Kitchen Conundrum

Indian Inspired Okra and Spicy Zucchini

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We love Okra! But sometimes it is very difficult to find fresh. It’s not a “typical” northern vegetable. Down South, it was extremely easy to locate as it is almost considered a staple in many homes. We have stuffed them, fried them and dipped them into delicious sauces, but prepared this way they make a nice topping for rice in an Indian inspired menu.  We actually found these at a very large Indian grocer in Queens, NY called Patel Brothers. What a great store! They have an amazing spice collection and many types of flours and Indian sauces. You can even buy hard to find items online.  We were on the hunt for garam masala when we spotted some large okras and we bought some.

Another vegetable side dish with an Indian flare,  that’s also delicious over a Jasmine or Basmati rice, is Spiced Zucchini. While the Okra recipe  has more of a mild spice, if you like it hot, then try the Zucchini recipe. Feel free to interchange the vegetables to each dish as you like and for a slightly(!!!) more mild Zucchini, leave out the red chile flakes.


Bruschettas and Tapenades, Summer Eating Made Easy

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One of our favorite summer eats are a hearty loaf of bread, a bottle (or two!) of wine and some freshly made Tapenades and Bruschettas.  We can sit on the back porch and enjoy a simple evening meal that transports us to far away lands, dreaming of vineyards and olive groves. Some cool jazz playing in the background and a fire in the pit makes for a magical summer evening. This year we have had an amazing tomato garden with handfuls of fresh beauties daily. They are sweet and plump, some red and some yellow and absolutely delicious right off the vine. We can hardly get them all inside and washed before eating them. With some fresh snipped basil and olive oil they are transformed into a delicious, refreshing bruschetta. Our dear friends Sarah and Charles own Old Mill Wine & Spirits, a fabulous wine and liquor store in the town of Rhinebeck, NY (the same place Chelsea Clinton is getting married this very weekend!). They are both gourmands with incredible knowledge and passion and have graciously shared with us some of their favorite recipes. We spent yesterday making some of their amazing tapenades and bruschettas to share with you here. Be sure to “Like” them on Facebook.

The first recipe is a Bruschetta made with white beans. It’s delicious alone on toasted baguette rounds or as a base for the Tomato Bruschetta.

 

Bruschetta with White Beans

Ingredients

1 can cannellini beans

1 clove garlic, mashed

1 sprig fresh rosemary leaves, chopped fine

1 tbsp red wine vinegar

Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes

salt and freshly ground black pepper

½ cup extra virgin olive oil   (Reserve ¼ cup for the bread)

1 loaf peasant bread or baguette

Method

Drain and rinse beans with cold water. In a food processor, combine beans, garlic, rosemary, 1/4 cup of olive oil, vinegar, red pepper, salt and pepper.  Pulse the mixture into a coarse puree. Set aside.

Slice bread into ½” rounds and brush lightly with olive oil on one side. Broil until slightly toasted.  Spread with the bean puree and serve.

Another wonderful variation is made with mushrooms.

Bruschetta with Porcini Mushrooms

Ingredients

10 oz. fresh Porcini or Baby Bella mushrooms

1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

6 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

1 tsp. salt

4 cloves garlic

Freshly-ground pepper

2 tsp. fresh thyme leaves

1 loaf peasant bread or baguette

Method

Wash and dry mushrooms, then chop very fine. Heat 3 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Finely chop 2 garlic cloves and add to the oil. Saute until garlic turns golden, then add mushrooms and thyme leaves. Saute until mushrooms have reduced and liquid has evaporated, about 5-6 minutes. Add the lemon juice, salt and pepper and stir until dry.

Slice the bread and brush with the remaining olive oil. Broil or grill both sides of bread until well toasted. Cut the remaining garlic cloves in half and rub toasted bread with the cut side of the clove. Spread mushroom mixture onto toasts and serve.

And now for the classic! If you are lucky enough to have your own home grown tomatoes and basil, then you will be even happier eating your bounty with great, simple recipe.

Bruschetta with Tomatoes and Basil

Ingredients

1 loaf peasant bread or baguette

1 lb ripe tomatoes

2 large garlic cloves

1 cup fresh basil leaves

½ cup olive oil

salt and freshly-ground pepper

Method

Preheat broiler to high. Slice bread into ½” pieces and drizzle lightly with olive oil on one side. Toast lightly on both sides, being careful not to burn. (*Can also be grilled for extra flavor.)  Slice garlic cloves in half and rub one side of the toasted bread with the cut garlic.

Quarter tomatoes and remove all pulp and seeds. Chop fine. Slice basil leaves into small pieces and add to tomatoes. Add remaining olive oil, salt and pepper to taste and toss to coat. Spoon onto toasts and serve.

If bruschettas are not enough, you can also make these delicious olive tapenades.  We love to make combinations with the bruschettas and the tapenades, layering each flavor on top of the toasted breads. The Black Olive-Lemon Tapenade is divine topped with the tomato bruschetta, the flavors, bright and fresh.  You can also use these tapenades mixed into salad dressings or pasta.

Black Olive-Lemon Tapenade

Ingredients

1 ½ cups pitted black Nioise olives

2 garlic cloves, peeled

2-3 anchovy fillets, scrapped of bones

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 tsp Herbs de Provence

1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

Freshly ground pepper

Method

Place olives, garlic and anchovies in food processor and pulse until coarsely ground. Add olive oil, herbs, lemon and pepper and process to a fairly smooth puree.

Black Olive Tapenade

Ingredients

1 ½ cups pitted black olives

2 garlic cloves, peeled

2 tsp. capers

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

10 large fresh basil leaves

5 stems flat leaf parsley

Freshly ground pepper

Method

Place olives, garlic and capers in food processor and pulse until coarsely ground. Add olive oil, basil, parsley leaves and pepper and process to a fairly smooth puree.

If you are like us, you will make them all and when you are done, you will have an array of tasty delights to top your bread.

Pair with a bottle of Cotes du Rhone Rose and enjoy!

 

You Say Tomato, I Say Tomato. A Fresh Tart for Summer Entertaining!

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We threw this together for an annual brunch block party. It was gone in mere minutes and we only got one tiny slice to share. We love tomatoes in the summer.  And even though it’s not officially summer, it’s been such nice weather that we thought it was time to break out this simple and delicious tart.  The best is when we find the big, sweet Jersey tomatoes. Sprinkled with a little salt, they are amazing. We grow tomatoes in our garden and they have a very good flavor but nothing compares to those Jersey tomatoes. For this recipe we just used store bought tomatoes as it is still a bit too early in the season to find good local ones.

This tart can be made with most any cheese but Gruyère is the most common cheese to use. It would be delicious with an herbed goat cheese too.  We used shredded cheddar this time, as it was all we had on hand and it was already shredded. You can also drizzle a little bit of balsamic vinegar on top right before you serve but it’s not necessary. This is a perfect meal in itself when served with a handful of salad greens on the side or it makes a nice side dish.  Sometimes, we will make small individual ones for parties. It’s very versatile!

Ingredients

1 Par-baked Tart Shell (11” Tart Shell baked for only 10 mintues), recipe below

¼ Cup Dijon, Stone Ground, or Whole Grain Mustard

1 Cup Shredded Cheese (Gruyere, Cheddar, Goat Cheese, or any other cheese you may have)

3 large Tomatoes, thickly sliced

Salt & Freshly Ground Pepper

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

1 Tablespoon Thyme

1 Tablespoon Parsley

2 Garlic Cloves, minced

Method

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

In the bottom of the tart shell, evenly spread the mustard.

Add the shredded cheese.

Arrange the tomatoes in a circular pattern slightly overlapping them on one side.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Bake for 30 minutes or until tomatoes are fork tender.

In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, thyme, parsley and garlic.

Spread over the baked tart while it is still warm.

Tart can be served either hot or at room temperature.


Pâte Brisée (Pie/Tart Dough)

This buttery dough is our standard tart and quiche crust. It’s produces a firm crust, making it perfect to hold up well with weighty ingredients. The dough can also be made by hand by using two knives to cut the ingredients into one another or by food processor. We have given you the conversions to the weighed ingredients. It’s a good idea to make several batches at a time as it freezes really well and you will always have some on hand for a last minute meal. The key to a good crust is to use very cold butter and very cold water and to not overwork the dough.

Ingredients

200 Grams Flour

100 Grams Butter, Very Cold

5 Grams Salt

60 ml Water, Very Cold

Ingredients Conversion

2 Cups All Purpose Flour

7 Tablespoons Butter, Very Cold

1 Teaspoon Salt

¼ Cup Water, Very Cold

Method

In your food processor fitted with a dough blade, add flour and salt.

Cut butter into very small pieces and add quickly to the flour and salt. Pulse until the butter is well incorporated and resembles a fine meal, about 15 seconds.

Add the cold water and pulse a few more times until the dough comes together.

Turn dough out and form into a ball. Cover with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator to rest for ½ hour. The dough can also now be frozen for future use.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to fit into an 11” tart pan. The key to making sure your dough is the right size is to turn your tart pan upside down over the dough and making sure there is at least another inch around all the sides still visible.

Transfer to the tart pan gently pressing the dough to the pan’s shape. Prick the bottom with a fork to prevent the dough from puffing during baking.

To prebake the crust, preheat oven to 400 degrees F and place rack in center of oven.

Line the unbaked crust with a round cut out of parchment paper or aluminum foil. Fill tart pan with pie weights or dry beans, making sure they are evenly distributed over the entire bottom surface.

Bake crust for 20 to 25 minutes or until the crust is dry and lightly browned. Remove weights and cool crust on wire rack. Proceed with your recipe that calls for a prebaked crust. To par bake, only bake for 10 minutes to set the shell and ready for ingredients.