This is so simple it hardly qualifies as a recipe, but the seasoning mix was good enough to recommend, and I wouldn't have thought of it.
We picked up some baby squash (zucchini and pattypans) at the farmer's market last week. We'd never seen such a thing, although it turns out they're pretty common. Who knew?
And on the internets I found a recipe for them that turned out real nice. Basically you trim the ends off then put them in a roasting pan. Pour enough olive oil over them to coat them, but not enough that they're swimming. Then add chopped tarragon and chopped thyme leaves (I used dried from a bottle, but fresh would probably be even better) and salt and pepper to taste. Mix them all together so that the herbs and spices and oil are evenly distributed. Put them in the oven at 350 for 15-30 minutes, until they're tender. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar when you serve them.
This was really, really good.
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Friday, July 30, 2010
Radishes
Does anybody have any good ideas for radishes? I am talking about your standard red radish. I have been putting them in salads and realising that I like them more than I used to, but I don't really know anything else to use them for. So, radish advice? Anyone?
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Egg Update
So I asked for egg suggestions like a week and a half ago and then I never told anyone what happened. And what happened was that I made quiche. Which makes Taryn's the winning suggestion, I guess. ;) But I still have eggs left, so omelets or dashimaki may still be in the works. I haven't decided.
But anyway, I kind of looked up quiche in my Fanny Farmer (my favorite basic cookbook) and then winged it from there, but here's what I basically did:
Even though I've actually made pie shells before that didn't entirely suck, this time I just bought some frozen ones.
Most of the Fannie Farmer quiches seem to consist of filling on the bottom, cheese in the middle, and egg-and-cream mix on top (which actually seeps down through all the other layers). So I put in some leftover mushrooms and broccoli and covered them with a ton of cheddar and smoked gouda. Then I mixed together about 2 cups of half-and-half with four eggs (all the Fannie Farmer quiches called for 4 eggs) and some salt, pepper, and chipotle powder and poured it over the top.
Then I cooked it all for 15 minutes at 425 degrees and then turned down the oven to 350 and baked for 30 minutes more.
It turned out pretty well, but I could have totally put more spices in the egg-and-cream stuff. If I try the dashimaki I'll tell everyone how that goes.
But anyway, I kind of looked up quiche in my Fanny Farmer (my favorite basic cookbook) and then winged it from there, but here's what I basically did:
Even though I've actually made pie shells before that didn't entirely suck, this time I just bought some frozen ones.
Most of the Fannie Farmer quiches seem to consist of filling on the bottom, cheese in the middle, and egg-and-cream mix on top (which actually seeps down through all the other layers). So I put in some leftover mushrooms and broccoli and covered them with a ton of cheddar and smoked gouda. Then I mixed together about 2 cups of half-and-half with four eggs (all the Fannie Farmer quiches called for 4 eggs) and some salt, pepper, and chipotle powder and poured it over the top.
Then I cooked it all for 15 minutes at 425 degrees and then turned down the oven to 350 and baked for 30 minutes more.
It turned out pretty well, but I could have totally put more spices in the egg-and-cream stuff. If I try the dashimaki I'll tell everyone how that goes.
Monday, July 26, 2010
Kewpie Potato Salad
I learned how to make this salad in elementary school in Japan. It's my go-to dish for taking to potlucks and barbecues. We took it to one Friday night, and it was kind of a hit.Ingredients:
4 big potatoes, peeled (white is good, but any kind is okay as long as they're big)
1-2 handfuls of baby carrots (depending on how much you like carrots)
1 cucumber, half-peeled (unpeeled is okay; "half-peeled" is peeling strips down the side so it looks like it's striped)
4 eggs
Kewpie Japanese mayonnaise (see illustration)
Fresh-ground pepper (to taste)
Salt
1. Boil the eggs.
2. Dice the potatoes into 1 inch cubes - not too small. Cut baby carrots into halves or thirds. Dump potatoes and carrots into large pot, fill with water, and bring to boil.
3. Boil potatoes and carrots until they're soft enough that you can easily pierce them with a knife, but not so soft that they crumble.
4. While you're waiting for the potatoes and carrots to boil, but the cucumber into thin slices. Sprinkle a little salt over the sliced cucumber. Then wrap the sliced, salted cucumber in a paper towel and squeeze. The idea is to get as much moisture out of the cucumber as you can, so that when you put them into the salad it doesn't get soggy.
5. Drain potatoes and carrots and return them to the pot you boiled them in. Keep the stove on high heat and hold the pot over the burner so it's not touching (if it's electric) or slightly high over the flame (if it's gas). Shake the pot so that the heat dries the potatoes and carrots completely, but don't let them burn. You'll know you're done when the sides and bottom of the pot turn whitish from potato starch, and when the corners of the potato cubes get rounded.
6. Dump potatoes and carrots into large mixing bowl. Squeeze some Kewpie over the top. You'll be using as much Kewpie as you feel you need - there's no set measurement to this. Add some, then mix, then add some more, mix some more, until you're satisfied. You may need to mash the potatoes and carrots a little while you mix, but don't mash them smooth. By squishing them a little, the taste of the potatoes and carrots mixes well with the Kewpie, but if you squish them too much the whole thing turns into a heavy paste. You want to keep it fluffy.
