Corn Fritters with Summer Salsa

Many Southern corn-fritter recipes use a little corn and a lot of batter, yielding a hush puppy-like bread suitable for fish fries. Athens cookbook author Rebecca Lang’s fritters are flat little cakes that are dense with corn kernels. Corn is the star here, and the simple tomato salsa plays a supporting role. Fry up a batch to nosh on while standing around the grill.

INGREDIENTS

• 4 ears fresh corn, husks removed

• 3/4 cup plain white cornmeal

• 1/2 cup milk

• 1/4 cup self-rising soft-wheat flour (such as White Lily)

• 1 large egg

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

• 1/4 cup vegetable oil

• Summer Salsa (see recipe)

INSTRUCTIONS

Cut kernels from cobs; discard cobs. (You should have about 2 cups kernels; if you have more, save it for another use.)

In a medium bowl, whisk together cornmeal, milk, flour, egg, salt and pepper. Stir in kernels.

Heat vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, spoon batter by tablespoonfuls into hot oil, and flatten gently. Fry two to three minutes on each side or until browned. (If the skillet becomes dry, you may want to drizzle in a little more oil.) Drain on a wire rack. Top each fritter with 2 teaspoons Summer Salsa.

Makes about 24 fritters.

Adapted from “Southern Living Around the Southern Table” by Rebecca Lang

French Beignets

Atlanta chef Virginia Willis makes her beignets the French way, using the light pastry dough known pâte à choux, which is easy to put together and puffs up magically when fried. These make an extra-special, kid-friendly breakfast. For dessert, plate the beignets with a little fruit and whipped cream or ice cream.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup water

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter

• 1 teaspoon plus 1 cup granulated sugar

• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

• Finely grated zest of 2 oranges, divided

• 1 cup, plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

• 4 large eggs

• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

• Vegetable shortening, for frying

• Confectioner’s sugar, for serving

INSTRUCTIONS

Line a baking sheet with a wire rack or paper towels. Set aside. In a small saucepan, combine water, butter, 1 teaspoon granulated sugar, salt and half the zest. Bring the mixture to a rapid boil over medium-high heat, about four minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and add the flour all at once, stirring vigorously. Cook the paste over low heat, beating briskly, until the ingredients are thoroughly combined and the dough leaves the sides of the pan and forms a ball, about two to three minutes. Remove the pan from the heat. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. By hand or with an electric mixer set at medium speed, beat the paste until it is smooth and glossy. Stir in the vanilla extract.

Fill a heavy-bottomed saucepan, deep fryer or Dutch oven no more than one-third full with shortening. Heat to 370 degrees. Using a small ice cream or cookie scoop, carefully drop the dough by teaspoonfuls into the shortening. Fry the beignets in batches, turning them once or twice, until golden brown, three to five minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove to the prepared baking sheet to drain.

In a small bowl, combine the remaining orange zest and 1 cup granulated sugar. While the puffs are still warm, roll them in the sugar and orange zest mixture until evenly coated. Just before serving, sprinkle the beignets with the confectioner’s sugar. Serve immediately.

Makes about 32.

Adapted from “Basic to Brilliant, Y’all: 150 Refined Southern Recipes and Ways to Dress Them Up for Company” by Virginia Willis

Thick Bechamel Sauce

INGREDIENTS

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 1 cup minced yellow onion

• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour

• 1 cup whole milk

• 3/4 teaspoon salt

• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg

• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

In a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Add onion and cook for three to four minutes, or until soft but not browned. Add flour and whisk well. Cook for one to two minutes, being careful not to let it turn golden or brown. Remove from the heat. Add milk, whisking vigorously, until the mixture is smooth. Return to the heat and continue cooking for two minutes, stirring constantly, being careful not to let the sauce burn. The sauce should be the consistency of thick mashed potatoes. Remove from the heat. Stir in the salt, nutmeg and pepper. Cool for a few minutes before using.

Makes 1 1/4 cups.

Adapted from “The New Southern-Latino Table”

Crab Croquetas

These do take a little time, so don’t wait until the last minute to get started. You can make the croquetas up several hours in advance and chill them in the refrigerator until ready to fry.

