tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35250022745906876572024-03-17T20:03:27.985-07:00A Harmony of FlavorsMy name is Chris Rawstern, I have been on a cooking and baking journey for 45 years. In this Blog, I will pass along favorite recipes, and brand-new ones. My passion is to teach people how to create a harmony of flavors with cooking, and pass along my love and joy of food, both simple and exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, trying new things weekly. I would love to hear from you, to help me continue my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences.A Harmony of Flavorshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08850693486099419140noreply@blogger.comBlogger626125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3525002274590687657.post-56165400989064404052023-06-17T15:52:00.001-07:002023-06-17T15:52:09.293-07:00Black Eyed Peas Indian Style<p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I cannot believe I'm heading on a year of no posts. Still, hoping this will be of interest. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">In all of my life, despite trying all sorts of foods from all over, I have never once tried to make black-eyed peas. I believe i tasted them once, as part of "Texas Caviar" served at a function I was attending. In that mixture, the whole thing was stellar, but I could not pick out one flavor on its own. </span></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqbYik5YW4B4MWUQDOfCyd0ZUc_1rnznYoxA4qltzwGZdmAp63VJGgwOtmcwE-lLfQj2lfCsvw18hlcEJUFFHFiuY5EOVlsShVJ-hx7EtoRoJhVCN6bdmtwenKzPrTL_Wpi0ft6IskYE5F90huGflC_rmBejVCAkCYIXfXVRly6nTmYjIp5UVSMqfE9Q/s4032/IMG_5022.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Alsande Tonak, Black-Eyed Peas, Curry" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqbYik5YW4B4MWUQDOfCyd0ZUc_1rnznYoxA4qltzwGZdmAp63VJGgwOtmcwE-lLfQj2lfCsvw18hlcEJUFFHFiuY5EOVlsShVJ-hx7EtoRoJhVCN6bdmtwenKzPrTL_Wpi0ft6IskYE5F90huGflC_rmBejVCAkCYIXfXVRly6nTmYjIp5UVSMqfE9Q/w640-h480/IMG_5022.JPG" title="Alsande Tonak or Black-Eyed Pea Curry" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Alsande Tonak or Black-Eyed Pea Curry</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Then, rooting around the internet for Indian recipes, I cam upon one called Alsande Tonak, a recipe from Goa. I cannot now place where I found this recipe, yet there are many of them out there to peruse, should you be a "comparison cook," like me. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I promptly went out and bought some black-eyed peas to try out this recipe, and it was a hit with both my husband and I.</span></p><h4 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Caveat: </span></h4><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">So many Indian recipes call for using (as in the recipe I used to create my own) 12 or 13 dry red chilies in making the masala, then another teaspoon of hot red chili powder later on. If this is your thing, more power to you! </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">While I do like some heat, I would never tolerate that over abundance of a good thing. My poor husband would likely perish at the first taste. He's not one for chili heat at all. So, under this restriction, I scaled back the whole red chilies to 1 and eliminated the chili powder later. </span></p><h4 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">About the Masala**</span></h4><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Most masalas require toasting each spice separately first, and setting them to cool, then grinding. This masala is going to be toasted later, so the first part can be avoided. Secondly, the masala is more than is needed for the recipe, so you will have some left for another time. Or, <u>double the remainder of the recipe</u> and use all this amount of masala.</span></p><h4 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">About the Coconut***</span></h4><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">The very best is having fresh coconut in this recipe. Many supermarkets these days do carry it in the freezer section. Those in my area do not, so I get frozen bags of it when I go to the Indian grocery.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">But if you have no access to fresh coconut, use unsweetened dry coconut, about 1/4 cup, and add it to the spices to grind for the masala, then use it as directed for the masala.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Alsande Tonak</span></h3><p><i><span style="font-family: georgia;">(or Black-Eyed Pea Curry) <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8Wnsk1T_eEXXXY83cO3l7NIX0V5YriR2lieVjmcC74WyijeZgbVFILSL0liak7ZhtImj8H9OOoKv6UUIrN4JUJ7vBBCqYau1--5MjHQAhT9EldPK0nmwXgGvv495Hl0_HvVha5vKqUumVFq44Hi2FxtRzTQUUf0ZqqotppNZz2kNrYqf-HeUyYEMQCw/s4032/IMG_5017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Alsande Tonak, Black-Eyed Peas, Curry" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8Wnsk1T_eEXXXY83cO3l7NIX0V5YriR2lieVjmcC74WyijeZgbVFILSL0liak7ZhtImj8H9OOoKv6UUIrN4JUJ7vBBCqYau1--5MjHQAhT9EldPK0nmwXgGvv495Hl0_HvVha5vKqUumVFq44Hi2FxtRzTQUUf0ZqqotppNZz2kNrYqf-HeUyYEMQCw/w300-h400/IMG_5017.JPG" title="Alsande Tonak or Black-Eyed Pea Curry" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Alsande Tonak<br />Black-Eyed Pea Curry</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></span></i></p><div><br /></div>1/2 pound black eyed peas, soaked overnight<div>2 fresh tomatoes, chopped</div><div>1 small onion or shallot, chopped</div><div>2 cups water<br /><br />TONAK MASALA:<br />3 whole cloves<br />1-inch cinnamon stick<br />3 tablespoons coriander seeds<br />1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns<br />1 dried red chili, de-seeded, broken, for less heat<br />1 1/2 teaspoons fennel seeds<br />2 - 3 petals of a star anise</div><div>2 teaspoons white poppy seeds, optional<br />----------<br />1/2 teaspoon turmeric<br />1/4 teaspoon nutmeg<div><br /></div><div>1 tablespoon cooking oil</div><div>1 small onion or shallot, chopped</div><div>3 - 5 garlic cloves, minced</div><div>3/4 cup frozen grated fresh coconut*** (see above)</div><div>3 - 4 teaspoons of the Tonak Masala** (see above)</div><div>1 teaspoon of salt, or to taste</div><div><br /></div><div>Drain the soaking water from the black-eyed peas. Put them in a pot with the tomatoes, onion / shallot and water and bring to boil. Lower heat, cover and cook for 20 to 30 minutes. They should be quite soft. If not, cook a little longer. </div><div><br /></div><div>Meanwhile, make the masala: Take all of the whole spices and grind them to a powder, then add to the powder the turmeric and nutmeg. Set aside.</div><div><br /></div><div>In a skillet, heat the cooking oil and cook the onion until just golden. Add in the garlic for a minute or so and stir. Add in the grated fresh or frozen coconut and continue to cook, stirring until the coconut is golden. Add in the 3 or 4 teaspoons of the reserved masala and cook, stirring until the masala is well heated through. Add the contents of the pan to the cooked black-eyed peas along with the salt and mix well. If they need more liquid, add more water, then cook until heated through, and serve with roti or rice.<br /><br /></div></div><div><br /></div><div><i style="background-color: white; color: #484848; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><span face="verdana, sans-serif"><i><span face="verdana, sans-serif"><i><span face="verdana, sans-serif"><i><span style="font-family: times, "times new roman", serif;">My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/aharmonyofflavors" style="color: #3979cd; text-decoration-line: none;">Facebook</a>, and <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/ahofpin/" style="color: #3979cd; text-decoration-line: none;">Pinterest</a>.</span></i></span></i></span></i></span></span></i></div>A Harmony of Flavorshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08850693486099419140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3525002274590687657.post-87850751936331702382022-10-08T12:08:00.001-07:002022-10-08T12:08:43.481-07:00Chickpea Curry with Mango and Coconut<p>There are many, even in my own family, who do not care for chickpeas / garbanzo beans. For some it's texture related. For others, just plain dislike. I am not among those. I love chickpeas, whether in a salad, as <a href="https://aharmonyofflavors.blogspot.com/2017/12/falafel-for-breakfast-mealtime-or.html" target="_blank">hummus</a>, as a dessert (<a href="https://aharmonyofflavors.blogspot.com/2015/01/garbanzo-beans-in-new-guise.html" target="_blank">Garbanzos en Dulce</a>), in Indian mixtures like <a href="https://aharmonyofflavors.blogspot.com/2016/07/delicious-channa-masala-or-chickpeas-at.html" target="_blank">Channa Masala</a>, or most ways I have encountered them. When a new recipe comes along, I sit up and take notice. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPd-oPvMQjCSKG1Eyigsl3RTRS9WGvko-skoASCW4CzdpdB8KuT0CERI-yylJ79qOyj6qx4FEoK9-xPwmdPo_v1jEeWDPGPB5-Rmr53K00UFDL-dWq-znALEJJqOvAzqRcO_F-AXXQh3BZf2qK-hP3Gyq9fzI_5y31mbEXK7f7RvedpEFxFBxc73iguA/s1672/IMG_1860%20Mango%20Coconut%20Chickpea%20Curry.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="mango, curry, coconut milk, chickpeas, garbanzos" border="0" data-original-height="1254" data-original-width="1672" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPd-oPvMQjCSKG1Eyigsl3RTRS9WGvko-skoASCW4CzdpdB8KuT0CERI-yylJ79qOyj6qx4FEoK9-xPwmdPo_v1jEeWDPGPB5-Rmr53K00UFDL-dWq-znALEJJqOvAzqRcO_F-AXXQh3BZf2qK-hP3Gyq9fzI_5y31mbEXK7f7RvedpEFxFBxc73iguA/w640-h480/IMG_1860%20Mango%20Coconut%20Chickpea%20Curry.JPG" title="Mango Coconut Chickpea Curry" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mango Coconut Chickpea Curry</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>Again this time it was from <a href="http://VeganRicha.com">VeganRicha.com</a> that I came across a recipe that comprised some of my favorite flavors, ticking so many boxes that I saved the recipe. Again, as with my previous post on some of her muffins, I change a few things to reflect my way of doing things. I completely understand where VeganRicha was coming from with her ingredients, because it makes the recipe more accessible to someone without a complete stock of Indian spices and other flavoring agents (unlike me). For her recipe of <a href="https://www.veganricha.com/mango-curry-chickpeas/" target="_blank">Mango Curry Chickpeas</a>, please click on the link, which should take you right to that recipe page. </p><p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZM-ucfKA7MUPqDnLIRIqDOw_TMvNf4YaopCaiNTnR740lfJ0lJBagPgs4bTLFMEy7hNSUqnklNbcJwcP1cvWrvN6V_DKyYwxvf_-sXoGYweRVI1DE1JnugKO1ypunYTccx9OpfJmeDwp1zVGysm0ni_yflZvbBFyB4vSkFpPb88QdmNTdbMgBP3OwMg/s612/Swad%20brand%20Tamarind%20Concentrate.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="tamarind, concentrate, prepared tamarind" border="0" data-original-height="612" data-original-width="418" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZM-ucfKA7MUPqDnLIRIqDOw_TMvNf4YaopCaiNTnR740lfJ0lJBagPgs4bTLFMEy7hNSUqnklNbcJwcP1cvWrvN6V_DKyYwxvf_-sXoGYweRVI1DE1JnugKO1ypunYTccx9OpfJmeDwp1zVGysm0ni_yflZvbBFyB4vSkFpPb88QdmNTdbMgBP3OwMg/w219-h320/Swad%20brand%20Tamarind%20Concentrate.jpeg" title="Swad Brand Tamarind Extract" width="219" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the Brands I've Used</td></tr></tbody></table>Richa uses ground cinnamon, cayenne and whole cloves. I used a small, 1-inch piece of <a href="https://aharmonyofflavors.blogspot.com/2016/01/cinnamon-and-cassia-are-not-necessarily.html" target="_blank">stick cassia</a> (the thick kind of stick), Kashmiri chili powder, and skipped the cloves, instead using crushed coriander seeds. I added in freshly ground pepper as well, and instead of a bay laurel leaf, which is what is known here in the US as bay leaf, I used a <a href="https://aharmonyofflavors.blogspot.com/2016/01/tej-patta-much-mistaken-case-of-identity.html" target="_blank">tej patta / tamal patra</a> leaf, which is the Indian "bay leaf." These two have not much of anything in common, the tej patta tasting more of cinnamon than of bay laurel leaf. Toward the end of her recipe, she uses a couple of teaspoons of vinegar or lemon juice to balance out the sweeter flavors. Instead I used <a href="https://aharmonyofflavors.blogspot.com/2019/01/my-indian-spice-drawer-part-4.html" target="_blank">tamarind</a> concentrate from the Indian grocery nearby. It is an already prepared version, in runny form, just as if you'd taken the time to soak the tamarind pods, soften all the flesh, then strain it of all the seeds and fivers to make the preparation from scratch. A real time saver!</p><p>None of these changes are huge, just my own preferences. Please check out Richa's original recipe before proceeding with mine.</p><p>Another thing about the recipe is using mango puree. I never buy<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3YmKQIqXdpv69BkOpYjw55EL7NzpaUXjQPTNangB3X0H-60KMZZqzw8GL8anXW7sHk6yX4Cly_fgTtuVSTcbJXrywL7kyPWkLaEwcSzEsWdKl6Gy4hcny50Tcj9zehVbAZXnnAg3ynihA9RMLUGyFQCevCa-EThSx8WL1HxcOZVKjIqM1X9degSQwGw/s1672/IMG_1858%20Mango%20Coconut%20Chickpea%20Curry.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="mango, coconut milk, chickpeas, garbanzos, curry" border="0" data-original-height="1672" data-original-width="1254" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3YmKQIqXdpv69BkOpYjw55EL7NzpaUXjQPTNangB3X0H-60KMZZqzw8GL8anXW7sHk6yX4Cly_fgTtuVSTcbJXrywL7kyPWkLaEwcSzEsWdKl6Gy4hcny50Tcj9zehVbAZXnnAg3ynihA9RMLUGyFQCevCa-EThSx8WL1HxcOZVKjIqM1X9degSQwGw/w240-h320/IMG_1858%20Mango%20Coconut%20Chickpea%20Curry.JPG" title="Mango Coconut Chickpea Curry" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> Mango Coconut Chickpea Curry</td></tr></tbody></table><br /> mangos in a can or mango puree or even mango juice. I prefer to eat fresh mangoes any day. Yet as Richa states, truly ripe mangoes are hard to come by, so making ones own puree may not yield the hoped-for flavor / sweetness results. However, my son and his wife were visiting over the weekend past and we all went to Patel Brothers Indian Grocery in Chandler, to stock up on some things. Not being Indian, I did not realize we were coming up to Diwali. The place was aswarm with people! But, what fun! I love saris, and had the opportunity to see so very many beautiful ones that day as many sari-clad ladies roamed the store. I complemented each one as I saw them! </p><p>Back to the mango, my son loves mango, and he does buy mango juice, so he purchased a large-ish carton of "Alphonso Mango Juice." When he drank a glass of it, it looked awfully thick, but hey, I wasn't drinking it. It was also the most deep orange in color. And, they accidentally left it in my fridge when they left to go home, too far away to come back for it.</p><p>It was far sweeter than was necessary for this recipe, but with everything else in the recipe, it was toned down a good bit, and I added a little more of the (very tart) tamarind extract at the end than is called for. It was the most heavenly tasting curry, ever!<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Mango Coconut Chickpea Curry</span></h3><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>Serves 3 to 4</i></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>Makes about 3 to 4 servings<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgBZ_J3Pcxk8XMSvpLoY2-6Diy9SlO1-x-LD4PEWANTg-ovs1M_Uq2eFpW4ai1aXrErprflY5v38hQRnBzrojwQxSKjLbEeDXZw6xtBgCo5EjS7g6CKMCWcMK4Ad7nmrTRyUgPo9Mz4vqtIeDtaL_yiR3KFDawQBoOkdRvvJ9Xc8cmpaKRndZnaJ8ssQ/s1672/IMG_1855%20Mango%20Coconut%20Chickpea%20Curry.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Mango, Coconut milk, Chickpeas, garbanzos, Curry" border="0" data-original-height="1672" data-original-width="1254" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgBZ_J3Pcxk8XMSvpLoY2-6Diy9SlO1-x-LD4PEWANTg-ovs1M_Uq2eFpW4ai1aXrErprflY5v38hQRnBzrojwQxSKjLbEeDXZw6xtBgCo5EjS7g6CKMCWcMK4Ad7nmrTRyUgPo9Mz4vqtIeDtaL_yiR3KFDawQBoOkdRvvJ9Xc8cmpaKRndZnaJ8ssQ/w300-h400/IMG_1855%20Mango%20Coconut%20Chickpea%20Curry.JPG" title="Mango Coconut Chickpea Curry" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">Mango Coconut Chickpea Curry</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br />1 medium onion, chopped<br />1 inch fresh ginger, grated<br />3 - 4 cloves fresh garlic, minced<br />-----<br /></i></span><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>2 teaspoons coconut oil<br />½ teaspoon cumin seeds<br />½ teaspoon crushed coriander seeds<br />1- inch cinnamon stick<br />1 s</i></span><i style="font-family: georgia;">mall tej patta leaf</i></div><div><i style="font-family: georgia;">-----</i></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>½ teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper<br /></i></span><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>½ teaspoon Garam Masala <br />¼ - ½ teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder</i></span></div><div><i style="font-family: georgia;">-----</i><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i><br />1¼ cup coconut milk<br />¾ cup mango puree</i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>¼ - ½ teaspoon salt, or as needed<br />1½ cup cooked chickpeas, or canned, drained<br />2 - 3 teaspoons tamarind concentrate, or use lime juice<br />- cilantro, for garnish<br /><br />Prepare the onion, ginger and garlic and set aside. Heat a skillet until quite hot and add in the cumin and coriander seeds with the cinnamon and tej patta leaf and stir quickly, until fragrant; a few seconds. Do not burn. Add in the onion, mix well and sauté until golden, then add in the garlic and ginger and stir for 1 to 3 minutes to take away the raw smell. Stir in the Kashmiri chili powder (or cayenne, to taste), ground black pepper and garam masala, until fragrant.<br /><br />Stir in the coconut milk, mango puree and tamarind, then add in the chickpeas and mix well. Taste for salt before adding; chickpeas from a can may be salty enough already. Cover and let simmer for 10 minutes to meld flavors. Serve garnished with cilantro.</i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i><br /></i></span><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><i style="background-color: white; color: #484848; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><span face="verdana, sans-serif"><i><span face="verdana, sans-serif"><i><span face="verdana, sans-serif"><i><span style="font-family: times, "times new roman", serif;">My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/aharmonyofflavors" style="color: #3979cd; text-decoration-line: none;">Facebook</a>, and <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/ahofpin/" style="color: #3979cd; text-decoration-line: none;">Pinterest</a>.</span></i></span></i></span></i></span></span></i></div></div></div>A Harmony of Flavorshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08850693486099419140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3525002274590687657.post-70783997160110818262022-09-04T15:17:00.001-07:002022-09-04T15:17:45.524-07:00Muffins so Very Delicious and Low Fat<p>Muffins are really good. Still, I generally prefer biscuits or scones. Once in a while, I see a recipe and think I might try it, then somehow, it just doesn't happen. </p><p>A few nights back, I was looking through Facebook, and came on a recipe for Turmeric Carrot Muffins with Chia & Coconut, from <a href="https://www.veganricha.com/turmeric-carrot-muffins/" target="_blank">VeganRicha</a>. Just the title alone had me riveted, right there, because each ingredient in the title is one I use regularly, and love. If you are vegan, or must be gluten free, please check out her recipe by clicking on the link to her recipe, above.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsOGikD5OwrrLRyZw353T8xe_Zkp69L8FYUqbiMP09Sy5CaXT46NQsZego7qxGNWE7ejcNcqDSQ3faUUjtQuWd3_a9hjX8veEA7es88387Di0bivjtyICMecRvh6wBikRhuHH2Pm-DfDi55bAdgSt7csgNJiuLXJg4Rb0_RqtIDOo9bTSNSrB5kCfILA/s1672/IMG_1591%20resized.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="muffins, breakfast, bread, carrot, turmeric, ginger, chia, coconut" border="0" data-original-height="1254" data-original-width="1672" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsOGikD5OwrrLRyZw353T8xe_Zkp69L8FYUqbiMP09Sy5CaXT46NQsZego7qxGNWE7ejcNcqDSQ3faUUjtQuWd3_a9hjX8veEA7es88387Di0bivjtyICMecRvh6wBikRhuHH2Pm-DfDi55bAdgSt7csgNJiuLXJg4Rb0_RqtIDOo9bTSNSrB5kCfILA/w640-h480/IMG_1591%20resized.JPG" title="Turmeric Carrot Gingerbread Muffins" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Turmeric Carrot Gingerbread Muffins</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>Okay, I looked up the recipe and saved it, and apparently my subconscious mind percolated and filtered through the recipe all night and into next day and finally I sat to think it through with my conscious mind. First off, I am not vegan, or vegetarian. Secondly, I don't have to be gluten free. So, I could make the recipe without those strictures, making it more a regular muffin recipe. I opted to use eggs. If milk was needed I would use it instead of a nut milk or coconut milk (I absolutely love coconut milk, but didn't want to open a can to use only a half cup!).</p><p>As it all turned out, I changed a lot of things. I truly didn't deviate much from the spirit of the recipe. I used almost everything in the recipe as stated, but changed amounts. </p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>I used a tiny bit more oil, but added a little snack cup of applesauce. <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKK2P3uAFOyC85cCCkfin02G9X96oy8pEpbyFNg4y56wsdQpWEDBQhnpovhOIhHS8IZPAXItoScjOc9Qul_zzkmVsuqHYLytWj2H75pUlk9YQJujOh_Y4Jtpq05q_WzRyeeL-4e3TuXaSffAIi12uxNfWWpYjZ651j3D5f73V8AIEHwkxhUrpzMrupfQ/s1672/IMG_1582%20resized.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="muffins, breakfast, bread, ginger, turmeric, coconut, carrot, chia" border="0" data-original-height="1672" data-original-width="1254" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKK2P3uAFOyC85cCCkfin02G9X96oy8pEpbyFNg4y56wsdQpWEDBQhnpovhOIhHS8IZPAXItoScjOc9Qul_zzkmVsuqHYLytWj2H75pUlk9YQJujOh_Y4Jtpq05q_WzRyeeL-4e3TuXaSffAIi12uxNfWWpYjZ651j3D5f73V8AIEHwkxhUrpzMrupfQ/w300-h400/IMG_1582%20resized.JPG" title="Turmeric Carrot Gingerbread Muffins" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Turmeric Carrot Gingerbread Muffins<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></li><li>I opted to not use maple syrup, as it is expensive and I can never tell by taste that it is even in a recipe like this. I waffled between using honey or agave syrup, then switched to molasses. </li><li>Mixed spices were in the original recipe, and cardamom, cinnamon and nutmeg mentioned as possibilities. I changed this to cardamom and ground ginger. </li><li>I used a fair bit more fresh ginger than called for as well, as I truly love ginger. </li><li>As the recipe called for coconut milk and lemon juice, I changed that to buttermilk, thereby eliminating the lemon. Lemon would bring acidity up to work with the baking soda, but buttermilk will as well.</li><li>I used more flour, as I was adding both eggs and applesauce, so it was 2 cups of flour total. I used 1 cup of a mixture of barley and buckwheat flour, and the other cup plain all-purpose flour. If preferred, use all purpose flour for the whole 2-cup amount, or substitute whole wheat or other whole grain flour for part of the whole amount. In another attempt, I may use a bit of wheat bran as a part of the two cups of "flour."</li></ul><div>I will caution that this recipe needs initial prep work, in that there are so very many little amounts of things to be measured out. I got out all my little cups I use for measuring out sets of spices and things (I save the little 1/2-cup applesauce snack containers for this type of use) and set out all the individual dry ingredients (mixed spices, raisins, coconut, chia, sugar, and the freshly grated ginger). I set the finely grated carrots in a bowl (Richa's recipe calls for blending carrots and other wet ingredients together, but I see no need for extra dirty utensils).</div><div><br /></div><div>Ultimately, having used extra fresh ginger as well as adding dry ground ginger, along with the molasses, made these smell like the most heavenly gingerbread as they baked. All the extra textures and flavors, while not eclipsed completely, do give great texture. Carrots always make cakes moist, and that works here as well. These are exceptional muffins, and exceptionally good. Thank you Richa, for such an amazing combination!</div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #b45f06; font-size: large;">Turmeric Carrot Gingerbread Muffins</span></h3><div><br /></div><div>Makes 12 muffins<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3kH7gDJUbbDLQtPSBepaMQf690wiNrTwlXjC28B2zDIckaG1gkhbBTX4XL9UjpBwkSmZ25J67Yjz4YqSWKHkibdxGBbiEDhUeTcvR_awDEz5_EgkRKbCWQEO2ERXLCRDM1FXUKX6z9ckYE_qna2I8hib-7IS6kg_nhW0y9yU06wqv0FpbToXzSPMI7A/s1672/IMG_1584%20resized.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="muffins, breakfast, recipe, carrot, turmeric, coconut, chia, ginger" border="0" data-original-height="1672" data-original-width="1254" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3kH7gDJUbbDLQtPSBepaMQf690wiNrTwlXjC28B2zDIckaG1gkhbBTX4XL9UjpBwkSmZ25J67Yjz4YqSWKHkibdxGBbiEDhUeTcvR_awDEz5_EgkRKbCWQEO2ERXLCRDM1FXUKX6z9ckYE_qna2I8hib-7IS6kg_nhW0y9yU06wqv0FpbToXzSPMI7A/w300-h400/IMG_1584%20resized.JPG" title="Turmeric Carrot Gingerbread Muffins" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Turmeric Carrot Gingerbread Muffins<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>DRY INGREDIENTS:</div><div>1 cup all purpose flour (130 grams / 4.6 ounces)</div><div>1 cup whole grain or other flour, or simply use all purpose flour</div><div>1/2 teaspoon salt</div><div>2 teaspoons baking powder</div><div>1/2 teaspoon baking soda</div><div>3 tablespoons chia seed (32 grams / 1.15 ounce)</div><div>1/4 cup sugar or palm sugar (41 grams / 1.4 ounce)</div><div>1/4 cup raisins or chopped dates (34 grams / 1.2 ounce)</div><div>1/4 cup dry, unsweetened coconut shreds (18 grams / 0.65 ounce)</div><div><br /></div><div>SPICES:</div><div>1 teaspoon ground cardamom seeds</div><div>1 teaspoon turmeric powder</div><div>1/2 teaspoon dry, ground ginger</div><div><br /></div><div>WET INGREDIENTS:</div><div>2 carrots (155 grams / 5.25 ounces), finely grated</div><div>1/3 cup molasses</div><div>1/2 cup buttermilk</div><div>1/2 cup plain applesauce</div><div>2 tablespoons sunflower oil or coconut oil</div><div>1-inch fresh ginger, finely grated (15 grams / 0.55 ounce)</div><div>2 large eggs</div><div>--------</div><div>1 1/2 teaspoons each chia seed and shredded coconut for topping, optional</div><div><br /></div><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8V64ltCTDzzwuGUAJEDDckPMNpGhlhgGUT2YOAmOL83UG7JJ2qn5PiCKot4poqv4yUYPG12GJO0DvgmiBAwhg4Ko3sXxzd0nmlSz-fq30GqWUH7WgoxSAxeyyPopj9HSBETiECf1nV6H6QufTwHaA86jQD8h7w9X-cXV2zeoS9AucgzaTyg4e7DA2aA/s4032/IMG_1587.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="muffins, recipe, breakfast, carrots, chia seed, coconut, turmeric" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8V64ltCTDzzwuGUAJEDDckPMNpGhlhgGUT2YOAmOL83UG7JJ2qn5PiCKot4poqv4yUYPG12GJO0DvgmiBAwhg4Ko3sXxzd0nmlSz-fq30GqWUH7WgoxSAxeyyPopj9HSBETiECf1nV6H6QufTwHaA86jQD8h7w9X-cXV2zeoS9AucgzaTyg4e7DA2aA/w300-h400/IMG_1587.JPG" title="Turmeric Carrot Gingerbread Muffins" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Turmeric Carrot Gingerbread Muffins<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br />Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease, or spray with cooking spray, the wells of a 12-well muffin tin. Set aside.</div><div><br /></div><div>This is easiest to first measure out all the little ingredients and have at hand, "mise en place." A personal choice, but recommended.</div><div><br /></div><div>In a medium mixing bowl, place all the dry ingredients together, plus the spices and stir together.</div><div><br /></div><div>In another bowl, combine all the wet ingredients and stir well to combine, then pour all the wet into the dry ingredients and mix with a spoon or silicone spatula until no dry ingredients remain. Fill the muffin tin wells equally - the mixture is very generous. Separately, sprinkle some of the coconut for topping over each portion of batter, then repeat with chia seed.</div><div><br /></div><div>Bake the muffins for 12 to 15 minutes. Test with a toothpick, as for cakes, at about 12 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside to cool for 10 minutes before trying to remove from the tins. (Muffin papers may be used, if preferred.) After 10 minutes, the muffins will release from the tins with very little coaxing. Set them aslant in the wells to continue cooling. Store at room temperature for up to 2 days, or freeze some in zip-top freezer bags for another time.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><i style="background-color: white; color: #484848; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><span face="verdana, sans-serif"><i><span face="verdana, sans-serif"><i><span face="verdana, sans-serif"><i><span style="font-family: times, "times new roman", serif;">My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/aharmonyofflavors" style="color: #3979cd; text-decoration-line: none;">Facebook</a>, and <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/ahofpin/" style="color: #3979cd; text-decoration-line: none;">Pinterest</a>.</span></i></span></i></span></i></span></span></i></div><p></p>A Harmony of Flavorshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08850693486099419140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3525002274590687657.post-55885892136920903032022-07-21T10:55:00.004-07:002022-07-21T11:23:03.284-07:00Lentils Shine in a Dish Called Mujadara<p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I like lentils. Liking lentils in the first place, may - or may not - preclude some from liking this dish. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I had heard of Mujadara. I just never researched it to find out what, exactly, it was. I am not at all sure how or why I missed out on this meal, but I surely do wish I'd found out sooner, because it is one amazingly flavored dish. </span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiISXmwZPmEnNarHUWPh2WCZrkk4p0MmKqF4FU3V01NuqYQlwmF8mPQ3JE6ygZsn6GaXG9yIPoCwdR2N4vKSGiZRG52591qkLZMas7l3SQetsvLDbCRGZbmmf0Px0Crk5AjWYab3K6XO4CbkpZzVx3yhaAhMmy7lZQhnt2sPLCYRsqq41tBA6EUx_mZEQ/s1672/IMG_1413%20Mujadara.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Mujadara, rice, lentils, onions, thnic, Middle Eastern, Lebanese" border="0" data-original-height="1254" data-original-width="1672" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiISXmwZPmEnNarHUWPh2WCZrkk4p0MmKqF4FU3V01NuqYQlwmF8mPQ3JE6ygZsn6GaXG9yIPoCwdR2N4vKSGiZRG52591qkLZMas7l3SQetsvLDbCRGZbmmf0Px0Crk5AjWYab3K6XO4CbkpZzVx3yhaAhMmy7lZQhnt2sPLCYRsqq41tBA6EUx_mZEQ/w640-h480/IMG_1413%20Mujadara.JPG" title="Mujadara" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mujadara</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Mujadara is a Lebanese / Middle Eastern concoction of lentils and rice. Rice can be substituted with bulghur. Lentils and rice are pretty bland fare, on their own. They need a lot of help in the flavor department. I believe what interested me the most when reading the recipes online - particularly the ones written by Lebanese or other Middle Eastern bloggers - is the near lack of any flavorings beyond a little cumin - and a whole boatload of onions. These onions are sauteed until very, very dark; far darker than the norm. These deeply caramelized, nigh on to burnt (but not quite) onions are what provide the absolutely heavenly flavor to the otherwise not too exciting lentils and rice. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Every cook has their own way of making a thing. Every cook has their own reasoning as to why it should be that way. I have absolutely no argument on method, and depending on the outcome, I may change a method to suit my own lifestyle. And at my age, I look for the simplest way, the fewest steps, the least cleanup possible. I have ranted on that subject here before, so I won't go into it again. But, when it requires three or four different pots or skillets to make one meal, I look immediately to how that can be simplified. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://www.maureenabood.com/" target="_blank"></a></span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyYKHjKxcB_PsZ8FEy6BiiUPPOpuK68AuwSiVr5ZNuFY1M7MoeN580oPrK0l_nHhiPyDSzSq6MbqpXxyRM9XikTTJqZbuH-L8MsdZNqm_XL9Y7jLs5W-UOgJj4lLj1GlBxC2R_Pb_rB0oelUeG6KRfzgfQ-LBOKxe84lxHSIYDW41eXs_zK_oZoCiabA/s1672/IMG_1422.JPG" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="cookbook, Lebanese, ethnic, Maureen Abood" border="0" data-original-height="1672" data-original-width="1254" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyYKHjKxcB_PsZ8FEy6BiiUPPOpuK68AuwSiVr5ZNuFY1M7MoeN580oPrK0l_nHhiPyDSzSq6MbqpXxyRM9XikTTJqZbuH-L8MsdZNqm_XL9Y7jLs5W-UOgJj4lLj1GlBxC2R_Pb_rB0oelUeG6KRfzgfQ-LBOKxe84lxHSIYDW41eXs_zK_oZoCiabA/w240-h320/IMG_1422.JPG" title="Maureen's Cookbook" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Maureen's Cookbook</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://www.maureenabood.com/" target="_blank">Maureen Abood</a>, a Lebanese-American lady I have been following for years on her blog, Facebook and with her cookbook called "Rose Water and Orange Blossoms," has recipes amazingly easy to understand. When dealing with an unknown culture, it helps to have someone both knowledgeable in the foods themselves, but also articulate enough to translate that into descriptions that clarify to a person not of that culture. I have some go-to Indian blogs that have fantastic recipes. Some though, assume that one knows what one is doing and so the recipes require some trial and error. And errors happen way too easily, when one "assumes!"