Mediterranean Eggplant Stacks April 28, 2008

Has it ever happened to you…  that  when you wish on something hard enough, the answer to your request will come to you automatically.  I am a firm believer in that…

Well, the other day I was feeling so-so, because my fridge was full of little somethings.  To the OCD part of me, that just drives me crazy.  I like order in my universe and that includes a clean, organized fridge.  I had some hummus left, I had eggplants that would start to spoil soon, I had an opened jar of roasted peppers, among others…  so, I sat down to watch my afternoon fix of Food Network and here comes Rachael with this 30-minute recipe for Mediterranean Eggplant Steaks - a vegetarian recipe good enough for meat-eating company…  my kind of recipe!!!

I tried the recipe that same night I learned, in fact, that I missed the olives in the original recipe…  and it turned out great.  I shared it with my neighbors and they were impressed.  They asked me to make this at an upcoming neighborly get-together…  nice, huh?   And if the Israeli neighbor liked it… it must be good, if not authentic.

Try it tonight…

 

 

 

 

MEDITERRANEAN EGGPLANT STACKS

1 medium eggplant, cut into 4 steaks lengthwise, about 1-inch thick
1 (10-ounce) box frozen spinach, defrosted
1 roasted red pepper, chopped
1 or 2 cloves garlic, grated
1 cup of hummus, home-made or store-bought
1 cup whole-wheat or spelt bread crumbs
2 tbs fresh flat-leaf parsley
Extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and Pepper to taste

 

1. Defrost spinach.    Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Heat a non-stick skillet to medium-high with about 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive in it.  Add roasted peppers and garlic to skillet.
3. Squeeze the spinach dry and separate as you add it to the skillet. Season the spinach with salt and pepper and heat through.   Set aside.
4. Brush the eggplant steaks lightly with extra-virgin olive oil and season liberally on both sides with salt and pepper.  
5. In the same skillet you made the spinach and peppers, pan roast the eggplants 3 to 4 minutes for small eggplant, turning occasionally, until the steaks begin to become tender but are not fully cooked.
6. Place the eggplants on baking sheets. Top each steak with a few forkfuls of spinach mixture.
7. 
8. Spread a few rounded spoonfuls of hummus evenly across the steaks on top of the spinach, covering it completely in a thin layer.
9. Toss the bread crumbs with 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil and parsley. Divide the bread crumbs and scatter them over the steaks on top of the hummus.
10. Bake for about 5 minutes or so,  to brown bread crumbs.

 

A note about eggplants:

I learned once from Martha Stewart and a guest on her show, Eleonora Scarpeta, that you should always buy the lightest eggplants you can find.  They should be light for their size - kind of like the opposite you would think, no?  The reason being that the lighter the eggplant, the less seeds it has and therefore the less bitterness it will have.  This fact is particularly important in this recipe where we cut the eggplants and cook it straight.   

Coconut Tembleque April 26, 2008

Tembleque is a Puerto Rican dessert, traditionally made mainly during Xmas time.   However, it can be enjoyed year round.  And it’s a special treat when you can taste it outside of Xmas… very unexpected.

The name “tembleque” comes from the verb “temblar” or “to tremble”.  The dessert is a jiggly/trembly custard made with coconut milk, sugar and set with cornstarch.  I added the word coconut in the name for the benefit of those who are unfamiliar to the tembleque dessert.  But, we do not add the word coconut in front; it would be “redundant”, because tembleques are only made with coconut milk… there are no other versions… yet. (This explanation is giving me ideas…)

We decided to make this because so many people in the Center who are avoiding wheat, spelt and dairy products so dessert options need to get more creative each time.  Plus, this would be a good accompaniment to other true Puerto Rican delicacies such as Arroz con Gandules and Alcapurrias.

It’s easy and super delicious…  check it out.

 

 

 

COCONUT TEMBLEQUE

Makes about 24 servings

 

12 cups of coconut milk

1 ½ cups of brown sugar

6 cinnamon sticks

1 ¼ cup cornstarch, diluted in some reserved coconut milk and ½ cup water

Ground cinnamon, to garnish

 

1. In a large pot, pour about 10 cups of coconut milk, sugar, cinnamon sticks and bring to a simmer.
2. In a small mixing bowl, mix together the remaining coconut milk, the cornstarch and water.  Whisk together well and pour into the simmering coconut milk. 
3. Whisk in the whole coconut milk mixture until it thickens slightly.
4. While it still hot, CAREFULLY (because it can burn you - I speak from experience), divide in individual servings, about  1/3 - ½ cup each.  
5. Garnish with a sprinkle with ground cinnamon on top.
6. Refrigerate for about 2-3 hours.  Serve cold.

Carrot Cupcakes April 24, 2008

It’s Spring, or as we say here in Puerto Rico… Summer’s here!!!!   The heat is blazing already, the humidity is rising and I am in the mood to bake cupcakes.

