Sauerbraten (German Sweet and Sour Beef)

When I was in NZ last year, I found an excellent deal on beef brisket and came home with a nice piece. It went in the freezer to be cooked later... But then I never quite got to it before I left. So it was still waiting for me in the freezer when I returned this year.

Another time I might've tried to smoke and/or barbecue it. But we're kind of out of grilling season in this hemisphere now and, after a year in the freezer, it was a bit freezer-burnt, so I decided to go for a slow cooker option instead.

After giving it a bit of thought and tossing around a few different ideas, I settled on taking a crack at turning it into sauerbraten. I have fond memories of the sauerbraten that my dad made. And, while I don't have his recipe, I figured I could at least ask the internet and try to come up with something similar. And it seemed like the ideal thing to do with a big chunk of slightly freezer-burnt beef.

The recipe that I used recommends using a bottom round or rump roast for this, but I figured the brisket would also work quite well. And it did! I really enjoyed how it came out. That said, I'm sure it would be good with other cuts too.

Sauerbraten

Slightly adapted from Daring Gourmet

Ingredients

• 2 onions, chopped
• 2-3 carrots, cut into large chunks
• 1 leek, white parts only, thoroughly rinsed and chopped
• 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp. dried thyme
• 1 tsp. dried rosemary
• 2 bay leaves
• 8 juniper berries
• 6 whole cloves
• 10-12 black peppercorns
• 2 1/2 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 2 1/2 c. red wine
• 1 c. red wine vinegar¹
• 1 1/2 c. water
• 1.5-2kg beef roast (brisket, bottom round, rump, etc.)
• 1-2 Tbsp. oil or lard
• 4 slices bacon, chopped (optional)
• 1/4 c. flour
• 1/4 c. raisins
• 75-85g gingersnaps/gingernuts (6-7 gingernuts), crushed
• 1 Tbsp. honey

Directions

1. Combine the onion, carrot, leek, garlic, thyme, rosemary, bay leaves, juniper berries, cloves, peppercorns, salt, sugar, wine, vinegar, and water and bring to a boil.
2. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
3. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely.
4. Nestle the roast into the marinade, cover, and refrigerate for 4-7 days, turning each day if the marinade does not completely cover the meat.
5. When ready to cook, remove the meat from the marinade and set aside.
6. Strain the marinade and reserve both the solids and the liquids.
7. Heat the oil over medium-high heat.
8. Add the beef and sear on all sides. Set aside.
9. Add the bacon (if using) to the now-empty pot and cook.
10. Add the vegetables and sauté for ~5 minutes.
11. Add the flour and cook until no longer raw (3-4 minutes).
12. Pour in the reserved marinade, raisins, gingersnaps/gingernuts, and honey and bring to a boil.
13. Add beef, cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 2-4 hours if cooking on the stovetop. Otherwise, transfer everything to a slow cooker and cook on "high" for ~6 hours. (Or use an InstantPot-style multi-cooker to do the whole thing in place.)
14. Once beef is cooked through and tender, remove from the pot and set aside.
15. If desired, remove the bay leaves, juniper berries, and cloves from the liquid and purée the veggies into it to make a thick gravy. Otherwise, adjust consistency by mixing in a cornstarch or flour slurry and boiling until gravy thickens to desired consistency.
16. Adjust seasoning to taste.
17. Slice beef and serve with the gravy (and veggies if you chose not to purée them).
18. Serve with a starch (potatoes, bread, etc.) and rotkohl (sweet-and-sour red cabbage) or another vegetable dish of your choice.

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¹ I couldn't find any red wine vinegar, so I just used white wine vinegar. Either is fine. I think that cider vinegar would also be good in a pinch. ^Back

I picked up a copy of Pleyn Delit a couple of years ago. It's a great book full of medieval recipes. I've been wanting to try some out for ages, but I kept just not quite getting around to it. But, with our annual Labour Day get together this year, I finally found the motivation to give it a go!

I picked out a salad, a very interesting steamed chicken dish, and a poached pear recipe. And they were all excellent! This salad was so interesting. It's basically all greens. Lots and lots of herbs in addition to what I tend to think of as salad greens.

The original recipe called for parsely, sage, "green garlic", "chibolles" (which I would have assumed were chives, but the authors of Pleyn Delit indicate were actually green onions), onions, leeks, borage, mint, "porrettes" (small leeks), fennel, watercress, rue, rosemary, and purslane. These are washed, torn, and dressed with a simple combination of oil, vinegar, and salt.

The modern interpretation recommends making it with a combination of leaf lettuce, spinach, borage or radish leaves, watercress, parsley, sage, chives, fennel, mint, green onions, sweet onions and/or leeks, and savoury and/or tarragon. This made for a lovely mix! I loved all the herbs! It was very different, but absolutely delicious!

Original Recipe

Take persel, sawge, grene garlec, chibolles, oynouns, leek, borage, myntes, porrettes, fenel, and toun cressis, rew, rosemarye, purslrye; lave and waische hem clene. Pike hem. Pluk hem small wiþ þyn honde, and myng hem wel with rawe oile; lay on vyneger and salt, and serve it forth.

Photo goes here.

Salat

Slightly adapted from Pleyn Delit: Medieval Cookery for Modern Cooks by Constance B. Hieatt, Brenda Hosington, and Sharon Butler

Ingredients

• 2 handfuls of leaf lettuce
• 2 handfuls of spinach
• 1 handful borage or radish leaves
• 1 handful of watercress¹
• 1 small bulb of fennel, thinly sliced
• 1/4 c. chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 2 Tbsp. chopped fennel fronds or dill
• 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh chives or garlic chives
• 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh sage
• 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh mint
• 1 tsp. fresh tarragon
• 1 tsp. fresh savoury (optional)
• 3-6 green onions, sliced
• 1 small Vidalia or red onion, halved and thinly sliced
• 2 small leeks, very well washed and thinly sliced (optional)
• 1/3 c. olive oil
• ~1/4 c. vinegar (preferably red wine vinegar)
• ~1/2 Tbsp. salt
• freshly ground pepper (optional)

Directions

1. Combine the lettuce, spinach, borage/radish leaves, watercress, fennel, parsley, fennel fronds/dill, chives/garlic chives, sage, mint, tarragon, savoury (if using), green onions, sweet onion, and leeks (if using).
2. Add the olive oil and toss to combine.
3. Have guests drizzle their portion of salad with a little of the vinegar and some of the salt and pepper (if using) at the table.
   

