Cooking.2010

Afghan Night - December 7, 2010

Although we cooked Afghan food in spring of 2008, I found the recipe for Aushak in Ruth Reichl's memoirs (see the 'Things That Go With Cheesecake' night below). The aushak recipe is fantastic - either with or without meat - and so we decided it was time to revisit this country, with resounding deliciousness. Enjoy!

	<Many hungry cookers: Cyrus, Ralph, Kerstin, Christiane, Amina, Klaus, Annette and Daniel >the mushroom sauce for the Aushak
	<a very rich veggie soup > the wonder of the Aushak, on a bed of garlic yogurt, topped with mushrooms and mint
	<Noni >bondage eggplants get tied up to keep their stuffing inside before cooking
	<a plate full of goodness >the vanilla cake before ...
	> ...and after drizzling some melted chocolate on top

Aushak
Mushroom Sauce:
3 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
½ pound mushrooms (original recipe: ½ pound ground beef)
1 clove garlic
1 tsp ground coriander
½ tsp grated ginger
½ cup water
2 Tbsp tomato paste
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper

Yogurt Sauce:
1 cup middle-eastern style yogurt
1 Tbsp minced garlic
½ tsp salt

Dumplings:
2 bunches scallions, white parts discarded, green parts finely chopped (about 2 cups)
½ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp minced garlic
25-30 gyoza round wrappers

Garnish: 2 tsps chopped fresh mint

To prepare mushroom sauce: heat oil in small skillet. Add onion and cook for 5 minutes until golden. Add mushrooms, garlic, coriander and ginger, and cook, stirring, until mushrooms are soft and tender.
Add water and cook, stirring often, until it is reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring for about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, set aside.

To make the yogurt sauce: Blend yogurt, garlic and salt, set aside.

To make the dumplings: Combine the chopped scallion tops, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes and garlic into a bowl. Toss to mix.
Lay a gyoza wrapper on a flat surface and brush the edges with water. Spoon 1 tsp of the scallion mixture into the center, fold the wrapper in half, and press the edges to make a semi-circle. Repeat with remaining wrappers.
Heat 3 quarts of salted water in a large pot. When boiling, add dumplings and cook for 5 minutes. Drain in a colander.

Assemble the dish: Spoon ¼ cup yogurt sauce into a serving dish, and cover it with the dumplings. Spoon the remaining yogurt sauce on top, and sprinkle with mint. Spoon the meat sauce all around and serve at once.

Ginger Tamarind Eggplant
* 1 1/2-inch-round ball tamarind
* 1/4 c -Boiling water
* 1 lb Thin, long eggplant
* 3 tb Light vegetable oil
* 1 1/2 ts Minced garlic
* 2 ts Ground coriander
* 1/4 ts Ground cinnamon
* 1/8 ts Ground cloves
* 1/2 c Packed flaked coconut -- fresh or canned, -- unsweetened
* 1 ts Cayenne pepper (or more)
* 1/2 ts Coarse salt; or to taste
* 2 tb Unsulphured molasses -OR- Brown sugar
* 1/2 ts Black mustard seeds
Ginger-Tamarind Sauce
* -Tamarind residue from above
* 1/2 c -Boiling water
* 1/2 ts Cornstarch
* 1 tb Shredded fresh ginger
Put the tamarind in a nonmetallic bowl. Add 1/4 cup boiling water and let it soak for 30 minutes. Mash the pulp and extract as much juice from it as possible. Pour all liquid into a bowl, and save the fibrous residue for making the sauce.

Slit the eggplants lengthwise to within 3/4 inch of the stem end so that each eggplant remains in one piece.

Measure out the spices and place them right next to the stove in separate piles. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large frying pan or skillet over medium-high heat for 1 minute. Add the garlic and fry for 30 seconds. Add the coriander, cinnamon, and cloves; fry for 15 more seconds. Stir in the coconut and cayenne pepper; continue frying, stirring, until lightly toasted (about 2 minutes). Turn off the heat and stir in the salt, tamarind liquid, and molasses, and mix well.

Stuff the eggplants with the spicy coconut mixture. Secure them by wrapping thread around them.

Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in the same pan over medium-high heat. When it is hot, add mustard seeds. Keep a pot lid handy, as the seeds may spatter and fly all over. When the seeds stop spattering, add the eggplants in one layer. Fry the eggplants, turning them often, for 3 or 4 minutes. Reduce heat to medium or medium low and cook them, covered, for 10 to 12 minutes or until they are soft and cooked through. Turn off heat. Transfer them to a serving platter, pour Ginger-Tamarind sauce over them, and serve immediately.

GINGER-TAMARIND SAUCE: Put tamarind residue in a nonmetallic bowl, add 1/2 cup boiling water, and let soak for 30 minutes. Mash the residue and extract as much tamarind essence as possible, squeezing it hard, into a bowl. Discard the fibrous residue.

Put tamarind water in a nonmetallic pan along with cornstarch, mix well and bring to a boil. Cook for 2 minutes. Turn off heat and stir in ginger shreds.

Note: For a hotter flavor, stir 4 chopped hot green chilies into sauce.

Noni Afghani Bread
* 1 1/2 cups warm water
* 1 (.25 ounce) envelope active dry yeast
* 1 tablespoon white sugar
* 4 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 1/4 teaspoons salt, or to taste
* 1/4 cup corn oil
* 1 egg
* 1 tablespoon water
* 1 tablespoon caraway seeds (optional)
1. In a small bowl, stir together 1/2 cup warm water and sugar. Sprinkle the yeast over the top, and let stand for about 10 minutes, until foamy.
2. Place flour in a large bowl, and stir in salt. Make a well in the center, and pour in the corn oil and yeast mixture. Add the remaining water in small amounts until you have a soft moist dough that can be handled. Turn out onto a floured surface, and knead for at least 5 minutes. Return to the bowl, cover with a towel, and let rise until doubled in size, about 1 1/2 hours.
3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Deflate the risen dough, and divide into 8 pieces. Roll each piece into a ball.
4. On a lightly floured surface, roll each ball with a rolling pin so it is oval shaped, about 6 inches long, and 1/2 inch thick. Use a fork or dull knife to draw three lines on the top of each loaf. Place the loaves on a baking sheet. Mix together the egg and remaining tablespoon of water; brush the tops of the loaves with the mixture. Sprinkle caraway seeds over the tops, if using.
5. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven, until the loaves are shiny and golden brown.

Vegetarian mosh awa (Afghani vegetable soup)
1 cup whole moong (moong daal is fine too…with or without skins, as some recipes call for it)
1 cup chickpeas (kabuli chana)
2 cups onions, minced finely
5 cloves of garlic, minced finely
1 cup olive oil (this seems like a lot, but it is meant to be floating on the top luxuriously)
1 tsp crushed chiles
1 cup tomato puree or 2 cups chopped tomatoes
1 tsp dried mint/pudina or 2 tspn fresh mint leaves
1 tsp dried dill or 2 tsp fresh dill leaves
1 cup of water (plus more as needed)
1 teaspn gram flour (besan)
1 cup of yoghurt (+ ? Cup of water)
salt to taste
Method: Wash, soak and cook the moong and chickpeas separately until very tender in enough water to keep them covered.
Fry onions and garlic in oil until lightly browned, add crushed chile and fry until it darkens.
Lower the flame and add tomatoes, mint, dill, and salt and keep frying until it forms a paste and the oil returns to the edges.
Add water and cooked moong, chickpeas along with their cooking liquid, bring to a boil and then lower heat to simmer for 20 min. Thin if needed with more water.
Thin the yoghurt with water (they suggest adding a spoon of besan to keep the yoghurt from curdling) and then pour in a stream into the soup while stirring. Turn off heat, adjust salt if needed.

Nicky’s Vanilla Cake (from Ruth Reichl’s book, not Afghanistan)
2 sticks (8 oz., or 225g) butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
1 cup sour cream (or quark)
2 tsp vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 350° F (175° C). Butter and flour a bundt form or ring springform.
Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, blending well after each addition. Mix the flour, baking soda and baking powder together and add this to the butter mixture, mixing well. Add the sour cream and mix well, then mix in the vanilla.
Pour the batter into a prepared cake pan and bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until golden. Let the pan cook on a wire rack for 5 minutes, then turn cake out of the pan and leave on rack until cool.

