Scottish Curry | Nina's Heavenly Delights #FoodnFlix

I'm hosting the February 2020 edition of the Food 'n Flix club with the British foodie rom-com, Nina's Heavenly Delights. Nina comes from a fairly traditional Indian family, who lives and owns a restaurant in Glasgow, Scotland. She grew up cooking with her father, learning to use her senses, and becoming a good chef in her own right.  As many young adults do, she leaves home to discover the world on her own terms (and to escape an arranged marriage).

When her father passes away from a heart attack, Nina returns home after 3 years of being estranged and living in London on her own. It's then that she discovers the restaurant is in financial trouble and will most likely be sold to another local Indian family of restauranteurs, which includes the son Sanjay, the man she was supposed to be married to. Remembering all of the memories in the restaurant, particularly learning to cook with her father, she is determined not to let that happen.

Spike's Onion Blossom Thing Petals | Buffy the Vampire Slayer

I almost burnt the house down in an attempt to make "blooming onion things". It was entirely my fault. I was in a hurry and wasn't thinking. In short, I used a pot that was far too small ("oh, this is the perfect size for this onion!"). I filled it with oil. I brought that oil to 375° F. I proceeded to lower a battered onion into that oil. That oil all poured over the edge of the pot and onto the flame underneath the pot.

Caramelized Onion Tartlets | Charmed

I'm excited to be joining my friend Kimberly from Coffee and Casseroles today to bring you another of our self-imposed challenges. This month we're creating recipes from a series that I've been meaning to cook from for many, many years - Charmed! We left it up in the air as to which version we'd use (the original or the reboot); both have all sorts of inspiration if you're paying attention.

One-Pan Swordfish w/ Ratatouille

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Seafood Nutrition Partnership. All opinions are 100% mine.

Over the years I've mentioned my penchant for seafood, which I think really took hold after my trip to Scotland's Inner Hebrides. I imagine any coastal location has a way of making you a believer—eating seafood moments after it was pulled from the water is an experience that everyone should have at least once in their life. But alas, I don't reside in a coastal area.

Fortunately it's easy to get your hands on good quality fresh and frozen seafood in this day and age. Flavor factor aside, eating fish and seafood just makes me feel a tad more virtuous. While I'm sure that's part mindset, it's actually a truth, since seafood is high in Omega-3s, healthy fats that are essential for heart and brain health.

Creamed Pearl Onions w/ Bacon & Brandy | The Witches of Eastwick #FoodnFlix

We are heading back to the 80's and into the kitchen with The Witches of Eastwick for this month's edition of Food 'n Flix! Based on the John Updike novel of the same name (which I have not read), the movie is about three friends living in the town of Eastwick, Rhode Island who are dissatisfied with the state of their lives.

Alex (Cher) is a widowed artist and mother of one (at least I think she had 1 child). Sukie (Michelle Pfeiffer) is a divorced mother of 6 little girls who works as a reporter for the local newspaper and still manages to garden. Jane (Susan Sarandon) is a recently divorced cellist and music teacher who is unable to have children. They get together on Thursday nights to drink martinis and discuss life.

Dublin Coddle

In my search to find some good traditional Irish recipes to try over the past couple of weeks, I came across a dish called Dublin Coddle. If you're familiar with coddled eggs, which are cooked slowly and gently in a liquid just below the boiling point, you probably got the gist of this dish. Potatoes, onions, good pork sausage, and bacon are layered and cooked together gently to make a sort of stew that is basic - in the best of ways.

It's said that an Irish wife could leave a pot simmering on the stove for hours when she went to bed, that way it would be ready when her husband arrived home hungry from the pub. It's also one of those dishes that tastes better after sitting for a day, allowing all of the flavors to mingle and develop. A coddle was a good way to use up stray sausages and rashers of bacon on a Thursday in times when Catholics weren't supposed to eat meat on Fridays.

