Roasted Cabbage with Bacon
September 30, 2014 § Leave a comment
Roasting vegetables is my new favorite thing. It turns a humble, everyday vegetable into a taste sensation as it brings out sweet flavor notes of any vegetable. Cabbage is one of them. I already love how it adds texture to a dish if cooked right. Think soups and pancit (our local noodle dish). 
But roasted, with bacon to boot, it was mind-blowing. The sweetness of the cabbage and the salty, smoky bacon is a highly addictive union. A simple dish made to impress flavor-wise because admittedly, food porn it is not.
Roasted Cabbage with Bacon
What You Need:
- 1 head of green cabbage, outer leaves removed
- Olive oil
- Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 4 slices of bacon
What You Do:
- Heat the oven to 230°C.
- Cut the cabbage into eight wedges, discarding the core.
- Lay these down on a large pan, drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.
- Cut slices of bacon into strips and scatter over the cabbage.
- Roast for 30-40 minutes, flipping the cabbage wedges once halfway through.
- Serve immediately.
Bacon Cheddar Scones
June 1, 2014 § 2 Comments
After baking this scones a few years ago, bacon lover that I am, I had intended to make a savory one with bacon and cheese (because really, you can’t go wrong with bacon and cheese).
Months dragged into years, lo and behold, I finally got around to make it! I never forgot, mind you. It’s just that time flies so fast and when I tried to look for my scones post, I was horrified at how long that was already. Where did the years go?
Anyway, I saw this new recipe (below) and decided that this was a good time to make some scones. I am incidentally going on a road trip tomorrow and these babies are going with me.
What You’ll Need:
For the scones:
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1-2 tsp. ground black pepper (depending on your preference)
- 8 tbsp. cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
- 1 ½ cups grated cheddar cheese
- 10 slices bacon, cooked and chopped or crumbled into small pieces
- 1 cup buttermilk (plus up to ½ cup extra, if needed)
For the egg wash:
- 1 large egg
- 2 tbsp. water
What You’ll Do:
- Preheat the oven to 200° C.
- In the bowl combine the flour, baking powder, salt and black pepper; mix briefly to combine. Add the cubes of butter and using a pastry blender or two knives to cut the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture is crumbly and the butter pieces are about the size of small peas.
- Add in the grated cheese and mix just until incorporated.
- Mix in the bacon and 1 cup of the buttermilk into the flour-butter mixture. Stir by hand just until all the ingredients are incorporated. If the dough is too dry to come together, mix in the remaining buttermilk a tablespoon or two at a time until the dough can be formed into a ball.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and pat the dough into an 8-inch disk. Slice the dough into 8 to 10 wedges.
- In a small bowl combine the egg and water and whisk together. Brush each wedge lightly with the egg wash.
- Transfer the scones to an ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
A Happy New Year!
January 15, 2013 § 1 Comment
Sick during the holidays – how sad is that? A week after and I am still nursing a bad cough, nose still pretty clogged. I have so much food from the holidays but appetite eludes me. So, I ended up with more food than ever before. I bet the people at reception, maintenance, even the guards won’t ever forget me – either they love me to pieces for all the holiday goodies I brought their way or they are avoiding me by now for dumping so much food on them.
I trekked to the doctor’s clinic last week. “I need to be well by Saturday”, I told him. And like a good doctor that he is, I am feeling better now, thank you, although I am still not in creative cooking mode. Until last night, when I whipped up a pleasant meal of leftovers, which I ate with gusto – and that is a wonderful sign that I am on the road to real recovery.
I had some fresh mozzarella that needed to be consumed soon, what to do? I didn’t feel like a pizza or a sandwich. I didn’t have fresh basil and tomatoes so a salad is out too. Besides, I wanted something more filling – a first in weeks!
So, I beat to combine a couple of eggs and a couple of tablespoons of milk. Sliced the mozzarella. Washed some leftover spinach my mom sent my way before she left for abroad. Threw some bacon bits on the pan – I always have bacon, no mater what!! Then I threw in the spinach, seasoned with salt and pepper. Poured the egg mixture into the pan as soon as the spinach starts to wilt. Before turning over, I added the mozzarella cubes. It’s smoky with a mild cheesy taste. I think it’s awesome.
A very belated New Year greetings to everyone. May you cook more and eat more healthily, be blessed with more opportunities to try new foods and flavors this year.
Storm In My Kitchen 