Potato salad with andouille sausage and onion

Foodnetwork.com Saag Paneer: Spinach with Indian Cheese

Ingredients
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
Kosher salt
3 tablespoons plus 1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
12 ounces paneer, (Indian cheese, either store-bought or made from my recipe, recipe follows), cut into 1-inch cubes, see Cook's Note*
1 (16-ounce package) frozen chopped spinach
1 medium white onion, finely chopped
1 (1-inch thumb) ginger, peeled and minced (about 1 tablespoon)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 large green serrano chile, finely chopped (seeds removed if you don't like it spicy!)
1/2 teaspoon store-bought or homemade garam masala, recipe follows
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 cup plain yogurt, stirred until smooth
Paneer: Homemade Indian Cheese:
Cheesecloth
8 cups whole milk
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice, plus more as needed, see Cook's Note*

Directions
In a large bowl, whisk together the turmeric, cayenne, 1 teaspoon salt and 3 tablespoons oil. Gently, drop in the cubes of paneer and gently toss, taking care not to break the cubes if you're using the homemade kind. Let the cubes marinate while you get the rest of your ingredients together and prepped.

Thaw the spinach in the microwave in a microwave-safe dish, 5 minutes on high, then puree in a food processor until smooth. Alternatively, you can chop it up very finely with your knife.

Place a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, and add the paneer as the pan warms. In a couple of minutes give the pan a toss; each piece of paneer should be browned on one side. Fry another minute or so, and then remove the paneer from the pan onto a plate.

Add the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons oil to the pan. Add the onions, ginger, garlic and chile. Now here's the important part: saute the mixture until it's evenly toffee-coloured, which should take about 15 minutes. Don't skip this step - this is the foundation of the dish! If you feel like the mixture is drying out and burning, add a couple of tablespoons of water.

Add the garam masala, coriander and cumin. If you haven't already, sprinkle a little water to keep the spices from burning. Cook, stirring often, until the raw scent of the spices cook out, and it all smells a bit more melodious, 3 to 5 minutes.

Add the spinach and stir well, incorporating the spiced onion mixture into the spinach. Add a little salt and 1/2 cup of water, stir, and cook about 5 minutes with the lid off.

Turn the heat off. Add the yogurt, a little at a time to keep it from curdling. Once the yogurt is well mixed into the spinach, add the paneer. Turn the heat back on, cover and cook until everything is warmed through, about 5 minutes. Serve.

*Cook's Note: Paneer is very easy to make at home, and my recipe is quick, easy, and delicious. I also think homemade has a better texture than anything store-bought. If you'd like to buy it, this cheese is available in better supermarkets as well as specialty Asian markets.

Paneer: Homemade Indian Cheese:
Line a large colander with a large double layer of cheesecloth, and set it in your sink.

In a large wide pot, bring the milk to a gentle boil over medium heat, stirring frequently to avoid burning the bottom (a nonstick pot works really well for this purpose). This will take a little while so be patient!

Add the lemon juice and turn the heat down to low. Stirring gently, you should almost immediately see the curds (white milk solids) and whey (the greenish liquid) separate. Don't fret, this is perfect!

*Cook's Note: If the milk doesn't separate juice some more lemons and add another tablespoon or two. Boost the heat again and the milk should separate. Stir in a motion that gathers the curds together rather than breaks them up.

Remove the pot from the heat and carefully pour the contents into the cheesecloth-lined colander. Gently rinse with cool water to get rid of the lemon flavor. At this point, you could squeeze out some of the liquid, and serve with some honey and some nuts, almost like a fresh ricotta!

Grab the ends of the cheesecloth and twist the ball of cheese to squeeze out the excess whey. Tie the cheesecloth to your kitchen faucet and allow the cheese to drain for about 5 minutes.

Twisting the ball to compact the cheese into a block, place it on a plate with the twisted part of the cheesecloth on the side (this will ensure your block of cheese is nice and smooth!) and set another plate on top. Weigh the second plate down with cans of beans or a heavy pot. Move to the refrigerator and let it sit about 20 minutes.

Yield: Makes 12 ounces of cheese.

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/aarti-sequeira/saag-paneer-spinach-with-indian-cheese-recipe.html?oc=linkback

Green Crack Sauce

Ingredients

• 2 fresh jalapeños, including seeds and ribs, roughly chopped
• 1 tablespoon aji Amarillo paste (see note above)
• 1 cup freshly picked cilantro leaves and small stems
• 2 tablespoons grated cotija cheese or Parmesan cheese
• 1 medium clove garlic, minced (about 1 teaspoon)
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon white vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon juice from 1 lime
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Procedures

1. 1
   Combine jalapeños, aji amarillo, cilantro, cotjia, garlic, oil, vinegar, and lime juice in a blender. Blend on high speed until smooth paste forms. Add mayonnaise and blend until homogenous. Transfer to a bowl and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with grilled chicken. Unused sauce can be stored in a covered container for up to 1 week

Tandoori

Basmati rice cooked in 1/2 water and 1/2 chicken stock, turmeric, tandoori seasoning. Squeeze lemon juice and hydrated cranberry when done.

Ground beef with onion and garlic and tandoori seasoning. Cook then add peas.

Cucumber with oil and vinegar and feta.

Trader joes meat loaf

Rice with chicken broth, corn and salad with avocado

Baked Chicken

Couscous and red peppers with salad feta and artichoke and simple dressing

Banana Bread

Ingredients

• 1 stick butter
• 11/3 c sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 c sour cream
• 2 c flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1 c mashed ripe bananas
• 1 c chocolate chips
• 1/2 c chopped pecans (optional - I left these out!)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325°. In a large bowl cream butter and sugar. Then mix in eggs, vanilla and sour cream. In a separate bowl whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Slowly add to sugar mixture and stir until combined. Fold in bananas, nuts, and chocolate chips. Pour into 2 large loaf pans or 4 small loaf pans. You can also make 24 muffins. Bake for 1 hour in a loaf pan, 35-45 minutes in a small loaf pan or 25 min in a muffin pan. You want the bread to be lightly browned. Make sure it comes clean with a toothpick.
2. Once the bread is cooked, remove the bread from the pan and place on a cooling rack.

Moroccan Chicken with Lemon and Olives (Meat)

Modified
- Added 2 lemons

Want to make a chicken dish with Israeli flavor? My neighbor Carmit showed me how to make her family’s favorite chicken - Moroccan Chicken with Lemon and Olives. She covers the chicken with lemons and olives, along with her grandmother’s Sephardic spices, to create a delicious and easy-to-make main course for Friday night dinner.

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes

Ingredients:

• 6-8 skinless chicken pieces (breasts, thighs, and/or legs)
• 1/4 cup oil
• 2 onions, sliced
• 3-4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 8-oz. (250 gram) can of green olives without pits, drained
• 1 lemon, sliced
• 1 tsp. paprika
• 1 tsp. turmeric
• 1 tsp. cumin
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• boiling water

Preparation:

1. In a Dutch oven, saute onions and garlic in oil until golden.
2. Add chicken pieces so they fit in one layer. When the meat is white on one side (3-4 minutes), turn over. When the meat is white on the other side, it is time to add the rest of the ingredients.
3. First, pour the olives on top of the chicken pieces. Then place the lemon slices on top. Then sprinkle the spices on top. Then pour enough boiling water on top to cover the chicken pieces about half way (don't completely submerge them).
4. Cover the Dutch oven. After the mixture boils, turn the heat down to medium. Cook for 30-40 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.

Yields: 6-8 servings.

Pok pok chicken wings

Ike’s Fish-Sauce Wings

(Serves 4–8)

• 8 garlic cloves, peeled
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 cup warm water
• 1/2 cup Vietnamese fish sauce (Ricker recommends Phu Quoc or Three Crabs brand)
• 1/2 cup superfine sugar
• 2 lbs medium-size chicken wings (about 12), split at the joint
• Vegetable oil (for frying)
• 1 cup rice flour
• 1/4 cup tempura batter mix (Ricker recommends Gogi brand)
• 1/4 cup water
• Optional: 1–2 tspnaam phrik khao soi (roasted chile paste, for “spicy wings”)

MARINATE 

(1) CHOP garlic finely, sprinkle salt, and chop together for about 15 more seconds.
(2) SCRAPE into a small bowl, add warm water, and let sit for a few minutes. (3) POUR through a fine sieve set over a bowl, and use the back of a spoon to stir and smoosh garlic against the sieve, reserving leftover garlic. 
(4) ADD fish sauce and sugar to bowl and stir until dissolved. (5) PLACE chicken wings in a separate large bowl, add 1/2 cup of fish sauce mixture (reserve the rest in the refrigerator), and toss well. 
(6) COVER and refrigerate wings for at least four hours, or overnight, tossing every hour or so. 

FRY

(1) HEAT 3/4-inch vegetable oil in a small pan over high heat and add reserved garlic.
(2) REDUCE heat to medium-low, fry until garlic is lightly golden brown, about 5 minutes, and transfer to paper towels to drain (set aside until final cooking stage).
(3) TRANSFER wings from refrigerator to a colander in the sink and let drain for 15 minutes.
(4) STIR together rice flour and tempura mix in a large bowl and toss wings until coated well.
(5) POUR enough oil into a wok or dutch oven to completely submerge the wings, about 2 inches, and bring oil to 325 degrees (measure with a candy thermometer).
(6) FRY wings in two batches, gently knocking them against the bowl before adding to the oil.
(7) COOK each batch until evenly golden brown, about 10–12 minutes, prodding every few minutes.
(8) TRANSFER wings to paper towels to drain. 

FINISH

(1) ADD 1/4 cup water to the reserved fish sauce mixture.
(2) COMBINE 1/4 cup of the water–fish sauce mixture and half the chile paste (if you are using it), bring to a full boil in a nonstick wok, and reduce for about 45 seconds.
(3) ADD half the wings and toss every 15 seconds, until a caramelized glaze coats the wings, about 1 minute.
(4) ADD 1 tbsp of the fried garlic, toss well, and cook about 30 seconds longer.
(5) RINSE and wipe out wok, and repeat with the next batch of wings.
(6) SERVE wings with pickled vegetables, cucumber spears, and herb sprigs.

Peruvian Recipies

Our Peruvian Menu 2/23/13:

Chicha Morada

Canchita

Fish Ceviche

Causa (Potato Terrine)

Loma Saltado (Stir-fried beef with potatoes or "French fries")

Aji de Gallina (Creamy chicken stew)

Garlicy White Rice

Canchita

Canchita (or Cancha) is a popular snack in the Andean countries, often served alongside ceviche. It's a popcorn made from a special variety of corn called maiz chulpe. The pointy kernels pop when heated, and will even jump right out of the skillet, but the inside of the corn do not burst out and puff up like regular popcorn. Instead, cancha corn gets slightly puffy and toasted, like corn nuts, and it has a starchy crunchy taste that is quite addictive.

Cancha is easy and quick to prepare. All you need is a little vegetable oil and some salt, and a skillet with a lid. You can find maiz chulpe at Latin markets and online. I soaked the chulpe corn for 2 hours then drained well, as it was recommended in another recipe. Will try without soaking next time (as many recipes do not mention this).

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 cups cancha kernels

2 teaspoons kosher salt

Preparation:

Heat oil in the bottom of a large skillet over medium heat.

Add corn kernels and heat, shaking pan from time to time, until kernels start to pop.

Cover kernels loosely with a lid so that they don't fly out of the pan and continue to cook, shaking pan more frequently, until the kernels have stopped popping and are deep golden brown, about 10-15 minutes.

Remove from heat and toss corn with salt. Serve warm or at room temperature. Store canchita in an air-tight container.

Corvina Traditional Ceviche

from The Great Ceviche Book, modified for Peruvian cooking 2/23/13

Corvina is a type of sea bass. You can use any firm, white fish. We used Gold Spot Sand Bass for our Peruvian cooking 2/23/13.

Sweet Potatoes:

2 sweet potatoes, peeled, cut into thick slices

Marinade:

1/2 c freshly squeezed lime juice

1/4 c fresh celery juice

2-3 tsp. salt

2-3 tsp. aji amarillo paste

Fish:

1 lb. skinless corvina fillet, blood line and any bones removed and cut into 1/2 inch dice

Garnish:

1/4 c very finely diced celery

3 T. finely diced red onion

3 T. chopped fresh cilantro

1/4 c. whole cilantro leaves

To make the sweet potatoes, bring enough water to cover the sweet potatoes to boil. Boil in small saucepan over med high heat. Reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook until the potatoes are soft but still hold their shape, about 15 minutes.

Drain the potatoes and let cool.

In a nonreactive bowl, whisk together the marinade ingredients until well combined. Add the corvina and toss to combine. Add the celery, red onion and chopped cilantro. Mix well. Transfer the ceviche to individual glasses or a large shallow bowl.

Serve over iceburg lettuce with the sweet potatoes and choclo (Peruvian corn) on the sides of the glasses or bowl. Top with the cilantro leaves. Serve immediately.

Aji de Gallina

How we made it at Peruvian Cooking 2/23/13

Aji de gallina is a delicious Peruvian classic - slightly spicy and bright yellow from the famous aji amarillo peppers, and rich from the unusual cream sauce made with ground walnuts. This dish is traditionally served over rice, with boiled yellow potatoes and black olives. You can buy frozen yellow aji peppers (they often look more orange than yellow) at Latin food markets. You can also find jarred aji amarillo paste, which works well too. If you can't find aji amarillo peppers, then substitute another hot chile pepper and add a yellow bell pepper for color.

Serves 6-8.

Ingredients:

* 2 pounds chicken breast (4 large breasts)

* 4 cups chicken stock

* 2 carrots, coursely chopped

* 2 stalks celery, coursely chopped

* 4-6 yellow aji amarillo peppers, jarred or frozen (or 4-6 T. aji amarillo paste)

* 4-5 T. olive oil, divided

* 2 gloves garlic, minced

* 1 large onion, finely chopped

* 1/4 cup chopped walnuts

* 3 oz. grated parmesan cheese

* 4 slices white bread

* 1-12 oz can evaporated milk

* 4 yellow potatoes

* 2 hard boiled eggs, cut in halves, wedges or slices

* 10 Peruvian black olives (Botija)

Preparation:

1. Cook the yellow potatoes in salted water until tender when pierced with a fork. Let cool, peel, cut into quarters, and set aside.

2. Place the bread in a small bowl and pour the evaporated milk over it to soak. Set aside.

3. Place chicken breasts in a pot with chicken stock or water, carrots and celery. To poach: bring to a low boil, then, reduce to simmer. Cook for 20-25 minutes, until chicken is just cooked through.

4. Set chicken aside to cool. Strain broth and reserve 2 cups.

5. Remove stems and some of the seeds (depending how hot you like) from the aji peppers. In a small blender, process peppers with 3 T. olive oil and about 3 T. water (as needed to process) until smooth.

6. Heat 2 T. olive oil in sauté pan. Sauté the onions and garlic until the onions soften. Add blended peppers and cook through. Remove from heat and cool slightly.

7. Shred the cooled chicken into bite-size pieces.

8. In a blender or food processor, process the evaporated milk and bread mixture with the nuts and parmesean cheese until smooth. Add the cooked onion mixture and process until smooth. Taste and add salt or additional aji amarillo paste, to taste.

9. Return sauce to pan, and add 1 to 1 1/2 cups of the reserved chicken stock. Bring to a low simmer, and stir in the chicken. Heat until warmed through, adding more chicken stock if sauce is too thick.

10. Serve over rice, garnished with the yellow potatoes, slices or halved hard boiled egg, and black olives.

Alternative traditional recipe

"I lived in Peru and was married to a Peruvian, and while this recipe is close I've never seen it made this way in Lima. This recipe was taught to me by my Peruvian mother-in-law, who learned it from her mother and grandmother. This is absolutely delicious and whenever I have out of town guests this is ALWAYS the meal they request! It's even better the next day. You stew and shred a whole chicken. Reserve stock. Place 2 cloves of garlic, half a jalapeno, and 2 - 3 tbsp. aji amarillo puree (if you can't get fresh aji amarillo), add a pinch of salt, and enough vegetable oil to cover, and puree until smooth. Set aside. In same un-rinsed blender place 4 - 6 cloves garlic, and about 1/2 package of saltine crackers w/can of evaporated milk. Puree until smooth. Add a piece of white bread or leftover dinner roll and puree again. Add some of the pureed pepper mixture to your taste. Add about a cup of the warm chicken stock and blend together. In clean stew pot fry a whole onion in small amount of oil. When onions are slightly clear add about 1 tsp. cumin and small amount of turmeric. (Some people use Bijol for color but the turmeric adds nice flavor.) Toast the spices with the onions, then add chicken stock to pot. When stock is heated add cracker mixture to pot and stir over medium heat. If the sauce isn't as thick as you'd like simply put some back in the blender and add more crackers, puree and add to pot until desired thickness is reached. Add shredded chicken to pot. Add 1 cup finely chopped walnuts or pecans. (I prefer walnuts because they are softer.) Add some more of the pureed pepper mixture to your taste if you like it spicy, reserving some for tableside so people can make their plate as spicy as they'd like. Add 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese. (Fresh grated is best, but you can use the pre-grated kind if that's all you have.) Season with salt to your taste. Serve over white rice with sliced boiled egg, sliced boiled potatoes, and olives for garnish. *If it thickens too much the next day after refrigeration, simply add milk when re-heating to thin out."

Lomo Saltado

(for 8 people)

Based on Louise's Peruvian Recipes (from Peru 2012!), Revised to how we made it Peruvian Cooking 2/23/13:

6 small potatoes or 3 big potatoes (Russet)

1-2 c. vegetable oil for frying

Alternative: use frozen "French fries" (steak cut or regular) and bake according to package directions.

2 lb. Beef - we used Flap Meat (could use Beef tenderloin, Flank Steak or Skirt Steak)

1 red onion, cut into wedges

3 tomatoes, cut into small wedges

3-6 T. Distilled white vinegar

2-3 T. Soy sauce

1 T. or 2-3 cloves garlic, chopped

salt and pepper

1 T. cumin

2 T. oregano

Parsley leaves and/or cilantro

Optional: red wine and fresh chili stripes (jalapeno or sliced aji amarillo)

Served with white rice (cooked 3 cups (rice cooker cups) rice in rice cooker with a couple tsp. chopped garlic (jarred), 2 good pinches salt and a couple T. olive oil stirred in before cooking)

Preparation:

1. Slice the meat into small strips of about 1cm x 1cm x 4cm. Season the meat with sprinkling of salt, pepper, cumin, garlic and a tablespoon of oil. Let sit in the marinade for 10-15 minutes.

2. Cut the onion and the tomatoes into wedges, into a bit bigger pieces than the meat.

3. Peel the potatoes and cut them into thick French fries. Fry in vegetable oil until golden and crispy outside and cooked on the inside. Drain on paper towels. Keep warm. Alternative: if using frozen "French fries", bake according to package directions. Keep warm.

4. Heat up a large frying pan or wok with 1-2 T. vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Cook the meat in the hot pan for 1-2 minutes on one side, turn it and cook for 1-2 minute on the other side. It should turn a brown color. Remove it from the saucepan even if it is still red inside.

5. Fry the onions in the still hot large frying pan or wok (along with any meat juices) until they become slightly translucent. Then, add tomatoes and cook until they start to lose water.

6. Add meat back to frying pan or wok, then, add vinegar, soy sauce, oregano (and red wine, if using) and cook over medium-high heat for 1-2 minutes, until heated through.

7. Add in the fried potatoes (or sprinkle on top to keep crispy).

8. Top with parsley and/or cilantro (and optional fresh chili strips).

9. Accompany with rice.

Challah Recipie

Soup and sandwich