Season Archives : At the Immigrant's Table

Pinchos (Puerto Rican Chicken Skewers)

kseniaprints — Tue, 14 Jul 2026 14:39:08 +0000

If dry grilled chicken has disappointed you before, these Puerto Rican chicken skewers, or pinchos, will change your mind. I developed this recipe after many backyard cookouts, using chicken thighs and a balanced adobo marinade that stays juicy from the first bite to the last.

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Easy Grilled Scallops Recipe with Pinot Grigio Sauce on Crispy Pea Cakes

kseniaprints — Fri, 27 Apr 2018 12:34:43 +0000

These perfectly grilled scallops with lemon-mint and Pinot Grigio sauce are a feast for the eyes and mouth, served atop crispy gluten-free pea cakes and bursting with the fresh flavours of the season.

This post is sponsored by Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi Wines, and I was compensated monetarily for my work. You can always count on me to only work with companies and products I love! Please enjoy wine responsibly.

Julia Child once famously said, ""I enjoy cooking with wine, sometimes I even put it in the food."

As a Russian woman in my early 30s, I was taught to appreciate a good beverage from a young age and cooking was always made better with a libation.

I remember Thursday evenings in the kitchen with my mother, preparing the week's Shabbat dinner, the radio blaring the week's Israeli Top 20 hits and tall frosty cocktail glasses were firmly nestled in our hands.

As the night progressed, my dad's pours got more and more liberal, the laughter much louder, and our posture (and knifework) a lot less steady.

By the time 9PM rolled around, the kitchen counters were covered in equal parts sauce and cocktail splashes, and my whole family was in good spirits.

Pairing Wine and Seafood

But as my recent experience cooking with Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi Wines has taught me, the resulting dish would have been made immensely better if some of that good stuff made its way into the dish.

For it's one thing to cook with wine in hand, taking slow, lingering sips in between stirs of the pot, or a tasting of the thickening sauce. Cooking with a glass of wine makes you feel free, young and daring. The hours seem to fly by, spurred on by good mood, superb food and great music - and yet every moment also seems to last forever, like summers did when we were young.

But when the wine you carefully chose that afternoon in the liquor store makes its way into the food, it's another story altogether. Every taste feels electric, alive with the aroma and complex flavours hidden in the bottle.

Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi wines are marked by bright fruit flavours and smooth finishes made to complement food, a natural complement to bold spices and ingredients at the peak of their season.

The wine changes the colour and composition of your sauce, making it glossier, shinier, like a river flecked with gold. And when you finally have that first bite of the dish you created alongside a deep, generous sip on that wine - well, that feels like a whole orchestra is firing in your mouth at full volume.

So when I started dreaming of celebrating the first warm weekend of this spring with a tall, cold glass of Pinot Grigio, I just knew I had to put a splash in the light, springtime-inspired lunch that would accompany it.

That's how my perfectly grilled scallops with lemon-mint Pinot Grigio sauce were born: from a few minutes spent strolling in my local market's aisles, looking at the beautiful seafood displayed in the icebox, and dreaming of the crisp, refreshing taste of the Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi Pinot Grigio.

From the natural marriage of crispy fried pea cakes with mint, lemon and that refreshing, citrusy white. From the knowledge that spring is so short, so special, that any day of it deserves to be celebrated with a special meal, a glass of wine - and a splash of that good stuff tucked into the food.

As I learned from that night, Pinot Grigio goes well with all kinds of seafood recipes.

If you live in Canada or the U.S., you can easily find Pinot Grigio and other Woodbridge Wines by Robert Mondavi in the California section of your local liquor store. Check out their website for more recipes, serving tips and a brilliant wine pairing app that provides recommendations of what wine to serve with your food.

I received product and monetary compensation in exchange for this post. However, I am proud to only work with those companies whose products I truly love. And as always, all opinions expressed here are my own; you can always expect me to be honest with you guys!

Ingredients for Easy Scallops Recipe

Crispy rice and pea cakes:

Short-grain rice, cooled: Forms the base of the cakes, providing a satisfying texture that crisps beautifully when fried.
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper: Simple seasonings to enhance the natural flavors of the rice and peas.
Fresh mint, chopped: Adds a bright, refreshing herbal note to the cakes.
Peas, at room temperature: Provide bursts of sweetness and color.
Eggs, beaten: Help bind the ingredients together for perfectly formed cakes.
Gluten-free flour blend: Ensures the cakes are light, cohesive, and suitable for gluten-free diets.
Egg wash (egg beaten with lukewarm water): Helps create a crispy golden crust when coated.
Finely ground gluten-free corn flake cereal: Adds crunch and texture for the perfect fried exterior.
Oil for frying: Ensures the cakes become crispy and golden-brown.

Grilled Scallops:

Scallops (fresh or frozen scallops): Sweet, tender, and ideal for grilling to complement the crispy cakes. Make sure to defrost first if frozen.

Lemon-Mint Pinot Grigio Sauce:

Lemon wedges and zest: Lemon juice provide a tangy citrus brightness.
Fresh mint, chopped: Balances the lemon with a refreshing herbal aroma.
Sugar and salt: Enhance and balance the sauce's flavors.
Pinot Grigio: Adds a fruity, acidic complexity to the sauce.
Arrowroot powder or gluten-free flour blend: Thickens the sauce for a velvety finish.

See recipe card for exact quantities.

Directions to Make Grilled Scallop

Prepare the Rice and Pea Cakes

In a large bowl, combine the cooked rice, salt, pepper, oregano, mint, peas, beaten eggs, and gluten-free flour. Mix thoroughly until all ingredients are well incorporated, creating a cohesive mixture. With wet hands, form small balls of the mixture and gently flatten each one into a patty shape. Arrange the patties on a plate or baking sheet and refrigerate for 15 minutes to allow them to set.

Coat the Cakes

Set up a coating station with the egg wash in one shallow bowl and the corn flake crumbs in another. Remove the chilled cakes from the fridge and dip each one into the egg wash, letting any excess drip off. Roll the cakes in the corn flake crumbs, ensuring they are evenly coated on all sides. Return the coated cakes to the plate or baking sheet and place them back in the fridge while the oil heats.

Fry the Cakes

In a heavy-bottom pan, pour about 1 inch of oil and heat it over medium heat. Once the oil is sufficiently hot, fry the cakes for approximately 3 minutes per side, or until they are golden brown and cooked through. Transfer the fried cakes to a paper towel plate to drain any excess oil. Set them aside while preparing the scallops.

Grill the Scallops

Preheat a cast-iron pan over medium-high heat. Pat the scallops dry to help them sear properly, then season generously with salt and pepper. Lightly brush each scallop with olive oil. Cook scallops for 2 to 3 minutes per side until a golden-brown crust forms. Remove the scallops from the pan and set them aside.

Make the Lemon-Mint Pinot Grigio Sauce

In a small saucepan set over low heat, combine the juice and zest of one lemon, chopped mint, sugar, and salt. Stir until the sugar dissolves completely. Pour in the Pinot Grigio and heat gently. Add the arrowroot starch or gluten-free flour and whisk immediately to prevent lumps. Continue heating for 1 minute, then remove the sauce from the heat.

Assemble the Dish

To plate the dish, arrange a bed of watercress on each serving plate. Place a crispy rice and pea cake on the greens and top it with 1 to 3 grilled scallops, depending on their size. Drizzle the scallops with the lemon-mint Pinot Grigio sauce. Garnish with more watercress and serve immediately for a fresh, flavorful presentation.

Storage Instructions

Store leftover pea cakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in a pan over medium heat to restore crispiness. Scallops are best enjoyed fresh but can be stored for up to 2 days in a sealed container in the fridge. The sauce can be refrigerated for 3 days and gently reheated before serving.

Top Tips for Sea Scallops Recipe

Use fresh ingredients: Fresh scallops and mint elevate the flavors.
Proper seasoning: Salt and pepper help bring out the natural sweetness of the scallops.
Avoid overcooking: Scallops become rubbery when overcooked; cook only until golden.
Crispness matters: Let the pea cakes chill before frying for a crispy texture.

More Seafood Recipes to Try

Pair this vibrant seafood dish with other elegant options to create a memorable spread. Start with Duck Carpaccio for a sophisticated touch, or try Colombian Ceviche for a fresh, tangy contrast. For mains, consider the elegant Classic White Fish in White Wine Sauce or the bold flavors of Whole Fish with Pomegranate Molasses. If you're planning something fun and casual, Pink Fish Tacos are an excellent choice, while Instant Pot Fish Soup adds a comforting element to the table.

See more Fish →

Accompanying Dishes

For dessert, the indulgent Raspberry and White Chocolate Lava Cake or Chocolate-Covered Almond Butter Dates make delightful endings. To complement your meal, mocktails like the refreshing Blueberry Mojito Mocktail, the energizing 3-Ingredient Coffee Mocktail, or the festive Thyme Cranberry Orange Mocktail are perfect accompaniments.

Recipe

Tried and loved this recipe? Please leave a 5-star review below! Your reviews mean a lot to me, so if you've got any questions, please let me know in a comment.

