Top 12 of 2012

2012 was a good year for cooking for me with the introduction of some new favourites (Melissa Clark's Cook This Now and Ottolenghi's Ottolenghi) and opportunities to delve deeper into existing favourites (660 Curries).

It was hard narrowing down the list to favourites with so many good ones out there. I know I'm leaving off some good ones, but without further ado, these would be my top 12 (in chronological order more or less).

1. Beef with cumin - Dunlop's Land of Plenty is a fantastic Chinese cookbook and I was excited to get my hands on Revolutionary Chinese Cookbook to try Hunan cuisine. The book has been fantastic and this quick and easy recipe was a great introduction to it. Cumin deliciousness with a bit of heat.
   
2. Chocolate nemesis - August finally shared the recipe with me of this amazing dessert. Mine doesn't taste exactly like his, but I think that's a good thing.
   
3. Warm sesame noodles with ginger and snow peas - This recipes has been one of my go-to meals for a quick and easy lunch. Throw in whatever vegetables work for you and save a grocery trip.
   
4. Garlic and thyme roasted chicken parts with mustard croutons - I wasn't expecting much given how easy this recipe is, but the bread in this recipes makes the dish. There's not even much handling of raw chicken required for this recipe (I know how raw chicken-averse some of you are!).
   
5. Quick braised chicken with Morrocan spices, lemon, and olives - A surprisingly quick and rich braised dish. I think this might be the perfect dish for a large rehearsal dinner.
   
6. Chorizo empanadas - A simply perfect snack.
   
7. Beef and lamb meatballs baked in tahini - In a year filled with meatballs, I think this one is my favourite. I'm a sucker for tahini sauces though.
   
8. Watermelon salsa - Nothing says summer like watermelon. With a bit of a kick, this salsa is a great change of pace from the standard tomato.
   
9. Ricotta-filled zucchini blossoms - Light, cheesy, and delicious.
   
10. Rabbit with tomato and green olives - The simplicity of this dish makes it a clear winner. It also has happy memories attached to it as it was our first meal back at home post-vacation and proposal.
    
11. Yogurt-marinated lamb with ginger and garlic - During a month filled with delicious Indian food, this was the standout as the winner of the month. Bold spices paired with tender lamb.
    
12. Pumpkin stuffed with everything good - This is Thanksgiving rolled into a single dish with an elegant, rustic presentation.
    

Galveston Crab Cakes

I've been holding out on you, skipping on Chinese dumpling recipes and Burmese delights. While those recipes have been good, I already have quite a few dumpling recipes posted and to be honest, it's quite a bit of work to make. I enjoy it, but I know it's not everyone's cup of tea. As for the Burmese? I think I'll wait to post until I try a recipe that's a better introduction to the cuisine.

This recipe, however, is a delicious dish that's quick and easy to make. We've been enjoying the fresh crab here this December and I can only hope that the new year is just as kind to us.

One year ago: Quick and Easy Chinese Greens
Two years ago: Goat Cheese and Asparagus Risotto
Three years ago: Pasta with Sundried Tomatoes and Pine Nuts

Galveston Crab Cakes (from Stop and Smell the Rosemary)

Ingredients
1 lb fresh lump crab meat
3/4 cup Italian bread crumbs
1 large egg, beaten
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp dry mustard
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
2 tbsp chopped parsley
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp prepared horseradish
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp unsalted butter
2 tbsp olive oil

1. Place crabmeat in large bowl. Add breadcrumbs and mix.
2. In separate bowl, combine egg, mayonnaise, Worcestershire, mustard, salt, pepper, parsley, cayenne, horseradish, and lemon juice.
3. Blend egg mixture into crab mixture. Form mixture into 6 crab cakes.
4. Heat butter and oil in large skillet. Add crab cakes and saute until golden brown.
5. Garnish with lemon wedges. Serve with tartar sauce if desired.

Black Pepper Crab

Our seafood CSA gave us two cooked Dungeness crabs while I was in Montreal for work. I was a bit at a loss on how best to highlight it until I found this delightful recipe. The spice paste seemed like it would be too much, but it worked great. This is a bit messy to eat, so I wouldn't necessarily serve this for company. It does taste good enough for company though!

One year ago: Bobotie
Two years ago: Peppermint Meringues
Three years ago: Stewed Lentils and Tomatoes

Black Pepper Crab (from Cradle of Flavor)

Ingredients
Flavoring Paste
4 tbsp black peppercorns
8 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
2 tsp ground turmeric
3 tbsp thinly sliced ginger
3/4 tsp kosher salt
Rest
3 tbsp peanut oil
3/4 cup water
3 lbs cooked king crab or snow crab legs and claws or cooked Dungeness crabs, cleaned and quartered

1. Place peppercorns in a food processor and pulse until coarsely ground. Add garlic, turmeric, and ginger and pulse until a smooth paste.
2. Heat oil in a wok over medium-low heat. Add paste and saute, stirring, until paste begins to separate from oil, 5 - 7 minutes.
3. Add water and crab and raise heat to medium-high. Stir-fry until crab pieces are hot and coated with flavoring paste, about 5 minutes.
4. Transfer to platter and serve immediately.

Pumpkin Stuffed with Everything Good

I realize I'm more than a little behind on posting recipes when I haven't even posted what I made for Thanksgiving! This was a resounding success for a simple Thanksgiving for two. The presentation is so elegantly rustic as well.

One year ago: Pickled Cabbage
Two years ago: Spicy Red Beef Curry
Three years ago: Egg Drop

Pumpkin Stuffed with Everything Good (from Around My French Table)

Ingredients
1 pumpkin, ~3 lbs
1/4 lb stale bread, thinly sliced and cut into 1/4" chunks
1/4 lb cheese (Gruyere, Emmenthal, cheddar, or a combo), cut into 1/2" chunks
2 - 4 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
4 strips bacon, cooked until crisp, drained, and chopped
1/4 cup snipped chives or sliced scallions
1 tbsp minced thyme
1/2 - 2/3 cup heavy cream
pinch freshly grated nutmeg

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Using a sturdy knife, cut a cap out of the pumpkin. Remove seeds and strings from inside of pumpkin. Season with salt and pepper. Place pumpkin in a Dutch oven.
3. Toss bread, cheese, garlic, bacon, and herbs together in a bowl. Pack mix into the pumpkin.
4. Mix cream with nutmeg and a bit of salt and pepper. Pour into pumpkin.
5. Put cap on pumpkin and bake for 2 hours, removing the cap in the last 20 minutes so the stuffing can brown.
6. Slice pumpkin in half or into quarters and serve.

Chicken with Chiles

The first time I re-stocked my Chinese ingredients in San Francisco, I couldn't find rice wine in the store. I found that a bit odd, but there was so much else we picked up that it wasn't a big deal. Reviewing my recipes again, I realized that it was a big deal. I didn't even have sherry to substitute. A couple of weeks later, after going to a chocolate festival, we ended up wandering the city a bit. Somehow we ended up in Chinatown after walking up to Coit Tower. Popping into a store, I managed to rectify my lack of rice wine (only to be slightly overwhelmed by the selection this small shop had!). Re-stocking a kitchen is a long process, especially if you like to cook a variety of cuisines. I'm happy to no longer have a rice wine issue at least!

Don't be scared by this dish. It's a lot of chiles, but you don't get a crazy amount of heat. The original recipe calls for deep-frying the chicken. I pan-fried.

One year ago: Bagel-Egg
Two years ago: Fettucine Alfredo
Three years ago: Spinach Pomegranate Salad

Chicken with Chiles (from Land of Plenty)

Ingredients
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (2/3 lb), cut into 1" cubes
marinade
2 tsp Shaoxing rice wine
1 tsp light soy sauce
1 tsp dark soy sauce
1/4 tsp salt
rest
1 small rice bowl filled with dried red chiles, snipped in half, seeds discarded (~2 ounces)
peanut oil
2 cloves of garlic, sliced
2 tsp sliced ginger
1 tbsp whole Sichuan pepper
2 scallions, white parts only, cut into 3 sections
generous pinch sugar
2 tsp sesame oil

1. Mix together marinade ingredient in bowl and add chicken. Set aside for 30 minutes.
2. Heat oil in wok to either deep-fry or pan-fry. Cook chicken and set aside.
3. Either drain oil or add enough to have 3 tbsp in wok. Add garlic and ginger and stir-fry until fragrant.
4. Add chiles and Sichuan peppercorns and stir-fry 10 - 20 seconds. Don't burn the chiles.
5. Add chicken and scallions. Add pinch of sugar. Stir to coat.
6. Remove from heat, stir in sesame oil, and serve.

Persimmon Spice Tea Cake

This little cake is a perfect mid-morning snack. It also keeps surprisingly well. It makes 1 bundt cake or cut it in half for 1 loaf pan.

