farm apple bread

I don't love baking - it's usually too fussy me. But this apple bread is delicious and easy.

2 cups peeled & chopped apple

1/4 cup melted butter (melted and cooled)
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar

2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a loaf pan and set aside.

Melt the butter and let cool. In a small mixing bowl add the eggs, vanilla extract, melted butter and applesauce. Stir until completely combined. Mix in the sugars. Stir until combined.

In a large mixing bowl add the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and cloves. Stir with a fork to combine. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir to combine.

Peel and chop apples. 3 small Empire apples are about 2 cups. Chop into 1/4 inch size chunks. Add the chopped apple to the large bowl and stir.

Pour dough into prepared loaf pan. Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes, top will be golden brown. Check that it’s cooked by inserting a toothpick in the center, once it’s done cooking the toothpick will come out clean, no dough will be stuck on it.

Allow bread to cool in pan for about 5-10 minutes. Turn upside down and remove bread loaf from pan and allow to continue cooling on wire rack.

Store covered at room temperature for 3-4 days.

Adapted from House of Yumm

the green kind of steak sauce

A chimichurri-style sauce has a brightness that makes any steak taste even better.

• 4-6 large garlic cloves, minced
• a handful of coarsely chopped parsley
• 2 tablespoons basil
• Maldon salt
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• splash of red wine vinegar

Finely chop the garlic, parsley and basil. Add to a bowl and add enough olive oil to cover. Add salt to taste and a splash or two of red wine vinegar and mix well.

Spoon over steak and enjoy.

lebanese shrimp with garlic and cilantro

Turns out that putting cinnamon in savory dishes is maybe the best thing ever (see also the Armenian dish in the next post below).

1 pound of medium-sized shrimp

1/4 cup of extra-virgin olive oil

8 cloves of garlic

1 bunch of cilantro or parsley

1 small red onion

2 teaspoon of ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon of turmeric or jamaican curry

1/2 teaspoon of black pepper

1/4 teaspoon of cayenne or hot paprika (optional)

Salt, to taste

1 lemon, quartered

Peel the shrimp and lay out on a plate. Slice the onions and put in a bowl.

Mash the garlic in a mortar with a pinch of salt until pasty. Set aside.

Wash and dry the cilantro or parsley and chop finely the cilantro leaves, discarding the stems.

Mix all the spices in a small bowl and sprinkle them on the shrimp and onions.

Heat the olive oil for 3 minutes and place the shrimp and onions in the skillet, stir-frying them for a couple of minutes.

Remove the shrimp and onions from the skillet with a slotted spoon and place in a bowl. Add a couple more tablespoons of olive oil to the skillet if necessary and place the mashed garlic and cilantro in the skillet, stirring for one minute until they are mixed and fragrant.

Place the shrimp and onions in the skillet and stir-fry for a minute or so until everything is coated evenly with the garlic and cilantro paste.

Serve with lemon quarters on the side.

Adapted from Taste of Beirut

armenian baked semi-stuffed eggplant

The flavors in this are incredible!

Ingredients:
2 large eggplants (4 smaller eggplants can be substituted), cut in half lengthwise, stem trimmed
Olive oil

Meat Stuffing Ingredients:
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
2 tsp. paprika (or for a spicy version Hungarian Hot Paprika)
1 tbsp. whole coriander
1 large sweet onion, chopped finely
1 lb. ground lamb or beef
1 cup Italian flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped (or 2 tablespoons dried)
Salt and pepper, to taste

Sauce:
1-15 oz. can diced tomatoes with juice
1 Tbsp. tomato paste
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 Tsp. sugar
Salt and pepper to taste

Garnish: chopped Italian parsley, optional

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425°F.

Baked eggplant
Place eggplant halves, skin-side down in a baking pan so they fit snuggly. Brush only cut-sides of eggplant with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, or until soft and golden. Remove from oven and allow to cool.

Prepare the meat filling while eggplant is baking:

Saute onions with spices
In a mortal & pestle, grind the coriander, then stir in the cinnomon, nutmeg, cloves and paprika. Heat 2 Tbsp. olive oil in a large skillet. Add the onions and half of the spice mix. Cook over medium-high heat for about 8 minutes, stirring often.

Meat filling
Add the ground lamb (or beef), and cook until meat is crumbled and no longer pink; drain any excess grease. Add parsley, salt and pepper to taste. Cook another minute or two. Remove from heat.

For the sauce, place the remaining spice blend in a mixing bowl with the diced tomatoes and their juices, tomato paste, lemon juice, sugar, and salt to taste. Mix well.

Baked lamb-stuffed eggplant
Reduce the oven temperature to 375°F. Pour the sauce mixture into the baking pan to surround the eggplants. Spoon the lamb mixture to cover the top of each eggplant. Cover the pan with foil and bake for about 45 minutes. Carefully lift foil and baste the eggplants halfway through baking.
Garnish with freshly chopped parsley, if desired.

Can be served warm or at room temperature.

