Category Archives: recipes

Recipe: Braised Moroccan Chicken with Dates

05 Thursday Jul 2012

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When I first made this meal, I could not stop bragging to whoever would listen; namely, Gaspar and the dog, and with them that whole “listening” thing is subjective. But seriously? It’s effin’ amazing! The flavors are just outstanding, so bright and intense. As someone who dreams of traveling to Morocco one day, I can promise you if the food tastes like this, I will return with some significant extra meat on my bones.

There’s so much to love about this combination of flavors, I’m pondering where else I can apply them. And I really want to experiment more with dates. I’ve always loved the bacon-wrapped variety, particularly when they’re also stuffed with manchego, but I suppose that’s a bit obvious. What type of person wouldn’t love bacon-wrapped cheese-stuffed anything, really? But in this recipe their sweet candied taste and meaty texture really shine and bring the whole dish together. I’m on the hunt for more ways to prepare them, so send me your date recipes!

Bin full of dates at Mercado de San Telmo

I love making this in my round Le Creuset French oven, not only because the results are stellar, but also because it’s just such a beautiful piece of cookware. Shout out to the Director of Indulgence for the excellent gift! I’m sure it would also do well (and appear all the more authentic) in a tajine, but any heavy pot with a lid will do just fine.

This recipe is adapted from one that appeared in Bon Appetit. I serve it over quinoa or couscous.

BRAISED MOROCCAN CHICKEN WITH DATES

3 1/2 pounds chicken breast halves, thighs and drumsticks (skin on)

1 Tablespoon flour

1 Tablespoon olive oil

10 large shallots, peeled

3 cinnamon sticks

1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (more if you’re making this in Argentina, where cayenne pepper doesn’t have the same kick)

3 cups chicken broth

5 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice, divided

12 dates, pitted and halved

1/2 cup almonds, toasted and coarsely chopped

1/4 cups fresh cilantro

Sprinkle chicken pieces with salt, pepper and flour. Heat olive oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add half of chicken pieces to pot and cook until well-browned on all sides, turning occasionally, about 15 minutes. Transfer chicken to baking sheet or platter. Repeat with remaining chicken. Pour off all but 2 Tablespoons of fat from the pot and discard. Reduce heat to medium. Add shallots to pot, and saute until golden, about 6 minutes. Add cinnamon sticks, ginger, cumin and cayenne. Stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Increase heat to high and add broth and 3 Tablespoons of lemon juice. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until shallots begin to soften, about 18 minutes. Place chicken pieces on top of the shallots in the pot. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until juices run clear when thickest part of drumstick is pierced with a knife, about 25 minutes.

Transfer chicken and shallots to platter and tent with foil. Boil juices in the pot until slightly thickened. Stir in dates and remaining 2 Tablespoons of lemon juice. Reduce heat and simmer gently until dates are heated through, about 2 minutes. Pour sauce and dates over chicken. Sprinkle with almonds and cilantro, and serve.

Recipe: Scrambled Eggs with Spinach & Feta

21 Thursday Jun 2012

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One of the benefits of moving around a lot is we often have overnight guests when our lovely family and friends visit us from out of town. This means I get plenty of excuses to whip up delicious breakfast recipes. I mean, cereal’s great and all, but I’m a better hostess than that! These eggs are a go-to breakfast staple. If you’ve ever stayed with us for a weekend, you’ve eaten them.

Now, don’t let the pictures fool you. These are quite lovely in real life. I’m just not sure scrambled eggs lend themselves to beautiful photographic documentation. So you’ll have to trust me on this one.

Now, a brief vent about spinach. I’ll be the first to praise the availability of fresh, in-season fruits and vegetables in my barrio, with the Mercado San Telmo a few blocks away and an excellent organic market every Saturday morning on Balcarce. But nothing makes me miss pre-washed, bagged veggies more than buying a bunch of fresh spinach, covered in dirt and mud. As I carefully wash each individual leaf and spread them out to dry, I think wistfully of Jewel-Osco and Whole Foods and the fact that I’d already be eating the damn spinach if I were in the States. While I’ve found bagged spinach at Jumbo, it was overpriced and still suspiciously dirty, with a misleading label that screamed “Buy & Eat! American-Style!” and for some reason that just completely depressed me. So I’ll stop complaining and stick to my 15-minute spinach-washing routine.

