Extra Schmaltz!

For Christmas, I got Melanie a copy of a cookbook by her favorite author, Martha Rose Shulman, entitled Ready When You Are: A compendium of one-dish meals since I tend to prefer one dish meals anyway. We've been in a bit of a cooking rut, and so it's nice to have some new inspiration. This dish is originally written for dried beans, and I've simplified it a bit too, so I don't feel too bad reposting it. It's super delicious - we had some leftover ziti that it went perfectly on, but I also think it could be awesome with garlic bread.  It's also nice because it's a good way to use sage - we have an extremely robust sage plant in our garden, so I even had some fresh(ish) sage as the recipe called for. It doesn't taste too sage-tacular though, it's really subtle and just part of the deliciousness. The sausage will make difference in the flavor here, we use Hillshire Farm Turkish kielbasa because Melanie really likes it, but a good porky Italian sausage ...

I'm posting this as an add-on to Alex's Kushari recipe--it's really good on top of kushari, but it's also a great side dish in general. This is for a dry style chickpea with Indian spices. It is also dirt cheap! Chana masala on top of kushari. 1 can of chickpeas 3 Tbsp cooking oil 1 Tbsp black mustard seeds 2 tsp whole cumin seeds 2 tsp minced ginger 2 cloves garlic, minced OR 1/4 tsp hing powder 1 tsp ground turmeric 1 tsp ground black pepper 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, to taste  Optional: chopped cilantro I recommend doing this in a non-stick pan. Don't allow the spices to burn, or they will taste bitter. Start by draining the chickpeas so that they have time to dry on the outside. You can pat them dry further with paper towels. Heat the oil until very hot. Add the black mustard and cumin seeds until they begin to pop, stirring occasionally. Add in the hot pepper flakes, ginger, and garlic (or hing) and allow them to sizzle, but take care not ...

Typical potluck bean salad is an affront to the senses: bland yet pungent, mushy, tin-can-flavored filler. This recipe is none of those things. It's a simple and quick preparation that highlights fresh herbs and ever-delicious olive oil. I recommend using white wine vinegar (NOT all-purpose distilled white or cider vinegar), but you could also use lemon juice or verjuice . 1 can cannellini (white kidney) beans 1/4 c. red onion, finely chopped 1/4 c. celery, finely chopped 3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil 2 Tbsp. white wine vinegar 1 small handle fresh parsley, chopped 1 sprig fresh rosemary, chopped salt and black pepper to taste 2 hard-boiled eggs, chopped (optional) Drain and rinse the beans. Rinse the onions in cold water for ~ 30 seconds to reduce their pungency. Place the beans, onions, and celery in a bowl and add the oil, vinegar, and seasonings to taste. Stir in the egg right before serving, if desired. Also good with a pungent cheese, such as feta. Feel free...

We made these for a "fictional food" themed party. This makes 10, so you may want to scale it down. Thank you to Clancey's meats for accommodating my cutlet request. The rest I based on Roman flavors and the goal of making everything as green as possible. They turned out delicious and I didn't even get punched in the face by Charlton Heston! 10 pork or veal cutlets 2 leeks 1 head escarole or other leafy green 1 can white beans, drained 1/2 c. frozen green peas 1 handful fresh parsley 1 tsp thyme 1 tbsp whole cumin seeds 1/4 c. shredded Romano cheese 1 Tbsp. fish sauce 1-2 Tbsp. verjus or white wine vinegar Salt and fresh ground black pepper Sprinkle the cutlets with salt and pepper and keep them cold in the refrigerator. Overall the rolls are easier to handle if they are kept cold. Cut the leaks lengthwise and wash each leaf under running water to remove grit. Chop coarsely. Wash the escarole and parsley and chop coarsely. Defrost the peas. ...

This is not exactly the dish from our childhood, since it's a bit more complex than the "quick, we need some food" version that's in the Melting Pot cookbook. However, the freshly roasted poblano pepper really gives it a lot more flavor than if you use canned chilies, and roasting them really doesn't take that long. I recommend gloves for processing the pepper.   Ingredients 2 poblano peppers (or if you're spiciness adverse, 1 poblano and 1 Anaheim pepper), roasted, skinned, and cut into thin 1-2" long strips 1 can black beans, drained 1/4 onion, minced finely 1 c. grated cheddar (for filling) and 1/2 c. for topping 2 Tbsp. minced cilantro 1/4-1/2 c. salsa (depending on desired juiciness) (Optional) 1 cooked chicken breast, shredded 1-2 tsp. salt Corn tortillas Diced tomatoes for garnish   Instructions Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Whomp together everything except 1/2 c. of cheese, which you'll use for the topping. Check the seas...