I learned this recipe from Mr. Alton Brown, one of my culinary teachers from the Food Network.  I love this cupcake recipe because I do not need a mixer.  It’s super easy to make and super reliable.  I always make them to raise funds for the Yoga Center… people can’t get enough of them.  They’re moist, chewy, and taste delicious.  I usually make them without the traditional cream cheese frosting because of all the dairy-free people at the center.  But I will make some with cream cheese frosting and share the recipe with you.

Also, these cupcakes are the 1^st recipe I am making for my “catering/baking” business.  I am looking to understand if my next serious career move should be something regarding my cooking and selling these cupcakes are a start…   The picture is from the dry run I did before I actually go out and sell these to people.  I know I still need to make them larger, so I am playing around with quantities… but for your personal enjoyment, the measures in the recipe work very well.

 

 

 

CARROT CUPCAKES

Adapted from an original recipe from Alton Brown

2 ½  cups, whole-wheat or spelt flour
About 5 medium carrots, grated medium
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp freshly ground nutmeg
½  tsp salt
1 ½ cup brown sugar, firmly packed
4 ½ tsp egg replacer mixed with 6 tbs of water
6 oz plain yogurt
6 oz vegetable oil

½ cup raisins

½ cup chopped walnuts

 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Measure the flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices, and salt in a large mixing bowl and whisk to sift and combine.  Add the carrots to this flour mix and toss until they are well-coated with the flour.
3. In the bowl of the food processor or in a blender, combine the sugar, egg replacer, vegetable oil and yogurt.   Pour this mixture into the carrot mixture and stir until just combined.   Add the raisins and walnuts and stir one last time to combine.
4. Line cupcake pan with cupcake liners and pour about ¼ cup batter measure per cupcake.   Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 45 minutes. Reduce the heat to 325 degrees F and bake for another 20 minutes.
5. Remove the pan from the oven and allow cake to cool 15 minutes in the pan. After 15 minutes, take the cupcakes out of the pan and allow them to cool completely.

Kamut Spaghetti with Simple Tomato Sauce April 22, 2008

I am always on the lookout for simple delicious recipes.  And I am indeed a pasta lover.  Pasta dishes are usually simple, no?  I usually see the TV chefs creating their simple tomato sauces, which in my humble opinion are not that simple…  onions, garlic, celery , carrots.

I’ll be honest, I tried Giada DeLaurentiis recipe once, and I was not impressed by the flavor after the amount of chopping that went on.

I decided to take a stab at creating my very own simple version of tomato sauce.  I used something I am not very likely to have in my pantry, canned tomatoes.  I used a 28oz can of organic San Marzano tomatoes with the can lined with something white to prevent the tin metals to go into the acid tomato juice inside.  But I just have heard soooooo much about these San Marzano tomatoes I just had to give it a try.

I tried this sauce with a new kind of spaghetti I found at a specialty store - Kamut, a different type of grain, apparently available in Egypt since the time of the pharaohs.  I liked it a lot.  I read that Kamut is in the wheat family, very much like spelt, but better tolerated by people with wheat allergies.  I do not have those sensitivities usually, but there are times I want to experiment with other grains and give traditional wheat a rest.

 

 

 

Kamut Spaghetti with Simple Tomato Sauce

28oz can of organic San Marzano tomatoes, whole

2 tbs extra virgin olive oil

3-4 cloves of garlic, sliced

Basil - fresh preferably about 10-12 leaves, but I used dry - about 1 tbs - and worked great

Salt and Pepper to taste

¼ box of organic Kamut Spaghetti - I used DeCecco brand

 

1. In a large pot over medium heat, pour the olive oil and sauté the garlic slices and about 1 tsp of salt for about 2-3 minutes, until the garlic is taking some color.
2. When you open the tomato can, take kitchen shears and cut the tomatoes somewhat.  I have also seen Tyler Florence dumping them onto a bowl and smashing them with your own hands.  It sounds very appealing, but that’s another bowl to wash up.  When I have the kitchen staff Tyler has, I’ll do it his way.
3. Pour the tomatoes in the pot.   Add some more salt and pepper to taste.  Let the tomatoes simmer uncovered for about 15-20 minutes.
4. Check the seasoning.  Add more salt or pepper if needed.  Add the basil - dry or fresh.  Let it wilt a bit for a few minutes.
5. With an immersion blender, blend the tomatoes into a pureed sauce.  The color of the sauce will change, from an intense red to an orangey color.  Don’t be discouraged by that.  The garlicky flavor rocks!!!
6. I just let it simmer about 5 minutes more and turn off the heat.
7. Meanwhile, boil a large pot of water for the pasta.  Salt the water well before adding the pasta.  It takes about 12 minutes to cook al dente.

 

The sauce recipe makes way more sauce than for one serving of pasta… so I transferred most of the sauce to a container and transferred the cooked drained pasta to the pot with the remaining sauce.  Use the amount you deem necessary to dress your noodles.  

