Inarizushi (Seasoned Sushi Pockets)

Inarizushi are at the tip of the boat

We like to include these in our sushi parties - a nice variation that's sweet and usually a good way to get your kids to decide they like sushi, since it doesn't include anything fishy.  You can also just stuff the pockets with sushi rice or add some other toppings, but I like it this way.

ingredients:
1 1/2 cups rice prepared for sushi*
1-2 Tbs. minced pickled ginger
2 Tbs. chopped peanuts
1 Tbs. sesame seeds
2 dates, chopped
2 Tbs. fresh cilantro, chopped
tofu pockets

Mix flavorings into rice. Squeeze most of the liquid out of the pockets.  Press into egg shape, then stuff into pocket.  Fold top over and press the whole thing together.

*For sushi rice instructions, see Sushi Bowls Recipe

Sweet Potato Burrito Bowls with Lime Chipotle Dressing

One of our favorite meals has always been beans and rice, and last year I started making a more complicated version with lots of delicious toppings like sauteed peppers and onions, shredded chicken in green sauce, roasted corn, cheese, salsa, and sour cream.   I was looking for variations that would work for Zoe's mostly vegetarian and tightly budgeted house, and came across a lot of recipes that included sweet potatoes.  This is the version I came up with after looking at several.  I think it turned out great!

Sweet Potato Burrito Bowls with Lime Chipotle Dressing

For about 4 servings:

Ingredients:

2 cups cooked black beans*
2 cups cooked brown rice
1 onion, thinly sliced lengthwise
1 red, yellow or orange bell pepper, in strips
4 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut in cubes.
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 sliced avocado (opt)
1/4 c. chopped fresh cilantro (opt)

for the dressing:
2 Tbs. sour cream
2 Tbs. mayonnaise
2 Tbs. lime juice
1/4 tsp. paprika (smoked if you have it)
1/4 tsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. ground chipotle powder (or some finely chopped canned chipotle)
1/8 tsp. cumin
salt and black pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  If you have one (or two), preheat a pizza stone or roasting pan. Drizzle the bell pepper and onion with about 1 Tbs. olive oil, sprinkle on a few pinches of salt and toss to coat.  Spread out on pizza stone or roasting pan or large cookie sheet and bake, stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes or until they've developed some spots of brown roasted color.

Peppers and onions as they start roasting

Peppers and onions after they're roasted 

Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Toss the sweet potatoes in another Tbs. of olive oil and sprinkle with salt, and roast those the same way as the peppers and onions.










Mix together the dressing ingredients.

Chipotle Lime Dressing

To serve, put a scoop of rice, beans, and each of the kinds of veggies in a bowl, top with the optional avocado and cilantro, and drizzle with the dressing.

Cooked black beans

*For black beans, I cooked these in my instant pot.  3 cups of black beans, 9 cups of water, 1 Tbs. salt, 2 Tbs. dried minced onions, 2 cloves garlic, 2 dried chiles (I used Oaxacan pasilla, but the chiles are optional and you can use whatever type you prefer) and 2 dried avocado leaves (totally optional).  Pressed "beans" and did a quick release when they were done cooking.  This time I had presoaked them a few hours before cooking, and forgot to reduce the 30 minute automatic cooking time, so they're a little softer than I might prefer.

Chocolate Orange Cupcakes

This recipe is originally from Joanne Wheatley, from the Great British Bake-Off.  It has a mixing method I haven’t tried before in a cake batter, where you blend the dry ingredients with the butter in a food processor, kind of like you would for a pie, then you mix in the liquid ingredients.  I think I didn’t blend the butter in quite enough because the batter had butter lumps in it, but they weren’t a problem in the finished cupcake.

I made her version today and it was a little too sweet for my taste.  I’d prefer a more tart orange flavor and darker chocolate.  So here is what I’d do the next time around.

Chocolate Orange Cupcakes

For the cupcakes

120g/4oz (1 cup) all-purpose flour

140g/5oz (2/3 cup) sugar

1 tsp baking powder

40g/1½ oz unsalted butter

50g/2oz unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled slightly

1 free-range egg

125ml/4fl oz (1/2 cup) milk 

For the orange drizzle

2 Tbsp orange juice concentrate

2 Tbsp orange juice

2 Tbsp granulated sugar

1 tsp orange liqueur or 1/2 tsp orange extract

For the white chocolate and orange buttercream

125g/4½oz unsalted butter, softened

250g/9oz icing sugar

2-3 tbsp milk

50g/1¾oz white chocolate, melted

1 orange, zest only

1 oz dark chocolate

Method:

Preheat the oven to 170C/325F/Gas 3. Line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper cases.

Mix the flour, sugar and baking powder together in a food processor. Add the butter and pulse until combined.

Whisk the melted chocolate, egg and milk together in a jug.

Stir the chocolate mixture into the flour mixture until just combined.

Spoon the mixture into the cases and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until risen and and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, mix the orange juice, concentrate, liqueur and granulated sugar together in a bowl. Carefully pour the orange juice mixture over the warm cakes and set aside to cool completely.

For the white chocolate and orange buttercream, beat the butter in a bowl until light and fluffy. Carefully stir in the icing sugar and continue to beat for five minutes. Beat in the milk, melted chocolate and orange zest.

Decorate the cupcakes with the buttercream.

Use a sharp knife to make chocolate shavings from the dark chocolate and use them to decorate the cupcakes.