One year ago: Fennel Frond Pesto
Two years ago: Pomegranate and Fennel Salsa Quinoa
Three years ago: Red Velvet Cupcakes

Persimmon Spice Tea Cake (from Desserts for Breakfast)

Ingredients
2 cups (280 gr) AP flour
3/4 tspn salt
1 1/2 tspn baking powder
1/2 tspn baking soda
1 tspn ground cinnamon
2 tspn freshly ground nutmeg
1/4 tspn ground cloves
255 gr persimmon puree (3 - 4 ripe persimmons, skinned, seeded, and blitzed in a food processor)
1 cup vegetable oil
1 1/3 cups (270 gr) sugar
3 eggs
powdered sugar

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease and flour cake pans and set aside.
2. In a bowl, whisk to combine the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Set aside.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the persimmon puree, vegetable oil, and sugar until well-combined. Add in the eggs one at a time, whisking well after each addition. Gradually add in the dry ingredients, stirring just until combined. Do not overmix.
4. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 50 - 60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out cleanly.
5. Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes before removing from the pan, and let the cake cool completely on a wire rack. Dust with powdered sugar before serving.

Oven-Roasted Pork Butt with Rosemary, Garlic, and Black Pepper

It doesn't get much easier than this. I altered the methods a bit to make this an easy slow cooker dinner. I had some leeks hanging out in the fridge, so I sliced those and stuck them on the bottom. The pork came out perfectly cooked and the leeks were surprisingly good (well they had been braised in pork fat).

One year ago: Rum Chocolate Cake
Two years ago: Sweet and Sour Pork
Three years ago: Peanut Flavored Potatoes

Oven-Roasted Pork Butt with Rosemary, Garlic, and Black Pepper (slightly adapted from In The Kitchen with A Good Appetite)

Ingredients
1 boneless pork shoulder (5 - 7 lbs)
4 garlic cloves, minced
4 tsp kosher salt
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tbsp finely chopped rosemary
1 1/2 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp freshly ground black pepper
sliced leeks (if desired)

1. Using a mortar and pestle, mash together garlic and salt to form a paste. Stir in olive oil, rosemary, mustard, and black pepper. Rub mixture all over pork and marinate for 2 hours - overnight.
2. Place leeks (if using in the bottom of a slow cooker) and put pork on top. Cook on low for 8 hours or until very tender.

Slow-Braised Beef with Potatoes

The beef in this dish is richly flavoured and incredibly tender. August couldn't stop raving about the potatoes ... which I may have found a little odd given how good the meat was! I simplified the recipe a bit cutting out some extra steps and it turned out great, but the original probably would've been even better as Dunlop is a very reliable cook book writer. My simplified version is below.

One year ago: Roasted Beets with Cumin-Mint Vinaigrette
Two years ago: Mashed Brussels Sprouts
Three years ago: Swiss Chard and Sweet Potato Gratin

Slow-Braised Beef with Potatoes (adapted from Revolutionary Chinese Cookbook)

Ingredients
1 3/4 lb rich stewing beef
1 1/2" piece ginger, thinly sliced
2 tbsp chili bean paste
1 small piece cassia
1/2 star anise
8 - 10 dried red chiles
2 1/2 cups water
1 tbsp dark soy sauce
2 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tsp clear rice vinegar
1 lb potatoes, quartered or left whole if small
peanut oil

1. Preheat oven to 300F.
2. Heat 3 tbsp peanut oil in a Dutch oven. Add chili bean paste and stir-fry until oil is red and richly fragrant.
3. Add ginger, cassia, and star anise and stir-fry until fragrant.
4. Add chiles.
5. Add beef and stir-fry until browned.
6. Add water. Bring to a boil and add soy sauces and vinegar.
7. Place dish in oven and cook for 1.5 - 2 hours.
8. Add potatoes and cook for another hour until meat and potatoes are tender.

Frisee with Chevre

The original recipe calls for dipping rounds of goat cheese in egg and then panko bread crumbs in frying. I know that would've been amazing, but we were in a rush so it was crumbled on the salad instead. The Dijon dressing worked great even without warm goat cheese and is worthy of a repeat.

One year ago: Sichuanese Roast Duck
Two years ago: Orzo with Everything
Three years ago: Tortellini and Walnut Mascarpone Sauce

Frisee with Chevre (adapted from The Cheesemonger's Kitchen)

Ingredients
225g goat cheese
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 shallot, minced
6 tbsp walnut oil
1 head frisee lettuce, cleaned and separated

1. Place vinegar, mustard, and shallot in a salad bowl and whisk until combined.
2. Add walnut oil until emulsified. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Place frisee in bowl and toss to coat. Crumble goat cheese on top and serve.

Chicken Breasts Diable

I'm incredibly behind on recipes lately and also lacking inspiration on dinner. This fell into the easy to throw together with ingredients that are hiding in the fridge and quick to make category. It helps that it's also delicious. The mustard flavour is a bit strong, but white wine and cream is almost always a good combination.

One year ago: Pork and Tomatillo Stew
Two years ago: Black Bean Pumpkin Soup
Three years ago: Creamy Carrot Soup

Chicken Breasts Diable (from Around my French Table)

Ingredients
4 skinless boneless chicken breast halves
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper
1 medium shallot, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1/3 cup dry white wine
1/3 cup heavy cream
3 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 - 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1. Preheat oven to 200F.
2. Place large skillet over medium-high heat. Add butter and oil.
3. Add chicken and cook until well browned and cooked through. Transfer to heatproof plate, season with salt and pepper, cover with foil, and warm in oven while you make the sauce.
4. Lower heat to medium and add shallot and garlic to skillet. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until they soften, 2 minutes.
5. Pour in wine and let boil for a few seconds.
6. Pour in heavy cream.
7. As soon as heavy cream starts to boil, stir in mustard and worcestershire sauce.
8. Remove chicken from oven and place in skillet. Serve topped with sauce.

Cod Baked with Tahini Sauce

My greatest failing as a cook is that I rarely cook seafood dishes. We never had much in our house growing up, so I never find myself drawn to it. I've branched out a bit to shrimp and scallops, but still seem to remain afraid of fish. In an attempt to solve this, we recently signed up for a seafood CSA box that will give us one serving of seafood per week that's freshly caught. This past week was our first trial and I was incredibly happy with both the quality of the fish and the outcome of our dinner. The tahini sauce complimented the black cod nicely without overwhelming the fish. The original recipe suggests pomegranate seeds or nigella seeds as a garnish. I went with pomegranate because we had some in the fridge, but I don't think I'd go out of my way to get them for this dish.

One year ago: Crisped Chicken with Chimichurri and Avocado
Two years ago: Spiced Pearsauce Cake
Three years ago: Potato Soup

Cod Baked with Tahini Sauce (from Moro)
Ingredients
4 thick cod fillets, skin on, 200g each
3 tbsp olive oil
sea salt and black pepper
2 tbsp pomegranate seeds or 2 tsp nigella seeds, optional for garnish
Tahini Sauce
2 garlic cloves
3 tbsp tahini paste
juice of 1 lemon
5 tbsp water
sea salt and black pepper

1. Prepare sauce. Crush garlic cloves to a paste with a pinch of salt in a mortar and pestle. Transfer to a mixing bowl and whisk in tahini and thin with lemon juice. Add water until the consistency of heavy cream.
2. Preheat oven to 425F.
3. Place an oven-safe frying pan over high heat. Add olive oil. Season code with salt and pepper.
4. Place cod skin-side up in hot pan and sear for 1 - 2 minutes.
5. Turn fish over and place in oven for 5 - 8 minutes until cooked through.
6. Pour tahini sauce into pan with fish to warm for 30 seconds.
7. Transfer fish to plates, spooning sauce over fish, and garnishing with seeds.

Saffron Rice

This elegant rice's subtle flavours makes an excellent pairing for Middle Eastern dishes. The original instructions call for soaking the rice for 3 hours. I soaked for 30 minutes and still had nicely cooked rice.

The recipe calls for parchment paper to be placed on top of the rice while it is cooking. I'm fairly certain this is to keep the rice from boiling over, so I highly recommend that you do this even if it seems odd to you!

One year ago: Hot and Sour Rhubarb and Crispy Pork with Noodles
Two years ago: Brisket
Three years ago: Bread Pudding

Saffron Rice (from Moro)

Ingredients
80g unsalted butter
1/2 cinnamon stick
5 whole green cardamom pods, cracked
3 whole black peppercorns
200g basmati rice, washed and soaked for at least 30 minutes and up to 3 hours
2 tbsp roughly chopped pistachios
2 tbsp barberries (optional)
1 pinch of saffron infused in 4 tbsp boiling water
sea salt

1. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add cinnamon, cardamom, and black peppercorns and fry until fragrant, 4 minutes.
2. Drain rice and add it to the pan. Stir to coat for a minute.
3. Increase heat to medium-high. Add pistachios and barbarries. Pour in enough water to cover rice by 1 cm and season with salt. Place greaseproof paper on top of the water and replace lid. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes.
4. Lift lid and paper and drizzle saffron water over rice. Replace paper and lid, reduce heat to medium-low and cook another 4 - 5 minutes. Serve.

Garlicky Sesame-Cured Broccoli Salad

This salad comes together quickly, but does require a bit of planning ahead as it should marinate at least an hour and preferably a day or more. This is a great alternative to standard broccoli dishes. The sesame flavour is quite pronounced, so menu plan accordingly.

