s favorite savory snack, and an excellent recipe to add to your repertoire. Try your best to use both types of manioc starches (see Note below) called for in the recipe. The combination of the two is what gives the cheese bread its incredible, gooey, chewy texture. The recipe will not work if you use only sour manioc starch. A couple of my reliable online sources are ipanemagirl.net and amigofoods.com.

You can prepare the recipe ahead of time and freeze the little rolls of dough, unbaked, for up to 3 months. Just pop them in the oven directly from the freezer, and in 12 to 15 minutes you’ll have deliciously cheesy treats!—Leticia Moreinos Schwartz

convert Ingredients
2 cups finely grated fresh Parmesan (or Pecorino Romano)
2 large eggs plus 2 large egg yolks
1 1/4 cups sour manioc starch (povilho azedo; see sources in headnote)
3/4 cup manioc starch or sweet manioc starch (povilho doce; see sources in headnote)
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Pinch of ground nutmeg
Pinch of cayenne pepper
Pinch of black pepper

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Method
1. Place the Parmesan in the bowl of a food processor. Add the eggs and yolks and blend until you have a smooth paste, about 1 minute.

2. Place the two types of manioc starch and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.

3. Place the milk, water, and oil in a small saucepan, and bring to a boil. Immediately pour the milk mixture into the starch mixture, all at once, and turn the machine on at low speed. Mix until the dough is smooth and the starch is completely incorporated, about 2 minutes.

4. Pause the machine and add the cheese-egg paste, scraping it directly into the manioc starch mixture. Add the nutmeg, cayenne, and black pepper, and mix the dough at low speed until it turns a pale yellow, about 10 minutes. You are trying to develop the structure of the dough by kneading it slowly. The dough should feel a bit sticky and moist.

5. Transfer the dough to a bowl, cover it with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight.

6. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

7. Lightly coat your hands with olive oil (or flour them with manioc starch), pinch off walnut-size pieces of dough, and roll them between your palms. Alternately, you can use an ice-cream scooper to make 1-inch balls. Place them on the parchment, leaving 1 1/2 to 2 inches between the rolls.

8. Bake the cheese rolls in the oven until they puff up and are lightly golden brown, 12 to 14 minutes. To ensure even cooking, rotate the pan once during baking time.

9. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and place the rolls in a basket lined with a napkin. Serve immediately, while they are still at their warmest and chewiest.

Note: According to Leticia Moreinos Schwartz, “When it comes to shopping for manioc starch, it’s extremely confusing.” She isn’t kidding. Here, she explains what you need to know when sourcing this traditional—and essential—Brazilian ingredient.

Sour manioc starch (poviho azedo) and manioc starch (also known as sweet manioc starch or poviho doce) are both extracted from yucca. The difference is that sour manioc starch undergoes a natural fermentation process. As a result, manioc starch (the sweet one) has a much finer consistency and more delicate texture than sour manioc starch. You can’t substitute one for the other, as they bring different flavors and textures to baked goods. The real confusion begins when different American brands call these products different names.

A few useful terms and translations from Leticia:

sour manioc starch = povilho azedo
No American brand makes sour manioc starch, which is the most important ingredient in this recipe for pão de queijo. But it can be ordered online.

manioc starch = sweet manioc starch = povilho doce
Goya calls it tapioca starch but Bob’s Red Mill calls it tapioca flour If you use only povilho doce, whether it is from Goya, Bob Red Mill, or even the Brazilian brand, the recipe for pão de queijo won’t work.

manioc flour = farinha de mandioca
This is a completely different type of flour, although it, too, is extracted from the yucca. Think of it as bread crumbs. This is used to make farofa. Although they sound similar, don’t mistake manioc flour for manioc starch.

In terms of Brazilian brands for manioc starch, Gloriasul is Leticia’s favorite, which can be found at ipanemagirl.net. But she cautions that if ordering Amafil’s sour manioc starch from the site please note it’s incorrectly labeled as “sweet manioc starch.” If you look at the photo, the package says Povilho Azedo (sour manioc starch).

Recipe © 2010 Leticia Moreinos Schwartz. Photo © 2010 Ben Fink. All rights reserved.
© 2010 Leite’s Culinaria, Inc. All rights reserved. Terms of use.

