onlinecookingclass Archives

4 Jun 2021

Chilled Rhubarb Soup

We often associate rhubarb with pie, tarts and crumbles recipes, but it was OMG at first sight when I saw this bunch at the farmer’s market and used it as an inspiration for this gleaming new recipe for Chilled Rhubarb Soup. Think Pink! Sweet and sour, it subtly glimmers for an occasion that blends easy elegance with a casual spirit.

Characterized by a unique tangy taste, each slurp of this soup celebrates your hand in the kitchen. The soup’s distinctive taste is created by slowly cooking rhubarb and some ginger in a sugary syrup. The result is one of the most gorgeous foods you’ll ever create. I’m not kidding! Look at the color of this soup! Rarely we see recipes as photogenic as this.

We are entering rhubarb peak season during the months of May, June and July.

Think Pink! Think Rhubarb! If any association with celery comes to mind, yes, look for crisp, refreshing stalks. You’ll see shades of green turning to shades of pink and it’s that passage of color in this unique vegetable that makes rhubarb so unique in taste and appearance.

When buying rhubarb, choose a bunch as you would celery. You’re looking for crispy stalks. I like to wrap the ends of the rhubarb in a wet paper towel and keep it well wrapped in plastic wrap in the refrigerator. It should last a good two weeks in the fridge.

This soup is so refreshing from the ground up! After many winter months, a new season feels like a miracle and rhubarb has the power to transform an entire menu, whether it’s creating a healthier neutral base or taking center stage as dessert. For a modern spin, garnish the soup with strawberries pistachios and a dollop of Greek yogurt.

Every year I like to explore rhubarb in a variety of different recipes. You might like this recipe for Rhubarb Strawberry Pie here on the site and boy, oh boy, oh boy, this recipe is dreamy!

Chilled Rhubarb Soup

Makes 6 to 8 servings

Adapted from The Last Course by Claudia Fleming

Simple Syrup

1 ½ cups sugar

1 ¼ cup water

6 ½ cup sliced, trimmed rhubarb (about 2½ pounds untrimmed)

1 ½ ounces fresh ginger root, peeled and sliced into 12 quarter size slices

For Garnish:

Serve with some quartered strawberries or raspberries in the soup.

Chopped pistachios

Green Yogurt

Procedure:

In a large saucepan over medium high-heat combine the sugar and water. Bring the mixture to a simmer, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Simmer gently for 1 minute, then turn off the heat.

Add the sliced rhubarb and ginger to the pan and bring to a simmer over low heat. Cook gently for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon to break down the rhubarb. Do not let the soup boil or the foam will turn bitter. Force the soup through a medium sieve discarding the solids. Pour the soup into a bowl and let it cool completely. Chill the coup until cold, at least 3 hours or up to 2 days. To serve, scoop a small mound of Greek yogurt in the middle and ladle each into chilled bowls or soup plates and garnish with strawberries and pistachios.

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Leticia

3 May 2021

Chocolate Peanut Butter Tart

If you’re looking for Olympian baking, this Chocolate Peanut Butter Tart is! For those of us crazy for the combination of chocolate and peanut butter, this is the apex in a tart format.

There are 3 components to this tart: the cookie crust, the peanut mousse and the chocolate ganache. Don’t fret. It really doesn’t take that long, and the entire tart can be prepared and assembled up to 5 days ahead of time and you’re all set.

This recipe is adapted from one of the most respected bakers in the U.S, Rose Levy Beranbaum, and it’s her attention to details that make this recipe work so well. I love how she mixes a bit of milk and bittersweet chocolate in the ganache. However, if you’d like to incline one way or the other, feel free to use just milk, or just semisweet.

Respect the ingredients – this recipe can handle season patterns from misty rain to artic blast to summer vibes. Remember, because we care about the ingredients, we also care about temperature. When baking, make sure to bring all ingredients to room temperature before starting.

