Fruits and Vegetables Archives | Page 16 of 30

Borekitas: Hazan Family Favorites

May 21, 2012

When I received my copy of the Hazan Family Favoritescookbook I will admit I had to do some research. There is no doubt that this speaks to my lack of knowledge of Italian cuisine. It made me think about how it is possible to feel affection for a cuisine without really knowing it at all.

There is no question that I love homemade pasta and marinara sauces, or that I believe they are 100% worth the time and effort it takes to make them. I enjoy bean soups and simple meat cutlets, and the other elegant offerings that come from an Italian kitchen.

What I think I have often overlooked is the simplicity.

In case you have some more to learn about Italian cooking like I did, the book was written by Guiliano Hazan. He is the son of Marcella Hazan whose cookbooks are credited with introducing the United States to traditions and techniques of Italian cooking.

The book is a collection of recipes rescued from a fifty-six year-old notebook. As you flip through it and see the pictures you can feel the history and importance of its pages.

What you also see when you read the recipes is simplicity. Most of the recipes use only a handful of fresh ingredients to create a stunning end product. It’s impressive, educating, hunger-inducing, and it makes you think – okay, I’m ready to begin mastering the art of Italian cooking.

Or if you are like me, it may also make you think – okay, let’s book the trip to Italy!

Amid the Fettuccine with Orange, Fried Parmesan Cheese-Battered Lamb Chops, and the Peach-and-Strawberry Semifreddo, the Borekitas caught my attention. What’s not to love about spinach, feta and ricotta stuffed into a bite-size pastry? Absolutely nothing. These are delicious.

Borekitas

From Hazan Family Recipes, reprinted with permission from Abram Books

Time from start to finish: 1 hour and 15 minutes

Makes about 20 borekitas

From the cookbook:

My parents and I went to my grandparents’ almost every Friday for Shabbat dinner. I can still

taste and smell the wonderful little pies my Nonna Giulia made, which she called borekitas.

She made them either with a dough shell or a phyllo shell. The fillings were spinach or cheese.

In attempting to replicate them, I used Claudia Roden’s The Book of Jewish Food as a guide.

Both the cheese and spinach fillings below are just like what I remember, and the dough shell,

my favorite of the two, is just as good as the one Nonna Giulia used to make.

FOR the dough

4 tablespoons butter

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/4 teaspoon salt

FOR the spinach filling (I made the spinach)

1/2 teaspoon salt

8 ounces fresh spinach, washed

1 ounce feta cheese

2 tablespoons whole-milk ricotta cheese

Cut the butter into small pieces and allow to come to room temperature.

Put all the ingredients in a food processor with 1/4 cup water and run it until a smooth, homogeneous dough forms. If it crumbles when pinched, mix in a little more water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough is soft and smooth when pinched.

Wrap the dough in plastic and let it rest for about 20 minutes before using.

Spinach filling

In a pot large enough to cook the spinach, put about 2 inches of water, and place over high heat. When the water is boiling, add the salt and spinach. Cook until tender, 2 to 3 minutes, then drain.

Once the spinach is cool enough to handle, squeeze the excess water out and coarsely

chop. Place the spinach in a bowl. Crumble the feta and add it along with the ricotta. Mix thoroughly.

Assembling the borekitas

Preheat the oven to 350°F on the bake setting.

Take about a walnut-size ball of dough, place it on a counter, and press it with your fingers into a disk 2 inches in diameter. Put about 1 tablespoon of either cheese or spinach filling on the disk. Fold the disk over the filling to form a half-moon shape, making sure to pinch the open sides together to seal them, and place on a baking sheet, either oiled or lined with a nonstick baking mat.

When all the borekitas are assembled, bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Serve warm.

Disclosure: A copy of this cookbook was sent to me for review purposes. I was not required to post about it and received no compensation for doing so.

Strawberry Recipes

May 15, 2012

A past recap of some of my favorite strawberry recipes on Fake Food Free! As I read this, updating this post comes at a good time! Three years later I’m upgrading to another new camera in a few weeks!

You don’t know how dependent you are on something until it breaks down. For most people this is associated with a car or a washing machine, but for the past week and half, for me, it’s been my camera. I didn’t realize that it was possible to miss a camera, but I do now. I can’t count how many times I’ve seen something I want to photograph and then feel cranky when I remember I can’t do so.

Oh, and did I mention I have also realized how much of a photo snob I am now? I could, of course, use the point and shoot, but then I think – nah, it won’t give me the right depth of field or color. Yeah, it’s that bad.

