daikon braised in mirin & miso

My husband once had a crush on Alicia Silverstone. During his military service he spent long periods guarding supply stations with his comrades, watching Clueless over and over again. It’s an odd movie choice for a bunch of soldiers, but then again I suppose pretty girls in short skirts tick all the right boxes for bored, lonely boys.

What I hadn’t realised about Alicia Silverstone is that she’s a vegan and has written a cookbook called The Kind Diet. OK, so she “co-wrote” it with macrobiotic nutritionist Jessica Porter, but without Silverstone’s celebrity backing, utter dedication to veganism and regular recipe tweeting, I might never have discovered this amazing dish.

Boiled chucks of radish doesn’t sound like the most appetising meal, but it truly is fantastic.

The slabs of daikon soften, but they keep a toothsome texture and complex flavour that’s almost meaty. I defy omnivores not to raise their eyebrows in surprise at how wonderfully hearty such a simple vegetarian dish can be.

In order to meet one of my 2012 Food Challenges (cook with daikon), I adapted this recipe quite drastically, deciding to turn the braising liquid into a much richer concoction adding miso soup, rice vinegar and sesame.

Daikon braised in Miso & Mirin

Anna’s adaptation of a recipe from The Kind Life by Alicia Silverstone. Serves 4 as side.

Ingredients:
1 large daikon radish
20g red miso paste
60ml (¼ cup) mirin
40ml (2 tablespoons) light soy sauce
20ml (1 tablespoon) rice vinegar
20ml (1 tablespoon) white sugar
3cm x 5m piece dried kombu
5ml (1 teaspoon) sesame oil
1 tablespoon, toasted sesame seeds

Method:

1. Slice the daikon into 2cm-thick rounds

2. Place them in a large saucepan, or lidded pan, in a single layer

3. Add water almost to cover the daikon

4. Add the miso paste, soy sauce, mirin, rice vinegar, sugar and kombu

5. Bring the liquid to a boil over high heat, then reduce to very low, cover pan and simmer daikon for 30 minutes or until almost all liquid has been absorbed

6. Sprinkle braised daikon with sesame oil and sesame seeds

crispy brussels sprouts w bacon & garlic

This was the recipe I used to convince Jonas that brussels sprouts are delicious, eaten with pan-fried duck.

Apart from being ridiculously cheap and oh-so-pretty (have you seen the way they grow!), brussels sprouts are very healthy too. If you like to eat them, you’re one of the luckiest people in the world.

Photo source:
www.secretseedsociety.com

Until recently, Jonas and I were not those people.

We wanted to like brussels sprouts, but every time we tasted them we’d screw up our noses and look at each other in disappointment.

Back in late 2010, Jonas and I ate a tremendously earthly lentil and crispy brussels sprouts dish at Porteño and suddenly I knew there was hope for us.

Jonas was yet to be convinced. It’s one thing to eat brussels sprouts prepared by a professional chef, it’s another to try and develop the taste for them at home.

But then we made this.

The brussels sprouts are given a go-around in a frying pan to ensure they’re crispy and flavoursome, while garlic and bacon add an extra, convincing oomph.

And, as Jonas has started to say almost weekly, “everything tastes better with bacon”.

Crispy Brussels Sprouts w Bacon & Garlic

Anna’s very own recipe. Serves 2.

Ingredients:
10 small brussels sprouts
2 bacon rashers, minced
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
¼ cup (60ml) olive oil
2 tablespoons rock salt, sea salt or "Kosher" salt
Salt and pepper

Method:

1. Peel off any bad leaves from the brussels sprouts

2. Bring a pot of water to the boil. Add rock salt.

3. Blanch brussels sprouts for 4 minutes then drain and refresh in cold running water.

4. Cut sprouts in half lengthwise.

5. Heat olive oil on high. Add bacon and cook 1 minute.

6. Add Brussels sprouts and fry until they start to brown around the edges and the bacon crisps.

7. Add garlic slices and fry 1 minute until softened.

8. Drain brussels sprouts to remove excess oil. Serve hot.

apple, sage & garlic sauté

This sauté is the perfect side dishes to mains like pan-fried duck breast or pork chops.

It combines all the fresh flavours of apple and sage with the warmth needed for winter meals.

Tangy, tart and savoury, and takes around 5 minutes to cook.

Apple, Sage & Garlic Sauté

Anna’s very own recipe. Serves 2.

Ingredients:
1 green apple, peeled & cored
2 tablespoons baby sage leaves
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
Salt and pepper
Olive oil, for cooking

Method:

1. Slice apples into small wedges.

2. Heat olive oil in a frying pan, add sage and garlic slices and fry gently until fragrant.

3. Add apple pieces, tossing carefully to ensure sage and garlic do not burn.

4. Cook until apple is heated through but still crunchy and fresh.

5. Season with milled salt and pepper, serve warm.

braised purple heirloom carrots

These carrots were braised with white wine, garlic, thyme and chicken stock.

It was, simply put, quite delicious.

