New South Indian Dish

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.

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.

Mangalorean Egg Curry or Ande Ambat

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.

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. 

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. 

Mangalorean Egg Curry and Neer Dosa

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. Ajwain 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). Curry leaves, 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. Tamarind 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.

Mangalorean Egg Curry or Ande Ambat

Based on 1 egg per serving: 6 servings. Based on 2 eggs per serving: 3 servings.

Mangalorean Egg Curry or Ande Ambat

DRY MASALA MIX:
2 (or up to 8) dried red chilies, with or without seeds
1-inch soft cinnamon stick
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
1/8 teaspoon carom/ajwain seeds

CURRY or GRAVY:
2 - 3 tablespoons coconut oil
2 medium shallots, chopped
12 - 15 curry leaves
3 - 4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1/2 large red bell pepper
1 - 2 tomatoes, chopped
1 teaspoon-sized piece of seedless tamarind
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1/2 cup fresh grated coconut
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

OTHER INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk (or use water)
1 1/2 to 2 cups water
6 eggs, hard-boiled, peeled
1 - 2 medium potatoes, peeled, cubed

TEMPERING:
1 tablespoon coconut oil
1 small shallot, halved, sliced
8 to 10 curry leaves

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.

MAKE THE CURRY: 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. 

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.

TEMPERING: 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.

NOTES:  If desired, 3 eggs may be whisked together and stirred into the simmering curry sauce before adding the potatoes and tomatoes.

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 Facebook, and Pinterest.

When Life Hands You Bananas Part 2

A couple of years ago I wrote about a banana cake in my first blog titled, "When Life Hands You Bananas." Well, once again, with some bananas that had gone way past where they were really edible, I created a recipe for Banana Nut Bran Muffins. These turned out absolutely amazing; light and fluffy, moist and tender. 

Banana Nut Bran Muffins

Banana nut muffins are nothing new, for sure. Every grocery store deli has them. Recipes abound. Still, I didn't go looking for recipes online, as is my wont. Instead, I wanted to create something that was midway between banana cake and banana bread. Not too heavy but not too light and not too sweet. As it happens, they were sweeter than I intended, but that was no deterrent for my husband - or for me, for that matter. They were delicious. I looked at my Banana Cake recipe, and at an old recipe for a "Banana Coffee Bread," from my (very) old "Better Homes and Gardens" binder cookbook. I opted in most cases to go in between amounts called for. The Banana Coffee Bread had very few ingredients. I also went with a streusel on top of the muffins, though this can be left out if preferred, for a less sweet version. In the end, this is what I came up with, and I am very pleased.

Banana Nut Bran Muffins

Makes 12 muffins

Banana Nut Bran Muffins

¾ cup mashed over-ripe bananas
2 teaspoons lime or lemon juice
-----
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
¼ cup granulated sugar
½ cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
-----
1 cup all-purpose flour
¾ cup wheat bran
1 teaspoon baking powder
¾ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup chopped pecans (or walnuts)
-----
¾ cup sour cream

STREUSEL:
¼ cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

Line a 12 well muffin tin with muffin papers or simple spray the wells with cooking spray (I sprayed the wells - no papers). Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Make the streusel by combining all the ingredients and cutting them together - or work the ingredients with fingers. Set the bowl into the fridge while making the muffins. 

In a medium bowl, stir together the 1 cup flour and the following 5 ingredients and set aside.

Mix the bananas and lime juice together and set aside. Beat together the 6 tablespoons butter with the ¼ cup granulated sugar and the ½ cup brown sugar until creamy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the banana mixture. Once well blended, add in the bowl of dry ingredients and mix on low speed for a minute, then add int he sour cream all at once and continue to beat until the mixture has no white streaks left.

Spoon the mixture evenly into the muffin tins and rap the tin sharply on the counter to settle the batter. Remove the streusel from the fridge and cut through it with a fork to loosen. Divide the mixture evenly on tops of all the muffins. 

