From Paula Wolfert's ".... of the Eastern Mediterranean".This is a dense, meaty salad, with almost a cheesy flavor. I used the pre-steamed Trader Joe's black-eyed peas, which surely aren't as good as cooking the beans fresh.
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Black-eyed peas with scallions, walnuts and parsley
From Paula Wolfert's ".... of the Eastern Mediterranean".This is a dense, meaty salad, with almost a cheesy flavor. I used the pre-steamed Trader Joe's black-eyed peas, which surely aren't as good as cooking the beans fresh.
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Okra braised with tomatoes and onions
This recipe also comes from "The cooking of the eastern Mediterranean".
This was my first experience cooking with okra and I think it turned out well. By simmering the vegetables covered with parchment paper and a tightly closed lid, we help ensure that the vegetables don't get overcooked or dried out.
I must say that the presentation of the final dish was fantastic! With the perfectly arranged hub and spoke pattern of the okra nestled on top of the tomatoes, onion mixture.
Sardines, broiled
I've been wanting to try fresh sardines for a long time and I saw them at whole foods the other day. Only $4 per pound! Also, the fishmonger there guts each sardine for you on the spot if you want.
We roughly followed the instructions from a Gordon Ramsay recipe in "Fast Food". We rubbed the sardines with olive oil, seasoned with salt and pepper, sprinkled fresh lemon juice over the top, and strew several sprigs of rosemary over the top and then broiled at high temperature for about 6 minutes total.
Spinach pâté
It reminds me a lot of an Italian pesto, except that the basil is replaced by spinach, the pinenuts are replaced by mashed walnuts, and vinegar is added for moisture instead of olive oil.
Mike and I really enjoyed this as a spread on toasted bread.
Eggplant steamed in tomato sauce
This was the kickoff for the start of my "Eastern Mediterranean" cooking theme. I'm not sure if I would recognize it as Mediterranean, if it weren't for the eggplant part of it.
As advertised, the dish has a very prominent vinegar flavor -- a taste that is somewhat foreign to me. In any event, it was easy, healthy, and kept well as leftovers.
As advertised, the dish has a very prominent vinegar flavor -- a taste that is somewhat foreign to me. In any event, it was easy, healthy, and kept well as leftovers.
Cream scones with berries
I'm not a fan of the overly sweet American-style scones. I searched around and found this Cooks Illustrated British-style scone recipe. The one substitution I made was to use dried cranberries (partially rehydrated) instead of fresh berries. Unfortunately, the berry flavor was a week in the end. Next time, need to either use more dried berries or simply use fresh ones.
In my opinion, these scones are borderline too rich. They remind me of Strawberry shortcake almost.
Instead of using a pastry Cutter or food processor to cut in the butter, I used the method of breaking frozen butter with a cheese grater and stirring in to the dry mixture.
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Cream Scones with Currants
The most traditional sweet biscuit–like texture is obtained by using both butter and heavy cream. If you prefer a cake-like texture or want the scones to stay fresher longer, try the Cakey Scones variation. The easiest and most reliable approach to mixing the butter into the dry ingredients is to use a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Resist the urge to eat the scones hot out of the oven. Letting them cool for at least 10 minutes firms them up and improves their texture.
Ingredients:
2 cups (10 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour, preferably a lower-protein brand, such as Gold Medal or Pillsbury
1 Tbsp baking powder
3 Tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
5 Tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
1/2 cup currants
1 cup heavy cream
Instructions:
1. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 425°F (220°C).
2. Place the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt in a large bowl or the workbowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Whisk together or process with six 1-second pulses.
3. If making by hand, use two knives, a pastry blender, or your fingertips and quickly cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse meal with a few slightly larger butter lumps. If using a food processor, remove the cover and distribute the butter evenly over the dry ingredients. Cover and process with twelve 1-second pulses. Add the currants and quickly mix in or pulse one more time. Transfer the dough to a large bowl.
