Sunday, May 24, 2020

Malvani Pork Curry


This is a culinary adventure outside of my usual comfort zone. We love a good curry around here, and I've dabbled in making some at home at times, but usually based on some sort of convenient shortcut, like a packaged paste or simmer sauce that's quick and ready to use. A friend pointed me in the direction of this lesser known recipe that she learned to make in her family, Malvani curry - this is a dish from coastal SW Indian cuisine, more commonly made with chicken or prawns. I had lean pork loin on hand so I thought I'd use it this time, next time I'm eager to try it with prawns and veggies instead.


The recipe is quite involved and blends numerous flavor components, but the steps are fairly straight forward. My friend pointed me to the Instagram account of Chef Zacharias she follows, who broke it down and demonstrated the steps. This is my adaptation of his recipe using ingredients more readily available in the United States (and which I already had in my pantry).


I gathered all the ingredients (I later realized the ones piled up in the picture above were missing a couple, see if you can spot which ones, heh), then set out to build the flavors of the curry. To give the meat a chance to absorb the aromas of the spices for as long as possible, take care of it first. Cut in bite size pieces if applicable (for drumsticks or prawns leave whole), then salt generously and add the remaining powdered spices - red chili powder, turmeric, ground black pepper, cumin and coriander. Massage the spices into the meat all over, then set aside.

Tip: If you want to do the majority of the work the night before for an easy prep-ahead week night dinner, you can put the meat in the fridge at this stage and let it marinade in the spices overnight.

Next, set out to make the curry paste. First, heat a tablespoon or so of ghee - the grass fed one I had in my fridge packs so much flavor - over medium to medium high heat and add half the chopped onions. In this stage the aim is to get a golden-brown color on the onions as they cook, not a soft sautee. Avoid overcrowding the pan to encourage better browning. Season well, then add the shredded coconut. This is the first spot where I diverged from the authentic recipe the chef described. I didn't have a fresh coconut on hand to crack and shred up, so I used desiccated shredded coconut from my pantry and added a tablespoon of coconut butter (not oil, important distinction) to enhance the flavor and creaminess. 

Continue sauteeing while mixing often so the coconut browns evenly as well, then add the roughly chopped ginger and garlic, followed by the whole spices (coriander seeds, sesame seeds, black peppercorns, cinnamon and cloves). Sesame seeds here are quite unique and I don't recall seeing them before in Indian cuisine, but I love what they do to the overall flavor. I also added a bit of poppy seeds, they weren't included in the ingredient list at all but my friend mentioned them and they sounded like a good idea. Continue mixing constantly while the mixture caramelizes to a deep golden brown to chocolate brown, being careful not to burn it.

Once the desired color is attained, you need to cool and blend the mixture to a paste. Since I was only making this for the one meal, I didn't need it to be a very dense paste, as I would add water when cooking the final dish anyway. What I did to both deglaze the pan and cool down the mixture was splashing a cup of cold water in the pan, then scraping the bottom to pick up all the flavorful bits that had stuck on during the cooking process. I put everything in my vitamix and blended it to a smooth paste, adding more water as necessary for everything to move through the blades.

Tip: At this stage, you can cover and refrigerate the paste along with the spiced meat if you plan to make the final dish the next day, the remaining steps just bring everything together for the final meal.

I did this next step on the sautee function of the instant pot because I used it at high pressure a bit later to finish. If you're doing prawns this is not necessary as they cook pretty quickly on their own. Warm up another tablespoon of ghee on medium-low to medium heat (I used the low sautee setting on the IP), and add the bay leaves to stir up the flavors. If you have green chillies on hand (I didn't, I'll mention my solution a bit later), split them at the tip and add them now. Once the oils start releasing, add the other half of the chopped onions (you can thinly slice as well, depending on preference), season and stir to soften. Add the chopped tomatoes and turn up the heat a bit to cook and reduce the moisture. I also added some roasted hatch chiles since I didn't have the spicy green ones in my kitchen, they rounded out the flavor to balance the tomatoes and added some good heat to the dish. 

When the tomatoes (and chiles) are cooked down and darkened a bit in color, add the curry paste and mix well. Finally, add the marinated meat (if you do this recipe all in one go make sure it sat at least 1-2 hours with the spices) and mix well. Add enough water to barely cover the meat and mix it in the sauce so it's fairly uniform, then set the pot to cook on high pressure for 10-12 minutes with the valve sealed. When the cooking cycle ends, let it naturally release for 5-10 minutes before releasing and remaining pressure. Serve on rice and top with a squeeze of fresh lime and fresh chopped cilantro. I added some greens around mine to brighten up the presentation and add more veggies to my plate. 



