Super Easy Paprika and Spice Grilled Trout

Huge brook trout awaiting their fate!

As you may notice, I have been on hiatus from blogging, as well as cooking and musing about food because this spring we welcomed Matilda Mae into our lives and have been doing much more eating, feeding, and baby-cooing than cooking. Priorities have been focused on sleeping, drinking water, and just scrounging up something nutritious to eat rather than imagining up clever preparations or guilty pleasures. Raw veggies and store-bought hummus have been a staple in my diet these past few months and the only cooking I have done is using up fresh ingredients before they go bad but only if Daddy is around to care for our sweet precious. Such is the life of a new mother.  Every week I have been learning to accomplish a bit more than the last and I (now we) am(are) up and around NYC once again. Our little dumpling is turning 3 months this week and we are continuing to inch back into a routine of normal functioning (Our "new normal", that is!).

My in-house fisherman and future fisherwoman

My hard-working husband is finished for the semester with his intense MFA program and I am more than relieved to have him around and less stressed out. We have even made our way out of the city a few weekends and he finally got a fishing trip worked in after wishing for free time for months. We joined him, of course, so we could visit with family while we were up there.  Stream fishing is what he does and brook trout makes a regular appearance in my life and my kitchen. For years we just stuffed those suckers with onions and butter and grilled them (my husband's own recipe). We then began to beer-batter and fry them. Of course, that is tasty, but not the healthiest preparation and really greases everything up. Last week, when he and my father-in-law (also now known as PopPop) headed down to the stream, they returned home with 3 big ones and 1 really big one. Of course, I hadn't given any thought whatsoever to preparation and ended up improvising a not-so-basic marinade made of very basic ingredients I dug up in my in-laws' kitchen. This turned out so tasty I just made it again to finish off the rest of the trout for tonight.

Honestly, she seems more interested in the tutu than the fish...

?

This marinade would be great on all types of fin fish and also would perk up chicken breasts nicely. It also works into many different menus. You can serve it with Asian or Latin-inspired sides or with traditional American sides, too.  Happy grilling season!

Super Easy Paprika and Spice Grilled Trout

4-6 Trout fillets (with skin on if grilling, deboned as much as possible)

MARINADE:

1/2 t garlic powder

1 T sweet paprika

1/2 t ground cinnamon

1/2 t sea salt

1/2 t freshly ground black pepper

3 T extra-virgin olive oil

1 T white wine or red wine vinegar

2 T fresh lemon juice

1/4 c orange juice

1 T honey

Crushed red pepper to taste (opt.)

Rinse fillets well and lay out on a plate or platter in a single layer. In a small bowl, whisk together marinade ingredients and evenly pour over fish fillets. Sprinkle with crushed red pepper, if you like. 

Grill skin side down on high heat for 5 minutes and do not turn. Trout is too delicate and you will lose it in the grill. If you need to cook it inside, just broil on high with skin side down on a broiler pan lined with foil for easy cleanup.

Serve with a fresh lemon wedge.

Moroccan Lentil Vegetable Soup

Soup in progress!

As usual, I am reluctant to say goodbye to summer, but the darker skies and rain isn't always such a bad thing. After an exciting and very eventful summer and so far a ridiculously busy fall, a few days of rain and accepting that I've caught a cold is a great excuse to stay in and make soup.

Sprouted wheat with raisins, a perfect pairing

I bought the vegetables, broth, and tomato paste yesterday with the intention of making a classic American soup to soothe my sore throat, steam this cold out, and get some veggies down, especially since I'm eating for two now. I haven't been able to stomach any greens all week as this bug slowly started settling in. As I began to chop ingredients and toss them in the pot, I realized I wanted something with some flavor! I'm quite sure a Moroccan lentil vegetable soup in Morocco is nothing like this, but the spices are about right.  Despite my un-Moroccan combo of mirepoix, summer squash, and collards, this soup has a tangy, spicy Moroccan feel and and can fix up a boring soup recipe. If I had some winter squash, it would have gone into the pot in a heartbeat. Whole Foods had a gorgeous loaf of savory sprouted wheat bread that was woven with raisins and absolutely superb warmed up and served alongside this soup.

Enjoy a pungeant and flavorful pot of soup to welcome the first weekend of fall. This one is for the least adventurous to the most adventurous eaters. If you just aren't sure if Moroccan spices are your thing, then go light on them and keep the seasoning subtle. If you are feeling adventurous, go generous with the spices and cayenne. Welcome back, fall!

Typical spices combined for an exotic flavor blend!

Moroccan Lentil Vegetable Soup

3 T extra-virgin olive oil
3 T ghee (or more olive oil)

1 t ground turmeric
1 t ground cinnamon
1 t ground cumin
1/2-1 t cayenne pepper (or more)

1 t freshly grated ginger root
3 t freshly grated garlic cloves
2 medium onions, diced
4 stalks of celery, thinly sliced
4 medium carrots, thinly sliced
1 medium zucchini, sliced into 1/2 moons
1 medium yellow squash, sliced into 1/2 moons
6 crimini mushrooms, sliced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 1/2 cups dried brown lentils, rinsed and sorted
vegetable broth or water or a little of both
1  6 oz can tomato paste
1 small bunch collard greens, roughly shredded
juice of 1 large lemon
2 t sea salt, or to taste
freshly ground black pepper

Heat oil and ghee in a large soup pot over medium heat add spices, ginger, and garlic and cook for one minute, stirring and releasing their fragrance. Add onion, celery, carrot, zucchini, squash, mushrooms, bell pepper, and any other veggies you feel like throwing in (Save leafy veggies for the end.).Add 1 1/2 cups brown lentils

Stir and cook for about 10 minutes and coating them in the seasoned oil. Add vegetable and/or water to cover by 2 inches. I typically use a 32 oz. Tetrapak, then add water to cover, if needed. Add tomato paste and season with a little salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer partially covered for 30 minutes or so, until veggies and lentils are tender and seasonings have married. Add shredded collard greens, or other leafy green and cook on low for 5-8 more minutes until wilted and incorporated.

