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

Yotam Ottolenghi's Extremely Delicious Fava Bean Burgers

Okay, so I have a thing for veggie burgers.  We're talking a major kinda thing.  As in I like veggie burgers better than a big juicy cheeseburger kinda thing.  Especially if the veggie burger is made from beans.  So, right off the bat, there may be a bit of bias involved when I say these fava bean burgers are extremely delicious.  Even so, I think carnivores and vegetarians alike would agree that Yotam Ottoleghi's Fava Bean Burgers are incredible.  These are hands down the very best veggie burgers I've ever had.

Let's talk fava beans.  I don't think I've ever seen fresh fava beans available locally.  Not anywhere. Not at the farmer's market.  Not in the huge supermarkets.  Not in the gourmet grocery stores.  Not even in the freezer section.  I really wanted to make these burgers using fresh or frozen fava beans, but since that wasn't very likely I opted for canned fava beans.  I found the canned fava beans in the international section of my supermarket.  They were kinda pricey for beans, coming in at around $3.00 per can.  There were two different cans available, spicy and regular.  Since I needed 3 cups of beans for my recipe I bought two cans of fava beans, one of each.  It was the perfect amount. 

Now I mention fava beans because I don't think most people in the U.S. have tried them before.  I wanna take the time to tell you that this is a major injustice.  Fava beans are absolutely delicious!   So, before you think about subbing any other kind of bean in this recipe, PLEASE DO NOT!  The fava beans are so smooth and creamy and they really meld well with the flavors in this recipe.

Okay, so these burgers are definitely worth making.  A lovely mixture of fragrant spices, fava beans, chopped spinach, mashed potato, minced garlic, green chile, cilantro, egg and breadcrumbs come together to make one tasty burger.  Eat them on a bun or "naked" alongside a salad.  You simply can't go wrong!

Fava Bean Burgers

Adapted from Plenty

by Yotam Ottolenghi

Makes 6 burgers

3/4 teaspoon cumin seeds

3/4 teaspoon coriander seeds

3/4 teaspoon fennel seeds

1/2 pound (about 6 cups) spinach*

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 pound (about 3 cups) shelled fava beans, fresh or frozen*

3/4 pound potatoes, peeled and roughly diced

1/2 fresh green chile, seeded and finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

salt and black pepper

3 tablespoons chopped cilantro

6 tablespoons dried breadcrumbs

1 egg

1/2 cup sunflower or canola oil

6 Buns, for serving

Optional/Topping/Garnish: Spinach, *preserved lemons (see recipe below), slivered red onion, mayo, cheese, etc.

Note:  If you make these burgers with fresh or frozen fava beans you may wish to add more cumin.  I think my version came out well because I used one can of spicy fava beans.  Had my fava beans not been spicy than I would have added another teaspoon of cumin. 

Put the whole seeds in a pan and dry-roast over high heat for 3 to 4 minutes, or until they start releasing their aromas.  Grind to a powder in a mortar and pestle and leave aside.

Wilt the spinach in a hot pan with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil.  When cool enough to handle, squeeze out any liquid, then chop roughly and set aside. (*Note: To save on money and time, you could buy one package of frozen chopped spinach.  Once defrosted, you will need about 1/2 cup to replace the fresh wilted spinach in the recipe.)

Blanch the fava beans in boiling water for about one minute; drain and refresh under cold running water.  Once cool enough to handle, remove and discard the skins. (*Note: Alternatively, buy two cans of fava beans, drain, and set aside).

Cook the potatoes in boiling water for about 15 minutes, or until tender.  Drain and tip into a large mixing bowl.  Immediately add the skinned fava beans, crushed seeds, chile, garlic, remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil (I accidentally omitted the oil in my burgers and they were fine) and some salt and pepper.  Use a potato masher to mash it all up roughly; don't worry if some beans are not totally crushed.  Next, add the wilted spinach, chopped cilantro and breadcrumbs.  Taste to check the seasoning.  Lastly, mix in the egg.

Wet your hands and shape the mix into fat patties that are roughly 2 inches in diameter and 3/4 inches thick. Chill them for at least half an hour. (*Note: The burgers mentioned in the directions were simply too huge.  I was able to get 6 patties from my mixture.)

To cook, heat up the sunflower or canola oil and fry the burgers on high heat for 5 minutes on each side or until golden brown.  

Note: Keep these burgers in the fridge and fry as needed.  They will keep in the fridge for several days, making them perfect to have on hand for lunch or dinner as needed.  Alternatively, keep them in the freezer in a tupperware container with layers of wax paper or parchment paper between the burgers to prevent sticking.  You may wish to partially thaw if frozen or just cook them a bit longer (more like 8 minutes per side) if cooking from the frozen state.

 

Quick Pickled Lemons

Adapted from Jerusalem

by Yotam Ottolenghi & Sami Tamimi

Makes 1.5 quarts

1/2 red chile, chopped

3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

3 small-medium unwaxed lemons, halved lengthwise and sliced widthwise as thinly as possible

3 tablespoons sugar

1-1/2 teaspoons salt

1 clove garlic, crushed

1 teaspoon sweet paprika

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric

Use a mortar and pestle to smash together the chile with 1 teaspoon of the lemon juice; you want to get a rough-looking paste.  Transfer this to a large bowl along with all the other ingredients.  Use your hands to mix everything together well so that all the flavors get massaged into the lemons.  Leave in a covered bowl overnight, then transfer to a sterilized sealed jar the next day.  The lemon will keep in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

 

Theme: Pattycake, Pattycake!

Every Sunday @ Kahakai Kitchen

Ottolenghi's Cheese, Garlic, Veggie and Herb Bread

I am absolutely crazy for homemade bread, but I really haven't felt like dedicating an afternoon to mixing, kneading, proofing, and baking bread from scratch.  That's where this recipe comes in.  It's a delicious recipe for quick bread that's rich with eggs, infused with garlic and herbs, with little pockets of cheese, thinly sliced sun-dried tomatoes, and a beautifully adorned top.  It's absolutely delicious, very impressive to look at, and can be made in around an hour.  Score!

This recipe is also highly adaptable.  You can use any variety of herbs, cheeses, and veggies that you like to create your own special loaf.  The original recipe called for cubes of gruyere cheese, but I used little cubes of sharp white cheddar because that's what I had on hand.  Ottolenghi infused his loaf with rosemary, but my family isn't crazy about rosemary so I opted for oregano instead.  Lastly, this loaf has thinly sliced ribbons of sun-dried tomatoes, but you can use capers, olives, roasted red peppers or any other veggie you like.  I can foresee many versions of this recipe in my near future.  I really don't think you could go wrong!

Cheese, Garlic, Veggie and Herb Bread

Adapted from Yotam Ottoleghi

via the Guardian

1/3 cup heavy cream

2 tablespoons roughly chopped rosemary leaves, plus 2 whole sprigs to decorate*

2 garlic cloves, crushed

6 eggs

1/3 cup olive oil

1 cup all-purpose flour, sifted

2 tablespoons ground almonds*

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 cup thinly sliced sun-dried tomatoes*

3-1/2 ounce Gruyere, diced into 1/2-inch cubes and tossed in 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour*

1 cup grated Parmesan 

*Notes: Use any variety of herbs, cheese, and/or veggies you like.  I used green onions in place of the rosemary.  I did use the sun-dried tomatoes; however, olives, capers, and roasted red peppers would also be great choices.  I didn't have Gruyere but I did have a nice sharp cheddar so I went with that.  I omitted the ground almonds because my son has a nut allergy and we try not to have any nuts in the house.  I garnished my loaf with oregano leaves, thinly sliced sun-dried tomatoes, slivers of garlic, and more parmesan cheese. 

Preheat the oven to 350F.  Line a 10 x 4 inch (8-cup) loaf pan with parchment paper.

Place the cream, rosemary (or herb of your choice), and garlic in a small saucepan and bring to a boil.  Turn off the heat and leave to infuse and cool for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk the eggs and olive oil together in a medium sized bowl.  In another medium-sized bowl, mix the flour, ground almonds, salt, and baking powder.  Make a well in the center and slowly add the egg mixture, whisking to avoid lumps, until you have a thick batter.

Pass the infused cream through a fine sieve directly into the bowl of batter, reserving or discarding the garlic and rosemary (I used this garlic to decorate the top of the loaf).  Add the sun-dried tomatoes, and Parmesan.  Toss the cubes of cheese (Gruyere or your substitute) with the 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour.  Add the Gruyere tossed with the flour and mix well.

Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and decorate the top of the loaf as you wish.  I scattered fresh oregano leaves, thin slivers of sun-dried tomato, slivers of garlic, and additional Parmesan cheese on top.  Feel free to use your imagination here  

Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until golden and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.  Leave to cool for 5 minutes, then remove from the pan and place on a wire rack.  Once the loaf is completely cool, cut into serving slices using a serrated knife. 

Theme: Potluck