Salad Mix: Avocado, Artichoke Hearts, and Hearts of Palm

Holiday Dinner Menu (Part 2)

(See Part 1 : Roasted Butternut Squash with Gouda and Pine Nuts)

The salad that I prepared for the holiday dinner contained three things I loved: artichoke hearts, avocado, and hearts of palm. I found this recipe a while ago from Food Network and saved it in my recipe collection. Please click here to read the original recipe: Avocado, Artichoke Hearts and Heart of Palm Salad served in Lettuce Wraps

A few things I modified from the original recipe were:

-For the dressing, I used apple vinegar instead of white vinegar. I also drizzled a little olive oil and sprinkled some chili powder to give this salad a little kick.

-I added grape tomatoes for more flavor and color.

Canned hearts of palm are available in most grocery stores.

-The author called for butter lettuce as the serving cups for the salad. Unfortunately I did not have the time to do it. So I chopped the lettuce and mixed it with the rest.

The crunchy poblano pepper, cucumber, lettuce, and tomatoes gave a wonderful balance to the tender and buttery artichoke hearts, avocado, and hearts of palm. So delicious!

Note: Next time, I’d like to try another modification using the three main things: avocado, artichoke hearts, and heart of palm. I’d add grape tomatoes into the mix, drizzle all of them with olive oil and apple vinegar, and then sprinkle with salt and pepper. I think this variation would make a great appetizer.

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Roasted Butternut Squash with Gouda and Pine Nuts

Holiday Dinner Menu (Part 1)

A few friends came to visit from out of town this past Thanksgiving weekend. Jeff and I got the honor to host a dinner party on Friday. Both of us were very pleased with how the food turned out. Jeff had made this delicious peppery oven roasted beef with gravy along with sweet potato as a side dish. I prepared a salad medley of artichoke, avocado, and heart of palm and a side dish of roasted butternut squash with Gouda cheese and pine nuts.

I’ve always been intrigued by butternut squash and been wanted to learn about the types of dish I could create from it. Though I must admit that I was a bit nervous about cooking this winter squash since I did not grow up with any dish made from it. 

Anyway, I had found a simple roasted squash recipe from Whole Foods that I thought I could use as the base of my dish. I felt like the recipe still needed some dressing up but I wasn’t sure what would work best. So I talked to a foodie and a cooking enthusiast friend, Leena, who shared a recipe she had made a few Thanksgivings ago. The idea was to cube the squash, roast them with a little chicken/vegetable stock for more complex taste, and then add soft cheese and nuts as the topping. It sounded divine and I trusted my friend’s taste in food. And I was so happy with the result.

So here’s how I did mine:

-I preheated the oven to 400F

-I cubed one small butternut squash and then cut the skin off with a knife (I found it to be much easier than trying to peel the whole thing).

-Then I placed the cubes on an oven tray and drizzled them with olive oil

-I also added 1/3 cup of chicken (or vegetable) stock on the tray

-Let the squash roast for 28 minutes

While the squash was cooking in the oven, I grated Gouda cheese in a food processor. (The amount of cheese depends on your preference. I used about two handful of it.) Then I added two tablespoons of pine nuts into the processor to be chopped and mixed together with the cheese. Jeff had chosen Gouda for the soft cheese due to taste preference and I chose to use pine nuts since they complement baked dishes and fruits/salad pretty well. Add chopped almonds for extra crunch.

After 28 minutes, I turned the heat off and took the roasted squash out of the oven. I sprinkled the cheese and nuts mix evenly on top of the hot squash. Then I returned the dish to the oven (with the heat off) for another two minutes to melt the cheese. I removed the tray immediately from the oven and let it cool down for 10-15 minutes before serving.

The dish was full of flavor as I wanted it to be. The chicken stock, smoky Gouda cheese, and chewy and nutty pine nuts gave this roasted butternut squash dish (as a friend described) “a very sophisticated taste.” Sure enough the plate was cleaned in no time. It was definitely a great side dish for a winter dinner party.

