Vegetarian Cuban Picadillo

THERE IS SOMETHING ABOUT A DISH that has both briny, bitter olives and plump, sweet raisins that makes my palate very happy. Warming spices make the flavor almost perfect.

Cuban Picadillo is ordinarily made with ground meat. Because my husband and I have both been feeling squeamish about commercially produced ground beef lately, I decided to substitute lentils for the meat, which was perfect. The final result was absolutely scrumptious.

Vegetarian Cuban Picadillo
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 large potato, diced
1 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. ground cumin
2 tsp. oregano
2 bay leaves
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
1 (28 oz.) can whole tomatoes, undrained
1 1/2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
3 cups cooked lentils
1/2 cup Spanish olives
1/2 cup golden raisins
Salt and pepper to taste

Warm olive olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onions and bell pepper; cook and stir until tender. Add garlic and stir for a few seconds. Add diced potato and continue to saute for a few more minutes. Add cinnamon, cumin, oregano, bay leaves, and tomato paste. Stir to combine well. Add the whole tomatoes and break up with a wooden spoon. Stir in red wine vinegar. Add cooked lentils, olives, and raisins. Stir well and add salt and pepper to taste. Cover pan and simmer for about 30 minutes until everything is very tender.

Taste and correct seasonings.

Serve with rice.

Japanese Fruit Cake

I REMEMBER MY GRANDMOTHER MAKING this lovely celebration cake each year for the holidays. As a girl I thought this was the most impressive and beautiful cake I had ever seen! After my grandmother passed away, the cake stopped appearing at our holiday gatherings.

For years, I asked family members, especially some of the older aunts, if they had the recipe. I searched through old southern cookbooks.

Last summer, because she knows my interest in heirloom recipes, Mama gave me a cookbooklet she had found in some of her aunt's belongings. The booklet was published in 1952 by a community group in Chambers County, Alabama. Imagine my delight when I turned to the cake chapter and there was the recipe for Japanese Fruit Cake!

 I have no idea why this cake has such a mysterious name. I don't believe it is remotely Japanese and it is not a fruit cake in the traditional sense. The fruits in the cake are coconut, lemon, and raisins. There are two moist and fluffy yellow layers and two spice layers with pecans, raisins, cinnamon and allspice. The cake is topped with a luscious lemony coconut glaze.

I loved making this cake!

Japanese Fruit Cake
3 cups cake flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup chopped raisins
1 cup chopped pecans
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp. allspice
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Generously butter and flour four 8-inch cake pans.

Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. In another bowl, combine the chopped raisins, pecans, cinnamon, and allspice.

I mixing bowl, combine butter and sugar; beat with mixer to combine them well. Add eggs one and a time, beating after each addition, to make a smooth, fluffy mixture.

Stir the vanilla into the milk. Add about half the flour mixture, the half the milk, beating at low speed just until combined. Repeat with remaining flour mixture and milk.

Divide half the batter between 2 of the pans. Stir the raisin and spice mixture into the remaining batter. Divide this mixture between the remaining 2 pans. Set all 4 pans in the oven.

Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes, until the layers are golden brown, pulling away from the sides of the pans, and spring back when touched lightly in the center. Cool the cakes on wire racks for 10 minutes, and then turn them out onto the wire racks to cool completely, top side up.

Lemon Coconut Icing
1 cup water
2 cups sugar
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp. grated lemon zest
3 1/2 cups (approx.) frozen shredded coconut
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
1/2 cup water

In heavy, medium saucepan, bring 1 cup water to a boil over medium heat. Stir in the sugar, lemon juice and zest, and the coconut. Bring to a boil. Adjust heat to maintain a gentle boil, and cook for 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir cornstarch into the 1/2 cup water, stir well and add to the pan, mixing to dissolve. Simmer for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring often, until thickened and clear. Transfer to a bowl and cool to room temperature, stirring from time to time.

To assemble the cake, place a plain layer, top side down, on a cake stand, or serving plate. Poke little holes all over and spread about one fourth of the icing over the layer, spreading all the way to the edges. Place a spice layer over the icing and spread another 1/4 of the icing. Continue layering with the remaining layers and icing. Place the last spice layer, right side up and pour all the remaining icing over the layer so that some of the icing cascades down the sides of the cake. Let stand for several hours, then cover and refrigerate overnight. Remove cake from refrigerator about 1 hour before serving.

