Fruit Compote

Lemon Pancakes Topped with a Berry Compote

I know I posted a lemon pancake recipe already that included a recipe for berry compote. However, I was working on some pastries and a cake that both used different kinds of compotes, and thought it would be a good idea to post a general fruit compote recipe. In other words, I wanted to explain how to make a fruit compote using any type of fruit that you want! Compotes are very versitile as they can be used as toppings, fillings, or to flavor breakfast or desserts items. I make compotes frequently to eat with waffles or pancakes, to fill cakes or pastries, and to flavor cake batters or frostings. The best part is the recipe is very simple and natural as it involves little additional sugar. So have fun trying this recipe and enjoy! 

Pastries filled with Apple and Guava Compote

Fruit Compote Recipe

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 ½ cups of fruit
• 2 tsp of brown sugar (or white sugar)
• ¼ cup of water or citris juice (orange, lime, lemon etc.)

          (Note: you can use fresh or frozen berries to make the compote)

TOOLS NEEDED:

• A small pot
• A knife, cutting board, large spoon, and measuring utensils

VIDEO DEMONSTRATION / INSTRUCTIONS

BRIEF DIRECTIONS (See the video demonstration for detailed instructions):

1. Collect the ingredients. First, prepare the fruit by removing any skin and pits (Note: don't worry about removing the seeds or skin from berries like strawberries, blueberries, black berries, etc.) Then chop any large fruit into ¼ inch cubes, including strawberries. 
2. Now, in a medium-sized pot, add the 3 ½  cups of fruit, sugar, and water (or citris juice). Then place the pot on the stove, give it a good stir, and bring to a simmer on high heat with the pot covered.
3. Once the pot is simmering, stir the pot, reduce the heat to medium-high, and let cook for 15 to 20 minutes with the pot uncovered, but make sure you stir the pot occasionally.
4. By this point, the compote should be almost finished, and the fruit should be soft. If the fruit is still firm let it continue to cook for another 5 to 10 minutes (Note: Add a ¼ cup of fluid if the compote seems to thick) 
5. Once the fruit is tender (as in a fork can easily poke through the fruit), you can either leave the compote as is so it has chunks of fruit in it or you can smash the fruit. To smash the fruit, take two spoons and smash the fruit between the spoons to break them down a bit. Then take a large spoon and squash the fruit against the bottom of the pot until there are no large chunks of the fruit.  The compote should have a thick and slightly runny consistency, but not be too liquidy. ***If the compote is too watery, let it cook for another 5 to 10 minutes to allow some of the fluid to evaporate. Make sure you watch the compote throughout the cooking process and remove from the heat when the consistency is right (see video demonstration for a visual)***    ***If the compote is too thick, add 1 or 2 tablespoons of water and mix. Then the compote is done.***
6. Once the compote has the right consistency, remove it from the heat, and it is ready to serve! You can also store this in the refrigerator for a week or freeze it and defrost as needed (Note: If you freeze the compote make sure you use it within a few weeks).

Dairy-Free Cream of Mushroom Soup

There is nothing like having a bowl of cream of (insert whatever vegetable name here) soup. I love soups that are thick and have the body to them. Unfortunately, I am sensitive to dairy and have to limit how much dairy I eat, which can be very difficult at times. However, I’ve managed to create a recipe for cream of mushroom soup that tastes just like the dairy version but is actually dairy-free. This soup comes out thick and creamy in texture with a strong mushroom flavor. It is also a great option to eat when doing a liquid detox because it is very hardy and satisfying. My mushroom soup recipe is also vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free friendly; requires few ingredients, and is quite simple to make. So have fun trying out this recipe, and enjoy!   

Dairy-Free Cream of Mushroom Soup Recipe

INGREDIENTS:

• 48 oz of baby bella mushrooms
• 7 cups of water
• 2 medium-sized onions
• 1 cup rolled oats, finely ground
• 4 teaspoons of onion powder
• 4 teaspoons of garlic powder
• 2 ½ teaspoons of salt
• ½ teaspoon of ground black pepper
• 1 ½ tablespoons of olive oil

TOOLS NEEDED:

• A large pot
• A frying or sauté pan
• A knife, cutting board, large spoon, and measuring utensils
• A food processor

VIDEO DEMONSTRATION / INSTRUCTIONS

BRIEF DIRECTIONS (See the video demonstration for detailed instructions):