Malvani Pork Curry


Ingredients


1.5 lbs of pork loin
1 tbsp kosher salt 
2 tbsp red chili powder
1 tbsp turmeric powder
1 tbsp cumin powder
1 tbsp coriander powder
2 tsp ground black pepper

2 tbsp ghee
2 medium sized onions
45g shredded desiccated coconut
1 tbsp coconut butter
2 in. fresh ginger
6-8 garlic cloves
2 tbsp sesame seeds
1 tbsp poppy seeds
2 tbsp coriander seeds
8-10 black peppercorns, whole
1/4 stick of cinnamon
3-4 cloves

2-3 bay leaves
14.5 oz chopped tomatoes
1/4 cup roasted hatch chiles

lime, quartered
cilantro, roughly chopped


Method


  1. Cut up meat in bite sized pieces, as evenly as possible.
  2. Season well with salt, then add all the powdered spices (chili through black pepper).
  3. Massage spices into the meat, cover and let sit in the fridge.
  4. Chop onions, ginger and garlic.
  5. Heat up 1 tbsp of ghee on medium-high heat and add half the onion, mixing to brown.
  6. Add coconut and coconut butter, mix frequently to caramelize. 
  7. Add ginger and garlic, then whole spices (sesame seeds through cloves).
  8. Continue mixing over medium heat until reaching a deep brown color.
  9. Deglaze with a cup of water and scrape up any stuck bits.
  10. Blend into a smooth paste, adding water as necessary to get an appropriate consistency (think ricotta-like).
  11. Heat up 1tbsp of ghee in low sautee mode of the instant pot (or on the stove if not using IP).
  12. Add bay leaves and stir for a minute.
  13. Sautee second chopped up onion until soft, seasoning as it cooks.
  14. Add tomatoes and chiles, and turn up heat (to medium) to reduce liquids and caramelize.
  15. Mix in curry paste from step #10, then add meat and just enough water to cover meat.
  16. Seal lid and set the IP to pressure cook on high pressure for 12 minutes.
  17. Allow to naturally release pressure for 5-10 minutes when done, then release any remaining pressure.
  18. Serve on rice with a squeeze of lime and a handful of cilantro on top. Enjoy!

Notes


  • The original recipe calls for a whole freshly grated coconut, if you have a whole coconut on hand and the means/patience to grate it, this could enhance the flavor even further.
  • The roasted hatch chiles can be replaced with a more authentic use of green fresh chilies, just add in the same step as the bay leaves (#12).
  • You can use chicken (bone in) and follow the same steps, or prawns (whole, peeled and deveined) and skip the pressure cooking step, just simmer for a few minutes after adding to the curry sauce.

Monday, May 18, 2020

Cherry Picking Week

This is a story of cherry picking season, and how a quick outing with the kids (first outside our own neighborhood in more than 2 months, yikes!) turned into a week-long adventure of baking with and snacking on cherries in every form we could think of. At the end I'll share an easy recipe I've come up with for a wholesome, delicious fruit crumble that is filling as breakfast, satisfying as dessert and infinitely customizable.



It was a beautiful day to visit the orchard - mild but breezy and with a consistent cloud cover that allowed the coastal air flow to keep the temperature down even out in Brentwood. Our timing was pretty good too, we made a same day appointment for Wednesday afternoon and just as we arrived they opened a new section of the orchard - loaded cherry trees were ready for us to pick their bounty. Even better, there were cherries in easy reach of the toddler and older kiddo alike, they were so happy to be picking their own! They also stole plenty from my basket because I could pick them faster and they wouldn't stand for that, go figure.


In all, we came home with a little over 10lbs of cherries. A nice, small Whole Foods bag filled to the top with juicy and oh so sweet fruit. The kids started proposing projects almost immediately, First in line, a fruit and cheese snack and cherry water (basically fresh fruit cut up in water, kiddos have an instinct for the spa water movement apparently). But that gave me an idea - sangria! I cut up some cherries, sliced some lemon and topped them off with a bottle of rose and a shot of rum for a perfect dinner accompaniment. A couple of hours of chilling in the fridge let the flavors marry and the color of the cherries brighten up the wine. 


I then set out to work to make a flakey pie crust using the best recipe I've ever tried from Sally's Baking Addiction. Shhh the secret is strategic use of shortening and care not to overmix. I cup up some cherries (this will become a theme in this post as you might have noticed), tossed them with a bit of corn starch and vanilla paste, then folded them in a rustic and beautiful galette form - my entry in this month's Sally's Baking Challenge which I love participating in because it throws in new ideas or techniques to try. This was served warm, with a side of black sesame ice cream.


I couldn't let a fantastic pie crust go to waste (or eat a double pie crust in one sitting), so I repurposed some of it for a cobbler. Same filling as the galette, but piled into an oil sprayed ramekin and topped with a thin disc of crust and a sprinkling of demerara sugar. Greek yogurt on top and I got myself a wonderful and indulgent breakfast the next day.


Meanwhile I was pointed in the direction of this beautiful earl grey yogurt cake from Bon Appetit (recipe link) and I couldn't say no to such an amazing idea. This became a canvas for more cherry applications - first, a simple breakfast with a slice of tea cake, yogurt, cherries and nut butter. Paired with a mug of hot black coffee, this made for a delightful way to start the day.


