Chocolate Goat Cheese Truffles

Posted on May 19, 2012 by annaruby| Leave a comment

Dear friends,

Today’s recipe requires minimal explanation.  It is truffles, really good truffles.  They have goat cheese in them which sounds weird but is amazing, trust me.  Just use fresh goat cheese that isn’t terribly goaty and it makes for a rich, creamy truffle that tastes exactly like I imagine chocolate cream cheese frosting would taste.

Unfortunately I had never imagined that before tasting these so I’ve never made it.  That will change.

Buen provecho,
Anna Ruby

Chocolate Goat Cheese Truffles
inspired by this recipe

5 ounces dark chocolate, chopped
5 ounces fresh goat cheese brought to room temperature
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 C unsweetened cocoa for coating truffles

optional add ins: 2 T. powdered sugar (I omitted this but for darker chocolate it might be necessary), 1/4-1/2 tsp cinnamon (excellent), 1/2-1 tsp extract or liqueur of your choice, a pinch of cayenne, orange zest – the sky’s the limit!

Melt the chocolate in a glass bowl over simmering water or in a microwave (20 second bursts, stirring each time, until it begins to melt and then 10 second bursts until fully melted).  Add the vanilla and any add-ins to the goat cheese and mix together until smooth and creamy with a spoon or fork.  Stir in the melted chocolate and stir until very well mixed.  Taste and adjust any add-ins at this point.  Chill until firm and then form into small balls and roll in a small bowl of cocoa powder until coated.  Keep in a sealed container in the fridge with wax or parchment paper between the layers or in a cool spot if they will be eaten soon.  I don’t recommend leaving these out for too long because the goat cheese may spoil.  Spices can be added to the cocoa for a little more flavor but they don’t need it.  I’m nearly positive that cream cheese would make a perfect substitution in the absence of goat cheese.  Truffles can be rolled in chopped toasted nuts or coconut or rolled around a nut or piece of dried fruit.

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My Favorite Stir Fry

Posted on May 10, 2012 by annaruby| Leave a comment

Dear friends,
Growing up, my mom made a lot of stir fries.  Honestly, I think those stir fries have had the biggest influence on my cooking style.  The idea was to use things up and put nutritious food on the table before the whining got out of hand.  A worthy goal.  Most of her stir fries began with a little leftover protein, and in that spirit this one uses some roasted chicken I had in my fridge, but I’ve also used slivers of Portobello mushrooms or tofu with great success.  The thing that was special about the stir fries I remember from my childhood is that they always had a scoop of crunchy peanut butter mixed in at the last minute which made for a simple, creamy peanut sauce.  It’s an easy way to add more flavor and can easily be jazzed up with a few more ingredients, like I did today.

This version uses a mixture of red bell pepper, asparagus, broccolini, and onion.  The simple sauce I made uses almond butter instead of peanut butter because I wanted to see how that would work.  It is delicious, though the kid in me still wants peanut butter.  I think cashew butter would be amazing too.  I love these vegetables, but others that are fantastic include: cabbage, shallots, green onions, garlic, carrots, chard, kale, spinach, broccoli, and mushrooms.  Don’t leave out the chili pepper, the spice plays off the creamy sauce perfectly.  This is good over rice but I prefer to just eat a big bowl of it topped with cilantro.

Buen provecho,
Anna Ruby

Stir Fry with Almond or Peanut Sauce
1 tsp coconut oil (or olive)
1 small onion or large shallot, sliced in thin strips
1 red bell pepper, sliced in thin strips
generous pinch of red pepper flakes (or a minced Serrano or Jalapeño chile with seeds removed)
1 cup chopped protein (chicken, tofu, mushrooms…)
small bunch of asparagus (I used about 7 spears)
2 broccolini stalks
¼ cup water

Sauce
2 T. nut butter
1 tsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. rice vinegar
1 tsp. maple syrup or brown sugar
1 tsp. fish sauce (there are vegetarian versions available or just use a little more soy sauce)
1 tsp. sesame oil
1 T. hot water

