Smoked Salmon and Cottage Cheese Pie

Last week I made the ideal dish.

By that I mean it is light and easy to eat during the scorching days of summer.

It’s meatless, so perfect for the Nine Days and any other time we don’t want to eat the usual meat-two-veggie or salad dinner.

I got to use up leftovers and bits of this and that (smoked salmon, cottage cheese, cream cheese).

It served as dinner and also as hors d’oeuvre — I rewarmed the leftover portion and cut it into bite-size pieces for some socially distanced company.

You can use any leftover fish. I happened to have smoked salmon, so that’s what I used.

Smoked Salmon and Cottage Cheese Pie

• 1 tablespoon butter

• 1 large shallot, chopped

• 1 partially baked pie crust

• 3-4 ounces smoked salmon, chopped

• 2 tablespoons cream cheese

• 4 large eggs

• 1 cup cottage cheese

• 1 cup half and half

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

• 1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Heat the butter in a small frying pan over medium heat. When the butter has melted and looks bubbly, add the shallot and cook for 3-4 minutes or until softened. Spoon the shallot onto the bottom of the partially baked pie crust. Scatter the salmon pieces on top. Cut the cream cheese into small pieces and scatter them on top. In a bowl, beat the eggs, cottage cheese, half and half, dill and salt together until well mixed. Pour into the pie crust. Bake the pie for about 45 minutes or until the top is nicely browned and the custard has set.

Makes 4-6 servings

Buttermilk Bread

I use buttermilk a lot. I like it to drink but mostly I like the vaguely tangy flavor it gives to certain food, like salad dressing and cold summer soups, and the way certain kinds of baked goods, like biscuits and scones, come out so much flakier.

Last week I bought some buttermilk and made a dairy-based Three Cabbage Cole Slaw.

I had lots of buttermilk left, so I got busy and among the foods I made was buttermilk bread.

Big success!

It’s kind of a fluffy white yeast bread, but with a much richer flavor than regular white bread.

We discovered that it’s perfect for tuna fish, egg salad and first-of-summer tomato sandwiches. My husband says he likes it best toasted, dipped into olive oil (plain or topped with tomato).

Other uses? Base for bruschetta. Toasted, instead of pita for dipping into hummus. Spread with orange marmalade. Like that.

Next up for buttermilk —— pudding. Keep watching this space.

Buttermilk Bread

• 1 package active dry yeast (2-1/4 teaspoons)

• pinch of sugar

• 1/3 cup warm water (105-110 degrees F)

• 3 tablespoons butter

• 3 tablespoons honey

• 1 cup buttermilk

• 3-3/4 cups flour (preferably bread flour), approximately

• 1-1/2 teaspoons salt

• melted butter, seeds, etc., optional

Lightly butter a bread loaf pan (about 9”x5”) and set aside. Place the yeast in a small bowl, add the sugar and warm water and mix thoroughly to dissolve the yeast (a small whisk works best). Set aside for about 5 minutes or until bubbly. Heat the butter and honey together over low heat until the butter has melted. Remove from the heat. Heat the buttermilk over low heat for 2-3 minutes or until just warm to the touch. Remove from the heat. Place the flour and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer. Add the warm buttermilk, the melted butter mixture and the yeast mixture. Mix and knead the ingredients for 3-4 minutes or until smooth. If the dough is sticky, add some more until the dough is soft but not sticky. Cover the bowl and let the dough rise in a warm place for about 55-60 minutes or until doubled in size. Knead the dough briefly and place it in the prepared bread loaf pan. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Let the dough rise for another 30 minutes. Brush the top with melted butter and scatter with seeds, if desired. Bake the bread for about 35 minutes or until well risen and golden brown.

Makes one loaf

Homemade Lekvar

A few days ago, while looking into my cupboard for something, I found an unopened package of prunes that had reached its "best by" date. Indeed, when I opened it, the prunes were a bit too dry for tasty snacking.

But!

I can’t throw out perfectly good food. Rather than discard, I decided to make my own lekvar (and then use it for all sorts of recipes).

For several mornings I had some lekvar with yogurt (awesome). Just like the old days when Dannon had a perfectly wonderful prune yogurt.

I also made some of our treasured family recipe of butter cookies and used the lekvar for filling the center.

I don't ever have to buy lekvar again.

Here’s the recipe. I added fresh ginger to a portion and cooked it separately. It’s not typical for lekvar but I thought it added a good flavor. I list it as an option, but encourage you to try it too.

I’ll remember this recipe next Purim when I need to fill some homemade hamantashen.

