Lori, Author at Fake Food Free

Home Made: A Cookbook Review

September 2, 2011

Yvette Van Boven’s books are some of my very favorite. This post features the first of her Home Made cookbook series and her recipe for Flatbread with Chickpeas and Sage and Pizza Bianca!

No doubt we have some amazing cookbooks that emerge from the States, but when I find one that has been translated from a foreign language into English I can’t help but think – now, this must be good!

There are so many possibilities. Maybe the author will give me a peak into his or her culture. Perhaps I’ll learn about a new ingredient. Maybe I’ll be pleasantly surprised by a combination of two foods I’m used to, but have never put together before.

Home Made by Amsterdam-based, Aan de Amstel co-owner, Yvette Van Boven, turns all these possibilities into realities. A hefty-book that will need ample space on your shelf, it is full of do-it-yourself creations.

In this book, Mingling with your standard layout of recipes for main courses, appetizers and desserts are fun, whimsically illustrated how-to methods for making things like cheese, terrines and liqueurs. Not only does the book itself brighten my day, the photography is unique and captivating. Dark shadows and interesting shots make the food that much more appealing.

While sifting through the Home Made cookbook and encountering must-try recipes such as Oeuf Cocotte, Potted Shrimp, Hot Cucumber Soup with Deep-Fried Parsley and Date & Lemon Ricotta Cake, I found one that I couldn’t pass up for this post – Flatbread with Chickpeas and Sage. So simple, yet so exciting! This was followed up by – Pizza Bianca – a delicious way to use up these tasty breads.

The flatbreads contain the chickpeas and the dough cooks up into a light and tender bread. The flavor of the sage is strong and to be honest makes me think a little of Thanksgiving. Speaking of which, these little flatbreads would be a wonderful replacement for a traditional (read: boring) roll at the family table this year.

Outstanding all on their own, they get even better when made into the mini-pizzas. Appetizer, snack, meal? Perhaps all three? I’ve been eating them all week for lunch and get a bit excited every time 12:00 rolls around knowing they are waiting in my lunch box.

I used unbleached, all-purpose flour and chickpeas I had previously cooked from dried. I’m not familiar with the tallegio cheese in the recipe and really didn’t have the time to go on the hunt to find it here so I got creative with some that I had on hand. A combination of French Brie, parmesan and white cheddar was delicious.

Flatbread with Chickpeas and Sage

From the Home Made cookbook. Reprinted with permission from Abrams Books
1 ¼ cups lukewarm water
1 package yeast (2 ¼ tsp)
4 cups all-purpose flour and a little extra
14 oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
a few sprigs sage, chopped
salt and freshly ground pepper

Stir the yeast into the lukewarm water and briefly allow to dissolve. Combine the flour and chickpeas in a food processor or in a large bowl and mix well. The chickpeas have to burst open!

Combine the sage, salt and pepper and add the hot water. Work thoroughly, at least some 10 minutes, into a smooth dough. If necessary, add flour if it is too sticky. Dust a bowl with a little flour and place the dough ball in it. Cover with plastic wrap. Put in a draught-free place and leave the dough to rise for at least 1 hour.

Dust the work surface and remove the risen flour ball from the bowl. Knock down the dough again and divide the ball into equal portions the size of apricots. Sprinkle with flour and keep until used, at least 1 hour, on a serving tray dusted with flour. Place a flat pan or shallow skillet on the heat. Roll the small dough balls into thin elongated pieces and cook in the pan until they puff up. Turn halfway through until they are cooked.

Tip: You can also cook them on the outdoor grill! Cook them toward the end, when the fire has slightly subsided.

Pizza Bianca with Chickpea and Sage Flatbread Recipe | Fake Food Free

Pizza Bianca with Flatbread

From the Home Made cookbook. Reprinted with permission from Abrams Books.
For 10-12 small pizzas as a side dish or 24 mini pizzas; Great when served with drinks.

2 2/3 cups mixed mushrooms
3 tbsp olive oil, plus a little extra
A few twigs fresh thyme (reserve some for garnish)
1 clove garlic, chopped
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 quantity of dough, as described above
7 oz taleggio (Italian mountain cheese with an earthy flavor, which melts easily; otherwise use raclette cheese or mozzarella)
24 drops truffle or hazelnut oil

Slice the mushrooms. Heat a skillet with olive oil and briefly sauté the mushrooms with a little thyme. Toward the end add the garlic, and season with salt and pepper. If desired, save some thyme for the garnish. Set aside to slightly cool. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and butter well.

