Recipes: From Minnesota cooks

Serves 8.

Note: This recipe must be prepared in advance. From Sarah Botcher of Black Walnut Bakery in Minneapolis.

For dough:

• 1 2/3 c. flour

• 3 tbsp. sugar

• 1 tbsp. plus 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

• 1/4 tsp. salt

• 2 tbsp. diced crystalized ginger

• 2 tsp. freshly grated lemon zest

• 6 tbsp. (3/4 stick) butter, cut into 1/2-in. dice

• 1/2 c. buttermilk

For filling:

• 1 lb. strawberries, hulled, rinsed and quartered

• 1 1/2 lb. rhubarb, stalks cleaned and cut into 1 inch pieces

• 2 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice

• 2/3 c. sugar, plus extra for dusting biscuits

• 2 tbsp. plus 1 1/2 tsp. cornstarch

• Pinch salt

• Heavy cream, for brushing biscuits

For topping:

• 1 1/2 c. heavy whipping cream

• 3 tbsp. sugar

Directions

To prepare dough: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, 3 tablespoons sugar, baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt, crystalized ginger and lemon zest. Add diced butter and, using your hands (or 2 knives, or a pastry cutter), break up mixture until butter is the size of peas. Add buttermilk and stir just until dough comes together. Form dough into 8 or 9 equal-size balls (8 for a round baking dish, 9 for a square one) then gently shape into flattened biscuits. Transfer biscuits to prepared baking sheet and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours.

To prepare filling: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine strawberries, rhubarb, lemon juice, 2/3 cup sugar, cornstarch and pinch of salt. Allow to macerate for 15 minutes. Pour filling into a 2-quart ceramic dish and top with cobbler biscuits. Brush biscuits with heavy cream and dust with sugar. Bake until biscuits are golden and filling is bubbling, about 60 minutes. Remove from oven, transfer dish to a wire rack and cool 30 to 45 minutes.

To prepare topping: In a bowl of an electric mixer, combine heavy cream and 3 tablespoons sugar and beat until soft peaks form. Serve cobbler topped with whipped cream.

Nutrition information per serving:

Calories470Fat24 gSodium490 mg

Carbohydrates62 gSaturated fat15 gCalcium280 mg

Protein5 gCholesterol75 mgDietary fiber3 g

Diabetic exchanges per serving: ½ fruit, 1½ bread/starch, 2 other carb, 5 fat.

Serves 4.

Note: From "New Vegetarian" by Robin Asbell.

For pistou:

• 3 garlic cloves

• 1 c. tightly packed fresh basil leaves

• 1/2 c. frozen fava beans or edamame, thawed

• 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

• 1/2 tsp. salt

For soup:

• 1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

• 1 small turnip, cubed

• 2 large leeks, sliced and washed

• 1 medium carrots, peeled and chopped

• 1 tbsp. freshly chopped thyme

• 1 lb. asparagus

• 1 large bay leaf

• 4 c. vegetable broth

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

• Crusty whole wheat bread

• 4 small French breakfast radishes, sliced

Directions

To prepare pistou: In a food processor fitted with a metal blade, mince garlic. Add basil and pulse, scraping down sides of bowl a few times. Add fava beans (or edamame) and process. Scrape down sides of bowl and add olive oil and salt. Pulse until smooth. Reserve.

To prepare soup: In a large pot over medium heat, warm olive oil. Add turnip, leeks, carrot and thyme and sauté until leeks are softened, stirring often. Cut tips off asparagus and reserve. Chop asparagus stems and add to pot. Add bay leaf and vegetable stock and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook for 8 minutes. Add asparagus tips and cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Taste and season with pepper.

Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with a spoonful of pesto. Serve with a hearty whole wheat bread, the remaining pesto for spreading, and sliced radishes.

Nutrition information per serving:

Calories173Fat11 gSodium1,280 mg

Carbohydrates18 gSaturated fat1 gCalcium88 mg

Protein4 gCholesterol0 mgDietary fiber4 g

Diabetic exchanges per serving: 3 vegetable, 2 fat.

Serves 1.

Note: This recipe must be prepared in advance. From Britt Tracy of Heyday in Minneapolis.

For syrup:

• 4 c. sugar

• 4 c. water

• 1 c. fresh dill, tightly packed

• 4 stalks lemongrass, cut into rings

For cocktail:

• 1 3/4 oz. reposado tequila

• 3/4 oz. freshly squeezed carrot juice

• 3/4 oz. dill/ lemon grass syrup

• 1/2 oz. freshly squeezed orange juice

• 1/4 oz. mescal

• 1/4 oz. freshly squeezed lemon juice

• Pinch of kosher salt

• Sprig of fresh dill, for garnish

Directions

To prepare syrup: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine sugar and water. Bring to a boil, dissolving sugar. Immediate reduce heat to low, add dill and lemongrass and cook for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and let ingredients steep overnight. Pour mixture through a fine-mesh strainer, reserving liquid and discarding herbs. Refrigerate in a tightly sealed jar.

To prepare cocktail: In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, combine tequila, carrot juice, syrup, orange juice, mescal, lemon juice and salt and shake vigorously. Strain through a tea strainer into a coupe glass and garnish with a sprig of dill.

Nutrition information per serving:

Calories185Fat0 gSodium160 mg

Carbohydrates14 gSaturated fat0 gCalcium8 mg

Protein0 gCholesterol0 mgDietary fiber0 g

Serves 3 to 4.

Note: From "The Splendid Table's How to Eat Supper" By Lynne Rossetto Kasper and Sally Swift. "The sweetest, most perfect pesto is made with young basil, ideally when the plant is 6 to 9 inches tall," write the authors. "It should not have even thought of budding. Once flowering begins, that basil becomes bitter and tastes of anise."

For pesto:

• 1 garlic clove

• 1/8 tsp. salt

• 2/3 c. tightly packed young basil leaves

• 2 tbsp. (heaping) pine nuts

• 1/4 grated Pecorino Sardo (or Fontinella, from Wisconsin-based Stella) cheese

• 1/2 c. freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

• 4 tbsp. good-tasting extra-virgin olive oil

For risotto:

• 3 tbsp. butter (or good-tasting extra-virgin olive oil)

• 1 medium onion, minced

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 1 garlic clove, minced

• 1 c. (heaping) Italian Arborio or carnaroli rice

• 1/4 c. dry white wine

• 3 1/2 to 4 c. vegetable broth

• 1/4 c. pine nuts, for garnish

Directions

To prepare pesto: Using a mortar and pestle (or a food processor fitted with a metal blade), purée 1 garlic clove and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Gradually add basil and then pine nuts, crushing (or processing) everything into a rough paste. Pour in cheeses and oil and stir to blend. Pesto should be a rough paste. Reserve.

To prepare risotto: In a heavy 4-quart saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Add onions and season with a light sprinkling of salt and pepper. Sauté until onions are soft and clear, about 3 minutes. Blend in 1 minced garlic clove and rice and cook for 3 minutes, stirring often.

Raise heat to medium high. Stir in wine and cook until it's absorbed. Begin adding broth, 1 cup at a time, simmering and stirring each addition until liquid is absorbed by rice before adding the next cup. Never cover the pan. Once you start adding the broth, the cooking time will be about 15 minutes. After cooking in about 2 1/2 cups, start adding the broth in 1/2-cup portions.

Begin tasting the risotto. When it's ready, the rice should be close to tender, with a little more firmness to the bite than you'd like, and it should be nearly soup (it will finish cooking and absorb a little more broth in the next step). Never cook the rice to a mush.

Immediately remove the pot from the heat; let it stand for 3 minutes. Fold in pesto, sprinkle with pine nuts and serve immediately.

Nutrition information per each of 4 servings:

Calories580Fat37 gSodium1,290 mg

Carbohydrates49 gSaturated fat12 gCalcium290 mg

Protein13 gCholesterol40 mgDietary fiber2 g

Diabetic exchanges per serving: 1 vegetable, 1 bread/starch, 2 other carb, 1 medium-fat meat, 6½ fat.

Serves 8 to 12.

Note: This recipe must be prepared in advance. The pasteurized eggs are used because these are raw in the dessert. Use whatever ice cream you prefer. We prefer seasonal ice creams (rhubarb, strawberry, raspberry) from Pumphouse Creamery in Minneapolis. This is a family favorite from Rick Nelson.

For crust:

• 2 c. finely crushed graham crackers, divided

• 6 tbsp. (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted

For cake:

• 2/3 c. (1 stick plus 2 2/3 tbsp.) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus extra for pan

• 2 c. powdered sugar

• 1/2 tsp. salt

• 3 pasteurized eggs, separated

• 3 oz. unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled slightly

• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

• 1/2 c. finely chopped walnuts

• 1/2 tsp. cream of tartar

• 1/2 gallon ice cream, softened (see Note)

Directions

Butter bottom and sides of a 9- by 13-inch baking pan.

In a medium bowl, mix 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs with melted butter and spread mixture evenly across the bottom of prepared pan.

In a bowl of an electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter until creamy. Add powdered sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add egg yolks and mix until thoroughly incorporated. Add melted chocolate and vanilla extract and mix until thoroughly incorporated. Stir in walnuts.

In a bowl of an electric mixer on high speed, add cream of tartar to egg whites and beat until soft peaks form, about 5 minutes. Fold egg whites into chocolate-walnut mixture. Carefully spread mixture evenly over graham cracker mixture. Cover, transfer to freezer and freeze until solid.

When completely frozen, remove from freezer. Working quickly, spread softened ice cream evenly in pan. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs, cover and freeze. Serve frozen.

Nutrition information per each of 12 servings:

Calories550Fat35 gSodium255 mg

Carbohydrates55 gSaturated fat19 gCalcium140 mg

Protein7 gCholesterol128 mgDietary fiber3 g

Diabetic exchanges per serving: ½ milk, 1 bread/starch, 2 other carb, 7 fat.