The camera drama started a little over two weeks ago when my Canon Rebel Xsi body died. I made the decision to upgrade to the 60D so quickly, and the trade in went so smoothly that there was barely a hiccup in my posting. Then I started having problems with the autofocus with the new camera. I called Canon for tech help, and back went the camera for an exchange.

Now it’s been a week, and I’m still waiting…

Instead of keeping these pages blank for too long I thought I would recap some of my favorite recipes from the archives. Our strawberry season is coming to a close, but I know for many it is just starting. So here are a few ways we’ve used strawberries around the Fake Food Free kitchen.

Favorite Strawberry Recipes from Fake Food Free

Strawberry Pecan Pancakes

Whole Grain Rhubarb Waffles with Strawberry Butter

Strawberry Rhubarb Bread

Spring Garden Cobb Salad

Easy Fresh Strawberry Ice Cream

Strawberry Rosemary Shortbread

Thanks for reading! All images and content are the property of Fake Food Free unless otherwise stated. Please do not republish full recipes and images without written permission. What is okay? Feel free to Pin images, share links to my posts or share the photo in a round up post with the title of this recipe and a link back to the post. Confused about copyright and food blogs? Here is some helpful information on Recipe Attribution. If you want to use a photo or full recipe, just ask. I’m sure we can work something out.

Strawberry-Lime Salsa with Homemade Flour Tortillas

May 7, 2012

It’s strawberry season! For the second year in a row we’ve been blessed with plants that keep on giving. For the past two weeks we’ve been getting one or more boxes of berries like this almost everyday.

Kentucky Garden Strawberries and a Strawberry-Lime Salsa Recipe | Fake Food Free

While I may get overwhelmed with herbs and peppers throughout the summer, that never happens with strawberries. Any that aren’t going in my mouth are going in the freezer!

It’s difficult to eat them any way but straight out of the box, but I’ve managed to create a few things that aren’t berries in a bowl or berries in oatmeal. One is this salsa.

I’ve always liked a little fruit in my salsa, but I was introduced to strawberry salsa last year through a recipe program with the Kentucky Proud local food project we have here and Cooperative Extension.

I wasn’t sure how I’d like strawberries and tomatoes together, but one bite and I was sold. It’s so good.

This is my take on strawberry salsa. I decided to serve it up with some mini flour tortillas. I have been hooked on these tortillas from the Homesick Texan. I’ve made corn tortillas, but I just made these flour tortillas for the first time a couple weeks ago and I’ve made them two more times since! This time I made them much smaller to create an appetizer-sized serving plate for the salsa.

Strawberry-Lime Salsa with Flour Tortillas

Makes: 24 bite-size snacks

Ingredients

4 Roma tomatoes, de-seeded and chopped

1 cup diced strawberries

3 green onions, whites and greens sliced

¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Juice and zest of one lime

½ to 1 teaspoon fine ground sea salt

Plain Greek yogurt or sour cream for serving (optional)

Prep

Combine the tomatoes, strawberries and onions in a bowl. Add the cilantro, lime juice and lime zest. Stir to combine all ingredients. Stir in the salt to taste. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.

You can find the flour tortilla recipe at the Homesick Texan. When you are ready to cut the dough, cut it into 24 small pieces and follow the instructions provided there. Be sure to roll it very thin. It will puff up during cooking.

To serve, top each tortilla with a tablespoon of salsa. Garnish each with a ½ teaspoon of yogurt or sour cream, if using. Serve right away.

Thai Fish Cake Stuffed Portabella Mushrooms

April 26, 2012

I buy portabella mushrooms only on occasion, but I think I may be stuck in a rut with how to serve them. When I bought this round I had the thought – why don’t I stuff them with some sort of fish?

Oh wait, I already did that.

But this is different. This time around I couldn’t stop thinking about Thai fish cakes. So I went with cod instead of salmon, grabbed the lemongrass and a Bird’s eye chili out of the freezer, and reached to the back of the pantry for the panko and fish sauce. This one is a keeper, and I’m sold that portabellas are good for so much more than burgers!

Thai Fish Cake Stuffed Portabella Mushrooms

Makes 2 servings

Extra virgin olive oil
2 portabella mushroom caps, cleaned
2 tbsp fresh chives, chopped
2 inch piece lemongrass, minced
1 Thai Bird’s eye chili, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp freshly grated ginger
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp ground coriander
1 tsp fish sauce
1 large egg
3 oz. fillets cod, cooked, cooled and flaked
½ to ¾ cup panko bread crumbs

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Coat the mushrooms in a thin layer of olive oil, and grease a shallow baking dish. Set aside.

