Confessions of a Foodie

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Showing posts with label Cuban-Style Arroz Congrí. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cuban-Style Arroz Congrí. Show all posts

Monday, November 5, 2018

Meatless Monday

It's time for another Meatless Monday. And since it's already November, a time when we start gearing up for the fall and winter holidays, most of these recipes can be added to the holiday table.

That said, here are six vegetarian recipes to help you through the day, including Tuscan Tomato Burgers and Onion Supreme. Enjoy!

TUSCAN TOMATO BURGERS

This was in an old Weight Watchers email. The Weight Watchers PointsPlus was 3 per serving. Makes 2 servings.

1 tomato, coarsely chopped

1 Tbsp chopped fresh basil

1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

2 frozen Boca All American Flame Grilled Burgers

2 Tbsp shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

4 C torn salad greens

Combine tomatoes, basil and vinegar. Cook burgers as directed on package; top with cheese. Cover; cook 1 min. or until cheese is melted. Place salad greens on 2 plates; top with cheeseburgers and tomato mixture.

ASIAN-FLAVORED QUINOA SALAD

This was also in an old Weight Watchers email. The Weight Watchers PointsPlus was 6 per serving. Serves 4.

1 1/2 C canned chicken broth or water

3/4 C uncooked quinoa (+)

1 Tbsp rice wine vinegar

2 Tbsp orange marmalade

2 tsp dark sesame oil

1 Tbsp fresh, minced ginger root

1 tsp kosher salt

1 C trimmed & halved sugar snap peas (*)

1 C shredded carrots (*)

1 C shredded red cabbage (*)

1 small sweet red pepper, thinly sliced (*)

3 Tbsp fresh, chopped cilantro

2 TBSP thinly sliced scallions (*)

1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds

In small saucepan, combine broth & quinoa; bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low; cover & simmer for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, to make dressing, in small bowl, whisk together vinegar, marmalade, oil, ginger, & salt; set aside.

After quinoa has cooked for 10 cooked for 10 minutes, toss in snap peas to partially steam them; cover & simmer until most of liquid has been absorbed, about 5 – 6 minutes.

Remove pan from heat & stir in carrots, cabbage, peppers, & dressing; mix to thoroughly combine. Garnish with cilantro, scallions & sesame seeds. Serve warm, room temperature, or chilled. Yields about 1 heaping cup per serving. Serves 4.

+ If quinoa is not “pre-rinsed,” rinse in colander before cooking to remove its outer coating.

Anything marked with an asterisk (*) is a filling food.

CUBAN-STYLE ARROZ CONGRI

This is from Kim Severson in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Kim wrote, “The combination of white rice and black beans is a Cuban staple. Black beans served on top of or next to white rice is most commonly called Moros y Cristianos, a reference to the medieval battle between Islamic Moors and Christian Spaniards on the Iberian Peninsula. When rice and beans are mixed with sautéed aromatic vegetables and sometimes bits of pork, the result is called congrí. (In some Cuban households, it is also called Moros y Cristianos.) As a rule, congrí is a fluffier and drier dish than Moros y Cristianos. Yolanda Horruitiner, who has lived in Cuba for all of her 70 years, makes this simple version of congrí without pork or cumin, which is a staple in some versions. Feel free to add either to the sofrito base. This recipe uses a stovetop to cook both the rice and beans, although the dish can be assembled more quickly using a pressure cooker and rice cooker and making the sofrito in a separate sauté pan, then mixing it into the rice before it’s all cooked.”

Yield: 6 to 8 servings; Time: 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours.

This was featured in “For Cuban Home Cooks, Ingenuity and Luck Are Key Ingredients” and can be viewed online here.

Note: This recipe calls for 1 tablespoon dry red wine, or vino seco. Since I don’t keep alcohol around, I would substitute 1 tablespoon water.

Ingredients

1 cup dried black beans

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 small onion, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces

1 small green pepper, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces

5 or 6 cloves garlic, roughly chopped

1 teaspoon kosher salt

Freshly ground pepper

1 tablespoon fresh oregano, roughly chopped

1/4 teaspoon dried dill

2 small bay leaves

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

1 tablespoon dry red wine, or vino seco

1 1/2 cups long-grain rice, rinsed

Preparation

Rinse the beans and pick them over for any small stones. Put the beans and 8 cups water in a medium-size pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer, partly cover and cook until tender, about 1 to 2 hours. (Time will vary depending on the bean.)

Meanwhile, make the sofrito: Put the oil in a medium-size pot (large enough to hold the rice as well) over medium heat. When it’s hot, add the onion, green pepper and garlic. Add a pinch of salt and several grinds of pepper. Sauté until the vegetables are limp. Stir in the oregano, dill and bay leaves and remove from heat.

Drain the beans, reserving the broth and being careful to not break the beans. In a large measuring cup, add the vinegar and wine, 1 cup of the reserved bean broth and enough water for all the liquid to measure 2 1/4 cups.

