Paella

Paella

Book: SteveChapter: MAIN COURSE
Serves: 6

Paella is a traditional Spanish dish often cooked outdoors on a fire. In the summertime, using my gas grill keeps me from heating up the kitchen. Making it indoors in the oven and on the stovetop works fine.

There are probably as many recipes for Paella as there are cooks that make it.

The more authentic way of preparing it calls for the formation of a slightly crispy, crunchy layer called socorrat. People do, sometimes, make it without the socorrat, probably because it is a little more difficult and if the cook isn't careful the batch can end up burnt. The socorrat has a very nice texture and is much sought after by purists.

Paella is is a very forgiving dish that adapts well to what items are available.

I use a 15 inch diameter Paella pan that can be placed on two burners of my gas stove at once during the socorrat forming stage.

I also make a different recipe that I cloned from a Mexican restaurant for those that like a Mexican "take" on the dish. That one calls for flat leaf parsley or cilantro and some red and also some green, canned jalapenos.

This recipe for six allows for "seconds" or could accommodate a few more people.

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 red onion, diced

1 teaspoon minced garlic

20 shellfish

2 Spanish Chorizo sausages, browned and cut into chunks. This is sometimes hard to find in Minnesota and a good substitute is a mild Italian sausage.

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into strips18 raw, shrimp, deveined.

Some people like peeled shrimp. Un-peeled has a different flavor when cooked and, I think, a nice rustic presentation.

1 tomato, chopped

1 teaspoon saffron threads

Salt and pepper to taste

1 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary

1/2 teaspoon thyme

1/4 teaspoon cumin

3 cups medium grained rice . Bomba is traditional. Any hard grain medium rice will work fine. Short grain seems to work well too.

6 cups chicken broth

1 small, green,red,yellow, orange pepper cut into strips. If you can get the Costco bags of mini peppers, they actually work better at a lower cost.

4 ounces peas

Lemon wedges, to garnish

Serves: 6-8

Preparation

Preheat oven to 225°
Prep the items.
Scrub and debeard the mussels. Scrub clams, discard any that don't close when tapped. Steam in water, wine, chicken broth or a combination. Set aside. Note: Some cooks put the shellfish directly in the pan but I have overcooked them, on occasion, that way.

Slice the chicken into strips. Half (partial) cook in oil. Set aside. The chicken will finish cooking in the Paella pan

If the sausages are raw, brown them in a pan, cut into 1 inch chunks and set aside.
If you use the Paella pan for browning, leave the fond or "little bits" in the pan for extra flavor. You might need to deglaze to prevent them from burning during the rest of the cooking process.

Wash the shrimp. At least devein. Peel, if you prefer. Set aside.

Heat the paella pan on the stove to medium. Add the oil and bring temperature.

Sauté onions for a few minutes. Do not allow to burn.

Add the rice and allow a few grains to toast.

Pour in one half of the chicken broth.

Add the spices & tomatos and stir.

While the dish is coming to temperature, arrange the peppers, sausage, shrimp and chicken in a spoked pattern.

Place the paella pan in the oven, uncovered.
Add the rest of the broth.

After 20 or 25 minutes test the rice for doneness. If too dry, add a little water or broth.

Arrange the shellfish in the pan, placing a teaspoon of the steaming liquid on each one.

Sprinkle the pan with the peas.

Cover the pan and place on burners over medium heat.
Turn the pan 1/8 turn after each 60 seconds.

When you smell the rice getting toasty and hear the crackle, the socorrat is forming, so take a little peek with a spatula. If it has formed, you are ready to garnish and serve.

Lemon Risotto

(I like mine less soupy than most people.)


this recipe is from Bon Appetit magazine. I copied it here from Epicurious.

The recipe said it would make 4 main course servings, but I halved the recipe, added some chopped asparagus and a little cooked chicken, and got three very substantial servings. It took a lot longer than 35 minutes for the rice to absorb all the broth, and I ended up adding about 3.5 or maybe even four cups rather than the 3 called for (since I halved the recipe.) I think this would be great with fish or shrimp. I also want to try it with fresh spring peas.

