This morning I enjoyed movement from thought to thought and subsequently through corresponding links on the Internet. Interestingly, stream of consciousness has become multi dimensional. From a “Busy Cooks” newsletter I receive I noticed a side note about a recipe being from an obscure 1950’s era cookbook written by a Minnesota radio personality, Joyce Lamont. Google informed me she was sort of the radio equivalent of Heloise/Abby/Martha. I’m fond of reading about daily life and values of that era. I’ve read David Halberstam’s book The 1950’s and yes, I understand that underlying the seeming simplicity there was at times dark complexity but I was raised by folks with down to earth sensibilities and who enjoyed the simple pleasures that were commonly found in small town America in the 1950’s. Have you ever attended a Moose Lodge Family Christmas Party? Santa arrived bearing gifts to the joy of every child there. Marshmallow-filled fruit salads, ham and potato casseroles, platters of turkey, bowls of shimmering cranberry sauce, spice cakes, chocolate cakes, pies piled high with merangue and pretty bowls of punch weighed down cloth covered tables. Coffee makers sat on the bar between the kitchen and the hall with those heavy, off white ceramic cups. And there is a vague memory of ashtrays and cigarettes fingered smoothly by cool fathers wearing pastel knit shirts with triangular designs and sometimes leather panels.
As I read about Joyce Lamont, a line about the subjects she covered read “how to open the stubborn jar”. For some reason my mind for a moment thought of a “psychological mechanism” an interesting way of approaching one’s emotional limitations. We all are stubborn about something. Some of what we are ungiving about may not be in our best interest, in fact may actually hold us back. What if we kept a “stubborn jar” in our imagination or in reality? Periodically we could unscrew the lid and give some thought to beliefs about which we may be unhealthfully ungiving and unwilling to examine. Stubborn, to me, indicates tightly holding unexamined beliefs or habits. Well, as I read further Joyce, it seems wasn’t quite so esoteric in her advice but the flight of my mind certainly shows where a multidimensional stream of consciousness may lead.
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Greek Indian Fusion, An Amazing Thanksgiving Hors d oeuvre
Thanksgiving morning, 7am and dark but not too cold. The November blast of winter in the western United States isn’t what they’ve made it out to be. I spent part of last evening making Spanikopita Indian Style. I adapted my Saag Paneer (Curried Spinach and Fresh Cheese) recipe. My periodic adventures into making Spanikopita have me keeping phylo dough in the freezer. I’ve loved making hors d oeuvre-sized Spanikopita. I fold them into 1" x 3" oblongs placing a dozen at a time in plastic containers and freezing. If you are going to do the buttery folding of working with phylo dough, always double the recipe, have containers ready for freezing and make a bunch. Once you are on a roll it gets smoother and is actually fun. It’s definitely something most people won’t make or think to buy. They make wonderful breakfast treats or impressive hors d oeuvres. I love to give them as gifts frozen and ready to bake. There is a disposable plastic container that holds a dozen. I tie one or two containers with a ribbon as gifts for friends or hostesses and they are always appreciated.
Lately on my quest for simplifying the preparation of delicious Indian dishes I’ve been refining Saag Paneer. I studied lots of different recipes and came up with a simple tasty version of my own that is delicious. My for-fun website on Simple Adventures with Indian Cuisine outlines the recipe and making it. https://sites.google.com/site/simpleadventuresindiancuisine/
Invited to sis-in-laws for Thanksgiving, my task is to make the hors d oeuvres. Of course I’ll bring the deviled eggs that are family tradition. The plate with brim with olives, pickled beets, dill pickles, and celery chunks with peanut butter. I wanted to bring a delicious Indian dish but the vegetables are covered. Last year I took an amazing Yam Curry (http://ourpastourfuture.blogspot.com/2008/11/aromatic-and-yummy-alternative-to.html) I kept thinking how I could expand my hors d oeuvres impressively with an Indian cuisine element. It occurred to me that the Saag Paneer without the cheese chunks would make an amazing, though different, spinach filling. So, yesterday afternoon I set about caramelizing an onion, stirring into it some garlic paste and spices and spinach then adding sour cream. I let the filling cool in the fridge and later began the phylo dough adventure.
My triangles look beautiful and I’m going to bake one for breakfast to see if my inspiration isn’t as brilliant as I think it will be. Traditional Spanikopita with spinach sour cream and feta cheese has an interesting, pleasant taste. I love them in the morning for breakfast. This Indian- inspired spinach filling will have more dimension with the blending of spices. I’m serving it with Mango Ginger Chutney for dipping. Trader Joe’s, an eclectic grocery chain out west, carries the chutney. I keep jars on hand for gifting and it’s perfect for dipping. My husband uses it, at times, as part of a cooking sauce for meat. It’s amazing in place of the mint jelly with lamb.
Lately on my quest for simplifying the preparation of delicious Indian dishes I’ve been refining Saag Paneer. I studied lots of different recipes and came up with a simple tasty version of my own that is delicious. My for-fun website on Simple Adventures with Indian Cuisine outlines the recipe and making it. https://sites.google.com/site/simpleadventuresindiancuisine/
Invited to sis-in-laws for Thanksgiving, my task is to make the hors d oeuvres. Of course I’ll bring the deviled eggs that are family tradition. The plate with brim with olives, pickled beets, dill pickles, and celery chunks with peanut butter. I wanted to bring a delicious Indian dish but the vegetables are covered. Last year I took an amazing Yam Curry (http://ourpastourfuture.blogspot.com/2008/11/aromatic-and-yummy-alternative-to.html) I kept thinking how I could expand my hors d oeuvres impressively with an Indian cuisine element. It occurred to me that the Saag Paneer without the cheese chunks would make an amazing, though different, spinach filling. So, yesterday afternoon I set about caramelizing an onion, stirring into it some garlic paste and spices and spinach then adding sour cream. I let the filling cool in the fridge and later began the phylo dough adventure.
My triangles look beautiful and I’m going to bake one for breakfast to see if my inspiration isn’t as brilliant as I think it will be. Traditional Spanikopita with spinach sour cream and feta cheese has an interesting, pleasant taste. I love them in the morning for breakfast. This Indian- inspired spinach filling will have more dimension with the blending of spices. I’m serving it with Mango Ginger Chutney for dipping. Trader Joe’s, an eclectic grocery chain out west, carries the chutney. I keep jars on hand for gifting and it’s perfect for dipping. My husband uses it, at times, as part of a cooking sauce for meat. It’s amazing in place of the mint jelly with lamb.
