Spring Radar

 A new season brings about the urge to try the new and different, This could cooking ,baking or even barbecuing if there's warm weather,.Its a time to try new ingredients and new recipes to freshen up the kitchen repertoire.

One of the ingredients on my Spring radar is in abundance in my front and back lawns.Dandelion flowers or heads! I wrote about fryingthese the other day and the recipe really piqued my interest.What really got me was the description of their taste. SOme recipes said they taste like popcorn, other like squash flowers. I want to try them and , thankfully there is an air fryer recipe for easy cooking. They're little round bites that can be dipped ina sweet or savory batter.I think I'll stick with the savory because I love the taste of squash flowers and I think these will have a similar taste.I'll have to pick around thirty flowers - easy enough, wash them, and then batter dip.One large egg is needed along with flour and beer - I think I'll sub in seltzer for a more bubbly and lighter batter. It's a quick air fry and then dipping them in a sauce ro squirting with lemon juice. Should I use the greens for a salad? Yes! Dandelion greens are full of such vitamins as A,K,C and E.They;'re also good for liver and kidney health which is what  need to improve. I have an idea to mix them with chickpeas for a fun warm weather salad.

The warmer days do mean barbecue and this is the time to try exotic spices to liven up ribs and chicken. Try chicken wings and ribs ribbed with Berbere spice.This is a mellow and spicy blend used in Ethiopian and Eritrean cooking It makes for a different and delicious rub for barbecue favorites. You can easily buy it I=on Amazon or possibly find it in your grocery;s spice section.It canbe made it at home by coming ground ginger, nutmeg, cardamon, cloves  and fenugreek.A pinch of cayenne is added for some heat while cinnamon and allspice is used for some sweetness. Garam masala is another great spice mix that;s perfect for barbecued chicken. You can make an easy rub by combining it with olive oil and adding some salt and a pinch of paprika.Of course Spring is also the time for baking. Lavender is the one ingredient that all bakers want to try to elevate both their cakes, cupcakes and frostings. If you can  pick your own then do so,. English lavender is the best for baking and icings. It has the lowest camphor content and the sweetest , most floral scent.If you use the fresh use only half the amount needed in the recipe since most recipes call for dried. Also fresh lavender makes for wonderful decoration on cakes and cupcakes too.

Spring is the time for new recipes and flavors. Be daring.Be bold. Be creative with whatever is on your radar this season.

A Sunny Spring Meal

 Everything is lighter in the Spring. Clothing, thoughts even food. Menus are no starting to veer away from the heavy and concentrate on more brighter flavors . A dinner from start to finish can reflect this.

Regular contributor and chef Dave Tanis expertly knows this and ha s give a full course dinner plan in today's New York Times Wednesday Food section. His recipes can easily be prepared ahead of time . allowing the home chef to concentrate on other tasks. Get whole bone in chicken legs for the main course while buying canned chickpeas for the easy to make soup. There are also baby artichokes to serve with the chicken while dessert consists of blood oranges for a sweetly tart gelato.This could be the perfect Easter meal from soup to dessert and it could also be the perfect Spring meal for a Saturday night with friends.Perhaps the easiest is the soup .The chickpeas or ceci can also be made with dried ones and are soaked overnight before cooking. They only take an hour of gentle simmering after that.The chickpeas and carrots are added in afterwards as is a Red pepper pesto.Cayenne is blended into to this for some zing and to give the soup more color and flavor.

The chicken legs are also easy  prepare with the sauce being made first. It is a mix of white wine, a dab of tomato paste, onion and garlic. A spoonful of flour gives it consistency and body.The chicken legs themselves are arranged in a roasting pan. Rosemary sprigs are placed on then and then the sauce is poured over them. They're roasted until they're a deep burnished brown and the sauce thickens considerably. This would be perfect with polenta but Mr. Tanis adds another Spring stat baby artichokes; Since they are so young(and about the size of an egg) there is no hairy choke to remove. The tops and bottoms are trimmed and then halved or quartered depending on preference. They are sauteed in olive oil until they're golden and crispy. serve scattered over the chicken and then sprinkle everything with a mi of chopped parsley and red pepper.The  meal needs to end with something bright and refreshing. Make blood orange ice cream, a silky blend of deliciously sweet blood orange juice and half and half. Gran Marnier is added in the mixture as its first cooked and then put through an ice cream churn.