The gorgeous colour of the carrots added oompf to the visuals of meal and I’m sure there’s something marvelously healthy about all that purple pigment. Antioxidants or some such bafflegab.

Interestingly, the carrots leach their colour out so it looked like I'd used red wine. I didn't. Just plain old white wine. 

The flavours are intense of carrot, herbs and a touch of wine and as you can imagine this dish tasted beautiful alongside Grilled Goat Cutlets & Rhubarb Agrodolce Sauce.

Wine-Braised Purple Heirloom Carrots

Anna's very own recipe. Serves 4-6.

Ingredients:
700g heirloom carrots, sliced
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, picked over
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 cup (250ml) white wine
¾ cup (190ml) chicken or vegetable stock
Freshly milled salt and pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon butter (optional)

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180’C.

2. In an oven proof pot, heat the olive oil then add carrots, garlic and thyme.

3. Add salt and pepper to taste then stir, frying until garlic softens (around 5 minutes).

4. Add wine, then bring to a boil. Cook off alcohol for around 2 minutes.

5. Add stock, bring to a boil.

6. Cover pot, place in oven and braise until carrots have softened but still have some texture (around 10-20 minutes).

7. If you're not vegan, this is the point you add butter for a little extra richness. Stir to melt and combine. Serve dish hot.

Note: some people place a piece of baking paper on top of the carrots when they’re in the oven to retain moisture. I didn’t, but everyone’s ovens are different so use your judgement.



These beautiful heirloom carrots are my contribution to Weekend Herb Blogging, this week hosted by Astrid at Paulchen's Foodblog. Be sure to visit her blog for the round-up.

bacon wrapped ocean trout w tomato reduction

This is my first recipe of the year! And such a lovely one too.

Fish always makes me think of summer, but the addition of smoky bacon and the oven roasting method of cooking make this equally viable in winter.

I made this recipe one evening from the bits and pieces in my fridge and I was just ecstatic at the outcome.

Sometimes the best dinners are those that just ‘happen’ on you.

Bacon Wrapped Ocean Trout w Tomato Reduction

Anna’s very own recipe. Serves 2.

Ingredients:
2 ocean trout fillets
2 large bacon rashes
Olive oil
Freshly ground salt and pepper
Tomato Reduction:
2 tomatoes, chopped
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon salt
Pinch of sugar

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 200’C.

2. Heat olive oil in frying pan. Fry garlic until soft.

3. Add tomato paste and fry for 1 minute.

4. Add tomatoes, salt, sugar and pepper and gently fry until softened and forming a sauce (about 5-10 minutes). Set aside in serving dish. Keep warm.

5. In a clean pan, fry ocean trout, skin side down to crisp skin. Then flip and cook flesh a little (approximately 2 minutes skin side, 30 seconds - 1 minute flesh side).

6. Wrap bacon rashes around fillets and top with pepper.

7. In a baking dish, cook in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until bacon is crispy and fish is cooked through.

tahu goreng pedas (spicy fried tofu)

This dish was made as part of a big Balinese feast I made all the way back in September 2008.

The original recipe of for this dish involves (I think) blending the tofu together with the other ingredients to create little tofu patties (bregedel tahu) but Jonas and I decided to keep our tofu slices whole and simply dip them into a spiced batter before frying.

If you don’t like the flavour of tofu much, do the patty version, otherwise this is a delicious (semi) vegetarian dish.

Tahu Goreng Pedas (Spicy Fried Tofu)

Anna & Jonas' variation of various internet recipes. Serves 4 as part of banquet.

Ingredients:
300g firm tofu
3 tablespoons fried shallots
1 red chilli, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, crushed
3 teaspoons grated ginger
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
¼ teaspoon roasted shrimp paste
2 eggs, beaten
2 kaffir leaves, finely sliced
3 teaspoons palm sugar
Salt and pepper, to taste
Oil, for frying

Method:

1. Blend all the ingredients except the tofu and fried shallots.

2. Into the blended mixture, stir in the fried shallots.

3. Dip the tofu into the mixture to coat, then fry in hot oil, over medium heat, until browned and warmed through.

4. Served with fresh chilli or a fiery sambal.

cambozola & taleggio potato bake

 
This is last of the Potato Week recipes and is the best potato bake ever! It’s rich, hearty, cheesy and simply delicious.

Using two oozey, melty cheeses I think we hit perfection (and the heights of cholesterol inducement).

First up is Cambozola. If you’ve never tried it before, once you do you’re going to regret living all those years without it!

Cambozola is a soft, cow’s milk cheese from Germany. It’s white rind exterior and soft, triple cream centre is a similar to Camembert, while it contains threads of mild blue mold just like Gorgonzola.

If you had a cheese plate, buy a wedge and leave it out at room temperature before serving. The oozing, delightful result is just divine.

The name Cambozola could be a reference to Cambodunum, the Roman name of the city (Kempten) where the manufacturer (Champignon) is located. It might also refer to the cheese being a unique combination of Camembert and Gorgonzola.

