Falafel Revival

I try to make falafel at least once a year, preferably more (for the obvious reason of their fabulousness).
And well, for the past couple years falafel has been part of the Good Friday dinner over here. The meal that evening is more of a simple appetizer type of affair for us- perhaps cheese, apple slices, a green salad.
I don't know, I just think they're wonderful little bites, fantastic when extremely fresh and just made, but they certainly more than pass muster when baked from frozen.

In a way this is sort of a PSA, if you want to think about it that way. It's something to think about a little ahead of time- especially since dried chickpeas need to soak overnight.

Especially for this purpose, I make falafel several days before and freeze them. They're easy to throw into the oven- reheat however many you want or need when you're ready.
Besides, I'd much rather have a stash of homemade in the freezer (as insurance, of course) than a store bought frozen version.
(And I may end up having to make another batch before they're needed next week...)

The full recipe for falafel can be found here.

(No, they're not cooked in these photos- time to go fry them up!)

Vin de Pamplemousse

This is quick little post I wanted to document while there's still time.
It's an infused wine (like vin de pêche - and both wines are made seasonally for obvious reasons) made with winter citrus fruit, namely zesty grapefruit, that will be very refreshing when it gets a bit warmer outside.
Since not all citrus is easy to find year round, I thought I'd better post this while everything is available.
Of course, while I'm able to put it together right now, it's not ready to drink for over a month. Everything needs to infuse and perhaps ferment a bit.

I can promise the scent is intoxicating.
(It's not the vodka, I promise that, too- it's all that fruit.)

It'll be nice as an aperitif...

I can honestly say this is 100% not my recipe. It belongs to Heidi Swanson of 101cookbooks.
The recipe is in her beautiful book Near & Far, however, I also found the recipe posted online- so I figure I can safely and honestly direct to that location for your benefit.

This is the first time I'm making it, so I'm not tweaking it.
The problem is that by the time it's finished, it'll be too late to gather the ingredients- so if there's any interest at all in something like this, now is the time to make it.

Please be attentive, if possible, to purchasing organically grown fruit in this instance. Obviously, citrus fruit is sprayed and the chemicals are absorbed by the skin. You're using the whole fruit here, including the peel. At the very least, and certainly for all the fruit you end up using, please wash with soap and warm water.

I'll start by giving you a shopping list:

3 Ruby Red grapefruits
2 blood oranges
2 lemons
1 Cara Cara orange
vanilla bean
cane sugar
vodka
4, 750 ml bottles of rosé wine

If you don't have the book, the recipe can be found here.

Now just to wait.
I'll look forward to a sip in April.

Green Soup

Sometimes when you're sad, you have no appetite. And when you do eat something, it just crumbles in your mouth with a texture and taste like sawdust. Overall, food is just unappealing.

You may have a group to commiserate with, depending on the situation, but that certainly has both good and bad points. Camaraderie if you don't really care how you look vs. don't-make-eye-contact-or-you-won't-keep-your-composure.
Your call.

Though, to me, soup can be entirely different when it comes to foods at times like these (or at the very least a more palatable choice). Soup is good for sadness. It is in a way comforting on it's own, especially if it's of the warm and creamy persuasion. And if it has a little kick, there's a bit of liveliness and a different warmth that you're not entirely able to ignore.

I like soup, no matter what, but there are times that soup as a dish is imminently appropriate, and totally fits the bill. It seems nothing else will do.

I'm now thinking that soup would be best following funerals, especially funerals on snowy days.

This is a soup I've made a couple times in the past couple weeks.

One that I initially put together late one afternoon knowing I didn't want to go back out that day and that I could figure something out after going through a well-stocked fridge.
I'm glad I took notes because I enjoyed it (and frankly, it seems the other eaters were ok with it, too).

"Green Soup" has variety of vegetables, can be whipped up in less than an hour, is a springy shade of green, and is good for you and tastes pretty good, too. It has a velvety texture, and while the recipe as written calls for a touch of light cream, it's entirely unnecessary and you could make this and end up with a "creamy" vegan soup. You wouldn't even miss the cream. 

If you like, serve with a bit of grated cheese- cheddar and Parmesan are really nice for their zing.

And as another note or two before we move on to the recipe: most of it is estimation of vegetable size. I don't call for much weights and measures here. So, because this is the case (volume inexactitude), you'll have to play some of it by ear and likely end up with a slightly different soup each time. Start with the 6 cups of stock, and add more (or make that extra a cup of water) if necessary to thin it out. However, you may want to wait until closer to the end of cooking time to finally decide whether to add it to increase the liquid to veg ratio (maybe before you add the broccoli florets is best).
Don't overcook the broccoli florets- they're greatly what gives the soup it's nice shade.


