Apple of My Eye

This month's dinner club soiree was a sweet and savory twist on a classic ingredient - the apple. Apples and apple blossoms are ideal symbols of love, youth, beauty and happiness. Indeed the night was filled with all of those elements as well as some amazing dishes and always good company.  The dish I prepared was a fun twist on the traditional couscous with a vinaigrette dressing.  It's a fun, easy, and incredibly tasty dish.  

Savory Israeli Couscous with Apples, Cranberries and Herbs recipe:

* 2 tablespoons olive oil
* 3 cups Israeli couscous (pearl-sized)
* 4 1/2 cups chicken broth
* 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
* 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves
* 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
* 1 large Granny Smith Apple, diced
* 1 cup dried cranberries
* 3 slices of bacon
* 1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted


Vinaigrette:

* 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
* 2 tablespoons maple syrup
* 1 tablespoon kosher salt
* 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 1/4 cup olive oil

Directions

First, chop up bacon slices and cook. Once done, strain and set aside for later.

For the couscous: In a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil and a tablespoon of the bacon grease on medium-high heat. Add the couscous and cook, stirring occasionally until slightly browned and aromatic, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Simmer for 10 to 12 minutes or until the liquid has evaporated. Transfer the cooked couscous to a large bowl and set aside to cool. Add the parsley, rosemary, thyme, apple, dried cranberries, bacon pieces and almonds.

For the vinaigrette: In a small bowl, combine the vinegar, maple syrup, salt, and pepper. Whisk in the olive oil until smooth. Pour the vinaigrette over the couscous and toss to coat evenly.

This couscous dish has a mild Mediterranean flair with sweetness from the apple and syrup, and complexity from the herbs. A great compliment to a pork or chicken entree, or with the yummy salad that Huma made for the Seven Deadly Sins dinner.

Bon Appetite!
Liz

Halloween 2007

Halloween 2007 - Great scares, dear friends, unique costumes and good times.

I found a recipe on foodnetwork.com that sounded like an easy enough appetizer to make. Given my hectic work schedule, that's exactly what I needed...fast and easy. If you find yourself short on time and energy, but want to make a dish that's sure to impress, then try this one out. You won't be disappointed. Plus, you can use the recipe for other dishes!

Artichoke and Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms:

45 white mushrooms
1 1/2 c. of shredded Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 c. of Romano cheese*
1 can of artichoke hearts (drain thoroughly)
handful of finely chopped parsley
3 tablespoons of dried thyme
2 tablespoons of fresh rosemary*
1 1/2 tablespoon of crushed red pepper flakes*
4-5 cloves of garlic
2 teaspoons of nutmeg
1 lemon
EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)

*Denotes items I added just as a 'special' touch.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Combine Parmesan, Romano cheeses with chopped garlic, parsley, thyme, nutmeg, rosemary and crushed red pepper flakes in a bowl. Then, add the artichoke hearts (make sure to separate them), EVOO (2 tablespoons) and lemon juice to the mixture. Set aside.

While you're letting all the flavors of the mixture blend, remove all the stems from the mushrooms. Once done, put the mushroom caps into a ziplock bag and drizzle EVOO into it. Seal and shake until evenly coated. After they've been coated, scatter on a lined cookie sheet, round side up. Place the caps into the oven and bake for 10 min. or until the juices run clear. This helps to drain the all the excess juices from the mushroom, preventing them from being too soggy.

After you've removed the mushrooms and drained them, stuff them with the mixture. I also topped the mushrooms with some Romano cheese and parsley. Bake for 5-10 min., until the topping is slighty browned. Serve warm and voila! A fast and simple appetizer to serve before a dinner party! I had some stuffing left over the next day, so I used it to stuff some chicken breast. Delicious!