Goats cheese, pea and lentil salad with pesto.

Friday, September 18, 2020

 Goats cheese, pea and lentil salad with pesto.

peas. lentils and goats cheese 2

The jar of pesto I was so happy to have sitting in the fridge, the green and basily one, the one Vincenzo patiently pounded in the pestle and mortar  is – as Alison Krauss sings so beautifully- gone gone gone.

Of course it has.

The last spoonful was maybe the best.

It was the final dollop on something which would have been perfectly delicious without it, a plateful of earthy, nutty lentils with a handful of sweet green peas, some fragrant basil leaves topped with 2 and a half slices of soft, creamy goats cheese.

There is something about this combination, the lentils are soft and hearty, the peas pop with fresh sweetness. the cheese is creamy, fudgy and just a little acidic, melting and softening just a little with the warmth of the peas and lentils and the pesto gives everything a velvety, basil filled kick.

This is Nigel Slaters recipe which caught my eye a while back and then buzzed around my head nagging me to make it every-time I saw a pea – which was pretty much a daily occurrence now the market is full of delightful green pods at this May moment.

Nigel recommends a straightforward boil for the lentils, but I cooked them as I usually do with a carrot, a stick of celery, an onion, a bay leaf and several whole black peppercorns because I love the depth of flavour that emerges when you cook lentils this way.

lentils in pan

I fear I am always declaring my new favorite lunch – which is by far my favorite meal – and today is no exception.

Nice bread is nice with this

It is even nicer with a glass of Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi.

Goats cheese, pea and lentil salad with pesto.

Adapted from Nigel Slater’s recipe

Serves 2 for lunch or supper or 4 as a starter

150g small green lentils such as de Puy
200g shelled peas
a small bunch of fresh basil
olive oil- 2 tablespoons and a little extra
pesto
12 slices goats cheese
Rinse the lentils in a sieve under running water and then tip them into a pan of
boiling, lightly salted water (with or without the addition of a carrot, celery, bay leaf, onion and 3 peppercorns). Leave them at an enthusiastic simmer for
about 15-20 minutes until they are tender, then drain, tip into a bowl and
stir the 2 tbsp olive oil through them.
Boil the peas in lightly salted water till bright and tender, drain
under cold running water and mix with the lentils.
Tear the basil leaves into small pieces and stir them into the lentils
Dribble over more olive oil and season  a little salt and pepper.
Divide the goats cheese and salad between 4 plates.
Put a blob of pesto on each plate.
Eat.

White Beans With Tuna

 

It seems fitting that this post should be as succinct, straightforward and swift – three admirable qualities I’m not generally noted for – as this lunch. It could of course be supper.

Fat, tender white beans, cannellini or haricot, drained and mixed with the best tuna packed in oil you can afford (look for tuna belly which is called ventresca, good Italian grocery shops will sell it by weight from a large round tin), thin slices of spring or red onion, a flick of coarse salt and plentiful extra virgin olive oil.  Serve with bread – or toast if your bread is a little jaded – and the bottle of olive oil nearby in case you need another glug. Fork in one hand, bread in the other, I particulary like the scoop, squash and mop involved in this meal.  Needless to say, a glass of wine would be nice.

The artichokes I preserved under oil are ready, so I popped open the first jar and sliced three of the pale hearts into the deliciously oily heap the Italians call fagioli toscani col tonno.

Lunch. One of my favourites.


This is also a fine antipasti. I’d double the quantities for 4 – 6 people, afterall  leftovers, if there are any, are always welcome. Perfect alongside a dish of olives, a few red radishes and some good bread.

White beans with tuna and onion

Serves 2 (technically !)

  • 6oz/150g best quality tuna packed in oil, lightly drained.
  • 15oz/400g of white beans (cannellini or haricot) drained – you can of course soak and cook your own.
  • a small red onion or 2 or 3 spring onions finely sliced.
  • extra virgin olive oil
  • coarse salt like Maldon
  • freshly ground black pepper.

Put the beans, onion and tuna in a bowl, then using a wooden spoon gently stir and break up the tuna into nice fat flakes. Sprinkle over a little salt, season with black pepper and pour over the olive oil liberally – quite how liberally is entirely up to you. Serve with bread.

Greek Bloogers To Follow

 My Little Expat Kitchen

My Little Expat Kitchen is the brainchild of Magda, born and raised in Athens. Leaving her homeland in 2007 in search for a bit of adventure and another culture, she landed in The Hague in the Netherlands. With a love for cooking, she created the food blog as a hobby in 2009. Little did she know that she would even get recognition for it. In 2015, she was awarded Best Cooking Blog at the Food Blog Awards. Available in English and Greek, My Little Expat Kitchen is a great blog to introduce yourself to Greek cooking.