Saturday, October 9, 2010
Taking Fried Potatoes to a New Level on a Saturday Morning
It’s a hazy Saturday morning and I was in the mood to cook something. Fried potatoes sounded good, and I had some Russets on hand, but I wanted more complexity. I was in the mood to cook as well as eat. So, I hopped onto the Internet, typed fried potatoes + recipe into www.Bing.com and then started refining. I added + onions and + tomatoes.
My search came up with an interesting dish, seemingly Indian-like but with no Indian spices (it used metric measurements, maybe it was British as it had Malt vinegar and was baked in pastry.) It called for sautéed tomatoes and onions and crisp fried potatoes and sour cream wrapped in pastry pockets and baked.
The pastry part sounded a bit much, both the making and the extra carbs, but the mixture sounded good so I improvised and made a casserole.
The onion tomato mixture simmered up into the potatoes, and the sour cream tied it together. It has a creamy sweetness and would make a yummy breakfast casserole or side dish to a meat-based supper for folks who like good ole’ American food (sans the Mexican seasoning if they aren’t fond of cumin). It would be interesting to make again and experiment, replacing the Mexican seasoning with Indian spices and maybe frying some ginger with the onions and adding chopped cilantro.
My husband felt it tasted kind of like a creamy baked potato. I know my Mom and Dad and cousin Donna would have been game to try it with Mexican or Indian seasonings, but they would have loved it plain. It would have tasted like comfort food to them. Funny, there was never any thought of sauteing tomatoes with onion and certainly not adding tomatoes to fried potatoes in the foods of my growing up years. I love that I've learned about doing that from the Indian cuisine. (See cooking tip below)
Creamy Fried Potato Casserole
Ingredients:
1 large or 2 medium onions, chopped
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 14oz. can petite diced tomatoes, drained
2/3 of a 14oz. can black beans, drained
½ tablespoon Malt Vinegar
½ tablespoon brown sugar
½ teaspoon Mexican Seasoning, (if omitting this and add salt to taste or other seasonings you like.)
4 medium Russett potatoes, sliced thin with skin on (I sliced them by hand in 1/8" slices)
2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
Salt to taste
Paprika if desired
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Fry chopped onions in olive oil on medium until edges are browning.
Add tomatoes, beans, vinegar and sugar, simmer until thickened.
Remove from pan and wipe out or use an other pan.
Heat vegetable oil and add sliced potatoes (patted dry). Fry on medium high with lid on until they are getting brown and then turn to brown other side. Salt to taste.
When potatoes are done, place onion mixture in a buttered shallow casserole dish, top with potatoes and frost generously with sour cream. Top with paprika if desired.
.
Bake at 400 degrees for 10 min.
Cooking Tip:
Next time you are frying up some onions to use in fried potatoes or another dish, add some diced tomatoes. Chopped onions or onions and garlic fried up with some diced tomatoes are a great base with which to do lots of things. You can then add the mixture to fried potatoes, or toss in some other parboiled vegetables or meat and any spices you like.
With easy in mind, fry up some onion, garlic and tomato and freeze for a quick base that can turn leftovers into a quick casserole or sauteed dish.
1 large onion equals about a cup, I'd say two onions to 1-14oz. can of diced tomatoes drained.
My search came up with an interesting dish, seemingly Indian-like but with no Indian spices (it used metric measurements, maybe it was British as it had Malt vinegar and was baked in pastry.) It called for sautéed tomatoes and onions and crisp fried potatoes and sour cream wrapped in pastry pockets and baked.
The pastry part sounded a bit much, both the making and the extra carbs, but the mixture sounded good so I improvised and made a casserole.
The onion tomato mixture simmered up into the potatoes, and the sour cream tied it together. It has a creamy sweetness and would make a yummy breakfast casserole or side dish to a meat-based supper for folks who like good ole’ American food (sans the Mexican seasoning if they aren’t fond of cumin). It would be interesting to make again and experiment, replacing the Mexican seasoning with Indian spices and maybe frying some ginger with the onions and adding chopped cilantro.
My husband felt it tasted kind of like a creamy baked potato. I know my Mom and Dad and cousin Donna would have been game to try it with Mexican or Indian seasonings, but they would have loved it plain. It would have tasted like comfort food to them. Funny, there was never any thought of sauteing tomatoes with onion and certainly not adding tomatoes to fried potatoes in the foods of my growing up years. I love that I've learned about doing that from the Indian cuisine. (See cooking tip below)
Creamy Fried Potato Casserole
Ingredients:
1 large or 2 medium onions, chopped
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 14oz. can petite diced tomatoes, drained
2/3 of a 14oz. can black beans, drained
½ tablespoon Malt Vinegar
½ tablespoon brown sugar
½ teaspoon Mexican Seasoning, (if omitting this and add salt to taste or other seasonings you like.)
4 medium Russett potatoes, sliced thin with skin on (I sliced them by hand in 1/8" slices)
2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
Salt to taste
Paprika if desired
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Fry chopped onions in olive oil on medium until edges are browning.
Add tomatoes, beans, vinegar and sugar, simmer until thickened.
Remove from pan and wipe out or use an other pan.
Heat vegetable oil and add sliced potatoes (patted dry). Fry on medium high with lid on until they are getting brown and then turn to brown other side. Salt to taste.
When potatoes are done, place onion mixture in a buttered shallow casserole dish, top with potatoes and frost generously with sour cream. Top with paprika if desired.
.
Bake at 400 degrees for 10 min.
Cooking Tip:
Next time you are frying up some onions to use in fried potatoes or another dish, add some diced tomatoes. Chopped onions or onions and garlic fried up with some diced tomatoes are a great base with which to do lots of things. You can then add the mixture to fried potatoes, or toss in some other parboiled vegetables or meat and any spices you like.
With easy in mind, fry up some onion, garlic and tomato and freeze for a quick base that can turn leftovers into a quick casserole or sauteed dish.
1 large onion equals about a cup, I'd say two onions to 1-14oz. can of diced tomatoes drained.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Whipping Up A Quick, Delicious Indian Dish On A Busy Thursday Night
I was in the mood for an Indian dish and I had some thawed frozen peas that needed using. But…it was Thursday night and I have an early appointment. How to concoct an Indian dish quickly and with easy clean up.
Keeping our large electric frying pan handy and easy to use is great.
I was building the dish around my peas.
I quartered 5 red potatoes and boiled them till done but firm.
I rinsed and put away the kettle.
First the triad, I only had a large red onion (I’d never used red onions) I went ahead and chopped half of it. I took 1 inch of a fat piece of ginger, peeled and grated it. I crushed two large garlic cloves. I did my triad chopping, grating and crushing on the same flexible cutting board.
For some reason I had a lot of celery so sliced two stalks into thin diagonals onto the cutting board.