Finish generously with lemon juice, sea salt, and pepper. I'm insane and like to put plain organic whole milk yogurt on everything and this soup is no exception. If you are craving a cooling garnish, it is awesome!

Pumpkin Martinis!

Yikes! Is Thanksgiving only 3 days away?  Is it possible?  I guess it is.  There is Christmas stuff everywhere and I don't recall having eaten any pie.  Well, most people who are hosting Thanksgiving or bringing a dish most likely know what they are making by now.  Thanksgiving food is pretty traditional and doesn't usually veer off too far from the bare Thanksgiving basics of turkey, gravy, mashed potatoes, stuffing, and cranberries, though I've seen some pretty creative variations this year.  If you are looking for some classic recipes, last year I posted my favorite cranberry recipe, brussels sprouts recipe, Martha Stewart's stuffing, and a cranberry sorbet recipe to use up all of those leftover cranberries.  You can peruse them here.

I've been scanning my brain for new inspiration beyond what I'm doing for my clients today and tomorrow, and then I remembered!  My friend, Melissa's, Pumpkin Martinis!  Of course!  That is the ultimate addition  to a Thanksgiving gathering!  This is easy and delicious and could work for cocktail hour or dessert.  Mmmm. I've had them and can attest to their deliciousness.

Give them a try and be sure to have a thankful and delicious holiday!

yum. seriously.

Pumpkin Martinis

1 750 mL bottle vanilla vodka
1 30 oz can spiced pumpkin puree
6 cups milk
graham crackers
freshly whipped cream
nutmeg

Mix together, taste, and adjust. Pour into martini glasses and garnish with a dollop of whipped cream, a graham cracker, and a sprinkle of nutmeg.

Curried Pumpkin Bruschetta

Pumpkins in all colors!

It's that time of year again.  Pumpkin carving, autumn foods abound and a new winter squash idea is always useful.  Last night we went to our annual pumpkin carving party.  Every year we roast the seeds and also roast the pumpkin chunks that are popped out to snack on after the carving segment of the night.  This year I had tons of odds and ends to bring over for hors d'oeuvres since I had a busy cooking week and also had a photo shoot on Friday.  It was a last minute thought that turned out to be my favorite recipe of the season.

This year we did the seeds with butter and sea salt!

The inspiration here?  Pumpkin chunks and leftovers.  The result?  Curried  Pumpkin Bruschetta!  Utilizing extra bread, Indian-style pickled red onions from my last Indian food marathon, a dot of creme fraiche, and an even tinier dot of hot Indian chutney that our friend's grandmother sends us from India.  They were really beautiful and really, really tasty.  Unfortunately, no one captured them on camera in time then POOF they were gone.  A good sign, no?

Here is what I did.

Curried Pumpkin Bruschetta

about 2 cups pumpkin chunks, skin sliced off and pumpkin diced into medium-dice (about 1/3" chunks)
2 T extra-virgin olive oil
1 t honey

1/2 t ground cumin
1 t garam masala
1/4 t ground cinnamon
little dash of cayenne pepper
generous dash sea salt
freshly ground black pepper

1/2 ficelle or a few good bakery breadsticks sliced into 1/2" rounds
20 or so chunks pickled red onion (see below)
a few tablespoons creme fraiche (or plain yogurt)
Indian hot sauce or hot chutney

Preheat oven to 400 F.
Toss pumpkin chunks in a bowl with olive oil, honey, spices, salt, and pepper.  Spread out on a baking sheet and roast 20-30 minutes or until tender and slightly browned.

Arrange ficelle slices on a serving platter.  Mound about a tablespoon of roasted pumpkin chunks on each round.  You can smash the diced pumpkin together just a little so they stick a bit and stay on the bread.

Neatly top with a chunk of pickled onion, dot with creme fraiche, then put a tiny dot of hot chutney on top of the creme fraiche and serve!

Note for the pickled red onions:  I had them in my fridge and they work beautifully, but you could use small chunks of raw onion or follow these general instructions.

Simmer a diced red onion with vinegar, sugar/honey, a little salt, 1/2 jalapeno, and ginger matchsticks.  Cover and chill.

Tamarind Rice

Tamarind Pods

Well, it has happened again.  I am on an Indian food kick that can't be tamed.  I haven't actually bothered to cook any this week, but I have been eating it every chance I get and could seriously eat it at every meal if I allowed myself.  Last night I had a delicious black gram lentil dal and samosas.  It was the best dinner and so simple.  I  was just craving those deep, layered spices and the hearty lentil and bean mixture was the perfect vehicle.

Instant Tamarind!

Before I head out of town tonight for the more stoic cuisine of Cape Cod, I will give myself one more richly spiced food fix.  As usual, I headed to my trusty copy of American Masala, by Suvir Saran.  Tamarind Rice is an outrageously good side dish that would be a great accompaniment to an Indian meal, but it also would make a lovely side dish to a more classic American meal.  It pairs nicely with grilled veggies, fish, or chicken and is able to really liven up many menus.

