You will need a metal brioche pan that measures 8 inches across the top and 3½ inches at the base. Be sure to fit the plastic wrap into the curves, smoothing it as much as possible before filling.

1 teaspoon coarse salt, plus more for cooking water

10 ounces medium asparagus, tough ends trimmed

½ cup defrosted frozen spinach (about 4 ounces)

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

½ cup chopped onion

1 small garlic clove, chopped

5 large eggs

¹/
₈teaspoon freshly ground pepper

¼ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg

1 cup heavy cream

½ cup mâche or field greens (optional)

1.
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line a 9 × 13-inch baking pan with a kitchen towel. Line the brioche pan with plastic wrap.

2.
Prepare an ice bath; set aside. Bring a medium pot of water to boil, and add salt. Add the asparagus, and cook just until tender and bright green, 1 to 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the asparagus to the ice bath. Drain, and set aside. Add the spinach to the boiling water, and cook 4 minutes. Transfer to a colander to drain; set aside.

3.
In a small skillet, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add the chopped onion and garlic; sauté, stirring frequently, until the onion is softened and just starting to color, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from heat.

4.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cut the asparagus spears in half crosswise. Slice the bottom ends in half lengthwise, and then cut them crosswise into thin half-moons; set aside. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade, combine the asparagus tops, reserved spinach, and onion mixture. Process until very smooth, about 5 minutes, stopping to scrape down the sides as necessary. Transfer to a large bowl. Add the eggs, salt, pepper, and nutmeg; whisk to combine. Set aside.

5.
In a small saucepan over medium heat, heat the cream until bubbles form around the edges and it starts to steam, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Whisking constantly, slowly add the cream to the egg mixture. Stir in the reserved sliced asparagus. Pour the custard into the lined brioche pan, and place it in the lined baking pan. Carefully pour the hot water into the baking pan until it reaches halfway up the sides of the brioche pan.

6.
Bake until the center is firm when gently touched with your finger, about 65 minutes. Transfer the brioche pan to a wire rack; let cool 5 minutes. Carefully invert the pan onto a serving platter, and gently lift the pan to remove. Slice into wedges; serve garnished with greens, if desired.

spicy seared scallop canapés

MAKES 48

6 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1½ teaspoons cayenne pepper, or more to taste

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon ground coriander

1½ teaspoons coarse salt

¾ teaspoon ground cardamom

24 sea scallops (about 1½ pounds), halved

1 12-inch-long daikon radish, peeled and cut into 48 ¼-inch-thick rounds

5 romaine lettuce leaves, very thinly sliced

Olive oil cooking spray

1.
Combine the flour, cayenne pepper, cumin, coriander, salt, and cardamom in a small bowl. Dip each halved scallop into the flour mixture to coat.

2.
Place the daikon rounds on a serving platter. Top each with shredded lettuce; set aside.

3.
Heat a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Coat with olive oil spray, add the coated scallops, and sear until light golden brown and cooked through, about 1 minute per side. Transfer each seared scallop half to a daikon round. Serve warm or at room temperature.

FIT TO EAT RECIPE
PER HALF-SCALLOP: 20 CALORIES, 0 G FAT, 5 MG CHOLESTEROL, 2 G CARBOHYDRATE, 59 MG SODIUM, 3 G PROTEIN, 0 G FIBER

grilled quesadillas

SERVES 12

These quesadillas, filled with mango chutney and cheese, can be assembled ahead of time and wrapped in plastic until ready to grill.

¾ cup Major Grey’s chutney

12 6-inch flour tortillas

1½ cups sharp Cheddar cheese, grated on the large holes of a box grater

¾ cup sour cream, for garnish

Tomatillo Salsa (recipe follows)

Preheat the grill. Using a spatula, spread 2 tablespoons of the chutney evenly over 6 tortillas. On each, sprinkle ¼ cup cheese over the chutney; top with the remaining tortillas. Grill until the cheese is melted and the tortillas are slightly golden, about 2 minutes on each side. Using a sharp knife or scissors, cut each tortilla into 6 wedges. Serve with sour cream and salsa.

tomatillo salsa

MAKES 3 CUPS

1½ pounds tomatillos, husks removed

1 jalapeño pepper

1 small yellow onion, finely chopped

2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar

¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

Preheat the grill. Roast the tomatillos and jalapeño until soft and slightly charred, about 10 minutes. Set aside to cool. Remove the charred skin from the jalapeño. Halve the jalapeño lengthwise; remove the seeds. Chop finely, and set aside. Chop the tomatillos. Place them in a bowl, and add the jalapeño, onion, vinegar, and cilantro. Season with salt and pepper.

lamb kofta

SERVES 6 TO 8

Kofta can be prepared up to 30 minutes before serving; place the patties on a baking sheet, cover with aluminum foil, and keep warm in a 250°F oven.

