golden raisins

This Irish soda bread is inspired by a classic, made with white flour and currants, called “spotty dog.” My whole wheat version proved to be the perfect home for some particularly luscious golden raisins and walnuts that I get from a vendor at my farmers’ market. 

Soda Bread With Walnuts and Raisins

(3 cups) whole wheat flour

(1 cup) unbleached all-purpose flour

(2 teaspoons) baking soda

(1 1/4 teaspoons) fine sea salt

(heaped 1/2 cup) chopped walnuts

(1 cup) golden raisins raisins

(2 cups) buttermilk

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment. Sift together the flours, baking soda and salt and place in a wide bowl

Make a well in the middle of the flour, add the walnuts and raisins and pour in the buttermilk. Using a wide rubber spatula, a wide wooden spoon or your hands mix in the flour from the sides of the bowl to the center, turning the bowl and sweeping the flour from the sides into the buttermilk. Mix until the buttermilk, raisins and walnuts have been incorporated into the flour, then scrape out onto a lightly floured work surface. The dough should be soft and a bit sticky. Flour your hands so it won’t stick to them. 

Gently and quickly knead the dough, only enough to shape it into a ball, then with floured hands gently pat it down to a 2-inch high round. Place it on the parchment-lined baking sheet and cut a 1/2-inch deep cross across the top. You shouldn’t let too much time lapse between the time you add the buttermilk to the flour and the moment you put the loaf into the oven.

Bake 40 to 45 minutes, until the loaf responds with a hollow sound when tapped on the bottom. Remove from the oven, wrap loosely in a cloth or kitchen towel, and cool on a rack.

Forget egg yolks and water baths. This is a simple and superb rice pudding that uses only milk, sugar, cream, rice, salt and your choice of flavorings: rum, almond extract, vanilla, orange zest, cardamom, nutmeg, anything else you can dream up. Add the raisins at the end so they don’t get too mushy as the pudding cooks.

Rice Pudding With Golden Raisins

milk

heavy cream

brown sugar

white rice

salt

vanilla bean, split

cinnamon cardamom pods

orange peel, 1-inch wide

Crème fraîche,

In a medium heavy-bottom pot, combine milk, cream, sugar, rice and salt. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean and drop them in along with the pod. Stir in cinnamon and orange peel. Bring mixture to a simmer; cook over medium-low heat, stirring frequently until rice is tender and mixture is slightly thickened, 30 to 40 minutes. Do not let mixture come to a boil and don’t let it get too thick, because it will thicken as it cools. Stir in raisins and let pudding rest for 5 minutes to soften them.

Serve pudding warm, room temperature or chilled, with dollops of crème fraîche, if desired.

Melissa Clark shows how to make rice pudding that is simple, luscious and creamy.

Rice Pudding

A baked lamb and rice dish I tasted in Istanbul, etli pilav, inspired this one-pot meal, topped with walnuts and fresh mint and pomegranate seeds. Similar pilaf-style rice dishes are made all across the Middle East and into Asia. Kabuli pulao in Afghanistan is acclaimed; the Persian baghali polov ba gusht is justly famous, as is the Lebanese Hashwet al-ruz; and there are myriad fabled biryanis made with lamb (or goat) in India and Pakistan. Pomegranate molasses is available in Middle Eastern groceries or online. It provides a sweet-sour, fruity undertone, but you may omit it and still get good results. Try a squeeze of lime instead.

Spiced Lamb and Rice with Walnuts, Mint and Pomegranate

chickpeas

lamb shoulder,

Salt and black pepper

olive oil

onion,

pomegranate molasses, optional

cumin

coriander

allspice

mace

cinnamon stick, 2 inches long

basmati rice,

unsalted butter

walnut

pomegranate seeds

mint

red pepper

Thick plain yogurt,

If using dried chickpeas: Put soaked chickpeas in a saucepan and cover with water by 1 inch. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook, uncovered, for 45 minutes to an hour, until tender. Top up with water as necessary to keep chickpeas covered. (If using pre-cooked or canned chickpeas, skip this step.)

Season lamb pieces generously with salt and pepper. In a large heavy skillet or Dutch oven with a lid, heat oil over medium-high heat. Working in batches over high heat, brown the lamb pieces on both sides, removing them to a plate as they are cooked. (Don’t crowd the pan or they won’t brown nicely.)

When all the lamb is browned and the pot is empty, reduce heat to medium high. Add onions, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Add raisins, pomegranate molasses (if using), cumin, coriander, allspice, mace, and cinnamon and stir to coat. Return lamb to the pot, along with any juices.

