Mustard & Tarragon Baked Eggs

1/3 c. cream

Dijon mustard

Butter

8-10 eggs

Salt and pepper

1 T. fresh tarragon, minced, or 1 t. dried tarragon

1/2 c. grated Parmesan, Romano, or asiago cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Measure out the cream and add Dijon mustard to taste. 

Butter the bottom of a casserole and pour in the cream mixture.

Crack the eggs on top of the cream, being careful not to break the yolks.

Lightly salt and pepper. If using dried tarragon, sprinkle it on now. Spread the grated cheese over the eggs. 

Bake for 20-25 minutes until the eggs are set. Check after 15 minutes and turn the casserole to achieve even baking, if necessary.

If using fresh tarragon, sprinkle it on during the last few minutes of baking, or use it as a garnish.

Serves 4.

Adapted from The Tassajara Recipe Book: Favorites of the Guest Season, p. 27. 

Peach Coffee Cake

1 c. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

6 peaches, pitted and cut into 8 slices each*

Juice of 1/2 lemon

1 t. ground cinnamon

2 c. all-purpose flour

2 t. baking powder

1-1/3 c. plus 1 T. firmly packed brown sugar

1/8 t. salt

1 t. vanilla extract

2 large eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Lightly grease an 8 x 11" glass baking dish or 9" springform pan. Any shape will do as long as it's large enough. Cake will double in size as it bakes.

Mix the peach slices, lemon juice, and cinnamon in a large bowl, making sure the peaches are well-coated with cinnamon.

Stir together the flour and baking powder in a medium bowl, getting rid of any lumps.

Beat the butter, 1-1/3 c. brown sugar, and salt in another large bowl. Stop when mixture is fluffy and has slightly lightened in color, about 5 minutes. Add the vanilla, then the eggs one at a time, fully mixing in the first before adding the second.

Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, gently incorporating it until it's smooth. The batter will be quite thick.

Spread half the batter over the bottom of the buttered baking dish. Evenly distribute 24 of the peach slices over the top (There should be 48 slices in total.) Spread the other half of the batter over the peaches, then top with the rest of the peaches. Sprinkle with remaining 1 T. brown sugar.

Bake until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean, about 1 hour. 

*Can also use plums, apples, or berries. Avoid citrus and melons. Also good with frozen fruit if the fresh fruit you want isn't in season.

Serves 12.

Adapted from Good and Cheap, p.180.    

Chorizo & White Bean Ragu

2 T. butter or vegetable oil

2 onions, chopped

6 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 T. finely chopped jalapeno 

1 lb. fresh chorizo, casing removed (or other fresh sausage)

3 c. canned or fresh tomatoes, pureed

3 c. cooked cannellini, navy, or butter beans

Salt and pepper to taste

Pasta, polenta, or grits, for serving

Romano or Parmesan cheese, grated, for serving

Melt the butter in a pan over medium heat, swirling to coat the pan. Add the onions and cook just until translucent, 3-4 minutes.

Toss in the garlic, jalapeno, and fresh chorizo; saute 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and beans, then simmer until the sauce is thick and the sausage is cooked, about 5 minutes. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed.

Serve over pasta, polenta, or grits, topped with Romano or Parmesan cheese.

Makes 6 cups.

Adapted from Good and Cheap, p. 128.

Cauliflower Cheese

2 t. salt, plus more to taste

1 head cauliflower, cut into bite-sized pieces*

1 T. butter, plus more for the baking dish

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1/2 t. chile flakes

1 bay leaf

1 T. all-purpose flour

1-1/2 c. milk

6 oz. sharp Cheddar cheese, grated

Pepper to taste

Additions:

1 T. Dijon mustard

4 scallions, finely chopped

Zest of 1 lemon

1 t. smoked paprika

1/2 t. dried thyme

Breadcrumbs

Sprinkling of finely chopped fresh basil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add salt and cauliflower, then leave it for 4 minutes.

Meanwhile, butter a baking dish large enough to hold all the cauliflower (a pie plate will work). Drain the cauliflower and add to the baking dish.

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic, chile flakes, and bay leaf, and cook for about 1 minute. Add the flour and stir quickly to make a roux. Cook and stir until the roux is just a little brown, about 1 minute. Slowly add the milk, stirring all the while, making a creamy sauce.

Continue cooking the sauce, stirring occasionally, until it just comes to a boil, 5-7 minutes. Once a couple of bubbles appear, turn off the heat and stir in the cheese. Include any additions (except the breadcrumbs). Taste and add salt and pepper as needed. Remove the bay leaf. The sauce should be creamy, smooth, and savory.  

Pour the sauce over the cauliflower, then sprinkle with breadcrumbs if using them. Bake until the top is brown and bubbly, about 40 minutes.

*Can also use broccoli or cooked winter squash. 

Serves 4.

Adapted from Good and Cheap, p. 93. 

Tomato & Tuna Spaghetti

Water 

Salt to taste

8 oz. spaghetti

1 T. olive oil, plus 1 T. more if needed

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 c. pureed or chopped canned tomatoes

1 can (5 oz.) tuna, undrained (in water or in oil) 

1/2 c. grated Romano cheese, divided

Pepper to taste

Additions:*

2 anchovy fillets, finely chopped

2 T. chopped olives

1/4 c. breadcrumbs

1 T. capers

Boil a large pot of salted water and cook the spaghetti per package directions.

Meanwhile, make the sauce. Place a pan over medium heat and add the olive oil. Saute garlic until it smells great, about 1 minute.

Add the pureed tomatoes to the pan and swirl them around. Warm sauce for 2 minutes before adding the tuna. If using tuna packed in water, add 1 T. olive oil. Break up the tuna and cook until heated through, about 3 minutes.

Add 1/4 c. of the Romano cheese. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed. Turn down the heat as low as possible and cover pan to keep sauce warm while spaghetti finishes cooking.

Drain spaghetti well, reserving a small amount of the cooking water. Add spaghetti to the tuna sauce in the pan and toss to mix. If sauce is too thick, add a little of the reserved cooking water.

Serve spaghetti topped with the remaining Romano cheese.

*For a more complex dish, add one or more of the Additions. If using breadcrumbs, use them as a topping with the Romano cheese. 

Serves 3 (or 2 if very hungry).

Adapted from Good and Cheap, p. 90.