Put the sofrito back on medium heat, add the rice and stir to combine. Cook the rice for 1 to 2 minutes, then add the seasoned bean broth/water mixture and the salt. Bring to a boil, stir, then reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for 17 minutes. Remove from heat, fluff with a fork and return cover to pot for 10 minutes.

Remove bay leaves and put rice mixture into a mixing bowl. Gently mix in the beans, being careful not to break them. Season well with salt and pepper and transfer to a serving bowl. Serve hot.

CHOCOLATE FILLED CAKE ROLL

Servings: 12 one-inch slices

Find this recipe at: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/23.shtml

Ingredients

Cake:

5 eggs

1/2 cup sugar

3 packets of Sweet'n Low

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 teaspoon baking powder

Filling:

2 cups skim milk

1 package sugar-free chocolate instant pudding mix

Topping:

2 teaspoons sugar-free cocoa mix

Directions

Preheat oven to 400F.

Grease and line the bottom of a 10x15" jelly roll pan with waxed paper.

Beat eggs in a large bowl with electric mixer until fluffy.

Sprinkle sugar, Sweet'n Low and vanilla over eggs; continue beating for 2 minutes.

Sift flour, cornstarch, and baking powder together.

Sprinkle half the mixture over batter; fold in with spatula.

Repeat with remaining flour mixture.

Spread batter evenly in pan.

Bake on center rack in oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until cake is golden and springs back when lightly touched.

Arrange a towel on work surface and cover with wax or parchment paper.

Loosen edges of cake; unmold on paper.

Roll cake jelly roll style, using towel as a guide.

Leave cake rolled until it cools into jelly roll shape.

To make filling, blend milk with pudding mix according to package directions.

Refrigerate pudding until it thickens.

Unroll cake, spread evenly with pudding, and reroll.

Lightly sprinkle sugar-free cocoa over the top to decorate.

Cut into 1" slices and serve.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 122; Fat: 2 g; Sodium: 197 mg; Cholesterol: 92 mg; Carbohydrates: 21 g; Exchanges: 1 Fruit; 1/2 Skim Milk; 1/2 Fat; 1 Starch

ONION SUPREME

My dad came to visit for a week at Christmas, 1987. He fixed this to go with Christmas dinner, along with several other veggies. The day I drove him to Tampa International to fly back to New York, we went for coffee at a shop in the airport. When I asked for a copy of this, he grabbed a paper napkin and wrote down the recipe. It’s a great way to fix onions; I’ve always had onions in things, but never as a side dish. However, this is incredibly easy, as well as fantastic.

This recipe can be found in my e-cookbook Off the Wall Cooking..

2 leeks (discard green), sliced thin

3 – 4 yellow onions, sliced thin

1 stick butter or margarine

4 bunches scallions (discard green), sliced thin

20 small white onions

1 1/2 C half & half

2 cloves garlic, sliced thin

Melt butter over low heat and sauté leeks, scallions, garlic and yellow onions for 45 minutes. Meanwhile, cook white onions in enough water to just barely cover. Add white onions (after 45 minutes) to skillet and pour in half & half. Cook over low heat for 10 minutes more & serve.

JEAN'S SPECIAL POTATOES

Jean and I used to spend many hours on the phone together. One afternoon, we spent the better part of 30 minutes talking about food. I told her about Dad’s Onion Supreme; she, in turn, gave me this recipe.

This recipe can also be found in my e-cookbook Off the Wall Cooking.

8 – 10 potatoes

8 oz. sour cream

8 oz. cream cheese

1/2 C butter

2 tsp. chives

Peel and cook potatoes. Whip cream cheese and add potatoes. Mix sour cream, butter and chives. Add to potato mix. Cover and chill overnight (or several hours). Put in greased 2-quart casserole & cover; bake in oven at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

Monday, September 24, 2018

Meatless Monday

It's time for another Meatless Monday. Here are today's six vegetarian recipes for you to try, including Superfast Fudge Brownies and Roasted-Vegetable Lasagna. Enjoy!

PEACH “DOUGHNUTS”

This comes from Martha Rose Shulman in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Martha wrote, “These doughnuts are pure fruit. They are inspired by a baked pistachio-encrusted Saturn peach doughnut I learned to make from the pastry chef Sherry Yard. I coat mine with a mix of ground almonds and raw brown sugar, sear them in butter and set them on a lime-inflected raspberry sauce. It’s a match made in heaven.” Time: 45 minutes; makes 6 servings.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

For the raspberry sauce:

1/4 cup sugar

1 6-ounce box raspberries

1 tablespoon crème de cassis liqueur

Finely grated or chopped zest of 1 lime

For the peaches:

6 ripe Saturn peaches

1/2 cup almonds

2 tablespoons raw brown sugar

2 to 3 tablespoons butter, as needed

For serving:

Vanilla ice cream or ice milk (optional)

Additional raspberries (optional)

Preparation

To make raspberry sauce, combine 1/3 cup water and the sugar in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Turn heat to medium low and simmer until sugar has dissolved. Stir in raspberries and cassis liqueur. Return to a simmer, cover and cook over low heat for 10 minutes.

