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.

Asian flavors · Dessert · Gluten Free

Ottolenghi’s sticky bananas with brown sugar and lime

July 28, 2019 Belinda

Another gem from Yotam Ottolenghi
This punchy dessert has everything – sweetness, acidity, saltiness and umami – which makes the creme fraiche essential for rounding out the flavors and mellowing them a little. The bananas you use should have almost completely yellow skins, with only the faintest bit of brown spotting. If you don’t have a spice grinder, it will be virtually impossible to grind the rice sufficiently, so leave it out or use chopped toasted peanuts instead.

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Serves 4

2 oz unsalted butter
3 oz soft light brown sugar
½ tsp ground star anise
6 oz creme fraiche
1½ tbsp white miso
4 semi-ripe medium bananas, peeled and halved lengthways
1 lime – zest finely grated, to get 1 tsp, then cut into 4 wedges

For the toasted rice topping
1 tbsp uncooked white rice
2 tsp black sesame seeds
½ tsp ground star anise

Set the oven grill to its highest setting. Meanwhile, put the rice in a small frying pan on a medium heat and toast for 12-15 minutes, shaking the pan from time to time, until deeply golden. Transfer to a spice grinder, blitz very finely, then tip into a small bowl. Return the pan to a medium-high heat, add the sesame seeds and toast, shaking the pan regularly, for about a minute, then tip into the rice bowl. Add the ground star anise and mix to combine.

Put the butter, sugar, star anise and a tablespoon of creme fraiche in a large, ovenproof cast-iron pan (or large saute pan) and put on a medium heat. Stir the mixture until the butter has melted and the sugar dissolved, then, off the heat, whisk in the miso until smooth. Add the bananas cut side-up, and use a spoon to coat the tops with some of the caramel. Transfer the pan to the oven and grill for eight minutes (timings will vary depending on your grill), or until the bananas have softened and taken on quite a lot of color.

Sprinkle over the lime zest and a tablespoon of the rice topping, and serve hot straight from the pan, with the lime wedges, remaining creme fraiche and some extra crunchy topping alongside.

Pasta · Uncategorized · Vegetarian pasta

Pasta with smashed zucchini cream

July 28, 2019 Belinda

Recipe from “101 Cookbooks”
Use your favorite noodles here, long or short. I used bucatini, but also love stubby shapes with grippy ridges.

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8 oz dried pasta
3-4 medium zucchini (2 lbs), washed
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
6-8 medium cloves garlic, grated on microplane
1/2 tsp fine grain sea salt
1 1/2 cups grated Parmesan or pecorino cheese
1 cup basil, thinly sliced
1 1/3 cups chicken broth (or water if you’re vegetarian)
black pepper
toasted almond slices

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt the water well, and boil pasta per package instructions. Drain, reserving some pasta water, and set aside.

In the meantime, slice the zucchini in half lengthwise and use a spoon to remove most of the seeds. Cut into 1/4-inch pieces.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, a minute or so. Stir in the chopped zucchini and 1 1/3 cups chicken broth, cover, and simmer until the zucchini absorbs most of the water and softens, roughly 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat, and carefully, with a fork or (even better) a potato masher, smash the zucchini until creamy.

Transfer the zucchini to a large serving bowl.
Add most of the cheese and most of the basil, and lots of pepper.
Stir in the pasta, and a splash of the pasta water if you want to thin it out at all.
Taste, and add salt if needed.
Finish by topping with lots of toasted almonds, and the remaining cheese and basil.

Breakfast · Egg based · Gluten Free

Easy green Shakshuka with cheese

July 28, 2019July 28, 2019 Belinda

From “Recipes from the Molcho Family” from the food blog “FOOD 52”

In Haya Molcho’s family, shakshuka is always served at Sunday brunch. A large pan of it is placed in the middle of the table and everyone dips crisp bread into the sauce.

