THE AVOCADO MOUSSE THAT STOLE THE SHOW

Posted in Appetizers, Vegetarian-friendly by sallybr

MERRY CHRISTMAS! FELIZ NATAL! JOYEUX NOËL!

This year we had a pre-Christmas celebration with one of my stepsons, because he had to fly back to California on the 23rd. The evening before his departure we made a special dinner that featured the whole menu of a recent show from the one and only Marcela Valladolid, entitled “My Favorite Holiday Dishes“. The main dish was Pork with Prunes and Pineapple Glaze (on the blog soon), and I expected it to be the star of our meal, but truth is that the first course, a simple, unassuming avocado mousse put up a great fight and according to some, took the Christmas Eve spotlight… 😉

AVOCADO AND CILANTRO MOUSSE
(slightly adapted from Marcela Valladolid)

1 to 1 + 1/2 bunches fresh cilantro, washed and dried, leaves picked off and reserved (about 2 cups loosely packed)
1 avocado (I used two small ones)
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, at room temperature
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, from about 1 lime
1 Serrano chile, stemmed, seeded, deveined, and roughly chopped
1 cup cold water, divided
2 (1/4-ounce) envelopes unflavored gelatin
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Spray 3 (1 cup) or 6 (1/2 cup) ramekins with vegetable oil cooking spray.

Place the cilantro, cream cheese, avocado, salt, lime juice, and chile in a food processor and puree until smooth.
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Pour 1/4 cup water in a small bowl. Sprinkle the gelatin over the water and let it sit for a few minutes. Place the remaining 3/4 cup water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Pour the boiling water over the softened gelatin and whisk until the gelatin has dissolved.
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Add the gelatin to the mixture in the food processor, pulsing until pureed and thoroughly blended.
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Pour the mixture into the prepared ramekins. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours. To unmold, fill a large container with very hot water. Dip the ramekins in the water for 1 minute. Run a small, sharp knife tip around the edge of each mousse. Invert onto a platter. Let stand at room temperature for 20 minutes before serving.
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ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: I made my own tortilla strips to serve alongside the mousse, and I must say the work involved is minimal, but the pay-off huge. They were so much better than store-bought versions, both in texture and flavor. I just cut some yellow corn tortillas into strips, placed them on a baking sheet, sprayed with olive oil, and coated very lightly with salt and more liberally with Southwest Spice mix from Penzey’s. Baked at 375F until they start to crisp up and get brown.

The mousse… WOW! We started enjoying it quite politely, a little bit spread on a cracker, a little more on a tortilla strip, but by the end of the dinner we were slicing it and adding the cold slice on top of the pork tenderloin and moaning about it… We decided it will go well with pretty much anything, from grilled salmon to lamb burgers, and in case of emergency, licked from the tip of a finger when no one is looking. It is THAT good. Please, make it for your next dinner party, and stop by to thank me later… 😉

ONE YEAR AGO: Sourdough Popovers

TWO YEARS AGO: Merry Christmas!

THREE YEARS AGO: Sourdough Focaccia, with a twist

FOUR YEARS AGO: Merry Christmas!

23Dec2013

CARROT AND CUMIN HAMBURGER BUNS

Posted in Breads by sallybr

I’ve been baking bread for many years, and of course I’ve had my share of failures. However, I have yet to meet one recipe from Dan Lepard that didn’t work. Dan knows his way around all things yeast and sourdough, so whenever I’m in the mood to try something out of the ordinary he is my number one source of inspiration. This recipe is from his book Short and Sweet, which I reviewed in the past. I am always fond of anything with carrots, and thought that incorporating them in a soft bread perfumed with cumin would lead to something awesome.

Look at these babies! Plump, golden, and so very fragrant…

If you want the recipe but do not own his book, you can find it at The Guardian website with a quick jump here. Or you can do even better and order your own copy. 😉

I loved making these buns! They flow in the opposite direction of a sourdough, as Dan uses fast-rising yeast for the dough. The only tough part was grating the carrots, I think my box grater is getting a little old and dull. I don’t like to buy pre-grated carrots, I think they are too bulky and overly dry. Not the best option for this type of recipe.

