Palak Paneer for SRC

It's time for the Group B Secret Recipe Club  reveal again.   Yep, it's the second Monday of the month.   And time for me to tell all about the recipe I made from my assigned blog.  When you're a member of the Secret Recipe Club you get assigned a different blog every month to explore and make a recipe from.   

 And this month my assigned blog was Culinary Adventures with Camilla.  

I have to say this, I was a little intimidated.

Yup, I was.  By the sheer volume of posts she manages to do.   But it didn't last long.

And she tweets too.  I still haven't figured out the whole tweet thing. 

I almost got seduced by this recipe, Rabarbersuppe med Vin, I am Danish after all and it sounded good, and I've been wanting to make Gravlax for a long time, but my dill plant got eaten by the swallowtail caterpillars.  So no dill for me.

 But that's OK, I found a recipe to make.  Well, actually a couple of recipes to make.

But they do go together.  

I've gotten to really love Palak Paneer, and when I get to go to the big city on a Friday when my favourite Indian restaurant has a buffet, I always get some.

I never realized you could actually make this at home.  I'm in trouble now.

Just kidding.   

I found this recipe for Paneer Cheese.  and now that I know how to make Paneer, I can indulge myself.  Well, not really, but how cool is this?  I can make it at home now, Woo Hoo!   I  have to say, you do need full fat milk for this, and no using ultra pasteurized milk or cream.  It doesn't work, trust me on this.  

Really.

Trust me.

I know whereof I speak, cause I tried making some with 2% milk and didn't get hardly any cheese, and so I went to the store and bought some full fat milk, otherwise known as whole milk.   And the same night I made it with the 2% milk, I tried using some cream I had, and since it was ultra-pasteurized, it failed miserably.  In other words, no curd. That attempt turned into an offering to the Kitchen Goddess. 

And of course you need Palak for Palak Paneer so I did a double.  Recipe that is.   I couldn't find fennel pollen so I just used some fennel seed.    You learn to improvise when you live where I do. 

So, here goes.  And for those who are interested, using 2 cups of 2 % milk got me 2 oz. of Paneer.
When I used the 4 cups of whole milk I got 5 oz. of cheese.   Just sayin...

Paneer Recipe
4 cups whole milk
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 tsp. salt if you want, I choose not to use it

Bring the milk to a boil, remove from heat, stir in the lemon juice.  Let it sit for a couple of minutes, stir again, you should have some lovely big curds, if not add just a skootch more of lemon juice, and stir again.

Pour into a cheesecloth lined colander or do like I did, cause I couldn't find my cheesecloth, sigh.  I used an old (bleached clean) floursack teacloth, and poured it into that.

Let it sit for about 10 minutes or long enough to eat your breakfast, then gather up the corners of the cheesecloth (floursack) and expel more of the liquid by squeezing it gently.   Place the entire mass of cheese in a press to expel the rest of the liquid.  I used two small plates, on top of a larger lidded plate, and weighed it down with a bunch of cans inside a bowl.  Let sit like that for about hour or so, then peel the cloth off of the cheese and cut into chunks if you're using it right away, otherwise wrap well, and place in fridge.

Now for the Palak.    I found some spinach on sale (WOOHOO), sorry got excited there.   So I followed Camilla's recipe for the Palak.   As I said before, I didn't have any fennel pollen so I just used fennel seeds. 

Palak Recipe

1 lb baby spinach, washed at least three times to remove the grit

1 medium onion, peeled and diced

1 medium tomato, diced

2 C homemade paneer

1/2 t cumin seeds

1/2 t fennel pollen (I used 1 tsp. fennel seeds)

1/2 t ground turmeric

freshly ground salt
freshly ground pepper
lemon juice from 1 lemon

1 tablespoon ghee   (I made some last January, so had some in the freezer)

 

In a large saucepan, melt the ghee and toast the cumin seeds and fennel . Once they are aromatic, add the onion and cook till translucent.

Stir in the tomato and cook until softened and beginning to break down. Season with turmeric. 

Add the spinach at this point, and let it cook down for just a couple of minutes.  Cook it too long and it turns a shade of olive which doesn't look all that great.   If you have an immersion blender, use it here and just buzz the spinach mixture a little.  You want it to break up, but not be too liquid.    Set it aside for a minute.

