Lori, Author at Fake Food Free

Double Chocolate Orange Cookies Recipe

February 8, 2013

These chocolate orange cookies bring together two of my very favorite ingredients!

Double Chocolate Orange Cookies | Fake Food Free

Did you ever buy those chocolate oranges? They came in the shiny foil and when you whacked it on the counter top it broke into appropriately imprinted orange slices.

I think they were introduced around Christmas or Easter one year and we went crazy for them. I don’t know if they are still available, but I owe them all the credit for introducing me to the flavor combination of chocolate and orange.

I don’t want to be so bold as to say that it ranks up there with chocolate and peanut butter, but if I had to pick a fruit to go with my chocolate, orange just might be it.

Valentine’s Day is coming up, and while I know it isn’t everyone’s favorite holiday, I am adamant about the fact that one should, at the very least, embrace a holiday that focuses so heavily on chocolate. Forget the love, the pink, the hearts if you must, but my goodness, eat some chocolate!

I’m here to help you out with this recipe. A lot of chocolate, a little orange, some whole grains and raw sugar. Nice and simple, but the perfect way to celebrate Valentine’s Day.

Double Chocolate Orange Cookies via @Lori_Rice

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Double Chocolate Orange Cookies Recipe

Makes: 18 cookies

Ingredients

½ cup unsalted butter, softened

¾ cup raw sugar

1 large egg

½ tsp vanilla

1 tsp fresh orange juice

Zest of 1 orange

½ tsp baking soda

¼ tsp salt

¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

¾ cup whole wheat flour

½ cup dark chocolate chips

Prep

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In the bowl of a mixer, cream together the butter and sugar, about 1 to 2 minutes. Scrape the sides of the bowl and add the egg. Mix until incorporated. Add the vanilla, orange juice and orange zest, mix about 30 seconds more.

Add the baking soda, salt and cocoa powder. Mix until the cocoa powder is distributed throughout the dough. With the mixer on low, add the flour a ¼ cup at a time. Mix just until it is incorporated. Stir in the chocolate chips.

Use a small cookie scoop or tablespoon to transfer the dough to a standard baking sheet. Bake for 8 minutes. Allow to cool on the baking sheet 1 to 2 minutes and transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Thanks for reading! All images and content are the property of Fake Food Free unless otherwise stated. Please do not republish full recipes and images without written permission. What is okay? Feel free to Pin images, share links to my posts or share the photo in a round up post with the title of this recipe and a link back to the post. Confused about copyright and food blogs? Here is some helpful information on Recipe Attribution. If you want to use a photo or full recipe, just ask. I’m sure we can work something out.

Arugula and Spinach Salad with Goat Cheese Orange Walnut Dressing Recipe

February 6, 2013

You remember this garden, right?

Well, I had to leave that garden in Kentucky. I miss it dearly, but there are new adventures ahead. They might even be more challenging adventures that will teach me a lot.

Why? Because this is our new garden.

Smaller, yes. But I’ve learned over time that it’s difficult to kill a plant that you stick in the ground. A plant in a pot is a whole different story. So begin my adventures in balcony and container gardening!

We started small with herbs, spinach, arugula, lettuce and chard, and I couldn’t resist trying out a few strawberry plants. (There’s also a new citrus tree, but I’ll save that for another post.) Everything is perky and green so far so I have high hopes.

It’s doing so well that I decided to trim off a little arugula for a salad. The spinach has a ways to go so I picked that up at the Farmer’s Market this past weekend. And you just know that oranges had to be in there somewhere.

Cheese is a requirement on my salads and the more flavorful and stronger the better. I like goat cheese. Well, some goat cheese. I seem to be getting pickier. If it’s mild in grassy flavor then I’m a huge fan.

Instead of topping my salad with goat cheese, I blended it with the dressing. Wow, do I love this dressing – nutty, sweet, tart and creamy. It’s a thin dressing so if you prefer something thicker I’d suggest cutting back a bit on the orange juice or adding a little more cheese.

Fingers crossed that there are more apartment garden salads to come!

