Inspired by the blog Homesick Texan, which I originally found via Cup of Jo.
Try and find those legit tortilla chips at your local grocery. You might even want to give the chips a squeeze of lime and warm them up a bit. Ohhhhh buddy.
Ingredients
6-7 Roma tomatoes, quartered
4-5 Green onions or 1/2 regular onion, quartered
3-4 cloves garlic (leave the peels on)
1-2 Jalapenos or Serrano chiles
Handful of green pepitas
Smoked paprika, chipotle, or smoked sea salt (optional)
Small handful of cilantro (optional)
Salt and pepper, to taste
Directions
Turn the oven on to broil. (Alternatively you can slow-roast everything at 400 degrees F if you have an extra hour to spare. Both options work). Line a baking dish with foil. Place in the baking dish the quartered tomatoes, whole garlic cloves, the chilies, and the onions. Sprinkle a little with salt. If broiling, place the pan under the broiler and keep an eye on it...should usually take between 10-15 minutes. After the first five minutes, check to see if the chiles have some blistered spots on them...if they do, remove them and the garlic(now peel the garlic) and place in a blender. If not, give them a few minutes.
Let the tomatoes broil five-ten minutes longer, and keep in mind that it's ok if the tomatoes turn a little black in parts... that adds to the smokiness of the salsa. While the veggies are baking, throw the pepitas into a saute pan and turn the heat onto medium, giving the pan a good shake every now and then to evenly toast the seeds. They'll start to pop around a bit (don't be scared! It's kind of fun.) once they start to reach a golden brown color, remove from heat.
Once the tomatoes are done roasting, add into the blender with the chilies and garlic, along with the onions. Give the blender a whirl under under the 'chop' option if you have it, then add in the pepitas. Add some salt and pepper, and blend until smooth. Add in a little bit of smoked paprika, chipotle, or smoked sea salt if you have it, to your taste. If it's too thick, add just a little bit of water to loosen the tomato mixture. Now is the time to add in some cleaned cilantro if you wish. Continue to blend and add spices as they suit your taste, and serve warm with chips.
Congrats! You've just made the best salsa ever. I knew you could do it.
Sunday, November 4, 2012
Thursday, September 6, 2012
Lemon Gingersnap Icebox Pie
Adapted from Gourmet in 2003 via Epicurious I actually substituted some all-natural lemonade into this and cut the sugar as I was plum out of real lemon juice, but I'd stick to the original. There's so much goodness here, folks. (And it makes an awesome self-made birthday dessert!)
Ingredients
For crust:
1 1/2 cups finely crushed gingersnap cookies (6 ounces)
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Handful of almond slices
For ice cream:
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 cup whole milk
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
4 teaspoons finely grated fresh lemon zest
1/8 teaspoon salt
6 large egg yolks
2/3 cup fresh lemon juice
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F.
For the crust, whir up the gingersnaps and almonds into a food processor, then toss together with butter, using a fork until
crumbs are moistened. Press evenly onto bottom and up the sides of a 10-inch
glass or ceramic pie plate. Bake crust in middle of
oven 7-10 minutes, then cool on a rack. The crust will harden as it cools.
For the custard ice cream, bring cream, milk, sugar, zest, and salt to a boil in a 2-quart heavy saucepan, stirring until sugar is dissolved (make sure to use a bigger pot than you think you might need...milk likes to overflow when boiling). Whisk yolks in a bowl until blended, then add hot cream mixture in a slow stream, whisking, to prevent cooking the eggs. Transfer custard back to saucepan and cook over moderately low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until thick enough to coat back of spoon and registers 175 to 180°F on thermometer, 3 to 5 minutes (do not let boil).
Immediately pour through a fine-mesh sieve into cleaned
bowl, then stir in lemon juice. Cool custard to room temperature,
stirring occasionally, then chill at least three hours or overnight in the fridge, covered.
When cool, freeze the custard according to your ice cream maker's manufacturing instructions. When the consistency looks like a soft frozen yogurt, scoop the ice cream directly into the gingersnap crust in the pie plate, and freeze completely (at least two hours).
When ready to give it a try, remove the frozen pie at least 20 minutes prior to serving. This will soften it up enough to cut into slices. Sprinkle with any leftover gingersnap crumbs, lemon slices, or, do like I do and just dig in!
Friday, August 17, 2012
Peach Bourbon Ice Cream
Adapted from The Perfect Scoop by the one and only David Lebovitz.
