Sweet potato salad (Slada Batata Halwa)

This is a Moroccan recipe from a book called Arabesque .

1 large onion, chopped coarsely
5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
5oog sweet potatoes, peeled
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp paprika
salt
6 or 7 green olives
Peel of 1/2 preserved lemon, chopped (optional)
Juice of 1/2 lemon
2tbsp chopped flat leaf parsley

Fry the onion in 2 tbsp of oil until golden. Cut the sweet potatoes into 2.5 cm cubes, add to the pan and barely cover with water. Add ginger, cumin, paprika, a little salt and 2 more tbsp of oil. Cook until the pieces are tender and the liquid is reduced to a sauce, turning the potatoes over once and keeping watch so they don’t suddenly fall apart.

Serve at room temp, mixed with olives lemon peel and sprinkled with the lemon juice and chopped parsley.

These were very good. The lemon and olive were a really nice contrast with the potatoes, without clashing at all. It was a really new and differant way of making a vegatable that I rely on quite heavily. They are one of my youngest son's favorite foods in the whole world, so any new way to make them is exciting for me. These tasted like a grown up version of sweet potatoes, focusing on their flavor, not just their sweetness. Nathaniel still ate his own, his brother's and half of mine though, so I guess they are not too grown up.

Tagine of Chicken with Preserved Lemon and Olives

(Tagine Djaj Bi Zaytoun Wal Hamid)



This is a Morrocan recipe from a book called Arabesque .

3tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 onions, grated or chopped very fine
2-3 garlic cloves crushed
1/2 tsp crushed saffron
1/4-1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 chicken, jointed
salt and black pepper
juice of 1/2 lemon
2tbsp chopped coriander
2tbsp chopped parsley
peel of 1 large or 2 small preserved lemons
12-16 green or violet olives

using a casserole that can hold all the chicken in one layer, sauté the onions over low heat until they soften, then stir in the garlic, saffron and ginger.

Add the chicken pieces, season with salt and pepper, and pour in about 300ml water. Simmer covered, turning the pieces over a few times, and adding more water if it starts to get dry. Lift out the breasts after 20 min and put them to one side. Continue to cook the rest of the pieces for another 25 minutes or so, then return the breasts to the pan.
Stir in the lemon juice, chopped coriander, parsley, preserved lemon peel cut into quarters or strips, and the olives. Simmer, uncovered 5-10 min, until the sauce is reduced and thick. If it needs to be thicker, remove the chicken and simmer some more.

This came out nice. I have to admit, I wasn't over the moon for it, but it was tasty. The chicken was very tender, and the flavor was actually quite a bit more subtle then I was expecting. I think maybe that was my problem with it, I was looking forward to a much more intense flavor.

Maple-Brined Pork Chops

The Search Is Over!



Seriously. These are the best pork chops I have ever eaten. This is the only way I will ever need to cook pork chops for the rest of my life. When I am a great-grandmother, and my great grandkids are coming over for dinner and they ask their mom if they get to have great grandma’s extra special pork chops. These are the chops they will be talking about.

For the Brine:
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup coarse salt
1tbsp mustard seed
1tbsp black peppercorns
1 bay leaf
10 sprigs fresh thyme, coarsely chopped
for the chops:
4 bone-in center cut pork chops, cut 1&1/4 inch thick
3tbsp pure maple syrup
olive oil

to make the brine
Combine all the brine ingredients with 4 cups of water in a large saucepan. Heat over high heat and stir until the sugar and salt dissolve. Remove from heat and add one cup of ice water. Pour the brine into a ceramic or glass dish just big enough to fit the chops, and refrigerate it until chilled (it has to be cold before you put in the chops, so it doesn’t raise their temp).
Place the chops in the brine, making sure they are completely covered. Cover the dish and refrigerate for 24-48 hours.
Remove the chops, and discard the brine. Rinse the chops under cold water and dry them with paper towels. Brush both sides with maple syrup, and leave to stand at room temp for 1 hour.
Position a rack in the lower third of the oven, and preheat to 425f.
Brush the chops with olive oil, heat one tbsp olive oil in a pan, and cook till browned, about 3 minutes per side.
Transfer to the oven and bake till they are firm to the touch and an instant read thermometer reads 145f (don’t let the thermometer touch the bone), 8-15 minutes. Let chops rest for 5 minutes before serving.

