Bittersweet Chocolate Cake
Serves 6
Ingredients
3 Tb. cake flour
1 Tb. Dutch cocoa powder
2 tsp. instant espresso powder
5 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped
6 Tb. unsalted butter, room temperature
4 eggs, separated
½ cup superfine sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Whipped Cream:
1 cup heavy cream
2 Tb. confectioners sugar
1 Tb. orange zest
1 tsp. vanilla
Procedure
1. Heat the oven to 350. Butter and flour an 8 inch spring form pan.
2. Combine the flour, cocoa powder and espresso powder in a medium bowl.
3. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler and then stir in the butter until smooth.
4. Combine the yolks and sugar in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer until creamy about 3 to 4 minutes. Fold in the flour mixture and the vanilla.
5. Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form.
6. Fold the whites into the chocolate mixture in thirds. Pour into the prepared pan and bake 30 to 35 minutes until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool for 15 minutes before cutting.
7. Whip the cream in a large bowl with the sugar until soft peaks form. Stir in the the zest and vanilla and serve with the cake.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Recipes for the New Year!
As we are beginning the New Year some of us are cleansing and looking to turn over a new leaf which is a challenge for some. Cooking at home can be a big help as you can control what you eat. I have a number of recipes for health and fitness as I taught Spa cooking at the Institute of Culinary Education in Manhattan for many years. Remember to eat light small meals throughout the day and include as many vegetables as possible. I keep sliced cucumbers, carrots and celery available to snack on when I need something between meals.
Fish En Papillote
Serves 4
Ingredients
1 large carrot, peeled, julienne
2 shallots, sliced thinly
1 fennel, julienne
1 red pepper, julienne
Salt, pepper, to taste
4, 5 ounce pieces, snapper, flounder, striped bass, salmon or swordfish fillet
4 Tb. white wine or lemon juice
2 Tb. chopped basil, dill or cilantro
Parchment paper, cut into half heart shapes
Procedure
1. Preheat oven to 450. Blanch the carrots in salted boiling water, refresh.
2. Combine the remaining vegetables in a large bowl, add the carrots, herbs, salt and pepper and toss well.
3. Place the parchment on a dry workspace and open out. Place a piece of fish on half of the paper and sprinkle with salt and pepper, Put a pile of the vegetables on top of the fish or chicken and sprinkle with 1 Tb. of the wine on each pile. Crease the edges of each package to lock in the filling. Place on a half sheet pan.
4. Bake 10 to 12 minutes until puffy and slightly golden. Serve hot.
Apricot-Glazed Chicken Breasts
Serves: 4
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Ingredients
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed, halved
1/2 cup apricot jam
1 Tb. honey
1 Tablespoon dijon mustard
2 teaspoons minced ginger
2 Tablespoons sherry wine vinegar
1 Tablespoon olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste
Procedure
1. Heat the oven to 400F.
2. Place the chicken breasts in a medium bowl.
3. Combine the jam, honey, mustard, ginger, vinegar, oil, salt and pepper in a small bowl and whisk. Taste for seasoning.
4. Brush the breasts with the glaze and place on a rack in a roasting pan. Roast for 5 minutes. Turn the breasts over brush with the glaze and roast until golden and cooked through about 7 to 8 minutes.
5. Divide the chicken between 4 dinner plates and serve.
(This can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator for up to two days.)
Fish En Papillote
Serves 4
Ingredients
1 large carrot, peeled, julienne
2 shallots, sliced thinly
1 fennel, julienne
1 red pepper, julienne
Salt, pepper, to taste
4, 5 ounce pieces, snapper, flounder, striped bass, salmon or swordfish fillet
4 Tb. white wine or lemon juice
2 Tb. chopped basil, dill or cilantro
Parchment paper, cut into half heart shapes
Procedure
1. Preheat oven to 450. Blanch the carrots in salted boiling water, refresh.
2. Combine the remaining vegetables in a large bowl, add the carrots, herbs, salt and pepper and toss well.
3. Place the parchment on a dry workspace and open out. Place a piece of fish on half of the paper and sprinkle with salt and pepper, Put a pile of the vegetables on top of the fish or chicken and sprinkle with 1 Tb. of the wine on each pile. Crease the edges of each package to lock in the filling. Place on a half sheet pan.
