Brussels Sprout & Leek Dumplings Recipe

Do you know the difference between dumplings and ravioli? The secret is the pasta, and it occurred to me when I was creating this recipe. To make ravioli you use pasta dough, which, while silky is still toothsome (al dente). Dumplings can use any kind of dough, including slick wonton skins, which are most definitely not toothsome. Of course there are some exceptions to this rule. I've had some very silky udon noodles lately that use soft, slippery noodles and I've had potstickers which definitely use thicker, chewier dough.

I used to make fresh pasta but I'm too lazy these days, instead I've been experimenting with using wonton wrappers. In the past I used the wrappers to make Afghani leek dumplings called aushak. This time I made dumplings in a similar way, but filled them with a combination of brussels sprouts, leeks, green onions, a bit of garlic and parmesan. Many kinds of ingredients or even leftovers can go in wonton wrappers to make delicious dumplings--meat, cheese, mashed roasted vegetables. Another one of my favorite ways is to fill wonton wrappers is with mashed potatoes. I boil the dumplings and then serve them with butter or sour cream for a quick comforting meal. I even make a simple samosa by mixing mashed potatoes with peas and spices then lightly oiling the dumplings and baking them.

If you haven't tried using wonton wrappers before, or have only used them for making wontons, my advice is, experiment! You can make a filling of your choice then make just one dumpling or two to test and see how you like it. If you make a big batch, freeze them in a single layer on a baking sheet then transfer to a ziplock bag and they'll keep in the freezer for months.


Brussels Sprout & Leek Dumplings42 dumplings

Ingredients

2 teaspoons oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups leeks, green and white parts, shredded
2 cups brussels sprouts, thinly shredded
2/3 cup, about 4 green onions, thinly shredded
2 Tablespoons Parmesan cheese
Pinch freshly ground nutmeg and black pepper
Wonton wrappers

2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup chopped toasted hazelnuts
Parmesan cheese

Instructions

Heat a large non-stick pan and add the oil and garlic. Stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds, then add the leeks, brussels sprouts and green onions. Cooking, stirring occasionally until wilted, about 5-7 minutes. Remove from the stove and allow to cool slightly before mixing in the cheese, nutmeg and pepper. Taste for seasoning and add salt if needed.

To make the dumplings, line up the wrappers, bowl of filling and a small bowl with water. Place a teaspoon of the filling in the center of a wonton wrapper then moisten the edges of the wonton wrapper with water. Fold the wonton wrapper in half diagonally, making sure the ends meet. Press down firmly on the edges to seal.

Meanwhile combine lemon juice and olive oil to drizzle on the finished dumplings. Boil the dumplings in boiling water for a couple of minutes, or until they float to the surface. Drain and serve with the olive oil and lemon juice and a sprinkling of additional cheese and toasted nuts. Note: I reserve a bit of the sauteed vegetables as a garnish as well so guests have a better idea of what is inside each dumpling.

Enjoy!

Day 111! Micronesia - Coconut Chicken Curry - Up Next, Moldova

Until I set out to cook this Coconut Chicken Curry dish from Micronesia, I wasn't exactly sure where/what Micronesia constituted. Chalk it up to ignorance, Euro-centric geography classes that focused more on explorers who wiped out indigenousness people all over the world with disease, violence and greed. Whatever the reason, I think (and hope) that tonight's meal was a wonderful and delicious representation of some of the 2,100 tropical Islands that make up Micronesia and the people who call them home.

Micronesia is a sub region country in the Western Pacific Ocean. It is distinct from Melanesia, to the south, Polynesia to the east and the Philippines and Indonesia. It's name is derived from the Greek, Mikros (meaning small) and Nesos (meaning island).  For hundreds of years, the islands were under the domination of the Spanish, U.S., Germany and British empires.

The country's people are descended from the indigenous people, Melanesians, Filipino and Polynesian ancestors. As such, cuisine in this country reflects Spanish, Malay and Chinese cultures. Food can be characterized as fairly mild, not using a lot of hot peppers for seasoning. Rice, fish, seafood of all kinds, sauces, spices, curries, banana leaves, taro, bread fruit, coconut and coconut milk are all staples in Micronesia.

