Roasted carrots get a bad rep. Overly sweet and sadly limp, they're usually a sad sight. This recipe adds some pomegranate molasses to them to give a bit of caramelization and best of all a sour kick. Even if you aren't a fan of cooked carrots, this one's worth a try.
Pomegranate Roasted Carrots (from In the Kitchen with a Good Appetite)
Ingredients
450g carrots, peeled, trimmed, and halved or quartered lengthwise
1 tbsp olive oil
1/4 tsp kosher salt
pinch Turkish or Syrian red pepper or cayenne
1 tsp pomegranate molasses (or 2 tsp balsamic vinegar, but it will be different)
2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro, basil, or parsley
1. Heat oven to 425F.
2. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss carrots with oil, salt, and pepper. Spread out in single layer.
3. Roast for 15 minutes.
4. Stir and roast for 10 more minutes.
5. Remove from oven, drizzle with pomegranate molasses and toss to coat. Roast until golden and soft, 5 minutes.
6. Garnish with herbs and serve.
Sunday, August 26, 2012
Drumsticks with Caramelized Onions
This is a simple dish that is so much more than the sum of its parts. I could not stop eating the caramelized onion and I'm not usually a big onion fan. I only cooked 2 drumsticks, but kept everything else the same. I might use a larger onion and make a bit more sauce if making the full recipe.
Two years ago: Braided Brie and Pear Bread
Drumsticks with Caramelized Onions (from The Breath of a Wok)
Ingredients
1 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tbsp thinly sliced garlic
1 tbsp finely shredded ginger
1 small onion, halved and thinly sliced
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground white pepper
8 chicken drumsticks
1/3 cup finely shredded scallions
2 tbsp oyster sauce
1/2 tsp sesame oil
1. Heat a 14" flat-bottomed work over high heat. Swirl in vegetable oil, add garlic and ginger, and stir-fry 10 seconds.
2. Add onion, 1/2 tsp of salt, and the pepper. Stir-fry on medium heat 3 - 4 minutes or until golden. Transfer to a plate.
3. Add drumsticks, spreading them evenly and pan-fry 20 - 25 minutes over medium heat, turning drumsticks until well-browned and chicken is cooked through.
4. Add cooked onions and remaining 1/4 tsp salt. Stir.
5. Add scallions, oyster sauce, and sesame oil, stirring over low heat until well combined.
Two years ago: Braided Brie and Pear Bread
Drumsticks with Caramelized Onions (from The Breath of a Wok)
Ingredients
1 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tbsp thinly sliced garlic
1 tbsp finely shredded ginger
1 small onion, halved and thinly sliced
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground white pepper
8 chicken drumsticks
1/3 cup finely shredded scallions
2 tbsp oyster sauce
1/2 tsp sesame oil
1. Heat a 14" flat-bottomed work over high heat. Swirl in vegetable oil, add garlic and ginger, and stir-fry 10 seconds.
2. Add onion, 1/2 tsp of salt, and the pepper. Stir-fry on medium heat 3 - 4 minutes or until golden. Transfer to a plate.
3. Add drumsticks, spreading them evenly and pan-fry 20 - 25 minutes over medium heat, turning drumsticks until well-browned and chicken is cooked through.
4. Add cooked onions and remaining 1/4 tsp salt. Stir.
5. Add scallions, oyster sauce, and sesame oil, stirring over low heat until well combined.
Steamed Pork and Pumpkin Dumplings
The original recipe calls for steamed dumplings with homemade wrappers. I turned these into pot-stickers using this recipe. You could also use store-bought wrappers. The recipe below is only for the filling. The original recipe calls for finely chopping the pumpkin and boiling it. To simplify, I used pumpkin puree.
Two years ago: Slow-Braised Pork with Grapes and Balsamic
Steamed Pork and Pumpkin Dumplings (from Land of Plenty)
Ingredients
150g pumpkin puree
lard or peanut oil for frying
2 tsp finely chopped ginger
225g ground pork
1 tsp light soy sauce
1 tsp dark soy sauce
1/2 tsp salt
6 - 8 turns of black pepper
4 tsp finely chopped scallions
1 tsp sesame oil
1. Season wok, heat 3 tbsp of lard or peanut oil over high heat. Add ginger and stir-fry until fragrant.
2. Add pork and stir-fry until it separates.
3. Add pumpkin and stir-fry.
4. Allow to cool and add soy sauce, salt, pepper, scallion, and sesame oil. Mix well.
5. Fill your wrapper of choice and cook according to directions.
Two years ago: Slow-Braised Pork with Grapes and Balsamic
Steamed Pork and Pumpkin Dumplings (from Land of Plenty)
Ingredients
150g pumpkin puree
lard or peanut oil for frying
2 tsp finely chopped ginger
225g ground pork
1 tsp light soy sauce
1 tsp dark soy sauce
1/2 tsp salt
6 - 8 turns of black pepper
4 tsp finely chopped scallions
1 tsp sesame oil
1. Season wok, heat 3 tbsp of lard or peanut oil over high heat. Add ginger and stir-fry until fragrant.
2. Add pork and stir-fry until it separates.
3. Add pumpkin and stir-fry.
4. Allow to cool and add soy sauce, salt, pepper, scallion, and sesame oil. Mix well.
5. Fill your wrapper of choice and cook according to directions.
Yellow Split Peas and Spinach in a Yogurt-Peanut Sauce
This isn't an attractive dish, but it does taste like comfort food. The flavours all work together very nicely, even for someone who usually isn't a huge fan of yogurt.
