The Queen of Tarts

Shrimp with Garlic & Chillies

 
 
 

Cooking has been a challenge as of late. You see while we have been trying to sort ourselves out in the UAE (finding a home, getting the proper documents, and sorting out the right roads to take since many have two or three names) our stuff has been taking a slow journey from Boston to Abu Dhabi. Very slow. It left in early June, so by the time it arrives it will be close to 8 weeks. In our shipping crate rests some of our most precious items: a Breville Juicer, knives or all lengths and widths, chocolate molds, cast iron pans, Le Creuset pots, whisks, wooden spoons, candy thermometers, cannelle molds, cookbooks, baking sheets, silverware, coffee mugs, glasses, and the list goes on and on and on.

Because we hope that it will all arrive safely we have been very careful with regard to what we are now purchasing. We have one knive (that we use for everything), a single pan and a single pot, four coffee mugs and four glasses, and several pieces of silverware that might last until the fall. If we want to mix anything, there is a single large stainless steel bowl, and we also got our act together to purchase some dishware.

However, like I said when it comes to cooking, we are down to the barebones minimum, and cooking is further complicated since we are not sure how much longer the stove / cooker will last until it needs to be replaced. Luckily, we bought a new refrigerator that works and manages to keep the necessities in tact. Meals have generally been cold or cooked on the grill outside. We are back to basic people - nothing fancy here. However, when I saw the abundance of produce and spices at all of the markets in Abu Dhabi, I needed to step things up a bit.

I bought Madhur Jaffrey's Curry Easy and realized that most of the ingredients in the book could all be found instantly. It was the perfect place to start delving into seemingly exotic ingredients. While the first dish I chose is not too exotic, I had to balance my thirst for adventure with what was realistic given our cooking tools. The only problem I had was locating basil, although the market was so busy it could have been hiding, and I was entirely too tired to fight the traffic of supermarket carts in the produce section on a Saturday afternoon. I decided to use cilantro (coriander)

Shrimp with Garlic & Chillies (adapted from Curry Easy)

12 raw jumbo shrimp, peeled & deveined

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1 tsp green hot chillies finely chopped

1/2 tsp salt & 1 tsp ground pepper

2 tbsp olive oil

1/2 tsp whole yellow mustard seeds

1 large clove garlic finely chopped

3 tbsp cilantro (coriander) chopped

1/3 cup chopped tomatoes (fresh)

Wash and dry the shrimp. Place in a bowl with the salt, pepper, chillies, and cayenne pepper. You can cover and keep in the fridge until you are ready to carry on with the rest of the recipe.

Place the oil in a frying or cast iron pan and set it over medium/high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the mustard seeds. Once they begin to pop (and they WILL pop, and pop out of the pan...) add the garlic and stir gently, and then add the shrimp. Stir a few times, and then add in the tomato. Reduce the heat and add in the cilantro, and continue stiring gently until the shrimp is thoroughly cooked, but not overcooked - probably just a few minutes. Serve straight away... This would be really good with some thick/crusty bread on the side.

Apple Spiced Muffins

A weekend trip to New Jersey to visit one of my closest friends left me with several pounds of apples... Jonathan Apples, Honey Crisp, Golden Delicious, and whatever else I could reach and twist off the trees with my hands.  The four pounds of apples I brought home added to the bunch I already had from my parents' house.  As much as I love applesauce, I needed to come up with some other recipes that both Dr. H and I could enjoy, and this is no small order especially because he is not the world's biggest apple fan.

So with the help of New Jersey's finest...

I decided to make BabyCakes apple cinnamon muffins.  I thought, based on their other recipes, that I would have a pretty good tasting little treat on my hands.  However I had no idea how yummy and flavorful these muffins would be.  The hint of cinnamon mixed with the fresh grated nutmeg enhances the apples. The muffins are not "cakey" in texture, but more moist, and almost reminiscent of a popover (in my mind anyway!) Even Dr. H remarked on the muffins... now considering that they are vegan and gluten free, and his favorite food is bacon, this is a major accomplishment. I made some changes to the original BabyCakes recipes, because I just can't help myself.  

This is great for breakfast and snacking - have fun, and enjoy!

