Lemon Puddings with Granny Smith Apple Compote (Plus a Cuppa 'Twig' Tea) for Food 'N Flix March Pick: "Stranger Than Fiction"

If you missed the announcement post, Kahakai Kitchen is the lucky host of this month's Food 'N Flix event where we movie-loving-foodies watch a film and then hit the kitchen to make a dish inspired by it. My movie pick is a favorite film of mine, Stranger Than Fiction, starring Will Ferrell, Emma Thompson, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Dustin Hoffman, and Queen Latifah. Ferrell stars as Harold Crick, a solitary IRS auditor who begins to hear a strange female voice (Emma Thompson) that turns out to be a writer, narrating his life as it happens. As in the announcement post, I don't want to give away too many plot details as I really do think that if you haven't seen this film, you should just go watch it. ;-)

Made in 2006, it's a comedy-drama-romance-fantasy film that although not chock full of food, still has some very inspiring moments--especially in and around the funky Chicago bakery owned by Ana Pascal (Gyllenhaal), the baker that Harold Crick falls in love with as he audits her business. The famous cookie scene where Ana describes the bakery treats that caused her to drop out of law school and make the world a better place with cookies. Harold bringing Ana a bunch of flours in lieu of flowers is another favorite foodie scene. I was going to make banana bread and serve it with twig tea--ordered at the bakery by one of Ana's customers, but, at the end of the day I decided to take my inspiration from the green apples that appear in the film.

For instance, as part of his daily routine, Harold carries one in his mouth as he runs to the bus stop on the way to work. I could try to analyze the symbolism behind the apple and base my choosing it on some intelligent reason, but to be honest, I happened to see a Curtis Stone recipe in Food & Wine for Lemon Puddings with Granny Smith Apple Compote and I really wanted to make it. The movie just gives me a good reason. ;-) I love puddings, especially lemon pudding or possets and I am crazy for anything apple--especially when accompanied with caramel. This recipe brings those three things together. 

Tangy and sweet--it was set off nicely with a cup of toasty twig tea or kukicha, a a Japanese green tea blend where the twigs, stems and stalks of the green tea plant are slow roasted repeatedly, giving it a slightly earthy, roasted flavor. I was happy to hear it mentioned in the movie as I drink it myself--it is considered to be very grounding or balancing for the body and you can usually find it at a well-stocked natural food store. Although I most often drink it brewed (and plain), here are a few of my favorite drink recipes featuring it: Spiced Kukicha Iced Tea, Apple-Cinnamon Kukicha Tea and "KukiChai" Tea. If you find green tea too sharp or bitter, try twig tea as the roasting really mellows it and rounds out the flavors.
 

Lemon Puddings with Granny Smith Apple Compote
Recipe From Curtis  Stone via Food & Wine, March 2014
(Makes 6 Servings)

Pudding

2 1/4 cups heavy cream

2/3 cup sugar

2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest

1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

Kosher salt

Compote

1/2 cup sugar

1 tablespoon water

2 Granny Smith apples—peeled, cored and cut into 1/4-inch dice

2 tablespoons fresh orange juice

1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and seeds scraped

1 tablespoon Calvados or apple brandy

2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest 
 

Pudding:

In a medium saucepan, combine the heavy cream and sugar and cook over moderate heat, stirring with a wooden spoon, until hot and the sugar is dissolved, about 5 minutes. Let cool slightly, then whisk in the lemon zest, lemon juice and a generous pinch of salt.

Pour the pudding into six (5- to 6 oz) glasses or ramekins; cover tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate the puddings until well-chilled and set, at least 6 hours or overnight.

Compote:

In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar and water and cook over moderate heat, swirling the pan until the sugar dissolves, about 3 minutes. Continue to cook, brushing down the side of the pan with a wet pastry brush, until an amber caramel forms, 3 to 5 minutes.

Add the apples, orange juice and the vanilla bean and seeds; the caramel will harden, but it will melt again. Cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the apples are crisp-tender and coated in a light caramel, about 8 minutes; discard the vanilla bean.

Stir in the Calvados, lemon juice, orange zest and a pinch of salt. Let cool completely, then refrigerate until chilled.

To Serve:

Serve the puddings topped with the apple compote. (Note: The puddings and compote can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.)

Notes/Results: These are tasty little puddings--cool, tangy from the lemon and the Granny Smith apples and set off by the sweet caramel sauce on top. Either part works well on its own but together, they become special. The Japanese teacups I used for serving are 6-7 ounces so I got five servings out of the pudding. I then promptly dropped one as I was putting them into the fridge to set. The good news--the tea cup bounced and survived, the bad news--I had a *fun* time cleaning up the lemon pudding shower that resulted. Grrr... Oh, well... These were worth it. I would make them again. 

I'll be rounding up all of this month's Food 'N Flix entries right here at Kahakai Kitchen shortly after the deadline of Sunday, March 30th so you still have plenty of time to join in the fun. (I decided to actually try to get my entry done a couple of weeks before the deadline this time--yay me!) ;-) Or, if you miss out this month, consider joining us in April when we will be watching Kung Fu Panda, hosted by Food 'N Flix's founder, Heather of girlichef. 
 

Mint & Pistachio Pesto (In Pasta & On Flatbread)

I went through a phase of having lukewarm feelings for pesto a awhile back. It seemed like every roasted veggie sandwich or vegetarian dish on a restaurant menu was slathered with it and it usually overpowered the other ingredients. Lately, I have become fond of pesto and its versatility--as a spread for crackers or a dip for veggies, over a piece of grilled fish, or with the traditional pasta. I like pestos that are a bit different from the normal basil/pine nut combo--like this Mint Pesto from Donna Hay. 

The recipe did call for pine nuts but I was feeling like lightly toasted pistachios instead. I also added fresh lemon juice to brighten things up. I ate most of it on top of labneh (yogurt cheese) on crisp flatbread crackers, paired with Donna's Green Pea & Basil Soup and the rest the next day, stirred into pasta with more freshly grated parmesan and chopped toasted pistachios on top.  

Mint & Pistachio Pesto
Adapted from Donna Hay Simple Essentials: Salads + Vegetables
(Makes about 1 1/4 cups)

1 cup mint leaves
1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves
1/4 cup roasted pine nuts (I subbed pistachios)
1/4 cup finely-grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup olive oil
(I added 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice)

Roughly chop the mint, parsley, pine nuts and parmesan cheese in a blender or food processor. Add the olive oil and blend until combined and slightly thickened.

Notes/Results: A simple pesto with fresh flavors and a cool brightness from the mint. You could of course use any nut but I like both the nutty and slightly sweet flavor of the pistachios and the green color. The lemon livens it up and with the mint, would be excellent with salmon (or lamb if you swing to the meat side of things) ;-) I will make this again.

This pesto is linking up to I Heart Cooking Clubs where this week's theme is the "Eating of the Green."  You can see all of the dishes with green-hued ingredients that everyone makes by checking out the post and the picture links on it.  

 

Green Pea and Basil Soup (with Labneh & Mint Pesto on Flatbread Crackers) for Souper (Soup, Salad & Sammie) Sundays

For busy weeks, I like soups that go together quickly and easily like this Green Pea and Basil Soup from Donna Hay Simple Essentials: Salads + Vegetables. It's creamy, a little sweet and herby from the basil. What sold me on making it was the bocconcini (baby fresh mozzarella) ball on top of the soup in the pictures. Melty from the heat of the soup, it's like a little treasure in the center of all the the green. I also like a simple pureed soup paired with something fun to dip into it. In this case I served it with flatbread crackers, spread with creamy labneh (thickened yogurt cheese) and mint pesto (from the same book).

I made a few changes to the recipe, noted in red below and mainly based on what I had on hand. 

Green Pea and Basil Soup
Donna Hay Simple Essentials: Salads + Vegetables
(Serves 4)

40 g (1 1/2 oz) butter (I reduced by 1/2 & used a vegan butter)
1 onion, chopped
(I added 2 garlic cloves, chopped)
2 cups chicken or vegetable stock (I used mock chicken stock)
2 cups frozen peas
sea salt and cracked black pepper
1/2 cup cream (I used non-dairy coconut creamer)
2/3 cup chopped basil leaves (I used 1/2 cup)
2 bocconcini (baby mozzarella), halved

Heat a medium saucepan over high heat. Add butter and onion and cook 3-4 minutes or until the onion is softened. Add the stock, peas, salt and pepper and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer 3-4 minutes or until the peas are tender. 

Stir through the cream and basil. Use a food processor or blender to blend the soup until smooth.  

Ladle the soup into bowls and top with the bocconcini.

The store I went to had either large balls of fresh mozzarella or these little 'snack packs' of three tiny fresh mozzarella balls. I think the snack packs are fun. ;-) 

Notes/Results: A good, comforting bowl with plenty of flavor for such a quick-cooking soup. I am used to green pea soup with mint but I like the flavor of the basil in it equally. I did add some extra basil and garlic to keep the soup from being too sweet from the peas--a personal preference. For the dairy, I used non-dairy 'butter' and coconut creamer as that is what I had on hand, and I reduced the amount of the butter--but I don't think you can tell the difference in flavor at all. The melted, slightly chewy mozzarella is a good contrast to the creamy soup--although you could leave it out if you wanted. The tangy labneh and minty pesto also partnered well with it. (BTW--The pesto recipe will be posted later in the week.) I would make this again. 

This green soup is linking up to I Heart Cooking Clubs where the coming week's theme is the "Eating of the Green." (The mint pesto post will be added later.) You can see all of the dishes with green-hued ingredients that everyone makes by checking out the post and the picture links on it. 

    
Now lets check out the Souper Sundays kitchen and see who is here.

Mireille of Chef Mireille's East West Realm is here with three dishes to share. First is her version of Tomato Soup. She says, "In my part of the world, most of the tomatoes in the supermarkets at this time of year are hothouse tomatoes, chemically ripened. For this reason, they don't have that much flavor and the natural sweetness of tomatoes is virtually non existent. At this time of year, canned tomatoes are a better alternative as they are picked at the peak of ripeness. For this recipe I used Hunt's whole tomatoes to infuse the best possible tomato flavor in this soup."

Next up is Mireille's Butternut Squash-Pesto Soup about which she says, "Butternut Squash Soup has become very common in recent years. It also often includes apple in the soup, which is a combination I don't quite comprehend. I am not a big fan of the Squash-Apple Soup. Instead, I flavored my version of this popular soup with pesto. I hope you like it as much as I did!"

Finally Mireille made this Fresh Chickpea Salad with Passionfruit Dressing and says, "Fresh chickpeas are not something easy to come by here in the United States. In fact, it was only about 2 years ago that I came across them for the first time and I was so amazed I came home with a big bag of them. Now, whenever I see them at the Indian supermarket, I usually purchase them. They cook very quickly and have such a fresh, taste."

Tigerfish of Teczcape - An Escape to Food brings a hearty warm salad of Roasted Squash & Sauteed Chard with Pumpkin Seeds, Hemp seeds & Raisins and says, "What? The organic butternut squash is cheaper than the conventional butternut squash in the grocery store?!?! Take home message: it pays to take a good look at the price tags/labels, every time. Don't make assumptions that organic is always more expensive than conventional."

Janet of The Taste Space shares Roasted Broccoli and Quinoa Salad with Quick-Pickled Raisins and says, "Roasting broccoli doesn’t happen nearly enough. We usually opt to steam it so I decided to roast this newest head. While you can simply roast broccoli with nothing more than a touch of oil with some salt and pepper, I dusted it with curry powder first and then broiled it until it was slightly charred and tender. I then added it to some pan-roasted tomatoes and carrots, quinoa, fresh arugula and toasted cashews topped with the piece de resistance: quick-pickled raisins conferring a salty-sweet-acidy tang, nicely balancing the whole dish."

Thanks to everyone who joined in this week. If you have a soup, salad or sandwich that you would like to share, just click on the Souper Sundays logo on the side bar for all of the details.

Have a happy, healthy week!
 

Lemon and Dill Smoked Salmon Pasta from Donna Hay

I have had this simple Donna Hay Lemon and Dill Smoked Salmon Pasta dish tagged to make forever now. It has many of my favorite things in it like smoked salmon, capers, lemon, mint and dill. Since it's a no-cook sauce, it takes just a few minutes to make while you wait for the pasta to boil. An easy weeknight dinner, full of flavor. 

I made a few small changes to the recipe noted in red below--increasing the capers and decreasing the amount of smoked salmon (see Notes/Results below) and olive oil.   

Lemon and Dill Smoked Salmon Pasta
From DonnaHay.com
(Serves 2) 

200g (about 7 oz) spaghetti (I used Barilla Plus w/extra fiber & protein)

1 Tbsp lemon zest
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1/3 cup (80ml) olive oil (I used about 2 Tbsp + 2 Tbsp pasta water)
2 Tbsp chopped dill leaves
200g (about 7 oz) sliced smoked salmon, torn (I used about 1/2 the amount)
1 Tbsp salted capers, rinsed and chopped (I used 2 Tbsp & left them whole)
1/3 cup mint leaves
2 green onions (scallions), trimmed and sliced
sea salt and cracked black pepper to taste
lemon wedges, to serve
 

Cook the pasta in a saucepan of salted boiling water for 10–12 minutes or until al dente. Drain and return to the pan. Combine the lemon zest and juice, oil and dill and add to the pasta with the salmon, capers, mint, onion, salt and pepper. Toss to combine and serve with lemon wedges.

Notes/Results: Big flavors in a very quick and easy dish. The tart lemon, smokey salmon, briny capers and fresh and herby bites of dill and mint harmonize well. It's simple enough for a busy weeknight but the smoked salmon makes it feel elegant enough to serve guests. A few thoughts: I cut the olive oil--you don't need 1/3 cup of it, 2 tablespoons with an equal amount of pasta water worked just find--in fact I think the full amount would make it too oily. Smoked salmon is so rich that I used about 1/2 the amount of the 8 oz/227 gram package and it was plenty. I say use the rest of the package in either of these two fabulous Donna Hay recipes (Smoked Salmon Sushi Squares or Salmon Wonton Crisps) and save some $$$, sodium and calories. Donna says this recipe serves 2 but they are very good-sized servings. Serve it with a salad and you can get 3 or 4 servings out of it. I would definitely make this again. 

This pasta dish is being linked up to I Heart Cooking Clubs where the coming week's theme is Noodles, Noodles, Everywhere! You can see the different Donna Hay pasta and noodle dishes that everyone made by checking out the picture links on the post

 

Prawn Noodle Soup: Noodly Comfort for Souper (Soup, Salad & Sammie) Sundays

Sometimes you just need a quick and easy bowl of soupy noodles. Donna Hay is always a good source for fast Asian-inspired soups like this Prawn Noodle Soup from her Simple Essentials: Pasta, Rice + Noodles. Large shrimp and crisp green beans top the noodles in a sweet-spicy-savory broth. The perfect way to brighten up a rainy day.

Prawn Noodle Soup
Adapted from Donna Hay Simple Essentials: Pasta, Rice + Noodles
(Serves 4)

8 cups chicken or veggie broth (I used mock-chicken stock base)
2 small red chillies, sliced
2 tsp sliced ginger (I used 4 ginger 'cubes" so about double the amount)
2 tsp soy sauce 
2 Tbsp fish sauce
2 tsp brown sugar
10 1/2 oz fresh, thin egg noodles
5 1/2 oz green beans, trimmed
10.5 oz raw prawns/jumbo shrimp, peeled, with tails intact
4 green onions, sliced

Place the stock, chilli, ginger, soy sauce, fish sauce and brown sugar in a medium sauce pan over medium-high heat and bring to the boil. Add the noodles and cook for 1 minute. (I cooked the noodles separately.) Stir in the green beans and prawns and 2 to 3 minutes or until the beans are tender and the prawns cooked through. 

Divide the noodles into bowls and ladle the soup over. Top with the prawns, beans and green onion to serve.

Notes/Results: Warming, satisfying with good flavor--and it goes together very quickly. While the broth heats, just prep your shrimp and beans and chop the scallions, then it's all tossed into the pot for just a few minutes and it's ready to go. I used frozen jumbo 'easy-peel' shrimp and a package of pre-cooked yakisoba noodles from the refrigerated section that just need a little warm up--so easy-peasy. I did add extra ginger to my broth because I like a lot of ginger flavor, and I sprinkled my soup with toasted sesame seeds before serving. This hit the spot and I would happily make it again. 

This soup is being linked up to I Heart Cooking Clubs where the coming week's theme is Noodles, Noodles, Everywhere! You can see the different Donna Hay pasta and noodle dishes that everyone made by checking out the picture links on the post. 

There are some tasty soups and a salad waiting in the Souper Sundays kitchen--let's have a look. 

Tigerfish of Teczcape - An Escape to Food is here with Chicken and Boiled Dumplings (Wonton) Soup and says, "This is another one-dish meal which saves me the trouble of cooking the noodle ("carbs") accompaniment. With homemade wontons (shared and given by my "wonton expert" friend), all I had to do was to cook a big pot of chicken soup with potatoes, carrots, tomatoes." 

Judee of Gluten Free A-Z Blog shares a Paleo Creamy Broccoli Soup and says, "I have always wanted to make a good cream of broccoli soup, but I wanted a recipe that doesn't use cream ( I just don't like dairy based creamed soups) . I finally found a recipe that I like and that is healthy too.  The creaminess comes from the blended vegetables. It's a perfect gluten free soup because it doesn't call for any flour. Its relatively fast and easy to make and can be made from ingredients you already have in your kitchen."

 
Pam of Sidewalk Shoes has a soup and a salad this week. Her soup is this hearty Southwestern Pork Soup about which she says, "I changed it up a bit and made it in the slow cooker.  Used a pound of dried beans (soaked overnight) and pretty much doubled everything else.  The recipe was one of those superfast ones that called for prechopped this and that – I didn’t use that – just chopped my own.  Again, this recipe shows the importance of the little things.  The fresh chopped cilantro and the avocado really make it special.  I also added a squeeze of fresh lime juice for added pop."  

Pam's salad is this pretty Avocado-Mango Salad and she says, "This salad was a revelation.  Seriously.  This is what it’s all about, fresh eating made so simple.  This was fantastic.  Who knew that all you had to do with mango and avocado was slice them, squeeze a little lime on top, salt and pepper and you had one of the best salads you’d ever eaten!  She called for thinly sliced read onions, which I didn’t have and for serving on Bibb or Boston lettuce, I just used some baby spinach." 

Thanks to everyone who joined in this week. If you have a soup, salad or sandwich that you would like to share, just click on the Souper Sundays logo for all of the details.

Have a happy, healthy week!
 

Announcing March's Food 'N Flix Selection: "Stranger Than Fiction." (Kahakai Kitchen is Hosting!)

I'm hosting Food 'N Flix this month! The chance for all of us movie-loving-foodies to watch a film and then hit the kitchen to make a dish inspired by it. My pick for March is the 2006 quirky comedy-drama-romance-fantasy film Stranger Than Fiction, starring Will Ferrell.

It's hard to explain this movie in any detail without a bunch of spoilers and I think it is best to let the story unfold on its own. So, in two sentences, Stranger Than Fiction is the story of Harold Crick, a solitary IRS auditor--very much fixated on numbers and routine. One morning as he is brushing his teeth, Harold hears a strange female voice that seems to be narrating his life as it happens and it begins to effect him in all sorts of ways. 

I really like this film--the story is smart, different and makes you think, and the cast is made up of many of my favorites. Ferrell, Emma Thompson and Maggie Gyllenhaal are joined by Dustin Hoffman, Queen Latifah, Linda Hunt and Tony Hale (for any Arrested Development and Veep fans). This is a sweeter, calmer Will Farrell performance by the way and the movie allows his dramatic acting talents to shine. 

It's not the 'foodiest' of Food 'N Flix picks (especially if you compare it with February's movie--the total food-centric film, Babette's Feast) but, Stranger Than Fiction does have a food presence. Much of it is related to baking as the always charming Maggie Gyllenhaal plays Ana, a baker that Harold audits and falls for. I defy any foodie not to covet Ana's fun & funky bakery and, if you don't want a soft, warm, melty cookie after the cookie scene, well then my friend...YOU HAVE NO SOUL! (Just kidding!) ;-)

I do think that there is enough food and ideas tucked into this movie to inspire some fabulous dishes--baked or otherwise, and maybe even some that will be stranger than fiction themselves. 

I look forward to seeing what everyone makes!
  
Want to join in the Food 'N Flix fun? Here's how to participate:

• Watch the chosen film (Stranger Than Fiction.) Taking inspiration from the film, head into the kitchen and cook, bake or make a dish.
• Post about your creation on your blog with a link back to THIS post and a link to Food 'N Flix. (Use of the Food 'N Flix logo is optional.)
• Your post must be current (during the month of the film). And we don't mind if your post is linked to other events...the more the merrier.
• Have fun with it!
• Email your entries to me at Debinhawaii@gmail.com and include:
• Your name
• Your blog's name and URL
• The name of your dish and the permalink to the specific post you're submitting
• Attach a photo of any size (or tell me which one to "pull" from your post)
• Indicate "Food 'N Flix Submission" in the subject line of your email 

Deadline for submission is Sunday March 30th

(I'll be rounding up all the entries here shortly after.)

Happy viewing and cooking!
 

Lime and Coconut Poached Fish with 'Volcano' Rice & Sugar Snap Peas

This Lime and Coconut Poached Fish from Fast, Fresh Simple is what Donna Hay says she cooks on "summer beach holidays" and that when she cooks it at home, her "thoughts return to the beach." I love the tropical feel of the dish from the fresh (local) kaffir lime leaves, lime juice and coconut milk and served here with gingered 'volcano' rice (brown and red rice grown on the mineral-rich volcanic soil of West Java) and steamed sugar snap peas.

Lime and Coconut Poached Fish
Adapted from Fast, Fresh, Simple by Donna Hay
(Serves 2)

1 cup (250 ml) coconut milk
1 long green chilli, finely diced
1/4 cup (60 ml) lime juice
6 kaffir lime leaves, finely shredded
1 Tbsp fish sauce
200 g firm white fish fillets (about 7 oz)
1/2 cup coriander (cilantro) leaves
steamed rice and steamed greens to serve

Place the coconut milk, chilli, lime juice, kaffir lime leaves and fish sauce in a pan over medium-low heat. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 4 minutes. Add the fish and cook 3-4 minutes each side or until tender. 

To serve, divide the fish the fish and poaching liquid between serving plates and sprinkle with coriander and serve with steamed rice and greens. 

Notes/Results: A great combination of flavors--tangy, spicy and sweet. The fish (I used frozen cod) is tender and moist and the coconut 'sauce' soaks into the rice nicely, giving it even more flavor. I made my volcano rice in the rice cooker, tossing in some minced ginger and steamed the sugar snap peas--making sure they were plenty crisp. This makes for an easy and satisfying meal that isn't too heavy. I would make it again. 

It's Tropical Delights week at I Heart Cooking Clubs--making delectable Donna Hay recipes with tropical ingredients. You can see what everyone made by checking out the picture links on the post.

Happy Aloha Friday!