Fresh Cherry Chutney

AS AN ATTEMPT TO FIND MY LOST MOJO and break out of my case of the vapors, I bought a cheerful bag of fresh, ripe, juicy cherries. Due to some recent events in our life, my dear husband was feeling the same way. He came home with a bag of beautiful, velvety South Carolina peaches.

We tackled a dreaded but much needed task, together, over the weekend. Having that behind us and looking forward to gorgeous summer fruit seems to be working its magic.

The first thing I made was a spicy, bracing cherry chutney. Chutney is a condiment or sauce of East Indian origin made with sweet, sour, and spicy ingredients. Think of using chutney in place of cranberry sauce, raisin sauce, even jam or preserves. Top crackers with cream cheese and a dollop of chutney for a fulfilling snack. I especially love chutney with pungent cheese. 

Next up, I will show one of the uses I made of this chutney, but meanwhile, on to the recipe. This is a small and easily manageable batch of chutney.

Fresh Cherry Chutney

1 cup fresh cherries, washed, pitted, and halved

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

1/2/ cup chopped red onion

3 Tbsp. brown sugar

1/4 cup golden raisins

2 Tbsp. chopped candied ginger

1 tsp. black mustard seeds

2-inch piece of cinnamon 

3 whole cardamom

freshly grated nutmeg

1/4 tsp. sea salt

Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan. Heat over medium until boiling. Cover, turn heat to low and simmer gently 30 minutes. Remove lid and continue to cook until the sauce is thickened, just a few minutes more. Remove from heat. Remove the cinnamon stick and cardamom pods.

Use right away or spoon into a jar to refrigerate. 

Carrot Cupcakes with Pineapple and Golden Raisins topped with Cream Cheese Frosting

I was asked to bring a healthy dessert for a meeting. Is that an oxymoron?

My habit of over thinking things had me wondering. Isn't dessert the final course of a meal? Wouldn't healthy dessert be the quintessential fruit and nuts?

I knew this group wanted a treat, a goody and not a tray of fruit and nuts. I started thinking about my longstanding desire to include at least some nutritional value in the sweets I make--fruit pies, oatmeal cookies, rice pudding, parfaits. (This is not to be confused with celebrations. . .birthday cakes, Christmas cookies).

Personally, I am not a sweetie. Even as a child, I always preferred savory tastes. But I do love to cook and bake. And I love seeing people appreciating my efforts. These cupcakes made the group very happy and that made me happy.

Another way to steer sweets towards a healthier horizon is through portion control; thus the cupcakes rather than an entire cake.

Carrot Cupcakes with Pineapple and Golden Raisins
2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 (3 oz.) package cream cheese, room temperature
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 egg yolk
Pinch of salt
1/4 cup finely chopped pineapple
4 eggs, room temperature
3 cups finely shredded carrots (about 6 medium)
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup golden raisins

Line 24 muffin cups with paper cupcake liners. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl stir together the flour, 1 1/2 cups sugar, baking powder, 1 tsp. salt, and the cinnamon. Set aside.

For the filling, in a mixer bowl combine cream cheese and 2 Tbsp. sugar. Beat with and electric mixer on medium speed until combined. Beat in the egg yolk and a pinch of salt. Fold in the pineapple. Set aside.

In another bowl stir together 4 eggs, the carrots, oil, and vanilla.

Add carrot mixture to flour mixture and stir until combined. Fold in golden raisins.

Spoon about 1 tablespoon of the batter into each muffin cup. Drop about 1 rounded teaspoon of the cream cheese mixture into each muffin cup. Spoon the remaining batter over cream cheese mixture in cups.

Bake for 15 - 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool cupcakes in muffin cups on wire racks for 5 minutes. Remove cupcakes from muffin pans and cool completely on wire racks.

Frost with Cream Cheese Frosting and store in refrigerator.

Cream Cheese Frosting
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 tsp. vanilla
5 1/2 cups powdered sugar

In a mixing bowl beat cream cheese, butter, and vanilla with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in powder sugar to reach desired spreading consistency.

