Bread, Cakes, Seafood

Bay Scallop Gratin and Buttermilk Birthday Cake with Chocolate Sour Cream Frosting

There has been no shortage of “staying in is the new going out” headlines since the recession hit last year, usually applied to statistics about fewer people going to pubs, a rise in subscriptions to online DVD rental services or a surge in sales of board games. Not surprisingly, restaurants have been particularly badly hit, with a number of high-profile cases in Ireland. But we haven’t really enjoyed going out to eat for a number of years now. Eating out in Ireland is notoriously expensive, and there’s nothing I hate more than a mediocre meal that costs nearly as much as a week’s worth of groceries and that I could make just as well or better myself. So when Matt asked me if I wanted to go out to dinner for my birthday yesterday, I said I’d rather splash out on some good-quality ingredients and make a nice dinner at home instead. And even though he kept offering to get me my favorite cake from a local patisserie or make me a birthday cake if I just gave him the recipe I wanted, I happily insisted on making it myself, since I’ve been looking forward to trying this buttermilk cake recipe since Deb at Smitten Kitchen posted it in July. I’ll definitely make it again as my go-to recipe now for a yellow cake or easy chocolate frosting, but I have to admit that it didn’t unseat Beatty’s chocolate cake as my favorite. Still, it’s good to try new things (especially cakes).

It’s National Organic Week in Ireland! Click here for a listing of events throughout the country.

Bay Scallop Gratin
adapted from Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics by Ina Garten

Serves 6

6 tablespoons (90 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
6 large garlic cloves, minced
2 medium shallots, minced
2 oz (60 g) Parma ham or pancetta, minced
4 tablespoons minced fresh parsley, plus extra for garnish
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons Pernod
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
6 tablespoons good olive oil
1/2 cup panko or breadcrumbs (if making your own fresh breadcrumbs, remove the crusts)
6 tablespoons dry white wine
2 lb (900 g) fresh bay scallops (or 6 scallops per person)
lemon, for garnish

Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Place six 6‑inch round gratin dishes on a sheet pan.

To make the topping, place the butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (you can also use a hand mixer). With the mixer on low speed, add the garlic, shallot, Parma ham or pancetta, parsley, lemon juice, Pernod, salt, and pepper and mix until combined. With the mixer still on low, add the olive oil slowly as though making mayonnaise, until combined. Fold the panko or breadcrumbs in with a rubber spatula and set aside.

Preheat the broiler, if it’s separate from your oven.

Place 1 tablespoon of the wine in the bottom of each gratin dish. With a small sharp knife, remove the white muscle and membrane from the side of each scallop and discard. Pat the scallops dry with paper towels and distribute them among the 3 dishes. Spoon the garlic butter evenly over the top of the scallops. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the topping is golden and sizzling and the scallops are barely done. If you want the top crustier, place the dishes under the broiler for 2 minutes, until browned. Finish with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and a sprinkling of chopped parsley and serve immediately with plain crusty French bread to soak up all the amazing juices.

***

slice of buttermilk birthday cake

Buttermilk Birthday Cake with Chocolate Sour Cream Frosting
adapted from Smitten Kitchen (you can watch a video of Deb from Smitten Kitchen talking about this cake and a video of the frosting being made at GoodBite.com)

Makes two 9‑inch-round, 2‑inch-tall cake layers

4 cups (480 g) plus 2 tablespoons cake flour or, failing that, plain flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (225 g) unsalted butter, softened
2 cups (400 g) sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
4 large eggs, at room temperature
2 cups (480 ml) buttermilk, well-shaken

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Butter two 9‑inch-round cake pans and line with circles of parchment paper. (Alternately, you can use a cooking spray, either with just butter or butter and flour to speed this process up.)

Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Cream the butter and sugar together in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until pale and fluffy, then beat in the vanilla. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well and scraping down the bowl after each addition. At low speed, beat in the buttermilk until just combined (the mixture will look curdled, but don’t worry). Add the flour mixture in three batches, mixing until each addition is just incorporated (don’t overmix).