Later in the day, when we dug into the cherry bag once more for the kids' snack, I couldn't resist revisiting the earl grey cake, this time with ricotta and a chocolate tahini topping. Coffee break has never been more flavorful and fresh, though if you've seen the recipes I've been working with lately you know I'm always in pursuit of light but satisfying afternoon pick-me-ups.


The breakfast cherry pursuit continued with another twist on the cobbler - this time I mixed cherries with apples, added some cinnamon and cardamom and topped them with this delicious oatmeal and nut crumble that I've come up with. Instead of the usual butter to crisp up the oats I used nut butter, which adds tremendous flavor, but is also a source of protein and healthy fats. I mixed in slivered almonds as well to enhance the texture. Topped with yogurt this was a perfect breakfast.


In the line of cherry based drinks, the kids asked for bubble tea in the afternoon so we made cherry tea - simply hot water added on top of chopped up cherries - the flavor was wonderful. For my drink, I blended some of the cherries in the infusion, then mixed in jasmine green tea and a splash of milk to get a light, fruity and floral boba drink.


With fresh cherries in hand, I simply had to make a childhood favorite - Romanian cherry coffee cake. The batter is similar to that of pound cake and it's loaded with fruit on top before baking. The fruit softens and deepens in flavor, and the juices soak into the cake as it bakes, it's all around delightful. I found a recipe online to follow, but I'm on a mission to find my grandma's old school recipe and I will share it here once I track it down. To add some fun to the mix, I baked the cake in my trusty donut pan and a couple of silicone rose shaped cups.


Last but certainly not least, with the last of the cherries I made an easy and light bread pudding. It's a very forgiving recipe and convenient prep-ahead for a fresh baked breakfast at the ready. For my mini loaf pan (serves two for a light dessert, or go all in for one more generous serving) I whisked an egg, a quarter cup of almond toasted coconut milk, a couple of tablespoons of applesauce, vanilla extract and a pinch of salt, and tossed in two slices of cinnamon raisin bread cubed small. After folding in chopped up cherries, this went in the fridge overnight and was ready to bake in the morning, it's so much better when the custard mix soaks into the bread thoroughly. Topped it with, you guessed it, greek yogurt and served for breakfast after a 20-25min trip to the hot oven in the morning.


Thus ends my cherry baking and snacking marathon, I am now looking forward to the next picking season coming up, peaches and apricots. Scroll on for my fruit crumble recipe, illustrated in its cherry-apple version.





Cherry Apple Crumble


Ingredients


1 small apple
1 cup of sweet cherries
2 tsp cornstarch
1 tsp vanilla paste or extract
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cardamom
pinch of salt

1/6 cup (17g) oatmeal
1/2 tbsp (8g) almond butter
1 tbsp slivered almonds

Method


  1. Cut up the apple in small even cubes, pit and quarter the cherries.
  2. Spray the inside of two 6oz ramekins and preheat oven to 350F.
  3. Toss fruit together with corn starch, vanilla and spices, then divide it between the two ramekins.
  4. Rub nut butter into the oatmeal - using your finger is the most effective for this, you want to coat them as evenly as possible.
  5. Toss in chopped up slivered almonds, then sprinkle over the fruit.
  6. Bake in the hot oven for 20-25 minutes until the topping is golden and the fruit is bubbly and soft.
  7. Serve warm with a scoop of ice cream or yogurt, depending on preference.

Notes

  • You can use 1.5-2 cups of any fruit you prefer, though if it's not as sweet as the cherries you can consider adding 1tbsp of sugar to the filling (blueberries, strawberries, peaches, plums would work quite well)
  • Customize the spices to your taste as well, the limit is your imagination - warm spices are great (cloves, allspice, nutmeg, ginger), but also extracts like rum or almond.
  • The oatmeal can be mixed with any nut butter you prefer, I also like using nuttzo nut and seed butter for the texture or tahini.

Thursday, May 14, 2020

Stuffed oatmeal bites

Sometimes creativity involved a long process of iterating on an idea, refining it until it becomes something new. Sometimes, it's as quick as "oh no, my toddler stole that snack right out of my hand, I must recreate it tonight!" 


Jump to Recipe

This is a story of the latter. I got a care package of single serving snacks from work, which the kids quickly raided for what they saw as the good stuff. I eyed a nice oatmeal cookie that felt soft and light yet creamy and it talked about being apple pie stuffed, yes please! As I finally sat down to enjoy it, the toddler perks up and asks for a bite, then another, then she just takes the rest. Then I thought of these banana oatmeal bars I made recently and they seemed like the perfect candidate to adapt in recreating the oatmeal cookie.

First, I soaked some dried blueberries in hot water - I wanted a fruity filling but didn't want to invest the time to cook down apples for a proper pie-like filling. I'll probably revisit this later and post an update with results. Then I mixed all the ingredients together, it's as easy as that - banana for creaminess, nut flours as both binders and earthy notes, a dash of maple and vanilla for flavor and flax+chia seeds for texture. The cinnamon and cardamon recreated the apple pie aromas throughout, you can add some nutmeg or allspice instead of the cardamom if you prefer. A dash of salt is essential for any baked good, don't leave that out! 