We listened to music from Afghnistan: http://www.virtualafghans.com/afghan_radio/

Words of the Week:
chives
scallion / green onion
to glue
clue
dough
lamp post
street lamp
rubber spatula
cutlery / silverware
trophy wife
nosebleed section
jello
snorkeling
evolving
to drizzle
toss
to shovel snow
storyteller

Funky Thanksgiving - November 9, 2010

Since we’ve done the traditional Thanksgiving thing for the past 3 years, I decided it was time to stir things up – taking all the traditional Thanksgiving ingredients, and giving them a new twist. Ralph and Birgit cooked a duck and brought it on over for dinner – making it a very strange Thanksgiving indeed, but highly recommended. Even if you don’t go all out and twist all your recipes, just go out on a limb and do some curried sweet potatoes or coconut-ginger Brussels sprouts this year. Your guests will thank you for it : )

	<Much to give thanks for: Kerstin, Cyrus, Ralph, Birgit, Gerd, Andrea and Daniel (behind the camera) >Chestnut soup
	<Ralph's duck > Strange and wonderful brussels sprouts
	<Cyrus executes the bird >unstuffed stuffing
	<Kerstin's squash >Curry sweet potatoes
	<a full plate > Andrea insisted we post this photo she took
	> Pumpkin pie. Some traditions are too good to mess with

Puree of Chestnut Soup
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped
6 cups veg broth
5 cups fresh peeled chestnuts
1 cup heavy cream
Garnish: black pepper, chives, crème fraiche, roasted chestnuts
In a saucepan, melt butter and oil, add onion and rosemary. Cook gently over medium heat, about 5 min, until onion is transparent. Add broth and chestnuts, cook gently for about 30 min until chestnuts are tender.
Puree the soup in blender until smooth. Add cream and then simmer gently for 10 minutes, allowing cream to blend into the mixture. Season and garnish.
Note: if using unpeeled chestnuts, score the nuts and blanch them in boiling salted water for 5 to 10 min to soften, peel while still warm.

Sweet Potato Curry
* 1 small to medium sweet potato OR yam, chopped into chunks (2-3 cups)
* 3-4 cups peeled pumpkin or squash, chopped into chunks
* 1/4 can thick coconut milk (reserved from sauce recipe below)
* 2-3 whole kaffir lime leaves (available fresh or frozen at Asian stores)
* handful fresh coriander for garnish
* Optional: 1/3 to 1/2 can chickpeas
* CURRY SAUCE:
* 3/4 can coconut milk (reserve remaining 1/4 can)
* 3 cloves garlic
* 1 thumb-size piece galangal OR ginger, sliced
* 1+1/2 tsp. ground coriander
* 2 tsp. ground cumin
* 1/2 tsp. turmeric
* 1/2 tsp. shrimp paste - Vegetarians use 1 Tbsp. soy sauce (wheat-free for gluten-free diets)
* 1 fresh red chili, sliced OR 1/2 tsp. dried crushed chili OR cayenne pepper
* 1/2 tsp. regular chili powder
* 1+1/2 Tbsp. lime juice
* 2 Tbsp. fish sauce - Vegetarians: use 3 Tbsp. soy sauce
* 1 tsp. sugar
Preparation:
1. Place all Curry Sauce ingredients together in a food processor or blender. Blitz well to create a fragrant Thai yellow curry sauce. OR, simply mince everything well and combine together in a bowl.
2. Chop up your pumpkin/squash and sweet potato.
3. Rub the bottom of a wok or medium-size pot with a little vegetable oil, then pour in the curry sauce. Also add 1/2 cup water, plus the lime leaves, stirring to incorporate.
4. Place curry sauce over medium-high heat and bring to a boil.
5. Add the pumpkin and sweet potato. When curry is bubbling, reduce heat to medium, or medium-low heat (just hot enough to keep curry simmering). Stir occasionally.
6. Cover the curry and allow to simmer 8-10 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft enough to poke through with a fork. Stir occasionally.
7. If using chickpeas: Add chickpeas at the end, stirring them in and allowing them to simmer 1 minute before serving.
8. Taste-test your curry, adjusting the salt level to suit your taste. Vegetarians: add a little salt or more soy sauce until desired taste is reached. For non-vegetarians: add more fish sauce until desired flavor is reached. Add more sugar if you'd like your curry sweeter. If too sweet or too salty for your taste, add more lime juice. Add more chili if you'd like it spicier.
9. Transfer the curry into a serving dish, or into individual bowls. Drizzle over the remaining 1/4 can of coconut milk, and top with a final sprinkling of fresh coriander. Fresh-cut red chili can also be sprinkled over. For additional protein, a sprinkling of dry-roasted cashews can be added. Serve with plain steamed rice.

Coconut Milk and Ginger Brussels Sprouts
One of the strangest and most delicious things I’ve ever done to a Brussels sprout – try it!
2 lbs Brussels sprouts, cleaned and trimmed
2 Tbsp olive oil or ghee
2 carrots
3 shallots or 2 small onions, peeled and cut in half
1 can coconut milk
50g (about 1 inch) fresh ginger, grated
2 Tbsp curry powder
Salt and pepper to taste
Boil a large pot of water and blanch Brussels sprouts for about 5 minutes. Drain and run the sprouts under cold water.
Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, heat oil and cook onions/shallots until translucent. Add carrots and caramelize a bit. Add ginger and curry powder, allow to brown for 30 seconds or so, then add coconut milk and one cup of water. Add Brussels sprouts and allow to simmer until sprouts are fully softened and taste good. Serve.

Stuffing (for inside the bird, or on its own as a veggie treat)
Ingredients:
2 loaves 12 grain bread
200g chopped mushrooms
2 stalks chopped celery
1 onion chopped
100g butter
100g vegetable broth
2 Tablespoons vegetable broth powder
2 teaspoons garlic powder
freshly ground pepper

Directions:
Brown mushrooms, celery, and onion in butter. Add 1/2 of the spices. Remove from heat. Cut or rip bread into small pieces. Combine with cooled vegetable mixture. Sprinkle on remaining spices and add more to taste as desired. Mixture should be the level of moistness you would desire it to be at the outcome. Add broth or juice to achieve this as necessary. This stuffing is excellent both stuffed in the bird or not. Usually, I spray Pam on a casserole dish and pack the stuffing into it, cover it, and bake for 1 hour. Enjoy!
This is enough for a large turkey or to serve around 8 - 10 people.

PUMPKIN PIE

PIE CRUST:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, chilled and diced
1/4 cup ice water
DIRECTIONS
In a large bowl, combine flour and salt. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in water, a tablespoon at a time, until mixture forms a ball. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.
Roll dough out to fit a 9 inch pie plate. Place crust in pie plate. Press the dough evenly into the bottom and sides of the pie plate.

PUMPKIN PIE FILLING:
3 large eggs
2 cups fresh pumpkin puree or 1 - 15 ounce can (425 grams) pure pumpkin
1/2 cup (120 ml) heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup (110 grams) light brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
Combine ingredients, being careful not to overmix. Bake at 190 C until knife comes out clean, 45-55 minutes.

Words of the Week:
to contradict
to talk back (as in, “Don’t you talk back to me!”)
ham radio
fugly
shovel
neither … nor

Things that go with cheesecake - October 12, 2010

It started with the Turkish brussels sprouts recipe that was left over from last class (we were exactly four days too early for brussels sprout season, and four days after class, they were in the markets everywhere. But not a one to be found as of Sept. 7th). I really wanted to try this recipe, and it’s worth waiting for brussel sprout season : )

Then from the bag full of books my friend Helen lent me, I pulled out Ruth Reichl’s “Garlic and Sapphires: The Secret Life of a Food Critic”. Reichl was the restaurant critic for the New York Times in the 1990s who famously went undercover in wigs and disguises to avoid recognition, and in her entertaining memoir she not only tells of some fabulous food adventures, but also shares some of her favorite recipes. Her New York cheesecake recipe sounded too good to resist.

Round it all off with a German Zweibelkuchen, a bottle of Federweisen, and aN 'awesome' carrot soup (Ralph's words), and you’ve got an eclectic and delicious dinner.

	<Cookers: A small but dedicated group (the rest of the class was felled by *non*-food-related illness): Birgit, Ralph, Cyrus >Zwiebelkuchen (onion tart)
	< carrot soup > a slice of onion tart accompanies it very nicely
	<brussels sprouts, Turkish style > the mighty cheesecake
	> Ralph in heaven (naturally, his piece of cake was slightly larger). And a good breakfast will be had by all (everyone took a piece home with them : )

Zwiebelkuchen (Onion Tart)
The perfect thin-crust version, to go with Federweisen
40g yeast (1 cube fresh)
500 g flour
220 ml warm water
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp salt
3 large onions
200g crème fraiche

Dissolve yeast in water, add salt and oil. Add flour all at once, stir until mixed into a not-sticky dough (if necessary, add more flour, or water if too dry). Roll out on wax baking paper, coat with a layer of crème fraiche, top with onion rings. Bake at 200° for 20-25 min. until slightly browned.

Carrot, Ginger and Coriander Soup
* 1 tbsp margarine
* 1 onion, chopped
* 1 1/2 pounds carrots, peeled and diced
* 1 tsp fresh ginger, minced or grated
* 2 tsp coriander seeds
* 4 cups vegetable broth
* dash salt and pepper, to taste

In a large pot, cook the onions in margarine until soft, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add carrots, ginger and coriander and cook, stirring for a few more minutes.

Add the vegetable broth and bring to a low simmer. Cover and cook for at least 25 minutes, or until carrots are very soft.

Transfer the soup to a blender or food processor and puree, working in batches if needed.

Add a dash of salt and pepper and serve hot, re-heating if necessary.

(Bruksel Lahanasi) Brussels Sprouts
300 gr Brussels sprout, stem side cut off, remove few outer leaves
2 + 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
7-8 pearl onion, cut in half
1-2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tbsp crushed tomato, in can
1 tbsp red pepper paste
1 cubanelle pepper, cut in bite size
1 tomato, peeled, diced
10 small size mushrooms, cut in half
1/3 cup water
1 tsp basil
1 pinch sugar
Salt
Pepper

Bring the water with salt to boil in a medium sized cooking pot at medium heat. Then add in the Brussels sprout, stir. Cook for about 2 minutes, drain.

Saute the onion with 2 tbsp olive oil for about 2 minutes. Add the garlic. When the smell of garlic comes out, add the rest of the ingredients, stir. Cook for about 15-20 minutes at medium heat. If it necessary you can add a little bit more hot water.

Let it cool down first. Pour the rest of the olive oil. Then, place it in a serving plate.

Ruth Reichl’s New York Cheesecake
1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs (whole wheat Liebnitz works, too)
1 cup sugar
½ cup melted butter
1 ½ cup cream cheese (Frischkäse), room temperature 4 eggs
3 tsp vanilla
Grated zest of one lemon
2 cups sour cream

Preheat oven to 350° F (175° C). Mix the cracker crumbs with ¼ cup sugar and the melted butter and press into the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Chill while preparing filling.
Beat the cream cheese, ½ cup sugar, eggs, 2 tsp of the vanilla and lemon zest until smooth. Pour into chilled crust and bake 50 minutes to an hour, or until cheese is set and starting to look golden in spots. Remove from oven (leave oven on) and cool for about 15 min. on wire rack.
Stir together sour cream, remaining ¼ cup of sugar, remaining 1 tsp of vanilla and spread over cooled cake. Return to the oven for 12 minutes until glossy and set.
Cool completely, cover and chill for at least 8 hours.

Words of the Week:
to light the candles
to light – lit – lit
bouncer
layers
mashed potatoes (not smashed ; )
wimp
brussels sprouts
awesome
to deep fry
cash register
fermentation
crust
concerted effort

Turkish Night – Sept 7, 2010

While we’ve cooked Turkish before, that was almost 3 years ago. In honor of brother Geoff’s visit to Hamburg, we decided to show him the side of Germany that eats well. Thank you, Geoff, for taking some photos from a different perspective : )

	<Cookers: Tina, Ralph, Geoff, Daniel, Gerd, Christiane >Gerd chops
	< chop > stir
	<veggie köfte > in the oven - we forgot to take photos of the borek (left side)
	< soup > spinach stem salad on a full table
	> the red pepper spread < yes, that will be dessert
	< Strange but quite good spinach cake

Mahluta Corbasi (Rustic Red Lentil Soup)
1 cup red lentils, washed, drained
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1-2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3 tbsp butter or extra virgin olive oil
1 cup water, warm
2 cups veggie broth
3 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
Salt
Pepper
2 tsp oregano

Saute the onion with the butter for about 1-2 minutes, but do not burn the onion! Add the garlic and saute until the smells come out. Add lentil and 1 cup water, stir. Put the lid on half way and cook for 5 minutes with a little bit under medium heat. The lentils will absorb the water quickly, so check often. Add the chicken broth, tomato paste, cumin, crushed red pepper, salt and pepper. Cook for 10 more minutes with the lid half way on over medium heat. Sprinkle oregano, stir. Serve this soup with lemon wedges while still warm.

Sebzeli Borek (Vegetable Borek)
7 sheets Phyllo Pastry
2L pyrex casserole dish

Vegetable Filling:
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 medium sized eggplant,Cut into bite sizes. Soak in water with a
tablespoon of salt for about 20 minutes. Squeeze the eggplants with
your hand and dry them with a paper towel.
1 zucchini, cut in bite size
1 onion, sliced
1/3 cup crumbled feta or ricotta cheese
2 tbsp dill, chopped
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
Salt
Black pepper

Sauce:
2-3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup yogurt
2 eggs
1 pinch salt

To prepare the Filling: Put the salt, pepper, olive oil and onion in a pan. Cook on medium heat for two minutes. Add the eggplant and zucchini and continue cooking until they are tender. Put aside and add the feta cheese, parsley and dill, stir.

In a bowl, mix the eggs, olive oil and yogurt. This liquid mix will go between every two layers. The vegetable filling will go in the middle only.

Grease the casserole dish. Place two sheets of the pastry in the bottom and over the sides of the dish. Spread 2-3 tablespoons of the sauce mix on top. Take another two sheets of pastry, fold in half and stack in the dish. First spread some sauce. Then, spread all of the filling onto the stack. Resume layering the pastry and the sauce until the pastry is finished. Then, fold the sides of the bottom layer over. Make sure you pour the remaining sauce on top.

Leave the casserole dish in the fridge for 2-3 hours, this way it will be more crispy and tasty. Pre-heat the oven to 375 F (190 C). Bake until golden colour.

Ispanak Koku Salatasi (Spinach Root Salad)
1 bunch spinach
Sauce:
1 garlic clove, smashed with salt
50 ml extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp vinegar (I prefer apple vinegar) or 1/2 lemon juice
1 pinch red pepper
Salt
Pepper

Cut the roots off about ~3 inches and soak into salted water to get rid of all the dirt between the roots. Continue to wash until you see no more sand at the bottom of the bowl.

Bring to boil some salted water in the pot, then throw the roots in it. Boil just 5 minutes and drain very well. Place on a service plate.

Whisk the garlic, olive oil, vinegar, red pepper, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Pour all over the roots and serve.

Kirmizi Biber Yemegi (Red Pepper Spread)

1 red bell pepper, diced
1 small onion, chopped
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp rice, rinsed, drained
2 large tomato, peeled, diced
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
Salt
Pepper
1 tsp pomegranate paste or Grenadine syrup

Saute the onion with olive oil until it's softened. Add the red pepper, rice, tomatoes, crushed pepper, salt and pepper. Put the lid on. Do not open while its cooking. Cook for 20 minutes under medium heat. Turn the heat off, add pomegranate paste, stir.

Sprinkle some chopped parsley all over. Serve warm or at room temperature with Turkish Bread.

Bring the water with salt to boil in a medium sized cooking pot at medium heat. Then add in the Brussels sprout, stir. Cook for about 2 minutes, drain.

Vegetarian Kufteh / Köfte (Middle-Eastern Meatballs)
# 1/2 cup red lentil, rinsed
# 2 cups water
# salt
# 1/2 cup bulgur (fine or medium, #1 or #2)
# 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
# 1/2 large onions or 1/2 medium onion, finely minced
# 1 teaspoon cumin seed, toasted and ground
# 1/2 bunch flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
# aleppo pepper
# scallion, for garnish
# 1 small romaine lettuce leaf, for garnish
# lemon wedge (to garnish)

# 1 Combine the lentils and water in a large saucepan, bring to a boil, skim off any foam, reduce the heat, add salt to taste and simmer 30 minutes, or until the lentils are soft and most but not all of the water is absorbed.
# 2 Place the bulgur in a bowl, mix with 1/4 teaspoon salt, and pour in the lentils with their liquid. Stir together, then cover and let sit for 30 minutes, until the bulgur is tender and has absorbed all the liquid.
# 3 Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium-low heat and add the onion. Cook gently for 10 to 15 minutes, until golden and very tender. Stir often. Add the ground cumin and stir together for about 30 seconds, then stir into the lentils and bulgur.
# 4 Moisten your hands with water and knead the mixture in the bowl for 3 to 5 minutes. Each time it begins to stick to your hands, moisten them again, and this will moisten the mixture. If it seems very dry and crumbly, add a tablespoon of water. Stir in the remaining tablespoon of olive oil, 1/4 cup of the minced parsley, and for a spicier mixture add 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon Aleppo pepper. Taste and adjust salt.
# 5 Moisten your hands and shape the mixture into walnut-size balls (about 1 inch). You’ll have to moisten your hands again whenever the mixture begins to stick to them. Place on a platter and sprinkle with the remaining parsley. Garnish with scallions, romaine lettuce leaves and lemon wedges, and serve, or chill for several hours. Serve cold or at room temperature.

Ispanakli Kek (Spinach Cake)
3 eggs
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
~500 gr spinach, roots cut off, washed, drained
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 1/2 cups flour, sifted
1 tsp baking powder

For on top:
1 cup whipped cream

3L Pyrex

Puree the spinach in a food processor, put aside. Whisk the egg and sugar in the mixer or by hand. Add the olive oil, lemon juice and pureed spinach in it and mix. Then add flour and baking powder. Mix for a few minutes. Pour into the oiled Pyrex.

Preheat the oven to 375 F. Check with a toothpick to see if it's done, bake until it comes out clean. It takes about 30 minutes.

Let it cool down, then take it out of the Pyrex. Cut off the sides about 1 inch wide, and mix these using a blender to get them in powder form, put aside. Place the cake on a service plate. Spread whipped cream on the top, then sift the powdered cake on top of the cream. Slice it up and serve.

Words of the Week:
rehab
convertible
lentils
golf clap
stove
lay-away
deferred payment
subway series (i.e., ‘derby’)

Brunei Night - August 10, 2010

It's getting harder to find countries we haven't cooked yet. Why not Brunei? The food was lovely.

	<Cookers: Birgit's niece, Natasha, Dola, Birgit, Ralph, Gerd, Kerstin, Daniel > step one: fry the eggplant
	< fiery spice paste to go atop the eggplants > tofu, pre-noodles
	< tofu with buckwheat noodles > cooked veggies with coconut
	< the divine salad with spicy peanut sauce > a full plate
	> Kerstin's beautiful blackberry pie < one gorgeous slice

Salad with Spicy Peanut Sauce
-----------------------FOR THE SALAD-----------------------
* 3 tb Vegetable oil
* Salt to taste
* 1 lb Firm tofu; patted dry -- and cut into 1/4" cubes
* 2 sm Potatoes; boiled -- cut into bite-size wedges
* 1/2 lb Fresh spinach; cleaned -- steamed, and chopped
* 1/2 sm Head green cabbage; shredded -- and lightly steamed
* 1/2 lb Mung bean sprouts -- washed thoroughly
---------------------FOR THE DRESSING---------------------
* 4 Garlic cloves
* 1/4 c Roasted peanuts
* 5 ts Soy sauce or tamari
* 3 tb Lime or lemon juice
* 4 ts Brown sugar
* 1/4 ts Cayenne pepper
* 2 tb Water
Heat the oil and salt in a medium frying pan over medium heat. Add the tofu in small batches and saute until lightly browned on both sides, about 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel.

Arrange the bean curd, potatoes, spinach, and cabbage on individual plates.

Prepare the dressing by placing all of the dressing ingredients in a blender and blending until smooth. If the dressing seems too thick, add another teaspoon of water.

Top the vegetables and bean curd with the bean sprouts and dressing, and serve immediately. Preparation time: 1 hour

Cooked Vegetables with Coconut (Urap)
* 8 oz fresh green beans
* 8 oz bean sprouts
* 4 carrots
* 1 can bamboo shoots
* ½ small cabbage
* 1 cup fresh grated coconut
* 1 small onion, finely chopped
* ½ tsp. chilli sauce (sambal ulek)
* 1 tsp. salt
* 2 Tbs. lime juice
Wash bean sprouts, pinching of any brown tail. Pour boiling water over bean sprouts, then rinse under cold water tap. Drain well.

String beans and cut diagonally or bite-size lengths and cook in lightly salted water until just tender. Beans should still be crisp to bite.

Scrub carrot and cut into thin strips, cook until tender. Drain well. Slice cabbage, discard the center stem. Blanch in boiling salted water for a minute or two, until tender but not limp. Drain and refresh with cold water.

Cut bamboo shoots into strips the same size as the beans.

Place fresh grated coconut into a bowl, add onion, chili sauce, salt, lime juice and the shrimp paste which has been grilled for a few minutes, or heated in a dry frying pan. Mix thoroughly together.

Sprinkle this grated coconut mixture over vegetables, reserving some to garnish the dish when served.

Put vegetables in a steamer and steam for 5-8 minutes.

Put the steamed vegetables to a serving dish/platter and sprinkle with reserved grated coconut mixture. Use as an accompaniment to a meal, or as a salad by itself. Makes 6-8 servings.

Spicy Eggplant (Terong Belado)
* 1 lb. purple eggplants
* 1 Tbs. lime juice
* 15 Tbs. vegetable oil
Spice Paste Ingredients:
* 100 gram red chilies
* ½ tsp. salt
* 1 tomato
* 7 small-sized shallots
Cut each eggplant in half and cut again in 2 or 4 pieces.

Heat 10 Tbs. oil and deep fry the eggplant pieces. Cover the wok and let it stand for a while.

Open cover and turn the eggplants side to side until soft and well cooked. Put eggplant pieces onto a serving platter.

Combine all spice paste ingredients and grind coarsely. Heat 5 Tbs. oil over medium high heat and sauté the spice paste for about 2 minutes. Pour the lime juice over the spice paste.

Then, lastly pour the sauted spice paste onto the eggplant pieces and ready to serve. Makes 5-6 servings.

Noodles & Tofu
* 13 oz Tofu, dried -- sliced
* 9 oz Chinese dried wheat noodles
* 13 oz Firm tofu -- cubed 1/2"
* 3 tb Chinese semsame oil
* 3 tb Fresh ginger -- minced
* 1/2 ts Yellow asafoetida powder*
* 1 bn Choy sum (otherwise known as broccoli rabe), leaves and -stalk -- chopped in 1" -sections
* 3 tb Soy sauce
* 2 tb Plain sambal oelek***
* 3 tb Fresh lemon juice
* 2 c Mung bean shoots
Soak dried tofu slices in hot water for 15 mintues. When softened, cut into 1" squares, drain, and pat dry. Cook the wheat noodles in boiling water until al dente, a little firm. Drain, rinse under cold water, and drain again. Heat oil in wok over high heat, and deep-fry the tofu cubes until goldenbrown. Remove from pan and drain. Next deep-fry the squares of dried tofu until golden brown andslightly blistered; remove and drain. Heat sesame oil in another wok on full heat; saute the minced ginger for 1 minute. Add the asafoeitda and choy sum and stir fry until soft. Add the soy sauce, sambal oelek, lemon juice, tofu noodles. Stir fry for another 2 minutes or until the noodles are hot. Serve immediately.

*asafoetida powder: available at Indian grocers ***sambal oelek: a hot condiment made from ground fresh red, hot chilies, popular in Brunei, Malay and Indonesian cuisine. Available at Asian grocery stores. To make your own, pound together 2 red hot chilies and 1/2 tsp salt, making 2 tsp.

Blackberry Pie
4 cups fresh blackberries
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 recipe pastry for a 9 inch double crust pie
2 tablespoons milk
1/4 cup white sugar

Combine 3 1/2 cups berries with the sugar and flour. Spoon the mixture into an unbaked pie shell. Spread the remaining 1/2 cup berries on top of the sweetened berries, and cover with the top crust. Seal and crimp the edges. Brush the top crust with milk, and sprinkle with 1/4 cup sugar.

Note: One way to ensure your filling is thick enough is to pre-cook it. Take half to two-thirds of the fruit-sugar-starch mixture, and bring it to a boil. Simmer the filling for at least one minute for cornstarch or tapioca, and three minutes for flour-thickened pies. Remove from heat, and stir in the remaining raw fruit. This gives you a thicker filling that still contains chunks of uncooked fruit for texture.

Also, be sure the pie has cooled completely before you slice it--the filling needs time to set properly.
Bake at 425 degree F (220 degrees C) for 15 minutes. Reduce the temperature of the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C), and bake for an additional 20 to 25 minutes.

Pie Crust
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup shortening (or butter)
6 tablespoons cold water
In a bowl, combine flour and salt; cut in shortening until crumbly. Gradually add water, tossing with a fork until dough forms a ball. Divide dough in half so one ball is slightly larger than the other.
Roll out the larger ball to fit a 9-in. or 10-in. pie plate. Transfer pastry to pie plate. Trim pastry with even with edge of plate. Pour desired filling into crust.
Roll out second ball; cut slits in pastry. Position over filling. Trim pastry to 1 in. beyond edge of pie plate. Fold top crust over bottom crust. Flute edges. Bake according to recipe directions.

We listened to the radio:
http://www.rilekfm.com/v2/utama.php

Words of the Week:
burn down
goggles – safety glasses
sweets / candies
bonbon – praline
amplifier
relief
bathrobe
leisure suit
sheet
equinox
mosque
consistency
buckwheat
handcuffs
perverted
ripe
to afford
to achieve
breeder
baptism

Persian Night - June 8, 2010

Cyrus provided me with a sheaf of traditional Persian recipes. I did my best to translate (from German, not Persian) and find the best vegetarian options. Labor intensive, but good food!

	>Cookers: Daniel, Cyrus, Christiane, Gerd, Ralph, Kerstin <Sour Cherry Rice was a good thing
	< wonderful eggplant dish > cucumber dip
	<Green stew > Thickened Whey with Eggplants
	< The omelette > full table
	<Not remotely Turkish shortcakes >Topped with strawberries and whipped cream
	< Yum! >Words of the week

Miza Ghasemi (Eggplant Dish from Mazanderan)
500g long eggplants
2 onions
4 cloves garlic
2 tomatoes, diced
2 eggs

Roast eggplants with skin on. Scoop out insides, cut small.

Cut onions in rings, brown in oil with garlic. Add diced tomatoes. When liquid is cooked out of tomatoes, add eggplant paste and salt and warm through.

Beat eggs, stir into eggplant mixture. Serve.

Mast-E-Chiar (Cucumber Yogurt)
150 g yogurt
500 g cucumber, peeled and cubed small (or grated)
1 onion
1 Tbsp dried mint
1 Tbsp walnuts
1 Tbsp raisins
1 pinch dried rose leaves
Mix and serve with bread.

Albalu-Polo (Rice with Sour Cherries)
This is a vegetarian version of the traditional recipe.
500 g rice
1 large onion
100 g dried sour cherries
1 pinch saffron

Directions for saffron water: in a pestle, grind 1 pinch of saffron with a pinch of sugar. Dissolve the mixture in 3-4 Tbsp hot water. Set aside.

Directions: Let rice soak 4-6 hours (or overnight) in water covering rice with 2 finger-widths of water and 60g salt.
Cook sour cherries with sugar and water to soften (add enough sugar for a sweet-sour taste). Drain and reserve water.

One hour before serving, bring 3 liters of water to boil in a large pot. Sieve rice out of soaking water, add soaking water into large pot and bring to boil again. Add rice. Boil on high until rice is half-cooked. Drain water.

In a medium pot, melt 60g butter. Add 1 cup water to butter. Remove ½ of butter-water, set aside. Arrange half of rice over remaining butter-water, layering cooked cherries in the middle, and top with rest of rice.

Cook on high until water has evaporated. Repeat with ½ of remaining butter-water, and repeat again. The goal is to have a crispy brown crust on the underside of the rice, but not to burn it. Let the last of the water evaporate off and remove from heat.

Turn rice pot over onto a large plate, gently tapping until the rice comes out (in a perfect world, it will remain in one large mound). Sprinkle saffron water and remaining cherry-cooking water over the rice and serve.

Choresh-E-Ghormeh-Ye-Sabzi (Green Stew)
500 g lamb, cubed in 3-4 cm pieces (leg meat is good)
1 cup red beans
1 large onion
Salt, pepper
Lemon juice
2-3 pieces dried or fresh lime
Sabzi Ghormeh spice mixture: 300g parsley, 300g leeks, 150g fenugreek (note that many Persian markets sell this in large bags, dried. If you use dried spices, you need at ¼ as much).

Directions: Let beans soak overnight. About an hour before serving, cook onions in a large pot until clear, then add and brown meat. Add hot water to loosen from pan – you want enough water to cover the meat. Add beans and 2-3 pieces lime. Simmer over low heat until beans and meat are almost cooked through.

Wash spices and remove stems. In a separate pan, cook spices until they are gently steamed in their own water and have wilted. Add the spice mixture to the meat and beans. Add lemon juice to taste and serve.

Kaschk-E-Bademdschan (Thickened Whey with Eggplants)
500g eggplants, peeled and cut in rounds
1 large onion
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp mint
Salt
2-3 Tbsp thickened whey
Directions: Salt eggplants for ten minutes, wash and pat dry. Fry eggplant slices in oil, browning both sides. Remove from hand, grind small in mixer (or with a fork, for a thicker consistency).

Brown onion in a pan. Remove 2/3 of cooked onion from pan, set aside. To the 1/3 of onion still in pan, add mint and cook together. Set aside.

Put the 2/3 of onion back into the pan with eggplant mush, add a little water, let simmer for 20 minutes. Add whey along with salt and cinnamon to taste. Spread on plate and top with onion and mint.

Strawberry Shortcake
(no, it’s not Persian, but strawberries are in season, and how better to enjoy them?)
2 cups flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
3 Tbsp sugar
1 stick butter (approx 115 g), chilled
2/3 – ¾ cup milk
Whipped cream and strawberries for serving.

Preheat oven to 425° F (220°C). Combine dry ingredients. Cut butter into the mixture with two knives. Make a well in the center, pour in milk until the consistency is a dry dough. Form 2 cm thick hockey-puck sized biscuits, lay on baking sheet (with baking paper). Bake 15 minutes until golden brown.

To serve, cut shortcake in half vertically. Add berries and cream in the middle, serve warm.

Vietnam Night - May 11, 2010

Can't go wrong with Vietnamese food : )

	Cookers: Cyrus, Daniel, Andrea, Ralph, Gerd, Annette, Alex >Asparagus like your Oma (and probably a single Vietnamese) never cooked it: piquant asparagus
	< Broccoli Tofu > Alex gets the roll on
	< Noo-noo with mixed veggie >Fresh spring rolls
	<A full yummy plate >When life gives you rhubarb, make Banana Rhubarb Rice Pudding

Fresh Spring Rolls
* 4 ounces thin rice stick or cellophane noodles
* 1/2 cup bean sprouts
* 1/2 cup grated carrot
* 1/2 cup grated daikon or jicama
* 1 garlic clove, minced
* 1 Tablespoon soy sauce
* 1 cup coarsely chopped cilantro, reserving a few sprigs for garnish
* 1/2 cup coarsely chopped dill or mint leaves, or a mixture
* 3 Tablespoons roasted, unsalted peanuts, coarsely chopped
* 12 sheets of rice paper
* 1 head of soft lettuce, such as Boston lettuce, leaves washed, dried and cut in half
* Chili dipping sauce (mix soy sauce, sesame oil, peanut butter, chili paste and rice vinegar to taste)
Soak noodles in boiling water for 5 minutes or until soft and pliable. Drain, immerse in cold water and drain again. Cut noodles into 2-inch lengths.

In a large bowl, mix noodles with bean sprouts, carrot, daikon or jicama, garlic, and soy sauce.

Working with no more than 2 rice paper sheets at a time, immerse the rice paper in a shallow bowl of warm water and quickly remove it. (Letting the rice wrapper sit in the water can result in its disintegration.) Lay the wrapper on a plate and place about two tablespoons of the noodle mixture toward the bottom of the wrapper. Add a pinch of each herb and a few peanuts. Fold the bottom of the wrapper up over the mixture, about a third of the way up. Tuck sides of the wrapper in and roll up tightly to form a tube. The damp paper should stick together. Place on a tray or plate and cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap until all the rice papers are filled.

Cut each roll into three pieces. To eat, wrap roll in lettuce leaf and dip in chili sauce.

Broccoli And Tofu In Spicy Almond Sauce
Sauce:
* 1/2 c. hot water
* 1/2 c. almond/peanut butter
* 1/4 c. cider vinegar
* 2 T. tamari sauce
* 2 T. blackstrap molasses
* cayenne/chile to taste
Saute:
* 1 lb. broccoli
* 2 tsp. ginger
* 4 cloves garlic
* 1 lb. tofu, cubed
* 2 c. onion, thinly sliced
* 1 c. chopped cashews
* 2-3 T. tamari sauce
* 2 minced scallions
Sauce:
In small bowl or saucepan, whisk together almond butter and hot water until you have a uniform mixture. Whisk in remaining sauce ingredients and set aside.
Saute:
Stir-fry half the ginger and half the garlic in 1 T. oil. Add tofu chunks, stir-fry for 5-8 minutes. Mix with sauce. Wipe wok clean, saute remaining ginger & garlic in 2 T. oil. Add onions and fresh pepper, saute for about 5 min. Add chopped broccoli, cashews and tamari; stir-fry until broccoli is bright green. Toss saute with sauce, mixing in the minced scallions as you toss. Serve over rice.

Piquant Asparagus
In the theme of unusual asparagus, we substituted white asparagus for the cauliflower called for in the original recipe.
* 2 shallots, thinly sliced
* 3 cloves garlic, minced
* 1-2 Tablespoons soy sauce
* 3 tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and cubed
* 750 g. white asparagus, peeled and cut into pieces
(or use one large cauliflower, cut into flowerets
* 1 small onion, thinly sliced
* 2/3 cup vegetable stock
* 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
* 2 scallions, thinly sliced (white and green parts)
* Cilantro for garnish
Spray a skillet or wok with cooking spray and sauté shallots and garlic for 1 minute. Add the soy sauce and tomatoes, and sauté for another 3 minutes.

Add the asparagus/cauliflower, onion, stock, lemon juice, and scallions. Reduce the heat and cook until the vegetables are tender-crisp, about 10 minutes. Place cauliflower mixture on a platter. Garnish with cilantro.

Noodles With Mixed Vegetables
* 8 ounces cellophane noodles
* Cooking Spray
* 5 cloves garlic, minced
* 1 Tablespoon minced ginger
* 4 shallots, thinly sliced
* 2 scallions, thinly sliced (white and green parts)
* 1-2 Tablespoons soy sauce
* 2-3 Tablespoons water
* 2 small carrots, peeled and julienned
* 1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
* 1/2 small Chinese cabbage, cut in strips
* 2 summer squash, coarsely chopped
In a large bowl or pot, soak noodles in boiling water for 5 minutes or until they are soft and pliable. Drain and set aside.

Spray a wok or skillet with cooking spray and over high heat, sauté garlic, ginger, shallots, and scallions for about 1 minute. Add the soy sauce, water, and carrots and sauté for an additional 2 minutes. Add mushrooms, cabbage and squash and sauté for another few minutes until they are softened. Add noodles, stirring constantly until they are heated through. Serve immediately.

Banana Rhubarb Rice Pudding
I don’t think rhubarb is native to Vietnam, but neither is the canned fruit called for in the original recipe : )
1 1/2 cups brown rice -- cooked
1 cup nonfat milk
1 medium banana -- cut in slices
4 stalks rhubarb (or substitute a 15-ounce can of fruit cut in slices)
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Directions
Cut rhubarb in thin slices. In a small saucepan, add ½ inch water and rhubarb, bring to a boil. Lower to simmer, stir in 1 cup sugar. Simmer for 15-20 minutes until soft. Set aside.
In a medium-size saucepan, combine the banana and rhubarb/fruit, water, honey, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for 10 minutes, or until quite tender but not mushy. Add the rice and milk and mix thoroughly. Bring to a boil and simmer 10 more minutes. Serve warm, ideally with vanilla sauce.

We listened to : http://www.multilingualbooks.com/online-radio-vietnamese.html choose Phat thanh Vinh Long 90.2 FM to get that real Asian snack-bar feeling while you cook : )

Words of the week:
yucky
to blanch
carnivore
steak knife = serrated edge
curves
rhubarb
vampire
jellyfish
sweat shop
idle
oil platform
hollow
width
trench
acceleration
to inhale
I’ll report back to you / I’ll get back to you

Macedonian Night - April 13, 2010

Having a hankering for near/middle Eastern food again, we ventured into a new territory: Macedonia.

	>Cookers: Kerstin, Andrea, Ralph, Birgit, Gerd, Cyrus, Daniel <First course: veggie soup with okra
	<Tavche Gravche (beans in a skillet) >Avjar was mad spicy hot
	<A full plate > Pinjur (eggplant dip) would have been nicer if I'd followed the recipe and roasted the garlic first ; )
	<A fine cake which, as usual, tasted better than it looked

Pinjur - Macedonian Aubergine / Eggplant Dip
Serves 2
* 1 large eggplant
* 5 garlic cloves, depends on how much you like it
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 3 tablespoons roughly chopped walnuts
* squeeze lemon juice
* 1 tablespoon chopped fresh coriander or cilantro
* 1 teaspoon olive oil
Heat oven to 350 degrees F.

Wash eggplant. Poke holes into eggplant randomly with a fork. Place eggplant on a cookie sheet which has been covered with aluminum foil.

Roast the eggplant until it is thoroughly cooked and collapses (about 30 to 40 minutes).

While the eggplant is roasting, mash garlic and salt with mortar and pestle until it becomes pasty.

To cool eggplant quickly, slice in half, and leave draining in the sink in a colander. When cool, peel the skin off. Chop eggplant into medium-size chunks.

In bowl, combine eggplant and garlic, mashing eggplant and stirring the garlic throughout. When it is consistently mushy, throw in a handful of chopped walnuts to add crunch and texture. Enjoy with fresh crusty bread.

Avjar
* 8 to 12 fresh red New Mexican chillies, or substitute green
* 4 medium-sized eggplants
* 1/2 to 3/4 cup olive oil or corn oil
* 1 large Onion, minced
* 3 large Garlic Cloves, finely chopped
* 1 to 2 tablespoons lemon juice (or 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar)
* salt and pepper to taste
* chopped fresh Parsley for garnish
1. Roast the chiles and eggplants over charcoal or a gas flame—or bake them in a preheated 475 degree F oven—until the skins are blistered and black.
2. Place the roasted vegetables in a paper bag and let them steam in their own heat for 10 minutes.
3. Peel off and discard the burnt skins along with the stems and seeds of the chiles.
4. Mash the peppers and eggplant pulp together to form a homogenous mass - completely smooth or slightly chunky, as desired. You can do this in a food processor.
5. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a large Skillet, and saute the Onion until very soft.
6. Add the garlic and cook 2 minutes longer.
7. Remove from the heat and stir in the pepper-Eggplant pulp, mixing well.
8. Slowly drizzle the remaining oil into the mixture, stirring constantly to incorporate all of the oil.
9. Add Lemon Juice or Vinegar, salt, and pepper, to taste.
10. Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with the Parsley.

Macedonian Vegetable soup
1 quart fresh okra
1 cup canned tomatoes
2 cups diced celery
1 tsp. paprika
1 diced green pepper
1 tsp. salt
1 diced large onion
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 cup butter
6 cups water

Cut the stems from okra and slice. Saute okra, celery, green pepper and onion in butter until soft. Add tomatoes, paprika, salt and pepper and stir well. Add boiling water and simmer for about 1 hour until vegetables are all tender.

Tavche Gravche (beans in a skillet) is a traditional Macedonian dish. It involves boiling the beans first and then mixed with onion, peppers, tomato, oil, flour and various spices baked in a pottery saucepan.
* 500g of white Beans
* 1 Onion, 1 red paprika
* 100ml of cooking oil
* 2-3 pieces of red dry capsicum (i.e., red pepper)
* pepper, salt, plain flour, parsley, mint
1. Wash the beans and leave them to stand in water over night.
2. After that cook them until they start boiling, drain the beans and put them in another pot of hot water. Then add chopped onion (1/2 of it) and capsicum.
3. Continue to cook it until the beans are soft but integral.
4. If there is too much water left, drain the beans.
5. Fry the chopped onion (the other 1/2) and paprika with one spoon of plain flour in cooking oil and then add this to the beans.
6. Put everything in a pottery saucepan and then pour some parsley, mint, pepper and salt on it.
7. Put the saucepan in oven and bake for a while (the beans shouldn’t be too dry).

Butter cake with raisins and currants
1/2 lb. butter
Juice and grated rind of 1 lemon
1 cup granulated sugar
5 egg yolks
5 egg whites beaten stiff but not dry
4 cups once-sifted cake flour
4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 cup raisins, lightly coated with flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup currants, lightly coated with flour
1/2 tsp. almond extract
Preheat oven to 350°. Have all ingredients at room temperature. Blend thoroughly butter, sugar, and egg yolks. Sift together flour, baking powder and salt, and add alternately with the milk and almond extract to the butter mixture. Add grated lemon rind and juice. Fold in beaten egg whites. Gently stir in floured raisins and currants. Pour batter into a greased and lightly-floured large tube pan. Bake for about 1 1/2 hours. Turn off oven and leave in oven for a further 15 minutes. Allow to cool slightly before removing from pan. Cool on cake rack.

Words of the Week:
drag (on a cigarette)
sprouts
a mutual agreement
cufflinks
handcuffs
cuisine
weapon
sheep
dry cleaner
crinkling
coat of arms
to contaminate
crumbs

Andrea Cooks - March 9, 2010

Andrea offered to bring us jumbo shrimp and share one of her favorite recipes: Shrimp Pan. It was great fun to let someone else take charge, and the results were delicious!

	<Cookers: Daniel, Christiane, Andrea, Ralph, Kerstins >Andrea takes charge: the Shrimp Pan in preparation
	<Wow, look at that: the end result of Shrimp Pan Beware, she has fire and a sharp knife
	<Leek soup >The magic way to cube a mango (first cut, then turn inside-out)
	<Mango Avacado Salad >Out of the fridge and into the fire (this picture before torching)
	<Blowtorching the brown sugar >Crisp and good

Andrea’s Jumbo Shrimp Pan
1 bunch green onions
3 shallots
3 limes
1 bunch coriander
1 bunch rosemary
1 bunch lemon thyme
1 kg frozen jumbo shrimp
5 bunches of cherry tomatoes on stems
500g fresh green asparagus
2 Tbsp butter
Olive oil
Directions: Thaw shrimp in a large bowl of warm water. Slice down the back of each shrimp, butterflying it so it will cook more evenly / quickly. Lay on paper towels to dry.
Cut green onions and shallots diagonally. Wash cherry tomatoes but leave on stems. Peel asparagus stalks and cut into 3 cm pieces.
Wash herbs but leave them in bunches/on stalks.
Melt butter in a large skillet. Allow to cool. Add olive oil, heat to high. Cook the shrimp pan in batches, so all ingredients are fresh – for 1 kg shrimp you will need about 4 batches, so divide ingredients accordingly.
When oil is hot, lay green onions and shallots on the bottom of the pan, cover with shrimp and asparagus. Lay one branch of cherry tomatoes in the pan, cover with a branch of rosemary, a bunch of coriander, and a bunch of thyme. Cook only until shrimp is just cooked, remove from heat and serve immediately from skillet.

Avocado Mango Salad
200 rucola, washed and dried
3 ripe avocadoes
1 ripe mango
Juice of 2 limes
50 g walnut pieces
Freshly ground black pepper
Directions: On a baking sheet, roast walnut pieces for approximately 10 minutes until toasted (be careful they don’t burn). Set aside to cool.
Lay bed of rucola in salad bowl. Cut avocadoes in 1 cm cubes, add to bowl. Cube mango into 1 cm cubes, add to bowl. Pour juice of 2 limes over the avocadoes and shake/stir thoroughly to distribute juice. Sprinkle black pepper and walnuts over salad and serve fresh.

Leek Soup
3 large leeks
1 onion
2 cloves garlic
2 cups vegetable broth
Black pepper to taste

Directions Slice the dark green parts of the leeks into ½-inch rounds, separate into rings, and set aside. Cut the white and light green into 2-inch pieces, and separate the layers. Slice onion and garlic and set aside.

Heat oil in the frying pan over medium heat, add dark green leeks and onions, and sauté, stirring frequently, until almost tender, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and let cook 2 minutes. Add veg broth and light green leek parts, cook until all leeks are soft. Puree in batches until all solid pieces are liquid, season with salt and pepper, serve. Optional: add a dollop of crème fraiche to garnish each bowl.

Crème Brulee
Ingredients:
2 cups heavy cream
5 egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
200g frozen raspberries or other fruit
1/2 cup or so of light brown sugar.
Directions: Preheat oven to 275 degrees.
In a bowl, soak frozen fruit in hot water to thaw (naturally, you can use fresh fruit instead, if it’s in season ; ) When fruit is thawed, lay berries in the bottom of small oven-proof bowls or ramekins.
Whisk the cream, egg yolks, sugar, and vanilla extract together in a bowl. Mix it all up until it gets nice and creamy. Pour this mixture into ramekins (those little ceramic dishes). (I suppose you could pour it all into one smallish casserole dish, too, but then you have less fun with the blowtorch). Place the ramekins in a baking pan. Fill the baking pan with hot water, about halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Place the pan with the ramekins in the oven for 45 minutes to an hour or so. After 45 minutes or so check them every ten minutes. You'll know they're done when you can stick a knife in one and it comes out clean. Remove the ramekins from the baking pan, set them on the counter, and let them cool for 15 minutes or so.

Then put them in the refrigerator and let them chill overnight.

Sprinkle a thin layer of the light brown sugar on the top of each. Make sure it's a THIN layer, but also make sure it completely covers the custard. Now torch it! [Housewares stores sell little caramelizer burners. Personally, I borrowed a blowtorch from Stefan. It's fun!] The point is, you need to caramelize (melt and let harden) the sugar.

Ralph says he sprinkled sugar and brandy over his, and lit the brandy on fire, which melted the sugar quite effectively.

March Words:
lighthouse
yeast
dough rises
in my defense
advantage
jumbo shrimp
goddess
education
scissors
dyke
weed
lime
disgusting
snow removal
scoop
bloodshot

Birthday Feast - February 9, 2010

I found recipes I like to eat, but hate to cook by myself. What is a birthday for but to have people cook for you???

	<Laden with lovely gifts >Cookers: Cyrus, Tina, Andrea, Marcus, Kerstin, Alex, Daniel
	<Kerstin makes expert piroghi >Japanese-style salad with carrot miso dressing
	<The wonderful pumpkin piroghi: sweet and salty, soft and crispy >With a spicy sauce of Carrot and Cabbage Curry
	<Spicy Pumpkin Soup

Spicy Pumpkin Soup
100g unsalted butter
2 medium yellow onions, chopped
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 teaspoons curry powder
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
Pinch ground cayenne pepper (optional)
600-700g of chopped roasted pumpkin*
1 liter vegetable broth
500g brown sugar
200g milk or heavy cream (optional)
1 Melt butter in a 4-quart saucepan over mediium-high heat. Add onions and garlic and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 4 minutes. Add spices and stir for a minute more.
2 Add pumpkin and 5 cups of chicken broth; blend well. Bring to a boil and reduce heat, simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.
3 Transfer soup, in batches, to a blender or food processor. Cover tightly and blend until smooth. Return soup to saucepan.
4 With the soup on low heat, add brown sugar and mix. Slowly add milk while stirring to incorporate. Add cream. Adjust seasonings to taste. If a little too spicy, add more cream to cool it down. You might want to add a teaspoon of salt.
Serve in individual bowls. Sprinkle the top of each with toasted pumpkin seeds.
Serves 8.
*To make pumpkin purée, cut a sugar pumpkin in half, scoop out the seeds and stringy stuff, lie face down on a tin-foil lined baking pan. Bake at 170° C (350°F) until soft, about 45 min to an hour. Cool, scoop out the flesh. Use the rest to stuff the piroghi.

