a fine romance

Deborah

 Cards for everyone in the family. Gotta spread the love!

There is something romantic about a tart. Even the word TART sounds sexy and risque! With Valentine's day on our doorstep my fancy has turned towards pastry crust. In particular I am thinking about a whole wheat crust for a savory tart. Improbably for this time of year I could not shake the desire to fill my tart shell with zucchini. Potatoes and mushrooms would help fill it out.

By sauteing the vegetables before adding them to the crust the flavors get built up. The idea is to cut the vegetables into a small dice so they cook quickly and stay tender.

The crust I had in mind was a simple whole wheat crust. I found a recipe online and then tweaked it a bit. The results were divine! The crust tasted great and had a truly delicate texture which is exactly what I was after. For the filling I added a few eggs and some cheese to the vegetables, almost like a quiche, but a little less eggy. This tart makes a nice starter to a romantic dinner or could be served as part of a breakfast, say, in bed!

Zucchini Potato Mushroom Tart

The Filling:
2 medium zucchinis cut into a small dice
1 cup mushrooms, cut into a small dice
1 medium red potato, cut into a small dice
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbs. Butter
2 Tbs olive oil
2 eggs beaten
1/2 cup milk
3/4 cup cheese coarsely grated (fontina, chedder, grueyer, or goat)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat the the oil and the butter in a saute pan. Add the zucchini and the garlic and cook quickly for 4-5 minutes until the zucchini browns a bit and is tender. Remove zucchini from pan and put into a bowl. Put the potatoes in the pan and saute for 7-8 minutes until the potatoes are tender and brown in spots. Put the cooked potatoes in the same bowl with the zucchini. Add the mushrooms to the pan and cook for 5 minutes until tender. Add the mushrooms to the bowl with the other vegetables. In a separate bowl mix the eggs, the cheeses and the milk and then pour it over the vegetables. Season with salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Pour the mixture into the tart shell and bake at 350 for 25 minutes until set.

The Tart Shell:
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup white flour
1/2 cup butter (cold), cut into small pieces
2 Tbs. vegetable shortening
1 Tbs. sugar
1 teaspoon salt
4-5 Tbs. Milk

Put the flours, the salt and the sugar in a food processor and pulse a few times to combine. Add the butter, bit by bit, pulsing once or twice with each addition. Add the shortening and pulse a few more times. Slowly add the milk, one Tbs. at a time, pulsing as you go untill the dough just comes togetther. Remove dough from the food processor and wrap in plastic wrap, flattening the dough into a disc. Refridgerate dough for one hour.
Heat oven to 4oo degrees. Remove the dough from the fridge and roll it out on a flat surface between two pieces of saran wrap. Roll it out gently to about 1/4 inch thick and wide enough to fit a 9 inch removeable bottom tart pan. Transfer the dough to the pan and gently crimp the edges. Bake in the oven for about 15-20 minutes till the crust is golden. Remove from oven and proceed to the instructions for the filling above.

Happy Valentine's Day !

Amanda

Looks incredible! Staying home on Valentine's Day is so full of possibities! There are an infinite amount of things to cook and wines to drink. Candles, a little Barry White in the background perhaps...A plethora of ideas to "set the mood".

Deb's tart seems like the perfect Valentine's dish. And, I have the perfect "romantic" wine  to partner with it - its soulmate if you will. The Hugel Cuvee Les Amours Pinot Blanc is without doubt a delicious match for this tart! From Alsace, France, it is more fleshy than usual for a Pinot Blanc. It is creamy yet bright and fresh, with aromas of flowers and citrus fruit. The body, texture and flavors all work in sync with the flavor profile of the Zucchini Potato tart to create the perfect marriage! A mouthwatering combination!

And what's also amazing about this wine is the price. It can be found for around $10-$11. Hugel is one of the top producers in Alsace, and one of my personal favorites. It will simply shine next to Deb's work of art!

of horses and young men

Deborah
Two very special guests came to my house last evening, their combined age under five. These two adorable toddler boys entertained us with their joyous curiosity and impeccable table manners.

The evening was partially devoted to watching the Breeders' Cup Classic horse race, where the superstar mare Zenyatta was to run her final race (against all male horses) as a retiring six year old after 19 starts undefeated. You go girl! (For an eloquent description of the race and its ramifications check out my husband's blog post)

The race was exhilarating and the finish an unbealiveable loss by a nose for our horsey princess. Oh well, back to visiting with friends and family and let's eat dinner already.

