Add the milk, sugar and agar agar to a small pot (aka pasta pot). Stir to combine and place over medium heat. Bring the mixture to a simmer while stirring constantly.
Once the mixture comes to a simmer, remove from heat, stir in the almond extract and pour mixture into a 13 x 9 baking dish.
Let rest at room temperature until the mixture sets (like jello), approximately 30 minutes. While the mixture sets, prepare the ginger syrup.
Cut the “tofu” into cubes and serve in bowls topped with fruit and drizzle of ginger syrup.
Ginger Syrup
1 cup water
½ cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
1 (3-inch) knob fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
Add all ingredients to a small saucepan. Place over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Let simmer for 4 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool enough to handle. Strain to remove the ginger.
1¼ cups French green “puy” lentils, rinsed and drained
4 cups vegetable stock
3 large dried bay leaves
5 medium garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 teaspoons sherry vinegar
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive
1 medium shallot, peeled and diced small (3 tablespoons)
3 medium carrots, peeled and chopped roughly (1½ cups)
4 medium celery stalks, halved lengthwise and diced small (1 cup)
1/3 cup packed flat-leaf Italian parsley leaves, chopped roughly
¼ cup packed fresh mint leaves, chopped roughly
¾ pound grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
½ cup toasted walnut pieces, chopped roughly
3 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
Kosher salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Add the lentils, stock, bay leaves and garlic to a medium saucepan. Place over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer 15-18 minutes, until lentils are cooked through. Drain and rinse lentils with cold water for 30 seconds to cool. (Drain well.) Discard bay leaves. Set aside.
In a large bowl whisk together the Dijon mustard, lemon juice, sherry vinegar and olive oil. Add the shallot, carrots, celery, parsley, mint, tomatoes, walnuts, drained lentils and feta. Fold gently to combine.
Set an oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a 9-inch springform pan with nonstick spray. Line the bottom and sides of pan with parchment paper.
Place the pistachios, flours, dark brown sugar, baking powder and soda and salt in a food processor with the blade attachment. Run for 1 minute until it begins to clump. Transfer ingredients to a large bowl.
Add the sugar and butter to the now empty food processor. Process until its smooth and is lighter in color, approximately 2 minutes, scraping down the sides and bottom occasionally.
Add 1 egg and process until combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom and the food processor and add the second egg and process to combine. Scrape down the sides and bottom again.
Add the zest, orange blossom water, vanilla extract and lemon juice. Pulse a few times until just combined. (The batter will likely break and that’s okay!)
Transfer the batter to the dry ingredients and, using a spatula, fold thoroughly to combine.
Fill the springform pan with the thick batter, making sure to get every last bit from the bowl. Level out the batter in the pan.
Transfer to the oven and bake for 30 minutes. About 5 minutes before the cake comes out of the oven, prepare the orange blossom syrup.
Remove the cake from oven and place on a sheet tray. Slowly and evenly drizzle the hot orange blossom syrup over the cake.
Let cake cool 30 minutes before serving.
Orange Blossom Syrup
½ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
52 grams (¼ cup) granulated sugar
3 tablespoons orange blossom water
Combine ingredients in a small saucepan and place over medium heat. Heat until just simmering, swirling the pan occasionally to ensure the sugar dissolves. Slowly and evenly drizzle the hot syrup over the cake when it comes out of the oven.
Crème Fraiche Topping
8 ounces crème fraiche
½ cup full fat Greek yogurt
2 teaspoons orange blossom water
1 tablespoon confectioners (powdered) sugar
100 grams (3/4 cup) whole roasted and salted pistachios
Mix crème fraiche, yogurt, orange blossom water and sugar together in a small bowl and dollop over each serving of cake. Top with a few pistachios.
3 ounces (1 packed cup) freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese, grated on a box grater
2 large eggs, whisked
1½ pounds ground beef (chuck), 80% lean
½ pound (mild or spicy) Italian sausage, preferably not in the casing
Adjust an oven rack to the upper position and preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil. Top with a sheet of parchment paper.
Add the chicken stock to a large bowl. Sprinkle over the gelatin and whisk briefly to combine. Let sit for 5 minutes.
Add the fennel, coriander, pepper, salt, breadcrumbs, oregano, basil and cheese to a small bowl. Mix to combine.
(Once the 5 minutes has passed) Add the whisked eggs to the chicken stock. Stir to combine.
Gently pull apart the beef and pork into small pieces and add them to the chicken stock bowl.
Sprinkle the dry ingredients into the chicken stock bowl.
Gently fold all of the ingredients together – do not squeeze the meat as you fold it; take your time. (Less is more!) Fold together until all the ingredients are barely combined. It’s okay if the texture is a little wet. If it starts to get sticky, stop immediately.
Using a 1/3 measuring cup, scoop the mixture into the cup and level it off. Using a spoon, scoop the meat out of the measuring cup and gently form/press the mixture into a ball, again being careful not to overwork the meat.
Evenly space the meatballs on the prepared sheet pan. Bake for approximately 20 minutes, rotating the pan 180 degrees halfway through, until the internal temperature reaches between 160 and 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
Serve with Homemade Red Sauce.
Homemade Red Sauce:
2 (28-ounce) cans whole peeled tomatoes, preferably San Marzano
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
12 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
½ small yellow onion, peeled and diced small
4 (5-inch) sprigs fresh oregano
¼ teaspoon crushed red chili pepper (chili flakes)
¼ cup tomato paste
15 large fresh basil leaves
2½ teaspoons kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon soy sauce
Combine the 2 cans of tomatoes in a large bowl. Using your hands, crush the whole tomatoes until they’re fairly broken up and no large chunks remain. Set aside.
Heat the olive oil and the butter in a small pot (aka a pasta pot) over medium heat until the butter just melts. Add the garlic and onions and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent.
Add the oregano, chili flakes, and tomato paste and stir with a spatula until combined, approximately 1 minute.
Stir in the tomatoes, basil, salt, pepper and soy sauce.
Increase the heat to high to bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer, with the lid slightly ajar, for 35 minutes. Stir occasionally.
Chef Nathan Lyon 