Green Soup
serves 6 or more, depending on the eaters

3 T (90 ml) olive oil
3 medium leeks, white and light green part only
1 medium onion, diced
4 large garlic cloves, minced
2 medium zucchini, top and bottom removed sliced lengthwise, then into 1/2 inch half moons
1 medium potato (or 2-3 small potatoes to amount to a medium one)
6-7 c (1.4 to 1.65 liters) vegetable or chicken broth
1 lb, 4 oz (about 570 g) broccoli
1/8 t cayenne pepper (0.4 g if you have a sensitive scale, otherwise a nice pinch)
1 t (2 g) freshly ground black pepper 
Freshly ground nutmeg
1/2 c (125 ml) light cream, optional (half and half, or heavy cream or crème fraîche if you wish)
Salt, as necessary

Slice the root end off the leeks then slice them in half lengthwise. Slice the leeks into 1/2 inch pieces, and place them in a bowl of cold water. Agitate and soak a bit, then pull the leek pieces out of the water and into a strainer (instead of pouring the bowl of leeks and water out through a strainer- leave the sand and grit at the bottom of the bowl instead of putting it back on your leeks).
Drain well.

Warm the olive oil in a large heavy bottomed pan (such as enameled cast iron) over medium heat. Add the leeks and onion, and saute 3-5 minutes until slightly wilted and the onions are translucent.

Add the minced garlic and saute about 30 seconds, before adding the prepared zucchini and potato. Stir so that everything is coated in oil, then pour in 6 cups of broth.

While the broth is warming, prepare the broccoli. Remove the florets from the stems and place them in a bowl. Set aside. Remove the ends of the stems, and peel the tough outer layer from the stalks. Slice the peeled portions of broccoli stems and add them to the pot.

Add the cayenne and black pepper to the soup, as well as several good grinds of nutmeg.
Bring the soup to a gentle simmer and cook about 20 minutes, or until the vegetables have softened. If you so choose, add the extra liquid about 12 minutes in, then add the broccoli florets after 15 minutes. Cook the soup the last 5 minutes, at which time the broccoli tops will have turned a bright green. 

Remove the pot from the heat and puree in batches, carefully filling the blender only 1/2- 2/3 full. Pour the pureed soup into another pot or tureen, and continue to puree the remaining soup.
When finished, add the cream if desired and taste for seasonings. Adjust as necessary.

Serve as is, or with grated cheddar or Parmesan.

Caramelized Pecans (or An Addition to a Cheese Board)

This was something put together on Thanksgiving from what I found available to go with the aperitif.
Since everything worked out fairly well I had to write it down. I guess posting is my way of making sure I don't misplace it.

Relatively simple, somewhat festive, a little sweet and a little savory, caramelized pecans make a nice addition to a cheese board.
Perhaps slightly addictive?
A fortunate thing that the recipe makes a limited amount?

I like cheese boards with a little variety (taste, texture, color...).
Said cheese boards might include dried fruit or fig jam/lingonberry jam/cranberry sauce, nuts, and crackers or thin slices of bread

Well, the pecans weren't such a bad addition.
And since they're easy and a crispy little step up from plainer toasted pecans, I could see myself doing this over and over- provided I had what's necessary on hand when the special occasion need arose.
But really, I think practically everyone could at least do a variation to serve in a pinch.

Either that, or this could potentially make a nice little homemade gift in a pretty jar.
(In case you're wondering, they didn't seem to stick together when stored- I suppose the bit of butter helps with that aspect.)

You could, of course, omit the rosemary completely OR dress them up a little differently.
Instead of rosemary, maybe a touch of cayenne for a kick, or a sprinkle of baking-type spices: cinnamon, a touch of cloves and allspice (and black pepper to add interest?). Perhaps stir some orange zest into the caramel just prior to the pecans, and add a handful of dried cranberries before removing the pecans to cool.


Caramelized Pecans
makes 2 to 2 1/4 cups

2 to 2 1/4 c (200-225 g) pecan halves
6 T (1/4 c plus 2 T, 90 g) granulated sugar
2 T (30 g) unsalted butter
1/2 T (2 g) minced fresh rosemary needles
1/2 t (3 g) kosher or fine sea salt, plus more to taste

Preheat the oven to 350 F and place the pecans on a tray. Bake 8-12 minutes, or until lightly toasted and crisped, shaking the pan a couple times as they bake.
Remove the pecans from the oven and set aside.
In a medium saucepan or frying pan, heat the sugar over medium heat until it melts and takes on a nice shade of amber. Add the butter and stir through to combine.
Add the rosemary and salt, and stir to incorporate a bit and then add the pecans. Toss and stir until the pecans are coated.

