Weave a Thousand Flavors

Taverna Style Mediterranean Salad

Sometimes we have a tendency to over think things.

Do more.

This is one of my favorite summer salads because it epitomizes less. Fresh and less.

I use simple ingredients that most of us have at hand; beautiful, vine ripe summer tomatoes, crispy cucumber, thin slices of Spanish red onion, a handful of kalamata olives and a slab of some delicious fresh feta sprinkled with dried oregano leaves are the key ingredients.

A lemon, garlic and olive oil dressing whisked together envelope all of these delicious ingredients to create one remarkably simple salad that is one the the best 'sides' on the summer plate.

Serve it with everything from roast lamb to grilled prawns. It will delight you just as it does us.

Meet Mumbai's Burger {Batata Vada Pao} ~ Spiced Potato Patties with Cilantro Chutney on Pull-apart Bread

 

Meet Mumbai's version of the hamburger - batata vada pao which literally translates into potato patties on bread.

This is one Maharashtrian treat that crosses all cultural and socio-economic boundaries. From beggars to millionaires, all gather at the feet of this, one of Mumbai's culinary giants. In fact so common is this treat that fills Mumbaiker bellies from dawn to dusk, that it would be impossible to not come across at least one cart selling these at every street corner.

And for good reason - delicious and delicately spiced mashed potatoes with curry leaves and spices are turned into little discs and dipped in a spicy chickpea batter, deep fried and served over true 'Mumbai pao' i.e. pull apart bread with green cilantro chutney or even a garlic hutney.

All this washed down with hot cups of chai in little glasses that continues to simmer all day long right there with the cauldron of hot oil that seemingly never stops dishing out these lovelies.

Make Batata Vada Pao the star of your next potluck and your guests will thank you.

Batata Poha ~ A classic Brunch Specialty of Flattened Rice & Potatoes from Maharashtra

Meet Maharashtra's favorite brunch - Batata Poha.

Batata Poha is a quick saute of flattened rice a.k.a beaten rice and potatoes scented and flavored with curry leaves & chillies and tempered with cumin & mustard seeds in hot oil. Beaten rice is de-husked rice which is flattened into flat light dry flakes.

Poha or flattened rice can be purchased at any Indian or Pakistani store and is ready to use straight out of the bag. It is important to purchase the right kind of poha for the right dish though. This one requires the fat variety as the thin variety turns to mush under the onslaught of moisture and heat.

This is one of those dishes that is big on simplicity and equally big on technique. One of the most common mistakes with this dish is add water either while cooking the potatoes or while sauteing the flattened rice.

In fact, it is best to leave water out of the equation for most part using it only while running tap water over the flattened rice in a sieve, simply to rehydrate it.

In order to quickly and effectively cook the potatoes without water, the potatoes need to chopped thin so it can be cooked by sauteing.

Once you follow these few simple steps, perfect batata poha is a given and that in itself is no small feat! Because as we all know, some of the greatest culinary challenges lie in the simpest of preparations - think, poached egg!

If anything, Batata Poha is a perfect example of a handful of simple and frugal ingredients coming together in perfect harmony to create what can only be described as satisfying and delicious.

A sprinkle or fried peanuts or some fresh grated coconut and chopped cilantro and you've managed to dress up an already lovely meal.

Sichuan Style Spicy Fried Eggplant

It was serendipitous that the same week, my blogging friends Hegui & Stevie from Weird Combinations and Saveur Magazine both featured recipes for Sichuanese fried eggplant. 

If you've ever ordered this form the a la carte menu at a restaurant or even helped yourself to a plateful off the dim sum cart, you know that this is one Chinese vegetarian offering that is doggone delicious!

It can however present some challenges in cooking and that is - oil.

We all know just how much of a sponge eggplant can be when it comes to oil and cupfuls can disappear in its pores only to be released later. And so you can end up with fried eggplant in a veritable 'oil soup'.

Don't get me wrong, I love a nice bit of chili oil to go with my rice but we all know, there is such a thing as too much of a good thing. Or a bad thing, depending on how you look at it.

I was impressed by the techniques employed by the Saveur recipe in trying to ward off such a happening and have inculcated most of the steps except for the method of cutting the vegetable.

The center line method in both recipes is the same. I did however take liberties in adjusting ingredient quantities to suit my taste. Fantastic over steamed rice, this makes such a nice addition to the Asian food repertoire in our kitchens.

Sicilian Eggplant Caponata

Though the name of this dish means pickled eggplant and if sour vegetable slivers come to mind, remove it from your mind immediately!

tthere is nothing sour-pickle-like about this dish and it's best to think of it as marinated eggplant. Marinated, much better.

Traditionally, glossy eggplants are cut into chunks and fried in copious amounts of olive oil to soften. Onions are sauteed and plump, ripe tomatoes are added along with celery, capers, pine nuts, olives and parsley. I for one, forego the frying in oil business and opt for the much more healthier option of roasting the eggplant.

What makes it akin to a pickle perhaps is the addition on red wine vinegar and sugar in which the vegetables are then stewed.

The resulting, robust and full flavored caponata is stored in the refrigerator in sterilized jars where it will happily keep for several weeks.

Only one problem with that - you won't give it a chance to keep. Once you've heaped enormous globs of this wonderful creation on crust bread and bit into it, you'll keep coming for more. I for one, heap it on everything from pan seared fish to butter lettuce cups.

A must when herds must be fed, this is one of the finest vegetable creations to come out of Sicily and the fact that it is so very delicious and must be made a few days in advance which is all the more reason to add this to your culinary repertoire.

Did I also mention, vegetarian and gluten-free?

Bagel 'Pizzas' with Caramelized onions, Roasted Potatoes & Herbs topped with a faux Goat Cheese Creme Fraîche

What's a girl to do when the clock strikes the one o'clock hour on a Sunday afternoon and there is nada fixed for lunch and the kids will be back form the pool any minute now, more ravenous than ever?

Raid the refrigerator of course and pray for inspiration! And since the empty shelves of my refrigerator are staring me in the face, talk about budget food at it's best!

My gray cells are obviously firing away as I try to assimilate some remnants of a meal as my eyes were furiously scanning the meagre contents inside, the door perched open with my foot and hands pulling out whatever is in the way.

First I pulled out the bagels - my kids do love bagels and then I see one lonesome red potato with more 'eyes' than an alien in a star wars film (which meant it had to be used up), some chives and thyme at the bottom of the crisper, followed  by an almost used up carton of sour cream, an itty bitty wedge of goat cheese and some fresh garlic.

Now though I don't really have a plan per se,  is but I figure as long as I add some caramelized red onions, the sucker's gotta taste good! I mean let's face it ....caramelized onions have saved the day more times than I care to remember!

So here goes, toasted bagels, topped with some yummy sauteed onions, topped with roasted red potatoes tossed in with some olive oil and thyme then grilled and served with some sour cream, goat cheese & chives crème fraîche type deal.

What say you? I say yes! yes! yes!

Roasted Cauliflower & Asparagus with Garlic & Rosemary

There is something about the process of roasting  that releases the inert sweetness of vegetables in a way that steaming & boiling simply cannot compete. And if you have ever been in on the fence on this matter, this recipe will have all those lingering doubts flying out of the window at the speed of light! Guaranteed!

I adore cauliflower and I adore asparagus. It is a good thing that neither of these are my children not do they have a capacity to communicate verbally because were they ever to confront me on which of them I love more, I would be unable to choose. 

That said, when I found the cauliflower and asparagus nestled together in the vegetable tray in the refrigerator, there was only one thing left to do - roast them together with splash of olive oil, couple of whole crushed garlic cloves, some fresh rosemary leaves, salt and pepper and once they come out of the oven looking oh so appetizing, toss them with a little grated hard cheese and there you have it - the most mouthwatering, minimally fiddled with, nature's bounty on your dining table.

Preheat the oven at 450 deg F.

Needless to say, to begin bring forth a head large of cauliflower & about a lb of fresh green asparagus. 

Also pull out half a sprig of rosemary leaves, 5 tbs good quality olive oil & 5 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed whole.

Some hard grated cheese such as Parmesan or Romano will work very nicely in the end. Also not forgetting 1 tsp salt & 1/4 tsp ground black pepper.

Prepare the vegetables - 

 

Cauliflower -  Get rid of leaves, central stalk & knob at the bottom. With fingers, separate the cauliflower florets.

Asparagus - Snap the asparagus near its bottom ends. These will naturally snap where the tough end meet the succulent tops. Cut each stalk into 3 pieces leaving the tips intact.

 

Garlic - Peel & crush whole

Rosemary - Pull leaves from a large stalk and roughly chop with a knife or kitchen shears

 

Place the cauliflower florets, asparagus, olive oil, salt, ground pepper, fresh rosemary leaves & crushed garlic cloves in a zip lock bag.