7. Using an egg slicer/dicer thingie, dice three of the boiled eggs and add to the mix.
8. Add cucumber and mix. Cucumbers should be added last, not long before eating, because they'll make the salad soggy. So, if you're making this in the morning to take to someone's barbecue in the evening, keep the cucumbers out and add them right before you leave in the evening.
9. Season to taste with pepper; mix.
10. Cut remaining boiled egg in half and remove the yolk. Crumble half the yolk (or all of it, depending on your preference) over the salad as a garnish. Voila!
This potato salad is better if it's not refrigerated, so if possible make it close enough to serving time that it's still a little bit warm.
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Falafel
Here's another bean recipe, inspired by the fact that I'm making them tonight. The name "falafel" here is used in its loosest sense--not super authentic, but easy and tasty.
Falafel:
1 15-oz can chickpeas (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 Tbsp onion powder
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
dash cumin
2 cloves garlic, minced
pinch of parsley
1/4 cup flour
1 tsp salt
1 egg
oil for frying (you can actually deep fry them, but I just saute in a little oil)
1. Boil chickpeas for 3-5 minutes to soften them up, then drain and rinse them with cold water (if you don't do the cold water they'll be too hot to hand-form--I've made this mistake).
2. While beans are boiling, mix all dry ingredients together in small bowl.
3. Mash chickpeas, lemon juice, garlic and egg in large bowl (a fork works just fine for mashing). Once that's mashed to your liking, add dry mixture and stir until well-coated and sticking together.
4. Heat oil in frying pan on medium. Form mixture into four to six patties and saute 3-4 minutes a side, or longer if you want them crispier.
The great thing about this recipe (besides the quickness) is that all the spices are totally negotiable. I gave you the list that came with the original recipe, but I never really follow it. Often I skip most of the spices and chop up a bunch of sun-dried tomatoes instead (you jus throw them in with the wet stuff). My other favorites are Italian style (garlic, onion, oregano, basil, what-have-you) or spicy southwest style (once I pick up some chipotle powder as per Taryn's suggestion, I bet it will go great in these).
Sometimes I use these as hamburger patties, sometimes we just make them and eat them with veggies on the side.
Falafel:
1 15-oz can chickpeas (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 Tbsp onion powder
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
dash cumin
2 cloves garlic, minced
pinch of parsley
1/4 cup flour
1 tsp salt
1 egg
oil for frying (you can actually deep fry them, but I just saute in a little oil)
1. Boil chickpeas for 3-5 minutes to soften them up, then drain and rinse them with cold water (if you don't do the cold water they'll be too hot to hand-form--I've made this mistake).
2. While beans are boiling, mix all dry ingredients together in small bowl.
3. Mash chickpeas, lemon juice, garlic and egg in large bowl (a fork works just fine for mashing). Once that's mashed to your liking, add dry mixture and stir until well-coated and sticking together.
4. Heat oil in frying pan on medium. Form mixture into four to six patties and saute 3-4 minutes a side, or longer if you want them crispier.
The great thing about this recipe (besides the quickness) is that all the spices are totally negotiable. I gave you the list that came with the original recipe, but I never really follow it. Often I skip most of the spices and chop up a bunch of sun-dried tomatoes instead (you jus throw them in with the wet stuff). My other favorites are Italian style (garlic, onion, oregano, basil, what-have-you) or spicy southwest style (once I pick up some chipotle powder as per Taryn's suggestion, I bet it will go great in these).
Sometimes I use these as hamburger patties, sometimes we just make them and eat them with veggies on the side.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Brother Momonjii's Japanese Curry, Variation #1 (Summer)
Curry, Japanese-style, was probably the first thing I learned how to make on my own when I was learning how to cook. And it's still a staple around the Momonjii house - we make it about once every couple of weeks, probably more often in the winter. Since the "curry" aspect of it is store-bought, it may not count as "cooking," at least not in polite company, but at the very least it's "meal preparation," and it's kept us alive and happy. I've worked out a number of variations that we find pretty satisfying, and here's the most recent.
Caveat: It should probably go without saying that Japanese-style curry doesn't really belong in the same category as Indian cuisine. But I'll say it anyway. If it helps, we can call Japanese curry "kare" instead.
Summer Curry #1
Ingredients:
1 large box Java brand curry roux, medium hot (Java is one of the brands of curry readily available at Asian groceries in the US, so it shouldn't be too hard to find)
2 medium-smallish potatoes (Yukon gold)
1 zucchini
1 summer squash
1 bunch scallions (sometimes called spring onions: the kind with the bulb at the end)
frozen peas
1 boneless pork chop (optional)
white pepper
herb de Provence
sunflower seeds (shelled, unsalted)
Parmesan cheese
rice
Note: meat is optional in this recipe. If you're not using it, just follow the directions but ignore the meat.
1. Cut all your veggies into largish chunks. Cut the pork chop into smallish chunks.
2. Melt a little butter in a large soup kettle and sautee the pork over medium-high heat just until it starts to turn whitish-brown. Grind a little white pepper over the pork while you're sauteeing it. Add the potatoes and sautee just a little while. Sauteeing in a soup kettle, you're going to get things burning very quickly, so the object here isn't to cook the items through, but just to sear the outsides of the pork and potatoes.
3. Add a couple of cups of water, turn heat up to high and bring to a boil.
4. When the water's boiling, add the zucchini, summer squash, onions and some frozen peas, as many as you like.
5. Now you'll probably need to add more water. The one thing about Japanese curry that's hard for me to quantify is the amount of water. You can follow the directions on the box, if the importer has translated them for you, but they usually call for 5-6 cups of water, and I find that's way too much. I usually use about half, but I judge by eye rather than measure. Here's how I do it. I aim for enough water to cover the veggies, but not enough so that that they're bobbing around freely. If in doubt, err on the side of too little water. You can always add water to a curry that's too thick, but if you make it too thin there's nothing you can really do about it.
6. Add a couple of dashes of herb de Provence to the water.
7. Boil everything until the pork is done and the veggies are soft.
8. Turn the heat down to medium-low. Add the whole box of curry roux. Stir until the curry is completely dissolved.
9. Let it simmer for five or ten minutes. As soon as the curry is dissolved it's basically done, but letting it simmer for a while helps the taste blend. If you find the curry too thick for your liking at this point, you can always add a little water. If you find it too thin at this point, you can boil it at a low temperature for a while and it will thicken up a little.
10. While simmering, toss in a handful of sunflower seeds.
11. Serve over white rice. Garnish to taste with fresh-grated Parmesan cheese.
Notes: We prefer slightly spicy curries in the summer. Java Curry tends to the spicy side anyway, and with the white pepper and stuff it gets nice and tangy... This recipe will make a lot of curry; just refrigerate whatever's left and eat it the next day. Japanese curry tastes even better the second day... Parmesan cheese may sound like an odd addition to Japanese curry, but it really sets off the flavor of a tangy, summer-veggie curry like this quite nicely.
Caveat: It should probably go without saying that Japanese-style curry doesn't really belong in the same category as Indian cuisine. But I'll say it anyway. If it helps, we can call Japanese curry "kare" instead.
Summer Curry #1
Ingredients:
1 large box Java brand curry roux, medium hot (Java is one of the brands of curry readily available at Asian groceries in the US, so it shouldn't be too hard to find)
2 medium-smallish potatoes (Yukon gold)
1 zucchini
1 summer squash
1 bunch scallions (sometimes called spring onions: the kind with the bulb at the end)
frozen peas
1 boneless pork chop (optional)
white pepper
herb de Provence
sunflower seeds (shelled, unsalted)
Parmesan cheese
rice
Note: meat is optional in this recipe. If you're not using it, just follow the directions but ignore the meat.
1. Cut all your veggies into largish chunks. Cut the pork chop into smallish chunks.
2. Melt a little butter in a large soup kettle and sautee the pork over medium-high heat just until it starts to turn whitish-brown. Grind a little white pepper over the pork while you're sauteeing it. Add the potatoes and sautee just a little while. Sauteeing in a soup kettle, you're going to get things burning very quickly, so the object here isn't to cook the items through, but just to sear the outsides of the pork and potatoes.
3. Add a couple of cups of water, turn heat up to high and bring to a boil.
4. When the water's boiling, add the zucchini, summer squash, onions and some frozen peas, as many as you like.
5. Now you'll probably need to add more water. The one thing about Japanese curry that's hard for me to quantify is the amount of water. You can follow the directions on the box, if the importer has translated them for you, but they usually call for 5-6 cups of water, and I find that's way too much. I usually use about half, but I judge by eye rather than measure. Here's how I do it. I aim for enough water to cover the veggies, but not enough so that that they're bobbing around freely. If in doubt, err on the side of too little water. You can always add water to a curry that's too thick, but if you make it too thin there's nothing you can really do about it.
6. Add a couple of dashes of herb de Provence to the water.
7. Boil everything until the pork is done and the veggies are soft.
8. Turn the heat down to medium-low. Add the whole box of curry roux. Stir until the curry is completely dissolved.
9. Let it simmer for five or ten minutes. As soon as the curry is dissolved it's basically done, but letting it simmer for a while helps the taste blend. If you find the curry too thick for your liking at this point, you can always add a little water. If you find it too thin at this point, you can boil it at a low temperature for a while and it will thicken up a little.
10. While simmering, toss in a handful of sunflower seeds.
11. Serve over white rice. Garnish to taste with fresh-grated Parmesan cheese.
Notes: We prefer slightly spicy curries in the summer. Java Curry tends to the spicy side anyway, and with the white pepper and stuff it gets nice and tangy... This recipe will make a lot of curry; just refrigerate whatever's left and eat it the next day. Japanese curry tastes even better the second day... Parmesan cheese may sound like an odd addition to Japanese curry, but it really sets off the flavor of a tangy, summer-veggie curry like this quite nicely.
Monday, July 19, 2010
Help Me Use My Eggs
So I have a bunch of eggs that I don't know what to do with. I mean, I know how to boil them or fry them or whatever, but does anyone have suggestions for something more exciting than that? I'm thinking more dinner-y than baked goods-y. Any thoughts? Favorite egg dishes? It doesn't have to taste like eggs, just use them up in the service of something tasty.
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Pancakes: The Sequel
Brother's right, we should have posted the recipe.
1 cup flour
1 Tbsp. sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 beaten egg or egg replacer
1 cup milk
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1/2 tsp vanilla extract (optional, but tasty!)
1. In large bowl, combine dry ingredients.
2. In small bowl, combine wet ingredients.
3. Pour wet ingredients into dry and mix until moistened.
4. Heat lightly greased skillet on stovetop. Use about 1/4 cup of batter for each pancake and bake about 2 min. per side.