One year ago: Penne with a Cashew Dill Sauce
Two years ago: Bourbon Pumpkin Cheesecake
Three years ago: Tomato and Sausage Risotto

Garlicky Sesame-Cured Broccoli Salad (from In the Kitchen with a Good Appetite)

Ingredients
1 1/2 tsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp kosher salt
2 heads broccoli, 1 lb each, cut into bite-size florets
3/4 cup olive oil
4 fat garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp cumin seeds
2 tsp roasted sesame oil
large pinch red pepper flakes

1. In large bowl, combine vinegar and salt. Add broccoli and toss to combine.
2. In large skillet, heat olive oil until hot but not smoking. Add garlic and cumin and cook until fragrant, 1 minutes.
3. Stir in sesame oil and pepper flakes to olive oil. Pour mixture over broccoli and toss well.
4. Let sit for at least one hour at room temperature and up to 48 hours chilled.

Chicken Fricassee with Porcini Mushrooms, White Wine and Tomatoes

The dish gives you a rich flavoured chicken that's incredibly tender. The original calls for a full chicken, but I cut it in half and just used thighs. The original recipe is below.

One year ago: Chipped Beets and Beet Greens
Two years ago: Cappuccino Fudge Cheesecake
Three years ago: Chocolate Layer Cake

Chicken Fricassee with Porcini Mushrooms, White Wine and Tomatoes (from Essentials of Classical Italian Cooking)

Ingredients
1 chicken, cut into 4 pieces
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms, soaked, drained, and cut up (water reserved)
1/4 cup canned tomatoes, chopped with juices
1 tbsp butter

1. Put oil in saute pan, turn heat to medium heat, and brown chicken pieces skin side down. Flip and brown other side.
2. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper and turn.
3. Add wine and scrape pan to deglaze.
4. Add chopped porcini, porcini water, and chopped tomatoes. Adjust heat to a slow simmer, put on lid slightly ajar, and cook until tender, 50 minutes.
5. Transfer chicken to a serving platter.
6. Add butter to sauce and then pour over chicken and serve.

Pot Roast Studded with Almonds and Bacon

I realize that lately I've just gotten lazy. The effort to put up recipes has gotten higher as there's more going on. So that means the bar to appear on here is higher. A delicious gorgonzola cream sauce gets passed over because the beets in the sauce make it look like Pepto-Bismol. There's also no co-worker sniff test anymore to save a recipe from languishing away. With that in mind, we move on from a month of curries to a bit more variety. I had a bit of difficulty with this recipe trying to work out how the bacon and almonds should be fit into the meat. I decided not to work about that little detail. The meat in this turned out incredibly tender and moist. I expected the sauce to have more kick, but it's fairly mild with the meat. It's a good, hearty meal for fall. Note that the original calls for parboiling the potatoes and peeling them, I think you can safely skip that if your potatoes are small enough.

One year ago: Chocolate Pumpkin Cake
Two years ago: Blue Cheese and Red Potato Tart
Three years ago: Asparagus, Oka, Pine Nuts, and Lemon Pasta

Pot Roast Studded with Almonds and Bacon (adapted slightly from Essential Cuisines of Mexico)

Ingredients
3 lb brisket (I made a half recipe using crossrib)
1 1/2 tbsp slivered almonds
8 ounces (225g) bacon, cut into small pieces
3 large ancho chiles, seeds and veins removed
1 1/2 tbsp mild vinegar
3 whole cloves, crushed
1/2 inch piece cinnamon stick, crushed
4 peppercorns, crushed
6 sprigs fresh thyme
6 sprigs fresh marjoram
1/4 tsp Mexican oregano
3 garlic cloves, chopped
3 tbsp lard or vegetable oil
1 1/2 lbs small potatoes

1. Preheat oven to 325F.
2. Pierce meat all over with a knife and insert almonds and bacon. (If that doesn't work, you can keep the almonds and bacon aside to add to the sauce later.)
3. Toast chiles lightly. Cover with hot water and let soak for 10 minutes.
4. Put vinegar and 3/4 cup water in blender. Add spices, herbs, and garlic and blend. Add chiles and blend until smooth.
5. Heat lard in a Dutch oven and when hot sear meat on all sides. Remove and set aside. Drain off fat, leaving only 2 tbsp.
6. Add sauce to pan and let cook for 5 minutes (if the bacon and almonds wouldn't stay in the meat, add them not). Add salt to taste.
7. Return meat to pan and baste with sauce. I added another 3/4 cup water or so and highly recommend you do the same. Cover and cook in oven for 2 hours.
8. Add potatoes to Dutch oven and if needed more water. Cook in oven until meat is very tender and potatoes are cooked through, about 1 hour 10 minutes.
9. Serve with sauce poured over meat.

Roasted Shrimp and Broccoli

Quick, easy, and delicious. This recipe only dirties one pan and comes together in half an hour.

One year ago: Refrigerator Dinner Rolls
Three years ago: Sesame Green Beans

Roasted Shrimp and Broccoli (from In the Kitchen with a Good Appetite)

Ingredients
2 lbs broccoli, cut into bite-sized florets
1/4 cup olive oil, divided
1 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt, divided
1 tsp ground black pepper, divided
1/8 tsp hot chili powder (I used hot shattered paprika flakes)
1 lb large shrimp, shelled and deveined
1 1/4 tsp lemon zest

1. Preheat oven to 425F.
2. In baking dish, toss broccoli with 2 tbsp oil, coriander, cumin, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, and chili powder.
3. In medium bowl, combine shrimp, 2 tbsp oil, zest, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper.
4. Roast broccoli for 10 minutes.
5. Add shrimp to broccoli and roast another 10 minutes until cooked through. Serve.

Beef Stew with Squash and Cinnamon

I'm not generally a huge fan of stew, but for some reason, I keep trying it. This one was delicious though. The beef came out incredibly tender. The spices were a little bit more subtle than I was expecting. I might be tempted next time to increase them just a bit. The original recipe calls for oxtail meat, but I used beef stewing meat. You can use pumpkin in place of the squash. I made a few changes to simplify the recipe a bit and those are reflected below.

One year ago: Southeast Asian Squash Curry
Three years ago: Southwestern Egg Rolls

Beef Stew with Squash and Cinnamon (adapted from Ottolenghi)

Ingredients
olive oil
2 lb beef stew meat
200g shallots, roughly chopped
3 large carrots, roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
400ml red wine
650g canned chopped tomatoes
10 sprigs of thyme
5 sprigs of rosemary
zest of 1/2 orange
2 bay leaves
2 cinnamon sticks
2 star anise
1 tsp ground black pepper
500g pumpkin or butternut squash, peeled, seeds, and cut into 2.5 cm cubes
300 ml water
salt
gremolata
2 tbsp chopped parsley
grated zest of 1 lemon
2 garlic cloves, minced

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Heat a Dutch oven with 2tbsp olive oil over high heat. Working in batches, add beef and brown on all sides. Set beef aside.
2. Add shallots, carrots, and garlic to Dutch oven and saute over medium-high heat until golden brown, 10 minutes.
3. Add wine to pan and deglaze. Bring to a boil and simmer until almost all the wine has evaporated.
4. Add tomatoes, thyme, rosemary, orange zest, bay leaves, cinnamon, star anise, black pepper, and salt. Add 1 cup water (mine dried out without water, use your discretion here!) Return beef to pan, cover with parchment and lid, and place in oven. Cook for 2 - 3 hours.
5. Add squash cubes and additional water to pan. Bring to boil on stove, reduce heat to a gentle simmer, and cook for 30 minutes or until squash is soft.
6. Mix gremolata ingredients together and sprinkle on top of stew when serving.

Yogurt-Marinated Lamb with Ginger and Garlic

This may just be my favourite curry of the month. I used 1 lb of lamb stewing meat and simmered for a bit longer than specified by the recipe. The end result was tender lamb with bit bold flavours. This one is surprisingly simple for the level of results.

One year ago: Carrot-Ginger Dressing
Two years ago: Chinese Beef with Broccoli
Three years ago: Slow Cooker Chicken Taco Soup

Yogurt-Marinated Lamb with Ginger and Garlic (from 660 Curries)

Ingredients
1/4 cup thick yogurt (yogurt that's been strained)
1 tbsp ginger paste
1 tbsp garlic paste
2 tsp Bin bhuna hua garam masala
2 tsp coarse salt
1.5 lb boneless leg of lamb, cut into 1" cubes
2 tbsp ghee or canola oil
1 tsp black cumin seeds
1 tsp fennel seeds
12 whole cloves
4 black cardamom pods
2 bay leaves
2 cinnamon sticks
1 cup finely chopped red onion
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp ground Kashmiri chiles (or 1/4 tbsp cayenne + 3/4 tbsp sweet paprika)

1. Whisk together yogurt, ginger paste, garlic paste, garam masala and salt in a medium bowl. Add lamb and stir to coat. Refrigerate covered 1 hour or up to overnight.
2. Heat ghee in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add cumin seeds, fennel seeds, cloves, cardamom, bay leaves, and cinnamon. Stir-fry until aromatic, 15 - 30 seconds.
3. Add onion and cook until light brown, 4 - 6 minutes.
4. Add lamb (with marinade) and cook until yogurt is absorbed and ghee is separating from meat, 15 minutes.
5. Stir in tomato paste and Kashmiri chiles. Pour in 1 cup water and stir to deglaze. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until lamb is tender, 15 - 20 minutes. Serve.

