Pea-n-Feta Cheese Puff

When trying a new recipe, you know you've hit the jackpot when the picky eater reaches for seconds and the husband asks if the next batch is going into the oven soon..  This does not happen too often chez moi... but sometimes it does.. and when it does.. I do my happy dance... then reach out for the laptop to share the excitement with you.

(Chunky) Guacamole with tomatoes and bell peppers #French Fridays with Dorie

This is the first non-fishy French Friday of June. Boy ! am I glad ! 

So the Doristas picked Guacamole for this Friday. Though a Mexican dip, Guacamole has apparently become a standard in France.  Dorie says that in chic restaurants there, they serve it in tartines dotted with shrimps, as the base for salmon tartare, in layered crab salads or even as a garnish on gazpacho. I have already tried the 'crab avocado ravioli' and avocado with salmon in a different recipe and can image how good those French dishes with guacamole must be.

Dorie says that for most of their dishes, the French buy the guacamole, but she likes to make her own. She makes it two ways, chunky and smooth. For the chunky version, she mixes lime zest, chopped cilantro leaves, slices of  red onion, jalapeno and salt with a fork. Then adds chunks of avocado, chopped red bell pepper and cherry tomatoes to it. Squeezes some lime juice over it before seasoning the mixture with salt, pepper and some hot sauce and finishing with a garnish of cilantro leaves. For the smooth, she uses the same ingredients but blends them using a mortar and pestle. 

For want of a mortar and pestle I went for the chunky version and served it with chili and slices beer bread. The Guacomole and the combination as a whole was such a hit that the whole bowl was wiped clean over dinner that night. This recipe will certainly be a repeat in our house.

Visit French Fridays with Dorie to know what the other members thought about this spread. You can find the  recipe for this guacamole here . For more such delicious recipes order your copies of Around my French Table and join the Doristas in this tasty adventure.

I shall be sharing this spread at these parties...

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Sweet & Savory Sunday Link Party @ Baking in Pyjamas

Monday 
 Mix it up Monday, 
Made with love Monday, 
Marvelous Mondays @ This Gal Cooks, 
Recipe Sharing @ Jam Hands
Melt in your Mouth Monday, 
Inspiration Monday Party 
Recipe Sharing Monday,
Inspire Me Monday, 
Clever Chicks Blog Hop,
Maniac Monday Linky Party

Meatless Monday :  Meatless Monday My Sweet and Savory

Tuesday 
Totally Tasty Tuesday @ Mandy's Recipe Box,
 Show Me What You Got @ Our Delightful Home ,  
Hand Made Tuesday @ Ladybug Blessings
Share it Link Party @ Winthrop Chronicles,  
Tasty Tuesday @ Anyonita Nibbles,  
Hearth and Soul blog Hop @ Zesty South Indian Kitchen,
In & Out of the Kitchen @ Feeding Big & More, 
Tuesday's Table @ Love in the Kitchen, 
Tickle My Tastebuds@Mini Van Dreams
The Southern Special @Spatulas on Parade
 Time to Sparkle Tuesday, 
Create Link Inspire, Tuesday Talent Show, 
Two Cup Tuesday, The Scoop, Simple Supper Tuesday, 
Brag About it Tuesday, Social Media 2-for-Tuesday, Take a Look Tuesday, 
Treasure Box Tuesday, Take a Bow. 

Wednesday 
What's Cooking Wednesday @ Buns in my Oven, 
Cast Party Wednesday @ Lady Behind the Curtain, 
Show and Share @ Semi Homemade Mom, 
Wine'd Down Wednesday, 
Wonderful Food Wednesdays at @ All She Cooks
Wonderful Food Wednesdays at @ Mom's Test Kitchen 
Wednesday, Whatsit@White Lights on Wednesday,
Wednesday Extravaganza @ Hunger Little Girl, 
Create & Share @ The Trendy Tree House,
What I Whipped Up Wednesday @ Sugar & Dots Look, 
Hump Day Happenings @A Savory Feast

Thursday
Link it Up Thursday @ Seven Alive,
Fantastic Thursday @ Three Little Chiefs, 
Thriving on Thursdays @ Domesblissity,  
Full Plate Thursday @ Miz Helen's Country Cottage , 
 Freedom Friday @ My Turn,  
Thursday's Treasures @ Food Done Light,
Pin it Thursday @ Sweet Bella Roos

Friday 
Foodie Friday @ Simple Living and Eating,  
Friday Linky Party @ The Pin Junkie, 
Get Him Feed @ Anyonita Nibbles
 Friday Favorite (DYI too) @ Simple Sweet Home,  
Foodie Friday @ Not Your Ordinary Recipes,
 Foodie Friday @ Rattlebridge Farm, 
Weekend Wonders @ The Thriftiness Miss, 
Friday Food Frenzy @ Mostly Food and Crafts, 
Weekend Potluck @ Sunflower Supper Club, 
The Weekend re-Treat @The Best Blog Recipes

Saturday
Saturday Show Stopper @Will Cook for smilles
  Gluten-Free Wednesdays, Fresh Foods Wednesdays, Allergy-Free Wednesdays, 
Let’s Get Real, Gluten-Free Fridays,Fight Back Friday

Pipérade Stir Fry #French Fridays with Dorie

This week we prepared  Pipérade Stir Fry for French Friday's with Dorie.

A traditional pipérade from the Basque region of France, is a ragout of red and green bell peppers, onions and tomatoes, seasoned with piment d'espelettet that is served alongside rice, scrambled eggs, chicken or fish stew. The pipérade we tried this week was however a simple stir fry that Dorie's created using the ingredients which go into a traditional pipérade.

As per her recipe, which is almost a none recipe, saute an assortment  of colorful bell peppers in HOT olive oil until they are crisp tender. Deglaze the pan with some red wine vinegar, season with salt and pepper and set it aside until the stir fry has somewhat cooled down. Then toss in some thinly sliced red onion, garlic and piment d'espelette or habanero pepper(as I did) into the pan and viola ! Your  Pipérade Stir Fry is done. Quick, easy and delicious ! And with the mélange of colors, an absolute delight to bring to the table.

Since summer beckons simple meals, I just paired it up the with a spinach-feta frittata and served. The combination was light and lovely. And even as I swept clean the last of the pepper strips from our plates, I kept wondering when to make it next, and what to pair it with next time. May be some grilled chicken or fish or perhaps an a gourmet omelette with cheese and lots of veggies.

  

Visit French Fridays with Dorie to know what the other members thought about this dish. You can find the actual recipe in Dorie Greenspan's book  Around my French Table and for Dorie's recipe of a traditional  Basquaise pipérade, check out the Washington post.

Spanish Eggplant & Bell Pepper (Dip)

I spotted  this Eggplant and Bell Pepper dip from  Tapas collection of 100 essential recipes, almost as soon as I bought the book from a local library sale, about an year back. I cooked it and  ever since have been recommending this recipe to my sister, my sister-in-law and who-so-ever visits us and expresses his or her unfamiliarity with eggplant recipes. The thing is, this so-to-say "Spanish eggplant dip" is really easy to prepare and tastes great both as a spread on toasts as well as with rice and dal. Though a Spanish dish, it pairs perfectly with our Indian meals and over the past year has become one of my go-to recipes.

Owing to the citrus flavoring, and seasoning of  paprika and cilantro, this "dip" tastes very similar to Baigan Bharta. But as I mentioned, it is much easier to prepare and gets done much faster.

The original recipe calls for processing the cooked eggplant and bell pepper in the food processor along with the other ingredients. I however have never felt the need for it. So far, I have always roasted the eggplant and bell pepper and then cooked the dip in the skillet. Non-processing it, leaves the "dip"  chunky, which lends it a charm of its own.

Wheat Berry and Chickpea Salad

Dorie's Wheat Berry and Tuna Salad somehow got me fixated on Wheat berry. Ever since, I have been trying a lot of combinations with the berries and this one worked out great. It made my husband say, "we should have salads more often. may be we should make Monday our salad day !"