BUTTERMILK CORNY CORNBREAD

FROM WOODY SCHOFIELD, DANCE ADMINISTRATOR OF NICOLAIS/LEWIS, BALLET INTERNATIONALE, DANCE THEATRE OF HARLEM

SERVES:
4+

PREP TIME:
5 MIN

TOTAL TIME:
45 MIN

---

---

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup yellow cornmeal
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 large eggs
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
3/4 cup corn (frozen that has been thawed)
1 cup buttermilk
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly (1 stick)

DIRECTIONS

Adjust oven rack to the middle position. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Spray an 8-inch-square baking dish with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.

Add flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl and whisk until combined; set aside.

In a food processor or blender, process brown sugar, corn kernels, and buttermilk until combined, about 3-5 seconds.  Add eggs and process until well combined (corn lumps should remain), about 5 seconds longer., Using rubber spatula, make a well in the center of the dry ingredients.  Pour wet ingredients into well.

Begin folding dry ingredients into wet, giving mixture only a few turns to combine. Add melted butter and continue folding until dry ingredients are just moistened.

Bake to golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 25 to 35 minutes.  Cool on wire rack for 10 minutes.

Best served warm; leftovers can be wrapped in foil and reheated in a 350 degree Fahrenheit oven for 10 to 15 minutes.

PEAR WALNUT CAKE

FROM STEPHEN MILLS, ARTISTIC DIRECTOR, BALLET AUSTIN

SERVES:
4+

PREP TIME:
45 MIN

TOTAL TIME:
4 HR 15 MIN

---

---

INGREDIENTS FOR THE TOPPING

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
½ cup packed (3 1/2 ounces) dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch
⅛ teaspoon salt
3 ripe but firm Bosc pears (about 8 ounces each)

DIRECTIONS FOR THE TOPPING

Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 300 degrees. Grease 9-inch round cake pan and line bottom with parchment paper. Pour melted butter over the bottom of the pan and swirl to evenly coat. Combine sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a small bowl and sprinkle evenly over melted butter.

Peel, halve, and core pears. Set aside 1 pear half and reserve for other use. Cut the remaining 5 pear halves into 4 wedges each. Arrange pears in a circular pattern around the cake pan with tapered ends pointing inward. Arrange two smallest pear wedges in the center.

INGREDIENTS FOR THE CAKE

1 cup walnuts, toasted
½ cup (2 1/2 ounces) all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon baking powder
⅛ teaspoon baking soda
3 large eggs
1 cup (7 ounces) sugar
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
¼ cup vegetable oil

DIRECTIONS FOR THE CAKE

Pulse walnuts, flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in a food processor until walnuts are finely ground, 8 to 10 pulses. Transfer walnut mixture to a bowl.

Process eggs and sugar in now-empty processor until very pale yellow, about 2 minutes. With the processor running, add melted butter and oil in a steady stream until incorporated. Add walnut mixture and pulse to combine, 4 to 5 pulses. Pour batter evenly over pears (some pear may show through; cake will bake up over fruit).

Bake until the center of the cake is set and bounces back when gently pressed and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 1 hour 10 minutes - 1 hour 15 minutes, rotating the pan after 40 minutes. Let cake cool in pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Carefully run paring knife or offset spatula around sides of the pan. Invert cake onto a wire rack set in a rimmed baking sheet; discard parchment. Let the cake cool for about 2 hours. Transfer to a serving platter, cut into wedges, and serve.

RUM BALLS

FROM PAT TAYLOR, FOUNDING ARTISTIC DIRECTOR, JAZZANTIQUA DANCE & MUSIC ENSEMBLE

“A favorite no-bake treat!”

— Pat Taylor

SERVES:
15+

PREP TIME:
15 MIN

TOTAL TIME:
45 MIN

---

---

INGREDIENTS

1-1/2 cups vanilla wafer crumbs - crush or grind (about 50 cookies)
1/4 cup dark rum (the cheaper, the better)
1/4 cup honey
8 oz (2 cups) ground pecans (can use walnuts instead)
2 tbs (or to taste) Cocoa Powder
Powdered sugar

DIRECTIONS

Combine all ingredients, except sugar; blend thoroughly. Shape into small balls about 1 inch in diameter. Roll in sugar. Store in a covered tin or another tightly covered container. Makes about 2-1/2 dozen.

Tip: If possible, make several days in advance.

PAPA’S BLACK BEANS

FROM EDUARDO VILARO, ARTISTIC DIRECTOR OF BALLET HISPANICO

“Here is my recipe for Cuban Black Beans and my rationale.
This is my mother’s (family’s) recipe that she brought with us from Cuba in 1969. Every Cuban has its own version. This recipe is what kept me connected to my roots as I grew up in the States. I share it with all my friends, to share my culture.”

— Eduardo Vilaro

SERVES:
6+

PREP TIME:
2 HR+

TOTAL TIME:
4 HR+

---

---

INGREDIENTS FOR STEP 1

1 lb of dried black beans
1 – large green bell pepper
10 cups of water

DIRECTIONS FOR STEP 1

Wash the beans and clean out any impurities. Place beans in a large bowl or pot and pour all 10 cups of cold water over the beans. Cut one of the green peppers in half and place in the pot with the beans and water. Let sit for a few hours or overnight until beans are tender.

