Rum Scented Marble Cake

BASE BATTER

2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour (spoon flour into a dry-measure cup and level off)

1 2/3 cups sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 sticks unsalted butter, softened

7 large eggs

3 tablespoons dark rum

CHOCOLATE BATTER

2 tablespoons dark rum

2 tablespoons milk

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

6 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) chocolate, melted and cooled

2 cups Base Batter

1 (12-cup) tube or Bundt pan, buttered, coated with fine, dry bread crumbs, and sprayed with vegetable oil cooking spray

PREPARATION

1. Set a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 325°F (160°C).

2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Stir well by hand to mix. Add the butter. Beat the mixture on low speed with the paddle until the mixture is a smooth, heavy paste, 1 to 2 minutes.

3. Whisk the eggs and rum together. On medium speed, beat 1/3 of the egg mixture into the flour and butter mixture. Beat for 1 minute.

4. Stop and scrape down the bowl and beater. Add half of the egg mixture and beat for 2 minutes. Repeat with the other half.

5. Remove the bowl from the mixer and using a large rubber spatula give the batter a final mix.

6. For the chocolate batter, combine the rum, milk, and baking soda in a medium mixing bowl, whisk well to dissolve the baking soda. Scrape in the chocolate and whisk it well. Add the 2 cups of base batter to the chocolate mixture and whisk well to combine.

7. Scrape half the remaining base batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Cover with the chocolate batter, making it as even a layer as possible. Finally, top with the remaining base batter and smooth the top. Use a wide-bladed table knife or a thin metal spatula to marble the batter: Insert the knife into the batter at the central tube, with the flat side of the blade facing you. Draw the blade through the batter to the bottom of the pan and up and out of the side of the pan closest to you, repeating the motion every inch or so around the pan, making a spiral in the batter, almost as though you were folding egg whites into it. Stop when you get back to the point where you started. Don't bother to smooth the top of the batter—it might disturb the marbling.

8. Bake the cake until it is well risen and firm, and a toothpick or a small thin knife inserted midway between the side of the pan and the central tube emerges dry about 1 hour.

9. Cool the cake in the pan for 5 minutes, then invert a rack over it. Invert and lift off the pan. Cool the cake completely over the rack.

Spiced Zucchini Bread

3 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 cup chopped nuts
3 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups coarsely shredded zucchini
1 8 ounce can crushed pineapple drained well

Combine flour, soda, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, and nuts; set aside.  Beat eggs lightly in a large mixing bowl add sugar, oil, and vanilla beat until creamy.  Stir in zucchini and pineapple.  Add dry ingredients stirring only until dry ingredients are moistened.  Spoon batter into 2 well-greased 9x5x3 loaf pans. Bake at 350 degrees for one hour. Cool ten minutes before removing from pans.  Makes 2 loaves.

Spring Green Soup

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 pound chicken tenders

2 medium leeks, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped 

2 cloves garlic, minced

4 cups low-sodium chicken broth

¾ teaspoon salt

¾ teaspoon ground pepper, plus more for serving

1 bunch asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 (5 ounce) package baby spinach

1 cup packed fresh parsley leaves

¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook, flipping once, until browned and cooked through, about 6 minutes total. Transfer to a plate.

Add leeks, onion and celery to the pot. Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally and scraping up any browned bits, until very tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add broth, salt and pepper; bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer, cover and cook for 5 minutes. Add asparagus and spinach; cook until the asparagus is tender, about 5 minutes more.

Shred the chicken into bite-size pieces and add to the soup. Stir in parsley and Parmesan. Serve the soup topped with more pepper and Parmesan, if desired.

Grilled Broccoli with Viniagrette

2 small broccoli stalks, trimmed and quartered

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

½ teaspoon salt, divided

2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

½ teaspoon Dijon mustard

¼ teaspoon ground pepper

Preheat one side of the grill to medium-high; leave the other half unheated.

Toss broccoli in a large bowl with 2 tablespoons oil and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Grill the broccoli, cut-side down, over the heat, turning once halfway through, until lightly charred, 10 to 15 minutes total. Move to the unheated side, close the lid and cook until the stalks are tender, 10 to 15 minutes more.

