Whole Wheat With Grains.

Dave's Killer bread is an excellent grain bread sold at Costco. It is  packed with lots of healthy ingredients and sells: 2 in a pack for $7.00. That was not in my budget, So I read the ingredients and made it from scratch. I interchanged the seeds/grains each time: quinoa, muesli, raisins all work. Sugar works for honey. 

So here we go!

2 1/4 warm water (110*)

2 packs rapid active  yeast

3 T honey

2 T coconut oil

1/4 c rolled oats

1/4 c steel cut oats

1/4 c sunflower seeds

1/4 c pumpkin seeds

1/4 flax seeds

2 c whole wheat flour

2 c all purpose flour

1/4 c spelt flour

1 T sea salt

1. In a large bowl, add water and sprinkle in yeast. Let sit 5 minutes. Add honey and coconut oil and whisk.

2. Add seeds and mix into the yeast bowl.

3. Mix flours and slowly add to yeast bowl. Mix until flour is incorporated.

4. Flour a flat surface and knead dough about 5 minutes.

5. Wash yeast bowl  and oil lightly. Place dough in bowl after passing top on oil. Cover with cloth. Let rise for an hour or till double in size.

6. Punch down and knead 3 minutes and let rise again

7. Punch down, divide in half,  shape  and add to greased dough pan. Bake in 375* oven for 25-30 minutes.

Cool on wire rack.

Remember This! Cod and Cauliflower

1 cauliflower head, broken into florets
1 1/4 T sesame seeds toasted
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 garlic clove, minced
4 1/2 cups olive oil
4 (4 -ounce) cod fillet
Leaves  of 7 sprigs of mint
10 chives, minced

Steam florets for about 3 minutes. Pat dry with paper towel.
Pulse cauliflower in processor until it resembles fluffy couscous.
In a large bowl, whisk sesame, paprika, zest, 1/2 juice, garlic and 1/4 c olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Fold in cauliflower. Adjust seasoning.
Salt and pepper cod. Heat remaining olive oil to 135*, add cod and poach till firm, about 6 minutes.
Blot fish with paper towel.
Toss chives and mint into cauliflower
Plate cauliflower and top with cod.

Beaujolais meant claaasss!

Beaujolais, was the wine an employer I worked for drank. This was back in the seventies and French was in, at least it sounded good. Beaujolais wines were inexpensive and barely fermented, it was an easy way to get a cash return after grapes were picked. November was the time of the year you will get the likes of a Beaujolais Nouveau.
Beaujolais is the hilly region in southern Burgundy. While nouveau refers to new, there is also Beaujolais "regular" and "crus." Beaujolais Cru are not simply, but quite distinguished and complex. While a Nouveau should be opened right away; cru wines can stay on your shelf for awhile before drinking.

2015 Domaine Marcel Lapierre Morgan $27
2015 Clos de Roilette Cuvee Tardive $25
2015 Jean lois Dutraive Domaine de la Grand Cour $29
2014 Domaine J Chamonfard Morgan Le Clos de Lys $27
2015 Michel Guignier Morgon Bio-Vitis
2013 Milestone red blend sweet smooth full bodied

Scallops .... Stir Fried

This is the time of the year when scallops are at their best.
Scallops are a lean protein and will toughen very easily upon cooking. Use the "two minute warning" as a reminded  for best results.
I used bay scallops rather than the larger sea scallops for convenience. My preferred cooking method is to stir-fry, but these delicacies can be broiled, grilled or sautéed. 
This recipe idea came from WSJ's Chef Wiley, where he created a jalapeño slaw.

