Dark Hazelnut Butter

Here's another one of my edible gifts for the holidays which will be perfect for your sweet-toothed friends who may already be feeling guilty to take another bite of that decadent chocolate cake on their nth Christmas party this year. My hazelnut butter is a healthier and guilt-free alternative to nutella or gianduja. This version is sweetened with organic agave nectar; no dairy and no vegetable oil were added. All you need is patience, lots of it, to wait until the nuts releases its natural oil and transform into a smooth paste. I also added cocoa powder for that added chocolate kick. Then I added a pinch of salt and a hint of Madagascar Bourbon vanilla beans. Well,  hey! It's the holidays, might as well treat yourself, (and your lucky friends too!) to some luxury, right?

The idea was inspired by this post from The Healthy Foodie. The steps and preps are pretty much the same, but the recipe that I used is different and based on my own trial and error ;-)

Roasting Time: 12 minutes
Inactive Time: 10-15 minutes
Butter-making Time: 30-60 minutes (depending on your equipment and the level of smoothness of the butter)
Total Time: 52-87 minutes

Tools:
Baking sheet
hand towel
food processor/ grinder/ blender (whichever works for you)

Ingredients:
500 g  raw hazelnuts
2 tbsp cocoa powder
4-5 tbsp agave nectar
1/4 tsp salt
beans of 2-inch vanilla pods

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 160*C. Place the raw hazelnut on the baking sheet and roast for 12 minutes, turning halfway through the roasting time. Keep a close eye on it; you only want a light to medium roast.

2. Leave the roasted hazelnuts on the countertop to cool for a good 10 minutes or so. Slightly cooled hazelnuts will be easier to handle, the skin will become brittle and will slightly separate from the nuts. Do not cool completely though, it is best to grind it when it is still warm.

3. Transfer the nuts to a clean kitchen towel and give it a coulple of shimmy to peel off the skin.

4. Separate the nuts from the peel. Don't mind if some of the skin clings on the nuts as long as you remove most of them. Transfer into a food processor, grinder or blender, whatever you have on hand and whatever works for you.  I figure a food processor is best suited for the job but since I don't have one, the grinder performed well enough. I also don't know if a food processor would do the job faster, let me know once you tried it.

5. Grind the nuts until it forms a paste. This is where you'll need a lot of patience; the length of time will depend on how powerful your machine is and how smooth you want your butter to be. Do not be tempted to add oil, you don't need it; the nuts will release its natural oil. I found that grinding the nuts while it is still warm makes it easier to release its oil. Once you get the desired consistency, add the cocoa powder, agave nectar, salt and vanilla beans. Give it a whir for another 5 minutes until well combined. Transfer to jars and leave to cool completely before putting on the lid. You can also enjoy it straight away!

This is great for marshmallows and pretzels too!

 Put on some pretty ribbons and tags around the jars to gift to friends and loved ones.

 Enjoy!

May your Christmas be Merry and Sweet! xoxo

Edible Gifts Series
01 Dec 2012

Vanilla Extract

I have been planning on posting holiday recipes and food crafts for months and I'm so excited to share them with you all. These are edible giftables that are easy to make but definitely not too shabby!

I love handmade gifts, it makes me feel extra special because the person who gave them put the extra effort to make them for me. And I figured, my friends and family would love 'em too! So this year, my Christmas list looks very different than my previous ones, and instead of the mall, I will be spending more time in the kitchen crafting the gifts. Check back regularly as this is going to be the first of my "Edible Gifts Series".

My first food craft is homemade Vanilla Extract made from organic Grade-A Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Beans.

