prakhih (or stuffed grape leaves/dolma/dolmades)

stuffed grape leaves are without a doubt one of my favorite foods, but store bought varieties or the kinds you find in restaurants are nothing like the ones my mom made when i was growing up. when i've typically found them the leaves were stuffed with a mixture of rice and herbs and nothing else. boring. these leaves are chock full of lots of goodies. thanks for sharing mom : )

ingredients:

1 16 oz jar of grape leaves (if you have access to fresh ones, you can flash boil them with a bit of salt and freeze them for use year round), rinsed of brine and trimmed of extra long stems
2-3 potatoes, any variety, sliced into disks

2 cups white short grained rice (not arborio or sushi rice, something along the lines of riceland. basmati can also be used if you have it around), rinsed
1 15 oz can chick peas, rinsed
3 cups of diced fresh tomatoes, reserve their tops
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1/3 cup diced chives (green onion can also be used)
1 cup chopped flat leaf parsley, reserve the stems
1 tablespoon chopped mint
juice of 2-3 lemons (depending on their size)
1/2 cup-3/4 cup olive oil (this dish really depends on oil, so i recommend using the larger of the two amounts)
salt and pepper, to taste

in a large bowl, combine all the ingredients except for the grape leaves and potatoes. mix well, taste, and set aside. the mixture should be a bit on the salty side.
prepare a large pot (a 5 1/2 quart pot works well) by lining the bottom with a layer of grape leaves. over that layer, arrange a layer of potato slices and the reserved tops of your diced tomatoes. sprinkle your parsley stems over that layer, and set the pot aside.
prepare a work surface where grape leaves can be spread and rolled (a large cutting board works well). place a single leaf on your work surface, with the veiny side up. place approximately 2 tablespoons of the rice mixture into the center of the leaf. fold the two sides over the mixture, followed by the bottom, and then roll towards the top. the process is very similar to that of a burrito. you want to wrap the mixture up entirely by the leaf, and the tighter the roll the better. place the completed roll in the prepared pot and repeat the process using all of the rice mixture. when placing the stuffed grape leaves into the pot, place them starting on the outside, and moving around the edge, creating a tightly packed coil. this recipe should yield approximately 40 stuffed grape leaves and 2 coiled layers. once you have rolled and packed all your stuffed leaves, take any excess liquid from the bowl that held the rice mixture, and pour it into the pot. place a plate (one with a flat base works best) over the packed leaves (this prevents them from floating and maintains that they are tightly rolled), and cover them with water. bring the pot to a boil, then reduce the heat and allow to simmer, mostly covered, for at least an hour. check on them every so often, and if some of the leaves around the edges begin to float upwards, you may poke them back down or rearrange you plate as necessary. you can simmer them for as long as it takes for the water to boil away, but they will likely be ready before then. test one to make sure the rice is well cooked and the onions are quite soft. when they taste delicious, you'll know they're done. do not serve immediately, they are best when they have had a chance to rest. enjoy sprinkled with a bit of fresh lemon juice!

kitchen sink soup

i've recently become an assistant in a series of cooking demonstrations called tuesdays in tuscany. yesterday's demo was all about italian soups and i got to go home with some of the unprepared loot. a bounty of chard, kale, celery, carrot, basil... all of which, if you ask me, scream soup. i made use of some other stuff i had lying around, and voila the kitchen sink soup was born.

ingredients (these things are just what i happened to have on hand, anything goes for a kitchen sink soup):

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 large yellow onion, diced
2-3 carrots, diced
4 stalks celery, diced
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
10 cups liquid (you can use 10 cups of veggie broth, or a blend of broth and water)
2 red potatoes, diced
1 cup red lentils (these will disintegrate into the soup and give it a heartier body)
1 cup brown rice
2 cups italian kale, removed of stems and roughly chopped
3-4 cups swiss chard, removed of rough stems and roughly chopped
1/4 cup diced parmesan rind, optional (the rind of the parmesan gives soups a salty bite, but it can certainly be left out if making a vegan version of the soup)
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
1/2 cup italian parsley leaves, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

in a large pot over medium-high heat, heat up the olive oil and saute the onions, carrots, and celery. once they have softened a bit (about 5-7 minutes), add the minced garlic. saute an additional minute or two and add the balsamic vinegar to de-glaze the bottom of the pot. the vinegar will not only lift up the good browned bits from the base, but it'll also add depth the flavor of your soup. add the liquid, potatoes, lentils, rice, kale, chard, and parmesan (if using) and bring the mixture to a boil. once boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low and allow to simmer, stirring occasionally, until the rice is tender, about 30 to 40 minutes. once the rice is tender, stir in the basil and parsley and remove the soup from the heat. garnish with whole basil or parsley leaves and a sprinkle of parmesan. enjoy!

