Moussaka for the Masses!

Moussaka is a great and easy casserole to prepare, rather like an eggplant lasagne. The dish is popular across the Middle East and The Mediterranean in various forms with myriad names. I first came across moussaka as a child in a NYC diner called The Viand on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, an eatery which is now sadly defunct. This is my relatively low carb version meant to satisfy the requirements of a ketogenic diet, so I forgo the more traditional bechamel sauce made with milk and flour in favor of a savory custard comprised entirely of dairy products, and make other small adjustments without sacrificing any of the lush luxuriant mouthfeel of the original.

Moussaka for the Masses!

A few notes: You can substitute any ground meat you like for the lamb, but the lamb is traditional and so yummy.

The cheese layer is basically a savory cheesecake, so you can substitute softened cream cheese for either the Greek Yogurt or the ricotta, and grated parmesan for the crumbled feta, but it is soooo much better with the Greek yogurt-ricotta-feta sauce. I don’t add additional salt to the cheese sauce because feta is already quite salty.

I roast the eggplant slices coating them in olive oil on a foil-lined large baking sheet in a preheated 350 degree oven while the lamb sauce is simmering and let them cool slightly before assembling the dish. You can broil or sauté them, but roasting is easier and requires less immediate attention.

I throw the baby spinach layer in raw. You can sauté it instead, but the casserole cooks long and slow so the spinach will cook in it and the excess moisture should evaporate. Sometimes I roast red peppers and add a layer of those, too, but I didn’t have any last night. Typically, moussaka will include potatoes (either white or sweet) but I substitute low carb things like spinach or red peppers instead. I wouldn’t use cauliflower, though I suppose you could - spinach and red pepper are more in keeping with Greek flavor profile of this dish - they are great with feta.

INGREDIENTS:

For the moussaka:

• 3 globe eggplants (the large Italian ones you typically find in the supermarket, not the smaller Asian varieties) - sliced into 1/3 inch slices, lengthwise
• 5 ounces baby spinach (one small bag)
• lamb sauce (recipe below)
• cheese sauce (recipe below)
• olive oil or avocado oil spray (for the eggplant)
• * large lasagne/roasting pan (9-1/2 x 13 inches)

For the lamb sauce:

• 1 lb of ground lamb
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
• 1 Tablespoon of dried oregano
• 1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon of ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon of ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika (or sweet)
• 28 oz of chopped boxed tomatoes (I use Pomi brand because it has no salt or sugar)
• 1 teaspoon of tomato paste
• a couple of splashes Extra virgin olive oil - for sautéing lamb
• 1/3 cup good red wine (I used the Pinot Noir I was drinking)
• salt and pepper to taste (I grate my salt freshly from a block of Pink Himalayan I’ve had forever and I also use freshly cracked black pepper from my pepper-mill)

For the cheese sauce:

• 1 cup of Greek Yogurt
• 2 cups of ricotta cheese
• 6 oz of crumbled feta
• 3 large eggs, room temperature, beaten
• a pinch of white pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg (I grate mine fresh)

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Heat a heavy sauce pan over medium heat, add enough olive oil to thinly coat bottom if pan, when oil is hot add ground lamb, breaking up the lamb with a wooden spoon as you saute. When the lamb is broken up and loses its raw look, add onions and garlic, sauté until translucent and fragrant, then add oregano & the rest of the spices. Saute for 2 minutes or so, incorporating everything evenly then add tomato paste being sure to coat all the meat. Let the paste coated meat cook for 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add chopped tomatoes. Stir in well. Add wine, being sure to scrape up all the pan fond (the little cooked bits that stick to the bottom of the pan are yummy), and stir until sauce looks homogenous, then lower heat to a bare simmer, simmer until sauce is thickened to taste and now prepare eggplant for roasting.

2. Line a large cookie sheet with foil and spray (or coat) it with olive oil. Add eggplant slices in a single layer, seasoning them on both sides with a little salt, pepper and a coating of olive oil. Place them in center of oven and roast from 10-15 minutes until softened and lightly goldened. Then remove and let cook enough so you can comfortably handle the slices for assembly. Leave oven on.

3. While lamb sauce is simmering and eggplant slices are roasting, prepare cheese sauce. Add Greek yogurt and ricotta in a bowl, whisk together well, until homogenous looking, then whisk in eggs, nutmeg, and white pepper until well-incorporated. Then stir in feta. Sauce will look slightly liquidy at this point which is fine. It will firm up as it cooks.

4. Now assemble the dish. Place the eggplant layer in first, allowing layers to overlap and cover the pan completely. Next dump all the lamb sauce atop the eggplant, being sure to smooth it evenly over the dish. Next layer the baby spinach leaves evenly atop the lamb sauce. Press them into meat sauce slightly. Then finish by pouring all the cheese sauce atop the spinach, smooth it out and place in the center of the oven. Bake for 1 hour, until cheese is firm. Let it rest 20 minutes before serving on warm plates. Enjoy!

Ketolicious Broiled Miso Salmon with Sesame-Scented Cauliflower Rice and Asian Slaw

 

Marinated in a sweet and savory sauce, this salmon recipe is as tasty as it is elegant, and incredibly easy to make.  It really is a straightforward dish - just a few ingredients you whisk together, pour over the fish, then stick in the fridge for the fish to marinate for no more than an hour... otherwise you wind up pickling the poor thing. A word about miso... 

Miso is made primarily from soybeans and usually includes rice or barley. They are steamed, mixed with koji (a fermentation starter) and left to ferment for 6 months to 5 years. Miso provides protein and is rich in vitamins and minerals and used for many dishes in Japanese cuisine - from marinades to salad dressings to the base of soups.  Miso has a nutty, salty and savory taste -not unlike tahini, so when I use it in marinades, I mix it with something sweet as well as acidic to complement the salt... typically mirin ( a type of rice wine similar to sake, but with a lower alcohol content and higher sugar content. The sugar content is a complex carbohydrate that forms naturally during the fermentation process; no sugars are added), honey, or sugar is used, but since we are keto in my household, I'll mix a sweetener such as monkfruit, coconut sugar or brown Swerve into a splash of wine - usually a teaspoon of sweetener to two tablespoons of Chardonnay or Sake & whisk it in well until the sweetener is dissolved. It takes a few minutes but it is well worth the effort, especially if you are out of mirin (as I was). I think miso is so pretty: 

So... to the miso paste, I add a little fresh minced ginger, a little fresh minced garlic, a little lemon, low sodium soy sauce, toasted sesame oil and mild Japanese rice vinegar... as a garnish I add chives (because I was out of scallions) and toasted sesame seeds, then serve it with cauliflower rice which is scented with a bit of toasted sesame oil and a broccoli slaw which is just julienned broccoli stems, carrots, and cilantro, but you can make a slaw out of anything you like. I like the contrast of temperature and textures.



*Word to the wise: When cooking a miso-marinated dish, regardless if it’s fish or meat, you must remove the marinade before broiling or grilling because miso burns quickly. Don’t worry about not having enough flavor by removing it. The flavor of miso penetrates protein quite easily. Trust me when I say the meat will glaze beautifully anyway.

This recipe serves two. 

Ketolicious Broiled Miso Salmon, 

Sesame-Scented Cauliflower Rice and Broccoli Slaw 

INGREDIENTS

Marinade:

• 2 Tbsp white miso
• 1 Tbsp Japanese rice wine vinegar
• 2 Tbsp mirin (or substitute as I did with 2 Tbsp chardonnay mixed well with 1 teaspoon of keto approved sweetener like monkfruit, brown Swerve, or coconut sugar until sweetener is completely dissolved into wine) 
• 1 Tbsp low sodium soy sauce
• 1 tsp sesame oil (roasted)
• 1 garlic clove, finely minced
• 1/2 inch piece of ginger root, finely minced
• juice from half a lemon
• 16 oz skin-on salmon fillet (I like using one big piece to keep the fish moister, but you can cut it in half)

Garnish:

• 1 tsp toasted white and black sesame seeds (optional)
• 1 green onion/scallion or several snipped chives (optional)
  
  
  

INSTRUCTIONS

• Gather all the ingredients.

