Patatas Bravas – Fierce Up Your Fries

I always thought Patatas Bravas meant “brave potatoes,” which seemed a little strange since what was supposed to be so brave about them? Amazingly delicious, yes, but valiant, fearless or courageous? I don’t think so. Well, apparently my translation skills were lacking, and come to find out it actually means “fierce.” Now that makes sense.

As advertised, these are fiercely textured, fiercely flavored, fiercely presented, and fiercely enjoyed. How fierce is really up to you and your inner Spaniard. There are as many patatas bravas recipes as homes in Spain, and this is nothing more than my latest rendition. 

As long as you boil them first, fry crisp, and season earnestly, the rest is open to wild experimentation. I’ve used all sort of blanching liquids, spice blends, and sauces, and never been disappointed.

My control around food is generally decent, but I am no match for a plate of these. Once you start with the toothpick, you’ll be impaling and eating potatoes until they’re gone. If you are making these for a group, just do in batches and keep warm in the oven until you have enough. Just don’t salt until the last second, or they can get soggy. I hope you give these a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 4 portions:

2 pounds russet potatoes

For the boiling liquid:

2 quarts cold water

1 tbsp salt

1 tsp smoked paprika

1 tsp cumin

2 bay leaves

For the sauce:

1 cup mayonnaise

garlic to taste
pinch of salt

1 tsp tomato paste

1-2 tbsp sherry vinegar

1/2 tsp smoked paprika

1/4 tsp chipotle powder

cayenne to taste

For the spice blend (makes lots extra):

2 tbsp salt

1 tsp black pepper

1 tsp smoked paprika

1 tsp chipotle powder

chopped parsley

View the complete recipe

Christmas Cookie Ideas

If you're like me, you love to gift cookies this time of year (how cute are these tags?).  Because it's a nice thing to do but, let's be real, it's also an excuse to bake every single day for an entire month.  What do you mean having fudge and peanut butter balls and gingerbread men and truffles and (fill in the blank with 8 more things) is too much to have around the house THEY ARE GIFTS FOR PEOPLE YOU MONSTER.  See, win-win.  You get to bake, you get to eat, you get to gift.  Here are some of my favorites from last year - and please look forward to my month of December madness coming up...

cranberry pistachio cookies

peppermint meringues

chewy ginger cookies

christmas chocolate chip cookies

homemade almond roca

bittersweet chocolate fudge with sea salt

Show-stopping Ethiopian in North Melbourne

Telling someone who lives in Footscray that they know a great Ethiopian restaurant elsewhere in Melbourne is kind of like selling ice to eskimos.  But hey - I like ice.

Little Africa is on Victoria Street in North/West Melbourne, not far from the Vic Market.  It's teeny tiny inside and quite lovely, with interesting bits and bobs decorating the walls and each table set with a tiny red tea light.  I loved the gorgeous young waiter, softly spoken and wearing regulation hipster garb of skinny jeans turned up at the ankles and black plimsolls.

Some frosty beers while we perused the menu.  There are loads of interesting things, all with clear descriptions.  I had my eye on kitfo - "freshly minced lean beaf sauteed with warm clarified butter, mitmita [chilli] and cardamon" or maybe dorho aletcha - "cubes of chicken breast marinated and sauteed with spices, onions and peppers".  But it's still very hard to go past just the straight-up vegetarian combo as a good marker of an Ethiopian joint.

Veg combo, $20 for one, $35 for two (each additional person $18)

WHOA - did I say marker?  I meant goalpost.  As in, sailed right through.  Yes, I know it makes no sense.  But look at those colours and textures!  The chef (mum?) brought out this huge platter covered with a big sombrero-like woven cloche.  So from the 6 o'clock possie we have dubba - pumpkin cooked until collapsing in berbere spice.  Sweet, rich, oh so divine.  Heading left, I loved these simple veg, cooked very lightly in a little garlic and still with so much freshness, colour and flavour.  What a fresh, modern touch.  Then brown lentils, cooked with berbere, earthy and just perfect.

