Honeyed Pistachio Granola with Apricots

I love granola.  I mean, what's not to love?  Different flavours and textures mingling together to make each mouthful (I mean, really- who has 'just a bite' of granola?) just as perfect as the one preceding it.  Making granola at home is something that I rarely do, but I always enjoy the rare occasion and this time was no exception.  With a minimal ingredient list and minimal hands-on time, this was easy to say the least and made just the perfect amount- 2 cups, after sufficiently sampling.  It also made the apartment smell wonderful.  Like I said- what's not to love about granola?

I will admit, I made this mostly for my father, who loves granola even more than I do.   He also happens to love salt, maybe even as much as I do.  This is the perfect granola to satisfy your salty & sweet craving.  If you would like a less salty version, however, just halve the amount listed and it should be to your liking.

1.5c. oats

1/2 c. raw shelled pistachios

1/2 t. kosher salt

1/4t. cardamon

2 (heaping) T. honey

2 T. butter

1/2 c. dried apricots, quartered

-Put the oven on to heat to 300.

-Combine the oats and pistachios in a bowl. 

-In a small saucepan melt the butter and honey, stirring in the salt and cardamon at the last minute.  Toss this with the oats and pistachios.

-Spread mixture onto a lined baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.

-Let this cool on the sheet for about 30-40 minutes before gently crumbling and embellishing with the apricots.

Enjoy this with yogurt, milk, over ice cream, or as a lovely little snack with tea or coffee.

Tomato, Leek, and Feta Bake

There is something special about using a new dish for the first time.  You might not remember the specific event for a lifetime, but for some, at least, it can make that evening's meal just a little bit more special.  This time, I even went the extra mile and made a new recipe to go with my new dish.  How appropriate, no? Well, maybe I am just an odd duck. Either way, I dare you to bake up some tomatoes, leeks, mushrooms, and feta cheese in any old dish and tell me that it isn't fabulous. 

2c. white onion, chopped
3c. leeks, cut into half moons and sliced
1c. mushrooms, cut in slices or quarters
2 cloves garlic, minced
1.5c. stewed tomatoes, drained of their canning liquid
2T. tomato paste
3-4oz. feta cheese, crumbled
(dried oregano, salt, and pepper to taste)

-First things first, preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
-In a very, very large pan saute the onions and leeks together, and once they begin to colour, add the mushrooms and garlic. 
-When this has cooked through, add the tomatoes, tomato paste, and seasonings.
-Carefully tip this hot mixture into a baking dish (~12x8inches), strew with the snow white feta and bake for 20 minutes*.  
-If you find that the top hasn't browned enough for you in this time, drizzle with some olive oil and put under the broiler.
-This will make about 6-8 luscious mounds of caramelized vegetables that I urge you to drizzle with a touch more olive oil upon serving.

*Alternately, you could prepare everything up to the baking, wrap, chill and bake later.  However, if you do this in a ceramic dish, please let it come to room temperature as the sudden temperature change from the chilly icebox to the hot oven could cause cracking or breaking in the dish.

Chickpea mash with garlic and anchovies

I am honestly not sure where the inspiration for this came from, but it certainly turned out well.  I took the basic flavours that are in a caesar dressing and instead of tossing it with romaine lettuce, I combined it with pureed chickpeas.   

Originally, I served this with a piece of fish, as the starch option, but I can't help but to think of how tasty it would be to just make a traditional caesar salad and add the whole chickpeas to it.....I'll get back to you on that.

1t. lemon juice
1/2t. worcester sauce
1 clove garlic
3/4t. anchovy paste
1T. greek yogurt
1t. olive oil
1/4t. dry mustard
1/2oz. parmesan cheese
3/4c. chickpeas
4-6T. water or canning liquid

- Toss everything into a food processor and process until you get a mostly but not completely smooth texture.  (Add more water if it needs further thinning.)
-Enjoy with just about anything, adding an extra drizzle of olive oil and a healthy cracking of fresh black pepper upon serving.

Capery Fish Salad

Adding to my ever-growing repertoire of fish dishes, I have made what is simply called 'fish salad'.  No canned fish and mayonnaise concoction here, but rather a more fresh and at the same time brine-y salad using fresh fish and fresh greens. This is a vinaigrette based salad that is flavourful, light, and speedy to whip up.

