Triple Irish Coffee
Intoxicating!
   
 


1 IrishWhiskey
1 Irish Cream
1 Coffee
1 Whipped Cream
1 Cherry

Omit the coffee and garnish and chill to make a triple Irish shooter (then call a taxi)!

Makes 1

   
  Roasted Asparagus
This asparagus dish is wonderful sprinkled with a bit of good balsamic vinegar.
     
 

 

2 1/2 pounds fresh asparagus, washed and trimmed
Sea Salt or Kosher Coarse salt
Olive oil

1.Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F. 2.Heat the roasting pan in the oven before placing the asparagus into it (this shortens their cooking time). 3.Sprinkle the asparagus with sea salt or kosher salt and drizzle with oil. 4.Roast for 10 minutes until just tender, Shake pan and roast for 5 more minutes until slightly brown.

   
  Asparagus Tart
A Colorful Brunch Dish
     
 

 

1 All Ready Pie Crust (half of 15-ounce package), room temperature
1 teaspoon all purpose flour
14 ounces asparagus, each spear trimmed 3 inches long
2/3 cup half and half
2 eggs
1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese (about 4 ounces)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon or 1 teaspoon dried
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 450°F. Open crust on work surface. Press out any cracks. Rub with flour. Arrange dough, flour side down, in 9-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Press dough into pan. Fold excess dough border over to form double-thick sides. Pierce dough all over with fork. Bake until golden, about 15 minutes. Cool on rack. Reduce oven temperature to 375°F. Cook asparagus in pot of boiling salted water until just crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Drain well. Place on paper towels. Mix half and half, eggs, cheese, tarragon and salt in bowl. Season with pepper. Arrange asparagus in spoke-of-wheel fashion in crust, tips toward edge and ends meeting in center. Pour custard over. Bake until tart puffs and top browns, about 35 minutes. Cool slightly.

   
  Irish Whiskey Cake    
   

 

2 c sifted all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp mace
1/4 tsp salt
grated rind of 2 lemons
1 Tbsp + 1 tsp lemon juice
5 oz (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 c packed light brown sugar
2 eggs, separated
1/2 c Irish whiskey
1/2 c diced candied orange peel
1/2 c light raisins
1 Tbsp caraway seeds
3/4 c pecans, chopped
about 1 Tbsp extra butter

Butter a 6-cup loaf pan. Dust it with fine, dry bread crumbs, then tap out excess crumbs. Sift together the flour, baking powder, mace, and salt. Set aside. Mix lemon rind and juice, and set aside. In a large mixer bowl, cream the butter. Add vanilla and sugar, beating well. Beat in the egg yolks. On low speed, add the sifted dry ingredients alternately with the whiskey, beating after each addition only until incorporated. Stir in lemon rind and juice, candied orange peel, raisins, caraway seeds, and pecans. In a small bowl, beat the egg whites until they hold a shape but are not stiff and dry. Fold them into the batter. Turn batter into prepared pan and smooth the top. Then use spatula or spoon to form a shallow trench lengthwise down the middle of the cake. (This makes top of cake more level when baked.) Bake at 350, on a rack 1/3 up from bottom of oven, for 1 1/4 hours or until cake tests done.

Makes 1 cake

 
  Broiled Salmon with Spicy Maple Basting Sauce
Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less!
     
 

6 tablespoons maple syrup
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh gingerroot
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon salt
four 1-inch-thick pieces
salmon fillet (about 6 ounces each)
Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less. In a small heavy saucepan combine maple syrup, water gingerroot, garlic, red pepper flakes, and salt and simmer until reduced to about 1/2 cup. Cool basting sauce. Preheat broiler. Arrange salmon, skin sides down, on oiled rack of broiler pan and season with salt. Broil salmon about 4 inches from heat 4 minutes. Brush salmon with sauce and broil until just cooked through, about 6 minutes more.

Serves 4