Warm Brussels sprouts by way of Beirut

I've been refining this since last year. This year, I caramelized the Brussels sprouts in a hot wok, with olive oil, salt, and crushed red chilli pepper, then tossed them with halved green grapes, yogurt, and za'atar, and drizzled the whole thing with balsamic syrup and a few pomegranate seeds for garnish. I served this warm right after I made it.

Mushroom anticuchos

Mushroom anticuchos

To make these, I simmered rice vinegar and sugar until reduced to a syrup, then added soy sauce, aji paste, chestnut paste, and wine and reduced by half. (You could substitute miso for the chestnut paste and mussel broth or clam juice for the wine.)

I seasoned the cleaned mushrooms with salt and pepper, then poured the hot marinade over and let the mushrooms soak up the marinade for a few hours.

We grilled the mushrooms (about four minutes per side) on bamboo skewers. While the mushrooms were grilling, I heated and further reduced the marinade. We removed the mushrooms from the skewers and placed them atop the wasabi-chive cauliflower mash, then poured the hot marinade over the mushrooms as a sauce.

Uppama

Uppama

Uppama is a South Indian breakfast dish that can be made with coarse semolina, pearl tapioca, rice flakes, or vermicelli. You can toss in all kinds of vegetables. At home my family makes it with diced carrots, peas, green beans, but I also like it with black-eyed peas, asparagus, soaked and chopped kokum ka phul, chopped kale... Really, choose your own adventure!

It goes well with chutney. My favorite chutney pairing for uppama is red bell pepper chutney or ginger chutney.

1 1/2 cups coarse semolina ("sooji"), rice flakes ("poha"), pearl tapioca ("sabudana") or vermicelli ("sev")
1/3 cup olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons brown mustard seeds
1 stalk curry leaves
1 1/2 tablespoons cumin seeds
3/4 cup salted peanuts, coarsely crushed, or tuvar dal
3 tablespoons finely chopped shallots
1 Serrano chili, minced
1 1/2 tablespoon finely chopped and peeled fresh ginger
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 cup sliced spinach (or other veggie)
3 tablespoons thinly shredded cilantro
1 lime, juiced
Salt

[If using tapioca, put the grain in a bowl and wash in several changes of cold water from the tap until the water loses its murkiness and remains clear and soak in fresh cold water to cover 8 hours. Drain in a sieve and spread on a tray laid with a paper towel. Refrigerate the drained tapioca at least 1 hour.]

Heat the oil in an 8-quart pot over moderately high heat until shimmering and add the mustard seeds. When the seeds being to pop, which will be almost immediately, add the curry leaves and cumin seeds and stir.

Add the peanuts/dal, shallots, serrano, ginger and increase the heat to high. Cook the mixture, stirring, for 1 minute.

Stir in the butter and when melted, add the grain and salt to taste. Cook until grain is heated through (3-4 minutes). Add the veggies and continue to cook until the grain turns transparent. Unless you're using the pre-soaked tapioca, pour 3/4 to 1 cup boiling water in, bring to boil, then turn off the heat, cover, and let the grain absorb the liquid and steam.

Just before serving, stir the lime and cilantro into the pilaf and season with salt.

Wasabi-chive cauliflower mash

Wasabi-chive cauliflower mash

Put a head of trimmed and roughly chopped cauliflower into the smallest pot it will entirely fit in and cover it with water. Salt generously. Bring to boil over high heat, then reduce to medium heat and cook until the cauliflower is so tender it is mash-able.

Drain away the water, add olive oil, 2 bunches chopped chives, salt, and a few tablespoons wasabi to taste, and mash together with the cauliflower using a potato masher.

Beef rendang

Simmering the rendang

This recipe came to us via Floyd Cardoz, formerly the chef at Tabla and a good friend of Wiemer/Milo Vineyards cook-off star Sudhir Kandula.

