And there was a girl. A passionate girl who comes from a faraway land. And so this dish, inspired by the flavors of her homeland, was born for her readers to enjoy.
For the meatballs
1 pound ground chicken
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (buy or make)
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons grated onions
1 egg yolk
For the sauce
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, cut into thin strips
½ cup raisins
½ cup water
½ cup half and half (optional)
In a medium bowl, combine the ground chicken with the pumpkin pie spice, salt, pepper, grated onion and egg yolk. Shape into medium meatballs the size of a small plum.
Place the olive oil and onions in a medium/large pot or tagine over medium heat. Cook the onions until they’re translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the meatballs and sauté them, turning occasionally, about 5 minutes. Add the water, cover with a lid and cook for 10 minutes. Add the half and half and raisins, and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Let cool just a bit.
Serve warm with a dollop of strawberry or fig jam, if you wish
I have submitted a video audition for a chance to start my own cooking show on OWN (Oprah Winfrey Network) which will debut in 2011. This means so much to me and I really really want to win. If I have— through this blog or through my book — brought you an exotic recipe, a piece of knowledge, put a smile on your face, or simply sparked your interest, please VOTE for me. It is easy and should only take a few seconds of your time. You may vote an unlimited number of times so feel free to vote as many times as you’d like;)
Have you ever thought of cooking with a child as an amazing learning, entertaining and bonding experience? Whether it’s your own or that of a relative or friend, you can take advantage of the summer to create everlasting memories.
I contributed a post at Culinate on how I used to anticipate the summer holiday every year as a child so I would spend time with my mother in the kitchen. I enjoyed every bit of it: the messes of piled vegetable peel, the water splashes, the clinking of pots, the feeling that I was destined to one day become a woman and cook for my family the way she did. I remember those moments and recipes learned to this day and carry them with me everywhere I go.
Those were truly magical moments for me as a child. That’s why this summer, I am planning to cook with my daughter, create and play, shape dough and color batter; and gradually pass down a beautiful legacy of a culturally rich culinary heritage.
Yesterday marked my last day with students this year. Things are pleasantly slowing down and coming to an end. Exams were graded, papers tossed, books returned. And I’m ready for a vacation. I anticipate a busy summer. I have looked for cheap flights, bought tickets and am ready for a big adventure.
In here, things are approaching the end too. Already letter S…
Sachertorte: {pronounced: zahker tort} Austrian chocolate cake with a chocolate glaze and multiple layers.
Saga Blue: Rich and creamy Danish blue cheese.
Salpicon: French term for a mixture of diced ingredients used for stuffing tarts, vol-au-vents…
Salsify: Root vegetable resembling a white carrot.
Silver skin: Shiny membrane found in certain cuts of meat that’s tough, curls up while cooking and is preferably removed from meats.
St. Honoré: Cake named after the French patron saint of bakers, made with puff pastry dipped in caramel and filled with cream. Click here for photo.
Stud: Insert aromatic aliments such as garlic, rosemary or cloves into meat before cooking.
Stollen: German oval-shaped fruitcake prepared during Christmas time. Syrah: Prized red wine grape that grows in the Rhône region of France, aka shiraz.
I was at the supermarket the other day standing in front of the chocolate bar shelves, quietly scrutinizing every product, trying to find a coconut-chocolate bar—my favorite. Right next to me stood a boxy fifty-something lady who was also there for a long time, very engulfed in her search endeavor. After about five minutes of silent gazing at the shelves, I think she kind of felt like she had to explain herself and, truthfully, I was starting to feel the same way too for fear of looking weird. She diffidently said: “I’m looking for a coconut chocolate bar I bought the other day; they don’t seem to carry it anymore. I love coconut with chocolate.” I excitedly replied “me too! I’m actually here looking for the same thing!”
We both smiled.
Gluten-free Coconut Chocolate Bars
Makes 12 bars
7 tablespoons butter, melted (or ¾ cup canola oil) ½ cup cocoa powder ½ cup agave syrup (or 3/4 cup sugar) 4 eggs 1 teaspoon almond extract ¼ teaspoon salt 1 cup millet flour ½ teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon baking powder ½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut, plus 2 tablespoons for sprinkling the cake
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a rectangular 9×13-inch pan with parchment paper.
In an electric mixer, beat the butter and cocoa powder. Add the agave syrup, eggs, almond extract, salt, millet flour, baking soda and baking powder. Beat again. Fold in the coconut.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons of coconut. Bake for 13 to 14 minutes. Cool the cake completely before cutting into bars.
I’m no cookie monster but I’ve wolfed down six of these cookies in twenty four hours. If that’s to tell you anything it’s that they are delicious. Cinnamon-y and full of flaxseed and raisin goodness, they taste somewhat similar to an oatmeal-raisin cookie but their texture is different: softer, mealier, easier to chew, and well, easier to eat. Somehow you finish them so quickly and find yourself reaching for more. That’s what happened to me. I didn’t realize I’ve eaten this many until I counted. But if counting I should do, it’s only fair to measure the amazing nutrients in these cookies—they contain 1 cup of flaxseed meal which equates to: 38325 mg omega-3 fatty acids, 9931 mg omega-6 fatty acids and 46 g fiber.
To your health!