Sugar Plums

I AM TAKING A DIFFERENT APPROACH TO MY CHRISTMAS BAKING this year. Rather than baking one batch of cookies from start to finish one by one, I have had a few days of mixing doughs. Some are refrigerated, some frozen.

I have rolls of dough to use as slice and bake cookies. I have balls of dough which would traditionally be drop cookies. Some will be pressed into sheet pans for bar cookies. Also, my husband gave me a beautiful shortbread pan last month for my birthday, so I will be baking those too.

I feel much more productive this year and I don't have to worry if my cookies will be fresh when the time comes for sharing. We will see how this approach works when it comes to baking days.

Meanwhile, here is a no-bake goody that is actually pretty healthy.

Sugar Plums
4 cups rice krispies cereal
2 cups toasted pecans
15 oz. golden raisins
10 oz. pitted dates
3/4 cup honey
2 tsp. orange zest
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. nutmeg

Pour cereal into a large mixing bowl.

Finely chop the pecans, raisins, and dates. (Or grind in food processor if you have one).

In a small bowl, combine the honey, orange zest, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg.

Pour the fruit mixture and the honey mixture into the bowl with the cereal. Mix all together with a wooden spoon. Roll into 1 1/2" balls with greased hands.

Composed Salads, Grain Bowls, and Organizing Photo Files

IF YOU LOVE COOKING AND YOU LOVE PHOTOGRAPHY (a match made in heaven) you will most likely end up with a backlog of photo files to sort through.

My files had gotten so big, they were bogging down my computer. It was time to stop procrastinating and get to work. I have deleted hundreds on photos and transferred others to an external drive.

I do photograph many things other than food and this process has taken me down a memory lane of the past couple of years. There are so many cute pictures of the children--they grow and change so fast. There were pictures of my head, bald from chemo, to growing out, to my first haircut last week. There are many photos of beautiful flowers, birds, bunnies, butterflies, and bugs from our yard. Scenic photos from the gorgeous, vibrant, and hip place I am blessed to live--Asheville, North Carolina.

Mandarin Chicken Salad

As I culled photographs, I decided to share some of the things I have made, we ate, but never made it to my blog. Mainly because I wasn't pleased with the photos. But also because I wasn't thrilled with the taste of the food. I only blog about things I think are delicious.

For example, the Mandarin Chicken Salad. Ho-hum.

Shrimp, Brown Rice, and Vegetable Salad

I can see the salad has a dressing but I don't remember what it was. Which is another danger of letting my photo files back up. I can't remember what I did.






































I remember loving the brown rice and tofu bowl--I would happily eat it right now. I suppose I could fake some recipes. . .

Many things I love, tuna, cheese, boiled eggs, radishes, cornichons, sprouts (!) with baby lettuces.

Waldorf Quinoa Salad

I was really happy with this meal, but I didn't get any photos I loved. Quinoa, grapes, celery, apples, lettuce, candied pecans, and crumbled blue cheese. (Some kind of dressing). Mmmm, I think I'll try this again.

I was also happy about this meal, but again did not get shots of it that I loved. It was an awesome combination of flavors, quinoa, black beans, roasted Japanese sweet potatoes, pineapple, cheddar cheese, and spinach. I dressed this one with a Honey Lime Vinaigrette.

Honey Lime Vinaigrette
1 small sweet onion, preferably Vidalia, roughly chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 large tomato, washed and peeled
1 lime, washed, roughly chopped and seeded
2 Tbsp. honey
1 tsp. salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/4 cup olive oil

Put all ingredients into blender and process until smooth.

Farro with Roasted Carrots and Feta

According to the package of Farro Pritchard Parker recently brought home, it is "one of the oldest grains cultivated by humans, which was originally found in the fertile crescent of the Middle East and is now grown primarily in Italy".

I don't know if that is true or if that is just marketing. I tried to do some research on this grain and all I came away with is the fact that it is a type of wheat. It may or may not be emmer and it may or may not be spelt.

This is my first experience cooking farro. It looks and tastes to me like wheat berries, which I quite like, and can be bought much cheaper from the bulk bins at the Natural Foods Store.  But wheat berries are an old hippie standard and have not been elevated in status by trendy chefs.