Grilled scallops with lemon-mint Pinot Grigio sauce on crispy pea cakes

Course Appetizer, Main Course, starter

Keyword Grilled scallops

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 10

Total Time 30

Servings

Calories 788kcal

Author Ksenia Prints

Ingredients

Crispy rice and pea cakes:

3 cups short-grain rice cooled
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons fresh mint chopped
½ cup peas room temperature
2 eggs at room temperature, beaten
½ cup gluten free flour blend
1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon lukewarm water, for dipping
Finely ground gluten free corn flake cereal
Oil for frying

Grilled scallops:

300 grams scallops (If using frozen, defrost; if fresh, keep in refrigerator until ready to use)

Lemon-mint Pinot Grigio sauce:

1 whole lemon juiced and zested
½ cup fresh mint chopped
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup Pinot Grigio
2 teaspoons arrowroot powder or gluten-free flour blend
1 bunch watercress or arugula for serving

Instructions

In a large bowl, place the cooked rice, salt, pepper, oregano, mint, peas, 2 beaten eggs and gluten-free flour, and mix to combine well. Working with wet hands, form rice and pea mixture into little balls, and flatten them slightly into the shape of small patties. Arrange on a plate or baking sheet and let set in the fridge for 15 minutes.
Place the egg wash in a shallow bowl, and and corn flake crumbs in another shallow bowl.
Remove the rice and pea cakes from the fridge. Dip each rice ball briefly in the egg wash, letting the excess drip off, and then dredge it in the corn flake crumbs until well-coated on all sides. Return to the plate or baking sheet, and return to the fridge while you heat the oil.
In a heavy-bottom pan, pour about 1-inch of frying oil. When oil has heated sufficiently, fry pea cakes in until cooked through and golden brown, about 3 minutes on each side. Transfer the rice balls to a paper towel-lined plate, and set aside.
To make the scallops, preheat a cast-iron pan to med-high heat. Pat scallops dry, and season well with salt and pepper. Brush gently with olive oil. Grill for 2-3 minutes on each side, until a nice golden hue is achieved. Remove onto a plate.
To make sauce, squeeze the juice of one whole lemon into a small saucepan set over low heat. Add chopped mint, sugar and salt, and mix well until sugar fully dissolves. Pour wine into saucepan. Once the mixture heats up, add arrowroot starch or gluten-free flour, and immediately mix well with a fork to combine and avoid lumps. Continue heating for one minute, and then immediately remove from heat.
To plate, arrange watercress greens at the bottom of a plate. Place crispy pea cake, and top it with 1-3 scallops (depends on size of your scallops - bigger scallops are better). Drizzle grilled scallops with lemon mint and Pinot Grigio sauce. Top with more watercress. Serve immediately.

Video

Nutrition

The post Easy Grilled Scallops Recipe with Pinot Grigio Sauce on Crispy Pea Cakes appeared first on At the Immigrant's Table.

Authentic Colombian Arepas con Queso recipe (Cheese arepas)

kseniaprints — Thu, 29 Mar 2018 11:10:43 +0000

Naturally gluten-free, Colombian cheese arepas (arepas con queso / arepas de queso) are little golden brown pockets of corn flour and delicious cheese that will melt in your mouth with each bite.

Whether you know them from Disney's Encanto film or from your travels to Colombia or Venezuela, these little Latin versions of grilled cheese taste amazing when coming off the skillet! Stuff these with mozzarella cheese, queso fresco or Jarlsberg cheese, and enjoy little bites of cheese goodness hot off the griddle.

Cook arepas de queso on a griddle and top them up with your favourite South American fixings - avocado, tomato, onions, more corn and a couple of delicious salsas - and feel the deliciousness of this crispy on the outside, gooey on the inside cheese arepas recipe. Discover the cuisine made popular by the movie Encanto with this traditional recipe!

This post is sponsored by Jarlsberg cheese, and contains affiliate links. Thank you for supporting the companies that make this blog possible.

What are arepas de queso?

Arepas con queso (Cheese arepas, also called arepas de queso in Colombia and Venezuela) are fritters that are made out of ground and precooked corn flour (masa de arepa), mixed with shredded cheese and cooked on a griddle.

For more arepas recipe, see my arepas de choclo recipe and my mother-in-law's Colombian arepas.

Colombian arepas are often served warm and eaten for breakfast, slathered with butter and more cheese on top. They are often had with hot chocolate or Colombian fruit salad, another staple of Colombian food.

Discovering arepas con queso in Colombia

My first time arriving in Colombia also happened to be the first time I saw my normally gentle boyfriend truly lose his cool.

"What did I say, mom? What did I say?" he proceeded to yell into the hand-held phone, the cool night air entering the car through the barely open taxicab window, intermingled with the faint scent of rotting fruit and smog.

"I told you NOT to come to the airport, didn't I? And what did you do?" I let my fingers intertwine with his, trying to put all the certainty I wasn't even close to feeling into that one small gesture. The nighttime streets of Bogota passed outside the window, all curves and gentle inclines, the street lamps blinking as though winking at us, conspiratorial.

"Now we have to sit outside and wait for you." SLAM, the phone went into the car seat. A few deep breaths were the only sound audible in the car, except the ticking of the driver's turning signal.

"I warned you, didn't I?" he looked at me, speaking in his usual, quiet voice, his eyes pleading with me not to judge, to understand, to contain his emotions, which suddenly seemed too big and strong for this tiny, rickety taxi barreling dangerously through the streets of Bogota.

"Estamos aquí, señor," the cab driver said in his brusque, clear Colombian Spanish, bringing us back to reality: the gated neighbourhood we arrived in, the youngsters playing soccer at 11 PM, the tiny, makeshift bar on the corner, seemingly populated solely by the owner's best friends.

The Colombian cheese arepas con queso glistening in the glass display cases alongside Colombian baked plantains and Colombian desserts, little golden rounds of fried corn dough holding within them melted treasures.

We lifted our suitcase from the trunk and walked to the entryway, never letting go of each other's hands.

My first time tasting an arepa colombiana came my first morning in Bogota, when, with the stresses of the previous night forgotten, my husband's mom proceeded to heat us up a mountainous pile of arepas stuffed with cheese.

My first bite into these warm golden pockets was met with a squirt of melted cheese, a burning sensation that was totally worth it for the intoxicating taste of gooey, stringy cheese inside.

It was love at first cheesy corn cake.

After that, we proceeded to buy cheese arepas at various little vendors - for breakfast in the small, sleepy town of Villa de Leyva, alongside boiling-hot aromatica, the local tea made up of a random selection of herbs and plants that never seemed to repeat itself.

I developed this arepas de queso recipe after watching my mother-in-law make them many times. My first time making arepas was not an immediate success, and I encourage you to experiment with this recipe a few times until you get the technique just right! I am thrilled to finally share this melty, cheesy, traditional Colombian recipe with you!

What is the difference between arepas and pupusas?

Arepas are one of the most popular recipes in Latin America, and many countries have their own version of this Latin grilled cheese sandwich.

Like Colombian arepas con queso, pupusas are also little corn cakes, often made with cheese. They are most usually Dominican in origin.

However, while cheese arepas are made out of masa de arepa, pupusas are made out of masa harina. They are drier and usually less sweet than cheese arepas.

Recreating Colombian arepas con queso at home

This authentic arepas recipe was brought back from my experiences in Colombia.

There, I had freshly baked Boyaca-style cheese arepas that could barely contain the inviting fragrance of the corn-and-cheese patties inside.

They were great alongside Colombian ensalada de frutas or beautiful Colombian pear ceviche for a lunchtime snack in the market of Chiquinquira.

It's only natural that I sought to recreate these little tastes of goodness upon my return to cold, wintery Montreal in mid-February.

After trying with a few different cheeses, we finally settled on the Norwegian Jarlsberg cheese as the perfect arepa toppings for our authentic Colombian cheese arepas.

The nutty taste of this otherwise mild, golden cheese is a perfect accompaniment to the sweetness of the white cornmeal. Its beautiful melting qualities made the experience of biting into one golden, fried cheesy corn cake a moment worthy of a celebration.

Making cheese arepa at home is a surprisingly quick, simple affair that will allow you to explore the cuisine of that incredible country, with which I fell in love upon first bite.

Arepa con queso Ingredients

This recipe calls for:

warm water - any water will do, but make sure it is warm and not boiling hot or cold. This will enable you to shape the cheese arepas better.
Pre-cooked white or yellow arepa flour, also known as masa de arepa - Goya and P.A.N are common masa de arepa brands in North America. You can find them in Latin or Asian stores, or on Amazon. They have a light, sweet corn flavor that is subtle yet delicious.
Cheese, grated - you can use Jarlsberg cheese, shredded mozzarella cheese, or even queso fresco for best results
vegetable oil or melted butter - use a good salted butter, or choose a flavorless oil like sunflower oil, or grapeseed oil.
Salt - used to flavor the arepas de queso.

See recipe card for exact measurements.

Where to find arepa flour (masa de arepa)?

Arepa flour, or masa de arepa, which is what you use for making arepas. is different than regular corn flour because it is precooked cornmeal. That means the corn is first cooked, then ground into a flour and dried.
These days, arepa flour is found in many Latin stores, and general international ethnic stores. If you're lucky enough to live in an area with a large Latin population, you may even be able to find arepa flour in your local supermarket.
You can also buy arepa flour online, on Amazon. Goya and P.A.N are two common brands in North America. I tend to have P.A.N on hand all the time.

How to Make Arepas con Queso Recipe

Make the dough:

Pour water into a large bowl. Add arepa flour, a teaspoon of salt, oil, Jarlsberg cheese, and mix thoroughly to combine. Cover with a towel and let the dough rest for five minutes.

Working with moist hands, remove about 3 tbsps worth of dough, knead the dough, and flatten it between your palms. Add 1 tablespoon of cheese in the middle, and top with a handful more dough, gently pressing the dough over to cover the cheese in the dough and form a patty about ¼ inch thick.

Shape the arepas:

If you're after those perfectly shaped Colombian arepas, place each ball of dough between 2 sheets of wax paper or plastic wrap and flatten them to ¼ inch with a heavy cast iron pan. Repeat until you're out of dough and cheese, transferring prepared arepas to a large platter.

Cook the arepas:

Preheat your budare (special arepas pan), griddle or cast iron pan to medium heat. Season with oil or butter to prevent them from sticking. Add the arepas and cook about 5 minutes on one side. Then, another 5 minutes on the second side, until you achieve golden-brown colour and a beautiful char in spots. The best arepas tend to stick to the griddle until they are ready to be flipped, so don't rush it!

Serve Arepas Con Queso with toppings

To serve arepas de queso, cut them in half and put your favourite toppings inside - this is the way Venezuelan arepas are traditionally eaten, but I like it even more than just eating them plain. If not serving right away, transfer them to a 200 F oven to keep warm.

Drizzle with Colombian pico de gallo and spicy aji.

How to stuff a cheese arepa colombiana?

Most of the time, Colombians arepas are had warm, with a pat of butter. This is one of the simplest ways to eat arepas. It's delicious and easy with all that melty cheese!

But when you want to go all out, you can top your cheese arepas with toppings. Or even better, stuff them, as they do in Venezuela.

Whether you put things inside your arepa, making a Venezuelan arepa, or on-top, like a Colombian, here are some of my favourite ideas for arepas fillings and what to eat with arepas: Colombian Aji is a must with arepas! Avocado, beans, beef, chicken, corn, more cheese, tomatoes, or better yet, Pico de Gallo (also known as empanada sauce).

