WIAW #63: Savory Herbed Blintzes

I’ve been doing a lot of big dinner cooking lately but not much of photographing. And because of these rich dinners that often involve complicated carbs, my breakfasts and lunches aren't taht interesting to begin with. Think yogurt, granola, grapefruit, leftovers...and chocolate pumpkin quinoa bars. Okay, those are interesting. 

But either way, I hope you enjoy the main part of my day: dinner.

When you Google “savory blintzes,” you mainly get recipes for sweet dessert blintzes that may have a line or two at the end saying, “try these savory!” 

Instead, I simply made my own version based on one of those sweet recipes. I’ll tell you, it’s completely worth it. The light airy crepes give way to oozing, deliciously herbed ricotta. Doesn’t that sound much better than topped with maple syrup?

Now, the sweet blintzes have their moments, but unless you are entertaining, the savory version is much more practical for a special meal for two or four.

I must say these babies are definitely decadent. For a meal you really only need two along with a hearty salad or bowl of vegetable minestrone like we did. Playful re-imagining of grilled cheese and tomato soup I guess. Also, an awesome one.

You can also customize this as much as you want. I topped ours with caramelized onions, keeping the toppings simply to let the blintz itself shin. But, this recipe also makes a great base for an authentic manicotti. Simply use your favorite marinara sauce to coat a baking dish, place blintzes on top, and cover with sauce, cheese, and additional herbs. Bake at 350 until bubbly and brown on top.

They also freeze quite well for up to a month. Simply freeze for 30 minutes on a baking sheet, and then transfer to a plastic bag so they won’t stick together. Thaw in the fridge before reheating in the oven.

No matter what you topping them with (roasted tomatoes anyone?) you will go nuts over these. It actually makes me miss Philadelphia and its amazing Italian food a little less…. or more because its so good.

Savory Herb Blintzes

(Adapted from The Working Class Foodies Cookbook by Rebecca Lando)

Ingredients:

Crepes

¾ cup all-purpose flour

3 large eggs

1 cup 2% or whole milk

2 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

3/4 tsp. salt

½ tsp. white or black pepper

Olive oil

Filling

1 ½ cup part-skim ricotta

4 oz. (1/2 block) cream cheese, softened

½ cup grated Parmesan

1 large egg, beaten

1 tbsp. unsalted butter

2 garlic cloves, minced

½ tsp. salt

1 tsp. black pepper

1 tsp. red pepper flakes

2 tsp. herb de Provence or mix of rosemary and oregano

1 tbsp. fresh sage minced

2 tsp. fresh oregano, minced

¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped

Dash Worcestershire sauce

Toppings

Minced fresh parsley

Grated Parmesan

1 cup Caramelized onions (roughly 1 large yellow onion)

For the Caramelized onions, sliced onion into thin rings and cook over low heat in a pan with 1 tbsp. butter and drizzle olive oil. Let onions sweat until soft and very translucent, stirring occasionally. Add 1 tbsp. sugar, 1/2 tsp. salt, and pepper. Stir until darkened. Once onions are dark, add ¼ cup water and cover. Cook until very dark and soft.

Directions:

For the crepe batter, whisk eggs, milk, melted butter, and salt together in a large bowl. Mix in flour a ¼ cup at a time until just combined, scraping the side of the bowl. Refrigerate batter in the fridge for at least an hour or overnight.

Meanwhile, in another bowl, mix all the ingredients for the filling together. Set aside or refrigerate until ready to use. Make caramelized onions if using.

Once you are ready to make the crepes, heat a large pan or skillet over medium heat with a little drizzle of olive oil.

Scoop about ¼ cup batter, or just enough to cover the bottom of the pan, swirling the batter quickly to cover the bottom in a thin layer. Cook each crepe for about 90 seconds or until lightly brown on the bottom. (Don’t flip.)

Place crepe on a plate a cover with a piece of parchment paper or a paper towel. Repeat with the rest of the batter and use more oil as needed.

