madeleines - sea shell cookies

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
2/3 cup (4 1/2 ounces) sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 drops butter-rum flavor (optional)
1 cup (115-120g) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour, sifted or whisked, to aerate

1/2 t baking powder option

Melt the butter, then set it aside to cool to room temperature.

In a medium-sized mixing bowl, beat the sugar, eggs and salt until they're light yellow and very thick. 8 min on high.

Stir in the vanilla and butter-rum flavor. Fold in flour in 2 batches gently.

add 1/4 c of batter to melted butter and mix thoroughly until well combined. Fold butter mixture into batter gently

 Refrigerate the batter, covered, for 10- 45 minutes or so, until it's thick.

Scoop the batter into the lightly greased wells of a standard-size madeleine pan, using 1 slightly rounded tablespoon of batter for each cookie (if you have only one pan, bake in sequence, keeping the remaining batter refrigerated). Bake the madeleines in a preheated 375°F oven for 12 to 14 minutes, until they're light brown at the edges. or 350?

Cool in the pan for several minutes, then remove from the pan and cool completely on a rack.

Sift a light coating of confectioners' sugar over the madeleines just before serving. Or, dip in chocolate glaze: gently grasp the madeleine at one end, and dip the other end in the chocolate. Set on a rack (over parchment paper, to catch any drips) until the chocolate hardens. Store in an airtight container.
Yield: about 2 1/2 dozen madeleines.

pan seared red snapper in ginger broth

• 1/2 medium bok choy (about 1/4 pound)
• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons Asian sesame oil
• 1 carrot, scored lengthwise and sliced thin crosswise
• a 1 1/2-inch piece peeled fresh gingerroot, cut into fine julienne strips (about 1/4 cup)
• 2 tablespoons Scotch
• 2 cups low-salt chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 2 scallions, cut into 2-inch julienne strips
• 2 small (4 to 5 ounces each) red snapper or other white fish fillets with skin
• 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon curry powder

• Garnish: fresh coriander sprigs
•  
• Cut leaves from bok choy stalks, keeping leaves and stalks separate. Slice leaves thin and cut stalks diagonally into 1/2-inch-thick slices.
  In a large heavy saucepan heat 1 teaspoon of each oil together over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking and stir-fry bok choy stalks, carrot, and gingerroot 1 minute.
  Add Scotch, broth, and sugar and simmer, covered, 5 minutes. Add bok choy leaves and scallions and simmer, covered, 3 to 5 minutes, or until tender. Season broth with salt and pepper and keep warm, uncovered.
  Pat fish dry and rub cornstarch and curry powder into skin of each fish fillet. Halve each fish fillet on the diagonal.
  In a 9-inch non-stick skillet heat remaining 2 teaspoons oil together over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking and sauté fish, skin sides down and pressing flat occasionally with a metal spatula, until golden, about 2 minutes. Turn fish and sauté until just cooked through, about 2 minutes more.
  Divide broth between 2 bowls and top with fish, skin sides up. Garnish each serving with coriander sprigs.
   
•  subbed green beans & spinach for bok choi

hot white chocolate

3/4 cup milk $

2 tablespoons white chocolate chips

2 tablespoons vanilla vodka

1 1/2 tablespoons miniature marshmallows

1/8 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder

Preparation

1. Heat milk in a small saucepan over medium heat until very hot. Add white chocolate chips and whisk until melted.
2. Pour vanilla vodka into a heatproof glass, add warm milk, top with marshmallows, and dust with cocoa powder.