INGREDIENTS

• 3 1/2 cups lump crab meat picked over for shell fragments

• 1 (4-ounce) jar diced pim entos, drained

• 1/4 cup minced capers

• 1/4 cup minced chives

• 1/4 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley (leaves and tender stems)

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• 1/4 teaspoon smoked Spanish paprika

• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

• Thick Béchamel Sauce (see recipe)

• Vegetable oil for frying

• Flour for dredging (about 1 1/2 cups)

• 3 eggs, beaten lightly

• Bread crumbs for coating (about 3 cups)

• Latin Tartar Sauce (see recipe)

• Lemon wedges (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

In a large bowl, combine crab meat, pimentos, capers, chives, parsley, salt, pepper, paprika and garlic powder. Mix well to combine. Stir the béchamel into the crab mixture, being careful not to break up the crab meat too much. Let the mixture chill for 10 minutes (or up to 1 hour).

Fit a large baking pan with a metal cooling rack. In a large skillet with high sides, heat 2 to 3 inches of oil to 360 degrees (or use a deep fryer according to the manufacturer’s instructions). Place the flour, eggs and bread crumbs in three small, flat pans. Using a 2-inch ice cream scoop, shape the crab mixture into balls and dredge them in the flour, coating them well. Dip them in the eggs and into the bread crumbs to coat completely. Carefully drop the balls into the oil and fry for two to three minutes, or until golden brown, using two forks to turn them halfway through. Using a slotted spoon, transfer them to the prepared cooling rack to drain.

Serve with Latin Tartar Sauce on the side for dipping and optional lemon wedges. These can be frozen for up to three months. Freeze the cooled croquetas in a single layer on a baking sheet until solid, then transfer them to zip-top freezer bags. To reheat, bake in a 400-degree oven until heated through.

Makes eight to 10 servings.

Adapted from “The New Southern-Latino Table: Recipes That Bring Together the Bold and Beloved Flavors of Latin America & the American South” by Sandra A. Gutierrez

Latin Tartar Sauce

You don’t need to make the croquetas to enjoy this tartar sauce, which would taste delicious with any kind of hot or cold seafood.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/2 cups mayonnaise

• 1/4 cup prepared pickle relish

• 2 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley (leaves and tender stems)

• 2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro (leaves and tender stems)

• 2 tablespoons minced capers

• 1 tablespoon white vinegar, or to taste

• 2 teaspoons minced chipotle chiles in adobo

• 1 teaspoon adobo sauce

• 1 hard-cooked egg, finely chopped

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

In a medium bowl, combine mayonnaise, relish, parsley, cilantro, capers, vinegar, chiles, adobo and egg. Stir until well-blended. Season with salt and pepper and chill for one hour to allow the flavors to blend. Serve well-chilled. Covered and refrigerated, tartar sauce keeps well for up to two days.

Makes 1 1/4 cups.

Adapted from “The New Southern-Latino Table”

GRILLED CORN WITH SPICY HONEY BUTTER

8 ears of corn

2 sticks (½ pound) butter, softened

2 tablespoons honey

¼ to ½ teaspoon ground ancho or chipotle chili powder (chipotle is spicier)

Salt

1. Place the corn in a pot of cold water; keep ears submerged by laying a smaller, water-filled pot on top of them. Soak for 45 minutes.

2. With electric mixer, beat butter with honey, ground chili and salt to taste. Scrape mixture onto a sheet of plastic wrap, roll up into a log and refrigerate.

3. Preheat grill for medium, indirect heat (300 to 325 degrees). Remove corn from water and peel open the tops to expose the tip of the ear. Grill until the kernels at the tip start to get a little charred. Serve with slices of spicy honey butter. Makes 8 servings.

———

BASIC RUB FOR CHICKEN AND PORK

1 cup turbinado sugar

¼ cup paprika

3 tablespoons packaged powdered lemonade

4 tablespoons ground black pepper

4 tablespoons ground ancho chili powder

2 tablespoons onion powder

2 tablespoons garlic powder

2 tablespoons kosher salt

Combine all ingredients. Makes about 2 ¼ cups.

———

PIG CANDY

½ cup turbinado sugar (most common brand name is Sugar in the Raw)

½ cup pork rub

1 pound thick-cut bacon

Preheat grill for medium, indirect heat (300 to 325 degrees) and place a disposable aluminum pan under the grill’s grate to catch rendered bacon fat. Spread sugar and rub on separate plates. Dredge bacon slices first in sugar, then in rub. Lay slices on grill, over pan and perpendicular to grates, and cook for about an hour, until bacon is crisp but not burned. Makes 8 to 12 servings.