Preheat the oven to 350F and prepare a mini muffin tin - I wasn't sure how sticky these would get so after spraying each cavity thoroughly with cooking spray I also put a strip of parchment like handles to help lift them out after baking, as you can see in the picture. Use a cookie scoop to measure out even amounts of the mix in the muffin tin, then use the back of a spoon to press it down to fill the bottom snugly. Then, use a small spoon or round measuring cup to create a small dimple for the filling, it makes it easier to seal it in the middle later.


Drain and place the rehydrated blueberries in each of the cups. I also used some left over poppyseed filling in a few of mine just to see how it works (it does! it's delightful). You can use any fruit you enjoy for this or even chocolate ganache if that's the way you're inclined to go - I'd refrigerate the the ganache after this step to harden a bit before topping with the remaining mix.


The remaining oatmeal mix turned out to be exactly 12 more cookie dough scoops, perfect for measuring out equal amounts for the top of the mini muffins! Press down with the back of a spoon again to seal all the edges and fill the cup snugly. Blueberries won't leak out, but the results are so much nicer if they're well moulded together.


Bake these in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes until set. After they come out of the oven, let them sit in the pan for a few minutes to cool slightly and firm up enough to handle, then use the parchment handles to pull them gently from the tin. Let cool completely on a rack to prevent condensation. Look how beautiful these turned out! They make great portable snacks, or put a couple together with some yogurt and fresh fruit for a fabulous breakfast option.




Stuffed Oatmeal Bites

(Makes 12 mini oatmeal cups)

Ingredients:


handful of dry blueberries (or any other dry fruit you prefer)
1 large banana (125g peeled)
1/2 cup hazelnut flour (56g)
1/4 cup sun flour (32g)
1 tbsp maple syrup
2/3 cups (scant) quick or rolled oats
2 Tbsp ground flax seed (10g)
2 tsp chia seeds (8g)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cardamom
a pinch of salt


Method:


  1. Put dry fruit in boiling water, let sit covered for 10-15 minutes to rehydrate.
  2. Preheat oven to 350F and prepare mini muffin pan.
  3. Mash banana until smooth, then add in all the other ingredients and mix until uniform.
  4. Scoop half the mix in bottom of the pan.
  5. Make an indentation in the bottom on each cup, put fruit (you can mash it if you prefer).
  6. Add another scoop of mix on top, press evenly.
  7. Bake at 350 for 15 min

Notes:


  • Use any dry fruit you enjoy best, or grate/cook down half an apple for an apple pie style filling
  • Nut/seed flours can be substituted to taste, almond or walnut flour would work well to replace either hazelnut or sunflower seed flours
  • Play with spices you enjoy, any warm spices can pair in a lovely way with banana and maple flavors

Tuesday, May 12, 2020

Mother's Day Chocolate Celebration

I love chocolate, and I love holidays - I am the kind of person thrilled about baking my own birthday cake because I love the process just as much as I love the treats. Of course, Mother's Day was a perfect opportunity to indulge a little, both in the excitement of a project and the fruits of my labor. Around a week before Mother's Day, I came across a list of "must try" recipes from NYT Cooking, and among them fudgy brownies - count me in! I wanted to share with a friend (by mail) and based on her feedback I decided to replace the nuts in the recipe with caramel bits, so I went ahead and made caramel candy from scratch as well. Then, I went ahead and tried a host of (also chocolate based) ideas and created my own version of a lightened up chocolate mini bundt - wholesome but rich and decadent, perfect combination to share with the kids.

Jump to recipe

The fudge brownies are indeed delightful - the ingredient list is short which means that quality of each and every one of them shines through, pick good stuff if you try it (find the recipe here). First, I made a batch of caramel candy. I had to work with what I had in my pantry (which did not include corn syrup), so I found this old school recipe - make sure you follow all the steps carefully when making caramel from scratch, it's really finicky and many things can go wrong, I've personally experienced several of them. It's important to keep the sugar from crystalizing, so don't mix as the temperature rises once the sugar is melted, and be diligent about brushing the sides of the pan with water to prevent sugar crystals from forming on the edges. Watch the temperature carefully too, but don't rush it! Mine took forever to get past 300F then got away from me pretty quickly at some point after that, then I made a second batch that I watched like a hawk :) I chilled it thoroughly then cut in really small pieces and sprinkled it all over the brownies (I made 1.5x the recipe and baked them in a half sheet pan).


Before I launched into the creative process of figuring out my own recipe based on sweet potato, I made a batch of nut butter chocolate chip cookies following this recipe with some modifications - instead of almond butter I actually used half Justin's hazelnut chocolate butter and half creamy peanut butter, then used only a fourth of the amount of sweetener as a result (maple syrup). They came out so tasty, you can't really go wrong with a chocolate hazelnut flavor profile after all.