</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Ultimately, Maureen's recipe is the one that gave me the clearest idea of the whys and the wherefores of making Mujadara, though I had read about 8 recipes online and had already scribbled down two versions of what I thought I would do. </span></p><h4 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">What is Mujadara?</span></h4><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">As mentioned above, Mujadara is a dish of lentils and rice (or bulghur), made with a surfeit of deep, dark, caramelized onions. The onions completely make this dish. Do not stint on the onions. In fact, in one blog, this admonition was followed by the fact that her relatives used twice the amount used in her recipe!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Whenever I research a recipe from a culture that is not mine, I try and stick to recipes from people of that culture. They would certainly know better what it is that makes a dish. Reading recipes from other sources not of the culture, where a slew of additional flavors are added in, either as enhancement or compensation, well, this is, IMHO, trying to change the culture, and there I try instead to remain a purist. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">In all the recipes written by a Middle Eastern (by background and culture, no matter where they live), there were - besides salt and water -</span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i> <b>just 5 main ingredients: lentils, rice (or bulghur), lots of onions, oil for sauteeing the onions (usually olive oil) and cumin</b>.</i></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> Period. Amounts may vary. Methods may vary. Ingredients did not vary. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: large;">👀</span>I did opt to parboil the lentils in a separate pan, for the one simple reason that it is best not to salt the lentils while they cook, as this toughens their skins and makes a longer cooking time. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Ultimately, my Mujadara, though it takes a little while to make, was so very worthwhile. The flavors were sublime. My husband will tolerate lentils, if in the right application. He loved this dish nearly as much as I. I heartily recommend it to anyone. Vegetarians will love it for its complete protein. It is great accompanied by a simple salad, or tomatoes, or a tomato and cucumber salad. Of course, meat to accompany is fine. A dollop of Greek yogurt, or as I used, tzatziki, is also a great flavor combo. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Mujadara</span></h3><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7XOKA0gdsTLbPqFymtQNL_jwunlDhAhn6pZdRdcjHAg6CbuX9eG_rt1CpXejdE9et3MpMqR_Ad0qATpEM7y7Uhm_c65YhU43GqdhAtOQBIvn1ZN694t-HQWF1iBcSF5K4Y9j64WYUCVTJbAEfkoFLWH3sGtqPmDMyHcpdWiqHRo00Rvn0K3DCPyGACA/s1672/IMG_1416%20Mujadara.JPG" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Mujadara, lentils, rice, Lebanese, Middle Eastern, ethnic, vegetarian" border="0" data-original-height="1672" data-original-width="1254" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7XOKA0gdsTLbPqFymtQNL_jwunlDhAhn6pZdRdcjHAg6CbuX9eG_rt1CpXejdE9et3MpMqR_Ad0qATpEM7y7Uhm_c65YhU43GqdhAtOQBIvn1ZN694t-HQWF1iBcSF5K4Y9j64WYUCVTJbAEfkoFLWH3sGtqPmDMyHcpdWiqHRo00Rvn0K3DCPyGACA/w300-h400/IMG_1416%20Mujadara.JPG" title="Mujadara" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mujadara</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times;">Serves 8 as a side dish</span></div><div><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: times;">1 cup brown lentils</span></div><div><span style="font-family: times;">1 cup long grain or basmati rice</span></div><div><span style="font-family: times;">4 cups water, divided</span></div><div><span style="font-family: times;">4 medium onions, divided (more, if desired)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: times;">2 - 4 tablespoons olive oil</span></div><div><span style="font-family: times;">1 teaspoon salt</span></div><div><span style="font-family: times;">1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds</span></div><p><span style="font-family: times;">Begin with the onions, as these take time. Chop three of the onions. Heat a goodly sized skillet over medium to medium low heat. Add in half the olive oil to heat and then the chopped onions. Stirring often, saute the onions until they are well past simple caramelization, and on into the realm of almost burnt. Sprinkle the salt over the onions while cooking as this helps draw moisture. The darker the onions, the better the flavors in the dish. Towards the end of cooking, add in the cumin.</span></p><p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2rh5lSf13NENsqi2UbBuN7Do-0H1a7eZnKvTewZM6jZex1HB_OhxPbss90sXUC3OSsAzoJxDn7AblvYWQC1JTwdRXx8F0TXIPWAagbPpLSblJ3kD0-kStQapuzl47zBg2nXBhetp7i_FyrRv9bBN7c-pf4zLPYXYPSO_QaTnnn600-0XYiHiGDlImKw/s3393/RRUT3807.JPG" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: times;"><img alt="onions, saute, garnish, dark caramel" border="0" data-original-height="3393" data-original-width="2545" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2rh5lSf13NENsqi2UbBuN7Do-0H1a7eZnKvTewZM6jZex1HB_OhxPbss90sXUC3OSsAzoJxDn7AblvYWQC1JTwdRXx8F0TXIPWAagbPpLSblJ3kD0-kStQapuzl47zBg2nXBhetp7i_FyrRv9bBN7c-pf4zLPYXYPSO_QaTnnn600-0XYiHiGDlImKw/w240-h320/RRUT3807.JPG" title="Dark Sauteed Onions for Garnish" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;">Dark Sauteed Onions for Garnish</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: times;">Once the onions are almost ready, place 2 cups of the water and the lentils into a medium saucepan. Cover and cook for about 12 to 15 minutes. The lentils are just parboiled at this time. Add the contents of the pot, with any liquids remaining, to the onions in the large skillet. Add in the remaining 2 cups of water and the rice. Stir, bring to boil and lower to a simmer. Time for approximately 20 minutes. Leave the lid on and remove the skillet from the heat. Let steam for an additional 10 or 15 minutes if there is time. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">While the lentils and rice cook, heat another, smaller skillet and add the remaining olive oil. Cut the last onion into long slivers or rings and again, saute these until very deep dark in color. Once they are dark enough, pour them out onto paper toweling to absorb excess oil, and to crisp up a bit. Once the Mujadara is ready to serve, use these onions to garnish the dish.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Serve with a salad, a Shirazi salad (cucumber, tomato and onion), sliced tomatoes, a dollop of labneh, plain Greek yogurt, or tzatziki, some mint sprigs or cilantro, and this meal is fit for a king.</span></p><p><br /></p><p><i style="background-color: white; color: #484848; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><span face="verdana, sans-serif"><i><span face="verdana, sans-serif"><i><span face="verdana, sans-serif"><i><span style="font-family: times, "times new roman", serif;">My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/aharmonyofflavors" style="color: #3979cd; text-decoration-line: none;">Facebook</a>, and <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/ahofpin/" style="color: #3979cd; text-decoration-line: none;">Pinterest</a>.</span></i></span></i></span></i></span></span></i></p>A Harmony of Flavorshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08850693486099419140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3525002274590687657.post-24473791769101118192022-07-14T11:54:00.003-07:002022-08-26T14:15:56.857-07:00Individual Cheesecakes Cute as Can Be<p><span style="font-family: verdana;">These perfect little individual cheesecakes were made to serve at a special dinner for some friends. Every, single thing about them was perfect: flavors, appearance, texture, and the bonus was that they came out of the little ramekins just perfectly. Better results could not be hoped for. </span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCfTSJgASgNunYOk1leJiHCCSBXZrZQzPEnLsYBCJ6HXTsM4-EX8bojx9JBUrA7QbcmMnxmGEQJI78Li89ZzoLIy92N6ECDcH95h5nTCwUmMx6mxBh40XHsRb6lk57fEsPzcfWm1JzzDo1ejoYM6B6PRxBjDKqzqY1G7CHVUqE-Dj8jPNSGfpL-X8YLw/s1776/Black%20Sesame%20Matcha%20Cheesecakes.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Matcha green Tea, green tea powder, cheesecake, individual cheesecake" border="0" data-original-height="1180" data-original-width="1776" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCfTSJgASgNunYOk1leJiHCCSBXZrZQzPEnLsYBCJ6HXTsM4-EX8bojx9JBUrA7QbcmMnxmGEQJI78Li89ZzoLIy92N6ECDcH95h5nTCwUmMx6mxBh40XHsRb6lk57fEsPzcfWm1JzzDo1ejoYM6B6PRxBjDKqzqY1G7CHVUqE-Dj8jPNSGfpL-X8YLw/w640-h426/Black%20Sesame%20Matcha%20Cheesecakes.JPG" title="Black Sesame Matcha Individual Cheesecakes" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Black Sesame Matcha Individual Cheesecakes</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">While they were perfect, and have stayed in my mind ever since, I haven't returned to them. Why? Well, there is really no huge valid excuse at all really. The biggest thing was that I ran out of Matcha Green Tea powder and haven't replaced it. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Even longer ago, I had made <a href="https://aharmonyofflavors.blogspot.com/2016/02/more-morning-muffins.html" target="_blank">Matcha and Black Sesame Muffins</a>, and they were delightful. It was this combination, the green and the black flecks together are quite striking, that made me want to do something else with it. </span></p><h4 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Using Matcha Green Tea</span></h4><p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJwrl7Xw_JSriD9msnb7_cCU6QkWwObFT7asYJBlXs8NPRZQJ0d8O3f4KSzqvF9QI7fQRqeYTwtzCkEoTOA4-nKMQQIL6UowZAcO93z_oMhvoq77-_mG6kl1AvFxJAfgQi__IfZgda-X6l7UDlEvbFv9k74EBNgfvPy2EbbgYbCDz06CZLF7DAunic5w/s2176/IMG_6773.JPG" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="green tea, Matcha, higher quality" border="0" data-original-height="2176" data-original-width="1630" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJwrl7Xw_JSriD9msnb7_cCU6QkWwObFT7asYJBlXs8NPRZQJ0d8O3f4KSzqvF9QI7fQRqeYTwtzCkEoTOA4-nKMQQIL6UowZAcO93z_oMhvoq77-_mG6kl1AvFxJAfgQi__IfZgda-X6l7UDlEvbFv9k74EBNgfvPy2EbbgYbCDz06CZLF7DAunic5w/w240-h320/IMG_6773.JPG" title="Matcha Green Tea Powder" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Matcha Green Tea Powder</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Using Matcha green tea powder can be tricky, only in the sense that depending on the quality, the color may be the brightest of lime green (higher quality, more flavor, higher price), or a very dull green, or even a very pale green (lower quality, less flavor, lower price). The dull green was what was used in both the muffins and the cheesecakes.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">With less flavor and color, more is needed to achieve even the least bit of color in a baked good. This alters the dry ingredient contents upwards, with the possibility of a dry outcome, whether dry muffins or a very stiff and dry cheesecake. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Using higher quality Matcha will give a lot of color, but when it comes down to the facts, Matcha is very bitter. Too many people will not automatically love this bitterness, so a fine line is walked when making something like these recipes. Too much of a good thing and they may not be at all well-received. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Some of this bitterness in a baked item can be mitigated by using more sugar, yet breakfast muffins are not meant to be sweet as a cupcake (though far too many are), and too much sugar will alter a cheesecake's consistency as well. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">An idea on that score is to dissolve the green tea powder in just enough hot water to make a smooth paste. In this way, the texture of either recipe would not be significantly altered. It also would afford the ability of actually seeing how much color is being added. The final baked goods will never be that same color, but it at least gives a clue. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Aside from the issue of Matcha, having some in the first place, and then all these other considerations, these little cheesecakes are no difficulty to make. The mixture is a straightforward style, black sesame is available in many stores nowadays. While black sesame is not much different in flavor than the white, they do give visual interest. So, on with the recipe:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: georgia;">Black Sesame Matcha Individual Cheesecakes</span></h3><div><br /></div>Makes about 6 (6-ounce) <div>or 8 (4-ounce) servings<div><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisG2yDOqAR6Yp0nEvPChivBVVcQqVlOeXbhvyQxemRwH7KrNQ3HtnfJluIsE59pcDMoA9l8Myu2rHt5ToWZdSmEehEL0OrBGZJuQZFQubNjC3Y-atdCKPjOST4v7W-Z6JTdtpuo8nef_I0uANZpoEIIY4naV-UQ3hGfATpnb5qF218xAkaPj6mmQsjMQ/s1672/Black%20Sesame%20Matcha%20Cheesecakes%202.JPG" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="matcha green tea powder, cheesecake, black sesame" border="0" data-original-height="1672" data-original-width="1254" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisG2yDOqAR6Yp0nEvPChivBVVcQqVlOeXbhvyQxemRwH7KrNQ3HtnfJluIsE59pcDMoA9l8Myu2rHt5ToWZdSmEehEL0OrBGZJuQZFQubNjC3Y-atdCKPjOST4v7W-Z6JTdtpuo8nef_I0uANZpoEIIY4naV-UQ3hGfATpnb5qF218xAkaPj6mmQsjMQ/w300-h400/Black%20Sesame%20Matcha%20Cheesecakes%202.JPG" title="Black Sesame Matcha Individual Cheesecakes" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Black Sesame Matcha Individual Cheesecakes</td></tr></tbody></table>12 ounces cream cheese, room temperature <br />1 teaspoon lime zest, finely grated <br />½ cup white sugar <br />2-3 tablespoons Matcha Green Tea powder <br />1 pinch salt <br />1 cup sour cream <br />3 large eggs, room temperature <br />1 tablespoon black sesame seeds<div><br /></div><div>- Extra sugar, for dusting <br />- Butter for greasing <br /><br />Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease six (6-ounce) or eight (4-ounce) ramekins with butter. Dust them with sugar, tapping out excess. Set the ramekins into a roaster pan that can hold water halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Heat a large kettle of water and keep hot. <br /><br />In a small bowl, whisk together the sugar and green tea powder. In a separate mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth, then add in the sugar mixture and lime zest and beat gently, just to combine. Add in the eggs, one at a time, beating gently until incorporated, then add in the sour cream and fold in the black sesame seeds. <br /><br />Fill the ramekins of choice with the mixture. Set the roaster pan into the oven and carefully pour in the hot water around the ramekins to about halfway up their sides. Bake the cheesecakes 20 minutes for the smaller ones or 25 minutes for the larger ones. The centers should be a bit jiggly. Remove the pan from the oven and set the ramekins aside to cool. Chill the cheesecakes completely, refrigerated, before unmolding.<br /><br />To unmold the cheesecakes, run a knife around the edges. They should start to spin a bit in their molds. Set a plate over top of the mold and invert the ramekin over the plate until the cheesecake comes loose onto the plate. Serve with a twist of lime and/or a dollop of whipped cream.</div></div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><i style="background-color: white; color: #484848; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><span face="verdana, sans-serif"><i><span face="verdana, sans-serif"><i><span face="verdana, sans-serif"><i><span style="font-family: times, "times new roman", serif;">My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/aharmonyofflavors" style="color: #3979cd; text-decoration-line: none;">Facebook</a>, and <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/ahofpin/" style="color: #3979cd; text-decoration-line: none;">Pinterest</a>.</span></i></span></i></span></i></span></span></i></div>A Harmony of Flavorshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08850693486099419140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3525002274590687657.post-27979498568668055102022-07-12T12:20:00.004-07:002022-08-26T14:12:58.678-07:00Good Golly it's Gumbo<p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Long before ever visiting Louisiana, and later actually living there over the Y2K times, I had heard of Gumbo, as well as Etoufee, Jambalaya and a lot of other dishes, not all of which I really associated with Louisiana. Red beans and rice I'd had in Guatemala as a very young newlywed expat. maybe these were not the Louisiana-spiced version, but the concept was there. Boudin rouge or boudin noir are a sausage made with blood as part or most of its ingredients, but I had eaten those in Guatemala as well, under the name Moronga or Morcilla. Not a banana fan at any time, Bananas Foster never held any interest whatsoever. And long, long before ever learning that bread pudding was pretty much Louisiana's state dessert (according to me, anyway, as it was found in every single restaurant), I had been making and loving bread pudding.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">When it came to hearing about Gumbo, I heard about okra as an ingredient, and I am absolutely not an okra fan. Thus, Gumbo held no interest. I like tomatoes, tomato sauces, spaghetti sauces, but there are times I just cannot abide them. At least my stomach seems to completely rebel at times, and then sometimes not. Etoufee, mainly tomato-ey red in color, was not high on a list of things I wanted to try. </span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2Byh1O0kqVk6qOi0UsAXy2Rgv-yLlZbRPgUrsU63fFrbPVkgEZDZjhzbA-GT6eRrrU4EB2BlzehpB40NsSSg1kdugyyuKOdIX72uPdMnnOzIYKi1yuqIjcsj96Gxb3-F9Vz3w0VVOdtKy5tRAekvjr7LDYLi2urvCM30QdRXleK6WvFceOBURW-sq9g/s1672/Chicken%20&%20Andouille%20Gumbo%20landscape.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="chicken, andouille sausage, file powder, gumbo, soup" border="0" data-original-height="1254" data-original-width="1672" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2Byh1O0kqVk6qOi0UsAXy2Rgv-yLlZbRPgUrsU63fFrbPVkgEZDZjhzbA-GT6eRrrU4EB2BlzehpB40NsSSg1kdugyyuKOdIX72uPdMnnOzIYKi1yuqIjcsj96Gxb3-F9Vz3w0VVOdtKy5tRAekvjr7LDYLi2urvCM30QdRXleK6WvFceOBURW-sq9g/w640-h480/Chicken%20&%20Andouille%20Gumbo%20landscape.JPG" title="Chicken and Andouille Gumbo" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chicken and Andouille Gumbo</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">And then, we moved to Louisiana. Just north of Lake Ponchartrain, there were an amazing assortment of the best eating establishments all grouped so closely near to one another that you could barely toss a stone without hitting one, and we frequented them, almost all, in a constant rotation. My husband will not touch seafood, and not even fish. This is a mental allergy mind you, not a physical one. But as Louisiana cuisine is really all about fish and seafood, crawfish being absolutely huge there, there were many restaurants that had no meat on the menu, and some with a whole lot of truly stellar gourmet seafood dishes available, and with one lone hamburger plate on the menu, generally served with coleslaw (which my husband will </span><u style="font-family: verdana;">not</u><span style="font-family: verdana;"> eat) and fries. They truly are not catering to the meat lover diet.</span></p><h4 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Exploring Gumbo Flavors</span></h4><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">As we began exploring food in our new home area after we moved there, I was excited to taste this Gumbo I had heard and read about. I was willing to overlook okra, if the dish was good enough. And I had a couple samplings that were passable, for sure. But it was down in New Orleans proper, that I first had a small bowl of File Gumbo. Being a complete neophyte in the Gumbo world, I had asked the waitress what was the difference. she explained that Okra Gumbo used the okra as a slight thickening agent, whereas File Gumbo used File powder as it's slight thickening agent. Obviously okra has its own flavors as well, as does file powder, but I wasn't aware of that, then. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">➤File powder is nothing more than the powdered leaf of sassafras. It is generally</span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVxpi-XB4p9HqG3aMAd0wGhjKKHs4ntaQg5ANaLlOgSx2dEgGobDp0QFTwjG4TEX-PVMTQT5ZBLIXAvn-FzxFVkDV3Hxku-9SFakWgzRkeY9k1XdUMH-Q9HEwQ6SfRtfPYy3GHs-JSqsEWfcSjeEr_3dSUYUXk_AIy2-nJi1KubuDQ7MQ1quonABBcAA/s1684/File%20Powder%202.JPG" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="file powder, sassafras, sassafras leaf" border="0" data-original-height="1244" data-original-width="1684" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVxpi-XB4p9HqG3aMAd0wGhjKKHs4ntaQg5ANaLlOgSx2dEgGobDp0QFTwjG4TEX-PVMTQT5ZBLIXAvn-FzxFVkDV3Hxku-9SFakWgzRkeY9k1XdUMH-Q9HEwQ6SfRtfPYy3GHs-JSqsEWfcSjeEr_3dSUYUXk_AIy2-nJi1KubuDQ7MQ1quonABBcAA/w320-h236/File%20Powder%202.JPG" title="File Powder" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">File Powder</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: verdana;">available in the spice aisle. This flavoring agent should never be added to the pot, but only stirred in at table. If cooked, it can become stringy.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">On tasting the little bowl of File Gumbo, I was suddenly aware that this was amazingly good! Oh my, was it good! And then I went on a search. In each and every restaurant, I tried at least a small bowl or cup of Gumbo, just to see the range of flavors, and just how good, good can be. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">While living there, I never even attempted to make Gumbo. More often than not, the Gumbo in restaurants contained crawfish or shrimp. At the time I still wasn't aware of why I was swelling so much all the time, so I blithely ate my way through crawfish, shrimp, crab, blue crab, lobster and a lot of other shellfish. Now, sadly, I have long been aware of my intolerance for those most wonderful foods. Sigh.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCejmvzuvU6YMKV6aJQsFUGRREWJ913G2JRaBxivqlSgSGUJw1oj0WUY0PEYfSwAWwl9plmoTrs5KsJU7QmtKilU2Ba1M-wAPME7vPrjobBkscqELjs793z-bqbcXWO0EnUnRXDgnLaAn-A8Q3UbBYvCYWmGOcGrG0mcW_R9o-WvgWSfoOrhPaaUoB5Q/s3045/Roux%20Color%20Progression.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="roux, cooking oil, flour, mahogany color" border="0" data-original-height="1710" data-original-width="3045" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCejmvzuvU6YMKV6aJQsFUGRREWJ913G2JRaBxivqlSgSGUJw1oj0WUY0PEYfSwAWwl9plmoTrs5KsJU7QmtKilU2Ba1M-wAPME7vPrjobBkscqELjs793z-bqbcXWO0EnUnRXDgnLaAn-A8Q3UbBYvCYWmGOcGrG0mcW_R9o-WvgWSfoOrhPaaUoB5Q/w640-h360/Roux%20Color%20Progression.jpg" title="Making Roux for Gumbo" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><h4 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Making Roux</span></h4><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Moving away from Louisiana, as all good things must end one day, I longed for Gumbo. As I set about learning what made a good Gumbo, I learned about roux. While I had made roux plenty of times, in preparation for a gravy, those were always a very blond roux, just cooked enough for the raw flour taste to be gone, but not for color. In Louisiana, there is ROUX. Pronounced, "ROO." And this is one not to be messed with. Every young girl must learn the way to make a proper roux, or you will not ever attain a proper gumbo. And this roux must be cooked until "mahogany colored." This requires constant attention to the pot, or the roux will burn. This disaster cannot be repaired, and the only solution is to begin again. This process of cooking oil and flour to a mahogany color can take 15 minutes or it can take an hour, completely dependent on the skill and ease of the one making it. If unskilled, as I was the first time, it took an hour over medium or medium low heat. Over a higher heat, and a lot of quick stirring, it can be accomplished in much less time, but without this very dark roux as a base, the gumbo will not be right. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOY-q2HDaHbz_d2_MF5ZSE5pC9biMNmBx7XGzyBg18SNnvojKPn5Zksm8TGf_bqbrzZbPOlmMLQtgYAvR269gd79RG6bLFZi7Wwc4yyjY5nNXxHUs-wxE1_goaLXo8NuUOd53RCSiRYAC2-mfP85eyDeZ-kTC6SEaWntv5a5BZO7zdZR_9WNeFmNiXnQ/s1672/Adding%20the%20Holy%20Trinity.JPG" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="holy trinity, onions, green pepper, celery" border="0" data-original-height="1672" data-original-width="1254" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOY-q2HDaHbz_d2_MF5ZSE5pC9biMNmBx7XGzyBg18SNnvojKPn5Zksm8TGf_bqbrzZbPOlmMLQtgYAvR269gd79RG6bLFZi7Wwc4yyjY5nNXxHUs-wxE1_goaLXo8NuUOd53RCSiRYAC2-mfP85eyDeZ-kTC6SEaWntv5a5BZO7zdZR_9WNeFmNiXnQ/w240-h320/Adding%20the%20Holy%20Trinity.JPG" title="Holy Trinity added to Roux" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Holy Trinity added to Roux</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br />The next important thing to know is that many, if not most, dishes in Louisiana are based on the flavors of the 'holy trinity, a phrase coined by chef Paul Prudhomme. This trinity is a combination, in equal parts, of chopped onion, green pepper and celery. These should be prepped and ready, as they are the first addition to the Gumbo pot, once the roux is ready. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Andouille sausage, pronounced ahn-DOO-ee, in Louisiana, is generally very highly spiced, with a strong chili kick. For the unwary, this can be a shock. The Andouille found in other areas of the country is but a poor relative, in comparison. I've used Aidell's brand, as I can tolerate the salt levels, though it is not spicy hot. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Chicken and Andouille Gumbo</span></h3>Serves 8 to 10<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLGpOkP4HBpjXTu8YaXbSN18sJJ4CpDFKRNKSHWnciFvpzgkQ1owwa-7cE-Y5QBq9Vcsr0wiJcVvis6CRpXzhVhu3XbBh8cGjpSkkYxHH_1dbp2-jhQrtrP6wa0uMPEDUgnPQ5nHn5JeYDkNpgTRjt-NLQyGbHppFIuTtat_eF9372mCCaT71Wbjy5kQ/s1672/Chicken%20&%20Andouille%20Gumbo%20portrait.JPG" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="gumbo, soup, chicken, andouille sausage, roux, file powder" border="0" data-original-height="1672" data-original-width="1254" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLGpOkP4HBpjXTu8YaXbSN18sJJ4CpDFKRNKSHWnciFvpzgkQ1owwa-7cE-Y5QBq9Vcsr0wiJcVvis6CRpXzhVhu3XbBh8cGjpSkkYxHH_1dbp2-jhQrtrP6wa0uMPEDUgnPQ5nHn5JeYDkNpgTRjt-NLQyGbHppFIuTtat_eF9372mCCaT71Wbjy5kQ/w300-h400/Chicken%20&%20Andouille%20Gumbo%20portrait.JPG" title="Chicken and Andouille Gumbo" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chicken and Andouille Gumbo</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><div>ROUX:<br /><div> ½ cup shortening or oil<br /> ½ cup all-purpose flour <br /><div>----------<br />2 tablespoons cooking oil</div><div>2 medium onions, chopped<br /> 2 green peppers, chopped<br /> 6 stalks celery, chopped<br />3 cloves garlic<br /> 1 whole chicken, cut up<br />2 - 4 Andouille sausages, sliced<br />1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves<br />¾ teaspoon dried oregano flakes<br />¾ teaspoons dried basil leaves<br />2 bay leaves<br />½ teaspoon ancho powder or cayenne<br />6 cups water or stock<br />Salt & pepper, to taste<br /><br />File Powder, for serving<br /><br />MAKE ROUX: In a heavy soup pot or Dutch oven, melt the shortening or oil over medium heat. Add in the flour and stir continually with a wire whisk until the mixture becomes a deep mahogany brown. This can take from 10 minutes to half hour, depending on your heat setting. Do not scorch the roux or you will need to begin again. Set aside, off the heat.<br /><br />ASSEMBLE GUMBO: In a large skillet, heat the 2 tablespoons of oil and sauté the onions, green pepper, celery and garlic until softened, about 10 minutes. Add to the pot with the roux. Dry the chicken pieces and brown them on all sides in the skillet, then remove them to the pot along with the sliced Andouille, all the spices, chili powder and water or stock. Add in about 1 teaspoon of salt, to start, and some freshly grated black pepper. Stir well, then cover and cook on very low heat for an hour, or until the chicken is very tender. Once the gumbo has cooked, check for seasoning and adjust as needed. Leave chicken on the bone, or remove the skin and bones, if preferred, returning the chicken meat to the pot. Serve with a scoop of rice. Serve File Powder on the side. Use 1 to 3 teaspoons per serving, to taste.</div></div><div><br /></div>NOTES: If using shrimp or crawfish, add these in to the pot only about 5 to 7 minutes before ready to serve, to just cook through. <div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><i style="background-color: white; color: #484848; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><span face="verdana, sans-serif"><i><span face="verdana, sans-serif"><i><span face="verdana, sans-serif"><i><span style="font-family: times, "times new roman", serif;">My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/aharmonyofflavors" style="color: #3979cd; text-decoration-line: none;">Facebook</a>, and <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/ahofpin/" style="color: #3979cd; text-decoration-line: none;">Pinterest</a>.</span></i></span></i></span></i></span></span></i></div></div>A Harmony of Flavorshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08850693486099419140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3525002274590687657.post-44275824847361190742022-07-11T11:34:00.002-07:002022-08-26T14:03:23.832-07:00Bran Muffins are a Very Old Favorite<p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Long, long before bran and fiber became a health food, I loved bran muffins. Kellogg's</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">®</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> All-Bran</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">®</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> was common in our house when I grew up, and I recall my Grandma eating it as well. Of course, as a child, I didn't grasp what the reasoning was for this cereal, but I liked it. Even better though, were the bran muffins. No matter what, I have loved bran muffins.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Despite that, I hadn't eaten them or made them in a very long while, back when I started this blog back in 2012. And it wasn't until 2014 that I received all the bread cookbooks that started my journey into coaxing flavor from whole wheat, and not yet for another year or so that it came to be that I had a lot of accumulated bran at my disposal. I had long ago stopped eating cereal of any kind but oatmeal, so I wasn't keeping the All-Bran cereal at home, either. Many of the new bread recipes called for sifted whole wheat flour. As I was grinding my own wheat berries, for even better flavor (<a href="https://aharmonyofflavors.blogspot.com/2022/07/easy-whole-wheat-bread-for-beginners.html" target="_blank">read more about why, here</a>), some needed only the largest of bran flakes sifted from the flour, resulting in varying amounts of bran leftover. </span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9uw8D8u_n5plsLv1j5XRccPpPWJjrBD3hnAhauk3NogMdSi94NlcrXSV1WyW7ibbNN0uBZxR5r3ZX6APluAnpUWwMi6G4ITsn3GGScY85lz4W2m0pmH9HlmjnVTkkWzhysWq4sTO67dzCFKHDXJtAJLgcvl3AxE_8TyEmwSimc_hdCKvGKsdNOsjYsw/s4032/IMG_9964.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="muffins, breakfast, bran, raisins, walnuts, fiber" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9uw8D8u_n5plsLv1j5XRccPpPWJjrBD3hnAhauk3NogMdSi94NlcrXSV1WyW7ibbNN0uBZxR5r3ZX6APluAnpUWwMi6G4ITsn3GGScY85lz4W2m0pmH9HlmjnVTkkWzhysWq4sTO67dzCFKHDXJtAJLgcvl3AxE_8TyEmwSimc_hdCKvGKsdNOsjYsw/w640-h480/IMG_9964.JPG" title="Bran Muffins with Raisins and Walnuts" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bran Muffins with Raisins and Walnuts</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">It was still quite some while of accumulating bran that I reasoned, "I can make Bran Muffins!"</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Once I finally sat down to create a bran muffin recipe, first looking into recipes all over online at the time, to compare what was done, read comments about them and such, I cobbled together a plan. And it was still a while before I got to the point of making them. I cannot recall why it took so long to actually get around to making them, except for the fact of a whole lot of things happening in my life back then. Once I did, I made them quite a few times, and quickly ran out of all the accumulated bran I had stored, and once again I lapsed. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I did include the recipe in my Newsletter, which is now defunct, so once more I am placing it here to keep.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: georgia;">Bran Muffins with Raisins and Walnuts</span></h3><br />Makes 12 muffins<div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOul8j0LwC5F-ykFZPh-aH6b4oAh2J0nCYKfkQ1h3hhdrkc1mNPuLGfiIbJMgpATGstFJo1-oqvUCc4Lvxv7epxj5f18Z0XENTDn_o2uNuRJmuzrmz-QLtaPOoeJiVNHx8WsxXc_PHTPCevbxPo80mIC_-a0ORo-EIYc2ifnHQ_Y4B4R3vbnyS0_56KA/s4032/IMG_9963.JPG" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="muffins, bran, breakfast, raisins, walnuts, fiber" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOul8j0LwC5F-ykFZPh-aH6b4oAh2J0nCYKfkQ1h3hhdrkc1mNPuLGfiIbJMgpATGstFJo1-oqvUCc4Lvxv7epxj5f18Z0XENTDn_o2uNuRJmuzrmz-QLtaPOoeJiVNHx8WsxXc_PHTPCevbxPo80mIC_-a0ORo-EIYc2ifnHQ_Y4B4R3vbnyS0_56KA/w300-h400/IMG_9963.JPG" title="Bran Muffins with Raisins and Walnuts" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bran Muffins with Raisins and Walnuts</td></tr></tbody></table><br />1 cup wheat bran <br />1½ cups whole wheat or whole Kamut flour <br />2½ teaspoons baking powder<br />½ teaspoon baking soda<br />½ teaspoon salt)<br />½ cup raisins<br />½ cup chopped walnuts <br />¼ cup sugar, or palm sugar <br />¾ cup milk<br />½ cup unsweetened applesauce<br />¼ cup molasses <br />2 tablespoons cooking oil of choice<br />2 large eggs, beaten lightly<br /><br />Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease or spray with cooking spray the wells of a 12-well muffin tin, or line wells with muffin papers Set aside. <br /><br />In a mixing bowl, combine the first 8 dry ingredients and stir them together, ensuring the raisins are all separated from one another for even distribution. The raisins may be substituted with dates, if preferred.<br /><br /> Separately, whisk together the milk, applesauce, molasses, oil and eggs. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon or spatula, just until all the dry ingredients are moistened. Quickly, scoop the batter into the prepared muffin wells, dividing the batter evenly between the wells, and pop the tin into the oven on a middle rack for about 15 minutes, or until a tester inserted in the center comes out mostly clean. <br /><br />Remove the tin from the oven and set aside for 5 to 9 minutes, at which time the muffins will release quite easily from the tin. Serve warm, preferably with butter, for a treat any time. <br /><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><i style="background-color: white; color: #484848; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><span face="verdana, sans-serif"><i><span face="verdana, sans-serif"><i><span face="verdana, sans-serif"><i><span style="font-family: times, "times new roman", serif;">My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/aharmonyofflavors" style="color: #3979cd; text-decoration-line: none;">Facebook</a>, and <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/ahofpin/" style="color: #3979cd; text-decoration-line: none;">Pinterest</a>.</span></i></span></i></span></i></span></span></i></div>A Harmony of Flavorshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08850693486099419140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3525002274590687657.post-4173851088445024612022-07-10T13:55:00.001-07:002022-08-26T14:01:08.283-07:00Veggie Kebabs as Main or Side Dish<p><span style="font-family: verdana;">If you love grilled vegetables, then this is a recipe for you. Whether you are vegetarian, or if you want these as a side dish, they have excellent flavor, both from the marinade and from the grill. </span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu6tjotConYw34Bl2XqAReaxLjToro8aOFk5dN9KSG16YbfEe8eoroS4VunKP2r7D3tRFJylBJhs2HdXv2cnx5CjwmYSKVNaEDCDd5Y6G9YvhRs-7KTlCpEnYR-HrLcWBBY6ZZVKlTTrMcwg3TDvDJXxOLnurGV7xcbjs7Dk7bGToDUCkU70KWpmpQdw/s1672/Veggie%20Kebabs%202.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="grilling, kebabs, vegetables, main dish, side dish" border="0" data-original-height="1254" data-original-width="1672" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu6tjotConYw34Bl2XqAReaxLjToro8aOFk5dN9KSG16YbfEe8eoroS4VunKP2r7D3tRFJylBJhs2HdXv2cnx5CjwmYSKVNaEDCDd5Y6G9YvhRs-7KTlCpEnYR-HrLcWBBY6ZZVKlTTrMcwg3TDvDJXxOLnurGV7xcbjs7Dk7bGToDUCkU70KWpmpQdw/w640-h480/Veggie%20Kebabs%202.JPG" title="Veggie Kebabs" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Veggie Kebabs</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">When I made these, I used a mix of vegetables I had selected just for this application, but you can mix and match as you choose, keeping in mind that not all vegetables cook at the same rate. I used tiny potatoes whole, so I first boiled them and then marinated them to use on the skewer just for the added flavor of the grill. I used chunks of fresh pineapple, obviously not a vegetable but it does taste great on the grill! Bell peppers are an easy choice, and multi colored peppers make the kebabs look more visually appealing. I used hunks of portobello for the meatiness, but button mushrooms or cremini</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> mushrooms would also work - or no mushrooms at all if they are not to your taste. Corn is best cut into small rounds across the cob, both for easy skewering and for quicker cooking, as more heat can reach the kernels. Sweet potato also needs a little cooking beforehand to make them soft enough to grill, just being careful not to over cook or they won't stay put on the skewer. I love grilled onion, so the more the merrier, whether white, yellow or red, and cut into wide enough squares to be comparable in width to the other vegetables on the skewer. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz1_M8pSI1ZmimccHiDZotRHWgiklA4kwT7Bta4zZRFTZrgpcFG9YbziSF7gdGBMcFl2NCDxFuW9D8UOLBPmU9v_N8K1BsNcU1dgby8_wbzdftwBv_KW7X6oToiBFOWA63ZLYZuKuNnuyOm-6OfvxsSJzI3Yw3l1eFc3oYAlX2lnqC85kiPoDjEWXnAQ/s1251/Gourmet%20Gardens%20Italian%20Herbs%20Stir-In%20Paste.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1251" data-original-width="840" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz1_M8pSI1ZmimccHiDZotRHWgiklA4kwT7Bta4zZRFTZrgpcFG9YbziSF7gdGBMcFl2NCDxFuW9D8UOLBPmU9v_N8K1BsNcU1dgby8_wbzdftwBv_KW7X6oToiBFOWA63ZLYZuKuNnuyOm-6OfvxsSJzI3Yw3l1eFc3oYAlX2lnqC85kiPoDjEWXnAQ/s320/Gourmet%20Gardens%20Italian%20Herbs%20Stir-In%20Paste.jpg" width="215" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.gourmetgarden.com/en-us/products/paste/italian-herbs" target="_blank">Gourmet Gardens Italian Herbs</a></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: verdana;">I happened to have on hand at the time a tube of Gourmet Garden Italian Herbs. If you have not used this mixture, it is really great to give flavor to all sorts of foods, whether steaks, baked potatoes, mix into a dressing - just use your imagination. Once you've tasted it, you will think of all kinds of things it would enhance. Our friend Rich is a fanatic about this stuff and has it on hand at all times, for stirring into vegetables, adding to sauces, to spread on pizza, whatever strikes his fancy. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I tried once to make an approximation of this stuff, and it was okay, but somehow fell just short of the mark, for flavor, despite using fresh herbs to create it. The only actual herbs in this mixture listed on the label are basil, oregano, parsley and rosemary, out of <u>10 total ingredients</u>, so you may understand why I wanted to go that route of making my own. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: large;">👀</span>My suggestion, <span style="color: #cc0000;">if you do not have this ingredient</span>, or choose not to use it because of the many "other" ingredients, would be to substitute a tablespoon of minced fresh basil and rosemary with another dollop of olive oil to approximate - as my recipe already calls for oregano and thyme, garlic, balsamic vinegar and olive oil. </span></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Veggie Kebabs</span></h3><div><br /></div>Makes about 10 to 16 kebabs, depending on size of skewers<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHPEhqjN0VKWBqrDizGNqm0BwJ5Y1YBw2UYv43xN8QUCtE3ecpYPs7BPB_2hUWptCZ6sbBrTYlzZqnnsF0z4a8mL52GHnWUZwtJfHIdMT9Dldg3QaWtuEMJWdEYdMkQMuqGil0j5in12-J7LtDFAROoZnqdgGQpXfwnPacIe9Yw6pRhk9aBbYOG_TDrw/s1672/Veggie%20Kebabs%20portrait.JPG" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="grilling, vegetables, kebabs, main dish, side dish, vegetarian" border="0" data-original-height="1672" data-original-width="1254" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHPEhqjN0VKWBqrDizGNqm0BwJ5Y1YBw2UYv43xN8QUCtE3ecpYPs7BPB_2hUWptCZ6sbBrTYlzZqnnsF0z4a8mL52GHnWUZwtJfHIdMT9Dldg3QaWtuEMJWdEYdMkQMuqGil0j5in12-J7LtDFAROoZnqdgGQpXfwnPacIe9Yw6pRhk9aBbYOG_TDrw/w300-h400/Veggie%20Kebabs%20portrait.JPG" title="Veggie Kebabs" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Veggie Kebabs</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><div>1 – 2 ears corn, cut into 1½ inch wheels <br />1 red bell pepper, in 1-inch squares <br />1 orange bell pepper, cut in 1-inch squares <br />1 red onion, separated and cut in 1-inch squares <br />1 zucchini, cut into 1-inch cubes <br />6 (3-inch) Portobello caps, quartered <br />15 – 20 tiny 1-inch potatoes, or others, in 1-inch chunks <br />1 sweet potato, peeled, in 1½-inch cubes <br />2 cups fresh pineapple, in 1½-inch wedges <br /><br />MARINADE/SAUCE:<br /><div>1 teaspoon Kosher salt <br />1 tablespoon fresh chopped oregano <br />2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves <br />2 tablespoons olive oil <br />3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar <br />3 tablespoons Gourmet Garden Italian Herbs </div><div>(or see above <span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">👀</span>)</div><div>3 cloves garlic, smashed and minced <br /><br />Place the potatoes and sweet potato chunks into a small pot and cover with water. Bring to boil, adding 1 teaspoon salt to the water, and boil for about 10 minutes, or until they can just barely be pierced through. Drain and rinse under cold water and set aside to cool. <br /><br /> In a bowl, whisk together the Kosher salt, fresh oregano & thyme, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Italian Herbs paste and garlic. Whisk together and pour over all the vegetables in a large bowl. Toss to coat. Thread the vegetables onto skewers, keeping in mind, if using wooden skewers, they must be soaked for at least 30 minutes before using. When threading the corn, skewer it through the center of the “wheel.” Reserve the marinade aside.<br /><br /> Grill the skewers over a hot grill until they are browned in spots and tender. Brush them with some remaining marinade to serve. Or, remove the vegetables to a bowl to serve, pouring some of the remaining marinade over top.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>NOTE</b>: As a party idea, use small wooden skewers, well soaked ahead of time, and thread on just a small few veggies per skewer, Make extra marinade to have for guests to use as a dip or a pouring sauce when serving. As these do not have to be hot for serving, they can be made just slightly in advance, but do not make them so far ahead they need refrigerating, as this significantly changes the flavors.<br /><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><i style="background-color: white; color: #484848; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><span face="verdana, sans-serif"><i><span face="verdana, sans-serif"><i><span face="verdana, sans-serif"><i><span style="font-family: times, "times new roman", serif;">My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/aharmonyofflavors" style="color: #3979cd; text-decoration-line: none;">Facebook</a>, and <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/ahofpin/" style="color: #3979cd; text-decoration-line: none;">Pinterest</a>.</span></i></span></i></span></i></span></span></i></div></div>A Harmony of Flavorshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08850693486099419140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3525002274590687657.post-55053320597318285102022-07-08T10:28:00.002-07:002022-08-26T13:45:58.775-07:00Root Vegetables in all their Glory<p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I love root vegetables. From <a href="https://aharmonyofflavors.blogspot.com/2019/08/homely-vegetables-made-grand.html" target="_blank">beets</a> to <a href="https://aharmonyofflavors.blogspot.com/2015/04/dessert-bars-made-with-yuca-root.html" target="_blank">yucca</a> and everything in between. There hasn't been much in the root vegetable or tuber family that I don't like, so they feature in many of my favorite recipes. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Mixing <a href="https://aharmonyofflavors.blogspot.com/2019/09/dishes-perfect-for-fall.html" target="_blank">parsnips with potatoes for mashed potatoes</a> has been a habit of very long standing. <a href="https://aharmonyofflavors.blogspot.com/2014/04/two-quick-and-simple-potato-side-dishes.html" target="_blank">Oven fries</a> and <a href="https://aharmonyofflavors.blogspot.com/2014/03/spring-is-making-appearance.html" target="_blank">potato salads</a> make my husband particularly happy. Sweet potatoes, whether used in a "salad" application (like <a href="https://aharmonyofflavors.blogspot.com/2018/06/a-different-kind-of-potato-salad.html" target="_blank">Sweet Potato & Black Bean Salad</a>), baked in a <a href="https://aharmonyofflavors.blogspot.com/2014/11/side-dishes-for-thanksgiving-dinner.html" target="_blank">casserole</a> or made into <a href="https://aharmonyofflavors.blogspot.com/2014/07/using-zahtar-with-grilled-chicken.html" target="_blank">oven fries</a>, make me particularly happy.</span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrCzThw6uL7Mq2gW5bwGn5UuAQ9rHro4LtzXiayEro_XMcWBSOafkG2aGu09I81R2U25J8UzoxpV0aR-vsuXvWEmRcaVHXAOc5NJaVl-87WceESz3pyLotEZR96n5Iuw0MMSnwqyKAI5eK2f6cz6Yr6enCs1rDIPPKGMgA2f_0333-nCTXX_nPUnLorQ/s4032/IMG_7740.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="root vegetables, squash, side dish, Fall recipe" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrCzThw6uL7Mq2gW5bwGn5UuAQ9rHro4LtzXiayEro_XMcWBSOafkG2aGu09I81R2U25J8UzoxpV0aR-vsuXvWEmRcaVHXAOc5NJaVl-87WceESz3pyLotEZR96n5Iuw0MMSnwqyKAI5eK2f6cz6Yr6enCs1rDIPPKGMgA2f_0333-nCTXX_nPUnLorQ/w640-h480/IMG_7740.JPG" title="Oven Roasted Root Vegetables" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oven Roasted Root Vegetables</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">While we are just now coming into the full heat of summer and many people avoid heating their ovens, this recipe for Oven Roasted Root Vegetables (plus a couple of others thrown in 😉) should stay in your files for when Fall and cooler temps start moving in, because this is one fabulous recipe. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">When Fall does hit, squash of all kinds abound, and I love squash as much as most root vegetables. I cannot begin to say I have tried all the countless varieties of squash out there, though I can say with certainty that butternut is normally in my fridge, but come Fall, I wander into other types, like the Australian blue varieties such as Jarrahdale or Jamboree, or Hubbard, though I am not always able to find them, or acorn. So, I normally add some kind of squash to my root vegetables, just because of their similar dense texture and cooking times.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Speaking of cooking times, this will depend entirely on the size you cut your vegetables in preparation for baking. You might cut them into 1 to 1 1/2-inch cubes, or you might go with a much smaller cut. I made an extra tiny cube size for the topping for an appetizer recipe I made for my son's birthday (<a href="https://aharmonyofflavors.blogspot.com/2020/09/magnificent-appetizer-for-formal-dinner.html" target="_blank">Rosemary, Brie & Goat Cheese Tarts with Balsamic Roasted Root Vegetables</a>), so being an appetizer portion, the veggies were cut to about 1/4-inch cubes. For some reason I have the time listed for those tiny cubes as nearly the same as for larger ones, though my recollection was that it took about 30 to 35 minutes. If you have much larger, say 1 1/4-inch sized, it can take an hour or even a little more. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I like using shallots when making the vegetable mixture, but any kind of onion, red, white or yellow, will work just fine. Go with personal preference, or what is on hand. And another vegetable I use, again just because I like them, is green or red bell pepper - and which to use is up to the individual, or what is currently on hand. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Mix root vegetables for this recipe as you choose, but keep in mind that red beets will stain everything a pretty red color. An alternative if you like beets is to look for either golden beets or Chioggia beets. Yucca root is particularly hard, so should be cut a bit smaller than the other veggies, if using. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: georgia;">Oven Roasted Root Vegetables</span></h3>Serves about 6<div><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjznqChOaBF-Kfuvk2IxHMRLwdbH8WqG4nLD0qAJtOrY383WmFY1zdHLxw83ujNFWmva65dKVMZsrslJAaojivCTMrmh0BMFW5uzLTQEVRYwA36ktAw2yzkT4H1_pmxgUa3NHkNtZC1i5J_vXiD7VyeIpfZBlgHcDZJP68b5BKRC9SrzUsPOifGQ80zzQ/s4032/IMG_7730.JPG" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="root vegetables, squash, side dish, Fall recipe" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjznqChOaBF-Kfuvk2IxHMRLwdbH8WqG4nLD0qAJtOrY383WmFY1zdHLxw83ujNFWmva65dKVMZsrslJAaojivCTMrmh0BMFW5uzLTQEVRYwA36ktAw2yzkT4H1_pmxgUa3NHkNtZC1i5J_vXiD7VyeIpfZBlgHcDZJP68b5BKRC9SrzUsPOifGQ80zzQ/w300-h400/IMG_7730.JPG" title="Oven Roasted Root Vegetables" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oven Roasted Root Vegetables</td></tr></tbody></table>VEGETABLES: <br />2 cups (10 ounces) kabocha squash, or butternut <br />2 cups (8.5 ounces) shallots <br />2 cups (8.3 ounces) red bell peppers <br />1¾ cups (8 ounces) sweet potato <br />1 cup (5.5 ounces) carrots <br />1 cup 4.5 ounces) parsnip <br /><br />DRESSING: <br />½ cup Balsamic vinegar <br />¼ cup melted, unsalted butter <br />¼ cup olive oil <br />1 - 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves, or use a couple or three large whole sprigs <br />1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper <br />1 teaspoon salt <br />1½ teaspoons <a href="http://aharmonyofflavors.blogspot.com/2014/07/using-zahtar-with-grilled-chicken.html" target="_blank">Zah’tar</a>, optional <br />2 – 3 cloves garlic, minced <br /><br />VEGETABLES: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease or spray a 9 x 13-inch oven safe casserole and set aside. Peel and scoop out seeds from the squash and cut into ¾-inch cubes. Peel and cube the sweet potato, carrots and parsnip similarly. Cut ends from the shallots and slice into quarters, lengthwise. Clean seeds and membranes from the bell pepper and cut into squares. (Yes, the pepper is not a root vegetable, but it gives great flavor and color!) <br /><br />DRESSING: Whisk together all the dressing ingredients and pour over the prepared vegetables in a bowl. Toss well to coat the vegetables evenly. Pour the vegetables with the dressing into the prepared casserole dish and bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until the vegetables are easily pierced with the tip of a knife. <br /><br /> <br /><i style="background-color: white; color: #484848; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><span face="verdana, sans-serif"><i><span face="verdana, sans-serif"><i><span face="verdana, sans-serif"><i><span style="font-family: times, "times new roman", serif;">My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/aharmonyofflavors" style="color: #3979cd; text-decoration-line: none;">Facebook</a>, and <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/ahofpin/" style="color: #3979cd; text-decoration-line: none;">Pinterest</a>.</span></i></span></i></span></i></span></span></i></div>A Harmony of Flavorshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08850693486099419140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3525002274590687657.post-32892331586801684342022-07-07T10:01:00.004-07:002022-08-26T13:40:29.792-07:00This Meatloaf is not Just a Meatloaf<p><span style="font-family: verdana;">This meatloaf is excellently flavored - with Gorgonzola! Not just your everyday meatloaf, for sure. Diverse flavors all blended together become an intriguing and evocative combo.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Meatloaf has always been just "bleh" for me. I surely have never ordered it in a restaurant, as does my husband. Even worse, if it has had raw onion added in before baking. I love onions, but not raw. I prefer instead to caramelize onions before adding them to a meatloaf mixture, which, to me, provides a lot more depth of flavor. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_-ftZLxciuudQoepRhng1LtF8QCku5Qu_QM9_Nl3f2PeQihUZ8j20IgCLiCcUiVi_iHjzZqR0m60zMwa40Y9bRPpQ9Ys4uSTxjLZqzIvY1qKno0mkH-iP_Q-illZbb5P8Rrko5pZQ3OdSg4CqsUkjPKinlFhEeDGw8uL0yUEXhnEjNX6B5dr1ZspsxA/s3264/20170218_232734355_iOS.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="meatloaf, entree, Gorgonzola cheese," border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_-ftZLxciuudQoepRhng1LtF8QCku5Qu_QM9_Nl3f2PeQihUZ8j20IgCLiCcUiVi_iHjzZqR0m60zMwa40Y9bRPpQ9Ys4uSTxjLZqzIvY1qKno0mkH-iP_Q-illZbb5P8Rrko5pZQ3OdSg4CqsUkjPKinlFhEeDGw8uL0yUEXhnEjNX6B5dr1ZspsxA/w640-h480/20170218_232734355_iOS.jpg" title="Gorgonzola Meatloaf" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gorgonzola Meatloaf</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br />Trying out different flavor combinations, on the very occasional meatloaf, has been due to that need of mine to make things taste better. Especially if it is something I find so unappealing in general. I know there are many meatloaf lovers who will vehemently disagree with me, my own husband included. But if you want something a little different, then look no further. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">It also is not easy to take an enticing photo of meatloaf - of any sort. My photos leave much to be desired, I admit. You'll have to just go on my word here, that this is one truly delicious dinner item. When I made this originally, cherry preserves were mixed with ketchup to spread over the top. Currant jelly would work as well, though the jelly would have to be melted in order to mix with the ketchup. In looking back at this recipe, a new idea popped into my head. I never, ever, stop tweaking recipes, even my own. I rarely make a recipe the same way twice, even when it was fabulous the first time. I believe that when I make this for dinner tonight, I am going to add in some soaked and softened dried blueberries as well. 😁 That, and I am planning on using half ground beef and half ground turkey.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: georgia;">Gorgonzola Meatloaf</span></h3>Makes 2 meat loaves; serves about 6 to 8<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVLaOrTtoSzWbxDxEFy-Z2-DARaBGZ7hzfA1cR-KSqMtF9yC_iKDlX4aEFBeHTsuhiSmIKRcnDz26AtnzosoTZcjK_alatzsjbhY8lLafJcrfzbnRCkxZQHIrmntfKFooFV0GYzHi_5zwhyCZMQdQ6pooft0AzORJqWS4JxkRaAqWq9GEv7nrQ2L6DDA/s3264/20170218_232726836_iOS.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="meatloaf, Gorgonzola cheese, dinner idea, entrees" border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="2448" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVLaOrTtoSzWbxDxEFy-Z2-DARaBGZ7hzfA1cR-KSqMtF9yC_iKDlX4aEFBeHTsuhiSmIKRcnDz26AtnzosoTZcjK_alatzsjbhY8lLafJcrfzbnRCkxZQHIrmntfKFooFV0GYzHi_5zwhyCZMQdQ6pooft0AzORJqWS4JxkRaAqWq9GEv7nrQ2L6DDA/w300-h400/20170218_232726836_iOS.jpg" title="Gorgonzola Meatloaf" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gorgonzola Meatloaf</td></tr></tbody></table><br />2 pounds lean hamburger <br />1 cup applesauce<br /> ¼ cup A-1 Sauce®<br /> 2 teaspoons salt<br /> - freshly ground black pepper, to taste<br /> 4 cloves fresh garlic, minced<br /> 3 eggs, lightly beaten <br />¾ cup rolled oats <br />2.5 ounces Gorgonzola crumbles <br />½ cup ketchup <br />½ cup cherry preserves (or use melted red currant jelly)<br /><br />Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Have two 4 x 8-inch loaf pans sprayed with cooking spray; set aside. <br /><br />In a large bowl, thoroughly mix together all ingredients except the ketchup and preserves. Divide the mixture into two equal portions and pat them into the prepared loaf pans. <br /><br />Combine the ketchup and cherry preserves. Divide this mixture to spread over each of the meatloaves. Bake them for approximately 1 hour. Slice and serve.<div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: verdana;">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">UPDATE</span>: I did make this meatloaf the day I wrote this blog, and used the changes I noted above, namely using half ground chicken and half ground beef, and adding 4 (or 5) ounces of dried blueberries, which I soaked briefly (then drained before adding to the mix of ingredients) while I was getting the rest of the ingredients in the bowl to mix.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOQsgoA3d5c3doPo57P3WpVNahWxFsx-iaQMXtjldlfUbGhg5J22xXYpCSfYW1rJw5-xDM916d1s3LGNtwf7mftJ4OJ7YxsoSt1SITFPsqUkh10iJsl6vcuc8CS5oSUVedUwLGy8tB_yL8jGt1KkaICSESbkfPQZGIuobBHFgYgoNRKgTzDPIVXlJH1w/s1672/Revised%20Gorgonzola%20Meatloaf.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="meatloaf, Gorgonzola, dried blueberries, ground chicken" border="0" data-original-height="1254" data-original-width="1672" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOQsgoA3d5c3doPo57P3WpVNahWxFsx-iaQMXtjldlfUbGhg5J22xXYpCSfYW1rJw5-xDM916d1s3LGNtwf7mftJ4OJ7YxsoSt1SITFPsqUkh10iJsl6vcuc8CS5oSUVedUwLGy8tB_yL8jGt1KkaICSESbkfPQZGIuobBHFgYgoNRKgTzDPIVXlJH1w/w640-h480/Revised%20Gorgonzola%20Meatloaf.JPG" title="Revised Gorgonzola Meatloaf" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Revised Gorgonzola Meatloaf with half ground chicken and dried blueberries</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">There are many people who do not appreciate the addition of sweet into a savory application. Some consider their own meatloaf recipes canon, and any additions or subtractions near sacrilege. I understand. Truly. If however, you do love the occasional addition of the less common ingredient, then this was a fabulously flavored meatloaf. The original was great, and this just took a couple more steps upward in my humble opinion! </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">I mentioned at the beginning of this blog about onion in meatloaf. I did not use onion in this particular one, and had a question from a friend on that in Facebook. While I did not add onion in this recipe, if I were to do so, I would chop a medium onion and saute in oil until well caramelized before adding. <br /></span><br /><div><br /></div><div><i style="background-color: white; color: #484848; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><span face="verdana, sans-serif"><i><span face="verdana, sans-serif"><i><span face="verdana, sans-serif"><i><span style="font-family: times, "times new roman", serif;">My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/aharmonyofflavors" style="color: #3979cd; text-decoration-line: none;">Facebook</a>, and <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/ahofpin/" style="color: #3979cd; text-decoration-line: none;">Pinterest</a>.</span></i></span></i></span></i></span></span></i></div></div>A Harmony of Flavorshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08850693486099419140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3525002274590687657.post-16789955195532409942022-07-06T11:45:00.001-07:002022-08-26T13:38:04.121-07:00No Matter What You Call Them<p><span style="font-family: verdana;">When I first started my journey into Indian foods, it was a combination of being taken to an Indian Buffet or two, and then venturing into more as my cravings for those flavors expanded. That, along with the first cookbook I received, "<i>The Complete Asian Cookbook</i>" by Charmaine Solomon, with a section on Indian food, later followed by "<i>The Bombay Palace Cookbook</i>" by Stendahl. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">In each Indian Buffet I frequented, there were little lamb meatballs, obviously done on a grill or maybe in a tandoor oven, and definitely with a char-grilled flavor. Prominent enough to notice in these meatballs was the flavor of mint, other spices just making the whole so very delightfully flavored. I looked for these, when I found them, as they quickly became a favorite.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">But, what are they called? </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">That is something I never found out. </span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHqL16J4UR_xIWV5YAoUrEpXfVCBhNumCnWz2ayvPk1Rv6t6zSlFjJfnsVKn1DyVQ-1KJtMhzQHq-XPBEAoBPBylFynxZNs6zyalw2WLadRMBv8mWZU0prQNIx6zSk78w7_si-b2pzNLw10aL3CkESZbIF0wIha6wra1LYBlgiZvHvXKbIllb07-1Cuw/s1672/Lamb%20Kofta%20or%20Seekh%20Kebab.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="ground lamb, kebabs, grilling, Middle Eastern, Indian, ethnic" border="0" data-original-height="1254" data-original-width="1672" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHqL16J4UR_xIWV5YAoUrEpXfVCBhNumCnWz2ayvPk1Rv6t6zSlFjJfnsVKn1DyVQ-1KJtMhzQHq-XPBEAoBPBylFynxZNs6zyalw2WLadRMBv8mWZU0prQNIx6zSk78w7_si-b2pzNLw10aL3CkESZbIF0wIha6wra1LYBlgiZvHvXKbIllb07-1Cuw/w640-h480/Lamb%20Kofta%20or%20Seekh%20Kebab.JPG" title="Lamb Kofta or Lamb Seekh Kebabs" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;">Lamb Kofta or Lamb Seekh Kebabs</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Over the many, many years since those early days, I have learned a lot more about Indian cooking, recipes, flavors, flavors divided by areas of India, spices - oh! the spices! - and so very much more. But, I never did find a specific recipe for those little grilled lamb meatballs. On the buffets, they were always in a bin of their own. No sauce, maybe a sprinkling of fresh cilantro. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Much later, reading about Middle Eastern foods and such, while the flavors in general do not call me the way Indian foods do, there are a lot of great foods I have tried to date, and I also read about how much of the food of Persia and other Middle East countries filtered down into India, and in fact is how Naan bread came to be in northern Indian cuisine. </span></p><h4 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">And there I discovered Kofta. And then Seekh Kebabs.</span></h4><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Or Kefta, or Kafta, but however the spelling comes out, these are the very closest to the flavors I was looking for. I did a little tweaking, mainly adding in a little more fresh mint, but mostly in keeping with the flavors I recalled. Grilling (or broiling in a pinch) gives them that marvelous added layer of flavor. Obviously in a country that does not, in general, eat beef, if they even eat meat at all, lamb would be the red meat of choice. The closest to these little meatballs I have found in Indian cookbooks is called Seekh Kebab, usually the "seekh" referring to ground or minced meat (but not always!) and can be used for lamb, chicken or whatever meat is being used in the recipe. I have made <a href="https://aharmonyofflavors.blogspot.com/2016/07/indian-chicken-kebabs-are-real-hit.html" target="_blank">Seekh Kebabs</a> with chicken meat, and they are good, though I made them in a frypan. These type of kebab are usually formed into long sausage shapes around skewers, more often a flat skewer that helps keep the meat on while rotating on the grill. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Ultimately, no matter what you call them, these are the closest approximation to those wonderful little grilled meatballs on the Indian Buffets.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: georgia;">Lamb Kofta or Lamb Seekh Kebabs</span></h3><p><span style="font-family: times;">Makes about 6 to 8 servings</span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEICRxo86Emt5RvLXB87TszBo9hrJqjdp823Ot_9HXcj4o3O7t8iJTaI2GzpH41-geWWmpPXszl1DcxGGmmXsm1Zw--PzGqj4lsmIAYa2U8VlsOxjcWGGrcgL-1UJRLRM0_GYFSQ_rJhxGit3z0HD8kErPRZCkd7CHnJeHTfG_3g1dxAh9WCKzZ6EpKQ/s4032/IMG_0635.JPG" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="ground lamb, meatball, kebab, grilling, Middle Eastern, Indian, ethnic" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEICRxo86Emt5RvLXB87TszBo9hrJqjdp823Ot_9HXcj4o3O7t8iJTaI2GzpH41-geWWmpPXszl1DcxGGmmXsm1Zw--PzGqj4lsmIAYa2U8VlsOxjcWGGrcgL-1UJRLRM0_GYFSQ_rJhxGit3z0HD8kErPRZCkd7CHnJeHTfG_3g1dxAh9WCKzZ6EpKQ/w300-h400/IMG_0635.JPG" title="Lamb Kofta or Lamb Seekh Kebabs" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lamb Kofta or Lamb Seekh Kebabs</td></tr></tbody></table>2 pounds ground lamb, or substitute beef or go half and half<br />1 medium potato, baked, cooled, peeled, riced<div>2 shallots, minced finely <br />3 large cloves garlic, minced finely <br />½ cup fresh parsley, minced finely <br />½ cup fresh mint, minced finely <br />¼ cup fresh cilantro, finely minced <br />1½ teaspoons salt <br />1 teaspoon ground sumac, optional <br />½ teaspoon ground cinnamon <br />½ teaspoon ground allspice <br />½ teaspoon ground cumin <br />½ teaspoon ground cardamom <br />½ teaspoon ground black pepper <br />- Pinch ground cloves</div><div> <br />To be more authentic, finely mince the meats, or briefly pulse them in the food processor. It should not be paste, but much finer than ground meat.