———

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s “recommended safe minimum internal temperature” guidelines call for poultry to be cooked to 165 degrees. Last year, the USDA lowered the pork temperature recommendation from 165 to 145. Both of these recommendations will yield a nicely cooked piece of meat.

The USDA also recommends that steaks, chops and roasts of beef, veal and lamb be cooked to 145 degrees, but I have never met a professional chef (or a good home cook) who adheres to those guidelines.

For rare, cook red meat to an internal temperature of 120 to 125, 125 to 130 for medium rare, 140 for medium, 150 for medium well, 160 for shoe leather. As meat rests, the internal temperature rises, so if you want your steak medium rare, take it off the heat at 122 degrees and give it a few minutes.

Molded Macaroni Salad

Make several of these up to two days ahead.

Ingredients

8 ounces dry elbow macaroni, cooked and drained

1 cup chopped celery or cucumber

½ cup chopped green pepper

½ cup chopped radishes

2 tablespoons chopped sweet onion

½ teaspoon salt

1 package (8 ounces) reduced-fat cream cheese, softened

¼ cup reduced-fat mayonnaise

¼ cup sweet pickle relish

1 tablespoon prepared mustard

Lettuce leaves and additional radishes for garnish

Instructions

In a large bowl, combine the first six ingredients; set aside. In another bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth; add mayonnaise, relish and mustard. Fold into macaroni mixture. Press into a 6-cup ring mold (or Bundt pan) coated with cooking spray. Refrigerate overnight. Just before serving, place lettuce leaves on top and invert and unmold salad onto a serving platter. Garnish with radishes.

Adapted from www.tasteofhome.com.

Makes 16 servings.

Spicy Apple Glazed Meatballs

Ingredients

For meatballs:

2 eggs

½ cup milk

4 slices white or whole-wheat bread, torn

2 pounds lean ground beef (or chicken or turkey)

4 large cloves garlic, peeled, minced

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon cayenne pepper or to taste

3 tablespoon vegetable oil

For apple glaze:

2 cups apple juice or pear nectar

6 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce

3 tablespoons packed light-brown sugar

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 ½ teaspoons ground ginger

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper or to taste

For garnish:

1 cup chopped green onions

Instructions

For meatballs, in a large bowl whisk together eggs and milk. Add bread pieces and let stand 10 minutes until bread is softened. Add beef or poultry, garlic, black pepper, salt and cayenne pepper. Mix thoroughly. Shape mixture into 1-inch meatballs .

In a 12-inch skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Working in batches, cook meatballs about 6 minutes per batch, turning occasionally, until brown and crusty on outside and cooked through. Transfer meatballs to covered dish; cover to keep warm. Drain fat from skillet; wipe out skillet.

In the same skillet, combine all the glaze ingredients and bring to a boil. Stir and cook glaze until thickened and bubbly at full boil. Cook and stir 2 minutes more. Pour warm glaze over meatballs and stir to coat with sauce. Top with green onions and serve.

Adapted from Better Homes and Gardens magazine, May 2012 issue.

Makes 96 meatballs.

Pulled Pork Sliders

You can prepare this recipe up to two days before the party. To double recipe, use one 8- 10-pound or two 5-pound pork shoulders. For a larger pork shoulder, allow at least six hours cooking time.

Ingredients

1 bone-in pork shoulder or Boston butt, about 5 pounds

For rub:

4 tablespoons chili powder

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

3 tablespoons brown sugar

1 tablespoon paprika

For roasting:

1 can (14.5 ounces) beef or chicken broth

For serving:

1 bottle (16 ounces) favorite barbecue sauce

32 slider buns

Coleslaw

Instructions

Place the pork shoulder on a sheet of plastic wrap. In a small bowl, mix together all the rub ingredients and rub all over pork. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate overnight.

Remove pork from the refrigerator an hour before baking it, and remove plastic wrap. Set pork in a roasting pan that has a lid. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Pour beef or chicken broth in bottom of pan. Cover with lid (use foil if you don’t have a lid) and place in the oven.

