Autumn Arugula Salad with Caramelized Squash, Spiced Pecans and Pomegranate Ginger Vinaigrette

Posted on November 5, 2013 by admin

2 tablespoons coconut oil
1 acorn squash, sliced in 1/2-inch thick rounds and seeds removed
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepped
2 teaspoons brown sugar
1/2 cup whole pecans, chopped
1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
6 cups baby arugula
1 avocado, sliced
1 pomegranate, arils removed
1 seedless cucumber, sliced

pomegranate ginger vinaigrette
1/3 cup pomegranate juice
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
1 garlic clove, freshly grated
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/3 cup olive oil

YIELD: SERVES 2 TO 4

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add coconut oil. Cover the squash slices with salt and pepper, then add them to the skillet and cook until golden, about 5 minutes per side. If desired, you can add the brown sugar to help the squash caramelize. Heat a small saucepan over low heat and add the pecans. Toast until they are slightly golden and fragrant, stirring and shaking the pan as they toast, for about 5 minutes. Toss them with the pumpkin pie spice.

Add the arugula to a large bowl with a pinch of salt and pepper. Add in the avocado, pomegranate arils, cucumber, pecans and squash pieces. Cover in the pomegranate dressing.

pomegranate ginger vinaigrette
Combine pome juice, vinegar, ginger, garlic, salt and pepper in a large bowl and whisk together. Stream in the olive oil while constantly whisking until the dressing comes together. Store in the fridge for up to one week.

http://www.howsweeteats.com/

Upside-Down Pear Gingerbread, Mary Mizwa(food & wine)

Posted on November 2, 2013 by admin

This is a really fabulous fall dessert. It’s very dense and molasses-y, and beautiful because the pear slices form a pinwheel design on top. The recipe is from cookbook author Jeanne Lemlin.

The topping:
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 cup firmly packed light or dark brown sugar
2 ripe but firm pears, preferably Bosc or Anjou

The cake:
1 cup unbleached flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 egg
1/2 cup firmly packed light or dark brown sugar
1/3 cup molasses
1/2 cup sour milk
4 tablespoons melted butter

Lightly sweetened whipped cream (spiked with rum or brandy)

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter the sides of a 9-inch round cake pan (not springform).

2. To prepare the topping, melt the butter in a small saucepan. Add the brown sugar and stir together until blended. Scrape into the pan and spread evenly.

3.Peel and slice each pear into quarters, then remove and discard the cores. Slice each quarter into 3 slices. Arrange the 24 slices evenly around the pan.

4.To make the cake, in a large bowl combine the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. In a separate bowl beat together the egg, brown sugar, molasses, sour milk, and melted butter. Scrape into the flour mixture and mix until well blended.

5. Pour the batter over the pears. Bake 30 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then invert onto a plate. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature with the whipped cream. serves 8

Spicy Vegan Dragon Noodle Salad Recipe, Isa Chandra Moskowitz

Posted on October 31, 2013 by admin

Servings:4

8 ounces pad thai rice noodles
1 cup cucumbers, thinly sliced
1 cup radishes, thinly sliced
8 cups crisp salad greens
For the Peanut Dragon Dressing
1/2 cup smooth natural peanut butter
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1/3 cup water
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
1 tablespoon agave nectar
1 tablespoon Sriracha
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon salt, or as needed
To garnish
fresh cilantro
4 tablespoons toasted or black sesame seeds

For the Peanut Dragon Dressing: Place all of the ingredients in a small blender or food processor and blend until very smooth.

Keep tightly sealed and refrigerated until ready to use. It will keep for up to 5 days
For the noodle salad:

Prepare the noodles according to package directions. It’s very important not to overcook them! Often the package says to boil water, then turn it off and let the noodles steep for about 8 minutes. Set a timer to be safe.

Once soft, immediately drain and run cold water over them until cool.
In a very large mixing bowl, toss noodles, radishes and cucumber with most of the dressing, setting aside a little bit for drizzling.

Place a bed of greens on each plate and top with noodles. Sprinkle with sesame seeds, top with a little cilantro, and serve.

