Double Corn Pudding

This is basically a cheese strata (remember the 70's?), but it uses cubed polenta instead of bread. It can be made ahead, and it's familiar enough, at least to those of a certain age, that it won't frighten carnivores. The key is to use good sharp white cheddar -- you don't want some neon orange monstrosity. I use Trader Joe's Cabot Extra Sharp, $5.99 a pound. It can be served hot, warm or at room temperature, and it travels well, cut in slices or still in the pan, making it perfect for picnics or potlucks.

I always have cooked polenta in the freezer, but if you're making it from scratch, a pound of dried polenta makes a bit over 3 pounds of cooked. I suppose you could use the store bought polenta that comes in rolls, but I haven't had to try that, and you could probably substitute frozen or canned corn, but I haven't had to try that either.

1 pound cooked polenta, cut in 1/2" cubes
3 ears of corn, kernels cut off the cobs
4 eggs
1 cup of buttermilk
1/2 t curry powder
1 t vegetarian Worcestershire sauce
2 t Dijon mustard
4 ounces sharp white cheddar cheese, grated
grated parmesan cheese
olive oil for pan

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine the polenta, corn, eggs, buttermilk, curry powder, Worcestershire sauce and mustard, and stir well until thoroughly mixed.

Lightly oil a glass pie plate with the olive oil. Sprinkle a little parmesan over the bottom to promote a brown crust. Add one third of the corn mixture, top with one third of the grated cheese. Repeat twice. Sprinkle additional Parmesan on top.

Bake until nicely browned and puffy, an hour or so.

This recipe serves four to six, depending upon what else is going on.

Three Layer Chocolate Cake

This cake is a birthday tradition in our family, and has been since 1968 when I found the recipe in the Time/Life American Cooking cookbook. The frosting is about the only thing I still use sour cream for, having discovered Trader Joe's 2% Greek yogurt. As good as that yogurt is though, I don't think it would cut it for frosting.

6 ounces unsweetened chocolate squares
12 T butter (1-1/2 sticks), at room temperature
2 cups of sugar
4 eggs, at room temperature
1 t vanilla

2 cups flour
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 t salt (omit if using salted butter)

1-1/2 cups of milk

FROSTING

3 ounces walnut pieces
21 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
1/4 t salt
1-1/2 cups sour cream, at room temperature


Melt the unsweetened chocolate and cool it to room temperature. Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs singly incorporating well after each addition, then the melted chocolate and vanilla.

Sift together the dry ingredients. Add 1/4 cup of the dry ingredients into the batter, then 1/4 cup of milk. Continue alternating milk and dry ingredients, incorporating well after each addition until the batter is smooth.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. On a baking sheet, toast the walnuts until they are lightly golden and fragrant. If you are over 45, set a timer so you don't forget about them. Remove and cool to room temperature.

Meanwhile, butter and flour three 9" cake pans, and line the bottom of each pan with parchment paper. Divide the batter equally AMONG (NOT between -- bad grammar is almost as bad as bad food!)the pans. Bake the cakes for about 20 minutes -- until the cakes are pulling away from the sides of the pan a bit and are firm to the touch. A toothpick or cake taster should come out clean. Turn the cakes out on racks to cool and remove the parchment paper.

Make the frosting: Melt the chocolate. Add it to the sour cream and salt and blend until well combined.

Frost the top of each cake(about a quarter of an inch thick). Stack the layers on a cake plate and frost the sides. Add additional frosting to the top if you have it. Strew the walnut pieces on top of the cake and push them gently into the frosting so that they adhere.

Avocado Buttermilk Soup

This is quick, easy and delicious -- a great soup for when the weather is hot. Makes a wonderful light meal accompanied by a salad and a baguette, or an elegant starter. Quantities can be multiplied, although for very large quantities you'll need to blend it in batches. This soup can be made ahead and kept chilled in the refrigerator. If you do this, bring it to near room temperature -- that is slightly chilled not cold -- before serving.

1 avocado, peeled, coarsely chopped
2 small cloves of garlic, chopped
1 cup of buttermilk, or more to taste
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon lime juice
chives for garnish

Combine all ingredients except the chives in a blender and process until everything is smooth and well incorporated, scraping down the sides with a spatula as necessary. If the soup is thicker than you would like, thin with additional buttermilk.

Pour into indivual bowls and garnish with chives. I think zest of lemon and/or lime would be a nice garnish as well, and next time I make this I want to see how it is with a bit of pimenton as a garnish.

The quantities given here make enough soup for two to three people.