Prune Lekvar

• one pound pitted prunes (about 2 cups)

• mixture or orange juice, apple juice or other fruit juice plus water (enough to cover the prunes)

• 4 slices of peeled fresh ginger (1/4-inch thick)

• pinch of salt

• 5 tablespoons packed brown sugar

• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Place the prunes in a saucepan. Add juice plus water, using enough to cover the fruit and add the ginger and salt. Bring the liquid to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat, cover the pan and simmer for about 20 minutes or until the prunes are soft. Be sure there is some liquid left in the pan; if not, add a bit more. Stir in the sugar and cook for another 5-6 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in the lemon juice and puree using a blender hand blender.

Makes 2 cups

Maple Sweetened Corn Muffins

Maple Sweetened Corn Muffins

Looking to cook with stuff from your pantry?

Trying to use up chometz before Passover?

Try these.

Easy, tasty and useful.

Maple Sweetened Corn Muffins

• 1/3 cup butter

• 1 cup cornmeal

• 1 cup all-purpose flour

• 1 tablespoon baking powder

• 3/4 teaspoon salt

• 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup

• 1 large egg

• 2/3 cup milk

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Lightly grease 8 muffin tins. Melt the butter and set it aside to cool. In a bowl, mix the cornmeal, flour, baking powder and salt. In another bowl mix the maple syrup, egg, milk and cooled butter, beating until well blended. Pour the liquid into the cornmeal mixture and stir to blend the ingredients. Spoon equal amounts into the muffin tins. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

Makes 8

Lemon Aquafaba Bread

At this particular time, when we are going through a world-wide crisis, a terrifying pandemic, it can be therapeutic for many of us to cook and bake.

I am one of those people.

I have plenty of ingredients to cook with because over the years I’ve learned to keep shelf-stable foods on hand in case I can’t shop: ingredients such as canned beans, rice, frozen veggies, dried fruit, canned or packaged milk, and so on.

Equally important for me is — don’t waste food (I’ve talked about that often). I believe that it is important to use all resources — “food forage” as my colleague Susan Barocas calls it. Don’t throw out any ingredient that’s useable, including leftovers.

With all this in mind I offer this lemon bread.

I have lots of lemons in my crisper because of an article I am writing. I’ve developed the recipe for that, so I need to make use of the extra lemons.

I also needed to do something with the liquid leftover from a can of chick peas that I opened for a salad. Chick pea liquid is incredibly useful.

In case you aren’t familiar with this leftover liquid (also from canned beans), it is called aquafaba and it can be used in place of eggs. That makes it an ideal ingredient for vegans and anyone who is allergic to or otherwise can’t eat eggs.

When you beat chick pea liquid with a whisk, it traps air like eggs do, so baked goods have both structure and also a light, tender crumb.

I am trying not to use too many fresh eggs that I might need for meals, so I used the aquafaba instead to make this lemon bread.

Dee-lish!

To get the most out of the liquid in a can of chick peas, be sure to scrape the residue at the bottom of the can. For best results, reduce the liquid slowly over medium-low heat until it becomes the consistency of egg white. Use about 3 tablespoons of the liquid in place of each egg. 

For another delicious recipe (carrot bread) using aquafaba, click here.

Lemon Aquafaba Bread

• 6 tablespoons aquafaba

• 4 tablespoons coconut oil

• 3/4 cup sugar

• 1 tablespoon finely grated fresh lemon peel

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 2-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

• 3/4 teaspoon salt

• 1 cup coconut milk

• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

• 1-1/2 tablespoons sugar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9”x5”x3” loaf pan. If the aquafaba seems thin, boil it for a few minutes to thicken slightly to the consistency of egg white. Set aside to cool. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the coconut oil and 3/4 cup sugar at medium speed for 1-2 minutes or until well combined. Add the lemon peel and aquafaba and blend them in. Mix the flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl. Add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture in thirds, alternating with the coconut milk. Beat to blend the ingredients to a smooth, even batter. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 50-55 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. While the bread is baking, combine the lemon juice and 1-1/2 tablespoons sugar in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat for 1-2 minutes or until the sugar has dissolved. When the bread comes out of the oven, pour the lemon juice mixture on top. Cool the bread in the pan for 10 minutes. Invert onto a cake rack to cool completely.

Makes one bread

Mashed Potato Pancakes

When I am going through periods of stress in my life, the food I want most is anything made with a potato.

So: these.

Mashed potato pancakes.

Just in time for St. Patrick’s Day.