<br /><br />Combine all the ingredients and mix well with clean hands to distribute all the spices evenly. Form the mixture into elongated meatball shapes on pre-soaked bamboo skewers or on metal skewers. Another method is to form the meat into a single-thickness hot-dog shape, evenly along the length of the skewer. To bake the kofta, preheat oven to 425 degrees. Set the skewers on a broiler rack or other rack over a rimmed baking sheet and bake the kofta for 20 to 25 minutes. Thinner meat formed along the length of the skewer will be done in a much shorter time. If grilling, grill as for burgers, turning as needed for even browning. Serve with tzatziki or hummus and flatbreads with a side salad for an amazing meal.<div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><i style="background-color: white; color: #484848; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><span face="verdana, sans-serif"><i><span face="verdana, sans-serif"><i><span face="verdana, sans-serif"><i><span style="font-family: times, "times new roman", serif;">My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/aharmonyofflavors" style="color: #3979cd; text-decoration-line: none;">Facebook</a>, and <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/ahofpin/" style="color: #3979cd; text-decoration-line: none;">Pinterest</a>.</span></i></span></i></span></i></span></span></i></div></div>A Harmony of Flavorshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08850693486099419140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3525002274590687657.post-82608906594829442152022-07-05T13:15:00.001-07:002022-08-26T12:06:27.512-07:00Easy Whole Wheat Bread for Beginners<p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I just love it when someone who knows nothing about bread making asks if I can show them how. This happened with a friend of ours a couple years ago. He had never made bread dough, to my knowledge. He certainly had never kneaded bread dough. He does like most of my heavier, denser loaves, enjoying whole grains. He loves beer. And so I set myself the task of creating a recipe he could make for himself.</span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMuaezMr_Rdxg3jR-DWWfcX0k8R5D6uXbTAJzxcyPvhrlmPuB0zfUIPyrSEtERi3vWUawe90qWDdsIFF6rR2PtsZlJRaM_63p4SgFVQmm98zRToFrau3WwyKIXm-06jgtJB6gHzLBgZvTDfbokXELyr58aHWUsSrnW22JQVCgNWBXyXu0-nrsz70kgQA/s1672/Whole%20Wheat%20&%20Ale%20Bread%20whole%20loaf.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="whole wheat, bread, baking with whole wheat" border="0" data-original-height="1254" data-original-width="1672" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMuaezMr_Rdxg3jR-DWWfcX0k8R5D6uXbTAJzxcyPvhrlmPuB0zfUIPyrSEtERi3vWUawe90qWDdsIFF6rR2PtsZlJRaM_63p4SgFVQmm98zRToFrau3WwyKIXm-06jgtJB6gHzLBgZvTDfbokXELyr58aHWUsSrnW22JQVCgNWBXyXu0-nrsz70kgQA/w640-h480/Whole%20Wheat%20&%20Ale%20Bread%20whole%20loaf.JPG" title="Whole Wheat & Ale Bread" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Whole Wheat & Ale Bread</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p></p><h4 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Whole Wheat?</span></h4><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAqvyi0Ovm9rwqUfydGUh_Wa7pWbzwZpv81ySk7ocodJAHNx9Co-LiafWVPOVw153Qm_XOO4Ley-bn7by8nBE0kTJDOl7yVtUjpkyOECejmPYzwZnUQEHy-nGnVXtsxqVHYSbKcBbspkN6t8i63--gMdAU33mX9iNBMBTymBQk1HmZQ3LI0CtMMqsZuA/s2151/Whole%20Wheat%20Grain.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2151" data-original-width="1376" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAqvyi0Ovm9rwqUfydGUh_Wa7pWbzwZpv81ySk7ocodJAHNx9Co-LiafWVPOVw153Qm_XOO4Ley-bn7by8nBE0kTJDOl7yVtUjpkyOECejmPYzwZnUQEHy-nGnVXtsxqVHYSbKcBbspkN6t8i63--gMdAU33mX9iNBMBTymBQk1HmZQ3LI0CtMMqsZuA/s320/Whole%20Wheat%20Grain.jpg" width="205" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;">I explained to him my ideas on buying whole wheat flour from the grocery, mainly, DON'T. My main gripe about whole wheat bread, long ago when I first started trying whole grain breads out, was that they just tasted blah. Later on, after reading Peter Reinhart's books I realized that those grains need some coaxing to extract flavor. That, but even more importantly, I learned about the way "whole wheat flour" is created. And I do mean created. No grocery-store-bought whole wheat flour is anything but a construct, made by taking the white flour, and adding back in enough of the bran to approximate "whole wheat," and this may vary by brand. No wonder it tastes so different when you grind your own wheat berries! There is no dividing up the white endosperm (the starchy part used for white flour) from the bran (the outer coating and source of fiber) and the germ (the food source for the grain when sprouting, and source of many B-vitamins, some protein, minerals and healthy fats).</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">The reason for this dividing up of the grain parts is of course, getting the white refined starch we call white flour, a process that has now removed about a quarter of the protein and greatly reducing at least 17 key nutrients. What is left is a mere shadow of the original grain. To "rectify" this situation, white flour is "enriched," a process whereby some few nutrients are added to the flour, but certainly not in the proportions, nor the way, in which nature originally provided. Another reason for this division is that the germ, containing so very much goodness, also tends to go rancid very easily, so removing it means the resultant (mostly worthless) white flour is able to stay in warehouses and on grocery shelves much, much longer. And of course, removing the bran is removing the fiber we so need in our diets. (Facts gleaned from <a href="https://wholegrainscouncil.org/what-whole-grain" target="_blank">The Whole Grains Council.org</a>)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Enough of the lesson!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Suffice to say that once I started grinding my own grain, whether slowly and tortuously with my Kitchen Aid grinder attachment long ago, or very quickly with my Whisper Mill, the flavors began to truly stand out. This is due to having the whole grain, bran, germ and endosperm, all ground together, yielding far superior flavor. There are other ways of extracting flavor, but just this step makes it worthwhile. I told our friend to look for a place that he could take whole wheat grains and have them ground, as is, for him to use.</span></p><h4 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Other Considerations</span></h4><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">When making whole grain breads, keep in mind that the whole grain, ground together, yield a substantial amount of things to prevent a good rise. Those very things that make whole grain breads heavy and dense, namely the bran and germ. These have no gluten proteins and cannot help with the rise and stretchiness of the dough. The bran, in fact, can actually cut the gluten strands, furthering this problem. Any bread that is labeled "whole grain" must have some token amount of whole grain in it. However, no true whole grain, or even mostly whole grain, bread will ever be light and fluffy. Can't happen. While I am not a wholehearted proponent of plain white bread (I never, ever buy plain white bread, but only bake my own when needed), some white bread flour in a whole grain recipe can help give a little rise you may not get otherwise. In my recipe below, I have 3 parts whole grain to one part white flour, for just a little lift. </span></p><h4 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Kneading</span></h4><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Kneading is an individually learned process. I don't believe any two people perform this process quite the same. The goal is to manipulate the dough, forcefully enough for proper mixing, long enough to develop such gluten as is possible to coax into being. (This does <u>not</u> apply to rye breads - that is another article entirely.) Often, at the beginning of kneading, the tendency for a new bread maker is to add more and more flour, because at the beginning the dough can be quite sticky. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Avoid this if at all possible. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">The more flour that goes into the dough, the denser and dryer the loaf will be. Add any flour judiciously, and do your best to deal with the sticky hands. The dough eventually will become more pliable and less sticky, the closer to "windowpane" you get. In Peter Reinhart's books, he describes the proper feel as "tacky, but not sticky." If you have a metal "bench scraper" this can help with scraping the dough up from your counter or kneading surface so kneading can continue. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizSQjJfmFOK6QDwm5IIHP8PJlpTg1Dxx5FVjE48Sy8LLSltFsQqFGjguTCwUhhVrkNK3IO9j4hdca8dEpClLxlD4Ts_JeSY4MYk_uzpfzYZz62FO8Wa60HNn4v_xlQUEjjRH3pc0goNyMD8fwIOy58l3Y1zPxYE8-swm9ZZPlgD0arNVfkjNIbvg7RJw/s3308/Windowpane.JPG" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="bread making, kneading, windowpane stage" border="0" data-original-height="3308" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizSQjJfmFOK6QDwm5IIHP8PJlpTg1Dxx5FVjE48Sy8LLSltFsQqFGjguTCwUhhVrkNK3IO9j4hdca8dEpClLxlD4Ts_JeSY4MYk_uzpfzYZz62FO8Wa60HNn4v_xlQUEjjRH3pc0goNyMD8fwIOy58l3Y1zPxYE8-swm9ZZPlgD0arNVfkjNIbvg7RJw/w293-h320/Windowpane.JPG" title="Windowpane" width="293" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Windowpane</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br />One way I have worked with in a lot of breads is spraying my granite countertop (often my hands as well) with spray oil and kneading on this oily surface. If more is needed occasionally, at least I am not making the dough more dense. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Windowpane can be reached in 10 to 20 minutes of kneading depending on the strength of your arms and the amount of manipulation. Press, roll, fold, stretch, turn; move and manipulate the dough constantly, to knead. Windowpane means being able to pick up a smallish piece of the dough, then stretching it between two hands until you can see light showing through the dough, but without tearing. And happy baking!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: georgia;">Whole Wheat & Ale Bread</span></h3><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>Makes 1 round loaf</i></span><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinzt08aVD-duWltng1jCPDJ5gn9o_CMqYyxvGr4of3s0VVeUJyP6q76d__oaWAy6-Ac1MVbJJX79tdiR7PUK6nSfHafIuFwVeMe3NUgW-k7FXfAcUDGI2DsiLMw0YNwUwEkm30Gpa4gLcfB_4lsFWR4_5F5XU378mYwtNx_os4jCShhFttxgwtSdyhJw/s1672/Whole%20Wheat%20&%20Ale%20Bread.JPG" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="whole wheat, making bread, how to knead" border="0" data-original-height="1672" data-original-width="1254" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinzt08aVD-duWltng1jCPDJ5gn9o_CMqYyxvGr4of3s0VVeUJyP6q76d__oaWAy6-Ac1MVbJJX79tdiR7PUK6nSfHafIuFwVeMe3NUgW-k7FXfAcUDGI2DsiLMw0YNwUwEkm30Gpa4gLcfB_4lsFWR4_5F5XU378mYwtNx_os4jCShhFttxgwtSdyhJw/w300-h400/Whole%20Wheat%20&%20Ale%20Bread.JPG" title="Whole Wheat & Ale Bread" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Whole Wheat & Ale Bread</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>3 cups <2 tablespoons whole wheat flour (1¾ cup whole wheat berries, ground)<br />1 cup + 2 tablespoons white bread flour, plus some for dusting<br />2 teaspoons salt<br />1 packet (2½ teaspoons) instant rise/rapid rise yeast<br />3 tablespoons molasses<br />2/3 cup cool water<br />¾ cup < 2 tablespoons strong-flavored ale (or use all water)<br /><br />In a large bowl, combine the two flours, adding the salt to one side of the bowl and the yeast to the opposite side of the bowl. Mix the water, ale and molasses together and pour into the flour mixture. Begin mixing with hands or a wooden spoon until the mixture comes together as a mass. Oil a clean, smooth surface and turn the dough out onto the surface and knead for 12 to 15 minutes, or until it passes the windowpane test.<br /><br />Grease a clean bowl and place the dough into the bowl, turning once to grease both sides. Cover with a towel or with plastic wrap and set aside to proof until doubled. This can take up to 4 hours but begin checking at 2 hours. When a finger is pressed into the surface of the dough, it should still spring back slightly. If the finger leaves a deep indent, it has proofed too much, so keep an eye out. <br /><br />Once dough is risen, turn dough out onto a lightly flour the work surface. Gently fold and turn the dough to degas. Flatten the dough into a rough rectangle. Press corners into the center, then again press the new “corners” into the center. Turn the dough over and firm the rounded ball by pressing, dragging and turning the dough until the surface is very taught. Set the loaf onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap and set to rise until doubled. It is ready when the dough still springs back when gently pressing a finger into it.<br /><br />Have oven preheated to 425 degrees. Place bread onto a rack near the center of the oven and bake 25 minutes. Lower the oven temperature to 400 degrees and bake a further 10 minutes, until the loaf is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom. Transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool completely before cutting.</i></span><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i><br /></i></span><div><br /></div><div><i style="background-color: white; color: #484848; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><span face="verdana, sans-serif"><i><span face="verdana, sans-serif"><i><span face="verdana, sans-serif"><i><span style="font-family: times, "times new roman", serif;">My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/aharmonyofflavors" style="color: #3979cd; text-decoration-line: none;">Facebook</a>, and <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/ahofpin/" style="color: #3979cd; text-decoration-line: none;">Pinterest</a>.</span></i></span></i></span></i></span></span></i></div></div>A Harmony of Flavorshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08850693486099419140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3525002274590687657.post-24359225232908848052022-07-04T10:56:00.001-07:002022-08-26T11:58:21.141-07:00What to do with Extra Beets<p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Make a cake, that's what!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I had someone give me a large paper sack full of red beets one time. I love beets. I canned some of them. I baked some of them, in <a href="https://aharmonyofflavors.blogspot.com/2019/08/homely-vegetables-made-grand.html" target="_blank">Lemon Garlic Beets</a>, I put them in salads, made <a href="https://aharmonyofflavors.blogspot.com/2019/09/dishes-perfect-for-fall.html" target="_blank">Root Vegetable and Greens Soup</a>, and I still had some beets leftover. Someone suggested a <a href="https://aharmonyofflavors.blogspot.com/2014/08/chocolate-beet-cake-revised.html" target="_blank">Chocolate Beet Cake</a>. I said, "<i>What???" I'd never heard of such a thing in all my nearly 70 years (at that time) of life!</i>" But as I Googled, I found many recipes for Chocolate Beet Cake out there, so color me shocked!</span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6mYbSLQCnn-K79IGhr-jP84Mat8-9oFY_NYgS5PaJ1S_WabupdJaFrk2PybcKdAGJjPtFqlTjMylnVRCIIJGoN9-eTCtrsU_UZlwl_0hIoT8gMsJ9Nn6y8rPiL51ToapterIEWw2Z2vTybh_SCJSz79kiuI97FCZ6PqL4YJTtRoB_l5lOgw15tQcW9Q/s3264/IMG_3949.JPG" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="red beets, chocolate, cake, dessert, cakes" border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="2448" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6mYbSLQCnn-K79IGhr-jP84Mat8-9oFY_NYgS5PaJ1S_WabupdJaFrk2PybcKdAGJjPtFqlTjMylnVRCIIJGoN9-eTCtrsU_UZlwl_0hIoT8gMsJ9Nn6y8rPiL51ToapterIEWw2Z2vTybh_SCJSz79kiuI97FCZ6PqL4YJTtRoB_l5lOgw15tQcW9Q/w240-h320/IMG_3949.JPG" title="Chocolate Beet Cake" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chocolate Beet Cake</td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Okay, all that is well and good, but I am not personally over fond of chocolate. Chocolate cakes (I eat them occasionally, not at all often) or chocolate ice cream (I <u>really</u> dislike chocolate ice cream), um, no thank you. I wondered, "<i>Is there a cake made with beets that does not include chocolate?</i>"</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">At the time I created this cake, and searching for recipes in existence, the pickings were mighty slim. Most cakes made with beets, and this still holds true, having done a cursory search just now, have chocolate as an ingredient. As an observation, when I did make the Chocolate Beet Cake originally, the batter was a lovely dark red. Once baked, however, the color was just simply that of a chocolate cake - no particular red color left as "evidence," making it something my husband, a confirmed beet-hater, truly enjoyed.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">And so, I hoped this would hold true if I made a cake without the chocolate to hide the evidence of beets as an ingredient. My thought process was to go with a spice cake. We both love spice cakes, my <a href="https://aharmonyofflavors.blogspot.com/2016/07/an-old-cake-recipe-to-love.html" target="_blank">Prune Spice Cake</a> being one in particular I have made fairly often. The prunes give it a bit more depth of color, but a spice cake on its own is still darker than any white or yellow cake. I proceeded with the idea of a Beet Spice Cake. </span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipoQ1uxQYWNfx7bSwNmcF7vR4WTplX7t6livJVR5KcsSS0FbjAzzef-BXcFdADQ92JTTA4FYlkbNLISuwbEy4XLBQIgYbQuMCGG-eLRNg74vGXHOJ6o50nJMBFL52kH9D8wc1m9Bpr9WY1zdLQpdEQRr4DSfBuXHkFXlnFoIwiNbnEb81-zqCMu0xj5g/s3663/IMG_1364.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="pureed red beets, cake, spice cake, dessert" border="0" data-original-height="2793" data-original-width="3663" height="488" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipoQ1uxQYWNfx7bSwNmcF7vR4WTplX7t6livJVR5KcsSS0FbjAzzef-BXcFdADQ92JTTA4FYlkbNLISuwbEy4XLBQIgYbQuMCGG-eLRNg74vGXHOJ6o50nJMBFL52kH9D8wc1m9Bpr9WY1zdLQpdEQRr4DSfBuXHkFXlnFoIwiNbnEb81-zqCMu0xj5g/w640-h488/IMG_1364.JPG" title="Beet Spice sheet Cake" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beet Spice Sheet Cake</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">My instinct payed off; there was absolutely no evidence of pinkness in the final cake. Looking back at the recipe (I never stop tweaking, even with my own recipes!), I used some of my <a href="https://aharmonyofflavors.blogspot.com/2014/08/mocha-spice-blend-and-cookies.html" target="_blank">Mocha Spice Blend II</a>, but that gave me the idea of maybe just adding in some instant expresso powder, maybe 1 to 3 teaspoons, depending on how much you love coffee flavor! If a fine powder, this can be added with dry ingredients. If it is in crystal form, then mixed with a tablespoon of water to melt first and added with the eggs and oil would work. </span></p><p></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i><br /></i></span><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: georgia;">Beet Spice Sheet Cake</span></h3><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i><br />Makes one 18 x 24-inch sheet cake, or one 8 or 9-inch round, two-layer cake</i></span><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i><br />1 cup pureed, cooked beets (about 3 medium beets)</i></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv5tLjsAvlEwDkLdx4iQz8rW1fTti65_5uDh_26BuOmUVZ3YFgDgpqDJsC_kOt64wflhnVhbLyNW3mMrHr0ewA5QVA4wuxbXPFKT9RfzmXKkBfUUaOb5mpVpBDVVd_GrkiX61wxsu_-bDi9xV27o6nsaPTP9aGOGqItVNIWOXpkGb5RALGDOwV8AxieQ/s3067/IMG_1362.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="beets, cake, spice cake, no chocolate" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv5tLjsAvlEwDkLdx4iQz8rW1fTti65_5uDh_26BuOmUVZ3YFgDgpqDJsC_kOt64wflhnVhbLyNW3mMrHr0ewA5QVA4wuxbXPFKT9RfzmXKkBfUUaOb5mpVpBDVVd_GrkiX61wxsu_-bDi9xV27o6nsaPTP9aGOGqItVNIWOXpkGb5RALGDOwV8AxieQ/w316-h320/IMG_1362.JPG" title="Beet Spice Sheet Cake" width="316" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: georgia; text-align: start;">Beet Spice Sheet Cake</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>2 cups all-purpose flour<br />2 teaspoons baking powder <br />1 teaspoon baking soda <br />1 teaspoon salt <br />2 teaspoons allspice<br />2 teaspoons <a href="http://aharmonyofflavors.blogspot.com/2014/08/mocha-spice-blend-and-cookies.html" target="_blank">Mocha Spice</a>, optional (or substitute your favorite <a href="https://aharmonyofflavors.blogspot.com/2013/10/another-weekend-another-pheasant-and.html" target="_blank">Pumpkin Pie Spice Mix)</a><br />1 cup vegetable oil<br />4 large eggs<br />¾ cup granulated sugar<br />¾ cup brown sugar<br />1½ teaspoons vanilla extract<br />¾ cup ground pecans or walnuts<br /><br />Boil the whole beets in water to cover for 45 minutes to an hour, until easily pierced with a fork. Cool completely. This can be done a day earlier. Peel the beets and puree finely in a food processor, food mill, or on a small holed grater.<br /><br />Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease or spray with cooking spray a sheet pan (about 18 x 24-inches, with a rim at least ½-inch high). Line the pan bottom with parchment and spray again with cooking spray. Set aside.<br /><br /> In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, allspice and Mocha Spice blend. Separately, whisk together the vegetable oil, eggs, both sugars and vanilla extract. Pour the liquid ingredients into the bowl of dry ingredients and stir well until all the dry ingredients are moistened, then fold in the ground nuts. Pour the batter into the prepared sheet pan and spread batter evenly. Bake the cake for about 13 to 15 minutes, or until a tester inserted in the center comes out mostly clean.</i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i><br /></i></span><div><br /></div><div><i style="background-color: white; color: #484848; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><span face="verdana, sans-serif"><i><span face="verdana, sans-serif"><i><span face="verdana, sans-serif"><i><span style="font-family: times, "times new roman", serif;">My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/aharmonyofflavors" style="color: #3979cd; text-decoration-line: none;">Facebook</a>, and <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/ahofpin/" style="color: #3979cd; text-decoration-line: none;">Pinterest</a>.</span></i></span></i></span></i></span></span></i></div></div>A Harmony of Flavorshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08850693486099419140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3525002274590687657.post-90579390889046878962022-07-02T11:08:00.001-07:002022-08-26T11:51:40.605-07:00Revisiting Some Recipes<p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Around the time COVID began, I had a lot of changes occur in my life, things were upside down for a time, and then COVID just continued to mess with our lives. And in all of that, I just lost the desire to invent new recipes, hence the very few recipes in my blog since 2019, and the Newsletter just didn't hold an iota of interest. It is now nearly three years since I posted a Newsletter, so I am allowing it to lapse.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">However, there were some really good recipes that had been available only through the Newsletter. I had links to most of them in the Index portion of this blog site, but now that the link to those recipes will expire along with the newsletter, I deleted the links to those recipes, and will hopefully get the majority added back in, as I post them here in this blog. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8e9TGDdmkM2CmDUltQ639kqYKp9dzkO5yPMWiVODGWvhNz1xkE30lUWFhVjlBrdhKZKfBOUStZd6tnU4yGGaePHQGxZEdIzFFoYyesPLnFs3KgA_auDwx0lhrK3IozeJ56tBB66JLG_0x2cBFLWebwTnKNcDyMRAYF7a8MTYArHkPQ2Kna7Tw49N-5g/s4032/IMG_8995.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="savory tarts, goat cheese, dried figs, preserved lemon" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8e9TGDdmkM2CmDUltQ639kqYKp9dzkO5yPMWiVODGWvhNz1xkE30lUWFhVjlBrdhKZKfBOUStZd6tnU4yGGaePHQGxZEdIzFFoYyesPLnFs3KgA_auDwx0lhrK3IozeJ56tBB66JLG_0x2cBFLWebwTnKNcDyMRAYF7a8MTYArHkPQ2Kna7Tw49N-5g/w640-h480/IMG_8995.JPG" title="Goat Cheese Tarts with Fig and Preserved Lemon Jam" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Goat Cheese Tarts with Fig and Preserved Lemon Jam</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br />The following recipe was a remake of an older recipe, with a new twist or two, and they were so stupendously good, I have to assure that the recipe stays available! These are little bite (or two) sized appetizers I created to pair with a sampling of white wines at a wine tasting evening. If memory serves, they paired best with a Chardonnay. I realize "Chardonnay" is rather generic for the many and varied iterations of that grape, but a nice, buttery type is the best.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I have long had a medium sized, marble mortar and pestle set, and in casting around for something to simplify the forming of tart shells in my mini tart pans, I thought of the pestle. Being marble, it is therefore good for use with pastry dough. I found that making small balls of the dough and setting them in the wells of the pan, the thicker end of the pestle can be used to do the broad stroke of making the dough into a relative "bowl" shape in each little well. Flipping the pestle and using the narrow end, it is perfect for pressing the dough against the sides of the little wells and up to the top edges. Necessity: the Mother of Invention.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQHCnPFPVnu1Hd7Zdf86f-Caqn1xtRxnMbscTasTV7qojlw3SS4yFMS6yLRoVnV4Ary7no80t1NZWvPiy2LirzM2aHi_FQE3Xs6h7VP5jQK-MmLIfkHFFUNz9gsqZmWAqrlY_rd_txN2rZPtDs1_SACyMucVHF8yZbTfIkc4_X9BjhCt9rb4DFj6_jmA/s3731/IMG_8975.JPG" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="preserved lemons, condiment, pickle" border="0" data-original-height="3731" data-original-width="2798" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQHCnPFPVnu1Hd7Zdf86f-Caqn1xtRxnMbscTasTV7qojlw3SS4yFMS6yLRoVnV4Ary7no80t1NZWvPiy2LirzM2aHi_FQE3Xs6h7VP5jQK-MmLIfkHFFUNz9gsqZmWAqrlY_rd_txN2rZPtDs1_SACyMucVHF8yZbTfIkc4_X9BjhCt9rb4DFj6_jmA/w240-h320/IMG_8975.JPG" title="Preserved Lemons" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Preserved Lemons</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: georgia;">Preserved Lemons</span></h3><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Preserved Lemon is an item that most will not have on hand, unless you are a Middle Eastern, Mediterranean or northern African maybe. I have long been acquainted with the taste of preserved lemon, though I hadn't ever seen them sold anywhere in most of my middle-America travels. Recently though, I spotted Preserved Lemons in a jar on the grocery shelf in southeast Arizona! Imagine my surprise. To make preserved lemons, you need a (preferably sterilized) large-ish glass jar with lid, nice, unblemished and well-scrubbed lemons to press into the jar and sea salt or Kosher salt. Extra lemon juice to top off. Cut halfway into each lemon from one pointed end. Cut into the opposite ends in a crosswise manner, as shown. (Or, simply make two criss-crossing cuts down to <u>near</u> the bottoms of the lemons, but not all the way through.)</span></p><p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE1e5PAMKkrVrvpXEXhKsv9Ya0AFgNHgfgKaCdRikm4qLiSHumqxwg9asE0orZiZ5Pgppj_7Pb865ZDYesbo2e0oR5KZSpvnXSoG3fKn6o4SEbjHvWQbB-pAPyAt3YIV1BPbukCiHvQ4u0aVtZ9UFoms1vjbciHTL0Hicf2KZFub87JicPllgIIsdUWg/s1138/Cutting%20Lemons%20for%20Preserved%20Lemon.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="lemons, preserved lemons, salt, Kosher salt, lemon juice" border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="1138" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE1e5PAMKkrVrvpXEXhKsv9Ya0AFgNHgfgKaCdRikm4qLiSHumqxwg9asE0orZiZ5Pgppj_7Pb865ZDYesbo2e0oR5KZSpvnXSoG3fKn6o4SEbjHvWQbB-pAPyAt3YIV1BPbukCiHvQ4u0aVtZ9UFoms1vjbciHTL0Hicf2KZFub87JicPllgIIsdUWg/w320-h197/Cutting%20Lemons%20for%20Preserved%20Lemon.jpg" title="Making cuts for Preserved Lemons" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Making cuts for preserved lemons</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: verdana;">Now, using plenty of salt. pack salt into the cut parts of the lemons, using as much as can possibly be pressed into them. Press these lemons into the clean, prepared jar, packing in tightly so a lot of their juice is pressed out into the jar. Once the jar is filled, or you've used all the lemons that fit, using fresh lemon juice, make sure the lemons are covered with the juice. Cover and let set on the counter for about 3 days, then in the refrigerator for at least 3 weeks more.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">To use the preserved lemons, the rinds should be completely softened, when they are ready. Cut or tear off as much as you might need (a quarter lemon, half) and separate the inner flesh and discard. Wash the rind before using. It can be added to salads, fish dishes, or giving a great flavor to something like this Fig Jam, below! <br /><br /></span></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: georgia;">Goat Cheese & Prosciutto Tarts with Fig & Preserved Lemon Jam</span></h3><p></p><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>Makes 35 mini tartlets</i></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtoCFi-EVCvXEJ_P0SMfASI_F2ArtgKiAyV-afUGF4-UyHZZbJGi6lqAMwJ3OvOBr7F2IFPSHiGLrXHQQBWxykXgaezmPDPFFiZ3muyJEaB3C5OcJc62O14_WbJtlRHRv8voYth5x2zdJcua2QlnK6mpNSQ5Alov6L5KKAS8cZD9I4uAYmNKsLhkkDHQ/s4032/IMG_8992.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i><img alt="mini tarts, goat cheese, preserved lemon" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtoCFi-EVCvXEJ_P0SMfASI_F2ArtgKiAyV-afUGF4-UyHZZbJGi6lqAMwJ3OvOBr7F2IFPSHiGLrXHQQBWxykXgaezmPDPFFiZ3muyJEaB3C5OcJc62O14_WbJtlRHRv8voYth5x2zdJcua2QlnK6mpNSQ5Alov6L5KKAS8cZD9I4uAYmNKsLhkkDHQ/w300-h400/IMG_8992.JPG" title="Goat Cheese Tartlets with Fig & Preserved Lemon Jam" width="300" /></i></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i><span style="text-align: start;">Goat Cheese Tartlets</span><br style="text-align: start;" /><span style="text-align: start;">with Fig & Preserved Lemon Jam</span></i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i><br /><br />TART SHELLS:<br />½ cup finely ground pistachios <br />1 cup all-purpose flour <br />1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper <br />¼ cup cold unsalted butter <br />4 ounces regular cream cheese <br /><br />FILLING: <br />6 ounces goat cheese (Chevre or Montrachet) <br />½ cup heavy cream <br />2 large eggs <br />2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, stripped from stems <br />½ teaspoon finely ground white pepper <br />1 pinch salt <br />3 ounces prosciutto, minced finely <br /><br />FIG & PRESERVED LEMON JAM: <br />1 tablespoon unsalted butter <br />2 large shallots, cut in half and sliced <br />8 dried white figs (135 grams), cut in small pieces <br />½ cup white wine <br />2 tablespoons honey <br />3 tablespoons finely minced preserved lemon, rind only <br />1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, stripped from stems<br /><br />TART SHELLS: Grind pistachios finely in a spice grinder or food processor. Place the ground pistachios in the bowl of food processor along with the flour and pepper. Pulse briefly to stir. Cut the cold butter and cream cheese into small cubes and add to the processor. Pulse about 20 times, then turn on to process until the mixture comes together. Turn out and form small balls about 1-inch in diameter or slightly less (10 grams apiece). You should have 35 balls. Set the balls of dough into the wells of mini tart pans. Press dough into the wells and up the sides, then freeze. Once frozen, these can keep, well covered, for up to 2 weeks if needed to do ahead.</i></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE_nlvgBryMbGk1hlGAiS7Gv9jNcBWdbT1QLhVQaPVdbyKoeKKiYZO3bd2XkA9tYFqskYz8liAG15A5dz9hFwIr74yLWk9JY3FPA4Zapf4xk-ebQpB1RfpYmBIlTe-3zYTzVwL3h-TsXlRaa8yQK1OlT8qqIypKsfwGhh3DGE5aA0SvzD2Y8jJ5DGlxw/s2162/Making%20shells%20and%20filling.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img alt="how to form tart shells, prosciutto, cheese filling" border="0" data-original-height="737" data-original-width="2162" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE_nlvgBryMbGk1hlGAiS7Gv9jNcBWdbT1QLhVQaPVdbyKoeKKiYZO3bd2XkA9tYFqskYz8liAG15A5dz9hFwIr74yLWk9JY3FPA4Zapf4xk-ebQpB1RfpYmBIlTe-3zYTzVwL3h-TsXlRaa8yQK1OlT8qqIypKsfwGhh3DGE5aA0SvzD2Y8jJ5DGlxw/w640-h218/Making%20shells%20and%20filling.jpg" title="Making tart Shells, adding chopped prosciutto and cheese filling" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Making tart Shells, adding chopped prosciutto and cheese filling</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i><br />FILLING: Place the goat cheese into a bowl. Using a hand mixer, beat until the cheese is relatively smooth, then add all the remaining filling ingredients except the prosciutto and beat until the mixture is smooth. This mixture can be kept in the fridge for up to 3 days, well covered, if needed to make in advance. When ready to make the tarts, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove the tart shells from the freezer and divide the minced prosciutto between the tart shells. Pour 1 to 1¼ teaspoons of the goat cheese filling over top of the prosciutto in the shells. Rap the pans a few times sharply on the counter to distribute the filling down around the prosciutto. Bake the tarts for 12 to 14 minutes, or until the filling is set and the shell is golden. Cool and remove from pans. The tarts can also be baked ahead and then frozen. Simply remove the baked and frozen tarts from freezer, set them on a baking sheet and bake them at 350 for 10 minutes to reheat before topping with the Fig and Preserved Lemon Jam, just before serving.</i></span><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i><br /></i></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIXbSqegAaIoXzZKOqa9Bz1RVArmFixBxiMW6eTs8AJnmDMMBbFOadhWG5DffYdxdXvF4Hv73FHEye2QMqNjzPkHjwkATozZRUo17vChFDJNGU2imtRe0MjMUoHEdUGtE2jPDG-wWMNp7tn6vvlkLjav0xZcYazG-q2akqkCsUvyW0Rk_IJ2oZEVEdAg/s2394/Making%20Fig%20and%20Lemon%20Jam.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img alt="shallots, dried white figs, thyme, preserved lemon" border="0" data-original-height="691" data-original-width="2394" height="184" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIXbSqegAaIoXzZKOqa9Bz1RVArmFixBxiMW6eTs8AJnmDMMBbFOadhWG5DffYdxdXvF4Hv73FHEye2QMqNjzPkHjwkATozZRUo17vChFDJNGU2imtRe0MjMUoHEdUGtE2jPDG-wWMNp7tn6vvlkLjav0xZcYazG-q2akqkCsUvyW0Rk_IJ2oZEVEdAg/w640-h184/Making%20Fig%20and%20Lemon%20Jam.jpg" title="Saute shallots till golden, add figs and thyme, preserved lemon" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sauté shallots till golden, add figs and thyme, preserved lemon</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>FIG & PRESERVED LEMON JAM: Melt the butter in a medium skillet and add in the sliced shallots. Sauté the shallots until they begin to turn golden. Add in the chopped dried figs with all the remaining Jam ingredients and cook until the liquid is mostly gone, and the mixture is sticky and cooked through. If making ahead, place the Jam into a clean container with lid and refrigerate until needed, up to 3 weeks. Using two small spoons, top each tart with a small amount of the ‘Jam’ just prior to serving.<br /></i></span><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i style="background-color: white; color: #484848; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><span face="verdana, sans-serif"><i><span face="verdana, sans-serif"><i><span face="verdana, sans-serif"><i><span style="font-family: times, "times new roman", serif;">My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/aharmonyofflavors" style="color: #3979cd; text-decoration-line: none;">Facebook</a>, and <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/ahofpin/" style="color: #3979cd; text-decoration-line: none;">Pinterest</a>.</span></i></span></i></span></i></span></span></i></div></div>A Harmony of Flavorshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08850693486099419140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3525002274590687657.post-34108819111461618462022-06-14T14:01:00.005-07:002022-08-26T11:44:08.026-07:00If You Like Idli and Uttappam<p><span style="font-family: verdana;">In my spare time, which there is a lot of these days, I make books. Not to sell, though many have suggested it. For my own reference, I created a "My Favorite Recipes" book a long time ago, going on to create a Volume II as there were so many more recipes that came to mind after finishing the first volume. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb1vddiRshAiSoTqqWDCoSShVga_1W094RphtQ-gflD81QHnd1lnkOvsTvhxmUq_Qq5YPWZI4FDo5gD9ZmDV0lNPHsQbQG9mcIV0cYlt0nglsZqBg80Pc6jhtSN9ZD5uzxXNS-d7bK6QJGSTyYXM-JR6cTq9ETinl_I1UE1RVXJkBpOppDzMvgxMlLRg/s3270/COVER%20page%20for%208.5%20x%2011.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="my recipes, Guatemala, memoir" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb1vddiRshAiSoTqqWDCoSShVga_1W094RphtQ-gflD81QHnd1lnkOvsTvhxmUq_Qq5YPWZI4FDo5gD9ZmDV0lNPHsQbQG9mcIV0cYlt0nglsZqBg80Pc6jhtSN9ZD5uzxXNS-d7bK6QJGSTyYXM-JR6cTq9ETinl_I1UE1RVXJkBpOppDzMvgxMlLRg/w248-h320/COVER%20page%20for%208.5%20x%2011.jpg" title="My Guatemalan Cookbook" width="248" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: start;">My Guatemalan Cookbook</span></td></tr></tbody></table>I have made books of bird and fowl identification, using photos I had taken or from my sisters for identifying purposes, spend a lot of online time researching descriptors and other details so If I came home with yet another unidentified photo, I had a resource for identification. I made a book of all the flowers, be they weeds, wild or other, from trips to the Pacific northwest, one from flora of C</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">alifornia I had </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">photographed, of orchids I'd grown myself or taken photos of in botanical gardens. More recently, I created 4 smaller books of plants and flowers on Arizona (one of cacti, one of tender plants, one of succulent type plants and one of shrubs and trees). </span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Many other cookbooks have been made since those first ones so long ago. One was a memoir cookbook of Guatemalan recipes for my oldest daughter when she turned 40. I had lived in Guatemala for 12 years, and my children were born there. My oldest was still closest to the relatives there; still spoke Spanish reasonably well. At the time of creating that book, I had made such few recipes as were included in the book, maybe around 40, because there was nothing online to find nearly 12 years ago. Since then I have added to that memoir cookbook for my son and next daughter turning 40. I have managed to include over 80 recipes in there now, and I learn more as the years go by.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWwH3eQhetJaOszzSMVCXFxONBMLK4wC8XxzNboBxzkcL1cM4Jsplnky1uHVx76dFV7e6A0Uq8u1HnO9yMetb-9eCos_QAxn0sjlqSfa_qIRUxmyjkGXK44CJOI2hZAS5mjgFGftg4kLsKD7YAgr-neolxW9rkz8QcqyD3n6SmX0tt_Os9CmwQk9u-Zw/s3437/COVERS.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="bread baking, ethnic recipes, flatbread" border="0" data-original-height="3437" data-original-width="2577" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWwH3eQhetJaOszzSMVCXFxONBMLK4wC8XxzNboBxzkcL1cM4Jsplnky1uHVx76dFV7e6A0Uq8u1HnO9yMetb-9eCos_QAxn0sjlqSfa_qIRUxmyjkGXK44CJOI2hZAS5mjgFGftg4kLsKD7YAgr-neolxW9rkz8QcqyD3n6SmX0tt_Os9CmwQk9u-Zw/w240-h320/COVERS.jpg" title="My Bread Cookbook" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Bread Cookbook</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: verdana;">I have no background in India, but love the flavors and spices. I have created a couple of Indian cookbooks so far, but it wasn't until I was finishing the pages for a new Bread cookbook that I went searching for other Indian breads than Naan, parathas or chapatis. While researching Indian breads, and the "appams" in particular, I came upon recipes for Utappam, which uses leftover <a href="https://aharmonyofflavors.blogspot.com/2019/04/continuing-on-indian-theme.html" target="_blank">Idli</a> batter. Oh boy.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Idli was something I got interested in - as a concept - a LOT of years ago, but never got around to trying, out of fear. Too many conflicting admonitions, a lot of strictures, and it was just so foreign (excuse the word) a concept. So I managed to set that on the back burner for about 8 years. Once I did venture to make Idli, while the batter did not ferment (remedied by adding baking soda last minute before using), I loved those little steamed pillows! But making Idli is a definite process, needing time and some attention. When I read about Utappam, I really wanted to try, but did not want to go through all that trouble of making Idli batter just then.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I mused on that a bit and thought, </span></p><p></p><blockquote><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><i>"Really, idli batter is made of presoaked rice and urad dal, with a little fenugreek and a little cooked leftover rice or Poha rice, then grinding the soaked grains to a batter. What it I skipped the first part of soaking the rice and the lentils and used rice flour and pre-ground urad dal? I have fenugreek powder. Poha rice nearly disintegrates in liquid anyway."</i></span></blockquote><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I proceeded to try that out, but as a quick version used instant yeast to approximate fermentation (it took a couple of hours to rise). It was good, and it worked. Still, obviously the fermentation process would be adding proper flavor. These yeasted ones, while good, were curiously "flat" tasting. So I went back and made a new batter. After mixing the ingredients I left it on the counter for nearly 24 hours, at which time I saw a slight growth of the batter and some bubbles. Eureka! </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghkN3becLU-vepuCDW47iNbRAB4EnQfctKjnKTzRfQLWSGguAC0lgoCCV3jV4vlAmobQm4FxxDWI5JpnftTFSEoHkTBFqnNgGA6XpZk2dLQR1MmU0zFQ9clgwI_VXFDxbhLP5fM-KSMtIpSncFXAivp4KP5Q-yabNe_725EJ8SdCvO20i3Pn-WeET4kw/s2542/Crop%20Idli%20and%20Chutney.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Idli, steamed dumpling, fermented batter" border="0" data-original-height="1835" data-original-width="2542" height="462" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghkN3becLU-vepuCDW47iNbRAB4EnQfctKjnKTzRfQLWSGguAC0lgoCCV3jV4vlAmobQm4FxxDWI5JpnftTFSEoHkTBFqnNgGA6XpZk2dLQR1MmU0zFQ9clgwI_VXFDxbhLP5fM-KSMtIpSncFXAivp4KP5Q-yabNe_725EJ8SdCvO20i3Pn-WeET4kw/w640-h462/Crop%20Idli%20and%20Chutney.JPG" title="Idli and Chutney with idli Podi" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> Clockwise from top left: Nariyal chutney, Idli Podi, <b>Idli</b>, and Imli Chutney</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br />This batter made lovely and very delicious Utappam, as well as Idli, so I am truly happy. </span><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Quicker Idli or Utappam Batter</span></h3><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>Made 4 (5-6 inch) Utappam and 8 Idli</i></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDbUKifp3VGsi166Izbhqk4niBzVlD5SpwGOOzkFJa67BFAzFkbgU6iKf-PxqFrmTVQ3-I2kyASBr3-R_Il4saN5rgzYOV9QZheE7CPUCnzS9S05exvAvs7eFQrW0FsK97FdtsmjCCYUMjg2lalwpQTZ4RWCRCe5htd8CK4fjDq79dcljRUXO-WI8a-A/s4032/IMG_1165.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="utappam, rice, lentil, dal, flatbread, Indian" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDbUKifp3VGsi166Izbhqk4niBzVlD5SpwGOOzkFJa67BFAzFkbgU6iKf-PxqFrmTVQ3-I2kyASBr3-R_Il4saN5rgzYOV9QZheE7CPUCnzS9S05exvAvs7eFQrW0FsK97FdtsmjCCYUMjg2lalwpQTZ4RWCRCe5htd8CK4fjDq79dcljRUXO-WI8a-A/w300-h400/IMG_1165.JPG" title="Utappam" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: georgia; text-align: start;">Utappam</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i><br />1 cup white rice, ground finely to equal 1 1/4 cups, OR use 1 1/4 cups preground rice flour flour (about 190 grams)<br /><br />1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds (3 grams), ground finely, OR 1 1/4 teaspoon fenugreek in powder form<br /><br />1/3 cup peeled split urad dal, ground to flour (about 74 grams), or 3/4 cup once ground (- not a typo!)<br /><br />1/4 cup Poha rice, <br /><br /> OR use 1/4 cup leftover cooked rice<br /><br />3/4 teaspoon salt<br /><br />1 3/4 cups cool water, or as needed<br /><br /><br />Place the rice flour, urad dal flour, ground fenugreek and Poha rice into a large mixing bowl. Begin stirring in the water with a wooden spoon, so as not to form lumps. Add only enough water to make what looks like a stiff pancake batter. Set the bowl aside in a warm area and cover with a lid or plastic film and allow to ferment. This may take up to 24 hours. Look for puffing, bubbles and a nice fermented aroma. Once ready to use, stir in the salt.</i></span><br /><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">To make Utappam, heat a skillet as you would for pancakes. Lightly grease the pan and ladle in batter, as for pancakes, spreading to about 5 or 6-inches in diameter. While the "pancake" is cooking on one side, place your desired toppings on the uncooked upper side. Possible toppings include: </span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i><br /><br /></i></span></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg8snAQbAC-IKjZRk2NL_rkvNoWe6_pGiYnN0_Z9V8VXil5--LNty2T4LyS2Iv6AqNPLw2pwhV-kwx3FSsruRMpubvbOn2x4otVtbY6y_OnXgbLqRll-5hCQopUePJb7U1xsddE4eUrCdlygwNR6X9Tz3b0ADPRDFVOb1X9f9-slb6MjbZ2XTMNpO7Ug/s4032/IMG_7143.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Idli, steamed dumplings, Indian, breakfast, rice, lentil" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg8snAQbAC-IKjZRk2NL_rkvNoWe6_pGiYnN0_Z9V8VXil5--LNty2T4LyS2Iv6AqNPLw2pwhV-kwx3FSsruRMpubvbOn2x4otVtbY6y_OnXgbLqRll-5hCQopUePJb7U1xsddE4eUrCdlygwNR6X9Tz3b0ADPRDFVOb1X9f9-slb6MjbZ2XTMNpO7Ug/w240-h320/IMG_7143.JPG" title="Idli Batter in Tray to steam" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Idli Batter in tray to steam</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>cilantro,<br /> </i></span></i></span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>parsley, </i></span></i></span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>curry leaves, </i></span></i></span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>shredded fresh ginger, </i></span></i></span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>sliced onion or shallot, </i></span></i></span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>chopped garlic,</i></span></i></span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>grated carrot, </i></span></i></span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>chopped bell pepper (green or red), </i></span></i></span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>chopped or sliced green chilies (Serrano or Jalapeno are good), </i></span></i></span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>chopped tomatoes (not too juicy), </i></span></i></span></li></ul><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">or anything else that sounds good. (Limit the toppings as they will only fall off if too many are in place when the pancake is flipped over.) Once the bottom is browned, drizzle some oil over the toppings before turning and then flip the pancake to lightly brown the other side. Serve with toppings upwards, with any chutney or pickle of choice, with a dal dish or a soup.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">To make Idli, a traditional south Indian breakfast or snack food, an Idli stand is a must. My Idli stands consist of a three-tiered stand with a base to be able to set into a large pot with a shallow layer of lightly boiling water. The little rounded wells, 4 per tray (with three trays total), are filled just to their edges and stacked. Once set into the pot with water, the water must not touch the bottom tray. Cover the pot and steam the idli for about 7 to 9 minutes. They should test done as for a bread or cake, by inserting a toothpick in center that should come out clean. Idli can be served with any curry or leftovers, with <a href="https://aharmonyofflavors.blogspot.com/2018/07/sambar-finally-on-my-menu.html" target="_blank">Sambar</a>, <a href="https://aharmonyofflavors.blogspot.com/2020/01/a-couple-of-chutnies.html" target="_blank">Tamatar ki Chatni</a>, <a href="https://aharmonyofflavors.blogspot.com/2016/12/chutney-with-tamarind-and-chutney-with.html" target="_blank">Tamarind (Imli) Chutney</a>, <a href="https://aharmonyofflavors.blogspot.com/2020/01/and-yet-another-chutney-to-add-to-list.html" target="_blank">Coconut (Nariyal) Chutney</a>, <a href="https://aharmonyofflavors.blogspot.com/2019/04/continuing-on-indian-theme.html" target="_blank">Idli Podi</a> (a dry spiced mixture that tastes heavenly), or all by themselves with any of these chutnies or Podi.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p><i style="background-color: white; color: #484848; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><span face="verdana, sans-serif"><i><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><span face="verdana, sans-serif"><i><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><span face="verdana, sans-serif"><i><span style="font-family: times, "times new roman", serif;">My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/aharmonyofflavors" style="color: #3979cd; text-decoration-line: none;">Facebook</a>, and <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/ahofpin/" style="color: #3979cd; text-decoration-line: none;">Pinterest</a>.</span></i></span></span></i></span></span></i></span></span></i><span style="background-color: white; color: #484848; font-family: verdana; font-size: 13px;"> </span></p><p></p></div>A Harmony of Flavorshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08850693486099419140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3525002274590687657.post-23209507483814780972022-06-11T11:01:00.002-07:002022-08-26T11:19:12.104-07:00New Indian Recipes on the Menu<p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Time seems to escape me these days, yet every so often there is a gathering that warrants a fresh look at my recipes to date, sometimes finding them insufficient, despite the fairly vast number. A month or so past, I entertained my grandson and his friend, who love Indian food. When we chatted, he'd said that the flavors of Indian foods are some of his favorites, though he usually eats very simply. So I created a dinner, not knowing his particular tastes, but hoped it wouldn't be too far out of his comfort zone - and it wasn't! They both ate like two very healthy young men should. I was pleased. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">For that meal, I made some of my more common favorites, <a href="https://aharmonyofflavors.blogspot.com/2019/03/not-just-any-chicken-and-rice.html" target="_blank">Chicken Korma</a>, edging outside the plain rice category with <a href="https://aharmonyofflavors.blogspot.com/2019/03/not-just-any-chicken-and-rice.html" target="_blank">Barley Kichdi</a> as one of the side dishes, and one of my all-time favorites, <a href="https://aharmonyofflavors.blogspot.com/2015/08/indian-dinner-for-my-husbands-birthday.html" target="_blank">Palak Paneer</a>, as the other. I also had no clue on their tolerance for heat, so all the dishes were made quite mild in deference to my husband, but I offered an array of chutneys with varying heat levels: <a href="https://aharmonyofflavors.blogspot.com/2016/12/chutney-with-tamarind-and-chutney-with.html" target="_blank">Am Chutney or Mango Chutney</a> (no heat), <a href="https://aharmonyofflavors.blogspot.com/2019/02/indian-street-food.html" target="_blank">Dhania Poodina or Green Chutney</a> (medium heat), <a href="https://aharmonyofflavors.blogspot.com/2016/12/chutney-with-tamarind-and-chutney-with.html" target="_blank">Imli Chutney or Tamarind Chutney</a> (a little heat), and Fresh Ginger slices in lime juice with Serrano pepper and salt, possibly the hottest). They went for the Green Chutney and fresh ginger, polishing them off!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYkb4whv4qOYAoRyDkJU3CBZl1YOOlyDLddrfPlQVFamiWL0E9t6xKVzu0qr6cXWsb7UXdm20XePOSSvt8ml73qha2nP-7J0V5K3SVM41EKG6TPlfgkE_NzXFHk2KbJsIjQMkxRqYMiBJDOBimqENlpGDmQeYk2Kcj_4tdVbMnl8CMkcGRnNp8AzfNJA/s3355/IMG_1179.JPG" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="menu, Indian dinner, recipes" border="0" data-original-height="3355" data-original-width="2244" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYkb4whv4qOYAoRyDkJU3CBZl1YOOlyDLddrfPlQVFamiWL0E9t6xKVzu0qr6cXWsb7UXdm20XePOSSvt8ml73qha2nP-7J0V5K3SVM41EKG6TPlfgkE_NzXFHk2KbJsIjQMkxRqYMiBJDOBimqENlpGDmQeYk2Kcj_4tdVbMnl8CMkcGRnNp8AzfNJA/w429-h640/IMG_1179.JPG" title="Dinner menu" width="429" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dinner Menu</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: verdana;">So, when my son was recently married in Hawai'i, and his lovely bride just turned fifty years beautiful, I made a dinner to celebrate both events when they came to visit this past weekend. They both love Indian food as well, and I have made them many Indian meals already in past. Trying to come up with something to feed them that hasn't already been a part of many menus in past was becoming a challenge. Ana is sensitive to rice, so I wanted to keep that out of the menu completely. I thought of making the Barley Kichdi again, but they've had that more than once and well, not again. The same for the Palak Paneer, which is maybe one of all our favorites, but as I serve it with practically any special meal I felt it was time for a change.</span> <p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">What to do, what to do?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I finally opted for <a href="https://aharmonyofflavors.blogspot.com/2017/05/an-indian-dish-from-telangana.html" target="_blank">Telangana Chicken</a>, though I kept it mainly without any of the fiery, spicy heat in deference to Ana and my hubby. Instead of going for rice or even barley, I opted to make a very simple Tadka Dal using only Masoor (red lentils) and Moong (mung bean) dals, and adding a simple Tadka of sauteed mustard and cumin seeds, asafetida, shallot, ginger and garlic, and salt at the end. We all love dal/lentil dishes, so that one was a hit. I wanted to make Channa Masala, but my son objected. I went hunting for something to do with peas and found some few ways, such as Matar Masala (spiced peas), and somewhere i came across a recipe called Sookh Matar, though I can find no other reference to this terminology. I felt after reading that Sookh might refer to the same concept as "sabzi" meaning a dish cooked down to relative dryness - no sauce in it. I wanted more vegetables and also some color so added red bell pepper. It turned out fantastic whatever it may be called.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Matar Masala or Sookh Matar</span></h3><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i><br /></i></span></div>Serves 6 to 8</i></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzyQ7kUHID9_ANMYCiZIkAwajVV4K4xLfWX-GaKAiIbt28Cx7IpTUFCh7N427haMZSFFESG-7TXZv1mmHKThgAKtS9Z46FiN1a4cV49mjg8SlO0jeJ3roLE9-_1NH3-0lPwgsn4B6nTYF1YtYrHffhmqTns8LsTZAF0BUw3hLQcnExfU-wglOmDDIDMw/s2836/IMG_1106%20crop.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzyQ7kUHID9_ANMYCiZIkAwajVV4K4xLfWX-GaKAiIbt28Cx7IpTUFCh7N427haMZSFFESG-7TXZv1mmHKThgAKtS9Z46FiN1a4cV49mjg8SlO0jeJ3roLE9-_1NH3-0lPwgsn4B6nTYF1YtYrHffhmqTns8LsTZAF0BUw3hLQcnExfU-wglOmDDIDMw/w286-h400/IMG_1106%20crop.JPG" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: start;">Matar Masala (Spiced Peas)</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>1 large onion in thin half-rings<br />2 tablespoons coconut oil or sunflower oil, more if needed<br />--------<br />1 - 2 tablespoons coconut oil or sunflower oil<br />1 large shallot, chopped<br />3 cloves garlic, minced<br />2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger<br />1 red bell pepper, chopped<br />1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds<br />1/2 teaspoon <a href="https://aharmonyofflavors.blogspot.com/2019/01/my-indian-spice-drawer.html" target="_blank">asafetida</a><br /><br />MASALA: mix together and set aside<br />1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder<br />1/2 teaspoon crushed coriander seeds<br />1/2 teaspoon <a href="https://aharmonyofflavors.blogspot.com/2014/03/a-conundrum-with-samosas.html" target="_blank">Garam Masala</a><br />1/2 teaspoon <a href="https://aharmonyofflavors.blogspot.com/2019/01/my-indian-spice-drawer-part-4.html" target="_blank">black salt</a> or regular salt<br />1/2 teaspoon <a href="https://aharmonyofflavors.blogspot.com/2014/05/one-of-my-favorite-chicken-curries.html" target="_blank">amchur</a> (dried green mango powder)<br />1/4 teaspoon black pepper<br />-----<br />1 bag (13 ounces) frozen baby peas<br /><br />Saute the large onion in the oil, stirring very often and watching carefully not to burn, until the onions are a deep caramelized brown. Spread the onions on several thickness of paper toweling to blot and cool. This part can be made days in advance and refrigerated until needed.<br /><br />Heat a skillet over medium to medium low heat and add in the 1 or two tablespoons of oil. Add in the cumin seeds and asafetida to sizzle for a few seconds, then add in the shallot, garlic, ginger and red bell pepper and saute gently to soften. Add in a tablespoon of water at a time, only if needed for the ingredients not to stick. Add in the masala ingredients and stir until fragrant. IF MAKING AHEAD, the dish can be made to this point, placed in a covered container and refrigerated for up to three days. <br /><br />To finish the dish, bring the refrigerated mixture back to heat in a skillet, then add the peas with a tiny amount of water and heat them through. Once heated, add in the caramelized onion and stir in to heat through. </i></span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</div><br />The other new item on the menu was a salad, something I had never created with an Indian meal, but this time I wanted some diversity. 😉 The most common I found was called Kachumber Salat, a combination of cubed cucumber, tomato and onion, seasoned with an array of possible spices and a touch of lime juice. I plan to mix a batch of the masala mixture to keep on and to sprinkle on tomatoes at any time - it was that good!<div><br /><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Kachumber Salat</span></h3><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>Serves 6</i></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2nYDJew1YMWOWTzA_evM1teOabxtH710zdLTDPmXz5tcIjRb_Gme8FGd_LgglIBeV8GiausffM12t-C382CJpTmb0Qtnbn3yNRPes2ELhZHOMJ7JivEzItOeHFpGvxRmTbetzGGswvxo__v4JPfaVfYSxeQhD8IkT3YTfXeyIOcGfIl5BkcYdKX8Wbg/s2254/IMG_1095%20crop.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="salad, tomatoes, cucumbers, shallot, recipe" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2nYDJew1YMWOWTzA_evM1teOabxtH710zdLTDPmXz5tcIjRb_Gme8FGd_LgglIBeV8GiausffM12t-C382CJpTmb0Qtnbn3yNRPes2ELhZHOMJ7JivEzItOeHFpGvxRmTbetzGGswvxo__v4JPfaVfYSxeQhD8IkT3YTfXeyIOcGfIl5BkcYdKX8Wbg/w301-h400/IMG_1095%20crop.JPG" title="Kachumber Salat" width="301" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: start;">Kachumber Salat</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>1 cucumber, seeds removed if too large, cut in small cubes<br />1 - 2 medium tomatoes (I used heirlooms), in cubes<br />1 large shallot or 1 small onion, in cubes<br /><br />MASALA:<br />1/2 teaspoon Chaat Masala<br />1/2 teaspoon black salt (or regular salt)<br />1/2 teaspoon crushed cumin seeds<br />-----<br />2 tablespoons fresh mint leaves, chopped finely<br />1/4 to 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped finely<br />2 teaspoons lime juice, or to taste<br />pinch chili in powder or crushed chili flakes<br /><br />IF MAKING AHEAD, the only thing that can be done is mixing the spices together. The tomatoes and cucumber will go watery if done in advance. If raw onion or shallot are not tolerable, cut these ahead of time (up to 20 minutes) and set them into a bowl, covered with white vinegar. Drain and rinse before adding to the remaining ingredients and stir them all together well before serving.<br /></i></span><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><i style="background-color: white; color: #484848; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><span face="verdana, sans-serif"><i><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><span face="verdana, sans-serif"><i><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><span face="verdana, sans-serif"><i><span style="font-family: times, "times new roman", serif;">My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/aharmonyofflavors" style="color: #3979cd; text-decoration-line: none;">Facebook</a>, and <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/ahofpin/" style="color: #3979cd; text-decoration-line: none;">Pinterest</a>.</span></i></span></span></i></span></span></i></span></span></i><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></p></div>A Harmony of Flavorshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08850693486099419140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3525002274590687657.post-18241582776231547522022-01-14T14:45:00.001-07:002022-08-26T10:51:12.065-07:00Delightful Bundt Cake with Bourbon Spiked Drizzle<p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I started out with nothing particular in mind one day, looking at dessert recipes. I think of all desserts to make, cakes are possibly my favorite. Anything from a simple old fashioned coffeecake tosheet cake to decorated cakes and bundt or ring mold cakes. Suddenly I came upon a site with a recipe called <a href="https://www.callmecupcake.se/2021/11/gingerbread-bundt-cake-with-cinnamon-rum-icing.html" target="_blank">Gingerbread Bundt Cake with Cinnamon Rum Icing</a>. I love gingerbread - it is a kind of cake / dessert bread cross, after all. The pictures on the site are just lovely. The mold used for the Bundt cake was exceptionally pretty, though I don't own that particular style. And I thought about it a while and wondered, "</span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>The recipe calls for applesauce. I wonder how pumpkin would do in the recipe, instead?</i></span><span style="font-family: verdana;">" </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhXE0_C_bfY1tihZ1OwMyBjuWmsnLlnvaigDbd48NsUW8xh2p9bRIy0DYIj1e6HYT5RKH8S5Kdwd87a4SVWTvzaiREVbu0uYgMDLeEMXhJo7uU93IftijieE24dBCHE_BUColJJIPYZhBn1mrmoW_UmRuf1dc564VLIETBkOYjUeFDFimgZhSGopfUL2w=s4032" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Bundt cake, pumpkin, gingerbread, dessert" border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhXE0_C_bfY1tihZ1OwMyBjuWmsnLlnvaigDbd48NsUW8xh2p9bRIy0DYIj1e6HYT5RKH8S5Kdwd87a4SVWTvzaiREVbu0uYgMDLeEMXhJo7uU93IftijieE24dBCHE_BUColJJIPYZhBn1mrmoW_UmRuf1dc564VLIETBkOYjUeFDFimgZhSGopfUL2w=w480-h640" title="Pumpkin Gingerbread Bundt Cake with Bourbon Spice Glaze" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pumpkin Gingerbread Bundt Cake with Bourbon Spice Glaze</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: verdana;">As I continued to peruse the recipe, I noticed that </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">it is made a bit differently than any other cake recipe I've ever made. It called for melting butter, setting side to cool slightly, then beating together the sugar and eggs till fluffy and light. What? And then adding in the melted, cooled butter. Okay, so I went ahead with all this and made the cake with my own variations. I made the icing with Bourbon rather than rum as I have become interested in Bourbon of late.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">The outcome was the finest grained cake, the most tender, and just flat-out delicious, that I had to share. The link above to the original recipe will show how it was. I loved the mix of Pumpkin and Gingerbread flavors. The drizzle icing was amazing. And here is the recipe, as I made it:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><b>Pumpkin Gingerbread Bundt Cake with Bourbon Spice Glaze</b></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i><br />Makes one bundt cake<br /><br />200 grams unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly<br />4 large eggs<br />360 grams sugar (about 1⅔ cup)<br />-----<br />360 grams all-purpose flour (about 2½ cups)<br />1½ teaspoons baking soda<br />¼ teaspoon flaky salt<br />1 tablespoon cinnamon<br />1 tablespoon ginger<br />1½ teaspoon cloves<br />-----<br />1 cup sour cream<br />1 cup canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)<br /><br />Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush a Bundt pan with soft (not melted) butter and dredge with flour. Tap to release excess flour, then set pan aside.</i></span><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>Over low heat, melt the unsalted butter; once melted set aside. In a mixer, beat together the eggs with the sugar until they are light and fluffy, then slowly stir in the slightly cooled butter.</i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>Separately, measure out all the dry ingredients and stir to evenly distribute ingredients. In a measure, stir together the sour cream and pumpkin to combine.