Place the tin in the oven, then immediately lower the oven temperature to 350 and time them for 20 minutes. Once done, allow the muffins to set for about 10 minutes before turning out of tins, at which time, if you have only greased the tin and not lined with papers, the muffins should easily release. 


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 Facebook, and Pinterest.

More Scones with an Interesting ingredient

I do love scones. As it happens, my husband also loves my scones, eagerly awaiting them as I make them most weekends. The fact that I have been experimenting with alternative flours has not stopped our appreciation of these wonderful breakfast (or any time) treats. Ever since using the recipe template for scones that I posted here, I have turned out more fabulous combinations than I would have believed possible. 

Finger Miller & Almond Scones with Craisins & White Baking Chips

This template for scones is simple. Keep to the amounts for the dry ingredients, barring small changes in amounts for salt or sugar, and when using whole grain flours, the amount of cream seems to lessen to ¾ cup, more often than not, so start with ¾ cup to be safe, then add in a bit more, up to one full cup in total, if needed. 

This is the formula, once again:

• 2 cups flour: Whether all purpose, whole wheat, whole spelt or Kamut, or other alternate grain flour mixed in such as buckwheat, teff, amaranth, millet, etc. Check out these Teff Amaranth Scones or Whole Grain Kamut Maple Pecan Scones. In general, I keep a small amount of all purpose flour, with up to 1½ cups of alternate flours. The one exception to date is buckwheat, which tastes wonderful, but too much buckwheat flour make the scones far too delicate, with a tendency to disintegrate. A little buckwheat flour makes amazingly melt-in-the-mouth tender scones, such as in these Buckwheat Spelt Scones, Buckwheat Scones with Romano Cheese, Dried Figs, Fresh Thyme & Walnuts. *Another great substitute is a small amount of almond meal or hazelnut meal. Keep in mind that these nut meals are not flour and do not act like flour, so keep amounts smaller.
• 1 to 4 tablespoons sugar. Depending on the other flavor components, less sugar, even only 1 tablespoon can be more than enough. This is purely to taste.
• 1 tablespoon baking powder.
• 1 to 1¼ teaspoons salt.
• Optional: ½ teaspoon cream of tartar.
• 5 tablespoons very cold unsalted butter.
• ¾ to 1 cup whipping cream or heavy cream.

So, back to the idea of alternate flours. In the past couple of blog posts, I have mentioned going to a Patel's Grocery in Chandler, AZ. They have the most amazing selection of lentils, grams and beans I have ever seen. And as the Indians market their lentils/grams/beans in any of three different ways EACH, it can quickly get confusing. Thankfully, I unraveled much of that particular conundrum some little while back (read about that here). And then there are an equally amazing array of different types of millets used in Indian cooking. I have used "white" millet before, in such recipes as these Buckwheat Millet Pancakes. This is the same kind found in bird seed mixes, simply called white millet, likely Proso Millet. This is only one variety. In the Patel's grocery I also found Pearl Millet, Foxtail Millet, Sorghum, Finger Millet, Koda Millet, Little Millet and Barnyard Millet - in addition to the Proso Millet! The choices then are whether to buy it whole or broken or in the form of flour. In order to begin familiarizing myself with some of the other types, I bought Kodo Millet whole, and Finger Millet pre-ground into flour. 

Finger Miller & Almond Scones
with Craisins & White Baking Chips

I added about ¼ or maybe ⅓-cup of Kodo Millet (very light colored) to a large pot (12 cups) of vegetable soup I was cooking, and it totally thickened the pot of soup! I opened the Finger Millet Flour, and added some to my Scones this past Saturday. They were absolutely delightful. Finger Millet ("Ragi" in Hindi) is a very dark little seed, and the flour is also dark. It adds significant color to anything it is used in. I used only ⅔ cup in the scone mix, an amount I think is just perfect. The scones grew beautifully and tasted amazing. I will be making these again and again.