Take out your paneer and cut it into cubes and depending if you're using the nice fresh-made warm paneer or using it from the fridge, you will need to warm it up a bit. 

You can either brown it a little in some ghee or just warm it in the hot palak for a minute or so.  

Serve with some warm Naan and enjoy.  Or do as I did and eat it for breakfast, and it was so good.  And I have enough for breakfast tomorrow, giggle.  

I'll have to try my hand at making Naan next.

I do have a recipe for it.
Somewhere.

An InLinkz Link-up

Kiksekage (Chocolate Biscuit Cake)

Want to make something sinfully delicious, rich and soul satisfying?

Have I got a recipe for you.

If you're a chocoholic, it's all of that and more.

I'm talking Kiksekage here.   I made one a few years back, and brought it to Boat Club, but this was in my pre-blog days and all I have left of that experience is a dim, sweet memory and no pictures.  

I know I have no pictures of it cause I just checked. 

I have lots of pictures of my dogs playing on the beach and in the water from that time period, but no pictures of the Kiksekage.

Of course at that time we were 'homeless and living on the beach'.

Just kidding about the homeless part, we lived in a very nice fifth wheel, but didn't own a house at the time.    And as I recall, it was hot at the beach in the summer, but we loved it.  And because it was hot, and I didn't want to cook I happened to make this for a Boat Club potluck that one time, and the fact that Boat Club that year fell on my birthday, well, gee, it was a no-brainer.  

Well, it's been 4 years, and I want another one.  So, since it's my birthday, I'm going to make one.  And take it with me to NPA tonight.  Gotta share out some of those calories.


I saw this recipe over at the Danish Kitchen, and then I made it my own.  Cause I can.  Well, I kinda followed it mostly, but did put my own twist on it.
 .

 

 Spoon or pour a layer of chocolate onto the bottom of the pan, making a nice layer. 

Place a piece of cling wrap over top, and put in the fridge overnight.


The next day, take the parchment paper by the sides and carefully remove the cake.  Peel back the sides of the paper, and unmold onto a serving plate.

Cut into slices, and serve with a dollop of lightly sweetened whipping cream.

I did say I was taking some to NPA, so I cut them into slices, and shared them.
They were a hit.

I really wasn't being chintzy on the slices, this is a very rich cake.  Very rich.

yield: 1 cake, serves manyAuthor: Sid's Sea Palm Cooking (adapted from My Danish Kitchen)print recipe

Kiksekage

prep time: 15 MINScook time: total time: 15 mins

This cake is rich, decadent and a perfect special occasion cake. It's also a no bake cake which means it's perfect to make not only in the summer, but anytime of the year.

INGREDIENTS:

• 8 oz. Good quality bittersweet dark chocolate.
• 1 1/3 cup Heavy Whipping cream
• 1/2 cup confectioner sugar
• 1 tablespoon Grand Marnier (optional)
• 7 Tablespoons Butter, cut into chunks
• 7 ounces Butter Biscuits (Pepperidge Farms Chessman Cookies or Lorna Doone)

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Break the chocolate up into a large bowl, set aside. Heat cream and confectioners sugar until boiling, making sure to stir the pot from time to time so that it doesn't scorch. (you can also heat the cream in the microwave, that way you don't need to worry about it scorching) 
2. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate, let sit for a couple of minutes then mix it together with a whisk. You want the chocolate to soften just a tad so you can mix them together. Add the Grand Marnier if you want at this point, stir together. 
3. Then add the butter, stirring until it dissolves into the butter. Place in fridge for a half hour, just to start it to thicken. 
4. In a loaf pan, cut and place parchment paper, one piece lengthwise, the width of the pan, then another piece crosswise, extending it up the sides of the pan. 
5. Unwrap and sample the cookies. Well, I guess you really don't need to sample the cookie, but if you want to try one out, you can. I did. Take the chocolate out of the fridge and stir it, making sure it is well blended. Spoon or pour a layer of chocolate onto the bottom of the pan, making a nice layer. Smooth it out to keep it level. 
6.  Place cookies in a single layer across the bottom of the pan, then spoon more chocolate on top. Make another layer of cookies, more chocolate, then a third or even fourth layer of cookies, making sure you finish with the last of the chocolate. Place a piece of cling wrap over top, and put in the fridge overnight. Then go and lick the bowl the chocolate was in, just make sure no one's looking. I won't tell if you won't. 
7.  The next day, take the parchment paper by the sides and carefully remove the cake. Peel back the sides of the paper, and unmold onto a serving plate. Cut into slices, and serve with a dollop of lightly sweetened whipping cream.

