Appetizers

Queso Panela with Oregano and Olive Oil

sophia — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 12:26:50 -0500

This is a popular Mexican appetizer that is easy to put together and simply delicious. The recipe calls for Mexican oregano, which does have a distinct taste than Mediterranean oregano. Of course, you can use either variety, but just keep in mind that you should try both to get to know their differences.

1 package queso panela
1 tsp Mexican oregano
1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Sprinkle the cheese with the oregano on both top and bottom. Heat up a skillet with the olive oil. Place the cheese in the skillet and heat through. After a few minutes, flip and heat through on the other side. You are not looking to gain any color on the cheese, but just gently heating it through so it is soft.
Transfer to a platter and serve with crackers.

1 round of cheese is enough for a party of 12 or more.

Carrots with Yogurt- Yogurtlu Havuç

sophia — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 08:30:57 -0500

Carrots with yogurt is a common appetizer, or meze, in Turkey. Grated carrots are cooked lightly and then mixed with yogurt and garlic. This is a healthy and low-fat Mediterranean recipe that you can eat for a simple dinner with some grilled meat, or serve alongside other vegetarian appetizers for a party. Carrots are very inexpensive and nutritious, so they a great ingredient for people on a budget.

4 medium carrots, peeled and grated (or 4 cups grated carrot)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, small dice
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
1 cup low-fat plain yogurt
Pinch of cumin and salt
Juice of ½ a lemon

Heat up the olive oil in a large sauté pan. Add the onions and cook until soft and translucent. Add the grated carrots and a drop of water and stir. Cover the pan with a lid and let steam lightly until cooked down and soft. Remove from heat and cool.
Meanwhile mix the garlic with the yogurt, cumin, and a pinch of salt. Stir in the carrots and lemon. Garnish with parsley.

Serves 6 as an appetizer.

Carciofi a la Giuda

sophia — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 08:06:39 -0500

Being in Rome has given me some new perspective on the food situation in the United States. They say that the Jewish food of Rome is the oldest and most authentic, because it has stretched back so many thousands of years. Carciofa a la Giuda (Jewish style Artichokes) is a must-eat dish in Rome and is served in almost every food establishment. What is interesting about Roman Jewish cuisine is that it was born in the Ghetto, and is some of the simplest Italian fare that there is.

Street food in the Ghetto was a necessity. Many people did not even have kitchens, and would have to buy their food from the streets. Most of the food was fried, and just seasoned with salt and lemon.

It almost makes perfect sense right now to see how being strapped to the bare necessities brings out what is really important for nutrition and what is really convenient for preparation, in order to produce a real traditional recipe. I would not go so far to say that the present-day situation in the United States could ever be compared to the misery of life in the Jewish ghetto, where people were only let out between from dawn to dusk, but there is something to be learned from the example.

Lately there has been so much hype in the US about the economic crisis. Newspapers and magazines want to publish stories on “how to eat on a budget”. It seems almost ludicrous to me to look at the way we sensationalize the situation, but never really get down to the bottom of it. Americans are so used to eating whatever they want whenever they want, that we do not come close to having an equivalent to Carciofi a la Giuda. “Experts” say eat locally and seasonally- well that seems obvious to me. We should have been doing that all along. Everywhere else in the world (before the influence of the SAD-Standard American Diet), people eat locally and seasonally because it is the only way to eat. There is nothing else available. Why should we pat ourselves on the back for that concept? It has to be more than that. We cannot try and “invent” a real traditional Fillinyourregionorcity dish; that is superficial and gross.

It will be interesting to see how we come out of this, what foods become important to us, and what we become famous for. If hamburgers and fries symbolize our domination of modern convenience, what will symbolize our economic collapse?

Thomas Jefferson Endive and Radicchio Salad with Seckel Pear

sophia — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 21:16:20 -0500

This healthy Fall salad integrates a lot of seasonal produce. Bitter radicchio and endive leaves are offset by sharp blue cheese and walnuts. The dressing has grapes but is not sweet. We used sesame oil, because Thomas Jefferson dressed his greens with a homemade sesame oil. You can use olive oil and grapeseed oil instead.

