BEETROOT PESTO & A REVIEW: KALLARAS EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL - PESTO DE BETTERAVE

If you don't stand for something you will fall for anything.
- Malcolm X

The day I entered the blogging world and launched Rosa's Yummy Yums, I made a promise to myself that under no circumstances would I ever transform my site into an advertizing platform or sell my soul to the god of freebies. My aim has never been to metamorphose into a food bloggers who reviews any samples just because they are gratis, promotes more giveaways than articles and turns his/her site into a hideous podium for big brands as well as multinational companies in order to boost his/her traffic and gain a few bucks.

Of course, every individual is free to do as he or she pleases, nonetheless this form of media harlotry is definitely not my cup of tea since it goes against my convictions; I definitely don't want to sponsor mafia-like businesses or fascist food corporations (Monsanto and allies for example) which are hell-bent on destroying our mind (brainwashing), health (obesity, cancer, etc...) and environment (pollution, anihilation of forests, etc...).

Whenever it comes to speaking about a product, I am extremely selective and do everything in my power to keep my integrity as I refuse to be dishonest with my readers (check out this interesting article on the subject of advertisement) and become a cash cow or marketing puppet for a certain branch of the industry which I despise. It is for this reason that I exclusively endorse people who deserve attention, support enterprises (size doesn't matter, but their politics certainly do) I can relate to and whose merchandise I fully appreciate and consider worth putting in the limelight. Hence, 90% of approaches are turned down and I rarely give any positive following to the numerous e-mail offers which land in my message box. I have ethics and love my independance, thus maintaning 100% editorial control over my blog is crucial to me.

There is a very good reason why we gave our family name to the olive oil we produce. And that is because we wanted our clients to know that the olive oil they chose to consume is created by one family that overlooks the entire procedure, from the cultivation of the trees to the delivery of olive oil -no companies, merchants or middlemen involved
- Marinos Kallaras

So, if I choose to present Marinos* Kallaras' gourmet extra virgin olive oil here today, it is  because I am genuinely impressed by the quality of it and want to show my support for a Greek family of artisan producers from Corinth (in the Peloponnese) who are dedicated to creating a natural - zero chemicals, additives and preservatives - and authentic produce which carries the experience and tradition of generations (centuries).

Kallaras olive oil is extracted from freshly picked Manaki olives, a regional variety of slow-repening olives which are renowned for their distinctive soft sapidity, low acidity and high phenolic content. As a result, the oil obtained by cold-pressing the fruits is wholesome, pleasantly smooth in flavor (mildly fruity), has a wonderfully rich fragrance and a slightly tangy edge as well as pungent attributes of medium intensity.

I always have a good quality extra virgin olive oil. A cheap quality oil will end up cheapening your dishes...
- Nadia Giosia

This harmonious and delicate tasting golden-green elixir of health is perfect for seasoning, enhancing and preparing cold dishes such as salads, carpaccios and uncooked** specialities like sauces, dips and spreads (mayonnaise, dressings, relishes, salsas, pestos, etc...) or drizzling over rice, pasta, vegetables, beans, meat, fish and seafood.

When one is lucky enough to be in possession of such an awesome olive oil, one has the obligation to use it to its fullest potential and to pair it intelligently with ingredients that will not spoil its subtle aromas. That's why I've decided to incorporate it to my latest vegetarian creation to date: a hearty and seasonal "Beetroot Pesto" packed with antioxidants, vitamins and minerals.

Experimenting in the kitchen is one of my favorite activities and I must admit that the earthy, highly colorful, refined, deftly spiced and exquisite condiment I invented is just amazing. Not only is this soulful paste easy to put together and budget-friendly, but it is also a real crowd pleaser - you should have seen how both Patrik and my friend C. delighted in it when I served it as accompaniment to chicken kebabs and brown basmati pilaf with button mushrooms and caramelised onions.

Try this Middle East meets West (inspired by the cuisines of Lebanon, Scandinavia and Italy) fusion pesto and you'll be immediately conquered by its uniqueness and lusciousness!