Heat the coconut oil on a medium flame in a large skillet.  When hot, add the onions and cook for 3-5 minutes.  Add the red pepper flakes or minced chili pepper and the chicken or mushrooms (if using tofu panfry it separately and add at the end or add it when steaming the vegetables).  Cook while you slice the bell pepper and then add it to the pan.  Chop the remaining vegetables and then add them along with the ¼ cup of water.  Stir quickly and cover the pan with a lid for 5 minutes.  Put all the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and mix until smooth.  If the nut butter won’t mix in, microwave the mixture for 15 seconds and then mix again.  Uncover the stir fry and test vegetables for tenderness.  Cover again if they need a few more minutes.  When everything is cooked through, turn off the burner and pour in the sauce.  Stir the sauce in and serve.

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Asparagus Dipping Sauce

Posted on May 5, 2012 by annaruby| Leave a comment

Dear friends,

It’s asparagus season.  I’d been staring wistfully at $2.99/lb asparagus for weeks now when finally I realized: when there is perfect asparagus, you buy it and worry about the monthly food budget later.  And then I bought some broccolini too for good measure (and made the most satisfying stir fry I’ve had in years, no joke).  And red peppers were on sale so I ended up with nine of them.  And a head of cauliflower, a cabbage, a giant bunch of kale, and four pounds of carrots.  And five enormous avocados…  And now begins the race to eat it all.  God I love spring.

Today I made a black bean salad inspired by this one that was incredibly satisfying topped with cilantro and half an avocado – and appropriately faux-Mexican for Cinco de Mayo.  I recommend it to anyone in need of a quick and delicious lunch.  This salad would be fantastic for a potluck because it only gets better after sitting for a few hours.  I used a sweet onion, cut back on the olive oil, and added a small bag of frozen sweet corn from a friend’s garden and would recommend all of those changes wholeheartedly.

But back to asparagus.  I grew up eating asparagus dipped in mayonnaise, and quite frankly I still find that delicious.  However, it has come to my attention that some (many?) people find that strange and more than a little off-putting so I’ve been working on coming up with a dipping sauce that I like even better than mayonnaise and that will make my guests happy when I emerge from my hermit-like existence and begin cooking for others again.  I’ve made this version twice now and it’s a definite contender, though quite garlicky.  If I was making it for more people I wouldn’t increase the garlic any; one clove is fine for up to at least a half cup of yogurt.  Feel free to use any herbs you like, I bet dill or tarragon would be excellent.

Enjoy the spring produce everyone!
Anna Ruby

Yogurt Dipping Sauce with Garlic and Fresh Herbs
(serves 1)
2 T. Greek Yogurt
1 small garlic clove, minced finely
1 tsp. fresh thyme (or herbs of your choice), chopped
¼ tsp. Dijon mustard
pinch salt

Mix all ingredients in a small bowl.  I like to microwave them for 15 seconds so the yogurt warms up just enough to mix smoothly.  Trim ends of asparagus stalks and simmer in an inch of water in a covered skillet until bright green and tender at the thickest part of the stalk when pierced with a knife.  Serve with dipping sauce.  

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Toad in a Hole

Posted on April 22, 2012 by annaruby| Leave a comment

Dear friends,
A friend and neighbor of mine has a chicken.  Her name is Bock-Bock and she is the sole survivor of the 19 chicks he bought and then put in a poorly fenced run in weasel country.  I’m frankly amazed she lays at all after that childhood, but she does and while they were out of town I stole her daily 3pm egg.  I’ll admit to feeling pretty smug.  I mean how much more local can you get?  And organic…  Well, then I noticed that her only food for that weekend (aside from the dog food I gave her to appease her anger over egg stealing) was a big bag of bright yellow movie theater popcorn.   Nothing gives the yolks that vibrant yellow hue quite like artificial butter.

ill-gotten gains

I debated what to make with my fancy eggs until they had been on the counter for the better part of a week.  I’m pretty sure eggs don’t need to be refrigerated.  Then I made the same thing I’ve made all month: Toad in a Hole

(I think Heidi calls them Sunshine Toasts in her new book, but let’s get real here).  The best part about this breakfast is the bread fried in a little butter.  That thing you like about grilled cheese sandwiches: this has it.  I leave the yolk runny and dip bits of the bread into it while I drink tea and tell myself that today will be the day I put in the kitchen sink.

