Duck Leg Adobo – A Real Family Meal

If you’ve worked in restaurants before, you know that every night before service the staff sits down to what’s called the “family meal.” One of the younger cooks is usually charged with scraping together something filling and, more importantly, not expensive. It was during one of these meals that I first had adobo.

When I worked at the Carnelian Room in the late 80’s, much of the kitchen crew was Filipino, so chicken and pork adobo was a very common dinner. One of the dishwashers made a particularly great version, and I fell in love with the bold, simple flavors. I also remember being pretty annoyed that the dishwashers there were better cooks than I was at the time, but that’s another story.

Anyway, I happened to have some duck legs around last week, and all it took was a well-timed email wishing for adobo to inspire this video. I understand that most of you will not use duck for this, but if you do, be sure to save the fat.

Duck fat is prized by chefs, and more heart-healthy than people realize. It can be used for just about anything you’d normally fry in butter or vegetable oil. I roasted some Brussels spouts with mine, but it also will make just about the best homefries you’ve ever tasted.

Like I said in the video, no duck, no problem. If you can simmer it in a sauce, it will work in this recipe. Because of the high soy sauce content, be careful about over reducing, but other than that, not much can go wrong. This is cheap, easy, and very flavorful, which is why it makes for such a great “family meal.” Enjoy!

Ingredients for 6 duck legs:

6 duck legs (or about same amount of chicken or pork)

salt and pepper to taste

1 tbsp vegetable oil

1 tbsp reserved duck fat

1 large onion, sliced

8 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup seasoned rice vinegar (if not seasoned, use a little sugar to taste)

1/2 cup soy sauce, or to taste (this is a fairly salty dish, so if you're not into that kind of thing, add less and adjust later)

1 1/2 cups chicken broth

2 tsp sambal chili sauce, or other hot pepper sauce to taste

2-4 bay leaves

View the complete recipe

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“Ultimate” Ranch Dressing – The Ultimate “Ultimate”

After five years, and a few thousand requests, I’m finally posting my “ultimate” ranch dressing recipe. What makes it the “ultimate?” Nothing, except that’s what I’m calling it, and in the world of dips and dressings, that makes it so. By the way, ignore those other roughly 65,000 “ultimate” recipes; this one is the actual “ultimate” ranch dressing.

It’s been ages since I made homemade ranch dressing, and I’d forgotten how much better it is than the bottled stuff. Don’t get me wrong; I like high-fructose corn syrup, artificial flavorings, and preservatives as much as the next low-information voter, but this really is significantly more delicious.

As you’ll see, I used some crème fraiche (which we showed you how to make in this video), but relax, sour cream will work perfectly. However, I do believe the buttermilk is crucial. That some of my peers are calling their ranch dressings “ultimate” without using buttermilk, really makes me question their grasp of the word “ultimate.”

Anyway, hyperbole aside, this really is the best ranch dressing I’ve ever had, and I hope you give it a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for about 2 cups Ranch Dressing:

1 1/3 cup real mayonnaise

1/3 cup sour cream or crème fraiche

1/3 cup buttermilk

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon onion powder

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

pinch of cayenne

pinch of salt

1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed

1/4 teaspoon dried tarragon

2 teaspoons sliced fresh chives

1 tablespoon minced fresh Italian parsley

2 drops Worcestershire sauce

View the complete recipe

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Stuffed Acorn Squash + Wild Rice Medley

If you've never had a stuffed acorn squash, you really should give it a try. They are just so good and surprisingly filling. I love them unstuffed too with simple seasonings, but this is a tasty and satisfying meal with a good nutritional profile. I'm a big eater and one of these filled me up. Not too hard to put together either. It does take three separate cooking sections but it comes together pretty smoothly, unless your like me...the burner on the rice went out without me knowing so I had to add an additional 45 min onto my cooking time. But no harm done...there were dishes to do and cleaning around the house to keep my mind busy and off the mishap. All in all it's fairly easy, the rice and squash cook themselves, so the vegetables are the only real work which isn't much. This is also one of those recipes that can be tailored to your preference of veggies or beans. To top it all off, you just gotta love eating out of an acorn squash...it's pretty fun!

