Thursday, July 29, 2010

Potato and Zucchini Pancake


Potato and Zucchini Pancake
Originally uploaded by kel h
Ingredients
Vegetable cooking spray
2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and grated
2 medium zucchini, grated
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves, plus leaves, for garnish
1/4 cup grated Parmesan,
1/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus extra for seasoning
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus extra for seasoning
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
Olive oil, for drizzling

grate zucchini and potato and pile into a tea towel or several layers of paper towel and squeeze out excess liquid.

Combine ingredients

Gently pack into patties, and fry on a nonstick skillet with oil.

Zucchini and Summer Squash Crustless Mini Quiche

I've gotten a lot of squash and zucchini in my CSA boxes lately, so I'm trying to find new things to do with it. The original attempt didnt hold together well, so I upped the baking mix and added the tomatoes at the end

4 eggs
1/4 cup vegetable oil
salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 cup all-purpose baking mix
1 large zucchini shredded
1 large summer squash shredded
1/4 cup chopped onion
4 cloves garlic minced
1 pt grape tomatoes quartered
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 c fresh basil chiffonade (sliced into thin ribbons)
1 tsp fresh oregano chopped

Put the zucchini and squash into a tea towel or a bunch of paper towels and squeeze out excess water
whisk together egg and oil
stir in everything but tomato until combined
pour into a greased baking dish or into greased mini muffin tins
drop tomato on top
bake at 350 for 25-35 minutes until golden brown on top

Friday, July 23, 2010

Potato, summer squash, and zucchini gratin

2 potatoes thinly sliced
2 summer squash thinly sliced
1 zucchini thinly sliced
1 1/2 cup milk or cream
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 tbsp flour
2 gloves garlic chopped
salt
pepper
10 fresh oregano leaves
panko breadcrumbs
shredded cheese (i used italian blend)

Butter a baking dish
spread out a third of the sliced veggies, season and then sprinkle with cheese
repeat twice
in saucepan heat up milk, add thyme and garlic and heat for five minutes or so to infuse flavors. whisk in flour
pour over veggies
top with breadcrumbs and oregano
drizzle olive oil
bake at 375 for 35 min or so

Saturday, July 17, 2010

om nom nom dinner with friends

I had my friends over for dinner friday night before watching Inception. I didn't take any pictures, but we had corn and swordfish on the grill, a salad made of cubed watermelon and cucumber with mint, goat cheese and a simple lemon vinaigrette, and grilled peaches with ice cream and bourbon caramel from the NYTimes. The bourbon caramel was a HUGE hit, and so I'm posting the recipe here. The one change i would make is don't let the sugar at the beginning get too dark, because then it's burnt, which is tasty but not the flavor you are going for. It should look kind of like honey.

Grilled-Peach Sundaes With Salted Bourbon-Caramel Sauce

For the Peaches

4 ripe peaches
3 tablespoons peanut oil
Sea salt

For the pecans:
1 cup whole pecan halves
1 1/2tablespoons melted butter
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar

For the caramel:

1 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
3/4 cup heavy cream
4 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 cup bourbon

For the whipped cream:

1 cup best-quality heavy cream
3 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup buttermilk

1. Prepare the peaches: Heat a charcoal grill while you bring a saucepan of water to simmer. Score the bottom of each peach with an X, then blanch for about 45 seconds, until skin near the X looks loose. Remove peaches with a slotted spoon and cool in a bowl of ice water. Peel the peaches. Then, with a paring knife, start at the stem of the peach and make a single cut around to the tip. Rotate hands in opposite directions, twist and free flesh from pit.

2. Lay the peach halves cut side up and brush lightly with peanut oil; sprinkle with salt. Place the peaches cut side down on grill (you can also use a stovetop grill pan set over medium heat) and cook until there are grill marks, about 2 minutes. Brush with oil and sprinkle with salt. Flip and grill the other side.

3. Make the pecans: Toss the first four ingredients in a bowl; spread on a nonstick cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes, or until nicely toasted. Remove and toss with the sugar.

4. Make the caramel: Combine the sugar, water and corn syrup in a saucepan and bring to a low boil. Gently swirl the mixture in a circular motion (do not stir) and allow it to boil down until it is a deepamber caramel, at least 10 minutes. Carefully whisk in the cream, protecting your hand from the steam. Immediately whisk in the butter and continue to stir over low heat until mixture is smooth. Stir in salt and bourbon and whisk again. Remove from heat and allow to cool before using.

5. Make the whipped cream: Whip the cream until soft peaks form. Stir in powdered sugar and vanilla and whip to stiff peaks. Drizzle in the buttermilk and whip until incorporated. Refrigerate until ready to use.