Micronesian Coconut Chicken Curry

2 lbs. chicken, cut to pieces (I used boneless, skinless chicken thighs)
2-3 potatoes, quartered
2-3 carrots, cut into small pieces
1 big red bell pepper, cut into 1x1 cubes
1 big green bell pepper, cut into 1x1 cubes
2 medium onions, chopped
1 bulb of garlic, minced
1 thumb-sized piece of ginger, pounded
2 cups coconut milk (I used light and added a little extra)
2-3 Tbsp. curry powder
1 tsp. chili powder or minced chili (optional)
4 Tbsp. cooking oil
Salt and pepper to taste

In a frying pan, fry the cut chicken until light brown. Next, fry potatoes and carrots, then set aside.
In a sauce pan, saute garlic, onions and ginger in cooking oil for 2 minutes.
Add the chicken, coconut milk, curry powder and chili powder. Simmer for 10 minutes.
Add potatoes, carrots, red and green bell peppers and continue to simmer for another 5 minutes or until soft
Add salt and pepper to taste.
Serve hot with steamed rice.

Final Assessment: AWWWWWWWWW yeah. This was so great. The combination of curry, coconut milk, ginger, garlic and all the vegetables was both sweet and spicy in the best imaginable way. I'm hoping the savages in my house leave me a little for lunch tomorrow. A+, and pretty too.

Le P'tit Laurent

Several of my friends told me Valentine's Day is a Hallmark holiday and that they can celebrate love everyday, they don't need to wait until February 14th. If that's truly the case, they should all plan on taking their beloved to Le P'tit Laurent for a cozy dinner for two.

I was recently invited to be a guest at Le P'tit Laurent and I can't wait to go back. It booked up quickly for Valentine's Day and it's no wonder why. Though located just a hop, skip and a jump away from the Glen Park BART station in San Francisco, it's the quintessential French bistro, decorated with all things French–a pressed tin ceiling, a collection of antique corkscrews, vintage posters and liquor signs. The waiters and waitresses are French. I can't imagine not being charmed from the moment you walk in.

The food is classic bistro fare, onion soup, mussels marinieres, beef bourgignon, cassoulet, frisee salad with bacon and poached egg, bouillabase. Call if French comfort food. These are familiar flavors, nothing fancy, but hearty and warming. I had the Rabbit Normandy, served with fingerling potatoes. It was rich and had a slightly tangy sauce. The portion was enormous. Prices are reasonable and there is a very good prix fixe for only $22.

For dessert, don't miss the "Pain Perdu" or caramelized French toast with ice cream and a drizzle of caramel sauce. One bite and you will forget you are in San Francisco and all the cares of the world will melt away like the ice cream on your plate. And isn't that the point of going out to eat in the first place?

Le P'tit Laurent699 Chenery Street @ Diamond St
San Francisco, CA 94131
(415) 334-3235
Sunday - Thursday 5:30 pm thru 9:30 pm
Friday- Saturday 5:30 pm thru 10:30 pm

Day 110.5 - Homemade Kahlua...one thing leads to another

Here's how it all started. Yesterday was my birthday, so to celebrate, my angel-husband assembled (most) of our family to go to the Summer Shack - one of my favorite seafood restaurants in my original hometown, Cambridge, MA. Because I'm spoiled rotten, I was fabulously feted with the best company ever, incredible food (oysters and prosecco - seriously, dude, bury me with that combo), and....way too many gifts.

Among them was a beautiful Hobnail glass decanter (circa 1930's) with matching shot and aperitif glasses, found in Flint, Michigan and purchased on eBay by Kat, my rockin' sister-girl, friend and mother-in-law. Well, with me, one thing always leads to another, so driving home, I started thinking (that's where the trouble always starts too), when I announced to my somewhat startled husband that the decanter "wanted" liquor in it and that I aimed to fill it with homemade Kahlua. Knowing better than to try to talk me out of it, or God forbid, suggest something different, he kept his eyes on the road and his hands upon the wheel, nodding in saintly agreement.

This recipe can be doubled if you want to make it as a gift, but plan ahead as it takes 30 days (longer if you can wait) for all the flavors to age and blend. In the meantime,  while I wait for the hooch to age to it's desirous and luscious flavor, I'll be thinking about other things...like, how I might get our local zoning board to agree to let my husband build me a backyard still - you know, for cooking purposes...nothing too complicated.

Homemade Kahlua


1 cup dry, instant coffee
3 1/2 cups white sugar
2 cups water
2 cups 80 proof vodka (any brand)
1 whole vanilla bean

1. Bring water to a full boil. Remove from heat and add the instant coffee and sugar.
2. Stir until sugar and coffee are completely dissolved.
3. Allow mixture to cool, then add vodka and stir.
4. Pour into 1 quart glass, sealable container.
5. Drop one whole vanilla bean into container.
6. Seal and wait 30 days or more before drinking.

