Appetizer Vegetarian · Baking · Holiday Food · Vegetable-related

Feta tapenade tarte soleil

October 1, 2019 Belinda

Feta Tapenade Tarte Soleil is from the great food blog, “Smitten Kitchen”
The feta dip is from Ina Garten.
My inspiration for this recipe was from my dear friend, Lucy Lean, who made a version of this when we went to her home for drinks. She got her French butter puff pastry rounds from the frozen food department at Gelsons, which tasted great and saved a lot of time.
For this recipe, you can also use defrosted puff pastry packages at 14 oz each
(DuFour is a good brand)

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Filling
1/2 cup sundried tomatoes in oil, drained
1/3 cup pitted Kalamata olives or oil cured olives, pitted
1 teaspoon dried oregano or 2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano leaves; thyme and rosemary would work too
1 large garlic clove, peeled
1 tablespoon olive oil or reserved oil from tomatoes, plus more to loosen if needed
Salt and freshly ground black pepper or red pepper flakes to taste

Assembly
2×14 oz packages puffed pastry (leave in fridge overnight to thaw)
1 egg yolk beaten with 1 teaspoon water (for egg wash)
1 tablespoon sesame or poppy seeds to sprinkle (optional)

Dip
6 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
2 ounces cream cheese, cold is fine
1/3 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Coarse or kosher salt, to taste (1/2 teaspoon could be overkill if your feta is very salty, so be careful)
Freshly ground black pepper

Make the filling: Blend ingredients in a food processor until finely chopped and spreadable. Mixture will be thick. You can thin it with more olive oil if needed, but no need to make this thin like a sauce. Adjust seasonings to taste. Set aside.

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Assemble the tart: Roll first package puffed pastry flat on a large piece of parchment paper or reusable baking mat into a 12-inch circle; use a 12-inch round plate or bowl to mark the size for a clean cut. Repeat with second dough, setting one aside in the fridge until needed.

Place first round on a parchment- or nonstick mat-lined baking sheet. Spread with filling to all but 1-inch from edge. Dab edges with water and place second round on top. Set a small glass upside down in the middle. Being careful not to cut through parchment paper or baking mat, cut away from glass (i.e. not through center) in quarters, or at the 3-, 6-, 9- and 12 o’clock marks. Cut through each quarter again, making 8 strips, and again, making 16 strips, and one last time so that you have 32 “rays” of pastry emanating from the center. If at any point in the cutting the pastry feels annoyingly soft and hard to cut, just pop the tray in the freezer for a few minutes to firm it back up.

Remove the glass. Place your finger near center of each ray (where it is most likely to break off prematurely) and gently twist each strand a few times. Beat egg yolk with 1 teaspoon water; brush it over pastry and sprinkle with seeds, if desired.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until golden brown all over.

Meanwhile, make whipped feta dip: Blend all filling ingredients in a blender or food processor until smooth. Adjust seasonings to taste. Place in bowl for dipping.

Remove tart from oven, let cool, on baking sheet for 10 minutes then transfer to a serving platter and sprinkle wth some freshly chopped parsley for color.
Tear off rays of sun, dip in whipped feta; repeat as needed.

Appetizer Vegetarian · Dairy-free · Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Vegan

Roasted carrot dip

September 22, 2019September 7, 2022 Belinda

This recipe is from the “Ochre Bakery” in Detroit
Sweet and smoky roasted carrots are blended with chickpeas, almonds, lemon juice, garlic, and herbs. It’s the perfect companion to seeded crackers or good bread. Make sure the carrots are tender to their core before you pull them from the oven for the smoothest possible texture.

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½ cup skin-on almonds
2 lb. carrots, trimmed, peeled
2 Tbsp. plus ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil; plus more
2½ tsp. kosher salt, divided, plus more
2 garlic cloves
½ cup canned chickpeas
3 Tbsp. (or more) fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
¾ tsp. hot smoked Spanish paprika
½ cup coarsely chopped parsley, plus leaves for serving

Preheat oven to 350°. Toast almonds on a rimmed baking sheet, tossing halfway through, until slightly darkened and fragrant, 8–10 minutes. Let cool; set aside.

Cut any thick carrots in half lengthwise, then slice all carrots crosswise into 4 pieces. Toss on a parchment-lined baking sheet with 2 Tbsp. oil and 1 tsp. salt. Spread carrots out evenly on baking sheet and roast, stirring once or twice, until very tender and starting to shrivel and brown (but not char), about 1 hour.

Transfer carrots to a food processor; add garlic, chickpeas, lemon juice, pepper, paprika, chopped parsley, ½ cup oil, 1½ tsp. salt, and reserved almonds. Process, adding more oil as needed, until mixture is almost completely smooth. Taste dip and add more lemon juice and/or salt if needed.

Transfer dip to a small bowl, drizzle with more oil, and top with parsley leaves.

Do Ahead: Dip can be made 1 week ahead. Cover and chill.

