Who's The Boss?

       In January, I started a new job. A dream job. And it's been wonderful. For two months I've just been reveling in the newness of it all; Constantly captivated by the intensity and passion of my colleagues, and continuously in amazement that I was lucky enough to earn a spot among them. But my new schedule has brought with it some new challenges. It's been a test of time-management just to fit in the lifestyle habits I am used to enjoying. Not to mention the much tighter budget I must now adhere to.

     To manage it all I've moved my yoga sessions to 6am, I make sure I spend quality time with my friends on the weekends, and on Sundays, I cook. I work in Beverly Hills, and to stay on track financially, it's essential that I pack my lunches, or else I'll get caught up buying a $13 salad at the closest cafe.

     At first it felt a little overwhelming to have to come up with a week's worth of meals on one grocery run, but I've turned this weekly chore into quite the recipe exploration. I pick two new recipes on Saturday, usually large, one pan-type meals, and then on Sunday, I go to work. Most nights I can also fit in my laundry while something is baking or simmering and it makes me feel something like a wonder-woman.

     So for the next few entries, I'll be posting large, well-rounded, filling meals to influence your weekend meal planning and maybe even help you stay on budget. 

Brussel Sprouts & Organic Sprouted Tofu

(Adapted from Plenty by Yotam Ottolenghi)

 

Yotam Ottolenghi never disappoints. This recipe comes from his book, Plenty, a collection of meat-less recipes from a chef who takes his vegetables just as serious as his meats. Ottolenghi calls this dish "utterly addictive." I myself was so impressed by the explosion of flavors, I was practically howling in my kitchen. I guarantee you will love this or something is seriously wrong with your taste buds.

Ingredients:

• 2tbsp sweet chile sauce (or paste)
• 1 1/2  tbsp gluten-free soy sauce
• 3tbsp toasted sesame oil
• 1tsp rice vinegar
• 1tbsp maple syrup
• 5oz firm organic tofu (optional for sprouted)
• 1lb brussel sprouts
• about 3/4 cup sunflower or grapeseed oil
• salt
• 1 cup sliced green onions
• 1/2 small fresh red chile, deseeded and finely chopped
• 1 1/2 cups shiitake mushrooms, halve, quartered, or diced
• 1 cup cilantro leaves
• 1tbsp toasted sesame seeds (optional)  

Tips: 

Most of these ingredients I had in my pantry because I love Asian flavors. I didn't have a fresh chile so I used a canned chipotle pepper that I had bought for another recipe. And I used a Thai chili paste that I had in my fridge instead of chile sauce. To spread your dollar even further, serve over steamed rice or make into lettuce cups. 

Instructions:

step one.Whisk together in a bowl the chile and soy sauces, 2 tablespoons of the sesame oil, the vinegar and maple syrup. Cut the tofu block into 3/8-inch slices and then into squarish pieces. Gently stir into the marinade and set aside. 

step two. Trim the bases off the sprouts and cut each from top to bottom into three thick slices. Take a large nonstick pan, add 4 tablespoons of oil and heat up well. Throw in half the sprouts with a little salt and cook on high heat for about 2 minutes or more. Don't stir too much. You want the sprouts to almost burn in a few places and cook through but remain crunchy. Remove to a bowl. Repeat with more oil, salt, and the rest of the sprouts. Remove all the sprouts from the pan. 

step three. Add 2 more tablespoons of oil to the pan, heat up and saute the green onions, chile and mushrooms for a few minutes until the mushrooms are golden (I like mine really crispy). Transfer to the sprouts bowl. 

step four. Leave the pan on high heat. Use tongs to lift half of the tofu pieces from the marinade and gently lay them in the pan (be cautious of spitting oil). Space them apart in one layer. Reduce the flame to medium and cook for 2 minutes on each side, or until they get a nice caramelized color. Transfer to the sprout bowl and repeat with the rest of the tofu. 

step five. Once all the tofu is cooked, remove the pan from the heat and return all the cooked ingredients to it. Add the remaining marinade and half the cilantro leaves. Toss everything together and allow to cool down slightly in the pan. Taste and add salt if needed. Stir in the remaining tablespoon of sesame oil and garnish with sesame seeds and the rest of the cilantro. 

** sorry for so few pictures, I was just having so much fun tasting every step along the way that I forgot. 

All Seasons Tarte

   It pains me to say that I haven't been cooking much lately. Since the holidays really. I guess I should have made a resolution to keep up my blog, but I was doing so well, I did not foresee what shortfalls were ahead of me. So, I apologize. And with the spring upon us, guaranteed, I'll be cooking up some fresh seasonal goodies to fill your kitchen for the months to come.
  
Next week for example, I'm taking on my second catering task. My sister and I will be providing food for 100 guests at my mom's first annual garden party. We'll be serving up tiny sandwiches, caprese kabobs, and yummy finger desserts. So I can at least promise a few recipes in advance that will be great for your upcoming summer get-togethers.

    But first, a long awaited tarte recipe. This is not the same as a quiche (you can see my first quiche and crust recipe here), it's a tarte, because it contains more veggies than egg mixture, a quiche is slightly more eggy, but to me, they are really the same thing. I made this tarte for Christmas dinner, but I thought it was still appropriate for Easter, so here it is, 'The All-Seasons Tarte'.


notes on the recipe:
  Of course, I made my own crust, but it's alright to buy a pie or pastry crust form the store. Prepping and cooking could take close to two hours, and this on definitely calls for a grocery list, but it is SO worth it. This tarte is all the reward you will need in the end. 
   

The All-Seasons Tarte

(Published in 'Plenty' by Yotam Ottolenghi as the 'Very Full Tart')

Ingredients: 

• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 yellow bell pepper
• 5 tablesoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium eggplants (aubergine), cut into 1-inch dice
• 2 medium sweet potato (kumara) , peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 1 medium zucchini (courgette), cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 2 medium onions, cut in half and then cut in thin wedges
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 purchased or homeade pie or shortcrust pastry
• 8 fresh thyme sprigs, picked
• 4 ounces Ricotta cheese
• 4 ounces Feta cheese
• 8 cherry tomatoes, halved
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup half and half
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper

Instructions:

step one. 
    Preheat oven to 450?F (230?C). Cover a large baking sheet with foil.

step two. 
    Cut peppers in half and discard seeds and stem. Drizzle with a bit of olive oil and place on one side of the prepared sheet pan.

step three. 
    On the opposite side of the baking sheet, combine the eggplant with 4 tablespoons of the olive oil and season generously with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Roast for 12 minutes, then add the sweet potatoes to the eggplant and stir to combine. Roast for another 12 minutes, then add zucchini, return to oven and roast 12 more minutes. After a total roasting time of 36 minutes the peppers should be charred in places and the other veggies golden and quite fragrant. Remove from oven and immediately cover the peppers with foil. Once the peppers are cool, the skin will easily slip off. Remove the skins and cut into 1″ pieces.

step four.
    While the veggies are roasting, heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Sauté the onions with the bay leaves and a half teaspoon of salt for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, soft and sweet. Discard the bay leaves and set aside.

step five.
    Reduce oven temperature to 375?F (160?C). Line a 11-inch shallow tart pan (or a 9-inch deep tart pan) with pastry crust. Blind-bake the crust by lining it with parchment paper, then fill with dried beans or rice. Bake for 15 minutes, lift out the paper and beans (or rice), and bake for another 5-8 minutes or until light golden brown. Remove and allow to cool for 10 minutes.

step six. 
     Spread the onions over the bottom of baked tart crust, then top with roasted vegtables. Scatter with half the thyme and dot with small chunks of both cheeses, then the tomato halves, cut-side up. Whisk the eggs and cream with a half teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper, and pour into the tart; the tomatoes and cheese should remain exposed. Scatter the remaining thyme on top. Bake for 35–45 minutes, until the filling sets and turns golden. Rest for at least 10 minutes, then remove the tart from pan. Serve warm or at room temperature. Garnish with fresh herbs, if desired.

enjoy!

 

Mejadra

Jerusalem: A Cookbook, Part III

 

 

Mejadra recipe from Jerusalem: A Cookbook

This is the third installment from a whirlwind weekend of cooking with my sister. We chose three recipes form Yotam Ottolenghi's latest installment Jerusalem: A Cookbook. My sister and I are definitely food nerds, so we were excited to cook with authentic Mediterranean ingredients.

My collection of goods from the Mediterranean Market

It was a lot fun exploring the flavors and traditions of Jerusalem. I learned a lot of new ways to use spices, and of course, enjoyed sampling all the fabulous flavors of the region. Each dish was so unique and flavorful, it's a safe bet that anything from this book will surprise your taste buds and delight your guests. 

If you love lentils and curry spices, you'll love Mejadra.  Apparently,  the two authors of this book both agreed on this recipe as their favorite.

Mejadra

(Recipe from Jerusalem: A Cookbook by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi, copyright © 2012)

 

Some notes about this recipe: 

Mejadra calls for a few spices that you might not have stored in your cabinet. To avoid spending a lot, try finding a grocery store that offers spices in bulk, like Sprouts, so you can buy just the amount that you need. Then, after you discover how amazing this dish is, you can decide whether or not to invest in an entire package of cumin and coriander seeds.

Also, from start to finish, this recipe takes around an hour to prepare, but offers a little downtime so you can prepare other dishes simultaneously, or maybe just get some laundry done.

Ingredients:

• 1-1/4 cups green or brown lentils

• 4 medium onions

• 3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
• About 1 cup sunflower oil

• 2 tsp cumin seeds

• 1 1/2 Tbsp.  coriander seeds

• 1 cup  basmati rice

• 2 Tbsp.  olive oil

• 1/2 tsp.  ground turmeric

• 1 1/2 tsp. ground allspice

• 1 1/2 tsp.  ground cinnamon

• 1 tsp.  sugar

• 1 1/2 cups water

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

 Instructions:

step 1. 
   Place lentils in a small saucepan, cover with plenty of water, bring to a boil, and cook for 12 to 15 minutes, until lentils have softened but still have a little bite. Drain and set aside.


step 2.  
   Peel onions and slice thinly. Place on a large flat plate, sprinkle with the flour and 1 teaspoon salt, and mix well with your hands. Heat sunflower oil in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan placed over high heat. Make sure oil is hot by throwing in a small piece of onion; it should sizzle vigorously. Reduce heat to medium-high and carefully add one-third of sliced onion. Fry for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally with a slotted spoon, until onion takes on a nice golden brown color and turns crispy. Use spoon to transfer onion to a colander lined with paper towels and sprinkle with a little more salt. Do same with other two batches of onion; add a little extra oil if needed.


step 3.
   Wipe saucepan in which you fried onion clean and put in cumin and coriander seeds. Place over medium heat and toast seeds for a minute or two. Add rice, olive oil, turmeric, allspice, cinnamon, sugar, 1/2 tsp. salt and plenty of black pepper. Stir to coat rice with oil and then add cooked lentils and water. Bring to a boil, cover with a lid, and simmer over very low heat for 15 minutes.

Remove from heat, lift off lid and quickly cover pan with a clean tea towel. Seal tightly with lid and set aside for 10 minutes.


step 4.
   Finally, add half fried onion to rice and lentils and stir gently with a fork. Pile mixture in a shallow serving bowl and top with remaining onion.


serving suggestions: 
top with parsley and a dollop of yogurt like Lanbeh, a Middle Eastern style strained yogurt available at specialty stores. 

as always, enjoy!