1 (3oz.) fillet of firm white fish

1-2T. white wine vinegar

1-2T. minced shallot

1tsp. extra virgin olive oil

2t. capers

1/4t. dried dill

dash dried tarragon

2c. salad greens

(salt to taste)

-Combine the shallot and vinegar in a small ramekin and let marinate while you prepare the fish.

-Salt the fish on both sides and sear in a hot pan on both sides.  Place in a foil packet and set aside where the fish will continue to cook from the residual heat that it will hold from the pan.

-Drain the vinegar into a bowl, adding the olive oil to this.  Toss the greens in this simple vinaigrette.

-In the same bowl (why wash two bowls?) combine the drained shallots, capers, salt, dried dill and tarragon.  Get the fish out of it's packet and flake it into this bowl and toss to combine.

-Mound the fish onto the greens and serve.

If you are not partial to such a salty vinaigrette, combining 1T. fresh citrus juice (clementine, in my most recent history), 1 minced Serrano pepper, 1t. walnut oil, and salt.  The longer you let the pepper soak in the vinaigrette, the more mild it will become.



Potato Soup with Quick Rye Scones

While this was a meal intended to celebrate (a belated) St. Patrick's Day, really the only thing that made the meal even remotely Irish was the use of potatoes and a couple of bottles of Guinness.  No matter though, as the meal was still outstanding. 

I simply cannot help myself when it comes to kitchy and tacky things and so when it comes to the holidays, I feel it is my place in life to be the one among friends and family to prepare the cliche meal that is befitting. 

For the soup:

1.5c. onion, chopped

3c. potatoes, chopped

3.5c. chicken stock

(salt & pepper to taste)

dried dill, to serve

-Saute the onion in a soup pot (~2 litre pot) and when coloured, add the potatoes, chicken stock, and a bit of salt.  Simmer this until the potatoes are cooked, 10-20 minutes, depending on their size.

-Carefully, puree using a food mill or blender, and, if you're so inclined, put through a sieve to get out any lumps.

-Put this back on the stove to heat through, thinning with more chicken stock or water if needed.

Meanwhile........

For the Scones:

136g. (3/4c.) each of rye and AP flour

1t. baking soda

1c. buttermilk or milk

1/2t. caraway seeds

-Combine all in a bowl, form into 4 mounds on a lined or greased sheet pan, and bake 400 for 15-20 min.

Serve with good butter, English, Irish, or otherwise.  This served only the two of us, but it could easily serve 3.  Also, if you prefer the milder leek here rather than onions for the soup, feel free to make that substitution as I think it would be quite nice.

Coconut Crab Cakes with Avocado Salad

I can't lie.....there is a mischievous child inside of me that really wants to call these 'Krabby Patties'.  I shall restrain myself, however.  What a delight to make and eat these!

  It is a simple process yielding a light yet filling meal that would be perfect for a lunch at home or a dinner for one.  I love the delicate sweetness of crab in combination with the spice of chilies and putting a bit of avocado in with the salad balanced the spice perfectly acting as a sort of coolant when the burn of the chilies struck.

1 can of lump crab meat, preferably organic, drained

1 serrano chili, minced

1t. rice vinegar

1.5T.AP flour

1.5T. desiccated coconut, (unsweetened)

1T. chopped fresh coriander

(salt to taste)

.............

1t. rice vinegar

1/2 t. lime juice

1t. walnut oil

1t. shallot, chopped

1/2 an avocado, cubed or scooped

2c. greens

(salt to taste)

-Pick through the crab meat to ensure that there are no bits of shell, and combine everything above the dotted line in a bowl; cover and let set in the  icebox for about an hour.

-Meanwhile, combine the vinegar, lime juice, oil, and shallot in a small jar and shake to combine.

-Form the crab mixture into three little cakes, being a bit more rough with them than you would think, and saute for about a minute on each side, or until golden and crisped.  Keep in mind that the crab is already cooked, so in sauteing, you are just searing the outside and ensuring that the interior is warmed through..

-Scoop or dice the avocado, toss with the greens and vinaigrette and serve along side the three little crab cakes.

-These can be kept warm in a moderate oven, in a foil packet for up to 20 minutes if need be.

-Also, these can be frozen and cooked straight from the freezer, but please make sure that the crab was not previously frozen.