4. Bake 10 to 12 minutes until puffy and slightly golden. Serve hot.
Apricot-Glazed Chicken Breasts
Serves: 4
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Ingredients
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed, halved
1/2 cup apricot jam
1 Tb. honey
1 Tablespoon dijon mustard
2 teaspoons minced ginger
2 Tablespoons sherry wine vinegar
1 Tablespoon olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste
Procedure
1. Heat the oven to 400F.
2. Place the chicken breasts in a medium bowl.
3. Combine the jam, honey, mustard, ginger, vinegar, oil, salt and pepper in a small bowl and whisk. Taste for seasoning.
4. Brush the breasts with the glaze and place on a rack in a roasting pan. Roast for 5 minutes. Turn the breasts over brush with the glaze and roast until golden and cooked through about 7 to 8 minutes.
5. Divide the chicken between 4 dinner plates and serve.
(This can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator for up to two days.)
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Julie and Julia
As a cooking instructor I have seen a renewed interest in hands-on classes over the past two months. I think it must be a combination of the financial times and the Hollywood. Since we live in the home of movie making it is of particular interest to see what Julie and Julia has done for the cooking class business. My classes are sold out- one right after the next but especially the classes where we prepare traditional French cuisine such as Beef Bourguignon and Chocolate Soufflés.
I thought everyone wanted healthy low-fat, no dairy, no meat meals and all of a sudden we are preparing everything with sticks of butter, bacon and cream, what happened?
Well I think people need a break from the stress of life at the moment and what better way to feel good than to eat and drink. So here we are cooking stews and gooey chocolate desserts while sipping a perfect Burgundy or Pinot.
This month alone I taught three Julie and Julia classes and hope to have seen the end of the trend but you never know.
For those of you who don’t know Beef Bourguignon is a simple beef stew cooked with red wine and quite a bit of butter, it is traditionally cooked for hours with a tougher cut of meat such as a bottom round but for the modern everyday cook who may not want to spend the day in the kitchen I have changed the recipe to suit a shorter cooking time.
Here it is in all its glory and hopefully if the cool weather sticks around it will be a wonderful treat on a chilly night. Serve with plenty of good Burgundy and Bon Appetit!
Quick Beef Bourguignon
Serves 6
Ingredients
Brown Sauce:
1 Tb. butter
1 onion, sliced
1 carrot, sliced
2 cups beef broth
1 bay leaf
1 sprig thyme
1 Tb. tomato paste
Salt and pepper, to taste
¼ cup red wine
Bourguignon Sauce:
1 ½ cups Burgundy or Pinot Noir
1 bay leaf
½ tsp. chopped thyme
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
1 slice lemon
Zest of an orange
Beef:
6 Tb. unsalted butter, divided
2 large diced onions
2 tsp. sugar
¼ cup chicken broth
12 mushrooms, stems trimmed, sliced
4 thick slices salt pork, diced finely
2 ½ pounds beef tri-tip cut into 1 ¼ inch cubes
Chopped Italian parsley, garnish
Procedure
1. In a large saucepan melt the butter over medium-high heat and sauté the onion and carrots until browned about 8 minutes. Add the beef broth, bay leaf and thyme and bring to a simmer. Cook an hour and then add the tomato paste, salt, pepper and wine. Simmer another 30 minutes. Strain through a sieve and set aside in the same saucepan.
2. Heat another large saucepan with the wine, bay leaf, thyme, salt, pepper, lemon and orange zest and bring to a boil. Simmer until reduced to one cup and then strain into the brown sauce. Bring to a boil and simmer gently for 30 minutes. This is the bourguignon sauce.
3. Meanwhile heat 2 Tb. of the butter in a large high-sided skillet and add the onions, sauté them until they are lightly browned about 12 minutes, adding the sugar for the last 5 minutes. Add the chicken broth and deglaze the pan, season with salt and pepper. Remove to a bowl. Add 3 Tb. of butter to the same skillet and sauté the mushrooms over medium-high heat until browned about 5 to 7 minutes, seasoning with salt and pepper. Add the mushrooms to the bowl with the onions. Add the salt pork to the same skillet and sauté until crisp brown, remove to the bowl and drain off the fat from the pan.