Remove the caramel pecans to a piece of parchment paper to cool, spreading them out so they are separated. Sprinkle with extra salt if desired.
Let the nuts cool completely before serving or store in a covered container.

Caramel Apple Tart (With a Twist)

I was watching an episode of The Great British Baking Show several weeks ago, and was inspired by something one of the contestants had made. Kimberly whipped out an amazing sounding caramel apple pie with rosemary and pecans (yay, Kimberly).
I decided I wanted to come up with a version.
(It's already been determined that I'm quite alright with caramel and rosemary.)

Well, I think it's one of those everything-all-at-once fall flavor dishes.
And I'm ok with that.

(And as a side note, in case anyone is dying to know, I prefer pies to cakes. But I prefer tarts to pies. Exactly why, I'm not certain. But I definitely think cake is better eaten in the afternoon- not as an evening dessert. Tarts better serve that evening role.)

Granted, not everyone may be ok with nuts, or rosemary... and that's ok too. Adjust as you see fit.

This is something to do on one of those days when you're spending time around the house getting some of this and that taken care of- perhaps a good rainy day project.  It's an activity you can be attentive to when your attention is required, on and off.  And sure, it may or may not be slightly involved.
Otherwise, you can take care of other matters.

Now we talk apples.  When baking, I think it's important to go for something a bit tart, or a variety that's both tart and sweet: Jonathon, Gravenstein, Empire, Cortland, Braeburn, Honeycrisp, and Pink Lady are all examples in this range. I personally don't want overly sweet apple desserts, but especially in this case as you'll be dressing those apples up a bit with caramel.

And leftovers for breakfast? Yes.
I'm ok with that, too.

Rosemary and Caramel Apple Tart
makes one 10 inch tart, serves 8-10

pastry:
1/2 c (80 g) brown rice flour
1/4 c (45 g) potato starch
1/4 c (32 g) tapoica flour
1/4 c (25 g) oat flour
1/2 t (2 g) xanthan gum
1 1/2 T (22 g) sugar
1/4 t (2 g) salt
1 T (2 g) fresh rosemary needles, minced
8 T (114 g) unsalted butter, cold and cut into about 8 pieces
2 T (30 g) cream cheese, divided into 4 or 5 pieces

apples: 
2 lb. (1 scant kilo) apples, see above for recommendations, peeled and sliced into thin pieces (24ths or so)
1/4 c (54 g) sugar

2/3 to 3/4 c (70-90 g) pecans, chopped 

caramel:
2/3 c (148 g) sugar
1/3 c (80 ml) heavy cream
2 T (30 g) butter
1/4 t (2 g) fine sea salt

Prepare the pastry. In the bowl of a food processor, process the flours, xanthan gum, sugar, salt and rosemary until well blended. Add the butter and cream cheese and process until the mixture comes together into a ball of dough. Place the dough in a piece of plastic wrap or parchment paper, wrap, and refrigerate at least an hour.
Remove the dough from the fridge and let sit on the counter to warm 10 minutes so it's more manageable.
Unwrap the dough and roll between two sheets of plastic wrap or parchment paper until it's big enough to fit the bottom and up the sides of the tart tin (maybe 12-13 inches in diameter). Remove the top sheet of plastic or paper, pick up the bottom sheet with the dough, and invert the dough onto a 10 inch tart pan with a removable bottom.Carefully tuck the dough into the sides and crevices. Trim any extra dough hanging over the top and use it to patch holes, cracks, or any thin spots (or fold it down for a thicker crust edge). 
Freeze the prepared tart dough 15 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350 F/180 C, with a sheet pan on the middle rack.
Remove the tart pan from the oven and bake 20-25 minutes, until the bottom is set and dry to the touch.
Meanwhile, toss the sliced apples with sugar in a large bowl and let them sit while the pastry bakes so that they give off a bit of moisture.
When the pastry is ready, remove the tart and sheet pan from the oven, and increase the heat to 375 F /190 C.
Scatter about half of the pecans over the bottom of the crust. Top the crust with apples, partially overlapped and placed in concentric circles starting from the outside and moving inward. Fill in any small gaps throughout with apple slices broken in half. As you do this, pull out slices one by one from the bowl to reserve the juice in the bowl. 
Place the tart and sheet pan back in the oven and bake 40-50 minutes total, until the edges of the crust are pale golden.