Start by slicing your acorn squash and scraping out the seeds. The seeds scrape out very easily with a sharper edged spoon. Here you can either brush your acorn squash with a little olive oil or leave it out. I go either way as I don't find it makes too much of a difference, so it just depends on how I'm feeling if I want to add extra oil to the meal. Sprinkle with fresh or dried thyme leaves and mineral salt. You can even add a few fresh thyme sprigs inside each squash, just remove before eating. Cook until fork tender.

Cook your rice and set aside. Prepare your vegetables and add in the rice once done. 

Fill your acorn squashes and serve! 

Stuffed Acorn Squash + Wild Rice Medley

Ingredients

Acorn Squash

• 3 acorn squashes, cut in half lengthwise and seeded
• 1 1/2 teaspoons thyme, divided
• sea salt

Wild Rice Medley

• 1 cup rice, dry (I used half black wild rice and half long grain brown rice)
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 small red bell pepper, diced
• 1 large shallot or small onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups mushrooms, sliced
• 2 large handfuls greens (I used a 5 oz. combo package of baby kale, baby chard and baby spinach)
• 1 can cannellini beans (15 oz), drained and rinsed
• 1 tablespoon thyme
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
• sea salt and cracked pepper to taste

sriracha or hot sauce, to taste as garnish

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a oven proof sauce pan, fill half way with water and place on the bottom rack (this will give a little steam to your squash). Cut and seed your squash, place on baking sheet with cut side up. Season each squash with about 1/4 teaspoon thyme along with a few twists of the mineral salt grinder. Bake for 40-45 minutes, until tender...knife should easily peirce the flesh.

Cook your rice according to package. Wild rice will take about the same time as the squash to cook, about 40-45 min. (Quinoa or quinoa/rice combo would be great too and add even more protein per serving.)

Once the squash and rice are cooked, set aside to cool and begin with the vegetables.

In large wok or saute pan, heat oil on medium heat. Add shallots, garlic and bell peppers, saute for about three minutes. Add mushrooms, beans, one tablespoon thyme, red pepper flakes, a few twists of salt and pepper, cook for another three minutes. Add leafy greens, stir frequently until they are wilted (you may also want to use a cover in between stirring to help soften the greens). Combine rice and sauteed vegetables in the larger of the two pots. Taste for seasoning adding additional salt and pepper as needed.

Scoop mixture into each acorn squash half and serve with any additional seasonings. I like to top mine with some sriracha for that extra heat and flavor I love so much. So very good with this meal. Serves six, or three for the hearty eaters.

Store leftovers in an air tight container in fridge for up to a week.

Enjoy!

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Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls – The Least Scary Halloween Treat, Ever!

When I was asked to join some of my fellow foodies on YouTube, to produce a video for a special seasonal playlist called “Halloween Sweet Treats,” I sat down and considered all the scary sweets recipes in my repertoire. After several minutes of deep thought, I realized I had nothing.

Not to sound like a curmudgeon, but sticking broken pretzels into a marshmallow and calling it a “scary spider,” just isn’t my thing. So, instead of trying to figure out how to make a chocolate truffle look like a bleeding eyeball, I made a batch of pumpkin cinnamon rolls. They may not be scary (what’s the opposite of scary?), but they are seasonal, and incredibly delicious.

I used to joke that when Halloween/Thanksgiving time rolls around, the only thing a chef has to do to make a recipe seasonal is to add some pumpkin to it. Chili with a spoon of pumpkin stirred in? Halloween chili! Dinner rolls with a spoon of pumpkin kneaded into the dough? Thanksgiving dinner rolls!

Well, that’s exactly what I did here, and while it may be formulaic, it also produced the best cinnamon rolls I’ve ever tasted. One key is a nice soft, sticky dough. Be sure to only add enough flour so that the dough just barely pulls away from the side of the bowl as it kneads.

You can certainly embellish by adding some chopped walnuts or pecans to the cinnamon-sugar layer, but since I decided to garnish with pumpkin seeds, I went sans nuts. Anyway, despite not being very horrifying, these really would make a special treat at any Halloween party. I hope you give these a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 16 Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls:

(I used a deep 13 x 9 baking dish)
Bake at 350 degrees F. for 30 minutes

For the dough:

1 package of dry yeast

1/4 cup very warm water (about 100-105 degrees F.)

