PEPPERY CASHEW CRUNCH

Posted in Appetizers, Vegetarian-friendly by sallybr

Last weekend I made these spicy nuts for a get-together in our nano-house, to watch the Oklahoma x Nebraska college football game. A nail-biter of a game, fortunately with a happy ending for us OU fans. Anxiety is a lot easier to take if you have something to munch on… 😉

The pepper coating gives this nuts an unusual look, but once you grab the first one, you will be going back for more, deliciously addictive they are. You can substitute almonds, walnuts, in fact the original recipe called for whole, blanched almonds, but they did not have them at the store, I went with cashews instead. Extremely simple to prepare, with just the right balance of salty, hot, and sweet. Great recipe!

BLACK PEPPER CASHEWS
(adapted from Bon Appetit, 1997)

1/4 cup butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
4 tsp water
2 cups whole cashews
1 Tbs ground black pepper
2 tsp salt

Cover a large baking sheet with aluminum foil and butter the foil to prevent the nuts from sticking. Heat the oven to 350 F.

Melt the butter in a skillet, add the brown sugar and water, mix until the sugar dissolves. Add the cashews, mix them carefully to coat with the butter/sugar, lower the heat and cook, stirring often, for a few minutes, until the coating thickens slightly. Meanwhile, mix the ground pepper and the salt in a small bowl.

Add half of the pepper/salt mixture to the cashews, mix gently. Working quickly, transfer them to the prepared baking sheet, pressing with a spatula to keep them in a single layer. Sprinkle the rest of the black pepper/salt all over, and bake for 10-15 minutes, until golden brown. Let it cool over a rack, then break the nuts apart, storing them in an air-proof container (they won’t last very long, they tend to mysteriously disappear).

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: Folks in the cooking forum Eat.at raved about this recipe, and their enthusiasm was what made me try it. Plus, I tend to like contrasting flavors, so the idea of mixing brown sugar, salt, and pepper immediately perked my interest. I imagine other seasonings could work too: a little hot paprika, ground cumin… definitely worth experimenting.

ONE YEAR AGO: Ossobuco Milanese (one of my favorite dishes!)

23Nov2010

SOBA NOODLES: LIGHT AND HEALTHY

Posted in Pasta & Noodles, Vegetarian-friendly by sallybr

My two previous posts featured substantial pasta dishes, one loaded with meat, one packed with cheese. Very naughty of me! To compensate, here is a recipe that should bring my polls a little higher with the health-conscious, as these noodles won’t make you feel guilty once the meal is over. Soba noodles are one of my favorite types of “pasta,” I love the hearty taste of buckwheat, its toothsome texture, and the way soba pairs so well with veggies and soy-based dressings. The recipe, called otsu, comes from Heidi Swanson’s Supernatural Cooking, a cookbook I use so much that I bought three more as gifts for (very special) friends! If that’s not a huge endorsement, I don’t know what would be… 😉

OTSU
(adapted from Heidi Swanson’s Supernatural Cooking)

For the dressing:
zest of 1 lemon
1 Tbs fresh ginger, grated
1 tablespoon honey
3/4 teaspoon cayenne
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 Tbs freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/3 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil

for the noodles:
12 ounces soba noodles
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
3 green onions, thinly sliced
1/2 cucumber, peeled, cut in half lengthwise, seeded and thinly sliced
1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds

Make the dressing by combining the lemon zest, ginger, honey, cayenne and salt in a small bowl, mixing very hard with a whisk (you can use a small food processor, if available). Add the lemon juice, rice vinegar, and soy sauce, and continue mixing (or processing) until smooth. Drizzle the olive oil and the sesame as you mix, to form an emulsion. Reserve.

Cook the noodles in boiling salted water for 3 to 4 minutes (do not overcook), drain, and rinse briefly in cold water. Transfer to a bowl, add 3/4 cup of the prepared dressing, then add the cilantro, green onions, cucumber, and combine. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds, and serve. Add more fresh cilantro if you like.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: Heidi adds sauteed tofu to the noodles, I kept them simple, serving some grilled shrimp alongside. Leftovers are AWESOME served cold. Remove from the fridge, leave standing at room temperature for an hour or so, and amaze your taste buds at how delicious these noodles can be. The cucumber offers a pleasant crunch, the sesame/soy flavor always makes me feel healthy. A very “zen” dish… Make it, and you will be making it again, and again!

ONE YEAR AGO: Potato-Rosemary Bread

6Nov2010

CARROT AND LEEK SOUP

Posted in Soups, Vegetarian-friendly by sallybr

Here in California the warm weather hangs around, making me almost forget that Thanksgiving is right around the corner. But when the latest issue of Fine Cooking was delivered in the mail, the gorgeous cover showing a croquembuche in all its glory was a clear reminder: the holidays will soon be here, it’s time for comfort food. Lots of things I want to cook right away from the magazine, but I started with a carrot and leek soup that turned out light and satisfying at the same time.

CARROT AND LEEK SOUP
(adapted from Fine Cooking)

1 T olive oil
1/2 T butter
1 medium-size leek, white and light green part only, thinly sliced
1 shallot, diced
1/2 pound carrots, sliced (about 6, medium)
2 cups water (or chicken stock)
salt and pepper
2 tsp fresh thyme leaves
1/2 cup low fat yogurt
2-3 T fresh orange juice

Melt the olive oil and butter in a medium-sized pan, cook the shallots and leeks until soft but not brown, seasoning lightly with salt and pepper. Add the sliced carrots, water (or stock), thyme leaves, bring to a boil, cover the pan and reduce the heat. Cook until the carrots are soft, about 15 minutes.

Using an immersion blender, puree the soup to the consistency you enjoy (we prefer it with a little body, not fully smooth). Alternatively, you can use a blender or food processor (be careful when blending hot liquids). Bring the pureed soup back to the stove, add the yogurt and orange juice, heat very gently. Taste, adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if necessary. Serve with croutons and minced chives.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: I changed the recipe quite a bit, so if you want to make their original version (that includes fancy homemade herb croutons and a few more bells and whistles), buy the magazine. You won’t be disappointed: the cookies section alone and the step-by-step recipe for Beef Wellington are well worth the small investment… 😉

Yogurt is a perfect addition for certain soups, when a hint of richness is welcome, but you don’t want to go overboard. This recipe is similar to the creamy broccoli soup I recently blogged about, and the same basic method might be used for other veggies: butternut squash, cauliflower, even asparagus, although I haven’t quite optimized a method to get a nice, smooth texture when pureeing asparagus. Just another little item to add to my list of culinary challenges… 😉

Note to self: Make soup more often.

ONE YEAR AGO: Chicken Parmiggiana 101

6Oct2010

FIRE-ROASTED TOMATO RISOTTO

Posted in Rice and Grains, Vegetarian-friendly by sallybr

I’ve never met a risotto I didn’t like! It’s one of the most versatile dishes around. You can get fancy (lobster and saffron come to mind), or keep it simple, but it’s always satisfying. This tomato risotto falls into the latter category, in that I didn’t roast the tomatoes myself. Instead I used a Muir’s product that I’m quite fond of. Their roasted tomatoes have just the right amount of heat and smoke, and these days I shamelessly admit gastronomic shortcuts without guilt, as long as they involve quality ingredients. This risotto will also succeed with homemade oven-dried tomatoes, or a lovingly prepared tomato confit. But, for the time being try this version, which will warm up your senses, every single one of them! 😉

FIRE-ROASTED TOMATO RISOTTO
(inspired by Donna Hay)

1 shallot, finely minced
1 Tbs olive oil
1 cup Arborio rice (or other short grain rice appropriate for risotto)
3-4 cups of vegetable stock
1 can (14.5 oz) of Muir fire-roasted tomatoes, some of the liquid included
(I used diced tomatoes with green chilies)
thyme
salt and pepper
1-2 Tbs butter to finish the dish

Heat the vegetable stock in a sauce pan, add all the tomatoes and some of the water, season lightly with salt and pepper, and reserve, keeping it warm.

