Beyond Recipes™ - A Food and Recipe Blog

Classic Chicken Curry

2012-02-11T16:37:00.001-05:00

Well, I finally learned how to make my Dad's beloved chicken curry. A typical dish that my family would make, I've been enjoying this dish since as long as I can remember. This is the real deal, no yucky "curry powder" (curry powder as most Americans and Brits know it has absolutely nothing to do with chicken curry by the way) and no shortcuts. My Dad claims that the key to this recipe is browning the onions - if they are not browned properly, over a low heat and in plenty of oil for about 30 or 40 minutes, the dish won't have the same flavor depth.

So I take you back to my childhood... enjoy!

Chicken Curry
4 Dinner Servings

Ingredients
1 chicken, cut into ten pieces, and skin removed
4 medium onions, or 3 large onions
3 peeled and diced plum tomatoes, or one 14.5oz can of petite diced tomatoes, rinsed and squeezed dry
3 whole cloves
3 whole cardamon, broken open
1 inch of cinnamon stick
2 tbsp crushed/grated ginger
2 tbsp crushed garlic
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp coriander powder
Salt to taste
Canola or vegetable oil
Boiling water
1-2 Peeled and quartered medium potatoes

Directions
1. Heat canola oil in a non-stick pan.
2. Add cloves, cardamon and cinnamon stick. Allow to sizzle in the oil until the cloves double in size (about 1 minute).
3. Add the onions. Cook for low for approximately 30 minutes, stirring often. If it seems like the onions are sticking and burning, add more canola oil. Onions are ready when they are golden brown and separated from oil.

4. Add the tomatoes. Cook until the oil separates from the tomato and onion mixture.

5. Add the garlic, ginger, turmeric, coriander and cumin powders. Stir well.

6. Turn the heat up. Add the chicken, allow the meat to seal on all sides (until no pink is showing).

7. Add enough boiling water to just cover the chicken. Bring to a boil and turn down to a low simmer. Cover with lid.
8. Cook on low using one of two methods - cook the chicken breast until just cooked, removing from the pan and adding back when the legs are cooked - about 1.5hrs, or, cook all the chicken on low for 2-3hrs until the meat is falling off the bone. Add the potatoes approximately 45 minutes before cooking time is completed.

9. Serve with basmati rice.

Giada's Savory Tomato Pasta Sauce

2012-01-14T18:02:00.001-05:00

I've found that in Europe you can often find jarred pasta sauce that resembles something you would get in Italy. But in the US, I've found that almost everything is full of sugar and has a very different taste than the authentic stuff. Maybe what one gets in the USA is from some regional part of Italy, however, from the places I have been there, I have never tasted anything similar. Or maybe Americans just love things that are full of sugar (take a look at the bread aisle for example... everything is so much sweeter than what you would get anywhere else in the world!). Who knows exactly what the deal is.

Regardless of how much I don't like the run of the mill sauces in the US, I for some reason have been on an eternal quest to find something that will be a good enough substitute for homemade sauce. I finally think I may have found it.

Target does all those designer exclusives, and apparently, they also do chef exclusives. Giada De Laurentiis - who has the Food Network show and is on the Today Show quite often - has an exclusive line of Italian sauces at Target.

I was in Target and noticed them on a random evening as I roamed the grocery section. As I looked them over with a dubious eye, I saw that one was called SAVORY tomato sauce. So, I decided to give it a go. The fact that it said savory really gave me hope, since so many of the US tomato sauces are so sweet.

I cooked it up one night recently when I was tired and didn't feel like making something from scratch. I was so delighted when I found myself, my mom and my husband all gobbling it down! It was pretty darn tasty and I was quite pleased.

If you are in a Target with grocery sometime soon, I encourage you to give the sauce a try. I'm not sure what Giada's other sauces are like, but I am going to give another type a try the next time I shop at Target. Kudos to Giada for sticking to her roots and creating something pretty authentic and very yummy.

Bombay Palace London - The World's Best Chicken Tikka

2011-12-25T15:30:00.001-05:00

I've eaten chicken tikka all over the world (yes, including famous establishments in Mumbai and Delhi too). Of all of the different kinds I have tried, Bombay Palace in LONDON (not in New York or any other branch) is the clear winner. Marinated and cooked to absolute perfection, these delicious morsels of chicken take the cake. Even when I have gotten take out from Bombay Palace, the chicken is still incredibly tender even after it's been carted around by me for 20 minutes en route to where I am staying.

Enjoy this chicken with some red onions and lemon, and some naan. It's not cheap, but it's definitely worth the splurge.

Bombay Palace is located in central London on Connaught Street.

Brunswick Stew - A Hearty, One-Pot Chicken Stew

2011-12-24T18:42:00.005-05:00

From 2009-2011 I lived in Virginia. During my two years in one of the oldest states, I was introduced to a one pot meal that I had never heard of previously; brunswick stew. Upon eating and enjoying brunswick stew once or twice with a few of my native Virginia friends, I consulted my mother to ask if she had ever heard of this dish. Surprisingly she said, "Sure, that's something they ate in old colonial Williamsburg. I've got the Williamsburg cook book which I am pretty sure includes a recipe for brunswick stew."

It wasn't until I graduated and moved away from Virginia that I found myself craving brunswick stew. So I decided to do some googling and found a few recipes that sounded familiar to what I had eaten. Searching around the house, I found variations of most of the ingredients required, and after a quick trip to the grocery store I was ready to begin the process of making my first brunswick stew. I was a little skeptical of how it would turn out, after all, the ingredients seemed too simple to create the same tasty flavor which I had experienced during my first few encounters with brunswick stew in Virginia. To my delight and surprise, the stew came out so well that I wouldn't even tweek the recipe for the next time I make it!

Brunswick Stew
Makes approximately 6 main servings

Ingredients
1 split chicken breast, skin on
1 large yellow onion, chopped
1 can petite diced tomatoes
1 can tomato sauce
2 cups of frozen baby lima beans
2 cups of frozen corn
3 medium sized potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
Salt and pepper to taste
Water or chicken stock
1-2 cups frozen chopped okra (optional)

Directions
1. Place chicken in a pot and just cover with water (or stock)
2. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer; cook chicken on a low heat for 2-3 hours until tender and falling off bone
3. Remove chicken and set aside to cool
4. Add onion and chopped tomatoes to broth, bring to a boil and start reducing broth if necessary
5. When onions are soft, add potatoes
6. When potatoes are tender, add tomato sauce, baby lima beans, corn, and pepper, bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer
7. Remove chicken skin and bones, shred chicken breast, and add back to stew (you can adjust the amount of chicken you add back to the pan; try to balance the amount of chicken with the amount of vegetables)
8. The stew should be pretty thick, but if it's not, it can be simmered for a little while longer until it reduces

02 Sushi in Pasadena, Los Angeles County, California

2011-12-23T21:11:00.003-05:00

I'm by no means an authority on Japanese food, but if you are passing through the Los Angeles area and are in the mood for some tasty sushi at an incredibly reasonable price, try out 02 in Pasadena. They have all the usual fare, but what makes 02 really unique is their appetizers. I honestly don't think I'd call them appetizers as each item is a delicious plate of food that goes way beyond appetizer status (aside from the usual edamame, miso soup and seaweed salad of course), so, if you go to 02, order lots of these yummy and creative dishes! The gently seared albacore with crispy onions, wilted spinach and sauteed mushrooms is my personal favorite. Other recommendations are the sea bass and eggplant, the yellowtail with jalepeno in a citrus soy sauce, and the tempura shrimp in sweet chili sauce.

The sushi chefs are very friendly, and I've never had a piece of "fishy" fish. Everything always tastes fresh and as if it's been made with care.

02's address is: 245 East Colorado Blvd, Pasadena, CA, 91101

10 Minute Spicy Indian Peas

2011-12-23T19:33:00.003-05:00

This is a simple, quick and tasty accompaniment to any meal. Adjust this recipe to be less spicy - just reduce the amount of red chili flakes.

10 Minute Indian Spicy Peas
Makes 4 Side Servings

Ingredients
1lb bag frozen petit pois
1 large yellow onion chopped
1 tbsp canola/vegetable oil
1/2 tsp black mustard seeds
2 tsp red chili flakes
1/2 tsp salt (more to taste if required)

Directions
1. Heat canola oil in a non-stick pan
2. Add mustard seeds and wait until they start to pop; when they start to pop, add onions, and salt

3. Cook onions, stirring occasionally until onions are slightly brown
4. Add chili flakes and cook for an additional minute or two (do not let onions burn)

5. Add peas, and stir until completely warmed through

Indian Style Sauteed Shrimp - A Typical CKP Recipe

2010-07-11T19:49:00.006-04:00

I was visiting my Aunt and Uncle this weekend, and my Aunt showed me this very quick, and extremely tasty shrimp dish. It's a typical dish from the caste which my family is a part of, CKP, aka Chandraseniya Kayastha Prabhu.

Indian Style Sauteed Shrimp
Serves three to four people as a main dish

Ingredients
2lb bag of shrimp, peeled, deveined and tail off
3 large onions, finely chopped
2-3 plum tomatoes, chopped
1 large handful of cilantro leaves, chopped
4 teaspoons of canola oil
3 teaspoons crush garlic
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon tamarind
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 cloves
1/2 cinnamon stick
salt to taste

Directions
1. Combine shrimp, garlic, turmeric, cayenne pepper, tamarind and one teaspoon of salt and allow the shrimp to marinade for 15-30 minutes
2. In a large, shallow bottomed non-stick pan, heat the canola oil. Once hot, add cloves and cinnamon stick, and wait for about a minute, until they become fragrant.
3. Next, add the onions, and saute for about 5-7 minutes, or until the onions become transluscent. Stir frequently to stop the onions from browning or burning.
4. At this point, add the shrimp, and stir until they all lose their grey color.
5. Add tomatoes, stir, and allow to simmer for approximately 5 minutes, or until the shrimp start to shrink, and the oil starts to visibly separate from the sauce.
5. Add cilantro, taste and add salt if necessary, and cook for a further minute.
6. Serve hot, and enjoy over rice or with a chapathi.

Kanda Pohe (Poha) - A Vegetarian Indian Snack Made of Flattened Rice

2009-12-20T10:00:00.011-05:00

Pohe (in Marathi), or Poha (in Hindi) means flattened rice. It's prepared in many different ways. I am going to show you a simple preparation from the Indian state of Maharashtra, which is where my family comes from.

Though it's a really simple dish to make, growing up I always thought of pohe as a special treat. It brings back a lot of good memories to say the least because it was often eaten when the family got together.

A carbohydrate heavy dish, there aren't many people who won't like this one!

Kanda Pohe
Makes 4 snack sized servings, or serves 2 as a meal

Ingredients
300 grams of poha
2 medium sized potatoes, cut into cubes
1 small onion, choppped
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or 1 green bird's eye chilli, finely chopped)
1-2 teaspoon salt
1 heaping tablespoon of sugar
1 large handful of cilantro, washed, leaves removed from stalks and chopped
Optional - freshly grated coconut

Method

1. Chop the onion and potato.
2. Heat the oil in a large non-stick pan.

3. Add the mustard seeds, and wait until they start talking (until they start popping).

4. Add the onion and fresh green chili if that's what is being used.
5. Cook on a medium heat for three to four minutes, until onion starts to soften.

6. Add potatoes and cover pan to help soften potatoes more quickly, stir occasionally.

7. In a strainer, add poha, and run water over until well soaked; allow to drain.

8. Place poha in a bowl. Add turmeric, chili (unless you used fresh green chili), sugar and salt.

9. Mix well, add lemon juice, and set aside.

10. Chop cilantro. Set aside. If you have fresh coconut, this would also be the time to grate it.

11. When potatoes are softened, remove lid and allow potatoes to brown until golden.

12. Add poha mixture to pan, and stir gently on a low heat until mixture becomes more yellow and slightly drier. This will take a few minutes.

13. Stir in cilantro, and remove pan from heat. Garnish with grated coconut.

14. Enjoy hot and fresh. The poha flakes become hard after some time if they become cold.

An Easy Student Meal - Quick Stir-Fried Noodles

2009-12-17T08:21:00.010-05:00

I recently wrote this recipe as a paper for class at my MBA program.

As I have learned over the past few months, time is of the essence as a First Year Student. We spend most of our time in class, preparing cases, attending briefings, getting ready for interviews, meeting with professors, participating in various clubs, and attending the occasional social event. For many of us, we struggle to find the few minutes where we can relax, turn on the TV, call friends and family, exercise, run errands and very importantly, eat.

While I realize that some first years do not cook, do not like to cook, and do not want to learn how to cook, I think there are a fair number of students who would enjoy learning a few easy meals to make. Though eating out is probably in many cases the fastest, it is often not as tasty, satisfying or healthy as making a meal at home, and besides, eating all meals out can get very repetitive, and the cost of eating out is usually more expensive too. There are only so many places to grab a quick bite on a school night.

As I was inventing this recipe, I was really trying to take the student lifestyle into account. Given our time constraints, I know we cannot be running to the grocery store very frequently, or be spending time searching around for an extensive and difficult to find set of ingredients. So, the list of ingredients needed to be short and simple. I also tried to take into account that the meal needed to be reasonably well -rounded in terms of the different food groups to give the student energy and nutrition. I tried to think about the shelf life and costs of the ingredients so that the student could have the ingredients around for a while should cooking plans not work out due to other unforeseen activities, and even then would not have to worry about the costs too much should there be spoilage. Finally, I made this a meal for one, knowing that many students live on their own. I hope you will find the following recipe user friendly and helpful.

Quick and Easy Stir-Fried Noodles – A Meal For One

Ingredients

1 packet of your favorite ramen type noodles (I used Sapporo Ichiban Chowmein Japanese Style Noodles)
4 ounces of chicken breast, or other type of meat (I usually keep a few frozen chicken breasts in the freezer at all times, and use one at a time at my convenience)
5 leaves of green or savoy cabbage
1 carrot
1 heaping teaspoon of cornflour or potato starch
2 tablespoons of reduced sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon canola or vegetable oil
1 teaspoon of chopped garlic (fresh or jarred is fine)

Method – Approximately 15 minutes of preparation time, and 10 minutes of cooking time

1. Remove one chicken breast from the freezer. Slice immediately. It is easier to slice meat from frozen.

2. Chop the garlic finely.

3. Combine the chicken, cornstarch, garlic and one tablespoon of the soy sauce. Stir together well and allow to sit and marinate while preparing other ingredients. Cornstarch helps to seal in the moisture of the chicken.

4. Peel the carrot. This can either be done with a vegetable peeler, or by using a sharp knife to scrape away the outside layer of skin on the carrot. Using a grater, grate the entire carrot. Set aside in bowl.

5. Chiffonade the cabbage leaves. To do this, take one or two cabbage leaves, and roll them up. Then from one end, start running the knife through the leaves, cutting very close together. The end result will be very thinly sliced strips, and this is known as a chiffonade. Repeat until all the cabbage is in a chiffonade.

6. Now that the ingredients are prepped, it’s time to start cooking. Place half of the canola oil into a wok, or other large pan, and allow it to heat up until very hot.

7. Put the chicken into the wok, stir frequently until all of the pink is gone and the chicken has turned a whitish color, and remove to a bowl. This should take approximately two minutes.

8. In the same wok, put in the remaining canola oil. Heat thoroughly.

9. Add the cabbage and the carrot to the pan, as well as the remaining soy sauce. Make sure to add the vegetables before the soy sauce, or the soy sauce will splatter in the hot oil.

10. Stir occasionally until the vegetables become slightly tender. This should take approximately two to three minutes. If the vegetables start to stick or are getting browned, add a little bit of water to the pan.

11. As you are cooking the vegetables, simultaneously cook the ramen noodles in a separate pan, according to directions. If there is liquid left, drain the noodles so that they are completely dry, and then add the seasoning packet that came with the noodles.

12. Once the vegetables and noodles are cooked, add the noodles and chicken to the wok with the vegetables, and gently stir until well-combined.

13. Serve in a shallow bowl immediately!

Eating/Food on Mount Everest and in the Khumbu

2009-07-13T17:00:00.022-04:00

The one and only Mount Everest:

When I was young, adventure sports companies went through a phase where they thought, if you (as the climber) spent enough money, they could get you to the summit of the world's tallest mountain, Mount Everest (29,029ft). My Mom used to tease my Dad and say that she wanted to go. Unfortunately, in the late 90's, there were many deaths on Everest and the mountain returned to being a feat that only the most experienced and fit mountaineers could accomplish. Still, many climbers returned without standing on the top of the world due to altitude sickness, frostbite, or unforeseen circumstances such as weather.

After summiting Kilimanjaro in April of 2008, I added Everest Base Camp to my "bucket list." I actually wanted/still want to go to ABC (Advanced Base Camp) on the Tibet side of the mountain, but China closed Everest to climbers until the very last minute in 2009. So, after some encouragement on my behalf, I convinced my Mom to sign us both up for a Nepal Side Everest Base Camp Trek with the famous mountaineering company, International Mountain Guides (IMG).

Mount Everest Base Camp with the Khumbu Icefall in the background:

It was a long and strenuous 18 days to say the least. We faced everything from landing on the shortest runway in the world (thank you Agni Air who got us back and forth safely from Kathmandu to Lukla!) to diving off the trail to avoid killer Yaks. But those stories are all meant for a different kind of blog! I'm here to tell you about the food experiences I encountered during my trip.

