August 30th, 2010
I have already written the other day how all my figs were ripening at once. You can’t keep up with them. I decided to invent the following recipe. I thought the pork loins came out great but do not do justice in the picture. The taste was sweet and tangy at the same time.
Pork Loin with Fresh Figs
1 package pork tenderloins (2 in a package)
Rub:
2 garlic cloves, pressed
1 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. Mrs. Dash onion and herb
1 tsp. Mrs. Dash Italian Medley
2 tablespoons or a bit more of olive oil
juice of one lime
Prick the pork loins and rub the seasonings all over. Place in refrigerator at least 1 hour but the longer you let it marinate the better.
Brown pork loins on a skillet on all sides and while doing so then prepare the rest.
7 figs, chopped
10 shallots, chopped
1/4 cup of caper berries, stems off and cut in 1/2
1/4 cup of White Balsamic Fig Infused Vinegar. I used Alessi and you can get it in the vinegar section of a good supermarket.
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup of Chutney. I used Crossed & Blackwell (any chutney)
1/2 teaspoon pepper
salt, optional
1 tblespoon chopped cilantro, optional
Take about 1/4 cup of the chopped figs, the vinegar, oil and chutney and process in the blender. After blending then set aside.
Line a cookie sheet with heavy foil, enough of it that you will be able to make a canopy over the pork loins.
After browning the pork loins place on the cookie sheet and arrange with the rest of the figs, shallots, caper berries, salt and pepper. Drizzle some or all of the blended figs/vinegar/chutney and sprinkle with cilantro, if so desired.
Bake at about 45 minutes to 1 hour in a pre-heated 350 degree oven.
Slice thin and make sure you put a couple of spoonfuls of the vegetables and juice on the sliced pork.
Serves 6.
Please note that I really do not use salt in my food so that’s why the Mrs. Dash is mentioned in the recipe. Fresh herbs and anything else you would like, would do just fine. I was just experimenting to see how the figs would do with the pork.
I decided that a Plantain Mash (Mofongo) would be good with it. The problem was that I had never made Mofongo. I decided to use my mortar and pestle. I would have to agree that if you do not have one, it would be hard to do in a bowl, not impossible, but hard.
The other problem I encountered with the mofongo recipe was that I thought it was a little dry. I need to experiment and see what else I can do to make it just right. Maybe someone from the Dominican Republic will give me a hint.
Plantain Mash (Mofongo)
3 green plantains
1 quart or 4 cups of water
1 tablespoon salt (optional) I put a tiny bit of salt.
2 large garlic cloves, peeled
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 lb. of pork crackling (Are you crazy? I don’t have that here. I used bacon.)
vegetable oil for frying
Best way to peel the plantains is cut the 2 ends and put in microwave, one at a time for 1 minute. Cut with knife lenthwise and peel.
Cut into 1 inch diagonal slices and soak for 15 mintues in salted water. Drain well.
Heat oil to boiling point and add the plantain slices. Fry for about 15 minutes or until golden but not browned. Drain on paper towels and reserve.
In a mortar (or heavy bowl), crush cloves well, add olive oil and mix. Remove from the mortar or bowl and reserve.
Crush in the mortar part of the fried plantain slices together with part of the bacon. Add some of the mixture of crushed garlic and olive oil and mix thoroughly. It is tricky, believe me.
You are supposed to shape into balls. I just let the shape of the mortar do it and turned it over. It was good, just a little dry; great taste, though.
Make them your own, that’s the pleasure of cooking!!
 My serving of Pork with Fresh Figs and a Plantain Mash (Mofongo)
P.S. “There is no love sincerer than the love of food.” george bernard shaw
Talk to you later….
August 26th, 2010
I remember the first time I tasted a fresh fig. Well, there is nothing better. Fig Newtons? No way, not even close. I instantly became a fan.
Purplish brown, greenish yellow, and deep burgundy; the colors that are so characteristic of fresh figs.
 My Fig Tree Their season? August through early Fall. If you have a fig tree like I do and all of a sudden there are so many of them ripening at the same time, then be sure to keep them in the refrigerator because they can spoil quickly.
There are so many recipes. I love just eating them off the tree. Added to salads, broiled with feta or mascarpone cheese on top, muffins, sauces, in ice cream, the possibilities are endless.
The following recipes are easy and delicious.
