Extra Schmaltz!

As a kid I loved day trips to the tourist-trap known as Solvang , for one big reason: æbleskiver! These Danish goodies are little eggy puffs of air, made in a specialized cast-iron pan. Lucky me, Alex got me just such a pan! This dough would also make fantastic pancakes or waffles if you don't have the pan. I used this æbleskiver recipe from a Danish enclave in MN at Lutsen, but I cut it in half for two people. They recommend allowing 7 puffs per person, which is handy because that's how many fit in a pan. The recipe below makes ~18 puffs. For the technique, watch this video from Solvang: 1 c. buttermilk 2 eggs, separated 1 Tbsp. sugar 1 Tbsp. oil 1 pinch salt 1 c. flour 1/2 tsp. baking powder 1/2 tsp. baking soda Beat the egg whites until stiff. Whisk together the yolks, sugar, oil, and salt in a large measuring cup with a pour spout. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and baking soda and then add it to the liquid ingredients. Whisk until very smooth...

Nothing like a beefy hot bowl of noodles on Christmas Eve! I was able to make this with odds and ends I had on hand. You can top it with whatever vegetables and things you have. I had only a small piece of lean beef, but if you have something with more bones and cartilage you'll get more flavor. You could also use pork or chicken. 6-8 oz beef 1/2 yellow onion, with skin 1" knob of ginger 2 garlic cloves 8 black peppercorns 2-3 dried shiitake mushrooms 2" piece of kombu (optional) 6 c. water 2 Tbsp. oil 1-2 tsp. dashi granules 2 Tbsp. rice wine or sherry 3-4 Tbsp. light soy sauce 1 tsp. sesame oil 1 tsp. rice vinegar salt and sugar to taste 2 bundles dried udon noodles 3 green onions, sliced thinly Garnish ideas: 1 carrot, julienned 2 leaves Chinese cabbage poached eggs 1/4 c. soft tofu, in cubes Pickled daikon (takuan) 7-spice powder (shichimi togarashi) Heat 2 Tbsp. oil in the base of your pressure cooker, and sear the outside of the beef...

This is a recipe from Melanie/Melanie's host family here in Rabat. It's pretty easy, and makes a delicious, warm and hearty meal. Ingredients: Kufta balls: 1 # ground beef 1 tsp cumin 1/2-1 tsp tahmiira (Moroccan mild pepper powder, a bit different but replaceable with a mix of mild paprika and cayeanne) 2 Tbsps minced Italian parsley Salt Pepper Sauce: 3-4 medium tomatoes, skinned and seeded, diced (this is how tomatoes are usually prepared for Moroccan recipes, whether cooked or salads) 1/2 tsp tahmiira 1/2 tsp cumin 3 Tbsps minced Italian parsley Salt Pepper 1 Tbsp olive oil 1 Tbsp salad oil Steps: Before starting on the kufta, get the sauce cooking in a large skillet. Heat the oil on medium heat, then add the tomatoes. When the tomatoes start releasing their juice, add the spices, then turn it down to a simmer. While the sauce is simmering, combine the ingredients for the kufta, then form into balls about 1" in diameter. When the tomatoes have cooked down, you can eith...

I have learned a lot about making pasta in the last 2 years or so; it is not a coincidence that this overlaps with my having very little time to contribute to the blog. I'd like to illustrate what I now know about the "true" italian approach to pasta with a dish from the menu of the restaurant where I currently work, Delfina . This dish has, approximately, 4 ingredients. It is also one of the signature dishes of a well-regarded restaurant which has served dozens of them every single day of its 12 year history, which should indicate that the devil is going to be in the details. It is officially listed on the menu as "Spaghetti with plum tomatoes, garlic, extra virgin olive oil, and peperoncini" Ingredients: Spaghetti: This is a dry pasta dish. Texture-wise, the sauce adds little more than mouth-feel, so everything depends on the noodle itself. The industry standard for Italian dry pasta is Rustichella d'Abruzzo . I think you can find it retail at fancy-p...

Some say beans don't go in chili. I think this guy would eat anything in front of him. We're home on the range tonight, or is it the Donner Pass? Being stuck inside during a historic snowstorm calls for improvisation, or in this case, a return to basics. Meat? Check. Dried chilis? Check. Can o' beans? Check. Chili here we come! 2 lbs. ground or finely chopped beef 1 large onion, chopped 2 Tbsp. bacon grease (you can also add some bacon) 3 dried ancho chilis 2 cloves garlic 1 tsp. ground cumin 1 tsp. black pepper 1 tsp. Mexican oregano 2 Tbsp. salt 1 can of chili beans (optional) or 1 can tomato sauce water Honestly, I was out of chili powder, so I had to make the chili sauce from scratch. I added the beans mainly for liquid, but you could use tomatoes instead (or in addition). Brown the meat in the bacon grease, seasoning it with some salt and black pepper. I like to pressure cook it for 10 minutes to make it more tender. Cut the chilies open (kitchen ...

