Holidays are Coming

When holidays come around, I like to have things prepared in advance when possible. And sometimes I don't actually get everything done that I want to, but I do get some things out of the way. And, when it comes to food, parties and guests, I really prefer as much prep-work as possible to be done ahead, so I can spend time enjoying my guests. 

I prefer appetizer type things, making it more fun to be convivially mingling, glass of wine in hand, an occasional little appetizer bite to go with, all while chatting and having fun. In that line of thinking is where I go to plan a new appetizer. My question to myself is:

"What can I make that is easily picked up with fingers, makes minimal mess when biting into, and does not require utensils that would have everyone needing a third or fourth hand to juggle with while holding a glass of wine or other beverage?"

Layered Spread

This is my credo when making new appetizer recipes. In this line of thought then, I was thinking of a recipe my sister made for a party. It is a cream cheese/goat cheese mixture that is layered into a bowl or pan with a layer of basil pesto in one layer and a layer of chopped pimientos in another. It makes a lovely presentation. But it is someone else's recipe. That recipe called for pesto, generally meaning someone buys a jar of it at the store. Since I make my own, and prefer the flavors in My Favorite Pesto far more than anything in a jar from the store, I have already adjusted the recipe. But no matter how much I love pimientos, and no matter how good they taste in that combination, I wanted something else, something brighter, for the "red" layer.

I have fresh cranberries in the freezer. I like to keep bags of them for use at a moment's notice. So I got thinking I would like to make a sweet/savory mix with that deep jeweled red tone as the other layer.

Green Pea Pancakes

Another idea I had was the little Green Pea Pancakes I have made to top with Smoked Salmon Mousse. These are absolutely adorable, but I wanted more Christmas-like colors. The Green Pea Pancakes are tiny, being made in the bottom of the wells of muffin tins. They are a beautiful green, owing to the peas themselves, with no additional colors. They are not highly flavored, relying on the topping for the flavor. And I thought that these little "pancakes" would be great for the green part of some kind of combination. So when I came up with this cranberry mixture, I felt I could kill two birds with one stone, and use some of the cranberry mixture for these, by first piping some cream cheese/goat cheese mixture onto the green pea pancake and topping with a dollop of the cranberry mix - how lovely would that be? 

Spicy Cranberry Five Spice Relish

So the only thing was for me to create the cranberry mixture, which I sort of made on the fly, adding things as my "mental taste buds" directed. My goal was a slightly sweet, slightly tart, slightly spicy mixture that would stand up to the cream cheese, giving it some zip. I went with some oriental-leaning flavors, adding in Chinese Five-Spice and Gochujang sauce. I used pomegranate molasses for tartness. It tastes marvelous! Spicy, tangy, and a bit of heat. I used this in both ways I have mentioned so far, but it would also be great mixed into cream cheese or goat cheese (which would make an intense pink color), or over top of a block of cream cheese. It is highly spiced, so it will add brightness to any simple cheese base or bread or other neutral base.

Spicy Cranberry Five-Spice Relish

Makes about 1¼ cups

Spicy Cranberry Five Spice Relish

10 g / 0.40 oz / 1 tablespoon olive oil
60 g / 2.15 oz / 1 medium shallot 
20 g / 0.65 oz / 1½-inches fresh ginger, minced
93 g / 3.30 oz / ⅓-cup water
85 g / 3.0 oz / 6 tablespoons sugar
26 g / 0.90 oz / 1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses
23 g / 0.80 oz / 1 tablespoon Gochujang sauce
2g / 0.10 oz / 1 teaspoon good quality peppercorns, crushed
<1 g / 0.05 oz / 1 teaspoon Chinese Five-Spice Powder
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
3 g / 0.05 oz / ½-teaspoon salt
170 g / 6 oz / 2 cups fresh cranberries, finely chopped

Heat a saucepan with the tablespoon of oil and saute the shallots gently until translucent and starting to brown. Add in the minced ginger and toss until fragrant. Add in all the remaining ingredients and stir well, then cook, stirring often, for 7 to 10 minutes, until the mixture has thickened. Cool and store in a tightly sealed container until needed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Now that I had the relish type condiment I needed, I proceeded to make the layered spread I wanted. This came together easily, though I allowed each layer to chill before proceeding with the next, so as not to cause too much mixing of the colored layers with the white cheese layers.

