INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 packages (9 ounces each) Nabisco Famous Chocolate Wafers (to yield 3 cups crumbs)
4 ounces unsalted butter, melted
1 pound bittersweet chocolate
4 cups cream
2/3 cup powdered sugar
2 whole eggs
4 eggs, separated
6 or 8 chocolate leaves (see note) OR shaved chocolate curls, for garnish

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Lightly oil the sides of a 10-inch springform pan. Grind the cookies to crumbs in a food processor or blender. Mix with the melted butter and press into the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Chill.
2. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler over hot but not boiling water. Meanwhile whip 2 cups of the cream with ½ cup powdered sugar. When the chocolate is melted, remove from the heat and add the two whole eggs and four yolks. Mix very well. Fold in the whipped cream.
3. Beat the egg whites and fold them into the chocolate mixture. Pour into the chilled crust. Chill overnight or at least 6 hours.
4. Whip the remaining cream and sugar and spread about half the whipped cream on top of the pie. Un-mold the pie and pipe the remaining cream around the edge with a pastry bag and a star tip. Arrange the chocolate leaves on top or scatter a layer of chocolate curls evenly over the middle.

ERRATA

Note: to make chocolate leaves, choose 6 to 8 camellia or other waxy leaves. Dust the leaves with a dry paper towel, but do not wash them. Melt approximately 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate in a double boiler. Using a spoon, coat the back side of each leaf with a generous layer of chocolate. Place on a plate and chill until firm. Starting at the stem, pull the leaf away from the chocolate.

This was one of my original ideas when I set up the menu for Terra Cotta. I wondered whether fresh pasta could be deep-fried, and my experiences with fried sweet doughs told me to give it a try. At the same time, I had been experimenting with flavoring pasta with all sorts of things other than the standard tomato, beet juice, or spinach, and I figured, why not jalapeno chile? You can increase or decrease the amount of chile according to your own heat tolerance. The amount of flour needed for the pasta will vary according to the moisture created by the amount of pureed chiles.

Filling
6 ounces ricotta cheese
4 ounces Monterey jack cheese, shredded
1 jalapeno chile, seeds and stem removed, minced
1/4 cup cilantro
1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon salt
Pinch of cayenne

Pasta
2 cups flour (approximately)
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 jalapeno chiles, seeds and stems removed

Salsa Fresca - (fresh tomato salsa) Makes 3 cups
There are many, many versions of salsa fresca, probably as many versions as there are cooks. We serve salsa fresca with many of our fish and chicken dishes, and it's also delicious by itself with tortilla chips.
1 1pped onion
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 jalapeno or serrano chile, seeded, deveined, and finely chopped
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
Salt and pepper, to taste

Mix all the ingredients together and let stand at least half an hour before serving. Use within 24 hours.

1 cup bread crumbs
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3 eggs
Oil for deep-frying
Chopped cilantro, for garnish
1/4 cup Salsa Fresca (see above)

1. Combine all the filling ingredients in a bowl or a food processor. Taste for seasoning and adjust as needed.

2. To make the pasta by hand, place the flour and salt on a work surface. Make a well in the center. Beat the eggs and olive oil together. Puree the chiles in a processor (or mince them very finely) and add to the egg mixture. Pour this mixture into the well and begin mixing the flour into the middle from the inside edges of the well. Continue incorporating flour until you have a soft dough just beyond the sticky stage. Knead the dough in the pasta machine until it is elastic. Stretch the dough in the machine, dusting with flour as needed to keep it from sticking, until the dough is 1/16 inch thick.

3. Cut the rolled-out dough into pieces approximately 12 inches long and 4 inches wide. Brush two of the pieces of dough lightly with cold water. Using a spoon or a pastry bag, place about 1 teaspoon of filling every 2 inches on one sheet of dough, forming two rows. Place a second piece of dough over the filling and press around each pocket of filling. Cut apart with a knife or a pizza cutter into 2-inch square ravioli. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.

4. Mix the bread crumbs and 1/2cup of the Parmesan together in a bowl. Beat the eggs in another bowl. Heat the oil to 375¡F in a deep pan or in an electric fryer. Dip the ravioli in the egg, then into the bread crumb mixture. Deep-fry until golden brown. Drain and serve four ravioli to a plate, sprinkled with the remaining Parmesan and chopped cilantro. Garnish each serving with a tablespoon of salsa fresca.

Note: To make the pasta dough in the food processor, start by combining the eggs, oil, and chile, then add about two-thirds of the flour. Continue adding flour to form a soft dough.

