Spork or Foon?

Brussels Sprouts and Smoky Onions Cheddar on Toast

 
 

OK. I know that title may not sound that appealing to most of you. I know many of us would not equate "brussels sprouts" with "delicious".

But it is time to make a change, my friends.  Brussels sprouts, when prepared well, can be sublime. And I love, love, love using recipes that only use the leaves of the brussels sprouts (less room for error).

These brussels sprouts are mixed with diced, smokey onions that have been sauteed with smoky paprika. 

Let me also stress how important it is to use a good paprika. I am embarrassed to admit it, but I once used a paprika I bought at...  ... ...  CVS.  For months. It was a dollar.

I was in a bind!  I needed paprika and I couldn't find a grocery store!  

Wow. I'm embarrassed.

Well. Needless to say, that paprika did not have much flavor.  I replaced it with a much better, much more expensive jar of paprika and my life has never been the same.

Back to my description. Where was I?  Ah, yes.  These brussels sprouts are mixed with diced, smokey onions that have been sauteed with smoky paprika. The slightly tender leaves still hold a little bit of their crispness and provide a pleasing texture. The mixture is then put atop a crisp toast that is covered in melted, sharp cheddar cheese. The result taste is complex and surprising and phenomenally good.  Jack and I couldn't get enough of these. I will definitely make this again and again...with real paprika.  

Never again will I buy my spices from CVS Pharmacy! 

Brussels Sprouts with Smoky Onions on Cheddar Toast adapted from Food and Wine Magazine

1 pound brussels sprouts, thinly sliced lengthwise

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 large onion, finely diced

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 1/2 teaspoons sweet smoked paprika

4 slices of multi-grain bread, toasted

4 ounces extra-sharp cheddar cheese, thinly sliced

Preheat oven to 350F. In a pot of boiling, salted water, cook brussels sprout leaves until they are just tender, about 5 minutes.  Drain and pat dry.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet.  Add the onion, season with salt and pepper, and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until just softened, about 5 minutes.  Add the paprika, cover and cook on low heat, stirring frequently, until the onion is just tender, about 10 minutes; add a little water if it dries out.

Add the brussels sprouts to the skillet and cook until tender throughout, about 5 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.

Arrange the toasts on a baking sheet, top with cheddar. Bake for 2 minutes, until the cheese is melted; mound the brussels sprouts and onions on top and serve. 

Tuesdays with Top Chef with Teanna... er... Season 6? Duo of Mushrooms, Smoked Kale, Candied Garlic and Turnip Purée

 

Please excuse my while I try to unfry my brain.  I have to switch up TWD and Top Chef with Teanna this week, as I didn't realize how time consuming this dish would be.  So my tart will be posted tomorrow when my pastry cream is all nice and chilled.

This Top Chef recipe one was quite a doozy.

Yes. I said doozy. I can't think of any other words.

Not only was it is a doozy, but it is among my Top 5 Favorite Top Chef Recipes to date.  Ah, Kevin Gillespie, you and your pig tattoo get me every time.

I have fallen back a bit on my Top Chef blogging, so please, let me give a short description about the episode.  Natalie Portman, the vegetarian and totally adorable actress, was the guest judge.  The episode was full of laughs and very uncomfortable innuendos about pricks and mouths and honestly, I had to leave the room because I was so uncomfortable... and I was watching this alone.

The chef's were cooking at Tom Colicchio's Craft Steakhouse.  But here is the twist: Natalie is a vegetarian.

Dum, dum, duuuuuum.

Many chefs are known for their vigorous dislike of vegetarians.  Don't even get them started on vegans. Anthony Bourdain once called vegans the "Hezbollah-like splinter factions of vegetarians" and said that vegetarians are "the enemy of everything good and decent in the human spirit, and an affront to all I stand for, the pure enjoyment of food."

He is never one to mince words, is he?