Two years ago: Baked French Toast with Raspberries and Walnuts
Yellow Split Peas and Spinach in a Yogurt-Peanut Sauce (from 660 Curries)
Ingredients
1 cup yellow split peas
280g spinach leaves, well-rinsed
2 tbsp unsalted dry-roasted peanuts
2 fresh green Thai, cayenne, or serrano chiles, stems removed
1 cup plain yogurt
2 tbsp chickpea flour
1 1/2 tsp coarse salt
1/4 tsp ground turmeric
12 - 15 fresh curry leaves
2 lengthwise slices gender, cut into matchstick-thin strips (2.5"x1"x1/8")
2 tbsp ghee or canola oil
1 tsp black or yellow mustard seeds
1/4 tsp ground asafetida
1. Place split peas in medium saucepan. Fill with water and rinse peas. Drain. Repeat 3 or 4 times until water is clear. Add 3 cups water and bring to a boil, skimming off foam.
2. Add spinach a few handfuls at a time, stirring until it wilts. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until split peas are tender and spinach is olive green, 30 - 35 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, combine peanuts and chiles in mortar. Pour until it forms a chunky mass.
4. In medium bowl, whisk together yogurt and 1/2 cup water. Sprinkle in chickpea flour and whisk. Stir in salt, turmeric, half of curry leaves, and ginger. Stir in pounded peanut mixture.
5. When peas are tender, mash with a potato masher until leaves break down and some of the peas squish.
6. Stir in yogurt sauce and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Lower to medium and simmer until sauce has thickened, 15 minutes.
7. Heat ghee in small skillet over medium-high heat. Add mustard seeds, cover, and cook until seeds have stopped popping. Remove from heat and sprinkle in asafetida and remaining curry leaves.
8. Stir mustard and leaf mixture into curry. Serve.
Two years ago: Baked French Toast with Raspberries and Walnuts
Yellow Split Peas and Spinach in a Yogurt-Peanut Sauce (from 660 Curries)
Ingredients
1 cup yellow split peas
280g spinach leaves, well-rinsed
2 tbsp unsalted dry-roasted peanuts
2 fresh green Thai, cayenne, or serrano chiles, stems removed
1 cup plain yogurt
2 tbsp chickpea flour
1 1/2 tsp coarse salt
1/4 tsp ground turmeric
12 - 15 fresh curry leaves
2 lengthwise slices gender, cut into matchstick-thin strips (2.5"x1"x1/8")
2 tbsp ghee or canola oil
1 tsp black or yellow mustard seeds
1/4 tsp ground asafetida
1. Place split peas in medium saucepan. Fill with water and rinse peas. Drain. Repeat 3 or 4 times until water is clear. Add 3 cups water and bring to a boil, skimming off foam.
2. Add spinach a few handfuls at a time, stirring until it wilts. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until split peas are tender and spinach is olive green, 30 - 35 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, combine peanuts and chiles in mortar. Pour until it forms a chunky mass.
4. In medium bowl, whisk together yogurt and 1/2 cup water. Sprinkle in chickpea flour and whisk. Stir in salt, turmeric, half of curry leaves, and ginger. Stir in pounded peanut mixture.
5. When peas are tender, mash with a potato masher until leaves break down and some of the peas squish.
6. Stir in yogurt sauce and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Lower to medium and simmer until sauce has thickened, 15 minutes.
7. Heat ghee in small skillet over medium-high heat. Add mustard seeds, cover, and cook until seeds have stopped popping. Remove from heat and sprinkle in asafetida and remaining curry leaves.
8. Stir mustard and leaf mixture into curry. Serve.
Ziti with Arugula and Jaggery
I wasn't sure about this dish after the first bite. It seemed a little too sweet, but after a few more, the flavours blended perfectly. The bitter arugula, the sweetness of the jaggery, a little bit of heat from the chiles, but most of all the fennel. This comes together easily. The original calls for finely chopped tomatoes, but I pulled out some tomato puree from the freezer. The author suggests macaroni, mostaccioli, and orecchiette could be used as pasta laternative. I used orecchiette. I forgot the parmesan I had grated and didn't miss it.
You might get slightly better results with the arugula if you wilted it directly into the sauce and pasta. Otherwise, it clumps quite badly. Original directions are included below.
Two years ago: Broccoli Spears in Garlic Sauce
Ziti with Arugula and Jaggery (from 660 Curries)
Ingredients
450g ziti pasta
450g arugula, washed, stems discarded, large leaves torn
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp fennel seeds
2 - 4 dried Thai or cayenne chiles, stems removed
3 large tomatoes, cored and finely chopped
1/4 cup crumbled jaggery or firmly packed dark brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp coarse salt
freshly grated parmesan
1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add pasta and cook until fork-tender.
2. In the last minute of pasta cooking, add arugula. Drain pasta and greens and shock with cold water.
3. Heat oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Sprinkle in cumin seeds, fennel seeds, and chiles. Cook until chiles blacken and seeds smell nutty, 20 - 30 seconds.
4. Stir in tomatoes and jaggery and simmer uncovered until tomatoes are warmed through, 5 minutes. Stir in salt.
5. Toss pasta and arugula into sauce and simmer until rewarmed, 3 - 5 minutes.
6. Sprinkle with cheese and serve.
You might get slightly better results with the arugula if you wilted it directly into the sauce and pasta. Otherwise, it clumps quite badly. Original directions are included below.
Two years ago: Broccoli Spears in Garlic Sauce
Ziti with Arugula and Jaggery (from 660 Curries)
Ingredients
450g ziti pasta
450g arugula, washed, stems discarded, large leaves torn
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp fennel seeds
2 - 4 dried Thai or cayenne chiles, stems removed
3 large tomatoes, cored and finely chopped
1/4 cup crumbled jaggery or firmly packed dark brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp coarse salt
freshly grated parmesan
1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add pasta and cook until fork-tender.
2. In the last minute of pasta cooking, add arugula. Drain pasta and greens and shock with cold water.
3. Heat oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Sprinkle in cumin seeds, fennel seeds, and chiles. Cook until chiles blacken and seeds smell nutty, 20 - 30 seconds.
4. Stir in tomatoes and jaggery and simmer uncovered until tomatoes are warmed through, 5 minutes. Stir in salt.
5. Toss pasta and arugula into sauce and simmer until rewarmed, 3 - 5 minutes.
6. Sprinkle with cheese and serve.
Cornmeal Cake with Fresh Corn and Berries
This is a hearty cake that's great for snacking. I used a mixture of blackberries and raspberries. She suggests only using 1 cup of berries in the cake and garnishing with the remaining cup, but I think the cake could handle having 2 cups of fruit.
Two years ago: Eggplant Souffle
Cornmeal Cake with Fresh Corn and Berries (from Farmers' Market Desserts)
Ingredients
2 cups blackberries or raspberries
3/4 cup corn kernels (1 ear of corn)
1 cup plus 2 tbsp flour
3/4 cup plus 2 tbsp granulated sugar
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp kosher salt
2 large eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1. Heat oven to 350F. Oil and 8"x2" round cake pan. Dust with flour.
2. Mix berries in small bowl with corn kernels. Sprinkle with 2 tbsp flour and 2 tbsp sugar. Stir to coat.
3. In a medium bowl, stir together 1 cup flour, 3/4 cup sugar, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
4. In a small bowl, whisk together eggs, buttermilk, and olive oil.
5. Stir wet ingredients into dry until well combined.
6. Fold berries and corn into batter.
7. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake until cooked through, 40 - 45 minutes.
Two years ago: Eggplant Souffle
Cornmeal Cake with Fresh Corn and Berries (from Farmers' Market Desserts)
Ingredients
2 cups blackberries or raspberries
3/4 cup corn kernels (1 ear of corn)
1 cup plus 2 tbsp flour
3/4 cup plus 2 tbsp granulated sugar
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp kosher salt
2 large eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1. Heat oven to 350F. Oil and 8"x2" round cake pan. Dust with flour.
2. Mix berries in small bowl with corn kernels. Sprinkle with 2 tbsp flour and 2 tbsp sugar. Stir to coat.
3. In a medium bowl, stir together 1 cup flour, 3/4 cup sugar, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
4. In a small bowl, whisk together eggs, buttermilk, and olive oil.
5. Stir wet ingredients into dry until well combined.
6. Fold berries and corn into batter.
7. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake until cooked through, 40 - 45 minutes.
Saturday, August 25, 2012
Asian Vinaigrette
This is a simple vinaigrette that works very well with Asian meals. I used it on watercress and paired it with some homemade Chinese dumplings, but please, let your imagination run wild.
Two years ago: Cauliflower Pasta Sauce
Asian Vinaigrette (from Raising the Salad Bar)
Ingredients
1 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tbsp fresh lime or lemon juice
1 tbsp honey
1 tsp minced ginger
1 tbsp soy sauce
3 tbsp canola oil
1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
1. In a small bowl, whisk together all ingredients.
Two years ago: Cauliflower Pasta Sauce
Asian Vinaigrette (from Raising the Salad Bar)
Ingredients
1 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tbsp fresh lime or lemon juice
1 tbsp honey
1 tsp minced ginger
1 tbsp soy sauce
3 tbsp canola oil
1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
1. In a small bowl, whisk together all ingredients.
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