Kitchen3N

Recipes and food fun from Apt 3N

Fettucine with Mushrooms and Leeks

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I have been using a dastardly amount of heavy cream in everything. Coffee – splash of cream. Pie – whipped cream. Fruit – sweetened AND whipped cream. Pasta – cup o’ cream.

I have a officially regressed from my diet of quinoa salads, eggs, oatmeal, and fruits/veggies. Size 2 – it was nice knowing you!

IMG_3652 But let’s talk about the shrooms here. People can get downright militant when it comes to mushrooms: Don’t wash them!! Don’t crowd the pan!! Don’t season them too early!! All advice I’ve taken to heart many a time. And as much as I love properly sautéed mushrooms with bits of brown butter speckling the surface and all the right caramelization in all the right places, these mushrooms fare perfectly fine all in one pan, with leeks and all!   IMG_3654  And not just “fine”. How can I explain to you how well mushrooms and leeks pair without going into a series of clichéd analogies? Let’s try some non-clichés. Mushrooms are to leeks as

Going off on a tangent here. Reign it in, Naureen. Reign it in.

IMG_3660 What is key here is to not skimp on the black pepper. Of course the pasta itself, the mushrooms and leeks have to be properly season. But reminiscent of the classical Roman dish, Cacio e Pepe, the flavors of this dish shine with a balanced contribution of Parmigiano Reggiano and Parsley, but with much stronger addition of ground black pepper. This coming from a girl who HATED black pepper growing up. Oh, how we change!

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 leeks, rinsed and sliced (if you don’t have leeks, you can use half a yellow onion, diced, but try to add green onions or chives at the end for that verdant, mild onion flavor)
  • 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced
  • 1/2 lb cremini (baby bella) mushrooms, cleaned with a damp paper towel and sliced
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 cup of heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh flat leaf Italian parsley
  • 1 lb fettucine

Directions

  1. In a large pot, heat 4 to 6 quarts of water over high heat.
  2. While the water is coming to a boil, prep your veggies. When veggies are cleaned, sliced, and ready, heat oil in a large sauté pan or wok over medium high heat. Add the leeks and cook until tender, 2 to 3 minutes.
  3. By this point, the water should have come to a boil. Add salt, and a drizzle of oil (fettucine tends to stick together!) and let cook for 12 to 13 minutes (follow the instructions on the box. Barilla is my pasta of choice.)
  4. Back to the pan: move the leeks off to the sides and add the mushrooms to the center of your pan (or wherever the hot spot is on your burner). Add garlic, salt and pepper (start out with 1/2 tsp each at first). Sauté with the leeks until cooked down and moisture has evaporated, about 10 minutes. Moderate the heat so the veggies don’t burn. Add cream and let cook for 1-2 minutes. Then add cooked pasta, using tongs to transfer from the pot to the pan. Toss well. Add grated Parmigiano and parsley and combine well. Add up to 1 cup of the pasta cooking water if it’s looking too dry (start out with 1/2 cup). Check for seasoning.
  5. Serve with an extra grating of Parmigiano and black pepper.

Sloppy Joes

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I recall an episode of Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations when he was schooling his viewers on some things every home cook should know. Among them:

  1. How to slice and onion. Key take away: don’t leave your fingers sprawled all over the onion. You are asking for it. Tuck your finger tips under like you’re tossing a knuckleball. Life-saver.
  2. Beef bourguignon. It’s just a pot of unattractive, purple-hued beef cubes simmering in an even less attractive liquid base UNTIL the magic time is up. For the first two, two and a half hours, that’s all it is. But when the time is right, it all comes together to become the legendary French stew. That’s a lesson I’ve carried with me for all my stews and curries. The key factor is time. Time for the meat to flavor the broth and for the broth to cook/tenderize the meat. You have to learn what that time is for each dish to have truly delicious stews and curries.
  3. There were a few other lessons. Since I’ve forgotten them, they clearly weren’t as life changing.

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I’ve made sloppy joes the traditional American way before, loaded with ketchup, brown sugar, sometimes Worcestshire sauce and/or vinegar. It’s just too sweet for me. In my version, I add some warming spices, paprika to complement the bell pepper, a tiny bit of sugar to bring out the sweetness in the crushed tomatoes, and peas (hey food groups!). Both version wayyy surpass the school lunch version I had as a NYC public school student.  IMG_3588

I have my usual brioche buns as the delivery vehicle for this hot mess. You can use kaiser rolls, hamburger buns –  so long as it’s nice and porous and soaks up all the juices.

