Category: Nuts

Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Nuts · Salad · Vegetable-related

Roasted eggplant salad with smoked almonds and goat cheese

Belinda

Serves 4

2 large eggplants, about 2lbs
Kosher salt
1/3 cup olive oil
2 tbsp cider vinegar
1 tbsp honey
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp cumin (I roast whole cumin seeds and grind them myself in a pestle and mortar. They last for ages and are far more pungent than the ordinary seeds)
4 large garlic cloves, roughly chopped
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 cup flat parsley leaves, roughly chopped
1/2 cup smoked almonds, roughly chopped
2 – 3 oz goat cheese, crumbled and divided
1/3 cup finely chopped scallions

Heat the oven to 400F

Cut the eggplant into 1 inch cubes and put into a bowl. Sprinkle lightly with kosher salt and set aside while making the marinade.
Whisk together the olive oil, cider vinegar, honey, smoked paprika and cumin.
Dab away with paper towel any water that has beaded up on the eggplant and toss with the marinade.
Stir in the garlic.
Spread the eggplant on a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper and slide onto a rack place in the center of the oven.
Roast at 400F for 40 minutes or until very tender or slightly browned. (You may need to stir every 15 minutes and check after 30 minutes that it isn’t burning)
Remove from the oven and cool slightly.

Whisk together the soy sauce and lemon juice.

Return the eggplant to the bowl and toss with the lemon juice mixture.
Stir in the parsley leaves, smoked almonds and most of the goat cheese, reserving a little.

Spread the finished salad on a lovely serving bowl or platter and sprinkle with the reserved goat cheese
crumbles and scallions

 

Appetizers · Asian flavors · Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Nuts

Asian lettuce cups with spicy ground turkey filling (CleanCuisine)

Belinda

This makes 4 to 6 servings

1 tbsp peanut or vegetable oil, you may need more depending on the size of the an you’re using.
3 tbsp minced red onion or shallots
2 tbsp minced garlic
2 tbsp grated fresh ginger root
1 1/2 lbs ground turkey (I prefer the dark meat)
4 tbsp soy or tamari sauce
1 tbsp chile garlic sauce, or more if you like spicy food
1 tsp fish sauce
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro (coriander)
1/3 cup chopped peanuts (dry roasted are nice to use)
1 large head or 2 small heads of Boston or Butter lettuce as long as you can fill it well. (See picture)

Chop the onion and set aside.

Peel the ginger root then grate with the large holed side of a cheese .
Chop the garlic finely.

Heat the oil in a large non stick frying pan, add the onion and saute for about 2 minutes, then add the garlic and ginger and saute for another minute or so.

Add the ground turkey to the frying pan with a bit more oil, if needed, breaking apart the meat and spreading it out in the pan, then add the soy sauce, chile garlic sauce and the fish sauce. Cook until the turkey is brown and crumbling apart and the sauce is slightly reduced, about 5 minutes.

While the turkey cooks, wash, dry and chop the fresh cilantro making 1 cup. Remove the core end from the lettuce, separate the leaves and wash, drying gently in a salad spinner.

Chop the peanuts and put them in  a small bowl to serve at the table.

When the turkey is done, add the freshly chopped cilantro and mix well together, cooking for about 2 more minutes.

Serve the turkey filling and lettuce leaves in separate serving bowls alongside the chopped peanuts in the smaller bowl.

Each person takes a lettuce leaf, fills it with the desired amount of filling, tops it with some chopped peanuts then eats the mixture from the lettuce cup.

Sme people like to fold the lettuce over to resemble a taco, but be careful your lettuce id not the breaking sort and you are left with a large pile of filling on the table!

 

Baking · Do-ahead · Nuts

Apricot, white chocolate and cashew nut slice

Belinda

This is a great KIWI recipe. Kids love this and it’s fairly good for you too! (Sorry about the metric ingredients, NZ has been that way for years!)

Makes about 18 bars

For the base

4 oz grams butter, melted
8oz grams graham crackers, crushed
2 cups raw cashew nuts, lightly chopped

For the topping

1 1/2 cups white chocolate morsels or chips
1 cup chopped dried apricots
3 cups long strand coconut
16 fl oz sweetened condensed milk

Grease an 8 by 12 inch slice or Swiss roll tin, line with baking parchment and set aside.

Mix the crushed cookies, chopped nuts and melted butter together and press into the tin.

Mix the chocolate, apricots, coconut and condensed milk together and press over the base.

Bake at 325F for approximately 25 to 30 minutes or until lightly browned on top. Take care not to overcook as the finished slice should be sticky, chewy and slightly moist.
If you find that the slice is browning too quickly cover with a piece of baking paper until finished cooking .

Leave until cold before slicing.

Do-ahead · Nuts · Salad

Winter wheat berry salad with figs and red onion

Belinda1 Comment

Serves 8

I just love unusual dishes, especially interesting salads that don’t use lettuce!

