Crisp Bok Choy

Quickly cooked to impart the flavors of lightening fast caramelized garlic and ginger while retaining the innate crispness of the vegetables is the idea of this recipe. Bok Choy is winter freshness embodied in plant form.

If you are lucky, you have some bok choy growing in your garden or greenhouse. You can probably also find it at your local farmer’s market or produce store. Look for bright green tops and crisp, white stems.

Ingredients:

3 heads of bok choy washed and dried very thoroughly, chopped into 1″ x 1″ pieces

1 onion sliced very thin

1 tbs peanut oil

2 tbs fresh, minced garlic

1 tbs fresh, minced ginger

1 tsp sugar

1 tsp sea salt

1 tbs soy sauce

1 tsp Mirin

1 tsp sesame oil (for after cooking)

Combine ginger, garlic, sugar, salt, soy sauce and mirin in a small bowl.Heat a wok on high heat until very hot. You can use another large pot but it will be more wet and less crisp. Then add peanut oil and then onion slices. Stir for about 1 minute. Then add bok choy and continue stirring for 1 minute. Add bowl of spices and liquids and continue stiring for 1-2 minutes or until vegetables are cooked but still slightly crisp. Turn off heat and add sesame oil, stirring. Serve over hot rice.

Hummus bil Tahina

This is a special recipe to me because it was my first. During college I would sometimes buy  hummus from the grocery store and was alway sorely disappointed. I soon began adding ingredients, more garlic and some lemon, but it never tasted quite right. Then I saw that it was made with corn oil. This was repugnant to me. Why would you use such a lousy oil in comparison with olive oil? Of course, it is cheap. I then decided to start making my own. I have been working on this for over a decade. I hope you will make this according to your tastes. You may find this much garlic too pungent, or want more or less salt. You may like it thinner or thicker. I have included instructions on how to do this.

Ingredients:

5 cups of fully soaked chickpeas (garbanzo beans) or 2 large cans

1/2 cup of olive oil

1/4-1/2 cup of warm water

1/4-1/2 cup of lemon juice

1/4-1/2 cup of tahini

5-10 cloves of fresh garlic

1/2-1 1/2 tbs salt

Garnish:

Sumac (a Middle Eastern spice you can find at a Middle Eastern grocery store or online). You can substitute paprika.

1 tbs olive oil

An olive

First, make sure that your chickpeas are fully plumped up after soaking. I use a slow cooker on low, covering dried beans with water and adding more if needed. It takes a few hours. I have found that soaking them overnight leaves them too brittle. If you wish to use the stove, just simmer for a few hours. Drain and rinse chickpeas. Combine all ingredients except those for garnish in a food processor. Blend until creamy and smooth. If it never gets smooth, the chickpeas were not plump with enough water. Now is the important part–use your taste buds to get the right balance of flavors (how you like it). Add more salt, tahini, lemon, water or garlic. Try adjusting proportions next time. When it tastes as you like it, pour into a bowl, drizzle olive oil on top, sprinkle with sumac or paprika, and top with a green olive. Serve with hot, fresh bread, or vegetable slices.

 

Spicy Leeks with Mushrooms

Finely slicing leeks on a cold winter day, knowing they will soon be tossed into an extremely hot wok shimmering with a little peanut oil is not a bad way to spend an afternoon. The leeks are joined by some baby portobella mushrooms, lemon grass and some red chili flakes. You will need a sharp knife and a little patience in preparing the ingredients but the aroma of lemongrass and fresh greens in your kitchen will soothe any weariness in your hands.

             

Ingredients:

Note: use a separate bowl for leeks and mushrooms when prepping ingredients

3-4 leek stalks finely sliced (julienned if possible)

1 large or 4 small portobella or other mushroom finely sliced

2 stalks of fresh lemongrass (may be omitted or substituted for 1/2 tsp minced)

2 tbs peanut oil or other high temperature oil (not olive or sesame)

Combine in small bowl:

1 tbs garlic minced

1 tsp ginger minced

1 tbs rice vinegar (may substitute white vinegar)

1 tsp red chili flakes

1 1/2 tsp white sugar

1 1/2 tsp course sea salt

Remove dark green part of leeks and save for a soup or as you like. Remove stem. Cut in half lengthwise and then slice into thin shreds. Rinse and dry very thoroughly, preferably with a salad spinner first, then drying with towels. Place in a bowl that will be only for the leeks. Next, remove mushroom bottoms and slice into 6 pieces. Wash and dry mushrooms thoroughly. There should be as little additional water from rinsing as possible on your vegetables. Slice mushroom tops into round pieces and then each piece into slices. Place in their own bowl. Combine  ginger, garlic, chili flakes, sugar, salt and rice vinegar in a bowl. Heat a wok or other large pan on high heat until very hot. Add oil, then add leeks. Stir for about 2 minutes or until slightly softened. Add mushrooms and bowl of other ingredients. Continue cooking for about 1 minute. Remove from heat when vegetables look cooked but still perky. Serve hot, possibly with jasmine rice.