Fig Muffins
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsps. baking powder
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 cup milk, divided
1 cup chopped fresh figs, divided
1/2 cup chopped pecans
Take 1/4 cup of the milk and 1/4 cup of the figs and blend together in the blender. It will be used when ingredients need to be added to the muffin mix.
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition
Combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and cloves; add to creamed mixture alternately with milk, stirring just until moistened.
Stir in the blended fig mixture, pecans and chopped figs.
Spoon muffin batter into greased and floured muffin pans, filling three quarters full.
Bake 18 minutes if you are using the mini-muffins or for 20 minutes for regular muffins.
They are best served warm. It will yield 40 mini-muffins or 20 regular muffins.
A Fig Cobbler
5 cups fresh figs, halved
2 tsps. lemon juice
3/4 cup sugar
3 tblsps. all purpose flour
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
Cheddar pastry
Arrange figs evenly in a lightly greased 10 x 6 x 2 inch baking dish
Sprinkle with lemon juice
Combine sugar, flour, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Stir well, and sprinkle over figs.
Dot with butter.
Roll Cheddar Pastry out to 1/8 inch thickness on a lightly floured surface; cut into 10 x 1/2 inch strips.
Arrange in lattice fashion over the figs.
Trim edges.
Bake at 350 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes.
Cheddar Pastry:
1 cup all purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup shortening
1/4 cup or 1 ounce shredded Cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons of cold water
Combine flour and salt; cut in shortening with pastry blender or fork until mixture resembles coarse meal.
Stir in cheese.
Sprinkle cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, evenly on top.
Stir with a fork until dry ingredients are moistened.
Shape dough into a ball until ready to use.
Enjoy it and make it your own. Reduce sugar, if you want or use different flours for baking if you have a gluten allergy. Eliminate the nuts if you have that allergy, as well.
Talk to you later….
August 16th, 2010
 Al Fresco I was taking, Addy, my dog, for a walk early this morning. It was humid. So much more than yesterday and I started to wonder what would I want for dinner tonight. I have not had anything for breakfast yet, and already dinner was on my mind.
I think dinner is my favorite time of the evening. Having it al fresco makes it even better.
The following 3 recipes would be perfect for a day like today. They are easy too.
Flank Steak Wrap
1 beef flank steak – 1 to 1-1/2 lbs.
4 cups pre-cut coleslaw mix
1 cup chopped green onions
salt and pepper to taste
8 medium flour tortillas
1/2 cup honey roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped
Dressing:
1 cup rice vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons sesame oil
For the dressing, just combine the rice vinegar, honey and sesame oil in a jar and shake vigorously.
Place beef steak and half of the dressing in a plastic bag. Close bag securely and marinate in refrigerator for 1/2 hour.
Pour other half of dressing in a large bowl and toss with coleslaw, green onions, salt and pepper.
Place steak on grill over medium coals and cook 17 to 21 minutes for medium rare to medium doneness. Let it rest on a cutting board for a few minutes and sprinkle with salt (optional) and pepper. Slice into thin strips on the diagonal.
Warm tortillas 10 to 15 seconds in the microwave.
To assemble: Place beef slices, some coleslaw mix and peanuts on a tortilla and roll tortilla. Garnish with green onions and peanuts.
Note: Allergies? To make it gluten free, then you will need to find corn tortillas and read the ingredients on the peanuts. Peanuts are usually dusted with wheat. Crazy, isn’t it? Peanut allergy? Then you know what you need to do. But maybe you can give it a little “cha-cha” by adding chopped jalapenos instead of peanuts.
Raspberry-Lime Agua Fresca (Non-alcoholic)
If you like raspberries, then you will probably like this refreshing drink; definitely, better than soda.
3 cups or a 12 ounce bag of frozen raspberries
1/2 cup sugar (you may use sugar substitute, please adjust)
1/2 cup lime juice
ice cubes
fresh mint sprigs
lime wedges
Place raspberries, sugar and lime juice in a blender along with 2 cups of cold water. Puree, and then pour the mixture into a large pitcher.
Sir in 6 cups of cold water. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 2 hours.
Stir well before serving. Pour the agua fresca over ice and garnish with mint sprigs and a lime wedge.
Note: If you would like to spike it, then white rum or tequila would be the liquor to add.
White Sangria
There is nothing better than a good Sangria on a hot summer day. I will admit that my favorite is the traditional red one but it also good to alternate and serve a white one on a warm day.
