Avocado and poblano pepper omelette

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:

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

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. 

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!

Prijatno!

Meze (Mezze)

Meze (Serbian), mezze (Arabic), and mezé (Greek), are the Eastern Mediterranean appetizers similar to Spanish tapas.  Derived from the Persian word maze ‘to taste or snack’, meze consists of plates that are a feast for the eyes.   Small bites and dips that are varied in texture, flavor and color, in my native Serbia they are traditionally served with rakija (fruit brandy).  

Of all the Slavic nations, the Southern Slavs are the most hospitable…believe me, I’m not partial…and there is no better way for them to demonstrate their warmth and generosity than through an offering of food.  Even unannounced guests are treated like family, and there is always more than enough to go around come see my parents’ leftovers sometime!   Serbian meze may include pršut (prosciutto), salama, kobasica (sausage), kajmak (clotted cream) and ajvar (red pepper relish).   For the sake of this Daring Kitchen challenge and our hostess, I am keeping it vegetarian with Middle Eastern mezze.   

My friend Chantal and I spent an enjoyable day baking pita bread and bringing the meze plates together.  She has an interesting collection of dinnerware  – many choices for the amateur photographer!  Just look at those pretty yellow ‘triple bowl’ dishes above.    Adorable, and perfect for meze!

In the  picture above you will find (counterclockwise from the top):  sliced radishes, kalamata olives, walnuts, preserved limes (I just happen to make a jar with Mexican key limes a couple of months ago), hummus with olive oil and a sprinkling of paprika, cucumber raita, hummus again, and pita bread.  Feta cheese cubes are in the middle.

The 2010 February Daring Cooks’ challenge was hosted by Michele of Veggie Num Nums.  Michele chose to challenge everyone to make mezze based on various recipes from Claudia Roden, Jeffrey Alford and Naomi Dugid.

The second plate below (from the top) consists of my favorite dip of all muhammara (I will post the recipe soon), pita bread, potatoes with olive oil and lemon zest, and yoghurt cheese sprinkled with dukkah (a blend of sesame seeds, spices and nuts).  Be forewarned:  there are healthy quantities of fresh garlic in the dips and falafel.  So much so that Husbie and I were able to created enough fumes to ward off the vampires and every disease under the sun for a few days now! 

Pita Bread

Adapted from Vefa’s Pita Bread, found at Kalofagas

Serves 8

2½ cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp. salt

3/4 cup warm (body temperature) water

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1 Tbsp. active dry yeast

1 tsp. sugar

coarse cornmeal for dusting the dough

vegetable oil for greasing the pan

Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl. In a smaller blow, combine the warm water, olive oil, yeast, and sugar and let stand for five minutes or until you see that the yeast is active.

Using your hands, gradually add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and knead with your hands until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Cover and leave in a warm spot to rise and rest for about 30 minutes.

Divide dough into six pieces and roll out into 6 - 8 -inch rounds that are about 1/4 inch thick. Dust both sides lightly with cornmeal and poke the surface of your pita breads with the tines of a fork. Stack the dough rounds until you are ready to cook the pita bread.

Place a heavy cast-iron skillet (non-stick pan is fine) and heat to medium-high. Pour a little vegetable oil in the skillet and brush to cover the bottom. Carefully place one pita dough in the hot skillet. Cook for about 3 minutes and turn over when you see bubbles forming in the bread.

Place fried pita breads on to a large cotton kitchen towel and cover. Repeat with the rest of the dough, stacking them as you go. Serve warm with falafel or cut into triangles with the various dips and meze.

Cucumber Raita

adapted from The Indian Grocery Store Demystified by Linda Bladholm

1 medium cucumber, peeled and most of the seeds removed
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
2 cups plain whole milk or Greek yogurt
1 garlic clove, peeled and minced
fresh coriander and/or mint, chopped, to taste

cayenne pepper or paprika, for the garnish (optional)

Dice the cucumber. Blot off excess moisture with paper towels.
Add cumin, yogurt, garlic, coriander and/or mint. Chill until ready to be served. Sprinkle with cayenne or paprika before serving.

