moussaka

This is a decadent, time consuming recipe.   It is also funny because the food network says it requires 15 min of prep time and a total time of 1 hr 35 min.   Maybe I'll time us as we make it this coming weekend.   I estimate 4 person hours.   This quantity is supposed to serve 8-10 people.  Because of the packaging size of  ground meat we often make a 1.25 version of this recipe.

• 3 large eggplants, peeled and sliced into 1/4 inch slices
• 1.5 c olive oil
• 3 large baking potatoes, peeled and sliced into 1/4 inch think slices
• 1.25 c. flour
• 5 tbs unsalted butter
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 3/4 lbs ground lamb
• 3/4 lbs ground beef
• 1 tbs minced garlic
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/4 c dry red wine
• 2 tbs tomato paste
• 1/2 c. crushed tomatoes
• 1/2 c. water
• 2 tbs minced fresh parsley leaves
• 1/2 c. salt  (for saltwater), plus more for seasoning
• ground black pepper
• 2.5 c. milk
• 1 egg 
• 1 egg yoke
• 1 1/3 c. grated Kefalotiri cheese, or Parmesan or Romano

1. soak eggplant slices in saltwater for 20 minutes.   Drain and pat them dry.
2. heat 1/2 c. olive oil in large skillet and cook potato slices until lightly golden on both sides (3-4 minutes).   Cook them in batches.  Cool and drain them on paper-lined plate.  Season lightly with salt.
3. place 1 c. flour in a bowl and dredge the eggplant slices in flour.  Shake off excess.   Add another 1/4 c oil to skillet and fry eggplant until golden on both sides (2-3 min per side).   Cook in batches.   Cool and drain on paper-lined plate.
4. melt 2 tbs butter in large skilled and then add onions.  Cook 4 min until tender.   Add ground meats, garlic and oregano and cook until meat is browned (4-6 min).  Add red wine and cook until evaporated.  Add tomato paste and stir for 1 min.   Add crushed tomatoes, water and parsley and cook 5-10 min, stirring occasionally, until almost all liquid is evaporated.    Add salt and pepper.
5. melt 3 tbs of butter in medium skilled.  Once hot whisk in remaining 1/4 c. flour and cook 2-3 min while stirring.  Gradually whisk in the milk, stirring until smooth and thick.   Add salt and pepper.  Whisk in egg and egg yoke.   Stir in 1/2 cup of cheese.   Cover and set aside.
6. preheat the oven to 350. Lightly grease 9 x 13 inch casserole dish.
7. place slide potatoes in the bottom of dish in an even layer.  Top with half of the eggplant and half of the meat sauce.   Spoon 3/4 c. of the bechamel sauce evenly over the meat and sprinkle with 1/2 c of cheese.   Top with remaining eggplant, pressing down to compress layers.   Top with the remaining meat sauce and spread the remaining bechamel sauce evenly over the top.   Sprinkle with remaining cheese.
8. Bake, uncovered until golden brown on the top and heated through.   50 min to 1 hour.   Let stand for 40 minutes before cutting into squares.

summer peach tomato salad

This recipe, from the NYtimes, is the breakout new hit recipe of the last year or so in our household.   I believe my mom directed us to it last summer.

Ingredients for salad

• 12-14 oz silken tofu, chilled
• 2-3 ripe medium peaches
• 3-4 ripe medium tomatoes
• flaky sea salt
• 1/4 c packed fresh basil leaves
• 2 tbs fresh mint leaves
• black pepper

Ingredients for dressing

• 3 tbs evo
• 1 tbs balsalmic
• 1 tbs unseasoned rice vinegar
• 1 tbs seasame oil
• 2 tsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp sugar

Steps

1. drain and blot tofu by wrapping in a paper towel
2. cut peaches and tomatoes in 1-inch thick wedges
3. place fruit on a platter, including the juices from the cutting board
4. sprinkle with salt
5. scoop tofu in mounds on top of the fruit, add salt
6. mix dressing in a shakable jar and spoon 4 tbs on the salad
7. chop the herbs and add them to the top
8. add pepper

pumpkin cake recipe

We made a tried and true pumpkin cake for D's 5th birthday.  Frosting is quite important to five-year-olds, it seems, so we made a blue cream cheese frosting, but usually we make the cake with no topping, or maybe a tiny sprinkle of powdered sugar.

1) preheat oven to 350, grease two loaf pans or large baking dish (like pictured)2) in large bowl combine flour through cloves3) in medium bowl (mixer bowl) blend sugar, oil, and eggs  and then stir in pumpkin4) slowly blend wet in to dry, adding water along the way5) bake at 350 for 90 minutes (for loaf pans), or about 60 for larger, more shallow pan6) cool in loaf pans for 10 minutes before removing

3 1/2 c all purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp allspice
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cloves
3 c white sugar
1 c oil  (we used olive and was fine)
4 eggs
2/3 c water
2 c solid pack pumpkin puree (more than one 8 oz can)

chocolate sugar cookies

These were good and easy. Next time I will measure how much mint extract I put in the green icing so that it is less refreshingly reminiscent of toothpaste.

Mix together:

• 3 c flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking powder

In electric mixer, mix up:

• 1 c softened butter
• 1 1/2 c sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2/3 c cocoa powder

Add flour mixture to the other ingredients and mix. 