Adapted from The Armenian Kitchen

russian vinagret salad

A friend made this and I loved it!

1 beet
2 carrots
1-2 potatoes
1 medium red onion
10oz of pickles
1 can (about 15 oz) boiled beans of your choice
Salt to taste

Prepare ingredients: dice vegetables to the same size. Boil carrots, potato and separately beets, then let them cool down to room temperature and peel.

Dice beet, add to a deep bowl, add diced pickles, diced potatoes and and carrots.

Add boiled beans (if you use canned ones – rinse them and then drain liquid out before adding beans to the bowl).

Salt to taste, mix well.

pumpkin bread magic

1 15-ounce can of pumpkin puree
1/2 cup grapeseed oil
3 large eggs
1 2/3 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Heaped 1/4 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg
Heaped 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
Two pinches of ground cloves
2 1/4 cups gluten free flour

1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 6-cup loaf pan or coat it with nonstick spray.

In a large bowl, whisk together pumpkin, oil, eggs and sugar until smooth. Sprinkle baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves over batter and whisk until well-combined. Add flour and stir with a spoon, just until mixed. Scrape into prepared pan and smooth the top. In a small dish, or empty measuring cup, stir sugar and cinnamon together. Sprinkle over top of batter.

Bake bread for 80 minutes until a tester poked into all parts of cake (both the top and center will want to hide pockets of uncooked batter) come out batter-free, turning the cake once during the baking time for even coloring.

Cool it in the pan for at least 10 minutes.

Cake keeps at room temperature as long as you can hide it. I like to keep mine in the tin with a piece of foil or plastic just over the cut end and the top exposed to best keep the lid crisp as long as possible.

Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

lamb chop saucy

Tasty without any of the flavors overpowering anything else.

4 lamb loin chops
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons fresh oregano, finely chopped
2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, finely chopped
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup cognac
salt and pepper to taste

Remove loin chops from the fridge 20-30 minutes before cooking. Season liberally with salt and pepper.

In a cast iron skillet, heat the olive oil on high until hot. Place the loin chops in the skillet and cook undisturbed for 3-4 minutes. Flip and cook for an additional 3-4 minutes.

Add the butter, cognac, garlic, and fresh herbs to the skillet and swirl/stir until fully melted. Simmer for an additional 1-2 minutes, turn the chops in order to soak up cognac butter sauce. For medium rare, the lamb is done.

Remove from heat, place on plate and drizzle with Cognac butter sauce. Garnish with fresh herbs if desired and serve.

Adapted from Kitchen Swagger

pho-king great

This makes amazing bone marrow on top of a delicious soup.

2 beef cross cut shins
1/2 of a medium-large apple
1 large yellow onion
2 ounces fresh ginger
2 ½ pieces star anise
1 3-inch cinnamon stick
3 whole cloves
2 ½ teaspoons fine sea salt
1 ½ to 2 tablespoons fish sauce
Sugar, if desired
12 ounces dried narrow rice sticks or pad Thai-style noodles
1 green onions
¼ cup chopped cilantro leaves
Black pepper
Thai basil
lime wedges

Rinse the bones and boneless beef. Peel and cut apple into chunks. Halve the large onion and cut into thick slices. Peel ginger, halve it lengthwise, cut into chunks, then smash each piece with the side of a knife.

Put the star anise, cinnamon and cloves in the Instant Pot. Using the sauté function, toast for several minutes, stirring frequently, until fragrant. Add the onion and ginger. Stir and cook for a minute or two. A little browning is O.K. Add 8 cups water.

Add the bones, beef, apple and salt. Lock the lid. Set timer for 30 minutes. After cooking, allow pressure to decrease naturally, about 15 to 20 minutes. When that is done, finish venting and carefully remove lid.

Strain the broth into a pot through a mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth or muslin. Discard the remaining solids. (At this point, the broth and beef can be cooled and refrigerated for up to 3 days.) Skim all but about 3 tablespoons of fat from the broth.

Add fish sauce and more salt, if needed. Add a few pinches of sugar and more fish sauce so the broth has a rounded, intense finish that is slightly salty and slightly sweet.

Freeze the raw beef, if using, for 15 to 20 minutes, then slice very thinly across the grain. Cut cooked beef across the grain into very thin slices. Set aside.

Cover the dried noodles in hot tap water and soak for 15 to 20 minutes, or until pliable and opaque. Drain, then rinse to remove starch.

Thinly slice the small onion and soak in water 10 minutes. Slice green onions into thin rings and set aside with chopped cilantro. Arrange any optional add-ins on a plate.

Bring the broth to a simmer over medium heat. At the same time, fill a pot with water and bring to a rolling boil. Dunk the noodles into the boiling water, using a noodle strainer or a mesh sieve, for about 15 to 20 seconds. Remove from water and divide noodles among 4 bowls.