Roasted Cauliflower Salad

 Jerusalem: A Cookbook, Part II

 

Pomegranates are beautiful, but I've never really liked them much. So when my sister proposed this salad as the second recipe to put to test from Jerusalem: A Cookbook, I was skeptical. But when all was said and done, this salad showcases some great holiday flavors, and next to the crunch of the hazelnuts, I've finally found a way to enjoy pomegranate seeds.

 

 

Roasted Cauliflower, Hazelnut and Pomegranate Seed Salad 

(Recipe from Jerusalem: A Cookbook by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi, copyright © 2012)

 

"Cauliflower and pomegranate are popular foods in both Arab and Jewish communities, and the sweet and sour combinations in this dish capture the flavors of the region."

 Ingredients:

• 1 head cauliflower, broken into small florets (1 1/2 pounds total)

• 5 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 large celery stalk, cut on an angle into 1/4-inch slices (2/3 cup total)

• 5 tablespoons hazelnuts, with skins

• 1/3 cup small flat-leaf parsley leaves, picked

• 1/3 cup pomegranate seeds (from about 1/2 medium pomegranate)

• Generous 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• Generous 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

• 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar

• 1 teaspoon maple syrup

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

 

step 1.
 Mix the cauliflower with 3 tablespoons of the olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and some black pepper. Spread out in a roasting pan and roast on the top oven rack for 25 to 35 minutes, until the cauliflower is crisp and parts of it have turned golden brown. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and set aside to cool.


step 2. 
 Decrease the oven temperature to 325 degrees. Spread the hazelnuts on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and roast for 17 minutes.

step 3. 
 Allow the nuts to cool a little, then coarsely chop them and add to the cauliflower, along with the remaining oil and the rest of the ingredients. Stir, taste and season with salt and pepper accordingly.

Serve at room temperature.

Jerusalem

A collection of 120 recipes exploring the flavors of Jerusalem from the New York Times bestselling author of Plenty, one of the most lauded cookbooks of 2011.

I got my sister this cookbook for her birthday last month. This weekend, I told her to pick out some recipes, send me a grocery list, and we would cook. When she texted me the list, I was excited to see a new ingredient, "Za'atar". This spice blend is basically the herbs de provence of the Middle East. I had a terrific time at the Mediterranean market, discovering new cheeses, grains, and syrups. The trip made me excited to learn more about Mediterranean cooking and try new foods. 

The recipe we started with is lengthily titled, "Roasted butternut squash & red onion with tahini & za'atar". The photo above was pictured in the book. The red onions really shine in this dish, and the blend of za'atar spice with the tahini provides a soft touch of earthiness and sesame. Not only is this a supremely flavorful dish, but the hardest part is finding a grocery store that carries za'atar. 

 

our happy little version

Roasted Butternut Squash & Red Onion with Tahini & Za'atar

(From Jerusalem: A Cookbook by yotam ottolenghi & sami timimi)

 "This is a highly versatile dish that is quite simple to prepare but boasts some very substantial flavors." - Jerusalem: a cookbook

Ingredients:

• 1 large butternut squash, cut into 2 1/2 inch long wedges
• 2 red onions, cut into 1 1/4 inch wide wedges
• 3 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 1/2 tablespoon light tahini paste
• 1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 small clove garlic, crushed
• 3 1/2 tablespoons pine nuts
• 1 tablspoon za'atar
• 1 tablespoon coarsley chopped flat-leaf parsley
• salt & pepper to taste

Instructions: 

preheat over to 475 F Version

 

step one.
    Put the squash and onion in a large mixing bowl, add 3 tablespoons of the oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and some black pepper and toss well. Spread on a baking sheet with the skin facing down and roast in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes, until the vegetables have taken on some color and are cooked through. Keep an eye on the onions as they might cook faster than the squash and need to be removed earlier. Remove from the oven and leave to cool. 

step two.
   To make the sauce, place the tahini in a small bowl along with the lemon juice, water, garlic, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Whisk until the sauce is the consistency of honey, adding more water or tahini if necessary.

step three.
   Pour the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons oil into a small frying pan and place over medium-low heat. Add the pine nuts along with 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook for 2 minutes, stirring often, until the nuts are golden brown. Remove from the heat and transfer the nuts and oil to a small bowl to stop the cooking.