I dressed with a dollop of yogurt cheese instead of adding the traditional Parmesan cheese, given I am on a no-cheese-phase in my life right now… believe me, I did not miss the Parmesan and the tangy taste was a sure plus.

Buon Apetito!!!

 

Yogurt Cheese April 21, 2008

I am trying to learn to live with a little less cheese in my life…   My personal trainer used to tell me that that little belly I complain soooooo much about has a name - QUESO!!!! 

Cheese usually has a lot of fat.  I don’t like to buy the low-fat kinds usually because they replace the fat with plenty of chemicals to emulate the mouth-feel.  So I rather eat the real full-fat kind and eat less of the chemicals in the process.  I do like the reduced fat cream cheese though…

But sometimes, too much of a good thing can be not-so-good for you.  There was a time in my life when my doctors eliminated all dairy from my diet.  It was absolute HELL!!!  At the time, I used to drink at least 2 huge mugs of milk with chocolate a day.  Ohhh, I also got caffeine eliminated from my diet too.  Caffeine I can understand better, but Milk, Cheese,  how?!?!?!?

Over the years,  I have learned to have soy milk or rice milk based cheeses.  They are actually very ,very nice.  There are some better brands than others…   I know.  But they tend to be expensive. And I have to take a special trip to the natural food store to get them… not usually available at my neighborhood grocery store.

Some years ago, I learned that for people who tend to be lactose intolerant, yogurt seems to agree with them and it’s a great way to get calcium in your diet.  Something to do with the live active cultures. 

So I decided to make yogurt cheese - all the benefits of yogurt, the consistency of cream cheese.  It’s economical, because I can make it with regular yogurt I can find at my regular grocery store.  And, there’s hardly anything to it…  Too many pluses to count.  Don’t you think? 

I try to use organic plain yogurt.  I always read the label to make sure it has no added gelatin.  Unfortunately, most commercial fruit-flavored yogurts (the Dannons and Yoplait yogurts of the world…) all have added gelatin.  I usually buy Stonyfield Farms or some other organic brand.

 

 

 

YOGURT CHEESE

6oz container of plain low-fat yogurt - I started small, but the next time I’ll make a whole pint

1 tsp kosher salt

 

1. In the same container the yogurt comes in, mix in the salt.
2. Empty the salted yogurt onto a fine mesh strainer lined with a cheese cloth or 2 coffee filters.  I used the unbleached kind.
3. Place a bowl under the strainer to catch all the liquid that will drain.  Cover the yogurt on the strainer with cling wrap or the cover of the bowl you placed underneath and place in the fridge for about 24 hours. 

The whey will drain off and the yogurt left will have the thick consistency of cream cheese.

Use the same way you would use cream cheese or even ricotta cheese - on crackers, toast, in a sauce, on top of pasta… 

Spinach and Asparagus Casserole April 20, 2008

I mentioned I am trying to eat less cheese, right?  So here is one of the recipes I have come up with to feel satisfied without adding cheese to my food.  It’s hard, like getting rid of an addiction.  But with dishes like these, it is getting easier each day…

 

 

SPINACH AND ASPARAGUS CASSEROLE

1 tbs sofrito

½ cube of vegetable bouillon

1 shallot, finely sliced

½ green or cubanelle pepper

½ cup frozen corn

1 ½ cup cooked brown rice

½ container cream of asparagus soup

½ cup buttermilk or sour cream

10 grape tomatoes, quartered

2 cups of fresh baby spinach, washed well and spun dry

1 tbs Extra virgin Olive oil

Salt and Freshly Cracked Black Pepper to taste

1 tbs sliced almonds

 

1. In a medium sauce pan over medium heat, pour the olive oil and add the sofrito.   After a few minutes, add the vegetable broth cube, add the shallot, pepper and corn and sauté. 
2. In a large bowl, mix together the cooked rice, sautéed vegetables, asparagus soup, buttermilk or sour cream, tomatoes, spinach.  Mix together well.  If the mixture is too dry, you can add extra sour cream, olive oil or even a little bit of soy milk to add some moisture.
3. Transfer the mixture to a baking dish and add the almonds on top.
4. Bake in a 350 F degree oven for about 30-45 minutes so all the flavors meld together and the top is golden brown.

Let it rest for 10 minutes before serving.

 

 

This is a great dish to “clean out your fridge”… the ingredients I used were the little things I had left over from other dishes or little things I wanted to use up already.  So feel free to adapt this recipe to the things you want to clean out in your fridge.

 

Eggless Scramble - A Taste of Yellow 2008 April 19, 2008

Barbara at Winos and Foodies is hosting A Taste of Yellow 2008 to celebrate LiveSTRONG Day.  As you may recognize, LiveSTRONG is the organization Lance Armstrong created to raise awareness and funds for the research and eventual cure of cancer.

Barbara is a cancer survivor and when I read her story in her original round-up of A Taste of Yellow 2007, I was inspired and touched, because my family, like many, many families around the world has been struck by cancer too…  my grandma developed a skin cancer tumor in an ankle, my aunt had cancer cells in her bladder and my grandpa passed away from complications from prostate cancer.  Plus, she is a traveler just like me… and learned about her diagnosis right after completing the challenging and spiritual Camino de Santiago.

