There is totally a "me" in Meez : A Daring Cooks Challenge Discovery

Let the record show that I did, in fact, do the Daring Cooks challenge on time. But work, Valentine's Day, fortune cookies, and so much more conspired to make sure I couldn't post. End record.

The 2010 February Daring COOKs challenge was hosted by Michele of Veggie Num Nums. Michele chose to challenge everyone to make mezze based on various recipes from Claudia Roden, Jeffrey Alford and Naomi Dugid.

I was excited for a few reasons about this challenge. One, I'd never made any of the things on the list. Two, I love me some Middle Eastern food. Three, oh man was I ever broke and chick peas are so cheap! 

The challenge demanded hummus and pita to be made, but the rest was up to us. I ended up doing a garlicky hummus, a standard (homemade!) pita (not all of them puffed, but oh man! the excitement! and it was an oven/timing issue, I suspect), falafel, and vaugely Middle-Eastern chicken tenders. Oh. And a tahini-yoghurt sauce. 

Yeah, I'm a crazy person. 

 

Look! They puffed!

 I AM GODLIKE IN MY AWESOMENESS

 

A deliciously stuffed crazy person. 

Pita Bread – Recipe adapted from Flatbreads & Flavors by Jeffrey Alford and Naomi Duguid

Prep time: 20 minutes to make, 90 minutes to rise and about 45 minutes to cook
2 teaspoons regular dry yeast (.43 ounces/12.1 grams)
2.5 cups lukewarm water (21 ounces/591 grams)
5-6 cups all-purpose flour (may use a combination of 50% whole wheat and 50% all-purpose, or a combination of alternative flours for gluten free pita) (17.5 -21 ounces/497-596 grams)
1 tablespoon table salt (.50 ounces/15 grams)
2 tablespoons olive oil (.95 ounces/29 ml)
Directions:
1. In a large bread bowl, sprinkle the yeast over the warm water. Stir to dissolve. Stir in 3 cups flour, a cup at a time, and then stir 100 times, about 1 minute, in the same direction to activate the gluten. Let this sponge rest for at least 10 minutes, or as long as 2 hours.
2. Sprinkle the salt over the sponge and stir in the olive oil. Mix well. Add more flour, a cup at a time, until the dough is too stiff to stir. Turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 8 to 10 minutes, until smooth and elastic. Rinse out the bowl, dry, and lightly oil. Return the dough to the bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise until at least doubled in size, approximately 1 1/2 hours.
3. Place a pizza stone, or two small baking sheets, on the bottom rack of your oven, leaving a 1-inch gap all around between the stone or sheets and the oven walls to allow heat to circulate. Preheat the oven to 450F (230C).
4. Gently punch down the dough. Divide the dough in half, and then set half aside, covered, while you work with the rest. Divide the other half into 8 equal pieces and flatten each piece with lightly floured hands. Roll out each piece to a circle 8 to 9 inches in diameter and less than 1/4 inch thick. Keep the rolled-out breads covered until ready to bake, but do not stack.
5. Place 2 breads, or more if your oven is large enough, on the stone or baking sheets, and bake for 2 to 3 minutes, or until each bread has gone into a full balloon. If for some reason your bread doesn't puff up, don't worry it should still taste delicious. Wrap the baked breads together in a large kitchen towel to keep them warm and soft while you bake the remaining rolled-out breads. Then repeat with the rest of the dough.

Now, I halved this recipe, but only because it worked for me. I got about six or seven pitas out of it - only a couple were very big (another reason the puffing failed, perhaps? mis-sizing?). The rest were small, snacky sized.

I think I shrieked a little when the puffing began. So. Exciting.

 

It looks more appealing in person.

But it is so delicious. 

Hummus – Recipe adapted from The New Book of Middle Eastern Food by Claudia Roden

Prep Time: Hummus can be made in about 15 minutes once the beans are cooked. If you’re using dried beans you need to soak them overnight and then cook them the next day which takes about 90 minutes.
1.5 cups dried chickpeas, soaked in cold water overnight (or substitute well drained canned chickpeas and omit the cooking) (10 ounces/301 grams)
2-2.5 lemons, juiced (3 ounces/89ml)
2-3 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
a big pinch of salt
4 tablespoons tahini (sesame paste) OR use peanut butter or any other nut butter—feel free to experiment) (1.5 ounces/45 grams)
additional flavorings (optional) I would use about 1/3 cup or a few ounces to start, and add more to taste

Directions:
1. Drain and boil the soaked chickpeas in fresh water for about 1 ½ hours, or until tender. Drain, but reserve the cooking liquid.
2. Puree the beans in a food processor (or you can use a potato masher) adding the cooking water as needed until you have a smooth paste.
3. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Adjust the seasonings to taste.

I had canned chick peas and I used the whole can (15oz). Ah, well, such is the way. I sprout my own sprouts but I am totally fine with canned chick peas and this made the taste killer for me. I also lost my lemons. I used oranges! It was delicious. Extra garlic, pepper, and a little olive oil. I also upped the tahini by about two tablespoons. I really, really, reeeeeally like tahini.

Nom.

Falafels - Recipe from Joan Nathan and Epicurious.com

Prep Time: Overnight for dry beans and 1 hour to make Falafels


1 cup dried chickpeas, soaked in cold water overnight OR use well canned drained chickpeas (7 ounces/100 grams)
1/2 large onion (roughly chopped, about 1 cup)
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped OR use a couple pinches of dried parsley (.2 ounces/5 grams)
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped OR use a couple pinches of dried cilantro (.2 ounces/5 grams)
1 teaspoon table salt (.1 ounce/5 grams)
1 teaspoon dried hot red peppers (cayenne) (.1 ounce/2 grams)
4 whole garlic cloves, peeled
1 teaspoon cumin (.1 ounce/2 grams)
1 teaspoon baking powder (.13 ounces/4 grams)
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour (1 ounce/24 grams) (you may need a bit extra)
tasteless oil for frying (vegetable, canola, peanut, soybean, etc.), you will need enough so that the oil is three inches deep in whatever pan you are using for frying
Directions:
1. Put the chickpeas in a large bowl and add enough cold water to cover them by at least 2 inches. Let soak overnight, and then drain. Or use canned chickpeas, drained.
2. Place the drained, uncooked chickpeas and the onions in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Add the parsley, cilantro, salt, hot pepper, garlic, and cumin. Process until blended but not pureed. If you don’t have a food processor, then feel free to mash this up as smooth as possible by hand.
3. Sprinkle in the baking powder and 4 tablespoons of the flour, and pulse. You want to add enough bulgur or flour so that the dough forms a small ball and no longer sticks to your hands. Turn into a bowl and refrigerate, covered, for several hours.
4. Form the chickpea mixture into balls about the size of walnuts.
5. Heat 3 inches of oil to 375 degrees (190C) in a deep pot or wok and fry 1 ball to test. If it falls apart, add a little flour. Then fry about 6 balls at once for a few minutes on each side, or until golden brown.
6. Drain on paper towels.


Everyone wanted the hummus and I sort of guarded my chicken tenders  (slightly over-floury, cumin was a nice addition, and I crisped it better - so I will just point you to my other chicken tender recipe as this is essentially that. not at lock it down status yet, sadly.) because I work long shifts where I like to have a meal. Everything was pretty delicious though. I might have been the only person concerned about the chicken.

I made a sammich out of my pita - hummus, chicken, some tomato, some peppers, tahini - and chowed down. So very, very happy!

So very very delicious!

Also, this was much easier than I expected. I didn't have all the time to do what I wanted (an Aladdin veiwing party, duh, with loads of food) but still. So happy.

Easy, easy, easy quesadillas. Belatedly Posted.

Yes, it was Cinco de Mayo and yes, that was sort of why I did it, but honestly? I love quesadillas. It's practically the only thing I order at any Mexican resturant, it's why I sometimes go to Qdoba, it's just delicious. Crisp tortilla, melty cheese, delicious fillings...oh, man, I want one right now just thinking about it. To be sure, part of the reason I order it so much is the ease of dealing with my allergies and the fact that so many different things can go in it. I recently had one that had shrimp, mushrooms, and green peppers. MELT.

So, bored and thrilled with how beautiful the day was and appreciative of the fact that a busy few days was about to kick off, I wandered off and gathered up some ingredients and then, somewhere around ten at night, got to cooking. No sooner did a tasty 'dilla come of the pan was it eaten, happily, with the guacomole I made (with help, sort of, as I got one of my roommates to smash up the avocado and mix in the tomato and onion, so I will give some props) and some sour cream. No photos! I will later post photos of hanging out and eating cake or something - so you can get the idea of fun, happy, delicious times.

The fun part of picking flour tortillas is a) there are less options, so I have to obsess over the ingredients less and b) the store sometimes has locally made ones so I can hunt for them! I'm so partial to Chicago produced things.

Clearly, you can do whatever you want to a quesadilla. I recommend getting the actual delicious quesadilla cheese, but I was pressed for time and ended up just getting the packet of cheese at Jewel that said "Mexican Cheese! Four-cheese-style!" (as opposed to the various other kinds. at least I tried.). More on cheese I like to get at the tienda later though. Another post later, not later on here. Sorry! Hopes dashed!

My cleverly prepared counter contained...

- tomato, chopped
- onion, diced
- garlic, minced
- orange bell pepper, sliced and then chopped
- chicken, cut into smallish pieces
- mushrooms, chopped
- butter, knob of
- oil
- dill, salt, pepper

- flour tortillas
- avocado, turned guacamole by being mashed with some more chopped tomato and some diced onion. then one or two dashes of salt.
- sour cream
- the aforementioned cheese

Now. Ordinarily, I would cook up the meat and veg and everything and then set about making the food. However. I have picky roommates. One is a vegetarian (which is cool) and one doesn't eat mushrooms (or courgettes, actually) and so since I like all these things (and so does the third roommate), I just opted to cook everything seperately and put them in their own dishes. So in the end, it was sort of a quesadilla bar.

At any rate, some garlic and onion and chicken go in with some oil and a bit of butter, seasoned happily and when pretty much still deliciously tender put in dish. Salt, pepper, dill. I then cooked up the yellow peppers with a little onion and garlic and pepper, salt. Follow with mushrooms! More butter, more pepper and salt, the last bit of the onion and garlic. (I just divided what I would want in the whole thing, so as to not have overpowering things. not that there is "too much" garlic)

Now, in a now-clean pan, I drop a tortilla and sprinkle cheese. Then I sprinkle some more cheese! Add whichever fillings that particular person wants, put in more cheese. This is a quesadilla, people! Cheese is key! And after topping it with another tortilla (my flour tortillas are smallish) and pressing for a second to help it stick, carefully flip it over. Continue waiting and flipping until satisfied with melty-state and crispy-state.

Serve with sour cream and guac, rejoice in deliciousness. Accept praise and presents, as surely one must follow the other?

I really, really, really love quesadillas.

French-Toasted Sandwiches

It's called The General Foods Kitchens Cookbook and my copy is a first edition from 1959, which means that it is full of tips on juggling a job, the market, and having dinner on the table for my family. It offers me solutions for nearly any occasion that could arise in your standard 50's-era family - any day of the week, most any time of day. It's one of my favorite cookbooks for general cooking, as much entertainment as information and my copy is a little battered, but in otherwise fantastic condition.

This leads us to one of the projects I would like to undertake here at kitchenry. I want to make at least one of these recipes a week, from all different sections, including things that are new or not in my normal circles. Thus: Fifties House Wife Fun! Because sometimes I like to think that I'd have been a great housewife, basking in the glow of my kitchen and meals, flirting with the neighbor's wife over the azaleas. I'd have an apron.

I would be adorable in that apron.

Now, the cookbook assures me that this sandwich is perfect for lunches and suppers and is still hearty enough for Dad! (really. this is what is says.) The original recipe has it as a chicken salad sandwich, though it also offers variations for tuna fish and ham & cheese. Now, I love chicken salad and, in general, chicken. I also enjoy a good tuna fish from time to time. But these were not things that I had in my kitchen and, anyway, I was hungry.

A few substitutions later and voila! I, too, can enjoy french toasted sandwiches.

French-Toasted Turkey-and-Cheese Sandwiches

- a few thinly sliced onion slices
- thinly sliced cheese - I used both pepper jack and some mozzarella
- turkey slices (oh, lunch meat. nom.)
- mayo
- bread
- butter
- a beaten egg
- a few tablespoons milk
- dash of salt
- sprinkle of sugar
- dash of seasonings (mine were a little cayenne and a hint of dill)

For the sandwich, spread your mayo on the bread and layer the onion, cheese, and turkey as you like. If you want to add other things, I suggest that you go for it.


Mix the egg, sugar, milk, salt, and seasoning together in a dish.

You don't want to put that lotion in there. Just saying.

Dip each sandwich unto the egg mixture, coating each side completely. Saute the sandwich in the butter until the sandwich is heated and both sides are brown.

Soaking up the goodness.

It suggests that your serve the original chicken version with cranberry sauce or pickled watermelon. It also suggests the ham version would go well with soup. I served mine with sesame chips, which I am addicted to.

I found this sandwich to be quite delicious and look forward to trying the chicken variation, which is...

- one cup finely chopped, cooked chicken (or a tin of chicken)
- 1/2 cup minced celery
- 1/3 cup chopped sweet pickle (though, really, not the biggest pickle fan...)
- salt, pepper
- 1/4 cup mayo

Combine and mix well, seasoning to taste.

Honestly, for my first real trip into turning this cookbook into something other than reading, I would say this is wildly successful. Nom, nom, nom.