Oatmeal with Cranberry Orange Hazelnut Compote

Liven up your morning oatmeal with this sweet-tart compote made from fresh cranberries, orange, and hazelnuts.

Notes: To make orange puree, wash and quarter a medium sized seedless orange. Place quarters (with rind) in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped but still with visable chunks. A medium orange should produce about 1 cup puree.
This will make about 12 servings of compote. It is also good spread on toast, stirred into yogurt, or poured over ice cream.
Feel free to use any oatmeal that you like—if plain instant is your choice, that's fine. Personally I prefer old fashioned rolled oats for their hearty texture.

Special equipment: saucepan, food processor

Ingredients

serves serves 1 (with extra compote), active time 10 minutes, total time 30 minutes

• For Compote
• 3/4 cup water
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 cups (7 1/2 ounces) fresh cranberries
• 1 scant cup orange puree (see note above)
• 1/2 cup hazelnuts, toasted and roughly chopped
•  
• 1/2 cup old fashioned oats, cooked (see note)
• 1 tablespoon milk

Procedures

1. Make compote: Place water and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium high heat. Let cook until sugar is dissolved, stirring occasionally, then add cranberries. Bring to a boil then lower heat to medium and vigorously simmer until cranberries have popped and mixture is reduced in half, about 20 minutes.
   
2. Add orange puree and hazelnuts and cook 2 minutes more. Take off heat and let cool slightly before adding to oatmeal. Any unused compote can be kept in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
   
3. To assemble: Place cooked oatmeal in a bowl and stir in milk. Top with 1/3 cup compote and serve immediately.

Make-Ahead Steak with Hazelnut Gremolata and Cauliflower

Ingredients

serves Serves 2, active time 20 minutes, total time 30 minutes

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 cup crushed hazelnuts
• 1 small head cauliflower, cut into small florets (about 3 cups florets)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 (12 ounce) hanger, skirt, flank, or sirloin tip (flap meat) steak
• 1 tablespoon canola, vegetable, or light olive oil
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 2 teaspoons grated zest from 1 lemon

Procedures

1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Heat olive oil in small pan over medium-high heat until just shimmering. Add hazelnuts, turn off the heat, and swirl until just golden brown, about 1 minute. Strain oil and reserve hazelnuts. Spoon 1 tablespoon of hazelnut oil over cauliflower and season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet and roast until lightly browned, 20 to 25 minutes.
   
2. Meanwhile, season steak with salt and pepper and heat canola, vegetable, or light olive oil in a large skillet over high heat until lightly smoking. Cook steak, turning occasionally, until well browned and center registers 120 to 125°F on an instant read thermometer for medium rare, 130°F for medium, 8 to 10 minutes total. Transfer to a cutting board and allow to rest 10 minute.
   
3. Combine parsley, lemon zest, hazelnuts, and remaining tablespoon hazelnut oil in a small bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add to cauliflower and toss to coat. Slice steak. Serve, or refrigerate and serve cold or at room temperature.

Hazelnut Apricot Macarons

Special equipment

electric mixer, parchment paper, baking sheets, pastry bag

Ingredients

serves makes 3 dozen macarons

• 1 cup hazelnut flour
• 2 cups confectioners sugar
• 3 egg whites
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• Apricot jam

Procedures

1. Adjust oven rack to upper and lower-middle positions and preheat oven to 300°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
   
2. In a small bowl, sift together hazelnut flour and confectioners sugar. There shouldn't be any lumps left. Set aside.
   
3. In a large bowl, beat egg whites on medium speed until frothy, about 1 minute. Add salt and beat one minute more. Turn up speed on mixer to medium-high and slowly incorporate sugar into the mix. Beat until glossy medium peaks form.
   
4. Use a rubber spatula to fold flour mixture into egg whites, going about 1/4 cup at a time. Continue until all flour is mixed in evenly.
   
5. Carefully transfer batter to a piping bag. Pipe batter into 1 inch rounds on baking sheets. After rounds are piped, tap sheet on counter to help expel air bubbles. Bake cookies until they are dry on top and easily lifted from the parchment, 16-19 minutes. Let cool.
   
6. When cookies are cool, arrange into similarly sized pairs. Top the bottom of one pair with about 1/4 teaspoon apricot jam, then top with other cookie. Repeat until all sandwiches are made.