Apple Spiced Muffins

(Recipe adapted from BabyCakes)

Serves 12-14

Preheat the oven to 325F

2 lbs apples, cut into 1 inch pieces
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 c lemon juice
2 C Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free All-Purpose Baking Flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 1tsp xanthan gum (this can be an expensive ingredient, but so worth it for gluten free baking!)
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg (if possible, use fresh ground, the taste is great!)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 C coconut oil (this should be in liquid state, not solid)
1/2 C + 2 tbsp agave nectar
2/3 C almond milk
1 tbsp vanilla extract

Mix the apples, cinnamon, and lemon juice and spread on a baking sheet.  Place in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, and stir the apples after about 10 minutes to ensure even cooking.  The apples will be slightly soft.  Once finished allow to cool for about 10 minutes.

Mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, xanthan, nutmeg, salt, and salt together in a large bowl.  Add in the oil, agave nectar, almond milk, and vanilla extract.  Mix until smooth.  Gradually add in the apple mixture.  Spoon about 1/3 - 1/2 C of the mixture into a regular sized greased muffin tin.  If you have any left over, use ramekins or self standing cupcake liners (I found that I had enough batter for 2 more little muffins...).

Bake for about 22-24 minutes, and then remove the muffins from the oven.  Allow the muffins to cool in the tin for 15 minutes, then remove and allow to cool completely on a cooling rack.  I have to admit, I did not wait and I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of the warm apple spiced muffin!

 

End of Summer Sweet Tahinis

We were sitting around the table over a multi-course Middle Eastern dinner the other night discussing food.  Rather appropriate to discuss food as we were eating it... Over hummus, watermelon and feta salad, baba ganoush, quinoa with cilantro, whole wheat pita seasoned with za'atar, and chicken with a yogurt cumin marinade, the topic of baking emerged.

I tend to bake less often in the summer months.  This summer in particular, the oven has seldom reached a temperature of 350F and received one of my tray of cookie dough or loaves of buttermilk raisin nut bread.  We got married, we traveled, and the heat in Boston has made it less than appealing to turn on the gas stove.  However, September is only days away, and my cookbooks are quickly collecting dust.  Several hours before our dinner, I thought that I should make some kind of dessert to round out the night's Middle Eastern theme, and since the watermelon was already used in a salad, I dusted off the Flying Apron's Gluten-Free & Vegan Baking Book.  I am pretty much fine eating food that contains gluten, and as you can see from above, I am not a vegan.  However, I do love to experiment with new recipes and ingredients.

Jennifer Katzinger's book takes ingredients that might be considered by some strange or bizarre, and turns them into staple home items:  brown rice flour, almond meal, agave nectar, palm oil, coconut oil, organic whole cane sugar, and garbanzo bean flour.  I find my shelves full of these items since I also own the Baby Cakes cookbook.

Katzinger's book goes beyond sweets, and opens a door to savory, meals, and overall baking.  She takes out the mystery behind gluten free baking and the end result is delicious.  I leafed through the book and found what I was looking for..."Sweet Tahinis".  A cookie that contained tahini oil would perfect for my Middle Eastern themed dinner.

This recipe is adapted from Katzinger's recipe.  The cookies are soft, and have the smoky tahini-flavor that I have come to love.  Whether you eat gluten free or not, they are sure to please!

Make 16 Large Cookies

Preheat Oven to 375F

2 C Brown Rice Flour (I could not find my brown rice flour, but used white rice instead...)

1 tsp baking power

3/4 tsp salt

1/2 C tahini (found in most supermarkets these days)

1/2 Palm oil or coconut oil (I used Spectrum Organic All Vegetable Shortening)

scant 1 C whole cane sugar (just under 1 cup)

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 C agave nectar

Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl and set aside.  Mix the tahini, oil, sugar, and vanilla in a standing mixer with a paddle attachment under well blended.  Add the dry ingredients slowly in 2 batches until well incorporated.  When the wet and dry are mixed, slowly add the agave nectar.

Scoop the batter out onto a parchment-lined cookie sheet, and make sure that you have about 1 1/2 inches in between each cookie since they spread while baking.  Press the cookies down with the top of a fork and bake for about 15-17 minutes.  Remove from oven and allow to cool on tray for about 2 minutes before removing to cookie rack.  The cookies are soft and fragile, so take care as you transfer them from the tray to the rack.

Best when eaten following a Middle Eastern meal...

Flying Chocolate Chip Cookies

I have never meet anyone who has not liked chocolate chip cookies.  I have met many people whose opinion differs as to what kind of chocolate chip cookie they like - chewy, crispy, full of chips, milk chocolate, dark chocolate, etc.  But never, ever, have I met anyone who has not liked them.  With this post, I am sure that they will make themselves known, but until they do, I will hold tight to my convictions.

