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Almond Phyllo Swirl

Posted on June 15, 2018 by admin Leave a comment

Almond Phyllo Swirl

This delicious dish looks as unique as it tastes. Shaped like a snake, it is a traditional Moroccan dessert of layers of rich pastry filled with almonds and orange blossom water.

Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients

3 cups raw almonds

1 egg, separated

1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar plus 1 teaspoon for garnish

2 tablespoons orange blossom water

1 teaspoon almond extract

10 sheets phyllo dough

4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

1 teaspoon cinnamon, for garnish

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Grind the raw almonds and place in a mixing bowl.

3. Lightly beat the egg white and add it to the ground almonds.

4. Add the confectioners’ sugar, orange blossom water, and almond extract to the almond mix.

5. Thoroughly mix all ingredients to form a paste and then form into sausage-shaped rolls (approximately 3).

6. Unwrap the phyllo dough and place it on a flat surface. While you are working with a phyllo sheet, Keep the rest of the block covered with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel to prevent it from drying out.

7. Take one sheet of the phyllo dough and brush it with melted butter.

8. Place a second sheet of the phyllo dough on top off the first and brush its surface with butter.

9. Lay one of the filling rolls lengthwise on top of the buttered phyllo dough, about 1 inch from the edge. Roll up the pastry and make into a coil. Place it in the center of a buttered, 10-inch round, nonstick baking pan.

10. Repeat steps 7 through 9 until all 3 pieces form a large swirl in the pan.

11. beat the egg yolk and brush it over the top of the entire swirl.

12. bake for 30 to 35 minutes until golden brown.

13. sprinkle with the cinnamon and remaining teaspoon of confectioners’ sugar.

Happy Cooking!

The Petite Gourmande

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Tomatoes Stuffed with Lamb and Pine Nuts

Posted on June 9, 2018 by admin Leave a comment

Served all over Casablanca, stuffed tomatoes are a well-known side dish. In my version, pine nuts add interesting texture and flavor to this dish, which plates beautifully.

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients

6 medium tomatoes

2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for drizzling

1 large onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon sweet paprika

1/2 teaspoon allspice

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 cup low-sodium beef stock

1/3 cup raisins

1/2 cup roasted pine nuts

1/2 bunch parsley, chopped

Directions

1.Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Slice the top off each tomato and set aside. With a melon scooper, scoop out the seeds and pulp. Turn them upside down and leave to drain on paper towels while you prepare the stuffing.

3. Heat the oil in a large sauté pan on medium heat and sauté the onions and garlic for 5 minutes or until tender.

4. Add the meat, cumin, paprika, allspice, salt, and pepper, and continue cooking until the meat is golden brown.

5. Add the beef stock and bring to a boil.

6. Lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

7. In a large mixing bowl, combine the meat mixture, raisins, pine nuts, and parsley.

8. Fill the tomatoes with stuffing.

9. Cover the tomatoes with their tops. Drizzle with olive oil and bake for 20 minutes.

10. Remove from the oven and serve.

Happy Cooking!

The Petite Gourmande

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Three Beet Salad

Posted on June 1, 2018 by admin Leave a comment

This gorgeous salad is best at the height of summer, which is coincidentally the height of beet season. Look at farmer’s markets for beets in a dazzling array of colors, but if you are unable to find yellow or orange beets, just replace them with red beets. Most beet salads are best when made the day you plan to serve them.

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients

2 medium red beets

2 medium yellow beets

2 medium orange beets

1 medium red onion, sliced thin

1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped

1 teaspoon ground cumin

3 tablespoons olive oil

Juice of 1 lemon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

Directions

1. Cut off and discard the stems and leaves from the beets and then wash.

2. Put the beets in a medium saucepan, add enough water to cover, bring the water to a boil, and then lower the heat and simmer for 1 hour or until the beets are tender.

3. Remove the beets from the saucepan and let cool. Remove the beet skins, using gloves to avoid staining your skin.

4. Using a crinkle cutter or regular knife, cut the beets lengthwise and then into 1/8-inch slices.

5. Place the beets, onion, and cilantro in a mixing bowl. Add the cumin, olive oil, and lemon juice, and mix. Add the salt and pepper, and toss well.

