Curry Chickpea Tikka w/ Cool Cucumber Dipping Sauce

golden as the setting sun...

For this next series of posts I'm focusing on curry powder. There are many varieties of curry powder, but ironically, they don't exist in or come from India. Instead, curry powder is thought to have been invented by the English to help recreate dishes had while in India. Thus, we have many varieties of what we call "curry powder" here in America.

So, I've created my own version of curry powder and will then incorporate it into each recipe for this series. Traditionally whole spices would be used. They would be toasted in a dry skillet and then ground with a spice grinder. I'm taking a few short cuts and using all ground spices. I hope that makes it more feasible for you to make this at home. Once the golden curry powder has been made, it can be stored for months in a cool dry place (with other spices). First, let's make the curry powder...

Ingredients - Makes ~1/2 C
2 T Ground Cumin
2 T Ground Cardamom
2 T Ground Coriander
1/4 C Ground Turmeric
1/2 T Ground Cloves
1 tsp. Ground Red Pepper (Cayenne)
1 tsp. Ground Black Pepper

Directions
In a small bowl combine all of the spices. Whisk together. Store in an airtight container for up to 6 months.

Next, lets make the appetizer...

I've created this appetizer by fusing my Indian curry powder with a Middle Eastern favorite - falafel. These delicate "tikka" or chickpea balls are made in a food processor, rolled in panko, and originally were to be fried. However, I found that the tikka were too delicate to be fried. So, to avoid disaster, I put them into a well oiled mini muffin tin to bake. This recipe is quite delicious, but it was definitely trial and error on my part. I've therefore adjusted this recipe and I believe it will work just fine for you! Let me know if it doesn't. Here's how to make it...

Ingredients - Makes ~20
Curry Chickpea Tikka
2 Cans Low-Sodium Chickpeas, rinsed & drained
2 Cloves Garlic, roughly chopped
1 Inch Ginger, peeled & roughly chopped
2-3 Green Onions, roughly chopped
1/2 C Cilantro
1/2 Lemon, juiced
1 T Curry Powder (recipe above)
1 T Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1-1 1/2 C Panko Bread Crumbs
Cooking Spray

Cool Cucumber Dipping Sauce
1 C Low-Fat Greek Yogurt
1/2 Cucumber, shredded & squeezed dry
1/2 Lemon, juiced
Kosher Salt
Black Pepper

Directions
Make the curry powder following the directions above. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Combine the chickpeas, garlic, ginger, green onions, cilantro, lemon juice, and curry powder in a food processor. Pulse 10-15 times to finely chop everything. Then, with the motor running, drizzle in the olive oil and continue to process until a thick paste forms. Don't add too much oil. This will cause the paste to become too soft and you won't be able to make the balls.

Next, make the tikka by rolling ~2 T chickpea mixture into a ball. Roll the ball in the panko, pressing a bit to help it adhere. Continue making the tikka until all of the chickpea mixture has been used up. Then, liberally spray a mini muffin pan with cooking spray. Put the tikka into the mini muffin cups and then liberally spray each with the cooking spray. Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes. Cool and serve.

While the tikka cook, make the dip. Combine the yogurt, shredded cucumber, lemon juice, and a pinch each salt and pepper in a bowl. Stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Place the room temperature Curry Chickpea Tikka on a platter and serve with the Cool Cucumber Dipping Sauce. Enjoy!

Cherry & Cucumber Panzanella Salad

ba da bing cherry...

A summer staple, especially in July, are cherries. These small bright red stone fruits can be sweet and tart all at once. They are perfect eaten all by themselves (watch out for the pits!) or added to your favorite recipes. I love panzanella salad, a traditional bread salad usually paired with tomatoes, fresh herbs, and an olive oil dressing. So, I thought, perhaps I could riff on a panzanella to create the perfect brunch version just by switching out a few ingredients.

For this summer brunch salad I swap the tomatoes for cherries and use a buttery bread such as brioche or challah. The addition of cucumbers comes from a salad that my husband and I had at our friends Chris and Karrie's house. It was an interesting pairing (cherries and cucumbers), but tasty. Finally, I use fresh mint and cilantro in place of traditional herbs such as basil. The salad is finished off with a light white balsamic vinegar dressing. This helps to bring out the sweetness in the cherries. Make this panzanella for your next brunch or serve breakfast for dinner, like I did. Here's how to make it...

Ingredients - Serves 6-8
4 C Brioche or Challah Bread
1/2 lb. Cherries, pitted & halved
1 English Cucumber, diced
3 T Fresh Mint, chopped
3 T Fresh Cilantro, chopped
1/4 C Sliced Almonds, toasted
2 T White Balsamic Vinegar
1/4 C Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Kosher Salt
Black Pepper

Directions
Preheat the broiler to low and move the oven rack two slots from the top.

