TABLE TALES. Richard Alther

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frozen and thawed the day before. If, after thawing, the spread seems a little thin, add more panko crumbs.

      Asparagus Timbales

       FOR 8 SERVINGS

      8 4-ounce custard cups

      2 pounds fresh asparagus

      6 eggs (or equal amount of egg whites like “egg beaters”)

      3 shallots, chopped

      ¾ cup grated Swiss cheese

      ¾ cup milk, warmed

      salt to taste

      Boiling water

      Baking pan large enough to hold the 8 ramekins (custard cups)

      No-stick spray cooking oil (preferably olive oil)

       TIME SAVER

      These timbales can be prepared a day or two ahead of time. I have prepared them as long as a week ahead, with no loss of flavor or texture. After baking and cooling, cover each cup with plastic wrap and place the cups back into the baking dish after the water has been removed. Cover with foil and refrigerate. Just before guests arrive, remove from refrigerator and unpeel the plastic wraps from each cup. Add water to pan to come up one inch from bottom of cups. Cover with the foil and place on cold stove. Turn on stove to simmer a few minutes, until warmed, before serving.

      Timbales are simply another name for vegetable custards. They can be made with many varieties of vegetables (broccoli, spinach, cauliflower, carrots, etc.). This version uses asparagus because it works well with the Moroccan flavors.

       Heat oven to 375°.

       Remove woody ends of asparagus and cut into 1-2 inch pieces; be careful to leave the tips intact. Steam the asparagus until just tender and then place in a food processor (reserving 16 of the asparagus tips for the garnish later).

       Sauté the shallots in 3 tablespoons olive oil until transparent and add to the asparagus. Add eggs (or “egg beaters”) and blend until smooth.

       In a large mixing bowl, add the grated Swiss cheese and warm milk; stir until mixed well. Add the asparagus mixture and mix again. Season with salt to taste.

       Spray the cups with the oil and divide the asparagus mixture among the 8 cups. Place the cups in the baking pan and pour the boiling water in pan around cups until it reaches about halfway up the sides of the cups.

       Bake in the heated oven for 45 minutes, or until the mixture puffs and begins to brown. Remove and allow timbales to settle and cool slightly. They can be served immediately (or, to save time, see below). Unmold by inverting cups onto serving plates and lifting cups. Garnish each timbale with two of the reserved asparagus tips.

      Ginger Layer Cake

       FOR THE CAKE

      3 cups all-purpose flour

      1 tablespoon baking powder 1 teaspoon salt

      1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature

      2 cups sugar

      finely grated zest of 2 limes; 1 additional lime for decorating with finely-curved lime zest

      4 eggs lightly beaten at room temperature

      1 cup of grated fresh ginger. It’s important to buy the freshest, juiciest ginger; then you can peel the ginger with a carrot grater, break off chunks, and process all the pieces in your food processor without discarding the central core, usually tough and flavorless if the ginger isn’t in peak form. Otherwise, this step–the critical one – would be too time-consuming, strictly using the outer non-core sections.

      1 cup whole milk at room temperature

      ¼ cup crystallized ginger, minced, for decorating

      Whether or not you and your guests crave fresh ginger, Ray and I think this cake is spectacular. The ginger is in the cake and baked, so although wonderfully flavorful it’s not sharp on the palate. Even complicated cakes, like this one, are easier than pies. They slice beautifully and make a festive presentation. Restaurants would go broke taking the time for cakes and all elaborate desserts, but serving one such as this delights and makes your party truly memorable. If you don’t have a stand mixer you’re going to be working as hard as your grandmother did. If you cannot find fresh ginger (pale, light skin, juicy) versus tough-looking old ginger root, best to postpone this cake for another occasion.

       Set oven with a middle rack to 350°. Draw two circles on parchment paper using one of your two 9-inch round pans; cut out the circles. With soft butter grease the two pans, fit each with a parchment circle, and butter the top of these as well.

       Using two large bowls: sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt into one bowl, sift the mix again into the second bowl, and then a third time into the first bowl. Set aside. Place the butter in the stand mixer bowl and beat on medium speed until creamy, less than a minute. Slowly add the sugar with the mixer running, now and then scraping down sides of bowl. Add lime zest and beat until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Drizzle in the eggs and continue beating. Finally add the ginger until incorporated.

       On low speed fold in one-third of the flour mix, next add half the milk, another third of the flour, the rest of the milk, and then the last third of the flour. Divide batter between the two pans, smooth the tops, and bake for about 35 minutes. An inserted toothpick should come out clean and dry. Cool baked cakes for 10 minutes on racks, loosen cakes with a dull knife, and insert upside-down onto the racks to cool completely before frosting. Cakes can be baked a day or two ahead, wrapped well in plastic wrap, and kept in fridge. Or they can be frozen, thawed the day before in the fridge, then brought to room temperature on the day of frosting and serving.

       FOR THE FROSTING

      1½ cups macadamia nuts, toasted and chopped. Bake at 350° for about 10 minutes on a single cookie sheet and watch them like a hawk, as with all nuts toasted. Better under baked than over. Set aside and chop when cooled. Raw nuts in a health food store are best, or use the ones salted in a jar but still toast them. Save 3 or 4 nuts for decorating.

      1½ cups (2 ¼ sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature

      1½ pounds chilled cream cheese, NOT non-or-low fat

      3 teaspoons vanilla extract

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