parmesan flans with tomatoes and basil

Last night I was looking through my old recipe notebooks - large black sketching books where I pasted recipes from Gourmet and other food magazines.  I put this in my notebook in July 2008 from Cooking Light, and always wanted to make it, and somehow never got to it until this morning.

The first batch was a flop - I oiled the ramekins, made the egg and parmesan mixture, poached gently, cooled - and tried to unmold them. Disaster, as the bottom stuck and the tops broke into pieces.  I wasn't giving up, so I whipped up a quick batch of quiche batter, oiled the ramekins again, and cooked in a hot water bath for 45 minutes.  This time it worked.  The flans are prone to breaking up, so use a small spatula to move them after you unmold them.

 Oil 3 or 4 ramekins with mild olive oil.  Set oven temperature to 340F.  Fill a pan halfway with hot water - it should be big enough for your ramekins to fit easily.

The egg-cheese mixture:

2 extra large eggs
1/2 cup medium cream
1/2 cup milk
a scraping of nutmeg
black pepper 
1 or 2 tablespoons goat cheese, crumbled (optional)
3/4 cup good grated Parmesan cheese

Mix well and divide between your four ramekins.  Place in hot oven and bake for 35 minutes (they should be soft but firm).
Using a potholder or kitchen towel, remove ramekins from hot water to cool.

Make the tomato mixture:

1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved, then quartered (more if you need)
3/4 cup peeled, diced cucumbers
two small yellow mini peppers, seeded and diced
salt and pepper
1/4 cup sliced fresh basil leaves

Run a knife around the flans and carefully unmold about an inch from your platter.
Space the flans a few inches apart, then sprinkle the tomato and cucumber mixture over each one, then top with the slivered basil.

These are pretty mild tasting, so feel free to jazz them up, if you want.

My thyme plant has been attacked by birds, with a tiny few inches left.  I was puzzled, until I found this article.

Enjoy this beautiful day!

the last of the brussels sprouts

I'm always a little sad when the brussels sprout season is over - I do love them!  But on that sunny, warm day, I blanched them for barely 10 minutes (they were very small), drained them, and made a summery marinade:

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
2 cloves garlic, pressed
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper
oregano - a pinch or two
a pinch of so of caraway seed
a generous sprinkling of crisp bacon

Makes two servings.

Happy Spring!

Italian turkey meatballs

Settling in finally, though I still look at that tiny gas stove warily.  But yesterday I was so hungry I finally made those turkey meatballs I love so much - perfect for snacks and/or an actual sit down supper.  They're super simple to make, quick to cook, and loaded with freshly chopped herbs.

To make you will need:

1 pound ground turkey
2 tablespoons sliced scallion tops (the green part)
2 tablespoons minced Italian parsley
1 extra-large egg (the egg makes the meatballs very tender)
1 teaspoon dried thyme
lots of black pepper (lost my pepper grinder in the move) - I used boxed pepper
1 or 2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons olive oil (for the cooking)

First, wash your hands.
Place the turkey, parsley, egg, thyme, salt, pepper, and scallions in a medium bowl.
Stir the mixture until it is well combined.
Pinch off tablespoon sized pieces of the mixture and roll carefully into balls, setting the balls on a platter.  The mixture is quite sticky.

Wash your hands again, then pour the olive oil into a medium sized frying pan and heat on medium.
Using a large spoon, move all the meatballs into the frying pan, cover, and cook for ten minutes.  Uncover the pan, and use the spoon to roll the meatballs over, then cover again.  Cook another ten minutes.  Take a meatball out and cut in half to make sure the ground turkey is cooked and not pink.  Remove from heat and serve - or set aside to cool before placing in the fridge.  I like to serve it with salsa, but you can also use guacamole or hummus as a side.

This usually makes about 25 meatballs, depending on size.

Enjoy!




