Showing posts with label bell peppers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bell peppers. Show all posts

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Shrimp salad with avocado and radish sprouts

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I came across something beautiful in the grocery store that I had never seen before – radish sprouts.   Easily overlooked amidst the bigger and bolder green vegetables, these lovely delicate young shoots from the daikon radish remind me of the shamrock clover.   Growing happily together in high concentrations (each determined to be the tallest) a fresh bunch will surely cheer your soul! 

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If you love spicy radishes, you’ll love radish sprouts.  Their bright green heart-shaped leaves look innocent enough, but they pack a fair amount of spice – enough to clear the sinuses!   They house a significant amount of Vitamins C, B6 and A due to the fact that they are germinating seeds.   Potassium is abundant, and in 5 - 6 days of rapid-fire growth the sprouts can reach 8 inches.    Since a sprout is the beginning of a larger vegetable, higher levels of enzymes and photochemical compounds are present within their small bodies.   The are therefore considered by many to be a ‘miracle food’.  

Sprouts can be grown year round with little attention.  Too delicate to be cooked, they are a brilliant addition to salads and sandwiches, wraps and spring rolls.  

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The tender roots barely take hold of the moist medium underneath, as lanky stems support leaf tops. 082 v1

Shrimp, avocado and radish sprout salad

Serves 4 as a first course

12 Jumbo shrimp, shelled and deveined

1 cup boiled, diced potato

½ red pepper, diced

1 avocado, peeled, seeded and diced

½ cup radish sprouts

marinade and dressing (below)

a few long chive leaves or 1 tablespoon fresh chives, chopped

Marinade (and dressing)

1½ tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice

1½ tablespoons red wine vinegar

¼ cup tightly packed radish sprouts

½ teaspoon Dijon mustard

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

½ teaspoon sugar

salt, to taste

For the marinade and dressing:

Place all ingredients in a small food processor and blend until sprouts are finely chopped and the mixture comes together.  Place shrimp in a medium bowl.  Add 3 tablespoons of the sprout mixture to the shrimp.  Marinate shrimp for about 20 minutes while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.  Set aside the left over mixture to be used as a dressing.

Marinate the shrimp first

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Grill or broil shrimp until cooked tender, about 3 minutes on each side.  Discard shrimp marinade. 

You can either layer the salad in martini glasses, or in individual bowls.  Layer as follows.

Bottom to top: diced potatoes, diced red pepper, a little dressing, shrimp, fresh sprouts, avocado, more dressing.  Stick the chive leaves in for a dramatic presentation or chop them up and sprinkle on top of the salad.

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Prijatno!

Thursday, March 25, 2010

Avocado and poblano pepper omelette

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Everyone knows that I’m a huge fan of avocados, so much so that I have even experimented with it in a cheesecake!  Sunny South Africa, where I spent my formative years, was abundant with many varieties of fruits and vegetables and amongst them was the wonderful avocado.   My parents, young immigrants from the former Yugoslavia, had never seen an avocado, paw paw (papaya), granadilla (passion fruit) or guava before and gradually incorporated these nutritious and heavenly fruits into our diets (mom’s fruit salads were always the best!).  My father, upon his first taste of the avocado, deemed it needed salt and pepper, and from then on, my mother made sandwiches with mashed avocado, salt and pepper and they were simple but very tasty.  A wholesome food such as the avocado doesn’t need much primping, according to mama!  I still enjoy these sandwiches and the memories they evoke.

A long time staple of the middle Americas (earliest evidence of it is from 10,000 BC!), the avocado tree is native to the tropics.  The mild-flavored flesh is almost always consumed raw in salsas, dips and salads.   High in monosaturated fats (the best kind) and potassium (the mineral that keeps those pesky leg cramps at bay!), the avocado is also a factor in reducing cholesterol and consistently appears at the top of many healthy food lists. 

I try to incorporate it in our salads, sandwiches, tacos and another salad, and now, in a delicious omelette.  The buttery, rich texture of the avocado lends itself well to this preparation.  As it warms, its subtle flavor and creamy texture contrast with its surroundings -  bold onions, sweet red peppers and spicy poblano.  I highly recommend it!

