sel et sucre

Category: appetizers

  • Roasted Tomatoes and Green Beans with Basil

    roasted tomatoes and green beans with basil

    Every once in a while, I cook something delicious but don’t get around to posting about it. As I was going through some photos from late summer, I stumbled across the photos of this simple but tasty side and knew it was worth putting up on here. My kitchen was overflowing with cherry tomatoes and basil from my garden, and green beans were dirt cheap at the farmers’ market, so I put this together when I was feeling a bit lazy. But the end result was amazing – roasting the veggies concentrates their natural sweetness, and combined with herbaceous basil leaves, this makes for a great side dish (and I know I don’t post enough recipes for sides on here). I seem to remember that I actually mixed the end result with crumbled goat cheese which added a great creamy and tangy element, but even in its healthier vegan version, as written here, this is a dish worth making (or at least bookmarking for next summer).

    (more…)

    Related Posts:

  • Beef, Olive, and Egg Empanadas

    beef olive and egg empanadas

    It’s been really fun posting empanada recipes all week, but all good things must come to an end. So here is my last recipe, and the only one I’ve posted that isn’t vegetarian – I had to include at least one with meat to do proper justice to this Argentine specialty. The combination here of ground beef, green olives, and hard-boiled eggs is a classic Argentine one that you’ll find almost anywhere that sells empanadas. These traditional flavors complement each other quite well, and the mixture of spices in the beef along with some sliced green onions take these over the top. Yet another filling that I could (okay, and did) eat plain, but, of course, it’s even better when baked inside the flaky empanada dough.

    (more…)

    Related Posts:

  • Corn and Roasted Pepper Empanadas

    corn and roasted pepper empanadas

    In continuing with this week’s theme of empanadas, here’s yet another tasty filling. There are a lot of steps here, from roasting peppers to grating and cooking down corn, but although they aren’t so easy to make, the sweetness of the corn and roasted peppers makes the resulting empanadas incredibly easy to eat. I’d never grated fresh corn before, but I can see myself using this technique in the future for other corn fillings or dips or even just a savory (or sweet!) corn puree.

    (more…)

    Related Posts:

  • Mushroom, Shallot, and Fontina Empanadas

    mushroom shallot and fontina empanadas

    As I go through the different empanada fillings I prepared, I think I may have to declare this one my personal favorite. While they all turned out quite well, I’m always a fan of anything with mushrooms. On top of that, the savory-sweet flavor here from the inclusion of raisins and balsamic vinegar is right up my alley. And it’s really quite an easy preparation, too, for quite a complex resulting flavor. If you’re planning on making smaller empanadas, you may want to dice the mushrooms and shallots instead of slicing them to make it easier to get exactly the right-sized scoop of filling.

    (more…)

    Related Posts:

  • Spinach and Three Cheese Empanadas

    spinach and three cheese empanadas

    Everyone talks about how popular carne (meat) is over here in Argentina, but no one prepared me for how much the Argentines love their queso (cheese). While the variety isn’t quite the same as back home, there are still plenty of cheeses in the supermarket, and ham and cheese sandwiches are everywhere. And it seems like any empanada that doesn’t have meat in it has cheese instead. These spinach and three cheese empanadas are heavy on the cheese, but maybe the spinach in there can help you feel a little healthier about making these. But the taste should really be justification enough. You may have leftover filling – and that’s perfectly okay because it also makes a delicious dip. I’ve only been here a short while, but, as a longtime cheese lover, I think I’m going to like it here.

    (more…)

    Related Posts:

  • Empanada Dough

    empanada dough

    Today, I’m going to start this post with an apology. Anyone who follows this blog knows that I’ve been very good from the beginning about posting every single Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. In fact, up until last week, I had not yet missed a post (in over a year). So, I’m sorry for letting Sel et Sucre go dark last Wednesday and Friday. As I’d mentioned previously, I moved to Buenos Aires this past Wednesday, and despite my (in retrospect, delusional) hopes of keeping up my posting, I was far too overwhelmed to do so. This week, I’ll be doing something extra special to make up for it though – posting every weekday!

    Before leaving, in honor of the trip, I cooked up four different varieties of empanadas, stuffed pastries (typically savory) that are very popular in Argentina, eaten as an appetizer or full meal. I’ll be posting all week about these empanadas, starting with today’s recipe for the dough. Similar to a pie dough, it’s quite easy to throw together, with the most important thing being not to overwork it. The flaky result is the perfect base for all sorts of different fillings. I actually ended up making three times this dough recipe for a total of 96 mini empanadas. I think I would have preferred larger empanadas though, so that each would have more filling (which would also mean less work filling and closing the empanadas). Whether you make small (appetizer-sized) or large (entree-sized) empanadas, this dough recipe is worth trying out, for not much more effort than heading to the store and buying frozen dough, but a lot more flavor!

    (more…)

    Related Posts:

  • Mushroom Apple Gouda Hash

    mushroom apple gouda hash

    Apples are starting to crop up at the farmers markets and grocery stores now that we’re transitioning into fall, in gorgeous shades of mottled reds, yellows, and greens. Since I’ll be missing out on fall (as it is currently spring in Buenos Aires and my move is fast approaching), I wanted to take advantage of these apples while I still can. This great simple hash recipe contrasts crisp diced apples (I used tart apples but sweet ones should also work, if that’s your preference) with sauteed cabbage and mushrooms while gouda cheese also plays an important role, adding richness to the dish. The mix of textures feels perfect for the transitional nature of the season. This hash can be served as a side, as a main dish, or inside a sandwich or wrap.

    (more…)

    Related Posts:

  • Black Bean Dip

    black bean dip

    After realizing how easy it is to make hummus, I’ve been experimenting with other bean dips, too. They’re quick and simple to prepare, usually a big hit at parties, and great to have around for snacking if you’re like me and sometimes find yourself suddenly hungry and in need of immediate food. This classic black bean dip is packed with Mexican flavors from paprika, cumin, lime juice, and a chipotle pepper. Well-matched with corn chips, but I actually prefer using fresh carrots, bell peppers, and cucumbers for dipping – healthier and, in my opinion, tastier, too.

    (more…)

    Related Posts:

  • Antipasto Salad

    antipasto salad

    I know I’ve been posting a lot of salads, but this one is different. No greens, for one, which is a nice change of pace. And unlike most salads, these ingredients stand up really well to storage in the refrigerator, with the flavors melding and the vegetables pickling slightly to actually improve the dish. The mix of vegetables (which can be easily swapped out for whatever crisp fresh vegetables you have around) and spices is reminiscent of giardiniera, an Italian pickled relish usually served as an antipasto, but with the addition of chickpeas which means that this can easily serve as a meal. Of course, this salad is equally at place as a side (and would be amazing at a picnic or potluck).

    (more…)

    Related Posts:

  • Bacon Balsamic Brussels Sprouts

    bacon balsamic brussels sprouts

    I know brussels sprouts are traditionally a much hated food, but I love them. Like other cabbages (which I also love), I find them best when still crisp (or even raw!). Here, in my favorite preparation for brussels sprouts (and one that I think could convert those who normally aren’t fans), they’re seared in bacon fat, then finished in a balsamic reduction, so while the insides are still crisp, the edges are soft and caramelized, and every bite is imbued with the sweet and tangy flavor of the balsamic. As a bonus, they’re also very quick and easy to make. You can make lots of tasty additions to this basic recipe, including chopped nuts (walnuts, almonds, and hazelnuts would all be good here), grated cheese (parmesan, gruyere, or gouda, to get you started), raisins, or crumbled bacon from the slices you cooked up to get the bacon fat used here, of course.

    (more…)

    Related Posts: