First Courses 
Baba Ganouj (Middle Eastern Eggplant Purée)
Fresh Spring Rolls with Shrimp
Wasano’s Infamous Indonesian Rice Salad
Esau’s Potage of Lentils & Leeks
Scallops on a bed of Spinach (or mache)
Yellow and Green Noodles with Cream, Ham, and Mushroom Sauce
Carrot, Radish, Celery, Bean Sprout and Black Sesame Seed Salad
Authentic Lebanese Tabouli
This is the real Lebanese Tabouli which you will notice has little Bulgur in it. There are two kinds of Bulgur: fine or coarse, and for Tabouli we use fine. You can find fine Bulgur in Lebanese/Middle Eastern grocery stores. Lebanese like to eat their Tabouli with crisp hearts of romaine lettuce. It’s so refreshing, especially on a hot summer day! Try mixing the salt and pepper with the chopped onions before adding them to the other ingredients; it brings out the sweet juice of the onion.
Servings: 6 people
3 bunches finely chopped flat leaf parsley
1 cup chopped fresh mint
2-3 tablespoons fine bulgur
1 chopped firm tomato
1/2 onion or 2 scallions chopped
1/2 cup extra Virgin olive oil
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon cayyene pepper (optional)
Prepare the chopped parsley and mint and set aside.
In a large bowl, mix Bulgur, chopped tomatoes, chopped onions/scallions with lemon juice, salt and pepper. Add to them the parsley and mint and olive oil and mix, adjusting seasoning by adding more oil and lemon if desired.
Serve cold garnished with romaine lettuce.
Eggplant Dips
Baba Ganouj ("Ga-NOOSH")
40 minutes to prepare
The classic Middle eggplant appetizer, plus a few variations on the theme. The instructions call for baking the eggplant, but if you have the opportunity to grill it over hot- coals or to roast it over a direct flame, the Baba Ganouj will taste even better.
a little oil, for the baking sheet
1 medium (7-inch) eggplant
2 medium cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
¼ cup sesame tahini
½-tsp. salt
black pepper and cayenne, to taste
olive oil for the top
freshly minced parsley
1) Preheat oven to 350°f. Lightly oil a baking sheet.
2.) Slice the eggplant in half lengthwise, and place, face-down on the baking sheet. Bake for 3o minutes or until very tender. Cool until it’s comfortable to handle.
3) Scoop out the eggplant pulp, and discard the skin. Place the pulp in a food processor or blender, and add the garlic, lemon juice, tahini, and salt. Purée until smooth. (Another alternative is to mash by hand, leaving the eggplant a little chunky.)
4) Transfer to an attractive serving dish, cover tightly, and chill. Drizzle the top With a little olive oil and sprinkle with minced parsley just before serving. Serve with crackers. (Also, see Mezza, , p. 100.)
VARIATIONS :
I. 1 Tbs. olive oil
1 Cup finely minced onion
½ lb. mushrooms, minced
½ tsp. Salt
1 tsp- dill
Heat olive oil in a small skillet. Add everything else and sauté 10 to 15 minutes, or until tender. Stir into puréed eggplant mixture.
II. ½ Cup firm yogurt or Greek Lemon ,Sauce (p.9l)
½ tsp. Cumin
Add to purée; mix well
Tahini-Lemon Sauce,
10 minutes to prepare
1 to 2 cups
Make a batch of this on a regular basis--it’s remarkably quick and easy. It can be thinned down to the consistency of a salad dressing (try it over romaine lettuce with chunks of ripe tomato and Kalamata olives) or left thick enough to be either a spread or a dip for raw vegetables and crackers. Find a consistently somewhere between thick. and thin, and use it as a sauce for steamed greens, carrots and cauliflower. Serve it with Felafel (p. 16), of drizzled over Hummus in a pita bread sandwich. Tahini-lemon Sauce is as indispensable as it is hard to categorize. By the way, another attribute: it keeps for weeks if stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container.
NOTE. Earlier versions of this recipe Contained yogurt or buttermilk. This one is dairy-free.
¾ cup sesame tahini
5 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
1 small to medium clove garlic, minced
3/4 to 1 ½ cups water (depending on desired thickness)
½ to 1 tsp. salt, to taste (will vary with amount of water used)
a handful of very finely minced fresh parsley
optional: cayenne, to taste
1) Place tahini, lemon juice, and garlic in a food processor fitted with the steel blade. (You can also use a blender.) Begin to process,
2) Keeping the motor running, slowly drizzle in the water, checking every now and then to monitor the consistency. When it is as thick/thin as you want it, turn off the machine.
3) Transfer to a small bowl or container, and season to taste with salt, parsley, and, if desired, cayenne. Cover tightly and refrigerate until ready for use.
Balkan Cucumber Salad
Preparation time: 10 to 15 minutes
A delicious, refreshing very easy salad, a delicious, refreshing, very easy salad without oil
¼ cup very thinly sliced red onion
4 medium cucumbers (6 to 7 inches long)
1 tsp. Salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 ½ cups yogurt
1 or 2 small cloves garlic, minced
1 to 1 tsp. honey (optional)
2 Tbs- freshly minced mint leaves (or 2. tsp-dried)
¼ cup (packed) finely minced parsley
2 scallions, finely minced (greens included)
1 to 2 Tbs. freshly minced dill (or I to 2 tsp. dried)
1 cup chopped walnuts, lightly toasted
l) Soak: the onion in cold water for about 30 minutes while you get everything else ready. Drain thoroughly and pat dry before adding to the salad.
2 ) Peel (unless they’re homegrown or unwaxed, in which case, don’t) the cucumbers, seed them, and cut them into thin rounds. Place them in a medium-sized bowl.
3) Add remaining ingredients except walnuts, and mix well. Cover and refrigerate until serving time. 4) Sprinkle the walnuts on top just before serving.
Baba Ganouj (Middle Eastern Eggplant Purée)
The tantalizing taste and texture of roasted eggplant is eternally appealing.
Serves: 4 to 6 as a sandwich spread
Yields: Yields 3 cups
Cooking/Baking Time: 40-60 minutes
Cooling Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 60 to 75 minutes
2 pounds eggplant, preferably thin, small ones if roasting over a flame
6 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
4 tablespoons tahini
1 to 4 garlic cloves, pressed or minced
2 tablespoons finely chopped freshparsley
salt to taste
chopped scallions
olive oil
Pierce the skins of the eggplants several times with a fork and place them on a baking sheet. Bake the whole eggplants at 400° until they are crinkly on the outside and very soft inside, about 40 minutes to 1 hour, depending on their size. Or, for an authentically smoky flavor, skewer the whole eggplants and roast them directly over a flame until they are well charred on the outside. In either case, when the eggplants are cool enough to handle, scoop out the insides. Puree the eggplant pulp and the remaining ingredients in a food processor until smooth. Or mash the eggplant with a fork until smooth and then stir in the remaining ingredients. Cool to room temperature.
Notes: Top with chopped scallions and a little olive oil and serve as a dip for raw vegetables with toasted pita bread on the side. Decorate with cherry tomatoes and Greek olives. Baba Ganouj also makes a good Pita Sandwich.
Vietnamese Fresh Spring Rolls
"These spring rolls are a refreshing change from the usual fried variety, and have become a family favorite. They are great as a cool summertime appetizer, and are delicious dipped in one or both of the sauces."
The fish sauce, rice vermicelli, chili garlic sauce, hoisin sauce and rice wrappers can be found at Asian food markets.
For 8 spring rolls
2 ounces rice vermicelli
8 rice wrappers (8½ inch diameter)
8 large cooked shrimp, peeled, deveined and cut in half
11/3 tablespoons chopped fresh Thai basil
3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 leaves lettuce, chopped
4 teaspoons fish sauce
¼ cup water
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons white sugar
½ teaspoon garlic chili sauce
3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
1 teaspoon finely chopped peanuts
Bring a medium saucepan of water to boil. Boil rice vermicelli 3 to 5 minutes, or until al dente, and drain.
Fill a large bowl with warm water. Dip one wrapper into the hot water for 1 second to soften. Lay wrapper flat. In a row across the center, place 2 shrimp halves, a handful of vermicelli, basil, mint, cilantro and lettuce, leaving about 2 inches uncovered on each side. Fold uncovered sides inward, then tightly roll the wrapper, beginning at the end with the lettuce. Repeat with remaining ingredients.
In a small bowl, mix the fish sauce, water, lime juice, garlic, sugar and chili sauce.
In another small bowl, mix the hoisin sauce and peanuts.
Serve rolled spring rolls with the fish sauce and hoisin sauce mixtures.
Fresh Spring Rolls with Shrimp
Dietitian’s tip: Instead of being fried, like Chinese egg rolls, these appetizers are served fresh, letting the textures and flavors of the vegetable and shrimp filling shine through. Serve with the easy dipping sauce.
Serves 2
2 cups water
8 large shrimp (prawns), peeled and deveined
1 ounce cellophane noodles
1 cup boiling water
½ cup shredded carrot
¼ cup peeled, seeded and julienne cucumber
½ cup thinly sliced Napa cabbage
½ cup bean sprouts
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro or fresh coriander
4 rice-paper rounds, 8 inches in diameter
4 large fresh basil leaves, halved lengthwise
For the sauce:
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
1 green (spring) onion, including tender green top, thinly sliced
1½ tablespoons fresh lime juice
1½ teaspoons fish sauce
1½ teaspoons unsalted natural peanut butter
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Pinch of brown sugar
In a saucepan, bring the 2 cups water to a boil. Add the shrimp and immediately remove the saucepan from the heat. Cover and poach until pink and opaque throughout, about 3 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer the shrimp to a bowl of ice water and let cool for 3 minutes. Drain and cut each shrimp in half lengthwise. Refrigerate until ready to use.
In a heatproof bowl, combine the noodles and boiling water and soak for 10 minutes. Drain and return the noodles to the bowl. Add the carrot, cucumber, cabbage, bean sprouts and cilantro. Toss gently to mix.
Place a double thickness of paper towels on a work surface. Fill a large, shallow baking dish with water. Place 1 rice-paper round in the water and soak until pliable, about 30 seconds. Carefully transfer the wrapper to the paper towels and turn once to blot dry. Arrange ½ cup of the noodle mixture on the bottom half of the wrapper.
