Cooking Technique: How to Cook Fresh Chickpeas – Rivithia

by Mary Papoulias-Platis

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This recipe is a step by step cooking technique for cooking fresh chickpeas.

The chickpea is a round shaped legume with a light brown color. They have a firm texture and mild nut-like flavor.  I use them to make homemade soups, hummus, and as a nutty taste for my salads. I purchase my beans from Jimbo’s an organic health food store, where they can be purchased from a bin. They also can be found packaged near other legumes in your nearby store. When you buy them they are hard, and dried, so you will need to plan ahead and soak them overnight.

For this recipe you will need the following:
one large pot
1 pound fresh chickpeas
1/2 onion
1 bay leaf
2 whole garlic cloves, peeled
1 celery stalk
1 carrot, peeled
2-3 sprigs of  the following: thyme, rosemary, or parsley

Note: 2 teaspoons of salt will be added after cooking the beans

The night before: Place the beans and cold water in a pot and soak overnight.

The next day add all the ingredients to the pot. (not the salt)
Fill the pot with more water, up to 2 inches above the beans.
Boil and reduce to a simmer.
Skim the white foam off the top of the beans, as  they cook.

Cook beans for  1 to 1 1/2 hours until soft. Check by biting into them, when they have softened remove beans from the heat.


Add 1 tablespoon of salt and stir. Cool.
Remove all the vegetables and herbs. Drain.

They are now ready for your recipe.

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Cooking Techniques: Chickpea Hummus

by Mary Papoulias-Platis

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Here are the photos for the Cooking Techniques in making Chickpea Hummus. Gather all your mise en place, (everything in it’s place)  before making the hummus. This makes cooking more enjoyable because you have all your ingredients ready for the process.

Materials:

a  food processor or a strong blender (Vita-Mix)
spatula
measuring cups

This recipe has many ingredients so I suggest you prep ahead of time.

Add the garbanzo beans, water, lemon juice, salt, pepper and spices to the food processor.

Blend until smooth.

Add olive oil and tahini. I found if you add these last, the beans become smoother.


Blend until smooth. Taste for adjustments.

Top with nuts, berries and spices.

Place in a bowl and serve, or refrigerate for up to 3-4 days.

One of my go-to weekly recipes!

Mary 

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Apple Strudel with Raisins or Cranberries

by Mary Papoulias-Platis

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I buy my apples at the farmer’s market from Smit Orchards for this Apple Strudel which can be made with raisins or cranberries.. I found them at the Vista Farmer’s Market, and can’t stop buying their fabulous apples. Apples are always in my home. They also sell fresh squeezed unfiltered apple juice. Oh my, what a treat!

Smit Apples

I planted two “Anna” apple trees in my backyard and they are loaded with apples twice a year! I have no idea if that’s normal for a tree, but I’m not complaining! They are perfect for pies, crumbles, and strudels.

To see how I made this, please go to Cooking Techniques here.

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Apple Strudel with Raisins or Cranberries

Strudel can be assembled quickly for a lovely dessert anytime! It can be frozen before you bake it, and placed in the freezer. Just make sure you defrost the phyllo in the refrigerator the night before, you plan on making it!
Course Dessert
Cuisine California Greek
Keyword apple, phyllo, strudel
Servings 8
Author Mary Papoulias-Platis

Ingredients

  • 4 large green and red apples
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup raisins or dried cranberries, I use cranberries in this picture
  • 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 package phyllo dough, thawed
  • 1/2 cup butter, melted

Instructions

  1. Butter large cookie sheet or sheet pan.
  2. Peel and thinly slice the apples. In a large bowl, toss apples with sugar, raisins or cranberries, walnuts, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
  3. Lay out two sheets of wax or parchment paper side by side. Place one sheet of phyllo on paper and butter.
  4. Continue layering phyllo brushing each sheet with butter.
  5. Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.
  6. Starting at the long end of the phyllo, place apple mixture to about 1/2 inch from edges and end, covering only 2-3 inches of one end.
  7. Roll phyllo like an envelope, folding in sides, as you go along.
  8. Place seam side down on cookie sheet. Score (cut phyllo just through the first layers) into 8 pieces. Butter roll.
  9. Bake for 45 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on the cookie sheet for 30 minutes.

Recipe Notes

To serve: sprinkle with powdered sugar, or serve with ice cream.
Serve warm or cold.

 

Apple Studel Fresh

Here it is straight out of the oven! Let it cool for 20 minutes and enjoy!

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Cooking Technique for Apple Strudel

by Mary Papoulias-Platis

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Here will you find my Cooking Techniques for the Apple Strudel Recipe on my blog. I have added this technique lesson separate from my recipe because it makes my recipe post too long. Many of my guests just want the recipe. But, being a culinary teacher I prefer to add the cooking techniques for my more detailed recipes such as this one.

Supplies:
One sheet pan or cookie sheet
A pastry brush
Wax or parchment paper

I like to mix my apples for this desert, a tart apple with a sweet apple.


Peel and slice apples into 1/4 inch pieces.


Place the sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg , raisins and walnuts in a bowl and gently mix.


Lay out the phyllo dough on wax paper and butter the layers one by one.


Place apple mixture on short end of dough and roll like an envelope, tucking in ends.
I used cranberries in my photo.


Place on cookie sheet seam side down and cut only the top layers of phyllo. Butter entire surface.


Bake for about 45 minutes at 350 degrees, until golden brown.
Let cool for at least 30 minutes before serving. May be served with ice cream or whipped cream.

One of my favorite recipes, please enjoy!

 

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Farmer’s Market with Smit Orchards

by Mary Papoulias-Platis

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I’m here at the farmer’s market in Oceanside visiting my favorite fruit booth, the Smits. If you need apples or fall fruit for your special menu this is the place.  Throughout the county at local farmer’s markets you will find Smit Orchards. Smit Organic Orchards is located in Linden, California, and are family-owned and operated. They are locally involved in many of our Farmer’s Markets in the area. I visit them weekly for their amazing selection of organic fruits and juices. These pictures are from the Oceanside farmers market which is along the coast in San Diego.

 

Autumn is upon us and I recently caught up with them at the Oceanside Farmer’s Market for a fresh batch of organic apples. After a short talk with Matthew McCreight, he suggested I select a mix of two different apples which will enhance my strudel with a deeper apple flavor. I chose green Granny Smiths and red sweet Pacific Galas, for my apple strudel.

Along with fruit,  I always pick up a bottle of their incredible fresh juices. During this stop I bought their Freshly Pressed Apple Cider.  Their cider has a lovely Autumn scent and warm spicy fruity taste. They also offer small to-go bottles of various flavors for your quick trip around the market.  Make this your weekly stop, say hello to Matthew, and allow him to help you select the best he has to offer in fresh organic fruits.


To find your local farmer’s markets and/or  Smit Orchards at the Oceanside farmer’s market look for details here at the San Diego Farm Bureau.
They also can be found at their blog and on Twitter.

Visit your local famer’s markets!

Mary

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Autumn Pear-Stuffed Butternut Squash

by Mary Papoulias-Platis

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Autumn has arrived and in celebration of our new season, I’m baking butternut squash in my oven, enjoying the autumnal spices as they perfume my home. I often roast this wonderful squash with a splash of olive oil, dried oregano and basil. This recipe has the flavors of pumpkin pie without the crust.  It makes a great side dish to any meal, or as a light main dish. You can find butternut at your local store and look for the size you need if you’re doubling this recipe. They come in all sizes. I tend to like the smaller ones, because they are easier to cut and handle. Be careful when cutting, wear a metal glove to protect your fingers or cut slowly to prevent any slipping, the skins are very smooth.

 

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Autumn Pear-Stuffed Butternut Squash

Stuffing butternut squash gives you the fall-spiced treat you need for your fall menu.
Course Side Dish
Cuisine California Greek
Keyword autumn, butternut, pear, squash, stuffed
Servings 2
Author Mary Papoulias-Platis

Ingredients

Ingredients

  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 1/8 teaspoon each of cinnamon and nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 large butternut squash, halved and seeds removed.
  • 1 bosc pear, cored and peeled, roughly chopped
  • 4 California dried figs, roughly chopped
  • 2 tablespoons California golden raisins
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped almonds
  • 2 teaspoons honey
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 2 tablespoons Greek feta, crumbled

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

  2. Cut each squash in half and again in half cutting near the top of the rounded bottom leaving a long half. You should have 4 pieces.

  3. Place all the pieces on a parchment lined sheet pan.
  4. Sprinkle all four pieces with a little olive oil, cinnamon and nutmeg.
  5. Turn and place the squash skin side down on the sheet pan.
  6. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until fork tender. Let cool slightly.
  7. Scoop out the flesh from the long end only and place in bowl. Using a fork and gently mash flesh.
  8. Add pear, figs, raisins, almonds, honey, sugar, nutmeg and cinnamon.
  9. Stir all ingredients gently together.
  10. Place the mixture evenly into the two squash pieces.
  11. Bake in the oven for 5-8 minutes until warm and lightly golden.
  12. Sprinkle with feta cheese and serve warm.

To begin this recipe, you will need the following equipment:
1 sheet pan
parchment paper/silpat/
medium bowl

First step is to cut the squash into four pieces.

Sprinkle with spices and oil.


Bake in the oven at 350 degrees until fork tender.(about 45 minutes)

Scoop out flesh from long piece only. Place in bowl and mix in other ingredients.

Stuff mixture evenly into the two round pieces. Sprinkle with feta cheese.


Serve warm and enjoy!

 

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Figs Wrapped in Phyllo with Orange Honey Syrup

by Mary Papoulias-Platis

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As fig season is upon us, I decided to try and recreate a wonderful fig preserve from my childhood memories, Figs Wrapped in Phyllo . So I set forth on my own scavenger hunt searching for figs from my friend’s gardens and backyards.  After several days of looking I came across no figs. I’ve heard it’s a lost fruit and I’m starting to believe it.  I even posted my bad luck with everyone on Facebook, hoping to find a couple of trees.  No luck.

After that is when I decided to head over to the Vista’s farmers market and see what I could find. As I walked by the Oakes Knolls Ranch stand there they were! I was so excited that I found so many figs, I bought an entire flat of 5 different varieties. When I brought them home, I remembered how my aunts and mother would stuff them with an almond and preserve them in a syrup. I could not find the original recipe, so I came up with a delicious new way to enjoy them. I used the small green and purple variety of figs because they stood up the strongest.

Butter the phyllo sheet and wrap each fig with one sheet of phyllo dough.

With your fingers gently twist the phyllo tightly around the fig.

Brush lightly with butter.

Place in cookie sheet and bake until crispy!

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Figs Wrapped in Phyllo with Orange Honey Syrup

Try this exotic fruit as a dessert for any party, made with a Greek Twist using phyllo dough as the wrapper for a beautiful presentation.
Course Dessert
Cuisine California Greek
Keyword california greek, figs, phylllo
Servings 12
Author Mary Papoulias-Platis

Ingredients

Figs

  • 12 small green or purple figs
  • 6 sheets of phyllo dough, defrosted at room temperature
  • 1/4 cup melted butter
  • 12 whole almonds

Sauce

  • Orange Honey with Star Anise Syrup
  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 1 teaspoon of orange zest
  • 2 tablespoons orange juice
  • 2 whole star anise

Instructions

  1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Place one sheet of phyllo on wax or parchment paper. Butter. Lay the second phyllo sheet on top of first sheet and butter.
  3. Cut the phyllo sheet lenghwise down the middle, and once down the width. Now, you have four pieces.
  4. Cut 1/4 inch off the top of four figs. Press one almond in the inside of each fig.
  5. Place one fig in the center of each piece.
  6. Bring all four corners together. Using your hands, gently gather phyllo to make a purse.
  7. Twist the ends to form a top. Place figs in a muffin tin or sheet pan. Butter the tops and sides.
  8. Repeat with the remaining figs.
  9. Bake figs for 15-20 minutes.
  10. Figs can be sprinkled with cinnamon, powdered sugar, or served with this warm delightful syrup.

Syrup

  1. Place all ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to a soft boil. Reduce temperature and simmer until slightly thick about 2 minutes. Keep warm.

The perfect dessert!

 

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Oakes Knoll Farm in De Luz, California

by Mary Papoulias-Platis

Today, I’m here at Oakes Farm at the Vista Farmer’s market. Look at all the figs! Growing up in a Greek community, the seasons are marked by the food that is seasonally available to us. In the late summer, I remember my aunts gathering together in our kitchen to make fig deserts and preserves. They were sweet treats to be shared in a late afternoon with friends and neighbors as they dropped by to visit.

We had a couple of fig trees, one green and the other black. As kids we ate them fresh straight from our trees, as the warm sun had ripened them, just right for our quick summer treat. Figs soon became one of my favorite fruits, and I was so inspired by these memories, that I set out to re-create the fig deserts we grew up to enjoy.

Today, I have two young trees in my yard, two young to bare any fruit worth mentioning. So, Saturday rolled around and I headed to the Vista Framers Market where I found and visited with the Oakes Knolls Farm from De Luz. There they had so many varieties my head spun!  All gently placed in their own little baskets a half dozen or so;  Genoa, Red Genoa, Ganache, Brown Turkey, Flanders, and Kadota!  The farmer was nice to spend so much time with me explaining the  many varieties, that we were soon drawing a small crowd around us listening to his interesting and educational talk.

When I arrived home from the farmer’s market I spent the afternoon experimenting with various recipes. The method of cooking I liked best was wrapping the figs in phyllo and baking them in the oven. Continuing to experiment I made a fig relish, chocolate-dipped figs, and stewed figs. It was a delightful afternoon! Once, I write these recipes down in a manner that you can follow, I will post them on my blog for viewing.

As I poured over the many recipes in my magazines and cookbooks, the question that was going through my head was;  What is it about figs that draw so many people to them?  All I could conclude was, that they are a perfect little package wrapped in a soft edible skin, with a sweetened flesh and with just one bite your taste buds awaken with the last taste of summer!

 

 

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My Greek Summer Vegetable Garden

by Mary Papoulias-Platis

I’m sure all of you are probably wondering how my Greek garden went this summer. With amazement I finally received a very nice crop. This season was late due to our colder climate which we haven’t experienced in over 50 years! August is showing a little more promise for a better month.  With that in mind we ate many delicious vine-ripened tomatoes, and had  left over to hand out to our neighbors.

Arugula and Tomato Salad with Feta

The cucumbers and green beans were very successful in my garden this year. We had to reinforce  them because they grew beyond the 6 foot lattice we put up for them. I think my family has finally had enough beans to last them for the entire year. But they came in handy when company dropped by for a bite to eat, and they were there ready for picking.  Another great choice were the peppers, green peppers, jalapenos and poblanos.  To my surprise, we enjoyed our hot peppers in salsas, egg dishes, and chopped in our guacamole.

My recipe for Guacamole and Wings

Moving along to the Globe eggplant?  Well, eggplant need heat and we have had very little, but they are now popping their little heads out!  The Japanese eggplant were my best variety and have always been a secure choice for the garden. They are easy to grow and give a plentiful crop. We have stir-fried, stuffed, and enjoyed the eggplant dip several times over with this crop. A quick tip is to buy the blossom set spray to help the blossoms from dropping and to encourage  more fruit.

My recipe for Greek Eggplant Dip

Lastly, my favorite of all are my herbs; parsley, basil, dill, oregano, thyme and rosemary!  They performed and performed and are still performing. All summer long I used them in marinades, dressings, sandwiches, pastas, and many more. What a pleasure it is to walk out every morning and pick these beautiful small fragrant plants to accompany my tomato dishes, pastas, and salads.
Hopefully next year, I would like to plan a separate narrow box just to house my herb collection.

This salad below has many of my freshly picked herbs!

Summer Vegetable Pasta

Here is the complete list of all the plants I used in creating my Greek garden this year.
Herbs
Greek Oregano, Greek Basil, French Tarragon, French Thyme, Italian Large Leaf Basil, Dukat Dill, Cilantro, Chervil, Chives
Vegetables
Japanese Eggplant, Globe Eggplant, Red Knight Bell  Pepper, California Yellow Bell Pepper, Serrano Pepper, Poblano Pepper, Cucumber, Green Beans, Squash
Tomatoes
Brandywine Heirloom, San Maranzo, Sweet 100, Yellow Pear Heirloom, Thessaloniki Greek tomatoes

 

I never get tired of gardening, fresh vegetables are always the best medicine for your body!

Mary

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