September 16th, 2008
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Harvest Tea Bread
1 c water
1/2 c. dried cranberries
2 T. dried currants
1 T. orange juice concentrate
1 t. balsamic vinegar
Bring water to a boil. Add fruit, concentrate and vinegar and allow to simmer to a thick paste- approximately 10 minutes. Remove from heat and spread on plate to cool to room temperature.
Zest and squeeze juice from one medium orange and reserve
In a large bowl, stir together:
1 c. sugar
1 c. chunky applesauce
1/3 c. oil
2 eggs
3 T. milk
2 medium sized tart apples, shredded
1 T. fresh orange juice
1 T. orange zest
Combine:
2 c. flour
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. cinnamon
1/4 t. nutmeg
Gently stir dried ingredients into wet until just combined. Fold in cooked fruit until loosely swirled.
Topping:
1/4 c. rolled oats
1/4 c. brown sugar
1/2 t. cinnamon
1/4 t. nutmeg
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Grease & flour two 9″ x 5″ loaf pans.
Pour batter into loaf pans. Sprinkle with topping and drizzle 1 T. orange juice on each pan
Bake for 50 – 55 mins.or until toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool in pan for 20-30 minutes then turn onto cooling rack. Can be wrapped well and frozen.
September 8th, 2008
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Kate’s Fruit Sauce
2 bags frozen fruit of choice or 4 c. total
1/2 c. dried fruit of choice
2 c. water
1 c. sugar (or to taste)
2 T. cornstarch
Dissolve sugar and cornstarch in water and add both fruits. Bring to a boil and simmer until thick, about 10 minutes. Cool and chill.
The particular batch shown has frozen cranberries and blueberries, about a half pint of fresh strawberries and golden raisins. It’s delicious on pancakes, waffles, ice cream, yogurt, cereal, muffins……you name it.
September 5th, 2008
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Herb Flatbread (from Gourmet magazine)
1 3/4 c. unbleached flour
1 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1-2 T. fresh herb of choice
1/2 c. water
1/3 c. oil
Heat oven to 450 with a pizza stone on middle rack. Combine dry ingredients and herbs. Make well in center and pour in oil and water. Stir with spoon until a soft dough forms. Turn out onto parchment paper and knead about 5-6 times to bring dough together. Can be divided into 2-3 small balls and rolled flat, or rolled out as one large circle. Drizzle olive oil over top, sprinkle with sea salt and more herb and transfer, parchment and all to heated stone. Bake until browned in spots and fragrant- time will depend on how thin dough is rolled. Remove from oven and cool (don’t cool on stone- it will continue to bake). Slice with pizza cutter and enjoy.
July 30th, 2008
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For this recipe, I used an onion, two poblano peppers and a small zucchini, searing the onion and some garlic until it was nicely browned, adding in the pepper for a good 5 minutes or so, then stirring in two cans of black beans. One can I rinsed very well, the other I just allowed to drain a little; the slight amount of extra sodium doesn’t really bother me, and I needed some of that starch for thickener. (most of the time, I rinse them to death…just fyi). I let them simmer for about 10 minutes and made some random mashing motions with the spoon just to break some of them up, then with a little chili powder, ground cumin, lime juice and zest and a spoonful or two of good salsa, the beans were worthy of plenty of chip action.
Oh yeah…..and for plopping on top of my Huevos, showered with lime zest.
June 30th, 2008
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Black Bean and Corn Relish by Kate
1 15-oz can black beans, drained and rinsed well
2 c. frozen corn, thawed (or use the kernels from 2-3 fresh ears to make enough)
1 avocado, diced
1/2 pint grape tomatoes, diced
1-2 t. fresh grated lime zest
Juice of half a lime
1 T. cumin
Salt and Pepper to taste.
Mix all ingredients together in a non-reactive bowl. Chill before serving. Also tastes great on tortilla chips.
June 9th, 2008
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Nuts, seeds…..it isn’t too complicated, but in trying to find out more information about this aromatic and amazing Middle Eastern spice mix (say ‘Doo-kah), I came across more variations on a theme than I ever anticipated. It’s just nuts. And seeds!
But apparently, it’s one of those ‘authentic’ spice blends that varies as much as the fingerprint on the cook who is creating the mix. Use roasted hazelnuts; no use roasted chick peas. Don’t use sunflower seeds…oh wait, this version calls for sunflower seeds. This one requires pumpkin seeds, this one walnuts This one needs a bay leaf! I need thyme!! I need cinnamon!!! I need telicherry peppercorns!!!!
Oooh boy….. I need a drink.
