Broccoli, Bean, and Cheddar Soup

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Broccoli, Bean, & Cheddar Soup

I love broccoli.  I love beans of any kind.  I love cheese.  So, when these three things are all in one recipe, I’m in.  I found a version of this soup published by Ellie Kreiger several years ago, and I made a few tweaks and changes to suit my taste.

I think this soup is seasonless since fresh broccoli is easy to find year-round.  Beans, whether canned or packaged in my freezer, and cheese?  I always have these things in My Global Kitchen.  I also must say this soup works super well with my trusty immersion blender. If you do not have one of these in your kitchen, please consider adding this small, not-very-expensive appliance.  You can thank me later.

Such Simple Ingredients!

I served this soup with fresh homemade flour tortillas topped with a crumble of goat cheese and diced vegetables, and a grapefruit-orange-avocado salad on the side.  Yum yum.  Although I didn’t do this in the photo, when we had this for dinner, I drizzled amazing Italian olive oil on top and squeezed a slice of fresh lemon in the soup as well.  Garlic croutons, homemade of course, would be so good sprinkled on top.

My husband just had a colonoscopy and requested this soup be in the fridge for his first post-procedure meal.

Broccoli, Bean, & Cheddar Soup

Makes 4 servings (makes about 6 cups in total)

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Ingredients
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 medium brown onion, diced
  • 1 large head of broccoli, florets, and tender part of stems, chopped (about 6 cups)
  • 3 cups chicken broth (I often opt for Better than Bouillion)
  • 1 cup canned, no-salt-added Great Northern or cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
  • ½ cup whole milk or lower fat if that is your milk of choice.
  • 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese (3 ounces)
  • 1 teaspoon powdered mustard
  • Salt to taste
Instructions

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Once the oil is shimmering, stir in the onions and cook for about four minutes, until tender but not browned.

Add the broccoli, broth, and beans; increase the heat to high and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Let the soup cool for 15 minutes, then puree it right in the soup pot with an immersion blender.  

Put the soup back on medium heat and when it is bubbling at the edges, reduce the heat to low. 

Stir in the milk, ¾ cups of the cheese, the powdered mustard, and ½ teaspoons of salt. Cook until just warmed through.

Taste and add more salt as needed. Divide among individual bowls or deep mugs, and garnish with portions using the remaining 1/4 cup of cheese. Serve hot.

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Rhubarb or Plumb Snacking Cake

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Rhubarb Snacking Cake

As I mentioned in my previous post about Rhubarb Galette, I planted two rhubarb plants this spring in my smallish garden, imagining that it might take a couple of years to have them produce a lot of rhubarb.  Lo and behold I got very, very lucky and have been harvesting rhubarb for over a month now. 

Rhubarb – Even Green It’s Delicious!

After the rhubarb galette, I made a lot of rhubarb crisps, rhubarb salad dressing, and stewed rhubarb.  Then about a month ago I happened upon a recipe for a small (9” x 9”) cake.  I initially made it mostly as written, proceeded to make it with lots of changes, and after at least six attempts, I got it like I wanted it. More rhubarb, sparkling sugar on top, and less sugar overall. You know me, you know I like big flavor and don’t like overly sweet stuff. This should all make sense, right?  

Last month, I was about to leave town for a few weeks, and I had half of a cake left over.  At the last moment, I wrapped it in heavy-duty foil and froze it.  When I came back to my house almost three weeks later, I defrosted the cake.  Guess what?  That freezing process made this cake better than ever – almost like a dense pudding cake.  From now on, the freezing and defrosting steps will be my “go-to” method.  

If you have access to rhubarb, this recipe makes a terrific dessert, mid-afternoon nibble, or even a breakfast pastry. Everyone who has tasted it – from neighbors to friends to relatives – has gone bonkers over the flavor and texture. My husband even told me it’s the best cake I make. 

I call it a “snack cake” because it is a simple baked cake without frosting or embellishment.  It is easy to make and a little different from other fruity cakes.  I still have a lot of rhubarb, so I picked it, chopped it finely, flash-froze it, and put it into a ziplock bag.  Each recipe takes about 2 ½ cups of chopped rhubarb, and I have at least five cakes worth of rhubarb in my freezer.  The rhubarb I planted produces mostly green stalks with just a little reddish color. I would have preferred red rhubarb, but the taste is the same! If you are using frozen rhubarb, just measure what you need and go from there.  Do not defrost it ahead of time!  Trust me, this works

Rhubarb Snacking Cake

Makes 12 servings

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Ingredients 
  • 1/2 cup  buttermilk (kefir is good if you have that too)  
  • 1 ½ tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1 large egg, at room temperature
  • ½ cup  (equals one stick) salted butter at room temperature
  • 3/4  cup granulated sugar 
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour (remove approximately 1 Tbsp to toss with rhubarb or plumbs)
  • 2 tsp double-acting baking powder
  • 2 ½ cups (pack the cups tightly) thinly  sliced rhubarb or diced 1/2 inch plumbs
  • Sparkling coarse sugar for the top (I use about 1 Tbsp, and this gives it a nice crunch)
Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350F.  I use my toaster oven.  Line the 9”x9” pan with parchment paper with overhanging ends so I can easily lift out the cooled cake for cutting. Oil or spray the parchement paper along the bottom and sides of the pan.

Stir the egg, and vanilla into the buttermilk and set aside.

Cream the soft butter and sugar with electric beaters, until it is pale yellow. Take 1 Tbsp of the flour to mix with the diced fruit and toss well. This prevents the fruit from clumping

In a separate bowl whisk together the remaining flour and baking powder

Add half of the liquids to the bowl and blend in. Add all of the flour mixture and mix well.  Next, add the rest of the flour mixture and blend just until combined, don’t over-mix. Fold or barely mix in the fruit

Spread the very thick batter into the prepared pan and even it out with a bench scraper or knife.  

Sprinkle the top evenly with sparkling sugar.  Bake for about 40 minutes or until the cake is turning golden and a toothpick in the center comes out clean.

Let the cake cool for 20 minutes in the pan, remove it to a rack with the parchment, and let it cool completely. Cut and eat it when it is slightly warm or let it totally cool and freeze for up to two months.  When you are ready to eat it, remove it from the freezer, wrap it well, and store it in the refrigerator for up to a week.  I prefer this cake when it is kept refrigerated, and it lasts an entire week this way!

Notes

Because I have a very enthusiastic plum tree that produced over 100 pounds of plumbs this summer, I made the cake with plums.  I actually prefer this to rhubarb although both are good and satisfying.

FYI the top of this cake is a little craggy and cracked and sometimes bits of rhubarb or plums poke through.  Once it is cut and presented with either a dollop of whipping cream or berries, it looks appealing.

 

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Rustic Rhubarb Galette

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Rustic Rhubarb Galette

Back in 2015, I published a recipe for mini rhubarb galettes, which are little individual pies.  These are good, but my ginger-averse husband always prefers less (or ideally zero) ginger.

Rhubarb Abounds!

Fast forward to 2024: I planted two rhubarb plants in my garden, and they thrived and produced a lot of wonderful rhubarb.  What to do, what to do?  Cake? Add to a chicken dish?  Scones?  Pie?  Nope, I decided a large, rustic galette was in order.  I had a disc of pie crust I made a while ago that I defrosted, and everything else was in my pantry.  On top of it all, it was my grandson Asher’s 13th birthday, so I killed two birds with one stone and offered to bring the dessert for his birthday dinner celebration.  

Asher & His Birthday Galette!

This turned out to hit the mark on the first try.  It was so easy to make, there was just the right amount of crust, and I didn’t sweat making a pretty fluting or anything like what one does with a pie.  I didn’t have vanilla ice cream or whipping cream on hand, but truly, this tasted great unadorned.  I would highly suggest you try this when rhubarb is available wherever you live.  

Rustic Rhubarb Galette

Serves 8-10

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Ingredients
  • One pie crust rolled out to about 10-12 inches
  • About 3 ½ – 4 cups diced rhubarb, cut about ½ inch thick.  (I cut the thick stalks in half lengthwise first)
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 Tbsp cornstarch
  • Pinch nutmeg
  • ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • Dash vanilla extract
  • Sparkly sugar for the top right before baking
  • 2 tsp unsalted butter right before baking
Instructions

Place the rhubarb in a medium bowl.  Add everything but the sparkly sugar and butter, and stir well until the sugar liquifies.  I leave this on the counter for a few minutes.