Should you have access to Finger Millet in flour form, do try out this recipe as one way to use this flavorful grain/seed. Incidentally, this grain is naturally gluten free.

Finger Millet & Almond Flour Scones

(with Craisins and White Baking Chips)

Makes 8 Scones

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a 12 - 14-inch round pan or other baking pan with parchment. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the first 7 dry ingredients, whisking to combine. With a pastry cutter, cut in the cold butter until it is well broken down to bits smaller than peas. Stir in the craisins and white baking chips, then pour in the whipping cream. With a fork, stir in the cream until the mass begins to hold together. Grease a clean, non-porous surface and turn the mixture out onto the greased area. Using hands, bring the mass together into a single mass about 8-inches in diameter. Using a large knife, cut across the circle, then across again the opposite way, making 4 wedges, Now, cut across each way again to form 8 equally sized wedges. Use the knife as a spatula to transfer the wedges to the prepared baking sheet, keeping them at least 1-inch apart. If desired, use a small amount of cream and using a pastry brush, brush the cream over the tops of the scones. Sprinkle with sugar to make a pretty finish, though this is not necessary; they are great without the extra cream and sugar on top.

Bake the scones for about 15 to 18 minutes, until golden and set. Serve warm or at room temperature. These scones keep well at room temperature, sealed in a zip-top bag, for at least one day.


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 Facebook, and Pinterest.

Kamut Flour in Scones

I have been using a lot of Kamut® Khorasan of late. I ordered a 5-pound bag of the whole grain, since I have an electric grain mill, and it is nearly gone. 

Kamut® Khorasan is an ancient strain of wheat, along with another called "Emmer". These two tetraploid strains have 28 chromosomes instead of the 42 found in our hexaploid strain of the common wheat of today. Kamut® Khorasan grains are nearly twice the size of our modern wheat grains. When I bought Kamut® flour in past, I thought that Kamut® was the name of the type of wheat, but was in error. The name of this grain is actually Khorasan, referring to a historical region in modern Afghanistan and northern Iraq. The title of "Kamut®" Khorasan was given later by two brothers in Montana. Growing this strain of wheat in hopes of preserving the strain cleanly, they registered it with

the name of Kamut.

What really got me interested, besides being an heirloom variety of wheat, with less gluten, and of a totally different size and look than our modern wheat, was when I tried grinding and using it to make pasta. Kamut® Khorasan is a very "blond" grain, and when ground, has a lovely golden color. Using it to make pasta only made the pasta look like it had more eggs in it, with none of the graininess of other whole wheat pasta. It also did not tend to split and break so easily when cooked, as whole grain wheat pastas will. All in all, neither my husband nor I can tell the pasta is made of a whole grain at all. Which is rather wonderful, all in all.

Long ago, nearly 20 years ago now, I discovered Kamut® Khorasan flour and tried it in things like cookies, using about half Kamut® Khorasan to half white all-purpose flour. I added it to some breads and bagels. I liked the flavor and the look, but then didn't continue using it. Until recently. Now, I am finding that it is an excellent substitute, or partial substitute for all-purpose flour in many recipes, giving some added benefits of the whole grain goodness and fiber. 

Whole Grain Kamut® Khorasan Maple Pecan Scones

Of late, I have used it almost entirely, with only ½-cup of all-purpose flour added to 1½ cups of Kamut® Khorasan flour, to make a Rhubarb Pecan Coffeecake, Chocolate Beet Cake (revised), Rhubarb Blueberry Bars, pancakes, pasta and scones. Of all these, the only recipe that did not quite turn out well was the Rhubarb Blueberry Bars, and that was due to the fact that I completely screwed up my measuring when I made it and the recipe just was not terribly good. My fault, not the Kamut® Khorasan flour. 

