Turkish Thick Cream Filled Apricots

Here is an easy recipe that you can use "Kaymak" with. Although the recipe is for apricots, you can use dried figs also. I can't think of any other dried fruit that this recipe would work with.

This is an appetizer dessert recipe for me. If you have it around, you can keep going back and grabbing one:)

This is really a fun and delicious recipe, so if you don't have the patience to make the "Kaymak", you can use mascarpone or creme fraiche.

TURKISH THICK CREAM FILLED APRICOTS

Ingredients:
1/2 lb Whole dried Turkish apricots OR dried apricot halves
1 1/2 cup Sugar
2 cups Water
2 teaspoons Fresh lemon juice
1 cup Kaymak - mascarpone, or crème fraiche
1/2 cup Chopped unsalted pistachio nuts

Directions:
Place the apricots in a bowl, add water to cover, and let stand overnight. Drain.

In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the sugar and water. Bring to a simmer, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes. Add the apricots and cook until tender, about 20 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice and continue to simmer for 1 minute longer.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer the apricots to a baking sheet or large plate, reserving the syrup in the pan. Let cool to thicken slightly. If the syrup isn't thick, reduce it a bit over medium heat.

If using whole apricots, carefully cut each apricot along the seam with a small sharp knife to create a pocket. Using a small spoon or a pastry bag fitted with a plain tip, spoon or pipe the kaymak or other filling into each pocket. If using apricot halves, spoon the kaymak or other filling onto the centers of half of them. Top with the remaining apricot halves.

Arrange the apricots side by side on a serving platter. Spoon the thickened syrup over the stuffed apricots and refrigerate until the syrup is set, about 30 minutes.

To serve, bring the apricots to room temperature and sprinkle with the pistachios.

Yields 4 to 6 servings.

Roasted Red Pepper with Feta Dip

This is a very tasty dip from Bon Appetit. But you can add or make some small changes to it to make it even more tastier:)

Try roasting the garlic before adding it, it makes the taste smoother and the garlic doesn't overpower the dip.

If you like heat, add some cayenne, if you want some tanginess add some lemon, and if you want it to have some herbs, add dill or oregano.

I have tried all of these and I like them all:)

Crudités and toasted pita triangles are good dippers for this. You can also try veggies such as cucumbers or carrots.

ROASTED RED PEPPER WITH FETA DIP

Ingredients:
4 red bell peppers
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, peeled
2 cups crumbled feta cheese

Directions:
Char peppers directly over gas flame or in broiler until blackened on all sides.

Enclose in paper bag 10 minutes. Peel, seed, and quarter peppers.

Puree peppers, oil, garlic, and cheese in processor. Season with salt and pepper.

Chill at least 3 hours or overnight.

Black-Bean Tostados with Roasted Tomatillo Sauce and Tostadas

I like every kind of beans, so I've copied this Mexican recipe which tastes great from Gourmet. And you can choose to use only a portion of the recipe too.:)

Use the tomatillo sauce as a separate recipe for steaks or chicken. It really perks up the dish.

I've also added a recipe for making tostadas, which is really easy to make and much tastier than having it store bought. Enjoy:)

BLACK-BEAN TOSTADOS WITH ROASTED TOMATILLO SAUCE
It's the spicy, garlicky tomatillo salsa that really sells these addictive tostadas. Frying store-bought corn tortillas heightens the vibrancy of their corn flavor and creates a crisp foundation for the refried black beans, shredded romaine, lush avocado, and creamy queso fresco.

Ingredients:
6 large garlic cloves, 4 cloves peeled and left whole and 2 cloves coarsely chopped
1 lb tomatillos (8 medium), husked, rinsed, and halved
4 fresh serrano chiles or 2 fresh jalapeños (including seeds), coarsely chopped
3/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro sprigs
2 cups plus 2 to 3 tablespoons water
1/2 cup finely chopped white onion, rinsed in a sieve and patted dry
1 3/4 teaspoons salt
2 dried avocado leaves (optional), coarse stems discarded

2 (15-oz) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 (6- to 7-oz) firm-ripe avocados
12 tostadas, recipe below
3 cups thinly sliced romaine (from 1 head)
1 cup crumbled queso fresco (Mexican fresh cheese) or mild feta (1/4 lb)

Directions:
Make tomatillo sauce:
Line a 10-inch heavy skillet (preferably cast-iron; not nonstick) with foil, then heat over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. Add 2 whole garlic cloves and half of tomatillos, cut sides down, and roast on top of stove until well browned, 4 to 5 minutes (skillet will begin to smoke at this point).

Turn over garlic and tomatillos (tomatillos may stick to foil) and roast until well browned and tomatillos are completely soft, 3 to 4 minutes.

Transfer roasted garlic and tomatillos to a food processor. Discard foil, then line skillet with a fresh sheet of foil and roast remaining 2 whole garlic cloves and remaining tomatillos in same manner, transferring as done to food processor.

Cool garlic and tomatillos to room temperature in bowl of processor, about 30 minutes.

Add chiles, half of cilantro, and 2 tablespoons water to mixture in processor, then pulse until it forms a chunky sauce, adding 1 tablespoon more water if too thick.

Transfer to a bowl and stir in onion and 1 teaspoon salt.

If using avocado leaves, toast, 1 at a time, in a dry 10-inch heavy skillet (without foil lining) over moderate heat, turning every few seconds, until lightly browned and aromatic, about 1 minute, transferring to a plate as toasted.

Bring beans and remaining 2 cups water to a simmer in a 3-quart heavy saucepan, stirring occasionally, then add avocado leaves and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 20 minutes.

Drain beans in a sieve set over a bowl, reserving liquid. Purée beans, 1/4 cup cooking liquid (reserve remainder), avocado leaves (if using), and chopped garlic in a food processor until smooth.

Heat oil in a 10-inch heavy nonstick skillet over moderate heat until hot but not smoking, then add bean purée and cook, stirring, until very thick, about 5 minutes. Stir in remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt, then remove from heat and keep warm, covered.

Halve and pit avocados, then scoop out flesh in large pieces and cut into 1/2-inch cubes.

If necessary, stir some of reserved bean-cooking liquid in to make bean purée soft and easily spreadable. Divide warm beans among tostadas and spread evenly. Spoon about 1 tablespoon tomatillo sauce over each tostada, then divide avocado among tostadas and top with romaine, cheese, and remaining cilantro. Serve remaining tomatillo sauce on the side.

Tomatillo sauce can be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. Bring to room temperature before using.

Makes 6 to 8 (main course) servings.

TOSTADAS

Ingredients:
12 corn tortillas (5 1/2 to 6 1/2 inches in diameter)
About 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil

Directions:
Spread out tortillas on a work surface (in 1 layer) and let dry until leathery, about 20 minutes.

Heat 1/2 inch oil in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot enough to make edge of a tortilla sizzle. Add 1 tortilla to oil, pushing down with a long-handled metal spatula to submerge, and fry 15 seconds.

Using tongs, turn tortilla over and continue frying, pushing down into oil with spatula to keep as flat as possible and turning over occasionally, until tortilla is deep golden and bubbling begins to subside, about 1 minute more.

Transfer with tongs to paper towels to drain. (Tostada will crisp as it cools.)

Fry with remaining tortillas, 1 at a time, in same manner.

Tostadas can be made 4 hours ahead and kept, uncovered, at room temperature.

Makes 12 tostadas.

Grilled Vegetable Lasagna with Puttanesca Sauce and Pesto Oil

I'm back from my wonderful vacation/honeymoon and here we go again:)

This is a huge, time consuming, easy and very very tasty recipe from Emeril. But you can just use the idea and take shortcuts:)

You can buy the vegetables roasted at most Whole Foods, and you can definitely buy puttanesca sauce ready. But the oil makes this lasagna, so do prepare this yourself.

These cut the cooking time shorter, but of course doesn't taste as good as you have made it from scratch. But I usually don't like spending 3 hours in the kitchen unless it's a very special day. That's just me:)

If I'm making this from scratch, I do skip the anchovies because I don't like them, and it still comes out good.

You can prepare the recipe with the same amounts and cook in two batches. You can always freeze the second batch and throw it in the oven in the future.

GRILLED VEGETABLES LASAGNA WITH PUTTANESCA SAUCE AND PESTO OIL

Ingredients:
2 pounds ricotta
1 teaspoon salt
Pesto Oil, recipe follows
Puttanesca Sauce, recipe follows

1 1/4 pounds lasagna noodles
Grilled Vegetables, recipe follows

8 ounces mozzarella, coarsely grated

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a medium bowl mix the ricotta cheese with salt and half a cup of Pesto Oil.

Lightly grease a large rectangular baking dish, then spoon 1/2 cup of Puttanesca Sauce onto the bottom of the dish. Cover with a layer of lasagna noodles. Top the lasagna with a layer of ricotta, then a layer of eggplant, zucchini, onion and red pepper, a layer of grated mozzarella, and a layer of puttanesca sauce.

Repeat layering the lasagna, ricotta, vegetables, mozzarella and sauce in this manner until all ingredients have been used, ending with mozzarella on top.

Bake until the lasagna is bubbling and golden brown, about 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Allow to rest 10 minutes before serving, drizzled with some of the remaining pesto oil.

PUTTANESCA SAUCE:

Ingredients:
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup finely chopped onion
6 cloves minced garlic
2 (28-ounce) cans Roma plum tomatoes, broken into pieces, with juice
1 cup tightly packed, pitted, chopped Kalamata olives
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons drained capers
2 tablespoons (about 8) minced anchovy fillets
1/2 teaspoon dried crushed basil
1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper flakes
Salt to taste

Directions:
In a large pot heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the onion and saute until soft and lightly caramelized, about 6 minutes.

Add the garlic and cook an additional 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and the remaining ingredients and simmer until the sauce is thickened and slightly reduced, about 40 minutes.

Adjust seasoning to taste, cover and set aside.

PESTO OIL

Ingredients:
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups loosely packed basil leaves
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon salt

Directions:
In the bowl of a food processor or blender place the garlic and basil and process on high while adding the olive oil in a steady stream. Continue to process until well blended, season with salt to taste and set aside until ready to assemble lasagna.

GRILLED VEGETABLES

Ingredients:
4 medium zucchini, cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch slices
4 red or yellow bell peppers, roasted, seeded and peeled
2 medium eggplants (about 1 1/2 pounds), cut into 1/4-inch rounds
2 large yellow onions, cut into 1/4-inch rounds
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Directions:
Light the grill or pre-heat the broiler.

In a large shallow bowl, toss the eggplant, zucchini, bell pepper and onion with the oil and salt.
If using the broiler, arrange the vegetables in a single layer on 2 lightly greased or non-stick baking sheets. Grill or broil in batches, turning the vegetables once, until they are tender, lightly browned, and have released most of their moisture, about 5 to 6 minutes per side.