Tori Ritchie | Party Appetizers: Small Bites, Big Flavor | Chronicle Books, 2004 | Makes 40 to 50 gougères

Making pâte á choux was one of the first things I learned in cooking school, and I’ve had the pastry formula rattling around in my head ever since. When flavored with cheese and baked, it puffs into addictive gougère. The French tend to make theirs with Gruyère, I use Cheddar, and either way they beg to be eaten with Pinot Noir. For parties. I make one-bite gougères and people tend to eat 3 or 4. You can also split these and fill them with chicken, ham, or lobster salad for substantial hors d’oeuvres.—Tori Ritchie

convert Ingredients
1 cup water
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
4 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 1/2 cups (about 6 ounces) shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons minced fresh chives

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Method
1. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. Put the water, butter, and salt in a medium, heavy saucepan and place over medium-high heat. Cook, swirling the pan a few times until the butter melts; once it has melted, increase the heat to high and bring the mixture to a rolling boil. Turn off the heat and dump in the flour. Beat the mixture with a wooden spoon until it starts to pull away from the sides of the pan.

3. Take the pan off the stove, set it on a counter or hot pad, and let it cool, without stirring, for 5 minutes.

4. Now, work in the eggs, 1 at a time, beating the mixture well with the spoon after each addition (you have to put some muscle into it to incorporate the eggs fully). With each addition, the dough should look glossy and slick at first, then stick to the sides of the pan before you add the next egg. After beating in the last egg, beat in the dry mustard and cayenne, then the cheese and chives.

5. Scoop up a heaping teaspoon of dough and with another spoon, push it off onto the paper-lined baking sheet (it should form a mound about 1 inch in diameter). Continue with the remaining dough, leaving an inch of space between the gougères (work in batches as necessary, the dough can stand, covered with buttered waxed paper or parchment, for up to 1/2 hour).

6. Bake until the gougères are puffy and light golden, about 25 minutes, switching pan positions halfway through. Remove from oven and let cool slightly before serving, or turn off oven and let gougères remain in oven, with door ajar, for up to 1 hour.

Recipe © 2004 Tori Ritchie. All rights reserved.
© 2009 Leite’s Culinaria, Inc. All rights reserved. Terms of use.

When I came to America to reopen Maxim’s restaurant in Chicago, a supplier sent me iced tea spoons for the restaurant. In France, we don’t drink iced tea, so I had no idea what they were. But I thought the long handles were elegant, and when I opened Everest in Chicago, I created different flavors to serve in the spoons as amuse-bouches. We became famous for the spoons, but after many years of serving them at Everest, I decided to offer them exclusively at the Eiffel Tower Restaurant. Now, when people who have been long-time guests at Everest visit us in Las Vegas, they are reunited with the spoons.—Jean Joho

convert Ingredients
For the cauliflower and caviar spoons
4 cups water
1 1/2 cups chopped cauliflower florets
Kosher salt
2 tablespoons crème fraîche
White peppercorns in a pepper grinder
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 ounce osetra caviar

For the smoked salmon spoons
6 ounces smoked salmon
1 shallot, minced
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
1/2 cup crème fraîche
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup heavy cream
Dill sprigs for garnish
Salmon roe for garnish

For the roquefort and walnut spoons
1 cup (5 ounces) crumbled Roquefort cheese
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 tablespoons Gewürztraminer wine
1/4 cup heavy cream
20 black walnut halves, toasted (see Note)

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Method
Make the cauliflower and caviar spoons
1. Pour the water into an 2-quart saucepan. Add the cauliflower and 1 tablespoon salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat and simmer until tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Drain the cauliflower and return it to the pan. Cook the cauliflower over medium heat, stirring gently, for about 5 minutes to evaporate as much moisture as possible.

2. Transfer to a blender and purée until smooth, turning off the blender and scraping down the sides several times, if necessary, to ensure an even, creamy consistency. Blend in the crème fraîche. Transfer the purée to a bowl and season with salt to taste and 6 grinds of white pepper. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.

3. Before serving, whip the cream in a deep bowl and fold it into the purée. Place the cauliflower mousse in a pastry bag fitted with a 1/4-inch round pastry tip. Pipe the mousse into each of 12 regular or iced tea spoons, and top each serving with a little caviar.

