Cauliflower & Roasted Tomato Pasta

(Tim & Steph improvisation)

Fresh ingredients:

tomatoes

basil

shallot

garlic

cauliflower or broccoli

Parmesan Reggiano

eggs

optional: sausage, bacon or pancetta

Pantry ingredients:

dried pasta

black pepper

sea salt

olive oil

grapeseed oil

dried chili peppers

Penzey's Northwoods Fire spice

Roast tomatoes at 225 F for 5 hours with olive oil, salt, ground black pepper and basil.

Coat a skillet with grapeseed oil, bring it to 275 F. Saute green garlic, ground black pepper (1 tsp peppercorns), dried chili peppers, a touch of Penzey's Northwoods Fire spice, sea salt. Toast for a minute.

Add shallots and cauliflower. Press down on mixture with a pot lid. Brown mixture but watch out for burning it.

Grate some Parmesan Reggiano into a bowl.

Boil spaghetti or ziti, shock it with cold water, coat with olive oil.

Poach a few eggs.

Coat a clean skillet with olive oil, bring it to 275 F. Saute ground black pepper (1 tsp peppercorns) and green garlic for a minute. Toss in pasta (with no pasta water).

Plate pasta with cauliflower, roasted tomatoes, poached eggs and grated cheese. Garnish with fresh basil.

NOTE: When serving to guests, either omit eggs (for vegetarians) or turn it into a carbonara: mix the egg yolk into the pasta sauce + add a bit of bacon or pancetta.

chocolate stout cupcakes with salted caramel frosting

Adapted to taste from chow.com's salted caramel frosting and Dave Lieberman's chocolate stout cupcake.

Makes 12 regular sized cupcakes. Next time make 24 mini cupcakes. (I also doubled the frosting in this version of the recipe.) See a mini cupcake recipe for proportions: http://bakingbites.com/2008/06/mini-chocolate-cupcakes-with-cream-cheese-frosting/

Cupcake ingredients

8 oz all-purpose flour

3 oz unsweetened cocoa

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

8 oz (evaporated cane) sugar

1/8 teaspoon Maldon salt

6 oz stout beer (recommended: Guinness)

1/2 stick butter, melted

1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract

1.5 large eggs (3 oz)

3 oz plain yogurt

Cupcake directions

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the cocoa, sifted flour and baking soda.

In another medium mixing bowl, combine the sugar, stout, melted butter, salt and vanilla. Beat in eggs. Whisk in yogurt until thoroughly combined.

Gradually and gently fold the wet mixture into the dry ingredients. Don't over mix.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Lightly grease a 12-muffin tin. Divide the batter equally between muffin tins, filling each 3/4 full. Bake for 12 minutes and then rotate the pans. Bake another 13 minutes until risen, nicely domed, and set in the middle but still soft and tender. Cool before turning out. Store cupcakes, without frosting, overnight in a frigovere.

Frosting ingredients

4 oz granulated sugar

4 tablespoons water

4 oz heavy cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 teaspoon Maldon salt

8 oz powdered sugar

Frosting directions

1. Briefly stir together granulated sugar and water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Continue cooking on medium heat, without stirring, until mixture turns dark amber in color.

2. Remove from heat and slowly add in cream and vanilla, stirring with a wooden spoon until completely smooth. Set aside until cool to the touch, about 20 minutes.

3. Combine butter and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium-high speed until light in color and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low, add powdered sugar, and mix until completely incorporated.

4. Turn mixer off and scrape down the sides of the bowl, then add caramel. Beat frosting on medium-high speed until airy and thoroughly mixed, about 2 minutes. Cover and refrigerate until stiff, about 45 minutes, before using. If necessary, re-whip in stand mixer to loosen up frosting.

5. Put frosting in pastry bag.