Storing Cheese Arepa Con Queso:

Store leftover arepas de queso in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, warm them on a skillet over medium heat for a few minutes on each side until heated through. Alternatively, place them in a 350°F (175°C) oven on parchment paper for about 10 minutes total time. Avoid microwaving, as it can make the texture rubbery. For longer storage, freeze cooked arepas in a single layer. Then transfer them to a freezer bag and reheat directly from frozen on a skillet or in the oven.

Colombian Cheese Arepas. Photo Credits: At the Immigrant's Table

Recipe

Tried and loved this recipe? Please leave a 5-star review below! Your reviews mean a lot to me, so if you've got any questions, please let me know in a comment.

Authentic Colombian cheese arepas with all the fixings

Naturally gluten-free, arepas con queso are little golden pockets of corn flour and delicious Jarlsberg cheese that will melt in your mouth with each bite. Cook them on a griddle and top them up with your favourite South American fixings - avocado, tomato, onions, more corn and a couple of delicious salsas - and feel the deliciousness of gooey-on-the-inside, crispy-on-the-outside fried Colombian cheese arepas.

Serve with my pico de gallo: https://immigrantstable.com/2018/05/03/authentic-colombian-pico-de-gallo-v-gf-paleo/

Serve with my aji hot sauce: https://immigrantstable.com/2018/05/18/spicy-colombian-aji-the-best-hot-sauce/

Course Appetizer, first, Main, Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine Colombian

Keyword cheese, Colombia, colombian, fall, gluten-free, Jarlsberg, spring, summer, vegetarian, winter

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 15

Total Time 35

Servings people

Calories 374kcal

Author Ksenia Prints

Ingredients

Colombian cheese arepas:

1 cup warm water
1 cup pre-cooked white or yellow arepa flour also known as masa de arepa - Goya and P.A.N are common brands in North America
1 cup Jarlsberg cheese grated
1 tablespoon oil
Pinch salt

Toppings:

¼ cup Jarlsberg cheese grated
1 ripe avocado sliced
½ pint of cherry tomatoes cut in half
½ red onion diced finely
Fresh cilantro chopped finely
Green onion sliced into thin circles
½ cup Colombian pico de gallo (or your favourite salsa)
⅛ cup Colombian aji (https://immigrantstable.com/2018/05/18/spicy-colombian-aji-the-best-hot-sauce/, or your favourite hot sauce)

Instructions

Pour water into large bowl. Add arepa corn flour, salt, oil, ½ cup of Jarlsberg cheese, and mix thoroughly to combine. Cover with a towel and let dough rest for five minutes.
Working with moist hands, remove about 3 tbsps worth of dough and flatten them between your palms. Add 1 tablespoon of cheese in the middle, and top with a handful more dough, gently pressing to seal the cheese inside and form a patty about ¼ inch thick. If you're after those perfectly shaped arepas, place each arepa ball between 2 sheets of wax paper or plastic wrap and flatten them to ¼ inch with a heavy cast iron pan. Repeat until you're out of dough and cheese, transferring prepared arepas to a large platter.
Preheat your budare (special arepas pan), griddle or cast iron pan to high heat. Season with oil or butter. Place the arepas in the pan and cook about 5 minutes on each side, until you achieve golden-brown colour and a beautiful char in spots.
To serve arepas, cut them in half and put your favourite toppings inside. Drizzle with Colombian pico de gallo and aji.

Nutrition

The post Authentic Colombian Arepas con Queso recipe (Cheese arepas) appeared first on At the Immigrant's Table.

Peach salmon skewers with spicy basil peach jalapeno crema

kseniaprints — Tue, 27 Feb 2018 18:46:53 +0000

Enjoy the bright and fresh taste of spring with these peach salmon skewers. The roasting brings out the natural sweetness of the peaches and gives the salmon a nice char. Paired with crunchy red onion and a spicy basil peach jalapeño sauce, this dish is full of flavor and easy to make. It's a perfect choice for gatherings or a simple meal anytime!

This post is a partnership with California Cling Peaches , but all opinions expressed here are my own. Please consider supporting the brands that make this blog possible.

Since first adding fish to my diet three years ago, water creatures became an inseparable part of my eating habits. I love me some rare tuna steaks on an Asian-inspired salad, raw oysters served with a mignonette sauce and a delicate champagne flute, and perfectly grilled, gluten-free fish tacos.

I can eat candied salmon by the handful, put bonito flakes on pretty much everything, and think that every bad day can be improved with a bowl of ceviche.

But I am ashamed to say that in my most basic iteration, I also love a well-cooked, perfectly blistered serving of salmon.

Salmon gets a bad rep; if not served raw in a fancy sushi roll, it is relegated to the outskirts of foods-that-induce-boredom, doomed forever to begrudgingly receive an entry on the fish section of all menus… Only to satisfy those diners who aren't adventurous enough to try mackerel, raw tuna or monkfish liver. It is often overcooked to the point of dryness, its centre as brittle and crisp as though it has spent a month tanning itself in the Mojave Desert. Chefs hate serving it, and diners under the age of 50 rarely order it.

That's what first made me think of pairing it with canned peaches. Anyone who's been reading my blog for a few years knows that I love a good serving of California cling peaches (most canned peaches you will find in North America are California cling peaches). The canning process of peaches has been proven to increase key nutrients including Vitamin A, Vitamin C and folate. They are perfectly sweet, often packaged in their own juices. And, perhaps most surprisingly, according to a study by the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University, canned peaches are actually higher in antioxidants and Vitamin A and are nearly four times higher in Vitamin C and 10 times higher in folate than fresh (or frozen) peaches. So like salmon, canned peaches are actually much more interesting, and beneficial, than we have come to believe.

When done right - sustainably caught, in season, off the coast of beautiful Alaska or B.C., cooked briefly on high temperature so that its outside seize but the inner flesh remains barely cooked, gently quivering and full of flavour - salmon is a beautiful thing, fatty and aromatic and good enough to serve to your favourite person. And when paired with juicy canned California cling peaches, spicy jalapeno, zesty red onions and aromatic basil, it is a downright delicacy. California cling peaches are picked and packed in their own juices, usually within 24 hours to ensure they retain their appearance, texture, flavour and nutritional content. Joined by fresh wild salmon, it is a simple meal bursting with freshness, even in the dead of winter.

In our house, salmon is the one fish we can agree upon. It isn't too fishy tasting, yet still interesting enough to satisfy the very different palettes of a vegetarian Russian Israeli and a meat-loving Colombian. And believe me that when I served these peach salmon skewers with peach jalapeno crema, not a fleck was left on the plate.

Accompanying dishes

Peach salmon skewers with peach jalapeno crema are a rare treat that is worthy of a special occasion, but comes together in no time at all (for another easy skewer recipe, try my chicken kofta kebabs).. Make yours today to bring a taste of spring into your home, regardless of how much snow actually remains on the ground outside.

I like to pair these skewers with an easy side salad that's heavy on fruit, like my goat cheese salad. This sweet and salty Shrimp Mango Salad echoes the fruit and seafood combination of my skewers and goes really well alongside it. For dessert, try serving a gluten free peach cobbler.

Full disclosure: I received monetary compensation in exchange for this post. However, I am proud to only work with those companies and brands whose products I truly love. And as always, all opinions expressed here are my own; you can always expect me to be honest with you guys!

Recipe

Tried and loved this recipe? Please leave a 5-star review below! Your reviews mean a lot to me, so if you've got any questions, please let me know in a comment.

Peach salmon skewers with peach jalapeno crema

Roasting brings out deep flavour in these marinated peach salmon skewers, interspersed with red onion and served with a basil peach jalapeno crema. A fresh and simple dish that will make you feel like spring any time of the year!

Course Main

Cuisine Canadian, Market fresh, North American

Keyword salmon skewers

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 6

Marinade time 1

Total Time 1 6

Servings people

Calories 270kcal

Author Ksenia Prints

Ingredients

400 grams fresh salmon filet skin removed, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 can California cling peaches cut in halves in syrup
1 purple onion cut into big chunks
1 lime zest and juice
100 grams creme fraiche OR full-fat sour cream
1 California cling peach diced finely
1 jalapeno pepper diced finely
1 branch of fresh basil chopped finely
Salt & black pepper to taste
Your favourite salad leaves for serving (I like a mix of baby kale, spinach and arugula)

Instructions

Drain canned peaches, preserving the liquid. Dice one half of a peach finely, and set aside. Quarter the remaining peach halves.
Arrange cubed salmon in a wide casserole dish. In a large jar, combine peach syrup with the juice of 1 lime, 1 teaspoon of salt and ⅛ teaspoon black pepper. Pour over salmon, ensuring all pieces are submerged in the juice (turn pieces over halfway if needed). Let salmon marinade in peach-lime mixture for at least an hour, an up to overnight.
To prepare peach jalapeno crema, mix creme fraiche (or sour cream, if using) with finely diced peach, jalapeno pepper, and fresh basil. Set aside. Crema will keep in the fridge for a week.
When ready to cook salmon, preheat oven on the high grill/broil setting (or the highest temperature your oven can reach). Choose an oven-safe casserole pan with high sides that is slightly shorter than your skewers (your peach salmon skewers should be able to rest on the sides of the pan, elevated, without touching the bottom of the pan).
Prepare skewers, alternating between salmon, peach and onion chunks (you should have 2-3 pieces of salmon on each skewers). Pour some of the marinade over the skewers immediately before placing them in the oven. Grill skewers for 3 minutes on one side, turn, and grill for an additional 3 minutes on the other side. Immediately spoon peach jalapeno crema on each skewer.
Serve two skewers per person on top of salad leaves, with more peach jalapeno crema on the side.

Nutrition

The post Peach salmon skewers with spicy basil peach jalapeno crema appeared first on At the Immigrant's Table.

Roasted lemon potatoes, broccoli and bell peppers

kseniaprints — Sat, 20 Jan 2018 11:17:42 +0000

Roasted lemon potatoes, broccoli and bell peppers are golden from a sprinkling of turmeric and fragrant with the last remaining dry summer herbs.

When I think of where I was a year ago, my heart breaks just a little bit.

