Merry Christmas! I’ve been a bit lacking in my blog posts these past few months, but it isn’t for good reason. My new job in New York has kept me quite busy, from covering StarChefs.com 2^nd Annual International Pastry Competition, to traveling to Atlanta and Boston on culinary escapades. But if there’s any time to think about food, it’s the busy holiday season, when the day’s hours get taken over with holiday parties, family meals, and celebrations galore. And while I may not have had the time to capture my food musing on the Internet, I’ve certainly been eating my way through the holidays. This beautiful sweet potato gratin (a dish I brought along to a recent holiday party) is a wonderful side to add to your dinner table. The herb-packed cream sauce holds layers together, melted Pecorino adds a crispy crust, and baking the dish in a pie pan makes for easy serving. Whether you add it to your Christmas menu, or save it for a dinner in 2012, I hope you enjoy!

This Christmas greeting comes to you all the way from Lisbon, Portugal, where I’m spending the day in route to Morocco. Over the next week, TH and I will explore the medinas and haute cuisine of Marrakech, Tangier and Casablanca. Look for our African update soon!

Sweet Potato Gratin
4 to 6 servings

2 to 3 medium sized yams, washed
1 cup heavy cream
1 handful thyme, rosemary, and sage
½ cup grated Pecorino Romano
½ cup grated Parmigianino Reggiano

1. In a medium-sized pot, bring salted water to a boil. Place the sweet potatoes in the water and cook for 15-20 minutes, until fork tender. Remove from the water and cool completely.

2. Bring the heavy cream to a simmer, and place the herbs in the cream. Take off the heat and reserve. Peel the skins off the potatoes and slice vertically into ¼-inch pieces.

3. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line the bottom of a 9-inch baking tin or spring form pan with parchment paper. Lay the sliced potatoes onto the bottom of the pan in one even layer. Spoon the infused heavy cream on top, then sprinkle with the Pecorino and Parmigianino. Repeat 2 to 3 times, until all the slices are used. Top with the remaining cream and cheese.

4. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the top is golden brown. Cool, top with fresh herbs and serve.

I’m a fruit fanatic, but as soon as it starts to get chilly, the idea of eating fresh berries no longer seems quite right. Instead, I begin to crave the sweet taste of permissions—the crunch of a Fuyu, sliced like an apple, or the creamy Hachiya, perfectly ripe and diced into a salad. Something about the earthy flavor and gritty texture of these orange orbs just feels like biting into a sunny winter day (their Autumn coloring doesn’t hurt either). While they are wonderful all alone, caramelizing the fruit brings out the rich, dark sugars in persimmons. This dish adds toasted pumpkin seeds for crunch and vanilla-infused Greek yogurt for a delicious low-fat base. As a simple, refreshing breakfast, or easy dessert, it’s a great way to enjoy persimmons (a clove-scented coconut panna cotta provides a pretty twist).

Caramelized Persimmons with Vanilla Yogurt
Servings: 2
¼ cup pumpkin seeds
1 Fuyu persimmon
¼ cup sugar
1 cup 2 percent Greek-style yogurt
1 tablespoon honey
½ vanilla bean

1. Preheat the oven to 300°F. Place the pumpkin seeds on a sheet tray and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until toasted and lightly browned. Remove the seeds from tray (to avoid carry over cooking) and reserve.

2. Slice the sides off the Fuyu, like an apple, avoiding the core. Slice into ¼-inch pieces and coat in sugar. Heat a non-stick sauté pan over medium-high heat and cook, allowing the sugar to caramelize and reach a dark brown color before turning over. Line a sheet tray with parchment paper or non-stick mat. Transfer persimmon slices to tray and let cool slightly.

3. Split the vanilla bean in half and scrape the seeds into the yogurt. Whisk the honey and seeds into the yogurt. Scoop the yogurt into two bowls, and top with persimmon slices and pumpkin seeds.

