THANKING FRIENDS

When your friends become family, it's only natural that on days like Thanksgiving you should get together, all as family, and celebrate together. 

This has more or less become our new tradition. The children, all grown up now, want to start their own tradition in their own homes with their growing families. So we decided to let them have fun their own way while we prepare a Thanksgiving dinner for our friends. It so happened that many of our friends live here in New York because of their work and it would be very difficult for them to go back home for the occasion. So what better opportunity for all of us to be together, have a nice evening while nibbling on different dishes, most of them out of the ordinary? You may have noticed from previous posts on Thanksgiving that I usually don't prepare the classical American thanksgiving dinner, and this year is not going to be an exception. Our menu was very eclectic this year. We had turkey of course and by popular demand my famous rice with nuts. I added an old favorite with a twist of course, beef stew with prunes, moussaka and stuffed hearts of artichoke.

Since we were expecting a large number of guests, I decided to double the buffet, meaning instead of making one large dish, I made two smaller ones. This way people would find the same items in both rooms, living room, where I set up a table, and the dining room, where people can sit around the table if they wanted to. Both rooms being open to each other, no one would feel left out. After dinner, all leftovers were transferred to the dining room and we gathered in the living room for dessert. This way, and with everything being prepared well in advance, I got to enjoy the evening with my friends, an nobody was left out.

BEEF STEW WITH PRUNES

                                           

                                             

You might remember this dish from a previous blog. It's a dish that I first had during a trip to Algeria. I tried to get the recipe, but somehow all I got from the ladies was a vague "oh it's so easy" with no details. So I improvised and improvised, until I perfected my own recipe.

It might not be the original one, but it's delicious. You'll need:

30 to 35 cubes of beef, 2 X 2 inches (I used tip sirloin)

1 and 1/2 cups of dried, pitted prunes

3 stalks celery

5 to 6 baby carrots or one medium carrot

1/3 onion

3 garlic cloves

2 tbsp oil

1 tsp tomato paste

3 tbsp toasted sesame

Flour

Salt and pepper

Make sure that the meat cubes are all red, no fat or tendons. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, then dust with flour. In a heavy iron pot heat the oil, add the meat cubes and brown on all sides, turning only when necessary. Don't crowd the pot and work in batches. Remove the browned cubes to a platter, until they are all browned. 

While the meat is browning, chop the onion, garlic, carrots and celery in the chop chop until almost pulverized. Add them to the pot and cook them in the remaining oil scraping the bottom to release all the brown bits from the beef. You may add a sprinkle of salt, but not too much, you don't know yet how salty is the meat. Add the tomato paste and continue cooking, stirring to incorporate, on medium heat. 

Add the meat cubes, with their juices accumulated in the platter, and stir until completely coated by the sauce. Add water to barely cover the meat. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and let simmer, covered, for about 45 minutes.

Check if you need to add more liquid, but the meat should be tender by now. Add the prunes, stir. Check and adjust the seasoning. Cover and let cook for another 10 to 15 minutes then remove from heat. Plate the meat and sprinkle with toasted sesame.

EMPTY YOUR FREEZER MEALS

Summer is almost over. Today was really hot in New York, we had a thunderstorm that started early in the afternoon, and the whole day was grey, hot and humid. After two weeks of a vacation spent at home, tidying things up around the house, I decided it was time to clear up the freezer to get it ready for the new season. Since I was going back to work on Tuesday, after Labor Day, I thought that the chances of grilling outside were rather limited, it is getting dark earlier in the day, and during the week-ends I will have other duties to take care of for the coming week. So, before retiring for the day, I asked my husband to check the downstairs freezer for any summer leftover meats. He found a couple of Cornish hens and got me a package of chicken pieces. When I asked what pieces he found, he just said "it's one of those five piece pouches". That was not very helpful of course to prepare a menu, but I was going to use whatever I had in the pantry to cook the chicken anyway, so I didn't push it further. We'll see tomorrow when I go into the kitchen, I thought.

CHICKEN WITH MUSHROOMS, ARTICHOKE AND OLIVES

                                         

When I looked at the chicken my husband had defrosting, I was really disappointed. From what he told me the night before, I was expecting skinless boneless thighs. I was already thinking of making something close to a chicken stroganoff. I knew I had canned mushrooms and sour cream in the fridge. But I was surprised to find that he defrosted a package of chicken drumsticks. I didn't let it get to me. We are still having chicken tonight. But I have to change the menu. You'll need:

5 chicken drumsticks, skin removed

1 (7 oz) can sliced mushrooms

6 to 8 artichoke hearts cut in half, I used the ones that come in a jar preserved in water, drained

5 sprigs fresh thyme, and one rosemary, whole

1 cup black olives, pitted and sliced

1 (15.5 oz) can tomato sauce

1 tbsp oil

A sprinkle of flour

Salt and pepper to taste

Pasta

Sprinkle the chicken pieces with salt and pepper and flour to lightly coat. In a deep non stick skillet heat the oil, then add the chicken to brown on high heat. Turn the chicken pieces once or twice to brown on all sides and make sure that there is no more blood coming out of the joint. Add the tomato sauce, rinse the can with water and add it to the pan. Add the herbs and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, add the mushrooms and olives, cover and let simmer. If you are using a different kind of artichoke, frozen for example, you can add it now with the other ingredients. Since the artichokes I was using were almost done and didn't need cooking, I kept them for last. When the sauce is thick enough and the chicken pieces are done, fold in the artichoke hearts. Stir once or twice in incorporate, cover the pan, then remove from heat after a couple of minutes. Remove the rosemary and thyme sprigs. Serve over some cooked pasta.

