Mouth Watering Scones for Breakfast

To any out there who believe all scones are too dry, I beg to differ. Everyone is entitled to an opinion, of course, but my scones are pretty much always amazingly good: lightly moist, tender and delicate, needing nothing at all on them to enjoy.
 

Buckwheat Scones with Romano, Figs, Thyme & Walnuts

This morning I had a little brainstorm. I had no bread left in the house (I know - SHOCK!), so I was going to make some scones for breakfast to go with our weekend splurge of bacon and cheese omelets. I wanted to use mostly a whole grain or seed of some kind. I already knew that both whole Kamut flour and whole buckwheat flour (no relation to wheat whatsoever) make very delicate scones. I opted for buckwheat. Then, what other flavors to use? I have fresh thyme growing outside, so that would be one flavor. I didn't have much cheese, but I had a chunk of Romano, which I love, so I got that out. For a touch of sweetness, I used dried white figs. And nuts. Gotta have nuts! I used walnuts this time, despite the fact that my husband doesn't like them. Sometimes, I just need to make myself happy too. And guess what? He loved the scones. There are so many wonderful flavors packed into them, the nuts made no difference to him.

Lovely Texture in the Scones

Lots of things were going into these scones, so I was kind of holding my breath to see how the dough would look, how they would bake. Well, the dough came together perfectly. Perfect texture for forming. They cut perfectly. They baked perfectly. The aromas while baking were mouthwatering. And the flavors? O - M - G! These are absolutely my favorite scones since I came up with my Earl Grey Currant Scones with Lavender & Pecans, over two years ago. While I love all the scones I have made, those last were the reigning favorite. Now I have a true contender. 

I added a little sugar to the scone dough. Usually I use only 2 tablespoons, though this time I opted for 3 tablespoons to give balance to the saltiness of the cheese. This was perfect, and there is barely over a teaspoon of sugar per scone. Not that onerous a portion. We do not use any butter or jam on our scones, as they are truly perfect alone. There is just under 2 teaspoons of butter per scone in the dough. What with the cheese and the cream, there is plenty of richness in there already, and with the mix of all the flavors, nothing more was needed. They were that good! I do brush the tops of the scones with cream, then sprinkle on some sugar, just to add a tiny sparkle and crunch. You may opt to do this or not, as you prefer. The added amount of cream in doing this is negligible. I just use whatever is left in the measuring cup when I measure out the cream for the recipe. Some always stays in the cup. I use this, sometimes needing a few drops more, but most often not.

Parchment lined pan - Scones patted out and cut - Brushing with cream

I have avoided using dried figs in scones or anything else. Generally, all that are available are dried Black Mission Figs, and somehow, I just do not like them. I discovered, however, that I really do like dried white figs. I love eating them right out of the bag. Since I ordered a large bag of them recently, I thought I would give them a try in these scones, and I must say, they were an excellent addition; just another little bit of sweetness into the mix. The thyme was not at all overwhelming, but just adding a pleasant herbal note. Altogether perfect.

Buckwheat Scones with Romano Cheese, Dried Figs, Thyme & Walnuts

Makes 8 scones
 

Buckwheat Scones with
Cheese, Figs, Thyme & Walnuts

1¼ cup (125 grams) buckwheat flour
¾ cup / 105 grams all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
2.6 ounces / 75 grams Romano cheese, grated on large holed grater
5 tablespoons cold, unsalted butter 
¾ cup / 3.15 ounces / 88 grams dried white figs, chopped
½ cup / 1.45 ounces / 40 grams walnuts, coarsely chopped
¾ cup / 6 ounces / 180 ml heavy cream
sugar for sprinkling 

Preheat oven to 425 degrees with rack in 2nd or 3rd shelf from bottom. Line a baking sheet with parchment.