A year ago : kale salad with breadcrumbs and garlic
2 years ago:  fresh cherry scones with lemon zest

kale, scallion and sharp cheddar frittata

I think the biggest change going from a solitary, rural living situation, to living in a city with a blended family of grown children and grandchildren is cooking.  Gluten-free and vegetarian, and sometimes vegan meals have to be considered, so I was overjoyed when I found this recipe from Kalyn's Kitchen which, for now, everyone can eat.  She calls it an egg bake, I call it delicious, and the boys call it a frittata.  We primarily use Cabot's Seriously Sharp cheddar cheese, so I used that instead of mozzarella.  I added a few more eggs, because the egg mixture seemed a little scanty in the baking dish, but most of the recipe is Kalyn's.  (I also used a lower baking temperature because it's my habit when cooking eggs.)  And her addition of Spike as a seasoning was delicious, rather than my usual kosher salt, pepper, and dried or fresh herbs.  Total winner, all around.

kale, scallion, and cheddar frittata:

1 medium bunch fresh kale, stripped from stems and sliced - when I measured it came to      4 cups packed raw kale

2 tablespoons sweet olive oil or soft butter (for the dish)

1 1/2 - 2 cups grated extra sharp cheddar cheese

4 scallions (green onions) sliced

10 large eggs

1 teaspoon Spike seasoning

(optional: 2 teaspoons fresh minced dill)

Preheat oven to 350F.

Use your fingers to butter or oil a glass baking dish - mine was 9x13 inches.

Briefly cook the kale in a few inches of water until wilted.  Drain and set aside.

In a mixer bowl, add the eggs and beat briefly, then add the scallions, Spike seasoning, dill, and cheese.  Fold in the drained kale.

Pour the mixture into the dish, patting in evenly with your (clean) fingers or a spatula.

Bake for 30 minutes, remove to cool before cutting into squares.

                                 

One surprising thing about Minneapolis are the wild squirrels and bunny rabbits - they are everywhere, eating bushes and gardens.  I wondered why there were so many hostas here - it's one of the few things they don't eat.  I saw this little fellow leap up and cross to the house next door along the fence two feet away from me.  Bold little critters!

egg salad sandwiches with celery, parsley and horseradish

Easter is one of my favorite holidays - and not because of chocolate rabbits.  Oh, no, it's all about eggs, which I love more than any food group you could imagine.  Eggs.  Egg salad.  Omelets, frittatas, soft-boiled, hard-boiled, fried, poached, quiches, you name it, I love it.  So you can imagine how I felt when I saw this post from Smitten Kitchen about the lowly simple hard-boiled egg sandwich.  

I read the post, but forgot to write down the recipe - instead soaring off to my own dreamland of egg.  Later I checked it and was surprised that Deb didn't use mayo, and I had also switched out horseradish for her dijon, but no matter - it was delicious.  Lots of parsley, and her pickled celery and red onion topping was inspired.

You will need:

2 hard-boiled eggs
2 tablespoons of minced celery
2 tablespoons minced red onion
1/4 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons minced Italian parsley
1/2 teaspoon bottled horseradish
2 pinches of kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 tablespoon Hellmann's mayonaise 

Hard boil two eggs for 10 minutes, pour off the water, then cover the eggs with cold water.  Set aside.

In a bowl, add the vinegar, sugar, water, and salt and whisk.  Add the minced celery and red onion and let sit for 20 minutes or more, then drain the celery and red onion and discard the vinegar water.

Peel the eggs and then mash the hard boiled eggs and scoop into a bowl.

Add the vinegared celery/red onion mixture, then add the horseradish, the parsley, the mayo, and the egg mixture.

Mound onto a slice of good bread, or a nice ciabatta roll, and top with arugula, if you have ( I did not).  Is that heaven or what?

Dutch Baby pancake with strawberries

I saw a picture on Pinterest a few weeks ago that reminded me of the Dutch baby pancakes I made once in a while for the kids, a long time ago.  At the time, I used a recipe from another first grade Mom, but then it went missing.  The only problem with the Pinterest picture?  The recipe was in another language, possibly Swiss or German or who knows what.

