Roasted Figs with Goat Cheese and Honey

There's something so delicious about the earthy, subtle taste of figs. But because they're so rarely eaten, they always bring a touch of class to any meal.

Quartered and wrapped in prosciutto, then fried till crisp makes for a lovely appetizer.

Poached in a red wine sauce makes for a fancy dessert.

But my favorite way to eat it is roasted with goat cheese and honey. This recipe serves 10:

Ingredients
10 fresh figs
1/3 cup honey
1/3 goat cheese, softened (can be substituted with marscapone cheese)

Simply cut each fig into quarters, but stopping about 1/2 inch from the bottom to leave the base intact.
Gently pry open the figs and roast in a well oiled pan at 425° for 9 minutes, until softened.
Spoon about a teaspoon of cheese into the center of each fig and roast for another 3 minutes.  Put the figs on a plate and drizzle with your favorite locally produced honey.

Want to make it a more savory? Simply mix the goat cheese with a few dashes of black pepper before adding it to the figs.

Or want to make it sweeter? Use marscapone.

Yum!

Chicken and Goat Cheese Fritters with Chives

Lately I've been on a goat cheese kick. I picked up this recipe in Maryland. Can't go wrong with fried dough....

Chicken and Goat Cheese Fritters with Chives
edible Chesapeake: Spring 2007

6 Servings (appetizer)

1 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup milk
3 tablespoons diced, caramelized onions (see note)
2 tablespoons minced chives
1 cup coarsely chopped cooked chicken meat
1/2 cup crumbled chevre goat cheese (Firefly Farms is a local favorite)
Vegetable oil for frying

1. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Stir in the eggs. Mix in the milk, onions and chives. Fold in the chicken and the goat cheese.
2. Pour oil into a heavy skillet to a depth of 1 inch, and heat until very hot, about 375 degrees. Drop the batter by the tablespoonful, a few fritters at a time, and fry until golden brown, for 2 to 3 minutes, turning often. Remove with tongs or a slotted utensil to paper towels to drain.

NOTE: To caramelize onions, sauté small diced pieces in a little sweet, unsalted butter—or olive oil—until they turn a rich golden brown. This process gives the onions a delightfully sweet flavor.

Baked Clam Cakes

mmmmmm......

Baked Clam Cakes

1 Egg
1/4 teaspoon Clam Juice
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground sea salt
freshly ground pepper, to taste
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried onion
1 Tsp. Baking Powder
2-7 Oz. Can Minced Clams

1. Preheat oven to 350F.


2. Beat egg and add clam juice.


3. Mix baking powder, bread crumbs, salt and pepper.


4. Add the minced clams to the dry mixture and then add enough of the liquid to make a thick, lumpy batter.


5. Grease baking sheet and drop batter by tablespoons onto baking sheet.


6. Bake for 20-25 minutes until browned.

Crispy Kale

This tastes a lot like nori (seaweed).

Crispy Baked Kale

kale
freshly ground sea salt to taste
freshly ground pepper to taste
olive oil

1. Preheat your oven to 350F.
2. Tear the kale into bite-sized pieces and wash and dry it in a salad spinner.
3. Spread these pieces in a single layer on a baking sheet. Spray all the leaves with a fine mist of olive oil until they are lightly coated.
4. Sprinkle the freshly grated sea salt and pepper to taste. Don't over do it!
5. Bake in oven 15 to 20 minutes. Kale will look a bit translucent but still green. Enjoy!

Cheese-Stuffed Love Apples

cheese and tomatoes, yum!

Cheese-Stuffed Love Apples
Vegetarian Times Issue: February 1, 2005

2 Servings

1/2 cup nonfat or low-fat cottage cheese
1/4 lb. soft, fresh goat cheese
2 Tbs. plain nonfat yogurt
1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped fresh herbs (such as parsley, tarragon, dill, and chives), or to taste
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
10 cherry tomatoes
10 small dill sprigs for garnish

1. Put cottage cheese and goat cheese in food processor fitted with steel blade, and purée until smooth. Add yogurt, and process 1 to 2 minutes more, or until very smooth. Scrape into bowl, and stir in herbs, salt and pepper. Set aside.
2. Cut off thin slice from top of each cherry tomato. Using small spoon, scoop out seeds and flesh from centers. Lightly salt insides of tomatoes, and invert on rack set in sink. Drain 5 to 10 minutes.
3. Spoon herbed cheese into each tomato, garnish with dill sprig and serve, or refrigerate until serving time.

Nutritional Information
Per SERVING: Calories 220, Protein 19g, Total fat 12g, Carbs 9g, Cholesterol 30mg, Sodium 450mg, Fiber 1g, Sugars 6g

Stuffed Peppers

Yesterday I made the first recipe using green bell peppers with some of the spicies from the second recipe....

