Risotto With Smoked Eggplant

One of my food flavours is smoke. I really dig the aroma and taste that a grill gives to food. One such instance of this flavour is contained in Melitzanosalata. It's a dip made of roasted eggplants, smashed into a puree with garlic, olive oil and herbs.

For me, Melitzanosalata has to roasted on a grill or even better, a pit of wood burning embers or charcoal. For me, the smoky, roasted eggplant makes or breaks the dish.

When I saw this recipe of a Risotto of Smoked Eggplant, I knew I had to make this. First of all, you know I love smoked food, second...I adore pasta and risottos and finally, the dish is the creation of a Kostis Voulgaridis, from the Porto Valitsa Hotel in Paliouri, Halkidiki.

My family has gone swims here for years. Here I am surveying Paliouri's beautiful beach.

This dish was exquisite. A mild smoky flavour from the roasted eggplant, the slight crunch of the diced zucchini and the velvety risotto and creamy cheese finishing off on the tongue. It actually took me about half an hour to finish this plate. It was that good!

Risotto With Smoked Eggplant
(for 2)

1/3 cup olive oil
1 small onion, diced
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 large eggplant, roasted
1 cup Arborio rice
2 to 2 1/2 cups of warm chicken or vegetable stock
1 bay leaf
1/3 cup dry white wine
1 cup diced zucchini
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh chives
salt and pepper to taste
Grated Romano or Parmesan Cheese

1. Pierce your eggplant in a few places with a fork around your eggplant. Place on your gas or charcoal grill and roast in (turning every 15 minutes) until it's entirely charred on the outside. Allow to cool before handling.
   
2. In a skillet, add your olive oil over medium heat an add your onions, garlic and bay leaf and simmer for 5-7 minutes to soften.
3. Add your rice and with a wooden spoon, keep stirring to coat and toast the rice with the oil for another couple of minutes.
4. Add your wine and reduce until almost all the liquid is gone.
5. Cut your eggplant open with a knife and carefully spoon out all the meat of the eggplant into the risotto and stir in (discard charred skin).
   
6. Now begin adding (one ladle at a time) your stock and continue stirring the rice until most of the stock has been absorbed by the rice. Repeat this step until your rice has become "al dente" or in another 20-25 minutes.
7. Add the diced zucchini, stir in and allow for it to cook through with the residual heat. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper and add your grated cheese and chives and stir in.
8. Serve immediately with a dry Greek white wine.

Thai Green Curry With Scallops & Shrimp

Can you believe it? It's almost April and the cold weather is finally fading away (Phew). With the end of March here, it means that I should submit my entry into the Royal Foodie Joust for this month.

Last month, Val of More Than Burnt Toast was voted by her peers to have presented the best dish. Val won the esteemed apron and the privilege of choosing the three ingredients for th ensuing Joust.

We were put to task to cook something up that used citrus, seafood and coconut. Hmmm, what can I do that's Greek and has coconut? NOTHING!

Again, the Joust forced me outside of my comfort zone and forced me to cook with ingredients new to me. I chose Thai food. Maybe it's a cop-out but I do enjoy Thai food and this competition would force me to work with new ingredients.

If you love Thai food but you're a little intimidated, try this dish out. Despite the exotic ingredients, it was very simple: boil rice, sear the seafood and make the sauce. Put it together and you have a Thai meal.

If you love curry but others aren't too keen on it, green curry could be the way to entice to the "dark side". Green curry is milder and mellower than red curry, which is hotter and stronger. Most of the ingredients can now be found in the international aisle of your grocery store and if not, you're sure to find everything at your Asian market.

Look for the roundup of the Royal Foodie Joust, hosted this month by Dharm of Dad-Baker & Chef who's guest-hosting for Jenn, who's "goin' to chapel, gonna get mar-ar-ar-ied"!

