Caramel Sauce

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 3 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter

DIRECTIONS

1. In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the sugar and water over medium-low heat until the sugar dissolves. Increase the heat and bring to a boil, without stirring. If necessary, use a wet pastry brush to wash down any crystals on the side of the pan. Boil until the syrup is a deep amber color (I look for the first hint of smoke and remove the pan from the heat immediately) -- about 5 to 6 minutes.
2. Remove the sugar from the heat and carefully whisk in the heavy cream. The mixture will bubble. Stir in the unsalted butter, and salt. Transfer the caramel to a dish and cool.

Based on a recipe I found at http://m.cookingchanneltv.com/recipes/kelsey-nixon/salted-caramel-sauce.html

Red Pepper Hummus

Ingredients:

• 2 red bell peppers (roasted, skinned and diced)
• 1.5 cups (one 15 oz. can) cooked chickpeas, rinsed and drained if canned (equals 1/2 c dry beans soaked overnight and cooked for 45-90 minutes)
• 2-3 medium cloves garlic, peeled
• 1/4 cup raw tahini (sesame paste)
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon sea salt (or less if you prefer)
• 1/4 cup vegetable broth
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

Instructions.

• 1. If you are anal, skin the chickpeas. It will take a while. You might start to curse, or give up altogether.
  2. Roast red peppers directly over burner on stove until blackened on all sides. Put in a paper bag for 10 minutes. Peel off skin, dice into 1/8" pieces
  3. In a food processor, blend the garbanzo beans and garlic cloves very well. Add the tahini, lemon juice, salt, broth and oil and process until fully emulsified and creamy. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to ten days. For best results, allow to warm to room temperature before serving.
  4. Add 1/2 of the peppers to the food processor and blend (peppers should still be visible.)
  5. Serve hummus in a bowl and garnish on top with the other 1/2 of the peppers.

Moroccan Style Sausage Rolls & Red Pepper Hummus

Ingredients:

• 3 puff pastry sheets
• 1½ lb ground beef (use lamb if you can afford it)
• 2½T sundried cranberries
• 1½t ground coriander
• 1½t ground cumin
• 1T of lemon juice
• 1/4lb fresh spinach leaves, chopped
• 4 sprigs fresh coriander leaves, chopped
• 3 sprigs fresh parsley leaves, chopped
• 2 eggs lightly beaten
• 1 egg lightly beaten with 2T cold water (separate from above)

Instructions.

1. Remove the pastry from the freezer to defrost
2. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F
3. Put the chopped herbs and spinach, and spices in a bowl and blend well.
4. Put the ground meat into the bowl and mix by band until well blended
5. Add 2 beaten eggs and mix through
6. Split the mixture into three parts
7. One by one, layout each sheet of pastry on a lightly floured surface, rolling slightly to fix any splits and to make the pastry even.
8. Dab some of the egg/water mixture for about 1" along one edge.
9. Lay out 1/3 of the meat mixture along the opposit edge of the pastry and then roll the pastry up and over into a log, sealing with the egg dabbed edge.
10. Cut into 1" pieces
11. Put the pieces onto a baking tray lined with baking paper and brush with the egg/water mixture to glaze
12. Bake for 30 minutes
13. Remove from the oven and cool
14. Serve with Red Pepper Hummus

Spanokopita Swirls with Skordalia

Spanokopita
Ingredients:
1 pkg puff pastry
1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
4 oz feta cheese
4 oz cream cheese (Neufchatel) (room temperature)
1 1/2 c fine chiffonade fresh Spinach
Parmesan cheese for rolling

Instructions Preheat oven to 375 F

Line two baking sheets with foil & parchment on top.

Saute onion in olive oil until clear and just starting to caramelize.  Remove from heat and cool.

Blend cream cheese and feta in a food processor.  Add onion. Set aside.

Coat rolling surface with a light layer of Parmesan cheese.  Layout a sheet of puff pastry dough. Coat lightly to prevent rolling pin from sticking and roll until even - 1/8" - 3/16" thick.

Spread 1/2 of cheese mixture evenly, leaving 1/2" at one edge for sealing later.

Spread 1/2 of spinach evenly, again leaving 1/2" at one edge for sealing.

Start rolling from edge opposite the 1/2" uncoated edge.  Keep the roll tight and even.
Roll until the 1/2" edge is left.  Wet that 1/2" edge with water and finish rolling, sealing the roll.

Repeat for other sheet of pastry.

Place both rolls in the freezer on a tray with the seam edge down for 10-20 minutes.

Remove from freezer and slide into 1/2" thick disks with a serrated knife and place on covered baking sheets.

Bake for 10-20 minutes until pastry puffs and browns.

Skordalia
Ingredients:
4-5 potatoes, peeled and cubed
6-10 cloves of garlic, pressed with a garlic press
1 c olive oil
1/4 c lemon juice


Instructions.
Boil potatoes in water until tender, drain.

Mash with a potato masher or ricer to a coarse texture.

Blend in garlic.

Put mixture in a food processor.  Pulse, slowly adding olive oil and lemon juice.  Mixture should remain coarse, but be well homogenized by pulsing.

Serve warm in a bowl with Spanokopita.

Can be served as a potato side dish as well.