Lentejas Guisadas (stewed lentils)

Source: Diana Kennedy Essential Cuisines of Mexico

David made this today for us to eat throughout the work week.  I did get a taste before he popped it into the fridge; another great lentil dish!

Shrimp with Zucchini (Jhinga aur ghia)

source: Madhur Jaffrey
serves: 2-3 (we almost ate it all)


I highly recommend this one! 


3/4lb zucchini
1 1/4 tsp Salt
1 lb shrimp without shells
5 Tbsp vegetable oil
6 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped
1 cup cilantro finely chopped
1 fresh hot green chili, finely chopped
½ tsp ground turmeric
1 ½ tsp ground cumin
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
3 small canned tomatoes, chopped plus ½ cup liquid from can
1 tsp peeled and grated ginger
1 tbsp lemon juice



Julienne the zucchini into 4-inch strips. Put the strips in a bowl and sprinkle them with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Mix and set aside for 30 to 40 minutes. Then drain and pat dry.
Put the shrimp on paper towels and dry.
Heat the oil in frying pan over medium-high heat. When hot, put in the garlic and fry until medium brown.
Add tomatoes and liquid and saute 4-5 minutes to reduce.
Add shrimp and zucchini. Stir and saute until shrimp turn opaque.
Add the coriander, chile, turmeric, cumin, cayenne, ginger, lemon juice and remaining teaspoon salt. Stir to mix and bring to a simmer. Cover, turn heat to low and simmer until shrimp is just done.
Serve with basmati rice.

Toast and Roast Granola

Source: Cooks Illustrated 

David left out the sesame seeds, flax seed, coconut and raisins.

1/2 cup Raw Almonds

1/2 cup Raw Cashews

2 cups  Old Fashioned Rolled Oats

1/4 cup Seeds Sunflower

2 tbsp Raw Sesame Seeds

2 tbsp Flax Seed

1/4 cup Honey

1/2 cup Natural California Raisins

1/2 cup dried cranberries

2/3 cup Shredded Unsweetened Coconut

1. Adjust oven rack to center position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Toast nuts in large, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat, stirring often, until they just begin to color, about 3 minutes. Stir in oats; toast until oats color lightly, about 2 minutes. Add sunflower and sesame/flax seeds; toast, stirring constantly, until mixture turns an even beige, about 1 minute. Remove pan from heat; stir in honey until mixture is well coated.

2. Turn mixture onto a 10-by-15-inch jelly roll pan; spread in a single layer. Bake, stirring and respreading mixture into an even layer every 5 minutes, until granola is light golden brown, about 15 minutes. Immediately turn granola onto another jelly roll pan to stop cooking process. Stir in raisins, then spread granola evenly in pan; set on a wire rack and cool to room temperature. Store in airtight container.

Peanut Butter M&M Cookies

By request, below is the recipe for the PB M&M Cookies I brought to Pittsburgh last month.  I doubled the recipe and used over 3 cups of M&M's. 

 

souce: sallysbakingaddiction.com

makes about 2 dozen small cookies

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) salted butter, softened to room temp
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 and 1/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1 cup m&ms

Instructions

1. In a large bowl using a hand-held mixer or stand mixer with paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugars together on medium speed.
2. Mix in the peanut butter, egg, and vanilla (in that order).
3. Slowly mix in the baking soda and flour. Do not overmix.
4. Fold in the m&ms
5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
6. Drop dough by tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet or silpat.
7. Bake for 8-9 minutes. Cookies will appear very soft and may even appear undone. They will firm up as they cool.
8. Allow to cool completely on a wire rack. 

Lemony Zucchini Risotto

source: Food Matters, Mark Bittman
serves: 4

 

 This dish is INCREDIBLE! I loved it!  Risotto takes a while to prepare but this was well worth it.  (Easy for me to say).  We ate a little more than 1/2 last night and then ate it cold for dinner tonight -- I think I liked it even better served cold today.  David served his own portion with a fried egg on top.  More info can be found at Bittman's Site

From Food Matters:

Risotto can be almost meager or incredibly luxurious; this one manages to be both, as the grated zucchini mostly melts away, leaving behind a creamy richness that doesn’t depend on tons of rice or mounds of cheese. Parboiling the brown rice as directed in Step 1 helps the rice absorb water quickly and evenly.
Salt
1 cup short-grain brown rice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
Black pepper
1⁄2 cup dry white wine or water
3 to 5 cups vegetable or chicken stock or water
4 small or 2 large zucchini (about 1 1⁄2 pounds), grated
Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
1⁄2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, optional
1 tablespoon butter or additional olive oil, optional
1⁄2 cup chopped fresh basil, plus more for garnish, optional
1. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil and salt it. Stir in the brown rice, adjust the heat so that the water bubbles steadily, and cook, without stirring, for 10 to 15 minutes. Drain well.
2. Put the oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. When it’s hot, add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until it softens, about 5 minutes. Add the rice and cook, stirring occasionally, until it is glossy and coated with oil, just a couple of minutes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, then add the wine. Stir and let the liquid bubble away.
3. Begin to add the stock, about 1⁄2 cup at a time, stirring after each addition and every minute or so. When the stock is just about evaporated, add more. The mixture should be neither soupy nor dry. Keep the heat medium to medium-high and stir frequently.
4. After about 15 minutes of adding stock, stir in the zucchini and cook, stirring, until it releases its liquid and the mixture again becomes dry. Begin tasting the rice about 5 minutes later; you want it to be tender but with still a tiny bit of crunch. It could take as long as 45 minutes to reach this stage. When it does, stir in the lemon zest and juice, and the Parmesan, butter, and basil if you’re using them. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve immediately, garnished with additional basil if you like.
Lemony Zucchini Risotto with Fried Eggs. When the risotto is almost done, put a medium skillet over medium heat for about a minute. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil or butter and swirl it around the pan. When the oil is hot, crack 4 eggs into the skillet. When the whites become opaque, a minute later, turn the heat to low and sprinkle the eggs with salt and pepper. Cook until the yolks are set as you like them and the whites are completely firm; cut through the uncooked parts, if necessary, to encourage the still-liquid white to spread over the surface of the pan. Put 1 fried egg on top of each serving of risotto.

Lentil stir fry with Mushrooms and Caramelized onions

source: Food Matters , Mark Bittman

servings: 4

David made the variation at the bottom which substitutes 1 c brown rice for 1 c of the lentils.  Delicious!

1⁄2 cup dried porcini mushrooms, optional

Boiling water as needed

2 tablespoons olive oil, or more as needed

2 onions, halved and thinly sliced

1 pound mushrooms, preferably an assortment, sliced

3 cups cooked lentils, drained, liquid reserved

1 tablespoon fresh thyme, or 1 teaspoon dried

Salt and black pepper

1. If you’re using the porcini, put them in a small bowl, cover with boiling water, and let soak for about 20 minutes. Drain, reserving the soaking liquid, and roughly chop.

2. Meanwhile, put 2 tablespoons oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. When it’s hot, add the onions and cook, stirring frequently, until they are dark brown but not burned, about 15 minutes; then remove them from the skillet.

3. Add a little more oil to the pan if it’s very dry and add the fresh mushrooms and the porcini if you’re using them. Cover the skillet, reduce the heat to medium-low, and let the mushrooms cook, undisturbed, for about 5 minutes to release their liquid. Remove the cover and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are dry, shrunken, and slightly crisp, about 5 minutes more.

4. Stir in the lentils, 1⁄4 cup or so of the lentil cooking water (or porcini soaking water), and the thyme; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, over medium heat until everything is heated through, about 5 minutes. Serve garnished with the caramelized onions.

