Caper and Bean Dip with Golden Sautéed Zucchini Recipe

Caper and Bean Dip with Golden Sautéed Zucchini Recipe




Besides all the excitement that our Mediterranean summer offered last month, we also got the chance to spend a more than relaxing, but nonetheless very inspiring evening at one of our friends’ house. Alex and Benjamin live a life that’s just as busy as ours, which makes it a bit difficult to meet. They love to travel, they celebrate their weekly gatherings and dinner parties with their loved ones, and they also split their life between Malta and London. And this I’ll never understand and I’m sure you’d agree if you could see their gorgeous palazzo in the silent heart of Żebbuġ – if I lived there, I’d never leave the house! However, we managed to find a free evening, or rather a few free hours, and visited them for drinks and nibbles.

When you meet Alex, a man who seems to either work or spend his time in his beautiful kitchen (click here for pictures), you’re treated to the most scrumptious culinary pleasures. Even his ‘nibbles’ are heavenly. He’s a true connoisseur, a man who loves the fine arts, exquisite food and wine, and who’s always up for a good conversation. Alex is a critical mind and and you’ll never feel bored in his presence. Benjamin is the most beautiful person who’s helped me deal with the struggles of my current crazy life more than once. Whenever my mind and body can’t keep up with the challenges anymore that come with writing a book and organizing book launch events, I call Benjamin. He’s the best reflexologist I know and whatever problem my body comes up with, Benjamin will fix me! And if you happen to be in Malta and you have some time off, spoil yourself and book an appointment with him (I wish I could do that right now!).

But back to the nibbles: I’ve always been a huge fan of Alex’s dips. Be it hummus or smoky grilled eggplant, they are all addictive. And there’s one of his creations that struck me with its subtle salty note. I couldn’t make out what it was at first, but I loved it since I enjoyed the first bite last summer, spread lusciously on a thick slice of crusty Maltese bread. Alex purées boiled yellow split peas, mixes in chopped onion, olive oil, lots of lemon juice, and – here’s the secret – capers. The salty fruits add a special flavour, it doesn’t really taste like caper, it could also be canned tuna. I totally fell for it and couldn’t stop eating the thick spread. Now I made it at home, it was my first try, but in my version I use canned cannellini beans. They are sweet and smooth, velvety, and fit just as well to this Mediterranean composition. A few thick slices of golden sautéed zucchini, some ciabatta, and lunch – or dinner – is served.







Bean and Caper Dip with Golden Sautéed Zucchini

Serves 2

For the bean caper dip

rinsed and drained canned cannellini beans 360g / 13 ounces
(you could also use boiled yellow split peas as in Alex’s original recipe)
capers, preserved in salt, rinsed, 20g / 1 ounce
small shallot, roughly chopped, 1/2 -1
olive oil 75ml / 1/3 cup
freshly squeezed lemon juice 2 tablespoons

For serving

olive oil
small zucchini, cut into thick slices, 2
fine sea salt
black peppercorns, crushed in a mortar
fresh ciabatta 1 small loaf

For the dip, purée the beans, capers, 1/2 of the shallot, olive oil, and lemon juice in a blender. Add more of the shallot to taste and purée until smooth. If the texture is too thick, add more olive oil, and, if necessary, season with additional lemon juice and salt to taste.

In a heavy pan, heat a splash of olive oil over high heat, turn the heat down to medium-high, and sauté the zucchinis for 1 1/2 minutes on each side or until golden with brown sprinkles. The zucchini should only start to soften outside and still have some bite on the inside. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Divide the zucchini between plates and add a dollop of the bean caper dip. Drizzle the dip with a splash of olive oil and sprinkle with a little pepper. Serve with fresh ciabatta, enjoy warm or cold.

Tastes from Zion: An Irresistible samwich from Eat in My Kitchen by ...

Tastes from Zion: An Irresistible samwich from Eat in My Kitchen by ...: An Irresistible samwich from Eat in My Kitchen by Meike Peters ( Prestel/ Random House) According to Meike of Eat In My Kitchen, the best s...

An Irresistible samwich from Eat in My Kitchen by Meike Peters, Prestel/ Random House,

An Irresistible samwich from Eat in My Kitchen by Meike Peters ( Prestel/ Random House)





According to Meike of Eat In My Kitchen, the best sandwiches are often the ones that are thrown together in just a few minutes. Don’t know where to start? Neither did we! That’s why we asked Meike to share a simple sandwich recipe to make our taste buds sing!






Mozzarella di Bufala and Olive Tapenade Sandwich with Preserved Lemon


“The best sandwiches are often the ones that are thrown together in just a few minutes. You grab whatever your fridge offers without overloading the whole composition and straining your taste buds. Just a few contrasting flavors and textures, the bread has to be fresh – soft and juicy to soak up the filling – and you’re done.


Cheese is made for sandwiches and mozzarella is always a good choice, the creamier mozzarella di buffalo or burrata are even better. A dark tapenade made of black olives, capers, and anchovy, adds depth, refined with a handful of fresh parsley. This lies on a bed of arugula, the spicy leaves go so well with preserved lemons, which I use for the salty-sour topping. You can find them in big supermarkets but I recommend preserving your own. Tucked in a jar with lots of coarse sea salt for a month, the citrus fruit slowly becomes soft and ready to add some tangy bite to meat and vegetable dishes – or sandwiches.





Makes 4 small sandwiches + you can use leftover tapenade for spaghetti.
For the olive tapenade:Pitted black olives, preferably Kalamata, 3 ½ oz / 100g
Flat-leaf parsley leaves, 1 small handful / 10g
Small red onion, chopped, ½
Capers, preferably preserved in salt, rinsed and dried, 1 tbsp
Anchovy filet, rinsed, 1 (optional)
Olive oil, 6 tbsps
Freshly squeezed lemon juice, 1 tbsp
Dijon mustard, 1 tsp
Ground pepper
For the sandwich:Ciabatta, 8 small slices
Fresh arugula, 1 handful
Mozzarella di Bufala, torn into small pieces, 4 ½ oz / 125g
Preserved lemon, thinly sliced, ¼
Black peppercorns, crushed in a mortar








For the tapenade, purée the olives, parsley, onion, capers, anchovy (optional), olive oil, lemon juice, mustard, and pepper in a blender or food processor until smooth. Season with additional mustard, lemon juice, and pepper to taste.


Divide the arugula and mozzarella between 4 slices of bread and sprinkle with the tapenade, preserved lemon, and crushed pepper.








Meike Peters is the blogger and photographer behind Eat in My Kitchen. Meike lives in Berlin during the year with her Maltese-American partner, but they spend their summers in Malta. America, Berlin, and Malta influence the meals she prepares, using organic produce whenever possible. Meike’s first cookbook will be published in the fall of 2016 in both German and English by Prestel/Verlagsgruppe Random House. You can find Meike on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter andPinterest.

An Irresistible samwich from Eat in My Kitchen by Meike Peters, Prestel/ Random House,

An Irresistible samwich from Eat in My Kitchen by Meike Peters ( Prestel/ Random House)





According to Meike of Eat In My Kitchen, the best sandwiches are often the ones that are thrown together in just a few minutes. Don’t know where to start? Neither did we! That’s why we asked Meike to share a simple sandwich recipe to make our taste buds sing!






Mozzarella di Bufala and Olive Tapenade Sandwich with Preserved Lemon


“The best sandwiches are often the ones that are thrown together in just a few minutes. You grab whatever your fridge offers without overloading the whole composition and straining your taste buds. Just a few contrasting flavors and textures, the bread has to be fresh – soft and juicy to soak up the filling – and you’re done.


