The Big Book of Backyard Cooking (40 page)

3
tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

2
teaspoons fresh lime juice

Heat a small skillet over medium heat and when hot, add ground cumin. Cook, stirring for 1

minute, to develop the flavor of the spice. Set aside.

In a nonreactive bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, cilantro, lime juice, and toasted cumin.

Cover and refrigerate. (The mayonnaise can be prepared 2 hours ahead.)

SESAME ORANGE MAYONNAISE

This sauce, made by whisking sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, and seasonings of orange juice and
zest into store-bought mayonnaise, takes only a few minutes to assemble and holds up beautifully
refrigerated for several hours. The strong accents of sesame and orange make it an excellent
sauce to use with such shellfish as lobsters
(page 128),
shrimp, or scallops.

MAKES ABOUT 1 CUP

1
cup regular or reduced-fat (not nonfat) mayonnaise

2
to
4
teaspoons Asian sesame oil (see note)

2
teaspoons rice wine vinegar

2
teaspoons fresh orange juice

½
teaspoon grated orange zest

In a nonreactive bowl, whisk all ingredients together, using only 2 teaspoons of the sesame oil.

Taste and add up to 2 more teaspoons of sesame oil, if desired. Cover and refrigerate until needed.

(The mayonnaise can be made 4 hours ahead. Bring to room temperature 30 minutes before using.)
NOTE:
Different brands of sesame oil seem to vary in their intensity, so add the oil gradually to taste.

CHUTNEY MAYONNAISE

Purchased mayonnaise can be easily enhanced by the addition of curry powder and mango
chutney. The resulting spicy spread has many uses. Try making chicken salad with it, spread it
atop grilled turkey burgers, or use it as a sauce for drizzling over pita pockets filled with sliced
ham and Cheddar.

MAKES ABOUT 2/3 CUP

½
cup regular or reduced-fat (not nonfat) mayonnaise

2½
tablespoons mango chutney (chop any large pieces of mango coarsely)

¾
teaspoon curry powder

Stir together all ingredients in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate. (Chutney mayonnaise can be prepared 1 day ahead.)

WASABI MAYONNAISE

Wasabi powder, which is made with ground, dried Japanese horseradish, has a sharp, fiery,
pungent flavor. When mixed with water to form a paste, this mixture can be stirred into purchased
mayonnaise to make a piquant condiment. The mayonnaise is good served with grilled tuna or
salmon or on Tuna Burgers with Pickled Ginger
(page 48).

MAKES ABOUT ½ CUP

2
tablespoons wasabi powder

½
cup regular or reduced-fat (not nonfat) mayonnaise

In a small bowl, combine wasabi powder with 1 tablespoon water and stir to mix with a fork.

Add mayonnaise and stir well to blend. Cover and refrigerate until needed. (Mayonnaise can be prepared 1 day ahead.)

QUICK TARTAR SAUCE

This mayonnaise-based sauce is a time-honored classic to serve with fish. This version, made with
purchased mayonnaise, takes only minutes to assemble and is delectable spread on Cape Cod
Fried Scallop Rolls
(page 126)
.

MAKES ABOUT 1½ CUPS

1
cup regular or reduced-fat (not nonfat) mayonnaise

6
tablespoons chopped dill pickle

¼
cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

2
tablespoons minced yellow onion

2
tablespoons drained, chopped capers

2
teaspoons Dijon mustard

2
teaspoons fresh lemon juice, plus more if needed

Combine all ingredients in a medium nonreactive bowl and stir to mix. Taste, and if you want a tarter taste, add a little additional lemon juice. Cover and refrigerate. (Tartar sauce can be prepared 1

day ahead.)

BEST EVER CARAMEL SAUCE

What distinguishes this caramel sauce from others is the addition of a small amount of cream
cheese, which provides a slightly salty accent. The sauce can be made in advance and kept
refrigerated several days until needed. It is good drizzled warm over scoops of vanilla ice cream
to make Rum Caramel Pecan Sundaes
(page 300)
or used for Caramel Iced Coffee
(page 213).

MAKES ABOUT ¾ CUP

2
ounces cream cheese at room temperature

¼
cup light cream

¾
cup sugar

3
tablespoons unsalted butter, diced

Whisk together cream cheese and cream in a small bowl until smooth and set aside.

