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| iPhoneography by Jeanne Milligan |
Wednesday, December 25, 2013
Sunday, December 15, 2013
Baingan Bharta
from The New York Times
via Sue Gilbert
via Sue Gilbert
serves 4
2 pounds eggplant
2 tablespoons lime juice
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped or crushed
1 fresh green chile, such as jalapeño, thinly sliced
1 pound tomatoes, chopped
½ teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon salt
½ cup chopped cilantro, thin stems included
2 tablespoons garam masala
Prick
the eggplant. Grill over or next to high heat, turning as necessary until skin
is blackened and eggplant collapses. Or, broil or roast on heated pan at the
highest heat possible in oven. It will take about 20 minutes.
When
eggplant is cool enough to handle, peel and trim away stem. Chop or mash in a
bowl with lime juice.
Heat
oil in a skillet over medium high heat; add the onion. Cook until onion is
golden brown, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and chiles and cook another minute.
Add tomato, turmeric and salt. Cook until tomato is soft, about 5 minutes.
Stir
in the eggplant purée and cook, stirring, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in cilantro and
garam masala and turn off the heat.
Serve
hot with pita or over rice.
Absolutely delicious – a definite crowd
pleaser for those who like some heat!
Cucumber Yogurt Spread
adapted from Kokkari: Contemporary Greek Flavors
via Katy Lonergan
makes 3 cups
via Katy Lonergan
makes 3 cups
1 English cucumber, peeled, halved lengthwise,
seeded and diced or grated
2 green onions, white and light green parts, minced
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups Greek-style whole milk yogurt
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon coarsely chopped fresh dill
1 tablespoon coarsely chopped fresh mint
1 small garlic clove minced into a paste with a
pinch of salt
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice or more to taste
Unpitted Kalamata olives, for garnish (optional)
Cucumber slices, for garnish (optional)
In
a small-medium bowl, combine cucumber, green onions and ½ teaspoon salt,
tossing well. Transfer the mixture to a cheesecloth-lined sieve set over a bowl
and let drain for 10 – 15 minutes. Gather the edges of the cheesecloth into a
bag and squeeze vigorously to remove the excess cucumber water. Get the mixture
as dry as possible.
Put
the cucumber mixture into a medium bowl. Fold in the yogurt, olive oil, dill,
mint, garlic, and 1 tablespoons lemon juice. Add a generous pinch of freshly
ground pepper, taste and season with additional salt and/or lemon juice.
Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with olives and cucumber slices,
optional.
This spread is a wonderful accompaniment
to the Spiced Lamb Skewers. The original recipe calls for 1 tablespoon lemon, I
tend to double it.
In a pinch, you can use a coffee filter
in place of cheesecloth.
Lamb Pizettes
adapted from Food & Wine: The Dish, December 21,2012
by Katy Lonergan
serves 20
by Katy Lonergan
serves 20
6 - 8 pita bread rounds, cut into thirty 2"
rounds using biscuit cutter, yielding 60 pita rounds
Extra-virgin olive oil, for brushing
⅛ cup chopped mint leaves
⅛ cup whole mint leaves, for garnish
2 scallions, finely chopped
1½ teaspoons ground cumin
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons pine nuts
1 large egg
1 ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 pound ground lamb (or sausage meat)
1 cup Greek-style plain yogurt
1½ teaspoons chili oil, plus more for drizzling
Preheat
oven to 425° F. Cover two large baking sheets with aluminum foil and brush with
olive oil. Arrange the pita rounds rough side up on the baking sheets and brush
with olive oil. Bake in the upper and lower thirds of the oven, shifting the
sheets, for 8 to 10 minutes, until lightly toasted and crisp.
Meanwhile,
in a large bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of the mint with the scallions, cumin,
cinnamon, pine nuts, egg, 1½ teaspoons Kosher salt and ½ teaspoon fresh ground
pepper. Add the lamb and knead until evenly combined. Spread each pita with a
slightly rounded teaspoon of the meat mixture and bake for about 8 minutes,
shifting the baking sheets, until the lamb is cooked through.