Pure vanilla extract, the good ones, are quite expensive, and vanilla pods in this part of the world is a rip off! The cheapest ones sold at the groceries, (you know those lonely, dry vanilla pod in a bottle?), costs around 3BHD (8USD)! That's why I rarely use them for my regular baking and cooking. So imagine how happy I was when I stumbled upon this post by whipperberry, where she shared how simple it is to make your own vanilla extract, and it will not break the bank! I searched several recipes but I find hers to be the simplest and uncomplicated. And check out her packaging, how beautiful are they? She also recommended her online source of vanilla beans which seemed pretty good, but after further research I opted to buy from an ebay seller named Vanilla Products USA and I was very, very pleased with my purchase. My only regret is I wish I bought more! But anyway, because it was the "test" batch, I played it safe and bought just 10 vanilla pods and they are all gorgeous! It came vacuum sealed and when I opened the package, the vanilla beans were shiny, moist and plump, not like those shriveled 3-dinar pods at the groceries. The best part is, 10 pods cost only 7.94 USD! Say what?! Yup, you read it right, 10 organic prime vanilla pods cost less than 1 ugly pod available here! What a great find! The shipping was not bad at all, it costs me 6.48USD. So in total it costs me 14.42USD, 1.44USD per pod which is still not bad, right?

Here's my adaptation of the recipe:

Makes: 3 bottles

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Aging Time: at least 3 months
 
Ingredients: 
9 Organic Grade-A Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Beans
4 1/2 cups vodka

You will need:
3 recycled Cade bottles, sterilized and dried
small, stainless funnel
sticker labels (optional)

Directions:
1. Slice the vanilla pods in the middle halfway through. Place 3 vanilla pods per bottle.
2. Fill each bottle with 1 and 1/2 cups of inexpensive vodka. Stick on the sticker labels. Store at room temperature. Do not refrigerate!

Give the bottle a shake every so often. I adore them and I pay close attention to these babies and watch them "age" beautifully over time. The extract can be used after 3 months and will keep indefinitely at room temperature.

When you're ready to give it away as gifts, you may decorate it with simple ribbons and handmade cards.

So that's my first suggestion on edible holiday gifts, made with lots of love from my kitchen. Hope you're inspired!

04 December 2012
Edible Gifts Series

Bagoong Rice

This is one of those dishes that I made as a result of my one of those out-of-the-blue-cravings. I didn't know how to make it, but I was sure I want something home-made, not take out, (nope, not even Thailand or Mami Soup will cut it this time). So I did some research, but none of the recipes online seemed to work for me. If you cook, you know by looking at the ingredients how it's going to taste like, right? Probably the one closest to what I was dreaming of was this recipe from yummy.ph. So that became my guide, then I adjusted it to my liking.

Though this has been well adapted as a Filipino dish, this was borrowed from our Thai neighbor. We Southeast Asians share the same love for rice! And this rice dish is one of them; it's bursting with with complex flavor-- salty, sweet and tangy, what more can you ask for? A second serving perhaps?

Ingredients:
FOR THE PORK BITES
1 cup bite-sized pork belly
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
1/2 tsp sugar

FOR THE BAGOONG RICE
3 cups day-old cooked rice
1 tbsp EVOO
1/4 cup raw bagoong alamang (shrimp paste)
1 tbsp minced garlic (about 4 cloves)
2 tbsps finely chopped red onions
1 red chili, thinly cut, crosswise

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp sugar

FOR THE OMELET:
1 egg
1/4 tsp salt

ADDITIONAL TOPPINGS
1 green mango, 3 inch-julienne
1 cucumber, 3 inch-julienne

Directions:

1. Make an omelet with one egg lightly seasoned with salt. Cool for a couple of minutes and then slice thinly, (the same size as the cucumber and mango). Set aside.

2. Season the pork with salt, pepper and sugar. Fry the pork in EVOO until golden brown, about 8-10 minutes; you may adjust to your preferred doneness. Drain on paper towel and set aside. Remove some of the pork fat and reserve for later, leave 2 tbsps of oil in the pan.

3. Saute garlic, chili and onion in the same pan over medium heat for 2 minutes or until onion is slightly softened. Add the shrimp paste , sugar and black pepper. Saute until the shrimp paste change its color from pink to brownish. Add the rice and mix until well combined. Serve in a bowl and top with strips of mangoes, cucumber and omelet.

Makes 2 servings

Home-cooked Meal
06 Oct 2012

Sausage & Chorizo Hash Skillet

Sausage & Chorizo Hash Skillet - All Rights Reserved © Haidee Vaquer 2012

I was watching an episode of Cooking for Real by Sunny Anderson on Food Network 2 weeks ago when my husband joined-in. Normally he would ask me to change the channel, but when he saw what was cooking, a breakfast skillet with chorizo and beef hash, he was intrigued and watched the show with me. When the dish was done, he said, "Oh my God, that looks so good!" "Would you like me to make some for you tomorrow?", I asked. And he answered with a resounding, "Yes, please!"

 So the following morning, which happens to be a Saturday, I made him a breakfast skillet. It was not exactly the same dish prepared by Sunny; hers was chorizo and ground chuck hash, mine was with sausages... big and chunky sausages!

The Sausage and chorizo pair is a match made in heaven, they complimented each other perfectly; it's a spicy-savory combo. Add some potatoes and crack a few eggs on top and it's one good brekky-in-a-pan! A great way to start anybody's day. My husband loved it so much he requested an encore last weekend!

So here it is, my Sausage and Chorizo Hash Skillet.

Difficulty: Easy

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 20-25 minutes
Total Time: 30-35 minutes

Ingredients:

1/2 of 225 g Chorizo Burgos, finely diced

4 pcs (225 g) pork sausages, skinned and crumbled
1 large (approx. 2 cups) potato, diced
1/2 medium yellow onion, diced
6 cloves garlic, minced
4 eggs
2 tbsps extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), add as needed
1/2 tsp salt, adjust to taste
1/2 tsp pepper, adjust to taste
1 tbsp chopped parsley, garnish

Groceries Tips for my Bahrain-based readers: I used Broad Oak Farm Pork Sausages and La Cordobesa Chorizo Burgos; both can be found in the pork section of any Al Jazira Supermarket.

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 180*C.
 Tip: You may pop in the skillet in the oven while you prep; that will save you time on pre-heating the skillet on the stove-top.

2. Heat the EVOO in the skillet and swirl it around to coat the inside of the skillet. Cook the sausage and chorizo for 3-4 minutes. Do not cook all the way through, just enough for the sausage to release some of it's oil but the meat are still medium cooked and tender. Transfer the meat in a bowl and leave the oil in the pan.

3. In the same oil, sauté the potatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Cook covered for 8-10 minutes until the potatoes are done but still firm, stirring every 2 or 3 minutes. You want the edges of the potatoes to brown but not burnt!

4. After 10 minutes, add the garlic and onion and cook for another 2-3 minutes until the onion is semi-translucent. Feel free to add EVOO if needed.

5. Add the sausage and chorizo and stir until well mixed. Taste for seasoning. 

6. Make 4 indentations and crack eggs on those dents. Pop it in the oven for 5 minutes or until the eggs are cooked to your preferred doneness. Garnish with chopped parsley and freshly cracked pepper. Serve with toasted crusty bread and herbed butter.

Makes a hearty servings for 2.

 31 August 2012
Home-cooked Meals

Sausage & Chorizo Hash Skillet - All Rights Reserved © Haidee Vaquer 2012

Sausage & Chorizo Hash Skillet - All Rights Reserved © Haidee Vaquer 2012

Mongolian Beef

Here's another dish that spawned from gawking in Pinterest, P. F. Chang's Mongolian Beef Copycat Recipe by Six Sister's Stuff. When I saw the picture, my mouth started to water! I gotta have some! No, I gotta make some!

Now, there's no P. F. Chang's here in Bahrain and I have never tried their Mongolian Beef so I have no way of telling you whether that recipe is as good as that of P. F. Chang's, but what I can tell you is that the mongolian beef that I made adapted from that recipe was good...really good.

