Witchy Kitchen

Tag: cayenne

  • Roasted Red Pepper and Pomegranate Patatas Bravas

    Roasted Red Pepper and Pomegranate Patatas Bravas

    This month’s Food ‘n Flix movie, hosted by Katharina at Pretty Cake Machine, is both one of my favorite films of all time as well as somewhat eerily timed. Pan’s Labyrinth is a dark, dreamy fairytale layered over a bleak period of fascism. It’s heartbreaking and beautiful, an invitation to retreat into fantasy when the world becomes too cruel, but also a reminder to return to reality and fight for those weaker than us, no matter the cost.

    My dish is a version of the Spanish classic Patatas Bravas, inspired by the potatoes we see the servant Mercedes slicing multiple times in the movie (and the subsequent cleaning of Chekhov’s knife on her skirt). Instead of the traditional tomato sauce, I made a spicy red pepper sauce, as we see red peppers at one point during the film. A small shadow of the fantasy world makes it’s way into the dish with a drizzle of pomegranate molasses from the iconic Pale Man’s feast.

    Roasted Red Pepper and Pomegranate Patatas Bravas

    For the potatoes

    • 1.5 pounds potatoes (I used red), peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
    • olive oil and sea salt for roasting

    Heat oven to 400° and place potatoes in a single layer on a baking sheet. Toss with olive oil and sea salt and bake for 25-30 minutes, turning every 10, until potatoes are golden and easily pierced with a fork. You can turn off the oven and leave them inside to warm while you finish the sauce. When ready, move to a dish.

    For the spicy red pepper sauce

    • 3 tablespoons olive oil
    • 1 onion, diced
    • 3 cloves garlic, chopped
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
    • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
    • 1/2 – 1 teaspoon cayenne
    • 1/4 cup slivered or sliced almonds
    • 1/4 cup white wine
    • 1/4 cup water
    • 2 red peppers, roasted (broil, turning, until blackened, cover in a bowl to steam, then peel and deseed)

    Meanwhile, heat olive oil on medium high and saute onion until translucent. Add chopped garlic and saute for a minute or so. Add salt, paprika, ground coriander, cayenne, and almonds, and cook, stirring, until spices are fragrant and almonds are slightly toasted. Add white wine and cook until liquid evaporates. Remove from heat and puree with the water and the red peppers. Return to heat and gently heat through.

    Pour over warm potatoes.

    For the garnish

    • pomegranate molasses (storebought, or made by reducing pomegranate juice to about 1/3 of the beginning volume)
    • mayonnaise
    • chopped parsley

    Drizzle pomegranate molasses and mayonnaise over potatoes, sprinkle with chopped parsley. Serve hot.

    Previous Pan’s Labyrinth-inspired dish: Sugared Grapes

    Also, you can hear me and my cohost Diana discuss Pan’s Labyrinth at length on our podcast, Fiction Kitchen.

  • Pumpkin Quesadillas

    Pumpkin Quesadillas

    For the last several years, it’s been a tradition to make pumpkin quesadillas on Halloween – they’re easy, the kids love them, and they go great with Beetroot Chili (or any chili for that matter).

    Pumpkin Quesadillas

    • 4 oz cheddar cheese, or a mix of cheddar and jack, grated
    • 1/4 cup pumpkin puree
    • 1/2 tsp garam masala (or a mix of cumin and cinnamon)
    • 1/2 tsp paprika
    • good pinch cayenne
    • salt & pepper to taste
    • small corn tortillas

    Heat a pan or griddle over medium high heat – I use my tawa 🙂

    Combine cheese, pumpkin, and spices and mix well. Spread a smallish amount over a tortilla and top with another, cook on both sides, flipping, until toasty and brown. Allow to cool slightly then slice in quadrants, serve with salsa/sour cream/chili.

  • Cajun Spiced Pumpkin Seeds

    Cajun Spiced Pumpkin Seeds

    So with all the pumpkining there is clearly an excess of pumpkin seeds that need attention. These are fragrant, warming, and just a little spicy (but not so much that my kids aren’t devouring them).

    Unlike my sister, who lived in Baton Rouge for several years and is never without Tony’s in her cabinet, I usually just throw together a few of the spices typically found in cajun spice mixes. And to be honest, although I do like Tony’s, most mixes are so salty it’s hard to get the spice you want without salting the whole thing to hell. The next time I make gumbo maybe I’ll make a homemade Cajun Masala – but for now a little paprika, cumin, coriander and of course cayenne with do!

    Cajun Spice Pumpkin Seeds

    Slightly adapted from About.com

    • 1/2 tsp salt
    • 1/2 tsp paprika
    • 1/4 tsp each cumin, coriander powder and cayenne
    • few turns cracked black pepper
    • sprinkle cinnamon
    • 1 tbsp butter, melted
    • 2 tsp vegan Worcestershire sauce
    • 1 cup pumpkin seeds, cleaned and dried

    Heat oven to 300°.

    In a medium bowl, mix salt, paprika, cumin, coriander powder, cayenne, black pepper, cinnamon, butter and Worcestershire sauce.

    Spread evenly on a baking sheet and roast, turning occasionally, for 45 to 60 minutes (mine only took 45) until nicely brown and crunchy.

  • Pumpkin Cheese Soup

    Pumpkin Cheese Soup

    Ok: I already made my pumpkin apologies so whatever, I love it, my heart will go on, this isn’t ending anytime soon. Proceed.

    This soup is destined to become one of my fall favorites, especially now that the weather is finally starting to cool off. It’s smoky and rich, but not too heavy; it’s warm and homey, but still elegant; it’s got a nice complexity of flavor, but it couldn’t be simpler to make. It’s not enough for a meal on it’s own, but it’d be perfect with a sandwich on pump or roasted veggie fall salad for lunch or as a first course in an autumn dinner.

    Pumpkin Cheese Soup

    • 1 tbsp butter
    • ½ tbsp olive oil
    • 1 onion, diced
    • 4 cloves garlic, chopped
    • Salt & pepper
    • 2 tsp paprika
    • 1 tsp cumin
    • pinch cayenne
    • 4 cups chicken broth
    • 2 cups pumpkin puree (about 1 small sugar pumpkin, roasted and smashed, or 1 can)
    • 4 oz cheddar cheese, grated
    • ½ slice pumpernickel per serving, cubed and pan toasted with a little olive oil
    • chopped green onions for garnish

    In a pot, heat butter and olive oil on medium heat. Add onion, garlic, generous salt & pepper, and saute until golden. Add paprika, cumin, and cayenne and stir for a minute or two, then add chicken broth (stirring well to scrape up any brown bits) and pumpkin puree.

    Bring to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer and cover. Simmer for 20 minutes or so. Pour into a blender (don’t allow it to cool because you will be adding the cheese and want that to melt evenly) and carefully blend, making sure to hold the lid down with a dish cloth so you aren’t maimed by steam. Add grated cheese and blend again. Pour back into pot and gently warm back through, adding a pinch more salt if necessary.

    Serve garnished with pumpernickel croutons and green onions.

    This is beautiful in its simplicity, but I’d like to try variations as well, maybe trying smoked gouda instead of cheddar, or adding a splash of beer or slivers of mushroom.

  • Devilish Eggs

    Devilish Eggs

    I’m still a Southern girl…of course I have a deviled egg plate.

    For deviled eggs, most use a sprinkle of paprika or aleppo pepper as a garnish, but the hedonistic and excessive use it by the spoonful. Since the flavors are otherwise subtle, the aleppo pepper shines – or smolders.

    A couple gathered tips: Virginia Willis’s deviled eggs in Bon Appetit, Y’all contain her French secret ingredient: butter. I never miss an opportunity to hide butter in things, and it really does take these to the next level (of hell! muhahaha). Also, for easy-to-peel eggs, use eggs that have been in the fridge a week or so. Much recommended – mine were super fresh since we go through eggs like chickens were going extinct, so they were annoying hard to peel.

    Edit: I have a new hard boiled egg technique, which I saw on The Kitchn (replacing my previous method of just boiling them to hell). It works perfectly (as I instagrammed in my excitement).

    Devilish Eggs

    (recipe can be doubled)

    • 6 eggs
    • 1 scant tablespoon aleppo pepper (or an equal amount using 3 parts paprika to 1 part cayenne)
    • generous pinch or two cayenne
    • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
    • 1 tbsp butter, softened
    • 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
    • coasre salt and fresh cracked pepper
    • green onions, chives, or other herbs for garnish

    Hard boil eggs. Technique of perfection: put in a pot and cover with an inch of cold water. Bring the water to a rolling boil, then remove from heat, cover and let stand for 10 minutes. Remove to a bowl and cover with cold water for a couple of minutes. When they are cool enough to handle, peel.

    Slice in half and remove yolks to a medium bowl. Smash yolks as smooth as you can get them. (Alternately you can use a food processor and mix with the other ingredients).

    In a dry pan, lightly toast spices to wake them up a bit. Add to yolks, plus mayonnaise, butter and salt and pepper to taste. Combine thoroughly.

    Spoon mixture back into eggs (piping is lame), garnish with greenery.