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¹ I will admit that I omitted both the borage and the watercress for my rendition. It was still delicious. But I'd love to try it with an even wider variety of greens sometime. ^Back

They had whole, gutted and gilled salmon available at the grocery store here yesterday. They looked beautiful and fresh. And, notably, were about half the price per unit mass as the salmon fillets. So, given that, I figured I might as well just get a whole salmon and figure out how to cook it for dinner.

I did a mash-up of two different recipes for it. For cooking instructions, I followed a Jamie Oliver recipe that I found online. But I used the seasoning and side veggies from one of the Dish of the Day recipes. That one called for braising salmon fillets in a mixture of white wine and vegetable stock and then serving it with sautéed asparagus, leeks, and peas. For mine, I baked the salmon (and potatoes) as per Jamie Oliver, but stuffed it with leeks and lemon and then more-or-less braised the veggies to serve with it. It worked out quite well and we were all very happy with the results and looking forward to the leftovers tonight!

Roasted Whole Salmon with Potatoes and Spring Vegetables

Adapted from Jamie Oliver and Dish of the Day by Kate McMillan

Ingredients

• 1 whole gutted and gilled salmon (~2kg)
• 1-2kg potatoes, sliced ~5mm thick
• 1 onion, halved and sliced
• 2 leeks, divided
• 1 lemon
• 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh chives (or 1 Tbsp. dried), divided
• 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh tarragon (or 1/2 Tbsp. dried), divided
• 2-3 Tbsp. oil, divided
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 Tbsp. butter
• 500g asparagus, trimmed
• 1/4 c. white wine
• 1/4 c. vegetable stock
• 2 c. fresh or frozen green peas

Directions

1. If the salmon still has its scales, you will want to descale it. This is a messy process. Put down some towels or paper and be prepared for scales to go flying everywhere. Drag the back of a knife from tail to head at a 45° angle. Repeat all over the fish until you've removed as many scales as possible. Rinse the fish and your knife and do another pass or two until it feels like all of the scales have been removed.
2. Rinse the fish again, then dry thoroughly with a towel. Set aside.
3. Preheat oven to 250°C (475°F) and oil a large roasting pan.
4. Add the potatoes and onion to the pan, drizzle with 1 Tbsp. of the oil, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
5. Rub the fish all over with the remaining oil and place it on top of the potatoes.
6. Trim the leeks, halve lengthwise, wash very well, and slice.
7. Zest the lemon.
8. Combine the lemon zest with half of the leeks, 4-5 tsp. of the chives, 2 tsp. of the tarragon, and a bit of salt and pepper and toss to combine.
9. Stuff as much of the leek mixture as possible into the salmon. Allow any excess stuffing to spill out onto the potatoes.
10. Slice the lemon and stuff some of the slices into the fish.
11. Make a few gashes in the skin of the fish.
12. Sprinkle some salt and pepper over it, making sure to get some into the gashes.
13. Place any remaining slices of lemon on top of the salmon (preferably over the gashes if possible).
14. Bake at 250°C (475°F) for 15 minutes.
15. Reduce temperature to 180°C (350°F) and bake for another 30 minutes.
16. Meanwhile, melt the butter over medium heat.
17. Add the remaining leeks and sauté until softened (3-5 minutes).
18. Add the asparagus and cook for another minute or so.
19. Add the wine, stock, remaining tarragon, remaining chives, and salt and pepper to taste; cover; and cook for 2-3 minutes.
20. Add the peas and cook until vegetables are heated through and just tender (another 2-3 minutes).
21. Serve the salmon and potatoes with the vegetables on the side.

I had and open package of chicken bacon in the fridge that needed to be used up as well as a couple of leeks from our last produce basket, so this quiche made for an ideal breakfast option. I went with sourdough pastry again so that I could use a bit more starter as well.

The quiche was delicious. But I still think I'd make a few tweaks next time. And, surprisingly, one of those tweaks would be to add less cheese. Usually, if I'm making adjustments to the amount of cheese called for in the recipe, it's an increase to the amount, not a decrease! But I actually feel like this one went a bit too heavy on the cheese. I mean, it tasted great, but it had so much gruyère that it became almost more like a cheese pie than a quiche. And all that cheese made it a little greasy as well. So I do think I'd try cutting the cheese slightly next time.

I might also increase the egg a touch. The original recipe called for a 23cm (9") loose-bottom tart tin, but I prefer to use my 23cm deep-dish pie plate for quiche. Which, to be fair, worked fine. But I did find that, with only two eggs, the pie shell was left slightly under-filled. So I think I'd try adding an extra egg next time.

And, depending on how I was feeling, I might try making the custard with whole milk rather than half-and-half. Just to lighten it up a bit. Don't get me wrong! The half-and-half was delicious. But it did make for a very rich final result. I'd be interested to see how it turned out with milk instead.

Bacon, Leek, and Gruyère Quiche

Slightly adapted from The Breakfast Bible by Kate McMillan

Ingredients

• 1/2 recipe sourdough pastry (or pastry of your choice)
• 4-6 slices bacon
• 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
• 2 leeks, halved and thinly sliced (light parts only)
• 3 large eggs
• 1 c. half-and-half (10%) or milk
• 1/2 tsp. coarse sea salt, ground
• 1/4 tsp. black peppercorns, ground
• 1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 100g gruyère cheese, grated

Directions

1. Roll out pastry and use it to line a 23cm (9") deep-dish pie plate. Freeze for 30 minutes.
2. Place a baking sheet in the oven and preheat to 190°C (375°F).
3. Line pie shell with baking paper and fill with pie weights. Place on hot baking sheet and bake at 190°C (375°F) for 15 minutes.
4. Remove pie weights and bake for another 5 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, cook bacon until crisp and chop.
6. Drain fat from pan, return pan to heat, and melt butter over medium-low heat.
7. Add leeks and cook until softened (~10 minutes).
8. Beat eggs with half-and-half (or milk), salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
9. Once pie shell is baked, add the leeks and bacon in an even layer in the bottom.
10. Top with cheese.
11. Give the custard a final mix and pour it into the pie shell.
12. Return quiche to oven on top of hot baking sheet and bake at 190°C (375°F) for 30 minutes.

I have very fond memories of my mom's chicken stew with dumplings, but it's been a long time since I've had it. I don't really tend to make chicken stew. If I'm making stew, it's usually beef. And for chicken, I'm much more likely to do soup than stew these days.

This isn't my mom's recipe. But it still filled me with nostalgia. And I do really enjoy a good stew with dumplings.

