NYAM | adventures in cooking and eating

Korean Honey Cakes

2010-11-06T19:54:00.000-07:00

It's a fact, the world is getting smaller everyday and seemingly huge gaps between cultures and continents continue to wane. I'm always interested in how cultures connect and their similarities and this same curiosity carries over to food.

Recently, I stumbled across an online community that focuses on Korean cuisine -- a cuisine that over the years has become a favorite of mine -- and it ultimately inspired me to start blogging again.

Since it's almost holiday season in the States, my mind is already geared towards the cookies, the cakes, and all the good stuff that goes hand-in-hand with family, sharing and gift-giving.

Enter Yakkwa or Yakgwa, a honey-soaked donut cookie (yes, they're deep-fried!) traditionally made for Korean Thanksgiving Chuseok and offered to ancestors. I love the history behind this confection, and I thought it would be a perfect fit for our own upcoming holidays, not to mention its dominant flavors of ginger and cinnamon fall right into season.

Another thing I found interesting about these cookies was the use of sesame oil. To my knowledge, I have never had dessert that used an oil with such an overpowering flavor, so I was a bit leery. However, after trying them, I realized the oil's earthy, almost peanut-y aroma works really well with the cinnamon and honey flavors.

If you're looking to incorporate a bit of global flair into your holiday traditions this year, these sweet little honey cakes may be just the thing you've been looking for.

They take a little bit of time, but they're definitely worth it. Here is my interpretation of this traditional Korean treat:

YakGwa 약과 (Korean Fried Honey Cakes)
makes 25-30

1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3 tablespoons dark sesame oil

3 tablespoons honey

2 tablespoons soju (or sake, vodka, dry sherry)

4 tablespoons water

Spiced Syrup

2 1/2 cups granulated sugar

3 tablespoons honey

1 cup water

1-inch knob peeled ginger, sliced

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 lemon zest (add to syrup once off the heat)

3 cups vegetable oil for frying

Garnish

Sesame seeds for garnish

Pine nuts or slivered almonds (optional)

Begin by whisking the the dry ingredients together in a large bowl.
Separately, mix the sesame oil, liquor, honey, and water together thoroughly, then gently combine with the flour mixture.

Gently hand-knead the mixture in the bowl until a nice non-sticky dough forms, about 4-5 minutes. If the mixture is too dry, add 1 tablespoon of water at a time until it comes together.

On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to about 1/4-inch thickness.

Traditionally, YakGwa are made in the shape of a chrysanthemum, but you can use a simple flower-shaped cookie cutter, or any other shape you'd like (I made a few heart-shaped ones). You can also forgo the cookie cutters all together and just cut the dough into 1 1/2 inch squares or diamonds.

Heat the oil over medium heat for about 8 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the syrup:

In a medium saucepan, combine all of the syrup ingredients except the lemon zest. Bring the syrup to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for about 10 minutes. The syrup will be slightly thickened. Remove it from the heat, stir in the lemon zest and set aside.

Frying the YakGwa:
Just before frying, lightly prick the cookies with a fork to prevent air bubbles.
Test the oil temperature by dropping in a piece of dough. The dough should sink and remain near the bottom of the pan for several seconds, then slowly rise to the surface. If the dough rises too quickly, turn the heat down some.

Fry the yakgwa in batches, flipping them over to ensure an even deep-golden brown color on both sides. Set the cookies to drain.

Next, lay the yakgwa in a single layer in a shallow bowl and drench them in the warm spiced syrup. Allow the cookies to soak for at least 2 hours. Drain off any excess syrup (which tastes great in tea, btw) and garnish the yakgwa with sesame seeds and / or nuts.

That's it!

The cookies will last for about 2-3 days, but hopefully you won't have them around for that long :).

What interesting things are you planning to do to shake up your usual holiday menus this year?

Helloooooo. Anybody out there? :)

2010-11-03T15:19:00.000-07:00

Well, just in case anyone is still watching this space, I wanted to poke my head in and say NYAMfood is not dead. :0)

Despite how it may seem, I really had no intention of abandoning NYAM so abruptly; a short break snowballed from 2 weeks, to 2 months, to almost 2 years!

I really should have posted some sort of explanation... so for that I apologize.
I've missed it here.

I'd like to breathe some life back into this blog, so I will be updating from time to time...just to get the juices flowing again.

Pomegranate Blue Cheese Dip

2008-11-23T13:37:00.000-08:00

Hello out there! I've been a little incognito lately... but luckily I'm just in time for some fun holiday recipes! :o)

Fresh pomegranates are abundant in the States this time of year...but sometimes it's hard to figure out what to do with them...

So here's a festive holiday dip that uses fresh pomegranate...and it's really simple to put together. The flavor ranges from sweet, to tangy, to spicy, and the pomegranate seeds provide a nice crunch.

Not sure how to remove pomegranate seeds without making a mess? No worries, all is explained in my pomegranate post from earlier this year. :)

I hope you give this dip a try!

Pomegranate-Berry Cheese Dip

4 oz cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup chunky blue cheese dressing
2 tablespoons seedless raspberry jam
1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar or lemon juice

2 scallions, finely chopped
4-6 drops chipotle tabasco sauce
1/3 cup fresh pomegranate seeds, plus some for garnish

In a small bowl, whisk the cream cheese, blue cheese dressing and raspberry preserves together until smooth. Stir in the worcestershire sauce, vinegar, scallions, and chipotle.
Then, gently fold in the pomegranate seeds. Garnish with extra pomegranate and scallion if desired.

Serve with crackers and/or crunchy raw veggies.

Enjoy!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!!

Pomegranate Vinegar Drink

2008-10-02T05:52:00.000-07:00

Isn't it weird how you can be totally oblivious to something, then all of a sudden it pops up everywhere you turn?

This happened last year when I kept coming across articles and info about drinks / cocktails made from vinegar. Yes, vinegar!

I'm sure at one point or another, many of us have heard of those apple cider vinegar cure-alls, but it was new to me that people actually drank vinegar for enjoyment, lol.

photo: my korean diet

The most recent resurgence of trendy vinegar coolers began in Asia, where drinking aged vinegar for health reasons has already been in practice for centuries. But even here in the States, refreshing vinegar drinks called shrubs were very popular during the late 19th century through mid 1900's, usually made from summer fruits like raspberries and apricots.

Consuming acetic acid, a main component in vinegar, has been linked to improving cholesterol, blood sugar levels, cravings, arthritis, and interestingly even acid reflux.

Who knows if this is all true...all I know is it tastes good mixed into a nice fruity drink. :o)

The one caveat: acetic isn't much of a friend to tooth enamel, so do use a straw when indulging in vinegar drinks.

I got the final push to try vinegar drinks after stumbling onto the photograph in this post from Near and Far: This Time in Seoul, a wonderful blog with enchanting photographs of daily life in Seoul (and beyond), all from an ex-pat's perspective.

An array of fruit vinegar drinks from (the now defunct) Cafe Vine Eau, Seoul (Photo: Felicia Shelton)

Although all the flavors in the photograph were intriguing, I was especially interested in the pomegranate because it seemed the most accessible compared to cactus and red ginseng!

Now, I didn't know how to get or make pomegranate vinegar, but even if I did, I probably wouldn't have wasted it being experimental! So I figured if I couldn't really make it, I'd fake it...

Actually, I did have lofty plans to make some of my own fruit vinegar from scratch this summer...but yeah, that didn't work out, lol.

But, I looked up how to make fruit-infused vinegars, recently...so I now have a small batch brewing. Hopefully it'll turn out okay (read: I won't poison myself! ) and then I can play around with some more vinegar-based cocktails!

Homemade Plum Vinegar

1 1/2 cups natural apple cider vinegar
~1 cup chopped ripe plums

I'm going to let it rest at room temperature for about 4-5 days, then drain off the vinegar into a new bottle and store.

The color from the plums has already started leaching into the vinegar after only one day.

Okay, enough of my rambling, here is an easy little mocktail, inspired by fruit vinegar drinks...

It's surprisingly refreshing, a little like lemonade...

Pomegranate Vinegar Drink
serves 1

4 ounces pure pomegranate juice (no added sweeteners)
4 ounces water
1 tablespoon honey
2-3 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
Ice cubes (optional)

Mix the honey and vinegar together until dissolved...

Then top off with water and pomegranate juice.

Add ice if desired!

I've also made this with apple juice and pineapple juice, but I had to adjust the honey because they were a little too sweet. So play around with other fruit juices and see what you like.

Enjoy! :o)

One lonely tomato + an interview

2008-09-28T07:26:00.000-07:00

Caramelized Onion & Green Tomato Frittata

The perfect "use-it-up" fallback: the frittata

But before I get to the frittata, I have some really neat news to share! I was asked to do an interview recently! How cool is that? So a few days ago, I was interviewed by the lovely Mikelah of JAMROCK magazine, a "premier glossy lifestyle publication with a distinctly Caribbean-American flair". You can check it out here if you'd like, and then stick around for the other great articles!

Thanks again Mikelah! :o)

Now, in my last post I mentioned that I might try something interesting with my remaining green tomatoes. But...I ended up playing it safe and just made more yummy fried ones, lol.

This left me with one odd tomato...

Doesn't it look sad? :(

What can you make with one random green tomato? A frittata of course!

Frittatas are a great way to use up odd and ends...from leftover herbs and veggies, to cooked meats, they're all fair game. The other cool thing about a frittata is that it can pass for an appetizer, breakfast or even a light lunch or dinner.

I love the nutty flavor that parmesan brings to a frittata, and it seems to work well with the tartness of the green tomato too. Parmesan is also great because you don't have to use as much salt!
The caramelized onions add a little depth and natural sweetness to the dish.

Caramelized Onion & Green Tomato Frittata

6 large eggs
1 tablespoon mustard
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon oregano
dash of garlic powder
1/2 - 3/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
2 tablespoons parmesan
2 tablespoons milk

1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 medium green tomato, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 scallion, chopped
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste
salt and black pepper to taste
1-2 tablespoons olive oil

Sour cream for serving (optional)

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Prep the ingredients...

Whisk the eggs, salt, herbs, garlic powder, and mustard together in a small bowl. Then mix in the parmesan and milk and set aside.

Heat about 1 1/2 tablespoons of oil in a 10-inch oven-safe skillet, over medium-high heat. Add the finely sliced onions and cook until wilted, then reduce the heat to medium. Cook the onions for about 10 minutes, stirring only occasionally so they brown evenly.

Once the onions are caramelized, set them aside on a plate to cool.

Turn the heat up slightly, add a little more oil to the pan and saute the chopped scallion and garlic until softened a bit. Add the green tomato, chili flakes, a few pinches of salt and fresh black pepper, cook for another 2-3 minutes.

Stir the caramelized onions into the egg mixture, then pour into the skillet.

Make sure not to stir the eggs, so a crust will form.

When the edges look set and middle looks puffy and bubbly...

...place the skillet in the preheated oven for 8-10 minutes, until the top is set. Allow it to cool slightly, then turn it onto a plate.

Slice and serve with a dollop of sour cream...

Enjoy :o)

Parmesan Fried Green Tomatoes

2008-09-22T18:00:00.000-07:00

I never had fried green tomatoes...until last week.

Years ago, when my mom brought home a small handful of green tomatoes and explained her plans for them, I squealed, "Like the movie?!!".

I couldn't believe that they actually existed.

Armed with instructions from a co-worker, my mom cooked them up that weekend...and they must've been amazing because I never even got a bite! My mom nibbled away at the whole batch while I was away doing my girl scoutly duties, lol.

My mom never got around to making them again, so I always wondered what they tasted like....

I'm a city girl through and through...so sometimes I actually forget that fruit and vegetables aren't supposed to be these perfectly round, uniformly-shaped products!

So when I saw a box of these brightly-colored beauties outside of my local health food store, I couldn't pass up buying a small handful of my own. I instantly turned back into that curious 9 year-old who missed out on a taste so many years ago, lol.

Between my mother's notes of how she remembered fixing them and some recipes around the net, I settled on a version that I felt suited my taste. I added a bit of parmesan...beacuse, what isn't better without a little parmesan cheese? :)

The verdict:

They were juicy and an interesting mix of sweet and tangy. Fried up, they really reminded me of onion rings! They definitely tasted like tomatoes though, just extra tart ones.

I definitely liked them, but I can't say I'm a new member of the green tomato fan club as of yet...

Apparently green tomatoes are pretty versatile...people make them into jams, bake them into pies, and a whole host of interesting things. So, since I have a few more, I'd like to play around with different ways to use them before they ripen...

Any suggestions? :o)

Parmesan Fried Green Tomatoes

3 medium-large green tomatoes (they should give a little when you press them)

1/2 cup all-purpose flour
generous amount of fresh black pepper

1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup fine yellow cornmeal
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon brown sugar

oil for frying
extra salt for sprinkling

Cut the tomatoes into ~1/4 inch slices...

Prepare the breading station...

Combine 1/4 cup of the flour and a generous amount of fresh black pepper together in a shallow bowl or plate.

Whisk the egg and milk together in another bowl.

Mix the cornmeal, parmesan, brown sugar, salt, and remaining 1/4 cup flour together in the third bowl.

Lightly dredge the tomato slices in the flour, then dip into the egg mixture, letting the excess drip off.

Bury the wet tomato slices in the cornmeal mixture, pat the coating onto them, then gently shake off the crumbs.

To avoid swamp-man hands, use one hand for dipping the dry ingredients and the other for wet.

Pour about 1/4-inch of oil into a heavy skillet and warm over medium-high heat...

Once the oil is hot, fry the slices in batches until golden brown, about 2 minutes on each side.

Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with salt while still piping hot.

Enjoy!

Marbled Molasses Cornbread

2008-09-18T03:23:00.000-07:00

Sometimes an idea is sparked by the smallest gesture.

In this case, it was watching my father pour a smooth river of molasses over a warm chunk of cornbread one Christmas.

I thought, why not work the molasses into the bread itself? Inspired by this comforting, old-fashioned way of enjoying cornbread, I went to work on an updated (and less sticky!) take on the idea.

I knew I wanted it to be in a loaf shape, so it would be easy to cut into nice slices for a piece of toast, for instance.

So here it is... a simple cornbread recipe, with just a touch of sweetness to bring out the corn flavor and a ribbon of molasses running through. If you enjoy cornbread that's more sweet than savory, feel free to double the sugar.

If you're in the mood for cornbread but are looking for something a little different, you may want to give this a try!

Marbled Molasses Cornbread

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 1/4 cups fine yellow cornmeal

1/4 cup sugar

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

2 large eggs

1 cup buttermilk*

1/2 cup oil or melted butter

1/4 cup molasses

freshly grated nutmeg (optional)

*Don't have buttermilk? Make sour milk instead: Add 1 tablespoon of vinegar to a measuring cup, pour in milk until it reaches the 1-cup line and stir. Let stand for a couple of minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Spray a 9"x5" loaf pan with oil, sprinkle in some cornmeal, then tap out the excess.

Mix the flour, cornmeal, salt, sugar, baking powder and baking soda in a large bowl.

Whisk the oil, buttermilk, and eggs together, then stir into the dry mixture until well combined.

Share out about 1/3 of the batter into another bowl and stir in the molasses.

Sprinkle a dusting of nutmeg into the molasses mixture if you like...

Add the batter to the prepared pan by alternating spoons of plain and molasses batter.

Run a butter knife through the batter in a figure-8 motion.

Bake for 45-55 minutes in the preheated oven.

Let the bread sit in the pan for a minute or two, then turn out onto a rack to cool...

Slice, slather with butter and...

Enjoy! :o)

Chocolate Cloud Cupcakes

2008-09-15T04:13:00.000-07:00

This past week, I've been dreaming of cupcakes. But not just any cupcakes...ones that capture the beauty of a pavlova: that sweet crispy shell encasing a light fluffy center, all in a bite sized package.

Coincidentally, I was catching up on one of my favorite blogs this weekend, and noticed that she's hosting a cupcake event for Sugar High Fridays. This month's theme is basically a call to arms for all those who love cupcakes and want to give them the respect they deserve, lol!

So, I took the event as an excuse to actually try out these cupcakes, because honestly, I probably wouldn't have gotten around to making them for a couple of months otherwise!

At first, I was going make the cakes out of plain pavlovas, but the idea of cocoa-flavored ones, studded with melted bits of chocolate, became much more intriguing. I'd never made chocolate pavlova before, but it seemed like a fun challenge!
To reinforce the chocolate flavor, I subbed some of the caster sugar with brown sugar and added a touch of instant espresso powder.

Instead of the usual whipped cream, I wanted a stiffer frosting, so I opted for a lightly sweetened whipped cream cheese deal (this proved to be a bit of a mistake), along with a drizzle of chocolate sauce and colorful summer fruit.

This is the first time I've ever participated in a food blogging event like Sugar High Fridays, so I'm really excited.

Cupcakes aren't dead, they're definitely here to stay and I hope these pavlova inspired cupcakes do the cause justice, lol! So here goes...

Chocolate Cloud Cupcakes w/ fresh summer fruit

makes 12

4 large egg whites
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar

3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup superfine sugar

1 teaspoon vinegar ( I used red wine vinegar this time, it doesn't really matter though)
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon instant espresso powder

1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons natural cocoa powder

2 ounces finely chopped semisweet or bittersweet chocolate

Fresh fruit: blueberries, diced strawberries, diced kiwi, raspberries, etc...

Lightly sweetened whipped cream or

Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting
4 ounces cream cheese
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cup heavy cream

Chocolate Sauce
1/4 cup semisweet chocolate
2 ounces heavy cream

Line a 12-cup cupcake tin with paper liners.

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.

Prepare all the ingredients like the chocolate, fruit, etc...
Combine the caster and brown sugar to get out any lumps.

Whip the egg whites on high speed until foamy, then add the cream of tartar and continue to whip until soft peaks form.

Beat in the sugar a little at a time, until you see stiff peaks.Rub a little of the egg whites between your fingers to check if the sugar has dissolved. If it still feels gritty, beat the mixture a little more...

Gently fold in the vinegar, espresso powder, and vanilla.

Sift the cornstarch and cocoa powder over the egg whites, then gently fold in.

Fold in the chopped chocolate.

Spoon or pipe the batter into the prepared cupcake tins and place in the preheated oven. Reduce the temperature to 250 degrees and bake for 35 minutes. After that, turn off the heat and let the cupcakes cool inside the oven for another 15-20 minutes.

After cooling in the oven, carefully remove the cakes from the tins and place on a rack to cool completely...

While the cupcakes are baking /cooling, prepare the toppings...
Chocolate Sauce:

Heat the heavy cream just until little bubbles form around the edge of the pan, then pour into the chocolate. Stir until smooth and set aside to cool.

Cream frosting:
Whip the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Beat in the cold heavy cream until fluffy.

I didn't feel like pulling out the icing kit, so I just used a big ziploc bag with the corner snipped off when it came time to frost the cakes.

With some of the cupcakes, I drizzled the chocolate before adding the fruit, others after...

Now, isn't that kinda cute?

Well, unfortunately, the cuteness was short-lived for most of these cupcakes because...

::Womp Womp::

...after a few minutes they caved under pressure!

I'm not sure if this was due to me using a heavier frosting than plain whipped cream or maybe they needed to stay in the oven longer.

So these will be headed to the oops, try again file for a little tweaking, lol...

So, besides the collapsed roof issue, I was pretty happy with the taste. And, I got the crispy shell and rich fluffy center I imagined. Like a cloud made out of chocolate :o)

Do you want to give all those cupcake naysayers a piece of your mind, too? Well, you can participate in the "Sugar High Friday"cupcake event, just submit your recipe and pics up until September 26th.

Head over to foodbeam for the details!

Happy Baking!

Zesty Mango Chicken Wrap

2008-09-12T03:15:00.000-07:00

Tortillas are really my saving grace when it comes to making lunch for work. I'd be lost without them! Whenever I get tired of bringing in leftovers, I just figure out something to stuff inside a tortilla, lol.

Since I'm still trying to hang on to summer in any way I can, I thought adding some juicy mango slices and crunchy veggies to a simple chicken roll-up would bring that vibe. I've mixed mango and chicken before, but this sandwich turned into something extra special because of a new dressing I stumbled into...

Usually, I just fall back on my usual honey-balsamic mixture when I need a dressing...but this time inspiration came in the form of one leftover little can of pineapple juice, lol. I'd stocked up on the stuff when I had my wisdom tooth surgery a little over a month ago since it's supposed to reduce swelling. I can't say it helped much in that department, but pineapple juice definitely comes in handy when you need to dress up a chicken sandwich!

The pineapple-flavored vinaigrette ended up working really well the mango, and I added a touch of curry and red pepper flakes just to make things a little interesting. Next time I'll try it out with a little crushed pineapple mixed in, I think that would bump the flavor up even more!

If you're low-carbing it, you can use a large romaine lettuce leaf to roll everything up instead of a tortilla :o)

The ingredients in this wrap would make a pretty tasty salad too...

Mango Chicken Wrap
w/ pineapple curry vinaigrette
makes 2

2 10-inch whole wheat tortillas

1/2 of a lime

1 thin chicken cutlet (~4-5 oz)

1 teaspoon coarse or kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon fresh black pepper

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon canola oil

1 small red bell pepper, thinly sliced

~ 1/4 cup sliced red onion

~1/2 cup mild white cheddar, diced

~ 1 cup ripe but firm mango, sliced

Watercress or baby spinach

Avocado slices to serve, either included in the wrap or on the side

Prep all the veggies...

Combine the salt, ginger, and black pepper and oil, set aside.

This might seem like a lot of salt for one thin piece of chicken, but the meat needs a punch of flavor since it's not going to be marinated. Plus, this is pretty much all the salt in the sandwich besides what you decide to add to the vinaigrette.

Rinse the chicken in cold water an trim any excess fat. Rub down with the juice of half a lime and pat dry. Rub the spice mixture all over the cutlet.

Warm a cast iron skillet or grill pan over high heat, then spray with a light coating of oil.

Cook the cutlet for around 2 - 3 minutes on each side.

Transfer the chicken to plate to rest for a couple of minutes, then slice into thin strips.

To make the tortillas more flexible, warm them in the microwave for a couple seconds.

Pile on the vegetables, chicken and cheese...
Drizzle with a few spoonfuls of the dressing, then roll it all up.

The Vinaigrette
This is a tangy, fruity dressing with just a hint of spice. The longer it sits, the deeper the flavor, so it's a good idea to make it first...

3 oz pineapple juice

4-5 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

tablespoons olive oil

teaspoon soy sauce

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/4 teaspoon curry powder

dash of cumin

salt to taste

Whisk all the ingredients together in a small bowl or shake up in a small jar. Put aside for a few minutes so the flavors can set.

Shake well before using.

Enjoy!

Fresh Strawberry Pavlova

2008-09-08T04:52:00.000-07:00

A couple of years ago, if someone had asked me what Pavlova was...I wouldn't have had a clue. It' s so funny how times have changed, because now I can't get enough of it!

Mainly because I'm a sucker for desserts that look really cool, without too much work! LOL
...And Pavlova definitely falls into that category - it's got wow factor, but still has a homey feel.
.
Pavlova is basically a baked meringue shell, topped with fruits and cream...and the fruits can change up with the season or your taste.

The dessert orginates from down under, either New Zealand or Australia, but since there seems to be some issue with who claims its creation, I'll stay out of that argument, lol.

One thing that's clear is that it's named after the famous ballerina Anna Pavlova...probably because of its light as air texture...

Just imagine your fork traveling through all these tasty layers: ripe juicy fruits on top, velvety clouds of whipped cream, down to a crispy sweet meringue shell...and finally, a fluffy marshmallowey center...

Texture overload!

This is a wonderful dessert for entertaining. Even though it takes a little time to bake, it's pretty simple to put together...and you can even make the meringue shell up to two days ahead of time...

Fresh Strawberry Pavlova
makes 6-8 servings

4 large egg whites
1 cup caster (superfine) sugar*
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon white or apple cider vinegar

1 1/2 cups fresh strawberries, sliced

Whipped Cream
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)

*If you can't find caster sugar, no worries, just pulse regular granulated sugar in a blender or food processor a few times, then measure from that...

Preheat the oven to 300 F degrees

Trace a 7-inch circle on a piece of parchment paper, then flip over onto a baking tray (this way the meringue isn't in contact with the pencil markings).

In a clean glass or metal bowl, whip the egg whites on medium speed until foamy soft peaks form. On high speed, gradually beat in the sugar until the mixture is stiff and glossy looking.

Sift the cornstarch over the meringue, then fold in the vinegar.

Pile the meringue into the outlined circle, then level out with a spoon, making a slight indentation towards the center. It's fine if the egg whites run over the circle, it's just a guideline and the meringue will spread while baking anyway...

Place the meringue in the oven and reduce the heat to 250 degrees. Bake for 1 hour.

After 1 hour, turn off the heat and let the pavlova cool in the oven for another hour.

Once completely cooled, carefully peel the meringue from the parchment paper. If you're not yet ready to assemble the dessert, you can keep the shell in an airtight container for up to two days.

making the whipped cream

Since the meringue is pretty sugary, the whipped cream only needs to be very lightly sweetened.

The trick to getting heavy cream to whip up really quickly is for everything to be really cold...

Try chilling the bowl and beaters in the freezer for 10-20 minutes before you plan to make the cream...

Whip the cold cream on high speed until ribbony streaks form, then sprinkle in the sugar and vanilla flavoring. Continue to beat just until the cream forms soft peaks.

Pile on the cream and fruit and serve immediately!

I hope you'll give it a try!

Enjoy!

Great Friday!

2008-09-05T09:20:00.000-07:00

You are now reading the words of a Black Weblog Award winner!! I can't believe it!

NYAM won the Judge's vote for Best Food Blog, along with Everyday Cooking who won the Popular vote!

This is really an amazing honor and I'm so proud to be a part of this year's awards! :o)

Words cannot express how wonderful this is...

SO many thanks out there to give! Thanks to Maurice Cherry who takes his precious time to organize and run the Black Weblog Awards...an amazing platform for bloggers of color.

Huge thanks to all of you readers out there!! I really appreciate you actually visiting NYAM in the first place, lol! Thanks to all who nominated and voted for me!

And of course, a big thank you to the Judges! I'll try my best to live up to the award!

Congrats to all of this year's winners!
(You can check out the full list of winners HERE!)

I think I'll celebrate with a slice of Ice Cream Cake, lol!

Have a wonderful weekend everyone!!
:o)

Tropical Ice Cream Cake

2008-09-04T19:03:00.000-07:00

Ice Cream Cake from Gorgeous Cakes (credit: Chris Alack )

Okay. It's pretty tough not to be inspired by the picture above...

As soon as I laid eyes on this recipe, I knew I had to give it a try (with my own little twist of course)! And even though ice cream cakes bring out the kid in all of us, I like that you can easily give this treat a grown up touch with the addition of a little flavored liqueur... it fits all occasions!

Since there's still some time before summer is technically over, I figured I'd try and sneak in some more warm weather recipes while I can! So, I finally got around to making it...

In this version I left out the alcohol, but added some fresh chopped kiwi for visual and textural interest. The bright mango and raspberry sherbets bring a colorful, tropical edge.

Ladyfinger biscuits soaked in juice lend some structure, and legitimize the "cake" status, lol.

By the way, if you're someone who wants to get into making homemade desserts, but are still a little scared of baking... a few packs of ladyfingers are great to have around! They're perfect for trifles, or as I call them, throw-together-and-chill desserts like: tiramisu, banana pudding, strawberry shortcake...and of course, easy ice cream cakes!

Strawberry pudding cake - no baking involved!
All thanks to a package of ladyfingers...

There are so many ways to play around with this cake by switching out various ice cream flavors, soaking liquids, you name it. It has great payoff with minimal effort...

Tropical Ice Cream Cake

adapted from Gorgeous Cakes by Annie Bell

1 pint mango sorbet

1 1/2 cups raspberry ice cream or sherbet

1 cup mango juice

3 tablespoons rum or flavored liqueur (optional)

7 ounce package of ladyfingers

2 kiwis, diced

Let the ice cream sit out for about 10-15 minutes, so the texture becomes soft and spreadable, not soupy though.

Line an 8.5" (1.5 quart) loaf pan with plastic wrap, leaving enough to hang over the edges.

Using a shallow dish, dip the cookies in the juice mixture for several seconds. They should soften up, but still feel kind of crunchy in the middle, not soggy.

Line the bottom and long edges of the loaf pan with the soaked ladyfingers, sugary side down, then saw off the tops for an even level.

Mix the chopped fruit into the softened mango sorbet...

Then spread the mango/kiwi mixture followed by the raspberry...

Cover with the flaps of plastic wrap and place in the freezer, the setting should be nice and high.

The original recipe said to freeze the cake for about 1 1/2 hours...but just to let you know from experience ...that could be a disaster, lol! I took the cake out after 2 hours and it was a runny mess, luckily some quick thinking saved it...but I would suggest at least 4 hours of freeze time to be safe.

Turn the cake out onto a large plate...

...and cut into slices with a serrated knife to serve. That's it!

Enjoy!

Labor Day Fun!

2008-09-02T08:02:00.000-07:00

So the summer has unofficially come to a close...

...but not without one last hoorah!

This saturday was spent with family which was really nice, and the food was plentiful. :o)

I really wish I could have gotten a good picture of the entire spread, it was delicious...

We had everything from buffalo and jerk chicken wings to mac & cheese, grilled tilapia, seasoned string beans, and so much more. And of course there was usual BBQ fare of hot dogs, sausage, hamburgers - no summer get-together would be complete without them, lol.

I made a vegetable Lo Mein that seemed to go over pretty well!

...My banana cake though, not so much...lol...

I actually didn't have much planned for actual Labor Day besides taking it easy and resting before the work week...but at the very last minute, I decided to hang out with some family over at the West Indian Labor Day Parade that's held here in Brooklyn every year.

I'm so glad I did!

We did alot of walking, so I was beat...but it was worth it. To think, I would have missed out on all the vibrant colors, great weather, and of course...amazing street food!

Me, my aunt, little sis, and cousin shared the best plate of spicy fried shrimp, rice & peas, plantains, and fried fish ever! Oh, it was so good...especially after standing in the hot sun...

I topped the meal off with one of my favorite summertime treats...a snow cone - shaved ice soaked in cherry and coconut syrup, drizzled with a bit of condensed milk...the.best.thing.ever!

Here are a few photos I took to try and capture some of the mood and excitement of the day...

(If the slideshow doesn't show up, click HERE)

I hope you all are enjoying these last days of summer! :o)

Avocado...for dessert?

2008-08-28T05:58:00.000-07:00

My mother and I became obsessed with these shakes last summer...you practically had to hide avocados from us. It was serious, people.

As much as I love food, I very rarely become so carried away with something that I have to declare a self-imposed ban! These smoothies are amazing!

I've tried to share my sweet-avocado love with others, but people see that pale green color and chicken out, lol!

And it's no surprise, especially since here in the U.S. we automatically associate avocados with salty, garlicky flavors...but when you really think about it, avocados have a very mild taste. They're more of a blank slate, really...

Combine that with their naturally velvety, creamy texture, it's no wonder that they'd be a great asset to an indulgent dessert. From the Philippines, to Cape Verde, to Brazil, they're all hip to the perfect match between sweet flavors and the "butter pear"...and hey, avocados are fruits anyway!

Avocado smoothies have the most sinfully rich texture...

...most milkshakes wish they could be this creamy, lol.

Any type of avocado will do, from the smooth green caribbean style to the bumpy-skinned hass variety.

The smooth type generally have a higher water content and an even subtler flavor, so it all depends on what's available and what you like...

A little squeeze of lime juice helps preserve the drinks color and brighten the flavor a bit...not really to add much citrus taste, although that's nice too!

You can even try replacing the condensed milk with a nice scoop of vanilla ice cream...there are so many ways you can play around with this idea.

You can't be much of a calorie counter to enjoy these though, they're jam packed... but the indulgence is so worth it!

Avocado Smoothie
makes 2-3 servings

6 ice cubes
3-4 tablespoons sugar
1 ripe avocado
1/4 of a lime
1/4 cup sweetened condensed milk
1 cup cold milk (you can add more if you want to thin it out)

Add the ice cubes and sugar to the blender, then pile on the avocado chunks, lime juice, condensed milk and blend. (If the ice cubes are being a bit stubborn, pour in some of the cold milk to help things along)

Once the sweetened avocado mixture is nice and smooth, blend in the cold milk and serve.

non-dairy version
Try replacing the condensed milk and milk with honey and vanilla soy or almond milk! It's a slightly different flavor as the the lime juice seems to come through a bit more in this version, but it's still really tasty...

Some other ways I've played around with this recipe is by drizzling a bit of chocolate sauce on top or blending in some frozen banana chunks. Yum!

While writing this, I just thought of using coconut milk and adding a bit of coconut-flavored rum for a tropical avocado daiquiri...maybe? Seems like it might be kind of cool...

I'd love to hear any other ideas on how you'd mix it up with this recipe!

**ETA: For another great way to work avocado into dessert, check out Nik Snacks Avocado Buttercream cupcakes!

Have you ever tasted something that at first glance seemed strange, but you ended being pleasantly surprised?

Have a wonderful Labor Day Weekend!

Tastes like a miracle

2008-08-25T02:51:00.000-07:00

Berries from the west african synsepalum dulcificum plant

Surfing the net a little while ago, I came across information on this really interesting fruit.

It's called "miracle fruit" and it could definitely become a cool new thing in specialty foods...

The berry contains a protein called miraculin which binds to the flavor receptors on your tongue - so for a period of time (usually between 20 minutes to an hour), anything sour...and even some bitter foods...will taste incredibly sweet.

here's a clip of some people experimenting with the miracle berry

Quite the mind-bender, huh?

One caveat is that the fruit is very fragile, so it's kind of difficult (and pricey) to purchase fresh. Conveniently, it's also available in tablet form which supposedly has the same effect.

The effects of the miracle fruit look to go way beyond the usual foodie novelty, though. The medical industry and food manufacturers are researching how miraculin can aid in the development of diet products, and possibly help people with chronic sweet tooths, and even those with diabetes!

The strange thing is that a few food companies tried to utilize the benefits of miracle fruit back in the 70's, but a bit of controversy may have stopped things in their tracks.
Things that make you go, hmmm?

Now, if only I could get my hands on some... I can only imagine what a jar of dill pickles would taste like with my newly altered tastebuds! :)
Too bad miracle berries are a bit expensive - and I'm broke, lol.

In any event, the long term impact of mainstreaming miraculin is potentially huge...

I mean, imagine getting kids to scarf down bitter veggies with no problems, lol?

What do you think?

Joe Fornabaio / NYT

Fig and Asian Pear Salad

2008-08-21T04:14:00.000-07:00

A while back, I'd posted about Ya li pears and I'd wanted to find something cool to do with them. Well...here it is! Of course, "cool" is relative, lol.

I knew right off the bat that I wanted to combine the pears with figs...but finding fresh figs at the time was nearly impossible! When I finally did find some, they were way too expensive and they didn't look too hot either.

I ended up testing this salad out with dried figs, but it wasn't what I was looking for...

Now that it's alot easier to find fresh figs at a reasonable price (they're in season from June-September in most parts of the U.S.), I went full steam ahead with the salad I envisioned.

*
I've always liked salads that contain a mix of textures, so I try to include something crunchy, something crispy, something soft, and so on...
...And the same thing goes for the taste elements - some sort of combo of spicy, salty, sweet, etc., seems to work out well for the most part.

In this case I used some walnut pieces for crunch, pear for crispiness, figs for their sweetness and mushy texture, and some pepper jack cheese for a little touch of heat.

I wasn't too sure what to do for the vinaigrette at first, so I just picked stuff from the pantry. Sweet and tangy is always a safe bet, so I combined sweet maple and apple flavors with some apple cider vinegar for the zing.
And for some reason pepper seems to go well with pear...so I added some black pepper at the last minute...

The vinaigrette really benefits from having some time to let the flavors develop, so I'd suggest making before everything else. :o)

Fig and Asian Pear Salad
makes 4-6 servings

1 large ripe asian pear*
1 box of ripe black figs (~ 3/4 pound)
1 large head of red leaf lettuce
1 1/2 cups walnut pieces
4 oz. pepper jack cheese

*you can use any type of firm, ripe pear that you like, but since they may be smaller than the average asian pear...you may have to use two! Golden delicious or granny smith apples would be a nice variation as well :o)

Tear the lettuce into bite-sized pieces and wash in very cold water...

Dry well and set aside.

Cut the figs into either halves or quarters and slice the pear into thin wedges ...

Slice of shreds of the pepper jack cheese and scatter over the salad along with the walnut pieces...

Toss with some of the maple cider vinaigrette (or serve on the side). Simple as that!

* * *

Maple Cider Vinaigrette

2 oz. apple juice or apple cider
4 oz. apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons olive or grapeseed oil
2-3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Fresh black pepper to taste

Combine all the ingredients in an old glass jar and shake it up...that's it!Let the dressing sit for a few minutes so the flavors can mingle :o)

Enjoy!

Thank you!

2008-08-19T03:07:00.000-07:00

Woohoo!!

NYAM food blog is a finalist in the 2008 Black Weblog awards!! And it's all because of you!

A HUGE thank you to all who took the time out to nominate me! This is so cool...

It's definitely an honor just to have come this far, and your continued support would be greatly appreciated!

Voting for the finalists is under way, and I could definitely use all the help I can get...there's some great competition!

Please vote for NYAM for best food blog!
In order to vote, you must vote in every category... so you can check out the rest of the finalists here...you may discover some cool new blogs to bookmark! ;o)

Then, you can head over here and submit your ballot! Tell your friends, lol!

Voting is open until August 31st and the winners will be announced on September 4th.

Fingers crossed guys!!

Thanks so much everyone.

Spicy Shrimp and Okra Stew

2008-08-18T03:55:00.000-07:00

This recipe is based on a shrimp dish that one of my aunts made often while she was in town several weeks back. I love the simplicity of this stew, and that the flavors are still bold and satisfying.

Paired with a few boiled green or yellow plantains, and some watercress on the side…you’ve got a complete meal. :o)

This stew features okra, which unfortunately is an automatic turnoff for some... alot of people dislike its slippery texture. It doesn't bother me much though! I love the veggie, plus it's really good for digestion too!

In most okra recipes, that texture is desired to thicken the dish, like in a gumbo, for instance.

The general rule of thumb for okra is that the smaller you cut it, the thicker the sauce will be...but since this stew is more on the thin side, not much thickening action is needed.
To keep the "sliminess" to a minimum, use fresh, firm okra, and keep it as close to whole as possible. Also, since the total cooking time is less that 30 minutes, less of the okra's slippery mucilage is drawn out into the dish, so that helps as well.

I spiced this up with a touch of my homemade picante chombo (hot sauce) from a few posts back...but feel free to use whatever pepper or hot sauce you like!

So...this isn’t exactly like my Aunt's, but it’s pretty close :o)
The curry, okra, and tomatoes create a very light but flavorful sauce, perfect for warm weather.

Spicy Shrimp and Okra Stew

Serves 3-4

1 pound large shrimp, cleaned and deveined
half of a lime

fresh black pepper

4 tablespoons oil (you can sub 2 of the tablespoons with butter for a richer sauce)
1 medium onion, thinly sliced

2 cloves of garlic, crushed or finely minced

1 tablespoon curry powder

14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes
1/2 pound of whole okra, stem ends trimmed

1 cup water ( if you'd like to use stock, reduce the salt a bit)
2 sprigs of thyme (or 1 teaspoon dried)
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher or sea salt

1/2 teaspoon adobo seasoning

1/2 teaspoon homemade pepper sauce ( or 1 teaspoon tabasco / red pepper flakes, etc.)

Right before you start cooking, toss the shrimp with some lime juice and fresh black pepper and set aside.

Heat the oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the thinly sliced onions and a pinch of salt, and let cook down until the onions are softened and translucent. Stir in the curry and minced garlic and continue to cook until the garlic and curry are really fragrant, about 3-4 minutes. Take care that the garlic and onions don't brown too much though, you can turn the flame down slightly if needed.

Stir in the chopped tomatoes (including liquid), salt, adobo, thyme, okra, and water / stock.

Cover the pot and bring to a boil over high, then reduce the flame and let simmer for about 10 minutes. Avoid stirring the stew too much since this will break up the okra and make it more slippery.

Stir in the shrimp and pepper sauce. Cover the pot , reduce to a simmer, and let cook until shrimp is cooked through has turned pink (less than 5 minutes)...

Serve with rice and / or boiled plantains and some salad greens for a complete meal. That's it!!

Enjoy! :o)

Boiled Sweet Plantains

2008-08-16T12:00:00.000-07:00

Looking back, I can't believe I haven't posted this method of cooking plantains earlier!

Boiling them is pretty much the easiest way to make them, and you can use both the yellow (sweet), or green (starchy) ones depending on what your taste is for the moment.

Boiled plantains go well with any type of main dish, really...and they're a nice, quick way to get some starch onto your plate if you don't feel like the usual rice, pasta, or potatoes. :o)

But, you can serve them along with rice as well.

I especially like boiled plantains with fish and seafood dishes, which is how I used them recently by pairing them with a tasty shrimp stew (more on that later).

So without further ado, here are the basics for making tasty boiled plantains:

Boiled Sweet Plantain
serves 4

4 large yellow plantains (with black spots / streaks)

1 tablespoon coarse salt

olive oil for drizzling

First, rinse and scrub the plantains well.

Cut off the ends, then slice each plantain in half, crosswise.

Make a small nick in each plantain peel (this just makes it a bit easier to remove after it's cooked).

Add the plantains and salt to a large pot of water and bring everything to a boil. As soon as the water starts to bubble, drizzle in some olive oil and allow the plantains to simmer for about 15-20 minutes.

You'll notice that the peels will start to open up when they're done.

You can keep the plantains in their little peel "jackets" until ready to serve...

Then remove them when you're about to eat. Drizzle with more olive oil and salt and pepper if desired...

Enjoy! :o)

Here they are served up with the meal that I'll feature in my upcoming post!
Spicy Okra and Shrimp Stew

Steamed Egg Custard

2008-08-13T03:35:00.000-07:00

Chinese-style savory egg custard

A couple of weeks back, I needed to find foods that were both soft and nutritious. I ended up making quite a few egg custards, inspired by the really smooth and silky custards you get at dim sum & chinese restaurants. Really simple and comforting.
I first started out with plain custards, then worked up to ones with little add-ins of meat and veggies. (Extra: the Japanese version of these custards is called Chawan Mushi).

Chawan Mushi

They're really simple to make at home and pretty quick too...

Besides being a relatively quick treat, steamed custards are very flexible in terms of ingredients. You can mix in anything from fresh shrimp, minced pork, soaked dried mushrooms, various dried seafoods, etc. Dried shrimp is a popular ingredient, so I decided to use that since I still had some left over from the Red Red.

Have fun and use whatever ingredients suit you...

Savory Steamed Egg Custard

1/4 cup dried shrimp, soaked in about 1/3 cup warm water

~ 3-4 tablespoons shrimp soaking liquid

3 large eggs

3/4 cup chicken stock

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

1/8 tsp white pepper

1 inch piece of ginger, peeled, finely grated or chopped

2-3 large scallions, finely chopped

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

Prepare your steamer:

Place a steamer basket or trivet into a large pot or wok. Pour in water just before it reaches the underside of the steamer basket. Cover the pot and put over a high flame to build up heat.

Whisk the eggs, salt, sugar, pepper together with a fork, then beat in the stock. Pass through a strainer.

Mix in the ginger, 2/3 of the chopped scallions, shrimp, and reserved shrimp liquid . Pour into a small, shallow ceramic dish (~ 2-cup capacity), and cover with plastic wrap or a plate.*

(Pour more water into the steamer if necessary) Steam for around 13-15 minutes on medium-high, until set but slightly jiggly.

Garnish with the remaining scallion and drizzle with soy sauce and toasted sesame oil.

The custard can be served as a side dish or with plain white rice.

* You can also divide the mixture amongst small teacups or ramekins for individual custards

Served with plain white rice.

Enjoy! :o)

Frozen Yogurt Tartlettes

2008-08-08T06:17:00.000-07:00

Simple frozen yogurt treats, lightly sweetened with honey and fresh berries...

I drew inspiration for this dessert from a similar recipe that included dried fruit and nuts (which I think would be great in the winter). But, since I'm currently on a summer fruit kick, I thought that these treats would be a cute way to showcase fresh raspberries.

The cupcake liners leave a pretty ruffle imprint around the yogurt cups that reminded me of fluted tart crusts...so I ended up calling them tartlettes. :o)

If you're looking for an alternative to the usual sugar-laden frozen desserts out there, this recipe is too easy not to try...