Nobu’s Scrambled Egg Donburi Recipe, Courtesy of Martha Stewart Living

Posted on October 31, 2013 by admin

8 ounces skinless salmon fillet, cut into 3/4-inch slices
coarse salt
2 tablespoons Japanese soy sauce
4 large eggs
4 tablespoons finely diced onion (about 1/2 onion)
1/4 cup tomato juice
1 1/2 tablespoons cooking sake
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1 cup short-grain rice, cooked
1 sheet toasted Nori
2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds, for garnish

Place salmon in a small pot with 1 inch of salted cold water. Bring to a simmer until 70 percent cooked (it should be opaque on the outside yet slightly rare inside), 3 to 4 minutes. Lift out salmon and transfer to a bowl. Add soy sauce and flake into bite-size pieces.
Meanwhile, whisk together eggs, onion, tomato juice and sake in a bowl. Swirl oil in a nonstick pan over medium heat. Add egg mixture and cook, stirring, until just set but still soft, about 2 minutes.
Divide rice among 4 bowls. Divide and layer fish on top. Crumble nori over fish, then top with scrambled eggs. Garnish with sesame seeds.

Kimchi Pickled Eggs, www.foodrepublic.com

Posted on October 31, 2013 by admin

Hard boil a few eggs and halve them. Then add a large splash of rice vinegar and half a teaspoon of sugar to the two or so inches of juice left in the kimchi jar and shake it up to combine. Drop the egg halves in the jar, shake it again and let it sit in the fridge for the rest of the weekend. The whites took on an orange tint, the yolks became creamier and more flavorful thanks to the acid and the whole thing just reeked SO GOOD

Pumpkin Strudel, Carla Hall

Posted on October 30, 2013 by admin

1 15-ounce can of Pumpkin Puree
1/2 cup Brown Sugar
1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground Ginger
1/4 teaspoon Nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon Allspice
1/4 teaspoon Cloves
1 teaspoon Salt
12 sheets Frozen Phyllo (thawed)
Melted Butter (for brushing)
1 cup Granulated Sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons Cinnamon
1 cup toasted Pecans (chopped)
1 8-ounce package Cream Cheese (divided into 12 pieces)
Whipped Cream (optional)

Preheat oven to 400. In a small bowl, combine pumpkin, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, cloves and 1/2 teaspoon salt. In another small bowl combine the granulated sugar and the cinnamon.

Brush one sheet of phyllo with melted butter and lay another sheet of dough on top. Brush generously with melted butter. (Keep remaining phyllo dough covered with a damp dish towel to prevent it from drying out). Sprinkle a generous 2 tablespoons of cinnamon-sugar mixture over the brushed phyllo. Sprinkle with about 2 tablespoons of pecans.

Cut the phyllo lengthwise to create two long strips. Place a slice of cream cheese about 2 inches from the end of each dough strip. Spoon 1 to 2 well rounded tablespoon of pumpkin mixture on top of the cream cheese (do not overfill or the phyllo will burst when rolled).

To shape, fold the edge closest to the cheese/pumpkin mixture up and over the filling. Fold in sides and roll up to encase filling. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet, seam side down. Brush with some of the melted butter and top more sugar and nuts. Repeat the process with the remaining ingredients.

Bake for 20 minutes or until golden. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes before serving with whipped cream. Note: You can use 2 teaspoons Pumpkin Pie Spice in place of the other spices.

Helpful Tips:
1. Only use a little bit of the clove because the flavor is very strong and can easily overpower the dish.
2. Take care not to roll the strudel too tightly or it will rip while baking.
3. Prepare the strudel ahead of time and freeze until you’re ready to bake.

