Wild Salmon en Croute with Blackberries Fennel and Sweet Onions

Here is a simple

first: slowly sauté sweet onions and fennel seeds on butter

stack fresh filets of salmon with onion mixture,
gently place ripe succulent blackberries,
top with puff pastry strips
brush with egg
Bake @375 for ~20 mins

blackberry sauce
cook blackberries with orange zest
and a little hot sauce
strain...
drizzle and serve... :)

West African Almond Soup

sweet and rich, this vegan soup is satisfyingly aromatic and delicious...


recipe
one sweet onion, julienned
two medium leeks, sliced
a few carrots, sliced
a cup of celery, chopped

1/4 cup good neutral oil
a heavy bottomed pot

sautéed until translucent and add
2 Tbsp turmeric,
1 Tbsp garlic, crushed
1 tspn fennel seeds
2 Tbsp sriracha
when aromatic, add 1 Cup tomato paste.

breathe for a moment...

add 2 Quarts water or vegetable stock
stir...

stir in 1 cup Almond butter
1 Cup butternut squash, chopped
1 Cup cauliflower, chopped
1/2 Cup green onions, or more leeks

simmer until squash is tender,
add 1/4 cup sugar

salt and black pepper to taste

perfect cheescake

makes one 10 inch cake

crust:
1/2 lb graham cracker crumbs
3 oz Sugar
4.5 oz butter, melted
dash cinnamon, clove, ginger

… bake 350 F 7 mins or until golden in a spring-form pan.

filling:
1 3/4 C. sugar
6 TBSP cornstarch
2.5 lbs cream cheese, softened
4 eggs
2 egg yolks
1/2 oz vanilla extract
1/4 oz lemon zest
5 fl oz heavy cream

…sift together flour and sugar…

...cream with softened cream cheese…

…beat until smooth…

in a separate bowl: combine eggs, yolks, vanilla, zest…

…add 1/4 of the egg mixture at a time to the cream cheese,

…fully incorporate and scrape bowl with each addition…

… add cream, blend until smooth…

…pour mixture into cooled crust…

Bake 300F for 60-90 mins, until the cake has just "set". "it jiggles as one"

remove from oven...

…carefully run a knife around the edge and allow to cool completely before serving...

many layered tortilla soup

for warming the soul
on a foggy day...


it begins with a good stock
roasted garlic, celery ends, carrot peelings, onion roots and skins, fennel stalks
a few bay leaves salt pepper and time..


the mirepoix: one medium sweet onion, diced, a few celery stalks (save the leaves) couple of carrots diced,a diced yam, handful of chopped pasilla peppers
sauté in olive oil in a large pot. develop the flavors,

push vegetables to the side and anoint the hot oil with:
2+Tbsp each of paprika, chili, cumin, black pepper, when aromatic,
add a cup or so of tomato paste
stir
add enough water to cover
toss in fresh or dried thyme, oregano
. simmer...

assembly:
add stock, I like ~2 parts stock to one part base
add a can of pumpkin purée
a large can of diced tomatoes
thicken with corn masa paste if you wish
salt to taste
. simmer...

service:
garnish with diced fresh sweet peppers, green onion, tomatoes, cilantro, yogurt, and fresh tortilla strips (I make mine from corn tortillas, sliced like fettucini, fried and salted)

enjoy!

Aloo Paratha

dough.
1 C. whole wheat flour
1 C. white flour
1/2 tsp salt
pinch yeast
scant cup water

mix into dough Let rest at room temp for a few hours ( at least 40 mins)

filling.
boiled potatoes
sautéed green peas with
1/2 tsp turmeric
2 tsp Kashmiri masala (recipe follows)
tsp salt












Kashmiri masala.
dry roast in a heavy bottomed pan on medium heat:
12 dried red Mexican chilies
1.5 TBSP fennel seeds
2 bay leaves
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp coriander seeds
5 cardamom pods
6 whole cloves
4 one inch cinnamon sticks
1/2 tsp asafetida

grind spices (I use a blade coffee grinder)

add to spice mix:
1/2 tsp turmeric
4 TBSP almond meal

spiced apple galette

while I napped this drizzly eve
my oldest son, Zach, whipped together an apple galette. I am jealous of its perfect flaky crust. he says the secret is to rub in the butter, like making biscuits, and add little extra water

possibly the most delicious thing ever...

Shrimp dumplings, Somen, Miso

flavors layered together can equal more than the sum of their parts,
this dinner surpasses all others...