I mixed in two tablespoons of honey, but you can sweeten to taste.

Frozen Yogurt Tartlettes
makes 12

2 1/2 cups plain organic low-fat yogurt
2-3 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon almond extract (or 1 tablespoon amaretto)
1 cup fresh raspberries
extra honey for drizzling

Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper cupcake liners and set aside.

Gently rinse and dry the raspberries. Coarsely chop into bite-sized chunks.

Warm the honey in the microwave, for just a couple of seconds. Stir the honey into the yogurt until well incorporated, then mix in the almond extract.

Gently mix in the chopped berries, but reserve a few pieces for topping.

Divide the yogurt mixture evenly amongst the cupcake tins. Top off each cup with some of the reserved pieces of fruit.

Cover the tin with plastic wrap, then place in the freezer for about 1 1/2 - 2 hours, just until the yogurt is set.

Carefully remove the tartlettes from the cupcake liners.

Drizzle lightly with honey and serve immediately.

If you've frozen them longer than 2 hours, they may need a few minutes to thaw before serving.

Enjoy!! :o)

Some like it hot...

2008-08-06T01:03:00.000-07:00

The hottest peppers: also known as scotch bonnets / habaneros

If you have family from another country, I'm sure you know that whoever is making a visiting trip is automatically designated to bring back specific goodies from whichever country your family calls "home". This person is expected to schlep back with anything from special brands of toothpaste, your great-aunt's famous fried fish, cases of rum, etc., even at the risk of being accosted by customs, lol.

My mother's side of the family is from Panama, and I remember it being almost like Christmas when someone returned from a trip. I'd sit by the suitcase as everyone would divvy up the usual requested items: Panamanian-style jewelry, mola-themed clothing / accessories, various toiletries...and the one constant: pepper sauce. Honestly, I don't think anyone ever came back without bringing some.

Panamanian jewelry & Mola

Pepper sauce in Panama is very similar to other hot sauces popular throughout the Caribbean and West Indies. It consists mostly of spicy peppers called aji chombo (similar to the habanero or scotch bonnet pepper), onion, garlic, some sort of acid, and various spices and herbs.

A simple and unassuming reddish-gold sauce bottled in reused glass jars, but prized as if it were liquid gold. As a kid, I never understood why we always had to wait until someone came back from Panama to get a new batch...but now I realize that it was more about nostalgia and having a piece of home for many of my family members. Plus, there was usually a relative or friend in Panama that had a knack for making a great pepper sauce :o).

In many Panamanian households, homemade pepper sauce is a pantry staple, and everyone has their own version. The condiment is as essential as ketchup is here in the States, and I definitely have some family members who use the stuff like ketchup!

I love hot pepper, but my taste buds are definitely not as hardcore, so I can only take the tiniest bit at a time, lol. For the most part I like to use the sauce in marinades, stir it into stews, add a few drops to a pot of rice, etc...

And believe me...a little goes a loooong way. Habaneros / scotch bonnets are no joke!

For the past 3 years I've been making my own sauce and it's become a comforting new tradition for me to start a new jar every summer.

Each year's batch is unique because I use a mix of scotch bonnets and various other hot peppers.

In the past, I would add peppers purchased from a nearby historic house's garden market. I really loved the idea of using random local ingredients, but this year I had to be a little less romantic about things since the house's market closed down. I guess the yield was too small for the city to justify doing it anymore. :(

So this time I mixed things up by using a few jalapenos.

If you're a chili head and Tabasco sauce just isn't cutting it for you any more...give this simple version of Panamanian hot sauce a try! And if you're up to it, go for a more traditional taste and just use red scotch bonnet peppers (about 13-15) instead of a mix...

Panamanian Style Pepper Sauce
makes around 1 1/2 cups

9 scotch bonnet peppers
5 jalapenos
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tablespoons dijon or brown mustard
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
Juice of half of a lemon or lime
pinch of sugar

***Warning: habaneros / scotch bonnets / aji chombo are the hottest peppers in the world! Please use gloves when cutting them...you really don't want to get the oils on your hands or in sensitive areas like your eyes***

Coarsely chop the peppers, onions and garlic and add to your blender or food processor. Pulse the mixture until finely chopped, then add the mustard. Process until smooth.

Pour in the lemon juice, vinegar, and salt and process once again.
Lastly, sprinkle in a pinch of sugar and blend once more.

Transfer the sauce into a clean glass jar (at least 1- pint capacity).

The pepper sauce will be a little chunky, but if you'd like a slightly milder & smoother sauce, take a moment to cut out the ribs and seeds of the peppers before blending.

Store in the refrigerator and use as needed. For a marinade or a large pot of soup or stew, start with one teaspoon to perk up the dish. Experiment and see how much heat works for you. :o)

Enjoy!

The other nomination season...

2008-08-04T07:44:00.000-07:00

Hey there everybody! I've got some breaking news...

Preliminary nominations for the 2008 Black Weblog Awards, which celebrate the "best and brightest in the black blogosphere", have opened up recently!

I'm not even going to lie...if possible, I'd love to be in the running. However, since I'm not allowed to nominate myself, here is my shameless plug, LOL:
.
If you enjoy what I do here on my little humble slice of the web, I would be so appreciative if you'd show your support by nominating NYAM adventures in cooking and eating under the Food Blog category. Really, I'd be eternally grateful :o)
You can also nominate NYAM under any other category you see fit.

Nominations end on August 16th.

While you're there, be sure to show some love for any of your favorite blogs that fall under the other 29 categories!

...And you thought there was only one major primary season this year, didn't ya? ;o)

* * *

Also, I'd love to hear general feedback from you all out there. If you have any suggestions on things you'd like to see on NYAM, constructive criticism, etc...please sound off in the comment section!

Thanks for reading guys!
:o)

Red Currant and Plum Clafoutis

2008-08-01T08:05:00.000-07:00

So the month of July was pretty slow around these parts, and now I'm trying to play catch-up and get the most out of whatever summer fruits are still around. :o)

Unfortunately, I've been in and out of the dentist's office this entire month (which sucks), but there was a silver lining: the quaint farmers' market full of enticing fresh vegetables and summer fruits right across from the building. The gorgeous boxes of bright red currants caught my attention the most...the only problem was that I had absolutely no idea what to do with them!

aren't they pretty?

Well, yesterday I finally decided to buy a carton, despite not having a plan. I just hoped to figure something out once I got home.
Luckily, I also ended up finding some really cute red plums...and they sparked the idea of making a clafoutis. I like plum clafoutis in the fall, so I thought: why not throw in a few currants for good measure?
Okay, so it wasn't the most creative idea...but it was a start, lol.

Clafoutis (klah foo tee) is an old-fashioned french dessert that rests somewhere in between a custard and a pancake. Traditionally it's made with cherries, but you can use almost any fresh fruit you have available. Clafoutis is light in texture, gently sweetened, and perfectly unpretentious. I like to think of it as a "no excuse" dessert, as there's no reason not to make it... it's super easy! So easy, in fact, a child can put it together (and I'm not kidding, I had two adorable little helpers in the kitchen yesterday and they practically made the dessert themselves, lol).

For a gluten-free twist, I decided to use rice flour instead of standard all-purpose wheat flour.

Sweet ripe plums and tart red currants...a very summery combo. Grab those red currants while they're still in season!

Red Currant and Plum Clafoutis
makes 6 servings

1 cup red currants
1 cup halved or sliced ripe plums
3 large eggs
1/2 cup granulated sugar (+ extra for the dish)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup rice flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 cup (8 oz) milk
2 tablespoons cornstarch

softened butter for the dish
confectioner's sugar (for dusting)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

If your plums are small like these, halving them is fine. If they're larger, slices might be a better idea. Most importantly, they've got to be ripe! These were so ripe the pits practically fell out as soon as I sliced them open, lol...

Prepare a 9"or 10" diameter skillet or deep pie plate: Spread a generous amount of softened butter around the the dish. Pour in a few tablespoons of sugar and rotate the dish until coated with sugar. Tap out the excess.

Arrange the plum slices around the bottom of the dish, then scatter roughly half of the currants over them. Set aside.

Making the Batter:
Whip the eggs, sugar and salt on high until pale and frothy. Add the vanilla extract.
Gently whisk in the flour, then the melted butter.

In a separate bowl, stir the cornstarch and milk together until smooth, then mix into the rest of the batter.

Gently pour the batter over the fruit. Top with the remaining currants.

Bake in the oven for 45 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and puffy.

Cool slightly and dust with confectioner's sugar.

Enjoy!!

Mmmm, mush!

2008-07-19T06:41:00.000-07:00

ripe avocado, fresh crushed garlic, lemon, sea salt

Makeshift Guacamole: My first foray into semi-solid food after my teeth and pieces of my jaw were barbarically ripped from my skull, lol.

Hello everyone, I'm in wisdom tooth hell. I guess it's a rite of passage for many, unfortunately I think I'm about 10 years too late, haha.

Actually, its not that bad pain-wise....the swelling and not being able to open my mouth much sucks though!

My fridge has been looking out of sorts, so there really isn't much real food, but I tried to be prepared so I'd have options:

Kefir and Danactive (during the antibiotics)
Some cook-n-serve butterscotch pudding (woohoo!)
Some silken and soft tofu, maybe for some soup. In fact, I see alot of soup in my future, but that's cool, I LOVE soup.
Some veggies for juicing
Pineapple juice.
Barley water*
Eggs
Chicken stock
Soy milk

Other stuff I plan to make into baby food: sweet potatoes, green plantains (of course!), boxed mash potatoes (yes, I'm being lazy!), frozen peas, frozen brussel sprouts, beans...

I've also got a healthy supply of ensure for backup, lol.

Before the surgery, I had asked my mom to help me with more ideas for soft but healthy foods, and she brought up a blast from the past: Barley water!

Barley water is a soothing, nutritious drink for those who may be ill or having issues with digestion or eating.

My grandmother used to make it when we were getting over a fever, stomach bug, or had reduced appetites for whatever reason. The barley water would help us get back on track.
(My mother also makes oat water like this, I have to get her recipe)

Barley water is good to the body because it's really easy to digest, but contains a nice basic mix of essential sugars, protein, some B vitamins, and even a bit of fat. (Barley also contains gluten, so it's best to steer clear if you have gluten allergies / intolerance).

Barley Water
~4 cups

4 cups water
2-3 tablespoons barley
Spices: cinnamon stick or star anise or 3 cloves..or some mix therein
good pinch of sea salt
1/4 cup raw cane sugar

Bring the barley, spice(s) and water to boil in a medium sized pot, allow to boil for around 15 minutes.

Fish out the spices. Take the boiled barley off the heat and puree with either an immersion blender or regular blender.

Pass the blended barley mixture through a fine strainer, then stir in the salt and sugar until dissolved.

Allow to cool slightly before transferring to a container. Refrigerate.

Enjoy!

(You can also add the juice of 1 lemon and make lemon-barley water, which is pretty tasty. Lemon and star anise is a nice combo as well!)

If you have any meal ideas for wisdom tooth extraction recovery, please share :o)

Happy Chewing Everyone! (I won't be, lol)

My 3 new cookbooks

2008-07-09T08:15:00.000-07:00

Hey all! I hope everyone enjoyed a great July 4th :o)

:::sigh::: I've been such a bad blogger lately, y'all. This summer's turning out to be way more hectic than planned, so I haven't been able to update as much as I'd like...
Not to mention my taste buds are on mute due to some serious allergies :(

But I'm looking forward to posting some new stuff soon! Especially since I broke my own rule and went out and bought 3 new cookbooks...I couldn't resist, lol:

1.

Cakelove: How to Bake Cakes from Scratch
By Warren Brown, the lawyer-turned-baker extraordinaire and host of the Food Network series Sugar Rush. Since I don't have the pleasure of living close to one of his bakeries, I couldn't wait to get my hands on this book...the next best thing. :)
I love simple, natural-looking, scratchmade cakes (who doesn't really?) and this book is chock- full of them, along with some cool flavor profiles. It's also a great book if you're just starting to get your feet wet in baking...lots of helpful pictorials and info.

I'm super excited to try his Sassy Cake, which is a pound cake flavored with mango puree, rum, and cayenne pepper...that kind of flavor combination is right up my alley!
There's also a version of the recipe listed the food network site, so if any of you would like to try it... here you go!

2.

Veganomicon: The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook
By Isa Moskowitz & Terry Romero
So, I originally had my heart set on Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World by the same authors, but my practical side kicked in after I realized a girl can't live on vegan cupcakes alone. I ended up going for the well-rounded Veganomicon instead. My head is spinning from all the recipes in this one, so I have absolutely no idea which to try first....
Anyone out there with this book have any suggestions?

3.

And last, but definitely not least: The Soul of a New Cuisine by Marcus Samuelsson

I really don't know what took me so long to get this one, I've wanted it for ages...
Ah well, better late than never I guess, lol.
The recipes in this book span the continent of Africa, some even touching up through the Caribbean, but quite a few are Samuelsson's own spin on African flavors with a twist of Asian and European influence. I'm cool with that, it seems like an interesting read. Once again, I have no idea where to start with this one...hmm, maybe the injera bread?...I've always wanted to try that...we'll see.

Hopefully many good things will come out of my new sources of inspiration :o)
I hope everyone's enjoying their summer so far!

Oven Scrambled Eggs

2008-06-30T06:34:00.000-07:00

Fluffy scrambled eggs for a crowd....

A little while ago, I needed to make a good amount of eggs for a small brunch...and as usual, all of my burners were already in use, lol.

But I figured there had to be a way to make tasty scrambled eggs in the oven!

After a quick internet search, I found a great recipe. The original used a little too much butter for my taste, so I reduced it a bit...and luckily the eggs still turned out well. In fact, I think I like oven scrambled eggs a bit more than the usual skillet kind! These eggs have the perfect texture and fluffiness...foolproof eggs, IMO.

I usually don't like to add milk to eggs when I'm scrambling them on the stovetop...using plain water seems to yield a fluffier result. However, milk works very well in this oven version...

Oven Scrambled Eggs

12 large eggs

1 1/4 cups milk

2 tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon salt

Oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Lightly grease a 9" x 13" baking dish with oil, then add two tablespoons of butter to the bottom. Set the dish in the warm oven for a minute or two to melt the butter.

Whisk together the 1 dozen eggs, 1 tsp salt, 1 1/4 cup of milk, pour the mixture into the baking dish and bake at 350 for around 25-30 minutes, stirring it about 2 times throughout ( or every 10 minutes).

Simple as that!

Enjoy! :o)

The Ultimate Foodie Movie...

2008-06-21T07:13:00.000-07:00

...well at least in my opinion, is Ang Lee's Eat Drink Man Woman. Actually, it's just my favorite movie, period, lol.

As a little kid, I was a huge Siskel & Ebert fan...I watched their program faithfully every weekend. The day they reviewed EDMW, I knew that I had to see it... somehow... someway.