Spread the batter evenly in the two cake pans, then rap the pans on the counter several times to eliminate air bubbles. Bake until golden and a wooden pick inserted in center of cake comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes, then run a knife around the edge of the pan. Invert onto the rack and discard the parchment, then cool completely, about 1 hour.

Chocolate Sour Cream Frosting

Makes 5 cups of frosting, or enough to frost and fill a two-layer 9‑inch cake

15 oz (425 g) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 1/4 teaspoons instant espresso (optional)
2 1/4 cups (540 ml) sour cream, at room temperature (this is important!)
1/4 to 1/2 cup (60 to 120 ml) light corn syrup (or golden syrup)
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Combine the chocolate and espresso powder, if using, in the top of a double-boiler or in a heatproof bowl over simmering water. Stir until the chocolate is melted. (Alternately, you can melt the chocolate in a microwave for 30 seconds, stirring well, and then heating in 15 second increments, stirring between each, until the chocolate is melted.) Remove from the heat and let the chocolate cool until tepid.

Whisk together the sour cream, 1/4 cup (60 ml) of the corn syrup (or golden syrup) and vanilla extract until combined. Slwoly add the tepid chocolate and stir quickly until the mixture is uniform. Taste for sweetness, and if needed, add additional corn syrup (or golden syrup) in one-tablespoon increments until the desired level of sweetness is achieved.

Let the frosting cool in the refrigerator until it’s a spreadable consistency, about 30 minutes. Should the frosting become too thick or stiff, just leave it out until it softens again.

Beans, Bread, Soups and stews, Vegetarian main dishes

Black Bean, Eggplant and Leek Chili with Lime Sour Cream and Honey Buttermilk Cornbread

The first cookbook I remember buying was 1,000 Vegetarian Recipes. I was in college, living in a co-op at the time, and needed something to help me cook a vegetarian dinner once a week for 40 people. I probably thought the book was a bargain — with that many recipes, there would surely be loads of veggie crowd pleasers, right? Well, let’s just say it’s no longer in my cookbook collection. The New Vegetarian Epicure was the second cookbook I bought, and has been much better loved. This is the book that taught me how to cook my first proper recipes (quinoa salads and tempeh don’t really count) and I still turn to some of them as my go-to recipes, like this one for honey buttermilk cornbread. What’s your first favorite cookbook?

black bean, eggplant and leek chili with lime sour cream

It’s National Organic Week in Ireland. Click here for a listing of events throughout the country.

Black Bean, Eggplant and Leek Chili with Lime Sour Cream
adapted from Paradiso Seasons by Denis Cotter

Serves 4

for the chili:
7 oz (200 g) dried black beans (or 1 x 14-oz (400‑g) can of black beans)
olive oil
2 onions, finely chopped
1 large leek, chopped into chunks and washed well
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
2 x 14-oz (400‑g) cans of chopped tomatoes
1 tablespoon tomato paste
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 medium eggplants
1 bunch fresh cilantro (optional)
rice, to serve (optional)

for the lime sour cream:
zest and juice of 1 lime
1 cup (240 ml) sour cream or crème fraîche

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).

To make the chili, soak the beans for 2 hours or overnight in cold water, then cook them in plenty of boiling water until tender (about 1 hour). Or you can skip this if you use canned beans.

Heat a little olive oil in a large pan and cook the onions and leeks for about 10 minutes, until soft. Add the garlic and spices and cook for 2 minutes before adding the tomatoes and the tomato paste. Bring the sauce to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Season to taste and check the spice levels —  the sauce needs to be very strongly spiced at this point, as the beans and vegetables will dilute its power.

While the sauce is cooking, chop the eggplant into large chunks, toss them in olive oil and roast them until browned and softened, about 30 minutes. Turn and toss the eggplant twice while they’re cooking.

Meanwhile, to make the lime sour cream, simply stir the lime zest and juice into the sour cream or crème fraîche.

Add the roasted eggplant and cooked beans to the sauce and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in the fresh cilantro (if using) and check the seasoning and spicing again before serving on top of some plain boiled rice and with a dollop of the lime sour cream on top.

***

Honey Buttermilk Cornbread
from The New Vegetarian Epicure by Anna Thomas

Serves 8

1 cup (120 g) white flour
1 1/2 cups (340 g) cornmeal
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
1 1/3 cups (320 ml) buttermilk
3 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons (30 g) butter, melted

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).