The second cheese is Taleggio, which most of you are very familiar with. It’s a soft, washed-rind cow’s milk cheese from Italy that melts easing with heat. It’s mild but has a strange yet pleasant flavour, not unlike overripe fruit.

Cambozola & Taleggio Potato Bake

Jonas & Anna’s very own recipe. Serves 6 as an accompanying side dish.

Ingredients:
1kg potatoes, peeled and sliced into thin rounds
100ml milk
100g crème fraîche
200g cambozola, sliced
200 taleggio, sliced
½ cup parmigiano, finely grated
1 large red onion, sliced into half circles
2 garlic cloves, crushed
Salt and pepper, to taste

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 200°C.

2. In a large bowl mix the milk, crème fraîche, crushed garlic, salt and pepper. Whisk until well combined.

3. In a large baking dish, make alternate layers of potato slices, onion, taleggio and cambozola.

4. The final layer should be covered in taleggio then sprinkled with parmigiano.

5. Pour the cream mixture over the potato layers and flatten potatoes with a spatula so that the top layer is resting in the sauce.

6. Cover with foil and bake in oven until potatoes are tender (about 1hr 15-30mins).

7. Once potatoes are tender, remove foil and continue baking until top has turned golden brown.

Note: this recipe was written after we made it when we were trying to remember everything! Use your instinct with the measurements (ie more or less cheese / cream mixture etc.

patatas bravas

Here's Day 6 of Potato Week with another Spanish recipe, and what better for a Friday night than this tapa with a glass (read jug) of sangria.

Patatas Bravas

Recipe from Taste.com.au. Serves 4 for tapas.

Ingredients:
1.5kg sebago potatoes, peeled
1/3 cup olive oil
1 red onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
½ teaspoon chilli powder
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1/3 cup dry white wine
400g can diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon dried oregano
¼ cup flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 200°C.

2. Place potatoes in a large saucepan. Cover with cold water and bring to the boil over medium-low heat (potatoes should still be firm). Drain and set aside for 15 minutes.

3. When cool enough to handle, cut potatoes into 2cm cubes.

4. Pour ¼ cup oil into a roasting pan. Place in oven for 5 minutes or until oil and pan are hot.

5. Carefully add potatoes to pan. Turn to coat. Roast for 40 minutes or until crisp and tender.

6. Meanwhile, heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a saucepan over low heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until soft.

7. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.

8. Add chilli powder and paprika. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute.

9. Add wine. Increase heat to high and bring to the boil. Cook for 3 minutes or until reduced by half.

10. Add tomatoes and oregano. Reduce heat to medium. Simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes or until sauce has thickened. Season with salt and pepper.

11. Transfer sauce to a food processor and process until smooth. Return to saucepan.

12. Cook, stirring, over medium heat for 3 minutes or until heated through. Stir through parsley.

13. Transfer potatoes to a serving bowl. Spoon over sauce and toss gently to coat. Serve with alioli.

Note: Jonas and I like to make double the sauce quantity then scrape the serving dish clean with chunks of crusty bread. We also add a little more chilli powder to increase the heat.

colcannon

 
Potato Week - Day 4!

Now that we've got some Irish in the family, it's time I posted a decent Irish recipe. And if it's Irish, of course the recipe needs to include potatoes.

My sister, Stinky, came home from her year in Amsterdam with a lovely Irish lass, M.E., whose stories about "Gordon science" and quaint villages with men reeking of silage put me in stitches.

Colcannon, or cál ceannann, is a delicious way of using up leftover cabbage or potatoes by throwing them together into a tasty mash. Traditionally I think white cabbage was used, but I prefer the colour and flavour of kale in this recipe.

I could eat a plate of the stuff for dinner without anything else!

There are as many colcannon recipes as there are cooks in Ireland, so you could easily find versions with leeks, chives, garlic, ham and bacon.

This one's for you M.E.!

Colcannon

Based on a recipe by Maggie Beer. Serves 4.

Ingredients:
1kg potatoes
400g cabbage, shredded
100g butter
100ml milk
3 spring onions, sliced
Salt and white pepper, to taste

Method:

1. Boil potatoes in a pot of salted water until soft but not falling apart. When cooked, drain off water and allow to steam dry.

2. Steam cabbage until tender but crisp, about 2 or three minutes.

3. Warm butter and milk in a pan. Set aside.

4. While potatoes are still warm, put through a mouli/ricer.

5. Add cabbage and spring onion and mix in the milk and butter. Season to taste.

tortilla de rosamaria

Day 3 of Potato Week and guess what? It's Jonas' birthday!!!

Happy Birthday old man! I love you!

So on his birthday I'll share one of his recipes, this simple rosemary and potato tortilla.

Tortilla de Rosamaria

Jonas' very own recipe. Serves 2 as dinner.