But I digress. On to the dish.  This dish is composed of six components (is that redundant?) - braised mushrooms, sauteed mushrooms, roasted turnips, turnip puree, garlic syrup, a pistou, and sauteed kale. I am a bit worn out from lack of sleep these past few weeks, so I'm going to break it down for you the best I can.

I could not find hen of the woods or morels, so instead, I bought a dried pack of wild mushrooms. I know. I'm awful. But you know what, when seasoned and sauteed properly, you may probably never know the difference.  At least I couldn't.  I was pressed for time, and frankly, good produce is hard to come by in NYC so I take what I can get.  These mushrooms were delicious. I didn't follow the recipe to the letter. I just threw them in a pan with the emulsified butter and oil, tossed them with some diced celery, seasoned well and added a bit of lemon and heavy cream.  Heaven on a plate.

I was never one for liking turnips, but this is the second dish in which Kevin has proved me wrong on that point. The turnip puree was buttery, rich, and provided a wonderful textural contrast to the dish. The smells that wafted through the air while the sliced turnips were cooking butter while quartered turnips were roasting in butter was pure heaven. It could just be the butter, though.

The pistou was good, but be sure to season it well (as you should will all components of this dish.  Use your judgement.).  I could have done without it on the dish, but if you love the flavors of tarragon and parsley (which I do), it adds a nice lightness to an otherwise heavy dish.

The garlic syrup was fantastic.  I have tried a different recipe for garlic syrup before this and it is nice to see the different ways in which you can make this fabulous accoutrement which adds so much flavor to any dish.  One note: never stick your nose over a pot of boiling vinegar. You'll regret it.

The kale.  Oooooh, the kale. I could eat this component of the dish for days and days.  I am probably like most people who believe that kale can suck when it is not cooked properly.  I know you are intimidated by my mature use of language, right there.  It can be bitter and chewy and no one likes bitter and chewy. But this kale was the most amazing preparation of kale I have ever tried.  I used liquid smoke (again, right up there with dried mushrooms. I apologize) and sauteed it in water with diced onion, garlic, I then added 1/2 teaspoon sugar and salt each to season it. Pure perfection.  Again, I could not stop eating this.

Together, everything was outstanding. I can completely see why the judges not only picked this as the winner, but stated that they didn't even miss having a protein on the plate. This is a dish that would make me go veg in no time.

ToSorry, Anthony Bourdain.

Click here for the recipe.  But again, this one is time consuming. It took me about 3 hours to make... but it was well worth the effort.

 

Olive Tomato Squares

Let's talk about my love for this appetizer, shall we?

I always get nervous to make dishes with sundried tomatoes because I think of the episode of Friends where Monica bonds with a very handsome chef over the outdated sundried tomato.

"What's up with the sundried tomatoes?  What is this, 1985?"

Preach on.

Also, I haaaaaaaaate olives. Hate. Loathe. Makes me feel like a bad food person because I hate them so much. But I ams what I ams and what I is is an olive hater.

But this dish has changed me.  I served these little nuggets of wonder when I catered the Fashion Designer event. They are super easy to whip up (you can use pre-made basil pesto if you are short on time) and taste like the most awesome pizza bite you have ever tasted (if you are lactose intolerant, because really, pizza is best with tons of cheese) but are much more elegant.

I'm in love.

Make sure you use a soft bread, don't toast it too too much, and next time, I would make thinner slices of bread. Also, use best quality ingredients, because this dish could be quite salty if you are using the cheapy stuff.

Great, great appetizer. Do make.

Click here for the recipe. 

Slow Roasted Tomatoes

Last year I wrote about a recipe that Molly Wizenberg had written about in Bon Appetit magazine about a dish called Pomodori al Forno, which she called the best appetizer in Seattle. I tried it and agreed that it was, in fact, the best appetizer in Seattle. And I had never even been to Seattle.

A year later, I still make this dish, and I still believe that it is the best appetizer in Seattle. And I still haven't been to Seattle.