Long story short, I emailed the recipe to an esteemed neighbor who speaks five languages, including Swiss and German.  Last night she emailed the translation back, and sure enough, it was the same recipe I used to use.

So now, dear friends, you can make this Dutch Baby perhaps for a Valentine dessert tonight!

To make these, you will need one or two steel or stainless steel omelet pans (mine is an 8 inch steel one),  without a non-stick finish, as it goes into a hot oven.


This makes 4 pancakes, using an 8" metal omelet pan.

Preheat oven to 400F.

1 tablespoon unsalted butter for each pancake 2 large eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup King Arthur all purpose flour
two pinches of kosher salt
Zest from a large lemon
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Sliced strawberries - I used about a half cup of sliced berries for each pancake
Confectioner's sugar or maple syrup for topping



In your steel omelet pan, place a tablespoon of butter and place pan into the hot oven.

While the pan is heating mix together the eggs, milk, flour, salt, lemon zest, and cinnamon.  There is no sugar in the batter recipe - only  the confectioner's sugar on top of the berries.

When the butter has melted, use a pot holder to pull the pan out of the oven, then pour a scant 1/2 cup batter into the pan and place back into the oven quickly.

Bake for 15 or so minutes, or until the pancake puffs up and bubbles and you see a little light browning.

Using a pot holder, hold the handle and slide the pancake from the pan with a fork onto a plate.  Add the butter for the second pancake and place back in oven.  Continue until all the batter is used up and you have 4 pancakes.

Sprinkle the strawberries equally among the pancakes, then use a sieve to shake powdered sugar over the pancake.  Serve with more confectioner's sugar or maple syrup if you wish.  These are usually eaten with a fork and knife.

We got a foot of snow last night - and this was my reward for all that shoveling!

the best fresh orange and cranberry scones

A second batch of those orange and cranberry scones this morning,  as I wanted to make some fresh ones up for my neighbors, and for a chef friend who wanted the recipe, as well as a taste.  As I pulled the new batch out of the oven, I realized I had overbaked yesterday's scones.  These were gorgeous!  They were both tender and full of that fresh orange and cranberry burst of tangy, but this mornings batch were much prettier.  

I also remembered a trick I had seen somewhere - grating the cold butter on a cheese grater to make it thinner and easier to incorporate with the flour mixture.  I liked that method a lot, so will use it in the future.

The recipe:

Preheat oven to 380F.
Line a baking sheet with clean foil or parchment.

2 cups King Arthur all purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
good pinch of kosher salt
2 teaspoons orange zest, freshly grated
1 stick (8 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, grated on a cheese grater
1 small egg, slightly beaten with a fork
1/4 cup sour cream (I used Hood's full-fat)
1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (about 1/2 large orange)
Optional:  1/4 cup water if mixture is too dry
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
sparkling sugar for the tops of the scones

Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a mixer bowl.
Toss in the shaved butter and orange zest and mix briefly with a spoon.

In a small bowl, beat the egg and whisk in the sour cream and orange juice.  Add to the flour mixture and briefly turn on the mixer paddle.  Stop the mixture and add the dried and fresh cranberries and mix briefly until dough forms a ball.  Do not over mix.  If the dough seems dry, or there is still flour at the bottom of the bowl, add the 1/4 cup water and mix until cranberries are blended into the dough.

Turn out dough onto a floured board or counter.  Roll into a 7 inch circle, then slice into 8 triangles, and place on baking sheet.  

Sprinkle scones with sugar and bake for 19 minutes.

These are wonderful for your pre-Thanksgiving dinner company, and would be very pretty wrapped in cello and nestled in a basket or bowl for Christmas giving.  Very Martha:)

We've had brief flurries of snow, oddly mostly at night or very early in the morning, when it's barely light.  My hummingbird bird bath is frozen, and I imagine my little winter birds with tiny skates, taking a twirl....  have a Happy Thanksgiving!

ground turkey meatballs with fresh herbs and salsa

Some months ago, I noticed I had completely lost my taste for beef in any form - not burgers, meatballs, steaks, even thinly sliced roast beef.  I do love turkey, probably more than chicken, and I eat a lot of fish, so I don't seem to be missing it, but it is curious.

Now that summer is really here (!), I like to tour my garden patches, picking a few chives here, some rosemary sprigs there, and snipping off some sorrel leaves and turnip greens, celery leaves, and if I have blooming nasturtiums, those will go right in my basket, too.  Sometimes they go into a salad, but often they end up in soup or something like these juicy, plump turkey meatballs.  Sometimes the meatballs are tiny, but today I wanted big beefy diner-sized meatballs, two or three make the perfect lunch or dinner, nestled in a wedge of iceberg lettuce, just to be authentic - and OH! were they good!

I don't fry them up on high heat, but simmer them on middle heat, covered.  They come out tender, juicy, and have enough herby flavor to be tasty, but not overpowering.



How's your weather?  We are having thunderstorms and rain every late afternoon or evening and the plants ( and I) love it - no need to haul out the hoses,  thanks to Mother Nature!


Ground Turkey Meatballs with chopped herbs

This made about 10 large meatballs.

1 one pound package ground turkey
About 3 loosely packed cups of various herbs and greens:  I used:

4 scallions (green onions) trimmed and sliced
2 cloves garlic, peeled 
1 piece bread, torn up
1 large egg
1 medium red onion, quartered and sliced into chunks
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme ( which I prefer to fresh)
sliced sorrel leaves, stems are ok to use as well
rosemary sprigs
turnip or other greens, torn (spinach, tender kale, etc can be used, too)
nasturtium leaves and flowers
garlic scapes
radish leaves
celery leaves and some of the stalk, sliced
sprigs of oregano
chives
sea salt and pepper
about 4 T. salsa, divided ( I used Green Mountain Gringo hot salsa)

Place ground turkey in a large bowl.
In food processor add the herbs and greens, the red onion, the scallions , the bread, thyme, and 2 T. of the salsa.  Pulse or chop by hand into a coarse mixture.  

Scrape the mixture into the bowl with the turkey, and add the sea salt and the raw egg and mix well.

Pour a few tablespoons mild olive oil into a skillet and heat on medium.

Form the turkey mixture into large balls - a little smaller than a tennis ball.

Cook for 10 minutes on medium, covered, then flip the turkey patties over and cook another 5 minutes, covered.

Serve on iceberg wedges or hearty rolls, top with a little more salsa and serve.  Now I'm thinking a little goat cheese crumbled on top would be fabulous - next time!

Enjoy!

rosemary & wild grape focaccia

A few weeks ago, I was visiting my daughter and daughter-in-law when (happily) Anni pulled out a hot, gorgeous - what IS that?  Bread?  Pizza? Cake?- out of the oven.  She cut off a chunk and I tasted the most remarkable whatever-it-was.  Salty and sweet, juicy and toasty.  It turned out to be an amazing soft focaccia made with rosemary, sea salt, sugar, and wild grapes that Anni and just-now 2 year old Frankie had just picked from grapevines beside the road.   She generously packed up half a yogurt container with those fragrant fruits , which I took home - and forgot about in my pneumonia haze.

I found them today .  And guess what I made?

Yup, and you can find the recipe here, which Anni got from her blogger best friend at Ben and Birdy.

Remarkable, amazing, and delicious.

rosemary focaccia with olives

Once the warm weather arrives, this is one of my go-to brunch, party, or dinner recipes - Nick Malgieri's soft, olive oil focaccia sprinkled with olives and everything from anchovies to tomatoes to onions or peppers sauteed in olive oil.  Goat cheese would be delicious, or some shavings of parmesan, but it's also great fairly plain.

