Category Archives: Fruits

Pan-fried plantains w/ kick-ass sour cream dip

Latin-American cuisine is not something I cook a lot of at home. I am not quite sure why since it is one of my favorites, but ever since these tequitos and now these ah-mazing platanos, I hope my patterns are changing.

I tweeted about how excited I was to finally cook this exotic fruit and my e-friend Olga – from one of my favorite food blogs, Mango & Tomato – tweeted back and helped me figure out how it’s done. Thanks, gurrl!

You’re probably wondering just what is so kick-ass about this dip but I am not going to tell you. I guess you’ll just have to make it and taste for yourself…

Ingredients:

2 very ripe plantains

2 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp butter

Salt

“Kick-ass dip”:

3 tbsp sour cream

1/2-1 tsp sriracha sauce (to taste)

1 tbsp lime juice

1/2 tsp lime zest

1 small garlic clove, crushed

Procedure: Cut off about 1″ of both ends of plantains. Peel and slice on a diagonal into 1/2″-thick slices. Place skillet over medium heat and add oil and butter. When oil is hot, add about half of slices into oil and cook 2-3 min per side, until golden brown. Remove and drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with salt while plantains are still very hot. Fry the second batch and repeat procedure. Serve warm.

To make dip, simply stir together all ingredients in a bowl. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.

This dip would also pair fabulously with crudités (that’s raw vegetables to you un-cultured Americans) or tortilla chips.

In other news, I will be spending next week camping in Cape Cod. The thought of going an entire week sans manicure kind of gives me the shakes, but I am pretty excited for the change of scenery and the much, much needed relaxation. While there, I plan to visit Provincetown so I was wondering if you guys had any suggestions as to where I should eat/drink while there? Any and all suggestions will be greatly appreciated!

Berry cobbler

My cousin Donna recently paid me a visit and we planned to spend the day roaming around the city. We woke up in the morning to the sound of rain and thunder outside, and the weather forecast predicted rain for the rest of the day. We were pretty bummed but decided not to despair and spend the day baking something yummy instead.

I went through my manila folder of torn out food magazine pages (Why yes, I do have one of those. I’m old-fashioned, OK?) and picked this recipe from the June 2012 issue of Martha Stewart Living out of the stack.

The recipe calls for raspberries but I used half raspberries and half strawberries.

The fruit is topped with squares of shortcut pastry, which calls for butter AND heavy cream.

My squares kind of melted into each other but that was because I didn’t account for the size of the pan when preparing it.

The cobbler turned out quite magnificent – the berries got all mushy and sort of gelatinous, while the topping was crunchy and flaky on top and chewy on the bottom.

Click here for the full recipe!

The easiest strawberry sauce ever.

This sauce is quick and easy to make, and perfect for this time of year because berries are finally in season. Sure, you can buy a jarred sauce in the supermarket, but I assure you that my version is superior. I guarantee your satisfaction. Try it risk-free, and if you’re not happy, I’ll give you your money back! (Just kidding – No, I won’t).

I’ve posted a similar recipe in the past, but this one is a bit more advanced and far more delicious – it’s the vanilla that makes all the difference. This sauce may also be served on waffles, French toast, ice cream, sirniki, blini, crepes, and just about anything else you can imagine.

(Yield: about 2 servings)

Ingredients:

1 c /about 8 large strawberries, finely chopped

1 tbsp water

1 tbsp lemon juice

¾ tsp corn starch

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tbsp granulated sugar (may vary according to sweetness of fruit)

Procedure: Stir together all ingredients in a small saucepan. Place over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Lower heat and simmer until sauce has thickened. Taste and add sugar if necessary. Turn heat off.

Apple-stuffed french toast

God, I love this stuff. I have now attempted three variations of it. Besides apple, I’ve stuffed French toast with canned peaches and fresh strawberries. Next time I think I’ll flambé the apples with brandy before putting them into the sandwich.

