FRESH ALMOND-HERB DIP
Serves: 4 to 8

Ingredients:
2 cups plain, low-fat yogurt
1 (10- to 12-inch) square of cheesecloth and 1 large rubber band (optional)
1/2 cup slivered almonds, roasted
5 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs – any combination of parsley, dill, chives, chervil, basil and tarragon 1 green onion, trimmed and diced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
4-6 cups fresh vegetables for dipping, such as radishes, baby carrots, trimmed green beans, broccoli florets, or strips of zucchini, jicama or bell pepper

Preparation:
If desired, thicken yogurt by lining a medium-sized bowl with cheesecloth. Wrap cheesecloth edges around outside of bowl and secure with rubber band. Pull cheesecloth edges to leave some space between cheesecloth and bottom of bowl for liquid to drip and collect. Place yogurt in cheesecloth “bowl” and allow liquid to drip out for 30 minutes, refrigerated. Discard liquid.

Combine yogurt, almonds, herbs, green onion, salt and pepper in a bowl. Serve with fresh vegetables.

Note:
To roast almonds: Spread in an ungreased baking pan. Place in 350?F oven and bake 10 minutes or until golden brown and fragrant; stir once or twice to assure even browning. Note that almonds will continue to roast slightly after removing from oven.

Granita of Turkish Coffee and Almond Milk Ice
Chefs Frank Proto and Sigrid Benedetti Layla,
New York
Yield: 24 servings

Granita:
Water 3 quarts
Sugar 14 ounces
Ground Turkish coffee or espresso 4 ounces
Cinnamon sticks 3
Cardamom pods, crushed 8
Star anise 1

Almond Milk Ice:
Whole blanched almonds, toasted 4 cups (1 pound)
Whole milk 1 quart
Half & half, divided 3 quarts
Sugar 2 cups
Almond syrup (orgeat) 1 bottle (750 ml)

Sliced almonds, toasted 6 cups (1 pound, 8 ounces)

To make Granita: In a large pot, bring all ingredients to a boil. Turn off heat and steep mixture 15 minutes. Strain carefully through cheesecloth into a 2-inch deep hotel pan. Freeze, stirring every few hours to break up ice crystals. When fully frozen, break into chunks.

To make Almond Milk Ice: Mix toasted almonds, milk, 1 quart of half & half, and sugar and bring to a boil. Remove from heat, cool to room temperature and puree in a blender. Strain through a fine mesh sieve. Add remaining ingredients, stir and pour into 4-inch deep hotel pan. Freeze, stirring every few hours with a wire whisk.

For each serving, to order: In a tall rocks glass or parfait glass, layer 2 tablespoons almonds, _ cup granita and two 1 _ ounce scoops of Almond Milk Ice. Repeat, saving a few almonds for the top garnish. Serve immediately.

ALMOND-FRUIT TART WITH LEMON CREAM

1 cup whole natural almonds
1 1/2 cups plus 2 Tbs. flour
3 Tbs. sugar
1/2 cup cold butter, cut into 8 chunks
1 tsp. almond extract
2 Tbs. ice water (approx.)
3/4 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup prepared lemon curd, at
room temperature
2 cups fresh fruit slices and/or berries
(approx.)
1 Tbs. apple jelly, melted (optional)
1 Tbs. sliced almonds, toasted*

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spread whole almonds in single layer on baking sheet. Toast in center of oven until almonds are lightly browned in centers, 10 to 15 minutes; cool. To make crust, place almonds in bowl of food processor fitted with steel blade. Process until finely chopped. Add flour and sugar; pulse to blend. Add butter and extract. Process until thoroughly blended. Gradually add up to 2 tablespoons ice water through feed tube, just until mixture comes together. Gather dough into a ball and press evenly onto bottom and sides of 9- or 9 1/2-inch tart pan with removable bottom. Bake in center of oven about 25 minutes until set and lightly browned. Cool on rack. Meanwhile, in bowl whip cream to form firm peaks. Measure lemon curd into small bowl; whisk in about 1/2 cup of the cream to blend, then gently stir lemon curd mixture into remaining cream just to blend thoroughly. Remove side of tart pan. Spread lemon cream in tart shell. Decorate with fruit. Brush fruit lightly with jelly. Refrigerate up to 8 hours. Garnish with sliced almonds just before serving.