Measured into a small dish ½ teas. Garam Masala, ½ teas. Cumin powder, ¼ teas. chili powder.
When potatoes were done, I heated 2 Tablespoons of vegetable oil into which went
the triad: ginger, onion and garlic with the addition of the celery.
Sautéing that until soft I enjoyed the aromas. When soft, I added the spices and mixed well.
Into that I dumped a 16 oz. can of diced tomatoes. Then I stirred in the potatoes and the 2/3 of a 16 oz bag of frozen peas that need using.
Salting to taste, I let it blend for a bit on medium heat while I quickly washed the cutting board, and small spice dish.
Serving myself in a bowl I topped it with about 1 Tablespoon melted butter.
It is truly comfort food. The only trouble with this dish is I’m eating too much, three bowls! It was so tasty. You may not believe it, but the way the spices blended they were really subtle.
What a way to “get your vegetables” and use up leftovers.
Boiling the potatoes took the most time. So if planning ahead for some busy evening dinners you might boil the potatoes ahead.
I keep diced tomatoes on hand.
I was caught short on onions (usually have sweet on hand). But, the red onion worked fine.
I happened to have a lot of celery on hand thus wanted to use some and it was a great addition.
Instead of peas, I could have added frozen or parboiled sliced carrots, cauliflower, broccoli or other vegetables. I could have used left over vegetables of any type.
I like the texture of the potato pieces in this dish. Wow, I can't think of an American dish that pairs potatoes with tomatoes?
I enjoyed making this and only had a cutting board, a tiny bowl for the spices, the potato boiling pan and the frying pan to clean up.
I’ve placed the left over’s (lots) in a zipping bag glad to have found a way to use my peas. I'll enjoy this again tomorrow and I’ll deliver some to Mina, my friend from Goa. I know she will appreciate the treat as I’ve appreciated her lessons in this delicious, intriguing cuisine.
Here's the ingredient list
5 red potatoes, quartered
1/2 to 2/3 of a 16oz. bag of frozen peas, (frozen or thawed). 2 stalks celery
1 16 oz. can diced tomatoes
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil for frying
1/2 onion, chopped
1" piece of fresh ginger peeled and grated (or 1/2 to 1 teaspoon pregrated ginger).
2 large or equiv. garlic cloves
1/2 teaspoon Garam Masala
1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
Keeping our large electric frying pan handy and easy to use is great.
I was building the dish around my peas.
I quartered 5 red potatoes and boiled them till done but firm.
I rinsed and put away the kettle.
First the triad, I only had a large red onion (I’d never used red onions) I went ahead and chopped half of it. I took 1 inch of a fat piece of ginger, peeled and grated it. I crushed two large garlic cloves. I did my triad chopping, grating and crushing on the same flexible cutting board.
For some reason I had a lot of celery so sliced two stalks into thin diagonals onto the cutting board.
Measured into a small dish ½ teas. Garam Masala, ½ teas. Cumin powder, ¼ teas. chili powder.
When potatoes were done, I heated 2 Tablespoons of vegetable oil into which went
the triad: ginger, onion and garlic with the addition of the celery.
Sautéing that until soft I enjoyed the aromas. When soft, I added the spices and mixed well.
Into that I dumped a 16 oz. can of diced tomatoes. Then I stirred in the potatoes and the 2/3 of a 16 oz bag of frozen peas that need using.
Salting to taste, I let it blend for a bit on medium heat while I quickly washed the cutting board, and small spice dish.
Serving myself in a bowl I topped it with about 1 Tablespoon melted butter.
It is truly comfort food. The only trouble with this dish is I’m eating too much, three bowls! It was so tasty. You may not believe it, but the way the spices blended they were really subtle.
What a way to “get your vegetables” and use up leftovers.
Boiling the potatoes took the most time. So if planning ahead for some busy evening dinners you might boil the potatoes ahead.
I keep diced tomatoes on hand.
I was caught short on onions (usually have sweet on hand). But, the red onion worked fine.
I happened to have a lot of celery on hand thus wanted to use some and it was a great addition.
Instead of peas, I could have added frozen or parboiled sliced carrots, cauliflower, broccoli or other vegetables. I could have used left over vegetables of any type.
I like the texture of the potato pieces in this dish. Wow, I can't think of an American dish that pairs potatoes with tomatoes?
I enjoyed making this and only had a cutting board, a tiny bowl for the spices, the potato boiling pan and the frying pan to clean up.
I’ve placed the left over’s (lots) in a zipping bag glad to have found a way to use my peas. I'll enjoy this again tomorrow and I’ll deliver some to Mina, my friend from Goa. I know she will appreciate the treat as I’ve appreciated her lessons in this delicious, intriguing cuisine.
Here's the ingredient list
5 red potatoes, quartered
1/2 to 2/3 of a 16oz. bag of frozen peas, (frozen or thawed). 2 stalks celery
1 16 oz. can diced tomatoes
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil for frying
1/2 onion, chopped
1" piece of fresh ginger peeled and grated (or 1/2 to 1 teaspoon pregrated ginger).
2 large or equiv. garlic cloves
1/2 teaspoon Garam Masala
1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
Thursday, August 19, 2010
My New Favorite Sandwich
August is Sandwich month. Without knowing that, for last night's dinner, my husband came up with my new favorite sandwich. The varying flavors and textures had me craving more. In fact, I'm having a smaller, meatless version for breakfast. And to think vegetables aren't his favorite food!
He buttered and toasted 6" sections of a narrow crusty baguette.
He broiled Iserno brand Mild Italian Sausages keeping them whole.
In butter and white wine, he sauteed asparagus, red bell pepper, sweet onion and mushrooms.
To serve he slathered the toasted roll with guacamole. He placed a whole sausage on the roll and lightly melt a slice of Provolone cheese on top. He then topped it with the warm vegetables.
The crispness of the roll, the heartiness of the sausage and surprising sweetness of the vegetables all bound by a bit of cheese-it's a keeper and definitely one I'd serve to guests. It would allow you to please vegetarians, just leave off the sausage as I'm doing for breakfast.
My New Favorite Sandwich
Ingredients
one crusty baguette split in two lengthwise and sliced into 6" chunks
Ready made or fresh guacamole - We keep ready to go Wholly Guacamole in the freezer, you could use just fresh avocado spread onto the bread.
Deli thin slices of Provolone
Asparagus
Red Bell Pepper sliced into 1" strips
Sweet onion sliced into 1" strips
Sliced mushrooms
White wine (he used a sweeter white wine, a Riesling)
Butter
Instructions
Saute the vegetables in butter and white wine until soft.