(Yield: one mouthwatering breakfast)

Ingredients:

2 slices white Wonderbread

1 heaping tbsp cream cheese, divided

5-6 thin apple slices

1 egg

2 tbsp milk

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp butter

Maple syrup or powdered sugar for the grand finale

Procedure: In a shallow dish, beat together egg, cinnamon and milk, seasoning with a pinch of salt. Set aside. Divide cream cheese between two bread slices and spread evenly. Layer apples over cream cheese on one slice and close sandwich. Dip entire sandwich into egg mixture on both sides. Melt butter in skillet over medium heat until it begins to bubble. Place sandwich in skillet. Cook 2-3 min per side (or until golden brown), flipping once. Serve immediately.

Stuffed French Toast

This breakfast is creamy, sweet, delicious and beautiful. It works wonders on significant others. Doesn’t it just implore to be eaten in bed? I assure you the other in question will be impressed. And you might even get some.

You’re welcome.

“T.J’s Cream Cheese and Strawberry-Stuffed French Toast” from the Deen Family Cookbook, 2009

(Yield: 1 luscious breakfast)

Ingredients:

2 slices white Wonderbread

1 heaping tbsp cream cheese

4-5 strawberries, sliced

1 egg

2 tbsp milk

1 tsp butter

Maple syrup or powdered sugar for the grand finale

Procedure: In a shallow dish, beat together egg and milk, seasoning with a pinch of salt. Set aside. Divide cream cheese between two bread slices and spread evenly. Layer strawberries over cream cheese on one slice and close sandwich. Carefully dip entire sandwich into egg mixture on both sides. Melt butter in skillet over medium-low heat until it begins to bubble. Place sandwich in skillet. Cook 2-3 min per side (or until golden brown), flipping once. Serve immediately.

Malaysian Mango Chicken

Remember this post? Even though Nyonya was kind of blah, the mango chicken dish was awesome. I’ve been meaning to recreate it since I went there and today I finally did. I kind of winged it with the recipe and ended up hitting the nail right on the head.

This dish is absolutely divine – the mango provides just enough sweetness, as well juice which makes for a richer sauce, and the curry powder gives the chicken a great kick. If you are the type that is always searching for new and interesting ways to prepare chicken (like me), you’ve found your match.

*Purely for esthetic value, try to cut the chicken, mangoes, peppers and carrots into pieces of the same size.

Yield: 4-6 servings

Ingredients:

1 tbsp vegetable oil

1 lb skinless, boneless chicken breasts, thinly cut into 1″ pieces

2 small white onions, sliced

1 red bell pepper, sliced

2 mangoes, peeled, cut into 1″ pieces

2 medium carrots, peeled, cut on a diagonal

3 garlic cloves, chopped

3/4 tsp yellow curry powder

About 1/3 c low-sodium soy sauce

Salt/black pepper/cayenne pepper, to taste

2 tbsp fresh chopped cilantro

Place a wok on high heat and add oil.  Add chicken, season with salt and black pepper, and brown, for about 5 min, stirring occasionally. Remove chicken from wok, add onion and bell pepper, and sauté for 2 min. Add mangoes, carrots, garlic, chicken, curry, cayenne to taste and soy sauce to wok. Cook for 2 min, stirring frequently. Taste and re-season if necessary. Turn heat off, stir in cilantro and serve immediately.

*I meant to serve this with white rice until I realized I had run out of it, so I opted for cous cous instead.

Brie crostini with POM sautéed pears

Here is one of the dishes I created with my POM pomegranate juice. I’m not sure how the idea came to me but I’m glad it did.

(Yield: 8 pieces)

Ingredients:

8 slices of baguette

Extra virgin olive oil

8 slices of brie cheese

1 pad butter

2 sweet pears, sliced 1/4″-thick

1/3 c POM pomegranate juice

1/2 tsp dried thyme

Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add pears, POM and thyme. Stir and bring to simmer. Simmer for about 20 min, stirring frequently, until the pears are soft and there is no liquid left. Then saute for another 2 min, to caramelize the pears.

In the meantime, preheat the oven to 375F. Place the bread on a baking sheet and drizzle with a bit of olive oil. Bake for 5 min. Remove from oven, flip, and top with a slice of cheese and several slices of pear. Return to oven and bake for another 6-7 min.