Plump Roma tomatoes are slow-roasted with sugar, salt, oregano, and a year's worth of olive oil in a 250 degree oven for 2 hours.  They are then let to rest with freshly chopped garlic, parsley, and another year's worth of olive oil for two hours so that the flavors can marry.  

The end result is a fragrant, smooth, soft, and fresh dish that is served with crisp baguette slices that are used as a vessel to get said tomatoes into my mouth.

I made this a few weeks back when Jack and I went to Long Beach Island with two friends of ours.  The dish is also supposed to be accompanied by fresh goat cheese, but my friend who was at dinner does not like cheese. And he is Italian. For shame.

I highly recommend making this dish.  Although it takes some advanced preparation, it has been my go-to summer appetizer for the past year.  

And one day, I'll make it to Seattle.

Pomodori Al Forno - Adapted from Bon Appetit

Ingredients

1 cups (or more) olive oil, divided

2 pounds plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise, seeded

1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano

3/4 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 to 2 garlic cloves, minced

2 teaspoons minced fresh Italian parsley

1 baguette, thinly sliced crosswise, toasted

Preparation

Preheat oven to 250°F. Pour 1/2 cup oil into 13x9x2-inch glass or ceramic baking dish. Arrange tomatoes in dish, cut side up. Drizzle with remaining 1/2 cup oil. Sprinkle with oregano, sugar, and salt. Bake 1 hour. Using tongs, turn tomatoes over. Bake 1 hour longer. Turn tomatoes over again. Bake until deep red and very tender, transferring tomatoes to plate when soft (time will vary, depending on ripeness of tomatoes), about 15 to 45 minutes longer.

Layer tomatoes in medium bowl, sprinkling garlic and parsley over each layer; reserve oil in baking dish. Drizzle tomatoes with reserved oil, adding more if necessary to cover. Let stand at room temperature 2 hours. DO AHEAD Cover; chill up to 5 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.

And just for poops and giggles, let us take a look at my photo of this dish from last year (August 15th, 2008)

Stuffed Zucchini Blossoms

I have always wanted to try my hand at zucchini blossoms and finally had my shot this Sunday.  A certain stand at the Dupont Circle Farmer's Market in DC was brimming with the delicate flowers.

But what do with them?  I had never even tasted a zucchini blossom, let alone knew how they were prepared.

I stood in my apartment and scanned the room, hoping to find some inspiration.  But all I saw was an autographed photo of Mark Twain, an autographed photo of three Dallas Cowboys phenoms (Michael Irvin, Troy Aikman, and Emmit Smith) and a photo of Jack and his sister with Bill Clinton - no autograph.

Now, I could go there and make a joke about rolling the zucchini blossoms into cigars, but that would be so 1996.  And I don't think any of us want to go back there.

But lo!  What's this? The July Issue of La Cucina Italiana sitting on my printer with none other than zucchini blossoms on the cover?  What are the odds? I squeal in excitement as I flip through the magazine to find not one, not two, but, like, 5 or 6 (I didn't count) recipes all featuring zucchini blossoms!  

Cue angels singing.

I learned that zucchini blossoms are often served stuffed, and sometimes fried. The options were endless:  zucchini and mushroom omeletes with zucchini blossoms, asparagus soup with zucchini blossoms, shrimp stuffed fried zucchini blossoms... I could go on.  I went with Zucchini Blossoms with Vegetables, because, with some tweaks, I had everything I needed to make the recipe.

These were the perfect summer appetizer. As you bite into the blossom, your mouth is filled with a combination of light and creamy cheeses, sweet, crunchy leeks, and the pop of succulent peas.  Don't miss out on the magic of the zucchini. 

Zucchini Blossoms with Vegetables adapted from La Cucina Italiana

Ingredients

1 leek, white and pale green parts only

Coarse sea salt

3 medium tomatoes

Extra-virgin olive oil

Freshly ground black pepper

1 cup shelled fresh peas (1 to 1 1/2 pounds in pods) or frozen peas

1 large carrot, finely chopped

7 ounces ricotta salata cheese, softened at room temperature, crumbled

4 ounces mascarpone cheese (1/2 cup), at room temperature

12 large zucchini blossoms, stems and pistils removed

Good quality balsamic vinegar

Special Equipment: a 10-inch disposable pastry bag or sealable plastic bag 
 

Instructions

Cut leek in half lengthwise, then cut crosswise into 1/4-inch pieces and wash. 