I am a firm believer that food can be your nourishment as well as your medicine.  I also believe that what we eat over our lifetime determines how healthy we will be overall.  We can stray to savor some goodies here and there, but overall we need to eat as naturally and organically as possible to give our body the best fuel possible.

Soybeans are the only vegetable containing all the essential amino acids needed for human health.  Soy protein has been linked to benefiting and decreasing risks of certain cancers, when consumed in moderation. Also, tofu is a vegetable source of omega-3 fatty acids.  This is why I decided to submit my Eggless Scramble recipe to A Taste of Yellow 2008.

 

 

EGGLESS SCRAMBLE

Scramble:

½ package of firm silken tofu

3 tbs soymilk or buttermilk

1/3 cup water

1 tbs olive oil

Squirt of Dijon mustard

3 tbs cornstarch

½ tbs garlic salt

½ tsp turmeric

A pinch of paprika

 

Filling:

¼ Small onion, chopped small

½ Tomato, chopped small

¼ Green bell pepper, chopped small

 

1. Spray a medium non-stick skillet with canola oil spray and heat over medium-high heat.  If your skillet has a cover, even better.
2. Sautee the filling ingredients of your choice until softened - I was going for a western-style scramble here at the beginning. (You’ll see why the qualifier later on).
3. Blend together all scramble ingredients until smooth.
4. When the skillet is very hot, pour the batter in the center of the skillet, turning it around a few times until the batter reaches the edges evenly.   
5. When it has set somewhat, sprinkle the filling ingredients on top.  Cover the skillet for a few minutes to help the scramble batter cook thoroughly.
6. Check the bottom for doneness and browning.  With a heat-proof spatula, break the tofu mixture to resemble scrambled eggs.  The filling will combine with the scramble.

 Serve hot.  I added my Tomato Relish on top for added veggies and a little zing!!

 

 

TOMATO RELISH

10 grape or cherry tomatoes, chopped small

2-3 sun-dried tomatoes, chopped small

4-5 fresh basil leaves, cut into thin strips

1 garlic clove, finely minced

2-3 tbs extra-virgin olive-oil, or as much needed to almost cover the tomatoes

Salt and freshly cracked Black Pepper

1. Mix everything in a small dish.
2. Let all ingredients macerate together for about 30 minutes, mixing it all occasionally during that time.

 

 

Papaya Juice April 11, 2008

I learned once you should try not to drink any liquids when eating.  In an ideal world, one should wait about 15-20 minutes AFTER having eaten to drink any type of liquid, especially water.  The thing is that when we drink while eating we dilute the stomach’s gastric juices and make it harder for our stomach to do its job.    Drinking while eating might very well be the reason why some of us feel full and bloated after eating, even after eating something light and healthy.

But there is hope for those of us how sometimes find it hard to eat without a drink besides our plate… we could drink fruit juices that contain enzymes and will actually help us digest the food more easily rather than slow our stomach in its tracks… these juices are:

• Apple Juice
• Pinneaple Juice
• Papaya Juice

And the way to ensure we are indeed taking in these enzymes is by making the juices from scratch.  And it’s easier than you might think…

 

PAPAYA JUICE

½ of a medium-sized papaya - peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces

About 3 cups of water

¼ cup brown sugar - more or less depending how sweet your papaya is

 

1. Place the papaya pieces, sugar and water in a blender.  Blend until all is well combined and smooth.  The juice should be light in texture.  If you feel it’s like a fruit puree, feel free to add more water little by little.
2. Pass the juice through a sieve to make sure you get rid of any grittiness in the brown sugar.
3. Refrigerate well.   Drink the juice chilled, within 1-2 days. 

If the juice remains longer than 1-2 days in the fridge, it will still be good, but it could gel on you… just blend again with a bit extra water to thin out again.

Hummus Pastelón April 11, 2008

These days I am trying to eat less cheese…  And it’s difficult because  I truly love cheese.   I believe the tag cloud on the right is a testament to the amount of recipes I make with cheese.  But the thing is that I should not eat as much cheese as I do. 

Ever since I was 21, I was diagnosed with a chronic IBS (Inflammatory Bowel Syndrome) condition.  Most people react to different things… my main culprit is stress.  So when I am stressed and on top of that, eat too many dairy products, things get ugly.  I promise I won’t go into the details.

My condition was partly why I became a vegetarian…  I started noticing that by eating healthier I could manage my condition without the need of traditional chemical medication.  I would focus on eating as naturally as possible and see what effects that would have on my condition…  the results were positive, to say the least.

April was designated IBS Awareness Month… so in an effort to educate my palate to think outside the boundaries of cheese-laden dishes and to raise awareness of IBS, but more in particular, the fact you CAN BE a vegetarian and thru diet manage your IBS condition you’ll see more and more recipes without using  cheese.