Sift together the flour, cornmeal, soda, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, honey and melted butter. Combine the wet and dry ingredients, stirring gently just until the lumps are gone (don’t overmix). Pour the batter into a buttered 12 x 15-inch baking dish and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a tester inserted in the center of the cornbread comes out clean. Cut into squares and serve hot or warm.

French food, Potatoes, Seafood

Salmon Provencal and Roast Herbed Potatoes with Balsamic Vinegar

I’ve been enjoying every minute of our Indian summer. On Tuesday, we spent the entire afternoon at the beach with some of my daughter’s new school friends, the first time we were able to play at the beach like that all summer. It was the kind of day I’ve been imagining having every summer since my daughter was one year old, but which I’ve never really been able to have because of the constant wet weather every summer since then — packing a big bag of toys and blankets and a picnic lunch, drinking tea and coffee with the other parents while the kids made a huge sand mountain, complete with a moat and driftwood for a bridge, and my baby playing happily in the sand at my feet. But as wonderful as it’s been to have an entire straight week of dry, sunny days (and with more still forecast!), the warmth has gone out of the air, I’ve started to turn on the heat in the mornings to take the chill off, and I know my summery meals — and the summer itself, such as it was — are finally coming to an end.

salmon provencal

It’s National Organic Week in Ireland! Click here for a listing of events throughout the country.

Salmon Provencal
adapted from Simply Recipes and Wolfgang Puck

Serves 4

4 ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped fine
3 shallots, minced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar or sherry vinegar
zest and juice of 1/2 lemon
salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 x 6‑oz (170‑g) salmon fillets
1 cup (240 ml) vegetable stock
2 carrots, julienned
1 leek, white part only, julienned
2 stalks celery, julienned

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).

In a large bowl, combine the chopped tomatoes, shallots and fresh herbs. In another bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar and lemon zest and juice (or shake to combine in a screw-top jar). Add to the tomato mixture and toss to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Arrange the salmon fillets on an oiled baking sheet without crowding. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake until the salmon is barely cooked through and lightly browned on the edges, about 10 to 12 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring the vegetable stock to boil in a large saucepan. Add the julienned carrots, leek and celery and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until tender but still crisp. Drain and set aside.

To serve, divide the julienned vegetables among 4 plates. Arrange the salmon fillets in the center of the vegetables and top each fillet with a couple tablespoons of the tomato mixture. Serve immediately.

***

Roast Herbed Potatoes with Balsamic Vinegar
adapted from Avoca Café Cookbook

Serves 6

1/4 cup (60 ml) olive oil
2 lb (900 g) new potatoes, halved (skin left on)
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 head garlic, split into cloves but left unpeeled
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme
balsamic vinegar or good-quality red wine vinegar

Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).

Pour the olive oil into an ovenproof dish (one big enough to hold all the potatoes without overcrowding them) and put it into the oven to heat the oil. (Just don’t leave it in too long, or the oil will start to smoke. Five to 10 minutes is enough.)

Bring a pot of water to boil. Drop in the halved potatoes and parboil for 5 minutes only. Drain.

Remove the dish from the oven. Carefully add the potatoes to the hot oil, turning them to make sure they’re all coated in the oil. Season well with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Put into the oven to roast for 10 minutes. Add the garlic and half the herbs and continue to roast for a further 10 to 15 minutes, until the potatoes and garlic are tender. Remove from the oven. Allow to cool slightly, then sprinkle with the vinegar and remaining herbs. Check the seasoning and serve.

30-minute meals, Poultry, Salads

Grilled Lemon Chicken with Summer Corn Salad and Green Beans

Where I grew up in northern Illinois, there was a fabulous farm stand nearby at a busy intersection. My memory of it is that it always seemed to be on the verge of falling to pieces and I was always surprised when it reopened, having somehow made it through another punishing Midwestern winter. I remember getting huge watermelons there, and gallon jugs of apple cider in the autumn, but mostly my family bought all our sweet corn there in the summer. No barbecue or big family get-together was complete without someone getting sent outside to shuck all the ears of corn, piling the husks and corn silk into paper grocery bags at your feet.

