Punkin Muffins

 My last trip to the States in April I came within one kilo of overweight charges on my baggage returning to Ireland due, in part, to the stockpile of canned pumpkin I was carrying. Even still, the supply is limited, so I wouldn't go making pumpkin pie/pancakes/muffins every day. Pressed to come up with a special occasion to crack open one of the coveted cans, I will say it is Sid Vicious' birthday. Happy Birthday, Sid.

 1 cup (240 ml) canned pumpkin puree
 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup (120 ml) plain yogurt
1/2 cup (120 ml) sunflower oil
1 1/2 cups spelt flour
3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated white sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C). Place rack in the middle of the oven. Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners. In a medium sized bowl mix together the pumpkin puree, eggs, yogurt, and oil. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, bran, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Add the milk and egg mixture to the flour mixture. Stir until just combined. Fold in the raisins. Do not over mix the batter or the muffins will be tough when baked. Fill the muffin cups with the batter using two spoons or an ice cream scoop. Place in the oven and bake for about 18 - 20 minutes , or until firm to the touch and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Place on a wire rack to cool. Makes 12 regular-sized muffins.

Stir Fry Sauce

This went into a stir fry of frozen edamame and peas, fresh broccoli and green beans, served over brown rice.

1/2 cup water or veg broth
3 tablespoons tamari
1 teaspoon cornstarch dissolved in 1 tablespoon water
1/2 teaspoon Mirin
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon sunflower oil
3 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic, crushed and minced
1 shallot, diced

In a small bowl, combine the water/stock with the tamari, cornstarch slurry, vinegar and sesame oil.
In a medium saucepan, heat the sunflower oil until shimmering. Add the ginger, garlic and shallot and cook over high heat, stirring, until fragrant and golden. Add the frozen veg, if using. Allow to cook, stirring occasionally, for a few minutes. Add the stock mixture and boil over high heat until thickened and glossy, about 1 minute. Add fresh vegetables and stir fry a few more minutes until al dente.

Juicer Sweetbread

Now that we are juicing we have a steady supply of fruit and vegetable pulp that V, who I think has internalized my distain for wasting food, does not like to see thrown out. Perhaps this will turn us into composters at long last, but in the meantime I decided to make a "sweet bread" out of the leftover bits.

2 cups (270 grams) fruit/veg pulp from juicer (for example, I had a mixture of carrot, apple, beet and ginger)
2 cups (260 grams) spelt flour
3/4 cup honey
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon (3.5 grams) salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 cup coconut (sweetened or unsweetened) (optional)
3 large eggs
3/4 cup (180 ml) sunflower oil
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) and place rack in center of oven. Place paper liners in 12 muffin cups.

In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and ground cinnamon. Stir in the coconut if using. Set aside.

In a separate bowl whisk together the eggs, oil, honey and vanilla extract. Fold the wet ingredients, along with the fruit and veg pulp, into the flour mixture, stirring just until moistened. Evenly divide the batter between the prepared muffin cups and bake for 20 - 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. (If making into one loaf in a loaf pan, cooking time is 45-55 minutes.)

Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack. After about 10 minutes remove the muffins from the pans and cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.

Makes 12 standard-sized muffins.

Vegetarian Split Pea Soup

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 large onions, chopped
1/2 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
2 cups dried split green peas, picked over and rinsed
5 cups water
juice of 1/2 lemon (reserve the zest)

a few pinches of smoked paprika


Add olive oil to a big pot over med-high heat. Stir in onions and salt and cook until the onions soften, just a minute or two. Add the split peas and water. Bring to a boil, dial down the heat, and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the peas are cooked through (but still a touch al dente). Using a large cup or mug ladle half of the soup into a bowl and set aside. Using a hand blender (or regular blender) puree the soup that is still remaining in the pot. Stir the reserved (still chunky) soup back into the puree - you should have a soup that is nicely textured. If you need to thin the soup out with more water (or stock) do so a bit at a time. Stir in the lemon juice and taste. If the soup needs more salt, add more a bit at a time until the flavor of the soup really pops.

Ladle into bowls or cups, and serve each drizzled with olive oil and topped with a good pinch of smoked paprika and a touch of lemon zest.