This morning I wanted to make scones. It was getting late, but I went ahead with it anyway, and ground the needed Kamut® Khorasan grain to make the scones. In grinding just enough whole grain to make 2 cups of flour, less than 2 cups of grain is needed, as once ground, it fluffs quite a bit. Once I measured the flour and weighed it, I knew how much I would need in future to make 2 cups. I have gotten used to using grams on my scale, as it will weigh more precisely down to tinier measures than I can get with pounds and ounces. For the 2 cups of flour, it weighed 255 grams. Next time, for 2 cups of flour, I will first weigh out 255 grams of the grain and then grind. For this time, I did it backwards. 

For the recipe itself, I proceeded with the formula that has worked so splendidly for me:

• 2 cups flour
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 5 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
• 1 cup heavy cream

Whole Grain Kamut® Khorasan Maple Pecan Scones

This mixture makes the basic dough, which turns out perfectly almost all the time. Today, once I mixed the cream into the ingredients, it seemed soupy; too wet to work with. I figured that it was possible that the whole grain flour just didn't absorb the liquid as quickly, but rather than wait, I added ¼-cup of all-purpose flour, which, once stirred in, made the dough just the perfect consistency. I had also added in some Maple Flav'r Bits from King Arthur Flour that were in my freezer for some time and needed to be used up. As it happens, these are no longer available from King Arthur website. For me, this is unfortunate, because I just loved them, as well as the Cinnamon Flav'r Bits, also no longer available. From here on, obviously, I will need to use maple flavoring instead. 

Once baked and sitting down to breakfast, the scones were truly lovely. Such a pretty warm color, puffed just perfectly, baked to perfection. They were so very tender - not something you expect of whole grain pastries. We were both just truly enamored of these scones. I hope you will be, too!

Whole Grain Kamut® Maple Pecan Scones

Whole Grain Kamut® Khorasan Maple Pecan Scones

Makes 8 scones

2 cups whole grain Kamut® Khorasan flour (255 grams, by weight)
¼ cup white, all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
5½ tablespoons COLD unsalted butter
½ cup broken pecans
1 cup heavy cream
½ to 1 teaspoon maple flavoring, to taste

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment and set aside.

In a mixing bowl, combine the flours, sugar, baking powder and salt. Cut in the cold butter until in very small bits. Stir in the pecans with a fork. Stir together the cream and maple flavoring and add to the dry ingredients, stirring together quickly with the fork. Once the mass begins to come together, turn out onto a greased surface and bring together into one mass, then pat neatly to an 8-inch circle. With a long kitchen knife, cut across the circle 4 times, creating 8 equal wedges. Lift the wedges to the parchment lined baking sheet, keeping them at least 1-inch distance from each other. If desired, brush the tops of the scone wedges with a little more cream, then sprinkle with granulated sugar. Bake the scones in the lower third of the oven for 15 to 18 minutes, or until they spring back nicely to the touch. Serve warm.



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 Facebook, and Pinterest.

Unusual Scones both Tender and Light

Unusual Scones? Well, I describe them this way because not everyone will have the flours I used, nor necessarily be able to replicate. I just had to put this recipe out here though, simply because these have to be the absolute lightest and most tender scones I have ever made.
 

Buckwheat Spelt Scones with Craisins & White Chocolate

I love scones. If they are rather dry, as with store-bought ones at times, I simply sip coffee or tea with them. No problem. If they crumble? No problem at all. I expect them to crumble a bit. But light? Even with all the awesome scones I have made to date, I don't think I have ever been able to describe them as "light." But these? They are light as feathers. Well, almost. But close enough.

You know how a really great pie crust has lightness, tenderness, flakiness? I would not go so far as to say these scones are flaky, exactly, but the tenderness and lightness is truly beyond amazing to me. Do they crumble? Oh yes. Not horribly. They just need a light hand, because they are that tender. 

One thing I did differently than usual, and I don't know how much difference this may have made: I used Kerrygold unsalted butter, instead of Land O'Lakes, as I usually do. I know European butters have less water content, and I had some Kerrygold on hand because I had made croissants recently and wanted the best butter possible.