Saute the minced shallots in olive oil until soft. Add the rice and saute for at least 2 minutes, stirring often, making sure each grain is well coated with oil.

Start adding the hot vegetable stock/tomato mixture, slowly, 1/2 cup at a time, allowing it to be almost fully incorporated before adding more liquid. Keep stirring gently. Add some fresh thyme towards the end of the cooking time. Keep the heat low, and pay attention to the changes in the rice grains: they’ll become more plump and translucent as they cook. When the rice is ready (not mushy), add a little more stock. Finish it by swirling some butter and stirring to form a nice emulsion with the sauce. Serve immediately.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: Donna Hay used tomato puree, white wine, and served her risotto with mussels. We didn’t have any white wine on hand, so I just used stock and tomatoes. Whenever you make risotto, be sure to warm enough liquid for the cooking – better to have some leftover than to run out of it midway through the preparation. The amount in the recipe is more than enough, even considering variations in the type (and age) of the rice.

We enjoyed it with seared sea scallops, seasoned with salt, pepper, and a dust of ground coriander, then seared quickly on a hot non-stick skillet with a smear of olive oil. It was a good match for the fiery rice, leading my husband to close the dinner with one of my favorite phrases: “you are going to make this again, right”? No worries there. In fact, I think I’ll have an “encore” next week! 😉

ONE YEAR AGO: A special dinner for two

receita em portugues na proxima pagina

30Sep2010

DREAMING of BUTTERNUT SQUASH

Posted in Pasta & Noodles, Vegetarian-friendly by sallybr

Could it be the one we harvested from our garden? Was it one from the farmer’s market, so perfectly shaped, with a shiny skin that gave me pause before putting a knife into it? No. The butternut squash of my dreams – and I hope you can stand the truth – was sold in plastic bags, uniformly cut, in a grocery store. Confession heals the soul, so now I feel good! 😉 I must explain, that since 1995 I’ve lived in a place devoid of food stores such as “Trader Joe’s” and “Whole Foods.” Although our “Native Roots Market” and “Forward Foods” are local delights, whenever our travels took us to a city blessed with TJs, we’d make a point to stop by and collect enough goodies to tide us over for a few months. However, fresh produce and planes don’t mix, so I had to “walk on by” all the tempting veggies and just look. Look, look and dream about how nice it would be to buy that cute bag of perfectly diced butternut squash, and enjoy its succulence without risking my fingertips. Here in LA we have 5 Trader Joe’s and 2 Whole Foods within driving distance, so when I spotted that little yellow bag I grabbed it and drove smiling all the way home …. beside the butternut squash of my dreams!

PASTA WITH ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH, ARUGULA AND RICOTTA
(from the Bewitching Kitchen, inspired by Donna Hay)

pasta of your choice
butternut squash, cut in chunks
drizzle of olive oil
a few sage leaves
1/2 cup ricotta cheese (full fat, please)
fresh arugula, preferably baby leaves
zest of 1/2 lemon
salt and pepper to taste

Turn your oven to 400F, open the bag of butternut squash, admire how nice each piece looks, and spread them all in a single layer on a baking sheet. Drizzle olive oil, season with salt and pepper, scatter a few fresh sage leaves over it, mix it all to coat all pieces with some oil, and roast for 20 minutes, until soft and starting to get brown at the edges.

Meanwhile, boil salted water to cook the pasta. In a large bowl, place the arugula and ricotta cheese, breaking it up with a fork. Season with salt and pepper. When the pasta is cooked, reserve some of the water, then place the pasta over the arugula/ricotta mixture, mixing it all very well. Add the butternut squash, lemon zest, and a little of the pasta water in case the mixture seems too dry. Adjust the seasoning, and serve.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: Due to the constraints of our nano-kitchen, I search for all sorts of shortcuts when preparing dinner. Pasta sauces that don’t need much cooking are now my best friends. I got the inspiration from a cookbook that recently arrived in the mail: Donna Hay’s Off the Shelf. She only used ricotta and arugula, but butternut squash and sage sounded like a nice way to round out the pasta. As far as cheese goes, ricotta is light, so I recommend the full fat version.