Clementine & Almond Syrup Cake with Chocolate Icing

Every once in awhile I have a total failure in the kitchen.  I don't really mind having kitchen failures because they help me learn what works and what doesn't work.  Those same failures also help me learn what kind of recipes my family likes and dislikes.  I'd go so far as to say that I've learned just as much from my kitchen failures as I have from my successes.    

However, this cake was the kind of failure that bothers me.  It bothers me because it was a rather expensive failure (clementines, almonds, good quality chocolate, and lots of butter).  It also bothers me because it was a very time-consuming failure (the majority of an afternoon and lots of dishes to wash). 

We didn't like this cake....AT ALL!  The picture of the cake certainly looks pretty in my copy of Jerusalem and it seemed like a really good choice since I found some great clementines at my market. I had high hopes, but they were crushed when I tasted a bite of the cake.  The cake was extremely dense and gritty (I'm guessing from the large amount of ground almonds).  The chocolate icing was gritty as well and there was really little I could do to fix it.  Additionally, the clementine flavor didn't really come through, although I'm not sure why.  The cake gets brushed with a beautifully aromatic clementine simple syrup that tastes very sweet and delicious, but you just don't get that flavor in the cake (either with or without the chocolate icing).  

All in all, I was very disappointed.  My family really enjoys the combination of orange and chocolate and we were all looking forward to this cake.  My husband and I shared a slice, both with and without the chocolate icing, and we just didn't like it at all.  Right now the cake is chilling in the fridge to see if that helps matters, but I'm thinking the cake will more than likely get tossed.  Personally, I don't think there's anything wrong with the recipe.  It's possible that other people enjoy a very dense and gritty cake, but it's just not for us. 

Clementine & Almond Syrup Cake with Chocolate Icing

Adapted from Jerusalem

by Yotam Ottolenghi & Sami Tamimi

Serves 8 to 10

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons butter

scant 2 cups sugar

grated zest and juice of 4 clementines

grated zest and juice of 1 lemon

 2-1/2 cups ground almonds

3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, sifted

pinch of salt

long strips of orange zest to garnish (optional)

Chocolate Icing:

6 tablespoons butter, diced

5 ounces good-quality dark chocolate, broken up

2-1/2 teaspoons honey

1-1/2 teaspoon Cognac

Preheat the oven to 350F.  Lightly grease a 9-1/2 inch springform pan with butter and line the sides and bottom with parchment paper.

Place the butter, 1-1/2 cups of the sugar, and both zests in a stand mixer fitted with the beater attachment and beat on low speed to combine everything well.  Do not work the mixture too much or incorporate too much air.  Add half the ground almonds and continue mixing until combined.

With the machine running, gradually add the eggs, stopping to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl a couple of times as you go.  Add the remaining ground almonds, the flour, and the salt and beat until completely smooth.

Pour the cake batter into the pan and level it with an offset spatula.

Bake the cake for 50 to 60 minutes (mine was finished at 50 - watch closely).  Check to see if it is ready by inserting a skewer into the center.  It should come out a little bit moist.

When the cake is almost done, place the remaining 1/3 cup sugar and the citrus juices in a small saucepan and bring to a boil (the juices should total about 1/2 cup; remove some juice if needed).  When the syrup boils, remove it from the heat.

As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, brush it with the boiling syrup, making sure all the syrup soaks in.  Leave the cake to cool down completely in the pan before you remove it.  You can then serve it as it is, garnished with orange zest strips, or store it for up to 3 days in an airtight container.

If you wish to ice the cake, we recommend doing it on the day you want to serve it so the icing is fresh and shiny.  Put the butter, chocolate, and honey in a heatproof bowl and place over a saucepan of simmering water (make sure the bowl does not touch the water).  Stir until everything is melted, then immediately remove from the heat and fold in the Cognac.  Pour the icing over the cooled cake, allowing it to dribble naturally down the sides without covering the cake completely.  Let the icing set and then garnish the center of the cake with the orange zest strips.

 

 

Theme: Fruitfull!

Braised Eggs with Lamb, Tahini & Sumac

This is a very satisfying and eye-pleasing meal that can be served family-style for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.  Ground lamb seasoned with harissa, spices, and a blend of nuts with four braised eggs nestled on top.  Once the eggs are done to your liking it's time to add all the toppings: charred cherry tomatoes, a thick and velvety tahini yogurt sauce, and a sprinkling of cilantro and sumac. If you like things spicy, go ahead and add a little harissa on top too.  Serve this with a little bread, pita bread would be best, and you're all set!

I think my favorite part of making this dish was the harissa, a spicy red chile paste common in North Africa.  It's a spicy blend of red pepper, red chile peppers, onion, garlic, lemon juice and spices that can be used to season so many dishes.  The harissa adds a really flavorful dose of heat to this recipe that is distinctive and so delicious. After tasting the harissa in this recipe I have grown to absolutely love it.  My jar of harissa is front and center in my refrigerator.  I've added the harissa to my standard meatloaf.  I've added it to eggs.  I added it to my spaghetti sauce.  Just this morning I added it to my breakfast burritos.  It's my new favorite condiment!  If you enjoy a very flavorful way to heat up your food then I encourage you to make a batch!

Braised Eggs with Lamb, Tahini & Sumac

Adapted from Jerusalem

by Yotam Ottolenghi & Sami Tamimi

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 large onion, finely chopped

6 cloves garlic, sliced thinly

1 pound of ground lamb

2 teaspoons sumac, plus extra to finish

1 teaspoon cumin

scant 1/2 cup toasted pistachios, crushed

7 tablespoons pine nuts

2 teaspoons harissa paste (recipe below)*

1 tablespoon finely chopped preserved lemon peel

1-1/2 cups cherry tomatoes or diced tomato

1/2 cup chicken stock

4 large eggs

1/4 cup pickled cilantro leaves or 1 tablespoon Zhoug

salt and pepper

Yogurt Sauce:

  scant 1/2 cup Greek yogurt

1 - 1/2 tablespoons tahini paste

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1-2 tablespoons of water

Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a medium heavy bottomed frying pan for which you have a tight fitting lid (cast-iron would be great here).  Add the onion and garlic and saute for 6 minutes to soften and color a bit.  Raise the heat to high, add the lamb, and brown well, 5 to 6 minutes.  Season with the sumac, cumin, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and some black pepper and cook for another minute.  Turn off the heat, stir in the nuts, harissa, and preserved lemon and set aside.

While the onion is cooking, heat a separate small cast-iron or other heavy pan over high heat.  Once piping hot, add the cherry tomatoes and char for 4 to 6 minutes, tossing them in the pan occasionally, until slightly blackened on the outside.  Set aside.  (I skipped this step with the tomatoes because I used regular chopped tomato).

Prepare the yogurt sauce by whisking together all the ingredients with a pinch of salt.  It needs to be thick and rich, but you may need to add a splash of water if it is stiff.  (I did have to add another tablespoon of water or so to thin out the sauce).

You can leave the meat, tomatoes, and sauce at this stage for up to an hour.  When you're ready to serve, reheat the meat, add the chicken stock, and bring to a boil.  Make 4 small wells in the mix and break an egg into each well.  Cover the pan and cook the eggs over low heat for 3 minutes.  Place the tomatoes on top, avoiding the yolks, cover again, and cook for 5 minutes, until the egg whites are cooked but the yolks are still runny.  (Be careful not to have the heat up to high or else the yolks will cook through).

Remove from the heat and dot with dollops of the yogurt sauce, sprinkle with sumac, and finish with the cilantro.  Serve at once.

Harissa

Adapted from Jersusalem

by Yotam Ottolenghi & Sami Tamimi

Makes 1 small jar/about 3/4 cup

1 red pepper (I used one roasted red pepper from a jar)

1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds

1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds

1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds

1-1/2 tablespoon olive oil

1 small red onion, coarsely chopped (about 2/3 cup total)

3 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped

3 hot red chiles, seeded and coarsely chopped

1-1/2 teaspoon tomato paste

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice 

1/2 teaspoon salt

Note: I didn't have a fresh red pepper so I used one roasted red pepper from a jar.  I would do this shortcut again just because I don't really care for roasting peppers and peeling the skin away.  I also used a combination of red onion and white onion, equal parts.  I also added a bit more lemon juice to the final product because I felt it needed that extra burst of bright flavor.

If using a fresh red pepper, place the pepper under a very hot broiler, turning occasionally for about 25 minutes, until blackened on the outside and completely soft.  Transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and allow to cool.  Peel the pepper and discard its skin and seeds.

Place a dry frying pan over low heat and lightly toast the coriander, cumin, and caraway seeds for 2 minutes.  Remove them to a mortar and use a pestle to grind to a powder.

Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat, and fry the onion, garlic, and chiles for 10 to 12 minutes, until a dark smoky color and almost caramelized.

Now use a blender or a food processor to blitz together all of the paste ingredients until smooth, adding a little more oil if needed.  

Store in a sterilized jar in the fridge for up to 2 weeks or even longer.

Theme: Pain the Town Red!

Yotam Ottolenghi's Falafel with Spiced Chickpeas and Fresh Vegetable Salad

Falafel is one of the first things I wanted to make when I first opened up my copy of Jersualem.  Those little fried balls made from dried chickpeas and various spices were beckoning me like crazy.  As much as I dreamt about eating hot crunchy falafel sandwiched in a warm pita I was feeling rather unmotivated for the hours of cooking and cleanup the recipe required.

 Last week I gave myself the necessary pep talk to work my way through the recipe, little by little.  I soaked the chickpeas one night, made the spiced chickpea and veggie salad the next day, and then mixed and fried the falafel on the third day.  It was a long process with endless chopping, mixing, and washing dishes BUT the final product was in fact everything I hoped it would be!  The falafel were delicious on their own.  I also enjoyed them with a warm drizzle of tahini and the spiced chickpea and veggie salad on the side.  Other times I loaded the falafel, tahini, and salad into a warm pita and enjoyed it that way. 

A few quick notes about both recipes.  The directions for the falafel say to use either a meat grinder or a food processor and mix until the falafel mixture is finely chopped but not mushy or pasty.  Pay special attention that the falafel mixture actually holds together.  The falafel balls are hard to shape and don't really hold their shape well unless you achieve the right consistency.  Also, regarding the salad, you may want to go heavier on the chickpeas.  The recipe calls for 1/2 cup dried chickpeas. The chickpeas in the veggie salad were pretty much nonexistent.  I would actually increase the chickpeas to at least 1 full cup. I think the key is to actually detect the chickpeas in the salad. Other than that, both recipes are perfectly delicious and worth the time and cleanup involved.  I'd definitely recommend them both!

Falafel

Adapted from Jerusalem

by Yotam Ottolenghi & Sami Tamimi

Serves 4

1-1/4 cups dried chickpeas

1/2 medium onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley

2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

3 tablespoons water

1-1/2 tablespoon all-purpose flour

about 3 cups canola/sunflower oil, for deep-frying

1/2 teaspoon sesame seeds, for coating

salt

Place the chickpeas in a large bowl and cover with cold water at least twice their volume.  Set aside to soak overnight.

The next day, drain the chickpeas well and combine them with the onion, garlic, parsley, and cilantro.  For the best results, use a meat grinder for the next part.  Put the chickpea mixture once through the machine, set to its finest setting, then pass it through the machine for a second time.  If you don't have a meat grinder, use a food processor.  Blitz the mix in batches, pulsing each for 30 to 40 seconds, until it is finely chopped, but not mushy or pasty, and holds itself together.  Once processed, add the spices, baking powder, 3/4 teaspoon salt, flour, and water.  Mix well by hand until smooth and uniform.  Cover the mixture and leave it in the fridge for at least 1 hour, or until ready to use

Fill a deep, heavy-bottomed medium saucepan with enough oil to come 2-3/4 inches up the sides of the pan.  Heat the oil to 350F.  

With wet hands, press 1 tablespoon of the mixture in the palm of your hand to form a patty or a ball the size of a small walnut, about a scant 1 ounce (you can also use a wet ice-cream scoop for this).

Sprinkle the balls evenly with sesame seeds and deep-fry them in batches for 4 minutes, until well browned and cooked through.  It is important they really dry out on the inside, so make sure they get enough time in the oil.  Drain in a colander lined with paper towels and serve at once. 

 

Spiced Chickpea & Fresh Vegetable Salad

Adapted from Jerusalem

by Yotam Ottolenghi & Sami Tamimi

Serves 6-8

1/2 cup dried chickpeas

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 small cucumbers (10 oz/250g total)

2 large tomatoes (10.5oz/300g total)

8-1/2 ounces/240g radishes

1 red pepper, seeded and ribs removed

1 small red onion, peeled

2/3 oz/20g cilantro leaves and stems, coarsely chopped

1/2 ounce/15g flat-leaf parsley, coarsely chopped

6 tablespoons olive oil

grated zest of 1 lemon, plus 2 tablespoons juice

1-1/2 tablespoon sherry vinegar

1 clove garlic, crushed

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon ground cardamom

1-1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

1 teaspoon ground cumin

Greek yogurt (optional)

salt and black pepper

Soak the dried chickpeas overnight in a large bowl with plenty of cold water and the baking soda.  The next day, drain, place in a large saucepan, and cover with water twice the volume of the chickpeas.  Bring to a boil and simmer, skimming off any foam, for about an hour, until completely tender, then drain.

Cut the cucumber, tomato, radish, and pepper into 2/3-inch dice; cut the onion into 1/4-inch dice. Mix everything together in a bowl with the cilantro and parsley.

In a jar or sealable container, mix 5 tablespoons of the olive oil, the lemon juice and zest, vinegar, garlic, and sugar and mix well to form a dressing, then season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss lightly.  (Take care when dressing the salad.  I found I only needed about half of the dressing).

Mix together the cardamom, allspice, cumin, and 1/4 teaspoon salt and spread on a plate.  Toss the cooked chickpeas in the spice mixture in a few batches to coat well.  Heat the remaining olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat and lightly fry the chickpeas for 2 to 3 minutes, gently shaking the pan so they cook evenly and don't stick.  Keep warm. 

Serve this salad on a plate, in a large circle with the warm spiced chickpeas on top.  You can drizzle some Greek yogurt on top to make the salad creamy.  You can also serve this salad with falafel.

Theme: Got A Pulse?

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Sandwich Cookies

Chocolate chip cookie dough stuffed between two chocolate chip cookies makes for one heavenly and decadent sandwich cookie.  These cookie sandwiches are going down as legendary in my house. Everyone went absolutely crazy for them and for good reason.  These are pretty much perfect in every way! The best part: you don't have to worry about any raw egg in the cookie dough.  The cookie dough filling is egg-free!  Do yourself a favor and make them the next time you're in the mood for a little treat.  Just make sure you have someone to share them with or things might get ugly.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Sandwich Cookies

Adapted from The Cookie Dough Lover's Cookbook

by Lindsay Landis

Makes 20-24 sandwich cookies

For Cookies:

1-1/2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature

2/3 cup granulated sugar

2/3 cup light brown sugar, packed

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1-1/2 cups mini semisweet chocolate chips

For Cookie Dough:

1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup heavy cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips

For the cookies:  In a large mixing bowl, beat together butter and sugars until no lumps remain, 1 to 2 minutes.  Beat in eggs and vanilla, scraping the sides of the bowl to make sure all ingredients are incorporated.  Add flour, baking soda, and salt and mix until smooth.  Stir in chocolate chips.  Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight.

Once cookie dough has rested (1 hour or overnight):  Roll chilled dough into smooth, tablespoon-sized balls, about 1 inch in diameter.  Flatten balls slightly into 3/4-inch thick disks.  Arrange about 2 inches apart on parchment-lined baking sheets.  Bake 9 to 11 minutes, or until edges are lightly golden.  Let cookies cool on baking sheet about 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

To prepare the cookie dough filling:   Beat together butter and brown sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes.  Mix in flour, powdered sugar, and salt on low speed until incorporated.  Slowly add heavy cream and vanilla and beat until fluffy, about 2 minutes.  Stir in chocolate chips.

To assemble cookie sandwiches:  Sandwich 1 heaping tablespoon of filling between two cookies.  Press cookies lightly until filling spreads to edges.  Repeat with remaining cookies.  Sandwiches can be stored, refrigerated in an airtight container, for up to 3 days.  Let them sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.

Every Sunday at Ms. enPlace

Yotam Ottolenghi's Basmati Rice & Orzo

This week I was feeling under the weather so I was craving something mild, easy, and basic.  Ottolenghi's Basmati Rice & Orzo was wildly aromatic but also perfectly comforting and very kid-friendly.

This is a rice dish that would be great with just about anything.  I served this rice with sausage and caramelized onions and it was really a fantastic meal that received high praise from my husband and daughter.  

This recipe is a little more time-consuming than cooking a pot of long-grain rice, but I like to change things up now and then so I feel like the extra time is worthwhile.  Also, cooking rice can be a tricky thing. Stir the rice too much and it will be a clumpy gluey mess.  I think the key to good fluffy rice is NOT STIRRING AT ALL, or rather stirring as little as possible.  Another important tip is to take the rice off the heat when it is done cooking and allow it to set for at least 10 minutes before you fluff it.  If you follow those steps you will almost always get perfect results. 

Basmati Rice & Orzo

Adapted from Jerusalem

by Yotam Ottolenghi & Sami Tamimi

Serves 6

1-1/3 cup basmati rice

1 tablespoon melted ghee or unsalted butter

1 tablespoon olive or canola oil

scant 1/2 cup orzo

2-1/2 cups chicken stock

1 teaspoon salt

Wash the basmati rice well, then place  in a large bowl and cover with plenty of cold water.  Allow it to soak for 30 minutes, then drain.

Heat the ghee and oil over medium-high heat in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan for which you have a lid.  Add the orzo and saute for 3 to 4 minutes, until the grains turn dark golden.  Add the stock, bring to a boil, and cook for 3 minutes.  Add the drained rice and salt, bring to a gentle boil, stir once or twice, cover the pan, and simmer over very low heat for 15 minutes.  Don't be tempted to uncover the pan; you'll need to allow the rice to steam properly.

Turn off the heat, remove the lid, and quickly cover the pan with a clean tea towel.  Place the lid back on top of the towel and leave for 10 minutes.  Fluff the rice with a fork before serving. 

Theme: Potluck

Hummus Kawarma (Lamb) with Lemon Sauce

In his cookbook, Jerusalem, Yotam Ottolenghi says this of Hummus Kawarma with Lemon Sauce, "Hummus Kawarma is the Lebanese name given to freshly made hummus, topped with fried chopped lamb.  It is a small meal or a starter in a bowl and one of the most sensational things you can put in your mouth."

I am in agreement with him.  Hummus Kawarma with Lemon Sauce is in fact sensational and heavenly in every way.  Fried bits of perfectly seasoned ground lamb, topped with toasty little pine nuts, and a tangy refreshing lemon sauce served atop a very smooth and creamy bowl of hummus. You know how people mention the "mouthfeel" of a dish?  This dish has a wonderful mouthfeel.  The hummus just feels so cloud-like and velveety.  In fact, everything about this dish just feels seductive to me, including the part where you eat it with your hands.  You'll find yourself dunking the warm pita into the bowl with an eagerness to devour.  I would highly recommend this dish and cannot wait to make it again! 

Hummus Kawarma with Lemon Sauce

Adapted from Jerusalem

by Yotam Ottolenghi & Sami Tamimi

Serves about 6

Basic Hummus:

1-1/4 cups dried chickpeas

1 teaspoon baking soda

6-1/2 cups water

1/2 - 3/4 cup tahini paste, or to taste

4 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

6 cloves garlic, minced

6 tablespoons ice-cold water

salt

Note: To make the Hummus Kawarma you will need to reserve 4 tablespoons of the cooked chickpeas for the garnish.

The night before, put the chickpeas in a large bowl and cover them with cold water at least twice their volume.  Leave to soak overnight.

The next day, drain the chickpeas.  Place a medium saucepan over high heat and add the drained chickpeas and baking soda.  Cook for about 3 minutes, stirring constantly.  Add the water and bring to a boil.  Cook, skimming off any foam and any skins that float to the surface.  The chickpeas will need to cook between 20 and 40 minutes, depending on the type and freshness, sometimes even longer.  Once done, they should be very tender, breaking up easily when pressed between your thumb and finger, almost but not quite mushy.

Drain the chickpeas.  You should have roughly 3-2/3 cups now.  Place the chickpeas in a food processor and process until you get a stiff paste.  Then, with the machine stilfHl running, add the tahini paste, lemon juice, garlic, and 1-1/2 teaspoons salt.  Finally, slowly drizzle in the iced water and allow it to mix for about 5 minutes, until you get a very smooth and creamy paste (I had to add a little more ice-cold water than called for to achieve a smooth paste).

Transfer the hummus to a bowl, cover the surface with plastic wrap, and let it rest for at least 30 minutes.  If not using straightaway, refrigerate until needed.  Make sure to take it out of the fridge at least 30 minutes prior to serving. 

Hummus Kawarma with Lemon Sauce

Basic Hummus, recipe above, plus 4 tablespoons of the reserved cooked chickpeas

chopped flat-leaf parsley, to garnish

1/4 - 1/2 cup pine nuts, fried in a little butter until golden brown

Kawarma:

1 pound of ground lamb

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon allspice

good pinch of grated nutmeg

1 teaspoon za'atar or oregano leaves

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

1 tablespoon chopped mint

1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon unsalted butter or ghee

1 teaspoon olive oil

Lemon Sauce:

1/2 ounce flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

1 jalapeno, finely chopped

4 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

2 clove garlic, minced or sliced

1/4 teaspoon salt

To make the kawarma, place all the ingredients, except for the butter and oil, into a medium bowl.  Mix well, cover, and allow the mixture to marinate in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Just before you are ready to cook the meat, place all the ingredients for the lemon sauce in a small bow and stir well.

Heat the butter or ghee and the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat.  Add the meat and stir to fry.  The book says that the meat should be light pink the middle, but I fried the lamb until it was well done and a little crispy on the edges (the crispy edges were what I was after for texture).

Divide the hummus among 6 individual shallow bowls, leaving a slight hollow in the center of each.  Spoon the warm kawarma into the hollow and scatter with the reserved chickpeas.  Drizzle generously with the lemon sauce and garnish with some parsley and the pine nuts. 

Theme: A Little Bit of Sunshine!

Baby Spinach Salad with Dates and Almonds

Tender leaves of baby spinach, sweet chewy dates, thin slivers of red onion, crispy pita bread croutons with crunchy slivers of almonds kissed with the exotic blend of sumac and red chile flakes, all tossed together in a bright citrus dressing.  It all comes together to create a very delicious and rather unique salad.  

This is a salad for the senses.  Sweet, chewy, tender, crispy, crunchy, citrusy,  with mild onion flavor, and bright citrus notes.  It looks a bit exotic.  It tastes a bit exotic.  It feels indulgent and it is.  However, it's also perfectly healthy.  I encourage you to give it a try.

 A few words about dates.  I absolutely love them because they are so sweet and chewy.  In fact, they almost taste like candy to me.  I do have trouble sourcing them.  The only place I've ever found Medjool dates has been at Trader Joe's in the produce section.  The dates from Trader Joe's are nice and plump and lend themselves perfectly for stuffing, wrapping, or eating out of hand.  I buy them whenever I visit.  However, Trader Joe's is almost an hour away from my house and I can't always get there.  So, this time around, I thought I'd try the Sunmaid dates sold in the dried fruit section of my local supermarket.  To be honest, I wasn't expecting them to be anything wonderful.  Boy was I happily surprised.  Turns out the Sunmaid brand was every bit as tasty as the fresh dates from Trader Joe's.  The only difference was the size.  The Sunmaid brand were considerably smaller.  The smaller size is not necessarily ideal for stuffing, but they are perfectly suitable for this salad, any type of dessert, or even for eating out of hand.  I'd definitely recommend them in a pinch. 

 

Baby Spinach Salad with Dates & Almonds

Adapted from Jerusalem

by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi

Serves 4

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced

3-1/2 ounces/100 grams pitted Medjool dates, quartered lengthwise

 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 small pitas, about 3-1/2 ounces roughly torn into 1-1/2 inch pieces

1/2 cup whole unsalted almonds, coarsely chopped

2 teaspoons sumac

1/2 teaspoon chile flakes

5 ounces baby spinach

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

salt

Put the vinegar, onion, and dates in a small bowl.  Add a pinch of salt and mix well with your hands.  Leave to marinate for 20 minutes, then drain any residual vinegar and discard.

Meanwhile, heat the butter and half the olive oil in a medium frying pan over medium heat.  Add the pita and almonds and cook for 4 to 6 minutes, stirring all the time, until the pita is crunchy and golden brown.  Remove from the heat and mix in the sumac, chile flakes and 1/4 teaspoon salt.  Set aside to cool.

When you're ready to serve, toss the spinach leaves with the pita mix in a larger mixing bowl.  Add the dates and red onion, the remaining olive oil, the lemon juice, and another pinch of salt.  Taste for seasoning an serve immediately.  

Theme: Something Sweet!

Every Sunday @ Kahakai Kitchen