Christmas Wishes

December/25/2009 06:49

Christmas_2009

Tandoori-style Chicken

December/14/2009 02:14

chx_tandoori_01

Chicken tandoori is always a favorite — the velvety texture of piquant and lemony chicken is hard to pass up.

But... in fact we have skipped ordering chicken tandoori the last few times we visited Indian restaurants — opting instead to explore new dishes. Always good to try new things, but this has left an itch that hasn’t been scratched in well over a year. Solution? Pull out the recipe file, fire up the oven!

The ingredients for this iconic South Asian dish are not as exotic as you might think — you probably have most of them in your pantry and fridge: lemon, ginger, cumin, coriander seed, turmeric and green chilies in a plain yogurt base. With the popularity of South Asian flavors these days, most people will also have garam masala on a pantry shelf as well. If not, you might find garam masala and the optional ingredient, chaat masala, available in bulk in your local natural foods or health food store — here in Maryland, the Takoma Park Silver Spring Co-op, and on Oahu, Down To Earth, have bulk spices you can buy by the spoonful so you can try new spices without getting stuck with shelves full of ones you don’t use often or decide you don’t like.

Two keys to achieving the right balance of flavor and moist texture under the high heat which is the hallmark of tandoori cooking are skinless chicken and at least 24 hours in the yogurt marinade. The yogurt both tenderizes the meat and helps it retain moisture; while removing the skin allows the marinade to thoroughly work its magic. This recipe is an amalgam of different recipes we’ve made at home or school over the last 12 years and is still evolving...

Since we’re not fans of artificial food coloring and red dye contributes nothing to the flavor, we omit the red dye paste that is included in many recipes and let the food speak for itself. (“Eat me, eat me!”) Our research has turned up some natural coloring sources that have been used in tandoori pastes, including cayenne pepper, Kashimiri chilies, and annatto (aka achiote). We’ve tried both the cayenne and the Kashimiri chile, and would use Kashimiri chilies if they are available — it adds both heat and flavor as well as color — but it just isn’t something that is a pantry staple yet. We just learned about achiote as an alternative, so a further evolution of this recipe may include that, too — we’ll have to see how it affects the flavor.

TANDOORI-STYLE CHICKEN
Serves 4 persons

3 to 3 1/2 lbs. (1.3 - 1.5kg) chicken, whole legs
1 whole lemon, juiced and rind cut into 6 pieces
1 1/2 tsp sea salt
1-1/2 cup (180g) plain yogurt (full fat is best, low fat is OK; can’t recommend non-fat)
1/4 tsp turmeric
1 thumb of ginger, peeled and grated (about 2 TBL)
1 1/4 tsp ground coriander
3/4 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp garam masala
2 - 4 serrano chilies, seeded and diced (we usually use 2)
(keep the seeds and up the heat factor exponentially if that floats your boat)
1/2 tsp sweet paprika (optional - more for color than flavor, not used here)
ghee or unsalted butter, melted (for basting)
1 lemon, quartered (for serving)
Chaat masala (optional, for serving)

Remove skin from chicken legs: With kitchen shears or sharp knife, score skin all the way around the tip of the drumstick, then pull skin from thigh over the tip of drumstick and off. Cut flesh on both sides in several places.

Sprinkle lemon juice, then salt over chicken and massage into meat.

Combine yogurt, lemon rinds, ginger, cumin, coriander, turmeric, serrano chilies, and paprika, if using. Place in glass or other non-metallic container, or zippered plastic bag. Add chicken pieces, and completely cover with marinade. Refrigerate at least 24 hours, and up to 48 hours.

Preheat oven to 500F. Set oven rack to upper third of oven.

Melt ghee or butter in oven as it pre-heats, carefully remove ghee once warm through.

Remove chicken from marinade, and gently pat dry but do not rub off all the marinade.

Place smaller rack on a cookie sheet, and set chicken over rack. Baste with ghee, and bake for 20 minutes. Turn chicken over, baste again and cook for another 10-15 minutes, or until chicken is thoroughly cooked through. If chicken starts to burn, cover affected area with a foil tent.

While hot, squeeze lemon juice over chicken and sprinkle with chaat masala if using. Chaat masala is a fine powdered mix of spices that adds an extra tang and punch to the finished dish — similar to sprinkling sumac on Persian and other Middle Eastern style grilled meats.

Serve with basmati rice and your favorite side dishes.

Vegetable side dishes you might like with this: Tarka Dal, Brussel Sprouts or Cabbage with Coconut, Chaat Potatoes, and Aloo Gobi.

Or if you have more time, this tasty pickle: Indian Spiced Cauliflower, Daikon & Carrot Pickle

Another yogurt-based marinade: Persian-style Grilled Chicken

chx_tandoori02
With Basmati Rice with Peas and Cucumber Yogurt Salad

Tags: Chicken, Indian

Gift It: Cocoa Cherry Biscotti

December/13/2009 12:41

Who doesn’t love the combination of chocolate and tart cherries? (I do! I do!)