6. Chill the salad for 30 minutes before serving.

Happy cooking

The Petite Gourmande

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Seafood Paella

Posted on May 26, 2018 by admin Leave a comment

Paella has its origins in Valencia, Spain, where it was made with rice, vegetables, and a protein such as chicken or seafood. This is one of my favorites, it’s perfect for a warm spring night with a large family or a lot of friends. There are many variations for this wonderful dish. Mine uses short-grain rice with vegetables, shellfish, chorizo sausage, and saffron. Paella is traditionally served family style.

Serves 6 to 8.

Ingredients:

– 12 jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined

– 2 pounds mussels, scrubbed and with beards removed

– 2 pounds medium clams, washed

– 1 pound chorizo sausage cut into ½ inch rings

– 2 cups short grain rice (bomba or arborio)

– 2 pinches of saffron

– 1 16 ounce bag frozen peas and carrots

– 1 large yellow onion, chopped

– 4 corn cobs carefully cut into quarters (optional)

– 4 garlic cloves, chopped

– 2 red bell pepper, deseeded and cut into strips

– 4 cups seafood or low sodium chicken stock

– 1 box mixed baby heirloom tomatoes, cut into halves

– 4 tablespoons olive oil

– salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Heat olive oil in large paella pan on medium heat and sauté onion, pepper, and garlic until onion and pepper are tender.

2. With a slotted spoon, transfer the vegetables to a plate.

3. In same pan, add olive oil if needed and saute chorizo and tomatoes for 2-3 minutes. Do not remove from pan.

4. Add the garlic, onion, pepper strips back into the pan.

5. Add the stock, rice, peas and carrots, saffron, salt and pepper to the pan and bring to a boil.

6. Lower heat, cover, and cook for 20 minutes.

7. Place shrimps, mussels, clams, and corn on top of rice mixture and cook for additional 10 minutes.

8. Discard mussels and clams which have not opened.

9. Place the rice mixture on a serving platter with seafood on top.

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Fennel and Blood Orange Salad

Posted on May 19, 2018 by admin Leave a comment

Fennel root must be sliced very thin as it tends to be dense and fibrous. Slicing it thin also brings out its wonderful licorice flavor, which is used for the base of some liquors. The blood oranges add a citrusy and vibrant contrast. Serves 4

Ingredients:

– Large fennel bulb

– Blood (or navel) oranges

– 2 tablespoons orange blossom water

– 1 tablespoon olive oil

– 1 small red onion, sliced thin

– 1/2 bunch parsley, chopped

– Juice of 1/2 lemon

– 1/2 teaspoon salt

– 1/2 teaspoon pepper

Directions:

1. Cut the fennel in half lengthwise. Discard the stems and core, and slice the bulb thin.

2. Cut a slice from each end of the oranges so they will stand on the cutting board while you peel them. Remove the peel with a small knife, taking care to cut away the bitter white pith. Slice the orange flesh into 1/4-inch wheels.

3. In a large bowl, combine the fennel, orange blossom water, olive oil, onion, parsley, and lemon juice. Season with the salt and pepper, and mix well.

4. On a serving platter, overlap the oranges in one or more rows and scatter the fennel mixture with its juice on top of them.

5. Chill before serving.

Enjoy!

The Petite Gourmande

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Honey Pastry Cigars with Almonds

Posted on May 5, 2018 by admin Leave a comment

Honey Pastry Cigars with Almonds

Phyllo dough “cigar” pastries are used in Moroccan cuisine for appetizers, side dishes, and desserts. The fillings range from vegetables to meat to nuts. These dessert cigars have an almond filling laced with cinnamon and orange blossom water, and they are dipped in honey. They go very well with Turkish coffee.

Serves 20

Ingredients

1 pack phyllo dough (20 sheets), thawed if previously frozen

1 stick melted butter, at room temperature (for brushing phyllo dough)

1 egg yolk, beaten

The nut filling

1 pound blanched almonds

2/3 cup sugar

3 tablespoons orange blossom water

3 tablespoons ground cinnamon

1/2 stick melted butter, at room temperature

The syrup

1 cup honey

3 tablespoons orange blossom water

Directions

1.Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Prepare the nut filling: place all the filling ingredients in a large mixing bowl and mix well. set aside while you prepare the phyllo.

3. unwrap the phyllo dough and place it on a flat surface. While you are working with phyllo sheet, keep the rest of the block covered with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel to prevent it from drying out.

4. Use a pair of scissors to cut the sheets into 3 ½-inch-long strips.

5. Take a strip of phyllo dough and brush it with butter. Place another strip on top of the first and brush it with butter. Repeat until you have a four-sheet layer.

6. Spread one heaping tablespoon of the nut mixture onto the phyllo layer, one inch from the edge of the side nearest to you. Fold the corners over the mixture to seal, and roll it away from you to form a cigar shape. Brush the end with a small amount of egg yolk and press to seal. repeat steps 5 and 6 until you have used all the phyllo and nut filling.

7. coat a large baking pan with butter and lay the phyllo cigars in it lengthwise. Bake for 20 minutes until golden.

8. While the phyllo cigars are baking, make the syrup: Put the honey and orange blossom water into a small saucepan and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.

9. When the phyllo cigars are done, remove the pan from the oven. Dip the cigars, one by one, into the honey syrup and place on a serving platter.

Happy Cooking!

The Petite Gourmande

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Crème Brûlée

Posted on April 28, 2018 by admin Leave a comment

Creme Brulee topped with raspberries, a recipe by Ruth Barnes, The Petite Gourmande

With Mother’s Day fast approaching, you’ll want to start planning the perfect meal to make the moms in your life feel special. Crème Brûlée is one of those classic desserts you find on many a restaurant menu. It never goes out of style and is the perfect ending to a meal, no matter the occasion. This elegant dessert can be made with a variety of flavors, and even toppings. This recipe is for creamy vanilla, which can be served warm or cold. It’s perfect for Mother’s day but not exactly a kid friendly recipe as it involves a blow torch, this is where you dads will shine! What man doesn’t want to bake with a blow torch?

Makes six servings.

Ingredients

6 egg yolks

2 cups heavy cream

1 tsp vanilla extract

2/3 cup granulated sugar, with additional 6 tsp reserved for topping

½ pint berries

Tools

6 crème brulee dishes (or ramekins)

Cooking torch

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325°.

2. Pour cream into saucepan. Add vanilla, lightly whisk mixture and cook on low heat until hot.

3. In a mixing bowl, beat the egg yolks. Add sugar and continue to mix until sugar is melted.

4. Slowly stir the milk mixture into the egg mixture until smooth. Strain the egg cream through a fine sieve.

5. Place ramekins into deep baking tray. Fill each ramekin with mixture.

6. Carefully pour hot water into bottom of baking tray until it reaches halfway up the ramekins. Bake for 30 minutes.

7. Remove ramekins from oven and place on cooling rack. Let ramekins cool completely. Cover ramekins with plastic wrap and chill ramekins in refrigerator for two hours.

8. Once chilled, sprinkle one teaspoon of sugar onto top of each serving. Holding torch 3-4 inches above the ramekin, caramelize top of each serving until golden brown.

9. Serve each with garnish of berries of your choice.

Happy Mother’s Day!

The Petite Gourmande

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Honey Pastry Triangles with Almonds

Posted on April 21, 2018 by admin Leave a comment

Honey Pastry Triangles with Almonds

Briouat bil Looz ul Ashul

There are many types of honey, each with its own flavor. When I make honey pastry triangles and cigars, I serve each kind with a different kind of honey for variety. I have many lovely memories of my mom making these with us, so I thought I would share this wonderful recipe with you today.

Serves 15 (30 triangles)

Ingredients

1 package phyllo dough (20 sheets), thawed if previously frozen

1 stick melted butter, at room temperature (for brushing phyllo dough)

1 egg yolk, beaten

The nut filling

1 pound ground blanched almonds

2/3 cup sugar

3 tablespoons orange blossom water

3 tablespoons ground cinnamon

1/2 stick melted butter, at room temperature

The syrup

1 cup honey

3 tablespoons orange blossom water

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Prepare the nut filling: Place all the filling ingredients in a large mixing bowl and mix well. Set aside while you prepare the phyllo.

3. Unwrap the phyllo dough and place it on a flat surface. While you are working with a phyllo sheet, keep the rest of the block covered with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel to prevent it from drying out.

4. Use a pair of scissors to cut the sheets into 3 1/2-inch-long strips.

5. Take two strips of phyllo. Brush the first strip with melted butter and place the second one on top of it. Place 1 heaping tablespoon of the nut mixture in the middle of the strip, about an inch from each edge of the phyllo. Fold one corner up to the opposite side to make a triangle. Then fold the triangle straight up and repeat until only the top edge of the dough is exposed. Brush the top edge with egg and press to seal. Repeat this step until all the strips have been used.

6. Coat a large baking pan with butter and lay the phyllo triangles in the pan. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden. While the triangles are baking, make the syrup.

7. Prepare the syrup: Put the honey and orange blossom water into a small saucepan and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.

8. When the triangles are done, remove the pan from the oven and dip the triangles, one by one, into the honey syrup. Let the honey set for a few minutes and place on a serving platter.

Happy Cooking!

The Petite Gourmande

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Mini Broccoli Soufflé

Posted on April 13, 2018 by admin Leave a comment

Broccoli soufflés are perfect for Mother’s Day. These little gems are packed with nutrition and are light and fluffy. I put them in individual ramekins so that each person gets their own soufflé. They are a delightful side dish to whatever main course you are making!

Serves 6

Ingredients

2 packages frozen chopped broccoli, defrosted

6 large eggs

1 tsp garlic powder

1 large sweet onion, chopped

2 TB olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Nonstick cooking spray

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. Saute onion in olive oil on medium heat and cook until translucent. Remove from heat and let cool.

3. Beat eggs in a mixing bowl and stir in broccoli and onion.

4. Add garlic, salt, and pepper and mix well.

5. Coat six ramekins with cooking spray and fill ¾ full with broccoli mixture.

6. Place on baking tray and bake for 30 minutes or until top is lightly browned.

7. Allow to cool slightly before serving.

The Petite Gourmande

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Chicken Kebabs

Posted on April 4, 2018 by admin Leave a comment

Kebabs are a staple of Mediterranean and middle-eastern cuisine. They are made with meat, vegetables, or fish and cooked over a grill to impart a warm, smoky flavor. They are served with different salads and pita bread, and make a great dish for a picnic or family gathering. Serves 6

Ingredients:

– 2 pounds bones and skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1 inch cubes

– 2 packs pita bread

– 1 large box mixed heirloom tomatoes, cut into quarters

– 1 teaspoon cumin

– 1 teaspoon sweet paprika

– 1 teaspoon onion powder

– 1 teaspoon cinnamon

– 4 tablespoons olive oil

– salt and pepper to taste

– 1 teaspoon Jerusalem spice mix (optional)

– 12 wooden skewers, soaked in water for 15 minutes

Directions:

1. Preheat the grill to medium.

2. In a large mixing bowl, combine chicken and olive oil, all spices, salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate for 20-25 minutes.

3. Remove the skewers from the water. Place alternate chicken and tomato quarters onto the skewers.

4. Grill for approximately 4 minutes on each side, turning skewers until all sides are golden brown.

5. Serve with pita breads and salads.

Here is a quick recipe for the Israeli Salad:

Ingredients:

– 1 medium white onion, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

– 1 large, seedless English cucumber (or 3 Persian cucumbers), cut into 1/2-inch cubed

– 1 green bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch cubes

– 2 large tomatoes, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

– 2 tablespoons olive oil

– Juice of 1 lemon

– 1/2 teaspoon of salt

– 1/2 teaspoon of pepper

Directions:

1. In a mixing bowl, combine the onion, cucumber, bell pepper and tomatoes.

2. Add the olive oil, lemon juice, and salt and pepper. Mix well.

3. Serve chilled.

And the cabbage salad:

Ingredients:

– 1 Head Medium red cabbage shredded

– 1 Medium lemon

– 1/2 a bunch of chopped cilantro

– 1 tablespoon olive oil

– Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the shredded cabbage, lemon juice, chopped cilantro, olive oil, salt and pepper.

2. Mix well

3. Serve chilled

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