Tarte aux tomates du jardin

Je vous avais parlé de mes tomates en octobre, puis j’ai oublié de partager des photos plus récentes. Au début décembre, trois tomates ont mûri sur le plant. Malheureusement, je n’ai pas été assez rapide pour les cueillir, alors j’en ai perdu deux aux insectes. Mais on a mangé la troisième, une petite noire de Crimée, dans des tacos.

À l’annonce d’un gel prolongé débutant le 11 décembre, j’ai décidé de cueillir tout ce qui restait, même si c’était vert, parce que je savais que les plants ne survivraient pas (je n’ai pas fait le compte total, mais chaque plant a produit, même le petit semis parti à l’intérieur; je dirais en gros deux douzaines de tomates vertes). J’avais en tête des recettes de beignets de tomates vertes, ou du ketchup de tomates vertes, mais je ne me décidais pas à les manger. Finalement, la grande majorité a mûri à l’intérieur au cours du mois suivant! Comme quoi y’a pas besoin de modifier génétiquement les tomates pour qu’elles survivent quelques jours à l’épicerie…

J’en ai mis deux grosses dans une salade quinoa, tomates et avocat pendant le temps des fêtes. Il y a eu des sandwichs BLT et d’autres tomates-avocat-laitue-fromage facultatif.

Et ensuite j’ai fait une tarte aux tomates avec deux big rainbow (celles avec du jaune) et deux rouges (dur de dire s’il s’agissait de brandywine ou de supersteak, malheureusement). La recette a été publiée sur Serious Eats et m’intriguait, avec sa croûte au parmesan et au romarin sans gluten! Elle contient donc des produits laitiers, mais pas de lactose (il en existe également une variation sans produits laitiers, que je noterai ci-dessous). La croûte était absolument délicieuse! L’Ingénieur m’a même fait un compliment dessus, sans jamais se douter qu’elle ne contenait pas de gluten… On a tous les deux adoré cette tarte, même que l’Ingénieur m’a fait sa petite face contente avant de dire à quel point c’était bon!

La recette donne 4 petites portions, si vous servez avec un à-côté comme une salade verte. On s’est resservis tous les deux après (donc 4 portions de 2 morceaux chacune, en ayant coupé la tarte en 8).

Pour la pâte
4 oz. (environ 1 tasse) de farine de riz blanc
¾ tasse de parmesan râpé (omettez-le pour la version sans produits laitiers)
1.25 oz. (environ ¼ tasse) de farine de riz glutineux
1 oz. (environ ¼ tasse) de fécule de tapioca
1 c. à thé de romarin frais, haché
½ c. à thé de sel (ou ¾ c. à thé pour la version sans produits laitiers)
4 oz. (1 bâton) de beurre froid, coupé en morceaux (ou 10 c. à soupe de shortening pour la version sans produits laitiers)
2 oz. (¼ tasse) d’eau glacée

Pour la tarte
1 gros oignon, pelé et coupé en morceaux de ¼ pouce
2 c. à soupe de beurre ou d’huile végétale
4 oz. de fromage sans lactose, râpé (j’ai pris du gruyère et un reste de parmesan)
2 grosses tomates, environ 16 oz., coupées en tranches de ¼ pouce
huile d’olive
sel casher
quelques feuilles de basilic, hachées

Dans un robot culinaire, combiner la farine de riz blanc, le parmesan, la farine de riz glutineux, la fécule de tapioca, le romarin et le sel. Ajouter le beurre et combiner jusqu’à ce qu’il ne reste plus de gros morceaux. Ajouter l’eau et combiner jusqu’à ce que la pâte se forme.

Graisser un moule à tarte de 9 ou 10 pouces (avec votre huile ou margarine préférée ou avec un vaporisateur). Prendre des morceaux de pâte et les placer dans le moule en les répartissant de façon égale, puis presser la pâte dans le fond du moule et sur les côtés. Mettre au congélateur pendant 30 minutes. (J’anticipe la question : ce qui fait qu’on peut habituellement prendre un rouleau à pâte et étaler la pâte à tarte sur le comptoir, puis la transférer d’un morceau dans le moule, c’est le gluten! Ici, il n’y a pas de gluten, alors ça ne fonctionnera pas. Une autre solution : mettre une feuille de papier ciré sur le comptoir et étaler la pâte dessus avec un rouleau, puis soulever la feuille avec la pâte et, rapidement, la renverser sur le moule. Décoller le papier doucement et presser la pâte dans le moule.)

Pendant ce temps, faire chauffer le beurre ou l’huile dans une poêle à fond épais à feu moyen-élevé, pour faire brunir les oignons. Dès qu’ils commencent à brunir, baisser le feu presque au plus bas et faire caraméliser les oignons en remuant fréquemment jusqu’à ce qu’ils soient mous et très bruns, environ 30 minutes.

Préchauffer le four à 375 °F. Retirer la pâte du congélateur et la mettre au four pendant 20 minutes, jusqu’à ce qu’elle soit légèrement dorée. Retirer la croûte du four et la mettre sur une grille. Augmenter la température de four à 425 °F.

Étaler le fromage de façon égale dans la croûte. (Pour une version sans produits laitiers, omettre le fromage et enduire la croûte d’huile d’olive avec un pinceau, ce qui la gardera croustillante.) Ajouter les oignons sur le fromage et répartir les tranches de tomates sur le dessus. Ajouter un filet d’huile d’olive et saler.

Faire cuire jusqu’à ce que les tomates amollissent, environ 18 minutes. Placer la tarte sur une grille pour la laisser refroidir 5 minutes avant de la tailler en pointes. Répartir le basilic sur la tarte et servir.

