TALKIN' SNACK

Sweet Potato Dumplings:

• packet of wonton or dumpling wrappers

Filling:

• 1 sweet potato
• 3 scallions, chopped using green and white parts
• 1 tbs grated ginger
• 1 1/2 tsp of soy sauce
• 1 tsp canola oil

Dipping Sauce:

• 3 tbs soy sauce
• 1 tbs sesame oil
• 1 tbs rice vinegar
• 1 tsp chili oil
• 1 tbs chopped scallions
• 1 tsp sesame seeds

Hi, my name is Hana…and I’m addicted to dumplings. I eat dumplings at least once a week, and I’ll never stop.

I just recently started experimenting with making my own, and man is it fun. There are so many variations and possibilities to the dumpling. I came up with this recipe by being reminded of the sweet potato cake I made a while back. I had one laying around, and remembered that adding sweet potato to an asian kind of dish is kind of a great match. And voila! This heavenly, light, healthy, sweet and savory dumpling was born.

Makes about 20 dumplings:

In a small bowl mix together the ingredients for the dipping sauce. Set aside.

Peel, and cut the sweet potato into large squares. Steam the potato until tender. Set aside in a large bowl, and using a fork, or a masher, mash the potatoes until there are no large chunks. 

In a large frying pan on medium heat, heat up 1 tsp of canola oil. Add the chopped scallions and ginger and sauté till ginger starts to get slightly golden. Add the mashed sweet potatoes and soy sauce and cook till everything is incorporated. Taste, and add more soy sauce if needed. Turn fire off and set aside back in the large bowl.

To make the dumplings, set aside a small bowl of water, and lay out the wonton sheets on a cutting board. Take one sheet, and using a basting brush or your finger wet the edges completely with the water. Place a tablespoon of the filling in the middle and pinch diagonal corners together. Then pinch the other two corners together to create the shape seen above. Using your fingers squeeze the edges together, and make sure it is completely sealed. Because the wonton sheets are dusted with corn starch, when wet using water it will insure the edges will seal. Repeat, and make the rest of the dumplings.

You can either make as much as you’d like, and reserve the filling in the fridge to make more dumplings for another time. Or make as many dumplings to use up all the filling. Cook what you’d like, and put the others in the freezer. I personally like to keep them fresh, and make them as I go. The filling will last in the fridge for 3-4 days. 

To cook the dumplings, in a large frying pan on medium heat, heat up 1 tbs of canola oil. Place dumplings in the pan, it should start to sizzle right away, if they don’t your oil is not hot enough. Cook 6 dumplings at a time. Once the bottoms of the dumplings are golden, add 2 tablespoons of water to the pan, and quickly cover the pan with a lid. Be careful, because oil and water get pretty violent when combined, but just have the lid ready to cover when you’re adding the water. 

Cook until the water has evaporated, turn off heat and serve your dumplings with the dipping sauce. Enjoy!

Fettuccine with Cream, Peas, Pancetta, and Mint

• 1/2 box of fettuccine
• 1/2 cup, plus 1/4 cup of frozen peas
• 1/4 pound of pancetta (only four slices will be needed)
• 2/3 cup of heavy cream
• few springs of fresh mint, sliced into ribbons
• 2 tablespoon of grated parmesan, plus more for serving

This dish may seem a bit heavy for this season, with the cream and all. But the fact that it takes 10 minutes to make, so you’re not sweating away in front of the stove, and you got some fresh mint in there to freshen things up…I’d say it’s perfect for this time of year. Plus, who cares…it’s pasta with cream. 

Serves 2 (if cooking for more and you want to cook the whole box of pasta, just double the rest of the ingredients)

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, season water with 1 tablespoon of salt, and cook pasta for about ten minutes, or as requested on the box. 

Meanwhile, rinse off the frozen peas in a strainer with warm water to defrost them a bit. Set aside.

In a deep frying pan on medium heat, cook 4 slices of the pancetta. Flip when golden on one side to cook the other side the same. Remove pancetta to a paper towel lined plate to soak up any oil. Pour the oil in the pan into a bowl to discard once cooled down. Don’t wipe down the pan, you want those flavors, trust me. 

Keep the pan on medium heat. Throw in the peas and sauté for about a minute. Then pour in the heavy cream. Cook for about 2 minutes, or until the cream has reduced and thickened a bit. Turn off the heat, and crumble the pancetta into the cream. Mix.

Using a spaghetti spoon, transfer the pasta into the pan with the cream sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste. If you find the pasta is too dry, add some pasta water, or more heavy cream. Mix in the 2 tablespoons of parmesan.

Serve with a garnish of fresh mint, and more grated parmesan cheese. Enjoy!

Red Hook, Brooklyn:

A few weekends ago, my sister, her dog, and I did some exploring in Red Hook. I go to Red Hook sometimes to do some big time grocery shopping at their Fairway. Unfortunately, that whole area was hit pretty bad by hurricane sandy. Fairway just re-opened last month, and some other businesses just reopened a few weeks ago. So, I haven’t been to the area since the hurricane, but I’m glad to see things are almost back to normal. 

