The Secret to a Good Monday
This Monday (and for every one), I suggest fortifying oneself with a nice runny yolk fried egg. And, mayhap, that is not sufficient, let's kick some ass with the spice of blistered shisito peppers. But, maybe you were unlucky to find that one chilli that is really true to its genre rather than being the milder, mostly amused cousin. Let's cover our base and ground all of this with a thick grilled pineapple steak!
There! Now, I think we have the winning recipe to start the week right....
Blue Cheese and Buttered Pear Ice Cream
Oh yes! It's ice cream season. Well, is not that what Memorial Day is all about? The subtle signal that Summer is here and now?! Speaking of which, hope you all had a great long weekend. We in the US, don't have nearly enough long weekends. So, we may as well make the most of it. As to me, I jetted off to wet and hot Austin from Spring rebound NYC. I am still there. So when I am back I will have some nice photos of water dripping from awnings! :)
In the meantime, let me tell you about this ice cream. Blue Cheese Ice Cream. Because, it blew my mind! Ever since a little Italian gelataria opened by me, I have been fascinated with savory ice creams. They make an amazing olive oil one that is served with the charcuterie platter. Divine. And, yes, that is where my inspiration for this came about.
Rice and Sprouted Mung Bean Crumpets
Anyway, out of hopelessness is borne love, nay?! One of those creations was this crumpet. To be fair, it started out as an yeasted pancake experiment that I had thought of the night before but, restless as I am and thinking on the spur that a crumpet would be nicer, I decided to go with that. So, this small bite came together as gluten free crumpets made with rice and sprouted mung bean flour, smeared with hummus and topped with lamb Proscuitto (from my butcher) and fresh mint. Mind blowingly good!
It is surprisingly light for being a bean heavy dish and for that protein packed reason, leaves you feeling rather satisfied while that and the rice gives you a spurt of energy to face the morning with something approaching enthusiasm. Hey! It is Monday after all! As to the flavors, lamb and hummus behave like couple souls while the mint looks upon the lot with a doting sprightliness that only makes you feel rather fond of the whole dish and envelops you in a cheery outlook!
Sunday Toast - Buttermilk Chickpea Loaf
This loaf is a variation of a flavor version I had made earlier. As it is made with 100% bean flour, I lightened it with buttermilk to add airiness and make it not so dense. Yet, because of the very weight of the protein pack chickpea, it behaves much more dependably than other bean flours and stays whole when sliced thin. It is really good toasted with a little salted butter and piled with scrambled eggs. Plus it takes all of 30 minutes from start to finish!
Chilli and Irish Cheddar Scones
These scones are made with part Einkorn and part gluten free blend of flours. The recipe I used is in the British fashion where room temperature fat is used and in this case, I used lard instead of butter for flavor as well as texture. Unexpected as it sounds, lard gives pastry a better lift as its melting point is much lower than butter and it 'steams' a lot faster. For flavor, I went with simple pantry items like cheese and chili. I always keep a decent Irish cheddar on hand. As humble as the cheese comes across it is a great one for use either in cooking (oh! Béchamel sauce) as much as a cheese plate....