Bizarre Foods.

Sorry Mr. Zimmern, but today I really have to use this title. Yes, today I'm cooking some bizarre foods. This is the best way out of the same old routine and get some excitement in our lives. But first we have to determine what do we consider "bizarre foods". Basically I think that we tend to call bizarre all foods that we are not used to. Yes we have a tendency to eat what we are used to, even if it is bad for us. We tend to make and remake the same recipes, eat the same things over and over again, without trying to open up to new foods or recipes. We eat a lot of fast food, and processed foods, and we try helplessly to convince ourselves that somewhere in there, there must be something good for us. Not true. All studies confirm that processed foods are not good food, and that there is a lot of things out there that we can eat: vegetables, fruits, whole grains, lean meats and a whole new world of recipes that we should try and enjoy. One easy way to change a bad eating habit is to be open to other cultures and the way they eat. Lately we seem to have opened up a little, we eat sushi, Mexican food and Chinese food.. but it's all somehow sanitized. These  dishes are not the same in their country of origin. We always end up bending the recipes to make them suitable to our taste. It seems that we consider ourselves the "culture of reference", but why should we? We eat cheese, we love cheese, but some cultures in Africa and Asia, way older than ours, don't know cheese at all, and may consider it bizarre. Some may consider a food "bizarre" simply because they never experienced it. So my question is: "How can we say with certainty that a food is bizarre?" Do we really know what goes into a hot dog? or into the fast food that we love so much? Other cultures know for a fact that food doesn't always come from a supermarket or in a plastic container. I've traveled around the world and seen many examples of cultures and peoples living on the fruits of their land: they eat what they grow in their fields and the animals they raise. They eat everything and nothing goes to waste. So have the courage to experiment, don't let anything (texture, color or smell) hold you back. Try everything at least twice, just to make sure that you really don't like it, but I'm sure that you'll find many things out there, that you thought were bizarre, delicious and that you'll ask for seconds.

OXTAIL STEW

                                                       

Guess what I found at the store the other day? Yes, I found oxtail. To tell you the truth, I've never seen it before in my life. Actually, I remember vaguely that when I was maybe 6 years old, I was at the butcher's with my uncle, who pointed out that the small bones on the butcher's counter were "oxtail". Of course, at that age, I couldn't even understand what was that. So, years later, here I was standing in front of the meat display case looking at oxtail. I was amazed that what I was looking at was not the skimpy little pieces of bone barely covered by meat, as I remembered it from my childhood, but a huge chunk of meat, like the osso buco cut. So, without any hesitation I took the oxtail home. I went directly to my sources: Julia Child cooks it in a minestrone type soup. The Egyptian Julia Child, Abla Nazira, browns it with onions and a bit of tomato paste. Other books don't even mention oxtail. So I guess I'm on my own on this one. And here's what I did. You'll need:

4 lb oxtail

3 tbsp frozen onion/garlic mixture

2 tsp sumac

2 tbsp flour

2 tbsp oil

1/2 bag frozen pearl onions

Beef stock as needed (about 1 1/2 cups)

1/2 can (6 oz) tomato paste

Salt and pepper to taste

The first thing I noticed is that oxtail is very fat, so I removed all the fat I could see. Now, mix the meat pieces with the onion/garlic, salt and pepper and sumac. Cover and refrigerate overnight. 

When you're ready to cook the oxtail, put the flour in a shallow dish, and lightly toss the oxtail pieces in it. In a nonstick skillet large enough to hold all the pieces in one layer, heat one tbsp oil and start browning the oxtail pieces in it on all sides. Remove the meat to a platter. In the same skillet, add the second tbsp of oil and cook the leftover marinade. When it's browned, it will need only a couple of minutes, add the pearl onions still frozen and stir. Deglaze the pan with 1/2 cup of beef stock or water. Stir the tomato paste in 1 cup stock. Return the oxtail pieces to the pan, add the tomato mixture. Stir and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat. Let simmer until the meat is fork tender. You may need to add some more liquid until the oxtail is done. Serve over mashed potatoes, pasta or rice pilaf.                                              

Easy and delicious salads.

