FROM THE MEMBER’S KITCHEN
Vicki’s Baklava
Vicki Kemmerer puts a California spin on
baklava. Her version is lighter, featuring cashews
in addition to pistachios and the floral flavor
of Meyer lemon, a lemon-orange hybrid favored
in California cuisine.
3 cups salted
shelled pistachios
11/2cups unsalted cashews
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2teaspoon ground nutmeg
Pinch of ground cloves
1 pound unsalted
butter, melted
1-pound package phyllo
dough, thawed
11/2cups water
11/2cups sugar
1 Meyer lemon, halved
1/4cup honey
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grind pistachios,
cashews and sugar in a food processor until
crumbly. Add cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves.
2. With a pastry brush, coat the sides and bottom
of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with melted butter.
Cover bottom and sides with 2 sheets of phyllo
dough. Brush phyllo with melted butter. Add
2 more sheets and brush with butter. Add 2 more
sheets, brush with butter and sprinkle with 1/3 cup
of nut mixture.
3. Repeat the layers until all of the nut mixture
is used, ending with phyllo dough on the top.
4. Create the traditional diamond shapes by slicing
parallel diagonal lines in one direction through all
but the bottom layer of the phyllo dough. Turn the
pan 90 degrees and slice parallel diagonal lines
through all but the bottom layer.
5. Bake about 45 minutes, or until the top is flaky
and golden brown.
6. Combine water, sugar and lemon halves in a
heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil, then simmer for
15 minutes. Remove lemon. Stir in honey.
7. When baklava and sugar syrup are slightly
cooled, pour the syrup over the baklava. Let it
sit at room temperature overnight and then cut
through the bottom of the phyllo. Cover and
refrigerate. Makes about 24 servings.
Vicki Kemmerer, Benicia, California
BEVERAGES
Lipton Sparkling Sangria Tea
3cupsboilingwater 1mediumorange,sliced,
5LiptonBriskCup-Size plusmoreforgarnish
TeaBags 1mediumlemon,sliced,
1/3 cup sugar plus more for garnish
2cupspurplegrape 1mediumlime,sliced,
juice, chilled plus more for garnish
Club soda, chilled
1. Pour boiling water over tea bags in a teapot;
cover and brew for 5 minutes. Remove tea bags;
stir in sugar and cool.
2. Combine tea with grape juice and fruit slices
in a large pitcher; chill for at least 2 hours.
3. Just before serving, add a splash of soda. Pour
into ice-filled glasses and garnish with additional
orange, lemon and lime slices. Makes 8 servings.