Unfortunately, it wasn't in the cards at the time: the movie wasn't in wide release and I couldn't get anyone to take me, so sadly I didn't get to see it right then. :(

Luckily, a year or two later, I found it at my local video store and begged my mom to rent it for me, lol. As corny as it sounds, after viewing the opening scene...I knew that it would become one of my favorite movies...

opening scene plus a few extras...

Eat Drink Man Woman holds a special place with me as it sparked my interest in Chinese and eventually other asian cuisines, but mostly because it's just a touching story of a father trying to make sense of his life as an older man, all the while trying to relate to his growing daughters.

"This is not a movie to see on an empty stomach. Writer-director Ang Lee's 1994 Oscar nominee tells a family story about a chef and his three daughters through the meals the chef prepares and serves his family. This touching, dryly funny story of a family coping with personal lives and the way those lives intersect with the family relationships captures a shift in generations in Taipei. The father, a famous chef who has lost his taste buds, still cooks, though he draws no pleasure from eating. His daughters, meanwhile, deal with both the disappointments and surprises of daily living and the way their adult lives compare to the expectations the widowed father had for them. A subtle, amusing--and mouth-watering--comedy of impeccable manners. --Marshall Fine"

A couple of years ago, I came across a movie that seemed incredibly similar EDMW, called Tortilla Soup. Turns out it's actually the remake with a latin twist! :) Here's the opening scene:

They're both wonderful movies.
If you haven't seen Eat Drink Man Woman or Tortilla Soup, I urge you to seek them out...not only because of the amazing food scenes, but because of the insight into different food cultures, as well as the connection between food and human relationships.

Do you have a favorite foodie movie?
Have a great weekend!

Red Red

2008-06-16T13:01:00.000-07:00

Red Red and Kelewele

This dish peaked my interest after fellow blogger, Chi-Chi, noticed a photo in the NYAM! flickr group that bore an uncanny resemblance to her own presentation of Red-Red, even down to the plate pattern! How funny is that?!

Since I'm always looking for different ways to fit beans into my diet, Red Red / Red Stew was the perfect addition to my list of recipes to try...

Red Red is a spicy black-eyed pea stew popular in Ghana and Nigeria, most likely named for the red chili pepper and tomato seasonings . Usually, smoked fish and dried shrimp lend their flavor to the dish, but the stew is pretty flexible...check out Chi-Chi's tasty looking vegan version!

For the fish, I used salted smoked herring fillets and tiny dried shrimp (which can be found in most asian and caribbean markets). Smoked herring is extremely salty, so you should definitely soak it a bit before adding it to the peas. It also has very fine bones, which really aren't too bothersome...I just wanted to give a heads up :)

I didn't have red palm oil, so I used homemade achiote oil for color, although it lacks red palm oil's distinctive flavor. Ah well, so much for authenticity, lol...here's my interpretation of Red stew...

Red Red

2 cups dried black-eyed peas
Fresh thyme
1 whole habanero pepper ( optional)
1/4 cup red palm oil, or vegetable oil ( or achiote oil)
1 onion, finely sliced
2 large garlic cloves, crushed
1 tablespoon tomato paste
14.5 0z. can petite diced tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger (optional)
2 teaspoons Adobo seasoning salt
2 salted smoked herring fillets, soaked and chopped
1 tablespoon dried shrimp, very finely chopped
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

salt & pepper to taste
chopped scallion for garnish

Start by picking over the black-eyed peas, then rinse and drain once. Cover the peas in around 5 cups of water and set to soak for at least an hour ( overnight is fine as well).

Lightly rinse the herring and soak in a small bowl of water until ready to cook.

Once soaked, pour the peas and soaking liquid into a large pot. Add enough water just to cover the peas, if necessary.
Toss in a few thyme sprigs and a whole scotch bonnet pepper (it won't be very hot, only if it bursts, so keep an eye on it as the peas cook).

Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 35-40 minutes, uncovered.

Meanwhile:

Drain / finely chop the herring, prepare the onions, shrimp and garlic for the sauce.

In a large skillet, heat the oil over high heat. Add the onions, garlic, a pinch of salt, and cook for a few minutes until the onions start to brown slightly.
Reduce the heat to medium and stir in the tomato paste...continue to cook until it darkens a bit, around another minute or two.

Add the diced tomatoes (including liquid), chopped fish/shrimp, adobo, and ginger. Cook for about 20 minutes.

After the 30-40 minutes, the peas will have softened and absorbed most of the water. Remove the scotch bonnet pepper, then pour the entire pot of peas into the simmering tomato sauce. Stir in the pepper flakes and cook everything down for another 15-20 minutes.

The Red Red is done once the sauce has thickened up and the peas have absorbed the flavor. Taste for salt and pepper. That's it!

Red Red is usually served with a side of sweet plantains, or the spicier Kelewele.

Everyone loved this by the way! So it's definitely a keeper for me (thanks for the inspiration Chi-Chi!).

It tastes even better the next day too! I made a Red Red & Kelewele burrito that was delicious!! I just warmed up the leftover beans and plantains in a flour tortilla, added some chopped watercress, and a drizzle of italian dressing. So good!

Enjoy!

* * * * * * * * *
Tip:

Kelewele

2008-06-14T06:00:00.000-07:00

If you are familiar with this blog, you may have noticed that I love plantains. I can't help it...they're so tasty and versatile! Over the past few months, I've learned of so many different ways to use them, so much so that I think I'll actually create a special category just for plantains, lol.

When I make plantains, depending on whether they're ripe or green, I usually just season them with a sprinkling of salt...maybe some garlic or nutmeg at the most, so I found the idea of Kelewele pretty interesting.

Kelewele are Ghanaian-style spiced fried plantains: ripe yellow plantains that are generously seasoned with ginger and other warm spices like cayenne and cinnamon. If you're someone who enjoys the combo of spicy, salty, and sweet flavors...then this is the prefect snack for you!

Kelewele

4-5 ripe, but firm plantains

Wet Spice Mixture
2 tablespoons grated ginger ( or 1 teaspoon ginger powder)
juice of 1/2 a lemon or lime, ~ 2 tablespoons
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Dry Spice Mixture
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
pinch of allspice

Oil for frying

Peel and split the plantains lengthwise, then cut into 1/2 inch chunks.

Combine the ingredients for the dry spice mixture and set aside.

Marinate
Mash the salt, cayenne, ginger, and juice together into a paste, and toss with the plantain chunks to coat.

You can add the rest of the dry spices at this point, or you can sprinkle them over the freshly fried plantain. Marinating the plantains with everything will yield a stronger, spicier flavor...so if you'd like to add all or some of the dry spice mixture at this stage, it's totally up to your taste...

Marinate the plantains for around 20 minutes, but longer is even better :o)

In a sturdy pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat for a few minutes...
Once the oil is shimmering, add the seasoned plantains in small batches, stirring as they hit the oil to prevent clumping.

Deep-fry until golden brown and drain on absorbent paper.

While still hot, sprinkle with the dry spice mixture.

Kelewele can be served either as a side dish, or can be eaten alone or mixed with peanuts as a snack.

I decided to have the kelewele with Red-Red, which will be my next post!

Enjoy! :o)

Arepas

2008-06-11T18:23:00.000-07:00

Arepas are fried / grilled cornmeal cakes popular throughout parts of Central and South America. Once cooked, they can be stuffed with all sorts of things, the favorite addition being cheese.

Arepas were one my favorite breakfast treats when I was younger. A cousin from Venezuela taught my mom how to make them, and we ended up eating them so much that I after a while, I couldn't stand the mere sight of an arepa! Thankfully that phase didn't last long...

To make good arepas, you'll need to use a type of flour called masarepa or areparina, which is basically finely ground, pre-cooked cornmeal. Masarepa is available in both yellow and white varieties, but they taste pretty much the same, so it all comes down to preference. Personally, I like the way yellow arepas look with white cheese and vice versa, so that's usually how I make my decision, lol.

You should be able to find masarepa in latin markets or the spanish / international isle of your supermarket.

* * *

There are many regional variations to arepas... sometimes they're huge and flat like saucers, others are small and plump. They also take well to almost any type of filling: cheeses, meats, eggs, veggies...so the possibilities are virtually limitless.

Here's a short clip on Colombian-style arepa stuffed with eggs:

These amazing arepas are deep fried, slit open, filled with raw egg and fried again! Delicious!

And just when you think you've seen it all, there's even a convenient little gadget to aid in the arepa-making experience:

My aunt loves using a handy arepa-maker similar to this one...but don't worry, you can make perfectly fine arepas without one!

Here's how I learned to make them...

Arepas

2 cups of masarepa flour
1 heaping teaspoon salt (this is really a matter of taste though)
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2-3 cups of warm water, depending

Grated cheese of your choice
Butter

Use whichever masarepa flour you like, it doesn't really make a difference tastewise.

Start by mixing the masarepa, salt, and baking soda together in a bowl.

Slowly add the warm water to the cornmeal mixture. It's important that the dough isn't too wet...you kind of have to go by feel with this. Once the dough looks a little like wet sand, stop adding the water. Let the dough sit for several minutes while the masarepa continues to absorb the liquid.
It should end up looking kind of clumpy, but not sticky.

Knead the dough slightly...

...then pinch sections off into balls and flatten into hockey puck shapes.

Heat a heavy skillet over medium / medium-low heat, depending on your range. Lightly grease the hot surface with a small pat of butter, then add the patties. You can flatten them out slightly with a spatula as they fry.
Cook until golden brown and crispy on both sides.

The goal for a nice arepa is for the outsides to be crispy and the insides to be moist and slightly bready.

* You can also shallow fry the arepas which is really nice because the outsides get extra crispy! (Frying is actually my favorite way to make arepa, but I'm trying to be healthy, lol)

Serving Arepas
While they're still warm, slice them open, butter them and fill with grated cheese. Basically, treat the arepa like a sandwich bun and stuff them with anything you'd like...scrambled eggs, meat, whatever suits you :o)

Cucumber Limeade

2008-06-08T14:42:00.001-07:00

I don't know what was going on today, but the heat in Brooklyn (and I suspect the rest of NYC, lol) was unbearable! And being that I don't have air conditioning, I was going nuts...it was horrible.

I braved the heat to do some quick produce shopping and picked up some cucumbers for a salad. During my walk home, I scrapped the idea of salad, but I didn't want the cooling, refreshing nature of cucumbers to go to waste...so I thought I'd copy what I'd seen in restaurants and just add some cucumber slices to a large pitcher of water.

By the time I walked through my door, I realized plain cucumber water wasn't going to cut it in this heat. I needed something that was both replenishing and refreshing, and what could be more refreshing than lemonade? Lemonade with cucumbers, of course!
Unfortunately, I didn't have any lemons, but limes worked just as well...

I was just about to grab some ginger to add to the syrup for the limeade...then I realized that I had a few mint sprigs just on the verge of retirement in my fridge. The perfect finishing touch, lol.

I'll try the ginger next time :o)

Cucumber Limeade
~ 2 1/2 quarts

3 large cucumbers
6 limes
4 cups water

Syrup
2 cups water
1 1/2 cups sugar
sprigs of mint (optional)

I started off with the syrup so it would have a little time to cool before adding it to the rest of the drink...

Bring the sugar, water and mint to boil in a small saucepan. Once the sugar is dissolved and the syrup is clear, set aside to cool.

Using a juicer, juice the limes and cucumbers. If you'd like a less intense lime flavor, zest off the skin before juicing...

I have to say, the cucumber juice smelled sooo good! My grandmother loves the smell of fresh cut cucumbers, and I never understood it...until today, lol!!

Combine the cucumber-lime juice, water, and simple syrup in a large pitcher and chill. That's it!

I sipped this throughout the day, and it did help keep me cool...but I really do need to get an air conditioner, lol...

Cheers!

Bulgur Chickpea Salad

2008-06-05T13:37:00.000-07:00

I have to admit, I've lagged in bringing my lunch to work for the past couple of weeks. So to get back into the swing of things, I needed something that was simple to make and nutritious...and salad always works.

I had an odd amount of bulgur wheat leftover from the vegetarian stuffed peppers, so I thought I'd use it to mimic a great couscous salad from a deli close to my office.

This is a really easy salad to put together, and the bulgur and chickpeas are very filling. It held up for a couple days worth of lunches too.
I only added one bunch of parsley to this batch, but if you want to up the green factor, feel free to add more :o)

Bulgur & Chickpea Salad
makes 4 servings

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small red onion, chopped
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 1/2 cups coarse bulgur wheat
2 cups vegetable broth
15 oz can of chickpeas, drained & rinsed
1 teaspoon salt
1-2 bunches parsley, depending on your taste
1 cup ripe tomato, chopped
1 medium cucumber, deseeded & chopped
juice of one lemon, to taste
freshly ground black pepper

Heat the oil over a medium heat, saute the diced onions, garlic, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt until soft and fragrant. Stir in the bulgur wheat and cook for a minute or two.

Pour in the broth, remaining salt, and the rinsed chickpeas and bring to a boil over high heat.

Once boiling, reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for roughly 15 minutes...or until the liquid is absorbed. Set aside to cool slightly.

While the bulgur mixture is cooling, chop up the rest of the veggies.

Mix the fresh vegetables and lemon juice into the bulgur mixture. Season with salt and fresh black pepper to taste. That's all there is to it.

This salad is good warm or chilled :o)

Enjoy!

Lamington Cupcakes

2008-06-01T16:00:00.000-07:00

Lamingtons. Honestly, I'd never really heard of them until I bought Donna Hay's (amazing!) dessert cookbook Modern Classics II.

Lamingtons are a popular treat throughout Australia and New Zealand, and are basically cubes of sponge cake that are dipped in chocolate and rolled in fine coconut. There's also a really pretty variation called a pink lamington, where the sponge cake is rolled in strawberry or raspberry jam instead of chocolate.

Classic Lamingtons Photo: twobythree (flickr)

The cakes can be served as is, or split in half and filled with jam or cream.

Now, I've been meaning to try making lamingtons, but it wasn't until I came across a clipping in my recipe scrapbook that something finally clicked...

My new source of inspiration: a recipe called "Individual Strawberry-Jam Cakes" from an old Martha Stewart magazine. I figured that by dipping these cakes in some chocolate and coconut, I'd end up with lamington-style cupcakes, conveniently filled with a burst of jam in the center...

* * *

Notes: I really liked these, but they seemed huge to me, so half of one was more than enough...I think I might try making 12 smaller cupcakes out of this recipe next time, lol...

Lamington Cupcakes
makes 6

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temp
3/4 cup sugar
2 large eggs, separated
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup milk
6 tablespoons raspberry jam / preserves

Chocolate Icing
3 cups confectioner's sugar
3/4 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder
6-7 tablespoons hot water
3 tablespoons canola oil

2 1/2 cups sweetened flaked coconut

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Grease and flour a 6-cup cupcake pan.
Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together in a bowl and set aside.

In another large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until fluffy. Beat in the egg yolks and vanilla extracts until creamy.

Mix in the flour and milk in alternating batches...

...then, in a clean bowl with clean beaters, whisk the egg whites until soft peaks form. Gently fold the whites into the batter.

Fill the cupcake tins halfway with batter, make small indentations and fill each one with a full tablespoon of jam.