This salad gets a refreshing, "nutty" taste from the combination of mushrooms and cheese. It is a nice change from the typical green salad.
1 pound mushrooms, sliced
1/4 pound Jarlsberg cheese, shredded
1/2 cup minced parsley
1/4 cup lemon juice
3/4 cup olive oil
6 large red lettuce leaves
Salt and pepper, to taste
Lemon slices, for garnish
Toss the mushrooms, cheese, parsley, lemon juice, and oil together. Season to taste. Serve each portion on a red lettuce leaf and garnish with a twisted lemon slice.

Note: This salad should be dressed no longer than 1/2 hour before serving so that the mushrooms retain their best color and texture.

In hot climates, dried fruit offers a way to use fruits when the fresh versions are out of season or not plentiful. Drying also intensifies their flavor, and the concentrated flavor of dried apricots is especially complimentary to pork. Pork tenderloin has gained tremendous popularity in the last few years; it's low in fat and low in price for such a tender cut of meat. Once hard to find, whole boneless tenderloins are readily available in supermarkets.
1 1/2 cup dried apricot halves 1 cup raisins

3 cups water
1 1/2 teaspoons grated orange zest
1 1/2 teaspoons grated lime zest
2 jalapeno chiles, finely chopped (remove the seeds if desired)
2 medium red bell peppers, seeded and chopped
1 cup orange juice, preferably fresh
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 1/2 cups sugar
6 whole pork tenderloins

1. Soak the apricots and raisins in water for several hours or overnight.

2. Pour the dried fruits with their soaking water into a saute pan, adding more liquid to at least half the depth of the fruit. Add the zests, jalapenos, and bell peppers and simmer for about 15 minutes or until tender.

3. Add the juices and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, add the sugar, and simmer, stirring 'very frequently, until the liquid the tenderloins over a medium-hot fire, or roast in a 450¡F oven, or smoke in a wok. Total cooking time will be 20 to 30 minutes, depending on the method and the intensity of the heat. Use a meat thermometer to test for doneness. Slice and arrange decoratively on warm plates. Spoon chutney over the slices. Note: The chutney can be made up to 3 days ahead of time and refrigerated. Serve slightly warmed or at room temperature. Variation: For additional flavor, marinate the pork tenderloins in adobado, a seasoning paste that is equally good on pork, chicken, or fish. Combine 1 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup chile powder, 2 tablespoons lime juice, 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper, 2 teaspoons minced garlic, and 1 teaspoon olive oil and mix to a paste. Rub the paste on the meat and marinate anywhere from 1/2 hour to overnight in the refrigerator. Grill, roast, or smoke as above. Adobado is not to be confused with adobo, the vinegar-based sauce used for pickling or as a marinade for grilled foods (see Scallops in Adobo, page 105 of Donna's Cookbook).

The lack of traditions in southwestern desserts allows us to be creative, innovative, even playful, as in this case. Taquitos, also known as flautas, are small snacks of corn tortillas rolled around a filling and fried crisp. In this dessert version, a soft cornmeal crepe plays the part of the tortilla, and sliced bananas and caramel sauce make up the filling. The taquitos are served on a zingy raspberry sauce flavored with chipotle chile.

Crepes
1 cup water
1 cup milk
5 eggs
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1/4 cup melted butter
2 tablespoons chopped mint leaves
1/3 cup oil, for cooking

Raspberry Sauce
1 packages (10 ounces each) frozen raspberries, strained
1 cup raspberry jam, strained
2 teaspoons pureed chipotle chile

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4 ripe bananas, cut into 1/4-inch slices
1 recipe Caramel Sauce, below
Powdered sugar
1 cup toasted pecans, chopped
1 cup cream, whipped with 2 tablespoons sugar
Mint sprigs

1. Combine the crepe batter ingredients (except the oil) in a blender or large food processor and blend until the flour is well mixed. Chill overnight. Cook the crepes in a lightly oiled 6-inch crepe pan, using about 1/8 cup batter for each crepe (16 crepes in all).

2. Mix the strained raspberries, jam, and chipotle chile together to make the sauce. Spoon 2 tablespoons of sauce onto each plate.

3. Place a few pieces of banana in each crepe and drizzle with the caramel sauce. Roll and place two on each plate. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and chopped pecans. Garnish with a dollop of whipped cream and a sprig of mint.

Caramel Sauce
Makes 2 cups
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup water
2 cups cream
Juice of 1/2 lemon

Combine the sugar and water in a heavy saucepan and bring to a boil. Continue boiling (do not stir) until very brown, about the color of cola. Remove the pan from the heat and pour in the cream slowly. It will bubble and sizzle. When the bubbling subsides, add the lemon juice and return the pan to low heat. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until all the caramel has melted into the cream, about 10 minutes. Keep warm in a water bath until ready to serve.

Note: Use a condiment squeeze bottle for easy drizzling or plate painting.