De Ma Cuisine

apples Archive

Friday

19

February 2016

0

COMMENTS

Savory Crêpes

Written by , Posted in Beans, Breakfast, Brunch, Cheese, Dinner, Eggs, Fruit, Herbs, Leftovers, Legumes, Lunch, Main Dishes, Meat, Nuts, Poultry, Quick and Easy, Vegetables, Vegetarian

SavoryCrepes-3

Right now my thoughts are flipping between crêpes and the onion rings I ate right before I made the crêpes. Of both, I couldn’t wait to eat more. But, let’s talk about the crêpes today (those onion rings can wait until next week). When I was a kid, mom made crêpes every once in a while. If she made them for supper, we usually had to eat a savory crêpe or two before we were allowed to eat one covered with maple syrup, powdered sugar, or honey. I may have turned my nose up at it then, but now I see the merit in the savory crêpe.

Crêpes are what I’d imagine would result if a tortilla and a pancake had a baby. A delicious baby… This is getting weird… They’re light, soft, and a bit crispy around the edges. They’re great with butter and maple syrup, of course, but also the perfect vessel for some savory goodies.

SavoryCrepes-1

I like the idea of a multifaceted filling. It starts with a purée. I had some pumpkin in the freezer that I reheated and seasoned with salt and cayenne. Simple. You could also try cauliflower, sweet potato, or beets.

I topped the purée with some sautéed broccoli rabe, peas, and radishes. You might substitute with roasted or raw garlic, broccoli, any greens that you have on hand, apples, cabbage, summer or winter squash, carrots, or even white beans. If you have some fresh herbs on hand, things like basil, thyme, rosemary, or mint would be great. Just use whatever herbs would go well with the veggies that you’re using.

If you wanted to add a little more protein, throw in some leftover shredded chicken or chopped up crispy tofu.

And then, to top it all, I like a spoonful of plain or Greek yogurt, some walnuts, parmesan, and a squeeze of lemon. You might substitute with silken tofu or coconut milk, browned butter or cream, ricotta or cream cheese.

SavoryCrepes-2

If you’ve got any left, they will make the perfect dessert (Nutella crêpes anyone?!), or can be reheated the next day for a quick and easy breakfast. You could do simple, just maple syrup, or maybe top them with some ricotta, cottage cheese, or silken tofu, and some chopped apples sprinkled with cinnamon and a squeeze of lemon. Two meals, one dish.

Happy Eating!

Savory Crêpes

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Yield: 4

Serving Size: 2 crêpes

Savory Crêpes

Ingredients

  • 1 C purée (any: winter squash, cauliflower, sweet potato, beet)
  • 1 T olive oil
  • 1 C any mix ins: broccoli rabe, peas, roasted or raw garlic, kale, radishes, apples, cabbage, white beans, summer squash, carrots; chopped if warranted
  • 1 C any proteins (optional): cooked chicken, crispy tofu
  • 1 t to 1 T any: thyme, rosemary, basil, mint; chopped
  • to taste salt
  • 8 crêpes
  • 1 C any toppings: ricotta, cream cheese, yogurt, silken tofu, parmesan cheese, browned butter, cream, coconut milk, walnuts, almonds, lemon zest; chopped if warranted
  • lemon wedges, for serving

Instructions

  1. (Prepare crêpe batter if it needs to sit for an hour in the fridge.)
  2. Make your purée (roast or steam veggies, blend, season with salt and, if desired, cayenne).
  3. Heat skillet, add olive oil. Sauté mix ins until tender (about 10 minutes, depending on the veggies) over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. Add things like greens and garlic near the end. Re-heat protein, if using. Add to mix ins. Add herbs. Taste for seasoning.
  4. While mix ins are cooking, prepare your crêpes (keep them warm in a 200F oven on a baking sheet).
  5. To assemble, spoon some purée down the center of the crêpes. Top with mix ins. Roll up (the easiest way to do this is to hook a fork inside the edge of the crêpe and roll it in on itself). Serve with a squeeze of lemon.
http://www.de-ma-cuisine.com/savory-crepes/

Monday

21

December 2015

0

COMMENTS

Wilted Mustard Greens with Acorn Squash and Pear

Written by , Posted in Dairy-Free, Dinner, Fruit, Gluten Free, Quick and Easy, Salads, Sides, Vegan, Vegetables, Vegetarian

MustardGreensAcornSquash-6

Two months ago I would have laughed if you’d told me that my fingers would be so cold that I’d have a hard time typing today. That I’d have two sweatshirts on with both hoods pulled up. Two pairs of socks, plus slippers, and that I’d be wrapped in a blanket. Yeah, I’m cold (and I refuse to turn the heater on). But, the great thing about cold weather is that it’s much easier to warm up than it is to cool down. I can keep adding blankets and layers of clothing. I can bake or make soup, and drink lots of tea. As cold as I am right now, I much prefer it to the months and months of hot and sweaty.

MustardGreensAcornSquash-1

I don’t use the oven a whole lot during the summer and into the fall. It’s just too hot. So at this time of year, I bake and roast veggies a little more often. It’s yummy and, as a bonus, the house warms up a bit.

MustardGreensAcornSquash-2

For this recipe I roasted some acorn squash wedges that I’d rubbed with olive oil and I also roasted its seeds. Roasted squash is one of my favorites. It’s super versatile – from pastas to soups to pizza, it’s a winner. But, the seeds are great too. I like to toss them with a bit of oil and a pinch of salt and then roast until they’re crispy. It doesn’t take too long and they’re really tasty.

MustardGreensAcornSquash-3

Because I used an acorn squash for this dish, I left the peel on. I don’t prefer to eat it, but it’s easy enough to scrape the flesh from it, and I think it looks pretty. If you want to peel before you roast, that’s cool too. It just seemed easier to me to wait.

MustardGreensAcornSquash-4

This isn’t really your average salad. It’s got mustard greens, instead of lettuce, and they’re wilted, instead of raw. I added pears (or you could use apples) and cooked them with the greens just a bit. The dressing is made up of orange juice, maple syrup, and molasses. They all go into the pan with everything else. Think Wilted Spinach Salad with lots of awesome twists.

MustardGreensAcornSquash-5

If you have spinach or other greens, they’ll be great too. Lemons instead of oranges, give them a try (or go for half and half so it’s not too tart). I added shallots, but red onion would be fab. And if you’re not crazy about the seeds from the squash, you could chop up some nuts instead (or hey, do both!).

This would make a lovely side for a holiday dinner, or you could reheat leftovers and serve them with scrambled eggs and toast for breakfast. However you serve it, I hope you enjoy it with good company, in good cheer.

Merry Christmas!

 

Wilted Mustard Greens with Acorn Squash and Pear

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Yield: 2-3

Wilted Mustard Greens with Acorn Squash and Pear

Ingredients

  • 1 medium-sized acorn squash (may substitute with other types of winter squash), seeds removed and reserved, peeled if desired, sliced
  • 2 T olive oil
  • to taste salt
  • 1 bunch mustard greens (or mizuna, kale, chard, spinach, or any other greens you have on hand), ribs removed, chopped
  • to taste salt
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 t fresh ginger, minced
  • 1/4 C shallot or onion or leek, sliced
  • 1 t maple syrup
  • 1 t molasses
  • pinch cayenne
  • 1 T orange or lemon zest
  • 1/4 C orange juice
  • 1 ripe pear or apple, sliced
  • 1/2 T lemon juice

Instructions

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 350F.
  2. Rub squash with 1 t oil and sprinkle with salt. Roast for 15 minutes, flip, and roast for about 15 more (or until squash is tender and pierces easily with a sharp knife).
  3. Toss squash seeds with 1 t oil and a pinch of salt. Roast on a baking sheet for about 10-15 minutes, or until crispy, stirring once. Salt lightly once removed from the oven.
  4. Heat skillet and add remaining oil. Add greens and a pinch of salt. Cook over medium-low heat for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic through orange juice and cook for about 5 minutes more, stirring occasionally. Add pears or apples and cook for about 5 minutes, or until fruit is a bit tender, adding more orange juice if needed. Remove from heat and add lemon juice and taste for seasoning.
  5. Serve greens topped with roasted squash and roasted seeds.
http://www.de-ma-cuisine.com/mustard-greens-squash-pear/