The headliners…chopped cilantro, red onion, jalapeno, red pepper, poblano pepper, green onions and avocado:

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Sauté the vegetables in a pan.  When they are starting to soften, pour the beaten eggs over them and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste

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Using a wooden spoon or a spatula, push the egg mixture from the edges inward and tilt the pan so that the runny raw egg from the middle falls onto the pan and starts to cook.  Cover half of the egg mixture with the cheese of your choice and the avocados, and then flip the exposed end over to enclose them. 

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Avocado omelette

For 2 very generous portions (we like our eggs, what can I say!)

¼ red onion, chopped finely

1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped finely

1/3 red bell pepper, chopped finely

1 green onion, thinly sliced

¼ cup chopped cilantro

4 eggs, beaten

salt and pepper, to taste

½ avocado, seeded, peeled and cubed

2 slices provolone cheese, mozzarella, feta, chevre, cream cheese, or whatever cheese you fancy that would melt quickly

Have all of the above ingredients prepared before you begin to cook the omelette.  Over medium heat, heat about a tablespoon of olive oil in a saucepan.  Add the onion, jalapeno, red bell and sauté for about 3 minutes.  Add the green onions and  cilantro and cook for about 2 more minutes.  Spread the vegetables out evenly in the pan. 

Pour the beaten eggs over the vegetables evenly.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Let eggs cook for about a minute or two (the edges will be cooked but the top will still be raw).  Using a wooden spoon or a spatula, push the egg mixture from the edges inward and tilt the pan so that the runny raw egg from the middle falls onto the pan and starts to cook.  Cover half of the egg mixture with the cheese of your choice and the avocados, and then flip the exposed end over to enclose them.  Remove from heat and cover with a lid.  Allow to sit for about 5 minutes so that the cheese melts and the avocado warms. 

Crispy egg, spicy peppers, gooey cheese and warm avocado makes for a delicious breakfast!

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Prijatno!

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Rice with mushrooms, cuttlefish and artichokes

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As I write, my house if filled with the wonderful aroma of sofregit, a Catalan word for a sauté of olive oil, tomatoes, garlic and onions.  This version has red peppers and mushrooms added ….so fragrant!   Known as soffritto in the rest of Spain, sofrito in Italy, and bećar paprikaš in my homeland, Serbia, it is the flavoring component of the rice dish that is our Daring Cooks’ challenge for this month.  

DBKitchen logo Olga from Las Cosas de Olga and Olga’s Recipes is our host for August.  She has chosen a delicious Spanish recipe by José Andrés, one of the most important Spanish Chefs at the moment.  He trained under well-known Ferran Adria at his three star Michelin restaurant El Bulli.  José Andrés now lives in Washington DC and owns several restaurants in the DC area.  The recipe is from his US TV show Made in Spain.

This delicious rice dish includes cuttlefish, artichokes and a few precious threads of azafran, or saffron.  The word is derived from the Arabic asfar meaning ‘yellow’ for the vivid yellow-orange color it imparts to food and fabric.  Saffron is a collection of the stigmas and styles of the saffron crocus (Crocus sativus) flower.  One of the finest growing regions is La Mancha in Spain.  Painstaking to harvest, it is the most expensive spice by weight.  Fortunately, a few threads is all you need to season the entire dish.  In fact, too much saffron can be toxic. 

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My well-travelled son spent a month in Spain this summer and gifted me with a small container of saffron - a wonderful gift for any cook! 

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A key element in this dish is an Allioli ‘mayonnaise’.  It is critical to the final flavor of the rice.  And let me warn you…a little goes a looong way.   It is spicy and pungent and suits our Serbian sensibility – you can never have too much garlic!  Making the sofregit and allioli ahead of time will allow you to put the dish together quickly.

Olé Allioli!

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Allioli   (I chose to make the ‘traditional’ version.  For the ‘modern’ recipe, please go to Olga’s site)
Cooking time: 20 min aprox.

4 cloves garlic, peeled

Pinch of salt

Fresh lemon juice (a few drops)

Extra-virgin olive oil (Spanish preferred but not essential)

Place the garlic in a mortar along with the salt.

Using a pestle, smash the garlic cloves to a smooth paste. (The salt stops the garlic from slipping at the bottom of the mortar as you pound it down.)

Add the lemon juice to the garlic.  Drop by drop; pour the olive oil into the mortar slowly as you continue to crush the paste with your pestle.