Chocolate, Banana and Teff Cupcakes

I found this recipe a while back on Cannelle et Vanille. It was originally for 12 cupcakes and a loaf cake, so I was planning on freezing the cupcakes. Unfortunately, either our loaf pans are way different, or something happened in my kitchen despite my using a scale, but I only had enough batter for 12 cupcakes plus 2 ramekins (so maybe 14 to 16 cupcakes in all). That being said, despite the quantity snafu, the recipe was delicious! I’m not used to baking with teff, but it was delicious here and does go well with chocolate (though I must admit the taste doesn’t really stand out). In fact, I really wouldn’t have known these cupcakes (almost muffins, really) were gluten-free if I hadn’t made them myself. They disappeared quickly, and I ended up not freezing any of them. You are free to frost them, of course, but I liked them plain, especially for breakfast.

3 eggs
200 g. natural cane sugar
300 g. ripe bananas, mashed (this was 2 bananas for me)
175 g. light olive oil (I used ¾ cup safflower oil instead)
2 tsp. vanilla extract
100 g. teff flour
50 g. sweet rice flour
50 g. hazelnut meal (I used almond meal)
15 g. cocoa powder
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. baking soda
100 g. chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 °F. Grease a standard muffin tin along with two ramekins or another few muffin molds.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, banana purée, oil and vanilla.

In a large bowl, whisk together the teff, sweet rice flour, hazelnut meal, cocoa powder, salt and baking soda. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and whisk until combined. Fold in the chocolate chips.

Divide the batter between the muffin tins. Bake for 20 minutes for the cupcakes (a little longer for ramekins). Frost if desired.

Triple-Smoky Mac & Cheese

It’s taking me a while to write these posts, sorry about that! So, the Engineer gave me a vegetarian cookbook for Christmas, Herbivoracious (from the author of the blog of the same name). There are tons of recipes in there that look really good, though I must admit I haven’t done the methodical sweep where I stick Post-It tabs on the interesting pages (I’ve done that to several cookbooks lately, and I’m pretty much out of tabs is why). The Engineer actually picked the first recipe I should try, this triple-smoky mac & cheese. I realize we might have a mac & cheese obsession in this household! I modified it a little to make it lactose-free (though it still has a lot of dairy), and I’ve written those modifications below. The thing is that it can be hard to find a cheese that is both smoky and lactose-free, so I used regular cheese (and gruyere instead of mozzarella) as well as a little liquid smoke, to compensate.

It might seem like an extra hassle to make the bread crumbs yourself, but it really wasn’t hard, and it is SO worth it! They are far superior to store-bought bread crumbs, and add a wonderful crunch to the dish – it wouldn’t be the same without it. I recommend that you only spread a minimal amount on the pasta as you are baking it, and reserve the rest of the crumbs. Then, when you reheat leftovers, toast the crumbs again in a skillet and top the mac & cheese before serving, so that the crumbs stay crunchy.

The Engineer loved this dish and exclaimed, “It’s everything I was hoping for!” I liked it, but could have done with a little less smoke (the Engineer respectfully disagrees, and has already requested that I make this again).

This makes about 6 servings.

For the bread crumbs
6 slices of stale bread (or fresh bread, toasted)
3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
¼ tsp kosher salt
2 cloves garlic, grated

Grate the bread in a food processor, using the grating blade. Empty the crumbs from the bowl and replace the grating blade with the regular steel blade. Put the crumbs back in the processor bowl and process until the crumbs reach the desired texture.

Heat the oil in your largest skillet over medium-low heat. When the oil is hot, add the bread crumbs, salt and garlic. Toast, stirring frequently, until the crumbs are well-browned and crispy, about 10 minutes.

Set aside to cool and use as needed. Store what you are not using immediately in a zipper-top plastic bag at room temperature, or in the freezer for longer term storage.

For the mac & cheese
1 lb. elbow macaroni (or other short pasta)
6 Tbsp. butter or vegan margarine, divided
¼ cup all purpose-flour
4 cups lactose-free whole milk
1 tsp. liquid smoke (if neither cheese is smoked)
½ onion, finely diced
1 Tbsp. smoked paprika
1 tsp. rosemary, minced
1 chipotle pepper (canned in adobo sauce), minced, or ¼ cup Frontera chipotle sauce
1 tsp. oregano
¼ tsp. nutmeg (preferably freshly grated)
8 oz. lactose-free cheddar, grated
8 oz. lactose-free gruyère, grated
salt, to taste

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Boil the macaroni according to package directions, draining when it is just becoming al dente. This will bake more in the oven, so don't overcook it. Drain and toss with 2 Tbsp. butter.

Preheat oven to 350 °F and grease a large baking dish.

In a medium saucepan, melt the remaining 4 Tbsp. of butter over medium-low heat. Sprinkle in the flour and whisk pretty constantly for 3 minutes. Whisk in the milk and liquid smoke. Add the onion, smoked paprika, rosemary, chipotle, oregano, and nutmeg. Simmer, whisking occasionally until it begins to thicken.

Gradually whisk in the grated cheeses, stirring each batch to incorporate.

Taste the sauce, and adjust the seasoning to your preference. It will probably need a little salt, but maybe not too much depending on the cheeses. Add more spiciness if desired. Remember that the sauce should be pretty intense because it is going to be diluted by a full pound of pasta.

Stir the macaroni into the sauce. Pour the macaroni into the prepared pan. (It will look really liquid, but don’t worry, it turns out great!)