Ingredients:
300g waxy potatoes, peeled
1 red onion
2 sprigs of rosemary
2 garlic cloves, crushed
3 eggs, beaten
Salt and pepper, to taste
Olive oil, for frying

Method:

1. Slice potatoes and onion into thin rounds.

2. Heat olive oil in a frying pan

3. Sauté onion and garlic until softened.

4. Add potatoes and sauté until soft (10-15 minutes). Remove from heat.

5. Pick leaves from rosemary twig and discard twig.

6. Mix rosemary leaves, salt and pepper into eggs.

7. Combine the potatoes and onions with egg mixture.

8. Clean the frying pan then add a little more oil and heat.

9. Add potato mixture, shake to settle evenly in pan, then allow to cook until set (5-8 minutes).

10. Lift edges gently with a spatula then flip tortilla onto a plate, sliding uncooked side into pan to be cooked a further 2 minutes.

11. Serve cut into wedges with a side salad.

tomato, caper & feta potato bake

Day 2 of Potato Week!

This dish is probably best as a side, but could easily be an easy and comforting winter meal.

The flavours are almost like spaghetti alla puttanesca, but instead of pasta it's baked with slices of potatoes and topped with cheese. There's also feta throughout the dish.

OK, so it's not the healthiest, but surely it's better for you than a creamy potato bake?

And definitely delicious!

Tomato, Caper & Feta Potato Bake
Jonas' very own recipe. Serves 6 as an accompanying side dish.
Ingredients:
1kg potatoes, peeled and sliced into thin rounds
1 cup shredded mozzarella
1 cup shredded parmigiano
½ cup crumbled feta
1 large onion, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, crushed
¼ cup capers
500ml tomato passata
1 teaspoon cracked pepper
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon chilli flakes
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Olive oil, for frying

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 200°C.

2. Heat olive oil in a pan and fry onion and garlic until soft.

3. Add the tomato passata, salt, pepper and chilli flakes. Simmer for 10 minutes.

4. In a baking dish, spoon a little of the tomato sauce to “grease”, then alternate layers of potato slices, capers, feta and tomato sauce.

5. On the final layer ensure it is topped with tomato sauce then sprinkle over mozzarella and parmigiano, then dried oregano.

6. Cover with foil and bake in oven until potatoes are tender (about 1hr 15-30mins).

7. Once potatoes are tender, remove foil and continue baking until top has turned golden brown.

Note: For a non-veggie version, add anchovies to onions and fry until broken up before adding the tomato passata.

rösti

Announcing the spud themed Potato Week on Morsels & Musings!

My relos, Lynn and Chris, have a farm in Robertson where they grow a number of things including potatoes. This year there was a bumper crop and Jonas and I were lucky to receive a sack of potatoes. They were the most delicious potatoes we have tasted in a long, long time.

In honour of this potato bonanza, starting today, I plan to blog a potato recipe for seven days straight. On the menu is:
Rösti (today)
Tomato & Caper Potato Bake
Tortilla de Rosamaria
Colcannon
Gnocchi w Sage & Burnt Butter
Patatas Bravas
Taleggio & Cambozola Potato Bake

Prepare yourself for a delicious starch and carbohydrate overdose!

Today I begin Potato Week with the delicious Swiss rösti. These pancakes of grated potato are spectacular for breakfast with smoked salmon, as a fair snack or for dinner alongside meat or poultry.

There are great debates about making rösti: whether to use boiled or raw grated potatoes, whether to add ham or cheese or apples, whether to only fry or also bake . . . the list goes on.

Jonas is the rösti maker in our home, and this is the recipe he uses to great, great success.

His rösti are always crispy on the outside and edges, but with a centre of soft, moist potato (yet never mushy).

The only problem with his recipe is that they are too delicious and one is never enough.

Rösti
Jonas’ very own recipe. Makes 2 large (breakfast) or 6 small (sides).

Ingredients:
5 potatoes
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
Salt and pepper

Method:

1. Parboil potatoes in salted water, for approximately 10 minutes. Potatoes should be firm but not hard.

2. Cool potatoes to room temperature.

3. Coarsely grate potatoes. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Heat oil and butter in frying pan until very hot.

5. Form potato into patty and fry until golden (approximately 5 minutes on each side).

The potato is my theme ingredient for WHB this week.

I have already waxed lyrical about potatoes previously, so forgive me from stealing straight from my own post.

The root of the Solanum tuberosum is the world's most widely grown tuber and is in fourth place as the most produced food crop after rice, wheat, and corn. China and India are the world's largest potato producers.

Research seems to put the potato’s origin in the Andes from Colombia / Venezuela to northern Argentina and the first evidence of cultivated took place in Peru 7,000 years ago. Some 99% of the world’s cultivated potato varieties descend from a subspecies indigenous to South-Central Chile, probably due to the trading routes that carried the first plant exports.

Potatoes made the journey to Europe in the mid 1500s and quickly became a staple food crop, particularly for the poor.

Lack of genetic varieties in Europe left potato crops vulnerable to diseases, such as Phytophthora infestans, which resulted in the infamous Irish famine and a reduction of Ireland’s population by 25% from starvation, disease and emigration to the New World.

