A Stack of Dishes

Something good is cooking...

gluten free

Country Pate {Pate de Campagne}

by

Pork and Turkey Country Pate ~ A Stack of Dishes

The cooler weather is finally settling in to Louisiana. I should hardly say a thing about it since some of my Northern friends are already suffering storms and foul weather. “Cooler weather” here means the horrible chore of having to put on a jacket, and I hate to tell you that a scarf is non unheard of at 66 degrees. (Yes, 66 is considered nippy to me now. *sigh*) Be that as it may, this is where we are at, and we must all flow where we are.

As the days shorten The Wife and I find ourselves pulling together dinner parties in lieu of the sunset cocktails on the porch. This is a wonderland for us. The Wife is in charge of the family “wine cellar”, a job that she takes on with passion and with great talent. Me, I have the joy of delving into the kitchen and creating more complicated and time intensive dishes.

Recently we had a small dinner party. The Wife chose a gorgeous Italian Prosecco to serve to our guests as they gathered and settled. We have learned that some of the best evenings start off with a little sparkle. As an accompaniment, my mind went to something earthy, something savory, with a hint of sweet to offset the wine. I wanted something special and yet, not overly stuffy. When I lived in Manhattan there were plenty of options for pre made pates of several types- but that’s not so much the case here. I also discovered when discussing this idea with a few friends was that not so many folks are as keen on liver as I am. This I find not surprising, but just so sad. I simply adore liver pate and could easily overindulge with abandon. 

When I first moved here I found the lack of provisions an obstacle, but these days I have come to accept it as de rigeur. I remind myself not to complain when there are so many other wonderful things about living here. Besides, it has forced me to become more honed to the basic  kitchen arts, which does my heart good. The art of making pate however does not demand fine skills. I would say the challenge lies less in the technique and more in the balance of flavors. [Read more…] about Country Pate {Pate de Campagne}

Making Dukkah

by

Making Dukkah~ A Stack of Dishes

Have you heard of Dukkah? It’s relatively new to me, which is surprising since I feel like I sometimes have heard of it all. Dukkah is a spice and nut blend that can be sprinkled on top of just about anything. Also sometimes spelled Duqqa, this melange is of middle Eastern origin, namely Egypt, where you may purchase it on the streets of Cairo in paper cones.

The concept is a mix of nuts such as hazelnuts and blended with toasted seeds such as coriander, anise and herbs such as mint. There is no real master recipe, the versions are as varied as the maker- sort of like ice cream. One idea, many flavor combinations.  My combination consisted of hazelnuts, pine nuts, poppy seeds, anise, coriander and purple basil from my garden.

dukkah ~ A Stack of Dishes

I toasted the nuts and spices separately, then ground them separately. I left the hazelnuts with a little bit of texture, which is my preference, but most often Dukkah is of a unified consistency.

How to Enjoy Dukkah

Traditionally in Egypt dukkah is served alongside olive oil and bread. Either the dukkah and oil or mixed together, or the bread may be dipped in oil, then into the dukkah before eating. It’s a nosh. A simple, flavorful, great treat along with your tea or lunch. But I find dukkah to be much more versatile that that. I like mine sprinkled over yogurt, or to lace an otherwise plain green salad. Add it to your chicken salad, or enhance your grilled cheese with a smattering. Spinkle it over your morning eggs, or coat fish before roasting. Recently I used it in this Coconut Sweet Potato Soup recipe. I also tossed some into my latest scone recipe too. It was completely divine!

Worth the Effort?

To be honest, it took me a little time to make this batch. One must be careful when toasting nuts and spices. As you can see from my photo I got a little side tracked when toasting the pine nuts and they turned out a little dark. But there are several great reasons to make your own batch. 

The first reason is it’s a great way to use some of those spices sitting in your cupboard. They don’t last forever, so you might as well create something with them. The second thing is a few tablespoons of this and that makes quite a big batch, which leads me to the third thing. Bottled up, this makes an awesome hostess gift and a great stocking stuffer. Stash a few jars in your freezer for quick hand outs. Trust me, you’ll make lasting friends with this one.

Dukkah~ A Stack of Dishes

Like I said the recipe may vary. Here is the breakdown of my combination, along with some other suggestions:

3 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted

small handful hazel nuts, toasted

2 tablespoons coriander seeds

2 tablespoons poppy seeds

2 tablespoons anise seeds

small handful of dried purple basil

 

Using a spice blender, or by hand, or in a mortar and pestle, reduce the ingredients to a grainy powder and toss to thoroughly combine. Taste for balance. Anise, for instance, has a strong flavor and may out shine some of the subtler flavors. Store in an airtight container, preferably in the fridge. Mine presently lives on the counter as I find uses for it almost every day. (you know those avocado toasts everyone is going nuts over lately? Yup, a sprinkle of this goodness will make it shine!

Some other options:

sesame seeds

cumin seeds

mint

tarragon

caraway

nigella

almonds

black pepper

Savory Corn Waffles with Yogurt Cream and Arugula Salad

by

Savory Corn Waffles with Yogurt Cream ~ A Stack of DishesIt shouldn’t surprise you to know that I am thinking about food all the time. Aside from the obvious fact that I must nourish myself several times throughout the day, I am also always thinking about flavors, imagining textures and combinations. To be honest it can be maddening at times to the point of being overwhelming. When I look into my fridge or cupboards I don’t see work or “nothing to eat”, I see endless possibilities. Oh where to start?

I keep a fairly well stocked pantry. For this I sometimes get chided by my wife- until the other day when she decided to prepare dinner. As she pulled together her menu she said, “I might have to go to the store- do we have fresh cilantro?” “SURE! I said” “Well, what about coconut oil, I’m sure we don’t have that.” Uhh… well yes, in fact we do. Plenty in fact.

And this is how I like it. Tools in the toolshed. Brushes, paints and canvas for the artist/painter. This is my playground. I can make stuff. {rubbing hands together with delight}

Corn Waffle with yogurt Cream ~ A Stack of Dishes I’ve been playing around in my mind with the idea of a savory waffle. Something earthy and toothsome and not just a block of doughy something. I had a ball with this concept, and came up with several really fun ideas (maybe soon to follow), but ultimately decided to land on this one. This waffle is laced with shredded carrots, and red pepper flakes. I made the batter a bit wet so the waffle came out crispy, and not as bready. For tang and texture I topped it with yogurt cream that is laced with fine olive oil and topped with blue cheese. Finally for an acid balance and snap I topped it with a lightly dressed peppery arugula salad.

An added bonus is the waffle is gluten free. A decision I made by choice. I used some chickpea flour in the batter, which also gives it a little extra protein, but if you don’t have a pantry like mine, feel free to switch it out with regular ol’ all purpose flour. No harm there.

btw- I love my waffle iron. It’s a pretty basic version. It goes right onto the stovetop. No cord, no honkin’ thang that will hog your counter. This one is slim and sexy and always at the ready. If you need to you can purchase a waffle iron like mine HERE
.

Savory Corn Carrot Waffle ~ A Stack of Dishes

Savory Corn Carrot Waffles with Yogurt Cream
A crispy savory waffle with a bit of a bite, paired with creamy tangy yogurt, blue cheese and a light arugula salad.
Save Recipe
Print
614 calories
52 g
57 g
40 g
13 g
5 g
270 g
238 g
13 g
0 g
32 g
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size
270g
Servings
4
Amount Per Serving
Calories 614
Calories from Fat 352
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 40g
61%
Saturated Fat 5g
27%
Trans Fat 0g
Polyunsaturated Fat 6g
Monounsaturated Fat 26g
Cholesterol 57mg
19%
Sodium 238mg
10%
Total Carbohydrates 52g
17%
Dietary Fiber 4g
17%
Sugars 13g
Protein 13g
Vitamin A
113%
Vitamin C
13%
Calcium
26%
Iron
10%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your Daily Values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Does this look wrong?
Ingredients
  1. 1 cup yellow corn meal
  2. 1/2 cup chickpea flour
  3. 1 teaspoon baking powder
  4. 1 cup shredded carrots
  5. 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  6. 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  7. 1 cup 2% milk
  8. 1 whole egg
  9. 1/2 cup nonfat greek yogurt, plain
  10. 2 teaspoons fruity olive oil
  11. 1 oz blue cheese, thinly sliced (or crumbled)
  12. 3 cups baby arugula leaves
  13. 1/2 cup grape tomatoes, sliced in half
  14. 1 tablespoons olive oil
  15. 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
  16. salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. In a large bowl combine the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, salt, pepper flakes and carrots. Toss to combine.
  2. In a separate small bowl combine the oil, milk and egg.
  3. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir smooth. The batter will be fairly wet. Let it rest while you prepare the waffle iron.
  4. When the iron is hot, pour half the batter over the iron and cook until the edges are a deep golden brown to almost too dark. You want the waffles crispy and crunchy on the outside with just a little tenderness inside. Repeat with the second half of the batter.
  5. While the waffles are cooking, in a small bowl combine the yogurt with a pinch of salt and some pepper. Stir until nice and smooth.
  6. In a separate bowl add the arugula and tomatoes. Drizzle the olive oil and vinegar over and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  7. To serve place two waffles per plate and top with the yogurt sauce. Drizzle a little fruity olive oil over the yogurt. Then top that with the arugula salad and blue cheese.
  8. * alternatively you may add the blue cheese into the yogurt and stir that smooth, or use a blue cheese dressing. It's all good.
beta
calories
614
fat
40g
protein
13g
carbs
52g
more
A Stack of Dishes https://www.astackofdishes.com/
Wordpress Recipe Plugin by Recipe Card