So to the left of the lentils is fool - dried broad beans cooked down with tomatoes, chillis and onions for a warm cumin-rich treat.  Then, still heading left, my fave and something not all too often seen - shiro, powdered dried chickpeas cooked with berbere for a silky smooth, rich, seductive paste.  Then finally cabbage and carrots cooked in garlic, ginger and turmeric.  The cabbage, like the veg, was left chunky in leaves - I think I prefer it a bit more shredded.  But oh boy, the flavours, I tell you!!!  They were all brought together by lemony, super-fresh salad in the middle.  This was seriously incredible East African food.

We ate to our heart's content and then we ate some more...and some more, and suddenly our "dinner and a few beers" looked like it might be more like "one beer and stagger home, protuberant stomach first".  We managed to waddle the few doors to Prudence where we groaned in painful satisfaction and sipped icy beer very slowly.

As we sat, the lovely young man from Little Africa entered again and again with more giant trays with peaked, woven covers that emitted smells that still tantalised, despite our stuffed state.  Turns out the good citizens of North Melbourne have cottoned on to this most excellent idea, and are taking it up with gusto.

This is East African fare worth travelling for.  RUN DON'T WALK!



PS:  I would book.  They are already pretty busy!  If they're full, you can always "order in" at Prudence!
PPS:  I am pretty sure they have rice!  (I heard someone ordering it.)

Little Africa
358 Victoria Street, North Melbourne
Phone:  9329 8018

Hours:  Tues-Sun 5-10pm

Banana Nut Oat Muffins Recipe

These Banana Nut Oat muffins are some of the best muffins I've ever made.I got out of the habit of baking when my stove was replaced. I use my bread machine and my Breville Smart Oven but it's too small for many things. Fortunately I have a muffin pan that makes 6 muffins that fits in it perfectly. And you know what? Making 6 muffins is much better than making a dozen! 

Muffins, like cupcakes are really good when they're fresh, but they get dry and stale quickly. So making smaller batches more frequently makes good sense. These muffins use lots of healthy ingredients like oatmeal, oat bran, bananas, walnuts and a little bit of olive oil so you can feel good about eating them. I used extra virgin olive oil because it's what I have on hand but you could use any olive oil you like. Olive oil is great for baking, especially in muffins and quick breads. The muffins are moist, with a little crunch from the nuts, a little chew from the oats, and have that buttery texture that comes from using bran, perfect to take when you're running out the door.

I adapted this recipe adding oat bran, increasing the amount of nuts and swapping out olive oil for melted butter but I'm not sure where the original recipe came from. It might seem like a lot of ingredients, but it comes together very quickly. The reason I used rolled oats, oat bran, bananas and walnuts is because they all contain magnesium. Many people are deficient in magnesium, over half the population in California according USDA research. But the combination is also really delicious, even if you don't need more magnesium in your diet. Just about everyone (unless those with nut allergies) can benefit from more nuts in their diet. Walnuts in particular have amazing heart healthy benefits.

Do you have a favorite walnut recipe? You could win fabulous prizes if your family recipe is chosen in the Gift of Gather contest. 

Banana Nut Oat Muffins

Makes 6 large muffins

Ingredients

2/3 cup all purpose flour

1/3 cup oat bran

1/2 cup old fashioned rolled oats

1/3 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

3/4 cup mashed very ripe bananas (the skins should be brown)

1 egg

1/4 cup olive oil 

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a mixing bowl, stir together the flour, oat bran, oatmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. In another bowl, mix together the mashed bananas, eggs, oil and vanilla. Add the banana mixture and walnuts to the flour mixture, stirring with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon just until the dry ingredients are moistened. Do not over mix. 

Spoon batter into a well greased or paper-lined muffin pan (grese the top of the pan to make removing the muffins easier). Bake for about 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center muffin comes out clean. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove muffins from the pan and let cool completely or better yet, eat warm.

Enjoy!