Appetizer Vegetarian · Do-ahead

Marinated Feta With Herbs and Peppercorns

August 28, 2019September 7, 2022 Belinda

Recipe by Alexa Weibel from the New York Times.

The best recipes often make a good ingredient great through minimal effort. For this easy appetizer, start with good-quality feta, preferably in brine, which is creamier than the squeaky supermarket varieties. Many commercial fetas use only cow’s milk and can taste somewhat one-note, so look for one that contains both sheep’s and goat’s milk, which provide the cheese’s signature tang. Dice the feta, toss it with preserved lemon, peppercorns and chili, and refrigerate overnight.
Spoon it onto crostini, or serve it alongside eggs, fish, salad, grilled or roasted vegetables or atop a bowl of pasta.

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¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more if needed
3 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley
3 tbsp finely chopped preserved lemon, or 4 strips fresh orange zest plus 1 tbsp juice (from 1 orange)
1 red Serrano chili, very thinly sliced (optional)
4 tsp finely chopped fresh oregano
1 tbsp any combination of whole pink, green, white and black peppercorns, crushed or coarsely chopped
8 oz firm Greek feta, in brine
Crostini or crackers, for serving

In a medium bowl, stir together the olive oil, parsley, preserved lemon, chili, oregano and peppercorns.
Cut the feta into 1/2-inch cubes and add them to the olive oil mixture. Gently fold together until feta is evenly coated. Transfer to a jar or lidded container and drizzle with more olive oil, if needed to immerse the feta. Refrigerate for at least 24 hours.
Remove from refrigerator at least 30 minutes before serving to allow solidified olive oil to return to liquid form.
Serve with crackers or crostini, or spoon on top of seared fish, grilled or roasted vegetables, pasta or salad.

Appetizer Vegetarian · Dairy-free · Vegetable sides

Sticky miso and tahini eggplant wedges

August 5, 2019 Belinda

Gooey caramelized miso and sesame-baked aubergine wedges are finished with the sweet-sour tang of pomegranate molasses to make this more-ish vegetarian side dish. From “Delicious” magazine.

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2 medium eggplants, cut lengthways into wedges
Olive oil to drizzle
2 tbsp sesame seeds
2-3 tbsp pomegranate molasses (from the world food section of large supermarkets)
Large handful fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
Handful fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped
Greek yogurt to serve (optional)

For the dressing

3 tbsp white miso paste
3 tbsp toasted sesame oil
2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp tahini
Juice 1 lemon

Heat the oven to 400F.
Mix all the dressing ingredients together in a large bowl, then add the eggplants wedges and toss to coat well.
Transfer the eggplants and dressing to a large roasting tray, drizzle over a little oil and season with salt and ground black pepper.
Roast the eggplants for 35-40 minutes until golden, sticky and soft.
Meanwhile, toast the sesame seeds briefly in a dry frying pan until pale golden. When the wedges are cooked, arrange on a serving platter.
Drizzle with the pomegranate molasses and scatter over the sesame seeds and fresh chopped herbs.
Serve with a dollop of yogurt if you like.

Appetizer Vegetarian · Dairy-free · Gluten Free · Vegan · Vegetable sides

Eggplant puree with quick pickled cucumber, tahini and soy

July 29, 2019 Belinda

Yotam Ottolenghi’s light, summery recipe with oodles of flavor.

“Cutting the aubergines in half and roasting them in the oven is a nifty trick if you don’t have a griddle pan or simply want to avoid a smoky kitchen. But by all means cook them on an outdoor barbecue if you’re looking for some serious smoke.”

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Serves 4

1 medium cucumber, peeled, deseeded and cut into 1½cm cubes
1 green chili, finely sliced into rounds, seeds and all
1 lime – shave off 4 thin strips of peel, then cut into wedges, to serve
2 tbsp rice vinegar
Salt

4 medium eggplants, cut in half lengthways
4½ tbsp olive oil
1 small garlic clove, peeled and crushed
3 tbsp mint leaves, roughly torn
½ tsp nigella seeds

For the tahini soy dressing
2 tbsp tahini
2 tsp soy sauce, plus 1 tbsp extra to serve
2 tsp mirin
2 tsp rice-wine vinegar

Heat the oven to its highest setting – around 230C fan. Mix the cucumber and chili with the lime peel, vinegar and a quarter-teaspoon of salt, and leave to pickle for at least an hour.

Cut deep cross-hatches into the flesh side of each eggplant half, season with three tablespoons of the olive oil and half a teaspoon of salt, and lay cut side up on an oven tray lined with greaseproof paper. Roast for 40 minutes, until soft and well browned, then transfer to a large bowl, cover with clingfilm and leave to soften for 20 minutes.

While the eggplant is roasting, whisk all the dressing ingredients with two teaspoons of water until you have a very smooth sauce (it might seize up a bit at first, but will become smooth as you whisk).

