Extra Schmaltz!

A friend of ours had us over for dinner one night and served us an amazing lentil loaf - it was cooked in a pie pan, and had a nice solid consistency. He claimed it was a British wartime recipe, a meatloaf substitute in a time of scarcity. I kept bugging him for the recipe, but he never ended up giving it to me, and so I decided to just make my own version. It's pretty quick and easy and makes lots of leftovers. Ingredients: 2 cups red lentils Water or chicken broth Oil for cooking 1 medium onion, sliced thinly 8-10 mushrooms, cut into chunks 2 jumbo eggs 1 Tbsp dried marjoram 1 tsp dried oregano 1 tsp dried thyme leaves 1 Tbsp salt (or to taste) Tasty white cheese to garnish (feta or queso fresco) (Weird but tasty: salsa) Preparation: Pre-heat oven to 375. Boil lentils in unsalted water or chicken broth while you prep the veggies - I use about 3 cups liquid, 1 cup chicken broth and 2 cups water, but sometimes have to top it off. You're trying for a thick ...

Some recipes are so elemental that I do not think of including them on this blog. However, our family keeps growing and we must spread the basic cooking knowledge that we Magidows take for granted to the newer members of our flock. Hence, a step-by-step recipe for fluffy mashed potatoes, which Dan has been called upon to supply for his family's Thanksgiving in my absence. There are many ways to make mashed potatoes, but this is my way. This makes a LOT of mashed potatoes. 1 5-lb. bag of russet potatoes 1 stick of salted butter, cut into 1 Tbsp. pieces ~1/4 to 1/3 c. half & half Lawry's seasoned salt Ground white pepper (note to Dan: in the brass pepper grinder) Ground nutmeg (optional) Peel the potatoes. Keep the peeled potatoes in a bowl of water while you are working so that they don't turn brown. Quarter the potatoes--they should be big chunks that can still fit into the potato ricer.  Place into a large pot and fill with cold water until the potatoes a...

This hearty soup can miraculously turn bits and bobs from your winter larder into a satisfying, savory meal. This is one of the few examples of cooking with pickles--don't turn your nose up! Their zingy flavor blends pleasingly into the soup and adds some delightful crunch. The soup is made with a variety of meats, especially cured ones such as ham, smoked turkey, bacon, mild salami...whatever you have on hand. You can also add uncured pork, beef, or chicken. Garnished with capers and jalapenos. Also suggested are: olives, lemon slices, pickled mushrooms, smetana/sour cream. Use 3 lb of a variety of smoked and fresh meats, such as: Cubed pork shoulder Bone-in stew beef cut, such as round or chuck Slab bacon Smoked turkey Ham hock Smoked sausage (Krakovska from Kramarczuks is good for this) 2 medium onions 3 large carrots 1 c. dill pickles, chopped 1 c. frozen green beans (optional) 4 roma tomatoes, or 1 can crushed tomatoes 1/2 c. pickled mushrooms, or fresh mus...

 I cannot believe that I have not posted this recipe, even though I have probably made it a hundred times. Now you too can know the secret of how to make killer chicken kebabs, every time. This recipe will impress friends, endear you to in-laws, please picky eaters, and perhaps even make you more attractive. The key is using dark meat, i.e. chicken thighs. This is also good with lamb. Multiply the recipe to make more (I usually make about 12 thighs). Unfortunately I do not have any good pictures, but this captures how tightly you should pack the chicken onto the skewer for maximal juiciness. 6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs 2 cloves garlic, crushed 2 Tbsp. olive oil ~1/3. c. full-fat plain yogurt 1 Tbsp. salt additional seasonings* (optional) Cut the chicken thighs into large-ish chunks that will stay on your skewers. Combine the remaining ingredients in whatever container you want to marinate the chicken in, then and add the chicken thighs. There should be just ...

It's not every day that I post a130 yr old recipe! I found this one from 1885 for Mulligatawny Soup while perusing a site that houses vintage cookbooks and recipes. I am calling it a stew because I overdid it on the rice, and it's kind of nice that way. Scale back the rice if you want it to be soupy and/or are planning to have leftovers, as it will thicken considerably as it sits. Boiling a whole chicken will make more chicken stock than you need for the recipe, which is great if you want to make extra to freeze. Served with parathas (frozen section at Indian grocery). 1 whole chicken, cut into breast and legs 1 package beef or veal stew bones 6-8 c. water 2 Tbsp. oil aromatics* 2 red onions, diced 3 Tbsp. curry powder** 1 Tbsp. tomato paste 2 Tbsp. butter 3/4 c. basmati rice 1/2 c. frozen peas (optional) 1/2 lemon * if you are making a large batch of chicken stock, use aromatics such as yellow onion (including the peel), celery, bay leaves, etc... **you c...