Finally, I drew some inspiration from my friend Elif (her insta here) and whipped up a batch of chocolate tahini glaze, so easy and so much flavor - just tahini, cocoa, a dash of maple syrup and almond milk. It's delicious and versatile, like a chocolate ganache that stays at the perfect consistency without hardening or breaking apart. Tip: this is so good on strawberries!


First step for sweet potato cake is well, the sweet potato. Baking it really draws out the sweetness and creates an irresistibly creamy texture. I washed two small sweet potatoes well, then put them in a 375F oven for 40-45 minutes until cooked through and very soft - poke test should meet almost no resistance. After the potatoes were done, I let them cool to room temperature - not only are they easier/safer to handle but having all ingredients at room temperature when baking is generally best practice anyway.

The wet ingredients are pretty simple - the sweet potato (I measured out 5 oz), 2 oz of almond milk (I love toasted coconut and almond milk for the added flavor notes) and vanilla extract get blended together, or simply mashed/whisked if the potato is soft enough, then mixed in with 2 tsp of flax. You could use 2 egg yolks instead of the flax here if using whole eggs, see notes below. Separately, whisk together flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt until uniform and there are no clumps (pass through a sieve if there are too many clumps present that the whisk can't break up). Mix the dry ingredients into the wet, but only until all of the powder is moistened, do not overmix!


I wanted to lighten this up a bit so I used a couple of egg whites, reconstituted from dried egg white powder (pantry friendly). If you prefer to use fresh egg whites, then follow the same steps and consider replacing the flax with the yolks from those two eggs in the wet ingredients mix. Whip the egg whites (4tsp dry egg whites + 1/4 cup water for the equivalent of two egg whites) until soft peaks form, then gradually add the sugar until stiff peaks form. Fold the whites in stages with the rest of the mix - the first third is useful in loosening up the thicker batter, then the second and third additions should be folded carefully with a spatula, keeping as much air in the whites as possible and avoiding overmixing (a few white streaks are ok, better than deflating the meringue to be extra thorough).

Spoon or pipe using pastry bag in nonstick oil sprayed bundtlet pans or cupcake tins, then bake at 350F for 13-15 minutes until set. After pulling out of the oven, let cool in a the pan for a couple of minutes, then turn out and chill on a cooling rack or in the fridge if you with to consume sooner. You want these cool both to set and to hold the glaze well. Dip one by one in the tahini glaze, decorate as desired and enjoy! The plate below was our family dinner dessert platter on Mother's Day - the kids spoiled me with wonderful home made cards and compliments and I even got flowers, and then in return they thoroughly enjoyed every component of the dessert, they even asked for seconds of the bundtlets!



Saturday, May 9, 2020

Weeknight Romanian Dinner

I like to change up what I cook to keep things interesting and I'm not very attached to any one cuisine type - I try new things all the time and I'm eager to receive new suggestions. Occasionally though, I like to go back to childhood favorites, things that remind me of what my mom might cook on a Sunday afternoon or what my grandma would labor over for a whole day for a special holiday dinner. Romanian cooking is generally uncomplicated, simply seasoned and very seasonal - growing up fresh fruit and vegetables were exclusively available in their local growing seasons, and over the course of the winter we would lean heavily on cellar stored apples, potatoes, pickled everything and frozen (or canned) fire roasted vegetables.


There are a few features of a good weeknight dinner - few ingredients, uncomplicated cooking methods and limited amount of dishes to clean at the end. Many Romanian dishes fit the bill, though some require more extensive cooking time. That's where another perk comes in - ability to prep ahead! Comfort dishes have this neat feature of actually being more flavorful the next day, which lends itself well to doing the bulk of the work ahead. In setting out to make a full Romanian dinner, I picked an old family favorite - chicken paprikash! This is a comforting but bright stew of chicken with a rich paprika and sour cream sauce, with a depth of flavor brought in by a generous amount of cooked down onions, along with a bit of garlic, parsley and a bay leaf.

The first building block of flavor comes from searing the meat to a golden crispy outside - I chose bone in chicken thighs because they can cook slowly without losing too much moisture. A dutch oven is great for this (do as I say, not as I do - I used a frying pan for searing and sautéing the ingredients, then layered them in a casserole dish because that would fit in my fridge easier for overnight storage) - turn up the heat to medium, heat up a small amount of oil, then cook the chicken skin down in batches until golden and crispy, then flip over and sear the other side as well. Repeat until all the chicken has been seared, reserving it in a bowl to the side as you build the sauce. 

Turn the heat down a bit and sautee the onions in the rendered fat from the chicken (if there is not much of it, you can supplement with a bit more cooking oil) until translucent and soft. You can use finely chopped onions if you prefer, but I like the texture of more distinctive pieces of onion so I thinly sliced them instead. Season with salt and pepper as they cook down, it helps release some of the excess water and prevent browning as they soften. Add crushed (or finely chopped) garlic and paprika powder, then cook a minute or two more for the flavors to permeate the onions. Be careful not to overcook the paprika at this stage, or it may taste a bit bitter. Add the bay leaf, a handful of parley (optional) and the chopped tomatoes, mix well and place the chicken back in the pot. Add enough water or chicken stock until chicken pieces are almost completely covered, bring to a boil.


