Stir-fried Red Curry Beef with Eggplant

I know stir-fries are almost a no-brainer for many people, but there are some recipes that do something unusual and make you appreciate stir-fries anew. This one has eggplant, which I've never tried to make with beef, and I thought it was really good.

Stir-fried Red Curry Beef with Eggplant
Serves 4

Ingredients:

2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp + 1 tsp light brown sugar
12 oz. flank steak, cut into 2-inch wide strips with grain, then sliced across grain into 1/8-inch thick slices
1 tbsp fresh lime juice (from 1 lime)
1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth
3 tbsp coconut milk
1 tbsp fish sauce
1 tsp cornstarch
3 medium cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tbsp)
1 1/2 tsp red curry paste
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 medium eggplant (about 1 lb.) peeled and cut into 3/4-inch cubes (about 6 cups)
2 cups packed fresh basil leaves
lime wedges for serving


Directions:

1. Combine soy sauce and 1 teaspoon sugar in medium bowl. Add beef, toss well, and marinate for at least 10 minutes or up to 1 hour, stirring once. Meanwhile, whisk remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, lime juice, chicken broth, coconut milk, fish sauce, and cornstarch in medium bowl. Combine garlic, curry paste, and 1 teaspoon oil in small bowl.

2. Drain beef and discard liquid. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over high heat until just smoking. Add half of beef to skillet in single layer, breaking up any clumps. Cook, without stirring, for 1 minute, then stir and continue to cook until beef is browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer beef to clean bowl. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in skillet and repeat with remaining beef. Rinse skillet clean and dry with paper towels.

3. Add remaining tablespoon oil to now-empty skillet and heat until just smoking. Add eggplant and cook, stirring frequently, until browned and no longer spongy, 5 to 7 minutes. Push eggplant to sides of skillet to clear center; add garlic-curry mixture to clearing and cook, mashing with spatula, until fragrant, 15 to 20 seconds. Stir to combine garlic-curry mixture with eggplant. Return beef and any accumulated juices to skillet and stir to combine. Whisk sauce to recombine, then add to skillet along with basil leaves; cook, stirring constantly, until sauce is thickened and evenly distributed, about 30 seconds. Transfer to serving platter and serve, passing lime wedges separately if using.

Stir-fried Mushrooms

Also known as, Phad Het Kap Met Mamaung =)

Since I never like my veggies, I had to share when I finally made a veggie dish I liked. This came from a Thai cookbook, but the recipe doesn't actually have any specifically Thai spices in it. It does go with East Asian food well.

Stir-fried Mushrooms

Total time: 55 min
Serves: 4-6

Ingredients
20 oz. mushrooms, sliced
7 oz. cashew nuts
1/2 cup oil
4 tsp garlic, chopped
3/4 cup of onions, cut into wide squares
1/2 cup green bell pepper, cut into wide squares
4 dry roasted red chillis
4 spring onions, chopped
2 green chillis, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

Directions
1. Blanche the mushrooms (immerse in boiling water until cooked) and drain; keep aside. Fry the cashew nuts until golden brown.
2. Heat the oil in a wok or large skillet. Saute the garlic until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
3. Add all the ingredients, including the mushrooms and cashew nuts, and toss on high heat for a few minutes. Add a little stock if needed.
4. Serve hot with steamed rice.

Spinach Mushroom Tart

I wanted to make this to go with the Mediterranean Chicken Stew (which isn't really a stew, see earlier post) and couscous. I stupidly left my cookbook at work because I was taking down items for my grocery list, but luckily there are lots of other people out there who enjoy the Great Food Fast book. Phew!!

Spinach Mushroom Tart from Everyday Food

Ingredients:

Flour
1 sheet frozen puff pastry (from a 17.3-ounce package)
1 medium onion, halved and thinly sliced
2 tbsp olive oil
coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
20 oz white or brown mushrooms, trimmed and thinly sliced
10 oz fresh baby spinach
2 oz soft goat cheese, crumbled

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Thaw puff pastry according to package instructions.

2. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan with a tight-fitting lid, toss the onion with 1 tablespoon of the oil and season with salt. Cover and cook over medium heat until the onion begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Stir. Continue cooking with the cover on for 15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes. Set aside.

3. While onions are cooking, heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in a large saucepan with a tight-fitting lid over medium heat. Add the mushrooms; cover and cook until tender and all liquid has evaporated, about 10 minutes. Fold in the spinach; season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook until wilted, about 5 minutes more. Drain off any liquid.

4. When puff pastry has thawed, roll the dough out on a floured surface into a 16-by-10-inch rectangle. Place the pastry on a baking sheet. With a sharp knife, lightly score the dough to form a 1-inch border. Using a fork, prick the dough inside the border every ½ inch. Bake until golden, rotating the pan once, about 15 minutes.

5. Top the dough with the mushroom-spinach mixture. Scatter the onions and goat cheese on top. Bake until the cheese is lightly browned, about 15 minutes.

Note: I sauteed 2 cloves of garlic with the mushrooms, just to add more flavor. I also used a double layer of puff pastry (both sheets in the box) because another blogger noted it was too thin with just one. Double the yumminess!

Serves: 4
Time: 45 minutes

Stuck Jar Lids

I just wanted to share a tip on opening stuck jar lids that doesn't require a buff male assistant. While making the chicken parmigiana, I had trouble opening a reaaaaaaly tightly sealed jar of tomato sauce. The hubby was sleeping and I tried with all my might to budge the lid open, but it wouldn't move. I tried the rubber glove method, the rubber band around the lid method, the dish towel method, the can opener which wouldn't fit under the lid method which flopped, and I was at wit's end. So I looked up opening jars online in desperation, and eHow.com had the answer. Run the *lid* of the jar under hot water for 1 minute, then try to open. The heat expands the lid so that it comes off more easily. I did just that, dried the bottle, and *POP*!! Yay!!

Chicken Parm

To quote Anthony Bourdain in Egypt - "There's a party in my tummy, so yummy, so yummy." I couldn't have said it better. :) I don't know why I never tried to make this before, but I am determined to try everything in my Great Food Fast cookbook, and so I continue my quest. I had some Chicken Parmigiana at Chez Sameera once, and it was delicious. But then, everything she makes is delicious! So I tried my hand at it, using a recipe from the book, though Sameera's cookbook has a similarly good recipe which is slightly different (she adds some italian seasoning to the coating and adds sauce over the chicken as well before baking instead of broiling). The recipe below is a slight variation on the version in the Great Food Fast book.

Chicken Parmigiana

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

3/4 cup plain breadcrumbs

3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

2 lbs. of boneless, skinless chicken breast

coarse salt and ground pepper

1 large egg, lightly beaten

2 cups jarred tomato sauce

4 tbsp. olive oil

6 oz. fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/4-inch thick slices

Directions

1. Prepare the chicken: Slice the chicken breasts into cutlets that are 1/2-inch thick. If your slices are too thick, try pounding them flat, while they are covered by plastic wrap, with a meat mallet or the bottom of a small saucepan. I deal with unevenly shaped breasts by butterflying them where they are too thick, which means you cut it horizontally almost all the way through, and then open it up to lay flat (making sure the halves are still connected). You can really make each cutlet any size you want, either 1 portion per cutlet or 1/2 a portion.

2. Turn on the broiler.

3. Coat the chicken: Combine the breadcrumbs and Parmesan in a shallow bowl. Crack open the egg in another dish. Season both sides of each chicken cutlet with a dash of salt and pepper. Dip each cutlet in the egg, let the excess egg drip off, and then dredge in the breadcrumb mixture, turning to coat both sides evenly.

4. Spread the tomato sauce (add a little water if necessary) onto a rimmed baking sheet or dish(10 x 15-inch is fine). Heat 2 tbsp. of the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Place half of the chicken cutlets in the skillet. Cook until golden, 1-2 minutes on each side. Transfer the browned chicken to the baking dish, placing them on top of the sauce. Heat the remaining 2 tbsp. of oil and repeat with the remainder of the chicken.

5. Top each cultlet with a slice of mozzarella. Broil about 4 inches from the heat source until the sauce is hot and cheese is melted and lightly browned in spots, about 5-8 minutes.

6. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and spoon over some of the tomato sauce from the baking sheet. Serve with a light salad dressed with oil, vinegar, and lemon juice, or a side of pasta.

Grilled Bread.. Amazing!