Thai Green Curry With Scallops & Shrimp
(for 4)

12 fresh sea scallops
16 medium-sized shrimp (peeled and deveined)
salt and pepper
sweet paprika
2-3 tbsp vegetable oil
2 heaping Tbsp. green curry paste
1 Tbsp. dark brown sugar
1-2 stalks lemongrass, bruised with the dull, top part of your knife
1 red bell pepper, cut into slices
zest of 1 lime
400ml coconut milk (1 can)
good splash of Thai fish sauce
small handful of basil, hand torn
juice of 1/2 a lime

1. Pat-dry your scallops and lightly score both sides of them. Add the scallops in a bowl with your shrimp, a splash of vegetable oil, salt, pepper and some sweet paprika. Toss to coat the seafood and meanwhile, place a large skillet over high heat with some vegetable in it.
2. First, sear your scallops for 1 1/2 minutes a side and then reserve. Add some more vegetable oil into the skillet and now quickly sear your shrimp until they've just turned pink (we will finish off cooking through the seafood later). Wipe the excess oil with a towel.
   
3. Heat some more oil in the same skillet. Add the green curry paste and sugar and cook over a fairly high heat for about a minute, stirring with the lemongrass.
   
4. Reduce the heat slightly and add the coconut milk, lime zest, fish sauce and red peppers and bring to a simmer, cooking for 15-20 minutes or until thickened slightly. Stir in the basil and lime juice. Check for seasoning, adding more fish sauce or lime juice.
5. Allow the curry to sit for a few minutes so the sauce becomes creamier. Serve with lots of fragrant Thai jasmine rice.

Dolmadakia (ντολμαδάκια με κιμά)

Update, Feb.14th/08:

A question was asked about how to approach making Dolmadakia if one has fresh grape leaves on hand.

One simply boils the leaves in salted water (blanching) for 3-4 minutes and remove the stem before making the parcels.

This instruction plus how to jar your own leaves are nicely laid out here.

Dolmadakia (little Dolmades) are delicate little parcels made from grape (vine leaves). The name comes from the Turkish word "Dolma" or "stuffed".

They are usually stuffed with rice and other various fillings as a vegetarian option or more commonly served with rice, ground meat and herbs.

Again, as a child I was not a fan of Dolmades but I'm so glad to be blessed with being open-minded and pragmatic about many things, including food (I'm still waiting for someone to convert me to liver & onions).

Practically everyone I've met who's enjoyed Greek food has eaten Dolmades. I'm going to show you the most common recipe, with rice and ground beef.

I'm also going to show you how to roll the Dolmades into parcels and a slightly different way to cook them. If you search other Dolamades recipes, you'll see that most employ the stove-top method whereas, my mom insists the oven works better and there's no need to use a plate to weigh down your dolmades.

Your first task will be to find grape (vine) leaves at the market. Look for them in jars in the ethnic/international aisle in your supermarket or a Greek-owned market, or Middle-eastern market. I've also seen the leaves at Gourmet stores but you'll be paying extra cash for what's basically the same product everywhere.

Dolamades are great served as part of a buffet spread if you're expecting lots of family or friends at your home. They can be served as an appetizer (meze) or as a main course. What's the difference between the appetizer and the main? About 6 more Dolmades on your plate!

Dolmadakia (ντολμαδάκια με κιμά)

30 grape leaves (fresh or jarred)
1 lb. lean ground beef
2 bunches of scallions, fine chop
4 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 cup Arborio rice
1/2 cup chopped fresh dill
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh mint
Approx. 2 cups of chicken or vegetable stock
1/4 cup tomato puree
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper

Avgolemeno Sauce
2 eggs
juice of half a lemon
2 Tbsp. flour

1. Prepare an ice water bath and set aside.
2. To prepare grape leaves, bring a medium pot of water to a rolling boil over high heat, add grape leaves, and cook for 5 to 10 minutes (depending upon the size of the leaves) or until leaves are tender but still hold their shape.
3. Remove grape leaves from the water and submerge them in the ice water bath. Allow the leaves to cool for 5 minutes and then strain.
   
4. Using a paring knife, remove the stem from each vine leaf and reserve. Let's move on to preparing the filling.
5. In a large skillet, add your olive oil to the pan and medium heat, saute your scallions for about 5 minutes to soften.
6. Add your chopped herbs, tomato sauce and mix well while cooking for another five minutes. Take the skillet off the heat and allow to cool for a 10 minutes.
   