Bake 3½ to 4½ hours (for 5-pound roast) or until the internal temperature reaches 190 degrees. The pork is done when the bone slips out easily with no resistance. When the roast is nearly done, you can remove the lid or foil and baste the pork with pan juices so the outside browns and gets crispy. Remove from oven and let rest 10 minutes. Remove the bone and break roast apart into chunks. Let the chunks rest in the pan juices. Using forks, pull the roast pieces apart into shreds. Stir in desired amount of barbecue sauce. Serve ¼ cup pulled pork on each bun with coleslaw, if desired.

Makes 32 sliders.

Chocolate Cheesecake Bars

Ingredients

For crust:

1 cup all-purpose flour

½ cup sugar

3 tablespoons baking cocoa

1 teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

½ cup cold unsalted butter, cubed

1 egg yolk (reserve white for filling)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ cup finely chopped walnuts or pecans

For filling:

1 package (8 ounces) reduced-fat cream cheese, softened

1/3 cup sugar

½ cup reduced-fat sour cream

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons grated orange peel, optional

¼ teaspoon salt

1 whole egg, lightly beaten

1 egg white, lightly beaten

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Chocolate shavings or sprinkles, optional

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line an 11-by-7-inch pan with foil, allowing foil to overhang on short sides of dish; grease the foil.

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking cocoa, baking powder and salt. Cut in butter until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Stir in egg yolk, vanilla and walnuts. Press onto bottom of prepared pan. Bake for 15 minutes.

In a small bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Beat in sour cream, flour, orange peel and salt. Beat in egg, egg white and vanilla on low speed just until combined. Pour filling over warm crust. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until center is almost set. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack for 1 hour.

Garnish with chocolate shavings or sprinkles if desired. Refrigerate overnight. To serve, lift out of pan and remove foil. Cut into 1-inch squares.

Adapted from www.tasteofhome.com.

Makes 25.

Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday.

Tailes, 22, is touring to support “The Night the Sun Came Up,” her debut CD that was released on March 27.

The Sierra High school graduate — her stage name is DEV — will be joined at The Regency Ballroom in San Francisco by the Cataracs, the guys from Berkeley (Niles Hollowell-Dhar and David Singer-Vine) who discovered her on the Internet in 2008. DJ Trevor Simpson also performs.

Tickets are $22; $24 on the show date. The show starts at 8 p.m. at The Regency, 1200 Van Ness St. Information: AXS.com; (888) 929-7849.

Lynyrd Skynyrd and the Doobie Brothers, a pair of classic-rock bands who’ve been playing since the 1960s, share a show on Oct. 5.

Joan Sebastian and Pepe Aguilar, platinum-selling Latin pop singers, team up for “Una Historia Musical Dejandro Huella” on June 30. Carmen Jara joins them.

Tickets for the Sebastian-Aguilar — from $57 to $127 — go on sale at noon Saturday.

Tickets for the Skynyrd-Doobies show — from $46 to $100 — go on sale at 10 a.m. May 17.

Information: ticketmaster.com; (866) 373-7088.

That means my Friday evenings will be filled full of dinners with fresh fruits and vegetables until the market closes in October.

I took an early stroll before it got too crowded at the location. Lots of seasonal vegetables were ready for the buying.

Need some new plants? Or vegetables for your garden? There’s a nice selection to choose from.

And there were treats, many treats. I resisted the urge to buy a blueberry scone that seemed to be calling my name.

A couple new things I noticed this year that I hadn’t seen before (forgive me if they were there last year) was a booth selling different varieties of hummus and a local olive grower selling bottles of olive oil.

Taste testing avaliable? Yes, please.

I bought a bottle of George Cecchetti’s olive oil. It’s a nice consistency. It also has a solid, yet refreshing taste. He had bottles of lemon and orange flavors too on hand for $20. (He’ll refill it for less than that, he said.) My Italian husband will likely agree it was worth the price.

I grabbed some red potatoes and suddenly my dinner for the evening was planned. (Baked chicken topped with olive oil, red potatoes and some leftover French bread from soup earlier this week.)

I didn’t stay long, but there was live entertainment.

And already-prepared food to eat as well. That hadn’t been the case in recent years. I’m glad it’s back. It’s not exactly conducive to my diet, but I think partaking every Friday might not be so bad.

I stopped at my favorite Filipino food booth and brought back a chicken adobo plate.