Combine sugar and 6 tablespoons water in a heavy, medium saucepan over low heat, swirling pan occasionally until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and boil until syrup turns a light golden brown color, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove pan from heat and stir in cream cheese and cream. Be very careful, as mixture will bubble vigorously. Whisk in butter. Use warm as a sauce or let cool to room temperature to use as a glaze or icing. (Caramel sauce can be prepared 5 days ahead. Keep covered and refrigerated.)

EXTRA-RICH CHOCOLATE SAUCE

Equal amounts of chocolate and cream, thinned with some water, make this a classic ganache
sauce. Prepared with dark bittersweet chocolate, this indulgent accompaniment (which would
make just about anything taste better!) is best served warm. It’s a perfect partner for Burnt-Sugar
Vanilla Ice Cream
(page 291)
and would be good with the Kentucky Bourbon Cake
(page 244)
.

MAKES ABOUT 1¼ CUPS

¾
cup heavy cream

6
ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

1
teaspoon bourbon (optional)

Combine cream and 6 tablespoons water in a medium, heavy saucepan over medium-high heat.

Bring to a boil. Remove from heat and add chocolate. Whisk until mixture is smooth and shiny. Stir in bourbon, if desired. (Chocolate sauce can be prepared 5 days ahead. Cool, cover, and refrigerate.

Reheat, stirring, over medium-low heat.)

CHOCOLATE COFFEE SAUCE

Chocolate and coffee make good partners in this dark, rich dessert sauce. The sauce, which keeps
well for several days when refrigerated, can be reheated quickly when needed. It is delectable
ladled over scoops of vanilla, coffee, or chocolate ice cream. Try it, too, with the Chocolate Pound
Cake
(page 246).

MAKES ABOUT 1½ CUPS

1
cup light cream

1
tablespoon unsalted butter

1
tablespoon sugar

6
ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

2
tablespoons coffee liqueur, such as Kahlúa

Combine cream, butter, and sugar in a heavy, medium saucepan over medium heat, and stir until mixture comes to a boil. Remove from heat and add chocolate. Whisk until chocolate has melted and sauce is smooth. Whisk in coffee liqueur. (Sauce can be made 4 days ahead; cool, cover, and refrigerate. Reheat, stirring, over low heat.)

FRESH ORANGE SAUCE

This easy, refreshing sauce, made with fresh orange juice, can be prepared a couple of days in
advance. Try it drizzled over scoops of vanilla ice cream or over slices of pound cake garnished
with strawberries.

MAKES ABOUT 1¼ CUPS

1
cup fresh orange juice

1½
tablespoons cornstarch

2
tablespoons unsalted butter

¼
cup sugar

1
tablespoon grated orange zest

Whisk orange juice and cornstarch in a bowl until cornstarch dissolves. Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in sugar, orange zest, and orange juice mixture. Whisk until sauce comes to a simmer and thickens slightly, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat and cool. (Sauce can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and chill. Bring to room temperature before serving.)
WARM LEMON SAUCE

This tangy sauce would be delicious spooned over slices of angel food cake or pound cake topped
with fresh strawberries. It can be made in advance and reheated quickly at serving time.

MAKES ABOUT 1 CUP

2/3
cup sugar

1½
tablespoons cornstarch

1/8
teaspoon salt

1
tablespoon unsalted butter

3
tablespoons fresh lemon juice

½
teaspoon grated lemon zest

1
egg yolk

Combine sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a heavy, nonreactive medium saucepan over medium heat.

Stir in 2/3 cup water. Cook, stirring constantly with a whisk, until sauce is clear and thick, 2 to 3

minutes. Remove from heat and stir in butter, lemon juice, and lemon zest.

Put egg yolk in a small bowl and slowly whisk in ⅓ cup of the warm sauce. Whisk the egg mixture back into the pan with the warm sauce. Heat the sauce again, whisking constantly over low heat until it thickens, about 1 minute. (Sauce can be made 2 days ahead. Cool, cover, and refrigerate.

Reheat over low heat, stirring constantly. If sauce seems too thick when reheated, thin with 1 to 2

tablespoons of water.)

WARM BLUEBERRY SAUCE

This simple and quick sauce, made with fresh blueberries, can be used to embellish a number of
desserts. Serve it warm over scoops of vanilla ice cream or pair it with icy cold lemon sorbet. Or,
ladle it over slices of pound cake garnished with sliced peaches.