Roll out the pie crust to an 11” circle and place it on a parchment-lined rimmed cookie sheet.  Put the rhubarb mixture in the center, leaving about a 2” edge without fruit on it. Fold the dough over and pinch to enclose the rhubarb, leaving the center part with the rhubarb open. 

Sprinkle crust and top with about 1 teaspoon of sparkly sugar.  Dot the butter over the rhubarb.

Bake for 35 minutes until the crust is browned and juices are bubbling.  (Note, some of my rhubarb juice ran out of the galette while baking and it still was so good, so don’t worry about this.)

Leave the galette on the cookie sheet for 15 minutes then gently lift the parchment onto a rack to cool.

Once cooled completely store covered in the fridge.  Serve cold or reheat gently.  Enjoy!



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Hector’s Salad

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Hector’s Salad (My Version)

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: one of my superpowers is being able to order just the right thing at a restaurant – dishes that I simply love and want to re-order over and over again.  Being a little restaurant averse these days (I always think I can make a dish better than the restaurant), I try to analyze whatever I love, jot down notes, go home, and try to replicate said dish.  

Such is the case with “Hector’s Salad.”  Hector’s Bistro is in Antigua, Guatemala, where I stay for a month at a time several times a year.  I always order a massive Hector’s Salad and share it with a friend or my husband. The only salad on the menu, it is particularly notable for the intense basil dressing that contains a LOT of fresh basil.  

It’s interesting that I love this salad. It has cherry tomatoes as well as thin apple slices, and I usually don’t love tomatoes and fruit combined in my salads. However, this salad contains just the right balance of herbs, lettuce, and toasted candied nuts for crunch, so I can overlook the pairing.  

I nailed this “copycat” recipe exactly right on the first try! An added bonus for me is that I am able to use my homegrown mix of lettuce I planted this spring, cherry tomatoes from my garden, fresh basil that I grew for culinary purposes, and even apples from my trees..  For me, there is nothing more wonderful than growing your own food! 

Everything in this salad is what is in the OG Hector’s salad, but I think the ingredients can be switched out very easily: grapes for apples, shaved parmesan, sweet pepper, toasted pumpkin seeds, etc. You catch my drift.

Hector’s Salad – My Version 

Serves 2

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Salad Ingredients
  • About 5 cups of soft mixed leaf lettuces, washed and dried and torn into small pieces
  • ¼ cup English cucumber, sliced 
  • 8 cherry tomatoes, cut in half
  • ¼ apple of your choice, cored and sliced very thinly with the skin left on
  • 2 Tbsp candied nuts, chopped coarsely
  • 3 Tbsp crumbled goat cheese
Dressing Ingredients*
  • 6 Tbsp fresh lemon juice (3 oz)
  • 1 tsp grated lemon zest
  • 2 Tbsp seasoned rice vinegar
  • 2 ½ Tbsp minced fresh basil
  • 2-3 tsp of pure maple syrup, or to taste
  • ½  cup extra virgin olive oil
  • ½ tsp sea salt
  • 10 grinds of fresh white or black pepper

*For the dressing – this makes enough for about six salads.

Instructions

Put everything into a tall narrow container and use an immersion blender to puree it all together. Or, if you have a Nutribullet, use it to blend everything together.  Cover and store in the refrigerator for a week or longer.

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 Kasha Bowls with Onions, Mushrooms, and Egg

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Kasha Bowl with Onions, Mushrooms, and Egg

I am all about kasha and I’m here to say it is an unsung hero.  Kasha is just another name for buckwheat which is NOT a type of wheat.  It’s a gluten free seed that cooks like rice. Kasha has such a great nutty flavor and it tastes amazing when added to pasta, to vegetables, to almost anything.  Maybe it’s my Eastern European heritage that makes me adore buckwheat. Regardless, I urge you to try it.

I was reading The Washington Post and came across Ellie Kreiger’s recipe. I changed the ingredients a bit but the gist of this is the same as her recipe.  In a bowl, there is a layer of oven-baked kasha.  Next a generous helping of slowly sauteed onion and crimini mushrooms, and finally a fried or poached egg with a runny yoke.  Chopped fresh dill and cherry tomatoes are the final enhancement and they bring a little color to this otherwise brown dish.   

Leftover kasha and the onion-mushroom mixture can be refrigerated, in separate airtight containers, for up to three days. We ate this for dinner and the next day I mixed the kasha, mushroom/egg topping with steamed broccoli and carrots for a hearty lunch.