Chicken Stew with Buttermilk-Chive Dumplings

Slightly adapted from Dish of the Day by Kate McMillan

Ingredients

Stew

• 1 chicken (~1kg), skinned and broken down into parts
• 1 bay leaf
• 4 peppercorns
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1/4 c. unsalted butter
• 2 leeks, halved and chopped (white parts only)
• 2 carrots, peeled and sliced
• 3 ribs celery, sliced
• 2 Tbsp. flour
• 4 c. chicken stock
• 1 russet (or other floury) potato, cut into 1cm cubes
• 2 Tbsp. heavy (35%) cream

Dumplings

• 200g all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. coarse sea salt, ground
• 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh chives
• 1/8 tsp. ground cayenne
• 3 Tbsp. unsalted butter
• 1/2 c. buttermilk

Directions

1. Put chicken pieces in a pot with bay leaf, peppercorns, and 1/4 tsp. of salt and add enough water to cover by a couple of cm.
2. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low.
3. Simmer until chicken is cooked through (~20 minutes).
4. Remove chicken, shred meat. Reserve 2 c. of poaching liquid. Set aside.
5. Melt butter over medium-high heat.
6. Add leeks, carrots, and celery and cook until softened (~5 minutes).
7. Add the flour and cook, stirring often, for 2-3 minutes.
8. Add the chicken stock and reserved poaching liquid and bring to a boil.
9. Add potato, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook until the potato begins to soften (~10 minutes).
10. Add the chicken and cream and cook until broth thickens and potatoes are tender (~5 minutes).
11. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
12. Meanwhile, sift together the flour and baking soda.
13. Add the salt, chives, and cayenne and cut in the butter.
14. Add the buttermilk and stir to combine.
15. Shape the dough into small dumplings and drop them into the soup.
16. Cover and steam for 20 minutes.

My parents got a bumper crop of morels this spring and were kind enough to dry a bunch and give them to us. I don't get morels very often (and TF had never tried them), so I wanted to make good use of them. I had initially debated making the morel and green pea curry from Iyer's book. But, in the end, I decided that I wanted to prioritize this baked cod recipe. I really liked the sound of combining the morels with leeks and bacon! That sounded like a very appealing combination. And it was! Definitely pleased with how this one cake out.

Baked Cod with Leeks, Morels, and Bacon

Slightly adapted from Dish of the Day by Kate McMillan

Ingredients

• 20g dried morels
• 1/2 c. boiling water
• 4-6 slices bacon
• 2 c. thinly sliced leeks (white and pale green parts only)
• 1 tsp. champagne vinegar¹
• 4 cod fillets (~185g each)
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
• 1 Tbsp. minced fresh chives

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 190°C (375°F).
2. Pour the boiling water over the morels and allow to soak for at least 20 minutes.
3. Squeeze dry and roughly chop the rehydrated mushrooms. Set aside.
4. Fry the bacon until crisp, then transfer to paper towel-lined plate to drain.
5. Pour off all but 2 Tbsp. of the fat from the pan.
6. Add the leeks and cook, stirring often, until they begin to brown (~10 minutes).
7. Crumble the bacon and add half of it to the leeks.
8. Add the morels and vinegar and toss to combine.
9. Spread the leek mixture evenly over the bottom of the pan.
10. Season the cod with salt and pepper and place it on top of the leek mixture.
11. Dot the butter on top of the cod.
12. Bake at 190°C (375°F) until the cod is cooked through (12-15 minutes).
13. Garnish with the chives and remaining bacon and serve.

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¹ I didn't have any champagne vinegar and I wasn't about to go out and get a whole bottle just for 1 tsp. for this recipe. IIRC, I just used sherry vinegar in its place. ^Back

My apologies for yet another write-up where I have become very hazy on the actual details and results of the recipe. I checked this one off in my notbook and TF says that it sounds familiar, but I don't actually remember making it. So this write-up is pretty much just a copy of what's in the book since I can't speak to the results or any modifications that we made. I just want to include it here for the sake of completeness.

Spring Vegetable Tart

From Dish of the Day by Kate McMillan

Ingredients

• 1 sheet (~250g) frozen puff pastry, thawed
• 125g fontina cheese, shredded
• 15-20 thin asparagus spears, trimmed
• 1 small leek, halved and thinly sliced (white part only)
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 c. milk
• 1/4 tsp. coarse sea salt, ground
• 1/8 tsp. black peppercorns, ground

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
2. Lay the pastry out on the prepared baking sheet and fold over edges by ~2cm to make a lip (doubling up at the corners). Press lightly to adhere and then prick the centre of the pastry with a fork in several places.
3. Sprinkle half of the cheese over the bottom of the pastry.
4. Place the asparagus spears on top and then sprinkle with leeks.
5. Bake at 190°C (400°F) for 15 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, beat the eggs with the milk, salt, and pepper.
7. Once the pastry has been in the oven for 15 minutes, pour the egg mixture over the asparagus and leeks and top with the remaining cheese.
8. Bake until eggs are just set and pastry is puffed and golden (10-15 minutes longer).
9. Remove from oven and let stand for 5-10 minutes before serving.

I don't tend to eat pork very often, but they had packs of boneless pork chops on sale the other day, so I grabbed one on spec. I knew I still had lots of pork recipes waiting to be tried, so it would definitely get used eventually. Then I forgot to cancel or tweak last week's produce basket and we ended up with a surprise leek. And that fit into this braised pork chop recipe very nicely!

The recipe as written calls for port, but I didn't want to go out and get a whole bottle just for the 1/4 c. that I needed for the sauce. So I just added a bit of brown sugar to some red wine and called it a day. (I probably should have gotten the port, since I have other recipes that call for it and I'm sure it would've gotten used up eventually, but I was running short on time and just went with the substitute this time around.)

Braised Pork Chops with Cherries and Leeks

Slightly adapted from Dish of the Day by Kate McMillan

Ingredients

• 1kg pork chops (pref. bone-in)
• 1 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 1/2 tsp. black peppercorns, ground
• 1 Tbsp. fresh rosemary, chopped (or 1/2 Tbsp. dried rosemary, ground)
• 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, divided
• 2 leeks, white parts only, halved and sliced
• 1 c. chicken stock
• 1/4 c. port
• 2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
• 1 c. fresh pitted cherries, halved (or 1/2 c. dried cherries)
• 1-2 tsp. cornstarch (optional)

Directions

1. Season the pork chops with salt, pepper, and rosemary.
2. Melt 1 Tbsp. of the butter over medium heat.
3. Add the pork chops and sear on both sides.
4. Remove from pan and set aside.
5. Melt the remaining 1 Tbsp. of butter over medium heat.
6. Add the leeks and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened.
7. Add the chicken stock and deglaze the pan.
8. Add the port, vinegar, and cherries.
9. Return the pork to the pan. Nestle it into the sauce and spoon the leeks and cherries over.
10. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to medium-low.
11. Simmer until pork is cooked through (15-20 minutes).
12. If you would like a thicker sauce: remove the pork from the pan and sift some cornstarch into the sauce. Bring to a boil and cook until thickened.
13. Serve the pork chops topped with the sauce. Goes well with mashed root vegetables.