Place lime zest in a bowl and strain hot raspberry sauce into bowl. Press raspberry pulp through strainer; discard seeds. Whisk to blend pulp and syrup, and return to saucepan.

To skin peaches, bring a medium pot of water to a boil and add peaches. Blanch for 30 seconds and transfer to a bowl of ice water; drain. Cut peaches laterally around pit and gently twist apart. If peaches do not twist apart easily, insert knife tip and cut around the pit, then gently ease it out and separate the peach halves. Remove skin.

Place almonds and sugar in a food processor fitted with the steel blade and process until mixture is finely ground. Transfer to a wide bowl. Gently dip each peach half into the mixture to coat both sides, and place on a plate.

Shortly before serving, heat sauce and spoon a few tablespoons onto dessert plates.

Heat a large, heavy, nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons butter and when it has stopped foaming, add a batch of peach halves; do not crowd the pan. Sear for about 1 minute, until almond coating has browned, and flip over. Sear for another 30 seconds to a minute and remove to dessert plates, placing two halves on each plate, cut side up. Add more butter to pan if necessary and finish searing peaches. If desired, serve peaches with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and, for garnish, additional raspberries.

SUPERFAST FUDGE BROWNIES



This recipe comes from The Working Stiff Cookbook, by Bob Sloan and illustrated by Michael Klein. I absolutely love this cookbook. Even vegetarians can find plenty to love in it. The great thing about this recipe is that it really doesn't take much longer than a boxed mix, and is so much better!

The recipe starts with, "The perfect comfort food to go with your burgers. Brownies always lift the spirits. Especially these brownies. They're fast, easy, and foolproof." While I eat veggie burgers, rather than the meat version, I agree! These brownies are quick, easy, and yummy!

8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter (or margarine), cut into 4 pieces

1/2 cup Dutch-process unsweetened cocoa powder

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 extra-large eggs

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Butter an 8-by-8-inch baking pan.

In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the butter with the cocoa powder, stirring continuously until the butter is just melted. Use a rubber spatula to transfer the butter mixture to a large mixing bowl and let it cool for 2 minutes. Add the sugar and vanilla and stir with a wooden spoon until combined. Add the eggs one at a time, stirring until each is well combined. Add the flour and stir just until combined. Do not overmix.

Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and bake on the center rack of the oven for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with tiny crumbs on it. Serve warm or at room temperature.

CREAMY SPINACH SOUP WITH PANEER CROUTONS

This is from the October 2012 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 32. It starts out, “Paneer, a mild Indian cheese, tops this tasty soup. If you can’t find paneer, substitute cubed fresh mozzarella or tofu.” Serves 4 in 30 minutes or less.

To view this online, click here.

2 Tbs. butter, divided

1 small onion, chopped (1 cup)

1 Tbs. thinly sliced fresh ginger

2 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced

2 tsp. curry powder

1/2 tsp. black mustard seeds

1/2 tsp. ground turmeric

1 cup frozen shredded hash browns, thawed

3 2/3 cups low-sodium vegetable broth

1 1-lb. pkg. frozen spinach

4 oz. paneer cheese, cubed (1 cup)

Heat 1 Tbs. butter in pot over medium heat. Add onion, and cook 3 minutes. Stir in ginger, garlic, curry powder, mustard seeds, and turmeric. Cook 1 minute. Add hash browns and broth, and bring to a simmer. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 7 minutes. Stir in spinach, and cook 2 minutes more, or until wilted. Purée with immersion blender until smooth.

Heat remaining 1 Tbs. butter in nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add paneer cubes, and cook 5 to 7 minutes, or until golden brown, turning occasionally. Spoon paneer over soup, and serve hot.

nutritional information Per 1 1/2-cup serving: Calories: 264; Protein: 11 g; Total Fat: 13 g; Saturated Fat: 9 g; Carbohydrates: 22 g; Cholesterol: 44 mg; Sodium: 453 mg; Fiber: 4 g; Sugar: 6 g; Gluten-Free

CUBAN-STYLE ARROZ CONGRI

This is from Kim Severson in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Kim wrote, “The combination of white rice and black beans is a Cuban staple. Black beans served on top of or next to white rice is most commonly called Moros y Cristianos, a reference to the medieval battle between Islamic Moors and Christian Spaniards on the Iberian Peninsula. When rice and beans are mixed with sautéed aromatic vegetables and sometimes bits of pork, the result is called congrí. (In some Cuban households, it is also called Moros y Cristianos.) As a rule, congrí is a fluffier and drier dish than Moros y Cristianos. Yolanda Horruitiner, who has lived in Cuba for all of her 70 years, makes this simple version of congrí without pork or cumin, which is a staple in some versions. Feel free to add either to the sofrito base. This recipe uses a stovetop to cook both the rice and beans, although the dish can be assembled more quickly using a pressure cooker and rice cooker and making the sofrito in a separate sauté pan, then mixing it into the rice before it’s all cooked.”

Yield: 6 to 8 servings; Time: 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours.

This was featured in “For Cuban Home Cooks, Ingenuity and Luck Are Key Ingredients” and can be viewed online here.