Corn on the cob doesn’t feature much in Ireland. It’s actually kind of hard to find, and if you do, it tends to come in pairs, wrapped in cling film on a Styrofoam tray like you often see with exotic fruit. So when my organic fruit and veg supplier* started carrying it a few weeks ago, I bought some purely out of nostalgia, just so I could shuck a couple ears of it again. I guess you can take the girl out of the Midwest, but you can’t take the Midwest out of the girl.

*Don’t forget, it’s National Organic Week in Ireland. Click here for a listing of events throughout the country.

Grilled Lemon Chicken
adapted from The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook by Ina Garten

Serves 4

1/2 cup (120 ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 or 3 large lemons)
1/2 cup (120 ml) good-quality olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme leaves (or 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme)
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper, and thyme. Pour over the chicken breasts in a nonreactive bowl. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 6 hours or overnight.

Heat a charcoal grill or griddle pan. Remove the chicken from the marinade, shaking off any excess. Grill the chicken breasts for 10 minutes on each side, until just cooked through. Cool slightly and cut diagonally in 1/2‑inch-thick slices.

***

Summer Corn Salad
adapted from Allrecipes.com

Serves 4

6 ears corn, husked and cleaned
1/2 red onion, diced
3 large tomatoes, diced
2 oz (60 g) feta, crumbled (optional)
1/4 cup (10 g) chopped fresh basil (or parsley)
1/4 cup (60 ml) olive oil
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook the corn in boiling water for 7 to 10 minutes, or until desired tenderness. Drain, cool, and cut the kernels off the cob with a sharp knife.

Deflame the onion by placing the chopped pieces into a strainer, rinsing under cold water, and shaking off the excess.

In a large bowl, toss together the corn, onion, tomatoes, feta, basil, oil and vinegar. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Chill until ready to serve. 

30-minute meals, Pasta and noodles, Seafood

Pasta Shells with Lemon, Tuna and Artichokes

I had originally planned on making an autumn fish stew today, but with the sun splitting the stones, as they say here, for the past week, all thoughts of such wintry food went out the window. There will be plenty of time for that later. Considering that it rained almost every day of July and August, I’m going to enjoy every minute of this Indian summer for as long as it lasts, which means spending as much time playing outside with my poor pale kids as I can, instead of standing in front of the stove in the kitchen.

For anyone looking for something quick and easy to throw together after a long day at work or still easing their way into back-to-school routines, this is a no-cook dinner made up of kitchen cupboard staples that comes together in the time it takes to boil the pasta. It’s also the perfect recipe for hot days when you don’t want to turn on the oven or heat up the kitchen — or when you’re trying to hold onto the last few days of summer before making stews.

pasta shells with lemon, tuna and artichokes

Don’t forget, it’s National Organic Week in Ireland! Click here for a listing of events throughout the country.

Pasta Shells with Lemon, Tuna and Artichokes
adapted from Epicurious, August 1999

Serves 4

Looking around at other versions of this recipe, sun-dried tomatoes also seem to be a common addition.

1 lb (450 g) medium pasta shells (or other short pasta shape such as farfalle)
2 x 6‑oz (170‑g) cans tuna in olive oil, any bigger pieces broken into bite-sized chunks
1 x 6‑oz (170‑g) jar artichoke hearts, roughly chopped; reserve the oil they come in
6 green onions, finely chopped
1/2 cup pitted and chopped Kalamata olives
1/4 cup (60 ml) capers, drained
1/4 cup (60 ml) dry white wine (optional)
zest and juice of 1 lemon
1/2 cup (15 g) chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
freshly grated Parmesan cheese, to serve

Bring a large pot of water to boil and cook the pasta according to the package instructions, until al dente. Meanwhile, mix all the other ingredients except the Parmesan in a large bowl. Add the oil that the artichoke hearts (and/or the tuna) came in to the bowl as well. (Or if you prefer, drain the tuna and artichokes and add 1/2 cup (120 ml) extra virgin olive oil instead.)