Make the dough as described above and create pizzas in the size of your choice. Then cover them with mushrooms and taleggio. Cook in an oven preheated to 340 degrees F/Gas 4 for approx. 15 minutes.

Disclaimer: This book was sent to me free of charge for review purposes. I was not required to write about it and received no compensation for doing so.

South African Hertzoggies

August 30, 2011

When I think about all the countries in this world, I realize that I have made foods from very few. Take South African cuisine, for example. I’ve seen it in blog posts, there is even a restaurant in town, but it is one food that I have yet to explore.

Lucky for me, we have a friend here who is from South Africa. She hooked me up with a cookbook so I could explore a few options. It’s taken me months to get down to business and get baking, but I think you may find these worth the wait.

South African Hertzoggies | Fake Food Free | A pastry with apricot filling and a coconut topping.

Hertzoggies are a pastry also sometimes referred to as coconut tarts. Despite their association with coconut, I have to say what gets my attention, after now having taken several bites, is the apricot filling.

These cute pastries are surprisingly easy to make. I adapted the recipe to include mascavo and Demerara sugars. I also had only unbleached, all-purpose flour on hand and used that instead of the recommended cake flour. Not wanting so much sugar and coconut in the meringue I reduced that a bit too.

The filling is super simple, just an apricot jam. According to the original recipe I adapted, the key to a good Hertzoggie is in the jam. Young apricot jam is ideal because it provides a bit of tartness. I wasn’t able to be picky with my jam, though. I went for my favorite variety (when it’s not homemade), Smucker’s Simply Fruit. I like it because there is no added sugar or artificial sweeteners.

My Hertzoggies browned up a bit more than photos I’ve seen, but I expect that is because of the sugars I used. I also struggle a bit with meringues. Nonetheless, these little treats are delicious. Not only in their original form, but the whole idea has me visualizing the potential for other flavors!

South African Hertzoggies
Modified from Hertzoggies, Cook with 7 de Laan

Makes: 16 to 18

Ingredients

Dough

2 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
Pinch of salt
½ cup butter
5 tsp mascavo sugar
3 egg yolks
1-2 tbsp milk

Filling and Topping

½ cup apricot jam
3 egg whites
¾ cup Demerara sugar
½ cup unsweetened, shredded coconut

Prep

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and grease a muffin tin.

Sift the flour, baking powder and salt together. Cut in the cold butter. Blend with a pastry blender until the butter is in pea-size pieces. Stir in the sugar and then the egg yolks. Add the milk a little at a time until the dough comes together and is firm, but not dry.

On a floured surface roll out the dough to about a ¼ inch thickness. Using a 7 cm cookie or biscuit cutter, cut out the individual pie crusts. Gently press them into the muffin tins.

Spoon a heaping teaspoon of jam into each of the crusts. Beat the egg whites until stiff. Gently fold in the Demerara and coconut. Using a heaping tablespoon, top each crust with the egg whites to cover the jam.

Bake for 20-25 min or until the Hertzoggies are nicely browned and the egg whites are firm. Remove from the oven. Using a knife, gently lift the small pies out of the muffin tin and set on a wire rack to cool. Makes 16-18.

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Food and Fellow Bloggers in Danville, Kentucky!

August 27, 2011

Picturesque; a term often overused yet I can think of few that better describe Danville, KY. Streets lined with manicured hanging flower baskets and old-fashioned store fronts. This small Kentucky city is full of history while managing to also be a trendy college town.

For the five years we lived in Lexington, I had always heard about Danville. I kept meaning to visit, but never took the opportunity. Once when we moved out of the city a little over ago, I got my land, my cattle farm view and my garden, but I also got Danville. Not bad timing either, especially for a foodie.

You see, Danville went wet just a little while back. If you are unfamiliar with small-town USA this means that they now allow alcohol to be served and sold in the area.

While going wet rarely brings the threat of people falling victim to a life of gambling and working the corners as many opponents fear, what it does bring with it are restaurants. Locally owned, locally sourced, unique restaurants.

Some of us in the area have begun the process of forming the Kentucky Food Bloggers Association. Word has been getting out and the Danville Boyle Co Convention & Visitors Bureau invited us to take a a food tour of the city, our first organized event as a group.