Top with the garlicky breadcrumbs (you might not need all of them; see note above). I actually put the crumbs on top of the pasta only about 5 minutes before taking the whole thing out of the oven, because I didn’t want them too brown, and I was satisfied with the result.

Bake for about 30 minutes, until you can see bubbling around the sides and the breadcrumbs are nicely browned.

Let stand for 5-10 minutes (to set) and serve.

Batch of links - Food and weight

I’ve rounded up the following links on the same theme: the connection(s) between what we eat and how much we weigh. There’s more text than usual, but it isn’t exactly an article, either, just links and musings.

It is often said that our ancestors were eating healthier food than we are. There’s a Michael Pollan quote that says, “Don’t eat anything your great-great-grandmother wouldn’t recognize as food.” That statement should be qualified: there were fewer processed foods before, so those of us who eat a lot of processed foods today are probably not eating as healthy as our ancestors. However, there was also a time when good food wasn’t available year-round, and some diets were severely lacking, especially in places with a harsh winter. Case in point: a Globe and Mail article about a week of eating like it’s 1912. That diet was bland, rich in fat and salt while low in fruits and veggies, especially in winter. So perhaps it should be said that people ate healthier 50 years ago than today (as opposed to 100 years ago), though we actually have more options to eat healthy whole foods today, as well as more options to eat poorly, which makes individuals much more responsible for their food choices today than back then.

I’ve also heard the argument that a Chipotle burrito is worse for your health than a McDonald’s Big Mac (see here). While the stats might look like they support that theory, since it does have more calories, there are several more things one should take into consideration, as is pointed out on Fooducate. First of all, those stats are for a fully loaded burrito, with cheese and guacamole and all, but since the customer chooses what to put in there, anyone’s burrito could have fewer calories. Second, their burritos are huge, and for some people (including myself), it’s basically two meals; many people either don’t finish it, or save the rest for later. A Big Mac, on the other hand, is not only a meal, but is usually consumed along with fries and a soda, so the final meal has more calories than the Chipotle meal. Third, a Chipotle burrito is full of vegetables and legumes and whole foods (it can even be vegetarian), with almost 70% of the recommended daily amount of fiber, while the Big Mac is highly processed, full of empty calories and causes a sugar spike. I personally believe that if you are going to eat a given amount of calories, eating it in whole foods, veggies and legumes is much better than eating the same amount in fat and sugar.

This seems to be backed up by a study published by the Journal of the American Medical Association (abstract here, summary the layman can understand here). Participants were split into three diet groups: low-carb, low-fat and low-glycemic index. It appears that while a low-carb diet (like the Atkins diet) enables participants to lose weight and keep it off, it also has negative effects on stress levels and heart health. The most effective diet to lose weight and keep it off seems to be a low-glycemic index (like the Mediterranean diet), where roughly 40% of calories come from carbs, 40% come from fat and 20% come from protein, with an emphasis on whole grains, lean protein, produce, legumes and healthy fats and an avoidance of highly processed foods and snacks. Granted, the study was only a short-term one and only had 21 participants, but the protocol seems sound and the findings really make sense to me. (If you want to make some changes to your diet, but are intimidated by drastic changes, you could try being flexitarian, which works well for us, or do it the Mark Bittman way and be Vegan Before 6:00.)

Last year, Clean Plate (on Slate) ran a feature called The Five Obstacles to Eating Right, written by Ellen Tarlin. After all, we know what we should be eating, yet we don’t always make the right choices. The five obstacles she identified were information overload, money, time, outside influences, and inertia (meaning that we continue eating the way we are used to eating, unless we consciously and realistically take steps to change that). The author spent one week trying to overcome each of these obstacles, keeping a photo food diary, then put it all together in a way that was practical for her. In a conclusion post, she explains the main lessons she has learned doing this project: eat breakfast, think small, eat beans, plan ahead, and eating healthy takes work. She also learned two surprising reasons why people don’t make the best food choices even when they know better: they don’t think they are worth it, and for some reason, eating healthy is sometimes perceived as elitist (more on that in a later post).

Another problem is instant gratification. This Time article explains that obesity isn’t caused by food deserts, as some researchers think. Of course, access to affordable healthy food is important, but what’s more important is whether or not individuals have realistic mid- to long-term goals that rank higher in their minds than instant gratification (for example, eating that donut versus being thinner in three months). If people are struggling just to get through the month (financially, emotionally, etc.), they are much less likely to invest in things like their health or education, which would make their long-term life better but which rank lower on their priority list at any given moment. I should also point out that a recent study has found a link between soda consumption and depression. People who drink 4 or more servings of soda a day are 30% more likely to suffer from depression, and this risk is actually increased if they drink sodas with artificial sweeteners. And depression can lead to overeating, so talk about a vicious circle…

And while we’re at it, food deserts aren’t just in poor neighborhoods. I’ve become acutely aware of this after two and a half years of driving back and forth between San Antonio and Montreal. If you’re travelling by planes, trains or automobiles, you’re in a food desert (and because I like being constructive, here’s a roundup of foods that travel well).

There’s also the possibility that food addictions are real. People speculated about this for a few decades, as far as I remember, but only recently did serious scientists actually conduct experiments to test this theory (the experiments are done on rats, though, and as far as I know, only brain imaging has been done on humans, but with some conclusive results). There’s a short article on the topic over at The New York Times, and a longer one in Newsweek. It’s interesting to note that these food addictions only involve highly refined foods, not whole foods, and affect the same neuro-receptors that are involved in drug addiction (drugs also being, incidentally, highly refined). It could even help explain why experts recommend that recovery from drug addiction be done on a full stomach, and with the help of certain medications instead of quitting cold turkey.