Day 110 - Mexico - Huevos Rancheros with Fresh Salsa & Mexican Hot Chocoloate - Up Next, Microneisa

Dios Mio, I love Huevos Rancheros! But first... I made a total mess of the kitchen.  Mexican hot chocolate bubbling over in the pan all over the stove, chopped cilantro everywhere, jalapeño peppers in my eye, dog trying to steal tortillas off the counter, kid trying to swipe chocolate bar from pantry, couldn't get a decent shot of the finished meal...what I call an absolutely perfect Saturday morning. And, whilst trying to stay one step ahead of all this cooking chaos, I got involved in a Facebook conversation with old and new foodie friends from near and far (shout out to Gwyneth, Larry and Annick) about starting a vineyard/brewery/chocolate business somewhere in the south of France. Oh, the places I'd go if my kids would stop sucking the money out of my wallet.

Officially a Federal Constitutional Republic, Mexico is bordered by the United States, Pacific Ocean, Guatemala, Belize, the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico. Having gained independence from Spain in 1821, Mexico is the 5th largest country in the Americas, and the 14th largest independent nation in the world. Considered a newly industrialized country, Mexico is an emerging power in the global economy.

Mexican cooking is renowned for it's diverse flavors, colorful presentation and variety of spices that blends indigenous and European traditions to create one the world's most popular cuisines. Corn and beans are the country's staples, corn most often being ground into masa dough for tamales, tortillas and gorditas.  Squash, peppers, beans, tomatoes and nopales (cactus) are commonly eaten vegetables. Spices include: chili powder, oregano, cilantro, espazote, cinnamon and cocoa.

Huevos Rancheros with Fresh Salsa

6 Tbsp. canola oil
8 (5-inch) corn or flour tortillas
4 large ripe plum tomatoes (seeded)
1/4 cup chopped scallions
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 Tbsp. fresh oregano
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. minced jalapeño pepper, or to taste
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 tsp. fresh lime juice
salt and pepper to taste
8 large eggs

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat to 200F. Stack 4 oven proof plates on rack to warm.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in  a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat until hot but not smoking. Stack 2 tortillas in skillet and cook 30 seconds, then flip stack over with tongs and cook 30 seconds more. While second tortilla cooks on bottom, turn top tortilla over with tongs, keeping tortillas stacked. Flip stack again and cook in same manner, turning over top tortilla and flipping stack again so that both tortillas are softened and both sides puff slightly, then deflate (do not let them become browned or crisp). Wrap tortillas loosely in foil and keep warm in oven. Fry remaining tortillas in same manner, adding 1 tablespoon oil to skillet for each batch (do not clean skillet in between).

Puree tomatoes, scallions, cilantro, jalapeño, oregano, garlic, olive oil, lime juice and salt in a blender until very smooth. Carefully add mixture to hot skillet and simmer, stirring occasionally, until salsa is slightly thickened, about 10 minutes.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a 12-inch heavy non-stick heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then crack 4 eggs into skillet and cook 3-4 minutes for runny yolks, or to desired doneness. Transfer to a plate and keep warm, covered, then cook remaining 4 eggs in remaining tablespoon oil in same manner. Season eggs with salt and pepper.

Spoon 1/4 cup salsa onto each plate and top with 2 tortillas, slightly overlapping them. Transfer 2 eggs to tortillas on each plate and top with some remaining salsa. Sprinkle with cilantro and queso fresco or cheese of your choice.

Mexican Hot Chocolate (Adapted from David Leibowitz)

2 cups whole milk

4 tbsp. unsweetened Dutch process cocoa

pinch salt

3 ounces, Mexican sweet chocolate, chopped

cinnamon sticks for each cup

In medium sauce pan heat milk with cocoa powder and salt, whisking constantly until milk comes to a boil.

Remove from heat, add chocolate and whisk gently until chocolate has melted and is blended.

Add one cinnamon stick to each cup.

Serve warm.

Final Assessment: Dios mio esto fue el desayuno mas increible jamas! I loved this breakfast as it was hearty, spicy, light, healthy and beautiful to look at. The salsa can be made ahead, which cuts the cooking/prep time in half. My new favorite breakfast fo' sho'! And, the Mexican Hot Chocolate.  Heaven help me - this stuff was like nectar of the Gods - rich, not too sweet (no sugar added, just the sweetness of the chocolate), and simply sublime. A++

Day 109.5 Moroccan Preserved Lemons

Hand Milled Bowl, by Andrew Cox

In a couple of weeks, I'll be cooking a Moroccan Tagine for the first time. I found a great recipe, but it called for preserved lemons, which I've never used, nor seen  - maybe because I've never looked for them. At any rate, I got curious about this, and lo' and behold, found many recipes - the rest is history.

