Lifestyles

As the first and only female chef on Food Network's "Iron Chef America," Cora -- a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America in New York state -- practices what she describes as "extreme cooking." "It's a ton of pressure," she says, "like a sporting event, right down to the very last second. It's really a show that people take seriously, but it's entertaining, too."

But extreme cooking is hardly reflected in the 39-year-old's two cookbooks, the latest of which is "Cooking From The Hip: Fast, Easy, Phenomenal Meals," co-authored with Ann Krueger Spivack (Houghton Mifflin, $30) and released last month. Cora, founder of the nonprofit Chefs for Humanity, will share cooking secrets and tips and sign copies of her books on Saturday at Giant Eagle Market District stores. The events are free and open to the public.

In "Cooking From The Hip," Cora features menu-based chapters of recipes that meet many of the needs of everyday home cooks, from fast meals to feed the family to elegant fare suitable for guests. Recipes for entertaining, however, aren't so fancy that they require hours of shopping, preparation and cooking.

The premiere cookbook, "Cat Cora's Kitchen: Favorite Meals for Family and Friends," also co-authored by Spivack (Chronicle Books, $22.95 paperback), focused on "the kitchen that I grew up in," says Cora, who was born in Mississippi and relished Southern cooking but was primarily reared on the cuisine of her Greek ancestors. "I was eating feta cheese and rolling grape leaves before I could say a whole sentence. At that time, though, we had to buy all the ingredients through the church. Now you can find kalamata olives, feta cheese and phyllo dough at the supermarket. They are everywhere."

Cora says that Mediterranean fare is "kind of my soul food" now. "I've studied it and cooked in Europe for seven years," she adds. "I'm really comfy with French, Italian, Spanish and Moroccan food." She still has relatives in Greece and visits the country annually, "so Greek food always is going to be part of my history."

She takes a global view of cooking in her latest book, which takes the busy lifestyles of Americans into account.

"This is the type of cuisine I cook today as a mom at home. I want to ease people into gourmet cooking by using what's on hand." The mother of 4 1/2-year-old Zoran, Cora often has the boy by her side in the kitchen. "I give him a whisk and a bowl, and he goes at it. He loves to make pancakes. He's in the kitchen as much as I am."

On "Iron Chef America," Cora works in a figurative pressure cooker to try to beat culinary challengers. Her co-stars are celebrity chefs and restaurateurs Mario Batali and Bobby Flay. The show is in its sixth season.

Cora, who lives in Fairfield, Calif., in Solano County, calls 2007 her "restaurant year." "I'll be opening two really great artisan restaurants alongside two Macy's department stores in Los Angeles," she says. "The cuisine will be global barbecue, but a healthier version, all natural." She has named the restaurants after her grandfather Spiro, who was a chef. "Frankly, I don't know anybody in my family who can't cook."

Cora says she loves Pittsburgh, having driven through the city many times as she traveled home to California from the culinary institute. "My father-in-law is a big Steelers fan. He lived in Pennsylvania, and he has a sister who lives there."

She admits she has a soft spot for the Steelers, too. "I root for them," Cora says. "I got into the whole spirit -- it's all about the food and beverages during football season."

Iron chef Cat Cora says she has had people follow her into the kitchen and beg her to make another batch so they can see how the recipe is done. It's from "Cooking From The Hip: Fast, Easy, Phenomenal Meals" with Ann Krueger Spivack (Houghton Mifflin, $30).

• 1 pound sweet potatoes, peeled (about 2 medium-size)
• 2 large eggs, slightly beaten
• 1/2 cup plus 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 scallions (green onions), finely chopped
• About 1/2 cup vegetable oil for frying, divided
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives or green onions, for garnish, optional
• 1/2 cup crème fraîche and 1/4 pound smoked trout, for garnish, optional

Heat the oven to 350 degrees.

Grate the sweet potatoes, using the large holes on a box grater or the grater disk of a food processor, Set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, flour, salt and pepper. Add the sweet potatoes and the 2 finely chopped green onions and mix until the potatoes are well coated.

Heat 3-4 tablespoons of the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until the oil is hot, but not smoking. Spoon tablespoon-size dollops of the potato mixture into the oil and flatten them, using a spatula, to about 3 inches in diameter. To make larger latkes, spoon about 2 tablespoons of the mixture into the pan. Don't crowd the pan -- allow enough room to flip the latkes without breaking any. Add more oil as needed.

Reduce the heat to medium and cook until golden, for about 2 minutes on each side. Using a spatula, transfer the latkes to a plate covered with a paper towel to drain, then transfer to an ovenproof platter and keep warm in the heated oven while you fry the remaining batches. Add more oil to the pan, as needed, between batches, giving the oil time to heat before adding the latkes.

To serve, sprinkle with chives or chopped green onions, or top with a spoonful of crème fraiche and a chunk of smoked trout.

Makes 24 small or 10 large latkes.

Cat Cora's grandmother made this salad for every family reunion, and now her mom makes it. "It's a good way to get kids to give broccoli a second look," she writes.

• Water
• Ice
• 3 tablespoons kosher salt
• 2 pounds broccoli florets (from about 3 bunches broccoli)
• 1/2 pound pancetta or strips of thick-sliced bacon
• 1 cup chopped pecans, toasted if desired
• 1 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup hulled sunflower seeds
• 1 medium-size red onion, finely chopped

For the dressing:

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon Madras curry powder
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Fill a large pot with water and put it over high heat to boil. Fill a large bowl or your sink with ice and cold water.

When the water boils, add 2 tablespoons salt and the broccoli. Cook for 1-2 minutes, or until the broccoli is bright green and still somewhat firm, barely tender enough to pierce with a knife. Using a long-handled strainer or tongs, transfer the broccoli to the ice water bath.

After 2-3 minutes, remove the broccoli from the ice water and place in a colander to drain. Line a bowl with paper towels, transfer the broccoli to the bowl and refrigerate it while you cook the pancetta.

Dice the pancetta. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, sear the pancetta, stirring, until the pieces are crisp and browned. Remove the pancetta from the pan and allow it to drain on paper towels. Remove the broccoli from the refrigerator and chop coarsely. Place in a large serving bowl with the pancetta, pecans, raisins, sunflower seeds and red onion.

To make the dressing: Whisk together the dressing ingredients in a medium-size bowl. Add to the salad, toss gently and serve.

Makes 6-8 servings.

If the weather is extra hot, writes chef and cookbook author Cat Cora, "chill the soup bowls in your freezer until you're ready to serve the gazpacho."

• 6 cups chopped seeded watermelon, juice reserved
• 1 cup peeled, seeded and diced cucumber
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 yellow bell pepper, diced
• 1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced, more to taste
• 3 celery hearts, diced
• 1/2 small red onion, finely diced
• 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh mint
• 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh flatleaf parsley
• 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon lime juice (from 2 large limes)
• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, more to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1/4 cup crème fraîche, for garnish, optional

Puree the watermelon and reserved juice in a blender or food processor until smooth. Set aside. In a large bowl, toss the cucumber, bell peppers, { 1/2} jalapeno pepper, celery, onion, herbs, lime juice, vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon salt and the pepper. Pour the watermelon puree over the vegetables, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until well chilled, for at least 1 hour.

Taste and season with more salt and black pepper or jalapeno pepper, if it's not spicy enough. Serve very cold, topped with a spoonful of creme fraiche, if desired.

Makes 4-6 servings.

Chef Cat Cora says that this chicken tastes fried but does away with all the grease.

• 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 fryer chicken (2 1/2 to 3 pounds), cut into pieces (2 breasts, 2 thighs, 2 legs, 2 wings)
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups cornflakes
• 1/2 cup light buttermilk
• 1 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 tablespoon finely chopped fresh sage or { 1/2} teaspoon ground dried sage

Heat the oven to 425 degrees.

Pour the olive oil into a baking pan large enough to hold the chicken pieces in a single layer without crowding. Using your fingers, rub the oil over the dish so that it's completely but lightly coated.

Rinse the chicken in cold water and pat dry. In a wide bowl or on a large plate, season the flour with the salt and black pepper. Dredge each chicken piece in the flour until it's completely coated. Tap the chicken against the side of the bowl to loosen any excess flour and set the pieces aside. Discard the flour.

Crush the cornflakes by placing them in a resealable plastic bag, carefully pressing the bag to push out the air. Seal the bag -- leaving as little air inside as possible -- and crust the flakes, using a rolling pin. Place the crushed cornflakes into a wide bowl or onto a large plate.

In a bowl large enough to dip the chicken pieces, mix the buttermilk, mustard, cayenne pepper if using, paprika and sage. Give each floured chicken piece a good buttermilk bath all over, then roll in the crushed flakes.

Arrange the chicken pieces in the prepared baking pan. Bake for 15-20 minutes, lower the heat to 375 degrees and bake for another 25-30 minutes, until cooked through and crispy. The juices should run clear when the meat is pierced with a knife.

Makes 4-6 servings.

Alma was the name of chef Cat Cora's maternal grandmother, Cora writes in "Cooking From The Hip, " adding, "She served this cake for anniversaries, funerals, weddings, baptisms and especially birthdays."

For the cake:

• 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened, more for greasing cake pans
• 2 cups cake flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups granulated sugar, divided
• 5 large eggs, separated, at room temperature
• 1 cup buttermilk, divided
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
• 1 cup finely chopped toasted walnuts

For the cream cheese frosting:

• 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 4 cups (1 pound) confectioners' sugar, sifted
• 1 cup chopped toasted walnuts, divided

Place a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Cut a circle of parchment paper to fit each of two 9-inch round cake pans. Grease the pans with butter, fit the parchment into the pans, then grease the parchment.

To make the cake: Sift the cake flour, baking soda and salt into a medium-size bowl and set aside. In a large bowl and using a hand mixer, cream 12 tablespoons butter and 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg yolks, one at a a time, beating well after each addition. Add one-third of the dry ingredients and mix well, then add half of the buttermilk , beating on medium speed and scraping the sides of the bowl down, using a rubber spatula. Repeat, alternating the remaining dry ingredients and the buttermilk. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla, the coconut and 1 cup finely chopped toasted walnuts and mix well.

In a separate bowl, using clean beaters, beat the egg whites, slowly adding the remaining 1/2 cup granulated sugar, until the whites form stiff peaks but are not dry. By hand, fold one-third of the egg white mixture into the cake batter until it is incorporated. Fold in the next third of the egg whites; when incorporated, gently fold in the last third. Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pans.

Bake until the top is golden brown and a wooden toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean, for 30-35 minutes. Set the cakes on racks and allow them to cool completely before removing them from the pans.

To make the frosting: In a large bowl, using a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese, 8 tablespoons butter and 1 tablespoon vanilla at medium speed until creamy. Add the confectioners' sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating at low speed until blended. When all the ingredients are incorporated, beat the frosting at high speed until smooth. Stir in 1/2 cup toasted walnuts.

Place 1 cake layer on a serving plate, bottom side up. Ice the sides and top. Place the other cake round on top, rounded side up, and ice the top and sides. Place the frosted cake in the refrigerator to firm up the frosting. Remove the cake from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before serving, and press the remaining 1/2 cup toasted walnuts into the frosting on top.

Makes 10-16 servings.

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