Makes 8 to 10 pancakes.
This is actually our "half recipe" version, which makes a light breakfast's worth of pancakes for two people. If you double it, you'll end up with 2 very full people.
Also, I just learned a really neat baking fact: Don't mix this until smooth. Pancake batter is supposed to be lumpy--lumpy means some of the baking powder will be not activated yet, leaving it to activate while the pancakes are cooking. That makes them rise better. Neat, huh?
Before Eric, I pretty much used Bisquick, too, but I put Eric in charge of breakfast and he just uses regular flour.
1 cup flour
1 Tbsp. sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 beaten egg or egg replacer
1 cup milk
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1/2 tsp vanilla extract (optional, but tasty!)
1. In large bowl, combine dry ingredients.
2. In small bowl, combine wet ingredients.
3. Pour wet ingredients into dry and mix until moistened.
4. Heat lightly greased skillet on stovetop. Use about 1/4 cup of batter for each pancake and bake about 2 min. per side.
Makes 8 to 10 pancakes.
This is actually our "half recipe" version, which makes a light breakfast's worth of pancakes for two people. If you double it, you'll end up with 2 very full people.
Also, I just learned a really neat baking fact: Don't mix this until smooth. Pancake batter is supposed to be lumpy--lumpy means some of the baking powder will be not activated yet, leaving it to activate while the pancakes are cooking. That makes them rise better. Neat, huh?
Before Eric, I pretty much used Bisquick, too, but I put Eric in charge of breakfast and he just uses regular flour.
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Saturday Pancakes
My favorite sister is visiting for the day, so we made a double batch of pancakes this week. I remember making double batches for just the two of us back when we were first married, but now I can't figure out how we ate so much.
In other news, a Food and Cooking Q&A site is now in beta. I've used other sites with the same model, and it really is the best way to get great answers to your questions quickly. Granted, it depends on having a community of experts willing and able to answer the submitted questions.
In other news, a Food and Cooking Q&A site is now in beta. I've used other sites with the same model, and it really is the best way to get great answers to your questions quickly. Granted, it depends on having a community of experts willing and able to answer the submitted questions.
white bean salad with feta-pita crisps
Hi All. Here's another WW recipe we eat all the time. It's vegetarian and perfect for summer.
ingredients:
1 (15.5 oz) can great northern beans
1 red pepper, chopped
1/2 small red onion
1/4 c. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (i always use dried....it's fine)
2 tsp olive oil
lemon juice to taste (i would estimate either 1/2 a lemon or maybe two long squirts from a lemon juice bottle)
black pepper
salt
4 (7") whole wheat pitas
1 c. crumbled feta (reduced fat if you care)
directions:
pre-heat the broiler
toss together beans, bell pepper, onion, parsley, lemon, pepper and salt
lay pitas on a baking sheet and sprinkle evenly with feta
broil 5 inches from the heat until the cheese is melted and pitas are crisp (i like it when they get a little burney- 3 to 5 minutes-ish)
cut pitas into wedges, serve with the bean salad on the side
we like to spoon the salad over each crisp and eat it that way. all together it's very very delicious.
ingredients:
1 (15.5 oz) can great northern beans
1 red pepper, chopped
1/2 small red onion
1/4 c. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (i always use dried....it's fine)
2 tsp olive oil
lemon juice to taste (i would estimate either 1/2 a lemon or maybe two long squirts from a lemon juice bottle)
black pepper
salt
4 (7") whole wheat pitas
1 c. crumbled feta (reduced fat if you care)
directions:
pre-heat the broiler
toss together beans, bell pepper, onion, parsley, lemon, pepper and salt
lay pitas on a baking sheet and sprinkle evenly with feta
broil 5 inches from the heat until the cheese is melted and pitas are crisp (i like it when they get a little burney- 3 to 5 minutes-ish)
cut pitas into wedges, serve with the bean salad on the side
we like to spoon the salad over each crisp and eat it that way. all together it's very very delicious.
Friday, July 16, 2010
Po-ta-toes, and more po-ta-toes
That's the way Sam says it to Gollum in one of the LOTR movies (we quote them to each other all the time).
Our favorite thing to do with potatoes, especially in the winter, is just roast them. It's hardly worth writing out a recipe, but for what it's worth here's what we do:
1. Heat oven to 450 or so
2. Cut up a bunch of potatoes, carrots, onions, zucchini, squash, cherry tomatoes, bratwurst, and/or anything else that sounds good and put 'em all in a bowl.
3. Add some olive oil, minced garlic, salt, pepper, and any spices that sound good, and mix until everything is covered. We usually use sage and rosemary, but at various times we've also used mesquite grill seasoning, Montreal steak seasoning, herb de Provence, and stone ground mustard, and it always come out good.
4. Pour it all into a baking pan and bake until things are done: tender and maybe even a little crispy on the outside. It's a fool-proof recipe and very satisfying.
Here's a little more legitimate recipe involving potatoes, and it's the perfect season for it or soon will be, when fresh basil starts to show up. We got it from a cookbook called Potatoes, by Annie Nichols - one of these cookbooks that's almost more a coffee-table book than a recipe book - food porn - but this one comes out well.