This is from Nick's book, The Modern Baker , and I halved the recipe and baked it in a smaller baking pan/cookie sheet-with-an-edge.  Because of the olive oil, it doesn't go stale quickly, so I baked it the night before I was serving it and wrapped it in plastic wrap.

Served with chilled fruit and minty seltzer, it was perfect for an 80 degree day.

To make:

2 T. fresh rosemary, stripped from stems and minced in a food processor ( if you don't mind the stick-like quality of fresh rosemary leaves, skip this part)
2 cups King Arthur all purpose flour
1 t. salt
1 t. dry yeast ( I used Rapid-Rise)
3/4 cups plus 2 T. warm water
1 1/2 T. olive oil
assorted toppings - olives, anchovies, sauteed peppers, cherry tomatoes, etc.

Combine salt, rosemary, and flour in mixer bowl and stir.
In a small bowl,  whisk the yeast into the water and add the olive oil.  Wisk again.
With a rubber scraper/spatula, make a well in the flour mix and pour in the liquid mixture.
Stir in a circle beginning in the center of the bowl, gathering the flour into the wet ingredients until all the dry bits are completely incorporated into the dough.

With scraper or clean hand, fold the dough over itself gently, then cover bowl with plastic wrap until doubled in bulk - about an hour at a warm room temperature, more if it's cooler.

Oil a medium baking sheet/pan with olive oil.    Scrape the dough gently into the pan, and gently press the dough to the edges.  If it is too elastic, let the dough rest for a few minutes and press it to the edges.

Preheat oven to 425F.

Let dough sit for five minutes ( it's a nice soft dough), then dimple it all over using the tips of your fingers.  Add the toppings as wished, and drizzle on 1 or 2 T. olive oil.  Bake for about 25-30 minutes, or until top is golden .  Remove and cool before cutting.

Here comes summer!

poached fresh apricots and mango with lemon verbena

Back from my mother's memorial service on Saturday, a little sad, but so happy to meet up with our extended family: it was grand to see you all!

Cooking always cheers me up, so when I noticed the juicy little apricots in the fruit bowl, I whipped out to the garden and snipped some of the lemon balm and lemon verbena (which is flowering!) to make the poaching liquid I use for so many fresh fruits. The lemon verbena is the spiky leafed sprig with little tiny white flowers. Reaching into the fridge I noticed half a mango and thought that would go well with the mild flavored apricot, so I grabbed that as well.

I simmered the herbs in water then let them steep to get the fullest flavor of the herbs ( and a few green cardomom pods), then poached the fruits very briefly, removed, and chilled both the herb infusion and the fruits. Serve with either some Greek yogurt or softly whipped cream, and you have a lovely dessert , perfect for brunch, breakfast, or dinner. Pears are also delicious prepared this way.

To make:

This makes enough liquid for approximately 6 apricots and 1 mango, with some to spare.

2 cups water ( you can add a little sweet white wine or a squeeze of lemon if you like)

several sprigs of fresh lemon balm

several sprigs of fresh lemon verbena

3 or 4 green cardomom pods

1/3 cup sugar

Simmer the herbs, cardomom, and sugar in the water briefly, then let cool for 30 minutes.

Cut the apricots in half and de-stone them.

Peel the mango and cut into spears.

Bring the herb/water mixture to a simmer again, and poach the fruits for around 4 minutes, then use a slotted spoon to gently remove to a bowl. Pour a little liquid into the bowl with the fruits, then simmer the liquid until it is reduced to a little under a cup.

Chill the poaching liquid and the fruits separately in the fridge until ready to serve.

In shallow bowls, scoop out the mango spears and apricots, add a little liquid, then top with Greek yogurt or whipped cream and a few fresh mint or lemon balm leaves.

You might also enjoy:

Poached wild pears in a lemon verbena simple syrup