Featured Recipes
Stop back periodically to see new selections from my absolutely best recipes.
Fudge Brownies
16 BROWNIES—The richest, most divinely decadent brownies you’ll ever taste.- 2 sticks (1/2 lb.) unsalted butter
- 8 ounces bittersweet (not semi-sweet) chocolate, chopped
- 4 eggs
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup flour
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2/3 cup cacao nibs* (optional)
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9” x 9” baking pan. Dust lightly with flour.
2. Melt the butter on a low heat. Remove from the heat and stir in the chocolate. Cover, and allow to stand for about 5 minutes until the chocolate is melted. Stir until the mixture is blended.
3. Beat the eggs, sugar and vanilla together until thoroughly blended.
4. Beat the chocolate mixture into the egg mixture.
5. Add the flour, cocoa powder and salt. Mix until blended and smooth.
6. Mix in the cacao nibs. Spoon into the baking pan and spread evenly.
7. Bake for about 35 minutes, until the top is glossy and lightly cracked. Cool thoroughly before cutting.
* Cacao nibs are pieces of roasted cocoa beans. They are available at gourmet food stores.
Masala Chai
2 generous servings—Adapted from Heaven’s BanquetThe now-ubiquitous commercial “chai latte” and “chai tea,” (a redundancy; chai means “tea”) contain ingredients such as vanilla and honey that are not used in traditional Indian spiced tea. Here is an easy, authentic recipe. Loose-leaf Darjeeling, Assam, or orange pekoe teas are ideal.
- 2 cups water
- 4 whole cloves
- pinch of saffron (optional)
- 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh ginger
- 4 teaspoons black tea leaves
- 2 cups milk
- 1⁄8 teaspoon crushed cardamom seeds
- 2 or 3 grindings of black pepper
- sugar
Bring the water, cloves, saffron and ginger to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for a minute. Add the tea leaves and simmer for another minute. Add the milk, cardamom and black pepper. Return to a simmer for another minute. Remove from the heat and add sugar to taste. Strain before serving.
Creamy Gingered Carrot Soup with or without Wild Rice
7 cups
Only the pure in heart can make a good soup. —Beethoven
Subtle accents of ginger and orange make this soup unique. Wild rice adds color, texture, and flavor that complement the suave mixture and make it worthy of the grandest occasions.
- Wild Rice (optional):
- 1⁄3 cup wild rice
- 11⁄2 cups water
- Soup:
- 1⁄3 cup ghee or butter
- 2 Tablespoons minced fresh ginger
- 6 cups sliced carrots
- 11⁄2 cups sliced celery
- 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
- 4–41⁄2 cups vegetable or chicken stock
- 1⁄2 cup orange juice
- 1–2 teaspoons sugar
- salt
- white pepper
Optional wild rice addition: Bring the water to a boil. Stir in the wild rice. Cover, reduce the heat, and simmer until all the water is absorbed and the rice is tender, about 50–60 minutes.
To prepare the soup: Melt the ghee or butter in a large soup pot. Add the ginger, carrots, celery, and salt. Stir, cover, and cook on a very low heat until the vegetables are very tender, about 30–40 minutes. Purée the vegetables, stock, and orange juice very thoroughly in a blender or food processor. The smoother the mixture is, the easier the next step will be. Place a large sieve over the soup pot. Strain the mixture through it, stirring and pressing with the back of a large spoon. Scrape the underside of the sieve periodically. Do not skip this step! It is essential for a creamy texture. In the end, there should remain a small amount of fibrous material that pulls away from the sieve. Discard. Heat the soup to serving temperature. Thin with more stock, if necessary. Season to taste with the sugar, salt, and white pepper.
Moussaka
4 servings
Moussaka was originally maghmuma, a dish of Central Asia. This rich, flavorful moussaka, one of the most popular recipes in the book, is “à la Turque” as opposed to an “à la Grecque” nonvegetarian version. It is served in both Turkey and the Arab countries. It can also be cooked like a stew rather than baked. Serve with couscous, bulgar, or rice. Note that the garbanzos must be prepared in advance.
- 1⁄4 cup olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon minced fresh ginger
- 11⁄2 teaspoons cumin seeds
- 1 large eggplant, peeled, quartered, and sliced
- 2 cups chopped ripe tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1⁄2 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup cooked garbanzos
Heat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Oil a covered casserole.
Heat the oil in a skillet. Add the ginger, and cumin, and sauté on a low heat for 30 seconds. Add the eggplant and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the tomatoes and continue cooking for 3–4 more minutes. Stir in the cinnamon, sugar, salt, and garbanzos. Place in the casserole, cover, and bake for 1 hour.
Please enjoy this additional sampling of recipes from Heaven's Banquet:
Hazelnut-Crusted Saffron Potato Cakes
Creamy Broccoli Soup
Wild Rice Salad with Dried Cranberries
'Swonderful Shortbread
Recipes in "Nourishing the Person" (Santa Barbara Magazine [pdf]
Cucumber beet soup
Tofu & Vegetables in Coconut milk
Apricot Couscous
Pineapple Chutney
Spice Nectar
Cardamom tea Cake
Recipes in ""Finally, Heaven's Banquet" (The Iowa Source) [pdf]
Fennel Cole Slaw with Pecan Dressing
Creamy Zucchini Cashew Soup
Wilted Greek Salad with Caramelized Walnuts
Poleta Indian Pudding with Wild Blueberries
"Ayurvedic Cook Extraordinaire" (Veggie Life)
Order Heaven's Banquet