Arugula and Spinach Salad with Goat Cheese Orange Walnut Dressing Recipe

3 cups spinach

1 cup arugula

1 orange, peeled and sliced

¼ cup dried cranberries

Dressing

2 tbsp chopped walnuts

1 tbsp chèvre (goat cheese)

1 clove garlic

Juice of one orange

Sprinkle of salt and pepper, to taste

Arrange the spinach and arugula on two plates, about 1 ½ cups spinach and ½ cup arugula on each. Top each plate of greens with half of the orange slices. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of cranberries on each salad.

To make the dressing, place all ingredients in a small food processor. Pulse until the walnuts are ground fine and all ingredients are combined. (Makes about ¼ cup.)

Drizzle each salad with half of the dressing. Makes 2 servings.

Spicy Citrus Cocktail Recipe

January 30, 2013

This spicy citrus cocktail is made with fresh tangerine juice and a splash of sriracha!

The Spicy Citrus Cocktail | Fake Food Free | A spicy rum cocktail made with orange and tangerine juices and a splash of sriracha!

I haven’t made cocktails for the blog in a while. That’s likely because we haven’t had a stocked bar since early last fall. Yes, when you know you are going to move across the country, the half empty bottles in liquor cabinet are the first things you make sure to finish up.

We finally have the basics back and I’ve said all week that I want to make a tangerine cocktail. Citrus season, Super Bowl party – whatever the excuse, I had a mission.
I enlisted my husband’s help and last night he said, “You could put Sriracha in it.” Why, yes, I could put Sriracha in it! I’m a huge fan of spicy cocktails – dustings of chili powder, jalapeno-infused spirits. I was thrilled with the idea.

Now, please excuse my glass rim-dusting skills. I am no expert. You’ll overlook an imperfect rim, once you taste the drink. The hot sauce adds just the slightest spicy flavor right out of the shaker. But I’ll warn you. Don’t nurse this one. The longer it sits the spicier it gets. Cheers!

The Spicy Citrus

Makes: 2 drinks

Ingredients:

2 oz. fresh tangerine juice

2 oz. fresh orange juice

1 tsp raw sugar

1/8 tsp sriracha

3 oz. gold rum

Ice

Raw sugar for rimming the glasses

2 slices blood orange or tangerine for garnish

Preparation:

Add the juices, teaspoon of raw sugar, sriracha and rum to a cocktail shaker. Stir to dissolve the sugar. Add a few ice cubes and stir again until well chilled.

Rim two martini glasses with sugar. Strain the cocktail into the glasses. Garnish with slices of citrus.

Sweet Orange-Sesame Bok Choy Recipe

January 24, 2013

During the winter months, my love for dark, leafy greens comes second only to my love of citrus. For me, putting these two favorites together is nothing short of mind blowing.

Yes, I realize that I might be the only person ever to consider greens mind blowing. But if you can’t get enough of kale, bok choy and chard, you must try them with a twist of citrus.

When I mix orange and greens I almost always lean towards adding Asian flavors. If orange and greens are good, then orange, greens and sesame or soy are even better.

Bok Choy with Orange-Sesame Glaze | Recipe | Fake Food Free

Alone, with rice, with rice and an egg on top – there so many options for these simple, citrusy greens. The biggest challenge is not eating them all before they get to the table.

Sweet Orange-Sesame Bok Choy Recipe

Makes: 2-3 servings

Ingredients

Juice of one large naval orange

Zest of half an orange

2 tablespoons raw sugar

2 cloves garlic, minced

Splash of rice wine vinegar

½ tablespoon dark sesame oil

1 small head bok choy, greens and part of the whites chopped (about 4 cups)

Orange slices for serving (optional)

Preparation

In a small dish, stir together the orange juice, orange zest, sugar and garlic. Add this to a wok or large skillet and heat to medium-high. Continue to heat the juice, stirring often, until it begins to thicken slightly, about 2-3 minutes.

Add the bok choy and toss to coat in the juice. Add the splash of vinegar. Cook until the bok choy wilts, about 2 more minutes. Stir in the sesame oil. Serve warm.