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PREP TIME 15 minutes
COOK TIME 35 minutes
SERVES 4 to 6

4 oz leeks
1 oz butter
9 oz spinach
1 oz flat-leaf parsley
3/4 fl oz cream
Sea salt
1 small fennel bulb
2 scallions (spring onions)
1 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
2 oz Kashhaval, or another kind of mild, full-fat cheese
1 oz Parmesan, plus extra to garnish
6 eggs
Sourdough bread, to serve

Halve the leek lengthways, trim and cut into strips 1/2 inch wide.Wash any soil from it and drain of excess water.
Melt the butter in a saucepan, add the leek and cook over medium heat until soft, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool.

 Wash the spinach and remove the thick stems. Set aside about 1 3/4 oz of the leaves. Blanch the remaining spinach along with the parsley (with stems) for 10 seconds in boiling, salted water.  Strain and immediately submerge in ice water. Firmly press to remove all liquid.

 Purée the leek, spinach-parsley mixture, cream and 2 1/2 fl oz of water with a stick blender or in a blender until creamy. Season to taste with salt.

 Halve the fennel, remove the stalk and cut the bulb into thin slices.
Trim the spring onions and cut in half width-ways. 
Warm the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat, add the scallions and fennel and sauté very lightly for 3 minutes.
Season with salt, transfer to a plate and set aside.
 Add the remaining spinach and 1-2 tablespoons of water to the same pan.
Sprinkle with salt and distribute first the spinach-parsley mixture and then the fennel and spring onions evenly over the spinach.
Coarsely grate the Kashkaval cheese and 3/4 oz Parmesan and scatter over the vegetables.

Using a spoon, make 6 small wells and break 1 egg into each. Salt well, especially the egg yolk, cover and cook for 4-5 minutes. The egg whites should be firm but the yolks still runny (like a poached egg).

Grate extra parmesan over the eggs.
Drizzle with olive oil and serve with fresh sourdough bread.

Dessert · Do-ahead · Icecream

Spumoni ice cream cake

July 28, 2019September 7, 2022 Belinda

Spumoni is a frozen Italian-American dessert made by layering pistachio, cherry and chocolate (or sometimes vanilla) gelati. This showstopper ice cream cake version looks difficult, but it’s made with store-bought ingredients, so it mostly involves shopping and assembly.
The layers can be stacked ahead, and you also don’t have to worry too much about its melting rapidly: The cake’s sheer volume and store-bought ice creams’ stabilizers help it stay cold. For a Neapolitan-style cake, you could swap strawberry ice cream for the cherry and vanilla for the pistachio. The only true challenge here is making sure there’s room in your freezer, since this cake is about 4 inches tall.
Recipe by Ali Slagle from the New York Times Cooking section

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Serves about 16 people

1 (1.5 quart) carton or 3 pints cherry ice cream
1 (1.5 quart) carton or 3 pints pistachio ice cream
1 (1.5 quart) carton or 3 pints chocolate ice cream, preferably with chocolate chips
50 amaretti cookies, meringues or chocolate wafers (about 10.5 oz)
1 cup maraschino cherries (from one 14-oz jar), drained and stemmed if needed
2 ½ cups heavy cream (see Tip)
5 tbsp confectioners’ sugar
Pinch of kosher salt
Multicolored sprinkles, for serving

Remove the lid from the cherry ice cream and let sit at room temperature until the ice cream softens to the consistency of thick cake batter, 5 to 10 minutes.
Remove the lids from the pistachio and chocolate ice creams and let soften in the refrigerator until the ice creams are softened to the consistency of thick cake batter, 20 to 30 minutes.

While the ice creams soften, cover the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with one layer of whole amaretti cookies, flat sides down. Put the remaining amaretti in a resealable plastic bag and crush with a heavy pan.
Line another 9-inch round cake pan with plastic wrap, leaving a few inches of overhang. Add the crushed cookies and set aside.

