The best miso soup

September 28, 2022September 28, 2022 Belinda

Recipe By Eric Kim for the New York Times

“In the United States, especially in Japanese American restaurants, the standard version of miso soup usually involves little more than soft tofu, seaweed and a lily-pad suspension of scallions. Think of this recipe as your blank canvas: You could add thinly sliced shiitake mushrooms at the end, or replace the katsuobushi entirely with dried shiitakes for a vegan version. Fried tofu, clams and even chicken are all fair game when cooking miso soup at home. The chef Seiji Ando, of Benkay restaurant in Portland, Maine, adds sake and mirin for balance, and says even a tiny bit of butter can be delicious.”

Serves 4
1 (5-inch) square kombu (dried kelp)
1 tbsp sake
1 tbsp mirin
5 g wakame (dried seaweed), crushed (¼ cup)
2 cups loosely packed katsuobushi (often labeled “bonito flakes”)
1 (14-oz) package silken tofu, drained
¼ cup miso (white or red; see Tip), plus more to taste
1 large scallion, thinly sliced

Step 1
Make dashi, the soup base, by soaking kombu in 4 cups of cold water for 15 minutes in a medium pot. Add the sake and mirin and bring to a simmer over high heat. As soon as the water starts to boil, take the pot off the heat, cover and let the kombu steep until the liquid smells like the sea, about 15 minutes.

Step 2
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, soak the wakame in about 3 inches of cold water until soft, about 15 minutes as well. Drain and set aside.

Step 3
When ready to serve, remove the kombu from the pot (see Tip). Stir the katsuobushi into the kombu broth, cover and let steep for 1 minute. Strain into a medium bowl, pressing down on the katsuobushi to extract all of the liquid; discard the spent flakes. This is your dashi.

Step 4
Return the dashi to the pot and add the drained wakame. Scoop the tofu into the pot using a spoon or your hand, leaving it in large chunks. Bring the soup to a boil, then remove from the heat.

Step 5
Add the miso to a small bowl, then ladle over some of the broth and stir to dissolve. Add the dissolved miso to the pot and gently stir until incorporated. Add the scallion, taste for seasoning (adding more miso if you’d like) and serve immediately.

Tips
White, or shiro, miso is made with a higher proportion of rice, which lends a milder, sweeter flavor, whereas red, or aka, miso, is made with more soybeans, resulting in a bolder, more umami-rich taste and a darker color as well.
You can discard the simmered kombu or thinly slice it into strips and add to pastas, soups, stews and salads for added vegetal heft.

Dairy-free · Gluten Free · Poultry

Skillet Chicken With Turmeric and Orange

September 23, 2022September 23, 2022 Belinda

Recipe by Nargisse Benkabbou for the New York Times

This recipe is inspired by ingredients that are commonly used in Moroccan cuisine: orange and ground turmeric. The combination of both ingredients hits all the notes: savory, sweet, fragrant and lightly spiced. Enjoy this chicken with a green salad, over rice or as a filling in a sandwich.

Serves 4
½ medium onion, diced into ¼-inch pieces
5 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp honey
2 tsp dried mint
3 garlic cloves, crushed or finely chopped
1 tbsp grated orange zest (from about 2 large oranges), plus ¼ cup orange juice
1 tsp ground turmeric
¾ tsp fine sea salt
¼ tsp black pepper
1lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts

Step 1
Marinate the chicken: Place the onion, 2 tablespoons olive oil, honey, dried mint, garlic, orange zest, orange juice, turmeric, salt and black pepper in a large bowl and stir to combine. Add the chicken and turn to coat with the marinade. Cover and leave in the fridge until ready to cook or for up to 12 hours.

Step 2
When ready to cook, heat the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large (12-inch) skillet or frying pan over medium-high and wait for the pan to become very hot. (This ensures a nice sear.)

Step 3
Add the chicken and the marinade to the pan, and cook until chicken is browned underneath and easily releases from the pan, 5 to 8 minutes. Stir the onions every now and then so that they cook evenly. If the pan looks dry, add a couple of tablespoons of water or broth to the pan to prevent the juices from drying out. Flip the chicken and cook on the other side until the chicken is cooked through, another 5 to 8 minutes. Serve immediately.

