Recipes

GOAT CHEESE AND AVOCADO GRILLED CHEESE

1 loaf sliced whole-grain wheat bread

½ cup pesto

10 slices of mozzarella cheese

1 bunch of spinach leaves, washed and dried

2 avocados, sliced

1 cup goat cheese, crumbled

3 tablespoons olive oil

Assemble each sandwich by spreading the pesto on a slice of bread and layering a slice of mozzarella, a couple of spinach leaves, two slices of avocado, and a sprinkle of goat cheese on top. Top with another slice of bread and gently press down, sealing the sandwich. Heat the olive oil in a skillet on medium heat, making sure the oil coats the pan. Cook each side of the sandwich until golden brown. Remove from heat and cut corner to corner in triangles. Serve while warm. Makes 20.

GAZPACHO: COLD TOMATO SOUP

4 large, sweet tomatoes

1 cucumber, halved and seeded, not peeled

2 red bell peppers, seeded

1 red onion

3 garlic cloves, minced

3 cups tomato juice (24 ounces)

¼ cup good olive oil

¼ cup white-wine vinegar

½ teaspoon sea salt

¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

Chop the tomatoes, cucumber, bell peppers and onion into 1-inch cubes. Put each vegetable into a food processor, one at time, and process until coarsely chopped. Add each processed vegetable into a large bowl, then mix in the garlic, tomato juice, olive oil, vinegar, sea salt and ground pepper. Mix well and chill for 2 hours before serving.

FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE CAKE DUSTED WITH CONFECTIONERS’ SUGAR

12 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped

1½ sticks unsalted butter

¼ teaspoon salt

6 large eggs, room temperature

1½ cups granulated sugar

Confectioners’ sugar

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease a 9-by-2-inch springform pan. In a large microwave-safe bowl, put the chocolate, butter and salt. Melt in the microwave for 90 seconds. Stir and microwave again, in 1-minute intervals, until completely melted. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs and sugar with a mixer until light and thickened, about 8 minutes. Fold the melted chocolate into the whipped eggs until evenly combined. Pour the batter into the springform pan and bake about 1 hour and 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out damp but not runny. Remove cake from the oven and cool on a rack.

Once the cake is cool, carefully remove from the pan and sift a light layer of confectioners’ sugar over the top.