According to Wikipedia, tamarind is an "indehiscent legume" sometimes called a pod, 12 to 15 cm (3 to 6 inches) in length with a hard, brown shell.  The fruit has a fleshy, juicy, acidulous pulp.  The tamarind is best described as sweet and sour in taste, and high in acid, sugar, and vitamin B  and, interestingly for a fruit, calcium.  If you have trouble finding the tamarind concentrate at your regular market, check an Indian spice store, Asian market, or specialty store. 

Tamarind Rice

Serves 8

1 tablespoon, plus 1 1/2 teaspoons tamarind concentrate

1/2 cup warm water

3 tablespoons canola oil

1/2 cup peanuts, roughly chopped

1 tablespoon mustard seeds

16 dried curry leaves, roughly torn (optional, but so good in this so try to get some)

6 dried red chiles

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

3/4 teaspoon turmeric

1 large red onion, quartered and thinly sliced

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon curry powder

7 cups cooked brown or white basmati rice, spread out on a baking sheet and cooled to room temperature

If you haven't done it yet, cook the rice and spread out on a baking sheet to cool.

Place the tamarind in a small bowl. and pour the warm water over it.  Whisk together until the tamarind is completely dissolved and set aside.  

Heat the oil, peanuts, and mustard seeds in a large skillet or pot over medium-high heat until mustard seeds begin to pop, 2 to 3 minutes.  Add the curry leaves, chiles, cumin, and turmeric and cook until the peanuts are golden, about 1 1/2 minuts.  Add the onion, salt, and curry and cook until the onion is dot, 4 to 5 minutes, stirring often (if onion begins to burn, turn the heat down).  Add the tamarind water and cook until the water is evaporated, stirring often for about 2 minutes.

Stir in the rice and cook until the rice is hot, about 2 minutes (if the rice was in the refrigerator it will take an extra 2 to 4 minutes to warm up), stirring once or twice to make sure nothing burns at the bottom of the pan.  Taste for seasoning and serve.

Chutney Barbecue Shrimp or Tofu

Here is an easy way to spice things up for the weekend.  With an Indian-inspired marinade, this dish is great for entertaining, but it's simple enough that you may want to keep it all for yourself.  It's a little spicy, a little glaze-y, and finished with lime.  Serve this over cilantro rice as an entree or wrap in strips of warmed naan as an appetizer.

With the sweet chutney base, this marinade makes it easy to char the edges if the shrimp and tofu without burning them.  It's exotic and summer-y and a great way to celebrate the weekend.

Chutney Barbecue Shrimp or  Tofu

2 lb large shrimp or about 25 oz baked tofu, cubed into 1-1 1/2" cubes (I like the Asian-marinated ones for this)

1/3 cup papaya or mango chutney
3 T yellow curry paste
1/3 tsp sea salt
1 tsp Indian hot sauce
Freshly ground black pepper
2 T virgin coconut oil
2 cup fresh or frozen peas
¼ cup chopped cilantro
3 T freshly squeezed lime juice


Clean and de-vein shrimp and rinse.  Let dry.  (Or cube baked tofu)

In a large bowl, whisk together chutney, curry paste, salt, hot sauce, and pepper.  Add shrimp and toss together.  If you have time, marinate for about 20 minutes in the fridge.

Heat grill or sauté pan to high.  Add coconut oil to pan or brush grill basket with oil.  Add shrimp and cook on high for about 2 minutes tossing and stirring, constantly. 

Add peas and cook until shrimp are done and everything is beginning to brown and edges are charring.  If you are grilling and the peas would fall through your basket, just give them a quick saute on the stove and toss together with shrimp or tofu at the end.

Remove from heat and transfer to a serving plate.  Top with chopped cilantro and lime juice.

Serve immediately!

Perfect with cilantro rice or fragrant yellow rice.

Out of Africa and Into my Kitchen

The truth is, I have been meaning to dive into learning the art of Ethiopian cooking for months. After my last Ethiopian entry I was completely enamored with the meal I had had at Ghenet in Brooklyn. I was so into it that I knew I needed a cookbook to start deciphering all those rich and colorful flavors. I did a bit of searching online and unwisely skipped the recommended Ethiopian cookbook, opting for The Africa Cookbook, which I thought I would benefit more from since the recipes featured are from all the African countries. Plus, it was much cheaper and I thought I was getting more bang for the buck. When will I learn??

The Africa Cookbook, by Jessica B. Harris isn't a bad book. It's actually quite interesting, offering lore, history, and tradition in the beginning and throughout the recipe sections. What it doesn't have is a collection of the fabulous, specifically Ethiopian dishes I have had a few times now and daydream about (I mean it, I really dream of these--It's so good.) It has not much at all regarding making your own injera bread. I assumed that since Ethiopian food is the most famous of African cuisines that it would be featured and highlighted more. Not so. While most of the recipes are interesting combinations of meats, fish, calabaza squash, peanuts, tomatoes, greens, and grains, that's all most of it is. Just braised stuff. No exciting spice blends, no exotic procedure to learn, and no perfectly seasoned gourmet African dish. Silly me. This book is actually authentic!

So, I surrendered to the book and chose two recipes, one beef and one vegetable and decide to try them out. I made them today so after a busy Thursday (tomorrow), we will have a good dinner ready to go. Well...here's how it went.

