Tag Archives: Cook

FOOD

A Crunchy, Yummy Salad Rich In Antioxidants Is Bliss Inducing

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By Lakshmi:

One look at the picture of this salad and there was no doubt in my mind that this is one culinary experience I did not want to forgo.  Yes, it came from the kitchen of Ottolenghi, a chef whose body of work I have only recently discovered.  He was inspired by flavors he experienced in Turkey and vacillating prose like this…”This salad is so crunchy and sweet you can eat it with a spoon, and never stop.”  And the best part…it was so easy to put together.

A few staples (onion, garlic, peppers, tomatoes, oregano, allspice, garlic, olive oil), a dash of the slightly exotic (pomegranate seeds) and some not readily available ingredients (pomegranate molasses which I substituted with some Modena Vinegar and brown sugar) came together in a happy marriage that looked beautiful on the plate and just as tasty on the palate.

As the weather gets warmer, try this salad whose recipe is featured on this link.

http://www.ottolenghi.co.uk/recipes/tomato-and-pomegranate-salad-with-garlic-dressing

I plan to serve it the next time with a slight twist in tiny phyllo cups.  It’ll look like a million bucks and taste like that too.

PS.  The picture here is my creation!

FOOD

Pat-A-Cake, Welsh Cake – A Tea Time Treat

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By Lakshmi:

Prior to even setting foot in South Wales, my husband’s colleagues insisted that we eat this local delicacy called Welsh Cake.  Never having heard of this dish (ok go ahead say it…did you not profess to be a gourmand?), I assumed it was a baked delicacy to be served at tea time.

So imagine my surprise when on day one at Abergavenny market I came upon a woman making fresh Welsh cakes.  She was cooking them right there on a hot griddle!  The golden cakes came off the griddle on to a plate and after a dusting of fine sugar were ready to be eaten.  My younger daughter was so enticed that I’m positive she practically gulped them down.  I got chatting with the lady making these delicacies and within moments, I had the recipe to make these delicious treats stateside.  Here’s how simple it is.

Ingredients:

1 lb self-raising flour

8 oz butter or margarine

4 oz powdered or fine sugar

4 oz dried fruit (raisins, craisins, cranberries, sultanas…take your pick)

1 whole egg

A bit of milk if needed

Method:

Take the self-raising flour in a bowl and rub the butter or margarine into it till you have a breadcrumb like consistency.  Now add the sugar, dried fruit and egg to form a dough.  If the dough is too tight, add a bit of milk to moisten.

Roll the dough into a 1/4″ thick circle and cut it out with a biscuit cutter.

Heat a griddle and spray with some non stick spray or swipe some butter.  Now cook the cakes for 2-3 minutes on each side till golden brown.  Arrange them on a plate and sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Serve them plain or with some jam and watch them disappear 🙂

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FOOD

Discovering Ottolenghi – The Seeds Of Love Towards A Chef Are Sown

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By Lakshmi:

On a recent Sunday morning in the UK, reading through the pages of the Guardian, I discovered a chef named Ottolenghi.

Yotam Ottolenghi as I discovered later is a Israeli born, European trained chef who writes a weekly column entitled The New Vegetarian for The Guardian. He owns several successful restaurants in London and is a bastion of bringing fresh flavors and foods together to create simple, healthy concoctions that please the palate and are good to the body.

On this occasion, he was waxing eloquence on the addition of coconut, “I must point out that the chewy texture of the freshly grated flakes contrasts brilliantly with the more yielding beans.”  The dish being prepared was Sprouted Broccoli and Edamame Salad with Curry Leaves and Lime.  Suffice it is to say that I wanted to eat the salad right there, but had none of the ingredients on hand.

Tonight, back home in the US, I recreated his vision in my kitchen.  The fresh tender spears of broccolini complimented the crunchiness of the Edamame.  The coconut, mustard seeds, red chilly, curry leaves and lime added zip and zang to an incredible fusion of beauty and flavors.  The outcome was a dish that looked absolutely beautiful (see the picture above and tell me if you agree) and tasted like something you would be served in a tropical paradise many miles away.

If you can’t wait to get your hands on the recipe, just scroll towards the middle of the page on this link to bypass the chicken recipe and get to this one.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2013/mar/22/fresh-coconut-recipes-chicken-broccoli

If you give the recipe a try, do drop us a line and let us know your experience.  Stay tuned for more posts on awesome salads we’ve discovered as we continue to nurture the seeds of love for Ottolenghi.