Kasha Bowls with Onions, Mushrooms, and Egg

Serves 4

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Ingredients
  • 1 cup (6 3/4 ounces) coarse cut kasha
  • 1 tablespoon butter, cut into small pieces, plus more for greasing the dish
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt, divided, plus more to taste
  • 2 cups boiling water
  • 2 tablespoons oil, such as grapeseed or avocado oil
  • 1 large onion, peeled, halved and thinly sliced into half moons
  • 12 ounces cremini mushrooms, trimmed and sliced into ¼ inch pieces
  • ¼  teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
  • 4 large eggs
  • 3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
  • 1 cup diced tomato (I used cherry tomatoes cut into quarters)
  • Extra good olive oil to drizzle over the kasha
Instructions

Position a baking rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees. I do this in my toaster oven. 

In a large skillet over medium heat, toast the dry buckwheat, stirring frequently, until fragrant and darker brown, 3 to 5 minutes.

Lightly grease a 1 ½ quart covered casserole dish with butter. Add the toasted kasha and half a teaspoon of salt and stir to combine. Pour the boiling water over and dot the top with the butter. Cover and place in the oven. Bake until the liquid is absorbed; mine took about 20 minutes in the toaster oven so taste yours to be sure it isn’t too crunchy.  Fluff the buckwheat with a fork, then cover to keep warm until ready to serve.

While the buckwheat is baking, wipe out the skillet and return it to medium heat. Add the oil and heat until it shimmers. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until it softens and becomes lightly golden, about 10-15 minutes. Add the mushrooms, the remaining ½ teaspoon of salt and the pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms have released their water and it has evaporated, and the mushrooms and onions are nicely browned, about 12 minutes.  Transfer the mixture to a bowl and cover to keep warm.

Return the pan to medium heat, add the eggs and cook them sunny-side-up, over-easy or however you like. Next time I will poach my eggs for the appearance and texture.. 

To serve, divide the kasha among four bowls. Top each with a quarter of the mushroom-onion mixture, place an egg on top, and then garnish with dill and cherry tomatoes.  If desired, season to taste with additional salt and pepper, and drizzle with more olive oil.

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Jojos (Baked Potato Wedges)

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Jojos!

Chicken burgers, fish burgers, veggie burgers, lamb burgers, sloppy joes…all these foods taste great with baked potato wedges, or Jojos on the side.  I am a huge potato lover, and Jojos are in my wheelhouse in a big way.

I prepare them without a lot of fanfare but in a specific way. 

Jojos (Baked Potato Wedges)-serves 6

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Ingredients
  • 4 medium or large-sized russet potatoes, skin on
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • ½ tsp ground black pepper
  • ½ tsp smoked paprika
Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425°F.

Scrub potatoes, cut in half lengthwise, and then cut into wedges (around 10-12 wedges per potato).

Soak potato wedges in cold water for at least 30 minutes. Drain and dry very well with a kitchen towel or paper towels.

Toss potatoes with remaining ingredients until well coated.

Coat a rimmed baking sheet with brushed-on oil

Place potatoes, skin side down, on a large baking pan and bake until tender and browned, about 45-50 minutes.  Eat with ketchup if you are like me!

Notes:

Soaking the potatoes in cold water for at least 30 minutes (or up to a few hours) removes starches.

Once soaked, dry the potatoes well so they don’t steam.

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Tofu Vegetable Stir Fry

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Tasty Tofu & Vegetable Stir Fry

I am one of those individuals who loves loves loves tofu.  I am also someone who loves loves loves making a hearty meal in less than 15 minutes.  If you are of the same ilk, this recipe is for you!  

To be honest, I have had this in my files for a very long time.  A while back, I was at my daughter’s home and she was making this very recipe for dinner.  I tasted it and asked HER for the recipe.  She reminded me that this originated from me, and then resent me said recipe. 

This is so simple that even kids could manage to make it.  

Tofu Vegetable Stir Fry

Serves 3-4

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Ingredients
  • 1 pound cubed fresh, firm tofu (I always drain and press the tofu to remove the extra moisture–look this up if you haven’t cooked with tofu for a while).
  • ¼ cup tamari
  • 1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil
  • 3 Tbsp avocado oil (or any neutral oil you have)
  • 1 Tbsp grated fresh ginger
  • 1 Tbsp peeled and minced fresh garlic
  • 1 16 oz package frozen mixed vegetables (sometimes I add a little fresh broccoli too) 
Instructions

Add the cubed tofu to the tamari sauce while you saute the vegetables.