Close & shake till the olive oil has thoroughly coated the vegetables. Empty into a baking dish. Place in the oven for 25 minutes until the vegetables are crisp-tender.

Cook's Note - Halfway through the cooking process, give the vegetables a quick stir & continue roasting.

Once the vegetables has finished roasting, add 1 tbs of grated hard Parmesan cheese or Romano Cheese and lightly toss. Serve immediately.

The vegetables are infused with the flavor and aroma from the rosemary & garlic. The cauliflower & asparagus taste refreshingly sweet & are absolutely delicious. It was also gobbled up by the kids!

This evening I served it with steak au poivre but it also makes a lovely side to fish, chicken & pork.

 

 

 

Baingan Bharta ~ A Punjabi Classic with Spicy Roasted Eggplant and Peas

 

 

Stir up those taste buds with this wonderful North Indian dish of spicy roasted eggplant.

Tempered with cumin seeds, sauteed with onions & tomatoes and a scatter of peas, it makes a delightful addition to a North Indian dinner and just as good on it's own.

Be sure to serve it with a traditional North Indian bread like   parathas, naan & rotis.  

Whole wheat pitas warmed up will serve just as well in a pinch.

Traditionally in the villages of the Punjab, the eggplants are roasted on charcoals or in a tandoor (earthen oven) giving it a wonderful smoky flavor.

However in the modern home kitchen, this is best emulated using either of these methods:

• Placing the eggplants over an open gas stove flame and roasting the eggplant until the skin bubbles and chars on all sides.
  

OR

• Using the oven broiler.
  

I really like the mess & fuss free broiler pan method that also has the added advantage of being hands free leaving your hands to prepare the rest of the ingredients while the eggplants are merrily doing their thing in the oven.

So here goes, a true blue Punjabi classic!

Cauliflower and Peas in aromatic spices from the kitchens of Gujarat, India

Haven't you found that some of your favorite foods are also some of the simplest?

They don’t have a long list of ingredients or even a longer list of steps.

In fact, they involve taking the freshest of nature’s bounty and adding a few spices to enhance their natural sweetness and flavors. 

This creation from my grandmother’s kitchen, with fresh cauliflower tempered in mustard seeds, peas & a sprinkle of spices does exactly that and is wonderful in its freshness and simplicity.

In fact the only thing you can do wrong to this dish is over do!  

Smashing New Year's 2013 ~ Butternut & Ricotta Macaroni from Sicily

 

Happy New Year 2013 dearies!

As I sit at this key board this morning, I can't help but reflect on two things - One, it's been 3 years since I have been writing on this keyboard, on this blog. I can't believe it! It's been 3 years since I've been doing the thing I love - cooking and sharing.

But it hasn't been all about the food, It's been as much about the snippets and stories as it has been about the food. Each blog post a snap shot into the window that is my life.

The fact that you're still here with me, is mind boggling. The fact that you still want to hear what I have to say and cook the eats I make in my own kitchen, humbling.

I cook because I love good food, I share because I love you.

Eat the love.

As summarised by one of my favorite bloggers.

I don't write this blog with a road map, a clear vision of where I want to go but rather, welcome the opportunities as each day brings. If I worked a plan, it would be too much like work, but this blog isn't about work to me and I don't intend to a work a plan. 

Make no mistake, as any blogger worth his or her salt will tell you, you could not do this if you didn't absolutely love what you do. And therefore so many who began with me are no longer on the horizon and those still standing, I am proud to call my peers.

Like anything worth anything in life, it takes dedication, it takes hard work and it takes perseverance. But if you're lucky, you don't feel any of this. Every day, I simply do my thing - cook, write and share. It's second nature to me now like a muscle reflex.

But once in a while, when I sit at this keyboard, I realise that the people around me have given me a reason to be. Do you know how special that is?

A reason to wake up in the morning and the opportunity to do what I love. And so I cannot sit here at year 3 and not give sincere thanks.

And so I am,

Thankful for my husband who supports my endless endeavor on this blog and never questions why the hours are long & the monetary gain, minimal.

For my kids (and hubby) who eat every single thing I cook and make me so proud when they do such a good job critiquing my food. I am in awe as I see their young palates develop. I have no doubt they'll be foodies to reckon with in the not so distant future!

For my parents, especially my Mum who has never missed a single blog post and relentlessly keeps up with this blog. And for both Mum & Dad who always support me - no matter what!

For every single person who shows up for my culinary classes, because I am happiest when I am sharing my knowledge and skills and your being there, makes my life worthwhile.

For emails and comments from my readers and fellow bloggers - because you matter to me, I care about what you think and the fact that you take the time to write to me, means so much!

For my friends and every one of you out there (and you know exactly who you are) who takes the time to make my recipes in your kitchens, - you do me a great service. You fulfil why this blog exists. You are a very big part of the reason I wake up every morning and sit at this keyboard.

I humbly thank you all - each and every one of you.

On the first day of this New Year, I find myself in the kitchen yearning for something simple and yet special. Not something full of pomp and show but rather, the good stuff.

Simple. Healthy. Wholesome.

And so I turn to the nutrient loaded butternut squash. We adore butternut squash but if it wasn't for my friend Diana who lives is Catania I would perhaps missed out on this splendid pasta dish. I for one couldn't believe how wonderfully butternut and ricotta pair up. Simply genius!

As I reflect back on 2012, it's been a good year, it's been a great year and in so many respects, it has been a devastating year.

So I hope with the dawn of 2013, it bring for each an everyone of us, peace, contentment, wealth & happiness.

Because sometimes, life is just like a plate of food & simple, healthy & wholesome will work just fine!

Boozy English Rocks ~ 'Low-fat-but-you'll-never-know' Fruitcake Cookies

I have no doubt that most of my grocery budget during the months of November and December goes towards dried fruit.

If you've ever tried purchasing candied peel, currants and glazed cherries any other time of the year, you know that it's like pulling teeth. Most grocery stored carry these items seasonally which is why I stock up!

Mostly because many of my holiday recipes require pounds & pounds of the stuff which should tell you that I'm crazy for the old world recipes, come the holidays. From traditional boiled pudding which is a whole other blog post, to Scottish Dundee cake & my Cherry Raisin cake  from some years ago, we sure love our dried fruit.

If you're like us and if your love for dried fruit is to second only to your love of brandy in edible bite size pieces, then these boozy cookies have your name all over them.

Ridiculously easy to make and made healthy with use of whole wheat flour and minimal use of butter, they are also excellent for vegetarians since eggs are omitted altogether.

Mind you, biting into these you'll never know! I made a batch of these yesterday for fellow mums & dads who wait with me to collect our younglings at the school bus stop, and not only were  polished off with great speed, I had to promise to post the recipe right away - which is what I'm doing.

 

Favorite Autumnal Eats ~ A Line Up of the Season's Best!

The season beginning Autumn to Winter is a great time to explore not just root vegetables but other leafy vegetables as well. Root vegetables by their very definition are vegetables that grow underneath the soil.

And because of their being so akin to the soil (for lack of better verbage), absorb high amounts of minerals and other nutrients from the surrounding earth.

What makes this season, the very best time for these vegetables?

It has to do with the cold weather. A lot of the tastiest fall vegetables get better after a frost and we're not just talking about roots here - Kale and Brussels sprouts for example, react to the frost by producing sugars, which makes them sweeter.

And therefore depending on your geographical location, right after the first frost, around mid October is  a great time to begin really incorporating these vegetables into the daily diet.

Root vegetables, like sweet potatoes, rutabagas, carrots, parsnips and celeriac, convert some of their existing starches to sugars after the first frost, so they get sweeter, too.

In fact, in the olden days before the advent of cane sugar sweet root veggies like parsnips were used in jams as a natural sweetener.

This is a great time to enjoy some of these, nature's autumnal bounty - rutabagas, sweet potatoes, pumpkins, butternut squash, acorn squash, parsnips, kale & brussel sprouts.

And here are a few facts about our favorite fall vegetables along with  some fabulous ways to enjoy eating them right now ~

Acorn Squash: Although considered a winter squash and its prime season being from fall through winter, the acorn squash belongs to the same family as summer squash, such as zucchini. It is actually a botanical fruit which is treated as a culinary vegetable.

Though the acorn squash can’t quite measure up to the butternut squash, in it's  levels of vitamin A, a nutrient that promotes healthy vision, there's is still every reason to be eating these.

Just a 1 cup serving of acorn squash has over 30% of the daily recommended amount for vitamin C, a classic antioxidant as well as high levels of vitamins E and B6 & minerals such as potassium and magnesium.