This is the point where you decide if you want to eat this the same day or finish it the next day. I was prepping the day ahead, so I simmered the chicken for 10-15 minutes in the sauce then turned the heat off, let it cool off a bit, then put it in the fridge for the night. The next day, 30-45 minutes before you plan to serve, put the covered pot back on medium heat until it comes to a boil and turn the heat down to simmer for another 15-20 minutes until the chicken is hot and cooked all the way through. Carefully remove the chicken into your serving dish, leaving all the sauce in the pot. Mix the flour and sour cream together, adding a few tablespoons of water to obtain a creamy mixture. Add this slurry to the sauce and whisk in, then simmer on the heat for 5-10 minutes to cook and thicken. Ladle the sauce over the chicken, sprinkle some fresh chopped parsley and serve.

A classic side dish in Romanian cooking is mamaliga, which is similar to polenta (corn meal cooked simply with water and salt) and frequently served with butter and cheese. Remember though that I was in prep ahead mode, so I was thinking of a way to get this mostly ready the night before, so bulz came to mind - this is when mamaliga gets turned into baked dumplings stuffed with all sorts of goodness. To start, bring water to a boil, salt it, then add the measured corn meal whisking continuously to prevent clumps from forming. Then, turn the heat low, very low, to keep the mixture to a very gentle simmer - let it cook for 12-15 minutes stirring occasionally to keep everything smooth, then remove from heat. Now you have perfectly good mamaliga - you can flip it directly on a cutting board and serve as you've see above in my earlier Easter post. However, I added 2-3 tbsp of butter and stirred to soften the mixture a bit, then turned it over on a silpat mat and let it cool a bit so it was easier to handle.


I used a spatula to spread it out in a rectangle and score it into 8 even parts, then divided the filling among each of the servings - a dollop of sour cream and about 1/2oz of good feta cheese should do the trick. You can get creative here - some grated parmesan, a bit of ricotta or extra butter would also work nicely. Working with lightly greased (or wet) hands, gently pick up each section and roll it into a ball - it doesn't have to be perfect, if some of the filling leaks out it's ok, just smoosh it in there and get everything nice and tight. You'll get 8 roughly equal dumplings stuffed with cheesy goodness. Place them in a baking dish and cover, then refrigerate overnight if not using right away. When ready to serve, sprinkle with a bit more feta and a pat of butter and bake until warmed through.


To round off the plate, I went for a winter time classic - roasted bell peppers. These are easier to achieve in the oven or on an open flame if you have a gas stove, cook until soft on the inside and blistered on the outside, peel and remove the stem and seeds. Or you can take a shortcut and buy some roasted bell peppers in a jar, whatever works. Slice the peppers, add a thinly sliced shallot, then toss with salt, apple cider vinegar and a dash of olive oil. This also benefits from marinating overnight, so all components of your meal can be ready and waiting for you the next day. I packaged most of this meal to-go so I didn't plate to impress, but below you can see a snapshot of what my plate looked like once it all came together.


An essential bread on every Romanian table is bread. And one of the first things missing when moving out of the old country is "proper" bread - took me a bit of time to realize that what I was seeking is artisan bread. There's something so satisfying about a well developed, crunchy crust, a soft and fluffy inside with some chewiness to the crumb and a simple beauty in how it can enhance the enjoyment of a good meal by picking up those last bits of sauce off the plate. I've been experimenting with sourdough (as I've mentioned before), so I whipped up a beautiful high hydration boule following this recipe. In the pre-shaping step I folded in a couple of handfuls of chopped up cheddar and finely minced fresh rosemary for added flavor. It came out a beautiful deep auburn color and smelled fantastic. 


Dessert is important to me, I bake all the time after all. So I wanted to finish the meal on an authentic flavor note, even if not a classic Romanian dish. I loved the sourdough cinnamon bun recipe from King Arthur (which you can find here), though last time I attempted it things did no go quite as planned (one of my bigger oopses on my IG feed). I saw it as my opportunity for redemption, and I had just enough active starter left for a half batch. To add a Romanian twist, however, I included orange zest in the dough and whipped up a quick poppyseed filling instead of the classic cinnamon sugar.


The recipe required ground up poppyseeds, so I started out with a mortar and pestle, a classic. It was taking too long so I switched to an electric spice grinder, which did the job in a cinch. Old fashioned way may work better for smaller amounts of seeds, I'll stick with my grinder though. I mixed in some lemon zest in the filling to harmonize with the orange zest in dough, then mixed it into a milk and sugar combination brought to a low simmer. Mix constantly as it reduces to a thick paste, then remove from the heat and and a bit of rum and vanilla extract to elevate it. Let it cool and use the same way you would cinnamon sugar on the rolled out dough. The rolls rose beautifully and resulted in these light, fluffy and slightly tangy breads with a a great flavor and textural contrast from the poppy seed filling. 