To serve.
   Spread the vegetables out on a large serving platter and drizzle over the tahini. Sprinkle the pine nuts and their oil on top, followed by the za'atar and parsley. 

"Tahini sauce is quite dominant. Although we love this you may want to use a little less of it when finishing the dish. Just taste it an decide." - Jerusalem: a cookbook

Put the squash and onion in a large mixing bowl, add 3 tablespoons of the oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and some black pepper and toss well. Spread on a baking sheet with the skin facing down and roast in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes, until the vegetables have taken on some color and are cooked through. Keep an eye on the onions as they might cook faster than the squash and need to be removed earlier. Remove from the oven and leave to cool. To make the sauce, place the tahini in a small bowl along with the lemon juice, water, garlic, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Whisk until the sauce is the consistency of honey, adding more water or tahini if necessary.

Pour the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons oil into a small frying pan and place over medium-low heat. Add the pine nuts along with 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook for 2 minutes, stirring often, until the nuts are golden brown. Remove from the heat and transfer the nuts and oil to a small bowl to stop the cooking.
To serve, spread the vegetables out on a large serving platter and drizzle over the tahini. Sprinkle the pine nuts and their oil on top, followed by the za'atar and parsley.

Read More http://www.bonappetit.com/blogsandforums/blogs/badaily/2012/10/ottolenghi-butternut-squash.html#ixzz2Ce81trTs
Pour the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons oil into a small frying pan and place over medium-low heat. Add the pine nuts along with 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook for 2 minutes, stirring often, until the nuts are golden brown. Remove from the heat and transfer the nuts and oil to a small bowl to stop the cooking.

To serve, spread the vegetables out on a large serving platter and drizzle over the tahini. Sprinkle the pine nuts and their oil on top, followed by the za'atar and parsley.

Read More http://www.bonappetit.com/blogsandforums/blogs/badaily/2012/10/ottolenghi-butternut-squash.html#ixzz2Ce81trTs
Pour the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons oil into a small frying pan and place over medium-low heat. Add the pine nuts along with 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook for 2 minutes, stirring often, until the nuts are golden brown. Remove from the heat and transfer the nuts and oil to a small bowl to stop the cooking.
To serve, spread the vegetables out on a large serving platter and drizzle over the tahini. Sprinkle the pine nuts and their oil on top, followed by the za'atar and parsley.

Read More http://www.bonappetit.com/blogsandforums/blogs/badaily/2012/10/ottolenghi-butternut-squash.html#ixzz2Ce81trTs
To serve, spread the vegetables out on a large serving platter and drizzle over the tahini. Sprinkle the pine nuts and their oil on top, followed by the za'atar and parsley.
Read More http://www.bonappetit.com/blogsandforums/blogs/badaily/2012/10/ottolenghi-butternut-squash.html#ixzz2Ce81trTs
Read More http://www.bonappetit.com/blogsandforums/blogs/badaily/2012/10/ottolenghi-butternut-squash.html#ixzz2Ce81trTs

Put the squash and onion in a large mixing bowl, add 3 tablespoons of the oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and some black pepper and toss well. Spread on a baking sheet with the skin facing down and roast in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes, until the vegetables have taken on some color and are cooked through. Keep an eye on the onions as they might cook faster than the squash and need to be removed earlier. Remove from the oven and leave to cool. To make the sauce, place the tahini in a small bowl along with the lemon juice, water, garlic, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Whisk until the sauce is the consistency of honey, adding more water or tahini if necessary.