Keep turning your pestle in a slow, continuous circular motion in the mortar. The drip needs to be slow and steady. Make sure the paste soaks up the olive oil as you go.

Keep adding the oil, drop by drop, until you have the consistency of a very thick mayonnaise. If your allioli gets too dense, add water to thin it out. This takes time—around 20 minutes of slow motion around the mortar—to create a dense, rich sauce.

José's tips for traditional recipe: It's hard to think that, when you start crushing the garlic, it will ever turn into something as dense and smooth as allioli. But don't give up. It's worth the extra time and effort to see the oil and garlic come together before your eyes. Just make sure you're adding the olive oil slowly, drop by drop. Keep moving the pestle around the mortar in a circular motion and keep dreaming of the thick, creamy sauce at the end of it all!  I pressed the garlic through a garlic press which sped up the process.  I had a smooth allioli with a definite ‘bite’ to it.

Ingredients for the sofregit:

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Sofregit  Cooking time: about 1-1 1/2 hours.   (My changes are in blue)

2 tablespoons of olive oil

5 big red ripe tomatoes, chopped

2 small onions, chopped

1 green pepper, chopped (optional)  I used 1 red pepper and 1 red jalapeno pepper

4 or 5 garlic cloves, chopped

1 cup of button or Portobello mushrooms, chopped (optional) I used a combination of button and cremini mushrooms

1 bay leaf (fresh from my garden)

Salt

a pinch of ground cumin

a pinch of dried oregano 1 fresh sprig

Put all the ingredients together in a pot and sauté slowly until all the vegetables are soft.  Taste and add salt if necessary.   You will not use all of the sofregit for this rice dish.  Here are just a few delicious ideas on how you can use the rest of it:  as a filling for omelets, on toast, on top of grilled fish,  in soups or with polenta. 

The sofregit after cooking for about 1 1/2 hours:

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 Rice with mushrooms, cuttlefish and artichokes  Serves 4

2 cuttlefish   I couldn’t find cuttlefish in my part of the woods so I substituted calamari

4 artichoke hearts, each cut into eighths  I used frozen artichoke hearts but you can use canned or fresh

12 mushrooms, quartered  I used a combination of button and cremini

2 bay leaves

1 cup white wine

the sofregit

2 cups (300g) short grain rice such as Arborio, Calasparra or Montsant

about 6 cups of water or fish stock

a few saffron threads (you can substitute 1/4 teaspoon turmeric, if necessary)

the allioli

Cut the cuttlefish or calamari into thin strips. 

Heat 1 or 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a saucepan pan on high heat and add the cuttlefish/calamari in the pan.

Add the artichokes, mushrooms and bay leaves.   Sauté until the artichokes are golden.

Add a little white wine to the saucepan and about 3 spoons (I added at least 1/2 cup) of the sofregit and make sure everything gets impregnated with the sofregit.

Add the rest of the wine and the stock and bring it to boil.   Add the rice and let it cook for about 5 minutes on high heat.

Add a few saffron threads (or the turmeric) to enrich the dish with its flavor and color.  Stir a little bit so the rice and the other ingredients get the entire flavor.  Turn heat to low and boil for another 8 minutes (or until rice is a little softer than “al dente”).

Take the away from heat and let the rice stand a couple of minutes.  Serve each portion with a small dollop of allioli.

Once I had all the ingredients ready, this dish came together very quickly.  We shared it with my sister’s family and it was well liked by all.  I added a pound of large shrimp (20 count) for the final 8 minutes of cooking time because I felt that there wasn’t enough ‘meat’ to go around – there were 3 teenagers at the table, two of them over 6 feet tall! 

Rice with cuttlefish, mushrooms and artichokes 017-crop v1 For more information and instructional videos, please go to Olga’s siteThanks Olga for a great challenge, and two thumbs up to our founders Lis and Yvonne

Prijatno!

Sunday, June 28, 2009

I say tomahto…

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We have been enjoying the produce of our small vegetable patch this summer.  Every March, when we plant ours, I especially look forward to gorging on home-grown organic tomatoes and it doesn’t get much better than these purple heirlooms (next to my all time favorites – figs!). 

