Flourless Chocolate Cake

This recipe comes from Gimme Some Oven. If you have read my blog at all, you will know that I am always looking for gluten free recipes. This one does not disappoint. It also is a pretty easy recipe to make and is a good reason to buy a springform cake pan if you don't have one. The cake does not really rise that much and the important step is the time it takes to chill in the refrigerator because the cake solidifies.

3-Ingredient Flourless Chocolate Cake

Total Time: 40 minutes
Yield: 8-10 servings

Ingredients

8 large eggs, cold
1 lb. dark, semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
16 Tbsp. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 16 pieces
optional toppings: powdered sugar and/or berries

Method

Adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position and heat the oven to 325 degrees. Line the bottom of an 8-inch springform pan with parchment paper or waxed paper and grease the sides of the pan. (Be sure to grease the sides really well!) Wrap the outside of the pan with 2 sheets of heavy-duty aluminum foil and set it in a large roasting pan, or any pan that's larger than the springform. Bring a kettle or pot of water to boil.

In a stand mixer using the whisk attachment, beat the eggs at high speed until the volume doubles. This usually takes about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt the chocolate and butter together. You can either do this in a double boiler on the stove (by placing the chocolate and butter in a large heatproof bowl, set over a pan of almost-simmering water, and stirring until melted and smooth). Or you can do this in the microwave (by heating the chocolate and butter in a microwave-safe bowl in 30-second intervals, stirring in between, until the chocolate and butter are melted and smooth). Then fold about a third of the beaten eggs into the chocolate mixture using a large rubber spatula until only a few streaks of egg are visible. Fold in half of the remaining egg foam, and then the last half of the foam, until the mixture is totally homogenous.

Scrape the batter into the prepared springform pan and smooth the surface with a rubber spatula. Place the roasting pan on the oven rack and VERY carefully pour in enough boiling water to come about halfway up the sides of the springform pan. Bake until the cake has risen slightly, the edges are just beginning to set, a thin-glazed crust (like a brownie) has formed on the surface, and an instant-read thermometer inserted halfway into the center reads 140° F, 22-25 minutes. Remove the springform pan from the water bath and set on a wire rack; cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate until cool. (The cake can be refrigerated for up to 4 days.)

About 30 minutes prior to serving, carefully remove the sides of the springform pan, invert the cake onto a sheet of waxed paper, peel off the parchment paper, and re-invert the cake onto a serving platter. If desired, lightly dust the cake with powdered sugar and top with berries. To slice, use a sharp, thin-bladed knife, dipping the knife into a pitcher of hot water and wiping the blade before each cut.

Iranian Rice Cookies

This recipe comes from Saveur. These are some good cookies. They have a good consistency, subtle flavors that meld nicely, and are not overly sweet. The cardamom is the secret ingredient in my opinion.

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE SYRUP
¾ cup sugar
¼ tsp. rosewater

FOR THE COOKIES
¾ tsp. sugar
1 egg yolk
1 cup rice flour
⅓ cup clarified butter or ghee
½ tsp. cardamom powder
¼ cup syrup
1 tbsp. poppy seeds

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Make the syrup: Combine sugar and ¼ cup water in a 1-qt. saucepan over high; stir until sugar has dissolved, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and add rosewater. Cool until ready to use.

2. Make the cookies: Heat oven to 350°. Combine sugar and yolk in a bowl and beat with a hand mixer until creamy; set aside. In another bowl, combine rice flour, clarified butter, oil, and cardamom; add yolk mixture and mix until evenly combined. Add syrup and mix until combined. Set aside to cool. Roll dough into ⅛ oz. balls, about ¾” thick, and place on parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Gently flatten each ball; using the grooved sides of a meat mallet (alternatively, use a fork), press grooves into cookies to create a pattern. Sprinkle with poppy seeds and bake, rotating halfway through, until cooked, about 10 minutes. Allow to cool on the baking sheets as cookies are quite delicate while hot.

Tuscan Baked Fish

I found this recipe browsing reddit. I really like simple recipes and this one definitely qualifies. It has a real puttanesca vibe with the oregano and capers.

INGREDIENTS

1 tbsp olive oil

1 Large onion, diced

1 can diced tomatoes with oregano and basil (or add your own herbs)

4 boneless, skinless fish fillets - cod, tilapia, or other flaky white fish about 6-8g each

2 tbsp capers, drained

salt and pepper, to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large, oven proof pan, heat olive oil until shimmery on medium high.

Add in diced onion, cook about 8 minutes, until soft and slightly browned.

Add diced tomatoes, herbs (if you aren't using herbed diced tomatoes add some basil and oregano- about 2 tsp each), and capers. Stir around and let reduce slightly, about five minutes.

Add fish to pan.

Pop in oven and bake about 15 minutes- until fish is flaky and white. This cooking time depends on the size of your filets and your oven- check after 8 minutes, and then again after 12.

Colombian Style Arroz Con Pollo

I went to Colombia last year and since then, I have tried to make almost every recipe I come across that is Colombian. In the Western United States, we are very used to Mexican style Latino food which can have a heavy emphasis on chile. My wife is from New Mexico and the chile is a staple for Latinos and white folk alike. The Colombian food that I tried was not like that. It is more mild but I like the flavor combinations none the less. Achiote is featured in many dishes as well like this one.

Sazón Goya con Achiote is a pre-made seasoning mix. It's easy enough to make from scratch (http://www.chowhound.com/post/replicate-goya-sazon-695947). Use about 1.5 teaspoons for each packet of Sazón in the recipe.

Yields 6-8 servings

Ingredients:

The Chicken:

2-3 boneless chicken breast halves

Water (enough to cook the chicken)

The Rice:

1 cup long-grain white rice

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 envelope of Sazón Goya con Achiote or Sazón Goya con Azafrán

1 teaspoon salt

The Vegetables:

1 cup carrots, chopped

1 cup green beans

1 cup peas

Water (enough to cook the vegetables)

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium red bell pepper, sliced

1 medium green bell pepper, sliced

1 envelope of Sazón Goya con Achiote or Sazón Goya con Azafrán

Salt to taste

The Sauce:

1 15 oz. can tomato sauce

½ teaspoon ground cumin

½ teaspoon garlic powder

½ teaspoon onion powder

Salt to taste

¼-½ cup cilantro, chopped

Directions:

1. Cook the chicken in enough water at medium heat for 30-35 minutes. Once cooked, remove them from the pot and let them rest. Reserve the chicken stock to make the rice.

2. To make the rice, boil two cups of the chicken stock in a medium pot, add the rice, oil, Sazón Goya and salt. Cover and reduce heat to low and cook for 20 minutes. Once cooked, fluff the rice with a fork.

3. To cook the vegetables, boil enough water in a medium pot, add the carrots, green beans and salt. Cook on medium heat for 4 minutes. After 4 minutes, add the peas and cook for another 4-5 minutes. Once cooked, drain and set aside.

4. Once the chicken is cool and rested, shred it with two forks and set aside.

5. To make the sauce, put the tomato sauce in a medium bowl, add the cumin, garlic, onion and salt. Stir well and add the shredded chicken. Make sure the chicken is coated thoroughly with the sauce.

6. Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a large pan at medium heat and add the bell peppers. Cook for 3 minutes. Add the salt and Sazón Goya and cook for another 3 minutes or until they’re softened. Add the chicken and cook for another 2 minutes or until the chicken is heated thoroughly.

7. To assemble the arroz con pollo, put the rice, cooked vegetables, chicken and peppers and chopped cilantro in a large serving dish. Stir well before serving.

Bacon Avocado Chicken Bombs

I found this recipe while browsing reddit. I thought it was a good recipe, but my wife, who loves bacon said, "I thought it would pack more of a flavor punch."

Be careful to not add too much lime juice to the guac.

I found 10 minutes in the oven to be way too short. Now that could just be my oven, but I would up the temp to 425 and bake for 15 to 20 minutes.

Makes 8 chicken bombs

Ingredients:

2 ripe avocados

½ white onion, finely chopped

½ tomato, chopped

2 Tbsp. cilantro, chopped

½ Tbsp. kosher salt

2 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

8 bacon strips

1 Tbsp. canola oil

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.

2. Using a knife, cut around the pit of the avocado, separating the halves from each other. Remove the pit and use a spoon to scoop out the avocado. In a large bowl, combine the avocado, onion, tomato, cilantro, salt, and lime juice. Mash and stir with a fork until there are no large chunks of avocado left.

3. Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper on all sides. Slice chicken breasts in half crosswise. Cut a slit into the center of each half to make a pocket. Take a heaping spoonful of the guacamole and pack it into the pocket. Pinch the edges of the chicken closed.

4. Wrap the chicken with two strips of bacon, making sure the ends of the bacon all end up on the same side of the chicken.

5. Heat oil in a pan over high heat. Sear the bacon-wrapped chicken for two to three minutes on each side. Remember to cook the sides of the chicken as well. Bake for 10 minutes. Serve!

"Old School" Baked Ziti

This recipe comes from smitten kitchen. I think the posts are a bit verbose, but who am I to judge since my posts are really short. Regardless of the average post length, they are usually quality recipes.  I have to admit I'm not sure what is meant by "old school", because I have never made or had baked ziti with spinach in it until this recipe and it always includes ricotta which she is pretty adamantly against. Personally, I like baked ziti best without meat, but to each his own, no?

Glug of olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped small
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound ground beef or Italian sausage, casings removed
28-ounce can whole tomatoes with juices, chopped by you, or crushed tomatoes
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Red pepper flakes, to taste
1 pound pasta, cooked al dente and drained
3/4 pound mozzarella, coarsely grated
2/3 cup finely grated pecorino or parmesan cheese
1/4 pound (4 ounces) baby spinach or a few handfuls of another green, cut into thin ribbons

To serve: Dollops of your favorite ricotta and slivers of basil leaves, if desired

I put 15oz ricotta in the mixture instead of at serving time and did not layer the cheese - 8 oz mozz and pcheese right on top. Also, I used escarole instead of spinach.

Heat oven to 400 degrees F.

Cook pasta until quite al dente, or 2 minutes less than the suggested cooking time. (Please. It will keep cooking in the sauce, then in the oven and mushy pasta makes me sad.) Reserve 1/2 cup cooking water, then drain pasta.

Heat large sauté pan — if yours is ovenproof, you can even use it as your final baking vessel — over medium heat. Coat with glug of olive oil, and heat oil. Add meat and cook with onion, garlic, oregano, pepper flakes, and salt over medium-high heat for 6 to 8 minutes or until meat is browned; stirring frequently. If you’re using plain ground beef versus sausage meat, you’re going to really want to season this well. Don’t be shy with the salt and pepper.

Add crushed tomatoes and stir to combine. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 5 minutes. Adjust seasonings to taste. If it’s become quite thick, stir in reserved pasta water. Add spinach and cook until wilted, just another minute. Stir in drained pasta and heat together for one minute.

Pour half of pasta mixture into a 9×13-inch baking dish, lasagna pan, or other 3-quart baking vessel (or divide among smaller ones, if you’d like to freeze some off). Sprinkle with half of each cheese. Pour remaining pasta and sauce over, and finish with remaining cheese. Bake in heated oven for 30 minutes.

Yucatan Chicken

This recipe comes from Food and Wine. This recipe is really good! Be careful, it's spicy! But also super yummy.

Finely grated zest of 1 orange (optional)
¾ c fresh orange juice
Finely grated zest of 2 limes
¼ c fresh lime juice
5-6 garlic cloves
3 T ancho chile powder
2 T fresh oregano
olive oil
salt and pepper
2 lbs chicken breast halves, bone in skin on (4 is ideal, but 2 lb is amount)
1 large chayote or zucchini halved lengthwise and cut into 12 wedges
1 seeded poblano sliced into thin rings
1 med red onion sliced into thin rings
4-5 mushrooms sliced
1 ½ c of rice

Cook rice.

Preheat the oven to 425.

In a blender, puree orange zest and juice, lime zest and juice,
garlic, ancho chile, oregano, ¼ c olive oil, salt and pepper

Season the chicken with salt and pepper, and
Arrange the chicken in a shallow baking dish skin side up.
Make several deep crosswise cuts into each breast.
Cover the chicken with the puree, rubbing it into the cuts.

Roast the chicken in the upper ⅓ of the oven for 30 minutes, basting occasionally
Rotate ½ way through.

At the same time, spread veges on a baking sheet and drizzle with salt and olive oil.
Roast for 30 minutes.

Preheat the broiler. Broil the chicken 6 inches from the broiler until well glazed. 2 mins

Serve the veges and chicken over rice.