EMPTY NESTERS' RECIPES

Mashed Potatoes (6 as a side dish)

1 cup whipping cream                          
½ cup “chicken” stock  
½ c coarsely grated peeled fresh horseradish
2 3/4 lbs. russet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1” pieces

Combine cream, stock and horseradish in heavy large saucepan. Bring to boil; reduce heat to low, simmer until horseradish is tender, about 15 mins.

Meanwhile, cook potatoes in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender, about 15 mins. Drain. Return to same pot. Add horseradish mixture; mash until smooth. Season with salt, pepper. Put onions on top before serving.

Caramelized Onions

¼ c butter
2¼ lb. white onions
½ T. fresh thyme, crumbled

Melt 1/4 cup butter in large skillet over medium heat. Add onions; sauté until deep golden, about 30 minutes. Add vinegar and thyme. Reduce heat to low; sauté 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

             Salmon with Pistachio Basil Butter - SERVES 4

¼ cup pistachios                               1 teaspoon lime juice
10-15 basil leaves                             ½ cup white wine
3-4 cloves garlic, mashed                4 (6 oz. each) salmon fillets
½ cup butter

In food processor, combine butter, pistachios, garlic, basil and lime juice. Season with salt and pepper.  Refrigerate.

Preheat oven to 400o.  Put salmon in a buttered baking dish that’s about 13” X 9” in size; cover with wine. Season with salt and pepper. Bake till fish is opaque--about 10 minutes Place 2-3 T of the butter mixture on each piece of salmon. Continue baking until done in center, about 5 minutes or more (depending on thickness of your salmon).   Garnish with additional basil leaves. 

BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE CAKE

8 oz bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped      
10 T (1¼ sticks) unsalted butter, cut into pieces                                 
4 large eggs, separated  
2/3 cup sugar  
3½T flour                                                               
Powdered sugar

Prep - Preheat oven to 325o°F. Line bottom of 9” cake pan with 2” sides with waxed paper. Butter sides of pan and paper. Dust pan with flour. Melt chocolate and butter in the top of a double boiler over simmering water, stirring until smooth. Cool slightly.

Whisk yolks and sugar in large bowl until pale yellow. Mix in flour, then chocolate mixture. Using electric mixer, beat whites in another bowl until stiff but not dry. Fold into chocolate mixture. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake until toothpick inserted into center comes out with only a few moist crumbs attached, about 25 mins. Cool completely in pan on rack.  Run small sharp knife around sides of pan to loosen cake. Turn cake out onto platter; cool. (Can be made 8 hours ahead. Cover with cake dome; let stand at room temp.) Sift powered sugar over cake and serve.

Rum Raisin Bread Pudding with Caramel Sauce (Serves 8)

1 1-lb. loaf chunky cinnamon raisin bread, cut into thick slices
6 large eggs
2 cups half-and-half
2 T dark rum

 Sauce:
¼ cup dark rum
½ cup raisins
1 ¼ cup sugar
¼ cup water
1/3 cup heavy whipping cream, warmed

 Preheat oven to 350o.  Butter a 9”x13” baking dish.  Layer bread slices in dish.

Directions for bread: In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, half-and-half, and rum.  Pour mixture over the bread, pushing down the bread with the back of a spoon to allow bread to absorb as much liquid as possible.

Set baking dish inside a larger, shallow pan or a second, larger, baking dish.  Pour hot tap water into the outer pan until it reaches halfway up the sides of the inner pan.  Bake until custard is set, about 45 minutes.  Carefully remove pan from oven.  Serve warm with sauce.

Directions for sauce:  In a saucepan, warm rum and raisins.  Remove from heat and let soak for about 20 minutes.

In a heavy saucepan, combine sugar and water.  Stir over medium heat until sugar is dissolved, brushing down sides of pan with a wet pastry brush if sugar crystals develop.  Increase heat; boil without stirring, continuing to brush down crystal until syrup turns amber, about 10 minutes.  Remove from heat.  Slowly and carefully add a little of the cream to stop the cooking.  Add remaining cream.  Stir in rum and raisins.  Sauce will be very hot:  Allow to cool and thicken, at least five minutes, before serving.  (CAN BE MADE UP TO A WEEK IN ADVANCE)

 NOTE - From Kashrut.com:  Bacardi (unflavored varieties) is acceptable without a hechsher on the label.