Meanwhile,
in a small bowl, whisk the yogurt with the 1½ teaspoons of chili oil and the
remaining 2 tablespoons of mint and season with salt and pepper. Spoon a small
dollop of the yogurt onto the pizzettes and garnish with a drop of chili oil.
Serve right away.
You can make the lamb pizzettes (through
the second paragraph) earlier in the day and let sit at room temperature,
reheating gently when ready to serve. The chili-yogurt sauce can be made a day
ahead and kept in the refrigerator overnight.
Muhammara Dip
created by Maud Hallin
makes almost 3 cups
makes almost 3 cups
3 roasted and skinned red peppers
¾ cup ground walnuts (1+ cup of pieces)
3 teaspoons concentrated pomegranate
juice
½ cup fresh bread crumbs
½ cup olive oil
Juice from 3 lemons
3 cloves of garlic – mashed or chopped
Salt and pepper
½ jalapeño, finely chopped.
½ teaspoon Spanish smoked paprika
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chana masala (if you like)
Roast red peppers, remove to a bowl and cover with
plastic until cool. Remove skins, and
seeds.
Toast walnuts until crisp.
Use one or two day old bread, tear into small
pieces, roast in frying pan, or oven
without browning too much, and when cool, grind with walnuts. Add roasted
peppers, pomegranate juice, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper and spices.
Let sit for one day, especially if the bread was particularly stale.
Serve at room temperature.
A
delicious hummus alternative! This is
really easy and keeps for at least a week!
You can exchange the walnuts for almonds or filberts.
Mustard + Guyère Batons
adapted from Barefoot Contessa Foolproof by Bill
Shook
via Kathy and Jeff Lindenbaum
Makes 30+ bite-sized batons
via Kathy and Jeff Lindenbaum
Makes 30+ bite-sized batons
1 sheet of frozen puff pastry, thawed and very cold
(see note)
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 egg beaten with 1 teaspoon water, for egg wash
3 ounces Gruyère cheese, grated
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Flaked sea salt for sprinkling
Flour for dusting work surface
Unfold
a sheet of puff pastry on a well-floured surface and roll it to an (approximate)
11 x 13 inch rectangle with a floured rolling pin. (Hint: diagonal strokes keep the pastry
rectangular). With a shorter end closest
to you, brush the lower half of the pastry evenly with the mustard, leaving a ½
inch border around the edges. Brush
border of the pastry with the egg wash, and fold the top half over the bottom
half, lining up the edges.
Place
this pastry on a board and trim irregular edges with a sharp knife. With the folded edge away from you, cut the
pastry in 1 x 6 inch strips. You will
have 10 – 12 batons. Spread the batons
out on the sheet pan so they are lined up but not touching. Brush the tops very lightly with the egg wash
and sprinkle evenly with the Gruyere, Parmesan, and 1½ teaspoons sea salt. Chill for at least 15 minutes, or up to 24
hours before baking.
When
ready to bake, preheat the oven to 400° F.
Take the batons from the refrigerator just before baking, and with a
wooden utensil or spatula, cut each baton into bite-sized pieces – about 3 or 4
per baton (the original recipe calls for
the batons to be like breadsticks, but cutting the batons up makes for more
servings and they are easier to eat).
Move the pieces away from each other (you may need another cookie sheet)
so that they can bake without touching each other.
Bake
the batons for 15 – 20 minutes, until golden brown and puffed. Allow to cool on the pan for several minutes
and serve warm or at room temperature.
The original recipe called for
Pepperidge Farm brand pastry, but we think Dufour brand is superior. Defrost per instructions (or overnight in the
refrigerator). As noted above, you can
make the batons 24 hours ahead and bake just before you want to serve. Although some think baking with puff pastry
is a challenge, this is a very easy recipe to execute with a minimum number of
ingredients.