Harini Riana4 Comments

Easy Fruit Pastry

A foodie friend and I had a conversation about baking a few weeks back. Both he and I are cooking enthusiasts who are reluctant to bake. He suggested that our reluctance could have been caused by a “trust issue” that we had toward the recipe, measurement, or the oven. I theorized that our disinclination to bake was due to our unwillingness to follow strict orders, which in this case were in a form of exact recipes and measurements. Wherein cooking we felt free to be creative and to use our senses to perfect the dishes we love to make.

After what felt like a little self-evaluation on our issues with baking (or maybe just in general) I thought that I should confront mine. I remembered thinking that maybe there was an art to baking I have yet to uncover. That once I found it I’d enjoy baking as much as I do cooking.

So I started to read more recipes on baking, watched the techniques on Food Network shows, and just basically entertained the idea of baking in my mind. Until one day an easy fruit pastry inspiration came. I think my brain was telling me that it had enough teasing with images of baked goods, that it was time to eat some pastries, and that it did not have the patience to wait for me to bake from scratch. Ha! I remembered the dough sheet I had bought for the topping of my chicken and mushroom pot pie the other day and realized that I had an extra. I also thought of the two fruit preserves that would be perfect to use as the filling for this pastry. So here’s what I did:

(Please keep in mind that this pastry is far from real baking (from scratch). But a girl has to start somewhere. I am planning to like this whole baking thing so I think a simple beginning might be a good idea.)

I prepared:

  • 1 Pillsburry Crescent Seamless Dough Sheet
  • Fruit preserves like Bonne Maman’s Apricot or Four Fruits (Cherry, Redcurrants, Raspberry, Strawberry)or fruit butter like American Spoon’s Strawberry Butter
  • 1 Egg for egg wash (beaten egg with two tablespoon of water)

Steps:

  • Preheat the oven to 375F
  • Spray the oven tray with a non-stick
  • Cut the dough sheet into 10 or 12 small squares
  • Add a half of teaspoon of the fruit preserves to the center of the square
  • Brush the edges with egg wash so they seal well
  • Fold each square’s corner to its opposite
  • Brush the top part of the folded pastry with egg wash
  • Bake for 20 minutes or until the pastries look golden brown

The result was quite satisfying. I hope to try something more complex in the near future. Please let me know if you have any baking-from-scratch recipe recommendation. I’d be happy to receive more inspiration!

Have a happy Thanksgiving!

To Ro who still has to send me his no-knead bread recipe

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What’s Your Food Philosophy?

Lindsay, a good friend of mine, launched her blog this fall. A big portion of her site is dedicated to talk about food philosophy. The exploration angle makes the food conversation far more interesting and informative but never snobbish. The author realizes that everyone has their own philosophy in life that might influence their attitudes on food.

In the past, my conversations with Lindsay revolved around branding, marketing, organizational behavior, and projects. From our working collaboration we also found out that we had plenty of topics of interest in common ranging from social issues, cultures, music, pop culture, books, Seth Godin, and later on we found out…cooking! In short, my conversations with Lindsay are never boring and I am delighted to have found an interest buddy.

I am happy to invite you to visit and say hi to Lindsay at The Philosopher’s Inn. Like her point of view on cooking, I also believe that there’s so much more to it than just the act of preparing food and eating it. There’s adventure, fun, and a story. More importantly, there’s an opportunity to stay present and aware.

http://thephilosophersinn.wordpress.com/

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Seared Scallop over Basil Pesto Pasta and Roasted Artichoke

I have always loved sea scallops. But for whatever reason I would always forget to make them a regular menu in our kitchen. I am not sure why. Maybe I was still searching for the right pairing for this seafood in a dish.

Earlier this month, we “fell back” an hour to daylight savings time and were in adjustment to the early nighttime. So that Monday night I decided to distract myself from dreading about the coming of winter by making a special dinner. Somehow the thought of pan-seared scallops with basil pesto penne pasta and roasted artichoke came to mind. I enjoy all three, individually, very much and thought that the combination would make a great dish. The result did not disappoint at all. The sweet and succulent seafood is a perfect canvas for me to make a savory dish.