On top of the whole cookies in the springform pan, spread the softened cherry ice cream in an even layer. Tap the pan gently on the counter to remove air pockets. Distribute the maraschino cherries over the cherry ice cream, saving a handful for the top of the cake.
Spread the softened pistachio ice cream in an even layer on top of the cherries. Tap the pan gently on the counter to remove air pockets.
Cover the pan with plastic wrap and freeze until firm, about 2 hours or up to 1 week.
(If at any point the ice cream is melting to liquid, pop the cake and ice creams in the freezer to firm to a spoonable consistency.)

Immediately after placing the cherry and pistachio layers in the freezer, prepare the chocolate layer:
Shake to distribute the cookie crumbs evenly in the other cake pan.
Spread the softened chocolate ice cream in an even layer over the cookies. Press down as you go to adhere the ice cream to the cookies, then tap the pan on the counter to remove air pockets.
Cover the pan with plastic wrap and freeze until firm, about 2 hours or up to 1 week.
Run a knife around the cake in the spring form pan, then unmold the spring form and transfer the cake to a serving plate. Use the plastic wrap overhang to remove the chocolate ice cream out of the cake pan. Invert the layer onto the pistachio ice cream so the crushed cookies are on top (do not remove the plastic wrap).
Freeze until set, about 4 hours or overnight.

When you’re ready to serve, whip the cream with the sugar and salt until stiff peaks form. Remove the cake from the freezer and remove the plastic wrap from the cake.
Working quickly, with a spoon or offset spatula, frost the sides and top of the cake with the whipped cream, then decorate with sprinkles and the reserved maraschino cherries.
Serve right away. (If you find the cake too solid to cut, run your knife under hot water before slicing and wipe it dry between cuts. Also remember that the first piece is always the trickiest to get out.)

Breakfast · Egg based

“Sabich” The Iraqi-Jewish breakfast sandwich

July 28, 2019 Belinda

This Iraqi-Jewish breakfast sandwich is a savory combination of fried eggplant, hard-boiled egg, hummus, Israeli salad and assorted condiments, stuffed into a pita and drizzled with tahini sauce and amba, a mango pickle similar to the chutneys found in Indian cuisine. The dish is now a favorite all over Israel

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1 cup hummus
4 whole pita breads
fresh ground pepper to taste
1/2 small onion, chopped (about 1/2 cup) (optional)
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
3/4 lb tomatoes, seeded and chopped (about 1 1/4 cups)
3/4 lb cucumbers, peeled, seeded and chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
vegetable oil for frying
3/4 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste for seasoning
1 1lb eggplant, sliced into 1/2-inch rounds
4 hard-boiled eggs, sliced
1/2 cup prepared tahini sauce
schug (hot sauce) to taste
amba (mango pickle) to taste

Sprinkle eggplant on both sides with salt, place on a cookie sheet or wire rack, and let rest 30 minutes.

Press eggplant slices firmly between paper towels to remove excess salt and moisture. Heat 1 inch of oil in a large frying pan until very hot but not smoking, about 375F.
Working in batches, fry eggplant until dark brown and tender, about 5-6 minutes on first side and 2-3 minutes on second side. Using a slotted spoon, remove eggplant and drain and cool on paper towels.

In a small bowl combine cucumbers, tomatoes, parsley, onions (if using), and salt and pepper to taste. Reserve.

To assemble sandwiches, warm pitas in a 300F oven for 5 minutes, or in the microwave on high for 30 seconds.
Spread 1/4 cup hummus inside each pita, then fill with 1 sliced egg, 3 to 4 slices fried eggplant, and about 1/2 cup salad.
Drizzle with 2 tablespoons tahini and hot sauce to taste.

Appetizers

Grilled Apricots with Burrata, Prosciutto and Arugula

July 28, 2019 Belinda

Simple and so tasty and effective in the hot summer months

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1 1/4 lbs apricots, halved and pitted
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
1 1/2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 small head radicchio, cored and thinly sliced
5 oz baby arugula
1/2 lb burrata cheese, shredded
4 oz prosciutto (or shaved country ham)
1 tbsp good, thick aged balsamic vinegar

Light a grill or preheat a grill pan. Brush the apricots with oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill over high heat, cut sides down, just until lightly charred, 5 minutes. Let cool.