In a large bowl, combine the buckwheat flour, all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, thyme leaves and Romano cheese. Toss to distribute the ingredients evenly. Cut in the cold butter as for pie dough, until the mixture is in coarse crumbles. Add in the chopped figs and walnuts and toss to distribute in the mixture. Drizzle on the cream, reserving some behind, in case it is not all needed. Toss the mixture quickly with a fork to moisten evenly, without actually stirring. If most of the mixture is already moistened, and it is possible to bring the dough together into a fairly stiff ball without too much handling, then do not add more cream. If there remains too much of the dry mixture, drizzle in the cream by bits until all the dry parts have incorporated. 

Oil a clean surface and turn the dough out onto the surface. Bring the dough together into a neat ball with as little handling as is possible, then flatten into about an 8-inch diameter circle. With a long chef's knife, cut across the circle four times, to create 8 scone wedges of equal size. With the knife, lift the scones onto the prepared parchment lined pan, keeping them at least an inch apart, as they will grow and spread during baking.

Use any remaining cream in the measuring cup to brush the tops of the scones, then sprinkle the tops with a little more sugar. Bake the scones for about 16 minutes, until golden and set. 


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 Simple and Wonderful Lamb Stew

The False Fat Diet

I have been absent from blogging for a while now, and hopefully I am back! Various things happened to cause the absence. Though none of them absolutely prevented me from coming up to my office to blog, it just became difficult to manage. One was that I went on a juice fast for 6 days. I wanted to purge, cleanse and hopefully relieve some of the edema I'd been having. I was following a book called "The False Fat Diet," by Elson Haas. I had followed this juice fast in the past, back when I originally bought the book, but it has been a very long time since then. I dropped 13 pounds of water, so thankfully, the edema is at bay, for now.

Then, just as I was coming to the end of the fast, my husband was once again in the hospital, and we had a bit of a scare there. Everything appears to be good for now, and since he's home, we have been following the Elimination Diet, also from that book. Basically, keeping most of the common food items that can cause sensitivity in the body out of our diet. So we are eating a whole lot of fresh vegetables (not my hubby's favorites!), very little meat (mostly chicken, turkey, fish and a little lamb), and some rice (mainly brown rice, or blended whole grain rice), quinoa or other complex grain or lentil and some fruits. Absolutely no wheat, corn, soy, eggs, dairy, cane sugar.

Lamb Stew

This is no news for me, because I have followed much of these foods all along, but also with all the offending possibilities like desserts, cheese (oh, how I love cheese), eggs and bread (though I eat only my own homemade whole grain breads). My husband, on the other hand - well - this is like totally uncharted waters. He is doing his best to follow and eat what I give him. Sometimes with more success than others, such as a cod fish stew that I just love, but he took two bites and asked if he could please eat something else!
 

Lamb Stew

All this in consideration, I have been coming up with new ways to accomplish things. I made almond milk so he could have it added to his oatmeal in the morning and was left with all the almond pulp. I kept is, because it is fiber, after all. When I made a lamb stew, I got thinking about how to thicken the stew, because my husband prefers soups and stews to be thick or at least thickened. Runny liquids just do not fit the bill. And since I had the almond pulp in the fridge, I thought of some of the Indian recipes I have made that call for pureeing nuts as part of the thickener for a curry. 

While I realize that not just everyone has almond pulp in their fridge (though making almond milk is so simple it seems everyone should make it), this Lamb Stew that I want to share is easily thickened with wheat flour, cornstarch, rice flour or even arrowroot, among other things. Or, if you do not have the need for a thickened stew, then just leave out the almond pulp.

All in all, the stew came out do absolutely delicious that I would very readily make it again. If you are not able to find lamb stew meat, or if you don't care for lamb, just substitute with beef. 