Meanwhile, whisk vinegar, basil, chives, mustard and pepper with the remaining 2 tablespoons oil and 1/4 teaspoon salt in the bowl.

Toss the broccoli with the vinaigrette to coat.

Flank Steak & Brussel Sprout Stir Fry

3 tablespoons oyster sauce

3 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce

2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar

4 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided

1 pound brussels sprouts, halved

8 ounces flank or skirt steak, thinly sliced against the grain

Kosher salt

4 scallions, whites chopped, greens sliced

3 garlic cloves, sliced

2 tablespoons chopped peeled ginger

2 medium carrots, peeled, thinly sliced on a diagonal

1 Fresno chile or jalapeño, sliced into rings

Steamed rice (for serving)

Whisk oyster sauce, soy sauce, vinegar, and 1/4 cup water in a small bowl; set sauce aside.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add brussels sprouts and cook, tossing occasionally, until golden brown, about 4 minutes. Cover and cook until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes longer. Transfer to a plate; wipe out skillet.

Season steak with salt. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in same skillet over high heat until just beginning to smoke. Add steak in a single layer; cook until browned, about 3 minutes. Turn and cook until nearly cooked through, about 30 seconds. Add to brussels sprouts.

Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in same skillet. Add scallion whites, garlic, and ginger and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute, adjusting heat as needed. Add carrots and chile and cook, tossing occasionally, until carrots are slightly softened, about 2 minutes.

Return brussels sprouts and steak to skillet and add reserved sauce. Cook, tossing occasionally, until sauce is thickened, about 3 minutes. Serve with steamed rice and garnish with scallion greens.

Steak with Tomato Topping

2 tsp. reduced-sodium soy sauce

1 1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard

1 1/2 tsp. finely chopped fresh parsley leaves

1 clove garlic

2 medium tomatoes

2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil

4 beef tenderloin steaks

1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

1/4 tsp. salt

parsley leaves for garnish

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

In small bowl, combine soy sauce, Dijon, parsley, and garlic. Gently stir in tomatoes.

In heavy 12-inch skillet with oven-safe handle (or with handle wrapped in double thickness of foil for roasting in oven later), heat oil over high heat until very hot. Meanwhile, sprinkle steaks with pepper and salt.

Add steaks to hot oil in pan. Cook 4 to 5 minutes or until dark brown on one side. Turn steaks over and cook 30 seconds. Place skillet in oven and roast steaks 12 minutes for medium or until desired doneness.

Serve steaks with tomato topping. Garnish with parsley leaves.

Grilled Pork Chops with Plums, Halloumi, and Lemon

If you have never tried Halloumi cheese you are missing out, it is delicious grilled.

4 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more

1 tsp. honey

4 pork chops (about 1" thick), patted dry

Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper

4 ripe medium red or black plums (about 1 lb.), halved

1 lemon, halved, seeds removed

8 oz. Halloumi cheese, sliced into ½"-thick planks

2 Tbsp. torn oregano leaves

Prepare a grill for medium-high heat; oil grate. Combine honey and 2 Tbsp. oil in a large resealable plastic bag. Season pork chops generously with salt and pepper and add to bag. Seal, pressing out air, and massage chops to coat.

Place plums, lemon, and Halloumi on a rimmed baking sheet and drizzle with 2 Tbsp. oil; toss to coat. Season plums and lemon with salt, then season everything with pepper.

Grill pork over medium-high, turning occasionally with tongs and moving around if needed to prevent flare-ups, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center registers 130°, 6–8 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, grill plums, lemon (cut side down), and Halloumi, turning plums and cheese once or twice, until grill marks appear and plums start to release their juices, about 4 minutes. Transfer plums, lemon, and Halloumi to cutting board with pork and let cool 1 minute. Slice each plum half into 3 wedges and tear Halloumi into 1" pieces.

Arrange pork chops on plates. Spoon plums and Halloumi around and on top of meat, dividing evenly. Squeeze juice from grilled lemon over; season with more salt and pepper. Top with oregano.