10 pieces short ribs
Salt, to taste
1/4 cup sliced lemon grass
1 knob ginger, minced
1/2 cup minced shallots
1 Serrano chili
1 tablespoons cumin
1 tablespoons coriander
One 2 inch piece of Pasilla de Oaxaca
1/2 teaspoons turmeric
1/8 teaspoons cayenne
2 tablespoons canola oil
3 inches Indian cinnamon
5 cloves
6 cups veal stock
6 cloves garlic
1 inch galangal sliced into coins
4 lime leaves
2 pandan leaves
4 cups coconut milk
4 cups chicken stock
4 cups water
1 teaspoons tamarind paste
1/2 teaspoons brown sugar
2 sprigs rosemary
1 Thai chili
1/2 cup fried minced shallots 2 sticks lemon grass leaned and lightly crushed
1/2 cup ground cashews

1. Pre heat oven to 400 degrees at convection setting.
2. Season the short ribs with salt and let stand for 10-15 minutes. Reduce heat in oven to 325.
3. Combine the sliced lemon grass, minced ginger, sliced shallots and Serrano chili in a food processor and processor till finely chopped.
4. Grind the cumin, coriander and the Pasilla de Oaxaca in a spice grinder to a fine powder and combine with the turmeric and the cayenne.
5. Place seasoned short ribs in oven and sear until golden brown. Approximately 15 minutes.
6. In a large stew pot add the canola oil and the ground shallot mix and cook over moderate heat stirring for 15 minutes until paste get slightly colored and releases some oil.
7. Add the cinnamon, cloves and ground spice and cook for 2-4 minutes. Add short ribs and all the other ingredients (except cashews) and bring up to a boil.
8. Place the pot with a lid in the oven and continue to cook until fork tender.
9. Cool down in liquid.
10. Next day remove form liquid and trim short ribs of any fat and gristle.
11. Reduce the brasage until thick.
12. Add the cashews stir. Place the short ribs in the pan and put into a 325 degree oven and cook. Letting the liquid reduce slowly. Baste the short ribs every 5 minutes.
13. The liquid will reduce and form a glaze on meat. At this time to the fat will start to separate.
14. Pull out the cinnamon, cloves, galangal and lemon grass.
15. Plate and top with cashews.

Roasted peanut salad

Roasted peanut salad is a very easy, satisfying, high protein, vegetarian, tasty snack!

Finely dice a red onion into a large bowl, then squeeze the juice of 1 lime over the red onion. Top with 1/2 a bunch of finely chopped fresh cilantro.
Take 1 lb. raw Spanish peanuts and either pan roast them or roast them under your broiler until they darken and the peanut oils release and give your whole kitchen a peanut smell. Be careful not to burn them.
Toss the hot roasted peanuts with the red onion, lime juice, cilantro, and added salt and red chilli powder to taste.

Bibbity Bobbity Bibimbap

Every Tuesday I arrive at kp, Vip, and M's urban hang suite for Gita Sutras with Rasanath Das, and then we make an easy, vegetarian, communal dinner.

Last week, it was this simple Korean brown rice and veggies bowl, or bibimbap.

With the brown rice in the rice cooker in the background, we chopped:
- a bunch of scallions (on the bias, into 1" pieces),
- about 10 shiitake mushrooms (minus the stems),
- a bunch of lacinato kale,
- two handfuls of snow peas,
- a couple handfuls of broccoli florets, and
- a yam (julienned, skin on) and
- a couple of carrots (also julienned).

(Sprouts, other types of mushrooms, other types of greens, some quickly pickled cucumber/daikon, etc., would also be great!)

We also got about 2" of ginger minced and ready, and kept a sliced avocado and about 1/3 C sesame seeds aside.

Vip fried 4 eggs, sunny side down, while we dry toasted the sesame seeds then set them aside, and sauteed (separately) each vegetable (except the carrots, which we left raw with a sprinkle of lemon juice) in a pan with 1/2 tbsp. olive oil and 1/2 tbsp. toasted sesame oil, 1/2 tsp. of the minced ginger, a few dashes of salt, and a couple pinches of our super hot red chilli powder, keeping each aside when done. (For the peapods and kale, we added a squeeze of lemon juice.)

When all the vegetables were sauteed, we stirred the toasted sesame seeds, a pinch of salt, and a dash of lemon juice into the cooked brown rice, then put a serving spoon of the rice mixture into each of our bowls, and topped the rice with a spoonful of each sauteed vegetable, sliced avocado, some carrots, and some Sunja's vegetarian kimchi, then topped each bowl with a fried egg, and each put in his/her own desired amount of hot sauce before mixing everything up!

Rosemary-lemon gremolata over broiled wild Alaskan salmon

We had a large filet (perhaps 2 lbs?) of wild Alaskan salmon, and marinated it for about 2 hours in a gremolata of extra virgin olive oil, chopped rosemary, crushed red chilli pepper, sliced garlic, lemon zest, salt and pepper, then roasted it covered with foil in a 350°F oven for about 20 minutes, then removed the foil and let it broil for a few minutes on high.

Recipe by Miz SunDrop: Cornbread Dotted with Dried Cherries

We used Indian green chillies (just 2, finely sliced -- nowhere near the 1/2 cup the recipe calls for!) instead of the canned kind. Enjoy!

1 cup butter

3/4 cup sugar

4 eggs

1/2 cup diced canned green chillies (or 2 finely sliced fresh Indian or Thai green chillies)

1 1/2 cups "creamed" corn (canned)
1/2 cup shredded jack or cheddar
1 cup flour

1 cup yellow cornmeal

2 tbsp baking powder

1/2 cup dried cherries

Cream together butter, sugar and eggs. Add remaining ingredients, mix well. Spread into a greased 9"x9" pan (double recipe makes a 9"x13").

Bake at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 45 minutes.

Yams with Mustard Greens

This dish has a great range of flavors - sweetness from the yams, kickiness from the mustard greens and red chilli powder, and an aromatic brightness from the ginger. It's also very good for you!

- 4 yams (sweet potatoes with golden flesh) (I used 8 long and skinny ones that I picked up from the Union Square Greenmarket) , peeled and cut into half-moons, 1/4" thick
- 2 small heads mustard greens, washed, dried, and sliced into 2" long ribbons (cut down the length of the rib and then slice into thin ribbons cross-wise)
- 1.5" ginger, peeled and thinly julienned
- 4 shallots (or 1/2 large red onion), finely chopped
- salt to taste (approx. 1 tsp)
- lal mirchi (red chilli powder) to taste (mine is very spicy, so I probably used no more than 1/4 tsp)
- about 2 tbsp olive oil

Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan or wok on medium high until hot. Add shallots and ginger and sauté until soft, or for about two minutes. Add yams, salt and red chilli powder, and sauté until the yams are half-cooked, or for about seven or eight minutes. Add mustard greens and continue sautéeing; the water that leaches out from the greens will help to partially steam-cook the yams. Turn off heat in about seven minutes, when the yams are cooked through but not mushy and the greens are completely wilted.

This can be served hot or eaten cold as leftovers, too.

I used purple mustard greens (like these) that I picked up at the Union Square Greenmarket.

Shaved Brussels Sprouts with Pecorino Romano

Makes 6 side-dish servings

1 1/2 lb Brussels sprouts (preferably on the stalk), any discolored leaves discarded and stems left intact -OR- finely chopped kale (I actually think this dish tastes better made with raw kale)

2 tablespoons finely grated Pecorino Romano, or to taste

1/4 cup olive oil

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (I probably ended up using double or almost triple that amount)

red pepper flakes to taste

Shred Brussels sprouts in a food processor and toss in a bowl with lemon juice to separate layers and prevent discoloration. Toss with Pecorino and red pepper flakes and olive oil just before serving.

Butternut Squash Panna Cotta

Vegetable oil for oiling ramekins
2 lbs. butternut squash
1 tbsp. agar-agar flakes or 2/3 tsp agar-agar powder
1¼ cups heavy cream
½ cup mascarpone
2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
½ tsp. Aleppo pepper (or ⅛ tsp. cayenne)
1 tsp. sea salt, or to taste

Heat oven to 350°F. Lightly oil 4 small custard cups or ramekins. (I used 11 miniature ramekins.)

Halve and seed squash. Place cut-side down on baking sheet. Bake until soft, 45 minutes to an hour or more (cooking times vary widely with individual squash). Cool, then scrape out flesh and purée with immersion blender. Measure 1 cup into a medium mixing bowl; reserve the remainder for another use. (I probably used closer to 1 ½ cups.)

Combine the agar-agar and cream in a small saucepan and mix well. Let stand 30 minutes. Transfer to a burner and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce the heat and simmer 10 minutes. Strain through a fine sieve into the bowl with the squash.

Add mascarpone, thyme, Aleppo pepper (or cayenne) and salt to the bowl and mix with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until smooth and well blended. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Divide the mixture among the prepared custard cups and let stand until set, about 1 hour.

Run a spatula around the rim of each panna cotta and carefully unmold onto small serving plates. (They can be reheated in a 350°F oven for 5 minutes, either in the ramekins or after unmolding them.) (We just served them in the miniature ramekins, with little spoons.)

Serves 4. (We served 11 as an amuse bouche.)

Urban Family Thanksgiving

My lovely guardian angel sister-friend Anne declared, "Let's have an urban family Thanksgiving dinner here!" And that is exactly what we did.

Here is what we served:

Lillet Blanc over fresh tangerine zest (on the rocks)

Assorted cheeses (an aged sheep's milk gouda, a garrotxa, a tangy blue, a creamy brie-like cow's milk cheese) with pumpkin butter, sunflower honey, fig-almond spread, sliced New York apples & crispbread

Butternut squash panna cotta

A red salad of pomegranate, beets, red onion & blood oranges

(A choice of Albariño or pinot noir with dinner)

Roast duck & cornbread dotted with dried cherries

Hazelnut, sage, & mushroom stuffing

Cranberry chutney

Shaved Brussels sprouts with pecorino romano

Gingered yams with mustard greens

Homemade pumpkin and cherry pies with mulled apple cider granita

Annie made pie crust from scratch!

Fish tikkis and imli chutney, dal with hot lime pickle, and salad

During the week, putting together motley things I had completely or half-prepared on a Sunday:
- a salad made with arugula, cucumbers, and bell peppers, with a cranberry vinaigrette I have in the fridge that I made when the cranberry preserves were almost over and it was easier to get the last bits by swirling them with vinegar and making a dressing;
- moong dal made chunky-style with mustard greens, topped with hot lime pickle; and
- fish tikkis topped with imli chutney.

Recipe: Thai Red Curry Paste

This is just one recipe for Thai red curry paste. There are many
variations.

3 shallots, sliced
1 stalk lemongrass
1-3 bird's eye chillies
3 cloves garlic
1 3" piece galangal, peeled and sliced
1/4 tsp. white pepper
1 tsp. ground cumin
2 Tbsp. ground coriander seeds
3 Tbsp. nam pla
1 kaffir lime leaf
1 tsp. shrimp paste
1 tsp. palm sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp. red chilli powder

Process all ingredients in a food processor.

Red curry paste may be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator
for about 2 weeks, or frozen for up to 3 months.

Recipe: Thai Green Curry Paste

This is just one recipe for Thai green curry paste. There are many
variations.

1 stalk lemongrass
1/2 Tbsp. ground coriander
1 Tbsp. cumin
1 tsp. shrimp paste
1 tsp. palm sugar
1-2 green chillies
3 cloves garlic
1 3" piece galangal (or ginger), peeled and sliced
3-4 kaffir lime leaves, stems removed
1 cup fresh cilantro (including leaves and stems)
1 tsp. nama shoyu
2 Tbsp. nam pla

Process all ingredients in a food processor.

Green curry paste may be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator
for about 2 weeks, or frozen for up to 3 months.

Recipe: Grilled Shrimp over Julienned Red Cabbage-Bell Pepper-Mango Salad

Grilled Shrimp over Julienned Red Cabbage-Bell Pepper-Mango Salad for 3

(This is a slight variation on a similar earlier post.)

Salad
1/3 of a whole red cabbage, julienned
1 red bell pepper, julienned
1 orange bell pepper, julienned
1 mango, julienned
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped (can also add fresh chopped mint)
1 bunch scallions: chop 3 of them finely; chop the rest on the diagonal into 2-3" pieces

1 pound shrimp, cleaned, de-veined, tails left on; rinsed, patted dry, and marinated for 10 minutes in salt, pepper, a tablespoon of peanut oil, and the juice of 1 lime or 3 key limes

Dressing
1/4 cup lime juice
1/4 cup nam pla (fish sauce)
Splash peanut oil
1 tbsp palm sugar or brown sugar
1 bird's eye (or serrano) chilli, minced
1/2" piece ginger, julienned

In a measuring cup, mix dressing ingredients and set them aside for the flavors to marry. 

Heat grill on high heat and spray with grapeseed oil. When grill is hot, place shrimp and 2-3" long scallion pieces on grill in one layer. When the shrimp is pink, turn the heat off and flip each shrimp.

Toss the salad ingredients with the dressing, and divide the salad among three large bowls. Top each salad with a third of the grilled shrimp and scallions.

Recipe: Moqueca de Peixe (Bahia Seafood Stew)

Moqueca de Peixe (Bahia Seafood Stew) for 6

• juice of 1 lime
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 pound white fish fillet(s), cut into strips or chunks
• 1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 chopped red onion
• 1 chopped green bell pepper
• 1 chopped red bell pepper
• 1 bunch chopped green onions
• 5 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 large chopped tomatoes
• 1/2 cup minced fresh cilantro
• 2 (8-oz.) bottles clam juice
• 1 (14 1/2-oz.) can low sodium broth
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 1/2 teaspoon ground red chilli pepper

Combine lime, salt and pepper, garlic, fish and shrimp in a large bowl; toss or turn to coat. Marinate in refrigerator 30 minutes.

Heat oil in a large Dutch oven or stock pot over medium heat. Add onion, bell peppers, green onions, garlic, and bay leaf; cook 6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Increase heat to medium-high; add tomato, and cook 2 minutes.

Add half the cilantro, clam juice, and broth. Bring to boil; reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes. Remove bay leaf.

Blend vegetable-and-stock mixture until smooth (I used a hand blender, but you could also transfer the mixture, 1/3 of it at a time, to a blender for pureeing). Add coconut milk and red chilli pepper to pureed vegetable mixture. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; cook 3 minutes.

Add fish-and-shrimp mixture; cook 3 minutes or until seafood is cooked. Sprinkle with the remaining cilantro.

We had this over brown rice, but it could also be served simply as a stew.

Recipe: Spicy Lemony Carrot Tahini

Spicy Lemony Carrot Tahini

We had a whole bag of carrots just crying out to be eaten in some novel way, and so I made this spicy lemony carrot tahini to keep around as a spread for sandwiches, crackers, or to dip other vegetables into. I think could also be good to plate a lightly prepared filet of white flaky Mediterranean fish into. The sweetness of the carrots comes into play with the nutty astringency of the sesame tahini, and you're left with a bit of a kick of an aftertaste from the lemon juice and chilli / cayenne.

1 lb carrots

dash salt

juice of 1 lemon

2 tbsp sesame tahini

red chilli powder / cayenne to taste
za'atar to taste

Peel and trim the carrots, rinse, and cut each in half. Put them in a pot with about two inches of water, cover, and bring to a boil, then let simmer and steam until the carrots are tender (about 10 minutes). Check on them to make sure caramelization isn't forming on the sides of the pot. When the carrots are tender, remove the pot from the heat, add the rest of the ingredients, and puree using a hand / stick blender (alternatively, you could move the carrots and cooking liquid into a blender and blend everything).

Recipe: Fish or Shrimp Tacos

Shrimp or fish tacos are perfect for an assemble-your-own dinner. Lay out warmed soft tortillas, prepared shrimp or fish, a few different sauces or salsas, shredded cabbage (green cabbage is classic but I like to use very finely shredded red cabbage), and lime wedges and let people fill their own tacos. Here's an assortment of options.

Avocado Sauce makes 1/2 cup. Mix/mash together 1/4 ripe avocado, peeled; a pinch of salt; a few drops of lime juice; 1-2 tablespoons water; and 2 cilantro sprigs, chopped (optional).

Chilies de Arbol Sauce makes 1/2 cup. Pour 1 teaspoon oil in a small skillet over low heat. Add 1 garlic clove, smashed with the side of a large knife, and cook 4-5 minutes until golden and aromatic. Place in a small food processor. Wearing gloves, seed 1 cup dried chilies de arbol (about 30 chilies), stemmed (unless you want hotter sauce, in which case, leave the seeds), and place in the processor. Process until well pulverized. Add 1/3 cup water and 1/2 teaspoon salt and puree until smooth. Scrape into a bowl and add 1 teaspoon white vinegar. Let stand at least 30 minutes. Taste for seasoning, adding more salt and/or vinegar as necessary.

Tomatillo salsa Whisk 2 teaspoons fresh grated ginger, 2 teaspoons cider vinegar, 2 teaspoons honey, 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice and 1/8 teaspoon grated zest in a small bowl and set aside. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a medium skillet over medium heat; add 1/2 cup diced red onion and cook 2-3 minutes until slightly browned. Add 1 cup diced red bell pepper, 1 cup diced tomatillo, and 2 tablespoons diced jalapeno pepper (with seeds), and cook 1-2 minutes. Add the ginger-vinegar mixture to the pan and cook 1-2 minutes more, until slightly bubbly. Place in a bowl and gently stir in 2 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro. Season with salt.

Chipotle Cream Heat 1 tsp. oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 large garlic clove, peeled and chopped roughly, and cook 1 to 2 minutes until aromatic and slightly golden. Add 2 chopped scallions and cook an additional 1-2 minutes. Place in a small food processor. Add 4-5 chilies in adobo sauce, 2 tbsp. mayonnaise, 1 tbsp. Mexican crema and 2 tsp. water, and pulse. Add more water as necessary and pulse until sauce is thick and creamy (a few little bumps are fine).

Beer battered and deep fried fish (Baja-style) makes 24 servings, enough for 6 to 8 people
For the batter, whisk together 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic, 1/4 teaspoon cayenne, 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard, 1/2 teaspoon dried whole Mexican oregano, rubbed to a powder, Kosher salt to taste, and 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper in a large bowl until well blended. Stir in 1 bottle (12 oz.) cold beer until there are no lumps. Cut 2 pounds firm, meaty fish such as halibut or snapper into finger-shaped pieces and sprinkle them with some lime juice and salt. Pat dry. Dip the pieces into the batter, let the excess drip, and deep fry the battered fish pieces until golden; drain on paper towel-lined rack.

Baked fish makes 2 servings
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place two egg whites in a shallow bowl and lightly beat with a fork. In another shallow bowl, place 1/2 cup coarse cornmeal or grits seasoned with salt and pepper. Pat dry four 4-oz. servings of white fish, such as tilapia or halibut, and dip each piece of fish first in the egg whites and then dredge in the cornmeal. Place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet or baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes, turning once mid-way through.

Skillet shrimp
Place 24 large or jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined, in a large bowl with 1 tbsp olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Toss well to coat. Heat 1-2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp and cook 5-6 minutes, turning to ensure that they brown evenly on both sides.

Poblano-corn salsa
Char a fresh poblano pepper over an open gas flame, turning occasionally, until thoroughly blistered on all sides. Wrap tightly in aluminum foil and let rest for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove and gently scrape off the skin. Halve, stem and seed the pepper. Cut into strips, then dice and place in a bowl. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the kernels cut from one large ear of corn and cook 3-4 minutes until slightly charred yet crisp. Add to the bowl with the poblano pepper. Peel and dice 1 small avocado, sprinkle with a little lime juice to prevent it from turning brown, and add to bowl. Add fresh cilantro, season with salt, and toss gently.