Culinary Adventures with Camilla

Today the Sunday Funday group is sharing recipes with okra. Thanks to Stacy of  Food Lust People Love , Sue of  Palatable Pastime , Rebekah of  Making Miracles , and Wendy of  A Day in the Life on the Farm  for coordinating this low-stress group.  And, this week, Sneha has asked us to share okra recipes. We love okra in this household. I have made  Okra Chips Two Ways . and Quick Pickled Okra . And it's an important ingredient in gumbo as that dish derived from the word 'gombo' which translates to 'okra' in many West African languages. In any any case, here's the okra line-up from the #SundayFunday bloggers... Baked Okra Fries from Culinary Adventures with Camilla Begova Corba from Bosnian Chicken Okra Soup from Pandemonium Noshery  Bhendi (Okra) Sabzi With Pickle Masala from Sneha’s Recipe  Crispy Oven Fried Okra from Food Lust People Love   Khoresh Bamia (Lamb with Okra) from Palatable Pastime  Okra Mexicana from A Day i...

  Okay, I really have no idea what a donkey cabbage is. I opted to use the title of the tale to serve roasted Brussels sprouts for our 2020 Thanksgiving Grimm Menu though. This is my usual way to serve Brussels sprouts though this Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad is also delicious. " The huntsman winds up in a cabbage patch and realizes he has been tricked. Some of the magic cabbages cause the man to become a donkey while others turn him back into a man. He feeds these cabbages to the maiden and her mother. The mother dies but the huntsman transforms the maiden back into her human form. The two are married."  ~Donkey Cabbages Ingredients  serves 8 2 pounds Brussels sprouts, halved olive oil freshly ground salt freshly ground pepper Procedure Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Slice the Brussels sprouts in half, then place them in a mixing bowl. Drizzle them with enough olive oil to coat them and make them glisten. Season with salt and pepper. Roast for 10 minutes. ...

During the winter, I love roasting vegetables. Who am I kidding? I love roasting vegetables all year long. Check out my Roasted Kabocha Fries , Smashed Turnips and Potatoes with Roasted Carrot Hummus , and Roasted Cabbage Steaks . The caramelization that develops in the oven adds a sweetness and overall deliciousness. Besides, roasting vegetables is so simple. This presentation is one I've been making for years as tahini is a kitchen staple in our household. Ingredients  one head serves 4 to 6 1 head organic cauliflower 1 to 2 T olive oil 2 to 3 T tahini freshly ground salt freshly ground pepper Procedure Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Trim the cauliflower head so that it sit flat on your parchment or silicone mat-lined baking sheet. Place the cauliflower on the baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. You don't need to completely cover the head, but it you want to rub it in, that's fine. After 50 minutes remove the tray from the oven and ra...

This month, I am hosting the first   Food'N'Flix  event of 2020; and I asked the bloggers to watch   Always Be My Maybe . You can read my invitation:  here . Since I've already shared my thoughts about the movie in the invitation post, I'll jump straight into what I was inspired to make for my Food'N'Flix offering this month. Actually, I made an entire Korean-inspired dinner, based on things I could envision being on the menu at Sasha's new restaurant, Judy's Way. I relied on a conversation that pre-teen Sasha had with Marcus' mom, Judy, for some direction. Kimchi-jjigae is very simple, but that's what makes it so good. It's about using the best ingredients. "It smells so good, Mrs. Kim." Sasha, I've told you a million times, call me Judy. And we Koreans use scissors for everything. Vegetables, noodles...our children. Siguemchi Namul Korean Spinach Salad Since Kimchi-jjigae is something we have o...

I spent the morning at the Westside Farmers' Market in Santa Cruz. One thing I love about farmers' market goods: they are so fresh, you hardly need to do anything to them to make them sing! Simple preparations with stunning ingredients... I grabbed two bunches of radishes...and made an appetizer where the creaminess of the ricotta contrasts beautifully with the piquant bite of the crisp radishes.  Ingredients 1 C whole milk ricotta 4 or 5 organic radishes, thinly sliced freshly ground salt freshly ground pepper olive oil Procedure Spoon ricotta onto a platter. Arrange sliced radishes on top. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil. Serve immediately.

I had initially planned to share this with the Festive Foodies for National Pecan Day. But then I opted for pecan-crusted chicken thighs. But this was the sidedish that evening and it was easy and tasty. Ingredients 1 pound Brussels sprouts 3 T olive oil 2 T vinegar (I used apple cider vinegar) 2 T mustard (I used a spicy brown mustard, but you can use yellow) 1 t maple syrup 2 cloves garlic, peeled and pressed 2 T bleu cheese or gorgonzaola 1 C whole, raw pecans freshly ground salt freshly ground pepper Procedure Trim the stems of the Brussels sprouts and slice them as thinly as you can. I use a mandolin slicer for this. Chop 3/4 C pecans and leave the remaining 1/4 C whole. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, mustard, maple syrup, and garlic to form a dressing. Add sliced Brussels sprouts to the dressing and toss to coat. Let stand for at least 15 minutes for the sprouts to soften a bit. Stir in bleu cheese and chopped peca...

These were my 'something green' for the Wine & Fine Swine birthday dinner , but it's something that I make quite a bit because it's easy and tasty. Note that this is not compliant with my current Whole30 adventure . Boo. Though I have read that the balsamic vinegar is allowed so long as it doesn't have any added sugar, the honey is not compliant.  Ingredients serves 6 1½ C diced bacon 1 T olive oil 1 C white onion, peeled and diced 3 to 4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced 2 pounds fresh green beans, washed and trimmed ½ C balsamic vinegar 2 to 3 T honey freshly ground salt freshly ground pepper Procedure Blanch green beans and set aside. In a large, flat-bottom pan, heat 1 T olive oil. Sauté the bacon, onion, and garlic together until the bacon has rendered its fat but it not crisped, approximately 5 to 7 minutes. Pour in the vinegar and whisk in the honey. Bring to a boil and cook until slightly thickened. Toss in t...

In Japanese cuisine, this dish is called  ochazuke . It’s a simple rice sidedish made by pouring hot green tea over steamed rice.  I chose to put this on our  Wine & Fine Swine menu  because the pork dishes accompanying this course were Asian-inspired and - truth be told - I really wanted the chance to use my pink cast iron teapot. Or, I should say, I really wanted to make Brian use my pink teapot. He happily obliged! Ingredients serves 8 4 C cooked rice (I used jasmine rice cooked in vegetable broth for more flavor) 1 to 2 C green tea pinch of salt black sesame seeds for garnish Procedure Brew the green tea and add a pinch of salt. Set aside. Place the cooked rice in a shallow dish with a lip to hold the tea. Sprinkle with black sesame seeds as garnish. At the table, pour the green tea over the rice and serve immediately.

Since grains are verboten on my Whole30 adventure , I was looking for a starchy-feeling side dish.  I found it in these simple sweet potatoes. Ingredients makes 6 servings 3 C organic sweet potato, cubed water 1 T olive oil 1 T clarified butter (ghee is allowed on Whole30) freshly ground salt freshly ground pepper Procedure Place sweet potato cubes in a large saucepan. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Cook until easily pierced with a fork, approximately 10 to 12 minutes. Drain and scoop into a mixing bowl. Add in olive oil and clarified butter. Toss to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

When we were planning our belated Christmas dinner, I asked Jenn to bring a sidedish. She brought this... It was delicious, subtle, and went perfectly with my Feijoada . And we were all surprised that it didn't include potatoes! She did the shallots and the rosemary just before serving, but came with everything else warmed in a casserole. I can't wait to make this. Ingredients 2 C sweet potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces 2 C parsnips, cut into ½-inch pieces 1 C celery root, cut into ½-inch pieces 1 clove garlic, smashed ½ t kosher salt 2 T olive oil 2 large shallots, sliced into thin rings 2 T fresh rosemary leaves (from about 2 sprigs) freshly ground black pepper, for serving Procedure Place sweet potatoes, parsnips, celery root, and garlic to a souppot and cover with water by at least 1". Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the vegetables are tender, approximately 15 to 20 minutes. Reserve 1 C cook...

Coming up with a menu that included THIRTEEN different Cajun dishes - to celebrate D's 13th birthday - was challenging enough. Then, add to that, all the dishes needed to be able to be cooked - by kids - and consumed within a two and a half hour window. That was a little more challenging. I found a recipe for Maque Choux and knew that would be an easy addition. Maque Choux is a traditional sidedish from southern Louisiana whose name is thought to derive from the French interpretation of the Native American name. Ingredients 4 T butter 2 C diced onions 1 C diced green bell pepper 4 C corn kernels (we used a mixture of white and yellow) 1 C organic heavy whipping cream 1 t fresh thyme 1 t salt 1 t organic dark brown sugar 1/2 t hot sauce, optional (I think that J opted not to include that) Procedure Melt butter in large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and sauté until translucent, approximately 5 minute...

Another of my veggie sides on our Thanksgiving table was this easy Brussels sprout salad. So easy, but so full of flavor with the crushed Szechuan pepper dressing. Szechuan peppers are not actually peppers. They are sometimes called Chinese coriander. A couple of things to note: they aren't spicy hot like other peppers. In fact they aren't chile peppers at all. They are the seed pods from the Chinese prickly ash bush. They are one of the five spices in Chinese Five Spice along with fennel seeds, star anise, cinnamon, and cloves. For this dish, you want to shred or thinly slice the Brussels sprout heads. I have, long ago, painstakingly peeled each leaf off the heads, but didn't have the patience for that this time. So, I sliced them on my mandolin. I think, too, you can actually purchase them already sliced. Do that if you're pressed for time! You'll have a delicious side dish on the table in no time flat. This recipe serves 12, but you can easily scale bac...

I signed up to test a recipe for Food52:  Radish Sashimi by Alexandra of Lollipopsicle . Alexandra writes that "this recipe is a fun lil’ play on Japanese sashimi [because she likes] to prepare produce like you would animal protein." I have to admit that, initially, I wasn't sure I agreed with the recipe title. Sashimi? When I think of sashimi, I think more of this... ...than this... But, I think that 'sashimi' refers to the fact that it's thinly sliced not so much that it's fish. So, if that's the case, this is radish sashimi. And, as Alexandria suspected, I was entranced with this dish. It was ridiculously simple with a refreshing crunch and surprising silkiness. I did skip the sugar - only because I forgot about it; we didn't miss it. And we will be making this dish again. Probably tomorrow. Ingredients serves 3 to 4 1 bunch organic radishes 2 T gluten-free tamari 2 t olive oil zest and juice from 1 organic li...

It's time for Group B's November 2015  Secret Recipe Club   reveal. This month I was assigned to  Morsels of Life   which is written by CJ. Her cooking philosophy is pretty simple and straightforward. She reports: "I like using everyday materials and easy to prepare (aka lazy aka efficient) methods. Maybe it’s the engineer in me, but I’m a fan of efficiency." She admits that she doesn't use exact measurements when cooking, but she lists them as a way to get an idea of how much she used.  And this sentiment, I really like - "Generally, if you like something, use more; if you dislike something, use less, substitute something else, or just eliminate it altogether. You’ll probably be fine." She has some great How-Tos posted on her blog, including  how to cut a mango , how to chiffonade , and how to cut a pineapple . I am a sucker for any kind of slaw, so I was tickled to see that CJ has an entire series on cole slaw, including basic cole sla...

Delicata squash are one of my favorite autumn foods. And not just because they are delicious; their size and skin thickness (or lack thereof) make prep easier than with other squashes and pumpkins. When they are in season, we have them at least once a week. They are a great sidedish. And they are also great cold as leftovers on top of a salad the next day. Ingredients  serves 6 delicata squash (3 squash yielded about 6 C)  olive oil 1/2 t ground cardamom 1/2 t ground vanilla powder freshly ground salt freshly ground pepper Procedure Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Halve the delicata and scoop out the seeds. Destem, then slice into 1/2" wide slices. In a medium mixing bowl, toss the slices with spices and a splash of olive oil. Spread out the slices on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 30 minutes or until the squash is softened and beginning to caramelize. Serve immediately with another sprinkling of salt and pepper, ...

I had intended to just serve roasted turnips, but I ended up having other roots that needed roasting. So my sidedish ended up as roasted roots, including purple top turnip, Black Spanish radishes, potatoes, and carrots, too. Ingredients 1 large purple top turnip 2 Black Spanish radishes 2 potatoes 2 to 3 carrots 1/8 t cayenne pepper 1/4 t ground nutmeg 2 T olive oil freshly ground salt freshly ground pepper 1/4 C shaved parmesan Procedure Preheat oven to 475 degrees F. Quarter the turnip and radishes and slice into 1/4 to 1/2" pieces. Slice the carrots into 1/2" coins. Place the roots in a large mixing bowl. Season with cayenne, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil. Transfer roots to a rimmed baking sheet, lined with parchment paper and roast until golden on both sides, approximately 30 minutes. Turn them over halfway through baking. To serve, transfer to a serving dish and shave cheese over the top.

I love this quick mayo-less slaw. So easy. So tasty. Ingredients 5 T olive oil, divided 3 T white balsamic vinegar 2 T prepared yellow mustard 1 fennel bulb, trimmed and thinly sliced 1 purple cabbage, thinly sliced Procedure Whisk together the first three ingredients. Stir in the fennel and cabbage. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Let stand 10 minutes before serving, stirring occasionally.

This is a dish that I have made many times with all sorts of cruciferous bites. But last week when my 'Eat a Rainbow' class was focusing on blue and purple foods for Food Day 2014 , I bought a purple cauliflower. So, it got this tasty treatment... Ingredients 1 head of cauliflower (you can substitute broccoli or romanesco, too) 2 T peanut butter or almond butter 1 t soy sauce 1 t rice wine vinegar 2 T olive oil freshly ground pepper Procedure Blanch cauliflower quickly so that it is still crisp. Drain and set aside. In a large mixing bowl whisk together the remaining ingredients until they are smooth and well-combined. Add in the cauliflower and toss to coat.

For the second week of my Eat a Rainbow class, the theme was orange. One of our dishes was a Thai Carrot Salad. They shredded, they chopped, they destemmed, they chopped some more, they measured, and they whisked. Great job, guys! Ingredients 6 C shredded carrots 1 T freshly chopped cilantro 1 T freshly chopped mint 1 C chopped peanuts (we used roasted, unsalted peanuts) 1/4 C rice vinegar 2 organic limes 1 organic orange 3 T pure maple syrup 1/2 t red chili pepper flakes Procedure Juice the limes. Zest the orange, then juice it. Place the first four ingredients - carrots, cilantro, mint, and peanuts - in a large mixing bowl. Place the remaining ingredients in a mason jar. Shake the dressing ingredients to form an emulsion. Pour the dressing over the carrot mixture and toss to coat. Let marinate for as long as you can...at least 15 to 20 minutes. We didn't have that much time, but it was still tasty. Also, some of the kids liked...