(Oh, and Happy St. Paddy's Day to all my readers!)

So What are these Scones Made of, Anyway?

This morning I was thinking of making scones. My initial thought was to grind some whole Kamut grain and use that whole meal flour, since it is so light colored, it doesn't feel or taste like you are eating a whole grain. And then I thought about some organic white spelt flour in my freezer and went that direction instead. 

Buckwheat Spelt Scones
with Craisins & White Chocolate

But - I really didn't want just white flour scones. Granted, spelt is an alternative wheat, sometimes tolerated better than our modern-day wheat. But this spelt flour was not whole grain. So, whether modern wheat or not, it is still white flour. Empty carbs. And I sat there a few minutes looking around the kitchen wondering what I could add to the spelt flour to make these less "empty-carb." And I thought, "Buckwheat!" Buckwheat (read more about buckwheat here) is not a grain at all, not is is in any way related to wheat. Nor is it a grass. In actuality, it is a seed encased by its fruit, and related to rhubarb. I digress.

I happen to love the flavor of buckwheat. I have eaten it as a breakfast "cereal" instead of oatmeal. I often grind it in my grain grinder and make pancakes or waffles. Or even just soak the buckwheat with other seeds to make waffles or pancakes without added flour of any kind. I know buckwheat may not fall into everyone's favorite category, but it is in mine. 
 

A Template for Really Great Scones

I used a very similar base template recipe to what I have been using for a couple of years now, since this template really turns out some fantastic scones. I only altered the base template a tiny bit. This is the base template for great scones:

• 2 cups flour (I play with the flour combinations a lot, but keep to 2 cups)
• 2 - 3 tablespoons sugar (depending on other flavors going in)
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
• 5 tablespoons cold butter
• 1 cup heavy cream

The mixing is pretty much the same no matter what you are mixing. Mix the first 5 ingredients, cut in the cold butter, finishing with fingers to break down into very small bits, add cream and form into dough. Presto. 

The alterations I made were using a tablespoon less sugar, since I wanted to add white chocolate, always over-the-top sweet. I also went with 1 teaspoon of salt. The half cup of white chocolate and half cup of craisins (dried cranberries) were the flavors I chose this morning. And without further ado, here is my recipe:

Buckwheat Spelt Scones with Craisins & White Chocolate

Makes 8 scones 
 

Buckwheat Spelt Scones
with Craisins & White Chocolate

1 cup (preferably freshly ground) buckwheat flour 
1 cup white spelt flour (or substitute all-purpose flour)
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cream of tartar
5 tablespoons cold, unsalted butter
½ cup white chocolate bits, lightly chopped
½ cup craisins, lightly chopped
1 cup heavy cream

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment and set aside.

Place the first 6 ingredients in a mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Add in the cold butter, cut into small cubes and cut in as for pie pastry. If the pieces stay too large, finish by using fingers to break up the butter into the flour mixture. Stir in the chocolate and craisins, then pour the cream over all at once and stir , tossing slightly, with a fork until the mixture starts to come together in a mass. Oil or spray a counter or smooth surface with cooking spray. Turn out the dough and pat into a ball, then do a quick knead, twice, just to bring the mass together. Pat it out to an 8-inch circle. Use a large knife and cut the circle across 4 times, making 8 wedges. Use a spatula to transfer the wedges to the parchment lines baking sheet, setting them at least an inch apart.

Bake the scones for approximately 15 to 17 minutes, until set and golden. Serve warm. 


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 Facebook, and Pinterest.

An Amended and Amazing Breakfast.

Back in November I wrote about a breakfast that I had eaten at a small restaurant (Tweets) out in the greater Seattle area. The breakfast was called Poblano Relleno, etc., and it was just the most amazing combination of flavors, presented in such a lovely and engaging manner. In November I tried making it. It was delicious, but not without its pitfalls. (Read about that here.)