Spring is full of bright colors and brighter flavors. Make it for a great meal to welcome the warm weather. It's a meld of a spicy soup, a mellow chicken and a tart blood orange ice cream

A Family Classic Redone

 Every family has a recipe for leftover mashed potatoes.It could be colcannon.It could be potato puffs. Whatever it is, the mash makes a good base.

I decided to recreate a family classic with leftover potatoes.The idea of fried potatoes with ketchup sounded too good to pass up. I thought it would be a tasty way to use up leftovers.

I knew my mom and Nonna refried them with butter, I also added oil.

A mix of butter and oil is a good mix to use for sauteing and frying. To give ti more body I added about two teaspoons of  flour/

This gave the potatoes the consistency of pancake batter. I feel it needed more of this and an egg binder. It was still good. with more of a soupy quality  better suited for colcannon.

Mashed potatoes can lend themselves to a variety of dishes. Try it this way or try it in anew recipe. mashed potatoes make a good base for many tasty dishes.

Rustic Fall Recipes

 Just because the weather is cooler doesn't;t mean that you have to cook fancy. The season is known for down to earth comfort foods .Think country cooking with warming spices and flavorful bites.This is perfect for a homey dinner with family.

What is rustic cooking? It's simpl;e dishes without bells and whistles.It focuses on high quality ingredients  prepped and cooked in a such a way as to let the flavors shine. One of the best cuisines that exemplifies this is Italian cooking.Think homemade pastas and ravioli, easy to make fritters and pizzas. The cooler weather almost begs for scratch pasta. You will need a pasta machine which is simply a roller to create fla sheets.It also has a serrated roller to make tagliatelle and spaghetti.Any pasta starts with  all purpose flour, olive oil and an egg.That's it. Once you have this recipe then you can make simple dishes using what's left of the summer bounty. Think simple sauce with bases of butter, tomato  and butter. Another simple rustic recipe is potato fritters from the Trento Aldige region of northeastern Italy. This is a simple mix of grated potatoes and flours fried in olive oil. They're great on their own but also good with cured meats and a sprinkle of  Parmesan cheese. Germany also has rustic  but they're mostly breads.It's easy to make a homemade rye and have it for soups and sandwiches.

France is also a country that exemplifies rustic cooking and baking. The French are usually known for having their mats swimming in rich ,buttery sauces yet one of the best chicken dishes from FRance is a plain one.The meat is juicy and moist with a crispy , crackly skin. It;s flavored with herbes de Provence and pimento de'ville a simple pimento based pepper.It's then roasting the bird on both sides for first forty minutes then twenty. You can serve it with simply small or baby potatoes or a string beans with a lemon butter sauce. America has its' own rustic cuisine.It;s sometimes called farmhouse and features the sort of foods people are a century ago, Think fried chicken with an easy flour based crust or a meat loaf that simply ground beef mixed with milk, eggs ketchup,onions and Saltines(other crackers like Ritz and Cheeze its can also be used). This is perfect with a side of homemade mashed potatoes and a simple homemade gravy. What's the best rustic dessert. Think an apple scratch cake or  plum galette. These are perfect endings and easy to make. They also highlight the fruits of the season too.

Fall calls for rustic cooking. This simple cuisine is perfect for any chilly fall day. Create a one with French or Italian main dish, a German bread and an American dessert.