Lamb Stew

Lamb Stew 

Serves 4 

¾ pound lamb stew meat, in small cubes
1 tablespoon coconut oil
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves fresh garlic, minced
1½ cups carrots, in small cubes
1½ cups butternut squash, peeled, seeds removed, cubed
4 cups water
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
¼ cup red lentils
½ cup fresh parsley, chopped
½ cup almond pulp, optional
2 teaspoons salt
1½ cups frozen peas, thawed

In a large heavy stew pot, melt the coconut oil and add in the lamb pieces. Stir and toss until well browned. Add in the onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally for about 5 minutes, until fragrant. Add in the carrots, squash, water, thyme, bay leaf, lentils, parsley, almond pulp and salt. Bring to boil, then reduce to a temperature that will maintain a simmer. Cover tightly and simmer very slowly for about 2 hours. When ready to serve, add in the peas and stir, allowing them to heat through. If desired, serve with a small amount of rice.


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.

That Wine Tasting Time of Year

Lemon Thyme Chicken Fillo Cups

Up here where I live, this seems to be the time for wine tasting events. The larger wine tasting event that will come in late March this year hasn't even started its planning yet, but I was asked to make a few appetizers for a smaller event on the 18th of this month. Less formal, this get-together takes place in someone's home, for about 25 people. I have not much information on what all will be taking place there, though I was given a list of the 9 wines to be served. The wines range from very light white to deep, dark and bold. Trying to pair 3 appetizers to cover all these wines (all but two are reds), well, I have been poring over my wine and food pairing charts to try and make my appetizers pair with the most wines possible. 

Yesterday I made 2 new appetizers, which I served as our dinner last evening, to get opinions on flavors and how things could be improved. I was the only wine drinker at the dinner table and I was not drinking any of the wines to be paired, though I believe for all intents these appetizers were great as is and will work well with the wines they were created to pair with. One little change will be made on the meat roll-ups. It will not change flavor, but only make it easier to roll and skewer. But I will get to that recipe when I finalize them with the changes I am making. 

Lemon Thyme Chicken Fillo Cups

When I am asked to make appetizers to pair advantageously with particular wines, I spend a lot of time in research before ever beginning the creation of the food. I want the food to taste good with the wine, and hopefully also enhance how the wine tastes. For example, some things I research:

• What flavors are associated with the particular wine? Some possible adjectives: smoky, fruity, dark berry, strawberry, citrus, herbal, pepper, earth, leather, and the list is nearly endless. I use these to gear the foods towards these flavors or aromas.
• What does the vintner suggest as a food to pair with the wine? The vintner knows best how his wine was made, and what flavors are involved, so he has the best idea. Many others also will comment on food pairings for particular wines also.
• Are there particular herbs or cheeses that are recommended to pair with the wine? Not every site will get this involved, but there are many places that even have full recipes attached. I do not use these recipes, but I read them to become familiar with the thought process behind the pairing.

The next step in my process is to make a list of the flavors and foods to incorporate in the appetizer, things that will play well with the wine involved. To that end, in the last couple of years I have spent innumerable hours compiling lists of the particular foods

mini fillo shells

(meat/fish, nuts, cheese, herbs, sauces and even desserts), that will pair with particular grape varieties. I add to these lists as I find new information. At this point in time I have lists for these white wine varietals:  Albarino, Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Gewurztraminer, Gruner Veltliner, Pinot Gris, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Torrontes and Viognier. I have lists for these reds: Bordeaux type blends, Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenere, Chianti blends, Gamay, Grenache, Malbec, Merlot, Mourvedre, Nebbiolo, Pinot Noir, Sangiovese, Shiraz, Tempranillo and Zinfandel.

Made into a cheese ball

For possible pairing with a full flavored Chardonnay and also for the Pinot Noirs to be served, the appetizer I created would use bacon and well flavored chicken. Some of the online suggested food pairings for these wines included things like curried dishes. Thyme was specifically mentioned as an herb to use. I prefer to make appetizers that need no utensils, so I chose to use Mini Fillo Shells to hold the mixture. While creating this recipe, I had very fixed ideas of how these would taste, and I geared my process to use flavors that would coincide with my mind's "taste-buds". I wanted a sort of lemon and pepper chicken concept as a base. I included bacon in the mixture to boost flavor and bring in a smoky note. Cream cheese and Chevre would bind the mixture. Thyme added that herbal note I was looking for. 