While roasting trays of mixed vegetables one day, I had the bright idea of trying another approach to cooking fruit. I like it so much better cooked, and it seems much easier to digest. Here is what I did: 2 greenish bananas, sliced 1 tbsp butter, melted Toss the banana slices with the butter gently (I did it all in the cast iron pan used to melt the butter). Spread them out into a single layer. Bake at 350 for a total of 1 1/2 hours, separating and flipping every half hour. Remove from pan to storage bowl and cool. Once these are cool, they are 1)really ugly, and 2)incredibly delicious. They become caramelized and sweet the longer they cool. Use them in yogurt or in shakes. One thousand times more delicious that plain bananas!

More turkey leftovers? I found this in the Star Tribune around Thanksgiving, and it is quite delicious and a nice change from the usual turkey Tetrazinni approach. I tweaked a few ingredients and made it as shown below: 2 TBSP finely grated fresh ginger 2 TBSP finely chopped garlic 1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes (or more, if you like it hotter) 2 tomatoes chopped* 2 TBSP curry powder 2 TBSP garam masala 1 cup yogurt 1/2 bunch cilantro 1 lb. chopped cooked turkey (or chicken, or cooked meat of any kind) 1 TBSP olive oil 1 small yellow onion, chopped 1 lb. chopped cooked sweet potatoes 3 TBSP brown sugar (this can be left out or reduced if your left over sweet potatoes are already sweetened. 1/2 tsp salt (or to taste) 1 small can (5.6 oz, or 165 ml) coconut milk (or half and half) Put ginger, garlic, pepper flakes, tomatoes*, curry powder, garam masala, yogurt and cilantro into a deep bowl and stir to combine. Add turkey, toss well, cover, and refrigerate for sever...

Making pumpkin pie from scratch is all well and good (I see I have a very elaborate recipe for it in my notes), but sometimes you just need/want an easy pie. This is my version of a basic recipe using canned goods. It is for a deep-dish pie crust, so you will have extra if you are using a standard pan. Before... ...After! Preheat the oven to 425° 1 unbaked pie crust 1 can pumpkin 1 can evaporated milk 2 whole eggs + 2 egg yolks 1/2 c. plain yogurt 3/4 c. light brown sugar 1/2 tsp. cinnamon 1/2 tsp. garam masala 1/2 tsp. salt Roll out the crust and place it in your pie pan. Blend together the pie filling ingredients. Pour the ingredients into the crust. Bake at 425° for 15 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 350° and bake for another 40-50 minutes, or until it looks mostly set. Cool on a rack for at least 2 hours before slicing. I love pie!

This recipe comes from the galley copy of the meat version of The Schwarzbein Principle. With salt added, of course (and a few other tweaks). I also use bone-in chicken breasts, which takes longer but produces juicier results. Allow some time for marination. Served with Twice-Baked Potatoes . I removed the chicken from the bone after cooking. 4 bone-in chicken breasts 1/3 c. olive oil 2 Tbsp. dry sherry 4 tsp. Kosher salt 1 tsp. dried oregano 1 tsp. dried cumin 2 Tbsp. chopped shallots 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 tsp. black pepper Combine the ingredients in a dish suited to marinating (or ziploc bag). Place the chicken in the dish and spoon the marinade over, making sure to get some under the skin. Marinate at least one hour, mixing once or twice. Preheat oven to 350°. Place the chicken breasts in a greased baking dish and bake until the chicken is tender and reaches an internal temperature of 165°, 60-75 minutes. Baste frequently while baking.

There is no worthier cause for burning your tongue than biting into a twice-baked potato. They're a bit of a hassle to make, but the payoff is delicious, and makes great leftovers. They can be seasoned any way you like--this is for a bacon jalapeño version. 6-7 medium russet potatoes 3 strips cooked bacon, chopped very fine 3 Tbsp. butter 3/4 block cheddar cheese, grated and divided 1 egg 1-2 jalapeños, seeded and diced fine 3 green onions, chopped fine 2 tsp. salt 1 tsp. black pepper Heat oven to 400. Wash potatoes thoroughly and prick with a fork. Bake potatoes for 40-50 minutes, or until they are tender inside.While they are still hot, cut them in half, and scoop out the insides into a bowl (hold them with a hotpad). Place the skins on a greased baking sheet. Mash the potato well, and add in the remaining ingredients (reserving 1/3 of the cheese for garnish), and mix well. Plop the mashed potato filling back into the skins, smooth down, and sprinkle with the re...