Note: This recipe calls for 1 tablespoon dry red wine, or vino seco. Since I don’t keep alcohol around, I would substitute 1 tablespoon water.

Ingredients

1 cup dried black beans

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 small onion, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces

1 small green pepper, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces

5 or 6 cloves garlic, roughly chopped

1 teaspoon kosher salt

Freshly ground pepper

1 tablespoon fresh oregano, roughly chopped

1/4 teaspoon dried dill

2 small bay leaves

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

1 tablespoon dry red wine, or vino seco

1 1/2 cups long-grain rice, rinsed

Preparation

Rinse the beans and pick them over for any small stones. Put the beans and 8 cups water in a medium-size pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer, partly cover and cook until tender, about 1 to 2 hours. (Time will vary depending on the bean.)

Meanwhile, make the sofrito: Put the oil in a medium-size pot (large enough to hold the rice as well) over medium heat. When it’s hot, add the onion, green pepper and garlic. Add a pinch of salt and several grinds of pepper. Sauté until the vegetables are limp. Stir in the oregano, dill and bay leaves and remove from heat.

Drain the beans, reserving the broth and being careful to not break the beans. In a large measuring cup, add the vinegar and wine, 1 cup of the reserved bean broth and enough water for all the liquid to measure 2 1/4 cups.

Put the sofrito back on medium heat, add the rice and stir to combine. Cook the rice for 1 to 2 minutes, then add the seasoned bean broth/water mixture and the salt. Bring to a boil, stir, then reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for 17 minutes. Remove from heat, fluff with a fork and return cover to pot for 10 minutes.

Remove bay leaves and put rice mixture into a mixing bowl. Gently mix in the beans, being careful not to break them. Season well with salt and pepper and transfer to a serving bowl. Serve hot.

ROASTED-VEGETABLE LASAGNA

This recipe begins, “Who needs meat? This gourmet veggie lasagna from one of our favorite chefs will be the centerpiece of your dinner table.”

This is from Diabetic Connect.

To view this online, go to http://www.diabeticconnect.com/diabetic-recipes/general/4198-roasted-vegetable-lasagna.

Ingredients

Vegetables:

4 red bell peppers

1 teaspoon olive oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

6 yellow squash, halved lengthwise and cut into 1-inch pieces (about 1 1/2 pounds)

1 large onion, cut into 16 wedges

4 garlic cloves, minced

Cheese mixture:

2 cups 2% low-fat cottage cheese

1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) grated sharp provolone cheese

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

1 teaspoon dried oregano

White sauce:

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups 2% reduced-fat milk

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Cooking spray

9 cooked lasagna noodles

2 cups spinach leaves, divided

1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Fresh basil sprigs (optional)

Directions

Preheat broiler.

To prepare vegetables, cut bell peppers in half lengthwise; discard seeds and membranes. Place pepper halves, skin sides up, on a foil-lined baking sheet; flatten with hand. Broil 15 minutes or until blackened. Place in a zip-top plastic bag; seal. Let stand 15 minutes. Peel; set aside.

Preheat oven to 450°.

Combine oil, salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, squash, and onion on a baking sheet; toss well. Bake at 450° for 20 minutes. Remove from oven; combine squash mixture and garlic in a bowl.

Decrease oven temperature to 375°.

To prepare cheese mixture, combine cottage cheese and next 3 ingredients (cottage cheese through oregano) in a bowl.

To prepare white sauce, place flour in a medium saucepan. Gradually add milk; stir with a whisk. Place over medium heat. Cook until thick; stir constantly. Remove from heat; stir in 2 tablespoons chopped basil and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.

Spread 1/4 cup white sauce in bottom of a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Arrange 3 noodles over sauce; top with 1 1/4 cups cheese mixture, 1 cup spinach, 4 bell pepper halves, 2 cups vegetable mixture, and 1/4 cup white sauce. Repeat layers, ending with noodles. Spread remaining white sauce over noodles. Cover and bake at 375° for 15 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Bake an additional 20 minutes. Garnish with basil sprigs, if desired.

Note: Use a sharp, potent cheese in this dish for the most flavor. Parmesan, Romano, Asiago, or sharp cheddar will all work as well in the filling. Stick to mozzarella for the top, however, as it melts and browns the best. For extra browning, place the lasagna under the broiler for a minute or two at the end of cooking.

Nutritional Facts: Servings: 9; Amount per serving Calories: 275; Calories from fat 30%; Fat 9.1 g; Saturated fat: 5.2 g; Monounsaturated fat: 2.6 g; Polyunsaturated fat 0.6 g; Protein: 19.3 g; Carbohydrate: 29.3 g; Fiber: 2.9 g;Cholesterol: 24 mg; Iron: 2.3 mg; Sodium: 564 mg; Calcium: 308 mg

SWEET POTATO SOUFFLE

This is my mom’s recipe. Mom used to make this for holiday meals or if she was fixing ham for Sunday dinner. There was seldom any leftover soufflé.

Not to worry: since this is a vegetarian blog, I'm not going to suddenly post meat here. I'm just sharing a memory for decades past. Feel free to fix it whenever you want something a little festive.

