CHEF JOHN ASH

John Ash: Cooking One on One:
Private Lessons in Simple, Contemporary Food
from a Master Teacher

"Teaching has come to be the thing I love most in life..." Chef John Ash

This cake is rich and delicious and a good keeper because of its moisture. I've suggested various nuts here but you could use whatever combination you like or have on hand. I usually serve it with some ripe berries and a dusting of powdered sugar. It really doesn't need anything more but if you wanted to "guild the lily" you could serve in a pool of ginger custard sauce. The shredded coconut called for in the filling can be either sweetened or unsweetened depending on how sweet a cake you want. I usually use unsweetened.

California Four Nut Tort

Makes one 8 inch cake, serving 8

Crust

• 1 tablespoon plus
  
• 1/3 cup sweet butter, chilled and cut into 1/4 inch bits
  
• 1/2 cup coarsely ground almonds
  
• 1/2 cup coarsely ground hazelnuts or filberts
  
• 3 tablespoons flour
  
• 2 tablespoons sugar

Butter an 8-inch cake pan with the 1 tablespoon butter. With an electric mixer or by hand quickly mix the rest of the crust ingredients until combined and no large lumps of butter are visible. You'll need to work quickly so that butter does not melt. Mixture should be somewhat crumbly. Press mixture evenly onto bottom and sides of the cake pan. Mixture should reach approximately two thirds of the way up the sides. Set aside in the refrigerator.

Filling

• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons brandy or orange liqueur
• 3 whole eggs
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/2 cup chopped pine nuts
• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• 1 cup shredded coconut

With a mixer, beat the sugar, brandy, eggs and baking powder until smooth. Beat in flour and then stir in the nuts and coconut.

Pour the filling into the prepared crust and bake in preheated 350 degree oven for approximately 25 minutes. Do not over bake. Cake should be soft and "caramelly" in the center. Cool on a rack before removing cake from the pan. Cake can be made in advance and stored well wrapped in plastic in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to one month.

Cookbooks Authored by Chef John Ash
Winner of the Julia Child "Cookbook of the Year" from the IACP One of California's foremost chefs, in association with Fetzer Vineyards, celebrates the bounty of the garden and the vine with a collection of more than 300 recipes that pay magnificent tribute to fresh and healthy high-flavor food--plus a a helpful--and fun--approach to testing and evaluating wines. Color photos.	Winner of the 2005 James Beard Foundation Award John Ash: Cooking One-on-One: Private Lessons in Simple, Contemporary Food from a Master Teacher	American Game Cooking: A Contemporary Guide to Preparing Farm-Raised Game Birds and Meats Game farms have made exotic fowl and meats widely available to the non-hunter, and this is an excellent resource for those who want to cook on the wild side. From boar-based borscht to roast lacquered duck with muscat-tamarind sauce, the recipes contained herein are delicious.

"It's the process of cooking that's so much fun — the bonus is that you get something at the end to eat." Chef John Ash

Nut Recipes from Several Cuisines:

• Dukkah
  
  
• Wild Mushroom and Nut Pate
  
  
• Frittata with Bacon, Potatoes and Walnuts
  
  
• Shrimp and Noodle Soup with Laksa
  
  
• Thai Beef Salad with Almonds and Sweet Chilli Dressing
  
  
• California Four Nut Tort
  
  
• More Recipes

(Chef John Ash)