Cheddar and Chive Buttermilk Biscuits make fantastic breakfast sandwiches

 

 

With the weekend on the horizon, here's a timely recipe variation that provides the basis for fantastic breakfast sandwiches for your weekend brunch. Many recipes for cheese biscuits call for grated cheese but I find the strands of cheese can toughen the tender biscuit dough. Instead I dice the cheese into very small cubes which do not interfere with the tender biscuit, instead melting in little pockets within the biscuit to provide a more cheesy punch.

I had some leftover thinly sliced Mustard and Demerara Glazed Ham from a dinner earlier in the week, that I lightly fried to add to these sandwiches but bacon, sausage, or back bacon are also excellent. My scrambled egg for this sandwich is pretty standard but for extra richness I love to add 1 tsp sour cream per egg whisked into the egg mixture. I also sometimes add a little crushed chili sauce to the eggs for a spicy kick and sometimes a little finely minced garlic for extra flavor. Roasted red peppers are also one of my preferred additions to a good breakfast sandwich.

Makes about 10 three inch biscuits

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

In a food processor, blend together

4 cups all purpose flour

9 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

Pulse in

1/4 cup + 1 tbsp very cold vegetable shortening, cut in small cubes (I store mine in the freezer)

1/4 cup + 1 tbsp very cold salted butter, cut in small cubes

Do not over incorporate the shortening and butter into the flour. Similar to making a flaky pastry, small pieces of butter should be visible in the flour. 

Transfer this mixture from the food processor into a large mixing bowl and make a well in the center. Toss in:

 

1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, diced small

1/4 tbsp chopped fresh chives

Pour in

2 cups buttermilk

Working very quickly with a wooden spoon, fold the dry mixture through the buttermilk, only until the flour disappears, then stop immediately. Drop the sticky dough onto a well floured counter top or bread board. Sprinkle the top of the dough with additional flour as well as flouring your hands to handle the dough. I don't even use a rolling pin for these biscuits, the dough is soft enough to pat it out gently with floured hands to a thickness of about 1 & 1/2 inches. Using a sharp 3 inch or larger biscuit cutter cut the biscuits out an place them, almost touching, on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Alternately, you can cut the dough into three or for inch squares with a sharp knife. I recommend aluminum baking sheets because they tolerate the higher oven temperature without burning the bottom of the biscuits.

Bake in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes or until the tops of the biscuits are evenly golden brown.

Easy Strawberry Shortbread Crumble or Crumble Bars

 

This very simple recipe does double duty. It is a great simple crumble recipe that makes a terrific dessert on its own or with a scoop of good quality vanilla ice cream plus any leftovers can be served cold, cut onto bar cookies for the kid's lunchboxes. I can't guarantee the leftovers though, so to be safe, make two batches! ;)

 

Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking pan and line with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

In a food processor mix together

 

2 cups flour

3/4 cup sugar

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

Pulse in until crumbly:

1 cup cold butter cut in cubes

2 tsp vanilla extract or the seeds of one vanilla pod

If you don't have a food processor you can simply rub the butter through the dry ingredients with your hands, this is a pretty simple, fail-safe recipe.

 

Press half of the crumb mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan, then spread on

2 1/2 cups strawberry jam

 

Use homemade or a good quality, whole fruit jam and not a pectin based, jelly type jam

Press the remaining crumb mixture together in your hands and break off small pieces, scattering them evenly over the jam layer. Bake for 30 -40 minutes or until light golden brown on top. Serve warm or chill and cut in bars.

Lemon Cucumber Couscous Salad

 

Here's a good basic recipe for a tasty vegetarian lunch or delicious side dish. We often add to this recipe to create different versions by adding such ingredients as crumbled feta cheese, minced chili peppers, olives, toasted almonds, raisins, bell peppers, dried cranberries or using orange instead of lemon; your imagination will yield plenty of possibilities. We found this colored couscous which added even more visual pop to this colorful salad.

 

Toss together:

 

3 cups cooked couscous

Finely grated zest of one large or two small lemons

Juice of one large or two small lemons

3/4 cup chopped cucumber

1/2 cup finely diced red onion

1 clove minced onion

salt and pepper to season

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

When well combined, chill for at least an hour before serving.