1/2 tsp white sugar

1/2 cup pure pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)

1/4 cup heavy cream (can sub milk, but cream is better)

1 tsp fine salt

1/4 cup melted butter

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

3/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice (or 1/2 tsp ground ginger and 1/4 tsp allspice)

1 large egg

1/4 cup granulated sugar

3 to 4 cups all purpose flour (divided), as needed 
 (add enough flour to mixer so that dough just barely pulls away from sides, and a very soft, slightly sticky dough is formed)

*knead for at least 6-7 minutes

For the filling:

5 tbsp melted butter, brushed on rolled dough

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup of granulated sugar

2 tbsp ground cinnamon

*For the glaze:

1/4 cup room temperature cream cheese

1 cup powdered sugar

1/4 cup milk, or as needed

1/4 tsp vanilla extract, optional

*adjust glaze by adding more powdered sugar or milk to achieve desired consistency

1/4 cup toasted pumpkin seeds to garnish

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Saffron Potato Leek Soup with Fried Almonds

This will have you smelling the finest aromas right from the get go. Another soup that packs so much flavor with a fairly simple ingredient list. For the saffron, I buy mine from Trader Joe's for five dollars or so, it contains a good amount. I hope you will have access to this price since it can be fairly pricey in the general stores, upwards of $15 to $20. It really pairs well with all the other ingredients leaving your house smelling wonderful. I also imagine it will taste just as good without it, so feel free to be flexible and attempt this without the saffron if need be. Either way, open the windows and let the neighbors get a wiff of this aromatic soup you have going. Potato soup never tasted so good!

Ingredients

2 pounds organic yukon gold potatoes
2 leeks, sliced
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3/4 cup blanched almonds (I used slivered)
6 large garlic cloves
4 cups vegetable broth
1 pinch saffron, partially crushed
sea salt and cracked pepper to taste
2 teaspoons sherry vinegar or apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons flat leaf parsley, minced

optional add in or cook on the side: note below*
1 cup water
1/2 cup rice (I used a half black and half long grain), rinsed


Cut potatoes into irregular chunks by inserting the tip of a small, sharp knife into a potato and twisting until a 1 1/2 chunk comes out. Repeat until the entire potato is cut up, than continue with the remaining potatoes, set aside. You can also just roughly chop the potatoes into 1 1/2 inch chunks. Peeling is optional.

Heat olive oil in a heavy pot over medium heat. Add almonds and garlic, cooking and stirring until golden, 4-5 minutes. Adjust heat so oil doesn't burn. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the almonds and garlic to a bowl to cool slightly. Add the leeks and cook, stirring for one minute. Add potatoes and cook, stirring for another minute. Add vegetable broth, bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer the soup.

Meanwhile, place the almond and garlic mixture in a food processor and pulse until desired texture. I left mine fairly course. Add all but 2 tablespoons to the soup. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Steep the saffron in a few tablespoons of the soup broth for 2 minutes, then add it to the soup. Simmer the soup, partially covered, about 40-45 minutes. Add a little more water or broth if the soup seems to thick.

When ready to serve, check the texture of the soup. If you'd like it creamier, break up some of the potatoes with a sturdy spoon. Add the vinegar to the reserved ground almond mixture and stir in into the soup. Add the parsley and cook for a minute. Taste for seasonings, adding a little more vinegar if necessary. Serve with dense whole grain or artisan bread.

*The rice was an afterthought and cooked separately. You may cook it on the side or try to incorporate it into the recipe after bringing the soup to a boil. Just add an additional 1 cup water to the recipe when adding the broth, once brought to a boil, add rice and continue with recipe. It does add a bit more protein along with the almonds to this meal, so you may consider using it. It also makes it a bit more hearty, filling and just plain good. :)

Enjoy!

Adapted from Food 52 Anya von Bremzen's Potato Soup with Fried Almonds....their recipe has a very nice tutorial if needed. 

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Mashed Chickpea Salad

Since I eat this salad all the time, I figured it was time to post it here. This is one of my favorite to go lunches lately. It reminds me of a potato or egg salad. I typically serve this on a bed of chopped romaine or sometimes arugula. I'll add sliced tomatoes and cilantro along the side and top with salt, cracked pepper and paprika along with a squeeze of lemon. This will be what I graze on for most of the day. It's completely satisfying and tastes great while giving me more than half of my required protein and fiber for the day! You could also serve this alone or pair it with some plain, or toasted, bread to make a great sandwich like this one, Mashed Chickpea Salad Sandwich. You could add in all kinds of other ingredients to this salad like olives, capers, sweet pickle relish, etc...let your imagination be your guide. 

