Lemon and Ginger Shortbread

I've one more day to enjoy my spring break; after that I'll go back to work.  It's quite sad because this break has been very enjoyable.  My in-laws are visiting from California and even though I'm quite busy tending their needs, I enjoy their company.  We all do, especially my son.  My in-laws haven't seen him for almost 2 years and it's a quite a change really.  Earlier this week we went to Leavenworth for a quick visit; that was pretty nice short road trip.  The weather has also been warm and sunny around here, so yeah, no complain from me.

I've been meaning to post this recipe that I tried before the break.  A lot of what I make nowadays has been some simple recipes.  I feel that I need to go back to basic and learn to make some things right.  So here's a shortbread recipe.  I quite enjoy shortbread because of the crumbly and buttery taste it imparts.  The lemon and ginger combo is very nice indeed, add a cup of tea or coffee and I'm set to enjoy my morning.

Lemon and Ginger Shortbread

Serves 12

100 g unsalted butter, softened, plus a little extra for greasing
1/4 teaspoon salt
50 superfine sugar, plus extra for dusting
Zest of 1 large lemon
8 pieces of crystallized ginger, finely copped
175 g unbleached all-purpose flour


Heat oven to 300F and grease an 8-inch loose bottomed fluted tart pan.  Put the butter and salt in a bowl and beat with a wooden spoon until soft.  Beat in the sugar, then stir in the lemon zest and ginger.

Stir in the flour and work with your hands to form a soft dough.  Tip into the pan and press into an even, flat layer with your fingers.  Prick all over with a fork and bake in the oven for 40 minutes or until pale gold.  Cut into wedges and leave to cool completely in the pan.  Remove from pan and dust with sugar to serve.


Source:  adapted from Good Food magazine, October 2014

New Orleans Shrimp Creole

This is a quick dinner that I made this week.  What I like about it was that the flavor of this dish is really fantastic; it was tangy and assertive especially when I added a touch more of Tabasco in my plate, it surely can kick the tastebud.  I really go for a bold flavor of a food and thankfully my family has a similar taste so if I had to cook something tasty and fast, I wouldn't go wrong with this dish.  

New Orleans Shrimp Creole

Serves 4 to 6

8 slices bacon, diced

½ cup chopped yellow onion

½ cup chopped green onion, including some tender green tops

1 ½ cups chopped green bell pepper

1 cup chopped celery

1 garlic clove, minced

2 cans (14 ½ ounces each) whole tomatoes, coarsely chopped, with juice

3 tablespoons tomato paste

½ cup chicken stock or broth

¼ cup red wine vinegar

½ teaspoon dry mustard

4 drops Tabasco sauce, or to taste

1 teaspoon salt

Freshly ground pepper to taste

½ cup dry red wine

1 pound large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, fry bacon until crisp, about 6 minutes.  With a slotted spoon, remove bacon to a plate, leaving 2 tablespoons bacon drippings in skillet.

Reduce heat to medium.  Add onions, bell pepper, celery, and garlic, and sauté until tender, about 6 to 7 minutes.  Add tomatoes, tomato paste, stock, vinegar, mustard, Tabasco sauce, salt and pepper.  Return bacon to pan.  Simmer over medium-low heat, uncovered, for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add wine and shrimp and cook until shrimp turn pink, about 5 minutes.

Source:  The Big Book of Soups and Stews by Maryana Vollstedt

Chile and Cheese Quiche

Is everyone enjoying the summer weather?  I am.  Everytime I drive with my windows open, I'm reminded how happy I am to be able to feel the warmth of the sun.  Yes, there're days with scorching heat even in Oregon, but thanks to a window AC, those are bearable :)  The only thing I despise to do when it's too hot is to water my yard.  Last Sunday when we had a thunderstorm, I felt relieved, literally!

This recipe that I'm writing is one that I think is yummy for a summer meal.  It's a quiche with Southwestern flavor, and the main proteins are cheese and eggs.  Really, you can make a wonderful meal with great tasting cheese and good quality eggs, I don't think my family ever gets bored by those two.  Yes, there's pastry crust that needs to be done first but it's not that hard to make one.  Pair this quiche with whatever vegetables in season or even chips and salsa, you'll have a complete meal for the day.  

Chile and Cheese Quiche

Serves 6 to 8

1 recipe Flaky Pastry (recipe follows), refrigerated for 30 minutes

1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

3 large eggs

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon chili powder

1 ½ cups hal-and-half

1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chiles

½ cup sliced ripe black olives

2 tablespoons finely chopped green onions (white and green parts)

Guacamole for serving

Sour cream for serving

Preheat the oven to 350F.  Roll out the chilled pastry into a 12-inch circle and transfer to a 9-inch pie pan.  Flute the edges.

Mix the cheeses together and spread over the bottom of the pastry.  In a medium bowl, mix the eggs, salt, chili powder, half-and-half, chiles, olives, and green onion.  Pour the mixture over the cheeses in the pie pan.

Bake for 45 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center of the filling comes out clean.  Serve each piece with a dollop of guacamole and sour cream.

Flaky Pastry

Makes one 8- or 9-inch piecrust

¾ cup all-purpose flour

¼ teaspoon salt

5 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter

1 large egg yolk

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

2 to 4 tablespoons ice water

In a large bowl, combine the flour and salt.  Using a pastry blender, two knives, or a pastry fork, cut in the butter until the fat is the size of dried peas.  Alternately, combine the ingredients in a food processor with the steel blade in place, and pulse.

In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolk, lemon juice, and 2 to 3 tablespoons of the ice water.  Drizzle the egg mixture over the flour mixture.  With a fork or spatula, mix until the pastry holds together in a ball, adding more ice water if necessary.

Turn out onto a work surface and knead lightly once or twice to shape the dough into a ball.  Wrap in aluminum foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes, before rolling out the dough.  Proceed as directed in the recipe you are using.

Source:  The Best Casserole Cookbook Ever by Beatrice Ojakangas