Apple crumble or crisp

Apples are in season. So if you have an excess of picked apples this season - try this crumble. Easy, delicious and you don't have to worry about your apples rotting. I cut down consirably on sugar but you want to be careful doing that. Too little sugar will pull sugar out of the apples as they cook. Ideally, you want the apples to intensify in sweetness as they cook.

Makes a 7x11" pan of crumble

Filling

3 honeycrisp apples, peeled, cored and cubed into 3/4" inch pieces - you can use any firm apple variety like Red delicious, McIntosh, etc.

Splash of lime juice

2 tbsp sugar

a pinch of salt

Topping

3 tbsp of flour

1/2 cup of chopped pecans

1/4 cup chopped walnuts

2 tbsp of rolled oats

1/3 cup sugar

2 1/2 tbsp cold butter cubed into 1/4"pieces

1-2 tbsp of apple cider

1. Preheat oven to 400 deg. For the filling mix all ingredients for the filling in a baking pan.
2. For the topping, roughly mix all ingredients for the topping. Squeeze the butter cubes slightly to flatten the cubes.
3. Spread the topping evenly over the cubed apples mix. Bake until the mix is bubbling and the topping has evenly browned. About 45-55mins.
4. Check in 30 mins - if you see white flour patches on the top, sprinkle a bit of apple cider on it and continue baking.

Chocolate banana bread with walnuts

This is a fairly easy recipe and as you can see, more than half the loaf was gone between 5 people at the end of the evening. And it is an easy way to use up overripe bananas.

Source: Adapted from Kevin's recipe from one of those vintage cookbooks in binders that look like family heirlooms :) and borrowed wisdom from America's Test Kitchen Family cookbook.

Makes 1 loaf

2 very ripe bananas
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cups choclate bits, shavings or small cubes - whatever is easiest to do
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 tbsps unsalted butter, softened
2 large eggs

Adjust oven rack in the middle position and preheat the oven to 350 deg.

Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and 1/4 cup of the sugar together. In a seperate bowl mash bananas with yogurt and vanilla. Beat the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar and butter together in a large bowl using a electric mixer on medium speed until mixed. Beat in eggs one at a time until combined.

Reduce the speed to low, slowly mix in 1/3 of the flour mixture followed by 1/3 of the banana mixture. Repeat until all is combined. Don't overmix - the batter will be chunky. Pour the batter into a well greased 9-inch loaf pan. Sprinkle the top with choclate shavings and use a scrapper to smoothen the top. Sprinkle walnuts on the top.

Bake for about 55-60 mins until the golden brown and inserted toothpick comes out with just a few crumbs.

Parmesan, walnut dates

We had friends over for Iftari last weekend - it was cool evening and the perfect time for pakoras, hummus, chole, tagine, fruit chaat and dates. I wanted to serve dates to those breaking their fasts. This is a quick little twist to this iftari staple.

Slit open dates. Don't split them completely into 2 pieces. Put in toasted walnut and a small wedge of Manchego cheese (you can use Parmesan as well, salty cheeses work well). Serve.

Supper club theme: Pacific NorthWest

In lieu of going to restaurants to try new foods, a bunch of us (4 couples) meet once a month, pick a cuisine and do a potluck dinner. This is our 4th round already and it has been wildly successful. Good food, good friends and wine without paying a bucket - can't get any better..

V and I did starters this time round. Our dishes were Cream of Mushroom soup, Arugula-Apple salad and Smoked salmon with cream.

Cream of Mushroom soup
This soup turned out to be quite hearty and very earthy. I loved it - its comfort food.


Ready to serve
This is right before pureeing the soup.


Dried mushrooms soaking in sherry - isn't it beautiful to look at!

Serves 8
1 oz. dried mushrooms (morels, porcini, shitakes, etc)
1 lb cremini mushrooms, stemmed, cleaned and sliced
1 lb shitake mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
4 tbsps olive oil
2 sprigs of rosemary
5-6 springs of thyme
3 springs of sage
1 large yellow onion, sliced
4 garlic cloves, chopped
6 cups of chicken broth
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tbsps unsalted butter
1/2 cup dry sherry

Soak dried mushrooms in sherry for about 30 mins until the mushrooms plump up. Heat olive oil in a pot and throw in the herbs. Let cook for 5-6 mins until you can smell the herbs. Now add onion. garlic, salt and pepper. Cook until onions are translicent but not brown.

Increase the heat and add the fresh mushrooms. Cook until mushrooms cook down significantly and the water released is cooked off. Add chicken stock with the plumped mushrooms and sherry. Simmer for 30 mins.

Remove the herbs, add cream and butter. Cook for 2 mins. Turn off the heat and puree the mushroom soup in batches. Return the soup back into the pot and simmer for another minute before serving.





Arugula-Apple salad



Serves 8

2 bundles arugula, washed and stemmed
1/3 cup walnuts, roughly chopped
2 tbsps white wine vinegar
1 tbsp pear-apple juice (or just apple juice) - you can substite both white wine vinger and this juice by using 2 tbsps of cider vinegar
1 tbsp lime juice
2 tbsp sour cream (or heavy cream)
1/3 cup olive oil
2 apples - should be firm and crisp
2 tbsp crumbled goat cheese

Toast the walnuts in the oven at 375 deg for 30-35 mins. Core and slice apples into thin biteable pieces. Sprinkle some lime juice on them to prevent browning.

Dressing: Mix the vinegar with apple and lemon juices. Add salt and lots of ground black pepper. Whisk in olive oil and then sour cream. Whisk. Taste to adjust salt and acidity to your preference.

Toss the arugula with apples and walnuts. Add the dressing and garnish with a generous helping of crumbled goat cheese.





Smoked Salmon with cream

1 packet of presliced smoked salmon
1 cup sour cream
2 tbsp dijon mustard
1/4 cup chopped dill
2 shallots, chopped

Combine sour cream, dijon mustard, dill, salt to taste. Keep aside for about a hour or so. Take thinly sliced toasts and layer with smoked salmon, a small dollop of the cream mixture and sliced shallots.