Yogurt Curry with Cumin and Curry Leaves

This is a very thin curry that's closer to a soup. Pair it with the nutty rice for a quick and filling lunch.

One year ago: Soy Braised Chicken Thighs with Star Anise and Citrus Peel
Two years ago: Spicy Squash Salad with Lentils and Goat Cheese
Three years ago: Garlic Cheddar Biscuits

Yogurt Curry with Cumin and Curry Leaves (from 660 Curries)

Ingredients
2 cups yogurt
2 tbsp chickpea flour
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp coarse salt
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1/2 tsp bishop's weed
1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds
2 tbsp ghee or melted butter
2 tsp cumin seeds
5 dried red Thai or cayenne chiles, stems removed
10 to 12 medium to large curry leaves
2 tbsp finely chopped cilantro

1. Combine yogurt with 2 cups water in a medium saucepan and whisk.
2. Sprinkle in chickpea flour 1 tbsp at a time, whisking.
3. Stir in sugar, salt, turmeric, bishop's weed, and fenugreek seeds. Bring to a simmer, whisking, and cook until it thickens slightly, 15 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, heat ghee in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add cumin seeds and chiles and cook until chiles blacken slightly, 10 - 15 seconds. Remove skillet from heat and add curry leaves.
5. Add ghee mixture to yogurt and simmer 5 minutes.
6. Sprinkle with cilantro and server.

Spiced Chipotle Honey Chicken Breasts with Sweet Potatoes

This is a lazy dinner. It takes a little bit of cooking time, but requires very little effort. As a plus, it also dirties very few dishes. I'm not a huge fan of sweet potatoes (which must explain why we keep receiving them in our CSA box). The chipotle in this recipe does a nice job of counteracting the sweetness of the potatoes. I halved the sauce, but used 3 chipotles, so feel free to increase the heat a bit.

One year ago: Salted Peanut Butter Cookies
Two years ago: Cosmopolitan Cupcakes
Three years ago: Peanut Butter Noodles

Spiced Chipotle Honey Chicken Breasts with Sweet Potatoes (from In the Kitchen with a Good Appetite)

Ingredients
4 sweet potatoes (10 ounces each), peeled and cut into 1" pieces
3 tbsp olive oil, divided
4 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, minced
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp honey
2 tsp cider vinegar
1 1/4 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
chopped cilantro or basil for garnish

1. Preheat oven to 400F.
2. Place sweet potatoes in a roasting pan and toss with 2 tbsp of olive oil.
3. Roast sweet potatoes for 15 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix together 1 tbsp olive oil, chipotles, garlic, honey, vinegar, salt, cumin, and cinnamon. Rub paste on chicken.
5. Place chicken on top of sweet potatoes and roast until chicken is cooked through, 25 minutes.
6. Garnish with herb of your choice and serve.

Nutty Rice with Cashews, Almonds, and Fresh Mint

The rice recipes in this cookbook continue to surprise me with how satisfying they manage to make a simple grain. I also like this rather different method of cooking rice. The original recipe calls for the nuts to be left whole, but I think it works better (for us at least) chopped. You can use your judgement about what you might prefer!

One year ago: Korean-Style Salmon with Bok Choy
Two years ago: Kung Pao Chicken (revisited)
Three years ago: Penne Arrabiatta Sauce

Nutty Rice with Cashews, Almonds, and Fresh Mint (from 660 Curries)

Ingredients
1 cup basmati rice
2 tbsp ghee or butter
1 small red onion, cut in half lengthwise and thinly sliced
1/4 cup slivered blanched almonds, finely chopped if desired
1/4 cup raw cashew nuts, finely chopped if desired
4 bay leaves
1 tsp coarse salt
1/2 cup firmly packed mint, finely chopped
1 tsp coarsely cracked black peppercorns

1. Place rice in medium bowl. Fill halfway with water, gently rub grains, drain water. Repeat three or four times. Refill with water and let sit 20 - 30 minutes.
2. Heat ghee in medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion, almonds, cashews, and bay leaves. Stir-fry until onions are light brown, 3 - 5 minutes.
3. Add rice and stir to coat grains. Pour in 1 1/2 cups water and add salt. Stir. Boil until water has evaporated and craters form, 5 - 8 minutes.
4. Stir once. Cover pan and reduce heat to lowest possible setting. Cook for 8 - 10 minutes.
5. Turn off heat and let pan sit undisturbed for 10 minutes.
6. Fluff rice with fork, remove bay leaves, stir in mint and pepper, and serve.

Fenugreek Scented Cheese with Cream

This is a quick and easy dinner option that comes together remarkably fast, but has a richness and depth to the sauce that tastes like you laboured away. I served this with rice, but I think naan would be an even better accompaniment.

One year ago: Cheddar Apple Bacon Strata
Two years ago: Celeriac and Lentils with Hazelnut and Mint
Three years ago: Bourbon Chicken

Fenugreek Scented Cheese with Cream (from 660 Curries)

Ingredients
2 tbsp canola oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp slivered blanched almonds
1 cup chopped fresh or frozen fenugreek leaves or 2 tbsp dried leaves soaked in water
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp coarse salt
1/2 tsp Punjabi garam masala
8 ounces paneer, cut into 1" cubes and fried

1. Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add cumin seeds and cook until they are aromatic, 5 - 10 seconds.
2. Stir in almonds and stir-fry until golden brown, 1 - 2 minutes.
3. Add fenugreek leaves and cream. Stir in tomato paste. Add salt and garam masala.
4. Fold in paneer and heat to a boil. Reduce to medium-low, cover, and simmer until soft and spongy, 5 - 8 minutes.

Chicken with an Almond Yogurt Sauce

I'm a little behind and light on recipes this week thanks to an unwelcome head cold. Colds pretty much kill my appetite and interest in food, so when I tell you that I cannot stop thinking about how wonderful this dish is, you should probably take that as a strong compliment. The sauce is incredibly rich and hits with a strong dose of lovely cardamom flavour. I made a half recipe using only thighs and drumsticks.

One year ago: Braised Potatoes with Garlic and Bay Leaves
Two years ago: Tomato, Semolina, and Coriander Soup
Three years ago: Kung Pao Chicken

Chicken with an Almond Yogurt Sauce (from 660 Curries)

Ingredients
1/4 cup plain yogurt
2 tbsp ginger paste
1 tbsp garlic paste
1 chicken, skin removed, cut into 8 pieces
2 tbsp canola oil
1/2 tsp whole cloves
1/2 tsp black peppercorns
6 green or white cardamom pods
3 black cardamom pods
3 cinnamon sticks
2 bay leaves
1 medium red onion, cut in half and thinly sliced
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1 1/2 tsp coarse salt
1/2 tsp cayenne
2 tbsp finely chopped cilantro

1. Combine yogurt, ginger paste, and garlic paste. Place chicken in large bowl and smear mixture over chicken. Refrigerate covered for 1 hour - overnight.
2. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle in cloves, peppercorns, both cardamom pods, cinnamon sticks, and bay leaves. Cook until they sizzle and smell aromatic, 1 - 2 minutes.
3. Add onion and cook until light brown, 5 - 7 minutes.
4. Transfer onion and spices to a blender. Add 1 cup water, almonds, salt, and cayenne. Puree until you form a paste.
5. Place chicken and marinade in skillet and cook over medium-high until meat is lightly browned, 4 - 6 minutes each side.
6. Add onion paste to skillet.
7. Pour 1/2 cup water into blender jar to get the last of the paste and add to skillet.
8. Bring mixture to a bubble, then reduce heat to medium-low and cover. Cook until chicken is done, 15 - 20 minutes.
9. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve.

Sri Lankan-Style Hard-Cooked Eggs with Coconut Milk

This is a quick and easy dinner option that's remarkably delicious. The coconut milk and spices forms a rich, cinnamon sauce. Make sure you serve this with rice so you can enjoy all of the sauce.

One year ago: Braised Potatoes with Garlic and Bay Leaves
Two years ago: Pearl Couscous with Olives, Tomatoes, and Feta
Three years ago: Pasta Milano

Sri Lankan-Style Hard-Cooked Eggs with Coconut Milk (from 660 Curries)

Ingredients
2 tbsp canola oil
1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds
1 or 2 cinnamon sticks
1 cup finely chopped red onion
1 or 2 fresh green chiles, stems removed, cut in half lengthwise
2 tsp Untoasted Sri Lankan Curry Powder
1 can unsweetened coconut milk
1 tsp coarse salt
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
6 extra-large or jumbo eggs, hard-cooked and peeled

1. Heat oil in medium saucepan over medium heat. Sprinkle in fenugreeks seeds and cinnamon sticks and cook until spices sizzle and smell fragrant, 30 seconds.
2. Add onion and chiles and stir-fry until onion is light brown, 5 - 8 minutes.
3. Sprinkle in curry powder and cook 30 seconds.
4. Add coconut milk, salt, and turmeric.
5. Add eggs and simmer uncovered until sauce thickens, 5 - 10 minutes.
6. Serve, spooning the sauce over the eggs.