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Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp olive or vegetable oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion or 1/2 large yellow onion, diced
  • 1 red/orange/yellow pepper, seeds and ribs removed, diced
  • about 1 pound Honest Chops organic ground beef
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1/4 to 1/2 tsp cayenne/chili pepper
  • 1 tsp salt, or to taste
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 can of crushed tomatoes (about 1 1/2 lbs)
  • 1/2 cup frozen peas
  • 1/4 cup chopped cilantro or parsley

Directions

  1. Heat oil in a pot and add onion, pepper and beef. Brown over high heat for 5-7 minutes. Add garlic and spices and mix well. Add bay leaf, crushed tomatoes and stir to combine. Reduce the heat to medium low, cover and simmer for 20 min, stirring occasionally.
  2. Add peas and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes. Off the heat, add cilantro and stir to combine. Serve on hamburger buns, kaiser rolls, brioche buns – something that’s going to absorb all the juices!

Sausages with Peppers and Onions

IMG_3461 This past Sunday, my daughter turned 4. There was a time, a dark time, deep in the winter of 2011, when I thought I wouldn’t live to see that day. In my zombie-like state, trying to comfort my colicky baby between bouncing on an exercise ball with white noise machines running and skin to skin contact – her infancy seemed like an eternity. Days kind of melted into each other, with nothing more signaling a new day then the slight shift of the hour hand on our clock.  IMG_3441 But, thankfully, I did survive those first few months, and apparently first 4 years. And despite all my attempts to outsource the party by hosting it at a charming local art studio – I still had quite a bit to do in the kitchen! From making waffles (with homemade blueberry compote), to the fruit platter, to my homemade Bengali milk tea, and the birthday cake, of course.

IMG_3305 IMG_3339 So, it was a relief, to be able to whip these Honest Chops sausages up the next day. It’s as easy and popping them on a hot skillet for 3-4  minutes on each side, then DONEZO. Butter up some warm rolls. Make the pepper and onion mixture if you’d like. If not, opt for the usual ketchup & mustard. IMG_3446 But I must say, the sweetness of the peppers and onions perfectly complements the savoriness of the sausages. Plus – they’re veggies so this constitutes a complete meal, right?IMG_3449  I remember throughout the course of my Italian language education, at San Gennaro festivals or cultural events, sausages with peppers and onions always being a popular, yet out of my reach option (recall I keep halal). But thanks to Honest Chops, I can enjoy and customize the dish to my liking!IMG_3468 I topped mine with a cheese sauce but then decided it was better without it. Enjoy!

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 green pepper, core and seeds discarded, thinly sliced
  • 1 red pepper, core and seeds discarded, thinly slice
  • a pinch dried oregano
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • Honest Chops sausages
  • hot dog buns/rolls
  • butter

Directions

  1. In a large skillet or fry pan, heat oil over medium high heat. Add onion, peppers, oregano, salt and pepper (about 1/2 tsp each) until softened – about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and let caramelize for about 20 minutes. Stir occasionally.
  2. In a cast iron skillet or non stick skillet, butter the surface and heat over medium heat. Add the buns. Warm through until browned on one side, then flip. When both sides are browned and bun is warmed through, remove from heat. Set aside on a (preferably) warmed plate.
  3. In the same skillet, lightly grease with oil or non stick cooking spray. Add the sausages and do not move for 3-4 minutes (3 minutes for a thinner sausage, 4 for a thicker one). After the allotted time, flip and cook for an additional 3-4 minutes.
  4. Assemble hot dogs: place hot dogs in the buns and top with peppers and onions.

Chocolate Pavlova

IMG_3292 This is for my friend Aaisha of BakingPartTime. Last time she was over for a brunch party at our place, I made two pavlovas – one classic and one chocolate. I’ve posted the classic recipe before, but this time around I’m serving up the chocolate version.   IMG_3271 By the way, can you tell we are crazy about pavlovas around here? If you haven’t had one – it’s high time to try. They hail from New Zealand, where my husband spent a good part of his teenage years. I love this man more than anything, but I love him a wee bit more for introducing me to this dessert. A welcome change of pace from cakes or cookies. Much easier to prepare than a pie. They are just the most perfect dessert to have in your arsenal. They are a winner presentation wise, as well. They just have the wow factor, but are deceptively easy to assemble, kind of like a trifle. You just whip up some egg whites with sugar. Bake it low and slow for 45 min to 1 hour. Once cooled, top with whipped cream and fruit (or chocolate). IMG_3274 The original recipe suggests topping it with strawberries and chocolate sauce. I didn’t have strawberries on hand, or the time to assemble the chocolate sauce, so I just have the bare bones version here. If you haven’t worked with whipped egg whites before, you needn’t worry. Just have patience. They take a while to whip up to the right consistency, unlike whipped cream (which I’ve turned into butter many times just by looking away for a minute).