Having fed plenty of kids over the years, I was not stressed about making any special concessions to young palates other than a big batch of fresh applesauce to appease the picky and cranky (I'm talking about the adults now.) Fortunately there were big smiles all around!

In addition to wine, cheese and a bouquet of flowers, my house gifts included this magnificent cauliflower. What color!

Our theme for the evening, other than horses, was a continuation of my month-long fasination with France. We had some French wine (Les Amies Chanteuses, Cotes Du Rhone) and some French cheese  (Epoisses Berthaut) and I made a big batch of stuffed vegetables, a dish I first learned to make when I lived in the South of France many years ago. Our two young eaters set the example for the rest of us cleaning their plates so they could have ice cream with chocolate sauce for dessert.

 Zucchini is a classic vegetable for stuffing. It is easy to carve out the boat shape with a spoon.

 Fennel bulbs and onions cut into slabs with a well cut out of the center make a great vehicle for the stuffing.

recipe
Stuffed Vegetables
4 zucchinis- cut in half length wise
4 medium small onions ends trimmed and cut in half
1 large fennel bulb cut into 2 inch slabs
3 Tbs. olive oil
4 cloves garlic finely minced
1 cup cooked brown rice
1/4 cup grated parmasean cheese
1 egg beaten
3 Tbs. fresh herbs, chopped
1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs

Heat oven to 400 degrees
Scoop out the center of the zucchinis and set the removed flesh aside. Arrange zucchini shells in a baking dish. With a sharp knife carve out a small well or depression into the onion halves and the fennel slabs, reserving the removed flesh and arranging the vegetables in the baking dish with the zucchini. Drizzle a Tbs. of the olive oil over the vegetables and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Put in the oven for 20 minutes, until vegetables start to become tender.

Chop up the reserved vegetable flesh with the minced garlic till it is more or less a small dice. Add the brown rice and the egg and grated cheese and stir well to combine. Remove vegetables from oven and carefully spoon about 1 large tablespoon of filling into each vegetable shell (divide all the filling up between the vegetables, the zucchinis will hold more.) Sprinkle the breadcrumbs over everything and drizzle with the rest of the olive oil. Continue to bake vegetables for another 35-40 minutes till the onions and fennel are tender when piereced with a knife.
Serve immediately or at room temperature as part of a buffet.
serves 6-8

Amanda
First, I am so impressed that the kids ate stuffed vegetables! Makes me wonder where I have gone wrong?! Possibly my son would try it - but definitely not my 5 year old daughter. That's wonderful that the boys are so "adventurous".

Deb - do the onions and fennel get stuffed as well, or do they get placed inside of the zucchini? The recipe sounds great! I like the idea of pairing a red with this dish. Especially to go with the parmesan flavors. I'm thinking of Sangiovese, the Italian grape variety most known for its contribution to Chianti, Morellino di Scansano, Vino Nobile de Montepulciano, Brunello di Montalcino, Rosso di Montalcino, and super-Tuscan wines, to name a few.

A young, fresh Sangiovese will typically have fruity flavors reminscent of strawberries; but when aged in oak barrels will take on  spicy, oaky characteristics. Sangiovese can produce light wines, so often other varietals will be employed to give the wine more body and structure. In other instances, extensive oak treatment will be used to achieve the same results.

For Deb's dish, a Rosso di Montalcino would work well. Hailing from Tuscany, this "baby Brunello" is made from 100% Sangiovese, and is typically lighter and fresher than a Brunello. And a lot more affordable.  It is grown in the same delineated area as Brunello di Montalcino, but the wine does not have to be aged as long as Brunello. A good Rosso can be found in the $15-$20 price range.

still grilling

Deborah

The pleasures of the season are coming hard and fast. To spend as much time outdoors as possible I am grilling in my back yard at least two or three times a week. This weekend I came up with a dish which will be my go-to recipe for the summer: a grilled vegetable salad with mango. The addition of grilled mango to the vegetables added a perfect sweet-tart-fruity and refreshing zing. I am going to experiment with grilled peaches and pineapple as variations on this theme.

Grilled fruit on its own is delicious and paired with grilled vegetables, SUBLIME!

Vegetables and fruit are cut into flat wedges to go on the grill.

Threading cherry tomatoes on to a skewer will keep them from rolling around the grill when cooking. I want to try this with grapes. I wonder how they would taste grilled?

Sometimes I cut peppers up before grilling, sometimes I just throw them on whole.