The English word potato comes directly from the Spanish patata, which itself is a compound of two Native American words for potato and sweet potato: papa (Quechua) and batata (Taino)

Many Slavic, Baltic, Germanic, Scandinavian and Balkan languages derive their word for potato from an ancient word for potato which also meant “truffle”. French, Dutch, Hebrew, Finnish all have names meaning “earth fruit/apple/pear”, whereas Slovak and Polish use words that mean simply “ground”. Different Chinese languages have meanings such as “foreign taro”, “horse yam” or “earth bean”. Although the Hindi and Nepali word for potato is aloo and in Indonesian it is kentang, I don’t know what the base meaning of these words are.

Potatoes have excellent carbohydrate content but also good levels of Vitamin C, potassium, Vitamin B6 and traces of thiamin, riboflavin, folate, niacin, magnesium, phosphorus, iron and zinc.

The glycemic index (GI) of potatoes can vary considerably depending on the type, location grown, cooking methods and with what it is consumed.

Potatoes contain glycoalkaloids such as solanine and chaconine, which are toxic compounds found in high concentrations in wild potatoes. Light exposure and aging increases toxin levels but cooking at over 170°C (340°F) partly destroys the toxins. Affects are weakness, confusion, headaches, diarrhea and cramps and although coma or death could occur, poisoning from potatoes is very rare.

Common international varieties include Bintje; Désirée; Fianna; King Edward; Kipfler; New; Nicola; Pink Eye; Pink Fir Apple; Red Pontiac; Rooster; Russet Burbank and Spunta.

Fun Wikipedia facts!
• Potatoes are part of the deadly nightshade family, a group of poisonous plants including tomatoes and tobacco.
• There are about five thousand potato varieties world wide. Three thousand of them are found only in the Andes, where over 100 varieties of potato can be found in one valley alone!
• In France the potato was considered suitable only for cattle. In the mid 1700s Antoine Parmentier devised an ingenious strategy to encourage the French peasants to eat potatoes. Apparently he grew a field of potatoes and had it heavily guarded to make it look like a delicacy for the nobility. The peasants stole samples and started to enjoy them.
• Belarus has the world’s highest consumption of potato per capita with each Belorussian consuming 338 kg in 2005.
• The fibre content of a potato with skin equals that of many whole grain breads, pastas, and cereals.
• The notion that all of the potato’s nutrients are found in the skin is an urban legend. While the skin does contain approximately half of the total dietary fibre, more than 50% of the nutrients are found within the potato itself.

Our Weekend Herb Blogging host this week is Susan from The Well Seasoned Cook.

Other potato recipes on the Net are:
Beetroot & Potato Salad - Nami-Nami
Cheddar, Chive & Potato Bread - Apple Pie, Patis, Pate
Crab Boil Potato Salad - Bacon Concentrate
Creamy Garlic Potato Gratin - Freestyle Cookery
Curried Potato Chips - TriniGourmet
Cypriot Potato Salad - Morsels & Musings
Feta Mash - Morsels & Musings
Gamja Jorim (Korean braised potato) - Kitchen Wench
Jeera Aloo (Indian cumin potatoes) - Book of Yum
Lentil & Potato Curry - Cooking with Amy
Potato & Cabbage Casserole - Vanessa Barrington
Potato & Long Bean Rendang - Feeding Maybelle
Potato Breakfast Curry - Morsels & Musings
Potato Chip Cookies - Cooking with Amy
Potato Kugel - Off The Broiler
Potato Skins - Simply Recipes
Potato, Squash & Goats Cheese Gratin - The Kitchn
Pytt i Panna (Swedish hash) - Morsels & Musings
Rosemary Potato Pizza - Apple Pie, Patis, Pate
Rustic Potato Chowder - 101 Cookbooks
Schoppala (Hungarian noodles) - Delicious Days
Schupfnudeln (savoury German noodles) - Book of Yum
Schupfnudeln (sweet German noodles) - Addicted Sweet Tooth
Sour Cream, Potato & Chive Bread - Knead for Bread
Spicy Potato Empanadas - From Argentina With Love
Swordfish & Potato Tortino - The Perect Pantry
Warm Potato Salad w Smoked Trout - Morsels & Musings

-------------------------------------------------------
This time previously on M&M:
2008 - Swedish food
2007 - Mulberry & Cinnamon Cake
2006 - Caprese salad

References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potato
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Irish_Famine

palm hearts w parsley

One of my favourite indulgences is a can of palm hearts, sliced lengthways then sprinkled with vinegar, some olive oil, fresh parsley and a little salt and pepper. It’s just divine.

The perfect snack, despite how expensive one little can of palm hearts can be in Sydney (almost $6 dollars)!

I wonder how fresh palm hearts taste, and whether I’d like them as much.

As we raced through the Louisiana bayou on an airboat, our guide pointed out the fanned palm plants that produce these gorgeous creamy cores. Unfortunately I didn’t see the fresh product for sale in the restaurants or markets. Shame.

I have already blogged about palm hearts before, so I refer you to this previous post for the facts on this ingredient, but I did think it was worth bringing up again and reintroducing to the Weekend Herb Blogging community.