Heat the oils (sesame and avocado) together.  Saute grated ginger and garlic with the frozen vegetables.  Add the marinated tofu and continue sauteeing until the tofu is lightly heated.  Add more tamari if needed. 

Serve over brown rice or another cooked grain.  Top with additional tamari if needed.  Leftovers freeze well or keep in the fridge a few days for lunches or snacks.

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Easy Tomato Soup

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Delicious & Easy Tomato Soup

I adore homemade tomato soup!  Not the creamy kind. I love tomato soup with grilled cheese/caramelized onion sandwiches – so no cream necessary.  What a perfect dinner.

All you need to make this is an immersion blender (or a regular one if you don’t mind a huge mess) and easy-to-find ingredients you most likely have in your pantry.

Easy Tomato Soup

Serves 4

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Ingredients
  • 28 oz can of diced peeled tomatoes
  • 1 cup chicken stock (I make mine with Better Than Bouillon)
  • 1 large yellow onion, coarsely chopped since you blend it later on 
  • ½ stick butter
  • 1 heaping tsp dried basil (1 Tbsp fresh if you have it in the summer)
  • 1 tsp granulated sugar (tomato + a little sugar makes everything better)
  • Black pepper to taste.  
  • Salt to taste, although I need zero or only a tiny bit
Instructions

Dump everything together in a 4-quart pot.  Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium low and cover.  Stir occasionally and cook for 20 minutes until the onion is soft.

Remove from the heat for a few minutes  Using an immersion blender, blend until smooth and creamy.  Season with more salt and pepper if desired.  



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Homemade Hummus (STILL!) Hits the Spot

 I will go on record and say that I adore hummus. I love it as a dip, and I love it as a spread for sandwiches. I even love all the individual ingredients in hummus and often add extra garbanzo beans to salads or soups for added protein and texture. And who doesn’t love tahina?

I always make my own garbanzo beans from dried beans.  After an afternoon soaking in water, you can go from dried beans to fully cooked beans in a little more than thirty minutes with a pressure cooker.  If you want to try making your own beans, find a recipe on the internet and give it a go, stovetop, pressure cooker, or Instapot – they all work just fine.   I always make a pound of beans, which is way too much for me. But I put little containers of cooked beans in their liquid in the freezer when I decide I need hummus.

The original recipe I posted is still what I use, although I exclusively use Soom tahina now.  I like the flavor and texture, and most stores carry it here in Seattle as does Amazon.

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Originally published October 17, 2012

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A plate of fresh hummus (in Acco at an Arab market)

“I’m in Israel!” These are the words that happily ran through my mind as our plane touched down in

Tel Aviv last month. I kept pinching myself and telling myself that it was true … I was in Israel. This was my fourth journey to this beautiful country. My first trip was in 1974; ten years later I attended my nephew’s Bar Mitzvah; I returned with Sister Susan for a group tour in 2000; and now I was finally back. For such an ancient country, I felt surprised to see how much things had changed in the decade since my previous visit. I noticed way more shops and a lot more technology – basically everything seemed more modern. Thankfully – one thing seems to remain the same…hummus. One of my favorite things to eat, it remains a ubiquitous food in Israel. And it is goooooood.

Spices at a Tel Aviv market

Call me  a bean lover and a huge hummus fan. Chickpeas (aka garbanzo beans) serve as a kitchen staple in my global kitchen. These beans are used throughout the Mediterranean areas of the world and I’ve learned to include them in all kinds of ways. I cook them fresh and have some frozen in small quantities for added protein in salads, soups, and even main dishes.

While I typically don’t like to boast, I’ll pit my version of hummus against almost anyone else’s. My recipe is adopted from Cooks Illustrated magazine – though I changed quantities and added my own twist. I begin with dried garbanzo beans, although canned beans are OK if you aren’t into cooking beans. After I soak and simmer the garbanzos, I combine them with freshly squeezed lime juice. Most recipes list lemon juice as an ingredient  but I have to be different, and I always have a bag of limes in my refrigerator. My little “twist”, or signature, involves the addition of smoked paprika – a spice I simply adore. It adds another dimension to hummus – not readily identifiable to most – but it infuses a complexity to the final dish.

