Posts Tagged food blog

Lemon Thyme Bruschetta

And now, I would like to present to you: the easiest (homemade) appetizer on the planet.

Once again, the lovely folks at The Kitchn posted a recipe that I couldn’t live without making. The day they posted this recipe, I promptly went home and made it for dinner. I just had to have it! And, as usual, The Kitchn did not fail me and the bruschetta was fantastic. I don’t mean to belabor the point, but sometimes I think the editors at The Kitchn are inside of my brain. I want to make everything they post! If you don’t check The Kitchn often, you really should. Especially during this time of year, they have great gift ideas, holiday meal plans, stories, tips, tricks, and recipes. I just love it.

But, back to the task at hand.

So this lemon thyme bruschetta – aka the easiest appetizer on the planet – also happens to be really tasty and works nicely as a holiday appetizer. The ingredients are simple, fresh and elegant – and the preparation is minimal. And since this time of year tends to be hectic, I welcome a quick and delicious appetizer that will impress the masses at the various holiday parties I’m supposed to attend. Or you can skip sharing it with others altogether and just have it for dinner one cold winter evening? Not that I would ever do such a thing. :)

All that to say, lemon + ricotta + thyme + honey + bread = perfection. Happy munching!

Lemon-Thyme Bruschetta
(Adapted from The Kitchn)

Ingredients:
1 baguette; thinly sliced
8 ounces ricotta cheese
1 lemon; zested
2 tsps lemon juice
Salt (*A smoky or black Hawaiian seat salt is best, but if you don’t have any regular salt will do!)
Freshly cracked black pepper
Honey
1.5 tablespoons fresh thyme, finely chopped

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Mix together ricotta, lemon zest, lemon juice, and 1/2 of the thyme. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

Toast baguette slices in the oven for 5-7 minutes until slightly browned and warm. Spread liberally with seasoned ricotta. Drizzle with honey, sprinkle with thyme. To make it extra pretty, grate a small amount of lemon zest over the top. Serve warm.

Lamb Dhansak: Pot Pie.

For this month’s Velveteer’s challenge, we were asked to make a traditional Parsi dish called Dhansak. This is only my second month participating in the Velveteers lovely cooking group, and both times have had me scratching my head. In October, we were asked to cook Laksa, and for November we were asked to make Dhaksak. These are two dishes I knew next to nothing about.

But that is the best part about being invited into such a diverse cooking group: it forces me to cook outside of my comfort zone. In just two months, I’ve now cooked two dishes that I had not previously heard of. And each time, I’ve been thrilled with the results.

That being said, I had to do some research before I attempted making Dhansak. I scoured the internet for recipes, variations, and tips. As I said before, Dhansak is a traditional Parsi dish, which is usually made of lentils, mutton or lamb, and pumpkin. Nich (my husband) and I are big fans of lamb, and so we knew that we wanted to stick to the traditional protein choice for our Dhansak. As for the rest of the vegetables and spices, I had to do a bit of thinking before I decided that we would make our version of Dhansak with sweet potatoes – instead of pumpkin, which is traditionally used. (Note: I did not know that it isn’t technically Dhansak without the pumpkin, but thanks to Asha and her post, I now know! But she posted this tidbit of information after I’d already made our Dhaksak!)

Since Dhansak had been described to me as a curried lamb stew, my brain immediately decided that I needed to make Dhansak into some form of a pot pie (or shepherd’s pie). I would make a relatively traditional Lamb Dhansak, but then I would cook it in individual ramekins and top it with buttery, flakey goodness: I was going to top my Dhansak with puff pastry.

So, I did just that. I made little individual Dhansak pot pies. Nich (my husband) and I holed up one particularly chilly weeknight, and set about making Dhansak. The whole meal took much longer to prepare than we originally anticipated, and by the time we finally ate dinner, it was nearly 9pm. I was starving (to say the least) by the time the Dhansak was ready, but it was well worth the wait. Every bite was complex, warm, comforting, spicy, and just so good. I had a ton of leftovers and I happily munched on Dhansak for days!

