Tag: recipe

Tomato-Lentil Soup with Goat Cheese (or Yogurt)

a photo of a bowl of soup. It is tomato red with lentils in it, and has crumbled goat cheese, herbs and lemon zest on top.

I’m loving this tomato-lentil soup! It’s quite simple to make, and is so delicious when you mix in the goat cheese! For those who don’t like goat cheese, yogurt would work well too. I almost always have these ingredients on hand, so it’s a great one to make when I don’t want to go to the grocery store.

The recipe is by Ali Slagle of the NY Times. The method of cooking the tomato paste with garlic and spices at the beginning is new to me, but it really builds the flavours! The recipe called for butter or olive oil, so I made it with olive oil to keep it healthier. It calls for Italian seasoning or oregano or za’atar, so I used za’atar. Za’atar is a spice mix usually containing sesame seeds, oregano, thyme, and sumac. Sumac has a lemony flavour that I love and can be used in so many ways. You can make it yourself, but I just picked some up at a Middle Eastern shop. I used Mild Aleppo or Pul Biber for the pepper flakes, but feel free to use what you have available. The recipe says to serve the soup with a lemon wedge, but I just added the lemon juice to the soup. The lemon flavour was quite pronounced when I tasted the soup right after cooking. I preferred the milder lemon flavour when the coup had cooled and reheated.

This photo shows the pepper, Za’atar and tomato paste that I used. You can also use a small can of tomato paste if you don’t have the tube.

photo showing three packages of food: a dark red ground pepper labelled "mild Aleppo Pepper" with the brand name "Jasmine," a bag labelled "green zaatar seasoning" with the brand name "Sadaf," and a tube of tomato paste with the brand name "la famiglia."

The recipe serves four people, and can be frozen.

What you need:

  • 2-3 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tube (130g/ 4.5oz.) double concentrate tomato paste, or 1 can tomato paste (156mL/ 5.5 oz.)
  • 3 cloves garlic, grated
  • 1.5 teaspoons ground coriander
  • 1 teaspoon Za’atar,OR Italian seasoning, OR oregano (plus 1/2 teaspoon for the topping)
  • 1/2 teaspoon or more pepper flakes (plus a pinch more for topping)
  • 4.5 cups water
  • 1 cup red lentils
  • 1 teaspoon Kosher salt OR 1/2 teaspoon table salt
  • juice and zest of one lemon
  • goat cheese (for topping)

What you do:

  • Place a large pot over medium heat and add the olive oil. Stir in the tomato paste, garlic, coriander, 1 teaspoon of za’atar (or other spices), and pepper flakes. Cook, stirring, for 2-4 minutes. The tomato will probably stick to the bottom of the pan, but that’s okay. Just keep stirring and let it darken; this isn’t a step you want to rush, as you are developing a lot of flavour.
  • Add the water, lentils, sand salt. Scrape the bottom of the pot to loosen all the browned bits. Put a lid on and raise the heat; bring it to a simmer, then lower the heat. Put the lid on and let it cook on low heat for 15-20 minutes.
  • While it is cooking, zest and juice the lemon.
  • To make the topping: With your fingertips, mix the lemon zest with the 1/2 teaspoon Za’atar or other spice, a pinch of pepper flakes, and a pinch of salt.
  • When the lentils are soft, stir the lemon juice into the soup pot (add 1/2 and taste to see if you want more… you never know how much juice is in a lemon!)
  • To serve, place some goat cheese on top of each bowl, then sprinkle with the lemon-spice mixture. I enjoyed the soup best when I stirred the goat cheese in, to make it creamy.
  • Enjoy!

Plum Cornmeal Cake

photo of a round cake with pieces of purple and green plum showing on the top

This plum cornmeal cake from the Two Peas and Their Pod blog is so great! It is nice and light, has a little bit of tartness from the plums, and a bit of crunch on top from the cornmeal and Turbinado sugar topping. It was pretty simple to make, and it was soooo delicious! I brought some to work to share with colleagues the next day and it tasted just as good as it did on the first day.

For my cake, I used a combination of purple and green plums. The store I bought them in didn’t note what kind they were, but I think they were Prune plums and Greengage plums.

The original recipe called for 4-6 plums, but since they are all such different sizes, it was difficult to figure out how much that added up to. When I cut up 6 small purple and 2 larger green plums, it seemed like it was going to be a lot, but after tasting the final product, I wished I had added more. I didn’t want to add too many plums and make the cake too liquid so it might not bake well, but I could have gotten away with a little more. I didn’t actually measure the amount I ended up using, but below I posted a picture of what it looked like before baking, in case that helps you decide how much to put in. Keep in mind there are two layers of plums, so you can only see half in the photo.