This is not a very complicated recipe, in fact it’s not really a recipe so much as throwing together some ingredients. It really doesn’t deserve to be written out step by step, but I will because I’m obsessive compulsive.

Palm Hearts w Parsley

Anna’s recipe. Serves 2.

Ingredients:Canned palm hearts
White wine vinegar
Extra virgin olive oil
Freshly chopped flat-leaf parsley
Salt and pepper

Method:

1. Drain can of palm hearts.

2. Cut lengthwise and arrange on plate.

3. Drizzle with olive oil, vinegar and sprinkle over parsley.

4. Season with freshly milled salt and pepper.

This week our hostes is the lovely Anh from Food Lover's Journey in Sydney. Check out her recap!

And here's some other palm heart recipes from the blogosphere:
Arroz con Palmitos (palm hearts & rice) - Morsels & Musings
Blood Orange & Hearts of Palm Salad - Slashfoods
Green Bean Salad Recipe w Hearts of Palm - Kalyn's Kitchen
Grilled Hearts of Palm - Desert Candy
Heart of Palm Amuse Bouche - The Skinny Gourmet
Heart of Palm & Chard Dip - Delementals
Heart of Palm Empadinhas - Technicolor Kitchen
Heart of Palm Quiche - Technicolor Kitchen
Heart of Palm Remoulade Salad - Kahakai Kitchen
Mango, Radish & Heart of Palm Salad - Kalyn's Kitchen

From the M&M archives
2008 - rose apples in Thailand
2007 - Gochujang Salmon w Chilli & Ginger Bok Choy
2006 - Sahlep (Turkish orchid milk)

milk-braised pork & cavolo nero

As one of my 2009 Food Challenges I promised to Road Test Kalyn’s recipe for Milk-Braised Pork. In the recent cold weather in Sydney, I managed to tick it off the list and add this Italian comfort-food recipe to my repertoire.

I also used the opportunity to pair the milky sauce with the strong flavour of cavolo nero, my Weekend Herb Blogging theme ingredient this week.

I am a big fan of cavolo nero and kale in soups and I adore a big TV dinner plate of colcannon.

This sautéed recipe is a good side match to the pork recipe, but be careful not to overdo the chilli or it will detract from the subtlety of the milk-braising sauce.

Cavolo Nero Soffritto (Sautéed Tuscan Cabbage)

Anna’s version of an internet recipe. Serves 4.
Ingredients:
2 bunches cavolo nero
2 cloves garlic, finely sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 small red chillies, finely sliced
Salt and pepper
Olive oil, for frying

Method:
1. Rinse cavolo nero and remove stalks if desired, chop coarsely.

2. Blanch cavolo nero in boiling water for 1-2 minutes. Dry well with paper towels.

2. Heat oil in large heavy based saucepan on a gentle heat.

3. Cook garlic and chilli until garlic is just starting to brown.

6. Add prepared cavolo nero and stir well to combine.

7. Reduce heat to low. Fry 5 minutes or until tender. Season to taste.

Milk-Braised Pork Chops
Anna's adaptation of Kalyn’s adpatation from The Good Home Cookbook. Serves 4.
Ingredients:
4 boneless pork loin chops
2 tablespoons wholemeal flour
½ teaspoon smoked salt
½ teaspoon freshly milled black pepper
½ teaspoon garlic powder
1½ cups (375ml) milk
2 tablespoons olive oil

Method:

1. Trim all fat from pork chops. Use meat mallet or something heavy to pound pork chops slightly until they are an even thickness and about ¾ inch thick.

2. Combine flour, salt and pepper in shallow bowl. One at a time, lightly dredge pork chops in the mixture, shaking off any extra.

3. Whisk 1/2 cup milk into the flour left in the bowl.

4. Heat olive oil in heavy (lidded) frying pan, big enough to hold all the pork chops. Add pork and brown well, about 3 minutes per side.

5. Pour out most of the pan drippings, add the milk-flour mixture then reduce heat to low and simmer (covered) for 30 minutes, stirring a few times.

6. Turn pork chops over, and add the remaining one cup milk, whisking to combine if needed. Cover and cook for 30 minutes more, stirring a few times.

7. Uncover skillet and if there is a lot of liquid, cook a few minutes more until reduced to about ¼ cup. (This will depend on how tightly your pan lid fits.)

8. Serve hot, spooning the milk gravy over the pork.

Note: Instead of smoked salt and garlic powder, Kalyn uses Penzey's Pork Chop Seasoning which is flavoured with salt, hickory smoke, garlic, onion, white pepper and ginger. This probably provides a stronger flavoured sauce.

Cavolo Nero translates to “black cabbage” but in English it’s often called Tuscan Cabbage because it features often in Tuscan rustic cooking (cucina povera).

I’ve also seen it called “dinosaur kale” and “dino kale”. Anyone care to shed some light on that?

I think cavolo nero is simply beautiful to look at (dusty black-green leaves criss-crossed with wrinkles) and, if it wasn’t so rare and expensive (and tasty) in Australia, I’d be happy to keep a bouquet in a vase.