Lamb Dhansak: Pot Pie
(Adapted from Niya’s World)

Ingredients:
1 lb lamb neck meat (or lamb stew meat)
1 large can (28 oz) crushed or chopped tomatoes
1 cup lentils
3 sweet potatoes, peeled & cubed
1 large onion, chopped
1 cup green peas (fresh or frozen)
1 package frozen puff pastry
3 – 5 cups Chicken stock (or water)
4 cardamom pods, squashed
1.5 tsp cumin seeds
1.5 tsp coriander seeds
1.5 tsp fenugreek seeds
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp garam masala
4 garlic cloves, crushed
Thumb sized piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely diced
2-3 green chilies (deseed if you don’t want it to be too spicy)

Method:
In a large pot, combine the lentils, sweet potato, onion, tomatoes, turmeric and a pinch of salt. Add stock or water to just cover, then simmer gently for about 20 minutes until the lentils are tender.

Meanwhile, toast the cumin, coriander and cardamom in a small pan over medium-high heat (no oil!) until fragrant. Grind in a mortar and pestle or spice grinder.

After you have toasted your spices, heat 1 tbsp oil in a pot, and add the lamb in batches and brown on all sides. Remove the lamb, and set aside. Add the toasted spices to the same pot (that the lamb was just in) and add in the ginger, garlic, and chilies. Cook for a few minutes (until garlic is tender) and add in the lamb, garam masala, and the lentil/sweet potato mixture. Add in a bit more stock or water (1/2 cup).

Cover and simmer for an hour and a half (remove lid for final 30 minutes) or until the lamb is completely tender and sauce thickened. When it is is nearly done, stir in the peas.

When the dhansak has cooked to your liking, scoop into individual ramekins (or other small oven safe bakeware). Cover each with one square of puff pastry and bake in the oven at 400 for 15 minutes, or until the puff pastry is golden brown.

And that is how you make this particular version of Dhansak. I had a lovely time making (and eating) it!

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” The 4 Velveteers* was started by Pamela (The Cooking Ninja), Aparna (My Diverse Kitchen), Asha (Fork Spoon & Knife), and Alessio (The Recipe Taster), who are passionate about different cuisines and food in general. Each month, we will attempt a new dish and share our experiences and the recipes we used. If you’re interested in joining the Velveteers, please feel free to drop by our Google group. ”

Do, check out what the other Velveteers have created:

Aparna from My Diverse Kitchen made Vegetable Dhansak, Parsi Brown Rice and Kachumbar

Asha from Fork, Spoon, Knife made Traditional Parsi Mutton Dhansak

Sarah from Simply Cooked made Easy Chicken Dhansak

Veena from Veg Junction made Vegetarian Dhansak

whole wheat molasses quick bread.

It is officially awful outside.

And although I’m feeling slightly grumpy (I don’t particularly care for rain/snow/ice/cold), I am trying my best to have a thankful heart. Truth be told, I really do have a lot to be thankful for. But in today, in particular, I am thankful for our happy little house. Our new place is just so cozy (and warm!). Last winter, Nich and I were in a much bigger house that was poorly insulated and had horrible leaky windows. We were always freezing. But our new place is magical. It stays so warm! I hardly have to turn the heat on, and when I do the whole house warms up instantly. We have not had to use our space heater once. I love it. In weather like this, having a warm house is most definitely something to be thankful for.

So, what do you do when you have a happy little house and its cold and miserable outside? Why, you make delicious things, of course. A few days ago, when it was especially horrible outside I decided to bake this fabulous bread. I’d seen the recipe in a recent issue of Food Day (from The Oregonian), and knew I needed to try it. I’m always game to try a quick bread (Its bread, and its quick. Enough said.) and this one caught my eye as it was Mark Bittman’s Whole Wheat Molasses Quick Bread. (There is nothing in that sentence that I don’t like. Done and done.)

The bread is thick, hearty, and satisfying. (Note: most quick breads tend to be much more hearty, due to their lack of yeast and rising time. But, this gives the bread a whole different quality that I’ve come to appreciate about quick breads. This is the kind of bread that ‘sticks to your guts’, as my grandfather would say). The molasses lends a subtle sweetness to the bread that isn’t overpowering or cloying. It is the perfect compliment to soups, salads, and is absolutely sublime when served warm with a little butter.