Macadamia pesto and potatoes with pasta:
Pesto:
1/4 cup unsalted macadamias, chopped (we can almost never find unsalted madadamias; salted ones will do in a pinch)
1 garlic clove, chopped
medium bunch fresh basil leaves
1/3 cup olive oil (extra virgin)
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper
Put the garlic, basil, cheese, and nuts in a food processor and chop finely; drizzle the olive oil through the little hole on the top while blades are going (turns out that's what it's for). When it's all blended together add salt and pepper to taste.
Potatoes and pasta:
1/2 pound new potatoes
as much pasta as you need (recipe calls for tagliatelle, but I prefer penne with this dish)
Slice the potatoes into largish chunks and boil them till they're tender. Drain.
Boil the pasta, drain, but leave a couple of tablespoons of water in the pot. Then mix the potatoes, pasta, and pesto in the pot (supposedly the cooking water helps the pesto to bind to the other things). Voila. Top with more grated Parmesan.
Our favorite thing to do with potatoes, especially in the winter, is just roast them. It's hardly worth writing out a recipe, but for what it's worth here's what we do:
1. Heat oven to 450 or so
2. Cut up a bunch of potatoes, carrots, onions, zucchini, squash, cherry tomatoes, bratwurst, and/or anything else that sounds good and put 'em all in a bowl.
3. Add some olive oil, minced garlic, salt, pepper, and any spices that sound good, and mix until everything is covered. We usually use sage and rosemary, but at various times we've also used mesquite grill seasoning, Montreal steak seasoning, herb de Provence, and stone ground mustard, and it always come out good.
4. Pour it all into a baking pan and bake until things are done: tender and maybe even a little crispy on the outside. It's a fool-proof recipe and very satisfying.
Here's a little more legitimate recipe involving potatoes, and it's the perfect season for it or soon will be, when fresh basil starts to show up. We got it from a cookbook called Potatoes, by Annie Nichols - one of these cookbooks that's almost more a coffee-table book than a recipe book - food porn - but this one comes out well.
Macadamia pesto and potatoes with pasta:
Pesto:
1/4 cup unsalted macadamias, chopped (we can almost never find unsalted madadamias; salted ones will do in a pinch)
1 garlic clove, chopped
medium bunch fresh basil leaves
1/3 cup olive oil (extra virgin)
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper
Put the garlic, basil, cheese, and nuts in a food processor and chop finely; drizzle the olive oil through the little hole on the top while blades are going (turns out that's what it's for). When it's all blended together add salt and pepper to taste.
Potatoes and pasta:
1/2 pound new potatoes
as much pasta as you need (recipe calls for tagliatelle, but I prefer penne with this dish)
Slice the potatoes into largish chunks and boil them till they're tender. Drain.
Boil the pasta, drain, but leave a couple of tablespoons of water in the pot. Then mix the potatoes, pasta, and pesto in the pot (supposedly the cooking water helps the pesto to bind to the other things). Voila. Top with more grated Parmesan.
gingery turkey couscous
OK. This recipe is from a weight watchers cookbook. I took it to a barbecue at Taryn's once, and she approved. It would be delicious sans turkey, too, for the vegetarians among us.
ingredients:
1/2 c. couscous
5 teaspoons unseasoned rice vinegar
5 teaspoons soy sauce
1 garlic clove, minced
2 teaspoons minced, peeled fresh ginger (I use powdered ginger...it's OK)
1.5 c. diced turkey breast
1.5 c. fresh broccoli florets
1 large red bell pepper, diced
3 scallions, sliced
1/4 c. chopped fresh cilantro (or equivalent amount of dried)
directions:
prepare couscous, let it cool (i usually stick it in the freezer for a little while)
whisk together vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, and ginger. mix everything together. eat!
notes: i often double the couscous, even though that's not so carb-friendly...
ingredients:
1/2 c. couscous
5 teaspoons unseasoned rice vinegar
5 teaspoons soy sauce
1 garlic clove, minced
2 teaspoons minced, peeled fresh ginger (I use powdered ginger...it's OK)
1.5 c. diced turkey breast
1.5 c. fresh broccoli florets
1 large red bell pepper, diced
3 scallions, sliced
1/4 c. chopped fresh cilantro (or equivalent amount of dried)
directions:
prepare couscous, let it cool (i usually stick it in the freezer for a little while)
whisk together vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, and ginger. mix everything together. eat!
notes: i often double the couscous, even though that's not so carb-friendly...
Okra: everyone's favorite slimy vegetable
As promised, here is my okra post. I have always liked okra. This is one of the proofs that contrary to what any of you said when I was growing up, I am not an alien, a foundling, or adopted :) My love of okra comes straight from Dad. Okra is a beautiful thing when treated correctly (that is, not made slimy, which it naturally wants to be). I have three favorite ways to make okra and all three are really simple, tasty, and pretty popular among those I have made eat it. My first fav (and one of my oldest recipes) involves another unpopular vegetable, eggplant! Yay eggplant!