This recipe can be found in my e-cookbook Off the Wall Cooking.

4 – 5 sweet potatoes

1 egg

1 small can pineapple

1 C nuts

2 T orange juice concentrate

1/2 tsp. salt

Cinnamon

dash pepper

1/2 C brown sugar

9 large marshmallows

Peel & dice sweet potatoes, place in pan of water, and cook until tender. Mash & add other ingredients except marshmallows. Put in square pan, cut in 9 squares & place 1 marshmallow in each square. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.

Tuesday, May 9, 2017

Double-Post Tuesday

Besides being Taco Tuesday, it's also Double-Post Tuesday. Here are six recipes to help you through the day, including Beef Stew and Red Velvet Cake. Enjoy!

PICADILLO

This comes from Sam Sifton in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Sam wrote, “Picadillo is one of the great dishes of the Cuban diaspora: a soft, fragrant stew of ground beef and tomatoes, with raisins added for sweetness and olives for salt. Versions of it exist across the Caribbean and into Latin America. This one combines ground beef with intensely seasoned dried Spanish chorizo in a sofrito of onions, garlic and tomatoes, and scents it with red-wine vinegar, cinnamon and cumin, along with bay leaves and pinches of ground cloves and nutmeg. For the olives you may experiment with fancy and plain, but rigorous testing here suggests the use of pimento-stuffed green olives is the best practice. A scattering of capers would be welcome as well.”

Yield: 6 servings; Time: 1 hour.

This was featured in “The Ultimate Cuban Comfort Food: Picadillo”, and can be viewed online here.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 medium-size yellow onions, peeled and chopped

2 ounces dried chorizo, diced

4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

1 1/2 pounds ground beef

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 ripe tomatoes, chopped, or one 28-ounce can whole tomatoes, drained and crushed

2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 bay leaves

Pinch of ground cloves

Pinch of nutmeg

2/3 cup raisins

2/3 cup pitted stuffed olives

Preparation

Put the olive oil in a large, heavy pan set over a medium-high flame, and heat until it begins to shimmer. Add onions, chorizo and garlic, stir to combine and cook until the onions have started to soften, approximately 10 minutes.

Add the ground beef, and allow it to brown, crumbling the meat with a fork as it does. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.

Add tomatoes, vinegar, cinnamon, cumin, bay leaves, cloves and nutmeg and stir to combine. Lower the heat, and let the stew simmer, covered, for approximately 30 minutes.

Uncover the pan, and add the raisins and the olives. Allow the stew to cook for another 15 minutes or so, then serve, accompanied by white rice.

CUBAN-STYLE ARROZ CONGRI

This is from Kim Severson, also in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Kim wrote, “The combination of white rice and black beans is a Cuban staple. Black beans served on top of or next to white rice is most commonly called Moros y Cristianos, a reference to the medieval battle between Islamic Moors and Christian Spaniards on the Iberian Peninsula. When rice and beans are mixed with sautéed aromatic vegetables and sometimes bits of pork, the result is called congrí. (In some Cuban households, it is also called Moros y Cristianos.) As a rule, congrí is a fluffier and drier dish than Moros y Cristianos. Yolanda Horruitiner, who has lived in Cuba for all of her 70 years, makes this simple version of congrí without pork or cumin, which is a staple in some versions. Feel free to add either to the sofrito base. This recipe uses a stovetop to cook both the rice and beans, although the dish can be assembled more quickly using a pressure cooker and rice cooker and making the sofrito in a separate sauté pan, then mixing it into the rice before it’s all cooked.”

Yield: 6 to 8 servings; Time: 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours.

This was featured in “For Cuban Home Cooks, Ingenuity and Luck Are Key Ingredients” and can be viewed online here.

Note: This recipe calls for 1 tablespoon dry red wine, or vino seco. Since I don’t keep alcohol around, I would substitute 1 tablespoon water.

Ingredients

1 cup dried black beans

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 small onion, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces

1 small green pepper, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces

5 or 6 cloves garlic, roughly chopped

1 teaspoon kosher salt

Freshly ground pepper

1 tablespoon fresh oregano, roughly chopped

1/4 teaspoon dried dill

2 small bay leaves

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

1 tablespoon dry red wine, or vino seco

1 1/2 cups long-grain rice, rinsed

Preparation

Rinse the beans and pick them over for any small stones. Put the beans and 8 cups water in a medium-size pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer, partly cover and cook until tender, about 1 to 2 hours. (Time will vary depending on the bean.)

Meanwhile, make the sofrito: Put the oil in a medium-size pot (large enough to hold the rice as well) over medium heat. When it’s hot, add the onion, green pepper and garlic. Add a pinch of salt and several grinds of pepper. Sauté until the vegetables are limp. Stir in the oregano, dill and bay leaves and remove from heat.

Drain the beans, reserving the broth and being careful to not break the beans. In a large measuring cup, add the vinegar and wine, 1 cup of the reserved bean broth and enough water for all the liquid to measure 2 1/4 cups.

