IN MY KITCHEN, APRIL 2013

Posted in In My Kitchen by sallybr

Last time I joined this fun party initiated by Celia, from Fig Jam and Lime Cordial was… June 2012. Almost a full year! I wanted to compose a post about our kitchen once we changed a few things around, but the harsh reality is that our home in Oklahoma is still in the market (can you detect some anxiety?) so all the changes we’d like to make in our new home are on hold. But, that doesn’t prevent me from highlighting a few things we have around…

In our kitchen… (click to enlarge any of the photos)

Finally a drawer that can hold all our precious spices! Or… almost all!. A few are in the lower level, bay leaves, whole star anise, cinnamon sticks… but most players live together in this huge drawer.

The best ever kitchen paper holder… I love it! Until now I had those flimsy thingies that promise to hold the roll while you pull a sheet, but instead you’ll end up with is 5 ft of paper hanging between you and the roll, most of it on the floor… Frustrating. Not anymore, though. The Polder Single Tear does the job. Cannot recommend it enough – and yes, I read a ton of reviews online before getting it.

In our kitchen…. many very special gifts!

From a couple of new friends from California, a Japanese spice mix, Nanami Togarashi, that contains chili pepper, orange peel, sesame seeds, Japanese pepper, ginger and seaweed. It adds quite a kick to a marinade, and it can also be used as a dry rub on chicken, fish, even vegetables. Stay tuned for a special recipe coming soon…

From Ivan, my former husband (and great friend), a collection of pepper sauces from Brazil, made by a company called “Bravo” (= Angry). It gives you an idea of the level of heat of these babies! Some include habanero peppers, others are made exclusively from peppers native from Brazil.

From my virtual friend Marilyn, a regular contributor at the discussion forum eat.at, a chocolate sauce that can also be spooned out while cold to roll as incredibly tasty truffles! The concoction, which she calls “chocolate dyslexic sauce” has a funny story associated with it; click here to read it. After a lot of tweaking, her final recipe can be found here. I wish Marilyn would start blogging, she is a fantastic cook and a hoot to boot!

From David, that superb baker at The Fresh Loaf Forum, a bag of the most delicious dried figs we ever had! They are from a company called Sierra Nut House. Since in my post about David’s sourdough recipe I mentioned having to use dates for not finding good quality figs, he shipped a bag for me… Am I lucky or what? Even though someone repeatedly attacked the bag, I had more than enough to make two loaves of his fig and walnut bread. Recipe as posted earlier here, just substitute figs.Verdict: better than dates. By a long shot.

Home-made macaroons from a friend and colleague from KSU. I often make long experiments involving repetitive and precise movements with radioactive iron. Concentration is a must. Needless to say, by the time I’m done, I’m pretty exhausted. Last week I crawled back to my office after one of these experiments, and found a cute little box with 5 perfect macaroons inside. Again, am I lucky or what? They were amazing! And… she shared the recipe. Now I wonder if I have what it takes to make a batch. 😉

In our kitchen, Buck, the Peanut Scavenger Extraordinaire! Whenever Phil starts shelling peanuts, Buck positions himself glued to him, and stares at the floor, ready to grab any piece of nut that might fly off. He won’t blink, won’t look up, won’t make a sound. Of course, every once in a while, peanuts are dropped “by accident”. Patience does pay off.

and… in the room next door to the kitchen:

Chief, from the top of his more than 14 well-lived years, does what comes most naturally to him now… Cuddles in a cozy corner, and dreams…..

… oblivious to his naughty young brother….

Well, I hope you liked the little glimpse of our home… Visit Celia’s site to see what goes on in many kitchens around the blogosphere!

ONE YEAR AGO: Thrilling Moments (CROISSANTS!)

TWO YEARS AGO: Maple-Oatmeal Sourdough Bread

THREE YEARS AGO: Pork Trinity: coffee, mushrooms, and curry

12Apr2013

CLEMENTINE CAKE

Posted in Desserts, Sweets by sallybr

Clementines will always remind me of my stepson Alex, as he and his Dad would sit together devouring a few of them after dinner or mid-afternoon on weekends. We made sure to keep a backup bag stored away, just in case. In our neck of the woods, they are sold as cuties, a well-chosen name. This cake – made in the food processor – is supposed to be very easy. Of course, Sally + Cake = Drama. But it ended reasonably well, except for a burn on my right hand. Actually, two burns. A sticky kitchen floor. And a major spill of orange extract.

CLEMENTINE CAKE
(From Razzle Dazzle Recipes)

Cake:
3 clementines
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup softened butter
3 eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
pinch of salt

Icing:
1 clementine
2 tablespoons softened butter
1 1/3 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 tablespoon orange liqueur (I used orange extract, about 1/4 tsp)

Grease an 8-cup bundt pan. Peel clementines; cut into quarters. If there are seeds, remove them (they are normally seedless). Process with sugar in food processor until smooth. Add butter, then eggs; processing after each addition until smooth. Add flour, baking powder, and pinch of salt; process until combined. Spoon into prepared pan. Bake in 350-degree oven for 40 to 50 minutes or until golden. Cool on rack for 10 minutes. Remove cake from pan.

For icing: Grate and squeeze juice from clementine. In food processor, measure 1 teaspoon rind and 2 tablespoons juice; add butter, confectioners’ sugar and liqueur. Process until smooth. Drizzle over cake.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

At some point I would like to be able to bake a cake smoothly. No bumps, no boo-boos. In this particular case, the cake part went fine, except for the fact that since our oven is a perverse piece of equipment, I had to keep moving the pan around to try to cook it evenly. Burned my hand twice in the process, touching the grids. I thought I was off the hook, and proceeded to make the icing. Knowing how powdered sugar has a tendency to make a mess, I was extra careful measuring the first cup, and then, all confident in my flawless technique, grabbed the 1/3 measuring cup but the bag literally Poltergeisted on me! Powdered sugar everywhere, counter, floor, rug, my shoes… Truth be told, not the first time it happened, and I suspect it won’t be the last. (sigh) No time to clean then, just chased the dogs away, failing to notice I had the bottle of orange extract already open next to the food processor. I bumped it. Double mess to clean up, a sticky mixture of powdered sugar and orange extract. Its smell lingered for a looong while…

Although I greased the pan well, some parts of the cake stuck while unmolding. I went Zen, and carefully lifted the stuck parts, patching them nicely back on top of the cake. I expected the icing to hide my poor baking skills. That takes me to the icing part. Since I did not have orange liqueur and the orange extract seemed quite strong, I reduced the amount to 1/4 teaspoon. Eyeballed a little water to compensate. It seemed too thick, so I added more water. That was a mistake in judgment. The icing ended up too thin and failed to cover the cut and paste job on the surface of the cake. It explains why you only see a close-up photo of my production… I may not know how to bake a perfect cake, but I can point the camera like a pro! 😉 Anyway, I took the cake to the department already sliced, so the boo-boos were less evident.

The cake has a very intense clementine flavor, if you like cakes that are not too sweet, this is a great option. Of course, it does have a lot of sugar in it, but the clementine juice and zest comes through loud and clear. A perfect cake to make graduate students happy. And lots of staff and faculty members too…

ONE YEAR AGO: Springtime Spinach Risotto

TWO YEARS AGO: The end of green bean cruelty

THREE YEARS AGO: Torta di Limone e Mandorle

8Apr2013

WHOLE-WHEAT PASTA WITH LEMONY TOMATOES AND SPINACH

Posted in Pasta & Noodles, Vegetarian-friendly by sallybr

Every once in a while I read an article that excites me from the very first phrase. This essay on the state of restaurant dishes, from the latest issue of Bon Appetit, is one such piece. It expresses the sense of frustration I sometimes feel when we visit a nice restaurant and have a hard time finding a meal that’s not overly rich. And that includes the salads! 😉 These days the safest option for a meal out – if we want to still feel great 4 hours later – is a Japanese restaurant. But, enough complaining, this pasta typifies the cooking we like the most. Light in fat, full of flavor, and quick to put together!

