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Moroccan Stuffed Grape Leaves with Lamb

Posted on July 14, 2018 by admin Leave a comment

These grape leaves are stuffed with rice, ground lamb, and pine nuts. The secret of this Moroccan version is baharat, a special blend of several spices including cumin, cinnamon, and allspice, which makes the filling aromatic and layered with flavors. Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients:

– 1 cup uncooked white or brown sticky rice

– 1 pound ground lamb

– 1/2 cup roasted pine nuts

– 1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped

– 1 teaspoon sweet paprika

– 1 medium onion, chopped

– 1 teaspoon ground cumin

– 1 teaspoon baharat (or allspice)

– 1/2 teaspoon salt

– 1/2 teaspoon pepper

– 1 large jar grape leaves

– 1 cup water

– 3 tablespoons olive oil

– 1 lemon, cut into wedges

Directions:

1. Cook the rice according to the directions on the package.

2. Combine the rice with the lamb, pine nuts, cilantro, paprika, onion, cumin, baharat, salt and pepper in a mixing bowl.

3. Remove the grape leaves from the jar and wash.

4. Cut the stem from each leaf and lay the leaf from a flat surface.

5. Using an ice cream scoop, place one scoop of the meat mixture in the middle of each grape leaf. Fold in the sides and roll to close.

6. Place each leaf in an oiled baking dish, seam side down drizzle with olive oil and water, cover the dish, and bake for 40 minutes.

7. Serve with lemon wedges.

The Petite Gourmande

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Blueberry Baklava

Posted on July 11, 2018 by Ruth Barnes Leave a comment

Baklava is a pretty well known Mediterranean dessert, and it’s one of my favorites. In my book, I make chocolate baklava with hazelnuts and pecan pistachio baklava with orange blossom water. I make five different kinds, but this recipe is really special because it includes blueberry preserves and dried blueberries, which really bring out the flavor of the blueberries. The color is a deep, beautiful purple, and the flavor is different from anything I’ve even eaten. If you like blueberries, I think you’ll love this!

Blueberry Baklava

Serves 24

Ingredients:

1 pound (4 sticks) unsalted butter

1 package of phyllo dough (20 sheets), thawed if previously frozen

The filling

½ pound unsalted, roasted pecans, chopped coarsely

20 ounces whole, dried blueberries

13 ounce jar blueberry preserves

2 tablespoons orange blossom water

½ cup sugar

The syrup

¾ cup water

½ cup sugar

1 cup honey

3 tablespoons orange blossom water

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

1. Prepare the filling: Combine the pecans, dried blueberries, orange blossom water, and sugar in a large bowl and mix well. Set aside.

2. To clarify the butter, melt it in a small saucepan over low heat until it begins to boil. Skim the foam from the top and discard it. Remove the saucepan from the heat.

3. Unwrap the phyllo dough and place it on a flat surface. While you are working with a phyllo sheet, keep the rest of the block covered with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel to prevent it from drying out.

4. Using a pastry brush, coat a medium baking dish with a small amount of the melted butter.

5. Lay one sheet of phyllo in the dish and brush it with butter. Cover with a second sheet and brush it with butter. Repeat until you have a layer of 6 sheets.

6. Spread a third of the blueberry preserve and the nut/dried blueberry mixture over the phyllo sheets.

7. Repeat step 6 twice more and top with a final layer of phyllo.

8. Make 3 cuts across the dough about 3½ inches apart across the length and 2 cuts that are about 3¼ inches across the width. Cut diagonally across each square, making 24 individual triangular pieces.

9. Pour the remaining butter all over the pastry and bake for 1 hour.

10. While the baklava is baking, prepare the syrup: Combine the water and sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally for about 5 minutes or until the sugar is completely dissolved. Remove from the heat and stir in the honey and the orange blossom water. Refrigerate until the baklava is ready.

11. When the baklava has finished baking, remove it from oven and pour the cold syrup all over.

12. Let it cool before serving.

Happy Cooking!

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Cherry Salad with Goat Cheese

Posted on July 7, 2018 by admin Leave a comment

My cherry salad with goat cheese is a colorful, easy to make start to any summer meal.

From deep red to bright yellow, cherries are all bursting with flavor and nutritional benefits. On a recent visit to San Francisco, one of the local merchants had thousands of huge red and yellow cherries on display and I couldn’t resist.

I was very excited to bring them home to make not only desserts, but also this wonderful cherry salad. It’s the perfect accompaniment to any summer meal. Serves 4

Salad

3 cups red cherries, pitted

3 cups yellow cherries, pitted

4 oz goat cheese, crumbled

5 oz candied walnuts

10 oz mixed spring salad, rinsed and drained

Dressing

4 TB olive oil

2 TB champagne vinegar

2 small shallots, chopped

2 tsp honey

Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Whisk together dressing ingredients and chill for 10 minutes.

2. In large mixing bowl combine salad greens, cherries, and dressing. Toss lightly to evenly coat salad.

3. Divide into four portions on individual serving plates.

4. Sprinkle goat cheese and walnut over each salad and serve immediately.

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Grilled Watermelon Pizza

Posted on June 30, 2018 by admin Leave a comment

My Grilled Watermelon Pizza is such a fantastic way to stay fresh this summer. The flavor combination on this watermelon pizza is truly unique, the sweet fruits accented with the salty cheese and peppery arugula are sure to delight any palate. Serve this as an unexpected treat at a summer barbecue, or as an appetizer at a more formal get-together, and all your friends will be asking for more! Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

– 1 medium sized watermelon, sliced into 1/2inch thick wheels

– 1 8oz pack of crumbled goat cheese or feta cheese to taste

– 1 container of baby arugula

– 6 figs, sliced

– 4 tablespoons of olive oil

– balsamic vinegar

Directions:

1. Preheat the grill on medium-high.

2. Brush watermelon slices with very little olive oil.

3. Put each slice on the grill for 2-3 minutes on each side. Remove from grill.

4. Place on a serving platter and top with arugula, cheese, sliced fig.

5. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and serve.

Enjoy!

The Petite Gourmande

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Salmon Croquette Burgers

Posted on June 22, 2018 by admin One comment

These croquettes made from fresh salmon, are a light and healthy dinner choice when paired with a colorful garden. They can be served by themselves or on a toasted bun. My husband likes to put Thousand Island dressing on them to give them a little tang, but you can also top them with garlic mayonnaise. Serves 6-8

Ingredients

3 lbs fresh, skinless salmon filet, cut into one-inch chunks

1 large sweet onion, such as vidalia, quartered

½ bunch fresh cilantro

1 egg

½ cup breadcrumbs

1 TB garlic powder

1 TB smoked or sweet paprika

1 TB olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

1 package hamburger buns

2 large tomatoes, sliced thin

1 head Bibb lettuce

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. Combine salmon, onion, and cilantro in small batches in the food processor, pulsing until coarsely chopped. Place in bowl when finished.

3. Stir in egg, breadcrumbs, garlic powder, paprika, salt and pepper and mix well.

4. Form mixture into six or eight patties and place on baking sheet that’s been coated with olive oil.

5. Bake for 20 minutes, flipping over after ten minutes. Patties should be golden brown on each side.

6. Serve on hamburger buns with lettuce, tomato, and dressing of your choice.

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Almond Phyllo Swirl

Posted on June 15, 2018 by admin Leave a comment

Almond Phyllo Swirl

This delicious dish looks as unique as it tastes. Shaped like a snake, it is a traditional Moroccan dessert of layers of rich pastry filled with almonds and orange blossom water.

Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients

3 cups raw almonds

1 egg, separated

1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar plus 1 teaspoon for garnish

2 tablespoons orange blossom water

1 teaspoon almond extract

10 sheets phyllo dough

4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

1 teaspoon cinnamon, for garnish

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Grind the raw almonds and place in a mixing bowl.

3. Lightly beat the egg white and add it to the ground almonds.

4. Add the confectioners’ sugar, orange blossom water, and almond extract to the almond mix.

5. Thoroughly mix all ingredients to form a paste and then form into sausage-shaped rolls (approximately 3).

6. Unwrap the phyllo dough and place it on a flat surface. While you are working with a phyllo sheet, Keep the rest of the block covered with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel to prevent it from drying out.

7. Take one sheet of the phyllo dough and brush it with melted butter.

8. Place a second sheet of the phyllo dough on top off the first and brush its surface with butter.

9. Lay one of the filling rolls lengthwise on top of the buttered phyllo dough, about 1 inch from the edge. Roll up the pastry and make into a coil. Place it in the center of a buttered, 10-inch round, nonstick baking pan.

10. Repeat steps 7 through 9 until all 3 pieces form a large swirl in the pan.

11. beat the egg yolk and brush it over the top of the entire swirl.

12. bake for 30 to 35 minutes until golden brown.

13. sprinkle with the cinnamon and remaining teaspoon of confectioners’ sugar.

Happy Cooking!

The Petite Gourmande

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Seafood Paella

Posted on May 26, 2018 by admin Leave a comment

Paella has its origins in Valencia, Spain, where it was made with rice, vegetables, and a protein such as chicken or seafood. This is one of my favorites, it’s perfect for a warm spring night with a large family or a lot of friends. There are many variations for this wonderful dish. Mine uses short-grain rice with vegetables, shellfish, chorizo sausage, and saffron. Paella is traditionally served family style.

Serves 6 to 8.

Ingredients:

– 12 jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined

– 2 pounds mussels, scrubbed and with beards removed

– 2 pounds medium clams, washed

– 1 pound chorizo sausage cut into ½ inch rings

– 2 cups short grain rice (bomba or arborio)

– 2 pinches of saffron

– 1 16 ounce bag frozen peas and carrots

– 1 large yellow onion, chopped

– 4 corn cobs carefully cut into quarters (optional)

– 4 garlic cloves, chopped

– 2 red bell pepper, deseeded and cut into strips

– 4 cups seafood or low sodium chicken stock

– 1 box mixed baby heirloom tomatoes, cut into halves

– 4 tablespoons olive oil

– salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Heat olive oil in large paella pan on medium heat and sauté onion, pepper, and garlic until onion and pepper are tender.

2. With a slotted spoon, transfer the vegetables to a plate.

3. In same pan, add olive oil if needed and saute chorizo and tomatoes for 2-3 minutes. Do not remove from pan.

4. Add the garlic, onion, pepper strips back into the pan.

5. Add the stock, rice, peas and carrots, saffron, salt and pepper to the pan and bring to a boil.

6. Lower heat, cover, and cook for 20 minutes.

7. Place shrimps, mussels, clams, and corn on top of rice mixture and cook for additional 10 minutes.

8. Discard mussels and clams which have not opened.

9. Place the rice mixture on a serving platter with seafood on top.

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Fennel and Blood Orange Salad

Posted on May 19, 2018 by admin Leave a comment

Fennel root must be sliced very thin as it tends to be dense and fibrous. Slicing it thin also brings out its wonderful licorice flavor, which is used for the base of some liquors. The blood oranges add a citrusy and vibrant contrast. Serves 4

Ingredients:

– Large fennel bulb

– Blood (or navel) oranges

– 2 tablespoons orange blossom water

– 1 tablespoon olive oil

– 1 small red onion, sliced thin

– 1/2 bunch parsley, chopped

– Juice of 1/2 lemon

– 1/2 teaspoon salt

– 1/2 teaspoon pepper

Directions:

1. Cut the fennel in half lengthwise. Discard the stems and core, and slice the bulb thin.

2. Cut a slice from each end of the oranges so they will stand on the cutting board while you peel them. Remove the peel with a small knife, taking care to cut away the bitter white pith. Slice the orange flesh into 1/4-inch wheels.

3. In a large bowl, combine the fennel, orange blossom water, olive oil, onion, parsley, and lemon juice. Season with the salt and pepper, and mix well.

4. On a serving platter, overlap the oranges in one or more rows and scatter the fennel mixture with its juice on top of them.

5. Chill before serving.

Enjoy!

The Petite Gourmande

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Mother’s Day Brunch

Posted on May 11, 2018 by Ruth Barnes Leave a comment

Celebrating Mother’s Day with family is truly a wonderful privilege. On this day we take the opportunity to show our moms how important and special they are to us and shower them with a large serving of unconditional love.

Comfort, warmth, and care are some of the words that come to mind when I think of my mother, and these two dishes encompass those wonderful feelings. Salmon Lasagna is both comforting and delicious, with wonderful hints of lemon flavor. The chocolate lava cake is warm, gooey and sweet on the inside, a dessert that is sure to put a smile on your face, just like mom.

Mother’s Day Salmon and Spinach Lasagna

Serves 6-8

Ingredients

1-16 ounce box of lasagna

1- 32 ounce container of ricotta cheese

3 tbsp unsalted butter for sauteing the onion and spinach

2 pound skinless salmon fillet

1 large onion chopped

6 garlic cloves minced

2-16 ounce bags of frozen spinach

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

2 eggs

1- 8 ounce bag of shredded mozzarella

1/2 bunch of parsley chopped

1 bottle of white cooking wine (optional)

1 lemon, juiced

salt and pepper to taste

9×13 baking dish

non stick cooking spray

For Sauce:

5 tbsp flour

5 tablespoon butter

2 cups heavy cream

1/2 tsp nutmeg

salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees

1. In a large pot bring water and salt to a boil. Add the noodles and cook according to the directions on the box. Drain, rinse with cold water, and set aside.

2. Defrost the spinach, drain of excess water and set aside.

3. In a medium sauté pan melt the 3 tablespoons of butter, and sauté the onion for 4 minutes or until tender. Add the garlic and sauté for another minute. Then add the spinach, season with salt and pepper to taste and combine well. Continue cooking for another 3 minutes then remove from heat and set aside.

4. In a medium pot add 4 cups of water, 1 1/2 cups of white wine (optional), and juice of one whole lemon. Bring to a boil.

5. Reduce heat, and add the fish and simmer for 10 minutes, or until fish flakes with a fork. Remove the fish from pot and let cool. Flake the fish, season with salt and pepper and set aside.

6. In a medium bowl mix the ricotta, eggs, and Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper to taste and set aside.

7. For the béchamel sauce melt the butter in a medium saucepan. Then add the flour and constantly whisk. Season with salt and pepper, slowly add the heavy cream and continue whisking. Then add the nutmeg and whisk until sauce thickens and becomes smooth.

8. Spray the baking dish thoroughly, covering the bottom and sides. Spread 3 tablespoons of sauce so that the pasta will not stick. Spread 3 pieces of lasagna noodles on the bottom of the dish. Then layer 1/2 cup of spinach over the noodles. Next, layer 1/2 cup of the ricotta mixture over the spinach. Then layer a 1/2 cup of the flaked fish. Lastly, add a 1/4 cup of the sauce and spread it evenly over the fish. Repeat the process until you have 12 layers.

9. The last layer, which will be your top layer, you will end with only lasagna noodles. Sprinkle the mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.

10. Cover with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 6-8 minutes or until the cheese is golden.

Mother’s Day Chocolate Lava Cake

Makes 8 cakes

Ingredients

10 ounces of semi-sweet chocolate chips

4 tbsp all purpose flour

1 1/4 stick unsalted butter

4 whole eggs ,plus 4 yolks

1 cup of sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

baking spray for greasing

2 tbsp powdered sugar

assorted berries

8 -5 ounce ramekins

Directions

Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees

1. In a double boiler set on low heat melt the chocolate and the butter, mixing frequently, until smooth. Set aside and let cool.

2. In a bowl whisk the whole eggs, and in a separate bowl whisk the yolks.

3. Pour the sugar into the chocolate mixture and combine well.

4. Add the flour, vanilla, the eggs and yolks to the chocolate mixture. With a hand mixer on medium speed mix until fully combined.

5. Place the ramekins on a baking tray and spray with the non stick baking spray.

6. Fill the ramekins 3/4 full with the chocolate mixture.

7. Place the baking tray in the oven on the center rack and bake for 12-14 minutes.

8. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool for 5 minutes.

9. Flip each ramekin over onto individual plates, dust with powdered sugar and decorate with your favorite berries.

Lets raise a glass, to all the moms of the world who provide unconditional love and endless support, and wish you all a Happy Mother’s Day!

The Petite Gourmande

Honey Pastry Cigars with Almonds

Posted on May 5, 2018 by admin Leave a comment

Honey Pastry Cigars with Almonds

Phyllo dough “cigar” pastries are used in Moroccan cuisine for appetizers, side dishes, and desserts. The fillings range from vegetables to meat to nuts. These dessert cigars have an almond filling laced with cinnamon and orange blossom water, and they are dipped in honey. They go very well with Turkish coffee.

Serves 20

Ingredients

1 pack phyllo dough (20 sheets), thawed if previously frozen

1 stick melted butter, at room temperature (for brushing phyllo dough)

1 egg yolk, beaten

The nut filling

1 pound blanched almonds

2/3 cup sugar

3 tablespoons orange blossom water

3 tablespoons ground cinnamon

1/2 stick melted butter, at room temperature

The syrup

1 cup honey

3 tablespoons orange blossom water

Directions

1.Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Prepare the nut filling: place all the filling ingredients in a large mixing bowl and mix well. set aside while you prepare the phyllo.

3. unwrap the phyllo dough and place it on a flat surface. While you are working with phyllo sheet, keep the rest of the block covered with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel to prevent it from drying out.

4. Use a pair of scissors to cut the sheets into 3 ½-inch-long strips.

5. Take a strip of phyllo dough and brush it with butter. Place another strip on top of the first and brush it with butter. Repeat until you have a four-sheet layer.

6. Spread one heaping tablespoon of the nut mixture onto the phyllo layer, one inch from the edge of the side nearest to you. Fold the corners over the mixture to seal, and roll it away from you to form a cigar shape. Brush the end with a small amount of egg yolk and press to seal. repeat steps 5 and 6 until you have used all the phyllo and nut filling.

7. coat a large baking pan with butter and lay the phyllo cigars in it lengthwise. Bake for 20 minutes until golden.

8. While the phyllo cigars are baking, make the syrup: Put the honey and orange blossom water into a small saucepan and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.

9. When the phyllo cigars are done, remove the pan from the oven. Dip the cigars, one by one, into the honey syrup and place on a serving platter.

Happy Cooking!

The Petite Gourmande

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