Grilled Vegetable Salad with Mango

Fruit and Vegetables for the grill:

1/4 cup Olive oil or vegetable oil 

2 Bell peppers- left whole

1 sweet onion- sliced into wedges with the root still attached

3 carrots- cut into diagonal wedges

1 zucchini- cut into diagonal wedges

1 pint cherry tomatoes- threaded onto wooden skewers

1 mango, peeled and sliced into flat wedges

Lightly brush all everything with some olive oil. Cook each of the vegetables and fruit over a hot coal fire for about 8 minutes on each side. For the whole bell peppers, allow them to blacken on all sides, then remove from the grill and let them cool under a dish towel to capture the steam. When the peppers are cool to the touch, peel off the blackened skin and cut the flesh into two inch wide strips, discarding the stem, inner membranes and seeds. Place all cooked vegetables and fruit in a large bowl and toss together.

Vinaigrette:

1 clove garlic, finely minced

1 teaspoon dried mustard

3 Tbs. red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

3 Tbs. chopped fresh herbs (a single herb or any combination of: parsley, basil, chives, tarragon, dill, mint)

Combine first five ingredients in a small bowl and whisk to combine. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil, whisking as you go to make an emulsion. Add the fresh herbs and taste to adjust seasonings. Pour vinaigrette over the grilled vegetables and fruit. Cover and refrigerate. Serve cold or at room temp.

Serves four.

Amanda
This recipe has "summertime" written all over it. Therefore, an equally "summery" wine would be an ideal match! Commonly known as a light dessert wine, Moscato d'Asti would be perfect here. I can't think of a better choice for Deb's Grilled Vegetable and Mango salad. Even if a wine has a particular "label" associated with it, like "dessert wine", don't be afraid to experiment with it by trying it with different foods.

Moscato d'Asti hails from Piedmont, Italy. Slightly "frizzante" with a low alcohol content (typically about 5%), this sparkler has lush, rich, fresh fruit flavors of peach, apricot and honey. Made from white Moscato grapes, the wine gives off a wonderfully fragrant bouquet. Simply delicious! The sweetness and refreshing characteristics of the mango bring out the best in Deb's dish, and will really make a nice connection with the Moscato. My mouth waters just thinking about it!

One of the most talented makers of Moscato d'Asti is Stephano Perrone, whose formidable reputation rests on the production of his two Moscatos: Sourgal and Clarte. Both are exquisite - summertime in a glass! The Clarte has even been rated Italy's finest Moscato! Moscatos typically range from $15-$20. Another fine producer is La Spinetta. If you have not yet had the extreme pleasure of sipping Moscato on a hot summer's day, and would like to try one, both of these producers are worth seeking out.

herbs and rice

Deborah
This spring already feels like mid-summer. Ninety degrees today!? My herb garden is in full flourish and perfect for the picking.

Large handfuls of fresh chopped herbs are going in to everything I cook on these warm days.

A dear friend recently took me on a shopping trip to the Korean supermarket H Mart on Union Street in Flushing Queens. What a treasure trove of edible goodies! I had never been to a store quite like it. There was an entire wall display devoted to kimchee (natch) and spicy pickles in every imaginable and unimaginable variety. I was in awe. There were walls of shelves devoted to single items like varieties of soy bean paste and another for just sea salt! Too fantastic. I left with my arms loaded. One of the treasures I lugged home was this bag of organic short grain brown rice. 

The plastic package resembled rice paper. Who could resist such cuteness?

Brown rice seemed like the perfect vehicle for some fresh herbs so I made a salad. Brown rice salad usually steers my inspiration towards the direction of sweetness, with lots of dried fruit, but this time I wanted to do something lemony and fresh that would feature herbs and some vegetables. 

There were three varieties of brown rice in this blend (all from California, not Korea): Organic Brown Rice, Organic Sweet Brown Rice, Organic Black Rice. 

This brown rice salad can be made in advance and brought on a picnic. I am going to share it with friends tomorrow at the Belmont Stakes race. I hope it doesn't rain.

Brown Rice Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette

1 quart water

3 Tbs. salt

1/2 cup green beans cut into bite sized pieces

1/2 cup zucchini cut into a small dice

1 cup of Brown Rice

3 Tbs. chopped herbs (parsley, mint, basil, oregano, marjoram, chives)

1/4 cup toasted nuts (almond, cashew, walnut, pine)

1/4 cup currents

2 scallions, minced

Juice of 1/2 lemon

zest of 1/2 lemon

4 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil

Bring water to a boil and add salt. Blanch the green beans in the boiling water till tender- 5 minutes. Lift beans out of boiling water with a slotted spoon. Add the zucchini to the water and boil for 1 minute, to get the raw edge of but not cooked through, lift the zucchini out of the water and set aside with the green beans to cool (shock the vegetables in ice water if you like. I just run them under cold water for a few minutes to stop the cooking)

Add the brown rice to the water and cook at a rolling boil for 30-40 minutes until the rice is tender. Drain the cooked rice in a strainer and put it into a bowl with the green beans, zucchini, chopped herbs, toasted nuts, currents and scallions. Toss to combine ingredients, then add the lemon juice and lemon zest. Toss again. Add the olive oil and taste. Adjust seasonings.