Chicken Fried Cod Nuggets

 

 I had some leftover cod scraps from making that delicious Stuffed Cod a la Empire  so I decided to throw them into a quick recipe for lunch today. Since I had some leftover flour and spice from making chicken fried  steak the other night, I decided to make use of this as well to make these delicious light and crispy cod nuggets. I also had a couple of egg yolks leftover from making an egg white omelet so I also had the beginnings of a small batch of Lime Chive Mayo as a tarter sauce alternative. All these leftover bits and pieces ended up being quite a delicious and satisfying lunch, so much so that our next fish and chips night might just include Chicken Fried Cod.

 

1 1/2 -2 pounds cod fillets cut in 2 inch square-ish pieces. Lightly season the fish pieces with kosher salt.

 

Mix together:
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons freshly grated nutmeg
1 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tsp salt
2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp dry ground thyme
1 tbsp dry ground oregano

Dip the cod pieces into an egg wash made from
2 eggs
4 tbsp milk

Dredge the egg washed cod pieces in the flour mixture, then back in the egg wash and finally back into the flour mix.

Drop them in a canola oil filled and preheated 350 degree F deep fryer for about 4-6 minutes until a medium golden brown. Drain on a wire rack placed on a cookie sheet. Hold in a 175 degree oven if making more than one batch. Serve with Lime Chive Mayo.

 

Lime Chive Mayo

In a blender or food processor combine until thick and pale in color
2 large or extra large egg yolks
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
A pinch cayenne pepper
Zest of 1 lime finely chopped

Add oil alternately with lime juice in three parts, adding the oil very slowly in a thin stream.
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
Juice of one lime.
This will produce a thick mayonnaise. Fold in two tablespoons chopped chives.

Stuffed Cod a la Empire, to celebrate Rock Recipes 4th Anniversary

 

A couple of key Newfoundland ingredients take center stage today as I celebrate the fourth anniversary of Rock Recipes. On September 25, 2007 I posted the first recipe to this blog, an eye tempting Blueberry Mousse Cake which was a real foreshadowing of the hundreds of indulgent desserts that have appeared here since. On that day I was mighty pleased because the site got 169 page views and with the encouragement of friends and family I was on my way. The site now regularly get 2000-4000 page views a day, has almost 1.3 million total views, has been read in 200 countries and has posted over 650 recipes and photos. 

 

People continue to discover my little corner of the web, as readership continues to grow month after month and I hear from transplanted Newfoundlanders all over the world who have encouraged me from the beginning. A big thanks to all who have supported my blog over the years and I hope I have a few more recipes left in me yet. Stay tuned.

Getting back to today's recipe, the two key ingredients I mentioned earlier are fresh Newfoundland North Atlantic cod, the best in the world, and THE favorite Newfoundland grown herb, summer savoury, which has been the essential element in poultry stuffing in every kitchen in the province for decades. I normally don't fuss with fish; pan fried cod or fish and chips is just fine with me but I do on occasion enjoy stuffed cod with traditional Newfoundland Savoury Stuffing, so I've taken that simple dish as inspiration for this delicious meal. The prosciutto wrapped around the outside keeps the fish incredibly moist and the quickly cooked, garlicky tomato compote adds a sweet, slightly spicy finish to this terrific dish. Because all of the prep work can be done in advance and the fish popped into a hot oven at the last minute, it is an ideal dinner party dish and one that will, no doubt, be served up repeatedly at my table.

Oh, in case your wondering about the name of the dish, it comes from Empire Avenue, the street I live on here in St. John's. I figure an anniversary is a good occasion to indulge in a little tongue-in-cheek pretentious nomenclature. ;)

Serves 6

2 lbs fresh cod fillets

8-10 ounces of very thinly sliced prosciutto, this should be the deli sliced almost paper thin prociutto

 

Tail sections of cod are best because they are thinner, making them easier to roll up and the triangular sections can be placed beside each other in opposite directions to form a rectangle. If the cod fillet is quite thick, simply slice it in half horizontally to create two thinner pieces. Prepare six fish portions in roughly 5x7 sized rectangles.Overlap slightly if using two pieces of fish to prepare the portion.

