Spaghetti with Salmon & Asparagus

This recipe was inspired by a dish served at my local Nordstrom Cafe, Angel Hair Pasta with Salmon and Asparagus. My adaptation of it uses spaghetti in place of angel hair, but either one is totally fine. This dish is easy to throw together, provided you have the ingredients at hand. You'll need fresh salmon, asparagus, parmesan cheese, chives, and a lemon. What I like about this dish is that it tastes really light and fresh, but is also satisfying.  

Some of the ingredients.

Ingredients:

(Yields 2 servings)

• 1/2 lb spaghetti or angel hair pasta
• 2 fillets of salmon, cut into large bite-size pieces
• 2 tablespoons of chives, finely chopped
• 10 spears of asparagus, cut into 2-inch lengths
• zest of a lemon
• 3 tablespoons of grated parmesan cheese
• salt and pepper

Instructions:

• Prepare the pasta according to the directions on the package
• Saute the salmon pieces (after seasoning with salt and pepper) in a skillet with olive oil over medium-high heat until they are just cooked, slightly pink in the center. 
• Remove the salmon from the skillet and set aside.
• Add the asparagus pieces to the skillet and cook for 3-4 minutes, tossing occasionally. 
• Add the cooked pasta to the skillet along with the salmon and toss everything together. 
• Turn off the heat under the skillet and add the chives, lemon zest, parmesan cheese and salt and pepper.
• Toss to combine, I recommend using a tongs in order to keep everything in the skillet.  

The finished product. 

If you try out this recipe, be sure to let me know how it turns out! 

Couscous-Stuffed Bell Peppers

Since I decided to become a vegetarian a couple of months ago, I've been looking for some new and exciting dinner recipes. When I saw this recipe on an episode of Giada At Home, I knew I had to try it. These Moroccan-inspired stuffed peppers are very easy to make and the result is absolutely delicious. You can find the recipe here. The only alteration I made to the original recipe was to substitute vegetable stock for chicken stock, and I don't think it lessened the flavor at all. I'm definitely planning to make these stuffed peppers again soon. I think they would be great to bring to a pot luck because the bright color of the bell peppers contrasted with the golden couscous stuffing makes for a wonderful presentation, and they really taste great. I hope you'll give this recipe a try, and be pleasantly surprised by how flavorful vegetarian dishes can be!

Step 1: Hollow out your bell peppers.

Step 2: Prepare your couscous and use a fork to fluff it up.

Step 3: Combine all the ingredients to make your filling.

Step 4: Stuff your peppers and bake them at 400F for 55 minutes.

Step 5: Enjoy your delicious vegetarian dinner! 

Boxty: Irish potato pancakes

Boxty is a regional dish from the county of Leitrim in the West of Ireland, where my Mom is from. It requires a few basic ingredients: potatoes, buttermilk, flour, baking powder and salt. The result is a crisp, savory pancake with a tangy flavor (from the buttermilk) that can be served for breakfast or dinner. Boxty is an integral part of Leitrim culture, exemplified by the rhyme: "Boxty on the griddle, boxty on the pan, if you don't like boxty, you're not a Leitrim man". It is easy to make, and I think it makes for an excellent comfort food dish. 

Ingredients:

• 6 large potatoes (Russet or Yukon Gold) peeled and sliced into eighths
• 1 cup buttermilk**
• 1 1/2 cups flour**
• 2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking powder

** These measurements are guesstimates, boxty-making is not an exact science. The way to make it is to add a small amount, combine and add more if necessary.

Here's what the batter should look like after it has been blended.

Instructions:

• Place the potato slices in a blender, along with buttermilk. Do this in batches so as not to overload your blender. I add buttermilk until it comes about 1/4 of the way up to the potatoes in the blender. 
• Blend until you have a smooth mixture.
• Pour the mixture into a large mixing bowl. 
• Slowly add the flour, whisking to combine. When the batter has reached a consistency similar to pancake batter, you have added enough flour. My mom's trick is to let the batter drip from the whisk on to the batter in the bowl and form a figure eight. If the figure eight sits on top of the batter without dissolving right away, it is thick enough. 
• Add the salt and baking powder.
• Pour the batter (about a large soup ladle full) into a hot frying pan, greased with vegetable oil. 
• When the pancake has bubbles throughout, it is ready to turn. It takes about 5 minutes total.
• To serve, spread with butter.