• Mix all the ingredients for the marinade in a large bowl.

• Place the salmon in a shallow tray or bowl just large enough to accommodate it, pour the marinade over it, coat it well over both sides, then place it skin side up. Cover bowl with plastic wrap, and keep in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Do not marinate for longer than an hour, unless you want your salmon to be pickled.

• Line a baking sheet with foil for broiling. Remove excess marinade completely from the salmon and place it skin side down on aluminum foil.

• Preheat the broiler* with a rack placed about 6" away from the top heating element for 3 minutes. Place foil lined baking tray in the middle of the top rack. Broil on high for 10-12 minutes, depending on the thickness of the salmon. You do not need to turn it. *Broilers typically range from Medium/500ºF  to High/550ºF.

To Serve


I served the salmon on top of cauliflower rice that I cook with a bit of toasted sesame oil and a splash of coconut milk then add a little broccoli slaw as an accent, but any crunchy raw salad would do nicely. I like the contrast of temperature and textures. Top the salmon with sesame seeds and thinly sliced scallions or snipped chives. Serve. Voila! 

Keto Pumpkin Spice Waffles w/Freshly Whipped Cinnamon Cream, Mascarpone, Walnuts, and Warm Blueberry Compote...

 

Tis the season to be pumpkining... tra la la la la la la laaaaaaa....
Come the holidays, I enjoy the fragrance of warm sweet spices wafting through the apartment, and the only way to achieve it? Is by baking. El esposo and I continue to adhere to a diet known as the ketogenic diet. It is mostly for his health that we do. He has lost and maintained the loss of over 40 pounds. It's a high fat diet, with low to moderate protein and virtually no starches or sugar. You do eat carbohydrates in the form of low glycemic vegetables and some low glycemic fruits, but your total carbohydrate intake (excluding fiber) ideally should not exceed 20 grams.

Neither one of us is a dessert eater, but this time of year does beg for sweet indulgences, particularly on frosty late Autumn mornings, so.... I substitute nut flours for regular flours, alcohol sugars for regular sugar and have at it! There was a wonderful restaurant/bakery on the upper west side in New York City just across the street from my then boyfriend's, now husband's brownstone walkup called Sarabeth's Kitchen. It's still there, in fact, Sarabeth has expanded her little baking empire... anyway, she served the most delicious pumpkin waffles with golden raisins, sour cream and honey... this is my attempt to recreate them (sans the raisins and honey). 

This recipe only yields three full-sized Belgian waffles or six mini-ones, BUT it filled our bellies and our hearts beautifully. If you are feeding more than two, by all means increase the recipe accordingly. 

About toppings... There are "keto-approved" syrups you can use, but I like making berry compotes, they have fiber, vitamins, and are more flavor bang for your buck. I also serve the waffles with mascarpone and freshly whipped cream tinged with a bit of cinnamon instead of sugar, though you can sweeten it with powdered Swerve, if you prefer. You can sub in regular sugar and flour, of course, if you are not concerned about consuming starch or gluten, but I use almond flour, coconut flour, and sugar substitutes to keep the carb count lower.  I might whip the cream next time and fold it into the batter, or maybe whip the egg whites... just to see how much it lightens the texture. Cooking is all about experimentation. So dare to eat that peach!