7. Add your ground beef and rice to the skillet and mix it in well with the rest of the filling.
8. Place the shiny side of the leaf face down (the veins should face inward). Drop about a tablespoon of filling in the center.
   
9. Flip the bottom part of the leaf over, then fold the sides of the leaf in then, roll the leaf towards the top to form your parcel (each parcel should be snug, but not tight).
   
10. Place your Dolmadaki into a casserole dish and repeat steps 8 and 9, filling your casserole with Dolmadakia, side by side until the the bottom is completely covered. Continue layering the Dolmadakia until the casserole is filled with your parcels.
11. Pour the stock into the casserole (enough to just cover the dolmades) and put the lid on the casserole (or cover) and place into a preheated 375F oven and cook for 60-70 minutes.

For the Avgolemeno

1. In a large bowl, beat eggs and flour with a fork or a whisk until they begin to get foamy, about 3 minutes.
2. Add lemon juice in a steady stream, and continue beating for an additional minute.
3. Add the hot cooking liquid (one ladle at a time) from the dolmathes, and beat for 1 minute more.
4. Pour some sauce back into the casserole with the dolmathes and the rest into another medium pot.
   
5. Stirring constantly, heat sauce over low heat for about 3 minutes (do not let it come to a boil. Adjust seasoning with salt.
6. Pour over the warm Dolmadakia or serve on the side.

Shrimp Bisque

The first time I ever had a bisque was in the late 80's, at Toronto's now defunct Whistling Oyster. A bisque is a thick, creamy , highly seasoned soup, classically using shrimp, crab or lobster. It is of French origin and it's the snobbish cousin of chowder.

I saved this recipe from the Toronto Star, written by Marion Kane, who describes her very first taste of lobster bisque as:

"I can only describe the texture as akin to silky smooth, slightly melted soft ice cream. In every bite, there was a chunk of tender, toothsome lobster. The flavour was full-bodied and robust with a hint of sherry, a sweetish seafood taste laced with saltiness and, of course, cream."

I echo her same thoughts on tasting a bisque. This is one of my best soup experiences, ever. I know shrimp cannot compare with lobster but you'll understand how fantastic the flavours are when you taste your first spoonful.

This soup requires of you to take a few extra steps but don't cut corners. It's supposed to be a rich soup and it should be aptly served for a special occasion.

One final note...this soup is thickened by pureeing the rice, half the seafood and of course, the cream. Uncle Ben's converted rice is recommended but I found the starches in Arborio rice to work just fine.

Without the intent of sounding racy, are you ready for an orgasmic experience? I made relatives moan when they tasted this bisque. A pleasantly odd moment. I think they enjoyed it.

Shrimp Bisque

1 1/2lbs. medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 cup chopped onion
2 celery stalks, chopped
2 carrots, peeled & chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled & chopped
3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
2 cups of fish or chicken stock or clam juice
2 cups of water
2 cups dry white wine
2 cups of canned tomatoes, chopped with juices
1/2 cup dry sherry
1/4 cup brandy
1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme (1/2 tsp. dried)
1/2 cup arborio rice or Uncle Bens converted rice
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
2 Tbsp. dry white wine
2/3 cup whipping cream
seat salt and fresh ground black pepper