4. Stir in the heavy cream with a rubber spatula or fork until the dough begins to form, about 30 seconds.
5. Transfer the dough and all dry flour bits to a countertop and knead the dough by hand just until it comes together into a rough, slightly sticky ball, 5 to 10 seconds. Press the dough into an 8-inch cake pan, then turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work-surface. With a sharp knife or bench scraper, cut the dough into 8 wedges. Place the wedges on an ungreased baking sheet. (The baking sheet can be wrapped in plastic and refrigerated for up to 2 hours before baking.)
6. Bake until the scone tops are light brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for at least 10 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Yield: Makes 8
Variation: Cakey Scones
An egg changes the texture and color and helps these scones stay fresher longer, up to 2 days in an airtight container.
Follow the recipe above, reducing the butter to 4 tablespoons and the cream to 3/4 cup. Add 1 large egg, lightly beaten, to the dough along with the cream.
.
In my opinion, these scones are borderline too rich. They remind me of Strawberry shortcake almost.
Instead of using a pastry Cutter or food processor to cut in the butter, I used the method of breaking frozen butter with a cheese grater and stirring in to the dry mixture.
-----------------------------
Cream Scones with Currants
The most traditional sweet biscuit–like texture is obtained by using both butter and heavy cream. If you prefer a cake-like texture or want the scones to stay fresher longer, try the Cakey Scones variation. The easiest and most reliable approach to mixing the butter into the dry ingredients is to use a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Resist the urge to eat the scones hot out of the oven. Letting them cool for at least 10 minutes firms them up and improves their texture.
Ingredients:
2 cups (10 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour, preferably a lower-protein brand, such as Gold Medal or Pillsbury
1 Tbsp baking powder
3 Tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
5 Tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
1/2 cup currants
1 cup heavy cream
Instructions:
1. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 425°F (220°C).
2. Place the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt in a large bowl or the workbowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Whisk together or process with six 1-second pulses.
3. If making by hand, use two knives, a pastry blender, or your fingertips and quickly cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse meal with a few slightly larger butter lumps. If using a food processor, remove the cover and distribute the butter evenly over the dry ingredients. Cover and process with twelve 1-second pulses. Add the currants and quickly mix in or pulse one more time. Transfer the dough to a large bowl.
4. Stir in the heavy cream with a rubber spatula or fork until the dough begins to form, about 30 seconds.
5. Transfer the dough and all dry flour bits to a countertop and knead the dough by hand just until it comes together into a rough, slightly sticky ball, 5 to 10 seconds. Press the dough into an 8-inch cake pan, then turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work-surface. With a sharp knife or bench scraper, cut the dough into 8 wedges. Place the wedges on an ungreased baking sheet. (The baking sheet can be wrapped in plastic and refrigerated for up to 2 hours before baking.)
6. Bake until the scone tops are light brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for at least 10 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Yield: Makes 8
Variation: Cakey Scones
An egg changes the texture and color and helps these scones stay fresher longer, up to 2 days in an airtight container.
Follow the recipe above, reducing the butter to 4 tablespoons and the cream to 3/4 cup. Add 1 large egg, lightly beaten, to the dough along with the cream.
.
Pike Place market Seafood Soup/stew
Whenever I'm in Seattle, I feel like I have to take advantage of the availability of the fresh seafood. Mom and I stopped by the market and picked up some goodies for a improvised soup: salmon and mahi-mahi chunks, calamari, and clams. We also found some Jerusalem artichokes -- my first experience cooking with them. They have the texture of potato and flavor of garlic and artichoke.
I won't give the full play-by-play for this soup since it's been a couple of weeks and I've forgotten exactly what we did, but to make the stock for this dish, I simmere/steamed the clams in a cup or 2 of water. All in all, I think it turned out fantastic.
I won't give the full play-by-play for this soup since it's been a couple of weeks and I've forgotten exactly what we did, but to make the stock for this dish, I simmere/steamed the clams in a cup or 2 of water. All in all, I think it turned out fantastic.
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