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 ...

This recipe comes from my friend Marisa, who shares a love of pickled things. It is very simple and does double-duty as hearty, but also somehow refreshing due to the tangy kraut. In my recipe I used some winter savory and chervil from my garden, which I have included on the blog just to annoy Alex, because I know he loves obscure ingredients. The recipe will be just fine without them, though (or try experimenting with other herbs!). 1 ring kielbasa 1 large can or jar of sauerkraut, drained 1 large onion, sliced 2 carrots (optional, for color), peeled and sliced 6-8 small white potatoes 2-3 qts chicken broth 2 Tbsp. butter 2 Tbsp. winter savory, leaves only 1 handful chervil fronds 1 tsp. white pepper 1 pinch of nutmeg Place the kielbasa on the grill (or in a hot frying pan) for a few minutes to get some color around the edges, then slice. Meanwhile, saute the onion in some butter in a Dutch oven until they begin to soften. Rinse the sauerkraut, maybe 30 seconds if you...

It am sure it is no coincidence that the last blog post is about the same age as Zayn and Violet! Tonight I find myself with a lull in the toddler fray to post this lovely dish we had in San Sebastian, Spain. This recipe is adapted from  The Basque Table . The original recipe calls for Biscayne sauce, but that is a pain to make and it says you can substitute paprika. I used  La Dalia agridulce smoked paprika . Delicious and simple: a true 30-minute-meal. 1/3 c. olive oil 1 large onion, diced 2 green peppers, sliced into strips 4-5 Yukon gold potatoes, cut into large-ish bite sized pieces 1-2 Tbsp. smoked paprika 2 cloves garlic, crushed 1 Tbsp. tomato paste 1 lb. ahi tuna, cut into bite-sized pieces 3-4 c. chicken broth salt to taste Heat the oil in a cast iron pot. Add the onions and saute 5 minutes until starting to become translucent. Add the pepper strips and cook for 3 minutes. Add the smoked paprika, garlic, and tomato paste and stir to combine,...

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 (...

Couscous in Morocco is traditionally eaten on Fridays during lunch time, following the Friday mid-day prayers, similar to the idea of a Sunday roast after church. It's usually a family affair, and is eaten off of a giant central platter. If you're good, you can eat it with your hands, forming a ball of veggies, meat and couscous and popping it into your mouth. Otherwise, you can just use a large spoon. Also, it's often served with "rayb" Moroccan buttermilk as an accompanying beverage, but I tend to skip that. This recipe is based on Melanie's Moroccan family's recipe. You can make it with any meat you like, but she prefers chicken. The veggies here are just a suggestion - you can use whatever is in season. The microwave bit is not strictly traditional, but her family in the US really prefers the convenience of it to the more traditional double-boiler. The main 'technique' in this is that you're cooking the meat and veggies first, and usin...

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 ...

We had this wonderful, hearty dish during a brief stop for lunch in Mulhouse in the Alsace region during our Europe trip this year. Using a recipe from an actual Alsatian, Hubert Keller , we found that our version actually far surpassed the simple fare we had in Mulhouse. The principle of the Baeckeoffe is similar to the Jewish cholent tradition: make a casserole in a earthenware or enameled dish, seal tightly, and allow to cook untouched for several hours (traditionally, by leaving in a baker's oven Friday before sabbath, then retrieve Saturday after sundown, when you are allowed to pick things up again). I opted not to seal the pot with dough because my lid has no vent (see original if you want to try). The heavy cast iron lid provided a plenty good seal. This dish takes some pre-planning because it should marinate overnight, but it is well worth it. Also, amazingly, I was able to find Alsatian Riesling at Total Wine! Protective and delicious layer of potatoes. The fin...

My wonderful siblings got me a cookbook in Morocco that is both inspiring and idiosyncratically translated. The quantities are along the lines of "heaping coffeespoonful" and "one teaglassful". Many of the dishes have combinations of sweet and savory, fruit and meat, which intimidate me. I should try out more of these recipes than I do, but I thought this relatively simple one would be a good start. Moroccans must be quite fertile, as these recipes often begin with "take 2 whole chickens, add 11 pounds of tomatoes...", so I scaled this one back for our 2-person family. The result was a deeply hearty, warming, satisfying stew, and I am finally reconsidering my dislike of sweetened meat dishes. A thoughtful gift from Alex and Melanie for a food-obsessed person like me! This dish has a wonderfully mellow, warming character. Almonds are supposed to be whole and blanched, but I couldn't find those. 1 whole cut-up chicken 1 stick butter 1 ...

My lovely brother accused me of posting elitist bourgeoise recipes using the steam oven, so here's a recipe for the people--LITERALLY. This is from DDR Kochbuch - Das Original , a cookbook of East German recipes that we got in Weimar. This clearly influenced by the multitude of Russian recipes for shchi , or cabbage soup. Being on the eastward side of the iron curtain, many GDR recipes were influenced by cuisine from within the USSR. I believe this could be made with sauerkraut rather than fresh cabbage. If you use kraut, rinse it a couple of times first, and then don't add vinegar later on. The humble appearance of this soup belies wonderfully rich flavor. For this version we used pork loin, but can be made with other cuts of pork, or with beef or veal. The meat is cooked until tender, but still with some chew to it. 2 lbs.  boneless stew meat: beef, pork, or veal (or 3-5 lbs bone-in) 1 large celery root (celeriac), cubed 1 large leek, separate the leaves, wash tho...