I had a bunch of extra basil to use up and this frittata has been on my short list for a while, so it seemed like a good fit. It's very simple, but it was tasty nonetheless. There are also several variations provided. The asparagus-ham version sounds particularly appealing...

Parmesan and Basil Frittata

Slightly adapted from Cook's Country August/September 2015

Ingredients

• 12 large eggs¹
• 3/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 c. chopped fresh basil
• 1/4 c. whole milk²
• 1 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 1/2 tsp. black peppercorns, ground
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 230°C (350°F).
2. Whisk the eggs with the Parmesan, basil, milk, salt, and pepper.
3. Heat the oil over medium heat.
4. Add the egg mixture and cook, stirring with a spatula, until large curds form and the spatula leaves a wake in the pan. (Egss should be clumpy, but still very wet.)
5. Shake the pan to even out the eggs and cook, without stirring, for ~30 seconds.
6. Transfer to oven and bake until puffy (~5 minutes).
7. If you would like the top more browned, turn on the broiler and cook for 1 more minute.
8. Remove from oven and let stand for 5 minutes before serving.
9. Use the spatula to loosen the frittata and slide it onto a plate. Cut into wedges and serve.

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Variants

Asparagus, Ham, and Gruyère Frittata

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 250g asparagus, trimmed and cut into 5mm pieces
• 100g deli ham, cut into 1cm pieces
• 1 shallot, minced
• 12 large eggs¹
• 3/4 c. shredded Gruyère
• 1/4 c. whole milk²
• 1 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 1/2 tsp. black peppercorns, ground

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 230°C (350°F).
2. Heat the oil over medium heat.
3. Add the asparagus and cook until lightly browned (~3 minutes).
4. Add the ham and shallot and cook until softened (2-3 minutes).
5. Meanwhile whisk the eggs with the gruyère, milk, salt, and pepper.
6. Add the egg mixture and cook, stirring with a spatula, until large curds form and the spatula leaves a wake in the pan. (Egss should be clumpy, but still very wet.)
7. Shake the pan to even out the eggs and cook, without stirring, for ~30 seconds.
8. Transfer to oven and bake until puffy (~5 minutes).
9. If you would like the top more browned, turn on the broiler and cook for 1 more minute.
10. Remove from oven and let stand for 5 minutes before serving.
11. Use the spatula to loosen the frittata and slide it onto a plate. Cut into wedges and serve.

Leek, Prosciutto, and Goat Cheese Frittata

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 2 leeks
• 85g thinly sliced prosciutto, cut into 1cm pieces
• 12 large eggs¹
• 1 c. crumbled goat cheese
• 1/4 c. chopped fresh basil
• 1/4 c. whole milk²
• 1 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 1/2 tsp. black peppercorns, ground

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 230°C (350°F).
2. Trim and halve the leeks lengthwise, wash them very thoroughly, and slice thinly.
3. Heat the oil over medium heat.
4. Add the leeks and cook, covered, until softened (6-8 minutes).
5. Meanwhile whisk the eggs with the goat cheese, basil, milk, salt, and pepper.
6. Add the proscuitto and the egg mixture and cook, stirring with a spatula, until large curds form and the spatula leaves a wake in the pan. (Egss should be clumpy, but still very wet.)
7. Shake the pan to even out the eggs and cook, without stirring, for ~30 seconds.
8. Transfer to oven and bake until puffy (~5 minutes).
9. If you would like the top more browned, turn on the broiler and cook for 1 more minute.
10. Remove from oven and let stand for 5 minutes before serving.
11. Use the spatula to loosen the frittata and slide it onto a plate. Cut into wedges and serve.

Mushroom and Chive Frittata

Leek, Prosciutto, and Goat Cheese Frittata

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 280g cremini mushrooms, sliced
• 170g shiitake mushooms, stemmed and sliced
• 1 onion, chopped
• 12 large eggs¹
• 3/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 c. chopped fresh chives
• 1/4 c. whole milk²
• 1 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 1/2 tsp. black peppercorns, ground
• 2 cloves garlic, minced

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 230°C (350°F).
2. Heat the oil over medium heat.
3. Add the both kinds of mushrooms and the onion and cook until dry and lightly browned (~15 minutes).
4. Meanwhile, whisk the eggs with the Parmesan, chives, milk, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
5. Add the garlic and cook for 30-60 seconds.
6. Add the egg mixture and cook, stirring with a spatula, until large curds form and the spatula leaves a wake in the pan. (Egss should be clumpy, but still very wet.)
7. Shake the pan to even out the eggs and cook, without stirring, for ~30 seconds.
8. Transfer to oven and bake until puffy (~5 minutes).
9. If you would like the top more browned, turn on the broiler and cook for 1 more minute.
10. Remove from oven and let stand for 5 minutes before serving.
11. Use the spatula to loosen the frittata and slide it onto a plate. Cut into wedges and serve.

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¹ I had some excess egg whites to use up, so I actually made this frittata with 10 eggs + 3 egg whites. ^Back
2 The original recipe calls for 3 Tbsp. of half-and-half (10% MF). I happened to have some half-and-half in the fridge this time, so I did actually use that, but normally I would just put in a bit of milk instead, so that's the way I've written it up here. ^Back

I got a bunch of potatoes for Thanksgiving and then didn't end up making any potato dishes at all that weekend. So I've been working on ways to use them up since then.

The veggie hash used up some, but I still had a bunch left. This frittata seemed like a nice way to put a dent in the remaining supply. It takes a while to get the potatoes nicely cooked, and I felt like the leeks may have over-cooked somewhat in that time, but they still produced a decent final result. Next time I might try doubling the leeks and adding them a little later in the cooking proess though. Still a very nice way to start the day.