 

Squeeze handfuls of the stuffing into sausage shaped portions the width of the fish fillet and place at one end, roll the fillet rectangle all the way around the stuffing. Lay out slices of the prosciutto again in about a 5x7 rectangle and place the prepared cod and stuffing  at one end. Roll the prosciutto tightly around the cod and place in a lightly oiled shallow glass baking dish. Do not crowd the portions in the baking dish; allow at least an inch or two between the portions for good air circulation in the oven. If cooking all six portions at once use two 9 x13  or similar size glass baking dishes. Crowding the portions in the pan will not allow the prosciutto  to seal the portions properly and the cod will dry out.

Preheat oven top 400 degrees F and bake the portions for 25 minutes. Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes before serving with warm tomato compote.

Savoury Almond Stuffing

2 cloves minced garlic

1/2 small red onion diced small

3 tbsp olive oil

 

Saute the garlic and onion in the olive oil until softened but not browned. Remove from heat and toss together with:

3 cups whole wheat bread cut in 1/2 inch dice 

2 tbsp chopped chives

1/2 tsp cracked black pepper

3 tbsp dried savoury

1/4 cup melted butter

1 to 2 ounces warm water

1/2 cup chopped toasted almonds

Quick Tomato Compote

4 cloves minced garlic
6 tbsp olive oil
8 large ripe tomatoes diced
2 tbsp brown sugar
6 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp crushed chili sauce or chili flakes
salt and pepper to season

Saute the garlic in the oil over medium heat for just a minute before adding the tomatoes, brown sugar, chili sauce, salt, pepper. Continue to cook until the tomatoes soften and the compote reduces to a jam-like consistency. Add the balsamic vinegar in the final minute or two of cooking before serving.

Perfect Popovers...for Breakfast! With Peach Five Spice Vanilla Jam

 

The perfect popover is not as difficult to achieve as many think and I believe the absence of advice on good technique in many recipes out there is the reason why this simple recipe fails so often for so many; after all there are very few ingredients which are simply whisked together and baked, so what's the problem, right? Well I'd say careful measuring and careful preparation to create optimal conditions for the popovers to rise is the key.

I don't yet own a set of popover pans which allow great circulation around the individual cups and undoubtedly add to the lightness of the popovers. I have been on the lookout for a set but in the meantime I still get excellent results from my very generic set of muffin pans. One of the absolutely vital steps in the preparation of great popovers is preheating the pan in a very hot oven. This will give the popovers a great head start in rising, as they don't have to wait for the pan to warm up in the oven. Do not pre-grease the pans with oil or butter when preheating them or you will quickly have a very smokey kitchen. Instead, I use melted butter which I pour into the bottoms of the muffin tins when they are hot and then very quickly brush it up the sides of the cups before pouring in the prepared batter. Using this method and making sure your pans are very clean before starting ensures that the popovers will pop straight out of the pan without sticking too...works for me every time.

It is also extremely important that the batter for the popovers be at room temperature or even slightly warmer. I use lukewarm milk in my preparation and make very sure that my eggs are at room temperature. I sometimes even place the eggs in lukewarm water for 10 minutes to give them just a little extra temperature boost. A final tip for the batter is about careful measuring. A proper popover batter should have 2 parts flour and milk to one part egg volume. That is why I ALWAYS measure my eggs. 3 extra large eggs typically produce about 175 ml in volume but using different sized eggs will obviously yield different amounts. I've found that 175 ml of  beaten egg with 350 ml each of sifted flour and milk produces the perfect amount of batter for 12 muffin tin sized popovers.

The popover recipe is the same whether you are serving them with your favorite roast beef dinner or, as we love to do at our house, serve them at  weekend brunch with some great seasonal fruit jam. This week it was a terrific warm peach compote using amazing Ontario peaches with the added flavors of Chinese five spice powder and fragrant, exotic vanilla (Watch out Georgia, Ontario peaches take a back seat to no other!) This combination of tender, crispy popovers and sweet intense spiced peaches was utterly amazingly delicious and will have you craving more by next weekends brunch...if you last that long.