Fold the bottom edge toward the center and roll up the wrapper halfway, making sure to wrap tightly around the filling. Tuck 2 basil leaf halves along the inside crease of the half-rolled wrapper. Arrange 4 pieces of the shrimp, cut sides up, along the crease. Fold the right and left edges of the wrapper over the filling and finish rolling up. Repeat with the remaining wrappers, filling, basil and shrimp. Transfer the rolls to a plate and cover with dampened paper towels.
To make the sauce, combine the hoisin sauce, green onion, lime juice, fish sauce, peanut butter, red pepper flakes and brown sugar in a small bowl. Stir until well blended.
To serve, cut the rolls in half on the diagonal and place on small individual plates. Pool the sauce alongside each roll.
Wasano’s Infamous Indonesian Rice Salad
About 1 hour to prepare plus time to chill.
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
2 cups brown rice
3 cups water
1/3 Cup peanut oil
3 Tbs. Chinese sesame oil
½ Cup orange juice
1 to 2 medium cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. salt
2 Tbs. Soy Sauce
½ tsp. crushed red pepper (to taste)
2 Tbs. rice or cider vinegar
1 cup chopped fresh pineapple (also ok to use canned-in-juice crushed pineapple.)
3 scallions, finely minced (whites and greens)
1 stalk celery finely minced
1 medium-sized red or green bell pepper thinly sliced
1 8-oz.. can Water chestnuts, drained & thinly sliced
½ lb. fresh mung bean sprouts
½ cup (packed) raisins or currants
1 cup coarsely chopped peanuts and/or cashews,
lightly toasted
2 Tbs. sesame seeds
optional: fresh snow peas, for garnish
Place in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, lower heat, cover, and simmer until tender (35 to 45 minutes).
While the rice cooks, combine in a large bowl:
Add the hot rice directly to the bowlful of dressing. Mix well. When it has cooled to room temperature, cover tightly and refrigerate until cold. Shortly before serving, stir in:
Button Mushroom Salad
Serve as a side dish to accompany a meal or as part of a banquet for 4-6
This salad is all about quality and freshness of produce. The wonderful liquorice-flavored crunchy fennel marries well with the velvety, earthy mushrooms, and the mint and green leaves give the salad volume and flavor. The combination of extra virgin olive oil and soy sauce, lemon juice and salt is heavenly!
1 small fennel bulb, trimmed
400 g (13 oz.) button mushrooms,
stems discarded and caps finely sliced
40 g (1¼ oz.) baby spinach or rocket leaves
1 cup spring onion (scallion) julienne
½ cup finely sliced mint leaves
1/3 cup quality extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
½ teaspoon sea salt
pinch ground white pepper
Cut fennel in half lengthways and remove and discard coarse outer layer. Using a sharp knife, very finely slice fennel and combine in a bowl with remaining ingredients. Serve immediately.
White Radish Salad
Serve as a side dish to accompany a meal or as part of a banquet for 4-6
A most unusual preparation of white radish that brings out its lovely, creamy, slightly salty and nutty flavor, but still with a bit of ‘bite’ to it. This salad goes very well with fish.
2 medium-sized white radish (daikon), peeled
2 tablespoons white sugar
1½ tablespoons sea salt
1/3 cup coriander (cilantro) sprigs
2/3 cup spring onion (scallion) julienne
1 tablespoon roasted sesame seeds
1 teaspoon sesame oil
2 tablespoons peanut oil
Trim ends from white radish and cut in half widthways. Cut each piece lengthways into 5 mm (¼ in) slices, then again lengthways into 5 mm (¼ in) strips. Place in a bowl, sprinkle with sugar and salt and mix well. Cover and set aside for 1 hour.
Drain radish and, using your hands, gently squeeze away any excess liquid. Place in a heatproof bowl with all the remaining ingredients, except the peanut oil. Heat peanut oil in a small frying pan until moderately hot, then carefully pour over ingredients in bowl to release the flavors. Stir to combine.
Arrange salad in a bowl and serve immediately.
Chilled Cucumber Salad
Serve as a side dish to accompany a meal or as part of a banquet for 4-6
This is yummy on a hot summer’s day! When you peel cucumber and sprinkle it with sugar and salt, then chill it, it takes on whole different tone — slippery, silky, yet still crunchy; the ginger and garlic add a rustic element.
5 small cucumbers, peeled
1 tablespoon white sugar
1 teaspoon sea salt
pinch ground black pepper
Dressing
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
2 garlic cloves, finely diced
1 tablespoon finely diced ginger
½ teaspoon sesame oil
Cut cucumber in half lengthways and scoop out the seeds using a spoon. Place cut-side down on a chopping board and cut on the diagonal into 1.5 cm (¾ in) pieces. Place cucumber in a bowl, sprinkle with sugar and salt and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, to make the dressing, place all ingredients in a small bowl and stir to combine.
Drain cucumbers and, using your hands, gently squeeze away any excess liquid. Combine chilled cucumber in a serving bowl with dressing, sprinkle with pepper and serve immediately.