Everyone loves pecan pie. Gooey, sweet and chuck full of toasted nuts, it’s a bona fide Turkey Day classic for a reason. But in my book, every classic can use the occasional update (I’m all for a Thanksgiving meal that eschews the mashed potatoes, gravy, and plain-Jane Turkey for more creative operations, like Ideas In Food’s Turkey Meatballs.) While I’d never turn away a pitch-perfect slice of pecan, this pie combines a variety of nuts—rich hazelnuts, crunchy pepitas, and sweet pine nuts—for taste that still offers the sticky sweet flavor that makes the dessert such a success, while giving real the depth of flavor. Thanksgiving fanatics may not let it take over the table, but this Pumpkin Seed and Hazelnut Pie is bound to become a holiday hit.

Pumpkin Seed and Hazelnut Pie, adapted from Bon Appetit
Servings: 1 9-inch pie
For the crust:
1 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling out dough
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
2 ounces unsalted butter, cut into 1/2″ cubes, room temperature
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 large egg 9″-diameter pie pan with a removable bottom

For the filling:
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup toasted hazelnuts
1/4 cup pine nuts
2 ounces unsalted butter
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 large eggs
Powdered sugar (for dusting)

1. Crust: Whisk 1 cup of flour, cornstarch, salt, and baking powder in a medium bowl. In a stand mixer, beat the butter, sugar, and powdered sugar until light and fluffy and pale yellow in color, about 3 minutes. Add egg; beat to blend, occasionally scrapping bowl. Add dry ingredients in 3 batches, beating just to blend between additions. Gather dough into a ball; flatten into a disk. Wrap in plastic and chill for at least 1 hour.

2. Preheat the oven to 350°Fahrenheit. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to a 12-inch round. Transfer to pan, pressing dough onto bottom and up sides of pan. Trim dough flush with top of pan (reserve any scraps in case needed for patching crust after baking). Prick dough all over with a fork and freeze for 10 minutes.

3. Line the chilled pie shell with foil or parchment paper, leaving a 1-inch overhang. Fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake until the edges of crust are just beginning to turn golden brown, about 30 minutes. Remove foil and pie weights. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool completely.

4. For filling: Preheat the oven to 300°Fahrenheit. Spread out the pumpkin seeds, hazelnuts, and pine nuts on 3 separate small baking sheets. Toast the nuts until fragrant and light brown, about 10 minutes for the pine nuts and pumpkin seeds, and 20 minutes for hazelnuts. Let the nuts cool completely.

5. While the nuts are toasting, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until golden-brown bits form on bottom of pan, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

6. Stir brown sugar, corn syrup, salt, and vanilla in a medium bowl. Stir in the eggs, then add the browned butter. Fold in the nuts. Pour the filling into pie shell.

7. Turn the oven up to 350°Fahrenheit. Bake the pie, rotating pan halfway through, until filling is set around edges and jiggles slightly in center when nudged, about 1 hour. Loosely tent foil over pie if crust gets too dark. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

I’m never quite sure what to say when I meet a pastry chef who doesn’t like sweets – it’s a problem I certainly don’t suffer from, and I find it oddly amusing when someone who doesn’t like sugar is willing to devote themselves to its craft. I’m not sure if my love of all things sucrose, fructose and glucose stems from a childhood based on German chocolate and Italian gelato, or years spent nibbling on crème brulee scraps after long shifts in pastry kitchens. But either way, my taste buds crave sweets the way some women crave shopping, in the -oholic sense that borders on obsession. In short: I’m never one to turn down another course during a dessert tasting and I can always nibble on one more macaron.

My crème de le crème is chocolate of course. This luxurious chocolate cake offers all the rich, luscious texture and flavor of the most decadent recipe, with an added healthy kick: beet puree. While the vegetable may add an earthy bite — and a handful of vitamins and minerals — your guests won’t think you’ve tossed something unexpected into the cake, until you spill the beets. The puree adds a wonderfully moist crumb, and the almond flour adds a nice texture (although the cake is just as wonderful made with all cake flour if you are short on almond). It’s the perfect way to feed a sugar craving, and get a healthy dose of nutrients to boot.

Chocolate Beet Cake, adapted from Tiger in a Jar/Gilt Taste
8 ounces butter, divided
1 ½ cups packed dark brown sugar
3 medium eggs
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate
2 cups pureed cooked beets (steam and puree in a food processor)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 ½ cups cake flour
1 ½ cups almond flour
¼ teaspoon salt
Confectioner’s sugar, for dusting

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a 9-inch cake pan with oil and lightly dust with sugar.