                                 

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MAKE AHEAD EASY DISHES

Today I am giving you some ideas about very easy dishes that you can prepare in advance, a day in advance of a dinner party, so that you can enjoy the company of your guests, or even days ahead of a busy working week. They are also a crowd pleaser, if you have young children you are sure that they are going to gobble them up. You can also consider them your go to dishes when you have little time to cook dinner. I made the chicken dish for the same event I made the mahshi, stuffed vegetables. I even made it the same day, after I started cooking the veggies that were stuffed the day before. But as I said, it helps if you cook it the day before and be ready to enjoy yourself with your guests.

CHICKEN WITH MUSHROOM SAUCE

                                                 

This particular dish was easier than expected. It also was very well liked by the kids, even those who try to be finicky and make their moms miserable. Yes, every family has those. I used thighs, they are more tender and if cooked without adding fat, oil or butter, they don't become as dry as the breasts. Still you can use breasts if you want, or if your kids really don't eat thighs. But trust me, if you simply say it's chicken, they will not even notice which part of the chicken they are eating. I made a lot, since I had to feed 10 people, but you can make half the quantity, or even less, for just two. You'll need: 

15 skinless, boneless chicken thighs fat trimmed and cut into 1/4 inch strips

2 mushroom containers (24 oz each), white and brown

3 to 4 tbsp flour

2 tbsp frozen onion/garlic mixture

Salt and pepper to taste

3 tbsp poultry gravy powder

1 tbsp lemon juice

In a large bowl mix the chicken, onion/garlic mixture, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Let stand until you clean and slice the mushrooms. I usually don't rinse the mushrooms, but simply wipe them with a damp paper towel, then slice them. This prevent them to become mushy from excessive water.

Sprinkle the flour over the chicken and toss to coat. Heat a non stick skillet large enough to hold the chicken almost in one layer. Add the chicken and let brown on one side before you start stirring. Each time you do that, give the chicken some time to brown. Add the mushrooms, and don't worry if they seem too much for the skillet, they will wilt down. When they start to do, stir the contents of the skillet once or twice, until all the mushrooms are browned too. At this point the chicken is done, but we need to add some sauce to the dish. Dissolve the gravy powder in a cup of hot water and add it to the skillet. Stir to incorporate, reduce the heat and let it simmer until the liquid is reduced and you have a thick brown sauce. You're done.

RABBIT CACCIATORE 

                                                

Last week, I went to the butcher's and my husband insisted on coming along. There, he can be like a child in a toy store: he wants to buy everything in huge quantities even though he doesn't eat as much any more. It took me effort and time to convince him that what I was ordering was more than enough, and we somehow managed to compromise. At the end I asked for rabbit, so he said " but I don't eat rabbit", I do, I answered quietly. Needless to say that he was waiting to see how I will handle this rabbit thing. It is too big for me to eat alone, and too little to invite someone over to share it with, let alone the fact that not everyone eats rabbit. Once at home, I started dividing our loot into portions for two. I also divided the rabbit in portions of two pieces each. That will be more than enough for me. When I decided to cook it, I didn't need any more stock, we had just made it with veal neck. I thought of making it with veggies in white sauce, but I had celery and no carrots. Luckily I had some leftover veggies from the mahshi party: two small peppers and some mushrooms. So I thought can I make rabbit cacciatore? Sure I can. You'll need:

2 pieces of rabbit, a thigh and a waist

1 tbsp onion/garlic mixture

A sprinkle of flour

2 small peppers, yellow and orange, (or 1/4 bell pepper) cut into strips

12 to 15 mushrooms, depending on the size, cleaned and sliced

1/2 cup green olives with pimento, sliced

1 (14oz) can diced tomatoes

2 sprigs fresh thyme

1 sprig rosemary

1 tbsp oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Rinse the rabbit pieces, remove the membrane that you may find on it. It will come out easily if you just pull it. Sprinkle salt, pepper and flour over the rabbit to lightly coat. Heat the oil in a non stick skillet, and add the rabbit pieces. Let brown undisturbed on one side, then turn to brown on the other side.

Add the onion/garlic mixture and stir for a couple of minutes til fragrant. Add the mushrooms with a sprinkle of salt. Let cook stirring from time to time, to let the mushroom wilt and brown. Add the pepper strips, a dash of salt, stir until tender. Add the olives, the tomatoes and the herbs. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and let it simmer. Check on the rabbit, and keep adding water or stock, 1/2 cup at a time, until the rabbit is tender and the sauce reduced. Remove the sprigs of the herbs if you used them whole. Serve with a side of pasta or rice. I served it over cooked orzo. 