First off, I would like to say that the biggest thing I learned is that Ethiopian food is drastically different than most other African cuisines. The vegetable recipe I chose was Ethiopian, but the beef recipe was from Congo and had NO seasonings. I just had to add more salt, along with a few teaspoons dried ginger, some garlic powder, and some sweet paprika. I had to. They are seemingly "safe"additions that I thought I could add without totally de-Congo-ing the dish, but I probably did. I have no clue what people eat in the Congo.

The vegetable dish turned out great, but....it was an okra dish and I looked everywhere and could not find a fresh okra pod in Greenpoint to save my life. (I will be really annoyed if I see some tomorrow in Manhattan when I'm working.) Anyway, I substituted collard greens because I knew that they were also a common Ethiopian ingredient. What the hell, right?

So I followed the recipes with all of the above in mind, if you can even call that following the recipes. You know what? It's going to be a great meal. The veggies are so very simple and taste amazing. The beef needs to stew a bit longer tomorrow and I may add some cayenne and/or curry powder depending on how the flavors blend overnight. Not bad for a seemingly losing battle of incorrect African regions, lack of seasoning, and an okra-free Brooklyn.

Here are the recipes. If you try them and add something exciting, please post it!

a mound of ingredients awaiting their destiny

Ethiopian-Style Okra (or collards if you're me) OR Bamya Alich'A

4 cups young okra pods
1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/2 cups minced red onions
2 cups coarsely chopped, seeded peeled ripe tomatoes
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 teaspoons minced ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
2 jalapeno chiles, minced, or to taste


Wash and top and tail the okra, discarding any blemished or hard pods (or wash and spin your collard and roughly chop them ; ) Split each pod in half lengthwise. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan and cook the onions until they are light brown. Add the tomatoes and bring the mixture to a boil. Lower the okra, cook, uncovered, over low heat for 20 minutes, then add the chiles and continue to cook for 5 minutes. **Adjust the seasoning and remove from the heat. Serve hot or at room temperature.

**I added salt and extra cardamom and finished the dish with a healthy squirt of fresh lemon juice.
THIS IS REALLY GOOD!!

collards and beef stewing nicely

Mwambe Beef (Congo)
serves 4 to 6

3 lb beef, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons peanut oil (I used fragrant peanut oil--healthier and tastier!)
2 large onions, chopped
1/8 teaspoon habanero chile (I used 1/2 jalapeno)
7 medium-sized ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded, coarsely chopped (I used 1/2 fresh, 1/2 canned)
4 cups water


Rub the beef pieces with the lemon juice and salt. Heat the oil in a heavy stockpot or Dutch oven, add the beef and the onions, and cook until the onions are translucent and the beef is lightly browned. (Here is where I added ginger, garlic, and paprika. I think dried mint or cilantro and also some garam masala or a pinch of cloves would also be a nice addition--get creative.) Add the remaining ingredients, lower the heat, cover, and cook for 1 1/2 hours, or until the beef is fork-tender. Serve hot with white rice.

Simple Lentil Dal with Whole Cinnamon, Cardamom, and Cloves

Today I want to feature my new favorite cookbook author. Suvir Saran is the chef of Michelin starred restaurant Devi and author of Indian Home Cooking and American Masala. Both cookbooks make using exotic spices and preparing Indian food straightforward and absolutely perfect every time and are a great learning experience for the novice home cook-- even for those who feel intimidated by exotic recipes

Indian Home Cooking is filled with authentic recipes that one may find in the kitchen of an Indian grandmother. Truly, everything I have tried out of this book has put the cuisine of most Indian restaurants to shame. I don't know whether his techniques are his own or a regional Indian style, but I was surprised at how little oil he uses. He doesn't use much ghee at all. In most recipes, there is just a few tablespoons of canola oil. His recipes' flavors come from the frying of the spices and layering them with skill, not by dolloping extra ghee into the pot. The result is fragrant, rich, and contains "the aromas of the ages", as stated by one of my clients. He takes the mystery of out the layered spices and fragrances of this richly woven cuisine and makes the flavors accessible to all.

American Masala is an equally fantastic book that offers recipes of Indian food altered for the American palette, American-inspired Indian food, and Indian-inspired American food (if you can believe that!). A few examples from this book are Spicy-Sweet Chicken Wings that use honey and garam masala, Tamarind-glazed Meatloaf, and Stir fried Carrot Salad which has cilantro, lime, coriander, and cumin.

An important thing to note for both cookbooks is the importance of "gathering your mise". The recipes are simple and easy to follow, but you MUST have your ingredients ready/measured/chopped/pureed. I like to take a few prep bowls and prep each grouping of ingredients together before I start cooking anything, so when the recipe says to quickly add seven ingredients (or something like that), they are ready to go. This prevents most mishaps such as burning your spices and makes the preparation virtually fool-proof.

Check your supermarket for the spices and even for things like tamarind paste and mango powder(although for some things he suggests easier to find substitutions, if needed). It's really not that hard to find this stuff. There are some great spice stores online, too. If you live in NYC, head to little India in Jackson Heights, Queens (E, V, R to Roosevelt Ave.). Patel Bros. is amazing. In Manhattan, there is Spice Corner and Kaluystans.

I will keep cooking my way through these books and when I'm done, I will most likely start over and do it again. This food is just that good. Well, here is a teaser recipe. Get ready. Before long, you, too, will be totally immersed in this guy's food.