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...

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...

I snuck this hearty stew in on a cool and cloudy September day before predicted 100 degree highs--must be Indian summer. Lots of wonderful fresh fall veggies from the local farmer's market (everything one dollar!) and herb garden. I made the beef broth from scratch (to celebrate my new chest freezer), but the strong, earthy flavors would shine through just fine with bouillon.The textures will be best if you make the stew in this order, but this could be adapted for crock pot. 2.5-3 lbs. stew beef, 1" cubes 3 small onions, in chunks 4-5 Roma tomatoes (or 2 Tbsp. tomato paste) 2 c. carrots, cut bite-sized 1.5 c. pearled barley 2-3 quarts beef broth 1 bundle turnip greens 1 sprig fresh rosemary 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 Tbsp. dry sherry 2 Tbsp. butter + 1 Tbsp. oil 2 Tbsp. flour 1 tsp. black pepper 2-3 Tbsp. salt 1 tsp. paprika Sprinkle the beef cubes with some of the salt and pepper and toss with the flour and paprika. Heat the butter and oil in a dutch oven...

Japanese curry is its own food category, different than Thai or Indian curries. It is a revelation in easy home cooking--just don't fight the packaged-food-ness! The "secret" is to follow the directions on the package. Serve with good white rice and Japanese pickles (all these things can be found at United Noodle). The curry comes as solid blocks (like a chocolate bar) that you break into your curry pot. There are many brands, such as "Java", "Vermont", and "Golden Curry"...all seem to be good, and "hot" is not hot at all, so get that one if you want a slight heat. I made the batch in the photo with tonkatsu , but it can be accompanied with any protein or just eaten plain. As you can see, pickles are a large part of the appeal for me, but don't worry if you can't find them. 1/2 package of Japanese curry blocks 3 large potatoes 2 large carrots 1 medium onion 1/2 c. water Something like that...just free-form i...

I've been finding Moroccan style sausage at many different meat shops lately. This was made with goat merguez sausage from Clancey's, which had really good flavor. I used a spice blend, but I'm sure you could use fresh spices and add some more ingredients (like dried fruit), but it turned out tasty when made this simple way. 4 links Merguez sausage, sliced 1 large onion, chopped coarsely 2 carrots, in large chunks 2 c. small cauliflower florets 2 Tbsp. tomato paste 3 Tbsp. Moroccan spice blend (ras al-hanout) 1 Tbsp. minced ginger 1 can chickpeas 1.5 c. chicken broth 6 Tbsp. butter Use a heavy bottomed pot to heat 4 Tbsp. of butter. Add the onions and saute until soft and starting to caramelize. Add the sausage and cook, stirring for 3-4 minutes until the liquid cooks off and everything starts to sizzle. Add the tomato paste and stir so it is well distributed. Stir in the spice blend and ginger. Add the carrots and 1 c. chicken broth and cover, simmering for 20...

Pozole is a hearty Mexican soup or stew that come in several different styles (with pork or chicken, red, white or green). This recipe can be made either as a pozole, using hominy, or as a white chicken chili, using cannellini beans (or heck, use both). The tomatillos are optional, but add a nice tartness and more color.  You will be surprised that all the green chiles don't make it very hot, so feel free to up the spice level if you like. This serves 6 hungry people.  This is the chicken chili style, which uses beans instead of hominy.   3 lbs bone-in chicken, skin removed 2 large red onions, one half reserved for garnish 3 jalapeño chiles, one reserved for garnish 3 anaheim chiles 2 poblano chiles 5-6 tomatillos, husked 7 garlic cloves, crushed 1 heaping Tbsp. ground cumin 2 tsp. ground coriander 2 cans white beans or hominy, rinsed and drained 1/2 bundle cilantro, chopped Salt and black pepper Oil or lard Garnishes : 3 limes, quartered (reserve jui...

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...

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 ...

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...

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 is a recipe I really love primarily from the Levantine area of the Middle East. It includes what a friend once described as the "three basics" of Levantine spices: garlic, tomatoes, and cilantro (sometimes parsley). This obviously isn't in everything, but they make a meal out of near anything... You can make this with either lamb or chicken. I happened to have some lamb broth, but after testing my squat PR, I didn't really feel like biking to the only place I know that sells lamb, so I used chicken. This recipe is based on one from the "Arabic Cooking: Step by Step" cookbook I have (in Arabic). Ingredients: Lamb or chicken (for the lamb use rib meat if possible, cut into small pieces, and I used whole bone-in chicken - if you omit the meat, this is vegetarian friendly) 1 pound okra, detailed and cut into 1/4-1/2" slices (frozen is fine) 4-5 tomatoes, peeled and diced 1 small onion, minced 1/4-1/2 c. minced cilantro 2-3 cloves garlic, squished with ...