I have tried many, many different kinds of chocolate chip cookie recipes in my 30+ years, and have found some that I like more than others.  Perhaps the best kind are those that are made with someone else, whether it be a good friend, or the help of little hands...

I recently started baking with more non-traditional ingredients and incorporating these into my cookies, cakes, and confections.  Whether it be agave nectar for sugar, whole wheat flour for white flour, or even coconut oil for butter, I wanted to see what I could do to "bake better" for myself.  Sure, I am positive that many people would disagree, and tell me that it is a waste of time, money, and energy to stray away from butter and eggs and good old flour.  But I actually enjoy the chemistry that goes into finding out why the ingredients react - or fail to react - based on what goes into the mix.  I also tell myself that I am doing something good for myself, and whether this is the case or not, that is my story, and I am sticking to it so there!

It actually all started with a chocolate chip cookie you know... A coconut chocolate chip cookie that led me down the path to baking without eggs, and trying out alternative recipes.  I then stumbled on the Baby Cakes NYC Cookbook and made several batches of those cupcakes, which are perfect little snacks (I make mini unfrosted ones, keep them in the freezer, and defrost a few when I need something sweet).  For full disclosure, following my Baby Cakes post, I was contacted by a publicist for the new cookbook "The Flying Apron", which is a vegan and gluten free bakery out in Seattle.  I received a copy of the book, and looked through it nightly for several weeks until today, when I opened it up and finally decided to make the chocolate chip cookie recipe.  I had the ingredients all collected, so I really had no excuse to not give it a go.

Following recipes to the 1/8 of a teaspoon in gluten free / vegan baking is critical, and I tend to not be the best at that.  I like to add a little here and a little there, and make things up as I go.  However, if I plan to post things on a blog, and expect people to follow a recipe, that will not really work.  So, when I opened up the Flying Apron's Gluten-Free & Vegan Baking Book I already started to see substitutes for ingredients listed in my mind... coconut oil instead of the recommended canola oil.  Agave nectar instead of the recommended organic cane sugar, almond milk instead of the recommended rice milk etc.  So there was really only one solution - I have both recipes below for you... you can do either one, or you can make them both!  I made the one in purple, and the cookie is not the crispy one that you might find with heaps of butter, but the result is a cookie, a substantial cookie, with a small hint of the coconut and crispy edges, with a soft middle.  Enjoy, from the bottom of my heart...

Flying Apron Chocolate Chip Cookies (with adaptations...)

2 3/4 cups brown rice flour

1 1/2 cups + 1tbsp garbanzo bean flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

3/4 tsp sea salt

1 c canola oil [1/2 c canola oil+1/2 c coconut oil]

1 c organic whole cane sugar [2/3 c agave nectar]

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 c rice milk [1 c almond milk]

1 c vegan chocolate chips [1 1/2 c vegan chocolate chips]

optional: 1/4 c chopped nuts

Preheat the oven to 350F.

Combine the flours, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.  The a standing bowl of an electric mixer with a paddle attachment add the oil(s), sugar (agave nectar), and vanilla and combine until well mixed.  With the speed on low, add the flour mixture and the milk (almond or rice) and mix until well combined - this will take about 2 minutes.  Add in the chocolate and nuts if you are using them.  Scoop out the dough onto a greased cookie sheet about 1 inch apart...

and bake for about 14-16 minutes until the top is golden brown. (I like to under bake my cookies, so I bake them for 14 minutes).

Buttermilk Raisin Nut Bread

Baking bread is perhaps one of the most rewarding things that you can do in the kitchen - or at least that is what I think.  I still remember on of the first times that I made bread; I was about 6 years old and my father and I spent the greater part of the day kneading, waiting for the first rise, kneading, waiting for the second rise, and well, it went on until we finally got to put it into the oven and bite into delicious warm goodness.  I was hooked, but bread is not an easy thing to make, and it is a time consuming endeavor.  There have been many times since when I have made my own bread, and all different kinds, but there is always the time issue, and life sometimes just does not allow days on end for bread making.  That being said, I recently bought Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day by Jeff Hertzberg and Zoe Francois.  I am an avid follower of Zoe on twitter, and several months backs, everyone started to "tweet" about this fantastic cookbook.  I finally broke down and purchased the book.  I had to see for myself if bread could truly be made in an efficient fashion.

Lucky for me, and my friends and family, the book is so much better than I could have possibly imagined.  Yes, it has every bread recipe you would want to get your hands (and teeth) on, but it has recipes that go beyond bread like homemade granola, chilled Moroccan-style gazpacho, and spicy kebabs.  Yes, this book is the only book you will need for bread.