Rediscovering Yakgwa

 What is comfort food?If you're Korean then it;s yakgwa an ancient dessert that's hot again. This sweet has been around for centuries yet's it's firmly beloved by a new generation. Its also an easy bake in any home oven so everyone can discover it's specialness.

Regular contributor and chef Eric KIm wrote about this treat in yesterday's New York Times food section, Yakgwa roughly translates to medicinal confection and for years Koreans used the prized syrup for illnesses .It also connects genrations and tells the story of Korea;s reverance for tradition and optimism for the future. It's been eaten since the Goryeo Dynasty that existed between 918 and 1392 CE and now has had a resurgeance and beyond thanks in part to YouTube and TIktok videos. Then there is the Korean drama Alchemy of Souls" on Netflix that feature the sweet. There is also South Korea's Generation MZ a hybrid of  Millenial and Generation Z who have made it popular again. It's easy to find in South Korea with boutique companies like Golden Piece and Jangin Hangwa selling the original honey to  newer flavors like lavender, chocolate and even cookies and cream.Traditionally, because of the scarcity of it;s ingredients, honey, sesame oil and flour, the treats were only  eaten on special occasions like coming of age, marriage death and veneration of the dead. It's used in memorials although a new generation is having it more often.

It is rare to get here in the States. Chef Kim has included a recipe for it. Yakgwa is basically a fried cookie tha'ts surprisingly made without butter, eggs or milk. Ginger , cinnamon and freshly ground black pepper flavor it   A quarter cup of honey or maple syrup provide the sweetness as does two tablespoons granulated sugar. Soju , a clear and distilled Korean brain alcohol is added to the dry ingredients along with the honey and sesame oil. Soju can be found in most liquor stores. Everything is mixed together to form  a rough dough.It's kneaded then rolled out. Once cut it;s fried in vegetable oil.  You will need to go to a Korean grocery store for the jocheong or brown rice syrup used for the syrup that's poured over th e fried cookies. This also gives the sweets a nice glossy finish too. I'ts mixed with more honey or maple syrup and fresh ly cut ginger is added to this to give it zing.  After the cookies have been fried and then cooled for half an hour they're soaked in the syrup overnight and are ready to serve. Many decorate them with pine nuts or crystalized ginger.

Yakgwa is a treat that now can be enjoyed at home. It reprsents the long history of Korea but also it's futire.It's a sweet from the past that can be enjoyed now

Vegan Reheat

 What can you do with a vegan holiday dinner? Reheat it and serve it up in a tastier manner.Vegan ham from tofurky can lend itself to a variety of different recipes from ham salad to treating it  like Taylor ham. Try the latter for a quick, tasty repurposing.

That's exactly what I did. I sliced my holiday loaf from Christmas Day dinner into medium thick  slices,

Some pieces were easier to carve than other bu they produced smaller bits that yielded crunchy morsels when fried.

I decided to fry them up on my griddle using my leftover vegan butter Melt that was also used in my holiday cookies. It was a generous knob.

It was then cooking and flipping the slices as if they were Taylor ham. The edges should flip up like a sombrero's . This usually takes anywhere from five to ten minutes.

Some pieces will cook up faster than others. Let them. This provides crisp pieces sort of like bacon.

I had mine with leftover string bean salad but the slices would also be good in a vegan Eggs Benedict  using Just Eggs or an omelet using the egg sub in.I also made a sandwich of one on rye bread. It would be delicious in savory vegetarian cheese egg strata for brunch too.

The possibilities are endless with leftover Tofurky ham loaf.  You can slice it, cube it, mince it.It's tasty fried, but you can air fry it too. Be creative with your vegan holiday leftovers. It's amazing what you can make with it.

A Korean Pancake That Has Everything

 It's always a good thing to clean out the fridge.Yet don't throw out those odds and ends. There's a recipe that can make good use of them. A jeon or Korean pancake is a great way to use all those bits and pieces leftover.it's also a tasty snack or lunch too.