This recipe was so good, and I only altered it slightly. I used a few more plums than the original, and would use even more next time – which will be soon! I had only salted butter in my fridge, and it worked just fine! I ran out of the coarse grind cornmeal, so for the topping I used medium grind. I ended up having to bake my cake longer than the recipe suggested., adding about seven minutes extra before it was fully baked.

After baking, I fully cooled the cake and then stored the remaining piece in plastic wrap. It was still amazing after the first two days, and still good after five days! If you think you won’t get all of it eaten within a day or two, you can wrap it up and put it in the freezer for a few weeks.

Please let me know if you tried this recipe, and how it worked out for you!

What you need:

  • 1 & 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon coarse cornmeal
  • 12 tablespoons/ 170 grams unsalted butter (room temperature)
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 3 large eggs (room temperature)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/3 cup buttermilk
  • 7-9 ripe plums (depending on size you may need more or less)
  • 1-2 Tablespoons Turbinado sugar (to sprinkle on top)

What you do:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Butter a 9″ springform pan.
  2. Cut up the plums and set aside.
  3. Sift the flour, baking powder, and cinnamon into a medium sized bowl. Add the salt and 1/2 cup of the cornmeal.
  4. In a large bowl, beat the sugar and butter with a mixer for a few minutes, until it is light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Beat in the vanilla.
  5. Add about 1/3 of the dry ingredients and mix until just incorporated, then mix in half of the buttermilk. Repeat, adding dry, then liquid, then dry, again just until incorporated.
  6. Add half of the batter to the pan, then arrange half of the plums on top. Add the rest of the batter, then arrange the rest of the plums on top of that. Sprinkle with the remaining one tablespoon of cornmeal, and the Turbinado sugar.
  7. Bake for about 50 minutes, testing by poking with a toothpick or cake tester to see if it comes out clean. I needed almost 60 minutes to finish mine.
  8. Take the cake out of the oven and let it rest for about 15 minutes. Run a sharp knife around the edge and remove the ring.
  9. Enjoy!
a photo of cake batter in a round pan topped with pieces of purple and green plum

Cheddar Cornmeal Muffins

Photo of cheddar cornmeal muffins on a green and white antique plate

Today was the perfect day for soup and savoury muffins – our first snow of the year. I know, lots of you might think Canada is a winter wonderland, but on the west coast we rarely get snow, so Feb 2 is about right for a first snow of the year. Really wet snow.

I’ve made this recipe so many times, but it wasn’t until a group of friends celebrated CheddaFest* that I realized I really needed to share this with all of you. It whips up really quickly, and is the best accompaniment to soup. I often make a broccoli leek soup with them, something really light and healthy. These muffins make it a meal.

The recipe comes from FoolproofLiving.com. A few changes that I made to the original recipe: I didn’t add corn kernels or dill. I didn’t have whole wheat flour, so I made it with All Purpose, and used Oatmilk in place of whole milk. I have made this so many times, and never saw the instruction saying to let the batter rest for half an hour…. The recipe says to bake for 22-25 minutes, but mine was done at 20, even when I accidentally had the oven set for 400 degrees instead of 425.

These are best when they have been freshly baked. I’ve also eaten them after they had been sitting at room temperature for a few days, and they are still good, especially if warmed up a little! I usually freeze some of these, in a ziploc bag, and I try to remove as much air as I can.

Makes 12 muffins.

What you need:

  • 113 grams unsalted butter (or add less salt to the dry ingredients if you have salted butter
  • 3/4 cup milk (oatmilk is fine)
  • 2 eggs – room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • 1 & 1/4 cups flour (AP or WW)
  • 1 cup cornmeal -fine grind
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  • 1 cup scallions/green onions, chopped
  • 1 cup aged Cheddar cheese

What you do:

  1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a muffin pan with 12 paper liners.
  2. Great the cheddar and chop the scallions.
  3. Melt and let the butter sit until it has cooled down.
  4. In a large bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt, and pepper.
  5. Beat the eggs with a fork, then add the milk, honey, and cooled butter.
  6. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Fold the ingredients together, but not completely.
  7. Add 3/4 of the cheddar and all of the scallions. Mix just until combined. Any more mixing will make the muffins tough.
  8. Use a large spoon to place batter into the muffin tin liners, trying to make sure they are about equal.
  9. Sprinkle remaining cheddar on top or each muffin.
  10. Bake for 20-25 minutes, checking around 20 minutes. They should be lightly browned, and an inserted toothpick should come out clean.
  11. Remove the muffins from the oven, and after 5 minutes, remove the muffins from the tin.
  12. Feel free to eat them while they are warm! If you want to freeze them, make sure they are completely cool first.