6. To assemble: Place 2 peach halves in a bowl; scoop ice cream into each pit and add a dollop of whipped cream. Sprinkle with pecans and drizzle salted bourbon-caramel sauce over the whole shebang. Serves 4. From John Currence, chef and owner of City Grocery, Snackbar, Big Bad Breakfast and Bouré in Oxford, Miss.

Lemon Raspberry Corn Muffins


Lemon Raspberry Corn Muffins
Originally uploaded by kel h
1 1/2 c fine yellow corn meal
3/4 c flour
2/3 c sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 c milk
1 tbsp raspberry vinegar
zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 egg
3 tbsp melted butter
1 container raspberries (or 1 c frozen)

Preheat Oven to 400

combine dry ingredients. In separate bowl combine wet ingredients (and sugar). Combine wet and dry just until combined. Fold in raspberries. Pour into a greased muffin tin and bake for 20-25 minutes. Makes 1 doz

Lemon Rosemary Sugar Cookies


Lemon Rosemary Sugar Cookies
Originally uploaded by kel h
1 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. butter
1/2 c. sugar
1 egg yolk, beaten
1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 tbsp. minced fresh rosemary
1 3/4 tsp. grated lemon rind

preheat oven to 350

Combine flour and butter in a bowl, cut in butter with pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add sugar mixing well. Add egg yolk, vanilla, rosemary and lemon rind. Blend well.
Roll dough into a log about 2 inches, wrap in plastic wrap and put into the freezer to chill. Cut dough into 1/8 inch slices onto a cookie sheet. Bake for 8-10 min. makes about 3 doz

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Greek Caponata


Greek Caponata
Originally uploaded by kel h
I have a bunch of squash and potatoes from my CSA, so I made this: Taken from Giada De Laurentiis
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/greek-caponata-recipe/index.html

Ingredients
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes with their juice
2 zucchini, cut into 1-inch rounds (I used one Magda squash that came in my CSA box, quartered and sliced into 1 inch slices)
2 summer squash, cut into 1-inch rounds
2 tomatoes, cut into wedges (I used a pint of grape tomatoes halved)
1 japanese eggplant cut into 1 inch rounds (I used a regular one quartered and cut into 1 inch slices)
1 red onion, peeled and cut into 1-inch wedges
1 potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
4 to 6 slices toasted sourdough bread, optional for main dish
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Pour the canned tomatoes into a 3 1/2-quart baking dish and spread to cover the bottom. In a large bowl combine the remaining ingredients (excluding the bread). Toss to coat. Pour the vegetables over the canned tomatoes in an even layer. Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake until the edges of the vegetables are golden, about 30 to 40 minutes.

Serve alone as a side, or over toasted sourdough bread for a main dish.

Saturday, July 10, 2010

Lemon Meringue Cupcakes


Lemon Meringue Cupcakes
Originally uploaded by kel h
Ingredients
Makes 24 cupcakes

Lemon Chiffon Cupcakes
3 cups cake flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup sugar, divided
4 large egg yolks
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup water
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Zest of 1 lemon
4 large egg whites

Lemon Curd
1 cup butter, cubed
1 cup sugar
1 cup lemon juice
Zest of 3 lemons
10 large egg yolks

Swiss Meringue Buttercream
4 large egg whites
1 cup sugar

These sweet and tangy treats are sure to interest young and old alike at your next special gathering. Lemon chiffon cupcakes hide a surprise lemon curd filling and are topped with fluffy toasted meringue.