Sautéed Sweet Orange and Sesame Bok Choy Recipe | Fake Food Free

Thanks for reading! All images and content are the property of Fake Food Free and Lori Rice unless otherwise stated. Please do not republish full recipes and images without written permission. What is okay? Feel free to Pin images, share links to my posts or share the photo in a round up post with the title of this recipe and a link back to the post. Confused about copyright and food blogs? Here is some helpful information on Recipe Attribution. If you want to use a photo or full recipe, just ask. I’m sure we can work something out.

Page Tangerine Walnut Muffins Recipe

January 22, 2013

One change that goes along with living in the Bay Area is that I can no longer complain about the endless cold days of January and February. No, no complaining here. In fact, you can’t get much closer to perfect for me. Sunshine and jacket weather, nicely balanced with a gloomy day that requires a scarf and maybe gloves.

I’ve always considered citrus season a bright spot in a long, dreary winter. Now it’s a bonus during an already enjoyable time of year. And wow, did I completely underestimated how amazing citrus season would be around here!

I’m not unfamiliar with regular access to amazing oranges. I had my pick of them when we lived in Brazil, but four varieties of oranges, mandarins, tangerines, lemons and sweet limes is a whole new ball game. We’ve purchased so much the past two weekends, we can barely carry them back to our apartment. Yet the fruit basket is completely empty come the following Saturday.

I’m incredible picky about my citrus. Mainly the seeds and tough membranes. It’s such an issue for me that I still serve my oranges old school cafeteria-style, sliced in quarters and eaten like a fourth grader. I’ve just now come around to the peel-and-eat citrus like mandarins, if they are small, tender and sweet.

Last week I was introduced to a new favorite that meets all my criteria – Page Tangerines. They are a cross of clementines and minneolas (tangelos). They are unbelievably sweet and tender. Some people at the Farmer’s Market stall complained that they are a little hard to peel, but I didn’t mind this too much.

Page Tangerines, a cross of clementines and minneolas (tangelos). | Page Tangerine Walnut Muffins Recipe | Fake Food Free

California Citrus | Ferry Building Farmers Market, San Francisco | Fake Food Free

Given that I can’t seem to control myself, and always buy way too much citrus, I decided to use some in muffins this past weekend. Along with the sweet citrus, I added walnuts for a little crunch and a sprinkle of raw sugar on the top.

Page Tangerine Walnut Muffins Recipe

Makes: 12 muffins

Ingredients:
2 cups white whole wheat flour
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup raw sugar
3/4 cup milk
1/3 cup olive oil
1 large egg, beaten
1 tsp vanilla
3-4 Page tangerines, peeled and finely chopped
1 tsp Page tangerine zest
1/3 cup chopped walnuts
Raw sugar to top the muffins

Prep:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and grease the bottom of each muffin tin. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside. In a separate bowl whisk together the sugar, milk, olive oil, egg and vanilla.

Gradually add the wet ingredients to the dry, mixing just until combined. Fold in the tangerines, zest and walnuts. Divide into 12 muffins. Sprinkle the top of each muffin with about a 1/2 tsp of raw sugar. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until muffins are browned and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool and remove from pan.

Roasted Tomato, Black Bean and Arugula Salad Recipe

January 15, 2013

There is something about this time of year that makes me want to simplify my meals. But unlike many people who are ready to move on to green salads, I still want comfort food. It doesn’t have to be unhealthy comfort food. I just want a little something that is warm and filling. It’s the perfect opportunity to make a black bean salad.

I picked up some beautiful grape tomatoes at the Farmer’s Market this past weekend, but given my comfort food craving, I didn’t want them cold. Roasting them seemed like the perfect solution. And when I combined them with some slightly wilted arugula and the black beans, the tomatoes got even better.

This is a super simple salad that makes an easy appetizer, side dish or even a filling main course!

