March 2018 - BOOK CLUB theme

Side Dish:
B's dish from https://www.jocooks.com/recipes/naan-bread

Ingredients

For Dough

• 2 tsp active dry yeast
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/2 cup water lukewarm
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 egg large
• 1/4 cup yogurt plain
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp salt

Other

• 12 tsp olive oil
• 4 tbsp butter melted
• 2 tbsp parsley chopped

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 200 F degrees.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the yeast, sugar and water. Lightly whisk it all together, then let it sit for about 5 to 10 minutes or until the yeast dissolves and starts to foam.
3. To the same bowl, add the oil, yogurt, egg and whisk well. Set aside.
4. To the bowl of your mixer, combine the flour with the salt. Add the yeast mixture and mix for a couple minutes, until the dough comes clean from the sides of the bowl. If the dough is too wet, add a bit more flour, starting with a tablespoon at a time. The dough should be nice and soft but not sticky.
5. Place the dough in an oiled bowl and cover it with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap. Turn OFF your oven, place the bowl inside and allow to rise for about 30 minutes to 1 hour or until doubled in size. I use this trick all the time to speed up the rising time. Mine only took about 40 minutes, so the time depends on your yeast and your environment.
6. After it rises, cut the dough into 12 equal pieces and shape each piece into a small ball. 
7. Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat and add about 1 tsp of olive oil. Roll out one ball at a time until it's about 1/3 inch thick and about 5 inches in diameter. Add the piece of rolled dough to the hot skillet and cook for about 1 minute, the skillet should be very hot, so you'll see bubbles forming as you cook the dough on the first side. Flip the dough and cook the other side until the bottom is golden.
8. Repeat with remaining dough until all of the pieces are cooked. Keep the naan covered in a towel so that it doesn't dry out. When all of them are cooked, brush each one with the melted butter and garnish with some parsley. 

Jan 2018: NEW

B's MAIN DISH:  VEGAN PULLED PORK

Learn how to make vegetarian pulled pork tacos using jackfruit! This easy vegan taco recipe, tastes so much like the real thing you'll never miss eating pulled pork tacos again! This is the perfect meatless Monday dinner. Easy Vegan Taco Recipe -Jackfruit tacos.

Author: The Edgy Veg

Recipe type: Dinner

Cuisine: Mexican

Serves: 4 servings

Ingredients

Spicy Mango Salsa by Laura Sprague

·         2 mangos, diced

·         2 TBS red onion, chopped

·         2 TBS cilantro

·         2-3 TBS Herdez Salsa Ranchero (in Mexican section of grocery stores)  OR use 3 TBS Trader Joes Salsa Verde

·         2 tsp sugar if using Herdez Salsa

·         Pinch salt

Lime Crema Sauce

·         ½ cup raw cashews, soaked and rinsed well

·         2-3 tbsp cup water

·         ¼ tsp salt

·         1 tsp apple cider vinegar

·         ½ -1 lime juiced, to taste

Jackfruit Pulled Pork (Birgit’s gourmet version)

·         2 Tbsp coconut oil* (use Vegetable oil if use Aminos)

·         ¼ c up to ½ cup small onion, finely sliced

·         4 cloves garlic, minced

·         2 tsp better than beef bouillon

·         2 tsp paprika

·         2 tsp chili powder

·         2 tbsp tamari or Trader Joes Coconut Aminos*

·         2 can of Jackfruit in water, drained and rinsed well

·         2 tsp maple syrup

·         ½ - 1 cup water

·         1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, finely chopped  or 1 seeded green chili chopped and 2 TBS Cholula Chipotle hot sauce

·         Corn Tortillas

Instructions

Jackfruit Pulled Pork

1.        In a large freezer bag add coconut oil (vegetable oil), paprika, chili powder, tamari (TJ’s Coconut Aminos), and maple syrup and mix well.

2.        Add jackfruit to the marinade and allow to marinate for a minimum of 2 hours either on the counter, or if marinating overnight, place in the fridge.

3.        While you are waiting for the jackfruit to marinade, you can make the Salsa and the Lime Crema.

4.        When the jackfruit has marinated and is ready to go, place a stock pot on medium heat, and heat some coconut oil.

5.        When your oil is hot, add onion and garlic to the pan. Cook and mix until onions are clear.

6.        Add bouillon and chipotle peppers and mix until all onions are covered in the bouillon (about 2 mins).

7.        Add jackfruit, mix well, and bring to a simmer for about 20 mins, covering halfway through to avoid drying out the meat.

8.        after 20 mins, break up the jackfruit using a masher or a fork, and reduce heat even more.

9.        Cover and continue to cook on low for another 15-20 minutes, stirring often to break up large pieces of jackfruit.

10.    Cook until all liquid has evaporated.

Spicy Mango Salsa

1.        Combine mango, onion and cilantro in a medium size bowl and mix well. Add jalapeño peppers and lime juice to taste, with a sprinkle of salt. Mix well.

Lime Crema Sauce

1.        Drain and rinse your cashew really, really well!

2.        Allow cashews to soak in hot water for 30mins. 

3.        Drain. 

4.        Place cashews and the rest of the ingredients in a high-speed blender and blend until smooth.

5.        Slowly add more lime juice to taste, and water until desired consistency is reached.

Corn Tortillas

1.       Preheat oven to 300 degrees. 

2.       Place corn tortillas directly on oven rack for 3-6 minutes, till turn crisp. 

Build Your Jackfruit tacos, and serve with a wedge of lime for garnish

1.       Jackfruit mixture

2.       Mango Salsa

3.       Drizzle lime Crema on top

Attachments area

JULY 2018 Theme: COLORS

• Birgit's Sides and Salad  
• RAINBOW
• Vinaigrette for Spicy and Sweet Coleslaw or salad;
• inspired by: https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/sweet-and-spicy-slaw
• ½ cup apple cider vinegar
• 6 Tbsp. peach nectar or juice  (can puree an 8oz can of peaches and add 3TBS of brown sugar). 
• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 Tbsp. vinegar-based hot sauce
• ½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
• ½ tsp. garlic powder
• ½ tsp. kosher salt
• ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
• ⅛ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1 large head of cabbage, thinly sliced

RED and PURPLE

Side Dish:

ROMESCO with PURPLE CAULIFLOWER

inspired by https://justinecelina.com/roasted-purple-cauliflower-with-red-pepper-romesco/

Purple Cauliflower:  Rub whole cauliflower in oil, salt and garlic paste.  Cover in aluminium foil.  Heat in 400 degree over for 40mins.  Or 25mins if cauliflower cut in quarters) 

ROMESCO Ingredients: 

RED PEPPER ROMESCO SAUCE

• 1 red peppers  1 orange or yellow bell pepper
• 2 garlic gloves
• 3/4 cup almond flour
• 1/2 cup whole stewed tomatoes (rinse and remove all seasonings so only use tomatoes)
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 4 tbsp fresh cilantro
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil + 1 tsp
• Juice and zest from 1 lemon
• 1/2 tsp Himalayan pink sea salt (or season to taste)

Directions:

Roast red peppers over open flame or in broiler.  

In frying pan head garlic with 1 tsp olive oil for 2-3 minutes.  Add stewed tomatoes.  Place peppers, tomatoes and garlic into a blender.  Puree.  Add tomato paste, paprika, cilantro, olive oil, lemon juice, zest, salt and almond flour.  Puree.  

Cut and place purple cauliflower over Romesco sauce.  Enjoy!

January 2016 - Good Intentions

Inspired by the idea of goal setting and if we accomplish it or not.

I have set a goal to use more items I have in my pantry and limit my shopping trips.  Looking through my fridge and pantry I was able to create a tasty dish.

Smoked quinoa with roasted mushrooms with a stuffed cream cheese and jalapenos pepper chicken breast on top.  I found the quinoa to be a strong flavor, mostly the tomato paste stuck out.  I would like to try to dish using fresh tomatoes or less tomato paste next time.  The chicken was very delicious and I'll make it again. 

December 2015 - Fairy Tales

Inspired by Fairy Tales.  Little Mermaid = fish.  Beauty and the Beast = rose flavored..?  Frozen:...ice cream anyone?  Well, you get the idea. 

My inspiration was Chicken Little.  I made a tortilla soup that tasted as if I got it straight from Mexico.  It helped that I found the recipe from a Mexican cheese company's recipe website.  I wanted to use that soup, but couldn't think of any traditional Mexican fairy tales, so by using Chicken Little I was able to make the soup and then add shredded chicken on top.  I didn't just shred chicken.  I shredded it, drizzled hot sauce on top and then broiled the flavor into the chicken, and making it a crispy texture against the smoothness of the soup.  I don't believe a single drop was left in anyone's bowl.  :D

October 2015 - Crisp

CRISP:  When Autumn has arrived, the cool air snaps in your face as the summer warmth fades away.  Let this be your inspiration for the dishes today. 

CRISP (Think of the crisp fall air, the crunch as you bite into a freshly picked apples, and the crinkling of the leaves beneath your feet. You can implement the theme by way of a crisp ingredient, a garnish, a cooking technique (fried food, anyone?).

Hosted by: Ashley Dickson  

I made a lemon broth based soup as I find the tang of lemons give quite a bite to any dish.
Avgolemond soup

I enjoyed making the soup and it was just right for such a chilly night that evening. 

My favorite dish, I can say that, because two months later I'm still thinking of it was Sarah Hogans candied crab apples.  The perfect crackling of the sugar candy shell around the crab apples was amazing!

The cauliflower gratin made by Morgen was worthy to make anytime for a fancy, yummy side dish.

The butter blend that Brittney made was a fun flavor.  Her chocolate brownie dessert with any and all kinds of Halloween candy would be a good use of putting all your kids treats from trick or treating to good use.

Past Gourment Nights

The story of Gourmet Night began under the direction of two good friends from Harvard Business School.  Alisha and

They wanted to inspire women to push their culinary skills.  They wanted to enjoy the fruits of their labor among those that would value their efforts.

They thought long and hard whom should attend such an event.  They sent out the invitations.  It started small.  Seven years later we have evolved into the Gourmet Night with a group of 27 ladies on the invitation list.

We went from personal mailed invitations, to evites, to sign up on the online excel sheet.  BUT we still have the roots of what Gourmet Night is about:     1.  Use fresh ingredients when you can.  Avoid canned and boxed foods      2.  Practice the recipe ahead of time if possible.  3.  Try a recipe that pushes you out of your culinary comfort zone.  4.  Use a recipe you have never tried.  Discover the talents you have in the kitchen.  Gourmet Night November 2010   January 2011, hosted by Tiffany Orgill.  Theme:  Breakfast at Tiffany's  July 2011:  Hosted by Birgit Swain:  Theme:  Red, White & Blue  The ladies who started it all!!!!  Liz Christensen  and Rebecca Bates May 2010:  Hosted by lady in photo:  GiGi Kipper*                Theme:  Chocolate / Citrus Night *name changed