Butternut Squash and Caramelized Onion Burekas

This is a seasonal twist on classic burekas that I wrote up for alma. (check out their site for the full article). The caramelized onions are the key ingredient in this dish; they always take longer than you think to caramelize, but the resulting flavor is worth the work. This makes a great side, appetizer, or snack during the holidays.

Butternut Squash and Caramelized Onion Burekas

Makes 24 burekas

Ingredients:

2 sheets puff pastry (10” x 15”), defrosted in the refrigerator overnight

1½ lbs. butternut squash (1 large squash), halved lengthwise and seeds removed

1 large yellow onion, medium diced

2 tablespoons olive oil or butter

1 big fat clove of garlic or 2 medium-sized, minced fine

1 teaspoon ground coriander

2-3 sprigs thyme, leaves removed from stems

Pinch of cayenne pepper

Salt and pepper, to taste

1 large egg yolk

Black and/or white sesame seeds, to garnish

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
2. Drizzle the halved butternut squash with oil, then place it cut-side down on a sheet pan. You don’t need to peel the squash. Roast until the squash is fully cooked and tender, about 35-45 minutes.
   
   
   
3. While the squash is baking, caramelize your onion by putting a few tablespoons of butter with a drizzle of olive oil in a sauté pan over medium low heat. If keeping the dish non-dairy, use just olive oil. Add the diced onion to the pan, and sauté over low or medium low heat until starting to soften, about 5 minutes. Season with a generous pinch of salt and then continue to let the onion cook and caramelize, stirring occasionally so the onion doesn’t burn; make sure to keep the heat fairly low. This is where patience comes in, beautiful caramelized onions can take 30-45 minutes to make. You want your onions golden and sweet, you don’t need to caramelize them until they’re a deep brown. This is a good tutorial if you need it.
   
4. Add the minced garlic to the caramelized onions, and sauté for another 2-3 minutes or until the garlic is fragrant but not at all browned. Turn off the heat.
5. Once the squash is cooked and slightly cooled, scoop the inside of the squash into a bowl and discard the peel. Add the caramelized onion to the squash. Mix together. The mixture should be soft and not too lumpy.
6. Mix in the ground coriander, thyme, and cayenne. Taste, and then season with salt and pepper as desired. Allow the squash mixture to cool before assembling the burekas. You can make this filling up to two days in advance and store in the fridge.
7. To assemble the burekas: roll out a sheet of puff pastry until rectangular and just slightly thinner than when it comes out of the package. Divide the dough into 12 squares: cut the dough in half widthwise, and then cut each half into half again. Next, cut the dough into thirds lengthwise. Put a spoonful of the filling into each square. Fold over the dough to form a triangle shape, and press the edges together. There’s no need to crimp or press too hard, the filling will stay put, and you want to ensure there are layers of flaky pastry.
   
8. Transfer the formed triangular burekas onto a baking sheet, place each bureka about an inch apart, 12 will fit on each baking sheet. At this point, you can freeze the burekas and reserve them for when you’re ready to bake.
   
9. Before baking, combine the large egg yolk with a small splash of water. Beat well. Brush the tops of the burekas with the egg wash. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
10. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown and flaky. Transfer to a wire baking rack, and allow to cool for at least 10 minutes before serving. Burekas are best served warm or at room temperature.

Beet Cured Gravlax

Making homemade gravlax is easy. It's one of those great recipes that impresses guests, looks beautiful, requires zero cooking, and takes minutes to make. Heads up: while this recipe is easy, you need to prepare it 3 days in advance.

The beets create a lovely deep scarlet color on the top layer of the fish, and they add a very subtle sweet, earthy, flavor. 

Like any simple dish, the quality of the ingredients are critical to the success of the recipe. Start with excellent, fresh, wild-caught salmon.

I love to serve this thinly sliced on a platter with fresh veggies. Bagels and cream cheese are always welcome accompaniments for cured fish. Enjoy!

