Aloo Gobi - Potato Cauliflower

Ingredients

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 large onion, peeled and cut into small pieces

1 bunch fresh coriander, separated into stalks and leaves and roughly chopped

1 small green chilies, chopped into small pieces (or one teaspoon chili powder)

1 large cauliflower, leaves removed and cut evenly into eighths

3 large potatoes, peeled and cut into even pieces

2 cans diced tomatoes

fresh ginger, peeled and grated

fresh garlic, chopped

1 teaspoon cumin seed

2 teaspoons turmeric

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons garam masala

Directions

Heat vegetable oil in a large saucepan.

Add the chopped onion and one teaspoon of cumin seeds to the oil.

Stir together and cook until onions become creamy, golden, and translucent.

Add chopped coriander stalks, two teaspoons of turmeric, and one teaspoon of salt

Add chopped chillis (according to taste) Stir tomatoes into onion mixture.

Add ginger and garlic; mix thoroughly.

Add potatoes and cauliflower to the sauce plus a few tablespoons of water (ensuring that the mixture doesn't stick to the saucepan).

Ensure that the potatoes and cauliflower are coated with the curry sauce.

Cover and allow to simmer for twenty minutes (or until potatoes are cooked).

Add two teaspoons of Garam Masala and stir.

Sprinkle chopped coriander leaves on top of the curry.

Turn off the heat, cover, and leave for as long as possible before serving.

Catfish Sloppy Joe's

From Fish Without a Doubt: The Cook's Essential Companion by Rick Moonen and Roy Finamore.

These are just as sloppy and delicious as you could hope for. Soft, tender potato rolls are my choice for serving, but any hamburger bun will do. 

Serves 8

Accept Substitutes
Sloppy Joes are great made with tilapia, but you could try skinless salmon, char, or trout too.

1/2pound catfish fillet (bloodline trimmed; see book, page 37), cut into 1/3- inch dice
Coarse salt
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup diced onion
1 cup diced green bell pepper
2 teaspoons paprika
Barbecue Sauce for Fish (recipe follows)

For serving
8 hamburger buns
Softened butter
Potato chips

1. Season the catfish with salt. Let sit on the counter.

2. Heat a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. When the pan’s hot, add the oil, onion, and bell pepper. Sauté, stirring often, until the onion starts to soften, about 3 minutes. Stir in the paprika and sauté, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the catfish and sauté for 1 minute. Stir in the barbecue sauce and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 6 to 7 minutes, until thick.

3. Meanwhile, heat a griddle or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Butter the buns and toast them on the griddle.

4. Fill the buns with the catfish mixture and pile some potato chips on top for crunch. Serve these Joes while they’re hot.

Barbecue Sauce for Fish

Fish deserves its own special barbecue sauce. This one isn’t aggressive in the least, so it’s perfectly suited to the soft nuances of seafood. The flavor of the clam juice wafts through the sauce. Makes about 1 3/4 cups

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup minced onion
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
Coarse salt
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1/2 cup clam juice
1 cup ketchup
1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Freshly ground white pepper

1. Heat a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, add the oil, onion, garlic, thyme, and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring often, until the onion is softened but not browned, about 5 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, combine the sugar and water in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Cook, swirling the sugar in the skillet, until the sugar dissolves and the caramel is dark amber. Add the vinegar and clam juice and boil until the caramel has dissolved.

3. Add the caramel and clam juice mixture to the onion, along with the ketchup, Tabasco, Worcestershire, and white pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer the sauce for 20 minutes. Let cool.

4. You can make this well in advance. It will keep for days in the refrigerator.

Quinoa Anyone?

Quinoa (pronounced Keen-wah) is an ancient food that is not yet well known in North America. It has been cultivated in South American Andes since at least 3,000 B.C. and has been a staple food of millions of native inhabitants. The ancient Incas called quinoa the "mother grain" and revered it as sacred. Each year at planting time it was traditional for the Inca leader to plant the first quinoa seed using a solid gold shovel! Quinoa was used to sustain Incan armies, which frequently marched for many days eating a mixture of quinoa and fat, known as "war balls." Beginning with the Spanish conquest in the 1500s, there was a 400-year decline in the production of quinoa. It became a minor crop at that time and was grown only by peasants in remote areas for local consumption.

