The foodish adventures of a Personal Chef and Caledonophile living on the Gulf Coast of Florida.
Monday, March 30, 2020
Five Isolation Recipes
Spaghetti Squash Tots
That's right "tater" tots made from spaghetti squash! As a side or a vegetarian main dish these are sooo simple and soooo tasty, you'll make them again and again.
1 Medium-Large Spaghetti Squash
1 Egg, beaten
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1 cup Breadcrumbs -- Panko would be best, but regular crumbs are just fine
1 Tbsp Seasoning of choice
That's it!
Well ahead of time, halve and cook the squash -- microwave or oven -- until forkable. Let the squash cool completely (no sense in burning your hands). Use a fork to rake the flesh out onto tea towels or paper towels and let it air-dry for an hour or so. Then chop the stringy flesh some so you get short strands not long strings.
You need 1-1/2 cups (packed) of the flesh, or you'll have to scale the recipe a bit to compensate.
Pre-heat the oven to 400F. Meanwhile...
Stir everything together in a large bowl, and give it a couple minutes to rest. Then scoop up a couple tablespoons of the mixture and mash it in your hand as you shape it into a sort of smooth "tot" or "nugget" shape.
Lay the tots out on a lined baking sheet or roasting rack like the one I have. Dust with a little more seasoning (I used Evergladestm). Bake for 20-30 minutes until nice and brown, turning if/as needed.
Serve with a dipping sauce or two (even ketchup, if you must).
My Rye
Just before the Isolation, we went out to Sanibel island for a Ding Darling bird spotting drive and picnic. While there we stopped at Bailey's Market, an Island institution for something like 100 years, and picked up some eggs and bread. I got Sally a nice multigrain bread, and myself a loaf of Marble Rye. I'd forgotten how good rye bread is! Now that we're isolated, I thought I'd try to make my own. I happened to have 1-1/2 cups of rye flour tucked in the back of a cupboard, and that turns out to be just enough to make a loaf!
1-1/2 cups Rye Flour
2 cups AP or bread Flour plus more for bench flour and kneading
2 pkts Quick Rise Yeast
1/2 cup plain Icelandic Skyr Yogurt
1Tbsp + 1 tsp Caraway seeds
1-1/2 tsp Salt
3/4 cup warm Water + 1/4 cup Sauerkraut or Dill pickle juice (I had kraut juice)
Sauerkraut or Pickle juice? Yep. The acid helps keep the bread from becoming overly gummy and gives it a slight sourdough-like 'tang'. Don't leave it out. No one likes gummy bread. Gummy bears, sure; but not gummy bread!
Mix everything together and let it rest 20 minutes to hydrate the flours. Flour your bench and flatten the dough out. Put the yogurt in the center, fold the dough over it, and start kneading to combine.
The dough is very sticky now, so add, a little at a time, as much as 1/2 cup more AP flour -- kneading all the while, until you get a not-too-sticky dough that is as smooth as can be considering you've got seeds in there. Kneading develops the gluten to make a good bread. Total knead time maybe 15 minutes. Work out your Isolation frustration on that dough!
Oil/grease a large glass bowl. Fold and "thumb pull" the dough until you get a nice ball, then plop the ball into the bowl and cover with a towel. Set it dough in a warm place for an hour or 1:15. Rye doesn't have as much gluten as wheat, so it may not double in size.
Pre-heat oven to 400F. Add an empty steam pan -- not metal -- a couple inches deep, to preheat on the lower rack.
Transfer to a lined loaf pan. Slash the loaf top two or three times. Place the loaf in the oven, slosh a couple cups of water into the hot steam pan, and quickly close the door to confine the steam.
Bake for 30 minutes, then temperature check. You want an internal temp of 205-210F before you pull the loaf and set the pan on a cooling rack.
Oh man! Slathered with butter, hot from the oven -- this is GREAT!
Corn Chowder
Our Produce Co-op this week restricted us to buying just pre-packaged boxes of veggies and fruits. This week's box had 4 ears of sweetcorn, and Sally suggested making a corn chowder. I found this on our WW app. Don't have Liquid Smoke? Fry up a couple strips of bacon and crumble them into the mix.
4 ears of Corn, kernals sliced off the cobs
2 medium Yukon or Red Potatoes, cubed
1 small Red Pepper, Diced
1/2 cup Celery
1 Medium Onion, diced
2 cups Whole Milk or Half & Half
1 tsp Liquid Smoke
1/2 tsp White Pepper
Hot Sauce to taste (not much)
Par cook the potatoes -- either boil the cubes or nuke in the microwave until just forkable. In your soup pot, saute the onion, celery and pepper until just soft. Add the other ingredients and simmer for about 15 minutes to marry the flavors.
