Appetizers – Page 2 – A Pat & A Pinch

Poppy Seed-Crusted Butternut Squash with Kale and Pomegranates

With fall upon us and squash, kale and pomegranates in plentiful supply, this seems like the perfect time to share this recipe for Poppy Seed-Crusted Butternut Squash with Kale and Pomegranates salad that is slightly modified from a recipe I found on the delightful healthy food blog, My New Roots. This is a fantastic salad to take to a potluck as it is so pretty and anyone who enjoys vegetables can eat it. Unlike so many salads it lasts well, even dressed, when it cannot be served immediately. It takes a little time to make but is well worth the effort. Poppy Seed-Crusted Butternut Squash with Kale and Pomegranates

1 medium butternut squash

4 cloves garlic

1 Tbsp. melted ghee or coconut oil

3 Tbsp. poppy seeds

2 pinches of sea salt

3 cups packed shredded kale

1 shallot

juice of ½ lemon

zest of 1 lemon

pinch of sea salt

seeds of 1 medium or ½ large pomegranate

Maple Mustard Dressing

4 Tbsp. olive oil

2 tsp. apple cider vinegar

1/4 tsp sea salt

2 tsp. pure Maple syrup

2 tsp. Dijon mustard

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Peel the squash, cut it in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. For the best texture, it is important to peel completely through the skin past the pale yellow/green flesh to the deep yellow flesh – I have learned this through experience. Cut into small (approx 1/2 inch) cubes. Toss with oil, minced garlic, poppy seeds, and sprinkle with sea salt. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Roast until fork-tender, not mushy (approx. 30-40 minutes).

While the squash is roasting, shred the kale by slicing it in very thin strips or tearing it into small pieces. Add the juice of ½ lemon, a pinch of sea salt and massage well into kale to wilt. Set aside but repeat the massaging occasionally while the squash roasts. This step is critical to tenderize the otherwise tough kale.

Seed the pomegranate being careful to keep the fruit of each seed intact. One suggestion is to fill a bowl with water, cut the fruit in half, then roughly pry out the seeds with your fingers and let them fall into the water. The seeds with white pith will float to the top – remove the pith as much as possible leaving the seeds, which will then sink. I simply pull it apart carefully bit by bit carefully extracting the seeds.

When the butternut squash has finished roasting, remove from oven and let cool for 5 to 10 minutes. While it is cooling, make dressing by whisking all ingredients together. Add the squash to kale and mix. Toss with sliced shallot, pomegranate seeds, and the dressing. Garnish with lemon zest.

October 23, 2014December 28, 2014

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Herbed Gruyere and Buttermilk Scones

On a cool weekend morning, I love to pull together a batch of warm savoury scones and enjoy them with a cup or two of my favourite tea. There are different types of scones: these are based on a buttermilk biscuit recipe that results in a light scone that has many tender layers. They are quick to make and quick to eat.

Today I had some leftover gruyere which I used. An old cheddar also makes a delicious scone. I prefer to be able to “find” the cheese in my scones so I slice it thinly and then chop it into small pieces – each piece is roughly 1/2 x 1/4 x 1/32 inch in size. Grated cheese disperses more consistently throughout the scone but is a little quicker to prepare if you are pressed for time. It is a matter of choice. If you are not a huge rosemary fan, thyme or an herbes de provence mix also work well.

These scones don’t need to be buttered, but a little extra butter doesn’t hurt them one bit. They are also nice with jam. Alternatively, they are delicious with a little cured ham or hard sausage. Today, I enjoyed them with some duck prosciutto and some lamb prosciutto from Oyama Sausage on Granville Island in Vancouver.

Herbed Gruyere and Buttermilk Scones

2 1/2 c. flour

1 tbsp. baking powder

2 tbsp. sugar

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 c. unsalted butter, cold and cut into pieces

1/2 c. buttermilk

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 c. gruyere cheese (or any hard cheese you have on hand), grated, or cut into small thin pieces

cracked black pepper

2 tbsp dried rosemary, broken down

1 egg

Preheat oven to 400 F.

Combine flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt in a bowl and cut in the flour until it is well blended and the consistency of coarse oatmeal. I recommend using your fingers rubbing the butter and flour mixture into flakes between your thumb and first two fingers. Mix the gruyere, rosemary and pepper into the flour mixture and create a well in the center. In another bowl, combine the buttermilk with the baking soda and egg and beat the mixture. Add the almost all of the liquid mixture to the the flour and butter mixture, reserving a little (about a tablespoon) for a wash (see below).

Using a dough scraper, quickly combine the dry and wet ingredients to form what my mom calls a “shaggy mass”. As soon as the dough begins to come together, stop.