I started with the Buttermilk Bread (p. 207) and the recipe makes three 1 1/2-lb loaves.  Because I am a fan of whole wheat flour and adapting recipes, I read the recipe over a few times, and the second time I made the batch, pulled off a "cantaloupe size" ball of dough after the rise and add a mixture of raisins, chopped almonds, and flax seed.  The loaf is moist, dense enough for a sandwich (I like the sweetness raisins with a sharp cheddar) and the nuts add just the right amount of texture.  

Buttermilk Raisin Nut Bread (adapted from Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day)

2 cups of lukewarm water (about 100F)

1 cup of buttermilk

1 1/2 tbsp of granulated yeast

1 1/2 tbsp of salt

1 1/2 tbsp of sugar

3 c of all-purpose flour

3 1/2 c of whole wheat flour

3/4 c raisins

1/2 c chopped almonds

1/4 c flax seeds

1 egg lightly beaten (for the egg wash on the dough)

Place the yeast, salt, and sugar with the water and butter milk in a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment.  On low speed, gradually add in the flour, 1 cup at a time.  Once all of the ingredients are well incorporated, the dough should form a ball Cover dough (but not airtight) and allow to rise for 2 hours.  At this point you can start to make a loaf or place in the refrigerator.  Refrigerate for in a lidded (but not airtight) container and you can use this for up to 7 days.

When you want to bake, lightly grease a 9x4x3 inch loaf pan.  Sprinkle flour over a clean surface area and place a "cantaloupe size" size of the dough and roll it out to an 8x16 inch rectangle.  Brush the surface with the egg wash and even distribute the raisin mixture across the dough.  Start to roll the dough from the short end, and as you do pinch the sides.

Place the dough - seam side down - in the loaf pan and allow to rise for an additional 40 minutes (or 1 hour and 40 minutes if you have just taken the dough from the refrigerator.

While the dough is rising, preheat oven to 375F.  Once the dough has risen and the oven is ready, place the loaf in the oven on the middle rack and bake for about 40 minutes (it might need less baking time - check around 36 minutes), and until the top is golden brown.  Remove from the loaf pan, and allow to cool before serving if you can! Eat as is or top with butter, or make into a sandwich, or...

Falling in Love with Figs

There is something incredibly sexy about the fig.  Fresh, dried, cooked, or raw they hold an element of lure, lust, and desire.  While I have eaten dried and cooked figs for years, I fell in love with fresh figs last year during my 3-week trip to Spain and Morocco.  When my friend Asha began to pick up the figs from the fruit buffet in Madrid and then again in Marrakesh, I was intrigued and followed suit.  Sweet, soft, and decadent were the first adjectives to come into my mind.  After those bites, I was hooked, and upon my return sought out the fruit whenever I could.  Late summer / early fall is one of my favorite times of year and I now pick up figs whenever I can.

I remember a pint that was sitting in the back of my refrigerator, and I needed to do something with the precious fruit before they collapsed into each other due to their delicate nature.  I decided that with winter coming, I could turn fresh fruit into preserves and use them to top yogurt throughout the coming months.  I opened up my Joy of Cooking and searched for a jam recipe.  To my surprise, there was nothing there.  I then picked up my 2004 version of Cook's Illustrated The Best New Recipe.  Nothing.  How could neither of these book have recipes for jam?  I remembered that I had recently acquired a 1943 issue of  Joy of Cooking from my grandmother's house (which, as an aside, she recently sold after the house remained in the family for more than 170 yrs).  Sure enough the 1943 edition met my needs.  I adapted some of the multiple recipes that I found and came up with this recipe.  It is perfection on top of plain yogurt.  Absolutely a perfect dessert.  The jam itself is healthy - fruit, lemon juice, water, some agave nectar, and fruit pectin.  The recipe could be adapted for other fruits.

2 C quartered fresh figs 

3 tbsp agave nectar

1/4 lemon juice

1 C water

3 tbsp fruit pectin

Mix the figs, agave, lemon juice, and water together.  Bring to a simmer over medium heat and allow to reduce slightly - about 15 minutes.  

Add the pectin - sprinkle over the top while stirring - and continue to cook for another 5-7 minutes.  Reduce heat to low, and cook for 2-3 minutes.  Turn heat off and allow to cool.  Place into a sterilized jar if you plan to wait before eating, or into a covered container and refrigerate for up to 1 week.