I watched Tyler Florence one day a few months ago..he did a great episode of Tyler's Ultimate, where his fabulous menu ventured to Morocco. He made delicious brick chicken, this creamy yogurt sauce, and grilled flat bread. The chicken and sauce was delicious when I prepared it a while back and today I made the flat bread and it was absolutely fantastic. And very easy, yet impressive.

You can find the whole menu at :
http://www.foodnetwork.com/tylers-ultimate/ultimate-brick-chicken/index.html.

However I will post the recipe for the flat bread- make it now. You will love it!

Grilled Za'atar Flat bread (courtesy of Tyler Florence)

* 1 pound store-bought pizza dough
* Olive oil
* 4 tablespoons za'atar
* Salt

Directions

Preheat grill pan. On a well floured surface, roll or pat the dough into a rustic, oblong shape, about 1/4-inch thick. Brush the crust with a thin layer of olive oil, and dust liberally with za'atar. Lay the oiled side down onto the hot grill. Once the dough looks set, in about 2 minutes, lightly brush with more oil, dust with za'atar and turn the crust over. Sprinkle with salt. Cut into large wedges and serve while warm.

Martha does it again!

Another keeper from the Everyday Food collection, this time a popular Korean dish. I love their easy, few-ingredient recipes that still taste really good. My whole house was smelling of stir-fried beef after I made this, and it was GREAT.


Beef Bulgogi from Great Food Fast, Everyday Food
Serves 4

Ingredients:
1 1/2 lb. rib-eye steak, trimmed of excess fat
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tbsp hot chile sesame oil (or add a dash of red pepper flakes to toasted sesame oil)
2 tbsp dark brown sugar
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp grated peeled fresh ginger
2 medium red onions, halved and cut lengthwise into 1-inch wedges
1 green bell pepper, seeds and ribs removed, sliced into 1/2-inch strips
4 tsp vegetable oil

1. Freeze the beef for 20 minutes; transfer to a clean surface and slice diagonally (across the grain) into 1/8-inch thick strips. In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, sesame oil, brown sugar, garlic, and ginger. Place the onions and peppers in a small bowl and toss with half the marinade. Toss the steak in the remaining marinade and let stand for 15 minutes.

2. Heat 2 tsp of the vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-heat heat. Add the onions and peppers; cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Wipe the skillet clean with a paper towel.

3. Heat the remaining 2 tsp oil over high heat. Cook half the meat, turning often, until browned, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Cook the remaining meat. Return the first batch to the pan and any accumulated juices. Add the onion mixture. Cook, tossing, until heated through, about 1 minute. Serve over white rice.

Chicken Do Piaza

I'm trying to plan my week of cooking ahead of time to minimize on the grocery store trips, which are getting excessive. I'm hoping this pre-planning will also mean saving money. If any of you have tips on planning and cooking meals, let me know! This is a recipe I'm planning to make this week, if all goes well :)

Chicken Do Piaza (from Sameera's cookbook)
Serves 6

Ingredients

4 medium onions, sliced
3 tbsp oil
salt to taste
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp turmeric
1 tsp garlic/ginger paste
1 whole chicken, cut into parts
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tbs chopped cilantro

Instructions

1. Put onions, oil, salt, chili powder, turmeric, garlic/ginger paste, and 1/4 cup water in a pot and let it cook, covered, as the onions become tender and fall apart.
2. Add chicken to pot. Add more water if needed until chicken is finished cooking.
3. The onions should complete cooking with the chicken, and it will all come together. water should be dissolved and the dish should start to release a tiny bit of oil.
4. Add lemon juice and chopped cilantro and cook for 1 minute.

Can also be made with mutton (will require longer cooking time).

Crepes

This is something I wanted to make this weekend but Saturday I was home alone and today (Sunday) we're fasting. Maybe next weekend!

Crepes (from Closet Cooking)
Makes 4.

Ingredients

1/2 cup flour
1 egg
1/2 cup + 2 tbsp milk
1/8 tsp salt
1 tbsp butter (melted)

Instructions

1. Mix the flour and egg in a large bowl. Slowly stir in the milk. Add the salt and butter and beat until smooth.
2. Pour 1/4 of the mixture into a lightly oiled pan heated at medium. Tilt the pan and turn so that the mixture evenly coats the entire bottom of the pan. (Use a small 7-inch pan for best results.)
3. Cook the crepes until golden brown on bottom, about 2 minutes.
4. Flip and cook the other side until golden brown. Repeat with remaining batter.

Some examples of fillings:
Lemon and sugar (sprinkled on top - my favorite)
Peanut butter, banana, and honey
Nutella and banana crepes
Strawberry and nutella crepes

Crab Hush Puppies

I'm posting a couple of recipes that I want to try this week. This one got good reviews on epicurious and sounds like a very quick finger food or snack. They call it Indian but I'm skeptical till I try them.

Crab Hush Puppies with Curried Honey-Mustard Sauce
(from the Bon Appetit Test Kitchen)
Makes about 30.

Ingredients

1/4 cup Creole (or whole grain) mustard
1/4 cup honey
1 1/4 tsp and 1/2 tsp curry powder
1 cup just-add-water cornbread mix
1/4 cup bottled clam juice
12 oz. fresh lump crabmeat, diced
3/4 cup and 1/4 cup green onions, diced fine
vegetable oil for frying

Instructions

1. Stir mustard, honey, and 1 1/4 tsp curry powder in small bowl for dipping sauce.
2. Stir cornbread mix, clam juice, and 1/2 tsp curry powder in medium bowl. Mix in crabmeat and 3/4 cup green onions.
3. Pour enough oil into medium saucepan to read depth of 1 1/2 inches. Heat oil to 320 to 330 F (use deep-fry thermometer if available). Working in batches, drop batter into oil by heaping teaspoonfuls. Fry until golden and cooked through, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain.
4. Sprinkle hush puppies with remaining green onions and serve with dipping sauce.

Shrimp Scampi

I love making this dish because it reminds me of Olive Garden, and its so easy to make. It's also convenient if you're having guests over because it serves a bunch.



Shrimp Scampi
Serves 6

Ingredients

1 lb. linguini pasta
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp butter
4 cloves garlic, minced
Juice of 1 lemon
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tbsp chopped parsley
1 lb. uncooked, deveined, tail-off shrimp
salt
pepper
Optional: Shredded Parmesan and crushed red pepper flakes

Instructions

1. Prepare linguini according to package directions. Drain and set aside when done, reserving 1/2 cup of pasta water.
   
2. Heat olive oil in wide-bottomed pan on medium-high. Melt the butter in the pan and add garlic, lemon juice, white wine vinegar, and oregano.
   
3. Add chopped parsley, shrimp, and salt and pepper to taste. Cover and cook on low heat for 10 minutes or until shrimp are pink and opaque.
   
4. Toss shrimp with linguini and reserved pasta water, and top with shredded Parmesan cheese and crushed red pepper flakes if desired.
   

Chicken and Rice with Indian Spices

This is another favorite CI recipe that is super easy and akin to Chicken Biryani when you think about it. It's not spicy at all which is great for my hubby and for anyone who likes desi food but can't handle the usual spice overdose.

Chicken and Rice with Indian Spices (from Cook's Illustrated online)
Serves 4

Ingredients

1 whole chicken cut into 8 pieces (without wings) (3-4 lbs.), rinsed, patted dry
table salt and ground black pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
1 cinnamon stick (3 inches)
1 medium onion, chopped fine
2 medium green bell peppers, cored and diced
3 cloves of garlic, minced fine
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
1 1/2 cups long grain white rice
1 can diced tomatoes
1 tsp table salt

Instructions

1. Sprinkle chicken pieces liberally on both sides with salt and ground black pepper. Heat oil until shimmering in large, heavy, non-reactive Dutch oven over high heat. Add chicken pieces skin side down; cook, without moving them, until well browned, about 6 minutes. Turn chicken pieces over with tongs and cook, again without moving them, until well browned on second side, about 6 minutes longer. Remove from pot and set aside.
   
   

2. Pour all but 2 tablespoons fat from pot; return to burner. Reduce heat to medium; add cinnamon stick, sauté, stirring with wooden spoon until it unfurls, about 15 seconds. Add onion and green bell pepers and sauté, stirring frequently, until softened, about 5 to 6 minutes. Add garlic, ground turmeric, coriander, and cumin and sauté until fragrant, approximately 1 minute longer. Stir in rice and cook, stirring frequently, until coated and glistening, about 1 minute longer. Add tomatoes with liquid from can, salt, and 2 cups water, scraping browned bits off pot bottom with wooden spoon.
   