Then there’s research explaining how your upbringing might influence your eating habits. I’m of the “clean your plate” persuasion, where I was taught to eat everything on my plate. I usually eat almost every grain of rice, trying not to waste anything. The irony is that this can contribute to weight gain, because I’m conditioned to eat even after I’m full. The Engineer wasn’t taught the same thing, or at least, his version of “clean plate” would never have made it at my family’s house when I was growing up – I always feel like he leaves too much on there when he says he’s done, but to him, his plate is empty. We just see the same thing and interpret it differently. I found it interesting to read 7 Things Parents Say That Cause Eating and Weight Problem in Kids, especially since it gives ideas about what to say instead. Besides the “Clean your plate” line, I also heard “You are a picky eater” and “Eat your vegetables or you won’t get any dessert.” (But luckily I never heard items 6 and 7 on that list.) And while I already knew that we rely more on our eyes than our stomach to gauge how much we eat (for me, what’s on a plate tends to be a serving, regardless of how much there is), I was surprised to find out that eating with a big, heavy fork would cause us to eat less! And that hot chocolate tastes better in an orange mug.

I’m ending this post by pointing out why we can’t always believe what we read in the news about particular foods (which ones are healthy, which ones cause problems and why). I used to think this was strictly because of how often journalists rely on press releases to write an article, instead of actually reading the study and doing research by consulting experts of varying opinions. It turns out that it’s much more complex than that, as even scientific publications are biased in what they publish, going so far as to favor publishing something so surprising that it risks being false. The survival of the wrongest explains it beautifully.

Batch of links

- How to increase your tolerance to spicy heat. I’ve tried a few of these tips, but I still prefer mild foods (I mean, spices are great, but I don’t enjoy heat). By the way, did you know that peppers developed capsaicin so that they wouldn’t be eaten?

- Why organic produce can still contain commercially manufactured pesticides. Disappointing, but true. You never really know unless you talk to the people who grew the food…

- Did you know you can get a tax write-off for being gluten-free?

- How to take food pictures in restaurants without annoying everyone. I very rarely take pictures in restaurants, for the simple reason that I usually don’t have my camera with me (and our cellphone doesn’t take pictures), but I must admit that even I know better than to use a flash!

- How to stock a healthier pantry at Whole Foods for $99. It can be done!

- Looking for recipes following the theme of your favorite television show? Try the well-rated True Blood cookbook, with over 80 recipes inspired by Merlotte’s and Fangtasia. If you prefer medieval to Southern, you’re in luck: A Feast of Ice & Fire, a well-researched cookbook based on Game of Thrones, has a five-star rating on Amazon (more on it here). Plus, GoT beer will be out in time for the season premiere this spring. Even with no recipes, fans of Doctor Who can make their own fish sticks and custard, and if you prefer The Walking Dead, well… Eat beans straight from the can and round it out with a handful of dandelion greens.

- Why did no one think of this sooner? A silicone liner for 9-inch cake pans. I love it! Also, why don’t all cake pans have cutter bars? They’re brilliant!

- Is it still OK to eat quinoa? While I’m aware of the problems of quinoa culture, as well as the upsides, I’m going to continue eating it, though I must admit that the brand most often stocked by our local grocery store is certified fair trade anyway.

- Tips for eating away from home when you have food allergies.

- A woman drove 900 miles out of her way after a GPS error. Let’s face it: if you follow your GPS that blindly, you’re not paying attention.

- 10 most annoying concert behaviors. Number 10 still frustrates me, but I’m good for numbers 1 through 9. :)

- An interesting article titled My husband wants a gun even though our son is on psychiatric meds. While I believe that fixing the problem of mass shootings in the US must involve changing the gun culture and getting people better access to mental health care, I do believe that in the short term, something has to be done about the guns themselves. It seems really basic to me to deny a gun permit to someone who lives in the same household as a young man who is psychologically unstable and has violent outbursts, no?

- Finally, a fascinating article on how the biggest factor in criminal behavior could be lead. There are always other factors, of course, and other things to do to reduce crime besides eliminate lead, but I have to admit that after reading the article, I find the theory convincing!

Mushroom and Brown Rice Veggie Burgers

For Christmas, my parents gave me The Sprouted Kitchen, by Sara Forte, because I was looking for healthy recipes, mostly vegetarian (this book does have lean protein such as fish, turkey or chicken, but as the name suggests, it’s focused on produce, and all whole foods). The first recipe I made from it is these veggies burgers, which were really good, albeit long to make. What I liked was that they were… multidimensional. By that, I mean that there are so many ingredients that the taste was very layered and interesting in every bite. As a matter of fact, when I walked out of the shower about 2 hours after cooking the burgers, I felt like the house smelled like steak! Maybe it was some umami flavor lingering… Anyway, these burgers are complex, and while the patties do get mushed up a bit as you’re eating, they don’t completely fall apart. I recommend serving the burgers with sweet potato fries or some variation thereof.

2 Tbsp. unsalted butter (or margarine)
5 cups stemmed and finely chopped cremini mushrooms (about 1 lb.; also called baby portobello)
5 cloves garlic, chopped
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup ground flaxseed (flax meal)
½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
1 cup cooked chickpeas, drained well
3 Medjool dates, pitted
¼ cup fresh flat-leafed parsley
1 egg
1 tsp. fennel seeds
2 ½ Tbsp. tahini
3 Tbsp. tamari or soy sauce
2 cups cooked and cooled brown rice
1 to 2 Tbsp. old-fashioned rolled oats, as needed (I didn’t need them)
4 large shallots, sliced thin
1 tsp. extra virgin olive-oil or coconut oil
6 whole grain English muffins
¾ cup hummus (homemade or store-bought)
2 avocados, peeled and sliced
2 cups arugula

Melt the butter in a large sauté pan. Add the mushrooms, garlic and a pinch of salt and sauté until the mushrooms are softened and the excess water has cooked off, 8 to 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and set aside to cool.