Roasted Tomato, Black Bean and Arugula Salad Recipe

Makes: 4 servings

What you’ll need:

2 cups grape tomatoes
Olive oil
¾ tsp dried basil
½ tsp dried oregano
¼ tsp crushed red pepper
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp ground black pepper
1 ½ cups arugula
2 cups black beans, warmed

How to make it:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Spread the grape tomatoes in a single layer on a baking sheet. Spray or drizzle lightly with olive oil. Use just enough to lightly coat each tomato. Sprinkle the basil, oregano, red pepper, salt and pepper over the tomatoes.

Roast until the tomatoes begin to burst, about 10 minutes. (You can also use your broiler for a similar result.) Remove from the oven and immediately lay the arugula over the tomatoes to wilt it slightly. Add the black beans to a medium-sized bowl, stir in the tomatoes and arugula. Add more salt or pepper to taste, if desired. Serve warm. Makes 4 servings.

A simple salad recipe with Roasted Tomato, Black Bean and Arugula

Thanks for reading! All images and content are the property of Lori Rice and Fake Food Free unless otherwise stated. Please do not republish full recipes and images without written permission. What is okay? Feel free to Pin images, share links to my posts or share the photo in a round up post with the title of this recipe and a link back to the post. Confused about copyright and food blogs? Here is some helpful information on Recipe Attribution. If you want to use a photo or full recipe, just ask. I’m sure we can work something out.

Where to Eat in 2013

January 13, 2013

Hello from California!

The move has been made and I’m working on getting comfortable in my new kitchen. I’m excited to start this new year in a new place and to see where my experiences take me and the blog.

I have to be honest. I can already feel things shifting a bit. I still want to cook with all the amazing ingredients that are now available to me, but I’m also in a place where there is some pretty amazing food (and drink) being made by others.

This year, along with recipes you are probably going to find more places dine and events to attend. I also hope to put the focus back on the global aspect of my blog. I have so much more to learn about the cuisines of other countries and it’s time to start trying more in my own kitchen.

Considering we’re already halfway through January, I really don’t want to look back and recap last year. But in 2012 I took part in 2 cross-country road trips, a trip to Toronto, a visit to New York City, a trip to Vegas, a day in Sonoma and Napa Valley and New Years Eve in Santa Barbara. Not to mention our explorations of Kentucky.

So, yeah. I have a few food recommendations for you.

So let’s not look back at the best eats of last year, but let’s look at it as where you need to eat and drink in 2013! These are my picks so start planning your road trip

Kansas City, KS – Oklahoma Joe’s

We moved my husband out to California last September. That was road trip #1, to the north via I-80. What an amazing drive! I want to do it again already.

We didn’t have our food planned out, but left it to tips from friends and popular TV shows along the way. First up, Oklahoma Joe’s in Kansas City. It turns out Anthony Bourdain kind of likes the place too.

I like barbecue, but I’m not all crazy for it. And I don’t understand all the allegiances to different types. I like all of them for different reasons. But, oh my goodness. This food was amazing! My husband and I are still talking about it months later. The meat, the sauce, the hour-long line, the restaurant-in-a-gas-station atmosphere. It was one of the best meals I had all year.

My favorite was the burnt ends sandwich, and the beans were as perfect as they can get. Slightly meaty, loaded with barbecue flavor. I’m usually not a fan of ribs, but I’d order them again in a second.

Salt Lake City, UT – Red Iguana

We had no plan when we got to Salt Lake, but after checking out the FoodNetwork app we found the Red Iguana which had been on an episode of Diners, Drive-ins and Dives. It’s described as pre-Hispanic Mexican, and the big draw? 7 kinds of moles.

I got the Mole Verde. This wasn’t your classic, chocolately mole, but it was delicious. The chicken was so tender and the sauce was full of spicy flavor. My husband got the Mole Negro and this is what I think of when I think of mole – rich, dark, slightly spicy sauce. It was my favorite.

Toronto, Canada – Steam Whistle

In July last year, I made my first trip to Canada. It’s hard to believe I hadn’t been before! And yes, I know. Everyone is telling me that I need to see more places, but I LOVED Toronto. One of our favorite things was the local beer, Steam Whistle. We did the brewery tour, and the bar just happened to be one of the most affordable places to grab a beer so we hung out for a while and enjoyed it.

New York City – Momofuku Noodle Bar

I traveled to New York City in October for the first time since I was in high school. Needless to say, a lot has changed. Mainly that I now have a deep appreciation for good food. I recapped the trip last year, but a round up on where to eat in 2013 wouldn’t be complete without a mention of Momofuku Noodle Bar. It was the first place I went when I got to the city, and I’m already planning to take my husband back this year.

The corn ramen was the special on my visit and it didn’t disappoint. The blackboard lists the farms where a majority of the food is sourced, and with a huge bar for seating it is perfect for dining alone if you are traveling on business like I was.

Sonoma, CA – The Girl and The Fig

Over the Thanksgiving holiday we took our first trip to California wine country. Knowing we would be in Sonoma around lunch time, we did what every food-lover does. We ate at The Girl and The Fig. We made reservations for lunch, as you should too because although the restaurant was only half full when we arrived, every table was taken by the time we left.

We started with a cheese plate and that was good, but the best part of it was the dried fig cake made in house. It was delicious with the cheese.

I had a simple lunch of a tasty grilled cheese, but for me my husband’s meal was the best. The pork belly sandwich with a slightly sweet apple slaw.

Stanford, KY – Bluebird Cafe

If you think a small-town, rural restaurant can’t compete with food-cities around the U.S., I encourage you to go to Bluebird. On a downtown street that barely has one stoplight, this place will amaze you. With locally sourced ingredients and a creative menu that would rival any restaurant in the big city, Bluebird serves Kentucky favorites with a twist.

Our first couple visits were for breakfast where I enjoyed the breakfast fries with smoked gouda sauce. We finally made it for lunch just before we moved – a fried green tomato BLT on a whole wheat sorghum bun. Yes, yum.

Santa Barbara, CA – East Beach Grill

We stayed in Santa Barbara on our final leg of the official move which also happened to be New Years Eve. (This time we took I-40 through the southern US.) Other than the wonderful ocean views, we experienced very little of what this awesome town has to offer. But we did manage to have pancakes on New Years morning. The East Beach Grill was close to our hotel, dog friendly and rumor had it they offered some amazing wheat germ pancakes. The rumors were true. I had a stack of blueberry and my husband a stack of strawberry while we relaxed outside with the pugs and enjoyed the view of the ocean.

Oakland, CA – Bocanova

There will be many more Oakland favorites to come, but I definitely found a place I love with only a few days of being here. Bocanova in Jack London Square has unique cocktails and one fine happy hour. One of my favorite appetizers is the Dungeness Crab Deviled Eggs with Chipotle Aioli.

That about sums it up. Hopefully I’ve shared enough to keep you busy. And full. Recipes will resume soon, but for now I’ll leave you with one of my favorite offerings at our Farmer’s Market. Gorgeous greens with edible flowers. Happy New Year!

P.S. I was having some trouble with formatting on this post. The names of the cities and restaurants are links that will take you to the restaurant website.

Smoked Almond Matcha Tea Cookies Recipe

December 12, 2012

I love making these Smoked Almond Matcha Tea Cookies during the holidays. The almonds add a flavorful, smoky surprise that goes so well with the sweetness of the cookie, and the matcha gives them a festive green color.

Smoked Almond Matcha Tea Cookies | Fake Food Free

If I yelled hello it would echo. Hear it? It’s a tiny echo from this deep dark hole of job transition and packing that has swallowed me up for the past few weeks. It’s an okay hole. I’ll be out of it soon. But right now it has taken me over.

I’ve never made a big move or transition right at Christmas time before. It’s exciting to imagine the coming New Year as a true new beginning, but I am really missing Christmas. Fortunately, we’ll spend some time with family before the official move so even if there are none at our house, I see lights, trees, snowmen and cookies in our future.

Ah, cookies. This year there won’t be many made by me, but before I packed the the baking sheets, I did manage to make just a few for a cookie exchange with a friend.

I had lots of smoked almonds left over from the Almond Goat Cheese Scoops, and even some matcha from these Matcha Tea Cookies with Gooseberry Filling, so I tried combining them for what turned out to be my new favorite cookie. They are much like a shortbread or sandie cookie, and the matcha adds a light green color making them even more festive.

I always like to warn you when a recipe calls for refrigeration. I’m notorious for getting all excited to quickly make a cookie and realize later that I didn’t pay close enough attention to the fact that the dough needs to be refrigerated! So plan ahead with these, they will need to firm up for 3 to 4 hours in the fridge.

Smoked Almond Matcha Tea Cookies Recipe

Makes: About 2 dozen cookies

Ingredients

1 cup unsalted butter, softened
⅓ cup Demerara or other raw sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp almond extract
½ tsp Matcha tea powder
¼ tsp fine ground sea salt
2 ¼ cups unbleached all purpose flour
½ cup smoked almonds, crushed

Prep

In the bowl of a mixer, beat the butter and sugar for 60 to 90 seconds. I usually add extra time when working with raw sugar to help it combine better with the butter.

Add the egg and beat for about 30 seconds. Add the almond extract and tea powder and mix just until the powder is incorporated.

Add the salt. Next add the flour a little at a time while mixing on low and scraping the sides of the bowl until a dough is formed.

Divide the nuts in half, and spread each portion out on a large piece of plastic wrap. Divide the cookie dough in half. Take one half and roll it into an even log shape. Adjust the size to how big you would like your cookies to be. Mine had about a 2 inch circumference. Roll it in the nuts to coat the outside, and then wrap it tightly with the plastic wrap.

Repeat the process with the other half of dough. Refrigerate the dough until very firm, about 3 to 4 hours or leave it overnight.

When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Slice the cookies about ¼ to ⅓ inch thick and place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 7 to 8 minutes, or just until the edges begin to brown. Allow to cool about 1 to 2 minutes on the tray and then transfer to a cooking rack. Makes about 2 dozen.

My plan was to have all kinds of holiday posts for you this month, but unfortunately it’s just not meant to be. Now I’m at the point where all my cooking and baking gear needs to make its way to boxes, so this will be my last recipe post for 2012.

I have lots of travel eats to share as I’ve now been out to the East Bay 3 times this year and we are preparing for our second cross-country trip. If time allows, I’ll stop back in to at least share some good food.

I’ll see you in 2013 with all kinds of new adventures!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Come See Me at the Dinner Bell in Hobby Farm Home!

December 7, 2012

Happy Friday!

Fridays have been full of all kinds of good news lately. Last week, the announcement of our moving to Oakland, CA. This week, my first food column is in print!

I’m thrilled to say that the January/ February 2013 issue of Hobby Farm Home magazine is now on newsstands. You can find my article, recipes and photos in the column, Dinner Bell. I can’t express how humbled and excited I am to be a part of one of my favorite magazines.

My content aside, this magazine is excellent for anyone who loves cooking, gardening, hobby farming and homesteading. Add a subscription to your gift list.

I’m co-hosting a cookie exchange this weekend. Have you ever hosted or participated in one? I decided to overlook my 20 favorite holiday cookie recipes, and I’m trying something new. I’ll be back with the recipe next week!

Watercress with Smoked Almond Goat Cheese Scoops and Grapes in Red Wine Syrup

December 4, 2012

Have you ever found a recipe that makes you want to have a party? You know, just so you can show it off to your guests? Not because it was a brilliant feat on your part, but because it was just that good.

I hadn’t. Until I found this.

This is Watercress with Smoked Almond Goat Cheese Scoops and Grapes in Red Wine Syrup.

This little salad-slash-starter is party worthy. It even felt like a party when I ate it alone for lunch yesterday. As mentioned above, it is just that good.

It came from what I now consider my absolute favorite cookbook of 2012 – Home Made Winter by Yvette van Boven. You might remember my review of Home Made last year. I assure you, things only got better.

And by things I mean recipes I want to make, pictures I want to look at and tips I want to incorporate. Home Made Winter is all the warm, fuzzy, comforting feelings you look for in winter and the holiday season in cookbook form.

I am so inspired by Yvette’s style. It makes me want to take myself to the kitchen on a cold night and cook, bake and create for hours. There are wonderful do-it-yourself standards such as homemade cured beef sausage, butter, yogurt, apple cider and Irish cream liqueur. (What? Irish cream isn’t a standard necessity? I’m ready to make it one.)

Then things get fancy – fancy and completely do-able and tasty. Butternut Crème with Goat Cheese Cream and Sage, Whole Organic Chicken Stuffed with Pork, Veal and Sage Sausage and Guinness Fruitcake only scratch the surface.

The best part of the book is the introduction where Yvette announces that she’s already started working on a second volume – Home Made Summer! This winter edition proudly displays Irish influence, while Home Made Summer will show its French roots. I can’t wait!

This book is full of holiday-inspired baked goods, and hearty meat and vegetable dishes, but I decided to pick something on the lighter side – a nice salad full of seasonal flavors.

The intro to the recipe suggests using fresh cranberries instead of grapes, and that is what I did, with amazing results! After stopping at two stores to find watercress, I finally settled on arugula. It tastes wonderful with the other flavors of the salad, but I’ll be trying it again with watercress as soon as I can get my hands on some.

I encourage you to give the recipe a try, but I offer fair warning.

You are going to want to have a party!

Watercress with Smoked Almond Goat Cheese Scoops and Grapes in Red Wine Syrup Recipe

Reprinted with permission from Abrams Books

An awfully simple recipe that looks very flashy. Instead of the grapes you could use fresh cranberries or quartered fresh figs. If you can’t find smoked almonds, you can use regular almonds.

½ of a 750-ml bottle red wine

½ cup plus 2 tbsp (125 g) turbinado or Demerara sugar

3 star anise

8 cardamom pods

5 oz (150 g) seedless red grapes

salt and freshly ground black pepper

7 oz (200 g) soft goat cheese

⅓ cup (50 g) smoked almonds

1 bunch fresh watercress, stems removed

Heat the wine in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the sugar and stir to dissolve, then add the anise and cardamom and bring to a boil. Boil the syrup for about 25 minutes, until it’s slightly thicker. Reduce the heat to low and add the grapes. Warm the grapes in the syrup for about 7 minutes.

Remove the pan from the heat and let the syrup cool. Taste and add salt and pepper if needed.

Divide the goat cheese into 12 equal portions. With clean hands, roll the portions into small balls.

Pulse the almonds in a food processor until coarsely ground. Roll the goat cheese balls in the almonds to coat them. Place the cheese balls on a tray or baking sheet, cover them, and place them in the fridge for 1 hour to firm up.

To serve, wash and dry the watercress. Arrange some nice leaves over 4 plates. Arrange the goat cheese balls on top and spoon grapes in syrup around the cheese.

Disclosure: This book was sent to me for review purposes. I was not required to write about it and received no compensation for doing so. It goes without saying, thoughts and opinions here are my own.

Older Posts

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Archives

Double Chocolate Orange Cookies Recipe

Double Chocolate Orange Cookies Recipe

Arugula and Spinach Salad with Goat Cheese Orange Walnut Dressing Recipe

Arugula and Spinach Salad with Goat Cheese Orange Walnut Dressing Recipe

Spicy Citrus Cocktail Recipe

The Spicy Citrus

Sweet Orange-Sesame Bok Choy Recipe

Sweet Orange-Sesame Bok Choy Recipe

Page Tangerine Walnut Muffins Recipe

Page Tangerine Walnut Muffins Recipe

Roasted Tomato, Black Bean and Arugula Salad Recipe

Roasted Tomato, Black Bean and Arugula Salad Recipe

Where to Eat in 2013

Smoked Almond Matcha Tea Cookies Recipe

Smoked Almond Matcha Tea Cookies Recipe

Come See Me at the Dinner Bell in Hobby Farm Home!

Watercress with Smoked Almond Goat Cheese Scoops and Grapes in Red Wine Syrup

Watercress with Smoked Almond Goat Cheese Scoops and Grapes in Red Wine Syrup Recipe

Thanks so much for reading!

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