4. Heat the remaining butter in a large high- sided skillet or saucepan and sauté the beef in batches over high heat to sear, seasoning with salt and pepper as you go. Add the bourguignon sauce and let it just come to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer until tender about 30 minutes. Add the vegetables and simmer another 5 minutes.
5. Serve garnished with chopped parsley.
For classic beef bourguignon use a 5 pound piece of bottom round cut into chunks and cook in the sauce until tender about 2 hours.
I thought everyone wanted healthy low-fat, no dairy, no meat meals and all of a sudden we are preparing everything with sticks of butter, bacon and cream, what happened?
Well I think people need a break from the stress of life at the moment and what better way to feel good than to eat and drink. So here we are cooking stews and gooey chocolate desserts while sipping a perfect Burgundy or Pinot.
This month alone I taught three Julie and Julia classes and hope to have seen the end of the trend but you never know.
For those of you who don’t know Beef Bourguignon is a simple beef stew cooked with red wine and quite a bit of butter, it is traditionally cooked for hours with a tougher cut of meat such as a bottom round but for the modern everyday cook who may not want to spend the day in the kitchen I have changed the recipe to suit a shorter cooking time.
Here it is in all its glory and hopefully if the cool weather sticks around it will be a wonderful treat on a chilly night. Serve with plenty of good Burgundy and Bon Appetit!
Quick Beef Bourguignon
Serves 6
Ingredients
Brown Sauce:
1 Tb. butter
1 onion, sliced
1 carrot, sliced
2 cups beef broth
1 bay leaf
1 sprig thyme
1 Tb. tomato paste
Salt and pepper, to taste
¼ cup red wine
Bourguignon Sauce:
1 ½ cups Burgundy or Pinot Noir
1 bay leaf
½ tsp. chopped thyme
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
1 slice lemon
Zest of an orange
Beef:
6 Tb. unsalted butter, divided
2 large diced onions
2 tsp. sugar
¼ cup chicken broth
12 mushrooms, stems trimmed, sliced
4 thick slices salt pork, diced finely
2 ½ pounds beef tri-tip cut into 1 ¼ inch cubes
Chopped Italian parsley, garnish
Procedure
1. In a large saucepan melt the butter over medium-high heat and sauté the onion and carrots until browned about 8 minutes. Add the beef broth, bay leaf and thyme and bring to a simmer. Cook an hour and then add the tomato paste, salt, pepper and wine. Simmer another 30 minutes. Strain through a sieve and set aside in the same saucepan.
2. Heat another large saucepan with the wine, bay leaf, thyme, salt, pepper, lemon and orange zest and bring to a boil. Simmer until reduced to one cup and then strain into the brown sauce. Bring to a boil and simmer gently for 30 minutes. This is the bourguignon sauce.
3. Meanwhile heat 2 Tb. of the butter in a large high-sided skillet and add the onions, sauté them until they are lightly browned about 12 minutes, adding the sugar for the last 5 minutes. Add the chicken broth and deglaze the pan, season with salt and pepper. Remove to a bowl. Add 3 Tb. of butter to the same skillet and sauté the mushrooms over medium-high heat until browned about 5 to 7 minutes, seasoning with salt and pepper. Add the mushrooms to the bowl with the onions. Add the salt pork to the same skillet and sauté until crisp brown, remove to the bowl and drain off the fat from the pan.
4. Heat the remaining butter in a large high- sided skillet or saucepan and sauté the beef in batches over high heat to sear, seasoning with salt and pepper as you go. Add the bourguignon sauce and let it just come to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer until tender about 30 minutes. Add the vegetables and simmer another 5 minutes.
5. Serve garnished with chopped parsley.
For classic beef bourguignon use a 5 pound piece of bottom round cut into chunks and cook in the sauce until tender about 2 hours.
Friday, October 23, 2009
West Side Tavern on the West side of L.A.
I visited West Side Tavern last night on Pico Blvd. and enjoyed it!
Very nice restaurant in a perfect location downstairs from the Landmark theatre; good service, yummy food!