Bake with love! This recipe is guaranteed to take you to paradise. And dream of Para-para-paradise! Para-para-paradise!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Tart

Adapted from Rose Levy Beranbaum, The Pie and Pastry Bible, Scribner 1998

Makes one 9-inch tart, serving 8 to 10 people

For the Peanut Butter Mousse

7 tablespoons cream cheese at room temperature

½ cup peanut butter (smooth)

¼ cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

¾ cup heavy cream, softly whipped

For the Chocolate Ganache

3 ounces milk chocolate

2 ounces bittersweet chocolate

1/3 cup heavy cream

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Sweet Peanut Butter Cookie Tart Crust

½ cup all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon baking soda

pinch of salt

¼ cup packed light brown sugar

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into cubes

½ cup smooth peanut butter, preferably Jif at room temperature

½ large egg (beat the egg lightly before measuring out half of it)

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Equipment: 9-inch tart fluted pan

Prepare the Cookie Tart Crust:

In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
In the bowl of a food processor, process the sugars for a few seconds until very fine. With the motor running, add the butter cubes. Add the peanut butter and process until smooth and creamy, about 10 seconds. With the motor running, add the egg and vanilla and process until incorporated. Scrape the sides of the bowl. Add the flour mixture and pulse just until combined. (you can also use an electric mixer if you don’t have a food processor).
Scrape the dough into a bowl and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.
Press the dough evenly into the tart pan. You can use a piece of plastic wrap to do this and invert onto the tart pan and then press against the sides. If the dough softens and sticks, refrigerate it until the plastic wrap doesn’t stick. If the dough tears, simply press it together or use the scraps to press into any empty areas. Cover the tart pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Bake the tart shell, without weights in a preheated 350˚F oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden. It will puff at first and then settle down at the end of the baking. The sides will be soft but spring back when touched gently with a finger. Cool on a wire rack.

Prepare the Peanut Butter Mousse:

In the bowl of a standing mixer, preferably fit with the whisk beater, beat the cream cheese, peanut butter, and sugar just until the mixture is uniform in color. Reduce the speed to low and add the vanilla. Beat in ¼ cup of the whipped cream just until it is incorporated. With a large rubber spatula, fold in the rest of the whipped cream, mixing until the mixture is well blended but still airy.
Scrape the mousse into the sweet peanut butter cookie tart crust and smooth the surface so that it is level. Refrigerate the tart while preparing the ganache.

Make the Chocolate Ganache:

Chop the milk and bittersweet chocolates with a serrated knife very finely and place it a glass or stainless-steel bowl.
Bring the cream to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let it sit for 1 minute allowing the heat to melt the chocolate. Whisk slowly from the center out until homogeneous and then a bit more vigorously, making sure the ganache is completely smooth. Add the vanilla and whisk again. Cool to temperature before glazing the tart.

Assemble the Tart:

Pour the ganache over the peanut butter mousse in a circular motion, being careful so that it does not land too heavily in any one spot and cause a depression in the mousse. Using a small metal spatula, start to spread the ganache to the edges of the pastry, then spread it evenly to cover the entire surface of the tart. Refrigerate the tart for at least 2 hours to set or up to 5 days.
Remove the tart from the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before serving. Unmold the tart and cut it with a sharp thin bladed knife, dipping in hot water after each cut to make a clean cut.

Other Recipes You Might Like:

Tahini Caramel Tart

Strawberry Cream Cheese Tart

Rhubarb Strawberry Pie

Sweet Potato Pie

Chocolate Custard Pie

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Make sure to share this story with someone who cares about this topic.

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You can buy my cookbooks on Amazon:

Latin Superfoods is my latest cookbook, I’m also the author of The Brazilian Kitchen and My Rio de Janeiro: A cookbook.

Visit my YouTube Chanel @LeticiaMoreinosSchwartz

The easiest and most impactful thing you can to support is subscribe to my newsletter and to my channel on YouTube. And of course, tell your friends about it.

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See you next time,

Leticia

1 May 2021

Steak Tartare Recipe

I made this Steak Tartare Recipe for a very special occasion, my father’s birthday. Knowing his passion for Steak Tartare, from the glory days of Rio de Janeiro, back in the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s when Steak Tartare was a delicacy, prepared tableside at special restaurants, I decided to revive the recipe in his honor.

The reason this simple dish is quite extravagant is because you want to make it with the freshest and best quality filet mignon you can possibly find. And let’s be honest here – filet mignon, to this day, can be a little pricey.

