Serves 4

1 rabbit, cut up at the joints

Vinegar and Water mixed

2 Tbsp flour

1/2 tsp dry mustard

Salt and Black Pepper

2 oz butter

2 onions, peeled and chopped

4 slices bacon, chopped

1 Tbsp fresh chopped parsley

1/2 tsp fresh chopped thyme

8 oz milk (1/2 pint)

Soak the rabbit in the vinegar and water for about 30 minutes. Drain and pat dry with paper towels.

Preheat the oven 375. Mix the flour, mustard, salt and pepper together and coat the rabbit pieces. Melt the butter in a frying pan and lightly brown the rabbit pieces on both sides. Place in an ovenproof casserole dish. Fry the onion in the remainder of the butter until soft, then add to the casserole with the bacon and herbs. Heat the milk until just below boiling point and pour over. Cover and cook for 1 hour or until the rabbit is very tender. Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning as necessary. Serve with boiled potatoes and accompanied, if desired , with parsley sauce.

Serves 4-6

½ pound elbow macaroni or similar size pasta

4 Tbsp butter

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 Tbsp Cajun seasoning

4 Tbsp flour

1 ½ cups milk, warmed or room temperature

Salt and Pepper, to taste

1 ½ cups good quality cheddar cheese, shredded

1 ½ cups good quality mozzarella cheese, shredded

¼ cup blue cheese, crumbled

½ cup panko breadcrumbs

1-2 tsp olive oil

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

In a large pot of boiling salted water cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, in a small sauce pan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and sauté until you smell the aroma, about 2 minutes. Add the Cajun seasoning and stir to combine. Allow the spices to bloom for 30 seconds. Sprinkle in the flour a little at a time and stir to combine between each addition. This will ensure there will be no lumps in the sauce. Cook one minute.  Slowly add in the milk stirring constantly with a whisk or wooden spoon.  Cook mixture until thickened and add the salt and pepper to taste. Be careful as the Cajun seasoning most likely already has salt so it is best to taste the sauce before adding any seasoning. Combine cheeses and, off the heat, add the mixture to the white sauce. Stir until melted.

Spray a small/medium casserole with non stick spray. Combine the pasta and the cheese sauce and pour into the prepared casserole dish.  In a small bowl, combine the breadcrumbs and olive oil and sprinkle this mixture over the casserole. Bake the mac and cheese for 25-30 minutes or until the top has browned and the cheese is bubbling. Enjoy!

Serves 4

1 pound kale, stems (and veins, if desired) removed

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, chopped

2 cans cannellini beans, (14.5 ounces each), drained and rinsed

4 cups water

2 cups chicken or vegetable stock, preferably low sodium

Salt and pepper

Grated Parmesan cheese, (optional)

Cut kale leaves into 1/2-inch strips. In a medium saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Add onion, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.

Add about half of the beans, and lightly mash with a fork. Add water and stock, and bring to a boil. Stir in kale, remaining beans, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Partially cover, reduce heat, and simmer until kale is tender, about 20 minutes.

Ladle soup into bowls and drizzle with remaining tablespoon olive oil. Sprinkle with Parmesan, if desired.

Serves 4

1/2 cup unsalted butter, plus more to butter the molds
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, preferably Valrhona
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons flour, plus more for dusting

In the top of a double boiler set over simmering water, heat the butter and chocolate together until the chocolate is almost completely melted. While that’s heating, beat together the eggs, yolks, and sugar with a whisk or electric beater until light and thick.

Beat together the melted chocolate and butter; it should be quite warm. Pour in the egg mixture, then quickly beat in the flour, just until combined.

Butter and lightly flour four 4-ounce molds, custard cups, or ramekins. Tap out the excess flour, then butter and flour them again. Divide the batter among the molds. (At this point you can refrigerate the desserts until you are ready to eat, for up to several hours; bring them back to room temperature before baking.)

Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C). Bake the molds on a tray for 6 to 7 minutes; the center will still be quite soft, but the sides will be set.

Invert each mold onto a plate and let sit for about 10 seconds. Unmold by lifting up one corner of the mold; the cake will fall out onto the plate. Serve immediately.

Serves 4

1 teaspoon turmeric

1/2 teaspoon cayenne

Kosher salt

3 tablespoons plus 1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil

12 ounces paneer- see recipe below

1 (16-ounce package) frozen chopped spinach

1 medium white onion, finely chopped

1 (1-inch thumb) ginger, peeled and minced (about 1 tablespoon)

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 large green serrano chile, finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon garam masala

2 teaspoons ground coriander

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 cup plain yogurt, stirred until smooth

In a large bowl, whisk together the turmeric, cayenne, 1 teaspoon salt and 3 tablespoons oil. Gently, drop in the cubes of paneer and gently toss, taking care not to break the cubes if you’re using the homemade kind. Let the cubes marinate while you get the rest of your ingredients together and prepped.

Thaw the spinach in the microwave in a microwave-safe dish, 5 minutes on high, then puree in a food processor until smooth. Alternatively, you can chop it up very finely with your knife.

Place a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, and add the paneer as the pan warms. In a couple of minutes give the pan a toss; each piece of paneer should be browned on one side. Fry another minute or so, and then remove the paneer from the pan onto a plate.

Add the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons oil to the pan. Add the onions, ginger, garlic and chile. Saute the mixture until it’s evenly toffee-colored, which should take about 15 minutes. Don’t skip this step – this is the foundation of the dish! If you feel like the mixture is drying out and burning, add a couple of tablespoons of water.

Add the garam masala, coriander and cumin. If you haven’t already, sprinkle a little water to keep the spices from burning. Cook, stirring often, until the raw scent of the spices cook out, and it all smells a bit more melodious, 3 to 5 minutes.

Add the spinach and stir well, incorporating the spiced onion mixture into the spinach. Add a little salt and 1/2 cup of water, stir, and cook about 5 minutes with the lid off.

Turn the heat off. Add the yogurt, a little at a time to keep it from curdling. Once the yogurt is well mixed into the spinach, add the paneer. Turn the heat back on, cover and cook until everything is warmed through, about 5 minutes. Serve.

For the Paneer

1 liter whole or low fat milk

2-3 tbsp fresh lemon juice

Prepare two layers of cheesecloth in a mesh strainer over a bowl.

In a medium sauce pan, bring the milk just to a boil. As soon as the milk boils add the lemon juice.  Reduce the heat and stir continuously until the curds and whey separate.  Remove from the heat and strain the mixture through the cheese cloth. Pull up the cheese cloth around the cheese curds and run cold water over the cheese. Squeeze out any excess water.

Hang the cheese cloth over the sink or a bowl and allow the whey to drain for 15-20 minutes. At this point you can press the cheese into a square pan and put a weight on top to make the square shape.

After 10 minutes the cheese can be cut and used in recipes.

In this photo you can see the Saag Paneer (green) along with (clockwise) Chicken Tikka Masala, Potato and Pea Samosa and Aloo Gobi (Cauliflower and Potatoes)

Indian Meal!