Drain the pasta, then add to the bowl and toss with the tuna mixture. Season to taste. Divide into 4 pasta bowls or plates. Grate Parmesan cheese over each bowl and serve.

Cakes, Salads, Soups and stews, Vegetarian main dishes

Cream of Fresh Tomato Soup with Parmesan Toasts, Cape Cod Chopped Salad, and Honey Whole Wheat Pound Cake

It never fails — no sooner do I accept that summer is over and order a delivery of oil for the boiler, get the sweaters out of storage and think about swapping the summer-weight duvets for the winter ones than a spell of sunny, warm weather comes our way. I’m certainly not complaining about getting a break from the relentless rain we’ve had in Ireland for the third summer in a row, but it’s thrown me for a loop in planning out dinners for the week. I had already turned my thoughts to autumn casseroles and stews and Sunday roasts, but now I’m scrambling to make a few last salads and lighter meals while the good weather holds, or even clean off the grill to have one token barbecue this year.

This menu is the best of both worlds, perfect for this in-between time of year. If you’ve already had your fill of fresh tomato salads or pasta sauces and have canned enough to last you through the winter, this soup makes good use of the abundance of fresh tomatoes that are still available at this time of year. Keep it light but still seasonal by serving it with this salad, with its nod towards autumn in the apples and maple syrup. The honey whole wheat pound cake works perfectly to round off this late summer/early autumn dinner, especially if you dress it up with something like a cinnamon or maple ice cream.

It’s National Organic Week in Ireland! Click here for a listing of events throughout the country.

Cream of Fresh Tomato Soup with Parmesan Toasts
adapted from Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics by Ina Garten

Serves 5 to 6

3 tablespoons good olive oil
2 red onions, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 lb (1.8 kg) vine-ripened tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/4 cup (10 g) packed chopped fresh basil leaves
3 cups (720 ml) chicken or vegetable stock
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup (120 ml) heavy cream
julienned fresh basil leaves, for garnish
Parmesan toasts, to serve (or croutons)

Heat the olive oil heat in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over a medium-low heat. Add the onions and carrots and sauté for about 10 minutes, until very tender. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, sugar, tomato paste, basil, stock, salt, and pepper and stir well. Bring the soup to a boil, lower the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 30 to 40 minutes, until the tomatoes are very tender.

Add the cream to the soup and blend with a hand-held blender until smooth (or transfer to a blender or food processor and blend in batches). Reheat the soup over a low heat just until hot. Serve with julienned basil leaves scattered on top and Parmesan toasts or croutons.

Parmesan Toasts

1 French baguette
good olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper
freshly grated Parmesan cheese (grated on a box grater)

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).

Slice the baguette diagonally into 1/4‑inch-thick slices. Make as many slices as you like to serve with the soup.

Place the slices on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Sprinkle a thick layer of grated Parmesan on the toasts and bake for 5 to 10 minutes, until the toasts are lightly browned. Allow to cool to room temperature. The toasts can be made a few hours in advance and crisped for a few minutes in a warm oven.

***

Cape Cod Chopped Salad
adapted from Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics by Ina Garten

Serves 4 as a starter or 2 as a main course with soup

for the salad:
8 oz (225 g) thick-cut bacon
8 oz (225 g) baby arugula (or spinach)
1 large Granny Smith apple, peeled and diced
1/2 cup (50 g) toasted walnut halves, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup (80 g) dried cranberries (or raisins)
6 oz (170 g) blue cheese, such as Roquefort, crumbled

for the dressing:
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
2 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2/3 cup (160 ml) good-quality olive oil

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).

Place a baking rack on a sheet pan and lay the bacon slices on the rack. Roast the bacon for about 20 minutes, until nicely browned. Allow to cool, then chop into bite-sized pieces.

In a large bowl, toss together the arugula, apple, walnuts, cranberries, and blue cheese. Add the chopped bacon to the salad.

For the dressing, whisk together the vinegar, orange zest and juice, mustard, maple syrup, salt and pepper in a bowl or shake to combine in a screw-top jar. Slowly whisk in the olive oil (or shake to combine in a screw-top jar).

Toss the salad with just enough dressing to moisten. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and toss well. Serve immediately.