1 small head radicchio, cut in half
2 endives
2 Seckel Pears
½ cup raw walnuts
Scant ¼ cup crumby blue cheese

For the dressing:
1 small garlic clove
1 cup conchord grapes
2 tsp Dijon mustard
2 T sherry or red wine vinegar
3 T sesame oil

To make the dressing:
Blend together the garlic, grapes, mustard, and vinegar, along with a pinch of salt. Slowly pour in the oil, blend, and adjust the seasoning to taste.

Remove the outer layers of the radicchio and endives and rinse well. Chop the radicchio in half lengthwise, then chop one of the halves horizontally into strips. Chop both the endives in half lengthwise, and then horizontally in 1” pieces. Toss the radicchio and endives together in a bowl.
Toss the walnuts and cheese into the greens.
Dress with the vinaigrette and serve.
Slice the pear in half and core. Place decoratively on the plate alongside the salad.
Serves 4 as an appetizer.

Thomas Jefferson Endive and Radicchio Salad

sophia — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 20:57:02 -0500

This salad is perfect for a post-election dinner. Bitter radicchio and endives are tossed with walnuts and crumbled blue cheese. The dressing is made with grapes and sesame oil, which Jefferson made himself in replacement of olive oil. Serve this as an appetizer for a dinner party, or you can also turn it into an hors d'oeuvre by hollowing out the center of the pear, filling it with cheese, and garnishing with julienned radicchio.

Afghan Split Peas with Apples and Cinnamon

sophia — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 10:19:31 -0400

You can substitute green or brown lentils for the split peas.

½ cup split peas
1/4 cup onion, small dice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
2 cups apples, peeled, cored, and diced
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp sugar
¼ cup apple cider vinegar

Soak the split peas in water for at least 2 hours. Drain.
Heat up the oil and butter in a medium saucepan.
Add the onion and cook until translucent. Add the sugar and keep cooking until the onions are very soft and starting to pick up color.
Add the apples and cinnamon and cook for 5 minutes with the onion.
Add the split peas and cover with 4 cups of water. Bring to a simmer and cook covered for about 30 minutes-1 hour, or until the water has been absorbed.
Check the pot one in a while to make sure there is enough liquid. Add more if necessary.
One the liquid has been absorbed, add the vinegar and simmer down until it is like a thick stew.
Serves 2.

Silky Eggplant Dip with Herbes de Provence

emma — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 17:12:58 -0400

This eggplant dip is light and a wonderful party food. The texture is smooth and silky thanks to the flame roasted eggplant and strained Greek yogurt. Herbes de Provence and a hint of rosewater give the dip a Mediterranean touch.

Roasting eggplants over the flame of gas stoves is a wonderful way to bring out the best in eggplant's flavor and texture.

Silky Eggplant Dip with Herbes de Provence

emma — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 11:24:43 -0400

1 medium eggplant
2 T olive oil
½ cup strained yogurt
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp rosewater
½ tsp herbes de Provence

Roast the eggplant over an open flame, turning over to cook through on all sides. If you do not have gas burners, roast the eggplant in a 400ºF oven for 30- 40 minutes.
When the skin is charred and the eggplant is soft to the touch (poke it with tongs to check), remove to a strainer set over a bowl. When cool enough to handle, peel off the skin and sprinkle lightly with sea salt. Let it sit for about ½ an hour.
Puree the eggplant in a food processor with the olive oil, yogurt, salt, rosewater, and herbes de Provence.
Serve as a dip with crackers at your next party.

Simple Fried Eggplant (With Less Oil)

emma — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 11:07:13 -0400

Fried eggplant is a simple and delicious snack or appetizer. Dip the eggplant slices in egg whites before frying them, that way they don't absorb as much oil and come out silken on the inside and crisped to perfection on the outside.

1 medium eggplant
2 egg whites
½ tsp. salt
1 T vinegar
¼ cup high heat oil (sunflower seed, grapeseed, or corn oil)

Slice the eggplant thinly in horizontal rounds. Sprinkle sea salt over the tops, and let sit for about 30 minutes. Wipe off the sweat with a towel.
Whisk together the egg whites with the vinegar and salt.
Heat up the oil in a pan on medium high heat until it is quite hot.
Dip the eggplant rounds in the egg white mixture and then slip them into the pan. After about 1-2 minutes, flip them over and cook through on the other side.
Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels to drain of the excess oil.
Serve with lemon juice and a sprinkle of parsley.

Simple Fried Eggplant (With Less Oil)

emma — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 10:55:15 -0400