These reheat quite well the next day, just save well covered in an airtight container. That is, if you can wait that long (spoiler alert - we couldn't! the first roll was removed from the pan and sampled while still hot). The recipe calls for a butter based icing which was delicious and actually great in complementing the poppyseed filling without clashing, though for the classic cinnamon rolls I might go the route of a cream cheese icing in the future.



For details on amounts and step-by-step of the recipes described here, read on.

Thursday, May 7, 2020

Broccoli pizza crust

I'll share a little secret - I love cooking but I don't love planning out what I will cook for the week. During regular times, this used to result in more hastened take-out orders for dinner than I'd like, or at the very least a last minute grocery trip to pull together a last-minute dinner plan. Things improved considerably with a small hack: daily themes for dinner. It gives me a framework for easier planning and the kids a sense of familiarity and rhythm -this last part was a suggestion from Kids Eat in Color, and it totally works! But more about that later.

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All this to say, Friday is pizza night at our house. Usually paired with a movie, and the kids really love that part. For the fastest busy work night version there's of course delivery or frozen pizza, but we're not here to talk about that :) At the other end of the spectrum is sourdough pizza crust made from scratch on Thursday, rested overnight in the fridge and lovingly shaped in an artisan pie then baked on the hot pizza stone. Lately the Friday night special has been somewhere in the middle - variations of quick pizza dough (45 min rise, freeform shaping, quick bake on the pizza stone), often using sourdough starter discard for extra flavor. I've also been trying different versions of alternative doughs, both for experimentation for its own sake and to find a lighter option for our usual fix. Trader Joe's freezer section stocks these wonderful cauliflower crusts and broccoli and kale crusts that I stocked up on a while back. As I ran low, I started playing with the idea of making my own so here we are.

I decided to mix broccoli and cauliflower for a milder flavor profile and to forego the egg and cheese mix that is usually a signature of vegetable based crusts. I also wanted to keep things relatively simple and the number of tools to a minimum. The idea of the perfect home vegan pizza emerged.

First step is to cut up the broccoli and cauliflower evenly so they all cook at about the same time - I measured 4 cups with roughly half of each one, but I included more precise measurements below since size of the cuts can make a pretty big difference in what can fit in 4 cups. Then, measure out all the other ingredients - I'm a big advocate of mise en place to streamline cooking: ground flax seeds, spelt flour, salt, garlic powder and oregano. A well seasoned (salt) and flavored (garlic powder, oregano) crust is important in bringing balance to the pizza overall.



Now, steam the broccoli and cauliflower together until very soft - I used a steamer basket in a regular stove top pot with an inch of water and lid on top, but you can use your favorite steaming method (microwave, bamboo steamer, instant pot) or even boil them, but you'll lose some flavor and end up with more water to squeeze out of the vegetables later. You can see in the pictures that the broccoli lost a bit of color - that's ok, though I could have probably pulled it off the heat a minute sooner and gotten a brighter result. You can check for doneness with a small pairing knife - poke the a couple of florets in the thickest part of the stem gently to test for resistance, they'll be done when you feel no resistance and you can twist the knife with little effort, that way you know they'll be easy to puree for the crust. 

Dump out the veggies on a kitchen towel and let cool for a couple of minutes so they're safer to handle. Then, gather the towel around them and squeeze as much water out as you can. I find that folding the towel from four sides into a rectangle and pressing down with my palm is easier on my wrists than the classic cheese cloth pouch squeeze (you know, where you gather all the edges in one hand). The aim here is to control the moisture in the dough, so the drier the better, but if you feel like you aren't quite there yet just hold back on some of the water in the later step and add a little at a time until appropriate consistency is reached.



Puree the broccoli and cauliflower with the 2.5 Tbsp of ground flax seeds and 1/4 cup of water - I found that a stick blender works quite well, a small food processor or even a fork and some elbow grease would work fine. Incorporate the 40g spelt, salt, garlic powder and oregano until you get a very thick paste like consistency - somewhat drier than tomato paste is what you're aiming for, you should be able to pick it up and have it mostly stick together. Set it on a sheet of parchment, cover with another one (or use cling wrap on top if you want to see what you're doing), then gently and evenly roll it out into a circle - you should get 11-12" out of the quantities in this recipe for a thin crust. You can go a tad smaller if you like a thicker crust, but too thick and it might fall apart.


Remove the top sheet and place dough, still on the bottom parchment, in a preheated oven (pizza stone or sheet pan works fine) until golden on the bottom on mostly set, about 15-20 minutes. Carefully slide the dough off the parchment on a cutting board and flip over to bake on the other side for a bit longer, about 5 minutes. It should be lightly golden and hold up pretty well to being picked up by the edges when it's done, see picture below for reference.


