Zucchini Tart

Everywhere I look these days, I see Zucchini. From local farmers markets to backyard gardens. They're so fresh and so delicious that I've decided to come up with different ways to use them in my cooking. The other week I made some delicious patty cakes (recipe is on my Instagram). Today though, I have decided to make a tart. Give my recipe a try. You'll love it.





Ingredients
Dough/Crust
1/2 cup cold butter, cubed
1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup ice cold water
1 tbsp granulated white sugar
1 tsp salt
(make sure to wrap dough and place in refrigerator for 3hrs)

Filling
6-8 medium zucchini
1 onion, diced
3 eggs
1/2 cup feta cheese
1/2 cup cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup milk
1 tbsp all purpose flour
2 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper

Method
Preheat oven to 375F. Roll out crust and place into tart dish or pie dish. Peel the zucchini into thin slices, and set aside. Mix all other ingredients and pour into pie dish. Roll zucchini thins into little roses (see my Instagram video) place around the rim of the pie and move inwards until the whole top is covered. Bake in oven for 50 minutes. Enjoy!





Peach Galette

Peaches are in season right now which gave me the hankering to make a delicious peach dessert. I decided to be a little different today and made a peach galette which tastes very much like my peach pie or tart. A galette is a French term used to describe a large round pastry or pancake. It's rustic looking appearance and simple yet delicious ingredients make it a popular go to dessert and is commonly enjoyed in the summer months.

Ingredients
Dough/Crust

1/2 cup cold butter, cubed

1 1/4 cup all purpose flour

1/3 cup ice cold water

3 tbsp granulated white sugar

1 tsp salt

1 egg (for crust egg wash)

Filling

8 peaches, sliced

1 cup granulated white sugar

2 tbsp water

1 tbsp all purpose flour

1 tbsp orange blossom water

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground cardamon

or

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon 

Method for crust

In a stand mixer, add flour and butter and mix using dough hook attachment. Mix for 2-3 minutes on medium speed until flour resembles cornmeal, then add remaining ingredients until it mixes into dough. If you don't have a mixer, you can use a fork to press the pieces of butter into the flour, and slowly add the other ingredients until dough forms. Roll by hand and plastic wrap, then place into the refrigerator for at least 3 hours.



Method for filling

Wash and slice yellow fleshed peaches. Place in large bowl and add all other ingredients. Mix well, then let sit for 20 - 30 minutes to soften and for liquid to release from fruit. 

Assembly

Preheat oven to 375F. Roll out dough on a floured counter top into a large circle. Make sure to not roll it too thin. If convenient, place dough on pan lined with parchment paper before assembly to prevent galette falling apart during transition. Lay peach slices clockwise in a circle within a circle in the centre of the dough, and fold over the sides. Give crust an egg wash and sprinkle sugar and salt over top. Place 2 or 3 pea sized pieces of butter on top of the peaches and drizzle the remaining peach liquid overt top the fruit and pop into the oven for 1 hour. 

Serve hot with vanilla ice cream.
Enjoy!

Buttermilk Pancakes

If you want to eat the most yummiest and fluffiest pancakes, give my recipe a try. It's easy and delicious but be warned, if people see you making them, you'll spend an hour serving up many of them because they are so delicious.
Here is a recipe that makes enough pancakes for two (or one super hungry pancake lover)

Ingredients
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup buttermilk
1 egg
3 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp melted butter ( extra 1 tsp butter for pan)
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
Pinch of salt

Method
In a large bowl, whisk all ingredients together for a minute or two.

Heat and lighly grease a pan or griddle with butter on high for 2 minutes and lower to medium heat.

Pour a small ladle's worth on pan, and wait until the batter shows a few bubbles - about 1 minute. Flip over for about 20 seconds until lightly golden brown. Serve with butter and maple syrup.
Enjoy!

Qatayef

If you know someone of Arab heritage, and you merely mention the word Qatayef, I can pretty much guarantee you will have their full undivided attention. You see, this stuffed pocket of goodness is one of the most delicious desserts to ever come out of the Middle East. What's not to love? A soft crepe, filled with a sweetened smooth cheese, or a spiced walnut mixture, folded and smothered in butter, baked or fried until crisp and then drenched in syrup. Ohhh yaaaa....

If you want to enjoy this, and feel some serious guilt (because there's NO way you can just east one or two... more like seven) give the recipe a try.

Ingredients

Crepe

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 cup warm water

1/2 milk (room temperature)

2 tbsp sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp dry active yeast

Filling - Cheese

2 cups smooth ricotta cheese

4 tbsp sugar

1 tsp lemon zest
*can be severed with crushed pistachio 

Filling - Nuts

2 cups crushed walnuts

4 tbsp sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

Syrup

2 cups sugar

1 cup water

1 tbsp orange blossom water

(cook in saucepan and let simmer on low heat for 10 minutes)

Method

In a large bowl add yeast, warm water and buttermilk. Mix and let stand 5 minutes. In the bowl of your electric mixer, add remaining dry ingredients. On low speed, slowly pour the wet ingredients and slowly raise the speed to medium and mix for 2 minutes. Cover the bowl with the batter with a towel for 20 minutes.

When ready to make, lightly grease and heat a pan or griddle and pour 1/4 cup of the batter per each crepe. When the open face is covered with bubbles, remove from pan. Do NOT flip like a pancake. Then choose your mixture, fill with 2 tbsp and fold closed into a crescent moon shape by pinching the edges. When complete, place on large cookie sheet, brush each one with a bit of melted butter and bake in oven at 400F for 10-12 minutes so they crisp up. Then pour syrup over top when ready to eat. This recipe will yield 16 Qatayef.

Enjoy!

Hummus

You know it. You love it. You can make it in no time. If you're like me, you're eating this on a daily basis and loving every bite.
Here is my easy hummus recipe.

Ingredients
2 cups drained, cooked chickpeas
4 tbsp tahini
4 tbsp evoo
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 glove garlic, chopped
1 tsp salt

Method
Combine all ingredients in food processor. Blend hummus until smooth, about 2 minutes. Spread onto serving plate and serve warm or cold for breakfast or snack.

Top with  pomegranate seeds or sautéed ground lamb or extra virgin olive oil and paprika. Enjoy with pita!

Baked Egg in Avocado

Baked Egg in Avocado

Have you ever thought about baking an Avocado? Yeah, neither did I, until a friend mentioned how good it really was. I cringed, not gonna lie. Warm avocado? Surely, that couldn't taste good! But of course being a foodie, I had to try. To my surprise it was very delicious and tasted yummy smothered over my toasted rye.

Here is a quick recipe for you to give a try.

Ingredients
1 large avocado
2 eggs
pinch of salt
cracked pepper
cheese optional


Method
Preheat oven to 450F. Slice the avocado in two and carefully remove pit. Crack one egg in each hollowed centre. Pinch spices over top eggs and bake in small cooking pan, egg side up, for 15 minutes. If you are adding cheese, sprinkle on avocado the last 2 minutes of baking.

Enjoy!

Seafood Paella

I was first introduced to Paella about 10 years ago by a Spanish friend of mine. She was surprised to hear that I had never tried it before considering we live in such a multicultural city. After my first bite, I fell in love. If you know me well, you'll understand my love for shellfish, so how could I not love seafood Paella? Plus, the smokiness the rice picks up from the sausage.. oh my! Totally delicious. Let's get to the recipe! Give it a try if you're in the mood for a crowd-pleasing meal.


Ingredients

Seafood Paella

6-8 large shrimps
6-8 fresh mussels or clams
1 large squid, cut into rings
1 large spicy chorizo sausage, chopped
2 cups fish or chicken broth (boiling)
2 cups short grain rice
1 tomato, diced
1 onion, diced
1 bell pepper, diced
3 cloves garlic, diced
1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 cup frozen green peas
1 bay leaf
4 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp paprika
1 tbsp lemon zest
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cracked black pepper
1/2 tsp saffron
1 lemon cut into wedges

Method
There's lots going on with this dish, so make sure you have your ingredients prepared and ready to go before you start cooking. In a small pot, bring the broth to a light boil. Preheat your oven to 350F and grab your cast iron skillet.  Heat the olive oil and add the pepper, onion and garlic and cook for 5 minutes on medium/high heat. Add the rice and all the spices and make sure everything is mixed and the rice is coated well with the oil from the skillet. Stir in tomato, peas and sausage and cook for  2 more minutes, then slowly add the hot broth. Let simmer on medium heat for 15 minutes, then dot the seafood among the rice until it's covered.

Move skillet to the oven and cook for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and cover with hot towel or aluminium foil for another 10 minutes. Right before you serve, sprinkle lemon zest and parsley on top. Enjoy with juice from lemon wedges.