The ‘Barefoot Contessa’ shares four delicious recipes for you to try including fig and fennel caponata, mustard and gruyère batons, and more.
Recipe: Jalapeño cheddar crackers (on this page) Recipe: Fig and fennel caponata (on this page) Recipe: Mustard and gruyère batons (on this page) Recipe: Thyme-roasted marcona almonds (on this page)Place the flour, kosher salt, and baking powder in a food processor fitted with the steel blade and pulse to mix. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the cheddar, jalapeño, and chipotle chili powder and pulse again. With the food processor running, add the ice water all at once. Continue pulsing until the mixture begins to form a ball. Dump the dough onto a floured board and roll it into a 14-inch log. Wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
Cut the dough in 3/8-inch-thick slices. Place the crackers on the prepared sheet pan, brush with the egg wash, and sprinkle with the fleur de sel. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until golden brown. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature.
Makes 32 to 34 crackers
Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a medium (10-inch) sauté pan. Add the onions and fennel and sauté for 7 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
Stir in the vinegar, tomatoes, figs, and brown sugar, stirring to coat everything with the tomatoes. Stir in the capers, olives, orange zest, 1½ teaspoons salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat, and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, until thickened. Stir in the orange juice and parsley. Taste for seasonings; the caponata should be highly seasoned.
Serve the caponata warm or at room temperature with slices of the grilled bread.
Serves 6 to 8
Unfold the sheet of puff pastry on a well-floured board, and roll it to an 11x13-inch rectangle with a floured rolling pin. (Diagonal strokes keep the pastry rectangular.) With a shorter end closest to you, brush the lower half of the pastry evenly with the mustard, leaving a ½ -inch border around the edges. Brush the border of the pastry with the egg wash and fold the top half over the bottom half, lining up the edges. Place the pastry on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and chill for 15 minutes.
Place the pastry on a board and trim the three irregular edges with a sharp knife. With the folded edge away from you, cut the pastry in 1x6-inch strips. You will have 10 to 12 batons. Spread the batons out on the sheet pan so they're not touching. Brush the tops lightly with the egg wash (don't allow the egg wash to drip down the sides) and sprinkle evenly with the gruyère, parmesan, and 1- teaspoons sea salt. Chill for at least 15 minutes.
When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Bake the batons for 15 to 18 minutes, until golden brown and puffed. Allow to cool on the pan for 3 minutes and serve warm.
Note: I use Pepperidge Farm frozen puff pastry. Defrost it overnight in the refrigerator.
Makes 10 to 12 batons
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Place the almonds, olive oil, thyme, and kosher salt on a sheet pan and toss them together. Roast the almonds for 10 to 15 minutes, turning them every 5 minutes with a metal spatula, until they're lightly browned. Watch them carefully; they go from underbaked to burnt very quickly.
Sprinkle with the fleur de sel, toss, and set aside to cool. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Serves 6 to 8
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