Usually, I’d make this with the feta we’re accustomed to in the USA. You know the type: available as a block or pre-crumbled in vacuum-sealed plastic so the stink of it doesn’t immediately bowl you over? Well, on this morning I was too lazy to schlep (yeah, I said it) to the Jumbo in Puerto Madero to hunt down that particular import, so I decided to stand in the always painfully sloooow line for the cheesemonger at Mercado San Telmo and see what they had. I was happy to learn they had feta, though it turned out to be a feta unlike any I’ve ever tasted before. This may be because it wasn’t originally labeled feta. (Those sneaky argentinos). Upon close inspection, I found a tiny sticker had been added, claiming Queso Feta: Estilo Griego. Maybe so, maybe so. But to me it had the taste and texture of your standard semi-hard goat cheese. Not a bad thing, by any means, just not exactly what I associate with feta. But in the words of my friend Frani, I’ve never met a cheese I didn’t like, so no complaints.

This recipe employs a technique that I’ve found is crucial to fluffy scrambled eggs. Resist the urge to stir! Be patient, let the eggs cook through a bit before touching them, and even then, do not stir vigorously. Just lift the cooked part and allow the rest to flow underneath.

SCRAMBLED EGGS WITH SPINACH & FETA

12 eggs

2 bunches of spinach, torn (or 2 bags of pre-washed baby spinach)

1/2 cup milk

2 teaspoons snipped fresh oregano and/or thyme, plus additional for garnish

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp pepper

2 Tablespoons of butter

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 cup (4 oz) crumbled feta cheese

Beat together the eggs, milk, herbs, salt and pepper in a mixing bowl. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Pour in egg mixture. Cook without stirring until mixture begins to set on the bottom and around the edge. Using a large spatula, lift and fold partially cooked eggs so that the uncooked portion flows underneath. Stir in spinach, cheddar cheese and half of the feta cheese. Continue cooking and stirring for 2 – 3 minutes until eggs are cooked through but still glossy and moist. Sprinkle with remaining feta cheese and fresh herbs.

Recipe: Simple Apple Tart

07 Thursday Jun 2012

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Now that winter is approaching in Buenos Aires, I’m feeling rather confused. While I’m much more of a summer fan, I’ve still always enjoyed fall and (early) winter. Not too unbearably cold yet, the air is crisp with the smell of fallen leaves, and everyone’s feeling all celebratory and familial in preparation for Thanksgiving and Christmas…

Except it’s June. So really, it’s not like that at all.

In my confused little mind, early June is a time for rhubarb pie and cherry cobbler. But the markets are overflowing with apples and pears. And while according to the climate I should be baking pumpkin rolls, I just refuse to do that in June. Of course there’s also the fact that finding pumpkin here is about as easy as buying dollars...but I digress.

Life is giving me apples? I’ll make an apple tart.

I have to give credit to Gaspar for bringing this recipe into the rotation. I suspect he was on a mission to find something even remotely healthy for me to bake, and the fruit to pastry ratio in this tart suited his needs. He sent me the recipe, I made it, it filled the apartment with an absolutely heavenly smell, and we ate it all that night.

That’ll teach him.

I’ve made it a few times since, and think it’d also be excellent with pears. (I’ll report back). This can be made in a pie pan, or free form as a galette. I kind of combine the two, because I like the look of the galette but find that using a pie pan keeps all the delicious juices from oozing out, and it’s much easier to transport if you’re not eating it at home.

This recipe is adapted from the one Gaspar found on Smitten Kitchen.

SIMPLE APPLE TART

Dough:

1 cup flour

1/2 tsp sugar

1/8 tsp salt

6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, just softened, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

2 1/2 Tablespoons chilled water

Filling:

4 Golden Delicious apples, peeled, cored and sliced. Save the peels and cores.

2 Tablespoons melted butter

4 Tablespoons sugar

Glaze:

Apple peels and cores

1 cup sugar

Mix flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of the butter. Blend with a fork until dough resembles coarse cornmeal. Add remaining butter and continue to blend with a fork until the biggest pieces look like large peas. Dribble in some of the water, stir, then dribble in more, until dough just holds together. Toss with hands, letting it fall through fingers, until it’s ropy with some dry patches. If dry patches predominate, add another tablespoon water. Keep tossing until you can roll dough into a ball. Flatten into a 4-inch-thick disk and refrigerate.