In a mixing bowl, combine the chives, lemongrass, chili, garlic, ginger, salt, coriander and fish sauce. Add the egg and beat the ingredients with a fork until the egg is blended with the herbs and spices. Add the fish breaking it into small pieces.

Stir in ½ cup of the bread crumbs. How much you need will depend on the moisture in your fish. I used a frozen fish that I baked so it held in a lot of water. You want the fish cake to form and hold a patty shape. Add more bread crumbs until you reach this stage. I added all ¾ cup.

Divide the fish cakes and press the stuffing into the mushroom caps, mounding it as you flatten and press it. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the fish cake is browned and the mushroom tender.

Thanks for reading! All images and content are the property of Fake Food Free unless otherwise stated. Please do not republish recipes and images without written permission. Feel free to Pin images and share links to my posts, but please do not copy and paste recipes or photos and share them on other sites. Confused about copyright and food blogs? Here is some helpful information on Recipe Attribution.

Mango Pecan Scones

April 23, 2012

I love Ataulfo mangos. The next best thing to eating them fresh is using them for baking. Try them in these mango pecan scones!

The best thing about April to October in Kentucky is the constant availability of in-season foods. Whether they are local, or specialty imports, once April comes the growing season starts moving along.

Each food has its time to shine, but it fades quickly. It is difficult to be too sad to see one go, though, as the next one is right around the corner.

For me this year it started with Ataulfo mangos. I took full advantage of their short season by purchasing a full case, something I rarely do. After some coconut sticky rice and fruit salad snacks, I froze a few to enjoy later this summer.

I decided to reserve the last one for some baking which resulted in Mango Pecan Scones! These whole grain scones were a great way to celebrate the short season for this fruit. I’m sad to see those mangos go, but strawberries are right around the corner!

Mango Pecan Scones

Makes: 8 scones

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups white whole wheat flour

2 ¼ tsp baking powder
3 tbsp raw sugar (I use Demerara)
¼ tsp salt
¼ cup raw pecans, chopped
¼ cup cold unsalted butter
1/3 cup mango, puree (about 1 Ataulfo mango)
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
½ cup buttermilk
2 tbsp raw sugar, for topping

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, 3 tablespoons of sugar, and salt. Add the pecans, and stir to coat them with the flour.

Cut the butter into the flour, and use two knives or a pastry blender to mix until the butter is in pea-size pieces and distributed throughout the flour.

Stir in the mango, vanilla and buttermilk. Combine until a dough is formed. Turn the dough ball onto a floured surface and shape into a circle, about ½ inch in thickness.

Cut like a pie into 8 wedges. Place the scones on a lightly greased baking sheet, or on a baking sheet covered in a silicone mat. Sprinkle with the scones with the remaining raw sugar. Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until the edges begin to brown. Remove from the baking sheet and cool on a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Savory Fried Plantains

April 4, 2012

African is one cuisine that I’m not all that familiar with. Soon after we moved back to Kentucky we learned that a place opened up nearby serving West African food. As you can imagine, I was intrigued, and over the past month or so I’ve finally had the opportunity to try it.

After two visits, I already have a favorite dish – the fried plantains. I’m sure that seems a bit unexciting. You’ve likely tried plantains in African, Latin or Caribbean dishes, and if so, you’ve probably had them fried.

But these savory fried plantains are different.

Every time that I’ve had a plantain it has been prepared in a way that adds sweetness to a dish. These plantains are topped with sautéed tomatoes and onions making them much more savory than sweet. The plantains themselves do have that sweet banana flavor, but it’s balanced by the acidic tomatoes and the small amount of added salt.

It’s a simple dish, but completely different and delicious at the same time. I’ve done my best to recreate it without a recipe. This one is right on target. I’ve made it with frozen and fresh tomatoes, and both versions turned out well.

If you’ve never had a plantain, check for them in the exotic fruit area of the supermarket or at an international store. In US supermarkets I usually find them near the mangos and coconuts. Use one that is fully ripe and almost black on the outside. If you buy them early they will ripen on your counter over time, just like a banana. The ones I’ve had ripen a little more slowly, though.

I’ve eaten these plantains as a meal, but they would also be great as a side with something off the grill!