Butter and toast the bread sections. (He used the toaster oven, they could be toasted under the broiler.
Broil the sausages until done.
Slather guacamole on the hot rolls. Place a whole sausage on each roll and a slice of Provolone. Melt with a quick slide under the broiler.
Top with the mixture of vegetables.
It looks gorgeous, has diverse flavors and textures that all flow together for a definite taste treat.
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Italian-Indian Fusion
A friend was giving away cookbooks so I took one titled Sicilian Vegetarian Cooking, by John Penza. I have to say, since my adventure into Indian cuisine, I’m interested in vegetable recipes. With respect to Italian cooks and Mr. Penza, the recipes in this book, seemed quite boring. Every other recipe had ¼ to ½ cup Italian Parsley, whoa, not a very exciting ingredient, at least to me. There was garlic, onion, tomatoes, wine, lots of cheeses and very few spices - tiny amounts of nutmeg, red pepper flakes and oregano. I did, though find a thorough discussion of how to cook polenta. That was followed by a recipe for polenta layered with cheese and a tomato, mixture. The seasoning for the tomatoes beyond garlic was 20 whole Basil leaves 1 teaspoon oregano and the ubiquitous Italian Parsley. I couldn't stop thinking about a recipe I have for an Indian Dahl that has tomato, onion, zucchini, green pepper, garlic, and ginger. It sings with flavor from garam masala and has the textural addition of yellow peas cooked with onion. I decided the polenta layered with cheese and my Tomato, Onion Zucchini Dahl might just be very exciting. As I was making the Dahl for a picnic, and needed an hors d oeuvre for the following evening, I doubled the batch and kept some for this idea.
I considered that there might be a correlate in Indian cuisine for polenta so I went searching in my Indian and Eastern cookbooks. An eye opener - Madhur Jafferey, a famous Indian cookbook author, wrote a 460 page Vegetarian cookbook of recipes from India and numerous other Far Eastern countries. In this huge volume of vegetarian recipes there were only 3 that contained corn. I called my Indian cooking mentor, Mina, to ask about what they would use similar to polenta and she offered, "It would be Semolina, we don't grow much corn." Wheat, I thought, hm. Then it hit me, that's Cream of Wheat! I had that in my cupboard. But, I decided, I wanted the rougher texture of the cornmeal for this recipe so decided to stick with my fusion idea. (Actually, Cream of Wheat was close but Indian markets sell a straight Semolina grain for cooking.)
On my quest for polenta, I dropped by Whole Foods which sells it in bulk. Treating the cooking of the polenta like I do my Indian dishes, I set aside some time, organized everything and took the time to make slow cooking polenta from scratch, stirring it for 30 minutes. I spooned it in 1/2' layers into a round casserole (a layer topped with plastic wrap, another layer more plastic wrap and a third layer) and popped it into the frdge to cool and thicken.
I discussed with my husband, a great cook, the best cheese to use. The Italian recipe called for Mozzarella. I wondered if maybe a stronger tasting cheese might meld better with the flavorful Dahl. Then there was the idea of using cottage cheese such as in lasagna. Our cheese larder currently has American cheese slices, grated cheddar, some smoked mozzarella (I bought it for a pasta salad but it’s too smoky and intrusive a taste, I decided), some Queso Fresco (a very bland Mexican cheese I bought for chilies relleno), some pepper jack cheese (a suggestion from my husband but maybe too intrusive, I’m thinking). I chose to go with color, cheddar against the whiter polenta. (For later versions I've used freshly grated Parmesan which is a great choice.)
It was fun, my first attempt at a fusion, Italian-Indian. On top of polenta I layered some Dahl then some cheddar cheese added another layer of polenta. On top of that, more Dahl, more cheese and topped with a third layer of polenta more dahl and grated cheddar to melt on top. I heated in the oven to meld all the ingredients and brown the cheese on top.
I served it in small wedges that tasted amazing. People couldn't stop eating it. I'm definitely making it again. If you have to make a meal for guests that include vegetarians, this would definitely impress everybody.
Tomato, Onion, Zucchini Dahl
(In Indian cuisine, “dahl”generally refers to a dish that
includes dried peas, beans or lentils)
Serves 8 (I
double it and freeze it in small portions) Ingredients
The Boiled Peas
8 oz yellow split peas (often available in bulk at natural food markets)
1 - 14 oz. can chicken stock, if more liquid is needed add water (vegetable stock for vegan)
1 small to med onion, coarsely chopped
(I leave out salt because of the salt in the stock)
The Vegetables
2 tablespoons oil1 teaspoon brown mustard seeds (at East Indian stores or natural food stores.)
1 inch piece fresh ginger root, grated (available fresh or in jars of ginger paste in supermarkets)
1 large sweet onion, coarsely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 green pepper, chopped coarsely
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 1/2 teaspoon garam masala (an Indian spice mixture available in bulk at natural food markets but is in most supermarkets)
2 6” zucchini, scrape the skin a bit leaving some green (I use a zester) and slice into 1/4” rounds
1 – 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes. (I like petite diced))
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
2 Tablespoon water
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Coarsely chop the onions. and separate into dishes ready to add.
Wash the split peas and place them in a saucepan with the
stock, the small chopped onion and some salt. Cover, bring to boil, then simmer
for about 25 minutes, until the peas are soft but still whole. Drain the soft,
but still whole, yellow peas. Set aside.
While peas are cooking, measure garam masala and turmeric in a small dish, and brown mustard seeds in another, ready to add.
Coarsely chop the green pepper and add to the large chopped onion. Slice the zucchini and place in a separate bowl ready to add. Crush the garlic and peel and grate or finely chop the ginger placing both on a plate or in a bowl ready to add.
Coarsely chop the green pepper and add to the large chopped onion. Slice the zucchini and place in a separate bowl ready to add. Crush the garlic and peel and grate or finely chop the ginger placing both on a plate or in a bowl ready to add.
Heat the oil in a large frying pan or wok, add the mustard seeds, cover and
fry briefly until they start popping (don’t let them burn).
Quickly add the large chopped onion, the ginger, garlic and green pepper
and fry gently for about 5 minutes.
Stir in the
turmeric and garam masala and cook for 1 minute, (the aroma will be amazing)
then add the zucchini, tomatoes, lemon juice, about 2 tablespoons water, and
salt and pepper to taste. Cover and simmer until zucchini has softened.
If serving as
a main dish, serve over basmati rice, or as a side dish with Nan bread (Trader
Joe’s Frozen Garlic Nan is a treat.)
Polenta
You can buy polenta in rolls ready made to slice into the layers. I like the process of the slow cooking process, it relaxes me.
