Spanish Tortilla (NPR)
Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
1 cup olive oil
1 medium white onion, chopped
6 white or red boiling potatoes, about 2 pounds, peeled
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
4 eggs
Method
1. Slice the potatoes crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick pieces and place in a large bowl. With a cotton cloth or paper towels, dry the slices well.
2. Pour the olive oil into a 9-inch, nonstick pan (preferably with slanted sides) and heat over high setting for two minutes, until almost smoking. Add the potatoes carefully (to minimize splattering oil) so they cover the bottom of the pan. Cook for 7 minutes over medium heat then add the onions, spreading them over the potatoes. Cook for 10 minutes, or until the potatoes turn golden (do not let the onions burn). Remove from heat and let cool for several minutes.
3. With a slotted spoon, transfer the potatoes and onions onto several layers of paper towels. Reserve the oil in a container.
4. In a large bowl, beat the eggs. Add the potato mixture and stir gently. Season liberally with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Let sit for 5 minutes.
5. Wipe out the pan and add 1 tablespoon of the reserved oil. Place the pan over high heat. When oil is extremely hot but not smoking, add the egg mixture. Cook for 30 seconds, gently shaking the pan to distribute the mixture. Reduce heat to medium and cook for about 10 minutes, or until the surface is nearly cooked but still runny.
6. Remove pan from heat and let sit for 2 minutes. Place a large plate over the pan. Holding the handle of the pan in one hand and the plate in the other, flip the omelet quickly and remove the pan. (If you are unsure of this, slip the omelet, semi-cooked side up, onto a plate, then cover with another plate and flip).
7. Add another tablespoon of oil to the pan over high heat for 1 minute. Gently slide the tortilla, semi-cooked side down, into the pan. Cook for 1 minute. Slide the tortilla onto a warm platter.
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Spanish Tortilla (Food Network site)
Cook Time:40 min
Level: Intermediate
Yield: about 28 pieces, depending on how it is cut
Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds russet potatoes (about 2 medium)
Extra-virgin olive oil, for frying (about 4 cups) See Cooks Note
2 medium onions, thinly sliced (1 1/2 pounds)
4 teaspoons kosher salt
10 large eggs
Serving suggestions: sliced chorizo, roasted pequillo peppers, or crumbled goat cheese or Sofritto, recipe follows
Directions
Peel and thinly slice the potatoes. Soak slices in water for 10 minutes. Drain and dry completely in a salad spinner. Meanwhile, pour enough olive oil into a large saucepan so it's about an inch deep. Heat over medium heat until a slice of onion bubbles gently when placed in the oil, about 310 degrees F. Add the onions and fry, stirring occasionally until just golden, about 8 minutes. Scoop the onions from the oil with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper-towel lined baking sheet.
Add about half of the potatoes, and fry until lightly golden and a little puffy, about 10 minutes. Scoop the potatoes from the oil, add to the onions. Repeat with the rest of the potatoes. Reserve the oil. Season the vegetables with 3 teaspoons of the salt. (The preparation of the vegetables can be done up to 2 hours ahead.)
Break the eggs into a large bowl. Whisk just enough to combine but not so much that they get loose and runny, about 15 times. Add the vegetables and remaining 1 teaspoon salt.
Heat a medium (10-inch) nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of the reserved oil and heat. Add the tortilla mixture and stir briskly with a spatula to get peaks and valleys in the folds of the egg, about 2 to 3 minutes. Stop stirring and reduce the heat to low, cover and cook until the eggs are set but still pretty loose, about 5 minutes. Lay a flat pan lid or a plate on top and invert the tortilla. Add more oil to the pan if needed, and slide the tortilla back into the pan, cover and finish cooking until set and lightly brown, about 3 minutes more. Slide the tortilla out of the pan to a cutting board to cool slightly.
Cut into cubes or thin wedges and serve warm or room temperature as is or with 1 of the suggested toppings.
Cook's Note: Yes that's a lot of oil. But you can reuse it for other tortillas and in sauces, dressing or salads. It has a wonderful onion-y flavor that is great tossed on roasted potatoes or chicken.
Copyright 2007 Television Food Network, G.P. All rights reserved
We love this as a topper to grilled bread, with cheese, or as an alternative to cocktail sauce with shrimp or other seafood.
Sofrito
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 onions, finely chopped (3 1/4 cups)
1/2 teaspoon sugar
4 teaspoons kosher salt
6 ripe plum tomatoes (about 1 pound)
1/2 teaspoon pimenton
Bay leaf
Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and sugar and half the salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until golden and sweet, about 1 hour. If the onions begin to get really brown, add a splash of water to slow them down.
Meanwhile, cut the tomatoes, crosswise. Grate them on the cut side on the largest holes of a box grater into a bowl all the way down to the skins. Discard skins. Add tomato puree, pimenton and bay leaf to the caramelized onions, and continue to cook until quite thick and the tomato separates from the oil, about 10 to 15 minutes more. Season with the remaining salt or to taste. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
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Egg and Potato Chip Tortilla
Recipe by Ferran Adria
Tortillas de patata, fluffy potato omelets cooked on both sides, are among Spain's signature dishes. Ferran Adrià is particularly proud of his inspired use of potato chips as a fast, easy alternative to the fried potatoes. Spanish cooks might use fresh chips from a churreria (a shop specializing in fried crullers), but thin supermarket chips like Lay's are a good substitute.
Wine pairing: A simple white with good acidity and no oak is ideal for balancing the salty ham. Look for the 2002 Cune Monopole Blanco or a dry cava such as Juvé Y Camps Brut Nature.
TOTAL TIME: 10 MIN
SERVINGS: 2
FAST
INGREDIENTS
4 large eggs
Two 1-ounce bags of potato chips, coarsely crushed (2 cups)
2 tablespoons finely chopped Serrano ham
2 tablespoons finely chopped piquillo peppers
Freshly ground pepper
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
DIRECTIONS
Preheat the broiler and position a rack 8 inches from the heat. Beat the eggs in a medium bowl. Transfer half of the beaten eggs to another bowl, stir in the crushed potato chips and let stand until slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Add the remaining beaten eggs, Serrano ham and piquillo peppers and season with pepper.