3. Return chicken thighs and legs to pot; bring to boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer gently for 15 minutes. Add chicken breast pieces and stir ingredients gently until rice is thoroughly mixed; replace cover and simmer until both rice and chicken are tender, 10 to 15 minutes longer. Cover pot, and allow dish to rest for 5 minutes; serve immediately.

Chicken Fajitas

Wow November was a crazy month. What with vacation and work travel I don't remember cooking at all that month. :P But I did collect some recipes from my mother-in-law which I will post when I get them organized.

Chicken Fajitas Indoors (from Cooks Illustrated online)

Serves 4 to 6
(Optional Accompaniments: guacamole, salsa, sour cream, lime wedges)

Ingredients:
1/3 cup lime juice (from 2-3 limes)
6 tbsp and 2 tsp vegetable oil
3 cloves garlic, minced (1 tbsp)
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 tsp brown sugar
1 jalapeno chile, seeds and ribs removed, minced (optional)
1 1/2 tbsp minced fresh cilantro leaves
salt and ground pepper
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 lbs.), pounded to 1/2 inch thickness
1 large red onion, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch rounds (don't separate rings)
1 large red bell pepper, quartered and seeded
1 large green bell pepper, quartered and seeded
8-12 plain flour tortillas (6-inch)
1 cup shredded chedder or Monterey Jack cheese

To make:

1. In medium bowl, whisk together lime juice, 4 tablespoons oil, garlic, Worcestershire, brown sugar, jalapeño, cilantro, 1 teaspoon salt, and 3/4 teaspoon pepper. Reserve 1/4 cup marinade in small bowl; set aside. Add another teaspoon salt to remaining marinade. Place chicken in marinade; cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 15 minutes.

2. Adjust one oven rack to upper-middle position (about 8 inches from heating element) and second rack to lower-middle position; heat broiler.

3. Brush both sides of onion rounds and peppers with 2 tablespoons oil and season with salt and pepper. Arrange onion rounds and peppers (skin sides up) in single layer on rimmed baking sheet. Wrap tortillas securely in foil in two packets, each containing half of tortillas.

4. Remove chicken from marinade and pat dry with paper towels; discard marinade. Heat remaining 2 teaspoons oil in 12-inch nonstick or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat until just beginning to smoke. Swirl oil to coat skillet, then arrange chicken smooth side down in skillet in single layer; cook without moving chicken, until well browned, about 3 minutes. Using tongs, flip chicken; continue to cook until second sides are well browned, about 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and continue to cook, turning chicken once or twice, until chicken is no longer pink when cut into with paring knife or instant-read thermometer inserted in thickest part registers 160 degrees, 3 to 5 minutes longer. Transfer chicken to large plate and let rest 5 minutes.

5. While chicken is cooking, place baking sheet with vegetables in oven on upper rack; place tortilla packets on lower rack. Broil vegetables until spottily charred and peppers are crisp-tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Using tongs, transfer peppers to cutting board. Flip onion rounds and continue to broil until charred and tender, 2 to 4 minutes longer. Turn off broiler and remove vegetables, leaving tortillas in oven until needed.

6. Separate onions into rings and place in medium bowl; slice bell peppers lengthwise into 1/4-inch strips and place in bowl with onions. Add 2 tablespoons reserved unused marinade to vegetables and toss well to combine. Slice chicken into 1/4-inch strips and toss with remaining 2 tablespoons reserved marinade in separate bowl; arrange chicken and vegetables on large platter and serve with warmed tortillas and shredded cheese.
   

Mediterranean Chicken Stew

Speaking of new cookbooks, I've become attached to Martha Stewart Living's Everyday Food: Great Food Fast. I borrowed it from the library when I saw it in the top ten cookbook bestsellers on Amazon, and I've already renewed it 4 times. :)

I've been relying on it more recently since my husband has decided he can't handle spicy food (this is the man who told me he could tolerate more spice than I could when we first got married). This is a great recipe with lots of flavor but not too many ingredients, which is why I really like this book in general. Simple, good food.

Mediterranean Chicken Stew
Prep time: 30 min
Serves 4

Ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into 3/4 inch chunks
coarse salt and fresh ground pepper
3 tsp olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 can (15.5 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
4 plum tomatoes, cored and cut into 1/2 inch pieces (2 cups)
2 tbsp chopped pitted kalamata olives (about 5)
1 tsp white-wine vinegar
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1. Season the chicken with 1 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. In a large nonstick skillet, heat 2 tsp of the oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken, turning occasionally, until golden, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

2. Reduce the heat to medium-low; add the remaining tsp oil to the skillet. Add the garlic, and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the chickpeas and 1 cup water. Bring to a boil; cook until the liquid is reduced by half, about 2 minutes.

3. Add the tomatoes; cook over medium heat until starting to break down, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the olives, vinegar, and chicken along with any accumulated juices to the pan; toss until warmed through, about 1 minute. Stir in the parsley.

Serve over polenta or with couscous (my preference :)).

The recipe can also be made with peeled and deveined shrimp; replace chickpeas with cannellini beans.

Jamie Oliver recipes...

I bought Jamie Oliver's latest cookbook..Jamie at Home..it's big, beautiful hardcover with beautiful color pictures and has this fascinating new book smell. Anyways I love it but at first glance didn't think it was very useful, some of the recipes look intimidating and he uses a lot of fresh ingredients and herbs, which I usually don't buy because they go bad.

Anyways after a few recipes, I'm enamored with Jamie Oliver. His recipes are so so simple, use few ingredients and are really reliant on the quality of the items in the dish. He's taught me to respect and love fresh ingredients and vegetables and that simplicity is king.

Take this soup for example: it's stellar in taste! And so easy my friend's 4 year old kid was helping her make it. Afterwards, he ate bowls and bowls of it. Try not to love this soup. You might think salt and pepper is not much for taste, but try this soup out without any of your own touches at first. It's a perfect recipe.

The book it comes from can be found here:
http://www.amazon.com/Jamie-Home-Cook-Your-Good/dp/1401322425/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1225218475&sr=8-1


Jamie Oliver's asparagus leek soup

p.s. i omitted the eggs

serves eight

1 3/4 lb asparagus, woody ends removed
olive oil
2 medium white onions, peeled and chopped
2 sticks of celery, trimmed and chopped
2 leeks, trimmed and chopped (after chopping, drop in a big bowl of water to wash)
2 quarts good quality chicken or vegetable stock
sea salt and fresh ground black pepper
eight slices ciabatta or other fresh bread
extra virgin olive oil (for drizzling)
eight small eggs
---

chop the tips of the asparagus stalks and put aside

roughly chop the rest of the asparagus

in a large deep pan, add a good glug of olive oil and gently saute the onions, celery and leeks for 10 minutes, until soft and sweet. do not brown

add the asparagus and stock and simmer for 20 minutes with a lid on it
remove from heat and blitz with an immersion blender or in a standard blender until just smooth

season the soup bit by bit with salt and pepper until it's just right
put soup back on heat, add asparagus tips and bring back to a boil- simmer just until asparagus tips soften.

in a wide fry pan heat three to four inches water to boiling- gently crack eggs into the water and poach for just a few minutes, until softly cooked- they should still be a litle runny. serve on top of soup with toasted slice of bread and drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

Corn pudding

Closet Cooking is one of my favorite blogs to follow, and I knew when I saw the recipe for corn pudding I just had to try it. Especially because it looked soooo good in the picture. Pictures speak louder than words, sometimes. :) My mom used to make a great corn pudding-type thing every thanksgiving when I was young, and I still remember it and crave it sometimes. I should probably ask her if she still has the recipe, but I was hoping this would save me the trouble. :)

It was yummy but a bit sweet, and I think I'd prefer a less sugary version. Maybe next time I'll cut down on the sugar in the recipe. Otherwise, it was pretty good! The recipe recommends 30 min in the oven, but my oven took about 50 min to brown the top (but I was also making something else in the oven). I would start with 30 min and keep checking until it has browned sufficiently.

Corn Pudding, from A Yankee in a Southern Kitchen, via Closet Cooking

Ingredients:
2 ears worth

of corn kernels
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1 egg (beaten)

1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon of melted butter
1/4 teaspoon freshly

grated nutmeg

Directions:
1. Mix everything in a bowl.
2. Pour into a baking dish.
3. Bake in a preheated 350F oven until it is golden brown on top and set like a custard, about 30 minutes. (A knife inserted into the center should come out clean.)