For my recipe, I made some modifications; a little plus/minus on the ingredients, (like the garlic, I needed more garlic!), and I have my way of cooking the beef. I like to sear the beef until the edges are caramelized and the only way to do that was to fry by batch. It's a little more tedious but sealing the flavor pays off for the extra time spent frying them.  So, if you want the original P. F. Chang's copycat recipe, (original copycat haha!), click the link here. For my version, keep reading. And oh, make sure you've got bowlfuls of steamed white rice.


Difficulty: Medium


Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 20-25 minutes
Total Time: 30-35 minutes


Ingredients:

500 g flank steak, thinly sliced into bite sized pieces

1 tsp salt

1 tsp ground black pepper

1/4 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup vegetable oil, for frying, (after cooking the beef in it, reserve 1 tbsp of the beef oil)

1/2 tbsp ginger, minced

2 tbsp garlic, minced, (the original recipe called for 1 tbsp, but I love garlic so I doubled it!)

1/2 cup soy sauce 

1/2 cup water 

1/2 cup dark brown sugar 

1 tsp sesame oil (optional)

1/4 cup chopped scallions

1 tsp sesame seeds, lightly toasted*

*Tip on toasting the sesame seeds: Place the sesame seeds in a dry pan. Heat the pan over medium heat and shake the pan every couple of seconds to make sure the sesame seeds are evenly toasted. Keep a close eye on it, it only takes 1-2 minutes to toast the seeds.

Direction:

1. Heat the oil in a wok or skillet.

2. Season the beef with salt and pepper. Dredge the beef in flour then put the beef in a sieve to shake off excess flour. You only want a thin coating.

3. Sear the beef by batch, just enough to cover the wok. Do not overcrowd the wok. You want each piece to nicely brown on the edges on both sides, but be careful not to cook it all the way through as it will cook further when you put it back into the wok with the sauce. Drain over paper towels. Repeat the process until all the beef slices are cooked. Set aside.

4. Remove most of the oil from the wok but leave 1 tbsp of the oil. Saute garlic and ginger for 1 minute over high heat. 

5. Add the soy sauce, water and sugar and boil until the sugar is dissolved and the sauce thickens, about 2-3 minutes. Add the beef and toss until well coated. Let simmer for another 2 minutes to infuse the sauce into the meat. Just before you turn off the heat, add the sesame oil. 

6. Serve garnished with toasted sesame seeds and scallions on top.

Makes 2 servings

Home-cooked Meals

07 Apr 2012

Zaru Cha Soba or Cold Green Tea Buckwheat Noodles

If you have been following my blog for quite some time, you will notice that most of the dishes I cook are easy to prepare. And that's mainly the point of my blog; I would like to encourage the working moms out there that preparing a home-cooked meal is not only doable, it can be fun too and surprisingly a stress-reliever. What's more, you get to choose what you put on the table and what's in it, which sometimes means a healthier version of your favorite meal. And did I mention the dinars you'll save from cutting down on home delivery and eating out? Yeah, some of my favorite resto dishes are so easy to prepare, and I save heaps making it at home, without sacrificing on the quality of the ingredients.

One of my favorite is this Japanese noodle, zaru soba or cold buckwheat noodles. Yes, the noodles are served cold, sometimes on a bed of ice and served with a hot dipping broth.

This version is actually Zaru Cha Soba or Cold Green Tea Buckwheat Noodle. And here's how I make it.

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:
400g dried cha (green tea) buckwheat noodles
water for boiling the noodles
a big bowl of ice cubes

For the Hot Broth:
4 tbsp dashi granules
4 cups water
1/2 cup mirin
1/2 cup Kikoman soy sauce
1/3 cup chopped scallions

Toppings & Garnish:
shredded nori (dried seaweeds), as desired 
togarashi (red chili flakes), as desired
toasted sesame seeds

Direction:

1. Place Cha noodles in boiling water and cook as directed in the package. Drain and transfer the the noodles on a bowl of ice cubes. Set Aside.

