Red Lentil and Carrot Kofte

I was searching for a recipe for something different to do with carrots and came across Award Winning Cook Book Writer’s Diana Henry’s Recipe for Red Lentil and Carrot Kofe Recipe. I was excited about the recipe because it seemed to be made with ingredients that were all very heathy like carrots, lentils, bulgur wheat and exotic seasonings.

The word Kofe is of Persian Origin and comes from the Persian Word Kufteh meaning mashed. In old times before grinders were made meat balls were mashed with a mortar.

I didn’t alter Diana Henry’s Recipe too much but for my taste I thought salt, pepper and lemon juice needed to be bumped up. I also had to cut back on the cilantro because for me it was too much. The biggest change I made was to crisp up the texture because the texture of this mixture was too exotically soft for me so I made them into patties and crisped them up in an oven at 400 degrees. (I forgot if it took a 1/2 hour or 45 minutes) Also instead of Pomegranate Seeds I really thought supreme oranges went really well with this dish.

Ingredients (for the Kofte and Sauce)

35ml Tahini (around a Tablespoon)

1 3/4 lemon’s juiced. (I used almost 3)

4 garlic cloves crushed

6 T Extra Virgin Olive Oil (I actually used less)

90g Red Lentils (cooked)

50g Bulgur Wheat (cooked)

200g Carrots (roasted with a sprinkle of sugar, salt and pepper when they are done mash them)

1 Small Red Onion finely chopped

1 t. cumin

1 t. paprika

1 t. Turkish Pepper Paste (I used my homemade Roasted Spicy Fresno Pepper Paste) The recommended substitute is Harissa

1 t. Tomato Puree (I left this out)

2 bunches of coriander (cilantro)  (I used only a handful and found that to be plenty)

1 Pomegranate (seeds only) (I used 1 orange supremes )

over salad is suggested

The recipe for the sauce is mix the tahini with 75ml of water and juice of 1/2 a lemon, one crushed garlic and 2 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil salt and pepper. I used all fresh squeezed lemon juice (about 2 lemons and skipped the water)

Heat about a T of Extra Virgin Olive Oil in a pan and toss in your very finely chopped red onions and let then go till they are soft.

Then add cumin, paprika, remaining garlic, let it go about 2 minutes and then add your pepper paste (and tomato puree if you are using that).

Stir in your lentils and carrots and cilantro (the amount you like), juice of one lemon. 2 T of extra Virgin Olive Oil is suggested to add. (I think mine was soft enough and I didn’t add that)

It’s recommended to shape these into balls the size of a walnut and indent them to hold pomegranate seeds and then drizzle with tahini sauce, extra virgin olive oil and chopped coriander/cilantro.

For me this was too soft to eat this way so I shaped them in patties and crisped them up in a 400 degree oven for 30 or 45 minutes.I salt and peppered the surface of Kofes.  I used orange instead of pomegranate and scallions instead of more cilantro.

Red Lentil and Carrot Kofte

Forking Truth

These came out with lots of flavor and were a little sweet, a little smokey and a little spicy but they are vegetarian and as far as I know fat free or mostly fat free.

The recipe went like this.

3 cups of already cooked beans

6 oz. can of tomato paste

1/2 cup of Apple Vinegar

2 Tablespoons of the sauce from Chipotle Peppers

1 finely mashed garlic clove

1 grated small apple

1/2 cup grated sweet onion

1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce

1/4 Cup Dark Brown Sugar

1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

1 teaspoon chili powder

Fresh Ground Sea Salt

Fresh Ground Black Pepper

Water, about 2 1/2 Cups you might need slightly more or slightly less depending on how much your beans  absorb.

Directions are easy you just combine and put in a covered pan in your oven at 350 degrees for an hour and then check and see if you need more water and then let them go another hour. Adjust seasonings  and water if needed.

They look like this when you are done.

Forking Good!

I came up with this original recipe for beans inspired by my interpretation of what I think Pasta Fagioli should taste like.  Pasta Fagioli is a soup that is of beans and pasta. When I think about the soup I think of a rich chicken taste . Instead of pasta I replaced it with  a NO-CREAM but rich cream like sauce with that familiar cooked tomato taste.

These are the ingredients I used to come up with this dish.

Local Tepary Beans

A variety of Beans Fresh cooked and canned to add variety.  (Local Tepary Beans, assorted White Beans, Kidney Beans, and Chick Peas, Giant Lima Beans) I do use other beans at times sometimes Cranberry Beans and Cow Beans but I always like to use a variety.

Chicken Fat saved from roasting a chicken for that rich Chicken Flavor.

Chicken Stock

One small Tub of home made Tomato sauce.

A good Tasting Flour such as Moong Bean or Kamut. (Farro would be fine too and more Italian)

Seasonings

Oregano

Basil

Rosemary

Savory

Fresh Ground Black Pepper

(I didn’t need salt but you might)

I finished with Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

You start by equal amounts of Chicken Fat and Flour in your sauce pan and cook till it bubbles for a few minutes.

Then you add your home made Tomato Sauce and let that cook a few minutes.

Then you add your beans and use a potato masher to mash them in.

Add your Chicken stock.

Use your seasonings start with about a 1/2 part of Oregano to 1/4 part basil, about 1/8 part rosemary and 1/8 part savory. Add Fresh Ground Black Pepper.

Let it simmer maybe two hours and do stir occasionally.

It will go from this.

To this, adjust seasoning at this time and Finish with Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

Forking Truth

Salmon is very forgiving and easy to prepare a number of ways but you won’t get the most buttery richness from the Salmon unless you Olive Poach it in a Sous Vide.

So set your Sous Vide at 125 degrees. Your Salmon only needs 20 minutes.

The trick is already frozen Extra Virgin Olive Oil because most vacuum sealers won’t work with liquids..

Frozen Olive Oil

Then fill your bag and seal.

Let your sealed package sit out maybe a 1/2 hour to melt the olive oil.

After 20 minutes at 125 degrees the fish is done.  I used a few vegetables for color but they are pretty spent on the flavor. The fish came out a perfect buttery richness.

If you happen to have any leftover Poached Eggs from previous the previous Poached Egg Recipe you can Sous Vide Them along with your Salmon because the eggs won’t harden at 125 degrees.

Forking Good!

Sous Vide Poached Eggs are very easy for anyone to make. Just start with laying plastic wrap over a bowl and paint it with infused oil or soft butter and fresh ground Sea Salt and Fresh Cracked Pepper and maybe herbs.

Boil up your little bundles for three or maybe up to four minutes.

Easy Sous Vide Poached Eggs without a Sous Vide.

Forking Good!

These 8 Pound Watermelons were on sale so I had a lot of watermelon and thought I should do something creative with one and I thought Watermelon Soup flavored with Lemongrass would be delicious! So these are the ingredients I used.

An Approx. 8 lb. Watermelon cut in small chunks deseeded.

Parts of 3 stalks Lemongrass minced (pealed down and used soft end)

Heaping Tablespoon of slow cooked garlic cloves cooked in oil whipped like butter. I do that with Fresh Garlic because it last a long time and gives a nicer garlic flavor to foods, but I bet about two fresh garlic cloves and a tablespoon or two of plain tasting oil is about the same.

1 Thai Chili (minced)

Galanga Root (about an inch grated)

Ginger Root (about two inches grated)

About a dozen Kaffir Lime Leaves

Fresh Squeezed Lime Juice with a little bit of the rind grated. (I used two very small limes.

Maybe a Tablespoon of Kosher Salt.

Thai Basil leaves (about a handful Chopped)

I started with maybe a quarter of the watermelon and fried it up on medium high heat with the seasonings and they got golden fast. Then the lime juice. I added about a third and continued to heat for a few minutes and then the rest and heated that up for about 15-20 minutes till it looked like this.

I then removed the KaffirLime Leaves and then added my Chopped Thai Basil.

Lemongrass Watermelon Soup

It came out delicious! It’s a little spicy and aromatic with Lemongrass. I liked it served warm. You can play around with this recipe and vary the texture to your liking. I also liked this with the addition of rice and chicken. I think  adding coconut milk would also be tasty.

Forking Good!

It’s very trendy these days to Roast your radishes. So I roasted a bunch of them up with a branch of Bay leaves, Fresh Crushed Sea Salt, Fresh Ground Black Pepper thinly sliced sweet onions and drizzled them with Balsamic Vinegar and Extra Virgin Olive Oil at 400 degrees for about two hours. The Radishes lose the peppery flavor and become sweet. The Balsamic reduces and gets really sweet and flavorful and the Onions are really forking good. I reserved some onions for my meatloaf sauce.

I also Roasted up and browned my Carrots.

Roasted Red Carrots

I then decided they really compliment each other and should be served together.

So this is how I put them all together for dinner.

This is something you might try for dinner.

Forking Good!

Duchess Style Parsnips

Going out to dine is different these days and certain meals sort have gone out of style like Chateaubriand with those insanely good Duchess Potatoes. You sure haven’t seen that on a menu in decades.  I guess that’s an old fashioned meal but it also seemed so special. Going out to dine with someone special and sharing a special platter for two with really great Potatoes!

I thought maybe an updated version of “Duchess”  just might be Parsnips! And Wow they did come out delicious! They have even more flavor than a Potato.

Ingredients makes about 12 servings

About 3 lb.s of Parsnips cut in small pieces

About 1/2 C of Heavy Cream

4oz. of soft butter

about 1/8t. of Nutmeg

About 1/2 t. of Fresh Crushed Black Pepper

About 1/2t. of Ground White Pepper

3 Beaten Egg Yolks

My parsnips seemed very fresh since I purchased them from the Farmers Market. I thought the skins were thin and the cores didn’t seem too woody so I used them and roasted them all up in a covered pan with a little water a sprinkle of Extra Virgin Olive Oil and fresh Ground Sea Salt and Fresh Crushed Black Pepper. Normally you do have to remove skin and woody part of the cores. It just depends on how your parsnips are.  My oven was set at 400 and they took only 45 minutes to become fork tender.

I used my Emersion Blender and whirled up everything. I then checked seasonings and made adjustments. Then I filled my pastry bag with my widest Star Tip I had and piped the Parsnip mixture onto a greased pan.

My oven was set at 400 degrees and the Duchess Style Parsnips  took about 20 minutes.

Forking Good!

Blue Cheese, Balsamic & Walnut Focaccia and a Gilled Vegetable Focaccia & Italian Style Sushi.

Focaccia is traditionally seasoned with Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Salt and Herbs. It’s considered a side but can be used to make a sandwich.

Focaccia is NOT FORKING Pizza.

Pizza

Pizza is round and has a crisp crust. Focaccia is square and is cut into squares. Focaccia doesn’t have a crisp crust. Focaccia dough differs in taste from pizza dough. It’s essential to taste Extra Virgin Olive Oil and the salt when you eat Focaccia and shouldn’t be too many toppings.

All you need to make Focaccia is.

Bread Flour

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Water

Yeast

Sugar

Salt (Sea Salt or Kosher Salt)

Water, Yeast and sugar till it bubbles.

After your Water, Sugar and Yeast Bubbles  add your Bread Flour, Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Salt. Leave your Dough Ball in a warm place covered with plastic wrap. When it doubles punch down dough and let it rise again.

Oiled and salted Dough in an oiled pan

I dotted the dough Oiled and salted it.

This one I topped with Sauce, a Cheese Blend and Herbs. And baked it off at 350 for about 25 minutes.

Then I cut a piece to try.

It came out pretty good!

Forking Good!

Pickled Beet and Watermelon Salad

I like Pickled  Beets and make them often. I recently made a simple batch of them. I just roasted them up in a covered pan filled with some Cider Vinegar, Some water and some Nectresse (or sugar) . I let them roast at 350 for about an hour till they were fork tender. When they were cool enough to handle I slid the skins off. Sliced them up with very thinly sliced raw onion and let the mixture with it’s  juices  sit. This way they come out nice and not over pickled or too sweet. I added fresh chunks of watermelon to my beet mixture and I think the Pickled Beets with Onions complements the sweetness of the watermelon without overpowering it. This is a very light and refreshing salad that also looks pretty and is something different that I haven’t seen before.

Forking Good!