cuceeSprouts.com

Black-Eyed Pea and Quinoa Croquettes

January 5, 2012

Black-Eyed Pea and Quinoa Croquettes

“What would you like, Ma-am?” a flight attendant smiled at me as she parked her cart by row 3, my row for the next 6 hours. Hm, what would I like?

I would like a long relaxing massage. A day all to myself with plenty of time to devote to a new complicated recipe and reflect on this stage in my life. A picturesque hike and a meaningful conversation with a friend. A full uninterrupted night of sleep.

A weekend getaway to Carmel with my family. A book that takes me places I have never gone before. Sparkly card stock paper in all the colors of the rainbow – with matching envelopes. New shape cutters for scrap-booking.

I’d like to take an art or a metal sculpture class. Or an inspiring photography workshop, taught by Quentin Shih.

I’d like a stove with 2 extra burners. I’d like to move into a soup, salad and grain cookbook library. I’d like to learn to fly an airplane. Or become really good at a new sport, perhaps even mountain biking. To take a trip “back home” – to a place where I was born, knock on my childhood friend’s door and tell her about the last 20 years. I’d like to slow down the time to enjoy my kids smiles longer. To live authentically and with no regrets. Through my son’s epipen into the trash forever and watch him sink his pearl-white baby teeth into a slice of good-ol’ birthday cake.

“I will have a cup of black coffee, with half a Splenda and a touch of fat-free milk.”

The making of the Black-Eyed Pea and Quinoa Croquettes

Black-Eyed Pea and Quinoa Croquettes

Adapted from Vegan with A Vengeance

Ingredients

For the Croquettes:

1 1/2 cup of cooked black-eyed peas
1 generous tablespoon of olive oil
1 generous tablespoon of tamari or soy sauce
1 cup of cooked quinoa
1 red or green chili, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon of dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon of dried basil
1 teaspoon of paprika

For the Coating:

1/4 cup of bread crumbs
1/4 cup of cornmeal
pinch of sea salt
freshly cracked black pepper
1/2 teaspoon of grated lemon zest

Directions

In a medium-large bowl, mash the black-eyed peas with a fork or potato masher. Mix in the olive oil, tamari and hot chili. Add the quinoa to the bowl, along with the spices and herbs and stir until well combined.
Combine the ingredients for the coating in a small bowl.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease the sheet.
Shape the bean and quinoa mixture into small patties, roll in the crumb mixture and transfer to the baking sheet. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 40 minutes. Turn them after 20 minutes have elapsed.

Black-Eyed Pea and Quinoa Croquettes

Wine Pairing

A spicy and jammy Sin Zin provides a nice contrast to with these crunchy croquettes.

Black-Eyed Pea and Quinoa Croquettes

{ 3 comments }

Creamy Poblano Chile Soup With Corn and Chanterelle Mushrooms

December 13, 2011

Creamy Poblano Chile Soup With Corn and Chanterelle Mushrooms

Cucee loved to cook, Cucee lived to cook. Cooking was a creative outlet, a form of meditation and self expression. In a community, the aspiring chef was well known for amazing culinary abilities and an authentic desire to serve others. But no one ever suspected that even Cucee sometimes dreamt of being waited on, cooked for, and exposed to new flavors.

Cucee has been dying to go out to a restaurant for quite some time and, one day, decided to finally follow the dream. Sharing with no one but the family, Cucee escaped to a secluded trattoria in a neighborhood where no one knew of the famous chef. Forgoing the menu, curious Cucee threw caution to the wind and put the entire dinner’s fate into the waiters hands.

At first, Cucee ate slowly, unsure whether the food would taste as good as that at home. But with each new bite, Cucee enjoyed it more and more. The food at trattoria tasted new and exciting, complex yet perfectly balanced, light yet filling. Taken completely by surprise, young Sprouts recognized that eating out is actually pretty darn fantastic. So, with parents’ and sister’s blessings, Cucee decided to do it again… and then again… and again… and again… And before long, Cucee became a regular at the trattoria, frequenting the restaurant on almost bi-weekly basis. The novel unfamiliar ingredients started looking far more appealing and intriguing than good old carrots, celery and onions. Slowly, the young gourmand became less interested in the act of cooking and, at times, was even envisioning giving it up altogether…

But as satisfying and alluring as eating out seemed, it did not come without a price. Everyone in the neighborhood started getting suspicious of the Sprouts family, asking questions, gossiping, complaining, spreading rumors… Cucee started feeling guilty – guilty for betraying the family recipes, the kitchen; guilty for starting to loose interest in cooking, for not wanting to entertain as often; guilty for gaining all that extra weight.

Cucee was getting depressed from living a double life. And so, the young Sprout was faced with a choice: remain true to his past and “cook in” for the rest of Sprout’s life or embrace a new lifestyle and continue “eating out.”

To be continued…

P.S. Who is this curious Cucee and where does he come from? If you’d like to know more about the aspiring chef and the whole Sprouts family, go back to the beggining of times and read the “Brussels sprouts” post…

Creamy Poblano Chile Soup With Corn and Chanterelle Mushrooms

Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Collection: Mexican

Comforting as ever, this soup is a food for the winter as the weather gets chilly. You can serve it on its own with a slice of textury cornbread, or as a starter course to any Mexican-themed holiday menu.

And even though this looks like a good old corn chowder, corn chowder it is not! This Williams-Sonoma recipe contains no heavy cream or flour – yet tastes silky smooth with a ted of kick and smokiness.

This recipe is so good that I usually double it!

Creamy Poblano Chile Soup With Corn and Chanterelle Mushrooms

Ingredients

1 tablespoon canola oil or safflower oil
1 white onions
2 garlic cloves
1 (12 ounce) fresh corn kernels or frozen corn kernels
3 poblano chiles
4 cups vegetable stock
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano (mexican preferrred)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 lb chanterelle mushrooms, brushed clean, trimmed, and sliced (you can also use any other mushrooms)
sea salt & freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup milk
1 (3 ounce) muenster cheese or farmer’s cheese (how to make farmer’s cheese at home)

Directions

In a dutch oven, or other large pot over medium-low heat, heat the oil. Add the onion and saute until golden and soft, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute longer. Raise the heat to medium and add 1 cup of the corn, half of the chiles, and 1 cup of the vegetable stock. Bring to a simmer, stir in the oregano, and cook, uncovered, until the corn is tender, 10-15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.
Ladle the corn mixture into a blender with 1/2 cup of the remaining stock and process until smooth. Pass the mixture through a medium-mesh sieve back into the pot. Add the remaining stock and bring to a simmer over medium-low heat.
While the soup is heating, in a frying pan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the remaining poblano chiles, the remaining corn, and the mushrooms and stir well. Season to taste with sea salt and pepper and saute until the mushrooms release their liquid and then the liquid evaporates, about 8 minutes (this may take longer if you are using other mushrooms, such as crimini).
Add the mushroom mixture to the soup, stir well cover, and simmer for 10 minutes to blend the flavors. Taste and adjust the seasoning with sea salt and pepper.
Ladle the soup into warmed bowls and garnish with the cheese. Serve at once.

Creamy Poblano Chile Soup With Corn and Chanterelle Mushrooms

Wine Pairing

There are no hard rules for pairing wine with soups, so I generally experiment until I find the right match. I am a red-wine drinker, and I feel like Sin Zin (my favorite zin in the entire world!!!) enhances a bowl of this soup infinitely better than any other red out there!

Creamy Poblano Chile Soup With Corn and Chanterelle Mushrooms

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Cucee-green Salsa

November 16, 2011

Green salsa dressing for a Mexican salad

Roasting Peppers and Cucee Salsa

The very first dish I ever attempted to prepare myself was a beer-can-chicken (well, actually , glass-of-water-chicken.) As a child, I watched my mom make it often and loved how flavorful, succulent and juicy the chicken would consistently turn out. So, when my boyfriend, the guy I often refer to as “the husband” in my Cucee posts, came over one time, I decided to impress him with this childhood favorite of mine. At 17, with my parents at work, and, for the first time ever, I had a real interest in using the kitchen, all by myself.

I put on an apron, grabbed the chicken by the legs and plunked it over a glass of water. I generously rubbed the skin with every type of seasoning I could find in my mom’s pantry and popped the chicken into the hot oven – just in time for a doorbell ring.

A familiar scent filled the house, indicating that everything was going smoothly and the chicken was cooking. I peaked into the oven and saw a headless golden-crusted bird torso staring back at me.

15 minutes and a few minor burns later the anticipated chicken was disassembled and presented at the dinner table on a large polka-doted serving tray, as a messy pile of meat, skin and bones.

As I took my first bite, several valuable lessons were instantaneously burnt into my brain:

Never cook without a recipe when cooking for the very first time
… especially when expecting a company
Salt does not equal flavor

For the next 15 years or so, I’ve mostly cooked from recipes, which I followed to the T, measuring and weighing ingredients each time. I mastered a few favorite dishes and only then have I become comfortable with cooking from memory and inventing my own recipes.

I am proud to say that this week’s recipe is all mine. The inspiration came over dinner, at a small Italian Ristorante in Seattle. A little lime juice, a few smokey roasted peppers, creamy avocado, herbs and spices – and the first original Cucee salsa was born. It is a pretty versatile dish and i serve it with anything really, whether it is fish, salads, or even sandwiches.

Fish and Salsa

Green salsa dressing for a Mexican salad

Cucee-green Salsa

Ingredients

1/2 Avocado, diced
2 poblano chiles, sliced in half lengthwise, seeded
1 jalapeno, sliced in half lengthwise, seeded
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
3/4 cup onion, chopped
1 cup cilantro leaves
1/2 tsp ground cumin
juice of 2 limes
1 1/4 tsp salt
4 tbsp water

Directions

Preheat the broiler. Place pepper halves, skin sides up, on a foil-lined baking sheet. Broil 15 minutes or until blackened, turning frequently. Place in a paper bag and let stand at least 10 minutes.
In a blender or food processor, combine the avocado, roasted chiles, oil, onion, cilantro, lime juice, cumin, salt and water. Puree until smooth, and serve over anything you like

Roasting Peppers and Cucee Salsa

Green salsa dressing for a Mexican salad

Wine pairing:

The choice of wine truly depends on the type of the food you are serving Cucee-green Salsa with. If it is fish or seafood, I’d definitely go for a glass of crisp and elegant Sauvignon Blanc. If it is Mexican food that you are in the mood for, slightly fruitier Chardonnay would do the trick.

Roasting Peppers and Cucee Salsa

{ 5 comments }

Caramelized Onions & Mushroom Bake

October 12, 2011

Caramelized Onions and Mushroom bake

My 6-year-old son has been known to forget. No, he does not have ADD or ADHD, or any other abbreviated disorder. He is just a happy kid with a condition that I call “selective forgetfulness.”

He clearly always remembers:

to ask for a desert after dinner, e-v-e-r-y s-i-n-g-l-e d-a-y
to leave a trail of toys behind as he travels from one room to another
to sing I Need a Doctor, in both Eminem and Skylar Grey voices, naked in a shower
that Saturday is pancake day

But he is notorious at forgetting:

his backpack on the way to school, and lunch box on the way home
to look forward as he walks into a pole
to put shoes on before walking out the door
to clean up – in the midst of cleaning up
how to spell his middle name
to use an indoor voice at 6 in the morning

Yes, Jacob is well known for his easily-distractible, forgetful, dreamy, spacey self.

But yesterday at dinner, with his mouth full of beans, mushrooms and caramelized onions, Jacob forgot to chew.

Caramelized Onions and Mushroom bake

Adapted from The Stone Soup

Ingredients

5 onions, sliced into half-moons
2 lbs. button mushrooms, sliced
1 cup dry organic barley
4 springs thyme, leaves picked
2 cups organic dry white beans (or 3 cans, drained)
1 cup vegetable stock
10 oz. grated cheddar cheese (more or less to taste)
Olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

To caramelize onions:

Heat a few teaspoons of oil in a large frying pan set over medium heat and cook onions, stirring occasionally until golden, about 25 minutes. Add more oil as you need it.
Add thyme to onions and season with salt and pepper to taste. (This step can be done in advance).

To cook mushrooms:

In a different large frying pan, heat a 2 tablespoons of oil and cook mushrooms, stirring every few minutes to make sure they don’t burn.
After a few minutes, you’ll notice sheen of moisture in the bottom of the pan. Continue cooking and stirring occasionally until all the moisture has evaporated and the pan is dry. Mushrooms are ready when they turn a deep golden and reddish-brown. (This can step can also be done in advance.)

To cook barley:

Bring 3 cups of water to a boil. Add barley and stir well. Cover the pot and reduce heat to low.
Cook for about 35 to 40 minutes. (This too can be done in advance.)

To cook beans:

In a large pot, cover beans by 2 inches with cold water and bring to boil.
Reduce heat, cover and simmer, gently stirring occasionally, until beans are tender, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

To assemble:

Preheat oven to 400F
In a large mixing bowl, combine beans, mushrooms, barley, onions, and cheese. Mix.
Spread in a thin layer in a large heatproof dish.
Pour the stock over.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes or until golden and bubbling. Watch for the liquid – it should all evaporate.

Shortcut 1: If you precook your mushrooms, onions and beans (or use canned,) this makes a very quick weekday dinner. I usually double the recipe and bake it in 2 dishes; the leftovers can be reheated in a microwave or in the oven with a little water or broth the following day.

Shortcut 2: If you are r-e-a-l-l-y pressed on time, forget about mushrooms and barley. Caramelize the onions, open 3 cans of beans and mix these with cheese cheese. Reduce your broth by ½, bake and enjoy!

Caramelized Onions and Mushroom bake

Wine Pairing

Of course I would have gone red here if I could, but the hearty cheese nature of the dish really called for a rich white wine. I had a bottle of WillaKenzie Estate Pinot Gris 2010 in my wine fridge and its waxy consistency with hints of sweetness and earthiness accented the bake nicely.

Caramelized Onions and Mushroom bake

{ 2 comments }

Cucee’s Healthified Mini Piroshki (Russian savory meat-filled pastry)

September 28, 2011

Piroshki

Sunday night. The kids are in their beds; my husband pours us two glasses of wine. I smile at him, “What a nice and relaxing weekend it was. Wasn’t it, honey?”

He looks at me with surprise, which I, submerged in the ambiance of our slow-paced weekend, miss entirely.

“It was so mellow… so tranquil… so stress-free… Slow mornings, followed by some well-needed quality time with family and friends, a workout, relaxing five-mile hike and picnic at the beach…”

My hubby’s face expression transformed from surprise to disbelief. Still in my dreams, I continue on, “I wish we had more weekends like this.”

It is his turn to speak. He takes a large sip of wine, “Are we talking about the same weekend?” he starts suspiciously. “Because, here is what I thought we did:”

“Saturday morning. We are running around like crazy, picking up pancakes from the floor and begging our kids to eat faster, so that we can make our early-morning hike. We leave the house without having any idea where we’re supposed to go. We meet our friends at the trail, 45 minutes late. We hike for 5 miles, stopping every 100 feet, trying to convince our children that their sense of exhaustion is a subjective matter.”

“We sit down at the beach for a picnic. But we have to relax fast since we only have 30 minutes before we have to go. Our children loose any sensation in their extremities in the freezing ocean waves. We leave the beach, explaining to the kids that they have to spend the rest of the day in their soaking wet clothes because there is no time to stop by the house to change.”

“After an hour in a weekend traffic, you drop us off at my grandma’s for a visit, while you go grocery shopping. You pick us up one hour later and we rush to your dad’s Birthday Party. On our way to your parents’ house, our son tests other drivers’ eardrums with his version of “Moves Like Jagger,” while you describe how our local Whole Foods is better than the one in the city.”

“We spend the rest of the evening shouting our civilized conversations over loud TV speakers, watching our children refuse to indulge in a celebratory dinner, and listening to your mother trying to convince them otherwise.”

My husband stops for a second, to measure my reaction, and continues.

“Sunday morning. The kids cannot wake up, tired from last night’s late entertainment. I break every traffic law on our way to the synagogue, while the kids revolt against going to Sunday school because ‘it’s boring’.”

“After the gym, I break the same traffic laws, once again, on my way to pick them up in order to make it to the two birthday parties, one of which has already started. We spend the rest of the day running from one scheduled social function to the next, until we finally get home to frozen piroshki, instead of a real dinner.”

“Did I miss something?”, he concludes with a question.

Prioshki

Piroshki in the making: caramelized onions, chicken, rice, puff pastry

Piroshki in the making: caramelized onions and chicken

Piroshki in the making: shredding chicken and mixing it onion mixture

Cucee’s Healthified Mini Piroshki (Russian-style savory meat-filled pastry)

Ingredients

1 bag of puff pastry
1.5 lbs chicken legs (on bone)
1 large onion, diced
2 tbs Olive Oil
1 cup cooked white rice
Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions

Place chicken legs in a large pot; add water to cover. Cover pot and bring to a boil; reduce heat to a gentle boil and cook for about 90 minutes, or until chicken meat is falling off of the bone. Remove chicken and let cool. Reserve stock for soup
In the meantime, while chicken is cooking, sauté an onion on medium until nicely browned (about 30 minutes)
Combine chicken with sautéd onion; add salt and pepper to taste. Pulse in a food processor until the mixture is ground and everything looks well combined
Mix with cooked rice
On a lightly floured board, roll out puff pastry dough into ¼ – ⅕ inch-thick sheet. To make moon-shaped piroshki, cut out 4 inch circles with a glass or a biscuit cutter. To make rectangular ones, cut each pastry into 2-inch squares
Place 1 tablespoon filling in center of each piece of dough. Moisten edges of dough with a little water, fold over and pinch edges together to seal. Set aside. Repeat until all filling is used
Place on a baking sheet and bake at 350 for 30 minutes, or until golden. Serve warm, or freeze for later. (Frozen piroshki don’t need to be defrosted. Just pop them into a preheated oven and bake until hot all the way through)

Piroshki for the lazy - one large pie

Small square piroshki

Wine pairing

I love Hartford Court wines but neither my husband nor I have been a big fan of Pinots. Hartford Court Lands Edge Pinot Noir is probably one exception that we can both agree on. It effectively balances the mildness of the piroshki in a way that no full-bodied red wine would.

Crescent-shaped piroshki

{ 2 comments }

Socca bread

August 30, 2011

Socca Flat Bread

Here, on the island, life is simple.

There is no McDonald’s or Cheese Cake Factory. No Home Depot or Costco. No Four Seasons or four star restaurants. No gyms with flat screen TVs, or without. No Starbucks, Applebee’s, department stores, or shopping malls. No traffic jams or traffic lights.

But there is a library with chess board tables outside. And places to rent bikes or mopeds. A Farmers Market full of local tomatoes, squashes and freshly baked bread. Two pizzerias, a couple of seafood restaurants, and an ice cream shop. A photo gallery, a cozy theater, and a ferry.

Farmers Market

Here, on the island, you don’t use a clock. You wake up to the sounds of the island. You fall asleep, sun-drenched, when the Milky Way lights up the sky. You walk or bike to the store to get groceries. You buy whatever fish was caught that day.

Walking to the store

You dry your clothes on a clothesline. You carry your garbage to the dumpster – on your bike. You realize, while washing dishes by hand, that dishwashers don’t really save you time.

My son helping me collect dry clothes

By day, you spend a good number of hours on the beach. There are no lawn chairs with matching umbrellas and free drinks — you simply lay on a towel and drink your own water. No one sells you jet skis, para-sailing, or deep-tissue massages. You entertain yourself: you swim, you run, you walk. You read, you stretch, you nap. Your kids build castles, roll in sand, and collect sea shells. They play with tiny crabs, seaweed, and jellyfish. They find giant straw sticks and use them as brooms, and spears, and stick horse toys.

Sea Shells

By night, you talk, you have some wine. You look at the stars, seeing some for the first time. You walk to the beach and touch the water in complete darkness.

The sky and the stars

You meet your land lady and learn about her past. She brings you basil from her garden when she sees you cutting Farmers Market tomatoes for your lunch. You watch your kids teach her parakeet to say “hello,” in a foreign language, while you are making bread from scratch.

Parakeet

Yes, here on the island, life is very simple.

Our house on Block Island

Socca Flat Bread

Socca

Adapted from rom The Sweet Life in Paris

Ingredients

1 cup chickpea flour
1 cup plus 2 tbsp water
3/4 tsp sea salt
1/8 tsp ground cumin
1 1/2 tbs olive oil
Freshly-ground black pepper, plus additional sea salt and olive oil for serving

Directions

Mix together the flour, water, salt, cumin, and 1 1/2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Let batter rest at least 2 hours, covered, at room temperature
To cook, heat the broiler in your oven. Use Olive Oil spray bottle to coat a 9- or 10-inch pan with oil and heat the pan in the oven
Once the pan and the oven are blazing-hot, pour enough batter into the pan to cover the bottom, swirl it around, then pop it back in the oven
Bake until the socca is firm and beginning to blister and burn. The exact time will depend on your broiler
Slide the socca out of the pan onto a cutting board, slice into pieces, then shower it with coarse salt, pepper, and a drizzle of olive oil (I did not use any salt, pepper or additional oil)
Cook the remaining socca batter the same way, adding a touch more oil to the pan between each one

Socca Flat Bread

Wine Pairing

Freshly made Socca goes well with any wine, on and off the island. My husband and I are red-wine-drinkers, and we found Murphy-Goode Liars Dice Zinfandel 2008 to be a perfect compliment to the crispy flat bread, and the dinner that went with it.

Socca pieces

Socca Flat Bread

{ 6 comments }

Very Cherry Chocolaty Larabar Truffles

August 4, 2011

Very Cherry Chocolaty Larabar Truffles

This post is about all the sweet things in life. It is about cherries and chocolate, figs and coconut, sugar, spice and all the things nice.

If you have been following Cucee, then you probably know that I am not much of a “desert” person (see my healthiterian manifesto as a reminder.) Well, a while ago I almost followed my husband, an irrecoverable chocoholic, into a dark world of dark chocolate. But having recognized an addictive nature of this magic substance, I successfully resisted its enslaving power.

Well, that was until about two months ago…

I was searching for some protein snack ideas for an upcoming backpacking trip. To Cucee’s disappointment, my research revealed that sugar-packed power bars seemed to have been favored by most backpackers. In an effort to find a healthier alternative, I stumbled upon an article about raw dehydrated truffles. Intrigued, yet without a dehydrator in sight, I hacked my way around the kitchen and produced these:

Very Cherry Chocolaty Larabar Truffles Rolled in Coconut Flakes

Long story short. I never found a way to make a healthy protein snack and, to Cucee’s continued disappointment, we ended up hiking around the Yellowstone National Park chewing on the offensively-sweet Power and Clif Bars. But the lesson learned from my failed research didn’t go to waste; after a series of experiments I have discovered an obsession-worthy, healthily cheriliciously chocolaty Cucee-approved desert.

Very Cherry Chocolaty Larabar Truffles

For my chocolate-obsessed partner in crime

Ingredients

8 oz dark sugar-free baking chocolate (I use chocolate disks from Trader Joe’s)
1 cup Organic Prunes
2 cups Organic Dry Cherries
1 tsp Cinnamon, ground
1 tbsp Vanilla
2 tbsp Cognac or Grand Marnier Liqueur

Optional Garnish:

Cinnamon, ground
Cocoa powder
Finely chopped toasted almonds
Coconut flakes

Directions

Mix all 5 ingredients in a food processor until mixture is ground thoroughly
Roll mixture into balls. Each ball should be about 1-inch in diameter
Roll truffle balls in either cinnamon, cocoa powder, almonds or coconut for a pretty presentation. This is optional
Lay out a sheet of wax paper and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour. Store covered in a refrigerator

Prune, Almond and Cinnamon Truffles with Berries and Powdered Sugar

And for those that want to watch their chocolate intake, here is a chocolate-free variation:

Prune, Almond and Cinnamon Truffles

Ingredients

1 cup Organic Prunes (you can also use dates)
1 cup whole almonds (or almond meal)
1 tsp Cinnamon, ground

Optional Garnish:

Cinnamon, ground
Cocoa powder
Finely chopped toasted almonds
Coconut flakes

Directions

Grind almonds first (or use almond meal if you want a less textured desert)
Mix all 3 ingredients in a food processor until mixture is ground thoroughly
Roll mixture into balls. Each ball should be about 1-inch in diameter
Roll truffle balls in either cinnamon, cocoa powder, almonds or coconut for a pretty presentation. This is an optional step
Lay out a sheet of wax paper and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour. Store covered in a refrigerator

Prune, Almond and Cinnamon Truffles with Coconut Flakes

Wine pairing

I recently made an unexpected discovery at a local Sonoma winery. Dark chocolate pairs with Cabs in an explosive harmony, making you scream for more. One of my favorite Cabs to fuel such an explosion is Merryvale Starmont Cabernet Sauvignon. Try the pairing of the two and let me know how you like it!

Various Truffles

Prune, Almond and Cinnamon Truffles with Coconut Flakes

{ 2 comments }

Three-Seed Cabbage Salad

July 14, 2011

Three-Seed Cabbage Salad

The following are observations of a backpacking foodie:

Sometimes….

Chicken comes prepackaged in a flashy vacuum-sealed plastic bag. Milk resembles powdered cocaine. It is OK to eat fish out of a can. Granola + cold river water make for an interesting breakfast. Instant coffee and bagged tea in the morning help to wake up… even if they are served in a soup bowl. Red wine from a carton box promotes bonding. Any food tastes fantastic when you have to carry it on your back for days.

Tea in a soup bowl. Chicken in a bag

The following are observations of a foodie, two weeks after her backpacking adventure:

Always…

Table utensils, china, and napkins are as essential as a well paired bottle of wine. Spinach does make you stronger… but a raspberry vinaigrette turns it into a salad. Cliff bars can only imitate real food. Instant rice should never be elevated to the rank of a side dish. Fresh herbs and spices are not overrated. Food still tastes better when you have to carry it on your back.

Three-Seed Cabbage Salad

Adapted from Insalatas

Ingredients:

Salad:

10 cups shredded green cabbage (about 1lb)
½ cup chopped cilantro
½ cup seed mix (see below)
¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil (although the author recommends canola oil)
1 tsp kosher salt
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

Seed mix:

¾ hulled green pumpkin seeds
2 tbs while cumin seeds
3 tbs white sesame seeds

Directions:

Seed mix:

In a medium skillet, toast the pumpkin seeds over low heat, shaking constantly, until lightly browned and uniformly popped or puffed. Transfer to a bowl.
In the same skillet, toast the cumin and sesame seeds over low heat, shacking constantly, until fragrant and lightly browned; add to pumpkin seeds; cool.
Store, in an airtight container, for up to 1 month.

Salad:

In a large bowl combine the cabbage, cilantro, seed mix, lemon juice, oil, salt and pepper; toss well.
Taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve immediately.

P.S. If you want to bring it to a potluck, make the mix and dressing in advance, shred the cabbage the night before. Combine right before serving. I have also used other seeds/nuts in this salad (sunflower seeds, almond slivers) and they all tasted great.

Three-Seed Cabbage Salad

Wine pairing

Pacific Rim Vin de Glaciere Riesling

{ 2 comments }

Happy Birthday, Cucee

July 5, 2011

Happy Birthday, Cucee

It all started a year ago. A pan, a camera, a laptop, a recipe, a couple of locally grown rainbow carrots and a few pieces of fresh chicken.. That is how the first Cucee post, “Sesame Chicken of Our First Date“, was born. My love for cooking, a desire for self expression, and a need to share the beautiful culinary adventures and musings brought cuceesprouts.com to life.

This cute little fictional character, whose story came together one night at a dinner table, has turned my life upside down and taught me things about myself that will stay with me forever. Happy 1st Birthday, Cucee Sprouts!

Here are few of my most memorable Cucee posts:

Homemade couscous

Couscous with Julia Child’s famous Ratatouille and Union Square's Braised Lamb Shanks with Herbs

Grilled Chicken Salad with Mangoes

Asian Grilled Chicken Salad with Mangoes

Salmon Sashimi with Blue Cheese and White Miso Puree

Tuna sashimi

Granola With Almonds and Coconut

Moroccan Red Lentil-Bean Stew

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Baked Goat Cheese With Frisée Salad

June 23, 2011

Baked Goat Cheese With Frisée Salad

Jerusalem to Jews, Vatican to Catholics, Meca to Muslims, Chez Pannise restaurant to Cucee.

Yep, Chez Pannise, the esteemed restaurant of Alice Waters, is kind of a big deal to me. Long before I ever stepped my foot into this little Berkeley foodie shrine, I had been worshiping its’ recipes the way Hindus worship Vishnu.

And why wouldn’t I? Clean, organic, local food – slow food, real food – showcasing only peak-of-the-season ingredients…

One Chez Pannise recipe that I’ve been dying to share is a recipe of a baked goat cheese salad. This Alice Waters’ creation has become a classic on the menus of many California restaurants. Set over a tangle of frisée, warm tangy rounds of goat cheese pair perfectly with a simple light vinaigrette. Their smooth and creamy melted interior contrasts nicely with the crispy crunchy crust, adding an element of a surprise to each bite.

Baked Goat Cheese With Frisée Salad

Adapted from Chez Panisse Café Cookbook

Ingredients

Marinade

1 bunch fresh thyme or rosemary – leaves only
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
16 ounces goat cheese (the fresher the better)
Freshly ground black pepper

Coating

2 teaspoons fresh thyme or rosemary for breadcrumbs
1 cup cup fine, dry breadcrumbs
2 teaspoons of extra-virgin olive oil
pinch of sea salt

Salad

1 tablespoons aged balsamic vinegar
4 tablespoons leftover olive oil marinade
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
5 cups frisée

The making of the salad

Directions

Mix thyme, black pepper and olive oil in a deep dish, large enough to hold goat cheese rounds in 1 layer.
Cut cheese into disks about 3/4-inch thick, add to the dish.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 12 hours. Turn cheese over and marinate for at least 12 more hours.
Preheat the oven to 375F.
Mix bread crumbs with a pinch of sea salt and olive oil.
Spread the crumbs on a baking sheet and bake for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring a few times during baking. Once toasted, let cool and mix in chopped fresh thyme or parsley.
Remove the goat cheese rounds from the oil and let the excess drip off briefly.
Dredge the cheese in the toasted breadcrumb mixture until they’re completely coated. Bake on a cookie sheet or in a gratin dish for 5 to 8 minutes, or until warmed through and soft when you press gently in the center. Don’t over-bake them or they will start drying out.
Remove the pan from oven and use a spatula to lift the cheese rounds.
Toss the frisée with enough vinaigrette to lightly coat. Evenly divide the salad and the cheese among 4 dinner plates. Serve warm with garlic toasts.

Baked Goat Cheese With Frisée Salad

P.S. The baked goat cheese tastes best when served warm. I always prepare the salad components while the cheese is still in the refrigerator, then toss the greens and vinaigrette together while the cheese cools a bit after baking.

Wine pairing

The tangy flavors in this salad can easily overpower many whites but are well matched by a crisp Sauvignon Blanc. My favorite one is Matanzas Creek Sauvignon Blanc 2009, produced locally in the romantic Sonoma county.