Keto Pumpkin Spice Waffles w/Freshly Whipped Cinnamon Cream, Mascarpone, Walnuts, and Warm Blueberry Compote

Ingredients

For the waffles:

• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 4 tablespoons pumpkin puree NOT pumpkin pie filling
• 2 tablespoons nut or seed butter of your choice
• 2 tablespoons Swerve, or monkfruit sweetener OR coconut sugar
• 3 tablespoons heavy cream (add more as needed if you want a thinner batter)
• 2 tablespoons of peanut oil or melted butter
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2/3 cup super-fine blanched almond flour
• 2 tablespoons coconut flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon of powdered ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon of cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• (or just use 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, if you don't have the first three spices)
• 1/2 tablespoon of ground cinnamon (or to taste)
• Avocado oil spray or coconut oil spray for coating wafflemaker
• Belgian Wafflemaker
  
  
  
  
  
  

For the blueberry compote:

• 1 cup of blueberries (fresh or frozen)
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon coconut milk (or heavy cream)
• 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
• 3 tablespoons of Swerve (or monkfruit sugar or coconut sugar)
• small heavy non-reactive sauce pan

Instructions


Instructions for waffles:

1. In a large bowl, beat the eggs then whisk in the pumpkin, nut or seed butter and sweetener. Pour in the cream and vanilla and mix until smooth and combined.
2. Add almond flour, coconut flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices and cinnamon. Stir until batter is smooth and combined. The batter should be thick, somewhere between a cake and cookie batter. You can see it pictured here below. You can always thin it out by adding more cream.
3. Allow the batter to rest for 3-5 minutes. *Important*
4. Meanwhile, preheat waffle iron to high heat. Coat with avocado or coconut oil spray.
5. Make your blueberry compote (recipe below)
6. When waffle iron is hot... scoop 1/4 cup batter into the middle of the waffle iron (for mini waffles) or 2/3 cup of the batter for full Belgian waffles and spread out slightly to desired shape / size. ( I made 2 of each - mini and full). Close lid and cook until golden and cooked through, or according to your waffle maker's instructions. Once the light turns green or steam stops (about 4-5 minutes, flip and cook for another round (for extra crispy waffles) (another 4-5 minutes). Repeat with any remaining batter.
7. Allow to cool slightly then use a spatula or a blunt knife to remove and transfer to warm plates. (I heat our plates in the microwave).
8. Serve hot with whipped cream, blueberry compote, mascarpone, and/or other toppings as desired. I layered some of the topping between the waffles.

Instructions for compote:

1. Chuck all the ingredients in a pan over medium heat, give it a stir a couple of times, then, when it starts to thicken, lower heat to lowest setting until ready to serve atop waffles.

For the toppings:

• Mascarpone (or cream cheese), at room temperature
• Walnuts (or pumpkin seeds, or whatever you like)
• Freshly whipped heavy cream with cinnamon (to whip cream make sure the cream, the bowl, and the whisk are ice cold... you can stick them in the freezer for a couple of minutes - then it's all just wrist power... or if you have an immersion blender or an electric eggbeater you can use those, but I adore beating my cream into submission)
  

Basuku me, Babycakes! Basque "Burnt Cheesecake" - The Ketolicious Way

With months and months of quarantines, wildfires, economic instability, and polarizing politics, it's small wonder everyone's cortisol levels are astronomic.  This global pandemic has been disastrous in all respects except one - people who are cooped up at home have finally found what is often the most neglected place in the house for modern wo/man - the kitchen and are finally making use of the most neglected appliance in that neglected room - the oven! Yes, COVID-19 has spawned a new generation of (temporarily) dedicated bakers, and when everyone got tired of their sourdough starters, a new trend emerged from the Instagrammed masses -  “Basque-style burnt cheesecake” - a sensation that didn't start in 2020, but has certainly gained trending momentum since March, especially when Bay Area resident and restaurant consultant Charles Chen turned his hobby of making these burnt caramel crusted cheesecakes into a bonafide culinary phenomenon during these pandemic-times. Limited quantities of these smooth and creamy cheesecakes have made them a hot commodity, often selling out online in mere minutes. At $56 a pop, I thought perhaps it was time for me to try to bake one instead of buy one. 

Now, I have been a Keto-maven since 2017 and so, naturally, I subbed in Swerve and almond flour for my keto-friendly rendition of the Basque “Burnt” Cheesecake originally made famous by the La Viña in San Sebastian (pictured below). Unlike other cheesecakes, this cheesecake is baked at a high temperature, served at room temperature, has a caramelized exterior and gooey interior. 

The texture of this cheesecake is unreal. It’s like biting into a triple cream brie. In fact, biting is the wrong word... it’s too meltingly silken to actually dig your teeth into and bite... it just sort of bathes and luxuriates on your tastebuds as it evaporates off your tongue. The center is incredibly jiggly when just out of the oven - this is what you want so resist the temptation to bake it longer - and the top should be quite burnished, but as the cake cools the center firms and the top whitens. I’m betting regular sugar would create an even darker exterior but the caramelized flavor is present even with Swerve. When baking time is over, the center will look incredibly jiggly but that’s what you want... then you take it out of the oven and let it cool completely, but unlike other cheesecakes you don’t chill it in the fridge to serve it... you serve it at room temperature... then of course you store leftovers in the fridge but this cheesecake is best eaten at room temperature.

Okay so... I used a 9” Springform pan, sprayed the bottom with avocado oil then lined the inside with parchment paper... the parchment paper should overhang 2-3 inches on all sides, just crinkle it in there... it gives the cheesecake its distinctive look and helps with the unmolding. I reinforced the pan’s bottom with aluminum foil and placed the pan on a baking sheet and after I prepared the batter I filled the pan. Like so: 

Once it's baked it should look like so: 

Basque "Burnt Cheesecake" - The Ketolicious Way

Ingredients:

2 lbs of cream cheese at room temperature - it’s vitally important all the ingredients are at room temperature or else the batter will be lumpy

1/2 cup sour cream

1 pint (2 cups) of heavy whipping cream

1-1/2 cups of Powdered Swerve ( you can use confectioners sugar if you aren’t keto - Swerve is a brand of sugar substitute and it can be subbed for sugar in a 1:1 ratio, if you use a different brand of sweetener you may need to adjust the amount)

1/4 cup almond flour ( you can use all-purpose flour if you aren’t keto)

4 eggs (room temperature )

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp kosher salt

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees

I used a food processor to create the custard, but you can use a mixer or hand-mix it

Process the cream cheese and sour cream until it looks like whipped butter,

Then add the sweetener, and let them cream together well, you want that sweetener completely dissolved into the cheese which is why I used powdered not granular. You will need to stop to scrape down the sides occasionally through this entire process.

Then add the heavy cream to the batter, incorporate it well.

Then add the vanilla, salt, and flour - process until smooth. Stop to scrape sides as necessary while processing.

Then add the eggs to the batter one at a time - briefly processing each one before adding the next one.

Be sure it’s completely blended but once you add those eggs don’t overwork them or your cheesecake will crack and the texture will be mealy.

Pour batter in a 9-inch springform pan lined with parchment paper (leaving at least 2 inches of overhang off the sides) on a rack slightly higher than the middle of the oven, and bake for 55 minutes. At all costs, do not overbake. Better to underbake it and let it firm up as it chills. 

The top will brown, the center will remain jiggly. As it cools at room temperature, the top will actually whiten a bit again and the center will firm up. Let it cool completely at room temperature before unmolding and serving and be gentle as you unmold it so as not to lose any precious cheesecake.

Store leftovers in fridge. Voila! Simple!

Keep Your Liberty... Just Give Me Tamarind-Chipotle Glazed Ribs!!!

Memorial Day... July 4th... Labor Day...

These holidays all have true cultural significance in American history, but well...
I ain't ashamed to say that mostly? To me? They mean BBQ RIBS!!!!


Call me callow, shallow, it's all true, I shall not deny it... in fact? I'll scour through the thesaurus and help you seek more pejoratives, if you like, so long as I can roast, glaze, and feast on the ribs of a sweet beast.

Now, sadly, I live in a tiny apartment in San Francisco - sans backyard, deck, or balcony where I can light a primal fire over wood and coals (or even a gas burner) and let voracious flames hungrily lick their way to barbecuing Nirvana... Nope. I have a galley kitchen with a tiny electric range, but that's not going to spoil my dreams of falling off the bone tender, charred star-glazed meat melting unctuously over my tongue. 

Okay so... the ribs...

You can use baby backs or St. Louis-style cuts...

Here is a helpful chart that distinguishes the various cuts:

Most cooks will tell you to remove the membrane beneath the bones, I don't bother... it is gelatinous enough and will melt... I slow-roast these, there is no boiling, no steaming, nothing violent or wet that will make the membrane tough. So let's see... after cleaning them with cider vinegar and a paper towel I season them with my secret spices and then add a splash of apple cider vinegar, soy sauce, avocado and olive oil, and massage it all into the meat... about an hour before cooking... I stick them in the preheated oven at 325 degrees in a shallow foil-lined pan for two hours... I baste them once with their own fat & juices & a splash of vinegar after the first hour, then a half hour later glaze them with secret sauce and then half an hour after that glaze them again with their fat & my secret sauce & let them rest for 15 minutes... I don't even have to broil them because I reduce the sauce to a glaze in the pan before anointing the ribs with it... they were so meaty... so succulent.... el esposo cried.

Tamarind-Chipotle Glazed Ribs

A few notes before you start: 

Take your ribs out and season them an hour before cooking. 
I usually cook a large 2-1/2 to 3 lb rack.

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees. You can, of course, put it in an even slower oven. I have cooked them in 250 degree heat, and that added an extra hour of time to the roasting, but I found no truly discernible difference, still, cooking is about experimentation so have fun and play.

Make your barbecue sauce. It is easy to do and so much more flavorful, plus you can then control the amount of sugar and sodium you add. The tamarind syrup, chipotle in adobo, and plum sauce are truly value add.

Roast the rack two hours with minimal fussing. You don't need to constantly baste it. Once after the first hours and then half an hour after that, and then at the end to glaze with the sauce. Rest them for 15 -20 minutes. Serve. Eat. Simple.

Ingredients:

• 1 2-1/2 to 3 lb rack of ribs

Dry Rub:

• 2 TBS Garlic powder
• 2 TBS Paprikon (Smoked Paprika)
• 2 TBS Ground Cumin
• 1 TBS Ground Coriander
• 1 TBS Fresh Cracked Black Pepper
• 1 TBS Dried Oregano
• A grating of fresh Pink Himalayan Sea Salt to taste
• 1 Teaspoon Ground Clove (or Allspice)
• 1 TBS of Brown Swerve or Monkfruit sweetener

Wet Marinade:

• A few splashes of cider vinegar
• A few splashes of extra virgin olive oil
• A splash of low sodium soy sauce
• A few sprays of avocado oil (or any other high flashpoint oil spray)

Barbecue Sauce:

• 1 small onion, chopped into small dice
• 2 cloves of garlic, smashed and minced
• 2 chipotles in adobo, minced into paste
• 2 TBS of tamarind syrup (reduction of tamarind pulp)
• 2 TBS of Chinese plum sauce
• 1 TBS of hoisin sauce
• 2 TBS of olive oil to saute the aromatics
• 1 TBS of garlic-chili paste
• 1 TBS of Worcestershire Sauce
• 1/4 cup of vegetable stock
• 1/4 cup of balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 cup of ketchup (or 3 oz of unsalted tomato paste)
• 1 TBS of cumin
• 1 TBS of Paprikon (smoked paprika)
• 1/2 teaspoon of ground cloves or allspice

Instructions:

1) Remove ribs from fridge an hour before roasting and place them on a large shallow baking sheet lined with foil, bone side down

2) Clean ribs with a wet paper towel doused in cider vinegar and dry well.