***

honey whole wheat pound cake

Honey Whole Wheat Pound Cake
adapted from Joy the Baker

Makes 1 loaf cake

The original recipe calls for 2 1/4 cups white whole wheat flour or whole wheat pastry flour. I can’t get either of those in my supermarket, so I used a combination of white and wholemeal flours instead. I had also just been looking at the Barefoot Contessa’s recipe for honey vanilla pound cake, which is similar to this but with lemon zest too, so I added it in here and it worked well.

1 cup (120 g) white flour
1 1/4 cup (200 g) wholemeal flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 sticks (170 g) butter, softened
1 cup (200 g) sugar
1/2 cup (120 ml) honey
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
zest of 1 lemon
3 large eggs
1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk (shake it well first)

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Butter and flour a 9 x 5‑inch loaf pan.

Sift the flours, baking powder and salt together in a small bowl and set aside.

Cream the butter, sugar and honey together until light and fluffy, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the vanilla extract and lemon zest. Add the eggs one at a time, beating for about 1 minute after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Add the dry mixture and buttermilk in three additions, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Scrape the bottom of the bowl with a spatula to make sure everything is evenly incorporated.

Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Smooth the top and bake the cake for 50 to 60 minutes, until the cake is a lovely golden brown and a tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

Let the cake cool in the pan for 20 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Entertaining, Indian food, Miscellaneous, Poultry, Salads

Chicken Tikka Masala, Pan-roasted Curried Cauliflower and Peas, Cucumber Raita, and Apricot Chutney

If you’ve ever been invited to dinner at my house, chances are this is what I served you. The dishes always turn out well. Even people who think they don’t like Indian food like this meal. The tikka masala is an adaptation from a Chicago Tribune recipe. It’s probably not even an ounce authentic, but I still love it. The accompaniments, raita and chutney, are traditionally served with Indian meals. I’d say the chutney is optional. My husband loves chutney but I’m not a fan. But don’t skip the raita, it really makes the meal come together.

Chicken Tikka Masala

If you like this menu, you might also like to try tandoori chicken with Bombay potatoes.

Chicken Tikka Masala
adapted from Chicago Tribune

Serves 4

for the marinade:
1 cup (240 ml) plain yogurt
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1 x 1‑inch piece ginger root, minced or grated
1 1/2 lb (680 g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1‑inch cubes

for the sauce:
2 tablespoons (30 g) unsalted butter
3 to 4 cloves garlic, minced
2 jalapeños, minced
3 teaspoons ground coriander
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons garam masala
1/2 teaspoon salt
12 oz (340 g) tomato sauce
1 1/2 cups (350 ml) half and half (or whipping cream)
1/2 oz (15 g) chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

For the marinade, combine all the marinade ingredients (except chicken) in a medium bowl or food-safe plastic bag. Stir in the chicken and cover. Marinate in the refrigerator for 1 to 3 hours. Meanwhile, soak bamboo skewers in enough water to cover them for 30 minutes (unless using metal skewers).

For the sauce, melt the butter in a large, deep skillet over a medium heat. Add the garlic and jalapeño and cook for 1 minute. Stir in all the sauce spices and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until fragrant. Stir in the tomato sauce (I usually use about 12 oz (340 g) of the 14 oz (400 g) can). Simmer for 15 minutes. Stir in the half and half (or cream) until the sauce has the desired color/consistency (sometimes I use up to 2 cups (480 ml), depending on how much tomato sauce I used). Simmer for 5 minutes, until the sauce thickens. Add in the chopped cilantro, if using.

Meanwhile, heat the grill (or broiler). Remove the chicken from the refrigerator. Thread the chicken onto skewers and discard the marinade. Grill or broil the chicken, turning at least 2 times, until cooked through, about 8 to 12 minutes. Remove the chicken from the skewers and add to the sauce. Simmer for 5 minutes. Serve with basmati rice  or naan bread.

***

Cauliflower with Raita

To cook this side dish, I like to use a thinner wok with a cover instead of a kadhi, which is traditionally used. The cauliflower will cook without liquid for a long time — you’ll want to use a lidded pan thick enough not to scorch the cauliflower but thin enough to allow it to “roast.”