I use the savory spread to build a vegetable sandwich where I layer slivers of colorful peppers, thinly sliced cucumber, some pickled onions, shredded carrot, arugula … just typing this makes my mouth water. Or I serve hummus as a dip with blanched or raw vegetables, snow peas, carrot slices, and pita bread or even my seeded crackers. Hummus freezes for up to six months so when my mission is to prepare hummus, I do it in a big way and freeze a few pint containers. Yes, I know you can buy hummus at Costco, Trader Joes or most grocery stores in the US, but try making it just once. You might discover, as I did, that it is easy to prepare and way better than anything you can buy.

B’tayavon! (Hebrew for Bon Appétit)

Homemade Hummus

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Ingredients:
  • ¼ cup juice from the garbanzo beans (if you make your own) OR ¼ cup water if from a can
  • ⅓ cup fresh lime juice
  • ⅓ cup tahini, stirred well (I use Joyva brand)
  • 2 Tbsp organic extra virgin olive oil PLUS some to drizzle on top and garnish
  • 14 oz can of drained, rinsed garbanzo beans OR 2 cups freshly cooked beans
  • 1 clove garlic, cut into 4 pieces
  • 1 tsp fine sea salt
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • pinch cayenne pepper
Instructions:

Combine lime juice and water (or bean juice if using homemade beans) in small bowl.

Whisk together tahini and the olive oil in second small bowl. It takes a bit of elbow grease to combine.

In a food processor, pulse beans, garlic, salt, smoked paprika, and cayenne. After it is chopped a bit whirl them together for about 15 more seconds. Scrape the sides of the work bowl with a rubber spatula. With the food processor running, add lime juice-water mixture in a steady stream through the feed tube. Scrape down the work bowl and keep processing for another 60 seconds.

With the machine running, add oil-tahini mixture in steady stream through feed tube; continue to whirl until the hummus is smooth and creamy, about 15 seconds, scraping down bowl as needed.

Taste the mixture and add more lime juice or salt as needed. Personally, I always add a lot more lime juice and a little more salt too. Put the hummus into a storage container and seal it, and store it in the refrigerator for at least an hour. I like to serve this at room temperature so take it out of the fridge in plenty of time. Drizzle generously with olive oil and serve.

This keeps really well in the freezer for up to 2 months and in the refrigerator for at least a week well covered.

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My Crazy Condiment

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My Crazy Condiment

It shouldn’t surprise you to learn that I dream about food. One of my favorite parts of this obsession is devising and revising recipes to suit my taste buds.  I love hot sauce, sriracha, mustards and the like, but the other day I was roasting a chicken and the condiments in my refrigerator just weren’t fitting the bill. So, I concocted a sauce that I knew would work for chicken and fish as well. 

Crazy Condiment Ingredients

I basically used every fruit, vegetable, and seed that needed a home so I wouldn’t need to throw them out and waste food. I had lemons (I always have lemons), a quarter of a purple Bermuda onion, lots of fresh dill, good olive oil (always on hand), apples galore and a few toasted pumpkin seeds. I took out my Ninja bullet and pulsed all of these random items and was thrilled with the result:  a slightly sweet, slightly textured, bright sauce that was everything I dreamed of. A bonus is that because of the lemon, the color doesn’t turn brown over time, so you can make this earlier in the day and even store it in the refrigerator for a couple of days. 

My Crazy Condiment

Makes approximately one cup


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Ingredients
  • ¼ lemon, cut into 1-inch pieces (remove the seeds but leave on the peel)
  • ¼ purple onion, peel and cut into ½ inch pieces
  • ¼ red-skinned apple, unpeeled but seeded and cut into ½ inch pieces
  • ⅓ cup dill weed, cut into 1 inch long pieces (the stems don’t need to be removed)
  • 2 Tbsp toasted pumpkin seeds
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Instructions

Put everything except the olive oil into a Nutribullet and pulse to coarsely chop, stopping and moving the ingredients around so everything gets chopped but don’t puree too much. Remove everything to a small bowl and add the olive oil to the chopped mixture.  Stir together, season with salt and pepper (or even a little hot sauce) to taste.

Enjoy with fish, chicken, even rice and beans. 

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