Buen provecho,
Anna Ruby

Toad in A Hole
1 piece of good bread (I use a fantastic hippie bread with seeds and lots of earnest fiber)
1 egg (smaller is better)
1 tsp butter (you can get away with less in a good skillet)

Heat a cast iron or nonstick pan to low-medium heat and melt the butter in the pan.  Make sure the butter covers the whole surface of the pan in a thin layer.  Take the bread and cut out a large circle, I use my half cup measure to cut it but a knife or jar will work fine.  Put the bread (and the circle you cut out) in the skillet and let it sit in the butter for 2 minutes.  Flip it over and crack the egg into the hole and cook until the white under the yolk is opaque.  Carefully slide a spatula under the toast and flip it, keeping the egg yolk intact.  Turn the bread circle at the same time so it toasts on both sides.  For a very runny yolk, only cook for a minute on the other side before removing and eating with the bread circle.  To test for doneness, tap the egg with your finger.

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Snickerdoodle Cookies

Posted on April 10, 2012 by annaruby| Leave a comment

Dear friends,

I had a bright idea. I would bake cookies for my students for their last tutoring session. I perhaps overlooked the bit where they all seem to finish a week apart and the other bit where I am trying to drastically reduce my sugar intake. Ah well, the best of plans… One of my students requested snickerdoodles. I had never made them before, though I have eaten more than I care to admit. This recipe from The Joy of Baking makes the fluffiest, most flawless snickerdoodle cookies I’ve ever had. They are absolutely perfect. Should you need an infusion of butter, sugar, and flour (or know a fifth grader being made to take an annoying standardized test), they are the best ever and you should make them exactly as written. I never say that, ever.

Love,
Anna Ruby

P.S. My cookie making abilities improved dramatically when I learned to always chill the dough and never overbake it (most cookies should be slightly underbaked when you take them out of the oven so that as they continue to bake they will end up perfect).

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Mushroom Frittata with Yogurt

Posted on April 7, 2012 by annaruby| Leave a comment

Dear friends,
I was reading about that enormous quiche Deb made over on SmittenKitchen, and while I have no desire to make it (even I recognize it isn’t really cooking-for-one appropriate and the technique sounds insane), it reminded me that sometime in February I bought mushrooms. Oops. Luckily I have discovered through numerous similar instances of neglect that cremini mushrooms abandoned in a paper bag begin to dry out and become wonderfully chewy and flavorful. Now, forgetting about mushrooms in a plastic bag…that is a much less pleasant discovery that I don’t recommend. I decided to make a frittata for lunch today to further test my theory that Greek yogurt can be substituted for all dairy in cooking and baking. I have yet to be proven wrong and this was no exception. The yogurt added a light tangy flavor and the texture seemed extra light and fluffy.

This makes two servings and can be easily adapted. I used green onions (another bottom of the fridge discovery!) but garlic or shallots would be wonderful. I highly recommend the freshly grated nutmeg for any and all creamy mushroom dishes, but feel free to leave it out if you don’t have any. There is, of course, room for cheese in this dish, though I think the yogurt gives some of the flavor of cheese without the heaviness. I hope you all enjoyed a similarly relaxing spring Saturday lunch. I ate mine with a spinach salad on the porch in the beautiful and much missed sunshine.
Anna Ruby

Mushroom Frittata with Yogurt
10-15 medium cremini mushrooms, sliced thinly (more if you like mushrooms)
5 green onions, roots removed and chopped
1 tsp butter
1/4 cup white wine
1/2 C Greek yogurt (I use 2%, avoid nonfat because the texture can be a bit off)
3 eggs
1 T chopped fresh thyme (sub 1 tsp dried if you must)
1/4 tsp fresh grated nutmeg
8-10 grinds black pepper
1/2 tsp salt