Decadent Sugar & Thyme Roasted Acorn Squash

Butternut Squash:  The Butternut Squash comes from the gourd family, which is native to the Western Hemisphere and is very much a winter squash.

Available in early Fall through Winter, you will want to choose a squash that is heavy with few blemishes and moldy spots.

Just a 1 cup serving also provides almost 300 percent of recommended daily value of vitamin A, 50 percent of vitamin C, as well as calcium, riboflavin & iron.

Roasted Butternut Squash Curried Soup

Sweet Potatoes:

Sweet potatoes beat out white potatoes when it comes to nuitrition especially antioxidants. Carotenoids are the antioxidants that give the sweet potato its color and are involved with the body's insulin response.

Beta-carotene is a sweet potato carotenoid that is converted to vitamin A which enhances immune function and helps maintain eye and skin health.

Just a 1 cup serving of sweet potatoes can provide you with as much as 700% of  recommended daily  value for Vitamin A, contains 65% of the minimum necessary daily amount of Vitamin C and also high levels of calcium, folate, potassium and beta-carotene.

Good Ole' Buttery Sweet Potato Pie

Rutabagas:

Very much the ugly yellow turnips, what the rutabaga lacks in good looks, it more than makes up for in nuitrition. Surprisingly,  botanically the rutabaga is a member of the Brassica genus which makes cabbage, kale, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, collards, broccoli it's cousins.

This root vegetable is low in sodium, nearly fat-free, a good source of dietary fiber and is rich in about a half-dozen vitamins and minerals.

But what makes this of special value in our diet is that according to the USDA, the American diet is inadequate in minerals such as phosphorous, manganese and potassium which is precisely what the rutabaga brings to the table. Not to mention

So this is a great time to find new ways to welcome this swedish turnip into the fold.

Holiday Root Mash

Parsnips:

Parsnips are a quintessential cold weather vegetable. They look like carrots but are white and somewhat sweeter, characteristically starchy with a hint of citrus. Infact they have much more sugar content than carrots, turnips and other root vegetables more akin to bananas and grapes!

Like many of the tastiest foodstuffs, parsnips were once a staple among the poor households and before the advent of cane sugar, because of their inherent sweetness were used as a natural sweetener in jams.

They are an excellent source of natural fiber as well as Vitamin C, antioxidants & folic acid.

Stobhach Gaelach, Old Irish Stew

Spices & Garlic Crusted Pork Tenderloin with Parsnips, Carrots & Roasted Red Pepper Cream Sauce

Brussel Sprouts:

Brussel sprouts are small leafy green buds resemble like miniature cabbages in appearance. The buds are exceptionally rich in protein, dietary fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants which work wonders to get rid of many health troubles.

Botanically, the sprouts belong to the same brassica family, which also includes cabbage, kale, cauliflower & broccoli.

They are power house of nutrients and vitamins and several flavonoid anti-oxidants. They are excellent source of Vitamin C, A & E as well as believed to help protect from various cancers.

Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Grapes & Thyme

As you can imagine, several of these dishes are making an appearance on my holiday table and I had fun visiting some old posts that feel like old friends now and introducing you to some new ones.

If any of these lovelies make an appearance on your table, I'll be tickled and absolutely want to hear all about it!

 

South Indian Style, Hot & Spicy Tomato & Garlic Chutney

 

 

I recently posted an incredible Bengali Tomato and date chutney from India. You could eat it by the bowlful.

This right here is diametrically opposite. Think Fifty Shades Of Grey. Oh! you'll want some - just not in bowlfuls.

The heat will hit you after the first bite, the spicy oil will continue the torment and the scented curry leaves and garlic will make you want more. So good with all kinds of dal-rice combinations, I adore a spoonful even on pan-fried fish!

Eaten in little spoonfuls, the asafoetida, mustard spices, hot peppers and tomatoes have all the making of a great chutney. A must-have with Bisi Bele Huliyanna rice, the secret lies in the slow-sauteing the tomatoes so they release all their juices and mush down to one intense heap.

Like many good things in life, slow and steady is the name of this game err..chutney.

Bengali Style ~ Tomato & Date Chutney

 

Whether it's birthdays, festivals, potlucks or religious functions, no Bengali spread is ever complete without this incredibly flavorful chutney.

This recipe is handed down to me by my mother-in-law and if you've been reading this blog for any length of time, you know I tend to brag about her incredible cooking skills.

I love that she is so dedicated with true and tried traditional methods of cooking and with every incredible bite you know that it comes from a hand that has been doing this for so very long in honor of time honored culinary traditions.

Like so many traditional cuisines of India, Bengali cuisine is over a 1000 years old which is mind boggling when you think about how many generations have passed down these recipes from mother to daughter or mother to son and if you're lucky, like me, mother-in-law to daughter-in-law.

This chutney, redolent with the scent of spices is laden with fresh tomatoes, succulent dates, plum raisins, jaggery or brown sugar and roasted ground cumin.

Eaten as the final transition between savory and dessert, it's a hot-spicy-sweet palate cleanser that as far as culinary transitions go, is top-notch.

Summer on A Plate ~ Roasted Eggplant Stacks, Tomato-Vinaigrette, Herb-Nut Pesto

I can see the last fleeting glimpses of summer as it rushes out the door.

With the weather turning nippy this week it is obvious that Father Fall is about to firmly make his presence known.

But I'm no quite ready to let go of summer - just yet. Now I know that no one needs yet another recipe for vegetable stacks.

Unless of course they're outstanding.

And go figure that would take a refrigerator full of herbs and veggies that I was determined would not rot to depths of Hades to bring about these lovelies.

And yet when I think about it, it makes perfect sense - it took a whole bunch of flavors to work in palimpsest to bring about what can only be called a definitive celebration of vegetable stacks. Usually, I try and stay away from words such as best and bestest and definitive.

But sometimes, dearies, it just needs to get said.

I urge you to deviate from the world of cheesy & bland stacks that seem to be all over our cyber world and take a leap with me, an act of faith if you will, to allow yourself the sheer pleasure of the very best, summery vegetable stacks you'll ever put in your mouth, even if it is at the brink of fall.

Ask my 6 year old. And can anyone be harsher critic?

I think not.

Kadhai Paneer ~ A Lip-Smacking Vegetarian Stir-fry from North India

 

It's not uncommon in India for dishes to be named after the type of pots they are cooked in.

'Kadhai' cooking which is very similar to stir-fries are originally cooked is round bottom iron pots known as kadhais and are known to have first originated in Peshawar, Pakistan.

With the partition of India into the now India and Pakistan in 1947, the same day India gained independance from the the British which is on this very day in fact (Happy Birthday India), irrespective of its origins kadhai cooking is as much part of the fabric North Indian cooking in Punjab as it is in Pakistan.

The dished are served in the very same pot they are cooked in - from fire to table!

And though the kadhais may have now been modernised using stainless-steel or sandwiched copper bottoms, this remains unchanged. Kadhai gravies are richly spiced tomato gravies in which vegetables or meats are quickly stir-fried at high temperatures to succulent, tender and delicious perfection.

This rendition using India's favorite cheese, paneer is absolutely delicious and packs quite a punch whether served in company, potluck dinners or at family meals. Naan is the perfect accompaniment.

Rave reviews are sure to follow!

A Side You'll L.O.V.E.~ Bejeweled Salsa Cruda

If you're looking for a great potluck side or something to jazz up this weekend's BBQ spread, I've just the thing for you.

Salsa cruda which is Mexican in origin traditionally consists of tomatoes, onions, cilantro chopped together and allowed to infuse with lime juice and other spices (similar to Pico De Gallo)

In an attempt to give the salsa more 'body' and have it work as a filling side at dinner, a classic southwestern twist by adding corn, black beans, ground cumin and chipotle chile goes a long way. The edamame seeds though quirky works surprisingly well with the creamier textures from the beans.

I am even more tickled that I get to add some gorgeous jewel colored bell peppers while they are still well priced in the summer & is such a great way to add color and crunch to the salad. And of course because I added the peppers, I forego the tomatoes.

The result I think is simple as it is delicious. It was great when I served it as a side to cilantro-lime chicken but it would be just as fabulous with red meat or fish, on tacos, with tortilla chips, in quesadillas or a just as a stand alone salad.

So while the sun's shining......

Fruit Picking & Deliciously Fuss-free, Equipment-free & Pectin-free Golden Plum Jam

Sometimes good fun comes in simple, idyllic packages.

Such as an afternoon driving 40 minutes away from the city to the small town of Purcellville, VA is search of Crooked Run Orchard to spend an afternoon plum, peach and blackberry picking.

After following the GPS, arriving at the farm, seeing nothing but dirt road and a dilapidated shack and tractor trailors, driving away, asking for directions and hereby confusing ourselves even further, only to realise the dirt track behind the heavy equipment was actually the track into the orchard, we were finally there.