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This is a traditional Srpska Salata - Serbian Salad.  Sliced tomatoes, green pepper, red onion, with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a sprinkle of salt and freshly ground black pepper.   And Husbie says KISS - Keep It Simple Sam! 

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Who can resist Insalata Caprese?  A perfect stack with thick slices of mozzarella and basil leaves nestled between sliced tomatoes and drizzled with balsamic vinegar and extra virgin olive oil:

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 What do you do with a mango, a tomato and a jalapeno pepper?  Why, you make Salsa!

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To balance the sweetness of the mango, I add red onion, lemon juice and lots of cilantro:  You can never have too much cilantro, if you ask me!

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Tomato Mango Salsa on grilled salmon – refreshing summer fare:

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Cherry tomatoes in potato salad:

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On whole grain bread with melted feta cheese and oregano – bringing out the Balkan in me!

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By now, I’m battling the birds and the stinkbugs.  The netting I have cast seems to be keeping the birds at bay, but the stinkbugs have struck overnight.  They are my biggest enemy during tomato season because they suck the Dickens out of the fruit and leave disease and rot behind.  We refuse to use pesticides and one year my daughter and I went out to do battle with our tweezers.  Yes, tweezers!  Stinkbugs aren’t fast, you see, so it was easy to pick them off and stomp them in the ground…as you can imagine, it was sooo time-consuming.  Needless to say, we lost the battle after a couple of days. 

I thought about spraying vinegar…nah, it’ll kill the plant.  My next means of attack is per Husbie’s suggestion – the vacuum cleaner!  Brilliant!  I can see myself with the suction hose, grinning from ear to ear, as those suckers enter the bag, never to pester my home-grown tomahtoes again!  I’ll let you know if it works! 

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Prijatno!

Thursday, January 29, 2009

Terrific Tuiles! Another Daring Bakers Challenge!

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I love the Daring Bakers Challenges!  I have made many fancy desserts in the past, but this group is introducing me to baking I have not attempted before.  That’s because I thought the recipes were daunting and beyond the capabilities of my domestic kitchen.   Thanks to the founders, Lisa and Ivonne for creating this group and for keeping us in line!  You rock! 

I was at first hesitant about making tuiles because they look so delicate and finicky.  My friend, Chantal, who has made every fancy culinary treat under the sun, convinced me that there was nothing to them.  Easy for you to say, my Belgian princess -  you were raised on Godiva chocolates, truffles and Hermes scarves!

Tuiles (or cornets) are traditionally thin, crispy almond cookies that are molded over a rolling pin or mold while still hot.  Once cooled, the tuiles resembled the curved French roofing tiles for which they are named. 

This month's challenge is brought to us by Karen of Bake My Day and Zorra of 1x umruehren bitte aka Kochtopf.
They have chosen Tuiles from The Chocolate Book by Angélique Schmeink and Nougatine and Chocolate Tuiles from Michel Roux.

After sifting through the eight page DB document, I decided that I was going to make the savory tuiles from Thomas Keller’s The French Laundry Cookbook.  Once the butter softened up a little, the batter was sooo easy to make - it took just a few minutes.  I decided on an accompaniment of shrimp  with a light sour cream filling.   We were told to think light, in opposition to the extravagant Yule Log we baked in December (if you’ve seen it, you’ll know what I mean!).

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Here are the recipes:

Savory Tuiles/Cornets
From Thomas Keller "the French Laundry Cookbook" 

My changes are in italics

1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons (65 grams/2.1/4 ounces) all purpose flour
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt (= 2/3 teaspoon table salt) I would use less, about 1/2 teaspoon
8 tablespoons (114 grams/4 ounces) unsalted butter, softened but still cool to the touch
2 large egg whites, cold
2 tablespoons black sesame seeds

In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, sugar and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk the softened butter until it is completely smooth and mayonnaise-like in texture. Using a stiff spatula or spoon, beat the egg whites into the dry ingredients until completely incorporated and smooth. Whisk in the softened butter by thirds, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary and whisking until the batter is creamy and without any lumps. Transfer the batter to a smaller container, as it will be easier to work with.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Make a 4-inch hollow circular stencil (I used the cardboard back of a notepad and cut a 4.5” circle). Place Silpat on the counter (it is easier to work on the Silpat before it is put on the sheet pan). Place the stencil in one corner of the sheet and, holding the stencil flat against the Silpat, scoop some of the batter onto the back of an offset spatula and spread it in an even layer over the stencil. Then run the spatula over the entire stencil to remove any excess batter. After baking the first batch of tuiles/cornets, you will be able to judge the correct thickness. You may need a little more or less batter to adjust the thickness of the tuiles/cornets.

