Saag Paneer a la Kirsten

Saag paneer literally means “spinach cheese.” This classic northern Indian dish has become so popular that it's sold here in the frozen food section, but, as always, homemade is best. You can use other fresh cheeses if paneer is unavailable; Mexican- or Spanish-style fresh cheese is especially good. We used a diet fresh cheese here in Guatemala and it worked well.

You can make this into a larger dish, I added boiled potatoes and added while I was frying the spices, and peas go really well. We used this as a pizza topping sprinkling cheese on the top, it was delicious!!!

PreparationIngredients

• 2 bunches spinach, trimmed
• 2 tbsp (30 mL) vegetable oil
• 3/4 tsp (4 mL) cumin seeds
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp (15 mL) butter
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tsp (10 mL) finely grated gingerroot, or minced
• 1/4 cup (60 mL) finely chopped fresh coriander
• 2 tsp (10 mL) ground indian hot pepper, or 1/2 tsp/2 ml cayenne pepper
• 3/4 tsp (4 mL) salt
• 1/2 tsp (2 mL) ground coriander
• 1/2 tsp (2 mL) turmeric
• 1 pinch cinnamon
• 3 plum tomatoes, peeled and finely chopped
• 1/3 cup (75 mL) plain Balkan-style yogurt
• 2 tsp (10 mL) lemon juice
• 3/8 tsp (1 mL) garam masala
• 8 oz (227 g) paneer, cubed

In large pot of boiling salted water, blanch spinach just until wilted; drain, chill under cold water and drain again. In food processor, purée spinach with 1/4 cup (50 mL) water; set aside.

In large deep skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat; cook cumin seeds until slightly darkened, about 10 seconds. Add onion and butter; cook until onion is golden, about 8 minutes. 

Reduce heat to medium; stir in garlic and ginger and cook for 1 minute. Stir in fresh coriander, hot pepper, salt, ground coriander, turmeric and cinnamon; cook, stirring, until very fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add tomatoes and cook, stirring, until tomatoes break down, about 3 minutes. 

Stir in puréed spinach; cover and cook, stirring occasionally and adding 1 to 2 tbsp (15 to 25 mL) water if mixture is no longer saucy, until steaming hot, about 3 minutes. 

Stir in yogurt, lemon juice and garam masala; bring to simmer. Reduce heat to low; add paneer. Cover and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes.

Source : Canadian Living Magazine: September 2009

peach and creme fraiche

1/2 recipe All-Butter, Really Flaky Pie Dough, chilled for at least an hour in the fridge

Streusel
1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt
3 to 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour (I needed the latter amount to get this into a crumble)
1/4 cup cold (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces

Filling
1 1/2 pounds ripe (4 to 5 medium) yellow peaches, pitted and quartered
2 to 4 tablespoons granulated sugar
Pinch of salt
5 tablespoons crème fraîche*

Prepare pie dough: Roll out pie dough (look!: a tutorial) to about 1/8-inch thick and fit into a regular (not deep dish) pie plate, 9 1/2 to 10 inches in diameter. Trim edge to 1/2 inch; fold under and crimp as desired. Pierce bottom of dough all over with a fork. Transfer to freezer for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 400°F right before you take it out.

Make streusel: Stir confectioners’ sugar, baking powder, salt and three tablespoons flour together in a small bowl. Add bits of cold butter, and either using a fork, pastry blender or your fingertips, work them into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs. Add additional flour as needed; I needed to almost double it to get the mixture crumbly, but my kitchen is excessively warm and the butter wanted to melt. Set aside.

Par-bake crust: Tightly press a piece of aluminum foil against frozen pie crust. From here, you ought to fill the shell with pie weights or dried beans, or you can wing it like certainly lazy people we know, hoping the foil will be enough to keep the crust shape in place. Bake for 10 minutes, then remove carefully remove foil and any weights you have used, press any bubbled-up spots in with the back of a spoon, and return the crust to the oven for another 5 to 8 minutes, or until it is lightly golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool slightly. Reduce oven temperature to 375°F.

[P.S. If you're not overly-concerned about "soggy bottoms" (in the words of Julia Child) you can save time by skipping the par-baking step. Given the light nature of the filling, odds are good that it would not become excessively damp even without the parbake.]

Make the filling: Sprinkle quartered peaches with sugar (two tablespoons will make a just-barely-sweeteened pie; add the other two for a still not overly-sweet but sweeter pie) and salt. Let sit for 10 minutes. Spread two tablespoons crème fraîche in bottom of par-baked pie shell, sprinkle with one-third of the streusel and fan the peach quarters decoratively on top. Dot the remaining three tablespoons of crème fraîche on the peaches and sprinkle with remaining streusel.

Bake the pie: Until the crème fraîche is bubble and the streusel is golden brown, about 50 minutes. Cover edge of crust with a strip of foil if it browns too quickly. Let cool on a wire rack at least 15 minutes before serving.

I stored this in the fridge, due to the crème fraîche, and found that I liked it even better cold, with the flavors better married.

* Make your own crème fraîche: It’s true! You can make a version of it at home, using these instructions.

B and Guicho's wedding cake recipe

red velvet cheesecake cake

Yield: 12 to 14 servings

Prep Time: 1 hr + cooling and chill times

Cook Time: 1 hr, 15 min

This recipe has a few steps to it, but it's all worth it in the end! It's easiest to make the cheesecake layer one day and then assemble the rest of the cake the next.

Ingredients:

CHEESECAKE:
Two (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature
2/3 cup granulated white sugar
pinch of salt
2 large eggs
1/3 cup sour cream
1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

RED VELVET CAKE:
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups granulated white sugar
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch process)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups vegetable or canola oil
1 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup (two 1-ounce bottles) red food coloring
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons white vinegar

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted lightly to remove any lumps
Two (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Prepare the cheesecake layer: Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Place a large roasting pan on the lower third rack of the oven. Place a kettle of water on the stove to boil. Spray a 9-inch springform pan with nonstick spray and line the bottom with a round of parchment paper. Wrap a double layer of foil around the bottom and up the sides of the pan (you want to seal it so the water from the water bath doesn't seep into the pan). In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to mix the cream cheese- blend until it is nice and smooth and creamy. Mix in sugar and salt and blend for 2 minutes, scraping down sides of the bowl as needed. Add eggs, one at a time, blending after each addition. Finally, mix in sour cream, whipping cream and vanilla. Mix until smooth. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Set the pan into the roasting pan in the pre-heated oven. Carefully pour the hot water from your kettle into the roasting pan (it will fill the pan surrounding the cheesecake). Pour enough water so that there is about an inch of water coming up the foil along the sides of the cheesecake pan. Bake the cheesecake for 45 minutes. It should be set to the touch and not jiggly. Remove the cheesecake from the roasting pan and let it cool on a wire rack for at least an hour. When it has cooled, place the pan into the freezer and let the cheesecake freeze completely. This can be done in several hours- or overnight.

2. Prepare the cake layers: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round metal baking pans (or spray with nonstick baking spray with flour). In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Add eggs, oil, buttermilk, food coloring, vanilla and vinegar to the flour mixture. Using an electric mixer on medium-low speed, beat for 1 minute, until blended. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl with a rubber spatula. Beat on high speed for 2 minutes. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pans, dividing equally. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached. Let cool in pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of the pans, then invert cakes onto a rack to cool completely.

3. Prepare the frosting: In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat powdered sugar, cream cheese, butter and vanilla until it is smooth and creamy (do not overbeat).

4. Assemble the cake: Place one cake layer into the center of a cake plate or platter. Remove the cheesecake from the freezer, take off the sides of the pan, and slide a knife under the parchment to remove the cheesecake from the pan. Peel off the parchment. Measure your cheesecake layer against the cake layers. If the cheesecake layer turns out to be a slightly larger round than your cake, move it to a cutting board and gently shave off some of the exterior of the cheesecake to get it to the same size as your cake layers. Place the cheesecake layer on top of the first cake layer. Place the 2nd cake layer on top of the cheesecake.

5. Frost the cake: Apply a crumb coat layer to the cake- use a long, thin spatula to cover the cake completely with a thin and even layer of frosting. Be sure to wipe off your spatula each time you are about to dip it back into the bowl to get more frosting (this way you won't be transferring any red crumbs into the bowl of frosting). Don't worry at this point about the crumbs being visible in the frosting on the cake. When your cake has a thin layer of frosting all over it, place it into the refrigerator for 30 minutes to "set" the frosting. Once the first layer of frosting is set, apply the 2nd layer. Start by adding a large scoop of frosting onto the top of the cake. Use a long, thin spatula to spread the frosting evenly across the top and then spread it down the sides of the cake too. Because you applied a crumb-coat layer, you shouldn't have any red crumbs floating around in the final frosting layer. Decorate, as desired. I recommend white chocolate shavings (see *Tips below). Keep this cake refrigerated.

Tips:

*For making white chocolate shavings: Purchase a hunk of white chocolate. Microwave the chocolate to soften it up slightly (15 to 30 seconds, depending on the size). Use a potato peeler to run down the side of the chocolate to create shards/shaves/curls of white chocolate. I like to shave it onto a paper plater and then just use the plate to slide the chocolate onto the top of the cake.
*If you are serving this cake at a party, it's perfectly okay to leave the cake at room temperature for an hour or so while serving. Otherwise, keep it in the refrigerator. It also freezes perfectly! I made my cake one day and then just placed it as-is in the freezer and pulled it out the next day. It thaws quickly.

white bean and chorizo stew

1 lb of white beans cooked in the pressure cooker for 40 minutes (more or less)
one onion
3 gloves of garlic
1-2 ts of chili coban (chili powder)
2 tablespoons of tomate paste
5 tomates
oregano
3-4 chorizo sausages


1. cut up the chorizo into small pieces and begin to fry in a little oil, until brown and cooked
2. add the chopped onion and keep frying until soft
3. add the chopped garlic, then chilli powder and fry for a couple more minutes and add chopped tomates and fry for another minute.
4. add tomate paste and stir in.
5. add white beans and cover with enough veg, stock or water to just about cover beans.
6. add the oregano, stir and put a lid on
7. cook for 20-30 minutes on a low heat
8. add salt and pepper to taste
9. add blocks or grated cheese and serve with brown toasted bread.

Chickpeas Guatemalan Style

A dish typically made at Easter, who knew chickpeas could be used in a desert??? (many of my friends said the same about using chickpeas in a savoury dish like a curry!)

1. one lb of chickpeas cooked in a pressure cooker (or two cans of cooked chickpeas)

2. add chickpeas to a pan, add 3-4 tb of brown sugar or panela depending on how sweet you want it
and 3 tsp. of cinnamon

3. enough water to just cover the chickpeas, adding more if needed as we cook.

4. cook on a low heat stirring time to time until the chickpeas are nice and soft and there's a nice sauce.

5.serve cool with cream if desired

other fruit can be added but this is the most simple and still delicious!

Tempeh Loaf: the perfect vegetarian alternative for a Sunday roast

An alternative to a nut loaf, this was an awesome vegetarian dish to go with a typical Sunday roast... not as good as the cockerel but pretty damn good.

Use the herbs you have, fresh herbs are fantastic, I didn't have any mustard but it was still as good, and used chopped almonds rather than walnuts, use what you have in the pantry!

8 ounces tempeh
1 cup vegetable stock
1 bay leaf
6 slices whole wheat bread (approx)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 egg, beaten (or for vegan, use 1/4 cup of stock instead)
1/4 cup minced parsley
1/4 teaspoon salt (optional, depending on how salty your stock is)
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/4 cup finely ground walnuts (use food processor)
Directions:

1 Cut tempeh block in half and simmer in stock with bay leaf for 10 minutes.
2 Cut or tear bread into cubes to yield 2 cups of packed bread cubes.
3 Remove tempeh and bay leaf from stock, let tempeh cool.
4 Pour 3/4 c of the hot stock over the bread cubes to soak.
5 Meanwhile, saute onion in olive oil.
6 Grate the tempeh, and mix with egg, soaked bread cubes, and sauted onion.
7 Mix in remaining ingredients.
8 Pack into greased loaf pan and cover with foil.
9 Bake at 350 for 30 min., covered and another 10 minute uncovered.
10 Top with veggie gravy, sauteed mushrooms, dijon mustard, or ketchup.

stir fry a la SimonE with tempeh with a peanut salsa

1 lb tempeh
steam the tempeh for 10 minutes then marinate with an inch of grated ginger, 1/2 of a chile, 2 cloves of gloves, salt, pepper, 2 tablespoons of soya sauce. Leave for 10-30 minutes marinating

make the peanut sauce with AMA's peanut butter...

put in the blender 2 tablespoons of peanut butter
1 clove of garlic
1 inch of grated ginger
1/2 of chile chopped
lime juice
2 teaspoons of sugar
2 tablespoons of water
a little coriander

fry 1 chopped onion in oil, soften
add 3 cloves of garlic chopped and 1 inch of ginger grater,
1/2 - 1 chile chopped
then 1/2 a cabbage chopped
cooked peas
one red pepper
mange tout
brocoli

cook on a high heat and add half the peanut sauce, stir, add salt if needed, add juice of half a lime
serve with brown rice, chopped coriander and soya sauce... serve with beer and a chocolate for afterssss