1 green apple, cored and cut into 1 inch chunks
5 strawberries, hulled and thinly sliced
1/2 cup canned pineapple chunks with 1/2 cup juice
2 limes, thinly sliced
one 750 ml. bottle of white wine
1/4 cup triple sec
1 cup orange juice (4 oranges)
1/2 cup lemonade
ice cubes
Combine all ingredients except the ice cubes in a large pitcher and chill for at least 2 hours or up to 2 days. Serve the white sangria in glasses filled with ice, being sure to include a selection of the fruit in each glass.
Makes about 8 cups. Can easily be doubled.
Enjoy it and make it your own!!!
Talk to you later…you know I will…
August 8th, 2010
Salads are perfect for this time of the year. I think this one is a winner but I do love Feta cheese, so maybe that’s why.
Summer Feta Salad
1 head romain lettuce, torn
1 large bunch parsley, stems removed
1 cucumber, sliced
1 (4.5 ounce) can pitted black olives, drained
1 tomato, quartered
4 ounces feta cheese
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1/8 cup lemon juice
pepper to taste
Toss together lettuce, parsley, cucumber, olives and tomatoes. Crumble feta cheese and add to lettuce; set aside.
Mix olive oil, vinegar and lemon juice together; toss, to taste, with the salad. You might not want to use it all, but I usually do.
Add fresh ground pepper to season and serve.
Serves 4.
As usual, with any recipe, just make it your own and enjoy….talk to you later…
August 5th, 2010
This is one of those recipes that is perfect for this time of the year. Dining al fresco? You bet. Just add a green salad, a glass of wine, atmosphere, a couple of friends and you have a winner.
Shrimp & Pasta Salad
1 lb. macaroni, cooked, drained and cooled
1 lb. medium shrimp, cooked and peeled
4 hard boiled eggs, chopped
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup pitted black olives, sliced or chopped
Dressing
1 cup mayonnaise – regular or low fat
1/2 cup chopped dill pickle
1 tsp. lemon juice
2 tsps. Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
2 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 cup ketchup
hot sauce – to taste
In a large bowl, combine first 6 ingredients. Mix well.
In another bowl, mix dressing ingredients. Pour over macaroni mixture, stir well and chill for several hours before serving.
Too easy right? It serves 8.
Note: This recipe can easily be adapted to be gluten free. Just replace the macaroni for gluten free ones and Emeril’s mustard is also gluten free.
Enjoy it and make it your own!!
Talk to you later…
July 29th, 2010
I love buying cookbooks. I read them like novels. And, I don’t discriminate; neighborhood cookbooks, different cuisines, fundraising and school ones.
The last time I was in Boulder I bought a couple of them. They looked easy and a little innovative.
One of them is called Amor y Tacos. In it the recipes are modern Mexican tacos, Margaritas and appetizers. The author? Deborah Schneider.
She combines the recipes of taqueros in roadside stalls in Baja with the ones in Tijuana.
My son decided yesterday, after I had cleaned the kitchen that he wanted to make some tacos. With this book in hand he decided on the Lemon-Garlic Chicken Taco with Mezcal.
The sauce in this recipe is spicy-lemon garlic flavor; almost like a variation of a Caribbean mojo sauce. The meat is to be tossed with all the great flavors of the marinade after it is cooked and not before.
Lemon-Garlic Chicken Taco with Mezcal
4 large boneless chicken thighs, with skin on
1 tsp. olive oil
Kosher salt
1 large clove garlic, peeled and finely minced
1 small serrano chile, minced
Fresh-ground black pepper
1/2 lemon
1/2 lime
1 1/2 tsp. mezcal or blanco tequila
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
12 (4″) corn tortillas, warmed
Shredded lettuce
1 avocado, diced, sprinkled with a little salt
Pre-heat pan over medium heat. Toss the chicken thighs with the oil.
Starting with the skin side down, cook the thighs until the skin is very crisp. Turn and cook them until done.
Sprinkle the crisp with a little salt. (The chicken may be roasted, if you want, skin side up and uncovered, in a 375 degree oven until well done and golden crisp.)
When the chicken is cooked, slice it thinly or dice it. Place it in a bowl and toss it with the garlic and serrano chile, 1/2 tsp. salt, and a couple grinds of fresh pepper.