Chocolate · Dessert · Do-ahead

Blender chocolate mousse

September 9, 2022September 9, 2022 Belinda

Recipe from the New York Times

“Straightforward, adaptable and extremely satisfying, this is one of those recipes that you want to pass along to as many people as you can. Instead of separating the egg yolks and whites, this technique simply involves pouring hot sugar syrup into a blender with chocolate and whole eggs, then folding that mixture into softly whipped cream. The resulting texture is so creamy and rich, it doesn’t need anything at all, though you can top it with extra whipped cream, if you like.”

Serves 8 (7 cups)

1½ cups heavy cream
½ cup granulated sugar
12 oz dark chocolate, roughly chopped
4 large eggs, at room temperature
¼ cup strong (brewed) espresso (or very strongly brewed coffee)
¼ cup light or dark rum (or Marsala or brandy)
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp kosher salt

Step 1
In a large bowl, or in a stand mixer on medium speed, whip the heavy cream to glossy, medium peaks, about 5 minutes. Set aside in the fridge. In a small saucepan over gentle heat, melt the sugar with ¼ cup water until dissolved. As soon as the syrup begins to boil, turn off the heat.

Step 2
Add chocolate and eggs to a blender. Blend on medium-high speed while slowly pouring in the hot sugar syrup, which will melt the chocolate and cook the eggs. Keep the machine running until the mixture is extremely smooth, then stream in the espresso, rum, vanilla and salt. Keep blending until the mixture has cooled to room temperature, about 1 minute, pausing to scrape the sides as needed.

Step 3
Fold 1 cup of the chocolate mixture into the chilled whipped cream until smooth, then add the rest of the chocolate mixture to the cream mixture and fold until there are no streaks. Pour into individual bowls, ramekins or glasses, and set in the fridge until firm, at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours. Serve chilled.

Appetizer Vegetarian · Gluten Free · Salad

Watermelon and feta salad with marinated olives and preserved lemon

September 4, 2022September 4, 2022 Belinda

Recipe by Ottolenghi

1 small watermelon (1.6kg)

Kalamata olives:
50ml olive oil
1 medium red chili, thinly sliced into rounds
1 small garlic clove, skin on and lightly crushed
3 thyme sprigs
1 rosemary sprig
35g preserved lemons skin, julienned (the skin from about 2 small preserved lemons)
25 black Kalamata olives, pitted (100g)
coarse sea salt and black pepper

To serve:
100g feta, lightly crumbled into 1–2cm chunks
70g pickled watermelon rind, drained (optional; see introduction)
15g basil leaves
10g mint leaves

Place the olive oil for the olives in a small saucepan on a medium heat with the chili, garlic, thyme, rosemary and preserved lemon, along with ¼ teaspoon of salt and a grind of black pepper. Warm through gently for 4–5 minutes then remove from the heat. Set aside to cool, then pour over the olives. Set aside until ready to use: they can be used straight away but their flavor will intensify if you keep them marinating for 24 hours before serving.

Quarter the watermelon, cut out the red flesh and set the skin – with the white rind attached – aside. Cut each section of red flesh, width-ways, into 1cm thick slices, then cut each slice into smaller triangles, about 6cm long and 3cm wide. You will need 600g of flesh (discarding the seeds if you like) for the salad, so anything in excess of this can be set aside for snacking. If pickling the watermelon rind, see here for instructions on what to do next.

When ready to serve, spread the fresh watermelon wedges out on a large platter or individual plates and sprinkle the feta on top, along with the pickled watermelon rind, if using. Spoon over the olives and their marinade, discarding the garlic, rosemary and most of the thyme. Finish with the basil and mint leaves, tearing them as you go, along with a couple of sprigs of the thyme and serve at once.

Appetizer Vegetarian · Do-ahead

Labneh with olives, pistachios and oregano

September 4, 2022May 2, 2024 Belinda

Serves 4

1lbs labneh
20 black olives, pitted
1 tbsp roughly chopped fresh oregano
1 tbsp chopped parsley
Grated zest of 2 lemons
2 garlic cloves, crushed
100ml olive oil
30g pistachios, lightly toasted
30g pine nuts, lightly toasted
½ tsp flaked chilli
Coarse sea salt

Use the back of a spoon to spread the labneh over a platter creating a loose wavy pattern, about 2cm thick.

