Tag: dried fruit

Appetizer Vegetarian · Vegetable-related

Mini, creamy onion tartlets with peppercorns and currants

Belinda

These are the loveliest mixture of creamy, spicy with the peppercorns and fruity with the currants. Use a mini muffin tin so the tartlets stay bite sized.

Makes about 24 little ones

2 oz butter
1 1/4lbs onions finely chopped.
5 fl oz heavy cream
1 heaped tbsp currants
1 tbsp black peppercorns, they must be freshly and coarsely crushed, not ground
salt
2 eggs
8 oz frozen puff pastry sheets, defrosted

Preheat the oven to 400F.
Crush the peppercorns either in a small plastic bag with a mallet or pestle and mortar
Chop the onions finely or put in the food processor for a quick pulse
Melt the butter in a large saucepan and stir in the onions
Add the crushed peppercorns
Cover and sweat over a low heat for 30 minutes
Uncover, add the cream, currants and salt to taste.
Simmer uncovered for 15 minutes
Remove the pan from the heat and cool.
Cut one individually wrapped sheet of puff pastry in half and roll each piece quite thinly.
Cut out appropriate size circles, put int the greased muffin trays and prick lightly with a fork
Beat the eggs in a small bowl and add to the cooled mixture, fill the tartlet cases with this mixture.
Put in the oven for a minimum of 15 minutes and a maximum of 25 for larger tartlets.
Keep an eye on them after 15 minutes to make sure they are not getting too brown.

Asian flavors · Gluten Free · Grains · Vegan · Vegetable-related

Orange and currant pilaf

Belinda

This dish is so fresh and clean tasting, it’s wonderful with broiled, baked fish or shellfish.
You can substitute the currants with golden raisins or black raisins ff you can’t find currants. It will look different but taste pretty similar.

Serves 4

1 tbsp butter or olive oil
1/3 cup finely chopped onion
1 cup basmati white rice
2 tbsp dried currants (or raisins/golden raisins if you don’t have currants)
1 tbsp finely shredded orange zest
1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
1 3/4 cups water or chicken broth. (I prefer chicken broth)
1/2 tsp salt or to taste (you may not need it if you’re using broth)
Fresh chopped parsley, for garnish
Toasted slivered almonds, for garnish

Melt the butter in a large wide saucepan over medium heat. When the foam subsides, add the onion and saute over low heat, stirring until golden brown, about 5 minutes.
Add the rice, currants, orange zest and ginger and saute over medium heat, stirring for 2 minutes.

Stir in the water/broth and salt (only if you’re using water) and heat to boiling, stirring.
Cover and cook over medium low heat for 15 minutes or until the water/broth is absorbed.
Let stand, uncovered off the heat for 5 minutes before serving

Garnish with a little fresh chopped parsley and toasted slivered almonds for some more color

Gluten Free · Poultry

Turkish chicken with orange and warm spices

Belinda

This dish is incredibly scented and layered with such lovely spices like coriander, cinnamon and orange. It is very easy to make and really doesn’t take very long to prepare.

Serves 4

2 oz butter
2 tbsp olive oil
8 good sized chicken thighs, seasoned well with salt and pepper. (I used boneless, skinless)
2 thin-skinned oranges, unpeeled, halved and sliced into thin wedges
2 large red onions, halved and cut into wedges
6 garlic cloves, crushed
1 small red chile, halved, deseeded and finely chopped
3 good tsp ground coriander
1 long stick cinnamon, snapped in half
3 -4 oz raisins, soaked in boiling water for 30 mins then drained
juice of 1 large orange
6 -7 fl oz good chicken stock
2 tbsp thyme honey (I could only find sage honey, but I don’t think it matters as long as it’s great quality)
a small handful of fresh mint leaves
Greek plain yoghurt

Heat the butter and oil in a shallow casserole and brown the chicken thighs on each side.
Lift out the browned chicken and set aside on a plate.
Add the red onion and orange to the pan and saute for 2 to 3 minutes.
Add the garlic, chile, dry spices and raisins and cook for a further 3 minutes.
Pour on the orange juice, stock and honey.
Season with salt and pepper and simmer for 10 minutes.

Put the chicken and juices back in the pan, cover and cook in the oven preheated at 300F for 30 to 45 minutes OR keep on a low flame and cook for 20 to 25 minutes.
Check the seasoning, scatter the mint over the top and serve with Greek yoghurt and cooked rice.

 

Dessert · Do-ahead

A great no-cook pud idea

Belinda1 Comment
I don’t get any marks for great photography for this picture, except to show you the container of booze with the raisins plumping up as you read this!
My favorite recipe book, “Cook Simple” by Diana Henry, has this idea in it and it’s brilliant.
There are so many uses for these raisins, in baked apples, poured over ice cream, heated or kept cold,  in bread puddings, in trifles ……
Put either “Chilean Flame” raisins ( in Los Angeles, they are just called “Flame”) or good Moscatel raisins into a tall sealed jar, leaving enough room for the fruit to expand as it plumps up.
Pour over enough booze (it should be something sweet like Madeira or Marsala) to cover the fruit completely, put the lid on tightly and leave to plump up.
In a day or so, top up with more booze if the fruit is starting to come over the level of the liquid.
These are delicious served with vanilla ice cream, or big dollops of Greek yoghurt or creme fraiche. Scatter the serving with toasted hazelnuts, pine nuts or almonds.
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.

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.