I made 5 buns, one of them larger than all others, as I wasn’t sure how much oven spring they would have. Next time I will cut the dough into 6 equal pieces, the resulting size is perfect for a hamburger.

I am submitting this post to Susan’s Yeastspotting event…

ONE YEAR AGO: Potato Galettes a l’Alsacienne & Book Review

TWO YEARS AGO: Caramelized Carrot Soup

THREE YEARS AGO: Miso-Grilled Shrimp

FOUR YEARS AGO: Pain Poilane

20Dec2013

PUMPKIN BRIGADEIROS

Posted in Brazilian cooking, Desserts, Sweets by sallybr

Brigadeiros are the most popular Brazilian candy, mandatory item at Birthday parties. I blogged about them here, and shared a coconut variation here. This recipe has been sitting on my Pinterest cooking board ever since I saw it on Denise’s site, From Brazil to You, around Halloween. You should definitely stop by her site to see how she shaped each one as a cute little pumpkin. Knowing my limitations, I simply rolled them as traditional “brigadeiros” and coated them with the shimmer sugar Phil recently bought for me, adorable husband that he is. And, by the way, in Portuguese, pumpkin brigadeiros = brigadeiros de abóbora. if you want to say it as a native Brazilian, listen to yours truly by clicking this audio link

PUMPKIN BRIGADEIROS
(slightly modified from Denise’s blog)

1 (14 oz or 396 g) can sweetened condensed milk
3/4 cup canned pumpkin puree
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Granulated sugar for rolling

Grease a dish with unsalted butter and set aside. Place about 1 cup of granulated sugar on another plate and set aside.

Mix the condensed milk, pumpkin puree, butter, and spices in a saucepan over medium heat. Non-stick is best. Cook, stirring constantly in order to avoid burning, until thickened enough that the bottom of the pan shows through briefly when the mixture is stirred, and runs to the sides of the pan slowly if gathered in the center of the pan with a wooden or plastic spoon– this should usually take approximately 10-12 minutes, depending on your stove.

Remove from heat, stir in the vanilla, and pour mixture into the greased dish. Let cool. The brigadeiro dough can be refrigerated for about 20 minutes before rolling into balls if desired. Then wet your hands with cold water and shape the brigadeiros into balls, using a tablespoon as measure. Roll each one in sugar, and place in small paper cups.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: This was a delightful take on a Brazilian classic! They are sweet with all the condensed milk, but the pumpkin offers a nice counterpart. I took a batch for a potluck dessert party, and lots of people asked me for the recipe, so I guarantee that whenever you make these babies, they will please your guests!

I bet you cannot eat just one… 😉

ONE YEAR AGO: Pumpkin Espresso Loaf

TWO YEARS AGO: Caramelized Carrot Soup

THREE YEARS AGO: Miso-Grilled Shrimp

FOUR YEARS AGO: A Special Holiday Fruitcake

17Dec2013

TWISTED SISTER OF THE SHEPHERD’S PIE

Posted in Poultry by sallybr

The traditional Shepherd’s Pie, a delicacy from Ireland, is a casserole type dish made with lamb and veggies covered with mashed potatoes and baked in the oven. After our Thanksgiving meal this year, I decided to improvise on a version to use our leftover turkey, roasted sweet potatoes, and gravy. It turned out much better than I expected, so I must share with you. Plus, it gives me a chance to show off our recent gift, the Le Creuset baking dish… gorgeous!

If you already used up your leftover turkey meat, ground turkey could work well too, but spice it up with more sage, maybe some sautéed mushrooms, and use some type of stock slightly thickened with a roux in place of gravy.