Spanish Tortilla with Leeks

Slightly adapted from Dish of the Day by Kate McMillan

Ingredients

• 2 leeks
• 1/4 c. olive oil
• 680g potatoes (preferably Yukon Gold), sliced ~3mm thick
• 1 clove garlic, sliced (optional)
• 3 large eggs
• 3 large egg whites
• salt & pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Trim the root end and dark green leaves from the leeks. Halve or quarter the remaining leeks and wash well in a bowl of cold water. Make sure to get all the dirt and grit out! Remove from water and set aside.
2. Heat the oil over medium heat.
3. Add the potatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes.
4. Add the leeks and garlic, mix well, and cook until potatoes are tender and somewhat browned (another 10 minutes or so).
5. Remove potato mixture from pan and set aside.
6. Beat the eggs with the egg white and a little salt.
7. Lightly grease the pan if it looks like it neds it.
8. Reduce heat to medium-low and add the egg mixture and the potato mixture.
9. Use a spatula or lifter to push the vegetables down and form an even surface with the potatoes at least mostly submerged in the egg.
10. Cook for ~5 minutes, then use a spatula to loosen the tortilla and check to see how brown the underside is. If it's well-browned already, you can try flipping your tortilla over. Otherwise, cook for another 3-5 minutes and then flip.
11. To flip the tortilla: Use a spatula to loosen it and then slide it out onto a plate, then invert onto another plate or back into the pan.
12. Continue cooking for another 4-5 minutes.
13. Cut into wedges and serve. May be served warm or room temperature.

Simmons mentions in the preamble to this recipe that she feels the leek is often neglected and overlooked as a vegetable and I am inclined to agree. Leeks are delicious, but I don't see nearly enough recipes that call for them! So, I was very keen when I ran across this one that layers them with bread, tomatoes, and brie in a savoury custard.

This is a very straight-forward dish to put together. The biggest drawback for me is the time required. You need to have the wherewithal to assemble it the night before and then it needs to bake for ~an hour before it's ready to serve. That's more advanced planning than I usually put into my mornings. That said, it was a nice breakfast treat (once the custard had finally cooked through and set). It's quite rich, so you wouldn't want to have it every day, but it could be nice as a special occasion brunch dish.

Leek, Sun-Dried Tomato, and Brie Strata

Slightly adapted from The Good Egg by Marie Simmons

Ingredients

• ~450g leeks
• 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, divided
• 4-8 slices of bread
• 1/4 tsp. black peppercorns, ground and divided
• 3/4 tsp. coarse sea salt, divided
• 12 sun-dried tomato halves, chopped
• 200g brie, diced
• 5 large eggs
• 2 1/2 c. milk
• 1/2 c. grated Parmesan

Directions

1. Trim the leeks and quarter them lengthwise, then soak in cold water and rinse very thoroughly, being sure to get all the grit out from between the layers. Thinly slice and set aside.
2. Melt the butter over medium-low heat.
3. Use some of the melted butter to grease a 9" (23cm) square pan or an equivalent sized casserole dish.
4. Add the leeks to the remaining butter and cook, stirring occasionally, for ~10 minutes.
5. Season with ~1/8 tsp. of pepper and 1/4 tsp. of salt and set aside.
6. Cover the bottom of the prepared baking dish with a layer of bread. Cut the bread to fit so that it completely fills the bottom in an even, single layer.
7. Spread the leeks out on top of the bread.
8. Layer the tomatoes on top of the leeks.
9. Add the diced brie on top of the tomatoes.
10. Finally, cap with another layer of bread, once again, cutting to fit as necessary.
11. Beat the eggs until foamy, then mix in the milk and the Parmesan.
12. Season the custard with the remaining salt and pepper.
13. Pour the custard over the strata.
14. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
15. In the morning, preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
16. Uncover the strata and bake at 180°C (350°F) for ~1 hour. (It may need more or less time depending on the exact shape and size of the pan/dish used. Start checking at ~45 minutes.) Strata is done when custard is set and internal temperature of at least 70°C (160°F) is reached.

TF was in the mood for stuffed pasta. I was planning to get some in the last grocery order, but I didn't like any of the options. We both thought that something vegetable-y sounded good and, aside from some spinach-ricotta ravioli, there wasn't really much available in the way of vegetable fillings. Then I saw that MamaEarth had parsnips available this week.

With parsnip in mind, I set about looking for homemade ravioli recipes. I found a few that looked nice. In the end, I decided to go with this agnolotti recipe, but swap out the fried mint for fried sage. I think I'd probably swap out the hazelnuts for leeks next time as well. The hazelnuts were okay, but I didn't feel that they added much to the dish. (Maybe they would've been more harmonious if I'd chopped them, but I was tired and didn't want to deal with trying to chop nuts without making a mess.)

Parsnip-Pear Agnolotti

Slightly adapted from Rhubarb and Cod

Ingredients

Pasta

• 165g semolina flour
• 165g all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 3 large eggs
• 3 large egg yolks
• 1 Tbsp. water

Filling

• 2-3 parsnips, peeled and chopped
• 1 very ripe bartlett pear, peeled and chopped
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/2 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 1 c. mascarpone cheese
• 1 egg, beaten (for sealing pasta)

Sauce

• 1/4 c. oil (for frying sage)
• 1/4 c. fresh sage leaves
• 1/4 c. unsalted butter
• 1 leek, very well rinsed, white and light green parts thinly sliced
• Parmesan cheese, to taste

Directions

Dough

1. Combine the flours and salt and mix well. You can do this in a bowl or on a clean work surface.
2. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and add your eggs and water. If working without a bowl, make sure the well is very wide.
3. Beat the eggs with a fork and gradually incorporate the dry ingredients into the wet.
4. Once most of the dry ingredients have been incorporated, start kneading. Add a bit more egg and/or water if necessary. Especially if you intend to roll out the pasta without the aid of a machine; dough that's a little bit softer will be easier to work with.
5. Once the dough seems supple and has a big of spring to it, wrap it in plastic wrap and set it aside for at least an hour.

Filling

1. While the dough is resting, make the filling.
2. Add the parsnips to a pot and add enough water to cover them.
3. Bring to a boil and cook until tender (5-7 minutes).
4. Drain the parsnips and add them to a blender or food processor along with the pear, garlic, and salt.
5. Blend/process until smooth.
6. Transfer mixture to a bowl and stir in the mascarpone.
7. Cover and chill for at least half an hour.

Making the Agnolotti

1. Divide the dough into quarters.
2. Working with one quarter at a time roll it very, very thin on a well-floured surface.
3. Brush a little beaten egg on the dough.
4. Place a line of filling down the long side of the dough. (You can use a piping bag with a round tip if you want to be fancy and neat about it. I just used my fingers and a spoon.)
5. Fold the dough over the filling, then fold it over again.
6. Press your finger across the middle of the pasta tube.
7. Move over a few cm and press again.
8. Work from the middle out in both directions.
9. Once you reach both ends, use a knife or a bench/dough scraper to cut through the middle of each spot you pressed.