Cheers to a good nutrient dense meal with lots of flavor. :)

Mashed Chickpea Salad

Ingredients

• 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed
• 1/2 cup celery, sliced 
• 1/2 cup carrots, diced
• 1/4 - 1/3 cup scallions, sliced 
• 1/4 cup or so hummus or tahini (any vegan mayo works too)*
• 1 - 2 tablespoons mustard (stoneground or dijon)
• sea salt & cracked pepper, to taste
• dash of garlic powder
• juice of 1 lemon, optional
• small handful pepitos, optional
• paprika/smoked paprika, garnish

Drain and rinse your chickpeas, place in medium size bowl and roughly mash with a fork, potato masher or pastry blender. Add the remaining ingredients and combine. Add more hummus if you like it creamier and taste for seasoning. Serve however you like.

Store leftovers in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to a week.

*If you find your hummus is a bit thick, thin it out with a tablespoon or two of water. This will make for a perfect consistency to use as a binder without being overly thick and/or drying as well. 

Enjoy!

Here are two hummus recipes you may like to try, they both work great with this recipe...

Simple White Bean Hummus

& 

Favorite Hummus 

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And the Winner Isn’t….Pumpkin Roll!

I’m going to be posting a seasonal pumpkin recipe on Friday, and let me tell you, it wasn’t easy deciding on which food wish to do. I get tons of pumpkin requests this time of year, and while I’m not going to spoil the surprise, I can tell you that the venerable pumpkin roll didn’t make the cut. Maybe next year I’ll do my take, but in the meantime, here’s a video from my friends at Allrecipes.com, featuring one of their highest-rated versions. Enjoy!

Click here to get the ingredients and to read the written recipe!

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Brussels Sprouts with Warm Bacon Dressing and the Holiday Side Dish Dilemma

As I enjoyed this very tasty Brussels sprouts with warm bacon dressing recipe, I was reminded Thanksgiving side dish decision time is rapidly approaching. It’s that annual dilemma where we’re forced to choose five or six recipes among hundreds of potentially awesome options.

What makes this decision so tough is that you want things that are traditional and comforting, but at the same time, want to keep the menu fresh and interesting. You love those buttery mashed potatoes, and yet you’ve wanted to make twice-baked potatoes for years. You always make Grandma’s chestnut stuffing, but that spicy cornbread version you saw on Pinterest sure looks amazing. What do you do?

Do what I do; keep the starchy cornerstones classic, and switch up the vegetable sides instead. Go ahead and do your favorite and familiar potato, stuffing, and gravy recipe; but when it comes to tired old dishes like green bean casserole, or peas and carrots, let your freak flag fly.

As long as you have a few comfort food favorites around, people will forgive a little experimentation, and this creative, un-cooked Brussels sprouts recipe would fit the bill. I love the contrast between the raw, crunchy vegetable and the rich, smoky, sweet and sour dressing. This would do any turkey proud.

While I decided to go raw this time, you can certainly turn this into a hot side by giving it a quick, stir-fry in a large skillet. Just a minute or two, until it starts to wilt, and you’re good to go. Anyway, I’m not sure if I made your side dish selection simpler or more complicated by showing you this new and exciting offering, but I’m sure you’ll figure it out. You always do. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 4-6 servings:
1 1/4 pound Brussels sprouts (will make about 1 lb. trimmed and sliced)

1 tbsp vegetable oil

4 oz bacon, sliced

2 tbsp brown sugar

1/3 cup cider vinegar

1 lemon juiced

salt and pepper to taste

pinch of cayenne

View the complete recipe

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Simple Lasagne & Asparagus

 If you love lasagne than you'll love this. It tastes just like the lasagne I grew up with, not with the asparagus (that's a new twist) but the cashew ricotta cheese is just amazingly like the days of old. I can't believe it's made from cashews and has that same texture and taste as traditional ricotta. I call it serendipity! I just love a good find, especially when it's one of those comfort foods I love so much every now and then. This is an outstanding replication. This also passed the picky eater test...my daughter has approved it. This is another super easy meal to put together, nothing complicated here. Add whatever veggies you like to this. I pretty much stayed in line with the original recipe and it was nothing short of fantastic. I love the bean idea, it adds some extra protein. This will be a family favorite for sure! This comes from Hipster Food...they have a nice tutorial on this recipe if you need...