We were greeted by what I can only describe as my take on a 'quintenssential farm person' in rural VA. Wearing a wide straw hat and gruff manners she looked at us as idiot specimens from the big city. Which we are, I suppose.

We worked very hard at not being offended (smile) and armed with excellent no-nonsense directions set off;

"only pick what you're gonna take. Don't care for when folks over pick the fruit".

" blackberries must be black and fall straight off the vine".

"Peaches must be a warm red with no hint of yellow or green. They can be hard and they'll ripen just fine just not anything but red".

"Plums - they're ready to go. Just pick away".

It was marvelous being at a family run orchard, completely non-touristy and off the beaten path much like discovering hidden treasure, a hidden oasis in the desert. There were just a handful of people most of whom were locals and collected buckets of fruit every year to make gallons of jam.

Our kids of course were searching out the insects more than the fruit!

Spending time together, doing this very simple thing was a gift. I can't think of a better way for us or the kids to spend an afternoon. 

And in the end, we were rewarded for our efforts

sugary sweet yellow and red plums

 

 

These of course did not arrive home to tell the tale

 

Fortunately for us all, even after we had gorged on the much of the plums we still had over 2 lbs left for several jars of golden plum jam.

Now here's a jam recipe that I have been following for years. It originally hails from Australian Woman's Weekly, is a simple no-nonsense approach to jam making that takes all the fuss and groan out of it.

Erbazzone ~ A savory pie with Spinach, Swiss Chard & Pancetta from Parma, Italy

Have you ever come across something, anything, where you look at it and say, I must?

And then leave it on the back burner in your little gray cells only to revisit the thought off and on and once again do nothing other than exclaim, I must. No, I am not talking about joining the gym though that could very well apply.

I am in fact talking about a pie. 

Erbazzone an original of Reggio Emilia,  constitutes street food a.k.a fast food and is packed with enough flavor and nutrition to give the  big mac a giant black eye any day of the given week.

I first heard of this 'sandwich' during a PBS travel special a couple of years ago and it appealed to me at every level. What is not love about a savory pie a.k.a 'sandwich' filled with a rich and extremely tasty spinach and Swiss chard greens mixture and pancetta? Loosely related to bacon, pancetta is a much more delicate and less salty version of the cured meat. And as far as I am concerned if it's got bacon (or it's relative), I'm in!

I can't however bring myself to call this a sandwich because essentially the filling is nestled in 2 layers of pie crust, not bread, so sandwich? I think not so let's just call this a pie and get on with it.

After my 'incident' with the struffoli, I said my prayers as I opened my Mario Batali recipe book and got cracking. The most challenging part is always the pie crust and the quality of the crust in essence defines the pie. I don't care how yummy a filling is, if the crust yucks, then the pie yucks.

I must say that as sceptical as I was about Mario's recipe (and don't get me wrong, I love that guy in orange crocs but it's his recipe writing skills that I question), I had never made a crust quite like this one and oh so apart from my 'go to' pate brisee recipe.

The results fortunately are astounding especially with all that lovely garlic oil that is slathered all over the flaky crust. I have however done away with certain steps in his version that I thought to be tedious and unnecessary.

So what are you waiting for? Don't be like me - stop dragging your feet and actually do something a bout this!

Dum Aloo ~ Simply Spiced Baby Potatoes from India

When baby red potato globes grace my supermarket bins in large mounds, it invariably means that Dum Aloo is about to make an appearance on the dinner or brunch table.

Dum Aloo is yet another example of how simple kitchen staples from Kashmir and North-India have been mostly over-done, over-spiced and over-creamed to point beyond recognition.

It is also the reason why I hold traditional cooks like my mother, my mother-in-law and my grand-mother who hold on to authentic recipes with hoops of steel in such esteem and reverence. I think they represent a dying breed - the last of the stalwarts who continue to carry forward recipes of their mothers and grandmothers resolute against tv-chef-doms that seems to be changing the face of traditional Indian cuisine into cream based-tomato paste versions of everything.

It therefore is startling when at a dinner party the one thing that gets rave reviews and numerous recipe requests are these potatoes from my mother-in-law's kitchen. So simple is this recipe that when I recite it in person, it is looked upon with disbelief.

A sense of - "how is it possible, that some thing so simple tastes this good? surely she's holding out on us".

Except that I am not.

It far more difficult to cook simply, to be simple and there-in lies true art.

Summer Strawberry Cheesecake with Greek Yogurt in a Graham-Pecan Crust

It seems that 5 year old boys are creatures of repition.

This fact reinforced by the fact that for many many weeks now, my little one has been saying verbatim in his sing songy voice, "Momma, can you make strawberry pie'?

I have no idea where he gets this from. Has he ever eaten strawberry pie? And what kind can he possibly mean?

So I set off not with a road map but rather a general notion. Fresh strawberries are everywhere and I think he must get this obsession from his father who all through summer orders nothing but strawberry ice cream at Ben & Jerry's.

With temperatures in the 80's I decide to stay away from the whole baked cheese cake idea and decide to do a more chilled cheesecake kind of dessert. Because there is only one thing the boys in this family love more than strawberries and that is cheesecake.

I begin by pulling out healthful staples from my pantry and refrigerator and we're off.

A orange zest infused greek yogurt fillling with fresh strawberry puree in a pecan-graham cracker crust. Yup that sounds about right.

And let me tell you tastes even better. Not cloying sweet, this delicious cool dessert goes down easy and if yours is anything like my family, will dissappear in a flash.

For now it seems, my 5 year olds cravings have been appeased.

" Momma, can I..........."

and here we go again.

It's That Kind Of Day ~ Watermelon Basil Sorbet

Some days the day begins with grey.

Some days blue skies and puffy cumulus clouds seem far far away.

Some days it feels like there are not enough hours in the day.

And some days it feels like the hours are far too many.

Some days it feels like I've been rowing all day just to realise that the boat's still anchored.

Some days I don't know how other women do it.

Some days I whine. For no good reason.

Because if there's one thing I know, I'm infinitesimal.

Poet I am not, but I try anyway.

And so it's just the day to fix this sorbet.

Small accomplishments.

Big joy.

Because on such a day, this sorbet does a good job

Nudging today along the right way.

Strawberry, Spinach & Mozzarella Salad with Balsamic Strawberry Vinaigrette

Most of us go through our lives with some level of restraint. And this is especially true when it comes to foods we consume.

For a foodie like myself, that restraint is what keeps me doing what I'm doing for what I hope will be a lifetime. Because without this restraint, I would give in to gluttony. And there is no joy in that. Only remorse.

I am not saying that the next time you visit you'll find I've put up a picture of myself in a bikini. That would require an actual waistline (among other things) And since I don't, I won't.

Yet there are those things that set my taste buds free with little if any repercussions on my waistline or the weighing scale.  And I wait for summer so that my lunches will be filled with such heavenly meals.

Think Peter Kaminsky and his book Culinary Intelligence: The Art of Eating Healthy (And Really Well) where he outlines how eaters can reconcile physical well-being with sensual pleasures.

Moderation is a concept has been around for generations. I can swear hearing those very words from my mother who heard it from my grandmother who heard it from hers and so and so forth. But what appeals to me is that Kaminsky suggests readers maximize their "flavor per calorie" count by eating choice foods. Think Dean & Deluca v/s Dean's hotdog stand.

That makes so much sense to me.

If I'm going to have a piece of chocolate why go for the Hershey's when I can have a Maison du chocolat truffle for the same number of calories?

And that brings me to this salad.

Fresh romaine lettuce, crisp baby spinach leaves, succulent slices of strawberry with a smattering of roasted almonds and fresh mozzarella cheese. This made all the more luscious when drizzled with balsamic vinegar and strawberries in a vinaigrette.

I take my plate to the couch, feet curled as I fork this salad till all that's left is an empty plate and full belly.

My heaven.

My moment.

Because I deserve every bite of 'flavor per calorie'.

I'm worth it.

And so are you.

Six Steps, One Fabulous Bruschetta ~ Balsamic Strawberries & Ricotta

I made these for my dearest friend the other day as we welcomed her home from the airport.

A light dinner of sorts with some lovely Chilean red wine to unwind after a long International flight.

These bruschettas couldn't have been more perfect.

The orange infused ricotta and complex flavors from the balsamic and vanilla infused strawberries with the refreshing burst from the occasional bite of basil was absolutely incredible.

So much so that I'm interrupting our girl time or should I say wine time to bring you this post.

So I really do hope you'll include this in your summer soirees.