These greens (translation: miner's kale) are traditionally served as a side to feijoada , a rich Brazilian black bean and meat stew (similar to cassoulet), often with orange slices. However, they make a great side-dish for nearly anything. Preparing the greens is laborious, but the rest of the cooking is easy. 2 bunches of collard greens 3 shallots, or 1 small red onion sliced thin 4 cloves of garlic, minced 2-4 Tbsp. bacon fat or oil salt and pepper to taste Wash the greens thoroughly and remove the mid-ribs by grasping the leaves in one hand and the rib on the other, and ripping it out. Stack the leaves flat, 6-8 leaves at a time, and roll them up very tightly. Using a very sharp knife (or mandoline), slice across the roll of leaves in 1/8" strips to make a very thin 'spaghetti'. Heat the fat in a large pan with a close-fitting lid. Add the garlic and shallots and stir until it they slightly start to brown. Add the greens and toss in the fat to coat. Add...

This is a simple-yet-flavorful meal, perfect for a weeknight dinner. It helps if you can season the porkchops an hour or more ahead of time, but not required. Here I serve them over couscous, with Couve Mineira on the side. I used boneless pork chops, but you could use bone-in. In fact, this would probably be good with chicken breasts too. Make as many as you would like for dinner and leftovers--this is for 4 chops. Serving Suggestion 1 Serving Suggestion 2 4 pork chops 3 Tbsp. Kosher salt 2 tsp. ground coriander 2 tsp. Aleppo pepper flakes 1 tsp. ground black pepper 2 medium red peppers, diced 3 shallots, minced 1/4 c. white wine 1/4 c. water or chicken broth 1 tsp. sugar salt and pepper to taste olive oil Combine the seasonings and rub it on the pork chops (honestly, I just eyeball the seasonings and sprinkle them on directly). If you have thin chops, score the fat & silverskin layer on the edge at 3/4" intervals so that they don't warp and cook u...

This is an absolute classic--perfect for winter weather. Like most stew recipes, it can be adapted according to your ingredients. I think it pays to be methodical in your approach, but you can also throw everything in the crockpot the night before and still get much of the deliciousness. I prefer to use an enameled pot in a slow oven, because my malevolent crockpot burns things. Before. After. Preheat oven to 300. 3 lb. chuck roast, cut into 1" chunks 1 large onion, diced 2 large carrots, diced 1 medium celeriac root, diced 1 c. small button mushrooms 2 Tbsp. flour 2 Tbsp. tomato paste 2 Tbsp. salt 1 tsp black pepper 1 tsp. garlic powder 1 tsp. thyme 1 tsp. rosemary 2 bay leaves fat for frying 1-1.5 quart water and/or broth 1/2 c. wine 1/2 c. pearled barley parsley, chopped (optional) salt to taste Pat the meat pieces dry and place them in a bowl. Toss them with the salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Heat the fat in a dutch oven until very hot (I like...

I don't know what to call this one. It's really just a good stir-fry, based on one they made on America's Test Kitchen. You can use any meat, really, and any vegetables, so it's hard to pin down. Here's how I made this batch. I used chicken thighs, but the original recipe was for beef (something lean, like top round). 6-8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (~2 lbs.) 2 Tbsp. fish sauce 1 Tbsp. brown sugar 2 tsp. ground coriander 2 tsp. salt 1 tsp. white pepper 2 heads broccoli, cut into florets 1 red pepper 1 red onion or 3-4 shallots 3 hot chilies 3 cloves garlic 3 Tbsp. fish sauce 1 Tbsp. rice vinegar 1/4 c. chicken broth (or water) 3 Tbsp. brown sugar 2 Tbsp. Chili Garlic Sauce 1 Tbsp. corn starch Begin by boiling a pot of water for blanching the broccoli. Meanwhile, slice the meat into small pieces and then toss them with the coriander, white pepper, salt, brown sugar, and fish sauce. When the water boils, blanch the broccoli for 1 minute, then cool immediately wi...