Top the cupcakes off with the remaining batter and bake in the preheated oven for around 30 minutes. Allow the cakes to cool completely before icing.

Dressing the cupcakes
Chocolate Icing:
Whisk the the confectioner's sugar and cocoa powder together to get out any lumps. Stir in the oil, then the hot water until a smooth icing forms:

Run the coconut flakes through a food processor or blender until finely chopped.

Now it's time for a little assembly line operation: dip a cupcake into the chocolate, letting the excess run off (I used a cooking fork to transfer the cupcakes from the chocolate to the shredded coconut, this let the chocolate drain off easier)...then immediately dredge the iced cupcake in coconut.

Place the cupcakes on a rack to set for around 20 minutes, just so the chocolate doesn't smudge :o)
That's it!

Enjoy!!

Toasted Almond Pesto

2008-05-28T03:54:00.000-07:00

I remember the first time I made pesto...it was during the summer a little over 10 years ago and my little brother and sister thought I was trying to poison them, lol.

"But...it's...GREEN!!" my sister screeched, she was the more vocal of the two,"Yuuuck! I don't eat green spaghetti!"

Meanwhile my brother threw a fit of vomit gestures and "eeews" as only a five year-old could. They refused to eat it, I guess green pasta really threw them a curveball.

Eventually realizing that I wouldn't be making anything else, they slowly gave in to their growling tummies and gingerly took little sniffs of the plate... sniffs turned into bites...and then finally...silence.

They were actually eating it! I was amazed!!

* * *
Pesto is one of the first pasta sauces I ever made from scratch. I was used to pasta sauce being white, red, or somewhere in between, but never green...so I could understand my little brother and sister's confusion a little, lol. And even though I'd seen pesto on plenty of cooking shows, it never interested me until someone actually urged me to taste it, then I was hooked.

Curious, I broke the silence to ask what they thought...they both basically replied, "It tastes good, but eeeeeeww, it's green!! Blech!"

They finished their plates, occasionally complaining that they were eating green pasta and how weird that was. When my mother finally came home, they exclaimed something to the tune of, "Mommy, were were so good! We ate our food, even though it was green!!!...Yuuuck!"

Satisfied that I had at least fulfilled my sisterly babysitting duties by ensuring my siblings didn't starve...I was content.

Although pine nuts are the more traditional ingredient for pesto, I rarely have them on hand, plus they're kind of expensive.

Enter the mighty almond: they're widely available, relatively inexpensive, healthy, and tasty...especially when toasted :) So using them in place of pine nuts was pretty much a no-brainer, though walnuts work pretty well too.
I also add a touch of fresh lemon juice to help the sauce retain its vibrant green color.

I really love when summer comes around and the basil is flavorful and abundant. It's pesto making season :o)

Toasted Almond Pesto
makes ~ 2 cups

4 cups basil leaves, packed
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
2-3 garlic cloves, chopped depending on your taste
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1/2 teaspoon salt
juice of half a lemon
1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted
salt & pepper

Wash and dry the basil leaves thoroughly. Prep the remaining ingredients.

Toasting the almonds:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Spread the almonds out onto a baking tray and place in the oven for about 9 minutes. Turn the tray once so the almonds toast evenly. Set aside to cool.

Pulse the nuts, garlic and lemon juice together in your blender or food processor. Add the basil leaves and cheese, keep pulsing and tamping down the basil leaves until the sauce comes together.

Season with salt and pepper to taste.

So the hard part's done :o)
Pesto will last for a couple days in the refrigerator, and if you leave out cheese, you can freeze it in ice cube trays, transfer the cubes to a freezer bag, and just thaw as needed.

Here's how I served the pesto this time:

1 quantity Toasted Almond Pesto
16oz whole grain mini penne
1 package of ripe cherry tomatoes, quartered
extra grated parmesan
extra toasted almonds (optional)

Toss the hot pasta with pesto sauce until throughly coated. Top with fresh tomatoes and grated parmesan. A sprinkle of toasted almonds if you want some added crunch...

Enjoy!

Creme de Papaia

2008-05-25T14:06:00.000-07:00

If you dabble in health-nuttiness like I do, I'm sure you've come across bottles of papaya enzyme tablets or powder at your local health or vitamin store. Papaya contains Papain, an enzyme that helps break down proteins (Papain is also used as a key ingredient in many skin renewal / exfoliating cosmetics for this very same reason). So, papaya is widely believed to be a natural digestive aid and remedy for indigestion.

Brazilians have been hip to this tropical fruit's properties for a while...one of the most popular desserts in Brazilian steakhouses (or Brazil, period) is a nice cold serving of papaya cream. It's light, refreshing, and it helps you digest a heavy meal...what more could you ask for? :o)
.
Since this weekend kicks off a long stream of summer barbecues, why not get off to a good start and help your stomach out after Memorial Day over-indulgence, lol?

Sweet, simple, and satisfying...Creme de Papaya:

Creme de Papaia

1 very ripe medium-sized papaya
2 scoops of vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt
mint for garnish (optional)
creme de cassis (optional)

Cut the papaya in half lengthwise and scrape out the seeds with a spoon.
Crosshatch the flesh with a sharp knife, taking care not to cut through the skin, then scoop out the chunks.

Blend the papaya chunks in a blender or food processor, then add the ice cream.
Pulse the mixture just until the ice cream is incorporated...don't overblend. If you do, the cream will lose body and end up too thin.

Serve immediately. Garnish with fresh mint or a drizzle of creme de cassis.

Enjoy!

Happy Memorial Day and happy eating ;)

Mandarin Rice Pudding

2008-05-22T10:05:00.000-07:00

I am a huge fan of rice pudding. It's safe to say that it's one of my favorite desserts, especially for a weeknight treat.

I won't wax poetic on the virtues of rice pudding today, I'll save that for another post, lol...but basically I like its simplicity and versatility: the ingredients are pantry staples and while plain rice pudding is delicious on it's own, it can also be jazzed up pretty easily.

With my renewed interest in cooking without animal products, I was curious to see how "creamy" a rice pudding could be without the use of cream or eggs ( I'm not much of a fan of eggs in rice pudding anyway, but that's neither here nor there).

Normally, I make rice pudding using short grain rice which kind of ensures an extra creamy result due to its high starch content. Unfortunately, I was all out, so I just used regular long grain rice and it still had a nice satisfying texture :o)

As far as choosing the flavors for this pudding...I just used what I had on hand. I usually mix dried fruit or chocolate chips into my rice pudding, or sometimes fresh fruit...but since this was a non-dairy version, I thought I'd give the orange segments a try since there was little chance of a curdling reaction.

I didn't want to use vanilla extract, so almond seemed the next best choice since almond and orange are a pretty tasty flavor combination anyway. I also added some flaked almonds to echo the almond flavoring in the pudding, and for some contrasting texture...

So here it is, creamy vegan rice pudding, lol...and I know that creamy and vegan in the same sentence seems to be an oxymoron, but there's really no other way to describe this...

Mandarin Rice Pudding
makes 4 servings

32 oz organic soy milk (or other non-dairy milk)
1/2 cup long grain rice
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon pure almond extract
salt
11 oz can mandarin orange segments, drained
flaked almonds (optional)
demerara sugar (optional)

Rinse the rice in cold water...

Bring the rice and milk to boil over high heat, let bubble away for about 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent burning.

Stir in the sugar, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, for 30-35 minutes, once again stirring occasionally.

*You may notice a skin forming whenever you get back to stir the pot, no worries...it will melt into the pudding once you stir. This skin seems to help thicken the pudding and create that "creamy" texture, but if it bothers you and won't dissolve upon stirring, just skim it off.

When the pudding has reached a nice consistency, take off of the heat and stir in the almond extract and a pinch of salt. Lastly, mix in the drained orange segments.

Top with sliced almonds and a sprinkle of demerara sugar, if desired.

That's it! It's good warm or chilled.

Enjoy! :o)

Oven Roasted Plantains

2008-05-20T05:46:00.000-07:00

Last month, I did a post on Senegalese Chicken Yassa, where I also made a side dish of roasted sweet plantain. At the time, I wanted to make a good amount of plantain, but standing over the stove frying up a large batch didn't sound appealing, and I still needed to tend to the chicken and a pot of rice...so using the oven just seemed like a convenient solution.

In the past, I've baked plantains for more dessert-like dishes, but this time I wanted to mimic regular fried sweet plantains. Because of this, I approached roasting the plantains in the same way that I would stove-frying them, and then just stuck them in the oven. In hindsight, I realize that this was a mistake.

While the plantains didn't turn out that badly, they still weren't what I had in mind. They weren't as sweet as I'd hoped, and the texture was a little tougher than expected. So I knew a second attempt was in order...

Here's where I think I went wrong the first time:

1.) The plantains I picked weren't ripe enough for roasting. To get that nice melt-in-your-mouth texture using the oven, the plantains have to be softer from the start, so very blackened plantains are the safest bet.

2.) I cut the slices too thin and on the diagonal, so they ended up overlapping and crowding the pan which led to uneven cooking. For the plantains to be roasted properly, I think most of them should have some contact with the actual roasting pan.

The next time around, I made sure that all of my plantains were very ripe and I cut them into larger pieces...

...the end result was just what I was looking for:
Sweet and and soft plantains that weren't too oily or sticky...just right.

This is a great way to handle sweet plantains if you're cooking for a crowd, want to refrain from frying, or just have alot of things on the stove already.

Oven Roasted Sweet Plantain
serves 5-6

5 very ripe yellow plantains
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons brown sugar
fresh nutmeg
kosher or coarse salt

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Cut the plantains into roughly 3/4-inch sized chunks and place them on a large baking tray or 9 x 13 pan.

Toss the plantain slices in oil until evenly coated. Sprinkle on the brown sugar and mix well.

Spread the slices out to an even layer so that most of them have direct contact with the dish/tray.

Dust fresh nutmeg over the top, to taste, then add a touch of salt.

Set the plantains in the preheated oven for about 50 -60 minutes, or until golden brown and tender.

Enjoy!
:o)

Drink your vegetables!

2008-05-15T06:35:00.001-07:00

...adding chopped greens to the fresh mango-peach puree...

We all strive to reach the goal of 5 servings , but life gets in the way and it can be hard to meet...
Luckily, last year I was introduced to the idea of green smoothies!

Now I’ve juiced veggies before, but the green smoothie is a bit of a different animal. Instead of just extracting the nutrients from the fruits and vegetables, you also get all the fiber and any other matter that would otherwise be left behind in your juicer's pulp basket. This is not to say one is better than the other, just different.

I use juicing to get nutrients in a more concentrated form. On the other hand, green smoothies are just a simple way of getting in (or surpassing) your recommended daily serving of fruits and veggies.

We all would love to say we eat a couple of handfuls of fruit and a few salads everyday, but let's face it, for many of us on the go, it's easier pour everything into a glass and drink up. And all you need is a blender :o)

This particular smoothie holds about 3 servings of dark leafy greens and 3-4 servings of fruit.

* * *

If you do a search on green smoothies, you’ll come upon many recipes that include healthful greens like kale, collards, brussel sprouts, etc…this one uses watercress and parsley.

I decided on watercress and parsley because 1.) they’re dark leafy greens, and 2.) being new to green smoothies at the time...I figured they’d be a bit easier to digest than the more fibrous broccoli or kale. I also thought the pairing of spicy watercress against the sweet / tangy flavor of mango and peaches would be cool (think chili-spiced mango, yum!)

Interestingly, watercress is actually a part of the cruciferous family, so it shares many of the same health benefits of vegetables like cabbage and broccoli.

As with any produce, it's important to pick lively looking greens that are void of yellow or brown spots, or wilting leaves. As for the fruits, I like them as ripe as possible, mushy even...that way they have the most intense flavor that will stand up to the vegetables.

Even though the fruits help take a bit of the bitter edge of off the greens…the drink doesn’t end up tasting too sweet, but rather a satisfying balance of sour, sweet, spicy, and fresh (wait, is fresh a flavor?, lol)

Oh, One little trick: to help smooth out the texture of the smoothie (and add a touch more natural sweetness), I add frozen ripe bananas:

I just chop some up and freeze them in little ziplocs, so they're ready to go whenever I need them.

If I didn't have such a long commute, I'd probably just bring a flask to work and keep it in the fridge...
But usually, I just drink a tall glass before work, one right as I come home, and one about an hour before bedtime.
Do whatever works for you :o)

Green Smoothie (Watercress-Mango-Peach)
makes ~ 1 quart ( enough for one person)

1 large bunch of watercress
2 bunches of parsley (mostly leaves), flat, curly or a mix
2 very ripe peaches or nectarines
1 very ripe mango
Squeeze of lemon juice (so the drink keeps better for the day)
1 frozen ripe banana
~ 1 1/2 cups filtered water…or enough to make the whole thing a quart

First, roughly chop the fruits and greens into small pieces...

Process the fruit and the lemon juice until a smooth pulp forms.

Then blend in the chopped greens and water, little by little, until the smoothie comes together.

Transfer to a flask or container for the refrigerator.

Drink throughout the day. That's it!!

Have a happy healthy day! :o)

Scones for Mother's Day

2008-05-12T04:00:00.000-07:00

It's probably a little funny to jump from a vegan recipe to one that's full of butter, cream, and eggs...but that's just how I do, lol.

My family spent Mother's Day visiting Grandma, so I made these scones as a little treat for her...

Orange Currant Scones
16 mini scones

6 tablespoons currants
...soaked in 3 tablespoons orange blossom water (or any liquid / liqueur of your choice)

2 cups flour
1/4 cup confectioner’s sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 tsp fine salt
1/4 cup (half stick) frozen butter

1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon orange zest
1/2 cup heavy cream

Glaze
1/4 cup confectioner’s sugar
Juice of half a small orange (~ 2 tablespoons)

Optional: extra cream and coarse sugar for sprinkling

The night before, I soaked the currants in the orange blossom water...

I think only an hour should be fine though.

I got to work on the dough, bright and early on Mother's Day...

Dough:
Combine the egg, cream and orange zest and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk the flour, salt, sugar, and baking powder together.

At this point, grate the frozen butter directly into the flour, then mix in with a fork until the mixture is crumbly. (I like to use the frozen butter method since I only have a mini food processor)

Alternately: Run the the flour and butter in a food processor until the mixture is crumbly and pea-sized or cut the cold butter into the flour, whatever's comfortable...

Add the plumped currants (witholding the excess liquid) to the flour mixture, and stir in with the fork until well combined.

Stir the dough, either with a spoon or your hands, just until it comes together. Do not overmix...

Form the dough into two balls. The dough will be crumbly, but that's a good thing! It shouldn't be too wet.

Wrap each ball in plastic wrap or wax paper and set in the fridge to chill for about 30 minutes.

When you're ready to bake them off:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

On a parchment lined baking tray, pat each ball out to roughly 1/2 inch high circles. Cut each circle into 8 wedges with a sharp knife and pull the wedges apart from each other, just slightly.

Additional step: I brushed half of the scones with cream and sprinkled coarse demerara sugar over the tops, just to see what they'd look like.