 

 

Hummus Pastelón

2 potatoes, washed well and cut into quarters or eights

½ cup of hummus - it can be home-made or store-bought

Juice of ½ a lemon

5-6 grape tomatoes

1 tbs butter or canola margarine

1 tbs olive oil

Garlic salt and Pepper to taste

2 tbs slivered or sliced almonds

 

 

1. In a medium saucepan, boil the potatoes.  I cover the potatoes only half way with salted water.  I find they cook faster this way.
2. While the potatoes are cooking, prepare the hummus filling.  You can use my recipe for hummus here or buy it from the store.   If you’re using the store-bought kind, I like to “revive it” by adding a drizzle of olive oil and the juice of ½ a lemon.  I like the tangy lemony taste in hummus.   Set aside.
3. When the potatoes are done, drain them and return to the same pot.  Drizzle a bit of olive oil, add the butter, buttermilk and mash to desired consistency.  It can be as chunky or as smooth as you prefer it.  Season with a bit of garlic salt and pepper to taste.
4. Now we assemble the pastelón…  in a medium casserole dish spread ½ the mashed potatoes creating the bottom layer of the pastelón.  Spread the hummus layer as evenly as possible.  Place the cut grape tomatoes on a layer on top of the hummus. Add the remaining mashed potato layer and smooth out the top.  Sprinkle the almonds on top.
5. Place in 350 degree F oven for about 20-30 minutes, basically to brown the top a bit and for all the flavors to combine and meld.

 

This dish, with its great flavors and all, turned out  a bit monochromatic for me…  so next time I will make sure and include something that will impart some added color to the hummus filling… stay tuned.

 

Spinach, Tomato and 5 Cheese Rissotto April 8, 2008

I have to confess here…  I do not necessarily enjoy watching Sandra Lee’s cooking at the Food Network, but I do identify a lot with her philosophy of Semi-Homemade.  I love the idea to make everything from scratch, but if there are products that fit my dietary requirements and at the same time can help me along time-wise – hey why not use them?

I’ve had a box of Arborio rice in my pantry for the longest time.  I am fortunate this rice comes vaccum-packed, because if it was not, I am sure it would have spoiled by now.  Why would I leave a perfectly nice box of rice unused in the cupboard for so long???  Because there are pretty nice packaged risottos varieties that allow me to make this wonderful rice dish, without the need to dirty at least 2 pots (one for the stock and another one for the rice) or to stand in front of the stove stirring.  I know I will indeed try it someday; however, that day has not come yet.  

I used to buy the Lipton bag of Creamy Garlic Parmesan Risotto – it was superb.  When the nice parent company started tweaking with the brand and flavors, for some reason the perfect risotto bag disappeared from the supermarket aisle.   I used to have 2 bags of this at hand ALWAYS…

Enter our good ol’ friends at Target – they make the nicest boxed risotto mixes now.  They have risotto mixes with asparagus, with red pepper, with butternut squash.  But my favorite is the 4 cheese blend.  It’s a nice clean canvas for us to embellish with the flavors we’re in the mood for, making this the perfect semi-homemade meal, in my humble opinion.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This time I’ll show you my version using fresh baby spinach and fresh tomatoes… 

 

SPINACH, TOMATOES AND 5 CHEESE RISOTTO

1 box Archer Farms’ 4 Cheese Risotto

2 handfuls of fresh baby spinach leaves, washed and spun dry

15-20 grape or cherry tomatoes, washed and halved

About 2 oz of cream cheese

¼ cup grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese

A tiny bit of garlic salt to taste - optional

 

1. Prepare Risotto mixture according to package directions in a medium heavy bottomed pot.
2. When the risotto is about 10 minutes to be done…  add the cream cheese in little pieces to help it melt in the sauce.  Mix it together well.
3. When the cheese is mostly integrated into the sauce, add the spinach and the tomatoes.    Mix it well so the spinach wilts and the tomatoes integrate into the rice and sauce.
4. Wait a few minutes , by this time, the rice should be done according to the package direction timing.  Turn the stove off.  Add the grated parmesan or pecorino.  Cover the pot and let the rice stand for at least 10 minutes so the sauce thickens a bit.

In my opinion…  if you wait about 30 minutes after the stove is turned off, the rice will be perfectly cooked, the sauce would have thickened and it will be warm enough to be able to eat without burning your tongue and enjoy the flavors of the risotto.

I love to have this with my Cinnamon Baked Plantains or with a simple salad on the side. 

To me this is a very simple dinner I can make in a jiffy, even when I am busy doing other stuff.  Taking something store-bought and adding fresh ingredients to make it your own is my interpretation of the semi-homemade meal. 

I have a full line-up of other flavors we can play with in the future… just wait and see.

 

 

Ode to Vermont Sandwich April 8, 2008

To honor Vermont and their cheeses, I made myself this simple open faced sandwich…  I had read about this sandwich combination a long time ago, but it always stayed on my mind.