Ingredients:
3 cups water
1 cup polenta (sold in bulk at places like Whole Foods and in bags in Safeway)
1 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons butter
Instructions:
Bring water with salt to a boil. Add Polenta in a thin stream whisking it in so it doesn't lump. Turn down to medium heat and whisk pretty regularly until thick and done 25 to 30 minutes. Butter the Casserole dish you will use, pour in 1/2 inch layer of polenta. Cover it with a sheet of plastic wrap. Pour in another 1/2 inch layer of polenta, top with another sheet of plastic wrap. Pour in a third 1/2 layer of polenta. Put in refrigerator to cool and thicken.
Extra polenta? Pour into buttered muffin tins, freeze then remove into zip sealed freezer bags and keep on hand for a new idea for spaghetti sauce or fry slices for a breakfast treat.
Polenta
You can buy polenta in rolls ready made to slice into the layers. I like the process of the slow cooking process, it relaxes me.
Ingredients:
3 cups water
1 cup polenta (sold in bulk at places like Whole Foods and in bags in Safeway)
1 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons butter
Instructions:
Bring water with salt to a boil. Add Polenta in a thin stream whisking it in so it doesn't lump. Turn down to medium heat and whisk pretty regularly until thick and done 25 to 30 minutes. Butter the Casserole dish you will use, pour in 1/2 inch layer of polenta. Cover it with a sheet of plastic wrap. Pour in another 1/2 inch layer of polenta, top with another sheet of plastic wrap. Pour in a third 1/2 layer of polenta. Put in refrigerator to cool and thicken.
Extra polenta? Pour into buttered muffin tins, freeze then remove into zip sealed freezer bags and keep on hand for a new idea for spaghetti sauce or fry slices for a breakfast treat.
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Amazing Cauliflower Curry
I had a head of cauliflower. It sat in the vegetable drawer begging for a chance to shine. I felt guilty and almost boiled it as my mother always had after which she would pop it in the oven topped with grated cheddar cheese. Now don’t get me wrong, I still love munching on cheesy cauliflower but my Indian cookbooks were calling me. “Celebrate that head of cauliflower! Let it play a staring role in an amazing mixture of partner vegetables, sauce and spices.”
OK, it didn’t take much prodding as it was late Friday afternoon and my husband was out on his own adventure. I had thought of making a tasty crock pot curry recipe I have, but then decided to get more adventurous. Looking over numerous recipes involving cauliflower I decided to whip up a curry involving potatoes. Many recipes involved half a cauliflower and I had a whole one so my curry amount grew and I was prepared with freezer bags for freezing some of my creation. Finding I didn’t have the potatoes (I thought I did), I hopped onto the dock and borrowed one from one neighbor and two from another. Dock living is like the neighborhoods used to be growing up in the 1950’s.
I put in a CD, Songs That Won The War, creating the 1940’s ambiance I love, donned an apron and set off on another Indian food adventure to honor my head of cauliflower. One recipe I used as inspiration was called Phulkopir Dalna or Bengali Cauliflower Curry. I grabbed my tub of Indian spices, looking forward to seeing into what tastes the mixture of spices called for would blend. I had them all and set about organizing the ingredients for easy combining.
I’ve learned that when a list of spices looks daunting, to take the time to prepare and mix the spices ahead in small dishes for easy additions. You then start cooking with a buffet of ingredients and bowls of spices ready to go.
Since I had a large head of cauliflower. I decided to double the recipe as I do often now leaving plenty for sharing with friends and neighbors and freezing for future meals. Thanks to my acquaintence, Deb Taylor Hough, I'm prepared for freeze portions of dishes I make for later, my fridge top freezer has numerous interesting choices these days.
First I trimmed and cut the cauliflower into flowerets and put them in a bowl ready to go.
I peeled and cut up the potatoes and put them in a bowl covered with water.
I opened two cans of petite diced tomatoes and drained the juice. Sans the juice two cans offered up two cups of tomatoes, perfect for the recipe. It called for fresh tomatoes but the canned blend in nicely.
Into a small bowl went the turmeric, chili powder and water. I used a glass bowl as the turmeric will color any surface it gets a chance to. For this first attempt at this recipe, I decided to use the amounts of spices called for. With so many spices in many Indian recipes, changing amounts and even types of spices can be done easily, but I’m learning about the subtleties of blending spices and so don’t vary too much with newer recipes.
I removed the seed from the cardamom pods placing them into a small cup with the cumin seeds, cinnamon stick and cloves.
In another small bowl I mixed the cumin powder and coriander powder.
I then took a 2 inch piece of frozen ginger from the freezer (always on hand and easier to peel and grate when frozen). I peeled it with a potato peeler and grated it with the small side of my box grater, (I have a small ginger grater but it had disappeared for some reason.) It grated to about a teaspoon more than called for and I used it all. I set the ginger aside with the cauliflower, potatoes and spice bowls.
Heating 2 Tablespoons of cooking oil in my electric frying pan, I began to brown the cauliflower. I thought about my Mother and how interesting she would have thought of the idea of frying cauliflower, something she, nor I, had ever done. It began to brown nicely on the edges and the aroma was earthy and delicious. I kept turning the pieces for 8 minutes and then removed them to a bowl.
I heated 2 more Tablespoons of oil I put in my potato chunks. More frying and turning as the potatoes browned. It was a pleasant afternoon, music regressing me to earlier times, the frying and turning was fun. I really attended to each piece for 8 minutes and then removed my resulting lightly browned potato pieces to their own bowl.
I loved seeing all my ingredients sitting neatly, ready to go. Cooking most American dishes, I can’t remember ever attending to preparing ingredients ahead of time like this.
In my frying pan with lid ( I have a stainless steel Faberware electric model that I love), I heated 2 more tablespoons of oil over medium heat. I then added the cumin seeds, cinnamon, cloves and cardamom seeds, sautéing for 2 minutes.
Next went in the turmeric mixture and 30 seconds more of sautéing.
In went the rest of the spices, coriander, cumin powder and ginger (moving the spices around vigorously) for 30 seconds.
Then I tossed in the browned cauliflower and potato pieces coating them well with the spice mixture. I reduced the heat to medium-low and continued to sauté the vegetables. The recipe suggested a little water, 1 tbsp at a time, to prevent burning. I didn't have to add much water and cooked the vegetables until they were semi cooked, about 6 to 8 minutes.
Then, I stirred in the tomatoes, salt and sugar. I covered the pan and cooked it until all was blended, about 5 minutes.
I added 1 cup of water, covered and cooked until vegetables were soft and a little liquid gravy remained, about 8 to 10 minutes.