Dump it out and knead in to a ball and refrigerate for 1+ hour. 

Roll it out 1/4 inch thick. 

Bake at 350 for 9-11 minutes. 

We used food coloring from natural dyes for the first time and was happy with the vibrant colors.  

tangy rhubarb lentil soup

While searching for a non-dessert rhubarb recipe, we stumbled on this recipe on Epicurious last spring.  We’ve made it on multiple occaisions, so it qualifies to be preserved here on the blog.   As you might be able to tell from the few recipes we’ve posted, we make a lot of soups.  In the last couple years we got a soup thermos, which makes soup, along with some tasty bread, a great option even for hiking lunches or other picnics.

• 3 rainbow chard leaves
• 2 Tbs unsalted butter
• 2 tsp brown mustard seeds
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp coriander seeds
• 1 tsp ginger (?)
• 2 tsp minced garlic
• 1/4 tsp turmeric
• 1/4 tsp cardamom
• 1 medium onion, cut into 1/2 inch dice
• 3/4 lb. rhubarb (about 2 1/2 cups)
• 3/4 cup French green lentils, rinsed and drained
• 1 Tbs packed brown sugar; more to taste
• 6 Tbs whole milk greek yogurt
• 3 Tbs chopped fresh cilantro
• Kosher salt

1. Coarsely chop chard leaves and slice stems 1/2 inch thick and keep the leaves and stems separate.  Dice the onion.  Chop up the rhubarb.
2. Heat the oil in a 4 to 5 quart heavy duty pot over med-high heat. Add the mustard seeds, cumin and coriander seeds, stir to coat, and then cook until the mustard seeds begin to pop, about 1 min.
3. Turn the heat down to med low and stir in the ginger, garlic, turmeric, and cardomom. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 2 min.
4. Add the chard stems and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent, about 5 min.
5. Add the rhubarb, lentils, brown sugar, 2 tsp salt and 5 cups of water. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 30 minutes.
6. Add the chard leaves. Continue to simmer until the lentils are tender but not falling apart, about 5 minutes more. Season to taste with salt and brown sugar.
7. Immersion blend as desired.  Serve topped with a dollop of greek yogurt and the cilantro.

holiday pomegranate salad

We’ve made the Moroccan Orange Salad from this excellent cookbook, for several holidays in the last five years, including this Christmas.  I like how it tastes but admit that part of the appeal is that it is just so refreshingly pretty.

• 6 navel oranges (we often use cara cara oranges)
• 1 tbs orange flower water
• 1/8 to 1/4  tsp cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon clover honey
• pinch freshly grated nutmeg
• chopped fresh mint for garnish (the more the better…)
• pomegranate seeds (more is better.  We actually used 2 pomegranates for 8 oranges, I think)

Slice the oranges, catching the juice in the salad bowl.  Combine the orange flower water, cinnamon and honey and toss with the oranges.  Sprinkle with nutmeg and chill or serve at once, garnishing with mint and pomegranate.  This will hold for several hours in the refrigerator.

mushroom tarragon soup

We've made this enough times for it to qualify as a blog-worthy favorite.  Don't put in too much garlic!

Mushroom Tarragon Soup (from epicurious.com)

Ingredients

1 tbs butter

4 minced shallots

1 minced garlic clove

6 cups cremini mushrooms (minced?)

1  1/4 cups vegetable stock

1  1/4 cups 2% milk

1-2 tbs fresh chopped tarragon

2 tbs dry sherry

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

1 sprig fresh tarragon for garnish

Parmesan cheese

• melt butter in dutch oven, add shallots and garlic and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes
• add mushrooms and cook gently for 4 minutes, stirring 
• add the stock and milk and bring to a boil
• lower heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes, until mushrooms are soft
• stir in the chopped tarragon, salt and pepper on low heat
• immersion blend
• stir in sherry
• serve and top with Parmesan and more tarragon

my favorite fish stew

 

Here’s a recipe we’ve made and enjoyed several times.

• 2 leeks
• 6 oz. chorizo (I prefer other, non-spicy sausage) cut in to small half moon pieces
• 4-5 medium red potatoes cut in to bite size cubes (in the picture above I used purple potatoes)
• salt and fresh ground black pepper
• 1 Tbs. olive oil
• 3 cloves minced garlic
• 28 oz. can diced tomatoes with their juice
• 1/2 c dry white wine
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 lb. cod fillet, cut into four even portions

1. Put the potatoes in a saucepan (not the dutch oven yet), covered with 1-2 inches of cold water.  Salt the water, partially cover and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat a bit, continue boiling until tender (10-15 min).  Drain.
2. Heat oil in dutch oven (medium for 1 minute), add chorizo and leeks  until the leeks are soft and sausage is browned (6 min)
3. Add the garlic and cook for 1 min.
4. Stir in the tomatoes with juice, the wine, 1 1/2 c water and 1/2 tsp salt.  Bring to a oil, partially cover, reduce to medium and simmer for 15 minutes.
5. Add potatoes, salt and pepper, and half of the parsley.
6. Season the cod (S&P) and place on top of the stew, cover and simmer until just cooked through (6-8 minutes)
7. Serve stew on top of cod, with more parsley as garnish.