If using canned chickpeas, drain well. If using cooked chickpeas, drain and reserve the cooking liquid. Add drained chickpeas and rice to onion mixture and stir together. Turn heat to high and add 2 cups chickpea cooking liquid (or 2 cups water or broth, if using canned chickpeas). Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover tightly. Bake about 1 hour, until lamb is tender when probed with a fork and rice is cooked through. Let rest for at least 10 minutes before serving, or up to 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small skillet, melt butter over medium heat until it foams. Add walnuts and cook, stirring, until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Salt lightly and set aside. Fluff the lamb and rice gently, lifting up from the bottom. Serve directly from pot or transfer to a serving platter. Sprinkle with walnuts, pomegranate seeds, mint and crushed red pepper. Pass a bowl of yogurt at the table.

The perfect Autumn salad! This lentil Kale Salad with Parmesan has tons of al-dente cooked lentils, Tuscan kale, plump golden raisins, pepitas, and it's drizzled with a simple red wine vinaigrette. Perfect as a main course or a side salad!

Autumn Lentil Kale Salad with Parmesan

red wine vinegar

Tuscan kale*

lemon juice

honey (or maple syrup)

salt and pepper

pepitas

beluga lentils*

parmesan cheese (optional)

soak: add the raisins and the red wine vinegar...

soak: add the raisins and the red wine vinegar to a small bowl, let the raisins soak for 10-15 minutes while you clean and chop the kale.

dressing: remove the golden raisins to a small...

dressing: remove the golden raisins to a small bowl using a slotted spoon. Add the lemon juice, olive oil, honey, and salt and pepper to the vinegar and use a whisk to combine. Alternately, you can add the dressing to a mason jar and shake until the dressing thickens.

salad: Place the kale in a large bowl, dress...

salad: Place the kale in a large bowl, dress the salad and toss. Add the lentils, golden raisins, pepitas, and parmesan cheese as desired. Give it a taste and adjust salt and pepper as desired.

This recipe is inspired by sarde in saor, a classic Venetian dish of fried sardines topped with sautéed onions, pine nuts, saffron and wine-soaked raisins balanced with a little sugar and vinegar. The saor, or sweet and sour topping, makes an ideal accompaniment to roasted brussels sprouts — served either hot or at room temperature — though it would work equally well on any vegetable side, be it green beans, cauliflower or broccoli. With lemon, vinegar and wine among its ingredients, this dish brings a welcome vividness to the Thanksgiving table — or any meal — where bright, acidic offerings are few and far between.

Brussels Sprouts in Saor

dry white wine

trimmed, halved brussels sprouts (from about 3 pounds whole)

yellow onions, thinly sliced

saffron

pine nuts

white wine vinegar

sugar

Black pepper

parsley leaves

lemon

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Place racks at middle lower and middle upper positions. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.

In a small bowl, combine raisins and wine. Set aside to soak.

In a large bowl, gently toss brussels sprouts with 4 tablespoons oil to coat. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Spread out sprouts onto prepared baking sheets, and roast until tender throughout and golden brown on the outside, 28 to 32 minutes. Halfway through cooking, rotate pans, switch their positions, and use a thin metal spatula to turn the sprouts so that they brown evenly on both sides.

In the meantime, set a 12-inch nonreactive skillet over medium-high heat and add 3 tablespoons oil. When it shimmers, add onions, a generous pinch of salt and the saffron, crushing the threads with your fingers as you add them. Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are tender and just beginning to brown, 16 to 18 minutes.

Spread the pine nuts onto a small baking sheet and toast in the oven until lightly golden, 3 to 4 minutes. (Set a timer to prevent burning!)

When the onions are done, add raisins and wine, pine nuts, vinegar, sugar, a few cracks of pepper, parsley, a generous pinch of salt and remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil. Bring to a simmer and remove from heat. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed: This mixture should be sweet, bright and perk up your palate.

To serve, mound half of the warm or room-temperature brussels sprouts on a platter and dress with half of the saor mixture and a generous squeeze of lemon. Continue with remaining sprouts, saor mixture and another squeeze of lemon. Serve warm or at room temperature. Cover and refrigerate leftovers, which will keep for up to 5 days.

This is a slightly simplified version of Moroccan pastilla (also known as bsteeya or b’stillah), the savory pastry served on festive occasions. Still, there are a lot of steps involved. For ease of preparation, make the chicken filling up to a day in advance of serving — the actual building of the pie takes relatively little time. Or assemble the entire pie and refrigerate, unbaked, up to a day ahead. In Morocco, thin pastry leaves called warqa make the pie’s flaky layers, but elsewhere most cooks use readily available phyllo dough. Dusting the exterior with powdered sugar might sound odd, but this traditional combination of sweet and savory is truly beguiling.