I am used to NYC so I don't think it is too expensive as all the other reviewers on Yelp seem to.
We sat at the bar- my favorite place to enjoy a quick meal and a drink. The staff were friendly, helpful and efficient, the dark sexy lighting and atmosphere was lovely and so un-typically L.A. that was a big plus for me.
The food was excellent, very generous portions and well seasoned- rare to not ask for the salt at a restaurant.
I highly recommend it and will go back for a proper dinner soon.
Here is a recipe for roasted cauliflower which was on their menu - mine is an Indian twist to a terrific preparation of a mundane vegetable.
Roasted Curried Cauliflower
Serves 4
Ingredients
1 large cauliflower
1 large onion, cut in large chunks
1 tsp. coriander seeds
1 tsp. cumin seeds
1/4 cup olive oil
1 Tb. curry powder
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. paprika
2 Tb. chopped cilantro
Procedure
1. Heat the oven to 400.
2. Break up the cauliflower into medium pieces and combine with the onions on a roasting pan.
3. Toast the coriander and cumin seeds until fragrant in a small skillet, about 5 minutes. Grind the seeds in a spice grinder.
4. Combine the spices, olive oil, curry, salt and paprika in a medium bowl and whisk. Toss the sauce with the vegetables.
5. Roast for 35 minutes. Serve garnished with the cilantro.
Very nice restaurant in a perfect location downstairs from the Landmark theatre; good service, yummy food!
I am used to NYC so I don't think it is too expensive as all the other reviewers on Yelp seem to.
We sat at the bar- my favorite place to enjoy a quick meal and a drink. The staff were friendly, helpful and efficient, the dark sexy lighting and atmosphere was lovely and so un-typically L.A. that was a big plus for me.
The food was excellent, very generous portions and well seasoned- rare to not ask for the salt at a restaurant.
I highly recommend it and will go back for a proper dinner soon.
Here is a recipe for roasted cauliflower which was on their menu - mine is an Indian twist to a terrific preparation of a mundane vegetable.
Roasted Curried Cauliflower
Serves 4
Ingredients
1 large cauliflower
1 large onion, cut in large chunks
1 tsp. coriander seeds
1 tsp. cumin seeds
1/4 cup olive oil
1 Tb. curry powder
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. paprika
2 Tb. chopped cilantro
Procedure
1. Heat the oven to 400.
2. Break up the cauliflower into medium pieces and combine with the onions on a roasting pan.
3. Toast the coriander and cumin seeds until fragrant in a small skillet, about 5 minutes. Grind the seeds in a spice grinder.
4. Combine the spices, olive oil, curry, salt and paprika in a medium bowl and whisk. Toss the sauce with the vegetables.
5. Roast for 35 minutes. Serve garnished with the cilantro.
Monday, September 14, 2009
Farmers Market Cooking
The Farmer’s Market has been changing to fall in the past couple of weeks and now we are seeing figs, apples, beautiful three colored peppers and eggplant.
I visited the Mar Vista market yesterday and enjoyed shopping for my class this week at Surfas; Healthy Mediterranean. This was one of the first times I have been able to get all the ingredients I needed for a class in one visit to the market. I will be using eggplant, garlic, dill, cilantro, parsley, thyme , yogurt, feta and figs in this class and look forward to making some delicious dishes.
I have truly enjoyed cooking with seasonal produce and living more in tune with nature this summer. We had a garden on our roof and successfully grew tomatoes, lettuce, lemons, rosemary, basil and mint. There is something very satisfying about going out and cutting your own herbs or slicing a home grown tomato for a snack with nothing else added but a pinch of salt. I look forward to adding a few more herbs and possibly trying something random like cucumbers or chili peppers to my garden. Now that I see how easy it is to grow produce even with only a small roof space I am gung ho!
I have been cooking more than ever and trying all kinds of new dishes from Bengal Shrimp to Chapati bread my Indian repertoire has grown to a large selection of dishes after attending a fabulous private Master class in NYC this summer with Julie Sahni.