Wednesday

16

December 2015

0

COMMENTS

Garlic and Herb Bread

Written by , Posted in Appetizers, Bread, Cheese, Dairy-Free, Fruit, Gluten Free, Herbs, Nuts, Sandwiches, Snacks, Vegan, Vegetables, Vegetarian

GarlicHerbBread-6

If you need me this winter, I’ll likely be cooking soup, eating soup, chilling soup, reheating soup, and baking all sorts of bread to go with the soup. This is my favorite time of year for that reason. Normally, I’m content with bread still a bit warm from the oven to go with it. You know how they say that there’s nothing like freshly baked bread? They’re right. (By the way, who are “they”?) Sometimes it’s fun to do more than just have bread and butter though. I mean, I learned while in Paris that there is probably nothing I’d rather eat forever and ever than a French baguette with French butter. Literally. I might be willing to give up bacon. But, as we crunched into this herby, garlic studded bread, I couldn’t decide what I liked better, the bread or the Turkey Noodle Soup I’d made to go with it. And I didn’t miss the butter at all.

GarlicHerbBread-1

This isn’t an ordinary garlic bread. I threw in some fresh herbs (rosemary from last week’s Abundant Harvest Organics box, and basil from my garden) and a bunch of greens. I used spinach this time, but when I planned the recipe I did so with kale in mind. I’d also use arugula, mizuna, chard, or bok choy. If you don’t have greens, but you want it to be green in color, you could make it with peas… Why not?!

GarlicHerbBread-2

For the cheese I opted for colby jack. But, parmesan, goat, feta, cream cheese, or ricotta would be great too.

GarlicHerbBread-3

I added some nuts, just to make it interesting. To make it even more so, you could add: fennel, asparagus, mushrooms, cabbage, kohlrabi, olives, radicchio, apples (not with garlic or chives), or apricots (not with chives), depending on what’s in season.

GarlicHerbBread-4

After I blended it up I realized that this is basically a pesto. Pestos often have something green, some nuts, garlic, cheese, and olive oil. This has all of that and more. The great thing about this realization is that if there are leftovers, there’s a lot to do with them.

– mix into pasta

– make into grilled cheese

– add to soup

– stir into risotto

– top a baked potato (or make into twice baked potatoes)

– add it to hasselback potatoes

GarlicHerbBread-5

I love this bread served with whatever soup I’ve got on hand. But, on its own it also makes for a fabulous snack.

Happy Eating!

Garlic and Herb Bread

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Yield: 10

Garlic and Herb Bread

Ingredients

  • 8-10 cloves garlic
  • 2 t fresh rosemary or thyme
  • 2 T fresh basil or chives
  • 2 C greens (kale, spinach, arugula, chard, mizuna, bok choy etc...) or use peas
  • (optional) 1C any: fennel, asparagus, mushrooms, cabbage, kohlrabi, olives, radicchio, apples (not with garlic or chives), or apricots (not with chives)
  • 1/2 to 1 C nuts (walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts)
  • 2 C cheese (parmesan - for vegan could use bread crumbs and capers*, goat, feta, cream cheese, or ricotta), grated or crumbled
  • 1/4 to 1/3 C olive oil
  • 1 t lemon zest
  • 2 t lemon juice
  • to taste salt
  • good pinch cayenne
  • 1 loaf of your favorite bread, sliced

Instructions

  1. Place garlic through cayenne in a food processor. Blend for 20-40 seconds, scrape down the sides and blend for about 10 seconds more. Taste for seasoning.
  2. Spread mixture on bread. Either broil for 2-5 minutes (watch it carefully so it doesn't burn), bake until bubbly and browned, or put between the slices of bread (or slice bread horizontally), wrap in foil, and bake until warmed through.
http://www.de-ma-cuisine.com/garlic-and-herb-bread/

Friday

11

December 2015

1

COMMENTS

Persimmon Apple Bread

Written by , Posted in Baking, Bread, Breakfast, Brunch, Dairy-Free, Dessert, Eggs, Fruit, Grains, Kid-Friendly, Nuts, Snacks, Vegetables, Vegetarian

PersimmonAppleBread-5

I don’t know if the old adage, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away” is true. But, apples have always been a favorite of mine, so if I can eat an apple every day that makes me happy. My favorite way to enjoy them is raw. Sliced, whole, chopped… it doesn’t matter. Since we go through apples pretty quickly, they don’t often get cooked. We either don’t feel the need, or there just aren’t any left. But, sometimes, I need to bake bread, and the bread needs to be studded with apples.

PersimmonAppleBread-1

For this recipe I used Pippins. But, in my kitchen, I’d use whatever I have on hand. I’m sure the experts would disagree. There are some apples that are better for baking (Granny Smiths), and some that are best eaten out of hand (Fujis and Galas). But, as I’ve mentioned before, I’m a frugal cook, so I prefer to make do and adapt to what I’ve got, if at all possible.

PersimmonAppleBread-2

This bread is a dense, muffin-like bread. You could call it an Apple Snack Cake if that’s more appealing to someone that you’re trying to convince to try it. You could bake it in muffin tins if that’s easier or more manageable.

When persimmons are no longer in season you could add a super ripe (or frozen then thawed) banana. When apples are no longer in season, you could sub pears, Asian pears, persimmons, figs, cherries, or stone fruit. If you wanted to add some grated veggies, carrots, parsnips, or summer squash could be easily hidden (ok, maybe not the carrots, but you wouldn’t taste them too much). You could add nuts and seeds, raisins, dried cherries or cranberries (why don’t we call raisins “dried grapes”?), or maybe even chocolate chips.

What I’m trying to say is, it’s pretty versatile.

PersimmonAppleBread-3

Like many baked goods, the dry ingredients are combined first, then set aside. The wet ingredients come together next. Everyone jumps into the bowl, then into a greased loaf pan. Easy. Quick. Snack attack time is near.

PersimmonAppleBread-4

I would suggest letting the bread cool completely before slicing. If it’s still warm it may be a little too crumbly (although still yummy).

PersimmonAppleBread-6

I opted for simple, and topped it with some homemade butter. But, you could also top it with caramel and serve it for dessert. You might spread some cream cheese on a slice, or top the whole thing with cream cheese frosting. Or, as an ode to one of my favorite snacks, eat it for breakfast topped with some crunchy peanut butter.

Peanut butter and apples. Apples and cheese. Apples and almonds… apples and almost anything.

Happy Eating!

Persimmon Apple Bread

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes

Yield: 6-8

Serving Size: 1 to 1.5 slices

Persimmon Apple Bread

Ingredients

  • 1 C whole wheat flour
  • 1/4 t salt
  • 1/2 t baking powder
  • 1/2 t baking soda
  • 1/4 t cinnamon
  • 1 t fresh ginger, minced (or 1/4 t ground)
  • 1/2 C cold unsalted butter (could sub cold coconut oil), cut into small chunks
  • 1 C oats (can also use granola)
  • 1 1/4 C apples (or chopped pears, Asian pears, persimmons, figs, cherries, stone fruit, or grated carrots, parsnips, or summer squash), chopped
  • 1/2 C persimmon pulp
  • 1 egg
  • 1 t apple cider vinegar
  • 1 t vanilla extract
  • 1 T maple syrup
  • optional, for topping: seeds or chopped nuts

Instructions

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 350F.
  2. Whisk the flour through ginger. Mix in butter or oil with a pastry blender or hands (until it resembles a coarse meal or pea sized chunks). Stir in oats and fruit. Set in the freezer while you assemble wet ingredients.
  3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the persimmon pulp through maple syrup. Add dry ingredients and stir to combine.
  4. Scoop into a greased loaf pan (or into greased muffin tins). Top with nuts and seeds if using. Bake for 35-40 minutes (20-22 for muffins), or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  5. Remove from the oven and cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Remove from the pan and cool completely on a cooling rack.
http://www.de-ma-cuisine.com/persimmon-apple-bread/

Friday

4

December 2015

0

COMMENTS

Cooking Apples

Written by , Posted in How To

Pippins-1

There are so many awesome fruits to choose from and love. And really, you can’t go wrong with fruit. But, there’s something about the humble apple that I just love. Maybe because the taste signifies fall and reminds me of home (especially a Macintosh). Yum, healthy, comforting. They mean that cold weather is a comin’ (cough, it’s 84 degrees as I type this, cough, frown). They’re the perfect afternoon pick-me-up. If I’m starving while I cook dinner, an apple won’t spoil my appetite, but it will tide me over. I like ’em a little bit cold, sweet but not too, and the crunchier the better. And, if possible, picked right off the tree. (Someday, I want to have an apple tree.)

But, apples aren’t just great for eating out of hand. They’re amazing when they’re cooked too. Even though I eat them raw most of the time, let’s talk about how to prepare them.

Super Simple

AppleRosemaryFlatbread-8

One of my all-time favorite snacks is apples and cheese. Sometimes I’ll add some nuts and crackers and call it a meal. So it makes sense to use apples and cheese to top bread, like I did for this Apple Rosemary Flatbread. It’s super simple to prepare, and a great way to incorporate fruit into a meal in a non-traditional way.

An easy weeknight dessert is Baked Apples with Raisins and Cinnamon. Use a paring knife to carefully cut out the core. Place apples on a baking sheet and stuff where the core was with raisins, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Bake at 350F until they’re hot and as tender as you’d like.

Apples with Meat

Apples go well with pork, so you could cook some down on the stove top, or slice them and roast them alongside a pork roast (along with some onions and carrots). If you have time, you might make them into apple sauce and serve it, slightly warm, on top or on the side. I also love to have apples and bacon together, like on a BBQ Apple Bacon Pizza.

Apples for Dessert

VeganFruitCrisp-7

Apples, depending on their type, can hold their shape when cooked, so they lend well to desserts where you want some texture. Take a fruit crisp for example. While it’d be great with apple sauce at the bottom, that’s not really the point of the dish (you may as well just have apple sauce and granola). You want some good, soft chunks of fruit underneath that sweet oaty topping.

AppleBourbonGalette_6

Or in the case of an apple galette or apple pie, you want the apple to hold its shape. Just enough so you have to cut through, but not so much that you need to use a knife for anything other than serving.

Apples in Bread

There’s not a whole lot that smells better than bread baking in the oven. Except if there’s cinnamon and apples in the bread. That’d be enough to put me into a comfort coma (what?!) for days. Or, you know, just feel nice and happy and like I’ve just been to visit family. My mom makes the. best. cinnamon buns. They’re best the day of, still a bit warm from the oven. I’d like to suggest that apples might make for a nice addition to these already awesome buns.

I’ve recently started baking a lot more. Some of it is out of necessity – food is expensive. It’s cheaper if I make bread rather than buy it (plus it tastes way better). So, sandwich bread is now homemade. Baguettes, well, they’ve been homemade ever since we visited Paris. And biscuits, they’re almost too easy to make at home (which makes it easier to add apples and cheese). I’ve been baking a recipe from Aimée from Simple Bites’ cookbook Brown Eggs & Jam Jars every other week or so for a while now. Sometimes when I make it, after it’s risen once, I flatten one loaf out, and sprinkle it with cinnamon and brown sugar, then roll it up. Apples would be a great addition to the cinnamon swirl loaf.

Pippins-2

I’ve also worked on a Persimmon Apple bread that will be live on here in a couple of weeks. It’s like an apple snack cake, or a muffin loaf. Or, generally, fitting with the trend of apples+cinnamon+bread equalling awesome.

Apples for Breakfast

ChamomilePancakes-6

It’s always a good idea to cook down some apples and have them on hand. You could just hit them with a touch of heat, so they’re barely warmed through and still a bit crunchy. Or, you could cook them until just before they become sauce. Then serve them cooled atop pancakes, peanut butter smeared toast, or with cinnamon in oatmeal.

Apple Prep

PersimmonAppleBread-2

Apples are simple to prepare.

  1. If they’re organic, all they’ll need is a quick scrub.
  2. You can peel them. But, did you know that there are many nutrients found in the skin of the apple, along with beneficial fiber? It tastes good and is good for you.
  3. Remove the core (seeds and seed pods – they’re not fun to bite down on, although not the end of the world if you miss a tiny bit of the core – not like leaving an egg shell in the batter). I have an apple corer and slicer. It’s great and usually does the trick. But, a knife works just as well, sometimes better.
  4. Chop as directed for your recipe.

Happy Eating!