subscribe: Posts | Comments

Smoked Salmon Wrap with Goat Cheese, Cucumber & Dill

Comments Off on Smoked Salmon Wrap with Goat Cheese, Cucumber & Dill

Smoked Salmon Wraps Served with Yogurt Dill Sauce

Time: 5 minutes

Serves: 1

Inspired by: One of my favorite breakfasts – a bagel with smoked salmon and cream cheese.

Ingredients:

  • 1 tortilla
  • 4-6 thin slices of smoked salmon
  • 2 tablespoons spreadable goat cheese
  • 2-4 thin slices of cucumber (1/4 x 1/4 inch slices – this keeps them crunchy but also easy to roll)
  • 1 teaspoon of dill (dried or fresh)

Preparation:

  • Lay the tortilla in front of you and spread the goat cheese on the bottom third
  • Sprinkle the dill over the goat cheese
  • Add the salmon over the dill
  • Add the slices of cucumber in a narrow band across
  • Starting from the bottom, roll the tortilla tightly with all the fillings
  • Spear with a toothpick through the middle to help hold it together, or wrap in foil

Note: For party sandwiches, cut into 4-5 slices. You may need to cut off a tiny bit of the ends. This is awesome dipped in a yogurt dill sauce.

Wine Suggestions: Good matches with the smoked salmon include off-dry wines such as Viongier, Condrieu, Riesling or light bodied reds such as a California Pinot Noir or Red Burgundy.


Armenian Lentil Soup

Comments Off on Armenian Lentil Soup

Armenian Lentil Soup

Time: Approximately 30 minutes of prep time and 3 hours of cook time.

Serves: 8-12

Inspired by: I’ve always enjoyed lentil soups and they can be so healthy. Many Armenian and Turkish versions of lentil soup include apricots. I love the concept of that, but often find they use too many and overpower the soup. After experimenting a bit, I like this version because it adds some depth and interest to the flavor without throwing it out of balance.

Supplies: Large soup pot

Ingredients:

  • 4 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 cups chopped onions (2 small onions or one large onion)
  • 6 large cloves garlic, minced
  • 6-8 medium tomatoes chopped (or 1, 28 oz can organic fire roasted diced or crushed tomatoes)
  • ½ cup chopped dried apricots
  • 2 cups lentils (any color)
  • 6 cups water to start (you may add another 3-6 cups while it’s cooking)
  • 1 teaspoon dried mint
  • ½  teaspoon cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon allspice
  • ½ teaspoon cayenne (could use a curry powder instead or for part of this to change flavor a bit)
  • ½  teaspoon crushed ground pepper
  • ½ teaspoon salt

Garnish – Finishing Touches:

  • Fresh parsley – chopped
  • Paprika
  • Salt and pepper to taste (I typically add another 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of salt)
  • Freshly squeezed lime juice

Preparation:

  • Sauté onions and garlic in olive oil until translucent.
  • Add lentils, tomatoes, apricots, water and spices.
  • Simmer for 3 hours, or until the lentils are completely soft. Add hot water as needed to keep the soup to your desired thickness.
  • Add additional salt & pepper if still needed.
  • When serving, squeeze some lime juice over the top, and garnish with paprika and parsley.

Note: You can of course skip the lime and the other garnishes, but I love lime juice drizzled on this lentil soup – I think it brings out a beautiful flavor.

Wine Suggestions: This soup has a spicy kick to it, but also a hint of sweetness. A medium bodied red with some nice fruitiness and/or a bit of spice on it would be perfect such as the 2006 Tablas Creek Esprit de Beaucastel (45% Mourvedre, 28% Grenache, 22% Syrah, 5% Counoise) or a similar Southern Rhone blend. I’d probably also try a Rioja or a lighter-style Zinfandel (something like Hartford Court is nice). If you prefer white, the best match would be something off-dry such as a Kabinett Riesling. I had an inexpensive Riesling from Washington recently that was actually a very good pairing – Eroica from Chateau St. Michelle. What I enjoyed about this one is that it’s only slightly off dry. Eroica is the result of a winemaking collaboration between Chateau Ste. Michelle’s Bob Bertheau and famed Mosel winemaker Ernst Loosen.


Turkey Wrap with Yummy Mustard

Comments Off on Turkey Wrap with Yummy Mustard

Turkey Wraps with Yummy Mustard

Time: 5 minutes

Serves: 1

Inspired by: Trying to make a pretty “finger food” for a party and knowing that this mustard makes everything taste fabulous. I think this wrap has pretty holiday colors (red and green) when cut into small sandwich bites.

Ingredients:

  • 1 tortilla (I prefer the green spinach tortillas or something like these made with roasted bell pepper and chili)
  • 4-6 thin slices of peppered turkey from your local deli
  • 1 – 2 slices of provolone cheese
  • 1 handful of spinach leaves
  • 2 thin strips of roasted red peppers (roast your own or from a jar is fine)
  • 1 teaspoon yummy mustard

Preparation:

  • Spread the mustard on the tortilla – leave the top inch mustard free (so it doesn’t squeeze out when you roll it).
  • Add the following in layers so they are spread evenly across the bottom third to half of the tortilla – spinach leaves, turkey, cheese, roasted red pepper.
  • Then roll the tortilla and all the fillings starting from the bottom.
  • Spear with a toothpick through the middle to help hold it together, or wrap in foil

Note: For parties these make great bite-sized sandwiches if you cut the wrap into 4-5 slices and secure each with a toothpick. You may need to cut off the ends.

Wine Suggestions: To balance the spiciness of the mustard, the best matches would be an off -dry or fruity white such as a Viognier, Torrontes, and possibly a Pinot Gris or Chenin Blanc, or a medium bodied spicy red with some good ripeness such as a Southern Rhone Syrah-Grenache blend.

 


Hummus (Traditional & Spicy)

Comments Off on Hummus (Traditional & Spicy)

Time: 5-10 minutes

Serves: 12 as an appetizer

Inspired by: When I first decided to learn to cook, I started with all Armenian foods I had as a child. Although hummus wasn’t actually something I discovered until I was an adult, it seemed like one of the basics that I should know how to make and include in my “Mediterranean-themed” meals. I’ve come to love the simplicy of making it and how healthy it is as snack or appetizer with raw veggies.

Ingredients:

  • 2 cans garbanzo beans (15 oz cans)
  • Juice of 1 to 1 ½ lemons (ideally, just a tiny bit more than ¼ cup)
  • 1-2 garlic cloves
  • ¼ – 1/3 cup Tahini
  • ½ to ¾ cup water (usually needs at least ¾ cup)
  • ¼ teaspoon cumin
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne (can add up to 3 teaspoons of cayenne to make a very spicy hummus)
  • Salt to taste (usually between 1/4 and 1/2 teaspoon)
  • Garnish: light olive oil, paprika and parsley

Recipe:

  • Drain garbanzo beans and rinse well in colander.
  • Blend garbanzo beans, lemon juice, garlic, Tahini, 1/2 cup water and spices in food processor until smooth and to your desired thickness. Add salt to taste – usually at least ¼ teaspoon. Add additional water a little bit at a time until it is your desired consistency.
  • Serve in a low, wide dish. Drizzle with a high-quality olive oil and sprinkle with paprika. If available, garnish with parsley.

Wine Suggestions: A crisp white or light red. If go heavier on the garlic, a light red such a Spanish Rioja is perfect. If you go really spicy, then a medium-bodied, spicier Syrah-Grenache based Southern Rhone could be nice or even an off-dry white to balance the flavors.


Ginger Chicken Lettuce Cups

Comments Off on Ginger Chicken Lettuce Cups

Ginger Chicken Lettuce Cups

Time: 20-30 minutes

Serves: 4-6

Inspired by: Yummy flavors of ginger-infused meals in so many Asian-style restaurants. I read about ten “ginger-chicken” recipes one day and then used the one I liked the most (by blogger Joey Randall – The Village Voice) because it seemed to be the healthiest. I may have modified it slightly.

Ingredients:

  • 12 oz skinless, boneless chicken breasts
  • 3 tablespoons grated ginger (fresh)
  • 1-3 gloves crushed garlic (fresh)
  • 3 tablespoons organic soy sauce
  • 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • 1-2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch
  • 4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 – 2 cups thinly sliced carrots
  • 1 cup sliced red pepper
  • 1 cup sliced yellow pepper
  • 1 cup snow peas
  • 1 cup broccoli in very small pieces
  • 1 cup fresh bean sprouts
  • 1 (8 oz) can diced water chestnuts, rinsed and drained
  • 3/4 cup sliced green onions
  • 1/2 cup toasted sliced almonds
  • Butterhead lettuce (like Boston or Bibb) for 4- 6 servings

Recipe:

  • Cut chicken into thin strips.
  • Combine soy sauce, ginger, garlic, rice vinegar, honey, sesame oil, red pepper flakes and cornstarch. Pour over chicken to marinate while prepping vegetables.
  • Heat wok or large skillet. Pour in olive oil and heat. Remove chicken from marinade and carefully add to pan. Cook until tender – about 5 minutes.
  • Pour marinade over chicken. Add the veggies. Cook 3 minutes or until sauce slightly thickens, stirring often.
  • Remove from heat. Add almonds.
  • Spoon 1/4 to 1/2 cup chicken mixture into lettuce leaf and roll up.

Wine Suggestions: An aromatic white that is slightly off-dry will work well with the ginger and spice of this dish. We drank a dry, 2006 Nikolaihof Grüner Veltliner and while it’s one of my favorite Grüners with beautiful aeromatics, I think a fruiter or slightly-off dry wine would have been a better pairing. Here are a few suggestions starting with off-dry and ending with dry.

  • Esprit de Beaucastel Blanc (California)
  • Chateau Ste Michelle Eroica Riesling (Washington)
  • Slightly off-dry Riesling (Germany or Austria)
  • Torrontes (Argentina)
  • Sauvignon Blanc (California or New Zealand)
  • Grüner Veltliner (Austria)

Padrónes – Sautéed or Grilled

Comments Off on Padrónes – Sautéed or Grilled

Time: 5 minutes once sauté pan or grill is hot

Inspired by: My friend, Dan, grows these in his garden plot nearby. He put some on the grill at a dinner party several years ago. I couldn’t believe how delicious they were.  My local Whole Foods market carries them in the summer as well. They make an easy, delicious, simple and healthy appetizer. Their cousin, the Shishito Pepper, is a nice alternative and almost always mild. I think Padrónes are more flavorful, and while they are often mild, they can also be quite spicy. It’s usually a surprise!

Ingredients:

  • Padrón peppers – rinsed and dried well

Preparation:

  • Toss in olive oil with a bit of salt, put them on a hot grill for a few minutes and then turn over for another few minutes.
  • Alternatively, toss with a bit of olive oil in a sauté pan on medium to high heat for 4-8 minutes.

Wine Suggestions: Gruner Veltliner or another crisp white is a good option. When they are spicy a Riesling is an even better pairing.


Next Entries »