We did enjoy this dish very much. The addition of  roasted carrots, golden raisins, toasted cashews, fresh lemon juice, feta cheese along with a generous amount of freshly chopped parsley and the scent of cinnamon made for a delicious light supper. I served it at room temperature which really brought out all the flavors.

Farro with Roasted Carrots and Feta
1 cup faro
3 cups water
1 small cinnamon stick
Salt to taste
6 - 8 medium carrots, scrubbed and peeled
3 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
1 large onion, peeled and diced
1 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/2 cup cashews, toasted and chopped
8 oz. feta cheese, cubed

Combine faro, water, cinnamon stick, and salt to taste in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer until most of the water is absorbed and farro is tender, 30 - 40 minutes. Drain farro, discard cinnamon stick, and transfer to a large bowl.

While the farro is cooking, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Drizzle the carrots with 1 Tbsp. of the olive oil and toss with salt to taste. Roast on a baking sheet until fork tender, about 20 - 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the another Tbsp. olive oil, and saute the onions over medium heat until tender and translucent.

When the carrots and onions are done add them to the bowl with the farro.  Stir in the lemon juice, golden raisins, parsley, and cashews. Toss in the feta cheese and mix gently. Add the remaining 1 Tbsp. olive oil.  Taste, adding more salt and additional olive oil if desired.

Chilled Persian Yogurt Soup

I was intrigued by this recipe when I saw it in Food & Wine Magazine last summer. At last I made it and I am so glad I did. I just loved this very unusual summer soup, which is filled with herbs, nuts, and raisins.

Here in the dog days of summer, I need meals which are cooling and refreshing. Served with grilled bread, this soup made a perfectly satisfying weeknight supper. Make the soup ahead of time as it needs to be served well-chilled.

Chilled Persian Yogurt Soup
(Chef Hoss Zare)
1/2 cup walnuts
1/4 cup dried rose petals, crushed*
2 cups plain Greek yogurt
1 1/2 cups ice water
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/2 seedless cucumber, peeled and finely diced (1 cup)
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh mint
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh dill
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh chives
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Ground sumac*

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread the walnuts in a pie plate and toast for about 10 minutes. Let cool, then finely chop.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, cover the rose petals with cold water and let stand until softened, about 20 minutes. Drain the petals and squeeze dry.

In a large bowl, whisk the yogurt with the ice water. Stir in the raisins, cucumber, mint, dill, chives, walnuts and rose petals and season with salt and pepper.  Refrigerate until very cold, at least 1 hour.

Serve the soup in shallow bowls, sprinkled with sumac.

*I ordered both the rose petals and the sumac from Savory Spice Shop.

Apricot Chutney

The thing I love most about the Indian cuisine is the sophisticated and endlessly varied ways of cooking vegetarian fare--grains, legumes, fruits, and vegetables with the help of complex blends of herbs and spices.

And I love the accompaniments to the meal, the delicious breads, sauces, raitas, chutneys, and pickles.

Over the weekend, I made this scrumptious Apricot Chutney, using a variety of dried fruits, along with generous amounts of both fresh garlic and ginger. If you enjoy the ubiquitous Major Grey's Mango Chutney, this rich sweet-sour blend will have even more appeal.

Apricot Chutney
(recipe by Madhur Jaffrey)
1 pound dried apricots
10 large cloves garlic, peeled and coarsely chopped
A 1-inch-by-three-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 1/4 cups red wine vinegar
2 cups sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 to 3/4 tsp. cayenne pepper (I used 1/2 tsp.)
3/4 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup dried currants

Put the apricots in a bowl. Pour 4 cups of hot water over them and let them soak for an hour.

Put the garlic and ginger into the container of a blender or food processor (I used a mini-prep) along with 1/4 cup of the vinegar. Blend until smooth.

Empty the apricots and their soaking liquid into a heavy stainless steel or porcelain lined pot. Add the garlic-ginger mixture, the remaining vinegar, sugar, salt, and cayenne.  Bring to a boil.  Simmer on medium heat, stirring frequently, for about 45 minutes. Do not let the chutney stick to the pan; lower heat if necessary.  Add the raisins and currants and cook, stirring, another half hour or until chutney takes on a thick, glazed look.  It will thicken slightly as it cools.

Let the chutney cool and store, refrigerated, in lidded glass jars.