1 1/2 cups wheat berries
1/4 cup seasoned rice vinegar
1/3 cup orange juice
2 tbsp honey
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup dried figs, chopped finely
1/2 medium red onion
3 large stalks celery
1/4 cup good quality extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp lemon zest, from 2 lemons
1 cup roasted almonds, roughly chopped
handful fresh parsley or mint, finely chopped
1 tsp flaky sea salt (I love Maldon salt)
freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Put the wheat berries in a saucepan and cover with water.
Bring to a boil over medium heat, then turn the heat down to low and partially cover the pot.
Cook for 45 minutes or until the wheat berries are soft yet still chewy.
While the wheat berries are cooking, whisk the rice vinegar, orange juice and honey together in a small saucepan.
Bring to a boil and add the raisins and chopped figs. Turn off the heat and let the fruit steep in the juice and vinegar mixture.
Finely dice the red onion; you will end up with between 1 and 1&1/2 cups. Finely dice the celery as well; you will have between 1&1/2 cups and 2 cups. Mix them in a large bowl.
When the wheat berries are tender enough to be chewed easily, drain them, then pour them into the large bowl with the red onion and celery.
Toss with the olive oil and lemon zest.
Add the vinegar and juice mixture and all the fruit and mix together.
Toss with the almonds, chopped parsley or mint  and with the salt.
Add ground pepper to taste.
Let the salad stand at room temperature for at least one hour before serving to allow the flavors to mix and soak into the grain.
Serve warm or at room temperature
The salad can also be refrigerated for up to 3 days.

Baking · Do-ahead · Nuts

Pumpkin-Apple Streusel Coffee cake

Belinda

This is from the food blog, “One Perfect Bite” and is gorgeous!

Apples
3 tbsp unsalted butter
4 cups diced peeled cored Granny Smith apples (about 4 large)
3 tbsp sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon

Cake
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup firmly packed golden brown sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces, room temperature
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup toasted chopped walnuts
3/4 cup canned pure pumpkin
1/3 cup sour cream
2 tbsp sugar
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp baking soda
2 large eggs

Prepare the apples; Melt butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add apples; saute until apples begin to brown, about 5 minutes.
Add sugar and cinnamon and saute until golden brown, about 3 minutes longer. Cool.

Prepare cake;  Preheat the oven to 350 F. Butter a 9 inch diameter springform pan. Combine flour, brown sugar, butter and salt in a large bowl. Using the electric mixer beat until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Place walnuts in a small bowl. Add 2/3 cup of crumb mixture to nuts and set aside.
Beat pumpkin, sour cream, 2 tbsp sugar, spice and baking soda into remaining flour mixture, beating just until smooth.
Beat in the eggs. Transfer the batter to the pan. Scatter the apples evenly over the top.
Sprinkle reserved topping over the apples.

Bake the cake;  Transfer pan to the oven and bake until the topping is golden brown and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 1 hour 10 minutes.
Cool cake in pan on rack for about 20 minutes. Run a knife around the pan sides to loosen cake. Release the pan sides from the cake. Transfer the cake to a platter.
(Can be made 6 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature)
Serve warm or at room temperature with ice cream.

Serves 6 – 8

 

 

Do-ahead · Grains · Nuts · Vegetable-related

Spiced Wheat Berry Pilaff

Belinda

This is another great one from a fellow food blogger. The spices in it are very ‘Thanksgiving-like”

Serves 8 -10

2 cups wheat berries
1/4 cup olive oil
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 cup (about 3 oz) finely chopped dried apricots
1/2 cup pistachios, roughly chopped
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp cumin (I roast and grind mine as it has a better flavor)
1/2 tsp ground cardamon
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh mint
zest and juice of 1 lemon

Bring the wheat berries and 6 cups of water to a boil in a 2 qt saucepan over high heat; cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 45 minutes. Drain and set aside.
Heat the oil in a 12″ skillet over medium heat; add garlic and cook, stirring until soft, about  minute
Add wheat berries along with apricots, pistachios, cinnamon, cumin, cardamon, salt and pepper and cook stirring until warmed through and fragrant, abut 5 minutes or so.
Remove from the heat and stir in the mint, lemon zest and juice.

Asian flavors · Dessert · Do-ahead · Grains · Nuts

Kheer (Spiced Indian rice pudding)

Belinda

This recipe comes from fellow blogger “One Perfect Bite”. Well worth subscribing to!

4 -6 servings

1/2 cup basmati rice
1 tbsp clarified butter or ghee
6 cups whole milk
10 tbsp sugar
a few strands of saffron
1 tsp golden raisins (I put a 1 tbsp in)
1 tsp ground cardamon
1/2 cup thinly sliced cashews, slivered almonds or pistachios

Soak rice in water for 30 minutes before cooking. Drain.
Melt ghee in a large pan, add rice and saute until translucent.
Add milk to the rice, stir and simmer until liquid has been reduced by half.
Stir in sugar and saffron and cook until sugar is dissolved. Add the raisins, nuts and cardamon and simmer for a few more minutes.
Remove from heat and serve warm or cold.