Flour a surface and dump the contents of the dough bowl onto it. Gather the dough bits into a rectangle, then fold the rectangle into thirds. Flatten the new rectangle gently by pressing on it. Scoop up any loose bits with the dough scraper and toss them onto the new rectangle. Fold in thirds again. Repeat this process just until the former “shaggy mass” forms a soft dough (no more than 6 or 7 turns). Roll out the dough to a 1″ thickness.

If you forgot to reserve a little of the liquid for a wash, beat an egg with 1 tbsp of milk and a pinch of salt to create an egg wash or just use a little heavy cream or buttermilk. Using a glass or round cookie cutter, cut the dough into rounds flouring the cutter between each cut to minimize sticking. After cutting as many pieces as possible, gather up the leftover bits, press them together forming a new rectangle, rolling it to an even 1″ thickness and cut some more rounds. The less you can work the dough to accomplish this the better – the scones will get tougher the more the dough is worked. Place the rounds on a baking sheet lined with a silpat or parchment (for easy cleanup) and glaze them with the wash being careful to only put wash on the tops – having wash on the sides will impair the ability of the scone to rise . Bake for about 15 minutes, until they are golden-brown in color.

N.B. If you prefer a less savoury scone, you can replace the cheese and herbs with dried cranberries (1/2 c.) and citrus zest (a few teaspoons), currants (1/2 c.), or make them plain.

August 16, 2014September 1, 2014

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Smoke Infused Potato Salad with Chorizo and Asparagus

We are at the end of the local asparagus season and I wanted to do something different with the last of the local harvest.

This recipe, adapted from a recipe by Heather Christo, did the trick for me taste wise. Unfortunately, it was not as photogenic as I hoped. Next time I will look for smaller yellow fingerlings to provide more of a visual contrast for presentation.

What the recipe lacks in presentation is made up in flavor. The smokiness infuses the sautéed onions which, when combined with the freshness of the asparagus and the spiciness of the chorizo, makes for a refreshing combination of flavors. The salad is a perfect simple meal that is easily assembled.

Smoke Infused Potato Salad with Chorizo and Asparagus

1 pound small fingerling potatoes

1/3 pound chorizo sausage

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 teaspoon smoked paprika

½ red onion, thinly sliced

1 pound trimmed asparagus, each stalk cut into thirds.

1/3 cup water

¼ teaspoon liquid smoke

1 garlic clove, minced

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Add the potatoes and cook until just fork tender, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large sauté pan or heavy skillet, cook the chorizo over medium heat, breaking it up as you cook, about 2-3 minutes.

Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil, 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika, the liquid smoke, and the red onions and sauté another 2 minutes. Add the asparagus and sauté two minutes.

Use a slotted spoon to remove the potatoes from the pot of water and add them to the pan. Stir to coat and cook, add the water and a lid and cook 2 more minutes.

While that is cooking, whisk together the remaining paprika, garlic, vinegar and olive oil.

When you remove the lid of the pan, make sure that the water has all cooked off. Turn the heat to low and add the oil and vinegar mixture. Toss everything together.

Transfer to a serving platter and garnish as desired: I used some micro-greens. Serve hot or warm.

Preparation time: 10 minute(s)

Cooking time: 20 minute(s)

Number of servings (yield): 4

June 22, 2014September 1, 2014

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The Ultimate Cornbread

It was a little unfair of me to post my Opa’s pork rib recipe without immediately posting this cornbread recipe given that, in our house, it is somewhat of a sacrilege to cook one without the other. This recipe is not your ordinary cornbread, in fact my mother often refers to it as evil as it is filled with butter, cheese, jalapeño and corn.

The Ultimate Cornbread

1 cup butter, melted

1 cup white sugar

4 eggs

1 14 ounce can cream-style corn

½ can jalapeño peppers, drained and chopped

1 cup shredded cheese (Cheddar, Marble, Mozzerella, or Monteray Jack in any combination)

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup cornmeal

4 teaspoons baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly grease a 9 x 13 baking dish.

In a large bowl, beat together the butter and sugar. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Blend in the creamed corn, chilies, and cheese.

In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt in a second bowl. Add the flour mixture to the corn mixture and stir until just smooth. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake in the preheated oven for 1-1 ¼ hours or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

May 27, 2014September 1, 2014

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Pan Fried Salmon Cakes with Dill-Mustard Sauce

Living on the west coast, good salmon is easy to come by. For this recipe, we typically use Pink or Coho fillets as opposed to the more coveted Sockeye. The dill-mustard sauce is an absolute must with this recipe as the two compliment each other perfectly, although we serve the sauce on the side as some of us like to take more than others.

