This is an updated version of classic French pots de crème. You won’t taste the chile, but it adds appealing depth to the flavor of the chocolate. Served with a big dollop of sweetened whipped cream, this dessert is a welcome indulgence.
Category Archives: Vegetarian & Vegan
Warm Black Bean Salsa
This dip is a perennial hit…and a perfect dish to serve at a Super Bowl get-together. I served it at a birthday party for my daughter a few years ago and guests practically licked the bowl. If you’re using sweet peppers rather than poblano and want a zestier result, add an extra jalapeño or chipotle pepper. This is delicious served with tortilla chips or a slice of warm gluten-free cornbread.
Mexican Tomatillo Salsa
Mexican tomatillo Salsa is a great accompaniment for grilled fish and meat, as well as for tortilla chips.
Romesco Sauce
This classic Catalan sauce is often thickened with fried bread; here, I have used almonds, which are also traditional and make the recipe gluten-free. Romesco sauce is a wonderful finish for grilled fish and seafood (especially shrimp), poultry and meat (especially pork) and even vegetables. It is actually a slight variation on a sauce served in the province of Tarragona in Catalonia, where it stars in an annual celebration along with a local onion known as the calcot.
Ajvar
Ajar is a delicious Balkan red pepper and eggplant spread. It’s really simple to make, too. Vinka Vukicevic, my Pilates coach, introduced me to ajvar. She is from Bosnia and tells me that no house in the former Yugoslavia is ever without this tasty spread. She always looked forward to arriving home after school and enjoying it as a snack, spread on bread and sprinkled with crumbled feta cheese. Once I learned to make ajar, it quickly became a popular appetizer at my house – I spread goat cheese over toast triangles or crackers and top them with a good dollop of this instant, positively ambrosial treat.
Catalonian Grilled Vegetable Salad
Catalonian Grilled Vegetable Salad
2017-07-06 17:27:56
This salad is a specialty of Catalonia where it is known as escalivada, which means "to cook in ashes". That's why, for the most authentic smoky flavor, I recommend roasting the vegetables on a barbecue.
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Ingredients
- 1/4 cup (60 mL) olive oil
- 1 eggplant (about 1 1/2 lbs/750 g), sliced
- 2 red bell peppers
- 1 red onion, cut into 1/2-inch (1 cm) thick rounds
- 4 tomatoes, cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) thick rounds
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp (30 mL) finely chopped fresh parsley
- 1 red finger chile, cut in paper-thin slices
- Dressing
- 1 tbsp (30 mL) red wine vinegar
- 1 tsp (5 mL) red wine vinegar
- 1 tsp (5 mL) ground dried nora pepper or sweet paprika
- 1 tsp (5 mL) salt
- 1 clove garlic, pureed
- 1/4 cup(60 mL) extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- 1. Brush olive oil over eggplant, bell peppers, red onion and tomatoes. Place on preheated barbecue and cook, turning occasionally, until nicely charred. When bell peppers are done, place in a bowl and cover with a plate. Set aside to sweat. When cool, life off the skins, seed and cut into strips, reserving accumulated juices. When the onion is cool, cut the rounds into quarters.
- 2. Dressing: In a small bowl, combine vinegar, nora pepper and salt, stirring until salt is dissolved. Add garlic and reserved juices from roasted peppers. Whisk in oil.
- 3. Arrange vegetables on a platter.Drizzle dressing over top.
- 4. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Sprinkle with parsley and finger chile. Set aside at room temperature until ready to serve.
Notes
- The vegetables will be done at different times; watch closely and remove them as completed and set aside to cool.
- Nora is a type of pepper that is associated with Catalonia. It has a rich, sweet flavor. If you can't find, sweet paprika (preferably Spanish) works just fine.
- If you want to add a bit of smoky heat to this salad, add 1/8 tsp (0.05 mL) hot smoked paprika to the dressing.
Judith Finlayson https://judithfinlayson.com/
Parsnip Soup Shooters
How’s this for cold-weather hospitality? If you are entertaining on a chilly night, start the evening with a welcoming shooter of hot soup. I serve this parsnip soup in espresso or demi-tasse coffee cups before a glass of wine. It makes about 16 shooters.
Spinach and Tomato Dal
Dal can be pungent or very tame, and it plays a significant role in Indian cuisine. This mildly spiced version makes a delicious main course over hot cooked rice; it can also be served as a side dish.
Calabrese-Style Fried Potatoes with Peppers (Patate Fritte con Peperoni
If you are looking for the perfect partner to serve with plain-Jane grilled or roasted meat or fish, this Italian version of fried potatoes with peppers is deliciously different. You can use any combination of sweet or even mildly hot peppers (throw in a hot banana pepper for more spice), but I recommend varying the colors for a pretty presentation.
Middle Eastern Walnut Dip (Muhammara)
Depending upon the source you consult, this roasted red pepper and walnut dip is Armenian, Arabian, Turkish or Syrian in origin. In any case, it is healthful, delicious and a welcome addition to any mezes platter. I like to serve it with warm pita bread or cucumber slices. If you are not meat-averse, this dip can also be used as a sauce for kebabs.