Serving up a portion, I drizzled a little melted butter over top this dish and was in heaven. I am so amazed what Indian cuisine does with vegetables. For the first time I can understand how people can be vegetarian. What a celebration for my lowly little head of cauliflower!
Amazing Cauliflower Curry
(Plan to freeze the extra or share with a friend or neighbor)
6 tbsp oil, divided
1 large head cauliflower, cut into 1-1/4 inch pieces
2 large or 3 med. Russet potatoes, cut into 1-1/2 inch pieces
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 1-inch pieces cinnamon stick
10 whole cloves
10 cardamom pods (seeds from the pods)
3 tsp coriander powder
1-1/2 tsp cumin powder
6 tsp ginger, fresh grated (or paste available in jars in produce sections)
2 14-1/2oz cans diced tomatoes (drain the juice off)
2 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
Melted butter
(Natural food markets, like PCC in the Puget Sound area, often have all the spices needed in bulk. Smaller amounts stay fresher.)
Instructions:
In a skillet, heat 2 tbsp of the oil over medium heat. Add cauliflower and sauté, turning pieces to cook evenly, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove and set aside
In the same skillet, heat 2 tsp of oil over medium heat. Add potato and sauté, turning pieces to color evenly, 8 minutes. Remove and set aside.
In a small bowl, mix together turmeric and chili pepper. Stir in 6 tbsp water. Set aside.
In a small cup mix cumin seeds, cinnamon stick, cloves and cardamom seeds. Set aside.
In a second small cup mix coriander and cumin powder. Set aside.
Place the sugar and salt in a small dish.
Get the tomatoes ready to go, cutting into chunks if fresh.
Grate ginger and set aside
In a large frying pan with lid ( I used electric), heat remaining oil over medium heat. Add cumin seeds, cinnamon, cloves and cardamom seeds. Sauté for 2 minutes.
Add turmeric mixture and sauté for 30 seconds.
Add coriander, cumin powder and ginger and sauté vigorously for 30 seconds.
Add cauliflower and potatoes and mix well. Reduce heat to medium-low. continue sauté vegetables, adding water, 1 tbsp at a time, to prevent burning, until vegetables are semi cooked, 6 to 8 minutes.
Add tomatos, salt and sugar and mix well. Cover and cook until tomatoes are soft (if using fresh), about 5 minutes. Mash fresh tomatoes with back of spoon. (I drained most of the juice from two cans of petite diced tomatoes and used those tomatoes instead of fresh. It was perfect.)
Add 1 cup water. Cover and cook until vegetables are soft and a little liquid gravy remains, 8 to 10 minutes.
Drizzle melted butter or ghee over top. Serve hot with any Indian bread like fresh Nan.
The spices blend in this dish offering a complex and delicious taste without anyone spice overwhelming. Remembering the single vegetable side dishes of my youth, this dish takes vegetables to a sophisticated and interesting level.
(In the Seattle area Trader Joes has fresh Nan and a great frozen Garlic Nan you can keep I the freezer.)
Friday, June 18, 2010
Franco American Where Are You?
Truly Uh Oh, Spaghetti O’s. There’s been a recall of an American Classic for undercooked meatballs?! I don’t remember meat as a large component of Campbell's canned noodles of any shape.
http://www.q13fox.com/news/kcpq-061710-spaghettiorecall,0,3898855.story
Actually I can’t remember eating Spaghetti O’s specifically but, I’m certain they have the same sauce as a favorite of mine from my teenage years, Oh what was the name…Franco American Spaghetti. And, my husband piped up, "The Ravioli". Yes, I remembered that too. In my memory, they all had the same sauce, am I wrong? Guess in the 60’s they hadn’t perfected turning noodles into O’s.
Investigating my ol’ fav, Franco American Spaghetti I found another Uh Oh. Campbell's retired the Franco American brand name in 2004.
http://www.boston.com/business/articles/2004/11/18/uh_oh_franco_american_is_no_more/
http://www.q13fox.com/news/kcpq-061710-spaghettiorecall,0,3898855.story
Actually I can’t remember eating Spaghetti O’s specifically but, I’m certain they have the same sauce as a favorite of mine from my teenage years, Oh what was the name…Franco American Spaghetti. And, my husband piped up, "The Ravioli". Yes, I remembered that too. In my memory, they all had the same sauce, am I wrong? Guess in the 60’s they hadn’t perfected turning noodles into O’s.
Investigating my ol’ fav, Franco American Spaghetti I found another Uh Oh. Campbell's retired the Franco American brand name in 2004.
http://www.boston.com/business/articles/2004/11/18/uh_oh_franco_american_is_no_more/
Well, there's proof in this blog that I like healthy food but I also feel nostalgic for American Classics.
Friday, May 28, 2010
Soda Crackers, Those Ubiquitous Squares
Last night we had Trappey’s Navy Beans for supper. I don’t know if I could make a better tasting white bean soup, for sure not so fast. Two cans and some butter in a dish and microwave, serve with soda crackers. My husband likes to crush soda crackers in his soup. I like to butter some and eat them on the side.
Growing up in the 1950’s and 60’s soda crackers always seemed to be in the cupboard. Both my Dad and my husband’s Dad ate them crushed up in milk. Our Mom’s put them on top of scalloped corn and always crushed them up in meatloaf. I remember my Grandma loved to eat them with butter. I remember sitting with her in a Chinese Restaurant, where she buttered some of those crackers as an hors d oeuvre telling me how much she loved the taste. They were always around and must have been in my parent’s, and possibly my grandparent’s, cupboards when they were growing up. They must have been cheap. It seems they were one of the few store bought items in poorer homes. I just read The Glass Castle, a biography of a gal who grew up really poor. She mentioned having only soda crackers in the cupboard.
I put them in meatloaf, and crush them on top of scalloped dishes like my mom. I love them with butter like my Grandma and have been known to eat them topped with peanut butter and, once in a while, tuna fish. That, though, seems to be the extent of soda crackers for me. My husband won’t eat soup without them, though, so, as in the cupboards of my parent’s and grandparent’s, they are always there.
Hm, kind of a food heritage. I’ll have to think of other things that have been passed from generation to generation. That reminds me of the story of the newly married guy who asked his wife why she cut the ends off the ham when she baked one. “Because that’s the way my mother did it,” she replied. When inquiring of his mother-in-law as to why she cooked ham that way she replied, “That’s the way my mother baked hams.” When he finally had the opportunity to query his new grandmother-in-law about cutting the ends off hams she replied, “I didn’t have a pan large enough to hold a whole ham.”