Ingredients

• 1 jar (28oz) organic pasta sauce (I used a simple marinara)
• 1 can (15oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 recipe cashew ricotta cheese (2 to 3 cups if not using this recipe)
• 1 bunch asparagus
• 10 or so strips of lasagne, adjust to your needs

Make your cashew cheese ahead of time and keep in the fridge. I'm sure if your in a pinch you could just as easily prepare it right along with everything else. Although I haven't tried that yet myself with this recipe, I have successfully done it with a few other's of mine.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Cook your noodles, al dente, and set aside. Start layering with pasta sauce first, then noodles, cheese, beans, noodles, sauce, cheese, beans, noodles, sauce and whatever cheese is left you can smear on top with the sauce. Top with asparagus, coating them lightly with some extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Top with a few twists of sea salt and cracked pepper. 

Bake for approx 20-25 minutes until asparagus is slightly tender. Serve with crispy bread.

If you manage to have any leftovers, store in airtight container in refrigerator for up to a week.

fyi: my heart shaped dish is appx to an 8x8 dish...recipe reflects this size.

This is a keeper...enjoy!

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Cashew Ricotta Cheese

As vegans and those eating a plant based diet, you will be glad to have this cashew ricotta cheese in your culinary library. This is so easy to put together and tastes fantastic! I made a Simple Lasagne and couldn't tell the difference...it tasted just like the ricotta I was accustomed to for many years. This is soy free for those limiting their soy intake. It's a simple recipe with lots of possibilities. Add your own flair to this basic cheese by adding herbs and spices if you like. Or add in some sun-dried tomatoes for a sweet tomato cheese. Use this ricotta in lasagne, stuffed pasta shells, as a topper for crackers or as a spread for sandwiches. I've even used it in a Persimmon Ricotta Scone recipe that came out wonderful (I omitted the pepper, onion powder and garlic for the recipe). You can use this with a few adjustments for any recipe that calls for ricotta. The ingredients are very common making this a great basic recipe for anyone starting out experimenting with nut cheeses. Make yourself some fresh cashew cheese...taste and feel the difference compared to processed cheese products. You will not be disappointed!

Cashew Ricotta Cheese

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cup raw cashews, soaked
• 1/2 cup water
• juice of 1 large lemon or 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast*
• 1 garlic clove
• dash of onion powder
• himalayan sea salt & cracked pepper, to taste

Soak the cashews for at least two hours in a bowl of water, covering the cashews about an inch of water as they will puff up a bit.

Drain cashews and place all remaining ingredients into a blender or food processor, blend scraping down sides as needed until creamy. Taste for flavors adding any additional ingredients. Some like a salty ricotta so feel free to add as much salt as you want.

Store in refrigerator in an air tight container for an hour or two, this will stiffen the mixture a bit. You can also just prepare your dish with it straight away without refrigeration if needed.

Makes appx. 2 cups. Stores in refrigerator for up to a week.

*You could do just as well without the nutritional yeast if you don't have it. I only added a small amount, probably pretty unnoticeable. I will be trying more next time to play around with it a bit. If you do add it, it will add a bit more cheesy flavor and some good nutritional value.

Note: If you have trouble with the mixture blending on it's own try this, or add extra water...

I find that the mixture will go to the sides and not incorporate itself, maybe my blender is not that powerful. A trick I use while blending is to use a rubber spatula, with the lid off, I will scrap down ever so gently and tightly against the wall of the blender to help push the cashew mixture into itself so it keeps moving. It can be tricky, you don't want to put the spatula too far in or the blades will hit it...only scrap down enough to help keep the flow going, you don't have to go all the way down. I will do this around the wall of the blender until it either moves on it's own or it's to my desired consistency. Be patient when doing this so you don't lose your spatula in the blender.

Very good...

Enjoy!

Adapted from Hipster Food Make Your Own Cashew Cheese

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Columbus Discovers New Sport – Competitive Salami Sandwich Making

I don’t do a lot of sandwich recipes here on Food Wishes, mostly because, well, they’re sandwiches, but today I’m making an exception. On Thursday, I participated in a sandwich making contest sponsored by Columbus Salumeria, and I wanted to share what turned out to be the winning concoction.