Simple Lentil Dal with Whole Cinnamon, Cardamom, and Cloves
from Indian Home Cooking, by Suvir Saran

1 1/2 Tablespoons canola oil
1 1-inch piece cinnamon stick
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
3 whole cloves
4 green cardamom pods
1 cup pink lentils, picked over, washed and drained
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
4 cups cold water
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

Tempering Oil
1 Tablespoon canola oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, mashed to a paste
1 Tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 fresh hot green chile, minced

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Juice of 1/2 lemon or lime


Heat the oil with the cinnamon stick in a large saucepan or kadai over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring, until the cinnamon unfurls, 1 to 2 minutes.

Add the cumin, cloves, and cardamom and cook, stirring, until the cumin turns a golden brown color, about 1 more minute. Add the lentils, turmeric, water, and salt. Bring to a boil and skim well, Turn down the heat and simmer, covered, until the lentils are soft, 20 to 30 minutes. Add more water during cooking, if necessary. Taste for salt and add more if you need to.

Ladle about 1/2 cup of the lentils into a small bowl and mash them with a spoon. Return the mashed lentils to the pot and give the dal a stir. Continue cooking at a simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes to thicken. If you like a thicker dal, use a whisk to break up the lentils into a puree. If you like a thinner dal, add water. Remove the cinnamon stick.

For the tempering oil, heat the oil in a small saucepan or kadai over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until it just begins to brown around the edges, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic paste, ginger, and minced chile and cook just to mellow the raw taste of the garlic, 10 to 15 seconds.

Stir half of the tempering oil into the dal along with half of the cilantro and all of the lemon or lime juice. Simmer very gently for 5 minutes Transfer the dal to a serving bowl, pour the remaining tempering oil over the top, and sprinkle with the remaining cilantro. Serve hot.

Tagine Cookery

Looking for a yummy break from takeout and holiday shopping mayhem this week? Hit the spice store on your way home and make a tagine for dinner.

A tagine is a Moroccan/North African dish and also the traditional Moroccan cooking vessel that it is cooked in. Also used in other North African and Turkish cookery, a tagine can be rice, couscous, lentil, vegetable, or meat based and simmered with dried fruit, spices, and nuts. There are many Moroccan and Turkish cookware websites featuring cooking tagines. There are also lots of common stores that carry them. Stores like TJMaxx and Marshall's often carry them at fantastic discounts and top brands such as Le Creuset are making tagines now, too.

Most likely, you can find one at a good price. Here are some links if you feel like browsing. Some of these are so gorgeous! I have also included some spice store links in case you have a hard time finding spices or get inspired and need something exotic. You will probably find the spices for the recipe below in your regular grocery store.

Tagines, Recipes, and Resources:
http://www.tagines.com/
http://www.zamourispices.com/tagines
http://www.africantreasures.com/tagines/default.asp?gclid=CIf4xs2Yw54CFQk75QodY3Nunw
http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/search/search.aspx/tagine/?order_num=-1&sstr=tagine&dim=1&nty=1&


Spices:
(In New York, also mail order) --two of my favorite stores!
http://www.kalustyans.com/
http://www.spicecorner29.com/
(In Chicago, also mail order)--never been here, but it looks great! Any feedback, Chicagoans?
http://www.thespicehouse.com/
(In St. Louis, also mail order)--never been here either, Thoughts and feedback welcome!
http://www.myilaaka.com/business.jsp

I got nothing for LA or San Fran--if any of you Californians know anything, please post it!


The difference between cooking with a tagine and cooking in a regular Dutch oven or casserole is the conical shape of the lid. As the dish heats, the hot air circulates within, blending the flavors and simmering all of together to create delectable and complex results. (Almost an early version of the CrockPot...just in a clay vessel... over a fire.) Most tagines can also be cooked over medium heat on the stove, covered, and then transferred to the oven. Even the terra cotta or clay styles are usually tempered for various uses. Check your instructions first. You may have to soak or "season" in the oven before the first use.

If you are not up for the investment, but want to do the recipe, it will work fine in a Dutch oven or covered casserole. You may have to cook it a bit longer and/or stir it once for even cooking.

If you decide to tagine along with me, I hope you find it brings you lots of joy. An excellent buy if you like to entertain, they look fab as serving dishes too!

Here is a rice tagine I made tonight for dinner after dealing with shopping crowds at Herald Square. I just threw everything in and waited for the timer to ding. I combined a few different tagine recipe into one and got this. I served it with Coriander-Lemon marinated Chicken and Flounder Fillets. If you want to, you could actually put meat or fish right into the uncooked rice and liquid just before it goes in the oven. You want authentic? That's authentic!

Spiced Brown Rice Tagine
Digging around my spice shelf, I came across some Utah Basin semi-coarse salt with fragrant spices, so I used that. C'est Magnifique!

1 cup chopped onion
4 T extra virgin olive oil
2 t sea salt
1 t turmeric
2 t garam masala
2 t ground coriander
2 t sweet paprika
1/2 t ground cumin
3/4 cup brown basmati rice
1/2 cup chopped raw cashews
1 cup frozen peas (frozen or thawed)
1/2 cup dried currants

1 1/2 cups water
2 T sweet paprika pepper puree (found in a tube in Mediterranean stores) or use 2 T paprika
1 bay leaf

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint



Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.

Cook onion on low heat with olive oil salt, turmeric, garam masala, coriander, paprika, and cumin for 15 minutes, or until onion is translucent and spices are becoming fragrant.

Add rice, cashews, peas, and currants and stir until evenly distributed. Cook three minutes.