IMG_3281 If you’ve had plain meringues, then you might not think this dessert would amount to anything. Meringues have a tendency to be cloyingly sweet. But with the topping of just slightly sweetened cream, and the complexity of the chocolate (or in most cases a fruit topping), the combination of textures and flavors is just divine. The outside of the meringue is crisp. The inner part melts in  your mouth, kind of like a marshmallow. The cream eases the sweetness and ties all the flavors together. IMG_3287 The original recipe calls for superfine sugar – something I never have on hand – and for the chocolate in the meringue to be grated – something for which I have no patience. So, I swapped out superfine sugar for granulated sugar and was not in the least bit disappointed. I also finely chopped instead of grated the chocolate, which I think is for the best really. If you’re grating chocolate by hand, it’s going to melt all over your hands (which is probably not the worst problem to have). IMG_3283   Don’t worry about the crackly appearance. I’ve tried every trick in the book for keeping it from cracking and nothing’s worked. Take comfort in the fact that it gets smothered and mostly concealed by the toppings. Feel free to top it with chopped strawberries, raspberries or even blackberries.

Adapted from Easy Desserts: Deliciously Indulgent Treats

Ingredients

  • 4 large egg whites
  • 1 cup granulated sugar plus 1 tbsp
  • a pinch of salt
  • 1 tsp cornstarch
  • 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp white wine vinegar (or lemon juice)
  • 4 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
  • 1 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • semi sweet chocolate bar, for grating

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 275 degrees F. Draw a 9 in circle on a piece of parchment paper. Place it pencil side down on a baking sheet and sprinkle on some cornstarch. Spread the cornstarch over the area of the circle.
  2. Whisk the egg whites and salt (preferably with your stand mixer or with a hand held electric mixer) until soft peaks form. Gradually add in 1 cup of the sugar. Whisk in the cornstarch, cocoa, vanilla and vinegar.
  3. Add the chopped chocolate and fold carefully. That is – take a rubber spatula, cut through the eggs whites down the middle, moving to the left, lift spatula from the bottom to the top. Rotate bowl, and repeat until chocolate is incorporated. See demonstration here.
  4. Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes. Allow to cool.
  5. Whip cream until soft peaks form. Add sugar and continue beating, just shy of firm peaks. Top cooled pavlova with whipped cream, and garnish with grated semi sweet chocolate, if desired.

A Tale of 3 Cakes

IMG_3206 There was the most chocolatey of cakes. There was the spiciest of cakes. There was the most citrusy of cakes. There was the prep time. There was the baking time. But most importantly, there was the eating time. IMG_3192 Ok, now that I’ve gotten that out of my system (thanks, Ms. Liu!) let’s talk holiday baking. Now, it’s probably obvious by now that we don’t do Christmas around here. Hence, no yule logs, reindeer cookies, or gingerbread houses on the blog. IMG_3194 Despite not celebrating the winter holidays, I, like many others, am grateful for the end of year break. Time to unwind with family, watch The Interview, or maybe get in the kitchen to do some baking (read: eating). IMG_3198 I kept it simple with these cakes. No fancy techniques here. Just some basic creaming together of butter and sugar, then flavoring, dry ingredients, and voila. You have cake. IMG_3203  My sous chef and the forever cluttered kitchen island. IMG_3214 IMG_3218 IMG_3232 All three recipes are from an old issue of Fine Cooking magazine that I got, oh, 5 years ago. Just been sitting on my shelf while I browse online recipes. WHY? Each cake turned out so wonderful. Your search for perfect pound cake, everyday chocolate cake and spicy, earthy gingerbread stops HERE. NOW. IMG_3235 Confession: I haven’t yet tried the pound cake. But as soon I do I will post my findings. I tweaked the original recipe by adding orange zest and orange extract to the batter. You could go the extra mile and drizzle orange icing on top – but I thought it would look pretty with a sprinkling of powdered sugar. I’m going to pretend I wasn’t an awful parent by not letting my kids eat the powdered sugar face down into the bowl.

I love the bundt pan I used for this cake. Not only is it out of this world pretty – it’s durable and has a non stick lining that requires minimal greasing to the get the cake out. Williams Sonoma really gets it right. You just have to take care not to use any metal spatulas or knives when loosening the cake. Those will scratch the surface and eventually reduce the effectiveness of the lining.

