Venezuelan Chocolate Pancakes with Chocolate Maple Syrup

This recipe is my homage to Sunday-morning brunch, which is one of those occasions when anything goes; in other words, be as indulgent and naughty as you like because it is certainly not the time to count calories or grams of fat. Feel free to add blueberries, nuts, and sultanas if the fancy takes you. The syrup can be made days or even weeks in advance and stored in the fridge.

For the pancakes

• 
  
  1 oz. Venezuelan 100% (unsweetened) dark chocolate, grated
  
  


• 
  
  1-1/3 cups buckwheat or spelt flour
  
  


• 
  
  1 large organic egg
  
  


• 
  
  1/3 cup plus 1 Tbs. light muscovado or brown sugar
  
  


• 
  
  1 cup plus 3 Tbs. milk
  
  


• 
  
  2 tsp. baking soda
  
  


• 
  
  1 tsp. vanilla extract
  
  


• 
  
  unsalted butter, melted, as needed
  
  

For the syrup

• 
  
  Pinch of sea salt
  
  


• 
  
  Scant 1 cup pure maple syrup
  
  


• 
  
  3-1/2 oz. 70% dark chocolate, chopped
  
  

Place all the pancake ingredients (except the butter) in a blender or food processor and process until a smooth, thick batter is formed. Leave the batter to rest while you make the syrup.

To make the syrup, dissolve the salt in 2 tablespoons water in a saucepan over a gentle heat, then add the maple syrup and bring to a simmer. Pour over the chocolate in a heatproof bowl and whisk well until smooth.

Heat a crêpe pan or nonstick large frying pan until quite hot and grease with butter. Spoon 1/4-cup portions of the batter into the griddle, spacing them well apart. Cook over medium heat until you see bubbles on the surface of the pancake, then carefully turn over and cook for another 1–2 minutes.

Place the pancakes on a plate and cover with foil until you have cooked the entire batch.

Serve the pancakes laced with the warm syrup—be generous as the pancakes soak up a lot.
 

Moroccan-Spiced Seared Scallops with Green Grape and Lemon Relish

A blend of six spices you probably have in your pantry and a preserved-lemon shortcut make this impressive, exotic dish feasible for a weeknight meal. 

• 
  
  1 medium lemon
  
  


• 
  
  Kosher salt
  
  


• 
  
  1-1/2 cups seedless green grapes, quartered lengthwise and at room temperature
  
  


• 
  
  1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  
  


• 
  
  2 scallions, thinly sliced
  
  


• 
  
  2 Tbs. chopped fresh cilantro
  
  


• 
  
  2 Tbs. chopped fresh mint
  
  


• 
  
  1 tsp. ground cumin
  
  


• 
  
  1 tsp. sweet Hungarian paprika
  
  


• 
  
  1 tsp. ground turmeric
  
  


• 
  
  1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
  
  


• 
  
  1/4 tsp. ground ginger
  
  


• 
  
  1-1/2 lb. large all-natural “dry” sea scallops, side muscles removed
  
  


• 
  
  Freshly ground black pepper
  
  

Using a vegetable peeler, remove the zest from the lemon in strips (yellow part only). Reserve the lemon. In a small saucepan, combine the lemon zest with 1/2 cup water and 1 tsp. salt. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat and cook until the liquid reduces to about 1 Tbs., about 10 minutes. Drain, rinse, drain again, and pat dry. Finely mince the lemon zest and combine it with the grapes, 2 Tbs. of the olive oil, scallions, cilantro, and mint in a medium bowl.

In a small bowl, combine the cumin, paprika, turmeric, cinnamon, and ginger.

Pat the scallops dry. Season them liberally with salt and pepper and coat them with the spice mixture.

Heat 1 Tbs. of the olive oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add half of the scallops and cook, turning once, until seared on the outside but still translucent in the center, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a warm plate. Repeat with the remaining 1 Tbs. oil and scallops.

Divide the scallops among 4 plates and serve with the relish. Cut the reserved lemon into quarters and squeeze over the scallops and relish. Serve immediately.

Venezuelan Chocolate Pancakes with Chocolate Maple Syrup

This recipe is my homage to Sunday-morning brunch, which is one of those occasions when anything goes; in other words, be as indulgent and naughty as you like because it is certainly not the time to count calories or grams of fat. Feel free to add blueberries, nuts, and sultanas if the fancy takes you. The syrup can be made days or even weeks in advance and stored in the fridge.

For the pancakes

• 
  
  1 oz. Venezuelan 100% (unsweetened) dark chocolate, grated
  
  


• 
  
  1-1/3 cups buckwheat or spelt flour
  
  


• 
  
  1 large organic egg
  
  


• 
  
  1/3 cup plus 1 Tbs. light muscovado or brown sugar
  
  


• 
  
  1 cup plus 3 Tbs. milk
  
  


• 
  
  2 tsp. baking soda
  
  


• 
  
  1 tsp. vanilla extract
  
  


• 
  
  unsalted butter, melted, as needed
  
  

For the syrup

• 
  
  Pinch of sea salt
  
  


• 
  
  Scant 1 cup pure maple syrup
  
  


• 
  
  3-1/2 oz. 70% dark chocolate, chopped
  
  

Place all the pancake ingredients (except the butter) in a blender or food processor and process until a smooth, thick batter is formed. Leave the batter to rest while you make the syrup.