If you are the type that likes sweet and savory together, you would love this. The sweet, tart flavor of the pears compliments the pungency of the cheese fantastically. These crostini are perfect for a cocktail party, an appetizer or a fancy snack.

Smoothie addict

This would appear to be a standard, average smoothie, but I assure you it is anything but! I’ve had it four times this week…which is slightly abnormal. There must be something divine about this flavor combo or proportions.

(Yield: 1 serving)

Ingredients:

2-3 ice cubes

6 oz low-fat milk

1 banana, chopped

2/3 c chopped pineapple

Place all ingredients into a blender and blend for 20-30 seconds, until smooth, and then “whip” for 5 more secs. Pour into a chilled glass. Swoon.

Kampot: that other Russian drink…

In the Soviet times, and even in the ‘90s when I lived in Ukraine, soda and fruit juices were luxuries reserved for special occasions. They were readily available in stores but not affordable for the general public, my family included. Kampot, a homemade fruit drink, was a much more popular choice for everyday consumption. Fresh seasonal fruits were affordable and available for everyone, and there was always a caring mommy or grandma to make enough for a few days ahead. In America, most people can afford to buy all the soda they can drink, and then some. (However, most Russians here inexplicably gravitate towards seltzer water [?]) Here, it is a luxury and a pleasant surprise to come across homemade kampot; and it is always welcomed with open arms. This mostly happens in Russian restaurants and diners, as few bother to make anything at home anymore.

Earlier this week, a co-worker was telling me about how she still makes kampot all the time and she inspired me to follow suit. Kampot is very easy to make and most of the cooking/prep time is inactive. Fruits and sugar are boiled with water for about 45 minutes and then the mixture is refrigerated. Any variety of fresh or dried fruits will do, however, apples and sour cherries are the usual suspects. The end product is refreshing, satisfying and slightly reminiscent of fruit punch.

For this, I used one apple, one pear, the peel of half an orange, a handful of dried cranberries and two tablespoons of sugar, for five cups of water. This is how it’s done:

Chop the fruits into about 1” pieces. Combine all the ingredients in a large pot…

Add water…

Bring to a boil and simmer partially covered, for about 30 min, until the fruits are soft…

Turn heat off, add more sugar if desired, and cool. Refrigerate overnight, strain and serve cold.

Cheers!

Apples Flambé Parfait

This is the first dish I decided to make with my Karoun products. The first layer of this parfait is 2% Karoun yogurt, the second is apples flambé and the third is homemade granola. This parfait is absolutely delicious and can be served as a fancy breakfast or brunch item, or as an unpretentious dessert.

The flavor and texture combination is divine: the yogurt is cold and tangy, the apples are warm and sweet, and the granola is crispy and aromatic.

Here is how I make granola,

Ingredients:

1 1/2 c old-fashioned rolled oats

3 tbsp vegetable oil

1 tbsp brown sugar, light or dark

1 tbsp + 1 tsp honey

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350F.

Combine all ingredients, except oats, in a large bowl. Then add oats and mix with your hands. Knead the mixture until oats are evenly coated. Spread mixture onto baking sheet in a single layer. Bake for 10 min, then stir and bake for another 10 min.

Granola should be stored in an airtight container and may be kept for up to 10 days.

And now for the star of the show, apples flambé. The ingredients yield one serving, as I was cooking only for myself, so adjust accordingly. Flambé is French for flamed and it’s a cooking technique in which the flames are caused by the addition of alcohol.

Ingredients:

1 apple, peeled, sliced

1 tbsp butter

1 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 splash of cognac

Place first 5 ingredients in pan on medium heat. Sauté, stirring frequently, for 5 min, until a sort of syrup forms. While keeping back loose clothing, hair and other body parts, pour cognac into pan, tilt slightly toward flame and shake pan back and forth. A flame will rise and it should extinguish in a second.

Now, in a tumbler glass or bowl, layer 1/2 cup yogurt, apples and granola. Ta-da!