Open-Faced Falafel Burgers

So, as I mentioned briefly earlier, I've been trying to watch my calorie intake these days. I truly hate the word "diet", but I guess that's what I've been on. Why? Well, my reviewing job makes it my business to eat a lot of really great food, and I can't afford new pants. Therefore, dieting must be done so I can continue wearing the nice pants I already own.


So, because of this new endeavor, I've taken up an interest in Cooking Light magazine. While following recipes to the letter isn't my idea of fun, I have found that sticking to their recipes gives me a clear idea of how many calories I'm taking in, and while it may not get the creative juices flowing, it does keep me in my current clothing.


And so, a recent CL recipe attempt was their Open-Faced Falafel Burgers, which really turned out to be fantastic. Really hearty and satisfying, healthy, and pretty to boot. Plus, I used a surplus of sesame seeds and made my own tahini instead of using store-bought stuff, so I was able to feel minorly inventive. I highly recommend this recipe.

Linguine with White Clam Sauce

I did finally make it to the grocery store yesterday, for a full weeks-worth of food, so the ultra budget-conscious entries will be on the back burner for now (not that I could exactly afford anything too fabulous, but whatever). One last recipe, though, a lovely and cheap Linguine by way of La Mia Cucina. I followed her fine recipe nearly to the letter, and I recommend it to any readers with money on their mind (and their mind on their money).


I did make a few changes, notably:

I added one minced shallot to the garlic, and after sauteing I added .25 cups of dry white wine to the pan. I let the wine reduce to almost nothing, then added fresh parsley (instead of dried), and left out the oregano. I only poured the clam juice into the pan, and simmered that for 5-6 minutes, adding the chopped clams at the end, for only 1-2 minutes. This warms the already-cooked clams through, without making them tough or chewy.


Thanks for the great meal idea, Lis! I halved the recipe and Chris and I greedily slurped them down. I then I wished I had made more for leftovers.

Apologies (and BLEATs!)

I'm sorry I've been such an errant writer this past week. I have had two things against me:

1. The end of the month is an extra-lean time for us, which means cooking from the pantry and primarily making tried-and-true staples that I've already written about.

2. The weather has been gorgeous, and Chris and I have spent many exhausting hours working on our yard. When we bought this house we were blessed with a triple lot that was, unfortunately, covered in honeysuckle, ivy, and other nefarious vines.

And so, not as much cooking. I am, however, writing about the delicious dinner that we just had, and have big plans this week for more fun things, so don't give up on me yet. Until then, I leave you with my BLEATs.


What is a BLEAT? It's simply a Bacon, Lettuce (from the garden!), fried egg, avocado, and tomato sandwich, served up on toasted homemade bread. I made Lemon Avocado Mayo this time around, mashing avocado with lemon juice, mayonnaise, and salt and pepper to taste; and it was quite frankly the best sandwich topping I can think of. I think avocados are one of my most favorite foods. More to come!

Spicy Shrimp with Corn Griddle Cakes

After some truly masterful thrifty grocery shopping yesterday, I was able to pick up the ingredients I was lacking for three nice dinners (one of which will be a fancy egg sandwich, but still). This recipe is almost 100% Rachael Ray, which used to really embarrass me to admit, but I'm working through my issues.


When it comes down to it, Ray's recipes are often pantry-friendly (I only had to buy $4 worth of shrimp and a $.49 can of corn for this), and rarely call for spices that I don't already have. Gourmet cooking it may not be, but when you are broke and trying to stretch a dollar, her magazine features lots of good recipes. This one comes from the February/March issue.

I know I said these weren't gourmet, but I can't help but think how cute mini-corn griddle cakes with just one or two shrimp on top would be for a party.


Spicy Shrimp with Corn Griddle Cakes
serves 2-4, depending on how hungry you are

for the griddle cakes:

1 15-oz. can cream-style corn
4 Tbsp butter, melted
2 large eggs
.25 cup granulated sugar*
1 cup all-purpose flour
.5 tsp sea salt
.5 tsp baking soda

*I did not add the sugar and found that the corn was sweet enough on it's own. Your mileage may vary.

In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients well with a whisk. Set aside.


for the shrimp:

1 lb. large shrimp, shell-on
2.5 cups water
.25 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tsp Cajun seasoning*
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3 scallions, finely chopped

*I did not have this Cajun seasoning Ray calls for, so I improvise with Chili powder, powdered onion and garlic, and sea salt. Worked great for me.

Peel the shrimp and place the shells in a saucepan with the water and cayenne pepper. Bring to a boil and cook until the liquid is reduced by half--about 10 minutes. Strain and discard shells, set aside.


While broth is boiling, toss shrimp with Cajun seasoning. In a large non-stick skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat until it is shimmering, then sprinkle in the flour. Cook the oil and flour mixture (your roux), stirring constantly, until a deep golden brown, 3-5 minutes. Add scallions, garlic, and a drizzle more of oil and cook, continuing to stir, for 2 more minutes.


Whisk the reserved shrimp broth into the roux and boil for one minute to thicken. Add the shrimp and toss in the sauce for 2 minutes, then cover, remove from heat, and set aside.


Heat a non-stick griddle over medium heat (if you only have one large non-stick pan, transfer the shrimp to a bowl and wipe the pan clean). Working in batches, pour heaping .25 cups of batter onto the griddle, giving the pan a little shake to flatten them somewhat. Cook until they are a deep golden color and bubbles are rising to the surface, then flip. Repeat with remaining batter.


Stir your shrimp and taste to adjust for seasoning (I needed to add salt at this point). Serve griddle cakes with shrimp and sauce spooned over the top. We had corn cakes leftover, so I ate them for breakfast--they were really good! I will definitely make this recipe again.

Artichoke-Stuffed Eggplant

Night before last Chris had band practice, and so in lieu of a big dinner I made myself a nice bowl of Lemon Risotto (substituting a shallot for the leek). While I stirred and stirred the creamy rice, I reflected on the time when an evening alone meant popcorn and television for dinner. I guess I'm really changing my attitude towards food--it's not just something to make to share with another person, it's something to feed and nurture your own self. I still watched some TV, though. Not everything changes.

Last night I was nearly sure I wouldn't have anything to write about, certainly no new recipe. We have almost no food in the house, and lacking the funds for a big grocery trip, I was nearly sure we were heading for fried egg sandwiches, which is fine, but nothing worth sharing with you guys. And then, what did I spy? A rogue eggplant in the vegetable drawer, completely forgotten about but miraculously unscathed. After a quick survey of the nearly bare pantry, I was able to cobble together this dish--half Nigella Lawson's Soft and Sharp Involtini, and half my own creation.


How was it? I don't know, but Chris liked it. By the time I was done with all of the slicing, sauteing, rolling, etc. I had developed a sour stomach feeling and ended up laying down on the couch and not eating dinner! The meal looked lovely, though, and I think it would make a very nice side dish to a roasted piece of meat. I will say, though, that I am as sick of Italian-inspired dishes as I am of baking right now.

Artichoke-Stuffed Eggplant
serves 2-3

for the sauce:

1 14-oz. can petite diced tomatoes
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
pinch or two dried oregano
pinch or two dried basil
dash sugar
sea salt
freshly ground pepper
olive oil

Heat olive oil over medium-low heat in a large skillet with a lid. Add garlic and shallot and saute until soft, 5-6 minutes. Add tomatoes and spices, bring to a simmer, then reduce heat and cover. Cook for 20 minutes. Using a food processor or blender, puree about .75 of the tomato mixture--you're looking for a slightly chunky sauce. Add back to the pan, stir to combine, and set aside.

for the stuffing:

1 medium eggplant
oil for frying
half a can of artichoke hearts, chopped
2 Tbsp bulgar wheat
dried oregano
dried basil
1 egg
.25 cup feta cheese crumbles (more for topping)
sea salt
freshly ground pepper


Slice the eggplant in thin slices from stem to tip. Discard the two slices with the skin side out. Heat a good layer of oil in a saute pan to near smoking. Working in batches, fry the eggplant slices on each side until beginning to brown. You will need to add more oil periodically, as the eggplant will soak it up. Drain eggplant on several layers of paper toweling for at least half an hour.


Place bulgar wheat, and a pinch each of the basil and oregano, in a small bowl. Pour boiling water generously over the mixture and then cover with a plate. Set aside to soak for 30 minutes. After it has soaked and plumped up, pour into a fine meshed sieve and let drain. Before mixing with the rest of the stuffing, press to remove as much water as possible.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine chopped artichoke, wheat, feta cheese, egg, and herbs in a bowl, mix well with a fork. Lay a slice of eggplant in front of you, with the fatter, bulbous end closest to you. Using an ice cream scooper or a large spoon, place a dollop of the stuffing at the end near you (it will be loose). Carefully roll the eggplant over--you will likely need to replace stuffing as it falls out. Gently place in a small baking pan, seam side down. Repeat with remaining eggplant slices--you are doing well to get six good rolls out of one eggplant.



Pour tomato sauce evenly over eggplant rolls. Sprinkle generously with feta cheese. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 10 minutes. Let sit for 10-15 minutes before serving, it shouldn't be piping hot. Maybe I should test my stomach and go try the leftovers out, this is sounding pretty good!


Stay tuned tonight to see if I make something out of nothing. I can't wait to get past end of the month expenses and have the money for a big grocery trip!

Strawberry-Rhubarb Syrup

I'm not exactly sure when this started becoming such an issue, but lately I have been consumed with the idea of waste. Food waste, to be specific, we recycle and do our part to leave things tidy around here. But food waste plagues me, and I end up scraping together things into random experiments, some good, some bad.


Actually, I know exactly when this started, it was before Christmas of last year. I had decided to make candied apricots and followed a recipe that led me seriously astray. I was left with a half gallon of caramelized, soggy, mooshy apricots, and lots and lots of sugary bittersweet syrup. I was in a panic. I could not waste all of this fruit!


And so, I strained the apricots and mashed them into what turned out to be a divine conserve. I added vodka to the caramelized apricot syrup and made a liqueur that made dry champagne even more special. I saved Christmas. Okay, I'm being dramatic.


After making a lovely tart today, I was left with one rhubarb stalk, a cup of very ripe strawberries, and a lot of sweet syrup that the fruit had been soaking in. I tossed it all in a small saucepan, added another quarter cup of sugar, and covered in a little water. 2 hours of simmering and a thorough straining later, I am left with two bottles of gorgeous, rosy, sweet-tart Strawberry-Rhubarb Syrup that begs to be drizzled on pancakes or (again) added to champagne. Not bad, right?

Salmon Croquettes

Part of this whole unemployed cooking experiment was not to just continue improvising meals, but to actually use the spate of very nice cookbooks I've received over the years. I have never been one for cookbooks, preferring to feel my way through whatever strikes my fancy. However, I am finding that using cookbooks can not only add some real stunners to your repertoire, it can also give you a good jumping off point for more ingredient ad-libbing. Tonight’s excellent recipe was inspired by Nigella Lawson’s recipe for Salmon Fish Cakes, from her wonderful cookbook “Nigella Bites”. Her recipe is near perfect, very simple and delicious, but I just couldn’t stand to not jazz it up a tad. I think you will like them.

Call them croquettes, fish cakes, or whatever you want—these golden patties are the ultimate comfort food and a wonderful use for leftover mashed potatoes. I was inspired to make them after finding canned salmon at the market for $1 a can, and once I saw that it was wild salmon, I couldn’t resist. In fact, this seems to be a best kept secret of the fishing industry—all canned salmon is wild. That’s right, for $1 a can, you can get delicious wild salmon that would cost you who knows what if it were fresh. Of course, it does come from a can, so it’s hardly material for a fine dinner party or anything. At least the cans are nice to look at in your pantry.

Regardless, these fish cakes are simply divine. Mr. C. hugged me after eating them, and to paraphrase Amanda Hesser, “anything that elicits a hug is good by me.” He started going on about how he would order them in a restaurant, and could I please make them again? Pretty please?

Since all of the ingredients are in my pantry on a regular basis, I would be happy to.



Salmon Croquettes
with assistance from Nigella Lawson
makes 7-9 patties

for the croquettes:

1 ½ cups cold mashed potatoes (I use peeled red potatoes, mashed with butter and a little cream)
14-15 oz. canned salmon, with any visible bones picked out
pinch cayenne pepper
zest of ½ a lemon
salt and pepper
1 egg
dollop of Dijon mustard (optional)
scant ¼ cup finely chopped celery (optional)
scant ¼ cup finely chopped onion (optional)

for coating and frying:

2 eggs
scant ½ cup bread crumbs or matzo meal (if you can’t be bothered to make your own breadcrumbs, try the matzo rather than storebought crumbs. It’s much better)
about a ¼ cup of butter
2 Tbsp vegetable oil

In a large bowl, mix together all of the fishcake ingredients. You can use your hands, but I like to use an old fashioned potato masher. I find that it really mixes the ingredients thoroughly, and even better, your hands don’t smell all fishy. Well, yet.

Cover a baking sheet with aluminum foil, and use your hands (sorry) to form fat, palm sized patties. Place these on the baking sheet and let stand in the fridge for at least an hour to firm up. It works even better to pop them in the freezer for a bit.*

Beat the eggs in a wide, shallow soup bowl and sprinkle the bread crumbs or matzo meal onto a dinner plate. One at a time, dip the cakes into the egg first, then into the crumbs, covering it in a thorough crust. When you’re all done, put the butter and oil in a large frying pan, heat it until the butter foams, and then fry the croquettes on each side until the crusts are a deep golden brown. Be careful when flipping them, they will still be a bit soft.

As you cook them, let them drain for a minute on a few paper towels. Squeeze a little lemon on top and eat with lots of ketchup. I turned my nose up at Lawson’s ketchup recommendation, but she was right, it was delicious. I served these with a pile of seared green beans, cooked in lemon and olive oil.

*At this point, you can freeze the patties, individually wrapped. These little wonders are just the thing when you are home alone for the evening but just can’t face a night of popcorn or cheese and crackers. Not that there is anything wrong with cheese and crackers. To cook after freezing there is no need to thaw, just dredge the frozen slabs in the egg, then breadcrumbs, fry until golden brown on each side, then pop in an oven set at 250 degrees for 40 minutes to an hour. Yum.

Mrs. C.