Cookbook Club Roundup - February 20th, 2016

Cookbook Club RoundUp! 

Members of our brand new Cookbook Club brought some delightful dishes and recipes to this week's gathering. Here's a sampling:

Caviar Pie, from Mother’s Club of New Rochelle 1987 Cookbook.

Chipotle & Rosemary Spiced Nuts, from Ina Garten's Barefoot Contessa, How Easy Is That? Fabulous Recipes & Easy Tips.
           
Turkey and Zucchini Burgers with Green Onion and Cumin, adapted from Jerusalem: A Cookbook.

Zahatar Cherry Tomatoes Crostini, from Rose Water and Orange Blossoms: Fresh & Classic Recipes from my Lebanese Kitchen, Maureen Abood.

Marcella Hazan’s Famous Tomato Sauce, originally appeared in Marcella Hazan's Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking. 

Some members shared their own recipes too, these included Dill Pickles; Sauerkraut; Spinach, Cheese & Veggies Quiche; and Gougeres. 

What, you may ask, is a gougere?

Choux pastry, or pâte à choux, is used to make sweet profiteroles. When cheese is added for a savory dish, they are called gougeres. These mini-pastries should be crisp and golden on the outside and light and fluffy within.

Gougeres – Cheese Puffs

Makes about 3 dozen

Ingredients

1 cup Gruyere or Parmesan Cheese, finely grated

1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces

½ teaspoon Kosher salt

1 cup flour

4 large eggs

Method

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Put the butter and water in a saucepan and bring to a rolling boil. Reduce the heat to low and add the flour and salt, all at one time.

Stir rapidly and continuously with a wooden spoon as the mixture comes together. Cook for up to three minutes, or until the mixture forms a smooth ball.

Take the pan off the heat and allow it cool for a few minutes. Beat the eggs. Add them to the warm dough one at a time, beating thoroughly to incorporate. Mix in the grated cheese.

Using a teaspoon, place spoonfuls of the mixture on to a baking tray lined with parchment paper, leaving room between each spoonful for the pastry to puff up. Bake for 10 minutes, then turn the heat down to 325 degrees for another 20 minutes, or until the pastries are cooked through and golden.

Gougeres can be made a few hours ahead of time and reheated before serving.