Put the sofrito back on medium heat, add the rice and stir to combine. Cook the rice for 1 to 2 minutes, then add the seasoned bean broth/water mixture and the salt. Bring to a boil, stir, then reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for 17 minutes. Remove from heat, fluff with a fork and return cover to pot for 10 minutes.

Remove bay leaves and put rice mixture into a mixing bowl. Gently mix in the beans, being careful not to break them. Season well with salt and pepper and transfer to a serving bowl. Serve hot.

BEEF STEW

One of my invention; the recipes I had for stew seemed too bland. You can find this in my e-book, Off the Wall Cooking.

2 – 3 lbs. stewing beef

1 clove garlic, minced

3 T oil

4 carrots, cut up

2 C water

1 large potato, peeled & cut up

1 onion, chopped

6 oz tomato paste

8 oz tomato sauce

4 T vinegar

1 C flour

3 T honey

1 T soy sauce

salt & pepper

Cut beef into bite-sized pieces. Trim fat & dredge in flour & brown in oil. Add everything except carrots & potato. Cook 15 minutes. Add carrots & cook 15 more minutes. Add potato & cook 30 minutes. Add water as needed. Serve over noodles.

SCOTTISH SCONES

Servings: 16

Source: Light and Easy Diabetes Cuisine

Find this recipe at: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/156.shtml

Ingredients

1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

1 cup whole-wheat flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

4 tbsp whipped butter

1 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup golden raisins

Directions

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.

Coat a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray.

In a large bowl, sift the dry ingredients together. Add the butter and mix it into the flour with your fingers. Add buttermilk and knead into a soft dough. Knead in the raisins.

On a floured board, roll out the dough until 1/2" thick.

Cut dough into 16 rounds. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden in color.

Serve warm or let cool and store in an airtight container.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 97; Protein: 3 g; Fat: 3 g; Sodium: 115 mg; Cholesterol: 7 mg; Carbohydrates: 16 g; Exchanges: 1 Starch/Bread

RED VELVET CAKE

We lived in Connecticut for several years while I was growing up. During this time, a lady called the local radio station and said she’d recently returned from a trip. During a stay in a fancy hotel with her husband, she had this cake in their restaurant. Returning home, she wrote to the hotel and requested a copy of the recipe, saying she’d pay for it. She received a copy of the recipe, along with a bill for $300. (This was during the mid-1960s.) Furious over the bill, she proceeded to read the recipe over the air.

You can find this in my e-book, Off the Wall Cooking.

1/2 C butter (see note)

1/4 tsp. salt

1 1/2 C sugar

1 C buttermilk

2 eggs, well beaten

1 T vinegar

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. baking soda

2 T cocoa

2 1/4 C flour (sifted)

2 oz. red food coloring

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Grease and flour two 8” round pans.

Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs.

Make paste of food coloring and cocoa. Add to first mix.

Add salt and buttermilk alternately with flour. Add vanilla.

Dissolve soda in vinegar and add this last. Blend all ingredients, as little as possible. Pour into pans and bake for 30-40 minutes. When cool, split each layer horizontally.

Frosting For Red Velvet Cake

1 C butter (see note)

1 C milk

1 C sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

5 T unbleached flour

Cream butter with sugar. Cook flour and milk in saucepan until very thick, stirring the whole time. Cool. Combine 2 mixes and add vanilla, using electric mixer. Spread on cake.

NOTE: Butter must be used in the frosting, otherwise the frosting will liquefy and refuse to harden. In the cake itself, though, margarine may be used. Also, if two 9” round pans are used, layers don’t need to be cut in half.

FIVE BEAN SOUP

This comes from Eden Kitchens

Serves 10. Prep Time 10 minutes. Cook Time 40 minutes.

2 Tbs Eden Extra Virgin Olive Oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 medium onion, diced

1/4 C celery, diced

1/2 C carrots, diced

3 Tbs barley, rinsed

3 C water

1 can Eden Organic Pinto Beans

1 can Eden Organic Black Beans

1 can Eden Organic Kidney Beans

1 can Eden Organic Navy Beans

1 can Eden Organic Garbanzo Beams

1 C sweet corn, fresh or frozen

1 can Eden Organic Diced Tomatoes with Roasted Onion

1/2 tsp dried basil

1 1/2 tsp crushed bay leaf

1 tsp Eden Sea Salt – French Celtic

Heat oil in soup pot, sauté garlic & onion until onion is translucent. Add water, celery, carrot & barley, beans, corn, tomatoes & herbs. Add salt, cover & simmer 30 minutes. Serve.

Saturday, April 22, 2017

Saturday Recipes

I know, I know. It's Saturday, and I'm posting on Confessions of a Foodie. I figure that since I've posted links to this blog late all week, I'd post a Saturday blog. The blog has actually updated early all week (before 8:00 a.m.), but because of a new job, the links haven't been posted online until later. (Feel free to check here before the links show up on Facebook and Twitter.)

And how, here are six diabetic recipes to help you through the rest of the weekend, including Pear Cranberry Clafoutis and Super Chili. Enjoy!

PEAR CRANBERRY CLAFOUTIS

This is from the fall issue of UnitedHealthCare's magazine, Renew. It begins, “A Clafoutis is a traditional French dessert — a cross between a flan and a German pancake. Whole grain flour adds a nice nutty flavor and blends well with the pear, cranberry and almonds.”

1 teaspoon softened butter

3 medium pears (any kind)

zest and juice of 1 lemon

1⁄2 cup fresh or frozen (drained) cranberries, divided

3 eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon almond extract

1 tablespoon sugar substitute

1⁄2 cup whole grain flour

1⁄2 cup sliced almonds, divided

powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 9-inch pie plate. Peel, core and slice pears into 12 slices each and toss with the lemon juice and zest. Arrange pears in the buttered dish. Sprinkle pears with 1⁄4 cup of the cranberries.

In a small bowl, whisk eggs and buttermilk together. Add almond extract, sugar substitute and whole grain flour. Finely chop 1⁄4 cup of the sliced almonds and stir into the batter.

Pour batter over the pears and sprinkle with the remaining cranberries and almonds. Bake for 35–40 minutes until golden brown on the edges and set in the center.

Dust with powdered sugar before serving if desired.

Serves 8.

Calories: 142, Total Fat: 6.2g, Saturated Fat: 1.3g, Cholesterol: 82mg, Sodium: 52mg, Carbs: 19g, Dietary Fiber: 3.7g, Sugar: 8.4g, Protein: 5.6g

INSTANT POT ROAST

Recipe from the Tasting Table Test Kitchen, and can be viewed online at https://www.tastingtable.com/cook/recipes/instant-pot-roast-recipe.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings; Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 1 hour; Total Time: 1 hour and 15 minutes

Ingredients

1/4cup dried porcini, rehydrated

1/2 cup boiling water

2 tablespoons olive oil

One 4-to-4 1/2-pound chuck roast

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1/3 cup tomato paste

3 garlic cloves, smashed

2 carrots, peeled and roughly chopped

2 celery stalks, roughly chopped

2 thyme sprigs

2 bay leaves

1 onion, peeled and roughly chopped

2 cups beef stock

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

Directions

Place the dried porcini in a small heatproof bowl and cover with the boiling water. Let rehydrate while you sear the chuck roast.

In a large, heavy-bottomed pot, heat the olive oil over high heat. Season the chuck roast with salt and pepper, and sear, turning as needed, until the entire roast is golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer the seared roast to the bowl of an Instant Pot.

To the pot that you seared the roast in, add the tomato paste, garlic, carrots, celery, thyme, bay leaves and onion, and cook until the vegetables are softened and the paste begins to caramelize, 4 to 5 minutes. Deglaze the pan with the stock and red wine vinegar. Pour the contents over the chuck roast in the Instant Pot, along with the rehydrated porcini and their soaking liquid.

Seal the Instant Pot according to the manufacturer's instructions and cook on high pressure for 45 minutes. Let depressurize, then remove the roast and transfer to a cutting board to slice. Season the cooking liquid with salt and pepper.

Spoon some of the vegetables onto a platter and fan slices of the pot roast over top. Drizzle the cooking liquid on top, then serve.

PICADILLO

This comes from Sam Sifton in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Sam wrote, “Picadillo is one of the great dishes of the Cuban diaspora: a soft, fragrant stew of ground beef and tomatoes, with raisins added for sweetness and olives for salt. Versions of it exist across the Caribbean and into Latin America. This one combines ground beef with intensely seasoned dried Spanish chorizo in a sofrito of onions, garlic and tomatoes, and scents it with red-wine vinegar, cinnamon and cumin, along with bay leaves and pinches of ground cloves and nutmeg. For the olives you may experiment with fancy and plain, but rigorous testing here suggests the use of pimento-stuffed green olives is the best practice. A scattering of capers would be welcome as well.”

Yield: 6 servings; Time: 1 hour.

This was featured in “The Ultimate Cuban Comfort Food: Picadillo”, and can be viewed online here.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 medium-size yellow onions, peeled and chopped

2 ounces dried chorizo, diced

4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

1 1/2 pounds ground beef

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 ripe tomatoes, chopped, or one 28-ounce can whole tomatoes, drained and crushed

2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 bay leaves

Pinch of ground cloves

Pinch of nutmeg

2/3 cup raisins

2/3 cup pitted stuffed olives

Preparation

Put the olive oil in a large, heavy pan set over a medium-high flame, and heat until it begins to shimmer. Add onions, chorizo and garlic, stir to combine and cook until the onions have started to soften, approximately 10 minutes.

Add the ground beef, and allow it to brown, crumbling the meat with a fork as it does. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.

Add tomatoes, vinegar, cinnamon, cumin, bay leaves, cloves and nutmeg and stir to combine. Lower the heat, and let the stew simmer, covered, for approximately 30 minutes.

Uncover the pan, and add the raisins and the olives. Allow the stew to cook for another 15 minutes or so, then serve, accompanied by white rice.