Southwestern Rissoles
I had two cups of leftover cooked black beans, and sweet potatoes taking up space in the fridge. Saw this recipe and just had to try it -- seems like a good use of resources! Makes six rissoles of 3/4 cup each.
2 cups cooked Black Beans
1/2 cup diced Onion -- sweet or red
1.5 lbs Sweet Potatoes, peeled, cooked and mashed
3/4 cup Bob's Red Milltm Scottish Oatmeal, or ground Rolled Oats, not oat flour
Southwestern Spices to taste: cumin, chili powders, taco seasoning, black pepper, cilantro if you like it, etc.
Toppings of your choice -- sliced tomato, avocado, cheese, salsa, etc.
Mash together the onion, sweet potatoes, and beans with the spices. Chill (it helps to make the patties stick together). Pan-fry the rissoles 5-7 minutes per side until crisp outside...
Asparagus Tart
We love asparagus, and last week's Produce box had a great bundle of pencil thin stems -- just what I like for making a savory dinner tart. Made the crust too. Here we go:
Tart Crust
The "trick" to this crust is to keep everything cold!
Butter, flour salt and water. Pretty simple.
1-1/2 cups AP Flour
8 Tbsp <cold> Butter or Oliviotm
1/4 tsp Salt
4 Tbsp Ice Water
Pulse the flour, cold butter and salt in the food processor. Add the ice water and pulse a few times more -- just until the dough starts to come together. Drop on a floured surface and knead a couple times to form it into a disk about 1-1/2" thick.
Wrap and put in the freezer for about 15 minutes while the oven comes up to 425F.
Roll the chilled dough out about 1/8" thin, between pieces of wax paper. Drape it over your 10"-12" tart pan, press into the pan. Dock it all over with a fork, and bake for about 15 minutes, until the crust starts to brown just a bit. A firm crust won't be soggy when served. Cool the crust in fridge while you prep the fillings.
Fillings
Caramelized Onion -- one medium sweet or red onion, sliced thin and cooked slowly to color and sweeten.
Asparagus -- trim into pieces about 1" long before par-cooking. I nuke mine in the microwave for about 4 minutes, otherwise it will be stringy and tough in the tart.
Cheese -- I grated about a cup of sharp white cheddar. Added a dash of jar Parmesan too.
Bake the tart about 20 minutes until the cheese is all melted and starting to brown.
Serve with a side salad for an elegant Isolation Supper.
Monday, March 23, 2020
Papo Secos, Sauteed Radishes and Mushroom Pie, Salmon, Eggplant
Apologies for the SNAFU in text sizes and spacing... Blogger is acting up once again. Also mea culpa for the blurry photos. I have since cleaned the lens!!
2-1/2 cup AP Flour
1/2 packet of Yeast
pinch Salt
1 tsp Sugar
1-1/2 Tbsp Butter
1/2 tsp Shortening
1 cup Water, divided
Additional flour for dusting
Dissolve the yeast in 1/2 cup of lukewarm water and the sugar. Rest 5 minutes. Add 1 cup of flour and mix well. Cover and put in a warm place to rise for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
Stir in the remaining ingredients and mix together. Drop on a floured bench and knead until the dough is smooth and homogenous. Cover and rise for a second hour.
Divide the dough into 5 or 6 pieces and roll/tuck them into smooth, slightly oval buns. Give each bun a slooooowww karate chop -- a crease down the center line. Don't break the 'skin' of the dough! Turn the crease side down, and proof a 3rd time! for about 45 minutes.
Turn the buns over again, so the creases are up, dust lightly with flour, and finally bake them in a 475F oven for about 15 minutes until light golden brown. Serve hot if you can, or store them in a plastic bag for later...
Not too bad for a first try, I guess. I over baked mine a bit, so they were nice and hard outside (!) with a soft and tasty inside. A lot of time consuming fiddly work with all those rises! I'll not make a half-batch again!!
Mushroom & Onion Pie
We saw a British TV program a week or so back where the narrator made a classic English Steak & Kidney Pie. Neither of us has ever really cared for kidneys, and being Pescatarians, that leaves out the beef. So here's my "vegetarian" Steak & Kidney Pie -- minus steak and kidneys! I know... I know... vegetables inside the pie are not 'traditional -- too bad! Try this recipe and you won't miss either the steak or the kidneys!
