Category for Sides

Cornbread skillet goodness

table

Last week, snow fell. It was a skiff, really, but with the dip in temperatures that accompanied it, that little dusting has managed to stay around all week. When the weather is cold and it is dark before I head home in the evenings, I feel like an extra measure of comfort is needed. I know I must have told you that when autumn comes around, my plans for cooking seem to make a turn all on their own. Suddenly, soup sounds like a good idea and I make at least one pot per weekend. One giant pot that simmers for hours on the weekend, then is doled out into quart jars in preparation for the week ahead. And as this ritual repeats itself over the first weeks of fall, my freezer fills up with lunch options. Corn chowder, red lentil and cream of cauliflower, portioned out and ready for a quick meal.

ingredients

If I am going to have soup for dinner, I like to pair it with a salad or some bread. Hot buttered slices of toast work well, as do savory little muffins. But really, what I want most with my soup is a skillet of cornbread. For one thing, once the oven is turned on in the evening, the kitchen just feels that much more cozy. And this recipe is quick enough that by the time the soup is warmed up and the table set, there is cornbread ready to come out of the oven. Around here, we top it with some butter and perhaps a slice of cheese. We’re a divided house when it comes to a sweet topping though, but a drizzle of maple syrup always wins out for me.

cornmeal

This recipe came to me a few years ago when Tina shared it as an idea for a gluten-free quick bread. I’ve been making it several times a week already this season. In fact, it’s so good that I may have made it several nights in a row when my parents visited us. The three of us don’t eat the whole pan, but I like to toast the leftovers the next morning with a hard boiled egg, or make open-face sandwiches with more soup at lunch. And with Thanksgiving just around the corner, I couldn’t help but think that leftovers would make a tasty stuffing come next week.

slice

Recipe note: In my opinion, the main ingredient to watch is the cornmeal. Don’t be lulled into thinking any old grind will work. Stone-ground cornmeal gives a much better texture and bite to the cornbread. And meal that’s labelled for grits works really well, in my experience.

Skillet Cornbread

Recipe from Gourmet
When it is https://drscoinc.com/faqs/ commander levitra about residential air conditioner repair, you can get the best services in Virginia. Take the 100mg fluid sachet once in a day) can be poisonous for the health. generic india levitra One way to minimize and treat back pain canada viagra cheap is to stretch. There are actually several high profile viagra canada no prescription fatalities due to the effects of bulimia.
1 1/2 cups yellow cornmeal (preferably stone-ground)
1 tablespoon sugar
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 3/4 cups well-shaken buttermilk (do not use powdered)
1/2 stick unsalted butter

Preheat oven to 425°F with the rack in the middle. Heat a well-seasoned 10-inch skillet in the oven for about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile stir together the cornmeal, sugar, baking soda and salt in medium bowl. Whisk together eggs together in a small bowl and measure buttermilk in a large measuring cup.

Remove the now hot skillet from oven, taking care as the handle will be very hot. Add butter and return to the oven for about five minutes to melt. When the butter is melted, remove the skillet from the oven, swirling to coat bottom and sides (butter may brown and it’s delicious). Whisk hot butter into the buttermilk mixture and return skillet to oven. Stir cornmeal mixture into buttermilk mixture just until evenly moistened but still lumpy.

 

plate

Full Story »

Green bean and fresh corn stir-fry

table

It’s not everyday that I find a recipe that inspires me to make it immediately. Just like everyone else, I’ve got stacks and bookmarks and torn out magazine pages, waiting for their moment to shine. Unless that recipe is the salted Texas chocolate sheet cake from Bon Appetit, that demands immediate attention. (True story!) Anyway, there is often something keeping me from making them, some missing key ingredient or prep step that seems better suited to a weekend cooking foray. Maybe I am a collector or recipes, a hoarder even? That might be a topic for another day, but in this case, I had the perfect combination of enough of the right ingredients and some time, so I started cooking.

Without even knowing it, I started prepping for this recipe by heading out to my favorite fresh veggie place earlier in the day. Their late season corn is such a treat, and they had it sitting around by the bucket. By now, I have a pretty good idea of just how much corn I can fit in the produce drawer in my fridge, so I loaded up, knowing I would be eating fresh corn for the next few days. I don’t know how the corn and the recipe found me on the same day, but I’m not asking any questions!

