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!

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.

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.

rain? risotto!

last night at 2am i sat up straight in bed because i heard the sweet pitter patter of raindrops outside. okay, i lie, i woke up because i thought some wacko was trying to break into my apartment and steal my dishes but then i heard the rain and it was nice. turns out rain means a cold spell for southern california and though it was unexpected, it was a nice change. not only do i like chilly weather because i get to bust out my sweaters and scarves, but also because i get to make comfort food for myself.

and boy do i need comfort food. its been a week of reheated pizza, burritos and soggy samosas. its the friday before finals and i decided to treat myself to something good. something creamy, hearty, fulfilling. there are a few options when it comes to satisfying these specifications - a hot bowl of chili, buttery polenta with balsamic dressed vegetables but today, i opted for risotto.

a lot of people are scared of risotto, but often times there is reason to be. it can be insipid and texture-less, and does not hold up to the allure of other rice dishes like paella, biryani, and arroz con pollo. its often billed as a summer dish, especially the vegetarian type - but is too filling and heavy to be alluring on sunny crisp days. but i find if made correctly risotto can be perfect for the winter.

my favorite recipe for risotto has evolved over the years - its become less italian and more innovative, it's woodsy and just plain yummy.

asparagus and shiitake mushroom risotto
serves 2

ingredients

3 cups vegetable broth

1 12oz bottle hard apple cider (optional, you can substitute with more broth)

2 tablespoons butter

4 cloves garlic, oven-roasted and mashed

1 small finely chopped red onion

sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1 cup arborio rice

5 medium sized dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked for half an hour in warm water, and chopped coarsely

1 medium sized bunch of asparagus, cut into 1 inch pieces

2 ounces grated cotija anejo cheese

1 tbsp milk

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1. combine broth and cider in a medium saucepan and boil, lower heat and keep warm.

2. melt butter and roasted garlic in another 2 qt saucepan over medium heat and add onion. sweat onions by adding a bit of salt to the pan and cook until translucent. add asparagus to the pan and toss for 2-3 minutes.

3. add dry arborio rice to the pan and toast over heat for 2-3 minutes. add a third of the reheated liquid to the pan and stir until the rice absorbs all the liquid. add a small amount of liquid to the pan and stir again until liquid is absorbed. repeat same step until rice is almost done.

4. add mushrooms, nutmeg and cotija cheese and stir in. add remaining liquid and keep stirring until rice is creamy. add milk and stir until mixed completely and add salt and pepper to taste.


pair this with a light wine, nothing too heavy. it's a one pot wonder that's sure to fill you up, so don't underestimate and make it as a side with any red meat or poultry. this is a meal on its own, and a damn good one for a frosty night like this one. i can't wait until dinnertime!