My only changes are to add one more peach to make it extra peachy, and a splash of bourbon and use brown sugar (and a bit less of it). Enjoy the summer, kids!
Ingredients
1-1/3 lbs (about 4-5 large peaches) fresh peaches
3/4 cup sugar (or brown sugar)
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tblsp. bourbon (optional)
a few drops freshly squeezed lemon juice
Directions
Peel and slice the peaches, remove the pits, and cut into large chunks. Cook the peaches for 10 minutes in 1/2 cup of water to soften them, stirring often. Remove from heat and stir in the sugar, and allow to cool to room temperature.
Blend the peaches and liquid with the sour cream, heavy cream, vanilla extract, bourbon, and the lemon juice, (but try to leave some peach chunks!)
Pour the mixture into the ice cream maker and follow the manufacturer's instructions.
Freeze for several hours or overnight until desired level of firmness is achieved. Serve alone, with pie, with pecans, with berries...or alone. And savor this summer.
My only changes are to add one more peach to make it extra peachy, and a splash of bourbon and use brown sugar (and a bit less of it). Enjoy the summer, kids!
Ingredients
1-1/3 lbs (about 4-5 large peaches) fresh peaches
3/4 cup sugar (or brown sugar)
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tblsp. bourbon (optional)
a few drops freshly squeezed lemon juice
Directions
Peel and slice the peaches, remove the pits, and cut into large chunks. Cook the peaches for 10 minutes in 1/2 cup of water to soften them, stirring often. Remove from heat and stir in the sugar, and allow to cool to room temperature.
Blend the peaches and liquid with the sour cream, heavy cream, vanilla extract, bourbon, and the lemon juice, (but try to leave some peach chunks!)
Pour the mixture into the ice cream maker and follow the manufacturer's instructions.
Freeze for several hours or overnight until desired level of firmness is achieved. Serve alone, with pie, with pecans, with berries...or alone. And savor this summer.
Thursday, June 28, 2012
Classic Tart Cherry Pie
From Epicurious and Bon Appetit (2008). Yum.
Ingredients
Crust:
Filling:
Ingredients
Crust:
- 2 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour (you can replace 1/2 cup with rye, like I did)
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (2 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 5 tablespoons (or more) ice water
Filling:
- 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 5 cups whole pitted sour cherries or dark sweet cherries (about 2 pounds whole unpitted cherries)
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice (if using sour cherries) or 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (if using dark sweet cherries)
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 1 tablespoon (about) milk
- 1tsp. bourbon (optional)
Directions
For crust:
Whisk flour, sugar, and salt in large bowl to blend. Add butter and rub in with fingertips until small pea-size clumps form. Add 5 tablespoons ice water; mix lightly with fork until dough holds together when small pieces are pressed between fingertips, adding more water by teaspoonfuls if dough is dry. Gather dough together; divide into 2 pieces. Form each piece into ball, then flatten into disk and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes (or overnight, but let the dough come back to room temperature before rolling out).
Whisk flour, sugar, and salt in large bowl to blend. Add butter and rub in with fingertips until small pea-size clumps form. Add 5 tablespoons ice water; mix lightly with fork until dough holds together when small pieces are pressed between fingertips, adding more water by teaspoonfuls if dough is dry. Gather dough together; divide into 2 pieces. Form each piece into ball, then flatten into disk and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes (or overnight, but let the dough come back to room temperature before rolling out).
For filling:
Position rack in lower third of oven and preheat to 425°F. Whisk 1 cup sugar, cornstarch, and salt in medium bowl to blend. Stir in cherries, lemon juice, bourbon (if using) and vanilla; set aside while you roll out the dough. If the filling is too liquid-y, strain slightly to avoid soggy-pie syndrome later on.
Position rack in lower third of oven and preheat to 425°F. Whisk 1 cup sugar, cornstarch, and salt in medium bowl to blend. Stir in cherries, lemon juice, bourbon (if using) and vanilla; set aside while you roll out the dough. If the filling is too liquid-y, strain slightly to avoid soggy-pie syndrome later on.
Roll out 1 dough disk on floured surface to 12-inch round.
Transfer to 9-inch glass pie dish. Trim dough overhang to 1/2 inch. Roll out
second dough disk on floured surface to 12-inch round. Using large knife or
pastry wheel with fluted edge, cut ten 3/4-inch-wide strips from dough round.