Next, dice the olives or chop roughly. Place them in a bowl and add the oregano, parsley, lemon zest, garlic and olive oil.
Use a pestle and mortar to crush the nuts unevenly, leaving some just broken and others finely crushed; add to the olive mix and stir. Add some coarse sea salt to taste, or you can sprinkle some on at the end. You can alter the amount of ingredients depending on your preference.

Spoon the olive mix over the labneh clearing about 2cm away from the edge (you don’t need to use the whole quantity if you want your labneh a bit milder). Sprinkle with chili and serves with wither torn bread chunks or crackers.

Appetizer Vegetarian · Dairy-free · Do-ahead · Soup

Tomato & watermelon gazpacho

September 4, 2022September 7, 2022 Belinda

Recipe by Ottolenghi

Seves 6-8

2kg ripe tomatoes (about 20), peeled and roughly chopped (1.9kg net)
5 cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
6 celery stalks, pale parts and leaves, all roughly chopped (450g net)
1 small onion, roughly chopped (140g net)
400g watermelon flesh, seeds removed
100g crustless white bread, broken into small chunks
150ml tomato passata (or tomato juice)
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
200ml olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
15g basil leaves
Coarse salt and black pepper

Croutons
150g crustless white bread, broken into 2-3cm chunks
3 tbsp olive oil
1½ tbsp red wine vinegar

First make the croutons. Preheat the oven to 180C. Place the bread in a medium bowl along with the oil, vinegar and 1 teaspoon of salt. Place a griddle pan on a high heat, add the croutons and cook for 2 minutes, turning until all sides are slightly charred and starting to crisp. Transfer from the pan onto a baking tray and place in the oven for about 12 minutes, until golden brown and crispy. Set aside to cool.

Place the tomatoes, garlic, celery, onion, watermelon, bread, passata and 10 grams of basil in a blender or large bowl along with 1½ teaspoon of salt and a good grind of black pepper. Blend until smooth and then, with the blender still going, add the vinegar and olive oil. Refrigerate until needed.

To serve, pour the soup into individual bowls and top with the croutons. Tear the remaining basil and sprinkle it on top of each portion, along with a final drizzle of oil. Finish with a little sea salt and serve at once.

Dessert · Fruit

Peach, rosemary & lime galette

September 4, 2022September 4, 2022 Belinda

Recipe c/o Yotam Ottolenghi
“This makes good use of firm, not-so-ripe peaches. By macerating them in sugar and lime juice, you not only soften the fruit, but you also make a beautiful syrup to pour over the dish at the end. Rosemary is a fantastic match for peach, it’s a combination I discovered only recently, and now I can’t get enough of it.”

Serves 4 generously

2 limes – 1 peeled in 7 long strips, the other grated, to get 1 tsp, then both juiced, to get 1½ tbsp
80g caster sugar
2 large firm peaches, stoned and cut into 0.5cm-thick slices (300g net weight)
2 large sprigs rosemary, plus ½ tbsp picked leaves
150g creme fraiche
Plain flour, for dusting
200g all-butter puff pastry
10g unsalted butter, cut into 1cm pieces
1 egg, beaten
¼ tsp cornflour

Heat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4.

Mix the lime juice with 60g sugar in a large bowl, add the peaches, strips of lime skin and rosemary sprigs. Stir and set aside to macerate for at least 40 minutes, and up to a couple of hours. Strain the peaches through a sieve set over a small saucepan, and discard the rosemary and lime peel: you should end up with about 60ml peach syrup.

Mix the grated zest and a teaspoon of sugar into the creme fraiche and refrigerate until ready to serve.

On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the pastry into a 26cm-wide circle just under 0.5cm thick, then transfer to a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper.

Arrange the strained peaches haphazardly in the middle of the pastry, leaving a clear 6cm border all around the edge, then fold this outer 6cm rim up and over the peaches. Dot the butter over the exposed peaches, then brush the pastry all over with beaten egg. Sprinkle the remaining tablespoon of sugar evenly over the pastry and bake for 20 minutes, until it’s golden and the filling is beginning to bubble.

While the galette is baking, whisk the cornflour into the reserved peach syrup. Simmer over a medium-high heat until it thickens to the consistency of honey (about two minutes), then pour over the peaches. Sprinkle the rosemary leaves on top and return the galette to the oven for 15 minutes, until the pastry is golden-brown and the filling bubbling.

Leave to cool slightly, then serve with a bowl of the lime creme fraiche on the side.