Vanilla Bean Sugar Cookies

If you put a chocolate chip cookie and a sugar cookie in front of me, I'll always go for chocolate.  However, these are hands down the best sugar cookies I've ever put in my mouth.  And I meant that plural because I've had more than one, in fact, I just put one in my mouth for breakfast.  Perfectly buttery, with a crisp cookie shell and a soft and chewy finish.  I altered a Martha Stewart recipe by adding more butter (what) and substituting vanilla extract with vanilla bean paste (my new favorite thing).  Do you see these little flecks...

You might have to wake up your eyes with more coffee and look closely, but they're there.  And the subtle flavor they add to the cookie make them unreal.  We chose to roll them in sanding sugar before baking, but you could icing if you wanted.  

Although, in my opinion, that would only take away from the gloriousness that is this cookie.  Is "gloriousness" a word?  Sometimes I put lots of letters together and hope for the best.

Vanilla Bean Sugar Cookies

(Makes approx. 2 dozen)

Printable Recipe

2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, room temp

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1 large egg

1 1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste

2 cups flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 cup sour cream

Sanding sugar or sprinkles (optional)

In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy - about 3 minutes.  Scrape down sides with spatula.  Add egg and vanilla paste and mix until combined.  

In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda.  Add half to wet ingredients, mixing on low speed.  Then add sour cream, combine, and finally rest of dry ingredients.  Mix until a dough forms.  Cover with plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes.  Preheat oven to 350.  Roll dough into golf-ball sized balls (or slightly larger) and dip one side in sugar (if using).  Place sugar-side up on parchment-lined baking sheets, a few inches apart.  

Bake for 10-15 minutes, until edges start to brown slightly.  

Perfect buttery bottom.  That's not potty talk.

Chanterelle & potato frittata

I'm way, way behind on my postings. I have photos, and I have half-written blog posts all over the place. I need time, lots of uninterrupted time, to sit down and work. But.. alas, that's not going to happen any time soon. Christmas is coming, and I'm pretty busy with my lovely baby who's slowly learning how to feed himself - more on that some other time! :-)

However, this is a great dish, a frittata or an open omelet, that I made when I had a vegetarian visitor for lunch. Åsa is a food blogger too, from Gothenburg. You can find her, in Swedish, at Miss Meister's.

Chanterelle & potato frittata
serves 3-4, as a light lunch

300 g chanterelles
2 tbsp butter, divided
200 g cooked potatoes, diced
4 eggs
2 tbsp water
Grated cheese, ideally Swedish Västerbotten, but otherwise parmesan

First, clean the mushrooms. Cook them in a dry frying pan - no butter yet - on medium heat until they start to release their liquids and then dry again. Then add one tablespoon of butter and let them cook on low heat.

In another pan, melt the remaining butter and fry the potatoes until browned. Add the mushrooms to this pan too.

Whisk the eggs with water in a bowl, and add the cheese. Pour this on top of the potatoes and mushroms and fry gently on low-medium heat until set. Season with salt and pepper to your liking, and if possible, top with some fresh herbs.

Triple Chocolate Rosemary Shortbread Cookies

shortbread is just about the easiest most versatile cookie dough there is.

i found this basic shortbread recipe and "method" a few years ago from Smitten Kitchen and have been using it ever since.  Deb posted a recipe called Espresso Chocolate Shortbread Cookies created by Dorie Greenspan, chef extraordinaire !  it's a simple, easy, must try recipe to get you started.

once you get the basics you can run with all kinds of interesting flavor combos.  i've created a few...Rose Shortbread with White Chocolate, Chocolate Bacon Shorties (to be posted soon), Chocolate Coconut, Haute Chocolate Chili shortbread, Maple Pecan Shortbread Bars and i started with good ol' Chocolate Chip Shortbread Tiles back in 2009 when i fell in love with this recipe.

the best part of this shortbread is the method...

THE ZIPLOC BAGGIE TRICK.

you can get a visual over at Smitten Kitchen's blog or check out Use Real Butter's blog "step by step".

another bonus... as you can see, the dough produces a cookie with sharp crisp edges that will retain the shape you choose, be it square, round or your favorite cut-out-do-dahs.