Since that time, I have made a couple of other breakfast casseroles, in the same little Pyrex 2-serving sized loaf pan. I've learned a few things along the way. Chief among these things is that covering the casserole during baking makes the baking time decrease, and also the egg puffs beautifully. That first attempt in November was the first time I had ever made a breakfast egg casserole of any kind. 

Poblano Relleno Breakfast Casserole II

Another idea that came up while making these other casseroles (without the Poblano pepper in the middle) is that adding shredded cheese to the egg that goes atop the Poblano might just help the egg keep the Poblano down, just above the potatoes in the bottom, instead of floating to the top as it did in my first attempt. At Tweets, the Poblano was just perfectly set above the potatoes in the bottom of the casserole, while the top half of the eggs was set nice and high above. In my first attempt in November, I had not added any cheese to the eggs that went over top of the Poblano pepper, and both the potatoes and the Poblano layer just floated up to the surface.

A few years back I had bought some pretty silicone lids by Charles Viancin, in a kitchen store (Amazon carries them, thus the link. i have no affiliation with Amazon or any remuneration for selling them). My first couple were "lily pad" shaped, and then I got a couple of banana leaf types. I love these, either for covering a plate while reheating in the microwave, or while baking things in the oven. I use the larger rectangle banana leaf shape to cover my scalloped potatoes while they bake, and I found that the medium sized lily pad lid covers this little Pyrex loaf pan. And the best part of all is that since the silicone is flexible, it expands as the eggs expand. I haven't tried this with anything else as a cover, since it works so perfectly. And since the eggs tend to puff way up, I would be hesitant to use something like aluminum foil. Just below is a photo of one of my other breakfast casseroles, just baked, with the Lily Pad lid removed.

Bacon and Egg Casserole

At this point in time, I have become quite proficient at making these breakfast casseroles, and they are turning out great every time. I tried making this recipe in two wells of a jumbo muffin tin, and while they came out well, perfectly cooked, I just didn't like it. Why? Because I do not like any brown on my eggs. I cannot tolerate the flavor of browned egg. When I make this casserole in the small loaf pan, once removed from the pan, I trim all the edges so they are perfectly straight, thereby removing any browned sides. In the muffin tin, being round, I did no trimming, and all those browned sides just totally ruined the flavor, for me. 

I realize that while I am not unique in this particular dislike, there are also plenty of people who absolutely prefer their eggs browned, or even slightly burnt. If this is the case, go for the jumbo muffin tins, as they came out great, aside from this one flaw (for me 😀).

Ultimately, here below I am showing a photo of my scrumptious breakfast at Tweets, then my first attempt at recreating this casserole at home, and then my second attempt, recently, where finally I got it just as I wanted it. The cheese was added to the second half of the eggs, and pouring this over the Poblano kept enough bulk in the eggs to hold down the potato and Poblano. Just like at Tweets. Hurray!

Tweets breakfast                 -                 my first attempt                 -                my second attempt

Poblano Relleno Breakfast Casserole II

Serves 2
 

Poblano Relleno Breakfast Casserole II

MAKE AHEAD (one day, at least):
1 Poblano Pepper, blistered, peeled
2 cups black beans (cooked ahead or use one can, divided between plates)

CASSEROLE:
1 medium potato, quartered, sliced thinly
- oil for frying
¼ to ½ teaspoon salt for potatoes
6 eggs, whisked to combine
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup shredded Cheddar cheese (or any preferred shredded cheese)

ASSEMBLE GARNISHES:
1 small "salad" portion, per plate (red cabbage, salad greens, arugula, etc)
2 - 4 small cherry tomatoes, or whatever colorful garnish is available
- sour cream, thinned if needed
- scallion greens, sliced or chopped
- cilantro leaves, optional
- Feta Cheese or Queso Fresco (1-ounce per plate)

Fry the potatoes in enough oil so they do not stick, and sprinkle with the ¼ to ½ teaspoon salt. Toss them frequently, until they are nicely browned, crisp and cooked through.