Perfect Popovers

175 ml beaten egg, at room temperature

350 ml sifted all purpose flour

350 ml milk, at room temperature

1/2 tsp salt

1/3 cup melted butter

Preheat a 12 piece muffin pan in a 450 degree F oven

Whisk together the eggs and milk. Sift together the flour and salt and make a well in the center. Pour the egg and milk mixture into the well and whisk together just until the liquid is incorporated. Small lumps are not a problem. Let the batter stand for 10 minutes. I like to make this batter in a bowl with a spout to make it easier and faster to pour into the prepared muffin pans but if you don't have one I recommend transferring the batter to a large measuring cup.

Working as quickly as you can so that the pan does not cool down, pour the butter into the hot muffin tins to cover the bottom. Using a pastry brush, give it a quick brush up the sides of the muffin cups. Then quickly pour the batter evenly into the muffin pans. A ring of melted butter floating on the batter is normal and necessary at this point.

Quickly return the pan to the hot oven and bake for 15 minutes at 450 degrees F before reducing the heat to 375 degrees F and baking for an additional 15-20 minutes. The popovers should be a deep golden brown. It is VERY, VERY important not to open the oven door at any point in the baking time or you risk your popovers falling. Remove from oven and let rest for only a couple of minutes before removing them from the pan. and serving.

Peach Five Spice Vanilla Compote

 

makes about 2 cups

6 large peaches peeled and diced small

1/3 cup sugar

2 tsp vanilla extract, or the inside of one small vanilla pod

1/2 tsp Chinese five spice powder

Toss all together in a medium saucepan and quickly simmer stirring every few minutes until it reaches a thickened jam consistency. Serve warm with fresh popovers. 

Fried Chicken Club Panini

I was chatting online the other day with a blogging buddy from down south about my plans for some leftover Demerara Sugar and Mustard Glazed Ham. Barbara Giacometti is a budding blogger and native New Yorker who has been transplanted to Tupelo, Mississippi where she keeps alive the family tradition of the great Italian American Sunday dinner. Thankfully for the rest of us, she shares the experience and amazing authentic recipes with the rest of us in her new blog Sunday At the Giacometti's. 

Having heard from hundreds of transplanted Newfoundlanders from all across the country and around the world over the years since I started this blog, Barb's story resonated with me as being much the same as all those native Newfoundlanders out there making Fish 'n Brewis or Jiggs Dinner from Saskatoon to South Africa. Her story, like ours, demonstrates the deep connection between memory, family and food that makes cooking great meals so worth the effort.


While discussing that leftover ham, Barb told me that in the south they make great club sandwiches with baked ham and fried chicken and suggested I should make one of my tasty paninis using that idea as inspiration. Well thanks for the suggestion, Barb and here it is; thin sliced baked ham, crispy fried chicken breast, mozzarella cheese, vine ripened tomatoes and  a tangy homemade apple cider mayo in a panini made with my favorite panini bread, the fabulous Belgian Loaf from Georgestown Bakery. This was one terrific lunch which I served with some fennel and apple slaw.

Fried Chicken Breasts 

4 medium sized boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded out to an even thickness


Mix together

1 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons freshly grated nutmeg
½ tsp cayenne pepper
2 tsp salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp dry oregano
1 tbsp dry basil

Dip the chicken breasts into an egg wash made from
2 eggs
4 tbsp milk

Dredge the egg washed breasts in the flour mixture then back into the egg wash and finally into the flour for a second and drop them in a canola oil filled and preheated 325 degree F deep fryer for about 12-15 minutes depending upon the size of the breasts until a medium golden brown. Drain on a wire rack placed on a cookie sheet.

 

To make the paninis you will need:

Sliced Belgian, French or Italian bread

Thinly sliced baked ham

Apple Cider Mayo (recipe below)

Fried Chicken Breasts

Sliced tomatoes

Mozzarella Cheese sliced

Butter

Spread butter on two slices of bread, than flip them over so that the butter is on the outside of the sandwich. Spread Apple Cider Mayo on both pieces of bread. Place a chicken breast on one slice of bread then top with sliced ham, mozzarella and tomatoes in that order. Top with the second slice of bread place the entire sandwich on a preheated panini press for about 4 minutes until the bread is golden brown and the cheese has melted. Serve with Apple Fennel Coleslaw.

