An unlikely recipe from a blog called Tokyo Terrace – a recipe for Argentine empanadas. Expat foodie Racheal shares here experiences cooking in Tokyo on her blog and shares some pretty great recipes. We were definitely intrigued by this simple-sounding beef empanadas, alongside with Racheal’s great stories and photos.
Category Archives: Recipes
A recipe for Argentine Empanadas, direct from Tokyo
Eid Mubarak! Eid Recipes from around the world
An Eid feast in Malaysia by Phalinn Ooi
Today is Eid Al-Fitr, the end of Ramadan, which means the daily fasting is over. So naturally, it is a day of copious feasting. Naturally, recipes and traditions vary widely from area to area, so here’s a range of recipes and stories from around the world to honor Eid. The Smithsonian delves into Eid food traditions from Lebanon to Indonesia. NPR has a story and a collection of recipes, including fruit chaat. Finally, here’s a recipe from Faith at Thought 4 Food for date bar cookies.
Happy Rosh Hashanah!
Happy Rosh Hashanah! Rosh Hashanah, the celebration of the Jewish new year is also a holiday with rich food traditions. On the first day of Rosh Hashanah, an apple is dipped in honey, in order to symbolically usher in a sweet new year. As a result, recipes that combine the two ingredients are traditional for the holiday. Tori Avey shares a recipe for Honey Apple Cake which sounds delicious.
Puerto Rico: Pan de Mallorca
A quintessential Puerto Rican pastry, Pan de Mallorca is rich, eggy and sweet, not unlike a brioche. It is typically served as a breakfast or snack, and comes with a dusting of powdered sugar. The snack has almost iconic status in Puerto Rico – but can you make Mallorca at home that rivals bakeries like San Juan’s Bombonera? A visitor to the site recently asked if we knew of any recipes so we decide to rustle a few up. Meseidy at the Noshery has a good recipe, with lovely pictures to go along with the instructions. RecipeLink has an entire thread dedicated to people in search of a recipe like the Bombonera’s. While we ourselves have never tried making Mallorca by hand – it seems like a worthy future challenge. Do you have any Mallorca tips or recipes?
Pan de Mallorca by Dazed Effect
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Recipe: Brown Butter Raspberry Tart
Anything with fresh fruit screams Summer to us, but we wanted to try something a little more complex than fresh berries on ice cream. With fresh raspberries on hand – we wanted to try something new – and what could be more elegant than a brown butter raspberry tart. We got the recipe from the June issue of Bon Appetit, which was chock full of fruit recipes. It was surprisingly easy to make – even though we are usually wary of making pie crusts. The brown butter, true to advertising, did add richness and depth of flavor to the filling. The nice appearance of our tart was aided by the meticulous styling by my sister A, who made sure to concentric raspberry circles were perfect. Though we usually don’t make pies, we were very impressed at how this one turned out – and we may venture into more advanced varieties soon.
Ingredients
Crust
- 7 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
- Pinch of salt
Filling
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 large eggs
- Pinch of salt
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, diced
- 2 6-ounce containers fresh raspberries
Prep
Crust
- Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 375°F. Using rubber spatula or fork, mix melted butter, sugar, and vanilla in medium bowl. Add flour and salt and stir until incorporated. Transfer dough to 9-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Using fingertips, press dough evenly onto sides and bottom of pan.
- Bake crust until golden, about 18 minutes (crust will puff slightly while baking). Transfer crust to rack and cool in pan. Maintain oven temperature.
Filling
- Whisk sugar, eggs, and salt in medium bowl to blend. Add flour and vanilla; whisk until smooth. Cook butter in heavy small saucepan over medium heat until deep nutty brown (do not burn), stirring often, about 6 minutes. Immediately pour browned butter into glass measuring cup. Gradually whisk browned butter into sugar-egg mixture; whisk until well blended.
- Arrange raspberries, pointed side up and close together in concentric circles, in bottom of cooled crust. Carefully pour browned butter mixture evenly over berries. Place tart on rimmed baking sheet. Bake tart until filling is puffed and golden and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Cool tart completely in pan on rack (The tart can be made in advance).
- Remove tart pan sides. Place tart on platter. Cut into wedges and serve
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Tea Tuesday: Alternative Tea Party
We are really loving the blog Appetite for China lately. They have lovely pictures, and we are learning all sorts of fascinating facts about Chinese cuisine. One AforC post in particular that struck us was about an alternative tea party, featuring food made with tea, including classic tea eggs and tea flavored banana bread. Well, when we think ‘tea party’ it conjures up images of either kids and dolls or old stuffy ladies with watercress sandwiches, so we were pretty inspired. The recipe for Matcha Almond Icebox Cookies sounded so good we might make them for our own alternative tea party. No watercress allowed.
Recipes for Fromage Fort
Don’t quote us yet- but we believe we may have just stumbled upon the best use for leftover cheese ever. Fromage Fort (‘strong cheese’ in French) is an easy-as-pie recipe that turns leftover bits of cheese into a delicious spread – all you need is a little white wine and a few herbs. So it’s not really a recipe, just a good idea with infinite variations. Jacques Pepin has a nice simple take on the spread, as does Alton Brown. Why have we never heard of this recipe before?
[Spanish cheese at España in NYC]
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Recipe Friday: Bittman’s Red Wine Sauce
This excellent and simple recipe for red wine sauce comes from Mark Bittman, and we have to say, it has to just about be the ugliest looking recipe we ever made (Sorry, there’s no picture!). But it was delicious. We modified the recipe by putting it over pici pasta and upping the garlic level.
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Recipe Friday: Xnipec
M has been on a spicy pepper kick recently, so we decided to find an outlet for the habanero peppers he acquired last week. After some online sleuthing, we found the perfect low-stress recipe: Xnipec (prounced shnee-peck) is a spicy tomato-habanero salsa originating from the Yucatan. Given the mild flavors of most cuisine from the region, one may be surprised at how popular the incredibly spicy habanero pepper is there. But the habanero gives more than just heat – it has a nice citrus, sweet, tropical flavor that goes great with chicken, fish, steak, salsas, or most anything else. This recipe takes the much recommended caution of delicately removing the habanero seed pods and interior white vein to remove most of the heat. For spicier salsa, use greener, less-ripened habaneros. Fully ripened orange ones are fruitier, but more mild. Here’s the recipe, courtesy of the culinary wizardry of Rick Bayless:
Ingredients (Makes 2 cups):
1 small red onion
2 tablespoons fresh-squeezed lime juice
10 ounces ripe tomatoes
6 radishes
1/2 whole habanero chile – or more (we used 1 whole)
12 large fresh cilantro sprigs
1/2 teaspoon salt
Chop the onion very finely, using a knife (don’t use a food processor), and scoop it into a strainer; rinse under cold water. Shake as much of the water off as possible, then transfer to a small bowl and stir in the juice. Set aside.
Core the tomatoes, then cut in half crosswise; squeeze out the seeds. Finely dice the tomatoes (about 1/4 inch cubes). Scoop into a bowl.
Slice the radishes 1/16-inch thick, then chop into matchsticks or small dice. Add to the tomatoes.
Punt on a pair of rubber gloves. Carefully cut out and discard the habanero’s seed pod, then mince the flesh into tiny bits and add to the tomatoes.
Bunch up the cilantro sprigs, and, with a very sharp knife, slice them 1/16-inch thick, stems and all, working from the leafy end toward the stems.
Combine radishes, chile, and chopped cilantro with the tomato mixture; stir in the onion and juice mixture. Taste and season with salt.
The Eaters used both red and yellow tomatoes, and bumped up the amount of habanero. Don’t be nervous about doing that – with a discarded seed pod and vein, habaneros have just the right amount of spice to let their tropical flavors shine through. Our main concern with this dish was the amount of onions, but rinsing them under water for a minute or so takes off most of the onion flavor and allows them to absorb the habanero, cilantro, and lime juice. Same with the radishes.
All in all, we thought this was great. It is quick, cheap, easy, comes out very colorful and fresh, and goes great with just about anything. We originally ate it alone as a salsa with some tortillas, and used another batch over grilled chile-rubbed chicken on a bed of rice. Great there too. We will definitely be making more of it.
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Recipe Friday: Inter-Continental Risotto
M and I love making Risotto, because though it the actual prep takes a little while, the end result is well worth it. Plus, we both love carbs and cheese (no health-food diet for us). We came upon this recipe for Mexican Corn Risotto from Bon Appetit magazine after perusing the web for a recipe that would use garlic, cumin, and cilantro. In our rendition of the dish we used the chipotle cheddar from Brennan’s which added a great kick – that and we doubled the amount of cumin called for. We also omitted the whipping cream, and the dish was plenty rich enough without it!
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 garlic cloves, pressed
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 cup medium-grain white rice
2 14 1/2-ounce cans low-salt chicken broth
1 10-ounce package frozen sweet corn
1/4 cup whipping cream or half and half
1 cup (packed) grated Monterey Jack cheese with jalapeños
Chopped fresh cilantro
Directions:
Melt butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and cumin; sauté 1 minute. Mix in rice. Add broth and frozen corn and bring to boil, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until rice is tender and mixture is slightly thick and creamy, stirring frequently, about 20 minutes. Add cream and cheese and stir until mixture is heated through. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro.
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It’s Paleta Time: Mark Bittman’s Banana Paleta Recipe
The New York Times is feeling the Paleta love. Our favorite Mexican Popsicles were featured in an article by Mark Bittman recently. There is also a recipe included for Banana Paletas. It couldn’t be simpler! It’s summer – give it a go.
Banana Paletas
Time: 10 minutes, plus freezing. (Makes 4-6 servings)
- 2 medium bananas, about 3/4 cup
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup sugar.
Purée all ingredients together in a blender until smooth. Pour into 4 to 6 molds and freeze until solid. Unmold by first running a little cold water over outside of molds, then gently pulling the sticks.
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Recipe Monday: Thai Shrimp with Zesty Sauce
I (M) get my foodie genes from my Mother, and for Mother’s Day she wanted my brothers and I to make a new recipe she picked out, courtesy of Cooking with Paula Deen. This one is a two-parter: Thai Shrimp “Lollipops” (marinated shrimp on skewers), with a creamy zesty sauce to dip them in.
Thai Shrimp Lollipops:
1/2 cup coconut milk
1 tablespoon lime zest
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon fish sauce
2 tablespoons red pepper flakes
2 pounds jumbo fresh shrimp, peeled and de-veined (leave on tails)
Zesty Thai Style Sauce (recipe follows)
-In a large bowl, whisk together coconut milk, lime zest, lime juice, garlic, honey, ginger, cilantro, fish sauce, and pepper flakes. Add shrimp, tossing gently to coat. Cover, and refrigerate for thirty minutes.
-Soak 3 dozen 5-inch wooden skewers in water to cover.
-Remove shrimp from marinade, discarding marinade. Thread 1 shrimp on the end of each skewer.
-Grill, covered with grill lid, over medium-high heat (350-400 degrees) for 2-3 minutes per side, or until shrimp are pink. Serve shrimp with zesty sauce.
NOTE: Do not marinate shrimp for more than thirty minutes, otherwise the acid in the lime juice will start to cook them. If you do, you may end up with ceviche, which wouldn’t be such a bad thing, but that’s another Recipe Monday.
Zesty Thai-Style Sauce:
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup coconut milk
1 tablespoon minced green onion
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
1 teaspoon lime zest
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon Caribbean jerk seasoning
1/4 teaspoon sugar
-In a small bowl, combine sour cream, mayonnaise, milk, onion, ginger, lime zest, red pepper flakes, jerk seasoning, and sugar. Cover and refrigerate.
One of the benefit’s of my Mom’s kitchen is that she has a veritable treasure trove of esoteric ingredients stored away in her pantry (like fish sauce, jerk seasoning, and fresh ginger), so while I’m there I get the chance to experiment with some recipes I couldn’t otherwise. With that, the recipe was low-effort, easy to make, and aesthetically pleasing – but the taste verdict? Just OK. The shrimp held up their end of the bargain, cooked well in a tasty marinade. But it is the “zesty sauce” that really should have made the dish, and it definitely could have used some more zest. Maybe it was our fault, but it was a little bland, even after taking a few liberties with the ingredients list. If we make it again, I would definitely increase the dosage of lime juice and zest in relation to the mayo and sour cream, and probably add some extra black pepper on top of the red pepper flakes. It was nice to try once, but we probably won’t make it again (especially given the ingredients list).
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Recipe Monday: Tortilla Soup
It was a cold weekend in Chicago, so we wanted something warm. We found a recipe for tortilla soup on the Food Network website, so we decided to give it a try.
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 medium white onions, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 jalapeños, seeded and minced
3 ripe medium tomatoes, chopped
1 quart chicken stock, recipe follows
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Canola oil, for pan-frying
8 corn tortillas, cut into 1/8-inch-thick strips
1 1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken
2 avocados, halved, pitted, peeled, and diced
1 cup shredded Jack cheese, optional
1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish
1 lime, cut in wedges, for serving
Directions:
Place a stockpot over medium heat and coat with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Add the onions, garlic, jalapeños, and tomatoes; cook, stirring for 15 minutes until the vegetables are cooked down and pulpy. Pour in the stock, season with salt and pepper, and simmer for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat 1-inch of canola oil in a skillet over medium-high flame. When the oil begins to smoke, add the tortilla strips in batches and fry until they are crisp on all sides. Remove to a paper towel-lined platter and sprinkle with salt while they are still hot. Ladle the hot soup into 4 soup bowls and put a pile of shredded chicken on top of each. Top with the diced avocado and fried tortilla strips (and cheese if using). Garnish with cilantro and serve with lime wedges.
The best part was frying up the corn tortillas. We cut up small corn tortillas, tossed them in the hot oil and they cooked in 5 seconds flat. Be sure to have a slotted spoon ready! All in all, the soup was good, but not great. We feel it could have used a bit more of a kick. Maybe more jalapeños, or hot sauce. We added some more pepper, which helped liven it up a bit. Other than that all of the flavors worked really well, but how can you really go wrong with fresh cilantro and lime?
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Recipe Monday: White Wine Sauce
We happened to have a half-bottle of white wine in the fridge from our Risotto-making and we were looking for a use for it. We found this nice, simple recipe from Gourmet Magazine. Instead of steak, we substituted chicken, since we are being healthy (we’re overlooking the butter, of course). Also, we remembered that white wine is supposed to go better with poultry. In the reviews of the recipe, several readers substituted red wine with success. Overall, we were pleased with our results. The sauce was really tasty, and super simple. Moreover, we didn’t have to buy a single new ingredient, which made our wallets happy.
Ingredients:
4 (1/2-inch-thick) top chuck blade steaks (18 oz)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large shallot, finely chopped
1/2 cup dry white wine
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
+ (we also added some chopped garlic)
Instructions:
Pat steaks dry and sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon butter and oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté steaks 3 minutes per side for medium. Transfer steaks with tongs to a plate and keep warm, loosely covered. Add remaining 2 tablespoons butter to skillet and cook shallot over moderate heat, stirring, until softened, about 2 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and carefully add wine and any meat juices that have accumulated on plate with steaks. Simmer until reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in herbs and salt and pepper to taste. Serve steaks with sauce poured over.
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Recipe Monday: Lemon Risotto
M’s mother sent along this risotto recipe from Epicurious.com, which we were excited to try out. This was our first time making risotto from scratch, and it was actually very simple, though a bit time-consuming.
Ingredients:
6 cups canned low-salt chicken broth
3 1/2 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
2 large shallots, chopped
2 cups arborio rice or medium-grain white rice
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (about 3 ounces)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
4 teaspoons grated lemon peel
Instructions:
Bring broth to simmer in large saucepan over medium heat. Reduce heat to low; cover to keep warm. Melt 1 1/2 tablespoons butter with oil in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots and sauté until tender, about 6 minutes. Add rice; stir 1 minute. Add wine and stir until evaporated, about 30 seconds. Add 1 1/2 cups hot broth; simmer until absorbed, stirring frequently. Add remaining broth 1/2 cup at a time, allowing broth to be absorbed before adding more and stirring frequently until rice is creamy and tender, about 35 minutes. Stir in cheese and remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Stir in parsley, lemon juice, and lemon peel. Season risotto with salt and pepper. Transfer to bowl and serve.
We were apprehensive at first since we heard risotto was difficult to make very well. However, we were very pleased with our results. As previously stated, this recipe was super easy, and we didn’t need to make any adjustments to the recipe. The end result was lightly lemon flavored and also super rich and creamy. Though, of course, we added some extra cheese as a garnish. The recipe makes enough for about 3 or 4 people – the 2 of us had plenty of leftovers.
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Recipe Friday: South African Yogurt Dip
We liked the last dish from Marcus Samuelsson‘s book so much we decided to give it another try this week. M is a big fan of yogurt sauces, so we were intrigued by a recipe for a yogurt sauce introduced by Indian immigrants to South Africa during the late 19th century. The dish is intended to take some of the heat off the spicy South African fare, while adding a good dose of tangy flavor at the same time.
Ingredients (Makes 1 1/2 cups):
3 cups plain yogurt
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1 two-inch piece of ginger, peeled and minced
1 chili (he recommends jalapeño), seeded and finely chopped
1/2 tsp. ground coriander
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
Juice of 2 limes
2 tsp. chopped cilantro
2 tsp. chopped parsely
Salt and fresh black pepper
Set a fine-mesh sieve or colander lined with cheesecloth over a bowl (we used our colander and a sturdy paper towel). Add the yogurt, cover with plastic wrap, and let drain at room temperature for 2 to 3 hours, or leave in a refrigerator overnight. Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic, ginger, and chili and saute until the garlic is golden (about 5 minutes). Add the coriander and cumin and saute until fragrant (about 2 minutes). Let cool briefly, then transfer to a blender, add the lime juice and drained yogurt, and blend until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and fold in the cilantro and parsely. Season with salt and pepper.
We have to say, this yogurt sauce is fantastic. Its smooth and tangy, with just the right combination of spices. It would be great on a salad, or wrapped in a gyro with grilled steak or chicken strips. It should store well for at least four days, so we will have to cook up some dishes later this week that make use of our new culinary find. The best part? 7-minute preparation time, all from ingredients we usually have readily available – only cumin was esoteric enough to warrant a grocery trip. We’ll definitely be making this again, possibly alongside another recipe from this great book.
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Recipe Friday: Marcus Samuelsson’s Mango Couscous
Today’s recipe Friday is Mango Couscous from Discovery of a Continent: Foods, Flavors, and Inspirations from Africa by Marcus Samuelsson.
Ingredients:
1 cup couscous
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 garlic clove, minced
1 mango, peeled, pitted, and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 chili, seeded and finely chopped
1/2 cup raisins
1 ripe tomato, chopped
Juice of 1 lime
1/4 cup chopped cilantro sprigs
1/4 cup chopped parsley sprigs
Salt
Prepare the couscous according to package directions. Set aside. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large saute pan over high heat. Add the garlic, mango, and chili – saute until the mango begins to color lightly. Stir in remaining tablespoon of olive oil, couscous, raisins, tomato, lime juice, cilantro, parsley, and toss to heat through. Season with salt. (4 servings)
Our final result.
North African cuisine is an interesting mix of Mediterranean and Middle-Eastern flavors, and couscous is the grain of choice. This was our first foray into a sweet couscous dish, though truth be told this recipe is not that “out there.” The recipe was easy as pie, and the flavor profile was actually very interesting. We were also happy we got to use our shiny new wok again. True, woks are not remotely North African – but they work well when making a big dish like this (especially since there turned out to be WAY more couscous than we expected). I was initially worried the mango would taste out of place – but it was a natural accompaniment to the tomatoes and mixed surprisingly well with the garlic and cilantro. We added chicken to the dish to add to make a heartier dinner. The recipe said it served four, but it served the two hungry Eaters, with a little to spare. In the end, we were very pleased with our result, and are excited to make more recipes from the book. Next stop – berbere!
What is…Welsh Rarebit?
So what is it? Welsh rarebit is apparently a beloved Welsh sauce (served over toast), consisting of cheese, mustard and beer. Actually sounds pretty tasty! For a long time I though it was something akin to sweetbreads – innocuous sounding, but disgusting. According to Wikipedia, this bechamel-esque dish has a long and storied past, originally being called “Welsh Rabbit.” Ambrose Bierce even included ‘Rarebit,’ in The Devil’s Dictionary:
“RAREBIT n. A Welsh rabbit, in the speech of the humorless, who point out that it is not a rabbit. To whom it may be solemnly explained that the comestible known as toad in the hole is really not a toad, and that ris de veau à la financière is not the smile of a calf prepared after the recipe of a she banker.”
The New York Times has a tasty-sounding recipe, definitely worth a try in the near future, especially given the lack of British dishes in our repertoire.
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Brazilian French Toast: Rabanada
Rabanada, Brazilian French Toast from Chowhound
This recipe from Chowhound for Brazilian French toast, Rabanada, sounds really tasty. Who doesn’t love French Toast – especially a version with tons of sugar? It also sounds easy, which is something I cannot say about the last recipe we made. More on that later.
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What is…Pão de queijo?
While the eaters have never been to Brazil, we know two things – we like bread and we like cheese. A lot! We also like cooking new foods. We have a long queue of dishes we are excited to make eventually, and Pão de queijo (Cheese bread in Portuguese) has jumped right to the top. A typical snack food in Brazil and Bolivia, Paraguay and Argentina (where they are known as is known as chipás or cuñapés), these little pods of butter and cassava flour contain nothing but gooey cheese. We found a chipá recipe from fellow WordPresser Pip in the city that we are dying to try out. We will let you know how it goes.
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Eating The World 