Eggplant and Okra Stir-Fry
*you can use frozen okra in a pinch
-2-3 Japanese eggplant, diced
-1 lb. fresh okra cut into rounds (caps and tips removed)
-1/2 a large onion, chopped. Any kind of onion except a sweet one would do
-about 4 tbs of soy sauce (Japanese soy sauce)
-red chili flakes or chili sauce (like sambal olek or sriracha)
-garlic powder: however much you like. Be generous
-ginger powder: Use the same proportion roughly as the garlic you use
-cooking oil
Generously (but not excessively) coat the bottom of a non-stick frying pan with oil and heat it over high heat. Add your onions, eggplant, and okra. Stir-fry those for about 3 minutes (trying to get some color and ideally some charred spots). Add your soy sauce slowly so that it is absorbing and not burning on the bottom of the pan. Throw in your chili sauce/hot stuff. Add your ginger and garlic powders. Cook for about 2 minutes until everything is tender but bot mushy and serve over some nice white rice.
Indian Okra Stuff.
Okra in India is called "bhindi" and is often referred to as "Lady fingers." This recipe is representative of how I generally make okra indian style. I do not always do it the same. I omit things sometimes when I don't have them. The tomato, for example, doesn't have to be in there but it is nice :) You can use powdered ginger and garlic when you don't have fresh but fresh is better. It's such a go-to thing for me that I have like 50 permutations of it!
*you can use frozen okra in a pinch
-1 lb. Okra, cut into rounds (caps and tips removed)
-1 medium tomato, chopped
-1 onion, chopped
-6 cloves fresh garlic, minced
-1 tbs fresh ginger, grated
-2 tbs garam masala
-Salt
-2 tbs. cooking oil
Heat your oil in a non-stick pan over medium to medium-high heat. Throw in your onion and your okra. Cook them for about five minutes until they are getting soft. Unlike the previous recipe, we aren't so much going for char here. Throw in your tomato (if you are going to) and let it get good and mushy. That can take about 4 minutes. Now you will probably have some tomato juice stuff at the bottom of your pan that is getting okra slimy and of you didn't use tomato you just have some slime most likely. Don't worry, we are about to de-slime! K. Throw in your ginger and garlic and stir those nicely into everything and let them cook a bit but not burn. I like to keep the garlic really sharp in this recipe but if you want it to mellow, turn down the heat and let it cook for about ten minutes. Throw in your garam masala and your salt and let those absord all those slimy things at the bottom of your pan :) Now stir it all and cook it for like 2 minutes just until everything is well blended. What you should end up with is a kinda saoucy but not gravy or curry-like vegetable dish that pairs nicely with rice or flat bread.
Notice there is nothing spicy per se in this (Garam masala isn't actually really hot btw). You can add heat with cayenne pepper.
Fried Okra
This recipe is not healthy at all. It counts as a vegetable like french fries or potato chips count. Also, your house is about to smell very masala-y. It's extra good if you can get your hands on some amchoor to throw in the flour mixture as well.
*Frozen okra will not work here. Your could try, but I have little confidance that it'd work.
-1lb Okra, cut in half lengthwise (remove their little caps but leave the tips)
-1/2 cup flour
-3 tbs. garam or chaat masala
-Salt
-3/4 cup peanut oil (enough to make about an inch deep pool in the pot)
-A pot.
K, It's okra shakin' time! Put your oil into your pot and heat it over high heat. Let it get good and hot. Throw your flour, masala, and salt to taste into a big ziplock bag and mix it well. Throw the okra in there and shake it up until each piece is really well coated. The flour will stick because of the okra slime, no milk or egg required! In batches small enough to fit comfortably in the bottom of that pot, fry your okra until it turns a nice golden brown. Lift them out with a wire strainer or slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. I like to eat this in a roti or pita with some mixed pickle. It's really good because everything fried is pretty much awesome.
Ok. There you go. The okra post :)
Eggplant and Okra Stir-Fry
*you can use frozen okra in a pinch
-2-3 Japanese eggplant, diced
-1 lb. fresh okra cut into rounds (caps and tips removed)
-1/2 a large onion, chopped. Any kind of onion except a sweet one would do
-about 4 tbs of soy sauce (Japanese soy sauce)
-red chili flakes or chili sauce (like sambal olek or sriracha)
-garlic powder: however much you like. Be generous
-ginger powder: Use the same proportion roughly as the garlic you use
-cooking oil
Generously (but not excessively) coat the bottom of a non-stick frying pan with oil and heat it over high heat. Add your onions, eggplant, and okra. Stir-fry those for about 3 minutes (trying to get some color and ideally some charred spots). Add your soy sauce slowly so that it is absorbing and not burning on the bottom of the pan. Throw in your chili sauce/hot stuff. Add your ginger and garlic powders. Cook for about 2 minutes until everything is tender but bot mushy and serve over some nice white rice.
Indian Okra Stuff.
Okra in India is called "bhindi" and is often referred to as "Lady fingers." This recipe is representative of how I generally make okra indian style. I do not always do it the same. I omit things sometimes when I don't have them. The tomato, for example, doesn't have to be in there but it is nice :) You can use powdered ginger and garlic when you don't have fresh but fresh is better. It's such a go-to thing for me that I have like 50 permutations of it!
