Eggplant with Crushed Chickpeas and Herbed Yogurt from "Plenty More"

One of the reasons that I am loving using Plenty More for recipe inspirations is that I am finding such creativity in side dishes - a part of the plate that is generally an afterthought. My latest test could be considered either a side dish or an appetizer given the strength of flavors. I also thought that the recipe could be modified to become a main dish with some ground lamb on top. Regardless of its placement on the menu - I found Ottolenghi's "Eggplant with Crushed Chickpeas and Herbed Yogurt" to be, like many of his other recipes, complex and comforting.

I can't say much about the presentation as there was no guiding image in the book. I found the final "verbally" recommended presentation a bit sloppy so I chopped up some additional parsley and sprinkled that on top in hopes of tying it all together. Even still, it wasn't the most beautiful dish I've eaten, but it was tasty and isn't that really the most important part of a dish anyway?

The recipe consisted of three basic parts: Roasted Eggplant, Crushed Chickpeas (think chunky hummus sans tahini), and Herbed Yogurt (with multiple herbs, of course). And what's beautiful about that is, despite three components, there are only eight ingredients! Simplicity is beautiful.

The eggplants are to be sliced crosswise and about 3/4-inch wide. They are then simply roasted at a high temperature (475F!) for 40 minutes. That makes them look nearly burnt but, trust me, they aren't - they are just beautifully roasted and provide that rich, deep foundation for the rest of the ingredients.

For the "crushed chickpeas" I used canned because I already had these on hand. And to be honest, I think the canned version is probably best for this recipe. The chickpeas need to be very soft and in order to achieve that from dried chickpeas - you'll have to cook them for a very long time. And you are mashing them so some of the best things about dried chickpeas (cooked) is the texture of the full bean so save yourself time and use canned chickpeas. 

I had to re-read the recipe a few times to understand that you are actually using the lemon part of the lemon and not the rind, the pith, or the juice. Little bits of lemon get chopped up and add brightness and tang to the chickpea mixture. It really is reminiscent of a hummus - just without the tahini. Personally, I could see myself serving just this chickpea mash with some pita and having that be a simple little snack to munch on.

2009 Asuncion Ridge Salacious (GSM)

I love, love, love this wine and this vineyard. It has a very special place in my heart for a few reasons.

• It reminds me of the lovely weekend getaways that Derek and I would take in Paso Robles 

and

• It was one of the wines that peaked my interest and love for Rhone-varietals (which I'm sure I'll post about in subsequent wine raves)

A little back-story on the wine's origin. Derek and I were looking for a little weekend getaway from San Francisco and wanted to try something different from our standard (but oh so fabulous) Sonoma/Russian River wine region. Just 3-4 hours south there is this lovely under-the-radar wine region near San Luis Obispo: Paso Robles. 

We found this amazing little contemporary B&B, located atop the rolling hills of Atascadero with views of the ocean at the edge of the vast green land below. The house had three bedrooms and a common area that we could make ourselves comfortable in my watching a movie, playing games, you name it. When we arrived, 3 bottles of wine and a variety of cheeses were sitting out for us to enjoy at our leisure. The wine happened to be the same label as the place we were staying so I figured it must have been the innkeepers homemade little project.

Upon first sip I was blown away.

This was no little pet project for the innkeeper - what I was tasting as was beautiful expression of the local region - full of body and rich dark fruit flavors but with an earthy, savory undertone. 

Having tried a few years of his Pinot Noir as well as other Rhone-inspired blends, we didn't leave the B&B before signing up for his Wine Club - which we are still members of today.

That Winery: Asuncion Ridge 

The Wine that I First Fell in Love With: Salacious (Grenache, Syrah, Mouvedre)

Retail Price: $36
50% Grenache, 25% Syrah, 25% Mourvedre
Winery Description: Blackberry, plum, cassis and golden raisins on the nose. A fruit forward and juicy full mouth feel with a soft and long finish.
Can be Found: Winery Website - I don't think he has any significant distribution at this point so either take a weekend and check out Paso (and stay in the B&B) or consider buying a few bottles - everything he makes is divine.