Or, as I like to call them, Blueblerry Blars! This recipe is based on one from the Lunds & Byerly's free magazine, Real Food . These make a great breakfast or post-gym snack. Soon I will work on some other fillings, like apple or cherry. ~2.5 c. blueberries, fresh or frozen (or a whole 12 oz. bag) 1/4 c.white sugar 2 teaspoons cornstarch 1 tsp. lemon zest 1 c. walnuts, whole or in pieces 1.5 c. AP flour 1 heaping cup old-fashioned rolled oats 1/3 c. white sugar 1/3 c. packed brown sugar 1/2 tsp. baking soda 1/4 tsp. cream of tartar 1/2 tsp. salt 12 Tbsp. melted, unsalted butter (1.5 sticks) Preheat oven to 350°. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper. Trust me--this recipe will be a lot easier if you use the paper. Place the walnuts on the baking pan and put them in the oven to toast for 5-10 minutes. They will become fragrant and make squealing noises. Make sure they don't start to burn. Remove from the oven to cool when they are done. ...

A bit thick, but very, very yummy :) This is an aromatic stovetop-simmered style (like kheer ), instead of the baked, eggy Occidental style. I made this using cooked rice. You can certainly start with uncooked rice (look up a recipe online), but be prepared to spend a lot of time stirring. The recipe is flexible: you can adjust the liquid amount for the desired consistency, add different flavorings, additions such as raisins or nuts, and even different sources of liquids. I recommend using whole milk and adding cream or evaporated milk. The recipe can be served warm or cold. 3-4 c. cooked basmati or jasmine rice 2 c. whole milk 1 can evaporated milk ~1 c. boiling water 1/2 c. sugar 1 Tbsp. rose water 1/2 tsp. ground cardamom 1 pinch salt 1 Tbsp. butter (optional) crushed pistachios for garnish Heat the whole milk and evaporated milk (or whatever types of milk you are using). Add the rice, sugar, salt, and cardamom. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer, stirring frequently for 25 min...

If you are confused, those are pink potatoes on the right. It may not be the most sophisticated cut of beef, but it's cheap, easy to find, and if you follow my directions, delicious. This makes a lean, slice-able roast. I made a 5-lb. roast, but you can make this with a 3- or 4-pounder, just adjust the cooking time. Allow some time to let the roast season before you roast it. Preheat oven to 325. 1 5-lb. eye of round roast 4 Tbsp. Kosher salt 2 Tbsp. paprika 2 tsp. ground pepper 1 tsp. garlic powder 1 tsp. thyme 1/2 tsp. ground coriander roasting vegetables (optional) oil Combine the spices. Pat the roast dry and rub the spices into it. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and let sit for 1-2 hrs or more. Heat some oil for frying in the bottom of a roasting pan. Brown the roast on all sides. Place in the oven to roast. Add more oil to the pan if it starts to scorch. I found that my roast cooked faster than most recipes said, probably because I was shooting for medium-ish instead of well-do...

Well, we can't have a red enchilada recipe without a green enchilada recipe! Heck, we even have a half-assed mole enchilada recipe . I took it upon myself to make these from scratch, since it seems like there are always tomatillos for sale around here, and my food processor is working again. You can use canned sauce instead, if you like. Salsa Verde 1.5 lbs (6-7) tomatillos 1 large onion 2-4 chiles verdes 3 cloves garlic 1 lime, juiced 1 small handful cilantro 1/2 tsp. ground cumin 2 tsp. salt, or to taste 1 tsp. sugar, or to taste 1 c. chicken broth, with extra chicken boullion added Remove tomatillo husks and cut onion in half. Place tomatillos, onion, and chiles underneath the broiler (or on the grill) to roast, turning a few times as needed. When they have lots of brown, roasty edges, remove them and let cool. Remove the roasted skin from the chiles. Feed all sauce ingredients into food processor and process until you have a chunky-smooth sauce. You will probably have sauce le...

These are delicious and a nice break from flour-based pancakes. I have noticed a nice assortment of organic and high-quality brands of cottage cheese at the coop, and had sort of forgotten about keeping it on hand. A couple spoonfuls are a great pick-me-up in the afternoon or before dinner is ready. This recipe was found on the internet, with a few adjustments, but this is how I did it: 1 cup oatmeal* 1 cup cottage cheese 4 eggs 1 tsp vanilla 1 tsp cinnamon *I ran the oatmeal through the food processor first to break it down a little - if you have the quick-cooking variety you shouldn't have to do this first. Put all ingredients into food processor, blast a few times, and set aside. It will get thicker from standing. On a medium hot non-stick or lightly oiled griddle, make silver dollar-size pancakes; turn when slightly bubbly. Cook a little longer on side two. Serve with your favorite topping. I used cooked apples (baked ahead of time with a wee bit of sugar and cinnamon). They ar...