Cooking and Serving

1. Heat the oil over medium heat.
2. Add the sage leaves a few at a time.
3. As soon as they stop sizzling, remove them from the oil and set aside to drain.
4. Reserve the oil for another purpose.
5. Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
6. While you wait for the water to boil, melt the butter over medium heat.
7. Add the leek and cook until softened.
8. Once the water is boiling, add the pasta and cook for ~3 minutes.
9. Drain and add to the pan with the butter and leek.
10. Toss the ravioli with the butter to coat.
11. Remove from heat and transfter to a serving dish.
12. Top with fried sage and Parmesan.

Mushroom & Leek Bread Pudding

I've had my eye on this bread pudding recipe for a while. It took me a few weeks to gather all the ingredients, but I finally managed to make it. The Kidlet wasn't a fan, but TF and I both liked it. (Although I think it could've done with even more pancetta.)

Mushroom & Leek Break Pudding

Slightly adapted from The Modern Proper

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
• 50-100g pancetta, diced
• 1/4 c. chopped walnuts or pecans⁴ (optional)
• 1 large or 2 medium leeks, white and light green parts only, sliced
• 1 onion, chopped
• 450g cremini mushrooms, sliced
• 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh tarragon
• 1/4 c. dry white wine
• 0-1 tsp. coarse sea salt³
• 1 tsp. black peppercorns, ground
• 1/3 c. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 4 large eggs
• 1/2 c. heavy (35%) cream
• 1 c. whole (3.25%) milk
• 1 c. chicken stock¹
• 170g gruyere, grated, divided
• 5 c. chopped stale bread²

Directions

1. Heat oil and butter over medium heat.
2. Add pancetta and cook until slightly crisp.
3. Add leek and onion and cook until softened and lightly brown (~10 minutes).
4. Add mushrooms, tarragon, wine, salt, and pepper and cook until liquid is gone.
5. Remove from heat and stir in parsley.
6. In a bowl, beat eggs with cream, milk, chicken stock, and ~2/3 of the gruyere.
7. Stir in mushroom-leek mixture and bread chunks.
8. Let the mixture stand for 20-30 minutes so the bread absorbs most of the liquid.
9. Grease a 23x33cm (9x13") pan and preheat oven to 180°C (350°F).
10. Dump the mixture into the prepared pan and top with the remaining cheese.
11. Bake at 180°C (350°F) for 30-40 minutes.

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Variations

Vegetarian Version

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
• 6 Tbsp. chopped pecans⁵
• 1 large or 2 medium leeks, white and light green parts only, sliced
• 1 onion, chopped
• 450g cremini mushrooms, sliced
• 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh tarragon
• 1/4 c. dry white wine
• 0-1 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 1 tsp. black peppercorns, ground
• 1/3 c. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 4 large eggs
• 1/2 c. heavy (35%) cream
• 1 c. whole (3.25%) milk
• 1 c. vegetable or mushroom stock
• 170g gruyere, grated, divided
• 5 c. chopped stale bread

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¹ Only just now realized that I completely forgot to add the chicken stock. I thought it seemed a little dry! Oh well... ^Back
2 The original recipe calls for using fresh bread and baking it in the oven for a few minutes to get it a bit toasty and really dry and thirsty. My bread was already extremely stale, so I didn't bother with this step. If you're using fresh or only slightly stale bread, give it 10-15 minutes in a 350°F oven to get it ready to go before proceeding with the rest of the recipe. ^Back
3 The original recipe called for 2 tsp. of salt. I thought that sounded like a lot, so I did my usual and halved the salt. I found 1 tsp. to be about right, but I also forgot the chicken stock. If you're using a commercial broth or stock, it will likely already be quite salty. I'd probably leave out the salt entirely if using commercial stock. I might put in 1/2 tsp. if using a relatively lightly salted homemade stock. ^Back
4 The original recipe didn't call for any nuts and I didn't use any, but I think they'd go really well in this dish. I really liked it as it was, but I think the extra texture and flavour from the nuts would really kick it up a notch. ^Back
5 I've upped the amount of nuts for the vegetarian version because I think they become more essential when you omit the pancetta. And I think the slightly sweeter pecans will be a better match in this case. ^Back

TF hasn't been feeling well lately and I wanted to make her a nice breakfast both as a treat and to give her one less thing to think about in the morning. I've made a few differet varieties of baked eggs before, but this recipe was particularly appealing today because it allowed me to use up one of the leeks that's been sadly waiting in the back of the fridge for a bit over a week now. (I had plans for it but kind of lost the plot and now it's gone begging.)

I really liked this as something to kind of mix up our breakfast routine. It was very tasty and pretty easy to make. I do think I'd use a bit less cream next time though. I feel like 2 Tbsp. per egg is a bit much. I might try cutting it back to 1 Tbsp. and see how that goes.

Shirred Eggs with Leeks

Slightly adapted from The Modern Proper

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp. butter
• 1 leek, thinly sliced (white and light green parts only)
• 1 bell pepper, sliced
• 4-6 green onions, sliced
• 6 large eggs
• 6 Tbsp. heavy or table cream (35 or 18%)
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 3-4 Tbsp. grated Parmesan
• 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh chives
• 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 190°C (375°F) and grease 6 ramekins or custard cups.
2. Melt butter over medium heat.
3. Add leek, bell pepper, and green onions and cook until softened.
4. Divide leek mixture between ramekins/custard cups.
5. Break an egg into each up.
6. Pour 1 Tbsp. of cream over each egg.
7. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, Parmesan, chives, and parsley.
8. Bake at 190°C (375°F) for ~15 minutes.
9. Serve with buttered toast.

I've done moo shu pork before, but this is the first time I've tried moo shu vegetables. My pancake technique still needs a lot of work, but the veggie filling came out great. And, honestly, if you don't feel like making the pancakes, it's still delicious served over rice with a bit of extra hoisin sauce.