1. Collect the ingredients. Finely chop the onions in a food processor or by hand. Finely grind the rolled oats in a food processor until they reach a flour-like consistency. Take ¾ths of the mushrooms and cut them into ¼ inch cubes. Then take the remaining ¼ of mushrooms and cut into slices ¼ inch thick.
2. In a large pot, add the onions, 1 teaspoon of olive oil, and cook the onions on high heat, with the pot covered, until the onions are translucent. Be sure to stir the pot occasionally.
3. Add the chopped mushrooms to the pot and sauté for 5 minutes with the pot covered stirring occasionally until the mushrooms begin to brown, have released some fluids and reduced in volume by half.
4. Now add the ground oats to the mushrooms and mix thoroughly. Then add the water to the pot, stir, and bring to a boil over high heat.
5. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium, and let cook for 20 minutes with the pot covered stirring occasionally.
6. While waiting, sauté the sliced mushrooms in a frying pan. Add about a tablespoon of olive oil to the pan and heat on high heat. Then add the sliced mushrooms and sauté for 5 minutes. Next, add a pinch or two of salt to the mushrooms and continue to sauté for a few minutes until the mushrooms have browned (See video demonstration for a visual). Turn off the stove and set the mushrooms aside for later.
7. After cooking for 20 minutes, the oats in the soup should have completely dissolved, and the soup should have thickened. Now season the soup with the salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper and stir thoroughly (Note: don’t over season the soup at this point as the soup still needs to cook an additional 10 minutes).
8. Next, add some of the sautéed mushrooms to the soup. You can reserve some of the mushrooms to place on top of the soup if you want. Then stir the soup and let cook for another 5 minutes.
9. At this point, the soup is done. You can add more salt and pepper to taste if you’d like and then the soup can be served!

Lemon Pancakes with Berry Compote

I always try to think of something special to make my mom on Mother’s Day, and this is one of the recipes I came up with in the process. My mom really likes things that are lemon flavored, so I figured some fluffy, lemon flavored pancakes would be perfect! And accompanying the pancakes with a berry compote and fresh fruit provides a sweetness and tartness that contrast perfectly with the lemon flavor of the pancakes! My family loves these pancakes! In fact, the lemon pancakes taste great on their own, or with other food items like scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, or whatever you want. This lemon pancake recipe is a great option for making a special meal because it isn’t too difficult to make but the flavors are simply amazing! So have fun trying this recipe and enjoy! 

Lemon Pancakes with Berry Compote Recipe

INGREDIENTS:

For Lemon Pancakes:

• 1  ½ cup of all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons of baking powder
• ½ tsp of baking soda
• 4 tbsp of white sugar
• ½ cup of milk
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 3 tbsp of unsalted butter, melted
• 2 lemons, zested
• ½ cup fresh lemon juice
• Butter or margarine for cooking
• Fresh berries to add on top of the pancakes (optional)

For Berry Compote:

• ¼ cup of blackberries
• ½ cup of raspberries
• 1 ¼ cups of strawberries
• 1 ½ cups of blueberries
• 2 tsp of brown sugar (or white sugar)
• ¼ cup of water

          (Note: you can use fresh or frozen berries to make the compote)

TOOLS NEEDED:

• A medium-sized bowl
• A small pot
• A flat griddle pan
• A knife, cutting board, large spoon, and measuring utensils
• A ladle
• A spatula

VIDEO DEMONSTRATION / INSTRUCTIONS

BRIEF DIRECTIONS (See the video demonstration for detailed instructions):

1. Collect the ingredients. Zest and juice the lemons. Thoroughly whisk the egg until it looks frothy.
2. Put the flour in a medium-sized bowl and whisk to loosen the flour. Add the baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and lemon zest to the flour and mix to evenly distribute the ingredients.
3. Now add the eggs, melted butter, milk, and lemon juice to the flour mixture. Then stir and fold the ingredients until you don’t see any streaks of flour (Note: don’t over mix the batter or the pancakes will end up flat). Then let the pancake mixture sit for 15 minutes.  In the meantime, make the berry compote.
4. First, coarsely chop the strawberries. In a medium-sized pot, add the blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, brown sugar, and water. Then place the pot on the stove, give it a good stir, and bring to a simmer on high heat with the pot covered.
5. Once the pot is simmering, stir the pot, reduce the heat to medium-high, and let cook for 15 to 20 minutes with the pot uncovered, but make sure you stir the pot occasionally. You can start making the pancakes while the compote is cooking.
6. Take a griddle pan and heat on medium-high heat. Then take the unmelted butter (or margarine) and coat the spots on the pan where you are going to put the pancake batter. Next, use a ladle to pour the batter onto the pan, and let cook for about 2 minutes or until you see bubbles forming across the batter of the pancake (see video demonstration for a visual). Flip the pancakes over and let cook for about 20 seconds. Then remove them from the pan. Repeat the process for the rest of the pancake batter.
7. By this point, the compote should be almost finished, and the berries will be soft. Take two spoons and smash the berries between the spoons to beak them down a bit. Then take a large spoon and squash the berries against the bottom of the pot until there are no large chunks of berries. The mixture should have thickened but still be a little bit runny. If the compote is too thick just add 1 or 2 tablespoons of water and mix. Then the compote is done.
8. Serve the pancakes with the warm compote, and some fresh fruit on the top or side of the pancakes!

Cuban Empanadas

One of my viewers requested for me to post a Cuban Empanada recipe, so I figured why not! Empanadas are really delicious and can be made in a variety of ways. However, the Cuban empanadas made amongst my family are fried (not baked) because they did not have access to an oven while living in Cuba. I will be providing some instructions on how to bake these empanadas to give you a few options. There is also a lot of variability in how to fill the empanadas. Filling empanadas with picadillo or guava are commonplace, but you can really fill these with whatever you want -ropa vieja, pollo en salsa, Cuban-style shrimp, etc. Just get as creative as you'd like! For this recipe, I am focusing on empanadas filled with picadillo. The empanadas are medium-large sized, about 6 inches by 4 inches, so you can choose to make them smaller or larger. Furthermore, the empanadas are light, flaky, and a bit crunchy with a slightly salty and sweet meat filling. The filling complements the outer shell of the empanada perfectly! So have fun trying this recipe and enjoy!

Cuban Empanadas Recipe

INGREDIENTS:

For the Picadillo/Meat Filling:

• 1 lbs of ground beef
• ½ of a large red pepper
• 1 medium-sized onion
• ¹/₃ of a 5.75oz jar of green olives
• 1 cup of raisins
• ¾ tbsp garlic powder
• 2 tbsp cumin
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 packet of sazón con asafran or ½ tablespoon saffron

For the Empanada Dough:

•  2 ½ cups of flour
• ¹/₃ cup of shortening
• ²/₃  cup of cold (ice) water plus ¼ cup extra
• 1 ¼ tsp of salt

For frying:

• vegetable or corn oil (a few cups or more depending on the size of your pot)

TOOLS NEEDED:

• A medium-sized pot
• Rolling pin
• Fork, knife, cutting board, large spoon, and measuring utensils
• A food processor (optional)

VIDEO DEMONSTRATION / INSTRUCTIONS

BRIEF DIRECTIONS (See the video demonstration for detailed instructions):

1. Prepare the empanada dough first. Put the flour in a medium-sized bowl, add the salt, and whisk to loosen the flour and evenly distribute the salt. Then cut the shortening into the flour using your fingertips until the mixture looks like coarse grains. Next, add in the water a few tablespoons at a time and use a fork to mix. Continue to do this until all the water is added and the mixture formed large chunks. Now use your hands to press the mixture together into one large ball that stays together. Wrap the ball in plastic wrap, then place in the refrigerator for 1 hour. While waiting make the meat filling.
2. Collect the ingredients. Soak the raisins in water for about 20 minutes (put enough water so that the raisins are covered, the water will be discarded anyway. You can set the raisins to soak before making the empanada dough). Finely chop the red pepper, and onion with a food processor. Cut the green olives in half or in thirds.
3. Put the meat in a large pot, break up the meat, and cook on high heat to lightly brown the meat, but continue to stir and break up the meat. You don't want there to be clumps, it should be very refined.
4. Next, add the red pepper and onion to the meat and mix. Add the seasonings, raisins, and olives to the meat and mix thoroughly. Then reduce the heat to medium and let cook for 20 to 25 minutes. Now turn off the heat and start rolling out the empanada dough.
5. Take the empanada dough out of the refrigerator and separate into 1 <iframe frameborder="0" width="480" height="270" src="//www.dailymotion.com/embed/video/x6i6mg5" allowfullscreen allow="autoplay"></iframe> ½ inch balls (about 12 to 13).
6. Now on a lightly floured surface, take one of the dough balls and roll it out to be 1/16th of an inch thick (very thin) by 7 inches in diameter. Make sure to keep it relatively circular, but any imperfections can be trimmed later. Add 5 or 6 tablespoons of the meat filling to the center, then wet the edges of the dough all around the meat and fold over the dough pressing from the meat outward to avoid getting air trapped inside and fully seal the empanada. Now use a fork to crimp the flat edge of the empanada which also helps seal it, and use a knife to even out the edges. Repeat the process for all the empanadas (Note: you can take the scraps and any excess dough, roll it out, cut into smaller pieces, and fry it as is, flat, without any filling, which tastes great with just a bit of powdered sugar and cinnamon)!
7. Now we can fry the empanadas. Take a medium-sized, deep pot, fill with at least 2 ½ inches of vegetable oil, and heat on high heat. You can use a small piece of the empanada dough to check if the oil is hot enough. If you see bubbles, the oil is ready.
8. Carefully, place one empanada in the oil (you can use a spatula to place the empanada in the oil to avoid splashing the oil) then let cook on each side for about 1 minute or until the outside is light brown then remove from the oil and place on a wire rack (Note: the first empanada will take longer to cook, and the rest will cook extremely fast). For the remaining empanadas reduce the heat to medium-high and cook for 20 seconds on each side or until they are starting to turn light brown and remove from the oil and place on a wire rack (Note: the empanadas will continue to cook once removed from the oil and should end up a golden color, so don't overcook them in the oil; see video for visual).
9. Once all of the empanadas are fried, they can be served!

Note: you can also bake the empanadas if you want....just bake them at 400 degrees F for 10 to 15 minutes on each side or until they brown. Be sure to flip the empanadas over halfway into the cooking process.