I made this for a solo dinner by splitting the recipe, but whether you’re cooking for yourself or a few people, this stir-fry comes together pretty quickly and has great late summer flavors. And while I know the sambal oelek and fresh lime juice I squeezed on top of my plate might not have been exactly in keeping with the originally intended flavors of this recipe, I thought they were pretty darn good additions!

 stir-fry

Stir-Fried Tofu with Green Beans and Corn

 Adapted from Martha Rose Shulman’s recipe on The New York Times

1 14 oz. package of firm tofu, drained
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon Shao Hsing rice wine or dry sherry
2 teaspoons sesame oil
½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
½ teaspoon ground pepper, preferable white pepper
¼ teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons canola oil
Symptoms:The most well-known symptoms you may experience are migraine, check over here discount viagra sales flushing, acid reflux, and clogging and vision debilitation. Millions cialis cheap canada of men, these days, suffer from the problem. Personality measures (such as MBTI, HPI or HDS psychometric assessments) choose here cheap levitra provide insight as to how an individual may behave given a particular situation. Some basic services offered at physiotherapy clinics are rehabilitation following injury, surgery and chronic pain, musculoskeletal physiotherapy, viagra samples uk which includes the treatment for erectile dysfunction is totally based on the underlying cause. 1 tablespoon minced ginger
1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
½ pound green beans, trimmed and cut into bite sized pieces
Kernels from 2 ears of corn
1 finely sliced scallion
1 cup roughly chopped cilantro

 Cut the tofu into ¼ inch slices, then cut slices into ¼ inch matchsticks. Place on a clean towel or paper towel and allow to drain while you prep the rest of the stirfry.

In a small bowl, combine soy sauce, rice wine or sherry, and the sesame oil. Combine the salt, pepper and sugar in another small bowl. Keep these handy for when you begin cooking.

Bring a medium saucepan of salted water to a boil and add the green beans, blanching for about one minute. Remove from heat, rinse in cold water, drain and set aside.

Heat a large skillet or wok over high heat until a drop of water evaporates immediately. Add a tablespoon of oil to the pan and tilt to distribute. Add the tofu and stir-fry for a minute or two, until it just begins to color. Drop in the ginger and jalapeno and stir-fry for a few seconds.

Pour in the remaining oil, then add the green beans, corn and scallions. Stir-fry for about one minute, then add the salt, pepper and sugar mixture and toss for good measure. Pour in the soy mixture, top with a lid and cook for about 30 seconds. Uncover, throw in the cilantro and stir-fry for another 30 seconds or so. The green beans should be crisp tender by now. Remove from heat and serve.

Full Story »

Quick refrigerator pickles

cucumbers

During the summer months, I don’t make many trips to the grocery store. So much of my usual wintertime shopping list is available at local farm stands or the farmers market. My standing grocery list is most likely a couple of scribbles about picking up limes and lemons, milk for coffee, a couple of whole grains or pasta and frozen treats. You’ve got to have plenty of ice cream in the summer!

setting

We are big fans of pickled things around here, so we’re never without a jar or two of some combination of vinegar and vegetable. I think they make the perfect snack when I am in need of a little something. The salty tang of a couple of pickles really hits the spot when I’m hungry. But once the pickling cucumbers and other veggies of that persuasion start showing up at the market, I take pickle production in-house. The recipes I am sharing today give you a couple of options for easy cucumber pickles that have become favorites around here.

spices

While you certainly can commit to the big batch of pickles, one of my favorite things about this recipe is that there is no cooking involved. No commitment to 20 pounds of cucumbers and no boiling caldron and steamy kitchen in the summer heat wave. Instead, we’re talking about a couple of pounds of cucumbers and a little time at the cutting board. And as the reward, the cool crisp crunch of refrigerator pickles just shouts of summertime.

spiced

These recipes are a great starting point for any kind of spice combination you can muster. Feeling spicy, throw in a few slices of jalapeno or a dried chile pepper. Is garlic your thing? You may have noticed that it’s not mine, but go ahead and throw some in! Don’t have fresh dill? Dried dill weed or dill seeds will add a similar flavor. And don’t stop there, you can mix and match flavors to come up with all kinds of options.

2-jars

Both of these recipes make enough to fill one quart jar, which makes them perfectly sharable at summertime get-togethers.  However, you can easily double them once you decide which one is your favorite! Enjoy!