1 pound ground lamb

4 teaspoons Spice Mixture (recipe follows)

1 teaspoon paprika

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 large egg

½ onion, grated on the large holes of a box grater (½ cup)

1 garlic clove, minced

¹/
₃cup pine nuts, toasted and chopped

¹/
₃cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 teaspoon coarse salt

1 tablespoon olive oil

Yogurt Mint Sauce, for serving (recipe follows)

1.
In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients except the oil and yogurt sauce. Mix thoroughly with your hands or a wooden spoon. Form the mixture into 1½-inch balls, and flatten the balls into ovals or football shapes, about ¼ inch thick.

2.
In a large nonstick skillet, heat ½ tablespoon of the oil over medium-high heat. Add half the lamb patties. Cook until the first side is golden brown, about 3 minutes; flip the patties, and cook 2 minutes more. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate.

3.
Wipe the skillet with a paper towel; heat the remaining ½ tablespoon oil. Repeat the process with the remaining lamb patties. Serve warm or at room temperature with yogurt sauce on the side.

spice mixture

MAKES ¼ CUP

4½ teaspoons ground coriander

4 teaspoons ground cumin

1½ teaspoons ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground cloves

½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

Mix the spices together in a small bowl or container. Store, tightly sealed, at room temperature up to 3 months.

yogurt mint sauce

MAKES 1 CUP

8 ounces plain whole-milk yogurt, preferably Greek-style

3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint

1½ teaspoons fresh lemon juice

1 small garlic clove, minced

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl, and stir well to combine. Sauce can be made up to 1 day ahead; store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

avocado with grapefruit and sweet-onion salsa

SERVES 4

Cut the avocados just before serving to keep them from discoloring.

2 pink grapefruits

¼ cup finely chopped sweet onion

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Coarse salt

2 avocados, cut in half, pitted and peeled

1.
Cut off both ends of the grapefruits, and remove the peel, pith, and outer membranes, following the curve of the fruit with a paring knife. Working over a bowl to catch the juices, use the knife to carefully slice between the sections and membranes of each grapefruit to remove the segments. Slice each grapefruit segment into small pieces, and set aside.

2.
Place the onion in a small bowl. Squeeze the remaining juice from the grapefruit membranes over the onions, and let stand 20 minutes to soften. Pour off and discard the juice. Add the grapefruit segments and cilantro. Add enough reserved grapefruit juice to moisten. Season with salt. To serve, place 3 to 4 tablespoons salsa on each of the avocado halves.

broccoflower and toasted country bread with bagna cauda

SERVES 4

1 head broccoflower, leaves and tough stems discarded

Coarse salt

1 loaf country bread, sliced 1 inch thick

Bagna Cauda (recipe follows)

1.
Preheat the oven to 450°F. Prepare an ice bath; set aside. Fill a stockpot with 1 inch water, and bring to a boil. Place the broccoflower in a steamer insert; sprinkle with salt. Cover tightly, and steam until just tender when pierced with a paring knife, about 10 minutes. Transfer to the ice bath; drain, and pat dry.

2.
Arrange the slices of bread on a baking sheet; toast until the edges are brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Turn; toast until the edges of the other side are brown, about 3 minutes. Serve with bagna cauda and broccoflower.

bagna cauda

MAKES ABOUT 1 ¼ CUPS

Allow this robust dip to mellow overnight in the refrigerator. Before serving, bring it to room temperature, or reheat it gently in a saucepan.

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

3 large garlic cloves, roughly chopped

½ 3-ounce tin anchovy fillets, drained and roughly chopped

¹/
₃cup olive oil

1 tablespoon milk

1.
Melt the butter in a small sauté pan over medium-low heat. Add the garlic, and cook until softened but not browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the anchovies and oil, and reduce heat to low. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is softened and lightly browned, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat; let cool slightly.

2.
Transfer the mixture to the jar of a blender, and add the milk; puree until thick and smooth, about 2 minutes. Transfer to an airtight container, and store in the refrigerator until ready to serve, preferably overnight and up to 4 days.

mini corn cakes with goat cheese and pepper jelly

MAKES 42

An old-fashioned cast-iron skillet with shallow round indentations is ideal for making uniform corn cakes. Since these pans can be rather hard to find, you can use a regular cast-iron skillet and achieve equally lovely results. Pepper jelly adds a bit of sweetness and subtle heat. Look for it at farmer’s markets and in gourmet shops.

1½ cups all-purpose flour

¼ cup sugar

½ cup yellow cornmeal

1 tablespoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

1¼ cups milk

2 large eggs, room temperature

¹/
₃cup vegetable oil, plus more for the pan

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1 15¼-ounce can corn kernels, drained

8 ounces fresh goat cheese, thinly sliced

1 cup pepper jelly

1.
Whisk together the flour, sugar, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, oil, and butter until smooth and combined. Add the milk mixture to the flour mixture, and stir just until the batter is combined; fold in corn kernels.

2.
Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium heat, and rub it with enough oil to coat the surface. Drop batter by the tablespoon to make 2-inch cakes. Cook until undersides are golden brown, 45 to 60 seconds; turn over, and continue cooking until other sides are browned and cakes are heated through, about 1 minute. To serve, top each cake with a slice of goat cheese and a dollop of pepper jelly.

marinated goat cheese with oregano

BOOK: The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook

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