Apple Fennel Coleslaw

1 large head fennel
2 large firm apples
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

Cut fennel and apples into very thin slices and julienne cut. Add the chopped chives

Apple Cider Mayo

2 large egg yolks
1 tablespoon sugar
4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
½ tsp black pepper
½ tsp salt
½ to ¾ cup canola oil

In a blender mix together the egg yolks, salt, pepper and sugar. Slowly add a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar. With the blender on, begin to add the oil in a slow continuous stream, alternately adding a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar, finishing with the oil. Add enough oil to get the mayonnaise to the desired thick consistency.

Toss the fennel and apple juliennes with the mayo and serve. (Note: Adjust the amount of mayo in the coleslaw to your own taste. You may not need to use all that you make.) 

Fudgee-o Stuffed Peanut Butter Cookies

As regular readers will know, my daughter Olivia is a prolific cookie baker and one of the loves we share is a good peanut butter cookie. Being the only two in the house who actually like peanut butter, we don't make them that often but when she set out to make a batch the other day we took the opportunity to try this indulgent idea that we have had for a while based upon another stuffed cookie we recently saw. Chocolate and peanut butter is a no brainer and while we buy very few packaged cookies in this house, generally if they are on sale, Spouse sometimes does buy Fudgee-o's, a favorite of mine from childhood. I was advised that the double stuffed version of cream sandwich cookies is best for making stuffed cookies, so I took that advice. They may work just as well with the regular version of the cookie and if Fudgee-o brand is not available in your area, I'm sure your favorite chocolate cream sandwich brand will be just as good.

Get a tall glass of cold milk and indulge the kid in you.

Makes about a dozen.

Peanut Butter Cookie Dough

Cram together:

½ cup butter
½ cup peanut butter
½ cup white sugar
½ cup brown sugar

Add

1 egg
1 tsp vanilla

Sift together:

1 ¼ cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt

Add to creamed mixture and fold until dough forms. Chill the dough for about an hour.

Roll the dough into 1 inch balls and flatten the balls into circles just a little larger than the sandwich cookies you are using to stuff the cookies. Sandwich the Fudgee-o cookie between two of the dough circles and pinch the edges together to seal. Place the cookies two inches apart on a parchment or silicone pad lined baking sheet.
Bake for about 15 minutes until golden brown at the edges at 350 degrees F. Do not over bake or cookies will be brittle.

Ultimate Strawberry Cream Cake

I couldn't decide whether to just use fresh sliced strawberries for this cake or turn them into a quickly stewed strawberry sauce to fill the layers. Since there were two, one pound packages of fresh strawberries in the fridge, I decided not to decide and used both. The sponge cake used is a shortcut version that soaks up the strawberry juice and sauce nicely, making for a very moist delicious cake. This cake is like a good strawberry trifle that can be cut in slices. Definitely one of the best strawberry desserts I've ever tried and actually does taste as good as it looks.

1 lb fresh strawberries, washed, hulled and sliced

Strawberry Sauce


1 lb fresh strawberries, washed, hulled and sliced
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
pinch salt

Bring to the boil slowly over low heat and simmer slowly for just a few minutes.


Mix together

3 tbsp corn starch
1/4 cup water

Stir into the simmering strawberries stirring constantly. Allow to simmer for an additional minute. Remove from heat and cool completely.

Vanilla Whipped Cream

2 cups whipping cream
4 tbsp icing sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract



Beat in an electric mixer until firm peaks form.

Shortcut Sponge Cake

Grease and flour two eight inch cake pans. Line the bottoms with parchment paper if you like.

In the bowl of an electric mixer with the whisk attachment in place add

6 eggs
1 cup sugar
3 tsp vanilla extract

Beat at high speed until the mixture is very light and foamy and at least tripled in volume.

Remove the bowl from the mixture and very gently fold in, a little at a time

1 cup flour


Sprinkle the flour over the surface of the batter a little a t a time and gently fold in with a rubber spatula.

Pour into the prepared pans and bake at 350 degrees for 25- 30 minutes or until the cake springs back at the center and a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cool completely on a wire rack before splitting each layer with a serrated bread knife to create 4 layers in total. Place the first layer on the cake plate and top with half the vanilla whipped cream and sliced berries. add the next layer of cake and then half the strawberry sauce. Continue by adding the next layer of cake, whipped cream and fresh strawberries. Add the final layer of cake and top with the remaining half of the strawberry sauce. Garnish with additional whipped cream and fresh strawberries if desired. Chill for a couple of hours before serving.

The Best Beef Samosas

Number one son is very fond of samosas. He gets them almost every Saturday morning from a stall at the St. John's Farmers Market. Not a typical breakfast but he sure does enjoy them. I hadn't made them at home in a long time so the kid and I decided to spend a weekend afternoon making our version of what we think are the best beef samosas we've tried.

We don't like really thick pastry on our samosas and take the time to roll out the dough quite thinly so that it crisps up nicely when fried. We do like potato in our beef samosas but we don't like it mashed as is found in so many recipes. instead we like to dice the potato small, pre-boil the little cubes and gently toss them through the seasoned beef filing. 

Getting the spicing right is crucial so that it is fragrant and flavorful but not overly hot. We think this particular mix gets it just right. We also have had pretty good sucess with freezing these samosas and then reheating them in the oven later.

Makes 32 samosas

Samosa Dough

3 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
4 tbsp vegetable oil
2/3 cup water at room temperature

Mix together well until a soft dough forms which leaves the sides of the bowl. You may have to add a little more flour. knead the dough for a few minutes on a well floured surface before covering it in a bowl and letting it rest for 20-30 minutes. Knead the dough for another couple of minutes. Divide into 16 equal portions and roll the portions into small balls.

Let the balls rest for another few minutes, then roll them out into about  6 or 7 inch circles using plenty of flour on your board. Cut each circle in half with a pizza cutter or sharp knife. Brush the edges of the semi-circles with an eggwash made from whisking together 1 egg and 2 tbsp water. Spoon a heaping tablespoon of the beef filling onto the center of the half circle. Overlap the curved sides of the pastry over the filling, pinching together the bottom point of the dough to make sure that it is sealed. Finally, fold the straight edge of the dough down to form the last side of the triangle. Dust the uncooked samosa in flour and place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet while you complete the rest of the batch.

Fry the samosas in vegetable oil at 325 degrees F for a few minutes until evenly golden brown.

Beef Filling

3 medium sized yellow potatoes, peeled


Dice the potatoes small in about a 1/4 inch dice and boil in salted water for only a few minutes until the pieces are fork tender. Be careful not to overcook the potato, the cubes should still stay together and not fall apart and be mushy.Drain and set aside to cool while you prepare the rest of the filling.

4 tbsp vegetable oil
2 large red onions, diced small
4 cloves minced garlic

Cook together in a large skillet over medium low heat until the onions are completley softened and translucent. Increase the heat to medium high and add

2 lbs extra lean ground beef
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Break the beef up into as small pieces as possible while cooking and cook quickly tossing constantly so that the beef does not loose all its moisture. Remove from heat and toss in the cooked potatoes along with:

2 tsp garam masala
2 tsp yellow curry powder
1 tsp red chili powder ( less for less heat)
1 tsp Chinese five spice powder
1 tsp ground cardamom
1 tsp ground fenugreek leaves (methi)

Allow the filling to cool before stuffing the samosas.

Easy Cherry Peach Turnovers

Here's another cleaning out the fridge recipe where I combined "not enough of anything" into something delicious. I had thawed a package of frozen puff pastry the day before for another recipe but plans for dinner changed and I was left having to use it for something else. Turnovers were my first thought but again not wanting to go to the store, not enough of a single fruit in the fridge was enough to make the 8 turnovers the pastry would provide. There were only a couple of small peaches and about a cup of cherries left but combined, they added up to sufficient fruit to make a great flavor combination for the filling. Next time I will make these intentionally because we all really enjoyed this particular fruit combination.

2 peaches, peeled and thickly sliced
1 cup fresh cherries, pitted
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp corn starch
1/4 tsp cinnamon

Toss all of the above ingredients until well combined.

1 egg + 1 tbsp water whisked together for eggwash

Cut puff pastry into 8 equal squares

Place puff pastry squares on a parchment lined baking sheet.

Divide the filling equally among the 8 pastry squares placing it on one side of the dough. 