1 Honeycrisp apple, cored, seeded and sliced
2 T agave nectar  
1 lime zest , juiced 
1 teaspoon Gochujang medium hot pepper paste, diluted in 1 T water

5 t olive oil
1/2 garlic head smashed
1/2 cup walnuts
2 T pepitas
4 dried arbor chiles, stemmed and seeded
3 whole chipotle chilies in adobo sauce
6 T apple cider vinegar
2 lbs scallops
Salt
1 bunch kale, cleaned and broken into bite size pieces
Cilantro leaves, chopped, for garnish

In a bowl combine slaw ingredients, mix apples, Gochujang paste, 1/2 t agave and a teaspoon of lime juice. Set aside at room temperature
Heat 3 T oil, add garlic, nuts and pepitas. Cook 2 minutes. Add chilies and cook another two minutes. 
Transfer to blender, and add agave, vinegar. Process till smooth. 
Pat scallops dry and sprinkle with salt. 
Heat 2 T olive oil in saute pan, add scallops and cook 2 minutes, add slaw ingredients, along with nut sauce. Kale can be added to pan or be plated. 

Celebrating Lamb At Thanksgiving.

The appeal of a weekday feast was very intriguing, while visiting my daughter this past week. What started out as a foursome, soon went to five, and then to seven extraordinary family and friends. It was a short celebration of a life time of events and joy, crammed into a homey atmosphere. 
Leg of lamb, blue cheese meatballs, brussel sprouts, green beans, arroz con gandules, mashed sweet potatoes, flan, Stephaine's cheese cake, Maria's coquito and wines completed the menu.
No need to to worry about how to prepare the leg! It does it for itself. Most legs come trimmed and show a little visible fat that  adds to the tenderness. What you end up with is a succulent cut of meat that is easy to slice and serve.
The lamb needed rosemary, minced garlic, salt and pepper. I took my cajun rub and it came in handy. A cup of wine and mint jelly comes at the end for added flavor/sauce.

1 leg of lamb
3 sprigs of rosemary, chopped
1 T Cajun rub, optional
Salt & pepper to rub, 1 teaspoon each
1/4 c olive oil
1 cup wine
1- 8 oz jar Mint jelly
Take leg out of the fridge forty-five minutes before goes in the oven.
Make a paste with the rosemary, garlic, salt and pepper in a mortar pestle adding olive oil to wet. Score the lamb about 1 inch apart to create a crisscross pattern.
In a deep roasting pan, season meat with Cajun rub, olive oil and paste. Let sit at least half an hour at room temperature.
Turn on broiler to 400/HI. Set pan an inch or so from fire an cook for ten minutes. Turn and do same to the other side. 
Lower oven to bake @ 350* and place pan on middle rack. Bake for about 1 1/2 hours for medium rare. 
Remove from oven, foil tent meat loosely and let rest 15 minutes.
You will get nice pieces of medium well from first cuts. Save au jus.
At the same time, last 30 minutes,  the brussel sprouts can be roasted. Sarahi seasoned them with olive oil, salt, pepper and strips of bacon. Anything goes well with bacon!

That Key Lime Pie... I did it again!

This is the real Key Lime Pie. Nothing green here or a pudding texture.
You should see a pale yellow color that comes from the egg yolks and sweetened condensed milk.
This  an easy recipe but don't overbake.

Crust:
16 Honey Maid  Graham Crackers, crushed
2 T sugar
1 stick butter, unsalted, melted

Filling:
5 egg yolks
1 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup key lime juice (approximately 16 limes)
2 t grated lime peel

Mix the crust ingredients and pressed into a 9 inch pie pan
Bake in a 350* oven 10 minutes

Beat egg yolks until thickened of a yellowish color
Add condensed milk and mix on low
Mixed in the lime juice slowly
Add lime zest and continue mixing
Pour mixture into pie shell and bake at 350* for 10 to 12 minutes to set pie center
Serve with whipped cream

Roasted Cauliflower Soup

1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
3 Tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, peeled, sliced 
4 garlic cloves, smashed
1 celery stalk, peeled, cut into 1 inch pieces
6 cups chicken stock
1/2 c half and half
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Heat oven to 400* on broil
Place florets in a ss bowl, 
Add 2 T olive oil and mix to coat
Put on middle oven shelf and broil for 15-20 mins after 10 mins, pour back in bowl, mix and return to oven 
Meanwhile, sauté onions and garlic about 5 mins 
In a stock pot, add water, onions and florets cook 15 mins
With immersion blender, purree till smooth 
Add 1/2 and 1/2 and nutmeg.