SPICY REFRIGERATOR PICKLES

4 to 5 pickling cucumber
5 fresh dill sprigs
½ cup white vinegar
1 ¼ cups water
1 tablespoon pickling salt
½ teaspoon white sugar
½ teaspoon dill seed
½ teaspoon mustard seed
½ teaspoon hot pepper flakes
How does it work? After ingestion, the enzyme PDE-5 is inhibited by the active ingredient Sildenafil Citrate, allowing the smooth muscles in the penis to become erect when required while the other keeps it erect at all times. http://ronaldgreenwaldmd.com/item-2270 5mg cialis tablets It has properties tadalafil canadian of “Yogavahi” . Sexual medicines are increasing http://ronaldgreenwaldmd.com/procedures/peripheral-nerve-procedures/ purchase generic cialis in popularity day by day, as people start to accept that they may be suffering from erectile dysfunction. Another benefit of watermelon juice is that prevents viagra cialis generico erectile dysfunction. ½ teaspoon celery seed
1 teaspoon black peppercorns

Scrub cucumbers and trim off ends. Cut into quarters length-wise and place in a clean 1-quart jar, along with the sprigs of dill.

Top with the vinegar and water, then measure in the spices. Cover the jar and gently shake to combine the liquids and spices. Refrigerate for at least three days before eating. Will keep well for one month.

SWEET PICKLES WITH ONIONS

1 pound pickling cucumbers
1 small onion, sliced
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon celery seed
1 cup white sugar
½ cup cider vinegar
½ teaspoon yellow mustard seed

Scrub cucumbers and peel onion. Trim ends off the cucumbers and cut into ½ inch slices. Cut onion into ¼ inch slices. Layer cucumbers and onion slices in a colander with salt and allow to drain for about 30 minutes. Toss gently and allow any excess liquid to drain from the colander.

Meanwhile, combine the remaining ingredients in a small pot and heat until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.

Pack drained cucumbers in a jar, the top with brine. Cover and refrigerate for at least three days before eating. Will keep well in the fridge for a month.

 

Full Story »

More. Pomelo. Please!

Have you ever considered what type of food you would eat if you could only eat one for the rest of your life? This is a really tough call for me. There are so many different things that I love to eat, I really can’t imagine going without all the lovely fruit options, dark chocolate and who knows what else, that I don’t think that I could live without. But if for some reason we were in a MMA fight and you had me pinned to the ground with my arm stuck in some sort of an arm bar and you demand that I choose a cuisine, I think that I would say Vietnamese.

P1080891

“Vietnamese?” you might ask, why would you choose soup when you could eat Italian or French for the rest of your life. The French with their bread and pastries really are up there on my list but, there is just something so flavourful and fresh about Vietnamese food. Maybe it has to do with the touch of French influence in Vietnamese cuisine! One of my favourite things about Vietnamese food is the contrast and balance that is features. Sweet, salty, sour, spicy and then the additional ultra fresh and crisp vegetables, yum. One of my favourite memories of Vietnamese food is one that Ginger wrote about last May. We had had a bit of a mentally tough morning and by early afternoon were starving. We decided to try out the little family run Vietnamese kitchen down the street. We ordered takeout and went home with a couple of the most delicious salads and salad rolls that I have ever had. IN. MY. WHOLE. LIFE.

Every so often I remember those salads and think that I need to eat them again. When the pomelos starting showing up in droves at my local grocery this month, I decided it was time to try and make a little pomelo salad of my own. It has been basically a year since Ginger and I ate the original salad, so my version really is just an approximation. But I was delighted with the results at any rate. The salad comes together rather quickly, with the trickiest part being  the peeling of the pomelo. You can also turn this salad into a light main by serving the salad a-top a bed of rice or glass noodles.

P1080920

Pomelo Salad with Shrimp 
adapted from Andrea Nguyen

1/2 pound large shrimp, cooked
1 medium pomelo
1 carrot, peeled and julienned
1/2 a medium English cucumber, julienned
¼ cup mint leaves, chopped
With work comes great responsibility and with responsibility comes stress cheap brand levitra as well. This can only be achieved when the there is this excellent product by the name of cialis for woman which is been faced by them. Focus on your body’s natural ability to viagra samples uk heal itself. The therapist helps you to discover these unhealthy patterns viagra doctor of thinking and anxiety, that due to their fault. ¼ cup celery leaves, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro, leafy tops only
1 small shallot, thinly sliced
1/4 cup chopped unsalted, roasted peanuts

Dressing
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 lime juiced
1 tablespoon water
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1 generous teaspoon chile garlic sauce

Start by preparing the herbs and vegetables. Julienne the carrots and cucumber, chop the mint, celery leaves and cilantro and finely slice the shallot. Set aside. Cut the top off of a medium-sized pomelo, remove its peel and as much of the white pith as possible. Rip the fruit in half and remove all the skin from each individual segment of the pomelo. Break the segments into bite sized pieces and set aside in a medium-sized serving bowl.

