Milk Cakes with Fruit Preserves

So many Ottolenghi recipes pass through my kitchen. Some are one time wonders, others live for a few occaisions and some remain entrenched in my memory. This particular one evokes a host of forgotten childhood treats. It is simpleness personified with kitchen staples like eggs, flour, sugar and butter. That quartet sings in pancakes, waffles, cakes and a myriad other sweet concoctions. This song is undoubtedly special.

MILK CAKES WITH FRUIT PRESERVES

Adapted from Yotam Ottolenghi

Serves 4-6 

6 plus 2 tablespoons Butter

1 1/2 cups Milk

1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

2/3 cup AP Flour

1 cup Sugar

2 Eggs

Semolina

Pinch of Kosher Salt

Pistachio powder (optional)

Cut 6 tablespoons of butter into small cubes.

Melt the reamining 2 tablespoons of butter.

Place butter, milk and vanilla in a saucepan and let it simmer over low heat till butter has melted. 

Whisk flour, sugar, eggs and salt in a bowl. It will be thick and lumpy. 

Add the warm milk to batter slowly, whisking thoroughly till smooth.

Keep batter aside for 30 minutes. 

Heat oven to 425F or 220C.

Brush a 12 cup muffin pan with melted butter.

Scatter 1/2 teaspoon semolina into each muffin hole.

Divide the batter between the 12 muffin holes.

Place the muffin pan on to a baking sheet and bake for 22 minutes, till edges of cakes are brown. 

The cakes will come out of the oven puffed up. Once they rest on the counter they will subside forming a small depression in the center, the perfect spot for the preserves.

Pry cakes out of the pan with a knife. 

Drop a spoonful of fruit preserve in the center of cake. 

Dust with pistachio powder and serve warm.

Plantains stuffed with Methi

Doomscrolling on Insta is a hard habit to break. Often when you find a gem of a recipe, you hit that 'save' button. Which I do. Of course, the end game is finding that saved recipe. Luck favors me this time, as I have become a little more adept at that venture. 

Ripe plantains stuffed with masala methi leaves. Why havent I eaten that before? Better still, why havent I thought of it before? Chopped methi, cilantro, coriander powder, salt, turmeric and chile powder is mixed and stuffed into sliced plantains. Shallow fried in a tarka of cumin and mustard seeds, the plantains turn golden and delectable. I salute you not.a.chef for this simple but flavorful recipe.

PLANTAINS STUFFED WITH METHI

Adapted from not.a.chef

Serves 2

1 large ripe Plantain

1 cup Methi leaves

1/2 cup Cilantro leaves and stems

1/2 teaspoon Turmeric

1/2 teaspoon Chile Powder

1 teaspoon Coriander Powder

1/4 teaspoon Kosher Salt

1 tablespoon Canola Oil

1/4 teaspoon Mustard Seeds

1/4 teaspoon Cumin Seeds

Pinch of Asefotida

Pinch of Kosher Salt

Trim ends of the plantain. Cut into 2" pieces. Slit each piece vertically halfway.

Wash methi leaves well. Pat dry and chop finely.

Chop cilantro finely. 

Place methi, cilantro, turmeric, chile powder, cilantro powder and salt in bowl. Mix well.

Stuff the methi mix into the plantain slits. Use up as much of the stuffing as you can.

Heat oil in a nonstick saucepan. 

When it shimmers, add asefotida, mustard and cumin seeds. Let them splutter.

Arrange plantains in oil and cook over medium heat turning plantain often. Cook for 5 minutes.

Add a little water to the pan, cover and cook for 2-3 minutes. Uncover and cook plantains till golden. 

Enjoy!

Noodles with Mushroom Sauce

It has been a while since my last post. Life has a way of demanding my time. So I return with renewed enthusiasm. What more could I ask for then a new and easy Ottolenghi recipe. His book Comfort, rings my bell, whets my appetite and propels me headlong into the kitchen. 

Mushrooms are pulsed and sauteed. Finely minced ginger and garlic are sauteed till crisp. Asian flavors like soy, fish sauce and rice wine add umami. Noodles bathe in this flavor bursting sauce. Ottolenghi comes through yet again!

NOODLES WITH MUSHROOM SAUCE

Adapted from Comfort by Ottolenghi

Serves 4

1 lb Mushrooms, cleaned and quartered

3 Lo Mein Noodle nests OR 1/2 lb Chinese Noodles OR 2 Ramen packets

2 tablespoons Canola Oil

1 tablespoon minced Ginger 

1 tablespoon minced Garlic

2 tablespoon Dark Soy Sauce

2 tablespoons Shaoxing Wine

1 teaspoon Chile Powder

1 tablespoon Fish Sauce

1 teaspoon Black Pepper Powder

1 teaspoon Honey

1/2 cup Water or Chicken Stock

2 Scallions, finely sliced

1 Lime

Bring a large pot of water to boil. 

Add noodles and cook till done. Cooking time depends on the type of noodle you use. Drain and rinse in cold water. Keep aside.

Pulse mushrooms in a food processor until finely chopped. Ten pulses should do the trick.

Heat 1 tablespoon canola oil in a nonstick pan. 

Add mushrooms and saute till all the moisture has evaporated. 

Push mushrooms to one side and add remaining oil to pan. 

Saute minced ginger and garlic in this oil till crispy. 

Add chile powder to ginger garlic and mix well with mushrooms. 

Spoon in soy sauce , Shaoxing wine, fish sauce, honey and black pepper.

Simmer for 3-4 minutes. Add water to thin out the sauce. 

Mix noodles into the sauce. 

Squeeze juice of lime over noodles. 

Garnish with scallions and serve hot. 

A forkful of mushroom coated noodles is immensely satisfying. Ottolenghi  fills my kitchen with flavor once more! 

Fish with Green Mango Sauce

My son's friend Andrew is an avid fisherman. On occasion we are treated to  his catch. Sea bass, tender clams and the most recent... delicious sheepshead fish. An ugly looking fish with the sweetest of flesh! 

Thoughtfully cleaned and fileted by Andrew,  the fish has a delicate taste, making it the perfect foil for a spicy, sour coconut sauce. Seasoned fish is lightly floured and shallow fried. Onions, green mango pieces, ginger, garlic, kaffir lime leaves, and a green curry sauce make a base for the fish. A base of hot cooked rice gives the dish a good balance. Sheer bliss!

FISH WITH GREEN MANGO SAUCE

Serves 2-3

5-6 Fish Filets

Kosher salt

White Pepper Powder

AP Flour

Canola Oil

1/2 Onion, sliced thinly

1/2 cup Green Mango pieces

2 tablespoons minced Garlic 

2 tablespoons minced Ginger

3-4 Makrut Lime Leaves

1 teaspoon Green Curry Paste

1/2 cup Coconut Milk

Cilantro

Hot cooked Rice

Rinse filets and pat dry.

Season both sides with salt and pepper.

Heat a little oil in a nonstick saucepan.

Lightly coat filets in flour. 

Fry filets till golden brown on both sides.

Keep aside.

Add onion, ginger garlic, mango and makrut lime leaves to oil. Saute for 3-4 minutes. 

Add green curry paste and coconut milk to onions.  Bring to a simmer. Add a little water if neccessary. Simmer for 4-5 minutes. 

Plate some rice. Pour ladlefuls of sauce on rice. Top with fish. Garnish with cilantro and serve.

Thank you Andrew! The fruits of your labor are delicious, delicate morsels we enjoy!

 

Fig Clafoutis

I am still drowning in figs! We've sampled them in so many delectable ways from procuitto and goat cheese wrapped figs, hot honey figs, a gamut of salads, several bottles of jam and now its time for dessert.

Clafoutis it is! Easy to whip up, it is a fast bake in a hot oven. A batter of eggs, milk, cream, vanilla, flour and baking powder is poured over halved figs and baked. The clafoutis is both cake-like and custardy and this French confection neber fails to please.

 FIG CLAFOUTIS

Serves 4-6

12 small Figs

Butter

3 Eggs

3/4 cup Milk   

3/4 cup Cream

1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder

1/2 cup AP Flour

1/2 cup Sugar

1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder

Confectioner's Sugar

Heat oven to 350F/180C.

Grease a 9'x9' baking dish with butter. I used a 10 inch oval.

Cut figs in half and place in buttered dish, cut side up.

Whisk eggs, milk, cream and vanilla.

Place flour sugar and baking powder in another bowl. 

Add egg mix to flour stirring till there are no lumps. 

Pour the batter carefully into baking dish. The figs might sink into the batter , but they will rise as it bakes.

Bake for 40 minutes. 

Dust with confectioner's sugar and serve warm.

Ooooh la la...perfection!

Figs with Hot Honey

We have a bumper crop this year! Even after we give away bags and bowls of figs, I am left more than we can eat. I am still pouring over books and scrolling the internet for inspiration. This appetiser/salad is a composite of several recipes. Lets see!

Whipped goat cheese and sour cream make the base. Halved figs pose atop the base. Honey and Sriracha is vigourously stirred and then drizzled over the figs. A fork is all you need!

FIGS WITH HOT HONEY

Serves 2

8-10 Figs, halved

1/2 cup Goat Cheese

1/4 cup Sour Cream 

3 tablespoons Honey

2 tablespoons Sriracha

Whisk goat cheese and sour cream till smooth.

Mix honey and sriracha in a bowl.

Use a spoon to spread goat cheese in a layer on a plate. 

Arrange halved figs over goat cheese. 

Drizzle with hot honey. 

Enjoy as an appetiser or first course.