Ages ago I bought some szechuan peppercorns for a recipe, and haven't tried many recipes with them since. They're very strange - they have what can only be described as a floral, citrisy taste, a bit like lychees (but less floral). In this dish, based loosely on authentic szechuan chicken recipes, they lend a really nice counterpoint to the chilies, but you don't want to add too much and overwhelm things. Note that this is a fairly dry stir fry. I made this with Japanese eggplants, but if you only have normal eggplant, cutting it into cubes might actually be nice, since they'd be a similar shape to the chicken chunks. Ingredients 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs (breasts reheat better for leftovers), cubed 5 Japanese eggplants, in slices 3+2 cloves garlic, sliced 1.5 teaspoons peeled sliced fresh ginger 1 heaping tablespoon szechuan peppercorn 3-8 Chinese-style dried red chilis, seeds removed 3 tablespoons dry sherry or rice wine 2 tab...

Accompanied by my illustrious photographer and culinary muse, JiJY, I present to you: Tom Kha. This fragrant soup is made with chicken and is bursting with flavor from the aromatic spices (and no curry powder/paste at all), and brought together with coconut milk and lime. Finished product, garnished with Thai basil and an egg. Photo by JiJY Thanwalee. Broth 1 chicken 4-5 quarts water 1 chicken boullion cube 3-4 stalks lemon grass 1 galangal root 6-8 kaffir lime leaves 4 large shallots or 1 red onion 4 cloves garlic 3 Thai chilies Simmering the broth. Scoop off the scummy bits so you get a nice clear broth. I accelerated the process by using a pressure cooker. Photo by JiJY Thanwalee. Place the chicken, aromatics, and water together in a large pot or pressure cooker. Bring to a simmer and simmer for 1 hour (or 35 min in pressure cooker). Drain the broth for use in the soup and discard the aromatics. Remove the chicken and when it is cool enough to handle, stri...

Sometimes you just want a pile of hot beef, and you don't want to chew. This is the recipe for you. It can be made in the pressure cooker or slow cooked. The onions, carrot, and celery cook down and make a delicious gravy, which you could blend if you want it to be smooth. Fortunately, my cooking is much better than my photography. This is the short ribs served over potato gnocchi, with a side of turnip greens. I kept the onion/meat juice mixture chunky and used it as a sauce for the gnocchi. 3 lbs short ribs 1 large onion, minced 3 stalks celery, minced 2 carrots, grated 3-5 shallots, minced 2 Tbsp. tomato paste 1/3 c. dry sherry or 1 c. dry red wine 1 large bundle fresh thyme, or 1 tbsp. dried 1 pkg French onion soup mix Salt and fresh ground black pepper 1/4 c. cooking oil ~3 c. water Sprinkle the short ribs with salt and black pepper. Heat the oil until very hot and brown the short ribs in a few batches, to avoid overcrowding the pot. Do this in the base of ...

I was invited to a dinner party with rather short notice, and asked to make dessert, which isn't really my specialty. Luckily, I got this ginormous, very British cookbook "1000 Classic Recipes" for $2 at a book sale. Being British, probably half the recipes are for cakes, pies or tarts, and flipping through I found this recipe which was ludicrously easy and required very few ingredients. It's low fat (for the gallbladderless among us), it could probably be made with gluten free flour, it takes maybe half an hour to make from start to finish, and it's really tasty - a nice, light summer dessert. The one caveat is that it's best to serve fairly soon after making, otherwise it gets a bit mushy from the berry juice. Also, it doesn't make a huge amount - I'm not sure how amenable it would be to doubling, though it sufficed for six people for a light dessert.  It's best served with vanilla ice cream. 2 c. worth of berries (I used raspberries, stra...

Hot dogs and lentils are a match made in heaven and are also extremely cheap! You can keep it basic and use regular hot-dots, or get fancy ones from Kramarczuk's or another meat market. I used their coarse-ground weiners with great results. Use green or brown lentils, not the red ones. I added orzo pasta to thicken it up, but you could also use rice or potatoes and adjust cooking time accordingly. 4 weiner links 1 c. green lentils 1 c. orzo pasta 1 qt. beef or ham broth 2 qt. water 1 large onion, diced 3 stalks celery, sliced 2 medium carrots, diced 3 Tbsp. tomato paste 3 sage leaves, sliced (or 2 tsp. dried) 2 bay leaves 2 tsp. whole cumin seeds 1 tsp. dried coriander 2 Tbps. Crystal or Tobasco hot sauce 2 Tbsp. oil 1 Tbsp. black pepper handful of fresh parsley, chopped (optional) salt to taste Slice up the weiners and saute them in the oil in a heavy soup pot until they brown slightly on the edges. Add the onion and half of the celery and saute until the oni...