* Actually, the man behind Kallaras olive oil is a mechanical engineer. However, he has always been working on his parents olive groves (whenever he is free) and dedicates a lot of time during the harvest period to personally undertake all the tasks which an olive oil producer typically performs.

**  Please remember to NEVER cook with it or you'll kill its nutritional value and comprises its value and top-notch savor.

Love beetroot dishes? Then head over to Great British Chefs and make sure to check out their mounthwatering recipes!

Beetroot Pesto
Recipe by Rosa Mayland, January 2013.

Makes about 1 1/2 cups pesto - serves 4-6 people.

Ingredients:
1/4 Cup Almonds, toasted
1/8 Cup Sesame seeds, toasted
1/4 Cup Virgin olive oil
1 Clove garlic
1 Tsp Ground cumin
1 Tsp Dried oregano 
A pinch Ground coriander
360g Cooked beetroot, cut in pieces
2 Tbs Lemon juice
1 Tbs Pomegranate molasses
1 Tsp Nutritional yeast
Fine sea salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Method:
1. In a food processor, mix together the almonds, sesame seeds, olive oil, garlic, cumin, oregano and coriander until you obtain a smooth paste.
2. Add the beetroot, lemon juice, pomegranate molasses, nutritional yeast, salt and pepper. Mix until the mixture is pastelike and homogenous (use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides of the food processor as necessary to make sure that the ingredients get blended well).
3. Serve. 

Remarks:
Store in a jar or airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.

This pesto freezes well, so why not double the recipe and keep half of it in the freezer in a plastic container or frozen first in an ice tray for mini-portions and then kept in a sealed freezer bag?

Serving suggestions:
Serve this pesto with pasta, spread it on bread/crackers or use it as dip.

Pesto De Betterave
Recette par Rosa Mayland, Janvier 2013.

Pour 4 à 6 personnes.

Ingrédients:
40g d'Amandes, torréfiées
18g de Graines de sésame, torréfiées
52ml/g d'Huile d'olive
1 Gousse d'ail
1 CC de Cumin en poudre
1 CC d'Origan séché 
1 pincée de coriandre en poudre
360g de Betterave cuite, coupée en cubes
2 CS de Jus de citron
1 CS de Mélasse de grenadine
1 CS de Levure maltée (alimentaire)
Sel de mer fin, à volonté
Poivre noir fraîchement moulu, à volonté

Méthode:
1. Mettre les amandes, les graines de sésame, l'huile d'olive, l'ail, le cumin, l'origan et la coriandre dans le bol de votre mixer et mixer jusqu'à obtention d'une pâte homogène.
2. Ajouter la betterave, le jus de citron, la mélasse et la levure nutritionnelle. Mixer à nouveau afin que le mélange ait la consistance d'un pesto (bien racler les bords du bol du robot pour ramener les ingrédients vers le centre).
3. Servir. 

Remarques:
Ce pesto se conserver une semaine (maximum) au frigo, dans un bocal.

Il peut aussi très bien être congelé, alors pourquoi ne pas doubler la recette et mettre la moité au congélateur (mini portions ou non)?

Suggestions de présentation:
Servir avec des pâtes, sur du pain et des crackerse ou comme dip.

KASHA, BLACK-EYED PEA, MACKEREL, FAVA BEAN, TOMATO & MISO SALAD - SALADE DE SARRASIN, DOLIQUES A OEIL NOIR, FÈVES, MAQUEREAU, TOMATE ET MISO

Be careful of those who pat you on the back. They might be looking for a soft spot to plant the knife.
- Anonymous

Honest hearts produce honest actions.
- Brigham Young

Those who know me are aware of the fact that I cherish honest, genuine as well as selfless beings and look for the deep and meaningful things in life. Superficiality, artificiality, triviality, egocentrism and materialism put me off. I reject all the false values that this modern and unethical society apprizes.

