Nantucket Corn Pudding Recipe

2 large eggs
1 C half-and-half (fat free is fine)
3/4 t. salt
1/8 t. ground white pepper
Pinch of nutmeg
4-1/2-5 C. frozen corn kernels, divided
3/4 C. crushed oyster crackers
3 T. unsalted butter, melted, divided
2 - 3 oz. sharp Cheddar cheese, grated (1/4 - 1/3 C.)
Paprika

Preheat oven to 350°F. and grease a medium baking dish.

In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, half-and-half, salt, white pepper and nutmeg. Mix in corn, 1/2 cup of crackers and 2 tablespoons melted butter. Spoon pudding into prepared baking dish and scatter cheese over it. Mix together remaining crackers and butter and sprinkle over the cheese. Dust with paprika.

Bake the pudding for 45 to 50 minutes, until puffed and golden brown, with crusty edges, but a soft center. Serve hot.

Yield: 6 servings

Sweet Onions Stuffed with Broccoli Recipe

3 medium sweet onions, such as Vidalias
1 (10 oz.) package frozen chopped broccoli
2/3 C. shredded Parmesan cheese
1/4 C. mayonnaise
2 t. lemon juice
2 T. flour
2 T. butter
1/4 t. salt
2/3 C. milk
1 (3 oz.) package cream cheese, softened

Peel and halve onions crosswise. Parboil in salted water 10 minutes; drain. Lift out centers, leaving 3/4-inch edges to form cups. Chop center portions to equal 1 cup. Cook or microwave broccoli and drain (or simply thaw). Combine chopped onions, broccoli, Parmesan, mayo and lemon juice. Spoon into centers of onion cups set side by side in baking pan. Have oven heating to 375°F.

Melt butter in small saucepan. Blend in flour and salt. Remove from heat and gradually whisk in milk. Return to heat and cook until thickened, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; blend in cream cheese. Spoon sauce over onions. Bake, uncovered, for 20 minutes.

Yield: 6 servings

Pumpkin and Pancetta Risotto Recipe

1/3 C. chopped pancetta
2 - 2 1/2 C. chicken stock
2 large shallots, chopped
4 C. pumpkin flesh, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 1 pound)
3 T. olive oil
1 C. risotto rice
1/2 C. dry white wine
2 T. mascarpone
1/4 C. freshly grated Parmesan
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Heat a dry non-stick frying pan and, when hot, fry the pancetta until browned and crisp. Drain and set aside. Heat the stock to a gentle simmer in a saucepan. In a large saucepan, saute the shallots and pumpkin in the oil for about 5 minutes. Stir in the rice and cook for 2 minutes to toast the grains. Add the wine and cook until completely reduced. Pour in one quarter of the stock and stir well.

Cook gently until the liquid had been absorbed, then stir in another ladleful of stock. Continue cooking and stirring until the rice grains are just tender and the risotto is creamy (about 15 minutes). Stir in the pancetta, mascarpone and half of the Parmesan 2 minutes before the risotto is finished. Serve in warm bowls and garnish with the remaining Parmesan. Serves 4 as a first course or 2 as a main dish.

Source: "Gordon Ramsey: A Chef for All Seasons"

Wild Rice with Pecans Recipe

1 C. uncooked wild rice
5 1/2 C. reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 C. dried cherries
1 C. pecan halves
4 green onions, washed, ends removed, thinly sliced
Grated peel of 1 orange
1/3 C. orange juice
2 T. olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Place the rice in a strainer and rinse thoroughly under cold water. In a medium, heavy saucepan, place the rice. Add the chicken broth and heat to boiling. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, 45 minutes to 1 hour or until the rice is tender. Drain and place in a bowl. Add the cherries, pecans, green onion, orange peel, orange juice, olive oil and salt and pepper; toss gently. Let stand at least 2 hours for the flavors to develop. Serve at room temperature or heat before serving.

Makes 8 servings.

Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Onions Recipe

2 oz. smoked bacon
4-6 small white boiling onions
1 lb. Brussels sprouts
1/4 C. water
1/4 t. sherry vinegar
Coarse salt
Black pepper

Slice bacon into thin slices. Peel onions and slice across 3 or 4 times so that you end up with small rings. Trim base of sprouts and slice in half, top to bottom, then cut into chiffonade (shreds). In a heavy skillet over medium heat cook bacon until lightly browned. Pour off all but 2 T. bacon fat.

Add onions and saute briefly. Add shredded Brussels sprouts and stir-fry for a couple of minutes. Add 1/4 Cup water and cover. Steam until bright green and tender, about 8 minutes. Season with sherry vinegar, salt and pepper.

Makes 4 side-dish servings.