                                            

STUFFING VEGETABLES

This Sunday the whole family gathered at our place to celebrate two birthdays. It was just in time before the kids would go back to school or leave for college.  I had to feed 10 people ages from 3 to us! The kids going to college asked for "mahshi", stuffed vegetables. I promised I would make it for them, depending of course of the vegetables I could find in the market. Why did I say that? Well, lately I couldn't find the right eggplants to stuff. I usually use the white ones, they sometimes come with some light color, but mainly white. They said I could do it with the dark ones. They seemed determined to have their mahshi.

                                                   

STUFFED EGGPLANTS, PEPPERS and GRAPE LEAVES

I found these beautiful small black eggplants fresh in the local market. I had never seen them before. I am used to the long black ones, but these were new to me, so I decided to try them. It was a very good decision. Their size was just right, short and almost round, so they were easy to carve and stuff. I got 15 eggplants. I thought it would be enough with the small cute peppers I had and a whole jar of grape leaves. It is easy to make stuff vegetables, but it is very time consuming. I prepared everything the day before, so that I could be free and enjoy the company. So be prepared and don't say I didn't warn you. The black eggplants I got were about 2 inches, the perfect size. If you find the long white ones, they usually are much longer, so try to get them straight as much as possible and cut them in half. In this case, don't cut the stem, but peel it off and leave the solid tip, it will be the base of the stuffed eggplant. For the whole batch, you'll need:

15 small black eggplants, or white if you can find them

1 lb small peppers, different colors

1 (16 oz) jar grape leaves

2 large tomatoes, seeded and finely chopped

1 bunch each: flat leaf parsley and dill, finely chopped

4 cups rice

1 onion finely chopped

4 garlic cloves finely chopped, more sliced, optional for the grape leaves

1 to 1 1/2 lb ground beef

4 tbsp butter, ghee or clarified butter (this time I used ghee)

2 tbsp cumin

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by preparing the veggies:

Cut off the top of the peppers and remove the seeds and white membranes inside. Set aside.

Cut off the top of the eggplants. Fill a big bowl with tap water and add some salt and lemon juice to it.

On the surface of the counter roll each eggplant with the palm of you hand, and put some pressure with the heel of your hand on the eggplant while you roll. You will feel the flesh breaking inside under pressure. Do not push hard or you'll risk breaking it. With a small peeler, make small incisions  around the cut top, then insert the peeler, turn it around and remove the first part of the flesh. Continue carving the inside with the peeler, removing all the seeds and flesh, but being careful not to pierce the skin. Transfer the cleaned eggplant to the bowl filled with water and salt. It will keep them fresh until you are ready to stuff them.

                                        

In the mean time, brown the ground beef in a large skillet with the onion, garlic salt and pepper. No need to add butter or oil. The fat in the meat is enough. Stir from time to time, making sure that you don't get big lumps of meat. Turn off the heat when all the liquid in the pan has been absorbed. Set aside to cool, until you are ready to prepare the stuffing.

To prepare the grape leaves, remove the leaves from the jar, dip them for a minute or two in boiling water, then rinse them thoroughly under cold running water. Transfer to a colander until you stuff them.

For the stuffing use a large pan, where you combine rice, browned beef, chopped parsley, dill and tomato. Add cumin, salt,pepper and ghee. Mix to combine. 

                                  

To stuff the veggies, start with the easiest, the peppers, followed by the eggplants. Make sure you are using your regular rice. You will know how much liquid it will need and how big it will be when fully cooked. Don't fill the veggies to the rim, exactly because the rice will grow in size when cooked, and might break the skin of your vegetables. Use small pans or sauce pans to arrange the stuffed vegetables, and cook them separately. Each vegetable has its own taste. When you roll the grape leaves make sure that you don't roll them too tight, or else they will explode. Actually today I was tired towards the end and I did just that, so some rolls were torn. They were delicious nonetheless and were devoured without anyone even noticing the mistake. When you arrange the stuffed grape leaves in the pan, you may sprinkle some garlic slices 

between rows, some people do that, I don't.

Add water, or stock, to the pans to fill them up to half the height of the vegetables. If the rice you are using needs 2 cups of liquid for each cup of rice, still add less liquid because the veggies will render their liquid too. Also you can always add liquid if need be. When the liquid comes to a boil, reduce the heat and let simmer covered until the rice is done and all the liquid absorbed. Of course you have to check from time to time in case you have to add some more liquid.

Arrange each vegetable on a separate serving dish. I prefer to serve them like that, it keeps each taste separate and if someone doesn't like one vegetable, he doesn't need to have it close to what he's eating. If you have a large round platter, put it over the pot with the grape leaves and turn it upside down. It will come out like a cake. I managed to take the picture after someone got to grab a couple of mahshis! But you get the idea.

For a detailed "how to stuff grape leaves" go to my previous blog dated 3/8/12.

                             

ARE YOU READY FOR SPRING?

Officially spring has sprung, but until now nothing happened: it's still cold and rainy, and even if we have a sunny day, we always end up having rain at night. But don't let these details stop you from getting ready for spring. I didn't. I already invited friends to come celebrate Easter Sunday with us. This year it coincides with our traditional celebration of Sham El Nessim, that comes on Easter Monday.

I haven't finalized the guest list yet, so the menu will also be amended accordingly. It will probably change only in terms of quantities, but the items will be the same. I thought of serving a roast, chicken cacciatore, smoked salmon, smoked herrings, white fish salad, taramo salata, boussara for my vegetarian guests, and an assortment of salads and vegetables. That was last week. I started my shopping early to make sure that I have all the ingredients I need. Meat, chicken and fish can be kept in the freezer or refrigerator until I need them, so I started by visiting the butcher. I had first thought of buying a whole beef tenderloin, but at the butcher's I found this beautiful veal shoulder cut that made me change my mind. I also found quail, so I got two packages, just in case I would change my mind about the chicken dish. I had already bought chicken breasts and thighs, so no problem if I wanted to cook a chicken dish after all. With the list of guests finalized, the final menu came as follows, from left to right: 

Boussara, herrings, white fish salad, veal shoulder with twice cooked potatoes, roasted quail, freekeh, shrimp and beans salad, red couscous salad with green beans, beets and corn, smoked salmon, carrot salad and cauliflower salad. For dessert I just prepared a bowl of mixed berries, knowing that guests will bring other desserts.

                                         

Most of the dishes are already in previous blogs, the new recipes are very easy and are all to taste. You can adjust the quantity according to the number of guests or people you are serving.

VEAL SHOULDER WITH TWICE COOKED POTATOES

                                                    

I chose two cuts of veal shoulder totaling about 9 pounds. I thought that was enough for 20 guests. It was, and I was happy to give some to take home. You can use the same concept to make a smaller piece, with or without the bone. You'll need:

9 lb of veal shoulder, fat removed

1 onion plus 7 to 9 garlic cloves very finely chopped in the food processor

4 to 6 bay leaves

Salt and pepper to taste, or use Adobo as I did

Rinse and pat dry the meat. Put it in a large oven proof pan, rub it with the onion/garlic mixture and salt and pepper. Add the bay leaves, cover with foil and refrigerate overnight. The next day, remove from the refrigerator and let rest at room temperature. About three hours before the guests arrive, preheat the oven at 375 degrees, then put the meat pan in, covered. Let it cook undisturbed for an hour, then remove the cover, continue cooking for 30 minutes, then turn the meat to the other side and let it cook for another 30 minutes, until you get a beautiful color. Remove the pan from the oven, cover the meat with foil and let it rest before you carve it. Remove the bay leaves and slice the meat, arrange on the serving platter with the potatoes.

EASY ROASTED QUAIL
                                            

This dish couldn't be easier. Cut the quail in half lengthwise, toss with onion/garlic mixture, salt, pepper, rosemary and a drop of lemon juice and oil. Let stand for about 30 minutes, then brown in a non stick skillet that can be used in the oven. Cook first on the skin side, for about 4 minutes, turn and brown on the other side. Add some stock, or even water. Bring to a boil, then put in the oven until the liquid is all absorbed and the birds well browned. To serve arrange on a platter with the freekeh in the center. I was going to do that, but my vegetarian friend insisted that I serve it separately, so I did, in the first available platter. It was a bit crowded, but was delicious nonetheless.

RED COUSCOUS SALAD WITH BEETS, GREEN BEANS AND CORN

                          
                                                

This is a very satisfying salad that you can serve on many occasions. It's colorful, full of vitamins, and with a little effort can be a beautiful centerpiece for your table. The main idea here is to cook the couscous in the beets liquid. So, measure the liquid from a 14.5 oz can of beets to use it to cook the couscous. I used 3 cans of beets to get 2 cups of liquid to make 2 cups of couscous. Don't add butter or salt to the liquid, you'll season the salad later. Bring the liquid to a boil, add the grains, cover and remove from heat. Fluff with a fork and the couscous is done. Make a very light vinaigrette with oil, lemon juice and salt all to taste and toss it with the couscous. Blanch the green beans in boiling water, I used 2 bags of cut beans each of 1 lb. Drain and transfer them to a bowl. Chop the beets from the cans and add them to the green beans. Make it a 1/3 beets to 2/3 beans. Use the same vinaigrette as the couscous to season the mixture. Leave some vinaigrette for the corn. I used two 14.5 oz cans of corn, drained, mixed them with chopped parsley and cilantro and tossed with the vinaigrette. Arrange some mixed greens on a large serving platter, transfer the couscous in a mound in the middle, spoon the beans around it, followed by the corn. You can also add some chopped feta to the corn. You'll have a colorful healthy dish that everyone will love.

FREEKEH

I have already posted this dish before under its Egyptian-Arabic name, Freek. It's usually sold under the label "bulgur", but try to get the biggest cut of the grain. Today I added something extra: instead of just using onions in the pan, I chopped some carrots and celery too, all almost liquefied. Cook them in a tbsp of oil, then add the freekeh. Stir for a couple of minutes then add stock, or water, to barely cover the grains. Add salt and let cook covered until all the liquid is absorbed. Uncover, stir and continue cooking on very low heat until tender. You may need to add some more liquid depending on the grains you have.

SHRIMP AND BEANS SALAD

                                                    

This is the easiest dish you can make to please a crowd. Just chop a small red onion, a couple of celery stalks, transfer them to a big bowl. Open a can of chick peas, black beans, corn and cannellini, rinse and drain. Add them to the bowl. Add cooked shrimp, and toss. Make a simple vinaigrette with oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper and cumin, and if you like a tsp of mustard. Toss and refrigerate for about 2 hours. When ready to serve, arrange some greens on a platter, add the salad and voila, a nutritious beautiful salad.