Scoop out the eggplant flesh into a clean bowl – discard the skin and stalks. Add the garlic, the pickling liquid from the cucumbers and an eighth of a teaspoon of salt, and stir everything together. Spread the eggplant mixture on a platter, then drizzle over the dressing, followed by the remaining tablespoon and a half of olive oil and the final tablespoon of soy sauce.

Remove and discard the lime skin from the pickle, then spoon the pickled cucumbers and chilies on top.
Finish with the mint and nigella seeds, and serve with the lime wedges for squeezing over.

Appetizer Vegetarian · Appetizers · Holiday Food

Baked black truffle stuffed brie

July 20, 2019July 20, 2019 Belinda

This recipe is unapologetically decadent and wonderful for date night.
Creamy brie, enhanced with the earthy delicious flavors of black truffle all baked to oozing delicious perfection!
Recipe c/o the Australian food blog, “Sprinkles and Sprouts”

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Serves 2

1 medium brie wheel – around 8oz
1/2 oz black truffle (or as much as you can afford!!)
1 tbsp olive oil
A pinch of salt and black pepper
Really good crusty bread to serve

Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Remove all the packaging from your brie, but if it came in a wooden box keep this for later.
Use a sharp knife to cut a circle in the top of your brie. You want to go through the rind and a little into the cheese.
Peel this back and use a teaspoon to scrape a small amount of cheese away (eat this – chefs perk!)
Finely grate the truffle over the cheese, drizzle over the olive oil and add a good pinch of salt and pepper.
Cover the truffle cheese back up with the circle of rind you removed earlier
Wrap the brie in parchment paper and then tightly in aluminum foil.
Place the brie on a baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes until completely molten.

To serve I like to remove the foil and carefully slide the cheese back into the wooden box.
Serve with plenty of bread and some apple slices.

** Some little radishes are amazing with this, but ideally you want the ‘french breakfast’ radishes as they have a milder flavor.
Notes
If you have more truffle then add as much as you like (and can afford!!!)

In France the cheese is often baked in the box, but there the boxes are stapled together. Don’t do it if your box is glued as they often are, as the heat of the oven will pop the box open!
Better to use tin foil and transfer to the box. Otherwise you might end up with a cheese flood!!

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Appetizer Vegetarian · Appetizers · Nuts · Salad · Vegetable-related

Marinated zucchini with hazelnuts and ricotta

July 12, 2019July 12, 2019 Belinda

From Bon Appetite magazine

Zucchini is anything but boring when bathed in a kicky vinaigrette. Summer squash contains a lot of water, which can cause it to get mushy when cooked. We turned to a trick we use with moisture-rich vegetables like cucumbers and eggplant: Toss raw halved squash with salt and let it sit for at least ten minutes (and up to 30) to draw out some liquid, and then pat dry with paper towels. This also seasons it from the inside out, concentrating the flavor.

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3 medium summer squash or zucchini (or pattypan squash!), cut in half lengthwise
1½ tsp. kosher salt, plus more
¼ cup blanched hazelnuts
6 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more for drizzling
1 small bunch mint, divided
1 small garlic clove, finely grated
2 Tbsp. white wine vinegar
¾ tsp. sugar
½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
Freshly ground black pepper
½ lemon
½ cup fresh ricotta
Flaky sea salt
Toasted country-style bread (for serving)

Preheat oven to 300°. Toss squash and 1½ tsp kosher salt in a colander; set over a bowl. Let sit 10 minutes, then pat dry with paper towels.

Toss hazelnuts and 1 Tbsp. oil on a rimmed baking sheet and roast, shaking occasionally, until golden brown, 15–20 minutes. Let cool; crush into large pieces with a measuring cup or glass.

Smack 3 mint sprigs against your cutting board a few times to release their flavor; mix in a large bowl with garlic, vinegar, sugar, red pepper flakes, and 2 Tbsp. oil; set dressing aside.

Heat 2 Tbsp. oil in a large skillet, preferably cast iron, over medium-high until shimmering. Arrange squash cut side down in skillet, breaking into smaller pieces if needed in order to fit in a single layer, and cook, moving around in pan to ensure even browning, until golden brown on cut side, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover (if you don’t have a lid use a baking sheet), and continue to cook until very tender, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and let cool slightly.

Cut squash into 2″ pieces and toss in reserved dressing to coat; season with kosher salt and black pepper. Let sit at room temperature, tossing occasionally, 15 minutes. Pluck out mint sprigs; discard.

Meanwhile, zest lemon half into a small bowl, mix in ricotta and remaining 1 Tbsp. oil; season with kosher salt. Hang on to that lemon.

Spread lemon ricotta over platter. Top with squash and their juices. Squeeze reserved lemon over. Pull leaves from remaining mint sprigs (you want about ¼ cup). Scatter mint and hazelnuts over squash. Drizzle generously with oil and sprinkle with sea salt. Serve with toast.