Paper Chef 33… The Results!

Well, before I even star writing, I have to say this was with out a doubt the most difficult decision I made in my life. I hope my ex-husband is not reading this but it was much easier to decide about getting a divorce (with a small child in a foreign country) than to pick a winner for Paper Chef 33. Every single entry is fabulous.

Usually when I looked at Paper Chef’s previous entries, I had an immediate favorite. This was absolutely not the case.

Let’s start with Kay and Dana from Besides Pizza with Really Red Apple Pie Crisp
I do not have a sweet tooth, but if there is a sweet I like it is apple Crisp; what a great idea. The addition of coconut, walnuts and pecans on the crisp is something that I’m taking notes and implementing in my next apple crisp for sure.

Next we have Duncan from Syrup and Tang with Beetroot and ginger layered kuih with apple purée, very creative idea. I had rice cooked in coconut milk (a sweet version) in Thailand and I loved it. I think using ginger in both the jelly and the apple puree was a very smart way of combining all the flavors.

Prtybrd from Culturally Confused made Ginger Rice Stuffed Pork Tenderloin with Cranberry Apple Beet Compote. How did I not think of that? As a child I don’t remeber ever eating pork with out applesauce; this “grownup” version with the compote is fantastic.

Next are Mike and Paul from Eat Me! with Green Apple Risotto with Beetroot and Ginger “agrodolce” and Walnuts. What is better than a good risotto? A good risotto with a twist and a great side. I really like the addition of vincotto to the agrodolce.

Magnus from Amsterdam. What are you trying to do to me??? It is difficult enough to judge on dish, imagine a three course menu. You are just an explosion of ideas and very good looking I must add (I’m talking about Magnus, not food). So he made Smoked mackerel on an apple salsa with a beetroot sauce and a beetroot cracker to start, Rice coated sea wolf on lentils in a beetroot broth as a main and Fluffy rice pudding with apple gel, poached beetroot with beetroot syrup for dessert.

Ilva from Lucullian Delights made Beetroot and Ricotta Mousse with Ginger, Thyme and Balsamic Vinegar Served in Rice baskets and Topped with Apple Garnish., Beautiful! And I cannot imagine how good that dish was using the amazing Italian fresh ricotta (one of the 5000 reasons I would love to move to Italy).

This are all the entries, they are all extremely creative. I personally thought about making soup or slaw, so I’m glad I didn’t participate in this round because I would have come last.

Everybody used all the ingredients.
We have sweet, salty….and I like them all.
So the only way I can decide who is the winner is by thinking which of this recipes I would try FIRST.

And….that would be Magnus’s Rice coated sea wolf on lentils in a beetroot syrup.
Congratulations Magnus! Have fun being the judge next month and please mail me some samples of those dishes.

And for the People’s Choice we have Kay and Dana's Really Red Apple Pie Crisp.
(I wouldn’t mind some more samples)

Thanks to Ilva for organizing everything, and thanks for playing!

Paper Chef 33

It is time for the October edition of Paper Chef.
Paper Chef 32, was my first time participating and I loved it.
The ingredients, in my opinion, where challenging and for a while I had “chef’s block”, but suddenly, ideas started flowing.
I’m very exited about being the Judge for this month’s event. I hope we'll have many entries.

This month randomly chosen ingredients are:

-Beetroot

-Ginger

-Rice

And to this I would like to add:

-Apples (any kind)

My first thought was actually “lamb” but then I realized lamb was chosen not long ago.

So… you have until Tuesday October 7th by midnight to come up with a wonderful recipe.
If you have any doubts or questions, the official rules are at the Paper Chef blog and you can always email questions at paperchef AT gmail DOT com, where our wonderful host Ilva, from Lucullian Delights has always the right answer.

Get creating and have a blast!

What to do with quinoa

I’ve been watching Paper Chef from afar for quite a long time.
I’ve been wanting to participate for a long time also but I always happen to be out of town, traveling, in a foreign kitchen, etc…So, I was so exited this time to actually be able to participate. That was until I saw the ingredients list.
Quinoa, tomatoes, yogurt and rice paper.
Quinoa is something that I like if somebody else makes it, but I wouldn’t normally cook with it. Love tomatoes and yogurt and I have used several times rice paper for Shrimp Rolls. The combination of all 4 ingredients was definitely a challenge for me.
Ilva, who is our wonderful Paper Chef host, just publish some scrumptious "Polpettine di pollo con rosmarino" and that is where I got my inspiration from.
My dish is a roasted tomatoes soup with mini quinoa croquettes (or polpettine).
The soup has small dollops of Tzatziki and the rice paper was cut into small strips, seasoned and fried for garnish.
I hope you’ll enjoy it; it was fun creating it

Roasted tomatoes soup with quinoa croquettes:

For the soup:

6 ripe tomatoes

5 tablespoons olive oil

1 onions, chopped

4 cups chicken broth

Oregano, to taste

Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375. Cut tomatoes in half; fit cut side up on a cookie sheet, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with a touch of kosher salt and pepper. Bake for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile sauté onions in a medium pan. Chop tomatoes and add to the onions, mix well and add the broth; season to taste.

Quinoa croquettes:

1 cups cooked quinoa
½ cup breadcrumbs
½ cup Parmesan cheese
¼ cup parsley
Pepper to taste
Garlic powder to taste
2 eggs

Mix all ingredients in a bowl and roll mini croquettes.
(I got 50)

Tzatziki

1 pint Greek style yogurt
1 English cucumber peeled, grated, salted lightly for 5 minutes and squeezed between the hands to remove juice
3 garlic cloves mashed to a paste
½ cup olive oil
1 Tbs red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon minced fresh dill (optional)
Salt

Just mix everything up together until it is all blended and the oil has emulsified into the yogurt.

Topping:

Rice paper, thinly sliced
Chili powder
Cumin
Garlic salt

Limes wedges.

Soak rice paper until pliable, cut into thin strips, season with chili, cumin and garlic salt and fry in some olive oil.

Sopa de tomates con pequeñas croquetas de quinoa:

Para la sopa:

6 tomates
5 cucharadas de aceite de oliva
1 cebolla picada
4 tasas de caldo de pollo
Sal y pimienta a gusto
Orégano a gusto

Calentar el horno a 375. Cortar los tomates por la mitad y poner en una fuente de horno, rociar con aceite de oliva sal y pimienta. Cocinar por 30 minutos.
Mientras tanto saltar la cebolla en aceite de oliva. Picar los tomates ya cocidos y agregar a la cebolla; mezclar bien, agregar caldo y condimentar con sal, pimienta y orégano.

Mini croquetas de quinoa:

1 tasa de quinoa cocida
½ tasa de pan rallado
½ tasa de queso rallado
¼ perejil picado
Pimienta a gusto
Ajo en polvo a gusto
2 huevos

Tzatziki:

2 tasas de yogurt griego
1 pepino, pelado y rallado y exprimido con las manos para sacar toda el agua
3 dientes de ajo, pisados
½ tasa de aceite de oliva
1 cucharada de vinagre de vino
1 cucharada de eneldo picado (optativo)
Sal

Decoración:

Papel de arroz, cortado en tiritas
Chili
Comino
Sal de ajo

Poner papel de arroz en remojo, cuando se ablande un poco cortar en tiritas y secar.
Condimentar con chili, comino y sal de ajo. Freír rápidamente en un poco de aceite de oliva.

Limas