What I really like about cavolo nero is that it keeps it’s texture even after long cooking, so it can add crunch and chew to stews and soups. It’s most famously added to Ribollita, a Tuscan bean soup similar to Minestrone, only thicker in consistency.

The downside is when using it in recipes with short cooking periods you need to take care that it’s cooked through enough. I’ve made that mistake before and it’s not so pleasant.

Like more common cabbages, some people eat it raw but I don’t think I would.

Cavolo nero enjoys many nutritional traits similar to its common cabbage cousins such as low fat, low calorie and high levels of dietary fibre. It’s also high in iron, calcium, vitamin C and K, as well as carotenoids (which provide vitamin A).

This week’s WHB host extraordinaire is Dhanggit from Dhanggit's Kitchen, a Pinoy cooking and eating in Aix en Provence, France. She’s got some beautiful photos and lovely recipes, think Raspberry Vodka Granita, Tomato Mozzarella Millefeuille and Zucchini Flower Tempura. Check out her round-up and the other delights on her blog.

Other recipes using cavolo nero:
Baked Eggs w Cavolo Nero Cook (almost) Anything At Least Once
Braised Tuscan Kale w Tomatoes Lucullian Delights
Cavolo Nero Omelette Jam Faced
Farrotto with Cavolo Nero feelgood eats
Hearty Kale & Sausage Soup The Kitchn
Ribollita A Spoonful of Sugar
Sausage & Cavolo Nero Tortiglioni eat the right stuff
Strozzapreti w Black Kale & Sage Mimi On The Move
Tuscan Beans & Cavolo Nero on Toast Lucullian Delights
Warm Lentil, Chorizo & Cavolo Nero Salad stone soup

References
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2006/08/17/1155407946134.html
http://www.perfection.com.au/01_cms/details.asp?ID=119

eggplant parmigiana

Eggplant is my secret love. I sneak it in whenever I can.

Jonas, the vegetarian, despises eggplant. He abhors the texture and protests at the taste.

Imagine being a vegetarian and not liking eggplant? It's a disability. Truly.

Usually, when Jonas isn't home, I take the opportunity to cook fish or meat but one night I seized the chance to use eggplant. And the best eggplant dish of all has got to be eggplant parmigiana.

Nonna would make the most delectable melazane all parmigiana and we'd all fight over it. Except for Ludo, whose gluten intolerance meant Nonna used rice flour and made Ludo her own sacred batch.

Inspired by memories of Nonna's melanzane, I decided to make my own eggplant and cheese bake. The results were magnificent and I ate 3 servings! Jonas found some leftovers when he came home and ate them, declaring it was so good he could forget that it was eggplant.

High praise indeed.

Melanzane alla Parmigiana

Anna’s very own recipe. Serves 2 as a side dish or 1 as an indulgent dinner.
Ingredients:
1 medium eggplant
1 egg, whisked
½ cup fine breadcrumbs
½ cup shredded mozzarella
½ cup grated parmigiano
Seasoned flour, for dusting
Oil, for frying
Salt
Sauce:
300ml passata (tomato sauce)
1 dried small red chilli, sliced finely
2 garlic cloves, crushed
¼ cup white wine
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Olive oil
Pinch each of salt, pepper and sugar

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 180’C

2. Slice eggplant into 1.5cm rounds. Dust with salt and sandwich between two paper towels and cutting boards weighed down with cans. This will draw out some of the extra moisture in the eggplant.

3. Meanwhile make the sauce. In a pan with a lid, heat the olive oil and fry the garlic and chilli until softened.

4. Add the white wine and bring to the boil. Evaporate the alcohol for 2 minutes then return to a low heat.

5. Add the oregano, passata, salt, pepper and sugar then simmer gently with the lid on.

6. Start heating oil to shallow fry eggplant.

7. Remove the eggplant, wash off the salt and pat dry with paper towels.

8. Dust eggplant slices with seasoned flour, then dip in egg and coat with breadcrumbs. Drop into the oil and cook until golden brown on both sides (3-4 minutes). Don’t over crowd the frying pan and be sure to drain finished slices on paper towels.

9. In a baking dish, coat the base with a little tomato sauce. Layer eggplant in a single layer, slightly overlapping each other.

10. Cover with mozzarella and then parmigiano and bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until cheese has melted and is starting to brown on the edges. Serve with crusty bread and a good glass of wine.

Eggplant are part of the Solanaceae, or nightshade, family that includes tomatoes, bell peppers and potatoes.

They grow hanging from vines and have a bitter taste and spongy texture. Originally they were used as a decorative plant because the bitterness of the original cultivars made people believe that eating them would cause insanity, leprosy and cancer.

Once cultivars lost their bitter taste, in the 18th century, they soon became very popular.

Eggplants are native to India but it’s believed they were first cultivated in China (5th century B.C.E.) where the first written record was recorded in an ancient agricultural treatise.

Given the numerous Arabic names for eggplant, but the few Greek and Latin names, it is believed that eggplant was introduced to Europe, during the Middle Ages, through North Africa then the Mediterranean.

Even in the English speaking world the name of this vegetable is debated. In the UK it’s known as aubergine, in the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand we call it eggplant and in South Africa they call it by its Indian name brinjal.

Eggplants contain phytonutrients, many of which have antioxidant activity. For instance nasunin, which is found in eggplant skin, is believed to be a potent antioxidant and free radical scavenger that protects cell membranes. Chlorogenic acid, also found in eggplant, has anti-cancer, antimicrobial, anti-cholesterol and antiviral properties.

Wikipedia says wggplants are a high source of “dietary fibre, potassium, manganese, copper and thiamin (vitamin B1). It is also a good source of vitamin B6, folate, magnesium and niacin.” Yep, I believe it.

On the negative side, eggplant is among the few foods that contain measurable amounts of oxalates, meaning people with kidney or gallbladder problems should avoid eating eggplants, which may cause stones.

Eggplant also contains more nicotine than any other edible plant, however you’d need to eat 9kgs (20lbs) to get the same levels as one cigarette.

Eggplants come in a variety of colours, shapes and sizes. When purchasing, choose onbe that is firm and heavy for the size, has smooth and shiny skin with vivid colouring.

According to Wikipedia, today the top producers are, in order: China, India, Egypt, Turkey, Indonesia, Iraq, Japan, Italy, Sudan and the United Kingdom.


This is my contribution to Weekend Herb Blogging, hosted by Susan from the Well Seasoned Cook.

Other Morsels & Musings eggplant recipes:
Aubergine & Ricotta Rolls
Bouranee Baunjan (Afghani-style eggplant w yoghurt)
Caponata (Italian anchovy & roasted vegetable salsa)
Grilled Eggplant w Tahini-Yoghurt Dressing
Melanzane al Forno (Italian baked eggplant)
Sambal Tuwung (Indonesian eggplant salad)
Vegetarian Lasagna

Other blogger's eggplant recipes:
Aloo Baingan (potato & eggplant curry) - Delectable Vegetarian Recipes
Baba Ghanouj (Lebanese smoky eggplant dip) - Simply Recipes
Eggplant Clafoutis - Mediterranean Cooking in Alaska
Eggplant Ricotta Timbales - Christine Cooks
Etsiz Patlican Güveç (Turkish eggplant stew) - Almost Turkish
Fried Eggplant w Walnut & Mint Sauce - What Did You Eat?
Grilled Eggplants w Korean BBQ Sauce - Fat Free Vegan Kitchen
Honey Garlic Grilled Eggplant - Beyond Salmon
Indonesian-style Eggplant w Spicy Peanut Sauce - Love and Olive Oil
Mediterranean Eggplant & Barley Salad - Smitten Kitchen
Moussaka - Je Mange la Ville
Quail Eggs stuffed w Cashew & Eggplant Puree - La Tartine Gourmande
Sabich (Iraqi-Jewish eggplant salad) - Herbivoracious
Sichuan Eggplant - Fearless Kitchen
Tunisian Eggplant Salad - Cook (almost) Anything At Least Once
Yakinasu (Japanese-style grilled eggplant) - Apple Pie, Patis & Pâté

References & Photo:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eggplant
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=22
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Aubergines.jpg

Tags: morsels and musings food blog food and drink australia recipes weekend herb blogging whb melanzane alla parmigiana eggplant parmigiana entrée starter main course eggplant aubergine parmesan eggplant parmigiana recipes parmigiana recipes aubergine recipes eggplant recipes italian recipes italian food italian cuisine

baked ricotta

Ricotta can be so versatile.

I love to bake it as a side dish to dinner or for dessert.

Different flavours can be used everytime and here I have photos for:
• Black Pepper Ricotta
• Cinnamon Ricotta w Sour Cherries

 
Baked Ricotta
 
Anna's very own recipe. Serves 2 as side.

Ingredients:
250g ricotta
1 egg
Flavouring, see below

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 180'C.
2. In a bowl, mix ricotta with flavouring of choice.
3. In an oven proof baking dish or non-stick baking even tin, firmly pack in the ricotta pressing down to remove air bubbles.
4. Bake in oven for 20-30 minutes or until ricotta rises and develops a light surface.
5. Serve warm or cold, as preferred, with accompaniments.

Flavour Suggestions
Sweet
• 50g melted dark chocolate & 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon & 2 tablespoons honey
• ¼ cup chopped berries & 2 tablespoons caster sugar
• ¼ cup mashed banana & 2 tablespoons honey or brown sugar
Serve with fresh berries, canned fruit, raisin toast, pancakes, toasted panettone, scones or muffins.

Savoury
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon chilli flakes
• 1 crushed garlic clove
• 2 tablespoons fresh herbs or 1 teaspoon dried herbs
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped olives

Serve with crackers, bread, bruschetta, on a sandwich, as a side dish, crumbled through pasta or salad.

Tags: morsels and musings food blog food and drink australia recipes side dish dessert ricotta cheese cheese recipes side recipes dessert recipes ricotta recipes