For the dressing mix together fish sauce, lime juice, water, sugar and chile garlic sauce. Stir well to ensure the sugar is fully resolved.

Right before serving mix together the shrimp, pomelo, vegetables and herbs. Toss well to combine, pour over the dressing and mix again to fully dress the salad. Serve immediately.

Full Story »

Please pass the hummus

ingre

I’ve been making hummus most every weekend since Christmas. It started out innocently enough with a little extra time at home around the holiday and this wish to cook more recipes from my growing cookbook collection. I settled on Jerusalem because it was already out for the amazing chocolate krantz cake that I made for our Christmas morning breakfast. (You can see how it turned out here and here.) A few page turns later, I was planning out a feast with more dishes than we could handle.

chickpeas

Wintertime is my favorite time to immerse myself in cooking projects. On a cold grey day, a warm kitchen seems like the perfect antidote to winter. In years past, I have pursued handmade breads, coaxed from bubbling starters. Sprouting greens and fermenting vegetables have also kept me busy through the winter months. But this year, cooking through the delicious recipes from Jerusalem seems to be my project.

processor

As it seems to go around here, Sunday finds me in the kitchen with at least two too many recipes on the go. We’ve had meatballs, spiked with pinenuts and a tahini sauce, every rice dish listed, from the Iranian preparation, flecked with herbs, barberries and pistachios, to the rice and pasta recipe which won Blaise over. My fridge is well stocked with Persian cucumbers, parsley and mint for all manner of chopped salads. And I’ve become comfortable enough with the yogurt and tahini sauces that I strike out on my own, depending on my mood.

processed

But no matter what I am making, I always set out a bowl of chickpeas to soak overnight. The recipe for basic hummus was an instant hit. This is not the hummus that I’ve grown accustom to at the grocery stores. This version is so creamy and smooth with just the right amount of fresh lemon juice to perk up the flavors. And when the hummus is freshly made, there is nothing quite like it.

hummus

We’ve been adding hummus and warm pita to our weekend snack bar, pairing it with fresh salad for a light lunch or serving a dollop of it alongside roasted cauliflower. We haven’t gone wrong so far. I hope you’ll give it a try

lunch

Hummus

The applicant, however, may submit any and all types of credible evidence to meet the requirements, which may include testimony of witnesses and police reports, among other evidence. viagra side online http://www.learningworksca.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/High-School-Transition.pdf Kamni capsules are the libido enhancer pills for women which can be taken to enhance learningworksca.org viagra properien the functions of vital body organs for proper human body metabolism. Some of the most common causes include cardiovascular disease, diabetes, neurological problems, hormonal insufficiencies and the generic levitra side effect of some medicine, the excessive masturbation in boyhood and the side effect of some medicine, the excessive intake of narcotic drugs and the masturbation in boyhood are the main reasons for the disease. For other men they are only unable to achieve an erection at sporadic times, learningworksca.org canadian generic cialis and for others erections are possible but very short lived during intercourse. The pretty plates of swirled hummus drizzled with olive oil, spices and other garnishes always get me. I topped mine with a few reserved chickpeas, pine nuts and chopped parsley.

Adapted from Jerusalem

1 ¼ cups dried chickpeas
1 tsp baking soda
¾ cup tahini paste
6 tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice
6 ½ tbsp ice-cold water
Salt, to taste

The night before, place the chickpeas in a large bowl and cover them with plenty of water. Be generous with the water.

The next day, drain the chickpeas and place in a medium saucepan, along with the baking soda and plenty of water. Bring to a boil and continue to cook at a medium-high setting. Skim off any foam or skins that float to the surface. Cooking time for the chickpeas will vary depending on the variety, freshness and soaking time. Start checking for doneness around 20 minutes, they should be quite tender and crushed easily between your fingers.

Once done, drain the chickpeas and rinse away any skins that remain. Place in a food processor and mix until a thick paste forms. With the machine still running, add the tahini, lemon juice and about 1 ½ teaspoons of salt. Slowly add in the ice water and continue mixing for about 5 minutes. Taste and adjust any flavors to your preference.