French Onion Soup inspired by Paris Time Capsule

I'm back today with another book tour, this time highlighting the novel originally released in May 2014 by Ella Carey—Paris Time Capsule. By now you probably know that my favorite types of books are those that allow me to get lost in them, to step out of my own head and into the world of the character. I particularly enjoy foodie novels or cozies, stories of travel, chick-lit (think chick-flick in book form), intriguing mysteries, or like this one, a combination of more than one of those genres.

Inspired by an actual apartment that was discovered untouched since the Nazi invasion of Paris, there's a bit of historical fiction in the pages of Paris Time Capsule. When Cat is called to Paris for the reading of a will of someone she never knew, life as she knows it changes. In her search to uncover the past, she learns not only more about the mysterious Isabelle de Florian but also about who she, herself, is and wants.

From Paris to the south of France, there's enough scenery and history in this book to warm any Francophile's heart. I also loved the descriptions of Cat's vintage clothing and style, the oh-which-of-the-two-hot-guys-that-love-me-do-I-choose angle, and the dreaminess of inheriting not only a beautiful old apartment in Paris, but also the prospective fortune that it contains aspect.

Grilled Pizza w/ Onions, Peppers, Corn, and Brats

Would you believe me if I told you that Guinness© Blonde™ American Lager tastes an awful lot like Guinness Stout? Because that's what I'm telling you. As a lover of the deep, rich Porter that everybody knows as Guinness, my first sip of Blonde was a happy one. It may be a lighter in color, but not in complexity or flavor.

The first fusion beer in the new Guinness Discovery Series, Guinness Blonde combines European brewing techniques with American Hops to brew a lager that is hoppy with citrus and floral notes, while still having that "biscuity" malt finish so characteristic of Guinness. It's great for kicking back with and relaxing, but it also lends itself well to cooking and food pairings.

Guerilla Scallion Pancakes | The Art of Eating Through the Zombie Apocalypse

"When the undead rise, social conventions will crumble faster than a good shortbread."

I wasn't always a huge zombie fan. I didn't clamor around the ticket office to buy tickets to the latest George Romero flick when it was released—but I always looked forward to watching them on dvd, tape (yes, I'm that old), or television. I still wouldn't call myself zombie-crazed, but there are a couple of amazing movies and tv shows centered around zombies that top my list of all-time favorites. I'm pretty sure that you can guess at least one of them.

Go ahead...I'll wait.

Oh yes, that was fast. If you said The Walking Dead, you would be correct. How could a fan of good television NOT love one of the best shows on right now? I'm hooked. I watch reruns and marathons and shake my fist at the writers and the far-too-long wait between seasons.

Turkey and Wild Rice Soup

When I was a kid, I used to pray that it wouldn't snow before my birthday. Since my birthday falls three days after Halloween, an evening of being able to wear costumes unhindered was automatically covered in that prayer. Sometimes my prayers were answered, sometimes they weren't. It was a crapshoot.

Fast-forward 30 years, and we're lucky if it snows before mid-January. Yes, there's usually one really big, foreboding blast during the first half of November that fools us into unearthing every spare pair of gloves, hat, and scarf we had packed away—but it fades into a distant memory long before lights start twinkling from every other house on the street. I can't remember our last white Christmas. And as far as I'm concerned, once Christmas is over, I'm done with snow. Oh how my younger, largest-snowy-hill-in-the-neighborhood-seeking self would be disappointed in me.

My point really being that it's now January 2nd, and instead of peering out the window to a white blanket that envelops our street in a hush, I see lawns mottled with patches of brown. But those gloves are definitely getting their use, as it is cold as all get-out. Which means that I pretty much want a big pot of soup simmering on the stove on a daily basis.

Slow-Cooker Beef and Bacon Stew

Raise your hand if you love baby showers! I really do; they're always so much fun with the games and the adorable little eensy-weensy clothes and the nibbles. But the truth is—I haven't been to one in years. I don't even remember the last one I went to. Apparently most of the people I know (local or family) have already had their babies.