Pan-Fried Salmon Cakes with Dill-Mustard Sauce

Salmon Cakes

1/2 kg poached salmon (boned and flaked)

1/4 c. wild rice, uncooked

1/2 c. bread crumbs

1/2 small red onion, finely chopped

2 tbsp. fresh dill, finely chopped

1 tbsp. capers, finely chopped

1 tbsp. horseradish

1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

1 large egg, beaten

1/4 cup mayonnaise

salt and pepper

3 tbsp. flour

1 tsp. paprika

butter

Dill-Mustard Sauce

2 ½ tbsp. grainy mustard

2 ½ tbsp. honey mustard

1 tbsp. white wine vinegar

1 tbsp. honey

8 tbsp. fresh dill, finely chopped

Boil the wild rice until cooked. In a large bowl, mix the salmon, wild rice, breadcrumbs, onion, dill, capers, horseradish, and lemon juice. Add and combine the beaten eggs and mayonnaise to bind. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Place flour in a shallow dish and season with salt, pepper and paprika. Using your hands, form the salmon mixture into thick patties. Lightly coat each patty in the seasoned flour and refrigerate for at least half an hour ensuring that they are in a single layer or there is parchment paper between the layers.

To prepare the sauce, whisk together the mustards and incorporate the vinegar and honey. Stir in the dill and refrigerate until the meal is ready to be served.

When ready to cook the salmon cakes, melt some butter in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add as many patties as will comfortably fit in the pan and sauté, turning once, until golden brown on both sides (approximately 5 minutes on each side). Cooked cakes can be kept warm in the oven on a low temperature until the whole batch is ready to be served. Add more butter to the pan if needed.

Serve the cakes with the sauce. We like to serve them over a simple green salad with a light vinaigrette that does not compete with the dill-mustard sauce.

May 12, 2014June 4, 2014

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Black Pepper and Cheese Biscotti

It’s exam time which means it is snack time and I desperately needed a break from studying and a snack. Making these delicious biscotti was the perfect solution – not healthy, but very satisfying. A warning, you have to love pepper or you will find the pepper too dominant in these delights.

This recipe is adapted from the Parmesan Black Pepper Biscotti recipe found on the blog Smitten Kitchen which in turn was adapted from Gourmet, December 2006. Being somewhat lactose intolerant, I prefer to make it with a Pecorino Romano which I find easier to tolerate. This time I made it with a lactose free Bella Lodi that I found at the Chop Shop at the Root Cellar here in Victoria. The recipe yields 5 to 6 dozen biscotti but I often cut the recipe in half.

Black Pepper and Cheese Biscotti

1 1/2 tablespoons whole black peppercorns

4 cups all-purpose flour plus additional for dusting

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons salt

4 1/2 oz hard cheese such as Parmigiano-Reggiano or Pecorino Romano, finely grated (2 1/4 cups)

1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

4 large eggs

1 cup milk

Special equipment: an electric coffee/spice grinder or a mortar and pestle

Put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 350°F. Pulse peppercorns in grinder or grind in a mortar until coarsely ground.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, 2 cups cheese, and 1 tablespoon ground black pepper in a large bowl. Blend in butter with a pastry blender or your fingertips until mixture resembles coarse meal. Whisk 3 eggs with milk and add to flour mixture, stirring with a fork until a soft dough forms.

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and quarter dough. Using well-floured hands, form each piece into a slightly flattened 12-inch-long log (about 2 inches wide and 3/4 inch high). I find that this is most easily accomplished by forming the dough into a 12-inch sausage with my hands and then flattening the sausage to a rectangle on the floured counter or board. Transfer the logs to 2 parchment-lined or ungreased large baking sheets, arranging logs about 3 inches apart. Being a fan of easy cleanup I prefer to use parchment.

Whisk remaining egg and brush some over logs, then sprinkle tops of logs evenly with remaining 1/4 cup cheese and 1/2 tablespoon ground pepper. Bake, rotating sheets 180 degrees and switching position of sheets halfway through baking, until logs are pale golden and firm, about 30 minutes total. Cool logs to warm on sheets on a rack, about 10 minutes.

Reduce oven temperature to 300°F.

Carefully transfer 1 warm log to a cutting board and cut diagonally into 1/2-inch-thick slices with a serrated knife. Arrange the slices, cut sides down, in 1 layer on a baking sheet. Repeat with remaining logs, transferring slices to sheets. Bake, turning over once, until golden and crisp, 35 to 45 minutes total. Cool the biscotti on baking sheets on racks, about 15 minutes.

These would be perfect with a glass (or two) of red wine and are a simple solution to those events where you are asked to bring an appetizer. As my son moves into grade school, I anticipate that this will be a go-to recipe for bake-sales aimed at adults. For now, they are the perfect escape from studying.

April 13, 2014April 13, 2014

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