Brush the edges of the pastry with the eggwash. Fold the corners of the pastry together to form triangles, gently pressing the edges together to seal.

Place pastries in the fridge for 20 minutes before popping the cookie sheet into a preheated 400 degree F oven for about 15 minutes or until the pastry is an even golden brown all over. Cool for at least 20 minutes and serve warm with a drizzle of vanilla glaze.

Vanilla Glaze

1/2 cup icing sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
few drops milk

Whisk together until smooth and thickened but still able to be poured. Add only enough milk to get the glaze to a proper consistency.

Sun-dried Tomato Almond Pesto Linguine

This recipe was the result of me being home alone, hungry, with no car to go to the store so I had to make do with what was on hand. It is rare that there are not fresh or canned tomatoes on hand at my house but on this occasion a few grape tomatoes rattling around in a near empty container did not hold the promise of the quick puttanesca sauce that I normally throw together for a quick meal for one.

Digging thorough the cupboard, I did however come across a beautiful big bottle of  sun-dried tomatoes packed in  herb infused olive oil. On top of the tomatoes, I spied a small jar of whole unroasted almonds when the inspiration hit me to invent a tomato pesto recipe to toss with some fresh linguine. The resulting meal was on the table in no time and it was utterly delicious.


When the rest of the family came home earlier than expected and fought over the leftovers, with number one son declaring that he has a new favorite pasta dish. This recipe is great with some quickly sauteed garlic shrimp as shown or with grilled chicken, sauteed scallops or pork medallions. It also makes one heck of a vegetarian meal if you don't want to add a meat protein at all.


Sun-dried Tomato Almond Pesto

makes about 2/12 cups of pesto, enough to make pasta for 6 people

1/2 cup whole unroasted almonds

Toast the almonds for about 10 minutes in a 350 degree F oven, tossing them once during that time. Grind them in a food processor or blender until they are the consistency of a coarse cornmeal. Set aside.

To the food processor add:

2 cups oil packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained
2 cloves garlic
3/4 cup oil, use the oil that the tomatoes were packed in or extra virgin olive oil if you prefer
1 teaspoon crushed chili paste, more or less to taste
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
4- 6 tbsp fresh chopped chives
juice of half a lemon
1/2 cup fresh grated parmesan

Process all together until almost smooth. Quickly pulse in the ground toasted almonds. Toss with fresh cooked linguine and some halved grape tomatoes if desired. Baby spinach also makes a nice addition when tossing together the pesto and pasta.

Peaches and Cream Trifle

Here is another way to put that Roasted Honey & Peach Compote to delicious use in yet another decadent dessert idea. This time it teams up with some light sponge cake,creamy vanilla custard and a couple of other simple ingredients in a great version of trifle, a dessert I've loved since childhood and which I really enjoy experimenting with flavor combinations to create new recipes. This recipe is also great when made in small molds or serving dishes to create elegant individual servings.

Roasted Honey Peach Compote

3 pounds peaches peeled and chopped into large chunks

1/4 cup honey

1/4 tsp cinnamon

pinch salt

juice of 1/2 lemon

Toss all of the above together and spread in a single layer in a glass baking dish. Bake at 400 degrees F for about 30-40 minutes, tossing every 10-15 minutes. The cooking time will vary depending on the ripeness of the peaches. Just cook them until the liquid in the baking dish reduces and becomes syrupy. Cool completely.

Vanilla Custard 

3 cups whole milk
3egg yolks, beaten
3 tbsp flour
1/2  cup sugar (or a little less to taste)
Pinch salt
1 1/2 tbsp vanilla extract

Begin by scalding the milk in the microwave or on top of the stove. In a separate large pot, combine the flour, sugar and salt. Slowly add the scalded milk whisking as you add. Cook the mixture over medium heat for about 7 minutes until it begins to slightly thicken. Add about a ½ cup of the custard to the beaten egg yolks, whisk together well and add back to the pot. Cook for another two to three minutes stirring constantly. Remove from heat, add vanilla extract and cool completely.

Vanilla Whipped Cream

2 cups whipping cream
4 tablespoons icing sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract

Whip together until soft peaks form.