Cheese is made for sandwiches and mozzarella is always a good choice, the creamier mozzarella di buffalo or burrata are even better. A dark tapenade made of black olives, capers, and anchovy, adds depth, refined with a handful of fresh parsley. This lies on a bed of arugula, the spicy leaves go so well with preserved lemons, which I use for the salty-sour topping. You can find them in big supermarkets but I recommend preserving your own. Tucked in a jar with lots of coarse sea salt for a month, the citrus fruit slowly becomes soft and ready to add some tangy bite to meat and vegetable dishes – or sandwiches.





Makes 4 small sandwiches + you can use leftover tapenade for spaghetti.
For the olive tapenade:Pitted black olives, preferably Kalamata, 3 ½ oz / 100g
Flat-leaf parsley leaves, 1 small handful / 10g
Small red onion, chopped, ½
Capers, preferably preserved in salt, rinsed and dried, 1 tbsp
Anchovy filet, rinsed, 1 (optional)
Olive oil, 6 tbsps
Freshly squeezed lemon juice, 1 tbsp
Dijon mustard, 1 tsp
Ground pepper
For the sandwich:Ciabatta, 8 small slices
Fresh arugula, 1 handful
Mozzarella di Bufala, torn into small pieces, 4 ½ oz / 125g
Preserved lemon, thinly sliced, ¼
Black peppercorns, crushed in a mortar








For the tapenade, purée the olives, parsley, onion, capers, anchovy (optional), olive oil, lemon juice, mustard, and pepper in a blender or food processor until smooth. Season with additional mustard, lemon juice, and pepper to taste.


Divide the arugula and mozzarella between 4 slices of bread and sprinkle with the tapenade, preserved lemon, and crushed pepper.








Meike Peters is the blogger and photographer behind Eat in My Kitchen. Meike lives in Berlin during the year with her Maltese-American partner, but they spend their summers in Malta. America, Berlin, and Malta influence the meals she prepares, using organic produce whenever possible. Meike’s first cookbook will be published in the fall of 2016 in both German and English by Prestel/Verlagsgruppe Random House. You can find Meike on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter andPinterest.

Tastes from Zion: Creamy Ice Cream Recipe with Just One Ingredient!

Tastes from Zion: Creamy Ice Cream Recipe with Just One Ingredient!:  Creamy Ice Cream Recipe with Just One Ingredient! A few years ago I shared my favorite magic trick in the kitchen: creamy ice cream made wi...

Creamy Ice Cream Recipe with Just One Ingredient!

 Creamy Ice Cream Recipe with Just One Ingredient!






A few years ago I shared my favorite magic trick in the kitchen: creamy ice cream made with just one ingredient. Yes, that's right — just one ingredient, and no ice cream maker needed!

What is this one magic ingredient that can be whipped into rich and silky ice cream, with no additional dairy, sweeteners, or ingredients needed whatsoever?




The Magic of Bananas

If you guessed BANANA, congratulations! You're right! What? You didn't know that bananas can make pretty fabulous ice cream, all by themselves? Well, I didn't either until my sister mentioned that she had been freezing bananas and pureeing them into ice cream.

"That's the sort of thing you discover," she sighed, "when all your friends are vegan, gluten-free, dairy-allergic, and you're on a no-added-sugar diet."

Her discovery, it turned out, was one that has been known for a long time in health food circles (although still magically new to us). It turns out that frozen bananas are good for more than just dipping in chocolate. If you freeze a banana until solid, then whiz it up in a blender or food processor, it gets creamy and a little gooey, just like custard ice cream.

I was surprised at this bit of kitchen wizardry; I assumed that a blended banana would be flaky or icy like other frozen fruit. But no — it makes creamy, rich ice cream, thanks to its high pectin content.


And That Was Only the Beginning

My sister has been experimenting with adding in another ingredient or two, like a tablespoon of peanut butter and another of honey, and since we first published this most basic of recipes, I've also played around with versions of banana ice cream that include Nutella, cocoa powder, and strawberry. (My favorite, though, has a touch of sweetened condensed milk and cinnamon.)

Magic 1-Ingredient Ice Cream 5 Ways — Peanut Butter, Nutella, and More
Have You Tried It Yet?

Have you ever tried frozen-banana ice cream? Has it entered your easy dessert repertoire since we first published it a few years ago? It's an easy way to stay cool and use up overripe bananas at the same time.

In case you're new to this really marvelous treat, here are step-by-step instructions to get you in on the banana ice cream secret. Isn't it time you gave it a try?

Start with ripe bananas: They should be sweet and soft.

One-Ingredient Banana Ice Cream

Makes 2 servings, about 1 cup

What You Need

Ingredients
1 large ripe banana

Equipment
Knife
Cutting board
Airtight, freezer-safe container
Small food processor
Spatula

Instructions

1. Start with ripe bananas: They should be sweet and soft.
2. Peel the bananas and cut them into coins: It doesn't matter what shape or size the pieces are in, as long as they are chopped up into evenly sized and somewhat small pieces.
3. Put the bananas in an airtight container: A freezer-safe glass bowl like this one is fine, or you can use a freezer bag.
4. Freeze the banana pieces for at least 2 hours: Freeze for at least 2 hours, but ideally overnight.
5. Blend the frozen banana pieces in a small food processor or powerful blender:Pulse the frozen banana pieces. We've found that a small food processor or chopper works best.
6. Keep blending — the banana will look crumbly: At first the banana pieces will look crumbled or smashed. Scrape down the food processor.
7. Keep blending — the banana will look gooey: Then it will look gooey, like banana mush. Scrape down the food processor.
8. Keep blending — the banana will look like oatmeal: It will get smoother but still have chunks of banana in it. Scrape down the food processor.
9. Watch the magic happen! Suddenly, as the last bits of banana smooth out, you'll see the mixture shift from blended banana to creamy, soft-serve ice cream texture. Blend for a few more seconds to aerate the ice cream. (If adding any mix-ins, like peanut butter or chocolate chips, this is the moment to do it.)
10. Transfer to an airtight container and freeze until solid: You can eat the ice cream immediately, but it will be quite soft. You can also transfer it back into the airtight container and freeze it until solid, like traditional ice cream.

Recipe Notes

• Food processor vs. blender: We've found that a food processor works best for this, with enough room for the banana to get fully creamy and a little bit aerated. Some people do make it in a blender, but be careful; make sure your blender is powerful enough to process the frozen bananas.
• Making a bigger batch: Yes, you can make a bigger batch with more than one banana! Just make sure your food processor is big enough (and powerful enough).

Mix-in Ideas

While the one-ingredient aspect of this ice cream is a big part of its charm, we don't think that loses much when it becomes two- or even three- ingredient ice cream. Here are a few favorite mix-ins to make it even more awesome.

• Spoonful of peanut butter
• Drizzle of honey
• Handful of chocolate chips
• A few almonds
• Dollop of Nutella
• Scoop of cookie butter
• Tablespoon of cocoa powder
• Half a teaspoon of cinnamon, cardamom, or ginger

Creamy Ice Cream Recipe with Just One Ingredient!

 Creamy Ice Cream Recipe with Just One Ingredient!






A few years ago I shared my favorite magic trick in the kitchen: creamy ice cream made with just one ingredient. Yes, that's right — just one ingredient, and no ice cream maker needed!

What is this one magic ingredient that can be whipped into rich and silky ice cream, with no additional dairy, sweeteners, or ingredients needed whatsoever?




The Magic of Bananas

If you guessed BANANA, congratulations! You're right! What? You didn't know that bananas can make pretty fabulous ice cream, all by themselves? Well, I didn't either until my sister mentioned that she had been freezing bananas and pureeing them into ice cream.

"That's the sort of thing you discover," she sighed, "when all your friends are vegan, gluten-free, dairy-allergic, and you're on a no-added-sugar diet."

Her discovery, it turned out, was one that has been known for a long time in health food circles (although still magically new to us). It turns out that frozen bananas are good for more than just dipping in chocolate. If you freeze a banana until solid, then whiz it up in a blender or food processor, it gets creamy and a little gooey, just like custard ice cream.

I was surprised at this bit of kitchen wizardry; I assumed that a blended banana would be flaky or icy like other frozen fruit. But no — it makes creamy, rich ice cream, thanks to its high pectin content.


And That Was Only the Beginning

My sister has been experimenting with adding in another ingredient or two, like a tablespoon of peanut butter and another of honey, and since we first published this most basic of recipes, I've also played around with versions of banana ice cream that include Nutella, cocoa powder, and strawberry. (My favorite, though, has a touch of sweetened condensed milk and cinnamon.)

Magic 1-Ingredient Ice Cream 5 Ways — Peanut Butter, Nutella, and More
Have You Tried It Yet?

Have you ever tried frozen-banana ice cream? Has it entered your easy dessert repertoire since we first published it a few years ago? It's an easy way to stay cool and use up overripe bananas at the same time.

In case you're new to this really marvelous treat, here are step-by-step instructions to get you in on the banana ice cream secret. Isn't it time you gave it a try?

Start with ripe bananas: They should be sweet and soft.

One-Ingredient Banana Ice Cream

Makes 2 servings, about 1 cup

What You Need

Ingredients
1 large ripe banana

Equipment
Knife
Cutting board
Airtight, freezer-safe container
Small food processor
Spatula

Instructions

1. Start with ripe bananas: They should be sweet and soft.
2. Peel the bananas and cut them into coins: It doesn't matter what shape or size the pieces are in, as long as they are chopped up into evenly sized and somewhat small pieces.
3. Put the bananas in an airtight container: A freezer-safe glass bowl like this one is fine, or you can use a freezer bag.
4. Freeze the banana pieces for at least 2 hours: Freeze for at least 2 hours, but ideally overnight.
5. Blend the frozen banana pieces in a small food processor or powerful blender:Pulse the frozen banana pieces. We've found that a small food processor or chopper works best.
6. Keep blending — the banana will look crumbly: At first the banana pieces will look crumbled or smashed. Scrape down the food processor.
7. Keep blending — the banana will look gooey: Then it will look gooey, like banana mush. Scrape down the food processor.
8. Keep blending — the banana will look like oatmeal: It will get smoother but still have chunks of banana in it. Scrape down the food processor.
9. Watch the magic happen! Suddenly, as the last bits of banana smooth out, you'll see the mixture shift from blended banana to creamy, soft-serve ice cream texture. Blend for a few more seconds to aerate the ice cream. (If adding any mix-ins, like peanut butter or chocolate chips, this is the moment to do it.)
10. Transfer to an airtight container and freeze until solid: You can eat the ice cream immediately, but it will be quite soft. You can also transfer it back into the airtight container and freeze it until solid, like traditional ice cream.

Recipe Notes

• Food processor vs. blender: We've found that a food processor works best for this, with enough room for the banana to get fully creamy and a little bit aerated. Some people do make it in a blender, but be careful; make sure your blender is powerful enough to process the frozen bananas.
• Making a bigger batch: Yes, you can make a bigger batch with more than one banana! Just make sure your food processor is big enough (and powerful enough).

Mix-in Ideas

While the one-ingredient aspect of this ice cream is a big part of its charm, we don't think that loses much when it becomes two- or even three- ingredient ice cream. Here are a few favorite mix-ins to make it even more awesome.

• Spoonful of peanut butter
• Drizzle of honey
• Handful of chocolate chips
• A few almonds
• Dollop of Nutella
• Scoop of cookie butter
• Tablespoon of cocoa powder
• Half a teaspoon of cinnamon, cardamom, or ginger