Olive Tomato

Award-winning registered dietitian, nutritionist, and writer specializing in the Mediterranean Diet, Elena Paravantes, now based in Athens, is the creative force behind Olive Tomato. Moving back to Greece as an adult after spending her entire life in Chicago, Elena was saddened to discover upon returning that Greeks were snubbing traditional food for international dishes. Furthermore, when she discovered that 35 percent of the Greek population is overweight, she decided to do something. Enter Olive Tomato, a blog where she shares traditional recipes as well as cooking and eating tips. Also offering vegetarian options, the blog is a real treasure trove of goodies.

Eat Yourself Greek

Ready to Eat Yourself Greek? No, don’t worry – it is not like the bucket challenge, just the name of a brilliant food blog. Eugenia, a Greek wanderer who lived in Athens and the UK, is the creator of this blog. Now back in Athens, she shares recipes, travel posts, suggestions about her favorite restaurants in town, and even hosts cooking lessons. Her delightful site, also awarded at the Food Blog Awards 2015 for Best Cooking Blog in English, is full of insights and is ideal when you are in need of cooking inspiration.

The Greek Vegan

The Greek Vegan is another great food blog to follow. The photos and recipes look so good that even a meat eater will want to have a try. Kiki Vagianos began her blog when she started writing down the recipes, cooking tips, and techniques her father shared with her. Her blog includes staple recipes like her scrumptious melomakarona, traditional Christmas sweets in Greece. Go ahead. Have a look. No doubt it will make your mouth water in an instant.

Souvlaki For The Soul

A highly visual blog, Souvlaki For The Soul was created by Greek-Australian photographer Peter Georgakopoulos in 2007, and not because of his love for cooking but mostly out of boredom. He, indeed, entered the blogging sphere as a way to discover something new. The blog features excellent recipes and top-notch photos, so go have a look, even if you’re not into food blogs – the photos alone are worth it.

Food Junkie

This bilingual blog is all about food, but not junk food. Like Ioanna Dimopoulos says, she is a food junkie but without the junk food. She shares Greek recipes, of course, but also has an intriguing selection of tasty Lent recipes. You may or may not know that Greece is very observant of the religious calendar, especially Lent. Restaurants switch up their menus to include dairy- and meat-free recipes during that period. And if you think that the result is tasteless, you’ll be surprised to discover that it is quite the opposite. You may want to try one of them sometime.

Sweet Applepie

Theodora is the cook and baker of a group of friends, but she mostly likes baking. Sweet Applepie is where you can find not only recipes but also her tips on baking and pastry making. Pâte brisée, chocolate mousse, strawberry galette, and much more are all on her blog. Guess who’s going to be having cake for breakfast?

Kopiaste

In Cyprus, Kopiaste is a polite expression to invite somebody into your home, and it is particularly relevant for Ivy, a delightful Greek-Cypriot pensioner who lives in the lovely town of Nafplio. After retiring, she started rewriting and organizing the discarded recipes she had. After her son had suggested that she write a blog instead, she decided to give it a try, creating Kopiaste. Discover traditional recipes and tips that Ivy shares with love. And better yet? Ivy has published two cooking e-books so that you can have direct access to her recipes. Now, isn’t that lovely?

Cooking is like love. It should be entered into with abandon or not at all. ~Harriet van Horne

 Cooking is like love.  It should be entered into with abandon or not at all.

~Harriet van Horne

Serifos Island and the kind Monk’s Sun Dried Onions and Green Beans


July 18, 2010 by emambrosia


I just returned from Serifos Island. It is a special place, and an often neglected area of the Cyclades islands. It is quiet and retains much of its rugged beauty. We spent a lot of time at the beach of course and sitting on our veranda enjoying the view. One visit to a historical monastery ended up being one of the most memorable experiences of the trip- out of all of our island trips actually…

Taxiarches Monastery sits at the north end of the island. Built in 1572 and founded as a men’s monastery, it is dedicated to Archangels Michael and Gabriel, the patron saints of Serifos. The outside of the structure is unlike any monastery I have ever visited- the tall walls surrounding indicate how it served well as a fortress. The monastery used to be used as a fortress during pirate raids and Turkish occupation. There are small holes in the thick walls from which the monks could shoot.