Moo Shu Vegetables

Slightly adapted from Woks of Life

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp. light soy sauce
• 1/2 tsp. sesame oil
• 1 Tbsp. hoisin sauce
• 1/4 tsp. white peppercorns, ground
• 3 1/2 Tbsp. oil, divided
• 1 1/2 c. julienned carrot
• 125g 5-spice dried tofu (五香豆腐干), julienned
• 6 fresh¹ shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 1-2 Tbsp. water (optional)
• 1 1/2 c. julienned celery
• 1 bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1-2 leeks², julienned
• 1 Tbsp. Shaoxing wine
• 1 recipe Mandarin pancakes

Directions

1. Combine soy sauce, sesame oil, hoisin sauce, and white pepper and set aside.
2. Heat wok over high heat and add 1/2 Tbsp. of oil.
3. Add the carrots, stir-fry for 90 seconds, remove from pan and set aside.
4. Add another 1/2 Tbsp. of oil to the wok and stir-fry the tofu for 90 seconds. (It may stick a bit, just do the best you can.)
5. Remove to tofu from the wok and set it aside. (It can be combined with the carrots at this point.)
6. Add another 1/2 Tbsp. of oil along with the mushrooms.
7. At this point, I like to add a Tbsp. or two of water to the wok, cover it, and let the mushrooms steam for about a minute before continuing with the recipe. I find that this helps the mushrooms cook nicely -- I really hate undercooked mushrooms -- and also helps to lift any stuck-on tofu bits off the wok so they don't burn while you cook the rest of the ingredients. This step is optional. Do whatever works best for you.
8. Stir-fry the mushrooms, uncovered, for 1-2 minutes, then remove them from the wok. (They can also be combined with the carrots.)
9. Add another 1/2 Tbsp. of oil to the wok and cook the celery for 90 seconds. Remove from wok and set aside with the other cooked ingredients.
10. Add another 1/2 Tbsp. of oil to the wok and stir-fry the bell pepper for 90 seconds. Once cooked, it can also go with the other cooked ingredients.
11. Add the last 1 Tbsp. of oil to the wok along with the garlic and leeks and cook until the leeks have wilted (~2 minutes).
12. Return all the cooked ingredients to the wok and stir to combine.
13. Drizzle the Shaoxing wine around the edges of the wok and pour in the sauce.
14. Stir-fry for ~1 minute.
15. Serve with Mandarin pancakes (or rice) and extra hoisin sauce.

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¹ I didn't have any fresh shiitakes on hand, so I just used cremini mushrooms instead. I think that reconstituting dried shiitakes would also work well, although that would give a different texture. ^Back
2 The original recipe only calls for one leek, but my leeks were pretty small. I think it would be fine with only one small leek, but two is better! ^Back

Pork Belly Stir-Fry with Leek

The last time I was at the Asian grocery, I picked up a slab of Chinese cured pork belly. I wasn't sure what to do with it, but it looked tasty and had an extremely long self life, so I figured I'd grab it and figure out what to do with it later. It took me a while, but I found some excellent recipes. Apparently one of the best things to do with cured pork belly is to simply toss it in your rice cooker with some rice. I'll probably try that at some point, but for now, I wanted to give this stir-fry a go.

 

Pork Belly Stir-Fry with Leek

Slightly adapted from The Woks of Life

Ingredients

• 2 tsp. Shaoxing wine
• 1/4 tsp. white peppercorns, ground
• 1 tsp. sesame oil
• 1/2 tsp. sugar
• 2 tsp. light soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp. oil
• 150g Chinese cured pork belly, sliced thin
• 1 bell pepper, sliced
• 300g leeks, washed and cut into 3cm pieces

Directions

1. Combine wine, white pepper, sesame oil, and sugar to make the sauce and set aside.
2. Heat oil over low heat.
4. Add pork in a single layer and cook, stirring/tossing occasionally, just until the fat turns transluscent.
5. Increase heat to medium, add bell pepper, and cook for ~1 minute.
6. Increase heat to high and add leeks and sauce.
7. Cook, stirring frequently, until leeks are wilted.
8. Serve with rice.

We have a lot of eggs and I wanted something tasty for breakfast; quiche seemed like a good option. The mushrooms, zucchini, and feta worked quite well together here. I think a bit of thinly sliced leek would've made it even better, but it was plenty good as is.

Mushroom and Zucchini Quiche

Adapted from Good Housekeeping

Ingredients

• 200g pie pastry (enough for one 9" shell)
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 250g cremini mushrooms, sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 leek, sliced thin, white and pale green only (optional)
• 1 smallish zucchini, chopped fine
• 1/4 tsp. coarse sea salt
• ~50 grinds black pepper
• 150g feta, cubed
• 4 large eggs
• 1 1/2 c. milk

Directions

1. Roll out the pastry and place it in your pie plate, crimping the edges as desired.
2. Crumple a sheet of parchment paper and place it in the pie shell. Fill the shell with beans, sugar, or pie weights.
3. Bake at 190°C (375°F) for 15 minutes.
4. Remove the parchment paper and pie weights and continue baking for another 10-12 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, heat oil over medium heat.
6. Add mushrooms and cook, covered, stirring occasionally until they release their liquid.
7. Add garlic, leek (if using), zucchini, salt, and pepper and cook, uncovered, stirring often until veggies are softened and liquid has evaporated.
8. Remove pie shell from oven and allow to cool slightly.
9. While pie shell is cooling, place a baking sheet in the oven to warm up.
10. Spoon the cooked veggie mixture into the bottom of the pie shell.
11. Sprinkle the feta over the veggies.
12. Whisk the eggs with the milk and pour this mixture into the pie shell with the veggies and cheese.
13. Place quiche onto the hot baking sheet in the oven and bake at 190°C (375°F) for 30-45 minutes until just set.

Spaghetti al Sugo di Cipolle Varie (Spaghetti with Mixed Onion Sauce)

This recipe calls for shallots, red onions, and leeks. I decided to fake it with yellow onions, garlic, and leeks. I sautéed half an onion with a bit of garlic to try to approximate the shallots. Used yellow onions in place of red. And came up slightly short on shallots. I also ended up using rotini rather than spaghetti. TF quite liked to rotini, but I definitely prefer spaghetti or spaghettini with this one.

The flavour of the sauce was great, but I found it somewhat lacking in... substance. It was all starch and oil with no protein. I have another cookbook, The Good Egg, that features a very similar recipe featuring eggs fried on top of sautéed onions and garlic. When you toss the pasta with the egg-onion concoction, the whites break up and mix through the noodles and the soft yolks coat the noodles and form a sort of sauce (similar to how carbonara works). I decided to add a few eggs to the pasta to make it a little more filling. I think the eggs did improve matters, but I still feel like it was missing something. I might try adding some scallions or a pinch of red chile flakes next time. Having the full measure of leeks would probably also help.