This pancake is ready to flip.

This recipe makes roughly 12 pancakes. If you don't plan on using them all on the first day, let them cool on wire racks. Place them in an airtight container (they will keep for several days), and reheat in a frying pan with oil or butter. I prefer them on the second day, as reheating them makes them crispier. 

Traditionally, boxty is served as part of a full Irish breakfast. That means alongside Irish rasher (bacon) and sausage, a fried egg and possibly some Heinz baked beans. All of the Irish ingredients can be found in Irish or British import stores, or in the import aisle of some grocery stores. It makes for a very filling meal. I hope you'll try it out, and that when you do you'll like boxty as much as I do! 

Roasted Pepper Pesto

I was really stuck the other night, trying to decide what I wanted for dinner. So, I turned to tastespotting in search of inspiration. I came across this recipe for Roasted Red Pepper Pesto, and made a few changes based on what I had in the kitchen. The original recipe is for a vegan pesto, and while it sounded interesting, I like cheese too much to leave it out of pesto. 

Ingredients:

• A handful of basil leaves
• 2 tablespoons of pine nuts (or walnuts)
• 2 tablespoons of sun roasted tomatoes
• 3 tablespoons of parmesan cheese (grated)
• 2 roasted peppers (skin and seeds removed, I used orange peppers)
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil (Extra virgin in best)
• salt and pepper to taste

**These measurements are estimates, you can really add as much or as little as you like and taste as you go along.

Instructions:

• To roast the peppers, place them whole on a baking sheet and toss with olive oil. Roast at 450F for 20 minutes, turning occasionally so that they char on all sides. Then, cover them with foil and leave them for 10-15 minutes until the have cooled slightly. This makes it much easier to remove the skins. 
• Place all the ingredients in a food processor and blend until well combined. 
• Add more oil to achieve the consistency you like. 

This is what it should look like once you've blended it. 

I cooked some whole wheat fusilli pasta and tossed it with the pesto. I also added sliced tomatoes and parmesan cheese. This pesto is sweeter than the traditional basil pesto, and the roasted peppers give it a slightly smokey flavor. I think it would also be great as a dressing for a cold pasta salad. 

Coconut Bread

I had a bag of shredded coconut (sweetened) lying around, and decided to look for some recipes to use it up. I didn't feel like going out to the store to purchase any extra ingredients, so I limited myself to recipes with ingredients I already had. I came across this recipe for Coconut Bread on allrecipes.com and made a couple alterations. It needed a bit longer in the oven then the recommended 50-55 minutes. My loaf spent closer to 60-65 minutes in the oven before a toothpick came out clean after being inserted into the center of the bread. I also didn't have almond extract, so I substituted an extra 1/2 tsp of vanilla extract. 

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup butter (room temperature)
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp almond extract
• 1 egg
• 2 cups flour
• 3 tsp baking powder
• 1 cup milk
• 3/4 cup flaked coconut **

** I used shredded coconut, I'm not really sure what the difference is.

Instructions:

• Preheat the oven to 350F.
• Cream the butter and sugar together in a mixer.
• Add the egg and vanilla and almond extracts.
• Add the flour in thirds, alternating with the cup of milk. 
• Fold in the coconut.
• Pour the batter into a greased loaf tin.
• Bake 50-55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.
• Place the loaf on a wire tray to cool before serving.

The bread turned out to be moist and sweet, an ideal accompaniment for a cup of coffee or tea. 

I plan on trying this recipe again, with the almond extract because I love anything almond.

Pear Salad

I mentioned this salad in a previous post, but I hadn't taken any photos to accompany the recipe. So, here it is. This salad was inspired by a salad I had at Park Chow, a great restaurant in the Inner Sunset. Normally, I don't like dried fruit like raisins, so I was surprised by how much I enjoyed the currants in this salad. I think the combination of sweet and salty in this salad strikes the perfect balance. I could eat it every day, and have whenever I have ripe pears around. 