Jakarta Chicken Saté
SatéAyam
This is probably the most popular sate in Jakarta, the street food equivalent of, say, a hot dog in New York. This particular recipe comes from Nurul Phamid, a willowy young man with a faint mustache, who sells sates from a push cart on Jabang Street. Phamid loads his sates with chicken livers and chicken skin, as well as dark chicken meat. For the sake of simplicity, I make the liver and skin optional; you certainly could add either or both, if you wish. What really makes Phamid’s sates so succulent is what he uses for basting: chicken fat!
Special Equipment: About 28 short bamboo skewers, soaked for 1 hour in cold water to cover and drained
Serves 4 as an appetizer, 2 as an entrée
1 pound boneless chicken breasts or
leg meat, with skin if desired 4 ounces chicken livers, trimmed (optional)
½ cup sweet soy sauce (ketjap manis) or
1/3 cup each regular soy sauce and molasses
½ cup Thai Peanut Sauce (page 472)
3 tablespoons finely chopped onion
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons rendered chicken fat (see box) or unsalted butter, melted 1 tablespoon chile paste (sambal ulek) or your favorite hot sauce, for serving
Preheat the grill to high.
If the chicken has skin and you plan to use it in the recipe, remove it from the chick en and reserve; otherwise, discard it. Rinse the chicken, chicken skin (if using), and chicken livers (if using) under cold water. Then drain and blot dry with paper towels. Cut the chicken and livers into ½-inch dice and the skin into ½-inch squares. Thread the pieces alternately on the skewers; each saté should be about 3 inches long. Place on a platter, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and refrigerate while you prepare the marinade.
Combine ¼ cup of the sweet soy sauce, ¼ cup of the peanut sauce, the onion, and lime juice in a shallow dish and stir to mix. Roll the sates in the marinade to coat thoroughly.
When ready to grill, oil the grill grate. Arrange the sates on the hot grate and grill, turning with tongs, until lightly browned and cooked through, 1 to 3 minutes per side (2 to 6 minutes in all). Brush once or twice with the chicken fat as the sates cook.
To serve, place the remaining ½ cup peanut sauce in a small bowl and spoon the remaining 2 tablespoons sweet soy sauce and the chile paste into the center (the motion of dipping the sates into this sauce will mix the ingredients together). Transfer the sates to serving plates or a platter and serve accompanied by the sauce.
Chilled Cucumber Salad
Serve as a side dish to accompany a meal or as part of a banquet for 4-6
This is yummy on a hot summer’s day! When you peel cucumber and sprinkle it with sugar and salt, then chill it, it takes on whole different tone; slippery, silky, yet still crunchy; and the ginger and garlic add a rustic element.
5 small cucumbers, peeled
1 tablespoon white sugar
1 teaspoon sea salt
pinch ground black pepper
Dressing
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
2 garlic cloves, finely diced
1 tablespoon finely diced ginger
½ teaspoon sesame oil
Cut cucumber in half lengthways and scoop out the seeds using a spoon. Place cut-side down on a chopping board and cut on the diagonal into 1.5 cm (¾ in) pieces. Place cucumber in a bowl, sprinkle with sugar and salt and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, to make the dressing, place all ingredients in a small bowl and stir to combine.
Drain cucumbers and, using your hands, gently squeeze away any excess liquid. Combine chilled cucumber in a serving bowl with dressing, sprinkle with pepper and serve immediately.
Marinated Carrot Sticks
Bastoncini di carota marinati
For 4 persons
¼ pound carrots
1 small clove garlic, lightly crushed with a heavy knife handle and peeled
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
¼ teaspoon oregano
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
Olive oil, enough to cover
Peel the carrots, cut them in 2-inch lengths, and cook them in boiling salted water for about 5 to 7 minutes. (Cooking time varies according to the thickness and freshness of the carrots. In order to cook the carrots uniformly put the thickest parts into the water first, then the thinner, tapered ends. You want the carrots tender but quite firm for this recipe because the marinade will continue to soften them.)
Drain the cooked carrots, and cut lengthwise into small sticks about ¼ inch thick. Place in a small, deep serving dish.
Bury the garlic in the carrots. Add salt and pepper to taste, the oregano and vinegar and enough olive oil to just cover the carrots.
Refrigerate and allow to marinate at least overnight, removing the garlic after 24 hours. Serve at room temperature.
Marinated mushrooms
10-11 oz. Mushrooms
12 small white onions
1 cup white wine
½ cup oil
1 Tbs tomato paste
2 Tbs Ketchup
½ bay leaf
A few grains of pepper and coriander
salt
Put all of the ingredients in a pan.
Cook for 20 min.
Remove the bay leaf.
Drain off the oil and add salt to taste.
Serve Cold.
Baked tomatoes
1 to 2 tomatoes per person
Cut the tomatoes in half.
Remove the seeds.
Place the tomato halves on a baking sheet.
Sprinkle with thyme, a bit of sugar, salt and pepper.
Pour a little olive oil over the tomatoes.
Bake at low temperature (210° F) for an hour.
Turn the tomatoes over and cook for another hour.
Place the tomatoes in a jar and cover in oil.
Esau’s Potage of Lentils & Leeks
You may not want to swap anything for this Potage, but you will probably appreciate an inexpensive rib-sticking meal that cooks up in about 45 minutes and reheats well. Today s thin-skinned lentils, unlike ancient lentils, require no soaking and cook quickly.
While the Potage cooks, toss a salad of finely shredded romaine, diced tomatoes and raw sweet onions with olive oil and red wine vinegar. Put the salad in shallow bowls, then ladle the hot Potage over the cold salad. The contrast of flavors and temperatures is wonderful, though messy. Have leftover Potage cold or hot for lunch with French bread, feta cheese and black Greek olives.
Per serving: 421 calories, 5.6g. total fat, 0.8 g. saturated fat, 0 mg. cholesterol, 571 mg. sodium, 16.7 g. protein, 78.3g. carbohydrates, 11.3g. dietary fiber.
For 2 servings |
For 4 servings |
|
Olive oil |
1½ teaspoons |
1 tablespoon |
Sliced leeks (white and tender green parts), |
||
rinsed well |
1½ cups |
3 cups |
Garlic, minced |
2 cloves |
4 cloves |
Brown rice |
½ cup |
1 cup |
Water |
2 cups |
4 cups |
Salt |
½ teaspoon |
1 teaspoon |
Pepper |
¼ teaspoon |
½ teaspoon |
Lentils |
½ cup |
1 cup |
Place the oil in a heavy 2-quart (or 3-quart) saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the leeks and cook, stirring frequently, for 3 to 5 minutes, or until soft.
Stir in the garlic and rice; sauté the mixture for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the rice looks opaque.
Add the water, salt and pepper. Raise the heat to high and bring the mixture quickly to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low cover the pan and cook for 10 minutes.
While the rice cooks, pick over the lentils and rinse them in cold water; drain well. Stir the lentils into the pan and cook the Potage for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the rice and lentils are tender and the water is absorbed. If the Potage sticks during cooking, add a little more water; the finished dish should be dry, not soupy.
Scallops on a bed of Spinach (or mache)
For 4
8 to 12 Scallops
¼ of a celery root or mushrooms
baby spinach or mache
1 small shallot
1 lemon
1½ Tbs butter
3 Tbs crème fraîche
1 cup of dry white wine
1 bunch of flat leaf parsley (chopped)
1 lump of sugar
1 pinch of curry powder
1 pinch of saffron powderr
vegetable oil
olive oil
salt, pepper
Before your guests arrive:
Cut the scallops in half to obtain two thinner discs.
Add one or two tablespoons of olive oil and some salt and pepper to the scallops. Set aside.
(for celery root ) Cut into thin slices (so that they will sauté nicely). Sauté the slices in a bit of vegetable oil. When they have softened and taken a slightly golden color, set aside.
(for mushrooms) Sauté in 2 Tbs of water and 1 Tbs of vegetable oil and 1 tsp of lemon juice and a pinch of salt. Stir over medium heat until the liquid has reduced and the mushrooms have taken a slightly golden color.
In a pan, sauté the finely chopped shallot in a bit of butter.
When the shallots start to brown lightly, add the white wine, sugar and parsley.
Let simmer until there is just a bit of sauce at the bottom of the pan, set aside.
Rinse the spinach.
Right before serving:
Prepare a lemon vinaigrette with lemon juice, salt and vegetable oil.
Sauté the scallops in a hot pan until that are tender and opaque (prefer underdone to overdone), add the celery root (or the mushrooms) and stir rapidly.
Heat up the wine sauce, add the cream and let simmer for a few minutes so the sauce can thicken.
Add the curry power and the saffron and taste for seasoning.
Take of the stove and add the butter in small cubes, stir them in until they are melted.
Arrange the spinach on individual plates, and pour the lemon vinaigrette over each.
Add the celery root (or mushrooms) and scallops in the center of each plate and pour some of the wine and cream sauce over them.
Yellow and Green Noodles with Cream, Ham, and Mushroom Sauce
Paglia e fieno alia ghiotta
For 6 to 8 persons
¾ pound crisp, white mushrooms
2 tablespoons finely chopped shallots or yellow onion
6 tablespoons butter
Salt
Freshly ground pepper, about 6 twists of the mill
6 ounces unsmoked ham, shredded
¾ cup heavy cream
Fettuccini made with 2 eggs and 1½ cups all-purpose flour
Spinach Pasta, cut into fettuccine
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Slice off the ends of the mushroom stems. Wipe the mushrooms clean with a damp cloth. If there are still traces of soil, wash very rapidly in cold running water and dry thoroughly with a towel. Dice into /4-inch cubes and set aside.
Choose a skillet that can later accommodate the mushrooms loosely. Put in the chopped shallots and half the butter and sauté over medium heat until the shallots have turned pale gold in color.
Turn the heat up to high and add the diced mushrooms. When the mushrooms have absorbed all the butter, briefly turn the heat down to low, add 1 teaspoon salt and the pepper, and shake the pan, moving and tossing the mushrooms. As soon as the mushroom juice come to the surface, which happens quickly, turn the heat up to high and cook the mushrooms for about 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Turn the heat down to medium, add the ham, and cook it for less than a minute, stirring as it cooks. Add half the heavy cream and cook just long enough for. the cream to thicken slightly. Taste and correct for salt. Turn off the heal and set aside.
Choose an enameled iron pan or other flameproof serving dish that can later accommodate all the noodles without piling them too high. Put in the rest of the butter and the cream and turn on the heat to low. When the butter is melted and incorporated into the cream, turn off the heat and proceed to boil the pasta.
Spinach pasta cooks faster than yellow pasta, so the two pasta must be boiled in separate pots. Bring 4 quarts of water in each pot to a boil and add 1 tablespoon of salt to each. First drop the yellow noodles in one pot, and stir them with a wooden spoon Immediately after, drop the spinach noodles in the other pot and stir them with the spoon. Taste the spinach noodles for doneness 5 seconds or so after the water returns to a boil. They should be quite, quite firm because they will continue to soften up while cooking with the sauce. Drain well and transfer to the waiting pan Immediately after, drain the yellow noodles and transfer them to the same pan. (Be very sure not to overcook the noodles. It is safer to err on the side of underdone than overdone.)
Turn on the heat to low and start tossing the noodles, coating| them with butter and cream. Add half the mushroom sauce, mixing it well with the noodle strands. Add the grated cheese and mix it into the noodles. (This entire step should not take more than a minute. Turn off the heat. Make a slight depression in the center of the mound of noodles and pour in the rest of the mushroom sauce. Serve immediately, with a bowl of additional grated cheese on the side.
Ham and Olive Loaf
1 2/3 cup flour
2 Tbsp baking powder
4 eggs
1 cup dry white wine
½ cup oil (not olive)
1/3 lb pitted green olives, diced
1/3 lb grated Swiss cheese (Jarlsberg)
½ lb thick slice of smoked ham
Mix flour, baking powder and eggs.
Add wine, mix well and then add oil and mix again.
Add olives, cheese and diced ham.
Pour into an 11" (28 cm) bread pan and bake for 45 min at 410° F or until done.
Carrot, Radish, Celery, Bean Sprout and Black Sesame Seed Salad
Serves 4-6 as part of a shared meal
Black sesame seeds have a more pungent flavor than white sesame seeds, and are available from Asian supermarkets. If you can’t find them, white sesame seeds or even black poppy seeds will add a similar textural contrast.
1 small carrot, peeled
1 small cucumber, cut in half lengthways
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup brown rice vinegar
¼ cup brown sugar
2 sticks celery, sliced on the diagonal
1 cup fresh bean sprouts 3 red radishes, trimmed and cut into 5 mm (¼ in) slices, then into thin strips
3 spring onions (scallions), trimmed and cut into thin strips
½ cup finely shredded Chinese cabbage
2 teaspoons black sesame seeds
pinch Sichuan pepper and salt
Dressing
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
½ teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon brown rice vinegar
Using a vegetable peeler, finely slice carrot and cucumber lengthways into ribbons. Cut carrot ribbons into thin strips then place in a bowl with half the salt and mix well. Place cucumber in a separate bowl with remaining salt and mix well. Set cucumber and carrot aside for 1 hour.
Combine vinegar and sugar in a small heavy-based saucepan and stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Simmer, uncovered and without stirring, for about 10 minutes or until reduced and slightly syrupy. Set aside to cool.
Drain cucumber and carrot and, using your hands, gently squeeze out any excess liquid. Place vegetables in the cooled syrup to pickle them lightly.
In a large bowl, combine pickled vegetables with celery, bean sprouts, radishes, spring onions and cabbage. Mix thoroughly using your hands.
To make the dressing, combine ingredients in a small bowl. Spoon dressing over salad. Serve salad on a platter, sprinkled with sesame seeds and Sichuan pepper and salt.
Pissaladière
Serves 6
According to Jacques Médecin, former mayor of Nice and an authority on its cuisine, the layer of onions on a pissaladière should be half as thick as the crust.
For The Dough:
¼ oz. active dry yeast
Extra-virgin olive oil
3 cups flour
1 tbsp. salt
Cornmeal
For The Topping:
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
2½ -3 lbs. onions, peeled and very thinly sliced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Bouquet garni of 2 sprigs each thyme and marjoram and 1 sprig rosemary, tied with kitchen twine
1/3 cup niçoise olives
12 anchovy filets
For the dough: Dissolve yeast in 1 cup warm water in a small bowl, let stand for 5 minutes, then add ¼ cup oil. Combine flour and salt in a medium bowl, add yeast mixture, and stir with a wooden spoon, adding a bit more water if necessary, until ingredients are well mixed. Turn out dough on a lightly floured work surface, dust hands with flour, and knead for several minutes until the dough has a smooth, firm, elastic character. Form dough into a ball, then place in a lightly oiled medium bowl and cover with a damp cloth. Allow dough to rise in a warm spot for about 1 hour.
For the topping: Heat oil in a large pan over medium-low heat. Add onions and season generously with salt and pepper. Add bouquet garni and cover pan to let onions slowly simmer for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Uncover and continue cooking until the moisture has evaporated and the onions cook down to a very tender marmalade-like consistency, 30-40 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
Place pizza stone in oven and preheat to 450°. Roll dough out on a floured surface into a thin, flat rectangle. Transfer dough to a baker’s peel or inverted baking sheet dusted with cornmeal. Cover dough with a damp cloth and allow to rest for 30 minutes.
Remove cloth from dough and spread onion mixture on top. Arrange olives and anchovy filets over the onions, season lightly with pepper, then slide onto hot pizza stone. Bake until crust has browned, 15-20 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature, cut into wedges.
Pâte Brisée
La Pâte Brisée de Pascale
200 grams (7 ounces) all-purpose flour
125 grams (4½ ounces) salted butter, diced — cold if using a food processor, at room-temperature if you’re mixing the dough by hand.
1 egg
a little cold water
In a food processor, combine the flour and the butter. Run it for about ten seconds, until you get a breadcrumb consistency. Add in the egg and mix again until it forms a ball. If the dough is still a little dry, add in a little water, a tiny splash at a time, until the dough comes together. (If you’ve added too much water, fret not, compensate with more flour.) Transfer the dough into a bowl, and let rest for a few minutes.
[If you are woefully food-processor-deprived, pour the flour in a medium mixing-bowl and form a well. Add the diced butter and beaten egg into the well, and rub them into the flour with the tips of your cute, clean little fingers. Add in a bit of cold water as needed to form the dough into a ball.]
Roll the dough out on a well-floured surface, and transfer onto onto a 22-cm (10-inch) tart pan. Prick the bottom and sides with a fork. Cover with aluminium foil, and let rest in the fridge for thirty minutes to an hour. (Pascale notes that unlike most recipes suggest, she prefers to let the dough rest after she has rolled it out, because it is easier to handle when freshly made.) You can freeze the dough at this point, wrapped in a plastic bag.
Most savory tart recipes call for par-baking the dough : this is called "cuisson à blanc" in French, and it consists in baking the dough on its own first, because it won’t bake as well once the filling is in place. Preheat your oven to 180°C (360°F), take the dough out of the fridge/freezer and bake for ten minutes (15 if the dough is frozen) or until golden.
To prevent the dough from rising as it bakes (a problem which doesn’t arise as much when you bake it from frozen), some recipes have you cover the dough with baking parchment and baking beans. But this is sort of a pain (especially when you want to remove those piping hot little beans when the dough is ready) and I have also noticed that the bottom of the dough doesn’t bake as quickly as the sides, which can be a problem. Once again, Pascale rushes to the rescue with her own unorthodox (her word) way of doing it, which is to open the oven door and press down on the rebel dough with a (clean) kitchen glove.
Quiche Lorraine Recipe
Serves 6.
1 pie dough (Pâte Brisée)
½ pound of bacon
1 cup milk
½ cup heavy cream
3 eggs
½ teaspoon salt
Black pepper (about ½ teaspoon)
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup grated gruyere or other cheese
1 heaping tablespoon chopped chives
1a If you are making your own pie crust, roll out the pie dough into a 12-inch round. Place it in a 10-inch wide, 1½-inch high tart pan, pressing the dough into the corners. Use a rolling pin to roll over the surface of the tart pan to cleanly cut off the excess dough from the edges. Freeze for at least half an hour before blind-baking.
1b Pre-bake the frozen crust (also called "blind" baking). Preheat oven to 350°F. Line the frozen crust with heavy duty aluminum foil or with parchment paper. Allow for a couple inches to extend beyond the sides of the tart or pie pan. Fill two-thirds with dry beans or other pie weights (I’ve heard copper pennies work well for this too). If you are using a pan with a removable bottom, place the pan on a rimmed baking sheet in the oven to catch any spillage. Bake for 20 minutes. Then remove from oven, remove the pie weights (the easiest way to do this is to lift up the foil by the edges) and the foil. Using the tines of a fork, poke little holes all around the base of the crust. Return to the oven and bake for another 10 minutes, until lightly browned all over. Remove from oven and set aside.
2 Cook the bacon. Heat a large frying pan on medium heat. Arrange strips of bacon in a single layer on the bottom of the pan (you may need to work in batches or do two pans at once). Slowly cook the bacon, turning the strips over occasionally until they are nicely browned and much of the fat has rendered out. Lay the cooked strips of bacon on a paper towel to absorb the excess fat. Pour fat out of the pan into a jar (not down the drain, unless you want to clog the pipes) for future use, or wait until it solidifies and discard in the trash. Chop the cooked bacon crosswise into ¼-inch to ½-inch pieces.
3 Preheat oven to 350°F. Whisk the eggs in a large bowl. Add the nutmeg, salt, black pepper and chives and whisk a little more. Add the milk and cream and whisk vigorously to incorporate and introduce a little air into the mix – this keeps the texture of the quiche light and fluffy.
Arrange the bacon and cheese in the bottom of the pie crust.
Whisk the egg-milk mixture hard again for a few seconds, then pour it gently into the pie crust. You want the bacon and cheese to be suspended in the mix, so you might need to gently stir it around just a little. You also want the chives, which will float, to be evenly arranged on top, so move them around with a spoon until you like where they are.
4 Put the quiche into the preheated oven and bake for 30-40 minutes. (If using pan with removable bottom, be sure to place a rimmed baking sheet underneath.) Check for doneness after 30 minutes by gently jiggling the quiche. It should still have just a little wiggle. (It will finish setting while it cools.) Cool on a wire rack.
Eat at room temperature, cold (a quiche will keep for several days in the fridge), or reheated gently in a 200-degree oven.
Pad Thai
Pad Thai - This Pad Thai recipe is how you actually find it in Bangkok and comes from testing hundreds of different variations from food carts all over the city. Pad Thai is the ultimate street food. While "street food" may sound bad, food cart cooks are in such a competitive situation, with such limited space, ingredients and tools they need to specialize in a dish or two just to stay in business. The best of these cooks have cooked the same dish day-after-day, year-after-year, constantly perfecting it.
Great Pad Thai is dry and light bodied, with a fresh, complex, balanced flavor. It should be reddish and brownish in color. Not bright red and oily like I’ve seen in the US. The ingredients listed below can be somewhat intimidating but many are optional. If you would like to make authentic Pad Thai, just like in Thailand, use all the ingredients.
Pad Thai is another perfect vegetarian dish, just omit shrimp and substitute soy sauce for fish sauce. Add more tofu if you like.
From street carts, you can also often find an older, more traditional version of Pad Thai made with dried shrimp.
2-3 Servings, Prep Time: 40 minutes, Total Time:40 minutes
½ teaspoon ground dried chili pepper
1 egg
4 teaspoons fish sauce
3 cloves minced garlic
ground pepper
½ lime
2 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoon tamarind paste
½ package Thai rice noodles
1/3 cup extra firm tofu
2 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 minced shallot
½ - ¼ lb shrimp Optional
2 tablespoons peanuts Optional
1 tablespoon preserved turnip Optional
1-½ cup Chinese chives Optional
½ banana flower Optional
1-1/3 cup bean sprouts Optional
By far, the trickiest part is the soaked noodles. Noodles should be somewhat flexible and solid, not completely expanded and soft. When in doubt, undersoak. You can always add more water in the pan, but you can’t take it out.
Shrimp can be substituted or omitted.
In this recipe, pre-ground pepper, particularly pre-ground white pepper is better than fresh ground pepper. For kids, omit the ground dried chilli pepper.
Tamarind adds some flavor and acidity, but you can substitute white vinegar.
The type of super firm tofu or pressed called for this recipe can be found at most oriental groceries in a plastic bag, not in water. Some might be brown from soy sauce, but some white ones are also available. Pick whatever you like.
If you decide to include banana flower, cut lengthwise into sections (like orange sections). Rub any open cut with lime or lemon juice to prevent it from turning dark.
The original Pad Thai recipe calls for crushed roasted peanuts. Thailand is hot and humid and storage conditions are often sub-optimal, so a certain fungus can grow on peanuts. This fungus is linked to cancer, so many people in Thailand avoid eating peanuts.
Start with soaking the dry noodles in lukewarm or room temperature water while preparing the other ingredients. Getting the noodles just right is the trickiest part of making Pad Thai. Check out Tips and Substitutions for in depth explanations. By the time you are ready to put ingredients in the pan, the noodles should be flexible but not mushy. Julienne tofu and cut into 1 inch long matchsticks. When cut, the super firm tofu/pressed tofu should have a mozzarella cheese consistency. You can fry the tofu separately until golden brown and hard, or you can fry with other ingredients below. Cut the Chinese chives into 1 inch long pieces. Set aside a few fresh chives for a garnish. Rinse the bean sprouts and save half for serving fresh. Mince shallot and garlic together.
Use a wok. If you do not have a wok, any big pot will do. Heat it up on high heat and pour oil in the wok. Fry the peanuts until toasted and remove them from the wok. The peanuts can be toasted in the pan without oil as well. Add shallot, preserved turnip, garlic and tofu and stir them until they start to brown. The noodles should be flexible but not expanded at this point. Drain the noodles and add to the wok. Stir quickly to keep things from sticking. Add tamarind, sugar, fish sauce and chili pepper. Stir. The heat should remain high. If your wok is not hot enough, you will see a lot of juice in the wok at this point. Turn up the heat, if it is the case. Make room for the egg by pushing all noodles to the side of the wok. Crack the egg onto the wok and scramble it until it is almost all cooked. Fold the egg into the noodles. The noodles should soft and chewy. Pull a strand out and taste. If the noodles are too hard (not cooked), add a little bit of water. When you get the right taste, add shrimp and stir. Sprinkle white pepper around. Add bean sprouts and chives. Stir a few more times. The noodles should be soft, dry and very tangled.
Pour onto the serving plate and sprinkle with ground pepper and peanuts. Serve hot with the banana flower slice, a wedge of lime on the side, raw Chinese chives and raw bean sprouts on top.
As always, in Thailand, condiments such as sugar, chili pepper, vinegar and fish sauce are available at your table for your personal taste. Some people add more chili pepper or sugar at the table.
Curried Chicken Salad
Serves 12
2 lb cooked chicken
1 tbs curry paste
3 oz raisins
3 oz dried apricots
5 oz mayonnaise
3 oz almonds
3 oz plain yoghurt
2 tbs mango chutney
1 bunch green onions (scallions)
Cilantro
Cubes of apple
Last updated
October 25, 2012