In a small nonstick ovenproof skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the egg mixture and cook over moderately high heat until the bottom is set and golden, about 3 minutes. Transfer the skillet to the broiler and broil for about 2 minutes, or until the top of the tortilla is golden and the center is slightly jiggly. Slide the tortilla onto a plate, cut in quarters and serve.
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Dal Recipes
Kali Dal
Serves 4
250 gms urad dal, soaked overnight (about 1 1/4 cups)
5 tsp ginger paste
5 tsp garlic paste
4 tsp tomato puree
1 tsp chilli powder
100 gm butter, salted (about 3/4 cup)
Salt to taste
Wash the urad lentils thoroughly after they’ve soaked overnight. Stick in the pressure cooker and bring to a boil with two pints of water, roughly reaching about two inches above the lentils.
Lower the flame so that it is still boiling gently. Add the ginger, garlic, tomato puree and chilli powder.
Now stick the lid on, click to shut and wait until the weight starts rotating and hissing. You have to lower the flame to a point where the weight just about keeps rotating and hissing from time to time. This means the pressure is right (listen to me… new born pressure cooker user!!).
Give it about 20 minutes. Then slowly release the steam by lifting the weight with a logn handled spoon. When all the steam escapes, you can take the lid off.
Because we didn’t use much water, the lentils will be cooked but quite dry. Add hot water to make it thick but runny in consistency, chuck in the butter and add salt to finish.
The dal is very tasty and very rich. Enjoy it with bread of some sort – nan, paratha or rotis.
Serves 4
250 gms urad dal, soaked overnight (about 1 1/4 cups)
5 tsp ginger paste
5 tsp garlic paste
4 tsp tomato puree
1 tsp chilli powder
100 gm butter, salted (about 3/4 cup)
Salt to taste
Wash the urad lentils thoroughly after they’ve soaked overnight. Stick in the pressure cooker and bring to a boil with two pints of water, roughly reaching about two inches above the lentils.
Lower the flame so that it is still boiling gently. Add the ginger, garlic, tomato puree and chilli powder.
Now stick the lid on, click to shut and wait until the weight starts rotating and hissing. You have to lower the flame to a point where the weight just about keeps rotating and hissing from time to time. This means the pressure is right (listen to me… new born pressure cooker user!!).
Give it about 20 minutes. Then slowly release the steam by lifting the weight with a logn handled spoon. When all the steam escapes, you can take the lid off.
Because we didn’t use much water, the lentils will be cooked but quite dry. Add hot water to make it thick but runny in consistency, chuck in the butter and add salt to finish.
The dal is very tasty and very rich. Enjoy it with bread of some sort – nan, paratha or rotis.
Vietnamese Recipes
Lemongrass Pork with Vietnamese Table Salad
Bon Appétit | June 2005
yield: Makes 4 servings
Ingredients
Dipping sauce
* 3/4 cup hot water
* 5 tablespoons fish sauce*
* 3 1/2 tablespoons sugar
* 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
* 2 Thai bird chiles with seeds or 1/2 jalapeño chile with seeds, minced
* 1 garlic clove, minced
Pork
* 6 green onions (white and pale green parts only), chopped (about 1/2 cup)
* 3 tablespoons chopped lemongrass*
* 2 tablespoons soy sauce
* 1 tablespoon golden brown sugar
* 2 teaspoons fish sauce
* 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
* 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
* 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 pounds boneless pork loin chops (each 1/3 to 1/2 ich thick)
Salad and noodles
* 1 small English hothouse cucumber, halved lengthwise, thinly sliced crosswise
* 1 baby pineapple, peeled, halved, thinly sliced or 1/2 small pineapple, peeled, cut into 2 wedges, cored, thinly sliced
* 2 cups bean sprouts
* 1 cup fresh Thai basil leaves
* 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
* 1 cup fresh mint leaves
* 20 fresh green shiso leaves
* 1/2 cup finely shredded carrot
* 1 8- to 9-ounce package dried rice vermicelli noodles
* 3 heads of butter lettuce, cored, leaves separated
Preparation
For dipping sauce:
Mix all ingredients in small bowl. Season sauce to taste with salt. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.)
For pork:
Mix first 6 ingredients and 2 tablespoons oil in 11x7-inch glass dish. Add pork chops to marinade, turn several times to coat evenly, then crowd together in single layer. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours.
For salad and noodles:
Arrange cucumber, pineapple, bean sprouts, all herbs, and carrot around edge of large platter. (Can be prepared 2 hours ahead. Cover; chill.)
Cook noodles in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender and turning white, separating often with tongs, about 4 minutes. Drain. Arrange in center of platter. Mound lettuce leaves in large shallow bowl.
Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Brush grill rack with remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Grill pork with marinade still clinging to meat until slightly charred and cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes per side, depending on thickness. Transfer pork to cutting board. Let rest 10 minutes.
Cut pork crosswise into 1/3-inch-wide strips. Place pork and any juices from board atop noodles. To serve, fill lettuce leaves with pork, noodles, herbs, and vegetables. Serve with sauce for dipping.
Vietnamese Lemongrass Marinade
Ingredients:
1/4 cup Lemongrass, chopped (4-6 stalks) or 1/4 cup Dried lemongrass or 6 Strips lemon zest
3 Garlic clove(s) minced (1 tbs)
2 (to 3) shallots minced (3 tbs)
2 Serrano, jalape=A4o or Thai chilies, minced
2 tsp Brown sugar or to taste
3 tbl Fish sauce
3 tbl Lime juice
1 tsp Vietnamese or Thai hot sauce or chili oil or Tabasco sauce
How to cook :
Cut off the top 2/3 of each lemongrass stalk, trim off the outside leaves and roots, and slice the core thinly.
Puree the lemongrass, garlic, shallots, chilies, and brown sugar to a fine paste.
Work in the fish sauce, lime juice, and hot sauce.
Marinate fish or thinly sliced poultry or beef for 1-2 hours, turning once or twice.
Makes enough for 1-2 pounds seafood, poultry, or meat.
Bon Appétit | June 2005
yield: Makes 4 servings
Ingredients
Dipping sauce
* 3/4 cup hot water
* 5 tablespoons fish sauce*
* 3 1/2 tablespoons sugar
* 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
* 2 Thai bird chiles with seeds or 1/2 jalapeño chile with seeds, minced
* 1 garlic clove, minced
Pork
* 6 green onions (white and pale green parts only), chopped (about 1/2 cup)
* 3 tablespoons chopped lemongrass*
* 2 tablespoons soy sauce
* 1 tablespoon golden brown sugar
* 2 teaspoons fish sauce
* 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
* 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
* 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 pounds boneless pork loin chops (each 1/3 to 1/2 ich thick)
Salad and noodles
* 1 small English hothouse cucumber, halved lengthwise, thinly sliced crosswise
* 1 baby pineapple, peeled, halved, thinly sliced or 1/2 small pineapple, peeled, cut into 2 wedges, cored, thinly sliced
* 2 cups bean sprouts
* 1 cup fresh Thai basil leaves
* 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
* 1 cup fresh mint leaves
* 20 fresh green shiso leaves
* 1/2 cup finely shredded carrot
* 1 8- to 9-ounce package dried rice vermicelli noodles
* 3 heads of butter lettuce, cored, leaves separated
Preparation
For dipping sauce:
Mix all ingredients in small bowl. Season sauce to taste with salt. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.)
For pork:
Mix first 6 ingredients and 2 tablespoons oil in 11x7-inch glass dish. Add pork chops to marinade, turn several times to coat evenly, then crowd together in single layer. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours.
For salad and noodles:
Arrange cucumber, pineapple, bean sprouts, all herbs, and carrot around edge of large platter. (Can be prepared 2 hours ahead. Cover; chill.)
Cook noodles in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender and turning white, separating often with tongs, about 4 minutes. Drain. Arrange in center of platter. Mound lettuce leaves in large shallow bowl.
Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Brush grill rack with remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Grill pork with marinade still clinging to meat until slightly charred and cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes per side, depending on thickness. Transfer pork to cutting board. Let rest 10 minutes.
Cut pork crosswise into 1/3-inch-wide strips. Place pork and any juices from board atop noodles. To serve, fill lettuce leaves with pork, noodles, herbs, and vegetables. Serve with sauce for dipping.
Vietnamese Lemongrass Marinade
Ingredients:
1/4 cup Lemongrass, chopped (4-6 stalks) or 1/4 cup Dried lemongrass or 6 Strips lemon zest
3 Garlic clove(s) minced (1 tbs)
2 (to 3) shallots minced (3 tbs)
2 Serrano, jalape=A4o or Thai chilies, minced
2 tsp Brown sugar or to taste
3 tbl Fish sauce
3 tbl Lime juice
1 tsp Vietnamese or Thai hot sauce or chili oil or Tabasco sauce
How to cook :
Cut off the top 2/3 of each lemongrass stalk, trim off the outside leaves and roots, and slice the core thinly.
Puree the lemongrass, garlic, shallots, chilies, and brown sugar to a fine paste.
Work in the fish sauce, lime juice, and hot sauce.
Marinate fish or thinly sliced poultry or beef for 1-2 hours, turning once or twice.
Makes enough for 1-2 pounds seafood, poultry, or meat.
Lebanese Recipes
Lebanese Potato Salad
Dressed with a tangy lemon vinaigrette and fresh mint, this invigorating—and dairy-free—potato salad makes the perfect summer potluck contribution.
From EatingWell magazine, May/June 2007. D
SERVES 8 , 8 - 2/3 cup servings (change servings and units)
Ingredients
* 2 lbs russet potatoes (about 3 medium)
* 1/4 cup lemon juice
* 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* fresh ground pepper, to taste
* 4 scallions, thinly sliced
* 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
Directions
Place potatoes in a large saucepan or Dutch oven and cover with lightly salted water. Bring to a boil and cook until tender, 25 to 30 minutes.
Drain potatoes and rinse with cold water. Transfer to a cutting board. Let cool for 20 minutes. Cut the cooled potatoes into 1/2-inch pieces.
Whisk lemon juice, oil, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add the potatoes and toss to coat.
Just before serving, add scallions and mint to the salad and toss gently.
Make Ahead Tip: Prepare through Step 2; cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Add additional lemon juice and/or salt to taste.
Lemon Salad Dressing
Ingredients
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup mild extra-virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon kosher salt
ground black pepper to taste
Directions
In a medium bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper. Stir just before serving.
Amount Per Serving Calories: 176 Total Fat: 18.7g Cholesterol: 0mg
Fish Cooked in Sesame Sauce
SAMAK TAJIN or SAMAK BI TAHEENI
1 fish weighing about 2 Ibs.
1 1/2 cups taheeni (sesame oil)
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
1 cup olive oil
3/4 cup lemon juice
1 1/4 tsp. salt
Water
Clean and salt fish. Refrigerate for several hours. Allow it to return to room temperature, sprinkle with olive oil and bake in moderate oven until flesh seems to flake apart easily under a fork. Meanwhile fry onions in olive oil until yellow. Beat lemon juice and water slowly into the taheeni, adding more lemon juice to taste if necessary. The taheeni sauce will become very creamy. Mix onions into sauce, pour over the baked fish and return it to the oven. Bake about 20 minutes in moderate oven. Some of the sauce will be absorbed into the fish and the onions will be very well cooked. Serve this dish cold.
Lebanese Chicken Livers -- Variation 1
Half a tub of chicken livers
Finely chopped shallots
Olive Oil
tsp ground all spice
tsp ground coriander
tsp ground cumin
2-3 crushed garlic cloves
Juice of a lemon
1/2 glass red or white wine
American long grain rice serve boiled
Fry the shallots in the oil , keep the heat low and do this slow so as not to crisp or brown them. You want them soft and opaque.
Add the livers
and start to brown
add in all the spices and cook through until you can smell all the aromas warming and they are cooked through. You want a nice crust to form on the livers.
add the garlic , lemon and season.
add in the wine and start to reduce down , so as to cook off the alcohol . You want it to caramelise again and get a little stickier.
Lebanese Chicken Livers -- Variation 2
In Arabic countries chicken livers are a traditional breakfast or appetizer. This is just one of many ways to cook them. This Lebanese recipe is savory in every way. Serve with fresh warm bread to scoop up with.
2 pounds (1 kg) chicken livers, washed and drained
1 large white onion, finely sliced
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon cumin
4 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons pomegranate syrup/molasses
1. In a 9-inch skillet on medium heat add butter. Heat until hot. Add onions cooking until tender. Add chicken livers cooking until color changes, about 10-15 minutes. Add cumin, salt, pepper and paprika, mix well. Continue cooking until liver is soft.
2. Add the pomegranate syrup, add mix. Allow to cook another 2 minutes.
Yields: 4 servings
http://www.yasalamcooking.com/2010/04/pomegranate-chicken-livers.html
Lebanese Chicken Livers -- Variation 3
Sawda Dajaj (Fried Chicken Livers)
From The Lebanese Cookbook. Author and Chef Hussien Dekmak's Le Mignon, which he calls "an outpost of classic Lebanese cooking in Camden (London)," was described by food writer Patricia Wells as "some of the finest Lebanese food I have ever tasted."
Serves 2
* 4 Tbsp vegetable oil, for frying
* 100 g chicken livers
* Salt and black pepper
* Juice of ½ lemon
* 1 tsp pomegranate molasses (available in Mid East stores)
* 1 Tbsp garlic sauce (recipe below)
Heat the oil over a high heat in a frying pan so it is a couple of centimetres deep. When it is hot, add the chicken livers and stir continuously until cooked, about 15–20 minutes.
Drain the oil from the pan, then add salt, pepper, the lemon juice, pomegranate molasses and garlic sauce and stir for a couple of minutes.
Serve hot with other starters and toasted bread.
Dressed with a tangy lemon vinaigrette and fresh mint, this invigorating—and dairy-free—potato salad makes the perfect summer potluck contribution.
From EatingWell magazine, May/June 2007. D
SERVES 8 , 8 - 2/3 cup servings (change servings and units)
Ingredients
* 2 lbs russet potatoes (about 3 medium)
* 1/4 cup lemon juice
* 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* fresh ground pepper, to taste
* 4 scallions, thinly sliced
* 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
Directions
Place potatoes in a large saucepan or Dutch oven and cover with lightly salted water. Bring to a boil and cook until tender, 25 to 30 minutes.
Drain potatoes and rinse with cold water. Transfer to a cutting board. Let cool for 20 minutes. Cut the cooled potatoes into 1/2-inch pieces.
Whisk lemon juice, oil, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add the potatoes and toss to coat.
Just before serving, add scallions and mint to the salad and toss gently.
Make Ahead Tip: Prepare through Step 2; cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Add additional lemon juice and/or salt to taste.
Lemon Salad Dressing
Ingredients
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup mild extra-virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon kosher salt
ground black pepper to taste
Directions
In a medium bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper. Stir just before serving.
Amount Per Serving Calories: 176 Total Fat: 18.7g Cholesterol: 0mg
Fish Cooked in Sesame Sauce
SAMAK TAJIN or SAMAK BI TAHEENI
1 fish weighing about 2 Ibs.
1 1/2 cups taheeni (sesame oil)
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
1 cup olive oil
3/4 cup lemon juice
1 1/4 tsp. salt
Water
Clean and salt fish. Refrigerate for several hours. Allow it to return to room temperature, sprinkle with olive oil and bake in moderate oven until flesh seems to flake apart easily under a fork. Meanwhile fry onions in olive oil until yellow. Beat lemon juice and water slowly into the taheeni, adding more lemon juice to taste if necessary. The taheeni sauce will become very creamy. Mix onions into sauce, pour over the baked fish and return it to the oven. Bake about 20 minutes in moderate oven. Some of the sauce will be absorbed into the fish and the onions will be very well cooked. Serve this dish cold.
Lebanese Chicken Livers -- Variation 1
Half a tub of chicken livers
Finely chopped shallots
Olive Oil
tsp ground all spice
tsp ground coriander
tsp ground cumin
2-3 crushed garlic cloves
Juice of a lemon
1/2 glass red or white wine
American long grain rice serve boiled
Fry the shallots in the oil , keep the heat low and do this slow so as not to crisp or brown them. You want them soft and opaque.
Add the livers
and start to brown
add in all the spices and cook through until you can smell all the aromas warming and they are cooked through. You want a nice crust to form on the livers.
add the garlic , lemon and season.
add in the wine and start to reduce down , so as to cook off the alcohol . You want it to caramelise again and get a little stickier.
Lebanese Chicken Livers -- Variation 2
In Arabic countries chicken livers are a traditional breakfast or appetizer. This is just one of many ways to cook them. This Lebanese recipe is savory in every way. Serve with fresh warm bread to scoop up with.
2 pounds (1 kg) chicken livers, washed and drained
1 large white onion, finely sliced
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon cumin
4 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons pomegranate syrup/molasses
1. In a 9-inch skillet on medium heat add butter. Heat until hot. Add onions cooking until tender. Add chicken livers cooking until color changes, about 10-15 minutes. Add cumin, salt, pepper and paprika, mix well. Continue cooking until liver is soft.
2. Add the pomegranate syrup, add mix. Allow to cook another 2 minutes.
Yields: 4 servings
http://www.yasalamcooking.com/2010/04/pomegranate-chicken-livers.html
Lebanese Chicken Livers -- Variation 3
Sawda Dajaj (Fried Chicken Livers)
From The Lebanese Cookbook. Author and Chef Hussien Dekmak's Le Mignon, which he calls "an outpost of classic Lebanese cooking in Camden (London)," was described by food writer Patricia Wells as "some of the finest Lebanese food I have ever tasted."
Serves 2
* 4 Tbsp vegetable oil, for frying
* 100 g chicken livers
* Salt and black pepper
* Juice of ½ lemon
* 1 tsp pomegranate molasses (available in Mid East stores)
* 1 Tbsp garlic sauce (recipe below)
Heat the oil over a high heat in a frying pan so it is a couple of centimetres deep. When it is hot, add the chicken livers and stir continuously until cooked, about 15–20 minutes.
Drain the oil from the pan, then add salt, pepper, the lemon juice, pomegranate molasses and garlic sauce and stir for a couple of minutes.
Serve hot with other starters and toasted bread.
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Thursday, June 24 Dinner for Raghu
Tuscan Baked Eggs
Bruschetta
Roasted asparagus with poached 1 minute egg and parmesan
Zucchini with tomato, basil, garlic and parmesan
Eggplant casserole
Smoothie with blueberries
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Tuscan Baked Eggs with Tomatoes, Red Onion, Garlic, Parmesan, and Herbs
(Makes 2 generous servings, or could be 4 servings as part of a brunch with other dishes, recipe adapted from Fine Cooking Make it Tonight)
1 T extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup chopped red onion
1 tsp. finely minced garlic
1 can diced tomatoes (I recommend good-quality organic tomatoes for this recipe. Two brands I like are Muir Glen and Dei Fratelli.)
1 T chopped fresh thyme leaves (other herbs such as oregano or basil could be used, but I would not use dried thyme)
2 T freshly grated parmesan cheese (or more)
1 T chopped fresh chives (optional, but the chives were great in this)
(Recipe Note: Because I wanted to use my individual casserole dish, I cooked the assembled dish for a few minutes in a toaster oven, then added the cheese and put it under the broiler. If you don't care about making individual servings, you could partially cook the eggs in a broiler-proof saute pan with the tomatoes, then put that pan under the broiler. I'll give instructions for both those options.)
Heat olive oil in saute pan over medium heat, then add red onion and saute 2-3 minutes, until the onion is starting to get soft but not browned. (Use a broiler-proof saute pan if you'd like to cook this entirely in one dish.)
Add minced garlic, cook about 1 minute, then add canned tomatoes and chopped thyme. Simmer the tomato mixture until it thickens slightly, stirring a few times. This will take about 6-8 minutes.
While tomatoes cook, preheat toaster oven to 450F (if you're planning to cook individual servings) and pre-heat broiler (for individual casseroles or to cook in one pan.)
When tomatoes are slightly thickened, remove about 1/3-1/2 of the tomatoes to a bowl. Spread the rest of tomatoes around the bottom of the saute pan or in two individual casserole dishes. Carefully break two eggs into each casserole dish (for individual servings) or four eggs into saute pan (to cook in one pan.) Spoon the rest of the tomato mixture carefully over and around the white part of the eggs, leaving the yolks showing. (It will not completely cover the whites.)
If you're cooking in the pan, cover the saute pan and let eggs cook in the tomatoes for about 3 minutes. If you're cooking in individual casseroles, put casserole into toaster oven for about 5-7 minutes. (Whichever cooking method you're using, the egg white should be turning opaque but the yolk should still be runny when you add the parmesan cheese and broil.) When eggs are partly done, sprinkle on parmesan cheese and put pan or individual dishes under the broiler for 1-2 minutes, until cheese melts and the top of eggs look like they're barely starting to cook.
Serve hot, preferably with toast for dipping into egg.
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Bruschetta with Tomato and Basil Recipe
Ingredients
* 6 or 7 ripe plum tomatoes (about 1 1/2 lbs)
* 2 cloves garlic, minced
* 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
* 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
* 6-8 fresh basil leaves, chopped.
* Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
* 1 baguette French bread or similar Italian bread
* 1/4 cup olive oil
Method
1 Prepare the tomatoes first. Parboil the tomatoes for one minute in boiling water that has just been removed from the burner. Drain. Using a sharp small knife, remove the skins of the tomatoes. (If the tomatoes are too hot, you can protect your finger tips by rubbing them with an ice cube between tomatoes.) Once the tomatoes are peeled, cut them in halves or quarters and remove the seeds and juice from their centers. Also cut out and discard the stem area. Why use plum tomatoes instead of regular tomatoes? The skins are much thicker and there are fewer seeds and less juice.
2 Make sure there is a top rack in place in your oven. Turn on the oven to 450°F to preheat.
3 While the oven is heating, chop up the tomatoes finely. Put tomatoes, garlic, 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, vinegar in a bowl and mix. Add the chopped basil. Add salt and pepper to taste.
4 Slice the baguette on a diagonal about 1/2 inch thick slices. Coat one side of each slice with olive oil using a pastry brush. Place on a cooking sheet, olive oil side down. You will want to toast them in the top rack in your oven, so you may need to do these in batches depending on the size of your oven. Once the oven has reached 450°F, place a tray of bread slices in the oven on the top rack. Toast for 5-6 minutes, until the bread just begins to turn golden brown.
Alternatively, you can toast the bread without coating it in olive oil first. Toast on a griddle for 1 minute on each side. Take a sharp knife and score each slice 3 times. Rub some garlic in the slices and drizzle half a teaspoon of olive oil on each slice. This is the more traditional method of making bruschetta.
5 Align the bread on a serving platter, olive oil side up. Either place the tomato topping in a bowl separately with a spoon for people to serve themselves over the bread, or place some topping on each slice of bread and serve. If you top each slice with the tomatoes, do it right before serving or the bread may get soggy.
Makes 24 small slices. Serves 6-10 as an appetizer. Or 3-4 for lunch (delicious served with cottage cheese on the side.)
---------
Eggplant Casserole
* 2 medium eggplant
* 1 can (15 ounces) tomatoes
* 1/2 teaspoon sugar
* 2 cloves garlic -- finely chopped
* Parmesan cheese
Cook tomatoes, sugar and garlic, covered, while preparing eggplant. Peel and slice eggplant; fry in cooking oil until slightly browned and tender. Drain well on paper towels. Place layer of eggplant in casserole dish; spoon part of tomato mixture over it; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Continue until all ingredients are used. Top with Parmesan cheese. Bake at 350° for 20 to 30 minutes, until casserole is bubbly.
Serves 4.
This eggplant recipe can be doubled.
Bruschetta
Roasted asparagus with poached 1 minute egg and parmesan
Zucchini with tomato, basil, garlic and parmesan
Eggplant casserole
Smoothie with blueberries
-------
Tuscan Baked Eggs with Tomatoes, Red Onion, Garlic, Parmesan, and Herbs
(Makes 2 generous servings, or could be 4 servings as part of a brunch with other dishes, recipe adapted from Fine Cooking Make it Tonight)
1 T extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup chopped red onion
1 tsp. finely minced garlic
1 can diced tomatoes (I recommend good-quality organic tomatoes for this recipe. Two brands I like are Muir Glen and Dei Fratelli.)
1 T chopped fresh thyme leaves (other herbs such as oregano or basil could be used, but I would not use dried thyme)
2 T freshly grated parmesan cheese (or more)
1 T chopped fresh chives (optional, but the chives were great in this)
(Recipe Note: Because I wanted to use my individual casserole dish, I cooked the assembled dish for a few minutes in a toaster oven, then added the cheese and put it under the broiler. If you don't care about making individual servings, you could partially cook the eggs in a broiler-proof saute pan with the tomatoes, then put that pan under the broiler. I'll give instructions for both those options.)
Heat olive oil in saute pan over medium heat, then add red onion and saute 2-3 minutes, until the onion is starting to get soft but not browned. (Use a broiler-proof saute pan if you'd like to cook this entirely in one dish.)
Add minced garlic, cook about 1 minute, then add canned tomatoes and chopped thyme. Simmer the tomato mixture until it thickens slightly, stirring a few times. This will take about 6-8 minutes.
While tomatoes cook, preheat toaster oven to 450F (if you're planning to cook individual servings) and pre-heat broiler (for individual casseroles or to cook in one pan.)
When tomatoes are slightly thickened, remove about 1/3-1/2 of the tomatoes to a bowl. Spread the rest of tomatoes around the bottom of the saute pan or in two individual casserole dishes. Carefully break two eggs into each casserole dish (for individual servings) or four eggs into saute pan (to cook in one pan.) Spoon the rest of the tomato mixture carefully over and around the white part of the eggs, leaving the yolks showing. (It will not completely cover the whites.)
If you're cooking in the pan, cover the saute pan and let eggs cook in the tomatoes for about 3 minutes. If you're cooking in individual casseroles, put casserole into toaster oven for about 5-7 minutes. (Whichever cooking method you're using, the egg white should be turning opaque but the yolk should still be runny when you add the parmesan cheese and broil.) When eggs are partly done, sprinkle on parmesan cheese and put pan or individual dishes under the broiler for 1-2 minutes, until cheese melts and the top of eggs look like they're barely starting to cook.
Serve hot, preferably with toast for dipping into egg.
----
Bruschetta with Tomato and Basil Recipe
Ingredients
* 6 or 7 ripe plum tomatoes (about 1 1/2 lbs)
* 2 cloves garlic, minced
* 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
* 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
* 6-8 fresh basil leaves, chopped.
* Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
* 1 baguette French bread or similar Italian bread
* 1/4 cup olive oil
Method
1 Prepare the tomatoes first. Parboil the tomatoes for one minute in boiling water that has just been removed from the burner. Drain. Using a sharp small knife, remove the skins of the tomatoes. (If the tomatoes are too hot, you can protect your finger tips by rubbing them with an ice cube between tomatoes.) Once the tomatoes are peeled, cut them in halves or quarters and remove the seeds and juice from their centers. Also cut out and discard the stem area. Why use plum tomatoes instead of regular tomatoes? The skins are much thicker and there are fewer seeds and less juice.
2 Make sure there is a top rack in place in your oven. Turn on the oven to 450°F to preheat.
3 While the oven is heating, chop up the tomatoes finely. Put tomatoes, garlic, 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, vinegar in a bowl and mix. Add the chopped basil. Add salt and pepper to taste.
4 Slice the baguette on a diagonal about 1/2 inch thick slices. Coat one side of each slice with olive oil using a pastry brush. Place on a cooking sheet, olive oil side down. You will want to toast them in the top rack in your oven, so you may need to do these in batches depending on the size of your oven. Once the oven has reached 450°F, place a tray of bread slices in the oven on the top rack. Toast for 5-6 minutes, until the bread just begins to turn golden brown.
Alternatively, you can toast the bread without coating it in olive oil first. Toast on a griddle for 1 minute on each side. Take a sharp knife and score each slice 3 times. Rub some garlic in the slices and drizzle half a teaspoon of olive oil on each slice. This is the more traditional method of making bruschetta.
5 Align the bread on a serving platter, olive oil side up. Either place the tomato topping in a bowl separately with a spoon for people to serve themselves over the bread, or place some topping on each slice of bread and serve. If you top each slice with the tomatoes, do it right before serving or the bread may get soggy.
