Maria Luisa Recipes

MARIA LUISA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 3 8-inch round cake pans with nonstick cooking spray*. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt together in a large bowl.
• Place butter and sugar in a mixing bowl. Beat on medium/ high speed for about 3-5 minutes, or until fluffy and light. Add the orange zest and vanilla and beat until well combined. Reduce the mixer's speed to medium, and add the eggs (one at a time, making sure that the last is fully incorporated before adding the next).
• Reduce the mixer's speed to low. Carefully add the flour mixture in parts, alternating with the orange juice. Combine until smooth, being careful not to overbeat.
• Divide the batter amongst the 3 cake pans*. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool the cakes completely on a cake rack.
• *If desired, you can make it a 2 layer cake instead. Just use 2 pans instead of 3.

CHICKEN LOUISA

Steps:

• Pat chicken dry and season with salt and pepper. Heat oil and butter in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until foam subsides. Brown chicken on both sides in 2 batches, about 3 minutes per batch. Transfer chicken to a plate and keep warm.
• Add shallot to skillet and cook, stirring, until tender, about 1 minute. Add wine and deglaze by boiling over high heat, scraping up brown bits, until reduced by half. Stir in cream, tomatoes, tarragon, and bouillon cube, then simmer, stirring, until tomatoes are softened and sauce begins to thicken, 3 to 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
• Return chicken, with any juices accumulated on plate, to skillet and simmer until cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes.
• Serve immediately.

MARIA LUISA (SALVADORAN LAYER CAKE)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Grease and flour three cake pans. Sift together flour and baking powder.
• In a mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar together on medium-high speed until fluffy and light, about 3-5 minutes. Add orange zest and vanilla and beat in 15 seconds more.
• With mixer at medium speed, add one egg at a time, letting each egg incorporate before adding the next.
• Turn mixer to medium-low. Add flour in three parts, alternating with the orange juice until smooth. Don't overbeat.
• Spoon equal parts of batter into the three cake pans. Bake for about 25 minutes. Remove cakes and cool completely.
• Mix the marmalade with a little water and stir till almost pourable. Spread half the marmalade over one of the layers. Add the next layer on top and spread with the other half of the marmalade. Top with the last layer.
• Sprinkle the cake with powdered sugar through a sieve and serve.