Sautéed Green Beans with Mushrooms Recipe

2 gallons salted water
3 lbs. fresh green beans, trimmed, cut into pieces
1 C. clarified butter (see note)
1/2 C. chopped onion
12 oz. fresh mushrooms, sliced
salt and white pepper to taste

Bring salted water to a boil in a large stockpot. Add green beans. Boil for 10 to 12 minutes or until tender-crisp; drain well. Plunge beans immediately into ice water; drain again and pat dry.

Heat clarified butter in a saute pan. Add onion. Saute until translucent. Add mushrooms. Saute until tender. Add green beans.

Cook until green beans are heated through, stirring constantly. Season with salt and white pepper. Serve immediately.

Makes 10 servings.

Note: Clarified butter, is also known as drawn butter, or butter with the milk solids removed. The clear yellow liquid that remains can withstand high heat without burning, which makes it ideal for sautéing. It will keep for several weeks in the refrigerator or longer when frozen. Eight tablespoons (1 stick) yields approximately 1/3 cup; 1 pound (4 sticks) yields about 1 1/2 cups.

Roasted Butternut Squash, Rosemary and Garlic Lasagna Recipe

3 lbs. butternut squash, quartered, seeded, peeled, and cut into 1/2-inch dice (about 9 1/2 C.)
3 T. vegetable oil
4 C. milk
2 T. dried rosemary, crumbled
1 T. minced garlic
1/4 C. butter
4 T. all-purpose flour
9 7 x 3 1/2-inch sheets dry no-boil lasagna pasta
1 1/3 C. freshly grated Parmesan (about 5 oz.)
1 C. heavy cream
1/2 t. salt
Garnish: Fresh rosemary sprigs

Preheat oven to 450°F. and oil 2 large shallow baking pans.

In a large bowl toss squash with oil until coated well and spread in one layer in pans. Roast squash in oven 10 minutes and season with salt. Stir squash and roast 10 to 15 minutes more, or until tender and beginning to turn golden.

While squash is roasting, in a saucepan bring milk to a simmer with rosemary. Heat milk mixture over low heat 10 minutes and pour through a sieve into a large pitcher or measuring cup.

In a large heavy saucepan cook garlic in butter over moderately low heat, stirring until softened. Stir in flour and cook roux, stirring, 3 minutes. Remove pan from heat and whisk in milk mixture in a stream until smooth. Return pan to heat and simmer sauce, whisking occasionally, about 10 minutes, or until thick. Stir in squash and salt and pepper to taste. Sauce may be made 3 days ahead and chilled, its surface covered with plastic wrap.

Reduce temperature to 375°F. and butter a baking dish, 13 x 9 x 2 inches.

Pour 1 cup sauce into baking dish (sauce will not cover bottom completely) and cover with 3 lasagna sheets, making sure they do not touch each other. Spread half of remaining sauce over pasta and sprinkle with 1/2 cup Parmesan. Make one more layer in same manner, beginning and ending with pasta. In a bowl with an electric mixer beat cream with salt until it holds soft peaks and spread evenly over top pasta layer, making sure pasta is completely covered. Sprinkle remaining 1/3 cup Parmesan over cream. Cover dish tightly with foil, tenting slightly to prevent foil from touching top layer, and bake in middle of oven 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake lasagna 10 minutes more, or until top is bubbling and golden. Let lasagna stand 5 minutes. Garnish each serving with rosemary.

Yield: 6 servings as a main course or 12 as a side dish

Shaker Whipped Winter Squash with Cape Cod Cranberries

3 lbs. winter squash, peeled and cubed, about 12 cups
2 C. fresh cranberries
1/2 C. light brown sugar
6 T. butter, cut in pieces
1 T. chopped fresh sage plus a few leaves for garnish
Salt and black pepper

Bring about 4 cups of salted water to a boil in a large pot. Add the squash and cook, uncovered, over medium heat until it is almost, but not quite tender, about 15 minutes. Add the cranberries and continue to cook until the squash is very tender and the cranberries burst, about 10 minutes more. Drain briefly in a large sieve and return to the pot.

Using a potato masher or electric mixer, mash or beat the mixture to make a coarse puree. Beat in the brown sugar, butter and sage until smooth, and season with salt and pepper to taste. (If not serving immediately, transfer to an ovenproof serving dish and set aside at cool room temperature or refrigerate for up to 1 day. Cover with foil and reheat in a 350°F. oven for 15 to 25 minutes.

Serve hot, garnished with sage leaves.

Serves 6 to 8.