So here’s what I got in mind:

  • Preheat oven to 375 F
  • Create a marinate oil in a small bowl for both artichoke and scallops. Mix olive oil, minced garlic, a little salt, pepper, and cayenne powder.  Do the artichoke first.
  • Dip the canned quartered artichoke hearts (One can should be enough. I usually get rid of the water from the can and give the artichoke a quick wash. Or you can also substitute with the frozen ones), place them on an oven tray, and bake for 15-20 minutes on each side.
  • Dip 8-10 sea scallops into the marinate oil and let them sit on a plate for 15 minutes
  • Heat up a non-stick pan (medium heat)
  • Sear the scallops for about 2 minutes on each side or until both sides get those beautiful golden crust
  • Boil three handful of penne pasta. Add a pinch of salt. Let it cook for about 12 minutes, drain, and set aside.
  • Mix a handful of basil leaves, a teaspoon of pine nuts, one clove of garlic, and ½ cup of grated parmesan cheese in a food processor. Add olive oil and transfer to a serving bowl to be mixed with the penne pasta.
  • Serve (immediately) the scallops over the basil-pesto covered penne pasta and roasted artichoke

Serve 2

I think a special dinner doesn’t have to be tied to a particular occasion all the time. It also doesn’t have to be super fancy. To me, “special” means, of course, out of the ordinary but it should also be original and creative. So once in a while, try to combine food that you like (or that you’ve wanted to make for a while) and then pick a very ordinary night to have them. See if this pick-me-up trick works for you too. Have a great Monday!

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Chili-Topped Tempeh

(Inspired by Sambal Tempe Penyet)

“What is tempeh?” you might ask. Well, this high protein fermented soybean patty has made its way to one of my favorite and popular restaurants like M Henry in Chicago as part of their lunch menu. The food’s versatility and nutritional values have made tempeh possible to use as meat replacement in certain dishes, like tempeh chorizo which is delicious. I am not a vegetarian but I do appreciate food varieties. They make meal time more exciting. And it’s certainly great to see that this Indonesian origin staple food has gained popularity abroad.

Though there are many ways to enjoy tempeh, my favorite has always been this chili-topped tempeh served alongside my spinach and corn soup and white jasmine rice.

Here’s how I prepare the chili-topped tempeh:

In a food processor, chop the following items to make the topping:

  • 1 Shallot
  • 2 Garlic
  • 7-9 Thai peppers (Please adjust accordingly. Substitute with cayenne or hot finger peppers if Thai peppers are not available)
  • 1 Tomato
  • 2 Kaffir lime leaves
  • Salt

Preparing the tempeh:

  • 1 Tempeh patty (Lightlife brand is usually available at most grocery stores’ organic/vegetable section)
  • Halve lengthwise into two thinner slices and then cut the two into a total of four patties
  • Add a pinch of salt on both sides
  • Heat up vegetable oil in a frying pan (medium heat) and fry until the surface of the patties turn brown
  • Place on a plate with a couple of paper towel to remove excess oil
  • The tempeh should be firm and crunchy

Cover the crunchy tempeh with the chili. Press gently with a spoon so that the inside of the patties get coated by the chili topping too.

Enjoy!

PS: Thai peppers are normally sold at Asian grocery market. If they are not available, it’s fine to substitute with chili peppers such as cayenne and hot fingers (I’d say any peppers that are long and slim should be fine). Add red bell pepper for color.

Harini Riana2 Comments

Sharp Cheddar Baked Banana

I think most people may have strong preferences over what food to eat. They may also have some reluctance to eat certain things. For an example, a good friend of mine is not crazy about cooked onion at all. But as long as it is finely mashed with the dish, she’d be fine. Another good friend is perfectly happy not eating eggs, especially hard-boiled eggs, while one other friend is content with not eating tomatoes. In my case, I love to eat done-up bananas, but not the plain fruit. Weird, right? I see all these disinclination toward certain food as one of many commonalities my friends and I share.

