Pear and Ginger Cocktail

Ginger is the flavor of the moment in our kitchen. It started with a new flavor of yogurt the hubby found at the grocery store recently: honey and ginger. Who would have thought that ginger would work so well in yogurt? I think what it comes down to is getting the right balance of sweetness to counter the characteristic spiciness of the ginger. A technique that I tried and, thankfully, worked well for this cocktail.  

Pear and Ginger Cocktail

Serves 3 to 4

4 ripe pears, cored and sliced

1/2 cup water

2 tbsp agave

1 24oz bottle of ginger ale

Add the pear slices and water to a blender and puree. Strain into a pitcher, trying to filter as much of the liquid as possible. Stir in the agave and fill up with ginger ale. Serve as is for a non-alcohlic drink, or add 1 oz of white rum and 1/2 oz ginger liqueur per serving for a sweet and spicy cocktail.  

Chicken and Date Meatballs with Balsamic Glaze

Holiday recipes for me have to be simple, quick and, of course, tasty. This recipe encompasses all of that plus it is baked, making it lighter in calories. 

Chicken and Date Meatballs

Makes about 20

2 tbsp vegetable oil

1 onion, diced

1 bell pepper, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 bay leaf

2 sprigs of fresh thyme

4 fresh sage leaves

2 lbs ground chicken breast

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1 tbsp tomato paste

1/4 cup plain bread crumbs

10 dates, chopped

Balsamic glaze:

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

2 tbsp honey

1. Add the vegetable oil to a large skillet set over medium-high heat. Cook the onion, pepper, garlic, bay leaf, thyme and sage leaves, until the onion and pepper have softened, about 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from the heat, and remove and discard the bay leaf, thyme sprigs and sage leaves. Set the mixture aside to cool.

2. Add the cooled onion and pepper mixture to the ground chicken, in a large  bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and combine thoroughly.

3. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray. Scoop up about 2 tablespoons of the mixture and form into a ball and place on the baking sheet. Continue this process until all of the chicken mixture has been used up.

4. Bake in a 350 degrees F oven for 30 minutes.

5. To make the balsamic glaze: Add the ingredients to a sauce pan over medium heat. Cook until the mixture has thickened, about 5 minutes. Pour this glaze over the meatballs before serving.

Butternut Squash Creme Brulee

Last weekend, I revisited one of my most decadent recipes, one that makes good use of butternut squash. This is my butternut squash creme brulee. Find the original recipe here.

Heirloom Tomato Tart

September is the best month of the year, in my opinion, to peruse the various farmers markets in the twin cities. It is the end of summer with fall just around the corner, and this means that you can still get some of the spoils of summer as well as early pick up some early fall produce such as apples and squash. A wonderful time of the year to be cooking! Last Friday, I found myself at the Minneapolis Farmers Market where I found these gorgeous heirloom tomatoes. In our house, we like to eat them fresh, with a baguette, and maybe some cheese. But no one complains when they are put in a tart shell with a creamy custard base and baked until golden brown.  

Heirloom Tomato Tart

Makes one 8" tart

one 8" whole wheat tart shell (see recipe below)

2 to 3 medium-sized heirloom tomatoes, sliced

2 eggs

1/2 cup evaporated milk

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1/2 cup shredded cheese 

1. Place the tomato slices between sheets of paper towels and pat dry. You want to remove as much liquid as possible. Then arrange the slices in a spiral pattern in the tart shell. 

2. Whisk the eggs, milk, salt and pepper together. Stir in the cheese. Pour this mixture over the tomatoes. 

3. Bake at 375 °F  for 30 minutes. Remove and let rest for about 5 minutes before serving. 

Whole Wheat Tart Shell

Makes one 8" shell

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour

1 tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp salt

4 tbsp cold butter, cubed

4 to 5 tbsp cold water

Add the flour, sugar and salt to a food processor. Pulse quickly to combine. Add the butter and pulse until incorporated into the flour mixture. With the processor running, slowly add the cold water, one tablespoon at a time, until the dough forms into a ball. Press the dough out along the bottom and up the sides of a well greased 8" tart pan. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes before baking. When ready, line the inside of the tart shell with foil and fill with pie weights. Bake at 375 °F  for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and pie weights and return to the oven for another 10 minutes. 

Grilled Eggplant with Chile Sauce and Tahini

There are a couple great aspects of this recipe. First, it makes a satisfying, meatless meal. And, second, the chile sauce is so incredibly smooth and highly flavorful that I can see it working well not only in this dish but certainly on meats or even in pasta. And if you were ever looking for a recipe that utilizes  bunches of fresh mint, other than mojitos of course, this is it. (Speaking of mojitos, here's a classic mojito recipe, if you're so inclined.) The original version of this recipe features eggplant charred in the oven. While I'm a big fan of charred anything, especially eggplant, I opted for grilling them only because it takes less time and summer is the time for grilling. 

Grilled Eggplant with Chile Sauce and Tahini
(Adapted from Saveur)
Serves 2-4

2 small italian eggplant
2 cups cilantro leaves, chopped
1 cup mint leaves, chopped
1 cup olive oil (plus 2 - 3 tbsp for the eggplant)
1/4 cup honey
6 garlic cloves
1 serrano chile, stemmed and seeded
zest and juice of 1 lemon
salt and pepper, to taste
6 boiled eggs, halved
1/2 cup tahini

1. Heat the grill. Slice each eggplant in four, lengthwise. Brush each slice on both sides with a generous amount of olive oil. Grill for 4 to 5 minutes on each side, until tender, with nice grill marks. Remove from grill and season with salt and pepper.
2. Puree the cilantro, mint, olive oil, honey, garlic, chile, lemon zest and juice, until smooth.
3. Serve the  grilled eggplant slices together with boiled eggs, topping them generously with the chile sauce and tahini.