Moroccan Chicken Pie

chicken thighs (6 to 8 thighs)

Salt and pepper

garlic cloves,

ground turmeric

ginger

cinnamon

chicken broth

golden raisins,

ricotta

preserved lemon, skin only, rinsed

almonds

pistachios

phyllo

unsalted butter (3 sticks), melted

Confectioners’ sugar,

Make the chicken filling: Season the chicken thighs generously on both sides with salt and pepper; go heavy on the pepper. Set aside.

Put olive oil in a wide, deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion, season with salt, and cook, stirring, until softened and beginning to brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Add garlic, turmeric, saffron, ginger, allspice and cinnamon, and stir to combine.

Place seasoned chicken thighs on top of onion mixture, add chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to maintain a brisk simmer, cover with lid ajar and cook until chicken is tender, about 30 minutes.

Remove thighs from pot and let cool. Continue to cook onion mixture until all broth has evaporated and only onion remains. Turn off heat and let onions cool.

Remove and discard skin and bones from chicken thighs. Tear thigh meat into 1-inch strips and add to onion mixture. Add raisins and toss to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning. (Chicken can be prepared in advance until this point.)

Put ricotta in a bowl and add mint, preserved lemon, lemon juice, lemon zest and a little salt. Stir to combine, and set aside. Heat oven to 375 degrees.

Remove phyllo from package, unroll to make a flat stack and cover with a damp kitchen towel. Assemble the pie: Brush bottom and sides of a 12-inch paella pan or low, round earthenware casserole with warm melted butter. Lay 2 sheets of phyllo side by side in pan, overlapping in the middle by 1 inch, pressing down in the center so phyllo lines bottom of pan, leaving the excess hanging over the sides. Butter the sheets from the center all the way to the edges.

Repeat the process with 2 more sheets of phyllo, set at a slight angle to the first layer. Paint this layer with butter all the way to the edges. Repeat, setting the pastry again at a slight angle to the previous layer, so the overhanging edges make a complete circle by the end of the process. Make 7 buttered layers of 2 sheets each.

Fill the pie: Sprinkle the bottom of the pan with half the almonds and pistachios. Spread the chicken mixture evenly across the pan. Drop spoonsful of the ricotta mixture over the chicken mixture. Top the ricotta layer with remaining pistachios and almonds.

Close the pie by folding all the overhanging phyllo sheets gently toward the center of the pan, pressing to enclose the filling. Brush more butter over the top and tuck in and smooth any stray phyllo.

Bake the pie for 35 to 40 minutes, until nicely browned and crisp. To unmold, invert pie onto a cool baking sheet, exposing the flat top (formerly the bottom) of the pie. With spatulas, carefully transfer pie to a serving platter.

Put confectioners’ sugar in a mesh strainer, and shake to cover the pie generously, like a thin layer of fallen snow. Cut into wedges to serve, but for the best experience, forgo the fork, and eat the pie with your fingers.

One of Julia Child’s holiday tips to the readers of Parade, where she wrote a recipe column from 1982 to 1985, was to “spiffy up” store-bought mincemeat with grated apple and liquor, then heat it in a saucepan to make a rich, fragrant sauce. This is a fine idea, but almost as easy is mixing up a batch of mincemeat (minus the meat) at home. The cook can control the balance of sugar, citrus and spice and also use up all the half-empty containers of dried fruit that seem to end up lurking in kitchen cabinets. This “recipe” is entirely flexible; feel free to add orange zest, walnuts, apricots or whatever you like. The sauce will be equally good on pumpkin or sweet potato pie, ice cream or baked apples.

Spicy Dried Fruit Dessert Sauce

tart apple,

dark brown sugar

prunes

cherries

butter,

ginger,

brandy,

lemon,

nutmeg

clove

Dark rum, apple cider or orange juice

unsalted butter (optional)

Combine all ingredients except those to finish the sauce in a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped; do not purée. Transfer to an airtight container and let rest at least 1 day, or up to 4 weeks.

When ready to serve, transfer to a saucepan and add enough rum or other liquid to loosen. Heat until warm and bubbly. If desired, add black pepper to make the mixture more spicy. To make a richer sauce, whisk in cold butter 1 tablespoon at a time, to taste.

Serve warm over ice cream, pumpkin pie or baked apples.

