for my nagging sister

from: veens, her email@yahoo.com

to: archie p., my email@gmail.com

date: fri, may 9, 2008 at 3:50 pm

bunker,

please please give me the cabbage/egg curry recipe!

love,

veens 

from: archie p., my email@gmail.com

to: veens, her email@yahoo.com

date: sat, may 10, 2008 at 10:12 am

ok veens, it's not rocket science.

just start with some minced garlic and ginger (1 tbsp all together) sauteed in some oil (veggie/olive), add (one diced) onions and garam masala (1 tbsp) and let them cook together until they are brown and the garam masala is kind of smoky - then add the chopped cabbage (half a head of napa cabbage) and cook until almost tender. meanwhile in a different pan, soft scramble some eggs (3-4 depending on the size you are using), and then add them to the pan with the cabbage, add salt, sugar and lemon to taste, and you're done. 

see you tomorrow,

arch

(p.s. i love you veens!!)

homemade tv dinner.

during my undergraduate career, there was a period of time where i lived on stouffers. yes, nothing comes closer to the pseudo americana home that i always wished for growing up. ok, maybe i didn't wish for it THAT much - but i always wondered what meatloaf and pot roast and thanksgiving turkey tasted like.  after all, i ate huli, chapati, saru, and curry for the greater part of my childhood.  i'd sprinkle in some mcdonald's chicken nuggets for good measure.

now the problem with most meatloaf is that it's made with beef.  and noone likes that, and by noone i mean me.  and the ones with turkey are usually fancy schmancy italian types, with basil and marinara.  when i want meatloaf i want it slathered in ketchup you hear me!! if im going to eat bland american food, i want it blanded up right!  here's my answer, (featuring the last of the turkey "chameleon") - 

meat bread (what?! it is!)
turkey meatloaf - serves 4

ingredients
1 1/4 lb ground turkey
1 1/2 cups finely chopped onion, plus thinly sliced onion for garnish
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 medium red bell pepper, cut into 1/8-inch dice
3/4 lb button mushrooms finely chopped
1 tsp olive oil
1 tsp salt

1 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/3 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon ketchup
1 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1/3 cup 1% milk
1 whole large egg, lightly beaten
1 large egg white, lightly beaten

1)  preheat the oven to 400 degrees fahrenheit.  start with the ground meat in a large mixing bowl.  add the onion, mushroom and red pepper and combine.  add the bread crumbs, half the ketchup, oil, salt, cayenne pepper, black pepper, garlic and parsley and combine again.  add the bread crumbs, combine then add the wet ingredients - the beaten eggs and milk and combine until the mixture forms a dough like consistency.  

2) form the mixture into a loaf and place in a oiled casserole dish.  liberally brush the remaining ketchup on the top of the loaf and around the sides, then sprinkle the finely sliced onion on top.

3) bake in the middle of the oven for about 50 minutes until a fork stabbed through the middle comes out clean.   allow to rest for ten minutes before slicing.

i served this with blanched haricots verts with lime zest and sliced baked yukon gold potatoes tossed in olive oil and seasoned liberally with salt, pepper, and dried thyme.  yum and a great leftover next-day lunch treat!!

i love me the turkeys.  ben franklin had it right, the turkey should have been the national bird - they might be dumb but they are delicious!  

cutlets cutlets...

riffing on that ever so lovely la times article, i bought a package of turkey cutlets along with my ground turkey at ralphs that fated day.  cutlets are very thin cuts of lean meat: the pro is that they cook up really fast, the con is that they can therefore be very dry.  what does one do for dry meat? you can't uncook it?  so you slather it in sauce.  

i took a lot of inspiration from other sources, i must admit -as the cutlet is a new toy for me.  but these recipes are solid.  the first is rachael ray's recipe for everyday thanksgiving fare - turkey, gravy and stuffing spruced up with a bit of fresh sage and prosciutto.  the one that follows it is a unique but very quick recipe from december 2007's gourmet mag - turkey cutlets in anchovy butter.  

thanksgiving today!

turkey cutlets with sage and prosciutto cornbread stuffing and pan gravy - serves 4

ingredients

1 package turkey cutlets, about one pound, 10 pieces.