Calculators, manipulators and profitors are my biggest enemies. I fear them like the pest and smell them from a distance. Actually, I make it a rule to stay far away from anything that is shallow or anyone who is toxic, fake and untrustworthy as they can only be harmful to me and drain me of my life force. Negative energies and all forms of parasitism are to be avoided at any cost or they'll bring you down and suck you into their decadent spiral of chaos and destruction.

After having been psychologically abused by my tyrannical parents who exercized their maleficious control over me and could not care less about my person, but prefered to use me as a pawn in their viscious family game, and escaped from my Machiavellian sister's iron grip and mean powers of subjugation, I am finally free of all oppression so I really treasure my new found freedom and fiercely protect it with all my might. I have given enough and refuse to bleed more.

Since I have been deceived and ripped-off quite a few times by despicable individuals who are only interested in misusing others for their own egotistical purposes and evil agendas, I tend to be very careful when it comes to letting people into my existence and trusting them blindly. I pick my pals meticulously. This is the reason why I am not surrounded by hords of "friends" and definitely not the most popular girl on the block. But that's ok with me as I have my peace.

Nowadays, I listen to my heart and follow my instincts. If somebody is devious or something is shady, then I'll feel their bad vibrations and will not let them corrupt or rape my soul as I have understood that nobody can be my master nor that I am accountable to anyone. Power is in my hands and "no" is not a taboo word anymore...

Make food simple and let things taste of what they are.
- Curnonsky aka Maurice Edmond Sailland

I want a dish to taste good, rather than to have been seethed in pig's milk and served wrapped in a rhubarb leaf with grated thistle root.
- Kingsley Amis

I detest...anything over-cooked, over-herbed, over-sauced, over elaborate. Nothing can go very far wrong at table as long as there is honest bread, butter, olive oil, a generous spirit, lively appetites and attention to what we are eating."
- Sybille Bedford

When it comes to food, I love my grub to be straitforward and real. Pretentious or unnatural eats have no place at my home nor in my heart. I loathe unneccessarily complicated or pompous dishes and detest industrially processed aliments that have been deprived of their nutritional qualities and are loaded with a multitude of gruesome additives (saturated fats, artificial colorings and sweeteners, preservatives, corn syrup, etc...).

My dinners are seasonal, hearty, comforting, stripped of any chichis, yet they don't lack refinement or aromatic complexity. I try to enhance produces and get the best out of them without ever spoiling their original characteristics. This demands a little understanding of nutrition, some knowledge regarding the ingredients employed, a good dose of patience and a lot of gut feeling. Nothing very esoteric or difficult to accomplish, however it requires commitment and dedication.

Cooking is at once one of the simplest and most gratifying of the arts, but to cook well one must love and respect food.
- Craig Claiborne

Cookery is not chemistry. It is an art. It requires instinct and taste rather than exact measurements.
- Marcel Boulestin

If you are a passionate gourmet who is interested in your physical wellness, then it is absolutely not a sacrifice to relentlessly surf online in order to search for useful culinary information, to spend a few hours experimentig in the kitchen or to follow a healthy diet. Your hard labor will be rewarded and your body will be thankful for treating it like a temple rather than a dustbin. Certainly worth the effort!

Speaking of power foods, the salad that I am presenting today pretty much carries all those characteristics and is not far from perfection. It is well-balanced (contains many essential nutrients: fibers, vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, fatty acids, antioxidents, proteins and other compounds), extremely satiating, not expensive, fresh, easily prepared and although it appears to be simple, this harmonious tasting meal offers intricate flavors (nutty, herby, pungent, spicy, sweet, smoky, etc...) which will make your palate sing and your tummy smile.

My summery "Kasha, Black-Eyed Pea, Mackerel, Fava Bean, Tomato & Miso Salad" is ideal for a relaxed lunch or supper in the garden/on the balcony and for taking on picnics or bringing to potlucks, parties as well as work. Quirky, practical, energy-ladden and scrumptious!

Kasha, Black-Eyed Pea, Mackerel, Fava Bean, Tomato & Miso Salad

Recipe by Rosa Mayland, June 2012

Serves 2-3.