Transfer filling to dough-lined dish, mounding slightly in center. Dot with
butter. Arrange dough strips atop filling, forming lattice; trim dough strip
overhang to 1/2 inch. Fold bottom crust up over ends of strips and crimp edges
to seal. Brush lattice crust (not edges) with milk. Sprinkle lattice with
remaining 1 tablespoon sugar.
Place pie on rimmed baking sheet and bake 15 minutes.
Reduce oven temperature to 375°F. Bake pie until filling is bubbling and crust
is golden brown, covering edges with foil collar if browning too quickly, about
1 hour longer. Transfer pie to rack and cool completely. Enjoy!
Saturday, May 26, 2012
Poptarts with Strawberry Rhubarb Jam
I got the pastry recipe from Smitten Kitchen, who in turn tweaked it from King Arthur Flour.
The jam I improvised using ideas from Bon Appetit for a roasted rhubarb and strawberry dessert.
Ingredients
For the pastry
2 cups all-purpose flour (or you can do 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup whole wheat and 1/2 cup rye, like I did which was fabulous).
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks or 8 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into pats
1 large egg
2 tablespoons (1 ounce) milk
1 additional large egg (to brush on pastry)
For the Strawberry Rhubarb jam
2-2 1/2 cups hulled strawberries, chopped
4-5 stalks rhubarb trimmed and sliced thinly
1/4 cup bourbon
1/2 cup sugar (I used half white, half brown sugar), or less if you prefer
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp. vanilla
dash of cayenne pepper (optional)
Directions
Start with the jam (since it needs time to cool). Throw all of the ingredients into a saucepan, and bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer, stirring regularly as the fruits start to bubble and the sugar dissolves (to avoid burning the sugar at the bottom of the pan). Scrape any scum off the top, and make sure to test the jam after about 15 minutes to make sure you're ok with the level of spices and flavor mixtures. Continue to let the jam bubble away, and pull off the stove once the jam sticks to the spoon and isn't too runny. Allow to cool to room temperature, or put the whole pot into the fridge to cool and thicken, stirring regularly so a film doesn't form across the top of the jam.
For the pastry dough, whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt. Work in the butter with your fingers, pastry blender or food processor until pea-sized lumps of butter are still visible, and the mixture holds together when you squeeze it. If you’ve used a food processor, transfer the mixture to a large bowl. Whisk the first egg and milk together and stir them into the dough, mixing just until everything is cohesive, kneading briefly on a well-floured counter to distribute the butter.
Divide the dough in half , and shape each half into a smooth rectangle, about 3×5 inches. You can roll this out immediately or wrap each half in plastic and refrigerate up to two days (but when it's time to roll it out, make sure it's at room temperature).
To assemble the pop tarts: Place one piece on a lightly floured work surface, and roll it into a rectangle about 1/8″ thick, large enough that you can trim it to an even 9″ x 12″. [You can use a 9" x 13" pan, laid on top, as guidance.] Repeat with the second piece of dough. Set trimmings aside. Cut each piece of dough into thirds – you’ll form nine 3″ x 4″ rectangles.
Beat the additional egg and brush it over the entire surface of the first dough. This will be the “inside” of the tart; the egg is to help glue the lid on. Place a heaping tablespoon of filling into the center of each rectangle, keeping a bare 1/2-inch perimeter around it. Place a second rectangle of dough atop the first, using your fingertips to press firmly around the pocket of filling, sealing the dough well on all sides. Press the tines of a fork all around the edge of the rectangle. Repeat with remaining tarts.
Gently place the tarts on a lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheet. Prick the top of each tart multiple times with a fork; you want to make sure steam can escape, or the tarts will get too puffed up. Refrigerate the tarts (they don’t need to be covered) for 30 minutes, while you preheat your oven to 350°F.
Remove tarts from the fridge and bake for 25 minutes, until golden and brown. Allow to cool in pan, then remove and enjoy!
P.S. The leftover jam is bomb. We munched on it with brie wedges at work and it would be lovely also on pancakes, toast, or poundcake.
The jam I improvised using ideas from Bon Appetit for a roasted rhubarb and strawberry dessert.
Ingredients
For the pastry
2 cups all-purpose flour (or you can do 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup whole wheat and 1/2 cup rye, like I did which was fabulous).