</i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>To the egg mixture add about a third of the dry ingredients, mixing on low speed to combine. Add half the pumpkin mixture and mix, then another third dry mixture, the remaining half pumpkin mixture, then the remaining dry ingredients, stirring after each addition. Pour into the prepared Bundt pan, rapping sharply on a hard surface to release bubbles. </i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>Bake the cake for 50 to 55 minutes, or until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Rest on a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes in the pan, turn out onto the rack to cool completely before glazing.</i></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>BOURBON SPICE GLAZE:<br />180 grams / 1¼ cup confectioner's sugar<br />1 - 2 tablespoons Bourbon<br />1 - 2 tablespoons milk or water<br />¼ teaspoon cinnamon<br />1 teaspoon fresh orange zest<br /><br />Stir all ingredients until smooth. Pour over completely cooled cake.</i></span><br /><br /><p><i style="background-color: white; color: #484848; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><span face="verdana, sans-serif"><i><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><span face="verdana, sans-serif"><i><span style="font-family: times, "times new roman", serif;">My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, trying new things weekly. I would love to hear from you, to help me continue my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/aharmonyofflavors" style="color: #3979cd; text-decoration-line: none;">Facebook</a>, and <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/ahofpin/" style="color: #3b7ace; text-decoration-line: none;">Pinterest</a>.</span></i></span></span></i></span></span></i></p>A Harmony of Flavorshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08850693486099419140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3525002274590687657.post-50349535168997559692022-01-14T11:10:00.001-07:002022-08-26T10:46:09.881-07:00Pork and Sauerkraut for New Years<p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiKWIxhjF8ftM5jSrGXDH6QjMtOALenT4IAR_kwvWzgtyPNPa35Uv1REDv7bqAOIFR0V13FB2JkSoRM-b9B49uMSrfhb5D1nFegJmj8GjuGe95FK0lf6vgjlE3Rleo3bTMAVenBzAROio0IZdtJ_G-wzGW-8ksQO4nEMV1LqLCU5NZBsA3brpho1KVTqg=s3247" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Pork tenderloin, stuffing, pan sauce, Bourbon" border="0" data-original-height="3247" data-original-width="3023" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiKWIxhjF8ftM5jSrGXDH6QjMtOALenT4IAR_kwvWzgtyPNPa35Uv1REDv7bqAOIFR0V13FB2JkSoRM-b9B49uMSrfhb5D1nFegJmj8GjuGe95FK0lf6vgjlE3Rleo3bTMAVenBzAROio0IZdtJ_G-wzGW-8ksQO4nEMV1LqLCU5NZBsA3brpho1KVTqg=w373-h400" title="Elegant Tenderloin Pinwheels" width="373" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Elegant Tenderloin Pinwheels</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: verdana;">I grew up with my Mom's traditional pork chops and sauerkraut as our New Year's Day dinner. I just never thought much about it until I started getting objections to this menu. And so it is that although I have tried to just go ahead with making it on a couple of occasions, it was not well received (my husband would just pick off every tiny shred of sauerkraut that clung to the pork or the potatoes), I enjoyed it thoroughly. <br /></span><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Mom would bake her pork chops in the oven, adding quartered, peeled potatoes to the pan, covered with foil. Once all this was cooked (in the case of the pork chops, way overcooked), she would empty a jar of sauerkraut into a colander, rinse it well, then scatter it over the pork and potatoes, then top with a little brown sugar, cover again and bake. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">So, while my husband has never been keen on the idea of sauerkraut, I know my son and his fiancé do love it. Hence my idea of creating a really stellar pork dish, one that wasn't overcooked, and then making the sauerkraut as a stand-alone dish, so those who do not love it (ahem!) could just skip it, while the rest of us enjoyed. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">My husband's teeth need some work at the moment, so I was looking for something soft; pork tenderloin would be the meat. Then, I recalled a recipe I had made a very long time ago, where the pork was butterflied out flat and filled with a mixture that included prunes (dried plums). I recalled that it was very good, but I wanted to jazz it up some. Recalling another recipe, one for a rolled and stuffed flank steak, where the filling was so amazingly flavorful (from my very old Creme de Colorado cookbook), I got out both these recipes to compare and see what parts of each stuffing recipe I liked best. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Ingredients I absolutely wanted to include from between the two recipes were: prunes, bacon, spinach, parsley, Romano cheese and mushrooms. White bread crumbs were a part of both recipes, but I had some pumpernickel I wanted to use instead. Nut meal sounded good, and I opted for hazelnut meal. Somewhere I read lemon zest as a possibility for flavor with a pork stuffing. Caramelized onion and garlic were also good additions. For fresh herbs, thyme and sage were added to the list.</span></p><p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjmt0fAUVsDRmmF8tW0jL58bzyWwq4Y4F9AOfkA4LAF8LhrRMKpw5zuLhAqjBwZRQ7nPSocbvfTLO1QRuFmBmi3YhQtTSJxZ1ekI0KPM3QhzCVEOldZhHshVUTG7A1qSTcjmXKxMa7tA6mXcoWXZmrFXcK5DsI9kWJcJpmi9Sf1X01q4qCoRxF77R-XEA=s3148" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Pork tenderloin, stuffing Bourbon, Pan Sauce" border="0" data-original-height="3148" data-original-width="2268" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjmt0fAUVsDRmmF8tW0jL58bzyWwq4Y4F9AOfkA4LAF8LhrRMKpw5zuLhAqjBwZRQ7nPSocbvfTLO1QRuFmBmi3YhQtTSJxZ1ekI0KPM3QhzCVEOldZhHshVUTG7A1qSTcjmXKxMa7tA6mXcoWXZmrFXcK5DsI9kWJcJpmi9Sf1X01q4qCoRxF77R-XEA=w289-h400" title="Elegant Tenderloin Pinwheels" width="289" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Elegant Tenderloin Pinwheels</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I wanted to have the pork look pretty in a spiral when sliced, so it would be best to have both of (a package of) two pork tenderloins cut open and slightly overlapped to fill, roll, then tie them in place. There are different ways of cutting open pork tenderloins. One is to simply cut most of the way into the center, lengthwise, open flat and pound the heck out of them until of an even thickness. I hate this. It makes so very much noise, splatters meat, blood and bits everywhere and takes forever to truly get the meat flat. Somewhere online, someone butterflied this way but instead of pounding, cut into each thick section to create an unfolded piece of tenderloin. I don't see that as any easier. My preferred method is to use small cuts with a very sharp knife parallel to the cutting board, continuing parallel until the meat is mostly all one thickness and laid out flat. There are many, many places online showing this and the other methods in excruciating detail, so I do not believe it is needed to reproduce all that here. Whatever method is used, it is good to have the thickness small, about 1/4 to 5/8-inch thick. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">While this seems an extraordinarily long recipe, if broken up into the do ahead parts and finalized on the day of serving, it is very doable. The final result of this experiment was a chorus of groans of pleasure at the table, so I accomplshed my goal. Here is what I did:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgktpgpwBZvG22rsYLVpr9yZA1FerBU0gv4I4TqiHD2p1mLmDyEuh0whlDhTkiIleqEaHoj-lEv_3_wmbubEUHAwc7Qz3Ycdb4hFABsvHR4i7PlfuUJBI3wy-gjSlvj-Zo7GDHjZln2vQ0PE5jEZ0SW5qqAUrqtZsYtX240MuZ6RsSHgY-2YoSmwKROEg=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgktpgpwBZvG22rsYLVpr9yZA1FerBU0gv4I4TqiHD2p1mLmDyEuh0whlDhTkiIleqEaHoj-lEv_3_wmbubEUHAwc7Qz3Ycdb4hFABsvHR4i7PlfuUJBI3wy-gjSlvj-Zo7GDHjZln2vQ0PE5jEZ0SW5qqAUrqtZsYtX240MuZ6RsSHgY-2YoSmwKROEg=w300-h400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Elegant Tenderloin Pinwheels for Dinner</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><b>Elegant Tenderloin Pinwheels</b></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i><br />Served 8 - 10<br /></i></span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i><br />STUFFING:<br />5 ounces bacon, cut small and fried crisp<br />-----<br />1 medium onion, chopped<br />½ teaspoon salt, divided<br />1 - 2 tablespoons olive oil or bacon fat<br />3 tablespoons dry Sherry or Bourbon<br />6 cloves garlic, minced<br />-----<br />¾ pound fresh mushrooms (I used 'Baby Bella'), sliced<br />1 tablespoon butter<br />1 tablespoon olive oil<br />2 - 3 tablespoons Sherry<br />½ tablespoon fresh thyme leaves½½<br />-----<br />¾ cup finely shredded Romano cheese<br />½ cup chopped Italian (flat-leaf) parsley<br />1½ cups fresh baby spinach, in fine <a href="https://aharmonyofflavors.blogspot.com/2018/10/with-little-time-and-patience.html" target="_blank">chiffonade</a><br />7 - 8 soft, pitted prunes, cut in small pieces<br />¾ cup fresh pumpernickel crumbs (or other bread crumbs as preferred)<br />½ cup hazelnut meal<br />- zest of one lemon<br /><br />MEAT:<br />2 pork tenderloins (about 2.5 lbs. total)<br />½ teaspoon salt<br />chicken or beef stock for pan<br />1 medium onion, sliced<br /><br />PAN SAUCE:<br />4 tablespoons Bourbon (or Sherry)<br />1 clove garlic, finely minced<br />½ cup red currant jelly<br />2 tablespoons unsalted butter<br />½ cup sour cream</i></span><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Make ahead </span></b>(1 to 3 days in advance if needed): Begin the stuffing by frying the bacon and draining on paper toweling. Once cooled, place into a medium sized container with lid. Set aside. If using bacon grease, leave a tablespoon worth in the skillet and add in 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the chopped onion and sauté on medium to medium high, stirring often until the liquid has mostly gone, then add in 1/4 teaspoon of the salt and the minced garlic and stir constantly, lowering the heat if needed so as not to burn, until the onions are nicely browned. Add in the Sherry or Bourbon and cook quickly until completely evaporated. Pour the contents into a bowl to cool, then add to the container with the bacon.</i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>Add to the same skillet the butter and olive oil and add the mushrooms, sautéing until all the liquid has cooked out and evaporated. Add in the remaining quarter teaspoon salt and continue cooking, stirring, until the mushrooms are <u>browned</u>. Do not stop cooking the mushrooms as soon as their liquid evaporates or they will be flabby and still leach liquid into the stuffing mixture. Add in the thyme leaves and the Sherry and cook until the Sherry is completely evaporated. Add the mushrooms to the same plate where the onions cooled; once cool, add to the bacon and onion mixture and refrigerate.</i></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>------------------</i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>Grate the Romano cheese and place in another container with lid. Add to the cheese the chopped parsley, spinach chiffonade, prunes, pumpernickel crumbs, hazelnut meal and lemon zest. Toss to combine, cover and refrigerate if needed for up to 2 days.</i></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>--------------------</i></span></p><p><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: georgia;"><i><b>ON THE DAY:</b></i></span></p><p><i style="font-family: georgia;">Remove any silver skin from the tenderloins. Taking one tenderloin at a time, using a very sharp knife with the blade set parallel to the cutting board and about a quarter to a half-inch from the board, begin slicing into the length of the meat. As it opens, continue to slice in at the same height along the length, using small cuts if needed, until the tenderloin is completely opened flat. Set the tenderloin aside and repeat with the other tenderloin. (Some ideas, with video or pictures, on how to open and flatten the pork tenderloins are <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ELgrjeT0Y1o" target="_blank">here</a>, and <a href="https://www.thechoppingblock.com/blog/stuffed-pork-tenderloin-101" target="_blank">here</a>.)</i></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>Combine together all of the two containers of prepared stuffing ingredients into one bowl and toss repeatedly until all the ingredients are well and evenly distributed. Set aside.</i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 x 13-inch pan with cooking spray. Measure out 7 or 8 lengths of cotton kitchen twine, long enough to go around the rolled tenderloin and tie, and set them nearby. </i></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgeInPk4aRLLZ_miBlSLL-DLC33GC4FQ9wwpqV4dyzaUGPt8LIzjJbGXzq3DWrKOFKBftrewwQlkM_ypPNHin4uuwOPjc0l1HNEMKsHNkOUV5fePFK3QCyE4z2BnrD5ZtnpJsOllu4x3BFMGTYax-7hI9CdngY5Cr4utos2I-ohMxnTA6b3nTuxdxkfyA=s2629" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="diagram, how to," border="0" data-original-height="1736" data-original-width="2629" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgeInPk4aRLLZ_miBlSLL-DLC33GC4FQ9wwpqV4dyzaUGPt8LIzjJbGXzq3DWrKOFKBftrewwQlkM_ypPNHin4uuwOPjc0l1HNEMKsHNkOUV5fePFK3QCyE4z2BnrD5ZtnpJsOllu4x3BFMGTYax-7hI9CdngY5Cr4utos2I-ohMxnTA6b3nTuxdxkfyA=w320-h211" title="Diagram of layout of tenderloins" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>Place the two tenderloins spread out, slightly overlapping, with one narrow end pointing the opposite direction from the other. This offsets the fact that each sort of come to a point, and makes the whole a more uniform shape to roll. Place the stuffing mixture onto the meat, spreading and patting evenly, leaving about an inch bare all around the perimeter. Neatly roll the meat, carefully lifting while rolling to keep the stuffing from oozing out. Once rolled, slide one piece of cotton twine under the roll and tie at the center, tightly. Repeat this about every 2 to 3 inches. Trin the ends of the twine to no more than a half inch long. <br /></i></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i></i></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhyyQzB-CUzvILsAisWzYBThxInP0QqkRnhPn8l0xd7OtdicEq2UFLDCIOS6w910yIjrMnbauf1HaR81-PPkUxjWe15xdf12pqKhsocpcf05Uq1Oyh4Wkmr9G-k2Eq0meE9BLEgWWodypCLBjiLuwfSh5Bhx2PpwYwOqcJz3YYr_re2FqNHr9uoTPyFoQ=s1432" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="diagram, how to" border="0" data-original-height="1386" data-original-width="1432" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhyyQzB-CUzvILsAisWzYBThxInP0QqkRnhPn8l0xd7OtdicEq2UFLDCIOS6w910yIjrMnbauf1HaR81-PPkUxjWe15xdf12pqKhsocpcf05Uq1Oyh4Wkmr9G-k2Eq0meE9BLEgWWodypCLBjiLuwfSh5Bhx2PpwYwOqcJz3YYr_re2FqNHr9uoTPyFoQ=w200-h194" title="Diagram of overlapped meat and placement of stuffing" width="200" /></a></i></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i><br />Place a large skillet over medium high heat and add some olive oil to the an. Carefully brown the meat on all sides. Once browned, set the meat into the prepared 9 x 13 pan. (Leave the skillet as is, to deglaze and make a sauce, later.) Pour some stock around the meat, to no more than a third of the way up the sides of the meat. Add in some of the onion, then cover with foil and bake the meat for 50 to 70 minutes, or until a meat thermometer registers 155 to 160 degrees. Remove from oven and leave covered. </i></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>Meanwhile, with the skillet on a burner, deglaze the pan with Bourbon or Sherry, stirring with a plastic spoon or spatula until all the browned bits are mixed in. Add in the garlic and jelly, stirring until dissolved. Stir in the butter until emulsified, then add in the sour cream and mix, off heat, until combined. </i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>Slice the meat across the roll, into 3/4 to 1-inch thick slices. Leave the twine in place to keep the rolls from unraveling (it is easy to remove at table). Set the slices slightly overlapping on a platter and pour the pan sauce down the center of the meat.</i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><i style="background-color: white; color: #484848; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><span face="verdana, sans-serif"><i><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><span face="verdana, sans-serif"><i><span style="font-family: times, "times new roman", serif;">My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, trying new things weekly. I would love to hear from you, to help me continue my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/aharmonyofflavors" style="color: #3979cd; text-decoration-line: none;">Facebook</a>, and <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/ahofpin/" style="color: #3b7ace; text-decoration-line: none;">Pinterest</a>.</span></i></span></span></i></span></span></i></p>A Harmony of Flavorshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08850693486099419140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3525002274590687657.post-13338035130612138972021-07-18T13:59:00.001-07:002022-08-26T10:23:06.796-07:00A New Take on Sourdough with Yeast Water<p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Maybe "new" isn't absolutely on the mark, but for me, this came as a shot from left field. What am I talking about? </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Yeast Water.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I have to believe that I am not the only bread baking person who hasn't heard of this before, and the whole idea came to me in such a roundabout and serendipitous way that I am sure I was just "meant" to find it. I was still working on my bread cookbook, and it was coming to a close. For some unknown reason, I was dragging my feet on finalizing the project, and it had been days since I really did anything with it. And then, I came to a point I thought, "Okay, I have to finish this already!" And with that said, I thought I'd take a look at "The Rye Baker," by Stanley Ginsberg, just to see if there was a blank page in between the last recipe and the Index. Simple enough thing, right?</span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wdktmb4718g/YPST_q0o1cI/AAAAAAAAJhM/Xs9sdB_CwSgG2JwGPIyAnr4179YAOKerwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_8414.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="bread, sourdough, yeast water, ciabatta, poolish" border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wdktmb4718g/YPST_q0o1cI/AAAAAAAAJhM/Xs9sdB_CwSgG2JwGPIyAnr4179YAOKerwCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/IMG_8414.JPG" title="My Sourdough Ciabatta" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sourdough Ciabatta with Yeast Water</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">There was not a blank page there, but there were a few pages that dealt with things like resources, and one of the resources was blogs that he frequented, both for ideas and for reference. One of these was for a baker in Switzerland, no less, with " </span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>. . . a wealth of information of sourdoughs and Swiss regional breads.</i></span><span style="font-family: verdana;">" The blog is Bernd's Bakery (<a href="http://berndsbakery.blogspot.ch" target="_blank">berndsbakery.blogspot.ch</a>).</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I love things foreign. I always have. Things from foreign places fascinate me, so I immediately went to check out the blog. Of course it is in German, so that posed a problem. I tried Google Translate, and that left rather more than a little to be desired, but then I realized that the English version of the recipes is right there, just further down the page. All right! After perusing the first page, I looked at the menu bar and chose "Bread Baking with Wild Yeast." After all, Stanley Ginsberg referenced sourdough right there in his Resources. And there I came to a halt and stared. Was I seeing this correctly? He talked of "Yeast Water." And I felt like a fish out of water. I am fairly knowledgeable on bread baking terms. So what the heck was this, then?</span></p><h4 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: verdana;">Yeast Water?</span></h4><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I read about this phenomenon in that Swiss blog. Then, I opted to just Google "yeast water" and see if anything came up. The very first place that came up was a blog called Drive Me Hungry (<a href="http://drivemehungry.com/yeast-water" target="_blank">drivemehungry.com/yeast-water</a>). Here it is all explained in American English, and this blog showed how the yeast water is made and how it is used. Do check it out - so very worthwhile and so easy. I looked at a couple more places, but this one was sufficient. It all seemed too easy to be for real, but I am always game for something new. I went to the kitchen (about 10 steps away) and got out some figs, sugar, water and a container and mixed them together in a container. Three days later my yeast water was ready.</span></p><h4 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: verdana;">So, What IS Yeast Water?</span></h4><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BvIT-F4WG3g/YPSUYlUR0sI/AAAAAAAAJhU/EcaEDnbzI-cK9PmIvXlcNEbOMyZBUAbEgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_8410.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BvIT-F4WG3g/YPSUYlUR0sI/AAAAAAAAJhU/EcaEDnbzI-cK9PmIvXlcNEbOMyZBUAbEgCLcBGAsYHQ/w300-h400/IMG_8410.JPG" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sourdough Ciabatta</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: verdana;">Yeast water is fruity, fermented water that can stand in quickly to make a<br /> sourdough starter. No muss, no fuss, and best of all, no waste. Simply a mix of (preferably organic) raisins, figs, or other dried fruit, filtered water and a small amount of sugar. Mix well, cover and set aside. Shake or stir vigorously morning and evening and once the fruit is floating and there are lots of bubbles, plus the lovely fruity fermented smell, it is ready. Strain out the fruit (use them in a recipe if desired, instead of tossing), then keep the fermented water in the fridge till needed. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">With a regular sourdough starter, it must be fed to become active. A flour and water mixture is added to existing starter and left to ferment. But unless you throw out some of the initial starter, you end up with gallons of it. And if your starter is pretty dormant after too long in the fridge, this process is repeated over a series of days until the starter is very actively bubbly. Each time, you are tossing a portion of the starter, then needing to use yet more flour and water to refresh. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">With <u>yeast water</u>, in order to have a nicely bubbly and active batch of starter, all that is needed is to combine equal portions - by weight - of flour and fermented yeast water. No waste. After a few hours at room temperature, it is as bubblingly active as you could ever want. No discarding anything. This has long been a bugaboo of mine - the waste of flour. Especially last year, with all the grocery shelves bare and flour in short supply. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">When I first created my <a href="https://aharmonyofflavors.blogspot.com/2014/05/updates-recipes.html" target="_blank">wild yeast sourdough starter</a> from scratch in South Dakota, it worked exactly as the recipe said, in Peter Reinhart's "The Bread Baker's Apprentice." It was perfect. It bubbled and grew, just as it was supposed to do. Since moving to Arizona, where I opted to recreate a sourdough starter from scratch rather than try to bring an active starter along with me. For whatever reason, though I followed the same recipe, did everything right, my sourdough starter is sluggish. No matter how many times I fed it, it would grow, but never very much.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">With this yeast water, which fermented so quickly, I went on to use one of Drive Me Hungry's recipes for<a href="https://drivemehungry.com/sourdough-ciabatta/" target="_blank"> Sourdough Ciabatta</a>. I mixed up the Poolish and set it to rise overnight. I mixed up the yeast water and flour and set to rise. Drive Me Hungry's recipe says to let the two starters ferment for 10 to 14 hours, depending on temperature. Well, we live in Arizona, so it's a lot warmer indoors than in Aberdeen. I have a suspicion it may have taken about 4 or so hours to ferment the starters, and next time I am planning to make the starters in the day and once risen, place them in the fridge overnight, to develop more flavors. That will be another post. By next morning the starters were huge. I made the bread and it turned out great. Though, with the very wet dough I had to haul out my baker's couche to support it while rising. All the flour needed on the couche made a thorough mess in my kitchen, then outdoors where I shook it out later, and all over my clothes (face, hair, feet) as the flour flew everywhere when I shook out the cloth. All that aside, I made the Ciabatta recipe and aside from needing a full cup more flour to make the dough even remotely clear the sides of the bowl, it came out perfectly, and it is delicious. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><i style="background-color: white; color: #484848; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><span face="verdana, sans-serif"><i><span face="verdana, sans-serif"><i><span face="verdana, sans-serif"><i><span style="font-family: times, "times new roman", serif;">My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/aharmonyofflavors" style="color: #3979cd; text-decoration-line: none;">Facebook</a>, and <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/ahofpin/" style="color: #3979cd; text-decoration-line: none;">Pinterest</a>.</span></i></span></i></span></i></span></span></i></p>A Harmony of Flavorshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08850693486099419140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3525002274590687657.post-73641143553580683362021-07-14T08:10:00.001-07:002022-08-26T10:05:46.874-07:00The Most Delicious Cinnamon Raisin Bread<p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Many years ago I made cinnamon raisin bread. I tried forming it in various ways. Truly, the complexity got out of hand. Ultimately, the bread didn't present well. It was delicious, but that's not enough. And so it happened that as I was writing that recipe into my bread cookbook that I've been creating for myself, I thought it needed revising. I wrote down how I thought the best way to make the bread might be, and wrote all that into the pages of my book in progress. The difficulty lies in photos. If I want to present photos of how the bread should look, and I have none, well. You see the problem here?</span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GFWmLbFZOr0/YOy3dWHiB_I/AAAAAAAAJg4/MrfI1kqoU_UlQCs45zgdyehfwz5SvPStACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_8386.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="yeast bread, cinnamon, raisin, bread" border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GFWmLbFZOr0/YOy3dWHiB_I/AAAAAAAAJg4/MrfI1kqoU_UlQCs45zgdyehfwz5SvPStACLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/IMG_8386.JPG" title="Cinnamon Raisin Bread" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cinnamon Raisin Bread</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">With that in mind, I opted to give my new and revised recipe a try. Thank heaven I did, because this version not only looks wonderful, it tastes like a slice of heaven, to boot. </span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="cinnamon, raisins, bread, yeast bread" border="0" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vqivQqxr-uY/YOy3-ajoYvI/AAAAAAAAJhA/Ty-A-j8ouJcZMkl9BN4swOTKh5lxx9k5wCLcBGAsYHQ/w300-h400/IMG_8394.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Cinnamon Raisin Bread" width="300" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cinnamon Raisin Bread</td></tr></tbody></table><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: georgia;">Cinnamon Raisin Bread</span></h2><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i><br />Makes 3 loaves<br /><br />SPONGE:<br />1 cup milk<br />1 cup water<br />1/3 cup honey<br />- pinch salt<br />2 cups bread flour<br />1 teaspoon instant yeast<br /><br />Warm the milk, water and honey to 105 - 115 degrees F. If it heats too much, allow the mixture to cool slightly. Pour this mixture into a large bowl, or the bowl of a heavy duty stand mixer with dough hook attachment. Whisk in the salt and bread flour and instant yeast and cover. Set aside for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the mixture has grown markedly and is covered in foamy bubbles.</i></span><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vqivQqxr-uY/YOy3-ajoYvI/AAAAAAAAJhA/Ty-A-j8ouJcZMkl9BN4swOTKh5lxx9k5wCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_8394.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"></span></a></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>FOR THE DOUGH:<br />1 stick unsalted butter (4 ounces), very soft<br />3 large eggs<br />2½ teaspoons salt<br />1 teaspoon instant yeast<br />2 - 3 tablespoons cinnamon<br />3½ to 4 cups more bread flour<br />--------<br />1 - 1½ cups raisins</i></span><br /><p><i><span style="font-family: georgia;">DOUGH: Add the butter to the sponge and begin beating in with the dough hook or by hand with a wooden spoon. Add in the eggs and mix well, then the salt and cinnamon, yeast and 2 cups of the bread flour. Mix until well combined, with machine or by hand (turning out onto a floured surface when the dough becomes too stiff to beat by hand). Add in the remaining flour, ½-cup at a time, until the dough becomes a soft mass. Do not add more flour than needed to bring the dough together. Knead for 5 minutes more, by machine or by hand, then add in the raisins and knead a further minute or two to fully incorporate. Remove the dough hook and cover the bowl, or if kneading by hand, grease a bowl and set the dough in the bowl, turning once to grease both sides and cover the bowl. Let proof until doubled, about 60 to 90 minutes.</span></i></p><p><i><span style="font-family: georgia;">Grease three 8 x 4-inch loaf pans. Turn dough out onto a floured surface and lightly degas. Divide the dough into 3 equal portions. Flatten a portion into an approximate rectangle (see sidebar, left) and roll up tightly from the narrow end, tucking in edges as you roll to keep a neat roll. Set into a greased loaf pan. Repeat with the remaining 2 portions of dough. Cover and let rise until 1-inch above the pan rims. If desired brush with an egg wash. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Bake the loaves for 30 - 35 minutes, or to an internal temperature of between 195 and 200 degrees F. Turn out onto racks to cool completely before slicing.</span></i></p><p><i><span style="font-family: georgia;">NOTE: If desired, when flattening out the dough in preparation for rolling into loaves, you can mix 1/3 cup of granulated sugar with a half-teaspoon cinnamon and sprinkle a third of this mixture over each rectangle before rolling up into log shape. Proceed with rolling and set into pans, and proceed with rising and baking.</span></i></p><p><i><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></i></p><p><i style="background-color: white; color: #484848; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><span face="verdana, sans-serif"><i><span face="verdana, sans-serif"><i><span face="verdana, sans-serif"><i><span style="font-family: times, "times new roman", serif;">My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/aharmonyofflavors" style="color: #3979cd; text-decoration-line: none;">Facebook</a>, and <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/ahofpin/" style="color: #3979cd; text-decoration-line: none;">Pinterest</a>.</span></i></span></i></span></i></span></span></i></p>A Harmony of Flavorshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08850693486099419140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3525002274590687657.post-87555977012966658692021-07-13T09:42:00.005-07:002022-08-25T11:51:02.740-07:00Guatemalan Breads Once Again<p><span style="font-family: verdana;">In my previous post, I mentioned that I have been creating a breads cookbook, just for myself; a way of getting </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">together </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">all my bread recipes. As I was collecting all the recipes I had made to date under the chapter for Guatemalan Breads, I started looking around the internet once again and found some more to try. The recipes I am posting here are, in the main, from a YouTube video by </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Vif_IABXyk" style="font-family: verdana;" target="_blank">Recetas y Pasteles Lili</a><span style="font-family: verdana;">. The whole video is in Spanish, and it is long, but very thorough. My recipe has minimal changes, and less steps, plus, it's in English, but my gratitude to "Lili" for the recipes and instructions.</span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PU73MuwG_Vg/YOykotOWPoI/AAAAAAAAJfY/igx4vR9CrJwP-io6Cv59WcALJled-smJQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_8111.