This is the perfect, quick one-dish meal. You don't even need to add meat (it's good though)! It's great for using spring vegetables and cupboard staples. You could probably eat this for every meal for the rest of your life and not experience any nutritional deficiencies. 1 lb. loose Italian sausage 1 can cannellini beans 1/2 box chunky pasta 1 bunch broccoli raab (rapini) 1 onion, sliced 1 clove garlic, crushed 1/4 c. grated hard cheese 3 Tbsp. Italian parsley, chopped Salt and fresh ground black pepper Cook up the sausage in a large frying pan. Meanwhile boil a large pot of well-salted water. Immerse the raab in the water for 1-2 minutes until it is bright green and tender. Remove with tongs and immerse in cold water to stop the cooking. Drain well and chop. Using the same water, boil the pasta until cooked and drain. Add the onion to the sausage and cook until it starts to become tender. Add the beans, chopped raab, crushed garlic, and parsley and stir unt...

Tonight we decided to dine in. At the last minute. But, what kind of domestic goddess am I if I can't whip up something delicious with no warning? That's right. So, I bring you - La Sopa des Frijoles Negras y Papas de Sabado 1 onion 1 large or 2 small potatoes 3 cloves garlic 3 cups chicken broth 1 can refried beans (preferably black beans) 1 can black beans some pimentos or something similar, if available (for color) 1 cup frozen (or canned) corn 1 TBSP chili powder 1/4 tsp dried red chili flakes 2 TSP cumin salt and pepper Saute chopped onion with diced (tiny pieces) potato. Add chopped garlic and stir fry until golden. Do not let garlic burn. Add chicken broth and bring to boil; cook until potatoes are soft. Turn down to simmer, add spices and beans. Smoosh up the refried beans until they are evenly dispersed into the broth. Cook for a few minutes to blend flavors. Add corn and pimientos and cook until everything is heated and it tastes good. Optional toppings: finely chopp...

I say: you can never have too many bean recipes! They're cheap, filling, flavorful, and, um...euphonious. This one is enhanced by serving it with brown rice that has been roasted, to release the nutty flavor. Some hearty avocado slices make a nice addition too. This is based off a Whole Foods (gasp!) recipe. I have discovered that I only like brown rice if it has been cooked for a very long time, which is not possible on the stovetop without scorching. I use the 'brown rice' setting on my rice cooker, but you can accomplish the same thing by cooking it for an hour in a very slow oven. Roasted Brown Rice, oven style 2 c. brown rice 4 c. water 1/2 tsp. salt Preheat the oven to 225. Heat the rice on the stovetop in a Dutch oven, stirring constantly until it is lightly roasted. Add the water and salt and bring to a boil. Put the lid on and place the pot in the oven for one hour. Fluff before serving. Chili Black Beans 1 lb. black beans, soaked overnight 1 large ham hock (or sm...

It's hard to fathom how we don't have this recipe up yet. This dish is a standard mezze and breakfast item in much of the Arab world. It's often eaten during Ramadan because it's so nutritious and filling. You can use dry beans (Brown Egyptian Favas) by soaking them overnight and then slowly simmering them, or you can just use the beans out of a can. In some places they like to leave the fava beans whole, but in other places they like to mash up the beans (my preferred approach). The toppings are up to you and can range from simple to elaborate. Eat with bread. 1 can brown fava beans 1/3 c. parsley, chopped + garnish 1 clove garlic, crushed juice of 1 lemon 2-3 Tbsp. olive oil + garnish 1-2 tsp. salt 1 tsp. ground black pepper I also add: 1/2 tsp. cumin 1 pinch cayenne Heat the beans, liquid and all, until warmed through. Pour them into a dish. Mix in the parsley and garlic and then mash the beans with a potato masher (or leave them whole if you prefer). Mix in the lemo...