Aromatic Beef Stew with Mustard Greens, Fenugreek, and Mint

Beef isn't commonly associated with Indian food, but the diversity of Indian food does include beef. This dish is less like a stew and more like very tender beef with some greens. Fenugreek leaves may be hard to find, but can be found frozen in Indian grocery stores. It's worth tracking them down for this recipe.

One year ago: Beets with Balsamic Syrup, Nuts, and Mint
Two years ago: Cranberry, Caramel, and Almond Tart
Three years ago: Black Bean and Corn Quesadillas

Aromatic Beef Stew with Mustard Greens, Fenugreek, and Mint (from 660 Curries)

Ingredients
2 tbsp ginger paste
1 tbsp garlic paste
1 tsp coarse salt
1 lb boneless beef, cut into 1" cubes
2 tbsp canola oil
2 fresh green chiles, stems removed and cut in half lengthwise
8 ounces fresh mustard greens, finely chopped
1/2 cup chopped fenugreek leaves
1/2 cup finely chopped mint
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro

1. Stir ginger paste, garlic paste, and salt together in medium bowl. Add beef and stir to coat. Refrigerate covered for 30 minutes - overnight.
2. Preheat a wok or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Drizzle in oil and add beef and chiles. Cook until meat is seared and chiles are browned, 8 - 10 minutes.
3. Add mustard greens and fenugreek leaves and cook until mustard has wilted and wok is deglazed, 8 - 10 minutes.
4. Pour in 1 cup water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until beef is fork-tender, 15 minutes.
5. Stir in mint and cilantro and serve.

Beginner Almond Shrimp with Tomatoes

How can you make shrimp even better? Just add ground almonds and heavy cream. This quick and easy curry isn't spicy, so it should be very kid friendly.

One year ago: Peking Pork with Scotch and Scallions
Two years ago: Black Bean and Tomato Quinoa
Three years ago: Stuffed Zucchini

Beginner Almond Shrimp with Tomatoes (from 660 Curries)

Ingredients
2 tbsp canola oil
1/4 cup slivered blanched almonds, ground
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 large tomato, cored and finely chopped
1/2 tsp cayenne
1 1/2 tsp coarse salt
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp Bangala garam masala (grind together: 1 tsp whole cloves, 1 tsp cardamom seeds from green or white pods, 4 cinnamon sticks ... you'll have leftovers)
1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tbsp finely chopped cilantro

1. Heat oil in medium skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle in almonds and garlic and cook until nuts brown, 1 - 3 minutes.
2. Stir in tomatoes, cayenne, salt, sugar, and garam masala. Cook until tomato softens, 2 - 4 minutes.
3. Add shrimp and pour in cream. Lower heat to medium, cover, and simmer until shrimp is cooked through and sauce thickens, 5 - 8 minutes.
4. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve.

A Potato Mix with a Cracked Peppercorn Sauce

It wouldn't be Thanksgiving without a side of potatoes and this recipe doubles the potato fun with sweet potatoes. I'm not generally a fan of sweet potatoes after being traumatized by too many overly sweet holiday side dishes, but this recipe does a good job of balancing the sweet with spices and heat.

One year ago: Chicken-Fried Steak
Two years ago: Cranberry Vanilla Coffee Cake
Three years ago: Penne Rigata della Kay

A Potato Mix with a Cracked Peppercorn Sauce (from 660 Curries)

Ingredients
3 medium russet or Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled, cut into 1/2" cubes
1 medium sweet potato, peeled, but into 1/2" cubes
1 1/2 tsp coarse salt
1 tsp black peppercorns
1/4 tsp whole cloves
1/4 tsp cardamom seeds from green or white pods
1 cinnamon stick, broken into pieces
1 tsp ground Kashmiri chiles (or 1/4 tsp cayenne + 3/4 tsp sweet paprika)
2 tbsp canola oil
1 tsp black or yellow mustard seeds
12 grape tomatoes, halved or 1 medium tomato, cored and cut into 1" pieces
12 to 15 medium to large curry leaves
2 tbsp finely chopped cilantro

1. Place potatoes in a medium-size saucepan, add 3 cups water, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until potatoes are tender, but still firm-looking, 8 - 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, combine salt, peppercorns, cloves, cardamom, and cinnamon in a mortar. Pound until it resembles coarse sawdust. Stir in ground chiles.
3. Reserve 1/2 cup cooking water and drain.
4. Dry out saucepan, add oil, and heat over medium-high heat. Add mustard seeds, cover, and cook until seeds have stopped popping.
5. Add tomatoes, curry leaves, and spice mixture and cook uncovered until tomatoes have softened, 2 - 4 minutes.
6. Pour in reserved cooking water and scrape pan to deglaze. Add potatoes and stir. Simmer until potatoes are warmed through, 2 - 4 minutes.
7. Stir in cilantro and serve.

Duck Stew with Black Cardamom and Cherries

This recipe has been tempting me for quite some time, so I'm glad Canadian Thanksgiving finally gave me an excuse to make it. The sauce is rich and the colours of the dish are quite festive. If you don't want to cut up a whole duck, this dish could easily be made just using skinned duck legs (or skinned breasts). If you're skinning the duck yourself, don't forget to render off the fat for other uses.

One year ago: Lamb Stir-Fry
Two years ago: Celebration Yellow Rice
Three years ago: Mint Brownies

Duck Stew with Black Cardamom and Cherries (from 660 Curries)

Ingredients
1 duck, skin removed, cut into 8 pieces
2 tbsp ginger paste
2 tbsp garlic paste
2 tsp coarse salt
1 tsp ground turmeric
2 tbsp canola oil
1 small red onion, cut in half and thinly sliced
6 black cardamom pods
2 bay leaves
2 cinnamon sticks
2 tsp fennel seeds, ground
1 1/2 tsp ground Kashmiri chiles (or 1/2 tsp cayenne + 1 tsp sweet paprika)
1 tsp ground ginger
1 bag (12 ounces) frozen pitted cherries, thawed and sliced in half
1/2 cup chopped black walnuts
2 tbsp finely chopped cilantro

1. Combine duck, ginger and garlic pastes, 1 1/2 tsp of salt, and turmeric in large bowl. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour - overnight.
2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add duck with paste meat side down and sear until light brown, 10 minutes. Flip pieces and sear for another 5 minutes. Transfer to plate.
3. Add onion, cardamom pod, bay leaves, cinnamon sticks, and 1/2 cup water to skillet. Scrape to deglaze.
4. Increase heat to medium-high and cook, uncovered until liquid is reduced by half, 5 minutes.
5. Stir in ground fennel, ground chiles, ginger, and remaining 1/2 tsp salt. Cook for 30 seconds.
6. Pour in 1 1/2 cups water, cherries, and walnuts. Boil and then lower heat to medium.
7. Add duck pieces, meat side down, to skillet. Baste with curry, cover, and simmer until meat is tender, 35 - 40 minutes.
8. Transfer duck to serving platter and cover to keep warm.
9. Raise heat to medium-high and cook uncovered until sauce is thick, 10 minutes.
10. Pour sauce over duck, top with cilantro, and serve.

Indonesian Spice Cake

This simple, but rich, cake is filled with aromatic spices. The batter smells amazing and the cake keeps very well for a nice afternoon snack with tea (or a morning breakfast if you're so inclined). This recipe does call for a lot of eggs. I cut back slightly by just using 5 eggs total. I have kept the original below.

One year ago: Sweet and Sour Napa Cabbage
Two years ago: Beef Rendang
Three years ago: Breakfast Tacos

Indonesian Spice Cake (from Cradle of Flavor)

Ingredients
2 cups (235 g) cake flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground cloves
4 tsp ground cinnamon
pinch of kosher salt
1 1/2 cups (340g) unsalted butter at room temperature
1 2/3 cups (370g) granulated sugar
4 large eggs
3 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
2 tsp vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 325F. Grease a 9" bundt pan.
2. Whisk together flour, baking powder, nutmeg, clove, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl.
3. In another bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter until soft. Gradually add sugar and beat until pale and fluffy.
4. One at a time, add whole eggs and beat until light and fluffy.
5. Add flour mixture to butter mixture in 3 equal parts until well combined.
6. Add egg yolks and vanilla and beat until well mixed.
7. Pour batter into pan. Bake until toothpick comes out clean, 1 hour.

Aromatic Green Beans with Pounded Mustard and Cardamom

While I happen to like green beans, August isn't too fond of them and was less than happy when they appeared in our CSA box this week. The spices in this dish, however, overpower the green beans for the most part making a dish that August called "not gross" and I greatly enjoyed. The mix of cardamom and lemon is excellent.