Lentil and Rice Stir-Fry with Mushrooms and Caramelized Onions: Substitute 1 cup cooked brown rice for 1 cup of the lentils; add more water if needed to keep the mixture moist as it cooks.

Jamaican Jerk Chicken, Squash and a variation on Peach Cobbler

Source: Cooks Illustrated

I bought all the ingredients for this recipe yesterday while David was driving home from his trip.  Last night we had an antipasto style dinner (olives, cheeses, hummus, bruschetta, and Revival's House-cured salami (for DLG)) since David wasn't sure what time he would be getting in.  Today we had plenty of time to devote to this somewhat labor intensive recipe.  David started early and had the chicken marinating before noon.  It's been on the grill (we're using the gas grill) about 25 minutes now and it looks and smells great but the wood chip packet has produced very little smoke.  We're not sure what the reason for this is or what to recommend that others try differently.  

While the chicken cooked I decided to try a variation on peach cobbler - one of my favorite summer desserts.  David brought home about 30 Texas peaches from a roadside stand he passed driving back from Uvalde.  I put some in the fridge to help preserve them for Mom and Grandma's arrival later this week but still had ample supply for baking.  I substituted Truvia for sugar - my first experiment with this - and whole wheat flour for white flour.  It tastes alright, its definitely sweet enough but the topping is noticeably less crumbly than without substitutions.  Nevertheless, I'll take what I can get, and for anyone looking for a healthier alternative I would recommend this recipe.

For the chicken

Jerk Marinade:
1-1/2 tablespoons whole coriander seeds
1 tablespoon whole allspice berries
1 tablespoon whole peppercorns
3 Habanero chiles
8 scallions
6 garlic cloves
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons finely grated lime zest (2 to 3 limes)
2 tablespoons yellow mustard
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
2-1/4 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3-lbs bone-in chicken pieces (split breasts cut in half, drumsticks, and/or thighs)

Smoking Packet:
2 tablespoons whole allspice berries
2 tablespoons dried thyme
2 tablespoons dried rosemary
2 tablespoons water
1 cup wood chips

1. Coarsely grind the whole coriander seeds, the allspice berries and whole peppercorns in a spice grinder. Add freshly ground spices to blender.
2. Discard the stem from the chiles. Remove and reserve the ribs and seeds, then cut into quarters. Add to blender. Roughly chop scallions and garlic and add to blender. Add all the remaining ingredients (except the chicken) to the blender and process until a smooth paste forms. Empty the paste into a gallon-sized Zip-Lock bag.
3. Trim the chicken to remove any excess fat (or ribs) and cut the breasts is half cross-wise. Add the chicken to the marinade and remove as much air as possible from the zip-lock bag. Allow to sit a room temperature for 30 minutes; flipping the bag over after 15 minutes. Refrigerate for 24-hours.
4. Combine the spices for the smoke packet with 2 tablespoons water in a small bowl, and allow to hydrate for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, soak 1 cup of wood chips separately.
5. Turn on grill to heat. While the grill heats, wrap the soaked chips and moistened spice mixture in heavy-duty aluminum foil, then use a paring knife to cut five or six vent holes in top of the packet.
6.  Put the wood chip/spice packet on the grill. 
7. Leave some marinade on the chicken, and put chicken skin-side-up as far away from the heat as possible. Arrange so that the dark meat is closest to the heat, and the white meat is further. Cover grill so that the vent holes are directly over the chicken. Cook for 30 minutes.
8. Flip chicken skin-side-down as you move the chicken. Cook for about 10 minutes until well browned. Flip the chicken again skin-side-up and cook for about 15 more minutes  until the chicken reaches the correct temperature; 160 degrees for breasts and 175 degrees for thighs/drumsticks.
9. Move to a serving platter and tent loosely with aluminum foil for 5 minutes. Slice limes for serving.