Toast the bread: Cut the bread into 1 inch cubes. On a large sheet tray, arrange the bread into a single layer. Toast, tossing as needed. Remove from the oven to cool. NOTE: Don't skip this step. It's important to have dry bread so that the dressing will be better absorbed.

Make the salad: In a large bowl combine the cherries, cucumber, mint, cilantro, and almonds. Toss and set aside.

Make the dressing: In a small bowl combine the vinegar, 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1/2 tsp. pepper. Whisk in the olive oil until it emulsifies.

Build the salad: Add the cooled bread to the cherry and cucumber mixture. Pour in the dressing and toss to mix well. Allow the salad to sit for 10 minutes. Toss once more to distribute the juices from the cherries and cucumbers. Then serve along side your favorite brunch foods. Enjoy!

Shrimp & Scallop Ceviche

lemon or lime...

In early May Steven and I went on a Caribbean Cruise with my family. We ported out of Puerto Rico on a Saturday, but had time prior to leaving. So, we booked a food tour of Old San Juan! The tour was fantastic and I highly recommend it if you are ever there. One interesting thing we learned on the tour is that what we call a lemon is actually a lime and vice verse in Puerto Rico. Our tour guide, Victor, explained that there was a mistranslation at some point and to this day what we call these fruits in the states is the opposite in Puerto Rico. Lemon or lime, one or both can be used in ceviche, so that's what I've made for this post.

In celebration of our trip and food tour of Puerto Rico my next three posts will attempt (emphasis on attempt) to capture what we ate. The ceviche we had at "El Punto"(The Point) was so delicious, I had to try to remake it. While this version is not the same, or as good, as the restaurant's it's still pretty tasty. Make it and try it for yourself. This version is made with only limes...or maybe they are lemons...and we mistranslated somewhere down the line. Either way, here's how to make this appetizer...

Ingredients - Serves 6-8
1/2 lb. Med. Peeled & Deveined Shrimp, cut into pieces
1/2 lb. Bay Scallops, cut in half
1 C Freshly Squeezed Lime Juice, 7-8 limes
1/2 C Cucumber, finely diced
1/2 C Pineapple, finely diced
1/2 C Red Onion, finely diced
1-2 Jalapeno Peppers, seeded & minced
1/2 C Cilantro, minced
1 Firm Avocado, diced
Kosher Salt
To Serve: Blue Corn Chips & Hot Sauce

Directions
In a nonreactive mixing bowl, combine the shrimp, scallops, and 1/2 C lime juice. Toss, cover, and refrigerate for 1 to 1 1/2 hours to "cook" the seafood. The acid in the lime juice actually cooks the shrimp and scallops - pretty cool. Stir occasionally to ensure each piece of seafood is covered and cooks evenly.

Meanwhile, prepare the remaining ingredients. Combine the remaining lime juice, cucumber, pineapple, red onion, jalapeno, cilantro, and avocado in a large mixing bowl. Stir everything together and set aside until the seafood is ready.

Once the seafood has "cooked" add them to the fruit and veggies. Stir everything together well, cover, and sit aside for 30 more minutes. This will help the flavors marry. Stir once more, taste, and season with kosher salt as needed.

Serve the ceviche with blue corn chips and hot sauce. Enjoy this Puerto Rican inspired super fresh summer appetizer with friends. Then plan your next vacation to taste the real thing!

Looking out over PR from where our cruise ship was docked - Beautiful!

Cucumber Gin & Tonic

crisp, cool, clean, and refreshing

One of my husband's favorite drinks is a gin and tonic. It is his "go-to" cocktail for any time of the year. Typically a twist of lime accompanies this drink, but we were recently introduced to adding cucumber instead. I was skeptical at best (due to my love-hate relationship with cucumbers), but I have to say, this drink is much more refreshing than the traditional version.

We have found that Hendrick's Gin is best to use in this drink. Hendrick's has a mellow flavor compared to other gins. It allows the cucumber to permeate through the drink in a crisp and clean way. Make this your "go-to" end of summer cocktail. Here's how to make it...

Recipe - Makes 1 Drink
3oz. Hendrick's Gin
Tonic Water (diet okay)
Cucumber Slices

Directions
Fill a highball glass with ice. Add the gin and top with tonic (6-7 oz.). Add a slice or two of the cucumber and stir well. Allow the drink to sit for a few minutes, then enjoy. The cucumber flavor will continue to infuse the drink so, sip slowly. Cheers!

Creamy Cucumber Gazpacho

cool as a cucumber

I was given the Moosewood Cookbook as a gift a while back and there is a delicious traditional gazpacho recipe in it. I make it every summer and I even include the cucumber that's called for. It's one of the first ways I tried to make myself like cucumbers. I really like the flavors of Mollie Katzen's version and decided to make my own cucumber based gazpacho for this post.

As much as I want to tell you I love my version more, I can't. Don't get me wrong, the recipe is fresh, light, balanced, and flavorful, it's just too much cucumber for me! Luckily, I made this for my husband too and he really enjoyed it. So, for you cucumber lovers out there, make this recipe. Here's how...