Dan claims this is an original recipe, but I think it's just a variation of Pasta Fazool and Pesto Sausage Desperation . He absolutely loved it and insisted that I post it on the blog. It is indeed delicious. The basic idea is protein (could be leftover meat) + pasta + miscellaneous color/flavor agents that do not require a trip to the grocery store = dinner. 1 package pappardelle or fettuccine (long wide noodles) 1-1.5 lb chicken breast 2 medium onions 1/2 c. roasted red pepper, chopped (i.e. from a jar) 1/2 bag/block frozen spinach 3 cloves garlic, crushed 1 tsp. red pepper flakes 2 glugs dry vermouth 3 Tbsp. cooking oil + a dash olive oil A few sprigs of basil and parsley from the garden, chopped OR 2 tsp. pesto 2 tsp. oregano salt and pepper 2 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese Boil the noodles in plenty of salted water until just tender (they will cook more in the pan). Drain, reserving 1 c. of the cooking liquid. Meanwhile, cut the chicken into cubes and toss them with...

I think I like leftover potatoes better than the first time they come around, and this is one reason why. This makes a hearty, easy meal that feeds a crowd, and even keeps vegetarians happy. It's great hot, but also good cold as a late-night snack (sort of the 17th century Taco Bell). You can get fancy and make it from raw potatoes (I recommend waxy ones like Yukon Gold), but slice them thin and allow plenty of time for them to cook through. ~2 c. cold leftover potatoes, sliced 1/2 white onion, sliced 3 Tbsp. olive oil 6-8 eggs 1 Tsp paprika (smoked paprika is extra tasty in this) 1 tsp. salt 1 tsp. pepper Optional: other leftovers Heat a large nonstick pan with the olive oil. Add the onions and cook 1-2 minutes. Add the potato slices in a single layer, and cook on medium-low until the edges start to crisp. Crack the eggs into a large bowl and add the salt, pepper, and paprika. TIP: taste the eggs to see if the salt is right--don't fear the reaper. Dump the ho...

This is a great dish to bring bright colors and fresh (non-mayonnaisey) flavors to a potluck. I used "maftoul" (giant couscous), but you could any grain that suits your fancy and stays toothsome when cooked: barley, wheat berries, bulghur, brown rice, wild rice, etc... 1.5 c. maftoul couscous 3 c. chicken broth 1 red bell pepper, diced 1 yellow bell pepper, diced 3 green onions, sliced 1/3 c. red onion, diced 1 can chickpeas, drained 1/4 c. olive oil 1 lemon 1 small bundle fresh mint, sliced thin 1 Tbsp paprika 2 tsp. black pepper 1 pinch allspice 1 Tbsp. salt or to taste 2 tsp. Aleppo pepper flakes (optional) Bring the chicken broth to a boil and add the couscous (or other grain). Reduce to a simmer and cook until tender (it is OK if there is extra liquid). Drain the grain and rinse under cold water. Cut the vegetables into uniform pieces and add to a serving bowl with the chickpeas and drained grain. Add olive oil and lemon juice and mint. Toss and se...

I wanted to try something different than my usual cooking adventures so I ventured into African cuisine. I already love to make sukuma wiki collard greens, and this recipe makes a great main course with the greens. I got the recipe from Kadirecipes . 2 lb grilling meat, such as tri-tip 1/4 c. raw peanuts 1 Tbsp. paprika  2 tsp. grated ginger 1 tsp. cayenne pepper 2 bouillon cubes 1 Tbsp salt or to taste Roast the peanuts and allow to cool. Chop in the food processor until fine sandy texture, but not peanut butter. Blend in the remaining seasonings. Cut the meat into chunks or strips. Press the seasoning blend onto the meat and allow it to marinate for at least an hour. Place onto skewers, brush lightly with oil (if you are using lean meat) and grill. I found that my meat needed a bit more flavor pop, so I have increased the seasoning amounts from the original recipe. This meat went perfectly with the sukuma wiki and pap (cornmeal mush) as a side dish. The peanuts adde...

This dish is like the mullet of Mexican food: it tempers the healthful protein of chicken breast with the decadent fattiness of chorizo. Everyone wins! I grilled the chicken, but you could cook it any way that works for you. Most restaurants drown this dish in cheese, but it really only needs a little bit to tie the dish together. Would also be delicious with a fried egg on top. From the left: yellow rice, pico de gallo, chori pollo, avocado, and black refried beans. 4 chicken breasts 2 links or ~1/2 pound loose chorizo 1 red bell pepper, sliced 1 onion, sliced 3 Tbsp. oil 2 Tbsp. lard 1 Tbsp. Mexican oregano 1 Tbsp. black pepper 1 tsp. garlic powder 1 tsp. Adobo seasoning 1/2 tsp. cayenne salt to taste 1/2 c. grated Queso de Oaxaca or Monterrey Jack, if desired If the chicken pieces are irregularly sized, pound until they are flat and uniform in thickness. Salt the chicken breasts to taste. Combine the oregano, black pepper, garlic powder, adobo, and cayene, then r...