Add water and pepper puree or paprika, and bay leaf and bring to a bold simmer. Add cilantro and mint.

Cover and bake in the oven for about 50-60 minutes, until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender.
You should check it at 30 or 40 minutes to see if water is absorbed. If it looks dry and rice is still hard, add another 1/2 cup or so of water.

Serve with meat or veggies. I like serving with a bunch of crushed red pepper or harissa.

Chili, Chili, Chili

I have never in all of my life made the same pot of chili twice. I love Tex-Mex seasonings, ingredients, and flavors so much that there is no possible way that I could dislike a well-made pot of chili. Whenever I am in the mood for some, I dig through the pantry and usually find a theme to base that pot of chili on. Whether I find a can of chipotles in adobo sauce, powdered ancho chiles, black beans, or tomatillos, I usually get inspired and base all the other ingredients around it.

Chilis almost always have a few base ingredients in common. They start with onions, garlic, and peppers (sometimes bell peppers, sometimes poblano or spicy chiles). From there they could have ground meat, shredded pork, fish, beans of many varieties, tofu, veggies, or almost any other savory morsel you can come up with. If it's seasoned right, it will probably turned out tasting good.

Often chilis are red and tomato based. I love these, but also appreciate green chilis which are tomatillo-based and white chilis which have neither and are typically white bean-based and simmered with chicken, hot chiles, and other various pale ingredients.

I like to use a good amount of garlic in my chili. The flavor marries with the other seasonings, mellows, and really rounds out the aroma. Chopped fresh or garlic powder are both good and lend different notes to the pot.

Other herbs and spices that I love to use in various combinations are:

Ground Cumin
Sweet Paprika
Smoked Paprika
Good old Fashioned Chili Powder
Cayenne Pepper
Dried Chipotle or Ancho Chile Powder
Cocoa Powder
Dried Thyme or Oregano (sounds weird but a GREAT chili seasoning along with cumin--see Pork Chili Verde recipe below)
Dried and/or Fresh Cilantro
Smoked Sea Salt
Lime juice/Lime zest

**By the way, "chile" is a type of pepper and "chili" is the stuff you eat with a spoon.**


Here are two recipes that I often use as base ideas for the chilis I invent. They are both excellent as written, but when you add your own twists, the chili recipe will be all yours. After all, who doesn't love homemade chili with a secret ingredient?

Three-Bean Chili

This one is a classic tomato-based chili with traditional red chili seasonings and kept vegetarian. If you are looking for a meaty red chili, use this as a starting point and brown beef and/or chicken and add them when you add the beans.

¼ c extra-virgin olive oil
2 medium onions, diced
2 large green peppers, seeded and diced
3 lbs chopped roma tomatoes
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeno, minced (remove seeds for less spicy)

3 T sweet paprika
3 T chili powder
2 t ground cumin
Cayenne to taste
Sea salt
Black pepper
1 t smoked paprika (optional)

1 15.5 oz can black beans, rinsed
1 15.5 oz can kidney beans, rinsed
1 15.5 oz can pinto beans, rinsed
1 28 oz can diced tomatoes (regular or fire-roasted)

Optional, but yummy topping:
Grated cheddar cheese
Shredded lettuce


Heat oil in a large pot. Cook onions, peppers, tomatoes, garlic, and jalapeno over medium heat for about 10 minutes.

Season with spices, salt, and pepper. Stir and cook 3-4 more minutes.

Add beans and canned tomatoes.

Cook for at least an hour and up to 3 hours over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, tasting, and adjusting seasonings as you go. Serve with shredded lettuce and grated cheddar on top!

Pork Chili Verde
This one takes all day to cook, but is so worth it! The prep is basic, then it goes into a low oven for 5-6 hours.

Also, chicken or a white bean and potato combo works really well if you are looking for something a little healthier than the authentic pork version. Keep the seasonings the same and reduce the cooking time to 3 hours.

4 T chopped garlic
2 t ground cumin
2 t sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
6 springs of fresh thyme
3-4 cups diced onion

3-4 lb pork butt or shoulder (with bone)
Extra virgin olive oil

3 green peppers, diced and seeded
8 cups tomatillos, removed from papers, washed,roughly chopped (canned is okay, use the juice!)
a large handful/about 1/2 bunch cilantro, washed and roughly chopped
2-4 jalapenos, washed and minced

2 jars Recaito (Goya makes one in jars or tubs in the freezer section)*
1 cup dry white wine
2 t ground cumin
about 4 cups water or chicken broth


Preheat oven to 250 degrees.

Combine garlic, cumin, salt, and pepper. Rub pork with seasoning, using all of it. Press thyme sprigs into sides of meat. It's okay if they don't stick well. They just need to get into the pan and brown with the meat.

Heat oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add pork, thyme, and diced onions. Brown all sides of the pork, about 7 minutes per side. Stir onions around occasionally if they are browning fast.

Transfer meat, onions, and thyme to a deep roasting pan when meat is nicely browned.

Evenly distribute prepped green peppers, tomatillos, cilantro, and jalapenos over and around meat. Add recaito, wine, cumin, and water or broth. You want the liquid the mostly cover the veggies and go up about 2/3 of the meat so depending on your roasting pan, you may need more or less liquid.

Roast in the oven, covered, for about 2 hours. Uncover and roast 2-3 hours more or until meat is very tender. You may want to occasionally check in with the veggies and give them a stir. You can also flip the meat halfway through if you so desire. If it gets very dry and things are charring a lot, you can add more water or broth.

