Fun with Ice Cream (Chocolate Hazelnut/Mint and Cookies)

I know I already posted one ice cream recipe, but I just got a lovely new ice cream maker and I had to try it right away.

My previous ice cream recipe was very easy and light, but this time I decided to try a couple of more traditional custard-type ice creams, so they are a bit more complicated and much heavier . However, they are absolutely delicious, with flavors that are much stronger and richer than store bought ice cream.

The first recipe, the chocolate hazelnut, comes from Williams Sonoma's Ice Cream Book. 
The mint and cookies recipe is from the recipe booklet that came with my ice cream maker.

Note that when you take ice cream out of the the ice cream maker, it will come out soft. In order for it to reach proper ice cream consistency you need to freeze it for a few hours longer in a freezer-safe container.

Also - later I will post a recipe for something delicious you can make with all the leftover egg whites from these recipes.

Fun with Ice Cream

Chocolate Hazelnut Ice Cream (about 1 Quart)

First, make a Hazelnut Paste: 

- 3/4 cup (105 grams) hazelnuts 

- 1 tbsp canola oil or hazelnut oil 

- 1 tbsp sugar 

- pinch of salt 

Place the hazelnuts on a roasting pan in a single layer. Preheat an oven to 350 F/180 C. Place the pan in the oven and toast for about 10-15 minutes (you can occasionally shake the pan to shift their position) until the nuts are golden throughout.  Wrap the nuts in a warm kitchen towel and allow them to cool completely. When they are cool, rub the nuts in the towel to remove most of the loose skins (don't worry if a little skin remains). 

Put the nuts and the rest of the ingredients into a food processor and blend for about two minutes, until you get a thick hazelnut paste. (You can also use store bought hazelnut paste for this recipe, if you prefer. You need about 1/3 cup of it). 

Now for the ice cream:   

- 3 cups of milk

- 4 large egg yolks

- 1/2 cup heavy cream

- 3/4 cup sugar

- pinch of salt

- 4 1/2 ounces (140 grams) semisweet chocolate, chopped 

Preparation: 

1. In a medium pot or saucepan combine the milk and hazelnut paste. Cook over medium heat until bubbles form around the edges of the pan, about 5 minutes. Do not let the mixture boil! 

2. Meanwhile, combine the egg yolks, cream, sugar and salt in a bowl. Whisk until smooth and the sugar begins to dissolve. 

3. Remove the milk mixture from the heat. Gradually whisk about 1/2 cup of the hot milk mixture into the egg mixture until smooth. Pour the egg mixture  back into the saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon and keeping the custard at a low simmer, until it is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon and leaves a clear trail when a finger is drawn through it, 4-6 minutes. Do not let the custard boil! 

 4. Put the chopped chocolate in a heat proof bowl and pour the hot custard over it. Stir until smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl. Place the bowl in a larger bowl partially filled with ice cubes and water. Stir occasionally until cool.  Cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly on the surface of the custard to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours or up to 24. 

5. Pour the custard into the ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions. Transfer the ice cream to a freezer safe container and freeze until firm, at least 4 hours.

Fresh Mint with Chocolate Sandwich Cookies (Makes about 6 cups)

Ingredients:

- 2 cups of milk
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup sugar, divided into two half cups
- pinch of salt
- 1.5 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups packed fresh mint leaves
- 5 large egg yolks
- 1 cup crushed chocolate sandwich cookies (about 8 cookies - you can use oreos or any other cookie of this kind. I used Glutino cookies)

Preparation: 

1. In a medium saucepan set over medium-low heat, whisk together the milk, cream, half of the  sugar, salt and vanilla. Bring the mixture just to a boil. Remove from heat and add the mint leaves. Let steep for about 30 minutes, then blend the mint into the mixture using an immersion blender (if you want a milder mint taste you can just take the mint out instead, but I highly recommend blending it in). Return the mixture to a boil over medium-low heat.

2. While the milk/cream mixture is reheating, combine the yolks and remaining sugar in a medium bowl. Using a hand mixer on low speed or a whisk, beat until the mixture is pale and thick.

3. Once the milk/cream mixture has come to a slight boil, whisk about 1/3 of the hot mixture into the yolk/sugar mixture. Add another 1/3 of the hot mixture, then returned the combined mixture to the saucepan. Using a wooden spoon, stir the mixture constantly over low heat until it thickens slightly and coats the back of a spoon.   Make sure it doesn't boil!

4. Pour the mixture through a fine mesh strainer. Bring the ice cream base to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate for 1-2 hours (or overnight).

5. Prepare in your ice cream maker according to instructions. When the ice cream is almost fully churned, add the chocolate cookies and keep mixing until the ice cream is churned. Then move to a freezer-safe container and freeze for a few more hours, until firm.

Enjoy!

 

Vegetarian "shawarma"

Shawarma usually refers a middle eastern grilled meat dish (you may also know it as "gyro" or various other names). I have no idea if it's any good, because I've never eaten it.

However, this recipe from the excellent Israeli food blog בצק אלים ("bazek elim") was recommended by a few meat eaters and I decided to try and make a vegetarian version of it. I used seitan again, because I find it's texture is best for these kinds of recipe, but for a GF version I think you could also try to do it with tofu with s similar results. I did have to somewhat change the seasoning of the original recipe to make up for seitan being a little more bland.

A note about the coke: yes, this recipe uses about a cup of coca-cola. When I first saw this, I was quite shocked, as normally I wouldn't dream of cooking with coke. However, I decided to try it and the truth is the coke does give a wonderful caramelization and sweetness to the dish. So, it's up to you - use it or don't use it as you will. Either way, it's important to use regular coke and not diet coke as the sweeteners in the latter do not do well under heat.

Vegatarian Shawarma

Ingredients (for 2 portions): 

- 1 package of seitan (or tofu), cubed into fairly large chunks. 

- 1 medium onion, sliced into strips. 

- 2 tbsps of olive oil + 1 tsp for browning the seasoning

- Seasoning: 1 tsp paprika, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp chili powder. 

- 1 cup of regular coke - optional (NOT diet!) 

- salt and pepper.

Preparation: 

1. Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the onions and fry, stirring occasionally, until the onions brown. If the onions look like they are burning rather than slowly browning, lower the heat a bit.The process should take about 10 minutes.

2. Push the onion to one side of the pan and add another teaspoon of oil to the newly cleared space. Add the seasoning to this oil and cook, while stirring, until the seasoning starts to sizzle a bit. 

3. Add the seitan (or tofu) pieces to the pan, stirring well so that the pieces are coated in the seasoning and mixed with the onions. Leave for about 40 seconds without stirring so that one side of the seitan browns and crisps up, then stir again and leave for another 40 seconds. 

4. If you plan to use the coke, add about one third of  a cup of coke to the pan, and simmer until it thickens, stirring occasionally. Continue adding coke and thickening until the cup is finished. By this time, the seitan should be cooked and the dish should be almost ready. If you don't intend to use coke: just keep cooking the seitan until it looks quite cooked. You can add a little bit of sugar and water to try and replicate the caramelization effect. 