Columbus sponsored the #TopWichSF event to promote their new line of Farm to Fork Naturals, and things got off to a appetizing start as Sean Timberlake, from Punk Domestics and Hedonia, treated us to an array of small bites he created using these great new products. 

Photo courtesy of Columbus Salame

I really loved his wonderful Waldorf-filled endive topped with strips of oven-crisped salami. With entertaining season right around the corner, I highly recommend you add this to your repertoire.

I was grateful for the energy and inspiration the tasty bites provided, as I was up against two very worthy opponents in Michael Procopio from Food for the Thoughtless, and Lynda Balslev from TasteFood. 

The competition was held at the Hotel Vitale, and started with a romantic pedicab ride to the Ferry Building across the street. We were given 10 minutes and $10 to buy any additional ingredients we wanted to accessorize our sandwiches with.

My idea was to do a smoked turkey and teleme sandwich, topped with some kind of meat relish made with soppressata and fruit. I ended up finding some beautiful pluots, and used the rest of my cash to get a small bag of pine nuts. They were raw, but I figured I could toast them on the panini press, which I knew was hot and waiting. I was gifted a few grapes which while delicious, played no part in my creation.

We had just 20 minutes to build our sandwiches, while a distinguished panel of five judges looked on. I was a little nervous to begin with, and knowing there were representatives from YumSugar, Chow, SFWeekly, and Tasting Table there, only added to it. The time went by incredibly fast, which made my fellow competitors' work that much more impressive.

Getting ready to bone marrow the bread.
Photo courtesy of Sean Timberlake

Michael bought some bone marrow butter and used it to toast a turkey, soppressata and apple panini. A brilliant idea, and had time allowed for a longer, deeper caramelization, it would have crushed my non-beef-fat-fried offering.

Photo courtesy of Columbus Salame

Lynda did a fennel salami, fig, and goat cheese sandwich, which she topped with apple slaw, shaved fennel, and her secret ingredient, fennel pollen. It was a classic combination of flavors, and a great way to show off the Columbus salami. By the way, check out Lynda’s great recap of the event, where you can see and read more about her beautiful sandwich. 

Despite their worthy efforts, the judges awarded my rustic-looking sandwich the grand prize. I received a dangerously large basket of salami and other gourmet goodies, as well as $500 cash! 

I figured that a two-year’s supply of salami was enough of a prize, so I’m having them donate the money to the SF Food Bank. I would have just spent the money on more salami anyway. 

A huge thank you to Columbus for inviting me to participate. They have a bunch of great photos on their Facebook page in case you want to check out some more of the action. Also, a sincere thanks to Michael and Lynda for helping make the event such a fun experience. Enjoy!

Photo courtesy of YumSugar

Smoked Turkey & Teleme Sandwich with Pluot, Sopressata, & Pine Nut Relish

Ingredients for 4 Sandwiches:

For the relish:

8 oz Columbus Sopressata, diced

1 cup pluot, diced

1/4 cup toasted pinenuts

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

2 basil leaves, chopped

salt and pepper to taste

The rest:

1 tbsp Harissa or other hot chili pepper paste

6 tbsp mayonnaise

8 slices bread or 4 rolls

4 oz room temp teleme cheese

8 oz Columbus Smoked Turkey

Mix relish ingredients and let sit in fridge for 1 hour to develop flavors. Mix the harissa and mayonnaise; spread on bread. Spread both sides of bread with teleme cheese and top with turkey. Top with relish, and serve immediately, or wrap and press with a plate in the fridge for 30 minutes to compress.

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“BBQ” Broiled Red Snapper – This One’s For the Haters

There’s a fairly large population of folks who just don’t like fish. I’m not talking about people with allergies, but those poor souls who’s worst nightmare is arriving at a dinner party, only to find out the main course is fish. Their reasons are as diverse as they are unfortunate.

Well, this broiled red snapper recipe may be just what the doctor ordered. Normally we don’t want to cover up the delicate flavors of the seafood, but in this case, we have no choice. It’s not like you can’t tell you’re eating fish, but close enough.

By the way, the last time I made red snapper, a few people wondered out loud if that was a wise choice, sustainability-wise. I believe the variety I used was local and not in danger, but I know it’s on some no-eat lists. However, things may be looking up for red snapper in the Gulf.