We had this  recently with roasted eggplant and loved how the two paired together. I think it was less of the combination of the wine and the eggplant and more of the harmony of the deep, roasted flavors with the juicy but savory wine (grown on volcanic soil). This would be great with nearly any roasted meats. Or, as with all of my favorite wines, this Salacious can be thoroughly enjoyed by itself

Cheers!

Tofu Kale Summer Rolls with Tahini Lemon Dipping Sauce

Looks a bit familiar, doesn't it? I was inspired by two amazing dishes that I consumed recently:

1. Tahini Kale Macro Bowl (healthy and hearty)
2. Fresh Spring Rolls (with proscuitto, melon and squid) from our Valentine's Day meal (fun)

I loved the convenience of the spring rolls with all of the yummy goodness wrapped up in a light rice paper blanket. You can make nearly any salad or "bowl" of ingredients into a healthy and portable wrap - the options are limitless. Typically these fresh spring rolls (or sometimes called "summer rolls") are filled with Asian-inspired flavors - think rice noodles, cilantro, jalapeno, pickled vegetables, a protein with a variety of dipping sauces - most prominently - peanut sauce.

What I love about exposure to ethnic cuisines is that it offers new ideas for adaptation into our everyday flavors. For me, today - it was a return to the macro bowl flavors, with a few additions to "spice it up" a bit.

This is not meant to be a recipe but rather an inspiration. Just think of taking some of your favorite healthy ingredients and rolling them into one blissful treat - allowing you to get a taste of each ingredient in one single bite. The opportunities are endless - imagine a Greek Salad Summer Roll with lettuce, tomato, cucumber, feta and olives - add in some shrimp and you have a full meal in a convenient wrap. I've also seen similar inspirations where you use a blanched collard green leaf as the "rolling paper." That too is delicious and will likely appear on my menu in the not to distant future as it is another fabulous vessel for ingredients. Given my gluten-free tendency, I prefer to stray away from a burrito - typically rolled with a flour tortilla. Not only did I find those less enjoyable but they are also filling in itself with the tortilla being deceptively heavy. Instead, use rice paper if you have delicate fillings, or go with a blanched collard green leaf that can stand up to a bit more heft.

Tip: If you are using rice paper, you may want to double up sheets to ensure a sturdy blanket for your ingredients. Otherwise, you may find yourself with a fork and knife, getting at every last piece that has dropped on your plate due to an unsturdy wrapper.

How about that for a lunchtime inspiration!

Tiramisu Meringue Roulade

Growing up, baking was one of my first passions. As I've gotten more into cooking, I've spent less time baking. Still, whenever an occasion calls for a dessert, I'm the designated dessert queen. For Valentine's Day - I couldn't quite figure out what to make. Flourless chocolate cake or lava cake seem to be staples but with the expansive menu that we had planned, I didn't want a heavy chocolate finale. 

Going on the loosely Italian theme that we had for tonight - one of my favorite desserts came to mind: Tiramisu. While not a "light dish" - Tiramisu typically does not weigh you down like some sweet treats. The creamy yet fluffy "pudding" laced with coffee and booze of some sort (rum, khalua) and light, spongy vessels for soaking up the goodness is a harmonious way to end a meal. Some people like coffee with their dessert. I like coffee in my dessert. 

Still, in all of its perfection, there are two primary issues (for me) with Tiramisu:

1. The Heavy Cream. When whipped up, one often forgets just how dense heavy cream is. I don't mind a touch of it here and there but let's be honest, there are ways around it. And if you have issues with lactose, heavy cream is not your friend. So my version omits the heavy cream and makes a bit of an embarrassing shortcut (ahem...whipped topping) that only my mother would be proud of. If you love heavy cream, by all means, add it to this dish by following the traditional tiramisu pudding recipe.
2. The Lady Fingers. Though more eggy and sugary than floury - these spongy cookies still contain gluten. I could make a gluten free version had I wanted to create a true Tiramisu - but I was instead inspired by a new creative approach.

So in flipping through my trusty Plenty More cookbook, I found a recipe that inspired me to try a new take on a tiramisu. The recipe in itself would have actually been a perfect Valentine's Day dessert: Meringue Roulade with Rose Petals and Fresh Raspberries. How romantic does that sound? Still, stuck on my coffee inspired flavors, I thought - why not make the traditional (or slightly nontraditional) tiramisu filling and roll that up in the light and airy meringue. Both a meringue and lady fingers have similar qualities, so I was certain the flavors would mesh well. Then it was just about the execution.