Topping

1. 1/2 pint Heave whipping cream whipped with 1 tablespoon sugar.

Created using The Recipes Generator

Fransk Salat

While visiting family recently, we had our Smorgasbord and along with all the familiar dishes, we always, well, most of the time have,  my sister made a dish I'd never had before.  She said it was her favourite topping on Smørrebrød she was younger.   And guess what?

Yup, I like it too.

I mean it has PASTA in it!!!

I know, I get excited...

Bear with me here.

I managed to take pictures of the process when she made it.   One thing, this should be made the night before and refrigerated so that all the flavours can come together and get acquainted.

First off, the recipe.   I kinda cheated on this, rather than haul out the pen and paper, I took a picture of the recipe.

See, Fransk Salat.

I bet you want me to translate it too, huh? I did, kinda, the recipe follows at the end.

 Place the macaroni, meat and beets into a bowl. 

Pour the sauce over the chopped meat, macaroni and beets.
Mix together lightly, and then place in the fridge overnight to let the flavours develop.

At this point you can also taste and correct the seasonings as well.

Just don't eat it all, yet.

As you can see from this picture, there was a little bit of the Fransk Salat left as well as some of the Sildesalat from our family Smorg, that's those two dishes to the right.  See them?
 Dang, now I'm hungry again.

Stay tuned though.   I'm making a Kiksekage for my birthday cake tomorrow.   It's been a few years since I've had one, and it's time.   giggle.

Be warned though, Kiksekage is not for the faint of heart, or for those of you who don't like chocolate.

I did say I liked this, so much so in fact, I introduced it to some of my friends at a Tapas Night.
 

 

yield: 4-6 servingsAuthor: Sid's Sea Palm Cooking (adapted)print recipe

Fransk Salat (French Salad)

prep time: 15 MINScook time: total time: 15 mins

This makes a wonderful topping for a piece of Smørrebrød. It was my sister's favorite topping when she was a child and it's still one of her favorites. I like it too.

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 tablespoons cooked macaroni
• 4 oz. diced pork, turkey or beef (the original recipe called for a slice of cooked tongue)
• 6 slices pickled beets, diced (equivalent to a small beet)
• 2 tablespoons hot dog relish (original recipe called for 1/4 of an Asier, which is a pickled cucumber)

Sauce

• 200 g. Mayonnaise (just about a cup)
• 1 Tbsp. mustard powder  (actually in Danish a spsk. is more like a soup spoonful, start out with a tablespoon and add more to taste)
• 1 tsp. Sugar
• 2 Tbsp. pickled beet juice  (the vinegar the pickled beets are in)

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Cook the macaroni, then set aside to cool. Chop the meat, and the beets, add to the cooled macaroni. Mix together the sauce ingredients and pour over the macaroni, beets and meat. Mix together lightly and place in the refrigerator overnight to let the flavors develop. Butter a piece of rye bread, lay a piece of butter lettuce on top, then mound the Fransk Salat on top. Garnish with a piece of cucumber cut halfway through or leave plain.

All recipes and their respective images are either original or adapted and credited, and are all the sole property of Sid's Sea Palm Cooking © 2011-2017, with all rights reserved thereof.

Created using The Recipes Generator

Scapes, Garlic Scapes

I was introduced to Garlic Scapes by my sister while visiting with her recently.

I'd heard of them, had read rave reviews on them, but had never seen them in my part of the world.

And I wanna know where they've been all my life!
Sigh.

Yeah, they're that good and that versatile. 
My sister makes some into Pesto, and the day we were introduced, the scapes and I, that is, she did them on the BBQ as a side to a wonderful steak.

The memories...

Sorry got sidetracked there. 

My adventure started with a visit to the Farmers Market.  I love Farmers Markets, although I usually buy way more produce than a sane person can eat in a week.  
I get kinda carried away.
However, since I was visiting and not in charge of a kitchen I could browse relatively unscathed.

There was this lovely big basket of scapes and my sister bought a bag for dinner.

