Thursday, January 15, 2015

New Comfort Foods


Baked Purple Mash

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 40 min
Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients
3 tablespoons butter, divided
3 pounds purple new potatoes, halved
3 cloves garlic, smashed
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup heavy cream, warmed
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons shredded pepper jack cheese
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan, divided
1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs

Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Coat the bottom and sides of an 8 by 8-inch baking dish with 1 tablespoon butter. Set aside.
In a large pot, add enough water to fill 3/4 of the way, and then add the potatoes, garlic and a hefty pinch of salt. Bring to a boil and cook until a fork is easily inserted, but the potatoes still hold their form, about 20 minutes. Strain in a colander and place back over the empty pot, allowing the remaining heat to evaporate some of the moisture from the potatoes and garlic, just a few minutes. Mash the contents of the pot well, and then add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and the heavy cream. Mash until smooth, but if you like it chunky, leave it chunky. Then stir in 1 cup pepper jack cheese and 1/4 cup Parmesan. Spoon into the prepared baking dish and spread evenly. Stir together the remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan, 2 tablespoons jack cheese and breadcrumbs. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the top of the potatoes. Bake in the oven until the top is golden brown, about 20 minutes. Serve warm.
Read more here

Quinoa-Bulgur Wheat Stuffing

My first attempts at quinoa resulted in our oldest calling it "the wrong cous cous". As in what not to make. The following recipe was a win when I combined red, black and white quinoa it with bulgur wheat and the savory flavors of stuffing. Read the recipe all the way through before beginning; I combined some steps to make this come together faster.

Serves 6
2 1/2 cups vegetable or chicken stock
1 cup tri-color quinoa (not just the white quinoa)
1/3 cup bulgur wheat (or increase the quinoa by 1/3 cup)
2 ounces (1/2 stick) unsalted butter or nonhydrogenated margarine
1/2 onion, or 1 small onion or 3 shallots, chopped
3 stalks celery, diced
2 medium carrots or 1 cup baby carrots, diced (diced butternut squash is a tasty substitute)
1/2 tablespoon fresh thyme or a couple pinches dried thyme
1 teaspoon minced fresh sage or a pinch of dried sage, if desired
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 scallion (spring onion), green and white parts, chopped
Salt, to taste

Preheat the oven to 350°F and melt butter in 13x9-inch "lasagne" glass or stoneware dish in oven until oven is ready, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, bring stock to a boil over high heat. After oven is preheated, stir in the onion, carrot and celery with butter and bake vegetables with a dash of salt until quinoa and bulghur wheat mixture is ready, about 10-15 minutes.

On the stovetop (while vegetables are cooking in oven), stir the quinoa and bulghur wheat into the stock and bring back to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes, or until the quinoa mixture has absorbed most of the liquid.

Remove the onion mixture from the heat and add the quinoa to the pan. Stir in the thyme/sage, a dash of salt if needed and pepper, then mix thoroughly. Transfer the quinoa mixture to glass dish and bake for 30 minutes, until tender and fluffy.

Garnish with parsley and scallions before serving.
Read the recipe that insired this here

Sweet and Sour Purple Cabbage

Purple cabbage with apples was one of my favorite ways to eat cabbage as a kid. A great side dish for rich meats or gratin potatoes.

Ingredients
Flavor Base:
4 cups apple cider
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
4 whole black peppercorns

Braise:
1/2 cup thinly sliced Vidalia onions or red onions
1 head red cabbage, thinly sliced
2 apples, cored and thinly sliced

For the flavor base: Ushing a large pan with straight sides or a stockpot, add the cider, sugar, vinegar, red pepper flakes and peppercorns. Turn the heat to medium high and stir to dissolve the sugar.
For the braise: Stir in the onions and cabbage. Heat until the liquid begins to boil. Turn down the heat and allow the mixture to simmer, stirring occasionally, until the cabbage is tender, 30 to 40 minutes. Serve warm or chilled.
Read a variation from Sunny Annderson

"Try me anyway" Vegan Gluten-Free Cornmeal Pancakes (Adapted from a recipe from the NY Times, found here)
Makes 5 - 6 medium pancakes (can be easily doubled)
Non-stick cooking spray
3/4 cup cornmeal
3/4 cup boiling water
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup non-dairy milk of your choosing
1 tbsp. olive oil
3 tbsp. granulated sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon
Toppings:  maple syrup, honey, jam, almond butter, cinnamon-sugar

Combine the cornmeal and salt, and then add the boiling water.  Let it sit for about 8 minutes to soften the cornmeal.  Slowly add the hemp milk bit by bit, stirring to mix well.  Add the rest of the ingredients and stir well.