Meringue for the Roulade - with a touch of coffee grounds

In making the meringue, I was reminded by just how much I will appreciate a KitchenAid once I finally have one in my home. In my stubbornness, I said that I would not let myself have one until I was married. That was a stupid rule - but I guess I've said it for so long that I might as well suffer through my ancient hand mixer to make marriage that much more exciting.

One of my creative additions was that of an unknown amount of coffee grounds. The recipe called for "superfine sugar" which I did not have. Instead, I took my normal cane sugar and ground it up with our coffee grinder which still had some of the coffee bean residue around the vessel. Rather than clean it out, I figured, might as well make a coffee sugar - it's a coffee dessert anyway. It was brilliant. In the recipe, I mentioned "instant coffee" - I would say you could go that route or blend up the fine grounds with the sugar - what's important is that you don't have any significant coffee specks and that it simply imparts the rich flavor on the meringue.

Valentine's Day 2015 Menu

Valentine's Day. A day to show love to the special people in your life. And if you have a special someone - oftentimes a day to go out and spend money on a fancy meal, surrounded by a restaurant full of other loving couples. While a night out on the town can seem appealing to many, the sheer thought of having a designated night for going out with the rest of the world doesn't say love to me.

Derek and I speak the language of love through cooking together, and so for the day where love is put first and foremost, it only made sense for the two of us to cook a fabulous meal at home.

Not only did we get to have entertainment and dinner all in one - but we also saved boku bucks doing so. Even despite the complex menu that Derek envisioned - we certainly saved money by staying in AND were able to polish off nearly two bottles of wine (bubbly/pinot) which, at a restaurant, would have cost more than our entire meal combined.

The menu for the evening:

• Blue Point Oysters with a Prosecco Mignonette
• Prosciutto, Melon and Squid Summer Rolls with Tarragon and Chile Oils
• Homemade Gnocchi with Chanterelles and Broccoli Rabe
• Pan-Seared Chilean Sea Bass with a Thick Tomato Vinaigrette and Basil Cream 
• Tiramisu Meringue Roulade

With a simple but enjoyable Santa Margherita Prosecco ($19) and a smoky Anaba Pinot Noir ($46).

Sure, this took some time. But we prepped earlier in the day and didn't care how much time we spent in the kitchen because it was in the negatives with windchill outside and we had no desire to do anything else productive (except for a hot yoga class) during the day.

I'll create a separate post for a few of these dishes. Particularly the dessert because I had 100% control of that one (and it was fantastic). Also the summer rolls were incredibly unique and refreshing  - and being Derek's brainchild, it is probably something worth writing down.

For the rest, enjoy the pictures - and sorry, there are no leftovers (except for dessert).

Blue Point Oysters with Prosecco Mignonette

Recipe for the Mignonette (accompanying sauce) can be found here. That's the easy part. The difficult part is definitely shucking the oysters - and job that is reserved for Derek. Makes you appreciate those silly $3 oysters that you get in a restaurant a bit more. We bought the oysters for $0.60 a piece from the local fish market - already you can see the savings of a homemade meal.

Prosciutto, Melon, Squid Summer Rolls with Tarragon and Chile Oils

Here is creativity at its finest. I was a bit skeptical of this menu addition at first as it was foreign to me in concept. I get prosciutto and melon and I get summer rolls but I haven't had the two combined. Then add squid into the mix and my mind was blown. Fortunately, my mouth was blown when I ate the final creation. It was complex and refreshing and actually worked really well together. We discussed the modifications that we would make if we were to continue building on this recipe concept - but we were both incredibly pleased with the result.

Anaba Pinot Noir - from our Wine Club Shipment - $46

Robert Parker gave this 90 points. In his words, it is "The medium ruby/garnet-tinged 2012 Pinot Noir Dutton Ranch possesses black cherry and berry fruit, soft tannins, adequate acidity and a lush, hedonistic mouthfeel. This medium-bodied Pinot Noir should drink nicely for 3-4 years." In my words, it is delicious - though probably not the perfect fit with our meal (we knew that but wanted a red).

