Minted Baby Artichokes

Minted Baby Artichokes

Ingredients:

• 4 baby artichokes
• 1/2 c. fresh mint leaves
• 1/4 c. shelled walnuts
• 2 Tbsp. plain yogurt
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil plus additional to drizzle
• 2 oz. cream cheese
• 1 tsp. lemon juice
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 small shallot
• pinch of salt and ground pepper

Directions:

• Remove tough outer leaves of artichokes, cut tips of remaining leaves with kitchen shears, peel and trim stems and cut in half lengthwise. Place each in a bowl of water with lemon juice until ready to boil.
• Bring pot of water to a low boil (I always add my leftover lemon from squeezing to this), add in artichokes and boil about 10-20 minutes, depending on the size of your chokes. To test, try tugging on an inner leaf. When it comes out with ease, they're done.
• Meanwhile, place other ingredients in blender or food processor and blend until smooth.
• Serve cut side up, drizzle with olive oil, spoon the mint dip into centers and use it to dip your leaves. Heavenly!

XO, Debbie

Vegetarian Galacian Garbanzo Bean Soup. -Now That's a mouthfull!

Everysoonceinawhile, I like to host a tapas night. Lots of small plates holding lots of special little somethings for lots of anxious eaters. This Spanish soup is one of many dishes I offer but it would stand really nicely on it's own.

Galacian Garbanzo Bean Soup:

Equipment: immersion blender or blender, large stock pot, large spoon, chef's knife

Ingredients:

• 2  15oz. cans garbanzo beans or equivalent pre-soaked and cooked garbanzos
• 1 carton vegetable broth or equivalent homemade broth
• 3 large carrots, scrubbed, peeled and chopped
• 2 russet potatoes, scrubbed and chopped
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic (keep whole for now)
• 3 bay leaves
• 3 Tbsp. dijon mustard
• 2 Tbsp. good quality Balsamic vinegar
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 Tbsp. minced basil
• 1 tsp. smoked paprika or spanish paprika
• 1 tsp. crushed red pepper
• sea salt and crushed black pepper, to taste

Directions:

• In large stock pot or kettle, heat olive oil on medium heat. Throw in whole garlic and let cook until somewhat translucent. Remove with spoon, crush and roughly chop.
• Saute potatoes and carrots until near tender, then add celery and onion and cook until onion is translucent.
• Add garlic back in, vegetable stock, garbanzo, Bay, crushed red pepper, paprika, balsamic and dijon. Stir well, set heat to medium-low, cover and allow to simmer about 10 minutes. 
• If using an immersion blender, blend about half of the bulk of the soup to create a creamy but chunky consistency. If using an ordinary blender, remove some of the soup at a time into blender, allow to cool, blend and add back into the pot until about half your bulk is blended.
• Add in fresh basil, and fix with salt and pepper.

XO, Debbie

Spanish Omelette (Tortilla Espanola!)

Here's another easy tapas dish, just thin slice some waxy potatoes and onions and mince up some garlic, saute in a thin layer in an oven-safe frying pan until tender, add in eggs and milk (first whisked in separate bowl), some salt, pepper and paprika (I sometimes add a sharp cheese), bring to almost done on stovetop. Transfer to oven at 375 to finish, about five minutes. Flip over onto plate and serve in wedges.

XO, Debbie

Tamales part with tradition!

I'm uncertain where in my mind this recipe was born exactly. It might have taken it's inspiration from my recent exploring of New Mexico on the web for an upcoming road trip or it might have been born two nights ago when I stayed up late watching the fusion-happy restaurant owner strut his stuff in I Like Killing Flies.

Either way, this tamale tastes like it married a pasta alfredo and had sweet little fruit babies. I really like it.

