SECRET RECIPE CLUB: QUINOA AND SWEET POTATO CAKES

Posted in Secret Recipe Club, Small Dishes, Vegetarian-friendly, Veggies by sallybr

The Secret Recipe Club is a monthly event that pairs food bloggers in secret so that they pick a recipe from their assigned partner, and blog about at the exact same time. My group always posts on the last Monday of the month, but we had a vacation break in December. Having barely survived SRC withdrawal syndrome, here I am to report on the outcome of my virtual stalking of Nicole’s site, Hapa-tite. I was delighted to learn the rationale behind her blog’s name: Hapa is a Hawaiian word that means “half” and is used to describe a person of mixed race with partial roots in the Asian or Pacific Islander heritage. Hawaii is one of our favorite spots on earth for a vacation. We love the atmosphere, the music, the pace of life, the people, and you cannot beat the weather. Weather? Sore subject. As I type this on a Sunday morning, a foot of snow is laying in our backyard. Simply put: a meteorological tragedy. But, rather than dwell on the harsh reality of January in Kansas, I will tell you that two other recipes fought very hard to be featured in the Bewitching today: her Chicken-Lime Skewers with Apricot Glaze, and her Pork Souvlaki. In the end, the chance to use my black, red & white quinoa made me go for these tasty little fritters.

QUINOA AND SWEET POTATO CAKES
(from Hapa-tite, inspired by original recipe from Cannelle & Vanille)

makes 8 cakes

1/2 cup (90 g) quinoa, rinsed
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 shallot, diced
1 + /2 cups (about 200 g) grated sweet potato
1/4 teaspoon coriander
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 eggs
1/3 cup (50 g) Panko bread crumbs
1/3 cup finely grated Parmigiano cheese
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
1 tablespoon finely chopped chives
grape seed oil for frying
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Bring 1 cup (250 ml) of water to a boil in a small saucepan over high heat. Add quinoa and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Stir, reduce heat to medium low, cover with a lid, and cook for 20 minutes until quinoa has absorbed all the water and it’s tender. Set aside to cool.
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Heat a medium saute pan over medium high heat. Add the olive oil and cook the shallot for 3 minutes. Add the grated sweet potato, 1/4 teaspoon salt, coriander, and black pepper, and cook for another 3 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly.
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In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, breadcrumbs, cheese, parsley, and chives. Add the cooled quinoa and sweet potato mixture. Stir to combine.
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Heat a large saute pan over medium high heat. Add enough grape seed oil to cover the bottom of the pan. Spoon 1/4 cup of the mixture and shape it into a round cake. Add enough cakes to the pan without overcrowding it. Cook for 3 minutes on each side or until golden. Finish frying all the cakes. Drain them on paper towels before serving.
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ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: Aren’t these cakes the most colorful thing ever? I modified the recipe a little bit, adding more sweet potato than called for, and using a mixture of different quinoa colors instead of only white. They turned out quite festive. Those who have gluten intolerance can use gluten-free bread crumbs, or I suppose almond flour could go well too. You could probably get by with only 1/4 cup of almond flour as a binder. I also think some grated ginger could be fantastic together with the coriander and the herbs. Fun things to try.

Nicole, it was great to get to know your blog a little better this month, I see that 2014 will bring wonderful things to your life, like moving to a new home and getting married… Good luck with all your projects, and if you succeed in de-cluttering, tell me your secret! 😉

If you want to see what my fellow Secreters were concocting in their kitchens this month, poke the blue frog at the end of the post. I think she might be Hawaiian, who knows? She sure seems to have that aura of happiness that comes with the islands…

ONE YEAR AGO: Pumpkin Bolo de Fuba’ Cremoso

TWO YEARS AGO: Citrus-crusted Tilapia Filets

THREE YEARS AGO: Bran Muffins, not just for Hippies

FOUR YEARS AGO: Flourless Chocolate Cake

24Jan2014

HAVING FUN WITH JACQUES PEPIN

Posted in Side dishes, Veggies by sallybr

I wish the title of my post could be taken literally, because I’d love to meet Mr. Pepin… Unfortunately (or perhaps I should say malheureusement), I was just playing with one of his recipes: a broccoli puree from his book “Fast Food My Way” that might very well be one of the side dishes I make most often. I am not the only one who loves it, Phil asks me to make it whenever he is grilling a side of salmon or cooking fish filets. It is a perfect accompaniment for seafood, but I also like to pair it with roast chicken or pork. Versatile, non?