Chicken Biryani

My hyderabadi cookbook always comes to the rescue. I had some chicken pieces defrosting at home and I thought it was the perfect time to make biryani. I went online looking for some recipes, but they all seemed to require too many ingredients and too many steps. Even using pre-made biryani masala there was still too much to do and it was giving me a headache. So I went home and pulled out the trusty cookbook and found a recipe for biryani after 6 dozen recipes for pullao. What's up with hyderabadi's and pullao?!

This recipe wasn't simple, but it had minimum steps and didn't require a lot of standing over a pot or pan; which I like, because it gave me the opportunity to do other things, like make corn pudding. :) It also turned out well, and had the color I was looking for without adding artificial biryani color that some recipes suggest using. I used chicken in this recipe, but you could use any meat.

Chicken Biryani (Chicken and Rice)

8 servings.

For rice:

4 cups rice

2, 2" cinnamon sticks

4 cardamom pods

4 cloves

4 green chillies

10 mint leaves

1 tbsp salt

1/2 tsp saffron

1/4 cup milk

2 tbsp lemon juice

For chicken:

1 1/2 cups shortening (or veg oil)

2 lbs chicken in pieces

2 medium onions, sliced

1 tbsp ground ginger and garlic

1 cup yogurt

1/2 tsp red chilli powder

8 ground almonds (I left this out, not a fan of too much sweet)

1 tbsp ground coriander

1 tbsp ground coconut

4 cloves

4 cardamom pods

2, 2" cinnamon sticks

1 tsp salt

Cook chicken:

Heat shortening and brown sliced onions. Add all ingredients and cook until liquid dries. Add 2 cups of water, and cook until chicken is tender and water has dried. Fry 3 minutes or until oil separates. 

Cook rice:

Soak saffron in milk. Wash rice and set aside. Boil 12 cups of water with remaining ingredients, except lemon juice. Add rice and cook until half done. Drain the rice.

To make biryani:

Remove half of rice to another container, and spread chicken and gravy over first half in pot. Reserve a little of gravy for top of rice. Cover with other half of rice, and remaining gravy. Sprinkle saffron milk over top, and add lemon juice. Cover and bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes. Before serving, blend rice and chicken together.

Mongolian Street Food

I love Mark Bittman (I mean his cooking style, of course) and I've been following his blog lately. He posted a recipe for mongolian street food straight from the food carts of queens, and it reminded me of food from the halal carts in manhattan (haven't eaten street food in queens :)). I tried it with chicken breast recently, but I'll be using lamb when I have some around next time.

Stir-Fried Lamb With Chili, Cumin and Garlic

Yield 4 servings

Time At least 30 minutes

Mark Bittman

Summary

You absolutely need cumin seeds, not ground cumin. It's worth the two or three minutes it takes to toast the seeds before marinating the meat. You can grind them if you like, but I like the little bit of crunch the seeds add.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds lamb shoulder
• 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red chili flakes, or to taste
• 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Peanut or neutral oil, like grapeseed or corn, to film the bottom of the skillet
• 1 cup trimmed and roughly chopped scallions, optional
• Chopped fresh cilantro leaves for garnish, optional

Method

• 1. Cut lamb into 1/2-inch cubes (easier if meat is firmed in the freezer for 15 to 45 minutes). Toast cumin seeds in dry skillet over medium heat, shaking pan occasionally, until fragrant, a minute or two. Toss together lamb with cumin, chili, garlic, soy sauce, a large pinch of salt and a healthy grinding of pepper. If you like, cover and refrigerate until ready to cook, up to 24 hours.
• 2. When ready to cook, put a tablespoon of oil in a large skillet (ideally, it will hold the lamb in one layer, or nearly so) and turn heat to high. When hot, add lamb. Cook, undisturbed, for about a minute, then stir once or twice to loosen lamb from skillet. Cook another minute, then stir again. Add scallions, if using, and cook, stirring occasionally, until scallions glisten and shrink a bit and the meat is about medium.
• 3. If you want a slightly saucier mixture, stir in 1/4 cup water and cook another minute. Serve hot over rice, garnished, if you like, with cilantro.

Coconut Shrimp Soup

I make a really quick thai curry chicken all the time because my husband loves it. We were having some people over last weekend and he wanted me to make it for dinner. I wanted something to start off, and I saw a great-looking recipe for thai-style soup in Martha Stewart's Everyday Food - Great Food Fast cookbook that I borrowed from the library. It turned out fantastic and it was pretty low maintenance. To be honest, it was filling enough to be a main course on its own. And barring the garlic, ginger, and lime, it didn't require any special thai spices at all. I'll be making this again soon.

Coconut Shrimp Soup
from Great Food Fast - Everyday Food
Serves 4

Ingredients:
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp grated peeled fresh ginger (I used bottled)
2 garlic cloves, minced (again, I used the bottled version to save time)
1/4 to 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, depending on desired spice level
1 lb carrots (6-8 medium), peeled, halved lengthwise, and thinly sliced
1 can (13.5 oz) coconut milk
1 tbsp cornstarch
4 oz angel hair pasta
1 1/2 lb. large shrimp, peeled, deveined, and tails removed
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
coarse salt
4 scallions, thinly sliced

Directions:

1. Heat the oil in large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the ginger, garlic, and the red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute until fragrant. Add the carrots, coconut milk, and 3 cups water.
2. In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch and 2 tbsp water until smooth. Add to the pot and bring to a boil.
3. Break the pasta in half and add to the pot. Return to a boil, reduce the heat to medium, and simmer until the pasta is al dente and the carrots are tender, about 3-4 minutes.
4. Add the shrimp. Stir until opaque, about 2 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the lime juice. Season with salt.
5. Ladle into bowls and garnish with scallions.

The easiest roast turkey breast you'll ever make.

The title says it all. I thought my mother-in-law's recipe for roast chicken was easy, but this really tops it all. This turkey was easy, and was sooo good. My husband almost ate the entire thing in one sitting. And he kept saying, "I loove this sauce!". And the funny thing is, I didn't even have to make a sauce!

The key to this recipe is using a kosher turkey in my opinion. The recipe is from Cook's Illustrated and they suggest brining the turkey breast if it's not kosher, so just make your life easier and buy a kosher turkey. If you want to use non-kosher turkey, let me know and I'll post the instructions for brining (which is really just soaking it in salted water for a few hours).

Easy Roast Turkey Breast
from Cook's Illustrated

Ingredients:

4 tbsp (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened*
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
3 medium garlic cloves, minced (about 1 tbsp)^
2 tbsp minced fresh thyme leaves^
1 tsp grated zest from 1 lemon^
1 whole bone-in, skin-on turkey breast, trimmed of excess fat and patted dry with paper towels
1 cup water

Directions:

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 425.
2. Mix butter, salt, and pepper (and garlic, thyme, zest if using) in small bowl with rubber spatula until thoroughly combined.
3. Using your hands, separate the skin on both sides of the breastbone from the meat. Spoon half of the butter mixture onto each side under the skin, massaging the skin until the butter is spread evenly.
4. Place the turkey in a large roasting pan with rack (spray rack with cooking spray) or just place it in a baking pan (my method). Pour the water into the pan.
5. Roast turkey for 30 min. Reduce temperature to 325, and continue to roast until thickest part of breast registers 160 on instant-read thermometer, about 1 more hour.
6. Let the turkey rest on a carving board on the counter for 20 min before carving.

Goes great with some mashed potatoes :)

*to soften butter, put it in the microwave for 10 seconds still wrapped in its paper wrapper.
^optional but recommended

Date Almond Milk Shake

My friend Seema was talking about a date milkshake she makes and it sounded soooo good. I love milkshakes but this sounds like a healthy alternative to the fast food ones that you typically can find.

Date Almond Milk Shake
from Home Spices

Ingredients:

4 large dates
4 almonds
2 cups frozen milk
1/2 banana (or Coolwhip)
1 tsp honey
1 tbsp sugar

Method:

1. Soak the dates in milk for about an hour or heat it with milk in the microwave for 40 seconds.
2. Add all the dates, banana, and almonds into a blender and add frozen milk, then blend it to a smooth mixture.
3. Add sugar and honey and give another whip in your blender.
4. Serve in a glass with wafers on the sides.

Can't wait to try this!