Homemade gnocchi with Chanterelles and Broccoli Rabe

This dish almost was scratched from the menu. Not because we didn't want it - but because despite standing in front of the potatoes and explicitly calling out "let's get potatoes" - we left the grocery store without potatoes - only to realize this once we arrived home. And with how cold it was outside, neither of us wanted to venture back out just for a potato or two. Solution? Order a $4 baked potato from the cafe at our gym. It worked - and was pre-cooked so we could scratch off one step of our cooking process. The gnocchi - a potato based "dumpling" were light and comforting. The rich butter broth paired exquisitely with earthy chanterelles and bitter broccoli rabe. It was simple in all of its perfection.

Pan-Seared Chilean Sea Bass with Thick Tomato Vinaigrette and Basil Cream

As if I were not already satisfied  - this beauty was put in front of me. My only contribution here was the Parmesan crisp. Derek made a rich vinaigrette with cherry and sun-dried tomatoes with sherry vinegar. We both agreed the sun-dried tomatoes were perhaps a bit overpowering paired with the delicate Sea Bass - but it was delicious nonetheless. It was reminiscent of a romesco sauce in terms of complexity and richness. But I agree it would have been better either without the sun-dried tomatoes or paired with a different protein. That's just us being critical - was it insanely delicious and was the fish perfectly cooked and did we finish every last bite. Yes.

Tiramisu Meringue Roulade

To top it all off, I made a take on a tiramisu that incorporated all of the familiar flavors in a beautiful, gluten-free meringue vessel. I'll write on this separately so I won't go into too much detail but I can say I was proud of this one as it was my own brainchild. I used a recipe from Plenty More for the meringue and to get the basic technique but then molded the flavors to a tiramisu profile. It was light and airy yet smooth and seductive. Just what a Valentine's Day meal should be.

Here's to speaking the language of love through food - making every day in the kitchen a sign of love.

Xoxo.

2012 Ridge Three Valleys Sonoma County

The Perfect Wine for a Weekend Night In:

2012 Ridge Three Valleys Sonoma County Zinfandel Blend

It's like a warm, comforting hug that keeps you coming back for more.

2012 Ridge Three Valleys Sonoma County 
82% Zinfandel, 12% Petite Sirah, 4% Carignane, 2% Alicante Bouschet

$23.00

Red Zinfandel was one of my first wine loves. Oftentimes, it is easy to drink and approachable due to the bold, fruit-forward nature of the grape. Lower-end Zins can often be characterized as "jammy fruit bombs" which, incidentally, is not highly appreciated in the world of wine. They are approachable because they are reminiscent of adult berry pies, blended, strained, and bottled in a fancy bottle and poured into an adult sippy cup. This is not a bad thing. However, I prefer something with a bit more complexity - and this Ridge Three Valleys Sonoma County has just that.

The wine was bold and spicy with deep red fruits, lingering smooth tannins (that feeling that "dries out" your mouth) and a level of earthiness that provides just enough ground to the fruit. So think of it as enjoyable as that naturally sweet (instead of cloyingly sweet) berry pie with a touch of baking spices that you could eat a whole pie of because after each bite, your mouth prepares itself for the next one (as opposed to the kind of pie that you take two bites and you have had enough).

And if you don't eat many pies - just think of this wine as a perfect stand-alone companion for a weekend night in. You could pair it with a burger or pizza - but really, this is enjoyable and "big" enough to enjoy fully on its own.

Tahini Kale Macro Bowl

Sometimes (or really, most of the time) after a long workweek, all I want to do on a Friday night is open up a bottle of wine, put on cozies (technical term for yoga/sweatpants and a top), and lounge around my own apartment. I'm not sure if this is a sign of me getting older - but the moments of pure "me" time are supremely appreciated.

Derek had plans to go out with the guys so I made my own plans which consisted of wine, cheese, a book, a cheesy TV show that I had recorded (cough cough...The Bachelor) and a simple but healthy meal. Perfection.