BROCCOLI AND SPINACH PUREE WITH BROWN BUTTER
(inspired by Jacques Pepin)

2 large heads of broccoli, florets only
1 garlic clove, peeled
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
pinch of nutmeg
2 cups spinach leaves (or more, to taste)

Bring 3 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the broccoli florets and the garlic clove. Bring back to a boil, reduce heat, and cook until tender (about 10 minutes). Drain and reserve some of the cooking liquid.

Melt the butter in a small skillet and cook it over low heat until it turns golden brown. Do not let it burn.

Put the broccoli and garlic in the bowl of a food processor, add salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Process until almost smooth, open the processor, drizzle the browned butter and add the spinach leaves on top. Process again until fully smooth, adding a bit of the reserved cooking liquid until the puree achieves a consistency you like. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve right away, or refrigerate. It reheats well in the microwave.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

I do hope you’ll try my version of Pepin’s recipe, it is amazing how just a little spinach took this puree to a higher level. A subtle change in texture, a real bump in flavor. I normally don’t preach on nutritional content of food, but the humble spinach always makes me feel great. Old Popeye cartoons speaking (and dating me), I suppose.

This puree matched nicely with a simple tilapia filet prepared according to this recipe. Leftovers can be either enjoyed after a quick tour in the microwave, or… go the indulgent route and use it as a basis for a souflee. I suggest following the basic method from Julia Child. You simply cannot go wrong by joining Julia & Jacques. Almost as good as Sally and Phil… 😉

ONE YEAR AGO: Brined-Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

TWO YEARS AGO: Pork Ragu

THREE YEARS AGO: Friendly Kuri Squash

FOUR YEARS AGO: Green Light for this Salad

21Jan2014

BAKED RICOTTA, TAKE TWO

Posted in Appetizers by sallybr

As far as appetizers go, it is hard to find a simpler recipe that would deliver as much flavor! You can find all sorts of variations in cookbooks and in the blogosphere, including my own blog a couple of years ago, using a recipe from my friend Celia. Have hearty crackers or nice baguette toasts ready to dive in… my preference is to enjoy it still hot from the oven, but be very careful, the center of this baby will be like a cheesy lava.

BAKED RICOTTA WITH GOAT CHEESE
(from the Bewitching Kitchen, inspired by many sources)

1 cup ricotta cheese, drained (full fat)
1 large sprig of fresh rosemary leaves, chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 Tablespoon olive oil
grated zest of 1/2 lemon
1/4 cup room temperature goat cheese
pinch of crushed red pepper
pinch of kosher salt, more to taste

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Heat the olive oil on a small pan, add the rosemary leaves. When the leaves start to sizzle, turn the heat off, and close the pan. Let the oil infuse for 15 minutes. Remove any large pieces of rosemary from the oil, very small bits can be added to the dip.

Combine the ricotta, rosemary oil, and all other ingredients in a large bowl. Mix well, and transfer to an oven-proof dish. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until bubbly. Serve right away with crackers or a nice baguette. It is also good at room temperature.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

While typing this recipe, I realized that I tend to add lemon zest and juice to almost everything I make… Maybe I should have named the blog Lemony Kitchen. Truth is, just the thought of running out of lemons makes me very uncomfortable. I will often taste a sauce, a salad dressing, a steamed veggie, and tell myself there’s something missing. I reach for a lemon, and just a little bit of its juice does the trick. In this particular recipe, the zest adds a lot, the baked cheese ends up with a lighter “feel”.