The market runs every Friday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. through October 26. It’s one of many local Farmer’s Markets, including a new one that opened in the Lathrop Target parking lot on Wednesday. (I drove by, but didn’t partake, I will be in the future.)

To find a market close to you, visit the San Joaquin Certified Farmers’ Market website.

Fava Bean Puree with Crunchy Croutons

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tray of ice cubes

• 3 pounds fava beans, shelled

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

• 1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt

• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

For croutons:

• 2 cloves garlic, crushed

• 1 sourdough baguette, cut into 25 slices

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• 1 tablespoon crumbled feta, to garnish

INSTRUCTIONS

Bring a saucepan of water to a boil. While the water is heating, fill a bowl with cold water and add ice cubes. Add the fava beans to the boiling water and cook one minute. Drain the beans and plunge them in the ice water. Let them sit until chilled, about five minutes. Drain the beans.

Pinch off one end of the skin covering each bean and slip out the bright green bean. Put the beans, 1/4 cup olive oil, salt and lemon juice in a food processor. Process until smooth.

For the croutons, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Rub the garlic on both sides of each bread slice. Put the slices in a bowl. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil and toss. Arrange the slices on a baking sheet and toast in the oven, turning the slices several times, until golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes.

When the croutons are cool enough to handle, slather on the fava bean puree. Sprinkle each with a pinch of crumbled feta cheese before serving.

Makes about 25 croutons.

— Leslie Jonath and Ethel Brennan, “At the Farmers Market With Kids”

Braised Spring Vegetables

INGREDIENTS

• 2 pounds fava beans in the pod, shelled

• Juice of 1 lemon

• 4 large artichokes

• 1 head fennel with fronds

• 5 green garlic stems

• 5 green onions

• 1/4 cup olive oil

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1 pound English peas in the pod, shelled

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

INSTRUCTIONS

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add favas and cook two minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water. Tear tough skin on top of each bean and pop bean out of skin. Set aside.

Fill a large bowl with water and add lemon juice. Working with 1 artichoke at a time, trim and discard stem end and 2 inches (or more) of prickly top. Pull off and discard all tough outer leaves until only tender, very light green and yellow leaves remain. Be aggressive; you want the entire trimmed artichoke to be edible. Quarter artichoke lengthwise and scrape out the fuzzy choke. Put trimmed artichoke in the lemon water. Repeat with remaining artichokes.

Trim fennel of dark and medium green tops. Chop feathery fronds and reserve 2 tablespoons of them. Halve head lengthwise and cut into 1/4-inch-thick wedges.

Trim root ends from green garlic and green onions. Cut into 2-inch pieces. (If green garlic has a small bulb on end, halve it lengthwise.)

Heat the 1/4-cup olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add fennel wedges and drained artichokes. Sprinkle with salt and stir until sizzling. Add green garlic, green onions and 1 cup water; cover, reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until artichokes are tender, 20 minutes.

Add peas and fava beans, cover and cook two minutes. Stir in fennel fronds and remove from heat. Add salt to taste. Divide evenly among four shallow bowls and drizzle with the extra-virgin olive oil.

Makes four servings.

— Created by former Sunset recipe editor Molly Watson, published in “Sunset Edible Garden Cookbook”

Warm Fava Shallot Couscous

Note: Pearl couscous is often sold as “Israeli couscous.”

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/2 pounds fresh fava beans, in the pod

• 1 cup pearl couscous

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

• 1 large or 2 medium shallots, thinly sliced

• Kosher salt, black pepper

• 1/3 cup pitted Kalamata olives

• 1 lemon, zest removed in long strips, juice reserved

• 2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh mint leaves

• Feta cheese, crumbled, optional

• Toasted pistachios, optional

INSTRUCTIONS

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Shuck the fava beans, rinse and boil them for two minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and rinse again to cool. In the same water, cook the couscous, boiling until al dente, about five minutes, skimming any scum that comes to the surface. Drain, rinse briefly to prevent clumping.

While the couscous cooks, pierce each fava bean and squeeze the dark, inner beans into a bowl. Discard the outer shells.

