Pan Seared Spiced Okra with Cashews

This is a great way to prepare okra using aromatic spices. 

Quick, simple and deliscious.

  

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon ground coriander

1/4 teaspoon ground fennel

1/4 teaspoon turmeric

Pinch of cinnamon

1/4 cup cashews roughly chopped

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 pound small okra, halved lengthwise

Salt

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

In a small bowl, blend together the cumin, coriander, fennel, turmeric, cinnamon.

In a large non stick skillet (or two, if necessary) heat the oil. Add the okra, and cook over high heat for 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to moderate and cook until browned, 4 minutes longer.

Stir and try to turn over as much of the okra as you can and cook over low heat until tender, about 2 minutes longer. Season with salt and sprinkle with the spice mixture.

Cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 seconds.

Drizzle the lemon juice over the okra and add the cashews. Stir together and serve. 

Stuffed Sweet Italian Long Peppers

Maybe you think stuffed peppers are only bell peppers stuffed with rice, ground beef and tomato sauce. Yah, that's how my mom made them and with green bell peppers.... I hated them. Nothing wrong with that if that's what you like but if you can get your hands on some nice sweet Italian long peppers or better yet grow them in your garden and stuff them like I am showing below, you will never look back at those green bell peppers stuffed with rice and ground beef. 

Ingredients: 

Artichokes, Part I - "Moonstruck Stuffed Artichokes"

If you really like artichokes, you have found many ways to prepare and enjoy them. But for most people, if they have ever eaten artichokes at all, their familiarity with them begins and ends with one of these two ways -  

                       

1) Pulling the leaves off of a steamed artichoke, dipping them in melted butter or some kind of mayonnaise preparation and eating the tender inside of the leaf, or

 

2) Having them in some kind of cream cheese artichoke dip at a party.

Those are OK, but there are so many other, better ways to enjoy artichokes - what about grilled or roasted, or fried or stuffed or marinated or in a variety of pasta dishes or on pizza? I am going to start a series of posts through the Spring - because it's artichoke season - on a variety of ways to prepare and enjoy this versatile and tasty vegetable.

 

Yes, they are a little time consuming to prep but if you are a follower of this blog, you are most likely the kind of person who doesn't find that a problem. You know the results are going to be worth it for a special meal. And guys, listen, you can blow a girls mind by making a cool "wow factor" artichoke dish (it's not that complicated). At least it works with Lisa... : )

 

Our favorite way to enjoy artichokes is stuffed. We call the following recipe Moonstruck Stuffed Artichokes because they are like "Cosmo's moon!"   

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAU4pf0uhoY

  

    Moonstruck Stuffed Artichokes  

  

Ingredients:  

2 large globe Artichokes 

bread crumbs - home-made

garlic

diced pancetta

pecorino cheese

flat leaf parsley

oregano

toasted pine nuts

mint

Red pepper flakes

minced artichoke stalk

lemon zest

lemon juice

olive oil

salt & pepper

Prepping the Artichokes:

Pull off some of the tougher discolored outer leaves. Cut the top ½ to 1 inch off the tops of the artichokes. Using kitchen scissors, snip off the tips of the rest of the leaves. If the artichokes have long stems, good! Cut them off about 1/2 inch from the base, mince them and add to the stuffing mixture.

Stand artichokes in a Dutch oven; add 1 in. of water. Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat; simmer for 15 minutes. This will loosen up the artichokes enough to make stuffing easier. Let cool. In the meantime make the stuffing.  

The Stuffing:

Tear up and add several thick slices of crusty Italian bread to a food processor.. Grind the bread to a coarse crumb.
  

Toast the pine nuts in a frying pan. Then remove to a bowl.

 

Using the same pan, sauté the pancetta in a little olive oil until it is crisp. Then remove and put on paper towels.

  

Saute the garlic in olive oil until fragrant, then add homemade bread crumbs with salt and pepper. Stir to coat the crumbs well with the garlic & olive oil and toast.

  

Dump the toasted bread crumbs into a mixing bowl and let cool, then add the pancetta, the pecorino cheese, parsley, oregano, mint, red pepper flakes and lemon zest. Mix well and taste to see if you think it needs any additional seasoning. It should be moist from the oil but not wet.  

Stuffing the artichokes:

Gently pull open up the center leaves and scoop out the choke and any thorny inside leaves. Remove as much as possible. A melon baller works great for doing this.

 

With a spoon and your fingers push the stuffing in between all the leaves.

Put the stuffed artichokes back in the Dutch oven in a broth of white wine, water and chunks of lemon, and simmer, covered for about 45 minutes.

How to eat - pull off individual leaves. They will be like little spoons holding the stuffing. The cheese will melt into the stuffing helping it cling to the inside of the leaves. You will get a little stuffing along with the artichoke "meat" with each leaf bite. When you get down to the heart, just cut it up and eat, the flavors from the stuffing and the cooking broth will be infused in it. That's right!

Out on the back deck with a side of Italian sausage, watermelon, arugula salad, crusty bread & olive oil and, of course, wine.



Sweet Potato Souffle

This is Lisa's Grandma Nancy’s famous sweet potato soufflé recipe with pecan topping.  Lisa says it is the best sweet potato soufflé recipe in the world – and that is no kidding!  She's served it to many, and have had nothing but rave reviews!

Ingredients:

3-4 cups mashed sweet potatoes (fresh - not canned!)

½ cup butter

1 cup sugar

½ teaspoon salt

2 large eggs

½ cup milk

 Sweet Potato Mixture:

Boil and mash sweet potatoes.  Add butter and salt.  Mix well.  Add sugar.  Beat eggs and milk together.  Blend with other ingredients.  Spread in greased casserole dish. 

Topping:

1 cup packed light brown sugar

1/3 cup flour

1/3 stick butter

1 cup chopped pecans

Mix ingredients until crumbly.  Sprinkle on top of potato mixture.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes.

Okra and Green Tomato Fritters

We really like these! Here we are in the middle of summer. Our garden this year has been pretty beaten down by the heat. The tomatoes are looking tired and haven't ripened. We are in western Pennsylvania though... But, the okra, of all things, is doing OK. In looking for different ways to use okra, I came across a post on SouthernBite.com about okra and green tomato fritters. We decided we had to try making them. We tweaked the recipe a little and this is what we came up with - 

Makes 12 -15 fritters

Ingredients

1/2 pound okra, coarsely chopped

1 large green tomato, or three or four small, diced
1/2 sweet onion, finely diced

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup self-rising cornmeal

1 large egg

1/2 cup buttermilk

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

A sprinkle of garlic powder
1 tablespoon fresh basil leaves chopped
1 tsp minced fresh chili pepper

1/3 cup vegetable oil for frying

YUM-YUM sauce for dipping - Optional but worth it! Look for it in the Asian food section or make your own - https://www.smalltownwoman.com/yum-yum-sauce-japanese-hibachi-style/

Instructions

In a large bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Add the chopped okra, diced green tomato, minced onion, chili pepper and basil. 

 

In a small bowl, lightly beat the egg into the buttermilk, and then add it to the okra mixture.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Drop the okra batter into the oil by heaping spoonfuls. 

Cook 4 to 5 minutes, then flip the fritters and press them flat with the back of a spatula. 

Cook 4 to 5 more minutes or until crispy and golden brown. 

Cook in batches, adding more oil if necessary; then drain on paper towels, and serve hot.

YUM YUM sauce - 

Polpette di Melanzane - Eggplant "Meatballs"

Many people go through their whole life without ever tasting or wanting to taste a dish made with eggplant. Some because they just never had eggplant growing up, some because they simply are not curious enough eaters, some because they had it made improperly the first time, didn't like how it tasted or how it looked, and never went back. But if you like eggplant, you will love these.    

They aren't really "meatballs" because they have no meat in them, they just look like meatballs and can be used in place of them in pasta dishes. Polpette di melanzane or purpette di milangiane in Calabrian dialect means little balls of eggplant. You could also call them eggplant fritters. Crunchy on the outside, soft inside with a savory aroma and taste. Delicious alone or served with a simple marinara sauce for dipping. They are perfect as part of an antipasti plate, part of a tapas meal or with pasta and tomato sauce. Leftovers are good for a late night snack or even breakfast the next day. No kidding!

One large eggplant should make about 15 - 20 balls depending on how you roll them.

Ingredients

1 large eggplant

1/3 cup pecorino cheese plus more for serving - preferably Locatelli brand

1/2 cup unseasoned coarse breadcrumbs - home made is best from ciabatta or similar bread pulsed in a food processor - don't use panko or the fine Progresso type in a canister.

1 egg yolk

3 cloves of garlic minced

Nice handful of fresh basil leaves chopped

Olive oil to drizzle on cut eggplant and for frying
50/50 Olive oil/Canola oil for frying

Salt and Pepper

Marinara sauce

Preheat oven to 350. Cut the eggplant in half and score the top. Place on a cookie sheet. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Roast for half an hour. 

The eggplant will be soft and easy to scoop out of the skin. Put the eggplant meat on a cutting board and chop finely. Add a pinch of salt. 

Scrape the chopped eggplant into a sieve over a bowl and let drain for half an hour. You want it to have some moisture so it holds together with the dry ingredients but not too wet.   

the chopped eggplant, pecorino cheese, basil, garlic, egg yolk, bread crumbs, salt and pepper. Mix together and roll into balls - a little smaller than golf balls.

Fry in olive oil or a 50/50 olive oil and canola oil blend. 

Polpette done and ready to eat. Crunchy on the outside and soft inside. The aroma of basil, garlic and pecorino coming off them is awesome!  

Cucuzze Frittelli - Zucchini Fritters

Zucchini fritters are another summer treat. These things are addictive and easy to make. If you need to make a bigger batch for a party, a picnic or family gathering, use the ratio of ingredients and simply bump up the amounts.

Ingredients

one large zucchini or two medium - shredded 

1/4 cup plain bread crumbs

1/4 cup flour

1/4 cup pecorino cheese

1 egg

1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat leaf parsley

1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil

salt and pepper
Optional - crushed red pepper flakes to taste

Shred the zucchini and squeeze the water out then let drain in a colander. 

Shredded zucchini with the bread crumbs, the flour, the pecorino cheese, egg, flat leaf parsley, fresh basil, salt and pepper and red pepper flakes if using.

Mix it all together, it will look like a thick batter 

Pan fry in a little olive oil

Serving suggestion, a side with pan seared salmon and Israeli couscous. Or alone as part of antipasti, party food, picnic food, etc.

Springtime is Ramp-Time

Oh boy, Ramps!  Ramps are fragrant plant cousins to onions, garlic and leeks and while they can be described as having an oniony/garlicy/leeky taste, they have a flavor all their own that can be strong and will stay with you. Here's what they look like -

Most people have never heard of ramps let alone eaten one. Because they are not grown commercially and must be foraged for and harvested by hand, they aren't found in the big supermarket chains. They are only available for a brief month or so in the Spring, growing wild in the Appalachian mountains. Many communities where ramps are plentiful hold ramp festivals and ramp cooking competitions this time of year. All of these factors add to their allure and mystique. Basically food nerds and hillbillies - and I use those terms affectionately - are the only people who really have any idea what ramps are and what to do with them. But if you have a good farmers market anywhere close by, check regularly through the Spring to see if they've brought some in. They are a treat.

To get you started, here is a link to an article that will surely wet your appetite for ramps, aptly titled "Recipes That Will Make You Love Ramps" from the Huffington-Puffington Post :

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/04/01/ramp-recipes_n_1428780.html?ncid=fcbklnkushpmg00000034 

When we would drive to Pittsburgh to visit my parents we go through West Virginia. On the way we liked to stop at Kirkwood Winery in Summersville, West Virginia. Among the wines they produce is Appalachian Ramp Wine. And why not? It's a cooking wine, not a drinking wine. Pretty interesting stuff - http://www.kirkwood-wine.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=8&products_id=4

And here is a pictorial recipe of how we've made linguine with ramps and olives -
   
Linguine with Ramps and Kalamata Olives
1 pound dried linguine
20 - 24 ramps
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup kalamata olives, roughly chopped
1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
1/2 cup coarsely grated Pecorino Romano

Pitted kalamata olives

Chopped

Cut the leaves off the ramp bulbs

Rosemary and Flat Leaf Parsley

Chop up a few of the ramp leaves

 While the linguine is boiling, saute the ramp bulbs in olive oil and butter until starting to brown, .

Add the olives and the chopped ramp leaves

Add the linguine, rosemary and parsley and a little of the pasta water

Sprinkle with Pecorino cheese and enjoy!!!

And ramp pizza - with sautéed ramps, hot Italian sausage, roasted grape tomatoes, ramp leaves and ricotta cheese.