Ingredients:

• 1 pear, thinly sliced
• Baby spinach or spring mix leaves
• Crumbled feta cheese
• Dried currants
• Pecans, chopped

Instructions:

• Combine the ingredients, in the amounts that you prefer. 

Dressing Ingredients:

• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Strawberry Balsamic Vinegar (mine is from The Olive Press)

Instructions:

• Combine roughly equal parts oil to vinegar in a jar or bottle, pour over salad. 

I hope you enjoy this salad as much as I do. I think it's an unusual mix of ingredients that turn out to be unexpectedly good together. I recommend bringing this salad to a pot luck or gathering, it's guaranteed to take people by surprise and be a big hit. 

Golden Syrup Cake

I came across the recipe for this cake through a photo posted on Matchbook Magazine's tumblr, and it looked so good I just had to try it. After reading through the original blog entry here, I noticed that something appeared to be missing in the recipe - there was no baking soda or baking powder. Quite a few people posted disappointed comments because they had followed the instructions and their cakes didn't rise. Luckily, some commenters recommended substituting self-raising flour for all purpose flour, as well as doubling the original recipe because the resulting batter was a fairly small amount. So, taking their suggestions on board, I made the cake you see above. It's a pretty basic cake recipe, but I think the use of golden syrup makes it a bit more exciting. Golden syrup is similar to molasses, but much lighter both in color and flavor. It can be found in British import stores, or the international aisles of most grocery stores. I bought mine at Cost Plus.

Ingredients:

• 150 grams (g) butter 
• 100 g sugar
• 4 tbsp golden syrup
• 2 eggs
• 300 g self-raising flour **
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 4 tbsp milk

**If you don't have self-raising flour, you can make your own by combining 1 cup of all-purpose flour with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp baking powder.

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 350F. 
• Grease a 9" round cake pan.
• Cream butter, sugar, and golden syrup in a bowl.
• Add eggs.
• Stir in flour, then add the vanilla and milk. **
• Pour batter into pan and bake 20-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. 

** I found the batter for this cake so thick and sticky that it was difficult to pour into the tin, so I added about a tablespoon of milk to loosen it up a bit.

The cake, and the golden syrup. It comes in plastic bottles like mine, as well as more ornate cans.

Frosting Ingredients:

• 250 g powdered sugar (sifted)
• 75 g butter
• 2 tbsp golden syrup
• 2 tbsp milk
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions:

• Combine the all the ingredients until smooth, and cover the cake. 

The cake is crumbly but moist, and the frosting is sweet, but not too sweet. 

Thai Style Tempeh Lettuce Wraps

Since going vegetarian for Lent, I've been trying out some different veggie recipes. I'm not really a tofu fan, but I like tempeh, so I've been looking for some ways to use it. Tempeh is made from cooked soybeans, sometimes mixed with rice or other grains, that have been inoculated with  mold with mold (as blue cheese is) and fermented. It is originally from Indonesia, and has become popular with vegetarians because of its strong, funky, blue cheese-like flavor. This recipe comes from A Year in a Vegetarian Kitchen, by Jack Bishop. You can find the book here. It's a really easy recipe that requires basic ingredients, and can be on the table in 30 minutes.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup hot water
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 8 ounces tempeh, cut into 1/2 inch squares
• 1 medium cucumber, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded and diced **
• 1 medium carrot, shredded on the large holes of a box grater
• 4 medium scallions, white and green parts, cut into 1/2 inch lengths
• 1/4 cup whole fresh cilantro leaves
• romaine lettuce leaves

** I used Persian cucumbers, because they are seedless. So, all I had to do was peel and slice them.

Some of the ingredients. 

Instructions:

• Whisk the hot water, soy sauce, lime juice, peanut butter, and pepper flakes together in a medium bowl. Transfer 3 tablespoons of the peanut sauce to a small bowl and reserve. Add the tempeh to the bowl with the remaining peanut sauce and marinate, tossing occasionally, for about 20 minutes.
• Place the cucumber, carrot, scallions, and cilantro in a medium bowl. Set the salad aside. 
• Reserve any marinade the tempeh has not absorbed. Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add the tempeh and cook, turning the pieces several times, until golden brown all over, about 5 minutes. Add the reserved marinade to the skillet and cook until the tempeh is glazed, about 30 seconds. Transfer the seared tempeh pieces to a platter.
• Pour the reserved 3 tablespoons peanut sauce over the cucumber salad and toss to combine. 
• Spoon some cucumber salad over the lettuce leaves, then top with several pieces of tempeh. 