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks or 8 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into pats
1 large egg
2 tablespoons (1 ounce) milk
1 additional large egg (to brush on pastry)
For the Strawberry Rhubarb jam
2-2 1/2 cups hulled strawberries, chopped
4-5 stalks rhubarb trimmed and sliced thinly
1/4 cup bourbon
1/2 cup sugar (I used half white, half brown sugar), or less if you prefer
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp. vanilla
dash of cayenne pepper (optional)
Directions
Start with the jam (since it needs time to cool). Throw all of the ingredients into a saucepan, and bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer, stirring regularly as the fruits start to bubble and the sugar dissolves (to avoid burning the sugar at the bottom of the pan). Scrape any scum off the top, and make sure to test the jam after about 15 minutes to make sure you're ok with the level of spices and flavor mixtures. Continue to let the jam bubble away, and pull off the stove once the jam sticks to the spoon and isn't too runny. Allow to cool to room temperature, or put the whole pot into the fridge to cool and thicken, stirring regularly so a film doesn't form across the top of the jam.
For the pastry dough, whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt. Work in the butter with your fingers, pastry blender or food processor until pea-sized lumps of butter are still visible, and the mixture holds together when you squeeze it. If you’ve used a food processor, transfer the mixture to a large bowl. Whisk the first egg and milk together and stir them into the dough, mixing just until everything is cohesive, kneading briefly on a well-floured counter to distribute the butter.
Divide the dough in half , and shape each half into a smooth rectangle, about 3×5 inches. You can roll this out immediately or wrap each half in plastic and refrigerate up to two days (but when it's time to roll it out, make sure it's at room temperature).
To assemble the pop tarts: Place one piece on a lightly floured work surface, and roll it into a rectangle about 1/8″ thick, large enough that you can trim it to an even 9″ x 12″. [You can use a 9" x 13" pan, laid on top, as guidance.] Repeat with the second piece of dough. Set trimmings aside. Cut each piece of dough into thirds – you’ll form nine 3″ x 4″ rectangles.
Beat the additional egg and brush it over the entire surface of the first dough. This will be the “inside” of the tart; the egg is to help glue the lid on. Place a heaping tablespoon of filling into the center of each rectangle, keeping a bare 1/2-inch perimeter around it. Place a second rectangle of dough atop the first, using your fingertips to press firmly around the pocket of filling, sealing the dough well on all sides. Press the tines of a fork all around the edge of the rectangle. Repeat with remaining tarts.
Gently place the tarts on a lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheet. Prick the top of each tart multiple times with a fork; you want to make sure steam can escape, or the tarts will get too puffed up. Refrigerate the tarts (they don’t need to be covered) for 30 minutes, while you preheat your oven to 350°F.
Remove tarts from the fridge and bake for 25 minutes, until golden and brown. Allow to cool in pan, then remove and enjoy!
P.S. The leftover jam is bomb. We munched on it with brie wedges at work and it would be lovely also on pancakes, toast, or poundcake.
Thursday, May 17, 2012
Strawberry Lemon Champagne Sorbet
Got this from Eat. Drink. Love., adapted slightly for moi.
Ingredients
2-2.5 cups uber-ripe strawberries (hulled), preferrably from a farmers market
2 lemons worth of zest and juice
1/3 cup filtered water
1/3 cup sugar
1 cup champagne
Handful of mint leaves
Directions
Smash the strawberries up, along with lemon zest in a blender. Now, you can either (later) steep the mixture with the mint leaves then strain them (and the seeds) out, or you can zazz them up along with the strawberries and lemon zest here. Up to you!
Meanwhile, bring the sugar and water to a boil, then remove from heat. Make sure to stir so the sugar doesn't burn. This will thicken slightly and be your simple sugar syrup. Allow to cool slightly.
Combine the strawberry mixture with the lemon juice, champagne, and simple sugar syrup. Make sure to taste the awesomeness here...do you want it more sweet? More sour? Play with the flavors to your own palate here.
Place in a bowl and refrigerate for several hours before using your ice cream maker and following your manufacturer's instructions.
Ingredients
2-2.5 cups uber-ripe strawberries (hulled), preferrably from a farmers market
2 lemons worth of zest and juice
1/3 cup filtered water
1/3 cup sugar
1 cup champagne
Handful of mint leaves
Directions
Smash the strawberries up, along with lemon zest in a blender. Now, you can either (later) steep the mixture with the mint leaves then strain them (and the seeds) out, or you can zazz them up along with the strawberries and lemon zest here. Up to you!
Meanwhile, bring the sugar and water to a boil, then remove from heat. Make sure to stir so the sugar doesn't burn. This will thicken slightly and be your simple sugar syrup. Allow to cool slightly.