And now if you'll excuse me, an excellent bottle of Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc and some very valuable friend time and a delicious chilean sea bass tagine awaits.

ciao ciao

A tale of 3 lentils - 'Traveti Dal' from Gujarat, India

There are some that things synonymous with our childhood. For me, its weekends spent at my grand parents home.  My Grandmother is a phenomenal cook and weekends at their home always meant wonderful treats and little made- from-scratch afternoon snacks. It was a time for playing, swinging from trees and listening to the National news on the radio. More often than not,  punctuated by my Grandmother's voice rising above all others as she hollered at my Granddad who invariably fell asleep reading the newspaper in the middle of the day.

Those days remind me of pyjama afternoons.

Except for meal times. Now these  were always an event as a parade of dishes would make their way into the dining area. There are certain dishes that almost always served in Gujarati meals. Chach which is a thin butter milk (hand churned of course) a selection of vegetable dishes, various pickles, steamed rice, super thin rotis  embellished with 'ghee', papads and always a dal.

In my Grandmother's home that dal would invariably be 'Traveti dal' - A wonderfully simple creation, incensed by the process of tempering (a selection of whole spices, cast into hot oil) and infused with flavor. Here, once again,' less is more'!

Italian Style Marinated Zucchini with Garlic & Mint

Some things need a dunk in really good olive oil.

The Italians knew just what they were doing when they decided to do just that with summer fresh succulent zucchinis.

This wonderful old recipe of Italian style which I have slightly adapted from dear Nika Hazelton is one where thick zucchini slices are pan fried in olive oil, layered in a dish with fresh sliced garlic and mint leaves and then the hot oil in the pan is doused with a good serving of red wine vinegar which is then drizzled all over the layered vegetable.

Set aside in the refrigerator overnight and you have the perfect offering at an elegant  picnic. Perhaps at a lovely vineyard with the grass between your toes, the whisper of the wind between the vines and the taste of a good wine on your lips.

Oh yes! I hear a picnic calling.

Don't you?

Celebrate The Season ~ Herb Ricotta & Balsamic Tomato Crostinis

Toast the return of warmer weather with these wonderful Herb Ricotta & Balsamic Tomato Crostinis meant to be savored in the company of good friends and family.

But then again, who's to stop you from opening a nice bottle of wine, curled up on the couch with a plate of these watching reruns of Downton Abbey?

Think toasted thin sliced bread, topped with creamy, fresh herb embellished ricotta and goat cheese made only better with balsamic steeped tomatoes.

So you see, some indulgences don't require an occasion or even a crowd, their very existence is reason enough.

A Prayer, Answered : Rustic Butternut Squash & Spinach Quiche

At the heart of this recipe is a conviction,

Food will not meet it's death in my refrigerator

Nothing fires me up more than the thought of my refrigerator turning into a icy coffin for those wayward bits of veggies that have been neglected in the bottom tray below the bottom shelf. I am sure it feels half way to Hades down there.

Bits of vegetables and what-nots continue to rear there heads unexpectedly which goes to show that I am obviously not in control of my pantry and fridge. Though my body and soul may have recovered from my bout of recent  PTGS - Post Traumatic Guest Syndrome, my fridge obviously hasn't.

I hope Mum isn't reading this because if she is, I expect the phone will ring any time...now.

I am therefore determined to put half the butternut squash and spinach to good use, before one gets moldy and the other wilty. if you don't know which ones going to do what I suggest you spend a lot more time with your greens...and start a multivitamin  regime immediately.

For me the thought of a root vegetable quiche is exciting at so many levels -think buttery flaky crust nestling sweet roasted butternut squash, roasted red onions and spinach is a creamy parmesan custard. Not quite sure it will work but we're nothing if not daring!

Now you know me enough to know I will always advocate making your own crust but just this once I don't want to scare your away and keep you from experiencing this mind-blowingly delicious quiche so alright, buy a store pie crust if you must...sigh..

15 Minute Superlative Breakfast Oatmeal ~ Old Fashioned Oats cooked with Orange Juice, Dates & Bananas

It's official - I can't take a good oatmeal picture worth its salt!

Lets blame it on the cloudy sky, an off day but please don't let my lame photography skills stop you from making one of the most delicious oatmeal creations you'll ever end up putting in your mouth. Guaranteed.

Old fashioned oats are cooked in freshly squeezed orange juice with nutmeg & chopped dates. To which is added brown sugar, butter & mashed bananas. Yummm......

Also,what a great way to use bananas  on their last legs - that's exactly what you need for this dish - ridiculously overripe bananas.

 Added incentive? 15 minutes to fix and dairy free for all those lactose intolerant & 'dairy-avoiding' folks out there.

So with the weekend here, what's your excuse?

Goofball Alert, Homemade Toffee {Dulce de Leche} & Banoffee Pie from England

Banoffee pie which as the name suggests is essentially a shortcrust pastry topped with homemade toffee filling i.e. dulce de leche, bananas and whipped cream is an English classic.

It is also a recipe that shouldn't be made by goofballs!

By that I mean, people who cannot, will not or simply don't believe in following directions to save their lives, people who leave stuff on the stove and fall asleep or worse walk out the door for a shopping spree.

What's really getting my knickers in a twist is this bit - the homemade toffee, dulce de leche which is essential as the filling.

How to make home made dulce de leche a.k.a toffee filling?

It involves these steps to be followed meticulously - The evening before fixing the pie, roughly 3 hours before going to bed:

1) Use 2 unopened cans of sweetened condensed milk

2) Use a large stock pot and immerse the 2 unopened cans of condensed milk in water. Make sure there is 9 inches of water above the surface of the cans. Cover the stockpot with a tight fitting lid.

3) On medium high heat, simmer the cans for 3 hours. Use a timer to keep track.

4) On the hour, every hour, keep checking to ensure there is at least 6 inches of water above the top of the cans. Replace with hot water as needed.

Goofball alert!* 
It is absolutely vital to top up the pot of boiling water as needed during the cooking process. 3 hours is a long time and if allowed to boil dry, the cans will explode guaranteeing a trip to E.R. with risk to life, limbs and kitchen ceilings!

5) After 3 hours, turn the stove off, leave well alone and go to bed.

6) Remove the cans from the water the next morning, open and what you will end up with is this -

......absolutely perfect, delicious, creamy soft toffee, dulce de leche filling

And this dearies is step uno to this ~

 

Absolutely decadent & Utterly Delicious Banoffee Pie

Invented in East Sussex, England at the Hungry Monk in 1972, Banoffee Pie is even rumored to be Margaret Thatcher’s favourite pudding. The recipe followed in this post is based on the original recipe from the publication ‘The Deeper Secrets of the Hungry Monk’ in 1974. 

There are cooks who advocate cooking the condensed milk in a pyrex dish for hours in the oven but in my experience it results in a tough and hard toffee filling that is impossible to cut through once the pie is chilled and at the risk of your teeth falling out of your head.

The 'cooked can' method used here to make the toffee is widely used all over the U.K and is original to the 'Hungry Monk' recipe.

Cook's Note - The toffee, dulce de leche can be made a week in advance and stored in a airtight plastic container in the refrigerator till ready to use. Unopened cans of toffee  (the cooked cans) can be stored in the pantry cabinet for upto 3 months and is a great way to always have the fixings of Banoffee pie at hand for that last minute craving or unannounced company.

Palak Pakoras ~ Indian Style Spiced Spinach & Chickpea Fritters

 
The fact that I am fixing Palak Pakoras must mean one and only one thing ~ it's raining cats and dogs & pails!

In fact it gets much much worse. Tonight's forecast reads verbatum from the National Weather Service is as follows....

.........WINTRY MIX OF RAIN AND SLEET CHANGING OVER TO SNOW.

* ACCUMULATIONS... 2 TO 5 INCHES OF SNOW AND SLEET.

So you see, pakoras it is! Pakoras and rain (or sleet) go together like Jack and Jill, cucumber and dill, Lewis and Clarke....you get the drift.

Growing up in India, I urge you to find me one family that didn't wake up on a cold rainy morning to the words "Pakora aur chai ho jaaye" which loosely translates into " Pakoras and tea it is!". Call it cultural, I call it utterly delicious.

What's not to love of besan, a chickpea batter flavored with whole spices like coriander and carom seeds, red chillies and turmeric into which is nestled fresh spinach leaves, fresh ginger and onions, globs of which are dropped into hot oil just so they rise to the surface all light and airy?

Now imagine eating these hot off the stove with piping hot chai ~ see what I mean? Some traditions are just meant to be.

So why not I give you one of mine and you give me one of yours?

 

German 'Gugelhupf' Makeover - Apple Yeast Cake with Apple Cream Sauce

As people we have always been told that fear is at the root of all evil and this is almost always true. However, I confess that fear is at the heart of this recipe. You see I am what you call a 'strudel wimp'.