Nine bloggers from the central Kentucky area were in attendance. Cameras and notebooks in hand we tackled Danville one bite at a time.

Our first stop was the V the Market, a quaint shop offering everything from cheeses to wines and beers. You can get the rarest of imports as well as the varieties closest to home. Our host shared her interesting stories of how she sources her products and manages to get her hands on some of the rarest offerings in the area. Things like this blue goat cheese and Life & Limb crafted beer.

She worried she was boring us with her stories, but I could have sat on that couch and listened all night. Food, especially food this outstanding, is never boring to me whether you are eating it, hearing about it or taking photos of it.

Next was Mermaid’s Bar and Bistro. This little place is the perfect balance of modern and homey which was nicely represented by martinis sitting on the glowing bar right in front of the homemade meringue pie. We were served generous portions of Mermaid Punch which was followed by Porch Punch, both of which tasted like summer in a glass.

Soon after came a beautiful sampling of food. A prosciutto wrapped prawn, a portion of locally sourced tender steak and gently seared tuna with greens wrapped in a cucumber with a wasabi sauce.

Slowly starting to get full, but still in need of food to counteract the effects of all the punch, we walked down to 303 W of Danville. Bar food lovers, this is your place! This restaurant has the atmosphere of European pub meets US tavern. We were greeted with smiling faces as we marched in armed with DSLRs. We likely looked as if we were sniffing the air knowing that food was near.

We were greeted with a table full of appetizers. Pretzel sticks with pimento cheese, veggies with beer cheese, Wild Alaskan fish fingers, tortilla crusted pizza with spinach, artichokes and chicken, and two kinds of wings. We passed, we picked, we shared, and we got a bit of history about the location.

The most interesting to me was that the wood floors had been salvaged from Hamburg. Hamburg is an area in Lexington that is now full of strip malls, but it used to be a horse farm. The floors were from horse barns and likely had a few derby winners walk across them.

Bordering on “okay, now I’m starting to get really full,” we headed to the Bluegrass Pizza and Pub. Along with V the Market, this was the only place I had been to before, a couple times actually. The place itself isn’t our cup of dining-out tea, but that doesn’t take away from the pie. The pizza here is excellent and it has a lot to do with their crust – the ideal combination of crispy and chewy with just the right thickness.

This place is packed all the time and Thursday night was no exception. We were approached by several people who wanted to know who we were and why this crazy group was photographing their table.

We dined on the Mediterranean pizza with chicken, artichoke, olives and red onions. This was paired with bread sticks and a rich tomato sauce for dipping. And you can’t forget the cheese sticks! What is it about bread, cheese and garlic that is just so good?!

Now, officially full, we headed to the Beer Engine. One thing that has surprised me about Danville is that when they went wet, they went straight for the good stuff – microbrews and some of the most sought after craft beers around. V the Market, 303 W and Bluegrass Pizza all carry these types of beers. You can stop in for a pint or fill a growler (or two) to take home.

At the Beer Engine we were greeted with the kind of place where you just wanna hang out and perhaps discuss world issues over a pint. Or just drink a pint and discuss the masterpiece you have in hand. We got a unique tasting of some amazing beers and I didn’t get the names of all of them, but Dogfish Head Festina Peche and King George’s Nut Brown were part of the tasting. We also had a delicious stout and a honey beer. There were several in the group who did not drink, so the others of us who did took one for the team and made up for them.

Dinner, drinks…what else is there? If you didn’t just yell “dessert” at your computer I’m disappointed.

Yes, dessert!

All the dessert establishments were closed at the late hour our tour finished up, but they managed to host us without actually being open.

First, cupcakes from the Twisted Sifter.

Now I’ve visited this place a time or two and they are by far the best cupcakes I’ve had in the central KY area. (Did you hear that, Food Network? I’m talkin’ Cupcake War quality!) Not only that, but you can actually afford them more often than once a month which may or may not be a good thing. Our tasting flavors were Champagne and Pumpkin Spice. Speechless.

Burke’s Bakery is a Danville institution. I’m pretty sure I’ve never met anyone from Danville who hasn’t said something about Burkes upon answering the question, “Where are you from?” Burke’s is the epitome of an old fashioned bakery making the kind of cookies you used to get in Grandma’s kitchen. They gave us a bag of goodies including these cookies and one of their donuts. Did I mention they do all kinds of baked goods?