Soup On The Menu ... Butternut Squash

1 Butternut Squash, peeled, seeded, and cut in one inch cubes
2 Carrots, peeled and sliced one inch pieces
1 onion, peeled and chopped
Olive oil to coat veggies for roasting
8 cups Chicken stock
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
Salt and fresh black pepper 

Set oven to 375*
In a baking tray roast veggies for 45 minutes
In a stock pot, add chicken stock, nutmeg, salt & pepper and veggies
Cook on medium fire for 20 minutes
Puree ingredients using an immerion blender
Adjust seasoning  

Health Salad/WSJ

This is like a farm to table type of meal. A good balance of texture is achieved from the cooked farro, a nutty grain. Then, to the toothsome grains, add toasted nuts, currants, fragrant herbs, a sharp citrus dressing, and finishing with greens of your choice ... all playing off one another.
Vinaigrette:
1/4 c fresh lemon juice
1/2 t Dijon mustard
1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
Salt and pepper
1/3 c olive oil
In a small bowl, whisk together juice, Dijon, pinch of salt and chile
drizzle in olive oil while whisking until emulsified. Season to taste. Set aside.

1 c cooked farro 
1c thinly shaved fennel
3/4 c julienned Granny apple
3/4 c julienned kohlrabi
3/4 c julienned celery root
1/2 c currants or cherries
1/2 c toasted almonds or pistachios
1 c  kale, spinach, or arugula.
 3/4 c mint leaves, chopped
3/4 c dill, chopped
zest from 1/2 lemon

In a large bowl, toss together farro, fennel, apples, kohlrabi and celery root. Toss in currants, almonds, greens and herbs. 
Lightly toss salad and vinaigrette. 

Just a Malbec!

Made a peach cobbler without self-rising flour as the recipe called for.
Used all purpose and baking powder, no salt added!
Just returned from Jax. My daughter requested an old fashion Sunday meal while there.
Knowing it is the Labor Day weekend, we had hamburgers, roasted asparagus and a Feta cheese salad. We finished off her Calem 1996 Vintage Porto.
Did you know, once opened, Port wine must be drank within the 48 hours?
The cobbler turned out fine. To go along, we opened a Sayanca Malbec 2015. Full of berries, vanilla, spices with a citrus note.
This was a low price Aldi selection. I was more interested in the Argentina signature grape, still with a lot of demand. You can't go to a party or event and not find a Malbec being served. One reason the supply is still strong.
Other choices I am looking for: a Trevento 2012 Golden Reserve Malbec. Steven Racine drunk with his prime rib. Also,  a Chateau du Cedre 2012 Cahors.

Oh Honey!

When the mighty dollar is involved, it is only then, New Zealand want to call the indigenous Maori people "Honey."
New Zealand's honey makers recently made a beeline for the country's Intellectual Property Office seeking exclusive international right to "manuka."
The name the Maori people gave the tree whose nectar is the basis of the honey.
The honey's antibacterial properties are the product of substances in the nectar produced by the tree's flowers.
Scientific research has shown the benefits of manuka-honey: it can help heal wounds, ulcers and burns, to soothing a sore throat, and boosting the immune system.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the sale of manuka-honey products in the United States.
The honey, which can bring a price of $3.40 an ounce, compared to .20 cents for the "plain Jane," type honey, according to the New Zealand government. This is making the Maroi people the Kiwis' closest friends.

Labneh laced with Chimichurri Sauce

I have not bought the lamb chops for Chef Stone's "slow food fast" dish, but I decided to copy the sauce.