I don't mean where I was physically, hunched over a blistering-hot tray of roasted lemon potatoes, broccoli and bell peppers, golden from a sprinkling of turmeric and fragrant with my last remaining dry summer herbs. I mean my emotional state; ecstatic one moment, then plunged into despair the next, yet constantly riddled with anxiety.

What I thought was love was actually infatuation. What I saw as joy was actually bouts of manic euphoria. What I confused for happiness was no more than the frantic gasps of breath of someone who has been deprived of oxygen for so long, they could no longer tell what was pure H2O - and what was smog.

In November of last year, the winding paths of the electronic dating sphere brought me A. As I am wont to do in autumn, I fell in love quickly, dazzled by his charm and other-worldliness, his promises, his knowledge of things I had heretofore only heard of on Mr. Robot. Or at least, I thought I fell in love.

In the throes of this-thing-called-love, I barely slept. I spent days glued to my phone, waiting for the next satisfying 'ping' of a message. His 'good morning' and 'good night' became my drug, his caresses my needle. Like a junkie, I used his words and promises as the receptacles for getting diacetylmorphine into my body, creating intense euphoria while suppressing all sense of physical pain. I saw our connection as a cosmic gift, building castles in the sky from the breadcrumbs he spread around.

But, like all heroin rushes, the euphoria faded. The cracks appeared in everything, and I started glimpsing that behind the words, there was not much substance. Furthermore, there was little that was real in my feelings - instead, I wanted so desperately to be crazy in love, that I actually made myself crazy.

But amidst all the craziness, I started cooking again. At first it was salads and lunches for one, stuffed baked potatoes and soups. Then it was more elaborate lemony desserts that I have yet to show you, the sprinkling of powdered sugar dust seeming like the haze I was walking through. And then, it was this tray of roasted lemon potatoes, broccoli and bell peppers, coming out of the oven smelling like the citrus orchards of my youth.

Throughout the endorphin-fuelled daze and daydreams, I got my kitchen groove back.

A and I split three months later, on the heels of my life-changing trip to Hawaii. I found my future condo barely three weeks later. I baked brie and fried blintzes. I went to Barcelona and Israel. I organized events. I moved and did renovations. I finally started feeling at home (I baked cinnamon buns to celebrate).

And then, I met real love.

So when I think back to where I was a year ago, my heart breaks just a little bit. Not because it was such a bad place to be, or because there was so much confusion, or even because I let myself get so, so delusional. Or at least, not only because of that. My heart breaks just a little bit because back then, in the cloud of steam produced by my freshly roasted lemon potatoes, broccoli and bell peppers, I let myself think, "This must be IT."

I just couldn't see what was coming.

What to serve with this turmeric potatoes recipe?

I like to serve them besides chicken kofta kebabs for a whole meal. for example, this chicken leg quarters recipe is a regular one we turn to!

While I have the oven running, I also like to roast bell peppers for roasted bell pepper bisque. I also sometimes make roasted eggplant soup.

Recipe

Tried and loved this recipe? Please leave a 5-star review below! Your reviews mean a lot to me, so if you've got any questions, please let me know in a comment.

Roasted lemon potatoes, broccoli and peppers

Roasted lemon potatoes, broccoli and bell peppers are golden from a sprinkling of turmeric and fragrant with the last remaining dry summer herbs.

Course Appetizer, Side Dish

Cuisine Middle Eastern, vegan

Keyword Roasted lemon potatoes

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 30

Total Time 40

Servings people

Calories 292kcal

Author Ksenia Prints

Ingredients

1 lb potatoes
2 lemons
2 crowns of broccoli
2 bell peppers
½ teaspoon turmeric
1 tablespoon paprika
½ tablespoon dried minced onion
1 teaspoon chilli powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ tablespoon dried oregano
½ tablespoon dried thyme
⅛ cup olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Chop all vegetables coarsely: slice potatoes and lemons, break broccoli into florets, and cut bell peppers into thick strips.
In a large bowl, combine vegetables with seasonings and olive oil. Mix well until all vegetables are evenly coated.
Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Arrange vegetables in a single layer.
Roast at 425F for 30 mins. Serve immediately, making sure to get all the dressing out of the pan. Roasted lemon potatoes, broccoli and peppers will keep in the fridge in a sealed container for five days, their flavours intensifying.

Nutrition

The post Roasted lemon potatoes, broccoli and bell peppers appeared first on At the Immigrant's Table.

Strawberry Almond Thumbprint Cookies

kseniaprints — Thu, 18 Dec 2025 13:40:00 +0000

These strawberry almond thumbprint cookies belong beside coffee, cocoa, and holiday candles, keeping their soft crumb long after baking day.

Jump to:

Orange Cranberry Cake

kseniaprints — Tue, 19 Dec 2017 19:49:41 +0000

This cake is bursting with the bright flavors of fresh cranberries and oranges, filling your home with a warm, festive scent. Plus, it's sugar-free, gluten-free, and guilt-free, so you can enjoy a slice (or two!) without any worries.

Paleo orange cranberry cake. Photo credit: At the Immigrant's Table.

Candles flickering on the windowsill. Fairy lights glinting just below the ceiling, landing a soft, playful atmosphere to the room. The smells of frankincense and myrrh, cinnamon and cloves permeate the air. And in the middle of it all, your crowning achievement lies on the table: a simple, delicious gluten-free, sugar-free and naturally flavoured paleo orange cranberry cake that is as easy to make as it is to eat. If you'd like to try another gluten-free cake, check my Gluten Free Almond Eclair Cake or French Apple Cake.

The holidays are a strange time. On one hand, it is a season when everything around us practically commands us to feel joyous and loving, generous and welcoming. We are asked to give to those in need, invited to join parties, cajoled into getting gifts for all of our loved ones - and even those we like less. We are hugged and prodded, sprayed with scents and stuffed with tasty treats. We are pampered and loved.

Yet on the other hand, we are also harried and stressed and maybe, without telling anyone, just a little bit sad. We miss those who used to matter but are no longer here. We worry about money and mounting expenses. We feel pressured to make everything look perfect, feel perfect, taste perfect. We fret over our waistlines and sugar intake and carbohydrate servings.

And I'm here to tell you that It's. All. Good. It's all valid. It's all going to be fine. You will come out on the other end of the first week in January, mostly unscathed: your bank accounts may suffer a bit and your jeans waistlines may feel just a bit tighter. But you'll also have a host of new memories and gifts and possibly, even friends to carry you over into the new year: 2019.

But other than reminding you that whatever you're feeling IS OK, in this season of excess, I'd like to help ease at least one burden off your plates: your sugar. In place of those sugar-packed and white flour-laden cakes, bake yourself a paleo orange cranberry cake. Sweetened with natural Greeniche stevia, free of grains, gluten, refined sugars and other bad-for-you additives, it's the kind of treat that will help you feel good about the season - and also about your waistlines.

(Scroll down for the recipe)

This year, bring the holiday season into your kitchen with the scents of cranberries, oranges and spices, without taking on any unnecessary sugars and calories. Bake a paleo orange cranberry cake, serve it with a cup of milky orange pekoe tea, and SUBSCRIBE to my Youtube channel - because hey, it's also the season of showing some love to your favourite bloggers 😉

Recipe

Tried and loved this recipe? Please leave a 5-star review below! Your reviews mean a lot to me, so if you've got any questions, please let me know in a comment.

Paleo orange cranberry cake

Bake a paleo orange cranberry cake & bring the holiday season into your kitchen with the scent of cranberries, oranges & spices. Sugar, gluten & guilt-free.

Course cake, Dessert

Cuisine Health food, Healthy, Paleo, Russian

Keyword cake, dairy-free, dessert, gluten-free, grain-free, oranges, sugar-free

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 40

Total Time 1 15

Servings people

Calories 269kcal

Author Ksenia Prints

Ingredients

For one 6 or 9-inch round cake:

1 orange whole
Zest of an orange
⅓ cup coconut oil
1 ¾ cup almond flour
¼ cup arrowroot flour
6 tsps granulated stevia
¼ teaspoon salt
3 large eggs room temperature
5 drops orange-flavored Flavorall stevia
1 teaspoon gluten-free baking powder
1 cup cranberries fresh or frozen

For stevia powdering:

1 cup granulated stevia such as Truvia
1 tablespoon arrowroot powder prevents caking

Instructions

Preheat oven to 340F (170C). Grease and line a round cake pan with a removable bottom with parchment.
Put the orange in a pot and cover with cold water (it will float a little). Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook for 15 minutes. Rinse with cold water until cool enough to handle, cut into quarters (remove any seeds) and place in food processor. Add the zest of another orange and process until smooth.
In a small saucepan, melt coconut oil. Set aside to cool slightly. In a large bowl, whisk together flours, stevia and salt. Add ½ cup of cranberries.
Separate the eggs, placing the whites in a medium-sized bowl. Set aside.
Combine yolks in another bowl with melted coconut oil and ½ cup of the orange mixture. Whisk to combine. Add egg yolk mixture to the large bowl with the flour, and whisk until batter is smooth without any lumps.
Using a mixer, beat egg whites until they form soft peaks.
Stir baking soda into the dough batter and, using a rubber spatula, immediately beat in one third of the whipped egg whites. Gently fold in the rest of the egg whites.
Pour batter into prepared 6-inch baking dish for a tall, single-layer cake, or a 9-inch baking dish for a shallower cake with a larger diameter. Sprinkle remaining ½ cup of cranberries on top (reserve a few for topping the final cake).
Bake for 35-40 minutes, until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Meanwhile, make powdered stevia for topping: Place all ingredients in a high speed blender. Pulse until formed into a powder.
Remove cake from oven and leave to rest for 5 minutes, then run a sharp knife along the edge, remove outside ring and transfer cake onto a cake stand. Let cool completely before dusting with powdered stevia and topping with remaining cranberries.

Video

Notes

I buy my stevia and flavored Flavorall stevia drops from Greeniche. Their products are affordable, tasty and clean.

Nutrition

To stay on top of what I'm eating and cooking these days, follow At the Immigrant's Table on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Bloglovin', or Twitter - and now, YouTube! Subscribe to my mailing list, or contact me about advertising and becoming a sponsor. If you make one of my recipes, don't forget to tag it #immigrantstable @immigrantstable!