We’ve been looking for a no-butter recipe for biscotti for a while and finally found one that was too tempting to pass up. The addition of dried cherries is my own — the original recipe uses walnuts. The tang of tart cherries against the backdrop of dark chocolate brings to mind one of my favorite desserts — Black Forest Cake, the only thing missing is the whipped cream...mmmmm. These crisp, rich tasting cookies are equally heavenly with a cup of hot black coffee in the morning as with a post-prandial glass of tawny port, or even to polish off the last of your California merlot after a meal.

I prefer biscotti dry — that is, with no chocolate or other coating. But for gifts, the biscotti can receive some extra special treatment: a dip in bittersweet chocolate! For the first batch, I tried a ganache-type dip I usually use for the aniseed-almond biscotti I usually make for the holidays. The anise biscotti have both butter and whole eggs in their recipe and can stand up to the high fat content of the cream and butter in the ganache, but these meringue style cocoa biscotti came out chewy rather than crisp once they were coated in ganache.

Still wonderful— but I wanted the cookie to keep its distinctive crunch. Plain melted chocolate worked better at maintaining the crunch while still giving the cookies some zazz.

The original recipe for these biscotti (with walnuts instead of cherries, and with no chocolate dip) are said to average about 40 calories per cookie since they have neither butter nor egg yolks. I’m not a dietician, but I’m guessing that substituting high-sugar dried fruit for high-calorie nuts comes out about even. Although I subscribe to the theory that homemade cookies eaten in the month of December have no calories, I know that not everyone else believes this (I’m guessing they don’t believe in Santa either). At less than 50 calories per cookie (minus the chocolate dip) and with their incredible chocolate flavor, these cookies are a treat that the calorie-conscious on any gift list will especially appreciate!

These biscotti are going to join Gram’s Nut Horns and the still growing number of cookie recipes from around the globe at Susan’s "Eat Christmas Cookies" event at Food Blogga. Susan’s third annual cookie round-up has already produced some really novel cookies, including ones with saffron and tofu, with cranberry relish, with buttermilk, and even with maple bacon and chocolate chips (that last one we’re going to try this week). You can check them all out, then submit your own until December 20th.

Happy Baking, Everyone!

** On the U.S. Mainland, we find dried tart cherries at Trader Joe’s, which is also a great source for baking goods including all kinds of nuts, organic powdered sugar, cocoa powder, Belgian chocolate and non-aluminum baking powder.If tart dried cherries are hard to find, you could substitute sweet bing cherries but I’ve found that the flavor of sweet cherries tends to get lost when paired with dark chocolate.

COCOA CHERRY BISCOTTI
(Adapted from “Italian Cocoa Biscotti” by Nick Maglieri in Perfect Light Desserts: Fabulous Cakes, et al. Made with Real Butter, Sugar, Flour, and Eggs, All Under 300 Calories per Generous Serving)
Makes about 50 cookies

1 3/4 cup (175g) flour
2/3 cup (65g) Dutch-process cocoa powder
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 1/4 cup (240g) raw sugar
1 cup (150g) dried tart cherries, cut into small pieces
6 large egg whites
2 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Sift together flour and cocoa. Stir in baking powder, salt, sugar, and dried cherries. Set aside.

Whisk together egg whites and vanilla to soft peak. Add to the dry ingredients. Use a large rubber spatula to combine — the dough will seem dry at the start but as the sugar comes in contact with the meringue, the dough will become wetter and eventually quite tacky.

Liberally cover work surface with flour. Scrape the dough out, and with floured hands press together into a solid mass.

Divide the dough into 2 equal pieces. Lightly coat cookie sheet with flour and gently roll each into a log that is as long as the pan you’re using. Logs may still show patches of white flour — that’s OK, it makes a nice contrast on the finished cookie. Arrange both logs on one pan.

Make certain the logs aren't too close to each other or to the sides of the pan. Slightly flatten each log with your fingertips.

Bake about 30 minutes, or until loaves are firm when pressed with a fingertip. Remove loaves, but leave oven on and place racks in the upper and lower thirds.

Cool loaves just enough so you can handle them, then using a sharp serrated knife cut into attractive straight or slightly diagonal slices about 1/2-inch thick. (I find it easier to slice the cookies while they are still warm as they harden and can crack once theyre completely cool.)

Place slices, cut side down, on the cookie sheets and return to oven for about 7 minutes. Remove pans and quickly turn each cookie over to toast other side and replace in oven for another 7 minutes. I usually try to remember to rotate the sheets so that the one that was on top for the first toast is now on the lower rack, but that’s not crucial. You might have to to this in 2 or more batches to toast all the cookies.

Cool completely on racks. Store in air-tight container until ready to serve or to dip in chocolate. Once dipped in chocolate, biscotti do not keep as well.

DARK CHOCOLATE COCOA CHERRY BISCOTTI

200g bittersweet or dark Belgian chocolate
4 dozen Cocoa Cherry Biscotti

Place a wire rack over cookie sheet or wax paper to catch chocolate drips.

Melt chocolate over double-boiler or at low setting in microwave. Place chocolate in shallow bowl and allow to cool to room temperature (if chocolate is warm when cookies are dipped, they will become chewy).

Dip one flat side of each biscotto in chocolate, then place on rack to harden chocolate.

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More holiday gift ideas: Sweet & Spicy Nuts, Green Tea Shortbread, Molasses Crinkles, Nut Horns

Tags: Cookies, Gifts

Potstickers Gone Wild: Venison-filled Dumplings

December/01/2009 11:25

Got venison?

It’s hunting season in many parts of the U.S. now and if you’re lucky enough to have a freezer filling up with venison, you may be in search of something different to make with ground venison other than chili, burgers and spaghetti sauce. Earlier this year we put an Asian twist on some ground venison by making pan-fried dumplings similar to Japanese gyoza, Chinese potstickers or Korean mandoo! Whatever you choose to call them, these dumplings come together very quickly with purchased wrappers and can be enjoyed either pan-fried with a spicy pepper dipping sauce or boiled in a hearty wonton-style soup. When pan-fried, they can be enjoyed at room temperature and make an intriguing appetizer for a buffet table or potluck. And because they freeze well, they are perfect to make ahead and keep on hand for quick weekday meals or unexpected company. One pound of ground venison will make 4-5 dozen dumplings so this is also a great way to stretch a relatively small amount of meat to feed a crowd, or to round out 2-3 meals with rice and a bowl of miso soup or other light broth.

The heartier flavor of venison can stand up to stronger Asian flavors like ginger and Korean hot sauce called kochujang. In this case we use the ginger in the filling and kochujang in the dipping sauce. The recipe below is basically the same as that for the Watercress Dumplings except that the greens are eliminated completely (gather ‘round, Carnivores!), and the seasonings were adjusted for the flavor of venison. Directions for Wrapping and Cooking the dumplings are going to be the same as for the watercress variety.

gyoza_venison

VENISON DUMPLINGS with SPICY PEPPER SAUCE
50+ dumplings, plus extra filling

Filling:
1lb (455g) ground venison
½ medium onion, minced
4 slices (coin-size) of fresh ginger, minced (about 2 tsp.)
3 large cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. mirin
½ tsp. sugar
½ tsp. fresh ground black pepper
generous seasoning with sea salt

Combine meat and all seasonings, and massage well to incorporate. Set aside in fridge for at least 2 hours, and up to 24 hours, to allow flavors to combine well.

To Finish:
1 package round gyoza wrappers, about 10 oz/ 280g (50-60 sheets)
small bowl of water

Directions for Wrapping and Cooking the dumplings are the same as for the watercress variety here.

Kochujang Dipping Sauce:
3 rounded TBL. kochujang, Korean red pepper sauce (about 60g/2 oz.)
2 tsp. raw sugar
1 tsp. sesame oil
3 TBL. rice wine or white wine vinegar

Combine kochujang and sugar, and stir well to dissolve sugar. Stir in sesame oil, then add vinegar. Taste and correct with sugar or vinegar. Sauce should be slightly sweet and tangy.

Serve with bowls of hot rice, kim chee and a nice light lager or dry hard cider to wash it all down.
Our every day quaffing beer is Yuengling Traditional Lager from Pennsylvania’s Yuengling Brewery, which bills itself as the oldest brewery in the U.S. — it’s a light-bodied brew that is an excellent palate-cleanser. We found Woodchuck’s Limited Release Fall Cider had too many overtones of clove and other fall spices to drink alone or even with most foods, but these spices actually worked well with the prominent venison flavor and the hot pepper sauce.
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More with Venison: Venison Bolognese, and coming soon Venison Roast with Prunes and Olives

Gram's Recipe Box: Nut Horns

November/18/2009 10:15

Just in time for the holiday cookie season, we were given the gift of another recipe from T's grandmother's recipe box, this time for one of her personal favorites, Nut Horns.

I had never tried a nut horn before baking these last week, but during a recent visit with Gram while she is convalescing and undergoing rehabilitation she asked me to retrieve this recipe from her second recipe box at home and make them for her. Although I actually forgot to get the recipe cards on that trip, my MIL was kind enough to find the recipe (actually there were 2 versions in the files), scan the cards and email us photos of the cards, some of which are in Gram's handwriting and some of which are neatly typed. (Thanks, Mom!!)

For me, the best thing about having hard copies, or at least photos of hard copies, of personal recipes is seeing the notations, changes and adjustments that have been made and to see how a recipe might have evolved or grown over time. It is always more precious when it's in a loved one's own handwriting, too.

In this case, Gram's recipe was a little vague on the actual method of shaping and filling the dough and a brief web search for similar recipes was required to fill in the gaps for me. And since I had never tasted this cookie, I was unclear on what the final texture and taste should be. Here's what I've learned after this first attempt at a classic (which I'm happy to say met with Gram's approval)!

This recipe for nut horns yields a very tender, mildly sweet and nutty cookie that is very addictive with a cup of strong coffee! It starts with a yeast cream dough that does not have any sugar except for 1 tablespoon to feed the yeast and the powdered sugar for rolling the dough. The ground walnut meringue filling is just sweet enough to balance the dough, and the meringue rises and fills the cookie as it bakes so it is important to roll the dough loosely to allow the meringue room to expand.

Both Gram's recipe and most of the similar recipes I found on the web call for rolling out the dough on powdered sugar, which I found to be a very sticky proposition. Literally. This makes your dough very sticky and a bit difficult to work with. I tried one batch rolled out on plain flour, which was easier to work with but which changed both the sweetness of the dough (remember, it has very little sugar in it) and the appearance of the final cookie — those rolled in sugar had a pleasantly crackled appearance (see photo below), while those rolled in flour were smooth (see top photo). For the last 2 batches, though, I hit upon a system of putting first flour, then powdered sugar on the counter, then rolling the dough out — that makes the dough less sticky on your board or counter, while still giving it some of the traditional crackled surface once the cookie baked. But once powdered sugar is sprinkled over the baked cookie, only the most finicky connoisseur can really tell the difference in looks or taste. In fact, as she sampled the first cookie, Gram confided that she usually rolled out her cookies in flour because it went a lot faster that way.

After tasting the first batch of cookies as they came out of the oven, I admit that I tweaked the filling a little — you can't really taste the spices I've added to Gram's original recipe, but they just seem to round out the flavor of the walnuts. The new additions are marked (**) so you can try Gram's original or the tweaked version (or both). Gram only taste-tested her orginal version, so that's the one that actually has her "grin of approval".

Another point of difference I saw among nut horn recipes was whether you spread the filling over the entire rolled-out dough before cutting it into 8 pieces (Gram used this method); or cut the dough, then put filling just in the lower half or third of the dough before rolling it up. As mentioned earlier, the filling is actually a meringue (whipped egg whites and sugar) and is expected to rise quite dramatically as it bakes.

nuthorns06

For the first 2 batches I followed Gram's instructions and rolled out the dough balls into a 9-inch circle, spread one-sixth of the flling over each circle, then cut 8 pie-shaped wedges, and loosely rolled up each wedge beginning at the wide part. Once I saw how much the filling expanded and cracked the dough in some places and spilled over in others, I switched to the other method for the last 4 batches and filled only the lower half or third of the wedge before rolling (that's what is recommended in the recipe below). In the photo above, the cookies in the foreground were filled only in the lower half and I think make for a neater presentation (especially for gift-giving). The ones in the background (slightly blurry) are filled from wedge to point. Surprisingly, the cookies have about the same amount of filling whichever method you use so the final taste is pretty equal no matter which rolling method you choose.

I'm not sure whether I'll have time to make another batch of nut horns this holiday season, because we have so many recipes bookmarked to try from past "Eat Christmas Cookies" events sponsored by Susan at Food Blogga. Last year we added Gram's Molasses Crinkles to Susan's Christmas cookie platter and this year we'll continue the tradition by sending along these delicate Nut Horns for this third annual international cookie fest! Check out the first 2 years of cookie fabulousness now at Food Blogga, or send along your own favorite treats. Susan will post periodic Round-ups of this year's cookies as they are submitted so check back for new cookie inspiration until the event closes on December 20th.

GRAM'S NUT HORNS
Makes 48 cookies

Note: Dough has to chill for at least 6 hours before finishing. If you have a marble work surface, it will help keep the dough cool as you roll and fill.

½ cup/ 120ml lukewarm water
1 2oz./56g cake yeast, or 1 packet (.25oz) active dry yeast
1 TBL raw sugar
½ lb/455g butter, cold
3 cups/445g unbleached plain flour
3 egg yolks from large eggs, beaten
(reserve 2 whites and keep refrigerated to make Filling)
8 TBL/8 oz/120ml heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
powdered sugar for rollling dough and to dust for garnish

Dissolve yeast and sugar in lukewarm water, and set aside until foaming.

Cut butter into flour until crumbly. Combine egg yolks, cream and vanilla, and beat well. Add to flour and mix to combine.

Add yeast mixture and form into a ball for kneading — dough should not be sticky. Sprinkle with teaspoonful of flour until dough is not tacky. Knead until smooth. Refrigerate overnight, or at least 6 hours.

Prepare Filling no sooner than 1 hour before you are ready to roll out dough or it may become too stiff.

Filling:
½ lb/ 225g walnuts, ground
1½ cup/285g raw sugar
2 egg whites from large eggs
1 tsp vanilla
** 1/2 tsp cinnamon
** 1/8 tsp or less fresh ground nutmeg
(Cinnamon and nutmeg are not in Gram's recipe — see notes above)

Make Filling: Beat egg whites to soft peak. Slowly add sugar, with the beaters on the whole time. Fold in vanilla and nuts. (Note: since I was using raw sugar, I could not hold a soft peak because raw sugar is so granular — but the fillling worked anyway.)

Pre-heat oven to 375/180C.

Sprinkle work surface with flour. Lightly flatten dough, divide into 6 parts and roll each into a ball. Keep remaining balls of dough covered and refrigerated as you work with the first one. (Note: I recommend using flour for the first roll since you need to refrigerate the remaining dough — if you use powdered sugar and then refrigerate, the remaining balls of dough are very sticky when they come out of the fridge... as I found out the hard way...)

To keep the final dough tender, use a light touch when rolling. Sprinkle work surface with flour, then cover generously with powdered sugar. (See notes above for flour vs. powdered sugar for rolling.) Roll first ball of dough to about a 9”/230mm circle.

Working quickly, cut into 8 wedges and fill each wedge with 1 heaping teaspoon of nut filling spread over widest half or third of the wedge. Roll dough starting at widest part and ending at the point. (Also see notes and photo above for alternative method for fillling cookies.) Bend corners of the cookie to the middle to achieve a nice crescent shape, and place on ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until light brown. Repeat with remaining dough and filling.

Each ball of dough will give you 8 cookies. Working with 2 cookie sheets, I put each batch of 8 cookies in the oven as soon as I was done so they didn't sit in the warm kitchen too long. Because of the high fat content from the butter and cream, the cookies would tend to soften and flatten if left in the warm environment. Also make sure your cookie sheet is completely cool before placing finished crescents on them — a quick way to cool a warm cookie sheet is to place it on a cool, wet kitchen towel for 1 minute or so. The wet towel pulls heat from the pan faster than air-cooling.

Cool cookies completely on rack. Dust with powdered sugar just before serving.

These seem best the first few days after baking, and then lose their tender quality with every passing day, although they were still wonderful the first 8 days after baking (they didn't last past that so I can't vouch for longer storage). If the cookies don't have sugar dusted on them yet, they can be re-warmed and re-sofened if wrapped loosely in foil and set in a pre-heated toaster oven for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with sugar, if desired.``

nuthorns04

If the cookies have to travel, omit the powdered sugar when packing since sugar can make the cookies sticky by the time they reach their destination (as you probably guessed, these were destined for Gram's bedside). You might include a note suggesting a sprinkle of powdered sugar before serving.

Happy Baking, Everyone!

Tags: Cookies, Gifts, Events

Roasted Butternut Risotto with Pan-fried Cod & Salmon

October/27/2009 13:02

Whether the weather outside is frightful or delightful, creamy risotto always fits the bill: either hunkering indoors while the weather gods dither or warming up after a day of cavorting in crisp fall air. Here, roasted butternut squash provides a rich and satisfying foundation for an unexpected foil — curry-dusted wild salmon and cod.

This unlikely fusion came about this way: we had only one cod and one salmon filet in the freezer, we had roasted butternut squash in the fridge, and I was craving risotto. Butternut squash risotto was a no-brainer, but I wanted fish, too. Well, butternut soups are often seasoned with curry powder, ostensibly the spices act as a foil to the rich squash; and we often pan-fry fish dusted with curry spices, so it seemed like there was potential there. But how to tie the seemingly disparate classics, Italian risotto and Indian spiced fish? Answer: Two spices that are found in neither classic recipe but which compliment both and literally marry them in perfect union.

The key turned out to be using chicken broth infused with fresh ginger and cinnamon, which lifted the flavor of the butternut brilliantly without taking over. Both are also used extensively in Indian cooking and so did not fight with the curry spices in the fish. T prefered the cod with the risotto, while I liked the richer flavor of wild salmon better with this combination.

Although this recipe developed as a way to use ingredients we already had on hand, this combination was a winner with us both and something we will plan for in future. Although this recipe may look daunting at first glance, it's really and truly quite do-able when you roast the squash ahead of time — throw it in when you have something else going in the oven anyway. We had roasted squash on hand for this recipe because we roasted it when we were baking Stuffed Tomatoes earlier in the week. And enriching a store-bought chicken broth with ginger and cinnamon is something that requires little attention from the cook as it simmers on a back burner. Go on, you can do this.

Last Friday evening, the weather was in fact quite dreary and wet most of the day. But with a warm and colorful bowl like this to cheer us indoors, we say, "Let it drizzle, let it drizzle, let it drizzle!"

ROASTED BUTTERNUT RISOTTO with PAN-FRIED COD & SALMON
Whenever I make risotto, I still hear Valentina Harris, author of "Risotto! Risotto!" in my head coaxing and wooing risottos to their creamy finish. Chef Harris was our guest risotto instructor at Leiths, and the method I follow is hers although this recipe is my own.
(For 4 persons)

Prepare the Squash:
2.5 lb or 1kg butternut squash, washed well
2 TBL olive oil

Cut squash in half lengthwise. Remove seeds.

Oil baking pan, and place squash in pan with the cut side down. Place in cold oven and set temperature to 350F/180C. Bake for 50 minutes to one hour, or until the flesh is pierced easily with a knife.

Cool for at least 20 minutes (or completely if doing this step 1 or more days in advance). Scoop out flesh — it will be pretty smooth and creamy, but you can blend or puree it to ensure a uniform texture (I don't dot this) and set aside.

*Squash can be prepared up to 3 days in advance and refrigerated. Re-heat in microwave to heat through before continuing.

Prepare Broth for Risotto:
6 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup water
1 slim finger of ginger, well scrubbed and sliced lengthwise
1 stick of cinnamon

Bring all broth ingredients to a rapid boil in a 3 or 4 qt/L saucepan. Reduce heat to medium, cover and allow to simmer for 30 minutes. Ready to use, but for deeper flavor, allow broth to cool with ginger and cinnamon. Remove ginger slices and cinnamon, and return to full boil for 10 minutes before continuing with risotto.

Leave broth on low simmer while making risotto.

risotto_butternut_fish03

Prepare the Fish:
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp turmeric
scant 1/4 tsp cayenne (red chili) powder
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp garam masala
juice from half lemon, about 2 TBL
1 filet Alaskan cod, about 6 oz/ 170g
1 filet wild Alaskan salmon, about 6 oz/ 170g
2 TBL olive oil

Combine coriander, cumin, turmeric, cayenne, salt and garam masala.
Cut each filet into 1-inch pieces.
Toss fish with lemon juice, and coat with spice mixture. Set aside to marinate for 20-30 minutes while you finish risotto.

For the Risotto:
1 medium onion, finely diced
2 TBL olive oil
2 TBL unsalted butter
1 1/2 cup Carnaroli rice (if using arborio rice, you may need only 5 cups of broth)
1/4 cup brandy
2 cups/360g warm roasted butternut squash puree
6 cups Infused Chicken Broth, kept simmering and with a soup ladle nearby

As always with risotto, have all ingredients ready and within easy reach before starting.

In a 5-6 qt/L pan, cook onion with oil and butter over medium heat until onion is absolutely translucent, about 8-10 minutes. Increase heat to medium high.

Add rice, and stir well to coat with oils. Allow to cook for another 40 to 60 seconds, until the rice starts to squeak or squeal. Add brandy, and stir well. When all liquid has been absorbed, add one ladle of simmering broth, stir in and allow broth to be completely absorbed. Add second ladle of broth, stir until broth is absorbed. Add third ladle, stir, absorb.

Add butternut squash puree, and stir through with rice. Continue adding broth one full ladle at a time, stirring continously and allowing liquid to be absorbed each time before more is added. This will take another 10-12 minutes.

Cover and let rest while finishing fish.

Pan-fry Fish:
Pre-heat skillet over medium high heat.
Gently pat dry fish pieces, being careful not to rub off spices.
Add 3 TBL oil to skillet, and add fish, being careful not to crowd pan.
Brown fish on all sides. Remove to warm plate, and repeat with any remaining fish.

To serve, place one-fourth of risotto in warmed bowls, and top with fish and chive or scallion garnish. The richness of the risotto and spiciness of the fish promise that this dish can hold its own against a fruity red wine. Our go-to weekday wine is Trader Joe's Charles Shaw, and we called on a Merlot for this experimental meal, and it was fine. But now that we have reclassed this unlikely combo as worthy of a special occasion, next time we will look deeper in the cellar.

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Tags: Fish, Vegetables, Rice

Creamy Cargamanto Beans in Yogurt

October/19/2009 11:00

The cargamanto bean. If this is as new to you as it was to us last spring, then you are in for a treat. The grandmother of the more widely known cranberry bean and the Italian borlotti, the cargamanto has a thinner skin and is plumper when cooked than her descendants, so this creamy, buttery bean literally melts on the tongue. Remember the first time your fork broke the tender crumb of a lava chocolate cake — the delight of the molten chocolatey-ness oozing on your plate; it's like that, but from a bean! True, we are unashamedly bean-heads, so maybe I am waxing a bit poetic. Or maybe you need to try this bean.

The cargamanto hails from Colombia. It is the essential ingredient for Antioquenos Frijoles, the centerpiece of a traditional banquet-style platter known as Bandeja Paisa, which appears to resemble the feijoada of Brazil, or the rijstaffel of Dutch Indonesia in its generous abundance. As you can see, the red cargamanto is a gorgeous deep mahogany, mottled beige or pink near the "eye" of the bean. Unfortunately it loses this beautiful coloring once rehydrated and cooked so that it's hard to distinguish by eye from other cooked red beans except for its exceptional girth.

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But back to the recipe at hand. For this we sought guidance from what might seem like an unexpected source for a South American bean — a South Asian chef. In my book, Indian cooks have the best recipes when it comes to seasoning beans, and in this case Shilpa at Aayi's Recipes came through for us again. I've adapted her recipe for spiced red kidney beans by substituting red cargamanto beans, and by cooking the beans a bit longer in the spices before adding the surprise ingredient, yogurt. We loved the tangy smoothness the yogurt adds. The first time we made this, we had the chickpea flour, or besan, that is called for in the original recipe; in later tries, we substituted fine cornmeal as a thickener with equal success.

Thanks again, Shilpa, for a wonderful recipe that really showcases the creaminess of the lovely cargamanto bean!

We've found Goya brand Red Cargamanto Beans at the Lotte Plaza chain of Korean markets, particularly the one in Aspen Hill, MD; and just today located the Goya White Cargamanto Beans at H-Mart in Wheaton.
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CREAMY CARGAMANTO BEANS IN YOUGURT
Adapted from Shilpa's Rajma with Yogurt on Aayi's Recipes

16oz/455g dried cargamanto beans, red or white 1 large onion, diced
3 TBL olive oil
5 whole cloves
2 1″ cinnamon sticks
4 green cardamom pods, lightly chrushed
1/2 to 1 tsp red pepper (cayenne) powder
1/2 tsp turmeric
sea salt, to taste
1 tsp garam masala
1-1/2 cup/360g drained, thickened yogurt
2 tsp besan (chickpea flour), or fine cornmeal
small sprig cilantro (garnish)

Pick over and rinse beans. Soak beans 8-12 hours in enough cold water to coer the beans by 2 inches.

Drain beans and rinse.

In large Dutch oven or stock pot, add beans and 4 qt/L cold water and increase to high heat, cover and bring to boil. Turn heat down to medium, and continue at simmer, skimming impurities as they rise to the surface. Simmer for 1-1/2 hour.

Meanwhile heat oil over medium high. Add diced onions and cook until onions are translucent, about 8 minutes. Add whole cloves, cinnamon sticks, cardamom pods, red pepper powder, and turmeric, and stir to mix. Heat together for 1 minute.

Add salt and onion/spice mixture to beans. Continue cooking for 45 minutes to an hour, or until a test bean mashes easily with a fork. (If using a smaller bean, such as kidney or borlotti, adjust cooking time.)

Add garam masala, and stir through. Mix together yogurt and besan or cornmeal. Stir into beans, cover, and cook through for 10-15 minutes while table is set. Garnish with cilantro sprigs.

A wonderful meal in itself when served with your favorite flat bread — we love this with warm corn tortillas.

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Do you love beans, too? How about Cassoulet or Hawaiian-style Portuguese Bean Soup?

Tags: Beans

Okinawan Pig's Feet Soup (Ashitibichi)

October/17/2009 11:56

Here's a soup that may not be for everyone. Ashitibichi (AHSH-teh-BEE-chee), or Okinawan Pig's Feet Soup, definitely warms the bones as the weather gets cooler. Having said that, I'm reminded that ashitibichi is also one of the most popular offerings at Honolulu's annual Okinawan Heritage Festival, and it's not exactly cool on Oahu, even in September when the Festival is usually held. I guess this is for the hard-core pork lovers! *Guilty!*

In ashitibichi, whole or sliced pig's feet, or trotters, are simmered with ginger to produce an incredibly savory and gelationous broth. Large cut vegetables are added to create a final dish that is more a stew than soup from a Western point of view. Either way, you will either love it or you won't even try it, depending on where you stand on the "odd meat-parts" divide of carnivorous dining. If you happen to fall on the other side of the divide, that's okay — more for the rest of us! *smile*

This is a dish that my mother did not make at home when we were growing up. I'm not sure why, because she enjoyed eating it whenever she came across it, I just don't remember seeing her make it. Ashitibichi is considerably more time-consuming to make than oden-style Kombu, so that may be one reason. For this recipe I had to consult my trusty, well-worn copy of "Okinawan Cookery and Culture" produced by the Okinawan women's group of Hawaii called Hui O Laulima. (Here is another version prepared by Pomai at Tasty Island — he may not be Okinawan, but he's a fan, too!)

As with many Okinawan specialties, ashitibichi features kombu, or kelp, as well as pork. The type of kombu needed for this dish is the long dried strips which may be labelled "nishime kombu," "hayani kombu" or "ma kombu" — any one of these will work with this preparation. Preparing the kombu before it is added to the soup takes a bit of prep work and is not intuitive to anyone not accustomed to using kombu, so here's a quick guideline.

PREPARING KOMBU KNOTS
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First, soak the dried kombu in cold water, using a container large enough that you don't have to bend the dried strips — bending the strips can cause them to snap and cut your kombu before you can knot it. Soak for 30-40 minutes, or until the strips become pliable. Don't soak too long (2 or more hours) or the kombu will start to become mushy and unworkable.

Reserve 2 cups of the soaking water. (You can use excess kombu water as the foundation for a vegetarian stock or to cook dried beans — the kombu water is said to make the beans easier to digest, I haven't tried this yet but will. I also water planted vegetables and shrubs with this mineral-rich water, if I don't have an immediate use for it in the kitchen.)

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Knot each strip of kombu 4-5 times, depending on the length of the vegetable. If you leave about 5 inches, or one fist-length (see photo above), between the knots, you will leave just enough room to cut between them and leave an adequate "tail" on either side of the knot. The kombu will continue to expand as it cooks and if you cut too close to the knot, it will unravel as the vegetable cooks and become an unattractive blob of seaweed. Beware the Blob — leave a tail on both sides of the knot!

ASHITIBICHI, OKINAWAN PIG'S FEET SOUP
(Mrs. Yukihide Kohatsu's and Mrs. Fumiko Miyasato's recipes in "Okinawan Cookery and Culture" were the starting points for this version, although the method is my own. Photo here is from the 2007 Okinawan Heritage Festival in Kapiolani Park, Oahu)

Begin at least one day before you plan to serve, since broth is cooled overnight.

For the Broth
3.5-4 lbs/1.6-1.8kg pig's feet, whole or sliced lengthwise
2 large fingers of ginger, scrubbed well and sliced lengthwise (leave skin on)
Enough water to cover meat by 1-2 inches

Place meat and ginger in large (6 qt/L, or larger) crockpot. Set on HIGH setting for 2 hours. Skim top of broth to remove impurities as they rise to surface.

After 2 hours, set to LOW and allow to simmer for 5 hours for sliced feet, 6-7 hours for whole trotters. Meat should be tender and move around the joints easily.

Remove meat to separate container for cooling and storage. Discard ginger, and strain broth. Cool completely and store overnight separately from meat.

To Finish Soup:
2-3 strips of dried kombu strips, soaked and knotted (see Preparing Kombu, above)
2 cups reserved kombu soaking water above
2-3 TBL awamori or sake
1 medium daikon, peeled and cut crosswise into 2-inch thick slices
2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch thick slices
8-10 dried shiitake mushrooms, rehydrated
1 packet dashinomoto, dried powdered fish stock
1-2 TBL sea salt
2 TBL soy sauce

If desired, remove fat layer from broth. Place broth in large soup pot or Dutch oven, and bring to hard boil over high heat. Add reserved kombu water and return to boil.

Add kombu knots, awamori or sake, and daikon, and bring to boil. Once broth is bubbling, lower heat to medium, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes. Add cooked meat, carrots, rehydrated shiitake, dashi packet, salt and soy sauce. Continue simmering for another 30-45 minutes.

Test kombu knots: if a pointed chopstick easily pierces the center of the knots, the soup is ready. If kombu is not ready, remove carrots and daikon if you don't want these vegetables to get too mushy, and continue simmering additional 20-30 minutes. Different brands and grades of kombu will cook slower or faster, so cooking times will vary, and are dictated on when the kombu reaches the desired consistency. Consistency of the cooked kombu is also a matter of personal preference — texture can range from slightly firm (al dente) to meltingly tender. I prefer the latter, but that's just me.

Serve in individual bowls, with a separate bowl of rice, pickles, and a dipping dish of grated ginger or hot mustard. Maa-san!

ashitibichi08
Happy Birthday, Mom...

More Okinawan dishes on this site:
Kombu, Rafute, Abura Miso, Yakisoba, Okayu with Yomogi

More dishes with Kelp and other Sea Vegetables:
Kombu, Hijiki no Nimono, Namasu, Crispy Nori-Wrapped Walu & Shrimp with Papaya Coulis, Curry-Glazed Cod with Wasabi-Sea Salad Soba, and Kajiki with Pomegranate Ogo

Tags: Kombu, Okinawa, Pork, Soups

Three Tastes

Tao in the Kitchen