To assemble the blintzes, lay a crepe on a plate or clean cutting board. Spoon a thick amount of the filling on the bottom half of the crepe. Fold half over the filling, then fold over sides and tightly roll with the last half, make a tight bundle, with the seam on the bottom. Repeat with the rest of the crepes and filling.

Using the same pan, heat back to medium high and drizzle enough olive oil to just cover the bottom of the pan. Fry each rolled blintz for 2-3 minutes on each side until crispy and brown.  Fry two or three blintzes at a time depending on the size of the pan. Place on paper towels until all finished.

Transfer blintzes to plates, top with caramelized onions, parsley, and grated Parmesan. Serve immediately.

Enjoy!

Dutch Oven French Bread

Valentine's Day concluded this year like most gift-holidays. I picked out what I wanted and Aaron bought it for me...and flowers. But hey, he got a bottle of Maker's Mark; so don't feel bad for him.

 

I've had my eye on this Le Creuset dutch oven for almost a month. I first saw it on clearance while browsing at Marshall's and almost got giddy. The 5 1/2 quart enamel cast iron oven usually goes for several hundred dollars on retail. This one being a "second" quality (though there was only two discolorations you can barely see) usually goes for $250....I got it for $80.

So let's just say I was so excited to break it out that I started using it the first night I got it. Two weeks later, I've started the tradition of "Sunday Bread." Since this recipe takes several hours of inactive time between rising, it is perfect to start before church or any Sunday morning activities and finishing later in the day in time for dinner and weekday sandwiches.

One good thing about this recipe (at least for me) it isn't the "no-knead" Dutch oven bread everyone else has been slinging around the internet because you do knead it in a mixer for 10 minutes, saving you the 24 hours in the fridge that the other version requires. If you have the time and/nor the mixer, here's the famous recipe for good "no knead" dutch oven bread.

I got this recipe from Le Creuset itself and I made it twice: once their way and once my way. What's the difference? Well as good as the bread I made first was, I wanted a slightly softer, more moist bread. Luckily my experiment paid off and I was rewarded with the same height and color of the previous loaf....while having a softer inside.

Alas, this changed how the dough appeared before baking it. Like some of the other breads and recipes I've made since I starting bread-baking a few months ago, my version makes a softer dough as well. With the addition of a little olive oil and pinch of sugar, I got the soft French bread I wanted. It also last at least a day without drying out. (After that I recommend freezing and thawing as needed.)

I do love the simplicity of this recipe and it makes me miss REAL French bread. I would love to see someone try this recipe in an oval Le Creuset to see if it turned into the oval loafs I love so much.

This is the best bread fresh as well as the next day for the best paninis, sandwiches, and my new favorite….French toast. Anyway you eat it you won’t be disappointed.

Dutch Oven French Bread

(Adapted from LeCreuset Technique Series with Michael Ruhlman)

Makes 1 large loaf

Ingredients:

4 cups All-Purpose Flour (such as King Arthur)

1 ½ cup warm water (between 105-115 F degrees)

1 tsp. active dry yeast (about half of a packet)

1 tsp. Coarse sea salt plus additional for baking

1 tsp. sugar

Vegetable oil or vegetable oil spray

2 tsp. Olive oil plus more for baking

Note: It is important that your water is warm so the yeast will proof, but not too hot to kill it.

Also, try not to scope the flour with the same cup for measuring as you will acquire 30% more flour from the scooping. Instead scoop with a separate cup or flour scoop and carefully pour into the measuring cup.

P.S. make sure your dutch oven has a phelonic knob for the hot temperatures, otherwise remove the knob prior to baking.

Instructions:

 

Add flour, water, yeast, sugar, 2 tsp. olive oil, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook and at least a 5 ½ quart bowl.

Mix on medium speed (4 for Kitchen Aid) until the dough is smooth and elastic, 5-10 minutes. The dough should be coherent, but will also be soft and sticky.

Lift dough from the bowl, spray with vegetable oil, and then return dough to the bowl. Cover the bowl from the mixer with a pot lid or tightly with plastic wrap.

Let dough to rise until it has doubled in size and does not spring back when a finger covered in flour does not bounce back into it, 2 to 4 hours.

