Sleuth’s Corner

Q. My mother made a leg of lamb for Christmas Eve in which she baked the lamb inside a brown grocery bag. Once the lamb was in the bag she squeezed fresh lemons and oregano all over it. I am sure there is more to it than that, but that’s all my 75-year-old mind can remember. My mother was a Greek immigrant and I’m sure she brought the technique with her to the U.S. I’m hoping one of your readers of Greek descent can tell me how to re-create this.

R. T.

Candy

Easy Nougat

4 tablespoons butter, at room temperature

3 cups confectioners’ sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup light corn syrup

1/2 cup marshmallow creme

1/2 cup dry milk powder

1 pound bittersweet chocolate, broken into pieces (or coating chocolate)

Combine all ingredients except chocolate in a large bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat on low speed until combined. Increase speed to medium and beat until a dough forms. Turn out dough, shape into disk, and wrap in plastic wrap. (May be refrigerated for up to a week. Bring to room temperature before proceeding.)

Melt the chocolate. Roll dough into small balls and dip in chocolate. Play on a parchment-lined tray to set. Makes about 36.

Per piece: 126 calories (40 percent from fat), 6 g fat (3.6 g saturated, 1.8 g monounsaturated), 4 mg cholesterol, 1 g protein, 20 g carbohydrates, 1 g fiber, 21 mg sodium.

Breakfast

Overnight Peaches and Cream French Toast

1 (8-ounce) loaf French bread, sliced

8 eggs

2 cups whole milk

1/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 (15-ounce) cans sliced peaches in juice

1/2 cup dark brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 cup heavy cream

Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Arrange bread on bottom in a tight layer. Whisk eggs with milk, sugar and vanilla. Pour over bread. Arrange peaches on top and sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon. Cover tightly and refrigerate at least 8 hours or overnight.

Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Boil cream until reduced by half. Drizzle over peaches. Bake, uncovered, 45 to 55 minutes, until lightly browned and cooked through. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Makes 8 servings.

Per serving: 355 calories (32 percent from fat), 13 g fat (6.3 g saturated, 4 g monounsaturated), 213 mg cholesterol, 11.8 g protein, 48 g carbohydrates, 1.7 g fiber, 260 mg sodium.

Cookie

Bon Appetit’s Butterscotch Blondie Bars with Peanut-Pretzel Caramel

Blondie base:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon kosher salt

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter

2 cups light brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Topping:

4 cups roasted unsalted peanuts

2 cups sugar

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 1/2 cups 1 1/2"-wide pretzel twists, coarsely crushed

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a 1-inch overhang on long sides of pan. Whisk flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.

Melt butter, stirring, in skillet over medium heat until browned bits form at bottom of pan, 7 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, add brown sugar and beat with electric mixer until mixture resembles wet sand, 2 to 3 minutes. Beat in eggs and vanilla until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add dry ingredients and beat until smooth; batter will be thick. Spread in prepared pan.

Bake until edges pull away from sides of pan and a tester inserted into center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, 20 to 25 minutes. Set pan on wire rack to cool completely.

Meanwhile, with oven still at 350 degrees, spread peanuts on a rimmed, parchment-lined sheet pan. Bake, stirring often, until golden brown and fragrant, 5 to 7 minutes. Set aside. (Turn off oven.)

Stir sugar and 1/2 cup water in a large saucepan over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat; boil without stirring, swirling pan and brushing down sides with a wet pastry brush from time t time, until caramel is deep amber, 12 to 15 minutes. Add honey. Return to a boil, stirring often, about 1 minute. Remove from heat. Stir in butter until melted. Whisk in cream (mixture will bubble vigorously) until smooth. Stir in peanuts and pretzels. Pour over cooled blondie.

When topping is completely cooled, run a knife around short sides of pan to release blondie. Using parchment overhangs, lift from pan. Cut into 4 rows lengthwise and 10 rows crosswise. Makes 40 bars.

Per bar: 248 calories (45 percent from fat), 13 g fat (4 g saturated fat, 5 g monounsaturated fat), 25 mg cholesterol, 5 g protein, 31 g carbohydrates, 1 g fiber, 10 mg sodium.