My minestrone, made with potatoes, carrots, small red beans, green beans, fresh tomatoes, and sproingy noodles. All just stuff I had on hand. I just learned a great tip for making this free-form soup: add a couple spoonfuls of pesto at the end! I thought I should post the recipe (or more like, guidelines) as a reminder of this tasty dish. There are basically no rules for minestrone, so just use what you have on hand. I added a ham hock by simmering it for a long time in the broth and cutting the meat off of it to add to the finished soup, but you can use pancetta or bacon or just leave it vegetarian if you like. Rainbow of colors, get ready to turn into rainbow of flavors! several pieces pancetta or bacon (or 2 Tbsp. olive oil) mirepoix (onion, celery, and carrots, diced) red pepper flakes (optional) 3-4 c. stock or water 1 can tomato sauce a few dashes of red wine bay leaves mixed vegetables, diced: --white things like potatoes, parsnips, or celeriac --summer squash or winter squash -...

I got this wonderful recipe from the Almost Turkish recipe blog. Bastirma is a salted, highly seasoned, pressed beef product that you can find at the deli counter in Holy Land. I think it fulfills the role a pork product like bacon would fill in non-Muslim (or Jewish) cuisine. It has a complex, salty flavor, with a lot of paprika in it. It's well worth buying and is also very good in scrambled eggs and fried potatoes. Here's a domestic brand of bastirma. They have several at Holy Land, so you might find a pack that doesn't look exactly like this. They are probably all tasty, though I hear that the stuff imported from Turkey is more intensely flavored. 1 lb. cannellini beans, soaked overnight (or 2 cans, drained) 1/2 pack of bastirma strips (10-12 pieces), shredded butter or olive oil 1 medium onion, chopped 2 garlic cloves, minced 2-3 banana peppers, chopped 1 Tbsp. pepper or tomato paste 2 tomatoes, diced (or 1 can petite diced tomatoes) 1 tsp. crushed pepper 1 tsp. dried...

I made this a while back and forgot to post the recipe. Hopefully I'm remembering it right. It was my first time using dried baby lima beans and it turns out they have a nice buttery texture, just right for soup. The only sausage I had on hand was bratwurst and it actually came out well, but you can use any other kind. For fresh herbs I used marjoram and thyme. If you like, you can make this a tomato-ey soup by adding tomato paste and diced tomatoes, or you can add greens at the ends for a vegetable soup. The sausage can be omitted to make it vegetarian, but be sure to increase the spices. 1 lb. baby lima beans, soaked, rinsed, and drained 2 large sausage links, or equivalent in pan sausage 1 onion, diced 4 celery ribs, diced 2 carrots, diced 2 Tbsp. butter 1 tsp. crushed red pepper 2 Tbsp. fresh herbs of choice, minced 1-2 garlic cloves, minced salt & pepper 2 Tbsp. cider vinegar 1 Tbsp. ketchup water to cover Begin by sauteing the onions, celery, and carrots in butter in a he...

Here are a couple of components to a Southern style meal. You could accompany these with any number of delicious things, such as cornbread, grits, mac 'n' cheese, sweet potatoes, biscuits and gravy, etc... I like to keep the peas very simple and dress up the greens a bit. Black-Eyed Peas 1 lb. black-eyed peas, soaked overnight and rinsed a few times 1/2 block salt pork, diced (remove rind or see below*) 1 small onion, chopped salt and pepper water In a heavy pot, cook the salt pork until the fat renders and the meat is crisp. This works best if you start over moderate heat and slowly increase it. * One trick for easy removal if you don't want to eat the salt pork later, is to leave the rind intact and cut the pork into segments (like a mango). Then you can pull out one large piece at the end. Once the pork is browned and crisp, add the onion and cook until they are beginning to get crispy and brown. Add the beans and just cover them with water. Add a few grinds of pepper. B...

I'm revising this recipe that I wrote back in 2008 to be clearer, a bit easier to follow, and to include some changes I've made in how I make the recipe. This is a heavy dish from Syria, often eaten for breakfast, but still popular for all meals. It's sold in steamy shops that that specialize in anything involving chick peas or fava beans, with big round kettles cooking the beans all day long. These were some of my favorite places to eat out during the cold Syrian winter because they were just so warm and cozy. Ingredients:  1 can chickpeas 1 cup yogurt 1 small lemon juiced (about 1/4 c. lemon juice) ½ tsp salt 1/3 cup tahini 1-2 medium cloves garlic crushed with a dash of salt (traditionally done in a mortar and pestle, but you can do it with a fork on a plate or cutting board) 1/4 cup chickpea juice 1 loaf pita bread, toasted and broken into chunks, or cut into squares and fried 1/4 cup chickpea juice. ¼ cup pine nuts (optional) Preparation:    Th...

