Rice Recipe/ Dishes/Feast Your Self

Local honey at home in Afghan dish

Jan 13 2015 4:42 pm

Garner made this dish of lamb shanks with fresh apricots and homemade honey sauce. BRAD NETTLES/STAFF

Fauzia Garner, proprietor of Fauzia’s Kitchen food truck, likes using Ambrose Family Farm’s honey for this dish, which is inspired by her native Afghanistan.

Afghan-Style Glazed Lamb Shanks Ingredients

1 teaspoon rosemary

4 teaspoons lemon juice

4 garlic cloves

4 tablespoons honey, divided

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Photos

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2 lamb shanks

Olive oil for sauteeing

4-1/2 cups water, divided

1 onion, chopped

1 cup basmati rice

2 tablespoons butter

3 apricots, diced (dried apricots can be substituted)

Salt and pepper

Saffron

Directions

Mix rosemary, lemon juice, garlic and 2 tablespoons of honey in plastic bag or container. Add lamb shanks and marinate overnight.

Remove lamb, reserving marinade. Saute lamb in a little olive oil on both sides until browned.

Add marinade, four cups of water and chopped onion to the pan. Cook over medium heat until lamb is cooked through.

Prepare rice according to package directions while lamb is cooking.

In a small saute pan, heat the remaining 1/2 cup water, remaining 2 tablespoons honey, butter and apricots. Season the sauce with salt, pepper and saffron to taste; saute for approximately 10 minutes.

Serve shanks over rice on platter, accompanied by sauce in a small bowl.

The Post and Courier

Lemon chicken with artichokes

POSTED: 02:58 PM EDT Apr 24, 2012    UPDATED: 06:07 AM EST Jan 13, 2015

National Chicken Council

Makes 4 servings

Adding lemon slices in addition to the juice imparts a deep flavor to this fresh, spring-like dish. I like to serve it over basmati rice or couscous. Or using bow-tie pasta makes a nice presentation. You decide.

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

16 ounces chicken tenders, cut into ½-inch strips

Salt and pepper to taste

½ red bell pepper, finely chopped

½ cup finely chopped shallots

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme

8 (½-inch) lemon slices

1 (14-ounce) can artichoke hearts packed in water, drained

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken; cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until lightly browned and thoroughly cooked. Transfer to a plate, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cover to keep warm.

Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in the skillet; add the bell pepper, shallots, and thyme. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes. Add the lemon slices; cook, turning occasionally, for 1 minute or until darkened and tender.

When the bell pepper is tender, return the chicken to the pan. Stir in the artichoke hearts and lemon juice. Stir gently for 30 seconds or until warm.

•       Paulette Mitchell, a culinary instructor, television personality, spokesperson, freelance food writer, and the award-winning author of 13 cookbooks, is known internationally for her quick-to-prepare recipes with gourmet flair. Paulette's most recently published cookbook is "The Complete 15-Minute Gourmet: Creative Cuisine Made Fast and Fresh." She is also the author of "A Beautiful Bowl of Soup" and "The Spirited Vegetarian," which was voted "Best Book in the World on Cooking with Wine" at the 2005 Gourmand World Media Awards. Paulette says that international travel is her favorite source of culinary inspiration.

Source with thanks: © 2015, WDBJ Television, Inc.

Sapphire Indian Cuisine: It's a gem

Palm Beach County finally gets an upscale Indian restaurant.

The stylish interior at Sapphire Indian Cuisine in Boca Raton. (Sapphire Indian Cuisine/Courtesy / January 13, 2015)

By John Tanasychuk, SouthFlorida.com

9:39 a.m. EST, January 13, 2015

★★★

Like Raju Brahmbhatt, owner of the 7-month old Sapphire Indian Cuisine, I'd often wondered why Palm Beach County didn't have an upscale Indian restaurant. I remember one Indian spot had all the charm of a 7-Eleven. Several years ago, we had dinner at a Boca restaurant I swear was once a Denny's, but now outfitted with a tandoori oven.

Sapphire's 65-seat interior is starkly modern with white tufted banquettes over which hang Indian-style pendants. White tablecloths are on every table, and wine bottles seem suspended in the air on a wine rack near the bar. Yes, there's a tiny wine list and some top-shelf spirits for the cocktail crowd. Food is presented in elegant, metal serving dishes, most with a glass insert to keep the food warm.

Brahmbhatt, who last year sold his 20-year-old Midtown Manhattan restaurant called Sapphire, says he saw the need for his style of upscale Indian on a business trip to Florida. Last March, he opened Tamarind in Tampa. Sapphire settled into a corner of Royal Palm Place in June.

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Photos: Miss Universe hobnobbing through South Florida

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So I was a little surprised when, at 8 p.m. on a Saturday, the restaurant lapsed into chaos when it seemed everyone in Boca wanted to be seated at the very same time. Menus weren't delivered. Water wasn't poured. Service? What service?

But by the time our meal was finished, chaos had turned to calm, and those first 20 minutes were a distant memory.

The menu takes diners on a big tour of India, from Kerala shrimp curry in the south to tandoori in the north. All good Indian meals start with samosas ($5), and here they're filled with potatoes and green peas, and served hot with mint and tamarind sauces. Lasooni gobi ($6), battered and fried cauliflower florets, are coated in a chili-and-garlic-tomato chutney. Chutney scallops ($9) combine the mollusks with chopped onions, tomato, raisins and red-wine vinegar.

The tandoori mixed grill ($28) will give you a taste of everything that comes out of Sapphire's special oven. There are prawns and two kinds of chicken and lamb kebabs. An order of tandoori murg ($14.50) sees classic tandoori chicken come to the table. It has a nice reddish color, but not the bright red I see in some restaurants I swear use food coloring.

From the seafood section of the menu, there are jumbo prawns ($28) in a spicy-and-sour-ginger-and-tamarind tomato sauce. Classic chicken tikka masala ($15) had us all reaching for the naan ($3) and garlic naan ($3.50) we'd ordered so that we could sop up every last drop of the creamy, spicy sauce. Oddly, the chicken had none of the flavor of the sauce. Perhaps it was dropped into the sauce just before making its way from the kitchen.

Baingan bharta ($14) — simmered eggplant ($14) with onions, tomatoes and fresh herbs — was delicious, with the eggplant cooked down to creamy mush. Sapphire daal tadka ($13), which I'm crazy about, is made with yellow lentils, ginger, garlic and cumin seeds. Rice isn't included with meals. You can order plain, long-grain basmati for $3, but I suggest the $4 lemon rice that gets its flavor from pepper, lemon and curry leaves.

At lunch, the restaurant offers $9.99 three-course meals. There are also boxed lunches to go, such as the chicken curry box ($8.95), with chicken curry of the day, vegetable of the day, naan, basmati rice and salad. I'm guessing Brahmbhatt's time in Manhattan taught him everything he needs to know about feeding folks fast at lunchtime.

Many of the desserts are made in-house, including gulab jamun ($46), pastrylike balls made from thickened milk that are served in a honey syrup flavored with cardamom and rosewater. There is rasmalai ($6), sweet cheese patties in sugary milk flavored with cardamom, and pistachio and coconut kheer ($6), rice pudding sprinkled with crushed pistachio.

Upscale Indian has arrived in Boca Raton. Not a moment too soon.

- See more at: http://www.southflorida.com/restaurants-and-bars/sf-boca-sapphire-indian-restaurant-20150113,0,668035.story#sthash.IP9NOHX8.dpuf

http://www.worldagexpo.com/show-attractions

9 of the Best Winter Soups to Pack for Lunch

Posted: 01/15/2015 11:05 am EST Updated: 01/15/2015 11:59 am EST

by Sheela Prakash

With winter in full force, the standard brown-bag lunch just won't cut it. A sandwich filled with cold deli meats? A salad of chilled lettuce? Let's revisit that stuff in the spring. Right now, we need something hot that will warm us from the inside out. In other words: We need some soup.

We love to make a big batch of soup for dinner at the start of the week and carry the leftovers to work with us all week long. The best lunch-friendly soups are hearty enough to keep us satisfied until dinner. They are also soups that relish being leftovers -- they get better with age and reheat great in an office microwave.

Here are some of the soups that we plan to pack all winter long:

1. Curried-Squash and Red-Lentil Soup

This Indian-inspired vegetarian soup is spicy and satisfying -- it becomes a meal in itself when served over cooked basmati rice.

2. Chicken and White Bean Soup with Herb Swirl

A drizzle of olive oil infused with fresh sage, thyme, and rosemary ups the ante on this otherwise simple soup.

3. Spicy Pork and Mustard Green Soup

This rich soup packs a punch thanks to the addition of crushed Sichuan peppercorns.

4. Spiced Fava Bean Soup with Rice and Tomato

photo by Michael Graydon + Nikole Herriott

Dried fava beans bulk up this meatless soup that's finished with a dollop of yogurt and a sprinkling of toasted pistachios.

5. Squash and Bean Minestrone

Both the bones and the meat of rich, smoky ham hocks amp up the flavor of this not-so-average minestrone.

6. Mushroom Barley Soup

This classic soup is packed with earthy flavor from both dried and fresh mushrooms.

7. Toasted Spelt Soup with Escarole and White Beans

Instead of pasta, which often becomes mushy when reheated in soup, spelt stays chewy and tender.

8. Lemony Chicken and Orzo Soup

photo by Brian W. Ferry

This Greek twist on chicken soup is refreshing and flavorful thanks to plenty of chopped fresh dill and lemon juice.

Source with thanks:The blog

Cooking in Community: Yotam Ottolenghi's 'Plenty More' — yes, please

A go-to cookbook for technique and stunning flavor

By Beth Pilar Strongwater

For the Times-Call

POSTED:   01/14/2015 09:18:15 AM MST | UPDATED:   A DAY AGO

Cauliflower Cake (Cracked) is a Yotam Ottolenghi recipe that will become a brunch standby. (Beth Pilar Strongwater/ For the Times-Call)

Beth Pilar Strongwater Cooking in Community (Beth Pilar Strongwater/ For the Camera)

What it's about:Yotam Ottolenghi has evolved from London restaurateur and newspaper food columnist into an internationally acknowledged food brand and institution. Think Mario Battali's Eataly, only more colorful and Middle Eastern. Both stars in our modern culinary landscape, these chefs are significantly changing the way Europeans and Americans eat.

As stated on the Ottolenghi website, the philosophy behind all of his endeavors is the serious business of "making people happy through our food." The word he and his team of cooking wizards use to describe a successful culinary creation is "smiling." And this is exactly the reaction achieved over the past month when I fed my family dish after dish from Ottolenghi's sequel cookbook, "Plenty More."

Arch 21, the London test kitchen where the recipes from this book have been developed, produces accessible and exciting food. Although both Ottolenghi and his head chef hail from Jerusalem, theirs "isn't ethnic cooking, grounded in one tradition, and it certainly isn't fusion cooking, or its muddled suburban hybrids," writes The New Yorker's Jane Kramer. Steeped in Middle Eastern influences and borrowing from global flavors and ingredients, these recipes represent the food Ottolenghi likes to eat.

Decidedly omnivorous, the King of Vegetables has discovered several ways to bring out what is inherently delicious and dynamic about edible plants. In "Plenty More," chapters are divided into sections based upon techniques: tossed, steamed, blanched, simmered, braised, grilled, roasted, fried, mashed, cracked, baked, sweetened. While I haven't yet made my way through all 12 genres since this cold-weather season dictates what I am compelled to eat and what is available in the market, you bet I'll do so by the end of this year.

Why you want this in your library: My obsession with Yotam Ottolenghi started with the eggplant on the cover of his first cookbook, "Plenty." How could something so homely be transformed into sublime beauty? I cooked my way through that book and fell in love. Those recipes are arranged by plant group through which one discovers what is naturally tasty and potentially exciting about roots, beans, brassicas and leaves. In organizing this latest sequel by technique, Ottolenghi's focus is on the cooking methods, "that best utilize these ingredients' potential."

The Sprout Salad, Part Two (Tossed) in "Plenty More" offers complex layers of flavors and textures. (Beth Pilar Strongwater/ For the Camera)

So why acquire this follow-up to his initial vegetable tome? Because "Plenty More" greatly expands the range of ingredients and reflects what Ottolenghi learned from his most recent culinary travels and readings. With ingredients such as mirin and miso, pomegranate molasses, olive oil and date syrup, the result is a truly global cuisine.

Also, gaining a deeper understanding and appreciation for cooking with many different vegetables and spices can't help but create merrymaking in the kitchen and around the table. The only other culinary icon whose entire cookbook collection I vowed to possess is another Le Cordon Bleu graduate, Julia Child. Could Yotam Ottolenghi have the magnitude of influence over modern home cooking that Julia has had in our country? I think it is entirely possible.

What I wish were covered: A photo by the talented Jonathan Lovekin for every single recipe. (Now I'm getting greedy.) Ottolenghi talks in his intro about being inspired by the many different kind of chilies out there but does not elaborate or specify which ones to use in these recipes. (OK, so I had to dig to find something lacking.) Join me over the next four weeks as I dive into blogger Jennifer McGuther's "The Nourished Kitchen: Farm-to-Table Recipes for the Traditional Foods Lifestyle." I can't think of a feeling I crave more right now than nourished. It will be reviewed here Feb. 11.

Compelling Recipes: (All recipes copyright 2014 Yotam Ottolenghi, LLP)

Of the many recipes I made, the four below stand out as showstoppers, important additions to the midweek dinner rotation or delicious examples of techniques new to me. After last month's sugar overload, I thought I'd give you all a break from desserts. However, the Meringue Roulade with Rose Petals and Fresh Raspberries (Sweetened, page 223) will win the hearts of any rose water nonbeliever. Don't miss the Seared Chanterelles with Black Glutinous Rice (Fried, page 190), either!

Cauliflower Cake (Cracked)

1 medium cauliflower, outer leaves removed, broken into 1¼ inch florets (about 4 cups/450 grams

1 medium red onion (6 ounces/170 grams)

5 tablespoons/75 milliliters olive oil

½ teaspoon finely chopped rosemary

7 eggs

½ cup/15 grams basil leaves, chopped

1 cup/120 grams all-purpose flour, sifted

1½ teaspoons baking powder

teaspoon ground turmeric

1½ cups/150 grams coarsely grated Parmesan, or other aged cheese

Melted butter, for brushing

1 tablespoons white sesame seeds

1 teaspoon nigella seeds

Salt and black pepper

Directions: Preheat the oven to 400.

Place the cauliflower florets in a saucepan and add a teaspoon of salt. Cover with water and simmer for 15 minutes, until the florets are quite soft. Drain and set aside in a colander to dry.

Cut 4 round slices, each ¼-inch/5 millimeters thick off one end of the onion and set aside. Coarsely chop the rest of the onion and place in a small pan with the olive oil and rosemary. Cook for 10 minutes over medium heat, stirring from time to time, until soft. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool. Transfer the onion to a large bowl, add the eggs and basil, whisk well, and then add the flour, baking powder and turmeric, Parmesan, 1 teaspoon of salt and plenty of pepper. Whisk until smooth before adding the cauliflower and stirring gently, trying not to break up the florets.

Line the base of a 9-½ inch/24 centimeter springform cake pan with parchment paper. Brush the sides with melted butter, then mix together the sesame seeds and nigella seeds and toss them around the inside of the pan so that they stick to the sides. Pour the cauliflower mixture into the pan, spreading it evenly, and arrange the reserved onion rings on top. Place in the center of the oven and bake for 45 minutes, until golden brown and set; a knife inserted into the center of the cake should come out clean. Remove from the oven and leave for at least 20 minutes before serving. It needs to be served just warm, rather than hot, or at room temperature.

Serves 4-6.

Source: "Plenty More," by Yotam Ottolenghi

Sprout Salad, Part Two (Tossed) page 25

After the holidays my family was craving something crunchy and healthy, so I thought that this dish would do the trick. What we were not expecting from this "hippie salad" was such satisfying taste and complex layering of textures and flavors. "The salty-sour umeboshi puree, made from pickled plums, can be found in the Japanese section of some larger supermarkets or in specialist shops." Double this tangy dressing, it'll keep in the fridge for other dishes for several days.

3 tablespoons / 20 grams sunflower seeds

3 tablespoons / 20 grams sliced almonds

1 cup / 150 grams frozen edamame beans

15 medium radishes, sliced into paper thin rounds

1 small kohlrabi, peeled and cut into thin strips

1 medium carrot, peeled and cut into thin strips

Scant 1¼ cups / 120 grams mung bean sprouts

2 large ripe avocados, peeled and cut into -inch dice

1 cups/ 20 grams cilantro leaves, chopped

Dressing:

1½ teaspoons umeboshi puree

1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar

1½ tablespoon lime juice

1 tablespoon soy sauce

½ teaspoon sesame oil

2 teaspoon superfine sugar

1 small shallot, finely chopped, about 1 ounce / 25 grams

3 tablespoons sunflower oil

Salt

Directions: Preheat the oven to 325.

Place the sunflower seeds and almonds on a small baking tray and roast for 15-20 minutes, until golden. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

To make the dressing, put all the ingredients in a small bowl along with a scant ½ teaspoon salt. Whisk well until combined and set aside.

Bring a saucepan of water to a boil, add the edamame, bring back to a boil, and then immediately drain and refresh in cold water. Shake well to dry before transferring them to a large bowl. Add the radishes, kohlrabi, carrots, sprouts, avocados, cilantro, and toasted sunflower seeds and almonds to the edamame. Pour on the dressing, mix to combine and serve.

Serves 4.

Source: "Plenty More," by Yotam Ottolenghi

Iranian Vegetable Stew with Dried Lime (Braised) page 134

To accompany the rice, this stew is heartwarming, versatile and deeply satisfying. The ingredient list may be long, but the preparation is short. The more you get to know Ottolenghi, you will realize his obsession with Iranian barberries. These are available in any Middle Eastern market.

3½ tablespoons / 50 grams clarified butter

1 large onion, finely diced (1½ cups / 220 grams)

½ tsp ground turmeric

1½ teaspoons cumin seeds

1 tablespoon tomato paste

¾ ounce / 20 grams coriander

ounce /10 grams tarragon

ounce / 10 grams dill

2¼ pounds / 1 kilogram Yukon gold potatoes or another waxy variety, peeled and chopped into 1½-inch / 4 centimeter chunks

1 medium butternut squash, about 2½ pounds / 1.5 kilograms peeled, seeded and cut into 1½-inch / 4 centimeter chunks

3 Iranian limes (available online), pierced 2-3 times

1 green chili, slit on one side from stem to tip

4 medium tomatoes, quartered (14 ounces / 400 grams)

5 cups / 150 grams spinach leaves

2 tablespoons /15 grams barberries

1½ cups / 300 grams Greek yogurt (optional)

Salt

Directions: Preheat the oven to 400.

Place large Dutch oven over medium heat and sauté the butter, onion, turmeric and cumin for 10 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, for another two minutes. Bundle the herbs together and use some string to tie them into a bunch. Add these to the pot along with the potatoes, squash, limes, chili, 1 ½ teaspoons salt and 4½ cups / 1 liter of water and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat and boil gently for 15 minutes, until the potatoes are semi-cooked. Stir in the tomatoes, spinach and barberries, crushing the limes gently to release some of the juices inside, and transfer everything to a large roasting pan. Bake uncovered for 20 minutes, until the sauce has thickened a little and the vegetables are soft. Remove from the oven, discard the herb bundle, and allow to sit for five minutes before serving with a dollop of yogurt on the side, if you like.