Combine the strawberry mixture with the lemon juice, champagne, and simple sugar syrup. Make sure to taste the awesomeness here...do you want it more sweet? More sour? Play with the flavors to your own palate here.
Place in a bowl and refrigerate for several hours before using your ice cream maker and following your manufacturer's instructions.
Thursday, May 10, 2012
French Lemon Yogurt Cake
For Maurice Sendak. Adapted from Bon Appetit, shared by Andrew Knowlton. This is a quick cake, like a banana bread or zucchini bread but with lemon and yogurt! Lovely to meet you, perfect cake. Lovely indeed.
Ingredients
1c all purpose flour
1/2c rye flour (alternatively you can use 1.5c all-purpose flour total)
2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
3/4c sugar
1 heaping tbsp. lemon zest (finely grated)
3/4 c. Greek yogurt
1/2c vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Coat a standard loaf pan with vegetable oil spray or butter and dust with flour; tap out excess.
Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, rub the sugar together with the lemon zest with your fingers until the sugar is moist. Add yogurt, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla extract and whisk to blend. Fold in dry ingredients just to blend. Pour batter into prepared pan, and smooth the top. Bake until the top of the cake is golden brown and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 50-55 minutes. Let cake cool in pan for about 15 minutes, then remove to cool completely.
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Spicy Crunchy Chickpeas
Adapted from "Eat, Taste, Heal" and it's a fascinating book. For example, I found out that my dosha is Kapha. What's that you say? You have no idea what that means? Well I barely do, but you can learn more here if you're the curious type.
Ingredients
1 can chick peas (or fresh if you want to be authentic about it, but that's a different recipe)
Vegetable or sunflower oil
Spice Mixture (I make this in a large quantity, keep in a jar, then sprinkle it at will).
2 tablespoons coriander
1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon ginger
1 tablespoon turmeric
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 teaspoon clove
1 teaspoon garam masala
1/2 teaspoon (or more, if you'd like) chili powder or cayenne
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Open can of chickpeas, rinse, and drain, leaving them in the colander.
Mix the spices separately in a small bowl or jar, and mix (or shake in jar) well till fully incorporated.
Scoop one tablespoon of spice mixture out of bowl/jar and sprinkle the garbanzo beans. Toss to coat. If you think you need a bit more spice, throw it on! I also sprinkled some salt and pepper, but not too much.
Lightly oil a baking sheet, and toss the chickpeas onto the sheet, shaking the sheet to make sure the beans are distributed evenly.
Bake the garbanzo beans for about 30-40 minutes, and test for crunchy-ness. You might want to shake the pan a few times during the baking process so they don't burn and cook evenly. Remove the sheet when there's a uniform crunch to your snack.
Let cool and crunch away.
As a side note, the spice mixture keeps well and is great sprinkled on lentils, rice, even popcorn, and veggies.
Ingredients
1 can chick peas (or fresh if you want to be authentic about it, but that's a different recipe)
Vegetable or sunflower oil
Spice Mixture (I make this in a large quantity, keep in a jar, then sprinkle it at will).
2 tablespoons coriander
1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon ginger
1 tablespoon turmeric
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 teaspoon clove
1 teaspoon garam masala
1/2 teaspoon (or more, if you'd like) chili powder or cayenne
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Open can of chickpeas, rinse, and drain, leaving them in the colander.
Mix the spices separately in a small bowl or jar, and mix (or shake in jar) well till fully incorporated.
Scoop one tablespoon of spice mixture out of bowl/jar and sprinkle the garbanzo beans. Toss to coat. If you think you need a bit more spice, throw it on! I also sprinkled some salt and pepper, but not too much.
Lightly oil a baking sheet, and toss the chickpeas onto the sheet, shaking the sheet to make sure the beans are distributed evenly.
Bake the garbanzo beans for about 30-40 minutes, and test for crunchy-ness. You might want to shake the pan a few times during the baking process so they don't burn and cook evenly. Remove the sheet when there's a uniform crunch to your snack.
Let cool and crunch away.
As a side note, the spice mixture keeps well and is great sprinkled on lentils, rice, even popcorn, and veggies.
Friday, March 16, 2012
Jamie Oliver's Meat(fish)balls
The only small change I had was to use Mahi Mahi instead of swordfish or tuna, and also added in a can of canned tuna which, I promise, did not ruin this recipe in the slightest. This recipe is slightly adapted from Jamie Oliver's "Best Tuna Meatballs."