Spaghetti al Sugo di Cipolle Varie

The Classic Pasta Cookbook by Giuliano Hazan

Ingredients

• 450g spaghetti
• 1/2 c. olive oil
• 1/4 c. thinly sliced shallots
• 2 c. thinly sliced red onions¹
• 350g leeks, white parts only, cut into thin strips 2" long
• salt and pepper
• 1/4 c. dry white wine
• 2 Tbsp. fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• 4 eggs (optional)
• 1/3 c. grated Parmesan

Directions

1. Combine olive oil and shallots over medium heat and cook until lightly coloured.
2. Add onions and leeks and season to taste with salt and pepper.
3. Add 1/4 c. water, reduce heat to medium-low, and cover. Simmer for 20-30 minutes until very soft and tender.
4. Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil for the pasta.
5. Uncover the sauce and raise the heat to medium-high.
6. Cook, stirring occasionally until the liquid has evaporated and the leeks and onions begin to brown.
7. Salt the boiling water, add the pasta, and cook until al dente.
8. Add the wine and parsley to the sauce and cook until wine has almost completely evaporated.
9. If using eggs, add them at this point, frying until whites are set but yolks are still very soft.
10. Drain the pasta and toss with the sauce.
11. Add the Parmesan and toss again.

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¹ These quantities were fine, but I don't think I'd be worried about going up to 3 or 4 c. for the onions next time. ^Back

Photo is bad, pie was good!

I've been baking a lot of bread lately and really enjoying that. I'm looking forward to making more, but in the meantime I'd like to keep baking other things. I'm a bit burnt out on sweets at this point, so I've been thinking more along the lines of savoury baked goods. We ended up watching pie week on the Great British Bake Off and that was enough to get me set on doing pies.

Initially I was thinking that I'd do some sort of of... I guess pub-style meat pie. I briefly contemplated doing a basic mince pie, but... I just wasn't feeling it this week. And I've been trying to avoid buying meat lately. (I have a bunch of beef stashed in the freezer, so I've still been cooking with that from time to time.) Eventually, it came down to a choice between a potato, spinach, and bell pepper pithivier or a kale, lemon, and cheese phyllo pie. TF cast his vote for phyllo, so phyllo it was! (I'll probably still make the pithivier at some point.

Kale, Lemon, and Cheese Phyllo Pie

Slightly adapted from BBC Good Food

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 leek, sliced (white parts only)
• 1 onion, sliced
• 2-4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1-2 green Thai chiles, minced
• 1 small preserved lemon, flesh and pith removed
• 1/4 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1/8 tsp. fennel seeds
• 1 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 500g frozen kale (or kale-spinach blend), thawed
• 100g fresh green herb of choice¹
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 3 eggs
• 300g ricotta
• 300g feta, crumbled
• 1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 227g phyllo pastry
• canola (or other neutral oil) for brushing

Directions

1. Head olive oil over medium heat.
2. Add leek, onion, garlic, chile, preserved lemon, cumin, fennel seeds, and salt and cook until soft and fragrant (~10 minutes).
3. Add kale, herbs, and lemon juice and cook until heated through. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
4. Beat the eggs until smooth and slightly frothy.
5. Mix in ricotta and feta.
6. Press as much liquid as possible out of the kale mixture and stir it into the cheese blend.
7. Stir in nutmeg and set filling aside.
8. Oil an 8 or 9" (20-23cm) springform pan.
9. Lay a sheet of phyllo over the pan, gently pressing it into the corners and up the sides, letting the extra hang over the edge.
10. Brush the pastry with oil and lay another sheet on top at a slight angle to the first. (I tried to place mine so that the corners were offset by ~1cm from the previous layer.)
11. Continue adding more layers, brushing each one with oil, until the tin is well-lined.
12. Spoon the filling into the pastry and fold the excess pastry over the top, brushing each bit with oil as it's folded in.
13. Once all the overhanging bits have been brought into the center and the pie is completely enclosed, brush the top with more oil.
14. Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 50 minutes.
15. Cool for at least 20 minutes before removing from tin.
16. Release the sides and carefully transfer the pie off of the tin base and onto a serving platter.
17. In theory the pie should now be chilled before serving, but I cut it while it was still warm and quite enjoyed it that way.

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¹ I used a mix of cilantro and flat-leaf parsley. ^Back

The last couple of times we've gotten cauliflower in our produce basket, we've ended up making a cauliflower and tofu Thai red curry. And, while delicious, I was craving something a little different. This curried cauliflower soup is a variation on the "creamy cauliflower soup" from my latest go-to, The Complete Vegetarian Cookbook. (I thought the addition of lime juice and curry powder sounded more interesting than the basic soup. I mean, I'm sure it would be tasty with just the chives, but the Thai curry paste worked so well, I figured an Indian curry powder would be lovely.)

Curried Cauliflower Soup

From the Complete Vegetarian Cookbook

Ingredients

• 1 head cauliflower
• 8 Tbsp. unsalted butter
• 1 leek, sliced thin
• 1 onion, halved and sliced
• 3/4 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 1 1/2 Tbsp. ginger paste
• 1 Tbsp. curry powder
• 4 1/2 c. water
• 1 Tbsp. + 1/2 tsp. lime juice, divided
• 1/2 c. lite coconut milk
• 2 scallions, sliced thin
• pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Remove and thinly slice the core of the cauliflower.
2. Cut 1 heaping cup of 1/2" florets from head of cauliflower.
3. Cut remaining cauliflower into 1/2"-thick slices.
4. Melt 3 Tbsp. butter over medium-low heat.
5. Add leek, onion, and 3/4 tsp. coarse sea salt. Cook until leek and onion are softened but not browned.
6. Add ginger paste and curry powder and cook for another minute or so, being careful not to burn the spices.
7. Add 4 1/2 c. water, sliced core, and half of the sliced cauliflower. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a simmer.
8. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer gently for 15 minutes.
9. Add remaining sliced cauliflower and simmer until cauliflower is tender and crumbles easily. (~15 minutes)
10. Melt the remaining 5 Tbsp. butter over medium heat.
11. Add reserved cauliflower florets and cook, stirring often, until florets are golden brown and butter is browned and nutty.
12. Remove skillet from heat and use slotted spoon to transfer florets to small bowl.
13. Toss browned florets with 1/2 tsp. lime juice and season with salt to taste.
14. Pour browned butter into a separate bowl and reserve for garnishing.
15. Puree soup until smooth.
16. Stir in coconut milk and 1 Tbsp. lime juice.
17. Garnish with scallions, browned florets, browned butter, and pepper.

The garnish looks pretty and all. That said, I think next time I'd stick with scallions and pepper for garnish and not bother with the whole browned butter thing. It would drastically reduce the fat content and takes out a few steps to boot!

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Variations

Vegan

Ingredients

• 1 head cauliflower
• 3 Tbsp. canola oil
• 1 leek, sliced thin
• 1 onion, halved and sliced
• 3/4 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 1 1/2 Tbsp. ginger paste
• 1 Tbsp. curry powder
• 4 1/2 c. water
• 1 Tbsp. + 1/2 tsp. lime juice, divided
• 1/2 c. lite coconut milk
• 2 scallions, sliced thin
• pepper, to taste