One year ago: Pork in Green Peanut Sauce
Two years ago: Apple Cheddar Scones
Three years ago: Mexican Rice

Aromatic Green Beans with Pounded Mustard and Cardamom (from 660 Curries)

Ingredients
1 tsp rock salt (or kosher)
1/2 tsp black or yellow mustard seeds
1/2 tsp cardamom seeds from green or white pods
3 dried red Thai or cayenne chiles, stems removed
1/4 cup firmly packed cilantro
1/2 cup shredded fresh coconut or 1/4 cup shredded dried unsweetened coconut, reconstituted
2 tbsp lime juice
1 tsp white sugar
1/4 tsp ground turmeric
12 to 15 medium to large curry leaves
2 tbsp peanut or canola oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 lb green beans, trimmed and cut into 2" lengths

1. Combine rock salt, mustard seeds, cardamom seeds, and chiles in a mortar. Pound dry blend with pestle to break down spices.
2. Add cilantro and pound into a pulpy mass.
3. Add coconut and pound into a pulpy mass.
4. Fold in lime juice, sugar, turmeric, and curry leaves.
5. Heat oil in medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add cumin seeds and cook until sizzle and fragrant, 5 - 10 seconds.
6. Add green beans and stir-fry until they start to blister, 5 - 7 minutes.
7. Pour in 1/2 cup water and deglaze. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until fork-tender, 12 - 15 minutes.
8. Stir in pounded mixture and raise heat to medium-high. Simmer, uncovered, until sauce is thick, 2 - 3 minutes.

Pureed Mustard Greens with Clarified Butter

This dish does take a bit of time to cook, but the results are well worth it. The creamy bitter greens with a bit of heat are excellent. It's not the most appetizing looking dish, but looks aren't everything.

One year ago: Pinon-Breaded Chicken with Ancho Chile-Cranberry Sauce
Two years ago: Refried Bean Enchiladas
Three years ago: Cheese Enchiladas

Pureed Mustard Greens with Clarified Butter (from 660 Curries)

Ingredients
2 tbsp mustard oil or canola oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
4 large garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
2 dried red Thai or cayenne chiles, stems removed
2 fresh green Thai, cayenne, or serrano chiles, stems removed
1 lb fresh mustard greens, coarsely chopped
1 tsp coarse salt
2 tbsp ghee or butter
2 tbsp cornmeal
juice of 1 lime

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add cumin seeds and cook until they sizzle and are fragrant, 5 - 10 seconds.
2. Add garlic and chiles. Stir fry until chiles gently blister, 1 - 2 minutes.
3. Add mustard greens a handful at a time and cook until they wilt. Continue, stirring occasionally until liquid evaporates, 8 - 12 minutes.
4. Stir in salt and add 2 cups water, scraping the pan.
5. Bring to a boil, lower heat to medium, cover, and simmer until greens are tender and olive, 15 minutes.
6. Remove pan from heat and blend greens in a blender jar.
7. Return puree to pan and add ghee and cornmeal.
8. Cook, stirring occasionally until mixture has thickened, 15 minutes.
9. Fold in lime juice and serve.

Crumbled Cheese with Scallions and Tomatoes

This dish may be one of the quickest full meals I've made in a very long time. It's remarkably filling and incredibly fresh tasting. It's a perfect summer meal, limiting stove time to the bare minimal and celebrating fresh tomatoes. I thought the amount of scallions might be a bit too much, but they added a fantastic crunch to the dish. The author says you can use feta instead of the paneer, but to be careful to add it just before you plan to serve it so it doesn't melt. You may want to scale back the chiles if you're more spice averse. The Balti masala called for in this recipe is great, but I think store-bought blends would work just fine in here as well.

One year ago: Black Radish Soup in Roasted Acorn Squash
Two years ago: Cauliflower Gratin
Three years ago: Risotto

Crumbled Cheese with Scallions and Tomatoes (from 660 Curries)

Ingredients
2 tbsp canola oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
8 ounces paneer, crumbled
8 ounces scallions, finely chopped (green and white)
8 ounces tomatoes, cored and finely chopped
2 tbsp finely chopped cilantro
1 tsp coarse salt
1 tsp Balti masala
1/4 tsp turmeric
2 to 4 fresh green Thai, cayenne, or serrano chiles, stems removed and thinly sliced crosswise

1. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle in cumin seeds and cook until they sizzle and smell fragrant, 10 seconds.
2. Add all remaining ingredients and simmer uncovered until flavours infuse cheese, 5 minutes. Serve.

Pan-Grilled Sea Scallops

I couldn't resist some beautiful fresh sea scallops at the farmer's market. Even better, they were only $12/lb. I could get very used to the cheaper seafood here.

There were only 2 scallop recipes in 660 Curries. The other seemed more appropriate because it would use some bell peppers and onions, but I couldn't pass on the combination of peanuts and spinach. The recipe calls for baby spinach, but I used chopped regular spinach. The spinach/peanut combination is so good that August said he would've been happy to eat as a side even without the scallops! Of course, the scallops themselves were great (the author says you can also use shrimp or other fish). I was proud of myself for finally being able to give scallops a nice sear. It's amazing what a difference a fresh product makes!

As a final word of warning, the masala in this is unique. It's worth taking the time to make it as it adds a lot to the dish.

One year ago: Basil, Hazelnut, and Chocolate Cupcakes
Two years ago: Mahogany Beef Stew with Red Wine and Hoisin Sauce
Three years ago: Asparagus with Goat Cheese and Lemon Pasta

Pan-Grilled Sea Scallops (from 660 Curries)

Ingredients
1 lb large sea scallops
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
2 tbsp canola oil
6 medium garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 lb baby spinach, rinsed
1 tbsp kolhapuri masala
1 tsp coarse salt

1. Combine scallops with turmeric in medium-size bowl. Refrigerate, covered, for 30 minutes or up to overnight.
2. Pour peanut into food processor and pulse until the consistency of coarse bread crumbs.
3. Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add scallops, arranging in a single layer.
4. Sear scallops for 3 - 5 minutes on each side until light brown. Transfer to a plate.
5. Add garlic to skillet and stir-fry until light brown, 1 minute.
6. Add spinach leaves to skillet, cover, and cook until wilted, 5 - 8 minutes.
7. Stir in masala and salt.
8. Add scallops (with liquid) to skillet and cover with wilted spinach. Cook until scallops are firm, 3 - 5 minutes.
9. Transfer scallops to a serving platter.
10. Add peanuts to spinach in skillet and stir to combine. Simmer to allow sauce to thicken, 2 - 4 minutes.
11. Spoon spinach-peanut mixture over scallops and serve.

Kolhapuri Masala
1 cup dried red Thai or cayenne chiles
1/2 cup shredded dried unsweetened coconut
2 tbsp white sesame seeds
1 tbsp coriander seeds
1 tbsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp black peppercorns
1 tsp black or yellow mustard seeds
1 tsp fenugreek seeds
4 blades mace or 1/4 tsp ground mace (add with Kashmiri chiles if using ground)
2 bay leaves
1 tsp canola oil
2 tbsp ground Kasmiri chiles or 1/2 tbsp cayenne + 1 1/2 tbsp sweet paprika

1. Combine all ingredients except ground in a medium-size boal and stir to coat with oil.
2. Preheat medium skillet over medium heat. Add oiled spices and roast until chiles blacken, coconut turns dark brown, and spices are fragrant, 3 - 4 minutes.
3. Transfer to plate to cool.
4. Grind in a blender.
5. Stir in ground spices and store.

Grilled Chicken with a Cashew-Tomato Sauce

As a disclaimer for the rest of the month, this month's cookbook of the month on chowhound is 660 Curries, one of my favourite books, so you're likely going to see a lot of curry recipes up here this month.

This recipe is listed in the book's appetizer section, but I think it makes a fantastic main as well. The sauce is excellent. He calls for the use of balti masala, but states that any store-purchased blend would work. Cashews, tomato, cream, and spices are an outstanding combination.

One year ago: Chana Masala
Two years ago: Caramel Apple Blackout Cake
Three years ago: Raspberry-Topped Lemon Muffins

Grilled Chicken with a Cashew-Tomato Sauce (from 660 Curries)

Ingredients
1/2 cup thickened yogurt (strained yogurt)
2 tbsp finely chopped cilantro
2 tsp ginger paste
1 tsp garlic paste
1 tsp balti masala
1 1/2 tsp coarse salt
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1" strips
1 tbsp Ghee or canola oil
1/4 cup cashews, ground
1/2 cup canned tomato sauce (I used crushed tomatoes)
1/2 tsp cayenne
1/4 cup heavy cream

1. Combine yogurt, 1 tbsp of cilantro, ginger paste, garlic paste, balti masala, and 1 tsp of salt in medium bowl. Add chicken, stir to coat, and refrigerate covered for 30 minutes - 6 hours.
2. Preheat a gas grill or broiler.
3. Thread chicken strips onto skewers, leaving the marinade on the chicken.
4. In a small saucepan over medium heat, heat ghee. Sprinkle ti ground cashews and cook, stirring constantly while nuts brown, 1 minute.
5. Add tomato sauce, cayenne, and remaining 1/2 tsp salt to the nuts. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, until ghee starts to separate, 6 - 8 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, cook chicken on grill or in broiler until done.
7. Stir cream into sauce and simmer 2 minutes to warm.
8. Stir 1 tbsp cilantro into sauce.
9. Slide chicken off skewers, spoon sauce over kebabs, and serve.