Savory Fried Plantains

2018-04-27 15:55:57

These fried plantains are one of my favorite side dishes. Honestly, I could eat them as a meal! Makes: 1 to 2 servings

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Ingredients

1 tablespoon virgin coconut oil
1 plantain, peeled and cut into ¼ inch slices
2 Roma tomatoes, chopped
½ medium yellow onion, chopped
Salt to taste

Instructions

Add the oil to a skillet, and heat to medium-high. Once the oil has melted, place the plantain slices in a single layer in the skillet, cut side down. Cook 1-2 minutes, or until browned and flip. Cook 1-2 minutes more until they are softened, but not mushy. Remove the plantain from the skillet and place on a plate lined with a paper towel to absorb some of the oil.
Add the tomatoes and onions to the hot skillet. Cook 3 to 5 minutes, until the onions are softened and the tomatoes begin to break down. Salt to taste.
Place the plantains in a bowl and top with the onions and tomatoes to serve.

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Thanks for reading! All images and content are the property of Lori Rice and Fake Food Free unless otherwise stated. Please do not republish full recipes and images without written permission. What is okay? Feel free to Pin images, share links to my posts or share the photo with the title of this recipe and a link back to the post. Confused about copyright and food blogs? Here is some helpful information on Recipe Attribution. If you want to use a photo or full recipe, just ask. I’m sure we can work something out.

Hummus Sandwiches with Carrot and Cilantro

March 28, 2012

Hummus Sandwiches with Carrot and Cilantro Recipe | Fake Food Free

Blog posts aren’t always planned. They have been the opposite of planned more times than I can count. I may spend time plotting and planning a recipe only to end up with something that never sees the food blogging light of day.

Other times I have no intention of putting a meal on the blog only to finish and think – that’s kind of pretty, and darn tasty. In these cases you can find me sprinting through the living room with a plate in hand to the room where I take my photos. I usually mumble something to my husband like – it will be ready in just a minute – as he waits patiently for dinner.

This sandwich is a perfect example of that. It’s a super simple dinner that you can turn to on a busy night.

You can use any type of hummus you like. I added a link in the recipe for my almond butter hummus as one idea. The veggies are open for experimentation as well. I love this combo, but you might find a few more in your fridge that would dress it up nicely. Feel free to go crazy with the veggies. I have no doubt that it will only make it better.

Vegetarian sandwich recipe loaded with hummus and fresh vegetables. | Fake Food Free

Hummus Sandwich with Carrot and Cilantro

Makes: 2 servings

Ingredients

2 pieces baguette (about 4 inches each)

½ cup hummus with almond butter

1 large carrot, peeled and shredded

2 green onions, whites and greens sliced

3 white button mushrooms, diced

Small handful of fresh cilantro

Hot sauce (optional)

Prep

Slice open each piece of baguette, careful not to cut all the way through. You’ll be stuffing in a lot of ingredients so it’s better to leave one side intact.

Spread the bottom piece of each with half of the hummus and sprinkle with shredded carrot. Divide the onions, mushrooms and cilantro, and add to each sandwich. Drizzle with hot sauce, if desired. That’s it. They’re ready to eat.

Easy vegetarian sandwich recipe with hummus, fresh vegetables and cilantro. | Fake Food Free

Broccoli and Pastured Bratwurst over Pumpkin Quinoa

March 23, 2012

Quick and easy. That’s the motto for cooking around here right now. It’s not that I don’t want to cook. Well, okay, maybe just a tiny bit. I’m going through that seasonal transition thing when, despite a love of cooking, you still need a break.

That aside, it is more that other things are taking up my time. Fun things like this:

Gardening season has arrived, and we are prepped and ready to go. So far kale, Brussels sprouts, arugula, and radishes have been planted. The strawberries are blooming, and asparagus is popping up.

Longer days mean I’d rather be outside than in the kitchen, but that will soon change when the plants start producing.

For now, it’s quick and easy.

My husband picked up some smoked local, pastured bratwurst from Marksbury Farm Market. There is something I like about broccoli and sausage together so I combined the two once again. We are still on a mission to clean out the pantry, and I found some quinoa hidden behind the rice. I promise I try to keep it organized, but grains have tendency to get lost in there.

The quinoa needed a little something. I had frozen a small amount of leftover pumpkin that I roasted with rosemary over the winter, so that got stirred in. The result was a bowl that balanced comfort food with spring vegetables and grilling season!