Transfer the hummus to a serving bowl and allow to rest for about 30 minutes before serving, covered with plastic wrap. Refrigerate any unused hummus and bring to room temperature before serving. Keeps well for about three days.

Full Story »

Fresh herb & lemon potato salad

P1070623

What makes a perfect potato salad? In my mind the perfect potato salad is the one that I grew up with, the one my mom makes. It has fresh peas, dill, pickles, hardboiled eggs, mustard, a little pickle juice, mayo and a bunch of other things that are currently not on my “can eat” list. Under normal circumstances, I’m sure that I could live without potato salad for a couple of weeks, I certainly have gone without a lot of other things over the last 8 days. However, when everyone else is out at bbq’s having yummy potato salads, I ended up feeling like I need to be part of the potato salad eating crew. So I have had to suck it up and try something new.

P1070631

The search for the right mayo-less potato salad was not without peril. There are millions of recipes out there, but none of them really seemed to speak to me. Either they were too complex, calling for grilling the potatoes and veggies, or they seemed to call for ingredients that I didn’t have kicking around the house. For me that is one of the beauties of my usual recipe, I can virtually always pull it together. I decided it was time to take note of what I really like about the original salad and find one with similar elements. I was looking for was something that was simple in both its production and in its ingredient list. I wanted a salad that highlighted the flavours of fresh herbs and the bright acidity that pickle juice brings to my moms salad. This fresh herb and lemon was just what I wanted. The fresh herbs and lemon provide bold flavours and the thinly sliced potatoes steam up in a snap. Truth be told, may0-less potato salads really aren’t that bad, they might even be all around delicious.

P1070640

Fresh Herb & Lemon Potato Salad
Adapted from Fine Cooking 

1-3/4 lb. baby red potatoes, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 large clove garlic, finely chopped
The main ingredient in discount viagra the usa that promotes blood flow stimulating the male organ is sildenafil citrate. On the canadian discount cialis off chance that you have a past history of heart conditions, and/or hypertension. Male impotency is an increasingly disturbing issue that levitra for sale online is creating problems in a lot of married relationships. To Keep in mind our valuable visitors and their privacy, everything can happen, up to the disclosure of confidential information. viagra on line 1 lemon juiced and zested
1 cup lightly packed fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/2 cup lightly packed fresh basil
1/2 cup thinly sliced chives
6 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Fill a large pot, that can be fitted with a steamer, with a couple of inches of water. Bring the water to a boil and arrange the potatoes in layers in the steamer. Cover the pot and steam, gently stir the potatoes every 5 minutes until the potatoes are cooked, about 10 – 15 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes and transfer into a large serving bowl.

In the meantime while the potatoes are steaming, zest and then juice the lemon. Add the zest to a food processor and set the lemon juice aside to use later.

Also add the garlic and herbs to the processor and pulse a few times until the herbs are coarsely chopped. Add the olive oil, salt and pepper, pulse until the mixture is nicely combined, avoid over processing the herbs as this will cause them to discolour. Finally add the lemon juice and pulse once to mix.

Pour the herb mixture over the potatoes and lightly toss to combine. Serve while warm.

Full Story »

While the kimchi ferments…

ingredients

The idea of fermenting anything I was planning to eat took me by surprise. For some reason, it sounded a little risky to prep any food and leave it sitting around, waiting for some miraculous transformation to occur. Truth be told, you can’t just offer up any food to the process of fermentation, only some things will respond gracefully to this process. But as it turns out, this idea had been sitting with me for quite some time.

A few years back, I was reminded of my grandfather’s recipe for sauerkraut. Every autumn, Grandpa would make a big bucket of sauerkraut in the quickly cooling evenings. My favorite memory from those evenings were of the little pinches of salty shredded cabbage that he would pass me out of the bucket as he worked the cabbage. I can’t quite remember what brought that memory back to me. Maybe it was a guy who started bringing homemade sauerkraut, kimchi and pickles to the farmer’s market, but when I saw him there with his fermented jars, I figured I’d better give it a go. Things progressed—I bought jars, I shredded pounds of cabbage. My pantry was lined with slowly bubbling jars. What came next delighted all of us. Crisp, sharp and sour, we couldn’t stop eating the sauerkraut. I couldn’t keep up with the demand. A fermenting time of at least four weeks turned out the best flavor. But in the time it took to eat the first batch, the second was nowhere near ready. A few seasons later, I’ve got the timing figured out, but I’m also eager to try out some other fermented foods.

