2 cups cracker meal
1 pound crab meat, drained well
1 green onion, finely chopped
1/2 sweet red pepper, finely chopped
1 pound Gruyere cheese, grated
1 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1 egg white
1 tablespoon sake (Japanese rice wine)
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon ginger root, grated
1/2 teaspoon garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Peanut oil, for frying
2 cups Red Pepper and Ginger Mayonnaise (recipe follows)
Chive blossoms, for garnish

Set 1 1/2 cups of the cracker meal aside for breading.

Combine the remaining 1/2 cup of cracker meal with all of the remaining ingredients except the peanut oil and mayonnaise. Shape into 1/2-ounce patties, carefully forming the edges, and pat into the reserved cracker meal. Set them aside.

Coat the bottom of a frying pan with a thin layer of peanut oil. Set it over medium heat and sauté the cakes until golden on both sides.

Pool 1/4 cup of the Red Pepper and Ginger Mayonnaise on each plate and top with 2 cakes. Garnish with chive blossoms, bits of red pepper or green onion strands.

Makes 8 servings.

red pepper and ginger mayonnaise

2 sweet red peppers, roasted, peeled and seeded
1 cup mayonnaise
2 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
3 tablespoon sake
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
2 tablespoon ginger root, grated (or 1 piece1 inch in diameter by 2 inches long)

Combine all the ingredients and puree until smooth in a food processor or blender. If you prefer a smoother sauce, pass through a fine-mesh strainer.

chocolate pear cake

1/2 cup butter
10 ounces semisweet chocolate
1 cup coffee
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
4 tabelspoons pear liqueur (or pear brandy)
1 pear, peeled, cored and cut into 1/2-inch dice
3/4 cup heavy cream
1 pear, peeled, cored and pureed
1 recipe Crème Anglaise (See variation following)
1 pear, peeled and sliced, for garnish

Melt the butter and 2 ounces of the chocolate with the coffee, then stir in the cocoa. Place the mixture in a mixing bowl.

Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and the sugar. On low speed, add the dry ingredients to the wet, mixing until the dry ingredients are moistened.

Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add 2 tablespoons of the pear liqueur and gently fold in the diced pear.

Grease and line a 10-inch cake pan with parchment. Pour in the batter and check to see that the pears are evenly distributed in the pan. Bake in a preheated 350° oven until the cake begins to shrink away from the sides of the pan, about 25 to 30 minutes.

Remove from the pan and allow to cool.

For the glaze, melt the remaining 8 ounces of chocolate with the cream (a microwave works well for this, it takes about 2 minutes).

Stir in the pear puree and the remaining 2 TBS of pear brandy. Cool until it has begun to thicken enough to spread over the cake.

Glaze the cake and refrigerate briefly to set.

Serve garnished with sliced pears and a pear Crème Anglaise. To make pear Crème Anglaise, follow the accompanying recipe, substituting pear brandy for the liqueur and stirring in 1 pear, seeded and pureed, at the end.

crème anglaise

2 cups half and half
3 egg yolks
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon dark rum or Frangelico liqueur
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
Heat the half and half in a saucepan until just before it boils.

Beat the egg yolks and sugar in a mixing bowl until they become pale yellow and begin to thicken.

With the mixer on low, add the hot half and half in a slow stream.

Return the mixture to the sauce pan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly for several minutes, until the Crème Anglaise begins to thicken and coat a spoon. When it begins to thicken, remove it from the heat and add the rum (pear brandy) and vanilla.

Crème Anglaise may be served warm or cold.

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