Serves 4 to 6.

Banana Bread

1 cup (115 grams) walnuts or pecans, toasted and coarsely chopped (optional)

1 3/4 cups (230 grams) all-purpose flour

1/2 cup granulated white sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

3 ripe large bananas (approximately 1 pound or 454 grams), mashed well (about 1-1/2 cups)

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract



Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) and place oven rack to middle position. Butter and flour (or spray with a non stick vegetable/flour spray) the bottom and sides of a 9 x 5 x 3 inch (23 x 13 x 8 cm) loaf pan. Set aside.

Place the nuts on a baking sheet and bake for about 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly toasted. Let cool and then chop coarsely.

In a large bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nuts. Set aside.

In a medium-sized bowl combine the mashed bananas, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla. With a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, lightly fold the wet ingredients (banana mixture) into the dry ingredients just until combined and the batter is thick and chunky. (The important thing is not to over mix the batter. You do not want it smooth. Over mixing the batter will yield tough, rubbery bread.) Scrape batter into prepared pan. Bake until bread is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 55 to 60 minutes. Place on a wire rack to cool and then remove the bread from the pan. Serve warm or at room temperature. This bread can be frozen.

Makes 1 - 9 x 5 x 3 inch loaf.

Mushroom Barley Soup

Ingredients

1/2 cup dried porcini mushrooms
2 tablespoons butter
1 large onion, thinly sliced
3 ribs celery with leaves, diced
1/2 cup parsley
2 carrots, peeled and sliced
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 pound fresh porcini or other mushrooms
1 tablespoon flour
6 cups water
1 cup whole barley
2 teaspoons salt


Preparation

1. Soak the mushrooms in enough hot water to cover for a half hour. Strain through a filter. Reserve the water.
2. Coarsely chop the dried mushrooms.
3. Melt the butter in a stockpot and sauté the onion, celery, 2 tablespoons of the parsley, carrot, garlic, and fresh mushrooms until soft, about 5 minutes.
4. Lower the heat and add the flour, stirring every 30 seconds for about 5 minutes or until thick.
5. In a soup pot heat the water. Add a cup of mushroom mixture at a time to the pot, stirring.
6. Turn the heat to high, and add the reserved mushroom water (about another 6 cups of liquid) and barley. Stir well and add salt to taste.
7. Simmer, covered, for about an hour or until the barley is tender and the soup is thickened, stirring often.
8. Add additional chopped parsley, mix thoroughly, and adjust seasonings.

Kale, Sweet Potato and Chickpea Stew

A comforting, nutritious stew that was given the thumbs up by everyone in the house-- even the picky three year old. I'll be putting this one in the rotation of regular dinners. Also, all the ingredients are commonly available in our current neck of the woods, which is not often the case for new recipes here in the land of cabbage and carrots.

Serves six to eight


1 medium yellow onion
2 cloves garlic
2 teaspoons fresh ginger (chopped)
3/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper (((I omitted)))
3/4 pound kale
2 large sweet potatoes
1 can (15 oz) chickpeas
6 cups (1 1/2 quarts) vegetable broth
1 cup canned unsweetened coconut milk
Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
2 cups brown rice



1 Cook the rice according to the package instructions – I combined 2 cups long grain brown rice and with 4 cups water, brought to a boil, and simmered for 50 minutes.

2 Prepare the vegetables: Dice the onion. Finely chop the 2 cloves garlic and 2 teaspoons ginger. Wash the kale, remove the tough stems and roughly chop. Dice the sweet potato into bite-sized cubes.

3 Prepare the soup: In a large pot, heat at about 2 tablespoons olive oil. Cook the onion until translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, 2 teaspoons ginger, 3/4 teaspoon turmeric and 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper, and cook for 1 minute.

4 Stir in the sweet potatoes. Then add the 6 cups vegetable broth and bring to a simmer.

5 Once the stew is simmering, add the kale and chickpeas. Simmer for about 20 minutes until the sweet potatoes are tender.

6 Stir in one cup coconut milk.

7 Add salt and pepper to taste, and serve over brown rice.

Chateau La Bourree Castillon 2009 Cotes de Bordeaux

A goodie. The story of this wine, according to the wine merchant at the English Market, is that the vintner grows the grapes for it on his property but part of his property falls outside the D.O.C. zone for one of grape varieties, so the wine costs half what it would if he just made it from the grapes on the D.O.C. side of the estate.

