Moroccan Potato Cakes

Last summer I promised you this recipe and I finally deliver!  This is one of Al's favourites, it is  spicy but not hot.

Ingredients
2 lbs. potatoes (about 5 medium)
1 small onion, finely chopped
1-2 tablespoons butter
3-4 cloves garlic, pressed
1 1/2 tablespoons cumin
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
2 eggs beaten
olive oil for frying

Directions
Boil potatoes until soft.  Drain and mash.

Melt the butter in a small skillet.  Add the onions, and saute them gently over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes, or until translucent.  Add the garlic, and saute just a minute more, stirring constantly.  Remove from the heat.

Place the mashed potatoes into a mixing bowl.  Gently toss in the spices, onions, garlic and cilantro.  Stir in enough of the eggs to bind the potatoes, but not so much that there is excess egg in the bottom of the bowl.

Shape the potato mixture into cakes about 3" in diameter.

Heat enough olive oil to generously cover the bottom of a skillet or griddle.  Add the potato cakes, and cook slowly over medium heat, about 10 minutes per side, until deep golden brown.

Greek Cheese and Potato Patties

When I was making my Chinese Smoked Ribs I had difficulty deciding what to serve with it.  I was not in the mood for rice and my usual potato recipes were not appealing the day.  So I decided to try this new recipe from my Best Ever Vegetarian Cookbook.  Since it was an impulse choice  no  feta cheese was on hand and  goat cheese was used instead.  We both liked my version but I do want to try it with feta as well.

The cook book described this dish as an appetizer, I don't agree.  Perhaps you will decide differently.

Ingredients

1 1/4 pounds potatoes

4 oz feta cheese

4 scallions chopped

3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 egg, beaten

flour for dredging

3 tablespoons olive oil

salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Boil the potatoes in their skins in lightly salted water until soft.  Drain, then peel while still warm.  Place in a bowl and mash.  Crumble the feta cheese into the potatoes and add the scallions, dill, lemon juice and egg.  Season with salt and pepper.  Stir well.

Cover the mixture and chill until firm.  Divide the mixture into walnut-size balls, then flatten them slightly.  Dredge in the flour.  Heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the patties until golden brown on each side.  Drain on paper towels and serve at once.

Chinese Smoked Ribs

This is our favorite way to have ribs. The sauce is the best I have ever tasted and the ribs are always tender .   You can cook the ribs in the oven or on the barbecue.  In the oven I cook them without any cover, on the barbecue I cover the ribs with foil to prevent burning.  I add the sauce during the last half hour of cooking.

This recipe come from an old edition of Better Homes and Gardens All- Time Favorite Barbecue Recipes.

Ingredients

6 pounds pork back ribs or spare ribs

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

1/4 teaspoon celery seed

1/8 teaspoon dry mustard

1/2 cup catsup

1/2 cup brown sugar

3 tablespoons soy sauce

2 teaspoons ground ginger

1 clove garlic, minced

Directions

Thoroughly rub the ribs with mixture of sugar, salt, paprika turmeric and dry mustard.  Cover and let stand 2 hours.

Grill ribs over low heat.

Meanwhile, mix catsup, brown sugar, soy sauce, ginger and garlic. Brush mixture over ribs and continue to grill till done. 

Lemon Brownies

I finally found a new lemon recipe that might provide an alternative to Al's constant request for lemon bars.  We love brownies so I decided to try this.  We will add this to our keeper file.  The glaze makes all the difference, it is so tart and sweet.  The picture does not do the cake justice.  

I got this recipe online from a site called Becky Charms.

The Brownie Batter

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

2 large eggs

2 tablespoons lemon zest

Tart Lemon Glaze

1 cup icing sugar

4 tablespoons lemon juice

8 teaspoons lemon zest

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray/grease an 8x8 baking dish.

Zest and juice 2 lemons set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the flour, sugar, salt and softened butter  until combined.

In a separate bowl whisk together the eggs, lemon juice and lemon zest until combined.  Pour into the flour mixture and beat at medium speed until smooth and creamy, about  2 minutes.

Pour into baking dish and bake for 23-25 minutes, or until just starting to turn golden around the edges and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

When the brownies are cooled completely, make the glaze .  Mix the icing sugar with the lemon juice and zest.  Spread 1/2 the glaze over the brownies.  Let the glaze harden and spread the remaining half.