Tamales with Orange Tarragon Cream Sauce

Equipment: large stock pot, for soaking corn husks and steaming tamales, steamer basket, tongs, stand mixer (optional -may use large bowl and mix with hands), saucepan for preparing sauce

Ingredients:

• 1 pkg. dry corn husks

 For masa:

• 6 c. masa harina
• 1c. corn or vegetable oil
• 4 c. vegetable broth
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 2 tsp. sea salt
• 1/2 tsp. cumin

  For filling:

• 1 Tbsp. butter, to saute
• 5 medium russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 in. cubes
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 1 c. corn kernels
• 1-1/2 c. raisins, soaked
• 1 medium zucchini, chopped
• 1/2 c. yellow onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup walnuts, chopped
• 1 tsp. fennel seeds
• 1 Tbsp. fresh tarragon, minced
• salt, pepper and cumin, to taste

• monterey jack cheese, grated
• cotija cheese, crumbled

  For orange tarragon cream sauce:

• 2 Tbsp. flour
• 2 Tbsp. butter
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 c. heavy cream
• 2 Tbsp. tarragon, minced
• 1 Tbsp. orange rind
• 1/2 tsp. orange extract
• salt, cracked pepper and cumin, to taste

Directions:

• Prepare corn husks by soaking in water in large stock pot, using a bowl to weight them down.
• Prepare the masa using a stand mixer, or your hands and a large bowl. Put in masa harina, then the oil, then the broth in small increments. Add salt (it seems like a lot of salt, yes. but the masa usually gets an addition of mole, which this recipe doesn't include, so the salt is necessary to flavor it), baking powder and cumin and continue to mix until you have a smooth and moist consistency. Add some water or more broth if you have a dry, clumpy dough.
• Saute your filling ingredients, potatoes first, then add celery then corn and soaked raisins, then zucchini, onions and garlic, cooking each down before adding the next. Season, add walnuts and add tarragon in the last moments of sauteing.
• Remove, rinse and dry corn husks, refill stock pot with water about 1/4 way full and set on heat.
• Prepare the sauce, start by making a blond roux: in small saucepan on low heat, place 2 Tbsp. butter, add 2 Tbsp. flour and stir fairly constantly until you have a fairly dry, doughy consistency. Add the milk and heavy cream, then the orange rind, tarragon and seasonings, whisk constantly until thickened.
• Assemble your tamales: lay one large husk down on a clean surface, (keep bowl of water nearby for wetting hands), wet hands, grab one handful of masa and lay down center of husk. Add a layer of your filling mixture atop, then some grated monterey jack cheese. Wrap up like a burrito or tie both ends using a small strip of corn husk (I find this the easiest, and prettiest method). Set aside and repeat.
• Once water is ready for steaming, set tamales in steamer basket in one layer only, cover and steam for 20-30 minutes. Remove with tongs.
• Serve by opening wrap, pouring about a Tbsp. sauce over it and topping with the cotija cheese.

-can be frozen by first cooling then placing in a freezer container with wax paper between layers. Reheat by steaming.


XO, Debbie

Soup Season!

It's been so long since I've had the chance to post, I've had so many other projects going on. Still doing lots of kitchen experimenting, just no posting about it. In honor of the snow we're due for here in Portland, I thought I'd get some favorite soup recipes up today.

Black Bean soup:

Equipment:
Large stock pot, frying pan, blender or immersion blender 

Ingredients:

1 pound of dry black beans, rinsed, soaked and boiled al dente, or substitute equal canned black beans
2 tomatoes, roasted, peeled and chopped coarse
2 jalepeno peppers, roasted, peeled and chopped fine
-or- substitute above two ingredients for 1 can fire roasted tomatoes w/peppers
1/2 cup chopped onion
4 cloves minced garlic
1-2 tbsp. butter
1 carton vegetable stock or make your own (it's easy!), 16 oz.
additional water, to cover
3 Tbsp. chopped cilantro, plus additional for garnish (optional, cilantro haters!)
2 tsp. cumin
2 tsp. oregano
sea salt, to taste
coarse ground black pepper, to taste
6-8 corn tortillas, cut into 1/4 in. strips, for garnish
sour cream or plain yogurt, for garnish

Directions:

In large stock pot, saute onions and garlic.
Add in roasted tomatoes and peppers and saute another minute or two.
Add black beans, stock, enough water to cover, cumin, and oregano. Let go at a low boil until beans are soft but not falling apart.
Using a slotted spoon, remove about a third of your chunky bits and put in blender. Allow to cool, then blend and add back into soup. You could also do this step using an immersion blender, in pot, just leave some substance to your soup. Season with salt and pepper to taste and allow to simmer on low a few minutes while you prepare the garnish.