2. In a sauce pan, dissolve the dashi granules in water and bring up to a boil. Bring the heat down then add mirin and soy sauce. Simmer for 1-2 minutes.

3. To serve, transfer the cold soba on bamboo soba plates, garnish with nori, sesame seeds and togarashi. Alternatively, you may put ice cubes on serving bowls then top it with the soba to keep it chilled. Have a small dipping bowl of broth on the side, add scallions to the broth as desired. Dip, slurp and enjoy!

Makes 2 servings

Home-cooked Meal
24 Oct 2011

Spaghetti Bolognese

One my favorite and go-to recipe is Spaghetti Bolognese. I always have dried spaghetti and the necessary ingredients in my pantry to make this dish so I can make some for unplanned meals or sudden cravings. This is where dried herbs and spices come in handy. I have a variety of of them. For years they lie hidden in my cupboard...but not anymore!

Recently, I started a DIY project; I recycled Starbucks coffee bottles and turned them into spice jars. I so love 'em! They're great functional accessories on my kitchen countertop.

For more photos and to see my other DIY kitchen projects, click here.

Ok, going back to bolognese. This recipe is my no-fuss version; dried pasta, dried herbs, canned tomatoes, everything that you might have available in your pantry. I use dried herbs when I only plan to use a little as it pains me to waste leftover herbs, they are expensive! And unless I find real good tomatoes, I use the canned ones because the flavor is consistent. But if there is one thing that I try not to compromise is the cheese. I buy fresh block of parmigiano reggiano and NOT the bottled, powdery ones. It's just not the same, the taste of freshly shaved cheese is exponentially better! Just buy a small block, enough for the dish you're serving. I tell you, it will make all the difference.

So here it is, my Spaghetti Bolognese.

Difficulty: Medium

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour

Ingredients:
500 g dried spaghetti
2 L water + 1 tsp salt  + 1 tsp olive oil for boiling the spaghetti*

 400 g minced beef
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 1/2 tsp coarse sea salt, adjust to taste
1 tsp freshly ground pepper, adjust to taste
3-4 tbsp EVOO
6 cloves of garlic, minced 

1 tsp dried oregano, (or 1 tbsp chopped fresh fresh)
2 tsp dried basil, (or 2-3 tbsp chopped fresh basil, more for garnish)
1/2 tsp dried thyme, (or 10 sprigs of fresh thyme, stems removed)

1 dried bay leaf
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 medium carrot, diced
1/2 green capsicum, diced
1/2 cup red wine
1 1/2 cups water*
400 g canned whole tomatoes, drained, seeded and roughly chopped
425 g tomato sauce
135 g or 6 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp honey
100 g parmigiano reggiano, shaved
chili flakes, optional
chopped fresh parsley for garnish, optional

Note: You may use the starchy water from the cooked pasta for a richer texture.

1. Season the beef with 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper and 1 tbsp soy sauce. Set aside.

2. Cook the pasta in salted boiling water until al dente. Set aside.

3. Meanwhile, heat the EVOO and saute the minced garlic for about 30 seconds. Add the dried basil and thyme for another 30 seconds. The herbs will release it's flavor when sauteed in oil. Add the onions and cook until softened.

4. Add the beef and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the the wine to deglaze the pan and cook for 3-4 minutes until the liquid is reduced and the meat is cooked.

5. Add the carrots, tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste and water and bring to a boil. Taste for seasoning before you add the honey.

5. Add the pasta to the sauce.

6. Serve with shaved parmigiano reggiano, chili flakes and freshly ground pepper on top and garnish with chopped parsley.

 Makes 4 Servings

Home-cooked Meal
14 Jul 2012