Sponge Cake

Cut one sponge cake into 1-2 inch cubes. Find my recipe for The Best Sponge Cake here.

Place a layer of half of the cake cubes in the bottom of the trifle dish. Sprinkle with  

2-3 ounces of peach brandy (if you would rather not use alcohol peach or mango juice make good substitutes)

Spread half of the peach compote over the cake.

Pour half of the Vanilla Custard over the soaked cake cubes and peaches.

Repeat the layers with the additional cake, brandy, peaches and custard. Finally top with the vanilla whipped cram and garnish with peach compote. Chill for several hours before serving.

Steak Tomato and Smoked Paprika Soup

Here's another tasty recipe for leftover grilled steak. Spouse is a great fan of a good soup so sometimes I even grill an extra steak to make a small pot of this delicious soup for lunch the next day.

Always cook the steak to rare for this soup, even if you don't prefer rare steak. The steak gets added in thin slices just before serving so that the piping hot broth continues the cooking process while still keeping the beef quite tender.

Serves 4 - 6

2  striploin steaks,1 & 1/2 inches thick, well trimmed. Leftover rare steak is also great to use for this recipe.
salt and pepper to season

Sear the steak for 3-4 minutes on each side. Let the steaks rest for at least 10 minutes. Cut accross the grain in very thin slices. Set aside.

Toss together:
3 large carrots, cut in coins or sticks
3 large tomatoes cut in chunks
2 cloves minced garlic
1/2 small red onion, finely chopped
3 tbsp oilive oil
salt and pepper to season

Roast in a shallow baking dish for about 40 minutes at 350 degrees F. Transfer to a 3-4 quart saucepan and add:



6 cups good beef stock
1 tsp dried ground thyme
1/4 cup barley
salt and pepper to season
1/4 of a whole nutmeg grated
1 cloves minced garlic
2 tbsp smoked paprika

Simmer stock, thyme, nutmeg, salt, pepper, garlic, smoked paprika and barley together over medium low heat for about 30 minutes or until the barley is fully cooked and the vegetables are fork tender. Stir occasionally to make sure the barley does not stick to the bottom of the pot. 
Add several slices of the steak to the bottom of each individual serving bowl, ladel the hot soup over the meat and serve with a garnish of chopped green onion.

Lemon Strawberry Pavlova

This is my favorite version of the classic dessert, Pavlova.This elegant and delicious dessert can be made with just a few simple ingredients, mainly eggs, sugar, a lemon, some cream and fresh strawberries. The  crispy crust of the pavlova melts on the tongue and gives way to the soft marshmallow filling. The fresh lemon curd is a tasty contrast to the sweet meringue which is topped with luscious vanilla whipped cream and the bright flavor of fresh strawberries; all combining for a delicious symphony of taste and texture.

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.

4 large egg whites, at room temperature
1 cup fine granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract

Whip the egg whites and vanilla to soft peaks and gradually add the sugar slowly, whipping until the sugar is completely dissolved. Pinch the meringue between your fingertips to feel that all of the sugar granules have completely dissolved. Sprinkle the meringue with

4 tsp corn starch
1 tsp white vinegar
zest of 1/2 lemon finely minced

Fold in lemon zest, corn starch and vinegar gently with a rubber spatula. This step helps a crisp crust to form on the meringue. Drop the meringue onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet and spread it out into a 9 inch circle  which is slightly indented to form a shallow bowl, leaving a one inch border.

Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until small cracks appear in the meringue. Turn off the oven, leave the door ajar and allow the pavlova to cool completely in the oven.

When completely cool, top the pavlova with lemon curd, vanilla whipped cream and  2- 3 cups of fresh quartered strawberries.

Lemon Curd

In a mall saucepan combine:

4 lightly beaten egg yolks

2/3 cup sugar

1/3 cup fresh lemon juice

zest of half a lemon, finely minced

1/3 cup butter cut into small pieces

Cook all ingredients except butter together slowly over medium low heat for about 10 minutes stirring constantly until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon. Remove from heat and stir in the butter a few pieces at a time until completely smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and chill completely in the fridge.

 

Vanilla Whipped Cream 

 

1 cup whipping cream

2 tbsp icing sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract 

 

Whip together until firm peaks form.