 

ODE TO VERMONT SANDWICH

2 slices of sprouted wheat bread

Pear Spread

Extra Sharp Vermont Cheddar Cheese - I used Vintage, but any kind of Vermont cheddar will do

2 slices of veggie bacon

 

1. Toast the bread - I use a toaster over, so I placed the veggie bacon slices right next to the bread to heat up a bit, while saving time and energy
2. Spread the Pear Spread onto the bread slices - go as heavy or light as you’d like
3. Layer the cheese
4. Top with the veggie bacon

 

I know the pictures are not very artistic, but the flavors were excellent - a reminder of Vermont and all their great produce.  Love it!!!

 

The Bounties of Vermont… April 8, 2008

 

I recently visited Vermont for the first time…  The main purpose of my visit was to ski at SugarBush, a lovely ski resort right in the middle of Vermont.  My best friend’s dad has had a slope-side apartment there for the longest time, and it was this year the first time we’ve been able to sync our schedules and go together.

I am not the one to bring gifts or souvenirs back from a trip - but I like to purchase items that are indigenous to the place I am visiting…  so I need to share with you about these true Vermont beauties:

Vermont’s Maple Syrup

Oh goodie…  the variety of maple syrups can be overwhelming sometimes.  I learned about Vermont Fancy, Grade A Amber, Grade A Medium, etc.  I can get at home the Grade As, but I had never seen or tasted Vermont Fancy - so that’s what I bought as a souvenir.  I also bought some maple spread, maple butter and some maple candies.  You’ll be seeing some of these maple jewels in various upcoming posts… I see pancakes in my future… 

Vermont’s Apple Cider

We went past Cold Hollow Cider Mill…  but it is really hard to miss, because their cider bottles are EVERYWHERE!!!  Truth be told… I do not know the difference between apple juice and apple cider, but I LOOOOOVED this apple cider.  It’s like the freshest, sweetest unfiltered apple juice you have ever had.  If you’re ever in that neck of the woods, you need to try their cider.

 

 

Vermont’s Cabot Cheese

 I an a Cabot cheese lover.  What I love about Cabot cheeses is they explicitly mention in their packaging they do not use animal rennet in their manufacturing.  My favorite variety is the Extremely Sharp Hunter’s variety, which is as sharp as you can get here - to me, it’s perfect to eat with strawberries or green grapes.  We were able to go to one of Cabot factory store where we were able to taste test many varieties… and I found the Vintage Variety - aged for 24 months hand-selected by the company’s president… this is even sharper than the Hunter’s kind… it’s AWESOME!!!!  I just wish I could have been able to bring home a larger piece.

Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream

We visited Ben & Jerry’s factory tour one afternoon after skiing.  Even though most Ben & Jerry’s ice creams are not karma-free (because they contain egg yolks in the base recipe), they do offer a variety of organic flavors and fruit sherbets.  The new flavors we tried at the factory were AMAZING!!!!  And if you have a B&J shop nearby, stay tuned to their FREE CONE day coming up on April 29th.

 

It’s all right there on VT Route 100 - Visit and taste all the bounties Vermont has to offer… you can take a stab at skiing too if you’d like, you know…

 

Strawberry Seduction Event Completed April 7, 2008

 

My friend Mike, at Mike’s Table summoned all culinary bloggers to submit our favorite strawberry recipes…  I told you all about it here a few weeks ago.

You know I am a strawberry lover - so much of a lover to even pay $7 for a basket of these delicious red sweet jewels.  I was very excited to see someone loved strawberries even more than I.

Well, Mike completed the Strawberry Seduction round-up yesterday and he already posted the most beautiful collection of strawberry-inpired recipes I’ve seen.  There are recipes from all over the world - from All ober the United States, Australia, Canada, France, Italy, Switzerland, Sweden, Germany, UK, Islas Canarias and of course, Puerto Rico.

 

Here are a few of my favorites:

Strawberry Oatmeal Squares - by my good friend Kathleen and Kathleen’s Vegetarian Kitchen

Strawberry Bruschetta - from Alexandra at Addicted Sweet Tooth

Balsamic Strawberries with Whipped Mascarpone cream - from The Budding Cook

 

As you already know… here were my entries:

Strawberry Kanten

Spinach Strawberry Salad

Strawberry Banana Sherbet

Please visit and check out all the lovely recipes and be inspired to make something with strawberries this week.

Pear Spread April 3, 2008

Pears have been on sale for the longest time every time I visit the grocery store.  So I decided to buy some the other day to make my roasted pears for the French Dinner.  I love these roasted pears, but it was time for some diversity…  so I decided to make butter – Pear Butter.

I am not going to question how the name came to be… especially after my previous post about a punch called a “bull”.  If I were to name this in Spanish it would probably be something like “Compota de Peras” or Pear Compote.  However, I believe the name Pear Spread is truer to the final application.