Tortilla bird's nests:
Heat oil in frying pan. Add in tortilla strips. As soon as they begin to soften, use a fork or pasta fork to arrange them into nest-like piles. Fry them, turning once, until golden and crisp. Remove onto paper towel.

Serve the soup with a bird's nest atop each serving, a dollop of sour cream or plain yogurt and cilantro, if desired.

Tortilla Soup

This soup is procedurally similar to the black bean soup using blending of a portion of the ingredients to achieve a thicker base. It's hearty, satisfying, corny deliciousness. A favorite winter meal for my clan.

Tortilla Soup:

Equipment:

large stockpot, immersion blender or blender

Ingredients:

8 oz. black beans, canned or rinsed soaked and cooked
1 carton organic vegetable broth (or make your own, I've even used just water in this recipe with great success)
water to cover
1-2 Tbsp. butter
1/2 c. onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 medium carrots, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup chopped tomato
1 tsp. crushed red pepper
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. dried cilantro
sea salt, to taste
coarsely ground black pepper, to taste
10 corn tortillas, cut into 1 inch or so squares
jack cheese for garnish, if desired

Directions:

In large stock pot, saute carrots, celery and bell pepper until softened. Add in onions and garlic until translucent, then add tomatoes and black beans (pre-cooked or canned).
Add stock and water to cover. Add red pepper and cumin. Cook at a low boil about 20-30 minutes.
Add in only half of the tortilla squares and let boil 3-4 additional minutes.
Using an immersion blender, you can blend up about 1/3 of the soup chunks in the pot (preferred method), or with a regular blender, remove about a third of the chunky soup parts with a slotted spoon, transfer to blender, allow to cool slightly then blend and add back into soup.
Season to taste, reduce heat to low and let simmer an additional few minutes to allow the flavors to marry. Next, add in the other half of the tortilla squares and allow to soften in hot soup a few minutes before serving.
Serve with jack cheese for garnish if desired.

Buckwheat crepes (galettes)

Buckwheat crepes, very common in France, are a nice alternative to a white flour crepe. Here's my version.

Buckwheat Crepes

Equipment: Spatula, a good non-stick pan (non-stick optional, can use additional butter), large mixing bowl, whisk, measuring cups and spoons

Ingredients:

• 1 cup buckwheat flour
• 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup water
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 1/4 cup buttermilk
• 1 Tbsp. melted butter
• 1 additional Tbsp. butter if using a not-non-stick pan

Directions:

• Combine dry ingredients in large bowl
• Add milk, buttermilk and 1/2 cup of the water
• Add in eggs, one at a time, whisk to incorporate
• Add melted butter and whisk until smooth, should be the consistency of pancake batter without lumps, if it's too thick, add more of the water.
• Place in fridge for at least an hour before using.
• Check consistency (should be runny enough to swirl), add a bit more water if needed.
• Heat pan on medium until a drop of water dropped on surface instantly steams and evaporates.
• If not using a non-stick, drop a small drop of butter in pan and swirl.
• Using a 1/4 cup measuring cup, drop a cup of batter in pan and immediately pick it up and swirl it around to form a thin coat on bottom of pan.
• When small bubbles have formed and the edges begin to curl up, flip it over and place fillings on it, then fold into burrito shape or square, let cook a few more moments and remove onto plate.

These are so good. This morning we indulged with a filling of homemade mozzarella and sauteed pears, then topped them with some cinnamon whipped cream. Also packed them for school lunches filled with spinach and fontina cheese.

XO, Debbie

Pierogies

I pleasantly happened upon the Portland Polish Festival this morning while doing the soccer game rounds, so it seemed the perfect day to post a pierogi recipe. 

But first...