Growing up in the 1950’s and 60’s soda crackers always seemed to be in the cupboard. Both my Dad and my husband’s Dad ate them crushed up in milk. Our Mom’s put them on top of scalloped corn and always crushed them up in meatloaf. I remember my Grandma loved to eat them with butter. I remember sitting with her in a Chinese Restaurant, where she buttered some of those crackers as an hors d oeuvre telling me how much she loved the taste. They were always around and must have been in my parent’s, and possibly my grandparent’s, cupboards when they were growing up. They must have been cheap. It seems they were one of the few store bought items in poorer homes. I just read The Glass Castle, a biography of a gal who grew up really poor. She mentioned having only soda crackers in the cupboard.
I put them in meatloaf, and crush them on top of scalloped dishes like my mom. I love them with butter like my Grandma and have been known to eat them topped with peanut butter and, once in a while, tuna fish. That, though, seems to be the extent of soda crackers for me. My husband won’t eat soup without them, though, so, as in the cupboards of my parent’s and grandparent’s, they are always there.
Hm, kind of a food heritage. I’ll have to think of other things that have been passed from generation to generation. That reminds me of the story of the newly married guy who asked his wife why she cut the ends off the ham when she baked one. “Because that’s the way my mother did it,” she replied. When inquiring of his mother-in-law as to why she cooked ham that way she replied, “That’s the way my mother baked hams.” When he finally had the opportunity to query his new grandmother-in-law about cutting the ends off hams she replied, “I didn’t have a pan large enough to hold a whole ham.”
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Yes, Spray Cheese Has A Role In Modern Society
“Ladies from the church were visiting”, my husband remembers, “my Mom came out of the kitchen with a tray. It held a plate of crackers and two cans of aerosol cheese; one was bacon flavored and the other regular. It was fascinating watching them chat away while spraying cheese onto those crackers.”
I have to say that more than one can of spray cheese crossed the threshold of my folk’s home as I grew up. Those cans with the plastic tube on top were a novelty--fun; my Mom saw that. My husband’s Mom and her friends probably saw that too. Oh, I’m sure there were ladies (alas, mostly ladies back then) who pulled off some beautiful cracker creations to impress and no one knew it was spray cheese.
My husband’s memories did pull up another time when his mother had carefully sprayed the cheese onto crackers and then topped each with either an olive, a pimento, a pickle slice or a slice of hard boiled egg. It looked pretty exotic to him and, he remembers, very tasty. What really stood out in that memory were some little cherry tomatoes on which she had made a criss cross with a knife and topped with a dab of Miracle Whip. Strange, he thinks he doesn’t really care for fresh tomatoes, yet, if they are served as hors d oeuvres they are some of his best food memories. I think the reason Miracle Whip sticks out in both our minds is that it was a “different taste”. Folks with chefs had the pleasure of tasty sauces and spreads made form scratch. Middle class folks loved the different tastes like Miracle Whip when they emerged. Today, we often have a small jar of Miracle Whip in the refrigerator but it seems only used on bologna sandwiches made with white bread and dill pickles. Yes, white bread. We were both raised intimately entwining our memories of bread with red and blue balloons.
Another different taste was those small juice glasses filled with a cheese pimento spread. My husband and I looked at ourselves, neither of us likes pimentos, but we have fond memories of that spread. Though not a favorite food, it was different tasting-interesting. I can say for certain that my mother never bought or cooked with one pimento in her life. I never had a bell pepper, fresh or roasted.
Our Moms wanted to have fancy looking tasty treats at times and they didn’t have a chef who would whip up a cheese spread and pipe it out of a pasty bag or whip out the double boiler to endlessly stir a creamy Hollandaise sauce. Plus, they realized how fun those cans of cheese were for their kids and they weren't so health conscious to deny that fun. So, any spray cheese snobs out there, my husband is an amazing gourmet cook, who’s written food columns for two print magazines. His exposure to spray cheese did not stunt his culinary maturing. We both retain an appreciation for the emergence of creative, easy to use and fun food items in the 50’s and 60’s.
I have to say that more than one can of spray cheese crossed the threshold of my folk’s home as I grew up. Those cans with the plastic tube on top were a novelty--fun; my Mom saw that. My husband’s Mom and her friends probably saw that too. Oh, I’m sure there were ladies (alas, mostly ladies back then) who pulled off some beautiful cracker creations to impress and no one knew it was spray cheese.
My husband’s memories did pull up another time when his mother had carefully sprayed the cheese onto crackers and then topped each with either an olive, a pimento, a pickle slice or a slice of hard boiled egg. It looked pretty exotic to him and, he remembers, very tasty. What really stood out in that memory were some little cherry tomatoes on which she had made a criss cross with a knife and topped with a dab of Miracle Whip. Strange, he thinks he doesn’t really care for fresh tomatoes, yet, if they are served as hors d oeuvres they are some of his best food memories. I think the reason Miracle Whip sticks out in both our minds is that it was a “different taste”. Folks with chefs had the pleasure of tasty sauces and spreads made form scratch. Middle class folks loved the different tastes like Miracle Whip when they emerged. Today, we often have a small jar of Miracle Whip in the refrigerator but it seems only used on bologna sandwiches made with white bread and dill pickles. Yes, white bread. We were both raised intimately entwining our memories of bread with red and blue balloons.
Another different taste was those small juice glasses filled with a cheese pimento spread. My husband and I looked at ourselves, neither of us likes pimentos, but we have fond memories of that spread. Though not a favorite food, it was different tasting-interesting. I can say for certain that my mother never bought or cooked with one pimento in her life. I never had a bell pepper, fresh or roasted.
Our Moms wanted to have fancy looking tasty treats at times and they didn’t have a chef who would whip up a cheese spread and pipe it out of a pasty bag or whip out the double boiler to endlessly stir a creamy Hollandaise sauce. Plus, they realized how fun those cans of cheese were for their kids and they weren't so health conscious to deny that fun. So, any spray cheese snobs out there, my husband is an amazing gourmet cook, who’s written food columns for two print magazines. His exposure to spray cheese did not stunt his culinary maturing. We both retain an appreciation for the emergence of creative, easy to use and fun food items in the 50’s and 60’s.
Monday, February 15, 2010
More Tacos - Quick & Delicious
I’ve been on a roll lately fixing tacos (see Tacos Extraordinaire post). Tonight I came up with a winning and very easy taco filling and have found some tantalizing new tortillas.
Fred Meyer is selling a delicious tortilla hybrid, a blend of corn and wheat. They are La Tortilla Factory Hand Made Style Corn Tortillas. They give you a corn tortilla taste with a texture of a flour tortilla and they are yummy.