Bring a large saucepan of salted water to boil. Drop tomatoes into water and boil 30 seconds. Using a slotted spoon, remove tomatoes. Peel, seed, and cut into 1-inch pieces. Transfer to a bowl.

Cook fava beans in the same pot of boiling water until tender, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a colander. Run under cold water for 1 minute to stop cooking, then pat dry with paper towels and add to bowl with tomatoes. Drizzle with oil, and season with salt and pepper.

Cook leeks, peas and carrot in the same pot of boiling water until tender, about 5 minutes. Drain and run under cold water for 1 minute to stop cooking. Transfer to a large bowl.

Add robiola, mascarpone and generous pinch salt and pepper to leek mixture; stir together to combine. Transfer cheese mixture to pastry bag. Snip a 1/3-inch opening and pipe filling into blossoms. Using your fingers, gently press petals around filling. Chill stuffed flowers until filling is just set, about 15 minutes.

Divide tomato mixture among 4 serving plates. Arrange blossoms on top. Drizzle with oil and vinegar and season with salt and pepper.

Golden Beet Salad

Beets. 

For so many years, I feared beets.

I only knew beets as those circular red things swimming in liquid at salad bars.  You know the ones. With the sneeze guards?

Appetizing.

To me, those beets looked like the cranberries from a can that you eat on Thanksgiving. And I am not ashamed to admit, I would have those cranberries on Thanksgiving no other way.  Cranberries from a can and stuffing from a box.

But I digress.

I first tried my hands at beets sometime last year.  I stared at the root vegetable, trying to figure out its secret. Questions streamed through my head.  Do I leave on the greens? Do I eat the skin? How do I cook these things?

So I turned to my trusty friend, Google.  I learned that the most foolproof method to cooking beets was to roast them in the oven for 45 minutes or so, let them cool, pull off the greens, then peel off the skin. Oh, and some even suggested wearing gloves, as beets will dye fingers.  

And so the attack of the red beets began.

I forged ahead, sans gloves, and suffered the fate of the red beet.  And frankly, after my meal, I still wasn't too crazy about the beet.  So now I was unsatisfied, hungry, and sporting a pair of red hands.

Fast forward to yesterday, Dupont Circle Farmers Market, Washington, DC.  I went with the intention to buy some fruits, but walked out with zucchini blossoms, golden beets, and buffalo meat and... well, no fruits.

I decided to try my (un-dyed) hand at beets yet again.  I wanted a simple dinner with fresh ingredients, and found a fantastic shallot vinaigrette recipe that looked like it would go perfectly with the golden beets.  And it did.  The softer flavored golden beet was complimented by a sweet shallot vinaigrette and a crumble of mild and nutty ricotta salata.  And the best part?

NO RED HANDS.

Golden Beet Salad (Adapted from Epicurious)

• 2 1/2 lb medium golden beets (with greens)
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped shallot
  
• 2 1/2 tablespoons cider vinegar
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon sugar
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 oz. ricotta salata, crumbled
•   

• Put oven racks in lower third and middle of oven and preheat oven to 425°F.

  Trim beet greens, leaving 1 inch of stems attached. Tightly wrap beets together in double layers of foil to make packages (2 or 3 per package) and roast in middle of oven until tender, 40 to 45 minutes. Unwrap beets and cool slightly.

  Whisk together shallot, vinegar, salt, pepper, and sugar in a small bowl, then add oil in a stream, whisking.
  

  When beets are cool enough to handle, slip off and discard skins. Cut beets lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices and gently toss with 3 tablespoons vinaigrette in a bowl.

  Arrange beets on 6 salad plates and top with ricotta salata.

Chickpea Dip en Fuego

If you haven't been to the website 101 Cookbooks, go there now. 

Well, go there after you visit my website for a little bit.

The site is filled with wonderful recipes that are mainly vegetarian or vegan (like the Jamaican Veggie Patties) but are filled with interesting and creative flavor combinations.

Take this recipe for example.  On her site, it is actually called Hummus en Fuego, but this dip actually tastes nothing like hummus (in my opinon).  It is flavored with a red pepper oil (a brilliant, infused olive oil that I will be sure to keep at home) and ground walnuts.

Yes. Walnuts.

The walnuts impart a deliciously nutty flavor and an amazing texture to the dip and the flavor is rounded out by the deliciously spicy red pepper oil.

If you are looking for something a bit different, then definitely give this dip a whirl.

Get it? Because it is whirled in a food processor?

Ba dum chhhhhh.

Chickpea Dip en Fuego Adapted from 101 Cookbooks

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes

1/2 cup walnuts, toasted and skins rubbed off (if you'd like)

2 cups cooked (or canned) garbanzo beans, drained

1 medium clove garlic

juice of 1/2 a lemon (about 2 tablespoons)

1/2 cup hot water

Make the hot pepper oil a day or so ahead of time by heating the olive oil in a small saucepan for a couple minutes - until it is about as hot as you would need it to saute some onions, but not so hot that it smokes or smells acrid or burned. Turn off the heat and stir in the crushed red pepper flakes. Set aside and let cool, ideally for a day or two - to let the flavor really develop.

To make the dip, give the walnuts a spin in the food processor, just until they are a sandy texture. Add most of the garbanzos, 1 or 2 tablespoons of the red chile oil (oil only, no flakes), garlic, and lemon juice. Now process until smooth. Drizzle in the water a bit at a time and puree more, until the hummus is creamy and billowy. I tend to let the food processor run for a minute or so at this point, it incorporates air into the puree and makes it a nice texture. Taste to adjust the seasoning.

Serve in a shallow bowl, drizzled with plenty of the remaining oil and red pepper flakes. 

Curried Cauliflower and Chickpea Stew

I don't know if there is any way to take a photo of this and make it look good.  Perhaps that is why there was not a photo of this accompanying the recipe in May's Bon Appetit.  

Regardless, this recipe struck me right away. I LURVE cauliflower.  It is the ultimate health food for me. High in Vitamin C, Vitamin K, B5, Folate, B6, dietary fiber, protein, phosphorus, niacin, riboflavin, and more! I don't even know what half of those things are good for but I do know they are good for me! And it is low in calories and, most importantly, filling!  Therefore, when I am making a conscious effort to eat healthy, I am not starving and don't want to rip someone's (most likely, my own) head off.

Cauliflower is paired with earthy chickpeas, seasoned with curry powder and simmered in diced tomatoes, lite coconut milk.  Well, the recipe calls for regular coconut milk, but why ruin a good thing with 80,000 calories and 60 grams of fat?.  There is supposed to be cilantro in this recipe as well, but I think cilantro is the devil, so I omitted it. I kept it in the recipe, though, just in case you make like it.

I can't tell you how many times I have made this dish since the day I first tried this.  It may be one of my favorite go-to dishes now, and the best part is, it is so easy to make! It is about 10 minutes of active time. 

Healthy and quick and delicious? Filled with tons of vitamins that I know nothing about but I do know they are good for me? I'm in! 

Curried Cauliflower and chickpea stew - adapted from may 2009 bon appetit

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 1/2 cups chopped onions

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons curry powder

6 cups small cauliflower florets (from 1 medium head)

2 15 1/2-ounce cans garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained

2 10-ounce cans diced tomatoes with green chiles

1 14-ounce can lite coconut milk

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro 

Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

PREPARATION

• Heat oil in large skillet over high heat. Add onions and sauté until golden brown, about 8 minutes. Add curry powder and stir 20 seconds. Add cauliflower and garbanzo beans; stir 1 minute. diced tomatoes with chiles, then coconut milk; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and boil gently until cauliflower is tender and liquid thickens slightly, stirring occasionally, about 16 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in cilantro; serve. 