Pan-roasted Curried Cauliflower and Peas

Serves 4

3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 or 2 green chiles, such as jalapeño or serrano, minced
1 head cauliflower, cut into florets (white or purple, as shown above)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
1 cup (110 g) peas (defrosted if frozen or blanched if fresh)
1/2 oz (15 g) cilantro, chopped (optional)

Heat the oil in a large, lidded skillet, wok, or kadhai. Add the mustard seeds. Once the mustard seeds start crackling, add the chiles. After 1 minute, add the cauliflower florets and salt. Lower the flame and cover with a lid. Cook for 25 to 40 minutes, stirring frequently, until the cauliflower is caramelized in spots and almost cooked through.

Stir in the spices and peas. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes over a medium-high heat until the peas and cauliflower are cooked. Stir in the cilantro if using and serve.

***

Cucumber Raita

Serves 4

1 1/2 cups (360 ml) plain yogurt
1/4 cup (60 ml) milk
1/2 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced small
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Beat together the yogurt and milk with a whisk until very smooth. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Sprinkle with cayenne or garam masala and chill. Serve this as a side dish to any spicy Indian dish.

***

Apricot Chutney
adapted from Indianfoodforever.com

Makes about 2 cups (480 ml)

1 lb (450 g) apricots
2 cups (480 ml) water
8 long strips of ginger
1 clove garlic, chopped
4 teaspoons raisins
1 cup (240 ml) apple cider vinegar
9 oz (250 g) sugar
2 teaspoons salt
2 big cardamom seeds, crushed
1/2 level teaspoon red chili pepper

Cook the apricots in boiling water till soft, then peel and mash them. Strain the pulp and wash the apricot stones with 1 cup (240 ml) of water. Reserve this water.

Cook the apricot pulp, ginger, garlic, 1 cup (240 ml) of fresh water plus the water from the washed stones, and raisins until all the water is absorbed. Add the vinegar, sugar, salt, cardamom seeds and chili and cook until the mixture is thick and golden brown (2 to 3 hours). All to cool, then transfer to a clean jar. This can be kept in the refrigerator for 1 year.

Pasta and noodles, Vegetarian main dishes

Ginger-glazed Kebabs of Sweet Potato, Tofu and Shallots with Coconut Satay, Grilled Wraps with Artichoke Paste, Spinach and Cheese, and Pasta Salad with Mozzarella, Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Olives

My good friends from Washington, D.C., Dave and Mary Clare, surprised us with a visit this week. Actually, they gave us plenty of notice about the visit but we usually only get to see them around Thanksgiving, so in that way it was a surprise. In honor of the visit, my husband and I put together a little barbecue party. Reuben (the husband) skillfully smoked several pounds of chuck roast and made a delicious coleslaw to accompany it, in true North Carolina style, as well as some fabulous baked beans. I’d love to post his recipes, but he never writes down what he’s throwing together.

Since Dave and Mary Clare are vegetarian, I wanted to grill something that they could eat. Kristin was sweet enough to go through her cookbooks and type up a couple recipes that sounded good to me. Both of the Paradiso Seasons recipes turned out well, though the kebabs are fairly labor intensive (and half stuck to my grill). Mary Clare suggested putting a splash of vinegar to the spinach in the wraps, which sounds like a perfect addition.

Ginger-glazed Kebabs of Sweet Potato, Tofu and Shallots with Coconut Satay
from Paradiso Seasons by Denis Cotter

Makes about 12 kebabs

for the kebabs:
3 x 7‑oz (200‑g) packs of tofu
7 fl oz (200 ml) soy sauce
1 teaspoon tomato paste
3 1/2 fl oz (100 ml) water
3 tablespoons fresh ginger, grated
1 1/4 lb (570 g) sweet potatoes
30 shallots, peeled
7 fl oz (200 ml) olive oil
1 tablespoon honey
zest and juice of 1 lime
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

for the satay:
juice of 1 lemon
4 oz (110 g) fresh or canned pineapple
2 teaspoons grated ginger
2 cloves garlic
2 bird’s eye chillies (Note: I used 1 jalapeno)
1 tablespoon soy sauce
5 oz (140 g) peanut butter
14 fl oz (400 ml) coconut milk

To make the kebabs, cut the tofu into cubes about 1 inch thick and put them in a shallow dish. Whisk together the soy sauce, tomato paste, water and half the grated ginger. Pour this over the tofu to marinate for at least 1 hour, preferably 3 to 4.