Festive Layered Cheese Spread

Festive Layered Cheese Spread

Festive Layered Cheese Spread

Makes about a 2-cup mold

CHEESE MIXTURE:
8-ounces cream cheese
8-ounces soft goat cheese (Chevre or Montrachet)
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
1 clove garlic, finely minced
1 tablespoon olive oil

LAYERS:
2 - 3 tablespoons good quality Pesto
2 - 3 tablespoons Spicy Cranberry Five Spice Relish
 
Allow the cheeses to soften sufficiently to mix easily, then combine all the Cheese Mixture ingredients in a bowl and beat well by hand or with a hand mixer, until well combined and smooth.

Line a 2-cup mold (or bowl, or plastic storage container) with plastic film, large enough to line the mold and with overhang to flip over the top once filled. Carefully spoon about one-third of the cheese mixture into the mold, keeping the edges of the container clean. Tap the mold sharply on counter or other surface to ensure the cheese fits well into the lower edges. Top the cheese with the pesto, again smoothing carefully and evenly to the edges. Chill the mixture for at least half-hour, to firm the layers a bit.

Once firm, top the pesto layer with half the remaining cheese mixture, smoothing neatly to the edges of the container. Top with the Cranberry Five-Spice Gochujang Spread, and once more, chill to firm up. Once firm, top with the remaining cheese mixture, smoothing the top. Flip the ends of the plastic film over top, then cover tightly and chill for at least three hours or overnight (or up to 5 days) in the refrigerator.

To un-mold, turn the cheese mold out of its container, then carefully peel back the plastic film from the "top," and turn the top out onto a plate. Gently peel away the remaining plastic film, then with a knife, smooth any edges. Serve with crackers of choice or toasted baguette slices. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Once I got the mold made and refrigerated, I went on to make the Green Pea Pancakes. Done and cooling, I made another, similar, cheese spread that I intended to pipe in one large star atop the pancakes, then to top with a little dollop of the Spicy Cranberry Five-Spice Relish. Use one of these methods to top the pancakes:

• Use Ateco large open star tip #829 to pipe a single large star as in my photos, then setting a dollop of the relish in the center.
• Pipe an edge around the edge of the pancake with a smaller piping tip such as Wilton open star tip #32 and place the dollop of relish into the center well.
• Lacking piping tips or bags, simply spreading some of the cheese mixture atop the pancake, making a slight well in the center to hold the relish would also work perfectly, and still look just lovely. Try using tiny sprigs of rosemary to adorn the little appetizers.

Green Pea Pancakes with Cheese and Spicy Cranberry Five-Spice Relish

 

Green Pea Pancakes with Cheese and Spicy Cranberry 5-Spice Relish

Pancakes with Cheese and Spicy Cranberry Relish

Makes about 30 to 35

- One recipe Green Pea Pancakes
- Spicy Cranberry Five-Spice Relish

CHEESE SPREAD:
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
4 ounces soft goat cheese (Chevre or Montrachet), softened
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
1 fresh clove garlic, very finely minced
2 teaspoons honey
1 tablespoon olive oil

In a small bowl mix together the Cheese Spread ingredients by hand with a spoon or with a hand mixer, until well combined and smooth.

Once Green Pea Pancakes are cooled, use one of the methods listed above to place the cream cheese mixture atop the pancakes, then top with a small dollop of the Spicy Cranberry Five-Spice Relish.



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.

Foods from Hawaii to the Middle East

After returning from the greater Seattle area while visiting with my son and his new lady, who is half Hawai'ian, I got a bit of a taste for things Hawai'ian. We only ate one Hawai'ian meal, but I also got to hear a whole lot of really beautiful Hawai'ian music as well. When I returned home, I quickly looked up some of the great songs I had heard and got those into my Amazon Music lickety-split. Next, I made an approximation of an "Island Style Pho," which I called "Coconut Chicken Soup." I think I made a very good likeness of that soup.

Pineapple Macadamia Rice

Since part of that soup was Huli Huli Chicken, I first had to make that, and I love how the recipe came out also. Since in that first occasion I was cutting up the chicken into the soup, my husband and I both really wanted to try the chicken on its own. The flavors are just sublime. This past Monday (after marinating the chicken over the weekend), I grilled the second batch of Huli Huli Chicken. All I can say is it must be tried to believe how amazing it is. 