1. Peel shrimp. Reserve shells. Chop shrimp into 2 or 3 pieces each. Reserve shrimp in the fridge.
2. In a large heavy saucepan, heat 1 Tbsp. of butter and oil over medium-low heat and add your onions, celery, carrots and garlic. Cook until soft or for 15 minutes (but not browned).
3. Add the shrimp shells and cook for 2 minutes, stirring. Add flour and cook while stirring for a minute or so. Add wine (2 cups), stock, water, tomatoes, half each of sherry and cognac and the thyme.
4. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer , covered for 45 minutes or until the vegetables are soft. Strain through a sieve into another large saucepan, pushing down all the solids with a wooden spoon to remove all the liquid and extract all the flavours from the vegetables. Discard solids.
5. Add your rice and tomato paste to the mixture in the saucepan. Bring to a boil then reduce to low and simmer, covered. Stir occasionally to make sure the rice doesn't stick to the bottom. Simmer for another 30-45 minutes or until the rice is cooked.
6. Meanwhile, add the remaining butter to a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the shrimp, cook while stirring for about 4 minutes until they have just turned pink. Add the remaining wine (2 Tbsp.) to the skillet to deglaze.
7. Add half of the cooked shrimp along with any juices to the bisque mixture. Transfer to a blender or a food processor and puree until smooth and creamy.
8. Whisk in whipping cream along with remaining sherry and brandy.
9. Add salt, pepper and remaining shrimp. Adjust taste with a squeeze of lemon, if desired.
10. Heat over low heat to serve. Do not over boil.
    

Scallops Provencal

Once again, I found myself on the sofa watching the Food Network. It's not like I'd channel surf and look at what else is on offer. Afterall, there's a writer's strike going on in Hollywood, which means reruns upon more reruns.

One of my favourite food personalities is Ina Garten or in particular, her recipes. They usually turn out as directed, aren't too difficult and most of her dishes would be impressive for dinner guests.

I last caught her doing a segment on Scallops Provencal and either the network messed up the recipe or Ina likes her shallots and garlic a little raw.

In her recipe, she asks that you continue to saute your scallops AND then add shallots, garlic, wine, parsley to make the pan sauce while the scallops cook through. This is wrong!

I'm laying out the recipe as I think it should be done. You may follow her steps but I think my approach is more logical. Sear the scallops (leave them whole), reserve them then, deglaze and saute your shallots, etc. to make a pan sauce .

I would add the scallops back into the finished sauce. You won't have a raw taste and the dish actually becomes wonderfully simple, delicious and it allows the flavour of the scallops to come through without being masked by any heavy sauces.

Scallops Provencal

1 lb sea scallops
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
All-purpose flour, for dredging
3 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, divided
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup chopped shallots (2 large)
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
1/3 cup dry white wine
1 lemon, cut in 1/2

1. Sprinkle your scallops with salt and pepper. Dredge them with flour and get a large saute pan heated on your stove top.
2. In the pan, add 1 Tbsp of butter + 1 Tbsp of olive oil over high heat. Add your scallops then lower the heat to medium and allow the scallops to brown lightly on 1 side without moving them, then turn and brown lightly on the other side. This should take 3 to 4 minutes in total. (Saute the scallops in batches if you don't have a large pan)
3. In the same pan, pour in your white wine and delglaze the pan (mdeium heat) for a couple of minutes. Add your garlic, shallots and cook until softened (2-3 minutes).
4. Add your scallops back into the pan along with the butter (1 or 2 Tbsps.) and chopped parsley and toss to coat and warm the scallops through. Squeeze some lemon juice on top.
   
5. Serve on top of a bed of rice pilaf.
   

Risotto With Royal Trumpets

Ever notice how things you hated when you were little are now perhaps some of your favourite things to eat?

Well, mushrooms weren't one of them! I've always loved mushrooms and today with easier cultivation techniques, the average button, cremini and portobello are affordable and often found in everyone's fridge.

Another ongoing debate about mushrooms is whether to wash or not to wash? If you're part of the mushroom police, wipe them if you like but at least make your job easier by picking cleaner mushrooms at the market.

I myself give them a quick rinse as a little water won't do much harm and no matter how tasty or how rare or how wild the mushroom is...your guests will spit it out when they bite into the grit.

The mushrooms I used for my risotto today were a combo of cremini and royal trumpets. This mushroom has a delicate flavour, is meaty and only the bottom, woody part of the stem need be trimmed. This mushroom belongs to the oyster mushroom family and taste similar. Today I'm submitting this as my entry into Weekend Herb Blogging #106 and this week it's been hosted by Pille from Nami Nami.

