BITES!

I LOVE small bites to end a meal! The bites at the beginning of dinner (that we pass) and at the end (that are sometimes cookies) are some of my favorite things about doing these Home Restaurants. Maybe its because with the eating of such a tiny portion I can amp up flavor? Maybe its because these bites sort of operate outside of the official meal–That is to say that the expectation that goes along with a main course does not accompany these bites and because of that I can experiment? Or maybe its because sometimes the best bite is simply a fresh strawberry and that simplicity would never pass as 'serious cooking'?

These are the cookie batters I made tonight for Friday's bites. Some are cookie recipes I have been making for years and some I have recently made up. All the batters I made tonight for Friday nights dinner are vegan. These same recipes can be made with dairy–everywhere I use earth balance substitute butter, everywhere I use soy milk substitute milk and everywhere I use tofu substitute one egg for each 1/4 cup of pureed tofu...

Salty Rosemary Biscotti

2 1/4 cup flour

1 1/4 cup sugar plus extra for rolling

2 tablespoons cornmeal

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/8 teaspoon salt

8 tablespoons non hydrogenated margarine such as, earth balance

2 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped rosemary

1/2 cup tofu pureed

1 tablespoons water

1 cup rough chopped walnuts

directions

1.In mixer combine flour sugar, cornmeal, baking powder, salt.

2.Add earth balance cut in 8 pieces and rosemary till sand like.

3.Add tofu and water then walnuts.

4.Make logs and roll in sugar and himalyan salt.

5.Bake in a 350 degree oven until just dry enough to slice, about 20 minutes.

6.Remove from the oven and slice into 1/4 inch cookies.

7.Turn off oven and return sliced cookies to oven, let sit in cooling oven for several hours until dry.


Fennel Seed Shortbread

10 tablespoons earth balance

1/4 cup plus 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar

1/2 tablespoon cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cups flour

3/4 cup spelt flour

directions

1.Beat earth balance and sugar in a mixer until fluffy, about 3 minutes.

2.Add cornstarch, salt and flowers.

3.Beat until fully incorporated.

4.Roll into sheets and cut with a cookie cutter.

5.Bake in a 350 degree oven until lightly golden brown, about 10 minutes.


Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 1/2 cup oatmeal

1/4 cup soy milk

1/4 cup grapeseed oil

1/2 tablespoons baking powder

1 tablespoon agave nectar

2/3 cup sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 cup good quality bittersweet chocolate chips

directions

1.Combine all ingredients in a mixer and mix until about half of the oatmeal is broken into small pieces.

2.Bake individual cookies in a 350 degree oven until they are golden brown around the edges, about 12 minutes.

Cornmeal Cookie

8 oz earth balance

2/3 cup brown sugar

1 1/2 cup flour

1 cup corn meal

1/2 cup ground almonds

directions

1.Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add in flour and mix well.

2.Add the cornmeal and ground almonds and mix to a firm and smooth dough.

3.Pinch balls of dough, place on a lined or greased baking tray and then flatten each ball with a fork.

4.Bake in a 350 degree oven until lightly browned, about 10 minutes.