Pumpkin Piroghi
Dough
1/2 stk butter melted
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup water
1 x egg beaten
3 3/4 cup flour
Filling
2 cups baked pumpkin, mashed
1/2 lrg onion
2 tbl butter
400g creme fraiche
1/2 tsp salt
1 dsh pepper
Butter for cooking

Method :
Mix butter, milk, water and egg. Add flour to mixture and form dough. Keep adding flour so dough sticks together. Knead until smooth. Let rest for 20 minutes in a covered bowl.
Make the filling by cooking, draining and peeling the potatoes. Saute onion in butter, add to potatoes and mash. Add cheese and mix well. Season with salt and pepper. (Any leftover filling can be used as a side dish.)
Divide dough into four pieces and roll out. Cut into 4 inch squares or circles (use cup bottom).
Add filling and seal well by pinching.
Bring 8-quart pot half full of water to boil. Drop pieroghi into boiling salted water. Cook gently 3-5 minutes or until they float. Lift out of water with perforated spoon and place in cold water. Drain and coat with melted butter. When ready to serve heat in frying pan until browned to desired taste.
Makes 10 servings.

Carrot and Cabbage Curry
6 large carrots, cut into thin rounds
½ head of Chinese cabbage, sliced into strips
1 large onion (chopped)
1 large tomato (chopped)
Garlic- 3 flakes (crushed)
Ginger- 1 inch cube, grated
Red chili powder- 1 tsp
Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp
Salt
Ghee or oil
Mustard seeds- 1 tsp
Urad dhal- 1/2 tsp
Chopped cilantro (coriander) leaves
Directions: Boil 2 cups of water with 1/2 tsp salt and a pinch of turmeric powder. Turn off the heat. Put the carrot rounds into the boiling water. Close the pan and leave it for 5 minutes. Then drain the water.
Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds. When it pops add the urad dhal and fry until golden. Add ginger, garlic and fry for few minutes. Then add the chopped onions and fry until it is translucent. Add the chopped tomatoes and mix well. Then put in the carrots and fry for few minutes until they are caramelized. Add red chili powder, turmeric powder and salt. Mix well and pour in very little water. Stir cabbage into mixture. Lower the heat and cook until the gravy becomes thick and carrots and cabbage are soft. If it's your birthday, you can serve it over pumpkin piroghi : )

Miso-Carrot Salad Dressing
3 carrots, peeled and diced
3 Tbsp. white miso paste
2 Tbsp. sesame oil
1 Tbsp. rice vinegar
juice of one lemon
Preparation: Place all ingredients in a blender or food mill. Grind carrots into paste with the other ingredients. The result should look like orange mush. Serve over salad of lettuce and cucumbers.

Words of the Week:

French Night - January 12, 2010

Having so enjoyed our last French night, long ago, we thought we'd do it again, this time with some very different recipes.

	<Cooking in action: Annette, Kerstin, Daniel, Ralph (apparently I forgot to take the group shot before dinner) >Artichoke Soup
	<Leek Gratin with much cheese >Zucchini (courgette) salad
	<A full plate >The delicious chocolate bananas
	<Yes, there are bananas under there somewhere >Too much excitement for Stan

Purée d'artichauts (French Artichoke Soup with Garlic)
* 6 artichoke hearts (fresh, frozen, or jarred)*
* 3 cloves garlic, chopped
* 3 T butter
* 1 potato, peeled (optional) and diced
* 4 c vegetable stock
* salt
* pepper
Directions Heat T butter over medium heat, and sauté the artichoke hearts and garlic, stirring frequently, until golden.

Add potato and stock, bring to a boil, lower heat, cover, and simmer about 10 minutes, until the veggies are tender.

Blend potato and artichokes with a little bit of the cooking liquid until smooth. Transfer back to the pan, season with salt and pepper, stir the purée into the remaining liquid, and reheat.

*Fresh artichokes: pull off the leaves, trim out the hairy choke, and blanch for a minute or two in boiling water with 2 T of lemon juice.
Frozen artichokes: thaw and drain well before using.
Jarred artichokes: make sure they are just in water, not marinated.

Gratin de poireaux aux trois fromages et ciboulette (Leek Gratin)
* 4 large or 6 medium whole leeks, cleaned and sliced*
* 1 T olive oil
* ½ c sour cream or crème fraîche
* ½ t salt
* ½ t pepper
* 1 t nutmeg
* 3 T Parmesan cheese, grated
* 1 oz bleu cheese, crumbled**
* 2 c cheese, grated**
* 3 T chives, minced
Directions Slice the dark green parts of the leeks into ½-inch rounds, separate into rings, and set aside. Cut the white and light green into 2-inch pieces, and separate the layers.
Preheat oven to 425.
Bring a pot of water to boil, add white and light green leeks, and boil until just tender, 2-3 minutes. Drain.

Meanwhile, heat oil in the frying pan over medium heat, add dark green leeks, and sauté, stirring frequently, until tender, about 10 minutes.

Combine sour cream with salt, pepper, nutmeg, and Parmesan, and spread half of it over the bottom of the baking dish(es).

Arrange the dark green leeks on top, then cover with a third of the grated cheese and all the bleu. Add half of the white and light green leeks, then top with the rest of the cream. Add the another third of cheese, then the rest of the leeks, then the rest of the cheese, and top with chives.

Bake until golden brown and sizzling, about 10-15 minutes. Serve over whole wheat pasta or brown rice.
Notes *This recipe makes wonderful use of the dark green parts of the leeks - don't throw them away!
**The original recipe calls for 6 oz of bleu cheese and 6 oz of something else, such as Gruyère, Comté, or Cantal. In my opinion, using these quantities would make it taste overwhelmingly of bleu cheese. I prefer just a hint of that particular flavor, so I only use a tiny bit of bleu and a mix of cheddar, comté, monterey jack, and/or gouda for the rest.

Aïoli
* 1 large egg
* 3 T cider vinegar
* ½ t salt
* ½ t dry mustard
* 1¼ c oil (vegetable, olive, and/or canola)
* 4-6 cloves garlic, minced
* 1 t lemon juice
Directions Blend the egg, vinegar, spices, and 2 T of oil for a few seconds.

Without turning off the blender or food processor, slowly pour in the remaining oil. As soon as it is mixed in, turn off the blender.

Stir in the garlic and lemon juice, transfer the aïoli into the container, cover, and refrigerate.

Salade Courgette
* 2 plum tomatoes, chopped
* 3 medium zucchini, chopped
* 1 ½ tablespoons lemon juice
* 3 tablespoons olive oil
* 1/3 cup packed finely chopped mint leaves
* ¼ cup finely chopped fresh parsley
Layer the tomatoes on 4 salad plates. Toss remaining ingredients together and serve over the tomatoes.
Makes 12 servings.

Délice au Chocolat et aux Bananes
7 oz. Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate (or your favorite high-quality dark chocolate at 70% cocoa)
2 Eggs
2/3 cup Crème Fraîche (or heavy cream)
1/2 cup Whole Milk
2-3 Bananas
1 tbsp. Butter (room temperature)
Rum
Powdered Sugar to decorate
Butter and Granulated Sugar for baking dish

Preheat oven to 350°F
1. Chop chocolate into small pieces and put in a bowl.
2. Heat up cream and milk (don't let it boil!) and pour over chocolate pieces. Stir until chocolate melts and the batter is smooth.
3. Stir in butter until smooth.
4. Once batter is cool, add eggs, and whisk well.
5. Butter and sugar a baking dish (or a flan dish).
6. Cut bananas into thick slices. Line the bottom of baking dish with bananas.
7. Pour chocolate batter into dish, over bananas, and bake for 15-25 minutes, depending on how firm you want it.
8. Take out of oven and sprinkle top with rum and powdered sugar. Put back in oven, best if right under grill, and bake for about 3-5 minutes. Serve Warm.

Tip: You can prepare this dessert ahead of time. Add rum and powdered sugar, and bake additional 5 minutes right before serving.

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