Our Memorial Day Welcome Home picnic was a great success! I was so wonderful to see everyone and go into food comas as a family. I got many compliments, so I will post the recipes I used for posterity. This recipe takes long, slow cooking and and some planning in advance, but it's definitely worth it. 1 lb. dry navy beans, soaked overnight 5-7 strips bacon, sliced thin 1 ham hock 1 onion, diced 2 T. tomato or red pepper paste 3/4 c. regular molasses 1/5 c. dark brown sugar 2 T. dijon mustard 2 T. ketchup 1 tsp. garlic powder 1/2 tsp. thyme several grinds of black pepper salt (add after cooking) Preheat your oven to 300. In a heavy pot, cook the bacon pieces over medium-low until the fat renders and they just start to crisp. Add the onion and cook until it softens. Stir in the tomato or pepper paste until there are no lumps remaining. Add the beans and cover with 1" water. Stir in the molasses, sugar, and remaining seasonings. Add the ham hock and bring to a boil. Cover and pl...

Tonight was Mexican food night here, and it turned out delicioso! Amazingly, tri-tip beef is available at Coborn's Grocery in Ramsey, so that's what I used, but I think that a "sirloin tip roast" is a similar cut, and easier to find. Meat: Put your meat in the freezer for an hour or two, so that it gets firm but not frozen through. Slice as thin as possible, against the grain, with a sharp knife. Marinate with: Some chopped onion or shallot 2-3 crushed garlic cloves 2 tsp. salt 1/2 c. Coca-Cola (preferably Mexican style, with sugar instead of corn syrup) 1 tsp. cayenne 1/2 tsp. ground cumin Mix the meat around from time to time when it's marinating. I keep it at room temp so it absorbs more flavor and cooks faster. When you cook it, heat a large frying pan up as hot as you can get it and add a generous dollop of lard or shortening, and cook as briefly as possible. Serve immediately on hot corn tortillas. The most traditional way to serve the tacos is with diced on...

Doing some research for the weed science class I'm TA-ing, I stumbled across a wonderful food blog ( Mahanandi ) of the cuisine of southern India, specifically a recipe that uses amaranth leaves ( right here ). Amaranth is considered a weed in the US, but the grains and greens are used worldwide in cooking. The recipe is for 'chana dal', which are similar to chick-peas, but much smaller and faster-cooking. I found them at the co-op, but I've also seen them at the large grocery store here. Soak them overnight for best results. Also, you could use spinach instead of amaranth, but the amaranth is so good that you should try to find it (I got mine at the Chinese grocery) or collect it from the garden yourself. I think I like it more than spinach, and from now on I will harvest the weedy volunteers in my garden. You should do your best to follow the recipe on the original site--I had to make a bunch of substitutions, but it still turned out really well and even looked just l...

Tonight we have the first frost advisory of the year here in Ithaca, so it's a good night to stay home and have a comforting meal. Also, I didn't feel like doing my homework, so I basically got food (at the farm and farm-stand) and cooked the whole day. I even took pictures this time! Tonight's meal was truly all-American, all-Yankee, in fact. A navy bean is also known as a Yankee bean, so the soup is self-explanatory. The Parker House rolls originated at a swanky hotel in Boston; I made the cloverleaf version. The concord grape pie may be more hard to believe, but it does exist and is a regional delicacy. Concord grapes are a 'labrusca' variety, which means they're descended from the native North American grape. I'm not sure if you can find concords in MN, but I hope so, since the pie smells delicious (it's still cooling, so I don't know how it tastes). I think that you can use any other black-skinned grape whose skins slip off readily. Yankee Bean ...

I'm posting this picture 5/27/2012 (4 yrs 8 months after the original post)--just to prove that this recipe delivers again and again over the years! This is a hearty, simple meal that will feed you all week long. I make it with a pressure cooker because it is SO much faster that way, but you can simmer it on the stove if you prefer. The recipe is based on one from the cookbook that came with my pressure cooker. I didn't take photos because I find that bean dishes look horrible in them so you'll just have to use your imagination. First soak one pound of red beans overnight. I use "small red beans", but they're kind of hard to find, so you could use pink beans, roman beans, pintos, or even red kidney beans for this. If you didn't soak them overnight, you can put them in a pot of water, bring it to boil for one minute, and then turn off the heat and let them sit for 4 hrs. When you cut a bean in half there should be no pale starchy spot in the middle. ...