16 oz whole White Mushrooms (or Crimini, or a mixture)
2 Tbsp Butter
1 large Red Onion, diced
1 cup frozen Green Peas & Carrots
1/4 cup Red Wine
1 Tbsp Worchestershire Sauce
Salt & Pepper to taste, or, if you can find it, Evergladestm Seasoning
8 tsp Bistotm Granules or powder to make the gravy
2 Deep Dish Pie Crusts, pre-made in tins (or make your own crust)
Preheat the oven to 375F. Thaw both crusts while you're prepping the filling.
Saute the mushrooms in the butter with the wine and Worchestershire sauce. Remove to a bowl.
Saute the onion, then add the peas and carrots, and cook until the carrots are thawed. Remove to the bowl with the mushrooms and fold them together.
Add 1-1/2 cups boiling water to the Bisto and stir to make the gravy. Add the gravy to the filling mixture. Cool until the oven comes to temp.
Fill one of the crusts, and then moisten the exposed edge with a bit of water. Gently remove the second crust from its tin and drape over the filled crust. Press the edges of crust together and trim off the excess dough. Cut 3-4 1" slits in the top.
Place topped pie on a baking sheet, and bake for 30-45 minutes until the top is golden. Rest a few minutes before slicing and serving.
Simple Salmon
Real wild-caught Salmon. Real coarse Dijon Mustard. Real Honey. What can I say?
Eggplant Boats
I haven't showed this for quite some time.
Half the eggplant lengthwise, and scoop out the center leaving about 1/4" of meat all around the shell. Reserve the shells while you make the stuffing.
In a skillet, saute the chopped eggplant meat, in a splash of EVOO. Dice some celery, onion and bell pepper and add that to the skillet. Add a splash of water as you continue to cook, and add spices of your choice (I like Cavender's, Old Bay, Everglades and Taco seasoning depending on my mood).
When things are cooked through, add a handful of Panko or other breadcrumbs to tighten up the stuffing (it exudes a lot of liquid during cooking). Fill the eggplant shells to overflowing, pack it down, and then top with cheeses of your choice. Bake for 20-30 minutes at 375F until the cheese melts. One eggplant serves two people.
You can also just peel the whole eggplant and make the "stuffing" as a side dish to a multi-course dinner.
NEXT WEEK -- Gourmet Food Shortage Recipes for Isolation Living
Sauteed Radishes
We were gifted with two nice large bunches, and I haven't sautéed radishes in a loong time! Most Americans just slice them and mix them into a salad. This technique takes radishes of all kinds -- Red, French Breakfast or Japanese Daikon -- to a whole new and tasty level! Saute-ing takes a bit of the heat out, if yours are particularly fiery.
All you need is butter and radishes (I prefer quartered rather than sliced), a little salt & pepper, and a skillet.
Cook the roots until they start to color just a bit.
Emeril has a recipe where you saute the tops along with the roots. Think of other spices you might add to your next batch!
Papo Secos
These Portuguese Rolls or Buns are perfect for sandwiches or alongside soups. We can buy them at a European-American Bakery here in town, or have them in sandwiches which they prepare. But with time on our hands just now I decided to try and make some. This is a half-batch recipe.
2-1/2 cup AP Flour
1/2 packet of Yeast
pinch Salt
1 tsp Sugar
1-1/2 Tbsp Butter
1/2 tsp Shortening
1 cup Water, divided
Additional flour for dusting
Dissolve the yeast in 1/2 cup of lukewarm water and the sugar. Rest 5 minutes. Add 1 cup of flour and mix well. Cover and put in a warm place to rise for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
Stir in the remaining ingredients and mix together. Drop on a floured bench and knead until the dough is smooth and homogenous. Cover and rise for a second hour.
Divide the dough into 5 or 6 pieces and roll/tuck them into smooth, slightly oval buns. Give each bun a slooooowww karate chop -- a crease down the center line. Don't break the 'skin' of the dough! Turn the crease side down, and proof a 3rd time! for about 45 minutes.
Turn the buns over again, so the creases are up, dust lightly with flour, and finally bake them in a 475F oven for about 15 minutes until light golden brown. Serve hot if you can, or store them in a plastic bag for later...
Mushroom & Onion Pie
We saw a British TV program a week or so back where the narrator made a classic English Steak & Kidney Pie. Neither of us has ever really cared for kidneys, and being Pescatarians, that leaves out the beef. So here's my "vegetarian" Steak & Kidney Pie -- minus steak and kidneys! I know... I know... vegetables inside the pie are not 'traditional -- too bad! Try this recipe and you won't miss either the steak or the kidneys!
16 oz whole White Mushrooms (or Crimini, or a mixture)
2 Tbsp Butter
1 large Red Onion, diced
1 cup frozen Green Peas & Carrots
1/4 cup Red Wine
1 Tbsp Worchestershire Sauce
Salt & Pepper to taste, or, if you can find it, Evergladestm Seasoning
8 tsp Bistotm Granules or powder to make the gravy
2 Deep Dish Pie Crusts, pre-made in tins (or make your own crust)
Preheat the oven to 375F. Thaw both crusts while you're prepping the filling.