I recommending giving tempeh a try, if you haven't already. This recipe combines great flavors, and makes for a really fresh, delicious lunch or dinner. 

Potato and Roasted Pepper Frittata

Here's a quick and delicious recipe that works just as well for breakfast as dinner. I love frittatas because they are so versatile, you can toss in just about anything, much like you would an omelette. All you need to recreate this version is a few simple ingredients.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 medium onion, thinly sliced
• 2 red potatoes, diced into 1" cubes
• 1 roasted bell pepper (I used yellow, but you can use any color you like)
• 3 eggs
• 1/4 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese (I recommend Cabot cheddar)
• salt and pepper

Instructions:

• In an oven-safe skillet with some olive oil, add the onion and cook until translucent.
• Add the potatoes and cook for 8-10 minutes over medium heat to avoid burning the onion.
• Add the pepper (it should be diced to pieces the same size as the potato)
• Add the eggs, salt and pepper, and cheese
• Cook for a few minutes on the stove before placing the skillet in a preheated 350F oven, or under the broiler until the eggs have cooked completely.

This is what it should look like when it has finished cooking.

It can be served warm or cold (I prefer it warm) and would be great accompanied by a mixed green salad. 

Nectarine Crumble

Crumbles have been a favorite dessert of mine ever since I was a kid. We always had them at family barbecues, and while the filling varied from rhubarb to apple to peach and plum, the crisp, buttery topping was always the same. And the topping is definitely my favorite part. I made a crumble with nectarines today, because I had several that were really ripe, but you can really use any fruit. I especially like apple with blueberry, rhubarb with strawberry, and any stone fruit, either on its own or mixed. This is a really easy recipe, adapted from a recipe for a Rhubarb Crisp from Williams-Sonoma. 

Ingredients for the Filling:

• 6 large nectarines, thinly sliced. (I kept the skin on, but you can peel them if you like.)
• 2 tablespoons of flour to absorb any liquid the fruit releases and make it into a syrup.

Ingredients for the Topping:

• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 1/4 cup butter (room temperature)

Instructions:

• Preheat your oven to 350F.
• Place the sliced fruit in a greased pie dish and mix the flour in until it is evenly incorporated.
• Place all the dry ingredients for the topping in a large bowl and mix.
• Add the butter and use your hands to distribute it evenly, until the mixture resembles wet sand.
• Sprinkle the topping over the fruit, making sure it covers everything.
• Bake for 40 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown. 

 

This is what it should look like when it is fully cooked.

I recommend serving the crumble with some vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. Enjoy! 

Irish Soda Bread

This is actually my mom's recipe, and she's from Ireland so it's pretty authentic. When I was younger, I didn't think I liked Soda Bread because whenever we had it at school on St Patrick's Day it was really dry with lots of seeds and raisins in it. But, I've come to realize that my mom's Soda Bread is far superior to whatever we had in elementary school. The soda in Soda Bread is baking soda, not any carbonated beverage, like one of my 6th grade classmates thought when I brought it in to share on St Patrick's Day. It's easy to make, so I hope you'll try out the recipe in honor of St Patrick. 


Ingredients:

• 4 Cups All-Purpose Flour
• 1/2 C Sugar
• 3/4 tsp Salt
• 3/4 tsp Baking Soda
• 2 tsp Baking Powder
• 1 oz Butter (Room Temperature)
• 1 C Raisins
• 2 C Buttermilk

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 350F.
• Combine dry ingredients.
• Rub in butter by hand.
• Add raisins.
• Add buttermilk and mix.
• Pour batter into 2 (1 lb) loaf tins. 
• Bake for 45 minutes. 

To serve, slice and spread with butter. You could also add jam, but I like it best with just butter and a steaming mug/cup of Irish tea. Lá Fhéile Pádraig!