IMG_3241 Even this chocolate frosting is a newbie recipe. It’s made with creme fraiche and unsweetened chocolate. Fancy shmancy. Totally not necessary for this cake – I actually thought some whipped cream would have been great with it. But I don’t think anyone will mind the frosting.IMG_3242 I think this cake will make one pregnant woman very happy tomorrow. IMG_3254 This cake actually rose higher than the one pictured in the magazine. My baking dish may have been smaller than it’s supposed to be (I’ve never actually measured it – is it 8×8 or 9×9?? I may never know.)IMG_3258 The gingerbread got a dollop of some creme fraiche/maple butter concoction. SOO good.

Adapted from Fine Cooking.

Orange Pound Cake

If you’d like to stick to the original version, nix the orange zest and orange extract. Increase vanilla extract to 1 1/2 tsp.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/4 cups unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 3/4 cups sugar
  • 1 tsp orange zest (from two navel oranges)
  • 2 large egg yolks, at room temp
  • 3 large eggs, at room temp
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp orange extract
  • 2 1/2 cups cake flour or 2 1/3 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 2/3 cup whole milk

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 12 cup bundt pan. Sift together flour, baking powder and salt.
  2. Cream butter and sugar for about 2 minutes at medium speed. Add orange zest. Turn the speed down and add the egg yolks, one at a time, then the eggs, one at a time. Scrape down the bowl and continue mixing on low.
  3. Add the vanilla and orange extracts to the milk. Add half the flour mixture to the batter. When combined, slowly drizzle in the milk mixture. Add the remaining flour mixture until there are some streaks of flour still visible. Finish mixing with a rubber spatula, scraping down the bowl to incorporate everything.
  4. Pour into prepared bundt pan and bake for 45 to 55 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Everyday Chocolate Cake

Ingredients

  • 10 tbsps softened butter
  • 1 2/3 cups sugar
  • 2 large eggs, at room temp
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 1/2 cups plus 2 tbsps all purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup plus 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 1/2 cups freshly brewed coffee

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9×9 square baking dish.
  2. Cream the butter and sugar at medium speed for 1 minute. Add eggs, 1 at a time, until incorporated. Add vanilla.
  3. With the mixer turned off, set a sifter over the bowl. Add flour, salt, cocoa, baking soda and baking powder. Sift directly onto the butter/sugar mixture. Add the coffee and mix gently by hand until combined (I did not do this by hand and got the dry ingredients ALL OVER MY COUNTER).
  4. Pour into prepared pan and even the top with a rubber spatula. Bake for 40 to 43 minutes – some crumbs may stick to toothpick but that’s ok. Let cool before frosting (if you are frosting).

Gingerbread

Ingredients

  • 1 3/4 cups plus 2 tbsp all purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 1/2 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp ground cloves
  • pinch of salt (I did two pinches)
  • 5 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 3/4 cup dark molasses
  • 3/4 cup cold water
  • 2/3 cup creme fraiche or sour cream
  • 1/3 cup maple syrup

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8×8 baking dish. Sift together flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves and salt into a bowl. Set aside.
  2. Beat butter a medium speed until light and fluffy. Add sugar and continue beating. Add egg and beat until incorporated. Stop to scrape down the bowl and continue mixing at low speed. Add molasses slowly. Add half the dry ingredients, then the cold water, then the remaining dry ingredients. Mixing until almost fully incorporated. Finish mixing by hand – scraping down the bowl as you go.
  3. Bake in preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes. Toothpick inserted should come out clean.
  4. Combine creme fraiche or sour cream with maple syrup. Serve with cooled cake.

Potato Hash

IMG_3167 I’m sorry I haven’t been posting any holiday related recipes. Do you guys want more of that stuff? Gingerbread, snickerdoodle and the like? For this post, I thought of one of my readers, Raseefa, who mentioned she loves the basic, every day South Asian (or not) recipes that she can make for her small family. Potato hash is definitely one of those recipes you should have your arsenal. It’s not complicated, but there is a small trick to getting it right…IMG_3152 Add potatoes first, remaining vegetables after. I can’t tell you how many times in the early days of my marriage, did my husband put up with potatoes with slightly burned, shriveled pieces of onion and pepper running through it. Because potatoes take longer to cook, I save time by getting them going in the oil first, while chopping the rest of my veggies. IMG_3154 This way of making potato hash won’t give you crispy potatoes. They’ll be tender and flavorful, but cooking them together with the peppers and onions will keep them from crisping up. If you’d rather fry them until crisp and take them off the heat, and combine them with the vegetables later, you’re more than welcome to. This version is easy, and gets eaten by the pickiest eaters in my household for breakfast, lunch or dinner. IMG_3155 I didn’t add any heat this time, mainly to cater to the young’ns. But diced jalapeno, chilli powder or even chipotle peppers would be so good with this. I just doused mine in hot sauce.