Ingredients For The "Miso Dressing":

1/3 Cup (75ml) Apple vinegar

1/3 Cup (75ml) Olive oil

2 Cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 Tbs Barley miso

1 Tbs Sweet soy sauce (Kikkoman)

1 Tbs Sweet chili sauce

1 Tsp Runny honey

1 Tsp Sesame oil

1/2 Tsp Fine sea salt
Ingredients For The "Salad":
1 1/2 Cups Raw kasha (buckwheat groats)
1 Tsp Fine sea salt
1 Cup (120g) Fresh fava beans, shelled (method)
260g Cooked black-eyed peas (cooked from scratch or canned)
2x 125g (2x 95g net weight) Canned mackerel
1x Beefsteak tomato, chopped
1 Medium onion, finely chopped
Fresh coriander, to taste

Method For The "Miso Dressing":
1. In a big salad bowl, whisk all ingredients together.
Method For The "Salad":
2. In a medium pan, lightly toast the kasha until golden.
3. Add 4 cups water (~1l) and the salt. Bring to a light boil, then immediatly lower the heat to a soft simmer.
4. Cook for about 8-10 minutes (it should still be a little crunchy - see remarks).
5. Sieve and rince with cold water, then let the water drip off.
6. Once the kasha is at room temperature, add to the bowl with all the other ingredients. Mix delicately.
7. Serve. 

Remarks:
The onion can be replaced by 2 chopped spring onions.
In case you don't have black-eyed peas at home, any legume of your choice will do (white beans, chickpeas, red beans, etc...).
You can also use other fresh herbs: chervil, parsley, basil or thyme.
Don't overcook your kasha, otherwise it'll go mushy. In order to avoid that, keep testing it while it is cooking.
If you like to eat your salad chilled, then mix all the ingredients together (minus the coriander, tomato and fish - you'll add them at the last moment) a few hours before serving and refrigerate. 

Serving suggestions:
Serve chilled or at room temperature and accompany with a glass of quality white wine (Gewürtzraminer, Riesling, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Chasselas,  etc...) or rosé (Vin Gris, Oeil de Perdrix, Weissherbst, Provence, Gamay Rosé, etc...).

Salade De Sarrasin, Doliques A Oeil Noir, Fèves, Maquereau, Tomate Et Miso 
Recette par Rosa Mayland, juin 2012.

Pour 2-3 personnes.

Ingrédients Pour La "Vinaigrette au Miso": 
75ml de Vinaigre de pomme
75ml Olive oil 
2 Gousses d'ail, hachées finement 
1 CS de Miso d'orge
1 CS de Sauce soja douce (Kikkoman)
1 CS de Sauce de piment douce 
1 CS de Miel liquide
1 CC d'Huile de sésame
1/2 CC de Sel de mer fin
 Ingrédients Pour La "Salade":
1 1/2 Coupes de Gruau de sarrasin 
1 CS de Sel de mer fin 
120g de Fèves fraîches, pelées (voir méthode) 
260g de Doliques à oeil noir cuites (voir méthode - vous pouvez aussi prendre une conserve)
2x 125g (poids net 2x 95g) de Filets de maquereau en conserve 
1 Tomate coeur de boeuf, coupée en dés
1 Oignon moyen, haché finement
Coriandre fraîche, selon goût

Méthode Pour La "Vinaigrette Au Miso": 
1. Dans un grand saladier, mélanger tous les ingrédients ensemble. 
Méthode Pour La "Salade": 
2. Dans une casserole moyenne, torréfier le sarrasin jusqu'à ce qu'il soit légèrement doré. 
3. Ajouter environ 1 litre d'eau et le sel. Porter à légère ébullition, puis immédiatement baisser le feu et laisser mijoter à feu très doux.
4. Cuire pendant environ 8-10 minutes. Le sarrasin devrait encore être un peu croquant (voir remarques).
5. L'égoutter et le rincer à l'eau très froide, puis le laisser égoutter encore une fois afin que toute l'eau se soit évacuée.
6. Une fois que le sarrasin a refroidi (température ambiante), le mettre dans le bol avec tous les autres ingrédients et mélanger délicatement. 
7. Servir. 

Remarques: 
L'oignon peut être remplacé par 2 oignons de printemps hachés. 
Dans le cas où vous n'aurez pas de doliques à œil noir à la maison, vous pouvez alors utiliser une autre légumineuse de votre choix (haricots blancs, pois chiches, haricots rouges, etc ..). 
Vous pouvez également ajouter d'autres herbes fraîches dans cette salade: cerfeuil, persil, basilic ou thym.
Ne pas faire cuire votre sarrasin à feu élevé sinon les graines exploseront et vous vous retrouverez avec une purée. Afin d'éviter cela, faites-le mijoter à feu très doux (pas de gros bouillons). N'oubliez pas de régulièrement goûter votre sarrasin afin que vous ne le cuisiez pas trop (perte de son croquant). 
Si vous aimez manger froid, mélanger tous les ingrédients ensemble (sans la coriandre, tomate et le poisson que vous ajouterez au dernier moment) et réfrigérer votre salade pendant quelques heures avant de la servir.

Idées de présentation: 
Servir bien réfrigérée ou à température ambiante et accompagner d'un vin blanc (Gewurtzraminer, Riesling, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Chasselas, etc ..) ou d'un rosé (Vin Gris, Oeil de Perdrix, Weissherbst, Provence, Gamay Rosé, etc ...) de qualité.

ENGLISH FRUIT LOAF - CAKE ANGLAIS AUX RAISINS SECS ♥ A GUEST POST FOR BEN AT "WHAT'S COOKING MEXICO?"

In life, I look for miscellanous things that capture my attention, satisfy my curiosity, satiate my hunger for novelty, inspire me and are exceptional. I am not fond of what is mainstream, déjà-vu, bland, characterless, not intellectually stimulating or challenging, so when it comes to the blogs I follow and the people behind them, I apply exactly the same rule.

And speaking about uniqueness and captivatigness, What's Cooking Mexico? is hard to beat. This marvelously exotic site is one of a kind and stands out from the crowd. It is like a paradisiac and welcoming island in the middle of the ocean where it feels good to go as you never fail to spend some relaxing as well as quality moments there.

This Mexico City native is passionate about mouthwatering fares and his country's versatile cuisine. He knows how to fascinate you with his detailed and informative articles that combine history and anthopology, delightfully colorful pictures, traditional recipes and mouthwaterringly fresh, refined, spicy and vibrant dishes. A blog that deserves much recognition.

Having been a big fan of Ben's extraordinary work and buoyant personality since 2008, it is with much pleasure that I have accepted to share my thoughts with his readers and write a guest post for him today. How could I possibly refuse such an opportunity?!

Muchas gracias querido amigo!!!

Tastes are made, not born. 
- Mark Twain 

Taste cannot be controlled by law.
- Thomas Jefferson

 It is interesting to see how our culinary inclinations can change when we grow up and reach our prime, and how certain foods we used to dislike as a child can suddenly appeal to us. Although our soul doesn’t vary during the whole course of our terrestrial existence, we never cease to evolve physically and mentally. Some things are meant to stay the same while others are intended to undergo slight or drastic alterations…

I like to think that, similarly to rare wine, individuals get refined and more subtle/complex with time. The base will everlastingly remain, but it will considerably improve and ripen during the interval between birth and death. As with long-term cellering alcohols, the maturation and quality of the finished product depend on a few important factors such as environmental conditions, its pedigree and the care with which this process has been taken out.

A man's palate can, in time, become accustomed to anything.

- Bonaparte, Napoleon

Not only do our brains go through various transmutations, but also our taste buds and gastronomical repertoire. Our bodies alter constantly, so it is quite understandable that our gustatory cells also get modified and go through major evolutions, thus affecting our feeding habits and transforming us into moody eaters.

Because I was raised in a non-snobby gourmet family who taught me to be thankful for what goes into my stomach, educated my palate by offering me a varied diet, encouraged me to be a daring epicurean and hated routine at the table, the toddler that I was, was fairly uncomplicated and adventurous. I complied to their eclectic nourishing practices without making a fuss or yammering. Everything my parents put on my plate was gulibly swallowed. Not entirely finishing the contents of my platter was not acceptable ]...[ 

So, if that short introduction made your mouth water and your tastebuds tingle, tickled your curiosity and gave you the urge to read my article, then please hop on over to What's Cooking Mexico? in order to learn more about this "Fruit Loaf", get a glimpse of my pictures, discover my recipe and pay a visit to the lovely Ben.

Etant donné que beaucoup de mes lecteurs francophones ne comprennent pas forcément l'anglais et que malheureusement peu d'entre-eux auront la chance de lire mon billet invité et dernier article en date sur le merveilleux blog What's Cooking Mexico? qui appartient au tentueux blogeur mexicain Ben, je me suis permise de traduire la recette qui y figure afin que vous puissiez aussi en profiter car je pense qu'elle pourra vous intéresser (vous pouvez tout de même y jeter un coup d'oeil car ses recettes sont vraiment passionnantes et mon article contient d'autres images que celles exposées ici).

J'espère que mon "Cake Anglais Aux Raisins Secs" vous plaira car c'est une succulente spécialité British qui nous vient tout droit du Lake District (dans le Cumbria) et dont je me suis enamourée dernièrement.

Comme vous le savez déjà, de part mes racines anglaise je suis une fervente défenseuse de la cuisine et culture britannique qui, à mon sens, est extraordinairement unique, si versatile, terriblement réconfortante, fabuleusement savoureuse, humble et qui n'est en aucun cas insipide, fade, peu délicate ou inintéressante comme le prétendent certaines personnes mal-attentionnées et à l'esprit étroit. Ce cliché est vieillissant, dépassé de mode et plus d'actualité...

Cake Anglais Aux Raisins Secs

Recette adpatée de “The National Trust Farmhouse Cookbook” par Laura Mason.

Pour 1 pain de 900g ou 2 pains de 450g chacun.

Ingrédients:
300ml de Thé noir fort, chaud
450g de Raisins secs (sultanines, raisins de Smyrne ou/et de Corinthe)
350g de Farine
2 1/2 CC de Poudre à lever
1 1/2 CC de Mixed spice (voir remarques)
1/2 CC de Sel de mer fin
175g de Sucre brun clair fin
2 Gros (63g) Œufs, battus
3 CS de Lait
1/2 CC d’Extrait de vanille pure

Méthode:
1. La veille, versez le thé chaud sur les fruits secs et les laisser macérer.
2. Le lendemain, préchauffer le four à 170 ° C (325 ° F).
3. Graisser et tapisser le fond de votre (vos) moule(s) à cake rectangulaire(s).
4. Dans le bol de votre batteur, mélanger ensemble la farine, la poudre à pâte, mélange d'épices, le sel et le sucre.

5. Ajouter les fruits macérés (avec le thé), les œufs, le lait et la vanille. Bien mélanger pendant environ 20 secondes, jusqu'à ce que le mélange ressemble à une pâte à gâteau.
6. Verser la pâte dans le(s) moule(s) à cake et faire cuire au milieu du four pendant environ 1 1/2 à 2 heures (ou environ 1h10 pour les deux cakes), ou jusqu'à ce qu'un cure-dent inséré au milieu du cake en ressorte propre.
7. Laisser refroidir dans le moule.

Remarques:
Pour préparer votre mixed spice maison, mélanger ensemble 1 CS de cannelle moulue, 1 CS de coriandre moulue, 1 CC de muscade moulue, 1/2 CC de gingembre moulu, 1/4 CC de tout-épice moulu et 1/4 de CC de clous de girofle moulus.

Ce cake est meilleur lorsque consommé un ou deux jours après sa préparation (bien l’emballer dans du film plastique) et peut aussi être congelé (3 mois maximum).

Idées de présentation:
Couper le cake en tranches assez épaisses et les beurrer généreusement.
Servir avec l'heure du déjeuner et du thé ou même comme dessert et accompagner d’une bonne tasse de thé.