Here’s how I made it…

 

PEAR SPREAD

2 ripe Bartlet Pears, peeled, cored and cut into 1-inch pieces

½ cup water

2 tbs white balsamic vinegar

2 tbs freshly squeezed lemon juice

 

¾ cup brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla powder

1 cinnamon stick

Pinch of salt

 

1. Combine pears, water, vinegar and lemon juice in a medium heavy saucepan.  Cover and simmer until pears are soft, stirring occasionally, about 20-25 minutes.
2. 
3. Puree the mixture using a hand blender or in a food processor.  If using the food processor, be careful transferring the mixture to the food processor and back into the saucepan again, because the liquid is very hot.
4. 
5. Add the sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and salt to the pureed mixture.  Stir over low heat until the sugar dissolves.
6. Increase the heat to medium and boil gently uncovered until mixture reduces and thickens, about 1 hour.  Stir occasionally to prevent any scorching in the bottom.
7. Discard the cinnamon stick.  Spoon the spread into canning jars if canning.  I do not know how to do that, so I just waited for the mixture to cool down some and transferred to a plastic container and ate it all within a week.

 

Aniette’s Bull April 3, 2008

 Aniette has been my friend for many years now… since high school, now that I think about it.  We might not be in contact very frequently, but when we get together is like time has not passed by.  We have been with each other thru many good and not so good times and I am very grateful and fortunate to call her my friend…  Aniette is the original creator of the Sweet Red Pepper Dip - she was the one who showed me how to make it after a long guessing session trying to decipher what was the dip made off.  Aniette is also fluent in French… ever since high school she was reading full novels in French.  I invited her to our little French-speaking soiree, but she was planning a romantic weekend with her husband, so I could not really coax her into coming to my house to just speak French… no contest there.

But even though she was not here in person, she was with us in spirit… because the signature drink I served up at our French get-together was also inspired by Aniette - I had a version of this “bull” at a get-together we had at Chez Aniette a few months back.  I almost drank the whole pitcher by myself…  I was blown away by how delicious it tasted.

Why call it a “bull”??  I don’t know… Don’t shoot the messenger here, but in Puerto Rico we call a punch, like the kind served at the high school parties you see in the movies, a “bull”, pronounced “bul” - short U and short L.  And a punch bowl is called a “bulera”.  Hey… I don’t make this stuff up.  Besides, this will be a fun anecdote to tell around the “bulera” the next time you’re invited to a party, no??

This is an adaptation of Aniette’s original recipe, because I could not find all the ingredients I wanted for the original version… but the alternate was a hit as well, and so, I still give Aniette full credit.

ANIETTE’S BULL

1 can frozen passion fruit juice concentrate

16oz of guava juice

8oz of grape juice

8 oz of orange juice

1 bottle of Martinelli’s Sparkling Cider - non-alcoholic

1. Allow the frozen concentrate to thaw out a bit in the fridge.
2. Mix all the ingredients in a pitcher.
3. Serve chilled over ice.

Croque Monsieur Sandwich April 2, 2008

I am fascinated by France - their language, their cuisine, their joie de vivre…  I wish we can learn more to enjoy the pleasure French people derive from the simple things in life.

Every since I leartned about Croque Monsieur sandwiches, I’ve been wanting to eat one…  but I knew I had to make it at home because they’re typically a grilled ham and cheese sandwich topped with a cheesy béchamel sauce and more melted gruyere cheese. Hmmmm.  Need I say more?

So here is my karma-free version for all of you…

CROQUE MONSIEUR SANDWICH

2 slices 100% whole wheat country bread

2 slices aged Swiss cheese

2 slices of soy-protein smoked ham - I buy mine frozen at NYC’s Chinatown, but you substitute with any veggie cold-cut of your preference

Dijon mustard

Bechamel Sauce, recipe follows

About ½ cup Shredded gruyere cheese

1. Using a slicing mandolin, slice the ham.  In a small skillet, brown the ham slices a bit.  This will warm them up and cook them a little.  Set aside.
2. Make the béchamel.
3. Toast bread slices.  Assemble sandwiches by spreading some Dijon mustard on the inside of the bread slices.  Place swiss cheese, ham, a bit of the shredded gruyere cheese on one side and top with the remaining slice.
4. Place sandwich in a baking sheet.  Pour a ladleful of the béchamel sauce on top of the sandwich and sprinkle additional shredded gruyere cheese.
5. Broil in oven for about 4-5 minutes until the cheese has melted and turned a bit golden brown.

Béchamel Sauce

I know this is not the traditional way a béchamel is made, but this is easy, it works and it works better for me than the traditional method.  For some reason, I always end up with a flourly taste when I do the traditional version…  OK?