Spray a small loaf pan (4 x 6-inch) with cooking spray. Press the potatoes into the bottom of the casserole. Whisk the fresh thyme leaves and the ½ teaspoon salt into the eggs. Pour half the egg mixture over the potatoes and rap the pan various times to get the egg to penetrate the potatoes. Allow to set for a few minutes, while this occurs. Cut the peeled Poblano in half lengthwise, then set the halves over top of the potatoes so they cover the whole surface. Add the half cup Cheddar cheese to the remaining eggs and pour this over top of the Poblano pepper. Spray a silicone "lid" as explained above and set it over top of the casserole. Alternately, spray a piece of foil and set the sprayed side down over the casserole, but do not crimp it into place. Bake the casserole in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 40 to 45 minutes. Check after 35 minutes, as all ovens are different. 

While the casserole is baking, assemble all the garnish ingredients. Heat the black beans, whether homemade or canned. When the casserole is done, give it a few minutes to set, then run a knife around the edges and remove the casserole from the pan. With a very sharp knife, trim the outer edges straight and cut the casserole in half. Place about 1 cup of black beans into each of two large bowls. Set a slice of the casserole on top of the beans in each plate. Place a portion of salad or slaw on top of the casserole, then "scribble" some sour cream artfully over the whole plate. Set the tomato slices around the casserole, crumble on the cheese and strew with scallion greens and cilantro, if using. Serve immediately.


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 Facebook, and Pinterest.

An Unusually Delicious Breakfast

I love breakfast. Most often, I eat traditional "breakfast" foods: eggs, toast, bagel, bacon, muffins, pancakes, French toast, oatmeal, and others. This is pretty evident, if anyone looks at my Index and the breakfast items that are listed there. Then, there are just times when none of those foods, no matter how much a favorite they may be, just do not - quite - fit the bill on a given day. Nothing sounds quite right, and nothing appeals.

Poached Egg & Brussels Sprouts on Salsa Verde

This does not happen often, for sure. I love all those foods, and trying to keep portions under some control is difficult for me. I love food. I love to eat. I love the flavors of certain foods. I enjoy breads of most kinds. I try to keep away from plain white-flour breads, but there are some. When I got into making breads from rye flour and/or sprouted flours, I found a great love for the whole grain breads. Eggs themselves are a particular favorite, though I now have to keep cholesterol in mind. You may get the drift.

Salsa Verde; Salsa in bowl; Brussels sprouts in steamer pan; timed for 8½ minutes; perfectly steamed

So a couple of days ago, I was in this particular rut. I stood there in the kitchen, running through in my mind all the foods I would normally have for breakfast. And still I stood there, undecided. I opened the fridge and looked. Nothing. No ideas. I stood there some more. And then I thought maybe I should think outside of my particular box, for a change. 

I have done this before, at times. When I first found I had diabetes, I ate leftover (my own) stir fry for breakfast with all sorts of veggies in it. It was satisfying, and I love my stir fry, so no problem there. With that thought in mind, I opened the fridge again and looked. I noticed a jar of opened Salsa Verde. Love that stuff, so, okay, that came out. And then I saw a bag of Brussels sprouts that I had yet to open. Hmmm. Not sure, but got them out anyway. I closed the fridge while I thought some more. 
 

Poached Egg & Brussels Sprouts on Salsa Verde

Somehow, Brussels sprouts and Salsa Verde seemed an odd combo, but to me, at that moment, they sounded good. 

If I was going to eat Brussels sprouts, I prefer to steam them. Just barely cooked through, at about 8 to 8½ minutes, while they are still a beautiful bright green, they are so delicious. I got out my steamer. I set a pan of water to boil while cleaning the sprouts. I cut them into quarters, just so they would cook through quickly. I set them into the steamer part of the pan and used my "Misto" sprayer with olive oil and spritzed them a bit, then sprinkled salt over. I find that this way, the salt clings to the vegetables while they are steaming, and they are perfectly seasoned when done. Okay, that part of things was underway.

