Easy Lemon Curd - I used this in a Christmas Trifle after adding homemade whipped cream. So light and fluffy. But also great on its own.

Lemon Curd

5 egg yolks (save the whites and add to scrambled eggs)

1 c sugar

4 lemons, zested (have you gotten a Microplane yet?) and juiced

1 stick butter, cut into pats and chilled

Set up a double boiler; or, if you don't have one, add enough water to a medium saucepan to come about 1-inch up the side. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.

Meanwhile, combine egg yolks and sugar in a medium size metal or Pyrex bowl (necessary if you don't have a double boiler) and whisk until smooth, about 1 minute. Measure lemon juice and if needed, add enough cold water to reach 1/3 cup (I had more juice than that and used it anyway). Add juice and zest to egg mixture and whisk smooth.

Once water reaches a simmer, reduce heat to low and either pour egg mixture into the top of the double boiler or place the bowl on top of the saucepan (bowl should be large enough to fit on top of saucepan without touching the water, but small enough so that it will fit slightly into the pot and heat the eggs). Whisk until thickened, approximately 8 minutes, or until mixture is light yellow and coats the back of a spoon. Remove promptly from heat and stir in butter a pat at a time, allowing each addition to melt before adding the next.

Remove to a clean container and cover by laying a layer of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the curd (this keeps a skin from forming).

Refrigerate up to 2 weeks.

Easy and Inexpensive Vegetarian Dish!

Bow Tie Pasta with Cauliflower and Butter

1 cauliflower, cut into tiny florets

4 Tblsp unsalted butter (I'm going to try a really good extra-virgin olive oil next time or a mixture of the two)

1/2 c finely chopped fresh Italian parsley (or several Tblsp dried)

2 tsp coarse prepared mustard (or more to taste)

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

1/8 - 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1 lb Bow Tie pasta

1/2 c freshly grated Parmesan, pecorino Romano, or a mixture of the two

1/2 - 1 c pitted Kalamata olives (optional)

1/2 c fresh bread crumbs, toasted till golden (optional)

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Salt generously. Add cauliflower and cook for 3 minutes. Scoop cauliflower into a large pasta bowl. Add butter, parsley, mustard, pepper flakes and cayenne. Tent to keep warm or place in a low oven.

Add pasta to the boiling water; cook till al dente. Drain in a mesh colander; I don't shake it a lot till the pasta is absolutely dry, I prefer it with a bit of the water clinging to the noodle. Add olives if you desire, grind a generous amount of black pepper over all. Toss with cheese and the crumbs (if desired). Taste for salt.

Serve immediately with a green salad.

Very easy, very delicious steak! Buy a really good cut of meat.

Rib-eye Steak au poivre with Balsamic Reduction Serves 4

2 Tblsp whole peppercorns

4 (3/4" thick) bonesless rib-eye steaks

1 Tblsp canola oil

2 T unsalted butter

1/2 c balsamic vinegar

Coarsely smash peppercorns with a mortar & pestle. If you don't have one, try making a packet of peppercorns in waxed paper or such, and smashing with a rolling pin. Pat steaks dry and coat both sides with peppercorns. Season generously with salt.

Heat oil with 1 Tblsp butter in skillet over moderately high heat. Reduce to moderate and cook steaks approximately 4 minutes/side for medium-rare. Transfer to platter.

Add vinegar and deglaze (scrape up all the delicious brown bits in the pan) over high heat. Simmer until reduced by half. Remove from heat and whisk in remaining 1 Tblsp butter. Season with salt if needed and drizzle over steaks.

This mushroom barley soup is from Zingerman's Deli in Ann Arbor, MI.

Mushroom Barley Soup

2 Tblsp dried porcini mushrooms

2 Tblsp butter

1 large onion, thinly sliced

2 ribs celery with leaves, diced

1/4 c chopped Italian parsley

1 carrot, peeled and sliced

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1 lb fresh mushrooms (you can use any type you wish, or a mix), sliced

1 Tblsp flour

2 quarts beef stock or vegetable stock, heated

1 cup quick (10 minute) barley

1-2 tsp salt

Soak dried mushrooms in hot water to cover for half an hour. Strain through cheesecloth, reserving the water. Coarsely chop the mushrooms.

Melt butter in a large soup pot. Sauté onion, celery, parsley, carrot, garlic and fresh mushrooms until soft, about 5 minutes.

Lower heat and add flour, stirring vigorously. Simmer gently, stirring, about 5 minutes. Slowly add heated stock stirring constantly. Turn heat to high, add reserved mushroom water and porcini mushrooms. Add salt to taste. Simmer, covered, about 30 minutes. Add barley and continue simmering, stirring frequently, another 30 minutes or until barley is tender and soup is thickened. Adjust seasonings.

Two types of pickled garlic. Pickled garlic, you ask? Well, it's great to munch as is and add to other dishes; save the brine for salad dressing.

Pickled Garlic with Sweet Red Pepper

1/2 lb garlic, peeled (you can buy them peeled or peel your own*)

1 sweet red bell pepper, chopped

2 cups white vinegar

2/3 cup sugar

1/2 tsp dry mustard

1/2 tsp celery seed

cheesecloth

Place garlic cloves in a medium bowl. Large cloves can be cut in half. Mix in the red pepper.

Mix together the vinegar and sugar in a large saucepan over medium high heat. Wrap the dry mustard and celery seed in cheesecloth and tie off. Add spice packet to vinegar mixture. Bring to a boil, then boil 5 minutes.