Combine the ground flaxseed, parmesan, chickpeas, dates, parsley, egg, fennel seeds, tahini, tamari, ½ tsp. salt, and 1 tsp. of pepper in a food processor. Give the mixture a few pulses to combine well and transfer to a large mixing bowl. Once the mushrooms are at room temperature, add them, along with any juices in the pan, to the bowl along with the rice and stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate for about 30 minutes. At this point the mixture should be pretty moist, but if it seems too wet to form into a patty, stir in 1 to 2 Tbsp. of oats to soak up some of the moisture. The recipe can be prepared to this point up to a day in advance.

Arrange a rack in the upper third of your oven and preheat the oven to 475 °F.

Form the mixture into 6 patties (we got 8), each about 1 inch thick. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick silicone baking mat and arrange the patties on the baking sheet with space in between. Bake them in the oven until toasted on top, 14 to 18 minutes.

While the burgers cook, prepare the shallots. Warm the oil in sauté pan over medium heat. Add the shallots and a pinch of salt and sauté until the edges begin to brown, 5 o 7 minutes. Set aside for assembly.

After removing the patties from the oven, toast the English muffins while the burgers rest for a moment. Put a swipe of hummus on each muffin half and assemble the burgers by layering the patty, avocado slices, arugula and sautéed shallots. Serve immediately.

Meyer Lemon Frozen Cream with Blackberry Sauce

This year, I’ve got over a dozen Meyer lemons in my yard (ain’t life grand?), as opposed to the two I got last year. I wasn’t sure what to do with them, because as I was watching them grow last fall, I realized that I didn’t really have any new recipes to try. But I needn’t have worried, because invariably as January rolls around, Meyer lemon recipes pop up all over the place (see here or here for inspiration). They’re not all ready at the same time, though; I started by bringing in 3 for this recipe, and I’ll pick the rest as they ripen.

This isn’t really ice cream. You don’t even need an ice cream maker. The original recipe, from Bon Appétit, calls for cream that is whipped and folded into lemon custard before being frozen, so it’s a bit lighter than regular ice cream. However, I don’t have any lactose-free cream in the States yet, so I ended up using Kineret instead. Since that is already sweetened, I halved the amount of sugar, which is reflected below. I’ve also reordered the ingredients to make the recipe easier to follow. You could also make this with regular lemons, in which case you should add a bit more sugar. I really loved the result as it was, though, and I can’t begin to describe the satisfaction of going out to the backyard to pick lemons and using them for our dessert! While the blackberry sauce is optional, I find that it complements Meyer lemons perfectly, so I do recommend it.

¼ cup sugar (or ½ cup if using lactose-free cream)
about 3 Meyer lemons, zested and juiced (for 5 Tbsp. + 1 ½ tsp. juice, divided, and 1 ¾ tsp. zest, divided)
3 large egg yolks
1 Tbsp. light corn syrup
1 cup Kineret, thawed to fridge temperature (or 1 cup lactose-free cream if you have it)
1 cup blackberries, fresh or frozen and thawed
2 Tbsp. sugar

Whisk ¼ cup sugar, 5 Tbsp. of the lemon juice, egg yolks and corn syrup in a small metal bowl to blend. Set bowl over saucepan of boiling water; whisk until mixture is thick and fluffy and thermometer inserted into mixture registers 180°F, about 3 minutes (or use pasteurized eggs and dispense with the thermometer). Place bowl with yolk mixture over larger bowl filled with ice and water until mixture is cool, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes.

Meanwhile, using electric mixer, beat Kineret and 1 ½ tsp. lemon zest in medium bowl until stiff peaks form. Fold cooled yolk mixture into cream in 3 additions. Cover and freeze until firm, about 4 hours.

Mix berries and any accumulated juices, remaining 2 Tbsp. sugar, 1 ½ tsp. lemon juice, and ¼ tsp. lemon zest in small bowl; let stand 10 minutes. Coarsely mash half of berries in bowl to thicken juices. Scoop lemon cream into small bowls. Top each with 1 rounded tablespoon berry sauce and serve.

Speedy Grilled Pizzas

One of the nice things about living in South Texas is that we can still (comfortably) grill periodically during winter. One dish that is to rarely grilled, in my opinion, is pizza. Everyone thinks of grilling steaks and burgers and chicken skewers, and maybe corn on the cob, but we rarely remember pizza! And it’s so good when it’s grilled, too. This recipe is from our friends Rob and Jen; I modified it to make it lactose-free by using extra-sharp cheddar instead of mozzarella, though you could use another lactose-free cheese or even vegan cheese (and there is lactose-free mozzarella in Quebec, though it’s not fresh). Note that the sauce is more of a traditional chopped tomato sauce than a tomato paste sauce, which I really like with a thin crust. This is a vegetarian pizza, almost like a margherita (depending on what kind of cheese you use), but you can adapt the toppings to suit your taste. The fantastic thing here is the dough, which comes together quickly and does beautifully on the grill. This recipe makes 4 servings.

For the sauce
1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes, drained well
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil
2 Tbsp. EVOO
2 garlic cloves, minced
¼ tsp. salt

Combine ingredients in a medium bowl; set aside.