Then, thinking about the Salsa Verde. Normally I make my own (see my recipe here), but one day on a whim I bought two jars of Stonewall Kitchen Salsa Verde. I opened one a couple of weeks back, and it was really hot-spicy. Much more than my husband would tolerate, so I fried an onion with green pepper and garlic and added this to the salsa from the jar I was using, to tame the flame a bit. It was still spicy, but very tolerably so. I scooped some of this out into a wide bowl.

Boiling water from the sprouts; add vinegar; stir into a whirlpool; set spoon aside; crack in the egg

At this point in the process, I thought I would just have an egg with the sprouts. I got out a skillet for this purpose and set it on a burner to heat. As the Brussels sprouts were done and I lifted off the steamer insert, I thought about the boiling water in the lower pan and thought, "Poached Egg!" I haven't made poached eggs in forever, it seems, and here was the perfect opportunity. I turned off the burner under the skillet and instead added a dollop of vinegar to the boiling water and vigorously stirred the water into a whirlpool. I gently cracked the egg into the center of this whirlpool, turned down the burner to very low, and allowed the egg to poach for about 2 minutes, at which point it was just perfect: whites were set and yolk still runny.
 

Salsa Verde in bowl; Steamed Sprouts on Top; Poached egg ready to place

I had already toasted some of my Finnish Hapanleipa Rye bread and set it aside. The salsa was already in the bowl. I poured the Brussels sprouts on top of the salsa, then set the just-poached egg on top. A little grating of salt and pepper, and it was one beautiful dish. I broke the yolk, and sighed. It was a beautiful sight, for sure. Still, I hadn't yet tasted it, so that was still waiting. 

When I sat down to eat and took that first bite, I was in heaven. It so exactly fit something I had been craving without knowing what that was. Despite the odd combo of Brussels sprouts and salsa verde, it was wonderful. The egg was just that one added dimension. It was absolutely amazing as a flavor profile. The really dense Rye bread was a perfect accompaniment. It was so delightful, I decided to have it again this morning.

Poached Egg & Brussels Sprouts on Salsa Verde

Serves 1 

Poached Egg & Brussels Sprouts on Salsa Verde

½ cup Salsa Verde (any brand you prefer, or home made)
5 Brussels sprouts

a sprinkle of olive oil
a sprinkle of salt
2 - 3 teaspoons vinegar
1 egg 
Salt and pepper for serving

Place the Salsa Verde in a wide bowl and set aside. In a steamer pan put in enough water so the steamer insert is not setting in water. Bring the water to boil. While that is happening, cut off a bit of the stem end of the sprouts and discard, along with any damaged outer leaves. Cut the sprouts into quarters, lengthwise and place them in a steamer basket. If you have a Misto-type sprayer, mist the sprouts with olive oil. Otherwise, simply drizzle a little oil over them and toss gently. Sprinkle lightly with salt. When the water is boiling, set the steamer over top, turn down the heat to a simmer and cover. Time for about 8 minutes, or until they are just barely tender when pierced with the tip of a knife. Lift off the steamer basket and set aside. 

Turn the heat down if the water in the pan is still boiling too vigorously. Add in about 2 - 3 tablespoons of vinegar. Using a large slotted spoon, quickly stir the water in a circle to create a whirlpool. Set the spoon aside and quickly, but gently crack the egg into the center of the whirlpool. Do this just barely over the surface of the water, so it doesn't splash and/or disintegrate. Time the egg for about 2 minutes for a still-runny yolk. 

Pour the Brussels sprouts onto the Salsa in the bowl. Lift out the poached egg with the slotted spoon and set on top. Season with salt and pepper if desired. 


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 Facebook, and Pinterest.