Don't limit yourself to using this as a condiment to Indian meals. I love a peanut butter and chutney sandwich.  I've used it on a grilled cheese--delicious! cheese and chutney quesadillas, in chicken salad, spread cream cheese on crackers or toasted baguette slices and top with chutney.

What other ways to use chutney can you think of?

Applesauce Muffins - 2 Ways

After my boss received a gift of fresh, locally grown apples, he took them to the break room to share with the staff. I brought home several of these apples with the intention of making muffins to share at work. And of course I had to make enough muffins to include Pritchard Parker.

The first batch I made had golden raisins and pecans, with a drizzle of confectioner's sugar glaze. I thought they were very pretty, but when Pritchard Parker tasted one he said, "That's different".  Now I have to say that Pritchard Parker had gotten home from work very late and was quite tired when he said that. He was not really in a place to offer a fair critique and I didn't pursue it.

Different? Just to be safe, I decided to go with another recipe for the next batch. This time I skipped the raisins and used brown sugar and toasted walnuts with  a sugary crunch for topping.

Both recipes begin by making applesauce.

Applesauce Raisin Muffins
1 3/4 cups flour
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup golden raisins
1/4 cup chopped pecans

Stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and spices. In another bowl, stir together the egg, milk, vegetable oil, and the applesauce and mix well. Stir the dry mixture into the wet until just combined. Stir in the raisins and nuts.

Spoon into greased muffin cups and bake at 400 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes. Let them cool slightly then remove to a wire rack to cool completely. If desired, top with a glaze made of 1/2 cup confectioner's sugar, 1/2 tsp. vanilla, and 1-2 Tbsp. milk or cream.  Add an additional sprinkling of freshly grated nutmeg.

Applesauce Spice Muffins
(Gourmet Magazine, November 2003)
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground allspice
1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 tsp. salt
2 large eggs
1 cup light brown sugar
1 stick (1/2 cup) plus 3 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 cup toasted walnuts, coarsely chopped

Topping:
2 Tbsp. Turbinado (or regular granulated) sugar
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground allspice
1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg

Stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices, and salt in a bowl. Whisk together eggs and brown sugar in a large bowl until combined well, then add butter, a little at a time, whisking until mixture is creamy. Stir in applesauce, then fold in flour mixture until flour is just moistened. Stir in nuts and divide batter among greased muffin cups.

Stir together the topping ingredients and sprinkle on top of the muffins. Bake at 400 degrees until muffins are puffed and golden, about 20 minutes. Cool in pan on a rack 5 minutes, then remove muffins from pan and cool completely.



These are the muffins I took to work.



Creamy Rice Pudding

I had some organic milk in the fridge which was getting close to date. Because I was also considering the Indian meal I was preparing to cook, I decided to make rice pudding. Rice pudding is a dessert I have always loved. It is not too sweet and because it has nutritional benefits on its side, one I have made often over the years. 

Rice pudding is a very flexible dish. It can be cooked on the stovetop or baked. It can be made with any kind of rice, any kind of milk, and many different fruits and nuts can be added for additional texture, flavor, and health. Also a number of spices work well--cardamom, saffron, cinnamon.  I have baked it with brown rice, soy milk, and dried apricots. The possibilities really are endless.

Here, I have cooked it on the stovetop using basmati rice, organic whole milk, golden raisins, and finished with a sprinkling of freshly grated nutmeg. 

Creamy Rice Pudding
3/4 cup uncooked basmati rice
1 1/2 cups water
2 cups milk, divided
1/4 cup sugar
pinch of salt
1 egg, beaten
2/3 cup golden raisins
1 Tbsp. butter
1 tsp. vanilla

In a medium saucepan, combine rice and water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and cook rice for 20 minutes. Turn off heat and leave the pan undisturbed for 10 minutes.

Remove the lid and fluff the rice with a fork.  Add milk and sugar, along with a pinch of salt. Cook over medium heat until thick and creamy--15 to 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, beat the egg and combine with the additional 1/2 cup milk and the raisins. Stir into the rice mixture and continue to cook for 2 minutes more, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in the butter and vanilla.

Pour into a serving bowl. Delicious served warm or very cold.

Shared with Sweets for a Saturday #11 at the blog, Sweet as Sugar Cookies