Mark Bittman’s Whole Wheat Molasses Quick Bread
Makes 1 loaf

Ingredients
Oil or butter for greasing pan
1 2/3 cups buttermilk or plain yogurt
2 1/2 cups (about 12 ounces) whole wheat flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup molasses (I used black strap

Method
1. Heat the oven to 325 degrees. Grease an 8-by-4-inch or 9-by 5-inch loaf pan, preferably nonstick.
2. Mix together the dry ingredients. Stir the molasses into the buttermilk or yogurt. Stir the liquid into the dry ingredients (just enough to combine) then pour into the pan. Bake until firm and a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Cool on a rack for 15 minutes before removing from the pan.

Spiced Cranberry and Pear Compote

This time of year is just so lovely. I am a sucker for all that the Fall brings: the cold weather, the pumpkin goodies, the colorful leaves, and gigantic holiday meals. But beyond that, this is a time of celebration, of thankfulness, and of family. I think my specific love for the Thanksgiving holiday originated during the years I lived far away from my family. No matter how crazy life got or how distant I may have felt, Thanksgiving was the light at the end of the tunnel: it held the promise of seeing my family. It didn’t matter where my parents lived or what city we celebrated Thanksgiving in, somehow it always felt like home. Candyce would spend hours drawing woodland creatures on Thanksgiving placecards, Danielle and my dad would argue over watching the Macy’s parade vs. watching football, while my mom and I would race about the kitchen to get dinner on the table.

These days, Thanksgiving looks a little bit different. I now live in the same city as my parents (and both of my sisters), and I see them all the time. Thanksgiving is no longer an escape from my crazy life; rather, it is a celebration of all that my life has become! My life is really wonderful, and my family seems to be getting larger by the day. In the last couple of years I have gained a (wonderful) husband, an (adorable) niece, two brothers (in-law), and two sets of in-laws. I have a lot to be thankful for.

That being said, for any remaining posts from now until Thanksgiving, I want to share one thing I am thankful for. Tis the season, right? And if you couldn’t tell from everything I just wrote, the first thing I want to say that I am thankful for is my ever-growing family. I am a very lucky gal, to be surrounded by so much love. (Oh, and this is the part where I am supposed to post a recipe, right? I’m getting to it, I promise! Sometimes a gal just needs to let her true colors show. I’m just feeling a little sentimental today. :) )

As for this recipe, it is a simple and elegant twist on the classic Thanksgiving Cranberry Sauce. Over the years, I’ve made many variations of cranberry sauce (compotes, chutneys, etc.) Cranberry sauce is delicious in many forms, and thus I try to switch it up every year. I will admit, this is one of the best cranberry sauces I’ve made to date. It is the perfect blend of winter fruits and flavors, it is low in sugar, and is made from whole fresh fruit. And, this cranberry sauce makes the perfect turkey cranberry sandwich. Let’s be honest: cranberry sauce isn’t so much a Thanksgiving dinner necessity as it is a leftover turkey sandwich necessity. For me, nothing beats the a turkey cranberry sandwich the day after Thanksgiving.

So, if you’re looking for a twist on the ole cranberry sauce, I highly suggest you give this one a try. (And did I mention how stinking easy it is to make? And that you can make it ahead of time and freeze it? Yes, this recipe is a winner.)

Spiced Cranberry and Pear Compote

1 12 oz. bag fresh cranberries (3 cups)
1 ripe pear, peeled and diced
2 sticks cinnamon bark
1/4 cup water
1/4 – 1/2 cup brown or muscovado sugar
Zest of one orange
5-6 whole cloves (or 1/4 tsp ground cloves)
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
Place the cranberries, water, and sugar in a small pot over medium heat. As the water and cranberry mixture heats up, stir occasionally (you’ll hear the cranberries start to pop). As the cranberries break down, the mixture will thicken.

Once the mixture starts to thicken (5+ minutes), add in pears, cinnamon, orange zest, nutmeg and cloves. Reduce the heat and allow the mixture to simmer gently until it reaches the desired consistency (another 5-10 minutes).

Allow to cool before serving or freezing. Be sure to remove whole cloves or cinnamon sticks before consumption!

This compote pairs well with a variety of meats, its fantastic on a turkey sandwich, and it is wonderful on its own (by the spoonful). With a little extra sugar added into the recipe, this also worked really nicely as a filling for mini hand pies (like these mini turnovers I made a while back).

Thanksgiving roundup & Meri’s pumpkin pie.

With Thanksgiving rapidly approaching, I’ve been scouring the internet, the newspaper, various cookbooks, etc, for new and inspiring dishes for this year’s Thanksgiving menu. For the past number of years, I’ve been the menu planner for my family’s Thanksgiving meal. Usually, my whole family invades my parents place for the entirety of the Thanksgiving day and I cook like a madwoman (with the help of my mom and sisters), as I try my best to bring new and fun recipes to the table each year. This is how it has always been.

But, things are changing. As many of us know, marriage changes many parts of you life – and holiday traditions are no exception. Not only do I have my family and their traditions to take into account – but I have my husband and his family to think of. Thankfully, both of our families are very understanding and we’ve been able to figure out holiday solutions thus far. The last couple of years, Nich’s mom and stepfather have been kind enough to make the driver over from central Oregon to spend Thanksgiving with my family. This year, however, we decided to make the drive to Prineville and spend Thanksgiving just with Nich’s mom and stepdad. I am excited to take part in their holiday traditions, and to help as much as I can with the Thanksgiving perparations.

That being said, I still have no idea what I am making for this year’s meal! I need to call Meri (my mother-in-law) and see what she has planned – and, of course, see what fun things I can make to go alongside her menu. Nich and I did spring for a turkey, as New Seasons Market was offering Certified Organic Heritage birds from Diestel Farms for $3/lb. (Which, if you’ve read anything about the modern turkey industry you would run far, far away from the typical bird that is served on Thanksgiving day. It is gross, to say the least. I also think that $3/lb is a steal for this kind of bird.)

All that to say, I know we’ll be having (delicious) turkey with my in-laws in central Oregon! I look forward to new traditions, and to bringing a few of my own along with me. If you’re in the throes of planning your Thanksgiving meal (as I am), here are a few helpful links that may inspire your menu!

A few of my own holiday recipes:
(Since I started this blog after Christmas of last year, I don’t have many holiday recipes of my own, but I will link to the couple recipes I have!)
*Sauteed Brussels Sprouts with Toasted Almonds
*Lemon Mascarpone Tart
*Sweet Potato Biscuits

Recipes I’ve used in past years (and loved!).
*“Real” Green Bean Casserole (No cream of mushroom soup here! This recipe is a bit of work, but totally worth it)
*Apricot Glazed Turkey with Herbed Butter rub (*I use this recipe most years for our turkey!)
*Sauteed Sweet Potatoes with Bourbon, Shallots and Cayenne – funny enough, I’ve made this recipe the last two years and I cannot find the recipe anywhere online! I think I can remember how to make it but it any of you happens to know/have this recipe, please feel free to share!

Recipes I am itching try this year:
*Celery Root Mash
*Crack Pie (The famous – and addicting – pie from Momofuku)
*Mark Bittman’s Braised Turkey
*Roasted Brussells Sprouts with Cranberry Pistachio Pesto
*Sweet Potato Pie
*Bourbon Cranberry Compote

And lastly, here is my mother-in-law’s recipe for REAL pumpkin pie. You know, the kind that is made from an actual pumpkin (and not from a can!). Its a bit of work, but is completely worth it. This is the best pumpkin pie ever.

MERI’S PUMPKIN PIE

To prepare the pumpkin:
First, you will need to purchase a small “pie pumpkin”. Most grocery stores will have pie pumpkins, but beware – they are not the same pumpkins you buy to carve! They are smaller and sweeter.

Clean out the pumpkin well. (Save the seeds to toast & eat!)
Cut the pumpkin into 2″ chunks and place in a large pot with just an inch of water. Bring to boil and then reduce to low with lid on. Steam chunks until they can be very easily be poked though with a fork from the skin side.
Take out of pot and blend or process in a food processor until smooth (you may need to add a small amount of the boiling liquid to make sure it blends smoothly. BE CAREFUL, as hot pumpkin puree burns!
Let the puree cool in large open bowl, cover when completely cool and refrigerate until needed. You can make this well ahead of time and save for later use.