A little story:

When Eden (my oldest son) was three, he started saving up his coins for a remote control flip-over car he had his eye on. Nightly, he would go in his room, pour all of his money out on the floor and begin counting, even mastering denominations of coins. Then, he'd walk into the living room, proudly announce his total and his Dad or I would respond with "Look, here's three/five/seven more pennies!". He would then return to his room and start counting over again while we struggled to conceal our laughter. He's in high school now and is quite the number cruncher. I think the skills gained during that period of time will serve him well, once the psychological trauma wears off.

Back to Pierogies:

I'm lucky enough to live just a short walk from a Ukranian Orthodox church which serves up these little pockets of pleasure every Sunday. But I often crave them on Not a Sunday, so I've been trying to make them at home. Several times I tried and several times came up with something too dry, something too thick, something too fragile. 

Back to the story for a moment: 

My point in posting it is this: Eden never had to start counting over again. He knew full well how to add. And so do I. -A recipe isn't set in stone, and while I started making pierogies following other people's recipes, the recipe I ended up with was very much my own. And that one worked. - Don't be afraid to play with the amounts, the temperature, etc... when you're cooking. And consider the variables. My oven may run a little hotter than your oven. You might be rolling your dough in August in New York while I am rolling mine in December in New England. The recipe might not be wrong under some conditions, but I might have to amend it for mine. Add a little of this, take away some of that. Amend, don't start over. My sour creamtastrophy just needed a bit more buttermilk. My feta making fiasco? Made for a fantastic feta dressing. The pierogies: perfect (now.).

Pierogies

Equipment: large stock pot, large mixing bowl, strainer spoon or strainer, 3" round biscuit cutter or drinking glass or jar with about a 3" diameter and a thin rim, rolling pin, pasta machine (optional)


Ingredients:

• 2 to 2-1/2 c. unbleached flour
• 1/3 c. sour cream
• 3/4 stick of cold butter, cubed
• 1/4 c. whole milk
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 1 tsp. salt

Directions:

• In large mixing bowl, combine 2 of the cups of flour and the salt.
• Add butter, sour cream and milk and incorporate using your hands, squeezing and kneading until combined.
• Transfer to floured board and knead until a good consistency, not sticky and very smooth is reached, adding more of your flour if needed.
• Form round and let sit 20 minutes.
• Knead again a few times and then roll out dough to about 1/10 in. thick, about the thickness  of ravioli dough.
• Cut rounds using your cutter or drinking glass and roll the rounds again at this stage if you feel they aren't thin enough. You can also run them through a pasta machine on 4, then 5 to get the right thickness. 
• Put a small amount of filling (about a teaspoon) in the center of your round holding it in the palm of your hand and fold the sides in like a taco. Then pinch your dough ends together beginning with the center and working out toward the ends, pinching about a half an inch of dough between your fingers, forming a crescent shape. You can additionally seal the edges with a fork, but I found the seal to be equally good without this step. *Some filling ideas are listed below.
• Boil pierogies for about five minutes, stirring occasionally, then strain. I like to use my strainer spoon for this as it's less likely I'll break them.
• These are typically then fried up with some butter and onions and served with sour cream.

Filling Ideas: Potatoes, fresh fennel plus fennel seeds and some fresh farmer's cheese with plenty of pepper was my favorite filling so far. I also made some with my live kraut which were quite good. There are also sweet, fruit filled pierogies. Go nuts.

XO, Debbie

crepes

Crepes! They're what's for dinner! (and lunch. and dessert. and yes, even You, breakfast.)

                            spinach, feta and ricotta stuffed crepe
                                         

I love the versatility of crepes. Often I'll start up a batch with no dinner direction whatever and by the time the batter's done I've got a meal plan. The batter can be saved for an easy breakfast and the individual crepes can also be wrapped and saved. A good make-ahead item. But we usually use any leftovers for dessert!