A classic sweet and savory Southern broccoli salad combines raw (or barely cooked) broccoli with sweet dried fruit (typically raisins or cranberries), crunchy sunflower seeds and savory Cheddar in a creamy, tangy mayonnaise dressing. Briefly blanching the broccoli in boiling water ensures bright green veggies with a crisp-tender texture. The salad gets better with time, so make it a few hours ahead and refrigerate it. (Reserve the crispy bacon and sprinkle it on top right before serving.) And, if your tastes skew sweet, further increase the sugar by another tablespoon.

Southern Broccoli Salad

salt (such as Diamond Crystal) and pepper

bacon (any type)

(1 1/2 pounds) 1- to 1½-inch broccoli florets

mayonnaise

red onion

apple cider vinegar

Cheddar

roasted, salted sunflower seeds

Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. 

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium. Add bacon and cook, turning occasionally, until golden and crispy, 7 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain; discard bacon fat or reserve for another use. Chop the bacon into bite-size pieces.

Meanwhile, add broccoli to boiling water and cook until bright green, 1 minute. Rinse under cold water until cool (or transfer to an ice bath). Drain broccoli well and pat dry.

In a large bowl, combine mayonnaise, onion, vinegar and sugar and mix well. Add the broccoli, cheese, raisins and sunflower seeds. Season with salt and pepper, and toss until well combined. (If time allows, refrigerate for 30 minutes to 3 hours to allow flavors to meld, stirring occasionally.)

Transfer broccoli salad to a serving bowl or platter. Top with bacon. Salad can be served immediately, or refrigerated and served chilled.

This challah recipe is ideal for first-time bread bakers, as it contains several checks and tests to indicate exactly when you’re ready to move on to the next step, minimizing the potential for failure. The biggest risk factor is underproofing, especially in a cool environment (the dough is temperature-sensitive), so for a light, silky loaf, make sure you give it sufficient time. If your oven has a proof setting, you can use it to speed up the process considerably. (<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1FcR1PDzC94">Watch Claire make and braid this dough</a> on YouTube.)

Challah Bread

active dry yeast

bread flour

golden raisins (optional)

honey

extra-virgin olive oil

egg yolk,

eggs,

bread flour,

kosher salt

Poppy or sesame seeds,

Make the preferment: In a medium bowl, combine the yeast and ¼ cup/57 grams warm tap water (100 to 110 degrees), and whisk until the yeast is dissolved. Add another ½ cup/113 grams room temperature water and the bread flour, and stir with a flexible spatula or bowl scraper until you have a smooth, pasty mixture with no dry spots. It should look like a thick batter.

Scrape the mixture into the center of the bowl and cover tightly. Let the preferment sit at room temperature until it’s nearly tripled in size, extremely bubbly across the surface, and jiggles on the verge of collapsing when the bowl is shaken, 1 to 2 hours (depending on the ambient temperature).

If making a raisin-studded challah, while the preferment is getting bubbly, place the raisins in a medium bowl and cover with boiling water. Cover the bowl and let the raisins soak until they’re plumped and softened, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain the raisins, pat them dry, and set aside.

Mix the dough: In a medium bowl, whisk together the honey, olive oil, the yolk and 2 of the eggs until smooth, then add to the bowl with the preferment. Add the bread flour and salt. Use a flexible spatula or bowl scraper to stir the mixture, making sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to incorporate the preferment, until a shaggy dough comes together.

Knead the dough: Generously flour the work surface, then scrape the dough and any floury bits out of the bowl and onto the surface (reserve the bowl). Generously flour the dough. Use the heel of your hands to knead the dough, adding flour as needed if the dough is sticking to your hands or the surface, until the dough is very smooth, elastic and slightly tacky, 10 to 15 minutes. (You can also combine everything in a stand mixer and mix on low speed with the dough hook for 8 to 10 minutes, adding more flour as needed until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl.)

Test the dough: Pinch off a golf ball-size piece and flatten it with your fingertips. Stretch the dough outward in all directions gently and slowly: You should be able to form a sheet of dough that’s thin enough to allow light to pass through without tearing. If the dough tears, continue kneading. For a raisin-studded challah, use your hands to flatten the dough into a 1-inch-thick slab (the shape doesn’t matter) and scatter the drained raisins over the dough. Roll up the dough and gather it back into a ball, then knead until the raisins are distributed throughout.

Let the dough rise: Gather the dough into a smooth ball, dust lightly with flour and place back in the reserved bowl. Cover and let the dough sit in a warm spot until it’s doubled in size, 1 to 2 hours (depending on the ambient temperature).

