Book 105: Jerusalem

by Yotam Ottolenghi & Sami Tamimi

I  originally went to the bookstore to purchase two books: Plenty from the same author as this book, and Eat Your Vegetables: Bold Recipes for the Single Cook by Joe Yonan. I love the Plenty cover, and I'm a sucker for a beautiful cover (this the reason I went to purchase Eat Your Vegetables: Bold Recipes for the Single cook - and I am not single.)

However, Plenty is an all vegetable cookbook, as is Eat Your Vegetables mentioned above - so I decided on Jerusalem. A very good call. And I've only made this one recipe so far. I am so looking forward to several other recipes from this book.

These were incredibly easy to make and delicious to boot! Each time I had the book open to this recipe or had a photo of the burgers on the screen, my husband would say "those were really good".

I definitely will be making these again.

We had these awesome "burgers" for dinner (they are quite small - only a couple inches in diameter - the instructions even refers to them as meatballs, though they are a flat in shape, not round), served with a simple green salad. These would also make for a delicious hor d'oeuvre to bring to a party. You could even make them ahead. My husband said they were still just as tasty the next day; and the book mentions you can have them as a snack from the fridge.

The burgers are served with a sour cream and sumac sauce. Sumac was the only ingredient that was not readily available at any of my local grocery stores. But after a quick internet search, I discovered a small Mediterranean deli and market one city over. I was ecstatic to say the least - bring on more of these delicious recipes!

Yes, these are good. You gotta make em.

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The makings of the sour cream and sumac sauce. 

The raw meat patties where quite delicate. I had to reform some of them as I picked them up to place them in the pan.

Out of the frying pan, and into the oven to finish cooking.

How delicious does this look?

WW: Hot Pepper Beef

Wok Wednesdays wokking through Stir-Frying to the Sky's Edge
by Grace Young 





美味!
(Chinese)

Herkullista!
(Finnish)


Lecker!
(German)

Delizioso!
(Italian)


Utsökt! 
(Swedish)   



No matter what the language, it translates to delicious! 
                                                                                                                                                                                                 (English)


(Translations taken from Google Translate)

Mise en place

Bowl 1: flank steak, garlic, soy sauce, cornstarch, rice wine, s&p, water, sesame oil

Bowl 2: red onion, ginger, red pepper flakes

Bowl 3: bell pepper, zucchini (I had a lonely zuke hangin' in the fridge that needed using up - tossed that in. The recipe calls for green bell pepper, though Grace herself will sometimes use a mixture of green and red. Me, I always switch out green bells for red - a personal preference.)

Bowl 4: salt

Bowl 5: ketchup, hoisin sauce, rice wine

You start out by searing the meat first. Then remove from the wok and set aside.

Toss the aromatics (onion, ginger, red pepper flakes) till fragrant, add the vegetable(s). Stir-fry for about ten seconds, then return the meat with their juices to the wok, along with the salt and ketchup mixture, and heat till the meat is just cooked through.

 

Serve, and be delighted!

This dish has amazing flavor.

One rule of the Wok Wednesdays group is we are asked not to post the recipes here on our blog. If you would like the recipe, you will find it on page 85 of Stir-Frying to the Sky's Edge, which you can purchase at your local bookstore or find it at your local library. I highly recommend purchasing the book - you won't be disappointed. 

 

Wok Wednesdays is an online cooking group. If you would like information about joining us, click here, or visit us on Facebook. Would love for you to wok along with us!

 

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The Cold Kitchen ~ Eating in the Raw

Fun, fun, fun!!!

There is a new cooking school/production kitchen in town called Back to the Table. My friend Dorothy and I decided to check it out and give it a try. We took the class called Raw. I'm sure you get the idea; nothing is cooked.

The menu consisted of the following:

Almond Milk
Cream of Zucchini Soup
Mediterranean Kale Salad
Zucchini Noodles Marinara
"Chocolate Mousse"

The good thing about a new business is the word is not out yet. We were fortunate enough to be the only two in the class this day. It was more of a one-on-one un-cooking session. There were a few minor kinks they need to work out, but we had a fabulous time and and are anxious to take another class.

Upon deciding on a class, I was thinking that this was a good choice, for I am interested in looking for meals I can prepare for our vegetarian daughter, and this was also a good choice for my friend whom is on a restricted diet.

Success meter (1-3): 3

Such a cute store!

The picture does not do it justice.

Here I am making almond milk ~ yummm!

Awesome kitchen!

Cream of Zucchini Soup

My dear friend Dorothy.

Isn't she just a cutie patootie!

Our wonderful instructor, Chef Erin!

She does not label herself as a vegetarian

or vegan, but a "choicetarian".

Kale salad ~ so good.

Dorothy calls it a "bowl of health"

Chef Erin demonstrating zucchini "noodles"

made with a very cool tool called a spirooli.

I want one, as well as a Blendtec.

This is what is leftover from

making the "noodles".

Raw marinara sauce.

An example of zucchini ribbons

made with the spirooli.

"Chocolate Mousse"

(made of dates, avocado, and cocoa)

A very cool whirl-a-ma-jig!

I want one of these too!

Out of respect of Chef Erin and Back to the Table cooking school, I am not posting the recipes. You'll need to sign up for the class yourself; and that's a good thing.

Thanks to my daughter Ashley and her boyfriend Jake for the great catch phrase!

Zucchini Tart with Lemon Thyme and Goat Cheese

from Fine Cooking magazine




                                                    Zucchini Tart with Lemon Thyme and Goat Cheese



So simple. So sinfully good.

Success meter (1-3): 3+++

Simple tart dough made from flour, butter, salt, vinegar and cold water.

Using a mandoline gives you uniform slices and insures your zucchini will cook evenly.

Salted and sweating out the moisture.

Laptops make great magazine holders!

A simple filling of goat cheese, thyme, salt & pepper.

The recipe calls for lemon thyme. I have English thyme growing in my yard and it tasted fabulous. The instructions say you can add lemon zest if you don't have lemon thyme. Personally I do not think it needs it for the goat cheese has a tartness of its own.

Zucchini drizzled with olive oil and a sprinkling of salt and pepper.

I halved the recipe. I rolled it thinner than 1/4 inch thick and came out with an 8-1/2 inch tart.

I omited the drizzle of olive oil at the end. I felt it already had plenty.

This post was edited 6/26/2013.