Ingredients
For the tomato sauce
olive oil
1 small onion, peeled and finely chopped
4 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely sliced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 x 400g tins of good-quality plum tomatoes
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
red wine vinegar
a small bunch of fresh flat-leaf parsley, leaves picked and roughly chopped
For the meat(fish)balls
1 lb. of sustainably sourced tuna, swordfish, or mahi mahi
olive oil
2 oz of rough-chopped pinenuts
1 level teaspoon ground cinnamon
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano (start with this, add more to sauce if you want later)
a handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
3-4 ozstale breadcrumbs
2 ozfreshly grated Parmesan
2 eggs
zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 can of tuna (optional if you have less fresh fish on hand and have to mix together)
Directions
Make the tomato sauce first. Place a large pan on medium heat, add a good amount of olive oil, onion and garlic and fry slowly for 10 or so minutes until soft. Add oregano, tomatoes, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Simmer for 15 minutes or so, then liquidize until smooth (with either an immersion blender or...I used a potato masher. Don't judge). Make sure to taste it – it might need a tiny splash of red wine vinegar or some extra seasoning.
While the tomatoes are simmering, chop the fish into 1 inch dice. Pour a good couple of tablespoons of olive oil into a large frying pan and place on medium-high heat. Add the fish to the pan with the pinenuts and cinnamon. Season lightly with salt and pepper and fry for a minute or so to cook the fish on all sides and toast the pinenuts. Remove from the heat and put the mixture into a bowl. Allow to cool down for 5 minutes, then add the oregano, parsley, breadcrumbs, Parmesan, eggs, lemon zest and juice to the bowl (and a can of fish if you choose to use it here). Using your hands, really scrunch and mix the flavors into the tuna, then divide the mixture and squeeze it into meatballs slightly smaller than a golf ball. If you dip one of your hands in water while shaping you’ll get a nice smooth surface on the meatball. If the mixture’s very sticky, add a few more breadcrumbs. Keep the meatballs around the same size and place them on an oiled tray, then put them in the fridge for an hour to let them rest.
Put the pan you fried the fish in back on the heat with a little olive oil. Add meatballs to the pan and jiggle them about until they’re golden brown all over. You might want to do them in batches – when they’re done, add them to the tomato sauce and cook on low for about five to ten minutes, just to warm everything up together (be careful not to burn!) then divide between your plates, sprinkle with chopped parsley and drizzle with good olive oil. Great served with spaghetti or linguine, or crusty rolls of bread to make meatball sandwiches.
Ingredients
For the tomato sauce
olive oil
1 small onion, peeled and finely chopped
4 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely sliced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 x 400g tins of good-quality plum tomatoes
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
red wine vinegar
a small bunch of fresh flat-leaf parsley, leaves picked and roughly chopped
For the meat(fish)balls
1 lb. of sustainably sourced tuna, swordfish, or mahi mahi
olive oil
2 oz of rough-chopped pinenuts
1 level teaspoon ground cinnamon
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano (start with this, add more to sauce if you want later)
a handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
3-4 ozstale breadcrumbs
2 ozfreshly grated Parmesan
2 eggs
zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 can of tuna (optional if you have less fresh fish on hand and have to mix together)
Directions
Make the tomato sauce first. Place a large pan on medium heat, add a good amount of olive oil, onion and garlic and fry slowly for 10 or so minutes until soft. Add oregano, tomatoes, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Simmer for 15 minutes or so, then liquidize until smooth (with either an immersion blender or...I used a potato masher. Don't judge). Make sure to taste it – it might need a tiny splash of red wine vinegar or some extra seasoning.
While the tomatoes are simmering, chop the fish into 1 inch dice. Pour a good couple of tablespoons of olive oil into a large frying pan and place on medium-high heat. Add the fish to the pan with the pinenuts and cinnamon. Season lightly with salt and pepper and fry for a minute or so to cook the fish on all sides and toast the pinenuts. Remove from the heat and put the mixture into a bowl. Allow to cool down for 5 minutes, then add the oregano, parsley, breadcrumbs, Parmesan, eggs, lemon zest and juice to the bowl (and a can of fish if you choose to use it here). Using your hands, really scrunch and mix the flavors into the tuna, then divide the mixture and squeeze it into meatballs slightly smaller than a golf ball. If you dip one of your hands in water while shaping you’ll get a nice smooth surface on the meatball. If the mixture’s very sticky, add a few more breadcrumbs. Keep the meatballs around the same size and place them on an oiled tray, then put them in the fridge for an hour to let them rest.