Mousaka

I have only had this once as far as I know but it was a memorable meal. It was one of our rare catered iftars at Wellesley and the mousaka was from a local halal restaurant. Delicious. I haven't seen it in any halal places around here so I thought might as well try to make it myself. I was actually flipping through a cookbook of recipes from local restaurants in Charleston, SC that I had bought when me and my hubby went there for a weekend back in January (I know, vacation in Jan?! Don't remind me.) There was a recipe for mousaka and it actually has lots of things my husband and I both like - ground beef, eggplant, potatoes. Mmmm. It's probably not a lactose intolerant's ideal food, but we all have to make sacrifices. :)

Mousaka - Greek Eggplant Casserole
by Old Town Restaurant, 229 King St., Charleston, SC
Servings: 10-12

Ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs ground beef
1 clove minced garlic
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 chopped onions
large handful of chopped parsley
4 tbsp butter
1 cup tomato sauce
1 tsp sugar
2 medium eggplants
8 medium potatoes
5 medium zucchini
vegetable oil
grated Romano cheese
1 recipe cream sauce (see below)

Directions:
1. Slice eggplants, potatoes, and zucchini. Fry or brush with oil and broil until golden.
2. Add garlic, salt and pepper to ground beef. Cook slowly until meat is done.
3. Add chopped onions, parsley, and butter. Brown well.
4. Add tomato sauce, sugar and 1 cup water. Simmer until thickened, about 15 minutes.
5. Preheat oven to 350.
6. In a 9" X 13" baking pan, begin layering potatoes, then zucchini, and then eggplant. Pour meat sauce evenly over vegetables. Top with a layer of cream sauce. Sprinkle liberally with grated cheese.
7. Bake for 30 minutes.


For Cream sauce:
6 tbsp butter
6 tbsp flour
3 cups of milk
5 egg yolks

Melt butter in pan. Add flour and stir until light brown. Add milk gradually, stirring constantly until slightly thickened. Slowly add egg yolks and cook over very low heat until thick. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

New Florida Key Lime Pie

I've tried this dessert and it is so super easy. It's great if you want to take something to someone's houes and don't have a lot of time to prepare. This is from a friend's mom's cookbook, she got it from "cookin' with kevin".

New Florida Key Lime Pie

1/2 cup key lime juice
14-oz. can of fat free, sweetened condensed, skimmed milk
3 whole egg whites
8-inch prepared graham cracker crust

1. Pre-heat oven to 350.
2. Combine key lime juice, sweetened condensed milk, and egg whites in a mixer. Mix on medium speed for 3 or 4 minutes.
3. Pour mixture into crust. Cover edge of crust with small strips of aluminum foil and bake approximately 22 minutes.
4. Refrigerate till cool, and garnish with whipped cream and lime slices when cold.

Okra Bhaji

We eat okra a lot at home but I hadn't tried it yet until now. If anyone's looking for a desi-style recipe for okra, this one is pretty simple.

Okra Bhaji
Servings: 2

8 oz. okra (pick the shorter ones <4 inches because they are more tender)
2 tbsp sliced onion
2 tbsp cooking oil
1/4 tsp ground turmeric
1/4 tsp ground cumin
salt to taste

1. Wash and drain okra. Slice thinly.
2. Heat oil in frying pan. Add okra, onion, turmeric, cumin and salt. Add 2 tbsp water, stir, cover, and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes.
3. Stir bhaji until okra is cooked.

Peshawari Murgh Tanghri

This is a recipe from Sola - thanks!

If you don't have a pressure cooker (which I don't - should I?), you should seal the pot with dough (flour + water), or you can use foil under the lid.

Peshawari Murgh Tanghri

Ingredients:

Chicken thighs and legs- 4
Yogurt- 1/2 cup
Dhania pwdr- 1 tsp
Haldi- 1/2 tsp
Zeera pwdr- 1/2 tsp
garam masala- 1/2 tsp
lal masala (chilli powder) - 1/2 tsp
ginger-garlic paste- 1 tsp
green chilli paste- 1 tsp
salt

Directions:

Mix all the ingredients and marinate chicken for 1 hr. Cook in pressure cooker for 9-10 mins with little water. Brown the pieces in a pan with little oil. Sprinkle with lemon juice.

Alur Dom (Potato Curry)

I love all things potato, curry not excepted. This is a recipe that is a great accompaniment to desi daawat (party) food, and also goes great with either bread or rice.

Alur Dom (Potato Curry)
Servings: 6

Ingredients:

1 lb. of potatos
1/2 cup of cooking oil
1 bayleaf
1/2 tsp cumin seed
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
2 cardomom pods
2 1-inch cinnamon sticks
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tbsp salt
2 tsbp yogurt (optional)

Directions:

1. Boil the potato until fully cooked, peel, and cut into cubes. Make some of the cubes half broken.

2. Make a paste of the ground spices (turmeric, chilli powder, ginger, cumin, coriander) by adding water till pasty.

3. Heat the oil in a pan. Add the cumin seeds and bay leaf, and stir for one minute. Add the paste of ground spices and 1 cup of water. Cook stirring frequently.

4. When the oil surfaces, add the potato and the rest of the ingredients. Fry for 2 minutes.

5. Add 1/2 cup of water, and simmer for 5 minutes.

Chicken Korma

This is one of my favorite chicken recipes because its so easy but reminds me of home cooking. It's from my mom, and she's one of those people that eschews measurements, so you might want to fiddle with the amounts depending on your preference.

Chicken Korma

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

1 2lb. whole chicken cut in pieces

4 oz. finely sliced onion

1/4 cup oil

1 cup yogurt

1 heaping tbsp garlic paste

1 flat tbsp ginger paste

2 heaping tbsp onion paste

1 tsp dhania (coriander) powder

1 tsp mircha (chilli) powder

salt

1 tsp garam masala

1/2 tsp sugar

Directions:

1. Mix garlic, ginger, onion, coriander, chilli powder, and salt with yogurt and chicken pieces.

2. Heat oil in large pot and fry onions until golden. Remove onions with slotted spoon and set aside.

3. Add garam masala to oil and add chicken mix. On high heat, stir fry chicken until fragrant.

4. Add 2-3 cups of water, golden onions, and sugar, and cover with lid. Turn heat to medium-low and cook until chicken is done.

Manksho Jhol

This is a bengali recipe for mutton in gravy. Apparantly my people think mutton means either lamb or goat, even though it actually means older sheep (lamb). I used goat for this recipe though, because I've been meaning to cook with it and see if I like it better than beef, and it turned out really well. At least that's what I think :)


Manksho Jhol (from angithi.com)
Servings: 6
Time to prepare: 2 hours

Ingredients:

- 2 lb Meat (lamb or goat)
- 5 pods Garlic
- 1.5 inch Ginger
- 2 medium Onion
- 8 Red Chili pepper (dried)
- 5 Cardamom
- 1/2 inch Cinnamon
- 5 Cloves
- 1/4 tsp Mace (or 1/8 tsp nutmeg)
- 6 Peppercorns
- 1 tsp Coriander Powder
- 1/2 tsp Cumin Seed Powder
- 2 large Potato
- 5 tbsp Cooking Oil
- 1 tsp Ghee
- to taste Salt
- 3 cups Water
- 1 bunch Cilantro
- 1 tsp Turmeric powder
- 1/2 tsp Sugar
- 2 Bay Leaf
- 1 tsp Red Chili Powder

Instructions:

1. Marinate the Meat first:

2. For the masala paste: Grind the ingredients from Garlic to Peppercorns in a mixer. Add 4 tbsp water also use only half an onion for the paste. Now extract the juices from the paste.

3. Cut the meat into small cube like pieces of 1 inch by 1 inch. Wash it properly.

4. Add the half cup yogurt, masala paste juice from 2, coriander powder, cumin powder, red chili powder and turmeric powder. Mix it properly with the meat and let it marinate for an hour. (the more the better)

5. Peel and cut the potato into large pieces of like 1 inch by 1 inch and keep it aside.

6. Heat the oil, add the bay leaves, sugar and fry for 1 min. Add the sliced onions, and fry till light brown.

7. Add the marinated meat and bring it to full boil. Add the potatoes and reduce the heat to medium heat. Cover the pan and let it fry for 20 min.

8. Check to see if the potato is boiled properly. Remove the potatoes once boiled, and keep it aside.

9. Cover the pan and fry it till oil starts coming out. (Remember not to be hasty and keep on stirring frequently till oil has come out completely)

10. Next add the water and bring it to boil on full heat. Reduce the heat to medium, cover the pan and let it simmer for 20 min. (till the meat has become tender)

11. Add the potatoes and let it simmer for another 10 min. Remove from heat and add the ghee. Garnish it with finely chopped cilantro. Serve hot with plain white rice.

Kaala Chana

Kaala Chana is a black chana that we eat at home for iftar in Ramadan. It's really a great snack for anytime, but I'm used to eating it in Ramadan before dinner. I got some from the indian store this time that was called 'Black Chana', but I'm not entirely sure it's the same as the ones we get in Bangladesh, since it wasn't as dark and when cooked it didn't expand as much. It still tasted good though, and I'm glad I know how to make it now!

Kaala chana

Makes 3-4 servings.

Ingredients:

1 cup Kaala Chana, washed and soaked overnight in water (careful to put in a roomy container, since they will expand)

1 tsp garlic paste

1 tsp ginger paste

1 tbsp onion paste, or 2 tbsp onion chopped fine

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 tsp chilli powder

1/2 tsp salt

2 tbsp chopped coriander

1 small tomato, chopped small

1 green chili, chopped

water

Directions:

1. Put the chana in a saucepan with its water from soaking. Add more water to cover the chana by at least 1-2 inches.

2. Add all ingredients except coriander, tomato and chili, and boil on high.

3. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until chana is soft. This should take about an hour, but could take longer depending on how soft you prefer your chana. If the water dries before chana is soft, add more. Check on the chana often to make sure it does not dry out completely.

4. When softened, turn off heat and mix in remaining ingredients. Add more salt to taste. Can be served warm or cold.

Dim (Egg) Curry

I haven't seen this dish in many other cuisines, but boiled egg is a big favorite in Bengali dishes. I've always loved how the oil and spices complement the egg white. This is the first recipe I've tried with boiled egg, and the people I fed it to last night loved it, but I'm still looking for more recipes because it was a little different from what we usually have at home. Maybe I'll just ask my mom :)

Dim Curry (Egg Curry)

Ingredients:

6 hard boiled eggs

5 tbsp vegetable/ canola/ sunflower cooking oil

2 medium sized onion cut into quarters

3 medium sized tomatoes cut into quarters

2 green chillies

2 tsp garlic paste

2 tsp ginger paste

2 tsp coriander powder

1 tsp cumin powder

1 tsp garam masala

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 tsp red chilli powder

Salt to taste

Chopped fresh coriander leaves to garnish

2 potatoes cut into 1" cubes (optional)

Directions:

Heat 2 tbsps of the cooking oil in a deep pan and when hot, add the onions. Fry till slightly golden. Turn off the fire. Use a slotted spoon to remove the onions from the pan and put them in a food processor. Grind the onions, tomatoes, green chillies into a smooth paste. Try not to add water while grinding, if possible.

Heat the remaining oil in the same pan and add the paste you just made to it when it is hot. Fry for 2-3 minutes.

Add the ginger and garlic pastes, all the dry spices, mix and fry till the oil begins to separate from the masala (onion-tomato-spice mix).

Now add 2 cups of warm water to this masala and bring to a boil on a medium flame.

If adding potatoes to the curry, add them now and cook till half done.

Half slit the boiled eggs vertically and add them gently to the gravy. Simmer the flame and cook for 10 minutes or till the gravy is thickened/ reduced to about 3/4 of the original quantity (when you added the water). If you have added potatoes they should ideally be cooked by now.

Turn off the fire and garnish with chopped coriander leaves. Serve hot with rice and a vegetable side dish.

Ramadan Rice Soup

My husband loves this soup, it's like his comfort food. The recipe is from his mom, and she usually makes it in Ramadan for breaking the fast. I love the soup too, it's just so filling for me that I can't eat anything else for iftar!! 

Rice Soup (from Nahla Erakat)

Serves 2-3.

Ingredients:

2 tbsp vegetable oil

1 zucchini cut in cubes (skin on or off, depending on your preference)

1 onion chopped small

1 large potato cut in cubes

1/4 cup of rice, washed (I prefer medium grain, like Carolina)

3 cups of water

1 chicken stock bouillon cube

1 tsp of salt, or to taste

pepper to taste

1 tsp of 7 spice powder (found in arabic stores)

1/2 tsp of turmeric powder

Directions:

1. Heat oil in 3 quart saucepan on medium and saute zucchini, onion, potato, and rice.

2. Add water, bouillon cube, salt, pepper, 7 spice and turmeric. Bring to boil on high heat.

3. Lower heat to medium, and cook covered for 20 minutes. Add more water if needed.

And we're back!

Ok so it's been a looooooooooong time since my last post. Phew! How time flies in the summer. I can't believe summer's almost over :( Of course there's a heat wave warning today, go figure. So it's not like I haven't been cooking all summer, just that warmth makes me lazy :) And I went to Europe in the middle so that kept me quite busy! Sorry, no recipes to share from Europe. One day I will do a culinary tour of the world, inshaAllah (God willing); that's my dream vacation. Maybe start in England (some good ol fish and chips!) and make my way through Italy, the middle east (gotta learn some Turkish food), must stop in Thailand, and round back to Louisiana or South Carolina for some good southern food. Anybody have other required stops? 

Ramadan started a couple weeks ago, so even though I've been wanting to post for a while I just haven't had the time. Well today is a new day! I have a bunch of recipes I've been wanting to put up for a while; some that people have asked me for and some that I just want to share because they turned out well. And because most of the cookbooks I use regularly are ones that you can't buy here for whatever reason, this is a nice way to share the wealth.

And I'm hoping to get more people posting! What will it take...

Basil shelf-life

If you use a lot of basil in your cooking you know it goes bad really quickly, even the bunches that come with roots attached in the grocery store. I've been growing my own basil this summer, and I've been experimenting with different ways to keep it fresh until I use it in my cooking, freeze it, or make pesto out of it. Cook's illustrated said that keeping it in the fridge in damp paper towels was the best way to store it, but I had pretty awful results with that method. The only thing that seems to keep them at least a week for me has been drying them with paper towels and then storing on the counter in a plastic air-tight container. I also store mint leaves this way (from my garden) and they seem to keep similarly fresh for longer.

I don't know if its because the basil is freshly picked versus already having travelled many miles to the supermarket, so let me know if you buy basil and it doesn't last using this method.

Hard-boiled eggs

Yeah, no kidding. I'm sure most of you out there are like "who doesn't know how to boil an egg?". Well, I, for one, let me tell you. Cooking a perfect hard boiled egg is not like a skill we are born with. So I've been trying to increase my egg consumption and I love boiled eggs, and I was trying a few recipes online to see which one was foolproof. The recipe below came pretty close, though you have to adjust the time they sit in the end a *teeny* bit depending on if you're cooking a lot or just a few eggs. So in honor of all those people out there who like me were too embarrassed to ask someone how to boil an egg...

How to make perfect boiled eggs (from simplyrecipes.com)

Method

1 First make sure that you are using eggs that are several days old. If this is Easter time, and everyone is buying their eggs at the last minute, buy your eggs 5 days in advance of boiling. (See the reference to using old eggs in Harold Magee's On Food and Cooking). Hard boiling farm fresh eggs will invariably lead to eggs that are difficult to peel. If you have boiled a batch that are difficult to peel, try putting them in the refrigerator for a few days; they should be easier to peel then.

2 Put the eggs in a single layer in a saucepan, covered by at least an inch of cold water. Starting with cold water and gently bringing the eggs to a boil will help keep them from cracking. Adding a tablespoon of vinegar to the water will help keep the egg whites from running out of any eggs that happen to crack while cooking, but some people find that the vinegar affects the taste. I don't have a problem with it and I usually add a little vinegar. Adding a half teaspoon of salt is thought to help both with the preventing of cracking and making the eggs easier to peel. Put the burner on high and bring the eggs to a boil. As soon as the water starts to boil, remove the pan from the heat for a few seconds.

3 Reduce the heat to low, return the pan to the burner. Let simmer for one minute. (Note I usually skip this step because I don't notice the eggs boiling until they've been boiling for at least a minute! Also, if you are using an electric stove with a coil element, you can just turn off the heat. There is enough residual heat in the coil to keep the eggs simmering for a minute.)

4 After a minute, remove the pan from the heat, cover, and let sit for 12 minutes. If you are doing a large batch of eggs, after 10 minutes you can check for doneness by sacrificing one egg, removing it with a slotted spoon, running it under cold water, and cutting it open. If it isn't done, cook the other eggs a minute or two longer. The eggs should be done perfectly at 10 minutes, but sometimes, depending on the shape of the pan, the size of the eggs, the number of eggs compared to the amount of water, and how cooked you like them, it can take a few minutes more. When you find the right time that works for you given your pan, the size of eggs you usually buy, the type of stove top you have, stick with it.

I also find that it is very hard to overcook eggs using this method. I can let the eggs sit, covered, for up to 15-20 minutes without the eggs getting overcooked.

5 Either remove the eggs with a slotted spoon and place them into a bowl of ice water (this is if you have a lot of eggs) OR strain out the water from the pan, fill the pan with cold water, strain again, fill again, until the eggs cool down a bit. Once cooled, strain the water from the eggs. Store the eggs in a covered container (eggs can release odors) in the refrigerator. They should be eaten within 5 days.

Kofta

I love Kofta. I love those small, spicy balls of ground meat that burst forth with flavor when you eat them. Ok maybe I'm being a little over dramatic, but I do love them. And I've never made them before, suprisingly. We eat them all the time at home - always with a spicy curry to keep them moist. I had some ground beef yesterday ready to cook and I was deciding between old fashioned keema and burgers. Not the most exciting choices. So I flipped through the indo-pak book and saw a few recipes for Kofte and various things like gravy, tomatoes, fenugreek, eggs, shrimp, and the list goes on. There were even recipes for stuffed meatballs and persian meatballs. Maybe another day... I had a bunch of tomatoes lying around so I decided to use them (after washing them in veggiewash - the news has got me scared of salmonella!) in the recipe for Kofte tomatay. I love the urdu pronounciations of everything :)

Kofte Tamatay (Meatballs and tomatoes)

Serves 4.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup oil

1 1/2 lbs. onions

1 lb diced tomatoes

1 tsp ground ginger and garlic

1 tsp chilli powder

1/8 tsp turmeric

3 green chillis

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1 tsp salt

kofte (recipe following)

Heat oil and brown sliced onions. Add ginger and garlic, fry for 2 minutes. Add tomatoes, chilli powder, turmeric and salt. Fry until oil comes up. Add 1 cup of water, slit green chillis, cilantro, and kofte. Cook until water dries and oil comes up.

Kofte (Meatballs)

Serves 4.

Ingredients:

1 lb ground meat

1 onion diced fine

1/4 tsp chilli powder

1/4 cup roasted besan

4 cloves garlic ground

1/2 tsp ground spices (cardomom, cloves and cinnamon)

2 tbsp yogurt

3 chopped green chillis

1/4 chopped cilantro

1 tsp salt

Combine all ingredients together and shape into 1 inch meatballs. Heat 2 tbsp water in frying pan. Add one layer of meatballs and cook covered until water dries. Add 1 tbsp oil and fry until evenly browned on all sides. Repeat for remaining meatballs.

More on Pulao

So my fantabulous, can't-go-wrong cookbook of Indo-Pak cuisine had two recipes for Yakhni Pulao that Sameera was looking for. The first was for Chicken Yakhni Pulao and the second was just Yakhni Pulao. Since Sameera already posted one with chicken I'm posting one that seems to be for any kind of meat.

Yakhni Pulao
Serves 8

Ingredients:
4 cups rice
3 lbs. meat cut in pieces
3 medium onions
1 1/2 cups shortening
1 cup yogurt
10 garlic cloves
1 1/2 inch ginger
2, 2 inch cinnamon sticks
5 cardamom pods
5 cloves
1/4 tsp shah zeera
1/4 tsp whole black pepper
1 tbsp coriander seeds
8 mint leaves
6 dried red chillies
4 green chillies
1 tbsp salt


To make:

1. Heat 1/2 cup shortening and brown 1 sliced onion. Add meat, garlic, ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, shah zeera, pepper, coriander, mint leaves, red chillies, and 4 cups of water. Cook until meat is tender. Strain and save stock.

2. In 1/2 cup shortening, brown second sliced onion. Add meat and lightly brown. Add stock, cook 3 minutes and set aside.

3. In remaining shortening, brown last sliced onion with yogurt. Add washed rice, green chillies, salt, meat, gravy and enough water to stand 1 inch above rice level. Cook until water is almost dry.

4. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes.

Yakhni Pulao?

I know my pulao was not yakhni. I have never made that.

Does anyone have a recipe for yakhni pulao?

Yummy Chicken Pulao

I heart chicken pulao that I get at my friend's pakistani homes, especially Amina Chief with her very spicy, very flavorful, absolutely dreamy pulao. Yesterday I decided to try my hand at it and found a good recipe online that I made several adjustments to. The end result was delicious!

I'm posting the recipe with my adjustments here:

Chicken Pulao

3 cups rice
1 cup natural, low fat yogurt
1 whole chicken
1 large tomato, diced
2 medium onions, sliced fine
2 potatoes, diced into 1 inch pieces
2-4 green chillies, chopped roughly
chili powder to taste
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 star anise
2 tsp whole cumin
2 inches cinnamon
2 large bay leaves
3/4 teaspoon coriander seeds
2 cardamom pods
1 inch ginger and 4 garlic cloves, pureed
3 tbsp sunflower oil
Salt to taste
Handful chopped cilantro
Handful chopped mint
---
In a large pot, bring the oil to heat over a high flame. When it is hot, add the whole spices.

As they sizzle up in seconds add the onions and fry for five minutes until golden brown.

Then add the ginger and garlic and fry for another five minutes until the whole mixture goes a darker shade of brown. Add the turmeric, chili powder (optional), the chillies and the chicken.

Stir vigorously for five minutes until the chicken is brown all over. Now, add the yogurt and leave the chicken to cook on a high flame, stirring regularly to prevent it from sticking to the bottom. If it does, add a little water.

When chicken is halfway cooked, add potatoes and tomatoes.

After 10 minutes, stir in the rice and fry for a minute or so.

Add about 4.5 cups to cook the rice.
(Very important: If the yogurt has let out a lot of water, then adjust how much water you add here; you don't want to end up with too much liquid or mushy rice.)

Once you have done this, don’t stir the rice because it will get all mushy.
Turn heat down, cover and cook until rice is cooked through. Take a peek to make sure there is enough water once or twice.

When the water dries up and the rice is cooked, the pulao is ready.

Add cilantro and mint and serve with raita.

Flourless Chocolate Cake

I was home alone on Sunday so I spent the time doing laundry and catching up on cooking shows (I think I'm showing my age), including Everyday Food and Everyday Baking on PBS. I don't bake very much (not at all is more accurate) but I love watching people bake because they make it look so easy, and it's probably easier than cooking. This recipe was in an episode on Sunday and I'm itching to try it. I might make it for my in-laws who are visiting next weekend. I'm posting it here for anyone who is interested - it looked mighty delicious!

Flourless Chocolate Cake from Everyday Baking on PBS

Serves 8 Prep time: 30 minutes Total time: 1 hour plus cooling time

Ingredients:

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for pan
1/4 cup sifted unsweetened best quality cocoa powder, plus more for pan
6 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
5 large eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
sweetened whipped cream for serving

To make:

1. Preheat the oven to 375. Butter the bottom and sides of an 8-inch round cake pan; line bottom with a parchment round. Butter parchment and dust all over with cocoa powder shaking out excess; set aside.

2. In a medium heatproof bowl set over, not in, a pan of simmering water, melt chocolate and butter; cool to room temperature.

3. Using an electric mixer on high, beat eggs, sugar, and salt until light and foamy, about 2 minutes.

4. Gently fold ¼ of egg mixture into cooled chocolate mixture to lighten the chocolate. Then gently fold chocolate mixture into remaining egg mixture until marbled. Fold in cocoa powder. Spoon into prepared pan, smoothing the top. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until center still feels soft (a toothpick inserted comes out moist) and top has a thin crust.

5. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Run a metal spatula around the sides of pan and invert; remove parchment. Invert again so cake is right side up. Serve with whipped cream. (Berries or ice cream are other optional toppings.)

Fast Beef Chili

This is a recipe I tried some time ago from the Test Kitchen files, but I never got around to posting it. I find that having a basic recipe for chili is useful and I take advantage of its versatility to make it out of whatever I can find in my kitchen. I also serve it with rice because I'm a rice person, but you could serve it with sour cream and cheese on a baked potato, in a wrap or on slices of bread.