Moroccan Carrots

I'm not generally a big fan of cooked carrots, but these retain their bite and the spice mixture adds enough flavour me to offset the sweetness of cooked carrots. This makes an excellent little side dish for very little effort. It just takes a bit of planning ahead.

One year ago: Saag Paneer
Two years ago: Lemon and Cranberry Scones
Three years ago: Raspberry-topped Lemon Muffins

Moroccan Carrots (from Radically Simple)

Ingredients
1 1/2 lbs carrots, peeled and sliced on the bias into 1/4" rounds
6 tbsp olive oil
5 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tbsp sweet paprika
large pinch ground cinnamon
1 large garlic clove, minced
1/3 cup julienned parsley

1. Bring a pot of water to a boil and steam (or boil) carrots for 8 minutes until just tender.
2. In large bowl, whisk together oil, vinegar, cumin, paprika, and cinnamon.
3. Add garlic and 1 tsp salt to dressing.
4. Add hot carrots to dressing and toss. Chill for several hours before serving.
5. Stir in parsley and serve.

Roasted Red and Golden Beets

This is a beautiful salad and a great mix of flavours. For the leaves, he gives three choices. I'd recommend going with a green with a bit of bitterness to serve as a nice contrast to the sweeter beets and maple syrup. If you don't have chervil, parsley will also work nicely in this dish.

One year ago: Paneer
Two years ago: Linguine with Roasted Tomatoes and Almond Pesto
Three years ago: Easy Buttermilk Cake

Roasted Red and Golden Beets (from Ottolenghi)

Ingredients
500g golden beets (I just used all red)
500g red beets
80g sunflower seeds
90ml maple syrup
4 tbsp sherry vinegar
4 tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
20g chervil leaves
60g baby arugula, chard, or spinach

1. Preheat oven to 400F. Wash beets and wrap in foil. Bake in oven until tender, 40 - 90 minutes.
2. Spread sunflower seeds out in an ovenproof dish and toast alongside the beets for 8 minutes.
3. Once they have cooled some, unwrap beets and peel. Cut into quarters (or smaller pieces if your beets are large).
4. Mix beets with rest of ingredients in a bowl. Sprinkle with salt and pepper as needed.

Buffalo, Mushroom & Feta Meatballs

I arrived in SF to discovered some ground buffalo meat hiding in the freezer. Never one to shy away from a challenge, I quickly found this recipe. The mushrooms in this recipe aren't very noticeable but they do help keep the meatballs very moist. The flavours in the meatballs are excellent. The cooking method of using the oven also makes things very easy. The balls ended up a little flat on one side, but I think if that's my biggest complaint, it's a good sign. The original also includes a tomato sauce, but I think the meatballs hold their own nicely without the sauce. The original also calls for chopped basil stems in the meatballs. I just added a bit of chopped leaves in with the parsley.

One year ago: Indian Cooking Building Blocks
Two years ago: Meat Balls in Tomato Sauce (how appropriate!)
Three [is that for real??] years ago: Blueberry Boy Bait

Buffalo, Mushroom & Feta Meatballs (slightly adapted from Food52)

Ingredients
Olive oil
1/2 large onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 large garlic clove, peeled and finely chopped
8 ounces Cremini mushrooms, finely chopped
1 pound ground buffalo meat (bison)
2 tbsp freshly chopped basil
1/4 cup freshly chopped parsley
1 large egg
3 ounces feta cheese, broken into pea-sized cubes
1 pinch ground cumin
1 pinch ground corinander
1/2 lemon zest
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1. Heat the oven to 425F (400F convection) In a medium-sized deep frying pan heat 1 Tbsp olive oil over a medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, without coloring about 5-10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for a further 1 minute.
2. Transfer onions/garlic to a large bowl.
4. Meanwhile, In a large frying pan (you can use the same one if you want to save pans), heat a drop or two of olive oil over a high heat. Sauté the mushrooms until lightly golden and softened (about 2-3 minutes). Add to the bowl of onions/garlic and allow to cool.
5. To the cooled onions/garlic/mushrooms add the remaining ingredients and use your hands to gently but thoroughly mix together. Form into 16 balls about the size of golf balls. The mixture is quite wet but don’t squeeze too hard together or the meatballs will be tough. Place onto a baking tray (either greased or lined with bake-o-glide).
6. Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes, or until lightly golden. (check after 15 minutes, times will vary depending on oven temp).

Sri Lankan Pearl Rice with Lemongrass

This is a nicely aromatic rice with a lovely yellow colour. The coconut milk also makes it a good option for pairing with spicier dishes. The author suggests that you can use any short grain rice. I used some leftover Japanese rice and it worked great.

One year ago: Grape Focaccia with Rosemary

Sri Lankan Pearl Rice with Lemongrass (from 660 Curries)

Ingredients
1 cup white Sri Lankan sambha rice
2 tbsp canola oil
1 cup finely chopped red onion
2 tbsp finely chopped lemongrass
4 - 6 green or white cardamom pods
4 whole cloves
1 cinnamon stick
1 tsp coarse salt
1/4 tsp ground turmeric
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk

1. Place rice in a medium bowl. Cover with water, rub grains, and drain. Repeat 3 or 4 times until water remains clear. Drain. Fill halfway with cold water and let sit at room temperature, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Drain.
2. Heat oil in medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion, lemongrass, cardamom, cloves and cinnamon. Stir-fry until onion is light brown, 3 - 5 minutes.
3. Add rice, salt, turmeric, coconut milk, and 1 cup water. Stir once or twice and bring to a boil.
4. Cook rice until water has evaporated and craters are forming, 6 - 8 minutes.
5. Stir once. Cover with a tight-fitting lid, reduce heat to low, and cook 10 - 15 minutes more.
6. Turn off heat, and let pan stand, undisturbed for 10 minutes.
7. Remove lid, fluff rice, and serve.

Chicken with Lemongrass and Kaffir Lime Leaves

A Thai-style curry from an Indian cookbook? Yes, please. The chicken comes out very moist in this and the sauce is quite rich. It also smells fantastic with the chiles, ginger, garlic, and lemongrass.

One year ago: Savory Squash with Spinach and Coconut Milk

Chicken with Lemongrass and Kaffir Lime Leaves (from 660 Curries)

Ingredients
2 tbsp Ginger Paste
1 tbsp Garlic Paste
1 tsp coarse salt
1 chicken, skin removed, cut into 8 pieces
2 tbsp finely chopped lemongrass
2 - 4 fresh green chiles, stems removed (Thai, cayenne, or serrano)
2 tbsp canola oil
1 large tomato, cored and finely chopped
1 small red onion, cut in half lengthwise and thinly sliced
1/2 cup half and half

1. Combine ginger paste, garlic paste, and salt in a medium bowl. Add chicken and stir to coat. Refrigerate, covered, 30 minutes to overnight.
2. Combine lemongrass, lime leaves, and chiles in a food processor and pulse until minced.
3. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Arrange chicken in a single layer, meat side down in skillet. Cook until seared, 3 - 6 minutes. Flip and brown other side, 3 - 6 minutes.
4. Turn chicken over again. Spread minced mixture on chicken and scatter tomato and onion over them.
5. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 20 minutes.
6. Turn chicken over and continue to simmer covered until chicken is cooked, 5 - 8 minutes. Transfer chicken to a serving platter.
7. Pour half-and-half into skillet and simmer over medium-high, uncovered, stirring occasionally until sauce thickens, 5 - 8 minutes.
8. Pour sauce over chicken and serve.

Figs with Young Pecorino and Honey

This salad is an excellent mix of sweet figs and honey, salty pecorino, and peppery arugula. Don't be confused by the cheese. This recipe isn't calling for the hard cheese similar to Parmesan. It wants the young kind, a soft sheep cheese. You could probably also go with a soft goat cheese here or something similar.

One year ago: Celery Root and Apple Puree

Figs with Young Pecorino and Honey (from Ottolenghi)

Ingredients
2 tbsp honey
3 tbsp olive oil
600g ripe green or black figs
300g young pecorino or similar cheese
80g arugula
10g basil
coarse salt and black pepper

1. Whisk together honey and olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
2. Cut figs into quarters and tear cheese into chunks.
3. Arrange arugula, basil, figs, and cheese in layers on individual plates. Drizzle with honey dressing and serve.

Salmon with Red Pepper and Hazelnut Salsa

This was our first new recipe in the new apartment. It's fairly simple and can be made with only limited kitchen equipment on hand. The salsa is outstanding. The author suggests that you could peel the bell pepper, but I thought that was too much work (and I didn't have a bowl available to steam them!). It also calls for searing on a ridged griddle pan, but I just cooked them in the oven.

One year ago: Pork Chops and Apples, Madeira-Bay Butter Sauce

Salmon with Red Pepper and Hazelnut Salsa (slightly adapted from Ottolenghi)

Ingredients
4 salmon fillets, 200g each
2 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper
Salsa
2 red bell peppers
6 tbsp olive oil, divided
15g hazelnuts, toasted and chopped
15g chives, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
juice and grated zest of 1 lemon
2 tbsp cider vinegar

1. Preheat oven to 200C/400F. Quarter peppers and remove seeds. Place on baking tray and toss with 2 tbsp olive oil and a pinch of salt. Roast for 20 minutes until slightly charred. Let cool.
2. Cut peppers into 5mm dice. Mix with hazelnuts, 4 tbsp olive oil, and the rest of the salsa ingredients. Salt and pepper to taste.
3. Bake salmon in oven until fish is just done. Serve with salsa on top.

Rice and Quinoa with Orange and Pistachios

This grain salad surprised my by how satisfying it was with the mix of bitter arugula, sweet dried fruit, and tart citrus. The original recipe calls for Camargue red rice and dried apricots, but I used wild rice and golden raisins.

One year ago: Lamb Chops with Smoked Paprika Oil, Cumin, and Arugula
Two years ago: Tomato Sauce with Olive Oil, Cheese, and Chopped Vegetables

Rice and Quinoa with Orange and Pistachios (from Ottolenghi)

Ingredients
60g shelled pistachio nuts, toasted
200g quinoa
200g Camargue red rice or wild rice
1 medium onion, sliced
10tbsp olive oil, divided
grated zest and juice of 1 orange
2 tsp lemon juice
1 garlic clove, minced
4 spring onions, thinly sliced
100g dried apricots (or golden raisins), finely chopped
40g arugula
salt and black pepper

1. Fill 2 saucepans with salted water and bring to a boil. Simmer quinoa for 12 - 14 minutes and rice for 20 minutes (if you're using wild rice, it will take closer to 35) or until tender but still with a bite. Drain grains and spread on trays to hasten cool down.
2. Meanwhile, saute white onion in 4 tbsp olive oil for 10 - 12 minutes until golden brown. Let cool.
3. In large mixing bowl, combine rice, quinoa, cooked onion, and remaining 6 tbsp olive oil. Add rest of ingredients and serve.

Beef and Rice Meatballs in Tomato Rosemary Broth

I had a bit of frustration with this recipe, but the finished result offset the frustration enough that I'm still posting it. As a first word of warning, the meatballs did not want to stay together. They lost there shape while browning and it was more than a bit frustrating. As a second word of caution, I made quite a few substitutions to this recipe due to what I was trying to use up before moving. It turned out fantastically and I think it would be equally wonderful following the recipe to the letter. I note my substitutions below. Finally, don't forget to add the thickened yogurt to the final dish. It's excellent.

One year ago: Parsnip-Apple Soup with Bacon Candy
Two years ago: Cheesecake-Marbled Brownies

Beef and Rice Meatballs in Tomato Rosemary Broth (from The Olive and the Caper)

Ingredients
Meatballs:
1 lb/454g ground beef
1 cup cooked rice, at room temperature
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 large garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1 tbsp chopped mint
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground pepper
1 large egg
Broth:
6 cups beef or lamb stock (I used a mixture of duck and turkey)
2 cups dry white wine (I used a mixture of wine and sherry)
2 medium tomatoes, cut into 1/4" dice
2 tbsp tomato paste
1/4 tsp chopped fresh rosemary needles (I increased this)
Assembly:
2 tbsp olive oil
1 cup thickened yogurt (yogurt strained through cheesecloth or a fine sieve)
1 tbsp chopped mint

1. Place all meatball ingredients in medium-size bowl and mix thoroughly. Roll tablespoon-size amounts into walnut-size balls.
2. Place all broth ingredients in a large pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, until tomatoes are soft, about 15 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, lightly oil a skillet and heat over medium-high. Brown meatballs, in batches if necessary. Set aside.
4. Bring stock mixture to a boil, drop in browned meatballs, partially cover and simmer until meatballs are cooked through, 5 - 6 minutes.
5. Ladle broth and meatballs into bowls and garnish with yogurt and mint.

Pasta with Bacon, Rosemary, and Very Ripe Tomatoes

I'm finally getting settled in my new city and catching up on the recipe backlog from before I left Montreal. This is a very simple recipe, so it's key that you use high quality ingredients. I wanted a little more tomato in this so I increased it to 4 medium tomatoes and was very happy that I did.

One year ago: Apple Pie Streusel Muffins
Two years ago: Veal and Tomato Ragu

Pasta with Bacon, Rosemary, and Very Ripe Tomatoes (from Cook This Now)

Ingredients
8 ounces/225g pasta of your choice
3 ounces/85g bacon, sliced into 1/2" pieces
1 rosemary sprig
2 garlic cloves, minced
pinch crushed red pepper flakes
kosher salt and ground pepper
2 very large tomatoes (or 3 - 4 medium), cored and chopped
balsamic vinegar (if tomatoes taste flat)

1. Cook pasta in pot of salted water.
2. Meanwhile, in large skillet over medium heat, cook bacon until brown, 5 minutes. Transfer to paper towel-lined plate, but leave the grease in the pan.
3. Add rosemary, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Salt and pepper to taste and cook until garlic is lightly browned, 1 - 2 minutes.
4. Add tomatoes and let sauce simmer until pasta is cooked. Season with salt and pepper and add vinegar if it still tastes flat.
5. Drain pasta and top with sauce. Sprinkle with bacon.

Buckwheat Pancakes with Sliced Peaches and Cardamom Cream Syrup

Nothing says weekend quite like pancakes. These are great. The buckwheat, cardamom, and peach combination is delicious. My only quibble is that I wish the pancakes themselves had a bit of cardamom flavour. Next time, I might add some ground cardamom to the batter.

One year ago: Chicken Paprikas
Two years ago: Gratineed Cauliflower

Buckwheat Pancakes with Sliced Peaches and Cardamom Cream Syrup (from Cook This Now)

Ingredients
Cardamom Cream Syrup
1 tbsp cardamom pods, crushed
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup heavy cream
pinch kosher salt
Pancakes
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup buckwheat flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 tbsp honey
2 cups buttermilk or yogurt
3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted plus more for the pancake cooking
sliced fresh peaches for serving

1. In small saucepan, combine cardamom, sugar, and 1/3 cup water. Bring to simmer and cook until sugar dissolves, 5 minutes. Stir in cream and salt and let bubble for 2 minutes. Cool and strain.
2. In large bowl, whisk together flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
3. In smaller bowl, whisk together egg and honey. Whisk in buttermilk and melted butter.
4. Form a well in the dry ingredients and pour wet into dry. Stir until combined.
5. Melt butter in large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, spoon 1/4 cup dollops of batter onto skillet. Cook until bubbles form on surface and edges, 2 - 3 minutes. Flip and cook until golden, 1 - 2 minutes.
6. Serve topped with cardamom syrup and peaches.

Bulgur Salad with Apricot, Radicchio and Parsley

This is a beautiful salad with a mix of sour, sweet, and bitter that works incredibly well.

One year ago: Dan Dan Noodles
Two years ago: Bolognese Meat Sauce

Bulgur Salad with Apricot, Radicchio and Parsley (from Raising the Salad Bar)

Ingredients
1 cup bulgur
1/2 small head radicchio, cored and thinly sliced (1 cup)
1/2 cup chopped dried apricots (I used golden raisins)
1/2 cup minced parsley
1/2 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped (I used pecans)
Lemon Dressing
4 tbsp fresh lemon juice
4 tbsp olive oil
1 small garlic clove, minced
1 tsp sumac
1/2 tsp kosher salt

1. Place bulgur in a bowl. Add 1 1/4 cup boiling water and 2 pinches of salt. Cover with a plate and let sit 20 minutes until water is absorbed. Remove cover and set aside to cool.
2. Place bulgur in a large serving bowl. Stir in radicchio, apricots, and parsley.
3. In a small bowl, combine dressing ingredients and whisk.
4. Add dressing to salad and stir in walnuts.

Puy lentils with sour cherries, bacon, and Gorgonzola

This could be served as a main dish, but I think it works better as a starter. The flavours on this one are quite unique. I used jarred sour cherries as I had some leftover. I estimated it was about 150g of sour cherries and omitted the extra water and sugar.

One year ago: Sweet and Sour Red Peppers
Two years ago: Tomato Galette

Puy lentils with sour cherries, bacon, and Gorgonzola (from Ottolenghi)

Ingredients
125g Puy lentils
2 bay leaves
2 - 3 shallots, finely chopped
3 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp water
1 tsp caster sugar
60g dried sour cherries
70ml red wine vinegar
8 bacon slices
80g baby spinach
120g creamy Gorgonzola cheese

1. Wash lentils under cold water and drain. Transfer to saucepan and add enough water to cover by 3x their height. Add bay leaves, bring to a boil, and simmer for 20 minutes until lentils are al dente.
2. Meanwhile, place shallots in pan with 2 tbsp of olive oil and saute over medium heat for 10 minutes or until golden.
3. Add water, sugar, cherries, and vinegar to shallots and simmer over low heat for 8 - 10 minutes or until sauce thickens. Season to taste.
4. Drain lentils and add to sauce. Set aside to cool.
5. Fry bacon until crispy (he suggests doing this in remaining olive oil). Transfer to plate and let cool. Tear into large pieces.
6. Add bacon to lentils. Add spinach and stir.
7. Transfer to serving plates and dot with Gorgonzola.