I just read that there appears to be an abundant red snapper population there, and fishermen are anxiously waiting for the bureaucratic powers that be to raise the limits. You can read more about that here. Of course, this will work with any white fish, so I hope you give it a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

2 (7-oz) red snapper filets

2 tbsp mayonnaise

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 tbsp bbq sauce

salt and cayenne pepper to taste 

View the complete recipe

Bonus Red Snapper Info

I have no way to verify whether this info is accurate, but I found it compelling and wanted to share. 

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Rosemary Almond Crackers

These are great little crackers. Gluten free, grain free and full of goodness. Almonds are alkaline and are very low in cholesterol and sodium. They're also a good source of riboflavin, magnesium and manganese, and a very good source of Vitamin E. These crackers are simple to make with a minimal ingredient list. You can add whatever herbs or spices you might like. I just really love rosemary and it fits well in this cracker. Caraway seeds would be great too. Eat them alone, pair them with some hummus for a nice light healthy snack or along with some grapes or fresh fruit of choice. Almonds are an alkaline food and carry good nutrition for a healthy mind, body and soul. Have a go at these little crackers, I think you will enjoy them...

Rosemary Almond Crackers

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons flaxseed meal 
• 4 tablespoons water
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 cup almond flour or almond meal, packed
• 1 tablespoon fresh or dried rosemary or choice of herbs, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, optional
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Combine flaxseed meal with 4 tablespoons water and olive oil. Place in fridge for at least 10 min, or until the mixture is gooey, this is the binder for the mixture. 

You can buy almond flour or make it close enough at home like I did. In blender/food processor, grind 1 and 1/4 cup almonds into a fine powder or meal type consistency...doesn't have to be perfect but the finer the better.

Place all ingredients in medium size bowl and mix together well. Shape into a ball and place on a flat surface lined with parchment paper. Either roll to flatten or cover with another piece of parchment paper and press down with your hand, then roll with rolling pin flattening to about 1/8 inch or so. The thinner the better (even mine could have been thinner, take up the whole area spreading to the edges, the thinner they are the crispier they'll be). Remove top layer of paper, if using. Using a pizza cutter, or knife, cut squares or diagonals into whatever size you like. Top with a little sea salt.

Carefully slide and transfer prepared crackers along with the paper it lays on to a cookie sheet, bake for 20-25 minutes. After the first 10 minutes of baking, set timer every five minutes so you can keep an eye on them, removing the ones around the edges that are done. They will ever so slightly darken and turn golden, you don't want it too dark or it will have a burnt flavor. When done, let cool. Use your pizza cutter, or knife, and run through your lines once more to separate completely. Let set out for a few hours before storing, if they weren't rolled thin enough they may become more of a biscut style cracker if stored away to quickly...this will allow them to be completely air dried before storing. I keep mine in a large glass ball jar in the pantry or on the counter. 

Enjoy!

Here's a batch I just made using caraway seeds, no sesame seeds in this one. I rolled them a bit thinner this time giving them a bit more of a crunch. The caraway seeds are really great in this...right up there with the rosemary. These crackers pair so well with hummus. And some fresh fruit with this is an added bonus. These are super to make for parties or just to have around the house for a healthy snack for you and your family. Try it with this hummus.

Delicious!

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Gluten-Free Pumpkin Donuts

Tender and light, gluten-free pumpkin donuts, darling.

Pumpkin Crazy

You might think I'm on a pumpkin bender, glancing through recent recipes here on Gluten-Free Goddess®. And you'd be right. I do this. Every October. I go on one long, crazy, pumpkin love affair. I am head-over-heels nuts about it. Because pumpkin is magic. In fact, if pumpkin was in a fairy tale, it would be the Fairy Godmother- not the humble buggy. It makes gluten-free baking transform, you see, as if touched by a star-tipped sparkling wand.

That's why I knew I had to tackle pumpkin donuts. Because donuts can be tough to replicate gluten-free. But I knew pumpkin would bring me luck, and sprinkle good fortune on my baking endeavors today. So, yes. I am pumpkin crazy. Crazy in love.

And you know what?

If pumpkin be the food of love, play on.

Read more + get the recipe >>

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Mixed Nuts

With the holiday entertaining season getting closer with each falling leaf, it’s time to start thinking about those easy, yet still kind of fancy, snack recipes. These sweet, salty, spicy, party nuts are simple to make, and will rival those expensive blends at the local Foodies-R-Us.