I don't mean strudel made out of pre-packaged pastry bits found in the freezer section of ones supermarket. I refer to the traditional method. If you've been reading this blog long enough you know by now that for most part I am a stickler for the authentic especially when it comes to traditional recipes that have been part of a culture for hundreds of years.

So I refer to the traditional method of  18th century strudel making that entails stretching the dough to the size of ones dining table and then folding over and over, repeating the process countless number of times. First of all, Lord knows how many laws of physics the dough is breaking to achieve this - not to mention the thought of my 5 year old grubby fingers poking and prodding the dough joined only by our Golden retriever and his propensity to stick his tongue at anything and everything remotely akin to food.

Needless to say - I am ways away from making traditional strudel at home. Having said that I love German cakes - especially the ones that have all those wonderful fresh fruits and  dry fruits soaked in booze. Traditionally, Gugelhupf is a dry- fruit filled yeast cake which is then folded over into a log and baked. It's part cake and part bread and delicious.

So I decided to combine my yearning for apple strudel (the filling at least) and Gugelhupf making some major changes which makes life a whole lot easier -

1) instead of dealing with the rolling etc, I simply use the dough as dumplings which is easy peesy.

2) Serving this with an apple cream sauce takes from delish to decadent. Yumm....

In fact so easy is this to fix, not to mention delicious that it's a piece of cake...err...bread!

Wicked Delicious ~ Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Grapes & Thyme for your Holiday Table

 
It's hard to imagine that Thanksgiving is already upon us!

Most of us have already spit & polished our menus. And even though I am just on the verge of being happily inundated, some things in life are good enough to break into a song and dance about. The fact that it is over a vegetable and that too one that almost always cooks with a slightly bitter undertone, should have your attention.

I have had brussel sprouts all the usual ways - steamed, buttered, shredded and coated in maple syrup - just anything to take away that bitterness and have the kiddies eat it too.

And for most part, its been a compromise. Well those day are over...over. 

You know how in biology we learning about symbiosis where one organism or plant life depends upon the other for its survival.....does that also sound like marriage...hmm?

Well, brussel sprouts and grapes may not depend on each other for their survival biologically speaking but in the culinary world, they do or they ought to.

I never would have believed it until I tasted these for the first time - the brussel sprouts borrows the subtle sweetness from the grapes and changes itself -  for the better.  It's a win win!

I am so glad I came across this recipe flipping pages of  Real Simple at the grocery store, remembered the salient features of the mag enough to recreate it and now it's making an appearance for everything from  holiday dinners, boring wednesday dinners to 'Guess-who's-coming-to-dinner?' dinners.

Fix this and change your brussel sprout universe forever!

 

Brrr.....Roasted Butternut Squash Curried Soup

  

We've just had our first snowfall - in  the fall. If that isn't occasion enough for soup, I don't know what is!

There are few things in my humble opinion that comes close to the joy of this roasted vegetable nestled with herbs emerging from a hot oven. And my love for butternut squash exceeds all apprehensions.

And speaking of which I refer to the slight apprehension that overcomes me each and everytime I have a Chef's knife poised over the hard skull of a butternut squash. Murmuring a string of prayers, kids safely tucked away into their rooms, I intensely focus on two thoughts -

1) Under all circumstances emerge from this with all ten fingers intact.

2) Overcome fear of said task by thinking of the warm, toe curling soup that awaits at the end of this tunnel.

The roasted glistening skin now tender and soft to touch with the succulent flesh almost saccharin sweet as the squash has released all its natural sweetness,  is a wonderful thing  to behold. And all of this goodness is only outdone by the addition of  some  madras curry powder, naturally sweet coconut milk and a scattering of plump raisins.

Now here I believe is a soup fit for a weeknight treat or any holiday meal. Like the  good ones this recipe is inspired by the best of the season and nature's bounty.

Not quite Vichyssoise - A Cream of Leek, Fennel & Potato soup

 
If we were to serve  today's soup - Cream of leek, fennel & potato soup cold, then it  would be apt to call it Vichyssoise. But as it stands, since Vichyssoise literally translates  from French to 'the cold cream soup from Vichy', so that would not do at all. 

I adore bisque's & cream soups and would devour them every other day in the winter if it was not for the fact that they all have cream and that is not very good at all for my hips or my thighs or  my belly - well, you get the drift.

So I was particularly excited to make this soup today since leeks are in season of course but also because I stumbled upon a Vichyssoise recipe in the Australian Women's Weekly that uses only 1/4 cup of cream. So I took the  recipe and tinkered with it - a little more leeks, a little less potatoes , a little more fennel & voila - we have dinner!

The results are heartily satisfying so be quick & try this while those leeks are still in season. 

 

The main ingredients in this soup are fresh fennel, leeks, garlic cloves,  & potatoes. In addition add some cream and chopped chives, some chopped fronds of fennel (the leafy bits that look like dill), employ the services of a blender and you're nearly there.

Prepare the ingredients before you begin at the stove -

Leeks -  Cut the leeks at the point where the leaves turn dark green & discard the leaves. Slice the leeks in half, cut & discard root tip and roughly chop.

Potatoes - Peel, wash and dice.

Fennel - Separate bulb from leaves. Discard all but 4-5 sprigs of fennel fronds. Halve the bulb and slice.

Garlic - Peel cloves and slice.

Chives - Chop with kitchen shears to make 1/4 cup

Fennel fronds - Chop to make 1/2 tbs

 

On medium heat, in a heavy bottomed saute pan, melt butter. As soon as it melts, add the leeks, fennel & garlic. Saute for 2-3 minutes till the leeks soften.

 

Add the potatoes and saute for approx 5 minutes till the leeks begin to slightly brown.

 

Add the chicken stock. Since I was out of stock I added water with 1/2 tbs chicken bouillon powder.

Bring to a simmer - this may take as long as 10-15 minutes. Cover with a lid keeping the heat on medium all this while. Simmer for 30 minutes. Take off heat.

  

Spoon the solids into a blender with a glass jar.

Cook's Note - If you are using one with a plastic jar wait till the soup cools or the jar may crack due to heat.

Sieve the solids the bottom of the pan into the blender making sure you have all of the leeks etc and set the stock aside.  Blend for 4-5 seconds until a thick smooth puree is formed.

 

Return back to the pan on medium heat and add the stock. Stir till well blended. Add the chopped chives, chopped fennel fronds, salt & cream. Stir till well blended. Do not bring to boil, just heat the soup.

Taste & adjust salt.

Plate in individual soup bowls or in a large soup tureen. Serve warm with slices of artisan French or Italian bread and soft butter.

The creamy texture of the soup with the hint of garlic & onion flavors was quite lovely. Fortunately it was lapped up by the kids as well & they merrily dunked their bread in the soup. I was too busy trying not to make  slurpy noises as I lapped up my soup!

Though it was such a simple meal it was just what was needed to warm us on this cold winters night.

 

Recipe for

CREAM OF LEEK, FENNEL & POTATO SOUP

Serves 4

Preparation time - 10 minutes

Cooking time -  approx 25 minutes

Shopping list -

 

3 large leeks

1 fresh fennel

 2 medium potatoes

2 garlic cloves

fresh chives (enough to make 1/4 cup, chopped)

6 cups chicken stock

1/4 cup heavy cream

2 tbs butter

3/4 tsp salt

Preparation-

Leeks -  Cut the leeks at the point where the leaves turn dark green & discard the leaves. Slice the leeks in half, cut & discard root tip and roughly chop.

Potatoes - Peel and dice

Fennel bulb - Separate bulb from leaves. Discard all but 4-5 sprigs of fennel fronds. Halve the bulb and slice.

Garlic - Peel and slice

Chives - Chop with kitchen shears to make 1/4 cup

Fennel fronds - Chop to make 1/2 tbs

  

Cooking method -

On medium heat, in a heavy bottomed saute pan, melt butter. As soon as it melts, add the leeks, fennel & garlic. Saute for 2-3 minutes till the leeks soften.

Add the potatoes and saute for approx 5 minutes till the leeks begin to slightly brown.

Add the chicken stock.

Bring to a simmer - this may take as long as 10-15 minutes. Cover with a lid keeping the heat on medium all this while. Simmer for 30 minutes. Take off heat.

Spoon the solids into a blender with a glass jar.

Sieve the solids the bottom of the pan into the blender making sure you have all of the leeks etc and set the stock aside.  Blend for 4-5 seconds until a thick smooth puree is formed.

Return back to the pan on medium heat and add the stock. Stir till well blended. Add the chopped chives, chopped fennel fronds, salt & cream. Stir till well blended. Do not bring to boil, just heat the soup.

Taste & adjust salt.

 

 

Enjoy!

 

Weekend Breakfast : Orange, Banana & Ricotta Pancakes

 
Today it's pancakes to the rescue! 

I have been running around like a chicken with my head cut off all morning and have about 45 minutes before I have to run out the door again. As much as I  love using seasonal fruits and vegetables as much as possible and we seem to be suffering an overload of oranges in the fruit bowl.

I also have 2 rather sorry looking bananas that beg rescue. I love it when my bananas begin to look battered and bruised because for me its a sign to get baking or in this case, fix pancakes. I have no real recipe in hand and I'm in such a hurry that I have no time to pull out cookbooks - so I'm on my own. Whew!

Now normally, I'd start pancakes with flour etc etc but on days like this, its Bisquick to the rescue. So here's the plan, measure out some Bisquick, add milk, egg, orange rind, mashed bananas & chopped oranges. To this add sugar, give it a whirl & off to the griddle.

On the griddle, I'm going to drop spoonfuls of yummilicious Ricotta cheese and I think we're onto something - don't you?

Chilled Pea & Mint Soup with Goat Cheese & Crushed Pink Peppercorns

I never forget a great meal & great service or a terrible meal & terrible service. It's a blessing and a curse.

It should therefore come as no surprise that somewhere in the far recesses of my mind, locked away is the memory of  a wonderful Pea & mint soup that I had eaten several years ago in a French Bistro  in Alexandria, Virginia.

Le Gaulois on King Street will always be one of my favorite French restaurants. Alas! The the deep recession of 2009 took it's toll and the restaurant forever closed it's doors. It seems just like yesterday that we'd call at about 7.00pm (after work) on a weeknight)  and let them know we're hitting the road and we'd be there in about 2-1/2 hours - seating by 10.00pm, right next to Chef's table.

Good times, these!

Among other things like their Lobster with Almonds, I adored their pea and mint soup but have never made it at home. Lately, however I have been haunted by it's flavor and though I have been dodging its making with one excuse or the other, 6 weeks later there's nothing left to be done but fix it.

I did however want to give a bit of a summery twist. 

This took form of not only chilling it but adding to it 2 of my very favorite ingredients - fresh goat cheese and pink peppercorns.

Do not do these lovelies the dishonor of comparing them to their harsher more pungent brothers.  

These have a delicate fragrance and a sweet, spicy flavor akin to mild citrus and sweet berries.

Their lovely rose hue add not only a wonderful dash of color but just a sprinkle of these crushed, elevate the flavor of a dish tremendously.

Where can you find these? At a specialty spice store on online stores  like Penzey's spices or Marx foods. I have also seen these at gourmet kitchen stores. and though a wee bit pricey, a little goes a long way.

There are many ways to unnecessarily complicate this soup - Chef's add everything from cream, celery to potatoes. In my humble opinion, none of that is required. The simplicity of the ingredients are enough for a wonderful burst of flavor.

 

Quick & Easy Summer Watermelon & Honeydew Melon Salad

 
 
I love watermelons. Actually I love melons - period!

And as the summer temperatures continue to rise, these delicious globes find their way more and more frequently to our table. However once in a while, its nice to find a way to dress it up a bit.

So when friends were popping in for a quick bite I decided to do a good ole' melon salad dressed up like prom queen - elegant & pretty. And how better to do that than with herbs, mint & honey?

Make this part of your summer potlucks will ya!

 

'A whole lotta less' Spinach & Ricotta Spanakopita Pie

I am not often fond of words such as 'challenging' because when used in reference to things such as exercise for example, they denote a greater level of commitment that I am usually willing to give.

However, when the same word is used in reference to out of town guests with food restrictions, the word 'challenging' is one I welcome because it means putting on my creative hat and finding a way to make the meal a memorable one for all at the dinner table.

The guests we had to dinner early last week were about as challenging as one could get for a cook such as me who thrives on carnivorous meals. Not only were my guests devout vegetarians they also did not eat onions, garlic, eggs or any root vegetables.

I know what you're thinking "What on earth do these people really eat?" You will be surprised to know that these sect of Indians from Gujarat are known as Jains and have been so for about 3000 years and they also eat some of the most delicious foods. I should know - my grand mother is one.

So the easiest thing I could have done was to pull out my Nani's recipes and we could have had a wonderful traditional Gujarati dinner. But no! I decided I wanted to do a dinner with dishes from around the world all adapted to Jain cooking.

Fortunately, providence was on my side because when I came across Kat's recipe for spanakopita on her wonderful blog Food Advokat, I was quick to shoot her a couple of emails asking if I could substitute this for that - all to make the dish completely Jain friendly.

After that I went on my very own tweaking spree. The result a delicious egg-free, onion free spinach & ricotta spanakopita! See for yourself -

Spring in a Bite ~ Fruit & Nut Palooza Zucchini Cake

 
 

If yours is like our household, very soon you'll have zooks coming out of your ears.

And not just any teeny weeny itsy bitsy zooks but gargantuan ones that your neighbors have been growing, or your friend Shelley has growing in her yard or maybe you have them growing in yours!

And don't get me wrong, I love zucchinis as much as the next person so much so that I even have a nickname for them, zooks but just how many zooks can you eat and in just how many ways?

Fortunately, here's one you'll never get tired of and just like me you'll fix it again and again for your own family and for everyone elses.

What's awesome is that it also feeds  the devious mom gene because this cake is loaded and I mean loaded with the good stuff, lots of shredded zooks, golden raisins, dried cranberries, pecans and wait for it....very-little-flour. And when you bite into a slice, not in a million years will you believe this to be true. 

So here's a healthful cake that we can all get in a tizzy about!

PS - I am also submitting this recipe to the beautiful & picturesque  A Pinch Of Love where dear Ananda is having a Zucchini celebration!

 

 

Thai Style Pineapple & Cucumber Salad

Nothing beckons like the combination on fresh pineapple and cucumber with roasted peanuts and fresh herbs. Perfect for any weather but just as spring has made an appearance and just the throught of sweltering 100 deg temperatures, round the corner are enough to get me sweating, now.

But for the moment, I'm determined to enjoy this wonderful if not erratic spring weather  and settle in the inviting comfort of this  delicious, refreshing flavor explosive salad.

 Imagine this as a side to freshly grilled fish like the Asian style salmon or even chicken...sigh....

Pasta Alla Norma ~ Sicilian Style Pasta with Roasted Eggplant, Tomatoes, Basil & Ricotta Salata

 
Ever since we watched Il Postino, years ago, this wonderful Italian film about an incredible relationship that unfolds between the village postman and Chilean poet Pablo Naruda, I have been in love with all things Sicilian.

So when I came across a write up in the NY Times about the romantic history about this Sicilian dish, Pasta Alla Norma, named after Vincenzo Bellini’s opera “Norma”, Bellini also born in Catania, Sicily, how could I resist? Talk of romancing the food!

As the story goes, Nino Martoglio, a famous Catanese writer and poet being once “confronted” with this wonderful dish said: “this pasta is a Norma“ a word synonymous with perfection.

Pasta alla Norma is a typical Sicilian dish, using eggplants, sweet and ripe tomatoes, ricotta salata, fresh basil, olive oil and maccheroni pasta.

Purists will insist on three things - one that the pasta must be maccheroni …well, I am using strozzapreti and secondly that the eggplant slices must be fried in olive oil. I will say this, the amount of oil an eggplant can drink scares the heck out of me so I have decided that since I love, absolutely love the taste of roasted eggplant, I am going to in fact go that route.

From this point on, it can only be improved upon by the flavors of the stewed tomatoes, lots of basil and Ricotta Salata for which my dearies, there is simply no substitute.

And no dearies, Parmesan (which seems to be the solution to all of pasta's grievances, will not do!) This salty sheeps milk cheese, similar to feta in texture,  has a one of a kind flavor and does wonders bringing all the flavors in the pasta together.

Ricotta Salata is available at specialty food stores like Whole foods and Trader Joes here in the US.

This pasta with all these wonderful ingredients, fresh flavors is made all the more attractive by the fact that it's a quickie!

So join me in the kitchen as we dream of Sicily and dine on Pasta Alla Norma.

 

Zingy Remoulade Sauce

 

There are a million versions of Remoulade sauce. It is essentially a jazzed up version of tartare sauce. The original being invented in France, it has taken a life all of its own and that's what makes it fabulous. 

We all have our own favourite versions and there's no right or wrong way to do it. You just taste as you go - a little bit of this & a little bit of that (isn't that a song?) But I think the one thing we can all agree on is that when it comes to mayonnaise based sauces and dips, this ones a keeper.

It is particularly good with fried seafood like deep fried oysters, on sandwiches and subs. I keep a jar on the ready in my refrigerator for those days when all rational thought has fled my mind and nothing seems to make sense for dinner. It's on those evenings that a little Remoulade goes a looonnggg way.......

Sourdough Crostinis with Balsamic Roasted Red Peppers and Goat Cheese

I deeply appreciate the outpouring of sympathy and the wonderful thoughts and heartwarming words that you have all left us. Mr. Hubby read your words and was deeply moved as was our family. Thank You.

The events that rocked our world this fortnight brought home a singular point - as a people we are so largely influenced by all the persons who come and go through our lives.

Though it is often hard to attribute a certain thought or an idea to one single person, sometimes, even though we've moved on, one can actually remember quite such moments with crystal clarity.

The friendship that gave me my first taste of  goat cheese with balsamic soaked red peppers on a perfectly crusty french bread, has long gone. The memory and the perfect medley of flavors, hasn't.

So when a quick perusal of my refrigerator revealed some fresh goat cheese, red peppers and a loaf of crusty sourdough bread, I knew this moment was as good as any to ponder a good friendship that was and a bite that always will be.

Mind you, I have no idea what the original recipe is so I rely on my good old taste buds and am confident that we stand an excellent chance of pulling this off.

 

Brioche Flat bread with Parmigiano-Reggiano & Romano Cheeses, Rosemary & Green Onions

Before I turn the stage over to Devaki as she kicks off 2011, I wish to take a moment to thank you ALL for the heartwarming comments that you have left me. I enjoyed reading each and everyone and never expected that you would take this kindly, my attempt at a little satire at the expense of my wife!

 Arigatoo Gozaimasu

SD 

 
Cyber space is currently overloaded with talks of salad and healthy soups and New Years resolutions. It's enough to bring a grown girl to tears!

So what does this girl do? Brush the dust off  last year's resolutions & bake bread of course!

You might say that I am obsessed with brioche and you just might be right.  I can't help it - no matter what I do with it it turns out fabulous! It's like I have my own personal brioche fairy looking out for me and sprinkling 'perfect brioche fairy dust' all over my fixings. I bet we can all use one of those!

Anyway so I wake up this morning and lo & behold - no bread at home. Not even a crumb! So as I pull out the eggs, I also pull out my container of brioche dough wondering what in God's name I'm going to do with all these eggs and brioche dough.

Anyway, as life goes the light bulb goes off in my head and I recall one of Batali's recipes where he had sprinkled some fresh herbs  & green onions over pizza dough and ended up with some amazing kind of focaccio. The genius of the man that he is shared the most amazing tip for great, buttery flaky flat breads - you know what that is? - drizzling copious amounts of olive oil on dough! Yeah that's it - who would have thought something that simple & rudimentary would separate a great flat bread from its mediocre brethren?

Anywho, since I have the brioche dough, I'm not about to make any other kind of dough so that's my starting point. Open up this vegetable drawer then the next, look behind the sour cream, find the cheese & oh look! here's the spring onions and what do we have?

Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (the 2 year aged good stuff), fresh rosemary, green onions,  grated Romano cheese & lots of good quality olive oil - not forgetting the brioche dough of course. I think that will go pretty well with some scrambled eggs with chives don't you think? A nice breakfast coming right up!

For those of you out there who have paid no heed to me whatsoever this past year and do not have a stash of brioche dough tucked away in the refrigerator well,  you'll just have to make a batch from scratch. So lets go!

 

Holiday Favorites : Decadent Sugar & Thyme Roasted Acorn Squash

 

Big beautiful mounds of squash are all over the market place. Sitting a few places from the potatoes, these delightful creatures don't always receive the attention they must covet and rightfully deserve.

After all, beneath their hard cold exteriors, hidden by a labyrinth of seeds & membranes is succulent  & sweet flesh. When cooked right it does an excellent job enhancing a slab of steak or perfectly cooked pork chop.

And like most root vegetables what better way to bring forth their inherent sweetness than roasting. And if we stopped right there it would be good enough but once applied with a generous smear of butter, brown sugar, thyme and spices, this beautiful mound of squash is no longer just a mound of squash but turns into an entirely different decadent offering.

 

Now of all the squash in all the world, Acorn here is my absolute favorite. For one, there is that aesthetic quality to its shape. The architect in me seeks that sort of thing and secondly, I find it more delicate in flavor than its bulbous cousin the butternut.

I also enjoy the fact that that it's a leave-me-alone sort  of vegetable which suits perfectly, since it likes nothing more than to do its thing on its own in a hot oven.

Home made Naan - A quintessential unleavened flatbread from South Asia

 
There is nothing quite like hot, buttered Naan with a North Indian meal. To this day, Naan is usually prepared in a clay oven or tandoor.

So I'm tickled to death that I was able to recreate this quintessential Indian bread in my American kitchen with no special equipment but for a broiler oven and a baking stone.

It took a few trials and errors but I think this is IT! 

This recipe is so close to the real thing,  that as I had my nose glued to a hot Naan as I buttered it - I was hit by a wave of nostalgia and I was instantly transported to a dhaaba (road side eatery) in India. Here's why - wait for it...... NO yeast!

If you've ever eaten a Naan prepared with yeast, I think you'll agree that it's a bit like eating a naked pizza crust and then it has that unpleasant smell to it. Not here, folks!

 If I haven't yet sold you to the idea of homemade Naan , how about the savings - it cracks me up when I see people check out a $3.99 piece of pre-made Naan at the grocery story when for that, we could make enough for 6 people! And, we can use the  dough cycle or knead cycle on the bread machine or food processor - so no back breaking kneading involved.

  I don't know if you can tell, but I am so excited about this recipe coming together, that I can break  into song and dance. So lets get cooking instead!

 

Pasta with a Lebanese Twist - Whole Wheat Pasta with Roasted Red Pepper Pesto & Goat Cheese

I have a ton of respect for Joumana at Taste of Beirut. Not only does she have mad cooking  skills but she is a fountain of creativity that leaves most of us mortal souls in the dust. 

So when I came across her recipe for traditional Muhammara sauce, I got off my behind lickety quick and drove 45 minutes to our nearest Mediterranean store Haji Baba, in search of pomegranate molasses. And what do I find? Metal gates across the front with a big closed sign in the shop window...and it was a Saturday!

So any who, dejected as I was, I decided I would have to alter my plans to make  a Lebanese inspired sauce instead. Though I have tried to stay true to its original roots, I have taken a few artistic liberties in the process.

So here it is, step one to a wonderful Lebanese inspired Roasted Red Pepper Pesto & Goat Cheese Sauce.

Spinach & Berries Salad with Strawberry, Orange & Ginger Vinaigrette

If it has berries, we'll eat! That's pretty much the mantra around here and I'm squeezing it for all it's worth this summer.

Besides the fact that these summer delights are loaded with antioxidants and low on the glycemic chart (don't you just love it when I talk health dirty) they taste so darn  juicy and delicious that I'm adding them to everything.

What I also love about it is that once I add these lovelies to a salad, they add that chunk of sweetness into every bite so even something as mundane as a spinach salad springs to life - think Singing in the Rain! yup the one with Gene Kelly and Debbie Reynolds.

But today I am even more pleased with myself because the stuff I threw together in the blender to make the dressing was so delicious that I kept thinking - we're having our salad with a smoothie!

Seriously ~ give this a go this summer (before the berries disappear). It won't disappoint!

Saffron Infused Couscous with Asparagus & Raisins

 
  
Couscous is one of my favorite wholegrains.

Mellow in nature, I love the way it takes on the flavor of the spices and herbs that surrounds it. Itself a a blank canvas, it needs to be infused in rich deep flavors to come into its own. It's good to remember that when cooking couscous because left blank, devoid of personality is the worse thing you can do to this delightful grain.

And that is exactly why, when I do couscous I pay special attention to the broth. As long as you've got a good, solid, delicious broth the couscous is bound to be good. And when it comes to infusing broths with aroma and flavor few things can compete with the Spice of Gold - Saffron, the most expensive spice in the world. And for good reason.

Millions of flowers to produce 1 lb of saffron. Fascinating!

Growing up if there is one thing Mum knocked into my head, it was this - If it's saffron, it's got to be Spanish, from La Mancha (central Spain), the land of Don Quixote.

 

Did you know, that flowering takes place for a short period of only hours? And flowers are must be handpicked in the fields by skilled women called roseras within a specific period in late October.

After the harvest, the mondadoras, or petal-strippers, separate the stigmas from the rest of the flower, and gather them for the next step of the process, the toasting which is a century-old ritual that has essentially remained  unchanged.

I am looking forward to this evening's dinner because it has been a long time since I fixed couscous  (don't ask..it has to do with my low carb phase) so I really do want to make something of an event of it. And what better way than with fragrant aromatic saffron strands!

So let's fix some  -

Couscous cooked in a saffron broth with succulent asparagus and carrots finished with raisins and cilantro. Wonderful as a side or a light lunch!