My sister and I have a sick obsession with lobster roles, in fact anything sea food. But we have a passionate special love for lobster rolls. So we checked out Red Hook Lobster Pound. We each ordered their Maine lobster roll, my sister got fries, I got a bag of salt and vinegar chips. And let me tell you, this is a fine, fine lobster roll. The lobster is so tender, and with the touch of mayo and spices that’s mixed with the lobster it makes for a light lunch. Dare I say I could have eaten two…actually I wish I got two. 

We got our rolls to go, and walked over to Barnell st. off of Van Dyke st. where there’s a pier that has one picnic table. If you’re lucky, and we were, no one will be sitting there. We ate by the water, and noticed there was a little pie shop in the warehouse on the pier. It’s called ‘Steve’s Authentic Key Lime Pies’. They only sell key lime pie, obviously. We got a mini sized pie, and the swingle. The swingle is a mini key lime pie that is dipped in dark chocolate, chilled, and eaten off a popsicle stick. Ummmm…amazing. Like, unbelievable. That’s all I can say about it…I guess I could have eaten two of those as well. You can also find the mini key lime pies at Williamsburg’s Fette Sau. It’s the only dessert they have, sadly they don’t have the heavenly swingle. 

If you’re ever in Red Hook, make sure to check these places out. There are also a lot of other great spots in the Liberty Warehouse where the pie shop is located. I’m sure they could use some business since they re-opened. Here’s to Red Hook!

Arugula and Fennel Salad with Toasted Almonds and Parmesan Cheese

• 2 large cups of arugula, washed and dried
• 1/4 cup of sliced almonds
• 1/2 a medium sized fennel, and some fennel leaves for garnish
• 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice, about 1/2 lemon
• 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon of salt, freshly cracked black pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup of grated parmesan

I’m a big fan of fennel…I’m actually a big fan of anything licorice tasting. From Sambuca to Tom’s fennel tooth paste. Call it a weird obsession, but fennel is actually very good for you. It basically helps out tremendously in the stomach department. So if you ever got a tummy ache, just drink some fennel tea and it will do the trick. As for this dish, there is a good amount of fennel in it, but with the nuttiness of the almonds and parmesan cheese, everything together just kinda mellows out the fennel flavor a bit. Which makes it the perfect dish for my fennel hating boyfriend. He gets a yummy salad, I get my fennel, and all is right in the world. And since the weather is getting nicer and nicer here in NYC, I think this light, easy to make, delicious salad is the perfect way to start this season right! 

Serves 2

Heat up a small pan on medium low heat. Drizzle a tiny bit of olive oil on the pan, enough to evenly coat the sliced almonds. Toast the almonds on the pan till golden, tossing around with a wooden spoon occasionally. Once golden, take off the heat and set aside.

Trim and wash your fennel. Save and set aside some of the fennel leaves for garnish. Peel and discard the outer layer of the fennel. Cut in half and put one half in the fridge to use for another time. Slice the other half very thinly…as thin as you can get, starting at the sides. If you have a mandolin slicer, here’s the time to use it. But a good sharp knife, and a steady hand should work fine.

In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. Set aside. Grate the parmesan cheese and set aside as well.

In a large bowl, toss the arugula, fennel, and dressing. Now add the almonds and parmesan cheese, and toss everything together. Taste and season with more salt if needed. More lemon may be desired. When plated, garnish with some fennel leaves and more black pepper.

Foul Medammis/Fava Bean Dip

• 2 cans of foul medammis, or fava beans, 14 oz cans
• 1 juice of a lemon
• 1/2 a heart of a medium sized onion
• 1/2 teaspoon of tahini
• 4 cherry tomatoes
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon of chili flakes, or two whole little chili peppers
• 1/4 teaspoon of salt, freshly cracked black pepper
• 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, and extra
• 1 tablespoon of finely chopped parsley
• 1 tablespoon of finely chopped cilantro
• pita bread for dipping

Foul, pronounced fu:l is a traditional egyptian dish usually served during breakfast, and probably my favorite thing to eat when I was a kid. I’m sure you can imagine when I was younger having friends sleep over and telling them excitedly that “my mom is making foul for breakfast tomorrow” would usually bring fear to their eyes. Considering I grew up in Greenwich CT, I suppose I understood their timidness and confusion, but whenever friends would try it, they would absolutely love it. In some cases they even went on to beg their parents to make it for them. Now, till this day I’m always so excited to introduce this recipe to friends.

Though egyptians may have started it, it is eaten all over the middle east. As well as Lebanon where my father is from, and I mention that because this is after all his recipe. There are many different ways of preparing this dish, and I’m constantly making it differently, but I always come back to this one. 

In a food processor, puree the lemon juice, onion, tahini, tomatoes, garlic, chili peppers, salt and pepper. Once the mixture is smooth, add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and puree for another second to mix it in. Set aside the sauce in a small bowl.

Boil a medium sized pot of water. Strain and rinse the beans from the cans. Once water is boiling, throw the beans in and boil for a couple minutes. Strain, and bring them to a serving bowl.

Mix in the sauce to the beans, as well as the chopped parsley and cilantro. Using a spoon slightly mash the beans while mixing. Taste and season with more salt if needed. Serve with a generous drizzle of olive oil on top and some pita bread for dipping. Enjoy!

Grilled Romaine Lettuce with Blue Cheese Dressing, Croutons, and Red Grapes

• 1 romaine lettuce head
• 1/2 a cup of red grapes, cut in 1/4
• 1 tablespoon of chopped scallion or chives for garnish
• few slices of bread, cut into little squares (I used ciabatta bread)
• 1 teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil (for croutons) have extra for grilling the lettuce

Blue Cheese Dressing:

• 1/2 cup of aioli of mayo
• 3 tablespoons of buttermilk
• 1/4 cup of sour cream
• 1 teaspoon of lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon of minced chives or scallions
• 1 teaspoon of minced flat-leaf parsley
• 1/4-1/2 cup of crumbled blue cheese
• sea salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste

*dressing can be refrigerated for up to 1 week

*1/2 a romaine lettuce serves 2 people, both halves good for 4.

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.

In a bowl, whisk all the ingredients for the dressing together, mix in the blue cheese last. If it’s too thick, you can add some extra virgin olive oil, or more buttermilk. Season to taste, and set aside.

Lay out your bread on a pan sheet, and drizzle 1 teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil over the bread. Toss together with your hands so all the oil is evenly distributed. Place in the oven and toast for 8-9 minutes, or until the croutons are golden brown. 

Meanwhile, heat up a grill pan on medium/high heat. Cut your romaine head in half length wise. I only cooked one 1/2. Season the lettuce with salt and pepper, and drizzle a good amount of olive oil both sides. Once grill pan is hot enough, place the halved lettuce head flat side down. Grill until golden grill marks show up, flip over and grill the other side. 

Once your romaine lettuce is grilled, place on a platter or large plate. Add the quartered grapes and croutons, and drizzle some of the dressing over it all, save the rest of the dressing in the fridge for another time. Garnish with chives or scallions (i used scallions) and serve warm.

Enjoy!

Homemade Ricotta Cheese with Chives, Fresh Thyme and Olive Oil

Ricotta Cheese:

Makes about 2 cups, and will last for 4-5 days in the fridge

• 4 cups of whole milk
• 2cups of heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon of sea salt
• 3 tablespoons of white wine vinegar

To Dress the Ricotta:

• 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh chives
• freshly cracked black pepper
• fresh thyme leaves to garnish
• a good drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
• bread to spread the ricotta on (we used an italian baguette)
• 1 garlic clove, halved

My sister and I gave this recipe a go when I was visiting her last in Miami. I found this recipe in Ina Garten’s cook book “How easy is that”, which you can also see here where she made with Gwyneth Paltrow on her website goop.com. I couldn’t believe how easy it was to make fresh ricotta. I actually don’t think I can go back to buying it at the store it was so good. We served it with some fresh herbs and olive oil, spread on top of grilled bread, along with a beet salad and salami. 

Set a large sieve/strainer over a deep bowl. Dampen 2 layers of cheesecloth with some water and line the sieve with it. Set aside.

Pour the milk and heavy cream into a stainless steal pot. Stir in the salt and on medium heat bring the milk cream mixture to a full boil. Stirring occasionally. Turn off the heat once boiling and stir in the vinegar. Let the mixture stand for about 1 minute until it starts to curdle.    

Now pour the mixture into the cheesecloth lined sieve and allow it to strain into the bowl. Let it stand for 20-25 minutes until all the liquid is in bowl, and you’re left with ricotta cheese up top on the cheesecloth! We strained ours for 20 minutes, and it was a perfect texture. They say if you like it thicker you can strain it for longer. 

Transfer half of the ricotta cheese to a bowl. Put the other half in a covered bowl in the fridge to save for another time, like maybe the next morning with pancakes! In the bowl of ricotta you have out, mix in the fresh chives and some black pepper. Add more salt if you’d like. Drizzle a good amount of olive oil on top, and garnish with thyme leaves and more black pepper.

Grill some bread and rub a halved garlic clove on each slice. Spread the ricotta on the bread, with another drizzle of olive oil.

Enjoy!

I was Miami bound a couple weeks ago visiting my sister, brother in law, and their dog Dudley(aka my little brother). Most of my time was spent doing yoga on there deck while little lizards scurried by, and wild parrots flew overhead. And of course there was a lot of cooking. 

There was one night where we tried our hands at homemade ricotta cheese. (a post on that will come soon). We paired it with grilled bread and olive oil, along with a beet salad, salami and wine. We ate outside and I couldn’t stop talking about how Stealing Beauty-esque we were being. If you’ve never seen that movie, it’s time you should. 

Here’s to warmer weather coming our way, and hopefully a lot of outdoor dinners with good friends.