Short Scones

This is another recipe from my mom's birthday lunch. Unfortunately, the ingredients are measured using the metric system, so you'll need a scale to measure everything. They're called "short scones" because they are somewhere between a scone and a shortbread cookie, so they're delicious. They go really well with some butter or clotted cream and strawberry jam, and a cup of tea.

From Clodagh McKenna's homemade
Ingredients:

• 300 grams flour
• 60 g sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 130 g butter (cold)
• 1 egg
• 100 ml heavy cream

Instructions:

• Sift the flour, sugar, and baking powder into a large bowl.
• Grate the butter into the flour and mix together until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.**
• In a separate bowl, beat together the egg and cream. Pour into the flour mixture, and bring the liquid and flour together until they form a dough. 
• Dust both hands with flour and transfer the dough from the bowl to a floured working surface. Roll out the dough until it is about 2cm thick and cut out 8 rounds with a pastry cutter.
• Brush lightly with some beaten egg and put in the fridge for 1 hour to chill.
• Preheat the oven to 220C (428F).
• Bake in the oven for 10 minutes, or until the scones are lightly golden brown. 

** If you have a Kitchenaid mixer, I would recommend using it. It's much easier than mixing in the butter by hand, and then it's not necessary to chill the scones before baking because the dough hasn't been warmed by your hands.

Roasted Red Pepper and Asparagus Quiche

I made this quiche during the week, for lunch on my mom's birthday. I found a recipe here, and made a few alterations to it. I made my own pastry for the crust, using this recipe. I roasted the bell peppers whole, with some olive oil on a baking sheet at 500F for 30 minutes. Then, I covered them with foil for another 30 minutes before removing the seeds and skin. I followed the recipe for the filling, adding 2 sprigs of thyme (chopped) and using extra sharp cheddar cheese in place of the parmesan and onion cheese recommended. I think the quiche really needs the sharp, salty bite of the cheese to contrast with the sweet peppers and asparagus.

This quiche is really hearty, and full of vegetables. When I make it again, I don't think I'll use quite as much asparagus. The recipe calls for a pound, and I think it's a bit too much. I might add tomatoes or zucchini for a bit of variety. Other than that, this recipe makes a delicious vegetarian quiche.

To accompany the quiche, I made a salad with spinach, sliced pear, feta, chopped pecans, and currants, drizzled with a strawberry vinaigrette. Unfortunately, I didn't take any pictures of the salad. Maybe next time!

Garlic Potatoes / Potatoes au Gratin

This recipe is pretty basic, and can be easily tweaked to increase the portions or combine different flavors. It makes a fantastic side dish for just about any dinner.

Ingredients:

• Yukon gold potatoes (thinly sliced) 5 medium potatoes makes enough for 4-6 servings.
• Garlic (crushed) I used 3 cloves.
• Heavy cream - I used 1/2 cup. 
• Cheddar cheese (I recommend extra sharp)
• Salt and pepper

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 400 F.
• Layer sliced potatoes with crushed garlic in an ovenproof dish. 
• Pour the cream over the potatoes. 
• Sprinkle the top with lots of cheese.
• Bake for 30-40 minutes, until the potatoes are cooked through and the cheese is golden brown and melted. 

Here's what it looks like when it's assembled. 

And when it comes out of the oven. Yum! 

Roasted Tomato Soup

This recipe for Roasted Tomato Soup comes from the Food Network's Tyler Florence. It's the perfect soup to warm you up on a cold Winter day, and it's very easy to make.

Start with a variety of tomatoes, I like to use a mix of cherry, grape, roma, and heirloom.

Halve each tomato and remove the core, then place them on a baking tray along with slices of onion and whole garlic cloves. The grape tomatoes can be roasted whole. Roast for 30 minutes at 450 F. 

Here's what everything looks like after roasting.

Then, add all of the vegetables to a saucepan of chicken or vegetable stock, which has already been simmering. Add 1-2 bay leaves, and simmer for 20 minutes. 

After 20 minutes, remove the bay leaves and blend the soup. The recipe recommends adding cream to the soup, but I find that it tastes creamy enough without the cream, so I don't add any. 

Here's the finished product. It goes really well with a grilled cheese sandwich, or a Cheddar Buttermilk Biscuit.