Deviled Eggs with Smoked Paprika

The weather here has finally begun to warm up and it's actually beginning to feel a bit more like summer. Last month the heater popped on once or twice which had me wondering if it was going to feel like March forever.

When it does heat up outside, I'm less inclined to get up in the morning to cook, preferring instead "prepared" food. This morning this took the form of deviled eggs which I put together last night. They were incredibly easy to make and a delicious start to the day.

6 hard boiled eggs, shells removed
2-3 tbsp mayonnaise
1 tbsp sliced chives
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp anchovy paste
1/2 tsp prepared mustard
1/4 tsp lemon pepper
salt, to taste, if needed

extra sliced chives and smoked paprika, for garnish

Cut the eggs in half lengthwise. Remove the yolks and place them into a small bowl.

To the yolks add two tablespoons of mayonnaise (to start), chives, paprika, anchovy paste, mustard and lemon pepper. Mash everything together with a fork until well blended.

If the mixture seems too dry, then add more mayonnaise until you get a consistency you like.

Taste and add salt if necessary. The anchovy paste usually provides enough salt.

Divide the deviled yolk mixture evenly between the egg whites by dropping it into the cavities left by the egg yolks.

Garnish with chopped chives and a small sprinkling of smoked paprika, if desired.

Milk Flan

(6 servings)

This creamy flan isn't too sweet. I often make it with 1% milk, but on occasion I'll use whole milk or half and half.

Although I prefer using custard cups, this flan can also be prepared in a souffle dish that's large enough to hold about 4 1/2 cups of liquid. Just remember to increase the baking time by about 10-15 minutes.

3 tbsp sugar
2-3 tbsp water

3 large eggs
3 egg large yolks
3 tbsp sugar
2 tsp  vanilla extract
pinch of salt
3 cups milk or a combination of milk, half and half or cream

Preheat the oven to 350°F

Divide the sugar evenly between three two cup ovenproof custard cups or ramekins. Sprinkle about 1 1/2 tsp of water over the sugar in each cup until the sugar is soaked evenly.

Place the cups into a microwave and microwave about 2 minutes to begin and then about 20 seconds at a time on high until the sugar bubbles and becomes a nice medium brown color. Watch carefully so the sugar doesn't burn.

Remove the custard cups and swirl the sugar mixture so it coats the entire bottoms and part of the sides of each cup. Set aside.

 Whisk together the eggs, egg yolks, sugar, vanilla extract and salt until the mixture is creamy. Set aside.

Gently heat the milk over medium heat until bubbles appear around the edge. If a skin forms, then remove it.

Whisk the hot milk into the egg mixture. Strain through a sieve and divide between the three custard cups.

Place the cups into a larger baking dish and fill with hot water about 1/2 way up the sides of the custard cups. Place into preheated oven and bake for about 45-55 minutes or until the flans have just set in the centers.

Remove from oven and cool completely.  Loosen the edges with a sharp knife, then carefully invert the flans onto one large or three smaller serving plates.

Turmeric & Ginger Pickled Eggs

One thing I noticed soon after I began purchasing my eggs directly from the farmer, was how difficult it was to peel them after I boiled them. The egg white would stubbornly cling to the shell I was trying to remove. After doing a bit of research I learned it was preferable to drop farm fresh eggs directly into hot water, rather than cold water. This made timing the eggs difficult for me. So, I picked up one of those egg timers that you place directly into the pot with the eggs. It changes color as the eggs cook. Regardless of how many eggs, or their size, this little gizmo appears to time them perfectly. I have used it a few times now, and my eggs have turned out perfect each time.

Another thing I learned about fresh eggs is that hens lay far fewer of them when the days get shorter. After coming home empty handed several times, I grabbed several dozen eggs when I finally made it to the farm really early, before the sun was up.

These pickled eggs are very easy to make. The seasoning is quite nice and the eggs take on a lovely yellow hue from the turmeric.

a dozen or more hard boiled eggs

Place the eggs into a sterilized jar (with lid), taking care not to squeeze them in too tightly.  Add cold water to cover the eggs, then carefully pour the water into a measuring cup to determine the amount of pickling marinade you will require.