Turn the dough out onto a clean, floured work surface and knead it to release the gas and redistribute the yeast in the dough. Shape the dough into a ball and cover loosely with a towel, letting stand for 10 minutes to allow the gluten to relax from the kneading.

On your floured surface, shape the dough into a ball as tightly as possible by rolling it between your hands and pinching the bottom.

Using the vegetable oil, spray or coat the bottom and sides of a large French oven that’s at least 5 ½ quart big. Put the dough in the center of the pot and place the lid on. Allow the dough to rise again, for 30 minutes if warm and humid, 60 minutes if room is colder.

Preheat the oven to 450 F degrees.

Rub at least 1 tablespoon olive oil, gently over the surface of the dough. Score the bread with a sharp knife or razor, making an X or a hash mark (#) to let the dough to expand freely in the oven. Evenly sprinkle the dough with the salt. Cover the pot with the lid and place it in the oven.

After 30 minutes of baking, remove the lid and reduce the oven temperature to 375 F degrees. Continue baking until the bread is nicely browned and cooked through with an internal temperature of 200 F degrees with a thermometer (about 10-15 minutes.)

Remove bread from the dutch oven and allow the bread to rest on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes so that the interior finishes cooking.

Enjoy!

The Cuisiner

Anniversary Chocolate Pie

A lot can happen in a year. And sometimes that same amount of stuff will happen in six months. That’s where we, (Aaron and I) find ourselves today on our sixth-month wedding anniversary.

I can hardly believe it either. I’ve been married for six months to one pretty spectacular guy. In that same time span Aaron finally got on active duty in the USAF, we moved from Philadelphia to West Texas, I started a job as a librarian, we got a dog, a car, and a Le Creuset Dutch oven. All very significant life accomplishments if I do say myself.

Of course the one thing that has remained constant is our trust in each other. Without Aaron I’d probably still be living in beautiful Philadelphia working minimum wage at a museum and coffee shop simultaneously and be completely miserable. Despite the ups and downs of moving “half cross country,” I know we couldn’t have done any of it without each other and I guess that’s the point of this marriage thing after all.

And even with all the massive life changes, often it’s the little things that count the most. Like when Aaron surprises me with flowers on a Wednesday or hug after a particularly hard day or this chocolate pie.

This is his favorite. Alright, a close tie with carrot cake, but since he got that for his groom’s cake I thought I would try something different.

While not discounting all the help and opportunities we’ve had so far, starting out isn’t easy. We’ve limited our spending and especially our “going out” money so we can pay for that bachelor’s degree of mine, the car, the dog, and the Le Creuset Dutch oven. So instead of going out and dropping $60-100 on an (sixth month) anniversary dinner, I’m surprising him with (small) rib-eye steak, mashed potatoes, peas, homemade bread, and of course: THIS PIE. 

Yes, it’s a Monday, but you’re only in your first month of marriage once. And yes I mean once, America. So might as well enjoy it while you can, embracing the poorness and the Southern specialties. Where good steak is cheaper than chicken and a lot more plentiful.

I made this pie from scratch: meaning homemade filling, fresh whipped cream, and homemade crust. It is honestly the best way to make it and the homemade crust really makes the difference, especially for a special occasion. If you’d rather, you can substitute for the roll-out store bought option which is good in a hurry but a little pricier than the really stuff which costs about $90.

Because this is the Southern baked version versus a Chocolate silk pie, the top gets perfectly caramelized, the inside is smooth, and it doesn’t even need the whipped cream. Either way you cannot get better than this. I wanted an extra chocolately pie without being sickly sweet. I hope you agree-- anniversary or not.