SWEET POTATO & TURKEY SHEPHERD’S PIE
(from the Bewitching Kitchen)

leftover roast turkey, preferably dark meat, cut in small chunks
1 Tablespoon grapeseed oil (or olive oil)
1 shallot, diced
3 medium carrots, diced
1/2 cup frozen green peas
a few leaves of fresh sage, minced
salt and pepper
gravy from your Thanksgiving turkey
cooked sweet potatoes
veggie stock, amount variable
low-fat milk, amount variable

Cut enough leftover turkey meat to fully cover your baking dish. Give preference to dark meat, but a mixture of dark and breast works fine. Reserve.

Sautee the shallot and diced carrots in olive oil until they start to get some color, and soften up slightly. Season with salt and pepper, then add the turkey meat, the frozen peas, and the sage. Mix gently until the peas defrost, add some gravy, enough to moisten the whole mixture. Pour into a baking dish.

Prepare the potatoes by warming them slightly in a microwave, then mashing them with a little veggie stock and milk, also warmed up in a microwave. Taste, and if necessary, adjust seasoning. You need to add just enough liquid to be able to spread the mashed potatoes over the turkey.

Spoon the mashed sweet potatoes over the turkey & veggies, and place in a 375 F oven for 30 minutes or until all bubbly and hot.

Remove from the oven, let it rest for 15 minutes before serving.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Phil is always in charge of roasting our Thanksgiving turkey, which he does according to his family recipe. Our bird is stuffed with a mixture of bread, sausage, celery, green apples… absolutely delicious! He also makes the gravy, which ends up dark brown, thick and very flavorful. Usually, he is also in charge of coming up with leftover ideas, but this year I decided to explore this road on my own.

This was so good! Comfort food indeed, but not overly heavy, sweet potatoes are less filling than regular ones. I know that using ground turkey could work too, but honestly, this recipe is best if made with leftover roast turkey, moistened with real gravy. Phil and I enjoyed some of this “Twisted Shepherd’s Pie” for our dinner, and the rest is in the freezer, waiting for one of my stepsons who will be visiting us soon. I know he will love it!

Dinner is served!

ONE YEAR AGO: Hail Caesar Sourdough

TWO YEARS AGO: In My Kitchen, December 2011

THREE YEARS AGO: Festivus Dinner Rolls

FOUR YEARS AGO: 100% Sourdough Rye

14Dec2013

A SIMPLE TACO TO REMEMBER

Posted in Pizzas & Small Dishes, Pork by sallybr

December 14th will be forever tainted as one of the saddest days for the United States. Unspeakable tragedy, unbearable pain for all those involved in the shooting at Newtown. One full year has passed. Very little improvement in gun laws has been made. This is not a politically oriented blog, so I’ll leave it at that. But, it is up to each of us to never forget what happened and put pressure on Congress to act.

I would like to recommend a fantastic article from the Nicholas Kristof, “The Killer Who Supports Gun Control“. Thank you, Farine, for bringing it to my attention.

One of the boys whose life was cut short was so fond of tacos that he hoped to one day work in a “taco factory”. To celebrate his memory, I am sharing a recipe for a simple, but tasty taco today. This one is for you, Noah.

HOUSTON-STYLE CARNITAS
(adapted from Homesick Texan)

3 pounds of pork butt, with plenty of fat
1 cup of orange juice
juice of 1 lime
3 cups of water
2 teaspoons of salt

Cut pork into strips (three inches by one inch), add to a large pot with the liquids and salt. Bring to a boil and then simmer uncovered on low for 2 hours. Do not touch the meat.

After two hours, turn heat up to medium high, and continue to cook until all the liquid has evaporated and the pork fat has rendered (about 45 minutes). Stir a few times, to keep pork from sticking to bottom of pan.

When pork has browned on both sides, it’s ready (there will be liquid fat in the pan). Serve either cubed or shredded (pork will be tender enough that just touching it will cause it to fall apart).

Serve it over rice or use it as a filling for tacos with your favorite toppings.
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Share it with someone you love…
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If you want to learn more about the lives of the children and adults who lost their life in December 14th, 2012, visit “My Sandy Hook Family”.
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The grown-up world has failed you horribly and still does.
(from Farine, in her letter to Noah, June 2013)

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