Serve with falafel (above) or pita bread as part of meze (below).

 

Yogurt cheese sprinkled with Dukkah

To make yogurt cheese, line a medium sieve with two to four layers of cheesecloth (this depends on the weave:  more layers for a loose weave, fewer layers for a dense weave).  Place the sieve over a bowl.  Spoon 2 cups of plain whole milk or lowfat yogurt on the cheesecloth.  Cover with the excess cheesecloth and refrigerate overnight.   When ready to serve, unmold and sprinkle with dukkah.  Serve with pita bread triangles.

Dukkah

Adapted from Claudia Roden's book, The New Book of Middle Eastern Food and found on Michele’s blog with my adaptations in italics.

1 cup sesame seeds    I made half a recipe, 1/2 cup sesame seeds
1 3/4 cups coriander seeds   I added 2 tablespoons
2/3 cups blanched hazelnuts   I used 1/3 cup raw almonds
1/2 cup cumin seeds   I used 2 tablespoons cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon salt 
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Put each variety of seeds and nuts on a separate tray and roast them all in a preheated 350F oven for 10-20 minutes, until they just begin to color and give off a slight aroma. As they take different times, you must keep an eye on them so that they do not become too brown, and take each out as it is ready. You could also roast them in a frying pan. Put them together in the food processor with salt and pepper and grind them until they are finely crushed, but be careful not to over-blend them into a paste.
To serve, sprinkle a little dukkah on the yogurt cheese or pour a little oil on small slices of bread and sprinkle with the dukkah.

For the hummus, falafel and preserved lemon recipes, please go to Michele’s blog.

This post will be submitted to Susan’s blog Wild Yeast, for her weekly showcase of yeasted foods: YeastSpotting!

Prijatno!

Recipe for Success foundation and 1-2-3 Salad

Ever the diligent volunteers, my friend Chantal and I arrived at Sylvan Rodriguez Elementary School to support our new pet project, Recipe for Success.  Founded by philanthropist Gracie Cavnar, Recipe for Success is a non-profit charity that has been active in five fortunate Houston I.S.D. schools for the last four years. 

The primary goal of RFS is to combat childhood obesity.  Students are taught that nutritious food comes from the ground and not at a drive-thru window or in a sealed plastic bag or box.  The Foundation hopes to increase the students’ awareness and appreciation for fresh fruits and vegetables by teaching them how to garden and harvest their crops.  They then use the produce in simple recipes using basic cooking techniques.

To help inspire the kids, well-known local chefs volunteer their time in the classrooms.  With the help of Houston’s own Monica Pope of t’afia, chef participation has grown to include the likes of chefs Randy Evans, Robert Del Grande, David Luna, Randy Rucker, Bryan Caswell, Chris Shepherd, Ryan Pera and many, many more.

Rodriguez Elementary is lucky to have chef Mark Wilson as its full-time instructor.  Here he assists students with the dressing for 1-2-3 Salad.

A former Broadway actor, musician and playwright, chef Wilson does an excellent job of capturing the students’ attention!

Students took turns at whisking the vinaigrette to the count of 10.  As an added bonus, the ever enthusiastic Chantal, a Belgian Francophile, broke out into her native French and taught the kids to count from 1 – 10!  They also learned a new word – emulsion.  They’re not just making any old salad – this is a gourmet salad with balsamic vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, feta cheese and walnuts.  Love it!

At each participating campus, the Seed-to-Plate Nutrition Education™ program uses an organic garden as an outdoor classroom.  This expansive garden at Rodriguez Elementary has about 18 raised beds.  Each grade level is responsible for three of them.  I came away with a bunch of the most beautiful flat-leaf parsley that you will see in my next post.

Let’s see how big this pumpkin can grow!

These basil plants are setting their seeds.  Here the students learn about perennials and planting from seed. 

Newly harvested sweet potatoes and delicate lettuce leaves.  Look at the size of those tubers!

Eggplants!

Believe it or not, after the dressing was made, there was a mad dash to do the dishes, which I’m sure rarely happens at home!  Chef Dwain, an intern with RFS, prepares sweet, salty, bitter and sour ingredients for a tasting of flavors – and a fancy new word entered their culinary vocabulary:  UMAMI

The view from the dishwashing stand is to this pretty atrium: bird feeders, a small pond, fruit trees, potted herbs, raised beds, a compost barrel and a busy teacher named Mrs. Silverstone!

Decorated pots in the atrium.

This cutie enjoyed sweeping the floor. 

All in all, the students are exposed to healthy cooking ingredients which have sadly become foreign to many households.   Most students loved the salad and also the feta cheese and asked for more - a sure sign that young palates are much more receptive to delicious and healthy fare than we give them credit for. 

Our beautiful Houston fall weather prompted a fun picnic between the vegetable beds.  Students lined up for a ‘wrap’ of salad greens served with their own home-made salad dressing served by Mrs. Silverstone and Chantal.  Many came back for more…and more.  It was an encouraging sight!

This 1-2-3 Salad includes fresh mixed salad greens and is supplemented with nuts, grains, cheese and just a little bit of sugar (in the form of honey in this recipe).  It provides more precious nutrients than the oppressively sweet cereals and processed foods targeted at our school-aged children.

1-2-3 Salad, adapted from the original recipe by chef Monica Pope

4 servings

2 - 3 large handfuls of mixed lettuce (choose a mixture for color, texture and flavor), washed and patted dry on a towel

¼ cup nuts (walnuts, almonds, pecans)

½ cup fruit (dried or fresh)

¼ cup cooked grains or pasta (quinoa, orzo, couscous)

¼ cup cheese (feta, parmesan, blue cheese)

For the dressing: (use about half of this recipe for 4 people)

1/8 cup balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon honey

½ teaspoon Dijon mustard

¼ teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

Make the dressing by putting balsamic vinegar, honey, mustard, salt and pepper in a bowl. Whisk quickly to combine. Add olive oil, drop by drop, as you whisk the dressing quickly. The dressing will thicken and emulsify and resemble a deep caramel color. Set aside.

To assemble the salad place in a bowl the lettuce mix, nuts, fruit, grains and cheese.  Check the dressing: if it is very thick, add a little lemon juice or water to it.  Add 1/4 cup of dressing and toss to combine all ingredients. Add more dressing, if desired. Add salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste, if necessary.

Prijatno!

I say tomahto…

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!). 

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! 

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:

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

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!

Tomato Mango Salsa on grilled salmon – refreshing summer fare:

Cherry tomatoes in potato salad:

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

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! 

 

Prijatno!

Feta and olive beef patties with caramelized red onion on home made burger buns

I hate going to the grocery store for one item!  Last week, Husby suggested hamburgers for dinner.  I pulled out a package of organic ground beef from the freezer, and lettuce, onions, tomatoes and pickles from the fridge.  All I was missing were hamburger buns, but that’s ok.  It was a leisurely afternoon at home, so flour and yeast came together quickly and before I knew it the dough for home made hamburger buns was rising in a warm place in the kitchen!

Okay, so it would have taken me 15 minutes max to drive to the store, grab the buns and drive back home, but there’s the nagging fact that I have a serious dislike for the texture of gummy, doughy preservative-laden sit-on-the-shelf-for-weeks buns!  I like a crisp crust with a firm body that doesn’t feel pasty on the palate when chewed.  Husby claims the purpose of hamburger buns is to soak up and keep the ketchup, mustard and meat juices from running down one’s hands!  Perhaps…but my home made buns are equally as capable!

I have been waiting for the opportunity to try a bun recipe I came across on Mari’s fabulous blog Once Upon A Plate.  It was inspired by a recipe from the files of King Arthur Flour and a regular contributor to its recipes named Moomie!  Moomie’s legendary sandwich buns recipe can be found here.  With a few changes, I produced wonderful buns sprinkled with sesame seeds (and I finally figured out how to make those pesky seeds stick). 