buffalo things

these buffalo things were inspired by the buffalo things at vita cafe in portland, and it's a bit absurd that more restaurants don't serve these little wonders...

thing ingredients:

1 16 oz package of firm tofu
unbleached flour (about a cup)
1/2 tsp cayenne
1 tbsp paprika
1 egg, beaten with 2 tablespoons milk (i used unsweetened soy)
salt and pepper to taste
(canola oil for frying)

sauce ingredients:

3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
1 tbsp tabasco sauce
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp paprika
salt and pepper to taste

dipping sauce ingredients:

3 tbsp buttermilk
2 tbsp plain greek yogurt
1/4 cucumber, finely grated
1 garlic clove, finely grated
1 tsp dry dill
1/4 tsp cayenne
1/2 tsp paprika
salt and pepper to taste

set deep fryer with 2 inches of canola oil (or pan with 2 inches of oil) to 360 F.

these things turn out best when the tofu is not overly moist. after removing the tofu from its packaging,  squeeze out as much liquid as possible without ruining the shape of the brick. cut the tofu into strips and additionally squeeze those. then take the strips, sprinkle them with salt to draw out some of their moisture, and wrap them in a single layer with an absorbent cloth napkin or towel. apply direct pressure with a plate and weight set upon the strips and allow to drain for at least 1 hour. once the tofu has been thoroughly drained, cover each strip with a coating of flour. take the flour coated strips and dip them in a mixture made from 1 beaten egg and 2 tablespoons of milk. the battered strips are then dipped in an additional layer of flour. for the second coating, add the 1/2 tsp cayenne, tbsp paprika, salt and pepper to the remaining flour. once the strips have been floured, battered, and re-floured they are ready to be fried for approximately 5-7 minutes, or until nicely golden brown. remember to allow the things space to fry, overcrowding the oil will reduce its temperature and result in soggy things. ick.

once your things are fried, they are ready to be coated in deliciousness, but it's better to have the dipping sauce made before coating the things to maintain their crispiness. for the dipping sauce, combine yogurt, buttermilk, cucumber, garlic, dill, cayenne, paprika, and salt and pepper to taste. mix well. ta-da!

to make the buffalo sauce, melt the butter in a large skillet over low heat, then add the tabasco, vinegar, paprika, and salt and pepper to taste. toss the things in the buffalo sauce, and serve immediately with carrots and celery for dipping.

enjoy!

cauliflower soufflé

when visiting chicago over the holidays, i received a lot of complaints about the lack of posting going on, so i'll start by formally apologizing for misleading everyone into thinking i have stopped eating. the reason for the lack of posts was due to poor lighting. however, tim made me light diffusers for christmas (thanks tim    : ), so now i can cook and bake and eat at night, and still share wonderful recipes with all of you. this recipe for cauliflower soufflé  is an auntie shmounie classic (tak for sharing!) and perfect for jumping back into the blogging world.

i should've taken this photo immediately after removing the soufflé from the oven because from then until when the photo was shot, some oomph disappeared into the night... still delicious though.

ingredients*:

1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
90 grams unbleached all-purpose flour (apx 1/2 cup)
1/2 liter low fat milk (a little over 2 cups)
6 eggs, separated
butter for greasing dish
bread crumbs for sprinkling
salt, pepper, a dash of paprika, and a sprinkle of freshly grated nutmeg

preheat oven to 200 C (392 F)

grease the bottom of the soufflé dish** and sprinkle a layer of bread crumbs to coat. layer the cauliflower florets into the dish and sprinkle with salt and pepper. set aside.