Saute the mushrooms in the butter with the wine and Worchestershire sauce. Remove to a bowl.
Saute the onion, then add the peas and carrots, and cook until the carrots are thawed. Remove to the bowl with the mushrooms and fold them together.
Add 1-1/2 cups boiling water to the Bisto and stir to make the gravy. Add the gravy to the filling mixture. Cool until the oven comes to temp.
Place topped pie on a baking sheet, and bake for 30-45 minutes until the top is golden. Rest a few minutes before slicing and serving.
Simple Salmon
Real wild-caught Salmon. Real coarse Dijon Mustard. Real Honey. What can I say?
Eggplant Boats
I haven't showed this for quite some time.
Half the eggplant lengthwise, and scoop out the center leaving about 1/4" of meat all around the shell. Reserve the shells while you make the stuffing.
In a skillet, saute the chopped eggplant meat, in a splash of EVOO. Dice some celery, onion and bell pepper and add that to the skillet. Add a splash of water as you continue to cook, and add spices of your choice (I like Cavender's, Old Bay, Everglades and Taco seasoning depending on my mood).
When things are cooked through, add a handful of Panko or other breadcrumbs to tighten up the stuffing (it exudes a lot of liquid during cooking). Fill the eggplant shells to overflowing, pack it down, and then top with cheeses of your choice. Bake for 20-30 minutes at 375F until the cheese melts. One eggplant serves two people.
You can also just peel the whole eggplant and make the "stuffing" as a side dish to a multi-course dinner.
NEXT WEEK -- Gourmet Food Shortage Recipes for Isolation Living
Monday, March 16, 2020
SW Crustless Quiche, Spaghetti (Squash) Soup, Irish Soda Bread, Stuffed Portabellos
Crustless Quiche
This one is attributed to singer Carrie Underwood. The Mrs. Dash Southwest Chipotle Seasoning is worth the investment, that's for sure. I'll be using it in lots of dishes! This recipe theoretically serves eight!
1 Onion, diced
2 cups chopped Mushrooms
1-1/2 cups chopped Broccoli
1 Bell Pepper, chopped -- any color but I like red
1-2 Tbsp Mrs. Dash Southwest Chipotle Seasoningtm
3 cups fresh Kale (stems removed) or Spinach (a large handful)
5 Eggs, beaten
1 cup shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese
3-4 oz Feta cheese crumbles
2-3 Tbsp Breadcrumbs
Saute the onion until it's going translucent. Then add the mushrooms, bell pepper and broccoli. Dust with 1 Tbsp of Mrs. Dash. Continue cooking for a few minutes until everything is almost tender. Add the kale or spinach and a splash of water, toss well. Cover and let the greens wilt. Remove from heat, taste, adjust seasoning, and cool.
Preheat oven to 350F.
Crack 5 eggs into a large bowl, and beat them silly. Gently stir in the Cheddar and Feta. Spray a baking dish with EVOO or cooking spray, and toss in a couple tablespoons of bread crumbs. Swirl the crumbs around to coat the bottom and sides of the dish. Next time, I will use a 9x13, 8x11 or similar dish, not a deep round dish. That way the quiche is shallower, cooks more evenly, and can be more easily sliced (instead of scooped) into servings.
Fold the cooled vegetables into the egg/cheese mixture and coat well. Pour into the prepared baking dish and pat the top flat. You could add some extra cheese here as a topping... Bake 30-45 minutes or until the eggs are set in the center.
Sorry -- I didn't get a picture of the whole bowl full baked. But this way you see how deep the dish was. A wider and shallower baking dish would definitely be better.
Great taste! Kudos to Carrie! Will be repeating this recipe, certainly!
Spaghetti (Squash) Soup
Another squash I hadn't made into soup before! It's got to be Italian-flavored though...
Here we go:
2 medium Spaghetti Squash
1 diced White Onion
2-3 cloves Garlic, minced
2 medium Zucchini cut into 1/2" rounds
2 diced Tomatoes (I used fresh beefsteaks, you can use canned if you must)
1 cup commercial Pasta Sauce of choice
1-2 Tbsp Italian Seasoning
Oregano, Sage and Marjoram to taste
1/2 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
4 cups water or broth
Optional: Italian sausage rounds or browned bulk, corn, frozen peas, small pasta like ditalini or couscous, croutons.
Halve the squash lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Roast for 30-45 minutes or microwave for 10-12 minutes until the meat is forkable. Cool. Then transfer the meat into your soup pot.