Barley-Stuffed Red Peppers
Vegetarian Times Issue: January 1, 2003

3 Servings

1 cup uncooked quick-cooking barley
3 cups vegetable or mushroom broth
3 large red bell peppers
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 large onion, peeled and diced
1 Tbs. minced garlic
6 oz. presliced portobello mushrooms, cubed
4 oz. feta cheese, crumbled
1 tsp. lemon juice
1/3 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
Hot pepper sauce to taste
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Parsley sprigs for garnish

1. Combine barley and 2 cups vegetable broth in saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, cover and cook until tender, 10 to 15 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, slice tops off red peppers, and remove seeds and inner membranes. Reserve tops for later use. Place peppers on steaming rack over boiling water, and cover saucepan. Steam peppers for about 15 minutes, or until tender but not soft. Remove from heat, and set aside until cool enough to handle.
3. Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat until hot. Sauté onion and garlic until onion becomes translucent, about 5 minutes. Add barley and any remaining cooking liquid, and stir until grains are coated with oil. Add mushrooms and remaining 1 cup vegetable broth, and sauté mixture for about 5 minutes, or until mushrooms soften and liquid absorbed. Stir in feta, lemon juice, parsley, hot pepper sauce, and salt and pepper to taste, and cook about 2 minutes more. Remove from heat.
4. Stand peppers upright, and spoon barley mixture into them. Fill each pepper, and serve with tops over the filling or propped alongside. Garnish with parsley and serve.

Nutritional Information:
Per SERVING: Calories 460, Protein 14g, Total fat 19g, Carbs 62g, Cholesterol 35mg, Sodium 900mg, Fiber 13g, Sugars 13g

South Indian Stuffed Peppers
Vegetarian Times Issue: April 1, 2007

4 Servings

4 large red bell peppers
1 Tbs. garlic oil
1 small onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
2 tsp. whole yellow mustard seeds
1 tsp. cumin seeds
1 tsp. ground coriander
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
2 cups shredded green cabbage
1 small sweet potato, peeled and finely diced (about 8 oz.)
1 cup cooked chickpeas
3 Tbs. raisins
1 Tbs. minced fresh ginger
3 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 Tbs.)
1/4 cup low-sodium vegetable broth
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
2 Tbs. chopped roasted cashews
3/4 cup plain soy yogurt
2 1/2 Tbs. prepared mango chutney

1. Preheat oven to 375F.
2. Slice tops from peppers. Remove seeds, and set peppers and caps aside.
3. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté onion, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, coriander, salt and cayenne pepper 6 minutes, or until onion begins to brown. Stir in cabbage, potato, chickpeas, raisins, ginger and garlic, and sauté 2 minutes.
4. Stir in broth, and reduce heat to low. Cover, and cook vegetables 10 minutes, or until soft, stirring occasionally. Fold in cilantro and cashews.
5. Spoon filling into peppers and place caps on top. Place peppers in 9x7-inch baking dish. Pour 1 inch water into dish. Cover with foil, and bake 50 minutes, or until peppers are tender.
6. Place yogurt in small bowl and stir in chutney. Arrange peppers on individual plates, and serve with yogurt sauce.

Nutritional Information
Per SERVING: Calories: 297, Protein: 9g, Total fat: 8.5g, Carbs: 51g, Cholesterol: mg, Sodium: 402mg, Fiber: 10g, Sugars: 22g

Crab Rangoon (Cream Cheese Wontons)

fake Chinese food, but still tasty.

Crab Rangoon

1 package Nasoya Won Ton Wraps
16oz homemade ricotta cheese + 3 tablespoons olive oil or flax seed oil
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
3 green onions, finely chopped
1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tablespoon wasabi paste (optional)
freshly ground pepper to taste
pinch of freshly ground sea salt
1 egg, beaten
8oz crabmeat or imitation crabmeat, shredded (may be substituted with shredded pre-cooked shrimp)

1. Combine all ingredients, except Nasoya Won Ton Wraps. Mix and refrigerate for several hours.
2. Take one wrapper and  place 1/2 teaspoon mixture in the middle of the wrap, gather edges and moisten with water and pinch to seal.
3. Pan fry in 1/4" oil on medium heat for 2 minutes. Add 1/8 cup water and cover pan for 4 minutes to steam. Uncover and fry for 1 minute then flip over and fry other side for 3 minutes.
4. Serve while warm. May be served with sweet & sour sauce and/or Chinese mustard sauce and/or hot sauce if desired.

Paolo's Famous Tapenade

Fantastic dip!

Paolo's Famous Tapenade

1 large Eggplant
1 16 oz. can Chick Peas (Garbanzo Beans) in water, drained
1 24 oz. jar Green Olives with Pimento, drained
1 Red Pepper, roasted, peeled and seeded  (1/2 cup canned roasted red pepper strips
is a good substitute)
1/4 bunch Parsley, roughly chopped
2 each Garlic Cloves, peeled
1 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
fresh Ground Black Pepper, to taste

Split eggplant in half, season with olive oil, salt & pepper and roast in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes.  When completely cool, remove pulp and discard the skin.

Take remaining ingredients, except the olive oil and black pepper - and make sure they have been well drained.  Place all in a food processor in batches and pulse until well chopped.  If you have a grinder attachment for your mixer this works well also.

Slowly drizzle olive oil into ground mixture while slowly stirring tapenade until the oil it totally incorporated.

Season to taste with fresh ground black pepper.

Serve with fresh baked ciabatta bread, focaccia or grilled garlic crostini and ENJOY!

Roasted Eggplant

I love eggplant!

Roasted Eggplant

Cut bambino hybrid eggplant into halves. If using larger eggplant, cut into 1 inch chunks.

Put the eggplant pieces in a large colander and sprinkle all over with the 2 tablespoons kosher salt. Set in the sink to drain for about 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Put a baking sheet in the oven to heat for 10 minutes.

Toss with olive oil, freshly ground pepper, and chopped garlic. If desired, also toss with balsamic vinegar OR soy sauce and worchestershire sauce to taste.