To make the syrup, dissolve the salt in 2 tablespoons water in a saucepan over a gentle heat, then add the maple syrup and bring to a simmer. Pour over the chocolate in a heatproof bowl and whisk well until smooth.

Heat a crêpe pan or nonstick large frying pan until quite hot and grease with butter. Spoon 1/4-cup portions of the batter into the griddle, spacing them well apart. Cook over medium heat until you see bubbles on the surface of the pancake, then carefully turn over and cook for another 1–2 minutes.

Place the pancakes on a plate and cover with foil until you have cooked the entire batch.

Serve the pancakes laced with the warm syrup—be generous as the pancakes soak up a lot.
 

Moroccan-Spiced Seared Scallops with Green Grape and Lemon Relish

A blend of six spices you probably have in your pantry and a preserved-lemon shortcut make this impressive, exotic dish feasible for a weeknight meal. 

• 
  
  1 medium lemon
  
  


• 
  
  Kosher salt
  
  


• 
  
  1-1/2 cups seedless green grapes, quartered lengthwise and at room temperature
  
  


• 
  
  1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  
  


• 
  
  2 scallions, thinly sliced
  
  


• 
  
  2 Tbs. chopped fresh cilantro
  
  


• 
  
  2 Tbs. chopped fresh mint
  
  


• 
  
  1 tsp. ground cumin
  
  


• 
  
  1 tsp. sweet Hungarian paprika
  
  


• 
  
  1 tsp. ground turmeric
  
  


• 
  
  1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
  
  


• 
  
  1/4 tsp. ground ginger
  
  


• 
  
  1-1/2 lb. large all-natural “dry” sea scallops, side muscles removed
  
  


• 
  
  Freshly ground black pepper
  
  

Using a vegetable peeler, remove the zest from the lemon in strips (yellow part only). Reserve the lemon. In a small saucepan, combine the lemon zest with 1/2 cup water and 1 tsp. salt. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat and cook until the liquid reduces to about 1 Tbs., about 10 minutes. Drain, rinse, drain again, and pat dry. Finely mince the lemon zest and combine it with the grapes, 2 Tbs. of the olive oil, scallions, cilantro, and mint in a medium bowl.

In a small bowl, combine the cumin, paprika, turmeric, cinnamon, and ginger.

Pat the scallops dry. Season them liberally with salt and pepper and coat them with the spice mixture.

Heat 1 Tbs. of the olive oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add half of the scallops and cook, turning once, until seared on the outside but still translucent in the center, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a warm plate. Repeat with the remaining 1 Tbs. oil and scallops.

Divide the scallops among 4 plates and serve with the relish. Cut the reserved lemon into quarters and squeeze over the scallops and relish. Serve immediately.

Pepper-Crusted Duck Breasts with Cherry-Port Sauce

In this elegant and easy dish, a quick sauce of red wine, port, and cherries tops seared duck breasts. Serve with haricots verts blanched and sautéed in brown butter, then tossed with hazelnuts.

• 
  
  1-1/2 cups fruity red wine, such as Zinfandel, Shiraz, or Merlot
  
  


• 
  
  1 cup ruby port
  
  


• 
  
  One 1-1/4 -inch piece fresh ginger, peeled
  
  


• 
  
  1 to 2 Tbs. granulated sugar
  
  


• 
  
  1 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
  
  


• 
  
  1 tsp. cornstarch
  
  


• 
  
  2 cups fresh sweet or sour cherries, pitted and halved (about 11 oz.)
  
  


• 
  
  Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  
  


• 
  
  2 Tbs. coarsely cracked black peppercorns
  
  


• 
  
  6 small or 3 large skin-on duck breasts (about 3 lb. total)
  
  

Put the wine, port, ginger, and sugar (1 Tbs. for sweet cherries; 2 Tbs. for sour) in a medium saucepan over high heat. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat as needed, and simmer until reduced by half, 8 to 12 minutes.

In a small bowl, mix the balsamic vinegar and cornstarch. Whisking constantly, add the cornstarch mixture to the wine mixture and simmer until slightly thickened, about 1 minute more. Discard the ginger. Reduce the heat to low, add the cherries, and simmer slowly until the cherries are warm, 1 to 2 additional minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Put the duck breasts on a work surface skin side up. Using a sharp knife, score the skin in a grid pattern, cutting just halfway through the thickness of the skin. Season the duck generously with salt. Scatter the cracked pepper on a small baking sheet and press the duck into the pepper, coating both sides evenly.

Heat a heavy-duty 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Arrange the duck skin side down and cook until the skin is deep golden-brown and the fat from the skin has rendered, 6 to 8 minutes. Carefully spoon off and discard all but about 1 Tbs. of the fat. Turn the duck and continue to cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of a breast reads 135°F for medium rare, 4 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board, cover loosely with foil, and let rest for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, warm the sauce over very low heat. Cut each duck breast on the diagonal into 1/2-inch-thick slices and serve with the sauce.