Stir in the garlic and red pepper. Continue boiling 5 minutes. Discard spice packet.

Place garlic and peppers in sanitized canning jars** (boil jars in a large pot for 5 minutes or the highest hot setting on your dishwasher) to within 1 inch of the top. Fill with remaining liquid to within 1/4 inch from the top.

Cover and store in the refrigerator approximately 3 weeks before serving***.

* I peel my own fresh garlic, but it is an onerous task. You can buy peeled garlic, but I always question it's freshness/potency.

**Canning jars are cheap and available at most grocery stores or hardware stores. How many you need depends on how much you pickle : ) I generally sterilize 4 pints of jars or 2 pints and 4 1/2 pints so I'm covered for whatever I'm cooking up. I often double up the recipes above and below.

***Brine can be added to salad dressings.

French Pickled Garlic

1/2 cup white wine vinegar

1/2 cup dry white wine (remember, good wine makes good flavor, don't use crappy wine, ever)

1 small dried chile pepper

1 small thyme sprig

1 small rosemary sprig

1 small bay leaf

10 black peppercorns

2 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp pickling salt*

1 cup peeled fresh garlic cloves

Put all ingredients except garlic into a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then gently boil for 5 minutes.

Add garlic, return to a boil, cover the pan, remove from heat, and let sit at room temperature for 24 hours.

Bring the contents of the saucepan to a boil again, then transfer to a sanitized canning jar.

Seal and store in the refrigerator 1 week to one year.

*no iodine or anti-caking agents (so keeps the liquid clear) added, find it next to regular salt

Pork Chops and gravy...one of my boys' favorites.

Braised Pork Chops Serves 6

6 loin pork chops, 1 inch thick (make as many or few as you need, but don't skimp on the gravy)

3 Tblsp canola oil or bacon fat (c'mon...you know which I'd use)

1 large onion, chopped

1 tsp flour (add more if gravy doesn't thicken enough)

1/2 tsp salt (or more to taste)

freshly ground pepper

2 tsp prepared mustard

1 cup beef stock, heated (can substitute partially with white wine or vermouth if desired)

2 Tblsp chopped pickle/pickle relish (I like the sweet type)

In a skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of fat, add chops and brown on both sides. Remove from pan.

Heat remaining fat in pan, add the onion and sauté 3 minutes. Whisk in the flour, salt, pepper and mustard till well blended, being sure to scrape up all the brown bits in the skillet, then gradually add heated stock (deglazing). Stir in chopped pickle or pickle relish and simmer 5 minutes.

Return the chops to the skillet and spoon the sauce over them. Cover and simmer very slowly until the chops are tender, about 30 minutes.

Delicious and easy home-cured Corned Beef, great for a dinner, a sandwich or for a charcuterie board.

Brine and Brisket

1 gallon water
2 cups kosher salt
1/2 cup sugar
5 tsp pink salt *
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tblsp Pickling Spice (homemade** or store bought)
One 5 lb (appx) well-marbled beef brisket

Combine brine ingredients in a pot large enough to hold the brisket comfortably. Bring to a simmer, stirring till the salt and sugar are dissolved. Remove pot from heat and allow to cool to room temperature. Refrigerate brine till it's completely chilled.

Place brisket in brine and weight it down with a plate to keep it submerged. Refrigerate for 5 days. Check every day to be sure it remains submerged. If your brisket is a bit larger, halve the recipe again, and leave it in the brine another day or two.

Remove brisket from brine and rinse it thoroughly under cool running water.

That's it! Now you can cook it as you would a packaged corned beef.


* What is pink salt? Pink salt (Insta Cure #1) is 93.75% sodium chloride (table salt) and 6.25% nitrite. Nitrites are found in green leafy vegetables, and in small quantities are not at all harmful, but in large quantities, are. Thus the curing mixture is dyed pink to prevent accidental consumption as pure table salt. Nitrite's positive contributions to meat: it changes the flavor, preserves the meat's red color, prevents fat from developing a rancid flavor, and prevents many bacteria from growing (think Clostridia botulinum, the bacterium responsible for botulism poisoning). I order mine from SausageMaker.com.


**Pickling Spice Recipe (or buy a store-bought mix; Penzeys.com is a great source for herbs/spices either way)

1 1/2 Tblsp black peppercorns
2 Tblsp mustard seeds
2 Tblsp coriander seeds
2 Tblsp hot red pepper flakes
2 Tblsp allspice berries
1 Tblsp ground mace
2 small cinnamon sticks, crushed or broken into pieces
24 bay leaves, crumbled
2 Tblsp whole cloves
1 Tblsp ground ginger

Lightly toast peppercorns, mustard seeds, and coriander seeds in a small dry pan, then smash with the side of a knife just to crack them. Combine the cracked spices with the remaining ingredients, mixing well. Store in a tightly sealed container.


Cooking Corned Beef

Cured brisket
2 Tblsp Pickling Spice

Place the cured brisket in a pot just large enough to hold it and add water just to cover the meat. Add Pickling Spice and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer gently for about 3 hours, or till the brisket is fork-tender. Water should always cover brisket, so add more during cooking if necessary.

Remove the corned beef from cooking liquid (which can be used to moisten the meat and vegetables, if you're serving a dinner). Slice the beef and serve warm or cool, then wrap and refrigerate for up to one week.