Okie poutine

Potatoes, russet, ¼-inch French fry cut	2 medium
Water	4 cups
Salt	1 teaspoon
Cooking oil
Bison, ground	1 pound
Onion, red, finely chopped	1
Garlic, finely chopped	6 cloves
Wine, red	1 cup
Tomatoes, ground	28 ounces
Tomato sauce	10 ounces
Basil, ground, dried	3 teaspoons
Oragano, ground, dried	1 tablespoon
Thyme, ground, dried	1 teaspoon
Tabasco sauce	13 dashes
Salt
Pepper, freshly ground
Mexican four-cheese mix
Blue cheese dressing

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. 
2. Soak cut potatoes in salt water with four to six ice cubes for 1 hour; dry very well. 
3. In batches if necessary, fry at 325°F for 4 to 5 minutes, but do not brown fries; drain on paper towels; set aside. 
4. Heat oil to 375°F, and fry potatoes for 3 to 4 minutes, until golden brown. 
5. Drain on paper towels. 
6. Sprinkle with salt while still warm, and place in oven-safe serving dish. 
7. In large saucepan over medium-high heat, brown ground bison with onions and garlic. 
8. Add wine, tomatoes, herbs, Tabasco, salt, and pepper. 
9. Bring to boil, and reduce to simmer for at least 20 minutes. 
10. Cover fries with meat sauce, and top with cheese; bake until browned, 20 minutes. 
11. Drizzle with blue cheese dressing, and serve!

Ginger-almond bundt cake

Almonds, toasted, finely chopped	1 cup
Flour, all-purpose	3 cups
Baking powder	2 teaspoons
Salt	1 teaspoon
Milk, whole, room temperature	¾ cup
Ginger, freshly grated	1 tablespoon + 1 tablespoon
Vanilla extract	1 tablespoon
Butter, unsalted, room temperature	1 cup
Sugar, granulated	1 cup + ½ cup
Sugar, golden brown, packed	1 cup
Eggs, room temperature	3 whole + 2 yolks
Disaronno liqueur	1 cup
Water	¼ cup

1. Preheat oven to 350°F, and arrange a rack in the lower third. 
2. Brush a 12-cup bundt pan thoroughly with melted butter. 
3. Coat with a dusting of flour, and tap out any excess. 
4. Sprinkle nuts in the bottom of the pan; set aside. 
5. Combine butter, 1 cup of granulated sugar, and brown sugar in a stand mixer bowl with the paddle attached. 
6. Beat on medium speed until the mixture resembles wet sand and is light, about 3 minutes. 
7. Add eggs one at a time, beating until incorporated and the mixture is smooth. 
8. Scrape down the mixer bowl sides and bottom. 
9. Reduce speed to low, and whisk in 1/3 of the flour mixture until just moistened. 
10. Whisk in ½ of the milk mixture until moistened. 
11. Repeat until all ingredients are added, ending with the flour mixture. 
12. Transfer to the prepared bundt pan, and smooth out the batter. 
13. Bake until the cake sets and is golden brown, about 50 minutes. 
14. Transfer to a rack, let cool for 10 minutes, and then invert the cake onto a wire rack, removing the pan; let cool completely. 
15. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the liqueur, water, remaining sugar, and remaining ginger. 
16. Bring to a boil, and cook until it reduces, about 5 minutes. 
17. Strain, and set aside to cool slightly. 
18. When the cake is room temperature, use a skewer to poke holes across the top of the cake. 
19. Drizzle the syrup into the holes, spoonful at a time, ensuring it goes inside the cake and not down the sides. 
20. Let set at least 4 hours for the syrup to soak into the cake. 

Thanksgiving dinner @ Zayante

Apple sage turkey after 15 hours of soaking in brine

Turkey after 2 hours of roasting, with an honey almond cranberry sauce

Sweet potato bake

Jumbo sized pecan pie

The table is set!