Now I can make a perfect Indian meal and have been teaching these classes throughout the summer. It is all about the spices and having shopped at the Indian markets that are easy to find on the West side I now have two full drawers of spices, legumes, seeds and leaves. I have a new found respect and awareness for the complexity of Indian food and have found many of the vegetables at the Farmer’s Market. There are many Asian vendors who carry the unusual squashes, greens and roots that I learned how to prepare with Julie.
Here are a few of the recipes that I have developed for the classes mentioned above. I hope you enjoy them and guarantee you will be impressed with yourself.
Stuffed Okra- Bhara Bhindi
Serves 4
Ingredients
Spice mixture:
2 teaspoons fennel seeds, crushed or ground
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground coriander
½ teaspoon red chili powder
1 teaspoon mango powder- Amchoor
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 pound okra, preferably fresh
2 - 3 tablespoons Canola oil
1 cup small onion, sliced into rounds
Procedure
1. Combine the spice mixture in a bowl.
2. Slit okra lengthwise to make a cavity, leaving it whole. Stuff the okra with spice mixture.
3. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat until hot. Add the okra and onion and shake the pan to keep them in one layer. Cook, turning often, until they are slightly brown, about 4 minutes. Reduce the heat and cover the pan. Cook until the okra is tender, about 5 minutes. Uncover and continue cook until the excess moisture evaporates and the okra is streaked brown and the onion is caramelized, about 4 minutes.
4. Serve hot or at room temperature.
Spicy Curried Potatoes
Serves 6
Ingredients
2 ½ pounds Yukon gold potatoes, washed
1 Tb. coconut oil
½ tsp. turmeric
½ tsp. red chili powder
1 tsp. salt
8 kari leaves
2 garlic cloves, sliced thinly
1 tsp. ajwain, toasted
3 Tb. chopped cilantro
Procedure
1. Bring the potatoes to a boil in a medium saucepan filled with cold water and a pinch of salt. Simmer until tender about 20 minutes. Drain, peel and cut into cubes.
2. Heat a large skillet over high heat and add the coconut oil. Add the spices and lower the heat to medium, toast for a minute and then add the potatoes.
3. Cook shaking the pan back and forth until coated with the spices and heated through about 3 to 4 minutes.
4. Serve with chopped cilantro.
Roasted Eggplant and Garlic Puree
This recipe makes 1 1/2 cups
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 50 minutes
Ingredients
1 eggplant, about 1 1/2 pounds, halved lengthwise
2 heads garlic, unpeeled, separated
2 Tablespoons olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Zest of 1 lemon
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
1 1/2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 Tablespoons cilantro, chopped
1 package whole wheat pita bread, cut into triangles
Cilantro leaves, garnish
Procedure
1. Heat the oven to 350F.
2. Sprinkle the flesh side of the eggplant with the 2 tablespoons of olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place on a baking sheet cut side down. Add the garlic cloves and roast in the oven until softened, about 40 to 45 minutes. Check the garlic after 20 minutes if it's softened when pierced with the tip of a knife remove it to a small bowl. Continue roasting the eggplant until completely softened.
3. Allow the garlic to cool. Remove the eggplant from the oven and cool slightly. Scrape out the flesh from the skin with a spoon and transfer the flesh to a sieve. Place the sieve over a bowl to drain the excess water and discard the skin. Transfer the eggplant to a food processor. Squeeze the garlic out of the skins and add to the eggplant with the zest, juice, oil, chopped cilantro, salt and pepper to taste. Pulse a few times to make a coarse puree.
4. Increase the oven to 400F. Place the pita triangles on two baking sheets and toast until they are crisp and slightly golden about 7 minutes.
5. Transfer the eggplant dip to a serving bowl and garnish with the cilantro leaves. Serve with the pita toasts.
I visited the Mar Vista market yesterday and enjoyed shopping for my class this week at Surfas; Healthy Mediterranean. This was one of the first times I have been able to get all the ingredients I needed for a class in one visit to the market. I will be using eggplant, garlic, dill, cilantro, parsley, thyme , yogurt, feta and figs in this class and look forward to making some delicious dishes.
I have truly enjoyed cooking with seasonal produce and living more in tune with nature this summer. We had a garden on our roof and successfully grew tomatoes, lettuce, lemons, rosemary, basil and mint. There is something very satisfying about going out and cutting your own herbs or slicing a home grown tomato for a snack with nothing else added but a pinch of salt. I look forward to adding a few more herbs and possibly trying something random like cucumbers or chili peppers to my garden. Now that I see how easy it is to grow produce even with only a small roof space I am gung ho!
I have been cooking more than ever and trying all kinds of new dishes from Bengal Shrimp to Chapati bread my Indian repertoire has grown to a large selection of dishes after attending a fabulous private Master class in NYC this summer with Julie Sahni.
Now I can make a perfect Indian meal and have been teaching these classes throughout the summer. It is all about the spices and having shopped at the Indian markets that are easy to find on the West side I now have two full drawers of spices, legumes, seeds and leaves. I have a new found respect and awareness for the complexity of Indian food and have found many of the vegetables at the Farmer’s Market. There are many Asian vendors who carry the unusual squashes, greens and roots that I learned how to prepare with Julie.
Here are a few of the recipes that I have developed for the classes mentioned above. I hope you enjoy them and guarantee you will be impressed with yourself.
Stuffed Okra- Bhara Bhindi
Serves 4
Ingredients
Spice mixture:
2 teaspoons fennel seeds, crushed or ground
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground coriander
½ teaspoon red chili powder
1 teaspoon mango powder- Amchoor
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 pound okra, preferably fresh
2 - 3 tablespoons Canola oil
1 cup small onion, sliced into rounds
Procedure
1. Combine the spice mixture in a bowl.
2. Slit okra lengthwise to make a cavity, leaving it whole. Stuff the okra with spice mixture.
3. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat until hot. Add the okra and onion and shake the pan to keep them in one layer. Cook, turning often, until they are slightly brown, about 4 minutes. Reduce the heat and cover the pan. Cook until the okra is tender, about 5 minutes. Uncover and continue cook until the excess moisture evaporates and the okra is streaked brown and the onion is caramelized, about 4 minutes.
4. Serve hot or at room temperature.
Spicy Curried Potatoes
Serves 6
Ingredients
2 ½ pounds Yukon gold potatoes, washed
1 Tb. coconut oil
½ tsp. turmeric
½ tsp. red chili powder
1 tsp. salt
8 kari leaves
2 garlic cloves, sliced thinly
1 tsp. ajwain, toasted
3 Tb. chopped cilantro
Procedure
1. Bring the potatoes to a boil in a medium saucepan filled with cold water and a pinch of salt. Simmer until tender about 20 minutes. Drain, peel and cut into cubes.
2. Heat a large skillet over high heat and add the coconut oil. Add the spices and lower the heat to medium, toast for a minute and then add the potatoes.
3. Cook shaking the pan back and forth until coated with the spices and heated through about 3 to 4 minutes.
4. Serve with chopped cilantro.
Roasted Eggplant and Garlic Puree
This recipe makes 1 1/2 cups
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 50 minutes
Ingredients
1 eggplant, about 1 1/2 pounds, halved lengthwise
2 heads garlic, unpeeled, separated
2 Tablespoons olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Zest of 1 lemon
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
1 1/2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 Tablespoons cilantro, chopped
1 package whole wheat pita bread, cut into triangles
Cilantro leaves, garnish
Procedure
1. Heat the oven to 350F.
2. Sprinkle the flesh side of the eggplant with the 2 tablespoons of olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place on a baking sheet cut side down. Add the garlic cloves and roast in the oven until softened, about 40 to 45 minutes. Check the garlic after 20 minutes if it's softened when pierced with the tip of a knife remove it to a small bowl. Continue roasting the eggplant until completely softened.
3. Allow the garlic to cool. Remove the eggplant from the oven and cool slightly. Scrape out the flesh from the skin with a spoon and transfer the flesh to a sieve. Place the sieve over a bowl to drain the excess water and discard the skin. Transfer the eggplant to a food processor. Squeeze the garlic out of the skins and add to the eggplant with the zest, juice, oil, chopped cilantro, salt and pepper to taste. Pulse a few times to make a coarse puree.
4. Increase the oven to 400F. Place the pita triangles on two baking sheets and toast until they are crisp and slightly golden about 7 minutes.
5. Transfer the eggplant dip to a serving bowl and garnish with the cilantro leaves. Serve with the pita toasts.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Indian Cooking Classes
I just got back from an intensive Indian workshop in NYC with Julie Sahni and what fun it was! We cooked for 20 hours in two days and made some amazing food. Truly better than any restaurant I have ever been to even in India!
Here is to Indian home cooking- enjoy!
Curry Chicken with Tamarind Sauce - Goa
Serves 6
Ingredients
1 inch round tamarind pulp
1 cup hot water
Spice paste
2 tablespoons coconut vinegar or sherry wine vinegar or rice wine vinegar
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
3 tablespoons finely chopped onion
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground red chili powder
2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons kosher salt, or to taste
2 pounds chicken thighs and drumsticks, skin and excess fat removed
Spice mixture
One 1 1/2 inch piece cinnamon stick
5 whole cloves
4 whole green cardamom pods
1 teaspoon mustard seeds, crushed
1 medium-sized yellow onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
4 tablespoons canola or olive oil
6 baby eggplant, left whole- slit open like a radish
Procedure
1. Place tamarind in a bowl and add the hot water. When cool enough to, handle, crush tamarind pulp with fingers and extract pulp clinging to fibers. Strain the juice into a cup and discard the fibrous residue.
2. Combine the spice paste in a large bowl. Add the chicken and rub it in. Set aside for at least an hour or overnight in the fridge.
3. Combine the spice mixture in a small bowl and set aside.
4. Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over high heat until very hot. Add the spice mixture. Cook, stirring often, until the onion is light golden, about 3 minutes. Add the chicken and cook, tossing and turning, until lightly seared, about 6 minutes. Add the eggplant and tamarind juice and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and cook, covered, until the chicken is tender, about 20 to 25 minutes. Taste and correct the seasoning and serve.
Here is to Indian home cooking- enjoy!
Curry Chicken with Tamarind Sauce - Goa
Serves 6
Ingredients
1 inch round tamarind pulp
1 cup hot water
Spice paste
2 tablespoons coconut vinegar or sherry wine vinegar or rice wine vinegar
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
3 tablespoons finely chopped onion
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground red chili powder
2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons kosher salt, or to taste
2 pounds chicken thighs and drumsticks, skin and excess fat removed
Spice mixture
One 1 1/2 inch piece cinnamon stick
5 whole cloves
4 whole green cardamom pods
1 teaspoon mustard seeds, crushed
1 medium-sized yellow onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
4 tablespoons canola or olive oil
6 baby eggplant, left whole- slit open like a radish
Procedure
1. Place tamarind in a bowl and add the hot water. When cool enough to, handle, crush tamarind pulp with fingers and extract pulp clinging to fibers. Strain the juice into a cup and discard the fibrous residue.
2. Combine the spice paste in a large bowl. Add the chicken and rub it in. Set aside for at least an hour or overnight in the fridge.
3. Combine the spice mixture in a small bowl and set aside.
4. Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over high heat until very hot. Add the spice mixture. Cook, stirring often, until the onion is light golden, about 3 minutes. Add the chicken and cook, tossing and turning, until lightly seared, about 6 minutes. Add the eggplant and tamarind juice and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and cook, covered, until the chicken is tender, about 20 to 25 minutes. Taste and correct the seasoning and serve.
Saturday, August 1, 2009
Tibetan Cuisine
I enjoyed a lovely meal last night at a simple place on Venice Blvd near Culver city. Tara's Himalayan Cuisine was one of the nicest places we have been to lately as it was quiet, the food was delicious and they didn't bother you after you paid the check to leave. In fact, we sat there for an hour and a half talking and enjoying our company.
The food was Northern Indian with many familiar dishes such as Pakoras, Curries, Masala, Raita and Nan bread. Very nicely flavored with just the right amount of spice and not overly sauced we enjoyed most everything we ordered.
We had an appetizer of cooked potatoes with cilantro, chilies, garlic and scallions (Aloo Achaar), Daal, Raita, Shrimp Curry, Saag Aloo and Chicken Sekawa. The chicken was moist and flavored with cilantro, ginger and spices. The shrimp was served in a curry tomato sauce and the Saag Aloo was a combination of cooked spiced cubed potatoes with pureed spinach that was very good. We had two orders of Garlic Naan that was crispy and lightly flavored with garlic and cilantro; perfect!
This was a place I would recommend for it's food, atmosphere ( calm and quiet; NOT trendy), prices ( very inexpensive) and Buddhist feel (very Zen, no one cares how long you sit)
That said I am now teaching Indian cooking as I have learned from master chef and cookbook author Julie Sahni so if you would like to try an Indian dish of your own here is a sample from my last class:
Southern Indian Garlic Braised Tomatoes
Serves 6
Ingredients
3 Tb. canola oil
1 tsp. black mustard seeds
8 large garlic cloves, sliced thinly
12 kari leaves, julienne
1 ½ tsp. curry powder*
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
6 large plum tomatoes, peeled, cut into wedges
3 small green chilies, seeded and julienne
½ tsp. salt
juice of ½ lime
Procedure
1. In a large skillet over high heat warm the oil. Add the seeds and cover the pan, when the seeds stop popping turn off the heat and uncover the pan. Add the garlic and kari leaves and cook until golden about 30 seconds.
2. 3. Stir in the curry powder, cumin and red pepper flakes. Add the tomato wedges and cook 3 minutes without stirring. Carefully mix the tomatoes and cook until very soft about 6 minutes. Add the chilies, salt and lime juice and cover until ready to serve.
3. Serve hot or cold and this can be pureed for a great sauce for chicken, fish or meat.
Curry Powder
1 ½ Tb. coriander seeds
1 tsp. peppercorns
½ tsp. mustard seeds
½ tsp. fenugreek seeds
½ tsp. cumin seeds
3 whole cloves
1 Tb. turmeric
½ Tb. cayenne
Grind the first 6 ingredients in a spice grinder until a fine powder. Stir in the last two.
The food was Northern Indian with many familiar dishes such as Pakoras, Curries, Masala, Raita and Nan bread. Very nicely flavored with just the right amount of spice and not overly sauced we enjoyed most everything we ordered.
We had an appetizer of cooked potatoes with cilantro, chilies, garlic and scallions (Aloo Achaar), Daal, Raita, Shrimp Curry, Saag Aloo and Chicken Sekawa. The chicken was moist and flavored with cilantro, ginger and spices. The shrimp was served in a curry tomato sauce and the Saag Aloo was a combination of cooked spiced cubed potatoes with pureed spinach that was very good. We had two orders of Garlic Naan that was crispy and lightly flavored with garlic and cilantro; perfect!
This was a place I would recommend for it's food, atmosphere ( calm and quiet; NOT trendy), prices ( very inexpensive) and Buddhist feel (very Zen, no one cares how long you sit)
That said I am now teaching Indian cooking as I have learned from master chef and cookbook author Julie Sahni so if you would like to try an Indian dish of your own here is a sample from my last class:
Southern Indian Garlic Braised Tomatoes
Serves 6
Ingredients
3 Tb. canola oil
1 tsp. black mustard seeds
8 large garlic cloves, sliced thinly
12 kari leaves, julienne
1 ½ tsp. curry powder*
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
6 large plum tomatoes, peeled, cut into wedges
3 small green chilies, seeded and julienne
½ tsp. salt
juice of ½ lime
Procedure
1. In a large skillet over high heat warm the oil. Add the seeds and cover the pan, when the seeds stop popping turn off the heat and uncover the pan. Add the garlic and kari leaves and cook until golden about 30 seconds.
2. 3. Stir in the curry powder, cumin and red pepper flakes. Add the tomato wedges and cook 3 minutes without stirring. Carefully mix the tomatoes and cook until very soft about 6 minutes. Add the chilies, salt and lime juice and cover until ready to serve.
3. Serve hot or cold and this can be pureed for a great sauce for chicken, fish or meat.
Curry Powder
1 ½ Tb. coriander seeds
1 tsp. peppercorns
½ tsp. mustard seeds
½ tsp. fenugreek seeds
½ tsp. cumin seeds
3 whole cloves
1 Tb. turmeric
½ Tb. cayenne
Grind the first 6 ingredients in a spice grinder until a fine powder. Stir in the last two.
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