I recall my mom’s version of breakfast potatoes: aloo bhaji. She dices potatoes into matchsticks and fries them up generously in oil, seasoned with salt, turmeric and green chilis running through. Her version is delicious, but in order to satisfy my conscience a bit, I add veggies and use a lot less oil.

IMG_3158 Traditionally, potato hash gets topped with some eggs during the final stages of cooking. Since I like my fried eggs over easy, that doesn’t work for me. It easily goes from being breakfast side, to lunch or dinner by adding some diced leftover protein: chicken, beef, tofu, shrimp.

One final note: this dish is so much prettier with red bell pepper if you have it in your fridge.

Ingredients

  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 3 to 4 large yukon gold or russet potatoes, diced to 1/2 inch cubes
  • 1 medium yellow onion, or half of a large one
  • 1 red/orange/yellow bell pepper
  • 1 green bell pepper
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 1 tsp tomato paste
  • 1/2 tsp salt, plus more to taste
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp paprika
  • 1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Directions

  1. Heat the oil over medium high heat in a large wok or sauté pan. Add the potatoes in a single layer. Let cook while chopping up the remaining vegetables.
  2. Dice onion and peppers. Add to the pan and stir to combine. Mince garlic and add to pan. Add tomato paste, salt, pepper and paprika. Stir to combine.
  3. Cook, uncovered for about 15 minutes, stirring every once in a while to bring up the vegetables from the bottom to the top. If the vegetables at the bottom are scorching, turn heat down to medium and continue cooking.
  4. Top with cilantro and serve.

Brisket Burgers

IMG_3038For our third installment of HCxK3N (what? you don’t think it’s catchy?), we’re serving up some brisket burgers. Notorious for being overcooked, I’m sharing my experience in cooking these delicious burgers up. Don’t judge the placement of the cheese slice. It’s adjusted below.IMG_3062Just look at that caramelization!

And to give you some background, burgers are to Naureen as hunny is to ____. IMG_3036Pooh. The answer is Winnie the Pooh. Don’t judge my TV selections as of late. I LOVE burgers. But sometimes I wonder if I’m more about the burger fixins than the actual burger. For me the patty is more of a vehicle for the most wonderful combination of sauce, cheese, veggies and bread. I’m probably not supposed to be saying that but regardless I’m going to share with you the secret to keeping your burgers nice and juicy.    IMG_3092The secret’s in the sauce. No it isn’t. I’ll be sharing my not-so-secret sauce recipe below.

It’s in the cooking method. You want to cook it over pretty high heat so you sear the outside and you don’t want to overcook it. The longer it sits over the pan, the more juices that come pouring out. So I found 7 minutes on each side, on a hot cast iron skillet does the trick. This gets the burger to a medium doneness. If you can stomach a rare burger, 4 minutes on each side should do. Well done, 9-10 on each side. If your burger loses some of its juiciness at that point, compensate with sauce (that’s what I do…don’t hate!).

Ingredients

  • 4 1/4 lb Honest Chops Brisket Burgers
  • 4 brioche buns
  • 4 slices swiss or american cheese
  • a few slices of tomato
  • a few slices of red onion
  • a few slivers of pickles
  • some iceberg lettuce leaves
  • 2 tbsp mayo
  • 1 tbsp ketchup
  • a dash of hot sauce or chipotle adobo sauce
  • 1 tsp chopped pickle
  • pinch of salt and pepper

Directions

  1. Preheat a cast iron skillet or a non stick skillet over medium high heat. Season both sides of the burgers with salt and pepper. Add a little grease (veg or olive oil) to the pan. Add 1 or 2 burgers at a time depending on the size of your pan and don’t move until ready to flip (4 min each side for rare, 7 for medium, 9-10 for well done).
  2. When the burgers are done, top with cheese (you can add the cheese in its final stages of cooking, but I hate dealing with the mess of melted cheese) and set aside while assembling the rest of the ingredients.
  3. Warm the brioche buns in the same pan the burgers were cooked in or in your toaster oven.
  4. Make the sauce: combine mayo, ketchup, hot sauce, chopped pickle, salt & pepper in a small bowl. Smear sauce on both sides of the bun. Add burger and layer with whatever ingredients you like, I listed the classic toppers above but feel free to substitute caramelized onions and sautéed mushrooms or avocado and cilantro. The choices are endless!

Braised Lamb Shoulder

IMG_3010Happy Turkey Day everyone! In honor of this national holiday, I’m posting about…lamb. I know, I know – ill timed. But, come this weekend, when you won’t be able to stomach another ounce of turkey or leftover cranberry sauce, you’re going to looking for a hearty, warming meal like this one.IMG_2988 Now, most days are not braise days. Most days are mac and cheese from a box, or spaghetti aglio olio, or chicken curry days. I usually leave the braising of big cuts of meat (lamb shanks, shoulder, or short ribs) to the pros at my favorite Persian or Turkish or Afghan restaurants. But sometimes, you have to pull out the big guns. Visiting relatives. Someone got a raise, or maybe just got a year older. Or, perhaps you’re snowed in. IMG_2997Look at it just getting all cozy in its bed of tomatoes, onions and spices. IMG_2998When the occasion calls for a braise, the long, slow cooking of a piece of meat in order to render all of the fat and break down the muscle fibers to make for a tender, delicious meat, tomatoes and onions are my best friends. Many French or European recipes rely on the acidity of wine to get the job done. My mother and many on the Subcontinent might rely on green papaya as a meat tenderizer (strange, I know, but it works!). IMG_3003So, when deciding how to prepare this awesome lamb shoulder, I noticed most of the recipes in my cookbooks called for about 2 lbs cubed, boneless lamb shoulder (oops). Since this piece came bone-in, I decided to make the most of it! I love bones (it’s the Bengali in me). Since I don’t cook with wine or chicken stock for the most part, I rely on the bones in the meat I prepare to flavor the broth that it cooks in.IMG_3013 I reviewed many different recipes before I went ahead with this one. It’s a conglomerate of all of them (cooking technique based loosely on Andrew Zimmern’s stovetop method, spice mix based on Gourmet’s Ras el Hanout recipe). I used my dutch oven for this – it retains heat really well and the inside of the top cover is lined with bumps that allow the moisture to drip down and baste the meat. Any large pot will do, though. You want to cook until the meat is tender and falling off the bone, but not so long that the meat will dry out (not to worry, there is a fairly large window of time between the two). IMG_3016After a cooking time of 1 1/2 hours, I took the meat out and shred it with a fork. During this time, I took the pot off the heat, and blended all the chunks in the cooking liquid with my immersion belnder to make a satiny smooth sauce. You can do this in your blender, in batches, or leave as is for a more “rustic” look. I left the meat immediately around the bone in tact, for presentation purposes, or for the Fred Flinstone in your family. I served this with couscous cooked in a saffron broth, and vegetables lightly sauteed with garlic and rosemary.

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 Honest Chops lamb shoulder (this one was 1 1/2 lbs)
  • 1 large yellow onion, diced
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 tsp salt, plus more to taste
  • 1 tsp coriander powder
  • 1 tsp cumin powder
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp cayenne (1/4 tsp if you prefer it mild)
  • 1/4 tsp cardamom powder
  • 1/8 tsp cloves
  • 1 tbsp garlic paste
  • 1 tbsp ginger paste
  • 1 lb tomatoes, quartered (you can use the equivalent amount of crushed/whole tomatoes from a can)
  • 3 cups water

Directions

  1. In a large dutch oven or casserole, heat oil over high heat. Season the lamb shoulder with salt and pepper. Add to the pot. Don’t move until the side that’s down is nice and brown (2-4 minutes depending on heat level). Rotate to the next side, carefully. Repeat until all sides are browned (about 10 minutes). While this happens, dice the onion and assemble the spices. Take the shoulder out of the pan and onto a plate. Set aside.
  2. Add the diced onion to the hot pan, stirring vigorously to get the brown bits off the bottom. When they start to sweat, add tomato paste and ALL of the spices (up to the cloves). Add a splash of water, if necessary to dissolve all the spices and form a nice mush. Once the spices are dissolved and you have a nice onion/spice paste, add garlic, ginger and tomatoes. Stir to combine. Next, add the water, then nestle the meat in. Bring up to a boil.
  3. Reduce heat to a simmer and put the lid on. Simmer for about 1 1/2 hours, rotating the meat every 20 minutes or so to ensure even cooking.
  4. After the 1 1/1 hours is up, remove meat from pot and check for doneness and seasoning (should be fork tender and delicious!). Shred most of the meat with two forks on a cutting board. Remove pot from heat and blend the broth with an immersion blender, or in batches in a conventional blender, or leave as is for a more rustic look. Also check the broth for seasoning. Return to heat and boil over high heat for about 5 minutes, until the sauce thickens. Add the meat back and cook for an additional 5 minutes.
  5. Serve on a bed of couscous or rice, garnished with a sprinkling of fresh parsley.