2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream 6 ounces of butter with the brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes on medium speed. Add the eggs one at a time and mix until well combined.

3. Melt the chocolate and the remaining 2 ounces of butter together and stir to combine. Add a small amount of the butter/egg mixture into the chocolate, mix well, and then combine the chocolate with the butter mixture in the stand mixer. Beat well to combine completely. Blend in the beet puree and vanilla on slow speed until just combined; mixture will appear slightly separated.

4. Sift together the cake flour, almond flour, baking soda and salt; mix into the creamed mixture until thoroughly combined.

5. Pour the mixture into the prepared cake pan. Bake at 375 for 20 minutes, rotate, then bake an additional 20-30 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Cool in the pan completely, then remove. Dust with confectioner’s sugar before serving.

I noticed recipes for zucchini pickles popping up all summer, but it wasn’t until late last week that I found the time to transform my farmers’ market finds into a crunchy sandwich topper. If I had known how simple this recipe was, and how delicious its outcome, I would have moved them to the top of my to-do list. Now I’m sure these tangy bites will be on hand more often. The pickles, inspired by a classic Zuni Cafe recipe, have a sweetly sour flavor and a good kick of spice from the mustard seeds and all spice. And the recipe couldn’t be easier — just make sure to let the brining liquid cool completely before adding the vegetables. If you combine the liquid when hot, you’ll end up with soggy spears. The weather may be turning cool, but the end of summer’s late-harvest is still bringing plenty of lush squash around; use this simple recipe to enjoy those flavors as fall rushes in.

And I’d just like to share some exciting news: I’m now part of the innovative recipe-search site Gojee, along with a slew of uber-talented bloggers and recipe developers, and my first article for the wonderful site Culinate was published last week. I’m thrilled to share two new places where you can find my writing and recipes, and I look forward to whatever new, exciting forays the future brings.

Zucchini Pickles, makes three pints
3 medium-sized zucchini
2 small onions
1 1/2 tbsp salt
1 1/3 cups apple cider vinegar
1 cup sugar
1/2 tbsp dry mustard
1 tsp brown mustard seeds
1 tsp yellow mustard seeds
1/2 tsp whole all spice
1/2 tsp ground cumin

1. Trim both ends from the zucchini and using a mandoline or peeler, slice the zucchini lengthwise into thin strips. Peel and halve the onions, and slice into 1/8-inch thick slices. Place both vegetables into a colander set inside a bowl, and toss well with the salt. Refrigerate for one hour to help drain excess water from vegetables.

2. While the vegetables are draining, bring the apple cider vinegar, sugar and spices to a boil in a small, heavy duty saucepan. Simmer for 5 minutes, then let cool completely.

3. Rinse the vegetables, drain, and pat dry as much as possible. Place vegetables back into bowl, and cover with pickling liquid. Transfer the vegetables to an airtight container, making sure the vegetables are completely covered in liquid. I’ve used pint-sized canning jars here, but for simplicity’s sake, I didn’t process them in a water bath. Refrigerate at least one week to develop flavor; the pickles will keep an additional three weeks in the refrigerator.

Sweet blueberries hit their prime as summer nears its end, and what better way to savor their tart flavor then in a cordial you can enjoy all through the fall? Making infused liquors is quite easy, and a great way to use up over-ripe fruit and scraps. Just soak berries, or any leftover fruit, in a quick simple syrup, then mix into vodka and let sit for a few weeks. And packed full of citrus and fresh mint, the smash has quickly become a favorite cocktail of mine. Chicago’s French-inspired Maude’s Liquor Bar creates this tipple with a variety of liquors, including the delightful smokey violet combination, but using a house-made blueberry vodka is just as sweet.

Blueberry Liquor
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
8 oz blueberries
1 lemon, zest removed in larger slices using a peeler or paring knife
1 handle vodka or high-proof clear liquor

1. Place the water and sugar in a small, heavy-duty pot and bring to boil. Add the blueberries and lemon zest and simmer for 10 minutes. Pour into a large jar and allow to cool completely.