Ingredients:
6 cups canned low-salt chicken broth
3 1/2 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
2 large shallots, chopped
2 cups arborio rice or medium-grain white rice
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (about 3 ounces)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
4 teaspoons grated lemon peel

Directions:
Bring broth to simmer in large saucepan over medium heat. Reduce heat to low; cover to keep warm. Melt 1 1/2 tablespoons butter with oil in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots and sauté until tender, about 6 minutes. Add rice; stir 1 minute. Add wine and stir until evaporated, about 30 seconds. Add 1 1/2 cups hot broth; simmer until absorbed, stirring frequently. Add remaining broth 1/2 cup at a time, allowing broth to be absorbed before adding more and stirring frequently until rice is creamy and tender, about 35 minutes. Stir in cheese and remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Stir in parsley, lemon juice, and lemon peel. Season risotto with salt and pepper. Transfer to bowl and serve.

Orange Pork Ragout with Beans

This recipe was published in the New York Times and has quickly become a favorite of many of us.

Published: October 31, 2007

Time: 3 hours

1 cup dried cannellini beans, rinsed
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 pounds boneless pork shoulder, in 2-inch chunks
1 medium-size onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded and finely chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons smoked Spanish paprika
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
Grated zest and juice of 2 oranges
1 1/2 cups dry red wine
3 branches fresh rosemary
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Small pinch red chili flakes
1 tablespoon finely chopped flat-leaf parsley.

1. Place beans in a saucepan, cover with water by 2 inches, bring to a boil, cook 2 minutes, cover and set aside to soak 1 hour.

2. Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons oil in a 4-quart casserole and lightly brown pork without crowding over medium-high heat. Remove. Add onion, garlic and bell pepper. Sauté over low heat until soft. Stir in paprika, cloves and zest. Stir in orange juice and wine, scraping bottom of pan. Return pork to pan. Set aside until beans have finished soaking, then drain beans and add. Add rosemary, black pepper and chili. Bring to a simmer.

3. Cover and simmer 2 hours, until beans are tender. Season with salt. Leave in casserole for serving or transfer to a serving dish. Drizzle over remaining oil and scatter parsley on top before serving.

Yield: 4 servings

Eggplant Goat Cheese Tower

Roasted Pepper Salsa

Can be made several days ahead of assembly
4-5 Red peppers roasted in oven/or under broiler until black on all sides
When done, place in bag to steam and when cool - peel skin and deseed
Place in bowl with sliced garlic, EVOO, bay leaf and oregano
Refrigerate until you are using
On day of assembling your tower - you need to process your peppers to a very small chunky salsa - remember to remove bay leaf

Goat Cheese Spread

1 log goat cheese
1 container Boursin herb and garlic spread
Mix together and let sit to soften

Eggplant Steaks

Can be made a day ahead
You will need 11/2-2#'s eggplant
Slice thinly the long way and salt
Let sit in colander - when water has leeched out dry with paper towels
1-2 eggs beaten
Italian flavoured bread crumbs - add panko crumbs, grated parm and a bit of garlic powder - mix
Egg and bread slices and fry in your favourite oil
Let cool completely before assembling

Assembling

Place first slice of eggplant on platter and spread cheese mixture on entire length of slice then a spoonful or two of salsa - spread over cheese mix
Continue until all of the mixture is gone
Do not put it on thick
Top slice should have salsa
Drizzle with balsamic glaze and serve with fresh pesto on the side

Pork Loin with Brandy and Dried Cherries

Soaking dried cherries in brandy softens the fruit and yields deep flavor. Serve with rice, and garnish with flat-leaf parsley.

1/2 cup dried tart cherries
1/2 cup brandy
2 pounds boneless pork loin, trimmed
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
Cooking spray
1 cup finely chopped onion
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon red currant jelly
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1 bay leaf

Combine cherries and brandy in a small bowl. Let stand 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 325°.

Sprinkle pork evenly with mustard, pepper, and salt.

Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add pork; cook 8 minutes, turning pork every 2 minutes or until browned. Remove pork from pan. Reduce heat to medium; add onion and garlic. Cover and cook 5 minutes. Add cherry mixture, broth, jelly, thyme, and bay leaf; bring to a boil. Return pork to pan. Cover and bake at 325° for 2 hours or until tender. Remove pork from pan; let stand 10 minutes. Discard bay leaf. Bring broth mixture to a boil; cook until reduced to 1 1/2 cups (about 3 minutes).

Wine note: Pork marries well with everything from riesling to cabernet sauvignon. The best match depends on the flavors used to cook the pork. In this case, the dried cherries, brandy, and jelly add sweetness. As a result, a thick, soft, jammy, fruity red like Australian shiraz would be a terrific partner. Try Grant Burge "Barossa Vines" Shiraz from Australia's Barossa Valley. The 2001 is about $11. -Karen MacNeil

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 3 ounces pork and 1/2 cup sauce)

Cooks Note: I double the sauce because, IMO, it is the best part!

CALORIES 307(31% from fat); FAT 10.6g (sat 3.6g,mono 4.7g,poly 1g); PROTEIN 31.4g; CHOLESTEROL 83mg; CALCIUM 47mg; SODIUM 315mg; FIBER 2.1g; IRON 1.8mg; CARBOHYDRATE 16.4g
Cooking Light, OCTOBER 2005

Italian Pot Roast

This recipe is from The Encyclopedia of Sauces for Your Pasta, by Charles Bellissino. He calls it "Neapolitan meat sauce".

2 lb piece boneless beef or pork
2 cloves garlic
1/2 tsp salt
2 oz lard or olive oil
3 onions, chopped
2 carrots, julienned
1 stalk celery, chopped
1/2 cu red wine
1/2 cu water
1 T tomato paste
1, 8 oz can tomato sauce

Sliver the garlic and insert it into slits in the meat. Brown the meat in the fat or oil. Add veggies and cook 5 min. Blend wine, water, and paste (actually, I forgot the water yesterday and it came out nicely, with a slightly thicker sauce than usual) and add to pan. Bring to boil and simmer covered for 30 min. Add tomato sauce and simmer 2 hours more or until meat is tender. Serve sauce over pasta and meat alongside.

Perfect Standing Rib Roast

2-rib to 4-rib roast of beef (4 ½-12 pounds), short ribs removed
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
½-1 cup beef broth

Remove the roast from the refrigerator 2 ½ to 4 hours before cooking, the longer time for the largest roast.

Preheat the oven to 500°F. Place the roast on a rack in a large, shallow roasting pan, fat side up. Season generously with salt and pepper to taste. Put the roast in the oven and cook according to the chart below, timing exactly. When the cooking time is up, turn off the oven. Leave the roast in the oven for 2 hours, and DO NOT OPEN THE OVEN DOOR FOR ANY REASON UNTIL 2 HOURS HAVE PASSED. Remove the roast from the oven, tent the roast loosely with foil and allow it to rest for 20 minutes before carving.

To make a thin pan gravy, remove the excess fat from the meat drippings, leaving any meat pieces in the pan. Stir in the beef broth. Bring to a boil, scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen the meat pieces. Simmer for 1 minute and season to taste. Serve hot.

Roasting ChartWeight......Roast at 500° F.
4 ½-5 pounds.....25-30 minutes
8-9 pounds.....40-45 minutes
11-12 pounds.....55-60 minutes

This works out to be about 15 minutes per rib, or approximately 5 minutes cooking time per pound of trimmed, ready-to-cook roast.If you prefer medium-to-well-done beef, add 10 minutes to the maximum cooking time for each size roast.

Note: If you purchase a bone-in rib roast, allow for the weight of the bones when computing the cooking time, as the added weight of the bones will result in overcooked beef if you stick to the recommended time of 5 minutes per pound. If you wish, you can carve the meat from the ribs and weigh the roast. After weighing, compute your cooking time and tie the roast back to the ribs using butcher's twine. French the ribs for better tableside presentation if desired.

Dolma's Lamb Marinade

Found chops on sale - cut them into bite size pieces Had 4 good size ones In a bowl: lemon juice from 1/2 lemon 2 shallots finely chopped Toss the lamb through - now add: cinammon, allspice, roasted geera (toasted cumin seeds ground),a sweet garam masala, 3 cloves garlic chopped fine, cardamom Toss all of this so the spices mix over the meat Now add: few Tbl pommeganite syrup and sprinkle olive oil all over - stir through - cover and fridge for a few hours or overnight

Bring to room temp Cook in a hot pan and let crisp before turning When cooked sprinkle over chopped cilantro I am serving with a fruited bulgar pilaf, mashed calabaza, arugula and feta salad For mezze I made huummus with Naan bread and Bourek - which are spinach cigars

Arty's Chicken Rendang

A sort of Chix Rendang recipe...mostly for Dolma < artynli > 10/23 20:50:58

Ingredients: 5 pounds bone in skin on chix thighs
2 tsp sambal olek or birds eye chilis finely diced
2 shallots, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 inched fresh ginger, finally chopped
1 stalk lemon grass, stripped to tender section and chopped
1/3 cup tamrind paste mixed with 1/3 cup warm water
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground corriander
1 tsp ground tumeric
1/2 tsp chili powder
1 cup warm water
1 can (13 oz or so) coconut milk
2 tsp sugar
fish sauce to taste

Puree ingredients 2 through 10 (samabl through chili powder) in food processor adding 1 cup warm water as you process. Meanwhile batch cook thighs in their own fat for a while...don't let them get deep brown but do render some fat and make sure they are seared on all sides. Pull off skin and pour off fat.

Toss or layer with paste. Add coconut milk and simmer until the meat is quite tender. Remove chicken from sauce and reduce sauce by about 1/3. Skim off fat and check for flavor. Adjust with sugar, fish sauce and even lemon juice if you like.

Faux Carnitas

Faux Carnitas

Book: Steve' diabetic recipe book

Chapter: MAIN COURSE



This pressure cooker version of Carnitas is quite good. I prefer it to the traditional method of cooking with lard. That, many times, has a greasy "mouth feel." You can have this version done in an hour or two rather than 8 or 10. I like my version better than the local taqueria's offering.

Serves: 8



2 cups chopped onion
2 1/2 pounds pork shoulder or butt cut to cubes.
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 tablespoon Fiesta brand Pico de Gallo con Limon spice or sub chilli and chipotle powder and use a little lime, lemon or orange zest.
1 tablespoon peppercorns
1 14 1/2-ounce can Swanson Chicken Broth
1 cup orange juice

In a pressure cooker:

Saute chopped onion in a little olive oil.

Add the cubed meat and spices. Stir to distribute evenly.

Add chicken broth and orange juice. Stir.

Cook under pressure 35-45 minutes.

Use normal pressure release.

Using a slotted spoon, place the cooked meat on a lined, lipped, oven pan.

Using two forks, shred the meat mixture.

Sprinkle a few ounces of defatted cooking juice on the meat. (A turkey baster will do the job.)

Place pan under a preheated broiler for 10-15 minutes checking every 4-5 minutes for excessive drying or burning. Sprinkle more cooking juice if necessary.

Enjoy.

Freezes well. Reheats in microwave well.

Not Just Any Old Chicken Pot Pie

3 whole boneless, skinless chicken breasts (6 halves)
1 medium onion, diced
6 large fresh mushrooms, sliced
2 large carrots, sliced or julienned
1 rib celery, chopped
2 T butter
1 c chicken broth
1 T Worcestershire Sauce
⅓ c dry white wine
½ t parsley flakes
¼ t chopped chives
¼ t dry mustard
¼ t chervil
¼ t garlic powder
¼ t ground white pepper
¼ t ground black pepper
1 bay leaf
1 can cream of mushroom soup
½ c sour cream
1 T + 1 t cornstarch
2 T dry white wine
¼ c frozen green peas
2 oz Swiss cheese, grated
2 oz sharp cheddar cheese, grated
2 T Parmesan, grated
Salt to taste
Crust for a double-crust pie

Preheat oven to 400°.

Cut chicken breasts into 1 inch pieces. In a large skillet or Dutch oven, melt the butter and sauté chicken chunks and diced onion for 5 minutes. Add mushrooms, carrots and celery and cook another 2 minutes. Stir in chicken broth, Worcestershire sauce, ⅓ c dry white wine, parsley, chives, mustard, chervil, garlic powder, white & black peppers, bay leaf, soup and sour cream. Bring to a low boil and reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

Remove bay leaf and make a slurry of the cornstarch and 2 T dry white wine. Fold into the chicken mixture and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mix comes to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in peas, soup and cheeses until thoroughly combined.

Line a shallow 3-qt casserole with pastry and pour in chicken mixture. Cover with second pastry and cut slits for seam. Seal and trim edges.

Bake at 400° for 30 – 40 minutes until golden brown.

Notes: All herbs listed are dried. If substituting fresh, adjust amounts accordingly. I usually have extra filling which is good served over rice or pasta. If you really don't like using canned soups, you can make a thick mushroom bechamel instead, but I usually just reach for the Campbells out of convenience.

Shredded Pork Tamales

Pork Preparation:
7 lb pork shoulder on bone
2 large onions
4 large carrots
4 stalks celery
1 bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley
6 large cloves garlic
15 – 20 whole black peppercorns

Filling:
2½ lbs cooked pork shoulder
2 large onions, diced
8 oz Hatch Diced Green Chiles (or more to taste)
½ - ¾ c Pendery’s Original Chili Blend (source: Pendery's )
¼ c minced garlic
2 T lard or oil
½ - 1 c pork broth
kosher salt

Masa:
1, 1 lb package corn husks
1½ c lard, divided
6 c Masa Harina de Maiz (corn masa)
1 T kosher salt
5½ - 6 c pork broth

Pork Preparation:
Cut onions into quarters and separate sections. Cut carrots and celery stalks into 3” lengths. Place all in the bottom of a very large stock pan and add smashed garlic cloves and the parsley, including stalks. Place pork shoulder on top of vegetables, fatty side up, and cover with water until submerged by 1”. Add peppercorns, cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 7 – 8 hours, until pork is tender and falls apart. (Should yield about 3½ lbs of very lean meat. Use the extra meat for other purposes at a later time.)

Carefully remove pork and vegetables from pot, reserving all fluid. Discard vegetables. Allow the pork to sit until cool enough to handle and pull the meat from all fat and bones, shredding the meat as you do so. Refrigerate until needed.

Strain pot liquid through several layers of cheesecloth and colander, reserving fluid. Cool and skim excess fat from the broth. Discard fat and refrigerate pork broth until needed.

Filling:
Dice onions and sauté with minced garlic in lard or oil until soft and translucent. In large bowl, combine pulled pork, onion and garlic mixture, green chiles (with liquid), and Pendery’s Original Chili Blend. Combine all with hands until all ingredients are well distributed. Add pork broth until filling is well-moistened but not runny. Adjust seasoning to taste and set aside.

Masa:
Soak corn husks in hot water overnight to soften. Drain well, removing excess silk. Melt ½ c lard in small pan and set aside. In large bowl, beat lard until very light and fluffy. Combine masa and salt. Alternately add masa mixture and pork broth to whipped lard, mixing well after each addition until consistency is that of a very thick cake batter or very soft wet cookie dough. Slowly beat in ½ c melted lard and combine well.

Assembly:
Using a spatula, spread a generous golf-ball size portion (2 - 3 Tbs) of masa down the center of the wide end of each husk. (Use a #30 or # 24 ice cream scoop.) Place 1 – 1 ½ T pork filling down center of masa. Roll the husk over the filling, allowing plain part of husk to wrap around tamale. Fold bottom (narrow) end up to hold the tamale together and place upright in a steamer basket, folded end down. Continue until all masa and filling is used.

Cooking:
Place tamales upright in steamer rack, using extra husks to fill in spaces and keep tamales upright. Do not pack too tightly. Cover the tops of the tamales with extra husks to protect against dripping water. Place steamer rack above gently boiling water, cover and steam for 2½ - 3 hours, until tamales are firm and fall cleanly away from the husk. Watch water so pot doesn’t boil dry and maintain the water level so that it does not boil up to the bottom of the steamer rack.

Notes:
Any excess pork freezes very well for later use in Chile Rellenos, Cuban sandwiches, or any other recipe calling for pulled pork. The pork broth is excellent for cooking beans as well, and you'll have plenty extra. The amounts of seasoning in the tamale filling are not cast in stone. The amount of chili blend called for allows the flavor of the pork to still shine through, but if you want a spicier tamale or have a favorite chili blend, go wild!

Red-Wine-Braised Duck Legs

Originally from Gourmet, 1996

This is the most delicious thing I've ever cooked. I used mangos for the dried fruit. The leftover duck legs were delicious cold and made for a lovely picnic. You get a lot of rendered fat from the duck legs which is great for pan fried potatoes. -stc

some of the prepped ingredients

the duck legs after being browned

the finished dish (it tastes much better than my photo looks!)

Serves 6

Ingredients:

6 large whole duck legs (about 4 1/2 pounds total), trimmed of excess fat
1/2 cup dry red wine2 heads garlic, cloves separated and peeled
8 fresh thyme sprigs1 cup mixed dried fruit such as dried sour cherries, chopped dried apricots, chopped pitted prunes, and raisins
5 cups chicken broth


Accompaniment: buttered noodles or roasted and mashed potatoes

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350°F. and season duck legs with salt and pepper.
In a heavy kettle just large enough to hold legs in one layer, cook legs, skin sides down, over moderately high heat 10 to 15 minutes, or until skin in scrip and mahogany colored, removing fat from kettle as it is rendered with a metal bulb baster (or very carefully tilting the kettle and spooning off). Turn legs over and cook until browned on the other side, about 2 minutes, transferring to a plate.
Pour off fat from kettle and deglaze with wine, scraping up brown bits. Boil wine until reduced to a syrup and add garlic, thyme and 1/2 cup dried fruit. Return duck legs, skin sides up, to kettle and add broth. Bring mixture to a simmer and braise, uncovered, in oven 2 hours, or until legs are very tender. Transfer legs to a platter and keep warm.
Pour braising mixture into a 1-quart measuring cup and let stand until fat rises to the top. Skim off fat and pour liquid through a sieve into a saucepan, pressing hard on solids. Boil liquid until reduced by about one third and slightly thickened and add remaining 1/2 cup dried fruit. Simmer sauce until fruit is softened, about 5 minutes, and season with salt and pepper.
Serve duck legs with sauce and noodles or roasted and mashed potatoes.

Oven-fried Coconut Shrimp

2 large egg whites
1 1/3 C fine plain breadcrumbs (we use Panco)
¼ tsp cumin
2 T finely minced garlic
Freshly ground black pepper
6 T flaked sweetened coconut
24 large shrimp, peeled and deveined

Orange Sauce (recipe follows)

Preheat the oven to 500 F.
Lightly spray baking sheet with olive oil spray.
In small bowl, beat egg whites lightly with fork.
In small plastic bag, combine bread crumbs, coconut, cumin, garlic and pepper.
One at a a time, dip each shrimp into egg whites and then into the plastic bag and shake to coat with breadcrumbs. Lay shrimp on baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes, until the shrimp are golden and cooked through, turning once with spatula halfway through cooking. Serve immediately with Orange Sauce.

ORANGESAUCE

½ C low-sugar orange marmalade
½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
½ tsp molasses
Pinch of cumin
4 to 6 dashes Tabasco sauce, or to taste
Pinch of cinnamon

In a small bowl, combine the ingredients well. Makes about ½cup. Serves 4

Takeout-Style Cold Sesame Noodles

from the New York Times Magazine (with modifications by Browncow)

Boil until barely tender, about 5 minutes:

1 pound fresh Chinese egg noodles (about 1/8" thick)

Drain noodles, rinse with cold water, toss with a splash of sesame oil.

Whisk together in large bowl:

3 T sesame oil
4 T soy sauce
2 T rice vinegar
3 T peanut butter
1 T sugar
1 T finely grated ginger
1 T minced garlic
1 T chili-garlic sauce

Put noodles in bowl and toss. Top with:

1/4 cup chopped peanuts
1/2 cucumber, peeled, seeded, cut into thin 2" sticks
1/2 cup chopped scallions


note: you can sub linguini for the Chinese egg noodles-- not quite as good, but still tasty.

Ya Ya's Moussaka

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

For the eggplant and potatoes:
2 large eggplants, sliced into 1/4-inch thick rounds
2 large potatoes, peeled and slice into 1/4-inch rounds
Salt
Pepper
Olive oil

For the lamb-tomato sauce:
1 pound ground lamb
1 large onion, medium diced
2 tablespoons minced garlic
Salt & Freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup red wine
4 cups tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced

For the Bechamel: 4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons flour
4 cups milk
1/4teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 cup lemon juice
3 egg yolks
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
Salt & freshly ground black pepper

To Finish:
3/4 cup breadcrumbs
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
2 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

For the Eggplant and Potatoes:
Season the eggplant and potatoes with salt and pepper. Add 1/2 inch of oil to a large skillet and heat. When the oil is hot, fry the potato slices, flipping once, until golden brown, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Remove the potatoes to a paper towel lined plate. Replenish the oil so there is still 1/2 inch in the bottom of the pan. Fry the eggplant slices in the oil, flipping once, until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side. Add more oil as necessary. Remove the eggplant from the pan and place on a paper towel lined plate.

For the Lamb Tomato Sauce mixture:
Place a saute pan on the stove over medium high heat. When the pan is hot, add the ground lamb. Saute the ground lamb for 2 minutes, until it begins to turn brown. Add the onions and garlic and saute for 5 more minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Drain off any excess fat from the pan. Season the mixture with oregano, bay leaf, cloves and cinnamon and cook for 3 more minutes. Deglaze the pan with red wine. Cook over medium high heat until the red wine has reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes. Cook, stirring occasionally until the mixture is a thick tomato sauce consistency, about 30 minutes. Check for seasoning. Remove from the heat and cool completely.

For the Bechamel:
In a saucepan, melt the butter. Add the flour to make a roux. Cook the roux over medium heat for 3 or 4 minutes, or until it becomes a very pale tan color. Slowly add the milk, whisking constantly. Add the nutmeg and the lemon juice. Simmer, stirring constantly, over low heat for 15 minutes. The mixture should be fairly thick. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs together. Take 1/2 cup of the hot milk mixture and whisk it into the beaten eggs. This will temper the eggs. Whisk the egg/milk mixture back into the milk mixture. Add the Parmesan cheese and stir. Over very low heat, cook this mixture for 3 more minutes. Be careful not to let the mixture simmer. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and cool.

To finish:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Sprinkle the bottom of a 9x13 inch-baking dish with 1/4 cup of breadcrumbs. Place a layer of the eggplant over the breadcrumbs. Place a layer of the potatoes over the eggplant. Place 1/2 of the lamb tomato sauce mixture over the potatoes. Spread 1/3 of the bechamel sauce over the lamb mixture. Top the bechamel with another layer of eggplant and another layer of potatoes. Top with the remaining lamb mixture. Place one more layer of eggplant and potatoes over the lamb mixture. Top with the remaining bechamel. Sprinkle with the remaining breadcrumbs and the Parmesan cheese. Place in the oven and bake for 45 minutes, or until the top is golden brown. Remove from the oven and let sit for 10 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with mint and parsley.

Gaston Beef Stew

OK, so now I'm a vegetarian, but when I ate meat, this was one of my favorite recipes. It's from the old Joy Of Cooking.

6 servings

This one-dish meal seems to taste better when cooked a day ahead.
Cut into small pieces and, if very salty, parblanch, briefly:
1/2 lb. salt pork

Dry the pork and saute it slowly in a large skillet.

Cut into pieces suitable for stewing:
2 lbs. beef

Brown the beef in the hot drippings over high heat. Pour off most of the accumulated fat. Sprinkle the meat with:
Seasoned flour

Combine and heat until boiling:

1 1/2 chopped cloves garlic
1 large chopped onion
1 cup bouillon
1 cup canned tomato sauce
12 peppercorns
3 whole cloves
1/4 cup parsley
1/3 bay leaf

Place the meat in a heavy saucepan. Pour the above ingredients over it. Simmer closely covered for about 2 or 3 hours or until the meat can be easily pierced with a fork. During the last hour of cooking, add:
1/2 cup dry sherry or dry white wine

Cook separately until nearly tender:
6 medium-sized pared quartered potatoes
6 pared quartered carrots
1 stalk celery

Add these vegetables for the last 15 minutes of cooking.

Chana masala

1 can/15 oz chickpeas (Keep water if canned)
1 med onion
4-6 tomatoes or one large can crushed tomatoes
1-2 green chilies (seed for less heat)
3-4 Garlic cloves
1 tsp. Hot chili powder (or to taste)
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp cardamom or corriander powder
1 tsp garam masala
3 tbsp vegetable oil (more may be needed)
s&p to taste

Heat 1-2 tbls oil in a pan, add 1 small chopped onion, as it begins to cook (1-2 minutes) add tumeric, cardamon, chilli powder and garam masala. 'Fry' till the spices are golden. Add chopped tomatoes and water from chickpeas or 1 can of peeled tomatoes with liquid. Add green chilis and chickpeas, bring to a low boil and cook for 5 minutes.