What I would do with Yotam Ottolenghi's leek fritter recipe if I had it all to do over again

Two leeks
One small onion
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup chopped parsley

1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup bread crumbs
150 g yogurt
1 tablespoon baking powder
 2 eggs
cubes of bulgarit - about 1/3 of a container (feta in the US)

Chop the onion small and the leeks in slices
Saute in olive oil until soft - about 15 minutes
Add the parsley and spices to the sauteed leek + onion

Make a batter of the flour, bread crumbs, yogurt, baking powder and eggs.

Mix the vegetables into the batter.  Add the bulgarit.

Put on greaseproof paper in spoonfuls (think big cookies) and bake about 20 minutes at 170 C or 350 F.  They should be browned and set like cookies.

This is only slightly different from what I did.  This leaves out the sugar and butter from his recipe.  (I used oil instead of butter but it was really unnecessary.)  I would add the eggs - he had just one egg white.  If you don't want to use two eggs, try it with one.

Serve with yogurt or sour cream, or make a fancy sauce by adding garlic and lemon to one or the other.

Let me know if you make these!!!!

Nut loaf and green bean spread - two recipes

These two recipes start with the same ingredients but taste totally different.  So grind up a bag of nuts - I prefer cashews or almonds - I think it's about one cup, just use the whole Israeli size bag.  And chop and fry up two medium onions.  Split each item in half and then proceed as follows:

Green bean spread - this is a veggie chopped liver:

For the spread (this is a moosewood recipe but she uses walnuts) - steam 2 cups of green beans and food process them.  Hard boil two eggs.  Add the green beans to the nuts and fried onions, then grate the eggs into the mix.  Add two teaspoons mayonnaise and salt and pepper to taste.  Refrigerate.  Great on crackers or in sandwiches.

Nut loaf

My aunt Eva says I gave her this recipe. Must have been a long time ago.  Chop 2 celery sticks and 2 apples and saute them till soft.  You can also use kohlrabi or carrot, chopped small.  I also used a few mushrooms this time.  Mix with the nuts and fried onions.  Add 2 teaspoons curry powder (original recipe says garam masala), 4 oz. breadcrumbs or crushed rice cakes, 1 tablespoon ketchup, 1/4 to 1/2 cup grated cheese and one beaten egg.  Mix evenly.  Bake at 180 C or 350 F for 40 minutes.  Gabi likes it overcooked.  My aunt makes a vegan version without the cheese and egg for her grandson.  Now that's love!

Finally, how to cook swiss chard - slice it then fry in olive oil with garlic and ginger that comes in those little freezer cube.  One cube of each for one pack of chard - one package (called mangold here) gives you one small bowl of cooked chard.

Carrot muffins

Hard to believe I have not written almost any blog posts this year.

I made these carrot muffins, adapted from a recipe I found online.  Everyone, especially the kids, loved them.  I am noticing Sasha's friends like me for my cookies.  I see how I can get them to hang out here!

Carrot Muffins:

Preheat oven to 190 C/400 F

1 egg
3/4 cup orange juice
1/2 cup canola oil
2/3 cup sugar
2 cups flour (the original recipe calls for half white and half whole wheat)
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
2 cups shredded carrots (4 carrots)

Beat egg, add orange juice, oil, sugar.
Sift the dry ingredients together and add them to the wet ingredients, stirring only till just mixed
Fold in carrots.

Line muffin cups with paper or grease them, fill 2/3 full and bake 20 minutes till done.
Make 12 large or 18 small muffins.

I had forgotten how much I loved to make muffins when I was in graduate school.  I still have my trusty muffin pan from that time.  Hope you enjoy these are much as we did!  And remembering Sarah Fenner - we miss you Sarah.