Makes 24 small slices. Serves 6-10 as an appetizer. Or 3-4 for lunch (delicious served with cottage cheese on the side.)
---------
Eggplant Casserole
* 2 medium eggplant
* 1 can (15 ounces) tomatoes
* 1/2 teaspoon sugar
* 2 cloves garlic -- finely chopped
* Parmesan cheese
Cook tomatoes, sugar and garlic, covered, while preparing eggplant. Peel and slice eggplant; fry in cooking oil until slightly browned and tender. Drain well on paper towels. Place layer of eggplant in casserole dish; spoon part of tomato mixture over it; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Continue until all ingredients are used. Top with Parmesan cheese. Bake at 350° for 20 to 30 minutes, until casserole is bubbly.
Serves 4.
This eggplant recipe can be doubled.
Saturday, June 05, 2010
Stuff We Ate (Bali)
Bumbu Bali
http://www.balifoods.com/bumbu-bali-restaurant-foods-beverages-menu.php
Last night, we had a lovely meal at Bumbu Bali, probably the most famous restaurant on Bali, owned by Heinz von Holzen and his Indonesian wife. It's located near / in Benoa, which is on the northern tip of the Bukit Peninsula in the south of the Island. dWe had the ginormous rijsttafel meal, basically a tasting menu or thali meal of sorts with the following:
APPETIZERS:
- Sambel be Tongkol (Tuna Salad) -- chopped cooked tuna with lemongrass; honestly not too different in texture from a higher grade tuna from a can with some lemongrass flavoring, but it was enjoyable
- Sate Babi, Ayam, and Lilit (Pork, Chicken and Seafood Sate with Peanut Sauce) -- lovely, nuanced flavorings; my favorite was the very tender lilit / fish sate; served with peanut sauce, a soy sauce based dip, and lightly pickled / vinegared sliced cucumbers and carrots
- Lawar (Vegetable Salad) -- chopped green (long?) beans prepared in a style that reminded me of a dry south Indian curry; very good
SOUP:
Cram Cam (Clear Chicken Soup with Shallots) -- I found this to be a bit boring, oversalted broth with ground chicken. I could see myself enjoying this for breakfast, minus some of the salt, since it's so mild. It didn't really add anything to the dinner, for me, and filled up space I wanted for other purposes. :)
MAIN DISHES:
- Ayam Betutu (Roast Chicken in Banana Leaf) -- tender, gently flavored, tasty, but probably the most mundane / least interesting dish on the plate
- Tum Bebek (Minced Duck in Banana Leaf) -- very good, very tender and thoroughly infused with banana leaf flavor; Justin liked the sausage-like consistency and shape. (Actually it was a bit more loosely packed than your standard US sausage)
- Be Celeng Base Manis (Pork in Sweet Soy Sauce) -- reminded me a bit of Chinese red cooked pork
- Be Sampi Mebase Bali (Braised Beef in Coconut Milk) -- this might be my least favorite meat preparation in Balinese cuisine. Beef is inevitably tough and by US standards overcooked. It was no different, here.
- Kambing Mekuah (Lamb Stew in Coconut Milk) -- melted in our mouths, it was so tender; nice, gently gamey flavor
- Ikan Bakar (Grilled Fish Fillet) -- an unidentified white fish, very fresh; WONDERFUL flavor, sambal-covered and slightly sweet. Nicely (not over) cooked. My favorite dish.
- Pesan be Pasih (Diced Fish Grilled in Banana Leaf) -- my second favorite item on the plate. Wonderful preparation. Even Justin liked it, again noting the similarity to sausage. ;)
- Sayur (Selection of Daily Vegetables) -- There were two, both somewhat forgettable; I think one was a sautee of cabbage, carrots and other things.
- Nasi Kuning, Merah, Putih (Yellow, Red and Steamed Rice) -- We only received the red and white rices. Red rice was slightly hard, but it may always be that way. I think this was the first time I'd tried it.
DESSERT
- Kue Bali (Selection of Balinese Cakes) -- I wish I knew the names. Several were really good, rice flour based and flavored with coconut.
- Bubuh Injin (Black Rice Pudding) -- very nice, reminded me of Chinese red bean and glutinous rice desserts in flavor. It was like a warm cereal with some unsweetened coconut milk drizzled over top.
- Jaja Batun Bedil (Glutinous Rice Flour Dumplings in Palm Sugar Sauce) -- great!!! Just like Chinese glutinous rice flour dumplings / mochi, except smaller. Sauce was very sweet and had a distinct, interesting flavor that I assume was from the palm sugar
- Buah-Buahan (Seasonal Fruits) -- watermelon, a really delicious yellow colored melon with similar consistency as watermelon, but a different enough taste I suspect it was a different fruit altogether; passion fruit, mangosteen, jackfruit, snake fruit.
Despite the small portions of each item, we were unbelievably stuffed by the end of the meal and we couldn't finish a great deal of the food. What a pity to leave some of it behind!
The dining room was all open air (no A/C), warung style. Prices were quite a bit higher than at most warung, though. The overly abundant rijsttafel meal ran us 275,000 Rp (or about $30) per person. A steal for NYC; very expensive for Indonesia.
---
Nyoman's Biergarten
Today, we drove around Benoa again and came across Nyoman's, a biergarten (sort of). It's notable for having less of a markup on beer than other places. I tried a delicious avocado "juice" for the first time, barely sweetened with a bit of chocolate syrup. FABULOUS. (See, e.g. http://www.yumsugar.com/Happy-Hour-Indonesian-Avocado-Shake-429378) I also had a seafood sate with skewers of fish, squid and shrimp, served with cucumber and carrot pickles and peanut sauce and of course white rice. It came served on charcoal that smoked throughout the meal. The sates were nicely flavored from grilling, but coated with far too much oil.
Justin had the ayam betutu, again, here covered with a great deal of sambal after cooking. Meat was very tender and moist, sambal of a manageable degree of heat. I asked the waitress whether she ate it this hot or hotter. She said "much hotter".
