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Recipes
Maple Oatmeal Scones
By AprilAbrantes
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F
- For the Scones:
- 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup whole-wheat flour
- 1 cup quick-cooking oats, plus additional for sprinkling
- 2 tablespoons baking powder
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 pound cold unsalted butter, diced
- 1/2 cup cold buttermilk
- 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
- 4 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon milk or water, for egg wash
- For the Glaze:
- 1 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar
- 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Mussels in White Wine
By AprilAbrantes
To clean the mussels, put them in a large bowl with 2 quarts of water and the flour and soak for 30 minutes, or unt...
- 3 pounds cultivated mussels
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons good olive oil
- 1 cup chopped shallots (5 to 7 shallots)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic (5 to 6 cloves)
- 1/2 cup chopped canned plum tomatoes, drained (4 ounces)
- 1/2 teaspoon good saffron threads
- 1/3 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- 1 cup good white wine
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Morrocan Chili and 10,000 Grains of Sand
By AprilAbrantes
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 pounds ground lamb
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1/2 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon ground coriander
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 lemon, zested and juiced
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce, eyeball it
- 1 (14-ounce) can tomato sauce
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
- A handful golden raisins
- 4 apricots, chopped
- 1 1/2 cups couscous
- 3 to 4 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
- A handful fresh parsley leaves, chopped
- A handful fresh mint leaves, chopped
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped chives
- 8 pita breads, cut into wedgesfor scooping
Irish Soda Bread
By AprilAbrantes
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F
- 4 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for currants
- 4 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch dice
- 1 3/4 cups cold buttermilk, shaken
- 1 extra-large egg, lightly beaten
- 1 teaspoon grated orange zest
- 1 cup dried currants
Lemon Ricotta Pancakes with Lemon Curd and Fresh Raspberries
By AprilAbrantes
Preheat a nonstick griddle
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 2 eggs
- 2/3 cup milk
- 1 lemon, zested and juiced
- Butter, for griddle
- 1 (11-ounce) jar prepared lemon curd
- Fresh raspberries, for garnish
- Confectioners' sugar, for garnish
Brick Chicken with Apricot Couscous
By AprilAbrantes
Toast cumin, coriander and cinnamon in a medium saucepan over low heat until fragrant
- Couscous:
- 2 tablespoons cumin seed
- 2 tablespoons whole coriander
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon cayenne
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 1 whole free-range chicken (3 pounds), split
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- Mint Yogurt Dressing
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 small red onion, small dice
- 1/4 cup dried apricots, coarsely chopped
- 1/4 cup whole almonds toasted, coarsely chopped
- 1 cup couscous
- 1 1/2 cups chicken stock, warm
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
- 2 scallions green parts only
- 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped
- 1/2 bunch fresh cilantro leaves, roughly chopped plus leaves for garnish
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Garlic and Citrus Chicken
By AprilAbrantes
Position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees F
- 1 (5 to 6-pound) whole roasting chicken, neck and giblets discarded
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 orange, quartered
- 1 lemon, quartered
- 1 head garlic, halved crosswise, plus 3 garlic cloves, chopped
- 2 (14-ounce) cans reduced-sodium chicken broth
- 1/4 cup frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano leaves
- Kitchen string or butcher twine
Middle Eastern Chicken Pot and Butter-Nut Couscous
By AprilAbrantes
Heat the extra-virgin olive oil in a deep skillet over medium-high heat
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, eyeball it
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, chopped into bite-sized pieces
- 1 onion, thinly sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, grated or chopped
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- 1 fresh bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon coriander
- Pinch ground cinnamon
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 3/4 cup chopped dried fruits - pick 1 or combine: figs, pitted dates, apricots, sultanas
- 1 lemon, zested and juiced
- 3/4 cup pitted mixed olives, chopped
- 4 cups chicken stock, divided
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons pine nuts
- 1/4 cup slivered or sliced almonds
- 1 1/2 cups couscous
- Handful flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Ligurian Fish Stew
By AprilAbrantes
For the stew: In a 6-quart, heavy bottomed stock pot or Dutch oven, heat 1/3 cup of oil over medium-high heat
- Crostini:
- 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
- 1 medium carrot, peeled and chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- Kosher salt
- 3/4 cup white wine, such as Pinot Grigio
- 1 (28-ounce) can crushed or pureed Italian tomatoes (recommended: San Marzano)
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, plus extra for garnish
- 1 1/2 pounds whitefish fillets, halibut, cod or arctic char, skinned and cut into 3/4-inch chunks
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 1 (1-pound) loaf ciabatta or rustic bread, trimmed and cut into 3/4-inch thick slices
- Olive oil, for drizzling, plus 3 tablespoons
- 1 garlic clove, halved
Carini's Spagetti Sauce
By AprilAbrantes
To come later
- Olive oil
- 4 or 5 jumbo onions
- 2 lb Sweet Sausage
- 1 1/2 lb ground round
- Salt
- 1 bulb garlic, each clove pealed and chopped in the Cuisinart
- 4 tablespoons dried oregano leaves
- 1 tablespoon italian mixed herbs
- 1/2 teaspoon ground thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon tumeric
- up to 1 tablespoon sugar
- 18 lb canned tomatoes, diced (preferred), crushed and whole
- Approximately 10 parts diced or crushed tomatoes (dice preferred)
- Approximately 8 parts whole tomatoes, drained (use what you drain off) and pulse chopped quickly in the Cuisinart. This provides some larger lumps of tomato in the sauce.
- 30 oz. tomato sauce (hunts brand preferred)
- 1 Large leaf bay
- 2 Tablespoons dried Basil, to taste or comparable fresh basil.