I originally got this recipe for 'navets persilles' from the Julie/Julia project . In the original the turnips are par-boiled and then cooked again for 30 minutes. I don't usually blanch the turnips before boiling them, and I find they usually cook in less time (especially if they are fresh from the garden and not the hardened, wax-coated things you find in the store). Nowadays I make this more frequently with cauliflower than turnips, though I think any dense vegetable would work. Parsnips, celeriac, carrots, etc... It's so simple it barely calls for a recipe. 3-4 c. of a dense root vegetable or cauliflower, in chunks salted, boiling water 3-4 Tbsp. butter lemon juice chopped parsley freshly ground black pepper Aleppo pepper flakes or paprika (optional) Boil the vegetables in well-salted water until tender. Toss with the remaining ingredients. Be careful with the lemon juice, so you don't add too much--usually one half of a lemon, gently squeezed, is enough.

You know what they say about the importance of food presentation...wait, what is it they say? This zingy green sauce is often served with Afghani food. It's sort of a Central Asian version of pesto, though it does not contain oil. It's easy to make and keeps well. It's great on grilled meat, or anything really. You will need a blender or food processor. 1 large bunch cilantro or 2 smaller bunches 1 jalapeno pepper, seeds removed 3 garlic cloves 4 walnuts 1 c. white vinegar 1 Tbsp. salt 1-2 Tbsp. sugar, to taste Chop the cliantro, hot pepper, garlic, and wanuts in a food processor, until very fine. Add vinegar, salt, and sugar to taste. Alternately, combine all ingredients in a blender at once and blend until fine. Makes a watery chutney that tastes best after it sits for a couple of hours. Store in a tightly closed container in the fridge--should last for several weeks. You can add some lemon or lime juice, but do not substitute it entirely for the vinegar, which gives an i...

Not a quick weeknight meal, but well worth it in the end! If you've ever ordered pho ga at a restaurant, you've probably found it to be an under-flavored, pale shadow of the classic pho bo (beef). Instead, try making it at home, where you can crank up the flavor and have as much garnish as you want! This is especially good if you are cooking for a crowd. There's a lot of prep, but it's worth it in the end. I recommend using a pressure cooker to speed up the process. Broth : 1 whole chicken (optional: add extra chicken backs, feet, or necks for more flavor) 2 2-3" cinnamon sticks (ideally Vietnamese cassia type) 6 pieces star anise 2-3 onions (save 1/2 for the garnish) 4" piece of ginger 6 cloves garlic 2 Tbsp. whole black peppercorns 6 whole cloves, separated and slightly crushed 4 Tbsp. fish sauce, divided 2 Tbsp. brown sugar ground black pepper salt Slice the onion into halves and do the same to the ginger root. Place them in the bottom of your stockpot, wit...

I baked this at the same time as a loaf of zucchini bread because they both used buttermilk and because if you're heating up the kitchen to bake one thing you may as well go on a baking spree. Buttermilk pie is a traditional Southern dish, basically a custard pie, and it's ideal for when the larder is bare. Since it's the height of summer I decided to add in some seasonal fruit, but this is a perfectly respectable pie without the berries. This pie is literally simple as pie, and there's no fiddly top crust to deal with. I got the basic recipe from the NPR website . Preheat oven to 350 1 unbaked pie shell 4 eggs 1 c. sugar 1/2 c. melted butter 1 1/2 c. buttermilk 1 tsp. vanilla extract lemon zest (my addition) Blend together the ingredients, but not so much that they start to foam. Pour the mixture into the unbaked pie shell. Cover the crust with foil so it doesn't burn. Bake for 1 hour, or until a knife comes out clean. The pie will puff up a bit, and the surface s...

How can we have so many recipes, and yet not have a family zucchini bread recipe? Part of the reason may be that it's a fairly modern phenomenon--I can't find a recipe for it in any of our older cookbooks. Another possibility is that the version in The Melting Pot is made entirely with whole wheat flour and honey instead of sugar--yuck! Another reason is that Aunt Etties recipe was ~90% nuts, which is also yuck in my book. Whatever the reason we don't have one yet, here's a good recipe that is unapologetically full of refined carbohydrates: Preheat oven to 350 1 1/2 c. flour ~2-3 c. grated zucchini (one 12" zuke) 1 tsp. baking soda 1 tsp. baking flour 1/2 tsp. salt 1/4 tsp. cinnamon 1/4 tsp. garam masala 2 eggs 3/4 c. sugar 1/2 c. buttermilk 1/4 c. oil 1 tsp. vanilla Sprinkle the zucchini with the salt and place it in a colander in the sink. Sift together the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Blend the wet ingredients together in a quart measuring cup. Squeeze the z...