Accompaniments · Appetizer Vegetarian · Dairy-free · Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Vegan · Whole30 compliant

Cherry tomato confit

August 28, 2022September 7, 2022 Belinda

Recipe from food blog, “Olive & Mango”

What to eat tomato confit with:
Swirled through pasta, risotto or polenta
Load them up on toasted bread/crostini spread with creamy ricotta, creamy whipped feta or cream cheese
Dress herby yoghurt with them or creamy hummus
As a side or topping to grilled meat, chicken or fish.
Perfect on your mezze platters
The flavorful oil from the confit can be used to drizzle over meat or even cook or sauté veggies in or even eggs and shrimp. As you can see the options are endless.

Servings: 2-3 cups

2½ lbs cherry tomatoes
1 head of garlic, sliced in half horizontally
1&1/2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest (optional but adds a really nice flavor to the confit)
1 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more if needed
Salt and pepper to taste
Handful of Fresh herbs of choice.

Preheat oven to 250°F.
Place cherry tomatoes in a single layer in baking dish. Nestle the garlic between the tomatoes.
Pour olive oil into the dish, so it comes about halfway up the sides of the tomatoes. Season generously with salt and pepper, and the lemon zest and add the fresh herbs to the baking dish.
Bake, uncovered, for 1-½ to 2 hours (cooking time will depend on the size of the cherry tomatoes). Don’t cook the tomatoes until they’ve fully bursted; they should be soft, but not falling apart.
Cool tomatoes in the pan until they are room temperature, then place in airtight containers or jars. Pour enough of the cooking oil over the tomatoes to submerge them. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes
Storage
Tomato confit can be stored in a sealed container refrigerated for up to 1-2 weeks weeks. Store the tomatoes in a jar covered with the olive oil. If you have leftover olive oil you can also store it in the refrigerator and use it in cooking or salad dressings.
Freezing
It can be frozen in freezer proof containers for up to 3 months. The olive oil with harden and solidify in the refrigerator or freezer so be sure to bring tomatoes to room temperature before serving

Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Meat

Low-carb zucchini “pizza” casserole

August 19, 2022September 7, 2022 Belinda

This recipe is from food blog, “Taste of Lizzy T” and is such a great idea, using the pizza flavors, but none of the carbs. It’s more of a casserole, so don’t expect it to be a pizza alternative, it just has all those great flavors.

4 cups shredded zucchini (you can use drained, frozen zucchini or fresh zucchini, salted with 1 tsp salt and drained to get rid of excess moisture)
2 large eggs
1/4 cup shredded good quality Parmesan cheese
1.2 cup freshly shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2-1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
32 ounces meaty spaghetti sauce*
2 cups freshly shredded mozzarella cheese
4-6 oz pepperoni
OPTIONAL TOPPINGS:
Green pepper
Onions
Mushrooms

PREPARE THE ZUCCHINI:
The success of this recipe partly depends on the zucchini. If the zucchini is frozen, allow it to drain well. I let mine sit in a colander for several hours draining. If the zucchini is fresh, sprinkle it with 1 teaspoon of salt, stir and let the zucchini sit in a colander for 20 minutes.
After the zucchini (either fresh or frozen) has drained, use a clean lint-free kitchen towel to squeeze any excess liquid from the zucchini. Squeezing out as much liquid as possible will help your casserole to not be watery.

MAKE THE CASSEROLE:
Spray a 9×13 baking pan with cooking spray. Preheat the oven to 400º F
In a bowl, mix up the drained zucchini, eggs, cheeses, salt, garlic and Italian seasoning. Mix well.
Press the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan evenly.
Bake for 20 minutes. The crust should be lightly browned.

Spread the meat sauce evenly over the crust. (Or the browned meat and sauce)
Then sprinkle the shredded mozzarella over the top.
Top with sliced pepperoni.

Bake for 20 more minutes or until the “pizza” is heated through and the cheese is melted. If you would like it slightly browned, put it under the broiler for 2-3 minutes, but watch it closely.
Let the casserole sit for 3 minutes before slicing and serving.

Notes
*We use our spaghetti sauce that already has meat in it. You can also brown a pound of ground beef or Italian sausage, drain the fat and then add that to another spaghetti sauce. You can also use pizza sauce. Just make sure you have about 4 cups.
Please note: This recipe is more like a casserole. If you want it more like a pizza style, use less sauce.