Trader Joes sells chunks of ready-cooked pork called Carnitas that we love and keep on hand. For tacos tonight I fried up a package of it with onion, green pepper and some Mexican seasoning. Wow, a great taste.
Fast & Easy Pork Tacos
Ingredients:
1 package Trader Joes Pork Carnitas
1 med. sweet onion
1 green bell pepper
2 teaspoons Mexican Seasoning
Tortillas
Instructions:
Chop the onion and green pepper and fry in some oil until nearly caramelized. Stir in Mexican seasonings. Roughly cut up the pork and add to the seasoned onion and pepper; heat through.
Fry or microwave the tortillas and top with meat filling, fresh cilantro leaves, salsa and some sour cream.
(I even had some filling, cilantro, salsa and sour cream with out a tortilla and it was yummy.)
Fred Meyer is selling a delicious tortilla hybrid, a blend of corn and wheat. They are La Tortilla Factory Hand Made Style Corn Tortillas. They give you a corn tortilla taste with a texture of a flour tortilla and they are yummy.
Trader Joes sells chunks of ready-cooked pork called Carnitas that we love and keep on hand. For tacos tonight I fried up a package of it with onion, green pepper and some Mexican seasoning. Wow, a great taste.
Fast & Easy Pork Tacos
Ingredients:
1 package Trader Joes Pork Carnitas
1 med. sweet onion
1 green bell pepper
2 teaspoons Mexican Seasoning
Tortillas
Instructions:
Chop the onion and green pepper and fry in some oil until nearly caramelized. Stir in Mexican seasonings. Roughly cut up the pork and add to the seasoned onion and pepper; heat through.
Fry or microwave the tortillas and top with meat filling, fresh cilantro leaves, salsa and some sour cream.
(I even had some filling, cilantro, salsa and sour cream with out a tortilla and it was yummy.)
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Cranberry Carrot Slaw
I’ve made this salad often lately. I’ve discovered my “not so fond of vegetables” husband loves it and can’t stop taking bites of it. We don’t care for raisins so I use cranberries. I’ve made it with a chopped apple added and chopped nuts are a nice addition.
Cranberry Carrot Slaw
This slaw is so easy. What improves it is pickling the carrots “Vietnamese style” before adding the dressing. It adds and sustains a nice tang.
5 medium carrots, peeled and grated
¼ cup dried cranberries
Pickling step:
½ cup cider vinegar
1 Tablespoon sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
Stir until sugar and salt are dissolved.
Soak grated carrots in pickling brine for ½ hour then drain well.
Dressing step:
4 heaping Tablespoons Best Foods Mayonnaise
1 Tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons cider vinegar
Stir together until the sugar is dissolved.
Add the dressing and dried cranberries to the drained carrots. Mix thoroughly.
Salad Finger Food
Vietnamese spring rolls are certainly more complex but they do often use pickled carrots so I had some tapioca sheets and made some rolls.
Soak the tapioca sheet in a dish of water until it is soft. Lay on cutting board and put a tablespoon of the salad in the middle. Fold the sides up roll it. Makes the salad finger food.
Cranberry Carrot Slaw
This slaw is so easy. What improves it is pickling the carrots “Vietnamese style” before adding the dressing. It adds and sustains a nice tang.
5 medium carrots, peeled and grated
¼ cup dried cranberries
Pickling step:
½ cup cider vinegar
1 Tablespoon sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
Stir until sugar and salt are dissolved.
Soak grated carrots in pickling brine for ½ hour then drain well.
Dressing step:
4 heaping Tablespoons Best Foods Mayonnaise
1 Tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons cider vinegar
Stir together until the sugar is dissolved.
Add the dressing and dried cranberries to the drained carrots. Mix thoroughly.
Salad Finger Food
Vietnamese spring rolls are certainly more complex but they do often use pickled carrots so I had some tapioca sheets and made some rolls.
Soak the tapioca sheet in a dish of water until it is soft. Lay on cutting board and put a tablespoon of the salad in the middle. Fold the sides up roll it. Makes the salad finger food.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Tacos Extraordinaire
We were doing some shopping and came upon one of those "taco buses". The food was really tasty. We each had three tacos made with lightly fried corn tortillas filled with an option of fillings. I liked the lengua (tongue) tacos best. (I grew up with a family that made pickled tongue as a treat.) They had spicy shredded pork, ground beef, shredded beef, and a couple other options.
Across the street we saw Lupe's Tienda a great shop of ingredients for making dishes of Hispanic origin. Browsing it I came across the 4" corn tortillas that had been used for tacos on the bus. Buying a package of alot of them for under $1.50, I decided to make some tacos at home. What a great idea it was.
I went home and used a pound of hamburger to make some filling with onions, green pepper, Mexican Seasoning (there's a recipe on this blog with the Mexican Black Bean Stew & it can be purchased at most supermarkets.) and fresh cilantro. Keeping it in the refrigerator, for the next three nights we loved having "three-taco dinners". I fried up six of the corn tortillas in just a little oil and topped with fresh cilantro some filling, salsa and sour cream. Yum City! And, it was a meal my husband, who wants diversity and hates left overs, will eat every night of the week!
With plenty of tortillas in the refrigerator, the other night, we took a New York steak out of the freezer and defrosted it. My husband broiled it to medium rare and, after letting it sit to collect juices, chopped it into rough chunks. I chopped and fried up a large sweet onion and a green pepper and adding 2 teaspoons of Mexican seasoning to them, letting them caramelize. After frying the tortillas we topped them with fresh cilantro leaves, caramelized onion and green pepper, New York steak chunks, salsa and sour cream. Unbelievable! They looked so great and were so yummy that I forgot to take pictures before eating them.
They are not only tasty but what a ingredient stretcher these tacos are. One pound of hamburger lasted for more than three meals. It was such a delicious way to enjoy the steak, I look forward to doing it again (and I'll take pictures next time.)
Update: Whole chickens were on sale the other day so I bought and boiled one. I added a bunch of stir fried vegetables to the broth for some great vegetable soup and set about skinning and debonning the cooked chicken. I packed two Ziplock Brand freezer bags of meat and froze for later. That night I fried up an onion and green bell pepper adding chicken meat and Mexican seasoning. The taco shells filled with fresh cilantro, my chicken filling, plus a little salsa and sour cream were soooo delicious.
And...today I had a good sized chunk of left over lamb so I very coarsely chopped it in the food processor, fried up an onion and green bell pepper till they were soft then adding the lamb and three teaspoons of Mexican seasoning . Frying a bit to mix flavors I then cooled it and froze two bags of taco filling mix for later. After, of course, trying a couple tacos made with lamb filling, fresh cilantro and salsa. So good!
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