Recipe - Serves 4
4C Cucumbers, peeled/seeded/chopped

1 Clove Garlic, chopped

1/2C Flat Leaf Parsley
4 Sprigs Mint
20 Chives
1 1/2C Plain Yogurt (suggest Greek)
Salt & Pepper
Pinch of Sugar
Toppings: Diced Tomatoes & Chives

Directions

Put the cucumber, garlic, parsley, mint, chives, and yogurt into a blender. Blend until smooth. Add approx. 1tsp. salt and pepper. Blend well and taste. Adjust the seasoning to your liking, adding a pinch of sugar if necessary to help round everything out. Chill for at least 2 hours.

When ready to serve, top with the diced tomatoes and chives. I served this gazpacho with crusty bread topped with feta cheese. That helped me eat most of my portion. Enjoy!

Greek Pasta Salad

perhaps it is easy being green

Until recently I've avoided cucumbers like the plague. It always seemed to me that anything I ate with cucumbers in it, just tasted like cucumbers. I don't know if it's just because I'm getting older and my tastes are changing (or should I say, my taste buds are dying!), but I'm actually starting to like them.

I do still have to eat cucumbers with a dip or mixed into something, like this pasta salad. Here, I've taken traditional Greek salad ingredients and created a pasta salad version. This is a fun and easy recipe to swap-out for the mainstream macaroni salad. Make this next time you reach for that tired old recipe...

Ingredients - Serves 8
Pasta Salad
1lb. Orzo Pasta
1C Cucumber, diced
1/2C Red Onion, thinly sliced
1C Cherry Tomatoes, halved
1/3C Kalamata Olives, halved
1C Feta Cheese, crumbled
Kosher Salt

Dressing
1 Lemon, zested & juiced
6-8 Sprigs Lemon Thyme (can sub regular thyme)
1tsp. Dried Oregano
1tsp. Kosher Salt
1/2tsp. Black Pepper
1/2C Extra Virgin Olive Oil, more as needed

Directions

Begin by making the dressing in a large bowl, zest and juice the lemon, strip the leaves from the thyme and run your knife through them to release the oils, add the oregano, salt, and pepper. Whisk in the olive oil. I used about a 1/2C, but when I served the salad added a little more because the pasta soaks it up.

Next bring a large pot of water to a boil. As the water is coming up prepare the cucumber, onion, tomatoes, and olives. Salt the water and cook the orzo for 6-7 minutes or just until al dente. Strain through a fine mesh sieve and run cold water over the pasta. Allow the orzo to drain completely.

Add the pasta to the dressing and toss well. Then add all of the prepared ingredients except for the feta; toss. Finally, add the feta and lightly toss, leaving some on top. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. When ready to serve, check to be sure there is enough dressing and if not, add a little more olive oil. Enjoy this green!

 

Chelsea Market Sandwich & Chips

fresh from the farm

 

For me, one of the best places we visited was Chelsea Market. Home to the Food Network NY headquarters. I know many people are upset about how they dropped Paula Deen recently, but I'm not going to get into that here. I still have respect for both the network and Paula. On with the visit! Steven and I milled around Chelsea Market for the good part our Tuesday morning. We bought some great spice blends, a wasabi snack mix, a jute bag, and of course lunch.

We went to the iconic Friedman's Lunch and each enjoyed a sandwich and chips. I had the most delicious vegetable sandwich! It was piled high with cucumber, alfalfa sprouts, tomato, bell pepper, avocado, and more. My version is very similar and packs on veggies from our local farmers market in Hyde Park. Visit yours and make this yummy sandwich for lunch or dinner. Here's how...

Recipe - Serves 2 (easily double, triple, you get the idea)
1 Red Bell Pepper, roasted
Cucumber, thinly sliced
Red Onion, thinly sliced
Large Tomato, sliced
Alfalfa Sprouts
1/2 Avocado, sliced
Hummus, any variety
4 Slices Bakery Bread (suggest Blue Oven)

Directions
Begin by making the roasted red pepper. You can purchase jarred peppers, but they are never as good and it takes no time to roast a fresh one. Preheat the broiler to high and move your oven rack up to the top spot. Remove the top and bottom portions of the pepper, cut out the seeds/ribs, and then slice the pepper in half.

 

On a foil lined baking sheet press the pepper down so that it is flat (the inside of the pepper should be on the baking sheet). Broil the pepper for 5-8 minutes or until charred. Remove the pepper to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Allow the pepper to steam for 10 minutes. Remove the pepper from the bowl and peel off the charred skin, discard. Slice the pepper to fit the bread.

Assemble the sandwiches: building from the bottom up, put about 2T hummus on the bottom slice of bread, top with half the roasted red pepper, cucumber, red onion, tomato, alfalfa sprouts, half the avocado, and finally the top slice of bread. The sandwich should be piled high with veggies. Serve with your favorite chips and enjoy!