For approximately every cup of marinade needed, combine:
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup water
2-3 thin slices fresh ginger
1 tbsp sucanat or brown sugar
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp yellow mustard seeds
1/2 tsp ground cardamom
1/2 tsp salt
1 pinch red pepper flakes

Combine all of the marinade ingredients into a saucepan with a lid. Bring the mixture to a simmer, lower the heat, cover the pot and cook for about 8-10 minutes.

Pour the hot marinade over the eggs. Add a small amount of water if the liquid doesn't cover the eggs completely. Cover the jar with a sterilized lid and allow to cool.

Refrigerate. Give the jar a gentle shake every day. The eggs will be ready to eat in 4-5 days. They will keep up to a month refrigerated. 

Moussaka

(about 6-8 servings)

Moussaka is usually considered a Greek dish although there are different versions of it to be found throughout the Mediterranean and Middle East. The seasonings might differ a bit as well as the vegetables used. It might be served hot or cold, with or without the creamy cheese enhanced béchamel.

Whenever I make moussaka, I prefer preparing the meat sauce the day before because it just tastes so much better when the flavors have had the chance to meld.

meat sauce
2 tsp olive oil
1 3/4 - 2 lbs lean ground lamb or beef
1 large onion, chopped
2-3 large cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cardamom
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/8 tsp allspice
1/2 cup dry red wine
15oz can crushed or pureed tomatoes
2 bay leaves
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Heat the olive oil in a large pot (with lid) over medium high heat. Cook the lamb or beef until it's nicely browned. Reduce the heat to medium low and add the onions and garlic. Continue to cook until the onions have softened.

Stir in the salt, oregano, cinnamon, cardamom, pepper, and allspice. Cook for about 2 minutes while stirring, then pour in the wine and continue to cook another minute or two.

Stir in the tomatoes and add the bay leaves. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot and allow the sauce to gently simmer for about an hour or so.

Check and adjust the seasoning, if needed. Remove from heat, stir in the parsley and allow to cool. Store in the refrigerator overnight or until you are ready to assemble the moussaka.

eggplant
2 - 3 tbsp olive oil
1 clove garlic minced
2 large eggplant

Combine the olive oil and garlic in a small container and allow to fuse for at least 30 minutes or longer.

Wash, then slice the eggplant into slices about 1/2 inch thick. Place the slices in a single layer onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or foil. Lightly brush the tops with the garlicky oil. If there's any oil left over, set that aside to grease the baking dish later.

Place the sheet into the middle of the oven and broil the slices until the tops are lightly browned. My oven has a Hi and Lo broiling setting. I used the Hi setting and it took about 12 minutes for the eggplant to be done.

Remove the eggplant from the oven and allow to cool.

béchamel
4 tbsp butter
1/2 cup flour
2 2/3 cups milk
1/4 tsp salt
3 eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 cup pecorino romano
2 pinches nutmeg/mace

Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Slowly whisk in the flour and cook for about 1-2 minutes. Slowly whisk in the milk until you have a smooth mixture. Stir in the salt and cook, stirring until the sauce thickens; about 5-8 minutes. Remove from heat.

Whisk a small amount of the hot sauce into the eggs, then whisk the egg mixture back into the béchamel. Stir in the cheese, reserving a tablespoon or so to sprinkle over the top of the casserole later. Stir in the nutmeg or mace and set aside.

To assemble

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Grease a 3 qt baking dish with any leftover garlic oil or use extra olive oil. Place a single layer of eggplant over the bottom of the dish and cover that with a layer of meat sauce. Repeat and continue until all of the eggplant and meat sauce has been used up. The baking dish I used measured 8.5" x 11" x 3". I ended up with 3 layers of eggplant and 2 layers of meat sauce.

Spread the béchamel over the top of the layered eggplant and meat sauce layers. Sprinkle the reserved pecorino romano over the top.

Bake for about 1 hour or until the casserole is bubbling hot. Remove from the oven and allow to stand for about 10-15 minutes before cutting into it.

Polish Salad with Homemade Mayonnaise

(6-8 servings)

This salad is similar to Russian salad, sans the ham. I love the bits of apple in it, but you can leave that out if you prefer.

I made my own lemon flavored mayonnaise using olive oil which was much better tasting than store bought. I followed the instructions (link below) and used an immersion blender as suggested. The next time I will try a food processor to see how that turns out.

30 second lemon mayonnaise, adapted from here
1 cup olive oil at room temperature
1 pasteurized whole egg at room temperature
1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice, or to taste
1/2 tsp very fine lemon zest
salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste

Place everything into a 1 pint mason jar (with a lid for storage). Place an immersion blender into the jar, allowing it to rest on the bottom. Turn on the blender and and when you see the olive oil and egg begin to thicken, slowly lift the blender up (while it's on).

When everything in the jar looks like it's emulsified, turn the blender off. Taste and add more salt and pepper (or lemon juice) if needed.

The leftover mayonnaise will keep for about a week, refrigerated.

salad
4-5 medium potatoes, scrubbed
1 medium turnip, peeled
3-4 carrots, scrubbed clean
1/3 - 1/2 cup homemade mayonnaise
3-4 tbsp plain yogurt
1-2 tbsp mustard
1 apple, cored and diced
3-4 dill pickles, diced
2 green onions, sliced
2 hard boiled eggs, diced
1 cup peas, frozen are fine
salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste

Bring the potatoes and turnip to a simmer. Cook for 15 minutes, then add the carrots. Cook another 10-15 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Drain and cool.

In a large salad bowl, combine the mayonnaise, sour cream and mustard.

Dice the cooled potatoes, turnip and carrots and add to the bowl. Add the apple, dill pickles, green onions, eggs and peas. Toss until everything is evenly combined. Season with salt and pepper, if needed.

Allow the salad to sit for about 30 minutes before serving to give the flavors a chance to meld a bit.

Egg Drop Soup

(4 servings)

This delicious soup can be on the table in minutes. The prep time is less than five minutes and all you really need to do is bring it up to a simmer, twice.

4 cups chicken broth, (1 qt)
2 - 3 tsp minced fresh ginger, to taste
2 - 3 green onions, sliced
1 - 2 pinches red pepper flakes
2 large eggs
2 tsp soy sauce
1  tsp sesame oil
1 tbsp corn starch
salt and pepper, to taste

Reserve about a 1/2 cup of the chicken broth. Set aside.

Combine the remaining broth with the ginger, green onions and red pepper flakes in a pot. Bring the mixture to a simmer over a medium flame.

While the soup is heating up, whisk together the eggs, soy sauce and sesame oil. Set aside.

When the soup reaches a simmer, pour the egg mixture slowly into the hot soup in a thin stream. Give everything a good stir.

Combine the cornstarch with the reserved chicken broth and stir the mixture into the soup. Allow everything to return to a simmer again. Taste and adjust the seasoning, if needed.

Remove from heat and serve.

Potato and Egg Salad

(about 4 servings)

Potato salads usually keep well for a couple of days in the refrigerator. If anything they seem to get better. They are great to have around when days are hot and you lose interest in cooking. They also travel well if you need something for a pot luck dinner. It's no wonder potato salads are so popular.

This creamy salad is dressed with a combination of buttermilk, mayonnaise and sour cream which I seasoned as I would deviled eggs. The buttermilk provides a pleasant tang and lightens up the dressing considerably. I debated whether or not to omit the mayonnaise entirely, but I love its lemony flavor and didn't want to lose that regardless how subtle.

salad
1 1/2 lb Yukon Gold potatoes, boiled in lightly salted water
5 large eggs, hard-boiled, shells removed
1 stalk celery, diced small
1/4 red onion, diced small
dressing
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 tbsp mayonnaise
2 tbsp sour cream
1 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp sweet paprika
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
1/4 tsp salt, or to taste

Cool the potatoes until they can be handled, then cut them into bite-sized pieces. Place them into a large bowl. Cut up the eggs and add those to the bowl as well. Add the celery and red onions. Do not toss at this point, just set aside.

Combine the buttermilk, mayonnaise, sour cream, mustard, paprika, pepper and salt in a small bowl. Whisk until thoroughly combined.

Pour the mixture over the potato and egg mixture.

Gently toss until everything is evenly combined. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours to give the flavors the opportunity to meld. Servecold or at room temperature.

Mixed Fruit Flaugnarde (Gluten Free)

(6 servings)

A clafoutis contains cherries, but when fruit other than cherries is used, this dish becomes a flaugnarde. I had no idea.

I've adapted this recipe from Julia Child's clafoutis on Epicurious. The primary changes I made were using mixed fruit in place of the cherries, making it gluten free and adjusting the ingredients a bit to fit a 9 inch pie dish.

Flaugnarde is often served as dessert, but I thought this was wonderful for brunch. Fortunately I have a counter top convection oven which doesn't increase the temperature in my kitchen; kind of a necessity in this heat.

1 cup and 2 tbsp milk
3 tbsp honey
4 eggs

1 tbsp rum or vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup rice flour

2 tbsp coconut flour
2 1/2 cups mixed fruit and/or berries (cut up), I used a combination of mango, peach, plum and blueberries

1 tbsp sucanat or brown sugar

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9 inch pie dish. Set aside.

In a blender, process the milk, honey, eggs, rum, salt and flours until you have a smooth batter.

Pour about a third of the batter into the prepared baking dish. Bake for about 15 minutes or until the batter sets. Remove from oven

Spread the fruit mixture evenly over the batter. Sprinkle the sucanat evenly over the fruit and then carefully pour the remaining batter over the fruit.

Return to the oven and bake an additional 45-55 minutes. The flaugnarde is done when the surface has puffed, is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean.

Serve warm or at room temperature.

Pickled Egg & Beet Salad

(2 servings)

All I can say is I wish I had made more pickled eggs! This salad came together quickly and it was delicious!

2 tbsp Greek yogurt
1 tbsp mayonnaise
1 tsp prepared mustard, mine was grainy
salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
4 pickled eggs, chopped
1/2 cup pickled beets, diced
1 small Persian cucumber, diced
1/2 apple, cored and diced
1 green onion, sliced
pickle juice, as needed
pickled onion slices for garnish

Whisk together the yogurt, mayonnaise, mustard, salt and pepper in a glass or non reactive bowl.

Add the eggs, beets, cucumber, apple and green onion. Toss. If the salad seems too dry, then add a few teaspoons of the pickle juice. Taste and adjust the seasoning, if needed.

Garnish with a few pickled onion slices. Serve.

Pickled Eggs & Beets

(12 pickled eggs)

Just this week we saw the temperature hit 99°F (37°C) in Dallas. I actually didn't mind it, the air was relatively dry, there was a slight breeze and it just felt like a nice summer day. If  this trend continued for the next three or four months, I'd be delighted, however in another week or two the breeze will vanish and the temperature will climb and (more or less) remain in the triple digits. Hot enough to break into a sweat walking to your car, hot enough to burn your hands on the steering wheel.

Despite the air conditioned house, I pretty much lose interest in cooking and eating, which trust me in my case isn't a bad thing, lol. I prefer snacking on cold dishes and whenever I'm inclined I'll prepare something along those lines. This week it's pickled eggs and beets. They were considered bar food (sans beets) where I grew up in Alberta. Frequently you'd find a huge jar filled with dozens of eggs next to the cash register. They were often quite rubbery, the result (I suspect) of the ratio of vinegar to water and perhaps the amount of time they had spent up on the bar.

I used medium sized eggs for this, which are more difficult to find (at least here in Dallas) than you might imagine. I would have preferred using small eggs, but I haven't seen those in years. I'm planning on checking out the Dallas Farmer's Market for small eggs next week. I might be pleasantly surprised.

1 3/4 cups water
3 medium raw beets, trimmed, peeled and cut into wedges
1/4 large sweet onion, sliced
12 hard boiled medium eggs, shells removed
1 cup apple cider vinegar
2-3 tbsp sucanat, honey or brown sugar, to taste
1 tbsp whole mustard seeds
9-12 whole peppercorns
1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
a pinch or two ground ginger
a pinch or two allspice
a pinch or two cinnamon
a pinch or two cayenne pepper

Sterilize a large glass jar and lid (about 46oz). Set aside.

Place the water, beets and onion into a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Cook the beets until tender; about 10-15 minutes.

Scoop out the beets and onions with a slotted spoon (reserving the cooking liquid). Place them into the sterilized jar alternating them with the eggs.

Add the vinegar, sucanat, mustard seeds, peppercorns, salt, ginger, allspice, cinnamon and cayenne to the saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil then reduce the heat and simmer for about 4-5 minutes.

Pour the hot liquid over the eggs, beets and onion. Add a small amount of water if the liquid doesn't cover the eggs and beets completely. Cover the jar with the sterilized lid and allow to cool.

Refrigerate. Give the jar a gentle shake every day. The eggs and beets will be ready to eat in 4-5 days. They will keep up to a month refrigerated. These eggs are great as a snack or cut up in a salad.

Gluten Free Banana Pancakes with Strawberries

(about 3  5" pancakes/serving)

Lately I've noticed a number of gluten free banana pancake recipes circulating the internet. I tried several and with a bit of experimentation ended up with this recipe. The resulting pancakes are a little on the flat side, not too sweet and not too eggy. I did get fluffy pancakes when I separated the eggs, beat the egg whites until they were stiff and folded those back into the batter, but that's just too much work for a Sunday morning. I tried a few batches with baking powder, and in the end omitted that because I didn't notice much of a difference. I also made these with and without coconut flour and I liked them best when they contained a small amount as that seemed to give them a bit more structure.

These banana pancakes are moist and delicious. Even if you can tolerate gluten, I highly recommend giving these a try, you might be surprised how good they are!

per serving
1 cup fresh strawberries
1 tsp brown sugar

1 medium just ripe banana (use an over-ripe banana if you prefer a sweeter pancake)
1 large egg
1 tbsp coconut flour

whipped cream, optional

Wash and hull the strawberries. Cut them in half and lay them in an even layer on a plate with the cut sides facing up. Sprinkle the sugar evenly over the cut berries and set aside.

To make the pancakes in a food processor:
Peel and cut up the banana and place into bowl. Add the egg and coconut flour. Pulse until the mixture is smooth. You'll end up with about 3/4 cup of batter per serving.

To make the pancakes by hand:
Peel and cut up the banana and place into a bowl. Mash it with a fork until you have a fairly smooth mixture; a few lumps are ok. Stir in the egg and coconut flour. Mix until smooth. You'll end up with about 3/4 cup of batter per serving.

Heat a non stick griddle or large frying pan over medium-low heat. I tried a few different temperature settings and this worked best for me using a gas flame. You might have to experiment a bit as these pancakes will brown quickly if the temperature is too high.

Lightly grease the griddle and pour *small pancakes about 5" in diameter leaving  space around them. You'll use about 1/4 cup of batter for each.

Cook them for a minute or two until the bottoms are nicely browned. Carefully flip each one over and cook the other sides until they are done; another minute or two. *These pancakes aren't quite as sturdy as those made with a lot of flour.

Continue until all of the batter is used up. Keep the finished pancakes warm.

To serve:
Top the pancakes with the strawberries and a dollop of whipped cream, if using.

Flan De Naranja; Orange Flan

(6 servings)

The other day I came home with a variety of oranges, tangerines and tangelos. They were all on sale and I couldn't help myself. I have been peeling and eating most of them, but I had enough to try a Spanish orange flan recipe I spotted online a while back. I loved that it contained no milk or cream; only juice and eggs.

I made mine with freshly squeezed juice and reduced the amount of sugar the recipe called for because my juice already seemed sweet enough. I also added the zest from one of the tangelos to the juice and let that sit for a bit. I have been using a microplaner in place of my conventional zester with terrific results. The zest I obtain from the microplaner is so fine, there's more surface overall creating a pungent citrusy fragrance/flavour from the oils in the peel.

This flan was delicious and exceeded my expectations, however the next time I make this I will use 6 ramekins instead of 1 larger dish. I think the single servings will make a nicer presentation.

adapted from a recipe at tusrecetasdecocina.com

1/4 cup sugar
1 tbsp water
2 - 3 tbsp honey, to taste
2 cups freshly squeezed orange, tangerine or tangelo juice
about 1 tbsp orange, tangerine or tangelo zest
4 large eggs

Preheat the oven to 325°F

Sprinkle the sugar evenly over the bottom of a *small (1 qt.) ovenproof dish. Sprinkle the water over the sugar until the sugar is soaked evenly. Place the dish into a microwave and cook for about 1 1/2-2 minutes on high to start and then about 15-20 sec. intervals until the sugar becomes a nice **medium brown colour. Remove (the dish will be very hot) and swirl the sugar mixture so it coats the entire bottom and sides. Set aside.

*or use 6 ramekins in which case it might be easier to make the syrup over the stove top in a pot.

** Watch the syrup carefully because once it begins to change colour, it will darken rapidly. I use a low powered microwave and I check the syrup every 15 seconds once it begins to change.

Combine one tablespoon of honey with the juice. Add more if needed. Stir in the zest and set aside.

Whisk the eggs in a bowl until the yolks and whites are well combined. Whisk in the juice mixture.
Pour the mixture through a sieve carefully into the baking dish with the caramelized sugar. Press the zest with the back of a wooden spoon to extract as much flavour as possible. Cover the top with a piece of waxed paper or parchment paper cut to fit.

Place the baking dish into a larger baking dish and fill with hot water about 1/2 way up the side of the flan dish. Place into oven and bake/steam for about 50-65 minutes or until the flan has set.

Allow to cool completely. Loosen the edges with a sharp knife, and dip the bottom of the dish into hot water for about 30 seconds. Carefully invert the flan onto a serving platter and serve.

Homemade Mayonnaise & Chicken Salad

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On occasion I'll make my own mayonnaise. It's not difficult and it's much tastier and a lot cheaper than anything you can pick up in a jar. I think what holds many people back from giving it a try is the concern about raw eggs. It's sad this seems to have become more of an issue in recent years.

My mum told me my grandmother used to leave her eggs out on the counter, unrefrigerated for weeks. My grandmother's eggs were fine and no one ever got sick.

Nowadays, when it comes to perishable foods, I often toss "brand loyalty" out the window and shop by the best expiration date. The eggs I brought home this week happened to be "pasteurized"; perfect for making mayonnaise. If you can't find any pasteurized eggs, then you can do this yourself.

This basic recipe can be doubled or tripled, but I prefer making a smaller amount and using it up within a week.

All ingredients need to be at room temperature.

Basic Mayonnaise
1 large pasteurized egg yolk
1/2-3/4 cup flavourless vegetable oil
a pinch or two of fine sea salt
1-2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice 

Options
lime juice, vinegar or flavoured vinegar in place of the lemon juice.
1/2-1 tsp plain or hot mustard
1-2 tsp ketchup, (makes a nice pink mayo)
replace part of the oil with sesame or olive oil

I like making my mayonnaise with a hand-held electric beater and a two cup glass measure. You can use a blender, a food processor, an immersion hand blender or even a whisk if you are brave enough, and up to a good workout.

Beat the egg yolk until it lightens in colour. Add one or two drops of oil and continue to beat. Keep beating in one or two drops of oil at a time (very slowly) until you have used up about a tablespoon of oil. The slower you do this, the greater rate of success you will have at creating a smooth emulsion. The yolk mixture will look creamy and *smooth. At this point you can add a small amount of salt and lemon juice or one or two of the options.

Once you have added about a tablespoon or so of the oil successfully, you can add it a bit more quickly; several drops at a time or in a very thin stream until you have used the desired amount of oil. I rarely add more than 1/2 a cup of oil per yolk, but you can add as much as about 3/4 cup of oil, if you prefer. Taste the mayonnaise and beat in more salt and lemon juice as needed.

*If the yolk begins to separate from the oil, then either the oil was added too quickly or the egg and oil were not the same temperature. Put this mixture aside (don't throw it out) and begin again with another yolk. Beat this yolk until it begins to lighten, then beat in a 1/4 tsp of the separated yolk mixture at a time until you have used all of it. At this point, you will need to double the recipe and add twice the amount of the ingredients above to finish your mayonnaise.

This will keep for about 1 week or so, refrigerated. It might keep longer, but I always finish mine before that amount of time passes.

Chicken Salad
2 tbsp mayonnaise
1-2 tsp cider vinegar, to taste
1/2 tsp hot mustard
1/4 tsp honey
1 tsp poppy seeds

2/3 cup leftover cooked chicken, chopped
5-6 grapes, quartered
1 tbsp chopped celery
2 tsp dried cranberries
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Combine the mayonnaise, vinegar, mustard, honey and poppy seeds. Mix that in with the chicken, grapes, celery and cranberries.

Check and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper, if needed.

Deviled Egg Salad

(2 servings)

Whenever I hard boil eggs, it's hit and miss. They are either underdone or overdone. I decided to look it up this time and followed these directions. They turned out just right.

Deviled Eggs

(4 servings)

I'm off work for President's Day (Washington's Birthday) and still in the mood for finger food. These deviled eggs rounded out the weekend for me.

6 large eggs
3 tbsp mayonnaise
1 tsp hot mustard
1 tsp prepared horseradish
1 tsp anchovy paste
1 tbsp green onion, finely sliced
1 tbsp roasted red pepper, chopped
freshly ground black pepper

Cover the eggs with cool water in a small pot. Set aside for a couple of hours until both are room temperature.

Place the pot on top of the stove and bring the water to a boil. Reduce the heat slightly and simmer them for 12 minutes. Remove from heat, drain and run cold water over them. Crack the shells and peel them when they are cool enough to handle.

Combine the mayonnaise, mustard, horseradish and anchovy paste in a small bowl.

Cut the eggs in half , remove the yolks and add them to the mayonnaise mixture. Mash everything with a fork until smooth. Add the green onion, red pepper, and a few grinds of pepper. Mix until everything is well combined.

Divide evenly and fill the egg cavities with the seasoned yolk mixture.

Daring Cooks Challenge December, 2010; Oeufs en Meurette

Serves 8 

Jenn and Jill have challenged The Daring Cooks to learn to perfect the technique of poaching an egg. They chose Eggs Benedict recipe from Alton Brown, Oeufs en Meurette from Cooking with Wine by Anne Willan, and Homemade Sundried Tomato & Pine Nut Seitan Sausages (poached) courtesy of Trudy of Veggie num num.

If you wish to halve this recipe, make sure to adjust your large shallow pan size accordingly so that you have enough depth for poaching your eggs. The poached eggs and the meurette sauce can be made up to a day in advance. Just take care store the poached eggs in a bowl of water in the fridge, and the meurette sauce can be easily reheated.

I'm a sucker for anything with wine in it, so it wasn't difficult deciding which recipe to try. OMG! This was so good! I was thrilled with the results. This is a wonderful dish for brunch or a light supper.

Ingredients
8 eggs (size is your choice)
1 bottle red wine (750ml/25 fl. oz.)
2 cups (400ml/16 fl. oz.) chicken stock*‡
1 onion, sliced
1 carrot, sliced
1 celery stalk, sliced
1 clove garlic, crushed
Bouquet garni (thyme, parsley, bay leaf)
½ tsp. (2 ½ ml/3g) black peppercorns
2 Tbl. (30 ml/30g) butter°
¼ lb. (115g) mushrooms, sliced
¼ lb (115g) bacon, diced‡
16 pearl onions, peeled (200g/7oz.)
Vegetable oil for frying
8 slices of baguette, ¼” (6mm) thick
2 Tbl. (30 ml/30g) butter, room temp.°
2 Tbl. (30 ml/20g) flour *
salt and pepper

*for gluten free make sure to use gluten free stock and gluten free flour
‡ for vegetarian use vegetable stock, and omit bacon.
° for dairy free use a dairy free margarine.

Other notes on ingredients:
• You can use salted or unsalted butter, you will just have to adjust your “salt & pepper to taste” accordingly. I use unsalted.
• As this is a Burgundian dish, a full-bodied red wine like a pinot noir is a great wine to use for this dish. Anne Willan recommends a fruity red wine and I personally love the way a bold pinot noir works with this sauce, though you certainly can use whatever you like best. She also notes that you can make ouefs au mersault. Mersault is the famed white wine region of Bourgogne, and is generally made using chardonnay grapes, so it would be ok to choose a white wine if you want (though I have never tried it with white). No matter what wine you choose, make sure it is not too dry nor too sweet.
• To make a bouquet garni, just take the herbs (a few sprigs of each) and tie them together into a little bundle. Since the sauce will reduce for a while, it’s ok if you don’t have the fresh herbs – there will be time for flavor to come out of dried ones (for ex. fresh bay leaf may be hard to find). Alternatively, if you don’t have a way to tie them, you could just add the whole sprigs/bay leaves to the sauce and then just make sure to remove them when the sauce is done reducing.

Directions:
1. Heat wine and stock together in a large pan and poach eggs a couple at a time for 3-4 min. Yolks should be firming but still a little soft. Set them aside.
2. Add the veggies, herbs, and peppercorns to the poaching liquid and let the sauce simmer until reduced to half volume. This will become the meurette sauce.
3. In a separate large skillet, melt 1 tbs. (15ml/15g) of the butter on medium-high heat and sauté the mushrooms until soft and then set aside. Add in another 1 tbs. (15ml/15g) butter and the bacon, frying until browned, then set aside on a paper towel. Turn down the heat to medium, add in the pearl onions and sauté until softened and browned. Then drain off the fat and add the bacon and mushrooms back to the pan and set aside off the heat for the moment.

4. In a medium skillet, heat a few tbs. of oil and then fry the baguette slices until browned on each side. Add more oil as needed. Set the fried bread (croûtes) on a paper towel and then place on a baking sheet in an oven that is set to 200F/95C/gas mark 1/4 or whatever your lowest setting is to keep them warm.
5. Blend 2 Tbl. (30ml/30g) butter and flour together to form a paste of sorts that will be used as the thickener for the sauce. Whisk this into the reduction sauce until the sauce starts to thicken.
Strain the sauce over the skillet of mushrooms, bacon and onions, and return the skillet to heat, bringing to a boil. Season with salt & pepper to taste, then set aside again.
6. Reheat the eggs by placing them in hot water for a quick minute. To serve, plate a poached egg on top of a croûte, and then ladle some of the mushrooms/bacon/onions and sauce on top.

Daring Cooks Challenge November, 2010; Soufflé (Julia Child's Cheese)

Dave and Linda from Monkeyshines in the Kitchen chose Soufflés as our November 2010 Daring Cooks’ Challenge! Dave and Linda provided two of their own delicious recipes plus a sinfully decadent chocolate soufflé recipe adapted from Gordon Ramsay’s recipe found at the BBC Good Food website.

One of the links they provided was a video of Julia Child making her classic cheese soufflé.  I decided to make that..  Mine didn't rise nearly as much as I had expected it to and when I scooped into it to serve, I discovered it was still raw inside. I returned it to the oven for another 15 minutes and it was fine.

I checked the temperature of my oven with a removable thermometer and it's correct, so I'd be inclined to add at least 10 minutes to what this recipe calls for in terms of baking time.

Despite everything it was very tasty and I will try making another one at some point. I saw a few images posted in the forum of beet flavoured soufflés; they looked amazing and I will probably try making one of those next.

Recipe by Julia Child, Julia's Kitchen Wisdom, Alfred A. Knopf, 2000

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons softened butter
• 2 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1 cup hot milk
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• pinch nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground pepper
• 4 egg yolks
• 5 egg whites
• 1 cup (packed) coarsely grated Gruyère cheese (about 4 ounces)
  
  

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Butter a 6-cup souffle or straight-sided baking dish with 11/2 tablespoons butter. Dust the interior of the dish with the Parmesan and knock out the excess.

In a large saucepan, melt the remaining butter over medium high heat. Stir in the flour and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the butter and flour foam and froth. Remove the pan from the heat and beat in the hot milk, then simmer over medium heat and stir slowly until thick, about 1 to 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the seasonings, then the egg yolks, 1 by 1.

Whip the egg whites to stiff, shining peaks, then whisk 1/4 of them into the sauce to lighten it. Delicately fold the remaining egg whites into the sauce, alternating with the grated Swiss cheese.

Turn the souffle mixture into the prepared dish and set in the oven. Reduce the heat to 375 degrees F and bake until the souffle has puffed 1 or 2-inches above the rim and has browned on top, about 25 to 30 minutes (You may have to extend this time up to 45 minutes; see my notes above). Serve immediately.