*Toast almonds, spread in an ungreased baking pan. Place in 350-degree oven and bake 5 to 10 minutes or until almonds are light brown; stir once or twice to assure even browning. Note that almonds will continue to brown slightly after removing from oven.

Note: You can substitute 1 1/2 cups lite or regular whipped topping for the whipping cream, whipped.

Bow Tie Pasta Piquant
Ingredients
2 medium tomatoes, diced
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup each olive oil and butter
1 clove garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups fresh bread crumbs
8 ounces bow tie pasta
2 cups shredded green cabbage
1/2 cup blanched slivered almonds, toasted *

Toss together tomatoes, vinegar and basil; set aside. Stir together olive oil, butter and garlic in skillet over medium heat; cook until bubbly. Stir in bread crumbs; cook stirring constantly, until crumbs are golden brown. Remove from heat. Cook pasta in large pot of boiling water according to package directions; stir in shredded cabbage during last minute of cooking. Drain. Toss pasta with tomato mixture. Toss with bread crumb mixture and almonds. Serve at once.
Servings: 6

Notes
* To toast almonds, spread in an ungreased baking pan. Place in 350 degree oven and bake 5 to 10 minutes or until almonds are light brown; stir once or twice to assure even browning. Note that almonds will continue to brown slightly after removing from oven.

Greek Spinach Salad
May 2002

Spinach, washed, trimmed and crisped
1/2 English cucumber, thinly sliced
2 tomatoes, cut into wedges
1 each green and red bell peppers cut into strips
24 Green olives, or as desired
3/4 cup whole natural almonds, toasted
1 cup (1/4lb) crumbled feta cheese
Three Herb Dressing*

Toss all ingredients except feta cheese with Three Herb Dressing. Arrange on serving platter. Top with crumbled cheese to serve. Makes 8 servings. Calories per serving: 152

Three Herb Dressing
Ingredients
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard
3/4 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon each marjoram and thyme
Salt and pepper to taste
Combine all ingredients in small bowl. Whisk until thoroughly mixed.
Servings: 8

 

Chocolate Almond Clusters
February 2002

These candies are quite simple to make and require only two ingredients; chocolate and almonds.

It is important to use well-toasted nuts, which enhances their flavor. You will need to use good semisweet or bittersweet chocolate rather than chocolate chips, which will not melt properly.

• 3/4 cups whole almonds
• 3 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate

Toast the nuts for 10 minutes in a 350-degree oven, until they are lightly browned. Cool completely. Break up the chocolate and melt it in a double boiler or in your microwave oven. Make sure the bowl you use is completely dry before adding the chocolate. Coarsely chop the nuts and stir them into the melted chocolate until completely coated. Cover a baking sheet with parchment or plastic wrap. Scoop out heaping teaspoons of the chocolate and nut mixture onto the baking sheet and refrigerate. You can also scoop the mixture directly into paper candy cups, if desired. Refrigerate immediately until set. Store in the refrigerator or at room temperature up to a month.

Makes 30 candies

French Country Apple Pie
October 2000

An irresistible pairing of apples and almonds

In food processor, with metal blade in place, grind almonds with sugar. Mix in butter, eggs and almond extract until thoroughly combined. Blend in flour. Spoon mixture into pie shell. Peel apples. Cut in half lengthwise and remove cores. Slice apple halves crosswise into 1/8-inch-thick slices. Arrange over almond filling. Bake pie at 375 degrees 50 minutes to 1 hour, until center is set and crust is golden brown. Cool.

Makes 8 servings

*Spread almonds in a single layer in a shallow baking pan. Place in cold oven; toast at 350 degrees 8 to 12 minutes for whole almonds (5 to 10 minutes for sliced, slivered and chopped almonds), stirring occasionally, until lightly toasted. Remove from pan to cool.

Pie Shell

Combine flour and salt. Cut in shortening until particles are size of peas. Stir in milk, blending just until mixture starts to form a ball. On floured surface, roll dough out to a 12-inch circle. Place in 9-inch pie plate. Turn edges under and flute. Makes one 9-inch pie shell