Individual bites rolled in almond meal & thyme

I am extremely happy to report that the flavors came out tasting precisely as I imagined they should. I have no changes to make to this recipe. It is simple to make and can be made in advance. The actual filling of the mini fillo shells should take place last minute, but this part takes little time at all. I used a pastry bag with a large open star tip, but filling the little shells can be easily accomplished with a couple of small spoons. If refrigerated, the mixture could also be rolled into small balls - these little balls could be placed in the mini fillo shells (shown above), or on a cracker, or rolled in herbs or nuts and set out as individual bites, or even made into one large "cheese ball" to be served with crackers or pita chips. 

I used my own Pickled Red Onion as a garnish for these. I liked the pop of color and the pieces give just that tiny piquant bite. It takes about half an hour to make the pickled onions but requires at least 3 days for them to come to best flavor. If using these, plan ahead. They are a wonderful accent to most any dish and great to have around at any time. If not using the pickled red onion, other options might be slivers of scallion, thin slices of gherkins or just some more tiny thyme leaves sprinkled over the whole plate. The Tandoor Spice called for is my own mixture (find recipe here) and the flavors are great. You might easily substitute 1/2 teaspoon turmeric, or the full teaspoon of your favorite Curry Powder or Garam Masala (find one recipe here).

Making the mixture up to 3 days in advance helps with do-ahead planning.

Lemon Thyme Chicken Fillo Cups

Lemon Thyme Chicken Cups

50 - 60 appetizer bites

6 ounces meaty bacon, fried
6 ounces cream cheese, softened
6 ounces Chevre (goat cheese), softened
2 teaspoons fresh lemon zest
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts (2 large)
1 teaspoon Tandoor Spice
1 teaspoon salt
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
fresh ground pepper, to taste
1 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
4 boxes (15 each) mini fillo shells

Finely chop the fried, drained bacon. You should have at least a half cup. Set this into a large bowl. Add in the 2 cheeses with the lemon zest and thyme leaves and set aside.

Cut the chicken into approximately ¾-inch cubes. Place them in a bowl and sprinkle on top the Tandoor Spice, salt, garlic and pepper. Toss well to coat and let set for about 20 minutes.

cheeses, thyme, bacon & zest in bowl  |   chicken browned   | cooked through with lemon juice  |        chopped chicken   

Heat a large non-stick skillet on high or medium high heat. Add in the olive oil and then the chicken pieces. Toss the chicken quickly and constantly to brown completely on all sides, about 4 - 5 minutes (You will need an extractor fan going for this!). Lower heat to medium low and add in the lemon juice, stirring often for another 4 - 5 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Set aside to cool to lukewarm.

Once you are able to handle the chicken, either chop it by hand into very small bits, or pulse in the food processor. Do not pulse too finely. Add the chicken to the bowl with the bacon and cheeses and with a mixer, beat until all ingredients are well combined. At this point the mixture can be refrigerated for up to 3 days if needed.

No need to thaw or bake the fillo cups before using. They are delicate, so do not apply pressure to the cup itself while filling. If using a pastry bag, the chicken mixture will have to come to room temperature first, or it will not pass through the piping bag. You will need a large tip with a wide opening for the mixture to pass through. Pipe mixture into shells. Conversely, use two teaspoons to drop bits of the mixture into the shells. Or, form balls and press the balls gently into the shells. Top with your preferred garnish. Even a small cilantro leaf would be lovely. Do not fill the cups too far in advance or they will lose their crispness and become soggy. 

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.