WHOLE-WHEAT PASTA WITH LEMONY TOMATOES AND SPINACH
(from the Bewitching Kitchen)

Whole-wheat spaghetti (enough for two people)
1 cup red grape tomatoes
1 cup yellow grape tomatoes
1 Tablespoon olive oil
salt and pepper
zest and juice of 1 lemon
big bunch of baby spinach, coarsely chopped

Cut each tomato in half, place in a large bowl and add the olive oil, shaking the bowl to uniformly coat the tomatoes. Spread them in a large baking sheet, season with salt and pepper, and roast at 420F for 25-30 minutes, until their skin starts to develop a brown color, and they release liquid. Reserve.

Boil salted water to cook the pasta. When the pasta is almost ready, transfer the roasted tomatoes to a sautée pan on medium-high heat, making sure to include all the liquid released during roasting. Add the spinach, squeeze the juice of the lemon all over, and cover the pan until the spinach starts to wilt.

Reserve some of the pasta cooking liquid, drain the pasta, and add it to the spinach and tomato mixture. Cook everything together for a couple of minutes, if needed add some of the pasta cooking water. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper, and right before serving add a very generous amount of lemon zest all over it.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: We absolutely loved this pasta! The lemon zest is a key ingredient, don’t skip it. You’ll notice I didn’t add any garlic, onions, or herbs. This dish is all about the tomatoes and spinach, with the intense citric tone in the background. Phil and I were talking the other day about how we prefer food prepared in a simpler way. Of course, if I’m making a curry I will need to grab a good number of spices, it’s part of the deal… But, we find something pleasing about allowing the ingredients to shine, rather than the spices. In this case, to savor the tomatoes, the spinach and the pasta itself.

This dish was simultaneously satisfying and light. Next day it made for a wonderful lunch, and I even confess to eating it cold from the refrigerator… Impromptu Pasta Salad!

ONE YEAR AGO: Blood Orange Duck: A work in progress

TWO YEARS AGO: Grilled Mahi-mahi with citrus marinade

THREE YEARS AGO: Memories of Pasteis (and my Dad)

5Apr2013

PUMPKIN SHRIMP CURRY

Posted in Seafood by sallybr

With this installment, I used up the last bit of our precious home-made pumpkin purée stored in the freezer. The series closed with a golden key, by the way. This curry is a winner! Pumpkin & shrimp is actually a very traditional combination in the Brazilian dish called “camarão na moranga”. You can see a photo of the completed dish here. Think about a shrimp stew served inside a small pumpkin, carved to hold the stew in all its tasty glory. I intend to make the Brazilian version sometime, but for now I’ll share this variation that I adapted from Bon Appetit magazine.

PUMPKIN SHRIMP CURRY
(adapted from Bon Appetit, November 2011)

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 shallot, diced
1 tablespoon minced ginger
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 can of diced tomatoes (15 ounces)
Pumpkin purée (15 ounces can, or homemade)
2 cups vegetable broth
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk (light is ok)
1 + 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cup green peas (frozen is fine, no need to defrost)
1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
cilantro leaves to taste, minced
lime zest to taste

Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the diced shallot and ginger; lower the heat and sauté until soft, stirring often, about 8 minutes. Add garlic; cook for 1 minute. Stir in the tomatoes and pumpkin puree, and cook on medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until the pumpkin is golden brown, about 10 minutes. Add vegetable broth, coconut milk, curry powder, and cayenne pepper; simmer gently for 20 minutes. Add peas, shrimp, and lime juice. Simmer until shrimp are cooked and peas are warm. Serve with steamed rice. Top with cilantro, and lime zest.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: I made a few modifications on the original recipe. It called for only one tomato, diced. I don’t think that’s enough, I love a more tomato-ey curry, so I added the full 15-ounce can, draining most of the liquid. As I reduced the sauce, it seemed a bit too chunky, so I worked my immersion blender to smooth things out lightly. My final modification was to use green peas, whereas the original recipe added pieces of cooked butternut squash. I thought it would be too monochromatic and boring. Plus, not much contrast between the taste of pumpkin and butternut squash. The green peas brightened up the colors and added great flavor. So, I patted myself on the back, and told Phil I am a great cook. And also very modest. He said he knew both things already… He’s a keeper, my friends. A keeper… 😉

ONE YEAR AGO: In My Kitchen, April 2012

TWO YEARS AGO: A Dutch Tiger

THREE YEARS AGO: Banana Bread
(bragging mode on: this recipe tied for first place in The Quest for the Best Banana Bread, at Eat, Play Love! ;-))

2Apr2013

EVERYBODY LOVES CARROTS!

Posted in Side dishes, Vegetarian-friendly, Veggies by sallybr

And to prove my point, a photo straight from one of my favorite websites, Dogshaming.com (published with permission)

Phil and I try to eat a varied diet. We don’t exclude fats or carbs, only moderate the intake of overly caloric stuff. Over the years we made some changes in our nutrition that we follow as strictly as possible. We do the seafood at least once a week, often more. We limit red meat to once a week. We save desserts for special occasions. Recently we decided to increase our consumption of carrots. Our goal is to have them as a side dish twice/week. Carrots are a fantastic source of beta-carotene, a compound that is metabolized into vitamin A and retinal in humans and other vertebrates. Retinal (vitamin A-aldehyde), is a key compound in the vision process. Interestingly, carotenes are poorly absorbed from raw carrots. For optimal absorption, the carrots should be cooked, and preferably consumed with a little oil, as carotenes are oil-soluble. I am sure the cute dog above compensates the poor absorption by maximizing uptake and grabbing each root available in the backyard… 😉 This recipe solves the problems for H.sapiens, as the carrots are roasted with a bit of olive oil. Plus, to pump the “good-for-you” index even further, they are mixed with pomegranates, themselves chock full of nutrients. Interestingly enough, did you know that both carrots and pomegranates originated in Afghanistan? That may be why they go so well together!

POMEGRANATE MOLASSES GLAZED CARROTS
(adapted from Bon Appetit)

8 carrots (any color), halved lengthwise, cut crosswise into 2-inch pieces
1 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses

Heat oven to 425°. Combine carrots and oil in a medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper and toss to coat. Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet, spreading out in an even layer. Clean any excess oil left in the bowl and reserve it. Roast carrots, turning occasionally, until just tender, 12-15 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk honey and pomegranate molasses to blend in reserved bowl.

Transfer carrots to bowl with honey mixture; toss to coat well and spread out on baking sheet, scraping out any remaining glaze from bowl. Roast until glaze is reduced and sticky and beginning to brown in spots, 5-8 minutes longer.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

I loved this recipe not only for its flavor, but also its simplicity. At first, I thought that the honey would make it overly sweet, because molasses sound sweet enough to start with. Not the case. The pomegranate component of the molasses wins the battle and the honey is needed to compensate its sharpness. Since the final roasting takes less than 10 minutes, you can pre-roast the carrots in advance, and finish the dish right before sitting down to eat. I am all for easy during weeknights.

Note to self: make a lot more carrots than you think you’ll need. Yeah, they are that good… 😉

Note to readers: if you are a dog lover and have not been introduced to Dogshaming.com, make sure to stop by. My day is not complete without a visit!

ONE YEAR AGO: Codruta’s Rolled Oat Sourdough Bread

TWO YEARS AGO: Roasted Corn and Tomato Risotto

THREE YEARS AGO: Light Rye Bread