It’s important to invest in good quality meat. One gram of fat can virtually threaten the entire dish, given it’s eaten cold and raw. That’s the beauty of Steak Tartare. It’s raw meat seasoned so well, so intensely, that it transforms the flavor of raw meat.

Steak Tartare Mixing

It’s also important to cut the meat by hand. You don’t want to make this with ground meat. Oh no! You want to slowly chop the meat, paying attention to each and every dice and making sure the meat stays cold at all times.

For the potatoes, if you don’t want to make your own shoe-string potatoes, by all means, buy store bought.

Thin Potatoes

Although, if you decide to make it, you’ll be so pleased! Unlike the classic French Fries that need to be fried twice, shoe-string potatoes only need one frying process, making it a much easier operation. Also, you can fry the potatoes up to 3 days ahead of time and store them in a plastic container at room temperature.

For the lettuce, I like to use a combination of arugula and mesclun. Even parsley goes well in the mixture. Be careful not to use a strong dressing for the lettuce or it might overwhelm the meat tartare. I like to use a small drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, with a few twists of pure Himalayan salt and freshly ground black pepper. If this seems too plain for you, go ahead and use a more complex dressing.

Steak Tartare

Serves 6 to 8

For the Potatoes:

2 Idaho potatoes

1-quart canola oil to fry

For the Meat:

1¼ pound filet mignon, very cold

½ medium onion, minced

2 tablespoons capers

8 cornichons, cut into small dice

2 tablespoons flat leaf parsley, chopped

1 anchovy fillet, minced

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 garlic clove, peeled and minced

Kosher salt and Freshly grated black pepper

6 tablespoons mayonnaise

For the Lettuce

4 cups mesclun lettuce

Olive oil, Himalayan salt and freshly ground black pepper

Fry the Potatoes

Cut the potatoes into a julienne cut, using a mandoline. Let the potatoes soak in cold water as you cut them, changing the water at least once. This will wash away the starch in the potatoes.
Spread the potatoes onto a baking sheet pan or a tray, covered with paper towels, and let them air dry for 5 minutes. Idaho potatoes will hold color up to 5-10 minutes if exposed to air. After that, they will start oxidizing and turning brown, so be careful not to let too much time pass before frying them.
Pour the canola oil into a heavy-bottomed pot or casserole and heat the oil to 350˚F as measured by deep-fat thermometer. If you don’t have a thermometer, drop one potato into the oil – when you hear a sizzling sound and see it turning golden brown, the oil is ready.
Fry the potatoes in batches until they are lightly golden brown. It is important not to crowd the pot with too many potatoes or the oil will cool down and the potatoes won’t stay crunchy. Carefully transfer to a plate lined with a double thickness of paper towels and sprinkle them with salt. Set aside until they are ready to be used.
You can prepare the potatoes up to 3 days ahead of serving, just be sure to keep them in a plastic container, covered with a tight-fitting lid at room temperature.

Prepare the Meat:

Remove the beef from the refrigerator. It should be very cold. Using a very sharp chef’s knife cut the steak into think ¼-inch slices. Stack 3 of the slices and slice lengthwise, every ½-inch holding the stack in place. Then cut across the stack, again every ½-inch, cutting the steak into ½-inch dice. Hold the chopped steak in a bowl set over crushed ice in a larger bowl. When all of the beef is chopped, add the onion, capers, cornichons, parsley, anchovy, oil, garlic, salt, and pepper. Gently mix with a fork until just combined. Add the mayonnaise and mix gently. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
Dress the mesclun salad with a drizzle of olive oil, salt and pepper.
Serve on individual plates with the potato and mesclun lettuce on the side.

Other Recipes You Might Like:

Onion Soup

Chicken with Mushroom Sauce

Chicken Peperonata

Osso Bucco

I’m so happy that you visited today. Thanks for reading and browsing my site.

Make sure to share this story with someone who cares about this topic.

I’d love to know what you think about it too, please send an e-mail.

You can find more about my work on ChefLeticia.com;

You can buy my cookbooks on Amazon:

Latin Superfoods is my latest cookbook,

I’m also the author of The Brazilian Kitchen and My Rio de Janeiro: A cookbook.