These came from a book called Food To Live By. This was my first time using it, and if this recipe is anything to go on, I am going to have to make everything in this book.

These take some forward planning. I let them soak for the whole 48 hours and It was totally worth it. They taste like what bacon wishes it could be when it grows up. The salty/sweet ratios are perfect, and I suppose it’s because of the brine, but there was absolutely no problem with drying out.

Anyone who has ever dipped their bacon into their syrup during a pancake breakfast, needs to eat these!

Twice Baked Potatoes

4 medium sized baking potatoes, scrubbed and patted dry
2 tbsp olive oil
Coarse salt
2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup sour cream or crème fraiche
2-3 tbsp buttermilk
1/2 cup thinly sliced scallions, including white, and 3 inches of green
1 cup freshly grated cheddar or Swiss cheese
freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan
paprika for garnish

position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 425f
rub the potatoes with olive oil and sprinkle salt over them. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 45-55 minutes, till tender, then let them cool
reduce the oven temp to 375f
Lay a potato flat and cut off the top half inch. Using a small spoon, scoop out the flesh into a bowl leaving 1/4 inch thick shell of potato. Repeat with all potatoes.
Add butter, sour cream, buttermilk, scallions and cheddar to the bowl. Mash and combine the filling till smooth and test for seasoning. Spoon the filling back into the potatoes , and top each with 1tbsp parmesan and some paprika. The potatoes can be made to this point and kept in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Bake about 15-20 minutes (add about 10 minutes if they are not room temp).

This is one of those foods that has always been around. I’ve always found them comforting, but I think I’ve only ever had pre-made frozen ones. These are much better. They are the kind of side dish that will make anything into a home-y and very American meal. My husband liked them so much he ate two.

This is another from Food To Live By.

Corn and black bean salad

1 can 15oz black beans rinsed and drained.
1 cup uncooked fresh or frozen corn
1 large tomato cut into 1/4 inch dice
1 small red onion cut into 1/4 inch dice
2tbsp finely chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
2tsp minced garlic
2tbsp white wine vinegar or distilled white vinegar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1tsp chilli powder
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper

Place beans, corn, tomato, onion and parsley in a bowl, and stir gently to combine. Place the rest of the ingredients in another bowl, and whisk to combine. Pour the dressing over the bean mixture and toss to coat. This salad can be kept at room temp for 6 hours.

This is from Food To Live By.

So easy. The cumin really adds that little something extra. This is the perfect salad for a summertime picnic or barbecue. It went really well with the pork chops too

Galician Tuna Empanada with melting onions

Empanada Gallega De Atun

1/3 cup olive oil, plus more if needed
2 medium sized garlic cloves, minced
2 large white onions, quartered and thinly sliced
3 large red bell peppers, cored, seeded, and thinly sliced
1 medium green bell peppers, cored, seeded, and thinly sliced
1 large ripe tomato, peeled, cut in half and grated on a box grater
2tsp sweet (not smoked) paprika
1 small pinch of saffron threads, pulverized in a mortar, and steeped in 2 tbsp very hot water
18 oz tuna, drained and flaked
3tbsp minced fresh flat leaf parsley
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
3/4 cup thinly sliced, pitted manzanilla olives
Flour for dusting
Olive oil and saffron pastry (recipe follows)
1 large egg yolk
1&1/2 tsp milk

Place oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, cook for 1 minute. Add onions and cook till translucent about 5 minutes. Add the peppers and cook till they begin to soften, about 7-8 minutes, adding a little more oil if necessary. Reduce heat to low and cook about 12 minutes, till very soft. Add tomato paprika and saffron, cover and simmer for about 15 min. Stir occasionally, it should reduce to a jam like consistency.
Let the veg mixture cool, then add the tuna and parsley. Season to taste. This filling can be made up to a day in advance and refrigerated,covered.

Place an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 375f. Oil a baking sheet with olive oil.

Roll out the larger pastry ball (on a floured surface, using a floured pin), about 19x12 inches. Transfer it to the baking sheet (it will overhang a little). Roll out the remaining pastry slightly smaller then the first. Spread the filling evenly on the pastry on the baking sheet, sprinkle with olives and cover with the smaller pastry. Fold up the bottom pastry to seal, and crimp decoratively.