For the dough
1 cup water, heated to 118 °F
1 Tbsp. EVOO, plus additional for brushing dough
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 envelope (2 ¼ tsp.) rapid-rise or instant yeast
2 ¾ cups flour, plus additional flour as needed
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
1 tsp. salt

Additional topping
2 ½ cups shredded lactose-free cheese (such as extra-sharp cheddar)

Whisk water, 1 Tbsp. oil, sugar, and yeast in a large liquid measuring cup. Let sit 5 minutes. Pulse flour, parmesan, and salt in food processor until combined. With machine running, slowly pour in water mixture and process until dough pulls away from sides and forms shaggy ball, about 1 minute. If dough seems too sticky, add up to 2 Tbsp. more flour. Turn dough onto floured surface and knead 3 or 4 times until cohesive.

Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and dust with flour. Divide dough into 4 equal pieces. Working with 1 piece at a time, press dough into small circle. Using rolling pin, roll and stretch dough to form 9” circle. Transfer to prepared baking sheet and dust dough with flour. Repeat with remaining dough.

Meanwhile, heat all grill burners on high, covered, for 15 minutes. Leave primary burner on high and turn other burner(s) to medium-low. Scrape and oil cooking grate.

Brush tops of 2 dough rounds lightly with oil. Peel rounds off parchment and place, oiled side down, on cool side of grill. Grill, covered, until undersides are spotty brown and tops are covered with bubbles, poking large bubbles with tongs, 3-5 minutes. Brush each lightly with oil and flip. Top each round with ¼ of the sauce and ¼ of the cheese. Grill, covered, until undersides are spotty brown and cheese is melted, 3-5 minutes. Move to hot side of grill to crisp, 1 minute. Repeat with remaining rounds.

Turkey Divan

After Christmas, I had leftover turkey (obviously), and also some broccoli that I hadn’t used in the slaw. My mother had the brilliant idea to suggest turkey divan, which is what I made. (I’m still not sure where the name of the dish comes from, though, and I’m wondering if it could be a pun on Turkish divan?) I didn’t actually have any recipe bookmarked for that, so for what might be the first time, I looked up a recipe online and ended up with this. I used lactose-free gruyere instead of cheddar, and used one head of broccoli instead of two frozen 10-oz. packages. My first comment is that the dish was good, even the broccoli, as it was barely roasted and definitely not overdone. My second comment is that the dish was missing something. When we had leftovers the second night, I mixed in some cooked brown rice, which unequivocally improved it. Next time, I would double the amount of sauce and add cooked pasta to the casserole before putting it in the oven, because that’s what I think it really needs. The recipe makes about 6 servings.

For the sauce (please double if adding grain)
2 Tbsp. butter or margarine
2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 ¼ cups lactose-free milk
1 egg yolk, slightly beaten
¼ tsp. dry mustard
¼ tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. ground black pepper
¼ cup grated lactose-free cheese (I used gruyere, but cheddar would work)

For the casserole
2 packages (10 oz. each) frozen broccoli spears, cooked and drained (I used one head of broccoli, raw)
sliced cooked turkey, about 1 lb., enough for 6 servings
2 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
Cooked grain, perhaps ½ lb., such as pasta or rice (optional, but recommended)

Melt butter. Add flour and cook, stirring until mixture bubbles. Remove from heat; gradually blend in milk and egg yolk. Add dry mustard, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture is thickened and begins to boil. Add cheese and cook, stirring, until cheese is melted.

Arrange hot broccoli and turkey in 12” x 8” dish (or bigger if using grain), spooning sauce between layers and on top. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Broil about 4 inches from heat until cheese is browned.

[Update, Jan. 21st, 2013: I’ve changed the pasta quantity from 1 lb. to ½ lb., which seems more reasonable.]

Batch of links

I took a little time off for the holidays, but I’m back with the batch of links this week! The first entry is comprised of the items we ate at Christmas, since I’ve decided not to do a whole post about them.

- Christmas dinner (which we had on Christmas Eve): Bon Appétit’s Simple Roast Turkey with soy and mirin glaze (adapted for a turkey breast, since there were only four of us), my go-to cranberry sauce, saffron mashed potatoes, and broccoli slaw. For Christmas brunch, I tried Bon Appétit’s Pigs in Sleeping Bags (with the recommended Dufour puff pastry too, and they were great; if anyone knows what to do with a bunch of sauerkraut, let me know), along with apple, bacon and caramelized onion turnovers and crustless zucchini and basil mini-quiches, plus leftovers from the previous night.

- A great post using Harold and his purple crayon as a metaphor to take control of your life this year.

- Should I tell my host she’s making a cooking mistake? The general consensus seems to be no, unless food safety is involved or the host is immediate family.

- Will Travel For Food’s roundup of the best Montreal restaurants of 2012, which made me a little homesick. And also made me want steamed pork buns.

- The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has proposed two new rules aimed at reducing contamination of produce and processed foods. These would include simple, but necessary changes such as roasting peanuts at a temperature high enough to kill salmonella bacteria sometimes found in peanut butter, and providing portable toilets to workers in fields, thereby reducing the risk of E. coli contamination of produce. Let’s hope the FDA gets funding for these long overdue rules!

- A quick note about Instagram: everyone was outraged when they rephrased their terms of use in a way that made it sound like they would sell your pictures and keep the money, prompting posts about how to download your Instagram photos and kill your account, but now they’ve backpedaled and said it was a misunderstanding due to poor phrasing, so the backlash has died down.

- Looking for new books to read? This site will give you suggestions based on what you’ve enjoyed previously.

- A great article titled Snowfall – The Avalanche at Tunnel Creek, which I’m sharing for two reasons. One, it’s a good example of how a large group of experts can disregard safety rules as well as their gut feelings, just because no one wants to be a party pooper. And two, the article itself is a wonderful example of what you can achieve with a multimedia platform like the web!

- A series titled My Better Half, which presents couples, what they like and how they met. Cute!

- A California man is arguing that he can drive in the carpool lane with his corporation papers. For the record, he is actually trying to point out that California law is flawed in that it considers corporations to be people, even in the Vehicle Code. Another stupid California law I found out about is that rapists who attack unmarried men or women by impersonating their significant other are protected under state law (if the victim is married, then the rapist is not protected).

- Americans are far more likely to suffer a violent death that any of their peers from wealthy countries, in part because of gun ownership. Did you know that the second most likely cause of death for people 15 to 24 years old is homicide? On a related note, here’s a great CNN article detailing how guns could be made “smart” thanks to technological advances. I really do hope these ideas are implemented!

- And to end on a funny note: Batman running away from sh*t.

Gâteau chiffon vanille et cardamome

Cette recette est tirée du livre Les Touilleurs – Techniques gourmandes, que j’ai offert à Chère Sœur et à Cher Beau-Frère pour Noël. Il me semble que je n’ai jamais parlé de la boutique Les Touilleurs, sur la rue Laurier Ouest à Montréal. Il s’agit d’un endroit génial où on vend des articles de cuisine, en plus d’offrir des ateliers et des conseils. Toujours est-il que je n’ai pas pu résister à ce gâteau pas trop sucré aux saveurs délicates. Dans la recette d’origine, il est servi avec crème fraîche fouettée, sirop de citron et fraises coupées en deux; je l’ai ici servi une fois avec un reste de crémage à la vanille (qui n’avait pas plus d’une semaine à l’époque, c’est moi qui ai pris du retard dans mes billets), et nature le reste du temps. C’est un gâteau que j’ai vraiment aimé!

5 œufs, jaunes et blancs séparés
160 g (3/4 tasse) de cassonade
1 gousse de vanille, fendue et grattée
1 c. à thé de cardamome
¼ tasse d’huile de canola
¼ tasse d’eau
130 g (1 tasse) de farine tout-usage
1 c. à thé de poudre à pâte
1 pincée de sel
110 g (3/5 tasse) de cassonade

Préchauffer le four à 325 °F.

Dans un bol, à l’aide d’un fouet, bien mélanger les jaunes d’œufs avec les 160 g de cassonade, la vanille et la cardamome. Ajouter l’huile de canola et l’eau.

Dans un autre bol, tamiser la farine, la poudre à pâte et le sel, puis les incorporer au premier mélange à l’aide d’un fouet.

Au mélanger, fouetter les blancs d’œufs à vitesse moyenne. Lorsqu’ils sont bien mousseux, ajouter les 100 g de cassonade et fouetter jusqu’à l’obtention d’une meringue ferme et brillante. Tout en pliant avec une spatule de caoutchouc, incorporer en deux fois les blancs montés dans la pâte.

Verser l’appareil dans un moule à cheminée (non antiadhésif) de 10 pouces (25 cm). Enfourner pour environ 50 minutes (c’était 60 minutes dans la recette d’origine, mais 50 minutes ont largement suffit dans mon four) ou jusqu’à ce qu’un cure-dents en ressorte propre. Sortir le gâteau du four, renverser le moule et laisser le gâteau tempérer tête en bas pendant 2 heures. (J’inverse mon moule sur une bouteille de vin, mais vous pouvez aussi l’inverser sur une grille.) Décoller ensuite le gâteau à l’aide d’une petite spatule ou d’un couteau et le renverser sur une assiette, puis servir.

Vanilla Bean Pudding

Alright, I’ve got some catching up to do, because I made this before the holidays. This perfect recipe is from Smitten Kitchen, and the only change I made was to use a full vanilla bean instead of half of one. You could also use vanilla bean paste, but please go the extra mile to get either the bean or the paste instead of the plain extract! The only downside is that this recipe makes 6 half-cup servings, but I wished it had been more. I would have eaten 3 or 4 ramekins by myself had I not held back. I’ll consider doubling the recipe next time and serving it in bowls rather than ramekins. Also, the picture is not as nice as I would have wanted, in part because these were going faster than I had thought and I was rushed. I do not like pudding skin, so I put plastic wrap on top of my puddings, but I left the Engineer’s set as is because he likes the skin. I really truly loved these vanilla puddings!

Deb Perelman also says that you could reduce the amount of corn starch to 3 Tbsp. if you want a pudding that is more wobbly and less stiff. The pudding is not overly sweet as it is (I found it quite perfect), but she says you could reduce the amount of sugar to 1/3 cup.

2 2/3 cups lactose-free whole milk, divided
½ cup sugar
¼ cup cornstarch
¼ tsp. salt
seeds from 1 vanilla bean (or 1 tsp. of vanilla bean paste)
1 large egg, ideally pasteurized

Bring 2 cups of the milk to a boil in a medium saucepan. While it is heating, combine sugar, cornstarch, salt and vanilla bean in the bottom of a medium, heatproof bowl (if you’re replacing it with vanilla bean paste, don’t add it yet; if you’d like to toss the leftover vanilla bean pods in the pot with the simmering milk for an extra vanilla boost, go for it). Gradually whisk in the remaining 2/3 cup whole milk, a little at a time so lumps do not form, then whisk in the egg. Once milk is boiling, very gradually add it to the cornstarch mixture in the bowl, whisking the whole time.