Put the pan you fried the fish in back on the heat with a little olive oil. Add meatballs to the pan and jiggle them about until they’re golden brown all over. You might want to do them in batches – when they’re done, add them to the tomato sauce and cook on low for about five to ten minutes, just to warm everything up together (be careful not to burn!) then divide between your plates, sprinkle with chopped parsley and drizzle with good olive oil. Great served with spaghetti or linguine, or crusty rolls of bread to make meatball sandwiches.
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Soba Noodles with Eggplant and Mango
This is from Plenty by Yotam Ottolenghi. Get yourself a copy, stat.
Serves 6 (Or a handful of hungry ladies)
Ingredients
1/2 cup rice vinegar
3 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1/2 fresh red chile, (or red pepper flakes or jalapeno if you can't find it)
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
grated zest and juice of one lime
1 cup sunflower oil
2 eggplants, cut into 3/4 inch dice, or into 1/4 inch thick strips
2 cups basil leaves, chopped or julienned (or Thai basil, but less of it)
2 1/2 cups cilantro leaves, chopped
1/2 red onion, very thinly sliced
Handful of cashews, or pepitas (pumpkin seeds) lightly toasted in a pan on the stove
Directions
In a small saucepan gently warm the vinegar, sugar, and salt for up to a minute, just until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat and add the garlic, chile, and sesame oil. Allow to cool, then add the lime zest and juice.
Heat up the sunflower oil in a large pan and shallow-fry the eggplant in three or four batches. Once golden brown, remove to a colander, sprinkle liberally with salt, and leave there to drain.
Cook the noodles in plenty of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally. They should take 5 to 8 minutes to become tender (but still al dente). Drain and rinse well under running cold water. shake off as much excess water as possible, then leave to dry on a dish towel (or another colander).
In a mixing bowl, toss the noodles with the dressing (that was put aside in the first step), mango, eggplant, half of the herbs and the onion. You can now leave this aside for an hour or two (or eat immediately if you're starving). When ready to serve, add the rest of the herbs and mix well, then pile on a plate or in a bowl. If you using the toasted cashews or pepitas, sprinkle on top, then serve.
Serves 6 (Or a handful of hungry ladies)
Ingredients
1/2 cup rice vinegar
3 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1/2 fresh red chile, (or red pepper flakes or jalapeno if you can't find it)
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
grated zest and juice of one lime
1 cup sunflower oil
2 eggplants, cut into 3/4 inch dice, or into 1/4 inch thick strips
2 cups basil leaves, chopped or julienned (or Thai basil, but less of it)
2 1/2 cups cilantro leaves, chopped
1/2 red onion, very thinly sliced
Handful of cashews, or pepitas (pumpkin seeds) lightly toasted in a pan on the stove
Directions
In a small saucepan gently warm the vinegar, sugar, and salt for up to a minute, just until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat and add the garlic, chile, and sesame oil. Allow to cool, then add the lime zest and juice.
Heat up the sunflower oil in a large pan and shallow-fry the eggplant in three or four batches. Once golden brown, remove to a colander, sprinkle liberally with salt, and leave there to drain.
Cook the noodles in plenty of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally. They should take 5 to 8 minutes to become tender (but still al dente). Drain and rinse well under running cold water. shake off as much excess water as possible, then leave to dry on a dish towel (or another colander).
In a mixing bowl, toss the noodles with the dressing (that was put aside in the first step), mango, eggplant, half of the herbs and the onion. You can now leave this aside for an hour or two (or eat immediately if you're starving). When ready to serve, add the rest of the herbs and mix well, then pile on a plate or in a bowl. If you using the toasted cashews or pepitas, sprinkle on top, then serve.
Saturday, January 28, 2012
Aloo Gobi (Potato and Cauliflower)
This recipe, adapted from Gourmet via Epicurious, is a slightly easier version of Aloo Gobi. Thank you, Interwebs, for giving me recipes from the Motherland!
Ingredients
1 (1 3/4-lb) head cauliflower, cut into 3/4-inch-wide florets
1 1/4 lb Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
5 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 teaspoons minced fresh jalapeño, including seeds
2 teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon cayenne/chili powder
1/2 cup water
1/2 bag frozen peas (optional, but I think it only benefits this dish)
Flatbread of your choice, gently warmed in the oven, to scoop up the delicious with.