              

Channa Gobi Masala

Indian food has a special place in my home, as in, our favorite thing to eat. My graduate studies were in Hinduism and Islam (yes, I also have a great hummus recipe), but I now primarily use what I learned as a student while in the kitchens of my international friends and their parents. I have been debating whether to post Indian and Middle Eastern recipes–couldn’t one find an Indian or Middle Eastern recipe website with better recipes? I have, however, learned from authentic sources and cooked some of these recipes for over a decade. I have also had trouble with some online recipes and have experimented quite a bit with ingredients, especially amounts. So here it goes, my rendition of Channa Masala, with Gobi which means “cauliflower.” I should add, this is me playing with ingredients, if you want a strict Channa or Channa Gobi Masala, go to an Indian cookbook, with the caveat that this one is the best I have ever had.

Ingredients:

6 cups of fully soaked chickpeas (use a slow cooker on low, drain water when plumped up completely and rinse)

6 Campari tomatoes quartered

1 head of cauliflower cut into mouth ready pieces

1 onion finely chopped

1 1/2 tbs fresh minced garlic

1 tbs fresh minced ginger (if you are really lazy/busy you can buy a garlic/ginger paste at an Indian grocery store but fresh is much better.)

1/4 cup of Canola oil

3 tsp course sea salt

2 tsp white sugar

4 tbs amchoor powder which is dried mango (easy to buy online from Amazon or elsewhere or from an Indian grocery if you are so lucky, I am already jealous).

1 tsp paprika

1 tbs Kashmiri Red Chili powder (this will make it rather hot, use less or none if you want it mild, which is how it is usually served at an Indian restaurant, you can use another red chili powder too but this one is so much fun if you like your food hot and bright)

1 tbs cumin powder

1/2 tbs coriander powder

1/4 cup of water

1 tbs garam masala

Get your ingredients ready first (spices in a bowl). Heat a large pot on medium. When hot add onion cook until golden and soft. Do not burn. Add garlic and ginger, stirring quickly for about a minute, then add spices stir for about 30 seconds, then add water, chickpeas, tomatoes, and cauliflower. Cook until cauliflower is tender but not too soft.

Peasant Food for Royalty–Oricchette with Lentils

Lentils with pasta. Sound strange? It did to me, so much so that when I was in Egypt I avoided trying koshari, which is one of their signature dishes, albeit a slightly more working class dish, yet ironically “vegan”–a developing/developed country irony. In Italy, pasta with lentils is a dish for all, but of course, especially in Tuscany. While Italians are great lovers according to an old stereotype, Tuscans are foremost known for their longtime affair with beans. In fact, it isn’t an affair but a marriage, and one that is indestructible. If the Italians can shun some of the world’s best breads, cheeses, sauces, vegetable, seafood and meat dishes for lentils, don’t you think you are missing out on something? If you’ve only had lentils in soup, like most people, it is time to eat them in their solid state where they really shine.

I am strongly partial to oricchette in this recipe because it makes little cups that hold some of the lentils. Spaghetti will not do this, a piece of penne might accidentally have a few hiding in a tunnel, but oricchette will be like tiny cups a cherub is holding for you, full of firm yet delicate little legumes.

 

Heat 2 tbs of butter in a medium pot. Add 1/2 cup of lentils, stirring, then 4 cloves of crushed garlic and then add 2 cups of chicken broth. Once simmering, cover and reduce heat to low for about 20 minutes. Meanwhile boil water for oricchette and cook according to directions. When finished, drain and toss with a little olive oil. Add lentils when finished cooking and serve with freshly grated parmesan and black pepper, or as is. This is a family and small child friendly recipe, while being satisfying for adults too.

Dandelion Greens–Unseduced

Dandelion greens are vividly colored and purportedly brimming with health. I enjoy most other greens, but the dandelion is well defended against my appetite due to an acerbic nature that makes chewing them feel slightly like penance for spending too much on groceries. Despite many attempts these have yet to seduce my palate. I am not guilty of trying to make them too “healthy.” I use butter to cook them. The recipe below includes boucheron de chèvre. My husband ate two bunches worth of these greens. I think they should be delicious to me, but alas, they are too bitter, despite being extremely interesting in flavor. They remind me of very strong, black espresso and of gin. And I don’t like either of those things–alas I prefer my espresso with steamed milk and  even the smell of gin makes my stomach turn. Yet the recipe below is very good if you like dandelion greens. If you have any suggestions on this subject, please leave a comment below.

Recipe:

Heat 2 tbs butter until brown. Wash two bunches of dandelion greens thoroughly, there will be plenty of dirt most likely. Dry green thoroughly and quickly sautee in butter. Add 1 tsp sea salt. Remove from heat and pour into a bowl. Add boucheron de chèvre (double cream goat cheese).

Cranberry Orange Scones

You should feel the weight of a scone in your hand. It isn’t light. It isn’t coffee cake. It fills your empty, growling stomach, hopefully along with a cup of strong coffee. It shouldn’t be wet inside, it should be crumbly and the fresh cranberries moist. The orange zest should make your cheeks tingle and the thick demerara sugar should be anodyne yet stimulating to your tongue. This recipe does just that.