Next I needed to have some kind of side dish to accompany the chicken, so while I have actually made a rice dish with some of the same ingredients just a couple of months back, and which I called "Tropical Rice," I wanted to take it a little farther this time. It is quite similar in most respects, with the same additions of brown rice, scallions, bell pepper, lime juice, grilled pineapple and macadamia nuts, I think, if my memory serves, that this version was a little bit better.

Pineapple Macadamia Rice

Pineapple Macadamia Rice

Serves 6 to 8

1 cup brown rice
2 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon coconut oil
______________
⅓ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
2 teaspoons coconut oil
1 medium onion, cut into wedges
½ lime, juice only
2 - 3 cloves fresh garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh minced ginger
½ bell pepper, sliced thinly
1 - 2 teaspoons dark sesame oil
4 scallions, sliced thinly on the bias 
1 cup grilled pineapple, in small cubes
2 - 2½ ounces macadamia nuts

Earlier in the day, or the day prior, cook together the first 4 ingredients according to package directions. Once cooked, fluff the rice and allow it to cool completely. Set aside or refrigerate until needed.

In a large, dry skillet, toast the shredded coconut until it is golden. Pour onto a plate to cool and set aside. Grill the pineapple in a large chunk or two, until it is tender and has some nice grill marks. Cut it into small cubes.

In the same skillet as previously, over medium heat, add the 2 teaspoons coconut oil, then saute the onion until very tender and beginning to brown at the edges. Add in the lime juice (at least a tablespoon: if your limes are dry, squeeze more, to make at least a tablespoon of juice) and stir, cooking until all the juice has evaporated. Add in the garlic, ginger and bell pepper and stir-fry until very fragrant. Add in all the rice and stir-fry until some of the grains begin to brown slightly. Add in the remaining ingredients, leaving aside a tablespoon each of the scallions and macadamia nuts for garnish. Stir well, then serve immediately, garnished with the remaining scallions and macadamias.

And now, to the Middle East . . .

Also, recently I have taken more of an interest in eggplants. Anyone who knows me, or who has read my blog, may know that as a child, eggplant was almost the worst thing I could imagine having to eat. It has taken me all this time to even begin to warm up to the whole idea. I have eaten a few things with eggplant and liked then, such as my sister's Eggplant Parmesan. With enough sauce and cheese, most things can be disguised enough to be edible. And so I come to Baba Ghanoush. I have read of Baba Ghanoush (or Baba Ganoush, Baba Ganouzh, etc) for a long time, but having eggplant play the major role in that dish has so far deterred me from trying it. 
 

Baba Ghanoush

Still, this summer, as I saw eggplants start to make an appearance at the Farmers' Market, I have felt the need to buy one, here and there. And so I bought an eggplant last week, and it sat there staring at me on the counter, while I tried to think what to do with it. Baba Ghanoush popped into my mind. I tried to quell the thought, but I finally gave in and looked up what constituted Baba Ghanoush. I was somewhat surprised to find that it is basically the same ingredients that make hummus, which I love. Just substitute grilled, peeled eggplant for the chickpeas and hey, Presto! A beautiful dip.

Baba Ghanoush

Okay, I baked the eggplant, because it's starting to get chilly up here. It was difficult enough trying to grill the Huli Huli Chicken on Monday, because aside from being chilly out, it was also so windy as to make it a challenge to keep the grill lit. I ended up backing the car out of the garage and having the grill just inside the garage, out of direct wind. So, baked eggplant it was. And then I put in the ingredients I felt should make this dip taste good, and I was actually shocked to find that I really LOVE Baba Ghanoush! Wow!

I made one smallish eggplant to try this recipe, and the recipe came out to be approximately ¾ cup of dip. To make more, just double or triple the recipe as needed. I left my Baba Ghanoush totally unadorned for my photos. Many things are suggested, for serving, from simply drizzling with more olive oil, to serving with olives, pine nuts, parsley, etc. Some photos I saw online had so many things over top that there was absolutely no view of the main event. I think it was pretty enough on its own, so I unashamedly photographed it gloriously nude.

I chose to add an ingredient that I never saw in any of the recipes: Sumac. Sumac is a Mediterranean / Middle Eastern spice that is used as a souring agent, similarly to lemon/lime juice or tamarind in other areas of the world. Click on the link at the beginning of this paragraph to read more about sumac. This ingredient is in no way needed to make Baba Ghanoush, but I felt it would add something.