When it's done, remove the meat from the veggies and liquid carefully and place in a large bowl or on a large cutting board. Let cool for 30-60 minutes.

Remove thyme stems or other unwanted stuff from the mix and discard. Shred meat with a fork and/or clean hands and transfer back in to the pan. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Serve warm with fresh tortillas.

*If you cannot find recaito, substitute a mild or medium green salsa/salsa verde.

OR

If you're feeling surly, here is an authentic recaito recipe I just copied and pasted from recipezaar.com. The extras can be frozen and used to make enchilada sauce or other Mexican concoctions!

RECAITO

• 1 medium Spanish onion, cut into big chunks
• 8 garlic cloves, peeled
• 6 ajies dulces, hot peppers, cored, seeded, and cut into chunks or 1 cubanelle pepper, cored, seeded, and cut into chunks
• 4 leaves culantro (if you can't find culantro, increase the amount of cilantro by half)
• 1 cup packed fresh cilantro, stems and all, coarsely chopped

Directions

1. 1

   Place the onion and garlic in the work bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade.

2. 2

   With the motor running, add the remaining ingredients, one at a time and process, until the mixture is smooth.

3. 3

   Set aside the amount you need for the recipe you're preparing.

4. 4

   Pack the remaining recaito in ½-cup portions in sealable plastic bags and store in freezer.

Sara's Cranberry Chutney

Here is an elegant version of cranberry sauce. It's a make-ahead dish to spice up your Thanksgiving table that is quick and easy. My friend, Sara, introduced me to this 7 or 8 years ago and it's become a Thanksgiving staple for me and lots of my clients. It's called a "chutney", but is really great eaten on it's own as a side salad, as well. The orange pieces with peel still on make this taste as though you have spent hours cooking it. They turn sweet and almost candied fast as they simmer with the sweeteners and spices.

Since you leave the skin on the orange, it's wise to get an organic one, if possible. If you can't find a good organic one, be sure to wash your orange really well.

Sara’s Cranberry Chutney

2 c cranberries
1 apple, chopped
1 orange, chopped and seeded (skin on)
½ c walnuts
1 tsp Cinnamon
1/4 tsp Cloves
1/2 tsp Ground Ginger
A little nutmeg
½ c OJ, freshly squeezed
½ c raisins or currants (I like to mix currants and golden raisins)
1/2 cup maple syrup
Dash of agave nectar, to taste

Bourbon (about 1/4-1/3 cup)--a big splash
2 Tbsp butter (optional--this is my addition)



Simmer all ingredients together except for the bourbon and 1/2 cup of the cranberries on medium-low heat about ½ an hour till cranberries start to pop. Stir frequently.
Add a big splash of bourbon and reserved cranberries and cook just a few minutes more, just until some of the alcohol cooks off.

You can add 2 tablespoons of butter at this point--this is my addition and not part of the original recipe. It's good either way. Let cool and serve right away or chill until the big meal.

Remove from refrigerator and let sit about an hour before serving--serve room temperature.

Carrot Cumin Soup

Here is a recipe that I love from "Bartlett's Ocean View Farm Cookbook" (yes, the one on Nantucket) The recipe was contributed by the chef and owner of Ship's Inn. It is easy to make and really, really good. . . you can serve it warm or chilled. Enjoy!

Cold Carrot Cumin Soup

serves 6
I am providing the original recipe, but my variations are in parentheses.

4 Tbsp vegetable oil (or extra-virgin olive oil)
3 cups sliced onion
7 cups rough chopped carrot
2 cups white port wine
8 cups chicken stock or broth (I use a vegetable broth)
1 1/2 Tbsp ground cumin
sea salt and black pepper to taste
(I also like tossing in a dash of garam masala and garnishing with chopped cilantro)
(I add a little bit of hot sauce or cayenne pepper, too)
fresh basil for garnish
plain yogurt for garnish


1. Caramelize onions in oil by cooking over medium-low heat until soft and beginning to brown slightly.
2. Add carrots and cumin and continute to caramelize until carrots start to soften.
3. Deglaze mixture with white port and reduce by half.
4. Add chicken broth and cook until carrots are very tender. Puree and chill.
5. Serve with chiffonnade of basil (or cilantro) and a spoonful of plain yogurt.
(or serve warm with same garnishes)

Yummy, healthy, and exotic!

Austin Baked Beans

Want to show up at the picnic or barbeque with baked beans that have been taken to a whole new level? These have some Texas-style twists in the seasoning and are truly outstanding. They are sure to impress the whole crowd.


To honor the great Sheila Lukins who passed away this week, this is an adaptation of one of her recipes. Sheila was an influential chef and food writer who co-wrote The Silver Palate series of cookbooks and authored three of her own, including U.S.A. Cookbook, which is where this particular recipe has been adapted from.

Her recipe for "Austin Baked Beans" is delectable, but to accommodate the health conscious and lighten up the dish without sacrificing flavor, I have modified it by omitting the bacon, pork, and ham from the original recipe. To replace the savory, smoky, salty sweet effect that they offer, I have added some seasoning changes.

Be sure to allow plenty of time to make this recipe. I like doing it a day ahead, so I can be sure the beans will get plenty of cooking time. If you are in a rush, you can buy canned beans, but you still must allow 2-3 hours to bake them in the sauce. It's worth it , I promise. These are iNsAneLy good!