DLG butchering the chicken

chips soaking

For the cobbler:

• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 4-5 cups fresh peaches, peeled, pitted, and sliced
• 2 tsp. lemon juice
• 3 Tbs. white sugar + 1 cup white sugar, separated
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 tsp. vanilla

• Preheat oven to 350F (175C). Pour butter in the bottom of a large casserole or 9x13 inch pan.In a bowl, toss the peaches with lemon juice. Add 3 tablespoons sugar and toss again to coat. Pour into pan.In a mixing bowl, combine remaining ingredients and stir gently. Spoon batter over the peaches. Bake for 45 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the cobbler is bubbly and the top is golden brown.

just some of the many peaches

"The Best Grilled Turkey Burgers" Cooks Illustrated

With David out of town this week Rocky and I are on our own for dinner.  Saturday night we decided to try a recipe from David's most recent issue of Cooks Illustrated - probably the first time I have ever read it before he has!  We attempted grilled turkey burgers.

The recipe below is copied from the magazine, but I did make some changes.  Kroger only carried whole frozen turkey or ground, so I had to buy pre-ground turkey.  I also had to leave out the soy sauce.  I used some homemade chicken stock I found in the freezer (I'm still not sure that is the same thing as broth) and of course, no bun for me so it looks a little funny in the photos.  The recipe says to cook it for up to 7 min on each side - I cooked them for 45 minutes on the grill and they still  hand's reached an internal temperature of 160 so I ended up microwaving them in the end.  I'm embarrassed to admit that after going through so much effort, but it's 100 degrees here and I was so hot after standing over the grill for almost an hour.  Since it was my first time using the grill I suspect I didn't have the burners on high and that if you make these you won't have to resort to the microwave out of desperation.  I also made guacamole to put on top and sautéed zucchini as the side.  The zucchini is a recipe from Bittman, you simply chop it in the food processor, salt it and let it sit, rinse it and then ring it out very well using a dish cloth to remove all the water and then sauté on high heat for about 10 minutes.  One of my absolute favorite vegetable dishes and so easy!

SERVES 6

If you are able to purchase boneless, skinless turkey thighs, substitute 1 1/2 pounds for the bone-in thigh. To ensure the best texture, don’t let the burgers stand for more than an hour before cooking. Serve the burgers with Malt Vinegar–Molasses Burger Sauce or your favorite toppings. Serve the burgers with any of our burger sauces (see related content) or your favorite toppings.

INGREDIENTS

• 1(2-pound) bone-in turkey thigh , skinned, boned, trimmed, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1tablespoon unflavored gelatin
• 3tablespoons low-sodium chicken broth
• 6ounces white mushrooms , trimmed
• 1tablespoon soy sauce
• Pinch baking soda
• 2tablespoons vegetable oil , plus extra for brushing
• Kosher salt and pepper
• 6large hamburger buns