After at least 30 minutes, remove and let soften so it’s malleable but still cold. Smooth cracks at edges. On a lightly floured surface, roll into a 14-inch circle about 1/8 inch thick. Place dough in a lightly greased 9-inch round tart pan, or simply on a parchment-lined baking sheet if you wish to go free-form, or galette-style with it. Heat oven to 400°F.

Overlap apples on dough in a ring 2 inches from edge if going galette-style, or up to the sides if using the tart pan. Continue inward until you reach the center. Fold any dough hanging over pan back onto itself. Brush melted butter over apples and onto dough edge. Sprinkle sugar over apples and dough edge.

Bake in center of oven until apples are soft, with browned edges, and crust has caramelized to a dark golden brown (about 45 minutes), making sure to rotate tart every 15 minutes. (This may or may not be necessary in your oven…it definitely is in mine).

To make the glaze, put the reserved peels and cores in a large saucepan, along with sugar. Pour in just enough water to cover and simmer, stirring occasionally so that sugar doesn’t burn, until syrup forms. This could take anywhere from 25 to 45 minutes, depending on your stovetop. The original recipe said 25, for me it’s 45.

Remove tart from oven and set on wire rack to cool. If free-form, slide off parchment paper and set directly onto cooling rack. Let cool at least 15 minutes.

Brush glaze over tart, slice, and serve.

Recipe: Chorizo Empanadas

05 Tuesday Jun 2012

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Empanadas are everywhere in Argentina. In Buenos Aires, not a block goes by where you can’t pick up this fast food, and many people make them at home as well. Common fillings including ground beef, chicken, ham and cheese, and tomato and mozzarella.

Empanadas differ all over the country, and most would agree that you can find the best empanadas in the northern provinces like Salta and Tucuman. I concur, and add Mendoza to the list as well. For me, the pastry makes a lot of difference, and I prefer an empanada encased in a crisp, flakey crust.

I became a fan of chorizo empanadas before we moved to Buenos Aires, and haven’t seen a chorizo version here. If you’re noticing a theme, yes, I’m a big fan of chorizo. These don’t take long at all to put together, and do well as part of a tapas style meal. In the States, I made them using ready-made puff pastry and would buy raw Spanish chorizo from Whole Foods. Here in Argentina, I’ll use store-bought empanada pastry and hard chorizo sausages.

This version’s adapted from a cookbook I picked up at World Market called “Spanish: a collection of over 100 essential recipes.”

CHORIZO EMPANADILLAS

4 1/2 oz chorizo sausage

flour, for dusting

9 oz ready-made puff pastry, thawed if frozen

beaten egg, to glaze

paprika, to garnish

If you’re using raw chorizo sausages, remove the casings and cook the sausage. If you’re using hard, cut the sausage into small dice. On a lightly floured surface, thinly roll out the puff pastry, if using. Cut into circles using a round 3 1/4 inch cookie cutter. Gently pile the trimmings together, roll out again, then cut out additional circles to produce 12 in total. Put a spoonful of the chopped chorizo onto each of the pastry circles. Dampen the edges with a little water, then fold one half over the other half to completely cover the chorizo. Seal the edges together with your fingers. Using the prongs of a fork, press against the edges to give a decorative finish and seal them further. With the tip of a sharp knife, make a small slit in the side of each pastry. Place the pastries onto baking sheets and brush each with a little beaten egg to glaze. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 – 15 minutes, or until golden brown and puffed. Dust the top of each pastry with a little paprika to garnish. Best served warm.

Buenos Aires Underground Market

31 Thursday May 2012

Posted by in buenos aires, desserts

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Since our arrival in Buenos Aires last year, I’ve been a fan of The Argentina Independent due in large part to the fact that Adrian Bono’s Weekly News Roundup slays me. And because it’s in English, for quite a while it was my sole source of local news as it took me hours to decipher articles in castellano. In any case, those reasons aside I’m super grateful I found The Indy, because thanks to them I’m officially a vendor at the first ever Buenos Aires Underground Market! The Indy is organizing the event as both a fundraiser and a way for aspiring chefs, restauranteurs and artisanal culinary types to gain exposure to a large audience. The event is Saturday, June 9 at IMPA La Fábrica in Almagro. You can RSVP and get all the details on Facebook.