Jamaican Veggie Patties. Not the Daring Bakers Cheesecake, but Close Enough

Not close enough? Really?  I'm sorry, but it will be late. The Daring Bakers Cheesecake that was due today will be posted on Wednesday and I am super excited about it.  But unfortunately, I went to the supermarket to get cream cheese for the cheesecake yesterday (slacker, I know) and I forgot the cream cheese.  

Sigh.

For now, lets pretend that these Jamaican Veggie Patties are cheesecake, shall we?

Humor me. 

But first...

I just got a new camera - WOOT!

I got the beginners camera - the Nikon D40 with a 18-55 mm lens. So I know it is not the top of the line camera, but it is a huge difference! 

And there is no better dish to honor my new camera with than these Jamaican Veggie Patties.

These veggie patties are a lot like my new camera.  Complex.  Impressive.  Easy to handle.  Better for me (than traditional beef patties).

And oh, so delicious.

Yes, I do love this camera so much that I want to eat it.  Much like these veggie patties.  

The flavors are outstanding.  They are vegan, but even if you are an omnivore, you will love these! Instead of adding butter into the crust, coconut oil is added.  I am so happy to have found an ingredient like coconut oil.  I have never heard of it, but it is a phenomenal substitute for butter or traditional oil.  And don't worry coconut haters, the coconut flavor is not too pronounced. It does, however, add a nuanced flavor to a dish that otherwise would not have been there.  It produced an amazingly flaky crust - and the crust has stayed flaky even three days later.  I had one of these - cold - after the photo shoot and it was AMAZING. As good as the first day! Cold! 

See?  Dynamic. Delicious. Flaky. Just like my camera.

Well, minus the flaky.

Click 101 Cookbooks for the Veggie Patty recipe and make it! Today! 

As a side note, when eating Jamaican food, does anyone sing the song from Cool Runnings? 

Nuff people say you know they can't believe

Jamiaca, we have a bobsled team!

We got de one Darice

And de one Junior 

Yule Brenner and de man Sanka!

The fastest of the fastest of Jamaican Sprinters

Go to Olympics, fight for Jamaica! 

No? Just me? Alright, then.

Creamy Butternut Squash Soup

This is my go-to winter soup.  My boyfriend, Jack, makes a mean winter minestrone soup. Well, I make a mean winter squash soup.  We're going to have a soup-off one day. I'm totally going to win.

I love butternut squash.  Despite what you see posted here on this blog, I often try to eat very healthy.  My favorite snack is a roasted butternut squash drizzled with a touch of olive oil and sprinkled with kosher salt and cinnamon.  It is filling and actually satisfies my sweet tooth!  

I love to curl up on the couch with a bowl of this soup and savor its rich, silky texture.  The best part is, it is very healthy, as butternut squash is high in fiber, vitamin A, beta carotine and Vitamin C. And there is absolutely NO cream in this soup. Just butternut squash, garlic, onions, sage, rosemary, salt, pepper, and olive oil.

I bathe in butternut squash soup.

Winter Squash Soup (adapted from Martha Stewart Living)

Ingredients

2 lb butternut squash, peeled and cut into 2" chunks

2 medium Yukon gold potato, peeled and chopped

1 yellow onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

3 cups low-sodium chicken broth

2 cups water

4 sage leaves

2 stems rosemary

1 bay leaf

2 tbsp unsalted butter

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions

Heat olive oil in a large suacepan over medium heat.  Add garlic and onion and saute until onion is transparent, about five minutes.  Add butternut squash, potato, chicken stock and water. Tie together sage, rosemary, and bay leaf with kitchen twine and add to pot.  Bring to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer for 15 minutes, or until squash and potato are tender.

Remove from heat and process in batches in a food processor or blender until smooth.  Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Serves 4.