snacks


7
Aug 09

Tzatziki Bites

This summer’s weather has kept me mostly indoors. First, it was cold and rainy (for an entire month straight, Don’t get me started.) and I stayed inside to keep warm and dry. Since then, it’s been oppressively hot and humid, and I’ve spent most of my time inside trying to keep cool. Mind you, my cooking has kept the kitchen extra hot, but I sit under the ceiling fan and suck it up, because quite frankly, it’s no better outside.


But every once in a while, we get a perfect warm, but not hot, dry sunny day that tempts me outside with a promise of perfect relaxation. And on those days, heating up the kitchen with a hot stove is the last thing I want to do. In fact, spending time indoors at all seems like blasphemy.


Today was one of those days, and blog posting be damned, I was not going to waste my afternoon chopping, mincing, roasting and sautéing. Instead, I made the easiest, most refreshing snack I could think of off the top of my head, and threw it together in 5 minutes. Tzatziki, that delicious cucumber-yogurt-garlic dip from Greece, sounded perfect, but I wasn’t in the mood for what would inevitably turn into an endless supply of chips and dip. By deconstructing tzatziki, I cut down on chopping and ended up with something that was beautifully suited for a perfect summer day.

Recipe after the jump…


27
Jul 09

Roasted, Marinated Tomatoes

Growing up, I was never a big tomato fan. On pasta, I tolerated tomato sauce, but preferred garlic and butter (and in my later, more sophisticated years, garlic and olive oil). Even as I get older, some of that still hasn’t changed. I will eat tomatoes, albeit grudgingly, and I’ve learned to enjoy tomato sauce, caprese salad, tomato bruschetta, and all of the finer tomato things. What I hadn’t learned to enjoy was tomatoes on sandwiches.

Until now. These tomatoes are perfect. Roasting gives them sweetness, and also levels the playing field a bit for off-season tomatoes. This means that you don’t need to resign yourself to mealy, flavorless tomatoes in the dead of winter (unless you’re committed to buying local, in which case you might still have some problems). The marinade soaks into the tomatoes, making them melt in your mouth with a rush of fresh, herbaceous, garlicky, sweet tanginess unmatched by anything I’ve ever eaten before.

In short, I love these tomatoes. They’ve officially made a tomato convert out of me.

Recipe after the jump…


22
Jul 09

Honey Feta Spread

I’ve always loved feta cheese. It’s creamy, but not overly rich. Salty, but with a background tanginess that balances things out a bit. It seems that feta is primarily known for its presence in greek salads, but it’s just begging to be used in different ways.

When feta is cooked, it doesn’t become ooey-gooey like mozzarella or fontina. Instead, it retains its shape, becoming soft and spreadable but with a hint of its signature crumbliness. Honey brings out the creaminess in feta, downplaying the saltiness just a bit.

This is one of those dishes that keeps you in limbo for a little while before you finally give in to liking it. No doubt it’s a weird combination of flavors, and at first it’s confusing. But then you’re intrigued enough to take another bite, and you realize it’s interesting. Another, and you just might like it. Another, and you’re on your way down that dangerous path towards eating the whole thing. Fortunately, with only 3 ingredients, it’s really easy to make in small batches (actually, it’s really easy to make, period).

Made in a larger batch, this would also make a great dish for a party.

Recipe after the jump…


20
Jul 09

Bruschetta with Roasted Peppers and Almonds

It’s unfortunate that bruschetta has become synonymous with tomato, garlic, mozzarella and basil on toasted bread. I can’t deny that in peak tomato season, the classic American version can be an immensely satisfying snack on a hot day. But on occasion, the classic combination could do with some mixing up.

Enter red peppers. I love roasting them, because they become the perfect blend of soft and crisp. It’s so easy to do, yet it seems undeniably fancy. Usually, you roast the peppers whole, then put them in a paper bag or covered bowl to steam. Then, you take the skins off the peppers, cut them open and take out the seeds. It’s an easy, but sometimes unpleasant process when you open the peppers and near boiling steam trapped in the center gushes out onto your hands. So today, I did it differently.

I decided to go the easy, lazy route here, and I couldn’t be more thrilled with the results. I cut the peppers in half and took out the seeds while they were raw, and kept the skins on after roasting to keep all that tasty charred flavor and color.

Almonds add a bit of crunch crunch to the mix, and goat cheese adds some salty deliciousness to balance it out. All in all, it’s a perfect summer treat.

Recipe after the jump…