Beet Cured Gravlax

1 3 lb salmon filet

1 lb red beets, peeled and grated, any juice included

1 large bunch dill, roughly chopped

Zest of 1 large orange

Zest of 2 lemons

1 cup tablespoon plus 2 tablespoons kosher salt

½ cup granulated sugar

¼ cup freshly cracked black pepper

In a food processor or with a box grater, grate the beets. In a bowl, combine the beets with orange and lemon zest, chopped dill, and 2 tablespoons salt.

In a small bowl combine the remaining 1 cup salt, sugar, and pepper.

In a non-metal dish (pyrex or ceramic), place a large piece of plastic wrap on the bottom (big enough to cover the fish). Firmly rub the salt mixture onto both sides of the salmon. Then place the salmon skin side down onto the plastic wrap. Place the beet mixture on top of the salmon. Tightly wrap the salmon in the plastic wrap. Place another pan/dish on top of the salmon and weigh it down with canned goods or weights.

Cure in the fridge for 3 days. After 3 days, scrape off the beet mixture and discard.

Serve thinly sliced. Salmon will keep wrapped tightly in the fridge for up to one week.

Pear, Rosemary and Goat Cheese Crostata

I never tire of making crostata's and galettes (as is obvious on this blog). I love that they can be sweet or savory, or walk the line between sweet or savory. I also love that the pastry is simple, with very little wait time. And most importantly, it's a great way to use up some extra ripe fruit.

This pear and goat cheese crostata walks the line between sweet and savory. It's great as an afternoon snack with a cup of tea or coffee (or glass of wine!), or sliced into small wedges as an appetizer at a dinner party. It could also be a dessert, if you're into serving something not too sweet. Also, add more sugar, it will be sweeter. Take away the goat cheese, it will be less savory. The rosemary adds such a nice hit of green and aromatic flavor with or without cheese. If you don't have rosemary, try something else: thyme, black pepper, tarragon, or maybe even marjoram. 

If you don't have a food processor, you can even make the crostata dough by hand (and it's arguably better that way). A food processor helps if you're nervous about mixing it all up evenly and well. Also, good butter helps. This is a good place to splurge on a nicer brand as there really aren't too many ingredients in this pastry. For flour, I prefer King Arthur brand, for its high protein content, but any kind will do. And if you don't want dairy, you could use a quality vegan margarine (like Earth Balance) in the dough; it will make the pastry a little saltier (so omit any additional salt), and it's not quite as great as butter, but it 100% works. 

And lastly, the pears. You want good pears. I like them in this dish when they're really ripe. Even a little bruised is ok. If they're too hard the tart doesn't bake as evenly. You use Bosc, Anjou, or whatever you can get your hands on that's good at the market. You don't need to peel them, and they add such a nice pop of color. 

Pear, Rosemary and Goat Cheese Crostata

Serves 4

For the pastry-

1¼  cup all purpose flour

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

½ cup (1 stick) cold butter, cubed

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

3 tablespoons ice cold water

1 large egg yolk, lightly beaten

turbinado or raw sugar, for sprinkling

For the filling-

2 pears (about 1 lbs / 450 grams), ripe but still firm, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons turbinado sugar

2 tablespoons honey, plus more for garnish (local honey)

1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, roughly chopped

juice of ½ a lemon

4 oz. fresh goat cheese

To a food processor, add the flour sugar and salt. Pulse a few times to combine the mixture. Add the cubed butter to the dry ingredients, pulse until pea-sized pieces of dough are formed. Alternatively, you can use your hands or a pastry cutter to combine the dry ingredients with the butter.

To the dough, add the apple cider vinegar and 1 tablespoon of water at a time. Pulse until the dough comes together into a ball but is not too wet. It should stick together between your fingers when squeezed. Roll the dough into a ball, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least one hour.

While your dough is chilling, prepare the fruit and cheese. To a bowl, add the sliced pear, sugar, honey, rosemary, and lemon juice.