OK actually I call these potato patties (which might get confused with latkes), but you can be more lah-dee-dah and call this form of Operation Icebox 'croquettes'. It's really just a way to use leftover mashed potatoes. Ingredients: leftover mashed potatoes chives or green onions, minced bacon bits (optional) spices, salt & pepper cheese? fat for frying Combine the mashed potatoes together with whatever ingredients and seasonings you like. You can probably add cheese, but I don't because it makes a mess when frying. Pan-fry the patties in fat until golden brown on each side. I use a nonstick pan and a shallow layer of fat, but you can go the whole 9 yards and deep-fry them if you like. Your humble leftovers have now reached food Nirvana. Enjoy!

Herd tu feegoore-a oooot hoo I nefer treeed mekeeng thees clesseec Meennesuta deesh beffure-a. It ceme-a oooot greet! Börk, börk, börk! Ahem....what I mean to say is that this is delicious, especially served over mashed potatoes with lingonberries or cranberries and pickles on the side. It's a fair amount of work, but very worth it in the end. Veal mixed with beef will give the best texture--the velvetiness of the veal combined with the heartiness of the beef. If that's not an option, use pork instead. For two people, halve the recipe or freeze some of the meat for later. 1 lb ground veal (or pork) 1 lb ground beef 1 medium onion 2 slices of white bread, crusts removed ~3 Tbsp. milk 2 egg yolks 2 Tbsp. salt 1 tsp. black pepper 1 tsp. paprika 1/4 tsp. allspice pinch of nutmeg copious butter and oil for frying This goes best with a food processor. Chop the onions until very fine, almost puree. Mix in the meat and egg. Grind the white bread into breadcrumbs and mix it with the mil...

Here's another similar summer meat salad recipe, though this one has a roasty flavor from the toasted rice flour and dried chilies. You will wind up with enough rice flour to make this at least twice. You need a blender or food processor. I got the recipe from Thai Food Tonight, which has many good recipes and helpful videos. http://www.thaifoodtonight.com/thaifoodtonight/recipes-YOUTUBESpicyGroundBeef.htm 2 lb. lean ground meat: beef, pork, chicken, turkey, whatever 1 1/2 c. water 1/2 c. white rice, any kind 10-15 whole dried red chili peppers 1/2 cabbage: green, red, or savoyed (or leaf lettuce) 4 green onions, sliced thin 1/4 red onion, minced 1/4 c. fish sauce 1-2 limes, juiced 1 small bunch cilantro, washed and chopped 3-4 sprigs of fresh mint, washed and chopped (optional) Roast the rice in a pan until it is dark brown (but not burnt). Allow it to cool. Grind it in a blender or food processor until it is the consistency of sand. Roast the whole red chilis until they are d...

Clockwise from the left: young coconut juice, rice, chicken (actually turkey) salad, ripe papaya, papaya salad. Holy blazes I'm posting a recipe! Almost hard to call this one, it's so easy. However, it's a valuable use for leftover chicken or turkey, and it's served cold or room temp, so it beats the heat. 2-3 c. leftover cooked chicken, shredded 1 handful beansprouts 4-6 green onions, sliced 1 large handful cilantro or culantro , sliced 1-3 hot chilies, sliced juice of 1-2 limes, depending on size 1 Tbsp. fish sauce 1-2 tsp. salt ~1 tsp sugar I like to heat up the chicken a little so that the salad is warm, but you can make it cold if you like. In the picture I didn't have beansprouts, and it was still delicious. Just mix all the ingredients together and adjust the salt and sugar. If it isn't moist enough, add a little broth or water. It should be salty and zingy with a dominant cilantro flavor.

I thought I'd just post some outlines of how I like to do pork (spare)ribs. They take a lot of time to do right, but they turn out really well. I do the rub from memory more or less every time, but I find that certain things, like szechuan pepper, really add to it nicely. Alex's Dry Rub: 1/2 c. brown sugar 1-2 Tbsp. Szechuan peppercorn, smooshed a bit in mortar and pestle 1 Tbsp. chili powder 1 Tbsp. paprika 1 Tbsp. ground cumin 1 Tbsp.+ salt 1 tsp. black pepper 1 tsp. ground mustard 1/2 tsp. white pepper (I haven't tried this yet since I forgot, but it's probably a good addition) 1/4-1/2 tsp. cayanne pepper Mix everything together, then coat the outside of the ribs. Let sit overnight wrapped in plastic wrap (unless you have a container large enough to hold a whole rack of ribs. Cooking the Ribs: So I know there are a lot of ways to cook the ribs, but the way I prefer is to just put them on the grill at a pretty low temperature for about 2-4 hours (the longer, the flaki...