Thankfully, all this clicking around on the web came after I had already made up the recipe from the current issue of Food and Wine magazine. Had I done all this foot work beforehand, I may have just tossed my hands in the air begging for mercy. Cooking, at least in my kitchen, just doesn’t need to be so whittled away like one may peel an onion. I’m all for the philosophy that if it works for you, then that’s the best way to go.
And this recipe worked for me. But then again, I am a nutcase, er, well, I mean….. I really like nuts. To eat. And a recipe with no less than four types of nuts in it deserves a spot in my kitchen. Pistachios, almonds, cashews and hazelnuts are oven-roasted; coriander and cumin seed, along with unsweetened coconut and sesame seeds are lightly toasted in a hot skillet, and the resulting fragrant chaos is pulsed in a food processor to a coarse consistency. Or chunky. Or a powder. Or a paste. According to the endless variations, you can pick your level of nutty destruction, and if you’re one to have texture issues, this is a good thing.
The one thing that all the recipes I came across seem to agree on is that the most common way to eat the delectable mess of nuts is to dip bread into olive oil and then dredge it in the mix. I can vouch for the reliability of this usage; it works really well. And had I not made a delicious Chicken Satay for dinner, with a nice vegetable coucous on the side, I would have been fully satisfied to consume the entire ciabatta loaf dipped in perfect oil and rich with the heady crunch of this blend. Even upon discovering that an error on my part resulted in about 10 times more cumin seeds in my mix than the original recipe called for, it was still wonderful, fragrant, and happily received. I can’t wait to spoon it into my morning yogurt, sprinkle it over a salad, blend it into hot cereal, use it to coat chicken, spoon onto ice cream……..
You see……the resulting possibilities, as I have discovered, are as endless as the recipe variations I found, making it not only delicious, but infinitely versatile as well. And I just love foods like that.
(jump for recipe and notes)
Come in to my kitchen…
May 27th, 2008
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African Millet Salad with Corn and Peppers
from The New Whole Grains Cookbook by Robin Asbell
3 T. olive oil
1 medium onion, julienned
2 T. chopped garlic
2 T. minced ginger
1 T. paprika
1 t. black pepper
1/8 t. ground allspice
1/8 t. cayenne pepper, or to taste
1 c. millet
1 t. salt
1/4 c. lemon juice
1 T. brown sugar
1 8-oz can extra crunchy corn
1 small green bell pepper, chopped
1 roma tomato, chopped
1/4 c. parsley, chopped
1/4 c. roasted peanuts, chopped
In a 2-qt saucepan with a tight fitting lid, heat 1 T. of oil and saute onion until golden. Add garlic and ginger and cook for one minutes, then add paprika, black pepper, allspice, and cayenne and cook for one minute more. Wash millet quickly and drain; add to pan and stir, coating grains and cooking until hot to the touch. Add water and salt and bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer on low for 20 minutes before checking for doneness**. When all liquid is absorbed and grain is tender, cover and remove from heat, allowing to steam for 10 minutes. Scrape millet into bowl and cover, then let cool. Whisk remaining oil with lemon juice and brown sugar in a small bowl. Stir corn, bell pepper, tomato and parsley in with the millet, then drizzle dressing over and stir to coat. Serve topped with peanuts.
KATE’S NOTES:
I used cilantro in place of parsley as I had it on hand; a red bell pepper instead of a green (don’t care for green) and frozen corn instead of canned.
**Despite following the cooking instructions faithfully, the grain, I felt, came out to be a little chewier than I expected and being unfamiliar with it, I contacted the cookbook author to ask her opinion on the texture. Her response was that millet can often be confounding in that way, and the amount of water listed in the recipe can sometimes be less than needed and other times it’s just enough. She feels this is simply one aspect of the grain’s natural humidity level, and can be adjusted during the final cooking stages. Once the grain has absorbed all the water, she suggested to quickly stir and remove a few pieces to test for tenderness, and if it is still firm and chewy to add in a little more water- 1/4 to 1/2 cup- quickly bring the temperature back to boiling, then reduce and simmer again for another 10 minutes.
April 29th, 2008
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Indian Red Rice Pulao with Pistachios
From The New Whole Grains Cookbook by Robin Asbell
1 T. canola oil or ghee
1 T. chopped ginger
1 T. brown mustard seeds
1/2 t. chili powder
1 t. ground turmeric
1 c. red rice or brown basmati rice
2 c. water
1 medium carrot, sliced
2 T. brown sugar
1 t. salt
2 c. cauliflower florets
1/2 c. currants
2 T. lemon juice
2 large scallions, slivered
1/2 c. shelled pistachios or toasted slivered almonds
In a 2-qt saucepan, heat oil briefly and add ginger and mustard seed. When ginger is fragrant and seeds are popping slightly, add chili powder and turmeric and cook for a few seconds. Add rice, water, carrot, brown sugar and salt and bring to a boil. Cover tightly, reduce heat to low and set a timer for 35 minutes. When the timer goes off, quickly put cauliflower and currants on top of rice, cover and cook for 10 more minutes. Remove pan from burner and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Stir in lemon juice and serve topped with scallions and pistachios.