Squash with Cider Glaze Recipe

2 acorn squash, halved and seeded
1 1/2 C. apple cider or apple juice
1 C. water
2 t. balsamic vinegar
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 350 F. Into an ovenproof baking dish that will comfortably hold squash, pour in enough water to reach a depth of about 1 inch. Place squash halves cut-side down in dish. Bake 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a nonstick saucepan, combine cider, 1 cup water and vinegar. Bring to a boil over high heat and, stirring occasionally, allow mixture to reduce to about half, about 12 minutes.

Remove squash from oven and carefully turn cut-side up with tongs or tablespoons. Using a fork, prick the interior all over. With a small brush, coat inside of squash with some of the cider mixture. Lightly sprinkle with salt and pepper. Return squash to oven to continue baking.

Repeat brushing on cider mixture every 10 to 15 minutes until squash is almost fork tender, about 60 to 75 minutes, depending on oven and size of squash.

During the last minutes of baking, cook the cider mixture over high heat until reduced to a thick, glaze-like sauce, about 5 minutes. When squash are fork tender, remove from oven. Carefully transfer them to a serving platter or individual plates. Brush squash with glaze, allowing a little to pool in the bottom of each cavity. Serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings.

Baked Apples Recipe

12 Delicious or baking apples
1/2 C. firmly packed brown sugar
3/4 C. margarine or butter
1 t. nutmeg
1 t. ground cinnamon

Heat oven to 375° F. Peel upper half of each apple. Core to within 1/2 inch of bottom. Place apples in ungreased baking dish. Add 1 scant tablespoon brown sugar, 1 teaspoon margarine, pinch freshly grated nutmeg and pinch cinnamon to center of each apple. Sprinkle remaining spices over apples. Pour 1/4 inch water into baking dish. Bake 30-40 minutes, basting occasionally. To test for doneness, pierce with fork; they should be tender.

Glazed Carrots Recipe

6 C. carrots cut into 1-inch diagonal slices (or use little baby carrots)

1/4 C. orange juice

1/2 t. nutmeg

1/4 C. brown sugar

1 t. cornstarch

1/2 t. salt

1/4 C. butter

Cook carrots in a small amount of salted water until tender then drain water. Combine orange juice, nutmeg, brown sugar and cornstarch in a small sauce pan and mix until smooth. Pour over carrots and cook over low heat for several minutes until mixture thickens. Add salt and butter and toss. Serve hot.

Green Beans with Sherried Onion and Mushroom Sauce Recipe

1 lb. green beans, stemmed, and cut into 2-inch lengths
Salt, pepper and a pinch of nutmeg
3 T. butter
1 C. small pearl onions, sliced in half
1/2 lb. sliced mushrooms
2 T. flour
1/2 C. chicken stock
1/2 C. heavy cream
2 T. sherry

Bring 2 quarts water to a boil and add the beans. Simmer until they're crisp, but tender. Drain; season with salt, pepper and nutmeg.

In a 10-inch skillet, melt the butter and add the onions, sauteeing for three minutes. Add the mushrooms and saute until the mushrooms give off some of their liquid. Add the flour; stir until blended.

Gradually stir in the stock and whisk until thickened. Add the cream and sherry, stirring until the mixture thickens. Add the seasonings and refrigerate until ready to serve. At that time, heat the sauce and add the green beans to the sauce.

Maple Sweet Potato Custard These creamy sweet puddings are like a sweet potato pie without the crust. They're delicious as is, but if you're feeling indulgent, serve them with a dollop of sweetened whipped cream. If you can find it, use grade B maple syrup (grade A is the norm), because it has a much deeper maple flavor.   INGREDIENTS 1 cup cooked sweet potato (from a 10-ounce potato) 1-1/2 cups half-and-half or light cream 1/2 cup maple syrup 3 tablespoons sugar 3 large eggs 1-1/2 teaspoons grated orange zest 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice Lightly sweetened whipped cream (optional) 1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a food processor, combine the cooked sweet potato, half-and-half, maple syrup, sugar, eggs, orange zest, salt and pumpkin pie spice, and process until smooth.   2. Place six 6-ounce ramekins or custard cups in a baking pan large enough to hold them without touching. Divide the mixture among the ramekins. Pour enough hot water to come halfway up the sides of the cups. Bake for 40 minutes or until the custards are just set and a knife inserted in the center of one comes out clean.   3. Remove the cups from the water bath and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 2 days. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream, if desired.   Makes 6 servings Each serving has: 251 calories, 10 g fat (5.1 g saturated), 6 g protein, 37 g carbohydrates (1.4 g fiber), 128 mg cholesterol, 271 mg sodium. Good source of: beta-carotene, riboflavin, vitamin B12, selenium, zinc. Total time: 2 hours 40 minutes. Hands-on time: 15 minutes.