Lemon Olive Oil Loaf

Start to finish: 1 hour 30 minutes
Impresses: 9-by-5-inch loaf

Ingredients
For the loaf:
1¾ cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup almond flour
1 cup + 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
Zest of 3 lemons
½ cup + 1 tablespoon plain whole milk Greek yogurt
½ cup + 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
½ cup + 3 tablespoons lemon juice (about 2½ lemons)
2 eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla

For the icing:
2 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons plain whole milk Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons creme fraiche
1 tablespoon lemon juice

For assembly:
Figs
Honey

Method
For the loaf:
Heat oven to 350 F and line a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving the ends sticking out for easy removal. In a medium bowl, whisk together flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and lemon zest. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice, eggs and vanilla until fully combined. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and whisk until just combined. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan, and bake 50–60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. You may need to tent the loaf with aluminum foil halfway through to prevent the top from getting too dark.

Transfer the loaf from the pan to a wire rack to cool completely before topping with icing.

For the icing:
In a medium bowl, whisk together all ingredients until fully combined.
If the icing is too thick, add more lemon juice until it reaches the desired consistency.

To assemble:
Top the cooled loaf with icing and decorate with halved figs and honey.

Creamy Chestnut Soup

Start to finish: 1 hour | Impresses: 4

INGREDIENTS

2 strips thick-cut bacon
2 carrots, diced
2 ribs of celery, diced
½ onion (white or yellow), diced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
3 cups low-sodium vegetable stock
1 cup roasted chestnuts (about 20 chestnuts), pre-roasted and chopped
½ butternut squash, cut into 1-inch cubes (or about 2 cups cubed)
½ cup half and half
1 tablespoon fresh tarragon Chives (for garnish)
½ cup crème fraîche (for garnish)

METHOD

Heat oven to 400 F, and spread butternut squash in a single layer. Roast 20-25 minutes, or until the edges begin to brown. Cook bacon until crispy. Remove bacon and set aside to cool, then carefully transfer bacon drippings to a Dutch oven or large cooking pot. Add diced carrots, celery and onion, and cook until aromatic and translucent, about 10 minutes.
Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more, then pour in the low-sodium stock. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer. Add chestnuts and butternut squash; then simmer, covered, for 10-15 minutes. Uncover and remove from heat. Slowly stir in half and half and tarragon. Then, work in batches to blend to a smooth consistency. Or, use an immersion blender.
Crumble the cooked bacon. To serve, garnish each bowl with bacon bits, chopped chives and a drizzle of crème fraîche