The last monk living here greeted me and Niko warmly as we approached the entrance of the church. He offered us sweet caramels and explained the history of the icons we studied. You could almost sense the painful history inside the dim church. The faded dark Byzantine icons still shone with thin outlines of vivid bright gold. I was not allowed to take pictures here.

This windy whitewashed architecture offered picturesque images from every angle. One of the many charming sights were the monk’s onions and green beans drying in the sun.



I wondered what and how the monk cooks. But he had other visitors as well and I was embarrassed to ask him these types of questions in such a holy, historically significant place. Now in retrospect, I doubt it would have been inappropriate, but I felt shy at the time!



Drying and dehydrating vegetables helps with waste- if you find yourself with too many tomatoes, green beans or onions, and there is no more room in the freezer and you don’t feel like canning…sun drying is a great solution. In these economic times, nothing should be wasted…and not just when times are hard! It is never right to waste food. I don’t know where you are, but here in Greece it is Hot as Hades. This is a prime time to test this technique.

Drying green beans is great when you want a crisper, crunchier texture. It is wonderful for Sichuan green bean-shrimp meat stir fries for instance. You can thread a sterilized needle through a row of green beans and hang in the hot sun for a day or two. If you are drying for preservation, make sure to blanch before drying to stop enzyme activity that makes the veggie go brown and taste kinda wierd. (Dunk in boiling water for 30 seconds and then shock with ice water to retain their green color).

Sun drying tomatoes is my faaavorite vegetable hobby. It just tasted divine and makes any salad or dip or meat/poultry dish shine.

Unfortunately I do not have a green thumb. I have the opposite of a green thumb- a red thumb….so I pick fresh tomatoes from our local farmers market. They are organic and have excellent flavor, especially now in this climate.

  • Pick firm tomatoes. Not necessarily under-ripe, but certainly not mushy or bruised! The less liquid they have, the faster they will dry.
  • I don’t usually take the skin off, but if you’d like to: blanch (dunk in boiling water for 30 seconds, then shock in ice water). The skin will peel off easily.
  • Cut tomatoes in half or in fourths depending on their size. Remove seeds, the tough stems, and any bruised or soft spots.
  • DRY. There are three methods: a dehydrating machine, an oven, and the sun! Since it is summer, and in honor of the sweet Monk I met last week, today I am discussing the sun method: Place the tomatoes on a cake rack and cover with cheesecloth, or any kind of mesh cloth that will protect the tomatoes from insects and mosquitoes. If you use a regular pan, then you will need to flip the tomatoes over every now and then. (Note- some people leave the tomatoes in the dashboard of their cars during the day, exposed to the most light during the day only- I have never done this but I am sure it works fine).
  • The time it takes depends on so many variables: the size of the tomatoes, the water content, the strength of the sun, etc…You can tell they are done when they are malleable and a little leathery with no water at all. Their color should be a deep red. It has taken me between 13 and 20 hours of sun exposure usually- around two full day times.
  • Of course, you may add salt, basil, or any other spice you like to infuse while they tomatoes are drying…I was thinking of using some exotic spices (maybe Indian) to use in some kind of fusion type recipe…they may accompany a nice yellow-split pea dal puree well…

You can store in olive oil and then the oil will be infused with tomato flavor. You can use the oil to flavor dressings, sauces, etc…Try it out and let me know how it works for you!

I am not sure why the Monk was drying onions. I have seen my grandmother used dehydrated onions in stews and braises before, but it can’t be better than fresh onion, right? If any of you know why dehydrated onions are good for more than preservation let me know!

Maiale al Latte (Milk-Braised Pork) - Bon Appetit

This traditional Italian braised pork roast may not be one of the most photogenic dishes you’ll ever make, but it sure is one of the tastiest. The milk slowly caramelizes during cooking, and at the end it will look as though the sauce is broken; however, the milk curds that form are the most delicious part of the sauce.


INGREDIENTS


4 lb. skinless, boneless pork shoulder, cut into two 2-lb. pieces
Kosher salt
3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
2 heads of garlic, cut in half crosswise
6 cups whole milk
4 bunches sage (about 20 leaves) or a mix of rosemary sprigs, thyme sprigs, and/or bay leaves
2 chiles de árbol or ¾ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
4 2" strips lemon peel
2 Tbsp. very finely chopped parsley
Freshly ground black pepper


RECIPE PREPARATION

Season pork generously with salt all over. Let sit at room temperature at least 1 hour, or preferably chill overnight, then let sit at room temperature 1 hour before cooking.