Summer is the season for salads. When it's hot and humid out there it is most likely that you don't  want to turn on the stove or even come near it. So salads become the best meal for these days. They should not be difficult to make, nor need a recipe. You can simply look around your pantry and your refrigerator to come up with some easy and delicious combinations that everyone will love. You can surely use salads as meals, even when you have company. The only extra thing you'll have to do in this case is to make the presentation a little dramatic.

SEAFOOD AND BEAN SALAD

The last time I made this salad I had a lot of leftover seafood from a bollito misto I had made. You can also make it fresh, either you cook your seafood or buy it already cooked. If you want to cook the seafood, please do not boil it. Take it out of the shell, cut it in bite size (lobster for example) and simply toss it with some lime juice, a pinch of garlic powder or minced garlic and salt and pepper in a skillet with a drop of oil. When it turns red (actually orange) it is done. Let it cool, then assemble your salad. For this salad you'll need:

1 cup each: crab legs meat, shrimps, lobster meat
3 stalks of celery
1/2 red onion

1 can chick peas

1 can black beans
1 can (6oz black olives, pitted)
1 tomato
1 avocado
Juice of 2 limes
2 to 3 tbsp oil (olive oil or any oil you prefer in your salad)
Salt and pepper to taste

In a big bowl put all the seafood pieces and toss with the lime juice and some salt and pepper. Chop the celery, slice the black olive in small rings, and add to the bowl. Drain the beans, rinse and drain them again. Add the beans to the bowl. Dice the tomato and add it to the salad. Cut the avocado in half, remove the pit, dice it in the shell and then remove the flesh from it with a spoon. Add to the salad and sprinkle with lime juice. Add oil and toss. Adjust the seasoning, refrigerate for 30 minutes and serve.

CRAB MEAT SALAD

I made this salad when some friends called and said they were coming to see us one afternoon. Since they were from out of town, my husband thought that we should prepare a quick dinner and his first reaction was to go and buy some kind of meat or chicken to be grilled. Instead, I told him that we had at home many ingredients for a very good meal, and that there was no need to buy anything. Of course he was not convinced, until they came, had dinner with us and enjoyed every bit of it (there were no leftovers). I had a box of hors d'oeuvre in the freezer that I could bake in 35 minutes. I also made an easy pasta al forno and this salad. You'll need:
2 containers of crab meat (chunks and pieces, about 2 lb total)
3 stalks of celery
1 medium carrot
1/2 red onion
2 to 3 tbsp capers, drained
3 tbsp lime or lemon juice
1/2 bunch of dill
3 heaping tbsp of mayo
Salt and pepper to taste
3 endives for serving
Whole wheat toast for serving

In a large bowl put the crab meat and sprinkle with lime juice. Make sure that the are no shells or bones in the meat. In a food processor, or the small chop-chop, chop the red onion, then the carrot followed by the celery. I usually pulverize them so that you don't have any big chunks in the salad, just the taste and the color. Add to the bowl. Toss the salad. Add the capers, toss and adjust seasoning. Be careful not to add too much salt. Fold in the mayo, one tbsp at a time. You may not need to add all the mayo. Sprinkle with chopped dill.
To serve: remove the leaves of the endives and fill them with the salad and arrange them on a serving platter.

Put the remaining salad in a small serving bowl. Toast the bread slices by putting them in a 375 degree oven until browned. Slice them in triangles and arrange them around the salad bowl.

RICE AND BEANS SALAD

                                                       

Beans are very nutritious. They are rich in vitamins, protein, fiber and minerals, and they really taste good. You may think that it's difficult to cook beans, but it's not true. Even if you cook the beans from the dried state, the only thing you need is a little bit of extra time. You should pick the beans, in case there are some little stones or debris, rinse and soak them overnight. The next day just boil them in water with a pinch of salt until they are done. Again this salad doesn't need a recipe, it only needs a formula to mix any kind of beans, grains and vegetables, toss them with your preferred dressing or simply with a vinaigrette or even salt and pepper with any oil you prefer, lemon or lime juice  and your salad is ready. This formula is very simple, it consists of: equal amounts of beans and cooked grains (2 cups) + 3 cups of vegetables + 1/4 cup fresh herbs + onion to taste (1/2 red onion or 4 scallions) + 1/2 cup extras (cubed or crumbled cheese, toasted nuts, olives). You may use raw or cooked vegetables, anything you prefer or you have around the house. Usually I combine raw and cooked veggies. The raw vegetables can be tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers etc., and I put 2 cups. For the cooked vegetables (corn, green beans, peas etc.) I only use one cup.  As for the grains, you can also use what you have on hand: cooked white or brown rice, couscous, bulghur, quinoa or small size pasta. For this salad you'll need:

2 cups cooked rice
1 can black beans
1 can black olives, pitted
2 cups cherry tomatoes
2 small cucumbers
4 scallions
A small bunch of basil
A dash (1/4 tsp) of sumac
Lime juice, salt and pepper, oil, all to taste

Drain the beans, rinse them and drain them again. In a large bowl, put the rice, add the beans. Slice the olives, cut the tomatoes in half and thinly slice the scallions, white parts and some green. Peel the cucumbers, and with a knife cut them in four lengthwise, then slice them. Add all the vegetables to the bowl, and toss. Sprinkle the sumac (it's a Middle Eastern spice with lemony taste), lime juice and salt and pepper. Add the oil and toss. Note that the sumac tastes a bit like lemon and it is also salty, so don't add too much salt or lemon juice. Arrange the basil leaves one over the other, roll them and cut them in thin slices. Sprinkle the basil over the salad. Lightly toss and serve.                                           
                                                  

                                                     

Can you eat "organ"-ic?

The Mediterranean culture doesn't waste food. I grew up in this culture, where literally nothing goes to waste. As a tradition, at least once a year, every family gathers around a big feast of  a whole lamb. This concept may be strange for those of us who were brought up in the city, but in the countryside even today, this is a normal practice. In areas and farms where animal are raised, when one of the animals is slaughtered the event becomes a family affair and everybody joins in. On these occasions the whole animal is cooked, from head to tail. Growing up, our family tradition was to donate most of the animal to the poor, we would only keep a roast and the parts that were considered of "second grade", mainly the organs, the feet and the head. Today these parts are considered delicacies, and whenever they are served people welcome them with oohs and aahs.

I still remember the days when the whole family would gather at our home for the feast: my aunts would first prepare the meat to be donated, then start cooking our share. Brunch would be mainly a stew of different organs: liver, heart and kidneys. The menu for the other big meal of the day would consist mainly of whatever cut of meat we kept: grilled chops, boiled neck and a roast. These are relatively easy to prepare, so the main effort would be spent preparing all the other pieces: tripe, brains, testicles, tongue, lungs, all the organs, even the intestines and the feet. Nothing is discarded.

I don't remember that there even was a question of saying "I like this, or I don't like that". You had to eat everything.. or try everything at least twice to form an informed opinion and make up your mind. So I've tried them all. I can proudly say from experience that I've tasted all kinds of organs and have determined my preferences. Today I'm sharing them with you.

GRILLED LIVER

                                 

This is a very easy way to cook liver. You surely know that liver is very good for you. It's full of vitamins and minerals and is highly recommended for those who suffer from anemia. But, not everyone can eat liver. I noticed that many around me think that it is one of those things you cannot even come close to. That's not true. My recipe will prove it. In fact, the day I took this picture, I had some young family members  who had this opinion. Once one of them took a bite of liver, everyone was so excited that they didn't even give me time to do anything with the boiled potatoes I had on the side. Everything disappeared in a second. So, have a little faith, be courageous and try a piece of grilled liver. You'll need:

2 lb calf liver

1 tbsp frozen onion/garlic mixture

Juice of 1 lime, or more to taste

Salt and pepper to taste

Ask your butcher to cut the liver for you in slices a little less than 1/2 inch thick. Please try to get your liver from a butcher, not those slices you find in supermarkets that God only knows how long they've been sitting in the display case, they will never give you the same taste. Rinse the liver slices thoroughly and make sure that you remove any clots of blood they may contain. Put the slices in a bowl and add all the other ingredients. Mix well and let the slices marinate for at least one hour. Heat the grill and grill the liver slices 2 or 3 minutes on each side. Make sure that you do not disturb them too much on the grill. To check for donness, remove a slice and put it in a plate: if the juices run clear, the liver is well done, if it is a bit red, it's medium rare. So cook them to suit your taste.  