5. Taste a piece of the shawarma. Add salt and pepper and any additional seasonings so that the dish is flavorful.

6. For a quick meal, serve the shawarma on rice, in a baguette or in a wrap. For a more traditional version, serve with pita bread, hummus, tahini sauce and a salad of finely cubed vegetables.

 

Peanut noodles with Seitan (plus a "cheaters" version)

I love doing variations on stir fried noodles with lots of vegetables. Basically, I use the same collection of vegetables but play around with the sauce. In this case it's rich, thick peanut sauce. The basic sauce isn't too complicated to make, but I also offer a "cheating" version of it at the end, for a really quick meal.

In making this recipe I used seitan, a vegan meat-replacing product made from wheat gluten (the protein in wheat). I've only recently started using it, and I find it has a nicer flavor and texture than tofu. However, you can use tofu if your prefer, or skip it altogether, maybe adding some egg as a protein source.

You can, of course, use whichever vegetables you prefer. These are the ones I like. 

Peanut noodles with seitan

Ingredients (for 2 portions): 

- 1/4 pounds (125 grams) rice noodles (or other noodle of your choice)

- 1/2 bell pepper, sliced. 

- 2 cloves of garlic, minced

- 1/2 small onion, thinly sliced (I prefer red onion) 

- 1/2 jalapeno pepper, somewhat de-seeded and sliced.  (If you remove all the seeds there will be almost no heat, so I like to leave a little bit). 

- handful of snow peas, sliced into 1 inch (2 cm) long slices. 

- 1 small can of pineapple chunks in natural juice, drained.

- 1 package of seitan, cut into small chunks. 

- 2 tsps oil

- handful of peanuts, for garnish 

For the Sauce:

- 1 tbsp of vegetable oil 

- 1/4 cup of peanut butter

- 1 tbsp red curry paste

- 1/2 cup coconut milk

- 1-2 tbsp soy sauce or tamari

- 1 tbsp water

- seasoning: curry powder, cumin, salt, pepper

Or, for "cheaters" sauce:  

- 1/2 can of light coconut milk 

- 1/2 small jar (about 100 grams or 3 tablespoons) of a commercial "peanut satay sauce" (I used 'A Taste of Thai's" satay sauce, which is vegan and gluten free). 

- seasoning - chili powder, salt, pepper (as needed) 

The reason for using satay sauce rather than a "peanut sauce" mix is that it tends to be more flavorful. 

Preparation: 

1. cook noodles according to instructions until they are prepared. Drain and run cold water through the noodles, to prevent them from sticking. 

2. Prepare the sauce. For regular version:  heat the (1 tbsp) of oil in a saucepan. Add the peanut butter and curry paste and cook, stirring, until they are melted and incorporated into one another. Add the coconut milk and soy sauce and sit, bringing to slow boil. Reduce the heat, cover the saucepan, and simmer for 8 minutes or so. Add the water and season to taste, continuing to cook for a few more minutes.  

For the "cheaters" version: Pour the coconut milk into a small saucepan. Add the satay sauce and stir over a medium heat for a few minutes, until the satay sauce is fully incorporated into the coconut milk. Taste the sauce and correct seasoning (I had to add a bit of chili powder for additional heat). Cook for a few more minutes on low heat. stirring occasionally.

2. Heat the (2 tsps) oil in a wok or large pan over medium-high heat. Fry the garlic until it is golden. Add the seitan and cook until it is lightly browned and looks a bit "crunchy". Add the vegetables and pineapple and continue stir-frying until they are just beginning to cook, but still fresh and crunchy. 

3. Add the cooked noodles and the peanut sauce to the wok and stir to make sure that the noodles are coated with sauce and the vegetables and seitan are spread throughout the noodles (a good trick for this is using tongs rather than just a spoon). Garnish with roasted peanuts. 

Enjoy!

What do you like about "Herbs and Herbivores"?

Hi Readers,

So this blog has been running for a little while, and I've noticed that I have a few readers, from all kinds of places.

I'm kind of curious to know what aspects of this blog you find interesting and useful, so I've posted a little poll, on the right hand side of the page. I would really appreciate it if you could take a moment to answer it, just so I know what kind of recipes people would like to see here in the future.

You can choose as many options as you like.

Thanks!

Cholent/Hamin (slow cooking vegetable stew)

Cholent or Hamin is a traditional Jewish dish, because it can be put in the oven on Friday afternoon, before the Sabbath begins, and is ready to be eaten on Shabbat itself. Every Jewish community has its own version of this dish. This is my family's vegetarian variation on the Eastern European version.  It is a thick, delicious warm stew that is ideal for a cold, snowy winter weekend lunch, ideally followed by a long nap.

Important note: this dish quite literally cooks overnight, so you need to start prepping it the day before you plan to eat it. Also, I make it in the oven, but I understand a slow-cooker is actually perfect for this.

Cholent/Hamin

Ingredients (for four-six portions):

- 1 large onion, diced.
- 2 tsp oil
- 1 cup of white beans (navy, baked beans etc.). You can use canned or pre-cooked frozen. If you want to use dried beans, soak them in water overnight before beginning this recipe.
- 0.5 cup to 1 cup uncooked brown rice (you can also use wheat, pearl barley or white rice, but I like brown rice best for this).
- 3 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into ping-pong ball sized chunks.
- 2 carrots, chopped into large chunks
- seasoning: salt, pepper, paprika, chili powder, vegetarian natural bullion powder (optional)
- 4-6 hard boiled eggs, shelled (optional)

 Preparation: 

1. Choose a large pot that has a cover, and that is oven safe (and can fit in your oven). In it, heat the oil and fry the onions until golden.

2. Add the potatoes, carrots, beans and rice and mix. Fill the pot with water until the potatoes are fully covered in water. Season with plenty of salt and pepper, about a teaspoon each of paprika and chili powder, and a tablespoon or so of the bullion powder (you can skip the bullion powder, but it does give the finished dish a richer flavor. Consider seasoning more or perhaps adding a bit of veggie stock instead of water).

3. Let the ingredients go to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for about 30 minutes.

4. Preheat your oven to a very low heat (200 F, about 100 C). Place the hard boiled eggs on top of the vegetable mixture. Cover the pot and place it in the oven.

5. Cook the Cholent overnight in the oven. Look at it from time to time, just to make sure that it is lightly simmering and looks ok. A note about the time: in an ideal world, the cholent should really be in the oven for at least twelve hours, as this allows all the flavors to meld and mix. However, most of us don't live in an ideal world. I've found it is still delicious if you just cook it for 5-6 hours. Also, if you don't want to leave your oven running all night, I find it also works fine if you cook it for a few hours in the evening, then turn off the oven, and turn it back on in the morning for a few more hours.

This dish really requires very little accompaniment. Serve it, as is, with a little fresh salad on the side.

Cheese "Cutlets" in Tomato Sauce (or without the sauce)

The original recipe, I believe, belongs to Israeli food writer Gil Hovav. I got a version of it from my sister and we each make our own based on the ingredients we have. The picture probably doesn't do these justice, but I promise they are delicious.

There is absolutely no need to worry about the exact ingredients or quantities in this recipe. Basically any mixture of relatively mild creamy cheese with some hard cheeses, eggs and breadcrumbs will create a similar result.

