simple suppers: kefta shakshuka

Hello!

It’s 75° and sunny in Seattle today. I’m writing this from the dappled shade of my backyard. The forecast is calling for for more balmy weather and I’ve got summer on the brain.

We’re not quite officially there yet, I know. And in Seattle, things could take a turn towards the drizzly at any moment. So it’s never a great idea to get your hopes up regarding picnics and trips to the beach. But I’m throwing caution to the wind and spending the afternoon dreaming of all the summer fun I intend to have this year!

In order to ensure that my workaholic side doesn’t grab the reigns and derail the whole enterprise, I’ve decided to make public all the magical summer moments I’d like to make happen this year. There’s something powerful about declaring your intentions to the world; plans and projects I share with others always seem to come to fruition just a bit more easily. A little accountability in the fun department never hurt, either!

 So here it is, my Summer Fun 2016 Wishlist:

• Throw a backyard barbecue to get to know all my new neighbors better.

• Always have a chilled bottle or rosé on hand for an impromptu cocktail hour.

• Go camping in the San Juans.

• Head back to Wichita to visit my bestie, her new man and her sweet babes.

• Eat watermelon.

• Go garage saling.

• Host the fried chicken supper I’ve been promising Beau since our first date. (Oops!)

• Take a road trip to Vancouver, Canada (which appears to be a pretty happening town).

• Make popsicles.

• Plan a picnic.

• Stand in the garden eating sun-warmed tomatoes off the vine.

• Summon the courage to swim in frigid Lake Washington.

• Grilling, grilling and more grilling! (Especially, ribeyes with hot sauce butter. The best.)

• Throw a pop-up dinner with my awesome friend, Kyle Wisner.

• Paint my nails a bright, summertime-only color.

• Become a regular at my new farmers market.

• Finally master the art of flaky, mile-high southern style biscuits. (I’m looking at you, Brian.)

• Pick wild blackberries.

• Remember to take a vacation from my phone from time to time.

• Bake a pie.

• Read a novel.

• Cut roses from the garden.

• Spend time laughing with friends.

There. That seems doable, don’t you think? I’ll be checking in with you periodically to let you know how I’m progressing. In the meantime, I’d love to hear what you have planned for the summer. Drop me a line in the comments below if you feel like sharing!

To help you clear your calendar for a little more summer fun, I have a new Simple Supper for you this week: Moroccan Kefta Shakshuka.

Remember that photo shoot I did with my friend, Mehdi? Well he also showed me how to make this savory, spicy and delightfully easy dish. The whole thing comes together in about 30 minutes. And this gorgeous shakshuka makes a great breakfast, lunch, or dinner. (Plus, meatballs!)

I hope you like it. And I hope this Simple Supper leaves you some extra space for summertime awesomeness!

xo,

Olaiya

P.S. Speaking of fun, I’m working on two new culinary retreats for this fall! In September, I’m teaming up with my friend, Rachael Coyle (who also happens to be an über-talented pastry chef and owner of Coyle’s Bakeshop), to bring you a week of cooking, tasting and soaking up all the beauty that is Paris.

I’m also finalizing the details on a culinary retreat in Lisbon and Porto this October. If you’ve been following along here, you know how crazy I am about Portugal! And I’ve added some exciting new activities this year. 

As always, I’ll open registration to my mailing list before the general public. These retreats will sell out fast, so sign up here to make sure you get early access. Details coming your way early next week!

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Kefta Shakshuka

• 1 lb ground beef chuck
• ½ cup chopped cilantro, divided
• 4 ½ teaspoons Villa Jerada kefta rub, divided
• 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt, plus additional to taste
• 1 small onion, grated on the large holes of box grater or finely minced
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large ripe tomato, diced
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon Villa Jerada harissa
• Freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 cup water
• 4 eggs
• Whole cilantro leaves, to serve
• Crusty bread or pita, to serve (optional)

*Notes: I love, love, love Mehdi's Villa Jerada spices and olive oils. I can’t recommend them highly enough. You can find stockists at the bottom of this post.

