The Ardent Epicure

What's for lunch? Maitake Mushroom and Fresh Garbanzo Bean Tacos

2012-05-22T08:41:00.000-07:00

Maitake Mushroom and Fresh
Garbanzo Bean Tacos with

Avocado and Wasabi Yogurt Sauce

There is a bit of a story behind the creation of this taco...It stars off with a
trip to the farmers' market. Now the farmers' market was a delight, with
so many fantastic finds that us food loving beings desire at a fingers
reach. And then there are the other things that draw our attention,
and for many that would be the Food Trucks.

So this veggie foodie tried her hand at a Food Trucks mushroom taco...
I just have to say that somewhere at sometime, someone said that people
who do not eat meat "Hate Flavor"...is there any other possible reasoning
behind the fact that vegetarian food is generally prepared with the
apparent goal of achieving the approximate taste of dry stale wood?

OK, I am over it now, and I decided to semi re-create what I was hoping
to experience the first time around. And I will assure you, vegetarian
or not this is a taco that you will enjoy...and if you are like me,
more than once or twice :)

Young or Spring Garlic is one of the wonderful players here, and I am in love!
It looks a bit like a cross between a leek and a scallion, and can be used in
much the same way as you would the former. It has a far milder taste
than traditional mature garlic, and is sweeter as well.

We have some fresh garbanzo beans/chickpeas here as well and they
are a delightful spring offering with their bright mild flavor. They are
wonderful raw or equally delightful in a sauté, or in most any way
you can devise...they will happily accommodate.

Then of course we have our star...the maitake mushroom. These beauties are
my favorite mushroom, as many of you long time readers may already know. I
mean, how gorgeous are these babies? They have petal like sections that
have a smooth spongy looking velvet underneath. Along with a nutty flavor
and are meatier than one would suspect, so they are a wonderful substitute
for the portobello. Yet at the same time they offer a more delicate
flavor, so they work beautifully in more refined recipes as well.

For our sauce I went with a yogurt and avocado base, adding a bit of heat
with some wasabi. Then some of lime, followed up with a few more
fresh garbanzo beans...and we have delicious in the making :)

The primary seasonings are the wasabi powder used in the sauce. But then we
we also have a unique salt in play here. The salt is a "Solar Dried" salt. This salt
comes from the Baja Coast and is said to retain more of the natural trace
minerals due to the particular drying process. You may also note in the
image below, that it has almost a fluffy snow like texture. This
texture makes it ideal for adding minimal salt with a greater
seasoning impact when used as a finishing salt.

What you will need:
For the tacos
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 stalks fresh garlic, roughly chopped
(use bulb and tender portions of the green)
14-16 ounces maitake, torn in large pieces
1 cup fresh garbanzo beans, shelled and halved
1/2 lime, juiced
1 teaspoon cumin, lightly toasted
1/2 teaspoon solar sea salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper, finely ground
8-10 fresh lemon balm leaves, torn
1 small bunch cilantro trimmed, leaves and stems torn
8 corn tortillas

For the yogurt sauce
1/4 cup fresh garbanzo beans, shelled
5-6 ounces Greek nonfat yogurt
1 ripe avocado
1/2 lime, juiced
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4-1/2 teaspoon solar sea salt
1/4 teaspoon wasabi powder
2 tablespoons hot water
Blender or small food processor

Let's get cooking:
For the tacos
Begin by heating a small skillet on medium high until hot, add cumin while continually
moving your spice around in the pan. This should only take a few moments to lightly
toast until just fragrant.

Next take a large skillet or sauté pan and heat over a medium high flame, until hot.
Add oil and allow it to begin to sizzle a bit. Add minced garlic while continually
moving it around the pan until fragrant and just translucent.

Add chopped young garlic to the pan and toss a bit, then mushrooms doing the
same. Continue to toss until mushrooms begin to release their juices. Continue
cooking, tossing frequently until most of your liquid is absorbed. This should
only take a minute or two.

Add fresh garbanzo beans and lime juice, toss to incorporate. Now add
seasonings until the garbanzo beans are just tender and mushrooms
begin to brown slightly 3-4 minutes or so.

Add lemon balm and cilantro, continuing to toss until leaves are
wilted and there is no longer any liquid in the pan. Set aside keeping
the mushroom mixture warm.

For the yogurt sauce
Begin by placing your wasabi powder in a small cup or bowl. Add hot
water and allow to stand for about 5 minutes.

Using a blender or small food processor, purée garbanzo beans
until smooth. Add remaining ingredients until smooth.

Note* If using the sauce for these tacos, you can make the wasabi paste
while you are preparing the mushroom mixture. For best results
serve chilled or room temperature.

Serves 4

Enjoy~
Alisha~Magic of Spice

What's for dinner? Spring Greens Stir-Fry~A Guest Post

2012-05-15T16:01:00.001-07:00

Spring Greens Stir-Fry~A Guest Post

Please join me over at my wonderful friend Lazaro's site for a guest post on using

some farmers's market finds in a lovely stir-fry. You can find the guest post here,

along with a recipe for this not so traditional stir-fry :)

We will be talking about a few fantastic greens that you may find at your local

spring markets, with an idea of how to use them :) Like these chrysanthemum

greens pictured above...more than just a pretty face here :)

So please join me over at Lazaro Cooks, home of my wonderful and talented

friend Lazaro. There you will find a wonderful culinary journey to explore!

Enjoy~

Alisha~Magic of Spice

Food Photography "A Perspective"~ Setting the Mood with Faith Gorsky Safarini

2012-05-09T17:38:00.003-07:00

Food Photography "A Perspective"~

Setting the Mood with Faith Gorsky Safarini

Above photo property of theardentepicure.com

Welcome to the second addition of Food Photography "A Perspective"~
Today we have a wonderful guest who is going to show us how the use of color
can set the mood in your food photography. If you miissed our first addition
you can see it here Food Styling with Nancy Lopez-McHugh.

So please join us in welcoming my lovely friend Faith of An Edible Mosaic...

Faith is not only a talented photographer, but an amazing cook and food writer.
But before we move on to the tutorial, Faith has some news to share with us,
so we thought that a little interview might be fun :)

TAE~I know you have some exiting news that came about recently; can you share a bit about that with our readers that may be just hearing of it?

Faith~I am thrilled to say that Tuttle is publishing my first cookbook this fall! I am a food blogger so this next step into the culinary world was huge and very exciting for me.

TAE~The book is available for pre-sale now correct? And what is the anticipated publishing date?

Faith~Yes, the book is available for pre-order on Amazon; if anyone is thinking about ordering a copy this is a good time because it’s currently on sale! (Here is the link on Amazon for anyone interested). The anticipated publishing date is October 10, 2012…I’m waiting on pins and needles!

TAE~Writing a cookbook is a pretty big undertaking, what motivated you to take that big step forward?

Faith~I’ve had a passion for cooking for as long as I can remember, but I don’t have any formal culinary training; for a long time my blog was the only outlet I had for my passion. As I continued writing my blog, it blossomed into what I like to think of as a reflection of the way I eat, with an emphasis on healthy, seasonally-focused meals based on not only updated classic American fare, but also international favorites. After a while I started to realize that my approach to food was unique and I wanted to share it through another venue; once the idea of writing a cookbook entered my mind I couldn't get it out. I wrote up a proposal (check out this post on my blog for information on the process of writing a book proposal) and started submitting it to publishers; it was a slow process, but eventually I got a book contract.

I realize that it’s probably the aspiration of a lot of food bloggers to one day write their own cookbook, which is why I’m writing up a series of posts on my blog that details each step of the journey. Here is Part 1, "Finding Your Story", and Part 2 "Writing Your Book Proposal". I am also writing Part 3, Finding a Publisher and Part 4, Writing Your Book, so please stay tuned on my blog or check the bottom of
“My Book” page periodically for links to these posts.

TAE~For those that are looking to pre-order or purchase the book, what type of cuisine or dishes will we be looking forward to?

Faith~The book has about 100 Middle Eastern recipes, with a focus mainly on dishes from the Levant (i.e., Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, and Palestine), but also a few recipes from other areas of the Middle East. After marrying my husband (who is Middle Eastern), I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to visit the Middle East four different times, each time learning more about the culture and falling in love with every aspect of it – especially the cuisine! Also, I am incredibly blessed to have a mother-in-law who is not only a fabulous cook, but also a patient teacher who was willing to teach me anything and everything I could ever possibly want to know about Middle Eastern cooking.

The recipes in the book are authentic Middle Eastern (most of them passed down to me from my Syrian mother-in-law), but streamlined just a bit for the way we cook today, with unique ingredients demystified and cooking techniques anyone can follow. I’ve also included a bit of culture in the book (because it’s so tightly intertwined with cuisine), including some of my own travel experiences in the Middle East.

A few of my favorite recipes from the book include: Sumac-Spiced Chicken (M’sakhkhan); Herb Salad with Tangy Dressing and Croutons (Fattoush); Spinach Turnovers (Fatayer bil Sabanekh); Eggplant Dip (Mutabbal Batinjan); Spiced Cheese Balls (Shankleesh); Vegetarian Stuffed Grape Leaves (Waraq al Ainab or Dawali); Stuffed Marrow Squash (Kousa Mahshi); Creamy Chickpea & Yogurt Casserole (Tissiyeh or Fetteh bil Hummous); Fish Pilaf with Caramelized Onion (Sayadieh bil Samek); Spiced Rotisserie-Style Chicken Sandwiches (Shawarma Dajaj); Lamb & Bulgur Wheat, With Several Variations (Kibbeh); Cheese-Filled Pastry Cake (Knafeh bil Jiben); Sesame Fudge (Halawa); Grape Syrup Drink with Sultanas & Pine Nuts (Jallab); and Tangy Yogurt Drink (Leban Ayraan).

Hello everyone! I’m Faith and I blog at An Edible Mosaic. I want to give a huge thank-you to my sweet friend and our lovely host, Alisha, for inviting me to be part of her photography series…I am honored, Alisha!

As food bloggers/photographers, we ultimately want to inspire our readers to get into the kitchen and try our recipes (or at least get into the kitchen, for starters :). So how do we do that? It starts with good food, of course, but there’s more to it than that. I try to make my photos personally meaningful by setting a mood.

There are many different ways to set a mood through props; even the choice not to use props can be used to imply a certain mood (clean, crisp, simplistic, minimalistic, organized, etc.). However, I’m going to focus on the use of color since it’s one of my favorite elements of a photograph to play with when I’m trying to tell a story or convey a mood. For instance, think about a simple bowl of cherries. A white bowl of dark red cherries on a white linen background can set a light, summery mood, while a dark dish of dark red cherries set on a dark-stained, weathered-looking wooden table can suggest a feeling of indulgence. The color of the cherries remains constant, but the other colors in the photo evoke different feelings and depict a story.

To fully be able use color to our advantage, we first have to understand a little bit about it. I sometimes revisit the color wheel, which is a helpful tool for any photographer.

The Color Wheel

Opposite colors on the color wheel (complimentary colors) can make a photo pop, which is why the combinations red + green, blue + orange, and yellow + violet are all so pleasing to the eye. However, it can be just as impactful to use different hues of the same color to keep a photo monochromatic (for example, one of my favorite images is of a piece of dark chocolate sitting on a smooth, surface that’s just a shade or two different from the color of the chocolate, amid a few curls of chocolate). Also, using colors next to each other on the color wheel (analogous colors) is a good way to expand your photo’s palette.

For this tutorial, I put together color palettes using a few of my photos so you can see how color can be used to create a mood or tell a story; the colors in the palette next to each photo were pulled directly out of the photograph. (I got the idea from Pinterest, which is full of all kinds of useful ideas; you can check out
my “Color Inspiration” board on Pinterest to see what I mean by color palettes.) Here are a couple examples using complementary colors…

Rustic Cooking: Complimentary colors like red + green are lovely together.