Whisk the egg yolk and milk, and brush the top of the empanada with it. Make several slits in the top to allow steam to escape. Bake about 45 minutes till golden brown. Cover loosely with a kitchen towel and allow to cool a little, or to room temp to serve.




Olive Oil and Saffron Pastry
1tsp active dry yeast
1/2 tsp sugar
2/3 cup lukewarm water
4tbsp unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 large egg, beaten
1 large pinch of saffron threads, toasted, pulverized and steeped in 3tbsp hot water
2 scant tsp salt
3&12-3&3/4 cups flour

Place yeast sugar and water in a large bowl and stir to mix. Let stand until foamy, about 10 min. Whisk in butter, olive oil, egg saffron and salt, and mix well with a wooden spoon. Stir in 3&1/2 cups flour, one cup at a time, stirring well after each addition. Knead the dough about 5 min, till elastic and smooth. If the dough is too sticky use the extra 1/4 cup flour a little at a time. Divide the dough into two parts, one slightly larger then the other. Shape into two balls, place in a buttered bowl and cover loosely with cling film. Leave to sit for 20 minutes, it will only rise slightly. The dough can be refrigerated covered in cling film for up to 24 hours, but let it return to room temp before using.



So I recently mentioned that whenever I tried to make Spanish food, it came out less then impressive. As it turns out, I just had the wrong books. This recipe is from a book called The New Spanish Table . I LOVE IT! It’s one of those books that is so pretty, and it has all this other information in it too. It’s got a lot about Spanish culture, and history, especially as it relates to food, It’s a good read as well as a good cookbook.

I have always loved Empanadas, so I was a little worried about trying to recreate them, but this recipe was wonderful. I really recommend making the dough instead of using store bought pastry. It’s more authentic, and also, it is not to be missed. I love dough, in general, but this one was just lovely. I almost over kneaded it because I didn’t want to stop playing with it. It’s an olive oil dough, and it comes out sort of in between a bread and a pastry dough.

This is not a quick thing to make, but it’s also not difficult, and it comes out so good. I want to eat this all the time! I’m totally going to make their Chicken empanada too.

Pot Roast Chicken with Leeks and Anchovies

Salt and pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
4 large free range chicken legs
175ml dry white wine
1kg leeks, rinsed and cut into 1cm rounds
10 garlic cloves lightly crushed
1tbsp chopped rosemary
50g canned anchovy fillets, finely chopped
2.5 tbsp light soy sauce
2btsp finely chopped parsley
juice of 1/2 lemon

Preheat to 220c425f and bring a large pan of heavily salted water to a boil.
In a heavy bottom frying pan, heat the oil and gently color the legs til golden on both sides (add a little butter if you want to help things along). Transfer chicken to a casserole that will hold it all in one layer. Pour the wine into the frying pan and scrape up any residue before pouring the wine and juices into the casserole. Add the leeks to the boiling water for 3 minutes, then drain and add to the chicken, along with the garlic rosemary anchovies, and soy sauce. Season with pepper. Put the casserole over the heat and bring to a simmer, then cover with a tight fitting lid and transfer to the oven. Cook for 20 min, then add parsley and lemon juice, and return to the oven for another 10 min. Make sure the chicken is cooked through, and test the seasoning.

This is from a book I just got called "Cooking Without Fuss". It's a really nice book from a well known gastropub in London. I knew right away that I had to try this one. It's got several of my favorite flavors. I have to say right now, if you have never cooked with anchovies, you must do it. Do it now. Some people are turned off by them, but the thing is, when you cook with them, they disappear completely. They don't make things taste fishy, they just give a really good depth of flavor to whatever you are making.

This one was amazing. I can't wait to eat the left overs for lunch tomorow. The leeks came out so tasty, and the chicken was really tender and georgeous. I'm a big fan of this one.

Roasted butternut and sweet potato wedges, sweet chilli sauce and sour cream

500g butternut squash, peeled and cut into wedges
500g sweet potato, peeled and cut into wedges
2 garlic cloves finely chopped
6 tbsp olive oil
Slat and pepper

For the sauce
100ml, rice wine vinegar, or white wine vinegar
110g sugar
1tbsp thai fish sauce
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 green and one red chilli, finely chopped

For the sauce
Put the vinegar and sugar in a pan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 20 min, or until it has reduced by half. Add the rest, sir and put aside to cool.