2. Pour the vodka over the blueberry syrup once it has cooled. Place in the refrigerator and let sit for three weeks. Strain through cheesecloth and a fine mesh strainer and store in a sealable container, in the freezer.

Blueberry Smash
2 large pieces of orange zest
2 large pieces of lemon zest
3 fresh mint leaves
1.5 oz blueberry vodka
1.5 oz soda water
Blueberries for garnish

1. Muddle the mint and zest in a cocktail shaker. Add the vodka and shake vigorously over ice.

2. Strain over ice into a rocks glass. Top off with soda water and garnish with mint and blueberries.

In the Midwest, peaches don’t really come into full flavor until late August — just around the same time sticky hot days have us begging for a frozen treat, and right before September’s cool weather starts rolling in. When Fany Gerson’s new book Paletas arrived a few weeks ago, I was inspired to turn every farmers’ market find, including peaches, into a refreshing summer dessert or drink. With beautiful pictures and easy-to-follow authentic Mexican recipes, it’s a great go-to book for everything from raspadoa (shaved ice) to aguas frescas, as well as a slew of popsicles.

For those who think pops are as easy as just freezing juice, be warned: it’s important to follow a base recipe to account for the sugar and water content in diverse fruit varieties. The real fun comes in adding flavors and seasonings; take Gerson’s Apricot-Chamomile pops, Cocao-Corn Drink, and Spicy Mango Ice for inspiration. This combination of sweet, juicy peach and hearty maple syrup is one that I love, and it works well as an end-of summer, refreshing treat. For another Paletas spin, check out my horchata-peach pops for the Chicago Sun-Times, inspired by Gerson’s recipe for the rice-based drink.

Peach-Maple Pops, makes 8 to 10 popsicles
½ cup water
¼ cup sugar
4 medium-sized peaches, halved and pitted
½ tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon high-quality maple syrup, I prefer Blis
A pinch of salt

1. Combine the water and sugar in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Cook until sugar has dissolved, then let cool to room temperature.

2. Puree the peaches, lemon juice, salt and sugar solution in a food processor; blend until smooth. Stir in the maple syrup and adjust seasonings to taste.

3. If using conventional molds, fill, snap on lids and freeze until solid, around 5 hours. If using cups or other unconventional molds, freeze until the popsicles are beginning to set, around 2 hours, then insert sticks and freeze until solid, at least another 3 hours. Follow manufacturers instructions for using an instant ice pop maker.

We all get it: It’s summertime and it’s hot and no one, anywhere, wants to go near the stove. Recipes for chilled salads, packed with crisp lettuce, bright fresh fruits and lightly dressed tomatoes, are popping up everywhere with tag lines screaming, “Stay out of the kitchen!” As much as you might dread turning the burners on when temperatures hit their August highs, nothing says summer like a piece of fried chicken. This roasted recipe is so simple, and crispy, you’ll barely notice you’ve turned the oven on at all, and you needn’t worry about standing over a pot of bubbling oil. Perfect for a weekend picnic or a Sunday supper, it makes wonderful leftover chicken salad or a great rustic club sandwich. My favorite part: The simple addition of cumin to the seasoning — a trick an old cooking buddy used when making our restaurant’s staff meals — adds just a hint of exotic flavor to the mix.

Picnic-Perfect Roast Chicken Thighs, Adapted from Bon Appetit, June 11’
6 skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper and cumin
1 tablespoon olive oil

1. Preheat the oven to 475 degrees Fahrenheit. Place a 12-inch cast-iron or heavy duty, non-stick skillet over high heat, and cook until the oil is hot but not smoking. Season both sides of the chicken generously with salt, pepper and cumin and place, skin-side down, in the skillet. Cook for two minutes, then reduce heat to medium-high. Continue cooking, rotating pan and rearranging chicken (leaving skin-side down) to evenly distribute heat, until fat renders and skin is golden brown, about 12 minutes longer.

2. Transfer the skillet to the oven and cook an additional 13 minutes. Flip the chicken, and continue cooking until the skin is crispy and meat is cooked through, about 5 more minutes. Transfer the meat to a plate or cooling rack and let rest 5 minutes before serving.