Do-ahead · Fruit · Gluten Free · Grains · Nuts · Salad

Quinoa, beet, feta and caper salad

Belinda1 Comment

I had a version of this at Hugos restaurant in Hollywood and absolutely adored the combination of flavors. I rushed home, via the supermarket and immediately made a version of it that is actually better!
I don’t want to dictate measurements too much as you can pretty much improvise.

Screen Shot 2019-04-13 at 9.15.24 AM

1 cup quinoa
2 cups water or chicken broth. (I like to use chicken broth as it gives more flavor)
4 large beets, roasted, peeled and chopped small (1/2″ size cubes)
finely chopped red onion and scallions
small cubes of peeled raw carrots
1/2 cup golden raisins
finely chopped fresh Italian parsley and fresh mint
1 tbsp capers, drained, but keep the liquid to use in the dressing.
1/2 cup crumbled Gorgonzola or blue cheese
1/2 cup lightly toasted walnut pieces
cayenne pepper
Extra virgin olive oil
good balsamic vinegar
freshly squeezed lemon juice

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees
Roast the beets individually wrapped in aluminum foil and a few drops of water per beet so as not to dry out while they’re cooking. They will take about 1 hour or even more. Pierce each foil parcel with a fork or skewer to test they’re cooked, then remove and peel when a bit cooler.
Chop the beets into small cubes.
Cook the quinoa in boiling water or broth for 15 minutes until all the liquid has gone, then put into a large bowl and allow to cool.
Add the chopped beets, chopped onions, chopped herbs, raisins, capers, crumbled blue cheese, walnut pieces and mix well.
Pour in olive oil, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice and season well. Add some caper juice, a little cayenne pepper and mix well.
Leave the salad in the fridge for 1 hour for the flavors to mingle.

Appetizer Vegetarian · Appetizers · Gluten Free · Nuts

My quick pesto mushroom starter

Belinda

This is ever so quick and tasty, especially if you have your own homemade pesto, but a good brand of store-bought pesto works really well too. I haven’t given measurements as it’s a recipe to be creative with!

Preheat oven to 450 degrees

Serves 4

4 large portobello mushrooms
about 2 tbsp pesto sauce per mushroom (preferably homemade)
2 large balls of fresh mozzarella (the ones in water)
good olive oil
Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, grated
ground pepper
lightly toasted pine nuts, (about 1 tbsp per mushroom)

Wipe the mushrooms clean with a damp cloth, do not wash under running water, remove the stalks and put on a baking tray dark side up.
Sprinkle each with olive oil then put in the pesto sauce.
Top the pesto with torn up pieces of mozzarella cheese and sprinkle the pine nuts over.
Season with ground pepper and a little kosher salt. Add grated parmesan cheese, about 1-2 tbsp per mushroom.
Put under a broiler first and cook on a medium heat so as not to burn the pine-nuts, then if the mushrooms are still too raw, put them on the top shelf in the oven for about 10 minutes to soften them.

Serve!

Accompaniments · Do-ahead · Holiday Food · Meat · Nuts

Grand Marnier and Apricot Stuffing with your Thanksgiving turkey

Belinda

As we’re getting near to Thanksgiving, I wanted to share some of our favorite recipes. This makes enough for a 21lb turkey, but I do it outside the turkey in a separate dish.

1 cup diced, dried apricots
1 1/2 cups Grand Marnier
1 turkey liver and heart
2 sticks unsalted butter
2 cups coarsely chopped celery (I peel mine)
1 large yellow onion, chopped
1lb bulk pork sausage meat (I like to use sweet Italian sausage, because of the fennel taste)
1lb herb stuffing mix
1 cup slivered almonds
2 cups chicken stock
salt to taste
Black pepper to taste

Place the apricots and 1 cup Grand Marnier in a small saucepan. Heat to boiling. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Simmer the turkey liver and heart in water to cover in a small saucepan for 5 mins. Set aside to cool.
Melt 1/2 cup of the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the celery and onion and saute for 10 minutes. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.
Cook the pork sausage meat in the same skillet, crumbling with a fork, until it is no longer pink. Remove from the heat and add to the celery mixture.
Add the stuffing mix, apricots with liquid, and almonds. Finely dice the turkey livers and heart and add to the stuffing mixture. Stir to combine.
Heat the remaining 1/2 cup butter and the stock in a small saucepan just until the butter melts. Pour over the stuffing mixture and add the remaining 1/2 cup of Grand Marnier.
Stir well to moisten the stuffing.
Season with the thyme and salt and pepper to taste.