CUBAN-STYLE ARROZ CONGRI

This is from Kim Severson, also in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Kim wrote, “The combination of white rice and black beans is a Cuban staple. Black beans served on top of or next to white rice is most commonly called Moros y Cristianos, a reference to the medieval battle between Islamic Moors and Christian Spaniards on the Iberian Peninsula. When rice and beans are mixed with sautéed aromatic vegetables and sometimes bits of pork, the result is called congrí. (In some Cuban households, it is also called Moros y Cristianos.) As a rule, congrí is a fluffier and drier dish than Moros y Cristianos. Yolanda Horruitiner, who has lived in Cuba for all of her 70 years, makes this simple version of congrí without pork or cumin, which is a staple in some versions. Feel free to add either to the sofrito base. This recipe uses a stovetop to cook both the rice and beans, although the dish can be assembled more quickly using a pressure cooker and rice cooker and making the sofrito in a separate sauté pan, then mixing it into the rice before it’s all cooked.”

Yield: 6 to 8 servings; Time: 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours.

This was featured in “For Cuban Home Cooks, Ingenuity and Luck Are Key Ingredients” and can be viewed online here.

Note: This recipe calls for 1 tablespoon dry red wine, or vino seco. Since I don’t keep alcohol around, I would substitute 1 tablespoon water.

Ingredients

1 cup dried black beans

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 small onion, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces

1 small green pepper, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces

5 or 6 cloves garlic, roughly chopped

1 teaspoon kosher salt

Freshly ground pepper

1 tablespoon fresh oregano, roughly chopped

1/4 teaspoon dried dill

2 small bay leaves

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

1 tablespoon dry red wine, or vino seco

1 1/2 cups long-grain rice, rinsed

Preparation

Rinse the beans and pick them over for any small stones. Put the beans and 8 cups water in a medium-size pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer, partly cover and cook until tender, about 1 to 2 hours. (Time will vary depending on the bean.)

Meanwhile, make the sofrito: Put the oil in a medium-size pot (large enough to hold the rice as well) over medium heat. When it’s hot, add the onion, green pepper and garlic. Add a pinch of salt and several grinds of pepper. Sauté until the vegetables are limp. Stir in the oregano, dill and bay leaves and remove from heat.

Drain the beans, reserving the broth and being careful to not break the beans. In a large measuring cup, add the vinegar and wine, 1 cup of the reserved bean broth and enough water for all the liquid to measure 2 1/4 cups.

Put the sofrito back on medium heat, add the rice and stir to combine. Cook the rice for 1 to 2 minutes, then add the seasoned bean broth/water mixture and the salt. Bring to a boil, stir, then reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for 17 minutes. Remove from heat, fluff with a fork and return cover to pot for 10 minutes.

Remove bay leaves and put rice mixture into a mixing bowl. Gently mix in the beans, being careful not to break them. Season well with salt and pepper and transfer to a serving bowl. Serve hot.

SUPER CHILI

One of my inventions, this can be found in my e-cookbook, Off the Wall Cooking.

2 C pinto beans

2 T oil or butter

4 C water

1 lb. ground beef

4 – 8 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 lb. bacon, chopped

2 – 4 onions, chopped

28 oz. can tomatoes (undrained)

2 T chili powder

6 oz. can tomato paste

1 tsp. oregano

1 T chili powder

Soak beans in water for several hours. Drain & place in 4 C water. Add 2-4 cloves garlic, 1 onion & 1 T chili powder. Bring to boil, stir, reduce heat, cover & simmer several hours, or until soft & creamy. Add tomato paste & 1 T chili powder & water as needed. Stir, cover & let simmer 30 more minutes. While beans are simmering, brown 1-3 onions, 2-4 cloves garlic & ground beef in butter. Add to beans. Cook bacon & add to beans. Add tomatoes, oregano & 1 T chili powder. Cook for 1-1 1/2 hours. Great for anyone who likes good, hot chili. Better the next day.

BROCCOLI CHEESE SOUP

From Diabetic Connect

To view this online, go to http://www.diabeticconnect.com/diabetic-recipes/general/2418-broccoli-cheese-soup

Ingredients

4 cups chicken broth

1 cup water

1 cup half & half - fat free

4 ounces cheddar cheese

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon onion

1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

4 cups broccoli florets - bite-size

Directions

Combine chicken broth, water, half & half, cheese, flour, onion and pepper in a large saucepan. Whisk to break up any lumps of flour; turn heat to medium/high. Bring soup to a boil; reduce heat to low.

Add broccoli and simmer for 15-20 minutes until broccoli is tender, but not soft.

For each serving spoon one cup of soup into a bowl and garnish with a Tbsp. of shredded cheese and a pinch of parsley.

Nutritional Facts: Servings: 8; Each (app 1 1/2 cup) serving contains an estimated: Cals: 126; FatCals 42; TotFat: 5 g: SatFat: 3 g; PolyFat: 0 g; MonoFat: 2 g; Chol: 14 mg; Na: 253 mg; K: 368 mg; TotCarbs: 15 g; Fiber: 2 g; Sugars: 5 g; NetCarbs: 13 g; Protein: 9 g