Austin Baked Beans

1 lb dried navy beans (or 4 cans?)
3 T butter
1 large onion, diced
1 large green bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 large red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1-28oz can diced tomatoes, drained with tomatoes in a bowl and reserved juices in another
2 T minced garlic
1 jalapeno, minced (I leave the seeds in so it's spicier. You can de-seed the pepper to keep it mild)

1 cup natural ketchup
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup dark molasses
1 T worcestershire (use a vegetarian one like Annie's if you are feeding a veg crowd)
2 t dry mustard
1 t thyme
1 T smoked chile powder (smoked paprika, chipotle powder, or whatever somewhat mild smoky seasoning you have)
2 T smoked sea salt (if you have some--if not you can compensate with smoked chile powder)

2 Granny Smith apples, cored and diced small
sea salt to taste



Pour beans into a bowl and fill with water. Sort through, discarding any pebbles or debris, and place beans in a large pot. Fill with water and soak overnight or 6-8 hours. You can do the "quick soak method" written on the package, if you need to. If you have decided to use canned beans, drain and rinse and skip ahead to the next step.

After beans have soaked, drain and fill pot with water again. Boil 45 minutes, or until beans are tender. Skim off any foam as they boil and discard it. Drain and set aside.



Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Melt butter in a large pot and cook onion and peppers about 10 minutes, until browned a little bit. Add tomatoes (not reserved juice), garlic, and jalapeno and cook 5 more minutes. Add drained beans to the mixture.

Add all remaining ingredients except for apples, reserved tomato juice, and plain sea salt. Stir to combine, bring to a simmer, and taste for sweetness and smokiness. Adjust seasonings according to your own tastes. I like the sweetness and smokiness to be dominant at this point. The seasonings will blend and mellow as it cooks and you can adjust the salt at the end.

Transfer to a large casserole dish, cover, and bake in the oven for 2 hours. After this, you can move on to the next step, but not finish baking the last hour if you are taking it to a potluck. The last hour of cooking can be done as you reheat.

Remove from oven and stir in the apples and reserved tomato juice. Taste for salt and spice; adjust. Uncover and bake for 1 more hour.

If you are planning to bring these to a barbeque, transfer the beans to a grill-safe dish (such as cast iron or disposable aluminum). If there is ample grill space, heat and finish with the last hour of baking on the grill. It will really send the flavor over the top! Enjoy your last summer barbeque of 2009! Beanlicious!

Gazpacho with Gusto!

Gazpacho is another one of my warm weather faves. There are so many recipes for this delicious cold soup. This season alone, I have come across or tasted so many different kinds.

Some people have an aversion to gazpacho because it is a cold soup. Do yourself a favor and give it another try. Really. Don't raw veggies in the form of greens, toppings, and dressing get old? Basically, gazpacho is a liquid salad. If this is you, remember, if it's done well, it is a healthy, gourmet delight and you will enjoy it very much : P Puh-lease try it again. . .

Here are some gazpachos that I have seen on menus and/or tried this summer:
Pineapple-Ginger Gazpacho, Watermelon Gazpacho, Chunky Gazpacho, Creamy Gazpacho, Tomato Basil Gazpacho, Cucumber Dill Gazpacho, Southwestern Black Bean Gazpacho, Golden Tomato Gazpacho, Spicy Gazpacho, White Gazpacho, Orange and Mint Gazpacho

Okay, I'll stop.

Here are my two favorites of this summer and every summer before since I discovered these. But, alas, after listing all of those delectable sounding dishes, I may have to break out of my rut before gazpacho season ends and try something new.

Here are my two favorite gazpacho recipes!

CHUNKY GAZPACHO
adapted from The South Beach Diet cookbook
**I am not promoting this diet, but I ended up having a client who insisted I use the recipes and I found this one to be very tasty after I made a few adjustments.

2 1/2 cups all natural tomato juice or tomato juice blend (if you must use V8, use low sodium)
1 cup finely diced tomatoes
1/2 cup celery, diced very, very small
1/2 cup cucumber, diced very, very small
1/2 cup green bell pepper, diced very, very small
1/2 cup minced scallions
1 T freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 T white wine vinegar
3 T extra-virgin olive oil
1 T minced garlic
4 T finely minced parsley
1/2 t sea salt
1 t worcestershire sauce
Freshly ground black pepper


In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients.

There is a lot of chopping involved so just start tossing the veggies into the bowl as you chop and measure them.

Mix together with a large whisk or spoon. Taste and season with lemon, salt, and pepper.

Let rest at least 10 minutes before serving. This keeps for five days in the fridge and makes a great healthy weekday lunch.

Green Gazpacho

1 1/2 lb tomatillos, papery skins peeled, then washed and quartered
1 green pepper, seeded and roughly chopped
1 1/2 c choppped cucumber (about 1 average cucumber)
1/4 c fresh parsley
1/4 c fresh cilantro
3 T freshly squeezed lime juice
1 T freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 ripe avocado (halved, pitted, and scooped from it's skin)
2 T garlic, peeled and chopped
1 t sea salt
2 t ground cumin
1 r ground sweet paprika
1 T minced jalapeno, or other hot chile
splash of white wine vinegar
1 t agave nectar or honey
1/2 c water
3 T extra-virgin olive oil


You will need two large mixing bowls.

As you chop and measure, toss ingredients into one mixing bowl until all ingredients are prepped.

In a food processor or blender, blend in batches until smooth and transfer to second bowl.
When finished, stir together and taste. Season with salt, spice, and lemon.

Serve with tortilla chips and/or sour cream and hot sauce for a snack or light lunch. This lasts about five days in the fridge.