Serves 6.

Source: "Plenty More," by Yotam Ottolenghi

Saffron, Date, and Almond Rice (Steamed) page 49

"Iranians make the best rice. This dish is inspired by a marvelous Iranian recipe in Claudia Roden's seminal 'A Book Of Middle Eastern Food,'" writes Ottolenghi. It reminds me of how my Persian cooking mentor and dear friend, Sparvim, makes rice: parboiling then steaming; it always comes out perfect. You will no longer want to make rice the same way you have been doing for years.

Rounded 2 cups / 400 grams basmati rice

½ cups / 110 grams unsalted butter

cups / 100 grams whole blanched almonds, coarsely chopped

4 large medjool dates, pitted and roughly chopped (3 ounces/ 80 grams)

¼ teaspoon saffron threads soaked in 2 tablespoons hot water

Salt and white pepper

Directions: Rinse the rice well under running cold water. Put it in a large bowl, cover with plenty of lukewarm water, and stir in 2 tablespoons of salt. Allow the rice to sit for one to two hours, then drain and wash with lukewarm water.

Bring a medium pot of water to a boil, add 2 tablespoons of salt, then the rice. Gently boil the rice for three to four minutes, until the rice is almost cooked. Check by removing a grain and biting into it: it should still have a tiny bit of bite. Drain the rice and rinse under lukewarm water. Set aside to drain.

In the same saucepan, melt 5 ½ tablespoons / 80 grams of the butter and sauté the almonds for four minutes, until they turn slightly golden. Add the dates and cook for a few more minutes. Stir in ½ teaspoon of white pepper, ¼ teaspoon of salt and half the rice. Gently flatten this rice and then layer the remaining rice on top. Melt the remaining 2½ tablespoons butter and drizzle this over the top along with 3 tablespoons of water. Cover the pan tightly with a lid and cook on the lowest possible heat for 35 minutes. Remove from the heat and spoon the saffron and its water over the top. Cover the pan immediately with a kitchen towel, seal with the lid, and set aside for 10 minutes.

To serve, don't stir the rice. just use a large serving spoon to remove portions with the distinct two layers kept separate. Serve at once.

Serves 4.

Source: "Plenty More," by Yotam Ottolenghi

Source with thanks: Daily Camera Life Style

A Japanese Take on Chinese Fried Rice

Jan 15, 2015

Fried rice is a delicious staple enjoyed around the world. The Japanese have their own take on Chinese fried rice that is a lighter version cooked in an electric rice cooker rather than an oiled wok.  The magic ingredient is Weipa, a fried rice condiment that is popular in the Japanese interpretation of Chinese food. Weipa is a Chinese soup stock/mix, or bouillon, made of vegetable and animal proteins. You can find Weipa at many Chinese supermarkets.

What You Need:

2 cups of rice

1 tablespoon of Weipa

1/2 a leek

Other veggies, like carrots or mushrooms – consider leftovers hanging out in your fridge or whatever is in season

Ginger (optional)

What You Do:

Slice the ginger and dice the leek into bite-size pieces.

Put the rice and the appropriate amount of water (consult your rice cooker’s instructions) in the rice cooker.

Add all other ingredients (ginger, leek, veggies, and Weipa).

Turn on the rice cooker.

You’ll have a rich dish of fried rice in no time!

Note:  If you’re feeling adventurous or just want to change things up, consider adding some sesame oil or egg to the rice when it’s finished for a more complex flavor.

Source with thanks:ORYZA.com

Tom Kitchin: Fish Curry | Partridge | Naan bread

Tom Kitchin. Picture: TSPL

Published on the

12 January 2015 ,18:33

COLD, dark nights, coupled with New Year resolutions, can often lead to more evenings in at this time of year, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a special weekend supper.It’s more of a reason to try something new and prepare a delicious dinner for friends in the comfort of your home.The recipes from my last book, Kitchin Suppers, about which I receive the most feedback are the Saturday Suppers – the recipes that are a little more challenging, but are a joy to cook at weekends when you have more time, fancy trying something new, or when you want to really impress friends. My recipes this week should give you a chance to try something a little special.

Many people cook vegetable and meat curries at home, but I find a fish curry can be more unusual, and delicious. The great thing is you can use lots of different fish in your curry, though the best are meaty white fish or salmon – firm fish that isn’t going to flake too much when you cook it with the sauce. I also love to throw some mussels into this dish as they add that wow factor, and they are so cheap if you pick them up from your local fishmonger. Make sure you carefully measure out your spices as you don’t want to overpower the fish. If you want to go all out and impress, you can also try making your own naan breads. Both taste so much fresher when they are made at home.

Another of my favourite dishes at this time of year is partridge. It’s perfect for entertaining and creates a bit of theatre at home as you can serve every guest a whole partridge on their plate. The great thing about that is not only in the presentation, but everyone gets a chance to try every part of the bird with all of its wonderful tastes and textures.It may seem like a more challenging recipe, but good quality partridge is best served simply – either grilled or roasted – with some fresh seasonal vegetables and a light gravy or sauce so you don’t lose the wonderful, rich, gamey flavours. Partridge doesn’t need a long cooking time and it’s ideal if you serve it pink and juicy.Get it right and your guests will be inviting themselves back before you know it. n

FISH CURRY

Serves four

200g salmon fillet

200g white fish (eg cod or hake)

100g squid rings

20 mussels (fresh) or any fish and shellfish

Sauce ingredients

1 onion – finely chopped

1 small red pepper – finely chopped

1 tbsp Madras curry powder

1l chicken stock

1 tin coconut milk

1 small bunch fresh coriander – separate stalks and leaves

1 banana, sliced thinly

vegetable oil

1 small red chilli – optional

METHOD

For the sauce

Sweat the onions in vegetable oil until soft. Add the chopped pepper to the onions and sweat until soft. Add the curry powder. Cook for several minutes, stirring constantly to avoid burning. Add the chicken stock and reduce until the pan is almost dry. Add the coconut milk and bring to the boil – do not reduce. Add the banana and coriander stalks. Take off the heat and leave to infuse for 20 minutes. Blend in a food processor and pass through a sieve to create a smooth sauce.

To assemble the curry

Cook the fish using your preferred method – steam, grill, barbecue or pan fry. Heat the sauce and add the fish to coat the pieces. Serve with rice, warm naan bread, coriander leaves and chopped chilli.

BASMATI RICE

Serves four

1 onion, chopped finely

1tsp turmeric

1tsp curry powder

1tsp fresh, finely chopped ginger

1tsp lime zest

250g basmati rice

400ml water

2 tbsp vegetable oil

METHOD

Heat the oven to 120C/Gas Mark ½. Sweat the onion in the oil until completely soft. Add powdered spices and cook thoroughly for several minutes until completely cooked. Add water and season with salt. Bring to the boil. Add the rice, cover the surface with parchment paper and place in oven until all liquid is absorbed and the rice is cooked. Stir in ginger and lime zest. Keep warm until serving.

WHOLE PARTRIDGE

Serves four

4 partridges – use an oven ready bird or pluck the feathers and remove the head, wings, wishbone, claws, internal organs and guts

2 tbsp olive oil

seasonal vegetables – cut into chunks/wedges (currently we use pumpkin, carrots, Brussels sprouts, kale and celeriac)

salt and pepper

Sauce ingredients – make the sauce first and set aside

2 tsp olive oil

3 shallots – finely chopped

1 tbsp sherry vinegar

a few sprigs of thyme

1 bay leaf

½ tsp black peppercorns

500ml white wine

500ml chicken stock

2 partridge carcasses – chopped into small pieces

salt and pepper – to season

METHOD

For the sauce

Brown the partridge bones in a heavy-based pan until they are well caramelised and brown all over. Tip out of the pan into a colander to drain the excess oil. Return the pan to heat, add a little more oil and sauté the shallots until golden brown. Add the vinegar, thyme, bay leaf, peppercorns and drained bones. De-glaze the pan with half of the wine and reduce to a syrup. Add the remaining wine and again reduce to a syrup. Add half of the chicken stock and reduce to a syrup. Add the remaining stock and reduce to desired consistency. Strain the sauce through a fine sieve. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Keep sauce in a warm place until ready to serve.

For the partridge

Heat the oven to 180C/Gas Mark 6. Season and roast the vegetables – blanch the green vegetables in salted water until tender, and set aside until the bird is cooked. Season the birds with salt and pepper, including inside the cavity. Pan-fry in the olive oil on all sides until golden brown. Transfer to the oven and roast for 6-8 minutes – 6 minutes will produce slightly pink breasts, 8 minutes should be cooked all the way through. Rest the bird in a warm place for 5 minutes with legs elevated so that the juices run back down through the breasts.

NAAN BREAD

Makes four

150ml milk

2 tsp sugar

36g yeast

450g plain flour

½ tsp baking powder 

2 tbsp vegetable oil

150g natural yoghurt

1 egg

METHOD

Thoroughly mix all the ingredients together. Place the dough in a bowl (covered loosely), then leave to prove in a warm place for 20 minutes. “Knock-back” or knead the dough roughly for a few minutes until all of the air is knocked out. Prove again for 20 minutes. Roll out the dough thinly to about 5mm, cut into round shapes and pan-fry in a little oil, in a non-stick pan, on both sides until puffed up. Keep warm until serving.

Source with thanks:The Scotsman ,Scotland Sunday

In India, everybody knows this healthful one-pot dish

Recipes for kitchari, three ways

BY EMILY C. HORTON, THE WASHINGTON POST JANUARY 12, 2015

Kitchari is creamy and fragrant, filling without being heavy, deceptively rich-tasting and supremely healthful at the same time.

Photograph by: Deb Lindsey , The Washington Post

By Emily C. Horton

We all ask for different things from our food in the name of comfort. We look for that glint of a certain place or time, or of a particular person or group of people. Others of us might look to dishes that skirt the edges of familiarity yet sate a yearning for something new and stimulating: the familiar yet unfamiliar.I seek out food that’s also nourishing, because what is more comforting than being truly well-fed in every way? There’s also something to be said for postprandial smugness.Trying to light on a meal that hits most of those points, I’ve been turning lately to Indian kitchari (a.k.a. kichadi or kicheree or khichdi), a one-pot dish of grains and legumes scented with spices and cooked until each component breaks down into the other. Likening it to risotto is only a little bit of a stretch. Kitchari is creamy and fragrant, filling without being heavy, deceptively rich-tasting and supremely healthful at the same time.

In India, kitchari is home cooking: a dish everyone knows, and everyone knows how to make. That is partly why, though on the subcontinent you might occasionally find kitchari in a restaurant, it is not commonly served at restaurants in the United States. Traditionally, kitchari hasn’t been something you go out for.“It’s sort of unglamorous food,” said Mumbai native and District of Columbia resident Vaishali Honawar, who blogs about vegan and Indian cooking and has posted a couple of kitchari variations on her website,Holy Cow! “It’s what you make when you’re in a hurry or a rush or in mourning, or when you’re sick. It gets made out of necessity. But at the same time, it’s filling and nutritious.”

At its simplest and most traditional, kitchari employs long-grain white rice and yellow moong dal — tiny green moong (mung) beans split and skinned. The result is a savory porridge, easy on the palate and the digestive system. Minimally seasoned, it’s what mothers give their children when they’re ill, and often one of the first foods fed to a child. D.C. resident Kshitij Patkar, also originally from Mumbai, told me how a relative, rather than buy baby food, pureed kitchari for her infant.For its easy digestibility, kitchari is also highly valued in ayurveda, India’s traditional science of medicine and healing, whose practitioners say it has detoxifying, restorative properties as a cleanse.

Seasoned more generously, kitchari might be a simple lunch on a winter afternoon, made with lots of ginger to ward off chills or with ghee (clarified butter) for extra strength; or served, as Patkar remembers, with a brothy tomato soup or a carrot slaw. Every community or household, he adds, has its own version. Though in India kitchari is most often accompanied by other dishes, with the addition of a few vegetables it has all the trappings of a meal in itself. Some cooks, said Anupy Singla, author of “Indian for Everyone” (Agate Surrey, 2014), cook the dish over a fire until the bottom caramelizes into crisped, cherished bits.

There are special variations, such as sabudana kitchari, made with tapioca pearls and served on fasting days, or the celebratory south Indian variant pongal, spiced with mustard seed, curry leaves, cumin, cashews and ginger, and enriched with plenty of ghee.“It is India’s chicken soup for the soul,” said Rano Singh, owner of Washington’s Pansaari, an Indian spice shop and cafe, where she plans to begin serving a couple of versions of kitchari as a light meal and to include it in a new cooking class series.Honawar echoed: “Even for those of us who grew up with it not being a particularly exciting food, it’s become a warm, fuzzy reminder of home.”For home cooks without roots in kitchari, the dish still has appeal to spare. It comes together largely in one pot and turns out flavours far more complex than you’d expect, considering the amount of time required to produce it. You can even make it in a slow-cooker; in her first book, “The Indian Slow Cooker,” Singla included two recipes for kitchari.

It is also endlessly variable, a veritable mix-and-match for all manner of grains, dals and greens.In Hindi, kitchari means “a mess” or “all mixed up.” By that translation, suggests Singla, you can interpret the dish however you want.Take that to heart, and kitchari will never bore you.Some tips: It’s common in Indian households to replace the husked moong dal with unskinned moong dal, or even whole moong beans, for extra fiber and substance. But other dals will work, too.Don’t be tempted to substitute your fancy black beluga or French green lentils here. They might be prettier, but they won’t break down in the way that Indian dals do, providing the starch that creates the creaminess essential to kitchari. (Dal, incidentally, is an umbrella term for “legumes,” which could include lentils, split peas or beans. Most familiar dals — channa, which are split black chickpeas, moong dal, urad dal and toor dal — are split versions of peas or beans. One familiar exception is the red or orange masoor dal, which is a true lentil.)

The lentils’ starchy properties are especially valuable when you choose to substitute different grains for kitchari’s traditional rice. Millet and quinoa, nutty and earthy-tasting, are lovely in kitchari, but they don’t contribute much binding starch on their own. Amaranth is nice if you combine it with less-starchy grains: Its tiny seeds become porridge-like as they cook and contribute a light, grassy flavour that can be overwhelming on its own. Toast rice or other grains with the oil and spices for the first few minutes of cooking, before adding water, to coax out their flavour.

As the weather warms, changing kitchari’s tone is easy. Broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, turnips and shreds of kale are perfect now, but in spring, look to asparagus and peas; in summer, yellow squash or zucchini, green beans and tomatoes. Add them midway through or near the end of cooking, depending on their sturdiness.

The soul of your kitchari is the spicing, and changing that will alter the dish’s character entirely. Choose a few spices and aromatics or many; as long as you use them properly, moderation will reap rewards. You can add them at the beginning of cooking or toward the end, although you’ll do the kitchari a service by introducing onion, ginger, garlic and turmeric in the beginning, to better infuse the grains and legumes as they cook.One rule: Saute your spices in oil first to release their flavour. That is what’s called a tarka and is so essential to building flavour in Indian cooking.

Traditionalists often serve kitchari with a few accompaniments. Singla brings pickle, papadums and an onion or tomato salad to the table. Delhi native Gita Pande, a wellness consultant in Washington, recalls pairing hers with a red onion, homemade yogurt and chopped cucumber. But a simple dollop of yogurt or drift of chopped avocado makes a fine garnish as well. Some cooks, including Honawar, maintain that kitchari needs no embellishments.As you become more confident making kitchari, don’t be afraid to take your eyes off the recipe and make it your own. As with comfort food, we all have our own versions. When it comes down to it, that is the inestimable comfort of the kitchen. Knowing what you crave and being able to sate it — anywhere, anytime, with self-assurance — is when you really have what you need.

RECIPES

Brown Rice and Split Moong Kitchari with Cauliflower

Brown Rice and Split Moong Kitchari with Cauliflower 4 servings (makes 8 cups)

Consider the cauliflower and carrots in this traditional rice-and-bean dish to be one of many variations. Depending on what’s available, you could use broccoli and white turnips; zucchini and carrots; asparagus and green peas; or eggplant and tomato.

Add broccoli and other more delicately textured vegetables later in the cooking process if you want to preserve a brighter colour and flavour.

MAKE AHEAD: Leftover kitchari can be refrigerated in an airtight container for 3 days. Reheat on the stove top, adding water as needed to reach the desired consistency. Brighten it up with additional cilantro, if desired.

Fresh turmeric root and split moong dal (split mung beans with the green skins intact) are available in Indian or international grocery stores.

From food writer Emily C. Horton.

Ingredients

1 cup brown basmati rice (or use another long-grain brown rice)
1 cup split moong dal (mung beans; see headnote)
1/4 cup grapeseed oil or safflower oil, or ghee (clarified butter)
2-inch piece peeled fresh ginger root, minced
2-inch piece peeled fresh turmeric, minced (may substitute 1 1/2 teaspoons ground turmeric; see headnote)
1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons sea salt or kosher salt
6 1/2 cups water
1 small head cauliflower
4 medium carrots, scrubbed well
1 tablespoon cumin seed
2 teaspoons coriander seed
1 to 2 whole dried chili peppers, such as arbol, stemmed (seeded, if desired) and crumbled
1 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped

Steps

Rinse the rice and dal in a few changes of cool water. Drain well.

Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil or ghee in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Once the oil shimmers, add the ginger and turmeric; cook, stirring, until fragrant and barely golden, 2 to 3 minutes. (If using ground turmeric, add it 1 minute after adding the ginger.)

Stir in the rice and dal until well coated. Add 1 teaspoon of the salt and 6 cups of the water; bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low; partially cover and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, cut the cauliflower into small pieces, and coarsely chop the carrots. Add them both (after the 30 minutes of cook time) to the pot. Partially cover and cook for 15 minutes, adding the remaining 1/2 cup of water as needed if the mixture seems dry; it should have a risotto-like consistency.

Use a mortar and pestle or a rolling pin and a towel to crush the cumin and coriander seeds until very coarsely ground.

Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil or ghee in a small saucepan or skillet over medium heat. Once the oil shimmers, stir in the crushed cumin and coriander seeds and crumbled chili pepper(s); cook just until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes.

Scrape the spice mixture into the pot of kitchari along with the remaining 1/2 to 1 teaspoon salt (to taste), and stir through. Cook uncovered for about 5 minutes, stirring often, or until most of the liquid has been absorbed; the kitchari should have a porridge-like consistency.

Stir in the cilantro, and serve.

Nutrition | Per serving: 540 calories, 21 g protein, 81 g carbohydrates, 17 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 900 mg sodium, 17 g dietary fibre, 8 g sugar

Millet, Amaranth and Toor Dal Kitchari with Kohlrabi

Millet, Amaranth and Toor Dal Kitchari with Kohlrabi 4 servings (makes 6 cups)

The spicing for this kitchari, a traditional Indian dish, takes cues from a South Indian variant called a pongal. The fresh chili pepper adds an herbaceous zip to the finish, so make sure not to add it too soon.