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Spelt orange pecan sugar-free cinnamon buns

kseniaprints — Thu, 22 Jun 2017 14:18:22 +0000

These delicious spelt orange pecan cinnamon buns, sweetened with stevia and completely sugar-free, are a delightful treat. They're so good, you'll forget all about those Cinnabons from the mall!

After a lengthy absence dedicated to doing the things in life that matter (moving, travelling, dancing, learning Spanish, convincing myself I can love again), your favourite Russian Israeli is back with another paean to fatherhood, this time in the form of spelt orange pecan sugar-free cinnamon buns. I hope you like these as much as my co-workers did.

These stevia-sweetened healthy spelt orange pecan sugar-free cinnamon buns are a special treat that will make you forget about those mall court Cinnabuns.

"Dad, there is more nutella on that piece of bread than actual bread!"
"Dad, do you really need all that juice?"
"No dad, you really shouldn't have another bun."

My dad always had a sweet tooth. In fact, you could say my dad has a tooth for everything - salty, spicy, savoury and sweet. From stinky cheeses to dark chocolate with fleur de sel, he is a man who appreciates a good gourmet meal, followed by a tall glass of exquisite red wine.

But he is also the kind of man who cannot pass up a cinnamon bun from a market stand in Germany, the smell of its sticky sweet icing wafting to pull him in by the nose like a siren's plaintive call.

The trouble is, consequently to his sweeth-tooth, my dad has also always had weight management issues.

It's a tricky balance. Every year come Father's Day or his birthday, my family would struggle to come up with a way to treat him to a great meal without compromising his health. My mother would pack picnics and bake sugarless streusels that sometimes tasted more like kraft paper than a dessert. I would prep carbless sandwiches wrapped in lettuce leaves, their countenance as sad as their taste. And at the end of the day, we could always count on finding my father sneaking in some dark chocolate when no one was looking.

So this year come Father's Day, I decided to take a different approach.

With the help of flavored liquid stevia drops, I was able to prepare a yeasted spelt dough that was as healthy as it was a delicious. All-natural stevia powder sweetener helped me mimic the flavor and texture of sugar in a hearty mix with cinnamon and pecans. A few drops of orange stevia Flavorall sweetener made it possible to give my cream cheese icing just the zing it needed. After a few tweaks and creative additions, a cross between hearty Irish hot cross buns and the white-flour, empty-sugar, calorie-laden cinnamon buns we all know and secretly love.

And at the end of the day, I looked at sugar-free, healthy spelt orange pecan sugar-free cinnamon buns that would be able to tempt my dad just as much as any German baked goods stand.

But also at the end of the day, my father is approximately 8,856 kilometres away. With his love of sweets and good wine, his critical mind and yet undying ability to wish and hope for more. With his dedication to his patients and his family and his friends, some of which at times come at the expense of others. With his million hobbies and interests, all of which he seems to be just good enough at. With all of the qualities I inherited from him, including his temper and kindness and terrible, terrible sense of humour.

So when I looked at my sugar-free, healthy spelt orange pecan sugar-free cinnamon buns, I knew I baked them for my father in mind only. And I took them to work on the Monday following Father's Day, in order to bring some joy to a few other fathers (and mothers).

Because sometimes, just baking something for someone you love is enough - even if they don't get to taste it.

Full disclosure: I received monetary compensation from Greeniche in exchange for this post. As such, this posts contains affiliate links to the products that help make keepign a blog possible. I am proud to only work with those companies and brands whose products I truly love. And as always, all opinions expressed here are my own; you can always expect me to be honest with you guys!

Recipe

Tried and loved this recipe? Please leave a 5-star review below! Your reviews mean a lot to me, so if you've got any questions, please let me know in a comment.

Spelt orange pecan sugar-free cinnamon buns [Sugar-free, whole grains]

These stevia-sweetened healthy spelt orange pecan sugar-free cinnamon buns are a special treat that will make you forget about those mall court Cinnabuns.

Course Dessert

Cuisine German

Keyword cinnamon buns, orange pecan sugar-free cinnamon buns

Prep Time 1 30

Cook Time 30

Total Time 2

Servings -8

Calories 595kcal

Author Ksenia Prints

Ingredients

Yeasted dough:

1 cup milk
½ cup melted butter
2 ¼ teaspoon yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups white spelt flour if dough is too sticky, you may need to add a little more
10 drops flavored orange Flavorall stevia

Filling:

5 tablespoon butter melted
12 teaspoon granulated stevia
1 tablespoon cinnamon
¼ cup chopped pecans

Cream cheese icing:

3 oz cream cheese
1 oz sour cream if looking for a lighter spread; otherwise, use another 1oz of cream cheese
¼ cup milk start with ⅛ cup and add until desired consistency - fairly thick but spreadable
10 drops orange-flavoured Flavorall
Zest of one orange for topping
Additional chopped pecans for topping

Instructions

In a small saucepan, combine milk and butter and heat gently until butter is fully melted. Let cool until mixture reaches temperature of a warm bath (110C).
Transfer mixture to a large mixing bowl. Add yeast. After 10 minutes, check that yeast has activated (it should bubble and smell a bit). Add sugar, salt and liquid stevia and stir.
Add flour to mixture one quarter cup at a time, stirring gently. Dough should be sticky. When it is too thick to stir, transfer to floured counter and knead a couple of times, just until dough comes together - be careful not to over-knead. Coat a clean bowl with oil and add your dough ball. Cover with plastic wrap and set in a warm place to rise for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
When dough has risen, roll it onto a floured surface. Using a rolling pin, roll it out gently into a thin rectangle about 1-inch thick. Brush with 3 TBs of melted butter, sprinkle with granulated stevia, cinnamon and pecans.
Starting at one end, roll up the dough tightly into a roulade and place seam-side dough. Using a serrated knife, cut into 2-inch pieces. Arrange in a buttered and floured round pie pan or a square 9X9 inch pan. Brush tops of cinnamon buns with remaining melted butter.
Cover with plastic wrap, place on top of your oven and let rise a second time while your oven is preheating.
Preheat oven to 350F.
While oven is preheating, prepare cream cheese frosting: whip cream cheese with sour cream, milk and stevia.
Once oven reached desired temperature, bake cinnamon buns for 25-30 minutes, until slightly golden. Let cool for a few minutes, then dress with cream cheese frosting, sprinkle with grated orange zest and pecans. Serve immediately.

Nutrition

The post Spelt orange pecan sugar-free cinnamon buns appeared first on At the Immigrant's Table.

Baked brie with peaches, pecans, herbs and honey {Veg, GF}

kseniaprints — Tue, 28 Feb 2017 20:50:10 +0000

Peaches, chopped pecans, a drizzle of honey and a sprinkle of herbs. Now you've got everyone drooling over gooey baked brie with peaches!

A food blogger's life

"I don't have anything to eat, but I'm sure we can scrounge something up." I began, giving my friends an apologetic smile as we hopped on the metro.

Now, if you're friends with a food blogger, you know that's probably a lie. If you're friends with me, you can bet it's a lie. A lie learned on my grandmother's knee. A lie honed over years of entertaining and making up meals from scratch.

I may have no fresh vegetables, or no bread, and none of the traditional fixings one needs for entertaining - chips, salsa, charcuterie meats.

But as long as you have a freezer, a pantry and several canned goods, you're good. You can always put together a quick entertaining dish like this baked brie with peaches, pecans, herbs and honey. For a more Christmasy version, try my baked feta dip or Mexican baked feta salad dip for Cinco De Mayo.

Making due with what you've got

In fact, this dish came about from just such an entertaining emergency. Danielle was on her way over to my place after a long day of studying. Kindly, I thought the occasion called for more than just a couple of shriveled logs of goat cheese and stale crackers.

So I threw together a simple salad of greens, pickles and pumpkin seeds. As I said, you are never too far from dinner if you have some pickles in your fridge!

I then rummaged around my freezer and pantry to make a more interesting main.

Full disclosure: I usually have a round of brie cheese in the freezer. I know, I know, this is weird. But sometimes, brie cheese goes on sale and you just don't want to eat it all at once. Then you assume that some day, guests may come and you'll have nothing to serve them, the store will just be out of brie cheese, and...

Whatever, I grew up in a Soviet household, give me a break.

Baked brie with peaches, nuts and herbs

Anyway, I took out a log of brie cheese from ~~the especially-crafted cheese drawer in my fridge~~ my freezer. I placed it gingerly at the bottom of a small ceramic dish. Note: you don't need a special brie-baking dish to bake brie; nearly any ceramic dish you like will do!

Then I rummaged around my pantry, and fished out a can of California cling peaches, which I also use in my gluten free peach cobbler. Canned peaches also serve as a great saviour at emergencies just like this one. Or if you need to kill an intruder, cuz the can is heavy. Just sayin' - a girl living alone has gotta plan!

During winter, when fruit is expensive and has to be trucked all the way from Mexico, I much prefer the safety and comfort of frozen peaches, or in their absence, a good can of peaches to bruised and battered fresh fruit. Or if you're smart, you make yourself some peach jam and you're golden!

California cling peaches are grown and canned in the United States, on family farms that adhere to the highest agricultural and safety standards. With them, I can count on the freshest, most nutrient-packed peaches making it to my table at any given time.

A few chopped pecans, a drizzle of honey and a sprinkle of whatever fresh herbs you have on hand and you've got baked brie with peaches, pecans, herbs and honey.

The perfect entertaining dish

Now, this dish will forever be known as your perfect entertaining dish. Prepped in under 5 minutes, and ready in another 15-20 in the oven. With the smells of creamy melting baked brie with peaches wafting all over the place, your guests will salivate long before it's served.

When cooked, canned peaches maintain their shape and firmness better than fresh peaches. While your brie is getting good and melty the peaches break down only slightly into a beautiful, quickly made jam with a contrasting texture. The pecans provide additional crunch and contrast.

Altogether, this is a dish that will make your guests really distrust you the next time you say you don't have anything in the fridge... But that's a risk you take every time you make something from this blog.

Recipe

Tried and loved this recipe? Please leave a 5-star review below! Your reviews mean a lot to me, so if you've got any questions, please let me know in a comment.

Baked brie with peaches, pecans, herbs and honey

California cling peaches, chopped pecans, a drizzle of honey and a sprinkle of herbs, and you've got everyone drooling over gooey baked brie with peaches.

