Selective Palate

I love all things dip related. I can make a batch of ranch or vegetable dip and seriously forget about the chips I just need a spoon. However that is not exactly the best thing for your diet. Then I discovered Hummus. This stuff is amazing. Its a meal in dip form. I make hummus in all varieties, from plain to artichoke to festive spinach. But 1 of my favs is roasted red pepper. People who are not hummus fans seem to even like this 1. The creaminess plus the sweetness of the peppers is always a hit.

Recipe:

1 can chick peas, drained
2 roasted red peppers
1/4 cup Tahini
1 clove garlic
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
1/4 – 1/2 cup good olive oil
salt and pepper

So easy, throw everything except the olive oil in a food processor and give it a whirl. With the motor running drizzle in the oil until everything comes together and becomes thick and creamy. Taste and season again if needed. You can make this ahead of time and chill or serve immediately. I like to top with fresh parsley and serve with assorted veggies, pita bread and crackers.

You can whip this up anytime, you can keep these ingredients in your pantry and when unexpected guests show up you have a tasty dip that  won’t kill your diet to serve up. This serves everyone! Vegan no problem! Dairy free, sure! Gluten intolerant, go right ahead! Plus it is good for you. It is rich in heart healthy oil, protein packed beans, loaded with vitamin C. I seriously call hummus my “single girl meal”, if M is away or working late I make a batch of hummus and curl up on the couch with a glass of wine.

Don’t feel limited hummus can take a lot of creativity. So have fun just remember the basics and you’ll be fine.

After all that rich food over the holidays my body is starting to revolt! When I need to “clean house”  I tend to turn to soups, more importantly vegetarian soups. I have made a few over the last few days but 1 of my favorites was a vegetarian split pea. As much as I like pork I decided to leave it out. To replace the much missed fatty, unctuous mouth feel I drizzled on a little good olive oil at the end and it seemed to do the trick. I will say that this recipe, though very tasty was not as sweet as the traditional split pea with ham.

Recipe:

1 – 2 carrots chopped
1 – 2 stalks celery chopped
1 small onion chopped
2 cloves garlic chopped
2 sprigs fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
salt and pepper
1 – 2 T. olive oil
8 oz green split peas
4 cups veggie stock or water

In a sauce pan heat about 1 T. or so of the olive oil and saute the veggies except for the garlic  for about 5-8 minutes. Add the garlic and continue to saute for about another 1 – 2 minutes. Add the stock or water, the thyme, bay leaves and split peas. Give a good stir and leave on medium-low heat for about 1 hour. Test and make sure the peas are soft if not cook for another 20 – 30 minutes. When soft remove the bay leaves and thyme sprigs then blend until smooth. I used an immersion blender but if you have to use a regular blender do it in batches and be very careful that the liquid does not explode! Season with salt and pepper.

Finish in a bowl with a little drizzle of olive oil, a spritz of lemon juice and some course sea salt. I added a dollop of sour cream and some chopped roasted red peppers. The peppers added that missing sweetness. Healthy and tasty, you can’t beat that!

Wow! I didn’t think it was possible but I am so happy that the holidays are over. I know you are all saying that they ended weeks ago, well in this house they last till after M’s birthday on Jan. 7th (he turned the big  3 o !). Since it was such a momentus birthday we had a big surprise party for him and it was needless to say a bit hectic around here.

I have so much I want to tell you all about! I made tones of great things.

Here is a list of some of the things I made over the past few months:

• Duck Pate

• Lobster Mac n Cheese

• Herb Crusted Lamb “pops”

• Crispy Roast Duck with Cabernet Cherry Reduction

• Confit New Potatoes with Rosemary and Garlic

• Sunday Gravy (aka Italian Marinara)

• Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

• German Chocolate Cake

• Sweet Cherry Tartlettes

And what I am most excited about; I rendered my very own duck fat and yes that is what I cooked the new potatoes in! I never knew how easy  it would be.

OK get yourself a nice duck. Trim away all the loose fat and excess skin. I spatchcocked the bird which made it even easier to get at all the fat and skin. In a large skillet place the fat and skin in a single layer and cover with water till just the tops of the fat are showing. Heat pan on medium for about 45 to 90 minutes. As it boils the water will evaporate and you will notice the bubbles will become larger and slower. It will look like a pan of olive oil.

I was cautious and watched it like a hawk; I recommend doing this because if you burn it it will be ruined. As soon as I noticed the larger bubbles I took it off the heat. Once done take the crispy bits of fat out. You can discard but my grandmother would have a fit! She would recommend that you place on a paper towel and sprinkle with salt. In Yiddish this is called Gribenes or Schmaltz. My grandmother was not Jewish but Hungarian and I cannot spell what she called it! But whatever you call it it is tasty. Getting back on track, once you have removed the bits strain the rendered fat through cheese cloth to remove any particles. And what you have left is a beautiful yellowish fat that you can cook with as you would any other oil only it tastes so much better!

If anyone would like the recipes for any of the other foods listed just ask. I’ll either email you the recipe or create a post about!