Directions
Prepare the Lemon Chiffon Cupcakes.
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Prepare pans with cupcake liners. Sift the flour, baking powder, and half the sugar together into a large mixing bowl or stand mixer and reserve. In another large mixing bowl or stand mixer bowl, combine the egg yolks, oil, water, vanilla, and zest. Mix with a handheld mixer or whip attachment until thoroughly combined, about 1 minute. Add the egg yolk mixture gradually to the dry ingredients, mixing with a handheld mixer or whip attachment on medium speed until a paste forms. When a paste has formed, scrape down the sides of the bowl, and continue adding the remainder of the yolk mixture until it is all incorporated. Beat for an additional 2 minutes on medium speed. In a separate mixing bowl or stand mixer bowl, whip the egg whites with a clean whip attachment on medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add the remaining sugar while beating the egg whites and continue to beat until medium peaks form. Gently blend one-third of the beaten egg whites into the egg yolk mixture to lighten it. Gently fold in the remaining egg whites. Divide the batter evenly among the prepared pans. Bake at 375°F until the top of the cupcakes spring back to the touch, about 20 minutes. Let the cupcakes cool in the pans for a few minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to finish cooling before decorating.
Prepare Lemon Curd.
Combine half of the butter, half of the sugar, the lemon juice, and zest and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring gently to dissolve the sugar. Meanwhile, blend the egg yolks with the remaining sugar. Temper the mixture by gradually adding about one-third of the lemon juice mixture, stirring constantly with a whip. Return the tempered egg mixture to the saucepan. Continue cooking, stirring constantly, until the whisk leaves a trail in the curd. Remove from the heat. Stir in the remaining butter. Strain the curd into a shallow container or bowl. Cover with plastic wrap placed directly on the surface of the curd. Cool over an ice bath. Store the curd, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Prepare Swiss Meringue Buttercream.
Put the egg whites and sugar in the clean, grease-free bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and stir together until the sugar is blended into the egg whites. Place the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and stir frequently until the sugar dissolves and the mixture reaches 140°F. Transfer the bowl to the mixer and beat on high speed until the meringue is thick and glossy and has a stiff peak.
Finish the cupcakes.
Fill a piping bag fitted with a large plain tip two-thirds full with lemon curd. Insert the tip as far as it will go inside the center of the cupcake and apply gentle pressure. Try not to squeeze too hard or lemon curd will squirt out the top of the cupcake. Stop filling once you see any lemon curd around the base of the tip. Repeat with the remaining cupcakes. Clean the piping bag and tip and fill it two-thirds full with Swiss meringue. Pipe a large pearl of meringue on top of each cupcake. Use the back of a spoon to lift up areas of the meringue, creating spikes. Lightly toast the meringue with a kitchen torch or under the broiler until the tips of the meringue are golden brown.

Friday, July 9, 2010

Corn Relish


Corn Relish
Originally uploaded by kel h
i got some corn and cucumbers in my CSA farmshare this week, so i decided to make corn relish

Corn Relish

Ingredients

2 cups fresh or frozen corn
2 cups chopped onions
2 cups chopped tomatoes
2 cups chopped seeded cucumber
1 large green pepper, chopped
1 cup sugar
1 cup cider vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons celery seed
1 1/2 teaspoons mustard seed
1 teaspoon corriander seed
1/2 tsp mint
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric

put all ingredients together in a saucepan and simmer for half hour until liquid thickens a bit.

Friday, July 2, 2010

warm lentil, roasted beet, and goat cheese salad

tonight is my first night of vacation. I used the beets and red lettuce from my Enterprise Farms CSA to make this salad for dinner. I didn't use a cheesecloth bag and just fished out the celery and bay leaf, celery and carrots in. I am enjoying it with a gin and tonic and Lost in LaMancha, the doc about Terry Gilliam's attempt to film Don Quixote (which would have starred Johnny Depp)

warm lentil, roasted beet, and goat cheese salad

Ingredients
Lentils:
1 medium Spanish onion, peeled and sliced into weges
1 carrot, quartered
1 stalk celery, quartered
1 fresh or dried bay leaf
4 sprigs fresh thyme
4 cups chicken stock
1 1/4 cups dried French green lentils
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 pound slab bacon, diced
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 shallot minced
1 small carrot, peeled and finely diced
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
4 cups frisee or mixed greens
Sherry Vinaigrette, recipe follows
4 slices goat cheese
French bread, for serving
Begin by roasting the beets.

Lentils:
put onion, carrot, celery, bay leaf, and thyme sprigs together in chicken stock in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Stir in the lentils, season with salt and pepper, and reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until the lentils are tender, about 20 minutes. Drain well and discard the celery, thyme sprigs, and carrot.

Heat the oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook until lightly golden brown. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon to a dish lined with paper towels. Add the garlic, shallot, and carrot to the pan and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the cooked lentils and bacon to the pan and stir to combine. Stir in the chopped thyme and 1 tablespoon of sherry vinegar. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Keep warm.

To assemble, place the frisee in a large bowl, toss with half of the vinaigrette, and season with salt and pepper. Arrange the roasted beets around the outside of 4 dinner plates. Divide the greens among each plate in the center. Top the frisee with some of the warm lentils and place a slice of the goat cheese on top. Drizzle each salad with the remaining vinaigrette. Serve with slices of French bread.

Roasted Beets:
3 medium beets (red or gold), scrubbed, leaves trimmed

Olive oil

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Coat beets lightly with oil. Wrap beets in aluminum foil, place on a baking sheet, and roast in the oven until cooked through, approximately 45 to 60 minutes. Remove from the oven, let cool for 10 minutes, and then peel and slice into 1/4-inch thick slices.