Fast All-American beef chili from America's Test Kitchen

1 (28-oz) can diced tomatoes
1 (15 oz) can dark red kidney beans, rinsed
2-3 tsp minced chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
2 tsp sugar
salt and ground black pepper
2 tbsp veg oil
1 onion minced
3 tbsp chili powder
2 tsp ground cumin
3 garlic cloves
1 1/2 lbs 85 % lean ground beef

1. pulse tomatoes and their juice in food processor until slightly chunky, about 5 pulses.
2. bring tomatoes, beans, chipoltle chile, sugar and 1/2 tsp salt to boil, covered, in large saucepan. reduce to simmer and continue to cook until needed in step 5.
3. heat oil in large dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. add onion, chili powder, cumin and 1/4 tsp salt and cook until softened, about 5 min. stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 sec.
4. increase heat to medium high and add beef. cook, breaking up beef with spoon, until no longer pink, about 3 min.
5. stir in tomato-bean mixture, scraping up any browned bits. bring to simmer and cook until slightly thickened, about 15 minutes. season with salt and pepper to taste before serving.

Grilled Peanut Chicken

This peanut butter theme is completely unintentional :) I just came across this recipe and it sounded like a quick way to make chicken for a sandwich. I used the grilled chicken to fill half pita pockets along with romaine lettuce, sliced red onion, tomato slices, chopped cilantro and a drizzle of ranch or other creamy dressing.

Grilled Peanut Chicken

2 tbsp peanut butter
1 tbsp lime juice
2 tsp soy sauce
1 clove garlic, chopped
1/2 tsp curry powder
dash of chilli powder
2 chicken breast halves (~ 1 lb)

1. Coat grill with non-stick cooking spray. Preheat grill to medium.
2. In small bowl, stir together all ingredients except chicken.
3. Slice each chicken breast in half, to create 4 total filets.
4. Place filets on grill without crowding and brush with peanut butter mixture.
5. Grill for 6 minutes, turn and brush with more mixture, and grill for 6 more minutes until chicken is no longer pink or internal temperature is 165 degrees. (On a foreman grill, grill for 7-8 minutes depending on thickness of filet.)

Serves 4.

PB and ..... M?

One thing I absolutely cannot get enough of - I would choose it over ice cream, cake, or any of my other favorite sweets - is medjool dates stuffed with peanut butter. I discovered it in college courtesy of an old friend and I'm just recently re-discovering it. If any of you have never tried it, you're really missing something. Unless of course you hate peanut butter, in which case it's probably not a mistake that you haven't tried it :)

It takes a second to make - just cut open one side of a juicy medjool, discard the seed, and fill with peanut butter. Eat... mmmmmmmmmmmm... and repeat :) Try to control yourself, these are rich ones!

Lemon Butter Salmon

I never realized how simply wonderful a salmon fillet with salt and pepper can be. This recipe adds more deliciousness to the salmon, but the salmon fresh off the grill was almost too tempting not to eat right away.

This recipe is from Epicurious.com, which I like because you can search for an ingredient and a lot of people leave helpful reviews as well. They also have a rating system (with forks :)) which tells you which recipes are the most popular. This one's definitely a keeper.


Grilled salmon with lime butter sauce (from epicurious.com)

Makes 6 servings.

Ian Knauer

6 (6-oz) pieces center-cut salmon fillet (about 1 inch thick) with skin
1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated fresh lime zest
6 tablespoons lime butter sauce (recipe below)

Prepare grill for cooking over medium-hot charcoal (moderate heat for gas).

Season salmon all over with salt and pepper, then grill, flesh sides down, on lightly oiled grill rack (covered only if using gas grill) 4 minutes. Turn fillets over and grill (covered only if using gas grill) until just cooked through, 4 to 6 minutes more. Sprinkle fillets with zest and top each with 1 tablespoon lime butter sauce.

Note: I used a George Foreman grill - just add a bit of olive oil before grilling, preheat on medium and cook for 7 minutes.

lime butter sauce Gourmet | July 2006

It takes only 5 minutes to make this fantastic sauce. Once you see how versatile it is — it works perfectly with the grilled salmon and the grilled corn — you'll want to make it for a whole host of your summer favorites.

Makes about 3/4 cup.

Ian Knauer

1 large garlic clove, chopped
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, melted

Purée garlic with lime juice, salt, and pepper in a blender until smooth. With motor running, add melted butter and blend until emulsified, about 30 seconds.

Cooks' Note: Lime butter sauce can be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. Stir before using.

Sesame Noodles

Our latest culinary has been Sesame Noodles. This recipe from Cooks Illustrated is so delicious, better than you find at most restaurants..and very substantial as a meal. I haven't actually made them with the chicken yet, but I'm sure that will be even better.

This is one of the easiest recipe ever and highly successful.

Let me know how it turns out for you.

Sesame Noodles with Shredded Chicken

9/2004

We prefer the flavor and texture of chunky peanut butter in the sauce; in particular, we like conventional chunky peanut butter because it tends to be sweeter than natural or old-fashioned versions.

Serves 4 to 6
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1/4 cup chunky peanut butter
2 medium cloves garlic , minced or pressed through garlic press (about 2 teaspoons)
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
5 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (such as Tabasco)
2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
water (hot)
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1 tablespoon table salt
1 pound fresh Asian noodles or 12 ounces dried spaghetti
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
4 scallions , sliced thin on diagonal
1 medium carrot , grated


1. Toast sesame seeds in medium skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently, until golden and fragrant, about 10 minutes. Reserve 1 tablespoon sesame seeds in small bowl. In blender or food processor, puree remaining 3 tablespoons sesame seeds, peanut butter, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, vinegar, hot sauce, and sugar until smooth, about 30 seconds. With machine running, add hot water 1 tablespoon at time until sauce has consistency of heavy cream, about 5 tablespoons; set blender jar or workbowl aside.

2. Bring 6 quarts water to boil in stockpot over high heat. Meanwhile, adjust oven rack to 6 inches from broiler element; heat broiler. Spray broiler pan top with vegetable cooking spray; place chicken breasts on top and broil chicken until lightly browned, 4 to 8 minutes. Using tongs, flip chicken over and continue to broil until thickest part is no longer pink when cut into and registers about 160 degrees on instant-read thermometer, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to cutting board and let rest 5 minutes. Using 2 forks, shred chicken into bite-size pieces and set aside. Add salt and noodles to boiling water; boil noodles until tender, about 4 minutes for fresh and 10 minutes for dried. Drain, then rinse with cold running tap water until cool to touch; drain again. In large bowl, toss noodles with sesame oil until evenly coated. Add shredded chicken, scallions, carrot, and sauce; toss to combine. Divide among individual bowls, sprinkle each bowl with portion of reserved sesame seeds, and serve.

Pasta with Broccoli Rabe

I feel like every now and then there comes along a vegetable or other food item that everyone is talking about or serving. I think Broccoli Rabe is having it's day because I see it everywhere. I've never even had it before and suddenly it's like the "IN" veggie.

So I saw a recipe for shell pasta with broccolli rabe that sounded good. I tried it yesterday and though I couldn't get enough of it, my hubby thought it was a bit too bitter. It is a bitter vegetable, but I developed a taste for bitter vegetables (like bitter gourd) at home so that's probably why I enjoyed it. But apparantly to get rid of the bitterness you should boil it with a little bit of oil, black pepper and crushed red pepper until its tender enough to stick a fork through (tip courtesy of a hardy italian native). Then you can add it to whatever recipe you like.

I used skinny penne in mine, but the original Whole Foods recipe is below.

Orecchiette with Broccoli Rabe, Sun Dried Tomatoes and White Beans
Serves 6 to 8

1 pound orecchiette pasta
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 bunch broccoli rabe, stems removed, leaves chopped
1 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes (about 12 pieces), sliced
1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, rinsed
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil; add pasta and cook until al dente according to package directions. Reserve a cup of the pasta cooking water and drain pasta thoroughly.

Meanwhile, in a large sauté pan over high heat, heat olive oil. Add garlic and cook until fragrant but not browned, about 1 minute. Add half the broccoli rabe and sauté until lightly wilted but not brown, about 2 minutes. Add remaining broccoli rabe to pan and cook for another minute or two. Add sun-dried tomatoes and cannellini beans and toss lightly. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.

Add hot drained pasta to the pan (or to a larger bowl if needed) and toss with the vegetables. Stir and add a few tablespoons of reserved pasta cooking water if mixture seems dry. Season and taste again. Serve immediately with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.