Directions
Preheat oven to 475°F.
Toss cauliflower and potatoes together in a bowl with 3 tablespoons oil, cumin seeds, and1/4 teaspoon salt. Spread in hot baking pan and roast, stirring occasionally, until cauliflower is tender and browned in spots and potatoes are just tender, about 25-30 minutes. Make sure to toss half-way through so both sides get nice and caramelized.
While vegetables are roasting, cook onion, garlic, jalapeño, and ginger in remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently, until very soft and beginning to turn golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Add ground cumin, coriander, turmeric, cayenne/chili powder, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring constantly, 2 minutes. Stir in water, scraping up any brown bits from bottom of skillet, then stir in roasted vegetables fresh from the oven. Toss in the half-bag of frozen peas if you like, then cook, covered, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes.
Serve immediately with warmed flatbread.
Saturday, January 7, 2012
Apple Cider Doughnuts
I got this from the New York Times, who got it ever-so-kindly from Todd Gray of Equinox restaurant fame, right here in Washington, DC. I love how these doughnuts had to go to NYC to come right back home to me.
Yield: 2 dozen
Ingredients
Place apple cider in a small saucepan over high heat and reduce to 1/2 cup; remove from heat and reserve. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon.
Using an electric mixer fitted with a paddle, mix together the butter, 1 cup granulated sugar and the brown sugar, until creamy. Mix in eggs one at a time. Mix in vanilla, buttermilk and reserved cider.
Scrape down bowl and add sifted flour mixture. Mix just until blended. Remove bowl from mixer, add apple, and mix well by hand. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
On a lightly floured work surface, roll out dough to a rough disk about 1/2-inch to 3/4-inch thick. Cut dough using a 2 1/2-inch doughnut cutter (or, if you're like me, use a glass that fits the size doughnut you want). Then, in each circle, cut out the doughnut holes with something the size of a small shot glass. Reserve the “holes.”
Fill a wok, a thick-walled deep pot, or deep fryer with oil and heat to 300 degrees. Putting three or four doughnuts in at a time, fry until deep golden brown on each side, about 5 minutes total. Drain on a platter lined with paper towels. Fry “holes” separately, and dry as well on a separate plate lined with paper towels. In a small bowl, combine remaining 1/2 cup sugar with remaining 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Dust doughnuts with cinnamon sugar and serve warm, and as many doughnut holes that you want. For the rest of the doughnut holes, place them in a bowl of 100% pure maple syrup. Serve doughnuts and doughnut holes nice and warm, preferably with some piping hot coffee and cream.
Yield: 2 dozen
Ingredients
1 cup apple cider
5 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, more for rolling dough
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup buttermilk*
1 medium Honeycrisp apple or other tart cooking apple, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch dice
Vegetable oil, for frying
1/3 cup 100% pure maple syrup
*If you don't have buttermilk on hand but have regular milk and either white vinegar or lemon juice, you can make your own in a pinch! Just take a cup of milk, one tablespoon of the vinegar or lemon juice, mix together and let it sit for 10 minutes until it curdles. In this recipe, only use 1/2 cup and reserve the rest for...maybe biscuits?
Directions
Using an electric mixer fitted with a paddle, mix together the butter, 1 cup granulated sugar and the brown sugar, until creamy. Mix in eggs one at a time. Mix in vanilla, buttermilk and reserved cider.
Scrape down bowl and add sifted flour mixture. Mix just until blended. Remove bowl from mixer, add apple, and mix well by hand. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
On a lightly floured work surface, roll out dough to a rough disk about 1/2-inch to 3/4-inch thick. Cut dough using a 2 1/2-inch doughnut cutter (or, if you're like me, use a glass that fits the size doughnut you want). Then, in each circle, cut out the doughnut holes with something the size of a small shot glass. Reserve the “holes.”
Fill a wok, a thick-walled deep pot, or deep fryer with oil and heat to 300 degrees. Putting three or four doughnuts in at a time, fry until deep golden brown on each side, about 5 minutes total. Drain on a platter lined with paper towels. Fry “holes” separately, and dry as well on a separate plate lined with paper towels. In a small bowl, combine remaining 1/2 cup sugar with remaining 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Dust doughnuts with cinnamon sugar and serve warm, and as many doughnut holes that you want. For the rest of the doughnut holes, place them in a bowl of 100% pure maple syrup. Serve doughnuts and doughnut holes nice and warm, preferably with some piping hot coffee and cream.
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