These "cutlets" (for want of a better word), can be served either in the tomato sauce or without it as crispy treats. I usually leave about half of them out of the sauce and the other half in it, just to allow people the variation..

Cheese "Cutlets" in Tomato Sauce

Ingredients: 

-1 regular package (8 oz, 250 ml) of cream cheese,  or thick Greek yogurt, or relatively high fat "white cheese", or even a mild soft goat cheese (or any combination of the above).

- 1 package of soft mozzarella cheese (or possibly a mild feta or something similar - soft but not too soft, and not too powerful a flavor)

- A few handfuls of shredded hard cheese (cheddar, jack, etc., whichever you like).

- 1 egg (you may want to have another on hand, just in case) 

- 2/3 cups breadcrumbs (ideally Italian breadcrumbs. GF is fine), or matzo meal (making the recipe ideal for passover) (again, you may want to have some more breadcrumbs on hand just in case you need the texture corrected). 

- canola or vegetable oil for frying. 

- tomato sauce (like the kind you use for pasta. I make a basic sauce using a can of crushed tomatoes, some garlic powder, dried oregano, salt, pepper, red chili flakes etc.) 

Preparation: 

1. In a large bowl combine the cheeses and the egg and mash them up with a fork to make a semi-smooth mixture. 

2. Add the breadcrumbs and mix, until you have a mixture that is thick and not very liquid. Depending on which cheeses you used and what quantities, you may want to play with the amount of eggs/breadcrumbs to make sure you have a good consistency (but remember that the mixture will become thicker after the next step). 

3. Put the mixture in the refrigerator for a 3-4 hours or overnight. 

4.  Fill a plate with some more breadcrumbs/matzo meal, take small handfuls of the cheese mixture and roll them into flat patties. Coat each patty with breadcrumbs. 

5. Heat an inch of oil in a pan, and  fry the patties on each side until they are crisp and golden on the outside. Drain on a paper towel.

6. Serve the patties as they are, warmed up OR place them in a pot with the tomato sauce (they should be well coated). Place the pot on medium heat and bring to boil. Cover, lower to a low heat and simmer for about 20 minutes. Serve with rice, pasta or just by themselves. 

Alternate preparation if you are in a hurry:

If you don't really want to wait 4 hours, there is a faster way of making these. They may not come up as pretty, but they will still be delicious: 

Follow steps 1 and 2 as they are written. 

When you get to step 3, instead of putting the mixture in the fridge for 4 hours, let it rest in the fridge for about 30 minutes. Skip step 4 entirely. Instead, heat up the oil, and then carefully spoon large dollops of the mixture directly into it. When the bottom of each "dollop" is somewhat more stable (this should only take seconds in the hot oil), you can pat the top with a wooden spoon to flatten each patty.

 

Onion Soup

This soup is a classic, best served with croutons or a cheesy toast (as in the picture).
The only trick you need with this one is patience: you really want to let the onions cook and brown, because that will make them soft and sweet rather than crunchy and overpowering.

Onion Soup

Ingredients (for four portions, but make more if you want to make sure you have extras): 

- 4 large onions or 6 medium onions. Ideally a mixture of yellow and red onions is best, but you can use whatever you have. 

- 1 tablespoon of olive oil 

- 1-2 tablespoons of butter 

-  2 tablespoons of flour (you can use cornstarch or any gluten free flour as well)

- 1 cup of white wine 

- 2-3 cups of vegetable stock 

- water

- salt and pepper 

- for topping: croutons, grated cheese, or cheesy toasts (see below)

Preparation: 

1. Slice the onions into fairly thin rings or strands. 

2. In a large pot over medium heat, heat the olive oil and butter together until the butter is melted, but not browned. 

3. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are very soft. You may need to control the heat, to make sure that the onions don't fry up and burn, but rather "sweat" and become soft and golden-brown. This can take some time, so be patient. 

4. When the onions are very soft and golden-brown add the flour and stir for about 30 seconds. Then add the wine and the vegetable stock. If the soup looks too thick, you can add some water or more stock now, but you can also wait until later. 

5. Season the soup with salt and pepper, cover the pot and simmer for about 20-30 minutes to let the flavors combine. 

Serve with toppings. 

To make cheesy toast: 

Slice baguette into one inch (2.5 cm) thick slices. Place on a baking tin. On each slice place a little bit of butter and top with grated cheese. Place in a hot oven or under the broiler for a few minutes, until the cheese is melted and the toasts are crisp. 

Enjoy!

Latkes (potato pancakes)

During Hannuka we are supposed to eat food that has been fried, supposedly to commemorate the miracle of the oil - but really, it's just a good excuse to eat something fried without feeling too guilty about it, right?

Latkes (or Levivot, in Hebrew) are a traditional Hannuka dish and everyone has their own version. This is mine (well, mostly my mother's).

A few tips: 

A. You will notice that this recipe separates the yolks from the whites and beats the whites into a stiff foam. You don't absolutely have to do this (you can just add the eggs as is), but the foam serves two purposes: it keeps the potatoes from browning while they wait to be fried, and - more importantly - it makes the latkes incredibly fluffy and delicious.

B. You will notice this recipe uses no flour or breadcrumbs, as some latke recipes do. However, it is therefore very important to squeeze as much liquid as possible out of the potatoes before using them. You can do this using a cheesecloth or a strainer, but I find the easiest way is actually to spin them in a salad spinner!

C. Like most fried foods, latkes are at their best when they are very very fresh, still hot from the oil. Realistically, however, no one really wants to stand around frying latkes during a Hannuka party, and even making them the same day as the party will leave the house smelling like oil. The solution is to freeze the latkes while they are still warm (if you have a large freezer, just freeze them flat on a baking tin. If not, an airtight container will do). When you want to serve them, place the frozen latkes flat on a baking tin, and place them in a warm oven for a few minutes, until they are heated through.

D. I have done my best to approximate quantities etc., but with things like potatoes it is impossible to know exactly how much of everything you will need.You may need to play a bit with the quantities to get it perfect.

Now, on to the recipe!

Latkes

Ingredients (for about 20-25 latkes): 

- 3 large potatoes, or  4-5 medium ones, peeled

- 1 large onion 

- 3-4 eggs, separated into yolks and whites (if you want extra-fluffy latkes, you can add a few more whites). 

- Salt and pepper 

- Canola oil or other oil for deep frying (not olive oil!) 

Preparation: 

1. Beat the egg whites until they form a stiff foam. 

2. Grate or shred the potatoes and the onion (a food processor will make this much easier, of course, but manual is also good). 

3. Using your hands, a cheese cloth, a strainer or a salad spinner, squeeze as much moisture as possible out of the shredded potatoes and onions. Place them in a large bowl.

4. Add the yolks and the beaten egg whites to the potatoes and gently fold until the yolks, potatoes and onions are really incorporated into the foam. The mixture should look very fluffy but not completely liquid. If it is too liquid, add some more potatoes or some flour or breadcrumbs to the mix. If it seems too dry, add some more egg.  Season the mixture with salt and pepper. 

5. In a large frying pan heat about an inch (2.5 cm) of oil. When the oil is hot (you can test this by putting a wooden spoon in the oil. If it starts to "fry", the oil is hot enough), drop a few spoonfuls of the mixture into the oil, to create patties. Fry them until they are a deep golden brown on both sides (you will need to flip them). 