I've always been a big fan of crumpets, and so I spent a few days looking around online for recipes. Someone else appears to have done the same, and this recipe is based on hers but is hopefully a bit clearer. It might be worth noting that I also halved her recipe. Due to the need for risings, etc, I'm not sure if this is a great breakfast recipe or not. Maybe you could make it the evening before, and then refrigerate the dough, but I think the best approach is to make them whenever and toast them later. First, and most importantly, you'll need something to cook the crumpets in - a circular cookie cutter is good. I've heard tuna cans suggested, but every can I've seen of that size has a special bottom that is made for better stacking but which you can't cut off. It's better to get something a bit larger, like a can for crushed pineapple, etc. I recommend having at least two. Ingredients: 2 c. flour 1/2 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp. sugar 1 c. room temp milk (30 secon...

I call this man meat because it uses ingredients that even the most consummate bachelor would have. Also, I think my step-dad John, who recently passed away, used to make it a lot, and he was truly a man's man. I hope you're taking notes, because it's pretty complex: 1 tri-tip steak 1 bottle or can of beer Lawry's Seasoned Salt Apply the seasoned salt liberally to the meat. Place the meat in a container, such as a zip-lock bag. Add the beer. Wait overnight. Grill the meat to desired done-ness. Eat. Now if you're a pansy, you can get all fancy and overthink the recipe. What beer should I use? What if I don't have tri-tip? What if I have no balls? A real man would figure it out.

I was shocked to see I hadn't posted this soup, which is one of my stand-by favorites. It's similar to 'Italian Wedding Soup', but I leave out the pasta and I call it Roman because it contains ingredients that the Romans would have had before contact with the Americas. A big batch of meat broth, ~6-8 cups A pound of ground meat, I like to combine turkey and beef 1 large onion 1 clove garlic Fresh parsley, ~1/2 c. chopped finely 2 cups blanched kale, chopped (or other greens: see below) Salt and pepper A dash of white wine vinegar Grind 1/2 of the onion and the garlic in a food processor or chop it very finely--almost pureed. Combine it with the meat and parsley and form into tiny meatballs. Bring the broth to a boil and drop the meatballs in, gently making sure they don't stick to the bottom. When they rise to the top, cover the pot and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the onions, kale, and seasonings and simmer 5 more minutes. Go heavy on the black pepper--the Ro...

Congee is rice porridge, and is the Asian equivalent to chicken soup as a home-made remedy. It's easy to digest, versatile, and comforting. You can put virtually anything in it, but usually it contains some aromatics (ginger, green onions, celery), a small amount of protein (chicken, shrimp), some seasonings (white pepper, sesame oil, soy sauce), and a LOT of water or broth. You can also add green vegetables. I find most recipes include ginger at the very least. This recipe is great when you're feeling under the weather. This is congee with ginger, smoked turkey (just for flavor, removed the bone later), bouakham nam sausage, tea eggs, tofu, and fried shallots. It's like Chinese penicillin! My rice cooker has a setting for congee, but it can easily be made on the stove. You can start with raw or cooked rice, with the latter being much faster. The consistency is a matter of preference and depends on how much liquid you add (you can always thin it out more, so start t...

This was an experiment I did last night to try to make a somewhat crunchier version of no-knead bread using ingredients I already had in the cupboard. It wasn't as crunchy as I'd thought it would be, but it was amazingly delicious. I was going to call it "multi-grain" but since almost everything in it is based on wheat (except the oats) it's really "multi-permutations-of-the-same-grain." But mostly importantly, it's delicious. Ingredients: 1/2 c. whole wheat flour 1/4 c. oats 1/4 c. bulgur 1/4 c. shelled wheat/wheat berries 2.25 c. white flour 2 tsp. salt (this is really important for the taste) 1/4 tsp. yeast 1.75 c. water (the grains in here can be quite thirsty) Steps: Night before: Mix everything together (dry ingredients first, then the water), cover with plastic. Day of: Heavily flour a cutting board, then use a floured spatula to get the muck out onto a cutting board. Flour the top of the blob, then flatten it a bit. Fold each edge into the ce...

