Nectarine and Blue Cheese Salad with Plum Vinaigrette

Chick Fil A's seasonal salad is really very good.  It's got green and red apples, strawberries, blueberries with nuts and blue cheese.  I eat it with their Apple Cider Vinaigrette.  It's very good.  Here is a similar salad except using plums or nectarines.  Try it.  I'm sure you'll love it.

Photo by Christopher Baker

INGREDIENTS

• 2 black plums, halved, pitted, chopped
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 teaspoons ume plum vinegar or red wine vinegar
• Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
• 12 cups (lightly packed) mixed greens (such as arugula and frisée)
• 4 nectarines or peaches, halved, pitted, cut into eighths
• 8 ounces firm blue cheese, such as Cabrales, sliced
• 1/2 cup almonds, preferably Marcona

• Bring plums and 3/4 cup water to a boil in a small saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-high and simmer, stirring occasionally and mashing plums with the back of a spoon, until plums have completely broken down, about 15 minutes.
• Pour plum mixture through a fine-mesh sieve set over a small bowl, pressing on solids to extract as much purée as possible; discard solids in sieve. Let purée cool.
• Add oil, vinegar, and 2 Tbsp. water to purée; whisk to blend. Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper. DO AHEAD: Dressing can be made 1 week ahead. Cover and chill.
• Divide greens among plates. Scatter nectarines, cheese, and almonds over, dividing equally, and drizzle some of dressing over. Season with salt and pepper.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

One serving contains:

• Calories (kcal) 320
• Fat (g) 27
• Saturated Fat (g) 8
• Cholesterol (mg) 20
• Carbohydrates (g) 13
• Dietary Fiber (g) 3
• Total Sugars (g) 8
• Protein (g) 10
• Sodium (mg) 470

Chocolate Tiramisu

I have made this for a dinner party.  It is one spectacular way to end a meal.  And it's not all that hard to do.  I actually served it in coffee cups as Bon Appetit  suggests.  Chocolate and coffee...a pairing made in heaven. Yes, I know the calorie count is up there but quit bitching!

PHOTOGRAPH BY Romulo Yanes

INGREDIENTS

ESPRESSO SYRUP

• 1 1/2 cups espresso or strong coffee
• 1/4 cup sugar

TIRAMISÙ

• 1 3/4 cups mascarpone cheese, divided
• 2 Tbsp. plus 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp. unflavored gelatin
• 4 large egg yolks
• 1 cup chilled heavy whipping cream, divided
• 6 oz. bittersweet chocolate (do not exceed 61% cacao), chopped, plus more for shaving
• About 48 soft ladyfingers

PREPARATION

ESPRESSO SYRUP

• Stir espresso and sugar in a small bowl until sugar dissolves; set aside.

TIRAMISÙ

• Combine 1 cup mascarpone, 2 Tbsp. sugar, and vanilla in a small bowl and whisk to blend; cover and chill.
• Place 1 Tbsp. water in a small bowl. Sprinkle gelatin over. Let stand until gelatin softens, 10-15 minutes. Whisk the remaining sugar, yolks, 1/4 cup cream, and 1/4 cup water in a medium metal bowl to blend. Place bowl over a large saucepan of boiling water (do not let bottom of bowl touch water) and whisk constantly until custard thickens and temperature reaches 160° on an instant-read thermometer, 3-4 minutes. Remove bowl; add gelatin mixture and whisk until dissolved, 15-20 seconds. Return bowl over water, add chocolate, and whisk until almost melted, about 30 seconds.
• Set bowl in a large bowl of ice water and whisk until chocolate is melted and custard is cool, 5-6 minutes. Whisk in the remaining mascarpone. In another medium bowl, beat remaining 3/4 cup chilled cream until firm peaks form. Fold cream into custard in 2 additions to make a chocolate mousse.
• Spread 1/4 cup chocolate mousse in bottom of each of eight 1-cup teacups or ramekins. Dunk ladyfingers in the espresso syrup and arrange in a single layer on top of the mousse, about 2 to 3 ladyfingers per cup. Repeat layering with chocolate mousse and soaked ladyfingers. Spread 2 Tbsp. mascarpone topping over ladyfingers. Garnish with chocolate shavings and serve.
  
  

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

One serving contains:

• Calories (kcal) 821.0
• %Calories from Fat 76.7
• Fat (g) 69.9
• Saturated Fat (g) 37.5
• Cholesterol (mg) 315.5
• Carbohydrates (g) 46.5
• Dietary Fiber (g) 1.7
• Total Sugars (g) 29.7
• Net Carbs (g) 44.8
• Protein (g) 12.9
• Sodium (mg) 100.6