Simple Summer Soirée

Inspiration for an alfresco evening

Photography by Eric Williams

Red Velvet Cake with Buttercream Icing

Serves 8-10

Ingredients:

½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1 ½ cups sugar

2 eggs, room temperature

2 ounces red food coloring

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup buttermilk

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 ½ teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon vinegar

Spray two 8-inch cake pans with Baker’s Joy nonstick spray. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter, sugar and eggs. Add the cocoa powder and food coloring, mixing in well. In a small bowl, mix the salt with the vanilla; add this to buttermilk in another bowl. Alternating the buttermilk mixture and flour, gradually add these to the creamed mixture. In a small bowl, mix together the baking soda and vinegar; gently fold this into the batter (do not beat). Pour the batter into prepared pans and bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the cakes to cool before removing from the pans.

Frosting

5 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 cup milk

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 cup sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Whisk the flour and milk in a saucepan over medium heat until smooth. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until the mixture has thickened. Remove from heat, cover and refrigerate. In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar. Add the chilled mixture to this, beating for 10 minutes or until the frosting is fluffy. Stir in the vanilla. Frost the cake between the layers, on the top and around the sides.

Adapted from Regina’s Seasonal Table: Recipes to savor throughout the year, by Chef Regina Mahallick of R Bistro, 124 pages, Northstar Media.

Mini Tea Cakes

Yields 60 cakes

Ingredients

1 1/3 cups cake flour

¾ teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt 1

stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter at room temperature

¾ cup granulated sugar

2 eggs at room temperature and lightly beaten

1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

1/3 cup milk at room temperature

Glaze: 8 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar, ¼ cup meringue powder, 1 cup milk, 2 tablespoons vanilla extract, food coloring

Grease and flour a mini tea cake pan. Tap out the excess flour. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl and set aside. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter at medium speed until creamy and smooth. Add the sugar and beat until fluffy, approximately five minutes. Stop the mixer periodically to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the eggs in small amounts at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla.

Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the milk. Beat each addition until just incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl periodically.

Spoon two teaspoons of the batter into each well of the prepared pan. Tap the pan on the countertop to remove any air bubbles. Bake 8-10 minutes, until the cakes are no longer sticky on top. Transfer to wire rack and cool for 1to 2 minutes before inverting pan onto a rack to release cakes. Cool cakes for 30 minutes.

To make the glaze, whisk together the confectioners’ sugar, meringue powder, milk and vanilla until smooth. Whisk in the food coloring one drop at a time until desired color is achieved. Slowly drizzle the glaze over each cake, completely covering the top and sides. Tap the wire rack on the countertop to remove excess glaze. Let glaze dry completely before serving, approximately 1 hour.

Adapted from the Williams-Sonoma Kitchen.

Traditional Deviled Eggs

Makes 36

Ingredients

24 whole eggs

½ gallon cool water

2 tablespoons salt

2 cups vinegar

2 cups cooked egg yolks

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 cup mayonnaise Paprika to garnish

Place water, salt, and vinegar into a large pot with a lid and bring to a full roiling boil. Drop 1 egg at a time into the water. Return pot lid and allow eggs to boil for 10-12 minutes. Remove from heat and pour off most of the water. Put the remaining eggs and water into a large bowl half full of ice. When eggs are cool to the touch, crack, and remove shells.

Cut each egg in half. Remove the yolk and place into a measuring cup to measure out the needed 2 cups of cooked egg yolks. Store whites in cool, clean water while making the fillings.

Place the needed 2 cups of yolks into a food processor with pickle relish, Dijon mustard, salt and cayenne pepper. Purée mixture to a smooth consistency, stopping to scrape down sides and purée again to achieve a smooth consistency. Stop the processor, add the mayonnaise and purée again. Store mixture in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour to set to the proper consistency.

Remove the egg white halves from the water bath. Place each egg upside down over paper towels to drain. Load the egg yolk filling into a pastry bag with a medium-sized star tip. Pipe a generous amount of the filling into each egg with a slight circular motion. When shell is filled, stop applying pressure to the pastry bag and then lift up. Garnish the top of each deviled egg with a small pinch of paprika.

Store in airtight container in a refrigerator. May be made up to 1 day in advance.

Adapted from Jonathan’s Bluegrass Table: Redefining Kentucky Cuisine, by Jonathan Lundy, 239 pages, Butler Books

Bruschetta with Asparagus, Pancetta and Poached Egg

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 bunch (8-12 spears) asparagus, trimmed

4 teaspoons butter, melted

½ teaspoon nutmeg, plus extra to serve

8 thin slices of pancetta (about 2.5 ounces)

1 tablespoon vinegar

4 eggs

1 ciabatta loaf, left out overnight to dry out

1 large garlic clove, unpeeled and halved

Extra virgin olive oil, to serve

Cook the asparagus in a saucepan of lightly salted boiling water until tender. Drain carefully, taking care not to break the tips. Transfer to a plate and pour the melted butter over the asparagus, reserving a little, then grate the nutmeg on top. Keep the plate warm. Fry the pancetta in a dry nonstick pan until the slices start to crinkle and brown. Turn and brown on the other side.

Heat a shallow saucepan of water until the water is simmering and add the vinegar. Crack open the eggs, drop them one at a time into the water, and cook according to taste (one minute for a soft poached egg). Lift the eggs out with a slotted spoon and transfer to a plate, carefully draining off any excess water as you do so.

Cut the ciabatta open lengthways and toast both sides on a preheated ridged stovetop grill pan over medium-high heat. Cut each piece of ciabatta in half crossways, rub the toasted sides of the bread lightly with the garlic and drizzle with olive oil.

Put 2 slices of pancetta on each piece of ciabatta, lay the asparagus across the pancetta and place a poached egg on top. Spoon the remaining melted butter over the top and grate over a little extra nutmeg. Serve immediately.

Adapted from Sunny Days & Easy Living: Relaxed food to enjoy outdoors, by Lindy Wildsmith, 144 pages, Ryland Peters & Small

Beet Salad with Cilantro and Olive Oil Serves 4

Ingredients

1 pound small beets

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Finely chopped zest of 1 unwaxed lemon

A handful of fresh cilantro or parsley, finely chopped

½ teaspoon sugar

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Trim the leaves off the beets, leaving the base of the stalks attached. Boil the beets in a saucepan of simmering water for 30 minutes until tender. Drain and leave until cool to handle, then peel and cut into slices. Put the sliced beets in a bowl, add the olive oil, lemon zest, cilantro and sugar, then season with salt and pepper to taste and toss well. Cover until ready to serve.

Adapted from Sunny Days & Easy Living: Relaxed food to enjoy outdoors, by Lindy Wildsmith, 144 pages, Ryland Peters & Small