Nice meal, but we strongly suspect the wait staff lied at the end about their credit card machine being broken so we would pay in cash.
--------
Mayang Sari
Mayang Sari is a restaurant in our hotel (The Laguna) that specializes in Indonesian cuisine. I do hate to say this of it given that it's in a big, bad resort, but it's true: Mayang Sari is a legitimately good restaurant.
http://www.balifoods.com/bumbu-bali-restaurant-foods-beverages-menu.php
Last night, we had a lovely meal at Bumbu Bali, probably the most famous restaurant on Bali, owned by Heinz von Holzen and his Indonesian wife. It's located near / in Benoa, which is on the northern tip of the Bukit Peninsula in the south of the Island. dWe had the ginormous rijsttafel meal, basically a tasting menu or thali meal of sorts with the following:
APPETIZERS:
- Sambel be Tongkol (Tuna Salad) -- chopped cooked tuna with lemongrass; honestly not too different in texture from a higher grade tuna from a can with some lemongrass flavoring, but it was enjoyable
- Sate Babi, Ayam, and Lilit (Pork, Chicken and Seafood Sate with Peanut Sauce) -- lovely, nuanced flavorings; my favorite was the very tender lilit / fish sate; served with peanut sauce, a soy sauce based dip, and lightly pickled / vinegared sliced cucumbers and carrots
- Lawar (Vegetable Salad) -- chopped green (long?) beans prepared in a style that reminded me of a dry south Indian curry; very good
SOUP:
Cram Cam (Clear Chicken Soup with Shallots) -- I found this to be a bit boring, oversalted broth with ground chicken. I could see myself enjoying this for breakfast, minus some of the salt, since it's so mild. It didn't really add anything to the dinner, for me, and filled up space I wanted for other purposes. :)
MAIN DISHES:
- Ayam Betutu (Roast Chicken in Banana Leaf) -- tender, gently flavored, tasty, but probably the most mundane / least interesting dish on the plate
- Tum Bebek (Minced Duck in Banana Leaf) -- very good, very tender and thoroughly infused with banana leaf flavor; Justin liked the sausage-like consistency and shape. (Actually it was a bit more loosely packed than your standard US sausage)
- Be Celeng Base Manis (Pork in Sweet Soy Sauce) -- reminded me a bit of Chinese red cooked pork
- Be Sampi Mebase Bali (Braised Beef in Coconut Milk) -- this might be my least favorite meat preparation in Balinese cuisine. Beef is inevitably tough and by US standards overcooked. It was no different, here.
- Kambing Mekuah (Lamb Stew in Coconut Milk) -- melted in our mouths, it was so tender; nice, gently gamey flavor
- Ikan Bakar (Grilled Fish Fillet) -- an unidentified white fish, very fresh; WONDERFUL flavor, sambal-covered and slightly sweet. Nicely (not over) cooked. My favorite dish.
- Pesan be Pasih (Diced Fish Grilled in Banana Leaf) -- my second favorite item on the plate. Wonderful preparation. Even Justin liked it, again noting the similarity to sausage. ;)
- Sayur (Selection of Daily Vegetables) -- There were two, both somewhat forgettable; I think one was a sautee of cabbage, carrots and other things.
- Nasi Kuning, Merah, Putih (Yellow, Red and Steamed Rice) -- We only received the red and white rices. Red rice was slightly hard, but it may always be that way. I think this was the first time I'd tried it.
DESSERT
- Kue Bali (Selection of Balinese Cakes) -- I wish I knew the names. Several were really good, rice flour based and flavored with coconut.
- Bubuh Injin (Black Rice Pudding) -- very nice, reminded me of Chinese red bean and glutinous rice desserts in flavor. It was like a warm cereal with some unsweetened coconut milk drizzled over top.
- Jaja Batun Bedil (Glutinous Rice Flour Dumplings in Palm Sugar Sauce) -- great!!! Just like Chinese glutinous rice flour dumplings / mochi, except smaller. Sauce was very sweet and had a distinct, interesting flavor that I assume was from the palm sugar
- Buah-Buahan (Seasonal Fruits) -- watermelon, a really delicious yellow colored melon with similar consistency as watermelon, but a different enough taste I suspect it was a different fruit altogether; passion fruit, mangosteen, jackfruit, snake fruit.
Despite the small portions of each item, we were unbelievably stuffed by the end of the meal and we couldn't finish a great deal of the food. What a pity to leave some of it behind!
The dining room was all open air (no A/C), warung style. Prices were quite a bit higher than at most warung, though. The overly abundant rijsttafel meal ran us 275,000 Rp (or about $30) per person. A steal for NYC; very expensive for Indonesia.
---
Nyoman's Biergarten
Today, we drove around Benoa again and came across Nyoman's, a biergarten (sort of). It's notable for having less of a markup on beer than other places. I tried a delicious avocado "juice" for the first time, barely sweetened with a bit of chocolate syrup. FABULOUS. (See, e.g. http://www.yumsugar.com/Happy-Hour-Indonesian-Avocado-Shake-429378) I also had a seafood sate with skewers of fish, squid and shrimp, served with cucumber and carrot pickles and peanut sauce and of course white rice. It came served on charcoal that smoked throughout the meal. The sates were nicely flavored from grilling, but coated with far too much oil.
Justin had the ayam betutu, again, here covered with a great deal of sambal after cooking. Meat was very tender and moist, sambal of a manageable degree of heat. I asked the waitress whether she ate it this hot or hotter. She said "much hotter".
Nice meal, but we strongly suspect the wait staff lied at the end about their credit card machine being broken so we would pay in cash.
--------
Mayang Sari
Mayang Sari is a restaurant in our hotel (The Laguna) that specializes in Indonesian cuisine. I do hate to say this of it given that it's in a big, bad resort, but it's true: Mayang Sari is a legitimately good restaurant.
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