As soon as I heard about the Underground Market, I knew I was going to apply to be a vendor and exactly what I would be creating: Tres Leches.

Thanks to Lili Kocsis from My Amused Bouche for capturing this picture at the pre-tasting event.

For those who may not be familiar with it, Tres Leches is a cake of Latin American origins, though it doesn’t seem to have made its way very deep into South America. There are different variations, but it’s typically a sponge cake soaked in three types of milk; hence the name that even gringos can translate.

As much as I want to urge you to rush out and try it immediately, full disclosure: I’d never really cared for it much until this recipe came along. I’d tried a few different tres leches cakes, usually at Central American restaurants at the insistence of my father-in-law, who loves it. But I was unimpressed. It’s often too soggy, and the versions I tried were either cloyingly sweet or surprisingly bland. But a few years ago, Gaspar and I were spending Thanksgiving with his family and their friends in New Jersey. One of the guests baked a tres leches cake especially for my father-in-law, and I half-heartedly accepted a slice.

I died.

It was super moist yet somehow light, just sweet enough, had the perfect hint of vanilla and the topping practically floated on top. This was like no Tres Leches I’d ever pushed around my plate before. I had approximately three pieces (and perhaps a bit of wine) before not so tactfully demanding the recipe. I’ve closely guarded it ever since, though I’ve also made some modifications to suit my preferences and the availability of different ingredients.

But let the record show: Nubia Martinez, I bow down to your original Nicaraguan Tres Leches cake.

If you care to try it, get yourself to the Buenos Aires Underground Market on June 9 where you can also sample amazing breads, pickles, marmalades, cheeses and more. If that’s a transcontinental flight away, I may consider sharing the recipe in exchange for a pile of small, unmarked bills…or some advice on how to prepare hundreds of servings of tres leches cake in a small kitchen.

DIY: Vanilla Extract

29 Tuesday May 2012

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A few years back, I read a piece in Food & Wine about making your own vanilla extract and knew I had to give it a try. Why would someone want to do this?

  1. Real vanilla extract is expensive.
  2. It’s very self-satisfying and gives you an (admittedly modest) feeling of accomplishment.
  3. You can drink the leftover liquor.

If you’re not convinced by at least one of the above, we’ll most likely never be friends.

This is so, so easy. Buy some whole vanilla beans. I’ve found 5 – 10 works best, depending on the size of your bottle. Put them in a clean glass bottle and cover with vodka or light rum. Cork the bottle and put it in a cool, dark place. Five to six weeks later, you have beautiful, fragrant vanilla extract.

If you’re not sure where to find these things, I got all my supplies at World Market (a.k.a. the most glorious store EVER) when I was living in Chicago. Now that I live in the Land of Restricted Imports, I must bide my time until vanilla beans make a magical, temporary and most likely grossly overpriced appearance in a dietetica nearby. (Sidenote: If anyone in Buenos Aires knows where I can find whole vanilla beans, let a girl know! Barrio Chino and Tigre have failed me.)

UPDATE: Vanilla beans (vainilla en chaucha or ramas de vainilla, depending on who you ask) have been found in Buenos Aires! Check the puesto selling spices at Mercado San Telmo, he was selling them for $14 ARS each. Not bad at all.

Anyhow, I’d post a picture of the final product, but somehow didn’t think to document it in all its glory before we had to part ways. When packing one’s life for a move to another hemisphere, a bottle of vanilla extract doesn’t make the cut, even for me. But trust me when I tell you it was a thing of delicious-smelling (and tasting) beauty.

Recipe: Roasted Tomato Basil Soup

24 Thursday May 2012

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Fall has arrived in Buenos Aires, and while it’s certainly mild by my northeastern USA standards, there’s a definite chill in the air. Which means I’m spending a lot more time in the kitchen, now that I can cook without turning the entire apartment into an oven.