Make the smoked salmon spoons
1. In a food processor, combine the salmon, shallot, horseradish, crème fraîche, white pepper, and salt. Purée until smooth. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 12 hours.

2. Before serving, whip the cream in a deep bowl until it forms stiff peaks. Fold it into the purée. Spoon the mousse into a pastry bag fitted with a 1/4-inch round pastry tip. Pipe the mousse into 12 regular or iced tea spoons, and top each serving with a dill sprig and a little salmon roe.

Make the roquefort and walnut spoons
1. In a food processor, combine the cheese, butter, and wine. Cover and process until smooth. With the machine running, gradually add the cream until smooth.

2. Spoon the mousse into a pastry bag fitted with a 1/4-inch round pastry tip. Pipe the mousse into 12 regular or iced tea spoons and garnish each with a black walnut half.

Note: To toast the nuts spread the nuts evenly on a rimmed baking sheet and toast in a preheated 350°F (175°C) oven for about 5 minutes, or until lightly browned and fragrant. If they need more time, remember to keep checking them every minute; it only takes a moment for them to go from perfectly toasted to burnt.

Recipe © 2008 French Cafe LLC. All rights reserved.
© 2009 Leite’s Culinaria, Inc. All rights reserved. Terms of use.

This Tunisian ragout called maraqat al-zaytun is served as a main course, but because of the convenience of the olives and their size, I think the dish lends itself well to a meze table. This recipe requires large pitted olives preserved in a mild brine, not a strongly flavored one. You’ll notice that this recipe calls for a huge amount of parsley—three to four bunches, and you must trust me that that is not excessive. The tabil (pronounced “table” in Tunisian Arabic) is an all-purpose Tunisian spice mix. The word means “seasoning.” Harissa is the most important prepared condiment used in Tunisian and Algerian cooking. It can also be found in tubes in specialty food stores.—Clifford A. Wright

convert Ingredients
For the tabil
1 large garlic clove, chopped and left to dry in the open air for 2 days, or 2 teaspoons garlic powder
1/4 cup coriander seeds
1 tablespoon caraway seeds
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper

For the harissa
2 ounces mildly hot dried guajillo chiles
2 ounces mild dried Anaheim chiles
5 large garlic cloves, peeled
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for topping off
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground caraway seeds
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground coriander seeds
1 1/2 teaspoons salt

For the olives
1/2 pound ground beef
2 cups finely chopped fresh parsley leaves (3 to 4 bunches)
1 medium-size onion, finely chopped
1 large egg
1 teaspoon Tabil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 pounds pitted large green olives, drained
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons tomato paste mixed with 1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon Harissa
1 1/4 cups water

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Method
Make the tabil
1. In a mortar, pound all the ingredients together until homogenous. Store in the refrigerator if using fresh garlic for up to 2 months, or indefinitely, in a spice container, if using powdered garlic, although the pungency will decline as time goes by. Makes 1/4 cup.

Make the harissa
1. Soak the chiles in tepid water to cover until soft, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Drain and remove the stems and seeds. Place in a food processor with the garlic, water, and olive oil. Process until smooth, stopping occasionally to scrape down the sides.

2. Transfer to a small bowl and stir in the caraway and coriander seeds, and salt. Store in a jar in the refrigerator, covering the surface of the paste with a layer of olive oil. As you use the Harissa, make sure to top it off with a little olive oil so that it is never exposed to the air to prevent spoilage. Properly topped off with olive oil so bacterial growth cannot occur, Harissa can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 6 months. Makes 1 cup.

Prepare the olives
1. In a large bowl, knead together the beef, parsley, onion, egg, tabil, salt, and black pepper. Stuff the olives with this stuffing, using a small, narrow baby spoon or the handle of a teaspoon.

2. In a casserole, preferably earthenware, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat, then add the diluted tomato paste, red pepper flakes, harissa, 1 teaspoon salt, and the water. Bring to a boil and add the olives. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until the meat is done (you’ll need to taste one), about 1 hour.

3. Serve the olives with the sauce if serving this dish as an appetizer at the table or serve with cocktail toothpicks if serving as a passed appetizer.

Recipe © 2003 Clifford A. Wright. All rights reserved.
© 2009 Leite’s Culinaria, Inc. All rights reserved. Terms of use.