Coconut & Chickpea Curry

If you can believe, this started out as a sort of 'throw together everything I have' sort of a meal....at around midnight-thirty one night.  I rummaged through my cupboards and found that all I had was a splash of coconut milk, chickpeas, and, among other random things, red curry paste.  Naturally, when I set out to make this again, I embellished the simple recipe to be more agreeable to the masses, but nothing fussy.  Just cooked a bit of bulgur in a pot, chopped some fresh coriander, and toasted some almonds (a rather last minute addition, this one). 

Meals like this are so satisfying for me to make (and eat, of course).  I love bubbling, simmering pans on the stove while I do a bit of chopping or strewing of herbs.  It's like my own little symphony made not of musical instruments, but rather the flavours and aromas of promising saveur.



2 cloves, whole

half a cinnamon stick

2 cardamon pods, bruised

1/2t. turmeric

1c. buglur wheat

1/2c. white onion, chopped

2c. water

1c. coconut milk

3c. chickpeas, dried/cooked or canned

2t. red curry paste (more or less, for your preference)

-Gently saute the onion until it begins to colour, just slightly.  Toss in the spices and bulgur and toast until you begin to smell the spices.  Add the water, cover, and let cook on a low flame for 20-25 minutes.

-Meanwhile, combine the chickpeas, coconut milk, and red curry paste in a pot and simmer until the bulgur is finished.

-If you want, toast some slivered or slice almonds in a dry pan and chop some fresh coriander to garnish with.

*If you are starting with dried chickpeas, soak them for 4-8 hours, at your convenience, drain, and simmer 20-60 minutes.  I use split chickpeas and they only take 20-25 minutes to cook.  Then, drain them again, and simmer them in the coconut milk (or use in any other recipe).

Moussaka

There are certainly several recipes in the world for Moussaka, and as far as I am concerned, there is no wrong way to make Moussaka.  The first time I had this dish, it was prepared lovingly by a dear friend's mother in eastern Europe on a cold evening.  There were layers of potato, minced meat, and eggplant married together with a thick layer of a yogurt-y custard.  This is not that Moussaka.  Sorry to disappoint, but when I saw this recipe, in a Greek cookbook, I was immediately intrigued.  Here was a completely different dish, save for the use of eggplant and my addition of yogurt, but the two were called by the same name. 

It turns out that Moussaka is much like curry in the sense that there is no wrong/right way to make it.  It is more or less a mixture of vegetables and perhaps meat cooked/served with some element of dairy ontop.  It also usually has eggplant as one of the main ingredients. 

My recipe (adapted from the recipe I found in the book, of course) calls to roast the vegetables before layering them into the dish to bake.  It is sort of a 'wet' moussaka, but if you would prefer for yours to be less 'saucy', shall we say, I would recommend roasting the vegetables longer and adding more salt, at this phase.  Also, make sure that the tomatoes are very well drained before layering for the final bake.

2 aubergines

4 zucchini

2 bell peppers, colours of your preference

1 can of diced tomatoes

olive oil

1t. dried oregano

salt and pepper

Greek yogurt, for serving

-Begin by slicing all of the vegetables into .5inch rounds and lay them out on two roasting sheets. 

-Drizzle them with oil and season with salt and turn to coat, making sure that there is only one layer of vegetables on each pan. 

-Roast in a 400 oven until the vegetables have lost enough moisture, anywhere from 20-35 minutes.

-Drain the tomatoes and stir in the oregano.

-Spray a casserole (6x13 inch or there abouts) with oil and begin to layer: first the aubergines, tomatoes, then zucchini and peppers; repeat. 

-Drizzle the final layer with a bit of oil and bake in a 350 oven for 20-30 minutes, until it is piping hot.

I got what would normally be 6 servings out of this, but that night it was the main course and was completely devoured by only two people within an hour of being out of the oven.  I served it with Greek yogurt, just to add  a different texture and temperature.  I also heated some pita but if you would prefer a starch, such as rice or bulgur, be my guest. 

For the last side note, I normally use the 'fire roasted' canned tomatoes because I am of the opinion that they have a better flavour.  Obviously, use which ever you feel like, even using fresh tomatoes (either roasting with the other vegetables or sauteing with some olive oil and garlic and onions).  It is Moussaka; make this dish your own, as I and so many others before me have done.