Course Appetizer

Cuisine Entertaining, French, North American

Keyword appetizer, baked brie, brie, cheese, nuts, peaches, pecans

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 15

Total Time 20

Servings

Calories 251kcal

Author Ksenia Prints

Equipment

Ceramic dish for baking in the oven

Ingredients

1 wheel brie
1 can California cling peaches chopped into cubes
¼ cup pecans crushed
5 fresh thyme or tarragon branches
3 basil leaves , or 3 sage leaves, sliced finely
Honey

For serving:

1 Baguette or crackers of your choice

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325F.
Unwrap brie and place it in an oven-safe ceramic dish. Top with cubed California cling peaches and pecans. Sprinkle with chopped fresh herbs. Drizzle with honey as desired.
Bake in a 325F oven for 15-20 minutes, until brie has melted and topping has browned a bit on top. Serve immediately with baguette slices or the crackers of your choice.

Nutrition

The post Baked brie with peaches, pecans, herbs and honey {Veg, GF} appeared first on At the Immigrant's Table.

Buckwheat crepes with ricotta and peach thyme confiture

kseniaprints — Mon, 20 Feb 2017 13:27:24 +0000

Treat yourself to a delicious brunch with these nutty buckwheat crepes topped with creamy ricotta and sweet thyme peach confiture. This dish brings a touch of fancy dining right to your table, all without costing you a fortune. It's the perfect way to impress your friends and family while enjoying a relaxed meal together!

In this scrumptious brunch dish, nutty buckwheat crepes dressed up with airy, cloudy ricotta and fragrant thyme peach confiture, for a brunch worthy of any fancy restaurant - without the bill.

This post is a partnership with California Cling Peaches , but all opinions expressed here are my own. Please consider supporting the brands that make this blog possible.

Breakfast just may be my favourite meal of the day. And brunch? Don't even get me started. In my eyes, it's the part of the week that most able-bodied and stable-minded adults should look forward to... with dread.

The ritual of going out to a hyped-up restaurant, waiting in line for what feels like the gestation period of an elephant, eating cold eggs with questionable, leftover seafood sauce while a neighbour's child screams in your ear... Heaven.

But what if I told you it doesn't have to be like that? That you could enjoy a delectable, restaurant quality brunch in the comfort of your own home with a mere 15 minutes work, and a cost of about $10 for your whole family?

With my buckwheat crepes with ricotta and peach thyme confiture, you're on your way to true brunch heaven - without nary a note of sarcasm.

Your brunch heaven starts with a can of California Cling Peaches. Yes, you heard me right - a can of peaches. Because California cling peaches are picked and packed in their own juices quickly (usually within 24 hours of pick), they retain their appearance, texture, flavour and nutritional content.

They are inexpensive and easy to get, and most importantly, California Cling Peaches retain their shape and firmness better than fresh or frozen peaches while cooking - which means no mushy parts in my peach thyme confiture.

Canned or frozen peaches are your best way to get all the nutrients and that true taste of sunny, juicy stone fruit in the midst of winter, so trust me on this.

How to make peach thyme confiture?

You will need the following ingredients for thyme peach confiture:

1 can California cling peaches, sliced
10 strands of thyme
5 TBs butter

So back in our kitchen, after opening that darned can of peaches, we start cooking it with a bit of thyme - and then, a bit of butter. A sweet, caramel-like smell begins to waft through your apartment, starting to rouse your family members and calling them into the kitchen like a gentle siren song - melodious, but deadly.

How to make buckwheat crepes?

You will need the following ingredients for thyme peach confiture:

3 large eggs
3 cups liquid milk, water, or combination of 2 glasses of milk and one glass of water
1 Tbsp. canola oil
1 Tbsp. sugar, or more for sweet crepes
A pinch of salt
1-2 cups buckwheat flour, as needed
Butter, as needed
Ricotta, 1 small container

While your confiture is working its magic on the stovetop, you work on your buckwheat crepes. A simple mixture of eggs and milk and buckwheat flour gives these crepes some character, body and a nutty flavour reminiscent of hazelnuts.

I find buckwheat crepes so much more interesting than regular crepes (though my mother's Russian blintzes are always a hit!), and they stand up to the flavour of toppings so much better.

In other words, you can bet that buckwheat crepes can handle ALL the flavour of ricotta and thyme peach confiture.

How to assemble buckwheat crepes with ricotta and peach thyme confiture?

When your stack of buckwheat crepes has grown to towering proportions, and your confiture has been taken off the stovetop, you let people roll their crepes with a dollop of ricotta, and a few spoonfuls of thyme peach confiture. With a few cups of steaming coffee or milky tea, a pitcher of your favourite juice, and nothing but your favourite 8tracks mix to disturb the silence, you can bet you're in brunch heaven.

Upcoming chances to eat my buckwheat crepes

If you're in the Montreal area this upcoming weekend and would like to taste some homemade buckwheat crepes, traditional Russian blintzes and a host of Russian toppings that will make you swear it's the best cuisine in the world, come to my Maslenitsa: Folklore and Fairytales gathering. Delicious food, good company and unique entertainment are guaranteed.

Recipe

Tried and loved this recipe? Please leave a 5-star review below! Your reviews mean a lot to me, so if you've got any questions, please let me know in a comment.

Buckwheat crepes with ricotta and peach thyme confiture

Nutty buckwheat crepes get topped with airy ricotta and flavourful thyme peach confiture, for a brunch worthy of any 5-star restaurant - without the bill.

Course Breakfast

Cuisine Quebec

Keyword crepes, gluten-free, peaches, ricotta, sweet, vegetarian

Cook Time 15

Total Time 15

Servings -5

Calories 573kcal

Author Ksenia Prints

Ingredients

For thyme peach confiture:

1 can California cling peaches sliced
10 strands thyme
5 tablespoon butter

For buckwheat crepes:

3 large eggs
3 cups milk water, or combination of 2 glasses of milk and one glass of water
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 tablespoon sugar more for sweet crepes
A pinch of salt
2 cups buckwheat flour (could be less, look at the consistancy of the batter)
Butter as needed
Ricotta 1 small container

Instructions

Start by making the thyme peach confiture. Preheat pan to medium-high heat; add 2 TBs butter. Drain peaches from juice, reserving the juice for later. When butter has softened, add peaches. Let cook for 5 minutes, until they get a bit of a sear. Add thyme and peach juice, and let cook for an additional 5 minutes, until it reduces a bit. Add butter. Stir until butter has completely softened, and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Remove from heat, and remove all thyme strands from the confiture.
While thyme peach confiture is cooking, make buckwheat crepes. In a large bowl, whisk eggs and liquid until well combined. Add oil, sugar and salt. Continue whisking, gradually adding buckwheat flour in small portions. Continue whisking until mixture is perfectly even and the consistency of yogurt or low-fat sour cream (should be easily pourable, but not watery).
Place just a touch of butter at the bottom of a large plate. Set aside.
Preheat a pan to medium-high heat - the pan should sizzle when you add in the oil! Add a dab of butter, and pour in a ⅓ cup of the the batter, tilting the pan to spread it thinly and evenly. When the edges of the crepes curl and bubbles appear, use a thin spatula to flip it (this should be easy - otherwise, your batter is too runny or your pan not hot enough). Cook briefly on the other side, and remove from pan onto the buttered plate. Top the cooked crepe with a touch of butter.
(Please note that the first crepe rarely turns out; use this one to taste and correct the amount of sugar, flour or salt in your batter. If mixture is too watery to cook properly, add a bit more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time).
When the buckwheat crepes are ready, serve them to the table with ricotta and thyme peach confiture. To eat, put a tablespoon of ricotta in the middle of a crepe, top it with confiture, and seal all the edges.

Nutrition

The post Buckwheat crepes with ricotta and peach thyme confiture appeared first on At the Immigrant's Table.

Avocado and Passion Fruit Tuna Carpaccio Recipe

kseniaprints — Mon, 06 Feb 2017 13:52:52 +0000

On a recent trip to Hawaii with my girlfriend, four women crammed into a red rental camper van, I created what quickly became my favorite tuna carpaccio recipe. It's a simple yet decedent: buttery ripe avocado, tangy passion fruit, and fresh Pacific tuna, all brought together with a generous splash of lime.

I slice the raw Pacific tuna we bought earlier thinly, doing my best to perform neat, clean cuts with the blunt chef's knife that came in our camper van dish kit. My one fried is cutting into an organic avocado the size of my two hands put together, acquired just a couple of hours ago at Hana Harvest (read more about it in my Maui travel day one itinerary!).

At the merest pressure, the avocado just breaks apart, a perfectly ripe fruit begging to be lightly seasoned with lime juice.

Meanwhile, my friends are studying the insides of our passion fruits skeptically, bought from the back of a Hawaiian truck. Full of large, dark seeds and a mushy orange pulp, they look like alien egg depositories.

"I have never tasted a passion fruit, but they look disgusting," someone says, and I just smile to myself - they do not know what's coming. I get the same reaction when I serve my passion fruit mousse, but everyone is won over once they taste it!

Our dinner that night is tuna carpaccio topped with avocado and passion fruit: 1.5lbs of raw tuna, sliced thinly into sashimi-style slices. Topped with avocado and passion fruit pulp and a liberal drizzle of lime, it is bright and silky, an explosive experience of flavour, texture and colour.

More Seafood Recipes

For more delicious seafood recipes, check out my whole fish with pomegranate molasses or Colombian whole fish. Also check out my homemade gefilte fish recipe or my pink fish tacos.

See more Fish →

Top Tips to Choose the Right Ingredients

Use sushi-grade tuna (sometimes labeled "sashimi-grade") from a trusted fishmonger. Quality matters here!
A very sharp knife will make it easier to slice tuna thinly.
The best avocados for this recipe are Hass or Maui avocados.
When picking passion fruit, choose ones that are wrinkled and heavy.

Storing Tuna Carpaccio

Tuna carpaccio is best enjoyed immediately after assembly!

However, if you need to prepare it ahead of time, you can slice the raw tuna up to two hours in advance and store it tightly wrapped in plastic in the refrigerator to maintain its freshness.

The avocado and passion fruit mixture is best made just before serving, but if needed, it can be prepared a couple hours ahead and kept in an airtight container with a piece of plastic wrap pressed directly onto the surface to help prevent browning.