Salmon en Croute, Laura Calder

Posted on October 30, 2013 by admin

1 salmon fillet (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1 pound asparagus, trimmed
Salt
1/4 cup creme fraiche
3 to 4 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
Zest of 1 lemon
Freshly ground pepper
1 pound puff pastry (2 sheets)
1 egg, lightly beaten

Skin and bone the salmon and set aside. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees

Cut the tips off the asparagus. Reserve the stems and the tips in boiling salted water until tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain well, in ice cold water, then drain again, leaving to sit so that all the water comes off. Puree the asparagus and stir in the creme fraiche, dill and lemon zest to blend. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

Lay 1 sheet of puff pastry on a damp baking sheet with the long edge facing you. Lay the salmon on the pastry, like a picture in its frame. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Lay the raw stems of asparagus on top of the salmon, like pencils. Spread the asparagus puree over top.

Brush the margins of the pastry with the egg wash. Lay the second sheet of pastry over the salmon and press the edges to seal, like a giant ravioli. Trim the edges, leaving a 1-inch/2.5 cm border. Press with the tines of a fork, then, with the dull edge of a knife, scallop the edges. Make 2 or 3 slits in the top to allow steam to escape. Brush all over with the egg wash and bake until puffed up and golden brown, about 20 minutes.

Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes before slicing. This dish is also good at room temperature.

Clinton Kelly’s Spicy Queso Dip

Posted on October 29, 2013 by admin

1 tablespoon Oil
1 small White Onion (very finely diced)
1 Red Bell Pepper (finely minced)
2 to 3 Jalapenos (minced)
1 cup Heavy Cream
1 pound Yellow American Cheese (shredded)
8 ounces Pepperjack Cheese (shredded)
1 bunch Cilantro leaves (chopped)
Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper
Tortilla Chips to serve

Heat the olive oil in a pot over medium heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, jalapeno, and a generous pinch of salt, cooking until very soft. Add the cream and bring to a simmer. Add the cheese, stirring continuously, until it has all melted, and season to taste.

Garnish with cilantro and serve with tortilla chips. If entertaining, serve in an oven safe bowl or crock that has been warmed in the oven.

Helpful Tips:
1. Salt the onions and peppers to draw out moisture.
2. Try leftover queso dip as a spread for sandwiches or a hearty burger.

Mémé’s Apple Tart, Jacque Pepin

Posted on October 28, 2013 by admin

Chef Jacques Pépin remembers well the famous apple tart his mother made every day as a dessert offering in her small Lyons restaurant, Le Pélican. Unlike any other dough, hers achieved its tender, crumbly, airy texture from the combination of vegetable shortening, baking powder and warm milk mixed with the flour. He hopes you enjoy this taste he associates with food memories from his youth.

DOUGH

1/4 cup milk
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons solid vegetable shortening, such as Crisco

FILLING

2 pounds sweet medium apples, such as Golden Delicious
3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
In a small pan, heat the milk to lukewarm. In a bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add the shortening and mix with a spoon or with your hands until the mixture feels and looks sandy. Add the warm milk and mix rapidly until the dough forms a ball.
1. In a small pan, heat the milk to lukewarm. In a bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add the shortening and mix with a spoon or with your hands until the mixture feels and looks sandy. Add the warm milk and mix rapidly until the dough forms a ball.
2. Roll the dough between 2 sheets of plastic wrap to an 11- to 12-inch round. Remove the top piece of plastic and, using the bottom piece, invert the dough into a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom; peel off the remaining plastic.
3. Preheat the oven to 400°. Peel, quarter and core the apples. Cut them into 1-inch-thick wedges. Arrange the apple wedges in a concentric circle on the dough and sprinkle evenly with the sugar and butter.
4. Set the tart on a baking sheet and bake for about 1 hour, or until the apples are tender and the pastry is golden. Cover the tart loosely with foil after 45 minutes to prevent over-browning. Cut the tart into wedges and serve warm.
Serve with salted carmel sauce

MAKE AHEAD The dough can be refrigerated for up to 1 day.

Apple oatmeal

Posted on October 28, 2013 by admin

Place 2 sliced apples, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon, pinch salt in the bottom of the crock pot.

Pour in 2 cups of oatmeal, 2 cups of milk and 2 cups water.

Do NOT stir.

Cook overnight for 8 – 9 hours on low.