KATE’S NOTES: I used a combination of red and brown basmati rice for this dish and it was terrific. I felt that the finished dish was a little sweet; next time I think I will cut back on the brown sugar and maybe add less currants. By the time I added the cauliflower, all the water in the pan had been absorbed, so I poured in more, and it ended up cooking for a while longer than listed in the recipe, but it wasn’t a huge issue. The carrot, being small and thin had just about fallen apart by the time it was all done. Overall, it was a phenomenally flavored dish and I can’t wait to make it again.
April 21st, 2008
| 4 Comments »
Mexican Quinoa with Pepitas and Cilantro
from The New Whole Grains Cookbook by Robin Asbell
1 1/2 c. water
1 c. quinoa
1/2 c. raw pumpkin seeds
1 c. washed cilantro leaves
2 cloves garlic
1 jalapeno chile
1/2 t. salt
1 t. ground cumin
2 T. olive oil
1 t. lime juice
1 small red bell pepper, chopped
2 scallions, chopped
Bring water to a boil in 2-qt saucepan with tight fitting lid. In medium bowl, wash quinoa well, rinsing with warm water. Pour off most of the water and drain in a fine-mesh strainer. When the water boils, add the quinoa, bring to a boil and the reduce heat to simmer, cover and cook for 15 minutes. The water should be absorbed and small holes will have formed on the top. Let stand, covered for 5 minutes.
In a large skillet, dry-toast pumpkin seeds, shaking pan until they begin to pop. Remove from heat and place in food processor or blender. Add cilantro, garlic, jalapeno, salt, and cumin and process, scraping sides occasionally, until all ingredients are well minced. Gradually add in oil and lime juice and process until smooth. Stir into cilantro, mixing well. Can be served warm, or chilled.
KATE’S NOTES: I followed the recipe faithfully. The only thing I did different was to use roasted and salted pepitas (the seeds) as the store I went to did not carry raw ones. The flavor, at least in my opinion, was highly enhanced by the roasted seeds, which I toasted as per the recipe. You would need to cut back a little on the salt if using a salted seed. I also added lime zest to the sauce. You just can’t lose with that addition.
Roasted Vegetable Wrap
Cut one sweet potato/yam, one red pepper and two small zucchini into 2-inch strips. Toss with olive oil, salt, pepper and place on baking sheet. Roast in 400 degree oven for 20 minutes; stir and roast until tender.
Stir one cup of drained and rinsed black beans into Mexican Quinoa. Layer quinoa/beans and vegetables on a whole wheat or multi grain wrap and fold over. Cheese is optional, enjoyment is paramount.
April 2nd, 2008
| 6 Comments »
Pasta with Creamy Red Pepper Sauce
Food and Wine Magazine Feb 2008
3/4 pound gemelli
2 whole roasted red peppers from the deli counter (6 ounces)
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 oil-packed sun-dried tomato halves, drained
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 garlic clove
9 large basil leaves
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 pound salted fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/2-inch dice
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the gemelli and cook until al dente. Drain the gemelli.
Meanwhile, in a blender, puree the roasted red peppers with the olive oil, sun-dried tomatoes, tomato paste, garlic and 3 basil leaves until smooth. Season the sauce with salt and pepper.
Scrape the sauce into a large bowl and toss with the pasta until well coated. Tear the remaining 6 basil leaves into the pasta and add the mozzarella. Toss the mozzarella, basil and pasta and serve warm or at room temperature.
Browned Panko Crumbs:
In a small skillet, melt two tablespoons of butter. Add in about a cup of Panko crumbs and stir to combine. I also add garlic and onion powder, basil, oregano, some rosemary, sea salt and pepper. Stir continually over medium-low heat until browned and fragrant. Remove and immediately scrape onto plate to cool. Don’t cool in pan or they will burn; trust me!
KATE’S NOTES:
I roasted my own peppers for this dish. I also lightly browned the garlic in oil on the stove before adding it as I don’t care for the taste (or aftertaste) of raw garlic. This needed a lot of seasoning; don’t be shy with the S&P. I think some of the fresh mozzarella could be added to the sauce before blending, as the whole chunk seemed to be excessive and we didn’t even come close to adding it all in. Stir some in the hot pasta and top it with more; I love the different textures. Add lots of basil to the finished product. I didn’t have quite enough and it seemed to need more.
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