Fiesta Friday

March in the Kitchen – Roast Cabbage with Cream and Parmesan
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March in the Kitchen – Roast Cabbage with Cream and Parmesan

Those of you who know me and/or read my blog, know that roasting is a favorite method of cooking vegetables. But, cabbage is a new one for me. When I saw a recipe for garlic rubbed roast cabbage steaks on the blog Everyday Maven, I had to try it.

We were grilling salmon and I wanted a “bed” to serve the salmon on. Somehow, garlic didn’t seem right. But, a little cream and parmesan, bingo! This was SOOOO easy and delicious.

Cabbage "Steaks"

Cabbage “Steaks”

Roast Cabbage Steaks

  • 1 head of cabbage, organic if possible
  • 2 tablespoons of olive oil
  • Heavy cream, 1-2 tablespoons for each slice
  • Kosher or sea salt
  • 1/4 – 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
  1. Remove any wilted or browning outside leaves and rinse the cabbage, dry with paper towels.
  2. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
  3. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.
  4. Cut the cabbage into slices (about an inch thick), sideways from top to bottom. Most slices will have a circle of the core in the middle.
  5. Brush the slices with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Pour 1-2 tablespoons of heavy cream over each slice.
  6. Bake for 20 minutes. Grate Parmesan over each slice and return to the oven until brown and crusty, about another 10 minutes.

And what was the best part of these? See that crusty melty cream on the parchment paper? I peeled it off and ate it as a pre-dinner snack. Yum!

Seriously! The cabbage was sweet and delicious, no strong taste.

Roast Cabbage Steaks with Cream and Parmesan

Roast Cabbage Steaks with Cream and Parmesan

They were a perfect “nest” for the grilled salmon, creamy and toasty.

Do you think the folks at Fiesta Friday over at Angie’s will like this one?Fiesta Friday

 

March in the Kitchen – Chicken Tagine with Prunes and Almonds in the Style of the Rif Mountains
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March in the Kitchen – Chicken Tagine with Prunes and Almonds in the Style of the Rif Mountains

Chicken Tagine – with Prunes and Almonds in the Style of the Rif Mountains

The Food of Morocco

The Food of Morocco

Just writing the title of this recipe transports me to exotic places. It came from a wonderful cookbook, “The Food of Morocco” by Paula Wolfert. This book is the March/April choice of the Cookbook Guru, an online cookbook book club. I have several cookbooks by Ms. Wolfert; they all have a definite Mediterranean slant and are all highly recommended. If you would like to read more posts inspired by the cookbook, click on the link.

She credits the origins of this recipe to the Moroccan writer Mohammed Mrabet, who lived in the Rif Mountains. It seems the people who inhabit the area are very individualistic and do things their own way. The technique of rubbing cumin into the skin of the chicken before cooking is not known in other parts of the country.

First I think we all need a short geography lesson if you were wondering, as I was, “where are the Rif Mountains?” The Rif, or Arabic Al-Rif, is a mountain range in Northern Morocco. It extends from Tangier to the Moulouya River valley near the Moroccan-Algerian frontier. For most of its 180-mile length, the range hugs the Mediterranean Sea, leaving only a few narrow coastal valleys suitable for agriculture or urban settlement. . The higher peaks, including Mount Tidirhine, which at 8,059 feet (2,456 metres) is the loftiest, are snow-capped in winter.The Berbers have inhabited the Rif since prehistoric times and the region’s name comes from the Berber word Arif.

This dish was reportedly cooked for members of the Tangier literary set by Mohammed Mrabet; who is mostly known in the West through his association with Paul Bowles, William Burroughs and Tennessee Williams. He is a writer and artist who makes colorful felt tip and ink drawings in the style of Paull Masson or a more depressive Jean Miro. He is increasingly being recognized as an important member of a small group of Moroccan Master Painters.

Ok, enough back story, here is the recipe:

Chicken Tagine – with Prunes and Almonds in the style of the Rif Mountains

  • One medium-sized chicken, preferably organic and air chilled
  • Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 2 teaspoons of cumin (she prefers Moroccan which I did not have)
  • 12 ounces of pitted prunes
  • 2 -3 teaspoons of ground Ceylon cinnamon (I used 1 stick of cinnamon)
  • 2 large yellow onions, halved and sliced lengthwise
  • 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger (I used ½ teaspoon of freshly grated ginger)
  • 1 cup blanched whole almonds
  • Vegetable oil such as canola for frying

This is the perfect dish for cooking in a clay casserole, if you have one. It is the first dish I have cooked in my new Emile Henry casserole.

