Cannellini Beans with Tomatoes And Spinach

Recipe adapted from Bon Appetit magazine (March 2005)

1 10-ounce bag fresh spinach leaves

3 tablespoon olive oil, divided

1 cup sliced shallots

24 cherry tomatoes

2 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary

1 cup low sodium chicken broth

3 15-ounce cans cannellini beans

• heat large deep nonstick skillet over high heat. Add spinach to dry skillet; toss until wilted, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a strainer set over bowl
• heat 2 tablespoon oil in the same skillet over medium high heat. Add shallots; saute 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium; add tomatoes and rosemary and saute 1 minute. Add broth; cover and cook until tomatoes soften, stirring occasionally, about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat.
• crush tomatoes wit potato masher, stir in bean and 1 tablespoon oil. Bring to boil over medium high heat. Reduce heat to medium low; simmer uncover until juices thicken, about 15 minutes
• stir spinach into beans. Season with salt and pepper

Crepes

I took this recipe from "The Food of France" cookbook. 

2 cups all purpose flour

pinch of salt

1 teaspoon sugar

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 2/3 cups milk

1 tablespoon meted butter

Butter or oil for frying

Sift the flour, salt and sugar into a bowl and make a well in the center. Mix the eggs and milk together with 1/3 cup water and pour slowly into the well, whisking all the time to incorporate the flour until you have a smooth batter. Stir in the melted butter. Cover and refrigerate for 20 minute.

Heat a crepe pan or a deep non stick frying pan and grease with a little butter or oil. Pour in enough batter to coat the bottom of the pan in a thin even layer and pour out any excess. Cook over moderate heat for about a minute, or until the crepe starts to come away from the side of the pan. Turn the crepe and cook for another 1 minute, or until golden brown.

Stack the crepes on a plate with a pieces of waxed paper between them and cover with aluminum foil while you cook the rest of the batter.

Pickle Shallots with Jalapeno Pepper

1/2 cup shallots, sliced

3 tablespoon kosher salt 

1 cup white vinegar

3 - 5 Jalapeno pepper, chopped

1 Roma tomato, chopped

juice from 1 lime

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

3 tablespoon olive oil

In a bowl, rub shallots with salt until wilted or no longer stiff, rinse under running water and squeeze  out as much water as possible. Add vinegar and let stand for 2 hours or up to 1 day.

Discard the vinegar and squeeze the shallot to take out as much vinegar as possible. Add the rest of the ingredient and mix well. Serve as condiment for any grilled or roasted meat, poultry or fish.

Chimichuri Sauce

This argentinian sauce is very versatile. Good companion for any grilled meat, poultry or vegetables. The sauce taste best when it let to stand for 2 - 3 hours before serving. This will allow the flavor to develop into fragrant aromatic sauce. 

1/2 cup olive oil

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

Juice from 1 lime (optional)

1/4 cup finely chopped Italian parsley

1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro

1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh oregano

1 teaspoon red pepper flake

salt 

ground black pepper

Mix all ingredients in a bowl, cover with cling wrap plastic and let sit for 2-3 hours before serving. 

Roast Chicken with Chimichuri Sauce

Entertaining doesn't have to be expensive and extravaganza, sometimes a simple meal can be the most satisfying. Here is one example, simple roast chicken serve with roasted potatoes and chimichuri sauce. Chimichuri sauce is an Argentinian sauce, it is very aromatic, slightly acidic and not too spicy. It tastes superb on any grilled meat, fish or vegetables. 

Simple Roasted Chicken

This roasted chicken is so simple and taste so good, making it perfect for lazy sunday dinner meal.

Buy organic and free range chicken if you can afford it. It make a whole lot different in taste, plus it 's good for you!

1 whole organic chicken, weight about 5 pounds

1 tablespoon sea salt 

 1/2 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil

Preheat oven to 375F

Wash chicken under cold running water to get rid of the blood, pull out the fat from the butt and discard it. Pat dry completely with paper towel, don't forget to dry inside the cavity as well. Rub all over with olive oil including the cavity, rub the skin and inside the cavity with salt and ground black pepper.

Roast for 45 minutes, turn the oven up to 400F and roast the chicken for another 20 minutes until cook thoroughly. To test the weather the chicken is cook or not, take it out from the oven and tilt the pan slightly, if the juice from the cavity run clear, then the chicken is done.

If you want to add potatoes, add it after you roast the chicken for about 25 to 35 minutes.

Grilled Tuna with Balinese Style Shallot Relish

Click photo for bigger view

This recipe is for 1.75 lbs tuna fillet, I have about 3 fillet. You can also easily adjust the measurement for the marinate. In this recipe, I just give the approximate measurement.  You can't hardly go wrong with it, if you put too much ginger or garlic! It will be still taste good. Just remember that tamari is already salty, even the reduce sodium tamari I find it still too salty!

Tuna fillet

For marinate the tuna:

1/3 cup reduced sodium tamari

5 cloves garlic, minced

1 tbs minced fresh ginger

2 tbs finely chopped cilantro

1 tbs canola oil

1/2 tsp sesame oil

black pepper, to taste

• Mix the above ingredients, marinate tuna for an hour or more and don't forget to put it in the fridge until you are ready to grill the tuna

Balinese style shallot Relish:

2 Shallots, sliced

1 tbs chopped scallion, green part only

1 tbs or more Slice serano/jalapeno chili or Thai chili

1/2 cup Cherry tomatoes, cut in half

juice from 1/2 lemon

2 tbs olive oil

salt

• Mix all ingredients for Balinese style shallots relish in small bowl, set aside until ready to use.

When you ready to eat, grill the tuna according to your liking. I like mine a little bit pink in the middle. So I cook it for about 3 o 5 minute on each side. Cook longer if you like it well done. 

Penne with Bolognese Sauce

1 package penne

1 recipe for bolognese sauce

Freshly grated parmigiano reggiano

Boil the penne according to package direction. Toss with bolognese sauce. Transfer to individual serving dish, add grated parmigiano reggiano and serve immediately.

Bolognese Sauce with Porchini Mushroom

This is very rich meat sauce and the addition of porchini mushroom make this sauce taste earthier. Cook this sauce the day before, put them in the fridge overnight, the next day,  before you reheat the sauce, you will see how much fat solid that's floating on the surface. Now you can easily skim off the unwanted fat. It is much easier to skim off the fat this way than when it's still cooking.  

1 package (14g) dried porchini mushroom, soak in 1 cup hot water until soft, transfer the already soft porchini into small plate, carefully pour the soaking water into another small bowl and discard the gritty sand that left on the bottom. Reserve 3/4 cup of this porchini water for the sauce instead of chicken broth or beef broth.

1 tbs olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

3 cloves small garlic, finely chopped

2 carrots, diced

1 celery, diced

1/2  pound ground chuck beef

1/2 pond ground veal

1/2 pound ground pork

1 cup whole milk

1/2 cup dry white wine

3 pinch ground nutmeg

2 canned (14.5 oz each) whole fire roasted Italian plum tomatoes, transfer to a bowl and crushed with your finger

1 tbs tomato paste

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 tbs finely chopped Italian parsley

• Heat a large sauce pan over medium heat, add onion and cook until translucent. Add porchini mushrom, carrot, celery and garlic. Cook further for about a minute or two
• Add ground chuck, veal and pork into the pan, season with salt to draw their juices. Stir and crumble the meat mixture, so that is no big lump left. Cook until the meat no longer red
• Add the wine, cook further until the wine is completely evaporated
• Add the reserve mushroom soaked water, cook until start to bubble
• Lower the heat to medium low, add the milk and ground nutmeg, stir well.  Add crushed tomato and tomato paste. Stir. Continue to cook until it start to bubble again, now lower the heat to the lowest setting, so that the sauce is barely simmer. 
• Cook uncover for about 2 hours or more, the longer you cook the tastier the sauce will be. I cook mine for 4 hours. Stirring occasionally from time to time.
• Taste if it need more salt or pepper
• The sauce should have the consistency of a thick soup

Harisa

Fragrant and spicy chili sauce widely used through out North Africa. You can buy canned or the one in a jar, I found most of them a little bit too salty for my palate. This is my version of the harrisa. It has more spices than the original and taste much better than the one from a jar or a can

1 jar fire roasted red bell pepper

1 tbs ground cumin

1 tbs ground coriander

2 tsp ground fennel seed

2 tbs red chili flakes, or more if you want it to be spicy

salt

2 tbs olive oil

Put all of the ingredients in a small skillet and cook on the low heat for 20 to 30 minutes. Serve as a condiment or sauce for chicken tagine, lamb tagine or spiced couscous

Zhoug

This red pepper sauce was brought to Israel Immigrant from Yemen, and has become the most popular condiment in Israel. It is delicious spread on a flat bread, fish, or grilled poultry. I personally become addicted to it, so I always have a small jar in my refrigerator.

¼ cup chopped cilantro

5 Thai chilies, or use 2 jalapenno pepper if you don't want it to be too spicy, roughly chopped

3 cloves garlic, chopped

½ teaspoon ground cumin

¼  teaspoon ground cloves

¼ teaspoon ground cardamom

salt, to taste

• Pound all ingredients in mortar and pestle until you get the consistency of a pesto. Transfer to a small bowl. YUM!

Spiced layer Eggplant, Tomato and Zucchini

This dish is good companion for any lamb or chicken tagine. Serve with plain or spiced couscous, or with Persian rice

2 japanese eggplant

2 yellow zuccini

4 tomatoes

Slice the eggplant, zucchinis and tomatoes into a 1/4 inch thick

In a small bowl, combine and mix,

2 tbs olive oil

2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground coriander

1/2 tsp ground ginger

salt and pepper

1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh mint

Kalamata olive, as much or as little as you wish

• Preheat oven to 375F
• in a large bowl, combine all ingredient and coat them well
• in a baking dish, layer the vegetables neatly, scatter a few kalamata olive here and there. Cover with aluminum foil
• Bake for 30 minutes, uncover and continue to bake for another 15 minute

Fragrant Chicken with Coriander seeds, Kaffir Lime leaves and Coconut Milk

For a bigger view, just click the photograph above

Freshly ground coriander seed and kaffir lime leaves really make this dish extremely fragrant and delicious. I know if you just looking at the photograph, it won't be enough to convince you how good it is. It's kind of look pale, unappetizing.  You just have to try it!

As in all of my chicken dishes that I prepare, I  always prefer to use Cornish hen than regular chicken because,  it is tastier and much less fat. You can use regular chicken for this recipe and double the amount of the spice paste. 

Best serve with steam jasmine rice or japanese rice

1 cornish hen, quartered, rinse under cold running water and pat dry with paper towel

Paste :

2 shalots, roughly chopped

3 clove garlic, roughly chopped

2 tsp coriander seed, ground in the coffee grinder

2 whole candelnut, chopped*

2-3 tbs water

5 kaffir lime leaves

1 fresh lemongrass, bruished

a slice, about 1/4 inch thick fresh galangga

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup coconut milk

a pinch of white pepper

Salt

1 tbs canola oil

• put all ingredient for the paste in a blender, add about 2 tablespoon  of water and process until become a smooth paste. If the blender doesn't run smoothly, add a little bit more water
• heat the pot over medium heat. Cook the paste in the pot, without oil for a few minute, this is just to let the water evaporated a little bit, now add oil and fry until very fragrant and some of the paste seems sticking a little bit to the bottom of the pot, but don't let it burnt
• add the chicken pieces and start coating the chicken with the paste, add 1/2 cup of water. Stir and scrape all the paste that is sticking in the pot. 
• add kaffir lime, lemongrass, galangga, salt and pepper, stir and continue to cook until it start to boil
• when it start to boil, turn the heat to the lowest setting and let it simmer for 30 minutes
• taste to see weather it need more salt, now add coconut milk, stir and cook for another 10 minutes. Stir every a few minute to make sure that the coconut milk will not boil, if this happen the coconut milk will break apart. It will affect the taste just a little bit
• turn off the heat and serve.

* candle nut is available in Asian grocery store. If it unavailable in your area, you can substitute it with cashew nut, about 3 cashew nut for 1 candle nut. Or simply omit the candle nut, it doesn't really affect the whole taste of the dish.

Curried Brown Garbanzo with Toasted Coconut

This is a simple and healthy everyday meal. Brown or black garbanzo bean has pleasantly nutty taste and it is quite nutritious. 

The addition of methi leaves for this curry, make it more delactable meal. If you can not find methi leaves, you can simply omit it. It is still taste good. Serve with basmati rice or chappati bread

1 cup brown garbanzo, soak 24 hr

Coconut paste:

1/2 cup unsweetened shreded coconut

1 onion, chopped, devided in half and reserve the other half for seasoning

Spices:

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

2 tsp ginger powder

1 tsp cumin powder

a pinch of cayenne pepper

Seasoning:

1/2 chopped onion (that you reserve from ingredients for coconut paste)

2 tbs canola oil

3 tbs dried methi leaves (optional)

salt

Boil garbanso bean until soft, this will take about an hour or so. While the garbanso is boiling, make the coconut paste.

On a medium heat, saute onion with 1 tbs canola oil until soft and translucent. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

To make coconut paste:

Toast  coconut on a skillet on top of the stove until brown, set aside to cool, transfer to a blender or food processor, add the spices and half of the saute onion, reserve the other half for seasoning. You might need to add some water if using a blender, about 1/4 cup would be sufficient otherwise a blender machine would not running well.

Process the coconut and onion into a paste, then add to garbanzo bean. Lower the heat to the lowest setting. Stir briefly then add salt.

Put back the other half of saute onion to a skillet, add 1 tbs canola oil and methi leaves. Cook until methi leaves releases its fragrant. Turn off the heat and pour onion-methi leaves mixture to the garbanzo pot. Continue to cook for another 5-10 minutes. Turn off the heat and serve.

Sardines With Tomato

Serve with jasmine rice and saute Chinese long bean

Somehow I just love this simple dish. It bring back my memory when I was growing up in Indonesia. Canned sardine was probably the most common and widely use canned product, spam and corned beef come second, because it is cheap and always available in the neighborhood market or grocery store.  Its kind of  like canned tuna in America. 

2 canned sardine packed in olive oil

1 shallot, sliced

1 Roma tomato, quartered, slice

1 Serrano chili, half, seeded and slice

1 scallion, slice

salt, if needed

Heat the skillet on medium heat. 

Open both canned sardine.  From one canned of sardine pour olive oil to the skillet, saute shallot until translucent. Add Roma tomato and Serrano chili, stir and cook for a minute or so. Add sardines, carefully swirl the skillet just to corporate all ingredients. Do not stir to much or your sardines will break a part. Cover the skillet and cook on low heat for 5 minutes. Add scallion, taste to see if need salt, sometimes the sardine is already have salt added to it. Transfer to a plate. Serve immediately

Doro Wat (Ethiopean Braised Chicken)

1 small chicken, 1 1/2 pound, cut into pieces

1 small onion, diced

1 clove of garlic, sliced

2 tbs tomato paste

1/2 cup roughly chopped cilantro

Spice mix (berbere), in small bowl combine all together:

1 tbs ground cumin 

1 tbs ground coriander 

2 tbs ground ginger

5 kernel funnegrek seed + 5 whole spice, ground in mortal and pestle

a  pinch of ground clove

5 tbs paprika

1 tbs ground cayenne

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp cardamom

a pinch of nutmeg

salt and pepper

*you only need 2 tbs of this spice mix. left over can be store in a jar for future use.

In shallow pot, saute onion with olive oil until translucent, add chicken pieces, garlic  and 2 tbs of spice mix. Coat them well with the spices then add tomato paste and 1/2 cup of water. Stir a little bit, when it start to simmer, lower the heat to the lowest setting.  Cover the pot and cook further for about 35-45 minutes, add chopped cilantro. Taste and adjust seasoning.  

Note :  good with chappati bread, basmati rice or go for the original,  Ethiopean will eat this with Injera; it's kind of sour pancake, it is made out of Teff flour. I'll try to add Enjera bread in the future.

Chicken Tagine with Green Olive and Apricot

1 small chicken or cornish hen, about 1 1/2 pound, cut into pieces

1/ onion, slice

1 clove garlic, slice

8 - 10 dried apricot

8-10 green olive

1-2 tbs olive oil

1/2 tsp saffron, mix with 1/2 cup hot water (this is saffron water)

Spices:

2 tsp grated ginger or 1 tsp ground ginger powder

1 tsp coriander powder

1/2 tsp cumin powder

1/4 tsp cinnamon

a pinch of chili powder

Salt and pepper

* if you don't have tagine pot, you can use any shallow cooking pot that has lid.

Put the pot on top of the stove on a medium heat, add olive oil  heated until hot enough. Arrange chicken pieces on the pot in a single layer, bone side down, cook until brown. Turn over the chicken pieces, scatter slice onion, slice garlic, dried apricot and green olive, cook for about 2 minutes, add spices and saffron water. Stir so that the chicken coat evenly with spices, cover the pot with the lid and lower the heat into lowest setting. Cook for 35-45 minute. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Serve with plain couscous or spice couscous with dried fruit and pine nut and Harisa

Quick Yellow Curry with Tofu

1 package firm tofu, cubed

2 carrots, sliced

1 zucchini,  sliced

1 small Roma tomato, quartered then cut into half

Spices:

2 shallots, thinly sliced

1 clove garlic, sliced

3 Thai chillies, leave whole

2 kaffir lime leaves

1 scallion, chopped

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 tsp ginger powder

1/2 tsp lemongrass powder

1/4 tsp galanggal powder

1 tbs fish sauce

1 - 2 tbs olive oil

1/2 cup light coconut milk

salt 

Saute shallots with olive oil in a soup pot over medium heat until translucent, stir in the rest of the spices. Cook until fragrant then add the vegetables, continue to cook for another minute or two. Add coconut milk, turn the heat into low then add tofu and fish sauce. Lightly stir the curry (carefully) so that you don't break the fragile tofu. Keep cooking with low heat until it start to simmer, do not let to become boil or the coconut milk will break apart. when it start to simmer, cook another 5 minute, taste and adjust seasoning according to your taste.

Simple Roasted Red Potatoes

1 pound small red potatoes

1/2 tsp chopped fresh rosemary

1 tbs olive oil

salt 

freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 375F

Heat a heavy iron skillet on medium heat on top of the stove

Clean potatoes then cut into half. Place them onto a bowl add the rest of the ingredients and mix them well, make sure to coat every single potatoes. Transfer to a skillet, skin side down. Cook for 5 minute, turn off the heat, transfer the skillet into the oven. 

Roast for 35 to 45 minute or until golden brown. Take out from the oven and turn every single potatoes so that the cut side is up. Now you can see that the cut side is perfect and evenly brown!

Rash-El Hanout

This is my version of Ras el hanout. Don't worry, I did not add any Spanish fly beetle in this recipe!

3 tbs cumin seed

3 tbs coriander seed

2 tbs fennel seed

1 tsp all spice

2 tsp whole black pepper

5 whole cloves

3 whole cardamom

2 tsp ground turmeric

1 tbs ground ginger

1 tsp cayenne, only if you like spicy food

1 tbs paprika

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

1/4 ground mace

1 tbs dried rose petal

1 tsp dried lavender

2 tsp nigela seed

1 tbs dried cilantro

1 tbs dried parsley

• Heat the skillet over medium high, lightly toasted cumin, coriander and fennel seeds until fragrant. Set aside to cool
  
• transfer to a coffee grinder, add all spice, black pepper, cloves and cardamom. Grind until become powder
• transfer to a small bowl, add the rest of the ingredients and mix well
• store in tight fitting jar