Sherry Vinaigrette:
1/4 cup sherry vinegar

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1/2 shallot minced

1/2 cup olive oil

Whisk together the vinegar, mustard, shallot, thyme and salt and pepper in a small bowl. Slowly drizzle in the oil and whisk until emulsified.

warm lentil, roasted beet, and goat cheese salad

tonight is my first night of vacation. I used the beets and red lettuce from my Enterprise Farms CSA to make this salad for dinner. I didn't use a cheesecloth bag and just fished out the celery and bay leaf, celery and carrots in. I am enjoying it with a gin and tonic and Lost in LaMancha, the doc about Terry Gilliam's attempt to film Don Quixote (which would have starred Johnny Depp)

warm lentil, roasted beet, and goat cheese salad

Ingredients
Lentils:
1 medium Spanish onion, peeled and sliced into weges
1 carrot, quartered
1 stalk celery, quartered
1 fresh or dried bay leaf
4 sprigs fresh thyme
4 cups chicken stock
1 1/4 cups dried French green lentils
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 pound slab bacon, diced
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 shallot minced
1 small carrot, peeled and finely diced
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
4 cups frisee or mixed greens
Sherry Vinaigrette, recipe follows
4 slices goat cheese
French bread, for serving
Begin by roasting the beets.

Lentils:
put onion, carrot, celery, bay leaf, and thyme sprigs together in chicken stock in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Stir in the lentils, season with salt and pepper, and reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until the lentils are tender, about 20 minutes. Drain well and discard the celery, thyme sprigs, and carrot.

Heat the oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook until lightly golden brown. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon to a dish lined with paper towels. Add the garlic, shallot, and carrot to the pan and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the cooked lentils and bacon to the pan and stir to combine. Stir in the chopped thyme and 1 tablespoon of sherry vinegar. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Keep warm.

To assemble, place the frisee in a large bowl, toss with half of the vinaigrette, and season with salt and pepper. Arrange the roasted beets around the outside of 4 dinner plates. Divide the greens among each plate in the center. Top the frisee with some of the warm lentils and place a slice of the goat cheese on top. Drizzle each salad with the remaining vinaigrette. Serve with slices of French bread.

Roasted Beets:
3 medium beets (red or gold), scrubbed, leaves trimmed

Olive oil

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Coat beets lightly with oil. Wrap beets in aluminum foil, place on a baking sheet, and roast in the oven until cooked through, approximately 45 to 60 minutes. Remove from the oven, let cool for 10 minutes, and then peel and slice into 1/4-inch thick slices.

Sherry Vinaigrette:
1/4 cup sherry vinegar

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1/2 shallot minced

1/2 cup olive oil

Whisk together the vinegar, mustard, shallot, thyme and salt and pepper in a small bowl. Slowly drizzle in the oil and whisk until emulsified.

Thursday, July 1, 2010

asian style kale and shrimp


asian style kale and shrimp
Originally uploaded by kel h
Ingredients:

3/4 pound (1 large bunch) kale*
2 to 3 teaspoons sesame oil
1 small shallot, minced (I used a garlic scape)
1 to 2 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup (2 thin) minced scallions, both white and light green parts
1 teaspoon finely grated ginger root
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds*, for garnish
Directions:

Wash the kale thoroughly to remove all grit. Discard the tough ribs, and coarsely chop the kale leaves.

In a large skillet or heavy wok, heat the sesame oil over medium heat. Add the shallot, garlic, scallions and ginger root and cook for about 1 minute to release the aromas. Add the kale a bunch at a time and cook 3 to 4 minutes, or until the leaves have softened a bit but the kale retains its shape. Remove from heat and add the soy sauce. Divide among individual plates, sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds, if using, and serve hot.

ABOUT COOKED KALE: Some people like their greens on the softer side. For this recipe, author Robyn Webb suggests two techniques to achieve that result:

After the 3 to 4 minutes' cooking time (but before the soy sauce is mixed in), add water, cover and let steam to desired texture. Continue the recipe with the soy sauce step as stated in the recipe directions.

The kale can first be plunged into boiling water and cooked for 3 to 4 minutes, then drained. Proceed with cooking the shallots and then add the kale as stated in the recipe directions.

NOTE: To toast sesame seeds:
Heat them in a dry skillet over medium heat or in a 325-degree oven, shaking the pan frequently, until lightly browned and fragrant, 4 to 8 minutes. Watch carefully; they burn easily.

I cooked some shrimp and tossed them in a bowl with half the kale