Clay Baker

Clay Baker

  1. Wipe the chicken dry with paper towels, trim away excess fat. Cut off the wings and leg/thighs; leave the breast in one piece. Rub all the pieces with the cumin, salt, and pepper. Let stand at least 1 hour.
  2. Meanwhile, cover the prunes with hot water in a small saucepan and add the cinnamon. Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat and simmer 10 minutes. Set aside.
  3. Place the onions in a wide, shallow casserole, with the turmeric, ginger, more salt and pepper to taste, and ¼ cup of water. Cover, bring to a boil, and simmer for 15 minutes.
  4. Meanwhile, brown the almonds in a few tablespoons of oil in a large skillet. When golden brown, remove them with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain. Using the same oil, brown the chicken on all sides.
  5. Transfer the chicken to top the steamed onions.
  6. Cover with a sheet of parchment paper, then the lid to the casserole (the recipe as written did not say the lid). Cook on the lowest heat for about 1-1/4 hours.
  7. Uncover and discard the parchment paper. Add the cooked prunes to the casserole and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat. Arrange the chicken breast in the center of a serving dish, place the legs and thighs around and cover all with the prunes and sauce. Sprinkle with almonds to serve.
Chicken Tagine

Chicken Tagine

I made a few modifications to the recipe as written, have a few comments, and changes I would make next time.

  • We thought the chicken was very flavorful but the breast was dry. I would use either leg thigh quarters or all thighs next time.
  • I prefer whole spices to ground as they lose flavor and aroma quickly. You can see my substitutions in the list of ingredients.
  • She did not say to put on the lid of the casserole, after 30 minutes it was not really cooking as there was no liquid to submerge the chicken. I don’t know if this was a mistake or an intentional omission. I finally put the lid on the casserole to finish the dish.

The recipe is beautiful and I love the combination of spices and fruit. I would make it again but use primarily dark meat which would stay moist.

I’m taking this to share with Angie and the gang at the Novice Gardener for Fiesta Friday. Please come and have a virtual taste of all the lovely food.

Fiesta Friday

Fiesta Friday

March in the Kitchen – Lamb Burgers for St. Patrick’s Day
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March in the Kitchen – Lamb Burgers for St. Patrick’s Day

I’ve been working on this recipe for a few weeks, I think I’ve got it! And just in time for St. Patrick’s Day. Ground lamb can be a tough one to get right. It’s most often too “lamb-ey”, even though I like lamb. I wanted a moist and tender lamb burger with a more subtle taste. A post with a recipe for chicken meatballs on the blog “The Frugal Hausfrau” gave me an idea. What if I took her idea and adapted it to my lamb burgers? She used ricotta in the mix to lighten things up and keep the meat moist. I had tried feta, it didn’t do the trick. But ricotta….hmmm.

Tender Lamb Burgers

  • 1 1/4 lbs. of ground lamb
  • 1/2 teaspoon of grated ginger
  • 2 cloves of garlic, very finely chopped
  • 1/4 teaspoon of lemon zest
  • 1/2 cup of chopped parsley
  • 1/2 cup of chopped cilantro
  • 1/2 teaspoon of Ras el Hanout (paprika, ginger, cumin, cinnamon, turmeric, grains of paradise, allspice, nutmeg, mace, cayenne from the Oaktown Spice Shop)
  • 1/2 teaspoon of cumin
  • 1/4 cup of chutney (any kind), chopped if large pieces
  • 1/2 cup of ricotta cheese
  • 1 egg, lightly whipped
  • squeezed juice of 1 lemon
  • Kosher or sea salt to taste (about 1/2 teaspoon)
  • Olive oil for frying
Lamb Burgers

Lamb Burgers Before Cooking

  1. Mix the seasonings (everything but the lamb) with the ricotta.
  2. Add the ground lamb to the seasoned ricotta and gently mix everything together.
  3. Form into patties of your desired size (I made 5 generous ones).
  4. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour.
  5. Preheat a large skillet on medium high, add about 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the pan
  6. Fry the patties until done to your liking, for me that was about 4 minutes to a side.

Serve with in a roll with humus, cucumber, sliced red pepper, avocado, thinly sliced onion and parsley.

Lamb Burgers

Lamb Burgers

Or with sauteed greens or other veggies.

Lamb Burgers

Lamb Burgers with avocado and greens

They turned out to be what I was looking for.

I’m going to take these to Fiesta Friday #59 to share with Angie and the gang at the Novice Gardener. Friday goes with burgers. Please come and check out the rest of the party.

Fiesta Friday

Fiesta Friday

These could also be made into meatballs and browned in a skillet or the oven. Because of the chutney and bit of sugar they brown up beautifully.

 

March in My Kitchen – Corn Pasta with Southwestern Leanings
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March in My Kitchen – Corn Pasta with Southwestern Leanings

Don’t you think all the new pasta varieties in the store are amazing? Even if you are not on a gluten free diet, they are fun to cook with. The quality has dramatically improved from a few years ago. When I saw this corn rotelli (wheat free and gluten free), I had to try it. And, it was very, very good. It was especially good with a Southwestern inspired sauce.

Gluten Free Pasta - Corn Rotelli

Gluten Free Pasta – Corn Rotelli

You’ll need to bear with me now because I don’t have a recipe as such. It was one of those “clean out the fridge” dinners. I had just returned from a week on the East coast and was craving something spicy, flavorful, and semi healthy.