Preheat to 200c/400f with a heavy bottom roasting tray inside
In a bowl, combine vegetables garlic and oil, and season generously. Toss to coat, then place in the roasting tray in the oven. Check after 20 min, when they are beginning to color turn them over for another 20 min. Check for tenderness.

This is from a book called Cooking Without Fuss. I am always looking for another thing to do with butternut squash because it's my youngest son's absolute alltime favorite. These were really good. I liked them both with the sauce and without. Nathaniel ate all of his, all of his brother's and some of mine and my husband's too.

Braised Pork with Potatoes and Olives

Hey Cookbad, I seem to be on a huge pork kick. I can't tell if it's because pork is so good, or cuz it's so cheap, but I think there will be a bunch of pork in the next few weeks...



2lb/900g shoulder of pork, cut into bite sized pieces
1lb/450g salad potatoes, halved if large
1.5oz/40g black olives
1.5oz/40g green olives
1lb/450g ripe red tomatoes
2tbsp olive oil
2 medium onions, peeled and sliced into half moon shapes
1 large red pepper, deseeded and sliced into 1&1/4 inch/3cm strips
2 cloves of garlic peeled and chopped
1 heaped tsp fresh thyme, chopped, plus a few small sprigs
10oz.275ml red wine
2 bay leaves
Salt and pepper

Preheat to 275f/140c

Pour boiling water over the tomatoes and leave for exactly 1 minute, then drain them and slip off their skins. Roughly chop them.

Heat 1 tbsp of the oil and brown the pork in batches, removing to a plate when done. Add the rest of the oil and fry the onions and peppers around 6 minutes. Add the garlic and stir around for a minute, then return the browned meat to the casserole and add all the thyme, tomatoes, red wine, olives, and bay leaves. Bring to a simmer, season well, cover with a lid and transfer to the oven. Cook for 1 & 1/4 hours, add the potatoes, and continue to cook for 45 more minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.

This one is Delia Smith, and oh my god it is so good you have no idea, YUM. This one was so well recieved that my youngest son (he'll be two in May) actually finished his whole plate of food before My husband and I even sat down. My husband asked that this one be put on a list of food to be made again and again.

It takes a long time to cook, but all the actual work of cooking is done up front, then it pretty much just sits in the oven. That's perfect for me because it means I can get the active part done while the boys are playing nicely, and then I can be around when needed during the dark hours before dinner, when crankyness reigns.

This one rocks!

Red Onion Goat Cheese Tart

So funny enough, it entirely escaped my notice that I do not own a flan tin. That little fact didn’t dawn on me till the onions were already cooking. Last minute change of plans, I used a small pie tin, and a tartlet tray (like a very shallow muffin tin). Small food is always fun anyway.




For the pastry:
225g/8oz fine, wholemeal flour
1/2 tsp salt
6tbsp olive oil

For the filling
1kg/2lb4oz red onions, thinly sliced
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp sugar
3 tbsp sherry, or red wine
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
350g/12oz firm goat’s cheese log

preheat to 180c/350f
cook the onions in the oil, covered, for 15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes. They need to be really soft before you move on.
Add the sugar, sherry and vinegar, and let simmer, without a lid 30 minutes. Should be sticky with hardly any liquid. Leave to cool.
Pastry:
Put the flour and salt in a bowl, carefully add the oil and 3 tbsp water, mix to a soft dough, then press evenly into the base and up the sides of a 30cm/12inch flan tin, spreading thinly. Bake for 10 minutes.

Remove from onion and top with onions and cheese, and bake for 20-30 minutes, till the cheese has melted and browned.

This is from The BBC Book “Fast Fresh and Fabulous”.

The dough was a pain, it did not come together easily, and it was not especially soft at any point. I had to roll it out instead of just spreading it into the tin with my hands. I baked the pie for 25 minutes, and the tartlets for only 20 without pre-baking the crust.

It was all totally worth it. The crust came out really crispy and nice, and the onions were so good that I just ate the leftover ones on their own. I think I could have used a stronger cheese, it was kind of overpowered by the onions, but all in all good.

I think my three year old said it best… “mmmm It’s got cheese on it. I love it.”