                            candied ginger ice cream in baked crepe cone




Fool-proof crepes

*makes 6-7 crepes

Equipment: mixing bowl, whisk, lightly oiled or *non-stick pan, spatula


Ingredients:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 1/2 cup water 
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 2 Tbsp. melted butter
• real vanilla extract or paste, if making sweet crepes, omit for savory crepes
• fillings of your choice

Directions:

• In large mixing bowl, whisk flour and eggs. Add in milk and water drop by drop as whisking. Add salt and butter. Whisk until smooth and silky, with no lumps. 
• Heat skillet on medium, using 1/4 cup measuring cup, scoop crepe mix into pan and immediately (this is the most important step) lift up pan handle and swirl your crepe mix around until it evenly coats bottom of pan (this recipe was made using a 10 inch skillet. If yours is larger, use more crepe batter, smaller, use less). There are crepe spreaders available for purchase but I find them largely unnecessary.
• Cook about 1 minute on each side, flipping when edges are crisp. lift from pan using a narrow spatula, first loosening edges, then slipping it under and flipping in one swift movement. A light browning indicated doneness, you may continue flipping if your crepe seems too moist. 

*note about non-stick pans: If I could go into each one of your homes and personally remove them from your cooking arsenal myself, I would. Most people don't understand the importance of getting rid of them once they begin to chip and peel and are then ingesting all of those toxic ingredients. Not to mention the environmental consequences. If you love your non-stick, though, I recommend getting a Scanpan. They're non-petroleum based, the non-stick elements are cooked into the pan, not sprayed on; so they won't chip, you can use metal utensils on them, and their non-stick claim: totally. true.

XO, Debbie

Raviolis

Homemade raviolis are a favorite around these parts but two deviations from the regular recipe made tonight's the best yet. One was using the ricotta we made the other day (see labels: cheese making. It's easy!). No seasonings or other additions were necessary. That cheese stands on it's own. The other change was in what I used to cut the ravioli. I usually use a mold for this, but this time I simply laid my sheet of dough down, plopped some spoonfuls of cheese on, folded the other end of the sheet over it, then cut them using a jar lid. This seemed to seal the edges better and there was no pesty dough sticking to the mold. For those I know who swear that we live with more stuff than we need, you win this one. But I'm keeping the ice cream maker.

Raviolis!

Equipment: stock pot, rolling pin, jar lid, pasta roller (stainless steel, atlas type)


Ingredients:

• 2 cups flour
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp. sea salt
• 2 tsp. olive oil
• water for boiling  
• cheese filling of your choice. I used homemade ricotta. In the past I've done ricotta and romano or feta and have added many herbs and even nuts. Go crazy.
• Your favorite sauce recipe
• Parmesan or romano

How to:

• Begin by heating your water on the stove. You want your water to come to a nice rolling boil.
• On cutting board, clean counter or in bowl, make mound with 1-3/4 cups of your flour. Use your fingers to dig an impression on top of mound (looks like a volcano).
• Put the oil, sea salt and cracked eggs in the depression.
• Mix well using your hands, then knead on cutting board or counter. If it seems too dry, add water, a teaspoonful at a time until you have a nice consistency. 
• Use remainder of flour to flour your work surface. Cut dough in half and roll out one half to an oblong shape. Set other half aside with a damp cloth covering it.
• Run through pasta roller Beginning on setting 2 and working to 5. 
• Remove from pasta maker and re-knead. I find this step critical, mostly for my sanity, as the workability of it is drastically improved by this.
• Roll again into an oblong shape and put through pasta maker a second time, this time beginning with 2 and ending with 6. Don't be tempted to go thinner. Your cheese will escape!
• You should now have one very long sheet of pasta, about five inches wide. Lay it out on your floured work surface. Plop down your cheese by the spoonful every 2-3 inches (Just eye it with this. The size of your jar lid determines the size of your raviolis and you only want the cheese in the center, with room at the edges for pinching). Now fold other half of sheet over, use jar lid to cut, fingers to pinch edges. Set aside as you go. You may want to sprinkle a bit of flour on them to keep from sticking together.
• Repeat rolling cutting and stuffing steps with the other half of your dough.
• Boil your raviolis at a rolling boil until they are all doing flips. You can take one out to try, but it's usually about ten minutes. Don't overcook, there is some carryover cooking.
• Strain and dump out water and add raviolis back to pot along with sauce, heat and serve with a sprinkling of parmesan or romano.

                                 
                                           The finished product

Enjoy!

XO, Debbie