This is where the fun and art of pizza begins - choosing and arranging your toppings. You can go classic with tomato sauce and cheese as starting point, or more unconventional. A word of caution, you want to be mindful of the amount of moisture you're introducing here. Since we're not dealing with a classic bread-like crust a sauce that's too wet will soak into it and affect its structural integrity. Not a deal breaker, but you may end up eating your pizza with a fork. Store bough pizza sauce does tend to be thicker than marinara, so that works well, but if you make your own or want to use a pasta sauce cooking it down some would be helpful. On this particular day, we went with a his/hers split so we could each choose our toppings to match the current mood and inclinations. On the left, you can see mine - a delicious and garlicky sauce on the bottom (5 Minute Liquid Gold from Minimalist Baker, it's so versatile!), dotted with marinara sauce and topped with an assortment of vegetables (spiraled zucchini, thinly sliced red onion and mushrooms). On the right is a more classic approach - tomato sauce, cheese, veggies (same as mine). He added some last minute ham strips on top, as you'll notice in the finished shot below.


Put pizza in the oven for the final bake until toppings are cooked, crust is golden brown and crispy and cheese (if using) is nicely melted, 10-12 minutes. 


Slide that beauty on a cutting board and slice up to serve - you can add some finishing touches at this point to taste (fresh chopped herbs like oregano or basil, fresh extra virgin olive oil or chili flakes come to mind). Since trapped heat can create condensation, waiting too long to slice and serve may soften the bottom of the dough, see warning about marinara sauce that's too wet. But don't worry, it won't last very long anyway so this should not be a problem :)


This was a satisfying and incredibly light dinner, it was the first time in family pizza night tradition that half an hour after dinner I felt like going for a run and then did! The variations are endless, almost any vegetable or protein can work here. For starchier/slower to cook things, consider pre-cooking them (like oven baking winter squashes or fingerling potatoes, yum!). What will you put on your veggie crust pizza?


Broccoli Cauliflower Pizza Crust


Ingredients:


2 cups broccoli florets (160g)
2 cups cauliflower florets (180g, I used green cauliflower)
2.5 tbsp ground flax seeds
1/4 cup of water
40g spelt
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp oregano

Method:


  1. Preheat oven to 400F, place pizza stone in cold oven if using.
  2. Cut up broccoli and cauliflower, measure out all your ingredients.
  3. Steam vegetables until really soft and squeeze out as must moisture as possible.
  4. Puree vegetables with the flax seeds and water.
  5. Mix in spelt flour, salt and flavors.
  6. Roll out thinly between two sheets of parchment.
  7. Baker for 15-20 minutes until set, flip over and bake for 5 minutes longer on the other side.
  8. Top with toppings to taste, then bake for 10-12 minutes until cheese (if used) is melted and crust edges are golden brown.
  9. Slice and serve immediately.

Sunday, May 3, 2020

Chocolate Zucchini Loaf



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This one will be short and sweet (posted upon request) - a little recipe I developed on the fly just last night as I was contemplating the best way to use some leftover zucchini. I didn't want something sweet per se, but definitely chocolatey because I'm a fan of everything and anything chocolate. I eyed the mini loaf pan I've used recently because it gives me more flexibility than a muffin format - both in terms of cooking time and in choosing serving size based on the time of day I reach for it.


I topped this beauty with a sprinkling of chia seeds for a crunch on top, and they helped highlight the beautiful rise it achieved in the oven. You can see how light it turned out by those beautiful and even air pockets. The loaf is very rich in chocolate flavor (just want I wanted from it!) but really not very sweet since the only sugar content is from applesauce. A touch of honey or maple syrup can give you a more indulgent result, - I topped it with a spoonful of ricotta and a bit of cherry jam, home made ricotta would be even better on this!



Without further ado, here's the recipe:

Chocolate Zucchini Loaf


Ingredients:

1/4 cup applesauce
1 large egg
1 tbsp nut butter
1/3 finely shredded zucchini (about half a medium zucchini, squeezed well)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup flour (see notes)
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
a pinch of salt


Method:

  1. Preheat oven to 350F, line a mini loaf pan with parchment paper (this will make just about 3 muffins in a regular cupcake pan, if you prefer).
  2. Whisk all the wet ingredients together - applesauce, egg, nut butter, zucchini, vanilla.
  3. Mix together all the dry ingredients - flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
  4. Fold the dry mix into the wet, careful not to overmix. Stop when all the flour is moistened! The mix will be quite thick.
  5. Spoon into the prepared pan, spread uniformly and optionally top with a sprinkle of chia seeds.
  6. Bake for 20 minutes or until done (toothpick comes out clean).

Notes:

  • This recipe is not very sweet, consider including an optional 1tbsp of honey in step 2.
  • I used Nuttzo 7 seed and nut butter because I love the texture, but any nut butter you enjoy can be used.
  • I chose a 1:1 replacement gluten free flour, but all purpose would work fine.
  • For a richer cocoa flavor, I often use brut cocoa in my baking - it's darker and creamier. I generally weigh it's denser than regular cocoa powder, here I used 30g.