Birthday Dinner

I decided to cook for Ken's birthday - his favorite - lamb chops. I'd never cooked lamb chops before, so I wanted to keep in simple. Pan grilled chops with sauteed red Swiss chard and red peppers and a side of Isreali cous-cous.

It was my first time cooking chard as well - I picked it up at the union square farmer's market. Must say, I will be back for more chard. A simple saute with garlic, salt and pepper tastes divine! And it takes a whole of 5-7 mins to wilt down to yumminess. I topped it off with some peppers and onions that I sauteed separately.

The lamb chops just got some salt and pepper. The lamb itself was tasty enough to carry its own.

The cous-cous could have been better. It was a last minute addition and didn't quite fit.
But overall, it was a delicious meal.

Happy Birthday Dear!

Truffled Eggs

Ken got me some precious black truffles from his trip to London. I was saving them for a special occasion - his birthday. When the time came, I tried looking for recipes that used truffles - and found out that the simpler the dish, the better. Truffled scrambled eggs seemed to be the easiest of them all.
We did a ceremonious opening of the tiny truffle jar. I had no idea what to expect - they smell kinda briney. And taste like absolutely nothing. I made the eggs.
We tried desperately to love and enjoy the exquisitely rich truffled eggs - but they just tasted with regular scambled eggs. I wonder if I didn't put enough!

This is not the end of my encounter with truffles... I'll be back!

Thai Shrimp Curry

I went out for Thai lunch today and ordered a Green Curry. I got inspired by that and tried to emulate that, into what I call "Yellowish-Brown Curry". Although just Thai curry sounds more appetizing.

Here is what went into it -

Sliced onions
Garlic
Pea pods
Red pepper
Chinese eggplant
1 can coconut milk
Red chili paste
Shrimp
Bean sprouts

Saute onions and garlic. Add the veggies and saute till soft. Add can of coconut milk plus some water. bring to boil. Add chili paste (according to personal taste) and shrimp. Let the shrimp simmer for a few mins. Top with bean sprouts.
Serve with a bowl of steaming white rice.

Dig in!

Pepper Pizza

I was craving some pizza - but a "healthier" version than Gino's around the corner. I went for a thin crust carmalized onion and red pepper with low fat mozzarella. I wonder how "healthy" it really ends up being when you eat half of the pie!

Pad Thai Richa-style

This is my quickie version of pad thai. I had a bunch of things at home that would normally go in a pad thai - except for the important stuff, like fish sauce, tamarind paste, tofu or the rice noodles. So I "richaized" it - which means I do what I want, and call it what I want. Usually it turns out pretty good. This was one of them.

Pad Richa

Fetucchini
Onions
Garlic
Asian hot sauce (sriracha)
Egg
Cooked chicken
Red pepper
Bean sprouts
Chopped peanuts
Lemon

Cook pasta according to package. Meanwhile, saute garlic and onions in some olive oil. Once browned, add egg and stir to scramble it. Add chicken. You may also want to add any veggies if you please. I didn't. Add the noodles. Mix. Add peppers, sprouts, lemon juice and chopped peanuts. Mix well and serve.

Tuna Steaks

Its been a while since I made this recipe - saw it on a Good Eats episode a few years back. My steaks could have been thicker, but it was tasty regardless. Its a simple and quick marinade consisting of :
Soy sauce
Peanut oil (I used sesame oil instead of peanut oil - only cause that is what I had on hand)
Wasabi paste (or powder)
Honey

Add all to ziploc bag. Mix well. Add steaks. Rub well. Let them marinate for at least an hour (longer if you can)
When you are ready, roll the steak in sesame seeds. Now, Alton's recipe calls for a grill. Since I don't have one, I just used a regular frying pan. I did make sure it was smoking hot. Gently place the steak on your pan, and time yourself for a minute and half. Gently flip over and another minute and a half. Turn off and plate. Your steak should still be a bright red in the middle. A well done tuna steak in a big no-no. Unless you like you're tuna to taste like cat food.

I paired it up with some napa cabbage (sauteed in some oilve oil, with a touch of soy sauce) and Jasmine rice.
Definitely some good eats!

Corn Burgers

This recipe sprouted out of a failed attempt to make my mom's "makka" (corn) cutlets. My mistake was that my corn to potato ratio was off. But I managed to transform it into corn burgers. Although they were a little sloppy to eat (think vegetarian sloppy joes). Here's what went into it -

Corn Burgers

1 box frozen corn
1 small potato, bolied
2-3 cloves garlic
cumin & corriander powder
salt & pepper
green chilies (or red chili powder)
1/2 an onion chopped

Saute the garlic, onions and chilies in a bit of olive oil. Once browned, add the frozen corn. Let it thaw out and then roast it a bit. Add the spices. Take it off the heat, and let it cool off for a few minutes. Dump it all in a food processor (or blender, if you must) and pulse. We don't want a puree, just want a coarse mixture. Mash and add the potato to this mix. Bring it all together, add some flour to it, if the consistency is too loose. Form into patties and pan fry in a little bit of olive oil.
Voila!

I made my burger with some Indian spicy (masala) tomato sauce, and a few slices of onions and tomatoes on a toasted bun. You can add whatever else you might want to.

The Omnivore’s Hundred

I found this list on a fellow foodie's blog, a decided to play along.

1) Copy this list into your blog or journal, including these instructions.
2) Bold all the items you’ve eaten.
3) Cross out any items that you would never consider eating.
4) Optional extra: Post a comment at www.verygoodtaste.co.uk linking to your results.

The VGT Omnivore’s Hundred:

1. Venison
2. Nettle tea
3. Huevos rancheros
4. Steak tartare
5. Crocodile
6. Black pudding
7. Cheese fondue
8. Carp
9. Borscht
10. Baba ghanoush
11. Calamari
12. Pho
13. PB&J sandwich
14. Aloo gobi
15. Hot dog from a street cart
16. Epoisses
17. Black truffle (I will soon, Ken got me some - just waiting for a special occasion)
18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes
19. Steamed pork buns
20. Pistachio ice cream
21. Heirloom tomatoes
22. Fresh wild berries
23. Foie gras
24. Rice and beans
25. Brawn, or head cheese
26. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper
27. Dulce de leche
28. Oysters
29. Baklava
30. Bagna cauda
31. Wasabi peas
32. Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl
33. Salted lassi
34. Sauerkraut
35. Root beer float
36. Cognac with a fat cigar
37. Clotted cream tea
38. Vodka jelly
39. Gumbo
40. Oxtail
41. Curried goat
42. Whole insects
43. Phaal
44. Goat’s milk
45. Malt whisky from a bottle worth £60/$120 or more
46. Fugu
47. Chicken tikka masala
48. Eel
49. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut
50. Sea urchin
51. Prickly pear
52. Umeboshi
53. Abalone
54. Paneer
55. McDonald’s Big Mac Meal
56. Spaetzle
57. Dirty gin martini
58. Beer above 8% ABV
59. Poutine
60. Carob chips
61. S’mores
62. Sweetbreads
63. Kaolin
64. Currywurst
65. Durian
66. Frogs’ legs
67. Beignets, churros, elephant ears or funnel cake
68. Haggis
69. Fried plantain
70. Chitterlings, or andouillette
71. Gazpacho
72. Caviar and blini
73. Louche absinthe
74. Gjetost, or brunost
75. Roadkill
76. Baijiu
77. Hostess Fruit Pie
78. Snail
79. Lapsang souchong
80. Bellini
81. Tom yum
82. Eggs Benedict
83. Pocky
84. Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant
85. Kobe beef
86. Hare
87. Goulash
88. Flowers
89. Horse
90. Criollo chocolate
91. Spam
92. Soft shell crab
93. Rose harissa
94. Catfish
95. Mole poblano
96. Bagel and lox
97. Lobster Thermidor
98. Polenta
99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee
100. Snake

Exactly half way there... I have a lot to conquer. Bring on the venison!

Stuffed Acorn Squash

This recipe was born out of the necessity to eat that squash that had been sitting in the refrigerator for about a week. I usually just bake it with some butter and spices. But I thought I could make a meal out of it, if I added more stuff to it. The "stuff" ended up being some veggies, a slice of bread, bacon and some chopped up dates. The addition of dates was a last minute idea, sparked by the thought of Avec's bacon wrapped dates (filled with chorizo, yumm!)

Stuffed Acorn Squash

Split the squash. Clean out the seeds and place on a baking sheet. Put a dab of butter in each half and sprinkle with salt, pepper, cinnamon and nutmeg. Pop in the over (375 degrees). This will take about 30mins to cook though. Keep checking on it, from time to time.

Meanwhile, start making the stuffing. Chop up a few slices of bacon and brown. Remove on a paper towel. Discard all but a tbs of the bacon drippings (ooohhh!) Finely chop up some onions, garlic, mushrooms, zucchini and sautee in the drippings. Once browned, add the bacon some chopped dates and spices (same as what we put on the squash). take a slice of bread and dice into tiny squares. Add to stuffing mix.

Check the squash by poking a fork through it. If it goes through without much resistance, they are ready. Pile up your stuffing in each half and let it bake for another 5 mins. Turn off the over and enjoy your stuffed squash!
PS: Everything will be super hot - so be careful.

Shrimp "Pizza"

Here's my version of a sauce-less, cheese-less, healthy and tasty pizza.

I use those pizza dough packets - the "just add water" kind. Dough ready in 5 mins, no need to defrost either. I only wish they came in a whole wheat version.

Here's all that when onto my pizza

Spinach
Artichoke hearts
Roma tomatoes, sliced
Olives
Thyme
Chili flakes
Garlic
Shrimp

Roll out your dough. I try to get it as thin as I can. And usually not in a perfect circle. Actually, not in a circle at all. Layer your pizza crust with above ingredients - in that order. Bake at 375 for about 15-20 mins.
Slice and eat.

Winey Chicken with Couscous

As my gums are healing, I am graduating to solid-er foods. I had some chicken, lot of veggies in the crisper (aka the rotter) and some wine. So I put it all together and made a this dish. I paired it up with some couscous and a simple beet and feta salad.

Winey Chicken

Chicken tenders, cut up in 1 inch pieces
Mushrooms, chopped
Zucchini, chopped
Scallions, chopped
Green and Red peppers, diced
1 cup of red wine
Chicken stock
salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, basil, garlic powder
a handful of dried cranberries (for an unexpected touch)
Couscous - prepared as per package (I made mine in chicken stock)
Beet Salad (recipe follows)

Start by browning chicken in some olive oil. Once cooked all the way through, pull out on to a plate, and add your mushrooms, zucchini and peppers to the pan. Saute for a few mins. Add the spices. Add a cup of wine and let it deglaze the pan. Add the chicken back to the pan, along with the scallions. Let everything simmer in the wine, add some chicken stock, if necessary. Finish off with the dried cranberries. Serve with a side of couscous and beet salad.

Beet Salad

1 can of sliced beets
feta cheese

Dice both. Combine. Add some pepper, basil and olive oil. Eat.

Enjoy!

Fish Stew

I had some dental work done on Friday. So I'm on a "soft diet". After eating Jell-O pudding for 24 hours, I decided to make something that I could eat without chewing. Fish was the closest I could get to meat. I picked up some fish and thought I should try my hand at a stew. I threw a few things in a pot, let it simmer, added the fish and Voila! Fish Stew!

My recipe was based on things I had in my refrigerator at the moment. You can modify your stew based on your refrigerator.

Loose guidelines for Richa's Fish Stew
Ready in 20 mins

few pieces of fish cubed (what ever you have on hand, I used red snapper)
diced onions
chopped garlic
diced zucchini
diced green peppers
diced jalapenos
chopped scallions
chopped cilantro
basil
thyme
red chili powder
salt & pepper
1 small can tomato sauce
1/2 can of beans (I used small white beans)
chicken stock

Saute onions and garlic in a pot. Add zucchini and peppers when onions turn golden brown. Add the basil, thyme, cilantro, scallions, red chili powder, salt and pepper. Saute. Add the can of tomato sauce. Saute. Add stock. Let it all come to a simmer. Mash the beans a bit and add to the pot to thicken up the stew. Once everything comes to a rolling boil, add the pieces of fish and let the stew come back to a boil. The fish will take about 3 mins to cook.
Serve with a slice of lemon.
Buon Gusto!

Tomato Paella

I was planning a small dinner party last week, and decided to go with a Spanish tapas theme. I got an overwhelming amount of ideas from a simple google search. But my challenge was to have a vegetarian friendly spread, since half of our guests (2 people) were vegetarians. I came across a recipe for a tomato paella by Mark Bittman. He is pretty vague with his measurements and spices - but with a few adjustments, the end result was darn pretty tasty. And quick - about 30 mins in all. Here is my version (with mesurements)

Tomato Paella
Serves 6 - Ready in 30 mins

1 1/2 cups Rice ( I used medium grain Goya rice)
1 medium Onion, diced
4-5 cloves of Garlic, chopped
1 Green Pepper, diced
1 Red Pepper, diced
1 Jalapeno, diced
1 tbs Tomato Paste (or a small container of tomato sauce)
2 packets Goya sazon
A generous pinch of Saffron
1 tbs cumin powder
1 tbs corriander powder
1 tbs paprika
salt and pepper
3-4 medium Tomatos, cut in wedges
Olive oil to saute stuff
3 cups of water or stock - boiling hot
Fresh cilantro as a garnish

Wash your rice and let in drain. Start with some oil in a large flat frying pan. Saute the onions and garlic - until golden brown. Add the peppers. Saute some more. Add the saffron, cumin, corriander, paprika and Goya sazon. Saute again. Add the drained rice to this mix, and "fry" the rice. Add a bit more olive oil, if necessary. Be careful not to burn your rice. Add the tomato wedges.

If you are not planning to serve the paella right away, this is a good point to stop. Just turn off the burner and add your liquids when you're ready. If you can't hold your horses - then go ahead and add the 3 cups of boiling water (or stock). Stir well. The rice will take about 15-20 mins to cook. Garnish with some fresh cilantro and lemon.

Bon Apetit !