Bean Bake Casserole

From Gluten Free Girl and the Chef
serves 8

Spanish Rice

1 fresh poblano chile
2 Tb canola
1/2 med onion, peeled and chopped
1 tea chopped garlic
1 tea tomato paste
1 Tb chili powder
2 tea ground cumin
1/2 c chopped tomatoes (or canned)
1 c white rice (jasmine or basmati)
1 tea sea salt and fresh pepper
3 c chicken stock

Bean Bake Casserole

1 lb ground beef (or omit)
20 corn tortillas
1 16-oz can refried beans
1 1/2 c shredded cheddar cheese
1 1/2 shredded monterey jack cheese
1/2 c pitted black olives
1 c salsa
4 avocados, peeled, pitted and cut into chunks
1 c sour cream

Roasting the poblano for the rice:
Preheat oven to 500. When it has come to heat, throw in the poblano chile. Turn the chile every once in awhile, until the skin starts to blacken and blister. Remove the chili from the oven and put it into a bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the chile sit until it cools. Peel the chile, remove the seeds, and cut it into large pieces. Turn down the oven to 450.

Making the Spanish rice:
Set a large saute pan over medium-high heat and pour in the oil. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring, until the onion is softened and translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the tomato paste, chili powder, and cumin and cook until they release their fragrance, about 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes, the roasted chile, and the rice, stirring to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Add the chicken stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook until the rice is soft and fluffy, about 20 minutes.

Browning the beef:
Set a large saute pan over medium-high heat and add the ground beef. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the beef is thoroughly browned, about 10 minutes.

Assembling the casserole:
Line the bottom of a casserole dish with some of the corn tortillas. Scoopin a third of the ground beef, a third of the Spanish rice, a third of the refried beans, 1/3 c of each of the cheeses, a third of the olives, and a third of the salsa. Top that with another layer of corn tortillas, and then another third of each ingredient as before. Repeat the layering one more time. Top everything with another layer of corn tortillas and sprinkle with the reamining 1/2 c of each of the cheeses.

Baking the casserole:
Slide the casserole dish into the oven and bake until the top is golden and bubbly, about 40 minutes. Scatter the avocado and sour cream over the top of the warm cheese and serve.

Salad Nicoise

From William-Sonoma Salad
makes 6 servings

4 peeled hard-boiled eggs
1 lb small waxy potatoes such as Yukon gold, Yellow Finn or Red Rose
Salt & freshly ground pepper
1 lb slender green beans
2 c mixed young salad greens
16 anchovy fillets
5 tomatoes, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut lengthwise into narrow strips
1/2 c oil-cured black olives
1 can olive oil-packed tuna, drained
1/4 c red wine vinegar
2 Tb minced shallot
1/4 c olive oil

Quarter the hard-boiled eggs lengthwise, set aside.

Put the potatoes adn 3/4 tea salt in a large saucepan and add water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, reduce the heat to medium, and cook, uncovered, until the potatoes are tender and can be pierced easily with a fork, 20-25 minutes. Drain, rince with cold running water, adn , when just cool enough to handle, peel and cut into slices about 1/4 inche thick. Set aside.

Arrange the beans in a steamer basket and place over boiling water. Cover and steam just until tender, about 3 minutes. Lift out the basket and place under cold running water to stop the cooking. Drain and set aside.

Divid the salad greens among individual plates, making a bed on each. Divide the ingredients evenly, arranging the eggs, potatoes, beans, anchovy fillets, tomatoes, bell pepper and olives on each plate, with the tuna in the center.

In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, shallot, 1/2 tea salt and 1/2 tea pepper. While whisking, slowly drizzle in the olive oil to make a thick dressing. Pour the dressing over the salads and serve at once.