In the photo above I was trying to convey a rustic scene: you’re on vacation in a secluded area, maybe a quaint cabin in the woods. The dark brown wooden bowls, the lighter wooden slab that the bowls are on, and the pine-y rosemary mimic the view out your kitchen window. It’s dinnertime and you’re about to start cooking. Looking at this photo, you just know a cozy meal isn’t far away.

Beet-Citrus Salad

Beautiful yellow beets and oranges look elegant against an icy blue-hued fabric. Red onion and a few purple beets interspersed add an additional splash of color to the photo, as well as flavor to the dish. In the next photo I used a broad color spectrum to portray an idea…

Healthy Lunch

In the photo above I wanted to convey the idea of a healthy, well-balanced meal. When I think of eating healthy, I think of eating a full spectrum of colors…bright fruits and veggies and soft beige-colored grains. Notice the blue lid on my salad dressing container; it’s not edible, but it adds the little punch of color that was exactly what I was aiming for in this photo. Without that bright blue lid, I wouldn’t have the shade I needed to give the viewer the impression of a full color spectrum.

Another thing to bear in mind when thinking about color, is that certain colors evoke certain feelings, and in turn memories. In general, warm colors like red, orange, and yellow are mentally stimulating – and they stimulate the appetite as well. Cool colors like blue are calming and actually suppress the appetite. (For more information on the psychology behind how color affects appetite and mood, check out the following websites: Astro Nutrition, eHow Health, and Color Wheel Pro.)

In the photo below, red makes me think of spice, green makes me think of something fresh, and shades of blue and gray remind me of water and make me feel refreshed…

Spicy Fresh

As someone looks at the photo above, I wanted them to imagine eating the soup…how it would taste spicy at first, but have a nice balance and a hint of sweetness from cream; then a pop of flavor from the fresh cilantro garnish. A glass of water would be the perfect cooling end.

When you’re making seasonal foods, it’s a lot of fun to play with seasonal colors in your pictures to evoke a sense of the season…

Autumnal Hues

Where I live (Upstate New York), autumn is adorned with mostly two colors as the leaves change and fall off the trees: brown (a little blah, I know) and brilliant shades of orange (ok, there’s also a lot of crimson and yellow…which help make up for the brown :). The picture above is autumn in a nutshell to me; the little pumpkin in particular makes the photo and brings in the orange hues I needed to tie it all together.

Color-wise, spring is similar to autumn in that there’s a lot of brown, but with green replacing the orange…

Spring Tones

I see the picture above and think of budding trees in spring…still mostly brown, but green signs of life can be seen everywhere.

Don’t forget, you can take your audience anywhere you want through your photos…

Morning in the Middle East

Whether or not my audience has been to the Middle East, I wanted them to feel like they’re there the moment they look at this photo. The various shades of beige sand, the blazing hot orange sun against the brilliant blue sky, and the luxurious, richly-pigmented fabrics. Not only its color, but even the placement of the apricot jam – in the center of this photo – echoes the sun. (This photo is from my upcoming book; I had a lot of fun shooting it, and it’s one of my favorites. :)

So when you’re setting up to shoot a dish, first think about the mood you’re trying to portray or the story you’re trying to tell, and then you can choose colors to help paint that picture. The beauty of it is, the story you capture through your lens will be perceived and interpreted slightly differently by every viewer, which makes it meaningful to them in different ways.

I hope this tutorial inspires you to play around with color when taking your food photos. Thanks for reading, everyone, and Alisha, thanks again for inviting me! Happy photographing!

Thank you so much Faith for joining us here today with this beautiful

addition to our photography series!

Enjoy~

Alisha~Magic of Spice

What's for Snack Time? Almondina Biscuits ( A Review)

2012-05-05T21:31:00.000-07:00

Almondina~A Review and a Snack

We were recently contacted by Almondnia, who offered to send us a sampling of their products to review. Almondina makes a wide variety of almond biscuits in many tasty flavors. They sent us a selection of seven different flavors, but they also have more available on their Web site, including a yogurt-dipped version.

First off, here is a little bit of background information provided by the company:

Above images courtesy of Almondina

Almondina Brand

Yuval Zaliouk was a world renown musical conductor, and for the past two decades has been the owner of Almondina. Zaliouk's company is based in Ohio and his Almondina cookies are sold in all 50 States and several foreign countries.

Almondina distribution has expanded and is now readily available at stores such as Mollie Stone’s, Whole Foods, Sprout’s, Rainbow Co-op, Andronico’s, Trader Joes, Berkley Bowl, TJ Maxx, Marshalls and many others.

These all-natural, wonderfully crunchy almond biscuits do not contain cholesterol, added fat, trans-fats, salt, or preservatives. Unlike biscotti, ALMONDINA Brand Biscuits do not have to be dipped. They are a delightful accompaniment for coffee, tea, soft cheeses and dessert wines, or just as an everyday snack.

The Review

Almondina brand biscuits are available in a variety of flavors, including original almond, cinnamon, chocolate almond, chocolate cherry, ginger, sesame, and bran. Check out the Web site, or visit your local retailer to test them out.

I tried all seven types we were sent, and I found each of them to be quite tasty. I first though they were going to be like a biscotti, a sort of Italian twice-baked cookie. The biscuits resemble very thin biscotti. However, they have a mouth feel more reminiscent of a cracker, and indeed (as you will see in our recipe) work very well as a replacement for a standard cracker. They are also great with tea and coffee ( I had my samples with my morning coffee).

All of the biscuits are packed with almonds, but each flavor is unique. My personal favorites were the chocolate cherry, which had a nice sweet flavor with the tart and tang of the cherry pieces; and the sesame, which had a deliciously-rich sesame flavor that lingered on my tongue. The other flavors were great as well, so you'll have to try them all to find your favorite!

These snacks are healthy, delicious, and work great in a variety of situations, from a brunch platter, to a breakfast cookie, to a snack. Whichever flavor you pick, you really can't go wrong!

Almondina Original with Orange, Cheese and Honey

We decided to use the biscuit more as a cracker replacement for our snack time recipe. Here we took the bran Almondina and served them with orange slices, Delice de Mourgogne cheese (a cow's milk cheese from France, similar to brie), and drizzled with honey. However, you can use your favorite cheese, and any type of fruit slices, such as apple, pear, or even cherries.

Serve with additional slices of cheese and your favorite tea or sweet white wine (such as Prosecco).

For more information regarding Almondia brand products, please visit Almondina.com. For more information regarding Yuval Zaliouk, please visit Zaliouk.com.

And if you have not already done so, please check out our current giveaway for The New Green Smoothie Diet eBook Giveaway here.

Recipe and pictures by Alisha (Magic of Spice).

Review by Adam (Truffle Shuffle)

The New Green Smoothie Diet eBook Giveaway

2012-05-01T13:37:00.001-07:00

The New Green Smoothie Diet

eBook Giveaway plus a Sneak Peek

This new book written by Hilary Greenleaf, is an new way to "eat" your vegetables,
or rather, drink them. Hilary is considered the leading authority on organic foods
and considered America's #1 Organic Expert. She is the author of
four books, an educator, and nutritionist.

One of the unique features about these Green Smoothies, is that they have a
very specific proportion and combination of fruits and vegetables. And each of
these combinations is meant to target a specific health benefit or concern.
And within each of these topics there is a list of information, as well
as recipes for each health topic...

Weight loss
Detoxifying the body
Increasing energy
Fight heart disease
Prevent certain types of cancers
Boosting the immune system
Protection against diabetes
Making skin and hair beautiful

The book also offers a few ways to not only boost the flavors of your Green smoothies,
but target even more specific needs. For example an addition of cinnamon or thyme,
add even more heart health benefits. Did you know that Cinnamon is rich in
polyphenols, or that thyme has more antioxidants than carrots and tomatoes?

For additional tips and information on varied topics, you can visit Hilary's
website. You can also purchase a copy of "The New Green Smoothie Diet"
for your Kindle here on Amazon.

The Giveaway:
For the giveaway, Hilary has generously offered 4 of our readers a free copy of the
book, available in your choice of PDF, kindle, or iPhone/iPad formats. The giveaway is
open to everyone worldwide and the 4 winners will be chosen by TAE randomly.
The giveaway will be open until Midnight Monday May 7th PST. The winners
will be announced here May 9th. *Update: These recipes Do Not require a juicer!

The Sneak Peek:
Those of you that are regular readers of TAE, will probably remember that I belong
to a cooking group "The 5 Star Makeover", hosted by Natasha of 5 Star Foodie
and Lazaro of Lazaro Cooks. So some of you may have noticed that I did
not do a post for April's monthly challenge. But, I am not the only one who did
not post for our monthly event. In fact none of us did, and here is why...

We will be having a special Spring "Restaurant Wars" event, so we have all been
divided into teams. My teammates are Kym of Free Spirit Eater and Marisa
of Cook's Book. Our restaurant affectionately titled "Marishky" (Ma-Rish-Kai),
which is the meshing of our three names...and our theme is, you guessed it
"Tropical Paradise". Each team member will be providing a dish for our
menu and will be posting the last week in May, so stay tuned :)

Enjoy~

Alisha~Magic of Spice

Food Tip~Taming the Artichoke

2012-04-27T20:43:00.000-07:00

Taming the Artichoke

In the previous post where we roasted artichokes, I was asked by a few readers

both in comments as well as by email, how to work with artichokes. It seems

as though these little guys are just a tad on the intimidating side. But don't

let them fool you, they are quite easily tamed!

Now I must tell you upfront that our artichoke models here are both young

long stem artichokes. But as they are what I had on hand, and they are

far from camera shy...they agreed to indulge :)

Both the type of artichoke as well as the age, will help in determining what you

want, or need to do prior to serving artichokes. As I stated before, my roasted

artichokes were prepared with very young long stem artichokes, and these

typically will not need either trimming of the leaves or "bracts" nor

removal of the "choke" ( un-bloomed flower portion). So let's explore

a few types of artichoke that you are most likely to encounter.

The Globe Artichoke, this is perhaps the most commonly found variety, and is

generally the larger of the bunch. With this variety the stem is usually removed

and inedible. And depending on the maturity will have edible portions

including, the lower portion of the leaves and the heart. You can identify

this variety by the larger "globe" like shape, that may or may not have

thorny leaves depending on maturity.

The Baby Artichoke: this is not actually a baby in the sense that most

other vegetables referenced that way. The artichokes are fully matured

but grow at the lower level on the plant, so they remain small. They are

however generally more tender as the other mature artichokes, and

especially when roasted can be nearly completely edible including

the"choke" area above the heart .

The Long Stem Artichoke: this variety is unique in the fact that

the stem is also an edible part of the artichoke. Although the outer layer of

the stem is tough and should be peeled, or id you are planning to quarter the

artichoke, it can be eaten in much the same way as the meat portion

from the leaves. And as it is an extension of the "heart portion" it also has

that wondrous nutty flavor. This is another, like the baby artichoke that

when young will not have thorny leaves and the "choke" portion will

usually be tender enough to eat after being cooked.

There are a few other heirloom or hybrid varieties around, but

the preparations will be pretty much the same and more

based on cooking method and maturity.

The Trimming:

Once your artichoke has been cleaned under cool running water and leaves or bracts

are free of debris. Trim off the top portion of your artichoke about 1/2 inch or so,

this will enable easier handling as well as more even cooking depending on the

method of cooking chosen. As an example, when being prepared whole. If

you are planning to halve or quarter your artichokes this step can be optional

when working with younger or baby artichokes.

Now onto the trimming of the leaves or bracts...this step is primarily done for

presentation purposes, but if you are working with more mature artichokes and

the thorns are on the tough side, this may be a step you will want to make sure to do.

Generally though the thorns soften during the cooking process.

It is also easy enough to accomplish with a pair of kitchen shears by

just snipping off the upper 1/3rd portion or so of each leaf. You

should also remove the randomly scattered lower leaves as they

tend to have little or no meaty potions.

Once the trimming is complete we can now remove the "choke" portion,

again depending on the type or maturity of the artichoke you are working with.

It is easy enough to tell if the "choke" should be removed as it will

have numerous hair like fibers just above the "heart" portion.

You may also remember the floral or flowering artichoke from the previous post.

The artichoke itself is a "bud" with thick arch shaped leaves, also known as bracts.

These leaves have a meaty lower portion that is edible, along with everyone's

favorite the "heart". The inner most portion of the artichoke located above

the heart are the florets, or un-bloomed flower. This portion is what

we call the "choke" or sometimes refereed to as the beard.

This portion of the artichoke is not edible in your more mature artichokes.

If you have baby or younger chokes these fibrous like hairs will be few

or non present. If you are unsure, this step can be done after you

have cooked your artichokes, especially is boiled or steamed.

Will will go over removing this portion below when we discus the heart

portion of the artichoke and how to "get to that".

Getting to the Heart:

If you are just wanting to use the "Heart" of the artichoke, then there are a few

simple steps to follow. But first you should determine your needs and depending

on the age and type of artichoke, what sections will you want to maintain. Not

to mention the proposed cooking method. These will all have a factor in

how you proceed, but the basics are quite simple.

You will want to trim your stem back just about 1/4th of an inch is you have a
long stemmed artichoke. Then simply begin removing the outer leaves of your
artichoke.I find this easily accomplished just by pulling them away from
the body until they snap off.

Continuing to remove the outer leaves until you start to see pale leaves that

are yellowish in color with some purple depending on the artichoke. As

you continue to remove leaves you will notice that they become thinner

and more tender as you proceed.

Now you can take a sharp knife and trim around the bottom sides of the

heart portion, removing any leaf stubs that remain until you have a

smooth whitish section.

Now decide exactly what you want to do with the varied edible portions

of your artichoke. Even if you are planning something that uses only the heart

portion, or the heart and the most tender inner leaves. Keep in mind

that the other portions make great snacks :)

They type of dish or preparation can help you decide just what portions you

want to use and for just what you will want to be using them for.

Here are just a few common cooking methods for artichokes, and my take on

ways you may consider using up the edible beauties...

Steaming: great for whole, halved or quartered artichokes with the upper most top

portion removed. For more mature artichokes, the "choke" potion can be removed

prior to steaming or after, if needed. Then served with a dipping sauce.

Boiled: another great one for whole artichokes, in fact my preferred method for

more mature artichokes, with the "choke" portion removed after cooling.

Then again served with a nice dip or sauce.

Roasted: this is my favorite for younger artichokes or baby artichokes,

typically halved or quartered with the entire artichoke being utilized. In

fact with some of the smallest baby artichokes the majority if not

all of the leaves are tender enough to eat whole. Serve seasoned

or with a dipping sauce if desired.

Grilled: this is a method I just love, and done much in the same way as

roasted. And like roasted, these could be done whole, but I prefer

to halve or quarter them.

Note: remember the "trimming" portion is optional in all methods of preparation. It

makes for a nice clean presentation, but not a requirement unless you feel that your

artichokes thorns are very sharp...and in that case I would probably return the

artichoke as it may be a bit past it's desirable maturity mark :)

Here are a couple of previous posts to get you started if you have yet to

dive into the lovely world of The Artichoke!

Tequila Lime Roasted Garlic and Chipotle Roasted Artichokes

Artichokes with Champagne Mustard Aioli, Papaya Purée

Enjoy~

Alisha~Magic of Spice

What's for snack time? Tequila Lime Roasted Garlic and Chipotle Artichokes

2012-04-20T11:59:00.000-07:00

Tequila Lime Roasted Garlic

and Chipotle Roasted Artichokes

Yesterday was National Garlic Day, and as you can see here...I am a day late.
Better late than never, I hope :) To make it up to you I offer a Tequila Lime
version of the always amazing Roasted Garlic! And since I am trying to maintain
favor, I thought perhaps I should go a bit further and offer some Chipotle
Roasted Artichokes as well. Sort of a 2 for the price of 1 special!

Speaking of garlic, have you ever seen or prepared Fresh Garlic,

also known as Spring Garlic? If not, look forward to some fun
with these beauties in the near future...

When working with artichokes, the center portion is very beautiful, but
alas, inedible. Inedible not in the sense of poisonous or harmful, but more that
they are a bit brissaly. It is actually the un-bloomed flower bud. As the artichokes
are harvested for consumption more often than not, these blooms are
something we do not always get a chance to admire.

But while perusing one of my local farmers' markets...look what I found
for you! Nature is the most amazing thing, is it not? It sort of looks more like a
sea creature...but it is actually the way the afternoon is hitting the bloom.
To the naked eye these blooms are more of a brilliant purple.

Now these beauties are Globe or French Artichokes...I think perhaps they
warrant a post dedicated to them, so we will peruse these loveys again soon.

Spicing up these two lovelies adds a bit of variance, but of course not limited to.
How ever you want to add some love to these roasted beauties is all good!

Here I was in the mood for some spice-up, and my consideration was leaning
toward putting these together. So some Tequila Lime and chipotle goodness
was a match made in heaven as far as I was concerned.

For the garlic, we have a Key Lime seasoning, blended with a bit of
tequila...and some wonderful smoked peppercorns.

Then for the artichokes, we are going sweet spicy with some ground
chipotle chili, course ground sea salt and rock sugar...

These made for some delightful crostini, with our roasted garlic and the
tender leaf portion of our artichokes. I chose a seeded baguette
...my kind of snack!

What you will need:
For the roasted garlic
1 elephant garlic head, or 3 small heads
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon tequila
1 1/2 teaspoons key lime seasoning
1/2 teaspoon smoked peppercorns
Garlic roaster or foil

For the roasted artichokes
1 globe artichoke
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon chipotle chili, ground
1/4 teaspoon course sea salt, ground
1/4 teaspoon rock sugar, ground

For crostini
6 ounce baguette, wheel sliced
A scoop of roasted tequila lime garlic
A few tender leaves of your asparagus

Let's get cooking:
For the roasted garlic
Start by adding your spices to your olive oil in a small bowl and
allow to rest for 10 to 15 minutes at room temperature.

In the mean time, remove the outer paper thin layers on your garlic bulb.
Then cut off the top, about 1/4th inch deep, or until you have cut into the bulb.

Now pierce the individual garlic cloves with a small sharp knife. Then place
onto the bottom portion of your garlic roaster or into a foil packet. Now
drizzle on you spiced tequila oil mixture.

Place in a pre-heated oven at 400 degrees, for about 1 hour. Depending on
if you are using one large elephant bulb or smaller bulbs. Check after 45-50
minutes. Bulbs should be very tender and spreadable.

For the artichokes
Mix together seasonings with olive oil and set aside for 15 minutes.
Trim the top of your artichoke about 1/4 inch off the top.

If you have long stems or pre-trimed, slice from stem down
the center of the artichoke until slit in half, then quarter.

Baste with you seasoning/oil mixture. Then place on a foil covered
banking sheet or pan. Placing artichoke quarters a bit close
together, Then roast for in a 375 degrees oven for about
40 minutes, depending on size. Roast until tender.

For the crostini
Take your 6 ounce baguette, slice into small wheels, then brush
with olive oil. Toasts for a few minutes until desired consistency.
Top with a nice helping of roasted garlic and tender
leaves of asparagus.

There is a garlic day event going on over at Girlichef, and there should be
some serious garlic love going on soon :)

Update: here is a new tutorial on working with artichokes...
Food Tip~Taming the Artichoke

Enjoy~

Alisha~Magic of Spice

Celebrating National Grilled Cheese Month with Breakfast

2012-04-16T12:26:00.002-07:00

White Stilton and Cranberry Breakfast

Grilled Cheese with Fig Marmalade

Who says grilled cheese sandwiches are just for lunch?

This is a quick and sweet way to start your day with an always

classic pairing of fruit and cheese.

And since we did a "Grilled Cheese Series" last summer,
I will link those varieties below as well :)

What you will need:

8 slices of your favorite bread, sliced

8 ounces white Stilton with cranberries, sliced

4 ripe figs, optional

4 tablespoons fig marmalade

4 tablespoons butter, melted

2 tablespoons raw sugar

1 tablespoon cardamom, ground

Griddle or frying pan

Let's get cooking:

In a small bowl mix sugar and cardamom together.

Butter one side of 4 slices of bread.

Spread jam on one side of the remaining bread slices.

Have all other ingredients ready, then heat griddle or heavy

bottom pan on medium until hot.

Place buttered side down slices of bread, layer on cheese and fig slices.

Place remaining slices of bread on top, jam side down.

Brush top sliced with butter and sprinkle with sugar mixture.

Cook until cheese has melted and bread is golden brown,

or to desired doneness.

Serve open faced or closed

Serves 4

For more grilled cheese ideas try these~

Pear and Gouda Grilled Cheese

with a cherry balsamic glaze

Triple Crème Brie, Petit Basgue,

Grape and Candied Walnut Butter Grilled Cheese

The Truffle Shuffle

Grilled Cheese with Creamy Blue Cheese,

Aged Cheddar, Apples and Bacon

Insalata Caprese "The Grilled Cheese"

Enjoy~

Alisha~Magic of Spice

What's on the side? Red Quinoa and Jade Pearl Rice with Sage Brown Butter

2012-04-10T21:29:00.001-07:00

Red Quinoa and Jade Pearl Rice

with Sage Brown Butter

We hope that all who celebrate had a lovely Easter...
And that everyone got to enjoy a long weekend!

We are in full bloom over here at TAE, both in the garden
as well as with some of out farmers' market finds. There is nothing
that says spring quite like a blooming bud, and we have just a
couple that we are working with here today.

The first beauty is the Spring Onion Chive in full bloom...
how pretty are these! And the second is from our garden,
the gorgeous flowering answer to spring, in the form of Sage.

As for our Market finds these delightful little legumes are fresh chickpeas,
or garbanzo beans. They make a perfect snack to just munch on and
have a bright nutty spring green flavor. We added them raw to our
quinoa dish for an added spring touch.

For our salt and pepper seasoning, we are going with a Fennel Salt
and a favorite pepper of mine the Tellicherry. They are both
fantastic additions to top off any dish, and add a bit of earthy
warmness to give a bit of a royal touch. However any of your
favorites or what you have on hand will do nicely.

I enjoy using gourmet or finishing salts in the majority of my
recipes. I use less or no salt during preparation, then add
the salty goodness in desired amounts at the finale. But
we will explore this more in future posts.

We have also jazzed up our flavor profile just a bit, with the addition
of Sage Brown Butter...OK, so what does brown butter not make better?
The warming and earthy nutty notes of brown butter, paired with the
warming earthy notes of crispy sage...Oh Yea!

And if that is not enough to give you a warm and well loved spring tummy...
how about we prepare our rice in a lovely tea concoction of cardamon and
pepper corns, with a bit of laurel and cloves? Not enough...OK, so maybe
some pan roasted walnuts with Pimenta dioica berries (allspice)?
Love me now?

What you will need:
For the quiona and jade peal rice
1 cup raw organic red quinoa
1 cup raw jade pearl bamboo rice
1 tablespoon cardamon pepper tea
(steeped in 1 cup boiling water)

For the sage browned butter
6 tablespoons organic unsalted butter, softened
10 large fresh sage leaves

For the toasted walnuts
1 cup shelled walnuts, crushed
1 teaspoon Pimenta dioica berries, ground
(allspice)

For the garnishes
1 small bunch of spring onion chives
1 1/2 cups un-shelled fresh chickpeas
1 teaspoon fennel salt
1 1/2 teaspoons tellecherry pepper, ground

Let's get cooking:
For the quiona and jade peal rice
Begin by preparing your rice, 1 cup rice to 1 cup cardamon tea
and 1/2 cup water. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce to low
and simmer for 20 minutes, fluff with a fork and set aside.

Now for the quinoa, add 1 cup quinoa to 2 cups water, and
bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer 10-15
minutes or until liquid has absorbed, fluff with a fork. Place in
a large mixing bowl.

For the sage browned butter
Place softened butter in a sauté pan over medium heat, once butter
has melted, add torn sage leaves. Continue to sauté until butter
begins to brown having a nutty toasted aroma, and sage
is dark and crispy. About 4-5 minutes.

For the toasted walnuts
Place crushed walnuts in a hot pan over high heat, toss a bit
for about 1 minute. Then add your allspice and continue to move
around in the pan until well toasted and fragrant. About 2-3 minutes.

For the garnishes
Place rice along with quinoa into your large mixing bowl. Toss a few
times to incorporate. Shell your fresh chickpeas and slice in half, toss
in with your quinoa and rice. Add sage brown butter and toss again.
Now add toasted walnuts and chopped spring onions. Garnish
further with spring onion and sage blossoms.
Serves 4-6 as a side dish

For more quinoa try out these dishes:
Quinoa and Black Bean Salad~That Skinny Chick can bake
Zucchini Quinoa Aalad with Microgreens~Gourmande in the kitchen
Quinoa Tabbouleh with Endive~She's Cookin'

Enjoy~
Alisha~Magic of Spice

Food Photography "A Perspective"~ Food Styling with Nancy Lopez-McHugh

2012-04-04T19:13:00.000-07:00

Food Photography "A Perspective"~

Food Styling with Nancy Lopez-McHugh

Above photo property of theardentepicure.com

Perspective~ The classical definition is to Look Through or Look At. Or we
could say The way one Perceives an Object or maybe the Visual Scope of
something. The Artistic definition is defined a bit differently~

In Art the "Perspective" generally means a technique to capture the visual
aspects and draw attention to what we want to show, or a visual of what
we are trying to say. Typically with most mediums in art this begins on a
dimensional level. But we will get more into this a bit later.

For now, we are going to see just how we can arrange our subject(s) to
get across the feeling and/or message we are trying to portray.

My wonderful and amazingly talented friend Nancy has graciously offered
to show us some tips on how to get a wonderful subject to end
up being an extraordinary subject.

Nancy is the author of Spicie Foodie, as well as the cookbook
author of An Epiphany of the Senses. So please join me in welcoming
her once again to share her talents with us here...

Hi everyone, I'm Nancy. Before we begin I'd like to thank my lovely friend Alisha for inviting to participate in her new photography series. I hope you enjoy this tutorial and, if I do my job well, that you pick up a few new tips to improve your food photography.

Those of you familiar with my photography know that I use props minimally. I do not have a dedicated studio space nor storage area needed for excess amounts of props. Everything you see on Spicie Foodie is real food that I eat moments after the shot. I don't use oil to make foods shiny, no mashed potatoes disguised as ice cream, my salads and pastas are not "fluffed up" with styrofoam. The styling on my photos is all natural and I try to keep it simple.

Food styling is an integral part of being a food photographer. It doesn't matter if you are a pro or someone just looking to improve your blog's photography, styling is something you need to know. I promise it's much easier than you think and you don't need to have loads of props or equipment.

Learning a few styling basics can transform your photos from boring snapshots to interesting photographs that make the viewer want to reach in and grab a bite. There are literally hundreds of ways you can style food. Much has to do with personal tastes and individual perspectives. Some may focus heavily on props, others like myself, less so. There is no right or wrong way only your way and your style.

These photos were all shot using indirect window light and a small reflector to tone done the harsh shadows. The camera was propped up on a tripod, if your light source is minimal I suggest you also use a tripod. Let's begin with some biscuits on a table with no additional props and see how we can make them interesting.

This is a bad photo. The problem is that I am zoomed in too close to the subject, so you can't really tell what it is. It is uninteresting and too busy with the viewers eye not really knowing what to focus on.

In these two photos you can see that by rearranging the biscuits now the viewer has something more interesting to look at. Though much better than the first photo, both can be improved.

When I'm photographing several items I've found that stacking can be quite interesting. Compare this to the photos above, better right? Did you notice how your eye follows the curvy path? Rather than perfectly aligning the biscuits and instead arranging them in this off pattern it made the image more interesting. Little details like this can mean so much, pay attention to them. The photo isn't bad but let's play with the styling a little more.

Here you can see that adding an additional biscuit and moving it around gives the image a little extra something. Don't be afraid to shoot many photos, in fact shoot many photos. Keep playing with the arrangement until you find one that is interesting to you.

Don't be afraid of showing a messy space. Sometimes a little mess can accentuate the feeling of wanting to grab a bite of the food. Think to yourself, what would this food look like if I was actually eating it right now? Eating biscuits is messy show those crumbs and bits and pieces.

The previous shot was good, but we can add a little extra oomph with some color. Herbs, salad greens, flowers or plants can all add an interesting tone to your photographs. Here I've used a dried leaf to give the photo some color. You can experiment by moving the decorative prop around the subject. It is amazing how a simple extra ingredient or props can change an image from okay to a great photo.

The green leaf above gave the image some oomph and extra pop with a complementing yet contrasting color. In this image I am showing you that even something of the same tonal range can add just as much oomph to an image. Additionally the wheat plant creates a curved pattern that draws the viewers eye from the left side, over the biscuit pile, and down to the crumbs. This is a good shot because it gives the viewer a couple of things to look at without overstimulating the eye.

Another way of styling the biscuits is by simply adding a napkin or a piece of fabric under the stack. Again there is extra color and pattern to keep the viewers attention. Fabrics can be used in countless ways, practice and experiment to find what works for you.

As I stated above, shoot many photos. Add, remove, and rearrange both subject and enhancing props. Also make sure you move yourself and the camera around to yield different results.

In this last photo you can compare the results. You can clearly see that while there is nothing wrong with the photo on the left adding a little styling creates a more interesting photograph.

This tutorial is but one of the countless ways these biscuits could have been styled. They could have been placed inside a box, bowl, or in a bag. They could have a glass of milk alongside them. Extra color could have been added with some fruit. They could have been shot on a different surface, from a different angle and with different lighting. The possibilities are truly endless. While you can use this tutorial as a guide it is also important to develop your own style. All you need is practice and before you know styling will become second nature to you. Thank you and I hope you enjoyed the tutorial.

Thank you so much Nancy for joining us here and kick starting this series

off so beautifully! For more photography tutorials you can check out

Nancy's site here, or purchase some of here lovely photos here.

Enjoy~
Alisha~Magic of Spice

What's for lunch? Pear, Plum, Citrus and Red Onion Salad

2012-04-01T21:43:00.001-07:00

Pear, Plum, Citrus and Red Onion Salad

It is now officially spring here in the Norther Hemisphere , regardless

of the weather. So I say a bright sunshiny salad is in order...

You see, there was a Farmers' Market excursion last weekend. And during

this excursion, I had my partner in crime along with me. My friend Priscilla

of She's Cookin' and I were forging our way through the local organic

produce at SoCo Farmers Market.

And what did I spy amongst the extensive selection of delights?

These bright and lovely beauties are Manderinquats, a hybrid of the

mandarin and the kumquat. With a sweeter rind than the kumquat,

and a bright juicy, slightly tart flesh. Delicious!

I have made a citrus based salad with red onion on a number of occasion,

and it is always a favorite. But this time I decided to expand on that salad

a bit, by adding a few other tasty fruit choices.

I had some other goodies on hand, fresh organic Bosc Pears, a few plums

and some Blood Oranges. Then I dressed it very simply with a bit of

orange juice, agave and grapeseed oil.

What you will need:

For the salad

1 red onion, thinly sliced

2 pears, thinly sliced

2 medium blood oranges, thinly sliced

3-4 plums, thinly sliced

3-4 manderinquats, sliced lengthwise and seeded

2 ounces micro greens

2 ounces pea shoots

For the dressing

4 tablespoons fresh orange juice

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons grapeseed, or other light oil

1 teaspoon agave, or honey

A bit of finely ground white or black pepper

Let's get cooking:

For the salad

OK, so there is no cooking involved, but some slicing and

whisking will be in order. The ingredients can be sliced any

way you see fit, but I recommend that you keep a consistent

slice throughout. This will insure that each bite has

maximum flavor and textural appeal.

Layer the greens onto individual plates, then layer on the onions.

Continue to layer the fruits on top as desired.

For the dressing

Add all ingredients into a small bowl, whisking briskly to combine.

Note: you can make more dressing if desired.

Serves 4

Enjoy~

Alisha~Magic of Spice

What's for snack time? Jalapeno Poppers 5 Star Junk Food

2012-03-29T00:02:00.000-07:00

Jalapeño Poppers 5 Star Junk Food with

Mango and Grapefruit Salsa Crème

It is time once again for our 5 Star Makeover group to post the
months challenge theme or ingredients. And March's
challenge theme is Junk Food. The task was to incorporate
junk food into our dishes...and so we did.

As always the 5 Star Makeovers are hosted by the ever lovely
and talented Natasha of 5 Star Foodie, and the incomparable
Lazaro of Lazaro Cooks.

Junk Food...As per Bing online dictionary = food lacking nutritional balance:
food that does not form part of a well-balanced diet, especially highly processed,
high-fat snack items eaten in place of or in addition to regular meals.

Now as for our Wheat Thins, they really do not run off to badly, as far as
junk food is concerned. But our, so yummy, Easy Cheese, well lets just
say it is fully qualified to fit the bill. Although the second ingredient is
indeed cheese, the rest run off like a "Who's who" of the
processed food world.

Have you ever seen red jalapeños? They are the result of allowing the
ripened green jalapeños to mature further while still on the vine. The
result is a slightly sweeter pepper. The seeds, the portion that contains
the majority of the heat, are hotter in the more mature versions.

I decided that a nice cooling salsa would be a perfect accompaniment
to out rather heated little stuffed peppers. So I went light on the heat
in this area, just enough to give it that salsa like flavor.

The salsa has an added touch of refreshing coolness with the addition

of some Crème fraîche and Lime. Then we pulsed that baby
up to get a smooth and creamy sauce.

We are adding just a hint of additional flavor with some black cardamom,

cumin and black pepper.

Our traditional bread crumbs are being replaced with, you guessed it,
crushed Wheat Thins. Since they have always been the cracker of
choice whenever we indulge in this creamy cheesy treat, I
decided to keep them together here.

What you will need:
For the poppers
8 medium jalapeños

3 ounces Easy Cheese
½ cup Mexican cheese blend, grated
1 pod black cardamom seeds
1/4 teaspoon cumin, ground
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, ground
1 jumbo egg, beaten
2 tablespoons cream or milk
1 cup Wheat Thins, crushed
1/2 garbanzo flour, or other flour

For the salsa crème

Small handful of cilantro, leaves and stems

1 mango, peeled and diced

4 grapefruit sections, chopped

1 teaspoon jalapeño, finely chopped

1 small shallot, finely chopped

2 tablespoons white wine or juice of choice

1 tablespoon lime juice

Salt and pepper to taste
1-2 tablespoons Crème fraîche

Tools:
Gloves
Emulsion blender or small food processor
Mortar and pestle
Parchment paper
Baking sheet

Let's get cooking:
For the poppers
Take your cleaned peppers and slit lengthwise down the center, careful
to not slice in half, we are leaving them whole. Not cut a small cross at
the top just below the stem area. Wearing gloves, remove seeds and stems
from the peppers, if you want a bit more heat you can leave a few.

Once you have your peppers prepped, lay out your grated cheese and
spread long stripped of the Easy Cheese onto the top in sections like
in the photos above. Note: I found this much easier then trying to mix
the cheeses together. Stuff each pepper with the cheese mix and set aside.

Now grind your Wheat Thins until they are fine like bread crumbs,
add your black cardamon, pepper and cumin mixing well,
place on a plate. Place your flower on another plate, then
whisk your eggs and cream then place in a bowl.

Dredge your stuffed peppers through the egg mixture, then the
flour, repeat. Then dredge threw the Wheat Thin crumbs.
Place on a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Bake in a 350 (F) degree oven rot 30 -35 minutes or
until the cheese begins to bubble out of the peppers.

For the salsa crème
Note: you can make the salsa portion ahead of time
adding the Crème fraîche just before serving.

Prepare your mango, grapefruit, shallot and peppers by
chopping them into small bits. Add all remaining ingredients
along with these into a mixing bowl. Using your emulsion blender
blend until completed smooth, add the crème fraîche, continuing
to pulse until smooth and fully incorporated.
Serves 4

hosted by 5 Star Foodie & Lazaro Cooks!

Enjoy~

Alisha~Magic of Spice

What's for breakfast? California Scramble with Toast

2012-03-24T23:07:00.001-07:00

California Scramble with Toast

Who likes breakfast?
Well really this could be a light meal for any time of day, but since
we had it for breakfast... let's call it breakfast :)

Scrambled eggs are a classic and quite often considered a comfort food.
There are two primary ways I like to prepare them and one being the more typical
American version, while the other is the classic French style.

For this recipe we are going to combine the two techniques giving us a fluffier
scramble than the French style, while maintaining its soft creamy texture.

The American style utilizes a technique of briskly whisking the eggs to incorporate
air into them. Usually adding the cream along with the eggs, prior to whisking.
Then they are cooked relativity quickly over a medium to high heat in a frying pan,
or similar type of pan. This method if done correctly will produce a fluffy,
yet drier finished product.

The French method does not utilize the "air incorporation" technique, but rather
a more gentler agitation of the egg yolks. The cream is added at a later point
while the eggs have nearly completed cooking. The milk, along with additional
butter, are added cold into the hot eggs and allowed to complete the cooking
process without the addition of further heat. This method commonly makes
use of a double boiler rather than a frying pan, on a very low heat.

The soft eggs that we are going to prepare, work beautifully with
a lovely crusty grain bread. Or what ever your favorite might be,
but I do recommend a crusty bread as the texture pairs
wonderfully with these soft creamy eggs.

And of course we want to load up on the fresh organic veggies...
You may remember from the last post that I have quite a bit of endive

to put to use. And joining them are these delightful crimini Mushrooms
and some colorful sweet bell peppers.

For our herb and spice selection we have a few goodies as well.
The herbs are a garden selection of sage, savory and thyme.

For our spices we have Himalayan Pink Rock Salt, Tellicherry Pepper
Corns, and a sweet addition with the Raw Rock Sugar. But of
course any salt, pepper and sugar you have on hand will work as well.

Then we are going to top it all off with some Sheep's milk feta, fresh
ripe avocado and some lovely vine ripened tomatoes. And
to add just a bit of a kick we are serving these breakfast
toasts with a favorite salsa.

What you will need:
For the vegetable sauté
1-2 tablespoons avocado oil
(or other oil)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium shallot, shopped
4 ounces crimini mushrooms, sliced
(then halved)
1 large sweet bell pepper, chopped
2 endive, chopped and core removed
1 tablespoon raw sugar, ground
1/4 cup white wine or vegetable broth
2 sprigs thyme leaves
1-2 sprigs savory leaves, chopped
3-4 large sage leaves, chopped

For the scrambled eggs
2-3 tablespoons cold butter, halved
8 extra-large eggs, room temperature
1/4 teaspoon pepper, ground
1/4 teaspoon salt, ground
1/4 cup cold half and half or heavy cream

In addition
Feta cheese, crumbled
1 ripe avocado, sliced
4 small vine ripened tomatoes, sliced
8 slices crusty bread

Tools
Large mixing bowl, room temperature
Large whisk
Large sauté pan
Wooden or rubber spatula

Let's get cooking:
For the vegetable sauté

Start by heating the oil in your sauté pan on a medium/high heat, until hot.
Add shallots and garlic, until shallots are just translucent and garlic is slightly crisped.
Then add mushrooms and peppers, until mushrooms have sweated
a bit and peppers are slightly tender, about 5 to 8 minutes.

Now add sugar and continue to cook while stirring for just a few moments,
or until you see the edges of your vegetables to be just a bit caramelized.
Add wine and herbs then reduce heat to medium, continue to simmer until
liquid had evaporated, about 5 minutes or so. Set aside.

For the scrambled eggs
Add eggs, salt and pepper to a large mixing bowl and whisk
very briskly for several minutes until you begin to see foam
on the top of your eggs.

In your cleaned sauté pan, add 1/2 of the butter over a low heat,
until butter has melted. Add eggs maintaining the love heat, while
constantly scrapping the bottom and sides of the pan. Do not
leave them on the flame without keeping them in continuous motion.

If the eggs are starting to congeal too quickly, remove from heat
for a moment or two, then return to heat. Do this as often as needed
to maintain a slow cooking process. Depending on the size of your pan,
this should take 10 minutes or more.

Once the eggs are congealed but still a bit wet, add remaining butter
while maintaining your low heat. Fold the butter gently into the eggs
until melted. Now add your cream and fold into the eggs, remove from
heat and fold in your vegetables.

Divide into 8 portions and scoop onto prepared toast, layer on top
with feta, avocado and sliced tomatoes. Serve with salsa.

Serves 4

This is going over to YBR, click the badge below to enter your own...

Enjoy~
Alisha~Magic of Spice

Whats for lunch? Shaved Endive, Black Radish, Carrot and Apple Salad

2012-03-19T19:50:00.002-07:00

Shaved Endive, Black Radish, Carrot

and Apple Salad with a
Jasmine Plum Wine Reduction

I was recently the winner of the Dipstock round up for Super Bowl contest
sponsored by the lovely Sara of Saucy Dipper.

I initially received a case (six pounds) of beautiful fresh California
grown Endive from California Vegetable Specialties. But then
I received yet another shipment just the other day. So I am
pretty sure we are going to be seeing quite a few recipes featuring
these versatile little guys around TAE :)

California Vegetable Specialties is the only producer of
endive in the US...

Both Endive and Curly Endive are members of the chicory family and
commonly used like lettuce. Also a very popular vegetable used in many
types of appetizers. California endive is available and grown year round,
so it makes for a tasty treat anytime.

These lovely black Radishes are a delight that can add a
little additional spice to any dish you would use a traditional
variety of radish. They are a bit spicier than the more common salad
radish, but not quite as pungent as horseradish.

They are about the size of a turnip with a tough outer skin, and
white a white crunchy inner flesh.

Carrots and apples are always a favorite salad duo for me
so I added them both for some additional textures and crunch...

And for our dressing...of sorts. I made a simple Plum Wine reduction
that I infused with a few Jasmine Tea Buds and Some bruised
white pepper corns.

I chose two types of mint from my garden the Apple mint
and some Peppermint to add a refreshing burst to
our salad.

Just a couple of added goodies here to broaden our flavor profile
a bit. We have a favorite pepper of mine the Penja Pepper
also referred to as "Pepper from Paradise". It has a very delicate, warm and
woody flavor, with a woody and musky aroma.

Then we have the wonderful and aromatic Jasmine Buds. These are
actually very young green tea leaves rolled into buds, that have been scented
with jasmine.

What you will need:
For the salad
8 endive, shaved
4-6 young carrots, julienne cut
A few bunches of young carrot greens
1/4th black radish, julienne cut
2 large apples, quartered and thinly sliced
3-4 large apple mint leaves, chiffonade cut
2-3 peppermint leaves, chiffonade cut

For the plum wine reduction
1/2 cup plum wine
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon penja pepper, bruised
3-4 jasmine tea buds

Let's get cooking:
For the salad
Prepare all vegetables as noted above. Then arrange on individual
plates or a serving platter as desired.

For the plum wine reduction
Place plum wine along with jasmine tea buds, pepper into and lemon
juice a small sauce pan. Bring wine to a rapid boil, then reduce to
a low heat. Simmer for just a few minutes or until the mixture
just coats the back of your spoon.

Quickly strain mixture through a fine mess sieve. Allow to
sit to room temperature, the drizzle over salad.

*Note: due to the higher sugar content of the plum wine, the
mixture will thicken quickly. If it becomes too thick, add
more plum wine and/or lemon juice.

Serves 4

Enjoy~
Alisha~Magic of Spice

Happy Birthday to The Ardent Epicure with a Mimosa Freeze and Awards

2012-03-13T22:41:00.002-07:00

Happy Birthday to The Ardent Epicure with

a Mimosa Freeze and Awards

I can barely believe it has been two years since we started this little blog.

Well, thanks so all of you it's not so little anymore :)

So to celebrate going into our third year here...I made a Frozen Champagne

treat...I'll drink to that, join me?

Some of you may remember the Clementine, Meyer Lemon and Ginger Juice,

a few posts back? Well that was the inspiration for this treat :)

This is such a simple way to have a refreshing after dinner treat/drink,

and would work with any of your favorite juice or juice combinations. Or

perhaps a fun early Spring Brunch?

There is really no recipe, just add 1 part juice to 2 parts champagne.

Place in a shallow freezer proof container and allow to freeze for

several hours. Check after about 2 hours of so and scrape with

a fork to loosen into shavings. Continue until you have fully

frozen shavings.

You can serve in a glass or bowl, or use the citrus rinds

halved like I did, by just placing them in the freezer

until your shaved treat is ready.

And now onto the awards~

I am going to admit that I have been way behind and a few of these

are from several months ago. But since we are celebrating...

The Versatile Blogger Award was awarded by a few wonderful blogger friends.

Starting with the always lovely Reem of Simply Reem.

Reem is not only one of the sweetest blogger you will ever encounter, but

also one of the most passionate. Her site is full of delightful recipes and

some really beautiful photos. So stop by if you have

yet to meet her...and give her a hug from me!

The next wonderful blogger to award us this prize, is the equally

wonderful and sweet Shannon of Just as Delish. Her site is literally

packed with healthy and delicious goodies. She also has some great

time saving and healthy/good for you tips. So if you are not yet

acquainted...quickly stop over and get to know her, you

won't be sorry!

We also received this award from yet another lovely and passionate

blogger Jules of Bananamondaes.I'm sorry, but the name alone has

me wanting to stop by and kiss the screen...and well her photos

are not helping much, with all those in your face-take a bite

goodies staring back at you! Then to top it off we get to correlate

our food with equally fun books, movies and legends...I mean really, just

how much fun can you have blogging? Well apparently quite a bit,

so stop over and get introduced if you are not already!

We were also award the Liebster Blog Award along with the

The Versatile Blogger from yet another wonderful blogger Sonali of

Only Fish Recipes. And yes, as you have probably noted from

the sites title...there is a wonderfully unique and impressive list

of recipes to make any seafood lover do a happy dance! And if

seafood is really not your thing...no worries, these flavors can

be happy on any plate :)

And for the last, but certainly not least, the Kreativ Blogger

award was presented to us by the wonderful Terra of Café Terra.

Terra has a degree in Nutritional Science and is a Food Safety Quality

Assurance Auditor...but aside from knowing how to keep our food

safe, she knows how to make food fun! So pop over and get

your creative juices flowing...after all food should be fun :)

This last award came along with a Tag, so I will be listing 10

things about TAE and/or myself...

TAE is actually a duo. The blog was created by both myself and my oldest son Adam aka Truffle Shuffle.
There were originally three of us, but Sugar and Spice lost interest :( Since he is the baker of the group we will need to bribe him to guest post perhaps :)
Truffle Shuffle is NOT a vegetarian, so that is why you see not vegetarian dishes here at times. Both by myself and Adam...after all, I am not the only one who eats around here :)
We have a huge, and I mean huge passion for unusual finds and exotic spices.
Truffle Shuffle is a Hot guy...I didn't mean in the looks department sillies, although...just sayin'. I mean he loves heat...so much so I should have given him jalapeño as a middle name.
I am a horror movie addict, and I mean even the low budget B flicks.
Aside from my horror movie fetish...yes fetish, I love foreign and independent films. My favorite movie is Indochine. I have probably seen it at least 20 times.
I have rituals...several of them. One is when I go to sleep at night, I must have all of the following. Tea lights for my soap stone burner that I heat up leftover candle wax in. Next is the ocean/nature music playing. Then my waterfall, softly lulling me in the background. The my cricket singing app...yes I have an app for that.
I am afraid of insects! I mean terrified to the point of causing myself bodily injury to escape them. My friend laughs at me and says "Little bug...6 foot woman". I don't think its funny!
For the last one I am going to follow Terra, as she brought up tattoos. I have one, an orchid with the vine wrapping around my ankle.

Thank you everyone for helping us make it to our 2nd Anniversary...

Wishing you all a joyous week!

Enjoy~

Alisha~Magic of Spice

Adam~Truffle Shuffle

A Chat with Be Happy and Smoked Sea Salt Baked Sardines

2012-03-09T11:05:00.000-08:00

A Chat with Be Happy and

Smoked Sea Salt Baked Sardines

Today we have a special guest from the Blue Ocean Institute Kate McLaughlin.
Kate will be telling us a bit about the program "Be Happy" and
some discussion on seafood sustainability. She will also be talking
about one of her favorite catches, farmed mussels :)

I chose to do a recipe on another sustainable seafood catch,
the sardine. And according to the Blue Ocean Institute, these little
guys get a "Best Choice" rating.

Sardines are a seriously under used sustainable fish source. These highly nutritious
little guys are usually associated with canned fish, but they are available fresh or
frozen. Although they do not freeze as well as many other types of fish and
have high oil content, lending to be a healthy choice in the fish world, but also
cause them to spoil quickly. So it is best to purchase your sardines on
the day you plan to prepare them for best results.

Be happy with your Seafood Choices!

By: Kate McLaughlin, Blue Ocean Institute

This year, as you look for new ways to be more eco-friendly,
why not resolve to be happy?

Just as you’re thoughtful about other environmentally-responsible choices you make
(like recycling, or buying farmers market vegetables), you can be thoughtful about
your seafood choices and be happy with the results! When fish are caught or
farmed in ways that protect the ocean, that’s something all
seafood lovers can be happy about.

For me, being happy is sitting down to a plate of farmed mussels—
these guys are ocean-friendly rockstars.

First off, did you know that half of the seafood produced globally comes from
fish farms? That’s a lot of seafood! Next time you’re at the store, look for signs
on the seafood that note whether it’s farmed or wild, and you’ll see there’s more
farmed seafood out there than you might have guessed.

Mussels are an ocean-friendly farmed seafood because you don’t have to feed them—they naturally filter their food from the surrounding water. They can filter 10-15 gallons of water a day—that means they’re eating a lot of microscopic plankton. It also means we don’t have to go fishing to catch fish to feed to them (as is the case with some farm-raised seafood, like Atlantic salmon).

Mussels are delicious and nutritious on top of all their ocean-friendly qualities (and kids love picking them out of their shells at meal time).

Farmed mussels are just one kind of ocean-friendly seafood that you and your family can be happy about. Learn about other ocean-friendly seafood, at www.facebook.com/BeHappyFish.

Eight conservation organizations in the U.S. and Canada have teamed up to bring you fun and engaging seafood info. There are family- (and ocean!) friendly recipes, trivia to help you get to know ocean-friendly options, and you and your kids can sign a pledge to support ocean-friendly seafood or post a pic of your best fish face showing your support for the ocean.

About the author: Kate McLaughlin is the Seafood Program Director with the
Blue Ocean Institute. Kate has studied fish for more than 10 years—she’s taken kids
fishing in the urban parks of NYC, and tracked the salmon on the mighty Columbia
River in Washington State. She’s studied river herring in the coastal rivers of
Massachusetts, trout in the mountain streams of Montana, and manta rays along
the jagged shore of Hawai’i. Kate earned a Master’s Degree in Fisheries from
Humboldt State University in northern California. In her work with Blue Ocean Institute,
Kate works with seafood lovers, scientists, chefs, and nutrition professionals to
communicate the science of seafood.

Thank you Kate for this informative and fun guest post.
Everyone please stop over and "Like" the "Be Happy Page"
on Facebook and join in on the fun :)

What you will need:

3 cups black sea salt, finely ground

3 cups smoked sea salt, finely ground

3 pounds fresh sardines (about 12 large)

12 small sprigs fresh thyme

12 leaves lemon verbena

12 large sage leaves, halved lengthwise

1 lemon

Let’s get cooking:

Make sure your sardines are cleaned with heads and tails left intact,

your fish monger will do this for you.

Combine both salts and fully incorporate On a large stick resistant baking

sheet, evenly layer half of the salt in a large enough area to support all of your

sardines. Pat the salt down to make a base for the sardines.

Rinse sardines thoroughly under cold running water and lay onto a cutting board or

dish. Gently pat dry with a paper towel leaving them just damp.

Stuff each sardine with herbs and lemon slices, then layer on top of salt bed

about 1-2 inches apart. Take remaining salt and place evenly over tops of the

sardines. Pat the salt down to create a tight mound.

Bake in a pre-heated oven at 400 degrees (f) for 15 minutes or until

internal temperature reaches 140 degrees (f)

To serve or eat, remove salt shield by tapping on the surface until it cracks

and gently lift away salt. Make sure to remove any bones prior to eating.

Serves 4

Enjoy~

Alisha~Magic of Spice

Carpaccio style Portabella Mushrooms and Asian Pears~A guest post

2012-03-04T20:41:00.000-08:00

Carpaccio style Portabella Mushrooms

and Asian Pears with Cilantro Crème

~A guest post

I was recently invited by the lovely Priya author of the wonderful site Bon Appetit

to do a guest post feature as Blogger of the Month.

I was so excited and honored when Priya Invited me to be included in her monthly

highlight series. Her site has a vast and quite scrumptious array of vegetarian delights.

And as a vegetarian myself, I truly enjoy experiencing the varied flavors and

dishes that so many around the world have to share.

I chose to share a culinary technique, rather than a recipe. So this can be

adapted in any way you see fit, or to accommodate what you may have

on hand. This is a very simple presentation that makes either a lovely side,

or can add a bit of glamour to a dinner party.

So please join me over at Bon Appetit for my featured guest post!

Enjoy~

Alisha~Magic of Spice

What's for brunch? Clementine, Meyer Lemon and Ginger Juice

2012-02-29T00:06:00.002-08:00

Clementine, Meyer Lemon and Ginger Juice

with a Happy Chef Knife Sharpener Review

This juice has a couple of my favorite winter citrus these adorable little

clementines and Meyer lemons. Both being less acidic than more traditional

varieties of both oranges as well as lemons, gives us an ultra-smooth juice,

with just enough tang to maintain a refreshing burst.

Clementines are a variety of mandarin oranges and are typically seedless. They

have a deep vibrant orange outer peel and typically boast a similar deep color

in the fleshy area. They have a wonderful balance between tart and sweet.

As for our Meyer lemons, they are said to be a cross between the

mandarin orange and the traditional lemon. The have a rounded body

typically, and a thin smooth outer peel. many times they have a deeper

yellow than the traditional lemon. And like our clementines, are

less acidic than their counter parts, lending them to be far

sweeter than the traditional lemon.

But before we start our juice, we have a knife sharpener that we recently
review for the people over at Happy Chef. They carry a large assortment
of chefs attire along with a really nice selection of culinary tools.

The sharpener was sent to us for review, it is a Chef Sharp series, with a
Two Stage Sharpening capability. What this means is there are two different
blade sharpening tools in one. A Carbide that sharpens the edges, and
a Ceramic that finishes the edges.

So we dug up a sorely neglected knife and gave it a whirl...
We were very impressed by the sharpeners ability to bring some
life back into the old guy. And as for our other knives, yes we
have many ;) They are getting a polish up from the Ceramic side.

Both this sharpener along with a selection of chefs knives,
cases and other culinary tools can be found on their
"Chef Knives" page.

We were very pleased with the performance of the sharper
and will not hesitate to check out more items from them. Please
stop over and take a look...Oh, and the prices are unbelievable!

What you will need:
1 1/2 pounds clementines
12 ounces Meyer lemons, about 4
2-3 ounces fresh ginger
Agave to taste, optional
Juicer

Let's get juicing:
Start by cutting your citrus in half. Juice the citrus first, then add ginger
pieces cut in half, leaving outer skin on. You can start with a smaller
amount then taste adding more until desired flavor is achieved.
*Note: I used the full 3 ounces.
Makes approximately 1/2 Liter.

And as for our remaining ginger pulp...you can freeze this for making
teas, or adding to cooking water to enhance the flavor or rices or pastas.
Now for those little empty clementine shells, you can dehydrate or freeze
both the zest and/or peels to use for future purposes. And you can
also freeze the entire little halves intact, then utilize
them as mini bowls for frozen treats...perhaps we shall try this :)

And since we have such a lovely and fragrant juice...Mimosa anyone?

Enjoy~

Alisha~Magic of Spice

Whats for dessert? Chocolate Truffle and Beet Mousse Candy Cups

2012-02-23T13:14:00.002-08:00

Chocolate Truffle and Beet Mousse Candy Cups

with Red Wine and Beet Juice Reduction

It is time once again for our 5 Star Makeover Groups challenge. And this months
ingredient challenge were beets, as you may have guessed. The challenge
as is every month, is to take a common ingredient or dish, and produce a
5 Star Gourmet dish. And as I just adore beets in just about any form
imaginable, this veggie head was game :)

Then of course comes thoughts of all the glorious ways these organic lovelies
can be dished up. So my thoughts turned to dessert, something I have
never personally tried before. And I mean, never tried before,
as a dish prepared by anyone.

My thoughts quickly steered towards truffles, and the thought of combining
chocolate and beets was an acceptable idea to me. But then, how can I make
that a creative venture I asked myself? Well then I quickly became a bit lost.

I was however determined to keep my original truffle theme, with all
of the stubborn grit I could muster. So my truffles morphed into
this dessert you see before you :)

And as a side note, the Red Wine and Beet Juice Reduction, may
just be one of the best things I have ever created in a kitchen. I mean
I may be slathering this stuff on my morning toast...it's that good!
In fact this entire little candy/dessert is now at the top of
my favorite desserts of all time!

What you will need:

For the chocolate truffle cups
8 ounces of 85% cocoa dark chocolate
1 cup of organic heavy cream
2 tablespoons butter, unsalted
2 1/2 tablespoons red wine

For the beet mousse
3 medium size red beets
Juice of 1/2 lemon
2-3 tablespoons reserved beet juice
1 pint heavy cream
2 tablespoons agave, halved

For the red wine/beet juice reduction
1 1/2 cups red wine
1/2 cup reserved beet juice
2 tablespoons agave, or fine grain raw sugar

For garnish
A few tablespoons Aztec cocoa powder,
or semi sweetened coca powder

*You will also need small silicone cups, blender or small
food processor, large mixing bowl and hand mixer.

Lets get cooking:

For the chocolate truffle cups
Chop your chocolate, and place it in a mixing bowl. Heat your cream over
medium-low heat in a pot, add the butter, and heat until boiling. Once the cream
begins to boil, remove immediately from the heat, and put the mixture into the
chocolate. Let the mixture sit for a few minutes, then stir until fully incorporated.
Now add the wine, stir the chocolate mixture until it is smooth.

Place your mixture in the refrigerator about 30 minutes or so to firm up a bit.
Now take a few spoonfuls of the mixture and press into the silicone cups
like you would a pie crust. Making sure to have an even coating, place
back in the refrigerator for a few hours to overnight, or until set and
the silicone cup can be easily removed and you are
ready to add your mousse.

For the beet mousse
Gently clean beets with a vegetable brush and trim off leaves and top
stem to about 1/2 inch, then trim off root end to just expose a bit of the
beet bottom. *Note: typically when boiling beets you do not want to
expose any of the inner portion of the beet. However since we will
be utilizing our liquid, as beet juice, we will be here.

Place beets in a medium to large pot with a lid. Add enough water
to cover beets about 1/3rd of the way up. Place on a medium/high
heat and bring to a boil. Once you reach a boiling point place a tight fitting lid
on pot, reduce heat a bit to prevent the pot from boiling over. Continue to
boil beets until completely tender, any were from 30 minutes or more
depending on the size of your beets and pan.

Once beets are tender, remove from heat (reserve beet juice) and
place beets under cold running water until cool to the touch. Peel beets and
roughly chop. Place cooled beets into the food processor or blender,
add 1/2 of the agave, lemon and beet juices. Purée until completely
smooth, adding more beet juice if necessary. Place beet purée in
refrigerator until completely chilled.

Now prepare your whipped cream. Place heavy cream in a large chilled
mixing bowl. Beat with a hand mixer or whisk that has been chilled. Continue
to beat cream until just softly peaked. Add agave or sugar at this point and
continue to beat until you have just achieved a slightly firm peak.

Once whipped is ready, gently fold in the chilled beet purée,
until smooth. Chill for about 30 minutes or so until you have
the desired creamy mousse like texture.

Assemble by placing generous amounts of mousse into chilled truffle
candy cups. Then sprinkle on a bit of Aztec cocoa powder.
Allow cups to rest for just a minute or so then serve.

Makes approximately 10 candy cups.

hosted by 5 Star Foodie & Lazaro Cooks!

I would also like to announce the winner of out Pretty Paris

Vintage Flatware Giveaway!

Congratulations to Malou!

For more Beet inspiration, check out what the other members
of the 5 Star Foodie Group created!

Enjoy~

Alisha~Magic of Spice

What's For Dinner - A Variation on Classic Beef Stew

2012-02-19T22:26:00.001-08:00

A Variation on Classic Beef Stew

I recently realized that, though I love beef stew, I had never actually made the dish before. So I set out to make a classic beef stew, with a couple of personalized twists. This recipe came out great. It was super flavorful, and the meat was literally falling apart to the touch! Delicious for a cold, rainy evening meal.

Ingredients
3 cups of beef broth or stock
2 large carrots
1 parsnip
3 stalks of celery
2 pounds of beef (top round or another large, inexpensive cut)
3 bay leaves
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 medium white onion
5 smaller or 4 medium red potatoes (another kind will do just as well)
1/2 cup of flour (plus extra in case)
1/2 cup of red wine (any type)
A few sprigs of rosemary, thyme and flat-leaf parsley
Seasoned salt and freshly-ground pepper to taste

Directions
Chop your vegetables into nice size chunks. If you like smaller pieces in your stew, you can cut to fit your desired size, but I used large pieces in mine. Just make sure they aren't too large to be bite-sized! Don't be afraid to cut the onion into larger pieces as well, as it will end up entirely soft and translucent after the cooking process.

Set a pot or stock pot to medium-high heat, and place your beef in it. Brown each size until you achieve a nice caramel color. Burnt ends won't hurt at all, so don't be too worried about overcooking. However, the goal here is not to cook the meat through, but just to brown the outside.
Take the meat out and cut it into large chunks, about an inch and a half or so. If you like smaller-sized pieces, feel free to cut them however you like.

Pour the flour into the pot, and deglaze with the red wine. Make sure to scrape up any of the delicious meaty goodness that may have stuck to the bottom of the pot. Stir the mixture, making sure the flour dissolves completely.

Place your meat and vegetables, along with the bay leaves and other herbs, into a large pot or slow cooker. I used a slow cooker for my stew.
Pour in about two cups of the broth, and set the rest aside to add if needed. Add the wine deglaze mixture.

Cover and cook on low for about nine hours, or until the stew has thickened nicely and the meat is falling apart.
Check the stew for consistency every hour or two. During the latter half of the cooking process, you may add broth as needed if there is not enough liquid to cook the vegetables. On the other hand, if the stew has not thickened to your liking by the last hour or so of the cooking process, add some extra flour to help the thickening process.
When the stew resembles a proper stew, you may add some salt and pepper to taste. I used seasoned salt. Don't add salt too early, as cooking over time can bring out the salty flavor in the stew, and it's easy to add too much. Remember, you can always finish with salt after, but you can't take it out!

Note: if you don't care for parsnip, you can use two or three more carrots in place of the parsnip.

Remember to fish out the bay leaves, and serve with warm bread. Enjoy!

Also, if you haven't already, don't forget to enter our current giveaway! Click HERE for more information.

Posted by Truffle Shuffle
Photo credits: Magic of Spice

A Chat with Pretty Paris and a Custom Vintage Flatware Giveaway

2012-02-15T19:18:00.001-08:00

A Chat with Pretty Paris and a

Custom Vintage Flatware Giveaway

Some things are just beautiful aren't they...I mean the types of things
that make us feel warm and cozy, and maybe just a tad more special.

Things like warn old sweaters and boyfriend jeans, or maybe an old
book that you read over and over, but still can't put down.

Today we have a special honor of chatting with Heather Tarp of Pretty Paris.
She is going to tell us a little bit of what is behind these beauties.

Pretty Paris Logo

TAE•Can you tell us a bit about the inspiration behind Pretty Paris?

Heather*I just love anything old, worn, chippy, or shabby! I can look at a box of
beautiful vintage flatware and see the beauty in it like most people would look at a
box of jewels. They are gorgeous to me…the patterns, flowers, and scrolls are so
unique. I never thought I could fall in love with vintage flatware
…but I have!

Most importantly I am a mom to twins and I wanted to stay home with them
while still fulfilling the creative side of me. The part of me that is not just "mom"
....but the part that is still "me". Pretty Paris was created from a love of many
different things...but mostly from the love of my family.

TAE•I noticed that “vintage” is a key word on your page.
Tell us a bit about the materials you use and why?

Heather*I use vintage ( 1910's to 1950's) silver plated flatware. There is such beauty
in the patterns from that time frame. Plus the silver plate gets such a nice patina to it
...especially when it is left outdoors. I think it is just lovely!

TAE•You mention recycling efforts as well. Can you explain a bit
about your efforts in this area?

Heather*I was once told there is over 4 billion pieces of vintage flatware in circulation.
Not sure how accurate that number is but I am sure it has to be close. Vintage
flatware has a huge market and can be quite valuable...but like anything else
...condition plays a huge roll in this. Plate loss, scratches, and dings can drive the
price down and unwanted pieces can end up in our landfills. I try to find a use for
the vintage flatware I purchase no matter what condition it is in. I love to use the
especially worn pieces for my garden markers. I think it gives the pieces such
a unique character and makes each piece a one-of-a-kind.

I also use shipping envelopes that are 95% recycled content. I use recycled tissue
paper when needed. I also try and re-use as much shipping materials
from the shipment I receive.

TAE•I recently featured a few spoons that I had ordered here on TAE, can you
tell us a bit more about what is available in your line?

Heather* I have lots available to choose from. I mainly stamp spoons, forks, serving
pieces, cake servers, pie servers, and spreading knives. I feature wedding fork sets
and servers for the couple's first bite of cake. Spoon garden markers for the garden.
Custom pieces for home decor, housewarming gifts, wedding gifts, and much more!

TAE•Your flatware is individually stamped and chosen at the time of the order.
This of course makes them highly personalized, but is there a maximum count
on letters/words or is it based on the individual piece?

Heather*Yes, there is only so much I can fit on each piece. The forks are the trickiest
and really look best with 8 characters or less. Spoons have much more room and I
can get quite a few words on those. I can also use different sized spoons to
accommodate more words. Plus, there is always the option of using multiple pieces
if the phrase is particularly long. I have not had to turn anyone down yet because of
length of wording. I always figure out a way to make it work out!

TAE•For our readers outside the US, is shipping available worldwide?

Heather*Yes, I am happy to ship worldwide.

You can find Pretty Paris on Etsy here.
Facebook here and Twitter @prettyparis

Screen shot on Pretty Paris Etsy Store

Giveaway
Heather has graciously offered a set of 2 vintage spoons just like
the ones you see here in my photos...with your personalized engraving.
To enter please leave a comment below and the winner will be
chosen at random. *The giveaway is open worldwide :)
The giveaway will be open until Wednesday 2-22 at midnight PST
and the winner will be announced her on TAE Thursday 2-23.
*This giveaway is now closed.

Please join me in thanking Heather for taking the time to help us
get to know both she as well as Pretty Paris a bit better. And
for her generous giveaway offer!

Enjoy~
Alisha~Magic of Spice

What's for snack time? The Organic 9 Veggie Juice

2012-02-11T16:58:00.000-08:00

The Organic 9 Veggie Juice

Juicing is a fun and healthy way to eat your veggies...and a great way to
use up some produce hanging around in your fridge.

There is an endless variety of fresh vegetables that can be substituted here.
Use your favorites that are available in your local markets.

For some flavor alterations you can try spicing it up a bit by adding a
bit of fresh chili peppers or some horseradish perhaps.

What you will need:
2 pounds heirloom tomatoes
5-6 medium carrots
6 stalks celery, include leaves
4 medium parsley root
1-2 ounces parsley root greens
(or parsley)
4-5 large radish
4 small cucumber
4 ounces spinach
4 ounces upland cress
1-2 tablespoons lemon juice, optional

Let's get juicing:
Scrub all root vegetables and radishes with a vegetable brush and trim off a small
amount at the base of each. Cut root vegetables and radishes in half, or smaller
pieces if your juicer requires.

Wash all leafy greens including parsley root greens, and pat dry. Remove
stems from tomatoes and cut in half or quarter depending on the size
of mouth opening on your juicer. Cut cucumbers in half.

Juice vegetables in sections according to type. Once all vegetables have been juiced,
stir with a wooden spoon and place into a pitcher. Note: you can run juice
through a mesh strainer to remove foam top, but typically if you stir again
once you have poured your juice into individual glasses it will disparate.

Serve chilled or slightly room temperature immediately.
Serve individual glasses with salt and pepper if desired.
Makes approximately 1 Liter.

All this good veggie pulp can be to to other uses so don't discard...
Try adding some of your other vegetable and fruit odds and ends and
prepare a wonderful base for stock. Note: If your radish greens are
young and tender they can be used as well :)

Check out these other recent juice recipes:
green lemonade | juicing for health ~Gourmande in the Kitchen
Mean Green Juice Recipe~Ana Helena Campbell
Home-made juices~The Telegraph
Pineapple Ginger Mint Juice~ComoWater

And if you have not signed up yet, don't forget to enter our giveaway here
for a 20% Discount t sneakpeeq boutiques and your chance to win a gift card!

Enjoy~
Alisha ~ Magic of Spice

Sneakpeeq a New Way to Shop ~ and a Giveaway

2012-02-07T15:07:00.000-08:00

Sneakpeeq a New Way to Shop~

and a Giveaway

Have you heard? There is a new and interactive way to shop...how cool is this :)
Sneakpeek is a Facebook App that allows you to shop for unique and favored items
while sharing your finds...yes there is an App for that! If you are not a social
butterfly and are not signed up for Facebook, do not fret, all you need is an
email address, a desire for unique finds and a 20% discount can't hurt!

This giveaway is being sponsored by our friends at Sneakpeeq.

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Magic of Spice

Picture-Perfect Meals: Little Book of Appetizers

2012-02-03T09:50:00.001-08:00

Picture-Perfect Meals: Little Book of Appetizers

Citrus Marinated Olives and
Puff Pastry Cheese Straws

Over the holidays I received a copy of this cookbook...talk about timing!
The book is created by Cheryl Beverage Barnes and photographed by her
husband Adam Barnes, both of the wonderful site Picture Perfect Meals
whose subtitle is "Changing the way you look at food".

picture-perfect meals: Little Book of Appetizers

The opening statement on the first page reads "Your go-to collection of
irresistible bites and welcoming nibbles featuring both classic and contemporary
favorites that are not only easy to prepare, but are made with ingredients free of
high fructose corn syrup, artificial sweeteners, added MSG and hydrogenated oils."

The book is filled with an assortment of delightful recipes and stunning photographs,
that will instantly create a desire within you to fill your home with guests and the
warming aromas of such appetizers as "Crab Cake Bites with Spicy Rémoulade"
featured on their site here.

I chose two appetizers based on what I had on hand at the time. I did have to
make just a couple of adjustments as I had meyer lemons and clementines,
and my puff pastry was whole wheat. I also had a few snips of garden herbs
that I wanted to use up, so added them to the cheese straws.

One of my favorite things about the book, aside from it's easy to follow
instructions, is that at the end of each recipe we are offered a set of
tips that the author provides. The tips come in three categories to
assist your entertaining experience a bit further. The categories are
Planning, Product Purity and Presentation.

Recipe from picture-perfect meals: Little Book of Appetizers
What you will need:
For the Citrus Marinated Olives
12 ounces mixed gourmet olives
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons garlic, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons red pepper flakes, crushed
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
(I added some sage and thyme)
2 bay leaves
Zest of 1 orange
(I used 2 clementines)
Zest of 1 lemon
(I used 1 meyer lemon)
Salt and fresh ground pepper

Let's get cooking:
For the Citrus Marinated Olives
Put olives and other ingredients into a mixing bowl, toss to
thoroughly coat. Then place olive mixture onto a large sheet of foil.
Folding the edges over one another to create a pouch.

Bake at 350 degrees in a pre-heated oven for about 15 minutes
or until heated through.
Serve warm or at room temperature
along with some orange and lemon slices.
Serves 8-10 as an appetizer

Now onto these delicately flaky cheese straws that I served with
a bit of pesto that I also received during the holidays. The dipping
sauce is just a small amount of prepared basil pesto with some
extra virgin olive oil added to thin it a bit.

You can serve these with a dipping sauce or oil, but they are
perfectly wonderful on their own :)

As I noted above I did make a couple of adjustments here as
well. First I again added some fresh chopped herbs of
sage and thyme. Another adjustment was that my puff pastry
was whole wheat and a different brand, so my sheets were
not the same size or shape. You can adjust this recipe
easily if needed to fit your pastry sheets.

Recipe from picture-perfect meals: Little Book of Appetizers
What you will need:
For the Puff Pastry Cheese Straws
2 sheets frozen all butter puff pastry, thawed
(I used wheat all butter puff pastry)
1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
(I used Aged English Coastal Cheddar)
1 cup Parmesan, grated and divided
(I used Parmigiano Reggiano)
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika, divided
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, divided
(I added fresh sage and thyme, finely chopped)
1 large egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon water

Let's get cooking:
For the Puff Pastry Cheese Straws
Line your work surface with parchment paper, lightly floured.
Roll out puff pastry sheet to 1/16th inch thickness, trim sheet
to about a 16x18 inch rectangle. Transfer the dough along with the
parchment paper to a baking sheet.

Now spread all of the cheddar and 1/2 of the Parmesan onto the
puff pastry sheet. Sprinkle 1/2 smoked paprika and 1/2 cayenne over
the cheese mixture. Note: if adding herbs, use all of the herbs here in
the same manner of the spices.

Roll out a second sheet of pastry into the same dimensions as the
first. Place the second sheet evenly on top of the first sheet,
pressing lightly to seal.

Lightly brush the top pastry sheet with the egg was, then add
remaining Parmesan, smoked paprika and cayenne.
refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Using a sharp knife cut the dough into 24 8 inch strips.
Remove the dough from the baking sheet and replace the
parchment paper with a clean sheet. Twist each strip into
a spiral shape like in the photo below, and transfer to a
prepared baking sheet. Press each spiral down at the tips.

Bake in two batches in a pre-heated oven at 400 degrees F,
for 20-25 minutes or until puffed and golden.

Makes 24 appetizers
(Note: if using different size sheets as I did, adjust to the
number of puff pastry straws that you will yield from 2 sheets.)

Both of these appetizers were a delight, and will be made again I assure :)
The book makes a wonderful kitchen companion and would make an equally
wonderful gift for any one at any level of cooking skill.

picture-perfect meals: Little Book of Appetizers can be purchased and
previewed here on
Picture Perfect Meals and here on Create Space.

Enjoy~
Alisha ~ Magic of Spice

What's on the side? Vegetarian "Meatballs" with 5 Star Flair

2012-01-26T23:21:00.000-08:00

Vegetarian "Meatballs" with 5 Star Flair

It's time for the January 5 Star Foodies group event once more.

This month our theme is..."Meatballs", mine of course contain no "Meat".
But they are packed with flavorful goodness, I promise!

The veggie-balls have a few ingredients that I enjoy together in my veggie-burgers.
For the burgers I generally add a few more items of whatever fresh produce I
have on hand, then spice them up a bit. Today however we have plenty
of flavor going on with our addition of sauces and the grilled endive.

These vegetarian balls have a list of ingredients that reads off like a "some of my
favorite things" list. To start with I had leftover lentils that I wanted to use up,
and some azuki beans hanging out in my pantry just waiting for some love.
Then I decided to add some rice, and although I do not have a minimal
collection of rices, the forbidden popped out and said "pick me!",
and so I did. Then I decided to use up these crimini mushrooms as
they impart a wonderful texture when processed along with
our rice and legumes.

And since we don't want them to be lonely we have them happily
sitting in boats of Roasted endive.

Then we needed a few extras to set it off a bit, and you may remember
my last post where I promised a few recipes for our parsley root...
Well how about a creamy parsley root purée for our veggie balls
to nestle in...we do want them to be cozy :)

But why stop at cozy, when they can be warm and cozy with
a colorful drizzle of annatto oil, garlic and capers...

Our herb and spice collection is a bit fun as well. To start with our basil, you may
have noted the smaller leaves. This lovely is a perennial basil that grows in an
upright column pattern. These paler green and tender leaves pack a
whole lot of basil punch.

The spices here are no slouches either, one being the Tellicherry pepper corns.
That I have posted about before, and are a personal favorite of mine.

Next the coriander seeds with their fresh and upbeat "makes me smile aroma".
Coriander are the seeds from the cilantro plant and have a warmly sweet
aroma with a hint of lemon bite to them.

Then we have the Bamboo Jade sea salt, containing organic bamboo leaf
extract. Aside from it's ability to up our dishes a notch as a finishing salt,
this salt boasts and impressive statistic of having 84% sodium chloride
versus 99% of commercial table salt. So in essence we get a bit more
flavor and use out of our daily allotted salt intake.

Now if you noted the coloring in our olive oil drizzle...ah yes, the next
on our list - the Annatto seed. They look like little deep red terra cotta
stones. The seeds are coated with a thin pigment that is used as a dye
within the culinary world. They can be ground or used whole for
the dye itself, as we will be doing today.

Substitutions: For the salt and pepper you can substitute with
your favorites. The coriander can be subbed with cumin or caraway.
And the annatto seeds with a pinch of paprika or a few strands of saffron.

What you will need:
For the veggie-balls
4 ounces lentils, prepared
4 ounces forbidden rice, prepared
4 ounces azuki beans, prepared
5 ounces crimini mushrooms
12-15 small columnar basil leaves
1/4th cup breadcrumbs
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds, bruised
1/2 teaspoon tellichery peppercorns, crushed
1/2 teaspoon bamboo jade salt, ground

For the roasted endive
4 endive, halved
olive oil for basting
salt and pepper to taste

For the annatto drizzle
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons annatto seeds, whole
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
2 pearl onions, minced
2 tablespoons capers, whole

For the creamy parsley root purée
6 small parsley roots, trimmed and peeled
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 tablespoon raw agave, or honey
4 tablespoons half and half
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon allspice
Pinch of salt and ground black pepper

Let's get cooking:
For the veggie-balls
Prepare rice and legumes per package instructions. Cool these to the touch (Note:
if prepared ahead of time warm them up a bit). Place into a large mixing bowl
and add breadcrumbs, spices and egg. Mix together thoroughly then place
in a large food processor, adding basil and mushrooms. Pulse several
times until fine but not mushy.

Using a tablespoon measure out mixture, then roll with the palms of
your hands into evenly shaped spheres. Place uncrowded onto
a lined baking sheet. And bake at 350 degrees in a pre-heated oven
15-20 minutes or until slightly firm to the touch.

For the roasted endive
Place sliced endive halves onto a prepared baking sheet and brush
with a bit of olive oil. Salt and pepper if desired. Roast at 400 degrees
about 20 minutes or until just tender. Allow to cool a bit, then remove
the very top section leaves to create a boat (these top leaves can be served
at the same time or reserved for another use).

For the annatto drizzle
Place oil into a small sauté pan and add whole annatto seeds. Cook
on medium heat until oil has attained a rich golden orange hue and
outer coating has been removed leaving small black seeds. Cool
the strain of seeds. Return to heat adding onion and garlic
until fragrant. Turn off heat and add capers, tossing a bit to coat.

For the creamy parsley root purée
Cut parsley root into 1/4 in pieces and place
in a steamer once water has begun to boil. Continue
to steam until very tender 15 minutes or so. Once tender,
rinse under tepid running water until cooled to the touch.
Place in small food processor and pulse several times until creamy.
Add lemon juice, allspice, salt, pepper and agave continuing to pulse until
incorporated. Now add half and half, again blending. Slowly
drizzle in oil while the processor is running, adding more if needed
until you achieve a creamy texture.

Arrange by placing a tablespoon or so of the creamy parsley root
into the endive boats. Place desired number of veggie-ball on
top, place on individual plates or serving plate, then
drizzle with annatto oil mixture.
Serves 4

Enjoy~
Alisha ~ Magic of Spice

hosted by 5 Star Foodie & Lazaro Cooks!