Recently I had been looking back at some of my older blog posts and I realized two things:

1. Many (most) of my pictures were terrible. Sorry, there's nothing I can do about that now. Chalk it up to bad lighting and a bad camera - and possibly a bad photographer as well.
2. I used to eat so many more "Katie meals" (as I referred to them) which typically consisted of a meatless conglomerate of delicious and healthy grains and vegetables.

So when I had my solo night in - I took full advantage of returning to MY comfort food and prepared a fabulously healthy bowl - largely inspired by a dish I love at a local vegan restaurant - Native Foods. Their version uses: "Grilled Native Tempeh atop steamed kale, brown rice, creamy ginger sesame sauce, tangy sauerkraut and onions. Garnished with gomasio and green onion and served with a crunchy cucumber seaweed salad on the side." However, I always substitute tofu for Tempeh and quinoa for brown rice.

My homemade version added in a few additional substitutions/additions proving that this type of "goddess bowl" if you will, can really be adjusted to your own tastes and preferences and is simple to create if you think of it as, generally: 

• Grain base (quinoa, brown rice, rice, couscous, etc.)
• Sauteed greens (kale, spinach, collard greens, etc.)
• Vegetables (cucumbers, carrots, mushrooms, avocado, etc.)
• Protein (tofu, egg, shrimp, chicken, etc.)
• Dressing (your call! though I really like a dressing with a bit of richness from tahini or avocado to bring together the elements of the dish)

Mix it all together and - voila! - you have a delicious, hearty and healthy meal. 

Tahini Kale Macro Bowl (inspired by Native Foods' Sesame Kale Macro Bowl )

serves 2 (approximately)

Crushed Carrots with Harissa and Pistachios from "Plenty More"

This recipe was delayed for nearly a week due to an apparent harissa shortage. I know harissa isn't quite as common as - say ketchup (in America at least) but it certainly isn't too foreign of a condiment, or is it? I was first formally introduced to harissa when I was living in New York and sharing a fabulously shanty chic West Village apartment with an amazing bohemian-esque roommate "Sarra" whose family came from Tunisia in Northern Africa. Just as Mexico has its Cholula and Thailand has its Sriracha - Northern Africa has its Harissa. It's a vibrant paste of chili peppers, garlic, and vinegar - and then kicked up a notch with local spices such as caraway, coriander and cumin. These spices "warm" up the spicy condiment, making it something so pleasing to the palate that you would almost, just almost, want to take a big spoonful of (before you realize it is, in fact, hot sauce).

So when I finally made it to Whole Foods, I figured third time was the charm to find this harissa so I could make the next recipe on my list from Plenty More. Success! Not only did they have harissa, they had four kinds of harissa: regular, mild, spicy and green. Jackpot. Regular was just fine for me - it was certainly spicy - enough to where you don't want to leave a little tidbit on your lip if you were perhaps licking the spoon (guilty) because it will be sure to sting. But the regular was still mild enough that you could enjoy it and have it compliment rather than overpower many different types of dishes.

And when I say dishes - I also mean wine, another important "condiment" with meals (at least weekend meals). This night I was having a pre-meal glass of the Etude Pinot Gris, a wine that we first became familiar with when we were members at Cellar 360 in San Francisco.We grew to love Etude for their Pinot Noir but were later introduced to their lovely Pinot Gris - a varietal that I admittedly misunderstood and shunned for quite some time. Pinot Gris is, in fact, the same grape as Pinot Grigio (which I used to call wine water for its lack of anything enjoyable) but the wine itself is quite different. A Pinot Gris tends to be a richer, fuller-bodied dry white - so think of Pinot Grigo with a backbone that is quite food-friendly. Etude does a nice job with theirs and at just under $30 a bottle, it's a bottle that I will enjoy, but not crack open for anyone who claims to love Pinot Grigio :-)

This recipe was quite simple in nature. Ottolenghi describes it as an appetizer dish - one to have out and ready for guests to pick at when they arrive for a dinner party. The thought of this excites me as it is unique and impressive - but easy. I'll be sure to serve to to someone other than Derek at some point. But for its trial run, this recipe landed a spot on our dinner plate, making it a bit of an odd presentation but a refreshingly unique side dish at that.

The majority of time for this recipe is devoted to cooking the carrots, during which you can eaily throw together the add-ins and additional components to the final dish: combine zests and spices for final carrot mixture, make yogurt, chop pistachios. Done.