Roast Chicken and New Potatoes with Herbed Butter

IMG_2954I have an exciting announcement to make! No, I’m not expecting baby number 3 as my mother would so desperately hope for. I am partnering with awesome, organic, halal and quality meat provider Honest Chops! Gone are the days when us strictly zabihah halal eating folks were limited to the options available at our local butchers (God bless them, but good luck if you’re looking for a steak or any other sizable cut of meat). With Honest Chops, not only can you get a great selection of cuts, but you can rest assured the animals are local, were raised humanely without steroids or antibiotics, and are zabihah halal. Some, including the lamb and beef, are even grass fed! YUM! For the next few weeks I’ll be posting a new recipe each week highlighting some of the great cuts of meat they have to offer. I love you guys. I love them. I hope you guys love them as much as I do!IMG_2923 For my first post, I’m offering a turkey alternative for your Thanksgiving spread. I promise, non-turkey poultry is not sacrilege. Plenty of people (ahem, husband) aren’t fond of turkey. Some people do cornish hens, maybe even a large roasted fish (Everybody Loves Raymond, anyone?).  A roast chicken is perfect for a more intimate gathering. The way I do it here, in a cast iron skillet, is wonderfully homey, rustic and easy! No need to get down the giant roasting pan (or purchase one just for this once a year dinner). You just need to ensure your skillet is well seasoned (read: greased). If you don’t have a cast iron skillet, any heavy, large, oven proof pan or casserole will do the trick. IMG_2929 I used an herbed butter to flavor the bird and the surrounding potatoes. It’s got some of the traditional fall flavorings: sage, thyme, orange and lemon zest. But don’t be alarmed by the amount of seasoning – it’s enough for the bird, potatoes, and probably one more roast chicken. You could substitute other root vegetables in lieu or in addition to the potatoes – you just want to ensure it’s cut big enough to withstand the long cooking time. This was a pretty small bird, weighing in at 2.5 lbs. It only took 1 hour at 450 degrees F for the internal temperature at the thigh to reach 165 degrees F. I believe it’s an additional 15 minutes per pound – but your best bet is either a meat thermometer or slicing into the thigh to see if the juices that run are bloody or clear. IMG_2936Just in case you needed a visual for where to place the meat thermometer.IMG_2944 Now there are all these different techniques for ensuring juicy breast meat. Flipping the bird (not that kind!) halfway through the cooking process. Spatchcocking. Dorie Greenspan suggests Joel Rubechon’s technique of cooking the bird on its side, flipping to the other side, then after it’s done, turning it upside down and doing a rain dance (for moisture, of course). Ok, I made up the dance part just to show what lengths some will go to. The fact of the matter is – white meat is white meat. It’s inherently more fibrous than dark meat. But with a bird this size, I doubt you will run into issues with it drying out. I say this after roasting this in one position for the whole time, without any basting. Though, I will say, with the herbed butter spread between the skin and the meat, that ensures a sort of self-basting.  IMG_2952If you don’t have sage, I’d imagine rosemary would work well. Or even tarragon. Something earthy! The last thing you need is some kitchen twine to tie the chicken’s limbs to the body (you don’t want the limbs flapping about, otherwise they’d overcook). With that said – happy eating and start to a holiday season!

Ingredients

  • 1 all-natural whole skin-on chicken 
  • 1 stick of butter, at room temperature
  • 1 orange, zested, cut in quarters
  • 1 lemon, zested, cut in quarters
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced or made into a paste by pushing through a microplane, plus the rest of the head of garlic
  • 1 tbsp finely chopped sage leaves
  • 1 tsp finely chopped thyme leaves
  • 1 tbsp kosher salt (I know this sounds like a lot, but you only use a fraction of the herbed butter for the chicken and vegetables) or to taste
  • 1 tsp black pepper or to taste
  • 1 1/2 lbs new potatoes or yukon gold potatoes, rinsed and scrubbed
  • olive oil