A chopped avocado wouldn’t be out of place as a garnish.

MAKE AHEAD: The kitchari may be refrigerated in an airtight container for 3 days. Reheat on the stove top, adding water as needed.

Find fresh curry leaves and the toor dal, which are split pigeon peas, in Indian or international grocery stores.

From food writer Emily C. Horton.

Ingredients

1/4 cup coconut oil
2-inch piece peeled fresh ginger root, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons ground turmeric
1/3 cup dried amaranth
2/3 cup dried millet
1 cup toor dal (may substitute husked, split moong dal/mung beans; see headnote)
1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons sea salt or kosher salt
5 1/2 cups water
2 large carrots, scrubbed well (7 to 8 ounces total)
1 medium bulb kohlrabi, peeled (8 to 9 ounces)
1 fresh small jalapeno pepper or serrano chili pepper, stemmed (and seeded, if desired) and minced
2 teaspoons brown mustard seed
2 teaspoons cumin seed
15 fresh curry leaves (see headnote)
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

Steps

Heat 2 tablespoons of the coconut oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the ginger and turmeric; cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 2 minutes.

Add the amaranth and millet and stir to coat; toast for about 3 minutes. Add the dal, 1 teaspoon of salt and 5 cups of water; bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Partially cover and cook, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes.

While the grains and dal are cooking, cut the carrots into small dice, grate the kohlrabi on the large holes of a box grater, and finely chop the fresh chili pepper. After 30 minutes, add the carrots to the grain-dal mixture and prepare the spices.

Warm the remaining 2 tablespoons of coconut oil in a small pan over medium-high heat. Add the mustard seed, and when it begins to pop, add the cumin, curry leaves and black pepper; heat, shaking the pan, until fragrant but not burned, 1 to 2 minutes. Scrape the spices into the grains and dal, along with the remaining 1/2 to 1 teaspoon salt, and stir to combine. Cook for 5 to 10 minutes, until the grains and dal are tender and the mixture resembles a thick porridge; add the remaining 1/2 cup of water if the mixture seems dry.

Stir in the kohlrabi; cook for about 5 minutes, then stir in the fresh chili pepper. Remove from the heat and let the kitchari rest for 2 to 3 minutes before serving.

Nutrition | Per serving: 530 calories, 19 g protein, 78 g carbohydrates, 18 g fat, 13 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 860 mg sodium, 16 g dietary fibre, 4 g sugar

Rice and Quinoa Kitchari with Moong Beans and Spinach

Rice and Quinoa Kitchari with Moong Beans and Spinach 4 servings (makes 7 to 7 1/4 cups)

The white rice called for in this rice-and-bean dish keeps the cook time low, but if you prefer a 100 percent whole-grain version, substitute brown basmati and increase the cooking time by about 15 minutes. Alternately, skip the rice entirely and use more quinoa in its place.

MAKE AHEAD: The kitchari can be refrigerated in an airtight container for 3 days. Reheat on the stove top, adding water as needed.

From food writer Emily C. Horton.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons grapeseed oil or safflower oil, or ghee (clarified butter)
1 medium red onion, finely chopped
One 3-inch cinnamon stick
5 bay leaves
4 black cardamom pods
4 whole cloves
10 whole black peppercorns
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 cup raw basmati rice (or other long-grain white rice)
1/2 cup dried quinoa
1 cup unhusked, whole moong (mung) beans
1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons sea salt or kosher salt
6 cups water, plus more as needed
8 ounces spinach, stemmed, rinsed and cut into thin ribbons
1 cup packed cilantro leaves and stems, coarsely chopped
1/4 to 1/2 cup plain regular or low-fat yogurt, for serving

Steps

Heat the oil or ghee in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Once the oil shimmers, stir in the onion; cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until translucent and golden around the edges. Add the cinnamon, bay leaves, cardamom, cloves, peppercorns and cumin; cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring, until very fragrant. Stir in the turmeric and cook for 1 minute. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the whole spices to a piece of cheesecloth (not the cinnamon stick); use kitchen twine to tie them into a sachet. (This will make them easy to extract.)

Stir in the rice and quinoa until well coated; cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the moong beans, 1 teaspoon of the salt and the water; bring to a boil, then reduce the heat medium-low; partially cover and cook for 30 to 40 minutes, until the water is mostly absorbed and the grains and beans are tender; the kitchari should have a porridge-like consistency; if not, add up to 1 cup more water and cook a bit longer. Discard the bay leaves, cinnamon stick and the spice sachet.Stir in the spinach and the remaining 1/2 to 1 teaspoon salt (to taste); cover and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, just until tender. Stir in the cilantro and remove from the heat; let rest for 1 to 2 minutes, then divide among individual bowls. Spoon 1 to 2 tablespoons yogurt (to taste) on each portion.

Nutrition | Per serving: 430 calories, 20 g protein, 69 g carbohydrates, 9 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 870 mg sodium, 14 g dietary fibre, 1 g sugar

Source with thanks :www.canada.com

Versatile rice

Green Shanghai Rice

Schezwan Fried Rice

Rice in many flavours to whet your appetite

A dash of imagination can help you come up with a variety of rice for your table. So if you are tired of the same old rice, turn to vegetables, spices and sauces to add flavour to your rice. Check out these recipes to enlarge your rice platter.

Green Shanghai Rice

Ingredients:

Shanghai Paste

Coriander leaves: 25 gm

Celery (only leaves): 10 gm

Green chilli: 5

Grind the above to a paste

Basmati rice (raw): 2 cups

Green capsicum deseeded: 1

Carrot: 2 (big)

Beans: 4

Onion: 1 (big)

Salt: to taste

Pepper: (to taste)

Refined oil: (as required)

Method:

Dice the capsicum, carrot, beans and onion into even-sized pieces and keep aside separately. Cook the basmati rice with salt and keep aside. Heat oil in pan and stir fry onion till transparent. Add the carrot and sauté it, then add capsicum and sauté again for about two minutes.

Add the rice and Shanghai paste and toss well. Season with salt and pepper and serve hot.

Pan Fried Rice

Ingredients:

Basmati rice (cooked and salted): 2 cups

Olive oil/ refined oil: as required

Onion chopped: 1, medium

Carrot chopped: 1, small

Green capsicum (deseeded): 1 small

Red capsicum (deseeded): 1 small

Yellow capsicum (deseeded): 1 small

Tomato chopped: 1 medium

Soy sauce: 1 tbsp

Chilli sauce: tsp

Spring onion greens (chopped): 2-3

Salt: To taste

Method:

Dice the capsicum, tomato, carrot and onion into even sized pieces and keep aside separately. Heat oil in a pan. Add onion, carrot, green, red and yellow capsicums and tomato.

Sauté for four to five minutes. Add required salt. Add soya sauce and chilli sauce. Sauté for two to three minutes. Add rice and mix.

Add spring onion leaves and salt (as required) and toss to mix well. Serve hot.

Schezwan Fried Rice

Ingredients:

Basmati rice (uncooked): 1 cup

Carrot: 2, small

Beans: 2

Onion: 1, small

Garlic (chopped fine): 2 tsp

Celery (chopped fine): 1 tsp

Refined oil: as required

Gingely oil: 1 tbsp

Red Chilli Paste: 1 tsp

Soya sauce: 1 tsp

Tomato sauce: 3 tsp

Salt: To taste

Sugar: a pinch

Method:

Dice separately the carrots, beans and onions. Cook the basmati rice with salt and keep aside.

For the red chilli paste: Soak Kashmiri chillies in vinegar for about 20 minutes and grind to a fine paste. Saute the chopped carrots and beans in oil , add required salt. Reserve for use.

Mix red chilli paste, soya sauce, tomato sauce and sugar and sauté in gingely oil for hardly two minutes to form a sauce and keep aside.

Heat oil in a pan. Sauté onion, garlic and celery and add the sauce mixture.

Add the sauted carrots and beans, rice and salt to taste. Mix well. Serve hot.

Burnt Garlic Rice

Ingredients:

Basmati rice (cooked and salted): 2 cups

Beans: 2

Carrot: 1, medium

Onion: 1, medium

Red chilli flakes (lightly roasted in half tsp oil): 2 tsp (unheaped)

Garlic (chopped fine): 1 tbsp

Refined oil: as required

Salt: To taste

Method:

Dice the carrot, beans and onions separately. Dry roast the garlic till brown and keep aside. Sauté onion in two tsp oil till light brown, add carrot and beans and sauté again for two minutes. Add salt as required. Add chilli flakes, garlic and sauté.

Add rice. Toss well. Serve hot.

Keywords: Schezwan Fried Rice, Burnt Garlic Rice, Pan Fried Rice, Green Shanghai Rice

The Hindu Newspaper India

'Healthy You' book excerpt: What kind of eater are you

By Dawna Stone

Thursday, January 8, 2015 3:33pm

Editor's note: St. Petersburg author Dawna Stone's new book, "The Healthy You Diet" (Rodale), features a weight-loss plan, recipes and tips to help dieters customize the program to meet their needs. Here is an excerpt, a chapter titled "What Kind of Eater Are You.''One of the many problems with traditional weight-loss programs is that they take a one-size-fits-all approach. The truth is that we all gain and lose weight differently. • Each of us is unique, especially when it comes to eating patterns and habits. Some of us carry extra weight on our hips and butts, while others pack on the pounds around our bellies and love handles. Some of us find it easy to give up sugar and alcohol, while others think nothing of saying good-bye to red meat and artificial sweeteners but struggle to give up a nightly glass of wine and piece of chocolate. Some of us would never let a day go by without going to the gym, while for others the mere idea of exercise is frightening. • I have identified five diet personality profiles. Knowing what kind of eater you are is just as important as determining your weight-loss goals. To get the most out of the Healthy You Diet, figure out your specific profile. Read the following descriptions, determine which one best represents you, and follow the five corresponding tips for your profile to help ensure your weight-loss success.

The Remote Controller

Do you drink coffee and eat a bagel while driving to work, inhale a sandwich while emailing and texting at your desk, or wolf down dinner while watching TV and folding laundry? Then you're a Remote Controller, who eats mindlessly and wonders why the pounds keep packing on.

I find that people in this category often need to lose 40 to 100 pounds. The Remote Controller knows that she needs to change her eating habits but doesn't know how or where to begin. If that sounds like you, here are some tips.

• During the 14-day Healthy You program, focus on your meal-by-meal, day-by-day progress, and stay on the Week 2 Clean Phase until you reach your goal weight.

• Eat your meals at the kitchen or dining room table. At work, find a place other than your desk to have your lunch or afternoon snack. Try a conference room, an outside table, or the steps of the building. The location doesn't matter, as long as you're not eating and working at the same time.

• Focus on each bite of food at each meal. Don't watch TV, drive, text, read, or do anything else while eating.

• Keep a food log or journal. Studies show that keeping a journal aids in weight-loss success.

• Work out at least three or four times a week. If you haven't exercised in ages or never in your life, start with a 20- to 30-minute walk, outdoors or on a treadmill. Get moving!

The Nonbeliever

If you're a Nonbeliever, you've probably just about surrendered in the battle of the bulge. Through the years, you've picked up some poor eating habits, given up on exercising, and packed on 30 to 40 pounds. You think, "Why bother? I've tried every diet in the world, and no matter what I do, I'll never fit into those skinny jeans again."

As you well know, the trouble with most diets is that they're based on deprivation. You feel fine and virtuous for the first few days on the latest fad diet, then those familiar cravings and hunger pangs move in and you're back to your old bad eating habits. Well, the Healthy You Diet is your chance to finally believe in yourself. You can be back in those skinny jeans before you know it. To reach your weight-loss goals, the Nonbeliever should:

• Stop the negative self-talk. Acknowledge your positive changes, and don't berate yourself for missteps in the past.

• Focus on eating well every day, and praise yourself for a job well done.

• Keep a food journal of what you eat and how you feel when eating. Hunger pangs and cravings are often set off by emotional issues, so look for patterns that make you want to rip open a bag of potato chips or dive into a pint of ice cream.

• Weigh yourself before you begin the program, then wait until the end of the Elimination Phase to weigh yourself again. Record the numbers in your food journal.

• Get moving, whether it means going to the gym, walking for 30 minutes a day, or taking a yoga class three times a week.

The Flip-Flopper

You're a Flip-Flopper if you quickly lose weight on a diet and just as quickly gain it back, along with a few additional pounds. You have great intentions but very little follow-through after the first 5 days on a diet. Your closet is filled with "fat pants" and "skinny pants," but you spend more time in the fat ones. Motivating yourself to exercise is just as difficult as sticking to a diet. Here are some recommendations for losing those extra 20 to 40 pounds:

• Set small goals, like losing 3 pounds in the next 5 days, rather than focusing on a long-term goal of losing 30 pounds. Achieving success — even through small milestones — can help the Flip-Flopper stay motivated and on track.

• Keep track of your meals in a food journal. A Flip-Flopper will often "forget" that she had a piece of cake at an office birthday party or a martini with the girls on the way home. If you make a note of everything you eat, you'll be less likely to slip off the program.

• Enlist a partner — this strategy works well for Flip-Floppers. Engage a friend, sister, or colleague to start and stay on the program with you.

• Weigh yourself before beginning the program, recording the number in your food journal, but wait until the end of the Elimination Phase to reweigh yourself. The number on the scale can fluctuate based on small factors such as clothing type, dehydration levels, and menstrual cycle, and these slight discouragements can derail the Flip-Flopper.

• Get your heart rate up and burn extra calories by running or speed walking on the treadmill, and do some resistance exercise 5 days a week.

The Food Abuser

Do you believe that exercising regularly gives you a pass to eat whatever and whenever you want? Then you're a Food Abuser, and you can easily achieve your goals if you just take control of your diet and discard all the junk food in the house. Poor nutrition rather than a lack of exercise keeps extra pounds from coming off. Stick with the Healthy You program and those 20 to 30 pounds will disappear faster than you can say "ice cream." The following are some tips for the Food Abuser:

• Remove all junk food — cookies, ice cream, pretzels, and other unhealthy snack foods — from your kitchen for the 14 days. Out of sight, out of mouth!

• Drink water throughout the day to curb cravings. You might be thirsty rather than hungry.

• Keep track of your meals and progress in your journal.

• Limit snacks to one per day. It might be helpful to initially save your snack for after dinner rather than between lunch and dinner, because Food Abusers typically consume excess calories at night. If you like to eat in the evening or before bedtime, it's important that you break this habit. One way is to temporarily postpone your designated midafternoon snack until after dinner; then, as you get used to eating a smaller and healthier snack after dinner, you can move it back to midafternoon and completely eliminate your evening snacking habit.

• Drink a cup of herbal tea before bed or after dinner. Not only can this help you relax, but it can also deter you from nighttime nibbling.

The Almost Achiever

Your goal is oh so close, but no matter what you do, you can't seem to lose those last 5 to 15 pounds. As an Almost Achiever, you lead an active lifestyle but allow yourself to eat wheat, dairy, meat, and processed and sugary foods and drink alcohol more frequently than you should. These small changes will help you reach your goal.

• Increase your water intake. When you have so few pounds to lose, staying hydrated can help control your appetite and ensure that you're eating out of hunger rather than thirst.

• Keep track of what you eat in a journal. Sometimes just being more aware of your choices is enough to help you drop those last few pounds.

• Add 15 minutes to your exercise routine.

• Focus on portion control. Cutting back on serving sizes will help you reach your ideal weight.

• Weigh yourself every day while on the 14-day Healthy You program. This will help you understand how certain food choices affect your weight. Just remember that many other variables affect the number on the scale, including water intake, dehydration, constipation, and your monthly cycle.

Me? Like many women, I was a Food Abuser who struggled with my weight before I developed the Healthy You Diet. Once I stopped eating junk food and cut out the red meat, alcohol, dairy, and wheat, I was amazed at how quickly the pounds came off and stayed off. I still indulge on occasion, but I can now do so in moderation and without sabotaging my weight loss.

Reprinted from "The Healthy You Diet" by Dawna Stone. Copyright (c) 2014 by Dawna Stone. By permission of Rodale Books. Available wherever books are sold.

MEET DAWNA STONE

Dawna Stone will have a book signing at 2 p.m. Jan. 10 at Barnes & Noble, 213 N Dale Mabry Highway, Tampa. For more on the Healthy You program, go to dawnastone.com.

Shiitake Mushroom and Rice Noodle Soup

Soba is the Japanese name for buckwheat. Buckwheat is technically a seed, not a grain, which makes it gluten free. Buckwheat comes from an entirely different botanical family than wheat. Make sure that the soba noodles you purchase are 100 percent buckwheat; some varieties may contain wheat. Miso, a Japanese soybean paste that comes in all sorts of colors and depth of flavors, will keep in the refrigerator for 6 months once opened.

6 ounces 100 percent buckwheat soba noodles

1 cup shelled frozen edamame

2 teaspoons peanut oil

3 baby bok choy, stems and leaves separated and sliced

½ pound shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1-inch fresh ginger, thinly sliced

1 teaspoon Chinese five spice powder

¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes

6 cups water

3 tablespoons white or yellow miso

2 scallions, thinly sliced

2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil

1 tablespoon sesame seeds

In a large saucepan, prepare the soba noodles according to package directions. Drain in a colander and immediately rinse with cold water. Set aside.

In a small saucepan, cook the edamame according to package directions. Drain in a colander and set aside.

Return the large saucepan to the stovetop and heat the peanut oil over medium heat. Cook the bok choy stems, mushrooms, garlic and ginger, stirring constantly, for 3 minutes. Add the spice powder and red pepper flakes and stir for 30 seconds. Add the water and the bok choy leaves and bring to a gentle simmer.

Put the miso in a small bowl. Remove 1 cup of the hot water from the saucepan and whisk with the miso until smooth. Add to the saucepan and stir. Add the scallions, sesame oil, reserved soba noodles and reserved edamame and stir to combine.

Ladle the soup into 4 soup bowls and garnish each with sesame seeds.

Makes 4 servings.

Source: The Healthy You Diet by Dawna Stone (Rodale)

Snapper and Asparagus en Papillote

¾ cup uncooked brown basmati rice

4 snapper or halibut fillets (1 ½ pounds total)

Sea salt and ground black pepper

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

24 thin asparagus spears, trimmed

1 lemon, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill or flat-leaf parsley, or 1 ½ teaspoons dried dill

Cook the rice according to package directions.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Cut 4 sheets of parchment paper, each approximately 18 by 12 inches. Fold the parchment in half the long way. Using scissors, cut a large heart out of each piece of paper, beginning the cut on the fold.

Season both sides of the fish lightly with salt and pepper. Place 1 fillet on one half of a parchment heart, leaving at least a 1-inch border. Drizzle with one-quarter of the oil and top with 6 asparagus spears and a few lemon slices. Sprinkle with one-quarter of the dill or parsley. Fold the other side of the heart over the fish and twist the edges together to make a seal. Fold the bottom edge under the packet to keep it from opening during cooking. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.

Transfer the packets to 2 baking sheets and bake for 12 to 15 minutes. Using oven mitts or tongs, transfer the packets to 4 plates. Be sure everyone is at the table to open their packet with scissors. Take care because the steam is hot. Serve with the rice.

Makes 4 servings.

Source: The Healthy You Diet by Dawna Stone (Rodale)

Tampa bay Times

Local restaurants impressed in 2014 with specialties that stood out

DINING OUTBy: Marion Warhaft

Posted: 01/8/2015 3:00 AM 

JOHN WOODS / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILESEnlarge Image

Chef Hongbin Lu's flavourful lamb hot pot at Fu Lin. Photo Store

Choosing the year's best restaurants can be agonizing. So many must be omitted -- some for reasons of space; some because they may be ultra basic; some because only a few of their dishes are exceptional; and some because their menus, if they exist at all, are limited. But last year, all the following restaurants came up with some specialties that are worth seeking out this year. Their complete reviews can be found on the Free Press website.

Two out-of-the-ordinary Chinese meals were outstanding. Special Chinese New Year's dinners were available elsewhere, but SUMMER PALACE was the most flexible, allowing us to order la carte. The set meal was $338 for 10, but four of us feasted like emperors for $152 on (to name only a few) shrimp rolls with cuttlefish; huge crab and shrimp balls; steamed pork and lotus root dumplings; and stir-fried lobster. The same menu will be repeated this year from Feb. 19, for about a month. 1755 Pembina Hwy., 204-261-9241.

The minuscule (four tables) FU LIN offers a standard takeout menu and buffet, but the real attraction is the non-listed and fabulously flavourful lamb hot pot from northeastern China (another is made with duck) -- available after 5 p.m. on at least one hour's notice (have the add-on wheat noodles and bok choy but skip the other extras). Chef Hongbin Yu will also take requests, and on another visit he guided us to wonderful pulled pea-starch noodles with spinach and bits of pork. 12 Keewatin St., 204-632-6564.

Two new restaurants with offbeat vibes and limited menus stood out. LITTLE MARIA's porchetta and meatballs were terrific, whether on a platter with a choice of sauces or tucked into sandwiches (77 Edmonton St., 204-691-2185). MAW'S EATERY, as much pub as it is restaurant, does a great two-pattie Charlie Sheen burger with cheddar, bacon and jalapeno relish, and seductive pancakes layered with bacon, topped with a poached egg. 111 Princess St., 204-421-6297.

CAFE CE SOIR's pastries are renowned (I love the Gateau Basque with chocolate cream and cherries), but my reason for a return visit was its expanded menu of such fine, old-school French classics as garlicky escargots and scallops and mushrooms in a decadently rich Gruyère cream sauce. 937 Portage Ave., 204-414-7647.

JULIANA's chef/co-owner is Jamaican, but she turns out one of the town's best moussakas (a vanishing item on many Greek menus), as well as succulent oxtail, meltingly tender goat curry and slow-cooked jerk pork with a bold, rich flavour. One heckuva a pizza, too. 678 Ellice Ave., 204-775-2925.

DAWNING's breakfasts are good, but don't miss the savoury Mennonite specialties -- house-made kielke noodles in rich cream gravy, paired with excellent farmer sausage; gloms kuak -- grilled, dill-flecked cottage cheese pattie; and the wicked crackles of crisp, fatty pork shreds. 3277 Portage Ave., 204-897-9123

GEORGE'S INN AND SUBMARINE, with its moulded-to-the-floor plastic booths, is as simple as they come, and although there are burgers and the eponymous subs, it makes today's list for the city's only Persian food. A mere three kebabs, but all delicious -- ground beef, pieces of beef, and chicken, served with saffron-streaked basmati rice. 1395 Pembina Hwy., 204-691-6591.

DELUCA'S Tavola Calda offers daily takeout specials, tops among them the Cajun-spiced chicken sausage. Other possibilities are chicken diavola, nippy with Spanish paprika; meaty ribs dry-rubbed with harissa, lemon and more than a nip of chili; rotini with mozzarella and spicy sausage in light tomato sauce. 950 Portage Ave., 204-774-7617.

Breakfast mavens welcomed the return of the Eye Opener, now renamed RED EYE DINER, where the eggs are free-run, the jams are house-made, the burgers and soups are great and so are the exceptional blueberry pancakes and lemon meringue tarts. 3132 Main St., 204-334-6424.

I loved two terrific bakeries. SLEEPY OWL's yeast-based products -- breads, croissants, Danish pastries -- are excellent, but the standout was the chocolate-streaked, brioche-like babka. 751 Wall St., 204-805-2530. COCOABEANS' pastries are all gluten-free, but as delicious as any with gluten, among them chocolate cake with peanut butter icing, and banana chocolate chip muffins with walnuts. 268 Taché Ave., 204-918-5313.

WANABEE'S DINER -- yes, honest, and last but far from least, a warm-hearted, one-woman operation that offers big, juicy burgers, addictive skinny fries and, most notably, a fluffy, tender mushroom cheese omelette that could put many posher, pricier places to shame. 639 Broadway, 204-772-6969.

marion.warhaft@freepress.mb.ca

Winning free press

Celebrate 2015 with Walnut Apricot Bundt Cake

By Betty Wedman-St Louis, Special to the Times

Thursday, January 8, 2015 5:52pm

BETTY WEDMAN-ST LOUIS, Special to the Times

Celebrate a new year with Walnut Apricot Bundt Cake. Ring cakes are a symbol of good luck.

Ring-shaped cakes are a symbol of good luck, making them especially popular for celebrations of a new year. The ring expresses the full circle of a year in some cultures, and Asian cultures regard it as a symbol of eternity. Bundt cakes can be a healthy addition for any celebration.

2 Weeks Ago

Honey-sweetened Walnut Apricot Bundt Cake can be made with organic whole wheat flour or organic brown rice flour. Both versions are seen in the accompanying photo. (The one with walnuts on top is made with rice flour.)

Some claim gluten-free foods offer no nutritional advantage, but that's not always the case. A comparison of flours for my 2008 book Living Gluten-Free shows that brown rice flour has significantly more vitamin B-6, pantothenic acid (vitamin B-5), magnesium and manganese than others.

The cost can be higher, in part because products like rice flour don't enjoy the kind of federal subsidies wheat products do. But gluten-free foods are important for people with gut sensitivities. Healthy fats, less sugar and easy-to-digest rice protein can mean better digestion and increased energy.

If you do go gluten free, don't take that as a license to eat all you want. Portion control and healthy lifestyle habits make for better weight management than changing from wheat to rice flour.

If you are afraid of using rice flour in your Bundt cake because of arsenic concerns, choose organic. California rice used by organic producers has significantly lower inorganic arsenic than Texas rice. Processed rice dishes are usually made with rice from India and Pakistan, so California basmati rice is the best choice. Coconut flour can be used as a substitute if brown rice flour is not available.

One nutritional pearl to remember is that all grains contain some gluten. In the United States, a food can contain up to 25 parts per million and still be called gluten-free. Some people with gluten sensitivity need strict adherence to gluten-free food choices: wild rice and brown rice. Some people can only tolerate amaranth, buckwheat, millet, oats, quinoa and teff, stated as gluten-free, in small quantities, while others may not tolerate them at all.

The truth about whole grains and gluten does not make for sexy reading but consumers deserve to be educated. Enjoy this symbolic cake with whatever flour you choose.

Betty Wedman-St Louis is a licensed nutritionist and environmental health specialist in Pinellas County who has written numerous books on health and nutrition. Visit her website at betty-wedman-stlouis.com.

Walnut Apricot Bundt Cake

½ cup boiling water

½ cup dried apricots, cut in small pieces

3 cups whole grain flour (wheat or rice)

½ teaspoon sea salt

1 ½ tablespoons baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

3 eggs

1 ½ cups coconut "milk" beverage

½ cup unsalted soft butter

3 tablespoons honey

1 teaspoon organic vanilla extract

½ cup chopped walnuts

Pour boiling water over apricot pieces in small bowl. Let stand 15 minutes. Combine flour, sea salt, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg in a separate bowl. Stir to blend. Beat together eggs, coconut beverage, butter, honey and vanilla until the mixture resembles scrambled eggs. Stir egg mixture into flour mixture. Add apricot-water mixture. Beat well. Pour into lightly oiled and floured Bundt pan. Bake in 350-degree oven 40 to 45 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes on rack. Invert pan and cool before slicing, topping with walnuts.

Makes 16 servings.

Nutrition information per serving: 124 calories; 3g protein; 23g carbohydrates; 4g fat.

A dash of imagination can help you come up with a variety of rice for your table. So if you are tired of the same old rice, turn to vegetables, spices and sauces to add flavour to your rice. Check out these recipes to enlarge your rice platter.

Green Shanghai Rice

Ingredients:

Shanghai Paste

Coriander leaves: 25 gm

Celery (only leaves): 10 gm

Green chilli: 5

Grind the above to a paste

Basmati rice (raw): 2 cups

Green capsicum deseeded: 1

Carrot: 2 (big)

Beans: 4

Onion: 1 (big)

Salt: to taste

Pepper: (to taste)

Refined oil: (as required)

Method:

Dice the capsicum, carrot, beans and onion into even-sized pieces and keep aside separately. Cook the basmati rice with salt and keep aside. Heat oil in pan and stir fry onion till transparent. Add the carrot and sauté it, then add capsicum and sauté again for about two minutes.

Add the rice and Shanghai paste and toss well. Season with salt and pepper and serve hot.

Pan Fried Rice

Ingredients:

Basmati rice (cooked and salted): 2 cups

Olive oil/ refined oil: as required

Onion chopped: 1, medium

Carrot chopped: 1, small

Green capsicum (deseeded): 1 small

Red capsicum (deseeded): 1 small

Yellow capsicum (deseeded): 1 small

Tomato chopped: 1 medium

Soy sauce: 1 tbsp

Chilli sauce: tsp

Spring onion greens (chopped): 2-3

Salt: To taste

Method:

Dice the capsicum, tomato, carrot and onion into even sized pieces and keep aside separately. Heat oil in a pan. Add onion, carrot, green, red and yellow capsicums and tomato.

Sauté for four to five minutes. Add required salt. Add soya sauce and chilli sauce. Sauté for two to three minutes. Add rice and mix.

Add spring onion leaves and salt (as required) and toss to mix well. Serve hot.

Schezwan Fried Rice

Ingredients:

Basmati rice (uncooked): 1 cup

Carrot: 2, small

Beans: 2

Onion: 1, small

Garlic (chopped fine): 2 tsp

Celery (chopped fine): 1 tsp

Refined oil: as required

Gingely oil: 1 tbsp

Red Chilli Paste: 1 tsp

Soya sauce: 1 tsp

Tomato sauce: 3 tsp

Salt: To taste

Sugar: a pinch

Method:

Dice separately the carrots, beans and onions. Cook the basmati rice with salt and keep aside.

For the red chilli paste: Soak Kashmiri chillies in vinegar for about 20 minutes and grind to a fine paste. Saute the chopped carrots and beans in oil , add required salt. Reserve for use.

Mix red chilli paste, soya sauce, tomato sauce and sugar and sauté in gingely oil for hardly two minutes to form a sauce and keep aside.

Heat oil in a pan. Sauté onion, garlic and celery and add the sauce mixture.

Add the sauted carrots and beans, rice and salt to taste. Mix well. Serve hot.

Burnt Garlic Rice

Ingredients:

Basmati rice (cooked and salted): 2 cups

Beans: 2

Carrot: 1, medium

Onion: 1, medium

Red chilli flakes (lightly roasted in half tsp oil): 2 tsp (unheaped)

Garlic (chopped fine): 1 tbsp

Refined oil: as required

Salt: To taste

Method:

Dice the carrot, beans and onions separately. Dry roast the garlic till brown and keep aside. Sauté onion in two tsp oil till light brown, add carrot and beans and sauté again for two minutes. Add salt as required. Add chilli flakes, garlic and sauté.

Add rice. Toss well. Serve hot.

Keywords: Schezwan Fried Rice, Burnt Garlic Rice, Pan Fried Rice, Green Shanghai Rice

The Hindu

Tomato Miso Soup With Forbidden Rice Ramen

By Chef Trudy Schafer, M.A.

Ingredients:

·         2 Tbsp Olive Oil

·         3 Green Onions, chopped

·         1 Tbsp Fresh Ginger, finely chopped

·         1 Medium Carrot, chopped

·         1 Stalk Celery, chopped

·         3 Pounds Tomatoes, seeds removed, chopped

·         2 Cups Vegetable or Chicken Stock

·         1Tbsp Tamari

·         1/4 Cup White Miso

·         2 Tbsp Rice Vinegar

·         2 Forbidden Rice Ramen Cakes

·         Garnish

·         1 Hard Boiled Egg, Halved

·         Green Onion, diagonal cut

Preparation:

1.       In a medium saucepan, heat olive oil, add green onions and ginger and saute together for 3 minutes on low heat. Add in carrots, celery, tomatoes and stock. Bring to a boil, then drop heat down to a simmer. Cook until carrots are tender. Remove from the heat and add tamari, miso and rice vinegar,  blend with immersion blender until smooth. Set aside until you are ready to plate. 

2.       In a separate medium saucepan, bring 4 cups of water to a boil, add 2 Forbidden Rice Cakes, cook for 4 minutes until tender, strain. 

3.       To plate, place the Forbidden Rice Ramen in a bowl, pour the Tomato Miso Soup around the Forbidden Rice Ramen and garnish with hard boiled egg and green onions. 

http://www.lotusfoods.com/index.php/products/recipes/rice-ramen-recipes/tomato-miso-soup-forbidden-rice-ramen/?utm_source=newsletterLOT20150108_RAMEN_15&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=LOT_20150108_RAMEN_15

What's for dinner: Spiced Basmati Pilaf

January 7, 2015 12:00 AM

Gretchen McKay/Post-Gazette

Spiced Basmati Pilaf.

By Gretchen McKay / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

With the new year comes a new resolve to eat a little healthier, at least some of the time.

This vegetarian pilaf is a good start. Rich in fiber and bone-building magnesium, brown rice is a whole-grain superstar. Here, it’s paired with fragrant spices, sweet raisins and nutritious almonds. Leave out the butter and it’s vegan; add shredded chicken and it’s a filling, low-cal main dish. 

2 cups brown basmati rice

3  to 3¼ cup water

2 tablespoons grapeseed, peanut or canola oil

1½ cups minced onion

1 tablespoon minced or crushed garlic

1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger

1 teaspoon fennel or cumin seeds, whole or ground

1/2 teaspoon salt, or more to taste

1½ cups sliced almonds and/or pistachios

1 tablespoon unsalted butter (optional)

1/2 cup raisins (I used dried cranberries)

Up to 2 teaspoons grated orange or lemon zest

Thin shreds of fresh mint, for garnish

Combine rice and water in a medium saucepan. Bring to boil, lower heat to a simmer, cover and cook undisturbed for 40 minutes. If rice is not tender at this point, add 1/4 cup additional water and cook a little longer. When rice is tender, fluff with fork to let steam escape and to separate the grains. (I used a rice cooker, and 4 cups of water.)

While rice is cooking. place large skillet over medium heat for about 1 minute, then add oil and swirl to coat the pan. Toss in onion, garlic, ginger, fennel or cumin seeds, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring, over medium-low heat for about 15 minutes, or until onion becomes very soft. Turn off heat.

Get nuts ready by toasting in a 250-degree oven until fragrant, about 15 minutes, or saute them in butter over low heat in medium skillet for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Watch carefully, so they don’t burn. Set nuts aside.

Begin adding rice to onion mixture, working in with a fork to thoroughly combine. Add raisins, citrus zest and additional salt, if desired, while you stir. (I added some leftover steamed asparagus and shaved carrots.) If serving right away, stir in nuts. If not, hold off adding them until shortly before serving, after rice is reheated. 

Serve hot or warm, topped with shredded mint. 

Serves 6 as a side, or 3 as a main course.

-- “The Heart of the Plate” by Mollie Katzen (Houghton Mifflin, $34.99)

Gretchen McKay: gmckay@post-gazette.com, 412-263-1419 or on Twitter @gtmckay.

http://agriculture.einnews.com/article/243107088/MscGrpBQv-W5PLCP

Food: A very vegetarian new year

PATRICIA MAUNDER, SPECIAL TO URBAN EXPRESSIONSMore from Patricia Maunder, Special to Urban Expressions

Published on: January 5, 2015Last Updated: January 5, 2015 11:25 AM EST

Lola Rosa chef Emeric Hommey's hearty green curry.

Photo courtesy of Lola Rosa

Feeling a little worse for wear after all that holiday-season turkey and ham, and the hangover-recovery bacon and burgers? The planet is feeling the strain too, as meat production requires much more land and water, and delivers more greenhouse gases and other environmental damage than equivalent food for plant-based diets.“All that we’re hearing about the industry of meat, the industry of fishing — it’s destroying the planet,” says Emeric Hommey, head chef atLola Rosa on Parc Ave. (the sleeker, younger sibling of the McGill ghetto original). “It’s really important that we find other ways of eating, of eating well, with pleasure at the table.”

This is a relatively new point of view for the Frenchman, who went from his homeland’s meat-focused kitchens to Lola Rosa’s meat-free kitchen two years ago. He had just arrived in Montreal, with no experience of vegetarian cooking, but with a strong desire to try something different to traditional French techniques.

Lola Rosa’s chef Emeric Hommey cooks vegetarian food for the restaurant.

Photo courtesy of Emeric Hommey

“I’m really convinced that there is a lot of future in this kind of food,” says Hommey, who is not vegetarian, but has been eating less and less meat at home since starting at Lola Rosa. “I’m still alive and still enjoying food,” he says, laughing, perhaps recalling what he describes as France’s prejudice against vegetarianism.

Having a part-time meat eater as head chef may seem unusual for a vegetarian restaurant, but it actually aligns with Lola Rosa’s mission. According to Hommey, it wants to “prove to everybody, especially non-vegetarians, that you can eat good food without meat, without fish.”

To achieve this, Hommey recalls having to make some major adjustments in a hurry: learning new techniques, getting better acquainted with formerly peripheral ingredients such as chickpeas and lentils, and tackling completely unfamiliar ones including tempeh (a traditional Indonesian soy product) and seitan (a gluten product with a meaty texture). For the rest of us, the pressure to adapt is not nearly so great as it was for this professional chef, who believes having fun is key to trying vegetarian cooking at home. “Don’t try to be super fancy, super complicated with a four-hour recipe. The simpler the better, and change it the way you like it … There are plenty of ingredients that are amazing.”

Hommey shares an easy curry recipe, which has ample scope for tweaking according to taste and the seasons, below. It is from his Lola Rosa menu, which includes other meat-free comfort foods, such as lasagna and poutine. So if cooking a vegetarian dish seems daunting at first, you can always get Hommey to do it for you.

Emeric Hommey’s hearty green curry.

Photo courtesy of Lola Rosa

Emeric Hommey’s hearty green curry

4 servings

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 50 minutes

1 small onion, diced

2 cloves of garlic, crushed

1 small piece of ginger (about 20g), grated

1 stick of lemon grass, grated

1 fresh hot pepper, thinly diced (only if you like spicy food)

3 cups of coconut milk

1 kg of mixed root vegetables (your choice of carrots, parsnips, turnips, Jerusalem artichokes, sweet potatoes, etc.), large diced

1 block of firm tofu (450 g), large diced

1 bunch of cilantro, stems thinly chopped, leaves reserved for garnish

salt

In a pot on medium heat, sweat onions with a bit of canola oil, for about 10 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, lemon grass and hot pepper. Cook another two minutes. Add coconut milk and bring to simmer. Add veggies, starting with the harder ones (carrots, parsnips, turnips, Jerusalem artichokes), cook for 20 minutes. Then add softer veggies (sweet potatoes) and tofu. When all vegetables are cooked (about another 20-25 minutes), add cilantro and salt to taste.

Serve warm on good basmati rice, garnished with cilantro leaves.

Note: This is a seasonal vegetable-based recipe. Hommey uses root veggies in winter, but try it with any vegetable (peppers and zucchinis in summer, squash in fall, peas and asparagus in spring).

Lola Rosa, 4581 Parc Ave; 545 Milton St.

Source with thanks: http://montrealgazette.com/life/urban-expressions/food-a-very-vegetarian-new-year

Recipe: Kaju jeera rice

TNN | Jan 5, 2015, 12.00AM IST

Recipe: Kaju jeera rice (Thinkstock photos/Getty Images)

A little experimentation can do wonders, especially when it comes to cooking techniques. While delectable jeera rice has been a great dish, addition of kaju (cashew) to it has changed its entire flavour. Here's what you need to prepare it...

Ingredients:
2 cups of rice
1 table spoon ginger-garlic paste
1 table spoon tamarind (imli) paste

1 onion
Black salt (as per taste)
Ghee/butter or cooking oil
100 gms cashew nuts
2 cloves
2 cardamom pods
2 table spoons of jeera
5 table spoons of cashew nut paste

How to prepare it:
- First of all clean the basmati rice manually and later soak them. Wait for 20 minutes.

- While the rice is being macerated, heat oil/butter ghee in a different pan. Add jeera to it and keep the gas on low flame.

- Soon add sliced onion and add tamarind, ginger and garlic paste. Keep frying for some time. Later, add cashew paste.

- After it's done add dry cloves and cardamom pods. Fry it for a minute. Also, add salt in a quantity that it's sufficient for the rice as well.

- Add two cups of water and mix it well. Bring it to boil and then close the lid of the pan and wait for the water to dry.

- While the rice is being cooked take butter in a small pan and heat it. Soon add cashew nuts to it and fry it. Wait till it gets golden.

- Take out the fully done rice in a bowl and garnish it with fried cashew nuts.

Source with thanks:The time of India

With Such High Arsenic Levels, Why Isn't Rice Regulated?

By The Conversation | December 30th 2014 04:53 PM | 

Bottom of Form

Puffed rice with a bit of poison.Shutterstock

By Andy Meharg, Queen's University Belfast

There are two sides to rice: the grain that feeds half the world – and the primary carcinogenic source of inorganic arsenic in our diet.Arsenic is a natural occurring element that is ubiquitous in the environment. It is present primarily as inorganic arsenic, which is highly toxic. What sets rice apart is that it is the only major crop that is grown under flooded conditions. It is this flooding that releases inorganic arsenic, normally locked up in soil minerals, which makes it available for the plant to uptake. Rice has, typically, ten times more inorganic arsenic than other foods and, as the European Food Standards Authority have reported, people who eat a lot of rice are exposed to worrying concentrations. Chronic exposure can cause a range of health problems including developmental problems, heart disease, diabetes and nervous system damage. However, most worrying are lung and bladder cancers.

Children of most concern

The first food that most people eat is rice porridge, thought suitable for weaning as rice is low in allergens, has good textural properties and tastes bland. As babies are rapidly growing they are at a sensitive stage of development and are known to be more susceptible to inorganic arsenic than adults.

Babies and young children under five also eat around three times more food on a body weight basis than adults, which means that, relatively, they have three times greater exposures to inorganic arsenic from the same food item.

Babies more exposed. Rice biscuit by Shutterstock.

The rice product market for young children, which includes biscuit crackers and cereals is booming. If the child is gluten intolerant then rice breads and rice milks can be added to this list. Gluten intolerant adults are also high rice consumers, as are those people of South-East Asian origin.

Rice milk is so high in inorganic arsenic that the UK Food Standards Agency issued the advicethat children under the age of four-and-a-half should not drink rice milk. Despite this, you would be hard-pressed to locate this advice on product packing or displays.

Where are the regulations?

While there is tight regulation around inorganic arsenic in our water supplies in Europe but none for food, yet in Europe only 5% of our inorganic arsenic comes from water and 95% from food. Bottled water in the EU is around 50 times lower in inorganic arsenic water concentrations than rice. Therefore, you would need to drink five liters of water to get the equivalent arsenic dose of eating a small 100g (dry weight packet) portion of rice. The failure to regulate rice in food is unsustainable and needs to be rectified.

Milling means less in white rice. Takeaway, CC BY-SA

The World Health Organisation and the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the UN have just announced guidelines for inorganic arsenic in rice: 200 parts per billion for white rice and 400 parts per billion (ppb) for brown rice. Brown rice is higher in inorganic arsenic than white as arsenic is concentrated in the bran that is removed by milling to produce white rice.

The aim of these limits is to ensure that the bulk of the global rice supply falls below these thresholds rather than directly focusing on the risk inorganic arsenic poses to humans – the particular dangers for children for example. Without doing this, the WHO thresholds are basically meaningless. They certainly do not protect those at greatest risk such as children and the high rice consuming countries of south-east Asia.

Further pronouncements by the European Union and the US Food and Drug Administration are imminent. Let us hope they take a more enlightened view than the WHO and set standards based on protecting human health. It is only when appropriate standards are set that the rice industry can proactively develop plans to remove arsenic from rice to meet those standards.

Standards need to be set to protect those most at risk and 50 ppb for children and 100 ppb for all rice products would be achievable with concerted effort of regulators and industry, though – as every dose of inorganic arsenic carries a risk – the lower the better.

What can be done now?

There are a lot of practical solutions to remove inorganic arsenic from rice; from agricultural management and cultivar selection and breeding. Sourcing rice from regions with lower grain inorganic arsenic concentrations – for example, basmati rice is two to three-fold lower in inorganic arsenic than rice from the European Union or from the US. Cooking rice in a large excess of water also helps to remove inorganic arsenic.

Changing dietary practice and food consumer advice to reduce rice in diets is also an option. There are a range of gluten-free alternatives to rice, so rethinking baby foods is an obvious way to proceed. Top of this list of rice alternatives for baby foods and for breakfast cereals, biscuits and snack bars marketed at young children is oats, which have a range of other health-giving properties.

Andy Meharg, Professor of Plant and Soil Sciences at Queen's University Belfast, does not work for, consult to, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has no relevant affiliations.

This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.

Source with thanks: ttp://www.science20.com/the_conversation/with_such_high_arsenic_levels_why_isnt_rice_regulated-151908

Blue cheese, walnuts add flavor to simple dinner featuring chicken

Sign up for home delivery of The Columbus Dispatch and find out What's In It for You. 

By Susan SelaskyTribune News Service  •  Wednesday December 31, 2014 10:12 AM

ED HAUN | DETROIT FREE PRESSBlue Cheese-Stuffed Chicken Breasts, which are seared first, then bakedThis chicken dish comes together quickly, looks pretty and stands out in the flavor department — if the chicken isn’t overcooked.To get moist boneless, skinless chicken breasts: Sear first, then bake. Using an ovenproof skillet that isn’t nonstick will ensure a better sear on the chicken; then transfer it to the oven to finish cooking.Set your timer for about 8 minutes (for a chicken breast that’s about a half-inch thick end to end). The chicken turns out tender and juicy.If you don’t have an ovenproof skillet, sear it in whatever skillet you have, then transfer it to a glass baking dish along with its drippings and pan juices.

The chicken will create more juices as it roasts. When it’s done, use those drippings to create a delicious pan sauce. There won’t be a lot of sauce, but it is full-flavored, and a small amount goes a long way. If you want more sauce, double up on the chicken stock and add an extra tablespoon or more of lemon juice to taste.In addition to a brightly flavored pan sauce, this dish gets its tang from blue cheese.The recipe calls for just 1 tablespoon per serving, but use more if you like or substitute herbed goat cheese. Walnuts add to the layers of flavors in this dish. But like many other nuts, they are a pricey ingredient. Toast the walnuts for 6 to 8 minutes to intensify their flavor. The nuts, scattered over the chicken, also add to the presentation of the plate.

Serve this dish with a side of rice or couscous. Try cooking the rice in half chicken broth, half water to enhance its taste. A fragrant rice, such as basmati, lends another element to the dish. Basmati gives off a nutty or popcornlike scent when boiling. It will entice your guests and make them wonder what’s cooking.

BLUE CHEESE-STUFFED CHICKEN BREASTS

Makes 4 servings

We adapted this recipe from Food & Wine magazine, substituting blue cheese for goat cheese. Only a small amount of cheese (1 tablespoon) is used per serving, and we found the blue cheese has a stronger and tangier taste. Either can be used.

1/4 cup walnut halves

1/4 cup favorite blue cheese or goat cheese

1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

1 garlic clove, minced

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Four skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (6 ounces each)

1 tablespoon olive oil

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup chicken stock or low-sodium broth

2 tablespoons walnut oil or canola oil

1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

Basmati rice for serving

Heat oven to 400 degrees.

Spread the walnuts in a pie plate and toast them in the oven for 6 minutes, until they are fragrant. Remove them from the oven, but leave the oven on. Let the walnuts cool, then chop them.In a small bowl, mash the cheese with the lemon zest, garlic and half of the walnuts; season with salt and pepper.Using a small knife, cut a pocket in the side of each chicken breast; keep the opening as small as possible. Stuff the chicken breasts with the cheese mixture and gently press to flatten them.

In a large ovenproof skillet, heat the olive oil on medium-high. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and place in the skillet. Cook it over moderately high heat, turning once, until it’s browned, about 6 minutes.Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast the chicken for 5 minutes.

Transfer the chicken breasts to a platter and keep them warm.Add the lemon juice and stock to the skillet and cook over moderately high heat, scraping up any browned bits stuck to the pan. Simmer for 3 minutes.Stir in the walnut oil, parsley and the remaining chopped walnuts. Transfer the chicken breasts to serving plates and spoon the walnut sauce on top. Serve with steamed rice or couscous.

PER SERVING: 356 calories, 38 g protein, 3 g carbohydrates, 1 g fiber, 21 g fat (4 g saturated), 101 mg cholesterol, 223 mg sodium

Source with thanks:The Columbus Dispatch

Blue Cheese-Stuffed Chicken Breasts

Makes 4 servings 

We adapted this recipe from Food & Wine magazine, substituting blue cheese for goat cheese. Only a small amount of cheese (1 tablespoon) is used per serving, and we found the blue cheese has a stronger and tangier taste. Either can be used. 

1/4 cup walnut halves 

1/4 cup favorite blue cheese or goat cheese 

1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest 

1 garlic clove, minced 

Salt and freshly ground pepper 

Four skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (6 ounces each) 

1 tablespoon olive oil 

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 

1/4 cup chicken stock or low-sodium broth 

2 tablespoons walnut oil or canola oil 

1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley 

Basmati rice for serving 

Heat oven to 400 degrees. 

Spread the walnuts in a pie plate and toast them in the oven for 6 minutes, until they are fragrant. Remove them from the oven, but leave the oven on. Let the walnuts cool, then chop them. In a small bowl, mash the cheese with the lemon zest, garlic and half of the walnuts; season with salt and pepper. Using a small knife, cut a pocket in the side of each chicken breast; keep the opening as small as possible. Stuff the chicken breasts with the cheese mixture and gently press to flatten them. 

In a large ovenproof skillet, heat the olive oil on medium-high. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and place in the skillet. Cook it over moderately high heat, turning once, until it’s browned, about 6 minutes. Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast the chicken for 5 minutes. 
Transfer the chicken breasts to a platter and keep them warm. Add the lemon juice and stock to the skillet and cook over moderately high heat, scraping up any browned bits stuck to the pan. Simmer for 3 minutes. Stir in the walnut oil, parsley and the remaining chopped walnuts. Transfer the chicken breasts to serving plates and spoon the walnut sauce on top. Serve with steamed rice or couscous. 

PER SERVING: 356 calories, 38 g protein, 3 g carbohydrates, 1 g fiber, 21 g fat (4 g saturated), 101 mg cholesterol, 223 mg sodium

Source with thanks:The Columbus dispatch

Next - your take on the best briyani

BY PRIYA MENON AND YASMIN AHMAD KAMIL

AS WE usher in 2015 tomorrow, The Star People’s Food Awards enters its eighth month where the category will be Nasi Briyani.From Jan 1 to 10, you can nominate your favourite nasi briyani eatery or stall in the Klang Valley to stand a chance to win attractive prizes such as hotel stays and dining vouchers.

How to nominate?

Visit your favourite eatery or stall, take a photo of the meal you want to feature (photos MUST be your own and not taken from blogs or websites and no less than 1MB in size), write a short introduction about the food and post your nomination on Metro Online Broadcast (MOB) at mob.com.my.For details on how to nominate, endorse and vote, visit MOB and click the “Foodboard” tab under The Star People’s Food Awards to read the FAQs.Those who nominate, vote or successfully share a link are automatically entered into a race to win prizes.Nominations are open for the first 10 days of the month, followed by voting from Jan 15 to 31.

The Star People’s Food Awards is a monthly contest that recognises the best street food in the Klang Valley.

Every month until May next year, the public can vote for the best category-based street food such as nasi briyani (January) or popiah (February) via MOB.This week, MOB features two popular nasi briyani eateries.

Restoran Syed serves Bukhara Briyani (chicken or mutton). The variety expands to Bukhara Ayam Kampung and Venison Bukhara on Fridays, Prawn Bukhara on Saturdays and Fish Bukhara on Sundays.

RESTORAN SYED

53, Jalan SS 19/6, Subang Jaya, Selangor

The word briyani often leaves Malaysians salivating for the plate of fragrant, long-grained rice with spices but there is a unique briyani called Bukhara that has especially captured the heart of locals.This special dish from Restoran Syed in SS19/6 is one of the contenders for the Star People’s Food Awards Nasi Briyani category, which is now open for nominations.

The restaurant is hard to miss, thanks to the large number of patrons at the eatery and the words “Bukhara Briyani” stamped on its facade to welcome diners.Bukhara Briyani is named after a city in Uzbekistan that is famous for its cuisine and Islamic influence in the food.Syed group chief executive officer Datuk Syed Jamarulkhan Kadir said the Bukhara Briyani served in this restaurant is a blend of Moghul and Malaysian recipes.

“The recipe is not entirely Moghul, we have tweaked it to suit the tastebuds of Malaysians. We do not use oil but a special ghee (clarified butter) to cook the rice,” he added.The restaurant’s bestseller is the Chicken Bukhara, but according to Jamarulkhan, their Mutton Bukhara is tastier.The dishes are individually distinct and taste slightly different because of the spices used.The rice is soft and fluffy while the meat, be it chicken or mutton, is tender.

A serving of Briyani Bukhara comes with mutton dalcha, fruit achar, hard-boiled egg and fruits.The mutton dalcha gravy is nice and thick and goes really well with the briyani without masking the original taste of the rice, while the fruit achar adds a little sweetness to the meal.On weekends, the variety expands to Bukhara Ayam Kampung and Venison Bukhara on Fridays, Prawn Bukhara on Saturdays and Fish Bukhara on Sundays.The Chicken Bukhara is priced at RM13 while the Mutton Bukhara is RM16 and is available from 11am onwards.

Chacha’s Naan and Briyani Special stall uses highgrade basmati rice, which is long, soft and fluffy. The thick and flavourful chicken curry and dhal amplifies the taste of the dish.

CHACHA’S NAAN AND BRIYANI SPECIAL

Lower Level, Section 14 Hawker Centre,

Jalan 14/20, Petaling Jaya

Tucked in the lower level of the Section 14 hawker centre is Chacha’s Naan and Briyani Special, a stall that proves that some of the tastiest briyani is not necessarily served in high-end eateries.The name of the stall is emblazoned on a large yellow banner in red, making it easy to spot.The owner, Abdul Latif, 70, is originally from Pakistan and prefers to be called “chacha,” or uncle.

Famous for his naan and briyani, Chacha has lived in Malaysia for 30 years and opened the stall at this hawker centre two years ago.At RM7, his chicken briyani is, too many fans, value for money.The high-grade basmati rice he uses is long, soft and fluffy.

Amplifying the taste of the dish is the chicken curry and dhal, which is thick and flavourful, served with perfectly cooked potatoes.The chicken in the dish is lightly seasoned and tender. Using his own recipe, Chacha said he was careful not to over-season the food and would cook it in the morning to ensure its freshness.The stall, open from 11am to 4pm, also serves Briyani Bukhara and lamb briyani.

Source with thanks:http://www.thestar.com.my/News/Community/2014/12/31/Next-your-take-on-the-best-briyani-Post-your-nomination-on-MOB-from-tomorrow/

Four delicious recipes with Palestinian olive oil

Yotam Ottolenghi, Jane Baxter and Joanna Blythman have created recipes for the tenth anniversary of Zaytoun olive oil, using traditional Palestinian ingredients 

 Hummus, a crucial part of the traditional Palestinian breakfast. Photograph: Zaytoun

Wednesday 31 December 2014 10.47 GMT

Hummus and labneh

Recipe from Joanna Blythman

“As I discovered when I spent time with the inspiring farmers on the West Bank, the typical Palestinian breakfast of za’atar, fresh flat bread bread, hummus capped with olive oil, creamy labneh and eggs, really sets you up for the day.”

For the hummus:

500g cooked chickpeas
250ml tahini
80ml lemon juice
4 cloves garlic
2 tsp sea salt
100ml ice cold water
Zaytoun olive oil
Plus za’atar to serve

You can use 500g tinned chickpeas, but best is to cook from scratch by soaking 250g dried chickpeas overnight in water with 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda. Next day drain and simmer in water for 30 minutes or until tender.

Place 500g of cooked chickpeas in a food processor and blitz. Continue pulsing the mixture as you pour the tahini, lemon juice, crushed garlic and salt. Slowly add the ice cold water and keep pulsing for a few minutes until very creamy. Add more ice cold water until you achieve desired consistency.

Let it rest for at least ½ hour before serving.

For the labneh:

2 tsp sea salt
1½ litres natural yoghurt
Zaytoun olive oil
Plus za’atar to serve

Add salt to the fresh yoghurt and stir before putting into a clean muslin or cheesecloth over a bowl.

Close the cloth tightly so the mixture is pressed and leave to drain for at least 24 hours or until no more liquid is dripping.

Stir the thick yoghurt well to mix with the creamier centre.

Jane Baxter’s delicious roast parsnip and carrot salad. Photograph: Zaytoun

Roast parsnip and carrot salad with freekeh and a yoghurt dressing

Recipe by Jane Baxter

Serves 4-6

500g parsnips
500g carrots
30g butter melted
1 tbsp Zaytoun olive oil
100g smokey freekah

Dressing:
200ml yoghurt
juice and zest of 1 orange 
1 clove garlic crushed
pinch ground cumin and cardamom
75g pitted dates finely chopped
1 red chilli finely chopped
1 tsp honey
1 tbsp chopped mint
Bunch of watercess
Salt and pepper

To garnish: pomegranate seeds , extra mint and za’atar

Pre–heat oven 190C. Peel the parsnips and carrots and cut into quarters lengthways. Toss in the melted butter and oil. Season well and roast on a baking tray for about 40 minutes until tender.

Meanwhile wash and cook the freekah as per instruction on the packet. Drain well and toss in olive oil. Season while still warm.

To make the dressing place all the dressing ingredients in a bowl and whisk to combine, adding some salt and pepper to season.

To assemble the salad gently fold the roasted veg with the freekah and watercress. Arrange on a serving platter. Drizzle with the yoghurt dressing and sprinkle with pomegranate seeds, chopped mint and za’atar.

Baby spinach salad with Medjool dates and almonds

Recipe by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi

Serves 4

1 tbsp white wine vinegar
½ medium red onion, thinly sliced
100g pitted Medjool dates, quartered lengthways
30g unsalted butter
2 tbsp Zaytoun olive oil
2 small pitas, about 100g, roughly torn into 4cm pieces
75g whole unsalted almonds, roughly chopped
2 tsp sumac
½ tsp chilli flakes
150g baby spinach leaves, washed
2 tbsp lemon juice
salt

Put the vinegar, onion and dates in a small bowl. Add a pinch of salt and mix well with your hands. Leave to marinate for 20 minutes, then drain any residual vinegar and discard.

Meanwhile, heat the butter and half the olive oil in a medium frying pan. Add the pita and almonds and cook them on a medium heat for 4–6 minutes, stirring all the time, until the pita is crunchy and golden brown. Remove from the heat and mix in the sumac, chilli and ¼ teaspoon of salt. Set aside to cool.

When you are ready to serve, toss the spinach leaves with the pita mix in a large mixing bowl. Add the dates and red onion, remaining olive oil, lemon juice and another pinch of salt. Taste for seasoning and serve immediately. Delicious with the rice below.

Saffron, date and almond rice

Recipe by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi

Serves 4

400g basmati rice
Salt and white pepper
110g unsalted butter
100g whole almonds, skin on, roughly chopped
80g Medjool dates, roughly chopped
¼ tsp saffron threads soaked in 2 tbsp hot water

Rinse the rice well under running cold water, then put it in a large bowl, cover with lukewarm water and stir through two tablespoons of salt. Leave it to sit for one to two hours, then drain and wash again, this time with lukewarm water.

Bring a medium pot of water to a boil, add two more tablespoons of salt, then add the rice and boil gently for three to four minutes, until almost cooked. Check by trying a grain – it should still have a bit of bite to it. Drain, rinse under lukewarm water and set aside to drain.

In the same pan, melt 80g of the butter and sauté the almonds for four minutes, until slightly golden.

Add the dates, cook for a couple of minutes more, then stir through half a teaspoon of white pepper, a quarter-teaspoon of salt and half the rice. Gently flatten this down, then spoon the remaining rice on top. Melt the remaining butter and pour over the top, along with three tablespoons of water.

Cover the pan with a tight lid and cook on the lowest possible heat for 35 minutes (a heat diffuser would be handy here). Turn off the heat, spoon over the saffron and its water, cover with a tea towel, put the lid back on and set aside for 10 minutes.

Serve hot, using a large spoon so that you have portions in which the two layers are distinct and separate.

This delicious salad is healthy and nutritious. Photograph: Zaytoun

Maftoul salad

Recipe shared by Nasser Abufarha, founder of the Canaan Fair Trade and the Palestinian Fair Trade Association 

Serves 4 as a side dish 

250g Zaytoun maftoul
5 tbsp Zaytoun olive oil
75g raisins
1 onion, diced
1 small bunch spring onions, sliced thinly
1 small bunch parsley, finely chopped
1 fresh chilli pepper, sliced thinly
1 lemon, juiced
1 tbsp sea salt
1 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
1 tsp Zaytoun za’atar

Add 1 tbsp salt to 1 litre of water and bring to the boil.

Toast maftoul in 2 tablespoons of olive oil for 4 minutes on medium-high heat.

Add toasted Maftoul to the boiling water and let it simmer for 12 minutes.

At the same time add 250ml hot water to the raisins and simmer in a pot for 10 minutes. Allow to cool then drain.

Sauté onions in 1 tbsp of olive oil, and set aside to cool.

In a large bowl, combine the maftoul, raisins, both kinds of onions, parsley, chilli, za’atar, lemon juice, and 2 tbsp olive oil and mix, seasoning with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Source with thanks:The Guardian

Delight your taste buds with savoury Afghan dishes

Delight your taste buds with savoury Afghan dishes

Caravan Kabob House, 547 Steeles Ave E, Unit #2E2, Brampton, ON 905-497-4876

Brampton Guardian

Caravan Kabob House offers a full array of succulent Afghan cuisine, featuring a menu of savoury dishes that are sure to delight. Enjoy dishes with a harmonious combination of marinated meats, grated seasonings, fresh vegetables served with savoury basmati rice. Caravan Kabob House’s mission is to advance cultural understanding through culinary taste. We offer lamb, steak, chicken and veggies, and all of our kabobs are grilled to perfection.

Authentic kabab house pleasing...

Caravan Kabob House is located at 547 Steeles Ave. East, Brampton, Ontario (Main intersection Kennedy Rd. & Steeles Ave.) We are open 7 days a week, from 11 am to 11 pm. Our menu features authentic Afghan cuisine, while still offering some Canadian dishes as well.

Caravan is a people friendly restaurant. Our top priority is customer satisfaction. All of our staff tries their best to give you a positive experience. We offer our customers dine - in, take-out and catering! The restaurant is designed for a fast-food feel while still having the restaurant atmosphere. We keep both our kitchen and dining room very clean. Our customers are our #1 priority; if you’re not happy, we’re not happy. All of our dishes are prepared and made on site, so you know it’s always fresh. Our portion sizes are large but affordable. We try to give our customers the best deal for their hard earned money. Caravan Kabob House is the best place for Afghan and Canadian food.

Chef Omar Momand has been involved in various businesses over the past 10 years, perfecting his culinary skills with his family owned restaurant, Bamiyan Kabob. For 8 years he established restaurants, like Watan Kabob. Now he has collaborated with Harirud Cooperation to open Caravan Kabob House in the heart of Brampton.

Omar migrated to Canada in 2001. He finished his schooling with Humber College to start as freelance photographer. Omar discovered his love for the culinary arts in 2006. He started cooking, and then joined Bamiyab Kabob in 2007 with his cousins. In 2012, he opened Watan Kabob in Mississauga, established this restaurant, and then he move to Brampton to open Caravan kabob House in 2014.

Caravan Kabob House is one of the best places for Afghan cuisine you can find in Ontario. Fairly new, but in a very short period of time, Caravan Kabob has established its name all over Ontario.

Visit on website for more information:http://www.bramptonguardian.com/shopping-story/5207092-delight-your-taste-buds-with-savoury-afghan-dishes/

Our 10 best onion recipes

You won’t want to waste a morsel of these saucy bakes, heartening soups, creamy pastas and punchy pickles. The unassuming veg box staple shines brighter than you’d think

·          

·         The Guardian, Saturday 27 December 2014

·         Jump to comments (36)

Sausage-stuffed onions turn a humble staple veg into the vessel for a warming winter meal. Photograph: Tamin Jones/Guardian

Sausage-stuffed onions

Stuffed veg is always a winner, the savoury filling seeping into its slow‑cooked casing to create melting parcels of myriad flavours. Sausage and onion are a particularly combo in terms of texture and taste.

Serves 4
4 medium red onions (about 225g each), peeled, stem-ends trimmed, root-ends trimmed but intact
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Flaky sea salt
300ml water
1 head garlic, outer layers removed to expose the cloves
A small handful of thyme sprigs, plus 1 tsp leaves
125g sausage meat
225ml double cream

1 Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/gas mark 6. Rub the onions with a little olive oil (about 2 tbsp), then sprinkle with salt. Put the onions in a medium casserole or other ovenproof pot with a lid. Place the garlic head in the middle of the onions and drizzle with oil. Scatter the thyme sprigs over the onions, then add 75ml of the water to the pot. Cover and roast in the oven for 50-60 minutes, until the onions are lightly browned and soft enough so a knife slips easily into their centres. Set aside until cool enough to handle.

2 Carefully lift the onions on to a cutting board, leaving the liquid in the pot. Scoop out a few layers from inside each onion and stuff them with 2 tbsp of sausage meat. Add the scooped-out onion to the casserole. (When you add the cream and water in the next step, the liquid should come a little less than halfway up the sides of the stuffed onions.)

3 Squeeze the soft flesh of the garlic cloves into the casserole, and add the thyme leaves, cream, the remaining 225ml water and 1 tsp salt. Bring the mixture to a full boil, add the stuffed onions, sausage-side up, and baste them with the liquid for a minute or so.

4 Return the casserole to the oven for about 40 minutes, uncovered until the sauce is thick, but not gloopy. Baste the onions every 10 minutes or so, until cooked. Taste the sauce and add a little more salt, if you’d like. Bring the pan to the table, spoon a little of the sauce over the top of each onion, and dig in.

April Bloomfield, A Girl and Her Pig (Canongate)

Chicken salad with onion pickle

A Vietnamese dish full of vibrant, punchy flavours that are lifted and brightened by the onion pickle.

Serves 2–3
3 chicken thighs, skin on and bone in
1 chicken stock cube
200g basmati rice
1 knob of butter
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
10 hot mint sprigs (or Thai sweet basil), chopped
A small handful of coriander, stalk on, chopped
A pinch of black pepper

For the onion pickle
1 red onion, thinly sliced
3 tbsp cider vinegar 
1 tbsp sugar
A pinch of sea salt
A pinch of black pepper

For the dipping sauce
2 tbsp fish sauce
2 tsp sugar
2cm piece of fresh ginger, finely chopped
1 bird’s eye chilli, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 tbsp cider vinegar

1 First, make the pickle. Reserve one fifth of the onion, then combine the rest with the other ingredients and leave for at least 1 hour.

2 Next prepare the salad. Put 1.2 litres cold water and the chicken thighs in a saucepan over a medium heat and cover. Bring to the boil, then skim the froth from the surface. Add the stock and cook for 25–30 minutes (20 minutes into cooking, extract some stock – see step 3).

3 Wash and drain the rice. Finely chop the reserved onion. Melt the butter in a saucepan over a low heat and fry the onion and garlic. Add the rice, then stir until coated. After the chicken has been poaching for 20 minutes, decant 350ml of the stock and add it to the rice with a pinch of salt. Cover, then raise the heat to medium; this technique will cook the rice beautifully by steaming it. When the liquid comes to the boil, turn down the heat to low and cook for 15–20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

4 Next mix all the dipping sauce ingredients in a bowl with 2 tbsp of the poaching stock.

5 When the chicken has finished poaching, remove it from the pan and let it rest for 10 minutes while the rice is still cooking. Reserve the leftover stock for another time – allow it to cool completely, then refrigerate or freeze it.

6 Shred the chicken from the bones. Discard the skin. Mix the meat with the onion pickle (discarding the juices), mint, coriander and pepper. Serve at room temperature with the rice and dipping sauce.

Uyen Luu, My Vietnamese Kitchen (Ryland Peters & Small)

Soupe a l’oignon Lyonnaise

An unmissable classic that won’t disappoint – the onions melt into a buttery beef broth enriched with cream and egg and topped with grilled cheese.

A French classic, soupe a l’oignon Lyonnaise is hearty enough for a main meal.Photograph: Tamin Jones/Guardian

Serves 8-10
60g unsalted butter, plus 1 tbsp
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1kg onions, peeled and sliced
1 bottle dry white wine
60g plain flour
1.8 litres beef stock 
1 baguette, sliced
5 egg yolks
100ml port
250g creme fraiche
300g gruyere, grated
Salt and black pepper

1 Melt 60g of butter with the oil in a pan over a medium heat, then add the onions. Cook, stirring occasionally, until they caramelise, but don’t cover the pan. Once the onions are ready, add the white wine and cook until the liquid has reduced by half.

2 Melt the remaining 1 tbsp of butter in a large saucepan, add the flour and mix well to make a roux. Cook until the roux is light brown, but don’t let it burn. Add the stock, whisking well. Simmer for 5 minutes, then add the onion mixture, season and cook for another 30 minutes. Meanwhile, toast some baguettes.

3 Preheat the grill. Mix the egg yolks, port and creme fraiche, then divide it equally between heatproof soup bowls. Pour some hot soup into each bowl, stirring it into the egg mixture with a fork. Add some of the toast , sprinkle with grated gruyere and glaze under a grill until the cheese is golden and bubbling. Serve.

Michel Roux Jr, The French Kitchen (Weidenfeld and Nicolson)

Onion fritters

There’s a reason these are such staples in Indian takeaways: like onion rings on burgers, they’re the maddeningly addictive morsel you just want more of.

Makes 12
3 small onions (225g), peeled, cut into semi-circles
⅛-¼ tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp finely grated fresh ginger
3 tbsp chopped fresh coriander
1 fresh hot green chilli, cut into rounds (optional)
½ tsp ground cumin
A generous pinch of ground turmeric
4 tbsp chickpea flour (besan or gram flour)
A pinch of salt
Olive or peanut oil, for deep-frying

1 Mix the onions, chilli powder, ginger, coriander, green chilli (if using), cumin and turmeric in a bowl. Dust with chickpea flour, but do not mix it in just yet.

2 About 15 minutes before eating, add the salt. Hand-mix the onions into the dry ingredients, mashing it all for about 5 minutes, or until the slices clump together.

3 Put 1cm of oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. MeanwhileWhile it’s warming up, make 12 rough patties from the onion mixture, placing them in a single layer on a board or plate as you make them. Onion pieces will stick out, but that is how it should be. When the oil is hot, turn the heat to medium-low and add half the patties in one layer. Fry for 1 minute, flip, and fry for another minute. Flip again. Fry for another 30 seconds or so on each side until reddish-gold and crisp.

4 Drain on kitchen paper. Make a second batch the same way. Serve hot with some chutney.

Madhur Jaffrey, Curry Easy Vegetarian (Ebury)

Egg salad with onion

Egg and onion is a steadfast duo, to which spring onion adds piquancy. Excellent as a topping on toasted sourdough.

Serves 4-6
1 onion, finely sliced
1 tbsp olive oil, for frying
6 large hardboiled eggs, peeled and grated
2 spring onions, pale green and white bits, chopped
1 tbsp mayonnaise
A few gribenes (optional)
Salt and black pepper
1 bunch watercress and black olives, to garnish

1 Gently fry the sliced onion in the oil until soft and just starting to turn golden. Blitz the onion with a stick blender until smooth, then scrape into a bowl. Stir in the pureed onion, then the grated egg, mayonnaise and gribenes, if using, Season to taste. Spoon into a serving dish, cover with clingfilm and refrigerate for up to two days until needed. To serve, garnish with watercress and decorate with a few black olives.

Ruth Joseph, Warm Bagels and Apple Strudel (Kyle)

Caramelised onion and goat’s butter pasta

This simple dish marries the sweetness of caramelised onions with the earthy creaminess of goat’s butter and cheese.

Serves 2
1 onion, finely sliced
A pinch of salt
200g dried spaghetti or linguine
A generous knob of goat’s butter
50g grated hard goat’s cheese, or more to taste

1 Sprinkle the sliced onion with the salt, then cook over a very gentle heat, stirring very often, until they are a reddish-gold colour.

2 When the onion is ready, cook the pasta for 1 minute less than the packet instructions say. Drain, then return to the pan and add the butter, onion and half the cheese. Toss well.

3 Divide between warmed bowls and serve with the rest of the cheese scattered on top.

Rebecca Seal, The Islands of Greece (Hardie Grant)

Harissa lamb with spiced mash and cinnamon onions

Onions spiced with cinnamon make a beautiful relish to top this moreish plate of aromatic lamb and mash.

Serves 4
8 chunky lamb chops or 4 lamb steaks
Salt and black pepper

For the marinade
120ml olive oil
2½ tbsp harissa 
3 garlic cloves, crushed
Juice of ½ lemon
A good handful of mint leaves, torn

For the mash
450g potatoes, peeled
650g parsnips, peeled and chopped
75ml whipping cream
100g butter
½ tsp ground cinnamon
¾ tsp cayenne
50ml milk

For the onions
2 onions, very finely sliced
15g butter
1½ tsp olive oil
½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp harissa
A good squeeze of lemon juice
A small bunch of coriander, roughly chopped

1 Combine the marinade ingredients. Add the lamb chops; make sure they are well coated. Cover, then refrigerate overnight or for at least 1 ½ hours, turning them every so often.

2 For the mash, boil the potatoes and parsnips separately until soft. Drain the potatoes and return them to the saucepan they were cooked in. Cover with a clean scrunched-up tea towel and set over a very low heat for a few minutes – this just helps to dry the potatoes out a bit and gives you a better mash. Meanwhile, drain the parsnips and puree them with the cream. Mash the potatoes or put them through a potato ricer, if you like.

3 Briefly cook the spices in melted butter. Add the potato and parsnip. Beat it all together. Warm the milk, then stir it in too. Season. Let the mash sit with the lid on if you don’t want to serve it immediately – you can reheat it gently if you need to just before serving.

4 Meanwhile, fry the onions in the butter and oil until golden. Turn up the heat and brown them quickly, so some become crisp. Add the cinnamon, harissa, lemon juice and coriander, season and cook for a further minute.

5 Salt the chops and fry them in a hot griddle pan over a high heat, until browned on both sides but pink in the middle.

6 Spoon the mash into warm bowls, heap the onions on top and serve with the chops.

Diana Henry, Crazy Water Pickled Lemons (Mitchell Beazley)

Onion tart with thyme and gruyere

Creamy and cheese-filled with hints of thyme and mustard – this is a comforting slice in which the onions play the star role.

Serves 4–6
65g cold butter, cut into cubes
100g plain flour
A pinch of salt
1–2 tbsp iced water

For the filling
50g butter
750g white onions, peeled

and very thinly sliced
1 large egg
2 large egg yolks
200ml double cream
2 tsp dijon mustard
1 tsp thyme leaves
Salt and white pepper
60g gruyere, freshly grated
Nutmeg, freshly grated

1 To make the pastry, in a food processor, briefly process the butter, flour and salt until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Now tip it into a large, roomy bowl and gently mix in the water with cool hands or a table knife, until well amalgamated. Knead the dough lightly, then put it into a plastic bag and chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour before rolling.

2 For the filling, melt the butter in a wide, shallow pan. Tip in the onions and very gently sweat over a moderate heat for at least 40‑60 minutes, until pale golden and completely soft. Cool.

3 Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4, and place a flat baking sheet inside to warm up (it will help the base of the tart to cook thoroughly).

4 Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface as thinly as you dare, then use it to line a 3cm-deep, 20cm tart tin. Prick the base with a fork. Line the pastry with foil and dried beans, and slide on to the hot baking sheet. Blind bake for 15–20 minutes. Remove the foil and beans and return the pastry case to the oven for a further 10 minutes or so, until it is golden, crisp and well cooked-through – particularly the base.

5 Mix the egg, egg yolks, cream, mustard and thyme leaves. Carefully mix in the onions, season and pile the mixture into the pastry case. Sprinkle the gruyere over the surface and generously grate over a little nutmeg. Bake for about 45 minutes, or until the filling has turned a rich golden colour and is just firm to the touch. Leave to stand for 10 minutes before eating.

Simon Hopkinson, The Vegetarian Option (Quadrille)

Vegetables à la Grecque

White wine, olive oil and herbs are simmered into a tasty broth to which the onions add a delicious sweetness. Pair with olives, feta, and good bread for a satisfying tasty meal.

Serves 4-6
12 onions, red or white
6 medium carrots, peeled and halved lengthwise
2 small fennel bulbs, trimmed and cut into wedges (or use celery hearts)
2 medium courgettes, cut into thick batons

For the poaching liquid
475ml dry white wine
475ml olive oil
475ml water
2 tsp salt, or to taste 
1 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp black peppercorns
1 bay leaf
1 small bunch thyme
6 garlic cloves, thickly sliced
1 small lemon, sliced
2 tbsp white wine vinegar

1 To make the poaching liquid, combine all the ingredients in a wide enamel or stainless steel, heavy-bottomed pot and bring to a boil.Reduce the heat and simmer for about 5 minutes. Taste and adjust for salt. It should be well seasoned.

2 Some people dump all the v egetables into the pot at once, but they’re a bit hard to keep track of that way, since each has a different cooking time. Instead, cook them separately. You want tender, not mushy, vegetables.

3 Start with the onions. Simmer them gently until easily pierced with a skewer – about 10 minutes. Remove from the poaching liquid and let them cool on a plate. Continue with the other vegetables, counting on about 5 minutes for the carrots and fennel, and about 3 minutes for the courgettes.

4 Strain and cool the poaching liquid.

5 Put the vegetables in a deep wide dish and pour the cooled liquid over them. Let them sit in the liquid for at least a few hours, or refrigerate overnight.

6 When you’re ready to serve, remove the vegetables to a platter and spoon a little of the poaching liquid over the top. Serve at room temperature.

David Tanis, Heart of the Artichoke and Other Kitchen Journeys (Artisan)

Turkish pomegranate onions

Perfect as a side to grilled meat, fried halloumi and slow-baked root veg.

Turkish pomegranate onions: a perfect, sweet and sharp side dish. Photograph: Tamin Jones/Guardian

Serves 6
3 red onions, peeled and quartered
2 tbsp vegetable oil
4 tbsp pomegranate molasses
2 tsp sumac
1 tsp salt flakes
2 tbsp chopped parsley

1 Toss the onions in the oil and skewer them. Fry in a hot griddle pan until well-charred.

2 Drizzle the hot onions with the molasses, sprinkle with the sumac and some salt flakes. Let them cool a little, then sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Olia Hercules, oliahercules.com

Source with thanks:http://agriculture.einnews.com/article/241636009/Ri-TU-1kHst2YLO9

Veg out this season

 

Vegetarian food 

By Kadumukasa Kironde II

Posted  Sunday, December 28  2014 at  02:00

RECIPE

From restaurant menus to supermarket aisles, the range of meatless dining options continues to grow unabated.
That is because Ugandans are becoming increasingly more sophisticated and hungry for vegetarian choices, and according to one recent study, over 40 per cent of Americans eat four meatless meals during the week.

Here are four delicious ways to veg out this Yuletide and you will hardly miss the meat!

Coconut curried tofu with green Jasmine rice
Serves 4
¼ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1 ¾ cups water
1 cup Jasmine or basmati rice
1 cup (packed) coarsely chopped fresh cilantro (dhaniya)
¾ cup unsweetened light coconut milk
4 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
1 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 large garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
½ kg tofu, drained and patted dry, cut into ½ inch cubes
½ cup thinly sliced spring onions
2 teaspoons curry powder
1 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
1 cup whole small cherry tomatoes
2 tablespoons chopped peanuts

1. Stir shredded coconut in small nonstick frying pan over medium heat until light golden, about five minutes. Transfer to a bowl
2. Bring 1 ¾ cups water and salt to boil in a heavy medium saucepan and stir in the rice. Bring to a boil and reduce to low, cover and simmer until the water is absorbed and the rice is tender and cooked.
3. In the meantime, puree the cilantro, ½ cup coconut milk, 1 teaspoon ginger, lime juice and half the garlic. Stir fry for a minute before stirring the tomatoes and the remaining coconut milk. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Divide the rice among 4 plates and top with the tofu mixture and sprinkle with peanuts.

Baked penne with broccoli and three cheeses

4 servings
2 teaspoons olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups penne pasta
3 cups 1- inch broccoli florets
2 cups already purchased marinara sauce
1 cup coarsely grated mozzarella cheese
½ cup ricotta cheese
½ cup fresh basil
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

1. Stir oil and garlic in a small frying pan over medium heat for 1 minute and set aside.
2. Cook the penne in a large pot of boiling water salted water until almost tender. Allow about 12 minutes. Add the broccoli and cook for a minute. Drain.
3. Mix the marinara sauce, ½ cup mozzarella, ricotta, basil, 1 tablespoon Parmesan and the sautéed garlic in a large bowl.
4. Add the pasta and broccoli, toss. Season with salt and pepper and transfer to a glass baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan over the dish.
5. Preheat oven until hot and bake the pasta uncovered until the cheese melts. Allow about 20 minutes and let stand for 5 minutes.

Mushroom and Black Bean Burritos
6 servings
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium sliced onions
Vegetable stew
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons grated orange peel
1 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
2 medium cubed in ½ inch cubes zucchini
1 28 ounce can diced tomatoes
1 medium can chick peas, rinsed and drained
12 olives, pitted and chopped

Potato pancakes

1 kg large potatoes, peeled, coarsely grated and squeezed dry in a towel
1/3 cup grated onion
2 tablespoons wheat flour
3 4 teaspoons olive oil

For Vegetable stew: Heat the oil in a heavy large saucepan over medium high heat and add the onion.
Sauté until tender, for about five minutes.
Add the next 4 ingredients; stir 1 minute.
Add the zucchini and tomatoes with juices; bring to boil.
Reduce heat and simmer until zucchini is tender, stirring occasionally, about ten minutes.
Add the chickpeas and olives and simmer for 3 minutes.

For Potato Pancake: Preheat oven to 300d FH. Mix the first three ingredients in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Working in batches, get hold of non stick frying pan and add 1 teaspoon oil. Heat over medium high heat. Add potato mixture by small cupfuls, spreading each to three-inch round. Cook until pancakes are brown, say 5 minute per side. Transfer to baking sheet; keep warm in oven.

Place 3 pancakes on each of four plates. Spoon stew over and serve.

 Source with thanks: http://www.monitor.co.ug/artsculture/Dining---Recipes/Veg-out-this-season/-/691226/2570726/-/qcvdmq/-/index.html

Top 10 recipes of 2014 have us taking another bite

From a brightly flavored green tomato chutney to savory main dishes like a fiery flying tiger flank steak and rich spinach and ricotta gnudi to showstopper desserts like a fruit-packed rhubarb-strawberry pie and bourbon-laced pecan ice cream, 2014 was all about good eating. Here at Good Eating, when we look back at a year of work, we are very fortunate to not see the sorrows of the world. Instead, we take haven in the delicious memories of the stories and recipes we've prepared for you over the past 12 months. We hope those dishes provide comfort in your kitchens for you and your family. To that end, we offer our favorite 10 recipes of the year, those dishes that have us coming back for another bite.

Green tomato chutney

Prep: 10 minutes

Cook: 20 minutes

Makes: 3 pints

In our contribution to the still-growing popularity of preserving, Tribune food writer Judy Hevrdejs concentrated on chutney. We loved this creative use for green tomatoes adapted from Leda Meredith's "Preserving Everything" (Countryman Press, $19.95). Meredith suggests using this as a master recipe, "swapping pears or peaches for the green tomatoes" if you wish.

6 cups finely chopped green tomatoes

1 large tart apple, peeled, cored, finely chopped

2 cups light brown sugar

2 cups apple cider vinegar

1 1/2 cups raisins, chopped

1 organic lemon, sliced into thin slivers (include peels, discard seeds)

1/4 cup minced fresh ginger

1 clove garlic, peeled, minced

1 to 2 chili peppers, minced

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon each: ground allspice, ground coriander seeds

Pinch of ground cloves

Place all ingredients in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Boil, stirring often, until green tomatoes and apple are very soft. The chutney is thick enough when a wooden spoon dragged across bottom leaves a trail that doesn't fill in with chutney until a couple of seconds have passed. Keeps in refrigerator up to 1 month.

Nutrition information per tablespoon: 30 calories, 0 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 8 g carbohydrates, 0 g protein, 15 mg sodium, 0 g fiber

Pomelo and crab salad

Prep: 25 minutes

Cook: 6 minutes

Makes: 4 to 6 servings as part of a shared meal

To celebrate the Lunar New Year, Tribune food writer Bill Daley explored the kick (and good fortune) that fresh citrus brings to food. This recipe from Luke Nguyen, author of "The Food of Vietnam" (Hardie Grant, $50), combines zesty pomelo (grapefruit can be substituted) with fresh crab. Vietnamese mint is also known as Vietnamese coriander or rau ram. Look for the herbs and other specialty ingredients in an Asian grocery. If you cannot find the herbs, leave them out — the salad will still be delicious.

1 3/4 ounces dried shrimp, about 1 1/2 cups

2 tablespoons oil

1 garlic clove, finely diced

1 large pink pomelo, or 2 small pink pomelos

7 ounces picked, cooked crab meat

5 mint leaves, sliced

5 perilla leaves, sliced

5 Vietnamese mint leaves, sliced

5 Thai basil leaves, sliced

1 tablespoon fried red Asian shallots

2 teaspoons fried garlic chips

3 tablespoons nuoc cham dipping sauce, see recipe

1 large red chili, sliced

Crushed roasted peanuts

1. Soak the dried shrimp in water, 1 hour; drain.

2. Add the oil to a hot frying pan. Add the garlic; cook until fragrant, 5-10 seconds. Add the dried shrimp; stir-fry until crispy and golden brown, about 3 minutes. Remove from the pan; allow to cool.

3. Peel and segment the pomelo. Break into bite-size pieces; place in a large bowl. Add the cooled garlic and shrimp mixture, the crabmeat, herbs, fried shallots, garlic chips and nuoc cham. Toss together well. Transfer to a serving dish; garnish with the chili and peanuts. Serve garnished with extra herbs.

Nuoc cham dipping sauce: Combine 1/2 cup water, 3 tablespoons each of fish sauce and white vinegar, and 2 tablespoons sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir well; cook until just below boiling point is reached. Remove pan from heat; cool. Stir in 2 chopped garlic cloves, 1 thinly sliced chili and 2 tablespoons lime juice. Store in a tightly sealed jar in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Nutrition information per serving (for 6 servings): 118 calories, 5 g fat, 0.5 g saturated fat, 68 mg cholesterol, 6 g carbohydrates, 11 g protein, 285 mg sodium, 1 g fiber

Gazpacho frozen pops

Prep: 20 minutes

Freeze: 4 hours to overnight

Makes: 6 cups or about sixteen 3-ounce frozen pops

Rita Gutekanst, co-owner of Limelight Catering, shared her ingenious method of turning the Spanish cold soup into a frozen pop, a treat she served at Green City Market's annual barbecue fundraiser. For the molds, we used a silicon ice cube tray with 3-ounce chambers. Paper Dixie cups, the choice of many a parent when making homemade frozen pops, also hold about 3 ounces.

1 cup cubed white bread

1 1/2 cups tomato juice

4 cups seeded chopped tomato, about 3 3/4 pounds

2 cups seeded, peeled, chopped cucumber, about 2 medium

3/4 cup chopped red onion

1 cup chopped red bell pepper, about 1 medium

3 ounces extra-virgin olive oil

1 1/2 ounces sherry wine vinegar

1 teaspoon salt

Cayenne pepper, to taste

1/2 lemon, juiced

Pesto, for serving, optional

1. Soak bread in tomato sauce until soft. Blend all of the ingredients, except pesto, well in a blender. Strain through a strainer (not a chinois); the mixture should be smooth but not too fine. Taste and adjust vinegar, salt, cayenne and lemon juice.

2. Pour into ice cube trays or molds; set in freezer. After 30-60 minutes, insert sticks into center of each ice cube or mold. Freeze until solid, 4 hours or overnight.

3. When ready to serve, unmold pops; stand each in a puddle of pesto on a small plate. That will keep them from sliding and will add a hint of flavor.

Nutrition information per serving: 49 calories, 4 g fat, 0.5 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 3 g carbohydrates, 1 g protein, 157 mg sodium, 1 g fiber

Cemitas poblanas

Prep: 30 minutes

Cook: 40 minutes

Makes: 6 sandwiches

An easy, breezy approach to Labor Day included three sandwiches to make ahead, pack and cart to cookouts and picnics. This torta from "Street Food of Mexico" by Hugo Ortega, a Houston restaurateur, was our favorite. Cemitas are sesame seed buns from the Mexican state of Puebla. Another round bun or roll can be substituted. Papalo, a wild herb, can be subbed with cilantro.

6 chicken breast halves, pounded to 1/8-inch thick

Salt and pepper

3/4 cup flour

2 eggs lightly beaten

3/4 cup panko crumbs

1/2 cup corn oil

6 rolls, split open

6 tablespoons mayonnaise

3/4 cup canned refried beans

1 1/2 cups quesillo cheese, aka queso Oaxaca

2 avocados, peeled, pitted, sliced

1 medium white onion, thinly sliced

6 canned chipotle peppers in adobo, seeded, sliced

1/2 bunch papalo or cilantro, leaves only

1. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Place the flour, beaten eggs and panko crumbs in separate shallow bowls. Pass each breast through the flour, beaten egg and finally through the panko crumbs, shaking off excess each time. Place breaded chicken on a baking sheet.

2. Heat the oil in a cast iron skillet over medium heat. Working with one at a time, fry breasts until golden brown, 3 minutes per side. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Keep warm.

3. To assemble, spread 1 tablespoon mayonnaise on the cut side of the bottom half of each bun and 2 tablespoons refried beans on the tops. Add the chicken breasts, cheese, avocado slices, onion slices and chipotle peppers. Top with papalo or cilantro leaves.

Nutrition information per sandwich: 963 calories, 39 g fat, 10 g saturated fat, 211 mg cholesterol, 90 g carbohydrates, 60 g protein, 1,404 mg sodium, 9 g fiber

Braised kabocha squash, green onions, miso

Prep: 40 minutes

Cook: 35 minutes

Makes: 8 servings

A look at building a balanced menu for a vegetarian dinner party included this aromatic stew from "Vegetarian Dinner Parties" by Bruce Weinstein and Mark Scarbrough. This stew can be made 24 hours in advance and reheated, covered, in a 300-degree oven until warm, about 20 minutes.

3/4 cup vegetable broth

6 tablespoons white miso paste

6 tablespoons mirin

1/4 cup peanut oil

12 medium green onions, thinly sliced

3 tablespoons fresh minced ginger

4 teaspoons minced garlic

2 medium kabocha squash, peeled, cubed (about 12 cups)

Black sesame seeds

1. Heat the oven to 325 degrees. Whisk the broth, miso paste and mirin in a bowl until well combined.

2. Set a large Dutch oven or cast iron casserole over medium heat for a few minutes. Add the oil, then the green onions. Cook, stirring often, until they're wilted, about 2 minutes. Stir in the ginger and garlic; cook a few seconds until aromatic. Stir in the squash. Pour in the broth mixture, increase the heat to high and heat to a simmer, stirring occasionally.

3. Cover the pot; place on the center rack of the oven. Bake until the squash is tender, about 30 minutes. Serve in shallow bowls, garnished with black sesame seeds.

Nutrition information per serving: 164 calories, 8 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 21 g carbohydrates, 3 g protein, 369 mg sodium, 3 g fiber

Spinach gnudi

Prep: 30 minutes

Cook: 20 minutes

Makes: 30 gnudi, serves 4 as a main course or 6 as a starter

A how-to story on gnudi, the Italian ricotta dumplings, included this spinach version adapted from "The Italian Cooking Course" (Kyle, $29.95) by Katie Caldesi.

12 ounces fresh spinach

8 ounces whole milk ricotta, drained

1 egg yolk

1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan

1/2 cup flour

1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg

Freshly ground black pepper

1/2 stick salted butter

6 large fresh sage leaves

1. Cook the spinach in a large saucepan over medium heat until wilted. Allow to cool; squeeze to remove water. Chop it finely in a food processor.

2 Mix together in a bowl with the ricotta, egg yolk, Parmesan, flour, salt, nutmeg and pepper to taste. Form small dumplings with your hands, using about 2 teaspoons mixture per dumpling. (Tightly pack the mixture so that it won't break up in the water.) Place gnudi on a floured surface, making sure they don't touch each other.

3. Heat a large pot of well-salted water to a boil over high heat; add the gnudi, in batches, being careful not to crowd them. After gnudi float to the surface, cook, 2-4 minutes. Lift them out with a slotted spoon; transfer to a warm serving dish coated with a little olive oil to prevent sticking. Repeat with remaining gnudi.

4. Meanwhile, for the sauce, melt the butter with the sage leaves in a large skillet. Toss the cooked gnudi in the butter sauce. Serve, sprinkled with freshly grated Parmesan.

Nutrition information per serving (for 6 servings): 301 calories, 21 g fat, 13 g saturated fat, 97 mg cholesterol, 13 g carbohydrates, 16 g protein, 524 mg sodium, 1 g fiber

Crying tiger flank steak with sweet-hot Thai relish

Prep: 15 minutes

Marinate: 4-8 hours

Cook: 10 minutes

Makes: 6 to 8 servings

Freelance food writer Robin Mather opened grilling season for us with four recipes for flank steak, each with a marinade and sauce. This was our favorite. Marinate the steak for 4 to 8 hours, no longer. Marinades with citrus juice can toughen meat if left to marinate too long. Remember to remove the steak from the refrigerator at least an hour before cooking.

1 flank steak, 2 to 2 1/2 pounds

Marinade:

1/4 cup fish sauce

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon sugar

3 cloves garlic, minced

Juice of 1 lime

Sauce:

5 small, fresh red hot chilies, such as chile de arbol, pequin or bird

2 Roma tomatoes

1 small onion, coarsely chopped

1 red bell pepper, coarsely chopped

4 large cloves garlic, coarsely chopped

1/4 cup each: fish sauce, sugar, fresh lime juice (about 2 limes)

1. For the marinade, combine fish sauce, soy sauce, sugar and 3 cloves garlic in a blender or food processor. Blend until mixture is well combined. Place marinade in a dish large enough to hold the flank steak; add steak, turning to coat; cover and refrigerate, 4 to 8 hours.