I find this technique much easier than the stovetop pan method. You’ll get beautiful, perfectly frosted nuts that are roasted evenly, with no bitter burned spots. Speaking of which, I played it pretty safe with the cooking times, so you may be able to go a few minutes longer for a deeper roast, but, don’t get greedy.

By the way, I always upload these videos to YouTube before I publish the blog post, and I just finished reading the first few comments. Wow, they sure have some wild imaginations over there! They claim the video is loaded with innuendos and lowbrow, double entendre-based humor. How dare they! They’re LOL’ing, ROFL’ing, and LMFAO’ing all over perfectly innocent recipe directions. It’s nuts.

Anyway, I hope you give these delicious, candied mixed nuts a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 4 cups of nuts:

1 cup raw walnut halves

1 cup raw pecan halves

1 cup unsalted, dry roasted almonds

1 cup unsalted, dry roasted cashews

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1/4 tsp cumin

1/4 tsp cayenne

*For the syrup:

1 or 2 tbsp butter

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup water

*Heat to a boil, cook one minute, and pour over nuts!

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Curry Lentil & Greens Soup

Soup season is underway. Still a little warm here but the sun is going down early making for cooler nights. This is a most delicious and nutritious meal on these cool nights, great for afternoons too. Use whatever greens you like...spinach, rainbow chard...I had kale on hand for this round. Easy one pot dish ready in about an hour from start to finish. Will definitely be having this again....very flavorful with a hint of spiciness. Simply a lovely hearty soup for everyone to enjoy!

Curry Lentil & Greens Soup

Ingredients

• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 2 carrots, diced
• 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon red curry paste or tomato paste
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoon curry powder
• 1 tablespoon cumin 
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 4-5 organic roma tomatoes, diced...or 1 can (15 oz) diced tomatoes with juice
• 3 bay leafs
• 1 cup uncooked lentils* 
• sea salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 2 cups water 
• 3 potatoes, diced 
• 1 bunch or package greens (I used kale)

*I used a combo of approx. 1/3 cup each red & green lentils along with 1/3 cup black rice I had on hand. 

In large stock pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add carrots, celery and onions with some salt and pepper to release the liquids from the vegetables. After cooking 5-7 minutes, add the curry/tomato paste, garlic and stir to combine cooking for 3 minutes. Add the curry, cumin and red pepper mixing to combine, cook for 3 more minutes. Add tomatoes with juice, bay leaves, salt and pepper stirring to combine. Bring to a simmer than add lentils. Stir cooking for 3 minutes.

Add veggie broth, water and potatoes, turn heat to medium high, bring to boil. Lower heat, cover and simmer for 30 min. Add the greens and keep heated until they soften and wilt. Serve with crusty bread.

Enjoy!

Adapted from E.A.T. Broccoli Raab Green Curry Lentil Soup

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Lamb Merguez Patties – If the Sausage is Moroccan, Your Burger Will Be Rockin'

After using Merguez sausage in this beautiful stuffed acorn squash recipe last year, I got a bunch of emails saying, “I can’t find that anywhere! Can you show us how to make it?!” I generally ignore those, since it’s usually just people not looking hard enough (I’m looking at you, Mr. “I can’t find Panko”).

However, in this case, I realized that Merguez is not commonly stocked at the grocery store, so I decided to come up with an easy home version. I didn’t bother with the casing, as these were originally going to be breakfast patties, but as I mention in the video, I was seduced by a brioche roll, and ended up going full burger. Happily, it made for a very memorable lunch.

If you do happen to give this Merguez recipe a try, I hope you make a double batch and not only experience the amazing burger it produces, but also use it in/on a number of things. It is wonderful in beans, frittatas, pastas, soups, and especially crumbled on pizza or flatbread. I really hope you give it a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for Four (4 oz) Patties:

1 pound ground lamb (rec., 85% lean, 15% fat)

1 tsp salt

1 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp coriander

1/4 tsp fennel seed
1/4 tsp turmeric

3 cloves garlic

2 tbsp Harissa (a spice red pepper paste), we did a version here. I didn’t add cayenne since my Harissa was very spicy, but feel free.

1 tbsp tomato paste

*Note: To check seasoning, fry a small piece and check for salt and heat.

View the complete recipe

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