Gluten-free Flaxseed Cookies Recipe
Makes about 12 cookies
1 cup golden flaxseed meal 1 cup millet flour Pinch salt 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon 4 tablespoons coconut oil or ½ stick unsalted butter, melted 1 egg ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract ¼ cup and 2 tablespoons agave syrup ¼ cup raisins
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
In a large bowl, whisk the flaxseed meal, millet flour, salt and cinnamon. In a separate bowl beat the butter, egg, vanilla extract and agave syrup. Stir the liquid mixture into the flour then mix in the raisins.
Shape the cookie dough into medium (1 ½-inch) balls and place them on the prepared baking sheet, about 2 inches apart. Bake until lightly golden, 18 to 20 minutes.
Come spend this and every Thursday with me to savor learning/reviewing mouth-watering words. As you’re reading letter R, pause to imagine the smell, color and flavor of a ragoût or riz à l’impératrice. I don’t know about you, but I salivate just by reading about food. Have a delicious read!
Raclette: A type of cheese from Switzerland and a dish consisting of melted raclette cheese.
Ragoût: A hearty stew of usually beef or chicken and vegetables.
Raita: Indian yogurt sauce usually served with spicy food to cool the mouth.
Reamer: Citrus juicer.
Ras el Hanout:Moroccan spice blend consisting of about a dozen spices including cumin, cardamom and coriander. Rémoulade: French condiment consisting of mayonnaise, chopped pickles and capers, and herbs.
Rumaki: Water chestnuts usually filled with poultry liver, wrapped in bacon and deep-fried or baked until crispy
Riz à l’Impératrice: Rice pudding made with vanilla custard, cream and fruits confits macerated in kirsch.
Called liquid gold or golden oilbecause of its color as well as its treasured culinary, cosmetic and medicinal virtues—and possibly because of its expensive price—argan oil is produced exclusively in Morocco. It is extracted from the kernels of the ancient and thorny argan trees in the south of Morocco. It has gained worldwide merit and appreciation in the past 20 to 30 years as researchers continue to unravel its marvels. When I lived in Morocco, I enjoyed it occasionally served with an almond dip calledamlou (recipe in my book) but my earliest memory with it was at the age of seven when my mother used it to soothe my varicella (chicken pox).
These are some of the most common uses for argan oil:
1. Dips and Salads: It tastes delicious as a dressing for salads, vegetables and dips either by itself or mixed with lemon juice or vinegar.
2. Tagines and Couscous: It adds a nutty flavor to tagines, stews and couscous, imparting an aroma reminiscent of hazelnuts. 3. Hair and Nails: It moisturizes and gives luster to hair and nails and favors their growth and health thanks to its high keratin content.
4. Skin Moisturizer: Rich in vitamin E, omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids, it is great for lasting skin hydration.
5. Massage: It makes the perfect massage oil because of its smooth texture, light, pleasant scent, and multiple skin benefits. 6. Anti-aging: It is a great antioxidant and prevents skin from wrinkling as well as diminishes the appearance of existing wrinkles. 7. Cicatrization: It is a great cicatrizant and helps heal scars left from acne, burns, stretch marks, varicella, etc.
8. Stretch Marks: It is great for preventing and treating stretch marks, especially during pregnancy. 9. Acne and Rashes: It works wonders in treating eczema, acne and other forms of skin irritation because of its high content in vitamin E and its anti-inflammatory properties. 10. Cardiovascular Health: It is a heart-friendly oil that lowers cholesterol levels and prevents myocardial infarction.
God bless Memorial Day. Not only for the obvious reason but also for the many things having the day off allowed me to do today. My hand-wash clothes pile—whose label clearly says “machine washable” but qualifies as too delicate for me—was continuously growing on the bathroom counter for the past two weeks. My car was becoming an embarrassment with its bric-a-brac of books, toys, jackets, barrettes, paper clips, handouts from workshops, etc. The clothes and the car were thoroughly washed and things are looking presentable and refreshingly uncluttered again. It was a soapy morning inside and outside the house.
All that activity gave me the hunger of a wolf. Thankfully I had my delicious strawberry cobbler/crumble/crisp to go to. I prepared it the day before and had a little more than half of it left in the refrigerator waiting to be reheated and enjoyed. And reheated and enjoyed it was by me.
This strawberry cobbler/crumble/crisp—no matter the name—is easy to make, healthfully sweetened with agave syrup and a delicious combination of juicy and crispy: oven-tender, succulent strawberries and lightly browned, crunchy quinoa and walnuts tied together with a just a soupçon of butter and vanilla.
Gluten-free Strawberry Cobbler Recipe
8 to 10 servings
For the strawberries 5 cups strawberries, hulled and quartered 1 tablespoon corn starch 4 tablespoons agave syrup 1 teaspoon lime juice
For the quinoa topping 1 cup cooked quinoa 4 tablespoons agave syrup 1 tablespoon butter, melted ½ teaspoon vanilla extract Pinch sea salt ¼ cup chopped walnuts, almonds or pistachios
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
In a 9 to 10-inch round or 8-inch square baking dish, combine the strawberries, cornstarch, agave syrup, and lime juice. Toss gently to mix.
Remove any excess water from the quinoa. Add the agave syrup, melted butter, vanilla extract, sea salt and walnuts. Stir to combine. Top the strawberries evenly with the quinoa mix. Bake the strawberry cobbler until the quinoa is crispy and golden brown, 35 to 45 minutes. Cool the cobbler for 10 minutes before serving.
rss feed
email
twitter
facebook
pinterest