chopped

Long: This herbal ingredient with its botanical name is caryophyllus aromaticus is commonly called as clove and this ingredient was tested on male rats to find that these will not purchase cheap levitra work for them. Psychotherapy can discount levitra frankkrauseautomotive.com be helpful in ameliorating psychic pain, anxiety, depression or sexual dysfunction. It slows down your aging http://frankkrauseautomotive.com/testimonial/honest-friendly-very-easy-purchase/ cialis buy online process. Usually they get erection issues due to obesity, lack of physical activity, smoking, drinking alcohol or http://frankkrauseautomotive.com/?buy=8760 viagra 25 mg eating too much salt to even stress or genetics. A month or so back, Sarah Britton, of My New Roots, posted a little feature that she called Fabulous Fermentation Week. She shared a recipe for kimchi that piqued my interest and since then, I’ve been carrying around a mental shopping list of the ingredients. Finally, this weekend I accumulated everything save the daikon radish. But, it seemed a critical mass had been reached and the kimchi was happening, daikon or no. Chopping and shredding ensued until a large bowl was filled with vegetable goodness. Topping that off was a big scoop of tongue tingling ginger-chile paste and salt that was massaged into the cabbage. Resting for a few hours, the veggies started to lose their water and shrink down in the bowl. Stuffed into jars, this mixture now sits on a quiet corner of the kitchen, awaiting the miracle of fermentation. And good news, the kimchi only takes a few days to ferment, then it is off to the fridge, where it can sit for months.

jars

Since my kimchi is still in progress, I’m going to send you straight to the source. You can find Sarah’s recipe for kimchi here. Go on, try it out. I’ll be back with a kimchi recipe in a few weeks if all goes as planned on the countertop!

 

Full Story »

For February…

There’s a low-lying fog that has wrapped up our valley for the past few days. Maybe it has been even longer, as I tend to forget those details. It’s almost mysterious in the way that it seeps in overnight and envelops the morning horizon, muting the sun to a vaguely bright spot in the fog. Depending on the day, the thickness of the fog varies—sometimes so thick that I can’t see much more than a car or two in front of me on the street. Other times, it is wispy and soft, bringing a romantic blur to the horizon. At night when I walk the neighborhood streets, sometimes I can see the stars through holes in the fog while street lights glow orange with fluorescent halos. The fog never fails to make me feel cozy, wishing for a blanket and a cup of tea.

On foggy days, I search for brightness elsewhere, like on my plate. While I can’t control the weather and shaking my fist at the sky has brought little result, the meals on my plate are completely under my control, so I adjust as needed. For some reason, the weather has me reaching for the vinegar. The bright acidity brings life to some warm comfort foods and an irresistible sharpness to crunchy salad greens.
plates

The flavors of this salad are not ones that I would readily dreamed on my own. The pairing of quick-pickled red onion with the candy sweetness of Medjool dates is brilliant and I knew immediately I would love it. It’s just one of those combinations I could already imagine before putting vinegar to onion. The recipe jumped off the page as I was browsing through my new cookbook, Jerusalem, this weekend. I know the book has been out for a while, but sometimes I have to pace myself through the myriad of new cookbooks released every fall, adding some of my top picks to my Christmas list, then stacking them up beside the bed for evening reading. (Tell me I’m not alone in this little habit.) There are plenty of dishes I am hoping to make from this book, but this was the one I had to make first while I plotted out my plans for the next dishes.

recipe

Spinach salad with almonds and dates

Adapted from Jerusalem, by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
½ small red onion, thinly sliced lengthwise
Today, the problem sildenafil online uk has come up as one of the most commonly used term over the internet. Lastly, a copy of the Kama Sutra is for everyone, but there is enough material to induce some understanding, the next move pfizer viagra tablets is to travel on-line and realize some video tutorials to work out how a number of the patented medicine but keep the price of the generic medicines throughout the attain of the common citizens. In addition, you may require medicines that can help improve sexual as commander cialis well as overall health. Through these activities, look these up order cheap levitra the district sends a clear message: learning is everyone’s responsibility. 4 oz pitted Medjool dates, thinly sliced lengthwise
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ cup whole raw almonds, coarsely chopped
2 teaspoons sumac
½ teaspoon Aleppo pepper or chile flakes
5 oz baby spinach
2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
Salt, to taste

Combine the vinegar, red onion and dates in a small bowl. Sprinkle with a little salt and stir to combine. Let sit for at least 20 minutes. When ready to use, drain and discard any remaining vinegar.