She threw them on the grill with some mushrooms,

After tossing in a little olive oil.  And let them cook for a bit.
Then...

She added a few cherry tomatoes, let them char a little and served with an incredible Caesar Salad and some new potatoes, a steak and a baguette. 

I was in heaven I tell you.  Or at least my mouth was. 
This was so good, and I'm getting hungry for Caesar Salad, and since I got the makings for the dressing, I'll share the recipe for that in a day or two.

Vegetarian Pot Stickers

I love Potstickers.

The end.

Nah, not really, but when I see them offered at a Chinese buffet, I'll usually load a couple or three onto my plate and enjoy them.   And I've even made them from time to time in the past, and they've been good.

I realized this past week that the last time I'd made them was in my pre-blog days.
So I remedied that for Tapas.   And of course when I decided to make Potstickers, I did so with the expectation that I had a half a head of cabbage hiding in the bottom of my veggie drawer in the fridge.  It wasn't there when I looked.   I guess I'd used it up before my trip and forgot to purchase another one.  If I'd realized that when I went to buy the wonton wrappers at the store, I would have picked one up then.

Wait a minute, come to think of it, they were out of wonton wrappers at the store as well, so I bought egg roll wrappers and just cut them up.

Think the universe was trying to tell me something and I just didn't want to listen?

Wouldn't be the first time.

I wanted to make the Potstickers vegetarian anyway, so I cooked up some quinoa,

and since I didn't have any cabbage, I decided to go ahead and chop up some frozen Asian Style veggies, along with a half pound of mushrooms.
  I did a kind of fine dice on all of them, stir fried them in a little coconut oil, and mixed the quinoa in with it.  Set it aside to cool.    And you know, it tasted really good at this point, but I did add a little sesame seed oil, soy sauce and  some grated ginger to it as well.

I got out my egg roll wrappers, cut them into quarters, then decided that I really needed little circles.

   Click here if you want to watch the process of filling and folding and pleating   But if you don't feel like watching, let me try to explain it.

 First I tried cutting them with my trusty little biscuit cutter.  But it wasn't all that easy. 

So I got a little smarter than the cutter, and turned it upside down, then pressed the wrappers down over it and cut them that way.  It was easier, well, actually prettier, to make the potstickers out of little rounds.   
Take a wonton wrapper, place a scant teaspoonful of filling in the middle.  Wet the edges of the wrapper, fold over the other side of the wrapper, making pleats in it.  You're aiming for a flat bottom and a pretty pleated top.
Go ahead and try this, I'll wait.  Remember, wrapper, filling, moisten, fold and pleat.
Got it?
Good, cause I didn't get a picture of the process.

 
OK, now just go ahead and do it with the rest, or as many as you can fit into a skillet at one time.  I can usually get about two dozen in my pan.
But don't put them in there yet. 
Next step, add a couple spritz's of cooking spray to the pan, and then a little olive oil, or coconut oil. Heat up, and then add the potstickers, flat side down.  And the picture I took of this was way too blurry to use, so just imagine them browning away.   As soon as they're browned a little, add some water, about a 1/4 cup or so, stick a lid on the pan, let it steam away, then take the lid off after a couple of minutes, and pry the potstickers off of the bottom of the pan.
If you did this right, you won't need to pry, just slip a thin spatula under them, and place them on a plate with some gyoza sauce.  

See how pretty?   I had a few for dinner, giggle. 

Recipe:  Vegetarian Potstickers
1 cup cooked quinoa
8 oz. chopped fresh mushrooms
1 cup frozen Asian Style Vegetables, chopped
1 tsp. sesame seed oil
1 tsp. freshly grated ginger
1 tablespoon soy sauce

Saute the mushrooms and veggies together, chop finely, if not already chopped mix in with the cooked quinoa, add the sesame seed oil, soy sauce and ginger.  Taste, add more seasonings if needed.  You can also add some Gyoza sauce here if you like.   Set aside to cool for a little bit.

Take out the gyoza or wonton wrappers, add a scant teaspoon of the filling, fold over, pleat and set aside, continue until you run out of wrappers, then eat the rest of the filling.  Just kidding, but it is tasty.  So if you do have some filling left over, go ahead and eat it.

 And this is how they looked on the Tapas table.