Squeeze the lime and lemon juice directly over the chicken, add the mezcal (or tequila), and stir in the cilantro.
Serve wrapped in the warm tortillas with lettuce and avocado.
Note: If you cannot find serrano chiles just substitute with a jalapeno, just like he did.
This recipe turned out delicious; it is spicy but the combination is great.
Note: Mezcal is made from agave throughout Mexico. The best ones taste strongly of alcohol.
I love enjoy seeing my children cook. Talk to you later….
Have a great day!!
July 15th, 2010
I have to give credit for this great recipe to Ina Garten, the Barefoot Contessa. The recipe is so easy and perfect for company, as well.
When I say “make it your own”, I do mean it. I usually change the recipes around. Sometimes to fit dietary needs in my family.
I have made this recipe gluten free, as well.
The original recipe called for linguine. The first thing I did was to used gluten free pasta. I also mixed a regular rice spaghetti and a spinach fettuccine. I wanted more color.
Then I changed the size of the shrimp. I thought the medium shrimp would work better than the large ones. I think it did.
So, here it goes.
Pasta with Shrimp Scampi
Vegetable oil
Kosher salt
1 1/2 lbs pasta (spinach fettucchine and rice spaghetti)
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter
5 tablespoons of good olive oil
1 tablespoon of minced garlic (3 cloves), optional
1 1/2 lbs. medium shrimp, the easy peel
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
Grated zest of 1 lemon
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (4 lemons) (This makes the recipe.)
1/2 lemon, thinly sliced in half-rounds
1/4 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
Drizzle some oil in a large pot of boiling water, add 1 tablespoon of salt and the pasta, and cook for 7 to 10 minutes, or according to package directions.
In another large, heavy-bottomed pan, melt the butter and olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the garlic. Saute for 1 minute. Be careful, the garlic will burn easily and that would not be a good thing.
Add shrimp, 1 tsp. of salt (optional), and the pepper and saute until the shrimp have just turned pink. It will probably take 5 minutes or so, stirring often.
Remove from the heat, add the parsley, lemon zest, lemon juice, lemon slices, and red pepper flakes. Toss to combine.
When the pasta is done, drain it and then put it back in the pot.
Immediately add the shrimp and sauce, toss well, and serve.
Add a salad and your meal is ready!! Enjoy…
Talk to you later…
July 7th, 2010
It is so funny that it is so late at night and I am writing about Flan. I came late from Two Seas (tomorrow’s blog) in Dewey Beach and my Flan was ready. I had made it this afternoon. It is the perfect dessert for balmy evenings.
A Flan is like a custard, but at the same time it isn’t. It is more than that; it is a dessert that can be adapted to any occasion.
Let me tell you how I like it. First of all, just like with creme brulee, I want the original and most simple of the recipes. Forget flavors and enhancements. This dessert does not need all that.
The following recipe serves about 12 people. I cut it in half and it fit perfectly on my metal pie pan.
Flan de Leche ( Puerto Rican Baked Custard) Serves 12 (to adapt it just cut it in half; instead of 7 eggs, use 4). I also cut the sugar in half.
6 cups of milk (whole milk)
1 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
peel of fresh lime, rinsed
7 eggs
1 cup sugar (to caramelize the pan)
Combine the milk, sugar, salt and lime and bring rapidly to a boil. Reduce heat to moderate and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Strain and allow to cool.
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
Caramelize a round 9 x 3 1/2-inch aluminum pan without tube, by putting sugar in the pan; placing it in the oven until it turns to a light gold. Swirl the pan to coat bottom and sides with caramel. Set aside.
In a saucepan, blend egg yolks and whites with a rubber spatula. Mix milk gradually, and strain.
Pour strained mixture into the caramelized pan. Set pan in a large shallow baking pan containing about 1 inch or so of hot water. Bake 1 hour for the full recipe or a little bit over 1/2 hour for half of the recipe. It should be set and golden. You may insert a knife in the center and if it comes out clean, it definitely is ready. Then, remove pan from water bath.
Allow to cool and then cover and set in refrigerator. When ready to serve, turn custard onto a platter. This can get tricky so first run a knife around the edge of the pan to loosen it up.
As with any recipe, you do have, at times, to play with it and make it your own. Then, enjoy it.
If you want to make it more festive, you may add berries on the side.
Talk to you later….you know I will….
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