Modified Chicken Bryan becomes Chicken Brianna

Chicken Brianna

A few weeks back I made a version of the (many) Chicken Bryan recipes out on the internet. I really loved how it came out, and so did my husband. I was going to make a repeat of the recipe, since we really loved it, and then got thinking of other things that would be good in it, and decided to follow the spirit of the recipe, but change it slightly. Since it is most certainly not Chicken Bryan or even my "Mock, Mock Chicken Bryan", I called it 

"Chicken Brianna."

Things I kept were: 

1. The method. Cooking the chicken and setting aside till the end, cooking the onion and garlic and adding in the other condiments, wine and butter to make the sauce. 
2. Serving the dish over fettuccine noodles.
3. The use of sun-dried tomatoes and capers.

Things I added or changed:

1. I added bacon and used fresh thyme instead of basil.
2. I added marinated artichoke hearts, and pine nuts.
3. I used no goat cheese. 
4. I cut the chicken in cubes before cooking it.

Closeup of my Chicken Brianna

I will say the flavors were just as stupendous as the Mock, Mock Chicken Bryan. I think the goat cheese would have been good here also, but I already had added in the bacon, artichokes and pine nuts, so I left the added calories out, though Chevre or Montrachet would taste wonderful here too. While this dish does take dedicated time to make, it is only about 50 minutes to an hour in total. Easy to whip up from scratch. Coordination is the key. Doing prep work while one thing is cooking, doing a little mixing, etc. Set a large saucepan with water over medium heat to slowly come to boil for when needed. Heat a large skillet  while cutting the chicken into cubes. Fry the chicken cubes, turning in between chopping onion and garlic. Once onion and garlic are in the pan, prep the other ingredients, thyme, artichokes, sun-dried tomatoes. Measure capers and pine nuts. Having a plan makes it work easily.

Chicken Brianna

Serves 2

Chicken Brianna

2 slices thick sliced bacon, or 4 ounces bacon
2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, in 1 1/2 to 2-inch cubes
½ to 1 teaspoon salt
1 large onion, chopped
2 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
1½ teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, chopped
4 - 5 sun-dried tomato halves (oil packed), in chiffonade slices
1 (6 - 7 ounce) jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained, halved
½ cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons pine nuts, optional
1 teaspoon nonpareil capers
8 ounces fettuccine (or linguine) pasta
1 tablespoon salt for pasta water

Slice the bacon across into ¼-inch wide bits. Place the bacon in a large cold skillet and heat to medium, cooking the bacon to desired doneness. Remove bacon to a plate, leaving the bacon fat in the pan. If the bacon was very fatty, remove all but 1 tablespoon of the bacon fat and keep aside in case needed later.

Set a large saucepan of water to boil (for the pasta).

Set the chicken pieces into the hot pan and begin cooking them, turning as needed to get all sides browned and the chicken cooked through. Once cooked, remove the chicken pieces to the plate with the bacon. If there is still sufficient fat in the skillet, add the onions and begin sauteeing, lowering the heat slightly so the onions get caramelized and golden and not burnt. Add more fat if needed so the onions do not stick. Once onions are almost done, add the garlic and thyme and cook for another 3 to 5 minutes, until the garlic is slightly cooked and very fragrant.

If the pasta water is boiling, add the tablespoon of salt and then add the pasta, cooking according to directions on the box. Once the pasta is cooked al dente, scoop out 1 cup of the cooking water and set aside. Drain the pasta in a colander and briefly rinse with water so the pasta does not clump until needed.

Once onions and garlic are golden, add wine to the skillet and raise heat to medium high. Cook quickly to evaporate the liquids just slightly. Lower heat. Add in the butter in small bits, stirring until each piece is melted before adding the next. This will make a thin sauce for the noodles. If the wine has evaporated too much, add in a little of the pasta cooking water to make enough liquid for the sauce.

Now add in the artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomato strips, pine nuts and capers and stir. Add in the chicken and bacon and mix. Add the fettuccine noodles and mix well before serving. 



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.