In Peru, Chile and Bolivia, quinoa is now widely cultivated for its nutritious seeds, and they are referred to as "little rice." The seeds are used in creating various soups and bread, and also fermented with millet to make a beer-like beverage. A sweetened decoction of the fruit is used medicinally, as an application for sores and bruises. Quinoa has been grown outside of South America for a relatively short time. It is grown in Canada and has been grown in the U.S., in Colorado since the 1980's by two entrepreneurs who learned of the food from a Bolivian. They developed test plots in high arid fields in the central Rockies and began test marketing in 1985. Quinoa can be found in most natural food stores in the U.S.

The quinoa seed is high in protein, calcium and iron, a relatively good source of vitamin E and several of the B vitamins. It contains an almost perfect balance of all eight essential amino acids needed for tissue development in humans. It is exceptionally high in lysine, cystine and methionine-amino acids typically low in other grains. It is a good complement for legumes, which are often low in methionine and cystine. The protein in quinoa is considered to be a complete protein due to the presence of all 8 essential amino acids. Some types of wheat come close to matching quinoa's protein content, but grains such as barley, corn, and rice generally have less than half the protein of quinoa. Quinoa is 12% to 18% protein and four ounces a day, about 1/2-cup, will provide a childs protein needs for one day. The 6-7% fat of quinoa is relatively high when compared to other grains, but it boasts a low sodium content and also provides valuable starch and fiber. Quinoa also contains albumen, a protein that is found in egg whites, blood serum, and many plant and animal tissues. The seeds are gluten-free which makes this a nutritious and flavorful alternative grain for those with gluten sensitivity. Quinoa would be a worthy addition to anyone's diet, supplying variety as well as good nutrition. The seed is also excellent feed for birds and poultry and the plant itself is good forage for cattle.

Quinoa and Black Bean Salad - from Whole Foods

For anyone who has tried the Quinoa and Black Bean Salad at Whole Foods and loves it like I do, I now have the recipe.  

1 1/2 cups quinoa
1 1/2 cups black beans, drained and rinsed (I used 2 cups)
1 1/2 Tbs red wine vinegar
1 1/2 cups corn, fresh, canned, or frozen (I used frozen without cooking them to keep their enzymes intact)
1 red bell pepper
4 scallions, chopped (I used 6)
1 garlic clove, minced (jar of chopped garlic was in my fridge)
1/4 cup fresh coriander leaves, chopped ( i used a tsp of coriander seed powder)
1/3 cup fresh lime juice
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/3 cup olive oil (I used 2 Tbs)

Rinse quinoa in a fine sieve under cold running water. Put quinoa into a pot with 2 1/4 cups water. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer 20 minutes, or until water is absorbed. Fluff it a bit with a fork now and then to keep it from sticking. While quinoa is cooking, toss the beans, vinegar, corn, bell pepper, scallions, garlic and coriander in a large bowl. In another small bowl, whisk the lime juice, salt and cumin and pour in the oil while whisking. When quinoa is done cooking, toss it with the beans and vegetables. Then, drizzle the lime mixture over quinoa and vegetables and toss well. Serve warm or at room temperature. (I like it better the next day when all the tastes have had a chance to combine and be absorbed.)

Great Tip For Zesting Citrus or Grating Fresh Ginger

For those of you who do not have a micoplane for zesting citrus or grating fresh ginger, here’s a great tip:

Wrap your grater in two layers of plastic wrap nice and tight (twice around the grater, leaving the top and bottom open but don’t worry about cutting the wrap.). Now, of course the trick here is to only do this on the small perforated side or what some folks call the "star" cut side with the metal punches outward. If you tried to do this on the regular grating side, you're going to end up with pieces of plastic in your ginger. But this way, you come off completely clean and you probably won't even have to wash the grater.

Seared Halibut with Green Beans, Scallions, and White Wine Sauce

This recipe offers a prime example of cooking last minute because the entire dish can be prepared and executed very quickly.  After sauteing the halibut, the fish is removed from the pan, which is then deglazed with white wine and fresh lemon juice. Butter is swirled in gradually to yield a rich, flavorful sauce — punctuated by scallions, capers, and diced tomato — that is simply poured over the fish; its pleasing citric acidity and buttery richness make it a perfect foil for the halibut

 If you can find find Haricots Verts try them versus the good ‘old green beans. 

Ingredients:

1 pound young green beans or haricots verts

Four 7-ounce halibut fillets, each approximately 1 inch thick

Coarse salt and freshly ground white pepper to taste

2 tablespoons canola oil

1/4 cup Sauvignon Blanc or other dry white wine

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, or to taste

1/2 cup unsalted butter

5 scallions, white part only, finely sliced on the bias

1 tablespoon capers, drained and rinsed

1 large, ripe tomato, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/4-inch dice

Directions:

In a pot of boiling salted water set over high heat, cook the haricots verts for 3 to 4 minutes, until tender. Drain and place them in the center of a large, warm serving platter. Cover and keep warm.

Season the halibut on both sides with salt and pepper. 

In a 12-inch saute pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Cook the fish for about 3 minutes, until lightly browned. Turn, reduce the heat to medium, and cook about 4 minutes longer, until the fish is opaque in the center and browned on both sides. Put the fish on the platter with the beans and cover to keep warm.

Pour off any oil in the pan and add the wine and lemon juice. 

Raise the heat to high and deglaze the pan by scraping up any browned bits with a wooden spoon. Cook until the sauce reduces by half, about 2 minutes. 

Reduce the heat and stir in the butter, a piece at a time, to enrich and flavor the sauce. Add the scallions, capers, and tomato. 

Season with salt and pepper, and pour over the fish on the platter. Serve immediately.

Pan Seared Halibut with a Saffron Broth

This couldn't be simpler and the fish melts in your mouth.  The color of the broth is beautiful and the flavor is heavenly.

For the heck of it, I threw a little fresh spinach in one of the bowls, if you want a little texture, a little green, give it a try. Serve with a good bread to sop up the broth. Yum!

Ingredients:

1 halibut filet

Salt

Pepper

1 teaspoon Saffron

1 cup chicken broth

Directions:

Season both sides of halibut with salt and black pepper.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. 

Add halibut and cook 2 minutes per side, or until golden brown.

Remove fish from pan and set aside.

To the same pan, broth and saffron.  Bring to a simmer.  Return fish to pan and simmer 2 minutes, until fish is fork-tender.

Serves 1

Red Velvet Cupcakes

Valentine’s Day is upon us – the perfect occasion for decadent treats.  These Red Velvet Cupcakes definitely fit the bill – moist and full of flavor, it’s hard to eat just one.  Now, I realize that there are some red velvet cupcakes that aren’t red and many of those recipes are really good, but how fun can a brown red velvet cupcake really be?!

As a side note, I’m really pleased with how well the frosting looks on a few of the cupcakes  - for some reason I have the hardest time frosting baked goods, they rarely look good in photos!  I got lucky this time – good motivation to keep working on my frosting skills.

Makes 24 Cupcakes

Ingredients

Cupcakes:

2  1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1  1/2 cups sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cocoa powder

1  1/2 cups vegetable oil

1 cup buttermilk, room temperature

2 extra-large eggs, room temperature

2 tablespoons red food coloring

1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Frosting:

1 pound cream cheese, softened

2 sticks butter, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar

Directions

Cupcakes:

Preheat the oven to 350° F.  Line 2 (12-cup) muffin pans with cupcake papers.

In a medium mixing bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder.  In a large bowl of an electric mixer, gently beat together the oil, buttermilk, eggs, food coloring, vinegar and vanilla.  Add the sifted dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until smooth and thoroughly combined.

Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake tins – fill each cup about 2/3 of the way.  Bake in the oven for about 20 to 22 minutes, turning the pans once, halfway through the cooking.  Test the cupcakes with a toothpick to ensure they are done. Remove from the oven and cool completely before frosting.

Frosting:

In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla together until smooth.  Add the sugar and mix on low speed until incorporated.  Increase the speed to high and mix until very light and fluffy.  To add a little color, I sprinkled some of the cupcake crumbs on top of the cream cheese frosting.

Fake Brulee - I mean Creme Brulee

Ok, here's the deal. Creme Brulee is a pain in the ass to make - no doubt about it. My version is well, not a pain at all. It doesn't exactly replace the real thing - but it's pretty darn close. ~~Sam the Cooking Guy

Ingredients:

1 box Jell-O Vanilla Pudding mix

1 cup milk

Sugar

Fresh berries

Directions:

Prepare pudding according to directions.  Spoon into 4 ramekins and refrigerate for 30 mins,

Remove from refrigerator and sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon of sugar evenly over the top of each pudding.  Using a plumbers torch or small culinary torch, burn the top to a golden brown.  Garnish with berries and serve.

Calabaza, Corn, and Coconut Soup

This soup is a great combination of flavors. The squash can be found at your international markets or substitute with butternut squash.  Add a swirl of creme fraiche to the relish or a lump of crab meat for a change

For soup:

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion, coarsely chopped

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro stems

2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped

1 (2 1/4-pound) piece calabaza squash or 1 (2 1/2-pound) whole kabocha squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (6 cups)

4 cups water

1 1/4 cups well-stirred canned unsweetened coconut milk (12 ounces)

3 ears of corn (fresh or thawed frozen), kernels cut off and reserved for relish (below) and cobs halved crosswise

2 teaspoons salt

1/4 teaspoon cayenne

For corn relish:

4 1/2 teaspoons fresh lime juice

1/4 teaspoon salt

Pinch of sugar

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 cups corn kernels (see above)

2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh cilantro

1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot

Directions

Make soup:
Heat oil in a 4- to 5-quart heavy pot over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté onion, stirring occasionally, until beginning to soften and edges are browned, about 4 minutes. Add cilantro stems and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, 3 minutes. Add squash pieces and cook, stirring frequently, 3 minutes. Stir in water, coconut milk, corn cobs, salt, and cayenne and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until squash is very tender, about 15 minutes.

Prepare corn relish while soup simmers:
Whisk together lime juice, salt, and sugar in a bowl, then add oil and whisk until combined.

Cook corn kernels in a saucepan of boiling salted water until just tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain in a sieve, then rinse under cold water to stop cooking. Drain well, then transfer to dressing along with cilantro and shallot and toss well to coat.

Finish soup:
Discard corn cobs, then purée soup in batches in a blender (use caution when blending hot liquids) until smooth, transferring to a 2-quart measure.

Divide soup among bowls and gently stir 1/4 cup corn relish into each.

Moroccan Spiced Chickpea and Lentil Soup

Ginger, turmeric, cinnamon and saffron infuse each spoonful of this savory soup — a hearty combination of lentils, chickpeas, fennel, onions and tomatoes. Pick up the spice profile with a dollop of Charmoula, a Moroccan condiment with garlic, cumin, cilantro and jalapeño. Great with a warm whole wheat pita and a simple salad on the side.

Ingredients

Charmoula
4 to 5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds, toasted and ground
1 clove garlic
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and deveined
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
1 bunch cilantro
Salt and pepper to taste Soup
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 fennel bulb, chopped
1 medium red onion, chopped
1 medium white onion, chopped
2 (14-ounces) cans chopped tomatoes, with their liquid
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
Pinch of saffron threads (optional)
4 cups gluten-free, low-sodium vegetable broth
1 cup dried lentils (green, brown, red or yellow), picked through and rinsed
4 sprigs cilantro
4 sprigs parsley
2 dried bay leaves
2 tablespoons sugar
Salt and pepper to taste
3 cups canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed

Directions

For the charmoula, mix 4 tablespoons of the oil, cumin, garlic, jalapeños, and lemon juice in a food processor to make a purée. Pick cilantro leaves from their stems and add to food processor along with zest and salt and pepper. Pulse mixture a couple of times, scraping it down from the side of the bowl in between pulses. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil if needed. The mixture should resemble a rustic pesto. Place in tightly closed container and refrigerate for up to two days.

For the soup, heat oil in a 4-quart pot with over medium heat. Add fennel and gently cooking for a couple of minutes while the fennel releases its natural juices. Add red and white onions and cook until soft and translucent, stirring mixture from time to time, about 12 minutes. Add tomatoes with their liquid and increase heat to high until the mixture comes to a simmer. Add the ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, garlic and saffron, if using, and let them infuse the mixture with their flavors for a few more minutes.

Add broth, lentils, cilantro and parsley sprigs, and bay leaves and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Add sugar and salt and pepper, stirring the mixture a couple of times. Cover pot and let simmer for about 25 minutes or until the lentils are tender. Add chickpeas and cook, uncovered, for another 5 to 7 minutes until heated through. Mix well and season again with salt and pepper. Remove and discard bay leaves, cilantro, and parsley.

Serve soup hot, with 1 tablespoon of the reserved charmoula on top, if desired. (For a thicker soup, remove about 1 cup of the cooked lentils and chickpeas from the soup and process them in blender, adding some extra liquid if needed. Add the blended mixture back to the soup. For a thinner soup, add extra vegetable broth.)