CARROT AND CAULIFLOWER SALADS

Another crowd pleaser. Just grate 4 to 5 carrots, transfer to a bowl. Make a vinaigrette with a tbsp or two of light mayo, salt, pepper, cumin and a dash of curry. Add some raisins and toss.
For the cauliflower, cook the florets in boiling salted water until crispy tender. Drain and transfer to a bowl. Add chopped green olives with pimento, some raisins, and some of the red onion and celery that you used in the previous salad. Toss with the same vinaigrette as the carrots and serve. You can also sprinkle both salad with some roasted chopped nuts, walnuts or hazelnuts.

                                                  

COLLECTIVE BIRTHDAYS

March and June are two busy months for our family. We celebrate many birthdays during these two months. This year we decided to combine the most important two, our daughter's and mine, in one single event. A dear friend of mine also is celebrating her birthday the week in between, so I decided to throw a big collective birthday party for all of us. I made sure that we make it a surprise for our friend, she thought we are just having one of our now regular tea parties.

As usual, I had everything ready the night before, but our grand daughter fell sick on that day, so her mom couldn't come. A small change of plans. I had prepared my menu for a larger number of people, so I had to scale things down a little bit. The original menu was as follows:

- leg of lamb with mushroom gravy, served with potatoes

- chicken bites over yellow rice

- lots of vegetables and a separate dish of peperonata

- salsa with avocado

- yogurt salad

                                                     

The meat was already marinating in the fridge, the rice cooked, the veggies cleaned and ready, the peperonata almost done. So, the first thing I did was to freeze the peperonata. I can finish cooking it later when I need it. I also scaled back on the veggies. I can keep them cleaned and trimmed for a couple more days and cook them fresh later on. As for the meats, it was better to cook them anyway and give dogie bags to all who will come. 

LEG OF LAMB WITH MUSHROOM GRAVY AND TWICE COOKED POTATOES

                                             

                                                  

I might have posted this recipe before, but as I always say, you never cook the same dish the same way every time. Today I bought 2 boneless legs of lamb. When I started removing all the fat, I realized that it was too much, so I retained a good chunk of it, and it turned out to be a good decision. You'll need:

A whole leg of lamb, bone and all visible fat removed, about 6 pounds

3 tbsp onion/garlic mixture

2 to 3 cups plain yogurt

1 tsp each cumin, cinnamon, ground clove

1/2 tsp each ginger, coriander

A pinch of nutmeg

3 to 4 garlic cloves sliced 

About 10 whole cloves

Salt and pepper

In a small bowl mix the onion/garlic mixture with all the spices. Put the meat in a large bowl. Rub the mixture onto the meat. Add salt and pepper to the yogurt and slather it all over the meat. Cover and refrigerate overnight. The next day, transfer the meat to the cooking pan, making sure that it is not overwhelmed by the yogurt. Discard all remaining marinade. Insert a slice of garlic and a clove in the folds of the meat. Cover with foil and let stand at room temperature until ready to put in the oven. My guests were coming at 5 pm, so I turned on the oven at 2:30, at 375 degrees. Give the meat about 30 minutes, then remove the foil. Let cook for another 15 to 20 minutes, then turn it and give it another 15 to 20 minutes. It should have a nice brown crust and the sauce should still be liquid. Remove the meat from the pan and keep it covered with foil.

MUSHROOM SAUCE:

                                                        

2 lb white mushrooms

1 tbsp onion/garlic mixture

1 tbsp oil

2 tbsp flour or brown gravy powder (we can cheat a little)

Clean and slice the mushrooms. Cook the onion/garlic mixture in the oil until translucent, then add the mushrooms with a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir until wilted down. Dissolve the gravy powder in some water and add it to the mushrooms. Stir. Remove the cloves and garlic slices from the meat pan and add the liquids to the mushroom pan. Stir and let cook until the gravy thickens. Transfer to a serving bowl.

TWICE COOKED POTATOES:

The night before your party, while you are preparing other dishes, put some potatoes in a large pot with salted water and boil them. When they are done, drain the potatoes and keep them covered for the next day. When you are ready, peel the potatoes and cut them into cubes. Fry the potatoes in vegetable oil until golden brown, drain over paper towels, sprinkle some salt. 

Just before your guests arrive, slice the meat, arrange the slices on a large serving dish, and put the potatoes in the middle or to the side. 

MIXED VEGETABLES

                                                        

I have been saying this forever: don't boil your veggies. You'll loose all the vitamins and nutrients. The best way to sautee vegetables is to cook some onion/garlic mixture in a drop of oil in a large skillet until translucent, add the veggies and a sprinkle of salt and pepper, or some granules if you prefer, stir, then add a drop of boiling water. Not too much, just enough to wet the vegetables and help them cook until tender or al dente (asparagus), depending on your taste and the veggies. 

YOGURT SALAD

                                                  

Some call it tzatziki, but this is Greek for the same salad. It's the easiest dip or salad you can make. I stopped using Greek yogurt since I discovered the creamier, smoother Indian plain yogurt. Just peel and chop a seedless cucumber, add it to the yogurt in a bowl, add some chopped dill and stir. Season the salad with salt, pepper and garlic powder. You can of course use very finely chopped fresh garlic, if you are sure that you can chop it so fine that no one will end up with a chunk of garlic under his tooth. If you don't have dill, you can use mint, fresh or dried. Or both.

INDIAN INSPIRED CHICKEN AND YELLOW RICE

                                          

I posted the recipe for this dish before (6/6/12). Today I tweaked the recipe a bit, using the Indian yogurt and some of the spices I had at hand to marinate the lamb. I added some ginger, coriander, cumin and celery salt. You can experiment with different spices, but stay in the same palette, meaning use spices used in that particular kitchen and don't go overboard. Just make sure that you keep the thighs and breast pieces separate, in case you guests have preferences.

SALSA WITH AVOCADO

You can find this recipe in a blog dated 3/1/14. People loved it so much that I made again with great success. This time I added some chopped cucumber.

                                             

CONQUERING OLD FEARS

I was never able to cook a good potato au gratin. I really tried many times, but it either came out crispy, meaning undercooked, or soupy, meaning the liquid did not make a creamy sauce. I think I know the reason why. I didn't want to put heavy cream or make a "regular" white sauce, which meant using a lot of butter, and probably more cheese than I would want to. I always thought that there must be a way to cook the potatoes au gratin with less fat. I couldn't find it until today. 

POTATO  CASSEROLE 
                                                

Fed up with my continuous failure in the "au gratin" dishes, I decided to go in another direction. Since I prefer to play by my own rules, I will make the dish the way I want it to be. Granted it will not be a real "potatoes au gratin" , but it still will be a creamy potato dish. So, inspired by a cauliflower  dish I made with success, I started thinking of applying the same principle to potatoes. It turned out to be a delicious addition to my repertoire, and what I liked most about its idea is that you can tweak  the recipe according to your taste and to what you have in the pantry. I made it with ground meat that I had browned the day before for the pasta. You can go completely vegetarian, or use any kind of meat you want: sausage, cubed beef, veal or lamb. The only condition is that you cook the meat beforehand, preferably in the same pot, then add the potatoes. I also added some carrots to the potatoes, I like to see some color in my dishes. As for the cheese, the sky is the limit: use what you have or what you like. Use one kind alone, or a mixture of two cheeses. It's up to you. The quantity is also flexible, you can make it for two, or enough to feed a whole tribe. This is why it can be a very good choice for a dish to bring to a pot luck dinner. You can also serve it at room temperature with no problem. You'll need:

8 potatoes (about 5 inch long each)
20 baby carrots
2 cups browned ground beef
1 tbsp onion/garlic mixture
1 cup each milk and sour cream
3 1/2 to 4 cups grated Gruyere and Cheddar cheese
8 sprigs of dill, finely chopped (you can use parsley or cilantro)

Peels and cube the potatoes, and cook them with the chopped carrots in salted boiling water until almost tender. Remember they will continue cooking in the oven. In a large bowl mix milk, sour cream, half of the cheeses, the onion mixture and the ground beef, plus salt and pepper to taste. Again remember that you added salt to the boiling water and to the ground meat while browning it. Drain the potatoes and carrots and add them to the bowl. Mix well. Transfer to a baking dish that you may spray beforehand with cooking spray. Today I didn't. Bake covered with foil in a 375 degrees oven for about 20 minutes. Mix the dill with the remaining cheese. Remove the foil, sprinkle the cheese mixture on top of the dish and return to the oven for another 10 minutes until the cheese melts and turns golden.

BEEF STEW WITH VEGETABLES

                                              

I could easily post this dish under the title "correcting my mistakes", or  "another life for leftovers". You can make it as I did from a leftover roast, or from scratch. Once again, the versatility of the dish allows you to use any vegetables you like, the quantity and ratio depend on your taste. It turned out to be a hearty meal just perfect for a cold winter evening. You'll need:

A cooked beef roast enough for 4 people, (5 to 6 slices, each 1/2 inch thick, 7 to 8 inches wide)
4 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
15 baby carrots sliced
4 cups brown mushrooms, whole if small, quartered if larger
3 heaping tbsp brown gravy powder
2 tbsp frozen onion/ garlic mixture
1 tbsp oil

The main idea in making this dish is that you are going to serve some leftover meat in a different way, but if you want to make it from scratch, choose a cut of meat with little fat. It must not be fancy, you can take your time cooking it. If this is your preference, discard the gravy powder, the meat will have its own brown juices. In this case, rub the onion/ garlic mixture, salt and pepper all over the meat. In a nonstick skillet deep enough to hold the meat and vegetables, heat the oil, brown the meat on all sides, add water and let cook until almost tender, turning it every now and then and adding more water when it needs. Make sure that when the meat reaches the tenderness we want, you don't have too much liquid in the pan. Remove the meat from the pan, and set aside. Starting from this point the process is the same. The only difference is that if you have a cooked roast, you start at this point by cooking the onion in oil until translucent, then add the potatoes and carrots. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and stir to cook for 5 to 7 minutes. Add some water, about 2 cups, not more, and let cook until the liquid is absorbed and the veggies almost tender. Add the mushrooms, sprinkle with salt and pepper and stir. Dissolve the gravy powder in 1 1/2 cup of boiling water and add it to the pan. Return the meat to the pan, and make sure that there is enough liquid to allow it to be incorporated with the vegetables. Reduce the heat and let simmer until the sauce thickens. You'll have a piece of meat that literally will melt in your mouth. The vegetables will be tender and flavored with all the juices and the goodness of the roast.

BACK TO BASICS

I can't follow my husband' s eating habits anymore. I can't live on dry foods and salads when I go to work. This is not working anymore. So I gave him an ultimatum: I am going to cook whatever I'm in the mood for, and if he wants to join me, he's welcome, or he has a freezer filled with waffles. It turned out that I should have done that long ago. He enjoyed the salmon the other day, and ate all the traditional classic meals I cooked during the week. So why does he insist on having waffles and corn flakes as the only items in his diet? I figured that maybe he doesn't want me to cook during the periods I'm working. How considerate. But this had a very bad effect on my system, it is working on dry, very dry. And after all, cooking for two or preparing meals for the week is not that a big problem. I realized the reason of his attitude just today, when we were talking about getting the grandchildren to come next weekend for their mom's birthday, and he said, but this means you're going to cook! I insisted that I didn't mind, especially for that occasion, since the girls did absolutely nothing for their mom, at least we should spoil her a little bit.

So today we'll review all the classic items on our weekly menu.

ZITI IN MEAT SAUCE

                                              

All the coming dishes actually don't need a recipe. They are all from the traditional cooking repertoire of any household. These are the go to dishes when you come back from work and whip up something for your family to eat. They all depend on what you have at hand, how many people you are feeding and your preferences. This week I added to these conditions one extra element: which items you have to consume ASAP before spring cleaning and replenishing your pantry. So, I had enough ziti in a jar for both of us, but also sitting on the pasta shelf there was a jar with a handful of penne. Can I add them to the ziti? Of course I can. I am cooking for me and my husband and we definitely are not going to complain about the pasta mix. So while the pasta is cooking in boiling salted water, I brown about 2 lbs of lean ground beef in a non-stick skillet with 3 tbsp onion/garlic mixture I always keep in the freezer, with a sprinkle of salt and pepper of course. When the liquid is absorbed in the pan, I removed almost half of the beef to a container to be used later in another dish. I added about 3 cups sliced mushrooms and cooked them stirring often. Then add 1 can of tomato sauce, rinse it with water and add the water to the pan. Stir, bring to a boil, then reduce heat until the sauce thickens a bit. By now the pasta is done, drain and add it to the pan. Mix and serve with a sprinkle of grated cheese, optional.

CREAMY LIGHT POTATO AND CARROT SOUP

I first had this soup in a Polish restaurant during a lunch break years ago. Yes it was a very long time ago, when I was still naive and ate soup outside. Maybe this was one of the reasons why I changed my mind about soups in restaurants: it was delicious but very heavy. It was probably made with a lot of butter in the basic roux that is supposed to make a soup creamy. And immediately I thought of ways of making it lighter.

I remember posting this recipe before, maybe on the very first postings of this blog. But there is no harm in doing that again today, it's still cold out there, and you may need a good soup without going through many posts until you find something you like. Keeping with my main theme these days, I thought of this particular soup mainly because I had its ingredients at hand, and it was really time to use them all up. I usually buy some items in bulk: I get a 5 lb bag of baby carrots, they are easier to use when I cook, when cut, they come out in cute little rounds, and they are a healthy snack when I need something to nibble on. I also get a bag of 4 hearts of celery, that  use almost everywhere, in salads, in cooked dishes and as a snack. And the potatoes, they also come in a big bag. They last for a long time, but still, you have to use them before they spoil. So cut the vegetables in same size cubes or slices, rinse and drain them, then transfer to a large pot. Cover the veggies with water, or stock, vegetable or chicken, as you like. For the quantities I always go by color, meaning green and red equals white. The potato cubes should be equal to the celery and carrot pieces. You can eyeball that, no need to measure. You can also change the ratio according to your taste: some prefer to have some specks of orange (carrots) while others like to see more of it, it's up to you. Bring to a boil on high, then reduce the heat to medium, keep the pot cover ajar, and cook until the veggies are almost done. Add two heaping tbsp of sour cream while stirring to dissolve and combine. Just before serving, finely chop some dill, about 8 sprigs and add them to the soup. Stir and remove from heat. I like to keep the herb very fresh  in the soup.
Note: if you don't have any sour cream, simply dissolve a tbsp of flour in a cup of milk, even skim. Add them early on to the soup so that the mixture can have enough time to cook. you'll get the same result, no fat added.

                                                  

CORRECTING MY OWN MISTAKES

We all make mistakes. In the kitchen, one can make a number of mistakes that can be immediately corrected during the cooking process and end up with the right dish. But sometimes you notice that something went wrong when you are done cooking. Are you going to throw out the dish and try to make something else, or try to make lemonade from the lemon you have at hand?

The first category of mistakes is the most common, and the easiest to fix:if you added too much liquid, if possible, you let the food cook a little bit longer until the excess liquid evaporates. You forget an ingredient, you add it, you skip a step, either you go back or amend the usual procedures to accommodate the wrong turn that you took.

But there are also big mistakes, mistakes that happen at the very end, when you think that the dish is ready, and to your horror, you discover that this was not what you expected or what you were aiming for. Believe me, every cook makes these kinds of mistakes. Don't worry, we'll always find a way to correct them.

CHICKEN  TENDERS

                                             

                               

Remember the chicken tenders I made for my last tea party? Of course you don't. I did not post the recipe. That was because they didn't come out the way I had hoped they would. You know that one of my basic principles when I am cooking for a crowd that I don't fry, and prefer to cook everything in the oven, especially the meats. But for the first time, I thought of putting aside this principle, because I was aiming for finger foods, and prepare some chicken tenders. My first instinct was to go for my usual recipe of fried chicken, but I wanted to improvise. Big mistake. I decided to cook the chicken tenders in the oven instead of frying them. So I did my homework and looked for recipes of baked chicken cutlets. I found a number of recipes, and they all promised juicy, well done, baked chicken. Not true.

In my mind baking instead of frying means less fat. All the recipes I found used fat in some form to marinate the chicken before cooking it, and then spray some cooking oil or fat on the baking sheet. This gives the impression that you are not actually using fat. But what about the whipping cream or the oil that you used in the marinade? Anyway, as usual, I decided to take the middle ground and eliminate this initial fat and use only the cooking spray, knowing that I used it before with success. Also not very advisable. I marinated the chicken as usual in some onion/garlic mixture, lemon juice, a pinch of oregano and of course salt and pepper. I dipped them in egg, flour and bread crumbs, and as a new thing, added panko (the Japanese crumbs).

I arranged the chicken tenders on a baking sheet spayed with cooking oil and baked them in a 375 degree oven. My husband came in the kitchen at this moment, asked what I was cooking, and made a remark that I should be careful not to serve half baked chicken. Maybe this was the mistake. I left them a bit longer in the oven. Also I think because of the added panko, they did not turn golden brown as expected, so I had to wait longer for that to happen. The end result was not very tender chicken tenders. They tasted good, but very dry.

So, I tried to save the leftovers. It was simple and easy: I made a gravy by cooking a finely chopped clove of garlic in a drop of oil, added some mushrooms from 2 (4 oz) cans, and diluted 2 heaping tbsp of chicken gravy powder in 2 cups of hot water and added them to the pan. I then added the chicken and let them simmer on low until the liquid thickened. The chicken tenders were saved. I served them over pasta with a salad on the side.

                                          

                               

GETTING READY FOR SPRING

Today is the first day of daylight saving time. The weather is beautiful in New York, at least from behind the windows. I woke up to beautiful blue skies, plenty of sun and lots of warmth, from the heating of course. They say it's rather cold outside, but I didn't go out today, I want to enjoy the illusion of getting closer to spring, before snow hits us again in a few days. All these feelings and expectations made me really think about spring. We have to get ready. So before it's time for spring cleaning, I should start checking out my freezer to consume whatever is still there, before we replenish the kitchen for the new season. I came upon a beautiful piece of salmon. This will be our dinner tonight.

 ORANGE FLAVORED SALMON WITH DILL MUSTARD SAUCE

                                                    

This turned out to be a very easy and delicious dish. Usually I cook salmon with a mushroom sauce, but today I thought of making something different, with a very light sauce. Luckily my husband was very enthusiastic about the idea, he thought that this would be a very welcome change in our routine. Still, he came into the kitchen several times to check on what I was doing, just to make sure. I made it with what I had at hand, nothing fancy. You'll need:

1 large slice of salmon, about 1 1/2 lbs, or 3 to 4 fillets

Zest and juice of 1/2 orange

1 tsp lemon juice

2 tsp mustard

2 tsp mayo

7 sprigs dill

2 tsp capers drained

1 tbsp oil

In a non stick pan, large enough for the fish you are using, arrange the slices skin side down. Sprinkle with the lemon juice, half of the orange juice and half of the orange zest. Add salt and pepper to taste, and the oil, and lightly rub it in the fish. Let stand until the oven is preheated. Place the oven rack in the middle position. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. When the oven is heated, put the fish in the oven.

In the mean time combine the mustard, mayo, orange juice and zest in a small bowl. In the chop chop finely chop the dill and capers. Add them to the bowl and mix thoroughly. The sauce is ready. you don't need to add salt and pepper, the mustard and capers are enough.

Check on the fish after  about 12 to 15 minutes. We prefer it well done, but if you prefer to have it with some pink in the middle remove it from the oven. If you are like us, check the skin, if it is browned on the edges, it's good. You can turn off the oven and leave the fish inside for 5 or 6 minutes until ready to serve. Transfer the fish to the serving dish, the sauce to a small serving bowl. Serve with some mashed potatoes and salad greens. I actually used the sauce as dressing for the greens. Just thin it out with a drop of oil and you're done.
Note: you can make the sauce with yogurt instead of mayo. Today it so happened that I had these two spoonfuls in the mayo jar, and it was time to use them and put the jar in the recycling bin.