MAKES ABOUT 2 CUPS

2/3
cup sugar

¼
cup fresh lemon juice

2
tablespoons cornstarch

2
cups fresh blueberries

Combine 1 cup water, the sugar, lemon juice, and cornstarch in a heavy, medium saucepan, and whisk until cornstarch is completely dissolved. Place over medium heat and stir for 1 minute. Add blueberries and continue to stir and cook until sauce has thickened, about 5 minutes. (If not using immediately, cool, cover, and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Reheat over low heat, stirring, when ready to use.)

The wild blueberry is the state berry of Maine

INDEX

The index entries below are as they appeared in the print version of the book and are included here for your reference. Please use the search function on your eReader to search for terms of interest.

A

ALMONDS

Almond Ginger Cake with Strawberries and Ginger Cream

Almond Praline Ice Cream

Caramel Almond Squares

Cherry Almond Tart with a Streusel Topping

Dark Chocolate Brownies with Cherries and Almonds

Mini Chocolate Almond Cupcakes

Nectarine Almond Crumble

Orange Almond Cake with Orange Sauce and Ice Cream

paste

Peach Tart with Almond Crust

Plum Tart

Strawberry Ice-Box Pie

toasting

Ann Clark’s Golden Fried Clam Cakes

APPLES

Beef in the Round Sandwiches

Blue Ribbon Apple Pie

Turkey, Apple, and Cheddar Clubs

Turkey Burgers with Honey Mustard, White Cheddar, and Crisp Apple Slices

Apricot Mustard, Hot

ARTICHOKES

Artichoke, Red Pepper, and Olive Confetti

Artichokes with Pecorino, Black Pepper, and Olive Oil

ARUGULA

Avocado, Mango, and Arugula Salad

BLT Pasta Salad

BLTs with Basil Mayo on Toasted Country Bread

Green Mustard Sauce

Mushroom and Arugula Salad with Shaved Parmesan

Red, Yellow, Orange, and Green Heirloom Tomato Salad

Yukon Golds Baked with Arugula and Bacon

ASPARAGUS

Grilled Asparagus Spears

Wild and White Rice Salad with Asparagus and Smoked Salmon

AVOCADOS

Avocado, Mango, and Arugula Salad

Black Bean, Tomato, and Avocado Salad for a Crowd

Chunky Guacamole Salsa

Extra-Special Tabbouleh with Avocado and Feta

B

Backyard Sangria

BACON

Bacon-Wrapped Filet Steaks Topped with Roasted Garlic Butter

BLT Pasta Salad

BLTs with Basil Mayo on Toasted Country Bread

Egg Salad Club Sandwiches

German Potato Salad with Fresh Dill

Golden Corn Cakes Topped with Goat Cheese and Bacon

Hamburgers with Chunky Guacamole Salsa and Smoked Bacon

A Mixed Bag of Beans

Tomato Fennel Confetti

Yukon Golds Baked with Arugula and Bacon

Baked Ham with a Red Currant Mustard Glaze

Balsamic Onion Marmalade

Balsamic Roasted Onions

BANANAS

Banana Daiquiri Sorbet

Caramel Glazed Banana Nut Loaf

Coconut Banana Smoothies

Raspberry Banana Smoothies

Barbecued Salmon with a Mahogany Glaze

Barbecued Shrimp in Their Shells

BASIL

Basil Mayonnaise

Red Bell Pepper Basil Butter

BBQ Burgers

BEANS

Black Bean, Tomato, and Avocado Salad for a Crowd

Chicken Salad with Figs and Green Beans in Blue Cheese Dressing

Emily Bell’s Forklift Salad

Green Beans and Limas with Pecorino

Green Beans Tossed with Olive Oil and Chives

Green Beans with Balsamic Butter

A Mixed Bag of Beans

Rich Terapak’s Three Beans Plus Salad

BEEF

Bacon-Wrapped Filet Steaks Topped with Roasted Garlic Butter

BBQ Burgers

Beef in the Round Sandwiches

Charred T-Bone or Porterhouse Steaks with Chimichurri Sauce

Chili-Rubbed Sirloins with Guacamole Salsa

Garlic-Scented Sirloins with Red and Yellow Pepper Relish

Ginger and Garlic Flank Steaks

Hamburgers with Chunky Guacamole Salsa and Smoked Bacon

Po’ Boys with Corned Beef, Creamy Caraway Coleslaw, and Swiss

Rib-Eye Steaks with Smoky Chile Tomato Sauce