It's important not to assemble the carpaccio in advance, as the acidity from the lime and passion fruit will start to "cook" the tuna, altering its texture and flavor in a way similar to ceviche (also check out my Colombian ceviche recipe).

Recipe

Tried and loved this recipe? Please leave a 5-star review below! Your reviews mean a lot to me, so if you've got any questions, please let me know in a comment.

Tuna Carpaccio with Tuna and Passion Fruit

Silky tuna carpaccio topped with avocado and passion fruit. A dish of four ingredients (plus salt and pepper, if you're counting), bursting with freshness, color, and zing. Simple, but elegant! Each ingredient shines on its own and sings in harmony together.

Course Fish, Sashimi

Cuisine Hawaiian

Keyword tuna carpaccio, tuna carpaccio with avocado

Prep Time 10

Total Time 10

Servings people

Calories 418kcal

Author Ksenia Prints

Ingredients

1.5 lb wild tuna
1 large avocado
4 fresh passion fruits
2 limes
Salt to taste (optional)
Pepper to taste (optional)

Instructions

Thinly slice tuna steak into sashimi-style slices, holding your knife at an angle.
Mix avocado meat with passion fruit pulp, adding the juice of 1 or two limes (start with one, taste and add as needed). Season with salt and pepper to taste (optional).
Top tuna slices with avocado-passion fruit mixture. Drizzle the juice of an additional lime on all the slices. Serve immediately with more lime slices.

Nutrition

The post Avocado and Passion Fruit Tuna Carpaccio Recipe appeared first on At the Immigrant's Table.

Cold Haddock in Carrot Lemon Sauce

kseniaprints — Tue, 24 Jan 2017 10:22:34 +0000

Enjoy a delicious serving of tender cold haddock, beautifully topped with a smooth sauce made from sweet carrots, caramelized onions, and a hint of zesty lemon. This dish is not only gluten-free and dairy-free but also offers a delightful blend of flavors, making it perfect for any gathering or special occasion.

We are seated around a long hexagonal table whose midsection has been stretched beyond proportion with extension leaves, like a snake that's gorged itself on a large rodent and now can do nothing but lie in wait. The sun is shining brightly over our heads, illuminating a table overflowing with Salada Russa, vinaigrette salad, and all manner of spicy garlic dill pickles. Our wine glasses are half empty, and the conversation is loud and raucous; my sister and I have placed bets on which of the grandparents will start the fight first. Despite the mounds of food, everyone is a bit hungry still, waiting for the main course of this al fresco lunch. And then she walks in, my mother, triumphantly holding a tray in her hands - in the centre is a baking dish filled with cold haddock in carrot lemon sauce. And the room quiets just a little bit.

My mother is not much of a cook. Besides stewed cabbage and strudel, she mainly sticks to simple salads, tried-and-true quiches and cheese platters. Yet fish is her pièce de résistance, the one thing that she pulls out during festive events that she knows everyone will ooh and ahh over.

In winter, she serves a whole salmon side, caked in cream and baked in high heat on a bed of potatoes until all of its juices have let out and flowed on the bottom of the tray. It's a sight to behold, but an even better experience to eat.

In summer, my mother goes to the local fishmonger and buys cheap white fish, which often tends to be haddock. She grates carrots, whole dozens of them, until the pile of carrot shreds by her cutting board passes the lowest shelf above her sink. Onions are chopped coarsely, and a whole host of lemon juice is squeezed into a little pitcher. And then she mixes it all together, letting the carrots and onions and lemon macerate and bake into a sauce that is silky and sweet and tart all at once. The fish, unable to resist any longer in the face of all that goodness, lets out one last cry of resistance before finally collapsing under the mound of delicious carrot lemon sauce. The whole thing is let to cool down in the fridge and served the next day, when the flavours have blended sufficiently and the cold haddock can truly shine.

When I asked my mother how she came up with her cold haddock in carrot lemon sauce, she hummed and hawed. She avoided my questions for months. She served me more fish. But eventually, she leaned in in a conspirational manner and whispered:

"It's based on your grandmother's recipe. But don't tell her of she'll let it go to her head."

Today, when I am standing in my little kitchen in Montreal, I can close my eyes and imagine that raucous table at my parents' yard in Israel. I can taste the white wine and the garlic hummus. I can hear my grandparents, fighting among them about the state of Russian politics. I can feel the fork in my hand, the same one I had used since I was a teenager and which I refuse to throw out, insisting food just tastes better on it. I can smell the flowers blooming all around us.

Or I can do one better: I can go to the local fishmonger and buy locally raised, Canadian haddock. I can read about the journey it makes from Georges Bay to my table. I can buy Quebec carrots from Nantes, colourful roots with their tops still attached and the smell of earth still on their bodies. I can use maple syrup to balance out the sourness of the lemon, if the carrots aren't sweet enough on their own.Like a true immigrant, I can create a dish that is at once a stark embodiment of my parents' house and their Russian cuisine, and the Canadian terroir in which I chose to make my home.

So I don't get homesick anymore. I just make cold haddock in carrot lemon sauce in the midst of the Canadian winter, and feel it all over again.

Recipe

Tried and loved this recipe? Please leave a 5-star review below! Your reviews mean a lot to me, so if you've got any questions, please let me know in a comment.

Cold haddock in carrot lemon sauce

Perfectly cooked haddock rests under a sauce of carrots, onions and lemon sauce that is silky, sweet and tart all at once. A perfect gluten-free, dairy-free one-pot meal.

Course Main

Cuisine Russian

Keyword Cold haddock, Cold haddock in carrot lemon sauce

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 30

Total Time 45

Servings

Calories 225kcal

Author Ksenia Prints

Ingredients

1 kg Canadian haddock
2 pounds carrots
2 onions
4 garlic cloves
5 tomatoes
156 ml tomato paste
1 tablespoon paprika
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon maple syrup or citrus marmalade
2 lemons juiced
1 bunch cilantro or parsley according to preference
Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

Cut haddock into bite-sized pieces (about 2-3 inches in length and 1 inch in width). Salt fish slices. Preheat a large pan to high heat, adding 1 TB of Canola or grapeseed oil. Fry fish slices until they have browned on one side and come off the pan easily, about 2 minutes. Turn over and repeat until you have fried all the fish slices. Set aside.
To prepare the marinade, grate carrots. Coarsely chop onions. Mix carrots with onions, tomatoes, garlic, tomato paste, spices, lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste. Add maple syrup or citrus marmalade, taste and correct seasonings as needed. Add to pan and cook until carrots have softened and sauce has became more liquid in consistency.
Liberally coat the bottom and sides of a large covered baking dish with oil. Layer fish and sauce liberally. Bake, covered, at 400F for 20-30 minutes, until fish flakes easily with a fork.
Let cool overnight in fridge. Serve cold. Bon Appetit.

Nutrition

The post Cold Haddock in Carrot Lemon Sauce appeared first on At the Immigrant's Table.

Berry Salad with Red Onions, Arugula, Nuts and Pomegranate Arils

kseniaprints — Thu, 12 Jan 2017 13:10:12 +0000

This berry salad is super flexible and you can make it your own! The main ingredients are greens, berries, and nuts, but you can mix and match any way you like.

"We're here!" she called. "But we can't find you on the intercom... Open the door!"

I looked out the window, trying to scope out the shapes of my friends. And there they were, huddled in the rain under the awning of the neighbouring building, trying in vain to find my name on the wrong intercom list.

"You're in the wrong building!" I called out, laughing. "Try again."

I couldn't go downstairs to open the door. I had berry salad with red onions, arugula, nuts and pomegranate arils sitting on the counter... And leaving that kind of thing alone just won't do.

Danielle and Aliea were some of the first guests to visit my apartment in its new, 'single girl' iteration. I am not sure whether they expected back issues of Cosmopolitan to be piled in the living room, empty wine bottles to fill my garbage bin, or a papier mache statue made out of used tissues to sit at my bedside.

"Your place feels different. There is a different energy here... a better one," Danielle mused, her delicate eyebrows rising slightly in surprise.

I looked around me - at the table with the knitting on it, the carefully laid out dinner table that's been getting more and more use in recent months, at the cat curled up comfortably in the grey POÄNG armchair. At the pile of books on the table, none of them dusty law tomes that have never been opened. At the soft light streaming through the windows, bathing everything in that cool, blueish winter light.

"Yeah, I guess it does," I said, a careful smile creeping to my face.

This berry salad with red onions, arugula, nuts and pomegranate arils is a riff on a salad I have been eating a lot lately. The trifecta at its base involves greens, berries and nuts - everything is changeable, and nothing is sacred. As befitting this 'single girl' life, I can never count on any ingredients to be in my fridge at a given time - or on having the time to process or cook those ingredients. In the absence of time and stability, I find comfort in the sweet taste of berries exploding in my mouth, in the interplay between crunchy nuts and soft, delicate greens, in the ease with which it all comes together.

You can use any berries you have on hand, though I am a fan of blackberries in fall and winter. Their tart, slightly rough flavour goes well with mounds of snow or torrential rain showers, at least in my mind. For these photos I had roasted peanuts on hand, but pistachios are my favourite, while almonds are the most economical and easily available option. The green I love the most here is arugula, though a spring mix also works well. Basically, this berry salad provides a palette, but it is up to you to choose the colours.

"Well, enough chatting. Let's eat," I said, gesturing for my friends to sit themselves down at my 'single girl' table.

And I wait until after the salad is done to tell them that maybe, I am not so single anymore. But that's a story for another day, and another salad altogether.

Recipe

Tried and loved this recipe? Please leave a 5-star review below! Your reviews mean a lot to me, so if you've got any questions, please let me know in a comment.

Berry salad with red onions, arugula, nuts and pomegranate arils

This berry salad is infinitely variable. The trifecta at its base involves greens, berries and nuts - everything is changeable, and nothing is sacred. The dressing here is tangy but delicate; feel free to increase the vinegar if you want something with more bite.

Course Salad

Cuisine vegan

Keyword berry salad

Prep Time 5

Total Time 5

Servings

Calories 192kcal

Author Ksenia Prints

Ingredients

1 package arugula or another green mix of your choice
1 package blackberries or other berries of your choice
½ onion sliced
½ Arils of a pomegranate
¼ cup nuts of your choice chopped and toasted - pistachios, almonds or peanuts are my favourites
4 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoon white wine vinegar or raspberry vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon mustard
Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

Combine olive oil, vinegar, honey, mustard, salt and pepper in a jar, and shake until well combined.
In a large bowl, layer remaining salad ingredients. Drizzle with dressing, and mix well to combine. Serve immediately.

