Category Archives: Forking Recipes

Interesting twists on everyday things as well as the unusual

Peruvian Inspired Purple Potato Salad with Onion Salsa and Spicy Cilantro Sauce Recipe

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I thought that I knew what Peruvian Potato Salad was after I had some from a Peruvian Restaurant. I made up my own recipe on here that was very similar. After researching many recipes I’ve found that Peruvian Potato Differs even more than American Potato Salad. I think after reading many recipes my conclusion is that texture is an important factor. The other important factor might be less or no mayonnaise. So this is what I came up with for Peruvian STYLE potato salad today. Texture is important so I boiled, mashed and fried the potatoes to give three different textures. Instead of mayonnaise I made a spicy yellow pepper and cilantro sauce to flavor the mashed potatoes and latter got drizzled over the top to add more flavor. OH and I added those Peruvian sweet drop peppers because they are essential here. Serving size might be slightly different. This makes 4-6 servings depending on portion size. This recipe will make more spicy cilantro sauce than you need but it is so delicious that you won’t mind keeping some in your freezer.

Ingredients for around 6 portions

1 onion (or a few small onions like one white and one red or a shallot) sliced thin but kept in half moons if you can. – onion salsa

1 garlic clove – ground to paste – onion salsa

Yellow Peruvian dried chili to taste – substitute any chili that you like – onion salsa

1 lemon – just the fresh squeezed juice – onion salsa

sea salt to taste – onion salsa

black pepper to taste – onion salsa

2 teaspoons cilantro – torn or chopped – onion salsa

1 cup cilantro leaves (some tender stems ok) – chopped – cilantro sauce

2-4 yellow chile peppers (I used guero peppers that were hot) minced – cilantro sauce

1/4 cup soy milk – cilantro sauce

1 garlic clove – ground to paste – cilantro sauce

1 lime – (just the fresh squeezed juice) – cilantro sauce

1 teaspoons dried oregano – cilantro sauce

3/4 teaspoon sea salt – cilantro sauce

1 teaspoon dijon mustard – cilantro sauce

1/2 teaspoon honey – cilantro sauce

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin – cilantro sauce

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil – cilantro sauce

1 1/2 lb purple potatoes

1 Tablespoon salt (this is for boiling potatoes)

1 lime (just the fresh juice)

2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

6 Tablespoons cilantro sauce

16 Peruvian sweet drop peppers

Directions

Put potatoes in a sauce pot on medium high heat and cover with water and add a Tablespoon of salt. This needs to boil until potatoes are tender. Timing might differ but this usually takes 15-20 minutes. Peel the potatoes when cool enough to handle. Save the peelings for frying.

Make onion salsa – onions get laced out on a baking sheet. They get sprinkled with the garlic, pepper flakes, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Top with some fresh cilantro. Put to the side.

Make cilantro sauce. – Blend together the cilantro, peppers, soy milk, garlic, lime juice, oregano, salt, dijon, honey cumin and olive oil. Put to the side.

Around half the potatoes get mashed with 6 Tablespoons cilantro sauce, lime juice, olive oil and salt and pepper. The other half of peeled potatoes get cut into bite size shapes (salt and pepper them lightly)

Get a sauce pot on slightly over medium heat with around an inch and a half of oil and when the oil is hot fry up the potato skins. When they are crisp take them out of the oil and put them on a drying rack or a paper towel lined baking sheet. Hit them with some salt and pepper to taste.

Now put it all together.

On the bottom goes the onion salsa. Next is mashed potatoes topped with boiled potatoes, topped with crispy fried potatoes. Add Peruvian peppers. Serve with extra cilantro sauce.

cilantro sauce
Peruvian Inspired Purple Potato Salad with Onion Salsa and Spicy Cilantro Sauce

Optional additional Peruvian style toppings are cooked eggs, feta cheese, carrots, radish, corn, peas, tomatoes, avocado and olives (preferably Peruvian Black Cured Olives)

Here is about 1/6th of the recipe with breakfast.

Enjoy!

The Forking Truth

Asparagus with Hazelnuts Dijon Vinaigrette and Breaded Fried Eggs Recipe

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The supermarket had an amazing sale on Asparagus and eggs so this is what I came up with. Frying the breaded eggs is very easy and quick to do. They are so tasty that you might want to make a few extra eggs.

Ingredients for around 4 servings

4 eggs

1 egg – lightly beaten

1 Tablespoon dijon

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup panko

canola or vegetable oil to fry with

1 bunch asparagus (around one pound) woody ends removed

1/2 cup toasted hazelnuts – lightly crushed

1 lemon just the zest

1 teaspoon fresh thyme

2 Tablespoons sherry vinegar

1 Tablespoon dijon mustard

3 Tablespoons olive oil

sea salt to taste

black pepper to taste

Directions

Make the vinaigrette. In a small bowl add the dijon mustard, vinegar and oil. Mix well and set to the side.

Put a pot of water on to a medium high boil. Once the water is boiling add the four (or more if you want extra) eggs and shut the heat OFF. Leave the eggs in the water for 6 minutes for a loose center or up to ten minutes if you want a hard center. Then take the eggs out of the water and put them in a bowl of ice water to cool.

Put oil in a sauce pot around thumbs length high with oil. Turn the heat up slightly past medium.

In a small bowl mix together the beaten egg and the dijon.

Put the flour in a small bowl.

put the panko in a small bowl.

Now peel the eggs.

Dip eggs first in flour.

Next coat eggs with egg/dijon mixture.

Then roll them in the panko.

The oil should be hot now and start frying the eggs. They get done very quickly. After eggs are fried set them on a cooling rack or a baking sheet lined with paper towels to absorb oil.

Boil water in a sauce pot and cook the asparagus till tender. Drain the asparagus.

Assemble

Put the asparagus on a platter. Pour on vinaigrette. Add hazelnuts, lemon zest and fresh thyme. Add eggs.

Asparagus with Hazelnuts, Dijon Vinaigrette and breaded fried egg

ENJOY!

The Forking Truth

Butternut Squash and Fondue Pie with Pickled Peppers similar but different by Yotam Ottolenghi Recipe

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I had to use up a butternut squash and I came across this amazing recipe for butternut squash and fondue with pickled chiles by Yotam Ottolenghi on the internet. It wasn’t my plan or intention to change the recipe but I didn’t have puff pastry so I made my own pastry. I didn’t have white wine either so I guessed that the amount of rice wine vinegar might be a similar taste. Also didn’t have Fresno chiles (I pickled baby bell pepper slices in jalapeño brine) at home so I made something slightly different. This pie does come out delicious but it is rich with lots of cheese and a thin delicious crust. I think it is most suitable as either a slice for breakfast or an extra small slice as an appetizer. So serving size is difficult to judge. It makes as least 8 servings.

Ingredients for around 8 servings

1 cup flour – pastry

1 stick unsalted butter (8oz.) – pastry

1/4 teaspoon sea salt – pastry

1/4 teaspoon baking powder – pastry

1/4 cup cream cheese – pastry

optional 1 teaspoon sour cream – pastry (only use if dough is too dry)

non stick spray

1/2 cup jalapeno brine (preferable home made or substitute apple cider vinegar with big pinch of salt)

6 smaller peppers or chiles – sliced thin in rings

1 smaller butternut squash – peeled, seeds removed cut in 1/2 inch 1/2 moons

1 Tablespoon + 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon Aleppo pepper

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper

1 3/4 teaspoons cinnamon

1 onion – peeled and cut into 5 slices

1 Tablespoon + 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil

6 garlic cloves ground to paste

1/4 cup rice wine vinegar

1 Tablespoon fresh thyme leaves + a few sprigs to finish

1 cup heavy cream

1 egg + 2 yolks – slightly beaten

1 Tablespoon corn starch

4 1/2 oz gruyere cheese – grated

4 oz raclette cheese – grated

optional 1 egg beaten for egg wash

optional 2 Tablespoons everything bagel seasoning

Instructions

Grease and line spring form pan with non stick spray . Set to side.

Make pastry. All dry ingredients (flour, salt, baking powder,) go in a large bowl. Use a medium size grater and grate the butter into the dry mix. Add the cream cheese and knead it a little bit. Usually this is enough. One time it was still too dry so I added a teaspoon of sour cream. Wrap the dough up with plastic wrap and either set to the side or chill in the refrigerator. The dough will get very hard in the refrigerator and will need a while to warm to room temperature when you need it.

Set Oven to 450 degrees F.

Make pickled peppers. Brine or vinegar (with pinch of salt) goes in a small bowl or container with pepper rings. Set to the side.

In a large bowl add the butternut squash, oil, Aleppo, black and white peppers, cinnamon and 1 Tablespoon and 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil. Combine and mix well. (don’t clean mixing bowl.The squash go on a parchment lined baking sheet in one layer.

In the same mixing bowl add another 1 Tablespoon + 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil. Mix the oil up well with the remaining spices sticking to the bowl. Dip each onion slice on both sides into the oil ring to keep the slices together. The onion slices also go on a parchment lined baking sheet in a single layer.

Put the baking sheets in the oven. Butternut squash baking sheet on middle rack and onion baking sheet on lower rack for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes carefully turn all the butternut squash over and all the onion slices over. They go back in the oven for another 15 minutes. Take them out of the oven and reduce the heat to 375 degrees F.

Next – In a large mixing bowl combine the garlic, vinegar, thyme leaves, heavy cream, 1 egg + 2 yolks, cornstarch, and cheeses and mix well. Put to side.

Roll out the dough as thin as you can. It goes into the spring form pan. You might need to mold the sides up a little bit. Add around three of the onion rings to the bottom and then add around three quarters of the butternut squash. Fill next with the cheesy liquid. Add remaining squash and onions last.

Put filled spring form pan on a lined baking sheet because it might leak some.

This stays in the oven 30 minutes. Then it comes out and it is very hot so be careful. You need to release rim of pan and remove it and side lining papers and place this back into the oven for 20 minutes. It is optional that you might want to brush the pastry with egg and pat bagel seasoning on it……Cut out a round of parchment paper to stop the top from browning more.

Let it sit out to cool some. Serve at room temperature or slightly heated.

Butternut Squash and Fondue Pie with Pickled Peppers

ENJOY!

A Special THANKS to Yotam Otttolenghi for sharing his Forking Amazing recipe so I could make this!

The Forking Truth

Potato String Wrapped HOT DOG Chile Relleno Recipe Idea

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Every now and then I like to stuff a pepper and wrap them with a potato string crust. Never did a hot dog before so that is what I did today.

I got Anaheim peppers today and removed the core inside and stuffed each one with one hot dog and very thinly sliced onions. A few of the hot dogs didn’t fit in perfect so I had to cut them some to make them fit…and managed to get a whole hot dog in each one. I was one Anaheim short so I used a half hot dog each in smaller yellow chili peppers.

I got out my Paderno spiral cutter and did a potato.

Then I wrapped some potato around each pepper. I sprayed my baking sheet with non stick spray and sprayed the potatoes with the non stick spray. They went in a 450 degree F oven for 30 minutes.

My peppers got done at all different times. I turned the heat down to 350 and just left peppers in till done. some needed 10 minutes and two needed 20 more minutes.

Potato String Wrapped HOT DOG Chile Relleno

Something that is tasty fun and different.

Enjoy!

The Forking Truth

Giardiniera Recipe

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I had a head of cauliflower that I had to use up and a few bell peppers, some homemade pickles and home made pickled serrano peppers. It seemed like Giardiniera was what I had to prepare. Since I used my already home made pickled serrano peppers my Giardiniera isn’t super spicy hot but does have heat to it. If you want your Giardiniera to be really hot you do need to use fresh hot peppers or a combination of fresh and pickled. After a few tastings I wanted the giardiniera to be a little spicier so I added a split hot banana pepper and in one day I thought it was a just right spicy. You are going to have to play around with the peppers the way I did to figure out how spicy hot you want this. This recipe make A LOT of Giardiniera….If you don’t can it then it will keep around 3 months in the refrigerator.

Ingredients for 30 servings

1 cauliflower – break into small florets

5 carrots – peel and slice

5 celery ribs – slice

1 red bell pepper – short slices

1 yellow bell pepper – short slices

2 home made pickles – cut into chunks

6 cloves garlic

1 cup home made pickled serrano peppers (or hot fresh peppers to taste) – sliced

4 cups. white vinegar

4 cups water

3 bay leaves

1/3 cup kosher salt

1 Tablespoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon + 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds

1/4 teaspoon celery seeds

1 Tablespoon dried crushed red pepper flakes

Directions

The vegetables (cauliflower, carrots, celery, peppers, garlic) all get mixed together and either go into jars or sterilized containers.

The vinegar, water, bay leaves, salt, oregano, mustard seeds, celery seed, red pepper flakes go in a sauce pot and you bring it to a boil. Reduce to simmer for 5 minutes and pour the liquid over the vegetables. Leave out on the counter till it gets to room temperature. Then jar or refrigerate.

This will be ready to enjoy in about 1/2 a day. If you want it spicier add a split hot banana pepper will do the trick!

Giardiniera

Enjoy!

The Forking Truth

Butternut Squash Apricots Walnuts with Lemon Anchovy Pesto Recipe

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I got a lot of parsley and butternut squash to use so this is what I thought up today. If you have a Paderno Spiral Slicer it will be pretty easy to fettuccini cut the squash. I used the fettuccini size cuts and not the smaller spaghetti cut. Everything came out delicious…You might want to give it a try. It is slightly hard to do perfect because the squash noodles go from raw to over done and squishy. Serving size is difficult to judge here because it depends on the size of your squash and how much that you want to eat. Is this a meal for you or a side dish? My guess is that the average smaller sized butternut squash will make 4 side portions.

Ingredients for around 4 servings

1 butternut squash – (I used a smaller sized squash) peeled and cut into thirds (see photo)

2 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon course sea salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 cup parmesan cheese – shredded

1 cup parsley leaves (packed tight) – chopped

1 large lemon – the fresh squeezed juice and zest

1 1/2 oz anchovies in oil

2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 Tablespoon garlic confit (when you buy bags of garlic slice the heads across in half drizzle heavy with olive oil, cover and roast in 350 degree f oven about an hour. Squeeze cloves out of head with oil and blend smooth) This will taste much better than raw garlic that can turn bitter.

1/4 cup scallions – sliced thin

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

2 oz dried apricots – chopped

3 oz toasted walnuts – slightly crushed

Directions

Pre heat oven to 400 degrees f.

Cover a baking sheet (or sheets) with parchment paper.

Spiral cut the butternut squash and put in a large mixing bowl.

Add the olive oil and salt and pepper to the squash. Mix to distribute.

Spread out the squash noodles on baking sheets.

This goes into the oven for around 10 minutes or until you are satisfied. Ovens do differ and you might want a couple minutes less.

While the squash is cooking make the pesto.

Blend together the parmesan, parsley, lemon juice, lemon zest, anchovies with oil, balsamic, garlic confit, scallions, red pepper flakes. When ready to serve this mixture suits in the bottom of serving plate. Top with noodle cut squash and top with apricots and walnuts.

Butternut Squash Apricots, Walnuts with Lemon Anchovy Pesto

ENJOY!

The Forking Truth

Rye Tortillas Recipe

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I was reading an article about the different types of tacos. I had no idea that a growing popular type of tacos are called deli tacos. I happen to have some FORKING Amazing home smoked pastrami in my freezer that I’m pulling out for tomorrow. As far as I know nobody makes rye tortillas so I’m making up my own today. I winged it and they came out pretty darn good. Whoo Hoo! I also made chef Alex Stupak’s recipe for pickled cabbage and mustard seed salsa to go with them. This recipe is only for the rye tortillas. This made me around 12 medium-ish size tortillas (around 6 inch diameter so that is either 6-12 servings depending if you eat one or two.

Ingredients for around 12 servings

1 cup flour + extra to roll dough

1 cup dark rye flour

2 Tablespoons canola oil + smalll amount of extra oil to fry tortillas

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon caraway seeds

3/4 cup water

2 Tablespoons pickled cabbage brine (you can substitute pickle brine)

Instructions

Get a medium mixing bowl and add the flours, oil, salt, baking powder, caraway seeds, water and brine. Mix well. Cover dough with plastic wrap and let dough rest about 30 minutes.

Scoop out a piece of dough that is around a meatball in size. Roll it up in your hand and then place it on a piece of plastic wrap that has been sprinkled with a small amount of flour. Sprinkle a very small amount of flour over the dough ball. Cover the dough ball with another piece of plastic wrap. Squish the ball flat with your hands over the plastic wrap. Now get a rolling pin to roll out the dough better.

Get a non stick pan on medium high heat and drizzle a few drops of oil.

When the pan seems hot add your tortilla. You have the perfect amount of time to get another tortilla rolled. By the time you are done making your tortilla hit will be time to flip the tortilla. Leave it in the pan a short time till slightly browned or slightly charred. Wipe out the pan with a towel drizzle with a few drops of oil and repeat till you are out of dough.

Rye Tortillas

I made mine with my last batch of home made Forking Amazing Smoked Pastrami, chef Alex Stupak’ recipe for pickled cabbage and mustard seeds salsa, avocado cream (recipe is on site) Russian dressing (ketchup, mayo, Amora dijon mustard) laced with fresh home made zhoug (Micheal Solomonov recipe) Of course they were FORKING AMAZING!

home made smoked pastrami, home made rye tortillas, pickled cabbage and mustard seeds salsa, avocado cream, Russian dressing laced with zhoug

Enjoy!

The Forking Truth

Jamaican Jerk Inspired Parsley Salad

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I was gifted with many bunches of parsley so I got on a roll with parsley recipes. I made chipotle lime chili chimichurri, parsley pesto and tabbouleh salad so far. (BTW they all came out FORKING Delicious) I had around a cup of leftover rice and peas from a Caribbean take out. You can add a cup of regular rice or any grain you like for something similar. Then I got the idea to change it up a little and made another sort of tabbouleh salad but with added jerk spices. My GOSH this came out FORKING AMAZING!!!! This recipe makes around 4 servings. Chopping up 2 packed cups of parsley is a lot of work. I have no idea on how Mediterranean Restaurants serve all that tabbouleh.

Ingredients for around 4 servings

2 cups parsley leaves – packed tight and well hand chopped

1 English cucumber – seeds removed – small dice

1 small red onion – fine chopped

1 Tablespoon fresh thyme – chopped

3 red jalapeño peppers – fine chopped (or to taste…red one look pretty and usually are never too hot)

1 cup prepared rice or another grain

2 limes the fresh squeezed juice and all the zest

3 garlic cloves – ground to paste

1 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

1 teaspoon ground black pepper (or to taste)

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon course sea salt (or to taste)

3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

3 Tablespoons honey

1 Tablespoon dark brown sugar

1 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon cayenne

Directions

In a large mixing bowl add the parsley, cucumber, onion, thyme, jalapeño, rice or grain, lime zest and mix.

In a small mixing bowl add the lime juice, garlic, allspice, black pepper, nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, salt, oil, honey, paprika, cumin cayenne and brown sugar. Mix well. Pour dressing on salad and mix well. Chill a few hours or over night. Adjust seasonings if necessary.

Jamaican Jerk Inspired Parsley Salad

Enjoy!

The Forking Truth

Tabbouleh Style Rice Recipe

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I was gifted with several bunches of parsley and Tabbouleh is a parsley salad so here it is but a little different. I added a cucumber because I was gifted with a bunch of them but the most different thing is the rice. Tabbouleh is traditionally made with soaked bulgar. I used rice because I had leftover take out rice taking up room in my refrigerator. It made sense to use the rice. Tabbouleh uses an incredible amount of parsley that you hand chop as small as possible. I have no idea how Mediterranean restaurants serve so much of this. This recipe makes around 4 salads.

Ingredients for around 4 salads

2 cups parley leaves (packed very tight) – chopped fine

1 cup cooked rice (or substitute any grain you want or have)

1 large tomato – chopped into small pieces (mine was small but that was all I had)

1 hot house cucumber – remove seeds – chop into very small pieces

1 small red onion – small dice

1/2 cup mint leaves – chopped

1/2 cup scallions – sliced thin

1 large Meyer lemon – the zest and fresh juice

1 teaspoon allspice

1 teaspoon course sea salt

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Directions

All the ingredients go in a large mixing bowl. Mix, chill a few hours or a day and serve.

Tabbouleh Style Rice

Enjoy!

The Forking Truth

Beet Chutney Recipe

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I had some beets and I saw a chef make beet chutney on Food Network TV. I usually don’t do Food Network TV recipes so I looked up other vegetable chutney recipes and got ideas on how to make the dip a little more complex. I have to say this came out amazing. You will want to try this. It came out so good that I will in the future use this as a filling in pastry or another creation. This is NOT an authentic Indian chutney recipe but is Indian Inspired. Serving size may differ. This make around 8 small servings.

Ingredients for around 8 small servings

1 lb beets – peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes

1 medium sized red onion – diced

2 red hot peppers – minced

2 bay leaves

2 branch curry leaves

2 Tablespoons dark brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon fenugreek

1/2 teaspoon nigella (also called black cumin seeds)

1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds

1/2 teaspoon brown mustard seeds

5 garlic cloves – ground to paste

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

2 Tablespoons tamarind paste

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar – (or to taste)

sea salt to taste

ground black pepper to taste

1/4 cup fresh cilantro – torn or chopped

optional – pomegranate seeds

Directions

Set oven to 400 degrees f.

In a pan that you can cover add the beets, onion, hot peppers, bay leaves, curry leaves, sugar, ginger, fenugreek, nigella, cumin seeds, brown mustard seeds, garlic, turmeric, & tamarind. Cover and put on middle rack of pre-heated 400 degree f oven until beets are fry tender. ( I left mine in for one hour)

Next when done – remove the bay leaves and curry leaves and add a splash of apple cider vinegar and blend. Add salt and pepper to taste. Finish with some fresh cilantro. Add pomegranate (if using) Serve with something to dip.

Beet Chutney

Enjoy!

The Forking Truth