Happy eating.

Kale Crisps

When I first heard of Kale Crisps, about a year ago, I was, naturally, intrigued.  I had never experimented with dark greens at that point in my life, let alone eaten them so it took me a while to get myself to try them, but when I finally did, there was no turning back.  They have the texture of a super thin potato chip minus the oily finger tips. I also love that I can add any flavours that I am craving at the time.  They make a perfect afternoon snack (made even more perfect with a glass of cold beer) or even as a side dish to go with a sandwich or wrap.  I think the best part of these, is the amount of ease it takes to make them.  Just tear the leaves from the stem, add some seasonings, and leave in a hot oven until crisp.  While I don't believe in 'guilty' pleasures, I do believe in eating good food, and this fits the bill perfectly.

There isn't much of an ingredient list here, save for the kale.  I use curly leaf kale when I make this, as I like that the curled leaves hold on to the seasonings really well.  As I said before, tear the leaves away from the stems (tossing the stems unless you know of something else fabulous to do with them) and lay them on a cookie sheet that has been lined with either a SilPat or a sheet of foil.  Drizzle or spray with oil and season as simply or as boldly as you prefer.  Leave this in a 420 oven for 8-10 minutes (depending on size) and repeat until you have made enough to satisfy yourself.

Some of the flavourings that I prefer are:

salt

nutritional yeast

dried oregano

chili powder

garlic salt/powder

chili flakes

cayenne pepper

lemon pepper

cumin

curry powder

Obviously, there are plenty more flavours to use on these, but these are what I always have out and always seem to please my palate.  Sometimes I only use two or three and sometimes I use up to five or six different seasonings.  The only thing that I would caution you on is the amount of salt that you use.  I would use slightly less than you think is necessary before baking and taste after they come out of the oven, just to prevent on over salting.

Happy eating!

Tomato & Pea Curry (Pt. III)

For the last bit of curry left, the only thing that I could think of to do with it so as not to make for a boring left-over meal was to use it in a risotto.  I happen to be rather a big fan of risottos, keeping the necessities on hand so that I always have a back up meal.  Once you have the method down, it is such a wonderful thing to have at your disposal, as proved by this, Tomato & Pea Risotto with Portobello mushrooms.  Really the only thing Italian about this dish is the arborio rice, and perhaps the mushroom; however, the curry flavour is so mild that one's pallet won't be confused by it.  I thought to add fresh coriander to the finished product for a bit of green and also that wonderful fresh flavour that coriander is just full of.

(This will make enough for two, or one very hungry/greedy person- not that there is anything wrong with that.)

2/3c. arboio rice

1c. (left over) curry

2c. chicken stock (or other liquid)

2 portobello mushroom caps, sliced

Fresh coriander

-Combine the curry mixture and the chicken stock in a pan and heat through.

-In a separate pan, pour in a spot of oil and the rice and heat through. 

-Continue with the traditional risotto method of gradually adding the liquid (warmed curry & stock) and stirring a bit after each adition.  This should take 30 minutes, give or take a few.

-In yet another pan, (I know!) saute the mushroom caps and add a dash of sherry or sherry vinegar at the end if you have some to hand.

-Stir the cooked mushrooms through the finished risotto, remembering to season, and serve with the fresh coriander.

Thus, I am finished with the Tomato & Pea Curry series!  I hope you enjoyed it!

Tomato & Pea Curry (Pt. II)

When looking at the curry from more of a side dish/sauce perspective, I thought that it would be lovely with a piece of seared white fish.  I used Mahi Mahi only because I had it on hand but any other fillet of white fish would be fine here.

1 (3oz.) fillet of white fish

garam masala

ginger

salt

1c. (leftover or fresh) Tomato & Pea Curry

fresh coriander

-Put a small non-stick skillet on to preheat.  In the meantime, sprinkle the spices and salt over both sides of the fish.  Drizzle or spray a bit of oil in the pan and sear the fish for 2-3 minutes per side.

-Heat the curry in a small sauce pan while the fish is cooking.

- Serve the seared fish in a puddle of the warmed curry sauce and sprinkle with the fresh coriander.

If this seems a bit light for you, then couscous or warmed pita would also be nice here, as neither take much time at all to prepare.