I love making soup when the weather gets cold; it’s easy, makes the apartment smell delicious and we have leftovers for days. Of course by the third day, I’m annoyed that I’ve been eating the same soup for lunch and dinner. Depressingly, I was recently told by a taxi driver who was appalled that I’ve never had an affair (or as they call them here, aventuras, which literally means “adventures”) that there’s a saying in Argentina amongst married people in regards to their spouses: otra vez, sopa. Soup, again. According to this charming taxista, no matter how good-looking or how good at (ahem) extracurricular activities you may be, your spouse will eventually look at you and think, “otra vez, sopa.”

And yes, this is apparently a normal and accepted topic conversation between a cab driver and his passenger. God Bless Argentina.

On that uplifting note, on to the recipe! The good thing about making tomato soup is there are so many ways to riff on the original batch, you really can’t get tired of it quickly. Stir in some goat cheese or cream, make it with grilled cheese on the side, add some pasta…the possibilities are endless.

Although I’ll never turn up my nose at good ol’ Campbell’s, I love making this robust roasted tomato version from scratch with plenty of fresh basil. For a spicy kick, I add crushed red pepper.

ROASTED TOMATO BASIL SOUP

1 1/2 pounds plum or Roma tomatoes

2 T. olive oil plus 1 1/2 tsp for later

one large yellow onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup fresh basil

1 quart chicken stock (you can use vegetable stock to make this vegetarian)

14 oz. canned plum tomatoes in juice

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp fresh thyme

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

1 1/2 tsp canola oil

Preheat oven to 275 degrees F. Mix tomatoes, pepper and salt. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons canola oil and toss gently to coat, then spread on baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes. Saute onions and garlic with remaining 1 1/2 tsp canola oil and red pepper in large pot on medium-low heat for 15 minutes or until onions brown. Add canned tomatoes, stock, basil and thyme to the same pot, then pour in baked tomatoes with liquid from baking sheet. Bring to a boil and simmer uncovered for 40 minutes. Blend in a blender or food processor, in batches if necessary, until only slightly chunky. Can be served hot or cold.

Recipe: Flourless Chocolate Cake

17 Thursday May 2012

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I’d long heard great things about flourless chocolate cake but somehow had never tasted one, let alone attempted to create one, until recently. Something about it just sounded intimidating…rich, decadent, made in a springform pan. (Springform pan = high level of difficulty, duh.)

Yeah, I don’t know.

But one day, on the hunt for something to bake for my friend Lisa’s gluten-free family that wouldn’t require obscure flours, I stumbled across this recipe and decided to give it a try. Sidenote: Whole Foods website has some great recipes. Who knew?

Wow. Yes, it’s rich, decadent, made in a springform pan…and actually pretty simple. Best of all, my friend’s family enjoyed it thoroughly, as you can read about on her blog. If gluten free’s your thing, she’s got some recipes you should check out as well.

Because it’s so indulgent and just plain beautiful, it’s perfect for a special occasion. Or if you’re just in the mood to eat half of a fudgy chocolate cake with a spoon. No judgement.

FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE CAKE

12 ounces bittersweet chocolate chips or bittersweet chocolate, roughly chopped 

1 cup (2 sticks) plus 3 tablespoons butter, cut into chunks 

1 1/4 cups sugar 

6 eggs 

1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 

1 tablespoon milk 

1 tablespoon honey 

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Raspberries, strawberries, or whatever you may like to garnish the cake with

Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray a 9-inch springform pan with nonstick cooking spray, then line the bottom with a circle of parchment paper. Spray the paper with cooking spray, too, then set the pan aside.

Place two-thirds (8 ounces) of the chocolate and 1 cup (2 sticks) of the butter in a medium saucepan over medium low heat. Stirring often, melt chocolate with butter until completely blended. Remove from heat and transfer to a large bowl. (If this sounds like too much trouble, you can use your microwave to melt the butter with the chocolate). Add sugar and mix well. Add eggs one at a time, whisking well after each addition. Sift cocoa into bowl and stir until just blended.

Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until cake has risen and top has formed a thin crust. The cake should be just firm in the center when done. Cool for 10 minutes, then invert onto a plate, removing sides of springform pan. Remove and discard parchment paper and set cake aside to cool completely.

Meanwhile, make the chocolate glaze. Melt remaining 4 ounces chocolate and 3 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan over medium low heat, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat, then stir in milk, honey and vanilla. Set aside to cool slightly.