Bengali Masar Dal

From Classic Indian Vegetarian and Grain Cooking

For 6-8 People

For cooking the dal:
1 1/2 c red lentils (masar dal)
6 hot green chilies (or to taste)
1/2 tea turmeric
4 1/2 c water
1 1/2 tea coarse salt, or to taste

For flavoring the dal:
4 Tb usli ghee or light veggie oil
1 c minced onion
1 Tb grated or crushed fresh ginger
1 c finely chopped tomatoes

For the spice-perfumed butter:
2 Tb usli ghee, or light veggie oil
1 Tb panch phoron mix (see below)
4 bay leaves
4 dry red chili pods
2 tea minced garlic

For the panch phoron mix:
Mix together equal parts of Cumin seeds, Fennel seeds, Mustard seeds, Fenugreek seeds, and Black Onion seeds

1. pick clean, and wash lentils
2. put the lentils, turmeric and 4 1/2 c water; bring to a boil. Stir often to make sure they do not lump together. Cook over medium heat, partially covered, for 25 minutes. Cover, reduce heat, and continue cooking for an additional 10 minutes or until soft.
3. While the lentils are cooking, heat the ghee or oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. When it is hot, add the onion and fry, stirring constantly, until golden brown (about 10 minutes). Add the ginger and tomatoes and continue frying until the tomatoes are cooked and teh contents reduce to a thick pulp (about 8 minutes). Stir constantly to prevent sticking and burning.
4. Blend the fried onion-tomato paste adn salt to taste into the dal; continue cooking for an additional 10-15 minutes or until the flavors have blended in. Keep the dal on a low simmer while you make the spice-perfumed butter.
5 Measure out the spices and place them right next to the stove in separate piles. Heat the ghee or oil in a small frying pan over medium-high heat. When it is hot, add the panch phoron spice blend. When the mustard seeds are spattering and the cumin turns a little darker (about 15 seconds), add the bay leaves and chili pods. Continue frying until the chili turns dark (15-20 seconds), turning and tossing them. Turn off the heat, add teh garlic, and let mixture fry, sizzling for 25 seconds or until it looks light golden. Pour the entire contents of the pan over the dal, mix well, and serve.

Tomato Coriander sauce

From Classic Indian Vegetarian and Grain Cooking by Julie Sahni

Makes 2 cups

3 Tb light veggie oil
1/2 c chopped onion
2 tea ground cumin
1 Lb fresh ripe tomatoes, pureed (or 2 c canned tomatoes, pureed)
1 c water
coarse salt, to taste
2 Tb chopped fresh coriander

Heat the oil in a small pan over medium-high heat. When it is very hot, add the onion and fry, stirring constantly, for 6-8 minutes or until brown. Add the cumin and continue frying for 1 more minute. Add the tomato puree, 1 c water, and salt; mix well and bring to a boil. Simmer gently over low heat, uncovered, for 15 minutes, stirring often. Turn off the heat adn stir in chopped coriander.

Gobhi Massalam

From Classic Indian Vegetarian and Grain Cooking by Julie Sahni

For 4-6 people

1 1/2 - 1 3/4 pound cauliflower, core, stem and leaves removed
6 Tb light veggie oil
1 1/2 c finely chopped onion
1 Tb finely chopped garlic
1 1/2 Tb finely chopped fresh ginger
6 hot green chilies, minced (or to taste)
1/4 tea cayenne pepper
1/4 tea black pepper
1 1/2 Tb ground coriander
1/2 tea ground fennel
2 Tb ground blanched almonds
1 tea coarse salt, or to taste
1 Tb all-purpose flour
4-6 coriander springs, for garnish
2 c Tomato-Coriander Sauce (see following recipe)

1. Preheat oven to 400
2. Steam the whole cauliflower for 8 minutes. Remove the cauliflower and let it cool completely. Set aside.
3. Measure out the spices and place them right next to the stove in separate piles. Heat 4 Tb oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat for 2 minutes. Add the onion and fry, stirring constantly, for 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Add the garlic and ginger and fry for 2 more minutes. Add the chilies and continue frying for an additional minute.
4. Add all the other ingredients from cayenne pepper to flour; mix well and continue frying for 2 minutes. Add about 1/4 c water, stir well and continue cooking until the mixture turns into thick paste. Turn off the heat and let the stuffing mixture cool.
5. Stuff half the spice mixture into the spaces between the florets of the cauliflower. This takes a little effort, but try to put in as much as possible. Spread the remaining half over the top of the cauliflower and pat it down (the spreading will be patchy). Place the stuffed cauliflower in a shallow baking dish or tray. Sprinkle sliced almonds over it and dribble the remaining 2 Tb of oil all over it.
6. Bake the cauliflower in the middle level of the oven for 25-30 minutes, or until the spice coating looks nicely browned, glazed and crisp.

To serve, place the cauliflower on a heated serving platter and arrange the coriander sprigs around it. Scrape off any brown bits and spices clinging to the baking dish and stir into the tomato sauce. Transfer the sauce to a small bowl or gravy boat and pass it along. Cut the cauliflower into 4-8 wedges. Pour a little sauce over each and garnish with a coriander sprig.

Pan fried smashed potatos

From epicurious.com


•8 medium red potatoes (about 2 inches long; 1 3/4 pounds)
•1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
•1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano


Generously cover potatoes with cold water in a 3-to 4-quart pot and add 1 tablespoon salt. Boil until almost tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Drain potatoes. Transfer to a baking sheet and lightly crush to about 3/4 inch thick with a potato masher, keeping potatoes intact as much as possible.

Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Transfer potatoes with a spatula to skillet, then lower heat to medium-low and cook, turning once, until golden brown, about 20 minutes total. Serve sprinkled with cheese. Season generously with pepper.

Corn and Tomato Salsa on Crispy Corn Tortillas

From Williams-Sonoma Salad

2 cups frozen corn, cooked and chilled
5 tomatoes, finely chopped
1/3 c minced red onion
1/3 c minced fresh cilantro
3 Tb minced fresh basil
2 Tb minced Anaheim or other med-hot chili
juice of 3 limes
salt and freshly ground pepper
corn oil for deep-frying
9 corn tortillas
1 avocado, pitted, peeled and sliced
1/2 c sour cream
chile powder for sprinkling

In a large bowl, mix corn, tomatoes, onion, cilantro, basil, chile, lime juice, 1 tea salt and 1/2 tea pepper.

Pour corn oil into a frying pan to a depth of 1 1/2 inches and heat until 375 degrees F. Meanwhile, cut tortillas into strips a generous 1/2 inch wide. Add the strips to the hot oil, in batches, adn fry, turning once or twice, until crisp, about 3 minutes total. Transfer to paper towels to drain and cool. Sprinkle the strips evenly with salt.

Divide salsa on individual plates, top with tortilla strips, a few slices of avocado, a dollop of sour cream, sprinkling with chili powder if desired.

White Chili

White Chili

From Weight Watchers Cook it Quick!

Serves 8

4 c low-sodium chicken broth
1 lb skinless boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 (15oz) cans great Northern beans, rinsed and drained
2 medium zucchini, diced
2 onions, chopped
1 Tb ground cumin
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tea chili powder
1 c frozen corn
1/2 c fat-free sour cream
1/2 tea salt
freshly ground pepper, to taste
olive oil

1. Put olive oil in a deep soup pot and heat on medium-high. Add onions and cook until soft. Add garlic, cumin and chili powder and cook an additional minute until combined. Add chicken and cook until one side of the chicken has turned white and the spices evenly cover the chicken.
2. Add broth, beans, zucchini. Cover and simmer for 2-3 hours.
3. Stir in corn and sour cream; cook until heated through, about 5 minutes longer. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

Beets for Antipasto

From West Coast Cooking by Greg Atkinson

Makes 6 appetizer-sized servings

2 lbs beets
1/4 c red wine vinegar
1/2 c olive oil
2 tea kosher salt
1 tea freshly ground black pepper
1/4 c chopped fresh Italian parsley

1. Trim the leaves off the beets, leaving about 1/2 inch of the stem attached. Do not attempt to peel them before they are cooked. (This keeps more of the juice trapped inside the beet so that it doesn't bleed into the cooking water.) Cook the beets whole in boiling water until they are fork-tender. Depending on the size and freshness of the beets, this will take anywhere from 15-45 minutes.

2. While the beets are cooking, whisk together the vinegar, oil, salt and pepper in a medium mixing bowl.

3. Trnsfer teh cooked beets to a colander under cold running water until they are cool enough to handle, and peel them; the skins will slip off easily. Cut the cooked, peeled beets into large matchsticks.

4. Toss teh cut and cooled beets in the vinaigrette with teh parsley, and serve at room temperature.

Pacific Ponzu Salmon

From West Coast Cooking by Greg Atkinson

Makes 6 servings

For the Ponzu Sauce
1 grapefruit
1 orange
1 lime
1/4 c sugar
1/4 c soy sauce or tamari
1/4 c rice vinegar

For the Fish
6 salmon fillets, 7 oz each
1 tea fine sea salt
2 Tb vegetable oil

1. make the ponzu sauce. Use a zester to remove teh colorful outer rind from the grapefruit, orange, adn lime; set the zest aside. Juice the fruits and combine the juices.

2. Put the sugar in a dry pan over medium-high heat and swirl the pan until the sugar has dissolved. It will be carmel colored. Pour in the fruit juice and step back; the mixture will boil and steam rapidly, then settle into a steady boil. Boil for about 2 minutes, swirling the pan now and then to dissolve the carmelized sugar.

3. When the carmelized sugar has dissolved, add the soy sauce and vinegar. Drop in half of the citrus zest and continue boiling the sauce until it is slightly thickened, 1 or 2 minutes. Save the remaining zest for garnish.

4. Pat the salmon fillets dry and sprinkle with sea salt. Put a large, nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and allow the pan to preheat for 1 minute. Put the oil in the pan; it should be almost smoking hot.

5. Put 2 or 3 of the salmon fillets into the pan, skin side up, and allow the salmon to cook, undisturbed, until the crisp brown crust has formed on the fleshy side of the fish, 4-5 minutes. With a fish spatula lift the fillets out of the pan and set them skin side down on an ungreased baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining fillets. The salmon and sauce can be prepared ahead up to this point and finished just before serving.

6. Preheat oven to 400 and bake the seared salmon fillets until the fish is heated through and the fillets slip easily off their skins, about 5 minutes.

7. Make a puddle of ponzu sauce in the center of each of 6 plates and set a fillet on top of each. Garnish with the reserved zest.

Hummus

From West Coast Cooking by Greg Atkinson

Makes about 2 1/2 cups

2 c cooked garbanzo beans with their cooking liquid, or ttwo 14.5 oz cans garbanzo beans
1/2 c tahini
1 tea chopped garlic
1/2 c lemon juice
4 Tb olive oil
1 Tb toasted sesame oil
1 tea kosher salt
1/8 tea cayenne
1/8 tea ground cumin

1. Drain the beans and save the liquid.

2. Put the beans in a food processor with the tahini, lemon juice, and garlic. Pulse until the mixture is roughly pureed. Add 3 Tb of the olive oil and the sesame oil and run the motor until the oils are incorporated into the puree. If the paste seems to thick, add some of the reserved cooking liquid from the beans. Motor in the salt, cayenne and cumin.

3. Transfer to serving dish and drizzle remaining oil over the top.

Caponata

From West Coast Cooking by Greg Atkinson

Makes about 4 cups

6 small Japanese eggplants (ichiban)
1 Tb kosher salt
1 med onion
2 stalks celery
1/2 c olive oil
2 Tb chopped garlic
1 Tb dried oregano
1/4 c balsamic vinegar
1/4 c capers
1/2 c sliced pimento-stuffed green olives
1 c canned tomato sauce with porcini or canned tomato puree
1/2 c thinly sliced fresh basil
Ak-Mak crackers or Sesame Crackers

1. Cut the eggplants into 1-inch cubes. In a med saucepan, bring about 2 quarts of water to a rapid boil, add the salt, and cook the eggplant just until tender, about 3 minutes. Lift the eggplant out of the pan with a slotted spoon and spread it out on a baking sheet in a single layer to cool.

2. Peel and chop the onion, and dice the celery. Heat a large skillet over high heat and warm the olive oil. Immediately add the onion and celery, and cook until the onion begins to brown. Add the garlic and oregano and cook for 1 minute longer.

3. Transfer the sauteed vegetables to a large bowl and add the balsamic vinegar, capers, olives, and tomato sauce. Stir in the sliced basil. Allow the mixture to stand at room temperature for at least 10 minutes, or refrigerate fro several hours before serving. Serve with crackers.

Sesame Vinegarette from Lucky Platter

Toast until golden: 1/4 C Sesame Seeds

Mix by hand all ingredients together in small bowl:
1 egg
3.175 oz rice vinegar
3 T honey
1/8 t salt
1 oz sesame oil

Kale and White Bean Soup

From Epicurious

Makes 6 main-course servings

1 hour active time, 3 hours total

2 cans Canallini beans, drained and rinsed

2 onions, coarsly chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 Tb olive oil

5 c chicken broth

2 quarts water

1 3X2 inch piece of Parmesian rind

2 tea salt

1/2 tea black pepper

1 bay leaf

1 tea finely chopped rosemary

1 lb sweet or smoked sausage

8 carrots, cut into small chunks

1 lb kale

Cook onions in the oil in an 8 qt pot until soft. Add garlic and stir for a minute or two. Add beans, broth and 1 qt water, cheese rind, salt, pepper, bay leaf and rosemary. Simmer uncovered about 45 minutes.

While soup is simmering, brown sausage. Transfer to a paper towel to drain. Cut into 1-2 inch pieces.

Stir carrots into soup and simmer for 15 minutes. Add kale, sausage and remaining qt of water. Simmer an additional 15 minutes. Serve immediately, or cool and store covered in fridge for a day. Reheat and serve with crusty GF bread.

Grilled Brocolli

6 cups fresh broccoli spears

2 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Place broccoli in a large bowl. Combine the lemon juice, oil, salt and pepper; drizzle over broccoli and toss to coat. Let stand for 30 minutes.
2. Coat grill rack with nonstick cooking spray before starting the grill. Prepare grill for indirect heat. Toss broccoli, then drain marinade. Place Parmesan cheese in a large resealable plastic bag. Add broccoli, a few pieces at a time, shake to coat.
3. Grill broccoli, covered, over indirect medium heat for 8-10 minutes on each side or until crisp-tender.

Taco Seasoning

From Allrecipes.com

Mix ingredients and store in an airtight container:

1 Tb chili powder
1/4 tea garlic powder
1/4 tea onion powder
1/4 tea crushed red pepper
1/4 tea dried oregano
1/2 tea paprika
1 1/2 tea ground cumin
1 tea sea salt
1 tea pepper

Cider-Glazed Chicken Sausages with Butternut Mash

From Everyday Food, May 2011

Serves 4, active time 10 min, total time 40 min.

2 tea olive oil
1 large yellow onion, cut into 1-inch wedges
1 lb gluten free chicken sausages
7 fresh sage leaves
3 cups apple cider
coarse salt and ground pepper
1 small butternut squash (1lb), peeled adn cut into 1-inch pieces
1 large russet potato (10oz), peeled adn cut into 1-inch pieces
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
1/3 cup Greek yogurt

In a large skillet or shallow heavy pot, heat oil over medium-high. Add onion and sausages adn cook until sausages are deep golden brown, 5 minutes, turning sausages and stirring onion halfway through. Add sage and cider adn season with salt and pepper. Bring to a rapid simmer and cook until sider is syrupy and coats the back of a spoon, about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan combine squash, potato, adn apple. Cover by 2 inches water and bring to a rapid simmer over medium-high. Cook until squash and potato are tender when pierced with a knife, 15 minutes.

Drain vegetables and transfer to a food processor. Process until smooth. Add yogurt, season with salt and pepper and pulse to combine. Divide butternut mash among four plates and serve with sausages and onion.

Basic Tomato Sauce

The Naked Chef by Jamie Oliver

This sauce can be frozen for a couple of months, or refrigerated for up to a week.
Serves 6-8

1 large clove of garlic, finely chopped
2 Tb olive oil
1 small dried red chilli, crumbled
2 tea dried oregano
three 14 oz cans of Italian plum tomatoes
1Tb red wine vinegar
1 handful of fresh basil or marjoram (or both), roughly chopped
salt and pepper to taste
2-3 Tb olive oil

In a thick-bottomed pan gently cook the garlic with the olive oil, then add the chilli, oregano and tomatoes. Mix gently, but do not break up the tomatoes as this will release the seeds, which will make the sauce slightly bitter - by leaving the tomatoes whole and letting the mixture cook slowly you'll get a nice sweet sauce. Bring to a boil and simmer gently for 1 hour. Add the vinegar, then stir and chop up the tomatoes in the sauce. Now add your fresh basil or marjoram (or both), season well to taste, and add 2-3 Tb of your best olive oil.

Bouillabaisse

For Croutons

12-16 (1/2 inch) baguette slices
3 Tb olive oil
1 garlic cloves, halved

For Soup

2 large tomatoes, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 large onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 c olive oil
1 lb boiling potatoes
1/3 c finely chpped fennel fronds
1 Turkish or 1/2 California bay leaf
1/4 tea crumbled saffron threads
1 1/2 Tb sea salt
9 c fish stock
3 lbs white fish fillets (monkfish, red snapper, bass, grouper, cod) cut into 2-in wedges
1/2 lb cockles or small hard-shelled clams, scrubbed
1/2 lb cultivated mussels, scrubbed and beards removed
1/2 lb large shrimp
Rouille

Make croutons:
Put oven rack in middle position and prehead oven to 250. Arrange gluten free bread slices in 1 layer in a shallow baking pan and brush both sides with oil. Bake until crisp, about 30 minutes. Rub 1 side of each toast with a cut side of garlic.

Make soup:
Cook tomatoes, onion, and garlic in oil in cleaned 6-8 quart pot over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, 507 minutes. Meanwhile, peel potatoes and cut into 1/2-in cubes. Stir potatoes into tomatoes with fennel fronds, bay leaf, saffron, sea salt, and pepper. Add stock and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, until potatoes are almost tender, 8-10 minutes.

Add thicker pieces of fish and cockles to soup and simmer, covered, 2 minutes. Stir in mussels, shrimp, and remaining fish and simmer covered, until they are just cooked through and mussels are open wide, about 5 minutes.

Stir 3 Tb broth from soup into rouille until blended.

Arrange 2 croutons in each of 6-8 deep soup bowls. Carefully transfer fish and shellfish from soup to croutons with a slotted spoon, then ladle some broth with vegetables over seafood.

Top each serving with 1 tea rouille and serve remainder on the side.

Rouille:
3 Tb water
3/4 c coarse fresh gluten free bread crumbs
3 garlic cloves
1/2 tea coarse sea salt
1/2 tea cayenne
3 Tb olive oil

Pour water over bread crumbs in a bowl. Mash garlic to a paste with sea salt and cayenne using a mortar and pestle. Add moistened bread brumbs and mash into garlic paste. Add oil in a slow stream, mashing and stirring vigorously with pestle until combined well.

Kao Soi

From Quick & Easy Thai by Nancie McDermott
serves 4-6

2 Tb veg oil + 2 cups
1 Tb finely chopped garlic
2 Tb red curry paste or panaeng curry paste
3/4 lb boneless chicken, but in big bite-size chunks, or boneless beef, such as tri-trip or flank steak, thinly sliced crosswise into 2-inch strips
2 c unsweetened coconut milk
1 3/4 c chicken broth
2 tea ground turmeric or curry powder
2 Tb dark soy sauce or soy sauce
1 tea sugar
1 tea salt
2 Tb freshly squeezed lime juice
1 lb fresh or 1/2 lb dried Chinese-style egg noodles + a handful of fresh egg noodles per person
1/3 c coarsely chopped shallots
1/3 c coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
1/3 c thinly sliced green onions

Make crispy noodle nests:
Heat 2 c veg oil in a wok or small deep skillet to about 375 degrees. Carefully add a handful of noodles, let it sizzle and brown a few seconds, turn gently with tongs, and transfer the "nest" to a platter to cool.

Make chicken curry:
Heat 2 Tb veg oil in a med saucepan over medium heat, and then add the garlic. Toss well and add the red curry paste, mashing and stirring to soften it in the oil, about 1 minute. Add the chicken and cook 1-2 minutes, tossing now and then to brown it evenly and mix it with the curry paste. Add the coconut milk, chicken broth, turmeric, soy sauce, sugar, and salt and stir well. Bring to a gentle boil and adjust heat to maintain a lively simmer. Cook about 10 minutes, until meat is cooked through. Stir in lime juice, remove from heat, and cover to keep curry warm while you prepare the noodles.

Make noodles:
Cook the noodles in a large pot of rapidly boiling water, until tender but still firm, as little as 2 minutes for fresh noodles and 7 minutes or more for dried. Drain, rinse well in cold water, drain again, and divide the noodles amoung individual serving bowls. Ladle on hot curry, and sprinkle each serving with shallots, cilantro and green onions. Serve hot.

Gobhi Matar Rasedar

From Classic Indian Cooking by Julie Sahni
serves 6-8

1 small head cauliflower (about 1 lb)
2 medium potatoes (about 1/2 lb)
1/2 c ghee or light veg oil
2 tea cumin seeds
1 tea ground cumin
2 Tb ground coriander
1 tea turmeric
1/2 - 1 tea red pepper
1 1/2 c shelled fresh peas or 1 ten-oz bag frozen, defrosted
1 1/2 c pureed or finely chopped fresh ripe tom or 3/4 c canned tomato puree
4 tea Kosher salt
3 Tb finely chopped fresh coriander leaves

1. Wash cauliflower in running cold water. Break or cut it into about 1 1/2 inch florets, peel teh central stem, and cut into 1/4 inch thin slices.
2. Peel the potatoes and cut each into 6 pieces.
3. Measure out all spices and place them, and all the veggies, right next to the stove.
4. Heat the ghee over medium-high heat in a deep heavy-bottomed pan. When the fat is hot, add cumin seeds adn fry until they turn dark brown (about 20 seconds). Add cumin powder, coriander, turmeric, adn red pepper all at once and stir. Immediately add cauliflower, potatoes, and fresh peas if you are using them (wait for frozen.) Fry, stirring constantly, until the veggies begin to sear a bit (about 5 minutes). Add tomato puree, and continue frying until the puree thickens adn teh fat begins to separate (about 3 minutes. Add 3 cups boiling water along with the salt. Reduce heat and simmer covered until they are tender adn cooked through (about 15 minutes). If you are using frozen peas, add them now, adn continue cooking for an additional 5 minutes. Turn off heat, check for salt and servve sprinkled with chopped coriander leaves. Traditionally a little ghee (2-3 Tb) is poured over teh dish before serving. Can be made up to 4 days ahead.

Lamb Rogan Josh

From Classic Indian Cooking by Julie Sahni
serves 8

For marinade
4 onions (about 1 lb), peeled and quartered
2 Tb finely chopped ginger
2 Tb ground coriander
3/4 tea red pepper, or to taste
2 1/2 c plain yogurt
1/2 c sour cream
1 Tb Kosher salt
1/3 c melted ghee or 1/2 cup melted sweet butter

3 lbs lean boneless lamb, preferably from the leg, cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes
4 Tb ghee or 2 Tb sweet butter mixed with 2 Tb light veg oil
1 Tb minced garlic
1 Tb black cumin seeds, crushed, or 2 tea ground cumin
2 tea ground cardamom
1 tea Mughal garam masala
1 c heavy cream
Milk or water if needed

Mughal garam masala
1/2 c black or 1/3 c green cardamom pods
2 cinnamon sticks, 3 inches long
1 Tb whole cloves
1 Tb black peppercorns
1 1/2 tea grated nutmed (optional)

For garam masala
Break open cardamom pods. Remove seeds, and reserve. Discard the skin. Crush cinnamon with a kitchen mallet or rolling pin to break it into small pieces. Combine all the spices except nutmeg, adn grind them into a fine powder. Mix in the grated nutmeg, if desired. Store in an airtight container in a cool place. Makes 3/4 cups.

1. Put all the ingredients of the marinade except ghee into a food processor and blend until finely pureed.
2. Place the lamb in a large bowl, and pour marinade adn melted ghee over it. Mix thoroughly to coat, cover and let sit for 1/2 hour at room temp or 2 hours in the fridge. (Remove from fridge 30 minutes before cooking.)
3. Transfer meat, along with the marinade, to a heavy-bottomed pan (preferably non-stick). Place the pan over medium-low heat, and gently bring to a boil. Reduce heat adn simmer covered until the lamb is very tender, about 2-2 1/2 hours. Stir frequently to prevent the sauce's sticking to the bottom of the pan.
4. Heat the 4 Tb ghee in a small frying pan over high heat. Add garlic, and stirring rapidly, fry for 15 seconds. Immediately add cumin, cardamom, and Mughal garam masala. As soon as the spices begin to sizzle and release their fragrance, turn off heat and pour the perfumed butter, along with the spices, over the meat. Add cream, and stir to distribute teh ingredients. Let teh meat rest at room temp for 2 hours.
5. When ready to serve, check for salt, then reheat until piping hot. Serve over rice.

Note: Sometimes too much moisture evaporates during cooking, causing the ghee to separate from the sauce. If that happens, add a little milk or water, a Tb at a time, until teh fat is incorporated back into the sauce. Do not degrease, as teh fragrant ghee si one of the primary flavoring ingredients in the dish. Also, making a day ahead of serving improves the flavor.

Carnitas Tacos

From Edible Seattle
serves 4

Sauce
2 jalapenos, seeds optional
4 cloves peeled garlic
14 oz can tomatillos, drained, or 4 c fresh, blanched
2 c canned green chilis
1 bunch fresh cilantro, plus more for serving

Pork
2.5 lbs pork shoulder, cut into 1 inch chunks
2 Tb ground cumin
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 c olive oil

For serving
corn tortillas
limes
radishes
cotija cheese
whole yogurt or creme freshe

Combine all sauce ingredients in a food processor and pulse, don't puree. Can be done in batches if necessary.

Season pork chunks with cumin, salt and pepper. In a large saute pan or Dutch oven, heat oilive oil over medium high heat. When hot, sear pork chunks in single layer in batches until brown on all sides. Lower heat to medium, add all sauce and meat, simmer covered for an hour. Add chicken broth if necessary. Cook until fork tender. Serve with cut radishes, cotija cheese, tortillas, cilantro, whole yogurt or creme freshe and sliced limes.