And, since we're on February vacation (although we didn't go anywhere because we're broke because I spend all our money on food...) I had some extra time...Hence, these beautiful preserved lemons, which won't be ready for 3 weeks, just about the time I reach Morocco. I can't wait! I know, I need help.

Lest you think you'll never make these because you'll never make a tagine, preserved lemons can be used to give all kinds of food a mellow citrus flavor you'd be hard pressed to get any other way. After a couple of weeks in the brine and spices, the lemons develop a silky texture and rich flavor. To use, discard the flesh and pith and then add the rind to couscous, stuffing, risotto, pasta, sauces or vinaigrettes.

Moroccan Preserved Lemons (Adapted from Whole Foods)


1 cup Kosher salt (this is approximate - I used about 1/2 cup in total)
8 lemons
1 tsp. whole cloves
1 tsp. black peppercorns
1 tsp. coriander
1 cinnamon stick
2 bay leaves
1 cup lemon juice

Wash a 1 quart jar in hot soap water, rinse and dry well. Place three tablespoons of salt in each jar. Slice off the top and tip of each of the lemons. Cut each lemon into quarters, but don't cut all the way through the lemon. Make sure the lemon is still attached at the bottom. Open the lemon and sprinkle the inside and outside generously with salt. Place the lemons in the jar, packing them tightly to squeeze out any juice. Sprinkle spices over each layer of lemons. Add more lemon juice so the lemons are completely covered and the jar is filled with juice. Add four tablespoons of salt to the jar. Seal the jar and shake to mix well.

Store in a cool, dark place, turning the jar upside down every couple of days for 1 week. Refrigerate lemons and let them sit for about 2 more weeks, turning every couple of days.

To use a lemon in a recipe, remove a whole lemon from the jar, rinse off any salt and remove the pulp and any seeds. Slice the softened lemon peel and it's ready to use.

Day 109! Mauritius - Rougaille (Creole Sauce) - Up Next, Mexico

Original Photograph - The Love of Photos

This wonderful Mauritian Rougaille dish comes direct and authentically to you from my friend, Astrid, a Norwegian transplant to the African island nation of Mauritius.  Were it not for the wonders of the web, Astrid and I would likely never have met. But, because we are kindred foodie bloggers, our paths crossed. We got to chatting and before you knew it, we'd developed a friendship, starting talking food and culture...and the rest is history. Check out her beautiful blog, The Love of Photos. Among other things, Astrid is a photographer, so I've included some of her spectacular shots of her homeland. Although she sent me many recipes, Astrid said Rougaille was her favorite because of it's versatility, so that's what I went with!


Officially The Republic of Mauritius, the country is an island nation off the the southeast coast of of the African continent in the Southwest Indian Ocean. The Republic also includes the islands of Cargados, Rodrigues and Agalega. Languages spoken include Mauritian Creole, French and English. The country claims the impressive credit for being the only land on which the Dodo existed, unfortunately becoming extinct about 80 years after colonization.

Original Photo-The Love of Photos

Mauritian cuisine is influenced by French, Indian, Chinese and indigenous traditions. After the abolition of slavery in the 19th century, Indian workers migrated to the island and brought with them yeast breads, saffron, cumin, cardamom, cloves, vegetables, pickles and dals. By the end of the 19th century, Chinese from the southeast region of Canton migrated to the island, and brought with them noodles, rice and seafood dishes. The result is a wonderful fusion of flavors and dishes unique to the island.

Astrid's Rougaille


1 1/2 lbs fresh tomatoes (about 3 very large), chopped
3 large onions, peeled and sliced
2 Tbsp. fresh ginger, grated
6 cloves garlic (or more), curshed
1-3 sprigs fresh thyme
1-2 Tbsp. parsley, chopped
15 coriander (cilantro) leaves chopped
4 large green chillies, cut lengthwise and seeds removed (optional)
6 spring onions, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
Oil for frying

Cut tomatoes into 6-8 pieces.
Fry onions in oil, do not let brown.
Add the rest of the ingredients, except tomatoes and simmer for 4-5 minutes.
Add the chopped tomatoes and simmer for 15 minutes.
 *Add sausages, salted or fresh fish, prawn, red meat, chicken or tofu....On Astrid's advice, I used prawns!
**Serve with rice, breads or Indian breads.

Final Assessment: Fantastic! This was so easy to prepare and the flavors were wonderful. I loved the combination of ginger, garlic, cilantro and tomatoes. I served it up on a bed of basmati rice and tandori nan. Not a drop left for lunch tomorrow :)