Preheat oven to 300°. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy wide saucepan over medium-high. Add garlic, cut sides down, and cook until golden brown, about 1 minute. Transfer garlic to a plate. Add pork to pot and cook, undisturbed, until golden brown, 3–5 minutes. Turn and cook, reducing heat to medium if needed so it doesn't burn, until golden brown on all sides, another 3–5 minutes.

Return pork and garlic to pot. Add milk, sage, chiles, and lemon peel. Transfer pot to oven and bake, uncovered, turning pork every 30 minutes, until meat is very tender and can easily be pierced with a paring knife and milk has reduced and formed curds, 2½–3 hours. Transfer meat to a cutting board and let rest 15 minutes.

Using a spoon, skim off most of the fat from the braising liquid; discard sage and lemon peel. Taste sauce and season with salt, if desired.

Slice pork and transfer to a platter. Arrange roasted garlic alongside pork, if desired. Spoon sauce over. Top with parsley; season with pepper.

Tips:

5 out of 5

OMG, the number of reviewers who destroyed the curds by blending them out!! This is a crime against rustic cooking. The curds are integral, velvety chunks of deliciousness. Please don’t destroy them — enjoy the dish as an Italian grandmother intended, lovely & lumpy.

Nepali Recipe Tips - Tomato Chutney, Kala Dal & Lai Ko Subzi

 Tomato chutney - roast Lal Mirch, garlic and tomato to make chutney with Nepali taste 


Kala dal - boil with ginger. Temper with jumboo and ghee 

Lai ko subzi - use baby mustard from Lotte. Temper with ginger only. NO GARLIC 


-Renu

Somchay's Laotian Sauce

Steps:


Shallot & garlic sauteed till brown
Boil water with 4 tbs of sugar
Add fish sauce & squeeze lime on it
Crush planter peanut about 1:2 cup
Crush shallot & garlic to bring out the aroma
Place in water

Italian Grandma Makes Spaghetti Aglio e Olio (Garlic & Oil)

Thursday, September 10, 2020

SPAGHETTI AGLIO e OLIO (Garlic & Oil):

1 lb Spaghetti ¾ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil 10-12 cloves Garlic, sliced ½ cup Fresh Parsley, chopped 1 tsp Crushed Red Pepper Flakes, or to taste 1 tsp Black Pepper, or to taste 3/4 cup Pasta Water, approximately ½ cup Grated Pecorino Romano, or to taste Salt to taste

Steps:

  1. Add oil to the pot and then add the cut garlic. Gently increase the heat.
  2. Fry garlic in oil - do not burn. 
  3. Add red pepper flakes. Continue to cook.  Do not burn. 
  4. Add 3/4 cups of pasta water to the garlic and oil. 
  5. Add parsley
  6. Turn off the heat. 

  1. Drain pasta and return it back to the pot. 
  2. Dump the garlicky oil in the pot. 
  3. Mix well with fork. 
  4. Transfer to platter. Mix well again.
  5. Add black pepper and salt to taste. 


Italian Grandma Makes Spaghetti Carbonara

SPAGHETTI CARBONARA 

  1. 1 lb Pancetta, about 1/2 inch chop 
  2. 3 extra large Eggs + 2 Egg Yolks 
  3. 1 cup Pecorino Romano Cheese, grated 
  4. 1 lb Spaghetti 
  5. 1 Tbsp Salt for pasta water 
  6.  1 Tbsp Black Pepper, or to taste


Steps:

  1. Cook pancetta until reduced. Do not burn. Keep the fat in the pan. 
  2. Put spaghetti to cook with salted water. Cook till al dante
  3. Add the pasta to the pancetta pan. Mix it will. 
  4. Now add a ladle of pasta water to the mix
  5. Mix and then add the egg, cheese mix. Turn on the heat to very low flame if needed
  6. Do not overcook the sauce as it will turn into 
  7. Tips - turn off the heat when you add the egg mix. Do no overcook otherwise it will turn into scrambled eggs.
  8. Immediately transfer to platter. 
  9. Add generous amount of black pepper


Italian Grandma Makes Canned Peeled Tomatoes



  1. Plum Tomatoes - washed and dried
  2. Boil them in water until the skin cracks
  3. Cut into four pieces - mash with hands. Add salt to taste
  4. Sterlize the jars and tops
  5. Add tomatoes to the jar. 3/4 way - add few basil leaves
  6. Put the jarred tomatoes in pot. Cover with water so that it is 2 inches about the top.
  7. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium. Boil for 45 minutes. Let is cook in the pot - overnight. 


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