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Pan Dulce, Guatemalan Bread, Gusanitos, Gallinitas, Besitos" border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PU73MuwG_Vg/YOykotOWPoI/AAAAAAAAJfY/igx4vR9CrJwP-io6Cv59WcALJled-smJQCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/IMG_8111.JPG" title="Gusanitos Gallinitas and Besitos" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gusanitos, Gallinitas and Besitos, Guatemalan Breads</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: verdana;"><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div>These breads, all three of them, are made from the same dough, and the same batch of sugar paste. They are fairly sweet, sweeter than most of the Guatemalan breads. But, they are really cute breads. One shape is called Gallinitas, or "Little Hens." So called, because they supposedly represent the coxcomb (wrong sex, but hey!) with their little floppy looking tops. Another of these breads is called Besitos, or "Little Kisses," as they have an "X" cut into the top. The third of these breads are called Gusanitos, or "Little Worms," so called because of the segmented-looking bodies. If these don't sound inviting, just wait.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Since they are all made from the same dough(s), once the dough is made and ready, they simply need to be shaped. There is an interesting little trick to forming each of them, and only for the Besitos did I change the method, as Lili's method seemed cumbersome. These breads are just delightful with a cup of coffee, be it for breakfast or afternoon snack. Once trying out the methods they do become very easy. I hope you'll give them a try.</span></p><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: georgia;">Pan Dulce (Gallinitas, Besitos and Gusanitos)</span></h2><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;">Makes 18 sweet rolls</span></p><p></p><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT1wvDL4McnuhSYWFOR2TeDbZyjLMNRtrM42-H9s_TyMzmRlIJVNL29J-8Q2MRVNu_nXpl0PU9drC0HrB4drOki_VvU1qDFm_qo3SdCPcr8k7I5AuMc9wj_blNtBnKOkFqHSIYh09u6ZNDfA2MFqiOfXB7dprlwYKNlMV79c9sODNkhPhfF45DnNfocQ/s1368/Pan%20Dulce%20Ingredient%20Table.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; float: right; font-family: georgia; font-style: italic; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1308" data-original-width="1368" height="383" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT1wvDL4McnuhSYWFOR2TeDbZyjLMNRtrM42-H9s_TyMzmRlIJVNL29J-8Q2MRVNu_nXpl0PU9drC0HrB4drOki_VvU1qDFm_qo3SdCPcr8k7I5AuMc9wj_blNtBnKOkFqHSIYh09u6ZNDfA2MFqiOfXB7dprlwYKNlMV79c9sODNkhPhfF45DnNfocQ/w400-h383/Pan%20Dulce%20Ingredient%20Table.jpg" title="Ingredient List" width="400" /></a><i style="font-family: georgia;">Make the SUGAR PASTE: with hands or a small mixer, beat together the flour, sugar and lard or shortening until it is cohesive. Add in a tablespoon of water. It should have the consistency of dough. If not, add a tiny bit more water at a time until it can be formed easily, rolling out or making into a ball. Divide the Sugar Paste into 3 equal portions, by weight, form each into a ball and set back in the bowl, Cover the bowl to prevent drying and set aside.</i></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>MAKE THE DOUGH: Place all ingredients for “dough” except the water into a heavy duty stand mixer or into a large bowl if mixing by hand. Run the mixer with paddle until the lard had dispersed well. Add in most (not all) of the water and begin mixing with the dough hook, or by hand. The dough should be very soft, but not so soft it cannot be handled. Add the remaining water if needed, to achieve this soft consistency. Knead the dough for 5 to 8 minutes, then allow it to rest for 20 to 25 minutes. </i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>Turn the dough out onto a greased surface and divide the dough into 3 equal portions, by weight. Each portion will make 6 rolls. Set two portions aside, covered. Divide the last portion of dough into 6 equal pieces by weight.</i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i><u>To make “GALLINITAS:”</u> Make each of the 6 pieces of dough into a log about 6 to 7-inches long. Take one of the balls of sugar paste and equally divide the ball into 6 pieces. Take one of these pieces of the sugar paste almost, but not quite, as big as the piece of dough and roll it into a similar length log. Set the sugar paste log on top of the dough log. Flatten the two pieces together, to a width of about 1.5 inches. No need to lengthen the log. Now, using a small knife or a metal bench scraper, slice through the stack, from the center to the wide edge, repeating these cuts about every quarter-inch.</i></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3nCjzGYv6uI/YOysChAOWfI/AAAAAAAAJfo/ZW1eNFWwNk85XdmQsBM9dtZH78QGbz3uwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2336/Making%2BGallinitas.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="forming Gallinitas, stacking dough and sugar paste" border="0" data-original-height="307" data-original-width="2336" height="84" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3nCjzGYv6uI/YOysChAOWfI/AAAAAAAAJfo/ZW1eNFWwNk85XdmQsBM9dtZH78QGbz3uwCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h84/Making%2BGallinitas.jpg" title="Stacking and Forming Gallinitas" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--bcbJGdTP0Q/YOysLNjkgtI/AAAAAAAAJfs/o8R8lbGr_CoewoWbRY_lJ9z3jRDSMD7uACLcBGAsYHQ/s1609/Making%2BGallinitas%2Bphotos.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="forming Gallinitas, forming Guatemalan bread, pan dulce" border="0" data-original-height="1001" data-original-width="1609" height="398" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--bcbJGdTP0Q/YOysLNjkgtI/AAAAAAAAJfs/o8R8lbGr_CoewoWbRY_lJ9z3jRDSMD7uACLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h398/Making%2BGallinitas%2Bphotos.jpg" title="Forming Gallinitas" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>From one short end, begin to roll up this piece, until you come to the end of the length. The bread is formed sideways, so turn the dough so the floppy ends are now the top and set on a parchment lined baking sheet. Repeat this process for the remaining five pieces of the dough, setting them well-spaced, on a parchment lined baking sheet.</i></span><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i><br /></i></span><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NDCMAOg4p5A/YOyvtBhZlOI/AAAAAAAAJgY/67n8-2wtPzUDamftKKPyoEdlo6TVZcwDACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_8095.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Pan Dulce Gallinitas, Guatemalan Pan Dulce" border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NDCMAOg4p5A/YOyvtBhZlOI/AAAAAAAAJgY/67n8-2wtPzUDamftKKPyoEdlo6TVZcwDACLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/IMG_8095.JPG" title="Guatemalan Sweet Bread Gallinitas" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gallinitas, or Little Hens<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><i><div style="text-align: center;"><i>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</i></div></i></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i><u>To make “BESITOS:”</u> Take the second portion of the dough and further divide it into 6 equal pieces by weight. Roll each piece into a ball and flatten the ball with hands to about 3½ to 4-inches in diameter. Take the second of the balls of sugar paste, further divide this ball into 6 equal pieces. Take one small ball of the sugar paste and set it in the center of the dough circle, </i><u>photo 1</u>. <i>Bring the dough up and around the sugar paste to completely encase it, pinching the ends so they stay closed. Turn the ball over so the seam is on the bottom,</i> <u>photo 2</u>, <i>and set this onto a parchment lined baking sheet. With clean scissors, snip across the top of the ball,</i> <u>photo 3</u>. <i>Now snip the top in the opposite direction, across the first cut,</i> <u>photo 4</u>, <i>and forming an “X in the dough, having cut through so the sugar paste is exposed,</i> <u>photo 5</u>. <i>Repeat this process with the remaining 5 balls of dough from this group, setting them well apart onto the parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush the tops with egg wash, avoiding the open, cut surfaces.</i></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-N4iQxwE80zc/YOytGQweRKI/AAAAAAAAJf4/JXnhv2zIDxoKKqNKmmQ-VYhhOi-AO1oHQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2442/Making%2BBesitos%2Bphotos.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="forming Besitos, Guatemalan pan dulce" border="0" data-original-height="482" data-original-width="2442" height="126" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-N4iQxwE80zc/YOytGQweRKI/AAAAAAAAJf4/JXnhv2zIDxoKKqNKmmQ-VYhhOi-AO1oHQCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h126/Making%2BBesitos%2Bphotos.jpg" title="Forming Besitos" width="640" /></a></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--2hf_XupX04/YOywGbDzH8I/AAAAAAAAJgg/DtK7H7QbhrM0zGB5TsK18FPGehTxLGbVgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_8098.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Guatemalan Sweet Breads, Besitos, Pan Dulce" border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--2hf_XupX04/YOywGbDzH8I/AAAAAAAAJgg/DtK7H7QbhrM0zGB5TsK18FPGehTxLGbVgCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/IMG_8098.JPG" title="Sweet Breads Besitos" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Besitos, or Little Kisses</td></tr></tbody></table><i style="font-family: georgia; text-align: center;"><div><i style="font-family: georgia; text-align: center;"><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</i></div></i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>To make “GUSANITOS:” With the last of the 3 portions of dough, divide this into 6 equal pieces by weight. Take one piece and form a ball. Set the ball onto the oiled surface and flatten to a large, long oval, approximately 5 x 8”. With the last remaining sugar paste ball, divide into 6 equal pieces. Take one piece of the sugar paste and flatten as much as possible between the hands, then set this piece onto one end of the long oval of dough, leaving about ½-inch of dough exposed at the end, </i><u>photo 1</u><i>, below, ensuring that the paste just reaches the side edges. Make slices through the sugar paste and dough, starting about a third of the way up the dough, cutting into strips downward about every quarter to one-third inch apart, </i><u>photo 2</u><i>. Begin rolling the dough from the short end without the sugar paste, pressing each side to seal as you roll, </i><u>photos 3, 4, 5</u><i>. Once the roll is complete, </i><u>photo 6</u><i>, the cuts will reveal the sugary insides and the segments will somewhat resemble a worm, or “gusanito.” Repeat this process with the remaining 5 pieces of dough and sugar paste. Set each Gusanito onto parchment lined baking sheets, well apart. Brush the dough with egg wash, but avoid getting the egg into the cut surfaces. Set aside, covered, and proof for at least 30 minutes. </i></span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-T7ah1pACtrA/YOyuNgA4BUI/AAAAAAAAJgA/2V8rFG03ZOEEc31xcjMpkRv0hoytnZkAwCLcBGAsYHQ/s3251/Making%2BGusanitos%2Bphotos.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Forming Gusanitos, Guatemalan pan dulce" border="0" data-original-height="694" data-original-width="3251" height="136" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-T7ah1pACtrA/YOyuNgA4BUI/AAAAAAAAJgA/2V8rFG03ZOEEc31xcjMpkRv0hoytnZkAwCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h136/Making%2BGusanitos%2Bphotos.jpg" title="Forming Gusanitos" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake all the breads for 15 minutes, then rotate the pan 180 degrees and bake for 10 minutes more, for a total of 25 minutes. If breads are on separate pans, bake one tray at a time.</i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MiLZJ30Z9QA/YOywfwDrMfI/AAAAAAAAJgo/snm4Ts4FlNAnAv-xIMou3jXHfu_jANI6wCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_8101.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Guatemalan Sweet Bread, Gusanitos, Pan Dulce" border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MiLZJ30Z9QA/YOywfwDrMfI/AAAAAAAAJgo/snm4Ts4FlNAnAv-xIMou3jXHfu_jANI6wCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/IMG_8101.JPG" title="Sweet Bread Gusanitos" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gusanitos or Little Worms</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><i><br /></i></span><p></p><p><i style="background-color: white; color: #484848; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><span face="verdana, sans-serif"><i><span face="verdana, sans-serif"><i><span face="verdana, sans-serif"><i><span style="font-family: times, "times new roman", serif;">My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/aharmonyofflavors" style="color: #3979cd; text-decoration-line: none;">Facebook</a>, and <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/ahofpin/" style="color: #3979cd; text-decoration-line: none;">Pinterest</a>.</span></i></span></i></span></i></span></span></i></p></div></div>A Harmony of Flavorshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08850693486099419140noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3525002274590687657.post-15051185113257786592021-07-12T11:54:00.001-07:002022-08-25T11:26:25.785-07:00New South Indian Dish<div class="separator"><br /></div><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Recently, I have been putting together a cookbook on bread. I love creating my own cookbooks, though none are commercial. I just love getting things together in one place. My first cookbooks were of "Favorite Recipes." Another was of Guatemalan Recipes and a Memoir for my oldest daughter who remembered her life in Guatemala. Another of Vegetarian Recipes for a friend. One is of sweets of all kinds. And on and on and on goes my story. This latest is all on breads. I love the challenge of all the organizing, making it look great, detail work is just my thing.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">As I am at the stage of proofreading, and while looking more closely at the recipes, words, descriptions, I came to the chapter on Indian breads, and there are many. Many I have made, and there are so many more I have not made but want to. So in reading a few of the recipes I had written out for myself but not actually put to the test, I came across one for Neer Dosa. For those who are not into Indian food as I am, apparently "neer" means water. Dosa is a very flat, crepe-like bread, often made from leftover Idli batter, but Neer Dosa are purely soaked, then ground, rice and water. They are bland, taste like rice, and as such are meant to accompany well-spiced foods, for breakfast, lunch or snack. One of the suggestions I'd seen on websites was to serve these with a Mangalorean Egg Curry.</span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-n6EZcGQUV_I/YOyE4zWB1tI/AAAAAAAAJfA/26evpxckN2QCnXq6-BqUXKy1YkzOspEUwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_8357.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Mangalore, Egg Curry, Ande Ambat, Konkan, Tulu" border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-n6EZcGQUV_I/YOyE4zWB1tI/AAAAAAAAJfA/26evpxckN2QCnXq6-BqUXKy1YkzOspEUwCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/IMG_8357.JPG" title="Mangalorean Egg Curry or Ande Ambat" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mangalorean Egg Curry or Ande Ambat</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I have seen recipes for egg curries, from the earliest times of my interest in all things Indian. To date, I had never made one. Made with hard boiled eggs, essentially the eggs are placed into a well-spiced "gravy" of some kind. Depending on region the type of flavors in that gravy or curry mixture will vary. I was intrigued by the use of the word Mangalorean. I'd heard it used, and even looked it up, but couldn't quite place it. According to Wikipedia, Mangalore (also "Mangaluru") is a major port city on the western coast in the Indian state of Karnataka, in southern India. Being a coastal city, coconut based foods are common.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I found very few recipes while searching "Mangalorean Egg Curry." In general, what I found is that this curry is common in the Konkan region of Mangalore, and is called Ande Ambat, so far as I can tell. Information is sketchy, but "ambat" appears to be a curry mixture, since it is used for other things like prawns, fish, etc. Only when "ande" (or "anda") is added does it refer to an egg curry. Essentially, no matter which recipe you look at, most of the ingredients are the same, with varying amounts. After looking through more recipes under that title, I realized that there was really not much new. The ingredients are the same and methods and amounts differ. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">After making my version of this dish for dinner last evening, my husband and I both truly loved the flavors, and the Neer Dosa paired exceptionally well with the dish, though I felt my dosa weren't yet made with any proficiency. Sadly, there are quite a few steps to this recipe, though some of them can be made ahead. The spice mixture ("masala") can be made and stored. The sauce (curry) can also be made ahead. Assembling in a hurry is then a snap. Making it all in one go, I had 2 skillets and 3 different saucepans dirtied, along with the blender, before I finished. </span></p><p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_vyWwz31cXo/YOyFjrIguVI/AAAAAAAAJfI/9lF79mWhFG4KVWkB5YBtZbyomh-tjx_sQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_8365.JPG" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Mangalorean Egg Curry, Neer Dosa, Ande Ambat" border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_vyWwz31cXo/YOyFjrIguVI/AAAAAAAAJfI/9lF79mWhFG4KVWkB5YBtZbyomh-tjx_sQCLcBGAsYHQ/w300-h400/IMG_8365.JPG" title="Mangalorean Egg Curry and Neer Dosa" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mangalorean Egg Curry and Neer Dosa</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Still, it is so very tasty, I would truly suggest trying it out. Some ingredients may not be available, unless you are really dedicated to Indian cuisine, as I am. <a href="https://aharmonyofflavors.blogspot.com/2014/03/a-conundrum-with-samosas.html" target="_blank">Ajwain</a> or Carom seed is used in just a tiny pinch and can be optional or substituted with a small bit of thyme (thymol is the smell one associates with thyme herb, and ajwain or carom seed also contains thymol). <a href="https://aharmonyofflavors.blogspot.com/2015/02/curry-leaf-is-great-in-indian-cuisine.html" target="_blank">Curry leaves</a>, while they are available fresh by mail (when they arrive, I put them into a zip-top freezer bag and straight into the freezer), aren't on everyone's list of staple items. I love the flavor of them and use them often, but they can be omitted. <a href="https://aharmonyofflavors.blogspot.com/2019/01/my-indian-spice-drawer-part-4.html" target="_blank">Tamarind</a> isn't in everyone's pantry either, but can easily be substituted with a squeeze of lime juice, or simply omitted. Dried red chilies aren't on everyone's shelf, and are also a matter of taste. Some cannot tolerate the heat, and others can't get enough. I used two dried red chilies, breaking them open and discarding the seeds before using. If preferred, use dried red chili flakes to your own personal preference, or in a pinch, simply use a tiny bit of cayenne, to taste. Not everyone keeps a fresh coconut lying around, either, though I found that I can buy a whole, ripe coconut, open it and remove all the coconut "meat," and then grate it on a small-holed grater and freeze it, well wrapped. Easy to grab a little when needed.</span></p><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Mangalorean Egg Curry or Ande Ambat</span></h2><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i><br />Based on 1 egg per serving: 6 servings. Based on 2 eggs per serving: 3 servings.<br /></i></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LqRDm_Y1OcQ/YOyJRs1l-jI/AAAAAAAAJfQ/r4lyKvQBuXA2yJW5PNeCFoEHK5_EQyJOwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_8378.JPG" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="curry, Mangalore, India, hard boiled eggs" border="0" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LqRDm_Y1OcQ/YOyJRs1l-jI/AAAAAAAAJfQ/r4lyKvQBuXA2yJW5PNeCFoEHK5_EQyJOwCLcBGAsYHQ/w300-h400/IMG_8378.JPG" title="Mangalorean Egg Curry or Ande Ambat" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mangalorean Egg Curry or Ande Ambat</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>DRY MASALA MIX:</i></span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i><br />2 (or up to 8) dried red chilies, with or without seeds <br />1-inch <a href="https://aharmonyofflavors.blogspot.com/2016/01/cinnamon-and-cassia-are-not-necessarily.html">soft cinnamon stick</a><br /></i></span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds<br />1 teaspoon coriander seeds<br />1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds<br />1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns<br />1/8 teaspoon carom/ajwain seeds<br /><br />CURRY or GRAVY:<br />2 - 3 tablespoons coconut oil<br />2 medium shallots, chopped<br />12 - 15 curry leaves<br />3 - 4 cloves garlic, chopped<br />1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger<br />1/2 large red bell pepper<br />1 - 2 tomatoes, chopped<br />1 teaspoon-sized piece of seedless tamarind<br />1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder<br />1/2 cup fresh grated coconut<br />2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro<br /><br />OTHER INGREDIENTS:<br />1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk (or use water)<br />1 1/2 to 2 cups water<br />6 eggs, hard-boiled, peeled<br />1 - 2 medium potatoes, peeled, cubed<br /><br />TEMPERING:<br />1 tablespoon coconut oil<br />1 small shallot, halved, sliced<br />8 to 10 curry leaves<br /><br />MAKE THE DRY MASALA MIX: Heat a dry skillet over medium to medium high heat, then toast the spices, one spice at a time (different sizes will toast for different times), just until fragrant, removing each to a single plate to cool. Once cooled, grind the spices in a spice grinder and set aside, or cover tightly and store in a cool, dark place until needed.</i></span><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i><u>MAKE THE CURRY</u>: In a medium skillet, over medium heat, add in the coconut oil and then the shallots with the curry leaves and saute, stirring often, until the shallots soften and start turning a golden color. Add in the garlic and ginger and cook 3 minutes, then add in the red bell pepper and tomatoes with the turmeric powder and cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are soft and the tomatoes broken down. Stir in the grated coconut and cook one minute. Pour the ingredients of the skillet into a blender container, along with the cilantro, the spice Masala mixture, and with either the coconut milk or water (from "other ingredients") and blend smooth. The curry can be refrigerated, tightly covered, until later if needed. </i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>When ready to make the dish, cook the cubed potatoes until easily pierced with a knife. Drain the water from the potatoes. Have the curry in a medium saucepan over medium heat and add in the potatoes and 1 1/2 cups of water, stirring well. Make shallow cuts in the hard-boiled eggs, then add to the curry. If the mixture is still thick, add more water as needed. Let the mixture simmer, covered, for 10 to 15 minutes to meld flavors.</i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i><u>TEMPERING</u>: In a small skillet, heat the 1 tablespoon coconut oil and saute the sliced shallot with the curry leaves. When the curry is ready to serve, pour into a bowl, then pour the tempering ingredients from the skillet over top. Garnish with cilantro leaves.</i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>NOTES: If desired, 3 eggs may be whisked together and stirred into the simmering curry sauce before adding the potatoes and tomatoes.</i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i><br /></i></span></p><p><i style="background-color: white; color: #484848; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><span face="verdana, sans-serif"><i><span face="verdana, sans-serif"><i><span face="verdana, sans-serif"><i><span style="font-family: times, "times new roman", serif;">My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/aharmonyofflavors" style="color: #3979cd; text-decoration-line: none;">Facebook</a>, and <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/ahofpin/" style="color: #3979cd; text-decoration-line: none;">Pinterest</a>.</span></i></span></i></span></i></span></span></i></p>A Harmony of Flavorshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08850693486099419140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3525002274590687657.post-49833465565491033862021-01-27T13:37:00.007-07:002022-08-25T11:14:52.379-07:00My Bread Odyssey and Tribute to Mom<p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I love making bread. I've been making all our family's bread since back in the early 1970s, living in Guatemala. The only bread recipe I had at that time was my Mom's (and before her, Grandma's) bread that she made for Easter, Thanksgiving or Christmas, and sometimes, if we were lucky, other times as well. It was something I watched her make all through my young life, before marrying and moving to Guatemala. I don't believe she knew any other recipe for bread, but it was so exceptionally good that it made no difference. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">I adopted it as our daily bread, and we just never get tired of it - it's just that good. An enriched dough, with milk, butter, eggs and sugar, it rises beautifully, makes fabulous sandwiches, toast or French Toast.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JEEEN430-MU/YBGq-pfgSqI/AAAAAAAAJXI/VMYNWMmMIgIQSMaezB-DcLCmakc9lPdSACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/DSC_0127.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="bread, enriched bread, yeast bread, homemade bread" border="0" data-original-height="1360" data-original-width="2048" height="424" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JEEEN430-MU/YBGq-pfgSqI/AAAAAAAAJXI/VMYNWMmMIgIQSMaezB-DcLCmakc9lPdSACLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h424/DSC_0127.JPG" title="My Kitchen Aid Mixer Bread" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Kitchen Aid Mixer Bread</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p></p><h4 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The late '80s and '90s</span></h4><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">When we moved back to the States, I continued making <a href="https://aharmonyofflavors.blogspot.com/2014/05/updated-bread-recips.html" target="_blank">Mom's bread</a>, and over the years, made small changes; things that didn't change the great taste or texture. I used powdered milk, instead of scalding 3 cups of milk and waiting for it to cool. I used honey instead of sugar. I used whole eggs instead of just the yolks. And as bread flour became available, started using that. Then my new husband bought me a bread machine from DAK. I managed to halve Mom's recipe to use in the machine, but never liked how it baked in there, so after the machine's kneading and proofing, I'd form it and bake in the oven. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Despite all that, the poor bread machine was so overworked that it died after 2 years!</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">DAK's machine came with a little recipe booklet, and I adopted and adapted some of those recipes, changing them to suit and also baking in the oven. My </span><a href="https://aharmonyofflavors.blogspot.com/2014/05/bread-pudding-is-fine-comfort-food.html" style="font-family: verdana;" target="_blank">Double Chocolate Bread</a><span style="font-family: verdana;"> and </span><a href="https://aharmonyofflavors.blogspot.com/2019/01/just-because-sometimes-white-breads-are.html" style="font-family: verdana;" target="_blank">Herbed Onion Bread</a><span style="font-family: verdana;"> are results of my tinkering. And eventually, the gift of a Kitchen Aid Mixer had me revamping Mom's bread to using the mixer.</span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ongrb_DbCOY/YBGrzLRXG7I/AAAAAAAAJXU/Pqh1VSVgtbMwSMlS_5KGvt6TgeTRQInpgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_8378.JPG" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Bread, enriched bread, fresh herbs" border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ongrb_DbCOY/YBGrzLRXG7I/AAAAAAAAJXU/Pqh1VSVgtbMwSMlS_5KGvt6TgeTRQInpgCLcBGAsYHQ/w320-h320/IMG_8378.JPG" title="Herbed Onion Loaf" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Herbed Onion Loaf</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Then somewhere along the way, I found a book with some interesting bread recipes, and started trying some of them out. There were lots of them with additions like dried fruits, nuts, other flavorings and such. While they were delicious, most times the bread took forever to rise and often resulted in under baked loaves, despite following the recipes assiduously. I didn't know what was the problem.</span></p><h4 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The 2000s</span></h4><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Then in early 2014, my sister-in-law, Curator of Education at the Dacotah Prairie Museum in Aberdeen, SD, brought me a <a href="https://aharmonyofflavors.blogspot.com/2014/05/new-books-breads-and-dreams.html" target="_blank">stack of cookbooks</a> someone had donated to the museum. I started out with one of them and haven't looked back: </span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>The Bread Baker's Apprentice</i></span><span style="font-family: verdana;">, by Peter Reinhart. I have come a very long way in my knowledge and understanding of bread, dough and how they work since then. My entire focus has shifted. Over the years, I have become so enamored with the different whole grain breads, finding out about long, slow rising periods and resulting enhanced flavor. I love anything that helps with eating more naturally, and using whole grains in bread is certainly better, in that sense. I have never entirely converted my husband. He loves white bread. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">During the next phase, and Reinhart's book, "</span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>Bread Revolution</i></span><span style="font-family: verdana;">," while visiting the local health food store searching for malted grains, I got chatting with the store manager and he told me about a bread he was experimenting with, using a Tangzhong starter, and even printed his recipe for me. Finding that it was a white bread, I opted to set the recipe aside and finally, forgot about it.</span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dHR2Tggxmw8/YBGtKo_k5sI/AAAAAAAAJXg/XHL9niw9uW0kiD_N5lA4FkheMQAq4eYnwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_3118.JPG" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="homemade bread, whole grain bread" border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dHR2Tggxmw8/YBGtKo_k5sI/AAAAAAAAJXg/XHL9niw9uW0kiD_N5lA4FkheMQAq4eYnwCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h300/IMG_3118.JPG" title="Poilane Style Miche from "The Bread Baker's Apprentice"" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Poilane Style Miche, from "The Bread Baker's Apprentice"</td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Since watching The Great British Baking Show/Bake Off, I have also learned a lot about bread making from Paul Hollywood's comments on the show, and also discovered that kneading "for 10 to 12 minutes" is not necessarily enough to got the dough to pass the "windowpane" test. For me, kneading a whole grained loaf requires up to <u>20 minutes of kneading</u> time to pass the test. I discovered that this was truly the biggest difference to getting my breads to rise properly.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">This past year, though I had gotten my husband to eat my whole grain breads, he has been suffering tooth problems and wasn't able to chew well. As thing deteriorated, and with his fear of COVID while going to a dentist, it got to a point where he truly couldn't chew. My hearty whole grain breads were inedible for him. I went back to a modified version of my Mom's bread, adding just a little whole wheat, slightly less butter and sugar. It worked.</span></p><h4 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">2021 - Full Circle</span></h4><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">My husband and I were watching Paul Hollywood's program, City Bakes, and we came to where he spends some time in Japan. After lamenting that Japan really isn't known for bread, he comes across some bakeries, and discovers Japan's Shokupan, or Milk Loaf. Hearing Paul describe the method of making this bread, I exclaimed, "That's the kind of bread that guy in the health food store in Aberdeen gave me the recipe for!"