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In an 8 inch oven safe skillet (cast iron is the best, by far), saute the green onion and mushrooms in the butter. When the mushrooms have darkened and cooked for about 5 minutes, add the white wine and turn off the burner. Let the wine evaporate off and soak into the mushrooms while you prep the custard (I measured the yogurt and mixed all the remaining ingredients into it in my measuring cup). Pour over the mushrooms and make sure the filling is evenly mixed in and transfer to the oven for 10-20 minutes (watch it, mine was still preheating so I’m not sure about the timing). It is done when it has puffed and pulled slightly away from the sides and is dry on top in the center.

Serve immediately. I recommend removing leftovers from a cast iron pan because sometimes I can taste a slight metallic flavor after a few hours.

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Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili with Quinoa

Posted on March 23, 2012 by annaruby| Leave a comment

Dear friends,

My philosophy towards cooking in general and cooking for one in particular can be reduced to: we deserve nice things.  What that has meant for me lately is fixing at least one real meal every day, and usually two.  I might be jumping over a pile of lumber to get to my stove on the floor behind the bathroom door, but I sit down and eat something nutritious that tastes really good.  This year has been great for adding to my list of well-loved recipes and getting to the heart of the kind of food I want to be feeding myself in the long-term.

Today I made sweet potato black bean chili with quinoa.  I had it with a dollop of Greek yogurt (I sub this for sour cream, milk, cream, or basically any dairy in recipes because it keeps months, not even kidding, I bought this container in January, in my fridge and is surprisingly versatile), some chopped avocado, and lots of cilantro.  It was the best ever.  I mean really, crazy nutritious with beans and sweet potato for good fiber and protein, vegan and gluten-free* if you need to cook for those dietary restrictions (but easily adaptable with sour cream or yogurt for creaminess or the addition of some ground turkey for meat eaters), and with a great warm smoky flavor from the chipotle chile.  My version has some heat but is not very spicy.  For a spicy chili, use two chipotle chiles, and for a very mild version use half of a pepper or just a tablespoon of the adobo sauce out of the can.  The smoky flavor from the chipotle en adobo is essential though, so don’t leave it out.

This is a great Washington spring dish.  It’s colder and rainier than ever up here so a good hearty stew is in order, but the spicy flavor keeps it from being too heavy.  The version I’m posting here uses canned beans, for beans cooked from dried click on over to TheKitchn for the original recipe.  This makes a big batch of easily 8-10 servings and is best served with an assortment of toppings.  I recommend cilantro, sour cream or yogurt, avocado, green onion, hot sauce, or whatever else strikes your fancy.

Buen provecho,
Anna Ruby

*Some brands of chipotle chilies in adobo sauce are not gluten free but gluten free options do exist.

Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili with Quinoa
1 yellow onion chopped (I also added half of a sweet onion)
1 T. olive oil
5 cloves garlic, chopped
1 T. coriander
1 ½ T. chili powder (I used 1 T. ancho chile powder, ½ tsp. cayenne, and ½ tsp. paprika)
about 2 tsp. salt
1 15 oz can of fire roasted tomatoes
2 15 oz cans black beans
1 chipotle chile from a can of chipotle en adobo, chopped (store the extras in a clean glass jar in the fridge)
1 T. dried oregano or a few sprigs of fresh chopped (I also added a little thyme)
1 medium sweet potato chopped into ½ inch cubes
1/3 cup quinoa
3 cups broth or water

Saute the onion in the oil in a large pot or dutch oven until beginning to brown.  Add the garlic and cook for one minute before adding the spices.  Saute for one more minute and then add the tomatoes, salt, and chipotle chile.  Add the remaining ingredients and bring up to low boil and then turn down to a simmer until the sweet potato is cooked through and very soft (30-45 minutes), stirring occasionally so it doesn’t stick to the pan.  Add a little more water or broth if it gets too thick.  Serve hot with a bit of sour cream or yogurt, some chopped avocado, and lots of chopped cilantro (or any other toppings you’d like).