Of course, you should go ahead and change this recipe to suit your taste. Tarragon or dill could be wonderful replacing rosemary. If you are not fond of goat cheese, it can be left out, or substituted with feta or even another type of creamy cheese. Maybe a Brie, if you don’t mind multiplying the calories and fat by a factor of 2. Maybe 3. Who’s counting? 😉

ONE YEAR AGO: Pumpkin Uncanned

TWO YEARS AGO: Pork Ragu

THREE YEARS AGO: Friendly Kuri Squash

FOUR YEARS AGO: Celery and Apple Salad

18Jan2014

PEAR, BLUE CHEESE & WALNUT SALAD

Posted in Salads, Vegetarian-friendly by sallybr

One of the gifts we’ve received during the holidays was a super special box of Royal Riviera pears from Harry and David. Inside the box, a little card with a recipe for a salad that would make the pears shine. They ship the pears slightly unripe, with instructions on the best way to store them as they reach their peak, and also on how to tell when they get there. We had to wait for a little less than a week, then enjoyed the juiciest pears ever! The salad? It was so good that we made it again a couple of days later… Come to think of it, that in itself is a huge endorsement, because I tend not to crave salads during the cold months of the year.

ROYAL RIVIERA ROGUE VALLEY SALAD
(recipe adapted from Harry & David)

for the dressing:
2 tbsp Champagne vinegar
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp agave nectar
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup walnut oil (I used less)

for the salad:
1 head butter lettuce, washed and dried
1 large Royal Riviera Pears, peeled, cored and sliced
1/4 cup Rogue Creamery or other blue cheese, crumbled
1/2 cup toasted walnuts

Make the dressing: Mix together the first five ingredients. Gradually whisk in the walnut oil. Chill for 20 minutes.

Gently tear the lettuce into bite sized pieces. Arrange on four chilled plates. Top with fans of pear slices. Sprinkle blue cheese evenly over the pears and lettuce and top with nuts. Drizzle the dressing generously over the salad, and serve at once.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

The recipe calls for 1/2 cup of walnut oil, I used a lot less than that but kept the other amounts the same. I like my salad to be just barely coated with dressing and prefer it a little less oily. Also, considering the price for walnut oil, I rather use it with a little less abandon. 😉 On my second time preparing this recipe, the dressing was similar, but instead of walnuts I used very thinly sliced celery. I mixed the celery with the dressing as it chilled for 20 minutes and then incorporated both into the other components. Two pears were consumed in the name of this delicious salad, the others we enjoyed late at night, usually watching nice movies… Like the trilogy: Before Sunrise, Before Sunset, and Before Midnight. I highly recommend those, Julie Delpy is simply superb!

ONE YEAR AGO: Keema Beef Curry

TWO YEARS AGO: Pork Tenderloin with Soy, Ginger, and Lime

THREE YEARS AGO: No-Fuss Coffee Cake

FOUR YEARS AGO: Swedish Limpa

15Jan2014

CELEBRATE WEDNESDAY WITH PORK TENDERLOIN & APPLES

Posted in Celebrate Wednesday, Pork by sallybr

This was a lightning quick dish to prepare, with a deliciously tasty outcome… Pork and apples go together quite well, but often a recipe will call for cooking down the apples to a saucy consistency. Not the case here, and that was a nice change of pace. The apples retain their bite, the pork gets tender and super-juicy.

PORK TENDERLOIN WITH SAUTEED APPLES
(inspired by a recipe from Cooking Light magazine)

1 pork tenderloin, cut in 12 pieces
salt and pepper
1 Tablespoon grape seed oil
1 leek, sliced thin (white and light green part only)
Gala apples, sliced thin
3/4 cup apple cider
1 cup chicken (or veggie) stock
squeeze of lemon juice

Pound each piece of pork lightly, protecting the meat with a piece of Saran Wrap. Season lightly with salt and pepper.

Heat the oil on a large skillet. Sauté the pork slices in two batches if necessary, until they are golden brown on both sides. Remove the meat to a platter. Add a little more oil if the pan seems too dry, and sauté the leeks until they begin to get soft. Add the apples and cook for a couple of minutes, stirring gently. Add the cider, cover and cook for a couple of minutes longer.

Add the chicken stock, put the meat back in the pan, cover it and simmer on low heat until the meat is cooked to your liking and the apples start to disintegrate, but still keep their shape. Adjust seasoning, add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice right before serving.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: When I bought the pork tenderloin, my idea was to grill it. But that particular Wednesday the temperature was a “balmy” 11 degrees Fahrenheit, which is known to kill creatures born and raised in São Paulo, Brazil. Since Phil was coming home straight from a meeting and therefore unavailable to brave the elements, I quickly changed gears and searched for options compatible with my survival. I happened to have all ingredients to prepare this dish, as apples and cider are always in our fridge this time of the year.

Dinner is served!