Top each bowl of noodles with cooked and raw beef, arranging the slices flat. Place a mound of onion in the center, then shower with green onion and cilantro. Finish with a sprinkle of black pepper. Give the boiling broth a final taste for seasoning. Ladle about 2 cups broth into each bowl, distributing the hot liquid evenly to warm all the ingredients.

Original recipe from the NY Times

lamb shoulder braise two-ways

Lamb shoulder is a tough cut – and it keeps showing up in my farm share. Fortunately a low and slow cook does wonders.

Red Wine Braised Lamb

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 pounds lamb shoulder chops, or more to taste
salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 small yellow onion, sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
half a bag of baby carrots
2 medium potatoes
2 sprigs of oregano
1.5 cups beef broth
1.5 cups red wine
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Heat olive oil in a dutch over over medium-high heat. Salt and pepper lamb chops. Sear lamb in hot oil until browned, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Remove chops to a plate to drain, reserving drippings in the skillet.

Saute onion and garlic in reserved drippings until tender, about 4 minutes. Add carrots and potatoes and saute another few minutes.

Add lamb chops and drippings to the dutch oven. Add oregano sprigs on top of lamb. Pour beef broth and red wine over the lamb. Cover dish.

Bake for 3 hours.

Remove lamb to a serving platter.

Did not have enough liquid the first time to do this part: Carefully drain liquid from baking dish into a saucepan and place over medium heat. Beat cornstarch and water together in a bowl using a whisk to assure no lumps remain; stir into the liquid in the saucepan. Add Worcestershire sauce and cook until the liquid thickens into a gravy, about 5 minutes.

Adapted from AllRecipes.com

Saba Braised Lamb

4 lamb shanks
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 large onion, sliced
6 cloves garlic, crushed
1 cup chicken broth
1/3 cup saba
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Place lamb shanks into a large bowl; drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, cinnamon, and rosemary. Toss the lamb shanks to spread oil and seasonings over the meat.

Spread onion slices and garlic cloves into the bottom of a heavy 9x12-inch baking dish. Lay lamb shanks over onions and garlic.

Bake lamb in preheated oven for 30 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 200 degrees.

Combine chicken broth and saba in a bowl. Pour mixture over the lamb shanks. Cover baking dish tightly with foil and place baking dish on a baking sheet.

Bake lamb in the oven until a knife pierces the meat easily, 2 1/2 to 3 hours. The meat will be tender but not falling off the bone. Use tongs to turn the shanks over in the pan sauce. Increase temperature to 350 degrees.

Return shanks to oven and bake, uncovered, until meat is fork-tender and the sauce has thickened slightly, 10 to 15 minutes. Turn shanks over in the sauce after 10 minutes and check for tenderness; if still not tender enough, return to oven for 10 to 15 more minutes and test again.

Transfer lamb shanks to a bowl and keep warm. Strain pan juices into a saucepan and place over medium heat. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring often, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Skim any excess grease from top of sauce. Taste and season with salt; stir in fresh rosemary. Serve sauce drizzled over lamb shanks.

From AllRecipes.com

ez coconut "ice cream"

Dairy free and delicious. There are a bunch of ways to make this depending on what you're in the mood for: chunky, smooth, or different types of herbs.

1/2 can of full fat coconut milk
1 cup of chopped fruit
a handful of fresh herbs
1 spoonful of sugar

Strawberry & Mint (or Basil)

For chunky:
Slice 1 container of strawberries. Slice mint leaves. Stir both, along with the sugar, in a bowl with the coconut milk.

For smooth:
Cut up 1 container of strawberries. Toss strawberries with mint leaves into single serving blender, along with the sugar and coconut milk. Blend until smooth.

Mango
For smooth:
Cut up 2 mangoes. Toss with coconut milk into single serving blender. Blend until smooth.

bun bowl

The most delicious accident came together from pieces of other recipes and it tasted exactly like a Vietnamese rice bowl. So great!

1 skirt steak
1 cucumber
1 package of bean thread noodles or rice noodles
a handful of peanuts
soy sauce
lime juice
sesame oil
chili garlic sauce
rice vinegar

Make marinade for steak: combine soy sauce, sesame oil and half a teaspoon of chili garlic sauce and add steak. Let steak rest in the marinade for 15-20 minutes.

Slice cucumber thinly, put into bowl. Pour a couple of tablespoons of rice vinegar and lime juice over the cucumber slices and mix to combine. Let rest for 15 minutes.

Boil water and then soak noodles for 20 minutes.

Cook steak: heat oven to 500 degrees with cast iron pan in the oven. Cook steak in cast iron on stove top on high heat 2 minutes per side. Lower temperature in oven to 400. Place cast iron pan in the oven for 2 minutes. Once cooked let steak rest for 10 minutes.

With a mortar and pestle smash peanuts. Add a half tablespoon of chili garlic sauce to the peanuts along with a 1-2 tablespoons of lime and smash further until well combined.

Rinse noodles and cut into smaller pieces and add to bowl. Slice steak and add to bowl. Cut cucumber slices into smaller bites and add to bowl. Top with peanut sauce. Stir to combine.