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Bon Appetit...

~Nikko

Making Simple Syrup

Well this couldn't be any easier. Normally when you try and mix sugar into a cold drink it won't dissolve, it just sits on the bottom of your pitcher or glass. On a hot summers day when you want to chill out with a nice lemonade or Ice Tea - Simple Syrup is the ultimate sweetener.

1 Cup sugar
1 Cup water

Add the sugar and water to a pan over medium, stir the mixture until the sugar is totally dissolved. Cool, and store covered in the fridge until needed.

Bon Appetit...

~Nikko

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Greek Salad...

I love salads of all types. There's just so many things you can do with a salad. When I've had a hard day at work and don't want to worry about cooking something that's too heavy or that's too time consuming - a nice salad is usually my answer.

Onto the show...



The Greek Salad

Lettuce
Tomatoes
Red onion
Feta Cheese
Bell Pepper
Capers
Kalamata olives
White balsamic vinegar
Oregano
Pepper
Salt


There you go have fun...

Ok I won't leave you with just that.

The lettuce - Pick a nice mix or some Romaine. I'm a fan of Iceberg lettuce for it's nice crispness, but it lacks in flavor. What I do like to mix a bit of it into a spring mix when I make salads so you get the nice flavors of the spring mix and the crunch of the Iceberg. I prefer to rip up the lettuce into bite sized pieces.

Tomatoes - Use any kind you like - cut them how you like or if using the smaller cherry/grape ones leave them whole. When I'm using tomatoes that have been cut I like to put a smidge of salt on them. There's feta, and capers in this dish which is very salty so a little will go a long way - All I will say is that tomatoes love salt...

Red onion - I like the look that red onions give to a dish, and I like their flavor. I usually cut them pretty fine when putting them into a salad because I don't want to bite into a huge chunk on onion. They don't have to be shaved but a thin slice is best if you ask me.

Feta - Nothing beets a good Greek feta. The French make a good one but Greek feta is my favorite. I'm lucky to have a market here that imports all kinds of feta (Greek, French, Danish, etc...) so I can get good feta when needed. If you have no other option that what's at your market - just use it... Feta is quite salty so don't go overboard with it. I tend to but that's because I love it...

Bell pepper - I would use something other than a green bell pepper - red, yellow, and orange are less bitter and usually sweeter.

Capers - Capers are essential to a Greek salad. They bring that little extra something. Most people don't use them - I beg you to do so! You will be happy with the decision!

Kalamata olives - Olives are another essential component to this salad. Just about every market caries Kalamata olives so they should be easy to find. The regular black olives really just don't work in a Greek salad if you ask me - you need something with better flavor.

The rest - I like to use the white balsamic vinegar because it has a good flavor and it doesn't darken the dish up. I put a spot of Oregano in the salad because it adds a really good flavor - you only need a nice pinch. Pepper goes without needing to explain (I hope). And we've talked about the salt - just a small pinch because we have other salty items in the salad...

Bon Appetit...

~Nikko


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Ras el Hanout

Ras el hanout is a Moroccan spice blend that can contain more than 30 ingredients. There is not one set recipe for the blend. For the Moroccan souks (spice merchants) it is a point of honor to have the most sought after version. It is extremely versatile, adding a golden color and an aromatic and enticing flavor to chicken and vegetables. Add a half teaspoon to a cup of rice or cous cous while cooking to transcend the ordinary. My favorite way to use ras el hanout is as a spice rub on lamb chops grilled on the BBQ (I will have a video of this up shortly).

This is my very, very simple recipe for the blend. There are others out there that have up to and more than 30 items in them - this one is simple and works just fine for me!

1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground ginger
I teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander seeds
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

In a small bowl whisk together all ingredients until combined well. The spice blend keeps in an airtight container at cool room temperature 1 month.

Bon Appetit...

~Nikko

Foodie Thoughts

We should look for someone to eat and drink with before looking for something to eat and drink. - Epicurus