The runway at Lukla (the end of the runway is a cliff!):

During the trek to Base Camp there are two options; camp in tents or stay in tea lodges. Our group of 10 took the tea lodge route, and this meant eating food prepared in the tea lodges. Food at the tea lodges is, well, very repetitive, and, almost all simple carbohydrates. Think pasta, rice and potatoes... and potatoes and more potatoes. Unfortunately, at the high altitude, potatoes are one of the only things that will grow well. Fruit is almost non existent, vegetables are scant, and the meat is scarce because of the superstitions of the Sherpa people and lack of refrigeration. The higher one climbs, the less variety there is. In hindsight, I would have brought plenty of dried fruit, canned fish and beef jerky to aid my diet on the trip. For protein, try some Nak cheese (a Nak is a female Yak, and the cheese is definitely not properly pasteurized), or try the traditional dahl bhat (lentils and rice). If you order dahl bhat and you like spicy food, you might want to ask for it spicy, because for some reason they make food unusually bland for the tourists.

The other thing I should mention about a trek through this region of the world is that water is not readily available, and a lot of the time you have to pay for it. Bring iodine tablets or a water purification system, and don't expect there to be extra water to brush your teeth or wash your face. It is extremely important to drink plenty of fluids each day at high altitude so don't skimp on the purchase of what you need to stay healthy. Finally, be wary of bottled water; it's better to treat everything and be safe rather than sorry in a place where there is not a doctor around every corner (or a toilet for that matter!).

On a very windy but sunny morning, I made it to base camp. I was thankful to see the IMG village of tents and meet Eric Simonson and Ang Jangbu Sherpa, the principals of the 2009 IMG Evesest Expedition, who quickly offered me some warm Tang and a nice warm tent to sit in. It was about 11am when I reached base camp, which meant lunch was being readied. I immediately asked if I could see the cook tent. The Sherpas in the cook tent welcomed me in and let me take some photos. They were making potatoes, simmering meat, heating up baked beans, making chapathis, and putting together fresh vegetables for a salsa and for salad! Fresh vegetables?! I was so excited, and was told that they were washed specially for us foreigners (I wouldn't have dared touched anything uncooked at a tea lodge or in Kathmandu).

Making salad... a very exciting site after two weeks sans vegetables:

Cooking potatoes:

At 12pm, I got to see the call to lunch, and was escorted into a tent with the Everest climbers (imagine me and a bunch of hunky guys in a tent eating lunch!). There were so many different kinds of condiments on the table, from all over the world. They served my plate, and I proceeded to dump about half a cup of Pace salsa onto my "taco" which consisted of meat and chopped veggies inside a chapathi. It tasted AMAZING. I had seconds. It was incredible food after what we had been eating for the previous two weeks. I truly enjoyed it. I guess when you pay for an Everest climb (somewhere around 70,000 US Dollars) they make the effort to get some really good food to you.

The call to lunch:

The fabulous lunch spread:

My lunch plate at Base Camp:

A sampling of the condiments available to the climbers:

While I was eating lunch with the climbers, I got to chat them up and ask them about their experiences. I'll tell you what they said about the food. Meals were served at 9,12, and 6 (afternoon tea at 3 too). If you were heading out of base camp and upwards through the Khumbu Icefall, they'd have your breakfast ready for you at the appropriate time (as early as 3am). While traveling up through Camps 1,2,3 and 4, the food availability varied. At the lower camps, IMG had rotating cooks who would make food for the climbers. When climbers were otherwise hungry or at the higher camps, they would bring many snacks and dehydrated meals with them. At base camp, thousands of eggs were consumed by IMG climbers (I think when I was there, which was before their summit bids, they had already consumed more than 5,000 eggs). And I found it amusing that the most common meat that they ate was SPAM in different forms.

Lunch with the climbers:

I also visited the IMG Stupa, where they have a big Puja before climbing starts, and give offerings to the mountain goddess. Many kinds of little offerings are given - little bits of food for example - all to ask the mountain goddess for safe passage. It was really very beautiful; prayer flags reached from the Stupa to all corners of IMG's camp.

The IMG Stupa:

Trekking in the Himalayas is really a unique experience. Trying to eat well is just as much of a job as putting one foot in front of the other on the way up a hill at high altitude. When trekkers and climbers get back from their trips, they acquire something called, "Climbers Amnesia." One acquires this amnesia when they realize what an awesome thing they accomplished and totally forget about all the hardships they faced. Mom and I definitely have "Climbers Amnesia," and will never forget about our adventure in the mountains of Nepal. The question for us is, what adventure is next?

Eating in West Africa: Senegalese Style

2009-07-02T09:33:00.007-04:00

A couple of years ago I went to Dakar, Senegal. I was fortunate enough to be able to learn about their food, how they cook some of their classic dishes, and the way they eat. The Senegalese people are very generous; if you are visiting someone at meal time, they will always share what they are having with you. Even walking past people on the street, you will often hear them exlaim, "Kaay leck!" which means "come and eat!" in the local language.

Under some expert supervision, I was able to help cook the Senegalese national dish, Thiéboudienne (pronounced Cheh Bu Jen). Thiéboudienne is a rice and vegetable dish, topped off with a delicately marinated grilled fish.

In Senegal, everyone gathers around a huge shallow-rimmed bowl to eat. The head of the house will break up the main item (in this case the fish), and place it in each person's section of the plate. Everyone eats out of this one plate, either with the right hand (never the left!) or with a spoon.

People typically eat quickly, with minimal conversation. They have a saying that translates roughly into "You only have one mouth, it cannot do two things at once." Conversation typically occurs both before and after the meal, often during an elaborate tea ceremony. This ceremony involves three cups of highly caffeinated tea, with each cup containing more sugar than the last. One Senegalese man prepares the tea by pouring it back and forth between two glasses to create a thick foam cover. This cover protects the tea from sand and dust. Each person drinks using one of these two glasses, refilling each time. Once everyone has had a taste, they begin brewing the next one!

I also went to a small ocean resort about an hour and a half south of Dakar. I was fortunate enough to observe the local village-men fishing. Their fishing method was simple; they take a boat out into the water, drop a net, and then pull it in from both sides.

They caught everything from sea snakes to a huge ray, as well as the average fish (of which I bought one and took it to the hotel for them to cook up for my dinner!).

Istanbul: The Spice Market, and Two Restaurant Recommendations

2009-06-29T07:44:00.009-04:00

I had the opportunity to travel to Turkey this spring with one of my best friends, Lauren, and her mom. They really showed me a great time, and it's a trip I won't forget.

(mmm Turkish Delight!)

While we were in Istanbul, we stopped in the spice market. It's definitely worth visiting the spice market. There are all kinds of Turkish sweets, spices from Turkey and all over the world, and of course, Turkish specialties like baklava and pastrami. Please enjoy some of the photos I took a little farther down in this post.

Above the spice market is a famous restaurant named Pandeli. A couple of people had recommended it to me before my trip, so Lauren, her mom and I made sure to make Pandeli our lunch stop that day. Pandeli is most famous for it's sea bass en papillote (sea bass cooked in a parcel, photo below). That's what I had, and it was truly delicious.

I must mention one other restaurant I went to in Istanbul; Balikci Sabahattin. This restaurant is a seafood place, and every single thing we had there was excellent. Unfortunately I didn't take any photos, but it would be the first restaurant I would head to if I was back for another visit to Istanbul.

Please enjoy the photos of the market; it was a lot of fun to visit, and a great place to pick up some Turkish Delight to bring home to friends and family!

Turkish Delight and other tasty treats...

Lots of spices...

Peppercorns...

Turkish Saffron...

Baklava...

Something else that looked tasty but I don't know the name of...

Dried vegetables including dried aubergine (eggplant) which I had never seen before...

A huge wheel of goat's cheese...

Pastrami, which was more cured and more spicy (but less peppery) than the American version...

Finally, pomegranate tea... so pretty!

An Easy Accompaniment: Tomatoes Provencal

2009-05-28T18:26:00.010-04:00

The prep for this dish is very quick; once it's assembled, just bake them for thirty minutes and they are ready! Personally, I'd serve this as a side item for steak or rack of lamb, or something equally robust.

Tomatoes Provencal
Makes twelve servings

Ingredients
6 on the vine tomatoes
1 cup of breadcrumbs
1/4 cup of finely chopped flat leaf parsley
1 clove of garlic
good extra virgin olive oil
salt
pepper

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a deep, oven safe baking dish with foil (helps with the cleanup at the end!).

Take out the top core of the tomatoes, cut them in half and place them in the baking dish.

Remove the stalks from the parsley. Finely chop the parsley and clove of garlic. Combine the parsley and garlic with the breadcrumbs, salt and pepper.

Spoon the mixture generously over the tomatoes.

Then, drizzle olive oil over the top.

Bake for approximately 30-40 minutes, or until the breadcrumbs are golden brown on the top. The tomatoes can be served warm or cold.

Creamy Coconut Ice Cream

2009-03-30T06:20:00.004-04:00

If you have an ice cream churner, try this recipe. Serve this ice cream with chocolate shavings or incorporate chocolate chips into the ice cream itself. Alternatively, serve it as an accompaniment to something tropical... I served it with a passion fruit mousse. The acidity of the passion fruit, and the sweetness of the ice cream, balanced each other out nicely.

Ingredients
Makes 6-8 servings

200ml coconut milk
50ml milk
300ml whipping cream
30ml Malibu
100g caster sugar

Method

Place the sugar in the coconut milk and milk over low heat until the sugar is fully dissolved; allow to cool. Combine all the ingredients. Place on ice cream machine. Once churned, place in air tight container in the freezer, allow to fully freeze, and then use as necessary.

Did you Know? The Difference Between Croissant Shapes

2009-02-22T03:35:00.004-05:00

Some plain croissants are straight, and some are joined together at the ends in a sort of crescent moon shape. I never knew that this actually meant something. I thought the shape of the croissant was simply the preference of the person who had shaped them.

What I learned recently is that the shape of the croissant - straight across or crescent moon, reflects the ingredients inside... in France at least. In France, it is the law, that only a croissant made with pure butter can be straight. If a croissant is made with any other sort of fat, for example, margarine, it must be joined at the ends to form a crescent moon shape.

The next time you buy a croissant, you might be a little more inquisitive about what it's made of...

A Great Cookie To Make With Kids: Russian Teacakes aka Snowballs

2009-01-24T08:03:00.012-05:00

I've been making this recipe with my mom since I can remember; it's kind of our Christmas tradition. I have many fond memories of making these cookies.

At any rate, the teacakes are not only one of the easiest things I've ever baked, but are also very kid friendly. There are many jobs kids can participate in while making these; measuring ingredients, rolling the dough into balls, and covering them in confectionery sugar when they come out of the oven. The best part is, however, is that there are no eggs in this recipe, so mom's don't have to worry about their kids taking a little nibble of the dough or licking their fingers.

Russian Teacakes
Makes approximately four dozen cookies

Ingredients
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 confectionery sugar, sifted
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/4 cups flour, sifted
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup finally chopped (walnuts) nuts (optional, to be stirred in last)
extra confectionery sugar for rolling

Sift the dry ingredients (flour, salt) together and set them aside.

Cream the butter, sugar and vanilla together.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, and stir together.

Once the mixture starts coming together, use your hands and form a ball with the dough.

Refrigerate the dough until firm (usually 30 minutes to 1 hour). Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Form once inch balls with the dough by rolling them in the palm of your hand.

Place the cookies on an ungreased cookie sheet quite close together (they don't really spread much).

Bake for approximately 10 minutes. I can tell they are cooked with they start to slightly crack at the top.

Cool for a few minutes, but while still warm, roll all the cookies in confectionery sugar. After rolling all the cookies once, roll them for a second time. Then allow them to cool completely before storing.

A Few Photos From Le Cordon Bleu London Pastry Class

2009-01-16T17:28:00.015-05:00

If anyone is curious about what I've been doing at school, I'm including a few photos in this post. I don't have any cuisine photos; we have to serve the food hot and it's tasted immediately, thus destroying the beauty of the food on the plate. In pastry the recipes are so exact that they don't taste our food/art pieces, so there is plenty of opportunity snap away.

Up at the top is a croquembouche, which is a traditional french wedding cake.

My first attempt to make a pulled sugar rose. I ended up with a huge blister on my thumb from making the petals!

My first attempt at making a pulled sugar ribbon.

Me, and my ribbon hat....

And, my first attempt at pouring sugar. Poured sugar is my favorite of all the sugar work so far.

The fraisier cake, from the top. You can see, my piping needs a bit of work!

The fraisier cake from the side... yum!

A Trip to Savannah: Dinner at Paula Deen's Restaurant, Lady and Sons

2008-12-29T17:39:00.005-05:00

This Christmas vacation my family and I drove from Florida to Connecticut. On the way, we stopped in Savannah, Georgia. After consulting our guidebook, we decided to make a reservation at Paula Deen's restaurant, Lady and Sons. We chose Lady and Sons not so much because it was Paula Deen's, but more because the guidebook said it had authentic, southern cooking.

To eat at Lady and Sons, you must physically go there to make a reservation. Apparently in the high season it is often fully booked by noon. Being the 23rd of December however, it was busy but not sold out. Gazing through the window at the southern style buffet, I was not too optimistic about how good the food would be, but we decided we would try it out anyhow.

Upon being seated at the restaurant, you are promptly served hoecakes and cheese biscuits, which are really really good. The hoecake is a pancake made with cornmeal, fried in clarified butter... yum!

And the buffet... well, it's literally to die for. There is so much butter and saturated fat, I don't think you could eat there more than 3 or 4 times per year without feeling like a heart attack was coming on. But it was DELICIOUS. I'm no expert in southern cooking, but everything from the greens to the fried chicken were very tasty. Definitely the best fried chicken I've ever had.

Here's a picture of a very nice lady (unfortunately didn't catch her name) who was making the hot cheese biscuits and hoecakes. Here you can see her scooping out biscuits on to a baking tray.

Anyhow, if you are ever in Savannah, check our Lady and Sons!

A Traditional (and easy!) Singaporean Noodle Dish: Kway Teow

2008-12-13T07:05:00.011-05:00

I asked my Singaporean friend at Le Cordon Bleu, Christine, to teach me a typical Singaporean noodle dish. The next Monday at school, she brought in homemade kway teow and let me have a taste, and I told her I wanted to learn it!

The next Sunday she came over. We went to an Asian grocer, picked out all of the ingredients with her expert guidance, and came home and cooked a delicious, and surprisingly simple dish.

Kway Teow
Makes two servings

Ingredients
400g fresh ho fun (or 200g dry)
3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
100g of bean sprouts
20g (5-6 stalks) of Chinese chives, cut into two inch pieces
100g fish cake or shrimp/chicken/beef/tofu/pork
2 tbsp vegetable oil or canola oil
2 eggs
1 ½ tbsp dark soy sauce
1 ½ tbsp sweet soy sauce
1 tbsp sweetish chili sauce (not too sweet!)
1 tbsp regular soy sauce (or more to taste)

First, lets take a look at some of the ingredients... I certainly wasn't familiar with all of them!

Three types of sauce... to the left, the chili sauce, in the middle, the sweet soy sauce, and on the right, dark soy sauce.

Chinese chives aka garlic chives... they are beautiful and mild tasting, and have a hint of garlic taste.

Dry ho fun. Needs to be cooked like pasta until al dente (probably about 5 minutes depending on what variety you get).

Fresh ho fun. Separate them in warm water.

Fish cake. A commonly used ingredient in Asian cooking. Any sort of protein can be used though.

Prepped fish cake, chives and garlic.

Now for the method. Heat the oil until it's extremely hot, even smoking. Add the garlic, and stir in the pan until fragrant (about 30 seconds). Do not let the garlic burn!

Crack the eggs and add them to the pan. Don't stir until they start to look brown around the edge. Then, break the egg up and stir until cooked through.

Add the fish cake, or whatever protein you are using, and cook accordingly.

The next step is to add the noodles. Be gentle stirring so that the noodles do not break. Heat through.

Next, add the dark soy sauce, sweet soy sauce, chili sauce and regular soy sauce. Stir thoroughly. Taste a noodle to check the seasoning, and look at the color. For more color, add more dark soy sauce. For more heat, add more chili sauce. For more sweet/smokey flavor, add more sweet soy sauce. And for more saltiness, add regular soy sauce.

Add the bean sprouts and stir through. Cook them for about one minute. They add crunch and texture to the dish, so don't cook them too much or they will become soft. Finally, add the chives. Turn off the heat, and stir the chives until distributed evenly. Serve piping hot.

Christmas Time Reminds Me Of: Slightly Caramelized Brussels Sprouts

2008-12-12T07:49:00.014-05:00

I don't know why brussels sprouts are so dreaded. As long as they are cooked properly, I think they are delightful. I feel that many veggies get a bad wrap, and it's often due to the fact that people don't cook them well - I mean, who likes brussels sprouts that are very strong tasting, or totally droopy because someone has boiled them to death? I can understand that they are a somewhat acquired taste that that comes with age, but I don't think they should have such a terrible reputation.

Brussels sprouts take 90-180 days to grow. They grow on a long stalk, 2-4 feet in length, in a spiral pattern. Besides being related to cabbage, they are also a close relative of broccoli!

Anyway, here is one way I like to cook brussels sprouts. It's quick, and requires little skill.

Slightly Caramelized Brussels Sprouts
Makes 4 side dish servings

Ingredients
3/4 of a pound of brussels sprouts
1 tbsp of canola or vegetable oil
1/2-1 cup of water
salt and pepper to taste

Peel outer leaves off of brussels sprouts, trim ends (not too much or the whole sprout will fall apart!) and cut in half. Heat a shallow bottomed pan. Add oil and brussels sprouts. Place enough water in the pan so that the brussel sprouts are half covered. Season with a little salt and pepper.

Place lid over the pan. Simmer for 5 minutes.

Remove lid, and let water completely evaporate. Taste a brussels sprout. If it's reasonably tender, caramelize the brussels sprouts (let them brown, stirring occasionally) gently, making sure not to blacken them. If not, add a bit more water, and simmer. Taste again. Once they are tender, caramelize them. Adjust seasoning as necessary.

Fig, Prosciutto, and Fresh Mozzarella Salad with a Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing

2008-11-18T03:45:00.016-05:00

I think this easy salad is a taste sensation. The combination of flavors and textures really makes it a delight to eat. The figs are sweet, the lettuce leaves are crunchy, the prosciutto is salty, the salad dressing is a bit tart, and the mozzarella is soft, mild, and seems to balance the salad.

Fig, Prosciutto, and Fresh Mozzarella Salad with a Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing
Makes 2 Servings

Ingredients
4 ripe figs
1 bag of ready to use salad, or any mix of leaves you like in an appropriate portion for two
4 slices of prosciutto or other dry cured ham, cut into large pieces
Fresh mozzarella, cut into bite size pieces
3-4 tbsp olive oil (not extra virgin)
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp whole grain mustard
1/2 tsp garlic powder or one garlic clove, crushed
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp kosher or sea salt

Prepare the balsamic vinegar dressing. Combine the mustard, salt, pepper, garlic, and vinegar. With a whisk in one hand, and olive oil in the other, slowly emulsify the olive oil into the other ingredients by pouring it in slowly and whisking vigorously.

Assemble the salad. Cut a crisscross into the figs, without cutting all the way through. Squeeze the bottom of the fig a bit to expose the pink flesh inside. Place lettuce on the bottom of the bowl, and distribute the other ingredients on top. Just before serving, lightly dress the salad with the dressing. Alternatively, you can leave the dressing on the side so that people can choose the amount of dressing, if any, they'd like on their salad.

Eating Like a King or Queen; Traditional United Arab Emirates Style

2008-11-16T02:29:00.012-05:00

I recently went to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and visited the specific Emirates of Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah. It was my first time in the Middle East and a very interesting experience. Not to mention I dined extremely well in the many restaurants available to us foreigners.

However, what I really enjoyed was visiting some of the historical places in and around the UAE. I learned a bit about how the Arabs used to live, what their homes were like, and how they used to eat.

I took some photos at the Al Ain Palace Museum, the formal home of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. Men and women had separate areas in the palace to live, hang out, and eat. Traditionally, people would sit on the floors of rooms on pillows. However, as you can see below, the Sheikh had seats. I'm sitting on his "throne" in this photo.

In the middle of the room, there would be mats with large woven cones sitting on top. Food would be served on these mats in large dishes. Eating was communal, and it was (and still is) very important to eat with your right hand. The cones protected the food underneath from insects.

The coffee pot is one of the national symbols of the UAE. If you are a guest entering a home, you will always be offered coffee. If you take a look at the coinage of the UAE, the dirham, you'll notice a coffee pot on it.

Lastly, I just wanted to show you a date palm. I had never really thought about it, and didn't realize that dates grew on huge palms. They ripen and dry naturally on the trees, and are ready to eat as soon as they have been picked. Yum!

Ten Minute Tasty, Fresh, and Easy Guacamole

2008-09-07T17:27:00.008-04:00

As a kid, guacamole grossed me out for some reason; I guess it was a combo of being green and squishy looking that made it look so unappetizing. But isn't it funny how our opinions change. Now I think guacamole is delicious. Plus, it's easy to make, and wonderful to serve to other people because they love it!

Guacamole
Makes 4 - 6 Servings

Ingredients
2 avocados
1 tbsp of lime juice
1 small jalapeno pepper
1/8 cup of finely chopped cilantro
1/8 cup of very finely chopped red onion
1/2 roma tomato, diced
1/2 tsp kosher/coarse salt
1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Tortilla chips

Halve avocados, remove stones, and remove flesh from the skin with either a knife or spoon. Immediately pour lime juice over avocado pieces so that they do not oxidize. To create a creamier guacamole, use a fork and mash the flesh. Add all other ingredients and gently stir.

Penne alla' Amatriciana aka Bacon Pasta

2008-09-03T20:49:00.004-04:00

This recipe is an old favorite of mine. I think it's one of the first things I learned to cook. Who doesn't love something with pancetta or bacon as one of the flavors?

Penne alla' Amatriciana
Serves 4 for dinner

Ingredients
1/4-1lb of chopped/cut bacon or pancetta
2 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, diced
6 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
2 cans of petite diced tomatoes
1 small can of tomato sauce
1/2 cup of white wine
1 pound of penne pasta
1 tsp of red pepper flakes
1 tsp of freshly ground black pepper
Salt to taste
Parmesan cheese

Quick tip: It's really easy to cut bacon with scissors.

Brown the bacon in a large deep bottomed pan. When the bacon is done, remove it from the pan and set aside. Throw away the bacon fat left in the pan by pouring it out. Do not wash the pan; the bits of bacon left in the bottom of the pan have a lot of flavor.

Next, add the olive oil to the pan and sweat the onion and garlic with the red pepper flakes, and black pepper until the onions are soft.

Add the white wine to the pan, and reduce the mixture until there is almost no liquid left.

Finally, add the bacon, the tomato sauce, and the two cans of diced tomatoes. Bring to a boil.

Turn down and simmer the sauce for approximately 30 minutes to 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

Cook the pasta until al dente. Add to the sauce, and stir for about one minute, until the sauce binds to the pasta.

Serve piping hot, with Parmesan cheese to garnish.

Steps to Keeping Your Kitchen Safe: Buffet Rules

2008-08-19T20:19:00.009-04:00

There are a few simple steps to ensure germs do not spread at a buffet.

1.) Make sure food is kept at the proper temperature. Hot food should be kept hot, and cold food should not be allowed to warm up. Keep food hot with a burner underneath, and keep food like shrimp cold by keeping it on ice.

2.) When taking seconds, thirds or fourths, it's wise to use a clean plate each time. If the serving spoon touches a person's plate, germs are transfered into the main dish, and therefore germs are spread to every person who takes food from that dish.

3.) Never sneeze or cough near a buffet. The germs will travel through the air and onto the food. Try to leave the room or move far away in anticipation of a sneeze or cough.

4.) Don't use a serving implement in more than one dish. If there is nothing to serve with, ask for another utensil. Dipping serving spoons in more than one thing will cause cross contamination between dishes.

5.) Don't leave food out longer than needed. When the buffet is closed, food should be put away as quickly and efficiently as possible. Refrigerate, freeze, and throw out food as appropriate. The longer food stays out, the more bacteria will multiply.

Fettucine With Shrimp and Grape Tomatoes

2008-08-04T08:03:00.005-04:00

I was really hungry so I wanted to make something really quick. After searching around the kitchen for a minute, I found some grape tomatoes, frozen shrimp, a package of fettucine, garlic, and a lime. I could easily make a fast meal out of these ingredients; the longest part of the meal would be cooking the pasta.

So, I put the water on to boil. Here's the recipe I came up with.

Fettucine with Shrimp and Grape Tomatoes
Makes 3 servings

Ingredients
3/4 package fettucine (I used Barilla)
Approximately 100 ounces of grape tomatoes (or cherry tomatoes), halved
2-3 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 lb of raw, deveined shrimp
Juice of one lime (or lemon)
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp chili flakes
salt to taste
Parmesan cheese to garnish

Heat the olive oil in a large bottomed pan or wok. Saute garlic until very lightly golden brown, approximately 2 minutes.

Add the grape tomatoes. Saute for about two minutes, until it starts to look like the tomatoes are softening and breaking down a little.

Next, add the shrimp. Cook the shrimp until it turns pink. If the pan is nice and hot, this will only take a couple of minutes.

Add the chili flakes, salt, pepper, and lime juice.

Finally, add the pasta. Leave a little bit of pasta water to add to the mixture. The starch in the water will help the pasta to bind to the sauce. Stir well.

Serve hot, and sprinkle some Parmesan cheese on top.

Shrimp Burrito Bowl

2008-07-29T10:32:00.005-04:00

Try my Chicken Burrito Bowl with shrimp! It's great! Just take about half a pound of raw, deveined and peeled shrimp, and cut them into bite size pieces (or keep them whole if you prefer). Use the marinade that was meant for the chicken and put it on the shrimp instead.

Cook the shrimp by stir-frying it in a hot pan with about one tablespoon of olive oil. It only takes about 1-2 minutes to cook the shrimp; as soon as the all the shrimp becomes opaque (from grey, to white/pink) it's cooked!

Heat up the black beans in the pan you cooked the shrimp in; the beans will soak up all the flavor that is left in the pan from the shrimp.

Enjoy with pico de gallo, cheese, etc. Basically, anything you like!

Chewy and Rich Chocolate Cookies

2008-07-29T08:12:00.005-04:00

I don't think anything beats a cookie that reminds me of my mom's fudge sauce. This cookie recipe, which I got off the back of a package of Baker's Unsweetened Chocolate, just looked like it might be tasty, and I was very pleasantly surprised.

It's also really easy to make. I'd recommend doing it in a mixer if you have one, because the dough gets very stiff at the end, but it's nothing that a little muscle can't handle either.

If you are in need of a chocolate fix, these cookies are certainly for you!

Chocolate Cookies
Makes between 60-70 cookies

Ingredients
4 squares of Baker's unsweetened chocolate
3/4 cup butter
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour

Place chocolate and butter into a microwave safe dish. Microwave the chocolate and butter until melted. This will probably take approximately 2 minutes, but depending on the strength of your microwave, might be slightly more or less. It's important not to microwave the chocolate and butter too long; you risk the chance of burning the chocolate. If you are worried about the strength of your microwave, try microwaving just a minute, and then giving the chocolate and butter a stir. When it's almost melted, bring the cooking interval time down to 30 seconds.

Once the chocolate and butter are completely melted, stir until completely blended. Next, mix in the sugar. The mixture will look kind of grainy.

Stir in the eggs and vanilla. I like to lightly beat the eggs before mixing them in so that they blend in well and are not mostly yolk in one place, and white in another.

Finally, stir in the flour. Do this in three or four additions, so that the flour doesn't go everywhere. The dough will feel quite stiff.

If it's not firm and easy to roll, place the dough in the refrigerator for up to an hour.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Shape the dough into 1 inch balls, and, on to a greased cookie sheet, place approximately 2 inches apart.

Bake for 8 minutes. The cookies should be just set. This will ensure that they stay nice and chewy. Cool the cookies on the sheet for a minute, then remove to a cooling rack.

I ate a couple when they were still warm, and they were soft and chewy and delicious!

Something Really American: My Grandma's Chili-Mac aka American Chop Suey

2008-07-27T08:26:00.010-04:00

Whenever I'd go to my Grandma's house (my Mom's Mom) she'd have something yummy waiting for me. I don't know if everything she made was so delicious because it was inextricably linked to her, or if everything was just that good.

My Grandma did everything in a calm and patient manner, and this carried over into her cooking. Watching her in the kitchen was a pleasure; everything was done with the utmost care and precision.

She's probably the most consistent cook I've ever known. Her dishes were always cooked to perfection. At chef school, the teachers talked about consistency being one of the most important attributes to a good chef's food. Customers come to eat the same dish repeatedly, and expect it to be the same as it was the last time. If you can achieve this as a cook, time and time again, you've accomplished something really great. My Grandma was an expert at this.

At any rate, my Grandma's chili-mac was probably my favorite dish. I used to request her to make it all the time. After she passed away, there was no more chili-mac; she had not left a recipe and I had never learned how to make it. However, there was something in the college dining hall that was almost the same (though not nearly as good as my Grandma's) called American chop suey. So during college, I sort of managed to satisfy the craving.

I have since consulted my mom, and we've tried to replicate the chili-mac recipe, with moderate success. Please try out the recipe below! It's very easy to make.

Grandma's Chili-Mac
Makes 4 servings

1 lb lean ground beef
2 tbsp canola oil
1/2 onion, chopped
1/2 green pepper, chopped
1 large stick of celery, chopped
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 28 ounce can of crushed tomatoes
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cayenne powder
1/2 freshly black ground pepper
salt to taste
2 cups uncooked macaroni

Heat the canola oil and sweat the onions until soft. This should take approximately five minutes on a medium heat.

Next, add the beef in small chunks. Brown the beef until all red color is gone, approximately five minutes.

Stir in the tomato paste, and then add all of the remaining ingredients, aside from the macaroni. Bring to a boil and then turn down to simmer for 30-45 minutes, stirring occasionally.

In a separate pot, cook the macaroni. Once the sauce is cooked, the macaroni can be added, and it can be served immediately. Chili-mac is definitely a comfort food. It's also a good way to get kids to eat their meat and veggies in disguise... the beauty of tomato sauce!

Tender Beef Kebabs

2008-07-23T11:11:00.009-04:00

It's summer, so it must be time to use the grill! I wanted to make something healthy, but also tasty, so I decided kebabs might be a good option.

Beef kebabs might not be as healthy as, for example, chicken breast, but, beef has the advantage that it doesn't have to be cooked through. Just make sure to pick a decent piece of beef, I used sirloin for these, and cut off any excess fat that is visible.

You can also pick a variety of veggies to use. My choices were yellow and red pepper, red onion, green squash (zucchini), and grape tomatoes. Any veggie that can hold itself together when cooked works for grilling on a skewer. Yellow squash, green pepper (any sweet peppers), jalepenos, pearl onions, mushrooms - these would all be great for grilling.

Beef Kebabs
Makes 4 servings

1.5 lbs beef, cut into 1 1/2 inch chunks
1 yellow pepper, cut into 1 inch square pieces
1 red pepper, cut into 1 inch square pieces
1 medium red onion, cut into 1 inch square pieces
1 green squash, cut into 1 inch square pieces
15 grape tomatoes
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp cayenne powder
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper

Place olive oil, vinegar, garlic powder, cumin, cayenne, chili, salt, pepper and beef into a ziploc bag. Close bag tightly, squeezing out any excess air. Massage the mixture into the beef for one minute. Marinade in the fridge for three to six hours, turning over once halfway through.

If you are using wooden skewers, you will need to soak them in water for a few hours. I used metal, non stick skewers. Making kebabs is fun. Put pieces of beef, alternating with different vegetables on to each skewer. Don't clean your hands between beef and vegetable additions; the marinade from the beef will coat the vegetables as you handle them.

Place the skewers on a hot grill. I grilled the skewers for about 5 minutes per side, with the lid of the grill closed.

I served the kebabs over rice. They were tasty!

Turkish/Middle Eastern Style Shepard's Salad

2008-07-23T10:42:00.005-04:00

A couple of times this year I've eaten at Middle Eastern style restaurants in New York City. Every time I've dined at one of these places, an accompaniment to the meal has been something called a "Shepard's Salad." This delicate, light and tasty mixture of cucumber, tomato and red onion was a delight to my taste buds, every time.

Anyway, this hot summer weather seems like the perfect time for a salad like this. I could eat it by the bowlful on it's own, but it's also the perfect accompaniment to kabobs, fish, really, anything that has sort of a Middle Eastern or Mediterranean influence.

Shepard's Salad
Makes 4 servings

Ingredients
2 cucumbers, seeded and chopped
2 tomatoes, chopped
1/3 cup red onion, very finely chopped
1 large handful of flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
6 tbsp olive oil
juice of 1 lime
1/2 tsp coarse salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Combine cucumber, tomato, red onion and parsley in a bowl. For the dressing, in a separate bowl, combine red wine vinegar, lime juice, salt and pepper. Add olive oil slowly, whisking to emulsify. Pour desired amount of dressing onto cucumber and tomato mixture, and stir well.

Can be served immediately. I also kept some in the fridge overnight and it tasted just fine the next day. One tip: the firmer the tomatoes, the nicer the texture of the salad will be.

Mushroom Barley Soup

2008-07-14T18:43:00.002-04:00

I made this recipe last night for dinner. Unfortunately it was so simple and easy to make that I forgot to take many photos!! I was just chopping and carrying on, completely oblivious that there was a camera sitting right next to the cutting board. So, apologies for the lack of photos which I know most of you enjoy.

Mushroom Barley Soup
Makes 4 servings

Ingredients
2 medium onions, chopped
2 stalks of celery, chopped
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
20 ounces button mushroom, sliced
64 fl oz chicken or vegetable stock
1/2 tsp dry thyme
2 bay leaves
1 cup of uncooked barley
1/2 cup white wine
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
salt to taste

In a medium sized pan, cook the barley in plenty of boiling water. It will take around 30-45 minutes to cook the barley.

In a large, deep-bottomed pan, heat the olive oil on a medium heat. Add the carrot, onion and celery and sweat until soft (5-10 minutes).

Next, deglaze the pan with the white wine, making sure to scrape off any bits that may have stuck to the bottom of the pan. After the alcohol has cooked off (2-3 minutes), add the mushrooms. Cook them until they start to let go of their natural juices which will take about 3 or 4 minutes.

Finally, add the thyme, bay leaves, pepper, salt, and stock. Drain the barley and add that as well. Stir well, and simmer for approximately 10 minutes. Remove the bay leaves. Enjoy piping hot.

Italian Style Meatballs Are Easy!

2008-07-11T10:30:00.001-04:00

For some reason, I thought meatballs were complicated to make. I don't know why I had that impression. Maybe it's because there are quite a few ingredients that go into the little round wonders, or maybe because it's a multiple step process to make meatballs. At any rate, I discovered it's incredibly easy, and also very delicious!

Meatballs
Makes 5 servings

1.5 pounds meatloaf mixture (1/3 ground beef, 1/3 ground veal, 1/3 ground pork)
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup fresh basil, finely chopped
1/2 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
2 large cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup bread crumbs
2 eggs
Oil for frying

Combine all the ingredients! Mix with your hands to really make sure everything is well blended.

Form one inch balls with the mixture. The colder the mixture is, the easier it will be to roll the meatballs.

Heat a few tablespoons of oil in a large bottomed shallow non stick pan. A medium-high heat will be needed to brown the meatballs nicely.

Add a portion of the meatballs to the pan. It is important to not crowd the pan. Brown them on each side for a couple of minutes, or until they have a nice golden brown color. If you plan on putting the meatballs into a sauce, there is no need to cook them all the way through; a few minutes simmering in their sauce will complete their cooking. If you plan on eating them without immersing them in sauce, once they are browned, turn down the heat to low and cook for a further five minutes, making sure to turn them so that they do not get burned.

I placed my meatballs in my simple tomato sauce recipe, and simmered them for about 5 minutes before serving over pasta. Definitely an all time favorite with Americans I think!

Very Simple, Basic, Tomato Sauce

2008-07-09T13:57:00.005-04:00

This is the simplest of the simple tomato sauces. It's so easy to stir up, and many things can be added to it. It also freezes well, so it can be made ahead of time in anticipation of not having enough time to cook a homemade meal.

Add meatballs to this sauce, or scoop some of this sauce in with a bunch of freshly sauteed veggies to make a healthy pasta dinner. It would also be great as the sauce for eggplant or chicken parm. Or us it as a dipping sauce with bread. It's extremely diverse!

Simple Tomato Sauce
Makes 2 Servings

Ingredients
2 tbsp olive oil
2 cans chopped tomatoes which have been pulsed a few times in a chopper
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 tsp chili flakes
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 heaping tsp sugar
salt to taste
handful of freshly chopped basil, and or parsley (optional)

Heat the oil in a shallow pan. Add the garlic, chili flakes, salt and pepper and saute. It is important to pay very close attention to the garlic. It should take 1-2 minutes for the garlic to become very lightly brown.

Have the tomatoes ready and add them to the pan. Stir all the ingredients together. Finally add the sugar and stir. Let the sauce simmer on a low heat for 10-20 minutes.

If you are planning to add basil or parsley, add it during the last 5 minutes of cooking.

It's possible to use fresh tomatoes for this recipe, but it would make it much more expensive and laborious. Also, tomatoes should be in season so that they actually have some flavor! If you do decide to use fresh tomatoes, they will need to be peeled and chopped. It would probably take 8-10 plum tomatoes to create the same amount of sauce.

Dad's Ham Sandwich

2008-06-04T19:50:00.005-04:00

Since I can remember my dad has been making this simple, but very tasty ham sandwich. The first time I remember making it is in our kitchen in the basement of our house in London for lunch on the weekend.

There is certainly nothing out of this world about this ham sandwich, but for some reason I do crave it every so often. I don't know where my dad got the idea of putting sauteed onions and tomatoes in a sandwich; I've certainly never seen it on the menu anywhere or eaten anything like it.

Dad's Ham Sandwich
Makes one sandwich

3 tbsp finely chopped onion
2 tbsp finely chopped firm tomato
2 slices of any type of bread, I use white pullman
2-3 thin slices of baked ham
canola oil

Heat up a small, shallow pan that will fit the sliced bread into it. Add about a tablespoon of canola oil to the pan, and once it is hot, add the onions. Saute for about 2-3 minutes, until they are fairly soft but still retain a small about of crunch. Add the tomatoes and saute for about 1 minute, until they are heated through and start to soften. Remove to a bowl.

In the hot pan, place a slice of bread (if you want it to be both tastier and crunchier, add a bit of oil or butter to the pan and spread it evenly before adding the bread). Next, pile on the ham, and on top of that, spoon the onion tomato mixture over, making sure it is spread evenly. Then place the second piece of bread on top.

When the bottom piece of bread has become lightly browned, flip the sandwich over carefully with a spatula. Don't let it all fall apart in the process!

Brown the other side (add a bit more butter or oil to the bottom of the pan if you wish). Remove to a plate, and slice in half. Serve hot!

Cooking on the Roof of Africa: Kilimanjaro Climb

2008-05-06T10:38:00.013-04:00

From March 31st to April 6th, I waddled up, and then back down, Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa's tallest mountain. Kilimanjaro, standing tall at 19,341ft (5,895m) is also the world's largest free standing volcano.

I took the Machame route up the mountain. The Machame route has five camps on the ascent: Machame Hut, Shira Hut, Barranco, Karranga and finally the base camp, Barafu. The first two days the ascent is fairly steep. The following three days we followed the philosophy of "climb high, sleep low" as we traversed around the side of the mountain. During the day we climbed up as high as 4,600m, and then would climb down to sleep between 3,700-3950m which helped us to acclimatize.

Kilimanjaro is really amazing; in just a few days one gets to experience every climate from tropical to arctic. The best part about Kilimanjaro is that almost anyone can climb it, well, anyone who can handle the altitude. There is no technical climbing, no ropes, no crampons, no abseiling; a few scrambles here and there up and down rocks (the longest being the one hour climb up the great Barranco Wall) and some slippery gravel are about as difficult as it gets.

My best friends for the week were my walking poles, my water bottles, and my hand sanitizer. Ah yes, and lets not forget my wonderful guides, Adam and Dixon, and all of the porters who carried the gear and food. Adam, the head guide, runs a small company called Ringo Expeditions. If you are planning a Kilimanjaro climb I urge you to contact Adam, whose first concern is your safety, the most important thing on a climb to such high altitude. Adam and Dixon strategically, and quietly, looked for symptoms of altitude sickness. They also cleverly answered some questions vaguely, so that I didn't get worried about what is coming next in the climb. The porters were also pretty awesome, carrying up to 20kg's of gear, and whizzing past saying "pole, pole" (slowly, slowly) as I trudged along.

Going slowly on Kilimanjaro is important. If I had tried to race up the mountain, there would have been no way I would have made it. At the base camp, Barafu, the high altitude affects everything you do. I was out of breathe walking to the toilets (well, hole in the ground), rolling over in my sleeping bag, even trying to get my gear on prior to the final ascent!

The final ascent was more like self-torture than anything else. We left at 11:30pm. About three hours in I asked myself why on earth I was doing this climb to get to the top of Africa. It was very cold, extremely windy (I was literally getting blown over by the wind), and pitch dark. I had to give up my walking poles and put my hands in my pockets to try and warm up my fingers. I also spent time battling with my nose that was running like water; I felt drops dripping out of my nose and then watched them blow away in the light of my headlamp.

At 7:06am I reached the summit. A few quick photos (yes, I am holding on to the sign for dear life in this photo because of the wind) and then it was back down again. Three hours later I was back at the base camp, thankful for the opportunity to take a nap after the all night climb. I was in pretty okay shape except for my fingers which were kind of numb at the tips; little did I know it would take almost a month for the feeling to completely return!

But what of the food on Kilimanjaro? I kept wondering about this before I left. Perhaps it's different depending on which company you climb with, or how much you pay for a climb. But I'll tell you how our group ate.

The food was served in courses. Every day for breakfast we had some sort of porridge, followed by a fried egg and a sausage. Lunch was the most varied; sometimes it was a packed lunch which we took with us and ate halfway through the days climb, or sometimes we ate at the next campsite. Packed lunches included a juice box, hard boiled egg, a piece of fried chicken, cookies, some sort of sandwich or other carb, and always a couple of bananas. I actually think bananas must be free in Tanzania... I've never seen (or eaten) so many bananas in my life!

Snack time was always my favorite time of the day. Unfortunately at high altitude one's appetite shrinks, or diminishes completely, but that's why snack time was so good; it's easy to force down some popcorn and nuts even when you are not that hungry.

Dinner, like breakfast, was served in courses. First there was always soup with some sort of bread, often something similar to a chappathi. The next course was the main event, some sort of stew (vegetarian after the first day or so since there was no refrigeration) served with a starch (potatoes, rice or pasta) and a vegetable. Dessert was usually fruit. Also, at every meal there was always hot water, for tea, coffee, and hot chocolate.

As my appetite shrank, I found I was able to eat a lot more if I put hot sauce on everything. I really like hot sauce of any description (see my Red Hot post), but if you decide to go on a Kili climb I would recommend bringing along something you really like, whether it be HP sauce, BBQ sauce, mayo, ketchup etc. I also found that it was really easy to eat the highly caloric foods, like fried potatoes. Even at base camp, I managed to be a member of the clean plate club because we had fried potatoes for lunch. I can't stress to you how important it is to eat and drink as much as possible while climbing Kili; you need 4-5 liters of water per day, and enough food to keep you energized while you climb.

The porters cooked the food on the fringe of their tent. They cooked on a single gas burner between the outside and inside lining of the tent. Because it's very cold in the evenings on Kili they often had the outside lining to the tent shut as well, but in the photo I have taken the flap is open so that you can get a good idea of how things were situated. If you look closely at the photo below you can also see a little table off to the right where I ate my meals. Cooking takes plenty of time at high altitude, and it's not to be laughed at that the porters had to boil all of my water every day.

Climbing Kilimanjaro was both challenging and rewarding. I don't think it was until a few weeks later when I was back in America that I fully appreciated what an amazing thing I had just done.

Tanzanian Lunch in a Hut

2008-05-01T09:13:00.009-04:00

On my recent trip to climb Mount Kilimanjaro, I stopped in Arusha, which is Tanzania's 3rd biggest city. My friends Christian and Sarah have been volunteering at an orphanage there.

Every day for lunch, Christian and Sarah ate at this little, well, I don't know if it has an official name, but I would describe it as a hut. Having been warned not to eat "street food" in many countries, I became apprehensive when I saw the "Mama" cooking in the wide open, but Christian assured me that he had eaten there every day for a month without problems.

So into the hut we went. In all honesty, I think it would have been nicer to eat outside, where there was a nice breeze and no scrawny looking cat looking up at us from underneath the table, but eating inside the hut was the protocol.

Christian ordered up his daily staple, which was rice, beans, and some sort of mild green. It arrived piping hot and was pretty good. Not the most flavorful, but hardly unlikeable. Sure enough, I had no stomach problems and found the experience of eating like a local to be both interesting and fun.

Sights of Portobello Road Market: The Food Stalls

2008-04-30T15:26:00.007-04:00

Portobello Road is probably London's most famous market. It's been featured in many movies; everything from the children's classic, Bed nob's and Broomsticks to the famous romantic comedy Notting Hill.

Portobello Road Market has everything; antiques, food, clothes and accessories from up-and-coming designers, music, and of course some junk. Go there on a Saturday, and go early, to avoid the huge crowds of tourist who descend upon the market by midmorning.

This being a food blog, I took a bunch of photos down at the food end of the market. When I spend time in London, I go to Portobello on the weekends to get my fruit and veg. If you go on a weekly basis, the vendors get to know you and it's really a nice feeling to go back every week, pick up some great produce and get greeted nicely by some real Londoners.

Harrods

2008-03-25T11:40:00.009-04:00

Harrods is London's most famous department store. It's been famous for years, not only for it's beautiful and luxurious products, but also because of it's most current owner, Mohamed Al-Fayed, whose late son, Dodi Al-Fayed dated Princess Diana.

Unfortunately, the beautiful facade of Harrods is under construction, so I couldn't take a nice photo, but lets be honest, I didn't go to Harrods to marvel at the beauty outside, I went to marvel at the gorgeous food hall inside!

Harrods boasts multiple restaurants, and a wonderful food hall, with all types of cuisine from around the world.

If you visit Harrods, take a while to walk around Knightsbridge, the area of London where Harrods is located. Knightsbridge is one of London's most expensive areas. Don't forget to stop by Harvey Nicols, which was one of Princess Diana's most favorite places to shop.

I took lots of photos, but unfortunately the light was not amazing, and everything was behind a glass case, but I did the best I could!
Lets start out with baked goods!

Bread...

And baguettes

Croissants

Pastry

Hot Cross Buns

Sandwiches

Cakes and desserts

Tarts

Traditional British Pies

Marizpan

Cheese

Olives

Food from around the world including Lebanese..

And Thai

And of course, Easter candy...

Some as tall as me!

Baking 911 with Sarah Phillips

2008-03-05T18:47:00.004-05:00

My friend Sarah Phillips runs the baking website Baking 911. Baking 911 is one of the top baking websites on the internet. Sarah is a baking whiz, and uses her expertise to help out others with their baking problems and mishaps. She also has some excellent baking recipes.

Today we tested a marble cake recipe. Sarah tries many recipes, then spends time improving them. You can see some of the marble cake photos in this blog post.

Steps to Keeping Your Kitchen Safe: Should We Wash All Food?

2008-02-27T09:51:00.002-05:00

Why should we wash some foods and not others?

It's good to wash fruits and veggies with cold water. Washing off the excess dirt on fruits and vegetables is important because bacteria like to hide out in the dirt. If you are washing a strong skinned fruit, such as a potato or an apple, feel free to scrub the skin with a brush to get the particles off the skin.

It is however, a BAD idea to wash meat and poultry. When we wash things, water tends to go splashing around sinks and counter tops. Therefore, by washing meat and poultry, we are splattering bacteria everywhere. It's much better just to cook meat and poultry, because the bacteria will be killed in the cooking process.

As always, don't forget to wash your hands and any surface that the meat or poultry may have touched. This will prevent cross-contamination with other foods.

Finally, do not wash eggs. Eggs (at least in USA) have been commercially washed and then coated in mineral oil which protects them. If you wash off the mineral oil, you are increasing the risk of cross-contamination especially if the eggs become cracked.

Did you know? Important facts about cooking pasta.

2008-02-21T09:38:00.004-05:00

Cooking pasta seems like a relatively easy and simple thing to do. However, many people make a couple of common mistakes when they cook pasta.

The first error many people make is to cook the pasta in not enough water. You should use AT LEAST 4 liters of water per pound of pasta. If you don't use enough water, pasta becomes gluey and stuck together.

The water for cooking pasta should be at a roaring boil before you add a teaspoon of salt to the water, and then the pasta. Make sure to stir the pasta periodically, to make sure it is staying separated and not getting stuck to the bottom of the pan.

The biggest error people make when cooking pasta is to add oil to the boiling water. Sure, it may help the pasta from getting stuck together, but once cooked, the pasta is coated in oil. If the pasta is coated in oil, it acts as a protective barrier and does not allow the sauce to bind to the pasta. Bad!

Finally, always add the pasta to the sauce, straight from the boiling water if possible. It's good not to drain every last drop of water from the pasta, because the water has a lot of starch from the pasta and will help the sauce bind to the noodles.

My friend on Martha Stewart!!

2008-02-18T20:02:00.004-05:00

One of my dear friends from college, Lauren, who runs the blog veganyumyum, is going to be on the Martha Stewart show on Monday, February 25th! Please check out her blog, and if you can, watch the show next Monday!

Lauren will be demonstrating how to "knit" with marzipan.

Lauren is very creative (isn't her marzipan lovely!). She is also a leader in the vegan food world.

Good luck Lauren!!

A Favorite Condiment: Frank's Red Hot

2008-01-21T18:34:00.000-05:00

I love Red Hot. It's my universal hot sauce. If something tastes bland, or not that good, I just put on some Red Hot and it's instantly improved.

I've used Red Hot on pasta, poultry, chinese food, mexican food, salads; basically, anything that needs a flavor boost.

Why do I like Red Hot better than other hot sauces? Red Hot adds some heat, but not that much; it's the overall savory and tangy flavor that tastes so good.

Red Hot is made from only five ingredients: aged cayenne peppers, vinegar, water, salt, and garlic powder. Maybe it's the aged cayenne peppers that make it taste so wonderful. Or perhaps it's the fact that even though there is some heat, your tongue doesn't feel as if it will fall off.

Red Hot boasts that it was used in the first ever buffalo wing in Buffalo, New York in 1964. That's quite an accomplishment considering buffalo wings are eaten all over the country now. As a matter of fact, the National Chicken Council estimated that during Super Bowl weekend in 2007, more than 1 billion wing portions were served! That's approximately 90 million pounds of wings!

If you have never had Red Hot, I highly recommend it. Give it a try, it'll add some pizazz to an otherwise boring meal.

Steps to Keeping your Kitchen Safe: Refrigerator Temperature

2008-01-14T08:08:00.000-05:00

It's important to keep your refrigerator below 40 degrees Fahrenheit, (5 degrees Celsius) at all times. It's easy to check the temperature of your fridge; stick a thermometer on the middle shelf of your fridge for a few minutes and you'll see if you are above or below the 40 degree mark. If you have a newer fridge, there is probably a temperature gauge which is great. It's still not a bad idea to double check the temperature of the fridge with a thermometer to make sure it is fairly accurate.

Why is it important to keep the fridge below this temperature? If food is kept above 40 degrees Fahrenheit, it harbors the growth of bacteria. Below 40 degrees Fahrenheit, bacteria will stop multiplying. The fewer bacteria there are, the less likely anyone will get sick.

When you freeze food, bacteria growth stops completely. It won't kill the bacteria that is already on the food, but it will stop it from growing further. Freezing food at 0 degrees Fahrenheit, or -18 degrees Celsius will accomplish the goal of stopping the bacteria growth.

Did You Know? Banana Facts

2008-01-12T10:20:00.000-05:00

Did you know that bananas are always picked green? If they were ripened on the plant, bananas would be very mushy inside.

When buying bananas, it's perfectly okay to purchase them somewhat green, but it's important to let them ripen on a counter top in your kitchen. Don't put bananas in the fridge!

The only time it is alright to keep a banana in the fridge is when the banana is already fully ripe. Placing the banana in the fridge will turn the skin black, but the flesh inside will still be fine. Placing a banana in the fridge is the best way to slow down the deterioration of a fully ripe banana.

Bananas with brown speckles are wonderful to eat; it is at this point when they are very sweet.

Bananas are available all year round and come from tropical locations.

Peppermint Bark - Fun For Kids

2008-01-10T11:51:00.000-05:00

Christmas is over, trees are being disposed of, and decorations are being put away until next year. And then there's always the leftover candy canes. What should I do with them? Stick some in my purse and use them as breath mints? Keep a bowl out for the kids? Feed them to a horse?

No! I say, make peppermint bark! It's so simple to make, and with no eggs or other raw foods it's very safe for the kids to help with.

Peppermint Bark
Makes approximately 30 bite size pieces

Ingredients
12 ounces of white chocolate
3 ounces of candy canes

The first thing to do with this recipe is set up a bain-marie (double boiler). A bain-marie is used to keep things from burning. It's a method often used to melt chocolate, or make mayonnaise or hollandaise sauce.

It's very simple to make a bain-marie. Take a pot, and fill it about 1/3 full with water. Then take a bowl that will sit nicely on top of the pot without touching the water. Heat gently under a low to medium flame. Now the bain-marie is ready to use.

Take the white chocolate, and place it in the top bowl of the bain-marie. It will start to gently melt.

Stir the chocolate occasionally, until all of the chocolate is melted.

In the meanwhile, place the candy canes into a ziploc bag, seal the bag without air in it, and crush them with a rolling pin, or something else heavy.

When the chocolate is completely melted, turn the heat off, and fold in the peppermint pieces until well incorporated.

Then, on a waxed covered cookie sheet, pour out the chocolate and peppermint mixture.

Spread this mixture out carefully until it is 1/8-1/4 of an inch thick.

Let the chocolate harden, which takes approximately 20 minutes. You can also set this aside for a few hours and come back to it if need be.

Finally, break the hardened chocolate into bite size pieces.

The taste of the peppermint bark is mildly sweet and cooling.

Steps to Keeping Your Kitchen Safe: Cutting Boards

2008-01-08T11:35:00.000-05:00

I've decided to start a little series about food hygiene and food safety in the kitchen. There are lots of myths and misinformation out there, so I'll hopefully be able to give you some facts about how to keep your kitchen safe and clean.

Today I am going to talk about cutting boards. The most important thing to remember about cutting boards is to keep raw meats away from everything else. Raw meat carries bacteria, viruses and basically every icky thing that you end up killing when you cook and heat food. Therefore, it's a really terrible idea to, for example, chop some raw beef and then chop a tomato on the same board without washing it carefully in between uses.

A common myth is that hot soapy water is enough to kill germs and bacteria. Hot soapy water is not enough!! If you have raw meat on your cutting board, you not only need to wash it with hot soapy water, but you also need to sanitize it by either running it through the dishwasher or rinsing it in a solution of one teaspoon of chlorine bleach to one quart of water.

The easiest way to keep food safe and tasting it's best is to own two cutting boards. Each side of each cutting board has a different use. It's easy to mark them either with nail polish or a permanent marker so that you can know which side is which.

One cutting board should have one side for raw meat, and the other side for cooked meat and dairy. The second cutting board should be for veggies, fruits and breads. One side should be used for savory foods such as onions, garlic and scallions, and the other side should be for sweet foods such as grapefruit or strawberries. Nobody likes strawberries with the essence of garlic!

Using simple steps to keep your cutting boards clean and separated for specific ingredients should help keep food borne illness at bay and maintain the quality of the food you eat.

Snickerdoodles

2007-12-30T08:30:00.000-05:00

Even in today's world of easy and inexpensive communication, it's difficult to really show how much you love someone. Some people exhibit their love through letters, and some through sending gifts in the mail; some people even send telegrams.

Lillian Cairns spends a lot of her time in Colorado baking cookies and mailing them countrywide to her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. By sending something homemade, she spreads the message that she is spending time and effort to get something off in the mail that her relatives will really enjoy and will remember her every time they take a bite of one of her delicious treats. Since Ms. Cairns cannot be there in person, sending cookies is her way of being present in the lives of her dear ones.

I've gotten to sample a few of Ms. Cairns cookies and her Snickerdoodles are my favorite (so far). They are not too sweet, which is one of the things I like so much since I do not have much of a sweet-tooth.

Snickerdoodles
Makes 5-6 dozen cookies

Ingredients
1 cup butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 3/4 cup flour
2 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 tbsp sugar
2 tsp cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Mix the butter, 1 1/2 cups sugar and eggs until smooth. In a separate bowl, blend the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt. In 3 or 4 additions, add the flour mixture to the butter mixture until well mixed.

In a small bowl, mix the remaining sugar and cinnamon. Roll the cookie dough into one inch balls and roll in the cinnamon and sugar mixture. Place two inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake for 8-10 minutes. If you like cookies soft and chewy, make sure the cookies are removed from the oven before the bottom of the cookies brown. If you prefer crunchy cookies, leave them in the oven until the bottom is golden brown.

Let them cool on the sheet for a few minutes before removing the cookies to a baking rack until they are completely cool.

Beef Fried Rice

2007-12-08T09:13:00.000-05:00

I found this recipe in a Chinese cookbook. I changed the recipe a little because I did not use minced beef, instead, I thinly sliced it against the grain into thin strips.

The recipe is lovely; it's very mild with many subtle flavors coming through. My parents particularly like the ginger flavor that they could taste in the dish.

Serve this recipe with a simple stir fried green vegetable and I think you'd have a very tasty meal.

Beef Fried Rice
Serves 2 for lunch, or 3 with an additional dish

Ingredients
8 ounces of beef, (I used sirloin) finely sliced into 1/8-1/4 inch width strips against the grain
3 cups boiled rice, cooked in advance and fluffed with a fork to separate the grains
1 egg, beaten lightly
4 cloves garlic, minced finely
1/4 inch fresh ginger, peeled and minced finely
4 scallions, cut into small rounds and whites separated from greens
4 leaves of iceberg lettuce, thinly shredded
4 tbsp canola oil
1/2 tsp sugar
2 tsp thin soy sauce
2 tsp thick soy sauce
3 tsp Shaohsing wine or medium-dry sherry
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
1/2 tsp cornstarch or potato flour

Prep all of the ingredients and the rice. Add the sugar, soy sauces, 1 tsp of the wine or sherry, the pepper and the cornstarch or potato flour to the beef. Stir vigorously and marinade for 30 minutes. Blend 1 tbsp of the oil into the beef.

Heat the wok until it is very hot and add 2 tbsp of oil. Add the garlic, ginger and white part of the scallions and stir until fragrant, approximately 30 seconds.

Next add the beef. Stir continuously for about 30 seconds, and splash in the remaining 2 tsp of wine or sherry.

Finally pour in the egg and rice, and continue to stir for about 2 more minutes until everything is blended and heated through. It is important to stir gently so that the rice does not get broken up.

Remove the wok from the heat, and add the lettuce and green scallions, incorporating them carefully. Serve hot!

Pot Stickers

2007-12-05T14:05:00.000-05:00

My family really likes dumplings, pot stickers, gyoza... anything of that sort. So when we had some leftover meat after making wonton soup, my Mom suggested that we try making pot stickers.

I was a little nervous about trying to make pot stickers with the wonton skins because they are so thin, but it worked beautifully. Follow my Wonton Soup recipe up until the step where you fold the wonton wrappers in half to form a triangle, and then follow the easy instructions below. Keep in mind that for pot stickers, no stock is necessary!

Pot Stickers
Makes 80-90 pot stickers

Ingredients
1 Wonton Soup recipe up until the point when you fold the wontons in half to a triangle shape
3/4 cup water (per batch of pot stickers that will fit into the pan)
1 tbsp of canola oil
1 large heavy bottomed pan, at least 2 inches deep and with a lid

This is very simple to do. First, heat the oil in the pan. Place the pot stickers into the pan. They can be very close together. Brown for 3-4 minutes.

Next, add the water into the pan. Bring to a boil, cover with the lid, and simmer for 5-7 minutes. This steams the pot stickers and ensures that the meat inside is cooked.

Uncover the lid and let the water evaporate. Continue to brown until golden and crunchy on the underside. Remove the pot stickers from the pan carefully so as not to break them apart. Serve immediately. I used Kikkoman Ponzu sauce as the dipping sauce.

Minestrone Soup

2007-12-01T06:53:00.000-05:00

Minestrone soup makes a nice comforting meal when it's cold outside. It's also got all kinds of good veggies in it, making it a healthy choice as well. To make it vegan, just change the chicken stock for vegetable stock, and use a substitute for the parmesan cheese. Don't be scared to use some creative license with your soup; if you have some extra veggies begging to be used, try adding them in. The overall taste of your soup will change slightly, but minestrone soup is all about taking what's leftover in the house and making a delicious meal.

Minestrone Soup
Feeds 4 for dinner

Ingredients
3 cloves of garlic
1 medium onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 carrot, grated
1-2 medium-large potatoes, cubed
1 green zucchini, cut into small pieces
1 can of chopped tomatoes
1 cup uncooked tube pasta
1 can of navy beans, drained and rinsed
8 cups of chicken stock
1 tbsp olive oil
Parmesan cheese to garnish
1 bunch of broccoli rabe (optional)

Heat the olive oil in a large pot. Add garlic, onion, celery, carrot and potato and saute until softened, about 10 minutes.

Next, add the tomatoes, and stock. Bring to a boil. Simmer for approximately 10 minutes.

Add the zucchini and the beans, and simmer for another 5 minutes.

Take off the heat, and add the broccoli rabe. Let sit for a further 5 minutes.

Serve hot and garnish with a nice helping of parmesan cheese.

Wonton Soup

2007-11-29T18:31:00.000-05:00

This recipe is amazing! It's the best wonton soup I've ever eaten - better than even the best Chinese restaurant. The greatest part is, it's even easier to make than I would have imagined.

Wonton Soup
Makes approximately 80-90 wontons

Ingredients
12 ounces of ground pork
4 ounces raw shelled shrimp, chopped into small pieces
2-3 ounces bamboo shoots chopped very small
6 scallions, chopped into thin rounds
1 egg yolk
1 egg white, lightly beaten
6-8 leaves lettuce or blanched chinese cabbage
1 1/2 quarts of chicken stock
1/2 tsp sugar
1 tsp thin soy sauce
1 tsp thick soy sauce
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 tsp Shaohsing wine or medium-dry sherry
1 tsp cornstarch
3 tbsp water
2 teaspoons sesame oil

In a large bowl, mix the shrimp and pork with the cornstarch, sugar, soy sauces, pepper and wine. Then stir in the water one tablespoon at a time. Next it's time to take out some aggression. Take the entire meat mixture, pick it up, and throw it back into the bowl. Repeat this about 100 times.

Next, add the bamboo shoots and the white parts of the scallions to the meat mixture and marinate for about 30 minutes. Then blend in the sesame oil. Right before wrapping the mixture in the wontons, add the egg yolk to the mixture.

Now comes the fun part! I used Nasoya wonton wrappers and they worked well. It would have better if they were cut into perfect squares, but they were certainly sufficient for the task.

Its really easy to fold a wonton! First, put about a tsp of the mixture onto the middle of the square.

Second, use a brush and paint two edges of the wrapper and fold the noodle in half to form a triangle. Press the edges gently together.

Finally, put a little egg white on one tip, and fold the two tips together, joining them with the egg white you put on.

Here are a bunch of beautiful wontons, all waiting to be cooked! In one pan, gently heat the stock, and in another pan, heat water to a boil. When the water comes to a boil, place about 20 wontons in the pan. It will only take about 3 minutes to cook the wontons. When they are done, they float. Remove them carefully and place them in the stock. Repeat until all of the wontons are cooked.

Serve by garnishing with some finely shredded lettuce and scallions on top.

Chicken Burrito Bowl

2007-11-05T07:12:00.001-05:00

I was craving Chipotle, but alas, there is no Chipotle within easy reach of where I live. So, I decided to scour the fridge to see if I could come up with something that would be similar. Turns out that I had no lettuce which really wasn't vital, but I also had no tortillas! Well, that didn't stop me. I still made the filling for the burrito, making what Chipotle calls a "burrito bol". It turned out pretty well, and I particularly enjoyed the marinade I made for the chicken.

Chicken Burrito Bowl
Serves 3 people for dinner

Ingredients For the Rice
1 cup of basmati rice
2 cups of water
Juice of one lime
1 tbsp of canola oil
1/2 tsp of salt
Handful of cilantro, finely chopped

Ingredients for the Pico de Gallo
2 medium sized tomatoes, diced
1/4 of a red onion, finely chopped
1 jalepeno, finely chopped
1 large handful of cilantro, finely chopped
Salt to taste

Ingredients for the Chicken
2 chicken breasts, sliced in half horizontally
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp cayenne powder
1/4 of a red onion
6 garlic cloves
1 tbsp canola oil
1/2 tsp salt

Other Optional Ingredients
Black beans
Cheese
Guacamole
Lettuce
Sour Cream
Tabasco/other hot sauces

This recipe is very simple, especially with the help of a Cuisinart. Take all the ingredients for the chicken, except the chicken itself and blend them together in the Cuisinart. Spread the mixture over both sides of the chicken and marinade for at least one hour. When it comes time to cook the chicken, grill it on a hot grill, or in a fry pan (add a dash of oil to a fry pan so that the chicken doesn't stick) for about 2-3 minutes on each side. Cut the chicken into slices and serve hot.

For the salsa, simply combine all of the ingredients in a bowl. For the rice, I used a rice cooker, so that just involved putting everything, aside from the cilantro, into the cooker and hitting the "cook" button. Just before serving, I carefully stirred in the cilantro, without crushing the rice.

I mixed in some low sodium black beans, cheese, and red and green tabasco sauces with my rice, salsa and chicken. This is a great dish for guests because everyone can customize their bowl. Now I can make delicious burritos at home and not pine over the lack of Chipotle in my area!

Fruits of the Kuiseb Delta, Namibia

2007-11-02T09:38:00.001-04:00

During my recent travels to Namibia, I went on a Historical Dune Tour with Fanie Du Preez, who owns Kuiseb Delta Adventures. As many of you know I am fairly well traveled, but I can honestly say that going with Fanie was one of the most incredible experiences I have ever had. Fanie is passionate about the delta and did a great job showing us everything. I had never been on a quad bike before, and Fanie was very patient and helpful in instructing me (at one point though he did mention that I was doing better than Angelina Jolie!). I highly highly recommend a trip to Namibia, and in particular going with Fanie to see the wonders of the Kuiseb Delta. His website is www.kuisebonline.com.

The reason why I am writing about my dune tour on my food blog is because Fanie showed us, among many other amazing things, two plants that are native to the Kuiseb Delta and I thought it would be interesting to share what I learned. The below information is supplied courtesy of Fanie. The first plant I will talk about is called the !nara (said with a clicking noise at the beginning) and the second, is the sirub.

(A !nara fruit with a baby chameleon sitting on top.) See photo above.

The !nara (Acanthosicyos horridus) is a type of cucumber. It is a life giving plant to almost every species in the Kuiseb delta. The plant and fruit are eaten by humans, insects, gazelles, antelopes, jackal, brown hyena, rodents, birds and lizards.

The taste of the fruit is unfamiliar to all humans, except the Topnaar people who live in the delta. The fruit is in season from mid December until May. It contains a lot of water, protein, iron, and vitamins B, C and D. The raw seeds of the fruit contain up to 57% polyunsaturated oil. The fruit is ripe when it reaches 5 inches in diameter and tastes neither bitter nor sweet. The larger the fruit the sweeter it tastes. Female plants can bear many fruits every year.

(The branches of the !nara. They are edible but very bitter tasting.) See photo above.

The !nara needs lots of water, but do not like getting wet from fog and rain. The whole delta has a fresh water aquifer underneath it and therefore there is very shallow water available. The Kuiseb delta is approximately 400 square km and is full of !nara. In winter there is more fog, and a black fungi forms on the stems and will quickly kill parts of the plant.

(The dried seeds of the !nara, ready to be exported.) See photo above.

The Topnaar people of the Kuiseb delta have woven their whole existence around this one fruit. When the fruit is almost ripe, they harvest it and bury it underneath the sand for three hot days. The hot sand hastens the ripening process. Then they cook the !nara’s in large pots for three hours, stirring all the time. Once cooked, the mixture is put through a sieve to separate the porridge from the seeds. The seeds are then dried in the sun and exported to Germany and Cape Town, South Africa. In Germany the nutty like seeds are used in confectionary and in Cape Town they are called butter pits and eaten like peanuts. The rest of the pot which is dried, rolled and eaten in between seasons is called Topnaar chocolate. I got to taste it and it was very similar to a fruit leather from Trader Joes. In season the Topnaar’s eat the raw !nara’s. They use the dried roots to make medicine against arthritis and diabetes, and they also smoke them.

(A sirub plant.) See photo above.

The second fruit we saw, and actually got to eat because it was ripe, was the sirub. The sirub (capparis hereroensis) fruits are eaten by the Topnaars, animals, rodents, birds, canivores and insects, while the leaves are eaten by the gazelle, oryx and ostriches. The roots are poisonous and used by the Topnaars as poison. The fruit tastes like banana, gooseberry, and elderflower.

(An open sirub fruit. The yellow flesh, not the seeds, is eaten.) See photo above.

Both desert fruits are creepers and grow very quickly. They are the only plants who can survive the fast moving dunes of the delta. They grow up and over the slip faces of the moving dunes. The roots of both these plants are full of capillaries to enable them to carry the water up the high dunes. The roots are usually about 3 inches thick, but can be larger.

Vegetable Wallah

2007-10-30T09:44:00.001-04:00

Just like Fresh Direct? Well, pretty much. In India, people selling a variety of things will come right to your door. The people who sell door to door build up a relationship with their clients.

In this case, it's the vegetable wallah, delivering vegetables to my Aunt. Because of the relationship between my Aunt and the seller, it is possible for her to order what she wants and he will bring it the next time he comes. If she chose to, she could also buy other vegetables that he brings with him the day he comes to make a delivery.

The vegetables are simply beautiful, but then again, a tropical climate lends itself to producing wonderful vegetables. The vegetable wallah carries the basket on his head, and then, once he reaches a client, weighs the vegetables and bags them up.

Of course, it's very possible to buy your vegetables, fruits, meats etc. at markets. There are also a few supermarkets that have shown up recently; it will be interesting to see if they succeed in driving smaller shops and vendors out of business.

Cheesy Broccoli Pasta

2007-10-29T11:17:00.000-04:00

Yay for comfort food! My Papa was home and I wanted to cook something for him that he would really enjoy; he travels so much that he is constantly eating out and doesn't get simple home cooking. Some people would say that eating out all the time is great, but after I lived in a hotel for six weeks once, I didn't think I'd ever want to eat in another restaurant again.

This recipe is very quick, and should be ready in the amount of time it takes to cook the pasta. Aside from the calories from the cheese, it's pretty healthy too.

Cheesy Broccoli Pasta
Serves 2-3 people for dinner

Ingredients
1 tbsp of canola or light olive oil
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2-1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
4 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 medium onion, diced
4 medium tomatoes cut into eighths, or one can of chopped tomatoes
1 head of broccoli, cut in to bite size chunks
4-6oz of half fat white cheddar cheese
salt to taste
1/2lb of whole grain penne pasta

Put the water on the stove and heat it on high. Heat the oil in another pan which is big enough to hold the entire dish. Saute the onion, garlic, red pepper flakes and pepper until the onions are translucent and soft, about seven minutes. Add the tomatoes. Cook sauce on a low heat while prepping the rest of the dish, stirring occasionally.

Now the part that I find the most difficult; getting the broccoli to be at that perfect tender-crisp stage. I opted for the microwave on this occasion because it's quick and easy, but the broccoli could also be steamed or boiled. In the microwave, it'll take approximately two to three minutes (depending on the power of the microwave) for the broccoli to be cooked just enough but not overcooked. Set the broccoli aside, lid off, once it's finished so the steam does not continue to cook the broccoli.

Finally, if the cheese is not grated already, grate away! Set aside.

When the pasta is cooked, add it to the sauce, and stir until well mixed. Then toss the broccoli in. Finally, add the cheese at intervals, stirring after every addition. This will ensure all of the pasta is evenly cheesy. Serve piping hot.

"Jiffy" Corn Muffin Mix

2007-10-26T09:37:00.000-04:00

Studying does not leave much time for cooking unfortunately. I was craving carbs last night and "Jiffy" corn muffin mix ended up coming to my rescue.

Needless to say, nothing could ever beat my Grandma's recipe for corn muffins/corn bread, but "Jiffy" is extremely good, and more importantly, extremely easy and quick to make. I don't think they've changed the packaging in my lifetime, and I don't think the price has gone up either. A box of "Jiffy" makes about 6 muffins, and it costs about 25 cents (or less sometimes!).

It's really easy to make the muffins. Just mix the dry ingredients with 1/3 cup of milk and an egg. The oven should be preheated to 400f and the muffin pan should be greased to avoid having half of the muffin stay in the pan when you try to dislodge them. I think the key to good muffins is to not over stir the batter. The moment the ingredients are blended, stop stirring! Don't be tempted to beat out the lumps, just leave the batter alone! Also, it's a good idea to let the batter sit peacefully in the muffin tin a few minutes before the tin goes into the oven. Between not over mixing and letting the batter sit, your muffins should be light and fluffy with a nice big muffin top. They take between 15 and 20 minutes to bake.

I'm Back!

2007-10-26T09:13:00.001-04:00

I'm sorry I've been missing for the past couple of months; I've been traveling a bunch. I've been to London, Norway, India, South Africa, and Namibia. It's been great and I have a few photos to share with you in the upcoming days.

I've also been studying for the GMAT, which, if you don't know, is the exam you have to take to get into business school. I take the test in three weeks so wish me luck!!

The photo above is me standing on the top of Table Mountain, which is in Cape Town, South Africa. It was absolutely gorgeous there, and if you ever visit I suggest going when the southern wright whales come for breeding (the winter months of the Southern Hemisphere) because the whales come in so close to the shore that you don't even need to board a boat to see them. It's really stunning to experience.

Anyway, enough about traveling! More posts coming soon : )

Potato Bhaji

2007-06-12T23:26:00.001-04:00

This recipe is very versatile, because you can switch the potatoes for other vegetables, for example cabbage or green beans. It's extremely simple.

In Indian cooking, it is important to know how to create the "forney" which is the oil and spices that flavor the entire dish. To make the "forney" one must heat up their oil, and then add various spices. The hot oil helps to release the flavor in the spices and also takes on the flavor combination of the spices that have been added to it.

The "forney" for this dish is what can be applied to the other vegetables.

Potato Bhaji
Makes 3-4 side portions

4 fresh curry leaves
1/2 tsp asephoetida
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp mustard seeds
2 hot green chillies
4 medium size red potatoes, cooked, peeled, and chopped into large chunks
1 large red onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup cilantro, finely chopped
1 tbsp canola oil
salt to taste

Heat the oil. Add the mustard seeds. Once the mustard seeds start to pop, add the asephoetida, curry leaves, turmeric and green chillies. The moisture from the curry leaves and green chillies will create some splattering so be careful not to get burned. If the oil seems like it is going to burn anything, remove it from the heat. Let these ingredients sizzle in the oil for a minute without letting anything burn. This is the "forney".

Next, add the onion. Cook until softened. Finally, stir in the potatoes. Cook for a few minutes, making sure the potatoes are properly coated with spices all over. Finally, add the cilantro. The cilantro should be added right at the end of cooking so it can maintain it's fresh taste and green color.

Eggplant Bhaji

2007-06-12T23:00:00.000-04:00

I sometimes go to Jackson Heights, the Indian area in Queens, New York. There are tons of restaurants, jewelry shops, and clothing shops all within a couple block radius. Every time I step off the subway into this neighborhood I feel as if I am stepping into a different world. The food, the smells, the music, the ladies dressed in saris; they are all little reminders of the world which exists thousands of miles away in India.

One thing that's great about this neighborhood are the prices of the items in grocery stores. On this occasion I stocked up on red onions, an eggplant, small green chillies and a bunch of roma tomatoes. In Manhattan these ingredients would cost at least three times as much.

Here is what I made with the ingredients I purchased in Jackson Heights.

Eggplant Bhaji
Makes 6-8 side portions

Ingredients
1 eggplant cubed
4 roma tomatoes, roughly chopped
1 large red onion, diced
2 hot green chillies, sliced in halves
4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1/2 tsp of turmeric
2 tbsp of canola oil
salt to taste

Heat oil. Saute the turmeric, onions, chillies, and garlic in oil until softened. Add the eggplant. Continue to cook on a medium heat until eggplant starts to soften. At this point add the tomatoes. Continue to cook gently until the eggplant is fully cooked. Add salt to taste. The entire cooking process will take approximately 30 minutes. Eat with rice or pita bread or naan or a roti; whatever carbs you have will be a good accompaniment.

Tomato Soup

2007-06-03T18:25:00.001-04:00

This recipe is a real classic. It's rich and warm, and goes perfectly with a nice grilled cheese sandwich. Plus, it's way more nutritious than the Campbell's variety!

Tomato Soup
Makes 3 servings

Ingredients
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
1 onion, sliced
1 can of diced tomatoes
1 ounce of butter
1 tbsp of flour
1 bay leaf
1 pinch of nutmeg or mace
500ml of water
salt and pepper to taste

Melt the butter in the pan. Add the carrot and onion and sweat them until they are soft, about 5 minutes. Next, add the flour, stirring constantly for 2 minutes. It is important to make sure that the flour has cooked, otherwise there will be a terrible raw flour taste in the soup.

Add the remaining ingredients to the pot. Stir thoroughly and make sure there is no flour stuck to the bottom. Simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Finally, it is necessary to puree the soup in a food processor. This can be done when the soup is hot or cold, but if it's done when the soup is hot, precautions must be taken so as not to burn oneself.

Chicken Tikka Wrap

2007-05-22T10:15:00.000-04:00

I was having some friends over for dinner, and decided to try out this recipe on them. A twist on a chicken fajita, I really think anyone will like this recipe. To add nutrition try putting a wider variety of veggies in the wrap; baby spinach, grilled zucchini or grilled eggplant would be a welcome addition.

Chicken Tikka Wraps
Makes about 6 wraps

Ingredients
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup yogurt
3 cloves of minced garlic
2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper(or more for increased spiciness!)
1/4 tsp cumin powder
1/4 cup lemon juice
freshly ground black pepper and salt to taste
6 naans (pita or a tortilla would work also)
2 cups of chopped lettuce
1 tomato, diced
2 red onions, sliced
1/2 cup of cilantro, finely chopped
1 lemon, cut into at least 6 wedges

Pound the chicken breasts until they are 1/2 an inch thick. Mix yogurt, garlic, paprika, cayenne, cumin, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Place the mixture in a zip lock bag with chicken breasts. Let the chicken marinate for 1-3 hours.

Place onion slices on a hot grill pan and char slightly. Once the onions have softened, remove from grill pan. Place the chicken on a hot grill pan, cooking 2-4 minutes on each side until cooked. Remove and let stand for 3-5 minutes; this will help the chicken to retain it's natural juices.

Slice the chicken into strips. Make an assembly line of all of the remaining ingredients and let guests put together their chicken tikka wrap.

Beef with Bokchoy

2007-05-18T10:49:00.000-04:00

This recipe is a very quick and easy stir fry. It would be a perfect lunch or dinner when time is limited.

Beef with Bokchoy
Makes 2 hearty servings

8 ounces of sirloin sliced thin
2 bunches of bokchoy (or 4 bunches of baby bokchoy) thoroughly washed
2 tbsp of canola oil
1/4 cup of your favorite stir fry sauce (I had a great "Ginger flavored soy sauce")
White or brown rice to eat with the stir fry

Place half a tbsp of oil in the wok and heat until extremely hot. Place half of the meat in the pan, and stir fry until all of the pink is gone. Remove immediately. Repeat this process with the second half of the meat. Pour half of the sauce over the meat.

Next, place the remaining oil in the pan. Place the bokchoy in the pan and stir fry for one minute. Now, cover the wok with a pot lid for about 2 minutes. This will help to cook the bokchoy quickly without letting it burn.

Lift off lid, add the remaining sauce, and stir fry for one more minute. Finally, add back in the beef and it's juices until it's heated through. Serve immediately over rice.

Chicken Fajitas

2007-04-27T15:11:00.000-04:00

So, I would not say that these fajitas are necessarily the most authentic; it's just my interpretation of a mainstream dish.

These fajitas are great if you are having friends over... you can prep everything ahead of time and just grill the chicken at the end.

Chicken Fajitas
Serves 4 people (2 fajitas each)

Ingredients
2 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
1 green pepper, sliced into thin strips
1 red onion, sliced
Salsa (homemade or store bought)
2 cups grated cheese (I use a Mexican blend)
1 package of tortillas (any variety will do)
1 tomato (optional)
Sour cream (optional)
Cilantro, finely chopped (optional)
Lime wedges (optional)
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp salt

Mix turmeric, cayenne pepper, garlic, cumin powder and salt together. Cover this mixture evenly over the chicken breast and let marinade for 20 minutes.

In the meantime, grill the green pepper and red onion so that it is slightly softened and charred. This should be done in a nice hot pan or on a grill pan and should only take about five minutes.

Cook the chicken breast on a hot grill. It should take a couple minutes on each side. Slice the thick part of the chicken breast to see if it is cooked. Remove from heat once cooked and slice chicken into strips, garnishing with cilantro if desired.

You can create an assembly line of all of the ingredients. Heat the tortillas either on a warm pan on the stove, in the oven, or for 10-15 seconds each in the microwave.

Let guests assemble their fajitas to their liking. It's a fun way for guests to be able to customize their meal. If you have vegetarians/vegans you could also grill some zucchini, eggplant or tomatoes; all of these would be a welcome addition to any fajitas.

Veal Parmigiana

2007-04-26T15:39:00.000-04:00

A friend asked me to put this up on my blog. I had never actually made veal parmigiana before, so I looked up some recipes online. It's definitely an Italian American favorite. You could change this recipe by substituting thin eggplant rounds or chicken breast.

I think the key to a good "Parmigiana" is to make sure that whatever the main event is (veal, chicken, eggplant) should be as thin as possible. For eggplant this just means slicing it carefully, but for veal and chicken it means pounding it thin. You can pound meat thinner with a special instrument like this, or you can just use something heavy like a rolling pin.

Veal Parmigiana
Makes approximately 8 servings

Ingredients
8 veal scallops
1/3 cup of olive oil
1 and 1/2 cups of pasta sauce (your favorite jarred sauce)
2/3 cup of Parmesan cheese
1 cup of plain breadcrumbs
1/2 cup of all purpose flour
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1 cup of mozzarella cheese (or 16 thin slices of fresh mozzarella)
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 tsp salt
freshly ground pepper

Start by making sure the veal is thin enough, if not, pound it until it is very thin, approximately 1/2 a centimeter thick. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Next, mix the breadcrumbs, 1/2 a cup of the Parmesan, the Italian seasoning, and salt and pepper on a plate. Place the flour on to a plate. Place the beaten eggs on to a plate or into a shallow bowl. This is your assembly line.

Take each piece of veal through the assembly line; first, cover the veal lightly with flour. Next, dip and get a light coating of egg all over. Finally, cover the veal with the breadcrumb mixture. Make sure the veal is well covered with breadcrumbs. Repeat the process for your other pieces of veal.

Heat up your olive oil on a medium-high flame. When the oil is hot, add a couple of pieces of veal, cooking on each side approximately 2-3 minutes. Do not crowd the pan. You want the veal to be slightly brown and crispy on the outside. Remove veal from the pan and leave to drain on paper towels. Repeat process until all of the veal is cooked.

Lightly coat a oven safe dish with oil to prevent sticking. Add about a cup of the tomato sauce - just enough to cover the bottom of the pan with a thin layer. Next, add the veal. You can overlap pieces depending on the size of the pan. On top of the veal add the remainder of the tomato sauce. Finally, add the mozzarella over the top of the veal, and then sprinkle some Parmesan on top. Cover the pan with aluminum foil. Bake in the oven for 20-30 minutes. If you wish to brown the top, remove the foil for the last 5-10 minutes of baking, or put under a broiler for a minute or two.

I served my veal parmigiana with regular spaghetti and some extra tomato sauce.

Salami and Prosciutto

2007-04-21T19:23:00.000-04:00

These are some of the treats that I got from Calabria Pork Store on Arthur Avenue in the Bronx. The best part about the Pork Store was the variety of prosciutto's and salami's they had, and, the price! All of the delicious things I bought were only 5.99 per pound! If you go to a deli where they have more than the usual sopprosetta and genoa salami, try some new varieties. They each have their own unique flavors because of the way they have been cured; for example, some salami's are more peppery, and some are more garlicy. The dry air cured hams can also vary a lot in taste; there is the regular prosciutto, but you can also get varieties of pork which have had a combination of air drying and smoking. I love the smoked varieties of pork.

Prosciutto is a delicious savory treat. Try wrapping prosciutto around figs, or cantaloupe, or asparagus. The balance of salty and sweet can be extremely delicious and will have you coming back for seconds and thirds. Prosciutto can also make a delicious sandwich; try it on rosemary focaccia, with a little balsamic vinegar and extra virgin olive oil, fresh mozzarella and a ripe tomato. Or eat it plain with a nice piece of whole grain or nutty bread. I had prosciutto with a walnut baguette once and it was incredibly tasty.

Above is a photo of how you would traditionally cut prosciutto; I saw this traditional method being used in Italy at a market in Rome. The iron frame holds the meat in place, and you use a special foot long knife to gently slice across the top of the meat in a back and forth sawing motion. Slicing a prosciutto like this definitely takes a lot of practice and it's fun to observe and watch people slicing the meat this way.

Pesto with Fresh Egg Noodles

2007-04-16T19:05:00.000-04:00

During my trip to Arthur Avenue, the Italian neighborhood in the Bronx, I visited a place called Borgatti's. All they do there is make fresh pasta of different varieties. People were ordering pounds of fresh pasta and ravioli as well as sheets of pasta to make homemade specialties.

When you order fresh noodles at Borgatti's, they take sheets of fresh pasta and ask what width noodles you would like. I didn't really know what size I wanted, so I picked a width somewhere in the middle, probably equivalent to a store bought linguine.

They take the pasta sheets and put them through their industrial sized noodle machine. Low and behold, the noodle sheets came out the other end of the machine in noodle form and in a big heap. After a dusting of semolina flour to keep them from sticking, they wrapped the noodles in paper and weighed them... I think the total came out to $1.73 and the quantity was over a pound. Mmm.. fresh egg noodles!

I was advised not to keep the noodles in the fridge for more than two days. So I had to decide quickly what to make with them. I hadn't made pesto in a long time and it sounded like it would be very good with my fresh noodles.

Pesto Sauce
Makes enough sauce for 1 lb of pasta

Ingredients
1 cup of Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup of pine nuts
1 large handful of fresh basil
6 cloves of garlic
1 tsp of salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
1 cup of olive oil

Combine cheese, pine nuts, basil, garlic, salt and pepper in a food processor. Add olive oil slowly to the mixture. You can blend the mixture until it is smooth, or leave it roughly chopped, it just depends on your preference. Either way, the end result will taste delicious.

Fresh pasta only takes about 5 minutes to cook. Once the noodles are done, pour sauce over them, and stir over heat until all the pasta has some sauce on it. Serve piping hot!

Arthur Avenue

2007-04-15T19:39:00.000-04:00

Yesterday I ventured to a famous Bronx spot; the legendary Arthur Avenue. It's considered to be one of the "Little Italy" spots in New York. After a rather long journey (almost 2 hours of bus riding!) I got off the bus. During the last hour of my bus ride, the scenery consisted of bodegas and fried chicken shops. When I rounded the corner on to Arthur Avenue, I was suddenly in a different world!

Arthur Avenue looks a little like something out of the movies; I felt like I would see men in suits standing on a corner with big black town cars nearby. Needless to say this was not exactly what I found, though I did see a huge 1980's black town car at one point! So maybe the mafia aren't in plain sight...

There are a plethora of shops and restaurants on Arthur Avenue; everything you could ever need to create delicious Italian food! The pleasant surprise was the price of most of what I bought. The only expensive items were the olive loaf and the prosciutto bread (but I've never seen prosciutto bread before so I had to try it!) from Madonia Bakery.

There are lots of deli's and cheese shops and pastry shops. I'll leave you with the image below of a deli in the market... lots of tasty treats! If you want more information on Arthur Avenue try www.arthuravenue.com or www.arthuravenuebronx.com.

Walnut Vinaigrette

2007-04-14T23:06:00.000-04:00

After seeing a tasty looking antipasto salad, I felt inspired to try my own. It was, unfortunately, mediocre at best. Why did this happen?

The ingredients were a good combination, and the dressing that I made turned out to be very tasty, but, my Italian style salad and my French style dressing did not fit together well.

In my antipasto salad I had salami, sharp provolone, thinly sliced red onion, romaine lettuce, red leaf lettuce and roma tomatoes. Yum! But not with my delicious salad dressing unfortunately!

Vinaigrette dressings come in all flavors. I added walnuts to mine to make the flavor more full and rich. The vinaigrette would have worked much better dressed over endive or escarole and goat's cheese; simple but still flavorful, not like my salad which had so many different elements and the dressing just got lost.

Walnut Vinaigrette
Makes about 1 and 1/2 cups of dressing

Ingredients
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp whole grain mustard
1/2 cup of shelled walnut pieces

Blend together vinegar, salt, pepper, mustard and walnut pieces until the walnut pieces are finely chopped. My Cuisinart food processor makes easy work of this. Next, while the Cuisinart is turned on, slowly add the olive oil down the chute so that the mixture emulsifies. This means that the dressing will not be separated, like water usually separates from oil. It will all be blended together nicely.

When serving a salad to company, make sure that all of the leaves are lightly coated with dressing. The easiest way to do this is to mix the salad well with gloved hands.

Asian Style Shrimp with Citrus Soy Sauce

2007-04-12T16:52:00.000-04:00

Everyone LOVES this dish. I saw a similar recipe on a British TV morning show and made this version up. It's pretty healthy, and very tasty. Be careful if you have high cholesterol though; did you know that shrimp are fairly high in cholesterol?

Asian Style Shrimp with Citrus Soy Sauce
Makes four servings

Ingredients
2 lbs of raw shrimp (peeled and de-veined)
1/2 cup of finely chopped cilantro
1 tsp of red pepper flakes
5-6 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 bunch of spring onions chopped
1/2 cup of soy sauce (you can use reduced sodium soy sauce as well)
1/4 cup + 2 tbsp of olive oil
juice of one lemon
1 tsp of sesame oil (optional)

Toss the raw shrimp with the cilantro, red pepper flakes and garlic and marinade the shrimp for at least 20 minutes.

If you have a wok, add the two tablespoons of olive oil to it and heat it up. Otherwise, use a pan with a large surface area. Stir frying is a method in which you cook your food quickly. The more surface area your pan has and the hotter it is, the faster your food will cook.

When the wok is hot, add the shrimp to the pan, stirring continually. When the shrimp start to lose their gray color, add the spring onions and continue to stir. As soon as all the shrimp have lost their gray color, take the contents of the pan out with a slotted spoon (you want to leave the juices in the pan for the sauce).

Leave the shrimp in a covered dish so that they stay warm. In the wok, add the remaining ingredients to the juices that are left in the pan; the soy sauce, lemon juice, olive oil and sesame oil. Bring to a boil, and cook for a minute or two. If desired, reduce the sauce.

Serve the shrimp over white rice (I use basmati rice but any variety that you like would work). Pour some sauce on top of the shrimp and rice and enjoy.

Greek Style Green Beans

2007-04-09T08:45:00.000-04:00

This was my Grandma's recipe. I'm not sure if it's Greek or not, but that's what she called it! For some reason it always tasted better when she cooked it, but, I think everything tastes better when your Grandma makes it!

Greek Style Green Beans
Makes 4-6 Servings

Ingredients
1/2 lb green beans (any variety will work so use what you prefer)
6 plum tomatoes quartered OR 1 can of diced tomatoes
1 large red onion, halved and then sliced
3 tbsp olive oil
salt to taste

I do not think there are easier instructions than for this recipe. Combine all the ingredients in a pot with a lid. It will look like this:

Cover and simmer until everything becomes tender, probably about 30 minutes. Stir occasionally. If the mixture is too dry and starts to stick, add a 1/4 cup of water.

You wouldn't think simple food could be so delicious, but just try it out, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.

Ravioli with Bacon, Baby Spinach and Pine Nuts

2007-04-04T14:58:00.000-04:00

I had some supplies sitting in the fridge from a recent trip to Costco, and searched to think of a recipe in which I could use a bunch of the ingredients.

Here is what I came up with. It's rich and filling!

Ravioli with Bacon, Baby Spinach and Pine Nuts
Makes 2 servings

Ingredients
1 11oz package of fresh ravioli (I used mushroom ravioli)
2-3 strips of bacon chopped into very small pieces
1 package of baby spinach
1/4 cup pine nuts
3 cloves of garlic thinly sliced
freshly ground black pepper
Parmesan cheese to garnish

This is a very simple recipe. Brown the bacon until crispy. Add the garlic until it starts to soften. Then add the pine nuts until they start to turn golden brown. If your ravioli is not ready at this point, turn off the mixture until the ravioli is ready.

Ravioli is easy to cook; gently place it in boiling salted water just as you would with pasta. The only trick is to not boil the ravioli too furiously; it will break them and the filling will come out. Simmer the ravioli gently according to the directions on the package - it usually only takes a few minutes.

When the ravioli is almost cooked, add the spinach to the bacon, garlic and pine nuts and add a bit of black pepper to taste. When the spinach starts to wilt, add the ravioli and stir gently until everything is mixed together. Be careful not to break the ravioli's open!

Serve with Parmesan cheese sprinkled on top.

Pasta Bean Soup

2007-03-25T10:30:00.000-04:00

I love this soup. It's hearty and delicious. I usually make a big pot of it and then freeze it into single portions for nights when I don't have time or don't feel like cooking anything. It'd be easy to make this soup vegetarian or vegan, by substituting the bacon for an extra two tablespoons of olive oil and changing the chicken stock to vegetable stock.

Pasta Bean Soup
Makes 6-8 servings

Ingredients
2 strips of bacon, diced
2 tbsp olive oil
2 medium onions, chopped
3-4 carrots, peeled and chopped
3-4 stalks of celery, chopped
3-4 cloves of garlic, sliced thinly
1 small can of tomato paste
1 tsp dried rosemary
2 cans of navy beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup of short tubular pasta
2 32fl oz cartons of chicken stock
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Parmesan or pecorino romano cheese to garnish

Brown the bacon until crispy. Then add the olive oil, carrots, onions, celery, garlic, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Sweat them until they are soft. Sweating means to cook something, often with a covered lid to create steam, until it softens and without browning it. Add the tomato paste to the pot and cook for a minute, stirring constantly so the tomato paste does not burn.

Next, add the beans and stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. After about ten minutes, if you like your soup thicker, mash up some of the beans. Taste for salt and pepper and adjust as necessary.

Finally, add the pasta and cook until al dente. Serve piping hot with a bit of cheese sprinkled on top.

Indian Fish Fry

2007-03-21T12:15:00.001-04:00

Frying fish the Indian way brings back a lot of good memories from my childhood. I remember watching my dad wash and season the fish. My job was always to cover the fish in rice flour right before it went into the fry pan. When I got a little older, I wondered how he actually made his fish. Turns out it's incredibly easy.

Indian Style Fish Fry
Serves 2-3 people

Ingredients
1 lb of flounder fillets (or another mild, white fish)
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
1 tsp of turmeric
2 tsp of garlic powder
1 tsp of cayenne powder
Salt to taste
1/2 cup of canola oil
Rice Flour

This dish works well with a mild fish; the flavors of the spices are delicious and it's nice not to ruin that. I like flounder, it's very thin. The thinner the fish is, the more flavored with the spices it will be and the crispier it will get when you fry it.

Start by making sure your fish is thoroughly washed and fairly dry. If your fish is giving off that fishy odour, a good trick is to soak it in some milk. Let it sit in a milk bath for about 20-30 minutes and then rinse. Doing this should help bring back the freshness of the fish.

Fresh fish does not give off a fishy odor, so if you go to buy fish and it has a strong smell, it might be best to pass on it and try another store or another day of the week when a fresh shipment may have arrived. Once, in China, I was taken to a fish market, and there literally was no odor, flies etc. The fish had all been caught that morning (many of them were still alive) and were being butchered on the spot. Too bad it can't always be done like that!

Once your fish has been cleaned, combine all the ingredients with the fish. Make sure the spices cover each piece of fish evenly. You can let this marinade for a while, but it really isn't necessary. If you do decide to let it marinade, make sure it goes back into the fridge. It's a good idea to keep seafood on ice as well.

When you are ready to fry your fish, put about a cup of rice flour on to a large plate. Dip your fish pieces into the flour and make sure coat evenly. Heat your oil up to a fairly hot temperature. Once hot, place fish in the pan. Do not crowd the pan. It only takes about a minute on each side for very thin fish, longer if your fish is thicker. Drain on paper towels. It's great to serve right away if possible, so you can enjoy it while it's nice and hot.

Mango Mousse

2007-03-20T14:59:00.000-04:00

A personal favorite of mine. Nothing beats this rich and creamy, yet refreshing desert. I've used fresh mangoes as a garnish. You can vaguely see the letters ARF inscribed in the mousse; this is because we were having a food competition at work and I wanted extra brownie points for having the company name included in our food. Just an FYI, ARF stands for the Advertising Research Foundation. If you are interested in advertising, and advertising research, check out their website. Your company may be a member of the ARF and you might not even know it!

A guide for garnishes: don't ever garnish something that is not edible, does not enhance the dish and/or not reflect something from the dish you've just made. For example, a big stick of rosemary used as a garnish for a steak dinner is not good. You can't really eat a sprig of raw rosemary. Another example would be putting a couple of mint leaves on an apple tart. The mint may look nice, but it does not give the eater a chance to guess what flavors they might be about to experience. A good garnish could be strawberries on top of a cake that has some sort of strawberry jam in the middle. Or you could sprinkle pasta with fresh chopped parsley or basil leaves so long as they were included in your sauce.

But back to the mousse. As you will soon see, this recipe is very simple. One of the keys to making this recipe a success is the presentation. Due to the lack of dishes I have at my apartment, I had to use a large corningware dish, which, lets be honest, is not ideal. This desert would look lovely in some sort of wine or champagne glass. The best part is, you prepare the mango mousse ahead of time so it's already to serve to your guests.

Mango Mousse
Makes 10 servings

Ingredients
1 pint of whipping cream
1 or 2 sachets of Knox non-flavored gelatin
1 large can of Mango Pulp (available easily at an Indian grocer)

Dissolve the gelatin according to the package. You can play around with the amount of gelatin you use; the more you use, the firmer your mousse will set. I used one sachet for my mousse, but I think next time I make it I will use more because I'd like it to be firmer.

Put the gelatin into a large mixing bowl with the whipping cream. Whip to a stiff peak. Stiff peak means that when you take out your utensil that you have been whipping with, it will leave a little mountain that does not fall down. Do not overwhip your cream and turn it into butter!

Then fold in the mango pulp. Once blended, you can transfer it into the dishes that you will be serving it in. Put the mango mousse into the fridge to let it set. I'd leave it in the fridge at least two hours. You can definitely prepare this the day before.

I garnished it with fresh mangoes on this occasion; but raspberries or raspberry coulis would be great garnishes too. Although they are not in the dish, they add a nice flavor and contrast to the sweetness of the mango.

Sugar on Snow

2007-03-19T13:05:00.000-04:00

A few weeks ago I traveled to Banff in Alberta, Canada. Little did I know I was going to fulfill a childhood fantasy on the trip. If you are a girl you probably remember the Little House Books. It is in these books that Laura Ingalls Wilder and her family make Sugar on Snow. Sugar on Snow is maple syrup that has been boiled to a certain temperature (approximately 10 minutes of boiling), poured out over a clean bed of snow and then rolled up on a popsicle stick. The result is a gooey and very sweet treat. We made our Sugar on Snow while snowshoeing. In the above photo you can see our guide Tim making Sugar on Snow. You can see his snowshoes as well. I only fell down once on those contraptions. Our guide Tim was very nice and knew a lot about the area. I highly recommend the tour company we used, which is called Discover Banff Tours.

Steak with Red Wine Sauce, Mushrooms, Onions and Roast Potatoes

2007-02-25T15:44:00.000-05:00

If you eat beef, this is a recipe for you. I like steak, particularly a good piece of fillet. Unfortunately the night I made this steak, the fillet at the grocery store was $30 per pound! So instead of buying my favorite cut of meat, I opted for a nice sirloin, which was on special for something like $12 per pound. The chart below shows where different cuts of meat come from. The fillet, actually just a piece of the tenderloin, is the most tender part of the cow. The rule in regards to tenderness of meat is: the more the muscle has to work, the tougher it will be, and vice-versa.

Steak with Red Wine Sauce, Mushrooms, Onions and Roast Potatoes
Serves 2-3 for dinner

Ingredients
2 sirloin steaks
12 button mushrooms
1 large red onion
1 32fl oz package of Kitchen Basics Beef Stock
2 cups of red wine (decent enough quality that you would drink it!)
1 tsp of butter
1 tbsp of canola oil for the mushrooms, onion and steak
1/2 cup of canola oil for the potatoes
4-6 medium size red potatoes
salt
fresh ground black pepper
1 tsp of dried rosemary

First things first. Wash and boil the potatoes whole. Start them in cold water, and bring to a boil. Simmer until cooked through, about 20 minutes. To tell if they are cooked, poke a knife through the middle of the potato. If the knife goes through easily, your potato is cooked. Once cooked, take the potatoes out of the water and let them cool until they are able to be handled.

While the potatoes are cooling, heat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut each potato into 6 or 8 pieces. In an oven safe dish, place the oil, potatoes, salt, pepper, and rosemary. Toss until the potatoes are well covered in the mixture. Place the dish in the oven. After about 30-45 minutes, stir the potatoes. They should begin to get slightly crispy around the edges. Keep an eye on them, and stir them every 15 to 20 minutes until they are crisped to your taste. You should time them so that they are done at the same time your steak is ready to be served.

After you put your potatoes in, start reducing the stock and red wine in a pan, then slice the onion and mushrooms. Heat a tbsp of oil in a large bottomed pan that you will cook your steak in later. Fry the onion and add the mushrooms. When the onions start to brown. Add some salt and pepper. You want the onions and mushrooms to be slightly browned and crispy around the edges but not burned. If your pan is not large enough, you will end up boiling your onions and mushrooms as opposed to frying or sauteing them. Once cooked, set aside.

Keep an eye on the reducing stock and red wine to make sure you do not evaporate it completely. In the same pan you cooked the onions and mushrooms, you will cook the steak. The steak will be able to pick up some of the flavor already in the pan. When you cook a steak, it's important that the pan is nice and hot. This will help to seal in the juices and keep the steak succulent. If there is no oil left in the pan, add a tsp. Put some salt and pepper on both sides of your steak. Once the pan is hot, put the steak in. Leave it on one side for about a minute. There should be some nice brown color when you flip the steak. I cook my steak medium rare, probably about 3 minutes per side. But, you have to be the judge of how rare or well done you like yours.

When your steak is cooked to the desired amount, remove and set aside. It's good to let the meat rest for a few minutes. Add your reduced stock and red wine to the pan that you just cooked the steak in. Scrape the bottom of the pan to ensure you get all of the stuff that's stuck to the bottom of the pan because it's going to add a lot of flavor to your stock. Once the mixture has reduced to an almost syrup like consistency (you can reduce it less if you like thinner sauce), taste, and add salt and pepper as necessary. Finally, take the butter, break it up into a few pieces, and swirl it into the sauce until melted.

Serve the steak with some onion and mushrooms on top, and pour some sauce over. Serve with the roast potatoes, and some sort of green vegetable, salad, green bean, sauteed spinach or the like.

Gourmet Burgers

2007-02-15T15:19:00.001-05:00

Burgers come in all shapes, sizes and varieties. I have two favorite places in New York City - the one and only Corner Bistro where you have to wait in line while drinking McSorely's (also another good place to go in NYC) beer, and The Burger Joint at Le Parker Meridian Hotel. Both of these places are worth going to for the experience alone. A quick note about the burgers at each place; Corner Bistro has bacon on their burgers, but the Burger Joint seems to have a tastier cooking method for their meat patty. Either way, try it out, get a burger, some fries and a beer, and embrace the grease!

My own burger recipe is a little different; not as greasy but still containing plenty of flavor! I kind of just made this up one night, but it proves to be a big hit with anybody I make it for.

Gourmet Burgers
Makes 4 Quarter Pound Burgers

Ingredients

1 lb of lean ground beef
1/3 cup finely diced red onion
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt (kosher or sea salt if you have it!)
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
Buns or bread which will fit the meat nicely
Sharp Cheddar Cheese (I use 1/2 fat)
1 tomato

This recipe is pretty simple. Combine the meat, onions, and spices together in a bowl and mix well. Divide the mixture into four pieces and shape into patties. Heat up a grill pan to medium heat and then put your patties on. I leave them on one side until I can see the juices start to run and the colors start to change around the edges. Once you have flipped them, put your cheese on top. I usually turn the flame down to low at this point and let the cheese slowly melt. I don't trust grocery store ground meat so I make sure it is cooked all the way through.

Once the burger patties are done, take them off the grill pan and let them sit for a minute. Put your buns or bread (I used a loaf of Italian bread cut into pieces) on to the grill pan and toast them under they are slightly brown.

Assemble the warm toasted bread, burger pattie with melted cheese, and if you want, sliced tomatoes.

I also sauteed some spinach to accompany my burgers. Very simply, I sauteed a few sliced cloves of garlic in olive oil with a few red pepper flakes. Once the garlic had softened I added one bag of baby spinach and started to stir. As soon as I could see the spinach starting to wilt, I turned off the stove and continued to stir. By turning off the stove, I ensured the spinach did not get overcooked which is so often the case!

All in all, this is a quick and easy meal, which people love to eat!

Spaghetti Bolognese

2007-02-13T10:48:00.000-05:00

The joys of comfort food. Nothing beats good pasta, especially a nice bowl of it in the dead of winter. Although it does not have the same status as Chicken Noodle Soup, the cold cure, it's actually full of very similar ingredients (minus the chicken and plus the beef and tomatoes). So, my conclusion is that it is pretty healthy, as long as you buy very lean ground beef. Plus, it's nice to eat on a cold winter evening with some friends and perhaps some red wine.

Spaghetti Bolognese
Serves approximately 4-5 people for dinner

Ingredients
2 strips of bacon, cut into small pieces
2-3 tbsp olive oil
2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
2 medium red onions, finely chopped
4-6 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
salt to taste
1 tbsp fresh ground black pepper
1 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
1 bay leaf (optional)
2 cups red wine
1 lb lean ground beef
1 can tomato paste
2 small cans of tomato sauce or 1 large can
1 can of chopped tomatoes
1 package of thin spaghetti (I use whole wheat)
Parmesan cheese to garnish

I started by cutting up my bacon, and putting it to the pan on a medium heat. You want it to be fully cooked before you add in any other ingredients. While the bacon browned, I roughly chopped the carrots, celery, onions and garlic and then put them into my Cuisinart food processor and chopped then finely.

Once the bacon was browned, I added the olive oil and all of the chopped veggies and garlic to the pan, and sweated them until soft. I also added the salt, pepper, hot pepper flakes and bay leaf at this point. I stirred it occasionally so that nothing stuck and burned. Once everything was tender and soft, I added the red wine. Then I turned up the heat and cooked off the alcohol.

Once all of the liquid had evaporated, I added the tomato paste. I had to stir constantly to make sure I didn't burn the tomato paste, but I did this so that some of the acidic taste cooked off. After a minute, I added the ground beef which I broke up in the pan and browned. Finally, I added the tomato sauce and chopped tomatoes. Then I let it simmer, basically until I had to serve it (the longer you can let it simmer the more the flavors meld together and the more delicious it is!). I had it on a low flame for about an hour and a half, and stirred it approximately every 10 minutes.

I served my pasta al dente. When the pasta was cooked I put it into the simmering pasta sauce and stirred until it was mixed in well and had cooked with the sauce for a few seconds. I served it in bowls with an ample handful of Parmesan cheese and some fresh ground pepper on the top.

Indian Feast Night

2007-01-31T18:04:00.001-05:00

On Saturday I cooked a bunch of Indian food and had some friends over for dinner. The picture above shows what we had; kheema (spicy ground meat with peas), potato bhaji, chana masala, bhindi (recipe from Jan 25th on this blog), dahl (basically yellow split pea soup) and of course basmati rice. Today I'm going to give you the dahl recipe. I'll add on some of the other recipes later.

Dahl
Makes about 8 servings

1 lb bag of yellow split peas
2 cans of chopped tomatoes drained (petite diced is best)
Juice of one lemon
3/4 tsp mustard seeds
1/4 tsp of cumin seeds
3 or 4 red chilli's (more or less depending on heat level)
6 cloves of garlic thinly sliced
1/8 tsp turmeric
2 tbsp of canola oil
salt

Prepare the split peas by rinsing them a few times and looking for any impurities. Yes, sometimes there is a little stone amongst the split peas. If a stone ends up in your bowl, it can create a very painful experience. After you have completed the cleaning process, fill your pot with water (about a three to one ratio of water to split peas). Bring to a boil. It will be necessary to skim the top where impurities will show up in the form of white foam. Simmer for approximately an hour, stirring occasionally, until you can mash up the split peas. If the consistency is too thick add water, and if it's too thin boil some of the liquid off.

Once the split peas are cooked and at a consistency you like, you can start the next part of the cooking process. In a separate pan, heat up the oil; add mustard seeds, chilli's, cumin seeds and turmeric. Once the mustard seeds start to pop and sizzle, add the garlic and stir. If the oil is getting too hot, remove from heat and saute the garlic for a minute off the heat. Once the garlic has just started to brown, add the tomatoes, and stir again. Now pour a few spoonfuls of the cooked split peas into the pot, and then transfer the whole mixture into the big pot of split peas. Stir, add lemon juice and salt to taste and simmer for a few minutes.

The step with the oil is the most difficult because if you get the oil too hot it's easy to burn everything. If you burn your seeds/chilli's and/or garlic, start from scratch. If you don't, your entire pot of soup will be ruined.

Eat over rice or like soup; the choice is yours!

Bhindi (Okra)

2007-01-25T12:48:00.000-05:00

This recipe is one of my all-time favorites; something my Dad has been making for as long as I can remember. I'm not sure if it's a classic Indian dish, because I've never had okra prepared quite the same way. For those of you who are "okra-phobic" try this recipe! Okra sure can be nasty in other dishes, where it remains gooey and sticky. In this recipe however it loses that slimy feeling completely. Even people that despise all vegetables seem to like this dish!

A funny side note, I bought all the okra in my local grocery store and they have not replaced it in the last year; now when I buy okra I am sure to leave at least one package still in the case!

Bhindi my Papa's way!
Feeds about two people as a meal accompaniment

1 lb package of frozen chopped okra (or fresh if you can find it! make sure you pick tender pieces; big pieces are usually tough and hard to chew)
2 tbsp canola or olive oil
3 dried red chilli's, broken in half (more or less depending on the heat of the chilli's you have)
1tsp of cumin seeds
1/2 tsp of the following: ground cumin, coriander powder, turmeric powder
1 to 2 heaping tbsp of low fat plain yogurt
Salt to taste
For this recipe, a nonstick pan works very well!

Heat up the oil in pan, then add in the chilli's, cumin seeds and all the spices. Shake the pan until they are all spread out in the oil, then add frozen okra. Next add the yogurt. Make sure the mixture is stirred well. Cook on a medium flame until liquid evaporates. The picture below shows what it will look like for a while, until all the liquid is gone. Add salt to taste. Don't get frustrated; it takes a while for all the liquid to disappear!

Once the liquid has evaporated, be more careful and stir every couple of minutes because it will stick a bit (turn down the flame if you want to stir less often). It's nice to get the okra a little bit brown around the edges; for some reason it seems to improve the taste dramatically.

Steak and Cheese My Way

2007-01-23T10:54:00.000-05:00

Here's my personal steak and cheese recipe:

3 patties of Steak-eze (more or less depending on how much meat you like)
1 tbsp of olive oil or canola oil
One large red onion, cut in half and then sliced
2 cloves of garlic sliced thinly, or a teaspoon of garlic powder
Salt
Pepper
Red pepper flakes
Provolone cheese
Loaf of italian bread

Steak-eze is not the leanest meat, so I cook it and then drain the fat off by placing it on some paper towels. Next I heat up some oil in a pan, and put the onions, garlic, some salt, black pepper and red pepper flakes. Cook until somewhat soft and slightly brown on the edges. Then add the meat, and a little more salt and pepper to taste. In the meantime slice your bread in half, and put a few slices of provolone cheese on top of one half (or both if you really like cheese!). Put it under your broiler (be sure to watch out so you don't burn it!) until the cheese is melted. Then plate up and put the beef mixture on the top. I ate mine as an open faced sandwich.

Quick and Simple Pasta with Spinach

2007-01-19T09:25:00.000-05:00

Living in New York City, working and trying to make it to the gym every night are not conducive to making elaborate dinners. Last night I was craving well,Italian style carbs; I wanted pizza or pasta.

I keep some staples in my apartment such as olive oil, garlic, Parmesan cheese and whole wheat pasta. So I decided to send my roommate an email, see if she wanted to have dinner with me and asked her to pick up some baby spinach on the way home.

The ingredients I used for this dish were as follows:
2-4 tbsp of olive oil (the more you use the better it tastes!)
6 large cloves are garlic thinly sliced
1 large tomato roughly chopped (found this in the fridge and decided to use it)
1 tsp of freshly black ground pepper (more or less depending on preference)
1 heaping teaspoon of red pepper flakes (more or less depending on level of heat desired)
salt to taste
1 package of baby spinach
1 package of Ronzoni Healthy Harvest thin spaghetti
Parmesan cheese to garnish

First things first. Put the water on to boil for the pasta (no need to explain how to cook pasta I'm sure you already know!) You should have it cooked at the same time your sauce is finished) A dish like this that is so simple takes longer to cook the pasta than make the sauce.

Next I heated up the oil in the pan, then put in the garlic, pepper, red pepper flakes and some salt. Then I sauteed the garlic but was sure not to burn it. Once the garlic was soft I put in the tomatoes until they softened a bit. When the pasta was done I drained it, put the spinach on top of the sauce, and threw the pasta in on top of the spinach. The spinach will wilt almost immediately. Turn the stove off after you mix everything together so that your spinach does not get overcooked and brown looking.

All in all it probably takes about 20-25 minutes to make, the perfect quick dinner for someone without hours to cook. If you wanted to add some protein you could grill up a piece of chicken breast and put it in at the end. I served this pasta with a generous amount of Parmesan cheese, especially since it is a drier sauce.

Beef Barley Soup

2007-01-18T09:54:00.000-05:00

This week has brought us the first really cold weather of the entire winter, which inspired me to make some comfort food. I decided to make beef barley soup, which I had never done before, and didn't have a recipe for either... luckily it came out good! For my soup I used:

1 tbsp olive oil or canola oil
4 carrots peeled
4 stalks of celery
2 medium sized red onions
5 cloves of garlic
1 small can of tomato sauce (1 small can of tomato paste would have been good but I didn't have any)
1/2 cup white wine (optional)
1 lb of lean ground beef
2 32fl oz cartons of Kitchen Basics Beef Stock
1 cup of barley rinsed well
1 can of navy beans drained and rinsed
salt
pepper
red pepper flakes

I love my mini cuisinart, it makes life easy for chopping up a lot of veggies quickly. Start off by chopping up the carrots, celery, red onions and garlic (as roughly or as fine as you like them in soup). Heat the olive oil in a pot and add all of the veggies and garlic. Sweat them until they are soft. Add salt, pepper and red pepper flakes to taste. Deglaze with some white wine and wait until it's all evaporated. Then add tomato sauce, stirring to make sure it does not burn. Do this for about a minute, it takes out some of the acidity. Then add the ground beef and brown it. Finally dump the stock, navy beans and barley into the pot, bring up to a boil and then let simmer for about 30 minutes. Make sure you skim the top of the soup a few times, as all of the impurities and a lot of the fat move to the top. This soup produced about 8 servings of soup for me (and by serving I mean a nice big bowl).

A word about the Kitchen Basics stocks. They are amazing, and make cooking so much easier. So many recipes call for stock and this is the answer to not having made your own or having to use a bullion cube or broth which is full of chemicals. They are all natural and very flavorful.

This soup was great, a one pot meal if you drink a glass of milk to go with it!

Oh how I miss having summer vacation...

2007-01-10T15:58:00.000-05:00

During the summertime in college I managed to attend Le Cordon Bleu. I went to the London branch. It was rewarding but demanding; sometimes our days would last from 9am-9pm. I learned a lot about classic french techniques and a lot about food and cooking in general. I hope to go back and finish - I've got 6 months of class left to get the Grand Diploma in cuisine and pastry. I had a lot of laughs (as well as nasty cuts and burns!) while I was there. We made some pretty amazing food.

Making truffles was one of my favorite days; it was towards the end of the term. The boys decided it would be funny to smear dark chocolate all over my nice white chefs outfit, I got them back though! We worked in a group to make the delectable treats and I ended up taking home about a months supply which my parents, friends and I got to enjoy for quite some time!

Korean Delight

2007-01-07T12:46:00.000-05:00

It was my birthday on Jan 2nd, and last night some friends and I went out for Korean barbeque. It's a place here in Manhattan on 32nd Street between Madison and 5th ave, called Don Bogam. Our favorite dish of the night was something called Boolgogi, which was thinly sliced marinated beef, with glass noodles, straw mushrooms and onions cooked in a flavored broth. This picture does not do it ANY justice whatsoever but I thought i should post it anyway. There is also a picture of some of the side dishes (there were about 8 different things, everything from kimchi to mushrooms to spicy cucumbers and maybe one or two unidentifable objects as well!). I highly recommend Korean barbeque; it's very interactive because you get a grill in front of you and can flip the meat (or let them do it for you if you prefer).

Christmas 2006

2007-01-07T12:24:00.000-05:00

This year we had our first Christmas in Florida. There were ten of us total; 5 of my cousins, my auntie and uncle, and my parents. My dad's side of the family is from India, and to say food is important to us is an understatement. We don't eat to live, we definitely live to eat! The picture in this post is of our Christmas dinner - fish patties (mix of fish and mashed potatoes, all seasoned and cooked and then bread crumbed and fried), mutton biriyani (the best I've EVER eaten in my life! Seriously, better than a restaurant! It's full of rice and meat and it was delicious), a spicy pea dish with onions and spices, raitha (yogurt with cucumber - helps to cool the palate), and a salad (indian style it's onions, tomatoes, cumcumber, a few spices and a lot of cilantro).

It was all delicious and we had a lot to eat over the entire holiday! (I don't think the rainy weather in Florida helped either!). It was nice to spend time with the family though and at least we got to enjoy tons of great food!

First post!

2007-01-04T11:31:00.000-05:00

Wow... my very own blog. I've been inspired by my good friend, Lauren Ulm, who created this blog. Her's is a very fancy blog, mine will probably not compare in quality. But hey, I'm going to give it a try!