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Crackers from scratch

Posted on March 21, 2012 by annaruby| Leave a comment

Dear friends,
Recently Corina visited the cabin (and braved iffy plumbing, no kitchen sink, and refreshing cool temperatures).  In honor of her visit I bought some fancy cheese.  I don’t actually eat much cheese these days.  In a real betrayal of Kairos ideals, I stick to a little parmesan and goat cheese and haven’t bought even a piece of my beloved cheddar since October.  This visit called for a little drunken cheese eating though.  Trader Joe’s had an aged cheddar with flakes of dark chocolate that was truly amazing – I know it sounds weird but in this case it was a true stroke of genius to combine the two.  We decided to make some crackers to eat with it to use up some of the weird flours I’ve accumulated from various bulk bins.  I based these off of this recipe on 101cookbooks, but changed the flours around and cut it in half (and it still made a truly gluttonous amount of crackers, easily enough for 4-5 people, or two tipsy friends with a big block of fancy cheese…).   Roll them out as thin as humanly possible – a pasta maker would be great for this and prick them with a fork if you don’t want big bubbles.  Next time I’d like to try using beer instead of water for even more flavor but these are great as is.
Snack away!
Anna Ruby

a terrible picture of crackers, cheese, and dried figs stuffed with goat cheese

Olive Oil Crackers
3/4 cup all purpose flour or white whole wheat
1/2 cup rye flour
1/4 cup spelt flour
2-3 T. olive oil (I think I started with about 2 and then rolled the dough in a little more)
1/2 cup water
3 sprigs rosemary finely chopped
1/2 tsp salt

Mix the flours with the water and let sit for five minutes (this allows the water to absorb more fully).  Then add the remaining ingredients and mix until incorporated.  This should make a firm dough that isn’t sticky.  Knead for five minutes in the bowl and then divide into golf ball sized pieces and roll into neat balls and coat with just a bit of olive oil (pour a little into your hand and rub it on each dough ball).  Preheat oven to 450 degrees (mine never made it past 350 that night but they were still fine) and let the dough rest while it preheats.  When the oven is fully preheated, roll out the dough as thin as you possibly can and bake on parchment paper (roll it on the parchment paper and you won’t even have to transfer it).  To avoid bubbles, pierce with a fork every inch or so (we sort of liked the bubbles).  Brush with a little water and sprinkle on toppings if you’d like.  Bake until crispy and deeply brown around the edges, just shy of burnt.  Let cool slightly and snap apart into pieces.

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Sweet Potato Falafel

Posted on February 10, 2012 by annaruby| Leave a comment

Dear Corina,
You mentioned making 101cookbooks’ sweet potato falafel in an email a few days and I knew I would have to make it right away.  I changed the recipe significantly (mainly because I didn’t have any chickpea flour and didn’t feel like waiting until I could buy it) so I don’t know exactly how close it is to what you made, but it was absolutely delicious.  I subbed canned chickpeas for the flour and ended up reducing the amount of sweet potato and using some harissa instead of lemon juice because, well, I thought it would taste better.  This is going to enter my regular rotation of delicious food that makes me feel better for having eaten it.  Also, I tried both baking them and pan frying in a little olive oil and my vote is for pan frying.  The added oil is pretty negligible in a well-seasoned cast iron pan and baking dries out the patties more than I like.

Sweet Potato Falafel with Harissa and Yogurt Cucumber Salad

I ate mine with some cucumber yogurt salad (chopped cucumber, a small amount of greek yogurt, a minced garlic clove, salt, and a few chopped mint leaves) and a dollop of harissa.  I highly recommend the same combination.

Thanks for a great suggestion!
Anna Ruby

Sweet Potato Falafel
1 medium/large sweet potato (about 400g)
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 ½ tsp ground coriander
1 ½ tsp ground cumin
salt
4 small garlic cloves
big handful of cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
olive oil (about a tablespoon)
1 T. harissa or lemon juice

Scrub the skin of the sweet potato well and microwave or bake until soft.  In the bowl of a food processor chop the garlic cloves and then add the drained chickpeas and grind into a thick paste.  Add the spices (I didn’t use a ton of salt in this recipe, maybe two pinches) and a drizzle of olive oil and process.  Chop the soft sweet potato into about six pieces (leave the skin on) and process into a smooth paste with the chickpea mixture.  Taste for salt and adjust as needed.  Add the cilantro and process until evenly mixed into the paste.  Form into small patties.  To bake, preheat oven to 400 degrees and prep a baking sheet with parchment paper or a small amount of olive oil.  Bake until golden brown on underside and then turn for a few more minutes.  To pan fry, heat a skillet (preferably cast iron) on medium heat with about two teaspoons of olive oil until oil is very liquid but not smoking.  Place patties in the hot oil and don’t disturb until a golden crust builds up (about 5-7 minutes) then turn and fry on other side for 3-5 minutes until golden on both sides.  Keep extra falafel mix in the fridge.

 

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Harissa

Posted on February 9, 2012 by annaruby| 3 Comments

Dear friends,
I’ve wanted to make harissa for a little while now and I finally got some dried peppers when my sister visited and brought me a selection from the great grocery store by her house.  I got a selection of ancho, arbol, and (I think) guajillo peppers and it’s been a lot of fun playing with these new ingredients.  I found this website very helpful as my peppers came in unlabeled produce bags.  So, back to harissa.  Harissa is a North African chili paste which, as far as I can tell, varies wildly in spice level and ingredients from region to region.  I took that as license to combine my favorite elements of several recipes, though I based my version primarily on the recipe in Madhur Jaffrey’s World Vegetarian.

Sweet Potato Falafel with Harissa and Yogurt Cucumber Salad

I wanted to tone down the spice level from burn your face off to something more along the lines of gentle burn.  To do that, I combined ancho chilies (dried poblanos) with my spicier chilies.  I also added in a roasted red pepper.  This gave me exactly what I was looking for, a deeply flavorful chili paste that can be slathered on foods without risk of serious injury.  That said: I am sort of wimpy so adjust as needed.
Since making my first batch of harissa yesterday afternoon, I have had it on a grated carrot salad with goat cheese (it was amazing, AMAZING) and on some delicious sweet potato falafel (which I’ll tell you about next time).  I’ve also eaten several small spoonfuls straight out of the jar.  This stuff is that good.  I would guess that my 1 cup(ish) batch is not going to last long at all.  Hope everyone is enjoying their winter!
Love,
Anna Ruby

 

Harissa
1 red bell pepper
8 cloves garlic, peeled
1 oz dried peppers (for me this was 1 chile de arbol, 1 ancho, and 2 guajillo chilies)
½ tsp cumin, ground
½ tsp coriander, ground
¼ cup olive oil
salt

Lightly oil the bell pepper and put it on a baking sheet or pan in a 400 degree oven until it is blistered and has collapsed on itself (about 45 minutes to an hour).  In the meantime, prep the dried peppers by cutting them open with scissors and removing the seeds and any obvious veins, as well as the stems (this is much easier when they are dry).  Snip them into four or five pieces each and put them in a bowl and cover with hot water.  Let soak while the pepper roasts.  When the pepper is roasted and the chilies are rehydrated, chop the garlic with a pinch of salt in the bowl of a food processor or blender.  Add the roasted pepper (removing the stem and most of the seeds) and puree until smooth.  Drain the water off of the rehydrated chilies and add the rest of the ingredients and puree until smooth.  Taste and adjust the salt to your liking.  For a mild but still very flavorful harissa, use only ancho peppers.  For a very spicy paste, use only hot peppers such as chile de arbol, guajillo, orNew Mexico.  You can also use whole spices (double the quantities) and even toast them first.

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