Darina Allen | Easy Entertaining | Kyle Books, 2006 | Serves 12 to 16 as an appetizer

This is a simply wonderful standby, miles more impressive than smoked salmon. We use it for canapés, appetizer salads, and as a main course for a light lunch accompanied by pickled cucumber, deliciously runny semi-hard-boiled eggs, and salad greens. It keeps for up to 1 week in the fridge, but I have a feeling it won’t be around that long.

Fresh dill is essential but we also have fun with black peppercorns, coriander seeds, whole grain mustard, vodka…—Darina Allen

convert Ingredients
For the sweet mustard and dill mayonnaise
1 large cage-free, organic egg yolk
2 1/2 tablespoons French mustard
4 teaspoons sugar
2/3 cup peanut or sunflower oil
4 teaspoons white wine vinegar
4 teaspoons finely chopped dill
Salt and freshly ground white pepper

For the gravadlax
1 1/2-to-2 pound tail piece of fresh wild salmon
2 tablespoons sea salt (or kosher salt)
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped dill, plus whole sprigs for garnishing
Sweet Mustard and Dill Mayonnaise
Brown bread and butter, for serving

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Method
Make the sweet mustard and dill mayonnaise
1. In a bowl, whisk the egg yolk with the mustard and sugar. Add the oil, drop by drop, whisking all the time, then add the vinegar and dill and season to taste.

Make the gravadlax
1. Fillet the salmon and remove all the bones with tweezers.

2. In a bowl, mix together the salt, sugar, pepper, and dill. Place the fish on a piece of plastic wrap and scatter the mixture over the surface of the fish.

3. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for a minimum of 24 hours. If you have 2 pieces of fish, place one on top of the other, flesh side together.

To serve
1. Wipe the dill mixture off the salmon and slice thinly, cutting straight down to the skin. Arrange a few slices on a white plate (square for preference) with a zig-zag of the Sweet Mustard and Dill Mayonnaise over the top. Alternatively, arrange in a rosette shape and fill the center of the rosette with the mayonnaise. Garnish with fresh dill.

2. Serve with brown bread and butter.

Recipe © 2005 by Darina Allen. Photo © 2005 Peter Cassidy. All rights reserved.
© 2009 Leite’s Culinaria, Inc. All rights reserved. Terms of use.

These cheesy, buttery gems will likely become a mainstay in your repertoire. Not only are they crispy, rich, and well, addictive, they can be partially made up to a month in advance. That’s because once the dough is made, it can be frozen and simply “cut to order” as you need it. Just be sure to freeze it in small portions so that you don’t have to defrost it all at once. Although these crackers are great plain, you can draw on the age-old “apples and cheddar” theme by topping them with a dollop of apple-butter.—Laura Werlin

convert Ingredients
4 ounces cheddar cheese, coarsely grated
2 ounces Parmesan cheese, finely grated
3/4 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 stick unsalted butter, softened and cut into small pieces
2 tablespoons water, plus more if needed

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Method
1. In the bowl of a food processor, place all the ingredients except the butter and water. Pulse 5 times. Add the butter and pulse again until the butter pieces are the size of BB’s. Add the water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and pulse just until the dough holds together. If the dough is still crumbly, add more water 1 teaspoon at a time until it reaches the right consistency.

2. Turn the dough out onto a large piece of waxed paper. Roll the dough into a log, 9 to 10 inches long, and square off the ends. Refrigerate, well wrapped, for at least 2 hours and up to 2 days or freeze it for up to 1 month. (You may want to cut the log in half or in thirds to freeze if you think you will want to defrost a smaller amount at a time.)

3. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).

4. To make the crackers, cut the log into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Arrange the slices on a baking sheet 1 inch apart. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the crackers are a light golden color. Turn the crackers and bake for 3 to 5 more minutes, or until they are golden around the edges.

5. Cool on a rack. Serve at room temperature.

Recipe © 2003 Laura Werlin. All rights reserved.
© 2009 Leite’s Culinaria, Inc. All rights reserved. Terms of use.

Modern recipes for this venerable Lowcountry shrimp paste dish can be complicated by up to a dozen ingredients. But the traditional ones, which have withstood the test of time and the canned-soup craze, are simple almost to the point of austerity, containing little more than butter and shrimp. To my way of thinking, those are the best, for their apparent simplicity is deceptive; rich, creamy butter is the perfect background for the delicate taste of the tiny inlet shrimp that inhabit our coast. One needs only the barest trace of onion or pepper to point up and enliven the taste; too much of either throws the entire dish out of balance.

Traditionally, shrimp paste appeared mostly on tea tables, supper-party buffets, and at breakfast, where it might be served sliced and lightly fried. Its richness withstands most cocktails, so it translates nicely to a modern cocktail hour, and makes a handsome first course for a summer luncheon. Still, there is nothing to equal a shrimp paste sandwich cut thin and served with a cup of good, hot tea.

The traditional methods for making this shrimp paste are a mortar and pestle or using a meat grinder, and their texture is perhaps more interesting than the smooth paste made by the processor, but the machine makes such short work of it and produces a paste that is so much easier to mold and spread that, just this once, even I will admit to preferring it.—Damon Lee Fowler

convert Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds cooked shrimp, peeled
1/4 pound unsalted butter, softened
2 tablespoons grated shallots or yellow onion
Salt and whole white pepper in a peppermill
Ground cayenne pepper
Biscuits, crisp toast points, or Melba toasts

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Method
1. Fit the bowl of the processor with a steel blade and put in the shrimp. Cover and pulse until coarsely ground.

2. Add the butter and shallots and process until the mixture forms a paste. Don’t over-process it to a mousse consistency: there should still be some texture. Season to taste with salt, a liberal grinding of white pepper, and a pinch or so of cayenne. Pulse a few times to mix the seasonings. Taste and adjust the seasoning and pulse until mixed.

3. Lightly butter a 3-cup metal mold, or two smaller molds, or a small loaf pan. Press the paste firmly into it, making sure there are no pockets of trapped air. Cover with a plate or plastic wrap and chill for several hours until firm.

4. To unmold, stand the mold in a basin of hot water for 1 minute. Loosen the edges with a knife, and invert the mold over a serving plate—the shrimp paste should come out with a couple of firm taps on the top of the mold. Smooth any gaps with a spatula and let it stand until it’s soft enough to spread. Serve with biscuits, toast points, or Melba toasts.

Recipe © 2008 Damon Lee Fowler. All rights reserved.
© 2009 Leite’s Culinaria, Inc. All rights reserved. Terms of use.

From the beginning of December on through the New Year, glögg is served in Swedish homes on every festive occasion or when visitors drop by. A plate of St. Lucia Buns is typically offered with the hot spice wine. Many families also like to serve Glögg after the evening meal, when everyone is sitting around the fire—a plate of Ginger Citrus Cookies makes a great accompaniment.—Marcus Samuelsson

convert Ingredients
2 cinnamon sticks, broken into pieces
1 teaspoon cardamom pods
1 small piece ginger, peeled
Grated zest of 1/2 orange
6 whole cloves
1/2 cup vodka
1 750-ml bottle dry red wine
1 cup ruby port or Madeira
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla sugar (see Note)
1/2 cup blanched whole almonds
1/2 cup dark raisins

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Method
1. Crush the cinnamon and cardamom using a mortar and pestle (or put them on a cutting board and crush them with the bottom of a heavy pot). Put them in a small glass jar and add the ginger, orange zest, cloves, and vodka. Let stand for 24 hours.

2. Strain the vodka through a fine sieve into a large saucepan; discard the spices. Add the red wine, port or Madeira, sugar, vanilla sugar, almonds, and raisins, and heat over medium heat just until bubbles start to form around the edges.

3. Serve the glögg hot in mugs, with a few almonds and raisins in each one; keep any remaining glögg warm over very low heat until ready to serve (do not let boil).

Note: When you are using only the vanilla seeds in a recipe, save the pod for vanilla sugar. One or two are enough to flavor a pound of sugar; freeze extra pods to use later if you like. Simply bury the pod (or pods) in a canister of granulated sugar and let stand for a few days before using. Replenish the sugar as you use it – buried in sugar, the vanilla pod will remain aromatic for a few months or longer. Use the sugar in desserts and sweets, or stir it into hot coffee or chocolate.

Recipe © 2003 Townhouse Restaurant Group. All rights reserved.
© 2009 Leite’s Culinaria, Inc. All rights reserved. Terms of use.