So I will turn to my friends who live a bit farther, like the beautiful lady that we're celebrating today—Alyssa from Everyday Maven! Now, I feel like I've known Alyssa for a long time. In reality, it's probably been about three or four years. I don't remember exactly how we met, but it was through the world of food blogging. About two and a half years ago, I was a guest blogger at her site, and I shared a simple, delicious side dish of Arugula and Lemon Couscous. This was before Alyssa began her Paleo journey, and now I feel a bit guilty about the pasta, but she is gracious enough to leave it on her site.

Alyssa herself has actually been a guest blogger right here on All Roads Lead to the Kitchen a couple of times, as well. Two years ago she stopped by during the Twelve Weeks of Winter Squash to...well...talk winter squash! The next summer she helped me cool off during The Summer of the Popsicle with these Triple Berry Ice Pops. I love her style, and both she and her food are very approachable. One visit to her world and you'll feel the love for her family and for feeding them healthy food.

Bacon, Green Onion, & Blue Cheese Bread

Where, oh where, has this summer gone?  It was stolen by the miserable humidity and hovering-around-100° temps.  So now that the humidity has mostly dissipated and the temps have gone down a good fifteen to twenty degrees most days, we are trying to make the most of the less-than-two-weeks we have before the kids will be sitting in classrooms again.  Walking, biking, playing, coaxing bugs from under rocks (for scientific study purposes, of course)...reading and eating outside again!  For as much as I love fruits that grow in the tropical heat, I sure don't know if I could survive in it.  While my baking did slow down a bit during the last couple of months, it didn't stop completely.  Many thanks going out to my bread machine for doing the bulk of the work for me.  It would have been even better if I'd actually let the machine cook the loaves, as well...but I sort of cringe at the goofy, silo-shaped loaves it produces.  While one day I hope to have a new version with a horizontal bread pan, I am not going to cry over what has helped me so much since I've "re-discovered" it.  Especially when it helps me make loaves like this one.

Bacon, Green Onion, and Blue Cheese Bread
adapted from The Artisan Bread Machine
yield: one 2# loaf

2 Tbs. (30 mL) granulated sugar
1 tsp. (5 mL) instant yeast
1 c. + 2 Tbs. (280 mL) lukewarm water (110° F / 43° C)
½ c. (125 mL) finely chopped green onions
⅓ c. (75 mL) vegetable oil
3¾ c. (925 mL) bread flour
1 tsp. (5 mL) salt
½ c. (125 mL) cooked bacon, chopped
½ c. (125 mL) crumbled blue cheese

Add sugar, yeast, and water to bread pan of your bread machine (or mixing bowl if not using a bread machine).  Let stand until yeast starts to bubble, ~10 minutes.  Add green onions and oil.  Spoon flour on top of liquid.  Add salt, bacon, and cheese.  Select dough cycle and press start (by hand or with mixer, mix well and then knead until smooth and pliable.  Transfer to oiled bowl, cover and let rise at room temperature until doubled in size, ~1 hr).

Turn dough out and punch down.  Form into a ball and place in a well-floured brotform or free-form onto a well-floured surface.  Cover and let rise 30 minutes.  Preheat oven to 425° F (220° C) during last 15 minutes of rise time.  Using a serrated knife, cut deep slashes in loaf.  Spray with water and turn out onto baking stone that has been preheating (or slide free-form into oven on tray or stone).  Bake until risen and dark brown and registers 190° F (90° C) in center, ~30 minutes.  Let cool on wire rack.

The blue cheese sort of melts into the bread since it is mixed and kneaded in from the start.  I think I may try adding it in just before I let it rise next time...see if it gives me chunks of goodness.  You can still taste it, though...so my fellow stinky cheese lovers need not worry.  This bread is very sturdy...perfect for sandwiches, either toasted or just sliced.  I will be making this often...and I think I'm going to divide it in two next time and make it in loaf pans.  That is how perfect it is for sandwiches!

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I am sharing this post with:
*BBD #43:Onion Breads hosted at Judy's Gross Eats
*Yeastspotting!

Onion Baguettes = Happy Days

There is no debating the fact that I need a new oven.  One that I don't have to set to 300° when I need the temperature to be 350°.  One that has more than one rack.  One that has a six-burner stove-top.  One with a window on the door.  Oh, better yet, two new ovens!  For ease on holidays.  One that has a hood with the sucking power of a bleep!, yet doesn't make a sound.  One that is wide enough to make a true baguette.  Or better yet, wide enough and deep enough and tall enough to bake six baguettes at the same time.  Oh, and while I'm building the perfect oven, how about one that can be transformed from convection to convention with the flip of a switch.  Oh!  How 'bout the second oven is wood-burning!  With a big, hot stone floor...for pizza and bread.  Working in restaurant kitchens definitely spoils you for a "regular person with limited funds" kitchen.  But I can dream with the best of 'em...so don't worry about me.  

I'm sorry.  Where was I?  I need a new oven.  And I'm reminded of that fact whenever I try to bake more than one loaf of bread at a time or something particularly big in one way or another.  While these baguettes may not be long and thin and svelte as the ones you're accustomed to, they definitely bring a smile to your lips and your belly.  The scent of warm bread and earthy onions floating on the air is enough to make me forget my dreams and live in the now.  For a few minutes, at least.

Onion Baguettes

adapted pretty liberally from Happy Days with the Naked Chef
makes 3 baguettes

for the dough:
just over 1 lb. white bread flour
~11 grams instant yeast
1 Tbs. sugar
1 Tbs. fine sea salt
just over 1 c. tepid water
ladleful of sourdough starter (optional)*

for onion topping:
olive oil
2 cloves garlic, sliced thin
1 large yellow onion, sliced thin
small handful fresh thyme, leaves stripped
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
white wine vinegar

Whisk together flour, yeast, sugar, and salt in a large bowl.  Make a well in the center and add sourdough starter and water.  Stir with a wooden spoon to combine, then turn out onto a work surface and knead until smooth and elastic, ~3-5 minutes.  Transfer to an oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and let sit in a warm place until doubled in size, ~45 minutes to an hour.

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and gently poke all around with your fingertips.  Divide into three equal portions.  Form each into a baguette and transfer to a lightly floured pizza peel (if baking on a stone) or sheet tray (if baking directly on tray).  You can make long, skinny baguettes if they will fit in your oven...unfortunately my oven isn't the one of my dreams, so mine have to be a bit shorter and fatter than an ideal baguette.  Cover and let rise until doubled in size again, ~45 minutes to an hour.  Preheat oven to 350° F. during last 15 minutes of rise time.

In the meantime, heat a big glug of olive oil in a skillet over medium-low heat.  Add garlic, onions, and thyme and cook, stirring from time to time until everything is soft and onions are translucent (without browning), ~5-7 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper and a splash of the vinegar.  Stir and set aside until baguettes have risen.

Divide onion mixture evenly amongst the risen dough and slide into the preheated oven (either onto preheated stone or the whole tray).  Bake for ~35-40 minutes*, or until baguettes are golden and onions have started to get dark and crisp up in spots.  Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack.

*If you are making this without the ladleful of sourdough starter...and/or your baguettes are longer & skinnier than mine...your baguettes could be done in as little as 15 minutes, so start checking them earlier, if you've made either of those changes.

Split lengthwise, this made some fantastic sandwiches...spread generously with some beautifully stinky Garlic-Herb Boursin and some falling-apart-thin smoked ham.  Happy Days.

 What brings you Happy Days (...other than Nick at Nite)?

Also sharing this post with:
*Yeastspotting!

Purslane, Heirloom Tomato, & Onion Salad

How do you wish summer adieu?  I prefer to round up a bunch of those warm, juicy globes that look ready to burst from their stems.  Then I snip some of the weeds that I purposefully let grow at their feet.  Maybe I'll even fish a small onion out of its earthen home.  Yes, I think this is the perfect way to give thanks to the beautiful harvest that I was blessed with this year...not huge, but definitely enough for our family.  I saw this salad over at Fat of the Land and just knew it was destined for our table.

Purslane, Heirloom Tomato, and Onion Salad

-(ripe, juicy) heirloom tomatoes...of any variety
-big bunch of Purslane
-small onion, sliced thin
-salt & freshly ground black pepper

Slice your tomatoes into quarters, lengthwise.

Clean the purslane and cut the small bunches off of the thick stems.

Toss the tomatoes, purslane, and onions.  Sprinkle the whole thing with salt and freshly ground black pepper.  The juice from the tomatoes should be enough to form a "dressing" of sorts.  If it doesn't seem moist enough, squeeze a couple of the tomato quarters to help release the juices.

This is my entry into Grow Your Own (GYO) which I am hosting this month.  Don't forget to send me your entries by the end of the month (click on GYO for more info)!  Your post can contain anything you've either grown, hunted, foraged, fished, or raised yourself...or been given by someone else who has done those things. It just needs to be from the month of September.  I'm looking forward to seeing what is local in your area!

*update 2/5/11: I am sharing this with Val at More Than Burnt Toast for "Have a Heart"!
*6/23/11: Also linking up to Renee at My Kitchen Adventures and her Summer Salad Event!
*6/29/11:  *Get Grillin’ with Family Fresh Cooking and Cookin’ Canuck, sponsored by Ile de France Cheese, Rösle, Emile Henry, Rouxbe and ManPans.

Pasta done right...and done right again.

I remember praising the brilliance of scrambling eggs with pasta...so why did I never think of topping pasta with fried eggs? Huh. Slow on the uptake, I guess. Lucky for me I have a little Bitty to help me with things like that.  I was broke trying to use up some more pantry items the other day...and came across 2 pasta recipes that I had HAD! to try...so I went ahead and just cooked up a pound of pasta and divided it in half.  So there.  Nothing holds me back ;).

Both of these come from my current fave, Kitchen Express...and ya know, cooking up a pound of pasta two ways didn't actually take that long.  While I waited for the water to boil and then the pasta to cook, I was able to whip up the two add-ins and finish everything at the same time.  The key was starting the onions caramelizing first thing, cuz that takes a while to do right. Although, the actual recipe didn't actually call for caramelizing come to think of it...it just called for browning.  But that deep natural sweetness that comes from that process is just tooooooo amazing not to do it if you have the time (and if you're waiting for a big pot of water to come to a boil and cook up some pasta, you have the time!). 

Pasta with Fried Eggs
from Kitchen Express by Mark Bittman
Boil salted water for pasta and cook it; meanwhile, fry four eggs in butter, keeping them very runny. Drain the pasta, reserving some of the cooking water, and toss it with a few tablespoons of olive oil or butter, lots of freshly grated Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, and enough of the reserved water to moisten; top with the fried eggs. Roughly cut the eggs up and toss the pasta again to serve.I also added in a little crushed red chilis...and I used gasp! Parm from a can. I know, I know. I was broke, remember! out of fresh.  So good and so simple...love that warm, oozing yolk coating the pasta just so!

Pasta with Balsamic Onions
from the same place
Boil salted water for pasta and cook it; meanwhile, in a tablespoon or so of olive oil, sear a couple of sliced onions until nicely browned, stirring almost all the time. Splash some balsamic vinegar over all and sprinkle with salt and lots of black pepper; reduce the heat so the mixture thickens into a sauce. Drain the pasta, reserving some of the cooking water; toss the pasta with the onion sauce, adding some of the reserved cooking water; toss the pasta with the onion sauce, adding some of the reserved cooking water as needed to moisten and serve. Parmesan cheese is optional. As if.

I used four onions since I was caramelizing...I knew they'd cook down to almost nothing.  Sweet nothing.

This (well, these) is my entry for this weeks POTLUCK over at IHCC...and I'm also sending it over to Katie of Thyme for Cooking who is hosting Presto Pasta Nights this week.