3) Sprinkle the dry rub allover them, tops, sides and bottom

4) Whisk the first three ingredients of the wet marinade together, and then anoint the ribs with them, being sure to massage them well with the marinade... it should not be too wet, it should have a paste-like consistency when mixed with the dry seasonings

5) Spray the ribs allover with the avocado oil (or any equivalent neutral high flash point spray)

6) Set aside in a cool spot in your kitchen

While the ribs marinate, make your barbecue sauce:

1) Heat a small sauce pan over medium heat, add olive oil, when oil heats, add onions, saute until soft and golden

2) Add garlic and saute until aromatic do not let garlic become burnt and acrid

3) Add chipotles, and dry seasonings, saute until aromatic

4) Deglaze pan with balsamic vinegar, reduce by half

5) When balsamic vinegar reduces, add stock, ketchup, tamarind syrup and all the rest of the ingredients

6) Lower heat to a simmer and let reduce to a glaze, when reduced, set aside in a warm spot on the stove top until ready to glaze the ribs. If the glaze seems too thick, add more stock... a splash at a time until the right consistency is achieved... season to taste... remember to taste it as it cooks, only you can be the judge of whether or not it has enough sweetness, tartness, spiciness etc.

7) When the ribs have marinated, put them in the preheated 325 degree oven. Cook them undisturbed for an hour, then baste them thoroughly in their own pan juices and fat, and add a splash of cider & baste well, then leave them alone for the next 30 minutes, at the ned of that time, pull them out, thoroughly baste them with the pan drippings and a nice even layer of the barbecue sauce, return them to the oven for another 30 minutes...

8) At the end of two hours, glaze them once again with more sauce and pan drippings, turn off the oven and let them rest for 15-20 minutes... if you feel the glaze isn't lacquered enough, stick the ribs under the broiler for a minute or two...

Cut & serve with the extra barbecue sauce.

Rumbling With The Crumble The Ketolicious Way: Low Carb Gluten-free Blueberry-Lemon Cheesecake Bars with Pecan Crumbles

The carb count is much lower than the average dessert by substituting almond and coconut for wheat flour. I use Swerve ( a brand of Erythritol) both the "confectioners" and the "brown" version instead of sugar. The calorie count is high, of course. Full fat and lush this dessert does not sacrifice flavor or texture by eliminating carbohydrates. The crust is shortbread-like, the crumble melts and crunches... the cheesecake is dense and creamy and not too sweet.... the way my native NYC tastebuds prefer it. The blueberries add both texture and acidity ... absolutely refreshing and lovely. 


I'll skip my usual preamble and cut to the chase... those of you interested in learning a bit more about the ketogenic diet can check out this blog of mine where I do delve into the science of the diet, but let's just get cooking for now, shall we? 

Low Carb Gluten-free Blueberry-Lemon Cheesecake Bars
with Pecan Crumbles

Okay so... a few notes: 


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. The oven must be ready. 

Prepare a shallow 9" x 13" baking dish with a sheet of parchment paper
You can butter the parchment or spray it with a light cooking spray but that's not as essential as having that sheet of parchment for easy removal as well as to prevent sticking. (I used a Le Creuset stoneware baking dish which is finished with a porcelain enamel glaze, but a glass or aluminum dish is fine).

You need a food processor, and you won't even have to the wash the food processor between batches... all of your ingredients except the butter and the cream should be room temperature. Take out the eggs and cream cheese at least an hour before you intend to bake this. This will make the cream cheese whip up smooth and lovely... cold cream cheese is harder to work.

Remember, too, that the cheesecake requires at least 3 hours of refrigeration, preferably more before it's edible - and the prep and baking time is another hour or so... factor all this in... if you intend to eat it for breakfast? Make it the night before.

You are going to make the crust first, then blind bake it for 10-15 minutes (until it's a light golden brown and smells like shortbread)> otherwise you will have a soggy mess on your hands, instead of a lovely crisp crust.

