Baklava

Baklava is a delicious treat--sweet with honey and cinnamon, crisp with filo and butter, rich with nuts. It is so intense that a little piece goes a long way, which means one pan is enough for a crowd.

Depending on whether you're a half-full or half-empty sort of person, this recipe is either simple but time consuming or time consuming but simple. Either way, it's worth the effort!

For the syrup:
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
1/2 inch thick slice of lemon
1 stick cinnamon
1 cup honey

Combine sugar, water, lemon, and cinnamon stick. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer about 15-20 minutes, until it has the consistency of light syrup (about 1 1/3 cups). Pour into glass measuring cup with the honey. Cool, then remove lemon and cinnamon. This can be made a day in advance and kept, covered, at room temperature--I leave the lemon and cinnamon in until it's time to pour the syrup.Pastry/Filling:
~1 cup ground almonds
~1 cup ground walnuts
1/4 cup sugar
1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
1 pound filo pastry, thawed in refrigerator, then brought to room temperature
2 sticks unsalted butter, melted

Combine nuts, sugar, and cinnamon. It's okay to use up to 2 1/2 cups nuts, but fewer nuts = crisper, flakier pastry.

Skim foam from butter. Brush 9 x 13" pan with butter.

Lay filo on the counter and cover with a damp cloth. This will keep it from drying out and cracking. Gently lift a sheet of dough and spread neatly in the pan. Butter it lightly. Other sheets of dough will be wrinkled to fit in the pan (so rips don't matter) and buttered lightly--brush or dab.

After putting 6 buttered filo sheets in the bottom of the pan, sprinkle with 1/4 of the nut mixture. Top with 1 more buttered sheet, then 1/4 filling. Repeat.

Layer on the remaining filo sheets, buttering each (~9). Spread the top piece out flat and trim the edges to fit the pan.

Carefully cut partway through the layers (down to the beginning of the nut layer) in a diamond pattern: make diagonal cuts, starting at the top (short side) and going to the right (long) side. Then make vertical cuts from top to bottom.

Bake at 325* until the top is golden and crisp and edges pull away from the pan sides,an hour or longer. (The bottom will be darker than the top.)

Pour cool syrup over hot baklava (stay "inside the edges" of the baked pastry). Let stand to absorb the syrup, at least 3 hours. (I cover it loosely with waxed paper.) Cut through the bottom layer and serve.

If you think there is too much pastry on top, you can put more sheets of dough on the bottom instead. It won't make the bottom layer noticeably taller, though.

Fancy Salad

This salad is easy, delicious, and prettier than the photo shows. I almost called it "girlie" salad--its fan base does not skew towards men or children, although some will eat it. Most ladies LOVE it!This recipe explains ingredients and technique rather than amounts.

spring mix greens (prewashed and dried)
balsamic vinaigrette
goat cheese
craisins
walnuts, toasted and chopped coarsely

Toss greens with the dressing; use your hands. Spread salad on a platter or individual plates. Sprinkle with clumps of goat cheese, then craisins, then walnuts. Serve immediately!

Notes:

• The lettuce starts out fluffy. You'll need a big bowl for mixing, but not as much serving space.
• I don't know of a tasty brand of balsamic vinaigrette. I make my dressing by blending Good Seasons Italian mix, balsamic vinegar, and extra virgin olive oil.
• The lettuce will begin to wilt within the hour, so don't dress it until the last possible moment. (And it doesn't need much dressing, either...) I have made this for parties, though, and it is usually eaten before it looks too bad. ;-)
• For a large batch, I used 1# spring mix and 1/2# of goat cheese. I didn't measure the craisins or nuts--these are pantry staples usually on hand. This filled two oval platters and could probably make 10-16 individual plates.
• I recommend a platter rather than a bowl because it looks better and it's easier to distribute the "goodies" if they're scattered across the top of the salad. Once you try mixing it all together, you'll find the greens on top, covering up everything else.

Pomegranate Tutorial

I'm not a big fan of pomegranates (too seedy!), but the rest of the family really likes them. They're a seasonal treat, showing up around November to December.

I learned from Sunset magazine how to prepare them neatly for easy eating. The key is to do most of the work under water to keep the bright red juice from splattering all over.

First I cut the fruit into quarters through the skin. I pull the quarters apart under the water.

The seeds are in little compartments separated by papery walls. Just rub them gently to dislodge. The juicy seeds sink to the bottom while the waste pieces float on top for easy removal.Notice that the water is not as clear as at the beginning? It's discolored from all the juice that did NOT spray on the wall, the coffeemaker, and my shirt!Pour off the floaty bits, rinse, pour off again, and drain.Scoop into your serving bowl and enjoy.