in a medium saucepan, continuously whisk the milk and flour over medium to medium-high heat until doughy in consistency. add salt, pepper, paprika, and nutmeg to taste. set aside and allow to cool.

once the flour and milk mixture has cooled, mix in the egg yolks. in a separate bowl, beat the egg whites with a stand mixer, egg beaters, food processor, or an immersion blender (anything that will prevent whisking them by hand), until they form a meringue and hold stiff peaks. gently fold the meringue into the doughy mixture*** and pour it upon the cauliflower. sprinkle the top with salt, pepper, and a layer of bread crumbs and place it in the center of the oven. allow to bake uncovered for approximately 45 minutes to an hour or until the top has browned nicely.

serve with grated cheese and enjoy!

*i first made this recipe with auntie shmounie in denmark and thus used metric measurements. i have included estimates for american measurements, but would suggest using the metric versions for greater accuracy if possible.
**using a dish specifically designed for soufflés really makes a difference. i didn't believe it until i tried making this dish in a regular ceramic piece of bakeware. the pop that is so signature to soufflés just never happened...
***if the mixture is too thick, it can be thinned by stirring in a little more milk.

spanakopita

this recipe for spanakopita from ina garten is truly amazing, but not one i whip out on a regular basis. it's not very difficult, but i won't sugar coat the fact that it takes forever. despite the time commitment, in the end, it's always worth it...

ingredients:

2-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 medium-large yellow onion, diced

3 scallions, white and green parts, chopped

20 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed of excess water

4 eggs, lightly beaten

3 tablespoons plain bread crumbs (plus extra for sprinkling between layers of phyllo dough)

3 tablespoons freshly grated parmesan

1 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

2 tsps salt

1 tsp freshly grated black pepper

10-12 oz feta, chopped into small chunks

3 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted

48 sheets frozen phyllo dough, thawed

1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, melted

preheat oven to 375 F.

heat the olive oil in a skillet set over medium-high. add the onion, and cook for 5 minutes then add the scallions, and continue to cook for another 2 minutes until the scallions are wilted but still green. 

meanwhile, squeeze as much of the water from the spinach as possible and place it in a large bowl. when the onion and scallions are done, add them to the spinach, along with the eggs, parmesan cheese, bread crumbs, nutmeg, salt, and pepper and mix well. fold in the feta and pine nuts.

to begin arranging, place 1 sheet of phyllo dough on a clean, dry work surface with the long end in front of you. brush the sheet lightly with butter and sprinkle it with bread crumbs (to prevent the next layer from sticking). slide another sheet of phyllo dough on top of the first, brush it with butter, and sprinkle lightly with bread crumbs. repeat the process until your pile has 4 sheets of dough (it isn't necessary to sprinkle the topmost layer with bread crumbs). cut the sheets of phyllo in half lengthwise. place 1/4 cup spinach filling on the shorter end and roll the phyllo up diagonally as if folding a flag. then fold the triangle of phyllo over straight and then diagonally again. continue folding first diagonally and then straight until you reach the end of the sheet. the filling should be totally enclosed. continue assembling phyllo layers and folding the filling until all of the filling is used. place on a greased sheet pan, seam sides down. brush the tops with melted butter, sprinkle with salt, and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the phyllo is browned and crisp. try to avoid burning yourself when they are fresh out of the oven and piping hot. drooling is acceptable. 

oh so flaky...

creamy spinach and artichoke soup with feta and dill

i love fall, and soup, and eating soup in the fall. this soup, inspired by one of the soups of the day at the vintage, is one of the best i've ever had. it's creamy, yet tangy and tart, and chock full of veggies.

ingredients:

3 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3-4 yellow onions, roughly chopped
4-5 large carrots, roughly diced
4 large stalks of celery, roughly diced
4 (14 oz) cans of artichoke hearts, drained and roughly chopped
1 cup dry white wine
8 cups of veggie broth
1 lb frozen spinach
10-12 ozs crumbled feta (i used a greek variety)
juice of 4 lemons
1 tablespoon dry dillweed
2 cups unsweetened soy milk
1 cup of feta brine
salt and pepper to taste

melt the butter in the olive oil at medium-high heat, then add onions, carrots, and celery. saute for 7-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the veggies have lost their bite and are somewhat softened. add the white wine and artichokes, stir to coat, then add the veggie broth and bring to a boil while covered. uncover, add the spinach, feta, lemon juice, and dill, and blend the soup using an immersion blender (or any available blender). once you have achieved a smooth and creamy consistency, add the soy milk, salt and pepper, and gradually add the brine to taste. i used about a cup of brine to achieve a nice tang in the soup, but you can use as little or as much as you'd like. serve with pieces of sourdough or sourdough croutons, and if you're feeling crazy, topped with a piece of sourdough broiled with feta and sprinkled with dill.

herbed biscuits

now that i'm in oregon, i have my sister's herb garden at my disposal, which means there will be several herbalicious recipes in the very near future, starting with these:

ingredients:

1 cup buttermilk
1 large egg, beaten
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped
1 tablespoon fresh chives, finely chopped
1 tsp fresh thyme, finely chopped
1 tsp fresh tarragon, finely chopped
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (you could also do a 50/50 white and wheat combo)
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

preheat oven to 375 F.  in a medium-sized bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. work the butter into the flour (i used my hands) until the mix has pea-sized crumbles, then place the bowl in the freezer for about 15 minutes while mixing wet ingredients. in a small bowl, combine the buttermilk, egg, and herbs. create a well at the center of the flour mix and stir in the buttermilk mixture until just blended. drop batter in cupcake or muffin tins and sprinkle with salt. bake for 12-15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of one of the biscuits comes out clean.
serve warm and toasty.

note: you can switch up the herbs to anything you prefer. i've also made other version of these with lavender and lemon zest, for which i used 2 tablespoons of zest and 2 tablespoons of lavender buds in place of the herbs. those were less savory, but awesome with a bit of honey.

creamy vegan tomato soup with zucchini fries

remember when i thought 7 zucchini were a lot to make use with? or 5 boxes of blackberries? well how about 29 tomatoes? after using some of them for stuffing peppers yesterday, i decided a soup was the most effective way of minimizing that frightening number. this recipe is adapted from a non vegan version by ina garten.

soup:

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 medium sized yellow onions, diced
2 carrots, diced
5 cloves garlic, minced
8 roma tomatoes, roughly chopped
3 cups veggie stock
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/2 cup (packed) fresh basil, roughly chopped
1 1/2 tsps sugar
1 tablespoon salt
2 tsps black pepper
3/4 cup unsweetened soy milk.

heat olive oil on medium-high in a large pot. add onion and carrot and saute for 10 minutes. add garlic and saute an additional minute. add all of the other ingredients except the soy milk and stir well. bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and allow to simmer uncovered for 30-40 minutes.
add the soymilk and blend the soup using either an immersion blender, a regular blender, a food processor, or a food mill.
serve hot, garnished with julienned basil and/or croutons. for non-vegans you could add a sprinkle of parmesan and/or zucchini fries.

zucchini fries (adapted from a recipe by two peas and their pod):

1 large zucchini, cut in half and then into skinny sticks
2 large egg whites, beaten
1/2 cup bread crumbs
2 tablespoons grated parmesan
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried parsley
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper

(if you don't have the exact herb combo, just incorporate the herbs you have on hand)

preheat the oven at 425 F. spray a baking sheet with cooking spray and set aside.
beat the egg whites in a wide shallow bowl. on a plate, mix the bread crumbs, parmesan, herbs, spices, salt and pepper.
dip the zucchini in the egg, then the bread crumbs, making sure that each stick is well coated. place in a single layer on the greased sheet and bake for 20 minutes, flipping the sticks half way.
serve warm. they're good alone, but better as croutons in the soup.

stuffed red peppers

i first made these peppers when vlada (one of my roommates in bologna) and i visited sade in milan. we all fell in love with them before they even hit the oven. this recipe is reconstructed mostly from memory and some bad notes taken 2 years ago, but i assure you, the end result is equally as delicious now as it was then.

ingredients:

6 red bell peppers, halved and cleaned of seeds (i like using red peppers because they are sweet and complement the saltiness of the feta, but you can use any color pepper you have on hand)
2 medium yellow onions, diced
5-6 cloves of garlic, minced
1 8 oz package of button mushrooms, cleaned and roughly chopped
5 roma tomatoes (or 3-4 larger tomatoes), diced
2 10 oz packages of chopped frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed of excess water
1/3 cup of extra virgin olive oil
3 cups greek feta, crumbled
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp chili flakes
2 cups tomato sauce

in a large pot heat the olive oil at medium to medium-high and add onions and garlic. saute for about 5 minutes then add the mushrooms. saute for about 7 more minutes and add the tomatoes, spinach, salt, pepper, paprika and chili. cook for about 10 more minutes, stirring occasionally. remove from the heat and stir in 1 cup of the crumbled feta.
place the pepper halves into a baking dish and begin to fill will the spinach mixture. avoid stuffing the peppers with the liquid from the mixture, and if necessary drain some it off, but do not discard it. once the peppers are all stuffed, top them with the additional 2 cups of crumbled feta.
i used canned tomato sauce, so i added it to the reserved liquid from the spinach mixture, along with a cup (packed) of roughly chopped basil, and 1/2 tsp of pepper. i cooked the sauce of high heat until it began to bubble, then allowed it to simmer on medium-low for 15 minutes. pumping up the sauce is an optional step, and you can use 2 cups of sauce as it is. pour the sauce over the peppers and onto the bottom of the pans. bake at 375 F until the cheese has browned and the peppers are tender, about 30 minutes.

enjoy with friends : )

spinach salad with roasted beets and goat cheese

it just doesn't make sense to go through the trouble of roasting beets without pairing them with goat cheese. this is one of my favorite salads topped with a roasted garlic dressing.

salad:

fresh spinach
roasted beets (about 1/4 cup per person)
goat cheese  (1/2-1 oz per person)

create a bed of spinach in a shallow bowl, top with roasted beets (directions for roasting beets in post below), crumbled goat cheese, and crushed walnuts. drizzle with dressing.

dressing:

1 head of garlic, unpeeled
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste

wrap the head of garlic with foil, leaving an opening at the top for steam to escape. bake at 350 F until soft (apx 15-20 minutes). carefully peel roasted garlic cloves (they will be hot and you want to avoid squishing them out of their skins). for a more rustic texture, you can mash the garlic by hand and mix with the other ingredients, or for a smoother texture, you can combine all of the ingredients in a blender.

eat up!

roasted veggies

roasted veggies are one of my favorite things to eat. i think i could eat them every day and probably not get sick of them. there are some veggies, or i guess roots/tubers, that i prefer on their own like beets or yams, but my favorite combo is carrots, red potatoes, and brussel sprouts. the best part about them is that they're almost impossible to mess up.

roasted veggies:

(this is what i did, but i encourage ignoring my vegetable ratios and doing what looks right and appetizing to you)

2 medium/large carrots, cut into roughly 1/4 inch disks

2 medium/large red skinned potatoes, diced into chunks that were near the size of the carrots

3-4 cups of brussel sprouts, thoroughly cleaned, trimmed of tough stems, and halved or quartered depending on how large they are (the goal is to have all the vegetables at apx the same size to avoid overcooking some while undercooking others)

1/8-1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/2-1 tsp salt and 1/2-1 tsp pepper (season to taste)

preheat oven at 350 F. mix all ingredients so all veggies are well coated and seasoned, and cook for 45 minutes stirring occasionally. crank up the heat to 400 F and continue to cook for 20 minutes or until nicely browned.

note: the brussel sprouts will shed outer layers when trimming them. do not discard these leaves, they make awesome chips when thrown in with the batch.

roasted beets:

i used 2 giant beets and diced them up fairly small (they take a long time to cook, so the smaller you cut them, the faster you'll eat them)

1/8-1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/2-1 tsp salt and 1/2-1 tsp pepper (season to taste)

mix all the ingredients and spread them on a cookie sheet in roughly 1 layer. if you pile them on top of each other they are less likely to develop a nice outer skin, and their texture will be homogeneous all the way through. the cook time is the same as the veggies above, with an additional 10 minutes at 400 F at the end.

note: when roasting beets, i try to make as many as possible because they are great to throw on spinach salads or to add as a side to whatever i'm eating for dinner.