For the pie:
1 pie shell
2 cups pumpkin
1 can sweetened condensed milk
2 eggs
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger & nutmeg
a sprinkle of cloves & salt

Combine all ingredients, blend well and pour into shell.

Bake 15 min @ 425 degrees, then bake 30 to 40 min @ 350 degrees. Cook until knife poked into center comes out clean. Let cool completely before refrigerating.

potato leek soup

The blur that was October has come and gone, and suddenly I find myself a week into November. I don’t know how I got here. The Fall has been beautiful thus far. The leaves have turned, the sun has been shining, the air is crisp. There isn’t much better than fall in Portland. I am thankful for so many beautiful days…it has done my heart a lot of good.

And with the fall comes the cold – the scarves, the jackets, the sweaters – and the brisk bike rides to work. And with the fall comes the endless opportunities to make big batches of delicious soup. And, this, my friends, is the best thing about fall: it is officially soup season! (Let it be known that I am strangely insistent in the fact that I will only eat/make/enjoy soup when it is cold outside. I just don’t think that hot soup makes sense in the summer!)

So, soup season is finally here. And what better way to ring in the season than with an old classic? I kicked off soup season with an old standby: Potato Leek Soup. And while this soup is anything but fancy (and I wouldn’t go so far as to call it “healthy”) – it is so very simple, hearty, and delicious. It is the perfect comfort food! And, since the main ingredient in the soup is potatoes (which are usually dirt cheap) – this is a very affordable way to feed a crowd. For all of these reasons, this is one of my absolute favorite soups to make. It is warm, comforting goodness in a bowl.

So, here is to fall! To the changing of seasons, to cold nights and cute jackets, and to big bowls of goodness (aka Potato Leek Soup!).

POTATO LEEK SOUP
Serves 6-8

5-6 Russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 large (or 3 small) leeks, washed and sliced thinly (white and light green parts)
2 Tablespoons butter
1/2 cup heavy cream (or milk)
6 cups chicken or vegetable stock (homemade is best!)
2- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
salt & freshly ground pepper, to taste

Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add in the leeks, and saute until soft (7-10 minutes). Add in the chopped potatoes, bay leaf, and thyme and cook for 1-2 minutes.

Add in the stock. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until the potatoes are soft (can poke a fork through them). Season with salt, pepper, and cayenne (note: depending on the type of stock you use the amount of salt you need to add will be quite different. Just salt to taste!).

Once the potatoes are fully cooked, remove the bay leaf and thyme sprigs. Puree the soup – using a blender, immersion blender or food processor (if you don’t have any of these – you can just use a potato masher!). After the soup is pureed, stir in the cream. Taste, and adjust seasonings as necessary.

Laksa: Curried Moules Frites

I am quite excited, as I am a new member of a group called The Velveteers. The group consists of several members, all from various corners of the globe, who are all passionate about cooking and challenge themselves to cook diverse and interesting dishes. (More on the Velveteers at the bottom of this post…)

Each month, the Velveteers take on a new cooking challenge. For example, last month, the Velveteers each made their own interpretation of the Sicilian classic, Caponata. This is my first month as a member of the group, and I must say that I was a little scared when I saw our assignment. We were asked to cook the a traditional dish from Singapore called Laksa. Laksa is a coconut curry soup, that is usually served with rice noodles and various other ingredients (cockles, fish cakes, shrimp, etc).

Upon reading the assignment, panic immeadiately sunk in: I had never heard of Laksa! I did a little research, and found that laksa can take many different forms and be made in a variety of different ways. Laksa looked so exciting and delicious, and so different from the cuisine I normally cook. And even though I was slightly hesitant to try my hand at laksa (mostly due to my recent and disastrous attempt at curry paste), I knew that this dish was special. And I knew I could redeem myself and make a beautiful curry.