This dish is from Brazil, where it is often served after a heavy, meat-laden churrasco meal (primarily to tourists), with the idea that the papain enzyme will help dissolve the pile of meat you just consumed. Don't know if it works, but it is definitely delicious. Typically it is made with vanilla ice cream to a pudding-like consistency, but I like this lighter, zingier, smoothie version. 1 c. ripe papaya chunks 1 c. plain yogurt 2-3 Tbsp. sugar 1-2 Tbsp. crème de cassis or Ribena 1 pinch salt 1/4 milk (optional) Wait until your paypaya is super-duper ripe--I wait until it is on the verge of developing mold and attracting an armada of fruit flies. Peel it and take off some flesh with the peel to get rid of the bitter outer edge. Cut into chunks. I get the big red papayas from the Mexican grocery, but you can use the smaller pear-shaped ones too. Blend together the papaya, yogurt, sugar, salt, and a dash of the  crème de cassis. Add the milk if you want it to be a smoothi...

I received a request to share my fried rice recipe, written for a kitchen beginner. There are a lot of subtleties for making awesome fried rice, which would make it a lot easier to teach in-person; this step-by-step is the next best thing. I'm going to shout a bit in this post, but listen to me if you want your rice to fulfill your every hope and dream! TWO KEY THINGS YOU MUST HAVE: LEFTOVER rice (at least one night in the fridge, ideally a few days old). If you try to make it with fresh rice it will be mushy.  A BIG-ASS non-stick pan. Don't try to be a cowboy with cast iron or some other shiz. I am serious--if you are a beginner, DO NOT PASS GO without fulfilling those requirements or you will be disappointed and frustrated and never try cooking again. For rice I recommend a long-grain Thai jasmine rice, but other types will work. If you don't have a GOOD non-stick pan, I recommend Swiss Diamond . If you are concerned about carcinogens or whatever tin-foil hat b...

These cookies are super simple, and quite healthy for cookies! Ingredients: 2 c. almond butter (or any nut butter)* 2 c. chopped dates (I like to buy whole dates and chop them myself so they become very sticky) 2 c. oats (I prefer quick oats because they are smaller) optional: coconut, honey, maple syrup, vanilla extract, seeds Method: Mix well with a spoon and/or with hands. The mixture should stick together well. Use a tiny amount of water if too dry. Add more oats if too wet. If the mixture is too sticky to work with, but you don't want to change the consistency, you can leave it (preferably covered) in the refrigerator up to one hour before rolling the dough into balls. I store these in plastic airtight containers. If you are concerned about them sticking together, you could use wax paper to separate layers of cookies. These keep well in the refrigerator for at least one week. A similar cookie that is also delicious: Form balls out of mushed dates and crushed wal...

I made this not quite realizing that it was a real recipe - I was thinking of making shish barak (see Mimi's recipe for that), which is kind of like Middle Eastern ravioli. However, I had no patience for making all those little ravioli, but I really enjoyed that sauce. Only later did I realize that this is a legitimate, traditional recipe, called Kufta bil-laban, "Kufta in yogurt." (Not so helpful for everyone, but here 's a recipe for it in Arabic.) Ingredients 1.25 pounds lean ground beef 2 tsp. allspice 1/2 tsp. cumin 1/4 tsp. white pepper 1/4 tsp. black pepper 1/4 tsp. cinnamon 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes (optional) Dash nutmeg 2 cups yogurt (or 1.75 c. yogurt, 1/4 cup water if yogurt is very thick, like greek yogurt. Middle eastern yogurt is normally a bit watery) 3 tsp. corn starch 4 cloves garlic, minced 1 Tbsp. (or to taste) cilantro, minced (optional) Olive oil for sauteing Preparation Preheat oven to 450, or broiler if yo...

I finally figured out the key to good crockpot pulled pork--ignore 90% of the recipes out there and don't add the BBQ sauce until the end. In fact, doing it this way you could go full Southern style and not add BBQ sauce at all. If you add the sauce at the beginning it winds up watery and thin and doesn't let the meat or the sauce really shine. If you wanted it to be smoky & spicy you could substitute canned chipotle peppers for the paprika and cayenne. I used Sweet Baby Ray's on this last batch and it was too sweet for me. Try to find a BBQ sauce that suits your taste. I am a crockpot skeptic, but this recipe really works! Picnics are way more fun as a grown-up...even when it's -11 outside! 1 large 3+ lb. pork shoulder or Boston butt 2 medium onions, sliced 1-2 c. water 1 chicken boullion cube 2 bay leaves 1 Tbsp. paprika 1/2 tsp. allspice 1 pinch cayenne salt and pepper 1 jug BBQ sauce buns Rub the spices onto the pork. You don't actuall...