Cucumber Salad

My Mom dropped off a container of strawberries today - quite ripe and needing to be used. Off to Pinterest! I found nothing I wanted or could make using the strawberries, but was reminded of this simple sounding recipe for a spicy cucumber salad. Had a few Thai chilis leftover from the guacamole, most of a cucumber in the crisper plus a good hunk of red onion needing to be used so I was good to go.

Glad I did, too - I could easily eat an entire cucumber made into this salad. It's really good: light, fresh, crunchy, and the dressing is perfect. Yum.

*be cautious with hot chilis - the capsaicin can transfer to your skin and cause burning irritation; wear gloves while preparing the peppers if you feel it necessary*

Cucumber Salad
Kayotic Kitchen

1 cucumber, sliced lengthwise and seeds mostly removed
1 small red onion
1-2 Thai chilis (fewer the seeds, lesser the heat)
2 tbsp honey
3 tbsp rice vinegar
1/8 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground coriander seed
few drops sesame oil
1 tbsp vegetable oil
pinch of salt

Chop cucumber, red onion and chili into a dish. Whisk together honey, rice vinegar, spices, oils, and salt. Dress salad and chill 15 minutes before serving.

Guacamole

Matt and I have been watching a lot of Jamie Oliver, lately. Jamie at Home, mostly, with a bit of Jamie's Great Italian Escape thrown in for good measure. I admire the simple, no nonsense approach to life and the kitchen, and this guacamole is proof that even I, a strict follower of recipes, can wing it just a little...with delicious results.

We served the guacamole with cheese quesadillas.

*be cautious with hot chilis - the capsaicin can transfer to your skin and cause burning irritation; wear gloves while preparing the peppers if you feel it necessary*

Jamie Oliver's Guacamole
Serves 2

1 avocado, peeled and pitted
1 rounded tablespoon finely minced onion
2 Thai chilis, finely minced (fewer the seeds, lesser the heat)
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tomato, deseeded and diced
juice of 1 lemon

Mash the avocado and season with about 1/4 tablespoon kosher salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Fork in the onion, chili and tomato. Stir in the lemon juice. Taste and adjust seasoning (I added another half tablespoon or so of kosher salt and another few grinds of black pepper).

Beatty's Chocolate Cake

Chocolate cake, a favorite recipe, for no good reason.

This cake is deep and dark. Use good coffee (it's an Ina recipe, after all). You will love this cake all kinds of crazy. Try a piece as soon as it's ready but really, it's even better after a night in the fridge.

Beatty's Chocolate Cake
Barefoot Contessa At Home
Serves 8

butter, for greasing pans
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour, plus more for pans
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup good cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk, shaken
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 extra large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup freshly brewed hot coffee
1 Recipe Chocolate Buttercream, follows

Preheat oven to 350F. Butter 2 (8 inch) round cake pans. Line with parchment paper, butter again and flour both pans.

Sift and combine flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt in large bowl. In a medium bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs and vanilla. With a mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to dry. With mixer still on low, add the coffee and stir just to combine, scraping the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula.

Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool in the pans for 30 minutes, then turn them out onto a cooling rack and cool completely.

Place 1 layer flat side up on a flat plate or cake pedestal. With a knife or offset spatula, spread the top with frosting. Place the second layer on top, rounded side up, and spread the frosting evenly on the top and sides of the cake.

Chocolate Buttercream
6 ounces good semisweet chocolate
1/2 pound (2 sticks or 1 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 extra large egg yolk, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups sifted icing sugar
1 tablespoon instant coffee powder (omit if not looking for a lot of coffee flavor)

Chop the chocolate and place it in a heat proof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Stir until just melted and set aside until cooled to room temperature.

In a large bowl, beat butter on medium high speed until light yellow and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg yolk and vanilla and continue beating for 3 minutes. Turn the mixer to low, gradually add the icing sugar then beat at medium speed, scraping down the bowl as necessary, until smooth and creamy.

Dissolve the coffee powder in 2 teaspoons of the hottest tap water. On low speed, add the chocolate and coffee to the butter mixture and mix until blended. Don't whip! Spread immediately on the cooled cake.