Return the mixture back to the saucepan, stirring constantly with a silicon spatula/whisk (I’m a huge fan of this one) or wooden spoon. Once it comes to a simmer, cook it for one minute longer (which will cook the cornstarch and egg fully). Stir in vanilla bean paste, if you’re using it, and divide pudding among 6 dishes. Chill in refrigerator until fully set, about 2 hours. (If you do not want pudding skin, cover the top of each pudding with plastic wrap.)

The Amazing Incredible Broccoli Surprise

My difficulties with broccoli have been well documented (like here or here). Historically, I haven’t like it when it’s cooked, though one time a few summers ago, my mom served some sautéed broccoli and cauliflower with bowtie pasta, and it really wasn’t bad (by which I mean that I ate the whole plate without being asked to finish my vegetables). So when I saw this recipe on Tea & Cookies, I bookmarked it. It took me a while to try it, sure, but I finally got around to it. And wow – I can definitely eat broccoli like this! The Engineer and I both had seconds. We then debated the finer points of “cheating” by presenting a disliked food in a different way versus “camouflaging” the food in a more palatable form (he thinks this is cheating, I say it’s camouflaging). Don’t be afraid to use garlic for flavor, as well as pasta water and quality olive oil (both for flavor and texture). Also, next time, I wouldn’t hesitate to add parmesan directly into the sauce instead of just topping the dish with it.

5 cups broccoli, flowerets and stems
5 Tbsp. olive oil, divided (I used 3 Tbsp. safflower oil + 2 Tbsp. quality EVOO)
2-3 cloves garlic, crushed
3 Tbsp. lemon juice (roughly the juice of one half large lemon)
3 Tbsp. pasta water (or more, to taste)
1-2 tsp. salt (to taste)
¼ tsp. pepper (to taste)
1 lb dried pasta
parmesan cheese for serving and/or adding to the sauce (optional)

Wash and chop the broccoli into 1-2 inch pieces (no need to peel stems). Steam the broccoli over water kept at a strong simmer for 5-10 minutes, removing from heat when broccoli is soft enough that large stems can be easily pierced with a fork.

While the broccoli is cooking, boil water and prepare the pasta. Make sure to set aside some of the pasta cooking water to use in the sauce before draining and rinsing the pasta.

In a large sauté pan, heat 3 Tbsp. olive oil (I use safflower oil for coking) over medium high heat and add the garlic before turning the heat to medium. Sauté 2 minutes, stirring constantly, and remove the pan from the heat if the garlic begins to brown at all. Add the broccoli and continue to cook, stirring regularly, for about 7 minutes. You may add additional oil if the broccoli/garlic begins to stick to the pan.

Put the broccoli mixture in the bowl of a food processor or blender, adding the pasta water and additional olive oil (this is where I use the good stuff), lemon juice, salt and pepper through the feed tube. Stop the blending and scrape down the sides as needed. Add additional salt and pepper to taste, or parmesan. (If you like a more pronounced lemon flavor, grate some lemon zest into the broccoli as well.)

Toss the hot pasta with as much sauce as you prefer (we used all of it), reserving any leftovers for later (can be spread on toast for a crostini, or eaten with a spoon). Serve with grated parmesan cheese, as desired.

Chickpeas with Spinach and Poached Eggs

This recipe is adapted from Bon Appétit. The original recipe called for sunny-side up eggs fried in what seemed like a large quantity of olive oil, and I decided to do poached (pasteurized) eggs instead. It also called for 3 cups or more of vegetable broth, but I’m going to write it down with 2 cups, as I found the dish a little too brothy (though, of course, you are free to add more broth to taste). I have to admit I had my doubts about this dish even as I was making it, but I chose it because it seemed like a good lactose-free vegetarian option. In fact, it was surprisingly good! The Engineer and I both approve, and I’m sure I’ll be making it again.

3 Tbsp. olive oil, divided, plus more
4 medium garlic cloves, thinly sliced, divided (1+3)
8 cups spinach, coarsely chopped
kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
1 chopped onion
1 tsp. cumin seeds
¼ tsp. smoked paprika
2 15-oz. cans chickpeas, rinsed
5 canned whole tomatoes, crushed
2 cups (or more) vegetable broth
4 large eggs

Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. When oil begins to shimmer, add 1 garlic clove. Stir until beginning to turn golden brown, 1–2 minutes. Add spinach to pot. Toss to coat; season with salt and pepper. Cook until spinach is wilted but still bright green, 2–3 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl; set aside. Wipe out pot.

Heat 2 Tbsp. oil in same pot over medium heat. When oil begins to shimmer, add onion and 3 garlic cloves. Cook, stirring often, until onion is softened, 3–4 minutes. Add cumin and paprika; stir until cumin is toasted and fragrant, 1–2 minutes. Add chickpeas and tomatoes; stir to coat. Cook until tomatoes start to caramelize and chickpeas begin to brown, 8–10 minutes.

Add 2 cups broth; bring to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits from bottom of pan. Reduce heat to medium; simmer, occasionally mashing some chickpeas with the back of a spoon or a potato masher, until sauce is thickened, 15–20 minutes. Fold in spinach; simmer for flavors to meld, adding more broth by 1/4-cupfuls if too thick, 8–10 minutes.

If frying eggs, pour oil into a large heavy skillet to a depth of 1/8" (about ¼ cup). Heat until oil begins to shimmer. Crack 2 eggs into hot oil, spacing apart. Using a large spoon, carefully baste whites (not yolks) with oil until whites are set and edges are crunchy, lacy, and golden brown, 2–3 minutes (do not turn). Season eggs with salt and pepper. Transfer to a plate and repeat with remaining 2 eggs. Otherwise, poach eggs, or omit entirely if you wish.

Spoon chickpea stew into bowls and top each with a fried egg.