Then, while the crust is baking, make the cheesecake batter, by the time the batter is mixed the crust will be done, and you can pour the cheesecake batter on the crust, plop the blueberries on top of that and then prepare the crumble topping.

The pecans should only go in the food processor at the very last second and should only be processed for two seconds or so, to mix it in without pulverizing them... you want them whole and crunchy for more texture.

Ingredients 

Crust ingredients:

1-1/3 cups of fine almond flour
1/3 cup of coconut flour
1/3 cup of Swerve Confectioner's powder (which is Erythritol - a sugar substitute that measures 1:1 like regular sugar in baking, but doesn't get metabolized as sugar in the body, so it is said to have 0 calories - if you use a different sugar substitute you will have to look at the packet to see how much is equivalent to 1/3 cup of sugar)

1 pinch of kosher salt
4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter cut into small cubes
1 TBS of half and half (or heavy cream)


Crumble Ingredients:

1-1/2 cups of almond flour
1/4 cup of coconut flour
1/3 cup of Swerve "brown" sugar substitute (or 1/3 "Brown" Monkfruit sweetener)

1 pinch of kosher salt
4 tablespoons of cold unsalted butter cut into small cubes
1-1/2 to 2 Tablespoons of ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon of half and half (or heavy cream)
1/3 cup of chopped pecans



Cheesecake batter

16 oz of full fat cream cheese at room temperature
1/2 cup of sour cream
1/4 cup of Swerve Confectioners Powder
1 teaspoon of vanilla
Juice from half a lemon
2 large eggs at room temperature

10-12 oz of frozen blueberries or a pint of fresh



Instructions:

Crust:

1) Combine the flours and the sugar substitute in the food processor until evenly distributed

2) Then add the butter cubes and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal, then, with the processor running on "Normal" - add the cream until the dough comes together in clumps...

Do not over process!



3) Dump the contents of the food processor onto the parchment-lined baking dish and begin pressing out to fill the bottom until it forms one thin well-integrated layer... if you find this challenging, get a rolling pin, pull the parchment paper with the dough out & roll it... remember it's okay if it breaks... you can easily stick it back together, then place the parchment with the dough back into the pan.


4) Bake the crust in the pre-heated 350 degree oven for 10-15 minutes or until its edges are golden and the crust is firm and aromatic. Now make the cheesecake batter.



Cheesecake batter:

1) Add the cream cheese and sour cream to the food processor, mix on high until light and smooth with no visible lumps

2) Add the confectioners powder to the batter... mix until well combined and fluffy

3) Add the vanilla and the lemon juice... mix it well

4) Add the eggs last because we don't want to overwork them... when you overbeat the eggs they stiffen the batter and cause it to crack when baking...

5) When the eggs are mixed in, pour the batter over the crust and plop blueberries atop... now at this point I usually take a 1/4 cup of blueberries and puree them with whatever batter is leftover in the food processor bowl, but swirl them into the batter before distributing the whole blueberries evenly over the cheesecake batter - but it's not essential...

6) Bake your cheesecake for 20 minutes before making the crumble topping and adding it.



Crumble topping:

1) Mix the flours and sugar substitute together with the cinnamon in the food processor

2) Add the butter cubes and pulse until mixture resembles coarse corn meal

3) With the processor running add the cream until it comes together into clumps. Do not overprocess

4) Turn off the processor, add the pecans, and pulses lightly just a few times to combine without pulverizing the pecans.

5) When the cheesecake has baked for twenty minutes, remove it from the oven, evenly distribute the crumble topping, then return the pan to the oven, lower the heat to 325 and bake for an additional 35-40 minutes.

6) When the cheesecake is done, turn off the oven, crack open the door with a wooden spoon, let cool for 30-45 minutes and then place in the fridge for 3-4 hours...



Voila!


Now it's time for me to relax with a glass of wine, sit by my window, and enjoy our San Francisco Summer sunset. Ciao for now. Be safe! Eat Well! <3