One more easy peasy fig salad!

Fig and Beet Salad

When you have over five hundred figs on youe tree and you cannot give them away fast enough, you have to come up with different ways to eat them every day. Today's version is a simple salad. Halved figs. Chopped beets. A bed of salad leaves. Crumbled goat cheese. A balsamic and olive oil dressing. Five components to a simple but delicious plate.

FIG AND BEET SALAD

Serves 2

6-8 fresh Figs

1 Beet, boiled or roasted

2 cups Salad Greens

1/4 cup Goat Cheese crumbles

3 tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar

2 tablespoons Olive Oil

Kosher Salt

Fresh cracked Black Pepper

Cut beet into small chunks. 

Halve figs.

Arrange salad leaves on a platter.

Nestle beets and figs in salad leaves. 

Scatter goat cheese over figs and beets. 

Whisk balsamic and oil. Season with salt and pepper.

Drizzle dressing over the salad.

Enjoy.

Simple flavors make for a delicious dinner. 

Corn and Potato Soup

Sometimes a recipe reads like a charm and drives you into the kitchen that instant. That being the case, I use the recipe as a launch pad for my experiment. The original reads like a chowder, albeit with coconut milk. I follow the path but tweak in some eastern flavors with lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, Thai basil and lime. How good can this be? Try it!

CORN AND POTATO SOUP

Inspired by Sarah Jampel from New York Times

Serves 4

1 small Onion

3 Garlic cloves

2 Ginger slices

1 tablespoon Olive Oil

2 Green Chiles

2 Lemongrass stalks

2-3 Kaffir Lime Leaves

3 small Red Bliss Potatoes

1 cup fresh or frozen Corn

1 14oz can Coconut Milk

1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt

Fresh ground Black Pepper

Garnishes

Fried Onions

Thai Basil Leaves

Cilantro

Lime Juice

Chop onion roughly.

Slice garlic cloves. 

Slice 1 green chile thinly.

Cut lemongrass at the root ends. Remove outer leaves and cut the stalks into 2 inch pieces. Slit them partially.

Heat oil in a deep saucepan. 

When it shimmers add onion, garlic, ginger and sliced green chiles. Saute till onion is traslucent.

Wash potatoes. Dry and slice into thin half moons.

Add corn.

 Add potatoes into the pan, Saute for 30 seconds. 

Pour coconut milk into the pan. 

Drop lemongrass and kaffir lime to pan.

Fill the can with water and add to pan.

Slit remaining chile lengthwise in half and add to soup. 

Season with salt and pepper. 

Bring soup to a simmer and cook for 15-20 minutes.

Fish out the lemongrass, kaffir lime and the whole green chile.

Use an immersion blender to roughly puree the soup. Thin the soup with water if you want to. Season again if you do. 

Heat the soup again.  

Serve the soup garnished with fried onions, herbs of your choice and large squirt of lime juice.

Lighter than the usual chowder, the soup is a good pick me up!

Alebele or Coconut Pancakes

 

I make a last meal for Prassy before she leaves. Another request, coconut stuffed pancakes. We reminisce about ones we have eaten in the past. We remember that delicious flavor and we set about making these rolled beauties.

Egg, butter, coconut milk, flour, baking powder and a hint of salt make up the pancake batter. Unusual in style, an egg is beaten and then whisked with soft butter. The coconut milk gives it a different taste. The filling is shredded fresh coconut and sugar stirred till the sugar melts. Simple Goan nuances in a small package.

ALEBELE OR COCONUT PANCAKES

Makes 8

1 Egg

1 teaspoon soft Butter

1/2 cup plus a little more Coconut Milk

1/2 cup AP Flour 

1/8 teaspoon Baking Powder

A pinch of Kosher Salt

1 cup shredded fresh Coconut

3 tablespoons Sugar

Break egg into a bowl. Whisk till well beaten.

Add butter to egg and whisk well till butter is mixed in. The butter will break up into small flecks.

Add coconut milk in and whisk again till batter is smooth.

Add flour in small batches till all of it is mixed in.

Add baking powder and salt. 

Set batter aside for 1/2 hour. 

Heat a small 6" nonstick pan on high heat. 

Brush the pan with a little butter.

If the batter seems a little thick, thin it out with a little coconut milk.

Pour a ladleful into the pan and swirl pan to spread batter. 

Cook for 2 minutes on one side, flip and cook the other side for 30 seconds. Remove from pan ans stack on a plate.

Repeat until all the batter is finished.

Make the filling in the same pan. Place shredded coconut and sugar in the pan. Place over medium heat for 4-5 minutes, stirring often till sugar melts. Cool and keep aside.

To assemble, place a heaping spoon of coconut along the center of the pancake. Roll and keep aside. Make the rest of them the same way.

Serve at room temperature.

These pancakes are a pleasure to make and make for a pleasurable dessert!