Spray a nonstick frying pan with cooking spray and heat over medium heat.  When it is fully preheated (when a drop of water sizzles on it), spoon about 1/6th - 1/4th cup of batter per pancake onto the griddle.  Cook for about 4 minutes (until small bubbles start to appear or the bottom becomes nicely browned) and flip, cooking for another 4 - 5 minutes, until they are done all the way through. Serve with your favorite toppings 

Note: These would make a great accompaniment as hoe cakes for the sloppy Joe recipe I posted last week!

I'm not Muslim, but I play one in the kitchen

I often cook for Muslims, which means no pork,including gelatin, and no alcohol.

Here are some tips:
Flavoring
Essence from the cake supply store
Alcohol-free vanilla extract from Trader Joe's
Use zest instead of citrus extract

Syrups instead of liqueurs
Torani brand
Elderflower syrup from IKEA instead of St. German
Germain

Gelatin workarounds
Kosher marshmallows
Kosher gelatin
Kosher gummy bears and cola bottles
Marshmallow fluff-made with egg whites

Red wine vinegar
Pinot noir made the best vinegar to date

Smoked salt and smoked paprika instead of bacon PLUS duck fat. Coconut oil can be used for a vegan substitute if Zubiheh/Halal duck fat isn't available.

Turkey pepperoni-plenty of it now in the grocery store.
Hankering for Halal corned beef and pastrami? Buy Halal brisket, pickling spices, smoked salt and sodium nitrate and make it yourself.

Scentsation

Perfume Recommendations
Mmm, you smell so good!
I get that a lot. Sometimes it's because I've been cooking or baking, but most of the time it’s based on a perfume spray, essential oil, lotion or other product I’m wearing. As someone who loves to cook, perfumes and their compositions fascinate me and I dabble in making perfumes, hair products, bath salts and other potions.

I like many designer perfumes, but that is not all I wear. I sometimes wear singular oils or blends from From Nature with Love (www.FromNaturewithLove.com), a natural products website. I have several dozen perfumes yet am extremely picky about them "Designer" perfumes are from www.Fragrancenet.com, beautyencounter.com and www.Scentiments.com
Notice how I didn't mention department stores! The only department store purchases are for newer Estée Lauder (Modern Muse), Chanel (Chance Eau Tendre) or Lancôme perfumes with which I can snag a gift with purchase. My main current perfume wardrobe: Crystal Noir by Versace, Fancy Nights by Jessica Simpson (smells like Shalimar and SO cheap), Amor Amor by Cacharel, Champagne/Yvresse by Yves St. Laurent, L'Instant de Guerlain, Pamplelune by Guerlain, Flower by Kenzo. My favorite night fragrances: Midnight Rain by La Prairie and Fracas by Robert Puiget. The best office fragrances: Elie Saab Le Parfum and Honeymania by Body Shop

How do I find out about perfumes/scents and research new releases? I look at magazines for samples and launches, then sniff in person at Sephora, duty-free shops or at a department store. I spend a considerable amount of time on Fragrantica.com. People are pretty picky there so if the consensus is it's a good perfume, I will buy it. Many new favorites like Crystal Noir, Tokyo, Elie Saab and Fancy Nights came from their good reviews. The reviews also convinced me to try Narcisco Rodriguez for Her, an excellent warm floral perfume.

Perfume oil favorites: Rosewood, Osmanthus, Neroli, Orange Blossom, Lettuce, Dirt, Leather, African Musk, Arabian Musk, Ocean Rain, Vanille Bourbon Henri Bendel Type, Chocolate, Peach Orchard, Mandarin, Bergamot, Tuberose, Blackcurrant, Violet, Jasmine, Gardenia

Essential Oil Favorites: Bergamot, Cardamom, Black Pepper, Organic Orange, Organic Lavender, Lime, Clary Sage, Gujuru Balsam, Vetiver, Nutmeg, Patchouli (mixed with other oils)

Floral & Fruity favorites
 Amor Amor by Cacharel is an all-time favorite for almost 10 years. It is very flirty and fun, like a tropical cocktail.