The royal trumpet or king can be found in the wild growing on the buried roots of hardwood trees or in Europe, from the base of wild carrots. This stout, thickly fleshed mushroom is very popular in Europe and Japan. Popularity in the US & Canada is increasing as it becomes more available. The mushroom may grow quite large, up to 7 inches long but is generally harvested at a smaller size. It is the only Oyster species that ships well and has an extended shelf-life.

Risotto With Royal Trumpets

3 Tbsp olive oil
2 shallots, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
4 strips of bacon, finely chopped
1/2 cup cremini mushrooms, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup royal trumpet mushrooms, cut into chunks
1 Tbsp fresh thyme
3 bay leaves
1 cup Arborio rice
1 cup dry white wine
2 1/2 cups hot chicken stock
3/4 cup of string beans
salt and pepper to taste
Parmesan cheese

1. Heat the olive in a deep, heavy skillet. Add the shllots, garlic, bacon, mushrooms, thyme, bay leaves and cook for 3-5 minutes or until the mushrooms have browned.
2. Add the rice and stir to coat the rice well. Add the wine and stir over medium heat until the rice has absorbed all the wine.
3. Add your chicken stock 1 ladle at a time, repeating this step after each time the rice absorbs the stock. At around 2 cups of stock, taste the rice for doneness. Your ristotto should be "al dente".
4. Stir in the beans and a dab of unsalted butter. Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper. Stir in some grated Parmesan cheese and serve with Parmesan curls as a garnish.
   

Piperies Gemistes (Stuffed Peppers)

For as long as I can remember putting food in my mouth, I've been eating stuffed peppers. This dish is another Greek standard and it can be made summer or winter. I don't think I've met a Greek who doesn't eat them, who doesn't like them . In fact, I don't think I've ever heard any complaints from my non-Greek friends.

This recipe is also versatile. You can use different coloured peppers, use tomatoes or any other vegetable you can think of stuffing. Today I'm using sweet red peppers which are in season and they are deliciously sweet.

This is an easy dish. I was intimidated for years but when you think about it, all you do is hollow out your peppers, cook off your onions & herbs, add meat and rice, stuff then bake....Ta-DAAAAA!

I'm submitting Piperies Gemistes as my entry for this week's Weekend Herb Blogging. This week's round-up is special as this blog event is celebrating it's second anniversary and the founder Kalyn of Kalyn's Kitchen has asked us to feature vegetable and and herb in our dishes. Check for the round-up of mouth-watering, original and diverse dishes at Kalyn's Kitchen.

My Piperies Gemistes use red peppers and 3 herbs but I'll highlight mint for today. Mint is a perrenial, has many varieties, thrives in the shade (but can also grow in the sun) and they even survive cold Canadian winters. If left unchecked, they can overun your garden so keep an eye on your mint. When it comes to cooking and mint, again exercise caution as a little mint goes a long way in your dish.

Red peppers. What can be said about red peppers? They are super-tasty, they have more vitamin C than an orange, contain vitamin A and folic acid. Also, did I mention they are delicious?


Piperies Gemistes (Stuffed Peppers)

2 lbs. lean ground beef
12 red peppers, washed, tops cut and inside cored
2 medium onions, diced
1/3 cup olive oil
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 cup of fresh parsley, finely chopped
1/2 cup of fresh dill, finely chopped
2 tsp. fresh mint, finely chopped
1 cup of good tomato sauce (pomodoro)
1/4 cup arborio rice
salt and pepper to taste

1. Wash then cut the tops off your peppers. Hollow out the peppers to rid them of any ribs or seeds. Reserve
   
2. Place a large skillet on your stove and heat under medium high heat. Pour in your olive oil then add the onions and garlic and lower to medium heat and simmer for 10 minutes to soften the onions.
3. Add your parsley, dill, mint and and tomato sauce and simmer until most of the liquid is gone and you have a thick mixture. Take off the heat and allow to cool for 5 minutes.
4. Add your rice and ground beef to the onion/herb mixture and and mix all the ingredients using a wooden spoon. Add 2 tsp. of salt and pepper and mix. To taste for seasoning, take a spoonful of the mixture and fry it or cook it in the microwave to taste for seasoning. Afterwards, adjust the seasoning in the mixture to your liking.
5. Using a spoon, stuff your peppers and line the bottom of a roasting pot. Pour 1 cup of water over the peppers and place them in a preheated 375F oven for 1 hour.