The cookies are small. Remember the kind we used to get when portion sizes were appropriate? This also means that a dozen will set you back a whopping $2.50 so when you visit be prepared to control yourself!

Dessert three. Yes, three and I’m not complaining. We got some gorgeous gift bags from Karamel Kreations. This place has holiday gifts written all over it for me. One of those – I could never make a caramel this good – places. I know that because there is a caramel missing from this picture. I felt it my obligation as a food blogger to try it before sharing it with you. You’re welcome.

I’d like to extend a special thank you to each of the staff from the Danville Boyle Co Convention & Visitors Bureau and the Danville Boyle Co Economic Development Partnership, and all the owners of the fine establishments we visited and tasted!

Danville – go, eat, drink, enjoy!

Disclaimer: All foods featured in this post were provided free of charge. I was not required to post about any food or establishment and received no compensation for doing so.

Grilled Peaches and Pound Cake

August 23, 2011

I was watching Cash Cab the other night and one of the very first questions in the episode was – what dessert is named due to its ingredient list with 16 oz of butter, 16 oz of sugar, 16 oz…etc?

Do you know?

I did, but only because I recently had a discussion with a friend just a few months ago about a traditional recipe.

This led me to yelling, “Pound cake. POUND Cake. POUND CAKE!” at the couple on TV who couldn’t seem to come up with the answer.

So ever since then I’ve had pound cake on my mind. Not the original recipe that makes a load of cake, but perhaps a modified version that we could handle in our house.

This weekend when we decided to grill some more peaches I decided it was my opportunity to slip in a little pound cake.

If you’ve never grilled peaches before, it is super simple. Just half and remove the pit. If you want to you can sprinkle them with sugar on the cut side, or you can do this with sugar or honey after they grill, or you can leave the sugar out all together. That’s what we did this time, just straight peaches.

Place them on a hot grill, cut side down for 3 to 5 minutes and you have warm, juicy peaches perfect for dessert.

I modified a standard recipe for the pound cake using Demerara sugar and white whole wheat flour. It baked up wonderfully. We served it with the peaches and drizzled the whole thing with some coconut milk.

Grilled Peaches and Pound Cake

½ to 1 peach per person, grilled using instructions above
½ cup butter, softened
1 ¼ cups raw cane sugar
1 tsp almond extract
2 eggs
1 ½ cups white whole wheat flour
½ tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
½ cup milk
Coconut milk for drizzling

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and grease an 8 ½ x 4 ½ inch loaf pan.

In a mixing bowl combine the butter and sugar, cream until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and almond extract and mix well. Beat for 3 to 5 minutes.

In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Gradually alternate between mixing in the dry ingredients and the milk. Mix just until smooth.

Pour batter into your prepared loaf pan and bake for 50 to 55 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan on a wire rack about 10 minutes, remove from pan and serve warm or allow to cool completely. Makes 10-12 slices.

Plate one slice of the cake with one or two peach halves and drizzle with coconut milk to serve.

Poblano Cilantro Salsa

August 21, 2011

I enjoy canning salsa. What I don’t enjoy is spending hours chopping veggies into tiny pieces. Yes, I love to cook and one batch of salsa like this is fun, but six or seven? No thanks.

So this presented a bit of a problem. That was, until I started making Charred Tomato and Chile Salsa from Canning for a New Generation by Liana Krissoff which I reviewed last year.

First of all, it tastes awesome – slightly sweet, but spicy. Second, there is no chopping! Well, very minimal chopping. The blender does all the work. As a result, after cooking you end up with a thick, but somewhat smooth salsa.

I’ve been making a lot of salsa this summer so I’ve had ample opportunity to experiment with the recipe by substituting peppers or adding herbs, all while keeping the important acidity the same.

As I mentioned earlier this summer, we planted 19 varieties of pepper plants. Some were just for fun and out of curiosity. Others were to help us learn exactly what we want to grow in the future, based on what I use most in the kitchen.

Poblanos are a keeper. This is the first year we’ve grown them and I’ve learned they have the perfect spiciness and cook well whether baked, broiled or grilled. So of course they had to make it into the salsa.

One of my favorite varieties this summer has been poblano and cilantro. As for tomatoes I’ve used heirlooms and San Marzanos, even mixed them here and there and all work out well.

This is great for a big party. Just cook it up, cool and serve, or if no such occasion is coming up, can it for later use.