Did you know that bread baking has become a lot easier since the introduction of instant (rapid rise) yeast?  No longer do we have to proof the yeast (test it to see if it is viable).  You can now mix it in with the flour, add the liquids and you’re on your way!  Please don’t be intimidated by yeast – it’s a leavening agent that works wonders at the right temperature, a little loving (aka kneading) and a little sugar!   All you need is to do is start a little earlier so as to include time for the dough to rise.  You will be rewarded with much healthier and tastier buns!

For the meaty part of the burger, I was in the mood for some zip!  Zesty feta cheese and kalamata olives are staples in my fridge, and they are perfect accompaniments to the ground beef. 

Feta and olive beef patties

1 pound lean ground beef

1/2 – 3/4 cup feta cheese, coarsely crumbled or cubed

1/3 cup kalamata olives, sliced.  People - don’t even think of using rubbery, tasteless olives in a can – they are inferior by far to olives from the olive bar or in a glass jar.  Yes, they are cheaper, but there is no comparison in taste, whatso e v e r!

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes for added spice (optional)

Combine all of the above ingredients by folding the meat over onto itself as you incorporate the feta and olives.  Try not to mash the meat between your fingers as this will ruin the texture of the patties.   Shape into 3 or 4 patties.

Sauté the patties in a hot skillet or cook them on the grill.  I like to cook them in a skillet because it’s easier to flip them over without them falling apart.

Serve on a toasted bun with sliced tomatoes, caramelized red onions, lettuce, mayo…

Serves 3 or 4.

Caramelized red onion

1 large red onion, peeled, cut in half crosswise and sliced thinly

Sauté the red onion slices in a little olive oil over medium heat.  Stir the onions occasionally until very soft and caramelized (they will start to turn black on the edges).  Set aside.

Sesame seed buns

Yield: 8 hamburger or sandwich buns

3 1/4 cups all-purpose, unbleached flour

1 tablespoon instant yeast

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup water

2 tablespoons butter

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 egg white (for egg wash)

2 tablespoons sesame seeds or other seed of your choice

Place flour, yeast, sugar and salt in a mixer bowl with dough hook attachment.  Heat water and butter to about 125F (I usually microwave in 30 second intervals and measure the temperature with a candy thermometer).  With mixer at low speed, slowly pour the water mixture into the flour mixture.  Add the egg.  Beat on medium speed for about 5 minutes or until all ingredients are combined and the dough is smooth. 

Place dough in a large bowl (enough to hold twice the amount of dough) greased with olive oil.  Flip the dough over so that the olive oil covers the entire surface.  Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel and allow dough to rise until double in volume.  (I turn my oven on to barely heat the interior and place the bowl in the oven, close the door and leave it for about 30 minutes.  You should see the kitchen towel rising on top of the mound of dough above the edge of the bowl.  Sweet!)

When the dough has doubled in size, place it on a lightly floured surface*.  Knead for a minute by hand and let it rest for about 5 minutes.  With a rolling pin, roll the dough into a rectangle (about 12” X 8”) and cut the dough into 8 equal pieces.  For each bun – tuck the ends of each piece of dough under several times, moving the dough from hand to hand, until you get a nice round shape.  Place on a prepared baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  Repeat with other pieces of dough.  Cover with a sheet of wax or parchment paper and allow buns to rise until they are the size of hamburger buns.  Remove wax paper from buns.

Beat the egg white and 1 tablespoon water in a bowl until loose and starting to foam.  Brush the top of each bun very carefully with egg wash and sprinkle the tops with sesame seeds.

Bake buns in a preheated 375F oven for 12 – 15 minutes or until golden brown.  Cool on wire racks.

If you have a bread machine:  Place all ingredients in bread machine. Select ‘dough’ cycle. Allow cycle to run.  Remove the dough and place it on lightly floured surface.  Continue from * in the third paragraph above.       

Good looking buns!

Prijatno!