*CheddaFest is a holiday we made up when some friends were interested in learning some cooking and baking skills. And we all really needed to not think about work for a while!

Furikake Glazed Squash

photo of a plate of roasted squash with furikake sprinkled on top

Tonight I made this squash dish and I just had to share it! It was so delicious!

The squash is first tossed in a honey soy sauce glaze, then roasted in the oven. To serve it is sprinkled with Furikake. The combination is a winner! A hint of sweetness, saltiness, and nuttiness from the sesame seeds. Love. It.

If you’re unfamiliar with furikake, it is a Japanese condiment made of sesame seeds, seaweed, and sometimes dried fish. The one I bought, Ajishima Nori Komi Furikake, has no fish, and also no MSG which some brands contain. In a pinch you could fake this ingredient with some toasted sesame seeds and a little salt. Even better if you have some nori.

The recipe comes from Jess Damuck’s Health Nut: a Feel-Good Cookbook. It’s got plenty of yummy healthy recipes. I enjoyed the Seed Crackers, recipe which happen to be gluten-free.

This recipe is only half the original, as I only had one acorn squash. It is more than enough for two people as a side dish. I used less oil than the recipe called for.

What you need:

  • 1 delicata or acorn squash
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 2 teaspoons-ish neutral oil
  • 1 tablespoon furikake

What you do:

  1. Preheat the oven to 400F. Line a baking pan with parchment paper.
  2. Combine honey, soy sauce and oil in a large bowl. Taste and adjust to your liking.
  3. Halve the squash then cut into slices about 1cm thick.
  4. Toss the squash in the glaze and make sure it’s all coated. Place the squash on the lined baking pan, and add any remaining glaze.
  5. Roast the squash until it is tender, about 25 minutes. Flip the squash half way through the time.
  6. To serve, sprinkle with furikake.
  7. Enjoy!

Garlicky Roasted Mushrooms and Brie

For Christmas Eve, we enjoyed this awesome roasted mushroom and cheese dish on slices of fresh baguette! It’s pretty quick to prepare, ready in around a half hour including baking time. It was so tasty, and felt quite indulgent! We also thought it would be great with just the mushrooms, so next time that’s probably what we will try.

The recipe comes from the Smitten Kitchen website, a huge favourite of mine. Her printed cookbooks are great too! I made one change to the recipe: her version called for capers, but my Main Eater doesn’t enjoy capers so I substituted olives to provide that salty flavour. She suggests anchovies as a substitute, but those are also not a favourite here. I used a bit more garlic than the recipe called for, and served it with freshly sliced baguette instead of toasted baguette, just to keep it simple. I opted for Camembert, but gooey Brie would also be awesome!

This was way more than the two of us could eat, so it is safe to say this would be a good amount for an appetizer for four people.

Photo of a serving dish containing roasted mushrooms with a round of cheese in the centre, placed on a cutting board surrounded by slices of baguette.

What you need:

  • 1 lb mushrooms (I used Cremini and King Oyster)
  • 2 tablespoons minced olives (or capers)
  • 3-4 cloves minced garlic (not run through a garlic press)
  • 1 teaspoon Kosher salt (or less to taste)
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • freshly ground pepper
  • 3 tablespoons cold, unsalted butter
  • juice of half a lemon (or less)
  • a few sprigs of parsley (garnish)
  • a few sprigs of fresh thyme if you have it
  • 8 oz wheel of Brie or Camembert
  • baguette, sliced or toasted

What you do:

  1. Preheat the oven to 425F.
  2. Break the mushrooms up into bite-sized pieces using your hands. I just cut the ends off the stalks first, then tore the mushrooms up.
  3. Mix together the mushrooms, olives, garlic, salt, oil and quite a bit of pepper in a baking dish, large enough that it will have enough room to add the cheese later.
  4. Cut the butter up into small chunks and sprinkle it over the mushroom mixture.
  5. Roast for 15 minutes, turning halfway through.
  6. While the mushrooms are in the oven, use a knife to score a circle in the top of the cheese, then remove the top of the cheese. This will allow for easier serving. (You CAN eat the rind).
  7. Push the mushrooms aside to make a space for the cheese. Place the cheese in the middle of the baking dish, place the fresh thyme on top of the cheese, then put it all back in the oven for about 10 minutes. The cheese should be melted, so if it’s not, you can give it a few more minutes in the oven.
  8. Squeeze a bit of lemon juice over the mushrooms and garnish with parsley. Serve immediately!