Thai Red Lentil Soup with Aromatic Chile Oil from "Plenty More"

There's nothing better than a hot bowl of soup on a cold winter's night. I consider soup to be the salad of winter. What do I mean by that? Salads are my summer go-to, a "comfort food" if you will as it fits so well with the season. And there are so many variations when it comes to salads. No longer are they just a mound of lettuce with some tomatoes and cucumbers and maybe those julienne carrots. The possibilities are infinite by using what's in season - adding grains, or meat, or beans to "bulk" up the salad. In the wintertime, the same applies to a bowl of soup. Homemade soup does not have to stop at chicken noodle, tomato, or minestrone. Here too, the variations are endless.

To date, one of my favorite soup recipes has been one that I picked up from a co-worker's cookbook, oddly enough, called "Food from Plenty" by Diana Henry. The recipe for her Moroccan Lentil Soup with Yogurt and Chilli-Fried Onions (found here) is both deliciously comforting and complex in flavor, yet relatively easy to make. I've made it for dinner parties with rave reviews. There's something about a red lentil and some spice that can make a soup a home run.

When browsing through "Plenty More" I was, not surprisingly, intrigued when I came across a variation on a red lentil soup. This time taking on Thai flavors instead of Moroccan as in my go-to recipe. While I typically have more of the ingredients for the Moroccan style on hand as compared to Ottolenghi's Thai version - the number of ingredients for this soup is relatively few - making it another potential go-to for a quick, tasty winter (or autumn) soup.

Ingredients for the Chile-Infused Oil

The two components to the soup that actually took the bulk of the time to make were not the soup itself but rather the toppings: the chile-infused oil and the sliced sugar snap peas. Both of which could be excluded if you are short on time. Still, as my first run-through with this recipe, I didn't want to take any short cuts.

The preparation for the chile-oil was actually pretty simple. Cut up shallots, chile, ginger, garlic, etc. You don't have to be meticulous with chopping because the ingredients are simply there to infuse into the oil and will later be discarded. The only reason why I mention that this step could be skipped is because it is simply a bit time consuming - taking up approximately an hour with cooling time. But, the good thing is, once you've made it, you now have a delicious chile oil that you can keep on hand for other dishes. So if you have the time, make the effort - especially if serving this dish to guests. The homemade chile oil adds that "wow" factor that elevates this soup to a new level.

S'more Brownies

It was a cold and snowy Super Bowl Sunday. Finally, Chicago looked like Chicago in the wintertime (though I can't say I was complaining about the lack of snowfall). What better to do on a weekend winter day than to bake! I've found that as the temperatures have plummeted, my sweet tooth has emerged.

As Derek and I were preparing for the Big Game later on in the evening - we stayed cozy and warm but busy in the kitchen. Derek was preparing his famous "jalapeno poppers" - a staple to our Super Bowl experience for several years now. To me, it isn't a Super Bowl if I do not have his amazing poppers hot and fresh from the oven. His version is made is reduced fat cream cheese, shredded cheese, bacon, Cajun spice (and possibly other additions as well) - all stuffed in a half (seeded) japaleno and coated with panko or coarse breadcrumbs (gluten free) and baked in the oven. Delicious. And not quite as sinful as one would imagine a jalapeno popper to be. (basic recipe here)

You know what was sinful though? These guys:

It's Super Bowl after all - a little sin won't kill ya! These were an ode to one of my favorite childhood treats - S'Mores. Those gooey yet crunchy, sweet and smokey treats bring me back to those days that calories and sweets didn't really matter! 

I'll also admit that I took a shortcut version and used a - gasp - brownie mix. Because I was keeping these gluten free - I figured this was the easiest route. Plus - another admission - I had actually made brownies the day prior that I was planning on bringing for the party. These were from scratch - and were both gluten free and vegan. Wahoo! Then I realized I am not necessarily cooking for myself and while I enjoyed the brownies (and then proceeded to polish off that pan ALSO) I didn't think a bunch of football-watching guys would appreciate the health aspect of these brownies. Thus, a second try on the day of Super Bowl - to make something that would be a bit more of a hit. These were simple (relatively) and delicious.