I was able to fit 3 tuiles (which measured 4.5” in diameter each) on a 11x17 silpat:

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There should not be any holes in the batter. Lift the stencil and repeat the process to make as many rounds as you have molds or to fill the Silpat, leaving about 1 1/2 inches between the cornets.  Sprinkle each tuile/cornet with a pinch of black sesame seeds. 
Place the Silpat on a heavy baking sheet and bake for 4 to 6 minutes, or until the batter is set and you see it rippling from the heat. The tuiles/cornets may have browned in some areas, but they will not be evenly browned at this point.
Open the oven door and place the baking sheet on the door.  This will help keep the tuiles/cornets warm as you roll them and prevent them from becoming too stiff to roll. Flip a tuile/cornet over on the sheet pan, sesame seed side down and place 4-1/2 inch tuile/cornet mold at the bottom of the round. If you are right-handed, you will want the pointed end on your left and the open end on your right. The tip of the mold should touch the lower left edge (at about 7 o'clock on a clock face) of the cornet.
Fold the bottom of the cornet and around the mold; it should remain on the sheet pan as you roll. Leave the cornet wrapped around the mold and continue to roll the cornets around molds; as you proceed, arrange the rolled cornets, seams side down, on the sheet pan so they lean against each other, to prevent from rolling. 

I carefully lifted each tuile and draped it over an aluminum mold similar to a cupcake mold turned upside down.   This is the result when cooled:

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When all the tuiles/cornets are rolled or shaped, return them to the oven shelf, close the door, and bake for an additional 3 to 4 minutes to set the seams and color the cornets a golden brown. If the color is uneven, stand the cornets on end for a minute or so more, until the color is even. Remove the cornets from the oven and allow to cool just slightly, 30 seconds or so.
Gently remove the tuiles/cornets from the molds and cool for several minutes on paper towels. Remove the Silpat from the baking sheet, wipe the excess butter from it, and allow it to cool down before spreading the next batch. Store the tuiles/cornets for up to 2 days (for maximum flavor) in an airtight container.

And here’s my recipe for the filling:

Sautéed Shrimp with Sour Cream Wasabi Mousse

1/3 cup whipping cream

1/3 cup light sour cream

1 teaspoon wasabi paste (green Japanese horseradish in a tube)

1 tablespoon finely chopped green onion (plus a little more for garnish)

1 tablespoon finely chopped red pepper (plus a little more for garnish)

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

10 jumbo shrimp, deveined, tails intact.

Salt, pepper, chili powder, olive oil

For the mousse:  Whip cream until it starts to hold its shape.  Add sour cream, wasabi and whip until thick and well-blended.  Fold in green onion, red pepper and black pepper.   Place in a piping bag fitted with a large tip (or just cut the end off the bag) and refrigerate until ready to fill the tuiles.

For the shrimp: Dry shrimp and sprinkle with salt, pepper and chili powder to taste.  Sauté in a little olive oil until cooked.  Cool slightly.

To assemble, place cooled tuiles on a serving plate.  Pipe about 2 tablespoons or so in each tuile.  Place shrimp on the edge of mousse and garnish with chopped green onion and chopped red pepper.

Then, impress your guests, including Chantal! I wish you were here to try them!

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Now that I’m a tool for tuiles, I’m going to try the sweet versions as well and report back to you!

Prijatno!

Monday, January 26, 2009

Garbanzo Bean Salad with Avocado and a surprise winter harvest!

  chickpea salad

I love our Gulf Cost winters!   We have our fair share of cold snaps during the season, but generally it’s a mild and pleasant affair with lots of uplifting sunshine.  This is what I found a couple of days ago in the garden: 

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It’s a vine that went to seed with ripening cherry tomatoes on it!  It’s not exactly an anomaly because we are lucky to have a cool growing season.   Husbie and I have been talking about planting a garden for the cool season when the summer garden begins to fade, but so far it’s only been a conversation piece.  Our options would be endless: arugula, collard greens, lettuce, cabbage, Brussel sprouts and Swiss chard. 