Saffron Rice Pilaf

I recently celebrated my birthday and one of the gifts I received was some Greek saffron! The timing couldn't have been better as I was about to make some rice pilaf for guests and I had heard of saffron being often used in rice and paella dishes.

I had heard of Greek saffron but not until now had I ever tried it. Greek saffron is cultivated exclusively in the northern Greek Prefecture of Kozani.

Saffron is my subject matter for this week's edition of Weekend Herb Blogging. This week The Chocolate Lady from In Mol Araan is hosting and I encourage you to also have a look at her site. Don't be alarmed, her blog is in both Yiddish and English.

Saffron is a spice derived from the flower of the saffron crocus. Saffron, which has for decades been the world's most expensive spice by weight, is native to Southeast Asia. It was first cultivated in the vicinity of Greece.

Saffron best grows in hot, dry climates and the main reason for it's high cost is all the fuss that's taken to cultivate it and labour. Saffron blooms within a narrow window of only two weeks so there's quite the rush to pick it at it's optimum time, in autumn.

The flavour of saffron is very subltle but the colour is a brilliant yellow. Do not make the mistake of using too much or you'll end up making your dish bitter. A little goes a long way and you grow to appreciate it's effect on making your dish a brilliant yellow with a mellow flavour.


Greek Rice Pilaf (for 8)

2 cups long grain rice
4 + 1 cups of chicken or vegetable stock
black pepper
1/2 cup olive oil
1 red bell pepper, diced

1. Using a fine metal strainer, rinse your rice under cold water and throw it into a casserole dish.
2. Add a pinch of saffron threads to 1 cup of hot stock. Allow the saffron to "bloom" for 5 minutes.
   
3. Add the saffron liquid, remaning hot stock, pepper, olive oil, peppers and stir until well mixed.
4. Place in a pre-heated oven at 400F and bake for approx. 45 minutes or until all the liquid is gone.
5. Fluff the rice with a fork and serve.
   

Arancina

When I was going to school and packin' a lunch, us finicky suburban kids would get sick & tired of the same old lunch. Ham & cheese again? Egg salad? Corned beef? Greek keftedes sandwich? Not again!!!!!!!!

Eventually, the guys would all bemoan the same thing but we had to cope. We began exchanging lunches.

"What's in your bag", I asked the Italian. "Prosciutto again", he replied. "I'll trade ya for my Black Forest Ham". You get the picture, Toronto is diverse and those lunch exchanges were my first introduction to new foods.

One other lunch I traded for was Arancina. A fried rice-ball specialty from Siciliy. I fell in love with these just by looking at the oozing Mozzarella!

This is a Sicilian recipe for left-over rice. I like "waste-not, want-not" cultures. If you don't have any left over rice, make a fresh batch and whip up some tomato-basil sauce or play with your own filing.

Arancina

500 gr/1lb leftover risotto or regular rice
Some Marinara sauce
1 cube of Mozzarella for each rice ball
Grated parmesan or romano
1 egg beaten
1 cup bread crumbs
vegetable oil for frying

1) Take your leftover rice and mix in the tomato sauce and a generous amount of grated parmesan or romano. If the mixture is too loose, add some bread crumbs and mix until you can form a firm rice ball.

2) Using your thumb, press 1 cube of mozzarella into each ball, then reform the ball with your hands.

3) Get your oil heated. Roll each rice ball into the beaten egg and then coat throughly with the breadcrumbs.

4) As always, make sure your oil is hot enough for frying. Carefully place your rice balls (don't crowd them) in the oil and fry for 2-3 minutes per side. A spider comes in real handy here for flipping and scooping out. They should be a golden brown.

5) Place your rice balls on a paper-toweled plate and serve hot.