Divide the dough: Punch down the dough inside the bowl to expel the gasses that built up during the first rise, then scrape the dough out onto a clean work surface. For a braided loaf, use a bench scraper or knife to divide the dough into 6 equal pieces. (You can eyeball it, or weigh the pieces for accuracy — each piece should weigh 180 to 190 grams.) For a round loaf, divide the dough in half.

Braid or twist the dough: For a braid, roll each of the 6 pieces into snakes measuring about 18 inches long and slightly tapered at the ends. Dust the strands in flour to coat them lightly, then line them up so they’re side by side. Pinch together the ends of the strands to connect them at the top.

Take the strand on the far right and cross it over the other strands, so it’s all the way on the far left side, placing it perpendicular to the other strands. Then, take the strand that was originally on the far left, and is now second from the left, and bring it all the way to the far right, also placing it perpendicularly.

Fan out the remaining strands so there’s a generous space in the center. Take the strand on the far left and bring it to the center, but group it with the strands on the right. Next, bring the strand that’s second from the right and cross it over to the far left, also placing it perpendicular. Then, fan out the strands again, leaving a space in the center, and bring the strand on the far right to the center, grouping it with the strands on the left. Bring the strand second from the left to the far right and cross it over to the far left. Then, repeat this process until you’ve braided the entire length of the strands, tugging gently on the strands as you work to create tension in the braid. Pinch the ends of the braids and tuck them underneath the loaf, then transfer to a parchment-lined sheet pan. Make sure you have a couple of inches of clearance on either side of the braid so it can expand.

Alternatively, for a round, roll the two pieces of dough into long snakes measuring about 28 inches long, making sure to taper the snakes at one end. Dust the strands in flour to coat them lightly, then line them up so they’re side by side with the tapered ends aligned. Twist the two strands together, then start at the tapered end and roll up the twist into a tight coil, wrapping the fatter end around and tucking the end underneath the coil. Transfer the coil to a parchment-lined sheet pan.

Egg wash and proof the dough: Beat the remaining egg in a small bowl until it’s streak-free. Brush the loaf with the egg, then loosely cover the dough with some lightly oiled plastic wrap on a sheet pan, and let it rise at room temperature until it’s doubled in size, extremely puffy, and springs back but holds a slight indentation when poked gently with a wet finger, another 1½ to 2 hours (but possibly longer, depending on ambient temperature). The dough is easy to underproof, so, if you’re unsure, err on the side of overproofing. (The round loaf will also take longer to proof.) Alternatively, before proofing, you can refrigerate the dough overnight, but omit the egg wash and make sure it’s covered (plastic should cover it loosely but be sealed around the pan so the dough doesn't dry out).

Heat the oven: Arrange a rack in the center of the oven and heat it to 350 degrees.

Bake: Uncover the challah and brush with another layer of egg wash. Sprinkle the loaf with poppy or sesame seeds (if using) and bake until the loaf is shiny and burnished, an instant-read thermometer registers 190 degrees when inserted into the center, and it sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom, 35 to 40 minutes. Let the challah cool completely on the baking sheet.

This simple and delicious Harvest Green Salad with Honey Apple Cider Dressing will be a fast favorite. The perfect fall winter salad for any occasion.

Harvest Green Salad with Honey Apple Cider Dressing

organic spring greens, triple washed

apple,

hazelnuts,

red onion,

cheese,

Dijon mustard

In a mason jar add all the dressing ingredients. Secure a fitted lid and shake until combined. If using a bowl, whisk until creamy and slightly thickened. Keep refrigerated until ready to use.

Prepare apples and toss with lemon juice. In a large salad bowl add greens, then layer with apples, nuts, raisins, onion, and parmesan cheese. Add dressing and toss gently or serve dressing on the side.

Top 10 golden raisins recipes from across the web

The most viewed golden raisins recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine

Top Tags

Soda Bread With Walnuts and Raisins

Rice Pudding With Golden Raisins

Spiced Lamb and Rice with Walnuts, ...

Autumn Lentil Kale Salad with Parme...

Brussels Sprouts in Saor

Moroccan Chicken Pie

Spicy Dried Fruit Dessert Sauce

Southern Broccoli Salad

Challah Bread

Harvest Green Salad with Honey Appl...

Top 10 golden raisins recipes from across the web

The most viewed golden raisins recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Soda Bread With Walnuts and Raisins

Rice Pudding With Golden Raisins

Spiced Lamb and Rice with Walnuts, ...

Autumn Lentil Kale Salad with Parme...

Brussels Sprouts in Saor

Moroccan Chicken Pie

Spicy Dried Fruit Dessert Sauce

Southern Broccoli Salad

Challah Bread

Harvest Green Salad with Honey Appl...

The most viewed golden raisins recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine