Monday, January 20, 2014
Kodiak Brownie
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A large Kodiak Brownie taken in Alaska. And thats just the head! Can you imagine how big the bear actually was?
Sunday, January 19, 2014
Salad Night Chicken Apple Walnut with Maple Dijon Vinaigrette
Last night was salad night. As you know, I do not eat many vegetables on a regular basis, so every so often I feel like I should supplement my diet with a dinner salad. It is important, when making salad, to consider the textures and flavors of the ingredients. You will want to have a serving of protein (meat, chicken or beans) and a good ratio of vegetables, fruit and nuts as well so that each mouthful is chock full of different textures and tastes, which will make the salad interesting. If it sounds like the components would compliment each other and taste good on a dinner plate, then they should work well in the salad. I chose to include some of the prominent flavors and ingredients associated with colder months including a roasted boneless skinless chicken breast, honey crisp apple, homemade croutons, toasted walnuts and maple syrup and Dijon vinaigrette, heres how I did it.
I simply seasoned a boneless skinless chicken breast with salt, pepper and olive oil and roasted it in the oven at 375 degrees for about 40 minutes. You can certainly use a bone in piece of chicken or take the help from the grocery store and include their rotisserie chicken. While the chicken roasted, I had plenty of time to prepare and assemble the rest of the ingredients. I started by making the vinaigrette. Making vinaigrette at home is one of the best suggestions I can give you. It is so easy to do, it gives you control of the ingredients and it is so much more delicious than any salad dressing out of a bottle. Start by grating a small garlic clove into a bowl, add about 2 tablespoons of Sherry vinegar (you can also use balsamic, red wine, champagne or whatever vinegar you like), 1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon of maple syrup (not the maple flavored pancake type, but the real thing), pinch of salt and pepper and about 3-4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. Wisk the ingredients together until they thicken or emulsify. Set aside to allow the flavors to develop.
The next step was to make the croutons. I had just purchased a loaf of crusty, dense, French bread which I sliced and cut into cubes. I drizzle just a bit (about a teaspoon) of the vinaigrette over the bread cubes and toasted them in the same oven in which the chicken was roasting for about 10-15 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
Even if you purchase nuts which have already been toasted, nothing can improve the flavor and texture of a nut more than waking them up with some heat from the oven or a dry skillet. I already had the oven fired up, so I added about 1/4 cup of walnuts to a sheet pan and heated them for about 5-10 minutes. Be careful, though, and do not let them burn. Remove from oven and allow them to cool.
Ok, the rest of the process simply involves washing and chopping. I prepared 1/4 of a head of red romaine lettuce by chopping, rinsing and running it through the salad spinner until very dry. Nothing will ruin a salad faster than wet lettuce which will make everything else soggy and limp. I placed the lettuce in a large mixing bowl and topped it with thinly sliced honey crisp apple, sweet white onion, English cucumber and extra sharp Vermont cheddar cheese. When the walnuts and croutons had cooled, I added them to the bowl as well.
After the 40 minutes or so that the chicken spent roasting in the oven, I removed it and allowed it to cool for about 10-15 minutes. Once cooled, I added the chicken to the mixing bowl with the other salad bits and pieces. To dress, sparingly drizzle vinaigrette over salad and toss thoroughly to coat. Add vinaigrette a little bit at a time and toss after each addition until it is properly dressed. Serve on chilled dinner plates. Delicious and nutritious!
Saturday, January 18, 2014
Spicy Indian Hummus in Methi paratha pockets
Guess the main ingredient in the above dish. Also guess the kitchen gadget that I have used for this recipe.
Main Ingredient: Chick Peas (Many of you got this right)
Gadget: Pressure Cooker (No right answers there)
Over to the story...
Spicy Indian Hummus stuffed in Methi Paratha pockets
The ingredient used was Kabuli Chana aka Chick Peas. The chick peas when soaked overnight almost double up in size. Im always in awe of this little miracle of nature.
Soaked chick peas get cooked to a mashed consistency in a matter of 10 minutes when a pressure cooker is used. I could never keep it boiling on stove top for 1-2 hours. Firstly I dont have that kind of patience when it comes to cooking and secondly the LPG prices arent exactly that low and thirdly I dont want to be depeleting the worlds energy resources. For all reasons mentioned above, pressure cooker is my favourite gadget in my kitchen.
Coming to the recipe, i made two recipes with the same cooked chickpeas. One, a spicy hummus (which quite some of you guessed right) which I stuffed inside a methi-ajwain roti (my substitute for Pita bread). This was for breakfast.
With most of the other cooked peas, i made Chole (Pronounced as Cho-lay). Chole is something almost every Indian family makes in its own style. And probably I shall blog about this national favourite someday. But todays post is dedicated to the Indian style hummus and the roti-technique which I learnt from a friends mom.
For Hummus:
For boiled chick peas -Soak the peas overnight with a pinch of soda-bicarb in the water. In the morning, rinse off well, and place directly into pressure cooker with water to cover plus a little more. I dont generally add salt while cooking, as it toughens the peas. (I believe so.) Close the lid of the cooker, place the whistle. After 3 whistles, reduce the flame to SIM and keep it for 7-8 minutes. Since the cooker I used is the mini 2 Litre version, the whistles start blowing almost as soon as I close the lid.
1 cup very well cooked chick peas
1 large clove garlic-finely chopped
Juice of one lemon
Pinch of chilli flakes
1 tbsp sesame seeds-roasted and coarsely powdered
1/3 tsp crushed sea salt
Place all the ingredients in a bowl and mash well with a fork. I like it a little rough and grainy. If you like it silky smooth, use a processor by all means. Check for salt. Garnish with a few fresh coriander leaves and red chilli powder.
I have omitted the olive oil, but you may mix in a tbsp of the same.
This hummus tastes spicy and tangy. The sesame seeds lend their nuttiness. I call it Indian style because of the red chilli powder and coriander used.
You can use this one in several set-ups. As a healthy spread on toast for breakfast, along with chapatis, as a thuvaiyal with dosas. Another wild idea would be to mix steamed rice with this as a chutney.
Kasoori Methi and Ajwain Paratha:
Kasoori methi is dried fenugreek leaves, which have a very intense flavour. It is generally used along with vegetables like potatoes or to flavour up a gravy. You may very well use this to make Methi parathas, when you are out of fresh methi.
Ajwain is another very strong herb / spice. Called Bishops weed in English, it is a wonderful home-remedy for indigestion / flatulence / bloating. Since chick-peas are reknowned for gas production, I found it logical to combine it with the ajwain in the parathas.
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 tbsp Ajwain (bishops weed)
1 tbsp Kasoori Methi (I use Everest )
1 tsp salt
Water to bind the dough.
1 tsp oil
Mix the ajwain and kasoori methi into the flour and bind it into a dough of chapati-dough consistency. Once the dough is done, knead well for 2-3 minutes with a little oil, to make it smooth.
I followed the following procedure to make thick rotis, which split into two layers once cooked (Im not talking about a phulka here.)
1. Roll out a big lemon sized ball into a long oval.
2. Pinch it towards the center-making a waist. Apply a dot of oil / flour on both the upper and lower circles.
3. Bring the upper circle onto the lower, making a two-layered round.
4. Roll out this into a round paratha.
Cook this on both sides on a hot tava (griddle) till brown spots appear. Remove from tava.
2 cups of flour will give about 8 thick parathas.
This was an absolutely yummy treat. Though we had one each for breakfast, it can be a wonderful brunch idea. Serve some cut up fruits like papaya, watermelons, a hot mug of chocolate along with the hummus stuffed parathas and it will keep you going till dinner time.
Except for the one tsp oil used in binding the dough, this entire recipe has no added fats, except for the natural oils from the sesame seeds. The fibre from the chick peas and whole wheat flour, Vitamin C from lemon and tomatoes and the digestive action of ajwain- it really cant get healthier than that!
Tags:
Brunch, hummus, paratha, Indian bread, kasoori methi, ajwain
Friday, January 17, 2014
Chen Pi Niu Rou Tangerine Flavored Beef
While you will see this recipe translated into English as both “Tangerine Flavored beef” and “Orange Flavored Beef,” the Chinese tradition sees less of a distinction between the two. Tangerine, a type of small orange, is an English word deriving from Tangiers, the port from which these fruits were first shipped to Europe. On the other hand, orange citrus was known to China from earliest times and their remnants found in Han tombs. Today, anyone visiting Western China will notice small curls of orange peel drying on strings and in window sills in nearly every household. Even though small oranges have been savored in the Mainland for centuries, only a handful of cooked dishes feature them, Chen Pi Niu Rou being the best known. It is delicious on several levels, especially the balance of sweet opposed to the bitterness of the peel, the eating of which may be an acquired taste for Westerners.
If you have not air-dried orange or tangerine peel yourself in preparation for this dish, you can purchase the ingredient at a Chinese grocery, although it is not recommended. (To dry your own, just as most Chinese do, peel fresh tangerines or small, thin-skinned organges and dry the skins for several days in a drafty area or in an oven for about 1-1/2 hours at 110 degrees).
12 oz beef tri tip, sliced 1/8” x 2 “ by 1” or so
Dried tangerine peel from 2 small tangerines (appx. 20 pcs, 1/2” x 1” or so)
Marinade for beef slices:
2 thick slices of ginger, crushed with the flat side of cleaver
1 Tab light soy sauce
1 Tab Shaoxing wine or sherry
2 tsp cornstarch
Stir fry ingredients:
6 scallions, cut diagonally into sections, approx 1” long
separate white and green portions
6 lg dried chilis, sliced diagonal into 3/4 – 1” sections
4 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
1 - 2 tsp Sichuan peppercorn, roasted and ground
1 Tab rice wine
Sauce:
2 Tab soy
4 Tab stock
2 Tab tangerine soaking water
1-1/2 Tab sugar
Soak dried orange peel in enough hot water to cover and allow to soften for an hour or more.
Add crushed ginger to the other marinade ingredients and allow to infuse while the beef is sliced as described. Mix beef slices with marinade, discarding ginger.
Heat wok until smoking, add 3 or 4 Tab of oil, and add beef slices. Brown the meat for 3 minutes or so, then remove. Add a little more oil, if necessary, and when oil begins to smoke, add white portion of the scallion, stir fry a little, then add chilis, tangerine peel, garlic and Sichuan peppercorn. When chilis are browned, deglaze with wine. On high heat add back the beef slices and green onion; add the sauce mixture after mixing it thoroughly, and toss everything until liquid is reduced enough to glaze the meat. Toss, plate and garnish with cilantro or slivered scallion.
Thursday, January 16, 2014
Lemon Soufflé Pancakes Beat it just beat it!
I was recently commissioned to do a video recipe demo for About.com on the topic of "folding." Of course, this culinary technique is most commonly preformed when introducing egg whites into some type of batter. I was going to show "folding" using some sort of soufflé recipe, but since I already had a cheese soufflé recipe clip on the blog, I decided to use it on something much more common, the humble pancake. Every homemade pancake recipe, and almost every store-bought mix, calls for eggs. In almost every case the eggs are simply mixed into the batter and the recipe relies on the baking powder to
make the pancakes rise. This is usually fine, but if you use the little extra step of separating the eggs and beating the egg whites, you will create "soufflé" pancakes that will rise to a whole other level...literally. By "folding" in the stiff egg whites, you are introducing millions of tiny air bubbles that expand when the pancake is flipped. As you will see in the video, the site of the pancake rising in the pan is pure magic. Well, actually its pure physics, but people like magic better than physics.So, Im not sure if this is a "folding" video with a bonus pancake recipe, or a pancake demo with a bonus cooking technique included. But, who cares, youre making soufflé pancakes! By the way, this trick will work for any pancake mix that calls for eggs. Enjoy!
Wednesday, January 15, 2014
Chicken with Goat Cheese and Sun dried Tomatoes
This made for a delicious Sunday dinner yesterday. Id had my eye on this recipe for awhile and finally decided to try it. Im so glad I did! It sounds fancy and tastes amazing, but it was really very simple. There arent very many ingredients and it comes together really quickly. We ate this with roasted garlic mashed potatoes and vegetables and it made for a great hearty meal. Enjoy!
A couple notes: you can find sun-dried tomatoes in your local grocery store. Mine were near the canned tomatoes. The herbed goat cheese is also easy to find anywhere. Mine came in a 4 oz. package. Its shaped like a log and the cheese is white with green herbs all around it. Got it? :) I also doubled the recipe (so wed have leftovers) and it was great!
Chicken with Goat Cheese & Sun-dried Tomatoes
2 chicken breasts, pounded thin
1 T. olive oil
3/4 c. chicken broth
2 T. sun-dried tomatoes, chopped (and drained, if packed in oil)
2 oz. herbed goat cheese
salt & pepper
Heat skillet over medium heat. Pound out chicken breasts. I find the best way to do this is to set a piece of saran wrap on the counter, place the chicken on it, place another piece of saran wrap over the top, press down around the edges so the juices dont splatter, and then pound away with a meat mallet or a frying pan.
Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. When oil is hot, add chicken breasts. Cook through, about 6-8 minutes per side, depending on the thickness. Remove chicken onto a plate, cover with foil and set aside.
In the same skillet, add the chicken broth. Cook over medium heat until reduced by about half, being sure to scrape up the bits of chicken from the pan. Add the sun-dried tomatoes and heat through. Stir in the goat cheese and remove from the heat.
Top the chicken breasts with the sauce and serve.
Source: adapted from Annies Eats
Tuesday, January 14, 2014
Lasagna
Did you know that, according to Wikipedia, lasagnas origins lie in the cuisine of the ancient Greeks? But then there is also a claim that a lasagna recipe was featured in the first cookbook ever published in England, thus leading to an urban legend that in the British Isles were responsible for the dish. Regardless of where it came from, we all agree that it is a classic meal consisting of alternate layers of pasta, cheese, sauce, and often other ingredients. Whoever it was that can claim responsibility deserves some sort of recognition. I mean, besides pizza (which is my favorite AmerItalian food) what could be more fulfilling both nutritionally and soulfully than tender pasta layered with zesty and, just a little spicy, hearty tomato meat sauce, delicately held together with mild, melted, molten mozzarella cheese and all gently baked to warm soothing perfection until each ingredient joins together as one lusciously decadent meal!
Lasagna Sauce
1 small onion, small dice
½ pound bulk Italian sausage
½ pound ground beef
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon sugar
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper, to taste
Olive oil
1 large can crushed tomatoes
In a sauce pan, heat several tablespoons of olive oil and sauté onion until translucent. Add Italian sausage and ground beef and cook along with the onions being certain to break apart the meat with a spatula. When sausage and beef are cooked through, add garlic, dried oregano, red pepper flakes and salt and pepper. Sauté for a minute or two before adding the crushed tomatoes, ½ can of water and sugar. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and let sauce cook for 45 minutes. Remove from heat and let set aside for use in the lasagna.
Lasagna Filling
1 container ricotta cheese
1 egg
2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1 box Lasagna noodles, no cook
In a mixing bowl, combine the ricotta cheese and egg. Stir well to combine. Set aside for use in the lasagna. In separate bowls, place mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses and set aside for use in the lasagna.
Assembly
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In an 8x8 glass pan, spoon ½ cup lasagna sauce into the bottom of the pan to coat it evenly. Place 2 lasagna noodles, side by side, on top of the sauce. Smooth ½ of the lasagna filling over the sauce and sprinkle with 1 cup mozzarella cheese. Cover the mozzarella cheese with sauce and top with 2 lasagna noodles. Top the lasagna noodles with the remaining ricotta filling and cover with sauce. The final layer will begin with 2 lasagna noodles, then the remaining sauce, the second cup of mozzarella cheese and topped off with the Parmesan cheese. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake for 50-60 minutes. Remove foil and back an additional 5-10 minutes to allow the cheese to brown. Let rest 15 minutes before serving.
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