In a bowl, whisk the lemon juice with the 1/4 cup of oil and season with salt and pepper. Gently toss in the apricots, radicchio and arugula. Transfer to a platter and top with the burrata, prosciutto (or ham) and vinegar.
Serve.

Dessert · Fruit · Gluten Free

Honey-Sweetened Mascarpone with Berries and Pistachios

July 28, 2019 Belinda

Dahlia Narvaez adored the deliciously rich mascarpone cheese she ate in Umbria. “It’s such a great backdrop for all the different honeys made in Italy,” she says.
She made this dish with delicate Umbrian wildflower honey but says stronger honeys like chestnut would also be terrific.

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1 cup mascarpone
1 teaspoon orange flower water (optional)
1/4 cup wildflower honey, warmed
4 cups mixed berries, such as raspberries, blackberries and halved strawberries 1/2 cup shelled pistachios, lightly toasted

In a small bowl, blend the mascarpone with the orange flower water and 2 tablespoons of the honey.

Spoon the mascarpone into large shallow bowls. Scatter the berries and pistachios on top and drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons of honey.

Baking · Do-ahead

Drop-dead easy focaccia bread

July 27, 2019September 7, 2022 Belinda

What is nicer than rosemary focaccia bread dunked in great olive oil and balsamic? Recipe from the wonderful food blog “Smitten Kitchen”

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You can choose your own schedule with this bread, by proving it for 1 to 1 1/2 hours at room temperature, overnight in fridge, or 10 hours at room temperature. For the last option, you want to make the bread with cold tap water.
To use active dry yeast instead of instant yeast, add it directly to the lukewarm water with a pinch of sugar to proof it for 10 minutes (it will get foamy) and then add it below where you will the water.
For more of a traditional focaccia flavor, sprinkle 1 tablespoon chopped or minced fresh rosemary over the top with the salt before baking it.

4 cups (520 grams) all-purpose flour
2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp instant yeast
2 cups lukewarm water, made by mixing 1/2 cup boiling
water with 1 1/2 cups cold water
4 tbsp olive oil
4-5 good sized sprigs of fresh rosemary, stalks removed and leaves chopped
Flaky sea salt

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and instant yeast. Add the water. Using a rubber spatula, mix until the water is absorbed and the ingredients form a loose, sticky dough. Cover with a tea towel or plastic wrap and [choose your schedule]:

Quickest rise: Set aside in a warmish spot for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until doubled.
Overnight in fridge: Set inside your refrigerator overnight, about 8 to 10 hours.
Overnight at room temperature: For this method, you will need to use only cold, no lukewarm, water. Leave the bowl on your counter at room temperature for 10 hours.

When you’re ready to make your focaccia: Pour 3 tablespoons oil onto a rimmed sheet pan (can use a 13×18, or half-sheet pan, but if you have something more 11×17-ish, as I use here, will make for slightly thicker loaf; you can line it first with parchment paper for maximum nonstick security).

Heat oven to 425°F.

Using two forks, deflate the dough by releasing it from the sides of the bowl and pulling it toward the center. Rotate the bowl in quarter turns as you deflate, turning the mass into a rough ball.
Use the forks to lift the dough onto the prepared sheet pan. Roll the dough ball in the oil to coat it all over.

Let dough rest for 20 minutes (for Quickest rise or Overnight at room temperature) or 1 hour (if you used the Overnight in the fridge rise, so it warms up) without touching it.
Then, drizzle last 1 tablespoon of olive oil over and use your fingertips to stretch and press the dough to the edges, leaving it intentionally dimply. If your dough resists being stretched all the way, get it as stretched as you can, wait 5 minutes, and return to stretch it the rest of the way, repeating this rest if needed.

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Sprinkle with flaky sea salt and chopped rosemary all over and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, checking in on the earlier end, until lightly puffed on top and golden and crisp underneath.
Remove from oven and let cool completely. (this will go faster if you transfer the bread to a cooling rack)