Simple Blueberry Crisp with Olive Oil Topping

Blogging?  What is this thing?  I think if I tap these keys and click this over here... then a picture should show up like this...

Ahh, yes, getting the hang of it.

It's blueberry season!  Time to whip up a crisp.  I'm trying to simplify the baking process so this one's got a simple olive oil topping.

Blueberry Crisp

1/2 c rolled oats
1/2 c flour
1/4 c sugar
dash cinnamon
pinch salt
olive oil
~ 2 c blueberries
lime juice from 1/2 a lime

Mix lime juice and blueberries in a smallish baking dish so that they are rolling about 1" deep.  In a bowl, mix oats, flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon together.  Mix in enough olive oil so that the topping will hold together in one mass if you squeeze it together in your hand.  Sprinkle the topping over the blueberries.  Bake at 400F until the topping is golden brown (about 30-40 mins).  Enjoy with a cup of tea.

Caramel apricot mille feuilles

Fresh apricots are wonderful eaten as is but sometimes they start getting a little mushy. This is a good way to get that apricot aroma into a mille feuille.

1 sheet puff pastry
Bake at 400 C for 20-25 minutes sandwiched between two baking sheets. Let cool and cut into 9 equal sized pieces

Apricot puree:

Apricot puree (blend 3 ripe fresh apricots in blender)
1 T sugar
2 t. cornstarch
3 T water

Heat apricoat puree and sugar over med heat. Mix cornstarch and water and add to apricot puree. Stir until thickened.

Caramel mousse

2 T dulce de leche
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 c powdered sugar

Heat dulce de leche in microwave for 20 sec until soft but not too hot. Whip heavy cream to stiff peaks in a cold bowl. Sift powdered sugar into cream and gently whip/stir to incorporate. Add a few Tbs of whipped cream to the soft dulce de leche and stir to mix well. Gently fold in rest of whipped cream until well mixed.

Layer puff pastry piece with apricot puree and caramel mousse.


I also made some apricot mousse that was too soft for mille feuilles so I made "Apricot Benedict" for breakfast with yogurt cheese, apricot puree and apricot mousse. Yum.

Pad Thai and Breakfast

Last night I made Pad Thai using the excellent guide at Chez Pim. It wasn't particularly photogenic (biting my tongue on a "your mom" joke... must grow out of adolescent, ie. graduate school, humor) but it was dangerously addictive. I'm a slow eater but I inhaled my plate and then threatened my friend with my fork over the leftovers.


Also, I've been digging making oatmeal for breakfast with fruit and some homemade almond oat crumble on top. Hearty, healthy, heavenly. Three wins.

Crème Caramels

Smooth, creamy, cold. Perfect for this hot weather.

Put on a kettleful of water to boil. Oven should be 350 F.

Caramel
1/3 cup sugar

Heat sugar in a small smooth saucepan until medium amber color. Pour into six 4 oz ramekins.

Custard
4 eggs
2 cups milk
1/2 cup sugar

Heat milk until just before boiling. In a large bowl, whisk sugar and eggs until smooth and sugar is dissolved. Slowly whisk in milk in a thin stream. Pour custard into ramekins. Place ramekins in a large baking dish. Fill dish with hot water to halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake for 20-25 mins. Chill overnight before eating.

Lemon Lentils

Quick, simple and delicious.

Ingredients

1 T oil
1 tsp butter
1.5 cups of red dal
1/2 tsp garam masala
1 onion chopped
3 slices ginger minced
3 cloves garlic minced
1 tomato chopped
3 cups broth
Cilantro chopped
Salt to taste
1/2 lemon juiced

Directions

• Wash lentils.
• Heat oil and butter over medium in a large pot.
  
• Add onion, ginger and garlic. Sautee until fragrant
• Add garam masala. Fry 20 seconds.
• Add tomato and stir 30 seconds
• Add lentils and sautee a few minutes
• Add in hot broth to cover. If you need more water, then add enough to cover.
• Add salt to taste. Bring to a simmer and simmer with lid on for 15 min.
• Check the dal. Add more water for thinner dal. Stir in lemon juice and garnish with cilantro

turf and surf

Took the loooong bus ride to climb Olomana. The bus system here is pretty great. I was amazed that I could take a bus that basically dropped me off in front of the Olomana trail head. It is very slow though. We waited 10 minutes for the bus to come, then it took 30 minutes to go across Waikiki to the Ala Moana shopping center. If you are leaving from Waikiki, get thyself to the Ala Moana shopping center (which just looks like/is a gigantic multilevel parking lot) and then take the #57. Tell your bus driver that you're going to Olomana or Maunawili Falls. The bus will then randomly stop in the middle of a intersection on a busy road and you will get off thoroughly confused. However, look to the west and you will see a little road running parallel to the big road. Walk over the bridge and towards the guard station of the fancy golf course. Talk with the guard there. He'll point you to the trail head and tell you to be careful of the wild pigs and suggest you carry some metal with you to ward them off.

This was all gleaned by experience. None of the native islanders we asked really knew about the trail, so we were kind of winging it. It is the same stop that goes to Maunawili Falls. Basically the stop is at an intersection of a very busy highway. Once you get off immediately turn left and go down what looks like an access road. Keep walking down the road and you'll pass by the guard house for the golf course. We stopped and talked with guard there and he gave us some good information about the trail.

The trail was beautiful, starting in forests, with roosters crowing in the distance, and passionfruit vines flanking the trail.


It soon opened up to a clearing revealing the red clay underneath:


Here is where it started to get quite steep. There were some old ropes to help you climb up but it was pretty scrambly. I was actually really happy to climb up some rocks. Haven't done it in so long.

And Oh! the view:
After a while there is a breezy shady little pine grove to rest in


After the hike, it was time for the beach! With our transfers in hand, we hopped back on the 57 and got off in the town of Kailua. Unfortunately, Kailua beach is about a 20-30 min walk from the town which was annoying. But when we finally climbed over the dune and saw the beach, it was worth it.

Stupid island

You know what really bugs me about Waikiki? This:


and this:


For crying out loud, I'm trying to finish my dissertation and start making my defense presentation. I just got a room and time reserved so I can't back out now. But how am I supposed to concentrate when the sun is rising over the palm trees and the water at the shore is warmer and clearer than an indoor pool? Here's one of the irritatingly gratuitous views I had to deal with:


Apparently, they "flatten" the beach every night. I don't know why I find this so amusing. Shows what a newb I am to beaches and islands.



Someone's been busy digging a hole to lay in... oh, that would be me. My fellow defenders have also made their own holes.