1/2 cup parsley, finely chopped
1 1/2 T. oregano, finely chopped
11/2 T. thyme finely chopped
1 Aleppo pepper
1/3 cup plus 1T olive oil
1 lemon, zested, and juiced

In a small bowl, combine parsley, thyme, oregano, Aleppo and a pinch of salt,
smashing with a mortar persil until it starts to break down.
Stir in 1/3 c olive oil, 2 t lemon juice and the zest
Season to taste with salt and pepper
To the Labneh, a creamy Middle Eastern yogurt cheese, stir in 1 1/2 T sauce
Serve with lamb chops and veggies mixed with remaining sauce

CANADA for President 2016

Está es la fuerza latina

Hello - Adele (Reggae Cover)

Bob Marley Rastaman Chant

Breakfast in America.

If it is morning in America,  it is breakfast time in New York?
Yesterday, July 4, Kellogg's is finding out the answer as it opened a restaurant in New York's Times Square.
Fear not, this is not a case of "do you have Grey Poupon?" It is more like, may I have the pistachio in my lemon bowl of Frosted Flakes and for dessert: ice cream topped Rice Krispies.
In this new food trend, customers are picking up their orders in sets of "kitchen cabinets."
True to form, your order comes with a prize, like those awarded in Cracker Jack boxes: rings, sports cards and  plastic toys. Later on, your prize may also include: a newspaper, a gift card and even tickets to Broadway shows.
This maybe a novelty, but losing battle. Lately, diners are picking breakfast options such as yogurt, a fruit and cereal bars to start there engines going in the morning. The WSJ pointed out that a 2016 survey by the market research firm Mintel found that, "40% of millennials think cereal is too inconvenient." Reason,  and this I see it in my rugrat, who is home studying for "the NY Bar," you have to wash the bowl after you eat!
Last night, before I laid me down to sleep, I promised I'll be making Waffles for breakfast ... and by gosh, I did!

                                                      Belgian Waffles
3/4 warm water
1 pack active yeast
3/4 cup water
1/3 cup sugar, plus a few pinches for yeast
3 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 eggs separated plus 1 egg white
1 1/2 cup milk
8 Tablespoons unsalted  butter, melted
2 t vegetable oil
2 t vanilla extract

1. Dissolve yeast in the warm water with a pinch of salt. let stand 5-10 minutes
2. Put flour and salt in a large bowl stir and set aside
3. To yeast bowl, add egg yolks, one egg white (slightly beaten) and remaining sugar, stir
4. Then, to yeast bowl add 3/4 c water, milk, butter and oil, stir
5. Stir yeast mixture into flour and beat till smooth
6. Beat egg whites to soft peaks
7. Fold whites gently into the batter
8. Let stand one hour, stirring every 15 minutes
9 Heat waffle maker and use slightly more than 3/4 cup batter per waffle
   Should make about 10 waffles. Serve with strawberry sauce and ice cream

                                  Strawberry Sauce
2 cups fresh strawberries
2 tablespoons sugar

Put strawberries and sugar in blender container. Blend just till the berries are coarsely crushed

Russian Pie

                     This was my lunch special at Orange Coast College in 1986.

For crust:
2 1/4 cups flour
2 T sugar
8 ozs. cream cheese, room temperature
6 T Butter

For filling:
2 onions, sliced
3 cups cabbage, shredded
8 ozs. mushroom, cleaned and sliced
3 T butter
8 ozs cream cheese
8 ozs. swiss cheese
marjoram, oregano, salt, pepper to taste

Oatmeal ... The Other Breakfast

I surprised Maria Padilla on Saturday, showing up as she was having morning coffee at the Cuban eatery Zaza in Altamonte Springs.  "Check out the new item I just had from the menu!" she said. Creamy Cinnamon Oat Meal. Was she kidding?
Over the years, my go-to breakfast has been oatmeal. My friends at Cook's Country convinced me to forget about the quick oats and instead use steel cut oats. I love the crunchy texture and the grainy nature of the steel cut oats and I must have it each morning.
I like preparing the oats the night before. This lets the oats hydrate and soften.
First, toast oats with a small amount of butter to bring out the nutty flavor.
The oats are then cooked in water; you can also use milk or stock. Do not stir the oats while simmering since it gets mushy. Done correctly, the end result is a creamy textured product.
To put the finishing touch at breakfast, in a saucepan add 1/4 cup water or milk, 2/3 cup of the  prepared oat meal, cinnamon and apple and simmer for a 3-5 minutes on medium heat.

Surprisingly, oatmeal is trending across the nation – with spinach, ham, bacon, cheese and other unexpected ingredients. It can all be topped off with flakes of parmesan cheese, and drizzled with truffle oil that oozes deep into the oat grains.
I have always added fruits like apples, berries or raisins. Other exciting combinations are bananas, coconut, carrot spice, cranberry and  orange, or honey and banana.

                                     Basic Steel Cut Oatmeal
Bring 3 cups of water to a boil.
Stir in 1 cup of steel cut oats. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
Remove from heat and let rest, covered for 25 minutes.
May be refrigerated and use as desired.

Makes 3-4 servings.

One Pot To An Easy Homey Soup

The problem with pots and pans is you have to put them to use ... especially for "Good Home Cooking."
This dish is another WSJ's "Slow Food Fast," and comes from a chef over in the mother country.
The Journal reports Chef Henderson is known for: "cooking that's both understated and immensely influential." And  her "Mediterranean inflicted dishes are firmly rooted in the soil seasons of Britain."
As tested, the chorizo added a smoky spicy intensity to the stock, and flavored the potatoes and cabbage.
Those ingredients make up the base of this dish. In the end, I added a little of mama's special touch, in this case, sofrito, .... to enhance the culinary flavors of the British.

                                                   
                   
Chorizo Soup with Potato and Cabbage

3 Tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, sliced in half moons
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tablespoons sofrito
6 ounces Spanish chorizo, sliced
2 bay leaves
3 Medium Russet potatoes, peeled and cut bite-size piece
1/4 medium green cabbage, cored and sliced
8 cups chicken stock
Sea salt and black to taste

 Heat oil in large heavy pot over medium heat.
Add onions, garlic and sofrito and sauté to soften, about 5 minutes.
Add chorizo and bay leaves to onions and cook about 5 minutes.
Add potatoes and continue cooking another 5 minutes.
Add cabbage, and season with salt and pepper.
Add chicken stock and to cover the vegetables and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until potatoes are tender but firm

Pescado en Escabeche

Pescado en escabeche 

My nephew from Trinidad, Nigel, and his brother, Leon, from Spring Hills, Florida, paid me a visit on Saturday. I was ready to make the tried and true chicken, rice and beans. Then, Nigel requested food with a fancy name but a Caribbean touch. Thinking of that request, the next day I made Escabeche, a first cousin to ceviche. It's bathed in lime juice, sautéed in olive oil and refrigerated in onions and olive oil. I used a base recipe from Carmen Aboy Valldejuli's classic book "Puerto Rican Cookery."  Here's my version.

                Pescado en Escabeche
2 cups olive oil
1 cup white vinegar
2 tablespoons mixed peppercorn
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
2 bay leaves
2 large onions
6 King fish slices, 1 inch thick 
2 limes, zest and juiced. Save zest for other uses.
1/2 cup flour seasoned with salt and pepper 
Olive oil for frying
3 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed

1. In a large pot, add 2 cups of olive oil, vinegar, peppercorn, bay leaves and onions, cook over low heat 45 minutes. Let cool and reserve. 
2. Clean and rinse fish. Throughly dry steaks
with paper towels. Sprinkle with lime juice.  
3. Heat 1 cup olive oil in large sauce pan and add the garlic. Remove garlic when brown.
4. Dust fish in seasoned flour. Add slices and brown on both sides, about 15 minutes.
5. In a deep glass dish, lay slices of fish in the bottom.
Pour oil/onion mixture over fish, cover and place in refrigerator for at least four hours. 
Serve cold.