Our Meyer lemon tree has yielded a very respectable crop this year.  A Meyer lemon is a cross between a lemon and an orange, and has a thin skin.  It is sweeter than the common lemon and yields a lot of juice.   My favorite way to enjoy them (when I’m not using them in a dessert!) is to cut half a lemon into quarters, squeeze the mellow juice in a glass of chilled water, and throw the skins in as well.  When I’ve drunk the water, I eat the skins!  It freshens my palate and sends the roughage where it’s needed!

meyer lemons

But when I saw the peppers turning red there was no question I knew what I was going to make with them.

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I have been craving my Garbanzo Bean (chick pea) Salad for a few days now.  I got involved baking so many desserts for the holidays, and with this baking group and that baking group, that I am in need of some healthy fare.  Because this recipe uses a variety of raw ingredients, it is a very healthy choice.  The enzymes in the peppers, onions, avocado and other vegetables are eaten in their fresh, raw state, giving the digestive system and body all of their nutrients. 

I am making a concerted effort to decrease the canned goods in my pantry so I used dried garbanzo beans and rehydrated them by soaking them overnight and boiling them on a medium heat for about 45 minutes or until tender. 

Garbanzo Bean Salad with Avocado

1 cup dried garbanzo beans (chick peas), soaked in water for several hours or overnight.  Drain and replenish water.  Cook on medium heat for about 45 minutes until tender.  Drain, and while still warm, toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil OR 1 can garbanzo beans (chick peas), drained and rinsed.

1/2 to 1 cup red pepper, diced

1 cucumber, diced

1/2 cup red onion, finely diced

2 scallions (green onions), finely sliced crosswise

1 jalapeno, diced

a generous handful of cilantro or parsley, coarsely chopped

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons fruity salad dressing of your choice (I used maple fig), or 2 tablespoons fruit juice.

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 avocados, halved, seed removed

To a large bowl, toss together the garbanzo beans, red pepper, cucumber, red onion, scallions, jalapeno, cilantro or parsley. 

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In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, salad dressing, ground pepper and salt.  Add to garbanzo bean mix and toss well.  Adjust seasonings, if necessary.  Let stand for an hour or two so that the flavors can marry, or chill if eating later.

When ready to serve, scoop the avocado pulp from its skin.  You can slice it or leave it in one piece.  Place on serving plate and surround with Garbanzo Bean Salad.

Serves 4.

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Prijatno!


Avocado on Foodista

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Dorie’s delectable Savory Corn and Pepper Muffins!

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I do not have much time to write tonight, but I did manage to make Dorie’s moist and delectable corn muffins this morning. Move over Aunt Jemima – make way for these tasty delights! If you have not made corn muffins from scratch yet – this is an easy recipe to begin with.

The inclusion of buttermilk in the recipe immediately won me over! I hail from a culture where buttermilk and yogurt are consumed on a daily basis and are credited with longevity (I’m hoping for the same!). When used in baking, they add lots of moisture and sometimes a little tang. Pair buttermilk or yogurt with hot corn ‘mush’ or polenta and, in my humble opinion, you have a wholesome breakfast that beats any over processed cereal from a box.

I was lucky enough to pick several small red bell peppers from our garden less than a week ago (such are the perks of mild Houston winters). I chopped a couple up and they added beautiful color and flavor to the muffins. I used frozen corn and added 3 more tablespoons to the batter. I used only 1 tablespoon of sugar because I like my savory muffins less sweet. In the absence of a fresh jalapeno, I chopped up some pickled slices from the relish shelf in the refrigerator. They provided just the right amount of heat. Cilantro is my favorite herb, so I jacked up the amount by about 1/2 tablespoon.

When combined, I noticed that the batter was quite thick and foamy and I suspected that the baking soda was already reacting to the the acids in the buttermilk, getting the leavening process underway. I baked the batter in three different size muffin pans for variety and when they came out, the first thing I did was devour a couple with a chilled glass of buttermilk. They were very flavorful and moist – the perfect breakfast treat!

Moist and flavorful!twdcorndetail

Thanks to Rebecca of Ezra Pound Cake for suggesting Savory Corn and Pepper Muffins on page 6 of Baking, From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan.

Prijatno!