1 cup plain soy milk - make sure it’s not the vanilla kind…

3 tbs cornstarch

Salt and Pepper to taste

A dash of ground nutmeg

About ½ cup gruyere cheese

1. In a medium saucepan, heat most of the soymilk. Leave a little bit of soymilk aside to mix with the cornstarch.  Add the remaining milk/cornstarch to the warmed soymilk and let it boil slowly to thicken.
2. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg.
3. Remove from heat and add gruyere cheese.  Set aside

Comme Çi Comme Ça Salade Niçoise April 2, 2008

To celebrate my French classmates and to practice the French we learn at l’Alliance Française, I decided to host a French dinner  get-together - French food while speaking only in French…  Parlez-vous français, anyone???  Hey, one of my friends even showed up with her books to look up any word she might forget…  she’s hilarious.I decided to try a few adaptations from the cooking book and TV special that inspired me to take-up French again - Barefoot in Paris from Ina Garten.  I decided my menu would be Comme Çi Comme Ça Salade Niçoise and Croque Monsieur sandwiches.

Comme Çi Comme Ça means in English “more or less” or “so so” - this salad is a karma-free version of the original, which typically includes tuna and eggs.  The sandwich is also an adaptation, using a soy-protein smoked ham in place of the traditional real ham.  I must say that none of my guests were vegetarian and they could not believe the deliciousness of the dinner.

I’m telling you… They were both magnifique!!! 

 

COMME ÇI COMME ÇA SALADE NIçOISE

This salad is a composed salad with lots of ingredients.  It might seem like a lot, but if you take it little by little it will not seem as daunting as the ingredients list might suggest.  Please believe me, it’s simple.

1 recipe for French Potato Salad, recipe follows

Roasted button mushrooms, recipe follows

Marinated roasted red bell peppers, recipe follows

Sautéed green beans, recipe follows

1 head of Romaine lettuce

2 handfuls of grape tomatoes

1 large carrot, peeled and sliced thin

½ English cucumber, sliced thin

2 radishes, washed and sliced thin

Handful of olives - niçoise are best, but I also used lemon-stuffed manzanillas

Nicoise Vinnaigrette Dressing, recipe follows

1. Arrange the lettuce, potato salad, sautéed green beans, roasted mushrooms, marinated bell peppers, grape tomatoes, carrot, cucumber, radishes and olives on a large flat platter.

For the French Potato Salad:

10 baby red-skinned potatoes, washed and quartered

4 tbs vegetable stock

3 tbs white wine vinegar

½ tsp Dijon mustard

1 tsp kosher salt

A few grinds of freshly ground pepper

10 tbs extra virgin olive oil

1 stalk of green onion, sliced at an angle

4-5 leaves of basil, julienned

1. Boil the potatoes in a medium pot in salted water.  Cook for about 20 minutes, until they are just cooked through.
2. While the potatoes boil, prepare the dressing in a medium sized bowl that can accommodate the potatoes comfortably.  Whisk together the vegetable stock, vinegar, mustard, salt, pepper.  While whisking, add the olive oil to create an emulsion. 
3. Drain the potatoes well and add to the bowl with the dressing.  Add the chopped green onion and basil.  Toss well to combine.  Cover bowl with a plastic wrap and let all the dressing to be soaked into the potatoes.
4. Set aside until you get ready the rest of the salad ingredients.

Marinated Roasted Peppers

4-5 jarred roasted Piquillo peppers

Splash of extra virgin olive oil

Splash of balsamic vinegar

1 tbs capers

¼ tsp grated garlic

1. Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl and let the peppers marinate while the rest of the salad ingredients are ready.

Sautéed Green beans

½ bag of frozen green beans - I really prefer fresh, but I found non at the market so this is a cool substitute

1 shallot sliced thinly

1 clove of garlic, finely minced or grated

A dash of olive oil

Salt and Pepper to taste

1. Fill a medium saucepan with salted water and bring to a boil.  Pour in the frozen green beans and cook for about 3-4 minutes. 
2. In a medium skillet, heat olive oil and sauté the shallot and the garlic lightly.  Add the drain green beans and sauté with the shallots and garlic.  Season with Salt and Pepper to taste.

Roasted Button Mushrooms

1 pint of white button mushrooms, cleaned with a damp paper towel

Olive oil

Salt and pepper

1. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Cut the mushrooms in half.  Place in a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle salt and pepper to taste.  Toss to coat.
3. Roast in oven (I do this in my toaster oven) for about 20 minutes until mushrooms are cooked and golden brown.

Niçoise Vinaigrette Dressing

1 tbs white wine vinegar

2 cloves of garlic, coarsely chopped

2 tbs fresh lemon juice

3 cherry tomatoes, halved

1 scallion, cut in big pieces

4 olives, pitted

1 tsp capers

A squirt of Dijon mustard

½ tsp salt

½ tsp freshly ground pepper

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

1. Combine all ingredients except oil in a blender.
2. With blender running, slowly add oil until completely incorporated and emulsified.
3. Serve in a dressing pitcher on the side of the salad.

This salad was so delicious, that my friend’s husband could not stop eating it.  This whole platter served only 4 people.  Accompanied by the Croque Monsieur sandwiches and my friend’s Aniette’s Bull… this was a complete meal.

Bon Appétit!!!