Nutrition

The post Berry Salad with Red Onions, Arugula, Nuts and Pomegranate Arils appeared first on At the Immigrant's Table.

Fire-grilled Nordic salmon recipe

kseniaprints — Thu, 02 Jan 2020 00:50:37 +0000

Enjoy the delicious taste of fire-grilled Norwegian salmon, a perfect dish for winter gatherings. Cooked over an open fire, this recipe pairs tender salmon with creamy potatoes, making it a special treat for your guests. Whether you're celebrating a holiday or having a cozy dinner, this easy and elegant dish will be the star of your meal.

Whether you are camping or grilling salmon on a charcoal barbecue, this unique method of cooking salmon over fire is going to be a game-changer. If you love grilled fish, you might want to try my Mediterranean Whole Grilled Mackerel recipe!

This post contains affiliate links, and I may earn small commissions on your purchases. Thank you for supporting the companies that make this blog possible!

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Mediterranean Whole Grilled Mackerel With Lemon and Garlic

kseniaprints — Wed, 24 Jun 2026 15:15:50 +0000

Nothing draws people toward the grill faster than the smell of this whole grilled mackerel with garlic, rosemary, and thyme. I've cooked enough whole fish through in summer to know that a simple herb marinade and a foil packet are all mackerel needs to stay tender. It's the dinner I turn to while the kids are still outside chasing one last game.

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Gluten-free pear shortcake with tarragon and caramelized pear coconut ice cream

kseniaprints — Mon, 05 Aug 2019 15:47:24 +0000

This gluten-free pear shortcake with tarragon and caramelized pear coconut ice cream is a pear lover's dream come true: sweet, creamy and herbaceous.

Fragrant tarragon is the perfect accompaniment to rich, toasted caramelized Bartlett pears. Both are roasted to perfection and then rounded up with creamy coconut milk for a luscious dairy-free ice cream.

Spoon it all on crumbly gluten-free shortcake biscuits, and you've got the perfect summer dessert!

English summer days

Pear shortcake and gluten free pear quiche always makes me think of rainy English summer days.

Days when the rain patters outside the window in quick, small drops. The oppressive summer heat abates and temperatures drop, but it still stays warm and humid.

When the air smells fresh and clean, interspersed with the scent of lilac and elderflowers. Afternoons when the tea kettle whistles and a strong blend awaits to be poured into a floral teapot.

Summer days when you just feel the need to cozy up with a nice serving of dessert, and dream the hours away. It all just feels so romantic and quaint.

Luckily, as August creeps up on us, the days get a bit shorter and the nights offer a welcome respite from the heat, English summer feels like it's here.

In this season, Canada and the Northern U.S. have many of the same characteristics as England - and that cozy vision of a serving of pear shortcake with tea starts seeming more like a weekend plan.

My favourite pears

This post is sponsored by California Pears, and I was compensated monetarily for my work. You can always count on me to only work with companies and products I love!

For making pear shortcake, my favourite pears are California Bartlett pears.

California Pears are grown on 60 small family farms, who are leaders in natural growing methods.

Firm and juicy, Bartletss from California are the ideal, healthy summer snack. They contain antioxidants and are a good source of fibre, Vitamin C, potassium and folic acid.

California Pears are only available for several weeks in July and August, so now that you have this recipe and inspiration for the perfect gluten-free pear shortcake, don't wait to put it to good use.

Gluten-free pear shortcake

This gluten-free pear shortcake with tarragon and caramelized pear coconut ice cream is a pear lover's dream come true: sweet, creamy and herbaceous.

These shortcakes also pair beautifully with Dulce de Leche Ice Cream. It's the perfect interplay of savory and sweet that makes it work.

Spoon it all on crumbly gluten-free shortcake biscuits, and you've got the perfect summer dessert.

Now, all you need is the perfect rainy afternoon, and a strong cup of English tea.

For more information and recipes on California pears, visit www.calpear.com

Looking for more Vegan Desserts?

Looking for more Vegan recipes?

Looking for more Pear Recipes?

Recipe

Tried and loved this recipe? Please leave a 5-star review below! Your reviews mean a lot to me, so if you've got any questions, please let me know in a comment.

Gluten-free pear shortcake with tarragon and caramelized pear coconut ice cream

This gluten-free pear shortcake with tarragon and caramelized pear coconut ice cream is a pear lover's dream come true: sweet, creamy and herbaceous. Fragrant tarragon is the perfect accompaniment to rich, toasted caramelized Bartlett pears. Both are roasted to perfection and then rounded up with creamy coconut milk for a luscious dairy-free ice cream. Spoon it all on crumbly gluten-free shortcake biscuits, and you've got the perfect summer dessert!This dessert is a bit involved, but feel free to mix and match the components as you desire (for example, you can serve the tarragon and caramelized pear coconut ice cream topped with caramelized pears with tarragon, or just serve the biscuits with the the caramelized pears and top it with whipped coconut cream). All components can be made in advance and assembled just before serving. Ice cream will keep in the freezer for a month. Caramelized pears with tarragon and pear shortcake biscuits will keep for a week if well wrapped.

Course Dessert

Cuisine British, dairy-free, gluten-free, vegan

Keyword baking, Bartlett pear, California Pears, coconut, dessert, gluten-free, herbs, ice cream, pears, spring, summer, sweet, tarragon, vegan

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 1 10

Resting time 8

Total Time 9 40

Servings

Calories 824kcal

Author Ksenia Prints

Equipment

Large, heavy saucepan
Ice cream maker
8-inch square baking pan
Baking tray

Ingredients

Tarragon and caramelized pear coconut ice cream:

3 medium-sized ripe Bartlett pears cored and diced into ¼ inch pieces
3 sprigs of tarragon finely chopped
¾ cup sugar
½ cup coconut cream
1.5 cups coconut milk
A pinch of coarse salt
a few drops of fresh lemon juice

Gluten-free shortcake biscuits:

2 cups gluten-free flour mix
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
4 tablespoons sugar
½ teaspoon salt
1 ½ cups coconut cream

Caramelized pears with tarragon:

6 Bartlett pears diced into ¼ inch pieces
6 sprigs of tarragon finely chopped
3 TBs of sugar

Instructions

To make tarragon and caramelized pear coconut ice cream:

Spread the sugar in a large, heavy saucepan. Cook over medium heat, carefully watching and stirring occasionally with a heatproof spatula, until sugar is fully melted.
Continue cooking sugar until it turns a deep amber colour. Stir in the diced pears (at this point the caramel will change consistency). Continue cooking and stirring occasionally for ten minutes, until sugar is fully dissolved.
Remove saucepan from heat. Stir in ½ cup of the coconut cream, then mix in the coconut milk, chopped tarragon, salt, and lemon juice.
Let mixture cool to room temp.
Chill according to your ice-cream maker manufacturer's instructions.
Let chill in the freezer overnight before serving.

To make gluten-free shortcake biscuits:

Preheat the oven to 400F / 200C.
Sift together gluten-free flour, baking powder, baking soda, 2 tablespoons sugar, and salt in a medium bowl. Add coconut cream and mix until just combined.
Transfer mixture to in an ungreased 8-inch square pan. Bake until golden, 18 to 20 minutes.
Remove shortcake from pan and place on a rack to cool slightly. Cut into 6 pieces and split each piece in half horizontally. Set aside until ready to serve.

To make caramelized pears with tarragon:

6 Bartlett pears, diced into ¼ inch pieces
6 sprigs of tarragon, finely chopped
3 TBs of sugar
Preheat the oven to 400F / 200C (or use the same oven in which you're baking the shortcake biscuits).
Cover a baking tray with parchment paper. Spread diced pears and chopped tarragon, and sprinkle with sugar.
Bake until caramelized, 20 minutes.

To serve gluten-free pear shortcake with tarragon and caramelized pear coconut ice cream:

Arrange the bottom half of a gluten-free shortcake biscuit on a small plate. Layer with a scoop or two of tarragon and caramelized pear coconut ice cream, and a tablespoon of the caramelized pears with tarragon. Top with the second half of the shortcake biscuit. Spoon more caramelized pears with tarragon over the top and serve.

Nutrition

The post Gluten-free pear shortcake with tarragon and caramelized pear coconut ice cream appeared first on At the Immigrant's Table.

Vegan Halva Tahini Ice Cream

kseniaprints — Fri, 25 Jul 2025 13:40:00 +0000

Imagine the warm, sun-drenched days of a Middle Eastern summer, captured in a cone of creamy goodness. This vegan halva tahini ice cream combines the rich, nutty flavor of sesame with delightful chunks of halva that surprise you in every bite. It's a sweet treat that not only refreshes but also transports you to a world of exotic flavors and sunny afternoons. Perfect for hot days or any time you want a scoop of something special!

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Gluten-Free Ice Cream Cones

kseniaprints — Fri, 20 Feb 2026 13:40:00 +0000

These Gluten Free Ice Cream Cones add crisp, nostalgic sweetness to any treat, turning simple scoops into something special for family moments, summer gatherings, or effortless homemade desserts. You can enjoy these cones with any of my ice cream recipes, such as Corn Ice Cream, Pistachio Ice Cream, and Vegan Halva Tahini Ice Cream.

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Strawberry Top Infused Vodka (Only 2 Ingredients!)

kseniaprints — Wed, 08 Jul 2026 13:40:00 +0000

Strawberry top infused vodka is proof that the most fragrant part of the berry often ends up in the compost. I've refined this recipe over many strawberry seasons, turning those overlooked tops into a fresh homemade infusion in just 48 hours.

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Pistachio Ice Cream

kseniaprints — Tue, 22 Jul 2025 13:40:00 +0000

There's nothing quite like a scoop of homemade pistachio ice cream to bring back sweet memories of summer. This creamy treat combines the earthy flavor of pistachios with a smooth, rich base, creating a delightful experience that fills your senses. Whether it's a sunny day or a cozy evening, this ice cream is perfect for sharing with family and friends, reminding us of those cherished moments together. Get ready to savor every bite of this refreshing dessert!

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