Preheat your oven to 400°F (205°C)

Roll the dough out onto a lightly floured sheet of parchment paper. The dough should roll out to about 12-13 inches in diameter, or about ½ an inch thick. The edges do not have to be perfect. Leaving a 1.5-2 inch border, pile the sliced pears into the middle of the crust. Dollop the goat cheese over the top of the pears. Fold the edges of dough over the pears.


Brush the top of the dough with the beaten egg yolk. Sprinkle the Turbinado or raw sugar over the brushed dough. Transfer the crostata with the parchment paper onto a baking sheet.

Bake the crostata for 45-50 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the pears are tender. If the crust starts to brown too much before the pears are cooked, cover the the exposed crust with foil. Drizzle a little honey over the hot crostata. Slice and serve warm or room temp.

Before going in the oven

Quick Pickled Grapes

People often thinking of pickling as a daunting task. It can involve sterilizing mason jars, extended wait times, and washing and cutting huge batches of vegetables or fruits. I love pickled things, and I love the craft of food preservation. But one of the things I love most about pickles is their flavor: briny acidic notes that wake up your taste buds with tang and oomph. A quick pickling process can achieve great flavor when you don't as much time or patience.

I'll never say no to a classic dill pickle, but I've also fallen in love with pickled fruits.  Fruits are perfect for pickling; their sweetness allows for that sweet/sour combination of flavor that is so complex and satisfying. From watermelon to peaches, strawberries to plums, there are so many options. It all depends on the season and what's available. In fall, I love to quick pickle grapes. I'll serve them as an accompaniment to a cheese platter, or thinly sliced in a salad (with hearty greens, toasted almonds, ricotta salata, and a good vinaigrette). They're sweet and acidic, aromatic and crisp.

A few notes: You definitely taste the garlic in these grapes. If that's not a flavor you're into, skip the clove of garlic. If you can't get your hands on pink peppercorn, you can skip that ingredient or just add more black peppercorn. In fact, you can skip a lot of the spices. They key elements are vinegar, salt, and sugar - the rest is up to you. I use this brine for lots of pickles. Aside from grapes, I also love it for shallots or red onion. A pickled onion is a great addition to sandwiches, salads, or as a topping for grilled meats.

These quick pickled grapes are easy to make and look great on a plate. They're not for long-term preserving, but they'll do great in the fridge for a week or so (they'll develop more pickle flavor the longer they cure). And you can easily swap out the grapes for another fall fruit: like persimmon or late autumn plums

Quick Pickled Grapes

1 lb. red seedless grapes (about 4 cups)

1½  cups white wine vinegar

½ cup water

juice of 1 orange

3 strips orange zest

2 tablespoons kosher salt

1 tablespoon sugar

½ tablespoon pink peppercorn

½ tablespoon black peppercorn

5 cloves

1 bay leaf

1 stick cinnamon

1 garlic clove

Trim the tops off of the grapes. This will allow the pickling brine to fully penetrate and flavor the grape. Place the grapes in a heatproof mason jar or bowl.

In a small pot, bring the vinegar, water, orange juice and zest, salt, sugar, peppercorn, cloves, bay leaf, and cinnamon stick to a boil.

Simmer for 2-3 minutes until the salt and sugar has fully dissolved, and all of the flavors have melded together. Pour the brine mixture over the grapes.

Transfer the grapes to a jar or air tight container. Let the grapes marinade for at least 1 hour, or preferably overnight in the fridge. Grapes will keep for up to one week in the fridge.

Skillet Rosemary Flatbread with Pan-Roasted Grapes, Burrata, and Saba

Grapes are at their peak in fall, and in California they're still abundant at the farmers' markets. From Concord, to Crimson seedless, to Red Globe, and more. 

I love incorporating grapes into my cooking, particularly in savory dishes: adding them to pan-seared and roasted chicken dishes, or braises of sausages in the oven. They are also great quick pickled as a side for cheeses (recipe coming soon). And they're really lovely baked into different kinds of breads.

In the homemade bread category, flatbread is one of the easiest recipes. The rising time is an hour or less, you don't need any fancy machines or gadgetry, and the cook time is under 10 minutes. This flatbread gets topped with skillet pan-roasted grapes, buttery burrata, and rich syrupy saba. 

Burrata is a fresh cheese made of mozzarella and cream; you can find it pretty easily now, and they even carry it at Trader Joe's. It can be a little pricier than mozzarella (which is a perfectly good substitute if you can't find burrata), but it's also richer, creamier and arguably more delicious. For me, it's a special occasion cheese, and one I like to serve when I'm entertaining.

Saba is an Italian syrup made out of cooked down grape must. It's sweet, dark, molasses-y and still has the acidic quality of a very good vinegar. I have been able to find it at Whole Foods and gourmet food stores, but if you can't find it, balsamic reduction (which you can make or by) is a perfectly great substitute. If all else fails, a drizzle of good balsamic vinegar will do, too. Pomegranate molasses could be lovely as well. 

You can also top your flatbread with any other kind of topping you like (tomatoes and basil, pesto and pine nuts, etc.) Or you can serve it plain with a dip. 

I originally developed this recipe for a project about vineyards around the country during harvest season. We were working on dishes that would pair well with wines, and that might be nice for casual entertaining. All of the dishes were made simple enough that they could even be prepared outdoors (over a portable butane burner). This dish felt especially perfect for fall, as an appetizer or afternoon treat with a good glass of wine. Enjoy!

Skillet Rosemary Flatbread with Pan-Roasted Grapes, Burrata, and Saba

Makes 2 large flatbreads

for the flatbread-

1 packet dry yeast

2 tablespoons, plus 1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup warm water (no more than 115°F)

3½ cups bread flour

2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided plus more for the pan

1 egg, beaten

for the topping-

olive oil

2 cups grapes, halved

2 cloves garlic, smashed

1 sprig of rosemary, leaves removed from stem

kosher salt

2 balls of burrata

saba, for drizzling (or you can substitute with balsamic vinegar reduction)

Dissolve 1 packet of yeast, and 1 teaspoon of  sugar in 1 cup of warm water. Let the water and yeast mixture stand for 10 minutes, until bubbly and frothy. Add 3½ cups of bread flour to a large bowl. To the flour add 2 tablespoons sugar,1 teaspoon kosher salt, and 2 teaspoons of chopped fresh rosemary. Combine everything together. 

Make a well in the flour. Into the well add 1 beaten egg, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and the yeast mixture. Combine the dough together with your hands until everything is incorporated. Transfer the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead the dough for 5-6 minutes, or until the dough is smooth. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to a bowl, place the dough into the bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and let the dough rise for 30-60 minutes, or until the dough has doubled in size.

While the dough is rising, prepare the pan-roasted grapes.

To a large cast iron skillet on medium high heat, add a generous drizzle of olive oil. To the oil add the halved grapes, smashed garlic, fresh rosemary, and a generous pinch of salt. Cook the grapes, stirring occasionally as they cook, until they are browned and softened, about 10 minutes.

Once the dough has risen and doubled in size, punch down the dough a few times. Divide the dough in half. On a floured surface, roll out each half of dough into a thin circle, about ¼-inch thick.

On medium heat, heat the same cast-iron pan. Add a drizzle of olive oil to the bottom of the pan. Once the pan is hot, place the rolled-out dough into the pan. Cook for 2-3 minutes per side, or until both sides are golden brown.

Repeat the process with the second half of the dough.

When both flatbreads are browned, top them with the pan-roasted grapes, fresh burrata, and a drizzle of saba. Slice and serve!

Summer Rolls

At some point in my summer roll making practice, I decided to deviate from tradition. It took awhile, but after years of making them, it dawned on me that summer rolls are a vehicle that can be filled with whatever I want (i.e. rice paper wrappers are to summer rolls what flour tortillas are to burritos). Sometimes I add a protein, sometimes I add classic vermicelli noodles, and sometimes I add whatever ingredients I'm in the mood for that sound like they'd be good wrapped up together.

I made these as an appetizer for a potluck dinner on a recent hot late summer day (or middle summer day, as LA summers last until nearly Thanksgiving). These are basically salad in summer roll form. They should really be called salad rolls. I filled them with big meaty slices of avocado, fresh herbs and other veggies. You can fill these with your favorite vegetables. You could throw in some protein for a more substantial app. You could go out of left field and fill them with smoked salmon cream cheese, capers, and the other fixins' that usually go on a bagel. Have fun with it. You can make these hours before (or even the night before) you intend to serve them, which is an added bonus to the dish. 

I served these with a peanut sauce, but you could even serve this with your favorite salad dressing, or even plain soy sauce.

You get the point, the recipe is versatile.

I love these on summer days, when all you want to do is sit back with something ice-cold, talk to your friends, share something light to eat, and hang out on a porch in the slowly cooling night air. 

Salad Rolls

Serves 6-8

for the rolls-

1/2 a red bell pepper, cut into thin strips

1/2 an English cucumber, cut into thin strips

1 Hass avocado, sliced

1/2 a lemon

3 radishes, cut thin 

2-3 cups baby kale/greens (or your favorite lettuce)

fresh mint

fresh cilantro

fresh basil

for the peanut sauce-

1/3 cup creamy natural peanut butter (unsweetened is best, but you can definitely use regular peanut butter, just add less sweetener to the sauce)

2-3 tablespoons hot water

2 tablespoons light soy sauce (or to taste)

juice of half a lime 

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

1 tablespoon maple syrup (or to taste, you can sub sugar for maple syrup or omit entirely)

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1 clove garlic, minced or grated fine

1 inch ginger root, minced or grated fine

pinch of dried chili flake

for the rolls-

Start by prepping all of your veggie. I make a station for myself on a large cutting board:

I cut the veggies (I used a mandolin for the radish), I squeeze lemon juice over the avocado (to keep it green and for added flavor), I remove the herbs from their stems, and I put everything into their own separate piles.

Next, I heat some water, and get a big 9 x 13 baking dish that I can pour a few inches of water into. You could also use a big bowl.

Then I take the rice paper wrappers (spring roll wrapper rice paper). You can find the wrappers in Asian markets, and they are also often in the Asian section of your grocery store. I have found them at Whole Foods, Gelson's and other big chain markets. You dip the wrapper into the warm water until it just starts to soften (about 10-20 seconds depending on the temp of the water). You don't want the wrapper to get too soft, or it will break apart. You just want it to become pliable. It will continue to absorb the water and soften when you place it on the cutting board.

Place the softened wrapper onto the cutting board, and begin adding your filling to it.

You can layer these however you like. I started with herbs. Next, I added my cut veggies.

Then I added my greens. At this point, you're ready to roll. You can basically wrap these like you would a burrito.

Fold over the sides first. Don't worry about perfection, just worry about making sure everything gets wrapped up tightly and is secure.

Next wrap the bottom part of the wrapper over the vegetables, and make sure the wrapper is tightly securing everything.

Roll the wrapper up tight, and your roll is finished. Don't worry if it doesn't feel like the wrapper is perfectly stuck on, it will get stickier as it sits.

And there you have it. You can now keep making the rolls until you have used up all of the veggies. The amounts given should give you about 8 rolls.

Slice the rolls in half diagonally, and serve with your favorite dipping sauce.

for the peanut sauce-

In a small bowl, combine the peanut butter with a little warm water to loosen it. Add the rest of the ingredients to the bowl, and whisk together. Taste and adjust the flavors according to your liking. You can add more water if you like your sauce thinner, or you can add more peanut butter if you like it thicker.