- I always double grind the meat for my meatballs. I think it makes them extra tender and moist. I either ask the butcher to do it for me or just throw regular ground meat in my food processor for about 20 seconds to get a finer texture and more even distribution of fat. Of course, it’s not the end of the world if you don’t double-grind the meat (and Mehdi didn’t for this recipe) but think it makes a mighty fine meatball. 

- I think these kefta would be beautiful with lamb instead of beef or a mix of half-lamb, half-beef.

First, make the kefta (meatballs): combine the beef, ¼ cup of the chopped cilantro, 2 ½ teaspoons of the kefta rub, 1 teaspoon salt and the onion in a medium bowl. Mix well to combine. (I think it’s easiest to mix with your hands.) Using your hands or a small scoop, shape the mixture into walnut-sized balls. Place on a parchment-lined sheet pan and chill for at least 20 minutes. 

While the kefta are chilling, heat the olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the tomato, tomato paste, remaining ¼ cup chopped cilantro, harissa, the remaining 2 teaspoons kefta rub, a generous pinch of salt and pepper and the water. Cook until the tomato has broken down and the mixture has thickened to a sauce-like consistency. Add the kefta. Cover and cook until the meatballs are almost cooked through, about 10 minutes. Use a spoon to make an egg-sized hole in the shakshuka. Crack one of the eggs into the hole. Repeat with the remaining 3 eggs. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until the eggs reach desired doneness, about 10 minutes for medium-soft. Sprinkle the eggs with a little salt. Scatter the whole cilantro leaves over the shakshuka and serve hot.

Makes 4 servings.

Recipe by Mehdi Boujrada

broccoli-leek soup

Fake it til you make it.

Something about that glib little nugget of advice calls to mind the worst sort of self-improvement columns. Yet scores of scientific studies indicate there’s real value in acting as-if. 

Headinginto another grey and rainy Seattle spring, I’m finding myself in need of a huge dose of as-if. 

There’s something about spring in the Pacific Northwest that’s particularly maddening. Seattle erupts into bloom almost overnight. The city’s sidewalks are a symphony of tulips, hyacinths, magnolias and cherry blossoms. And of course there are stretches of sunshine. But for the most part, it’s rain. Hours and hours of grey and drizzle. Naturally, Seattleites are used to wet weather. But in March and April, when spring is so patently in the air, there’s something unbearable about more rain. 

Having just returned from ten sun-soaked days in Palm Springs, I’m finding the grey skies especially frustrating. I’m having a hard time hauling myself out of bed in the mornings. I’ve been moping around, uninterested in activities I normally find fun. I down a ridiculous (possibly unhealthy) quantity of coffee every day in an attempt to jolt my brain into action. 

In the kitchen, too, we’re in that odd in-between season. I am no longer excited about winter squash, parsnips and kale. I’m craving tiny, sweet strawberries. Bright rhubarb. Asparagus and tender spring peas. None of which will be making an appearance at the farmers market for weeks.

So in an effort to lift my spirits, I’ve been forcing myself to get out of the house. Taking walks as soon as the sun makes even the briefest of appearances. Trying out different coffee shops in my new neighborhood in order to fit some human contact into my workday. Trying to dwell on the beauty of all these spring flowers, rather than complaining about the rain. 

And making batches of this soup. 

There’s nothing especially spring-y about broccoli soup, I know. But the bright green color and the delicate flavor of leeks sautéed in butter make me feel like sunny days are right around the corner. A dollop of basil pesto adds a layer of summertime flavor. And this soup comes together in 30 minutes flat. Which means I can manage to cook myself a homemade meal even on low-energy days.

So until sunnier days roll around, you’ll find me faking it til I make it and whipping up pot after pot of this bright, mood-lifting soup.

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Broccoli-Leek Soup with Basil Pesto

• 1 lb broccoli
• 4 tablespoons butter (or olive oil)
• 1 large leek, halved lengthwise and sliced into ¼-inch half moons
• Coarse sea salt, to taste
• 3-4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
• ¼ cup basil pesto (high quality store-bought or homemade--I’ve included a recipe below in case you need one)
• ¼ cup heavy cream
• 1 oz (2 tablespoons) cream cheese
• Good quality olive oil, to garnish
• Pinch ground chile flakes or cayenne, to garnish
• 4 fried or poached eggs, to serve (optional)

*Notes: For most pureed soups, I like a super-smooth texture so I puree them in a blender and sometimes even strain them. For this soup, I prefer a more rustic texture so I opt for my hand blender and don’t process it for very long. 

- If you don’t have a hand blender, you can puree the soup in batches in a blender. If you go this route, take care not to fill your blender jar more than ⅔ full, otherwise the steam from the hot soup can blow the lid off your blender. Getting burned by hot soup is no fun--trust me on this one. 

- If you need a little guidance on poached eggs, this is how I do it.

Cut the florets off the broccoli stalks and set aside. Trim any brown spots off the stalks, halve lengthwise if thick and slice ¼-inch thick.

Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed stock pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the sliced leeks, broccoli stems and a generous pinch of salt. Cook, stirring often, until the broccoli stems are just starting to become tender, about 5 minutes. Add the broccoli florets and 3 cups of the stock. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the soup is hot and the florets are just tender, about 5 minutes more. The goal is to keep the soup bright green and for the broccoli to keep some of its texture, so take care not to overcook it. 

Remove the soup from the heat and stir in the pesto, cream and cream cheese.  Puree with a hand blender until there are no large chunks of broccoli or leek. Add a little more stock if you’d like your soup a bit thinner. Taste and adjust seasonings. 

Spoon hot soup into serving bowls and top with a fried or poached egg (if using). Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with chile. Serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings.

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Basil Pesto

• 2 ounces (1 packed cup) basil leaves

• 1 ounce (¼ cup) grated parmesan cheese

• 3 tablespoons toasted pine nuts

• 3 tablespoons or more good olive oil

• 1 clove garlic

• Splash of lemon juice

• Pinch sea salt

Pulse all ingredients in a food processor until the pesto reaches desired consistency. Thin with a little olive oil if desired. Taste and adjust salt and lemon to taste. 

shrimp and cauliflower grits with hot sauce butter

This week, I have a not-so-secret secret for you.

You might have noticed a fair number of gluten-free and/or low sugar recipes hanging out on the blog lately. This is because Beau and I have been undertaking some dietary self-experimentation over the last few months.

As someone who cooks and eats for a living and who doesn’t exactly have skinny genes coursing through my DNA (do genes course?), figuring out how to eat without gaining weight has been an ongoing struggle. Add all the pastry tasting during my culinary tours and you have a closet full of very tight clothes.

On a recent flight back from Paris, I ended up watching a documentary about the staggering amount of sugar in our food these days. Which led to me reading this book about why people in industrialized countries keep gaining more and more weight. 

I should pause to say that I am hugely skeptical about fad diets. But the more I read, the more the science seems to point to the crazy amount of sugar and carbohydrates in the modern diet. 

So Beau and I decided to cut the amount of sugar and carbs we eat way back. For the last four months we’ve eaten a lot of protein, a lot of (mostly green) vegetables and a good amount of fat. Let me be honest: I did not fully expect this to work. But we figured we’d give it a go and see what happened. 

To my surprise, we both feel much better eating this way. We have more even energy throughout the day (no more afternoon slump!), we don’t feel hungry all the time (no more afternoon grazing on sugary snacks!) and we’ve both lost weight.

Because what food you put in your body is a deeply personal choice and because I cannot abide proselytizing in any form, I would not dream of telling you how you should eat. But it was starting to get a little awkward eating one way at home and posting recipes that don’t represent that here on the blog.

Honestly, I feel a bit silly discussing the details of what I do and don't eat (the intricacies of one's diet being among the most boring topics known to man). But this is a food blog. And it’s a blog about trying to live a beautiful, balanced life. So it felt relevant. If anyone has fallen asleep in their soup (gluten-free or otherwise), please forgive me.

By no means will every recipe I post on here be gluten-free, low-sugar or low-carb. I still believe that no food should be 100% off-limits: If I want a slice of chocolate cake or toast with jam for breakfast, I’m going to have it. I’m just trying to make it more of an occasional treat than a daily occurrence!

So, with that out of the way, this week I invite you to try: Shrimp and Cauliflower Grits with Hot Sauce Butter. It's creamy, plenty spicy and just the sort of hearty breakfast (or lunch or dinner) chilly days require. It's the kind of comfort food we all crave from time to time. Happily, it's also quite adaptable. Feel free to leave out the bacon for a pescatarian dish. Up the mushrooms and ditch the meat if you're a vegetarian. Use good old-fashioned stone ground grits if you like. It's up to you. As ever, I want you to make this recipe your own.

Also, I'd love to hear back if any of you have tried out a low-carb or low-sugar diet. Love it? Hate it? Got any tips? Drop me a line in the comments below.

xo,

Olaiya

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Shrimp and Cauliflower Grits with Hot Sauce Butter

• 1 large head cauliflower (about 2 lbs), trimmed, cored and cut into roughly 1-inch pieces
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 cups water
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter (or olive oil), divided
• 1 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper
• Sea salt, to taste
• 6 oz sharp cheddar cheese, or to taste
• 4 slices thick-cut bacon, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 6 oz cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 6 green onions, green part only, sliced into rounds
• 1 lb medium or large shrimp, peeled, tails removed and deveined if desired, and patted dry with paper towels
• 4 teaspoons hot sauce (such as Tobasco), or to taste
• Splash lemon juice, optional

First, make the cauliflower grits: Place the cauliflower in a food processor and pulse until it is about the size of couscous grains. Make sure not to over-process the cauliflower; you want to leave it a little course to replicate the texture of grits. If your food processor is on the smaller side, you might need to do this in batches. 

Spread the processed cauliflower out on a large plate or platter and microwave for 8 minutes, stirring once about halfway through. Alternately, you can cook it on the stovetop: bring an inch or so of water to a simmer in a deep pot large enough to hold a fine mesh sieve or a colander lined with cheesecloth. Transfer the cauliflower to the sieve or colander and set it over the simmering water. Cover and steam until the cauliflower has softened but still retains its texture, about 5-8 minutes.

Place the cooked cauliflower in a kitchen towel and wring as dry as possible. You want to remove as much water as possible from the cauliflower so it can soak up the cooking liquid and seasonings. Fluff the cauliflower with a fork to break up any clumps (you should have about 4 cups) and place it in a large saucepan or stockpot. Add the cream, water, 2 tablespoons of the butter, the pepper and a generous pinch of salt. Cook over medium heat until the butter has melted and the cauliflower has started to absorb some of the liquid. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the cheese. Continue to cook, stirring often, until the cheese has melted. Reduce the heat to low and cover the cauliflower grits while you prepare the shrimp.

To make the shrimp: Sauté the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until just crisp. Remove the bacon from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside. You want about 2 tablespoons of fat left in the pan. If you have excess, pour it off. If you don’t have enough, add a little butter or olive oil. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the mushrooms and green onion along with a pinch of salt. Cook until the mushrooms are tender and starting to turn golden, about 4-5 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside. 

Raise the heat to medium-high. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons butter to the pan. When it has melted, add the shrimp along with a pinch of salt and sauté until the shrimp are almost cooked through. The time will vary depending on the size of your shrimp. To check for doneness, remove a shrimp from the pan and cut it in half. You want the inside to be slightly translucent. The shrimp will continue to cook off the heat and be cooked through by the time you serve them.
 
Remove the pan from the heat and add the hot sauce. Stir to combine. Taste and adjust the seasonings. (You can add a splash of lemon juice if your hot sauce isn’t very vinegary.) 

Divide the cauliflower grits among serving bowls. (If they are thicker than you would like, add a little water to the pot to loosen them. if they are too loose, cook them a minute or two longer over medium-high heat, uncovered.) Top with mushrooms and shrimp. Sprinkle the bacon over the top. Serve immediately, passing additional hot sauce alongside.

Makes 4-5 servings.