Seared Steak Lettuce Cups
from The Bon Appétit Test Kitchen, October2012
via Irene Tibbits
makes 16 hors d’œvres
via Irene Tibbits
makes 16 hors d’œvres
¼ cup finely chopped English hothouse or Persian
cucumber
¼ cup thinly sliced scallions
1½ tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon finely grated peeled ginger
Kosher salt
8 ounces flank steak
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon chili powder
16 small crunchy inner leaves of butter lettuce,
romaine or endive
2 tablespoons chopped salted roasted peanuts
2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh mint leaves
Asian sweet chili sauce
Asian sweet chili sauce
Combine
¼ cup finely chopped English hothouse or Persian cucumber, ¼ cup thinly sliced
scallions, 1½ tablespoons fresh lime juice, and 1 teaspoon finely grated,
peeled ginger in a medium bowl. Season to taste with Kosher salt and set aside.
Heat
a grill pan or a lightly oiled-cast iron skillet over high heat. Season an 8
ounce flank steak with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon chili powder. Grill
steak, turning once, until charred on both sides, about 8 minutes for
medium-rare. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest for 10 minutes.
Arrange
16 small crunchy inner leaves of butter lettuce, romaine of endive on a large
platter. Thinly slice steak against the grain then cut slices crosswise into 1”
pieces. Add steak to cucumber mixture and toss to mix. Season to taste with
salt and more lime juice, if desired.
Divide
steak salad among lettuce cups; garnish with 2 tablespoons chopped salted
roasted peanuts and 2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh mint leaves. Drizzle with
Asian sweet chili sauce
Recipe can be doubled to make 4 main
course servings. If making as main course or buffet item, omit sweet chili
sauce. Regular cucumbers can serve as a substitute for Persian/English cucumbers.
Spanakopita
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1½ cups packed thinly sliced leeks
¼ cup thinly sliced scallions
1 pound baby spinach, chopped
Kosher salt and pepper
3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
½ pound Greek feta cheese
1 cup clarified butter, melted
1 pound frozen phyllo dough, thawed
In a medium size saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the leeks and scallions and sauté until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the spinach and season to taste. Cook, stirring until wilted, about 1 minute. Transfer to a bowl and let cool to room temperature. Add the dill and feta, crumbling the cheese as you add it. Mix well.
On a baking sheet, diving the filling into 24 equal mounds, a scant 2 tablespoons each. Lightly brush another baking sheet with some of the melted clarified butter.
Put 1 sheet of phyllo on a work surface, keeping the remaining phyllo covered with the plastic, under a clean towel to avoid drying. Brush the phyllo lightly with clarified butter, brushing from the center of the sheet toward the ends. Top with 2 more sheets, brushing each one with butter the same way.
With a sharp knife, cut layered phyllo into 24 4” squares. Place a dollop of filling on each square. Fold each square diagonally into a triangle and pinch edges. All 24 triangles should fit on one baking sheet, side by side. Cover with plastic wrap.
Chill covered baking sheet of uncooked spanakopita in freezer for at least 15 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 450° F and set a rack in the upper third of the oven. Lightly brush the triangles with the clarified butter. Pierce each one all the way through to the bottom 5 times with a paring knife to allow steam to vent. Bake, rotating the tray halfway through, until the pastries are browned and crisp, about 12 – 14 minutes. Remove triangles from baking sheet to cool for 10 to 20 minutes before serving.
Steamed Whole Artichokes
from FoodNetwork.com (Tyler
Florence)
via Richard Lonergan
serves 2
via Richard Lonergan
serves 2
4 sprigs parsley
4 garlic cloves
2 bay leaves
2 lemons, cut in half
¼ cup white wine
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 quart chicken broth or water
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 whole artichokes
Put the parsley, garlic, bay leaves, lemons, wine, oil and broth in a
large pot and bring to a simmer. Season
the liquid with salt and pepper. In the
meantime prepare the artichokes.
Wash artichokes under cold water.
Using a heavy stainless steel knife, cut the stems off close to the
base. Pull off the lower petals that are
small and tough. Cut off the top inch of
the artichoke and rub with half a lemon to preserve the green color. If you wish (and I do), trim the thorny tips
of the remaining petals with kitchen shears.
Place the artichokes in the steaming liquid, bottom up. Cover and simmer for about 30 minutes. The artichokes are done when a knife is
inserted into the base and there is no resistance. Serve hot or cold.
I went online to find how
long to boil an artichoke and this recipe showed up. The flavored boiling liquid adds a subtle new
flavor to the artichoke. And this easily-doubled recipe is a foolproof way to
prepare this wonderful vegetable.
And if you are new to the
artichoke, have mayonnaise mixed with curry powder (or lemon juice and melted
butter) for dipping. To eat, pull off a
leaf, dip and scrape the meat off the tender end with your front teeth. When you reach the center cone of purple
leaves, remove it. This is the choke
that protects the heart. Now, scrape
away the thistle fuzz covering the artichoke heart. The heart is the meatiest part of the
artichoke. Enjoy.
Zucchini Parmesan Crisps
adapted from The Smitten Kitchen
by Carol Hutchinson
serves 4
by Carol Hutchinson
serves 4
Olive oil or cooking spray
2 medium zucchini (about 1 pound total)
1 to 2 eggs whites
½ cup grated parmesan cheese
½ cup panko
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
Preheat
oven to 450° F.
Bake zucchini rounds until browned and crisp, about 30 minutes, flipping each over halfway through. Please keep an eye on them; they may need to be moved around on the tray so the ones at the edges don’t bake more quickly than the ones in the center. Take them out only when they’re golden all over and let them cool on the tray on a cooling rack or a plate.
Best served while warm.
Broccoli Salad
adapted from the Internet
by Judy Gray
serves 8
by Judy Gray
serves 8
For the salad:
2 – 3 heads of
broccoli, finely chopped
½ pound cooked bacon,
crumbled
½ cup red onions,
chopped
½ cup pine nuts,
toasted
½ cup dried cranberries
½ cup golden raisins or
other mixed dried fruit bits
For the dressing:
1 cup mayonnaise
¼ cup sugar, according
to taste
2 tablespoons apple
cider vinegar
For the salad:
Put all ingredients in
a bowl, then add dressing and mix well.
This is a
very easy and delicious salad in which all of the ingredients can be made
ahead. Even those who don’t like broccoli loved this salad! Wait until ready to
serve to add dressing.
Kale Salad with Pecorino + Walnuts
adapted from Smitten Kitchen
by Carol Hutchinson
serves 8
by Carol Hutchinson
serves 8
½ cup walnut halves or pieces
¼ cup golden raisins
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon water
¼ cup panko or slightly coarse homemade breadcrumbs
1 small clove garlic, minced or pressed
Coarse or kosher salt
3 tablespoon olive oil
1 bunch Tuscan kale (also known as black or
lacinato), washed and patted dry
2 ounces pecorino cheese, graded or ground in a food
processor
Juice of half a lemon
Freshly ground black pepper
Heat oven to 350° F. Toast walnuts
on a baking sheet for 10 minutes, tossing once. Let cool and coarsely chop.
In a small saucepan over low heat,
simmer white wine vinegar, water and raisins for 5 minutes, until plump and
soft. Set aside in liquid.
Toast bread crumbs, garlic and 2
teaspoons of the olive oil in a skillet together with a pinch of salt until
golden. Set aside.
Trim heavy stems off kale and remove
ribs. I always find removing the ribs annoying with a knife, because the leaves
want to roll in on the knife and make it hard to get a clean cut. Instead, I’ve
taken to tearing the ribs off with my fingers, which is much easier for me.
Stack sections of leaves and roll them into a tube, then cut them into very
thin ribbons crosswise.
Put kale in a large bowl. Add
pecorino, walnuts and raisins (leaving any leftover vinegar mixture in dish),
remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and lemon juice and toss until all the kale
ribbons are coated. Taste and adjust seasonings with salt, pepper and some of
the reserved vinegar mixture from the raisins, if needed. Let sit for 10
minutes before serving, if you can, as it helps the ingredients come together.
Just before serving, toss with breadcrumbs and, if needed, a final 1-teaspoon
drizzle of olive oil.
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