Extra Schmaltz!

This dish (sometimes called lagman) is part of Sogd cuisine, food from what we call "the 'stans", in the general region of The Silk Road. The recipe is from one of my most prized possessions: a self-published cookbook from our tour guides in Tajikistan. Characteristics of this cuisine are various noodles and dumplings, rice dishes, lamb and beef, and lots and lots of herbs. This dish is traditionally made with hand-pulled noodles, but a reasonable substitution is dried bucatini. I recommend cooking the meat in a pressure cooker or insta-pot for tenderness & time saving. This makes enough for two people. Double for more. Noodles: 1/2 lb. bucatini, cooked in well salted water Sauce: 2 Tbsp. oil 1/2 lb. ground lamb or beef 1 clove garlic, minced 1 onion, sliced thin 1 cup shredded cabbage 1 turnip, peeled and cubed 1-2 Roma tomatoes, diced 1 red bell pepper, diced 2-4 c. water or broth salt and pepper to taste Garnish: 2 Tbsp. parsley, minced 2 Tbsp...

I made this last night and it turned out fantastically - I wasn't going to post it since it was a bit improvised, but we haven't had a post in a while. I was going for a cross between (American) Chinese and Korean flavors. This is really easy to make, and doesn't even involve chopping an onion. It's pretty similar to galbi jjim in some ways, but again, a lot easier. Ingredients 1 large (2-3#) beef roast, preferably something with a bit of fat (I used bottom round) 4 carrots, cut into thick circles 1 medium purple turnip, peeled and cut into medium chunks. Daikon radish would work just fine too, it's harder to get around here. Sauce: 3/4 c. soy sauce 1/4 c. water 4 cloves garlic 1-2" of ginger root, peeled and sliced 1 tablespoon rice vinegar 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar 1 tablespoon rice wine/dry sherry 1 tsp sesame oil 2 heaping tablespoons brown sugar 1 tsp (or more) ground black pepper dried chinese chilis to taste (...

ROOT VEGETABLE STEW This is a hearty, colorful stew, with a variety of textures. I invented it in my head before I went to the store, so I selected the ingredients intentionally. Of course, it is a great way to combine root veggies that have accumulated in the fridge, and it doesn't matter if they are a bit wrinkly. I do, however, suggest that you peel the vegetables for a smoother and more savory taste without too many unwanted earthy tones. Refrain from adding leafy veggies, at least the first time you make it. Ingredients: (these quantities will make a large batch, at least enough for 4-6 servings) 1 large onion 2-3 each: (cut into small/medium sized cubes) Potatoes Sweet potatoes Parsnips Beets (any color) Turnips Rutabaga 1 cup quinoa 1-1.5 quarts of broth or water Oil Salt, pepper, Tabasco or other peppy additive Sour cream or yogurt for topping Assembly: Chop onion in big chunks and saute in oil. A Dutch oven is perfect, or ...

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.

This recipe isn't much different from Porky Kraut , but I thought I'd post it anyway, since it's a little faster (you don't have to cut up the meat) and more colorful, and it reminds us all to use our beloved slow-cookers. ~6 raw bratwurst 2 lbs. sauerkraut 1 large carrot 1 large turnip (optional) 1/4 c. white wine 1 tsp. salt 1 tsp. thyme 1 tsp. white pepper 1 tsp. paprika 1/2 tsp. sugar 1 pinch cayenne 2 bay leaves water Brown the brats in a pan. Place them in the slow-cooker. Use some water or broth to deglaze the pan and add that to the cooker. Drain and rinse the kraut. If you like it zingy, only rinse it a little. Add to the cooker. Grate the carrot and turnip (if using) and add to the cooker. Stir in the spices and wine and add water so that the contents are 3/4 submerged. Cook all day. Serve with mashed or roasted potatoes. *** Feel free to experiment with the spices. I add a mix I got from Penzey's called Krakow Nights. You can go the caraway route if you l...

This soup is simple and satisfying and turns out great in the crockpot or pressure cooker. It's essentially a flavorful lamb-based broth with large chunks of root vegetables floating in it. It's traditionally served with strips of flatbread immersed in it, which I think is even tastier when the bread is stale. You can use any kind of bone-in lamb, as long as the individual chunks aren't too big (i.e. don't use an entire lamb shoulder). Try your best to find turnips because these really give it the flavor it needs. Despite the simple seasonings and broth-iness, this soup is hearty and satisfying. I normally leave the turnips in larger pieces, but some of mine had hollow centers I had to cut out. By keeping things in large chunks they don't fall apart and cloud the broth as much. 1.5-2 lbs. bone-in lamb chunks 1 large onion 1 tsp. ground coriander 2-3 tomatoes, peeled and sliced or chopped 2-3 carrots, peeled and cut into thick diagonal slices 3-4 potatoes, peeled an...

This recipe has one of the greatest deliciousness:ease ratios that I know of. I learned it from our Hungarian cousin Kriszti, and I can't remember the Magyar name for the life of me, so I made this one up myself. All you need is: 1.5 lbs pork shoulder roast, cubed or sliced fresh Polish sausage 2 big jars/cans of sauerkraut Optional: 1 bay leaf white pepper nutmeg In the example photos I used the Polish sausage and home-made sauerruben (pickled turnips), because I'm an overachiever. Brown the pork/sausage in oil or fat in a heavy pot. Rinse the kraut in a colander and squeeze out (if you like it milder, rinse less. Knowing our family, you won't rinse at all). Dump the kraut on top but do not stir. Grind some white pepper and nutmeg on top and stick a bay leaf in, if desired. Trust me--even without any seasonings this is delicious. Add some water or broth so that there is moisture in the pot, but I wouldn't add more than a cup. Bring to a boil and then reduce to simmer ...

You may or may not know that Dan and I are splitting a CSA (community supported agriculture) share with our friend Kristine. It still seems to be 'springtime' at the farm, so we're deluged in greens of all sorts. One nice break from those, though, are the sweet little Hakurei turnips we get. Unlike the big, tough, purplish turnips you get from the store, these are small and tender. As you are probably not surprised to know, I just read the book " The Joy of Pickling " from cover to cover and now I'm completely inspired. I've made a number of recipes already, but I thought I'd sharea few photos to test out our new blog. Here are the turnips themselves, nice and clean. A few weeks ago none of them were more than 1" across. Now they're growing. This time I pickled them thusly: Wash and peel one pound baby turnips, make X-shaped cuts in each end. Soak in brine of 1.5 c. water + 2 tsp. pickling salt for one hour, drain. Add one fresh jalepeno (i...