Pay attention to the oil! If the latkes seem to fry too fast, lower the heat. If they fry too slowly, raise it a bit.

6. When the latkes are golden brown, place them on some paper towel to drain. I recommend tasting one from the first batch, to make sure the seasoning is correct. If it isn't, you can always add some more salt and pepper. And since after you eat one you will probably want another, I also recommend making a few extras. 

7. Continue frying until all the latkes are made (if you start to run out of oil in the middle, just heat up some more).  They can be served as either a savory or a sweet dish, with sour cream, sugar and cinnamon, or applesauce. I usually offer a choice of all three, so everyone can eat them the way they like.

Happy Hannuka!

Recommendation: GF bisquick biscuits

This is not a recipe so much as a recommendation:

For a recent meal with friends, I decided to make biscuits. I thought it would be nice to try Betty Crocker's relatively new gluten free Bisquick .

I used the recipe on the back of the box, except that I replaced the shortening with an equal quantity of butter (I never use shortening) and replaced the milk with an equal quantity of buttermilk.

The result was a batch of lovely biscuits, moist on the inside and crispy on the outside.

They also freeze well, although I recommend reheating them in the oven and not the microwave. The microwave did them no favors.

Coming up later this week: Hannuka recipes! Happy Holiday!

Boston Cream Cake - GF

This is a recipe from Elizabeth Barbone's Easy Gluten Free Baking. It is listed as Boston Cream Pie, but actually makes more of a dense layer cake.

When I made it, the cake came out very thin after baking, and I was worried I would have a hard time cutting through it, but it ended up being easier than I thought, and the resulting cake was a good size.

Note that the filling needs to set for a while, so make it at least a few hours in advance.

Bostom Cream Cake 

 

 Ingredients: 

For the Filling:

* 2/3 cup milk 
* 1/3 cup granulated sugar
* 3/4 cup heavy cream
* 1/4 cup cornstarch
* 1 large egg yolk (save the white for the cake)  
* 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For the Cake: 

* 1/4 cup vegetable shortening (I used butter)
* 3/4 cup white rice flour
* 2 tablespoons sweet rice flour
* 2 tablespoons cornstarch
* 1/4 teaspoon xantham gum
* 1/2 cup granulated sugar
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1.5 teaspoons baking powder
*1/2 cup milk
* 1 large egg
* 1 egg white (left over from the filling)
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Icing: 
* 4 ounces (about 100 grams) dark chocolate, coarsely chooped
* 1/2 cup heavy cream

Preparation: 

1. Prepare the filling: in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the milk and sugar. Heat, stirring, until the sugar is dissolved.

2. In a small bowl, vigorously whisk together the heavy cream, cornstarch and egg yolk.

3. Reduce the heat under the milk and sugar to low. While whisking the hot milk, very slowly pour the heavy cream mixture into the saucepan.

4. Increase the heat to medium. Whisk mixture constantly until it thickens, about 2.5 minutes. Remove filling from heat, continue to whisk mixture for an additional minute, then whisk vanilla into slightly cooled filling.

5. Pour filling into a large bowl. Place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the filling, to prevent it from forming a skin.

6. Refrigerate the filling for at least 4 hours, or overnight.

7. Prepare the cake: Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C). Grease a 9 inch (22 cm) round cake pan.

8. In a medium bowl, mix all ingredients for 2 minutes; batter will be thick (if you are using a stand mixture, set it on medium high).

9. Pour batter into pan and bake for 25 minutes or until a tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

10 remove cake from oven and allow to cool completely (you can take it out of the pan for faster cooling after about 5 minutes).

11. Prepare the icing: Place chopped chocolate into a large bowl.

12. In saucepan or microwave-safe bowl, bring cream to a boil and remove from heat.

13. Pour boiled cream over the chocolate. Stir, using a wooden spoon, until the chocolate melts and no lumps remain. Allow the icing to cool for 8 minutes.

14. Assemble the cake: Using a serrated knife, slice the cooled cake in half horizontally. Gently remove the top portion and set aside.

15. Spread all of the filling onto the bottom half of the cake. Top with reserved cake layer.

16. Ladle lightly cooled icing onto the cake. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Quinoa Salad

This recipe is originally from the cookbook גג חמישים שקל (“at most 50 shekels”) by Inbal Klein, although I no longer use the book when I make it, so I probably made some changes from the original.  It’s one of my favorite recipes, because it has a lovely mixture of the soft texture of the quinoa (which also adds some protein), the crunchiness of the almonds, the fresh herby flavor of mint and parsley, the sweetness of apricots and the lovely tartness of lots and lots of lemon.

Unlike most salads, this one tastes much better when it has been in the fridge for a while – even overnight! So it’s a great dish to make for dinner parties, because it can be made in advance. And if you have leftovers – have the rest for lunch the next day. That’s what I always do.

Quinoa Salad

Ingredients: 

* 1 cup quinoa

* 1.5 cups water

* 1-2 tsps olive oil

* 1 batch of parsley, very finely chopped

* 1 batch of mint. very finely chopped

* About 100 grams (3.5 oz) dried apricots (I like to use organic unsulphured apricots, although they don’t have the same lovely orange color), diced

* 1/2 red onion, finely diced

* 2-3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

* juice from 1-2 lemons

* a few tablespoons of slivered almonds or pine nuts, lightly roasted

* Salt and pepper

Preparation: 

1. In a medium saucepan heat the small quantity of olive oil, and lightly sauté the quinoa for a minute or so. Add the water and a little salt, and cook, covered, for about 10 minutes, or until the quinoa is soft but still a tiny bit crunchy. Take of the heat and uncover to allow the quinoa to cool. 

2. In a large bowl, combine the herbs, apricots and onion. 

3. When the quinoa has cooled to room temperature, add it to the bowl. Drizzle extra virgin olive oil, and add the juice from one lemon. Save the rest of the juice for later. Season well with salt and pepper, cover with plastic wrap and place the salad in the refrigerator at least for a few hours. 

4. When you are ready to serve the salad, take it out of the refrigerator and check the seasoning. You will likely want to add still more lemon juice, as the salad tastes best when it is full of fresh lemony goodness. You may also want to check that there is enough salt and pepper. 

5. Just before serving, sprinkle the roasted almonds or pine nuts and mix. 

Enjoy!

Easy Ice Cream (no ice cream maker needed)

The last week has been very hectic, so I haven't had time to really cook, let alone post anything. There is some serious cooking planned for the Thanksgiving weekend, however, so I how to have many recipes coming your way soon.

In the meantime, here is a quick little recipe for ice cream to tide you over until the next post. This recipe was my grandmother's recipe and is still a huge success. I posted it to Allrecipes.com a long time ago and you can see some pictures that people have uploaded of their various flavors.

Easy Ice Cream

 

The basic ingredients are very simple: 

* 4 egg whites (these are not cooked in the recipe, so if you want to be careful then used packaged pasteurized egg whites)

* 2/3 cups of sour cream (you can use low/non-fat you can also use plain or vanilla yogurt).

