A Hungry Texans Easter Brunch

Posted on April 20, 2014 by Liz Eggleston

Happy Easter, y’all!

It’s been too long since I’ve posted here. 2014 has been a year of new adventures- new jobs and a new apartment in Cobble Hill, Brooklyn! Our kitchen is big and bright, so expect a few more recipes on Hungry Texans!

Welp, nobody told me that Easter is the one holiday that can clear Brooklyn out- it seemed like all of our friends were home with their families. Luckily, my darling friend Therese also missed the memo, so we enjoyed the day together! Gin cocktails + biscuits + apple pancakes + sun? I’ll take it.

So what did we make? Click through for links to the full recipes!

Rose Lemonade Gin Cocktails

Buttermilk Biscuits & Salted Molasses Butter

Thinly Sliced Maple-Glazed Ham (not homemade, thanks Boars Head!)

Arugula Lemon Salad with Shaved Parmesan

Naturally Dyed Purple Cabbage Eggs

German Apple Pancakes

Try this menu at home for your next brunch and let us know how it turns out!

Love,

Liz

Hungry Texans

Naturally Dyed Easter Eggs

Posted on April 20, 2014 by Liz Eggleston

Coloring Easter eggs is a tradition, but using artificial dyes doesn’t have to be! From carrot tops to beets to red cabbage, there are plenty of nutrient-dense fruits and vegetables that will color your eggs naturally.

I used beets and red cabbage for this year’s Easter eggs.

You’ll need:

1/2 head cabbage, sliced
4 small beets, sliced
12 eggs

To dye the eggs:

Boil your eggs for 10-15 minutes. Remove and let cool.

For the “dye,” simply boil the vegetables in a saucepan with water for 15-20 minutes.

Strain the veggies and you’ll be left with vibrant water. Once it cools, add the eggs and let sit for about 1 hour (the longer the eggs soak, the deeper the hue).

You’ll be left with beautifully dyed eggs- the Easter Bunny will never know the difference!

Hop Hop,

Liz

Hungry Texans

German Apple Cake

Posted on April 20, 2014 by Liz Eggleston

For Easter brunch, our friend Therese brought over this recipe and it was a delight. Not only is it surprisingly easy, but the texture is so perfect. The batter that you pour over the apples is really thin, so it rises almost like a popover. And while she added sugar and cinnamon, we both agreed that this could be made savory with crumbly sausage or pancetta. I can’t wait to bring this to the next potluck/brunch!

You’ll need:

4 eggs
3/4 cup flour
3/4 cup milk
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup butter
2 medium apples
1/4 cup sugar (omit if you’re going to make this savory)
1/4 tsp cinnamon

To make the cake:

Preheat your oven to 400 F. Put the butter in the bottom of a rectangular glass pan and let it melt in the oven for 2-3 minutes. Slice the apples thinly, then layer them over the butter in the pan.

In a bowl, whisk together eggs, flour, milk and salt. Pour this mixture over the apples. Mix together sugar and cinnamon, then sprinkle over the apple mixture.

Bake uncovered for ~20 minutes until the crust is golden and risen.

Nom!

Liz

Hungry Texans

Rose Lemonade & Gin Cocktail

Posted on April 20, 2014 by Liz Eggleston

These yummy gin cocktails are the perfect addition to any Sunday brunch. We wondered for a slight moment if Easter was a drinking holiday, and quickly settled on “duh,” so these made an appearance on our Easter Sunday brunch table. Check out the full brunch menu here!

You’ll need:

1/2 oz lemon juice

2 oz rose lemonade

2 oz gin

Mint to garnish

To make the cocktails:

Combine the lemon juice, lemonade and gin in a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a champagne glass. Top with ice and garnish with mint.

Happy sipping!

Liz

Hungry Texans

Buttermilk Biscuits & Salted Molasses Butter

Posted on April 20, 2014 by Liz Eggleston

Sam and I celebrated my birthday at Seersucker in Carroll Gardens this year. Robert Newton, Seersucker’s chef/owner, is from Arkansas, so he makes incredible southern food. We ate fried oysters and red eye gravy and grits. It was heaven. Dinner started with these delicious biscuits and MOLASSES BUTTER. We gobbled them up and I knew I had to recreate them soon!

We topped these biscuits with thinly sliced maple ham for an Easter feast. You can see our whole Easter brunch spread here.

Buttermilk Biscuits

You’ll need:
7 cups cake flour
3 tbs baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cups vegetable shortening (or lard if you’re into it)
3 cups cold buttermilk
4 tbsp melted butter
To make the biscuits:

Preheat your oven to 425˚F. Line a sheet pan with foil and brush that with butter (or spray!).

In your stand mixer, add the dry ingredients and mix. If you’re worried about cake flour, here’s a tip: Cake flour is just all-purpose flour with cornstarch. Replace 2 Tbs per each cup of flour with cornstarch and voila! Once the dry ingredients are mixed, add the shortening, mixing until the flour looks like pebbles. Add the cold buttermilk and mix well.

Turn your dough out onto a well-floured surface. The dough will be wet, but I didn’t even need to use a rolling pin to get these to the right thickness. You want your dough to be about half-inch thick.

Use a biscuit cutter (or a cup if you’re a simple girl like me) to cut out ~12 biscuits.

Place the biscuits on your foil-lined sheet pan, allowing them to touch just slightly. Brush the tops of the biscuits with melted butter and sprinkle with kosher salt.

Bake at 425˚F for 12 to 15 minutes until the tops are golden brown and yummy.

Salted Molasses Butter

You’ll need:

1 stick of unsalted butter

1 tsp robust molasses (I would love to make this with sorghum if I could get my hands on the stuff!)

1 tsp sea salt

To make the butter:

Ok y’all, this is easy. Soften the butter, put it in your stand mixer, and mix it until it’s whipped. Add the molasses and salt and mix until combined.

Spread the butter onto wax paper and shape into a cylinder. Wrap it up and twist on both sides, then pop this in the fridge to harden!

Happy eating!

Liz

Hungry Texans

kabocha squash red curry

Posted on November 22, 2013 by lovettlovett

‘Tis the season for pumpkin everything – pies, lattes, breads, and pies. Here’s a recipe with a savory twist on everyone’s favorite gourd, a kabocha squash and sweet potato red curry. I was introduced to this recipe via Blue Apron, a meal delivery service that sends you all the fresh ingredients you need to make a scrumptious meal for two, a few weeks ago and it was so nice I made it twice!

Slightly modified from Blue Apron

2 tbs olive oil
6 cloves garlic, finely diced
2 stalks lemongrass, finely dice the soft white core of the stalk
1 cubanelle pepper, finely diced
1 kabocha squash, cubed
2 sweet potatoes, cubed
1 red onion
3 tbs red curry paste
1 can coconut milk

Condiments:
1 Bunch Cilantro
1 Bunch Mint
Limes

DSCN0088

Will you look at that pumpkin/kabocha squash!

The beauty of how I made this recipe this time is that it’s pretty set it and forget it! I made it in a crock pot. Start by simmering your garlic, lemongrass, pepper, and onion in your crock pot on high heat until their soft and growingly translucent.

Add your squash and sweet potatoes and cook until their soft.

Then add your coconut milk and curry paste and let your curry simmer until fragrant and ready to serve. I let mine hang in the crock pot for a few hours before serving over scoops of brown rice and garnished with cilantro, mint, and limes!

Add a little spice to your life this decorative gourd season!

xo,

Julia

horchata

Posted on November 12, 2013 by lovettlovett

This HungryTexan is stubborn enough to try anything once, and this weekend I decided to try my hand at horchata – a milky latin beverage I’ve oft enjoyed at El Salvadorian restaurants. There are lots and lots of varieties of horchata made from combinations of almonds, rice, sesame seeds, barley or tigernuts. I tried an almond and rice-based varietal, and the final product was sweet and nutty with a pleasant creaminess that wasn’t overly rich. We sipped our horchata plain, but it would be a real treat frothed up in a latte or blended into a milkshake!

Recipe slightly modified from Nosh On.It’s version:

1 cup raw, unsalted almonds
1/3 cup long-grain white rice
1 cinnamon stick
5 cups of water (3 hot, 2 cold)
1/2 cup simple syrup (1 cup sugar, 1/2 cup water, 1/4 tsp vanilla)

Beware! This is a two day project and requires a good night’s soak for the flavors to really sync. Start by blanching your almonds. Dump your almonds in boiling water for one minute and then strain & run under cold water. Blanching is key to being able to super simply pinch off the almond’s skin. Grab the almond at its fat part and pinch the skin away – they fly right off (literally, we had almonds fly across the kitchen!). Now you have a cup of naked almonds.

Give them a nice toast in a completely dry skillet until they’re lightly browned.

Next, in your grinding instrument of choice (coffee grinder, spice grinder, food processor) pulverize your rice into a fine, fine powder.

Then, in a large jar or jug combine 3 cups of hot water, your almonds, your rice powder and your cinnamon stick. Give it a good stir and let it cool to room temperature before refrigerating. After your mixture has had an ample soak, remove the cinnamon stick and blend everything together in a blender. Blend until your almond/rice mixture is very powdery. Add the extra two cups of cold water and continue blending.

Next comes the messy part. With a very fine mesh strainer and cheesecloth, strain your mixture. It’s slow going. Be patient! Strain it twice if you need to. Get out as much sediment as you can and then stir in your simple syrup. Pour into a glass and enjoy while listening to Vampire Weekend’s, Horchata.

Cheers,
Julia

Heirloom Tomato & Roasted Beet Gazpacho

Posted on October 8, 2013 by Liz Eggleston

This recipe is featured today in Luri & Wilma, a smart magazine for smart ladies run by native Texan Charlie Heck. I love the way they shot and featured this recipe, and just as much, I love this Tomato & Beet Gazpacho! Click through the article below to read the whole issue online (there’s great stuff about fashion, body issues, and vintage duds inside) and scroll down for the full recipe!

Heirloom Tomato & Beet Gazpacho

Aside from being the perfect make-ahead, quick-cleanup recipe, I love this gazpacho because it relies on fresh ingredients for a bright and complex flavor. The raw veggies lend a subtle spice to the cold soup, and garden herbs leave it freshly flavored. Red and golden beets impart a deep magenta hue while keeping the soup slightly sweet. Plus, this silky staple requires zero cooking and limited utensils, so you can stay cool in the kitchen while impressing your guests with a light supper. This recipe will serve two as a main course or four as an appetizer.

You’ll need:

3 large heirloom tomatoes
½ large cucumber, seeded
½ red onion
3 cloves garlic
2 beets (try for a mix of red & golden)
Handful of fresh herbs: basil, parsley, lemon thyme, chives.
3 tbs red wine vinegar
¼ cup olive oil

First, finely dice the cucumber, red onion, and garlic. Seed the tomatoes and dice them as well. When it comes to tomatoes for this gazpacho, I opt for heirloom, but any blend of particularly juicy ones will do- Green Zebras and Brandywines are favorites. Combine the vegetables in a large bowl and use an immersion blender to puree the veggies until smooth, adding the olive oil slowly. To flavor the gazpacho, use any herbs you have on hand- I snipped a handful of basil, parsley, garlic chives, and lemon thyme from the window box. Add 3 tablespoons of red wine vinegar, then cover the bowl and pop it in the refrigerator.

Because the flavors of this gazpacho intensify with time, I like to keep it in the fridge for up to two days, then strain it using a fine sieve when I’m ready for a quick weeknight dinner. Of course, if you don’t want to strain the veggies, you’re welcome to serve it chunky, but I’m always impressed with silky soups. Serve it up in bowls with roasted shrimp, a creamy burrata, or toasted ciabatta for a simple supper.

xoxo,

Liz of The Hungry Texans

HungryTexans Flour Tortillas

Posted on September 26, 2013 by Liz Eggleston

Y’all, something fun happened this weekend- the HungryTexans took their talents off the interwebs and into the District Flea (brought to you by the kind folks at Brooklyn Flea and gracing DC for the next few weekends).

As hungry Texans, we are huge proponents of the breakfast taco- eggs, cheese, savory meats and veggies, all rolled up into a perfectly fluffy flour tortilla. The breakfast tacos at Chacho’s in Houston have capped many nights out (as well as nursed our headaches the morning after). But when I find myself reaching hungrily for a breakfast taco in DC, I come up empty-handed. So what better to bring to the denizens of our great district than these breakfast treats?

Of course the eggs are important. Cheese? Essential to a proper breakfast taco. But what really makes our breakfast tacos special is the homemade flour tortilla, the perfect vehicle for savory goodness. And because I promised plenty of market-goers the recipe and top-secret-super-secrets for a tortilla that stays soft and pliable and tasty, I want to share it with all of our readers! It really is extremely simple and quick to make a tortilla, if not labor intensive. This recipe uses all vegetable shortening to make our veggimatarian friends happy, and makes exactly 16 tortillas (counting helps visualize the size they should be).

You’ll Need:

2 1/2 Cups All-Purpose Flour
2 1/2 Tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Salt
1/2 generous cups vegetable shortening (you could use lard, but we’re accommodating the masses here)
1 cup hot water

Combine the flour, salt and baking powder in a large bowl or a stand mixer.

Add the shortening in small handfuls and use the mixer (or your hands, which I did for 180 tortillas on Friday- not sure if I can recommend doing this to our readers- it’s quite cruel) to combine until the mixture looks like sand.

Slowly add a cup of hot water (I do 3/4 cup first, then add as necessary). You want the dough to seem a bit moist and definitely not crumbly. Knead the dough ~30 times (or let the Kitchen-aid do this work for you) until the dough becomes a ball.

Let this dough rest, covered with a tea towel, for 30 minutes (up to an hour). Once the dough has rested, pinch off golf-ball-sized pieces of dough and roll into balls, and set on wax paper.

Using a tortilla press or a rolling pin, flatten the dough balls into thin, round discs. I try to get these as thin as possible with a tortilla press by using my hands to flatten the dough against the press. Also, breaking news: my grandfather just mailed a beauty of a tortilla roller and I cannot wait to try it out.

You can store these tortillas between wax paper for a few hours in the fridge before cooking them. When you’re ready, just pop a disc of dough onto a hot cast iron skillet or an electric griddle and cook for 20 seconds on each side. Keep warm in a…tortilla warmer!

Happy pressing and, if you can’t make your own, we’ll be at the District Flea every Saturday until October 18th, slinging tortillas!

garlicky broccoli slaw

Posted on September 18, 2013 by lovettlovett

Last week I awoke to a bountiful produce delivery from From the Farmer on my doorstep. For any friends in the DC area, I couldn’t recommend From the Farmer more highly – they deliver fresh produce to your doorstep weekly. I love it because of the flexibility of From the Farmer vs. traditional CSAs or produce delivery services. I can suspend my deliveries if I know I’m traveling and won’t have time to put my produce to good use! This week my bin overflowed with peaches, heirloom tomatoes, peppers, baby eggplants, beets, broccoli, apples and more. I wanted a fresh and hearty salad, so whipped up this garlicky broccoli slaw with beets, apples, and almonds.

For the salad:
Three heads of broccoli
Two beets, peeled and diced
Two apples, skin on and diced
1/3 cup sliced raw almonds

For the dressing:
1/4 cup olive oil
4 cloves garlic
juice from half of one lemon
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
salt & pepper to taste

Start by roughly chopping your broccoli so it’s small enough to fit through the tube of your food processor. I used my the slicing disc attachment on my food processor to thinly slice the broccoli, but you could also use a mandolin or just roughly chop with a big chef’s knife.

Peel your beets and dice into bite-sized pieces. Dice your apple into similar sized cubes. In a large bowl combine broccoli, beets, and apples.

Add your almonds.

Next, make your dressing in the bowl of a food processor by combining garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle over all ingredients and toss to combine.

Serve as a side or enjoy all on its own as a salad!

xo,
julia

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