Turtle swirl cheesecake

Chocolate cookies, finely ground	9 ounces
Butter, unsalted, melted	6 tablespoons
Cream cheese, room temperature	32 ounces
Sugar	1 ¼ cups
Eggs	5
Vanilla extract	1 ½ teaspoons
Cream	3 tablespoons
Chocolate, semisweet, chopped	4 ounces
Caramel sauce	1 cup
Pecans, whole, toasted	½ cup

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. 
2. Blend butter with cookies. 
3. Press mixture into bottom and up sides of springform pan with 3/4 –inch-high sides. 
4. Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese in a large bowl until fluffy. 
5. Gradually add sugar, and beat until smooth; mix in vanilla. 
6. Bring cream to simmer in heavy small saucepan; reduce heat to low. 
7. Add chocolate, and stir mixture is melted and smooth; remove from heat. 
8. Pour half of cream cheese mixture into crust. 
9. Spoon half of chocolate mixture over by tablespoons, spacing evenly. 
10. Using tip of knife, swirl chocolate mixture into the filling. 
11. Spoon remaining cream cheese mixture over the filling, and spoon remaining chocolate mixture over by tablespoons; swirl into filling. 
12. Bake until sides are set, and center moves slightly when the pan is shaken, about 1 hour and 5 minutes. 
13. Cook pan on rake; chill overnight. 
14. Using a small knife, cut around the pan sides to loosen the cake. 
15. Release the springform pan sides. 
16. Drizzle ¼ cup caramel sauce over the top of the cake; garnish with toasted pecans. 
17. Pass the remaining sauce separately. 

Recipe from Bon Appetit, April 1996

Cumin-glazed ribs with avocado-pineapple salsa

Active: 45 minutes; Chill: 2 to 10 hours; Total: 12 hours; Serves: 4+

Ancho chili powder	¼ cup
Cumin seeds, freshly ground	¼ cup + 1 tablespoon
Salt, kosher	2 tablespoons
Pepper, freshly ground	½ teaspoon
Baby back ribs	5 pounds
Water
Jalapeños, seeded, thinly sliced	4
Garlic, smashed	8 cloves
Lime juice, freshly squeezed	½ cup + 2 tablespoons
Honey	½ cup
Pineapple, peeled, cored, cut into ½-inch-thick rings	1 pound
Sugar, light brown	2 tablespoons
Onion, red, finely diced	¼ cup
Cilantro, chopped	½ cup
Avocado, large, diced	1

1. In a bowl, combine the ancho powder, cumin, salt, and pepper. 
2. Set the ribs on a rimmed baking sheet, and rub with the spice mix. 
3. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to 10 hours. 
4. Preheat oven to 325°F (Roast setting, if you have it). 
5. Add one-fourth inch of water to the sheet with the ribs; bake for 45 minutes, until barely tender. 
6. Cover with foil, and bake until tender, about 30 minutes more. 
7. Pour off the juices, and set aside. 
8. In a blender, puree three-fourth of the jalapeños with the garlic, ½-cup lime juice, and the reserved pan juices; blend in the honey and remaining cumin. 
9. Transfer the glaze to a saucepan, and simmer over low heat until thickened, about 15 minutes. 
10. Raise the oven temperature to 450°F. 
11. Brush the ribs with half of the glaze. 
12. Roast until well glazed, turning once, about 20 minutes. 
13. Brush with remaining glaze. 
14. Preheat a grill or the broiler. 
15. Grill the pineapple over high heat, turning once, until lightly charred, about 5 minutes. 
16. Finely dice, and transfer to a bowl. 
17. Add the sugar, onion, cilantro, avocado, the remaining jalapeños, and the remaining lime juice. 
18. Season with salt and pepper. 
19. Grill or broil the ribs over high heat, turning once, until caramelized, about 5 minutes. 
20. Cut between the bones, and serve with the salsa.

Recipe from Food & Wine Annual Cookbook 2012.