Poblano Cilantro Salsa

Adapted from Charred Tomato and Chile Salsa, Canning for a New Generation

What you’ll need:
5 lbs. tomatoes, cored and halved
8 oz. Poblano peppers, halved, stems and seeds removed
2 oz. garlic cloves, peeled
1 lb. 6 oz. candy onions (or any sweet variety), peeled and quartered
½ cup cider vinegar (5% acidity)
1 tablespoon canning salt
2 tablespoon sugar
1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped and loosely packed

How to make it:
Place the tomatoes cut side down on a baking sheet. With the broiler on high, broil for 10 minutes until the skins begin to blacken. Meanwhile on a separate baking sheet, place the peppers cut side down and spread out the garlic and onions into a single layer.

Remove the tomatoes from the broiler and set aside until cool enough to handle. Broil the peppers, garlic and onions for 10 minutes on high.

Remove the skins from the tomatoes and place in a blender. Add the peppers, garlic and onions. Work in batches if necessary, and pulse to finely chop all the veggies, but don’t puree completely. Pour the processed veggies into a large stock pot.

Add the vinegar, salt and sugar. Bring to a boil and boil, stirring often, for 5 minutes. Stir in the chopped cilantro. Remove from heat, cool and serve. Store in the fridge and use within 3 days.

If canning, process in pints with a ½ inch headspace in a boiling water bath covering the jars by at least one inch. Process for 40 minutes. Makes 4 pints, maybe a little to spare depending on the type of tomatoes.

If you have questions about home-based microprocessing, the best resource around is the National Center for Home Food Preservation at the University of Georgia. Their FAQ page will likely answer any question you come up with.

Thanks for reading! All images and content are the property of 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. This post contains affiliate links.

Thai Basil Pesto Orzo with Local Meatballs

August 15, 2011

When it comes to food, I do a lot of impulse buying. Although it’s not really food anymore, like, say, a candy bar in the check out aisle. No, now I guess you could call it ingredient impulse buying. Now it’s more like splurging on the chocolate bar I will later use in cookies.

Sometimes, though, I resist the temptation and I wait. This most often happens with things I know will be there a month or so later, especially meat.

Take these meatballs for example. I saw them at our local meat market well over 6 months ago. I wanted to try them, but decided to wait.

Every time I went they were there and every time I saw them I thought more about what I could do with them. Pasta, sure, but did I really need to buy them instead of making my own?

Turns out the answer to that is yes.

I finally picked up a small pack of these local, pastured meatballs that include a combination of beef, lamb and pork. They are spiced perfectly – a little garlic, a little parsley and a little of what I think was fennel seed.

They definitely needed a place to shine so I decided not to cover them in sauce. Instead, I combined them with a sauce in the raw, one that was more garden-fresh.

Despite the fact that my sweet basil is about to dry up, the Thai basil has been going strong. Now, I can’t say I like Thai basil as much as sweet, but it’s a nice substitute every now and then.

I used it in my standard walnut pesto and then topped the dish with some of the gorgeous red cherry tomatoes we’ve been fortunate enough to have most of the summer. They are juicy and sweet and just pop in your mouth, they are so fresh.

Thai Basil Pesto Orzo

1 cup packed Thai basil leaves
2 cloves garlic, peeled
2 tbsp chopped walnuts
2 tbsp freshly grated parmesan cheese
2 to 4 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
½ lb orzo, cooked to package directions
1 ½ cups cherry tomatoes, halved
½ lb meatballs, baked (optional)

In a small food processor, combine the basil, garlic, walnuts, cheese and 1 tbsp olive oil. Pulse until everything is finely chopped. Continue to pulse and the mixture will get slightly creamy due to the walnuts.

Continue to add olive oil to reach your desired consistency, whether you like it thick or thin. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Cook and drain the orzo. In a large bowl, combine the pesto and the orzo. Stir until all the orzo is coated. Transfer to a serving platter. Top with meat balls, if using, and cherry tomatoes. Serves 4-6.

Dublin: Food Bloggers and L. Mulligan Grocer

August 10, 2011

A recap from a quick trip and an outstanding meal in Dublin, Ireland.

We were in Dublin for all of about 15 hours. A short stop, I know, but fortunately I’d been there a couple times before.

Enough times to realize just how international the city feels. Enough times to discover some of my favorite green spaces in the world. Enough times to immerse myself in the history of attractions such as Trinity College and the Book of Kells.

And finally, enough times to know that it’s difficult to find really good food in the city center. In saying that, I mean the kind of food that doesn’t have a sign out front beckoning tourists and promising to serve real Irish cuisine.

Now, I’ve had some great food and drink in Dublin from coffee and chocolates at Butler’s to Leo Burdock’s Fish n’ Chips to scones from Queen of Tart. I’m just saying it’s difficult to find a unique dinner in 15 hours.

Unless, of course, you know a food blogger.

And I just happen to know a food blogger.

It was my pleasure to spend one of my 15 hours in Dublin with Aoife of The Daily Spud. The Daily Spud is one of those blogs I’ve been reading since my own blog began. For me, one of the originals, and one of my favorites.

During our conversation, you might expect that one of my questions was – where should we eat dinner?

As we discussed different places, Aoife kept coming back to one of her favorites – L. Mulligan Grocer. With such a glowing recommendation from someone who knows the area (and good food) well, we didn’t feel we could it could pass it up.

The location ended up being about a 20 min walk from Temple Bar. At that point in the day, we welcomed it because everywhere from Grafton Street to Temple Bar was packed with people to the point where you could barely move. It was nice to get out of the crowd.

L. Mulligan Grocer in Dublin | Fake Food Free | Food and Travel

We got there for an early dinner so we were lucky to get a table. We later found out that almost all were reserved. We must have looked desperate for good Irish food.

And good Irish food it was. I encourage you to head over to their site and read a little about the restaurant to get the full story. To simplify, they use as many Irish ingredients as possible from rare-breed pork, to grass-fed beef, to seafood.

A meal at L. Mulligan Grocer in Dublin | Fake Food Free | Food and Travel

When we sat down and I found the menus were old books in type-writer print, I couldn’t wait to read through all the selections and decide which of these local foods I wanted most.

They also had a wonderful selection of craft beers, something we were exposed to for the first time this trip. Often we are so enamored by fresh Guinness (yes, it is completely different on draft in Ireland), that we’ve overlooked craft beers on previous trips.

So let’s start there.

A meal at L. Mulligan Grocer in Dublin. Craft Beer - Galway Hooker | Fake Food Free | Food and Travel

I had the Friar Weiss because, well, I love wheat beers. As you would expect, this was perfect for me, sweet and crisp. My husband tried the Galway Hooker, an Irish Pale Ale that he really enjoyed.

We didn’t consider appetizers to be an option. We would risk leaving overly full in order to try all we could.

My husband had been daring me to eat a Scotch Egg the whole trip, something I had never had before. Mulligan’s version is a free range egg wrapped in delicious sausage and fried.

A meal at L. Mulligan Grocer in Dublin. Scotch Eggs. | Fake Food Free | Food and Travel

I now love Scotch Eggs.

My husband had the Potted Crab. If you are new to this dish like we were, the best way to describe it is delicious, tender crab with a layer of clarified butter on the top to create a bit of a seal or a lid on the crab. It is chilled and served with bread. It was a really unique dish for us.

A meal at L. Mulligan Grocer in Dublin. Potted Crab. | Fake Food Free | Food and Travel

It took me forever to decide on my meal, and I mean forever. There were just too many great options.

Despite the fact that I simply cannot make myself like beets, I went for the Lamb Burger which had a beet slaw. I refused to be the picky eater who asked for it to be removed so I sucked it up expecting to scrape it off once at the table.

First, I loved the slaw. It didn’t have that dirty taste I’m used to with beets and it added a gorgeous color. The burger itself was outstanding – juicy, tender, not to mention, wrapped in bacon and topped with goat cheese. The twice cooked chips were my favorite of the trip.

A meal at L. Mulligan Grocer in Dublin. Lamb burger with beetroot slaw. | Fake Food Free | Food and Travel

My husband went for the Pork Belly. The belly itself was beautifully plated, but what really interested me was the mash which had black pudding in it. It’s taken me a while to get over the idea of blood sausage, but I love black pudding. The dish was matched with a kraut or type of slaw which had a lot of caraway seeds. Unfortunately my husband doesn’t care for caraway seeds and it was even a little overpowering for me, but otherwise the meal was delicious.

A meal at L. Mulligan Grocer in Dublin. Pork Belly. | Fake Food Free | Food and Travel

I’m still so surprised we managed to find ourselves in such a great place considering our short stopover. When in Dublin, L. Mulligan Grocer is a must. I promise you won’t be disappointed.

L. Mulligan Grocer
18 Stoneybatter
Dublin 7

Thanks for reading! All images and content are the property of Fake Food Free unless otherwise stated. Please do not republish full recipes or 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.

Roasted Corn and Pepper Wheat Berry Salad

August 8, 2011

Fresh corn is finally here and lots of it! I’ve mentioned before that I feel a bit sorry for fresh corn. It often gets a bad rap for being turned into corn syrup and invading our food supply, and it’s almost always categorized as a dreaded starchy veggie. I think all of this causes us to overlook how truly wonderful a fresh ear in the middle of summer can be.

My quest this summer has been to avoid taking any seasonal fruit or veggie for granted and corn has been no exception. I bought 2 dozen ears a couple weeks back and froze half of it. The rest was roasted and skillet-fried for salads and fresh salsas.

Growing up my mom always made fried corn. It really wasn’t fried, just cooked in a skillet with butter and green peppers. I loved corn prepared like this as much as eating a crisp, sweet ear on the cob.

Knowing how good it is from the skillet and knowing how much I like roasted vegetables, I just had to turn on the oven in the heat of summer to roast some up.

I used a mix of peppers from our garden, both hot and sweet, but any variety would work. I added onion and some herbs as well.

This was one of those eat-the-entire-bowl kind of salads. So sweet from the fresh corn and just enough savory flavor from the roasting.

I wanted to make it into more of a meal so I added some cooked wheat berries which worked out really well. I actually enjoyed the salad both warm and cold. Both versions tasted equally as good.

Roasted Corn and Pepper Wheat Berry Salad

Makes: 4 to 6 servings

What you’ll need:
Kernels from 2 ears fresh sweet corn
2 Poblano peppers, cored and chopped
2 Anaheim peppers, cored and chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, cored and chopped
2 Pinata peppers, cored and chopped (these are similar to jalapenos)
2 sweet banana peppers, cored and chopped
½ medium sweet onion, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon each finely chopped fresh herbs – basil, thyme, rosemary
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup cooked wheat berries

How to make it:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place all veggies on a large baking sheet. Sprinkle with the herbs and olive oil. Turn the veggies to coat them with the oil.

Roast for 20 minutes, stirring once halfway through. Veggies should begin to brown slightly and soften.

Remove from the oven and season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a large bowl. Stir in the wheat berries. Serve warm or cold.

Food and Travel: Belfast and Bushmills

August 4, 2011

We really had no expectations upon our arrival in Belfast. Aside from articles, travel shows and a sampling of random options we didn’t know much about what we might encounter there.

For a travel researcher like me, this was actually a very refreshing feeling. While I’m flexible with my plan and expect it to change, I often over research and a little bit of the unexpected was a nice change.

In this case, it was a refreshing feeling that only got better. Needless to say, I loved the Belfast area!

The minute we stepped off the train it felt different – maybe a bit more reserved, more business-like and, after Kilkenny, a lot less touristy. In an odd way, there were parts of the city that resembled Washington, DC to me. The English influence could be seen in the architecture, but it still felt very much Irish.

The food experience was equally as pleasing and I really liked learning about the differences in foods and food names between the north and the south.

For example, there was no sign of a full Irish breakfast in Belfast, but the Ulster Fry could be found on multiple menus. According to the local guide magazine I picked up the Ulster Fry is a full Irish breakfast minus the pudding, plus some potato bread and soda bread. We also noticed there was no mention of brown bread, but there was always wheaten bread.

Our first night we randomly stumbled upon McCrackens which was tucked away on a narrow side street. It turned out to be one of our favorite finds of the trip. It was a modern bar with the feel of a pub, full of some interesting history. I also had one of the most unique meals of the trip here.

First, I apologize for the bad quality picture, but I simply have to share this with you.

Salmon sausage!

The entire menu here was loaded with creativity and this was no exception. It was sausage made from salmon and it was served over creamed leeks with smoked salmon with potato slices. I’m hungry for it now just writing about it! The flavors were simply perfect.

Early the next morning, we made a quick stop at St. George’s Market on our way to the train station and our day trip to Giant’s Causeway. On our walk there I thought it was so cool to see modern milk jugs that had arrived in the early morning on the doorsteps of both restaurants and what looked to be apartment buildings.

Things were just getting set up at the market, but there was plenty to see. We snagged a blueberry and raspberry yogurt scone for breakfast and ate at the station.

Fresh Fish in St. George's Market Belfast

These were as good as they look. I noticed that the scones here were less of the mildly sweet variety like the fruit scones in the south and more of the sweet, pastry-like version we often see imitated in the States.

Next up was the gorgeous coast and Giant’s Causeway. I’m pretty sure these girls hanging out munching away redefine the term Happy Cows.

After the Causeway we squeezed in an unexpected visit to Bushmills Whiskey distillery. We hadn’t realized it would be so close and it turned out that it was even a bus stop on the route.

Our tour guide was not as informative as the one we had for the Smithwick’s brewery tour, but it was nice to see the grounds and gather what information we could. Of course, it’s never a bad thing when there is a sample at the end. Whiskey distillery tours are hard for us to fairly evaluate because we are exposed to some of the best available with our bourbon distilleries here in Kentucky.

Bushmills Distillery in Northern Irleand

For lunch we headed into the town of Bushmills to look around. We had spotted Hip Chip earlier in the day and lunch was enjoyed on a bench while splitting a take-out order of Fish n’ Chips. This is the way to go for fish n’ chips. It beats a sit-down restaurant order any day. After that we managed to find some whiskey flavored ice cream!

Once back in Belfast, a bit exhausted from our day of exploring, we set out to find The Kitchen Bar which I had read about. What caught my attention was the Paddy Pizza – pizza made with a soda bread crust! The place was packed with lots of people already out to celebrate their Friday night, but fortunately they were still serving food so we got a table.

I went with the Thai Fish cakes. These were tasty, but they had a lot more potato in them than fish. Not necessarily a bad thing, just not what I was expecting from the other fish cakes I’ve had.

My husband went for the pizza. This was an unexpected combo, but a good one. It had a white sauce, chicken, bell peppers, onion and cheese. The crust was brilliant and I plan to give it a shot in my own kitchen.

The next morning we squeezed in a quick walk to Queen’s University campus and the Botanic garden. I’m so glad we did because it ended up being my favorite part of the city. The gardens were beautiful and Botanic Avenue was lined with the cutest restaurants and cafes.

We ended up stopping at a French café for scones and coffee. Believe it or not this was the only place throughout the trip where I finally got my clotted cream. I had been on the lookout, but it just ended up that all the places I had scones only offered Irish butter. The best butter in the world, but butter.

I went for the cherry scone which ended up being made with maraschino cherries instead of fresh or dried, but it was still a tasty scone. My husband went for blueberry. It was the perfect quick stop to break up our walk. There were so many more things on their menu I would have loved to try.

Belfast was the one place that felt the most rushed to me and I think that was because we planned the day trip out to Giant’s Causeway. I wouldn’t trade the day trip, but I would’ve loved to have spent more time exploring the city. The great places we found offered unique food and we were surprised to finally find some craft brews. We did a lot of quick eating, but every bit of it was delicious.

Last stop – Dublin!

Heirloom Tomatoes and Cantaloupe

July 30, 2011

After consuming unspeakable amounts of pork, chips, scones and stout in Ireland, this past week was full of cold grain salads, fruits and vegetables. I was back to my kitchen and garden, and not only was I craving some lighter foods, but what was left of the garden needed to be used up.

Things are dry and hot and we’ve lost several plants, but there are still some things hanging on. Mainly peppers and cherry tomatoes, and the other tomatoes are very slowly beginning to ripen.

Alma Paprika Peppers

The last of the Patty Pan, Merlot Peppers, Bell Peppers, Poblano Peppers and San Marzano Tomatoes

I’ve also been taking advantage of the great deals being offered by producers around here. This week I picked up white and golden peaches, an outstanding cantaloupe and lots of sweet corn.

So before I continue with more from Ireland (I still have 2 more posts) I thought some recipe posts were in order. Or at least, foods I’m making in my kitchen. I say that because this fresh salad really has no recipe.

We finally got two Mr. Stripey tomatoes from the garden this week. I’m so excited because they are by far my favorite. Since I’ve seen plenty of recipes that use watermelon with tomatoes, I thought maybe my Mr. Stripey would go well with the cantaloupe. If nothing else, I knew the color would be gorgeous.

Turns out that the flavor combination is pretty awesome as well. Just slice up an heirloom, thinly slice some super sweet cantaloupe, add a little sea salt and pepper and then top it with a little basil if desired (I used Thai basil).