Set the scones in the preheated oven and bake for about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile
Squeeze some orange juice into the powdered sugar and combine for a smooth, thin glaze.

Transfer the baked scones to a tray to cool...

Then brush them with the orange glaze and let dry.

Packed up and ready to go!

We ate them with some tea and jam, lol...
Grandma enjoyed them :o)

Hope you had a wonderful Mother's Day!

Simple Strawberry Cake

2008-05-08T18:01:00.000-07:00

My latest food obsession for the past several weeks: Vegan Baking!
I've become completely intrigued with the idea of baking without animal products....So I have been baking away, trying to soak up as much as I can.

There’s still so much to learn, but the few tips and tricks I’ve gathered from various resources on the web have given me enough confidence to at least start making up my own simple vegan baking recipes. The one in this post is the first that I think is good enough to share...

I have to admit, I haven't always been this enthused about vegan baking or baked goods. In the past, recipes I came across either had too many specialized ingredients, or were just plain weird (no offense to any vegans, lol). Luckily, vegan baking has come a long way and there's quite a collection of cool vegan baking books out there.

This one looks especially cute... and even though I don't think my place can take another cookbook, I may just break down and get it, lol.

June's not yet busting out all over, but since I'm itching to get a head start on strawberry season, I've been playing around different recipes that could showcase a nice ripe batch of berries when the time comes.

For now, I'll start with this simple cake that's just sweet enough...and acts as nice canvas for the strawberries (or any fruit really).

*

A few notes: I've also tried switching out a 1/2 cup of the unbleached flour for whole wheat and it turned out fine. You can also use regular bleached all-purpose flour for the whole thing if you'd like. Basically, use whatever you like or have stocked.

All in all, this cake is a breeze to make: you don't need a mixer at all... a plain whisk will do just fine. If you have flax meal on hand, you can save yourself an extra step and forgo grinding the seeds...

Summer Strawberry Cake

1 1/2 cups unbleached flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
pinch of salt
2 tablespoons ground flax seed +
3/4 cup lukewarm water
2 teaspoons vanilla extract (or half almond extract)
1/4 cup oil
1 cup white sugar*
1/2 pound strawberries, hulled and halved

2 tablespoons demerara or other coarse sugar
confectioner's sugar (optional)

* you can also try using raw sugar or sucanat, but you may have to add an extra tablespoon or 2 of water to the batter since these sweeteners absorb more moisture...

Spray an 8" x 8" pan with baking spray and preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Sift the flour, salt, baking powder, cinnamon into a bowl and set aside.

Grind the flax seed into powder, then combine with the warm water in a large bowl. Whisk the mixture vigorously for about 30 seconds...it doesn't take long at all for it to come together...you'll feel it thicken up to a consistency similar to beaten eggs! It's so cool, lol...

Mix in the extract(s) and oil, then beat in the sugar until everything is well combined. Everything will be extra gooey at this point.

Stir in the sifted flour mixture until a smooth batter forms.

Spread the batter into the prepared pan...

and scatter the strawberries, skin-side up, over the batter. Sprinkle coarse sugar over the top.

Bake the cake in the center of a preheated oven for about 35 - 40 minutes.

Allow the cake to cool completely before dusting with confectioners sugar (if desired).

Enjoy!

Honey Almond Latte

2008-05-06T18:00:00.000-07:00

* * *
M.I.A.: I'd been traveling for a few days with only sporadic internet access, so I took a little break from updating. I did eat alot of great food though! :o) So I'll be sure to post more on that soon...
* * *

In a recent post I mentioned that I'm not much of a coffee drinker...which is true for the most part. I usually only make coffee for company or as more of a dessert/treat for myself.
It's kind of hard for me to take coffee straight, so I naturally gravitate towards the more sweet, novelty-type coffee drinks, the kind that Starbucks has become famous for, lol.

A couple of months ago, Starbucks debuted their Honey Latte, and it's pretty good! I figured it couldn't be that hard to duplicate.
I mean, I've got honey at home, and with instant coffee around, a phony latte is only a few minutes away, lol...

So here's my take on Starbucks' Honey Latte:

The Starbucks version has a hint of spice to it, and spice in this case usually means cinnamon, nutmeg, etc., so I made sure to include those flavors. For my own little twist, I added a dash of amaretto, which I love.... actually, I just love the flavor of almonds in general....
If you don't want to use liquor, good almond extract is a great substitute.

Oh, and of course, if you have extra brewed coffee handy... all the better! Just use that instead of instant.

Honey Almond Latte
1 serving

1 heaping teaspoon instant coffee or espresso powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
dash of nutmeg or allspice
1-2 tablespoons pure honey, depending on your taste
4 ounces hot water
4 ounces milk
1 tablespoon amaretto or 1 teaspoon pure almond extract

whipped cream (optional)
extra honey for drizzling (optional)

Combine the instant coffee, spices, and desired amount of honey in a large mug.

Stir in the hot water to dissolve.

Warm the milk in the microwave on High for 60-90 seconds, just before boiling.

Pour the amaretto and scalded milk into the coffee, then froth.

Top with whipped cream and a drizzle of honey.

Enjoy!!

Hearty Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers

2008-05-02T12:52:00.000-07:00

on herb & cheese polenta...

While I was flipping through one of my recipe scrapbooks this past weekend, I came across a recipe for anchovy and olive stuffed peppers with blue cheese polenta.

As soon as I saw it, I was instantly in the mood for stuffed peppers, only I wanted the filling to be more substantial, dare I say, meaty...but without any meat, lol.

After some thought, I selected the following to be my star ingredients:

...bulgur wheat and lentils.

I knew that lentils would lend a "meaty" flavor to the stuffing, and I just tossed in the bulgur wheat since it seemed more nutritious than using bread crumbs or plain rice.
Turns out that bulgur mixed with lentils makes a really satisfying combo! My sister really enjoyed the peppers and assumed that I had stuffed them with seasoned ground turkey.
She then proceeded to gag, jokingly, once I told her I'd actually just used beans...go figure, haha!

I really enjoyed this filling alot, it had a nice chewy texture, and with a few tweaks here and there, I think it could be the base of a pretty tasty veggie burger. I'll have to work on that idea soon..

Budget Breakdown: Another advantage to this meal is that the ingredients are relatively inexpensive, as well as healthy. The bulgur, lentils, and cornmeal were on average about $1 per 1lb bag (Goya brand), and I only used between 1 or 2 cups of each. Instead of stock, I diluted veggie boullion, which came in a pack of about 6 for 80 cents. I think the most expensive ingredients were the cheeses...and they can be omitted completely if desired...

If you're just not a fan of cheese, try substituting something tangy like chopped olives or capers.

*A note of warning: hmm, how can I put this delicately?...This is definitely a high-fiber meal, so proceed with caution if you're not used to this much fiber in one gulp, lol...
-------------------

I just kind of went with the flow with this dish, but I did try to translate the measurements / recipe as best I could :o)

Feel free to substitute regular vegetable stock in place of the boullion...

Lentil & Bulgur Stuffed Peppers
makes 4-8 servings

Olive oil
1 medium carrot, chopped (~1/2 cup)

1 small onion, diced (~ 1/2 cup)

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 large vegetable boullion cube +

3 1/2 cups water

Thyme sprigs

1 cup brown lentils, picked over and rinsed

Salt and pepper to taste

1 cup coarse bulgur wheat

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

1 ripe plum tomato, chopped
fresh chopped basil (~ 1/4 cup)

4 bell peppers, halved lengthwise, ribs and seeds removed

olive oil

salt & pepper

1/2 cup of water or stock
Marinara sauce or seasoned crushed tomatoes

Shredded mozzarella

extra chopped basil

Start by sauteing the carrots in a bit of olive oil until they begin to soften. Add the chopped onion and crushed garlic and cook until softened, but not brown.

Stir in the tomato paste, and cook until it begins to darken slightly. Then add in the boullion/broth, thyme, lentils. Season to taste.

Simmer the lentils, covered, for about 30 minutes.
After that, remove from heat. Check for salt and pepper and stir in the parmesan, bulgur wheat, chopped tomato and basil. Cover and let the mixture steam until all the liquid is absorbed and the bulgur has softened and puffed up. The mixture should end up looking a little like this:

While the filling is steaming, prepare the peppers ...

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Lightly oil a 9 x 13 baking dish.
Brush the inside and outside of the peppers with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Roast in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, just to get a head start on softening them up.

Stuff the peppers with the seasoned lentil/bulgur mixture, then top with marinara sauce and grated mozzarella. Add about a half cup of vegetable stock (or water) to the bottom of the baking dish.

Reduce the oven temp to 375 degrees.
Cover the entire dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes.

Then remove the foil and continue to cook for an additional 15 minutes.

Top with fresh basil.

Rosemary-Feta Polenta
makes ~ 4 servings

4 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
4 cups water or stock
1-2 teaspoons coarse salt, depending
1 1/2 cups coarse cornmeal / polenta
1/2 cup crumbled feta (or chopped cured olives as a vegan option)

In a medium pot, warm the chopped rosemary and olive oil over a medium flame.
A few seconds after the oil begins to sizzle, pour in the liquid and salt.

Turn the heat up and bring the water to a rolling boil.

Slowly drizzle the polenta into the boiling water, whisking to prevent lumps.
Turn the heat to medium, and let it cook, stirring occasionally, for about 15 minutes or until it reaches a consistency you like. It'll thicken up as it sits.

Remove the polenta from the heat and stir in the crumbled cheese.
Feel free to stir in a pat of butter and /or some parmesan cheese if you'd like as well..

I served the stuffed peppers with the polenta while it was still warm and "porridgey". But, you can also transfer it to a tray or container to cool. Once cool, slice it up and serve :o)

Enjoy!

Almond Toffee Blondies

2008-04-28T08:47:00.000-07:00

I'm not much of a coffee person. I like it once in a while, but it's not a morning necessity for me as it is for some. I usually take it as an occasional treat.

This is probably why I was able to avoid being sucked into the Starbucks vortex for so long...that is, until I discovered their baked goods, lol.

One in particular had me running to Starbucks every day for a fix: the Toffee Almond Bar.

It was rich and buttery, studded with white and dark chocolate, and crunchy sweet & salty toffee bits. Love at first bite!

I craved this dessert so much, I knew that I had to figure out a way to make it at home or my wallet would be in trouble!

Unfortunately, Starbucks doesn't seem to carry these bars anymore (at least in my area), but luckily I worked out the kinks in my version...so its memory is never too far away.

I started with a basic toffee blondie recipe, and just kept experimenting until it came close to the what I liked about the Starbucks version. I went even further and stuffed them with as much toffee and chocolate chips as humanly possible, lol...I realize this may be a little too much for some people, so feel free to reduce the candy to a 1/2 cup each if you like :o)

After a few tries, I found that mini heath bars were the perfect size for the toffee crunch needed for this recipe. But, you can use any toffee candy you like: Skor, broken Heath bars, Almond Roca...all of these will work great.

Oh, and a little tip: I recommend setting the candy bits in the freezer for a while before adding them to the batter. I think this helps keep them from melting into one huge blob while baking.

I actually haven't made these in a really long while, so it's nice to revisit them for this post. I hope you like them!

1 cup + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1 stick (4 oz) unsalted butter, room temp
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons almond extract

1/4 cup evaporated milk
1 cup white chocolate chips
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
~ 15 mini heath bars, (1/2 cup toffee candy bar pieces)

extra flour for dusting

makes 12

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Grease and line an 8"x8" baking pan with parchment paper (leaving a little overhang to act as a handle).

Whisk the flour, salt, baking powder & soda together to combine evenly.

In another bowl, cream the butter and sugar together, then add the egg and extracts and mix until smooth.

Stir in the flour mixture and milk alternately, starting and ending with the flour.

Dust the candy with a little bit of flour (about a tablespoon), as this keeps the bits suspended in the batter instead of sinking to the bottom.

Stir the candy into the batter, then transfer it to the prepared baking pan.

This is kind of a stiff batter, so try to press it out as evenly as you can, it will even out a bit more while in the oven though.

Bake in the center of the oven for around 35 minutes, or until a skewer pricked in comes out clean.

Allow the blondie to cool for at least 30 minutes in the tin. Then, lift it out and let continue to cool in the fridge until the chocolate is set.

Cut into 12 squares. These will last for a few days in an airtight container.

Enjoy!

Potato and Egg Hash

2008-04-25T10:33:00.000-07:00

This isn't really a recipe. It's more of a quick snack idea from one of my favorite chef personalities, Lidia Bastianich (Lidia's Italian-American Kitchen).

This dish is a simple, filling snack that her family made whenever they were hungry, but didn't want to get too involved in the kitchen. So, that's how I use it as well: whenever I want something fairly substantial, but quickly and with few ingredients.
In Lidia's version, she uses freshly sliced potatoes, but to up the convenience factor for myself, I use thick-cut frozen french fries :o)

You can serve it alongside freshly cooked veggies or a quick salad to round it out.

The version below is meatless, but feel free to add crumbled bacon, chopped salami, leftover chicken, whatever strikes your fancy...

I found the cutest mini sweet peppers the other day, so that's what I decided to add.

Since this hash is one step up from a snack, but not really a meal...maybe it should be called a mack? A sneal?

Okay, that was kinda corny... sorry, on to the food, lol...

Potato & Egg Hash

~2 servings

1/2 lb frozen french fries / oven chips (or ~2 cups of cut potato)
~half of a small onion, sliced

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 cup sliced sweet bell pepper (optional)

3 large eggs
chopped scallion / parsley / or other herb of choice

shredded cheese (optional)

Parmesan (optional)
seasonings of your choice salt & pepper to taste

Oil for frying

In a heavy skillet, heat about a 1/2 inch of oil over medium-high heat. Fry the potatoes until crispy and lightly golden (they'll continue to fry as you cook the rest of the ingredients) then tip out most of the oil, reserving 2 tablespooons.

Add the onions and some salt, and cook until softened slightly. Next, add the crushed garlic and cook until you can smell it, but isn't brown... about 30 seconds.

Toss in the bell pepper and cook until softened. Season everything again right before you add the eggs.

Lightly scramble the eggs and chopped herbs together (you want to maintain some separate areas of whites and yolk) and add into the pan. Cook until the eggs firm up and coat the fries.

Season with salt and pepper if desired, then top with cheese and chopped herbs.

That's it! :o)

Sweet Simplicity: Coconut Macaroons

2008-04-21T08:32:00.000-07:00

Coconut macaroons are one of the simplest, most satisfying cookies out there. They're very quick to prepare, and have the perfect blend of crispy and chewy sweetness.

The classic plain coconut macaroon, with just a hint of vanilla or almond flavor, is wonderful on its own...but it can also be seen as a blank slate, which is partly what's so great about it in my opinion. You can be creative and change the cookie drastically by fiddling with extracts and add-ins like nuts, dried fruit, chocolate, sprinkles, etc.

I've always liked adding chocolate chips into my macaroons, but in this version, I opted for white chocolate instead, then snuck in a bit of lime for some zing and balance...

I also thought the flecks of green zest would be pretty :o)

White Chocolate Lime Macaroons
makes ~ 20

2 1/2 cups sweetened flaked coconut
1/2 cup granulated sugar (you can reduce this to 1/4 cup if you like!)
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
zest of one lime
squeeze of lime juice (~half)
pinch of coarse salt
1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract (or extract of your choice)
2 large egg whites

Preheat oven to 350 F degrees.

In a large bowl, mix the coconut, sugar, salt, almond extract, white chocolate,lime zest and juice together until evenly combined and the sugar begins dissolving. Stir in the egg whites well to form a clumpy mixture.

Drop heaping tablespoons of the coconut mixture onto a parchment-lined tray, spacing them about 1 inch apart.

You can pat them into shape right on the tray if they fall apart a little, but if the cookies aren't holding together at all...place the entire mixture in the fridge for about 20-30 minutes to firm up and try again.

Bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, turning the tray halfway through, until the cookies are lightly browned. Cool completely on a rack.

The macaroons will last for about 3 days stored in an airtight container.

They're great with tea :o)

Yam & Potato Latkes

2008-04-18T05:49:00.000-07:00

Latkes made with both potatoes and sweet potatoes. The ones on the left are baked, right side are fried.

During Passover, my supermaket has specials on items related to the holiday, and even though I don't celebrate, I do like to stock up on huge tubs of Matzo Meal.

Matzo meal (crushed Matzo) is great for breading things, and I find the texture a bit crunchier than regular bread crumbs when fried. Plus, matzo meal is totally unsalted, so I get to flavor it to my liking.

Recently, it dawned on me that I'd never used matzo meal to make any Jewish cuisine recipes... so this past weekend I thought I'd finally try something out: Potato Latkes.

Latkes are pancakes or fritters made out of shredded potato, and are popular during the Hannukah and Passover holidays. According to Wikipedia, latkes are associated with Polish cuisine.

Of course, it's very hard for me not to add my own little twist, so I decided mix things up and inlcude a bit of grated sweet potato to the batter, as well as some complimentary spices.

Potato latkes are usually served with sour cream and/or applesauce on the side...and since I really liked the sautéed /southern fried apples from the weekend before, I thought they'd be a nice variation.

*During passover, leavening agents aren't allowed, so I used whipped egg whites to naturally lighten the batter a bit.

(Also, I know these technically aren't yams...I just thought potato / yam latkes sounded better than "potato and sweet potato latkes", lol)

Potato & Yam Latkes
makes 25-30

1 medium onion, grated or finely chopped
3 medium potatoes, grated (~3 cups)
1 small sweet potato, grated (~ 2 cups)
3 eggs, separated
1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 1/2 teaspoons dried sage

Black pepper to taste
2 -3 tablespoons matzoh meal

Oil for frying

For serving:
Sour Cream (optional)
Applesauce or Southern Fried Apples (optional)

Combine the grated vegetables in a thin kitchen towel or cheesecloth, and squeeze out as much moisture as you can. The drier the pulp is, the crispier the latkes will be.

Mix the squeeze-dried veggies with the spices, salt, and egg yolks. Stir in the Matzo meal and set aside.

In a clean metal or glass bowl, whip the egg whites with an electric mixer, first on low speed until a foam forms, then on high until you get semi-stiff peaks.

Carefully fold the egg whites into the vegetable mixture.

Heat about 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Drop heaping tablespoons of batter (I used a small ice cream scoop) into the oil and fry until cooked through and golden on both sides. Add more oil as needed.

Drain on paper towels.

Baking Latkes...
I was sort of curious to see how the latkes would turn out baked... so I dropped some onto a lightly oiled baking sheet, and sprayed the tops with oil.

Then, I placed them in a 350 degree oven for around 30 minutes (halfway through, I flipped them and sprayed the tops again).

Overall, I found that the baked ones tasted fine, but their texture was a little too mushy.

Southern Fried / Sautéed Apples

I made the sautéed apples in pretty much the same fashion as last time.

The only differences: I used all gala apples and instead of adding apple juice, I just used plain water. :o)

Chicken Yassa

2008-04-16T08:57:00.000-07:00

Served family style: Chicken Yassa on a bed of coconut rice and oven roasted sweet plantains

I wanted to make a special Sunday dinner, and I hadn't had chicken in a while, so I decided to try cooking Chicken Yassa.

Chicken Yassa (Yassa au Poulet) is a delicious Senegalese dish consisting of chicken smothered in a spicy onion-lemon sauce. It's actually the most well-known west african dish, worldwide!

Some recipes include things like olives, cabbage, carrots etc. , I decided to leave them out, but definitely include them if you like. Also, you may notice soy sauce in the ingredients below...that's because I came across a few recipes that called for Maggi sauce, which I didn't have, so soy sauce was suggested as a suitable replacement for depth of flavor.

Coconut-based rice dishes are popular throughout western Africa, although I'm not sure how authentic it is to pair coconut rice with the Yassa. I just thought the slight creaminess of the rice would compliment the tang of the chicken :o)

Feel free to use whatever chili pepper you're comfortable with, but I have to say, the habanero really adds a special fruity flavor to the marinade. Since the pepper's ribs and seeds are removed in this recipe, the final dish will still be spicy, but not nearly as hot as usual, lol.

Overall, I think this meal went well. Everyone enjoyed it and I'd definitely make it again!

I think it's a great choice for entertaining and it's fun to serve family style...

Chicken Yassa

w/ coconut rice

serves 6

Marinade:

2 bay leaves

fresh thyme sprigs or 2 teaspoons dried

1-2 tablespoons brown or dijon mustard

1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger

1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper

½ tsp salt

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

½ cup fresh lemon juice

½ cup cider vinegar

6 cloves garlic, crushed

1 habanero /scotch bonnet pepper, deseeded and ribbed, chopped

1 tablespoon tamari or soy sauce

1 3lb chicken, cut up, or the equivalent in bone-in pieces
(coarse salt and lemon for cleaning)
5 large white or yellow onions, sliced

½ cup chicken stock
Zest of one lemon

salt & pepper to taste

Chopped parsley for garnish

Combine all of the marinade ingredients together and set aside.

Note: Be very careful when cutting up the habanero . The oils stay on you're hands, so you'll be kicking yourself if you touch your eyes later on in the day...so it's best to use gloves if you're not used to handling hot peppers :o)

Preparing the Chicken:
Rinse the chicken pieces and pat dry. Cut off any extra skin and fat. Rub the chicken with half of a lemon and it's juice, then rub down with coarse salt.

Combine the cleaned chicken pieces (either in a large ziploc or non-reactive bowl) with the marinade, then the onions. Make sure everything is well coated.

Set in the fridge to marinate for at least 4 hours (overnight is best), turning occasionally.

Once the meat is properly seasoned, remove it and the onions from the liquid separately. Reserve the marinade.

Add a bit of oil to a large skillet and brown the chicken pieces in batches over medium-high heat, then set aside.The natural sugars in the marinade will cause alot of browning in the pan, but that's a good thing :o)

You can use the moisture from the onions to deglaze.

Add the drained onions to the pan and cook them until wilted and caramelized. Then, pour in the reserved marinade plus the 1/2 cup of chicken stock and bring to a boil.

Nestle the browned chicken pieces into the liquid, covering them with the onions, then cover the pot. Reduce the heat to a simmer and let cook for an hour, or until the chicken is fork tender and its juices run clear.

During the last 5 minutes of cooking, remove the lid, and turn the heat up so the sauce can boil down a bit. Taste for salt at this point too, and adjust if needed.

Remove the bay leaves and thyme stems.

Lastly, take the Chicken Yassa off of the heat and stir in the lemon zest.

Done!

Coconut Rice
serves 4 -6

1 tablespoon oil
~1/4 cup chopped onion
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups long grain rice, rinsed
2 cups water
1 14 oz can coconut milk + 2 tablespoons water

Heat the oil in a small saucepan and cook the onions until soft and fragrant. Pour in the water, rice, and salt, and bring to a boil. Stir the rice occasionally to prevent burning, then once the water is just above the level of the rice, stir in the coconut milk.

Once again, continue to stir occasionally until the liquid boils down almost to rice level.
Cover the pot and turn the heat to the lowest setting and cook for 20 minutes.
After that, remove the pot from the heat completely and let the rice steam for an additional 10-15 minutes.

Fluff the rice before serving.

* * *
To compliment the meal, I also served:

Oven Roasted Sweet Plantain:

The next time I make oven roasted plantain slices, I'll be sure to use plantains that are little more ripe. This batch didn't come out as soft as I would have liked.

Fresh Watercress:

And Orange-Hibiscus Punch

Enjoy! :o)

Orange Hibiscus Punch

2008-04-13T16:43:00.000-07:00

I made a Senegalese themed dinner today (I'll post more on that soon), in which I included a variation of a popular Senegalese drink called Jus de Bissap.

Jus de Bissap is made by infusing hibiscus flowers into water, then adding sweetener and various flavorings. It's very similar to the Caribbean drink Sorrel, but instead of adding warm spices like cinnamon, ginger, allspice, etc., Jus de Bissap is usually enhanced with fruit juices like pineapple, orange, lemon, as well as other flavors like mint, ginger, and vanilla.

Similar hibiscus-based drinks (which are high in vitamin C and other antioxidants by the way), are popular all throughout western and northern Africa.

Depending on where you live, you will find the dried herb (Hibiscus sabdariffa) needed for Jus de Bissap under different names: dried hibiscus, sorrel, roselle, hibiscus tea, karkade...all of these will work. The herb is available in health food stores, caribbean, and asian markets.

Today, I decided to keep it simple and just add a little orange juice and a hint of mint. I thought these flavors would best compliment the meal I made, which had alot of tangy citrus flavor.

This is a very easy drink to prepare...it's basically an herbal iced tea. First, you start off by steeping the herbs into a concentrated liquid... then this can be diluted with either plain water or soda :o)

Orange Hibiscus Punch
makes 2 1/2 quarts

2 cups dried hibiscus / sorrel
a few sprigs of fresh mint
1 - 1 1/2 cups of sugar
1 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
5 cups water

additional water / soda water / gingerale, depending

Making the concentrate:
Bring 5 cups of water to boil in a large pot. As soon as it reaches a boil, take the pot off of the heat, add the dried hibiscus and mint sprigs and cover.

Let the herbs steep for at least an hour, but the longer the better. You'll be left with a very rich, wine colored infusion (this really stains, so be careful handling it). Strain the infusion into a pitcher, pressing out as much extract from the flowers as you can, then stir in the sugar and orange juice.

Now you have the concentrate for the punch.

At this point, you can stir in 4 cups of cold water and chill the whole thing...
or
If you'd like a fizzy version: keep it chilled as a concentrate, then top off individual servings with seltzer water or gingerale...

Enjoy!
:o)

Lemon-Parsley Butter + Shrimp Scampi

2008-04-10T08:00:00.000-07:00

When you need to perk up a dish, compound butter is an easy and versatile tool to have handy in your cooking arsenal. Lemon-parsley butter is a version I use quite a bit :o)

This butter is a great way to add flavor to freshly steamed vegetables, but it also creates a tasty sauce for seafood, chicken and steak.

You can make it ahead of time, then store it in the fridge to be used as needed...

Lemon-Parsley Butter

1 stick (4 oz) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup chopped flat leaf parsley
Juice and zest of one lemon
1/2 teaspoon salt
Generous amount of freshly ground pepper

Mix all the ingredients until well combined, then wrap the mixture in plastic, forming a log.

Set the butter log in the refrigerator for at least an hour before using.
This will last for several days in the fridge, but you can freeze it for a couple of weeks too...

* * *

I like to use lemon-parsley butter in a lightening-fast, slightly spicy shrimp scampi recipe. One stick of butter may seem like alot, but divided amongst 4-6 people, it turns out to be 2 tablespoons per serving at most. A few squeezes of fresh lemon juice carries the flavor even further...

When I want the pasta to feel "coated", I toss it with a quick lemon dressing so that I can avoid using more butter in the sauce...

Simple Shrimp Scampi
Serves 4-6

16 oz Whole Grain Linguine

Optional dressing for the pasta:
3 tablespoons olive oil
Juice of 2 lemons
1/4 cup grated parmesan

Olive oil
1 lb small shrimp, peeled and deveined
salt to taste
6 garlic cloves, crushed
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 quantity Lemon-Parsley Butter

To serve:
Chopped parsley
Lemon wedges

Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to boil. Since the shrimp cooks quickly, use this time to get all of your other ingredients in place. Ideally, you want the pasta and shrimp to be done at the same time.

Once the water is boiling, carefully stir in the pasta and let simmer for 8 minutes, or until al dente.

Meanwhile, heat about 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over a medium flame. Once hot, add the shrimp and sauté.

Just as it starts to turn pink, add the crushed garlic and red pepper flakes. Continue to cook until almost totally pink and season with little salt if desired (keep in mind that there's salt in the butter).

Next, cut the herb butter into pieces and add to the pan. Stir as it melts and the shrimp continues to cook.

Once the shrimp is completely pink and the sauce has melted, the dish is done! Remove from heat.

Drain the pasta, and toss to coat with the dressing.

Serve topped with the scampi, extra chopped parsley, and lemon wedges.

Enjoy!

Brown Bagging in Style

2008-04-08T12:21:00.000-07:00

I've had my eye on these cute bags from the Gap for a minute now. I think they'd make such a cute lunch bag...what do you think?

They're on sale for $7.99.

Unfortunately, I think I waited a little too long, they had one in a very pretty chocolate brown, but it's sold out... :(

There's still a nice range of colors left though:

Gap Nylon Satchels

Right now, it's a toss up between the orange and the navy for me.

Just thought I'd share...I don't know how long they'll be available.

:o)

Sautéed Apples

2008-04-05T15:31:00.000-07:00

Sautéed apples serve as a nice topping for pancakes and waffles, or even as a side for a hearty sausage breakfast...

This was my first time making apples as a side dish, and I like the idea :o)
I made a relatively heavy breakfast today, and I felt that the apples cut the richness:

Sautéed apples, biscuits w/ sausage gravy & eggs

I decided to use two different apples: the red ones for sweetness, and the granny smiths for texture since they hold up well during cooking...I also like their tartness.
.
I didn't feel like peeling the apples, but thankfully they didn't turn out tough or chewy. I guess since they were sliced pretty thinly and then cooked down for a good amount of time...
.
Sautéed Apples
Serves 6-8

3 granny smith apples, quartered and core removed
3 gala or fuji apples, quartered and core removed
juice of half a lemon
4 tablespoons butter (or fat of your choice)
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup apple juice (or water)
fresh nutmeg

Cut the apple pieces into 1/4 inch thick slices, then toss with the lemon juice in a large bowl. Set aside.

In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat then add the apples. Stir to coat the slices in the butter, then let cook away until the apples look soft, about 10 minutes.

Stir in the brown sugar, cinnamon and apple juice then cover the pan and lower the flame. Let cook for another 10 minutes.

Finally, remove the lid and bring the heat to high and let the apples cook until the liquid has thickened a bit, around 5 minutes more.
Dust generously with fresh nutmeg and serve.

Enjoy! :o)