Baba Ghanoush

Baba Ghanoush

Makes about ¾ cup

1 medium/small eggplant (11 to 12 ounces)
2 cloves garlic, minced
(2 tablespoons vinegar, optional)
¼ cup parsley leaves
2 tablespoons tahini
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ teaspoons ground Sumac, optional
¼ teaspoon salt
1½ to 2 tablespoons lemon or lime juice, to taste

Heat the oven to 400 degrees, or more authentically, light a grill. Bake (or grill - not sure of timing for the grill) the eggplant for about 45 to 55 minutes, until completely soft. Set aside to cool. Peel the skin and place the eggplant into a food processor. 

The garlic can certainly be roasted garlic, if preferred. If using raw garlic, and if raw garlic is hard on the stomach, as for me, place the minced garlic in a small bowl and cover with the optional vinegar. Allow to set for 10 minutes, then drain off the vinegar and add the garlic to the food processor, along with all the remaining ingredients. Process until well blended. Serve accompanied with olives, pine nuts and a drizzle of olive oil. Set out crackers, pita crackers, or crudités. 



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.

A Really Savory Bean Dip

I did a lot of cooking, baking and other kinds of kitchen work over the holidays despite being at my sister's house. She had just started a new job recently and had no real time off, yet she had the entire family descending upon her over the Holidays, so I did what I could to remedy things for her.  While she did have the house all decorated, she had not had time to bake any cookies or in any way prep for the rest of the family.

Southwestern Style Bean Dip

I took one batch of cookie dough with me when we went out to Denver, and baked the cookies at her house the next day. I made dinners most days and in between made various kinds of cookies and fudge, aside from the other pastries I had brought along. We certainly lacked for nothing over the holidays, in any way shape or form. 

Still, sometimes inspiration strikes, so on New Year's Eve I came up with a dip recipe and made free with my sister's kitchen and staples. I was thinking about hummus. Yet my sister has some food taboos that can be tricky to work around. One of these is sesame, in any form. I love hummus. I love hummus just as it is normally made - with sesame tahini. First I checked to see if she had a can of chickpeas. No. Okay, since I couldn't make a traditional hummus, the next best thing was white beans. 

Southwestern Style Bean Dip

I have made a variation on hummus in the past, using white beans and sesame tahini. This time, no tahini would be used anyway, so I started moving away from even trying to call this vague idea of a concept "hummus" anymore. So ultimately I went for a dip. A dip can be almost anything. I kept on with the white bean idea, since I love beans. Then with the idea of hummus still in my mind I kept the idea of using lime juice and olive oil to thin the pureed beans and give them some zip. My sister grows herbs in the summer, as do I. However, it is a little harder to keep my herbs going so much into winter. In Denver, thyme, at least, keeps fairly well even if it's been covered in snow. Which it had been! I went and clipped some thyme, shook off the snow, and proceeded to use it in the bean dip. 

Next I sat to ponder what other flavors would go into this dip. What would enhance the flavor profile I had so far? My sister had a small can of diced green chilies in the pantry, so I tossed them in. She had some scallions chopped in the fridge, and I tossed those in as well. Next? Spices!

Since I had a vaguely Southwestern flavor profile going, I opted for a little cumin and some ancho chili powder for spice. All this was pureed in a food processor, and if I do say so, it was absolutely perfect. I cannot think of a single thing that could have made it taste any better. Except possibly more chili - either in the form of fresh chilies or more powdered chili. But, since not everyone likes things too spicy, I left good enough alone. I was pleased, and most of the dip disappeared in the first half hour. I would term that a success.

Southwestern Style Bean Dip

Makes about 3 cups

Southwestern Style Bean Dip

1 can (15-ounces) white beans
1 can (4 ounces) diced green chilies
2 tablespoons scallions, minced
1½ teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, stripped from stems
1 teaspoon ancho chili powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon ground coriander
3 tablespoons lime juice
½ cup olive oil

chopped scallions and fresh cracked black pepper for garnish
drizzled olive oil for garnish

Drain the beans in a colander and then run water over them for at least 2 or 3 minutes, until all foaming subsides. Pour the drained beans into the bowl of a food processor. Add in the next 9 ingredients and puree until smooth. Pour into a bowl to serve and garnish with the scallions, black pepper and a drizzle of olive oil. Serve the dip with vegetable crudites, crackers of tortilla chips.

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.