INSTRUCTIONS

1. 1. Place turkey pieces on large plate in single layer. Freeze meat until very firm and hardened around edges, 35 to 45 minutes. Meanwhile, sprinkle gelatin over chicken broth in small bowl and let sit until gelatin softens, about 5 minutes. Pulse mushrooms in food processor until coarsely chopped, about 7 pulses, stopping and redistributing mushrooms around bowl as needed to ensure even grinding. Set mushrooms aside; do not wash food processor.
2. 2. Pulse one-third of turkey in food processor until coarsely chopped into 1/8-inch pieces, 18 to 22 pulses, stopping and redistributing turkey around bowl as needed to ensure even grinding. Transfer meat to large bowl and repeat two more times with remaining turkey.
3. 3. Return 1/2 cup (about 3 ounces) ground turkey to bowl of food processor along with softened gelatin, soy sauce, and baking soda. Process until smooth, about 2 minutes, scraping down bowl as needed. With processor running, slowly drizzle in oil, about 10 seconds; leave paste in food processor. Return mushrooms to food processor with paste and pulse to combine, 3 to 5 pulses, stopping and redistributing mixture as needed to ensure even mixing. Transfer mushroom mixture to bowl with ground turkey and use hands to evenly combine.
4. 4. With lightly greased hands, divide meat mixture into 6 balls. Flatten into 3/4-inch-thick patties about 4 inches in diameter; press shallow indentation into center of each burger to ensure even cooking. (Shaped patties can be frozen for up to 1 month. Frozen patties can be cooked straight from freezer.)
5. 5A. FOR A CHARCOAL GRILL: Open bottom vent completely. Light large chimney starter filled with charcoal briquettes (6 quarts). When top coals are partially covered with ash, pour evenly over half of grill. Set cooking grate in place, cover, and open lid vent completely. Heat grill until hot, about 5 minutes.
6. 5B. FOR A GAS GRILL: Turn all burners to high, cover, and heat grill until hot, about 15 minutes. Leave primary burner on high and turn off other burner(s).
7. 6. Clean and oil cooking grate. Brush 1 side of patties with oil and season with salt and pepper. Using spatula, flip patties, brush with oil, and season second side. Place burgers over hot part of grill and cook until burgers are well browned on both sides and register 160 degrees, 4 to 7 minutes per side. (If cooking frozen burgers: After burgers are browned on both sides, transfer to cool side of grill, cover, and continue to cook until burgers register 160 degrees.)
8. 7. Transfer burgers to plate and let rest for 5 minutes. While burgers rest, grill buns over hot side of grill. Transfer burgers to buns, add desired toppings, and serve.

zucchini

guacamole

the everlasting grilling process 

Israeli Couscous and Chickpea Salad

David mentioned that a few family members have asked him for some recipes recently so I am going to try to post our dinners to the blog more frequently.  Tonight we continue our exotic cuisine tour with Israeli couscous.  David's had a long week at work and is exhausted.  He hasn't said as much, but it is evidenced by the fact that he asked me if I would like to cook dinner tonight.  I can count on one had the times he's relinquished his reign of the kitchen and even then it is usually because I am baking.  Needless to say I was excited to be the head chef tonight.  Of course, David had preselected the meal and shopped for the ingredients.  Of course he also harvested the herbs from the garden and then chopped them for me exclaiming "we will be waiting all night if you chop that way", and of course he also pointed out that I burned the pine nuts and insisted I try again (I thought they were well-toasted) before he left for soccer.  I did the rest in the time since then and have it chilling in the fridge -- it passed my taste test but we'll have to see what the Iron Chef thinks when he returns from soccer.  My favorite components are the lemon juice and the toasted cumin in the dressing.  Also, as you can see in the photos, the couscous David bought wasn't whole wheat as the recipe calls for.

From the New York Times

 1 cup Israeli couscous, preferably whole-wheat

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup finely chopped cilantro

2 tablespoons chopped chives

1 ounce feta, diced

2 tablespoons pine nuts, lightly toasted

1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1/2 red pepper, cut in thin 2-inch slices

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon cumin seeds, lightly toasted and ground

Salt to taste

1/4 cup plain low-fat yogurt (or use half olive oil)

1/2 teaspoon Aleppo pepper or mild chili powder (more to taste)

1. Heat one tablespoon of the olive oil over medium-high heat in a medium saucepan and add the couscous. Stir until the couscous begins to color and smell toasty, 4 to 5 minutes. Add 2 cups water and salt to taste and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer 15 minutes, or until the couscous is tender. Drain if any liquid remains in the pan.

2. Transfer the couscous to a bowl and add the cilantro, chives, feta, pine nuts, chickpeas and red pepper.

3. In a small bowl or measuring cup, mix together the lemon juice, salt, cumin, remaining olive oil, yogurt and Aleppo pepper or chili powder. Toss with the couscous mixture. Refrigerate in a bowl or in containers until ready to take to work or eat.

Yield: 3 to 4 generous servings.

Advance preparation: This will keep for 4 days in the refrigerator.        

Indian Night!