Meanwhile, make the caramel. Place the sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat and pour the reserved sugary apple juice over it. Let the sugar melt and then caramelize until it reaches a deep amber. Do not stir the caramel, but you may shake and tilt the pan to redistribute the sugar granules. Remove the pan from the heat. When the sugar has completely melted and caramelized, add the butter. Once the butter has melted, carefully pour in the cream (it will likely sputter) and whisk until smooth. You may need to place the pan over low heat to re-melt the sugar and incorporate. Stir in the salt and remove the finished caramel to a bowl until ready to use.

This will take a little estimation: When you think the tart has about 10 minutes left to bake, lightly tamp down the apples from above, then scatter the remaining pecans over the top. Return the tart to the oven to finish and toast the pecans.

Remove the tart from the oven and drizzle about half the caramel over the top.
Let the tart cool completely, slice, plate, and drizzle remaining caramel over (you may want to warm the caramel a bit if it's not at optimal flow for drizzling).

Peanut and Hazelnut Butter

I have been meaning to make homemade nut butter for a while now, thinking about it... but it didn't happen until just recently. I don't know why it took so long. It's relatively simple and you can have some fun with it.

This one has a bit of cinnamon and a hint of sweetness from honey. It's nice with apples, on toast, and it might be great swirled into a bowl of hot oats. Or maybe in the center of a homemade peanut butter cup? Though not really peanut butter...

Since I've made it, I've been imagining other versions I might try. Cashews processed with some coconut oil and spiked with cardamom. Pecans with apple pie inspired spices. And why not a version of Nutella- hazelnuts and cocoa powder? Of course, it might not be a bad idea to go basic and try out some plain peanut butter. I suppose I just went and jumped ahead there.

The point is that there are so many combinations that could be tried... maybe try mixing dried fruit and seeds into nut butter, bits of chocolate, coconut, different spices... start with a base and go from there!

Peanut and Hazelnut Butter
makes about 2 cups (around 500 ml amount)

1 c (130 g) hazelnuts
1 1/2 c (225 g) peanuts, without skins, dry roasted and unsalted
3 T (45 ml) honey
1/4 c (60 ml) peanut, sunflower, or another neutral oil
1 t (3 g) ground cinnamon
1/4 t (large pinch) fine sea salt

Preheat the oven to 350 F/ 180 C. Place the hazelnuts on a baking sheet and toast 8-10 minutes, shaking the pan a few times during the bake to toast evenly. Remove the pan from the oven and let cool slightly. If the hazelnuts have skins, place the nuts in a kitchen towel and rub them to remove the skins. Let the hazelnuts cool completely.
Place the cooled hazelnuts and peanuts in the bowl of a food processor. Process/pulse until the nuts resemble coarse sand. Add the rest of the ingredients. Continue to process until the mixture resembles nut butter (this will take a while- maybe up to 15 minutes total). Give the food processor a 5 minute break once or twice during this process as this is a lot of work for the machine- you do not want to burn out your food processor.
If you like it a bit smoother, sweeter, or saltier, add extra oil, honey, or salt and process to incorporate.
Remove the nut butter to a covered container and enjoy within a couple weeks.

*Yes, it is drier than standard versions of peanut butter, but I prefer to use less oil. 

Chocolate Terrine (in a pool of Blackberry-Port Sauce)

Some might say any recipe that starts with a pound of chocolate can't be a bad thing.
I've made this seven or eight times in the last year, each time changing things here and there as it was never quite what I was looking for. The thing is, you can't just keep making one large chocolate terrine after another. No, no, you can, but you shouldn't.
You can't rush these things, you need a break between. So you keep notes on important things like this.
And who knows, maybe it'll change again.

 

But, the good news is that most people are ok with chocolate in general, as well as assisting in it's dispatch.

A chocolate terrine is in some ways like a mousse, but a bit more stiff and slice-able.
Best sliced cold, though not served directly after, the terrine is creamy melt-in-the-mouth chocolate, not too heavy, but still decadent. I don't know exactly what it is, the more dense a chocolate dessert, the more decadent it seems.
(Although, perhaps strangely, I don't think I would say a piece of solid chocolate is the most decadent of all.)
To me, a thicker pot de creme seems richer than it's not quite so set brother. It's just cooked a little longer, so why is that?
Perhaps one slows down a bit to eat it, maybe it's more likely to be savored... There could be some cue taken unconsciously.

Good reason to make sure the terrine has the time it needs to set completely. In addition to the increased ease of slicing (a function of time and temperature), we'll definitely say upon it's requisite gradual consumption, more enjoyment is gained (and in that case, since you naturally slow your pace, you consequently need less).

The blackberry-Port sauce is a fantastic accompaniment, complimentary and fruity with a slight tannic flair- a little deeper than berries on their own, and so nice for early autumn. There's a certain perfume-y quality in a berry and red wine combination that I love.

Not only is it a make-ahead (save yourself stress day-of and be proactive) dessert, it won't work out or behave properly if not made ahead. Please don't go rogue on this one, folks.
The fact of the matter is that it's an especially important point if you happen to be serving a crowd- save the last minute stress for another time.

(Likewise, souffles are more appropriate to prepare for the more intimate group, and a nightmare for the crowd. Planning is important.)

That said, the recipe certainly does not serve a small group. And though you can work on halving it, it won't be the most straightforward of all time as the recipe does not call for an even number of egg whites. I can say I find that extra chocolate terrine is ok to freeze for a couple weeks to a month, as long as it's properly wrapped and in a covered container. The ingredients are much the same as in ice cream. Just let it warm a bit before you dive in.
But let's face it: yes, you can eat it straight out of the freezer, it can be done.

And sometimes that's just the way it has to be, it's the awful truth (honestly).

Chocolate Terrine
serves a 12-16
(5 cups, about 1500 ml- keep in mind for your mould)

16 oz (454g) good dark chocolate (60-70%), chopped
12 T (171g) unsalted butter
4 large egg yolks
3 large egg whites
1/4 t (2 g) fine sea salt
1/2 c (114g) sugar
1 1/4 c (about 320 ml) heavy cream 


Grease/spray/oil a mould and line with plastic wrap (clingfilm).
The one I like to use may be a bit unconventional, a long and relatively thin loaf pan, but I really prefer it's shape.

Place the chocolate and butter in a large heat safe bowl, and place over the top of a pan of gently simmering water, making sure that the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water. Stir occasionally until the mixture is completely melted and smooth. Remove the bowl from the heat and let cool slightly, 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally to dissipate the heat.
In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the salt and about half the sugar until incorporated. Whisk the egg yolk mixture into the warm chocolate. Let cool an additional 10-15 minutes.

Whip the whites in a medium bowl until frothy. Add the remaining sugar, a little at a time, whisking all the while until you have medium peaks. Add about one third of the whites to the chocolate mixture and whisk  gently until homogenous so the mixture is lightened a bit. Put the whisk aside and get a large spatula. Add about half the remaining whites and fold gently. Scoop the remaining whites into the chocolate and fold gently (you don't want lumps of egg whites, but small streaks are alright- you want to keep air in the mixture you gained with the whipped whites, not beat it out).

Whip the cream until medium to stiff texture (using the same bowl as with the whites if you are able). Fold about half the cream into the chocolate, gently but thoroughly, until incorporated. Add the rest of the cream and again, fold gently. Carefully spoon the chocolate into the prepared mould, filling the corners and smoothing the top. Perhaps tap the mould carefully on the counter a couple times so your terrine settles.
Lay the overhanging plastic wrap over the top of the smoothed chocolate.
Refrigerate the terrine 24 hours. 


Blackberry-Port Sauce
makes about 4 cups/1 qt./1 scant liter

12 oz (340 g) blackberries
1/3 c (76 g) sugar
2/3 c (160 ml) water
pinch of salt
10 oz (about 285 ml) blackberry jam
1/2 c (125 ml) Port
lemon juice, to taste, if necessary

Combine the blackberries, sugar, water, and salt in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer about 3 minutes to soften. Remove the pan from the heat, and pour the contents into the bowl of a food processor. Process until the berries are broken down. Add the jam and pulse a few times until incorporated. Add the Port and process until just combined. Taste the sauce and add lemon juice as necessary, a little at a time.
Let cool (at least slightly) before removing to a covered container. Refrigerate until cold and ready to use.


To unmould:
If unable to turn it out directly, place the bottom of the mould in a tray (or sink) of warm water for 10 seconds. Unwrap the top of the mould and place upside-down on a parchment paper lined tray. Tap, if necessary, and lift the mould from the terrine. Remove the plastic and refrigerate the tray until ready to slice. 

Before slicing, warm a sharp knife under running water. Wipe dry and slice the terrine (of course, this will vary depending on the mould used), re-warm and wipe the knife dry between slices.
Slice directly out of the fridge, but let the plated desserts warm a few minutes before serving- just to take a little chill off and soften the texture slightly.

Ladle sauce onto plates and top with slices of terrine.