With the creamy sweetness of dessert, a hint of cinnamon and a good kick of rum, this Mexican-style drink is just the thing to drink alongside grilled sausages or at a summer picnic. It’s fairly low maintenance — just steep the almonds, rice, cinnamon and water overnight, then combine with the milk, cream, sugar and rum. The drink is best made with Mexican cinnamon, a slightly sweeter and more aromatic version. For a sweeter drink, substitute the cream and 1 cup sugar for a can of condensed milk; for a nutty twist, use part coconut milk.

Horchata cooler, serves four
2/3 cup medium- or long-grain rice
1/3 cup toasted, blanched almonds
1 cinnamon stick, toasted, plus extra for garnish
3 cups water
2 cups whole milk
1 cup cream
2 cup sugar
8 ounces dark rum

1. Put the rice, almonds and cinnamon in a bowl. Simmer the water, pour over the ingredients and cool. Cover and let sit for at least five hours, or overnight.

2. Place mixture in a blender and buzz until as smooth as possible. Strain through a cheesecloth lined strainer, pressing the solids with the back of a spoon.

3. Bring a small portion of milk to a simmer and add the sugar. Simmer for several minutes until sugar is melted. Combine the strained liquid, sugar milk, and the rest of milk and cream. Mix well and chill. Add rum to taste and pour into a pitcher or individual glasses. Top glasses with shaved cinnamon.

If you’ve read my ramblings for any period of time, you know I like pie. I love the way a simple combination of flour and butter turns into the flakiest crust, enrobing everything from berries to stone fruit to savory delicacies. In fact, I’ve made pie more than any other recipe on my site — Persimmon Pie, Orange Meringue Pie and Mushroom and Speck Tart, just to name a few — and I still pause a moment at the site of a perfectly golden browned crust.

While in Michigan a few weeks ago, I couldn’t help but buy the last giant pail of strawberries from a local farm stand. That meant not just one, but two of these delicious treats. My newest favorite, I have a feeling this pie will be around for quite some time: it’s just so easy and so good. A quick custard base is poured on top of the berries, baking into the most beautiful and deliciously creamy pie. I can’t wait to make the recipe with the cherries from last week’s market, or the stone fruit I’m still wishing for. It’s such a simple recipe, try playing around: Swap brown sugar for a caramely undertone with peaches or whisk in a few teaspoons of your favorite liquor for a boozy kick. Even if you don’t make pie as much as I do, you’re sure to love this one!

Strawberry-Custard Pie, makes one 9-inch pie, adapted from Martha Stewart
For the pastry dough:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
4 ounces unsalted butter, cubed and chilled
1/4 cup ice water
For the filling:
1 1/2 cups small strawberries, trimmed and cleaned, halved if larger
2 large eggs
3/4 cups sugar
2 ounces butter, melted and cooled
3 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 tsp vanilla
Pinch of salt

1.  Pastry dough: Combine the flour, sugar and salt in a medium bowl. Using two forks or a pastry cutter, cut in the butter until walnut size chunks appear. Make a well in the center and pour in half the water. Mix together and add more water until the dough just holds together. Form a ball with the dough, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for one hour.

2. On a lightly floured work space, roll out the dough to 1/8-inch thickness. Fit the dough into a lightly greased 9-inch pie pan and trim, leaving a 1-inch over hang. Fold the trim over and underneath itself. For a fluted edge, pinch the outside of the crust with the thumb and index finger of one hand while pushing in with the index finger of the other hand. Repeat at 1/2 intervals around the entire edge. For another edge, press to seal with tines of a fork. Freeze for 15 minutes while oven is preheating at 375 degrees.

3. Line crust with parchment and fill with baking beans or dried rice. Bake for 20 minutes, remove parchment and weights, and bake for an additional 10 minutes. Let cool.

4. For filling: Whisk together the eggs, sugar, melted butter, flour, salt and vanilla in a small bowl. Place the strawberries in the pie shell, completely covering the bottom, then pour the filling on top, using a spatula to smooth evenly. Cut a piece of foil twice the size of the pie, fold in half and cut out a circle large enough to expose the center but cover the edges. Wrap edges to protect from burning.

5. Bake the pie for an additional 45 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool for one hour. Refrigerate, covered, for up to four days.