2 tsp thyme

salt and pepper

3 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp butter

2 tbsp all purpose flour

2 cups chicken stock

for the stuffing:

1 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp butter

3 ribs celery, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped
Salt and pepper
2 tsp sage
4 sprigs fresh sage (2 tbsps) chopped
2 tbsp chopped flat leaf parsley
1/4 pound prosciutto, deli sliced like bacon, then chopped
3 corn muffins, crumbled
1 cup chicken stock 

1) heat a large skillet over medium high heat. season turkey with thyme (crumble it between your fingers), salt and pepper. add 1.5 tbsp of the olive oil to the pan. brown 6 cutlets 2 minutes on each side, remove to a plate and repeat with remaining pieces of turkey. 

2) add the butter to the pan. when it melts, whisk in flour and cook a minute, making sure the flour doesn't clump. whisk in stock or broth and bring up to a bubble. reduce heat to simmer, and season the gravy liberally with pepper, and salt if needed. slide turkey back into pan to finish cooking in gravy.

3)to a second skillet over medium high heat, combine the oil and butter. when butter melts into oil, add celery and onions and season with salt, pepper, and thyme. saute 5 minutes until just tender, add sage, parsley, prosciutto and stir to combine. crumble muffins into the pan. moisten stuffing with broth and heat through. remove from heat.

4) use an ice cream scoop to mound stuffing on plates and top with 2 cutlets and a small ladle of gravy. proceed to be thankful, any day of the week.

turkey cutlets in anchovy butter

serves 4

ingredients

1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 pounds turkey cutlets
3 tbsps olive oil
1 large shallot, finely chopped
1 cup dry white wine
2 tsps anchovy paste
3 tbsps unsalted butter
2 tbsps chopped chives

1) stir together flour and 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper on a plate. pat cutlets dry, then dredge in flour, shaking off excess.

2) heat oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers, then sautee turkey in 2 batches, turning once, until golden and cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes per batch. transfer to a plate and keep warm, loosely covered with foil.

3) brown shallot in fat remaining in skillet, stirring frequently, about 2 minutes. add wine and boil, stirring and scraping up brown bits, until reduced to about 1/3 cup, about 3 minutes. remove from heat and whisk in anchovy paste, butter, and chives until incorporated. return cutlets to skillet with any juices from plate and turn to coat.

voila! both these recipes are super quick and deliver loads of flavor.  i served the latter (to myself) with prosciutto wrapped blanched asparagus spears that i baked off at 400 degrees for 10 minutes to get the prosciutto and asparagus tops nice and crispy.

after following both of these recipes almost to a tee, i decided to craft my own good eats out of my remaining cutlets.

balsamically wiser turkey cutlets.

sauteed turkey cutlets in sage infused olive oil with a balsamic mushroom relish, and garlic-roasted fingerling potatoes and cherry tomatoes - serves 2

ingredients

half a carton of cremini mushrooms - chopped into meaty slices

half a carton of button mushrooms,-diced finely

one small red onion, finely juilienned

1 sprig fresh sage, chopped

1 tsp thyme

2 tbsp butter

3 tbsp good balsamic vinegar 

kosher salt and pepper to taste

1 tsp brown sugar

for the cutlets-

half a package of turkey cutlets - about 6 cutlets in all

salt and pepper

3 tbsp olive oil

6 leaves of sage

for the potatoes:

2 cloves of garlic, finely minced

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

6-8 fingerling potatoes

a generous handful of cherry tomatoes

salt and pepper to taste

1) preheat the oven to 450 degrees fahrenheit.  toss the potatoes and cherry tomatoes in the olive oil and minced garlic. spread the mixture on a parchment lined baking sheet and season liberally with salt and pepper.  bake for about 20 minutes, until the potatoes are cooked through and the tomatoes are shriveled.

2) season the cutlets liberally with salt and pepper.  to a large sautee pan, add the 3 tbsp olive oil and the sage leaves and wait until the oil heats up and the leaves are crisp.  move to the side of the pan.  add the cutlets, browning on each side for about 2 minutes until fully cooked.  drain on a paper towel, cover and set aside.  

3) fish out the crispy sage to save for garnish and set the heat at medium.  add the onions to the pan, cooking until translucent.  add the mushrooms and season with salt, pepper, thyme and sage.  cook until mushroom release their juices then add the butter to the pan and combine. once the better is melted, add the balsamic vinegar and sugar and allow the liquid to reduce by half.  taste and season accordingly.

4) serve cutlets topped liberally with the mushroom relish, alongside the potatoes fresh from the oven.  

each of these recipes really came through on flavor and i made them three consecutive nights in a row without getting sick of turkey - because none of it actually tasted like "turkey," persay.  i bet turkey cutlet milanese would be awesome, or turkey piccata, or even turkey scallopini would be delish.  experiment!  these babies are so quick cooking that you can play mad scientist in the kitchen every day without feeling like you wasted your life slaving over a hot stove.  yay for...cutlets!

 

keen, huh? no. keema.

i will live on keema in graduate school, i am pretty darn sure. why? cause its super easy to make, and its delicious and it features (my version, anyways), the chameleon!

no, not lizard. TURKEY! ground turkey to be exact.  traditional keema is made with ground beef or lamb - it's a dry spiced meat curry that is impossible to wreck.  seriously. foolproof.

i refuse to pictorialize keema for you cause its so easy you can make it and look at it all by your lonesome.

let's get to it.

peachy-keen keema

ground spiced turkey curry - serves 4

ingredients

1.5 tbsp garam masala

1 tsp cayenne pepper (if you're a wuss, 1/2 tsp)

4 cloves garlic, finely minced

1/2 inch ginger piece, finely minced

1 onion, minced

half a cup frozen baby peas

1/2 pound ground lean turkey

salt, sugar, lemon juice to taste

1.  warm up a couple tablespoons of olive oil in a large sautee pan on medium high heat.  add ginger and garlic, cook for 30 seconds, then add the garam masala and the onion and sautee until onion is soft and translucent.

2.  add ground meat, breaking it up with the back of your spoon and mixing it in to the onion mixture.  when about halfway cooked, add the peas and the cayenne pepper.  continue to stir the meat until fully cooked.

3.  season with salt, sugar and lemon juice to taste.  there. you're done.

serve this with some hot flat bread, preferably indian chapati or naan.  i love eating it mixed with basmati rice cooked with some whole cumin seeds and topped with plain yogurt.  sometimes i add a mixture of pureed tomato, cream, and mint to the mix with the peas to vary it up.  once you have the basic recipe down, it's easy to improvise.  if you like spicy, easy indian food - this will surely become a staple at your house.  it is at mine!

the all-white meat chameleon.

turkey is great. it really is.  

i know what you are thinking...of course turkey is great...on thanksgiving with all the fixings! but really, its great all the time BECAUSE:

(a) its a really lean ground meat substitute for ground beef (which is, of course, haram on this blog)

(b) it can be flavored in any way to taste like anything -chicken, veal, pork - this chameleon can morph!

(c) it's relatively inexpensive and frickin healthy. that's right, FRICKIN healthy!

so these next few posts will be a part of a TURKEY BONANZA. tananana!

(mostly because ralph's had a two for one sale on jennie-o products, partly because this old la times article inspired me, but also because really, turkey is yum.)

get ready to gobble gobble folks, cause these eats are delish!

i am, indeed, indian.

indian from india.  dots not feathers.  aloo gobi not acorn mush.

i have failed in terms of this blog to bring my heritage into the mix.  so here it is, the first of many (inshallah) recipes for indian food, the many cuisines of my multi-ethnic people.  i know indian food can seem intimidating because it involves so many different spices, and a innate ability to time the adding of ingredients...but its more just a question of practice than talent.

some basics:

1) you need to stock some staples in your pantry before you can start attempting to cook indian.  the first is garam masala, which i've mentioned here before.  cumin seeds, as well as ground cumin, ground coriander, turmeric, indian chili powder (packs a bigger punch than its other ethnic counterparts), whole cloves, whole cardamom, whole mustard seeds.  having ground ginger around helps too, if you are too lazy to pick up fresh.

2) most north indian - specifically punjabi dry curries like the recipes that follow are made with the same set of spices, so learning how to make them is very much like learning how to make stir fry - and therefore easy.

3) have PLAIN yogurt around, it tempers the spices if you get carried away.  i also keep frozen layery indian flatbread - parathas they are called - in my freezer at all times, you can get these at any indian grocery store - but store-bought tortillas are an adequate substitute. oh and trader joes tandoori masala naan ain't so bad.

4) necessary fresh ingredients: serrano chilies (or fresh jalapeño if your a wuss), cilantro, ginger.

5) relax. its not scary, i promise.

and now...taNA NA NA! the easy guide to making an entire vegetarian indian meal!!

clockwise from the top: benghan bhartha, methi paratha, jeera chaval, saag aloo

benghan bhartha

oven-roasted eggplant curry - serves 3

ingredients

1 large italian eggplant

1 medium sized onion, quartered

1 roma tomatoes, small diced, seeds removed

1/2 inch knob of ginger, diced finely

2 whole cloves

1/2 tsp turmeric

1/2 tbsp ground cumin 

1/2 tbsp ground coriander 

1/2 tbsp indian chili powder

2 tsp lemon/lime juice

handful of chopped cilantro

salt and sugar to taste

1. preheat oven to 400 degrees.  wash eggplant and cut into quarters.  place on lightly greased cookie sheet and add 2 tbsp of water to the pan.  roast eggplant in oven for 20-30 minutes until very tender.  after eggplant is cooled, chop into small dice and put aside.

2. add the onion, ginger, turmeric and cloves to a blender or small food processor and grind to a paste.

3. heat 1 tbsp of oil (vegetable or olive will do here) in a large skillet pan.  add the paste and fry or 5 minutes until it sizzles.  add the ground cumin, ground coriander, and chili powder and fry for another 5 minutes.

4. add the tomatoes, and simmer until mushy - about 8 minutes.

5. add eggplant with 2 tbsp of water and simmer until eggplant is mushy.  add salt, sugar, lemon juice, and more chili powder in necessary.  garnish with cilantro.

saag aloo

spinach and potato curry - serves 3

ingredients

4 small boiling potatoes, cleaned and peeled

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

1 roma tomatoes, pureed in a food processor/blender

1/2 lb fresh and frozen spinach - if fresh roughly chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 inch piece ginger, minced

1/2 tsp turmeric

2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp chili powder

1 tbsp garam masala

salt and sugar to taste

1/2 tbsp lemon juice

1 handful chopped cilantro

1. add the potatoes to boiling water and let then cook for 5 minutes.  remove and cut in quarters. set aside.

2. fry the onion in a large sautee pan with the garlic and ginger for 2-4 minutes.  add the garam masala and cumin.

3. add the tomato puree and cook for another 5-6 minutes.  then add the spinach and potatoes, the chili powder, salt, sugar and lemon juice.  cook until potatoes are tender.  garnish with cilantro.

jeera chaval

cumin spiced rice - serves 3

ingredients

1 cup uncooked basmati rice

1 tsp cumin seeds

1/2 tsp turmeric

1 tbsp butter

1. melt butter in a small sauce pan and add the cumin.  toast cumin until fragrant and add the rice.

2. add turmeric and toast rice in butter and cumin mixture until grains are white but not translucent.

3. add 1.5 cups of water to the pot and bring to a boil.  reduce the heat and simmer for about 25 minutes, stirring occasionally and adding water to the pan if the rice dries out.  the rice should be cooked through without the grains sticking to each other.

relax! relax! it's easy.  try it and let me know how you fare.  it's worth the price!

get it? fare; price. oh i'm a comic genius.

rabe, rapé, raapini, what's in a name?

i was in my favorite neighborhood market in la habra heights on my weekly grocery excursions with my father.  "food gathering" he calls it.  i was minding my own business, picking out my fresh herbs from their exquisite selection (huge bunches of basil, dill, rosemary, thyme, mint!) when i saw something that cause me to exclaim in glee.  was it really there or was it my imagination?  before me, in generous la habra ranch market sized bunches was broccoli rabe...a vegetable i had been hunting for the greater part of three years.  

alias raapini, or rapé, broccoli rabe is a thin stalked leafy green with miniature broccoli trees up top.  taste wise its a bit like collard greens, a little bitter but hearty and full flavored.  it's used in both italian and asian cooking - in the former its usually sauteed and used either as a pizza topping or as a vegetable side - in the latter it is cooked up alongside chicken or pork.

needless to say, i love rabe, and rabe loves me.  cleaning the vegetable and slicing it up is a bit tricky, its a bit like asparagus, a good chunk of the bottom part of the stalk is fibrous and virtually inedible, and therefore must be cut off.  the stems must be picked clean of any yellowing leaves, then they can be cut in about 2 inch long pieces. 

 

i like to divide my rabe among its two cultural affinities.  giada has a great recipe for sauteed broccoli rabe which i love.  the following is its chinese(ish) counterpart.

spicy chicken and broccoli rabe stir fry

serves 2

ingredients

1/2 inch knob of peeled ginger, diced finely

3 cloves of garlic, sliced thin

half a bunch of broccoli rabe cleaned and cut in the aforementioned way

half a carton of mushrooms thinly slivered

one uncooked chicken breast, cut into thin 1 inch slices and seasoned lightly with salt and white pepper

1 tbsp vegetable oil

2 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp brown sugar

1 tbsp chinese chili paste

1 tsp garlic sriracha

1 tsp sesame oil

salt and white pepper to taste

toasted sesame seeds as garnish

1.  add the broccoli rabe to a pot of boiling water and allow to cook for 2 minutes until the color brightens.  strain and rinse with cold water.

2.  heat the vegetable oil in a large sautee pan over high heat until the oil is very hot.  reduce the heat to medium and add the mushrooms.  allow them to become slightly tender and then add the chicken.

3.  toss the ingredients in the pan until the chicken is almost done.  add the blanched broccoli rabe, soy sauce, chili paste, and brown sugar.  cook for a few minutes.

4. add the sriracha and sesame oil and coat the chicken evenly.  add salt and white pepper to taste.  

5.  turn off the heat and plate.  garnish with a sprinkling of toasted sesame seeds and serve with steamed long grain white rice.

chip-a-tople = chipotle - otle + a + tople

one day, in the land of west los angeles, there was a young girl who craved chilaquiles. seeing as west los angeles is certainly not the place to discover such delicacies of the latin world,  she consulted with mexican foodie and chef rick bayless, who pointed her in the direction of an beautiful recipe from his book mexico: one plate at a time. she made some delicious black bean chilaquiles for herself and some friends and they had a merry time.

but thats not why i am writing. i am writing because the story's moral is that chipotle en adobo is great and everyone should stockpile it in their pantries.  how did i get that moral out of that story? its not important - what is important is the delightfully hot and smoky flavor of chipotle, and its accessibility in the canned form. 

so what did this girl do upon discovering the delights of chipotle? PUT IT IN ERRRRYTHING.

this soup is inspired by my friend who used to frequent the heights bar and grill on broadway near columbia university during his undergrad - where he always ordered the lentil soup and doused it with chipotle sauce.  i stepped up the concept a notch and made it sooooo much better.

kicking your tongue from beirut to mexico city

chipotle lentil soup - serves 4

ingredients

1/2 pound lentils

1 large chopped red onion (small dice)

2 chopped leeks (white part only)

5 cloves of garlic, minced or garlic pressed

1/2 tbsp oregano

1 tsp ground cumin

4 stalks diced celery

2 diced red or orange bell pepper

half a carton of diced mushrooms 

5 cups water

2 tbsp tomato paste

4 chipotle chilies en adobo, coarsely diced

1 tbsp red wine vinegar

1.  in  large bowl, cover the lentils with bowling water and soak for 15 minutes, then drain and set aside.

2.  in a large stockpot over medium heat, add oil, and the onions, garlic, and leeks.  sautee until translucent, then add the bell pepper, mushrooms, cumin, and oregano and keep sauteeing until the vegetables are very tender.  add the celery, chipotle and tomato paste and combine until the tomato paste has throughly melted through.  season the mixture with salt, sugar and pepper.

3. add the lentils and the water and cover and bring to a boil.  reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for about an hour until the lentils are tender.  check the seasonings.  add the red wine vinegar and combine.

this is great with pita bread or warm flour tortillas.  be careful, it will be spicy - but in a good way, i promise!

ache-y throat craves chocolate.

its been unbearably cold in southern california as of late.  for us that means windy rainy weather in the mid to upper 50s (degrees fahrenheit for my foreign readers).  in any case, this means only one thing: every other s.o.b. on the street is sick.  and i think for  the last week, i've been harboring these flu germs and my body has been putting up a valiant fight for my good health.  the war however, is not over.

today i experienced a throat ache and coughyness (yes, that is a technical term.)  feeling rather fatigued i wanted my usual dark chocolate pick me up.  but congestion and chocolate are sworn enemies, what to do, what to do?

what i did!

cold proof cocoa

cayenne hot chocolate - serves 1

ingredients

1 packet instant hot chocolate, preferably a rich/dark chocolate flavor

1 square of a bar of good dark chocolate, finely grated

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

7 oz water.

1) boil water. i used a tea kettle.

2) in a mug combine the cayenne pepper, hot chocolate mix, and grated chocolate.

3) add water to mug, making sure to stir as you do.  keep stirring until all ingredients are dissolved. voila!

the chili adds just enough bite to the chocolate to keep it from coating your throat and making you feel stuffier - i feel better already! my inspiration? the film chocolat in which chocolate proves a remedy for everything. who'd have thunk? me, that's who!

overtime means fish.

that's right. i said i'd make it up to you! marathooooon.

i first had penang salmon at saladang song.  salmon is a rather unfishy fish and the sweet creamy coconut-y goodness that is thai penang sauce complements it beautifully.  I also like that fact that salmon  tastes best when cooked medium rare to rare as a fillet rather than chunked like a fish curry, which allows me to concentrate on making the sauce exquisite without added vegetables.  i am of the type where if i go to a restaurant...indian or thai, with creamy currys, i'll ladle out the sauce and eat it with rice.  i love the meat or the vegetables but the sauce on its own is heaven and i love this dish because its an excuse to make a big unadulterated pot of the stuff!

it's orange!
penang salmon - serves 2

ingredients
2 salmon steaks (fillets)

2 tbsp penang curry paste (any asian market will have this, try to look for one without shrimp or fish)
3/4 cup chicken/veggie stock
1/2 cup white wine (for my non-sharabis, just add the same amount of stock)
1 cup coconut milk
half red or yellow bell pepper julienne sliced
1 tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp brown sugar

salt to taste

white pepper to taste

1. combine curry paste and chicken stock in a stockpot and bring to a boil. 

2. lower heat and add white wine. simmer for 2 minutes, then whisk in all but 2 tbsp of coconut milk. 

3.  return to a boil, add soy sauce and sugar, salt to taste if needed, then simmer until thickened (about 15 minutes). 

4. season salmon steaks with salt and white pepper. bring a couple tablespoons of vegetable oil to smoke point, (you should see little wisps of smoke coming off the oil) then add the salmon, being careful not to move it once placed. after 2-3 minutes you should flip the steaks carefully, and sear the other side as well.  

5.  cover the salmon steaks with penang sauce and let them braise in the sauce for about 8-10 minutes (until medium rare). flip the steaks a few times while braising but be careful not to let them flake.

6.  serve the salmon covered liberally in the penang sauce with a drizzle of the remaining coconut milk and the julienned bell pepper.  if you have it, chopped kaffir lime leaves go great on the salmon as garnish.

penang is best served with steaming jasmine rice.  and, whatever wine you used to cook with will go great alongside it!  oh cook's note on this, i find that pinot grigio works best with this dish...i used chardonnay once and i had to cook the sauce extra long to get the bitter alcohol taste out of the sauce.  i love simple to cook but complex-ly flavored dishes like this one because you feel like a pro after making them!  go ahead, give yourself a reason to pat yourself on the back.  you know you want to!

foooooool. fool!

فول!!

fool muddamas is arabic for breakfast in egypt.  and it is delicious. fava beans simmered with onions, garlic, a bit of cumin and hot pepper. they serve it on the streets of cairo encased in warm pita bread, alongside slow-boiled creamy pinkish eggs and lettuce. i tried it first in berkeley during my elementary arabic class' potluck.  my beautiful teacher yasmin brought it as her contribution, with fresh lemon slices and fragrant parsley as a garnish. it's been years now and though i've tried it at restaurants (carousel in hollywood comes to mind) today was the first time i've made it. it's amazingly economical to make, my can of fava beans from my local middle eastern market was a mere 59 cents. and yet its really hearty and really hits the spot for something so simple to make!

it's fool, foo.

fool muddamas - serves 4

ingredients

1 15 oz can of fava beans

1 tbsp olive oil

1 lemon

1 medium sized yellow onion, diced. (save the skin)

3 cloves of garlic minced

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp black pepper

salt to taste

1 tbsp finely chopped parsley

1.  start with a medium sized pot, and about a tbsp of olive oil over medium heat.  add the onion, garlic, cayenne pepper, and cumin.  sautee until the onion are soft and turning brown.

2. add the can of fava beans, juice and all.  add the pepper and taste before adding the salt (as the beans are usually salted).  add the juice of half the lemon and stir, mashing about half the beans. allow to simmer for about 15 minutes until the sauce is thick.

3. serve hot, garnished with the juice of the remaining half of the lemon and the chopped parsley and fresh pita bread roasted over the burner lightly.

why save that onion skin?  in egypt they slow boil their eggs in barely simmering water colored by the skin of a brown onion.  the eggs are cooked overnight, and served sliced with the fool and pita.  

i updated the lettuce garnish by making a mediterranean chopped salad with a red wine vinaigrette - with toasted chickpeas, canned crushed olives, chopped romaine lettuce, feta cheese, sliced pepperoncini, chopped red bell pepper, grape tomatoes and red onion.  

it works as a delicious brunch, and the fool and pita really is the perfect breakfast for a long day.  or you could stick it in a food processor and roughly blend it and serve it as a dip to rival hummus (that's right, RIVAL HUMMUS!) please try it.  i know its' name is rather silly in english but you're a fool if you don't love it. hardee-har-har. 

oh, you love me.

snacky shrimp snack.

so sarah was hungry.  the moment was right before the salmon was cooked to a perfect pink and the lentils were tender.  the shopping trip had been trés successful.  but our stomach's demanded sustenance, an apéritif if you will, a palate opener.  i had tomatoes. i had goat cheese. fresh basil.  frozen cooked shrimp.  

here it is.

shrimp caprese - make as many as you want!

ingredients

cooked frozen shrimp - fully thawed

fresh basil leaves

crumbled goat cheese

sliced roma tomatoes

balsamic vinegar

kosher salt

1. tomato down first. 

2. then basil.

3. then shrimp.

4. sprinkle with goat cheese.

5. pinch of salt.

6. drizzle of balsamic vinegar. 

7. mmm...

i apologize good.

i love you guys. and i'm sorry.  i have no real excuses. some that come to mind, if you press me are grad school apps, failed christmas recipes, laziness.  but but but...i have goodies to make up for it, and i hope you all will forgive me!

to tell you the truth, i was anti-cooking for awhile, after my christmas candies and desserts for the most part turned out sub-par.  once i got back to school, i forced myself to cook to gain stride against the blow to my confidence...but by that time, i felt that i owed you guys more than 1 or 2 recipes.  so here they are.  today I VOW to make my absence up to you. (look at me, pretending that i have a following...i must really be into myself)

in any case, i'd like to begin with something sweet.  my birthday cake this year. there's a story behind this one. and it begins with this AMAZING ice cream (courtesy GOURMET magazine + my free hand with the liquor), which to brush my shoulder off, turned out brilliant.

breakfast ice cream

piloncillo ice cream -makes about 5 cups

ingredients

1 tbsp ground cinnamon

1 2/3 cups whole milk

1 2/3 cups heavy cream

4 oz piloncillo (mexican loaf sugar)

2 whole cloves

2 whole large eggs

3 large egg yolks

1/2 cup turbinado sugar or light brown sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

3 tbsp brandy

-you will need an ice cream maker for this recipe-

1. slowly bring milk and cream to a simmer with piloncillo, cloves, and cinnamon in a heavy medium saucepan over medium low heat then mash piloncillo into liquid until dissolved.

2. whisk together whole eggs, yolks and turbinado sugar in a bowl.  slowly add the hot cream mixture, making sure to keep whisking.  return to sauce pan (KEEP WHISKING), cook over medium heat, stirring with a wooden spoon until the custard coats the back of the spoon.  (if you end up with a weird lumpy mixture like the eggs became scrambled just run in through a fine sieve)

3.  after sieving the mixture, add the vanilla mixture and the brandy then cool it in an ice water bath (put the bowl of custard inside a larger bowl filled with water and ice) for 20 minutes.  cool in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours. 

 

4. freeze cooled custard in the ice cream maker, then transfer to an airtight container and put in freezer until firm, at least 2 hours.

i wish i had a picture of this stuff, it was indulgent yet familiar.  my friend upon trying it said it reminded him of what oatmeal would taste like if it was bad for you! in any case, i decided to make it for my birthday after reading about it in the December 2007 issue of Gourmet and knew i had to make a cake that would be understated enough to highlight this ice cream.  i chose one of ina garten's recipe's off the food network's website.  apple cake tatin! sounded delicious and looked easy enough to make. 

mom to the rescue birthday cake

ina garten's apple cake "tatin" - serves 8

ingredients

6 tbsps unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 1/4 granny smith apples, peeled and sliced into 12 slices

1 3/4 cups granulated sugar

2 extra-large eggs

1/3 cup sour cream

1/2 tsp lemon zest

1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 cup plus 2 tbsp all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp kosher salt

confectioner's sugar

1. preheat the over to 350 degrees.  butter a 9 inch glass pie dish and arrange the apples in the dish, cut side down.

2. combine 1 cup of granulated sugar and 1/3 cup water in a small sauce pan and cook over high heat until it turns in a clear syrup.  DO NOT let it turn even the least bit brown.  pour evenly over the apple slices.

3. cream the butter and remaining sugar with a whisk, until light and fluffy. beat in the eggs one at a time.  add the sour cream, lemon zest, vanilla, and mix until combined.  sift together flour, baking powder, and salt and add to the butter mixture, mixing until combined.

4.  pour the cake batter evenly over the apple slices and bake for 30 to 40 minutes until a cake tester comes out clean.  cool for 15 minutes and invert the cake onto a platter.  serve at room temperature dusted with confectioner's sugar.

normally i'd tell you the story of the cake first, but let's face it, y'all are here for the food.  but for those who might care - here it is.  so it's the day before my birthday dinner, and my family had to be at my uncle's house for an annual college reunion of my father's friends.  i was rushing the cake, and ina garten's recipe called for the sugar syrup to be an amber color...and in my rush i burnt the sugar syrup, didn't taste it and added it to the apples. lo and behold, the cake was tainted with this awful acrid burnt sugar taste.  i was tired...we'd been cooking all day and my nerves were shot.  my darling mother, the gem of a person she is, REBAKED this cake to perfection.  it was the belle of the ball, overstepped only by my creamy piloncillo goodness.  

please note the sad ucla colored candles.  very representative of this year, i must say.  here's to me at 22 years (and one month today!), my mother who i love to pieces, and all of you for sticking around, although i've been less than diligent about this thing.  look forward to more great eats...because i promise to bring them to you real sooner.