Stuffing

Ingredients:

* 1/4 cup finely chopped leek
* 1/2 cup chopped celery
* 1/3 cup butter
* 4 cups french bread cubes (about two small baguettes)
* 1/8 teaspoon pepper
* 2 eggs, beaten
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground sage
* 1/4 to 1/2 thyme
* veg broth

Preparation:
Sauté leek and celery in the butter until softened. Combine leek mixture with bread, pepper, eggs, salt, sage and thyme in a large mixing bowl. Stir in broth until well moistened. Bake in a greased covered shallow casserole at 325° for about 35 to 45 minutes. Take the cover off the last 5 minutes to brown.

(The three of us devoured this amount of stuffing in one sitting. Granted, it was Thanksgiving, but in the future make at least double this amount so we have some leftover.)

Gingerbread Cookies

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp (freshly) ground nutmeg
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup molasses
1/4 cup water
1 tsp vanilla extract

In a medium bowl, sift together flour, salt, baking soda, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, cinnamon and black pepper, if using.
In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in molasses, water and vanilla, then gradually add in flour mixture until a smooth dough forms. Divide dough into two or three pieces (dough will be quite soft), cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, until firm.
Preheat oven to 375F.

For softer cookies:
On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to just under 1/4 inch thickness. Use cookie cutters of your choice (2-3″ gingerbread men are ideal!) to cut dough. Place cookies on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 9-12 minutes, depending on size of cookie cutter. Cookies should be slightly firm to the touch at the edges. Let cookies cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

For crispier cookies:
On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to just under 1/8 inch thickness. Use cookie cutters of your choice (2-3″ gingerbread men are ideal!) to cut dough. Place cookies on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 9-12 minutes, depending on size of cookie cutter. Cookies should be slightly firm to the touch at the edges and will be lightly browned. Let cookies cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
When cool, decorate with lemon icing (recipe below).
Makes about 30-40 gingerbread men, depending on size of cookie cutters used and whether you make them thick or thin.

Lemon Icing
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
2-3 tbsp tsp lemon juice

In a small bowl combine powdered sugar and lemon juice. Substitute milk or cream plus 1 tsp lemon extract, if no fresh lemon juice is available. Add enough lemon juice to make the icing thick and pourable, but not runny (start with 1-2 tbsp and add more if necessary. You can always add a bit of extra sugar to thicken it if you add too much) and stir until very smooth. Scrape into piping bag with a fine tip or a ziploc bag with a corner cut off and pipe onto cooled cookies. Allow to set for at least 30 minutes, until firm, before storing cookies in an airtight container.

Carrot Muffins

2 cups (270 grams) grated raw carrot (about 2-3 peeled carrots)
1 large apple, peeled and grated
2 cups (260 grams) all-purpose flour
3/4 cup granulated white sugar
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon (3.5 grams) salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 cup coconut (sweetened or unsweetened) (optional)
3 large eggs
3/4 cup (180 ml) sunflower oil
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) and place rack in center of oven. Place paper liners in 12 muffin cups.

Peel and finely grate the carrots and apple. Set aside.

In a large bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and ground cinnamon. Stir in the coconut if using. Set aside.

In a separate bowl whisk together the eggs, oil, and vanilla extract. Fold the wet ingredients, along with the grated carrot and apple, into the flour mixture, stirring just until moistened. Evenly divide the batter between the prepared muffin cups and bake for 20 - 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack. After about 10 minutes remove the muffins from the pans and cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.

Makes 12 standard-sized muffins.

Fava Fennel Mint Salad

First, remove the outer pod. The easiest way to do this is to grab the pointy end of the bean (the part that used to be attached to the plant), and try to pull off the stringy bit that separates the two halves of the pod. Crack open the pod and remove the inner pods.
Blanch the pods in boiling water briefly (like 1 minute), and then shock them in ice cold water. This keeps them nice and bright green. Next, take each little pod and remove the outer covering to reveal the beautiful, bright green fava bean. Chop up the rest of your ingredients.