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Rinse the chicken, removing any remaining feather shafts that might remain. Remove giblets and neck, setting aside for stock or curry. Set on a large plate or cutting board and pat dry with a paper towel.
  2. Add butter, orange zest, lemon zest, minced garlic or garlic paste, sage, thyme, salt and pepper into a bowl and mix well. Place chicken, breast side up, and rear cavity facing you. Insert fingers between the skin and breast meat to separate (careful not to tear the skin). Add a spoonful of butter and spread throughout the breast, under the skin. Repeat for other breast. Smear more butter over the skin, over breasts, legs, thighs and wings (though don’t butter the back side, the side that will be in direct contact with the skillet). Stuff the cavity with the remaining garlic head (sliced through the middle like this) and however much of the remaining citrus you can fit (giving the fruit a little squeeze before inserting).
  3. Cut two pieces of kitchen twine: one to wrap the legs together, the other to tie the wings to the body (see picture). Wash hands.
  4. Preheat greased skillet over medium high heat for a few minutes. Add chicken, then potatoes around the chicken. Drizzle olive oil or vegetable oil over the chicken and potatoes to ensure the butter doesn’t burn. Use a pastry brush if necessary. Stick into preheated oven and cook for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, depending on the size of your chicken. A meat thermometer inserted into the thigh (see picture) is the best indicator of doneness (reading should be 165 degrees F). Otherwise, cut a slit into the thigh meat to see if the juice is clear or bloody. If bloody, stick back into the oven for 10 to 15 min more.
  5. When done, leave it out to rest for a few minutes to allow the juices to redistribute. Dot the potatoes with the herbed butter and slice in half for serving. You can serve directly on the skillet, or carve on a cutting board like a champ. I am not a champ so most of my chicken pieces were torn off with my hands with a bit of help from my carving knife for ligaments 😉

As a final note – don’t toss those pan drippings! We’re not gravy crazy around here so I made a quick pasta and peas dish. Simply toss the carcass and remove the vegetables from the pan. Warm it over medium high heat. Add half a pound a cup of frozen peas. Cook for 2-3 minutes. Add cooked long pasta (half a pound of spaghetti or fettucine). Cook until warmed through. Add a sprinkling of grated parmesan.

Chocolate Pastry Cream (Chocolate Pudding)

IMG_2887 There’s a story behind these plates: we got them for free from our last CB2 purchase. I’m assuming because no one else would buy them. There are like 4 of them, all rectangular appetizer plates with quirky stick figure/food illustrations. This is the first time I busted them out. Somehow the bite taken out of the cream puff worked perfectly with this ugly little dude.IMG_2890 I was inspired to bake these delectable cream puffs after purchasing Around My French Table by Dorie Greenspan. There’s so much goodness in this book. I was surprised at how much Moroccan cuisine permeated French food culture (as interpreted by Greenspan). The result is a multitude of really promising mezze/hors d’oeuvres, salads and other veg-centric dishes. IMG_2891The cream puff is made from a standard pate a choux recipe (minus one egg) – serving only as a vehicle for my silky smooth chocolate emulsion. Once I made and chilled the pastry cream, I started it eating it by the spoonful. I couldn’t help myself. That’s when I realized pastry cream is barely different from the more conventional pudding. Not the type of puddings that are thickened by just cornstarch, rather the ones that are thickened (and thus made more rich) by egg yolks. It’s great as a stand alone dessert. I piped these into the cream puffs using a pastry bag fitted with a long tip.

Now I couldn’t just leave well enough alone. It’s not enough to use great quality chocolate and a recipe from a James Beard award winning chef. I had to add a thing or two. In my case it was some instant coffee and vanilla. I added half a teaspoon of each. Next time though, I might try 1 tsp each and see if it accentuates or overwhelms the chocolate flavor. To be continued!

I’ll share one more thing with you: some of them I filled with jaggery (gur), or sap from date palm trees. If you’re South Asian you’ve no doubt seen this sweetener in steamed rice sweets. Or if you’re Muslim, with your pre-dawn Ramadan meal. Think of maple syrup, but thicker and slightly bitter. The flavor is sweet yet complex and pairs surprisingly well with cream puffs! I’ve been adding it to my morning oatmeal for a wonderful change up.

Recipe adapted from Dorie Greenspan.

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups milk
  • 4 large egg yolks
  • 6 tbsps granulated sugar
  • 3 tbsp cornstarch, sifted
  • pinch of salt
  • 7 oz bittersweet choc melted (I used 4 oz bittersweet choc and 3 oz semi sweet)
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp instant coffee granules
  • 2 1/2 tbsps unsalted butter, cut into small pieces, at room temperature

Directions

  1. Warm the milk in small sauce pan until it’s scalding (you see bubbles around the edges).
  2. In a medium saucepan, whisk together egg yolks, sugar, sifted cornstarch, and salt until it’s blended together. While whisking continuously, drizzle in 1/4 cup of the milk (to raise the temperature of the egg yolks). Then, in a steady stream, add the remaining milk and whisk continuously. Multitasking folks. A flat whisk is great in ensuring you get all the bits around the edges. Bring to a boil and whisk for 1-2 minutes more, until thickened (it should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon).
  3. Stir in the melted chocolate, coffee granules and vanilla. Whisk until combined. Let stand for 5 minutes. Then add butter and stir until the mixture is smooth. At this point, I like to push the custard through a strainer to make sure it’s uniform consistency. This is optional. Pour into a bowl, cover and refrigerate until ready to serve (at least 20 minutes).