2. Prepare the grill with a hot fire and the grate about 2 inches above the coals.

3. For the sauce, toast the chilies in a dry heavy skillet over medium heat; remove when the chilies are fragrant. Add the tomatoes to the skillet; sear them on all sides, letting the skin char slightly. When the chilies have cooled, seed them if desired. Place chilies, tomatoes, onion, bell pepper, garlic, fish sauce, sugar and lime juice in a blender or food processor; whiz until they form a chunky puree. Place sauce into a small bowl; set aside for serving.

4. Remove the flank steak from the marinade, discarding marinade. Pat steak dry with paper towels. Oil the grill grate with some vegetable oil on a paper towel. Place the flank steak on the hot grate; cook, undisturbed, 3 minutes. Turn the steak 45 degrees; cook 2 minutes longer. Flip the steak; cook, 3 minutes. Let the steak rest for 10 minutes before carving.

5. Slice the steak across the grain, angling the knife blade at a 45-degree angle. Spoon some of the sauce over each portion; pass the rest at the table.

Nutrition information per serving (for 8 servings): 200 calories, 8 g fat, 3 g saturated fat, 68 mg cholesterol, 7 g carbohydrates, 24 g protein, 600 mg sodium, 1 g fiber

Dal with tomatoes, onion, ginger and garlic

Prep: 15 minutes

Cook: 20 minutes

Makes: about 5 cups, 6 servings

In his monthly Prep School column for Good Eating, food writer and culinary instructor James P. DeWan tackled dal, the lentil dish of southwest Asia, providing a basic method that can be adapted myriad ways. This recipe employs a tarka to add a burst of flavor just before serving. Other lentils can be subbed for the masoor dal. We used split moong dal.

1 cup masoor dal (or other lentils)

4 cups water

1/4 teaspoon turmeric

1 tablespoon kosher salt or to taste

1 ounce ghee or clarified butter or vegetable oil

1 teaspoon whole cumin seed

1 teaspoon black mustard seeds, optional

1 to 2 whole dried red peppers, optional

1/2 medium onion, cut into small dice

1 piece (1-inch long) ginger, peeled, grated

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 large or 2 medium ripe tomatoes, medium dice

Cooked basmati rice

Minced cilantro, lime wedges

1. Combine dal, water, turmeric and salt in a heavy bottom saucepan over high heat. As water heats, skim scum from surface. When water comes to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until dal is soft, 10-15 minutes.

2. While dal is simmering, make tarka: Heat a medium saucepan over medium high heat. When hot, add ghee or clarified butter or oil. When fat gets hot, add cumin seed, optional black mustard seed and optional dried red peppers; cook until cumin seeds begin to turn light brown and mustard seeds start popping, 1-2 minutes.

3. Add onion; cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 3 minutes.

4. Stir in ginger and garlic; cook until fragrant, 30-60 seconds. If garlic starts to brown, proceed to step 5 immediately to cool down pan.

5. Stir in tomatoes; cook to warm through, 1 minute. Remove pan from heat; set aside.

6. When dal is soft, drain the excess water, if you prefer. Or keep it for a soupier consistency. Stir in tarka and adjust seasoning; serve hot over basmati rice with minced cilantro and lime wedges.

Nutrition information per serving: 142 calories, 3 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 7 mg cholesterol, 21 g carbohydrates, 9 g protein, 485 mg sodium, 8 g fiber

Strawberry-rhubarb deep dish pie

Prep: 45 minutes

Bake: 55 minutes

Makes: One 10-inch pie, serving 8 to 10

When Good Eating columnist JeanMarie Brownson wrote about grilled lamb for Father's Day in her Dinner at Home column, she included this showstopper pie that delivers the classic combination of fresh rhubarb and strawberries in a deeply satisfying dessert.

1 recipe pie crust for a double-crust 10-inch pie, well chilled, see recipe

2 pounds fresh rhubarb, trimmed

1 1/3 cups sugar

1/3 cup quick-cooking tapioca

1 teaspoon salt

6 cups fresh small strawberries, hulled, halved

2 tablespoons half-and-half

Coarse sugar for sprinkling

1. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Have a deep 10-inch glass or ceramic pie plate and a baking sheet ready.

2. Roll out the larger disk of pie dough between 2 sheets of floured wax paper into a thin circle about 14 inches in diameter. Carefully fold the dough in half, then place it in the pie dish. Unfold it and fit it over the bottom and up the sides of the pie dish. Trim the overhang to leave about 1/2 inch all around the pie dish. Refrigerate.

3. Roll the other piece of dough between 2 sheets of floured wax paper into an 11-inch circle; place it (still between the wax paper) on the baking sheet and refrigerate it.

4. For the filling, cut the rhubarb into 1/2-inch pieces. Place in a large bowl. Add the sugar, tapioca and salt. Mix well. Gently stir in the strawberries. Let stand about 10 minutes.

5. Spoon the rhubarb mixture and accumulated juices into the dough-lined pie dish. Carefully place the top crust over the fruit. Use your fingers to press together the top and bottom crusts, trimming as needed. Use a fork to make a decorative edge. Brush the top of the pie and the edges with the half-and-half. Sprinkle everything generously with the coarse sugar. Gently poke steam vents with a fork into the top of the pie in several spots.

6. Bake pie at 425 degrees, 25 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees. Now slide the baking sheet under the pie to catch any drips. Continue baking at 350 degrees until the top crust is nicely browned, 30-40 minutes more. Cool on wire rack until barely warm. Serve warm.

Nutrition information per serving (for 10 servings): 463 calories, 20 g fat, 9 g saturated fat, 26 mg cholesterol, 68 g carbohydrates, 5 g protein, 472 mg sodium, 4 g fiber

Pie crust

Prep: 20 minutes

Chill: 1 hour

Makes: Enough for a double-crust 10-inch pie

We use vegetable shortening for easy dough handling and maximum flakiness; unsalted butter adds rich flavor.

2 1/2 cups all-purpose unbleached flour

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup unsalted butter, very cold

1/2 cup trans fat-free vegetable shortening, frozen

1. Put flour, sugar and salt into a food processor. Pulse to mix well. Cut butter and shortening into small pieces; sprinkle them over the flour mixture. Use on/off pulses with the food processor to blend the fats into the flour. The mixture will look like coarse crumbs.

2. Put ice cubes into about 1/2 cup water and let the water chill. Remove the ice cubes; drizzle about 6 tablespoons of the ice water over the flour mixture. Briefly pulse the machine just until the mixture gathers into a dough.

3. Dump the mixture out onto a sheet of wax paper. Gather into two balls, one slightly larger than the other. Flatten the balls into thick disks. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour. (Dough will keep in the refrigerator for several days.)

Bourbon brown butter pecan ice cream

Prep: 30 minutes

Cook: 20 minutes

Chill: 4 hours, plus freezing time

Makes: about 1 quart

One taste of this rich, flavor-packed ice cream from Allison Scott, sous chef at Sunday Dinner Club, and we knew it would be among our top recipes of the year. Chicago freelance food writer Heather Lalley included the recipe in her article exploring ways to bring the warmth and spice of bourbon into desserts.

1/4 pound unsalted butter

3/4 cup pecans, chopped

3/4 cup brown sugar

2 cups heavy cream

1 1/2 cups half and half

9 large egg yolks

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste (or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract)

3 tablespoons good bourbon

1. Heat the butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Toast the pecans, stirring occasionally, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove them from the butter with a slotted spoon. Continue cooking the butter, stirring continuously, until the milk solids turn golden brown, about 2 more minutes.

2. Pour the browned butter immediately into a medium bowl, taking care to scrape all of the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Whisk the brown sugar into the browned butter; let cool slightly.

3. In a medium saucepan, heat the cream and half and half just to a boil. Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks and salt into the cooled brown sugar mixture.

4. Slowly temper the hot cream mixture into yolks by pouring a little in at a time, whisking continuously, so that the eggs don't curdle. Pour the custard back into the saucepan; cook over very low heat, stirring continuously, until it coats the back of a spoon (180 degrees Fahrenheit). Do not let it boil. Strain the mixture into a bowl placed over an ice bath.

5. Stir occasionally until mixture cools to room temperature. Whisk in buttermilk, vanilla bean paste and bourbon. Taste, and if you like, season with more bourbon (up to 1/4 cup total so it will still freeze) and salt.

6. Refrigerate custard for at least 4 hours, then freeze according to the instructions on your ice cream maker. Stir in the reserved pecans toward the end of the churning.

Nutrition information per 1/2 cup serving: 588 calories, 52 g fat, 27 g saturated fat, 337 mg cholesterol, 27 g carbohydrates, 7 g protein, 207 mg sodium, 1 g fiber

Source with thanks: http://www.chicagotribune.com/lifestyles/food/ct-food-0107-best-recipes-2014-20141231-story.html#page=1

Blue cheese, walnuts add flavor to simple dinner featuring chicken

By Susan SelaskyTribune News Service  •  Wednesday December 31, 2014 10:12 AM

ED HAUN | DETROIT FREE PRESSBlue Cheese-Stuffed Chicken Breasts, which are seared first, then baked

This chicken dish comes together quickly, looks pretty and stands out in the flavor department — if the chicken isn’t overcooked.To get moist boneless, skinless chicken breasts: Sear first, then bake. Using an ovenproof skillet that isn’t nonstick will ensure a better sear on the chicken; then transfer it to the oven to finish cooking.Set your timer for about 8 minutes (for a chicken breast that’s about a half-inch thick end to end). The chicken turns out tender and juicy.

If you don’t have an ovenproof skillet, sear it in whatever skillet you have, then transfer it to a glass baking dish along with its drippings and pan juices.The chicken will create more juices as it roasts. When it’s done, use those drippings to create a delicious pan sauce. There won’t be a lot of sauce, but it is full-flavored, and a small amount goes a long way. If you want more sauce, double up on the chicken stock and add an extra tablespoon or more of lemon juice to taste.In addition to a brightly flavored pan sauce, this dish gets its tang from blue cheese.

The recipe calls for just 1 tablespoon per serving, but use more if you like or substitute herbed goat cheese. Walnuts add to the layers of flavors in this dish. But like many other nuts, they are a pricey ingredient. Toast the walnuts for 6 to 8 minutes to intensify their flavor. The nuts, scattered over the chicken, also add to the presentation of the plate.Serve this dish with a side of rice or couscous. Try cooking the rice in half chicken broth, half water to enhance its taste. A fragrant rice, such as basmati, lends another element to the dish. Basmati gives off a nutty or popcornlike scent when boiling. It will entice your guests and make them wonder what’s cooking.

BLUE CHEESE-STUFFED CHICKEN BREASTS

Makes 4 servings

We adapted this recipe from Food & Wine magazine, substituting blue cheese for goat cheese. Only a small amount of cheese (1 tablespoon) is used per serving, and we found the blue cheese has a stronger and tangier taste. Either can be used.

1/4 cup walnut halves

1/4 cup favorite blue cheese or goat cheese

1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

1 garlic clove, minced

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Four skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (6 ounces each)

1 tablespoon olive oil

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup chicken stock or low-sodium broth

2 tablespoons walnut oil or canola oil

1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

Basmati rice for serving

Heat oven to 400 degrees.

Spread the walnuts in a pie plate and toast them in the oven for 6 minutes, until they are fragrant. Remove them from the oven, but leave the oven on. Let the walnuts cool, then chop them.

In a small bowl, mash the cheese with the lemon zest, garlic and half of the walnuts; season with salt and pepper.Using a small knife, cut a pocket in the side of each chicken breast; keep the opening as small as possible. Stuff the chicken breasts with the cheese mixture and gently press to flatten them.

In a large ovenproof skillet, heat the olive oil on medium-high. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and place in the skillet. Cook it over moderately high heat, turning once, until it’s browned, about 6 minutes.Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast the chicken for 5 minutes.Transfer the chicken breasts to a platter and keep them warm.

Add the lemon juice and stock to the skillet and cook over moderately high heat, scraping up any browned bits stuck to the pan. Simmer for 3 minutes.Stir in the walnut oil, parsley and the remaining chopped walnuts. Transfer the chicken breasts to serving plates and spoon the walnut sauce on top. Serve with steamed rice or couscous.

PER SERVING: 356 calories, 38 g protein, 3 g carbohydrates, 1 g fiber, 21 g fat (4 g saturated), 101 mg cholesterol, 223 mg sodium

Source with thanks: The Columbus Dispatch

Carrot Coconut Pulav

Jan 3 2015  | Views 1 |  Comments  (0) Leave a Comment  | Report Abuse
Tags: basmati rice carrot coconut

Ingredients

Basmati rice - 1 cup
Carrots (grated) - 1/2 cup
Coconut (grated) - 1/2 cup
Onion - 1
Green chilli - 2
Clove - 2
Cinnamon - a small piece
Bay leaf - 2
Salt - as needed
Oil - as needed

Method

1. Peel skin of onion, cut finely.
2. Cut green chilli into pieces.
3. Heat oil in a pressure pan.
4. Add bay leaf, cinnamon, clove, green chilli, onion, fry for a few minutes.
5. Add coconut, carrot, fry till coconut changes colour. 
6. Add rice, fry for a few minutes, add 1 & 1/2 cups of water, salt, cover with a lid and cook.
7. When cooker whistles twice, switch off stove.
8. When pressure subsides, remove lid, stir the contents, transfer to a serving bowl.

© spicy-kitchen., all rights reserved.

Source with thanks:www.sulekha.com

Recipe: Gosht Dum Biryani

TNN | Jan 3, 2015, 12.00AM IST

 

Recipe: Gosht Dum Biryani

Dinkar Sardesai, executive chef of Rama International, Aurangabad shares the authentic recipe of Gosht Dum Biryani.

Ingredients
1 kg Lamb meat
600 gm Basmati rice
100 gm Ghee
5 gm Clove
2 gm Cardomom seeds
3 gm Cinnamon
75gm Ginger garlic paste
4 nos Green chillies
1 tsp Kewra water
1 gm Saffron
Salt to taste
100 gm Onion sliced
2 pc Bay leaves
250 gm Curd
10 gm Red chilli powder
5gm Fresh mint leaves
5 gms Coriandaer leaves
2 gm Cardomom powder
2 gm Mace powder
20 ml Milk

Method
1. Clean the mutton.
2. Soak the saffron in a little warm milk.
3. Wash basmati rice and soak in water for at least 1 hour.
4. Boil the basmati until three fourth done.
5. Cut ginger, green chilli and mint leaves into fine julienne.
6. In a pan, heat the ghee, stir fry the onion, cloves, bay leaves and cardamom, to a golden brown colour, add the mutton cubes, ginger-garlic paste, season to taste and cook on high heat for 10 minutes.
7. Add yogurt to the mutton as well as red chilli powder and slowly cook until the meat is almost done.
8. Remove the meat from the pot and strain the gravy (jhol).
9. Take another pot, add kewra water, cardamom and mace powder and milk dissolved saffron and cook for few minutes more.
10. Add the cooked mutton to the flavoured and seasoned jhol and the ¾ done rice to this.
11. Cover this pot with dough of bread, brush it with saffron and milk mixture and bake for 20 minutes.
12. Serve hot with salan and garlic flavoured raita.

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Source with thanks:The times of India

 

Blue cheese, walnuts take chicken to another level

Daily Photo Galleries

Sunday - Jan. 04, 2015

By Susan Selasky

Saturday, Jan. 3, 2015, 7:36 p.m.

A dish that comes together quickly can not only look pretty but wow in the flavor department as well. That is, if you don't overcook the chicken.But here's my tip for getting moist boneless, skinless chicken breasts: Sear first, then bake them. To do this, it's a good idea to use a skillet that's not nonstick but is ovenproof. You'll get a better sear on the chicken if it's not nonstick. First, sear the chicken in the ovenproof skillet and then transfer it to a heated oven to finish the cooking. Set your timer for about 8 minutes (for a chicken breast that's about ¹⁄₂-inch thick end to end). The chicken turns out tender and juicy.

If you don't have an ovenproof skillet, use whatever skillet you have on hand and have ready a small glass pan. After the chicken is seared, transfer it to a glass baking pan, scraping all the pan juices into the dish. As the chicken cooks in the oven, it will create more juices. When the chicken is done, a delicious pan sauce can be made with those juices or pan drippings. You won't have a lot of the sauce, but it's full-flavored and a small amount goes a long way. If you want more sauce, double up on the chicken stock and add an extra tablespoon or more of lemon juice to taste.

In addition to a brightly flavored pan sauce, this dish gets a tangy flavor from blue cheese. In this recipe, only 1 tablespoon is used per serving, but you can use more if you like. You also can substitute an herbed goat cheese.

Another impressive flavor in this dish comes from the walnuts, which, like many other nuts, are pricey ingredients. Toasting the walnuts for 6 to 8 minutes intensifies their flavor. And they look nice scattered over the chicken.

Serve this dish with a side of rice or couscous. I like to cook the rice with half chicken broth and half water. It also amps the flavor of the rice. Using a fragrant rice, such as basmati, lends another flavorful element to this dish. Basmati, when it's cooking, has a popcorn or nutty aroma that will make your guests wonder what's cooking.

Susan Selasky is a staff writer for the Detroit Free Press.

BLUE CHEESE STUFFED CHICKEN BREASTS

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Total time: 30 minutes

We adapted this recipe from Food & Wine magazine, substituting blue cheese for goat cheese. Only a small amount of cheese (1 tablespoon) is used per serving, and we found the blue cheese has a stronger and tangier taste. Either one can be used.

¹⁄₄ cup walnut halves, divided

¹⁄₄ cup favorite blue or goat cheese

¹⁄₂ teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

1 clove garlic, minced

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (6 ounces each)

1 tablespoon olive oil

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

¹⁄₄ cup chicken stock or low-sodium broth

2 tablespoons walnut oil or canola oil

¹⁄₄ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

Basmati rice or couscous, for serving

Heat the oven to 400 degrees.

Spread the walnuts in a pie plate and toast them in the oven for 6 minutes, until they are fragrant. Remove them from the oven, but leave the oven on. Let the walnuts cool, then chop them.

In a small bowl, mash the cheese with the lemon zest, garlic and half of the walnuts; season with salt and pepper.

Using a small knife, cut a pocket in the side of each chicken breast; keep the pocket opening as small as possible. Stuff the chicken breasts with the cheese mixture and gently press to flatten them.

In a large, ovenproof skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and place it in the skillet. Cook it over moderately high heat, turning once, until it's browned, for about 6 minutes.

Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast the chicken for 5 minutes.

Transfer the chicken breasts to a platter and keep them warm.

Add the lemon juice and stock to the skillet and cook it over moderately high heat, scraping up any browned bits stuck to the pan. Simmer for 3 minutes.

Stir in the walnut oil, parsley and the remaining chopped walnuts. Transfer the chicken breasts to serving plates and spoon the walnut sauce on top. Serve with steamed rice or couscous.

Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition information per serving: 356 calories, 21 grams fat (4 grams saturated), 101 milligrams cholesterol, 38 grams protein, 3 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram dietary fiber, 223 milligrams sodium

Source with thanks:http://triblive.com/lifestyles/fooddrink/7401321-74/chicken-cheese-minutes#ixzz3NzXVcAif 
https://myghanaonline.com/1.1944433