Anniversary Chocolate Pie with Fresh Whipped Cream

(Filling recipe adapted from Food and Wine and crust recipe from The Working Class Foodies Cookbook by Rebecca Lando)

Ingredients:

For the Crust:

1 cup all purpose flour, plus more for working

1 stick unsalted butter, cold and cubed

1 egg yolk

2-½ tsp. milk

1 ½ tsp. vanilla extract

½ tbsp. sugar

½ tsp. salt

For the Filling:

2/3 cup plus 1 tbsp. heavy whipping cream

1/4 cup good quality dark chocolate chips, finely chopped into shavings (about 2-3 tbsp. of the whole chips)

4 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder

1 cup sugar

4 tbsp. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted

2 large eggs lightly beaten

1 tsp. good quality vanilla extract

1/4 tsp. salt

For the Whipped Cream:

1 cup heavy whipping cream

3 tbsp. sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Garnish:

Dark chocolate chips or bar chopped or made into shavings with a vegetable peeler

Variation:
For a sweeter pie, add 1/4 cup more sugar in the filling and another tablespoon cream.

Directions:

For the crust, whisk flour, sugar, and salt together in a large bowl or stand mixer. Work in cubed better with your hands or on medium speed with the mixer making coarse crumbs of the flour and butter.

In a small bowl beat the egg yolk, milk, and vanilla together. Mix wet ingredients into the flour mixture until dough just forms.

Take dough out of the bowl, then gently and quickly knead it on a clean, floured surface, forming a ball. Over-kneading will melt the butter.

Wrap dough completely in plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour. Once ready to use, let dough rest on the counter for 15 minutes before rolling out.

Preheat oven to 350°.

Roll pie dough out on your floured surface evenly to make an 11-inch circle. Let rest for a minute, then carefully place in a 9-inch pie plate and crimp the edges of the dough with a fork to the lip of the plate. Press firmly all around the crust so it doesn’t slid when prebaking. Prick the bottom of the crust lightly with a fork.  Bake for 5 minutes, then remove from oven and let it slightly cool for a minute.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk the sugar with the cocoa powder, chocolate butter, eggs, and ¾ cup whipping cream, vanilla, and salt until smooth. Stir until chocolate shavings melt. (This may take a couple minutes so let sit while crust is prebaking.)

Pour the filling into the pie shell and bake for about 45 minutes, until the filling is set around the edges but a little loose in the center when jiggled. Cover the crust with strips of foil halfway through baking.

Transfer the pie to a rack and let cool completely before cutting into wedges. Serve with whipped cream and chocolate shavings. (Pie shown above has only been cooled, for a more set filling, refrigerate at least one hour before serving and texture will vastly improve.)

For the Whipped Cream: Once ready to serve pie, add whipping cream, sugar, and vanilla into a chilled metal bowl. Beat with an electric or stand mixer that have whisk attachments (or by hand with a whisk,) until stiff peaks form in the cream, the whipped cream should be thick enough that when put on a spoon and tipped up side down it shouldn’t drop.

Refrigerate the rest of the pie and only top with whipped cream once ready to serve so the pie doesn’t get soggy.

Enjoy!

P.s. Happy Anniversary, honey.

WIAW #62: White Chicken Veggie Enchiladas

This recipe came out of one of those moments in life when you say to yourself, "I have no idea what to make for dinner."

So naturally I make enchiladas....

I haven't done a "What I Ate Wednesday" in a while so for today I have only these babies to show you. I hope you like them. We've been eating a little carb-heavy lately so I figure this will be the last hoorah before I start exercising again. I just need to focus on the lovely Texas grapefruit I've been eating by the dozen instead of the chocolate rush from last week....

Honestly these aren't the quickest meal to make but they are one of the tastiest. When it comes to enchiladas its important to add what you like as you can really put anything in there within reason.

Because this was improvised, I was low on quantities of each ingredient so I decided to mix them all together to make veggie chicken enchiladas instead of only the latter. I love mushrooms and when properly cooked they add ugmami (savory) without the extra (more expensive) meat. And steamed cauliflower simply mixes in no one the wiser except for you...sneak in those veggies!

Aaron went nuts for these so I decided to record them as much for my own memory's sake as to share them with you. But trust me, your family will be fighting over these as well!

White Chicken Veggie Enchiladas

(Makes 10 enchiladas for 5-7 servings)

Ingredients:

10 small flour tortillas (or gluten free corn tortillas)

1 chicken breast or 2 cups cooked shredded chicken

1/2 head cauliflower including edible stock, roughly chopped

8 oz. mini bella mushrooms, 1/4 inch diced

 1 small yellow onion, finely diced

4 oz. can diced green chilies

1/2 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 cup beer such as corona

1 cup milk (2% or whole)

1 1/2 cup mixed Mexican cheese (optional mix with mozzarella)

1/2 block cream cheese, chopped

1/3 cup chopped cilantro

1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes

Salt and pepper

Garlic powder

1 tbsp. butter

1/2 tbsp. Flour

Olive oil

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Sprinkle salt and pepper on top of the chicken breast along with a drizzle of oil oil. Place on a lined baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes or until no longer pink inside. Allow chicken to cool slightly in order to work with it. Shred meat with a knife and fork into small strips. Set aside.

Set oven to 375 in order to bake the enchiladas.

In a large pan, add 1 tbsp. olive oil begin to sauté chopped onions until soft and translucent. Add garlic and sauté for another minute. Add diced mushrooms and sauté until soft and beginning to brown.

Meanwhile mix cauliflower, punch salt, and 1 tbsp. water in a microwave-safe dish and cook for about 5 minutes until cauliflower is soft. Cook for additional 1-2 minutes if necessary. Once finished, mash cauliflower and add to pan with mushrooms once cooked. Sauté mixture for an additional minute. Add seasoning to taste (1/2 tsp. cumin, pinch chili powder, 1/2 tsp. garlic powder) add about 2 tbsp. of the cilantro, half of the green chilies, and add salt and pepper to taste. Remove mixture from pan, stir in a 2 tbsp. cheese and reserved chicken, set aside.

Wipe pan clean to begin the sauce. Return pan to heat and add butter. Once butter is bubbly, add flour and stir together until thick and pasty. Over low heat, Add milk, beer, and cream cheese and whisk together until thick. Lightly cook until beer taste is no longer forefront.

 Add tomatoes and stir to incorporate letting them wilt a little until the skins become loose. Take off heat and add the rest of the chilies, some of the cilantro, and red pepper flakes. Taste and season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste. Stir in about 2 tbsp. cheese.

When ready to assemble enchiladas, spoon about 1/2 cup of the sauce to cover the bottom of a greased large baking dish. Working with one tortilla at a time, spoon equal amounts of the filling into the middle. (About 1/4-1/3 cup should do.) Carefully roll each tortilla tightly and place seam-side down into the baking dish. Make sure to make room for all ten enchiladas in the dish.

Cover the tortillas with the rest of the sauce, until all the corners are covered. Top with remaining cilantro and cheese along with more black pepper. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 15 minutes. Remove foil and bake until cheese is bubbly, about 10 more minutes.

Allow enchiladas to set for about 5 minutes before serving with rice, beans etc..

Enjoy!

Vegan Truffled Chocolate Covered Cherries and Mousse

Hey guess what? Valentine's Day is coming up on Friday. Oh you didn’t know? Well then you’ll need something special to make.

Whether you are looking for something special for you and your significant other, for a girls' night in, or a dinner party, they will all be impressed. But it's another thing if you have allergies, are gluten-free, or vegan. No matter your diet, you deserve some decadence too.

So when Enjoy Life Foods sent me a bag of their Dark Chocolate morsels for baking, I knew it was time to make a treat everyone could enjoy. Pun.

The morsels not only contribute to my chocolate coconut cream mousse but also to my chocolate covered cherries. They can be made separately or be put together. Either way you have enough decadence to last you the whole season.

You know I love Enjoy Life's products and since their 69% cocoa chips are gluten-free, vegan, and free of the eight most common allergens, you don’t have to be afraid to have your mousse and eat it too. Oh, and they melt perfectly. 

Likewise, cordial chocolate covered cherries were one of my favorites growing up. But if you don't buy carefully, they can taste quite artificial. So instead, I used fresh Bing cherries that are only in season for a couple weeks in Chile. I know, but forgive me it’s Valentine’s Day. Here, Enjoy Life’s dark chocolate morsels were essential.

I wanted to combine fresh, sweet cherries with decadent dark chocolate so you have a nice crunch with the soft flesh of the cherries. And hey, this is America so might as well stuff the cherry with vegan chocolate coconut cream mousse. This step while totally worth it can be skipped for time’s sake. I do hope you make the chocolate mousse. It is so rich and creamy you won’t believe it is actually vegan…but I promise it is!

Coconut cream is an extra thick version of coconut milk, basically without the water and really cannot be substituted. You can find it at Trader Joe’s (of course,) Whole Food’s, and probably any Asian markets or well stocked grocery will carry it. Just make sure you refrigerate the can overnight so it remains thick and won’t melt as much while you are working with it.

FYI: this mousse is very decadent, so small amounts go a long way. This recipe should be enough for 4 small portions. If you aren’t used to coconut cream, you don’t want to over eat or you might get a tummy ache!

This is perfect for a the modern Valentine’s Day dinner party as you won’t get any complaints from your vegan or gluten-free guests. Get ready to impress some people with this! And you will have a lot of cherries left over….but not for long.

Vegan Chocolate Covered Cherries with Vegan Chocolate Mousse

Makes 4 small cups of mouse and 40 cherries

Ingredients:

For the Mousse

1 cup coconut cream or about ½ of a can, (refrigerate can overnight before use so it hardens)

3 tbsp. vegan sugar

3 tbsp. Cocoa powder

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/4 cup Enjoy Life dark chocolate morsels

Coconut or other vegan milk in case you need to adjust the consistency

For the Truffled Chocolate Covered Cherries

40 fresh bing cherries, carefully pitted

1 cup Enjoy Life dark chocolate morsels

Coconut chips or flaked coconut for garnish

About 1/2 cup chocolate mousse

1 plastic bag

40 toothpicks

Directions:

Use a double broiler or sauce pan and glass bowl for melting.

Fill a saucepan with about 2 inches of water and bring to a boil. Place glass bowl over top trapping the steam and take off heat immediately.

Add 1/4 cup chocolate morsels into the bowl and continue stirring until all morsel chips are melted and chocolate is smooth. If it isn't melting, cover with lid for a minute and the chips should start to melt around the edges.

Meanwhile add all ingredients including the melted chocolate, for the mousse into a stand mixer or bowl with beaters until completely mixed and air enters mixture making light and creamy. Spoon into individual glasses for serving, reserving about 1/2 cup mousse. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least two hours up to one day.

Separately arrange pitted cherries on a plate and carefully spoon reserved mousse into the plastic bag. Cut the edge of the bag to make a very small slit.

Using the opening of each cherry made by pitting, pipe a very small amount of mousse into each cherry and a little on the opposite side. (This may be a bit messy, so keep a paper towel handy.)

Refrigerate stuffed cherries for about 30 minutes to 1 hour before dipping in chocolate. Before dipping them into the chocolate, carefully place 1 toothpick into the side of each cherry without squeezing mousse out of the cherry.

Meanwhile bring your saucepan with water back to a boil and remove from heat once boiled. Melt the remaining cup of chocolate morsels over your double broiler or bowl and saucepan. Continue stirring until all morsel chips are melted and chocolate is smooth. If it isn't melting, cover with lid for a minute and the chips should start to melt around the edges.

(If you are a slower worker like me, it might be easier only to work with a 1/2 cup of morsels at a time as the chocolate will re-harden very quickly.)

Working very quickly dip each skewered cherry into the melted cherry to cover completely and scrape any drip off the side with a spoon. Place each dipped cherry onto a baking sheet lined with parchment or wax paper.

Refrigerate the dipped cherries for at least 30 minutes and don’t remove until ready to serve.

Before serving, carefully remove the toothpicks from each cherry. Once ready to serve, place several cherries on top of the mousse and top with coconut flakes. Serve immediately.

Variation: Use a little bit of the melted chocolate to attach coconut flakes to cover the hole made by the toothpick in the chocolate shell.

Enjoy!