Ingredients
2-3 lbs fresh fava beans, (1 1/2 to 2 cups shelled)
Salt
1 small bulb fennel, thinly sliced
2 ounces Parmesan cheese, shaved
10 fresh mint leaves, thinly sliced
2 scallions, sliced
Extra virgin olive oil
Lemon juice
Freshly ground black pepper

Prepare fava beans as described above. Toss together fava beans, fennel, and scallions. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, add salt and pepper, and mix. Squeeze in lemon juice to taste. Mix in Parmesan cheese and mint leaves and toss to combine.

Cornbread Muffins

1 c flour
1 1/2 c yellow cornmeal
2 T sugar
2 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
1 1/4 c buttermilk (I used 1 1/4 c of milk soured with 3 T vinegar)
1 large egg
2 T melted butter, cooled

Grease or line a 12-cup muffin pan. heat oven to 400 degrees F. In a bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the milk, egg, and butter. Pour the dry mixture into the wet ingredients and stir until just moistened. Fill muffin cups about 2/3 full. Bake for 13-15 minutes. until muffins begin to brown on top.


Makes 12 cornbread muffins

Apple Pie

Entering month 9 of living in Ireland there are two tastes of home I miss on an almost daily basis: corn (mostly in the form of an authentic corn tortilla), and apple pie. The apple pie I've tried here doesn't compare in the least so I just avoid it. But unlike the tortilla problem, I can get all the ingredients I need to make my own apple pie right here. And Rose Levy B is the source, so while this is considerably laborious, it is worth it. Having made this as my first apple pie attempt I feel my confidence bolstered. More pies to come! Oh yes, pumpkin would be next on the list. Though no canned pumpkin in Ireland, either. I'll have to wait until a few show up in the farmer's market next autumn. Until then, Ireland makes some fine butter (a baker's dream) and grows some tasty Bramley apples as well. So here, it is. Pie to make an expat swoon.

Pie Crust:

2 1/2 cups (350 grams) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoon (30 grams) granulated white sugar
1 cup (226 grams) unsalted butter, chilled, and cut into 1 inch (2.5 cm) pieces
1/4 to 1/2 cup (60 - 120 ml) ice water

Apple Filling:

2 1/2 pounds (1.1 kg) apples (about 6 large), peeled, cored, and sliced 1/4 inch thick (about 8 cups (2 L))
1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated white sugar
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional)
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons (28 grams) unsalted butter
1 1/2 tablespoons (15 grams) cornstarch (corn flour)

Pie Crust: In a large bowl, mix together the flour, salt, and sugar. Add the butter and work through it with a pastry cutter until the mixture resembles coarse meal.

Working the dough with your hands, add 1/4 cup (60 ml) water until the dough just holds together. If necessary, add more water.

Turn the dough onto your work surface and gather into a ball. Divide the dough in half, flattening each half into a disk, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for about one hour before using. This will chill the butter and relax the gluten in the flour.

After the dough has chilled sufficiently, remove one portion of the dough from the fridge and place it on a lightly floured surface. Roll the pastry into a 12 inch (30 cm) circle. (To prevent the pastry from sticking to the counter and to ensure uniform thickness, keep lifting up and turning the pastry a quarter turn as you roll (always roll from the center of the pastry outwards).) Fold the dough in half and gently transfer to a 9 inch (23 cm) pie pan. Brush off any excess flour and trim the edges of the pastry to fit the pie pan. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator.

Then remove the second round of pastry and roll it into a 12 inch (30 cm) circle. Transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap, and place in the refrigerator.

Make the Apple Filling: In a large bowl combine the sliced apples with the sugars, lemon juice, ground cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Let sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes or up to three hours. Then, place the apples and their juices in a strainer that is placed over a large bowl (to capture the juices). Let the apples drain for about 15-30 minutes or until you have about 1/2 cup (120 ml) of juice. Spray a 4 cup (960 ml) heatproof measuring cup with a nonstick vegetable spray, and then pour in the collected juices and the 2 tablespoons (28 grams) of unsalted butter. Place in the microwave and boil the liquid, on high, about 5 to 7 minutes or until the liquid has reduced to about 1/3 cup (80 ml) and is syrupy and lightly caramelized. (Alternatively, you could place the juices and butter in a small saucepan and boil over medium high heat on the stove.)

Meanwhile, remove the top pastry crust from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes so it has time to soften. Transfer the drained apples slices to a large bowl and mix them with the cornstarch (corn flour). Then pour the reduced syrup over the apples and toss to combine. Pour the apples and their syrup into the chilled pie crust. Moisten the edges of the pie shell with a little water and then place the top crust over the apples. Tuck any excess pastry under the bottom crust and then crimp the edges using your fingers or a fork. Using a sharp knife, make five- 2-inch (5 cm) slits from the center of the pie out towards the edge of the pie to allow the steam to escape. Cover the pie with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to chill the pastry while you preheat the oven.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Place the oven rack at the lowest level and place a baking stone or baking sheet on the rack before preheating the oven. Place a piece of aluminum foil on the stone (or pan) to catch any apple juices. Set the pie on the stone or pan and bake for about 45 to 55 minutes or until the juices start to bubble through the slits and the apples feel tender (not mushy) when a toothpick or sharp knife is inserted through one of the slits. Make sure to cover the edges of the pie with a foil ring to prevent over browning after about 30 minutes. Remove the pie from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool for about 3-4 hours before cutting. Serve warm or at room temperature with vanilla ice cream or softly whipped cream. Store at room temperature for 2 to 3 days.

Makes one 9 inch (23 cm) pie.

Ratatouille

The source recipe for this was already very easy, but I trimmed it down further by omitting the bell peppers-- I love them but they don't love my wee one. Wee one also declared after trying a bite of the finished rat' that the eggplant was making her mouth sore. So, this is a goodie, but I'll be looking for more alternative veggies to put into it the next time I make it.

* 1/4 cup olive oil
* 1 leek, diced
* 1 eggplant, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
* 4 small zucchini, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
* 2 cloves garlic, minced
* 2 pounds tomatoes, chopped (I only had 3 fresh and then I added 1/2 can of tomato paste and a few cups of water)
* 1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme
* salt and pepper
* 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

Heat olive oil in a heavy soup pot on medium heat. Chop leeks and add to oil. Once the leeks begin to smell good, add the diced eggplant to the pot, stirring well to coat the eggplant with oil. At this point all the olive oil will have soaked into the eggplant, so you need to stir often to keep things from burning until they soften some. Chop the zucchini and stir it in once the eggplant has softened a bit. Chop the garlic and add to the vegetables, stirring well. Add the tomatoes (and for me, the tomato paste and water, about 1 cup). Mince the thyme and add it along with salt and pepper to taste. Stir well and cook two minutes. Turn down heat and cover the pot. Simmer until everything is soft and well blended - about 40 minutes. Stir in basil and remove from heat.

Makes 4 servings

Vivi's birthday cupcakes

Vanilla Cupcakes

1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature

2/3 cup (130 grams) granulated white sugar

3 large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Zest of 1 large lemon (outer yellow skin)

1 1/2 cups (195 grams) all purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup (60 ml) milk

Buttercream Frosting

2 cups (230 grams) confectioners sugar (icing or powdered sugar), sifted

1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 tablespoons milk or light cream


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) and line 12 muffin cups with paper liners.

In the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla extract and lemon zest.

In a separate bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the flour mixture and milk, in three additions, beginning and ending with the flour. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Evenly fill the muffin cups with the batter and bake for about 17 - 20 minutes or just until set and a toothpick inserted into a cupcake comes out clean. (Do not over bake or the cupcakes will be dry.) Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool. Once the cupcakes have completely cooled, frost with icing. If you want flat topped cupcakes then slice off the dome of each cupcake, with a sharp knife, before frosting. If you want to pipe the frosting, I like to use a large Wilton 1M star decorating tip. Cupcakes are best eaten the same day they are made, but they can be covered and stored for a few days.

Buttercream Frosting: In an electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, (I did it by hand with no bother) cream the butter until smooth and well blended. Add the vanilla extract. With the mixer on low speed, gradually beat in the sugar. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the milk and beat on high speed until frosting is light and fluffy (about 3-4 minutes). Add a little more milk or sugar, if needed. Tint the frosting with desired food color (I use the paste food coloring that is available at cake decorating stores and party stores). (I used less sugar and less milk than suggested here.)

Makes about 12 cupcakes

Olive Oil Tart Crust

from Z&C site, a much-needed alternative to the rich, rich butter crusts... this one turns out crispy and relatively light. Now I just need to perfect the savoury tart filling.


- 250 grams (8.8 ounces*) light whole wheat flour (French T80), or a 50/50 mix of all-purpose and whole wheat
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon dried herbs (I use rosemary or thyme)
- 60 ml (1/4 cup) olive oil (or the oil of your choosing, provided it withstands cooking)
- 120 ml (1/2 cup) cold water

Makes enough to line a 28- to 30-cm (11- to 12-inch) tart pan.

Grease the pan lightly if it doesn't have a nonstick coating.

Combine the flour, salt, and herbs in a medium mixing bowl. Add the oil and mix it in with a fork. Add the water, mix with the fork until it is absorbed, then knead lightly (I do this with just one hand, in the bowl) until the dough comes together into a ball.

Turn the dough out on a lightly floured work surface. Sprinkle a little flour on the ball of dough and on the rolling pin, and roll the dough out into a circle large enough to fit your tart pan. Turn the dough by 45 degrees (a quarter of a circle) every time you roll the pin and back, adding a little more flour underneath and on the dough when it seems on the verge of becoming sticky. The trick is to do this in quick, assertive gestures (channel the spirit of Julia Child) to avoid overworking the dough.

Transfer the dough carefully into the prepared pan and line it neatly. Trim the excess dough (re-roll it and cut into decorative shapes to top the tart), and place the pan in the fridge for 30 minutes to rest.

You can then blind-bake the crust (prick with a fork first), or garnish it straight away, depending on the filling. Either way, it will take 20 to 25 minutes at 200°C (400°F) to bake thoroughly.

* That's about 2 cups, but really, measuring flour by weight is the only way to ensure accuracy. Consider buying a digital kitchen scale: it will prove an invaluable tool, and the simplest models are not super expensive.

Potato Leek Soup

This has become my signature soup as we enter month 6 of living in Ireland. So simple and while probably ho hum when I make back in the US, here it really shines from the quality of the local ingredients. The potatoes here vary more in subtlety of flavor than I ever expected a potato to be able to vary. (Likewise oats.) A good, floury variety is ideal for the soup so that by the time everything has cooked together the potatoes disintegrate into the soup with the slightest work with a masher/ricer.

6-8 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
1 large leek, diced
2-3 tablespoons salted butter
5 cups water or stock

Melt butter over medium-high heat in a heavy-bottomed soup pot. Saute leeks until fragrant and translucent. Add potatoes and water/stock and cook at a medium boil for 30-45 minutes, stirring occasionally. When potatoes are all tender and have started to break down, mash with a potato masher or ricer. Soup may be thinned and cooled with milk, or enjoyed as it is.

Lemon Cilantro Cole Slaw

4 cups thinly sliced green cabbage (about 1 small head)
4 green onions, sliced fine
1 cucumber, julienned
6 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (2 lemons' worth)
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon pure maple syrup
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
8 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Shred cabbage and put in a big bowl along with green onions, cucumber and cilantro. Put olive oil, lemon juice, salt, maple syrup, and mustard into a glass jar. Put lid on and shake until oil and acid are emulsified. Add to cabbage mixture and refrigerate overnight.

Fluffy Pancakes

Original Recipe Yield 8 pancakes

Ingredients

* 3/4 cup milk
* 2 tablespoons white vinegar
* 1 cup wholegrain spelt or white spelt flour
* 1 tablespoon sugar
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1 egg
* 2 tablespoons sunflower oil

Directions

1. Combine milk with vinegar in a medium bowl and set aside for 5 minutes to "sour".
2. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Whisk egg and butter into "soured" milk. Pour the flour mixture into the wet ingredients and whisk until lumps are gone.
3. Heat a large skillet over medium heat, and coat with cooking spray. Pour 1/4 cupfuls of batter onto the skillet, and cook until bubbles appear on the surface. Flip with a spatula, and cook until browned on the other side.