Closet Vegetarian Is Two For Two

In 1985, I remembered a Cordon Bleu chef in London saying, "... and don't chop your herbs as if you are going to feed cows like Mr. Constantine." Little did she know, I used herbs to cover up the bland tasting British culinary plate I was preparing.
Today, the Brits have come a long way. A variety of cookbooks stressing healthy eating, and appealing to the millennium generation is on the front burner.
The WSJ reported on some of the chefs leading the way. Two, Jamie Oliver in his book "Everyday Super Food" offers recipes that promotes healthier indulgences, and Nigel Slater, "A Year of Good Eating" that tells us to pause, smell the roses, and use ingredients that improves our quality of life.
I have tried two of these recipes and they are winners.
                                               Lentils with Couscous 
            ( I used millet, peanuts and mango instead of couscous, pine nuts and apricots)

2/3 cup Lentils, green or brown
1 cup millet, cooked in two cups of stock or water
2/3 cup peanuts, roasted until golden brown, chopped
1/2 cup mango, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup raisins, plumped in 1/4 cup brandy
1 bunch dill, fronds only, chopped
2 teaspoon lemon juice
2 tablespoon olive oil
A few dashes of hot sauce
Salt to taste
Grind, mixed peppercorn to taste

Bring 2 quarts water to a boil. Add lentils, bring back to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
Put two cups water in a sauce pan. Add millet and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until water has almost evaporated. Stir and cover until water has been absorbed.
In a large bowl, mix mango, dill and peanuts.
For dressing, mix lemon juice, oil, salt and peppercorn in a small bowl. Set aside.
Toss lentils with dressing and add to mango, herb and oil mixture. Stir in millet and hot sauce with a fork. Serve on a bed of spinach.

Tortilla de Patatas... Potato Omelet

Carbs are on the move, but who is counting! Problem is,
I purchase a 10 pound bag of potatoes for a Christmas dish.
Today, I have concluded, it was a wise buy. I am unto a third dish and enjoying it.
The ingredients to this Spanish potato omelet are similar to the Kugel.
Nowadays, one can add a variety ingredients to eggs: asparagus, mushrooms, spinach, or ham,  and call it an omelet.
This simple, Madrid-style version, I tried in Spain last year and was please.  My daughter  reminded me, "you didn't add onions!" I could have used some garlic and more olive oil.
                       
                                                Potato Omelet
1/2 cup olive oil
3  russet potatoes, peeled and sliced
2 t sea salt
1 t mixed peppercorns, grinned
3 eggs

1. Heat oil in a heavy cast-iron skillet. Add the potatoes,
    season with salt and 1 t peppercorns and stir to combine
Reduce heat and fry for 15 minutes turning often. Not necessary to brown. Drain and set aside.
Beat eggs with 1 t salt until they are frothy. Fold in drained potatoes.
Heat 2 T oil in 6-8 inch cast-iron skillet.
Add egg mixture to skillet on a medium low heat for 3-4 minutes,
should be golden brown in color.
Using an eight inch pot cover or plate, slide omelet onto it.
Then flip omelet and brown the other side
Serve hot or at room temperature



Left Potato Kugel. right Spanish omelet.

Open Your World To Something Jewish

One of my favorite places to tryout recipes is in the Sunday's NYT magazine.
Today, I struck gold with their version of a Potato Kugel, more like an oversize pancake.
The dish is adapted from Illa Wendger Roth, author of "Spice and Spirit."
When it comes to American cooking, it is really an adaptation that leaves its imprints on all cuisines, especially ones as global and hard to define as Jewish.
If you have a "Yiddish bubbe", she will proud of you for trying this savory dish: crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside.

                                           Potato Kugel

6 russet potatoes
3 eggs
1 t sea salt
1/4 t mixed peppercorn, grinded
1 onion
6 T olive oil
1/2 c flour
1/4 t baking powder

 1. Preheat the oven to 350. Place a 10 inch cast-iron skillet inside

2. Peel potatoes and place in a bowl with water to cover
    In a large bowl, beat eggs with salt and peppercorn to combine well.

3. Grating by hand, ( i.e. the old fashion way) grate onion and potatoes into the egg mixture, stirring frequently

4. Remove skillet (hot) from oven and brush with oil. Add the potato mixture to skillet.
    Bake for 1 1/2 hours to 2 hours. Center should be moist with a crunchy brown look on the outside.