Hummingbird Cake

I was inspired to make this cake after watching Oprah.


Her personal chef Art Smith went on to open his own restaurant (Table 52) in Chicago and this is his best selling cake.


This was the first cake I have ever made and it was delicious. It is very similar to carrot cake.

Cake:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 cups chopped ripe bananas
• 1 cup drained crushed pineapple
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 cup (4 ounces) finely chopped pecans

Icing:

• 8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, at room temperature
• 1 pound confectioners' sugar (about 4 1/2 cups sifted)
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

To make the cake, position racks in the center and bottom third of the oven and preheat to 350°. Lightly butter two 9" round cake pans, sprinkle evenly with flour and tap out the excess. (If you wish, butter the pans, line the bottoms with rounds of parchment paper, then flour the pans and tap out the excess.)


Sift the flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon and salt into a bowl. In another bowl, stir or whisk the bananas, pineapple, oil, eggs and vanilla until combined. Do not use an electric mixer. Pour into the dry mixture and fold together with a large spatula just until smooth. Do not beat. Fold in the pecans. Spread evenly into the pans.


Bake until the cake springs back when pressed in the center, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer the cakes to wire racks and cool for 10 minutes. Invert the cakes onto the racks (remove the parchment paper now if using). Turn right side up and cool completely.


To make the icing: Using an electric mixer on high speed, beat the cream cheese and butter in a large bowl until combined. On low speed, gradually beat in the sugar, then the vanilla, to make a smooth icing.


Place 1 cake layer, upside down on a serving platter. Spread with about 2/3 cup of the icing. Top with the second layer, right side up. Spread the reaming icing over the top and sides of the cake. The cake can be prepared up to 1 day ahead and stored, uncovered in the refrigerator. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour before serving.

Braised Fennel & Portabello Mushroom Caps

Braised Fennel*

• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• 3 medium fennel bulbs, with stems and fronds still attached if possible
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 cup try white wine
• Kosher salt
• 1/4 cup vegetable stock or water

1. Preheat oven 400 degrees.
2. Put fennel seeds in a small skillet and toast over low heat, shaking the pan frequently so that they toast evenly, until fragrant. About 2-3 minutes.
3. Crush and grind the seed with a mortar and pestle or just chop firmly with a sharp chef's knife.
4. Cut all stalks from the fennel bulbs, reserving some of the fronds only if they look fresh.
5. Cut and quarter the bulbs and arrange them in a shallow baking dish.
6. Drizzle olive oil and wine, sprinkle salt and fennel seeds.
7. Add stock and chopped fronds (if you saved them). Toss and coat evenly.
8. Cover dish with foil and braise for 30 minutes.
9. Remove the foil and continue cooking until fennel is golden, another 15-20 minutes.
10. Optional: brush bulbs with olive oil and Parmesan cheese ten minutes before removing from oven.

** From William Sonoma's Bride & Groom Cookbook by Gayle Pirie and John Clark

Portabello Mushroom Caps

• Large portabello mushroom caps (1 per person)
• Extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup White wine
• 1/4 cup Marsala Wine
• 1/4 cup Mushroom broth
• 1/2 cup Fresh chopped basil
• Fresh multi grain bread
• Crushed garlic (one large clove)
• Parmesan cheese
• Salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. In a large oven safe skillet, saute mushroom caps over white wine, basil, Marsala whine and some mushroom broth over medium heat.
3. Saute on both sides for about 4 minutes.
4. White mushrooms are in skillet, prepare four pieces of multi grain bread by drizzling olive oil, spreading some crushed garlic and sprinkling chopped basil and Parmesan cheese over it.
5. When mushrooms are done sauteing, put entire skillet in oven on top shelf for 8 minutes.
6. Put bread in oven also but on bottom shelf of oven. (Both mushroom and bread will be ready in 8 minutes.)
7. While they are both in oven, prepare some greens (I prefer Boston Lettuce) with extra virgin olive oil, vinegar, garlic powder and herbs of your choice.
8. Take mushrooms and bread out of oven. Slice caps in half, put one half on warm bread, slice the other half and place over greens.

Mini Pumpkin Pies

• 1 1/2 cups of sugar
• 2 tsp salt
• 3 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 4 eggs
• 1 small can of evaporated milk (12 fl oz)
• 1 large can of pure pumpkin (20 oz)
• Wonton wraps
• Crushed almonds (I hammered whole almonds in a Ziploc bag)

1. In a small bowl, mix the sugar, salt and pumpkin pie spice.


2. In a large bowl, beat the eggs. Slowly add the can of pure pumpkin, bowl of sugar, salt and spice and then the evaporated milk.


3. Line a 2 inch deep baking dish with wax or parchment paper, both horizontally and vertically, leaving extra paper to use later as handles.


4. Fill the dish with the filling, careful to keep the excess paper out of the way.


5. Bake for 15 minutes on 425 degrees.


6. Bake for 40 minutes at 350 degrees.


7. Cool for 15 minutes.


8. Line a muffin pan with wonton wrappers making small purses.


9. Fill each wonton with some pumpkin pie. Use your hand so that it looks neater.


10. Sprinkle some crushed almonds and cinnamon on top.


11. Bake in oven at 375 degrees for 9 minutes.

Chik'n & Rice

• 1 package of Quorn Naked Chik'n Cutlets


• Olive Oil


• Salt & Pepper


• Marsala wine


• Mushroom broth


• Fresh Dill and any other spices you prefer


• A few sage leaves


• Fresh veggies such as mushrooms and baby carrots
  

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.


2. Rub cutlets with olive oil and put in baking pan.


3. Sprinkle salt and fresh dill, sage on top of cutlets


4. Add 1/3 cup of mushroom broth and a splash of marsala wine


5. Place some baby carrots and fresh mushrooms on the sides of the cutlets.


6. Bake in oven for 18-20 minutes, turning cutlets halfway through.


7. Add some salt and pepper to taste.


8. I suggest serving this over wild rice.

For more information on Quorn, go here: http://www.quorn.us/