INGREDIENTS FOR STEP 2: SOFRITO

2/3 cup of olive oil
¼ cup water
1 Large onion - diced
4 Garlic cloves - minced
1 Large green pepper - diced
2 teaspoons of salt
½ teaspoon of black pepper
¼ teaspoon of dry oregano
¼ teaspoon of dry cumin
1 Bay leaf
1 tablespoon of sugar

DIRECTIONS FOR STEP 2: SOFRITO

After beans are soaked, put them into an enamel or heavy pot and set them on a medium flame on the stove. Cook for about 45 minutes to an hour at a medium simmer. I always have some hot water handy in case the water evaporates too fast before the beans are fully soft and cooked through. Be sure to skim any foam that may rise to the top during the boiling process. Once the beans are done, heat olive oil in a non-stick pan and sauté onions, green pepper, and garlic. Once onions are translucent add the rest of step two ingredients and cook for a few minutes. Take a ladle full of cooked beans from the heavy-bottomed pot and add to the onion sauté mixture to the pan. Using the ladle, mash the beans into the sauté mix— this will aid as a thickening agent for your beans. Pour everything from the pan into the pot with the beans.

INGREDIENTS FOR STEP 3

2 tablespoons of vinegar
2 tablespoons of any dry wine
2 tablespoons of olive oil
2/3 cup of olive oil

DIRECTIONS FOR STEP 3

Allow the beans to thicken with the added sofrito mixture for another hour on a low simmer. Once the beans have come together and thickened, add the vinegar, wine, and olive oil and you are ready to go. Make sure you taste and adjust salt and pepper.

I always end up adding a bit more sugar and wine, of course.

“LAZY” CABBAGE PIE

FROM ROBERT JOHNSON, DANCE WRITER

VIA OLGA MATVEI’S YOUTUBE CHANNEL “SIMPLE COOKING”

“Here is a recipe I’ve been making lately. It’s from a Russian cooking show on YouTube from chef Olga Matvei. It’s really simple to make, healthy, and cheap. Has a nice buttery flavor, for those who like butter. The translation is my own.”

— Robert Johnson

SERVES:
4+

PREP TIME:
10 MIN

TOTAL TIME:
45 MIN

---

---

INGREDIENTS

½ average cabbage
¾ cup sour cream
3 heaping soup spoons of mayonnaise
½ cup melted butter
3 eggs
½ cup flour
2 heaping tsp. baking powder
Salt to taste

DIRECTIONS

Pre-heat an oven to 350 degrees. Shred the cabbage thinly. Salt the shredded cabbage and mix with hands, squeezing to soften.  Add melted butter to cabbage and mix with a spoon. Butter the interior of an oven dish, add the cabbage, and spread it evenly.

In a bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise and sour cream.  Add salt. baking powder, and eggs, and whisk together. Add flour and whisk to an even consistency.

Spread the batter evenly over the cabbage, all the way to the edges of the casserole.

Bake in a 350-degree oven for 35-40 minutes, or until done. The top should be browned, but soft and spongy. Allow to sit for 20 minutes before serving, so the top firms up.

NEW YORK CHEESECAKE

FROM ROBIN COLLEN, PROFESSOR OF THEATRE & DANCE AND ASSOCIATE DEAN OF ARTS & SCIENCES AT SUNY POTSDAM

SERVES:
8+

PREP TIME:
20 MIN

TOTAL TIME:
ABOUT 3 HOURS

---

---

INGREDIENTS

2 lbs cream cheese
6 eggs
1½ cups sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. lemon juice
2 Tbsp. corn starch
2 cups sour cream
2 oz melted butter

DIRECTIONS

Beat cream cheese and sugar until fluffy. (If it is too stiff you can add some of the butter or sour cream.)

Beat in vanilla, lemon juice, corn starch, sour cream, and melted butter. Beat eggs into the mixture, on low, until just combined.

Pour batter in a 10-inch buttered springform pan, waterproofed with foil. Place in a water bath (on a large cookie sheet). 350 degrees for 1 hour.

Let cool in the oven. Don't remove it until it has time to set up a bit. Remove from oven. Completely cool, cover and refrigerate.

Serve with fruit if desired.

ROOT VEGETABLE SOUP

FROM DANCE WRITER ROBERT JOHNSON

RECIPE ADAPTED FROM ROOTING FOR FOOD: NUTRITIOUS FINNISH VEGETABLE RECIPES FROM THE LEAN WAR YEARS BY RAILI GARTH AND KAARINA BROOKS

SERVES:
8+

PREP TIME:
20 MIN

TOTAL TIME:
60 MIN

---

---

INGREDIENTS

3 Large Onions, minced
¼ cup Pearl Barley
4 tablespoons Butter or Vegetable Oil
8-9 cups Water
2 Carrots, peeled and diced
½ Rutabaga, peeled and diced
3 medium Potatoes, peeled and diced
2 tsp salt

DIRECTIONS

Melt butter in a soup pot, and on a medium-low flame brown onions together with pearl barley.

Add water, carrots, and rutabaga, raise heat and bring to a boil. Cook for 10 minutes.

Add potatoes. Cook for another 10 minutes. Add salt, and serve.

CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

FROM CHANDRA MOSS-THORNE, DANCER, CHOREOGRAPHER AND LECTURER OF DANCE AT SWARTHMORE COLLEGE

SERVES:
10+

PREP TIME:
15 MIN

TOTAL TIME:
25 MIN

---

---

INGREDIENTS

½ cup softened unsalted butter
½ cup Crisco shortening
1 cup light brown sugar
½ cup sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 ½ cup flour
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
16 oz. chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS

In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt.

In a medium bowl, mix butter and shortening. Add sugars and mix. Add eggs and vanilla – mix until creamy.

Add mixture to dry ingredients. Stir in chocolate chips.

Bake for 8-10 minutes at 350 degrees. DO NOT over bake – bake until light brown. Devour warm.