TRIPLE CHOCOLATE ROSEMARY SHORTBREAD

adapted from Deb at  Smitten Kitchen (fabulous blog!) who in turn was sharing a recipe from Dorie Greenspan's "Baking From My Home to Yours"

INGREDIENTS

1/2 tsp instant espresso powder

2 Tbsp good cocoa powder

2 sticks unsalted butter, room temp.

2/3 cup powdered sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups AP flour

22 grams cocoa nibs

1 large tsp home dried rosemary, fine mince/chop
dark chocolate for drizzle, optional for "triple chocolate"
and coarse sea salt for a sprinkle

in a stand mixer with paddle attachment, beat the butter and powdered sugar until very smooth.  beat in the vanilla and rosemary.  turn to low and add the espresso powder and flour in approx. 3 batches until everything is incorporated.  do not over mix.  gently mix in the cocoa nibs in the machine or by hand.  again, not to over mix.
the best part...THE ZIPLOC BAGGIE TRICK.
i learned this from Smitten Kitchens post about these Dorie Greenspan cookies.  please check the link and go to her fabulous blog to see some photo instructions.
but in a nut shell this is what you'll do...transfer the dough into a gallon size Ziploc plastic bag.  flatten the dough out in the bag, first with your hand then with the rolling pin.  flatten until it is solid to the edges of the baggie.  as you are rolling...flip the bag a few times to ensure it's even and there are no wrinkles.  press the air out and seal the zipper.  you will have one big flat baggie of dough about 1/4 inch thick.  refrigerate on a flat surface for at least 2 hours or up to 2 days.

when ready to bake...remove from fridge and simply slice the baggie on 3 sides and peal it open.  cut the dough with a sharp knife and a straight edge, peel squares off of the plastic and set on parchment lined cookie sheet.  prick each cookie with a fork 2 times.  i like to stick the whole sheet back in the fridge for about 10 minutes to ensure the nice crisp sharp edges after baking.

bake for 18-20 minutes.  don't wait until they darken around the edges...they should just be firm to the touch.  transfer to a wire rack to cool.
melt chocolate of choice, i prefer dark chocolate, and do a little drizzle.  sprinkle sea salt on before chocolate sets.
they are pretty durable so if you are making cookies ahead of time this is a good one to start with...just drizzle chocolate later in case your chocolate might soften or bloom.  they package great if you put parchment in between drizzled cookies.

Ombre Cake

My niece celebrated her 7th birthday over Thanksgiving break - and I volunteered to make her a cake at the very last second.  Boxed everything (I'm sorry, Martha).  But to make it more fun and slightly more creative, I decided to divide the cake batter into 3 bowls, and to add varying degrees of red food coloring for an ombre effect.  In case you're unfamiliar with the word/trend, it means "having colors or tones that shade into each other."  You're welcome for your morning lesson of learning.

Heart Shaped Ombre Cake...

Pumpkin Scones with Toasted Pine Nuts & Maple Glaze – A Recipe for the Other 10 Months

I have no intention of giving up the best job in the world anytime soon, but if I do, I’d try and get a job in the marketing department of a pumpkin puree company. 

I’m guessing that like 97% of the canned pumpkin in this country is used during the time from Halloween until Thanksgiving. So if I could figure out a way to get people to use this in recipes all year round, I’d be a total superstar in pumpkin puree marketing circles.

Imagine that. It would be…awesome? Anyway, maybe I should rethink this whole post-Foodwishes career path, but in the meantime, here’s just one example of how I would convince the public that pumpkin is great for anytime of the year. Ironically, I did this because I had leftover pumpkin from Thanksgiving, but still.

I may have covered this in the last scones post, but I’ve never been a huge fan of the scone. I’ve always considered it some sort of effeminate biscuit, but I’m starting to come around in my old age. There’s nothing like a freshly baked scone with a steaming hot cup of tea or coffee, especially one tricked out with pumpkin, toasted pine nuts, and maple glaze. I hope you give this a try soon…or anytime! Enjoy.

Ingredients for 12 Pumpkin Scones:

8 ounces by weight all-purpose flour (about 1 3/4 cups)

1/4 cup white sugar
1 tbsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/3 cup toasted pine nuts

1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1/3 cup buttermilk

additional flour as needed
1 egg beaten with a few drops of milk or water to brush scones before baking.

*Bake at 400 degrees F. for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown

View the complete recipe

Thanks and Giving.

Thanksgiving has come and gone for 2012. This one was probably one of the best in my (not so great) memory. It wasn’t huge and crazy, and it wasn’t teeny tiny, but it maintained both social and intimate qualities, friends and family. I didn’t go too far overboard with the menu (some may argue that), but there was still enough for the all-important turkey sandwich fixins leftover. Most importantly, I was - and still am - quite cognisant of all that I am thankful for. During the toast, I looked over the room - the beautiful, beautiful room, filled with some of my favorite people in the world, filled with wonderful food and wine, our dogs, a fire in the fireplace - and tears welled up in my eyes. I was warm with love and happiness. And a calm that I rarely experience.

Of course there were minor dramas. Of course some people wouldn’t or couldn’t eat or drink certain things on the menu. Of course there was that frenetic energy in the kitchen right as all of the food was coming out to the table. Of course some people didn’t want to be seated next to certain guests and there was also that mysterious adjustment to the seating chart. Of course there was a monumental mess to clean up. 

Of course, of course, of course. 

But then there also were these moments: The moment Maggie showed up, before she began to decorate and turn the living room into a dining room - we both plopped down and took a breath to reflect on our previous Thanksgivings together and toast with a glass of sparkles. The moment Fred made me take just thirty seconds of time to dance with him in the hallway before we went to sit down at the table to eat. The moment I looked across the table, all decked out in my grandma Janie's ruby china, and felt so proud. The moment my mom was so into our game of charades that she was excitedly shrieking her guesses for both teams. The moment Nadia traded her five-inch black Gucci heels for my knitted socks and Crocs to go on an after dinner hike with the gang. The moment we all sat down in the den, after the meal, after charades and after the hike, to bask in the pleasure of a wonderful day and finish it off with Home For the Holidays and one more glass of lambrusco.

The turkey, the stuffing, the potatoes, the gravy, the pie - yes, they were present and delicious. But what I will remember about this Thanksgiving, what stands out from the turkey, the potatoes, the gravy and the pie, are those moments shared with those people. And that can never be duplicated. Not the moments.

And for that, for what we all gave one another, I am so very thankful.

*In addition to the very traditional menu we served this past Thanksgiving, there were a couple wild cards in there. A couple of dishes where I felt the urge to flex a bit. Usually this comes in the form of a soup. And though I heard a little hemming and hawing about this soup being on the menu, and how it would make everyone too full to truly appreciate the presumed star of the meal, the turkey, I made it anyway. As we all began to eat something pretty awesome happened: I immediately got three or four shouts from the other end of the table about how amazing the soup was. And the praise kept coming. Go figure.

I’ve already got the Christmas menu pretty much planned. The soup for that one will be an oyster stew, but this chestnut soup would be just perfect for your Christmas dinner.

Chestnut, Celery & Apple Soup with Sage Oil

Makes 6 to 8 servings

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, peeled, trimmed and thinly sliced

1 shallot, peeled, trimmed and thinly sliced

3 small McIntosh apples, peeled, cored and cut into 1/2-inch cubes

4 celery stalks, chopped

1 bay leaf

1 sprig thyme

Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

Salt and freshly ground white pepper

3/4 pound peeled fresh chestnuts (from about 1 1/4 pounds chestnuts in the shell) or dry-packed bottled or vacuum-sealed peeled chestnuts

2 quarts chicken stock 

1/2 cup heavy cream

2 tablespoons of cream sherry

8-12 fried sage leaves

2-4 tablespoons sage oil

Heat the oil in a stockpot or large casserole over medium heat.  Add the onion, shallot, apples, celery, bay leaf, thyme, nutmeg and salt and pepper to taste and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes, or until the onions and leeks are soft but not colored.  Add the chestnuts and chicken stock and bring to the boil.  Lower the heat to a simmer and cook, skimming the surface regularly, for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the chestnuts can be mashed easily with a fork.  Add the heavy cream and sherry and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes more, then remove from the heat and discard the bay leaf and thyme.