Allow to rice to cool to room temp before refrigerating. Serve chilled or at room temp. Can be made the day before and stored in a covered container in the fridge.

Makes about 3 cups.

Amanda

Deb, you shared this recipe at the perfect time! I am currently undergoing my annual "body cleanse". My diet for the next two weeks consists of all things natural. Nothing processed,  or out of a box (rice is OK). Just veggies, fruits, brown rice, eggs...you get the picture. So far, so good. We just have to see now how I get by this weekend without any wine.

A great hot weather wine that would be perfect with this light, summery rice salad would be Vinho Verde from Portugal. This delightful white comes from the Minho region in the northern part of the county. Low in alcohol, it is a pleasure to sip on a hot afternoon. The name means "green wine" - not in reference to the color, but rather its youthfulness. It is made to be drunk within a year. While it cannot qualify as a "sparkling" wine, it does have a "fizziness" to it.

With its characteristic citrus/herbal flavors, it would be wonderful paired with Deb's brown rice recipe. The rice salad (but not the wine) will definitely be on my menu over the next two weeks!

grab the tortillas

Deborah
One of my favorite food blogs is Herbivoracious, written by Michael Natkin, a vegetarian cook who loves good food and fine dining. Michael is from Seattle so his local frame-of-reference is a little different than ours here in NY. I first came upon Michael's blog through the food blog hub Serious Eats. His recipes and food photos really stood out from the over-crowded field. Now that I have found Michael I really look forward to his strictly vegetarian recipes and smart observations about the food industry in general.

My backyard herbs are in full swing. I take cutting every evening to put into my salads.

Today's post on Herbivoracious was Grilled Tofu and Pepper Vegetarian Tacos. It seems like the perfect fit for our current grilling theme. Michael's recipe is a little more labor intensive than we usually offer up here, but I really respect his instincts and have faith that the result will be well worth the work. Michael suggests buying the freshest and best corn tortillas you can find. I heartily concur. Try to find lesser known brands that look like they came packaged straight from Mexico. There are small tortilla companys all over that sell great products.

These Guerrero tortillas are actually from Mexico. Also look for small brands like Tropical which is located in New Jersey. The scent of warm corn tortillas is a joy to behold!

Grilled Tofu and Pepper Vegetarian Tacos
by Michael Natkin
Vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free
Serves 4

1.5 ounces achiote "brick" paste (aka annatto)
1/2 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons Tapatio or other hot sauce
1 teaspoon salt
10 ounces extra firm tofu cut into 1/3" slabs and patted dry
1 medium zucchini, cut into 1/3" slabs
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 red and 1 yellow bell pepper, cut into strips
24 corn tortillas
-serve with guacamole and salsa

In a small bowl, break up the achiote with a fork and mash in the oil, a little at a time until it dissolves. Mix in the cumin, hot sauce and salt.
Heat up a grill or grill pan to a medium flame. Brush the tofu with the achiote oil on one side and grill until well marked. Brush the other side, flip, and grill. Repeat with the zucchini. Allow both to cool and then cut into 1/3" dice.
Heat up a frying pan over a medium-high flame. Add 2 tablespoons of the achiote oil. Saute the onion, garlic and bell peppers until very soft.
Add the tofu and zucchini to the pepper mixture. Taste and adjust seasoning. It may need more salt, or a little lime or lemon juice, or more chile heat.
Wrap the tortillas in a damp, clean dish towel and microwave for about 3 minutes until soft and warm.
To eat, lay down two tortillas. Top with a moderate scoop of the filling, a spoonful of guacamole and salsa. Pass more hot sauce for those who want it.




Amanda
Well, it certainly seem worth the effort! First, Deb - where should I look for the achiote paste? Do you think Whole Foods or Fairway would have it? After that, the rest of the ingredients should not be a problem. And thanks for sharing the Herbivoraceous blog - it's wonderful!


I have mentioned earlier that you should basically choose a fun, simple wine when grilling and not think too much about it. Accept when there is a sauce, or ethnic flair. Because of the spicy nature of this dish, selecting the right wine is important. Spicy foods can have a very negative affect on wine, and vice versa. Stay away from Chardonnay and tannic wines. The heat from the spice will ruin the flavors of the Chardonnay, and the heat from the tacos will only be exacerbated. Avoid Cabernet and Merlot as well.


For white, which would be my first choice, I would definitely pick something with a lot of fruit, and even something "off dry" (slightly sweet). Chenin Blanc from the Loire Valley would be delicious. Typically fragrant and lightly sweet, the wine is incredibly versatile and food-friendly. Vouvray is simply wonderful, and has a bit of a honeyed character. There are also an abundance of terrific, affordable Chenin Blancs from South Africa, referred to as "Steen". Mulderbosch and Simonsig are extremely affordable options. Pinot Gris would also be a great choice as well.


For red, I would look towards something simple, light and fruity. A Beaujolais would do the trick. They are nice when served with a slight chill. Georges Duboeuf and Louis Jadot are two producers whose wines are readily available in most shops, and are consistently good. Perfect summertime wine! An easy-going, inexpensive Tempranillo would also work. And if you have the time, might as well make a nice pitcher of Sangria!

stepping out

Deborah
When lilac blossoms appear on the trees (and show up as bouquets in the bodegas around NY) it is time to begin thinking about grilling. There are many ways to approach grilled vegetables, but as you may know, I like to keep things simple. Easy. Not too complicated. Grilling should be fun and a little primitive. You can't help but get a little messy and I always manage to lose a few pieces into the fire, no matter how careful I am.
Amanda and I would like to share some of our favorite grilled vegetable recipes over the next few weeks. As always, technique is key. Once you have that down inspiration can take over. Prepping the vegetables is really where the work is involved here. I like to slice raw vegetables, like carrots and zucchini, thin- about 3/4", so that they cook through quickly and evenly. Par-cooked vegetables can be cut thicker. Leafy heads of lettuce like escarole and radicchio can just be sliced in half, with the core intact to keep the leaves together.
I don't really marinate vegetables, just brush with olive oil and dust with herbs and spices, but I am not opposed to it. Just remember to dry off anything that is wet before you put it on the grill for best results.

A pan of vegetables all ready for the grill. I use the lemon half to scrub the hot grill clean and discard.

For this meal I pulled out what I had in the fridge, always a hodge-podge. I find potatoes cook best when par-boiled or microwaved till almost tender. The grill will give them a nice golden finish. Most vegetables are grilled raw. Asparagus can be thrown on whole and the cauliflower (which turned out to be DELICIOUS grilled) gets sliced into more or less even thickness without driving myself crazy measuring.

To determine doneness I aim for tenderness and a touch of color. For a long time I only grilled the traditional vegetables like carrots, zucchini, onions and peppers, but I am starting to expand my opinion on what works on the grill and will report here some of my new finds. The cauliflower was a revelation, for example, and I can't believe it took me this long to figure it out. 

A PARTIAL LIST of Vegetables to Grill 

Raw: carrots, tomatoes, zucchini, onions, cauliflower, mushrooms, scallions, radicchio, escarole, peppers, asparagus

Par-boiled or micro: potatoes, sweet potatoes, winter squashes, Brussels sprouts, leeks

Jury is still out on: broccoli, green beans

Have fun grilling and let us know what you think works.

Amanda
I am in love with my new grill. It's true. I clean it after every use, so it's shiny "newness" stays just that way. It's my new "baby". Right now I'm all about grilling vegetables. I grill anything "grillable". One comment on Deb's mention of green beans - delicious grilled, raw. A week or so ago, I followed a recipe in Andrea Chesman's wonderful new book, The New Vegetarian Grill: 250 Flame-Kissed Recipes for Fresh, Inspired Meals for grilled green beans. Basically, I tossed them in an Asian vinaigrette, and threw them on a vegetable grilling tray. I grilled them until a little brown. Then, I actually tossed them with some arugula and grilled shitakes, and drizzled a little of the vinaigrette on the finished product. I have to say, it was outstanding. Even my non-vegetable-eating husband thought they were delicious! They actually tasted like something from a Chinese restaurant!


I can't wait to elaborate more on some of the grilled recipes I've tried in future posts! But right now, I want to comment on wine. Unless there is a specific sauce or marinade you are using for your grilled veggies, you don't really need to think too much about what wine to drink. If there is a sauce or marinade, then what you choose will definitely require more thought.


During the summer, I  barbeque A LOT. I have my regular "go to" wines that I enjoy during barbeque season. For reds, Zinfandel never fails for grilled delights. Also - I never select expensive wines. Grilling demands inexpensive, "fun" wines - not overly complex or serious. For wonderful Zinfandel producers, check out Rosenblum or Seghesio. Ravenswood also carries a line of very inexpensive Zins. I also will look to Australia for some affordable Shiraz, or Grenache. D'Arenberg creates some delicious "everyday" wines that are a sure-fire hit every time.


For whites, I like to sip "summery" wines. Albarino, Sauvignon Blanc, and Torrontes are some of my favorites. These make perfect choices for simple grilled veggie dishes. You can't go wrong with any of these! And, having plenty of Rose on hand is not a bad option either. Spanish Roses are entirely affordable, fruit-filled wines. These can even be found for $7-$10. There are so many terrific producers, be sure to ask your local retailer for advice.


Remember, keep it simple. Fun wines will work best with barbeque. Save the serious stuff for more serious dinners and special occasions!

opportunity knocks

Deborah

The cupboards are wide open and spice jars are everywhere. It is a marathon Indian cooking evening I am sharing with my brother who is visiting from the Dominican Republic. We decided to go spicy because my husband is not going to be home and therefore I won't have to deal with table-side complaints! I have been waiting for a chance to explore some of the recipes on the web site Manjula's Kitchen featuring Indian Vegetarian cooking. In particular I was eager to try the Saag Paneer, one of my favorite spinach dishes of all time. 
My brother and I chose several recipes from the site to sample and got down to business. We wanted to try a bread recipe and a lentil recipe as well. While we kneaded and stirred and grated ingredients we chattered away, catching up on each other's families. My brother lives in Santiago, Dominican Republic with his wife and three boys. He described his first earthquake, the recent one in Haiti, that rocked his world over 150 hundreds miles away. "The ground shook for at least 45 seconds. It was the most alarming, humbling and profoundly disorienting experience I have ever had," he told me. Nothing was damaged, but for his family it was a potent reminder of the forces beyond one's control.

For our cooking marathon we stuck pretty much to the recipes as written, with some minor changes.
The Bread:

The bread recipe called for a filling of cauliflower, but we decided to swap it with grated pumpkin and zucchini instead.

The simple bread dough consists of whole wheat flower and water. It is rolled out, filled with the stuffing and then rolled again. The technique was easy and fun and the filling variations seem endless.

The Saag Paneer:

The saag paneer or palak paneer recipe was a little more complicated and required several steps. Paneer is an Indian cheese that can be made at home. I had some in my freezer and so we used that.

I defrosted the paneer and cut it into cubes. I am not sure if freezing was such a good idea. The texture seemed perhaps a little too chewy.

The cubes of paneer are pan fried till golden brown before being added to the spinach.

To make the spinach you start with tomatoes and spices that are cooked until reduced by half.

The spinach is then added into the pan. The recipe calls for astaftida which adds an oniony flavor. I did not have any so we added a chopped shallot as substitute. For a finishing touch, a mixture of flour and heavy cream is added. We decided the dish still tasted a little raw so we added some water and let it cook down for an extra 15-20 minutes.

The red lentil recipe I ended up making up myself, starting with a paste of ginger, garlic, sugar and scallions that I hand pounded with mortar and pestle. The lentils are cooked in water with this paste until thick. We stirred into the finished lentils the rest of the vegetable filling leftover from the bread and that worked out very well.

Our feast was a great success. As usual, my house filled up with kids as the food hit the table. Everything looked so colorful on the plate. My brother suggested Kingfisher beer as the beverage of choice. We could not find it at the local supermarket, but I will keep an eye out for it when I next hit the Indian markets of Jackson Heights.

Palak Paneer- from Manjula's Kitchen

Palak Paneer is creamy spinach with paneer (indian home made paneer). This is a very popular with youngsters and served in every indian resturant. The creamy texture of spinach with paneer is a very good combination.
Serves 4.
Ingredients:

• 1 10 oz package of chopped frozen spinach or 4 cups of fresh finely chopped spinach
• 1/3 lb paneer
• 2 medium tomatoes, pureed
• 1 teaspoon chopped ginger
• 1 teaspoon coriander powder (dhania)
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder (haldi)
• 1/2 teaspoon red chili powder
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin seed (jeera)
• Pinch of asafetida (hing)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• 2 tablespoons of whole wheat flour
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 tomato thinly sliced to garnish

Method:

1. If using frozen spinach thaw and blend it just for a minute so spinach has a creamy texture but without becoming pasty.
2. blend the tomatoes and ginger to make puree.
3. Mix coriander, turmeric, and red chili with tomato puree and set aside.
4. Mix whole-wheat flour with heavy cream and set aside.
5. Cube the paneer in about half inch pieces and deep fry them on medium high heat just for few minutes so paneer become very light gold in color, take paneer out on paper towel so extra oil can be absorbed.
6. Heat the oil in a saucepan. Test the heat by adding one cumin seed to the oil; if it cracks right away it is ready.
7. Add hing and cumin seed. After cumin seeds crack, add the tomato puree mixture, and let it cook for a few minutes until the tomato puree is about half in volume.
8. Add the spinach, and let it cook on low medium heat for about 10 minutes covered.
9. Add heavy cream mixture and let this cook another four to five minutes.
10. Add paneer and fold it gently with spinach and let it simmer for a 2-3 minutes. Pot should remain covered until the cooking is finished, otherwise the spinach will splatter.
11. Transfer the spinach to a serving dish and spread the tomato slices over the top, and cover the dish so tomato slices get tender with the steam from the spinach.

Suggestion
You can replace the heavy cream with 1 1/2 cups of milk.



Gobhi parathas (stuffed cauliflower bread) -from Manjula's Kitchen
Makes 6 parathas.
Ingredients:
Dough:
1 cup whole-wheat flour
1/2 cup water (Use more as needed)
1/2 teaspoon of salt

• Filling:
  
  
  
  • 2 cup shredded cauliflower
  • 1/2 teaspoon ajwain
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds (Jeera)
  • 1 chopped green chili
  • 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro (green coriander)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Also needed:
  
  
  
  • 1/4 cup whole-wheat flour for rolling
  • Oil to cook

Method
Dough

1. Mix flour, salt and water together to make a soft dough (if the dough is hard add a little more water). I like mixing the dough by hand.
2. Knead the dough for a few minutes on a lightly greased surface to make a smooth and pliable dough.
3. Set the dough aside and cover with a damp cloth. Let the dough rest for at least ten minutes.

Filling

1. Mix all filling ingredients together by hand. After mixing let the filling settle for about 5 minutes. Note: Shred the cauliflower using a shredder (electric or manual). However, do not use a food processor to blend the cauliflower, as the cauliflower will become too moist and hard to work with.
2. Squeeze the cauliflower mix in order to take out as much water as possible.

Making of paratha

1. Divide the dough and cauliflower mixture into 6 equal parts.
2. Roll the dough into 3 inch diameter circles. Put the filling in the center. Seal by pulling the edges of the rolled dough together to make a ball. Proceed to make all six balls.
3. Each ball needs to settle for two minutes before rolling. Note: If you don’t wait long enough the cauliflower mixture will seep through the edges when rolling the parathas.
4. Heat the skillet on medium high. Note: An iron skillet works best. To see if the skillet is ready, put a couple of drops of water on it. If the water sizzles right away, the skillet is ready.
5. To make it easier to roll the balls, first roll them in dry whole-wheat flour.
6. Lightly press the ball on the sealed side and keep it on the topside when rolling. Roll the ball light handed in to 6 inch circles. To reduce the stickiness on the rolling pin or rolling surface, sprinkle dry whole-wheat flour on both side of the semi-rolled paratha.
7. Place the paratha over the skillet. You will see the color change and the paratha will bubble in different places.
8. Then turn the paratha over. Paratha should have golden-brown spots. Wait a few seconds and put 1 teaspoon of oil over paratha and spread the oil on the topside. Flip the paratha and lightly press the puffed areas with a spatula.
9. Flip again and press with the spatula making sure the paratha is golden-brown on both sides.
10. Cool the Parathas on a wire rack so they don’t get soggy.
11. Parathas can be kept outside wrapped in aluminum foil or a cover container for 2 days or they can be refrigerated for 5-6 days (wrapped aluminum foil). To re-heat warm on a skillet or toaster oven.

Amanda
Wow! Sounds amazing. I hope it all came out as wonderful as it sounds! I have to try that bread!! I think your brother had a good idea when he suggested beer with these dishes. There are scores of interesting beers that pair beautifully with Indian food. Beer is often my libation of choice when dining at local "bring-your-own" Indian establishments.


Indian food is absolutely one of my favorite cuisines. Back in my pre-children days I would spend a whole Sunday afternoon preparing Indian dishes. I would start my day in "Little India" in Manhattan buying the necessary ingredients I could not find locally at the time (this was several years ago before international spices starting popping up in regular supermarket chains). The rest of the day would consist of toasting spices, crushing them with a mortar and pestle, and concocting various renditions of curries and vindaloos. Ahhh, back in the day....


One of my favorite wines to enjoy with Indian cuisine is Vouvray, a white from the Loire Valley in France. I LOVE Vouvray. Made from 100% Chenin Blanc, this incredible wine is made in a variety of styles ranging from dry, to sparkling, to sweet. The wines are known for having high acidity. Dry or Sec styles will have more pronounced acidity than the sweeter styles. Vouvray are wonderful when paired alongside rich, hearty dishes.


An off-dry (or slightly sweet) style would be my pick to accompany the spicy flavors of Indian food. This delightful white typically exhibits flavors of nuts, figs and honey. Indian food screams for a wine which is slightly sweet. Definitely avoid high-alcohol wines and very tannic ones as well. These qualities will only serve to exacerbate the heat of the food and will leave your taste buds in shambles. The sweet fruit of Vouvray will soothe the palate mitigating the fiery heat of the food, making it a perfect fit for Indian!


If you are adamant about having red, be sure to choose one that is low in tannins, such as a Pinot Noir or perhaps Beaujolais. Whatever you choose, I'm sure Deb's recipes will be another great hit!

A+B+C=Dinner

Deborah

Happy Halloween!

Sometimes when it is late and I am tired and I have nothing planned for dinner I poke into the fridge to see what the possibilities are. On this occasion I was cooking only for myself so I did not have to consider anyone else's preferences. What I found was a quarter of a zucchini, half a bag of spinach, and third of an onion. It was an algebra problem.

Well, no problem at all if you heat up olive oil, saute several cloves of chopped garlic, add a chili pepper and saute the fractions of leftover vegetables in the seasoned oil. I have taken to putting sliced lemons directly into the saute pan with the vegetables to cook. The lemons warm up and almost melt into the pan coating everything with a bright acidic note which helps to counter balance the weight of the olive oil. I can stand over the stove and eat a meal like this right out of the pot, it tastes so good to me.

I had some pine nuts too, so I threw them on top for some chewy texture.

Over the weekend my husband and I went to a wine tasting in our neighborhood at The Wine Room of Forest Hills.  We love this shop, whose owners, a local couple, keep it stocked with diverse and interesting collections of wines. Whenever we visit we always find something new and exciting to buy. This time Alan got intrigued by a French red blend that we brought home. Domaine Des Cantarelles 40% Cabernet-Syrah 60% was affordable for our weekend splurge at under $12 a bottle.

I love drinking wine from these beautiful Moroccan tea glasses, a gift from my sister in Brooklyn.

Upon tasting it we both struggled to find a way to describe the wine to make Amanda proud. Its distinctive quality was its rough, mineral-ly start that opens your eyes and then quickly mellows out to a very smooth finish. Quite drinkable! I really liked it paired with my sauteed vegetables which actually start out smooth in your mouth from the olive oil and then finishes with a little bitter bite from the spinach.

How did we do Amanda? What would you pair with the greens?

Spinach and Zucchini Saute
4 Tbs. olive oil
4 garlic cloves sliced
1 dried chili pod
1/4 cup of chopped onion
1/2 cup sliced zucchini
8 oz cleaned spinach leaves
4 slices of lemon
2 Tbs. pinenuts (this is optional, it adds a little fancy finish to this dish)

Heat oil in a saute pan, add garlic and chili and cook for 5 minutes till garlic begins to turn golden. Add the onion and the zucchini and saute for a few minutes until the zucchini begins to turn a bit golden in spots. Add the spinach and the lemon slices and let the spinach wilt down until tender. Season with s & p. and top wit pinenuts.

serves one

Amanda
The Halloween chaos has started. My house has been insane this morning and my neighbors are waiting outside for me. And, it's only 10:30 am. So, I will make this quick. Deb, the recipe sounds delicious as always. I would just be careful of this wine pairing because of the chile. If it's a spicy one, you don't want the heat to be exacerbated by the tannins in the wine, specifically from the Cabernet. And, you don't want the chile to affect the wine either. That would be my only caveat. I am a believer that you should drink whatever you want with whatever you want. As long as you like it. There are no steadfast rules, only tips. I, personally, would go for a fruity white. Something that will quell the chile and work well in conjunction with it. Again, this really depends on the heat the pepper delivers. Perhaps a Pinot Blanc from Alsace, or a Pinot Gris from Oregon.


Now, my children are calling me from outside so I must go outside and face the ghouls. My apologies for the brevity! Happy Halloween everyone!