Goan Shrimp

Goan Shrimp is one of my favorite Indian foods that we make. We have made it many times and I always like it. This one was especially spicy and good. If you want to make authentic Indian Food and want to start with a real winner, this would be a great starting place. Serve it over rice. You can find the recipe on our blog of: August 9, 2008. Click the date and get the recipe.

Brussels Sprout Risotto

We made this recipe for Brussels Sprout Risotto from Plenty More by Yotam Ottolenghi. We like almost of the recipes in his 3 cookbooks. This one is excellent! Give it a try. Who ever heard of Brussels Sprout Risotto?

Brussels Sprout Risotto

Plenty More

Yotam Ottolenghi

2          tbsp unsalted butter

2         tbsp olive oil

2         small onions, finely chopped (1-1/2 cups)

2         large cloves garlic, crushed

2         tbsp thyme leaves

2         lemons, rind shaved in long strips from one, finely grated zest from the other

1-1/2   cups Arborio or another risotto rice

18 oz   trimmed brussels sprouts, 7 oz shredded and 11 oz quartered lengthwise

scant 2 cups dry white wine
scant 4 cups hot vegetable stock

about 1-⅔ cups sunflower oil

1-1/2   cups coarsely grated Parmesan

2 oz     Dolcelatte, broken into 3/4-inchn chunks

½         cup tarragon leaves, chopped

2          tsp lemon juice

salt and black pepper

If you wonder about a risotto full of brussels sprouts, please trust me and set your doubts aside. My recipe tester Claudine said she had similar misgivings but totally loved it. The fried sprout quarters add a layer of texture and crunch that risottos often lack. They are so good that you'll quickly be figuring out other dishes they can be sprinkled over.

Place the butter and olive oil in a large saute pan over

medium-high heat. Add the onions and fry for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and lightly caramelized. Add the garlic, thyme, and lemon rind strips and cook for a further 2 minutes. Add the rice and shredded sprouts and cook for another minute, stirring frequently. Pour in the wine and let it simmer for a minute before you start adding the stock, 1 teaspoon salt, and a good grin of pepper. Turn down the heat to medium and carry on adding the stock in ladlefuls, stirring often, until the rice is cooked but still retains a bite and all the stock is used up.

While the rice is cooking, pour the sunflower oil into a separate large saucepan; it should rise 3/4-inch up the sides. Place over high heat and, once the oil is very hot, use a slotted spoon to add a handful of the quartered sprouts. (Take care that they are completely dry before you add them; they will still splatter, so be careful.) Fry the sprouts for less than 1 minute, until golden and crispy, then transfer them to a plate lined with paper towels. Keep them somewhere warm while you fry the remaining sprouts.

Add the Parmesan, Dolcelatte, tarragon, and half the fried sprouts to the cooked risotto and stir gently. Serve at once with the remaining sprouts spooned on top, followed by the grated lemon zest and the lemon juice.

Lobster Pasta

Hungry Cat Salad

Lobster Pasta

We went to Newport Seafood and of course had the Special Lobster. We bring home the lobster and use it for leftovers. We decided to make a new recipe for us: Spaghetti with Lobster & Chiles from The Young Man & the Sea by David Pasternack. I didn’t particularly like the pasta. I doubt we will make it again.

We started with The Hungry Cat Salad. You can find the recipe in our blog of: November 21, 2009. Click the date to get the recipe.

Spaghetti withLobster & Chiles

The Young Man & the Sea

David Pasternack

This is a remarkably simple main-course pasta dish that I can't remove from the menu at Esca. The hot chiles play off the cool mint beautifully, and they complement the sweetness of the lobster meat. Don't be afraid to cook lobster at home. If you're squeamish about killing a live lobster, have your fishmonger kill and cut up the lobster for you. Just make sure you cook the lobster the day it's brought home from the fish market. Serves 4 to 6

4         1-pound live lobsters

1         pound dried spaghetti

3          tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus high-quality extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling

2         cloves garlic, thinly sliced

1 to 3 diced serrano chiles, to taste(or poblano or jalapeno, depending on the amount of heat you prefer)

2         cups Basic Tomato Sauce

10         mint leaves, rolled and finely sliced

Sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil (the water should taste like the ocean) for the lobsters, and another pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta.

On a cutting board, hold the lobster facing your knife hand. Place the point of a very sharp chef's knife on the lobster's head just behind the eyes. Swiftly press the point in and bring the blade down to the cutting board, severing the head. The lobster will move and twitch, but it is no longer alive. Pull the claws from the body, using a slight twisting motion. Remove the tail: twist the tail in one direction and the body in the other. It should come apart cleanly. Set the tails aside.

Add the claws to the lobster pot and cook for 5 minutes (they will turn red). Use a slotted spoon to remove and let cool slightly. When cool enough to handle, cover with a kitchen towel and crack the claws by pressing down with a mallet or the handle of a chef's knife. Remove the meat from the claws and set aside in a bowl. Remove the meat from the knuckles (the segment between the claws and the body), and set aside in a separate bowl.

Cook the pasta for 1 minute less than the box directs far al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking liquid and drain the spaghetti in a colander. Put the pasta in a bowl and toss with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil.

To cut the lobster tails in half iengthwise: place on a cutting board with the underside of the tail facing up. Use your body weight to press the blade into the tail, cutting through to the outer shell. Then cut across the tails so that each one is in four pieces.

In a large straight-sided saute pan or in the pot used to cook the spaghetti, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil over a medium-high flame until smoking. Add the lobster tails and, stirring with a wooden spoon, cook until they start changing color, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and chiles and cook until the garlic is translucent, about 1 minute. Add the cup of reserved pasta water, the tomato sauce, and the meat from the lobster claws. Simmer the sauce until it reduces slightly, about 4 minutes. Add the cooked pasta and the lobster knuckle meat, and toss with tongs to coat. Let the pasta reheat in the sauce for about a minute.

Serve the pasta in wide shallow bowls, being sure to evenly divide the lobster pieces. Drizzle with a high-quality extra-virgin olive oil and sprinkle with the fresh mint, sea salt, and pepper

Baked Ziti with Vegetable Sauce

Lentils with Salmon and Black Cod

We decided to make this Indian influenced variation of Baked Ziti with Vegetable Sauce. We liked the extra zing that the chilies gave to the dish. We will definitely make it again. It has the advantage of giving lots of leftovers! The recipe is from America Masala by Suvir Saran.

We started with a Fish Salad made from left over Black Cod with Miso Sauce and left over Salmon with Lentils from Pizzeria Mozza.

Baked Ziti With Vegetable Sauce

America Masala

Suvir Saran

SERVES 8 TO 10

FOR THE SAUCE

¼         cup extra-virgin olive oil plus 1 teaspoon, for greasing baking dish

3         dried red chiles

½         teaspoon ground peppercorns

½         teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary

½         teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

1         large red onion, halved and thinly sliced

1         tablespoon kosher salt

2         red bell peppers, cored, seeded, and thinly sliced

1         tablespoon sugar

3         cups canned crushed tomatoes

FOR THE ZITI

1         pound mozzarella cheese, coarsely grated

8         ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, coarsely grated

4         ounces Pecorino cheese, coarsely grated

1         pound whole-milk or fat-free ricotta cheese

3         large eggs

1         cup chopped fresh basil leaves

2         tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

½         teaspoon kosher salt

½         teaspoon ground peppercorns

1         pound ziti pasta

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with 1 teaspoon of oil and set aside.

To make the sauce, heat the oil, chiles, and ground peppercorns in a large pot over medium-high heat, cooking until the chiles become slightly browned, about 1-1/2 minutes. Add the rosemary and thyme, cook for 15 seconds, and then add the onion and salt and cook until onion is soft but not browned, stirring often, about 4 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and add the bell peppers. Cook until they start to soften, stirring often, about 3 minutes. Mix in the sugar, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pot, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring halfway through. Add the tomatoes, bring to a boil, add 1 cup of water, and bring back to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and partially cover the pot. Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Turn off the heat and set aside (at this point, the sauce can be refrigerated for up to 3 days, or frozen for up to 3 months).

To make the ziti, mix a quarter of the mozzarella, half of the Parmigiano-Reggiano, the Pecorino, ricotta, eggs, basil, melted butter, salt, and ground peppercorns together in a large bowl. Mix the remaining mozzarella and the remaining Parmesan cheese together in a small bowl.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until al dente, drain, and add to the vegetable sauce along with 2 tablespoons of butter. Warm the sauce over medium-high heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until you can hear the sauce simmering at the bottom of the pot, about 2 minutes. Turn off the heat.

Add a third of the pasta to the baking dish. Divide the ricotta mixture into two equal portions and break marble-sized chunks off of one portion to dot over the pasta. Cover the ricotta with half of the remaining pasta, and then dot with the remaining mixture. Spread the rest of the pasta on top and sprinkle with the mozzarella-Parmesan mixture.

Bake the ziti until the cheese has melted and the sauce is bubbling around the edges of the baking dish, about 20 minutes. Turn the broiler to high and broil about 6 inches from the heating element until the top layer of cheese has browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Let the ziti stand for 5 minutes before serving.

MY AUNT RITA, who lives in upstate New York, made a baked ziti during my very first visit to the United States when I was in my teens. I combined this delicious memory with the recipe given to me by Jo Taibi, an Italian-American friend who wanted to show off what she considered to be the best baked casserole dish from her community. For a less rich dish, use fat-free ricotta in place of whole-milk ricotta. The sauce is so thick and flavorful that no one will miss the fat. This is wonderful with homemade garlic bread.

Black Cod with Miso Sauce

We invited Tom over for dinner. We made Black Cod with Miso Sauce. It is an easy dish to make. We started with a Caesar Salad, using the Zuni Restaurant Recipe. One change we make to the recipe is that we throw all of the ingredients for the dressing into the blender. It makes it very easy. You can get the recipe for the salad on our blog of: July 25, 2009. Click the date to get the recipe.

The Black Cod with Miso Sauce is a recipe from Nobu. McCall's Meat and Fish sells both the great Black Cod and the Miso Sauce. You can get the recipe from our blog of: May 12, 2009. Click the date to get the recipe. This is an excellent fish preparation!

Pressure Cooker Risotto

Zuni Caesar Salad

A Modern Pressure Cooker

Sausage Risotto

Peach Pie from McCall's

We love risotto, but it is a time consuming effort to make. You have to stand over a stove a stir constantly as you slowly add ladles of broth to the rice mixture as it is slowly absorbed. We read that you can quickly make risotto in a pressure cooker and we were anxious to try it, to see if the process really was that easy. Short answer: YES, it does work! When we purchased our new pressure cooker we bought several pressure cooker cookbooks. These recipe is from Pressure Perfect by Lorna Sass. After sautéing what ever you want to be the major flavoring for the risotto, you simply add rice, liquid and place the top on the pressure cooker and fire away! For risotto it will take about 5 minutes. When you uncover (carefully) the risotto, just return to the heat and stir briefly to absorb any additional liquid still remaining in the pressure cooker. It is a great way to make risotto!

We started a dinner with the Zuni Caesar Salad, that we love so much. We have made it many, many times. You can get the recipe in our blog of: July 25, 2009. Click the date to get the recipe for this perfect Caesar Salad. Hint, just throw all of the Caesar dressing components in a blender and let it do ALL of the work!

We then made Sausage Risotto, following the Pressure Cooker recipe from: Pressure Perfect by Lorna Sass.

For dessert, we had a Peach Pie from McCall's Meat and Fish. It was delicious!

Basic Risotto

Pressure Perfect

Lorna Sass

Serves 4 As An Entree And 6 As A Side Dish

This basic risotto makes a good accompaniment to a broiled fish or chop. Add some shrimp or beans (see Transformations), and the risotto becomes a main dish.

Arborio is the most commonly available of the imported, plump, short-grain rices traditionally used to make risotto. If you use one of the other types of Italian risotto rice—Baldo, Vialone Nanno, or Carnaroli—cook for 5 minutes under pressure rather than 4.

4 minutes high pressure

1         tablespoon olive oil or butter

½         cup finely chopped onions or shallots

1-1/2         cups arborio rice

1-1/2         cup dry white wine or dry vermouth

3-1/2 to 4 cups chicken broth

1         teaspoon salt (omit if using salty broth)

½         cup grated parmesan cheese, plus more if needed

Freshly ground pepper

3         tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Heat the oil in a 4-quart or larger cooker. Add the onions and cook over high heat for 1 minute, stirring frequently. Stir in the rice, taking care to coat it with the oil.

Stand back to avoid sputtering oil, and stir in the wine. Cook over high heat until the rice has absorbed the wine, usually about 30 seconds. Stir in 3-1/2 cups of the broth and salt (if using). Take care to scrape up any rice sticking to the bottom of the cooker.

Lock the lid in place. Over high heat bring to high pressure. Reduce the heat just enough to maintain high pressure and cook for 4 minutes. Turn off the heat. Quick-release the pressure by setting the cooker under cold running water. Remove the lid, tilt­ing it away from you to allow steam to escape.

Set the cooker over medium-high heat and stir vigorously. (The risotto will look fairly soupy at this point.) Cook uncovered, stirring every minute or so, until the mixture thickens and the rice is tender but still chewy, usually 3 to 5 minutes. If the mixture becomes dry before the rice is done, stir in the remaining 1/2 cup broth. The finished risotto should be slightly runny; it will continue to thicken as it sits on the plate.

Turn off the heat. Stir in cheese, salt and pepper to taste, and the parsley.

Tip: Risotto tastes best when it's just made. However, the microwave does a nice job of reheating it.

Variations

·      Use beef, veal, or vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.

·      Use half grated parmesan and half grated romano.

·      Use dry red wine instead of white.

·      Add 1 teaspoon fennel seeds along with onions.

·      Stir in a few ounces baby spinach shortly before rice is done.

Transformations (Follow basic recipe except as noted.)

·      Risotto Milanese: Steep 1/2 teaspoon saffron threads in 1 tablespoon warm water for 10 minutes or longer. After releasing pressure, stir in saffron and soaking water. Risotto Milanese is traditionally served with osso bucco

·      Risotto Du Jour: Stir in bite-sized pieces of roasted chicken,
cooked meat, or vegetables shortly before rice is done.

·      Risotto with Butternut Squash: After adding broth, stir in 1-1/2 pounds butternut squash that's been peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch chunks (about 3 cups). After releasing pressure, stir well to dissolve squash into a thick sauce (with perhaps a few chunks remaining). Along with parmesan, add 2 teaspoons minced fresh sage or 1/2 to 1 teaspoon dried. (For a vegetarian ver­sion, substitute vegetable broth for chicken broth.)

·      Risotto with Ham, Gruyere, and Peas: Just before rice is tender, stir in 2 cups diced, cooked ham and 1 cup frozen peas. Reduce parmesan to 1/4 cup and add 1 cup loosely packed shredded Gruyere. (For a vegetarian version, use vegetable broth and omit ham.)

·      Risotto with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Smoked Mozzarella: After releasing pressure, stir in 1/3 cup chopped, oilI packed sun-dried tomatoes. When rice is cooked, turn off heat  and stir in 6 ounces (1 cup tightly packed) shredded or diced I smoked mozzarella. Omit parmesan. Instead of parsley, stir in 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil, if you wish. (For a vegetarian version, use vegetable broth.)

·      Risotto with Fresh Sausage, White Beans, and Tomato: After adding onions, stir in 1/2 pound fresh Italian sausage (sweet or hot; casings removed). Break up sausage meat and brown. Instead of broth, use 2-1/2 cups water. After stirring in water and salt, pour a can (15 ounces) of diced tomatoes, including liquid, on top. Do not stir after adding tomatoes. After pressure release, stir in 1 cup cooked white beans. Increase parsley to ¼ cup.

·      Shrimp Risotto: Add 6 oil-packed anchovies, finely chopped, when you add onion. (They will dissolve during cooking and give risotto a mildly briny flavor.) Add ½ tablespoon balsamic vinegar when you stir in wine. About 1 minute before rice is tendcr, stir in 1 pound medium peeled raw shrimp (or large shrimp, halved lengthwise), 1/4 cup thinly sliced scallion greens, and 1 to 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest. Omit the parmesan.

·      Risotto with Chickpeas, Spinach, and Raisins: After releasing pressure, stir in 1 clove garlic, pushed through a press, 3 tablespoons each raisins and pitted, chopped oil-cured black olives, and 1-1/2 cups cooked chickpeas (or a 15-ounce can, rinsed and drained). Once mixture has returned to a boil, stir in a total of 4 tightly packed cups (about 8 ounces) finely chopped fresh spinach is wilted and the rice is tender. Substitute 2 to 3 tablespoons grated pecorino romano for the parmesan. (Adapted from Judith Barrett's Risotto.)

·      Porcini Rlsotto: Soak 1 ounce (about 1 cup) dried porcini in 2 cups boiling water until soft, about 10 minutes. Reduce chicken broth to 1-1/2 to 2 cups. After adding 1-1/2 cups chicken broth, stir in soaked mushrooms. Pour in soaking liquid, taking care to leave behind any grit that has settled to bottom.

Pressure Cooker Short Ribs

Sunset before dinner

Uncooked food placed in the Pressure Cooker

After Cooling in the sink, the cooked meat and potatoes

Sort Ribs ready for carving

Our First Pressure Cooker Meal!

We read an article in the New York Times about pressure cooker cooking. Both Cathy and I remember pressure cookers from our youth, but have never owned or used one. I do remember always being told to worry about the pressure cooker blowing up! I also remember the heavy cap that went over the steam vent. Interestingly, in India pressure cookers are used quite commonly.

Cathy did some research and decided that the best pressure cooker for us was: the Fagor 8 qt model, available on Amazon. For the first attempt at using our pressure cooker we made: Short Ribs in Gingered Plum Sauce. We purchased boneless Short Ribs from McCall's Meat and Fish. We would have used Ribs with the bone in, but they didn't have them.

It was easy and very fast. The Plums basically dissolved in the sauce creating a tangy delicious sauce. I really liked it. We discovered that there is an art to using the pressure cooker. Because the pressure cooker is ceiled tight, you have no idea of what is actually happening and how tender the food inside actually is. When the estimated cooking time has expired, you can cool the pressure cooker off under cool water, then open and inspect. Return to the heat if required for an additional few minutes to get to the desired texture.

A new tool has been added to our cooking experiences.

Short Ribs in Gingered Plum Sauce

Mark Bittman

New York Times

Ingredients

4 pounds meaty short ribs, excess fat removed

1 ½ cups chicken or beef broth

1 cup coarsely chopped leeks (green parts included) or onions

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar, plus more if needed

2 tablespoons Japanese soy sauce

1 ¼ cups tightly packed pitted prunes

4 to 6 large Yukon Gold potatoes, washed and left whole

1 to 1 ½ tablespoons grated fresh ginger

Salt and freshly ground pepper

¼ cup thinly sliced scallions, for garnish

Preparation

1.   Trim excess surface fat from the ribs. In a 6-quart or larger pressure cooker, combine broth, leeks and vinegar. Pour 2 tablespoons of soy sauce onto a large plate, and turn the meat in it to coat thoroughly.

2.   Place meat in the cooker with any unabsorbed soy sauce. Scatter prunes around the sides; distribute the potatoes on top. Lock lid in place. Over high heat, bring to high pressure. Reduce heat just enough to maintain high pressure. Cook for 30 minutes. Turn off heat and allow pressure to decrease naturally, about 15 minutes.

3.   Remove lid, tilting it away from you to allow the steam to escape. Remove potatoes, and set aside. The ribs should be fork tender. If not, simmer with lid ajar until done. Transfer meat to a platter.

4.   Strain the broth, and degrease in a fat separator or refrigerate overnight. Discard congealed fat. Return broth and solids to the cooker. To thicken the sauce and intensify the taste, boil over high heat, stirring often, until syrupy, 3 to 5 minutes.

5.   Add more vinegar, if needed, to balance the sweetness and intensify the flavors. Stir in ginger to taste. Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper. Quarter the potatoes, and return them and the meat to the cooker to reheat and coat with sauce. Transfer to a platter or individual plates, and garnish with scallions. Serve any extra sauce on the side.

Shrimp Poha

Shumon Cooks, no recipe

Poha with Shrimp Added at at the end

Bowl of Shrimp Poha

Peach Pie

In India I often get Poha for breakfast. It is an Indian comfort food. It can be spicy. The main ingredient is sliced rice. The chef then adds spices to create his unique version. I didn't realize that it could also be a dinner entree.  Our friend Shumon made Shrimp Poha. It was delicious. No recipe it is what is in his head. If you want this, you need to invite him over so that he can cook for you. We finished with Peach Pie from McCall's Meat and Fish.

Rigatoni and Cauliflower al Forno

I saw a recipe for Rigatoni and Cauliflower al Forno in the New York Times. It has everything I like including a breadcrumb topping. I really liked this dish, and we will definitely make it again. It is a perfect cool winter night dish.

Rigatoni and Cauliflower al Forno

New York Times

INGREDIENTS

1 pound rigatoni or other large pasta shape

1 medium cauliflower, about 1 1/2 pounds

Extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper

1 tablespoon capers, roughly chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or more to taste

3 tablespoons roughly chopped sage, plus a few sage leaves left whole

½ teaspoon lemon zest

6 ounces coarsely grated fontina or mozzarella

2 ounces finely grated Romano cheese or other hard pecorino

½ cup coarse dry bread crumbs

2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley, for garnish

Preparation

1.   Cook the rigatoni in well-salted water according to package directions, but drain while still quite al dente. (If directions call for 12 minutes cooking, cook for 10 instead.) Rinse pasta with cool water, then drain again and set aside.

2.   Heat oven to 400 degrees. Cut cauliflower in half from top to bottom. Cut out tough core and stem any extraneous leaves. Lay cauliflower flat side down and cut crosswise into rough 1/4-inch slices. Break into smaller pieces.

3.   Put 3 tablespoons olive oil in a wide skillet over high heat. Add cauliflower slices, along with any crumbly pieces, in one layer. (Work in batches if necessary.) Let cauliflower brown and caramelize for about 2 minutes, then turn pieces over to brown the other side. Cook for another 2 minutes, or until the cauliflower is easily pierced with a fork. It’s fine if some pieces don’t brown evenly. Season generously with salt and pepper. Add capers, garlic, red pepper flakes, chopped sage, sage leaves and lemon zest and stir to coat.

4.   Put cooked cauliflower mixture in a large mixing bowl. Add cooked rigatoni and fontina and toss. Transfer mixture to a lightly oiled baking dish. Top with Romano cheese, then with bread crumbs and drizzle with about 1 tablespoon olive oil. (Dish may be completed to this point up to several hours in advance and kept at room temperature, covered.)

Bake, uncovered, for 20 to 30 minutes, until top is crisp and golden. Sprinkle with freshly chopped parsley before serving.