One of the street food I love back home in Indonesia is Fried Banana (pisang goreng). What these street vendors do with the bananas is basically cut them up into two or four pieces, dip them in a batter made of all-purpose flour, sugar, and egg, and then…deep-fry them. It is insanely good!  I’ve made fried bananas many times and though they’re really good, I wanted to try something else.

So here’s a very simple and good baked banana recipe that I made:

  • Cut four ripe bananas in the middle and halve lengthwise. I usually try to get bananas that still have a little green color on the end of the peel. They tend to be firmer and don’t get too soft after being cooked
  • Preheat the oven to 400 F
  • Place the sliced bananas on an oven dish and bake for 12 minutes
  • Add shredded sharp cheddar on the sliced bananas right after taking them out of the oven
  • Return to bake for another one minute until the cheese is melted

My husband, Jeff, says that the contrasting tastes of the sweet banana and the savory cheddar work so well together. I think this might be our favorite dessert (or even breakfast) yet!

(For JN, thanks for the inspiration)

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Seafood and Vegetable Curry

The inspiration came from the Green Curry and the Pad Ped Fish dishes at my favorite Thai restaurant in Chicago, Ben’s Noodle and Rice. This restaurant became like a second kitchen for me when I lived in Andersonville neighborhood.  What I love about Thai curries is the combination of spices and sweetness that come from coconut milk and also the vegetables.

In this dish, my idea is to create a vegetable curry that I’d pour over a crispy and firm baked white fish. I enjoy dishes that involve seafood and vegetables. A mixture of taste, texture, and colors in one dish makes the meal all the more exciting. Another thing I like about Thai curry dishes (in restaurants in the US at least) is the presence of bell peppers and eggplant. The softness of the eggplant and the crunchy bell peppers along with their different colors make the dish far from being boring.

So here’s how I make my curry dish:

(Caveat: I eyeball everything!)

In a food processor, chop and mix the following ingredients:

  • 3 Shallots
  • 5-6 Cloves of garlic
  • 5 Long hot peppers (like cayenne)
  • 1 Red bell pepper
  • ½ Inch of ginger (or 1 teaspoon of ginger powder)

In a medium pot, add:

  • 2-3 cups of water
  • A pinch of turmeric powder and salt
  •  ½ Inch of galangal root
  • 1 Lemon grass
  • 2 Kaffir lime leaves
  • The  chopped and mixed curry ingredients
  • Stay on medium heat until it bubbles
  • Add half a can of light coconut milk (you can do the whole can if you want a thicker and richer broth) and stir to mix

Cut one big eggplant and two bell peppers into small cubes.  Place the eggplants on a plate. Heat them up in a microwave oven for two minutes. This will expedite the cooking process of the eggplant. Want to veg-it-up? Go crazy! Add carrots, broccoli, and tomatoes into the curry.

Add the vegetables into the pot and let it cook for 10-15 minutes. Remove the galangal root, lemon grass, and kaffir lime leaves before serving. Turn the heat off.

Now, let’s talk about the fish:

  • Place two or three fillets of your preferred firm white fish (like red snapper, sea bass, swai, or tilapia) on a plate
  • Drizzle with apple vinegar (or lemon juice) for aroma
  • Brush the surface lightly with vegetable oil (enough to coat the whole surface)
  • Season with ginger powder, hot pepper powder, coriander powder, and salt. Rub evenly on both sides
  • Let them sit and absorb the spices and goodness for about 10 minutes
  • Place the fillets on a baking dish (might want to spray or lightly grease the dish first). Bake in the preheated 400-450 F oven for about 15-20 minutes until the fillets are crisp and firm but flake easily when pierced with a fork. (Broil to brown both sides if necessary)

Top the fish with vegetable curry or serve separately. The dish is perfect to enjoy with …white jasmine rice, of course.

Serve 2-4

Note: This is one of my flexible dishes. I can substitute the fish with other things. Try adding shrimp or chicken fillets into vegetable curry and let them cook together. Have fun and enjoy!

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