Renaissance Cooking

...learn how at Cooking Vacations

 

Almond Polenta Cake

Serves 6

For the cake:
8 oz Butter, softened
2 Lemon rinds finely grated
1 cup Caster Sugar (fine sugar)
3 Eggs, separated
¼ cup Lemon juice
1 - ½ cups ground Almonds
1 cup fine Polenta (cornmeal)

For the syrup:
¼ cup Lemon juice
¼ cup Sugar

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease and flour a 9-inch round cake pan.

In a bowl, beat the butter, rind, and sugar, until light and fluffy. Slowly add the egg yolks, beating well. Stir in the juice, ground almonds, and polenta.

Whip the egg whites until soft peaks form. Carefully fold into the batter mixture.

Spoon the mixture into the prepared pan. Bake for about 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

To make the syrup, boil the lemon juice and sugar in a small saucepan, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Spoon the syrup over the hot cake wedges.

Friday Is Frutti Di Mare Al Gratin ~ Seafood Gratin

Serves 4

1 kg Shellfish, such as mussels and clams

1 clove Garlic

100 g Breadcrumbs

50 g Capers

1 bunch fresh Parsley

1 glass Spumante

Extra Virgin Olive Oil, as needed

1 Lemon

In a large pan, add the shellfish and a ladleful of water and cover. Cook over high heat until the shellfish open. Remove the shells and set the cooked shellfish aside in a baking pan.

Chop the garlic, parsley and capers together and mix with the breadcrumbs. Add a little bit of olive oil, then the Spumante and mix until well combined. Sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture over the shellfish.

Bake in a preheated oven at 200° C ( about 400 ° F) for about 6 minutes until golden. Serve immediately with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice on top