*you can use frozen okra in a pinch
-1 lb. Okra, cut into rounds (caps and tips removed)
-1 medium tomato, chopped
-1 onion, chopped
-6 cloves fresh garlic, minced
-1 tbs fresh ginger, grated
-2 tbs garam masala
-Salt
-2 tbs. cooking oil
Heat your oil in a non-stick pan over medium to medium-high heat. Throw in your onion and your okra. Cook them for about five minutes until they are getting soft. Unlike the previous recipe, we aren't so much going for char here. Throw in your tomato (if you are going to) and let it get good and mushy. That can take about 4 minutes. Now you will probably have some tomato juice stuff at the bottom of your pan that is getting okra slimy and of you didn't use tomato you just have some slime most likely. Don't worry, we are about to de-slime! K. Throw in your ginger and garlic and stir those nicely into everything and let them cook a bit but not burn. I like to keep the garlic really sharp in this recipe but if you want it to mellow, turn down the heat and let it cook for about ten minutes. Throw in your garam masala and your salt and let those absord all those slimy things at the bottom of your pan :) Now stir it all and cook it for like 2 minutes just until everything is well blended. What you should end up with is a kinda saoucy but not gravy or curry-like vegetable dish that pairs nicely with rice or flat bread.
Notice there is nothing spicy per se in this (Garam masala isn't actually really hot btw). You can add heat with cayenne pepper.
Fried Okra
This recipe is not healthy at all. It counts as a vegetable like french fries or potato chips count. Also, your house is about to smell very masala-y. It's extra good if you can get your hands on some amchoor to throw in the flour mixture as well.
*Frozen okra will not work here. Your could try, but I have little confidance that it'd work.
-1lb Okra, cut in half lengthwise (remove their little caps but leave the tips)
-1/2 cup flour
-3 tbs. garam or chaat masala
-Salt
-3/4 cup peanut oil (enough to make about an inch deep pool in the pot)
-A pot.
K, It's okra shakin' time! Put your oil into your pot and heat it over high heat. Let it get good and hot. Throw your flour, masala, and salt to taste into a big ziplock bag and mix it well. Throw the okra in there and shake it up until each piece is really well coated. The flour will stick because of the okra slime, no milk or egg required! In batches small enough to fit comfortably in the bottom of that pot, fry your okra until it turns a nice golden brown. Lift them out with a wire strainer or slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. I like to eat this in a roti or pita with some mixed pickle. It's really good because everything fried is pretty much awesome.
Ok. There you go. The okra post :)
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Scalloped Potatoes
Okay, I know, second post of the day, but I made scalloped potatoes from scratch for the first time ever and it got me excited. I got the recipe from "I Like You: Hospitality Under the Influence," by Amy Sedaris, which Cherilyn sent me for my birthday. It was pretty simple and really tasty. Yay!
Scalloped Potatoes
1 Tbs minced parsley
1 cup thinly sliced onion
2 ½ cups thinly sliced potatoes
1 tsp salt
1 ½ Tbs butter
3 ½ Tbs flour
1 cup milk
pepper to taste
paprika to taste
1 cup shredded Swiss cheese
1.Preheat oven to 400F.
2.Boil potatoes and onions 5 minutes, then drain and set aside.
3.For cream sauce, melt butter in medium saucepan, then add flour and milk. Add salt, pepper, and paprika and stir until thick. Add cheese and stir until fairly smooth.
4.Oil bottom of 9x12 baking dish. Place a layer of potatoes and onions, then a layer of sauce, then parsley. Alternate until finished with ingredients. Bake 35 minutes until sauce is browning and potatoes are cooked through.
Hey, wait...that's just shake'n'bake
So I figure I'd better contribute something besides questions. Here's something new I made last night. Don't laugh. Basically out of a Betty Crocker cookbook, slightly tweaked. It's not very sophisticated, and I'm sure it could be improved upon, but I'd never done it before - like I say, I'm in a five-dish rut lately. And Sister Momonjii liked it, too.
Parmesan-Dijon Chicken:
boneless chicken breasts
1/2 stick butter
3/4 cup panko
1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated (best if you grate it yourself)
2 tbsp Dijon mustard (we used Maille)
Herb de Provence to taste
1. Melt the butter and mix it together with the mustard in a wide flat dish.
2. Mix the parm, panko, and Herb de Provence together in a ziploc bag - can you see where this is going?
3. Roll a chicken breast in the butter/mustard mix until thoroughly gooey.
4. Pop the chicken breast into the bag o' dry stuff, seal, and shake until enough of the dry stuff sticks to the goo.
5. Put the chicken breast into a glass baking pan.
6. Repeat until you're out of chicken breasts and/or dry stuff.
7. Bake at 375 for 20-30 minutes, turning once.
Like I say, real simple. And suspiciously like something we used to eat as kids that came in a box. But pretty good - the chicken came out very juicy, and the parm/panko/herb mix was very flavorful.
Parmesan-Dijon Chicken:
boneless chicken breasts
1/2 stick butter
3/4 cup panko
1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated (best if you grate it yourself)
2 tbsp Dijon mustard (we used Maille)
Herb de Provence to taste
1. Melt the butter and mix it together with the mustard in a wide flat dish.
2. Mix the parm, panko, and Herb de Provence together in a ziploc bag - can you see where this is going?
3. Roll a chicken breast in the butter/mustard mix until thoroughly gooey.
4. Pop the chicken breast into the bag o' dry stuff, seal, and shake until enough of the dry stuff sticks to the goo.
5. Put the chicken breast into a glass baking pan.
6. Repeat until you're out of chicken breasts and/or dry stuff.
7. Bake at 375 for 20-30 minutes, turning once.
Like I say, real simple. And suspiciously like something we used to eat as kids that came in a box. But pretty good - the chicken came out very juicy, and the parm/panko/herb mix was very flavorful.
