Tuna Tartare With Fresh Horseradish and Radishes
4 servings
Chef Cathal Armstrong uses a three-inch length of two-inch-diamter PVC pipe to mold this appetizer.
8 ounces diced, sushi-grade ahi tuna
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons grated fresh horseradish
1 minced shallot clove
1 tablespoon minced chives
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Sliced French breakfast radishes or red radishes, baby arugula and toasted baguette slices, for garnish
In a bowl, combine the tuna, oil, horseradish, shallot and chives. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Press one-quarter of the tuna mixture into the PVC pipe. Using the bottom of a narrow bottle, press down on the tuna and pull the PVC pipe up. Because the tuna is oily, it will not stick to the mold and will stay intact. Repeat until you have 4 tuna towers. Garnish with radishes, arugula and baguette slices.
Recipe tested by Lisa Cherkasky; e-mail questions to food@washpost.comPer serving: 95 calories, 13 gm protein, 1 gm carbohydrates, 4 gm fat, 26 mg cholesterol, 0 gm saturated fat, 91 mg sodium, 0 gm dietary fiber
Poundcake Cookies
Makes 4 to 5 dozen small cookies
Pastry chef Ann Amernick brushes these tender cookies with a sweet-tart glaze using a soft-bristled paintbrush. Just one swipe imparts the perfect amount. These are best served the day they are baked.
The cookies are based on the old-fashioned approach to poundcake that calls for a pound of each ingredient. Weighing the ingredients is encouraged but not necessary.
8 ounces (2 sticks) butter, at room temperature
8 ounces (scant 1 1/4 cups) granulated sugar
8 ounces eggs (about 4 large eggs)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract or 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
8 ounces (scant 1 1/4 cups) flour
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice (between 1 and 2 large lemons)
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place a wire rack over newspapers, a brown paper bag, paper towels or wax paper to catch any drips.
In a large bowl using an electric mixer on low speed, beat the butter and sugar for about 4 minutes. The mixture should be light in color and texture but not fluffy.
Add the eggs, 1 at a time, mixing after each addition just until combined. Add the vanilla or lemon zest and mix for about 2 minutes.
Add the flour in 3 additions, scraping the bottom of the bowl with a spatula to ensure the ingredients are completely incorporated the dense dough. Drop teaspoons of the dough onto the baking sheet or fit a pastry bag with a No. 6 or 7 Ateco tip and pipe the dough onto the baking sheet. Bake the cookies for 5 minutes, then rotate the sheet front to back.
Bake for about 5 more minutes, until cookies are lightly golden and just firm to the touch. The cookies will spread out; they should be a little soft, not crisp.
In a bowl, whisk together the confectioners' sugar and lemon juice. The mixture should be smooth and somewhat runny.
Remove the cookies from the oven; immediately transfer them to a wire rack and, using a soft-bristled paintbrush about 1 1/2 inches wide, lightly brush the cookies with the glaze.
Recipe tested by Bonnie S. Benwick; e-mail questions to food@washpost.com
Per cookie (based on 60): 64 calories, 1 gm protein, 8 gm carbohydrates, 3 gm fat, 24 mg cholesterol, 2 gm saturated fat, 5 mg sodium, trace dietary fiber