Brown the squash for a couple minutes in a splash of EVOO. Then add the other ingredients in succession, cooking each addition 3-5 minutes to combine the flavors.
Irish Soda Bread
This is a perennial favorite this time of year (or any time actually). Simple and easy to make. And ohhh sooo tasty hot from the oven and slathered with butter!
I made this batch of dough into 2 loaves -- one for a party at Sally's work, the other for us at home.
2-1/2 cups AP Flour
2-1/2 cups Whole Wheat Flour
3 tsp Baking Soda -- otherwise it wouldn't be "soda" bread
1 tsp Salt
2-1/4 cups "Buttermilk" -- don't have buttermilk? Make a good substitute with 2-1/4 cups of regular milk or half & half plus the juice of a lemon.
Stir together the flours, soda and salt. Make a well and start pouring in the buttermilk and mixing it with the flour. When that's all incorporated, turn out onto a floured surface and knead it into a single large loaf, or two smaller loaves. Form the rounded loaves and lay them on a baking sheet. Cut a cross at least 1/2 deep into the top(s) to help with expansion (I didn't make the crosses deep enough this time -- see photo above).
Bake for 35-40 minutes until the nicely browned loaf "taps hollow" on the bottom. Cool on a rack for at least 10 minutes before serving. Believe me, I now how hard that will be!
Perfect accompaniment to your St. Patrick's Day supper!
Mediterranean Stuffed Portabellos
Got a good deal on some portabellos, and Sally has been jonesing for something with spinach. This seemed like a perfect match.
4 whole Portabellos, stemmed (save the stems for omelets or whatever)
1 Red Bell Pepper, diced
1 Egg
2 cloves Garlic, minced
Black Pepper to taste
2 large handfuls Spinach, stemmed
1/4 cup Parmesan
1/4 cup Mozzarella
4 Tbsp Bread Crumbs
Flavored Olive Oil -- used a Roasted Shallot Truffle Olive Oil (yum!) I'd been given
4 Tbsp Pine Nuts
Brush the 'shrooms on both sides with the flavored oil, and bake 10-12 minutes. Meanwhile wilt the rinsed spinach in the microwave in a bowl.
Remover and drain the 'shrooms. Remove and drain the spinach, chop it and squeeze some of the water out of it.
Spread the mixture equally on the 'shrooms (about 1/3 cup each), and top with the mozzarella.
Return to the oven and bake another 10 minutes or so, until the cheese is nice and melted.
Serve with a side such as quinoa, rice or bulgar wheat.
Monday, March 9, 2020
SP Bisque, Par-rot Gratin, Loquat Marmalade, Upscale Bubble & Squeak
Sweet Potato Bisque
Not overly sweet or tasting of Thanksgiving this velvety soup is a winner in our book! IMHO showing "in progress" photos of soup isn't worth the time and effort, it's the end result that counts. Like this:
3 large Sweet Potatoes, peeled and diced
1 large Onion, diced
2 cloves Garlic, minced
4-5 cups Veggie Broth or Stock
1 Tbsp fresh minced Ginger
1 Tbsp Thyme
1/2 tsp Nutmeg
1 tsp Cinnamon
1 Orange, zested and juiced
1-1/2 cups Unflavored Plant "Milk" or better yet, plant "cream"
Black Pepper to taste
I par-cooked the sweet potatoes in the microwave -- maybe 10 minutes -- to lessen the overall cooking time.
Saute the onion and garlic until starting to get translucent. Add the par-cooked sweet potatoes, broth, herbs and spices. Cook until the sweet potato is tender. Add the orange juice and zest and stir to combine.
Take the solids for a spin in your food processor until you get a really smooth puree. Work in batches if you need to.
Return the puree to your soup pot, and the "milk" or "cream". Stir to combine and reheat; adjust spices in needed, and serve.
Par-rot Gratin
That's Par-snips and Car-rots in an Onion "Cream" Sauce, topped with cheesy breadcrumbs. With Parmesan and some "cheesy" Nutritional Yeast, for which you can sub more cheese if you choose.
3 large Parsnips, peeled, quartered and chopped
3 large Carrots, peeled, quartered and chopped
1 cup diced Onion
2 cups Almond "Creamer"
1 Tbsp Butter and Flour to make a Roux
1 Tbsp Butter and Flour to make a Roux
2 Tbsp Nutritional Yeast
Salt, Pepper, and other spices to your taste (I used Everglades Seasoning on the par-rots)
1/2 cup Breadcrumbs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
1/2 cup Breadcrumbs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
Rub the par-rots with a tablespoon or so of EVOO, then spice and roast them for about 25 minutes at 425F until fork tender and starting to brown on the edges.
Meanwhile, in a sauce pan, saute the onion in a bit of EVOO or butter until translucent. Add more butter, make a white roux with the flour, and then thin it out with about 2 cups of almond "creamer". Cook a few minutes more until the sauce starts to thicken. As it's cooking, add the nutritional yeast, which will counter the sweetness of the plant "creamer" and give a hint of cheesiness to the sauce.
Combine the breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese, then stir into the mix a couple tablespoons of melted butter. Reserve.
Put the roasted par-rots in a baking dish, pour the onion sauce over, and bake for 15 minutes. Top with the reserved breadcrumb mixture and return to the oven until the topping is golden.
Upscale Bubble & Squeak
Bubble & Squeak is classic British frugal farm fare -- a meal of leftover smashed potatoes and chopped cabbage cooked together, with salt & pepper and a 'knob' of butter. The name of the dish comes from the noises which the ingredients supposedly make while being cooked together in a skillet.
This upscale version comes from Country House Gent -- Kevin Skelley -- a UK videographer, photographer and former news writer who lives aboard a 45 ft narrowboat called Aslan, and documents his journeys around Great Britain's canals in a series called Travels By Narrowboat (Amazon Prime).
What makes this "upscale" is that the ingredients are "fresh cooked", not leftovers; and instead of ordinary chopped cabbage Kevin uses Brussels sprouts, and forms the mash-up of cooked potatoes and Brussels sprouts into cakes before frying them. For ordinary B&S you just toss the potatoes and cabbage in a skillet and smash them together as you fry.
1 lb New Potatoes, boiled or microwaved to fork tender, then quartered
12-15 Brussels Sprouts, trimmed, halved and sliced (about a pound)
3/4 cup chopped Onion
1-2 cloves Garlic, minced
In a splash of EVOO, saute the onion and garlic for a couple minutes. Add the sprouts and continue cooking until they color a bit. Add the potatoes and smash them into the onion mix.
Fold and smash and toss and press everything together. You should get some of the bubble and squeak sound effects at this point. Remove the mass from the skillet and form into 1" thick patties. Oil the skillet again and fry the patties until nice and crisp on each side.
Plate and serve with HP sauce, Worchestershire sauce or Lizano.
Loquat Marmalade
Chinese Loquat or Pipa are a wonderful locally grown tropical fruit. I got a double order from of our Southwest Florida Produce Co-op, which yielded about 12 oz. of pitted fruit.
Loquat pits are large (about 30% of the weight of the fruit, and should not be eaten as they are mildly poisonous with cyanide. Which is why, unlike my other marmalade recipes, I do not keep the seeds in with the fruit when puree-ing.
When you're processing the fruit, you can choose to pinch off the dark tips (but I didn't bother, they just make the color a tad darker when cooked).
With my usual marmalade recipe (same measure of fruit and sugar, microwave 10 minutes), the 12oz. of fruit yielded just over a cup of fabulous marmalade that has a light fruity, slightly tart taste, with overtones of mango and peach flavors. Definitely a winner!
Put the roasted par-rots in a baking dish, pour the onion sauce over, and bake for 15 minutes. Top with the reserved breadcrumb mixture and return to the oven until the topping is golden.
Then plate:
Upscale Bubble & Squeak
Bubble & Squeak is classic British frugal farm fare -- a meal of leftover smashed potatoes and chopped cabbage cooked together, with salt & pepper and a 'knob' of butter. The name of the dish comes from the noises which the ingredients supposedly make while being cooked together in a skillet.
This upscale version comes from Country House Gent -- Kevin Skelley -- a UK videographer, photographer and former news writer who lives aboard a 45 ft narrowboat called Aslan, and documents his journeys around Great Britain's canals in a series called Travels By Narrowboat (Amazon Prime).
What makes this "upscale" is that the ingredients are "fresh cooked", not leftovers; and instead of ordinary chopped cabbage Kevin uses Brussels sprouts, and forms the mash-up of cooked potatoes and Brussels sprouts into cakes before frying them. For ordinary B&S you just toss the potatoes and cabbage in a skillet and smash them together as you fry.
1 lb New Potatoes, boiled or microwaved to fork tender, then quartered
12-15 Brussels Sprouts, trimmed, halved and sliced (about a pound)
3/4 cup chopped Onion
1-2 cloves Garlic, minced
Fold and smash and toss and press everything together. You should get some of the bubble and squeak sound effects at this point. Remove the mass from the skillet and form into 1" thick patties. Oil the skillet again and fry the patties until nice and crisp on each side.
Plate and serve with HP sauce, Worchestershire sauce or Lizano.
Loquat Marmalade
Chinese Loquat or Pipa are a wonderful locally grown tropical fruit. I got a double order from of our Southwest Florida Produce Co-op, which yielded about 12 oz. of pitted fruit.
Loquat pits are large (about 30% of the weight of the fruit, and should not be eaten as they are mildly poisonous with cyanide. Which is why, unlike my other marmalade recipes, I do not keep the seeds in with the fruit when puree-ing.
When you're processing the fruit, you can choose to pinch off the dark tips (but I didn't bother, they just make the color a tad darker when cooked).
With my usual marmalade recipe (same measure of fruit and sugar, microwave 10 minutes), the 12oz. of fruit yielded just over a cup of fabulous marmalade that has a light fruity, slightly tart taste, with overtones of mango and peach flavors. Definitely a winner!
Monday, March 2, 2020
Celeriac "Alfredo" Three Ways, Mushroom-Tomato Ragout, Pollo Verde
Pollo Verde
Just a simple lunch at The Kilted Cook's Kitchen. I made a new batch of Salsa Verde the other day, and I had a chicken breast that it was begging to top.
1 Chicken Breast
Celeriac "Alfredo" Sauce -- Three Ways
It's not really Alfredo of course -- there is no butter or parmesan in this sauce, the essential elements of Alfredo Sauce. This is Forks Over knives again; let's see how good this Imitation Alfredo is.
Celeriac is the root of the celery plant and a tasty root vegetable in its own right. Milder than stalk celery. Not particularly cheap, unless you know someone who is growing celery who will give you roots. My version of the sauce serves 4-6 or more. That does reduce the cost per serving considerably.
1 Celeriac root, peeled and chopped
1 Onion, chopped
4-5 cloves garlic
1/4 cup Pine Nuts
1/2 cup unsweetened Almond or other plant "Milk" (I used Almond Creamer)
2-3 Tbsp Nutritional Yeast
Pinch of Salt & Pepper, to taste
Optional -- 1+ tsp Hungarian Paprika -- really adds depth to the sauce
Steam or microwave the celeriac. Saute the onion in a skillet until translucent and in the last couple minutes add the garlic so it will cook but not burn.
Transfer the cooked root, onion/garlic mix, and everything else except the pasta, broccoli and shrimp to a food processor, and take it for a spin. Add more "milk" and water as necessary for a creamy consistency. This step can be done ahead and stored in the fridge
I ended up adding an additional 2 cups of "creamer" and 2 cups of water to get a smooth sauce of the consistency I like, but your mileage may vary, as they say. If I had had almond "milk" rather than creamer, I probably would not have needed to add so much water. I also more than doubled the original amount of nutritional yeast to help combat the sweetness of even the unsweetened non-dairy "creamer".
This one is a keeper, folks. Works well in every scenario!
1. Shrimp "Alfredo" Pasta for Two
Cook the pasta in more than enough water. In the last half of the cooking process add the broccoli and shrimp. Drain and plate. Re-heat the celeriac sauce and spoon over the pasta. Enjoy!
2. Roasted Asparagus "Alfredo"
1-2 lbs fresh Asparagus -- thinner is better
EVOO
Salt & Pepper or spice blend of your choice.
Celeriac "Alfredo" Sauce
Additinal Cheese if desired
Trim the asparagus butts and lay the stems out on a plate. Drizzle with EVOO and roll the stems around so they get a good coat of oil. Transfer to a baking sheet and roast for 20-30 minutes to desired doneness. Add additional cheese, if desired and return to the oven to melt it.
Meanwhile re-heat the 'leftover' sauce and adjust the consistency if desired. When the 'gras is done, plate it, and ladle "Alfredo" over.
Serve with a nice crusty baguette or whatever else you like.
3. Steamed Cauliflower Alfredo
1 head Cauliflower -- your choice of color
Spice blend of your choice
Celeriac "Alfredo" Sauce
Spritz the cauliflower head with oil, or rub the oil on. Melted butter is even better! Dust the head with your favorite spice, drizzle hot sauce on it, or put dollops of mayo or cream cheese on it. Place in your steamer basket and steam for 15-20 minutes until the core if fork tender.
Put the cooked head stem side down in an appropriate bowl, and with a large knife cut it into wedges.
Serve family style with other veggies, or a protein like chicken breast or pork chops.
Mushroom-Tomato Ragout
A ragout is normally a thick "stew" of meat and various veg; but in this case it's just the veg. Tasty as a topping for toast, a sauce for rice or pasta or a baked potato, or a simple side dish.
What a GREAT recipe! I'll be making this again and again...