Hopi Corn Salad
I got this recipe from an anthropology class I took as an undergrad. It was called "North American Indian" and was taught by this really awesome old anthropologist who did his field work in the American Southwest. He used to live on the mesa and researched traditional Native American farming techniques (how to grow corn, beans, and squash together). He created a collection of recipes from tribes over the years and this was one of them. I made it for a thanksgiving potluck that the class had instead of a lecture one day. I have subsequently made it for various things and it is my most requested dish at potlucks and barbecue-type functions (which is almost insulting considering how freaking simple it is!). It's really good, lasts for days, improves with age, and can be eaten as a dip or a salad. I would even recommend recycling it into some kind of soup when you're tired of eating it alone :) Maybe make an omelet?
Hopi Corn Salad
-1 bag frozen sweet corn kernels
-1/2 bag frozen lima beans
-1 jar pimentos
-1 small to medium red onion (how much do you like onion?) chopped
-1 green bell pepper (I think I added this part. Can't remember)
DRESSING:
-1 tablespoon red chili powder (the American kind that's practically heat-less)
-1/2 tablespoon salt
-1/2 cup vegetable oil
-1/2 cup white vinegar
Throw all the non-dressing stuff in a bowl (you don't even have to thaw anything. Isn't this crazy easy?). Stir it. Whisk together all the dressing ingredients and taste it to make sure it is yummy. Adjust your salt and chili to your liking (I am a fan of going heavy on the chili but moderate on the salt) and whisk again. Pour the dressing over your salad and stir until everything is well coated. Let it sit for at least a couple of hours (overnight if possible). Eat it. Enjoy it. Make it again :)
I often make it frozen the night before and pop it in the fridge for my function the following day. You can also make it frozen in the morning and let it sit on the counter until your afternoon cook out. Have fun and thank you, Dr. Fisher!
Hopi Corn Salad
-1 bag frozen sweet corn kernels
-1/2 bag frozen lima beans
-1 jar pimentos
-1 small to medium red onion (how much do you like onion?) chopped
-1 green bell pepper (I think I added this part. Can't remember)
DRESSING:
-1 tablespoon red chili powder (the American kind that's practically heat-less)
-1/2 tablespoon salt
-1/2 cup vegetable oil
-1/2 cup white vinegar
Throw all the non-dressing stuff in a bowl (you don't even have to thaw anything. Isn't this crazy easy?). Stir it. Whisk together all the dressing ingredients and taste it to make sure it is yummy. Adjust your salt and chili to your liking (I am a fan of going heavy on the chili but moderate on the salt) and whisk again. Pour the dressing over your salad and stir until everything is well coated. Let it sit for at least a couple of hours (overnight if possible). Eat it. Enjoy it. Make it again :)
I often make it frozen the night before and pop it in the fridge for my function the following day. You can also make it frozen in the morning and let it sit on the counter until your afternoon cook out. Have fun and thank you, Dr. Fisher!
Cauliflower
Not to knock Lemon Verbena-san off the top of the blog, but I wanted to throw a question out there.
What do you do with cauliflower?
We picked up a real purty-looking specimen at the farmers' market last Saturday, but then I realized the only thing I know how to do with cauliflower is steam it. Which is what I did last night, and it was okay, but a little boring. Some of you must have more interesting things to do with cauliflower. So, enlighten me.
What do you do with cauliflower?
We picked up a real purty-looking specimen at the farmers' market last Saturday, but then I realized the only thing I know how to do with cauliflower is steam it. Which is what I did last night, and it was okay, but a little boring. Some of you must have more interesting things to do with cauliflower. So, enlighten me.
Vinaigrette Salsa Salad
I originally got this from Vegetarian Times, where it was called Picnic Caviar. We thought that was a dumb name, so we named it Vinaigrette Salsa Salad, which is still dumb but way more descriptive.
So here it is:
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 Tbs sugar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried basil
1 15-oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 15-oz can black-eyed peas or pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/2 cup corn kernels
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
1/2 small red onion, finely chopped (about 1/2 cup)
1 little can of diced jalapenos or green chilies with liquid
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1. Whisk together vinegar, oil, sugar, garlic, oregano, and basil in large bowl.
2. Stir in everything else, and add salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate one hour before serving.
This one is great for summer because hey! No cooking! We generally eat it with Mission tortilla strips because I like them--they're less salty than other brands I've had. While we have used pinto beans in this, I think the black-eyed peas are way better. And you don't technically have to rinse the beans, but if you don't they'll turn the vinaigrette gray.
So here it is:
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 Tbs sugar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried basil
1 15-oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 15-oz can black-eyed peas or pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/2 cup corn kernels
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
1/2 small red onion, finely chopped (about 1/2 cup)
1 little can of diced jalapenos or green chilies with liquid
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1. Whisk together vinegar, oil, sugar, garlic, oregano, and basil in large bowl.
2. Stir in everything else, and add salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate one hour before serving.
This one is great for summer because hey! No cooking! We generally eat it with Mission tortilla strips because I like them--they're less salty than other brands I've had. While we have used pinto beans in this, I think the black-eyed peas are way better. And you don't technically have to rinse the beans, but if you don't they'll turn the vinaigrette gray.
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