Puree the soup until smooth using a blender or a food processor, and working in batches if necessary, then pass it through a fine-mesh strainer.  You should have about 2 quarts soup.  If you have more, or if you think the soup is too thin -- it should have the consistency of a veloute or light cream soup - simmer it over medium heat until slightly thickened.  Taste and, if necessary, adjust the seasoning.  (The soup can be cooled completely and stored in a covered container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days or frozen for up to one month.  Bring the soup to a boil before serving.)

Serve topped with a couple of fried sage leaves and a drizzle of sage oil.

Printable recipe.

One year ago: Divinia's Tea Sandwiches

Two years ago: Sausage over Creamy Lentils

Three years ago: Bouchon Beverly Hills

Tomato & roasted red pepper sauce

This is a great little sauce to serve with cod, or any other fish. We had it with oven-cooked cod (15 minutes, 200 degrees) and roasted veggies, and it was really flavorful. Not bad for 20 minutes!

Tomato & roasted red pepper sauce
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp olive oil
4 tomatoes, deseeded
2 grilled red peppers (from a jar is fine)
1 tsp Pimenton de la Vera, dulce (sweet smoked paprika)
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
juice of 1/2 lemon
small bunch fresh coriander, chopped

Start by gently frying the garlic in the olive oil for five minutes on medium heat. Meanwhile, dice the de-seeded tomatoes and the peppers. Add those to the pot, and season with Pimentón, cumin, salt and sugar. Cook for 10-15 minutes on low heat. Just before serving, add the lemon and check to see if you want more seasonings. Stir in the coriander, and you're done.

Parker House Rolls

As chronicled here and here, I have had many dramatic Thanksgivings, which is why I was very thankful to be a guest this year in someone else's home, eating their wonderful food and contributing just one, simple side.  I made these rolls, and while they were simple they were also delicious.  I was unfamiliar with a Parker House Roll, but according to Wikipedia it's buttery, soft, made with milk, and folded in half.  Key word there: buttery.  Or "boooooooootery" as Paula would say.  And even though she had nothing to do with this dish, she would have been proud, because I brushed these babies with butter like I was basting a turkey with "aaoooowl" (that means oil in Paula's language).  These rolls would make a great side dish any time of year, but they were perfect for sopping up gravy and everything else on my plate this past Thursday.  

I hope you all had wonderful meals as well.      

Leftover Turkey

Here is a favorite post from a couple of years ago--what to do with all that leftover turkey...

Leftover turkey, even dry, overcooked turkey, is good in soups, salads, sandwiches, stews, smothered in sauce or topped with a poached or fried egg.

Here are some suggestions for how to use leftover turkey. I've linked to recipes, some I've tried others just look good to me, but feel free to use your own or your imagination!

Turkey Pot Pie

Turkey Mole

Turkey Enchiladas

Turkey Mushroom Crepes

Turkey Quesadillas

Turkey Barley Soup

Turkey Grilled Cheese & Pear Sandwich

Turkey Hash

Turkey Salad

Turkey Noodle Soup

Turkey Cobb Salad

Turkey Gumbo

Turkey Posole

If you have any favorite turkey leftover recipes, please share them by leaving a comment.

Giving Thanks

Michele and I had a very lovely Thanksgiving holiday with the family in Davis, CA. The food and company were wonderful, and as if that wasn't enough, I also enjoyed a flood of viewers posting pictures of their successful Food Wishes' recipes on Twitter and Instagram. I want to thank everyone who mentioned us this holiday, and I couldn't be happier or more proud of all the beautiful food you created and shared. And while we're on the subject, here are a few highlights from our meal. Enjoy!

Our handsome, free-range turkey was from Branigan's Turkey Farm in Woodland, California, and it was amazing! I did the old, herb-butter under the skin trick, and it was one of the juiciest, most flavorful turkeys in recent memory.

I love to start the Thanksgiving meal with a small salad. This is a great way to get everyone to the table for toasts, grace, etc., and not have to worry about all the food getting cold. While the turkey rests, enjoy a nice pear, persimmon salad with goat cheese, pomegranate, and candied walnuts.

What's Thanksgiving, but an elaborate excuse to eat lots of buttery mashed potatoes? These were fortified with cream cheese as family tradition dictates.

These incredibly tasty sweet potatoes were simply roasted with maple butter and topped with salty, crunchy, toasted pistachios.  They were perfect.

I decided to eschew the usual green bean casserole for this new addition to the holiday side repertoire. The beans were tossed with copious amounts of roasted garlic, and then warmed in the oven after a crumbling of Point Reyes blue cheese. No one missed the casserole! 

We finished with the pumpkin pie you saw posted a while back, and by the looks of my Twitter feed, so did many of you. I hope you had a great holiday, and enjoy the rest of the weekend. Special thanks to Peggy & Al, Nina & Tom, and Jennifer and Leanne for providing us with such an enjoyable Thanksgiving. Stay tuned for a new video tomorrow!

Dessert table

This amazing dessert table was made by Dagmar, for her son Gabriel's christening. Yummy, indeed!!

许兄弟猪什汤 Koh Brother's Pig Organ Soup ...... Not their organ soup this time but the Glutinous Rice in Pig Intestines

Koh Brother's Pig Organ Soup 许兄弟猪什汤 is a popular stall in the Tiong Bahru food centre for what their stall name suggests. However, I was here only for one of their more interesting dish that looked llike a Weisswurst.

Have you seen Weisswurst or German white sausages sold in the display chiller of the meat section in the super market? If you do, you may have seen a similar food in Tiong Bahru Food Centre. The Pork and Chestnut Glutinous Rice wrapped in Pig's Intestines, served at the stall and looks like a scaled up version of the Weisswurst. When it's sliced up it looked just like this.

Like the sausage, the outer layer is the pig's intestine (actually only a layer of the intestine that consist of naturally occuring collagen) which is used to stuff with steamed  glutinous rice that is mixed with chestnuts and pork. If you like to eat pig's intestines and pig organs and Teochew rice kueh, you'll like this. It taste like a fragrant Teochew glutinous rice kueh impregnated with flavors and aroma of the pig intestines like you have in pig's organ soup. The chestnut gave the dish some nutty sweetness.

I liked it drizzled with the sweet sauce and chilli that was provided as the standard condiments for the dish.

30 Seng Poh Road
#02-29 Tiong Bahru Food Centre
Singapore 168898

Leftover Turkey Manicotti – “Little Muffs” for the Day After the Day After

Manicotti, which means, “little muffs” in Italian, has to be one of the best ways ever for using up leftover Thanksgiving turkey. 

The moist filling will bring the driest bird back from the dead, and you can literally add anything that can be chopped up.

Leftover green bean casserole? Throw it in. Peas and Onions? You bet’cha. Cranberry Sauce? No, don’t be ridiculous. Anyway, thanks to the absence of cheese, tomato, and pasta on the usual Thanksgiving menu, this concoction will erase any connection with the aforementioned feast.

One portioning note: The recipe below made six crepes, and if you make yours slightly smaller, the filling recipe will make six nicely sized manicotti. 

I went low-carb and used all the filling to make four portions, but you should probably just fill all 6 crepes, or even double the recipe to get 12. I think you’ll want leftovers of the leftovers. So whether you make manicotti with the last of the holiday turkey, or just use the technique to recycle other meaty meals, I hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 6 crepes:

2 eggs

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 cup water

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp olive oil

olive oil for cooking crepes as needed
*Note: Feel free to adjust the batter's thickness by adding a little flour or water until you get a thin consistency as seen in video. 
 

For the filling:

1 cup chopped turkey or anything

1 cup ricotta cheese

1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

1/2 cup grated mozzarella

1/4 tsp dried marjoram

1/8 tsp red chili flakes

1 egg

1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley

For the rest:

1 1/2 cups marinara sauce

2 tsp olive oil

1/3 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano for top

1 tbsp chopped Italian parsley, garnish