Sunchoke Bisque

Posted Tue, 08/25/2009 - 12:00 by Jon
Sunchoke Bisque

(serves 6)
3 tbsp olive oil
1 lb sunchokes, unpeeled (about 4 medium/large sunchokes
2 waxy potatoes like Yukon Gold
1 celery rib (optional)
1 onion
5 cups stock
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
3/4c milk or cream
salt and pepper to taste
croutons or toasted pumpkin seeds, hazenut oil or pumpkin seed oil (optional toppings)

2.5
Your rating: None Average: 2.5 (2 votes)

Tortilla Soup

Posted Tue, 08/25/2009 - 11:58 by Jon
Tortilla Soup

6 tablespoons cooking oil
8+ 6-inch corn or flour tortillas, halved and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch strips
2 onions, chopped
6 large cloves garlic, smashed
1 tablespoon paprika
5+ tablespoons ground cumin
4 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
1 1/2 quarts canned low-sodium chicken broth or homemade stock
3 cups canned crushed tomatoes in thick puree (one 28-ounce can)
2 bay leaves
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup lightly-packed cilantro leaves plus 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro

4
Your rating: None Average: 4 (2 votes)

Dal

Posted Tue, 08/25/2009 - 11:55 by Jon
Dal
  • 1 ½ cups red lentils, washed and drained
  • 1 ½ tbsp. ghee
  • 1 large onion, finely diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tbsp. grated fresh ginger
  • 2 small chilis or ½ tsp. dried red chilli flakes
  • 1 tbsp. curry powder
  • 1 tsp. ground coriander
  • 1 tsp. ground turmeric
  • ½ tsp. ground cumin
  • ½ tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 1 tomato, finely diced
  • 4 cups water or veg stock
  • salt & pepper to taste

In a large pot over medium heat, add the ghee to melt. Add the onion and cook, stirring until very soft and translucent and slightly yellow, about 6-8 minutes.

2
Your rating: None Average: 2 (1 vote)

Chinese Long Beans

Posted Tue, 08/25/2009 - 11:53 by Jon
Long beans

1 1/2 lb Chinese long beans*
1/2 cup unsalted dry-roasted peanuts (2 1/2 oz; not cocktail peanuts)
2 teaspoons soy sauce
2 to 3 small fresh Thai chiles** (to taste), finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 tablespoons peanut oil
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
Add shrimp to make a full meal

2.5
Your rating: None Average: 2.5 (2 votes)

Arepa

Posted Tue, 08/25/2009 - 11:51 by Jon
Arepas

The Arepa is the Venezuelan staple, and their version of meat-in-bread. They're very filling, if hard to get the flour for. Online, Amigo Foods offers it (Harina P.A.N.), and often you can find it at more Latin-oriented groceries (Austin: Fiesta almost always has it. In DC, I've found it at La Casa Latina on Georgia near Piney Branch and at Caribbean Market II on New Hampshire near Takoma Park)

3
Your rating: None Average: 3 (1 vote)

Cornbread

Posted Tue, 08/25/2009 - 11:49 by Jon
Cornbread

Cornbread from scratch. The "one kit" recipe is for one normal-sized loaf. The "three kit" recipe is for Turkey and Dressing. When making cornbread for dressing, do not use stone ground cornmeal for the cornbread...although it makes great cornbread, it makes lousy dressing, it absorbs too much liquid.

One Kit
1 c. yellow cornmeal (Not stone ground)
1 c. flour
1 T sugar (optional if you are not feeding Yankees)
4 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1 c. milk
1/4 c. shortening
1 egg

Three Kits
3 c. yellow cornmeal (Not stone ground)

4
Your rating: None Average: 4 (1 vote)

Peasant Bread

Posted Tue, 08/25/2009 - 11:46 by Jon
peasantbread-withbisque.jpg

Thick and crusty, relatively easy to make. Bonuses, it has almost no fat (it uses steam to keep it moist, but this means it doesn't last long. It's easy to add creativity to the recipe with herbs and cheese. However, this bread is fucking excellent right out of the oven with soft butter and honey.

4
Your rating: None Average: 4 (2 votes)

Naan

Posted Tue, 08/25/2009 - 11:45 by Jon
Naan

These naan are nice and buttery and go great with all indian foods. Easy to prepare ahead of time and refrigerate. The texture's not quite right (probably due to my lack of a tandoor), but they're still pretty excellent.

4.5
Your rating: None Average: 4.5 (2 votes)

Drinker's Choice

Posted Tue, 08/25/2009 - 11:32 by Jon
Drinker's Choice

In Austin, there used to be a fantastic Turkish restaurant called Ararat - one of Austin's best kept restaurant secrets (that everyone knows). They had bellydancing all weekend and live bands during the week, and some of the best middle eastern food you'll find. It was a small place with rug-covered walls that was always jam-packed.

4
Your rating: None Average: 4 (3 votes)

Mango Selassie

Posted Tue, 08/25/2009 - 11:09 by Jon
Mango Selassi (photo by Jon)

Take equal parts yogurt and fresh diced mango, and puree. Add honey to taste and a few cubes of ice (~2 per cup of yogurt), and blend until ice is mixed up and the mixture is a bit fluffy.

Pour 4/5 of the mixture into a separate container, add green food coloring to the remaining 1/5, blend until green.

Pour the green-color mango lassi into the bottoms of the cups. Pour half of the plain (yellow) mango lassi over the back of a spoon into the cups. Some will add to the height of the green, so it should end up roughly equal.

2
Your rating: None Average: 2 (1 vote)
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