MIXED ORGANS STEW

                              

Now that you've tried liver, let's  take it up a notch: let's try some more organs. This is a simple way to cook three organs together (liver, heart and kidneys) in a delicious stew. As usual, my way is a tweaked traditional recipe, where I reduce the amount of fat used. As we did for the liver recipe, try to get your organs fresh from a butcher. You can ask him to slice the heart, liver and kidneys for you. My butcher always resists when I ask him to remove all the fat from the meat I buy from him and tells me that fat makes the meat delicious, so I don't discuss it anymore: I ask him to remove the fat, he resists and removes part of it and I complete the job on my own at home. I always remove all the white I can see in the meat, and in this case in the organs. The liver has no fat, so I cut the slices in 1 inch strips. The heart has only a fatty part on top and it's very easy to remove. Make sure also that it doesn't have any pieces of big blood vessels, they are also easy to recognize and remove. The kidneys are a bit tricky: sometimes they come with a clear membrane on the outside, just peel it off. It will come off easy. The tricky part is in the middle: there is a chunk of fat in the center of the kidney, but it is very visible and easy to remove. You can even cut around it and get pieces of red meat. You'll need:

1 veal heart

2 veal kidneys

1 to 1 1/2 lb calf liver

2 to 3 tbsp onion/garlic mixture

Salt and pepper to taste

1 tsp lime juice

1 tbsp butter

Once you've prepared the organs and removed all the fat, put each kind in a bowl, and add to each 1 tbsp onion/garlic mixture and salt and pepper. Add the lime juice only to the liver. Let marinate for at least 1 hour. In a nonstick skillet large enough to hold all the organs you have, start cooking the heart slices. Let them first brown stirring frequently on medium high heat. When all the liquid is absorbed, add 1/2 cup of water and stir to loosen the browned bits from around the skillet. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and keep cooking with the skillet covered. Remember that the heart is a very strong muscle, so it may need more time to cook and become tender. You may add some more water until you are sure that the heart slices are almost fork tender. You can now add the kidney slices, stir. Then add the liver strips. Stir. They will render their liquids. Wait until all the liquid is absorbed  and the slices are browned.  Add the tbsp of butter, stir to combine. Add 1/4 cup water or so to loosen all the browned bits in the skillet and constitute a brown sauce. When this sauce is formed and the organ slices are fork tender, remove from the heat and serve.                                             

Mixed Grills

In New York we went directly from too cold to go outside and grill, to too hot to go outside and grill!

Still, the scathing heat wave that has been grilling us for the last ten days, will not deter this new yorker from exercising her right to fire up the grill and spend the afternoon on the deck in the back yard, sipping drinks and waiting for the meat to cook. Luckily last Sunday, the weather gave us a nice break, and instead of the usual 105 degrees that has been keeping us all inside hugging the air conditioners, we were basking in a cool 90 degrees or so. What made the day much more enjoyable is that we had the children to help with the grilling. Yes, I marinated the chicken, made the burgers and the salads and just gave instructions to the men who, as usual, performed their manly duties at the grill.

GRILLED CHICKEN

I made three kinds of grilled chicken: drumsticks, thighs and chicken kebab; each with a different marinade. They are all very easy and give you the best results without any effort. So, we'll start with the drumsticks. You'll need:

10 drumsticks, skin on
2 tbsp onion/garlic mixture
3 rosemary stems
6 to 7 thyme stems
1 tsp lemon zest + 2 to 3 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp oil (I used extra light olive oil)
Salt and pepper to taste

Remove the leaves of the rosemary and thyme from the stems and finely chop them. If you cannot do that with the knife, don't worry, use a small chop-chop like I do. Also, if you don't have the usual onion/garlic frozen mixture I usually keep in my freezer, it's time to go ahead and start with one onion and 3to 4 garlic cloves before you chop the herbs. After you liquefy the onion and garlic, remove the mixture to a bowl, and chop the herbs. Rinse and pat dry the chicken drumsticks. In a different bowl mix all the ingredients to coat the chicken pieces. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least for 3 hours, to overnight. 

For the chicken thighs, you'll need:

10 thighs, boneless and skinless

3 tbsp plain yogurt (I used regular, not Greek which I think is too creamy for this recipe)

2 tsp sumac (found in Oriental groceries)

1 tsp sweet paprika

2 tbsp onion/garlic mixture

Salt and pepper

Remove all the visible fat from the thighs and put them in a bowl. Add all the other ingredients and mix well. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.

For the chicken kebab, you'll need:

2 chicken breasts, skinless and boneless

2 tbsp plain yogurt

1 tbsp onion/garlic mixture

1 tsp sumac

1 tsp paprika

Salt and pepper to taste

Cut the chicken breasts in 1 1/2 inch cubes and put them in a bowl. Mix the chicken cubes with all the other ingredients , cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate, until ready to grill. You can then put 4 pieces of chicken in each skewer and put them on the grill when all the other dishes are almost done. The kebab cooks faster than the drumsticks.

EASY DELICIOUS BURGERS

I hope you kept the rest of the onion/garlic mixture that you just made. It will help you with this easy recipe for burgers. You'll need:

4 lb ground beef
3 tbsp onion/garlic mixture (about 1/2  large onion and 3 garlic cloves)
1 small bunch each flat leaf parsley and dill
2 eggs
1/2 cup plain bread crumbs
1 cup grated pecorino Romano cheese
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
Salt and pepper

Chop the parsley and dill in the small processor. In a bowl mix all the ingredients. Take a piece of the mixture a little bigger than a golf ball. Work it between your hands to form a perfect ball without seams. Press the meat ball between your palms to form a patty 1/2 inch thick. Grill for 3 minutes on each side without disturbing the burgers too much.

TORTELLINI SALAD

                                                          

This is an easy side dish that you can prepare also in advance and assemble it just before dinner. You'll need:

3 cups tortellini (frozen)
1/2 small red onion
1to 2 garlic cloves
1/2 bunch parsley
1 1/2 cup baby carrots
1 cup frozen peas
1 heart of celery (about 3to 4 stalks with the leaves)
1 cup mayo
1/2 cup plain yogurt
2 to 3 tbsp lemon juice

In the small chop-chop pulverize the onion, garlic, carrot and parsley. Chop the celery a little bit bigger to have some crunch in the salad. In the mean time, boil some water to cook the tortellini. When they are almost done, they rise to the surface, add the peas and let boil for a couple of minutes. Drain the tortellini and rinse them under cold running water. Drain. In a bowl, combine the onion/garlic, the carrots, parsley and celery. Add the tortellini when they are cooled. Fold in the mayo and yogurt, sprinkle with lemon juice and add salt and pepper to taste. Toss and refrigerate for 1/2 to 1 hour before serving.

TIP: While the tortellini were cooking, I made the sauce, meaning I mixed all the other ingredients to have a kind of "aioli". Reserve some of it to use as condiment for your burgers. Spread it on one side of the toasted buns before you assemble your sandwiches.

                                         

                                               

                                         

BY SPECIAL REQUEST

A dear friend of mine called the other day, after she saw the no-cooking day recipes, and reminded me of a dish I had brought years ago to the office party. I remember that day, when the organizer told us to prepare something vegetarian since many of the colleagues did not eat meat, so I came up with this dish. It can be served as a dip or as a meal, also it is easily transported and can be served at room temperature, which makes it the perfect addition to this kind of parties. So this one is for you Lotf.

LENTILS AND FETA DIP

                                                          

This is a very easy dish to make, it's perfect for a hot summer day, and has all the vitamins and healthy stuff you want in a meal. It can be made with different kind of beans. I've tried it with foul medammes, with black beans from a can and with lentils. Today I made it with green lentils. You'll need:

2 cups green lentils
1 (6 oz) black olives (pitted)
3 scallions + 2 more
2 tbsp lemon or lime juice (more to taste)
2 tsp cumin
2 to 3 tbsp canola oil (or any oil you prefer in your salad)
2 cups feta cheese (I use French feta)
1 to 2 tbsp sour cream or cream cheese
1 hard boiled egg
Salt and pepper to taste

Pick the lentils, rinse them several times and cook them in 3 cups of water. You'll need to keep adding water to the lentils until they are fully cooked. But don't start with too much water or they will get soupy. They need to be tender but in very little liquid. You'll notice that when they start to cook, the liquid will become thicker.

In the mean time finely chop the black olives and 3 scallions, white part and some green. Put them in a bowl. When the lentils are done (they'll turn brown) wait until they are cooled enough, and then add them to the bowl. Add the cumin, salt and pepper, oil and lemon juice. Toss to mix. Adjust the seasoning to taste. Set aside.

In a food processor blend the feta cheese with the sour cream until smooth. Depending on the brand of feta you are using, you may add some more sour cream. It should be like a very thick cream, so add 1 tbsp of sour cream at a time. Arrange the cheese in a circle around the serving dish. Pour the lentils in the middle of the dish, making sure that you have a ring of feta around it. Chop the remaining 2 scallions and the boiled egg. Sprinkle them over the lentils. Serve with toasted pita triangles.

EASY TABBOULEH

                                                            

Since we are going Middleastern, I thought I should serve the lentils with a side of salad, and what better salad than tabbouleh for such an occasion! Actually, I had some bulgur that my husband had bought by mistake, instead of the freek I asked for, so it was the perfect solution to the situation I had at hand. 

This is a very simple way to make tabbouleh. I hear it is more complicated than that, but this recipe will give you the same delicious result. You'll need:

3/4 cup bulgur very fine cut

2 bunches of flat leaf parsley

1 bunch of dill

1 large tomato or 2 medium

4 to 5 scallions

1/2 cup fresh mint leaves (optional)

1tsp garlic powder (optional)

Salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup lime juice

1/4 cup (or less) oil

Put the bulgur in a small bowl and pour 3/4 cup of boiling water over it. Set aside. Coarsely chop the parsley, dill and scallions. Put them in the small processor and pulsate until they are finely chopped. If you are using the mint, put several leaves together and chop them in very fine strips. Add to the other herbs. By now the bulgur has absorbed all the liquid. Work it with a fork to make sure that there are no grains left uncooked. Add it to the chopped herbs. Finely chop the tomato, and add it to the bowl. Season your salad with salt, pepper, garlic powder (if using it), lime juice and oil. Toss and serve.                                                   

                                      

End of the month recipes.

This page is coming a bit late. Usually at the end of every month it's good to check out your freezer and pantry. You may have some leftover meat, chicken or other frozen ingredients in your freezer that you need to use soon, or something in the pantry that should be used ASAP. You may also have thought of some new dishes, or got new ideas, while cooking as usual during the month. During the last week end of the month, I thought of checking out my kitchen to get some ideas and use whatever was lingering there for a while. Here's what I found:

TORTELLINI PRIMAVERA 

First I have a confession to make: for all the years I've had Italian food, in Italy or in real Italian homes, I was never served any "pasta primavera". It may be the parts of Italy that I visited, or the original provinces my friends came from, but this "primavera" thing never came up. Don't get me wrong, we had a lot of pasta with different kinds of vegetables, but they were not called "primavera". I think it's a concept created here in the States simply to differentiate between the "regular" pasta with meat sauce, or simply tomato sauce, and this kind of pasta that comes with different flavorful and colorful vegetables. The proof is that there is no definition or rule to what vegetables you can add to your pasta to make it "primavera". The possibilities are endless. And not only for the veggies. I apply the same "rule" to the pasta: I use any kind of pasta I have on hand. Today is tortellini.

                                                             

After the cold days of winter where I like to make an easy soup "tortellini in brodo", I found in my freezer a 1/3 of a bag of tortellini. So armed with my find, I checked my fridge and came up with some asparagus and carrots. All the ingredients for a delicious and easy meal. Since we were expecting some family, I asked my husband: "We have two possibilities, either a hot dish or a cold dish". Of course he opted for the hot dish. The salad will come later, he suggested. So, hot dish it is. You'll need:

About 3 cups cheese tortellini

1 lb asparagus

2 cups baby carrots or 2 large carrots

2 cups skim milk

3 tbsp flour

1 1/2 to 2 cup grated pecorino Romano cheese

In a 5 qt pot boil water to cook the tortellini. Cut the carrots in 1/2 inch pieces (closer to the size of the tortellini). Chop the asparagus in the same size, a little less than 1 inch. When the water comes to a boil, add the carrots and the tortellini. When they are almost done add the asparagus. In the mean time dissolve the flour in the 2 cups of milk (I use skim milk, pasta and cheese are enough fat in the dish). Pour the milk mixture into a sauce pan and cook over high heat stirring frequently, so you don't get any lumps. When the mixture starts to get thicker, lower the heat and continue cooking until you get the consistency of the regular white sauce. (To check that, your sauce should stick to the back of a wooden spoon when you pass your finger in its middle). Remove from heat and stir in 1 cup of grated cheese. Taste the sauce and add some more cheese if it needs. Reserve some cheese. Drain the tortellini and veggies and put them in a bowl. Add the sauce and toss to coat. Add the reserved cheese, check the seasoning, and toss again.  Serve immediately. 
NOTE: I usually sautee the veggies in oil until they are barely tender. I cook the pasta until it's tender, then add it to the veggies and toss the whole thing with maybe a cup or less of the cooking pasta water, so that they continue cooking together to enhance the flavors. I don't like it when the pasta "primavera" is made with heavy cream or sauce, I think it kills all freshness in the dish, which is completely contrary to the term "primavera".  This is why when it comes to tortellini I opted for boiling the veggies with the pasta, to avoid adding more fat to the dish.                                                       

Blast from the past.

Sometimes you feel that you are in a rut, you're cooking and eating almost the same things.. they may be your favorites, but you feel that there's something missing. You need something new, and strangely enough this something new can be something you ate once, maybe a long time ago, and you want to have it again.

Well, this is exactly what happened to me last week. I asked my family the same old question: "What are we going to eat today?", and of course I got the same answer: "Anyting you do is OK." Not very encouraging!

So I looked into my pantry and freezer, and here is what I came up with.

BEEF STEW WITH PRUNES

I first had this dish many, many years ago, more than I care to remember. I was just starting my career as an interpreter, and was on my first trip to Algeria for a conference. A dear colleague invited me to his home for dinner, and his wife had prepared this delicious beef stew. At the time, I just enjoyed it. I didn't think to ask her how it was made. Why should I? I was only concentrating on my career and my studies.

Now years have gone by, and every time I am handling the big sirloin tip I sometimes buy, I remember this stew, and say to myself :"I have to make it someday." A few months ago, I remembered to ask a Moroccan friend if they had it in their cuisine. He confirmed that indeed it was a famous dish, served mainly on festive occasions (weddings or an important visitor, hence my very belated gratitude to my Algerian friend!). He couldn't give me any specifics, but suggested that I add the prunes at the very end of the process, and that I sprinkle the dish with some sesame seeds (the dish I had didn't have any sesame seeds, or did it? I honestly can't remember). So, basically I'm on my own on this one. But I think I managed to recreat it, or at least come up with something equally delicious. You'll need:

2 lbs beef cut in cubes (I used top round)

2 tbsp onion/garlic frozen mixture

2 tbsp flour

1tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground clove

1/4 tsp (or a pinch) of nutmeg

1 1/2 cup dried pitted prunes or plums

2 tbsp sesame seeds

Salt and pepper to taste

Make sure that you trim all the fat from the beef cubes (about 1 inch). Mix them with the onion/garlic mixture, sprinkle them with salt and pepper and all the spices. Set aside to marinate, about 1/2 an hour. Sprinkle the meat cubes with flour and toss to coat all the pieces. Chose a nonstick skillet large enough to hold the beef cubes in one layer. Start cooking the beef cubes on high heat, stirring to make sure that they all brown on all sides. Don't worry about the bits sticking to your skillet, they will make the sauce delicious. When the beef is all browned, reduce the heat and add 1 cup of water and stir. Make sure to scrape off all the bits in your skillet. Keep cooking, covered, until the meat is fork tender. You may need to add some more water, depending on the cut of beef you are using. (You can use the cheapest cut, and it will not make a difference in taste, only in cooking time). When the meat is done, fold in the dried prunes and stir to incorporate. Sprinkle the sesame seeds and stir for the last time. Cover and let simmer for 3 more minutes or so, then remove from heat. Let stand for 10 minutes before you serve it to allow all the flavors to come together.