While we're dry-rubbing-and-grilling... I got this recipe from the chef at la Grassa, and used it for the Tasso ham sandwiches we sold at the Summit IRA release party. This is an easy one to keep in the memory bank for when you to need to pack a wallop of flavor, cajun style. 1) Obtain fresh ham or other whole cut of pork (despite being a recipe for ham, shoulder is actually ideal due to superior marbling.) Cut the meat against the grain into long, thin strips. 2) Bury the strips of meat in a cure of 1 part salt: 2 parts sugar. Ensure the meat is covered on all sides. Allow it to cure for no more than 8 hours; this is intended to be a quick cure. 3) Rinse the cure off the meat and pat it dry. Make the dry rub: 2 parts white pepper 1 part ground chile 1 part marjoram (thyme or oregano work equally well here) 1 part ground allspice Cover the meat in the rub. Grill, slow roast, or, ideally, hot-smoke the meat. Make sandwiches, soup, etc.

Grilling season has arrived! Here's a simple and popular rub that has delicious results. Sure, you can just buy the seasoning mix, but when you have a spice cabinet that can't fit one more jar, it's better to just make your own mixtures. Most of the recipes I've seen online called for dill weed, but I used dill seed, which probably has more flavor anyway. No measurements...just use The Force. Kosher salt black pepper garlic powder paprika ground coriander dill seed (or weed) red pepper flakes Pat steaks dry. Sprinkle with rub. Wrap steaks tightly in plastic wrap and allow to season for at least 1 hr. Grill or pan fry on medium high heat until cooked to your liking. These would be great with the fingerling potato recipe below.

This is obviously just a very simple way to cook finger potatoes, but I wasn't sure if it would work, and it did, so I figured I'd post it. 1 # or so finger potatoes, washed well 2 Tbsp butter (or more!) ~1 Tbsp salt 3-4 Peeled whole cloves of garlic Pepper to taste Optional but delicious: Turnips, cut into similar sized chunks as the potatoes Heat oven to 375. Combine everything in a baking vessel (I used a casserole pan), cover, and place in the oven. Every once in a while, you should shake the pan so that everything gets nicely coated in butter. Bake around 30-40 minutes - you want to err on the side of more cooked, since finger potatoes are better when they melt in your mouth and the skins get nice and crispy. Serving Suggestion:

And the living is easy

This is a really easy way to whip up some dinner after a long day. The main weird ingredient you'll need is Chinese sausage. Here's a picture of one brand and a picture of the actual sausage in a package . Chinese sausage is one of the meats that I like to keep around since it keeps for a long time and you don't have to worry about it going bad too quickly - it also adds sweet/savory flavor to meals. You can also throw some diced garlic into this, but I don't think it's necessary. You'll need: 1-2 Chinese sausages 5-10 leaves of a hardy green (Mustard, kommatsuna, etc) 1.5-2 c. rice 2x as much water as rice Cut sausages into small (1/2-1" circles), then chop the greens into smaller pieces. Put rice and water in the rice cooker, then throw in sausages and then greens. Turn on rice cooker, wait 20 minutes and then eat. I recommend adding some soy sauce, hoisin sauce and sriracha.

This recipe was on a sticker on the cute mini-acorn squashes I got today at the store, and turned out really well (especially since I was using Melanie's homemade marmalade): Cook acorn squash according to standard operating procedures (cut in half, remove seeds, put face down on cookie sheet in 400 degree oven for around 30 minutes until very soft when poked with a fork) Flip the squashes so that the inside is facing up. Put a dollop of orange marmalade and a dollop of butter in the center of each half squash. Place under broiler on high until somewhat browned. Enjoy!

I remember getting this bread, or something like it, at Turtle Bread. It was absolutely fabulously delicious, especially when schmeared with mascarpone. The recipes ( here and here ) I derived this from are pretty complex, and give the measurements in weight and traditional cups/tbsps. I prefer the latter, so that's what I'll use primarily. If you want weights, feel free to look at those links. The Night Before: You need to mix "biga naturales" which are a form of starter. I think they recipe would be fine without this, but you might want to increase the yeast later: 1/4c. flour 1/8c. water pinch of yeast Mix, and then let sit covered at least 8 hours (or overnight). Day Of: Biga Naturales, cut into small pieces 3 c. flour 1 1/8c. water 1/4 c. honey 1 Tbsp. vanilla 1/4 c. cocoa powder 1/2 tsp. yeast 1 Tbsp salt 1/4-1/2 c. chocolate chips Mix all ingredients, then knead for 5-8 minutes. Let rest 5 minutes. Knead in chocolate chips. Let rest until doubled in covered li...