* 1/2 cup of white sugar (the Splenda equivalent also works)

* 1 tsp vanilla extract

To prepare the ice cream: 

1. In a large glass or metal mixing bowl, beat egg whites until foamy. Gradually add white sugar and vanilla, continuing to beat until soft peaks form. Carefully fold in sour cream until well blended. Fold in any additional flavorings or goodies at this time. 
2. Place the mixture into the freezer and stir every 30 minutes or so until frozen. This can be made without stirring, but the texture will be icy rather than creamy. If you have an ice cream maker, you can put the ice cream mixture in the maker, and follow the manufacturer's instructions.

 And now for the interesting part: 

You can use this recipe, as is, to make plain ice cream. But if we're being perfectly honest, plain ice cream is a little boring. The trick to this recipe is that you can add ingredients to make it any way you like it. Here are some options:

- soak raisins in rum and add both the raisins and the rum to the ice cream.

- add instant coffee or cocoa powder to the mix.

- add mint extract and chocolate chips or broken sandwich cookies

- mix in fruit of various flavors

Shakshuka (Eggs in Tomato Sauce)

Shakshuka is one of the classics of Israeli cooking and its fans have been known to engage in hard-core arguments about the appropriate way to make it (with or without beans, with or without peppers etc.)

For my part, I think that the ultimate way to make shakshuka is with a tomato sauce containing plenty of onions and peppers. In this case, canned crushed tomatoes really work better than fresh tomatoes, because the sauce should be very thick and rich.

The ideal way to serve shashuka is with a large slice of fresh challah bread or pita bread for dipping. However, especially if it's being made for dinner or lunch it can also be great served with some rice on the side.

Shakshuka 

Ingredients (for 2 people): 

* 1 tbsp olive oil

* 3-4 eggs 

* 2 small bell peppers (color of your choice), coarsely sliced or diced

* 2-3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

* 1 small onion, diced 

* 1 small hot pepper, finely chopped (optional, but recommended) 

* About 1/2 large can of crushed tomatoes 

* Seasoning: salt, pepper, cumin, garlic powder, chili powder

Preparation: 

1.  Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan or saute pan that has a cover, on medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and saute until they begin to soften. Add the peppers (bell and hot), and continue cooking, stirring occasionally,  until the onion and garlic are somewhat golden and the peppers have softened. 

2. Add the canned tomatoes into the pan and season to taste. Stir well, so that the vegetables and seasoning are evenly distributed in the sauce. 

3. When the sauce is heated through, break the eggs into the sauce (allowing each egg it's own space). Cover the pan. 

4. Cook the eggs to your preferred degree. Personally, I recommend cooking them until the whites and yolk are just cooked and firm, but not really well done. 

Enjoy!

Acorn Squash with Chestnut Stuffing

I had stuffed pumpkin for the first time last year, when I found myself celebrating a vegetarian thanksgiving in London with a group of people, only one of which was really American. It was lots of fun and the stuffed pumpkin was delicious. I've been meaning to try and create something similar at home for a while, but only got to it yesterday, in an attempt to use an acorn squash that had been sitting on my kitchen counter for a while.

This recipe may be a little less accurate in terms of quantities than my usual attempts, because I was literally making it up as I went along and saw what I had in the kitchen. This means, however, that you can play with it yourself and change the ingredients at will. For example, it may be a good idea to add some lentil or beans to add some protein to the mix.Other vegetables that would go well are mushrooms and celery.

Acorn Squash with Chestnut Stuffing

Ingredients (for 1 squash, make 1 small squash per person as a main course): 

* 1 small acorn squash (or sugar pumpkin or other relatively small member of the family). Ideally look for one that can stand pretty well without support).

* About 2 handfuls of plain stuffing (I used Aleia's GF stuffing) or 2-3 slices of old bread of your choice, diced. 

* 1/2 cup of  vegetable stock (but have a little more on hand in case you need it)

* 1-2 tablespoons of butter, melted 

* 1 small onion, finely diced 

* 1 carrot, finely diced

* 6-7 peeled chestnuts (I buy them in a jar or vacuum sealed), finely chopped 

* 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon (optional, but adds an interesting flavor)

* parsley or mint (or both), finely chopped

* salt, pepper

Preparation: 

1. Preheat oven to 400 F/200 C.  Cut the top off of the squash (about 1 inch, 2.5 cms from the top), and save the top for a nicer presentation. Scoop out the seeds and fibers, but make sure to leave plenty of the squash's flesh. 

2. In a bowl, combine the stuffing or bread, chestnuts, onion and carrots. Pour in the butter and vegetable stock and mix well. You want to make sure that the stuffing absorbs a fair amount of the vegetable stock and is softened by it, but that you don't have a liquid mess, so add some stock, mix, then add a  bit more. You may need more than the original half cup. 

3. Add the chopped herbs and season with the cinnamon and salt and pepper. 

4. Place the squash (or multiple squashes if you are feeding more than yourself) on a baking tin covered in foil (or in a glass/ceramic baking dish). Stuff the squash with the stuffing until it is quite full, then top with the original top (if your squash doesn't stand well enough to keep the top, don't worry about it, it's just as delicious without it). *f you have leftover stuffing, you can place it in in a heat proof dish and bake it in the oven as well, and serve as a side dish or just an additional portion.  Bake the squash for about 30-40 minutes, or until the squash flesh is relatively tender when pushed with a fork. Baking time may very quite a lot in this case, so test your squash. 

5. When the squash flesh is tender, serve it, one squash per person. While presentation-wise it's prettiest to give each person their own squash, it is actually easier to eat this by then scooping the stuffing out of the squash onto a plate, and scooping out the delicious squash flesh as well, mixing it with the stuffing. 

Enjoy, and Happy Thanksgiving to those who celebrate it!

Salty Caramel Macadamia Nut and Chocolate Tart (GF/Non-GF options)

We were invited to a little party last week, and everyone was expected to bring something.
The same week, Israeli online news website ynet published this recipe for an amazing looking tart with macadamia nuts coated in a salty caramel and chocolate. The recipe is for a regular tart with wheat flour.
 For obvious reasons, I needed to make it with a gluten free pie crust. I used the recipe from Elizabeth Barbone's Easy Gluten Free Baking. This pie crust is really amazing. It genuinely tastes delicious and has a lovely texture. It is also very easy to work with the dough, unlike most GF doughs. For a Hebrew version of the GF pie crust, see here.

So here is the recipe both in it's original gluteny version and with the alternative, GF pie crust (which can also be used for many other recipes).

Salty Caramel Macadamia Nut and Chocolate Tart

Gluten free pie crust (for 9 inch/24 cm pie. Double for a larger one or for covered pie): 


Ingredients: 
* 1/2 cup white rice flour
* 1/4 cup cornstarch
* 1/4 cup potato starch
* 1.5 tsp white sugar
* 1/4 tsp salt
* 1/4 cup (half US stick) butter, diced.
* 1 large egg
* 1-2 tbsp cold water

Preparation: 

1. In a large bowl (or in a food processor) combine all of the dry ingredients. Using a fork (or pulsing in the food processor), combine the butter into the dry ingredients until you get a crumby looking mixture. Add the egg and the water and continue mixing/processing until you get a dough. If the dough is too dry, carefully add water, 1 tbsp at a time, until you get the right consistency.