My first thought when approaching this dish, was that I wanted to incorporate mussels into the laksa. I love mussels in any form, but I especially love mussels with a good curry broth. My next thought was to make a curried Moules Frites – (aka Mussels and Fries). My husband and I are slightly obsessed with moules frites, and order them whenever we get the chance. And while moules frites is one of my favorite meals, I have never made them at home. I’ve been meaning to do so, and this challenge provided a unique opportunity to make one of my favorite dishes with a twist. So, I set out to use a laksa broth as the base for my mussels and fries. And, I must say, it turned out beautifully! I understand that the dish is a far cry from a traditional laksa soup, but I did my best to make an authentic laksa curry paste and based the entire dish upon that. The flavor was unbelievably good, and the sweetness of the mussels worked so nicely with the spicy broth.

Here is my method for making my version of laksa (with mussels and fries):

LAKSA: CURRIED MUSSELS AND FRIES

For the Laksa Paste
(Adapted from Fat of the Land)
3 stalks of lemongrass (the “hearts” – soft inner white parts)
1/2 red bell pepper
3 – 5 hot chilis, stemmed and seeded to taste
1/4 cup fresh cilantro
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp tumeric
1 tsp
1 – 2 thumbs of ginger, peeled & chopped into thin slices (I used extra ginger as the original recipe calls for Galangal, but I could not get my hands on any)
1 – 2 Tbsps of Fish Sauce (The recipe also called for shrimp paste, and I did not have any – so I used a little extra fish sauce)
4-5 cloves of garlic, peeled and smashed
2 shallots, peeled and chopped
1 tsp paprika
1 Tbsps brown sugar
4 Tbsps peanut oil

To make the Laksa paste: Simply combine all ingredients and blend together in a food processor until smooth. You may need to use extra fish sauce or peanut oil if the mixture is too thick. However, keep in mind – this is a paste! It is supposed to be quite thick.

For the fries:
4 russet potatoes, throughly washed and cut into thin wedges.
1 – 2 cups of peanut oil
Salt
*You will need some sort of thermometer or temperature gauge for this!

For the fries, I used the Geoffrey Steingarten method. Its super easy, and they turn out great every time!.

Wash and cut the potatoes into thin wedges and try to cut them as evenly as possible (so they will cook evenly). Rinse the cut potatoes in cold water and then pat dry with a towel. Place the potatoes in a pot or pan that has at least a 10″ diameter and is at least 4″ tall (I used my dutch oven). Pour the peanut oil over the potatoes, just enough to cover them. Turn the stove to high heat. Watch the temperature rise, and be careful not to let the oil heat over 370 degrees. Once the temp has reached 350 and the fries are looking golden brown, remove from the oil and let drain on a paper towel. Salt to taste.

For the mussels:
2 pounds fresh mussels, cleaned thoroughly (*Please see this site for instructions on properly storing and cleaning mussels. It is very important to do so!)
1 can coconut milk
4 cups chicken/veggie stock (or water)
1 carrot, diced
1 small yellow onion, diced
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1 cup laksa paste
1 Tbsp peanut oil

In a large stock pot, heat the peanut oil over med-high heat. Add in the diced carrot, onion and bell pepper. Cook for a few minutes, until tender (3-5 minutes). Add in the laksa paste, and stir to coat. Cook for an additional 2 minutes. Add in the stock (or water) and stir. Bring to a boil, and then turn the heat down and let simmer for 15-20 minutes. Stir in the coconut milk and continue to let simmer for another 5 minutes. Add in the mussels and cook for a few minutes, until each mussel opens. If there are any mussels that do not open, throw them away as they are no good!

Serve the mussels in a shallow bowl. Ladle a good amout of the laksa broth over the mussels. Top with fries, fresh cilantro and sriacha aioli (which is a fancy way of saying I mixed sriacha with mayo!). Feel free to sop up the delicious broth with some crusty bread.

So, there you have it! My first Velveteers challenge. I had a fantastic time making (and eating!) this dish.

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Do, check out what the other Velveteers have created:

Aparna from My Diverse Kitchen made Vegetarian Curry Laksa

Asha from Fork, Spoon, Knife made Laksa Lemak with Shrimp and Catfish

Alessio from The Recipe Taster made Fragrant Almond Laksa with Noodles

Sarah from Simply Cooked made Light Chicken Laksa