Ingredients:

2 cups of all purpose flour

1/3 cup of sugar

2 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup of whole milk (save 2 tbs for brushing)

6 tbs unsalted butter (about 3/4 of a narrow stick) cut into thirds

1/4 cup of freshly squeezed orange juice

2 tbs grated orange peel

——————-

1 bag of whole fresh cranberries

Demerara sugar for coating

Heat oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with parchment or coat with butter. Combine ingredients until you reach the dotted line above in a large bowl, food processor or standing mixer. Mix until almost uniform. Add cranberries by hand. Flatten mixture onto floured work surface and press down until about 1/2 inch thick. If it is very sticky and wet add a little more flour. Cut into 6-8 sections depending on how large you like your scones. Place onto parchment lined sheet or buttered sheet. Brush with remaining milk and top with demerara sugar. Bake until very light golden color. Ovens vary widely so you will need to watch these. Check after 15 minutes and then again every 2 minutes or so until done.

Brie, Apple, Coconut Pecan Saturday Salutation

This is how you want to start your day. Beginning the New Year with food which you savor is to say “Yes!” to life.

Ingredients:

2 Granny Smith Apples

3 x 3 piece of Brie (the better the brie, the better the glee)

1/2 cup of pecan halves (whole is fine)

1/2 cup of unsweetened coconut

Preheat over to 375. Cut apples into 1/4 inch slices.  Line a baking sheet with parchment or butter and place apple slices in a bunch in center. Place brie in pieces onto apples, top with pecans and then coconut. Bake for 15-20 minutes (turn up to 425 for the last minute or so), or until you home smells edible, or until your child or other loved one does this:

Pear, Chicken, Scallion, Red Onion, and Sharp White Cheddar Pizza

This pizza recipe creates a rich entourage of flavors that will entice your palate.

Ingredients:

Pizza Dough

1/3 pound of chicken chopped into bite sized pieces

1/4 cup of olive oil

1 red onion chopped

7 scallions chopped

1 pear chopped

1/8 cup of flour

dash of cayenne

1 tsp salt

1-2 tbs chopped garlic

1/2 cup of sharp white cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 550. Dry chopped chicken with paper towels. Heat frying pan on medium-high and when hot add oil In a bowl combine flour, cayenne and salt and toss chicken in mixture. Fry chicken in oil until golden brown. Remove with slotted spoon onto paper towels. Add chopped red onion to pan and cook until softened, then add pear and scallion and finally garlic until ingredients are soft but not overdone, about 5 minutes total from when red onion is added. Add chicken and cook for another minute.

Roll or stretch pizza dough onto your pizza peel or pan. Spread mixture from pan onto pizza dough, making sure not to overload it, if in doubt, add less. You can serve the extra on the side but it will not cook properly if overly laden. Top with grated sharp cheddar.

Put pizza in oven and cook until crust is golden brown, 10-15 minutes.

A Taste of Adams Morgan/ Ethiopia

Did you know that Tennessee has become one of the most popular places for Ethiopians to move to when they come to America? Me neither, because it isn’t. But Washington, DC is, and that is where I went to school. If you’ve left DC to live in a suburb you probably don’t miss the traffic or cost of living, but you might very well miss the Ethiopian and other incredible international food.

This is a dish inspired by Ethiopian cuisine but adapted for my tastes and available ingredients.

Ingredients:

2 pounds or so of Stew Beef

1 large onion chopped

As many tomatoes as you can afford (actually not more than 7, but hopefully at least 3, but if you’re still recovering from living in DC canned will do…)

1 teaspoon of Cardamon (whole or ground)

1-2 tablespoons of salt depending on taste

3-4 tablespoons of Tumeric (it’s bright yellow, important for Indian cuisine as well. Better to buy at an Indian store where the price will be better if you’re so lucky as to be near one, or in the Southern U.S., the Badia brand which is in the “ethnic” section and is much less expensive)

2 tablespoons or so of Butter

4 tablespoons of Olive Oil, Palm oil, Peanut Oil, etc.

Hot peppers if you like, any kind, as many as you want. I used dried, very hot red chilis

Instructions:

Dry beef with paper or cloth towels. In a large pan, I like to use a cast iron pan but as you like, add olive or some other oil and brown beef well, a nice, deep brown.

In a large pot melt butter, add olive oil and when bubbling add chopped onion. When golden, add tomatoes whole (I’m not so fussy after all!). There is no need to chop them. They will magically soften into a puree because next you will add hot peppers and then the lid. You will reduce heat to low-medium and recheck in about 10 minutes. Remember meanwhile to stir beef. When beef is browned and tomatoes are soft, add theCover and cook on low as long as you can stand, but at least 3 hours, hopefully up to 6, checking and stirring. You could put it in a slow cooker for 8-12 hours/overnight for something incredible if you have the time.

Mom and Dad’s Note: My 1 year old loved this, he ate 5 pieces! Just don’t make it too spicy and don’t accidentally feed him or her a whole cardamon pod or piece of one or you will get a yucky face and tongue out rejection. If that happens, offer juice and continue with beef.