Extra Egg Whites... Tasty "Flan" For Breakfast

Sometime early in August, I found a tea shop in Chinatown that had green tea powder (or matcha). I've been looking for the powder for over a year now, and was thrilled to finally find it. A few days later, I made the green tea ice cream from David Lebowitz's book for a friend. It was delicious.

But the usual problem with making ice cream: inordinate amounts of egg whites are leftover. And it isn't that egg whites don't have uses, but I just normally don't have the time or the other ingredients to do something with them within a day or two of making the ice cream.

So why not plan ahead? I know, that would be a terrific idea. But it doesn't always work out that way. This time it did. So I made the flans in the morning, ended up with four egg yolks leftover from it, so at the end of the day, I just had two egg white leftover, and they contributed to the chocolate mousse I made a day or two later.

I'd been wanting to try these flans, and not seeing a time when I could make them for dinner with something else, I figured I might as well just make them for breakfast. I used some really tasty tiny red and yellow tomatoes I picked up at the farmer's market and basil I stole from our neighbor's garden. They turned out tasty too.

I also made a single large version instead of individual ramekins of them the next time I had the egg white problem (though I had a LOT of egg whites that time, so this didn't even make a dent in them) since I don't actually own the right size cups. It turned out nicely too.



See original recipe here.

Simple Summer Veggie Boules

Yes. They require the stove.
But most of the work is chopping and hollowing out little rolls (if you can find them), so it's quite meditative. And the work on the stove is painless.

Last weekend I was at the library looking for a cheesecake book immediately following my yard-sale find: a mini cheesecake pan. I did find the book, but didn't check it out.
Instead, I checked out the Tassajara Cookbook because the picture on the cover of some sort of marinated tofu looked so fresh and bright. Or maybe it was just the overall look of the picture. I know, I know. Don't judge a book by the cover. But what else am I supposed to judge it by when I'm skimming the racks of new books at the library?

I picked out a few recipes from the book to try. The book mostly consists of spreads and dips and the likes (or at least the first two chapters, which is as far I read before having found things I wanted to try.) This also happened to be two days after cilantro, jalepenos and serranos were all suspect and before jalepenos were confirmed as the culprit, so I wasn't sure if I'd be able to find jalepenos or cilantro at the store. Which ruled out two of the things I'd wanted to try: Garlic, Cilantro and Chipotle Hummus and Anka's Roasted Red Bell Pepper Spread with Chiles and Lime (the latter being a double whammy.)

So I wrote a grocery list with three possibilities, depending on what looked good. I was really hoping to try the fig and kalamata olive tapenade since I'd had some tasty figs the week before, but that day the figs looked gross.

But I digress. I finally settles on two options: making the vegetable tapenade and stuffing it into hollowed out tiny rolls that I found in the deepest clutches of our freezer and caper-garlic hummus.

The vegetable tapenade is a keeper. Somehow, I didn't imagine it making so much, even though the recipe did say "Makes 4 cups." I think I may have ended up with more. I may have used more leek than it called for. Regardless of the quantity, it was tasty! And great wrapped in a lettuce leaf with fresh ricotta the next day. And wrapped in a lettuce leaf with leftover lamb the day after that.

What to do with it is up to you.

Sweet Veggie Tapenade
from Tassajara Cookbook: Lunches, Picnics, and Appetizers


Note: I returned the book to the library before copying down the recipe... Not my brightest move. But the book is on amazon, and it is one you can "look inside" of.

The Super Bowl Always Needs A Super Dip

Somehow Super Bowl Sunday snuck up on me. I couldn't seem to remember when it was this year. (To my credit, I do know when Super Tuesday is, and its important in this state. Not that I can vote yet.) My family and I have no plans for this evening, other than watching the game, and my dad walked in the door just as the game started. Okay, that's not true. Because the game didn't start at five. I'm sitting here listening to the game as the Patriots run onto the field. The national anthem hasn't even been sung yet.

I can't remember what I'm saying because I'm also watching commercials, though they're mostly for fox shows it seems like. Though I will admit that the commercial for House did catch my attention.

Okay, the NFL Super Ad was also attention grabbing. But I'm not sitting here trying to report live about the Super Bowl.

It was to write about a peanut dip. I've made it before, possibly over the summer if not before then, and my mom even ate it. She's not a big peanut fan, except for sometimes. And it is super easy, just toss it all in a blender (or food processor) and blend until smooth, and serve with some veggies and maybe chips or crackers. I don't like my dip too sweet, so I cut down on the sugar, but the recipe its adapted from uses a lot more. Also, I kind of want to say soy sauce to taste because it depends on the peanut butter's saltiness.


Spicy Peanut Dip
makes about a cup

1/2 cup peanut butter
1/3 cup silken tofu (I used "soft" tofu today because I accidentally bought the wrong kind, and it works fine)
2 Tablespoons lime juice
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
1 Tablespoon soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 cloves garlic, crushed

Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor. Blend (or process) until smooth. Serve with crudite. It keeps for about two days in the fridge.

Tart Simple Green and Red Salad

When I made butternut squash risotto earlier this month, I wanted something easy and simple to go along with it since I am not known for my efficiency in the kitchen. If a recipe comes with a prep time, I usually have to double or triple it to get a good estimate of how long it is going to take me to make it. So I wanted my salad to be something that I could make so I wouldn't have to rely on the rest of the family to make half of dinner for me like I normally do, and so that it would be different from our everyday salads that my aunt makes. That isn't to say that those aren't spectacular, but they consist of whatever vegetables we have on hand and usually oil, herbs, and vinegar or lemon juice in the dressing. I just wanted to mix things up a bit. And do no chopping.

I will admit though that the only reason this was super simple for me was because my aunt did end up helping me. I'm really mean and when someone offers to help, I usually give them the hardest job. (My grandfather grated the ginger and squash for a cake when he offered to help, and my aunt got to peel and remove the seeds from the pomegranate when she offered to help me. See what I mean. But they're also tasks that I need to get done and easily become frustrated by.)

But I digress. So, if you aren't the one to deal with the pomegranate this salad is really easy, really simple, and, despite the toasted pecans, takes no time at all and can be made and then just tossed right before serving. Though the pomegranate juice wasa bit of a splurge at the grocery store. I guess I've never bought Pom juice before.

Mixed Greens and Double-Pomegranate Salad
adapted from Cooking Light November 2007
serves 6 as a small salad

1/4 cup pomegranate juice
1 1/2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons minced shallots
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 5-ounce bag mixed greens*
2/3 cup pomegranate seeds
a hanful of toasted pecans, finely chopped

Whisk together pomegranate juice, vinegar, shallots, oil, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Add greens and pomegranate seeds and toss to coat. If plating, sprinkle each serving with about 1/2 teaspoon chopped pecans. (I prefer topping with pecans because it keeps them from getting soggy.)


*I was going to use two, but my dad stopped me. I couldn't find any of the large 16 ounce clamshells. It would have been fine with more greens, there was enough dressing. the original recipe calls for 6 cups

They're More Mellow in Yellow

Yesterday I was thrilled to find yellow tomatoes at the market. I don't mean heirloom tomatoes, but just your "ordinary" every day tomato in yellow, whatever that "ordinary" tomato may be. I'm not exactly a tomato aficionado. In fact, this may come as a surprise considering how often I eat them, but I am not much a tomato person. I've been slowly growing to like them, but sometimes it still depends on the day and the tomato. I'm not sure if these tomatoes were flavorless, or just milder, but I liked them. They were bright yellow and juicy, but not too juicy, which was just what I was looking for to make tomato stacks.

There's nothing original about them, they're just a more portioned way to make a caprese salad, I suppose. But it is simple and just so pretty! They aren't exactly spectacular, more of a refreshing taste, but I've been wanting to make some anyways.

Stacked Caprese
makes 4 5-tiered stacks (quite small, so serves one or two as a salad, or 4 as a light first-course)

2 medium tomatoes, such as roma
1 ball of ovoline fresh mozzarella, about two to three ounces
12 basil leaves
salt
pepper
balsamic vinegar

Slice of top of tomatoes and slice rest of each tomato into 6 slices. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.
Slice fresh mozzarella into 8 slices.
Staring with a slice of tomato, top with a slice of cheese and a basil leaf, another slice of tomato, another slice of cheese, another slice of tomato, and top with a basil leaf. Make 3 more with remaining ingredients.
Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and serve.

Herbalicious Creamy Bean Dip

I wanted to make some sort of a dip, and with fresh herbs in the garden going unused, why not an herbed white bean dip? I stopped at the store on my way back from showing Ame around near our house, and picked up a can of cannellini beans.
I can't take all the credit though for coming up with the idea. I had been paging through Fast, which came in the mail last month for having entered the F&W Kid Cook contest (the winners are in the August issue, and the 6-year-old with his beet risotto!), and saw a white bean dip with herbs and took a cue from it.


Herbed Garlicky White Bean Dip
makes about 1 cup

2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more to drizzle on top
3-4 cloves garlic, peeled
2 teaspoons rosemary leaves pulled off stem (about 2 small sprigs)
1 1/2 tablespoons thyme (pulled off stems, about 5 small sprigs)
1 (15-oz) can of cannellini beans
salt
cayenne pepper, to taste

Heat 2 Tablespoons olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic, rosemary, and thyme and cook until garlic is browned and fragrant, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add beans and toss to coat. Let cool a few minutes and transfer to a food processor; add salt and a pinch of cayenne. Process to a puree and transfer to a bowl. Drizzle olive oil on top. Serve with bread, chips, or vegetables.

Go Fish (In The Zucchini)

So there are those cookbooks with the decent covers, thick binding, and loads of hype. I find those a bit harder to pick up. I need a pretty picture on the cover. Something that makes me go ooh! I want to make that! It's no wonder why I end up buying so many magazines. There's just something about the glossy covers that attracts me. So I usually end up cooking from magazines. I buy magazines and borrow books. That's how it works.


While I may frequently check out cookbooks from the library, it is rare that I, shocking as it may be, actually cook from them. So what's amazing is that not only have I checked this book out (okay, this is my second time checking it out) and flipped through it, I've also made a recipe from it. Or made a somewhat less decadent version of a recipe in it.


I didn't want to make allioli from scratch, and I didn't want to just mix mayonnaise with lemon juice and call it allioli because that's just as much worth without all the benefits. So I bought aïoli. Not my brightest idea. But other than some strong masking of other flavors by the mustard in the aïoli, it turned out well. I'll just actually make allioli next time.



Calabacines Rellenos de Atun (Zucchini "Boats" Stuffed with Tuna)
adapted from The New Spanish Table by Anyavon Bremzen page 392
Makes 6 "boats" (or 12 appetizers or dinner for 2 people for with a salad)

2 medium-size ripe tomatoes, quartered and seeded
extra-virgin olive oil, to brush the tomatoes with
3 medium-large zucchini, stemmed and cut in half lengthwise
kosher salt
6 ounces canned tuna
3 Tablespoons store-bought aïoli (or, even better, make allioli), plus more to serve
4 Tablespoons breadcrumbs


Preheat oven to 450ºF.

Arrange tomatoes on greased or lined baking sheet, brush them with olive oil, and bake until soft and beginning to blister, about 25 -30 minutes.

While baking, prepare a large steamer tray over boiling water. Using a melon baller (or he recommended a small knife or grapefruit spoon), scoop out pulp of zucchini and discard or save for later use, leaving sides and bottoms just a bit more than 1/8" thick. Steam the zucchini in the steamer until just softened, 3-4 minutes. (Don't overcook or they start to fall apart. If your zucchinis are smaller, check sooner.) When the zucchini is cool enough to handle, blot dry and sprinkle insides with a little salt.

To make the filling, slide off the skin and chop the tomatoes when they are cook enough to touch. Place tuna, chopped tomatoes, and 2 tablespoons of theaïoli in a mixing bowl and mix. Set zucchini on baking sheet. Fill the zucchini shells with the tuna mixture. Spread the top of each with 1/2 teaspoon of the remaining allioli and sprinkle about 3/4 teaspoon breadcrumbs over each of them.
Bake for about 7 minutes, and then broil for 1-2 minutes or until tops are browned.
Serve hot or let cool; either way is tasty.

Note: It's really easy to overcook the zucchini. It makes them flimsy. I'm almost considering trying it with raw zucchini sometime because the second time I made them I didn't pay nearly enough attention and steamed the zucchini for too long.

Fresh chopped basil is a nice addition to the tuna mixture if you have some around.