Ingredients

Filling:
3 cups frozen dark sweet cherries (14 oz; not thawed)
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch
Scant 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Topping:
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small bits
1/3 cup well-shaken low-fat buttermilk

Directions

1. Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 425°F.
2. Make filling: Cook all filling ingredients with a pinch of salt in a 2-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar begins to dissolve, about 3 minutes. Spoon filling into a 9-inch ceramic or glass pie plate (1 inch deep).
3. Make topping and bake cobbler: Whisk together flour, 2 teaspoons sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Blend in butter with your fingertips or a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in buttermilk with a fork until just combined (do not overmix). Drop dough in 4 mounds over filling, leaving space between mounds. Sprinkle topping with remaining teaspoon sugar.
4. Bake until topping is golden brown and fruit is bubbling, about 25 minutes. Cool slightly and serve warm.

Serves 4.

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Ingredients

Filling:
5 cups pitted fresh Bing cherries or other sweet cherries (about 3 lb. unpitted)
1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice, strained
3 Tbs. sugar

Topping:
2/3 cup buttermilk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
6 Tbs. (3/4 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 Tbs. sugar mixed with 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

Directions

1. Preheat an oven to 375°F. For individual servings, place six 1-cup ramekins or custard cups on a rimmed sheet. For a large cobbler, have ready a 9-inch glass or ceramic pie dish or baking dish with sides at least 2 3/4 inches high.
2. To make the filling, in a large bowl, stir together the cherries, lemon juice and sugar until well mixed. Divide the fruit among the ramekins or pour into the pie dish or baking dish. Bake the fruit for 10 minutes while you prepare the topping.
3. To make the topping by hand, in a small bowl, stir together the buttermilk and vanilla; set aside. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Using a pastry blender or 2 knives, cut in the butter until the mixture forms large, coarse crumbs the size of small peas. Pour the buttermilk mixture over the flour mixture and, using a large wooden spoon, stir just until combined and a soft, sticky, evenly moistened dough forms.
4. To make the topping with an electric mixer, in a small bowl, stir together the buttermilk and vanilla; set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the flat beater, sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Add the butter pieces. Beat on low speed until the mixture forms large, coarse crumbs the size of small peas, about 30 seconds. Slowly pour in the buttermilk mixture and continue to beat just until combined and a soft, sticky, evenly moistened dough forms.
5. Drop the dough by heaping spoonfuls onto the hot fruit, spacing it evenly over the surface. The topping will not cover the fruit but will spread during baking to cover it. Sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar mixture evenly over the dough.
6. Bake the cobbler until the fruit filling is bubbling, the topping is browned, and a toothpick or cake tester inserted into the topping comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool for 15 minutes. Serve warm.

Serves 6.

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Ingredients

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
One 8-ounce jar Italian tuna in olive oil, drained
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
4 oil-packed anchovies, drained
2 tablespoons capers, rinsed
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 pound green, Roma, or wax beans
8 Parisian round carrots or baby carrots
1 bunch small breakfast radishes, cut in half
1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt

Directions

1. In a food processor, combine the 1/4 cup of olive oil with the tuna, lemon juice, anchovies, capers, and mayonnaise. Process until smooth. Scrape the tonnato sauce into a serving bowl, cover and refrigerate.
2. In a pot of boiling salted water, cook the beans until crisp-tender, 2 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water; pat dry.
3. Arrange the beans, carrots, radishes, and any other vegetables on a platter; sprinkle with the sea salt. Drizzle the tonnato with olive oil; serve with the vegetables.

Serves 6 as an appetizer.

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Ingredients

For cake:
1 cup pecans (4 ounces)
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
4 large eggs
2 cups sugar
1 pound carrots, peeled and coarsely shredded
For frosting
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
Two 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups confectioners’ sugar

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 325°. Butter two 9-inch cake pans; line the bottoms with parchment. Butter the paper and flour the pans.
2. Make the cake: Spread the pecans on a baking sheet and toast for 8 minutes, until fragrant. Cool and finely chop the pecans.
3. In a bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.
4. In a small bowl, whisk the oil, buttermilk and vanilla.
5. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the eggs and sugar at high speed until pale, 5 minutes.
6. Beat in the liquid ingredients. Beat in the dry ingredients just until moistened. Stir in the carrots and pecans.
7. Divide the batter between the pans and bake the cakes for 55 minutes to 1 hour, until springy and golden. Let the cakes cool on a rack for 30 minutes, then unmold the cakes and let cool completely.
8. Make the frosting: In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the butter and cream cheese at high speed until light, about 5 minutes.
9. Beat in the vanilla, then the confectioners’ sugar; beat at low speed until incorporated. Increase the speed to high and beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
10. Peel off the parchment paper and invert one cake layer onto a plate. Spread with a slightly rounded cup of the frosting.
11. Top with the second cake layer, right side up. Spread the top and sides with the remaining frosting and refrigerate the cake until chilled, about 1 hour. Slice and serve.

Serves 8-10.

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Ingredients

4 tablespoons vegetable oil or peanut oil
Four 6-ounce red snapper fillets
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
2 inches fresh ginger, peeled and minced
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 medium head napa cabbage (about 1-3/4 pounds), shredded
1 bunch of scallions (8 to 10), cut into thirds, then shredded lengthwise into matchsticks
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar or cider vinegar
2 tablespoons honey

Directions

1. In a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil. Score the skin side of the fish with a few crosshatch marks to keep it from curling. Season the fish with salt, pepper, and the five-spice powder. Put the fish in the skillet, skin side down, and cook, turning once, until it’s no longer raw in its thickest part, about 4 minutes on each side.
2. In a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, heat the remaining 3 tablespoons of oil. When the oil ripples, add the ginger, garlic and cabbage. Wilt and sear the cabbage for 3 to 4 minutes, then add the scallions and cook for another minute.
3. Add the soy sauce, vinegar and honey. Toss the cabbage to coat evenly with the sauce and season to taste with salt and pepper.
4. Pile the ginger-scallion cabbage on dinner plates and top with the red snapper.

Serves 4.

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