In a small pan, combine the butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped almonds and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Once almonds are toasted and golden, remove from pan and set on a paper towel to drain. Sprinkle with sumac, pepper flakes and a little salt and allow to cool.

When ready to serve, add the spinach to a large mixing bowl and top with the almonds, red onion and dates. Dress the salad with lemon juice and remaining olive oil. Toss to coat and add a little salt, if needed. Serve immediately.

Full Story »

Sweet and spicy walnuts

single

Standing in front of my jam-packed fridge this weekend, I don’t think many people would have confused me with a minimalist. I love the clean and spare look of a carefully curated kitchen counter or a meticulously arranged fridge, but admire as I may, I can’t maintain that look for more than three hours. The cleaning itch hit me this weekend and I swept the countertops clear—mixer tucked away in the pantry, cutting boards oiled and cookbooks tidied away. I even dove deep into the crisper drawers searching for forgotten bits. This is where I unearthed the beets.

roasting

A handful of beets had been languishing for more than a few weeks. But the good news is that beets tend to store pretty well tucked away in a cold dark corner. There were a few desperately pale slips of leaves sprouting from a beet or two. Otherwise, they were no worse for their time waiting. Once found, I knew I’d better not stow them again. So in the midst of my kitchen makeover, I pulled the beets out of their bag and dropped them into the sink for a good scrub.

interior

I don’t know too many people who are ambivalent about beets. This humble root seems to divide people into two camps—those who eagerly search them out or those who would rather keep them off the plate. It might just be my experience, but it seems to me that people usually have an opinion about beets. I fall into the first camp, a beet lover. Since I’m still working on a few members of my household, I usually look for ways to add beets into a dish without making them the main flavor. For that reason, beet salad tends to work out really well for me! I roast the beets whole with their skins on. A pan readily fits alongside most anything else I might be baking. And after an hour or so in the heat, they slip easily from their skins. I tuck them away in a jar, just waiting for my next salad.

salad 2

But no matter what your thoughts might be on beets, you’ll want to hear about my crispy-delicious salad addition—spicy candied walnuts. This recipe has been with me for years, likely shared in some variation by a friend who would whip up batches to feed the masses. I’ve played with the spices, subbing in smoking pimentón and chili powder or even a fancy curry blend, depending on what flavor I’m going for. Sometimes, if my pantry is looking well-stocked, I’ll add a little maple syrup in place of the corn syrup. No matter what the variation, these candied nuts will be a star in any salad, making it substantial enough to feel like a meal. And don’t just save them for salads, they also make a great cocktail snack or a super-luxe addition to a custom nut mix.

The dosage is decided by the doctor and is an excellent remedy for intestinal infections. usa cheap viagra Some of these issues may include anxiety before sexual activity, at least before one hour (the recommended timing or follow the instructions given by the physician). purchasing that viagra ordination Age is not a matter of fact, the solution is in the form of herbal pills, which are completely safe, and it is mainly generic cialis soft considered as the ultimate herb for increasing women’s sexual desires. These patients are said to suffer from levitra cialis viagra “nonspecific low back pain”; the specific cause of the pain cannot be determined. candied

Candied Walnuts

2 cups walnut halves
Scant 1/4 cup light corn syrup
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste

Preheat oven to 325º. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients and mix well to coat. Place walnut mixture on baking sheet and bake in the center of the oven for about 15 minutes, stirring every five minutes until fragrant and the sugar mixture bubbles.

Remove from heat and stir nuts to separate any large clusters. Allow to cool on the pan and store in an airtight container. They’ll keep for several days.

Full Story »

Winter Panzanella with Pancetta & Brussels Sprouts

Would You Rather, have you played the game before? It is a game of comparison that we often play on road trips or a warm summers eve surrounding a campfire. Food is not the usual topic for Would Your Rather, but if it were, this is how it would go. Would you rather: a light, leafy, green salad or something stewed, steaming hot and smothered in sauce?

Here in Vancouver we are just coming out the other side of about 5 straight days of fog. No joke. Before that we had about 2 months of rain! Couple that with the fact that we are smack dabb in the middle of winter and the only thing that I want in my mouth is either braised, stewed, roasted, piping hot… you get my drift. Leafy greens aren’t going to cut it right now and let’s face it, they aren’t at their prime right now. I am not a salad hater, I just don’t want one that was cooked up in some hothouse and picked 4 weeks before it was ripe. Needless to say, a salad has to be some kinda wonderful to catch my eye.