I’m not Irish but will use any excuse to eat Irish food, which, despite the outcries of surprise from my Irish friends, is quite wonderful (fresh salmon, fabulous oatmeal, spectacular bread and the best potatoes ever).

I’ve been to Ireland a few times and have eaten mashed potato pancakes there, although I’ve never seen them crusted with panko; it’s usually plain old bread crumbs on the outside.

You can use either; I like the texture of panko better.

Mashed potato pancakes are very soft, so be careful when placing them in the pan and turning them.

These make a good side dish, but also a meal if you top them with a fried egg or two.

Mashed Potato Pancakes 

• 3 cups cold mashed potatoes

• 1 large egg

• 2 chopped fresh scallions or 3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

• 1/3 cup bread crumbs

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

• 1 cup panko or bread crumbs, approximately

• 5-6 tablespoons vegetable oil

Place the mashed potatoes, egg, scallions, 1/3 cup bread crumbs and salt and pepper to taste in  a bowl and mix thoroughly to blend all the ingredients. Shape the mixture into patties about 1/2-inch thick and refrigerate for at least one hour. Place the panko on a dish, then press each patty into the panko to coat both sides. Patties are very soft and fragile, so work carefully. Heat 2-3 tablespoons vegetable oil in a saute pan over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, fry a few of the potato cakes for about 3 minutes per side, or until crispy. Be sure to leave room in the pan with space between each pancake. Repeat with the remaining potato cakes, adding more oil to the pan as needed.

Makes about 12

Roasted Citrus Yogurt

Roasted Citrus Yogurt

I have been a yogurt woman for decades. Even before it became as popular and ubiquitous as it is today. I mentioned it last week in a post about muffins.

Back in the day, at least where lived, there was only one brand of yogurt to buy — Dannon — and just a few flavors. No mango that I recall, or key lime, and most certainly no salted caramel.

My favorite was prune, which disappeared even before yogurt became au courant because, I’m guessing, there were maybe two or three people in the entire world other than me, who loved it.

I wish there was a good prune yogurt today (there is one brand but it contains gelatin, which I don’t want in my yogurt). I confess to buying plain yogurt and occasionally adding a blob or two of prune lekvar. For those who haven’t tried that — it’s awesome.

In fact, I almost never buy flavored yogurt, other than Chobani Passion Fruit flavored, because, after prune that is my top choice. I almost always get a large tub of unflavored Greek-style, so I can create my own flavors. Like prune.

This being winter, when citrus fruit is the best that a supermarket can offer (I do not buy out of season summer fruit!) I decided to prepare a citrusy flavor blend for my yogurt breakfast: roasted grapefruit and oranges, a touch of honey and butter, a texture crunch by way of toasted almonds.

Delicious. I’ve made this with all-oranges too. Equally delicious (substitute 4-5 oranges for the grapefruit).

Roasted Citrus Yogurt

• 2 large grapefruit

• 4 oranges

• 2 tablespoons butter

• 3 tablespoons honey

• 2-1/2 cups plain Greek style yogurt

• 1/4 cup chopped toasted almonds

Preheat the oven broiler. Remove the skin and pith from the fruit. Cut the fruit into bite size chunks and place the chunks on a parchment lined baking sheet. Heat the butter and honey in a small pan over medium heat. When the butter has melted, stir the mixture to blend the ingredients and pour the mixture over the fruit and toss to coat each piece. Broil the fruit for about 6 minutes, tossing once, or until lightly crispy. Remove the fruit from the oven and set aside to cool. Spoon layers of the fruit and yogurt into 6 serving bowls. Sprinkle the nuts on top.

Makes 6 servings

Banana Muffins with Buttermilk or Yogurt

Today is National Muffin Day and it reminds me of what happened long ago when I first started working full time as a low-level attorney at a high-power firm, right after law school. All the other associates came to work carrying coffee and cartons of breakfast, which they proceeded to eat at their desks. Eggs, and everything with it.

I was always a yogurt woman, even back in the day when Dannon was the only one you could buy and there were only about 5-6 flavors.

But then someone told me about the blueberry muffins from the deli downstairs and unfortunately I tasted one. That was the end of my days of never even thinking about whether I gained a pound or two. I added a blueberry muffin to my yogurt breakfast.

Every day.

I gained a quick “freshman ten” and that was no small thing because back then I was really slim.

Alas, I gave up the morning muffins our of sheer vanity. But not my love of them.

Over the years I’ve occasionally made some at home. Blueberry. Cranberry-Orange. Pumpkin Spice. Zucchini. But it’s usually when we have sleepover guests because the muffin indulgence and the memory of how quickly they added to my girth has tempered my desire to eat them as often as I would like to.

Buying muffins is a no-no for me because the store-bought ones have become so ENORMOUS since the days when I had those luscious things from the deli.

I prefer the old-days size. The kind that comes out of a normal household muffin tin.

I made these Banana Muffins recently. They’re a lot less sweet the the typical muffin and have a vaguely robust hint of molasses. I’ve made these with stirred, plain yogurt for the times I didn’t have buttermilk on hand.

If you love muffins as much as I do, there are plenty of recipes on my blog. Type “muffins” in the box under “search my recipes” and you can find them.

Btw, if you give away food for Purim, these make a lovely gift.

Banana Muffins with Buttermilk or Yogurt

• 1-3/4 cups flour

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

• 3/4 teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

• 2 tablespoons brown sugar

• 3 very ripe bananas, mashed

• 3/4 cup buttermilk or sour milk

• 1/4 cup molasses

• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil

• 1 large egg

• 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

• 2-3 tablespoons old fashioned oats

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease 9 muffin tins. Mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and brown sugar in a bowl. In a separate bowl, mix the bananas, buttermilk molasses, vegetable oil, egg and vanilla extract. Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ones and mix only long enough to combine thoroughly. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tins. Scatter the oats evenly on top of each muffin. Bake for 22-25 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.

Makes 9

Banana Oat Cake with Coconut

So the holidays came and went and the usual happened: I bought tons of fruit, all of it gone-replenished-gone again.

Except for a few bananas. I am always left with bananas.

Which is why there is always a banana bread or banana cake or banana muffins on my counter or in the freezer.

This one turned out to be one of the all-time favorites.

Banana Oat Cake with Coconut

•  2 cups flour

• 1/2 cup quick oats

• 1/2 cup grated coconut

• 2 teaspoons baking soda

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 1-1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 cup vegetable shortening

• 1 cup sugar

• 4 medium very ripe bananas, mashed

• 4 large eggs

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 3/4 cup raisins

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 10-inch (8-cup) bundt pan. Mix the flour, oats, coconut, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt together in a bowl. Set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer beat the shortening and sugar at medium speed for about 2 minutes or until well blended. Add the bananas and blend them in thoroughly. Add the eggs and vanilla extract and beat the ingredients well. Add the flour mixture and beat until batter is well blended. Fold in the raisins. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 55-60 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Remove to a cake rack to cool completely.

Makes one cake, serving 12-16

Flavorful - yet Salt-Free - Blueberry Muffins

People frequently joke about the fact that after you reach a "certain age" -- whatever that is -- you get "conditions." So you have to watch what you eat because maybe your LDL cholesterol level is too high or your blood sugar is too high or your weight is, well, let’s not discuss that…. 

But when you think about it, however old and/or fit you are, it's always a good idea to eat more or less healthy food. Especially at this time of year when we’ve spent the last month or so indulging through the holidays.

I'm not suggesting that we never indulge in rich, fattening, sugary or fried food. I have posted recipes for fried onion strings and chocolate cake, haven’t I?

Just as a general matter, I think it's smart to be aware of your body and the consequences of what you feed it.

Over the new year weekend, I had to prepare recipes that contained less salt because one of our guests has high blood pressure and needed to cut down on salty foods.

Not a problem. In many cases, for multitudes of recipes, other flavor enhancers come in handy — think citrus peel, extracts, ground spices such as nutmeg or cinnamon, herbs such as thyme and basil, chili peppers, fresh ginger, hot sauce — there are loads of choices.

Here’s the recipe for Blueberry Muffins I served. I added both cinnamon and orange peel as well as vanilla extract (I recommend pure Bourbon vanilla extract, not imitation). You could also stir some chopped nuts into the batter.

No salt necessary. They were terrific for breakfast.

Remember these next Purim — they make excellent edible gifts!

Salt-Free Blueberry Muffins

• 6 tablespoons butter

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1/2 sugar

• 2 teaspoons baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 3/4 cup milk

• 2 large eggs

• 1 teaspoon grated fresh lemon or orange peel, optional

• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1 cup blueberries

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease 10 muffin tins. Melt the butter and set it aside to cool. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and cinnamon. Whisk the ingredients until well blended. In another bowl, combine the milk, eggs, peel, if used, and vanilla extract. Pour the liquid ingredients and the melted butter into the flour mixture and stir until thoroughly blended. Fold in the berries. Spoon equal quantities of the batter into the prepared muffin tins. Bake for about 25 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean and the tops are lightly golden brown. 

Makes 10 muffins