EXTRAORDINARY BLUEBERRY COFFEECAKE

This coffeecake is moist and luscious.

Cake:
1/2 cup butter, unsalted
1 cup white sugar
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups unbleached white flour
2 cup sour cream
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

Topping:
1 cup brown sugar (or 1 cup white sugar plus 1 1/2 teaspoons molasses)
1/4 cup butter, unsalted
1/4 cup flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Alternating, add flour and sour cream. Fold in blueberries. Pour into well-buttered cake pan (9 in round). For the topping, cream butter and sugar. Add flour to form a lumpy mixture. Spread on top of the batter. Bake in oven for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. The topping should melt and partially sink into the batter.

RAW VEGAN CARROT CAKE

CAKE
5c shredded carrot
1 1/2c shredded coconut
1c pine nuts
1/2-1c dates (to taste. i like sweeter, but then again, im planning to die from diabetes)
1/4c raisins
grated peel of one lemon
1tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp nutmeg
3 tablespoons psyllium powder (plant husk used as fiber supplement, helps bind and set raw vegan "baked" goods)
1/4 c coconut oil

Using a food processor and an S blade, blend the carrots until finely pureed. Set aside.

Process pine nuts, raisins and dates until creamy, adding water if needed. Mix in carrots, Add coconut, spices, lemon grating, and psyllium.

Push "batter" into cake pan (springform highly recommended). Let chill for two hours or until set.

FROSTING
coconut oil
powdered sugar (i used regular but id like to try date sugar)
maple syrup
walnuts (optional)

I didn't measure anything for thus, but it's the best part so make a lot. ;-)
I worked powdered sugar into the coconut oil until the mix was more like crumbs than powder. Then I added maple syrup until the goo was sufficiently maple-iscious. Coconut oil goes soft at room temp, so I let the frosting resolidify (10-15min) in the fridge before spreading. After frosting the cake, I coated it with whole or ground walnuts, and then put the whole shebang back in the fridge another 15 min for the frosting to harden.

FRESH PEACH ICE CREAM

Ingredients:
3lbs extremely ripe peaches
1/2 c. sugar
1/3-1/2 c. full fat plain yogurt
Fresh peaches and basil for garnish (optional)

Blend till smooth before freezing in an ice cream machine.

FRIED SQUASH BLOSSOMS STUFFED WITH GARLIC-BASIL GOAT CHEESE

I've never cooked with squash blossoms before, but when I spied them at the Ferry Building this Saturday, my quest was clear. A brief consultation with The Google yielded several recipes, which I tinkered to accommodate the contents of my shelf. The result: yum.

The Batter

1 cup all-purpose white flour
1/2 cup cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup-ish beer (I used a touch more...depends on the humidity. You want the batter smooth but not thin.)

The Stuffing

1/4 cup fresh cheese (I used Bodega Goat Cheese fromage blanc, but ricotta would work too)
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 teaspoon-ish each salt and pepper
1 tablespoon fresh basil (Aside: I suddenly have a ton of basil in sweet Italian, Thai, and lemon varieties. Help me eat them.)
16ish large squash blossoms, washed
Canola or peanut oil for frying

Prepare the batter. Sift together dry ingredients, then whisk in beer or cold water until smooth. Cover and set in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Leftover batter can be stored for up to two days.

In a bowl combine cheese, garlic, salt, pepper, and basil. Open the blossoms and spoon about one 1/2 teaspoon of the mixture into the center of each. Twist the top of each blossom together to close. Place on a baking sheet and refrigerate for 15 minutes.

Pour the oil into a skillet to a depth of 1/2 inch. Heat over high heat until a small cube of bread dropped into the oil turns golden brown within seconds.

Dip each stuffed blossom into the batter, then carefully slip into the hot oil. Cook until golden on all sides, about three minutes total cooking time. Transfer with a slotted utensil to paper towels to drain briefly. Sprinkle with salt and serve immediately.

These are wicked tasty even without the filling, if you wish to veganize the recipe. Orion tells me they made these in his cooking class in Italy, but that he liked this recipe better. :-)

DAL AND BHUTANESE RED RICE

Dal and rice were the flavor of my childhood. Mmm, childhood.

I tinker with quantities depending on what is on hand -- onions and carrots add extra sweetness, celery adds tang-- but this is my skeleton recipe. A squirt of fresh lime/lemon juice, or a tablespoon of ghee (Indian clarified butter) added at the end is delicious.

Ingredients:
1 cup red split lentils, rinsed
4 cups water
1-2 medium onions, chopped
1 stalk celery, thinly sliced
1 carrot, chopped
1 tomato, chopped
1 bay leaf
1 tsp. cumin seeds
2 tsp. turmeric
1-2 dried hot chilies
1-3 Tbs. garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. fennel seed (optional)
fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)
2 Tbs. oil (olive or canola recommended)
salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

Procedure:

In a saucepan, combine lentils, water, turmeric, celery, and carrots. Bring to boil, skimming off the foam that inevitably develops no matter how many times you rinse the lentils beforehand. Grr.

Meanwhile, in a separate skillet, add oil, cumin, fennel, bay leaf, and chiles. Sautee on medium heat for 30ish seconds to bring out the flavor of the spices, but taking care not to burn them. Add onion and sautee until clear, about 8 minutes. Add spice and onion mixture to lentils when saucepan begins a rolling boil.

Cook lentils until soft, about 20 minutes. Add extra water to desired thickness as lentils expand (according to Dad, serving thicker dal is considered a mark of affluence, since one might thin this staple soup to serve many mouths in hard times). Using an eggbeater, whisk lentils to smooth texture. Reduce heat to low, adding tomatoes, garlic, cilantro, salt, and pepper to taste.

Elsewhere, steam rice. You can figure that out yourself. Enjoy immediately, or considerably later -- lentils are one of those magical Indian dishes whose flavors are improved the second day, making for excellent leftovers. You can make a load to freeze and reheat dal (gasp!) if you're camping out for a long period and want several simple, satisfying, and easily stored meals (for example, a week at Burningman).

CHANA MASALA (Chickpea Curry)

My mom frequently makes this dish to bring to potlucks. She often Midwesternizes it by adding ground beef meatballs sauteed in olive oil. That's tasty, I won't lie -- but I slightly favor the traditional version, simple garbanzo beans in a curried tomato sauce. Ingredients: 2 cups garbanzo beans, soaked and boiled 1 28-ounce can of diced tomatoes 2 whole fresh tomatoes, diced 1-2 medium onions, diced cilantro, to taste, chopped 1 Tbs. cumin seeds 1 bay leaf 1-3 hot chili peppers 2-4 Tbs. garlic (I love garlic, and probably add even more than this. Tell you what...chop as much garlic as you can personally justify and simply add to taste). 2-4 Tbs. oil (olive or canola) salt and pepper to taste In skillet, heat oil and add cumin, bay leaf, and chilies. Sautee for 30ish seconds to bring out flavor. Add onions and sautee until clear. Add soaked garbanzo beans, roasting in onion mixture for ~7 minutes. Add can of diced tomatoes, one canful of water, and garlic. Continue cooking on medium, stirring occasionally, and adding extra water if the mixture dries before the beans soften. With any luck, this stage is 20 minutes or less...but I recommend tasting the curry every 5-10 minutes to gauge how well the flavors are melting into one another. When the beans are soft and the onions have completely cooked into the light sauce, turn the heat to low and add the tomatoes, cilantro, and salt/pepper to taste. Remove from heat and serve over rice.

WHITE CHOCOLATE RASPBERRY CHEESECAKE (with vegan alternative)

Crust:
2 cups chocolate wafer crumbs (9-ounce package)
6 tablespoons butter, or Earth Balance vegan buttery spread, or other expeller-pressed oil


Position a rack in the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Butter the baking pan of your choice.
Put the cookie crumbs in a large bowl. Add the butter/spread and stir the mixture until the crumbs are evenly moistened.

Transfer the crumbs to the greased baking pan. Using your fingers, press the crumbs evenly over the bottom and sides of the pan.
If using a springform pan, press the crumbs 1 inch up the sides of the pan. Check to see that the crust isn't too thick where the sides and the edges of the pan meet.

Bake the crust for 6 minutes.
Cool the crust thoroughly before filling it. Crumb crusts can be baked a day ahead, covered, and stored overnight at room temperature.

NOTE: I bake the crust ahead for the nonvegan version of this; when I first tried vegan cheesecake, baking the crust ahead of time yielded a burned crust.
Next time I just coated the pan with an even layer of the buttery-cookie-crumb mixture and poured the filling in. It came out fine.

White Chocolate Cheesecake
8 ounces white chocolate chips, or vegan white chocolate (obtained from VeganEssentials.com)
2 pounds Philadelphia cream cheese, or vegan cream cheese (Tofutti better than cream cheese is a good brand)
1-1/4 cups sugar
2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
2 eggs, or 2T Ener-G egg replacer, whipped with 1/4c water
2 teaspoons vanilla extract (I used madagascar enilla bean paste)
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
2 tablespoons whipping cream, or vegan soycream (I used Silk "French Vanilla" soy creamer)
1 cup fresh raspberries, for serving with the cheesecake (optional)
Melted dark chocolate, melted via double boiler (I suggest Varlhona 62%) for decor


Melt chocolate in double boiler. As soon as the white chocolate is melted, remove it from the oven and stir it smooth.
Increase the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Set the white chocolate aside to cool slightly.

Put the cream cheese in the large bowl of an electric mixer (or just stir it thoroughly). Mix on low speed until smooth, about 1 minute.
Add the 1-1/4 cups sugar and mix until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Mix in the flour. Add the egg/replacer, two at a time, mixing smooth after each addition.

Stop the mixer and scrape the sides of the bowl twice during this mixing. Mix in the vanilla and almond extract. Mix in the soycream.
Stir in the melted white chocolate. Pour the batter into the prepared springform pan.

Put the cheesecake in the oven. Pour hot water into a second baking pan and place on lower rack.
Bake about 30-40min, or until when you give the cheesecake a gentle shake, the top looks firm.
Cool the cheesecake --- leave in off oven about 30-60 min, then let cool on counter ~1 hr, then refridgerate at least 3 hours. (You can skimp on the first two coolings,
but the cake is less likely to crack the more gradually you cool it).

Raspberry Sauce
1-1/2 cups fresh raspberries or unsweetened frozen raspberries, defrosted and drained
1 tablespoon sugar, or to taste
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, or to taste

Puree the raspberries in a food processor. Use the back of a spoon to press the raspberries through a strainer to remove the seeds.
Measure 1/2 cup strained puree into a small bowl and mix with sugar and the lemon juice. Serve the sauce beside baked and chilled cake.