DKNY Golden Delicious (Eau de Parfum) smells like sparkling apple and florals. It smells nice in the air and draws compliments. The lotion is even better.

Indian Night Jasmine by Body Shop-I buy the perfume oil

 Pampelune by Guerlain is a bracing yet refined grapefruit perfume

CK IN2U is a sporty grapefruit and musk scent. The lotion smells divine, but the perfume comes in a distant second, although is a good spritz in the summer

 Juba by the Body Shop—Calyx, by Prescriptives or Clinique is extremely close to this discontinued “juicy fruit” favorite

Heavy & Sweet Favorites
Yvresse by Yves St. Laurent smells like you’ve bathed in champagne and honey, so of course I love it! I have used this perfume for almost twenty years!

Midnight Rain by La Prairie is a sexy fruity patchouli scent done very well. It is not for the wallflower!

Ricci Ricci by Nina Ricci smells sharp and fruity with a little patchouli at the end, kind of like Euphoria but I like this one better.

 Ylang Vanille by Guerlain smells like exotic vanilla and flowers in the sunshine. Very sweet and powdery, so only use a little.

 Lady Million by Paco Rabanne smells like honey and new money.

Powdery Powerhouses
Jean-Paul Gaultier Classique is a strong aromatic perfume that lasts all day!

Crystal Noir by Versace always draws compliments. The tropical coconut and ginger waft in all day long with woodsy notes. Excellent in cool weather.

Flower le Parfum by Kenzo Intense and more woodsy than the EDP counterpart

Flower by Kenzo (Eau de Parfum) Violet and rose with musk and wood make for a powdery floral with a Turkish delight heart

Florals-modern and classic
Very Irrésistible by Givenchy A modern quietly sensual wafting rose scent

L’Instant de Guerlain An expensive-smelling jasmine and honey scent

J’adore by Dior is great for jasmine lovers with money to spare

Fou d’Elle by Ted Lapidus A snuggly vanilla floral with green notes.

Fracas by Robert Puiget is a classic jasmine tuberose blend for a lingering vintage scent

 STELLA BY Stella McCartney combines rose and amber for a rounded floral effect. It used to be light but long-lasting, but I heard the staying power was compromised after a recent reformulation.

Passion by Annick Goutal is a heady, long-lasting jasmin-centered perfume. Get the Eau de Parfum if you can.

Good fragrances for Winter or Night—intense but lightweight
Fancy Nights by Jessica Simpson smells pretty close to Shalimar—a vintage vanilla patchouli, but softer and lighter.

Amor Amor Forbidden Kiss by Cacharel smells like plums and coffee. I like it on other people more than on me.

For the Gents
Thunderstorm by Demeter smells like BASS. Heavy vetiver, a huge thundercloud

Activist by the Body Shop smells like hay, citrus, tobacco and leather, a new classic scent

Tokyo by Kenzo is zippy, warm, woodsy and fresh

Visit by Azzaro is rumored on Fragrantica to be close to Tokyo but at half the cost. I ordered it and hope it’s true!

Good for the Office-floral, light and long-lasting
Laundromat by Demeter It doesn’t last forever but is a clean light scent

  Elie Saab Le Parfum is a beautiful floral that smells like sophisticated blossoms. It smells even more expensive than it is. Still pretty expensive, though!

 
Chanel Chance Eau Tendre has a cool floral structure with a hint of quince. It lasts all day and draws lots of compliments. But duty-free if you can.

Honeymania by Body Shop smells like wildflowers wafting in a sunny field.

Modern Muse by Estée Lauder is a sparkling floral with a hint of patchouli. It doesn’t last very long on me, but I absolutely love it.

Perfumes I want to try:
Liberté by Cacharel combines orange and patchouli, which sounds intriguing

 Darling by Kylie Minogue--Some say it smells like the iconic Deci-Delà from the 1990’s. I’ve ordered it (less than $20) and can’t wait to try it!