Quiche with grilled trout

Quiche with grilled trout

Ingredients
1/2 cup chopped onion (I used red)
2 small minced garlic cloves
2 T butter
~1 cup grilled trout, torn up into small pieces (can also use sliced mushrooms)
1 10-oz package frozen chopped spinach (or steamed fresh greens would work just fine), drained of
            water
1 1/2 cup grated cheddar

3 eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 cup whole milk (or half and half or cream, depending on how rich you want it)
1 1/2 t salt
1 T fresh rosemary, finely chopped

1 large tomato, sliced
2 T parmesan or pecorino romano

Directions
1. Butter or oil a 9 inch pie pan. Heat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Saute onion and garlic in the butter until softened. Turn off heat and stir in trout.
3. Place onion mixture in the bottom of 9 inch pie pan. Next distribute spinach on top. Then sprinkle cheddar atop spinach.
4. Mix together eggs, milk, salt, and rosemary. Pour mixture into pie pan, over other ingredients.
5. Arrange tomato slices on top to cover the surface area.
6. Bake for 15 minutes at 425 degrees. Then turn down heat to 350 and bake for another 20 minutes. 7. Sprinkle parmesan on top. Bake another 10 minutes. Let it stand 5 minutes before serving, to set up.

Fermented foods

Fermented foods

Fermented beets

chocolate frozen yogurt

Chocolate frozen yogurt
The way to go, in terms of creamy texture, appears to be using tangy Greek whole milk yogurt.

https://www.handletheheat.com/chocolate-frozen-yogurt/
problem: relies on cocoa powder vs. actual chocolate

https://cnz.to/recipes/ice-cream-sorbets/chocolate-frozen-yogurt-recipe/
problem: uses creme fraiche, which I rarely have on hand

https://www.chelseasmessyapron.com/breakfast-chocolate-frozen-yogurt/#_a5y_p=2103394
problem: uses Nesquik, which just seems weird to me.

agave lime ice cream

Agave Lime Coconut Ice Cream

This ice cream evolved from an agave lime sherbet in Leslie Bilderback's cookbook, No-churn Ice Cream. However, my version is ice cream -- because it has cream in it -- and it involves churning in an ice cream maker.  Heavenly on a hot evening! 

Ingredients
1 C agave nectar
5 C canned coconut milk, unsweetened
1 C heavy whipping cream*
zest of 6 limes**
juice of 7 ordinary, out-of-season limes (or six juicy limes)
zest of 1 orange
1/2 t orange blossom water
2 pinches kosher salt

Instructions
1. Using stand mixer, whisk agave, milk, and cream until thoroughly blended and a bit thick.
2. Combine mixture with orange and lime zest, lime juice, orange blossom water, and salt.
3. Cover mixture with wax paper. Place bowl in refrigerator for 4-8 hours, until thoroughly chilled.
4. Churn it in an ice cream maker. It will still be quite soft.
5. Chill for 4 or more hours after churning to firm up.

*This recipe could be vegan with coconut cream, but I haven't (yet) tried that.
**note on zesting: I boil citrus for 1-2 minutes before zesting, to remove wax and other preservatives from the skin. This process does make zesting a bit more difficult, though.

Green tea ice cream

Green Tea Ice Cream

It seems like there are two main approaches, one to make it with half and half (or cream or milk) and the other to make more of a custard with egg yokes in addition to the cream or milk. So far I've tried and really like the first approach, without eggs. 

https://www.justonecookbook.com/green-tea-ice-cream-matcha-ice-cream/ - excellent, but add extra match powder, up to double (which is really wonderfully strong, to me anyway). It works better operating ice cream maker to double recipe (otherwise there's not enough ice cream to make it stop churning).

http://www.spoonfulblog.com/2008/02/no-ice-cream-maker-green-tea-ice-cream.html


https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/241759/matcha-green-tea-ice-cream/

Green tea avocado, from Katie Workman: https://www.thespruceeats.com/avocado-green-tea-ice-cream-recipe-4064747 - 

cucumber raita

Cucumber Raita

Most people consume raita as a side dish in Indian cuisine, but I find it to be super-refreshing and not too heavy to serve solo on hot summer days -- in fact, I sometimes have a small bowl for breakfast on hot summer mornings!

Ingredients
2/3 firm English cucumber, grated with skin on
1/4 t salt
~1 C whole milk Greek yoghurt
large bunch of fresh mint, finely chopped
1 clove minced garlic
pinch of turmeric
water, to taste

Directions
1. Put the cucumber in a sieve over a bowl and sprinkle the salt on. Let it sweat for 30 minutes or so (in the refrigerator if it's too hot outside). Then squeeze the cucumber dry.
2. Mix in the rest of the ingredients with the yoghurt.
3. Add water, to thin it a bit, 1/2 cup or maybe a bit less, depending on how thick you prefer it.

Thai summer salad

Thai summer salad

Delicious salad version of a spring roll! 

Ingredients

for dressing:
1/2 - 1 teaspoon light brown sugar
1 1/2 tablespoon fish sauce
1 1/2 tablespoon fresh lime juice (should be about one big juicy lime)

for salad:
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 English cucumber, grated
3 oz rice vermicelli (optional)
1 large carrot, grated
1/4-1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated (optional)
handful of Thai basil, to taste
handful of cilantro, to taste
1/4 - 1/2 cup cashews or peanuts, or to taste

Directions
1. Combine the ingredients for dressing and set aside
2. Sprinkle the salt on the grated cucumber in a sieve over a bowl. Let it sit for 1/2 hour or so.
3. If using vermicelli, cook in salted water for a few minutes, until tender but not mushy. Drain and rinse under cold water until cool. Transfer to bowl, and toss with 2 tablespoons dressing.
4. Squeeze remaining water out of cucumber, then combine with carrot, ginger (if using), basil, and cilantro.
4. Stir in remaining dressing, to taste.
5. Combine vermicelli and vegetables
6. Sprinkle nuts on top to serve