2. Place the dough in a plastic bag and refrigerate for about an hour (I personally didn't find this crucial).

3. Roll the dough out and cover the pie tin with it, or just press globs of dough into the tin until the entire tin is covered at the desired thickness. Make sure not to roll the dough too thin, because it can crack/break very easily in the oven.

4. To pre-bake the pie crust (as needed for this recipe),  preheat the oven to 200 C/425 F. Pierce the pie shell with a fork to prevent rising. Bake for about 10-12 minutes, until the crust is golden. Set aside to cool.

Original, Non-GF pie crust from the recipe: 

Ingredients (for 24 cm/9 inch pie): 

* 250 grams (1 3/4 cups) flour
* 70 grams (1/2 cup) ground hazelnuts
* 70 grams (1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon) confectioners sugar
* 160 grams (about 5.5 oz) butter
* 1 egg

Preparation: 

1. In a food processor combine the flour, nuts, sugar and butter to a crumby mixture.

2. Add the egg and continue processing until you get moist doughy crumbs with no trace of the flour.

3. Combine the crumbs into a dough, cover in plastic and chill for 30 minutes.

4. Roll the dough out to a thin layer and cover the pie tin with it.

5. Preheat an oven to 180 C (375 F). Pierce the pie shell with a fork. Cover the shell with parchment paper and cover that with dried beans or a pie-weight to prevent rising. Bake for 15 minutes.

6. Remove the weight from the pie shell and bake for another five minutes until golden. Set aside to cool.

The actual pie (identical for both GF and non-GF versions): 

For the salty macadamia nuts: 

* 100 grams (1/2 cup) white sugar
* 100 ml (about 1/3 cup) heavy cream
* 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
* 1/4 tsp sea salt
* 1 cup (100 grams) lightly roasted macadamia nuts

For the chocolate filling: 

* 200 grams (7 ounces) dark chocolate
* 80 grams (about 3 ounces) milk chocolate
* 200 ml (about 2/3 cup) heavy cream
* 1 bottle cap of dark rum (I used light because that's what I had at home)

Preparation: 

1. In a medium sized pot on medium heat, melt the sugar carefully into an amber colored (but not too dark!) caramel. You can carefully move the pot from side to side to ensure that all the sugar melts.

2. Add the heavy cream (from the nut ingredients), vanilla and salt (careful! the cream will sizzle, and the caramel may harden. This is ok) and continue cooking for another two minutes, stirring constantly, until you get a thick sauce in which there are no hard bits of caramel (the hardened caramel will melt back into the cream as it heats up).

3. Allow to cool slightly, and then mix in the macadamia nuts, stirring to coat them. (Note: if you allow the nuts to cool too much in the caramel, they will become a hard chunk. Just carefully reheat the pot on a low heat to melt the caramel slightly so that you can spread the nuts on the pie).

4. Place the chocolates into  a bowl. Heat the heavy cream (from the chocolate sauce ingredients) to a simmer. Pour it over the chocolates and stir until the chocolates are melted and you have a smooth cream.

5. Stir the rum into the chocolate. Allow to cool slightly.

6. Build the pie: spread the caramel coated macadamia nuts on the pre-baked pie crust as evenly as you can. (Don't worry, there will be some areas with more nuts than others). Chill in the freezer for 5 minutes (I skipped this step).

7. Carefully pour the chocolate over the nuts, starting from the outside of the pie inwards, coating the pie evenly.

8. Chill the tart in the refrigerator for at least two hours before serving.

 

Guest spot: My Sister's Feta and Leek Gnocchi

Ok, I admit it, I wasn't much of a cook this week. So today we have a guest recipe - my sister's excellent recipe for gnocchi with feta, leeks and capers. She invented this recipe and has been perfecting it every since. I'm not much of a fan of either feta or leeks, so I was skeptical the first time she made it for me, but it completely won me over. It's great!

You can use the same concept but play with the ingredients. I like to make it with goat cheese  and tomatoes and without the capers, for example. My sister suggests a variation where you add large chunks of avocado just before the feta, and stir to blend it with the sauce.

Feta and Leek Gnocchi

 

Ingredients (for 2-3 very large portions or 4 medium ones):

* 3-4 tbsp of olive oil
* 2-3 leeks, sliced into rings
* 4-5 cloves of garlic, sliced
* Black pepper
* A large handful of capers (preferably in brine. These are optional)
* 500 grams (about 1 lb) of gnocchi (fresh or dry)
* 200  grams (about 7-8 oz) of feta cheese, cubed
* grated Parmesan cheese, to serve

Preparation

1. In a very large pan or wok, heat the olive oil. Add the garlic and leeks and fry in the oil until soft, but not golden.

2. Meanwhile, boil water in a pot. When it is boiled, cook the gnocchi according to instructions. Drain the gnocchi.

3. Add the capers into the garlic and leeks and season with black pepper. Do not salt, as the feta will add plenty of saltiness to the dish. You may add other herbs such as basil at this point, if you want.

4. Stir the feta into the vegetables. When the feta begins to melt (after about 30 seconds), add the gnocchi into the pan and stir for another 30 seconds, until the feta is melted and coats the gnocchi.

5. Plate the gnocchi and serve with a sprinkling of Parmesan.

Corn Chowder

In recognition of the first properly chilly days of Autumn, I decided to make my favorite corn chowder.
This recipe is thick and satisfying and definitely a complete meal by itself. It's really great to take for lunch at work or school in a thermos.  You can play with it a bit by adding other veggies, like broccoli, but I love it just the way it is.

Corn Chowder

Ingredients (for 4-6 portions): 

* 2 tsp canola oil 

* 1 onion, preferably red, diced. 

* 1 bell pepper (red or orange), deseeded and diced

* 3 cloves of garlic, minced

* 4 small potatoes, peeled and finely diced

* 2 tbsp flour (gluten free is fine, I used it) 

* 600 ml (about 20 ounces) milk (I use 1% milk) 

* 300 ml (about 10 ounces) vegetable broth (or, if you must, water - but season accordingly)

* 12 oz pack of frozen corn kernels (or one good sized can). 

* 75 grams (about 2.5 ounces) grated cheddar cheese

* Salt, pepper, chili powder 

Preparation:

1. In a large pot, heat the oil. Add the onion, bell pepper, garlic and potatoes and saute on a low flame for a few minutes, stirring. 

2. Add the flour and stir for another 30 seconds, to coat the vegetables in the flour. Add the milk and the stock (or water). 

3. Add the corn (no need to defrost). Bring the mixture to a boil while stirring constantly, then lower the flame and simmer for 20 minutes, or until all of the vegetables have softened. 

4. Add the cheddar and stir until it is melted through. 

5. Season with salt, pepper and chili powder, to taste (I like a little heat to counter the smoothness and sweetness of the corn and the milk). 

6. Garnish with chopped cilantro or parsley and serve with croutons for a little crunch. 

Quickest veggie "Bolognese" sauce

A few very busy days meant a little less cooking experimentation, so here's one of my "go-to" recipes.

Purists should be warned that this is by no means an accurate vegetarian rendition of a Bolognese ragu, because it is much simplified. It does, however, make for a very delicious and hearty meal.

This recipe uses a store-bought vegetarian "ground beef" product. In the US my favorite is Morningstar's "griller crumbles" and this is what I used for this recipe. However, you can use whatever vegetarian grounds you prefer. 


Please note: most vegetarian meat-style products are not gluten free. The ones I used in this recipe are certainly not. Many of them are also not vegan, so choose carefully. I have now made this recipe with vegan and gluten free TVP, and have reported on the results here.

Also a note about the tomatoes: I prefer using canned crushed tomatoes for this recipe, as they have a stronger tomato flavor than you usually get from fresh tomatoes, at least where I live. Crushed are better than diced or whole, because they have better texture and because often diced/whole canned tomatoes contain preservatives meant to keep their shape. If you have access to really great fresh tomatoes, you can use those - just peel and crush them before adding to the recipe.

Quickest Veggie "Bolognese" Sauce

 

Ingredients (for 2 very large portions, or 3-4 smaller ones): 

* 250 grams (about 0.5 lbs) pasta of your choice

* 1 pack of Morningstar griller crumbles - or any other vegetarian "ground beef" product of your choice (these products will usually list their equivalence to actual ground beef in terms of quantity. You want the equivalent of about 1 lb or 1/2 kilo of beef).

* 1-2 tsp olive oil 

* 2-4 cloves of garlic, minced

* 1 large can of high quality crushed tomatoes (28 oz or 800 grams) (see note on tomatoes in the intro)

* Seasoning: salt, pepper, garlic powder, chili powder, dried oregano. 

* Fresh herbs: 1 handful each of basil and parsley, finely chopped (these are optional.

The recipe will be tasty without them, but they do add a lovely freshness that just takes it up a few notches). 

* Grated cheese (optional) 

Preparation: 

1. Put a large pot of water to boil for the pasta. 

2. In a large saucepan on medium heat, heat the olive oil, and fry the minced garlic until it is just golden. Add the vegetarian grounds and keep cooking until the grounds are defrosted (if they were frozen) and a little browned.

3. Add the crushed tomatoes into the saucepan, stirring well to mix the grounds well into the tomatoes. Flavor with the seasonings, to taste.Lower the flame a little, and allow the sauce to continue cooking, stirring occasionally. 

4. While the sauce is cooking, salt the pasta water and cook the pasta as per the instructions on the box, until al dente. 

5. Strain the pasta and add it into the saucepan with the sauce. Mix well until the pasta is thoroughly coated. Just before serving, sprinkle with the fresh herbs and cheese, and cook while mixing until the cheese melts in. 

Enjoy!

Super-Chocolatey Cookies (GF)

Many years ago I threw a party, for which I prepared a particularly wicked cookbook recipe for chocolate chip cookies. The recipe quickly became known among my friends as the "Death by Chocolate Chip Cookie" recipe, so named because the cookies were massive and each contained enough chocolate to fell a grown man.
The cookies were very well loved, but after a while I stopped making them, because there are only so many occasions for which you can make something as over-the-top extravagant as those cookies.

This recipe is a somewhat toned down version of the original. Don't get me wrong - these cookies are still extremely chocolate-y. They are also still about as far away from "diet food" as possible. However, compared to the truly staggering originals, they are somewhat saner. And they are certainly delicious.

Because they have so little flour in them, I made mine gluten free, but of course they can also be made using regular flour. 

Super Chocolatey Cookies

 Ingredients (for about 15 medium cookies): 

*   115 grams (about 4 ounces) dark chocolate, chopped (or high quality dark chocolate chips)
*  42 grams (about 1.5 ounces) cold butter, cubed
* 1 large egg
* 1/3 cup (75 grams, about 2.5 ounces) white sugar
* 2 tbsp gluten free flour (any neutral flavored kind will do) or regular flour
* 1/4 tsp baking powder
* a pinch of salt
* 200 grams (about 8 ounces) of chocolate chips of your choice (I used dark and white, but you can mix dark, white and milk, or whichever you prefer)

Preparation: 

1. Preheat oven to 180 C/375 F.

2. Line a baking pan with parchment paper.


3. Using a microwave, melt the dark chocolate (the first quantity listed) with the butter, by heating at 30 second increments and then stirring before continuing to heat.


4. Beat the egg and sugar together at high speed until a you get a very light yellow, fluffy mix.


5. Fold the melted chocolate into the egg mix.


6. Add the flour, baking powder and salt, and fold until just mixed.


7. Fold the chocolate chips into the mixture (for a prettier cookie, save 1/4 of the chips for decoration).the mixture will basically look like lots of chocolate chips covered in a rather liquid batter. That's totally fine.

8. With a spoon, make lumps of cookie batter on the lined pan. (If you saved some chocolate for decorating, sprinkle it on top of the cookies).

9. Bake for about 10 minutes. The cookies should be taken out of the oven when the sides are stable and no longer shiny, but the insides are still very moist. The cookies will look like they are not ready yet, but they will harden upon cooling!

10. allow the cookies to cool completely in the pan without touching them (they will fall apart if they are moved from the pan while warm). Keep in an airtight container at room temperature.

Pasta with tomatoes, asparagus and fresh mozzarella

This is just a quick and easy dish that works for lunch or dinner.
For the pasta, I used Trader Joe's lemon-pepper pappardelle, which are delicious, but any other pasta (including, of course, gluten free pasta) will work just as well. If you use non-lemony pasta then giving this dish a good squeeze of lemon juice at the end will make it even better.

Leave off the mozzarella for a version that is both low fat and vegan (but note it will also not have a protein).

Pasta with tomatoes, asparagus and fresh mozzarella

Ingredients (for two generous portions): 

* about 250 grams (8.5ish ounces) of dried pasta (you can also use fresh, of course, but the quantities are up to you). 

* 1-2 tsps olive oil 

* 1 bunch fresh green asparagus (preferably thinner stalks, but whatever you can get)

* 1 large or 2 small-medium tomatoes, preferably ripe and red, diced. 

* 2 cloves of garlic, minced 

* About 1/2 package (4 oz, 100 grams) fresh mozzarella (I prefer the small balls of mozzarella, called ciliegine, but any good fresh mozzarella will do).

* salt and pepper

Preparation: 

1. Boil a large pot of water, salt generously and add the pasta (if you're using really fast cooking pasta, like fresh pasta or angel hair, don't add the pasta until you have the other ingredients ready). 

2. Discard the lower third of each asparagus stalk. Chop the rest into pieces, about 1 inch (2 cms) long. About 3 minutes before the pasta is expected to be ready add the asparagus into the boiling water with the pasta. 

3. In a large non-stick pan, heat the olive oil on a medium flame. Add the garlic to the oil and fry until it is lightly golden. Add the tomatoes and then salt and pepper them (seasoning the tomatoes makes them give up their juices more easily, which adds more sauciness without adding unnecessary oil).Stir occasionally while you wait for the pasta to cook.

4. When the pasta is cooked al-dente (the asparagus should also be softer now, but still a bit crunchy) and before you drain it take about two tablespoons of the pasta cooking water and add them to the sauce. Then drain the pasta and asparagus and add them into the pan with the tomatoes. Stir well so that the asparagus and tomatoes are interspersed throughout the pasta.