</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">The whole thing about this type of bread is the "starter," for want of a better word. It is not a sourdough, but it is a pre-mix that helps the dough retain moisture and gives this bread a pillowy soft texture. I decided to try it out, mainly for my husband (who had the offending teeth pulled and is still needing soft food). I went online and searched. Surprisingly, while there were quite a few recipes for Japanese Milk Bread, not many of them actually used the pre-starter, opting to omit that step. This made me wonder why one would even call it by that name? </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Apparently there are two methods to this bread's starter. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">According to </span><a href="https://www.chopstickchronicles.com/shokupan-japanese-fluffy-white-bread/" style="font-family: verdana;" target="_blank">Chopstick Chronicles</a><span style="font-family: verdana;">, </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">The <u>Tangzhong</u> method uses a starter that is 5 parts liquid to one part flour. This is cooked to 150 degrees F, cooled and the dough is made and baked as usual. The <u>Yudaine</u> method, </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">uses a 1:1 ratio of flour to water, simply pouring boiling water over the flour and mixing to a dough-like consistency and refrigerating overnight. The bread is made the following day (though she does say it is possibly to make the bread after only a couple of hours of resting the starter.</span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3ZSMxuYXmR8/YBHMJmdLPnI/AAAAAAAAJYA/Ydy0LW2f1kU8kkTBcCKHwgrGANGIwi2mACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_7122.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Shokupan, Yudaine, Milk Bread" border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3ZSMxuYXmR8/YBHMJmdLPnI/AAAAAAAAJYA/Ydy0LW2f1kU8kkTBcCKHwgrGANGIwi2mACLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/IMG_7122.JPG" title="Yudaine Shokupan" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yudaine Shokupan from Chopstick Chronicles</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I actually made this recipe from Chopstick Chronicles as my second attempt (since it called for an overnight rest for the starter and I wanted one to make right away!) and it also came out beautifully, though I also had to add a little more water (10 grams) to the starter (to counteract this Arizona dry climate). The actual recipe, for just one loaf, is</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">a</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">far smaller recipe, but comes out equally well.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I wanted to make a batch right away, so I opted first to try a <a href="https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1016275-japanese-milk-bread" target="_blank">recipe by Julia Moskin</a> in the Cooking section of the New York Times. She makes the Tangzhong starter, but then divides the starter in half, using only one half of it, leaving the rest for another loaf. I opted to just double the bread recipe and use all the starter. She also uses a fair amount of sugar and yeast, so I lowered those amounts. Adjustments were needed in her recipe: the dough is described as very wet and too difficult to be kneaded by hand. Mine came out so stiff there was no way it was going to be a soft bread. I added a full 1/2 cup more of both water and milk to proceed; this could be that I live in Arizona - most recipes require more liquid. This is what I did:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Tangzhong Milk Bread</span></h3><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ezHVegJjKmc/YBHKWlkLxqI/AAAAAAAAJXs/ITxk6TOkF9se3WIffBxZSVDVV_3f-8xsACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_7108.JPG" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i><img alt="bread, milk bread, shokupan, tangzhong" border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ezHVegJjKmc/YBHKWlkLxqI/AAAAAAAAJXs/ITxk6TOkF9se3WIffBxZSVDVV_3f-8xsACLcBGAsYHQ/w300-h400/IMG_7108.JPG" title="Tangzhong Milk Bread" width="300" /></i></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>Tangzhong Milk Bread</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i><br /></i></span><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>Makes 2 loaves<br /><br />STARTER:<br />120 grams water: 1/2 cup<br />120 grams milk: 1/2 cup<br />45 grams bread flour: about 1/3 cup<br /><br />In a small saucepan, whisk these ingredients until smooth, then over medium heat, cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens slightly and is still pourable. Pour the starter into a bowl and place cling film directly onto the surface to prevent it forming a skin as it cools. Cool to room temperature before proceeding. </i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>CAVEAT: If the mixture is too stiff, add in a second 120 grams of liquid.<br /><br />For the DOUGH:<br />1 large egg<br />650 grams bread flour (about 5 cups)<br />30 grams granulated sugar (about 3 tablespoons<br />10 grams instant / quick-rise yeast (1 tablespoon)<br />8 grams salt (about 1 teaspoon)<br />60 grams unsalted butter, at room temperature, soft (4 tablespoons)<br />-------<br />(1/2 cup milk - if the dough is too stiff)</i></span><br /><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; font-family: verdana; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-p3ePusSIEFc/YBHK543FNbI/AAAAAAAAJX0/KWmtW_M0okQ9DKrt7zQjdp3oidIUTkVZwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_7105.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="making bread, bread, dough" border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-p3ePusSIEFc/YBHK543FNbI/AAAAAAAAJX0/KWmtW_M0okQ9DKrt7zQjdp3oidIUTkVZwCLcBGAsYHQ/w240-h320/IMG_7105.JPG" title="Dough Like Stiff Batter" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;">Dough like stiff batter</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i><br />Pour the starter mixture into the bowl of a heavy duty stand mixer and add in the remaining ingredients, <u>except</u> the last half cup of milk. Start the mixer on lowest speed until mixture is combined, stopping to scrape down if needed. At this point the dough should be quite loose. If it is not, add in the half cup of extra milk and again mix slowly until combined. Now, raise the mixer speed to 4 or 5 and mix for 20 minutes. The very loose dough should instead be nearly a <u>stiff batter</u> (see photo<u>)</u>. Scrape the dough into a greased bowl, then lightly oil the top. Cover well and set aside to rise until doubled, 40 to 60 minutes.</i></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>Grease two loaf pans, approximately 9 x 5 inches. Turn dough out onto a floured surface and punch down well. The dough will be very springy and yet easy to handle. Divide into two equal pieces, by weight. Cover them well and let rest for 15 to 20 minutes. This helps to relax the dough, slightly.</i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>Further divide one piece of the dough into two equal pieces, by weight. Roll out one piece into a rough rectangle about 6 x 10 inches. With the shorter edge towards you, fold in each side to the center, slightly overlapping. Start rolling up the dough tightly, keeping edges neat as possible. Pinch the last edge to seal and set into one end of one of the greased loaf pans, seam side down.</i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>Repeat with the other half of this section of the dough and set into the opposite end of the same loaf pan, seam side down. </i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>Do the same thing with the other half of the dough, dividing into two equal pieces, rolling out, tucking in sides, rolling and setting into each end of the second loaf pan. Lightly oil the tops of the dough, then cover with cling film and set aside to rise. The dough will be ready to bake once it reaches the top of the pans, about 45 minutes. <u>If desired</u>, and for a very deep colored and shiny top, brush the tops of the loaves with an egg wash made of 1 yolk and 1 tablespoon water.</i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>Have oven preheated to 350 degrees F. Bake the loaves for about 30 to 40 minutes. If you have an instant-read thermometer, internal temperature should be between 95 to 105 degrees F. Turn out and allow to cool completely before slicing. Bread will be exceedingly soft. Unless you have a very sharp bread knife, do not try to cut the bread on the same day. With a good, sharp bread knife, use a back and forth sawing motion, very gently, with no pressure, to cut without crushing the bread.</i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i><br /></i></span></p><p><i style="background-color: white; color: #484848; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><span face="verdana, sans-serif"><i><span face="verdana, sans-serif"><i><span face="verdana, sans-serif"><i><span style="font-family: times, "times new roman", serif;">My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/aharmonyofflavors" style="color: #3979cd; text-decoration-line: none;">Facebook</a>, and <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/ahofpin/" style="color: #3979cd; text-decoration-line: none;">Pinterest</a>.</span></i></span></i></span></i></span></span></i></p></div>A Harmony of Flavorshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08850693486099419140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3525002274590687657.post-68682781306797308962020-11-06T14:40:00.002-07:002022-08-25T11:01:03.297-07:00Another Great Dinner with Chicken and Hummus<p></p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I started this blog yesterday, and somehow it vanished overnight, so here it goes again! </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I had decided to cook a pound of chickpeas with the intent of making hummus. It took about 2.5 to 3 hours to cook them. It seems it shouldn't have taken that long for them to get soft after being soaked overnight, but maybe they were older than they should have been. Who knows? Eventually they did get soft, and I made hummus with all but a cup of them. </span></p><h4 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">To Make Hummus with freshly cooked Chickpeas</span></h4><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://aharmonyofflavors.blogspot.com/2017/12/falafel-for-breakfast-mealtime-or.html" target="_blank">Hummus</a> (click for my original recipe)! Yum! With a whole pound of cooked chickpeas, it takes more of the other hummus ingredients than what is stated in my recipe, which uses just one can of chickpeas. While a whole pound of dried chickpeas cooks up to a lot more than two cans worth (double the original recipe), I have gotten by with using double the amount of the tahini, lime/lemon juice, garlic and olive oil from my recipe. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">I do not cook my chickpeas with any salt at all, as salt is said to toughen the beans, making them harder to get cooked through properly. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">More salt will be needed, but as an individual preference, it's best to add a teaspoon, taste and adjust as needed.</span></p><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: georgia;">Hummus from Scratch</span></h2><p><i><span style="font-family: georgia;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-q3RXjfDm0IM/X6WyTNXiQmI/AAAAAAAAJVI/s7LflOnborw-yiadRPB10gF6V2ACSvsOwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_6667.JPG" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="hummus, scratch recipe, garbanzo beans, cooking garbanzo beans, chickpeas" border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-q3RXjfDm0IM/X6WyTNXiQmI/AAAAAAAAJVI/s7LflOnborw-yiadRPB10gF6V2ACSvsOwCLcBGAsYHQ/w300-h400/IMG_6667.JPG" title="Freshly Made Hummus" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Freshly Made Hummus</td></tr></tbody></table></span></i></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i><br />Makes a large amount, possibly 8 cups!<br /><br />1 pound dried chickpeas, soaked overnight<br />-----<br />drained cooked chickpeas, cooking water reserved<br />4 cloves garlic, minced<br />6 tablespoons tahini<br />1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime or lemon juice<br />1/2 to 2/3 cup good quality olive oil<br />1 teaspoon salt, more if needed<br /><br />To cook the chickpeas: Drain off the soaking water</i></span><i><span style="font-family: georgia;">, place the chickpeas in a large pot, cover with water by about 1 inch and bring to boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook them until soft, anywhere from 2 to 3 hours, depending. This time they took a full three hours, possibly the chickpeas were old Once cooked through, pour the chickpeas into a colander set over a bowl to catch the cooking water. Keep this water aside.</span></i></p><p><i><span style="font-family: georgia;">Pour the cooked, drained, cooled chickpeas into a food processor. Add in the tahini, lime juice, garlic and a cup of the cooking water and process until very smooth. Add in the olive oil in a thin stream, while processor is running, to incorporate. If the mixture seems soft, you may not need all the olive oil. If you've used all the olive oil and the mixture is too stiff, add more of the cooking water, until you have a good consistency. Check for salt, adding more if needed. Will keep in the fridge, well-covered, for a couple of weeks.</span></i></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Okay, I had the hummus made, and it was delicious! Then I started thinking about dinner, and had absolutely nothing planned. Nothing was coming to mind. I started thinking about chicken, mainly as it cooks quickly. And that was as far as I got. So I wondered if there was anything to do for dinner that would incorporate hummus and chicken? I went online.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zmtJLXcNJJ8/X6W4bE0-lyI/AAAAAAAAJVU/74dgJToG52sLbNh5t2yxI3cOzGH8DXb2ACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_6664.JPG" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="parsnip, carrot, beet, marinade, roasted veg" border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zmtJLXcNJJ8/X6W4bE0-lyI/AAAAAAAAJVU/74dgJToG52sLbNh5t2yxI3cOzGH8DXb2ACLcBGAsYHQ/w300-h400/IMG_6664.JPG" title="Roasted Vegetables in Shawarma Marinade" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Veggies to Roast<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: verdana;">What came up that interested me was hummus bowls. The first site I came across was one from No Spoon Necessary, and the recipe is called <a href="https://www.nospoonnecessary.com/greek-chicken-loaded-hummus-bowl/" target="_blank">Easy Chicken Hummus Bowls</a>. I was enchanted by the photos, with everything arranged so prettily and all the things in there that I love: tomatoes, cucumber, Feta, olives. Mmmmm-mmmm! However, two problems: 1) I was at the tail end of my groceries. Almost no fresh anything left in the house, though by some fluke I still had some Feta!! 2) My husband wouldn't touch, fresh tomatoes, cucumbers or olives with a 10-foot pole anyway. <br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Okay, so how to get around that issue? I thought I would oven roast some veggies that I did still have: yellow beet, shallots, green pepper, parsnip and carrot. Hubby's not keen on parsnips or carrots, and "hates" beets. This beet was yellow, so he didn't realize it was in there, and he does seem to eat mixtures like this if they are well flavored. Okay. Check.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">That recipe idea in No Spoon Necessary called for cooked chicken and then a dressing is poured onto it for flavor. I was more of a mind to either pan saute or roast the chicken breasts I had gotten out. So, I went on searching to see what else was out there, so the n</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">ext place I came to was called Plays Well with Butter, and her recipe is called </span><a href="https://playswellwithbutter.com/chicken-shawarma-hummus-bowls-recipe/" style="font-family: verdana;" target="_blank">Grilled Chicken Shawarma Hummus Bowls</a><span style="font-family: verdana;">. I loved the idea of all the spices on the chicken marinade, and the chicken is grilled in that recipe. It was still in the high 90s outside and I just had no desire to stand out in that heat over the grill. I opted to roast the chicken and the veggies. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GoXdyXoqFFg/X6W-khG-QTI/AAAAAAAAJVo/l6xQ7V3kR1IxGxHQUDPLjOf2ogyYvcCcgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_6669.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="chicken, hummus, Feta cheese, roasted vegetables" border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GoXdyXoqFFg/X6W-khG-QTI/AAAAAAAAJVo/l6xQ7V3kR1IxGxHQUDPLjOf2ogyYvcCcgCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/IMG_6669.JPG" title="Shawarma Chicken and Vegetables with Hummus" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shawarma Chicken and Vegetables with Hummus</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br />All I can say is, tail end of groceries notwithstanding, this dinner was just fabulous! I did add olives to my bowl. My husband ate his without. But it was a dinner full of sighs and moans of pleasure. So, thanks to those out there with great ideas.</span><p></p><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: georgia;">Shawarma Chicken & Vegetables with Hummus</span></h2><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i><br /></i></span></div>Serves 4</i></span><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2hk8PJH60-0/X6W_Brz27OI/AAAAAAAAJVw/jmESMaOAn_gsgTMIWTmqa2DWWLs96SVYwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_6674.JPG" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i><img alt="chicken, roasted vegetables, Feta cheese, hummus" border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2hk8PJH60-0/X6W_Brz27OI/AAAAAAAAJVw/jmESMaOAn_gsgTMIWTmqa2DWWLs96SVYwCLcBGAsYHQ/w300-h400/IMG_6674.JPG" title="Shawarma Chicken and Vegetables with Hummus" width="300" /></i></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>Shawarma Chicken & Vegetables with Hummus</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts<br /><br />MARINADE:<br />3 tablespoons olive oil<br />3 - 4 cloves fresh garlic, minces<br />2 teaspoons honey, optional<br />1+ tablespoons lime juice<br />1/2 teaspoon crushed cumin seeds<br />1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika<br />1 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon<br />1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves, crushed<br />1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder<br />1 teaspoon salt<br />1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper<br />1 teaspoon sumac, optional<br />1 teaspoon <a href="https://aharmonyofflavors.blogspot.com/2014/07/using-zahtar-with-grilled-chicken.html" target="_blank">zah'tar</a>, optional<br />1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger<br />------<br />VEGETABLES: (or substitute others - root vegetables are great)<br />1 medium yellow beet (or red if preferred), peeled, 1/2" cubes<br />2 large shallots, in 1/2" chunks<br />1 green pepper, cut in 1/2" pieces<br />1 large parsnip, peeled, cut in small cubes<br />1 large carrot, peeled, cut in small chunks<br />-----<br />For SERVING:<br /><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>hummus, whatever kind preferred</i></span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>Feta cheese</i></span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>olives of choice, optional</i></span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>Fresh tomato and cucumber, if desired</i></span></li><li><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>Shawarma Chicken and Vegetables</i></span></li></ul><br />Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.</i></span><br /><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>Make the marinade by whisking together all the marinade ingredients. Set aside. Slice the chicken breasts in half across the width, so you have two, much thinner, filets. Slice across the thin pieces, making 1/2-inch-wide strips. Place the chicken strips in a bowl and pour on half the marinade mixture and mix well. Cover and let stand.</i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>Set the prepared vegetables into the remaining marinade and toss well. Pour the vegetables into the prepared baking dish and bake the vegetables for 30 minutes, stirring once halfway through. At the end of 30 minutes, remove the baking dish from the oven, pour on the chicken pieces with the marinade, arranging the pieces into a single layer over top. Return to oven and bake for about 20 minutes more, until vegetables are tender and chicken is cooked through.</i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>To serve - per bowl: Place a good-sized dollop of hummus into a bowl, smearing to one side. Spoon on 1/4 of the chicken and vegetables per bowl. Sprinkle on Feta cheese, crumbled. Optionally, add in olives, fresh chopped tomatoes, cucumber slices, to taste.</i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><i style="background-color: white; color: #484848; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><span face="verdana, sans-serif"><i><span face="verdana, sans-serif"><i><span face="verdana, sans-serif"><i><span style="font-family: times, "times new roman", serif;">My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/aharmonyofflavors" style="color: #3979cd; text-decoration-line: none;">Facebook</a>, and <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/ahofpin/" style="color: #3979cd; text-decoration-line: none;">Pinterest</a>.</span></i></span></i></span></i></span></span></i></p></div>A Harmony of Flavorshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08850693486099419140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3525002274590687657.post-11567604274061452002020-11-04T15:53:00.002-07:002022-08-25T10:45:51.764-07:00Great Dinner for Any Night or Any Occasion<p> <span style="font-family: verdana;">A few months back, I was looking for something to do with white beans. I use white beans when I make my <a href="https://aharmonyofflavors.blogspot.com/2014/01/mom-and-dads-bean-soup-is-delight.html" target="_blank">Mom & Dad's Bean Soup</a>/Ham Bone Soup, yet I rarely use them otherwise. No particular reason for this, just that the Bean Soup recipe is the only one I had growing up that used white beans. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-61TgXm5B3ic/X6MbLkFKUwI/AAAAAAAAJUE/_DQxFBnM8FswSdAZwuA60IgDy8h2hF8dACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_6701.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="white beans, bacon, thyme, onion, garlic" border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-61TgXm5B3ic/X6MbLkFKUwI/AAAAAAAAJUE/_DQxFBnM8FswSdAZwuA60IgDy8h2hF8dACLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/IMG_6701.JPG" title="White Beans with Bacon & Thyme" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">White Beans with Bacon & Thyme</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br />Wandering around the internet in search of ideas, I came on one that sounded promising, called <a href="https://www.jocooks.com/recipes/white-beans-with-bacon-and-herbs/" target="_blank">White Beans with Bacon and Herbs on "Jo Cooks.</a>" I printed it off, then started to plan what I would do differently. Not that there was anything wrong with how the recipe sounded, as is. Just that I always tinker. Even with my own recipes, I go back and just have to do something different. Maybe I don't have some ingredients and have to substitute. Maybe I just have a hankering for something different than the original flavor profile. Whatever it is, I just seem to have a need to change things.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">For starters, I had started cooking a pound of beans from scratch earlier in the day. I tucked in a couple of bay leaves while the beans cooked. Once I found this recipe, I realized that it sounded splendid with the fresh herbs, but I didn't have any! I did, however, have some pesto in the fridge, from my latest batch, and opted to use some of that for flavors instead. I only buy thick-sliced bacon, so I lowered the amount of bacon to 4 slices. There were no onions in the original recipe, so I caramelized a chopped onion, then added in 4 fresh minced cloves of garlic to the mix. I needed more salt, since I was using fresh cooked beans. I always cook my beans or lentils with no salt at all so they cook a bit more quickly, more tender. I add salt once they are already tender. And that was my plan.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">The beans came out so amazingly flavorful. Oh my! And I never once thought of taking photos.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BUEaQgu1MF0/X6Mbx6ZmCkI/AAAAAAAAJUM/0y7BEgmLEMYoCKiqEmnQ2NgsyUP-wASiQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_6711.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="pork, thyme, sage, garlic, rosemary, fennel" border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BUEaQgu1MF0/X6Mbx6ZmCkI/AAAAAAAAJUM/0y7BEgmLEMYoCKiqEmnQ2NgsyUP-wASiQCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/IMG_6711.JPG" title="Pork Tenderloin with Italian Flavors" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pork Tenderloin with Italian Flavors<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br />So a couple of weeks back, I wanted to repeat this recipe, since it was so very tasty. And then I wondered what to pair with them as a main course? If it was just me in the house, I would have had a salad alongside these scrumptious beans and called it a night. My husband, however, would not be so easily placated. I got out some pork tenderloin and started thinking about what to do with that. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">As it turned out, I created a mix of "Italian" flavors, rubbed the mixture all over the tenderloins and baked them. The mixture is somewhat akin to what I do for things like steaks or lamb chops; a green mixture of garlic, rosemary, olive oil, pepper, salt, and other things that may differ depending on the meat involved. Since this was pork, I used sage and fennel. My preference would have been fresh sage, but again, I had none on hand. Oh, how I do miss having my own herb garden! The whole thing came out so good we both spent the entire meal moaning in pleasure.</span></p><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: georgia;">White Beans with Bacon and Thyme</span></h2><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i><br /></i></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>Serves 10 or more</i></span><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_GKr-AODljo/X6MtdhiMtTI/AAAAAAAAJUY/8ryeP5FFZOkxI5QCwkvcLI7pZNZBZ3tcwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_6696.JPG" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i><img alt="white beans, thyme, pesto, onion, garlic" border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_GKr-AODljo/X6MtdhiMtTI/AAAAAAAAJUY/8ryeP5FFZOkxI5QCwkvcLI7pZNZBZ3tcwCLcBGAsYHQ/w300-h400/IMG_6696.JPG" title="White Beans with Bacon and Thyme" width="300" /></i></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>White Beans with Bacon & Thyme</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i><br /></i></span><p></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>1 pound white dried beans, soaked overnight (OR - Pour boiling water over them and let set for one hour)<br />2 bay leaves<br />-----<br />4 slices thick-sliced bacon, cut in 1/4" bits<br />2 tablespoons reserved bacon fat from pan<br />1 large onion, chopped<br />1 1/2 teaspoons salt, or to taste<br />4 fresh cloves garlic, minced finely<br />3 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves (no stems)<br />1 - 3 tablespoons <a href="https://aharmonyofflavors.blogspot.com/2018/12/appetizer-ideas-for-your-new-years.html" target="_blank">fresh basil pesto</a><br />2 tablespoons red wine vinegar<br /><br />If soaking beans overnight, in the morning, drain, then place beans in a large pot with tight fitting lid. Cover the beans with water by at least 1 inch above beans, add in the bay leaves, bring to boil, cover, reduce heat to a simmer and let cook for 2 to 3 hours, or until tender, but not mushy. </i></span><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>ALTERNATELY: If, like me, you don't remember to soak overnight, in the morning place the beans in a large bowl and cover with boiling water. Soak then 1 hour, drain, place beans in pot and cover with water by an inch, add the bay leaves and cook 2 to 3 hours, until tender but not mushy.</i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>Once beans are nearly ready, remove lid and let the liquid cook down until there is only about 1 1/2 to 2 cups of liquid left. Leave on very low heat to keep warm.</i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>In a skillet, fry the bacon to your desired doneness. Remove the bacon to paper toweling and reserve about 2 tablespoons of bacon drippings in the pan. Add in the onion with the salt and cook, stirring occasionally at first, then nearly constantly once they start to go golden. Continue cooking and stirring until they are deep golden brown and add in the garlic, cooking another 3 to 5 minutes, until the raw garlic smell is gone. Add in the thyme leaves, pesto and red wine vinegar and stir, then pour all this mixture into the beans and mix well. Cover and let flavors meld for at least 15 minutes before serving.</i></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">For this next dish, use the pork <u>tenderloins</u> and not pork loin. Tenderloins are far thinner and will cook more quickly. Pork loins are a thicker cut and will be less tender.</span></p><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: georgia;">Pork Tenderloin with Italian Flavors</span></h2><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i><div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i><br /></i></span></div>Serves 4 to 6</i></span><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Wzmw2w1_5MY/X6MwGWDcnEI/AAAAAAAAJUk/N3Z898Akog0VFg2W25n7QFLTXf00xsAcACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_6712.JPG" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="pork tenderloins, garlic, fennel, rosemary" border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Wzmw2w1_5MY/X6MwGWDcnEI/AAAAAAAAJUk/N3Z898Akog0VFg2W25n7QFLTXf00xsAcACLcBGAsYHQ/w300-h400/IMG_6712.JPG" title="Pork Tenderloins with Italian Flavors" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Pork Tenderloin with Italian Flavors</span><br style="font-family: verdana;" /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i><br /></i></span><p></p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>2 pork tenderloins, about 1.25 pounds each<br />4 cloves fresh garlic, smashed and minced<br />2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, minced finely<br />2 teaspoons dried sage leaves, crumbled (or use fresh sage and mince, measuring out at least 1 tablespoon)<br />1 teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed<br />1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary leaves, minced, OR use 2 - 3 teaspoons fresh rosemary leaves, minced<br />1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons salt<br />1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper<br />2 tablespoons olive oil<br /><br />Trim the tenderloins of fat and silverskin. Set aside.<br /><br />Mix all the remaining ingredients together and rub the mixture over the meat, coating all sides. Set the tenderloins in their coating into a zip top bag or into a container with lid and set aside for at least a half hour, though overnight in the fridge would be best.</i></span><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i>Preheat oven to 400 degrees and set the tenderloins on a rack in a foil lined rimmed baking sheet. Pour some water into the baking sheet, otherwise the drippings will cause a LOT of smoke. Roast the tenderloins for about 50 to 55 minutes, or to an internal temperature of at least 165. Remove from oven and tent with foil for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing - across the grain and on a diagonal.</i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><i style="background-color: white; color: #484848; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><span face="verdana, sans-serif"><i><span face="verdana, sans-serif"><i><span face="verdana, sans-serif"><i><span style="font-family: times, "times new roman", serif;">My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/aharmonyofflavors" style="color: #3979cd; text-decoration-line: none;">Facebook</a>, and <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/ahofpin/" style="color: #3979cd; text-decoration-line: none;">Pinterest</a>.</span></i></span></i></span></i></span></span></i></p>A Harmony of Flavorshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08850693486099419140noreply@blogger.com0