Visit my YouTube Chanel @LeticiaMoreinosSchwartz

The easiest and most impactful thing you can to support is subscribe to my newsletter and to my channel on YouTube. And of course, tell your friends about it.

I’d love to connect with you on social media

Instagram @LeticiaMoreinosSchwartz,

Facebook @ChefLeticiaHealthyCooking

Twitter @ChefLeticia

See you next time,

Leticia

16 Apr 2021

Alchimista Spiked Ice Cream

From Buenos Aires to São Paulo to Singapore to Connecticut, Gaby Baumatz is making the most spiked (and delicious!) ice cream ever.

Alchimista Spiked Ice Cream

When the government announced plans to lockdown at the beginning of the pandemic, Gaby Baumatz searched for comfort in the kitchen.

“My grandmother used to make ice cream, and I was trying to replicate it a few years ago. I decided to try it again, just for fun”, said Baumatz.

As the pandemic extended beyond our predictions, she continued to experiment in the kitchen and decided to embark upon a new venture devoted to the production of a new style of ice cream rarely seen before: alcohol-based ice cream. Alchimista Spiked Ice Cream was born.

But before launching a business, a lot had to happen. She reached out to an ice cream expert based in her hometown, Buenos Aires, and learned the ins and outs of ice cream science.

“Once I had the chemistry information, it became easier to understand what I was doing in the kitchen”.

Alchimista Ice Cream — A close up in the science of Alchimista Spiked Ice Cream

Her family was astonished by the delicious tastes of alcohol-infused ice cream and jumped in. Her kids, Julia, Sami, and Tomas all came on board to help, especially because everyone was home.

Alchimista Spiked Ice Cream — A family ice cream affair!

The vote was unanimous: “Let’s start an ice cream business!” The plan gradually started to evolve. From her home kitchen, she started to produce a small inventory of ice cream. As social distancing was required, Baumatz started to host outdoor ice cream tasting events. “People love it! She says, with a smile on her face.

Spiked Lemon Mousse is prepared with a subtle addition of Cointreau

Tasting Events

Raise your hand if you’ve ever been to an ice cream tasting? While this kind of event is barely an American practice, it should become one. I was there, mesmerized by the colors and flavors of the collection, hosted by Gaby Baumtaz herself. First, it’s a social gathering, and in times like these, we all need a really good excuse—like ice cream— to meet. Second, the tasting is conducted in great fashion, not too different than a wine tasting; pen and paper, everyone taking notes and comparing tastes. Third, I ended buying two containers that didn’t last more than three days in my house.

Gaby Baumatz was born and raised in Buenos Aires, Argentina. After a degree in architecture, she met her now-husband Adrian Isman and the couple have three children, now young adults. By courtesy of Mr. Isman’s job, the family became world travelers, moving first to Brazil, then to Singapore, to Brazil again, and then to Connecticut, where the family arrived in 2017 and is currently established.

“With all this world experience, I feel like ice cream is a continuation of my creativity. From home designer to ice cream maker”, Baumatz jokes. This ice cream is the apex between flavor, texture, package, and image. “I look for a strong flavor, powerful colors, and ice cream with a personality made with fresh ingredients and excellent quality. It’s a very unique product.”

Another Day, Another Ice Cream

Indeed. Alchimista Spiked Iced Cream presents 12 flavors (more to come!). Different flavors present different opportunities to indulge. The Paloma for example, is a Tequila-infused grapefruit sorbet, very much like a palate cleanser. The Chocolate Truffle is a perfect dessert. The Hazelnut Cream is the perfect snack. There will be a chocolate sorbet for those who are lactose intolerant. Baumatz uses two different bases for the recipes: milk-based (chocolate, hazelnut) and water-based (sorbets, grapefruit, lemons, etc). All ingredients are indicated on the label.

As the tastings grew into frequent events, Baumatz rented a commercial kitchen in Mamaroneck for production. She bought Italian gelato machines and keeps them in a special ice cream freezer. Alchimista Spiked Ice Cream delivers all over New York state. For Connecticut customers, a curb pick can be arranged.

You can find more info about Alchimista Spiked Ice Cream:

www.myalchimista.com

Instagram: alchimista_icecream

Email: [email protected]

I’m so happy that you visited today! Thanks for reading and browsing my site!

You can buy my cookbooks on Amazon: Latin Superfoods is my latest cookbook.

I’m also the author of The Brazilian Kitchen and My Rio de Janeiro: A Cookbook.

Visit my YouTube Chanel @LeticiaMoreinosSchwartz.

The easiest and most impactful thing you can to support is subscribe to my newsletter and to my channel on YouTube.

And of course, tell your friends about it.

Share this recipe with friends who will enjoy food;

For updates on my food adventures, subscribe to my newsletter, which you can find on my web site www.chefleticia.com

I’d love to connect with you on social media:

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Twitter

See you next time!

Leticia

10 Apr 2021

Silky Green Pasta

Here’s a Silky Green Pasta to add to your cooking repertoire! We’ve all seen pasta made with vegetables become a different color. Variations on pasta, and gnocchi for that matter, come in many colors and flavors: beet, spinach, and carrots result in attractive pasta dishes, flavored and colored by the addition of these vegetables to the dough.

This green pasta, adapted from Simply Julia, the newest cookbook by Julia Turshen, is so intense in flavor and color, that any pasta becomes deeply enrobed in this velvety sauce with exquisite taste. Let’s be honest here, cooking pasta and dressing it with a green sauce is a lot less work than injecting vegetables inside the dough. It’s all in the sauce!

Simply Julia

In the book, Julia tells the story of Llubav, an artist and mother who makes this recipe often on weeknights. It doesn’t require any chopping at all, and the sauce itself is so delicious, it can and should be used in other combinations, like risotto, or boiled potatoes. To honor the artist, she named the recipe Llubav ‘s Green Spaghetti. The name of the recipe is irresistible: Llubav. Is it Russian, Hebrew, or Croatian? As I made the recipe a few times for my family, we gradually ignored its original title and started calling it Silky Green Pasta. (Hope Llubav and Julia will be ok with this!)

Feel free to use the pasta of your preference. I used Orecchiette and it came out amazing. Once you’ve got your sauce and pasta cooked, you can prepare everything ahead of time and assemble it just before serving.

Julia’s work deserves much attention. Not only her cookbooks are an excellent source of delicious recipes (I have cooked many from her previous books) but Julia also has a big voice advocating for women, equity, and LBGTQ. She is the founder of Equity at the Table (EATT), an inclusive digital directory of women/non-binary individuals in food, and the host of keep Calm and Cook on.

Julia Turshen

I love following her videos on Instagram and her scrap notes (also seen on Instagram) reminds me of life before social media. Before computers. Before technology invaded our lives. A world in which a pan and paper still mattered. Coincidence or not, Julia’s recipes also remind me of that world, with the advantage of being practical, modern, simple, and delicious.

Silky Green Pasta

Inspired by Julia Turshen’s cookbook Simply Julia

Serves 4

Ingredients:

kosher salt

1 lb pasta, preferably whole-wheat spaghetti or whatever pasta you like

5 oz baby fresh spinach

6 large leaves fresh kale (any type), tough stems discarded, torn into large pieces

1 large handful of fresh basil leaves (about 12 large leaves)

1 garlic clove, peeled

½ cup (50g) crumbled feta cheese, plus extra for serving

3 tablespoons cream cheese

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Set a large pot of water to boil and salt it generously. Add the pasta to the pot and cook according to the package instructions.

Meanwhile, place the spinach, kale, basil, garlic, feta cheese, cream cheese, and olive oil in a blender and add 1 cup (250ml) of the boiling salted water from the pasta pot. Puree until smooth and season to taste with salt and pepper (it might need very little salt, depending on how salty your water is).

Drain the pasta in a colander and then return it to the now-empty pot. Add the green sauce and stir well to combine.

Serve immediately with extra crumbled feta cheese on top. Or if you’re like me, why not some Parmesan?

I’m so happy that you visited today! Thanks for reading and browsing my site!

You can buy my cookbooks on Amazon: Latin Superfoods is my latest cookbook.

I’m also the author of The Brazilian Kitchen and My Rio de Janeiro: A Cookbook.

Visit my YouTube Chanel @LeticiaMoreinosSchwartz

The easiest and most impactful thing you can to support is subscribe to my newsletter and to my channel on YouTube.

And of course, tell your friends about it.

Share this recipe with friends who will enjoy!

For updates on my food adventures, subscribe to my newsletter, which you can find on my web site www.chefleticia.com

I’d love to connect with you on social media:

Instagram

Facebook

Twitter

See you next time!

Leticia

7 Feb 2021

Chicken Brodo

From braising to roasting, grilling, sautéing, or poaching, chicken is so universal and I just can get tired of it. In my house, we eat at least once a week, and I make chicken stock and chicken brodo from the bones every time a chicken is served. I have adapted this recipe to this situation- carcass from a chicken that was dinner.

I suggest creating a habit: every time you cook a chicken for dinner, don’t toss the bones out. Not even the bones that were in your husband’s or children’s plate. Make chicken brodo! Even a very small amount of bones, from 1 little bird, will yield about 2 cups of bordo. And with that small amount, it only takes 30 minutes to make brodo. Bird by bird, my freezer is stocked with chicken brodo.

And what is the difference between chicken stock and chicken brodo, you might ask? There is a very fine line between the two. Chicken brodo is chicken stock that has been seasoned and simmered longer than chicken stock. Chicken stock is used for cooking, brodo is used for drinking, like tea. But can you cook with chicken brodo? You can, just remember the brodo is already seasoned.

Chicken Brodo

Makes 3 to 4 cups

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 to 2 pounds of chicken bones from a rotisserie chicken

1 onion, peeled and quartered

1 carrot, peeled and cut into chunks

1 stalk of celery, cut into chunks

2 cloves garlic, peeled

2 to 3 bay leaves

Kosher Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Freshly ground nutmeg

Remove excess fat from the bones. In a large stockpot, add the olive oil over medium heat. Add the bones, vegetables, and bay leaves. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Cook stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon until bones are hot and vegetables are cooked about 20 minutes. Add enough cold water to cover the bones, about 1 inch above the amount of bones. Don’t add too much water, or the brodo will be watery and lacking flavor. Bring to a boil over high heat, then immediately reduce the heat to low and simmer gently for about 30 to 45 minutes, skimming the foam occasionally.
Taste and adjust the seasoning of the liquid. When the brodo has a rich, bright chicken flavor, remove the bones and vegetables with a slotted spoon and strain the stock, first through a medium strainer then through a fine-mesh strainer.
Place the brodo over an ice bath then chill in the refrigerator for 12 to 24 hours – chilled is the best way to judge the quality of the liquid. The more gelatinous, the better. Carefully remove any fat that accumulates on the top and discard it. Divide the brodo into several small plastic containers, label them, and store them in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months.

I’m so happy that you visited today! Thanks for reading and browsing my site!

If you haven’t bought yet, be sure to get your copy of my latest cookbook Latin Superfoods.

Make sure to share this story with someone who cares about this topic.

I’d love to connect with you! Please do send comments and suggestions,

If you prepare any of the recipes on the site, snap a photo and send it to me!

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See you next time,

Leticia

1 Feb 2021

Hearts of Palm & Spinach Dip

Super Bowl Sunday! The biggest sports day of the year is here! You can’t watch the game without some delicious snacks. Before the pandemic, I used to host sports parties in my house when my son would bring a bunch of friends home to sit and scream in front of a TV. Growing boys would show up hungry and I needed to feed them.

Now with Covid, it’s just our family, but I still like to prepare foods like chicken wings and dips. Especially this dip. A cousin of the Artichoke-Spinach, this Hearts of Palm & Spinach Dip is the perfect venue and it’s approved by many American boys. You can make it ahead of time and simply stick it in the oven during game time. Serve with whole wheat pita chips or any other chip of your preference. You can find this recipe and many others in my cookbook Latin Superfoods.

Hearts of Palm & Spinach Dip

Serves 6 people

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 large onion, finely chopped (about 1 ½ cups)

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Freshly ground nutmeg

Two 14-ounce cans hearts of palm, drained, rinsed, and pat dry

One 10-ounce package of frozen spinach, thawed and excess liquid drained

½ cup light sour cream

1 cup light mayonnaise

½ cup light cream cheese

¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Equipment: one 7 X 11-inch baking dish lightly coated with cooking spray

In a medium skillet warm the olive oil and cook the garlic until it just starts to turn golden brown, about 2 minutes. Add the onion, season with salt, pepper, freshly ground nutmeg and cook until soft and translucent, stirring occasionally for another 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate and cool completely.
Combine the hearts of palm, spinach, sour cream, mayonnaise, cream cheese, Parmesan, and the onion mixture in the bowl of a food processor and buzz until the mixture is smooth and homogeneous. Season again with salt and pepper. Spread the mixture into the baking dish. At this point, you can cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 3 days ahead of time.
Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Bake until hot and bubbly, about 20 to 25 minutes. Serve hot with pita, crackers, or tortillas.

I’m so happy that you visited today! Thanks for reading and browsing my site!

Make sure to share this story with someone who cares about this topic.

I’d love to connect with you! Please do send comments and suggestions,

If you prepare any of the recipes on the site, snap a photo and send it to me!

Follow my food adventures on social media:

See you next time,

Leticia

23 Jan 2021

Broccoli-Cheddar Soup

Leticia Moreinos Schwartz

23 Jan 2021 Blog, Soup, Uncategorized americanclassic, BrazilianChef, broccolicheddarsoup, ChefLeticia, comfortfood, latinachef, latinchef, onlinecookingclass, virtualcookingclass, wintersoups

This is an American classic that I absolutely love: Broccoli-Cheddar Soup. In fact, Broccoli-Cheddar anything! Some ingredients were simply made for each other. The epitome of a gentle contrast, this match offers a thoughtful balance in many applications. In January, why not go for the soup?

The chunky texture of this soup with a creamy cheesy flavor is reveling.

I love packing a mountain of flavors from different vegetables, in this case, not just broccoli, but onions, garlic, carrots and celery into the soup. Each spoonful has enough flavor to satisfy. I like to add even more cheese on top of the bowl and let it melt with the heat of the soup.

There is a forever argument in my household: for my husband and son, soup is never a complete meal. They need more sustenance than soup. Growing boys need to eat, and I guess the men in the house need a piece of protein. On the other hand, for the ladies (my daughter and I), this soup is absolutely complete; delicious and fulfilling. We need nothing else. Maybe a piece of bread and that’s about it.

Adjust to the needs of your household. It might be appetizer or a main course. I like using in non-traditional soup bowls, like this one in the photo.

A word on the broth: if there is one ingredient that can elevate your cooking by many points, it’s chicken stock. There is a wide variety of broths available in the store today, but if you can buy the home-made version, that’s the best. If you can make your own chicken stock, even better!

And finally, a word about the cheese: be sure to buy a fresh block of orange cheddar and grade it yourself, as it packs so much more flavor than the pre-shredded. This is a recipe to cook often and one to hold on to. Inspired by AllRecipes.

Broccoli-Cheddar Soup

Serves 4

3 tablespoons butter

2 garlic cloves, minced

½ onion, chopped

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 cup half and half

1 ½ cups chicken broth

Kosher salt and fresh black pepper

freshly ground nutmeg

2 cups chopped broccoli

1 carrot, chopped

1 celery stalk, chopped

1¼ cups shredded mild Cheddar cheese

Melt butter in a stock pot over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook until it’s just golden, about 2 minutes. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon until translucent.

Whisk in the flour and continue to stir until mixture turns golden brown, about 5 minutes. Slowly add the half and half to onion mixture, stirring until mixture is smooth.

Add the chicken broth and season with salt, black pepper and nutmeg.

Reduce the heat to medium and simmer the mixture until thickened, about 10 minutes. Add the broccoli, carrot and celery.

Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot and simmer until the vegetables are tender yet crisp, about 20 minutes.

Add the cheddar cheese to the soup and cook, stirring occasionally until cheese melts, about 5 minutes.

Serve hot in individual bowls.

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Leticia

15 Jan 2021

Green Goddess Sandwich

Leticia Moreinos Schwartz

15 Jan 2021 Blog, Recipes bestleftoversever, BrazilianChef, ChefLeticia, cookingcompetition, cookingshow, greengoddess, greengoddesssalad, greengoddesssandwich, greengoddesssauce, latinchef, netflix, onlinecookingclass, virtualcookingclass

This Green Goddess Sandwich is featured in one of the photos I supplied for Best Leftovers Ever, a new competition show on Netflix in which I participate. You can catch me on episode 8, called Bland to Flavor Bombe. In the first few moments of the episode, I talk a little bit about cooking for my kids and how we incorporate leftovers all the time. (No, I don’t make this sandiwch on the show.)

Zero food waste is the name of the game. It’s the theme of the show, it’s the idea of this sandwich, and it’s something I practice every single day in my house.

Inspired by a recipe from Bon Appetit, this sandwich proves that the secret to creating delicious meals, even in the winter, is to be creative with the simple things. Especially this time of the year, when I’m indoors a lot, I want to feel really good about what I put inside my body.

(Speaking of Bon Appetit, a magazine I LOVE to cook from, check out the recent article I wrote for them about Brigadeiros.)

Every ingredient has a variable opportunity. While I love to use Mozzarella cheese, many other types of cheeses go well in the sandwich: Minas cheese (from Brazil), for sure, Feta cheese, or goat cheese. Arugula can be substituted for fresh spinach, fresh basil or green lettuce. The multi-grain bread is my favorite option, but if white bread is what you have in the fridge, go for it.

The Green Goddess spread is a beauty. It’s a sauce, it’s a spread, it’s a dip. It’s one of the most versatile sauces invented in recent times; the taste is fresh and sharp. Keep the recipe and use it as salad dressing as well.

Ready to start cooking in 2021? Ready to incorporate leftovers and turn them into incredible meals? Give yourself an ultimatum. No more take out dinners. No more junk food. Start cooking today! Your health is altogether the effect of your own choices.

Green Goddess Sandwich

Makes 2

For the Spread:

¼ cup basil

½ cup parsley

¼ cup mayonnaise

¼ cup plain Greek yogurt

Juice of 1 lemon

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

For the Sandwich:

4 slices multigrain bread

¼ English cucumber, thinly sliced

1 avocado, thinly sliced

8 oz mozzarella, sliced ¼-inch thick

2 cups arugula

Make the Green Goddess Spread: Place the basil, parsley, mayonnaise, yogurt, and lemon in a blender. Add the olive oil in a steady stream. Season with salt and pepper.
Place the cucumber in a small bowl. Sprinkle with salt and let it drain for at least 20 minutes, until it becomes crunchy. Toss with olive oil.
Spread one side of each slice of bread with the Green goddess spread. Divide avocado between 2 slices of bread. Season with salt and pepper. Top with cucumbers, mozzarella, arugula, and close the sandwich.

I’m so happy that you visited today! Thanks for reading and browsing my site!

I’d love to know what you think about this article. Please send an e-mail. I’d love to connect with you.

Make sure to share this story with someone who cares about this topic.

If you prepare any of the recipes on the site, snap a photo and send it to me!

Follow my food adventures on social media,

And remember always,

Cook at home! Body Up! Health up! Wise up!

See you next time!

Leticia

10 Dec 2020

How To Make Brigadeiros

What’s that? A truffle? A fudge? You want to know the recipe everyone is talking about, clicking, pinning, and drooling over the internet more than any other this week? BRIGADEIROS! Silky, chewy, fuggy, and chocolaty, brigadeiro, is an undiscovered candy from Brazil waiting to become your next vice.

I’m over the moon and beside myself to tell you some awesome news:

Thanks to Bon Appetit, now anyone who loves chocolate can make brigadeiros!

Just think about all the occasions we have for giving a gift; a bridal shower, housewarming, mother’s day, father’s day—this holiday season!

Tangible expressions of caring and love can be wrapped and given in so many ways. And now, you can add Brigadeiros to the list.

Because a handmade gift, especially a food gift like Brigadeiros, represents creative energy and time spent in the kitchen—like a homemade hug!

Find the article here.

Thanks for reading and browsing my site!

Make sure to share this story with someone who cares about this topic.

I’d love to connect with you! Please do send comments and suggestions,

If you prepare any of the recipes on the site, snap a photo and send it to me!

To buy a copy of my latest cookbook Latin Superfoods, click here.

Follow my food adventures on social media!

See you next time!

Leticia

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