David has spent the evening preparing a delicious Indian meal -- the kitchen smells fantastic!  All three recipes come from a cookbook I acquired in high school: Indian Cooking, by Madhur Jaffrey.  I'm uploading photos of the food while it is cooking; hopefully by the time I finish it will be ready to eat! 

Lentils with Spinach and Ginger
serves 6

200 g green lentils, picked over, washed and drained
750 ml water

Put lentils and water in saucepan and bring to a boil. Cover,
turn heat to low and simmer 1 hour.

6 Tbsp vegetable oil
1-2 hot green chile - or a pinch of cayenne - or no heat
1 tsp (I use 1 Tb) grated ginger
8 well-packed Tbsp chopped cilantro leaves
550 g (1 1/4lb) spinach, trimmed, washed, chopped 
2 tsp salt
freshly ground black pepper 
2 Tbsp lemon juice, or more

Put oil in big skillet over medium heat. When hot add chile &
ginger and stir-fry 10 seconds. Add cilantro and spinach and stir
until spinach is wilted. Add cooked lentils and salt. Mix &
bring to a simmer. Cover and cook on very low 25 mins. Stir in
pepper and lemon juice for a few mins. Serve in very big bowls.

Cauliflower with Onion and Tomato
1 medium onion, peeled and coarsely chopped
4 cloves garlic, peeled and coarsely chopped
A piece of ginger, 2 inches long and 1 inch wide, peeled and coarsely chopped
4 Tbsp water
1 large head of cauliflower
8 Tbsp vegetable oil
½ tsp ground turmeric
1 medium tomato, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 Tbsp chopped fresh green coriander (I actually left this out, and it was still good!)
1 fresh hot green chili, washed and finely sliced
2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp garam masala
2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp lemon juice (I just squeezed in a whole lemon)

1. Blend the onion, garlic, ginger and 4 Tbsp water into a paste.
2. Break the cauliflower into florets. Wash and drain.
3. Heat oil in a heavy bottomed 10-12 inch pot, over medium heat.
4. Pour in paste and add the turmeric. Fry, stirring, 5 minutes.
5. Add the chopped tomato, green coriander, and green chili, and fry 5 minutes. If necessary, add 1 tsp of warm water at a time to prevent sticking.
6. Add the cauliflower, coriander, cumin, garam masala, salt and lemon juice. Stir for 1 minute. 7. Add 4 Tbsp warm water, stir, cover and lower the heat. Allow to cook 35 minutes, stirring gently every 10 minutes or so.
8. The cauliflower is done when the florets are tender, with just a faint trace of crispness.

Lemony Chicken with Fresh Coriander 
2 1-inch cubes fresh ginger, peeled and coarsely chopped
6 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 pounds skinless chicken legs, drumstick and thigh separated
5 cloves garlic, very finely chopped
3 cups (7 oz) finely chopped coriander leaves
1 bird's-eye chili, very finely chopped (or serrano)
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander seeds
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
2 tablespoons lemon juice

1. Put the ginger and 1/4 cup water into a blender and blend into a paste. Set aside.

2. Place the oil in a wide, heavy, preferably nonstick pot over medium-high heat. When hot, add as many chicken pieces as fit in a single layer and brown on both sides. Remove them and continue until all the chicken is browned.

3. Add the garlic to the hot oil. As soon as it turns medium brown, turn down the heat to medium and pour in the ginger paste. Stir and fry for a minute. Add the fresh coriander, chili, cayenne, cumin, coriander seeds, turmeric and salt. Cook, stirring, for a minute. Add the chicken pieces as well as any juices that have accumulated. Add 2/3 cup water to the pot and the lemon juice. Stir and bring to a boil. Cover tightly, turn heat to low and cook for 15 minutes. Turn the chicken pieces over. Cover and cook for 10 to 15 minutes more, until chicken is cooked through.

4. Remove the chicken. If the sauce is too thin, boil some of the liquid away over a higher heat.
  
Serve with basmati rice.