Gluten Free Corn Rotelli with Southwestern Sauce

  •  1 12-oz package of corn rotelli or pasta of choice
  • 2 tablespoons of olive or avocado oil
  • 1- 1/2 cups of mixed cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1/2 large red onion, chopped
  • 1 clove garlic, chopped
  • 1 can of black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1-1/2 cups fresh or frozen corn, (I used frozen roast corn from Trader Joe’s)
  • 4 scallions, chopped
  • pinch of red pepper flakes
  • 1 teaspoon of ground cumin
  • 1 cup of shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided in half
  • 1 cup of spicy lemon salsa verde (or avocado sauce)
  • Salt to taste
  • chopped cilantro to serve
  • crushed tortilla chips and diced avocado (optional for serving) 
sauteed cherry tomatoes

sauteed cherry tomatoes

  1. Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil on high heat.
  2. While it is heating, add the olive or avocado oil to a large skillet and heat it on medium high.
  3. Add the chopped onion to the skillet and saute until softened, about 5 minutes.
  4. Add the garlic and halved cherry tomatoes, turn the heat down to medium, and continue to saute until the tomatoes start to soften, maybe another 3 minutes.
  5. Add the drained black beans, scallions, cumin, and red pepper flakes to the skillet. Turn the heat down to low.
  6. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook as per the directions on the package.
  7. When cooked to your liking, drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of the cooking water. Do not rinse.
  8. Add the pasta to the vegetables in the skillet and cook all together. Add some pasta cooking water if it seems dry.
  9. Add the Spicy Lemon Salsa Verde (or avocado sauce) and toss together.
  10. Toss in 1/2 cup grated cheese and mix together
  11. Taste for salt
  12. Top with the additional 1/2 grated cheese and chopped cilantro.
  13. Garnish with optonal crushed tortilla chips and avocado.
Southwestern pasta sauce

Southwestern pasta sauce

Corn rotelli with southwestern sauce

Corn rotelli with southwestern sauce

Corn rotelli with a garnish of crushed tortilla chips

Corn rotelli with a garnish of crushed tortilla chips

This dish was even more delicious reheated a day later, the flavors had time meld.

I’m taking this to share on Fiesta Friday #58 at Angie’s blog, The Novice Gardener. It’s a perfect Friday evening dinner…serve some guacomole to start and add a salad. It might be even more popular than pizza!

Fiesta Friday

Fiesta Friday

February in the kitchen – Cauliflower Croquettes
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February in the kitchen – Cauliflower Croquettes

These cauliflower croquettes are amazing! My husband and I ate the entire recipe in a single sitting! Forget the meat (we did), you won’t need it. Made small they would be wonderful as a starter, or larger as a main or side dish. Gluten free, vegetarian (if you leave out the bacon), low carb, and delicious! Isn’t cauliflower a wonderfully adaptable vegetable?

I served the croquettes topped with avocado sauce. They would also be good with a fresh salsa verde or green sauce or a dollop of sour cream.

  • 1 small to medium head of cauliflower, cut into small florets
  • 4 slices of bacon, fried crisp and crumbled – keep 2 tablespoons of the fat
  • 1 large egg, lightly beaten
  • 4 scallions, very thinly sliced (white and green parts)
  • ¼ cup fresh chopped parsley
  • ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • ¼ cup of garbanzo flour
  • 1 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
chopped scallions and parsley
Ingredients for cauliflower croquettes
Cooked Cauliflower Rice
Cauliflower with other ingredients
  1. In a food processor rice the cauliflower florets (it should be evenly chopped but not completely pulverized).
  2. Transfer cauliflower rice to a microwave-safe dish and microwave on high for 4 minutes, or until cooked.
  3. Meanwhile pre-heat the oven to 300 degrees F.
  4. Transfer the cauliflower to a strainer lined with a tea towel. Let it cool until safe to handle, the twist the towel to squeeze out as much moisture as possible. There will be a lot.
  5. Transfer the cauliflower rice to a mixing bowl, and add the next 8 ingredients. Up to the olive oil. Mix well. add egg, scallions, parsley, salt and pepper and mix well.
  6. Heat two tablespoons of the bacon fat (if using) and 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large heavy frying pan over medium-high heat until shimmering.
  7. Form the cauliflower mix into a loose croquette or burger shape. The mixture will be quite loose but will firm up when cooked. Press the patties flat with a spatula. Fry until brown on one side, then flip and cook the other.
  8. You may need to do this in batches adding more olive oil to the pan.
  9. As you finish one batch, place the cooked croquettes on a cookie sheet in the oven to keep warm while you finish frying the rest.
  10. Serve with avocado sauce, salsa verde, or sour cream with a garnish of parsley.
Cauliflower Croquettes

Cauliflower Croquettes

Cauliflower Croquettes with Avocado Sauce

Cauliflower Croquettes with Avocado Sauce

I’m taking this to Fiesta Friday #57 to serve with my avocado sauce. Come join Angie and the gang at the Novice Gardener.