In a large skillet, warm the olive oil over medium-high heat, until almost simmering. Add the shallots, 1/4 teaspoon salt and a grinding of black pepper. Saute until the shallots are golden brown and starting to crisp, four to five minutes, stirring frequently to prevent burning. Reduce heat to very low, add the favas and stir until warm and glossy, three to five minutes. Test one bean; it should be tender.

Add the couscous to the favas along with the olives and some of the lemon juice, to taste. Stir until hot. Adjust the salt and pepper. Garnish with the mint and lemon zest, and sprinkle with crumbled feta and toasted pistachios, if you’d like to make this side dish more entree-like.

Makes four servings.

— Cheryl Sternman Rule, “Ripe”

Sesame and Honey Candy

This mixture is very sticky, so don’t forget to grease the foil before you pour it into your pan. Organic, unhulled sesame seeds from the natural foods store will give you the best flavor.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup honey

• 1 1/4 cups sesame seeds

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

INSTRUCTIONS

Line an 8-inch-square baking pan with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Coat bottom and sides with nonstick cooking spray. Fill a larger pan with ice water.

Place honey, sesame seeds and salt in a small, heavy saucepan and bring to a boil. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until honey is golden brown, about three minutes. Do not overcook.

Pour mixture into prepared pan. Set pan on top of ice water and let cool completely, about 15 minutes.

Lift foil from pan and peel foil from candy. Place candy on a cutting board and cut into 1 1/2-inch diamonds with a sharp chef’s knife. Store in an airtight container until ready to serve, up to two weeks.

Makes about 1/2 pound of candy.

Mocha-Chip Sponge Cake

Mini chocolate chips are essential; larger chips are so heavy that they will sink to the bottom of the pan.

INGREDIENTS

For cake:

• 1/3 cup matzo cake meal or 1/3 cup matzo meal finely ground in a food processor

• 1/2 cup potato starch

• Salt

• 9 large eggs, separated

• 1 cup sugar, divided

• 1 cup mini chocolate chips

• 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For banana-rum sauce:

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter or margarine

• 3 small bananas, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices

• 2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar

• 6 tablespoons dark rum

• 2 tablespoons water

• Pinch salt

INSTRUCTIONS

Make cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk together matzo cake meal, potato starch and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl.

Combine yolks and 3/4 cup sugar in a large mixing bowl and use an electric mixer to beat on high until pale and thick, about five minutes. Stir in chips, espresso powder and vanilla.

In a clean bowl, beat the egg whites and pinch of salt with an electric mixer until foamy. With mixer on high, add remaining 1/4 cup sugar in a slow, steady stream and continue to beat until whites just hold stiff peaks.

Fold matzo cake meal mixture into yolk mixture, then gently fold in whites in three separate additions. Scrape into an ungreased, two-piece angel food cake pan.

Bake 15 minutes, turn heat down to 325, and continue to bake until center is springy, 35 to 45 minutes. Remove from oven. If pan has feet, invert onto a heatproof surface and allow it to cool completely. (If pan doesn’t have feet, place on a wire rack to allow air to circulate under the cake while it cools.)

Make banana sauce: Melt butter or margarine over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Add bananas and cook, shaking occasionally, until they begin to soften, one minute. Stir in sugar and rum and continue to cook, shaking pan, until sugar is just melted, another 30 seconds to one minute. Stir in water and salt, and cook until sauce thickens, one to two minutes. Remove from heat and cover to keep warm.

To serve: Run paring knife around edges of cake. Run paring knife under cake. Slide it off removable bottom and onto serving platter. Slice and serve with banana-rum sauce.

Makes eight to 10 servings.

Here are some bottle-conditioned beers to try.

Jolly Pumpkin Most Jolly Pumpkin beers are some combination of bottle-conditioned, barrel-aged and sour. Rarely, if ever, brewed to a specific style, these beers are flavorfully unique and have an intense fan base.

Sierra Nevada Next time you try a ubiquitous pale ale beneath the green label, keep in mind that the beer is bottle-conditioned, as is about half of Sierra’s portfolio (including Kellerweis, porter, stout, Celebration Ale, Bigfoot Barleywine and most limited offerings). And the new canned version is can-conditioned.

Belgium Most Belgian beers are bottle-conditioned, which is why the process is rarely touted on Belgian beer labels. It is no doubt part of what gives many Belgian beers such bright and flavorful profiles (except for Stella Artois, which, not coincidentally, is not bottle-conditioned).