When cake has cooled, pour glaze onto the center. Using a spatula or the back of a spoon, very gently smooth glaze along the top and sides of the cake. Chill cake, uncovered, for 30 to 60 minutes before serving to set the glaze and make the cake easier to slice.

Recipe: Chickpeas and Chorizo

11 Friday May 2012

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When Gaspar and I were living in Miami Beach, one of our favorite restaurants was Tapas y Tintos on Española Way. We’d loll away the evening with plates of queso de cabra al horno, garbanzos con chorizo, and calamares a la plancha. And maybe a watermelon martini or five. My mouth still waters when I think about it.

This recipe for chorizo and chickpeas always takes me back to those evenings. It’s quick and easy to make, super flavorful and works well as part of a tapas-style meal.

Depending on where you live, pimientos del piquillo may not be readily available. You can find them at Tienda.com, along with an array of high-quality Spanish food and cooking products, but standard roasted red peppers work as well.

CHICKPEAS & CHORIZO

3 Tablespoons olive oil

1 small onion, finely chopped

2 cloves of garlic, minced

9 oz hard chorizo sausage, casing removed and cut into small cubes

14 oz canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed

6 pimientos del piquillo, drained, patted dry and sliced

1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar, or to taste

salt and pepper

fresh parsley, to garnish

Heat the oil in a large, heavy-bottom skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened but not browned. Stir in the chorizo and continue cooking until it is heated through. Add chickpeas and peppers and cook until just hot. Splash with red wine vinegar and season with salt and pepper. Serve hot or at room temperature, sprinkled with parsley.

Recipe: Smoked Salmon Cheesecake

09 Wednesday May 2012

Posted by in appetizers and sides, breakfast and brunch, recipes

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When I was in college, I loved cooking dinner for my roommates and friends. I’m not ashamed to admit that my kitchen skills in those days were pretty firmly entrenched in specialties of the casserole variety. I grew up in the country, and you’d be surprised what’s possible when you combine cream of chicken soup, sour cream and Ritz crackers. My palette’s evolved a bit since then – or should I say, expanded, because that shit’s still delish – and my kitchen repertoire’s grown with it. I credit much of my initial foray into cuisine beyond one-dish dinners to a Christmas gift from my roommate Colleen: Better Homes & Gardens Prizewinning Recipes. My very first cookbook, which I’ve used so much since that pages are falling out and others are stuck together from various drips and spills. Among the many gems is a recipe for Smoked Salmon Cheesecake I’ve made so many times, I’ve lost count.

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I usually make it for brunch, but it also makes a great appetizer. This version is adapted from the one in Better Homes & Gardens Prizewinning Recipes.

To make this in Argentina requires some adjustments. The most important note being, pleasefortheloveofgod DO NOT use those bagged breadcrumbs, aka pulverized cardboard. Like, ever. For anything. Make your own breadcrumbs. And while there’s an array of delicious cheeses available, I’ve had trouble tracking down Swiss, but gouda or mozzarella varieties work well. And no one here’s heard of evaporated milk, but you can make an inexpensive evaporated milk substitute using leche descremada en polvo (powdered milk).

SMOKED SALMON CHEESECAKE

1 1/2 cups soft bread crumbs (high quality or homemade is best) 

2 Tablespoons margarine or butter, melted (add a bit more if the crumbs aren’t sticking together)

3 eggs

1 15-ounce carton of ricotta cheese

1 1/2 cups (6 oz) shredded Swiss cheese 

1/2 cup evaporated fat free milk

4 ounces smoked salmon, finely flaked

1 Tablespoon chopped fresh dill, plus additional for garnish

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper

Sour cream (optional)

For the crust, combine the bread crumbs and melted margarine or butter in a small bowl. Press the crumb mixture onto the bottom of a 9-inch quiche dish. For the filling, in a large bowl use a fork to beat the eggs slightly. Stir in the ricotta and Swiss cheese, then the evaporated milk, salmon, dill, salt and white pepper. Pour filling into prepared crust. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes or until the center is nearly set when shaken. Cool slightly on a wire rack. Cut into wedges and serve warm, topped with sour cream if you like.

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The hardest part is flaking the salmon. How does one finely flake smoked salmon? I usually just end up roughly chopping it up. Any tips, please share!