5. Plate the pasta. Tear the mozzarella into bite-size pieces and add them to the pasta. The cheese will only slightly melt from the heat of the pasta, leaving it's delicious fresh taste.

Enjoy!

Rice noodles with tofu, scallions and snow peas (GF)

We started out wanting to make Pad Thai, but found that we were missing some crucial ingredients.
We substituted those ingredients with others and came up with a dish of noodles that bears little resemblance to Pad Thai, but is delicious all the same.

A word about soy sauce: I've discovered that I strongly prefer GF tamari to regular soy sauce (this is probably also true for regular tamari, I just haven't tried). Tamari has a milder, more gentle flavor than soy sauce, which can sometimes be overpowering. This recipe uses a lot of the sauce, because I also used it as an alternative to fish sauce in the original recipe.

And a word about the tofu: in this recipe, the tofu is fried before adding to the noodles, in order to give it a better texture and keep it from being bland. However, to avoid the frying, try marinading it in some strong flavors instead.

Noodles with Tofu, Scallions and Snow Peas

 Ingredients (for two decent portions, or one  very hungry diner): 

*  1/4 pound (120 grams) wide rice noodles 
*  7 oz (200 grams) extra firm tofu, cut into strips
*  canola oil for frying
*  2 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped
*  about 1/4 vegetable broth or water
*  4 scallions (green onions), chopped
*  1 egg, lightly beaten  (can be made without the egg to make it vegan)
*  handful of fresh snow peas, sliced into strips
*  1/4 cup of roasted peanuts, roughly chopped
*  1/2 lime or lemon

For the sauce: 
* 5 tbsp GF tamari sauce (or regular tamari or regular soy sauce)
* 2 tbsp sugar
* 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes

Preparation:

1. soften/cook the noodles following the instructions on the box. Drain, rinse and set aside.

2. In a small bowl, mix together the sauce ingredients. 

3. In a non-stick wok, heat about an inch (2 cms) of canola oil to medium high heat, and  fry the tofu strips until they are golden. With a slotted spoon, remove the tofu strips to a plate covered in kitchen towel, to drain. Carefully pour out most of the oil, leaving only about 1 tbsp in the wok.

4. Place the wok on medium heat and add in the garlic. When the garlic is lightly golden, add the tofu and toss together. (I find the best way to work with stir frying is with a combination of a wooden spoon and heat proof kitchen tongs, but whatever works for you).

5. Add the softened noodles into the wok and toss. Pour the sauce over the noodles (make sure you get the sugar, that tends to stick to the bottom of the bowl) and stir well. Then pour a little bit of the vegetable broth (or water) over the noodles, to keep them from sticking and creating some more sauce. Stir well.

6. Push the noodles to one side of the wok, creating some space. In that space, add a little bit more oil (just a tsp or two will do). Pour the egg into the newly created wok space, and when it starts to set, scramble it. Mix the scrambled egg into the noodles.

7. Once again push the noodles to one side. In the space created, add the snow peas and the scallions and cook until they are just lightly cooked. Mix them into the noodles and keep cooking, while stirring, for a little longer, just until the snow peas are a little soft (but still crunchy).

8. Squeeze the lemon (or lime) over the noodles and stir well.

9. Plate the noodles and garnish with the chopped peanuts.

Enjoy!

Red lentil and rice croquettes

I recently got my hands on this great new Israeli vegetarian cookbook: Al Haschulchan's Vegetarian Kitchen (it's in Hebrew, sorry readers). A lot of veggie cookbooks are a bit repetitive, offering the same tired pasta and risotto dishes, or relaying too heavily on tofu. This book is great, because it balances recipes that use tofu or meat replacements like TVP and meatless ground beef, with recipes that just use great, tasty vegetarian ingredients to make a delicious and balanced dish.

These croquettes (or patties, or whatever you want to call them) are a perfect example of the latter. The combination of rice and lentils means that they are an entire meal in and of themselves. The original recipe calls for grated carrots and zucchini rather than the yam, but I had neither at home, so yam it was. And two small tips about this one: first, apparently the croquettes can be baked until crispy (in a 200 C/400 F oven) instead of fried; also, these are surprisingly delicious cold out of the fridge, so you can make them for dinner one night, and eat the leftovers for lunch the next day!

Now, on to the recipe (ok, the picture isn't great. I'm still working on figuring out how to photograph food well. But I promise they are delicious, and that I will try to improve):

Red Lentil and Rice Croquettes

 

Ingredients (for about 20 croquettes):
* 1/2 cup  uncooked white rice (or about 1.5 cups of cooked rice. If you have leftover rice, that's perfect).
* 1/2 cup  uncooked red lentils
* 1 small onion, finely diced
* 1 tbsp olive oil
* 1 smallish yam, grated (or, if you want to follow the original: 1 grated carrot and 1 grated courgette or zucchini, the latter drained).
* I added: a handful each of fresh parsley and fresh mint, very finely chopped. 
* 3 eggs
* 2 tbsp breadcrumbs (I used Aleia's Italian gluten free breadcrumbs, because that's what I had. Obviously regular breadcrumbs will also do just fine if you don't need the recipe to be GF).
*  Salt and pepper to taste (I also added some chili powder)
* 3 tbsp canola, for frying.


Preparation: 
1. Cook the rice and the lentils in two separate pots for about 15 minutes. Drain.

2. Fry the onion in the olive oil until it is browned.

3. In a bowl, combine the rice, lentils and fried onion with the yam (or vegetables), eggs, breadcrumbs, herbs and seasoning and mix or knead together.

4. Heat the canola oil in a large non-stick pan, make patties in your preferred size, and fry the patties about 2-3 minutes on each side until they are browned and crispy. When they are ready, place them on a plate lined with kitchen towel. Serve immediately or reheat in a heated oven (or, as I said, eat cold).

Enjoy!

What this is all about...

Take a (somewhat picky) vegetarian foodie with a penchant for collecting cookbooks and a mild addiction to to the Food Network. Add a spouse who is a meat eater and not a fan of the cooked vegetable (although also not one of those hardened carnivore who won't look at a plate if it doesn't have steak on it). Then, just to make things interesting, diagnose said spouse with celiac disease (an intolerance to gluten).

What do you get?  Well, a bit of a cooking challenge.

But then, what foodie doesn't love a good challenge?

For a couple of years I was just figuring out how to cook in this new situation, but I've recently gotten back to trying new recipes and rediscovering my cookbook collection in depth. Now, after being inspired by recipes shared by Danny and Becca on their blog, I've decided to try my own hand at it.

The main point of this blog will be to share recipes that I've tried and enjoyed. Usually these will be recipes from cookbooks or websites (with full credit given, of course), but often with my own comments, corrections or suggestions. As I test out my cookbooks more thoroughly, I might even post some reviews of my faves. Stick around.

* Although our household is not veggie (see above re: spouse), all of the recipes on this blog are vegetarian. Some recipes might also be vegan, in which case I'll try to tag them appropriately.

* Because most of our house is now GF, many of the recipes will also be gluten free, in which case I will clearly mark them as such. There will also be some recipes that can easily be made GF by making a few substitutions. Where possible, I will try to suggest appropriate ones.