Peel the sweet potatoes and cut them into chunks about the same size as the tofu. Bring a pot of water to boil and cook the sweet potatoes for 5 minutes, until almost done. Remove the potato chunks to a shallow dish and cook the shallots in the water for just 2 minutes, then add them to the sweet potatoes.

Warm the olive oil gently in a small pan and whisk in the honey, lime, remaining ginger and the sesame oil, until the honey is melted, then pour this marinade over the sweet potatoes and shallots. Leave for 30 minutes.

Put a shallot on a skewer, followed by a chunk of sweet potato, then a piece of tofu, another shallot, tofu, sweet potato, and finally, a shallot. Repeat to get about 12 kebabs.

Brush some of the honey marinade onto the kebabs and cook them on a well-greased barbecue, griddle pan or under a very hot grill in the oven. Make sure the barbecue/griddle is well greased or they will stick terribly. Turn the kebabs to cook them evenly and brush a little more marinade over them if they seem dry.

To make the coconut satay, blend the lemon, pineapple, ginger, garlic, chillies and soy sauce in a food processor. Pour the puree into a pan, bring it to a boil and simmer for 2 minutes. Add the peanut butter and whisk slowly while it comes back to a boil. Cook for a few seconds only before pouring in the coconut milk, then bring it back to a boil and simmer for 1 minute more. If you want the sauce to be thicker, simmer for longer, stirring frequently.

***

Grilled Wraps with Artichoke Paste, Spinach and Cheese
from Paradiso Seasons by Denis Cotter

Makes 8 wraps

1 x 14-oz (400‑g) can of artichokes
2 cloves garlic
olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper
14 oz (400 g) spinach
1 red onion, halved and sliced thinly
7 oz (200 g) Gruyère or Gouda cheese
8 flour tortillas or wraps

Drain the artichokes and rinse them under cold running water. Put them in a food processor with the garlic and blend in brief spurts to get a coarse puree. Add a few tablespoons of olive oil and blend again for a few seconds. You should have a thick, slightly chunky mash. Season with salt and pepper.

Bring a large pot of water to boil, drop in the spinach and cook just for 30 seconds, then lift it out and plunge into a bowl of very cold water. Squeeze all the water from the spinach and chop it coarsely. Mix the red onion through the spinach. Slice the cheese thinly with a vegetable peeler or large grater.

Place a wrap on a work surface and spread a generous layer of artichoke paste on it, covering most of the wrap but leaving about 1 inch at the near and far ends. Place a layer of spinach about one-third of the way up and cover it with a layer of cheese shavings. Fold the near end of the wrap over the filling and roll it up quite tightly. Repeat with the rest of the wraps and filling.

Brush a little oil on the sandwiches and grill them on a barbecue or griddle pan for a few minutes, turning at least once, until lightly colored and warmed through.

***

Pasta Salad with Mozzarella, Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Olives
adapted from Bon Appétit, August 2000

Serves 8

This can be made 6 hours ahead. Cover and chill, then bring to room temperature before serving.

8 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, with oil
1/3 cup (80 ml) red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons drained capers
1 garlic clove, minced
1 lb (450 g) fusilli pasta
12 oz (340 g) tomatoes, coarsely chopped
12 oz (340 g) fresh mozzarella cheese, drained and cut into 1/2‑inch pieces
1 oz (30 g) fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
1/2 cup (40 g) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup minced, pitted oil-cured black olives
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Blend the first 5 ingredients in a food processor until the tomatoes are coarsely chopped. Set this dressing aside.

Cook the pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain and transfer to a large bowl. Add the dressing to the hot pasta and toss to coat. Cool, stirring occasionally. Add the chopped fresh tomatoes, mozzarella, basil, Parmesan and olives; toss. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

A Cooking Blog