A Baptism Meal

This weekend our son Finley was baptized and after the church service we had family and friends over for an array of tasty foods including bagels with cream cheese, smoked salmon and tilapia, a yogurt parfait bar, coffee cake, vegetarian and meatatarian quiche, and banana and pineapple bread.
 

Finley isn't big enough to enjoy the array of solid foods yet, but he'll be able to dig in soon.
 

The meal concluded with several of my lovely wife's masterfully baked and decorated cakes.

Experimenting with Smoked Cuisine

A portion of The Food Pope's most recent paycheck was allocated to an inexpensive smoker that had gone on clearance at Wal-Mart.  The design is simple, consisting of a cylindrical barrel with a small firepit in the base, a water basin to keep the smoker's interior humid, and several racks to place food on.

This weekend I hope to use my purchase to prepare some smoked salmon.  Stay tuned for a review of this basic smoker and the food prepared using it!

Cuisine en Papillote

Cooking in parchment paper (en papillote) is a healthy, light, and delicious way to prepare and enjoy a range of foods.

Here, I've provided instructions for preparing chicken or fish en papillote.  Start by folding a piece of parchment paper in half and cutting it in the same way you'd cut out a heart-shaped piece of paper.  Be sure to use parchment paper and not waxed paper, as parchment paper is engineered to withstand the high temperatures of oven cooking while waxed paper is not.

Heat the oven to 400 degrees.

Open up the parchment paper and place sliced vegetables on the bottom and slices of lean meat (chicken or fish) on top.  Note: meat isn't required in this recipe.  A selection of just vegetables is delicious!

I like onion, cherry tomatoes, and cilantro, but be creative and use the types of ingredients that you like.  Sliced chicken (left) or salmon (below) are both wonderful.

 Top with tomatoes, cilantro, or any other fresh toppings.  Dried herbs de Provance are really tasty too.  If you'd like a little extra richness to your dish, top with a pad of butter too.

 Begin folding the papillote together to create a sealed packet.

Twist the end to seal the packet off.  Place on a baking sheet and put in the 400 degree oven for 20 minutes.

Cut open the packets on the top with sharp kitchen shears and enjoy a light, delicious meal!  Note: I like to add a little liquid to the packets as well.  A bit of white wine, sherry, or juice (lemon, apple, or grape) work really well.

Bon Appetit!  -The Food Pope

Lentil Pilaf

Recently I've been exploring lentil recipes and unique ways to incorporate this versatile legume into my diet.  Lentils are inexpensive and high in protein, making them an ideal meal or accompaniment to other dishes.

Below, I'll show you an easy-to-prepare recipe for lentil pilaf that has been served in the Middle East for millenia.  The recipe is from Rawia Bashara, and is delicious when served with a fried egg or as a wrap with hummus.

1 1/2 cups lentils
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 medium onions
1/2 Tbs. ground allspice
1/8 Tbs. black pepper
2 1/4 tsp. ground cumin
1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon (add more to taste if you like)
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg (add more to taste if you like)
1 medium fennel bulb
1 cup bulgar
3 cups boiling water
1/2 Tbs. sea salt (this may be omitted or you may use less if you'd like less salt in the dish)
2 Tbs. canola oil

The above recipe is adapted from Bashara's book:
Bishara, Rawia.  Olives, Lemons and Za'Atar: The Best Middle
          Eastern Home Cooking.  2014, Kyle Books.

Start by boiling lentils 

Bring 4 cups of water to a rolling boil, and then add the lentils.  Reduce the heat to a low simmer and cook for 6-9 minutes until just barely cooked.

Cut onions into thin slices and cook in 3 Tbs canola oil.  Use a relatively high heat so the onions cook down and brown nicely but avoid burning.

Thinly slice one fennel bulb
and add to the pot.  Brown the
fennel along with the onion. 

Add bulgar, lentils that have been pre-boiled, and spices to the pot.

Add water and cover.  Cook on low heat for approximately 20-30 minutes.

The finished product is amazing.  Uncover and enjoy hot or cold.  This dish reheats well and may even be fried from cold (much like fried rice) and enjoyed.  Several serving suggestions include:

Wrap with hummus and lentil pilaf, or pilaf with a fried egg and sour cream.