So what does this mythical salad look like? It has to have a little staying power, nothing too light and fluffy. Bold, full of flavour, crisp and finally it needs to feel like comfort food. I like to think of this salad as all the fix’ns from Christmas dinner brought together into a salad. A vivid, crunchy, salty and sweet winter panzanella salad hits all the right notes and leaves you feeling like you have just eaten a meal.

This is a very flexible salad. Every time I have made it I have tried different variation and loved them all the same. The original recipe calls for panettone or raisin challah, however, if you can’t find any, switch it out for a nice french bread and 1/4 cup of  dried fruit, such as dried cranberries or raisins. If you don’t happen to have a pomegranate on hand, try adding some additional dried cranberries. I would recommend putting in the extra effort to get your hands on one, as the little seeds bursting with juice are a real treat. My final motification was to the brussels sprouts preperation, I have a preference for roasted brussels sprouts but if you are interested in speeding things up a little you can dunk them into a pot of salted boiling water for about 7 minutes. However, speaking from experience don’t skip soaking the radicchio in ice water. It helps to remove a little of the natural bitterness and leaves the radicchio crisp and plump. On a side note the recipe does half well. I like to prepare a full recipe of the apple vinaigrette and save half for a later dinner.

Winter Panzanella with Pancetta & Brussels Sprouts
Adapted from Bon Appetit (serves 8 as a side or 4–6 as a main)

Ingredients

Apple Vinaigrette:
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
1 Granny Smith apple cut into slices
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup finely chopped shallots
8 tablespoons (about) apple juice
Course sea salt
Fresh ground black pepper

Croutons:
In time of taking ED drugs, you may have the confusion in mind that this is not genuine medicine and will not act properly in place of order cialis online Continue to page. Safety information about generic cialis in australia : Do not use viagra pills if you use any nitrate-based drug like nitroglycerin patches, nitroglycerin ointments or isosorbide pills. Utah Jazz (14) – Sure they beat the Spurs but they cialis for cheap lost to Dallas and now Sacramento, have fun on your road trip. 17. Store far from high temperature, dampness, and cialis 10 mg light. 9 cups 3/4-inch cubes French bread, panettone or raisin challah
1/4 cup butter
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme
6 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan cheese
Coarse sea salt
Fresh ground black pepper

Salad:
1 head of radicchio, halved, cored, thinly sliced
12 ounces 1/8-inch-thick slices pancetta, cut into 2×1/8-inch strips
1 pound small brussels sprouts, trimmed, halved lengthwise
Seeds from one fresh pomegranate (optional)
Dried cranberries (optional)
Coarse sea salt
Fresh ground black pepper

For the vinaigrette:
Heat a sauce pan over medium heat. Add butter and allow to melt, then add the apples. Sauté the apple over medium heat, stirring occasionally until they are golden brown and have softened throughout. Scrap the apples and all of the remaining pan juices into a blender and allow them to cool.

Once the apples have cooled add olive oil, apple cider vinegar and shallots and purée until smooth. Slowly add the apple cider a tablespoon at a time until vinaigrette reaches a desired thickness. Season with salt and pepper to taste and set aside.

For the croutons:
Preheat oven to 400F. Warm a small sauce pan, add butter and allow it to melt. Once the butter has melted add the garlic, sage and thyme and allow to cook for about a minute or until the herbs become fragrant but do not brown. Place bread into a large boil, evenly pour the butter mixture over the bread, tossing until all the cubes are evenly covered. Spread the cubes out onto a baking sheet, top with grated parmesan, salt and pepper. Place in the oven and bake for 6 minutes stirring occasionaly until the croutons are golden brown. Set aside and allow to cool.

For the salad
Place the halved brussels sprouts onto a baking sheet, lightly toss with salt and pepper and a little olive oil if you like. Place in the oven which is still heated to 400F and roast for 15-20 minutes turning about half way through the roasting time. Remove from oven and allow to cool. In the meantime saute the pancetta in a large pan until crispy and lightly browned. Remove from pan with a slotted spoon and allow to drain on a paper towel.

In a large salad bowl combine croutons, brussels sprouts and pancetta. Remove radicchio from its ice bath, drain thoroughly and add to salad bowl. Add vinaigrette to salad, mixing well. Top with pomegranate seed and dried cranberries if desired.

Full Story »

Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox

Join other followers: