Flourless chocolate cake

This one is from Epicurious. Probably the most successful flourless cake ever! We were tempted to put some extra liqueur or something in it, but it's not necessary -- is delicious just as it is.

(Okay, maybe next time I'll give in and add a teeny bit of espresso... :) But that's it!)

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Flourless-Chocolate-Cake-14478#ixzz201IUbqzl

4 ounces fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened)

1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter

3/4 cup sugar

3 large eggs

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder plus additional for sprinkling

Preheat oven to 375°F and butter an 8-inch round baking pan. Line bottom with a round of wax paper and butter paper.

Chop chocolate into small pieces. In a double boiler or metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water melt chocolate with butter, stirring, until smooth. Remove top of double boiler or bowl from heat and whisk sugar into chocolate mixture. Add eggs and whisk well. Sift 1/2 cup cocoa powder over chocolate mixture and whisk until just combined. Pour batter into pan and bake in middle of oven 25 minutes, or until top has formed a thin crust. Cool cake in pan on a rack 5 minutes and invert onto a serving plate.

Dust cake with additional cocoa powder and serve with sorbet if desired. (Cake keeps, after being cooled completely, in an airtight container, 1 week.)

Erdbeerbowle

Steve made this on a warm summer evening. Absolutely brilliant.

Champagne
Strawberries
Fresh basil
(a tiny bit of) Cointreau
Sparkling water

Slice/chop the strawberries, and pile them into a pitcher. Chop and add basil leaves. Top with a whole bottle of champagne. Place in the fridge and let it all soak together for an hour or two.


When ready, add a very small dash of Cointreau or other orange liqueur (really, not much -- don't want to make it too rich). Alternatively, a little fresh squeezed orange, or a couple of orange or lemon slices, will probably also do. Just something to give it a little bit of citrus.

Serve topped with sparkling water. Ahhhh!

Protip: this is another recipe that is most delicious when kept simple. We tried to get fancy and try variations with brandy and other liqueurs, and the best version always turned out to be just this basic one. Simple and fresh!

Chopped salad

This is my new standby:

Lamb's leaf lettuce (aka mâche, aka Feldsalat, aka Nüsslisalat, aka corn salad)
Arugula (aka rocket)
Cherry tomatoes
Avocado

1/2 Orange

Walnut oil

Balsamico

Salt and pepper

(optional) Other nuts: walnuts or almonds or ..

Pile the lettuces together (lamb's leaf and arugula) in about equals parts on a large cutting board. Open an avocado and scoop the meat out onto the pile. Use a giant knife to chop it all together until it's in soft, moist, fork-sized chunks. Scrape into a bowl. Halve the cherry tomatoes and toss together with the salad. Toss with a dressing of: fresh squeezed orange, walnut oil, a dash of balsamico, salt and pepper. Optionally sprinkle with some other nuts.

I've tried variations of this where I try to add more herbs (mix in fresh basil, or add tarragon or italian herbs or something) but it really is best just as simple as it is!

Variations:
+ Goat cheese instead of avocado (both at the same time is good, but tips the scales toward rich, rather than fresh. Depends on what you're going for!).
+ Spinach instead of the other greens. If you use spinach, strawberries might also be a nice addition.