8 oz Mushrooms, chopped or thick sliced -- White, Cremini, wild... your choice
2-3 Beefsteak Tomatoes, chopped
1-2 chopped Shallots
1 clove Garlic, minced
1 Tbsp fresh Thyme leaves
Salt & Pepper or other spice to taste
Saute everything together in a splash of EVOO and reduce until virtually all the liquid is gone.
Just a simple lunch at The Kilted Cook's Kitchen. I made a new batch of Salsa Verde the other day, and I had a chicken breast that it was begging to top.
1 Chicken Breast
Badiatm Sazon Tropical Yellow spice blend
2-3 Tbsp handmade Salsa Verde
I rubbed the breast with the spice blend, then browned it on both sides in the skillet. Then I add some water and a cover, finishing the chicken by "pan poaching" it until done. Top with salsa verde and devour!
Celeriac "Alfredo" Sauce -- Three Ways
It's not really Alfredo of course -- there is no butter or parmesan in this sauce, the essential elements of Alfredo Sauce. This is Forks Over knives again; let's see how good this Imitation Alfredo is.
Celeriac is the root of the celery plant and a tasty root vegetable in its own right. Milder than stalk celery. Not particularly cheap, unless you know someone who is growing celery who will give you roots. My version of the sauce serves 4-6 or more. That does reduce the cost per serving considerably.
1 Celeriac root, peeled and chopped
1 Onion, chopped
4-5 cloves garlic
1/4 cup Pine Nuts
1/2 cup unsweetened Almond or other plant "Milk" (I used Almond Creamer)
2-3 Tbsp Nutritional Yeast
Pinch of Salt & Pepper, to taste
Optional -- 1+ tsp Hungarian Paprika -- really adds depth to the sauce
Steam or microwave the celeriac. Saute the onion in a skillet until translucent and in the last couple minutes add the garlic so it will cook but not burn.
Transfer the cooked root, onion/garlic mix, and everything else except the pasta, broccoli and shrimp to a food processor, and take it for a spin. Add more "milk" and water as necessary for a creamy consistency. This step can be done ahead and stored in the fridge
I ended up adding an additional 2 cups of "creamer" and 2 cups of water to get a smooth sauce of the consistency I like, but your mileage may vary, as they say. If I had had almond "milk" rather than creamer, I probably would not have needed to add so much water. I also more than doubled the original amount of nutritional yeast to help combat the sweetness of even the unsweetened non-dairy "creamer".
This one is a keeper, folks. Works well in every scenario!
1. Shrimp "Alfredo" Pasta for Two
6-8 oz Penne or similar Pasta
8 large Shrimp, peeled and deveined
Celeriac "Alfredo" Sauce
Celeriac "Alfredo" Sauce
2. Roasted Asparagus "Alfredo"
1-2 lbs fresh Asparagus -- thinner is better
EVOO
Salt & Pepper or spice blend of your choice.
Celeriac "Alfredo" Sauce
Additinal Cheese if desired
Trim the asparagus butts and lay the stems out on a plate. Drizzle with EVOO and roll the stems around so they get a good coat of oil. Transfer to a baking sheet and roast for 20-30 minutes to desired doneness. Add additional cheese, if desired and return to the oven to melt it.
Meanwhile re-heat the 'leftover' sauce and adjust the consistency if desired. When the 'gras is done, plate it, and ladle "Alfredo" over.
Serve with a nice crusty baguette or whatever else you like.
3. Steamed Cauliflower Alfredo
1 head Cauliflower -- your choice of color
Spice blend of your choice
Celeriac "Alfredo" Sauce
Spritz the cauliflower head with oil, or rub the oil on. Melted butter is even better! Dust the head with your favorite spice, drizzle hot sauce on it, or put dollops of mayo or cream cheese on it. Place in your steamer basket and steam for 15-20 minutes until the core if fork tender.
Put the cooked head stem side down in an appropriate bowl, and with a large knife cut it into wedges.
Serve family style with other veggies, or a protein like chicken breast or pork chops.
Mushroom-Tomato Ragout
A ragout is normally a thick "stew" of meat and various veg; but in this case it's just the veg. Tasty as a topping for toast, a sauce for rice or pasta or a baked potato, or a simple side dish.
What a GREAT recipe! I'll be making this again and again...
8 oz Mushrooms, chopped or thick sliced -- White, Cremini, wild... your choice
2-3 Beefsteak Tomatoes, chopped
1-2 chopped Shallots
1 clove Garlic, minced
1 Tbsp fresh Thyme leaves
Salt & Pepper or other spice to taste
Saute everything together in a splash of EVOO and reduce until virtually all the liquid is gone.
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