Broccoli and Pastured Bratwurst over Pumpkin Quinoa

1 tbsp olive oil

½ large onion, sliced

4 cups broccoli florets

3 smoked bratwursts, sliced

Salt and black pepper to taste

1 cup quinoa, cooked

¾ cup pumpkin puree

Salt to taste

In a large skillet or wok, heat the oil over medium-high. Add the onions and cook until almost translucent, about 4-5 minutes. Add the broccoli, and continue to cook until it reaches your desired doneness. That’s about 5 minutes for me. Add the bratwursts and cook about 1 minute longer, just to heat the sausage through. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Stir the pumpkin into the hot quinoa. Salt to taste. Place the quinoa on a plate or in a bowl, and top with the broccoli and sliced brats. Serves 4.

Irish Boxty

March 17, 2012

Despite multiple trips to Ireland, I have failed miserably at taking an important culinary opportunity. I’ve read about it, and put it on the agenda, but pudding, scones, and chips always get in the way of Irish Boxty.

This week, as I thought about what Irish food to make in celebration of March 17, I found a beautiful Instagram photo by Edible Ireland. Just like that, my plan was made.

Boxty is a potato pancake. I know that sounds simple enough, but with the right ingredients it is so flavorful and comforting that you may never turn back to baked potatoes or fries. I hate that I missed the opportunity to try authentic boxty in the past. It prevents me from being sure if I have really nailed a recipe, but that doesn’t stop me from giving it a try anyway.

Irish Boxty | Fake Food Free | An easy dish to make for St. Patrick's Day!

We had potato cakes made from leftover mashed potatoes growing up, but now I know – boxty is different. The shredded raw potato mixed with the mashed potatoes gives it texture, and after pan frying there is a crispy, golden edge that is rich with butter flavor. Our version was meat-less, but I have no doubt bacon would make these even better.

I decided not to adapt the recipe at all other than leaving out the bacon, so you can head over to Edible Ireland for the Boxty with Bacon and Scallions recipe. While you are there, take a look around. It is one my favorite new-to-me blogs in 2012.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

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Thanks for reading! All images and content are the property of Fake Food Free unless otherwise stated. Please do not republish full recipes or images without written permission. What is okay? Feel free to Pin images, share links to my posts or share the photo in a round up post with the title of this recipe and a link back to the post. Confused about copyright and food blogs? Here is some helpful information on Recipe Attribution. If you want to use a photo or full recipe, just ask. I’m sure we can work something out.

Vegetable Orzo Salad

March 12, 2012

Winter-warming comfort foods have left my mind completely. In their place, I see visions of grills, picnics, sandwiches, salads, and green gardens. It’s like the spring switch has been flipped and there is no going back.

Spring veggies haven’t emerged in the garden, but I had to make something that would indicate to my brain and stomach that it is just a matter of time. I don’t make pasta salad often, but every now and then it makes one delicious lunch, especially when you load it with as many vegetables as possible.

I love orzo in pasta salads because it feels like a lighter choice. Those small pieces don’t sit as heavy as macaroni or rigatoni. Any variety of vegetables can be added to this salad. I’m planning for some asparagus in a few weeks that will make a nice addition.

If you like your pasta salads with a little more dressing, you can double the dressing recipe. Only a small amount is used, but this is a mayo based dressing. If you aren’t into mayo, I have a feeling plain Greek yogurt would work too.

Vegetable Orzo Salad

3 cups orzo, cooked and cooled

1 cup broccoli florets, chopped

1 cup cauliflower florets, chopped

1/8 cup onion, finely chopped

15 black olives, halved

15 green olives, halved

2 generous tbsp mayo

1 tbsp red wine vinegar

1 ½ tsp mascavo sugar (or white)

Salt and pepper to taste

Place the orzo and veggies in a large bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together the mayo, red wine vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper.

Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to coat. Best served cold. Makes 6 servings.

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Older Posts

Newer Posts

Fruits and Vegetables

Borekitas: Hazan Family Favorites

Strawberry Recipes

Strawberry Pecan Pancakes

Whole Grain Rhubarb Waffles with Strawberry Butter

Strawberry Rhubarb Bread

Spring Garden Cobb Salad

Easy Fresh Strawberry Ice Cream

Strawberry Rosemary Shortbread

Strawberry-Lime Salsa with Homemade Flour Tortillas

Thai Fish Cake Stuffed Portabella Mushrooms

Thai Fish Cake Stuffed Portabella Mushrooms

Mango Pecan Scones

Savory Fried Plantains

Hummus Sandwiches with Carrot and Cilantro

Hummus Sandwich with Carrot and Cilantro

Broccoli and Pastured Bratwurst over Pumpkin Quinoa

Irish Boxty

Vegetable Orzo Salad

Thanks so much for reading!

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