The great chef J. Kenji Lopez-Alt wrote about this Korean staple and fun food in today's new York Times Food section.  Jeons are kind of like egg foo yung save there's a flour base instead of eggs. You can basically put any kind of add in into the batter.As Chef Lopez-Alt points out they're basically made from wheat flour and cornstarch. It's the extras that make it. They can be stuffed with squid, oysters and scallions or with mung beans and pork as in nokdu jeon.  These savory pancakes can be made of wild green onions and a thin egg batter like Busan, Korea's Dongnae pajeon. It can also be flavored with kimchi, spicy fermented cabbage and gochugaru, Korean hot pepper flakes. One of the best that Chef Lopez-Alt has eaten was at  Manhattan's Hanjan where chef Hooni Kim shallow fried scallions, ramps chives and squid in a thin batter of cornstarch, flour, egg yolk, baking powder and water. You can use this batter mixture with different ingredients like cherry tomatoes and spinach, leftover broccoli rabe and kale. You can also sub in starches for the flour. Egg whites will cause the jeon to rise like a puffy omelet while using only yolks will tenderize them, Baking soda and /or carbonated water will give them lacier edges and a puffier interior.

Chef Lopez Alt gives his recipe, born from having sauerkraut left over in fridge. It had fermented to the point where upon opening it hissed and bubbled at him. There's also a red onion for sweetness and scallions. Add cherry peppers or pepperoncini for color and bite. Use sauerkraut and also a quarter cup of its' juice. Chef Lopez-Alt says ice cold water is a must and keep mixing to a minimal. As for the oil used, use either peanut, rice bran or soybean oil for frying. A wok is preferred for frying but a skillet also works too. The sauerkraut and its' juice are mixed with the the rest of the ingredients until there is no more dry parts. The pancakes are then fried. He also gives two variations . One is a kimchi, cabbage and mushroom one , rife with stir fried or sauteed cremini or shiitake mushrooms and the gochugaru instead of the peppers. The second is garlicky zucchini and carrots. The veggies are mandolined into thin matchsticks and then placed in a fine mesh strainer set over a bowl for fifteen minutes. The liquid is a sub in for the sauerkraut juice. In place of the peppers, used four minced garlic cloves. There is a dipping sauce for all three, made with soy sauce, rice vinegar, scallions,  granulated sugar and  toasted sesame oil.

If you want to clean out your fridge, make jeon, These pancakes  are a delicious ways to use whatever odds and ends you have. You can be creative  , with a can if sauerkraut or an array of fresh veggies. Have fun with this crispy flavorful treat.

One Can Of Tuna Can

What can one can of tuna make? A variety of different dishes , from lunch to dinner. All it takes is imagination to create a tasty dish that's satisfying and nourishing.

Everyone has at least one can of tuna in their pantry. I usually have two or three cans of Genova tuna which is packaged in olive oil. I prefer the fish this way because it's has more flavor. You can use tuna packed in water.It is lower in calories. What can do you with a can of tuna/One thing - and it's pretty obvious tuna salad. You can go with the classic recipe which also includes chopped celery and chopped onions or shallots.You can make it a bit fancier by adding some chopped bell peppers or carrots.if you're not into mayo then sub in avocado.It gives the salad a creamy chunkiness and a buttery flavor. My favorite salad with tuna is Salad Nicoise. It has a summery , sea breeze vibe about it as it celebrates Provence. An authentic Nicoise has not only tuna but also beans and hard boiled eggs for more protein along with Roma tomatoes and green beans for color and crunch. You can also throw in anchovies too if you want more of a briny taste. As for the greens, try a bag of mixed ones for a rounded out and varied flavor.  I usually use a simple vinaigrette as a dressing but you can try one with a small pinch of  Dijon mustard added. Serve with French bread to mop up the dressing.

Tuna can also be used in hot dishes. How many of us have had the gooey, hot fishy treat the tuna melt. It's a staple of diners and lunch counters but can easily be made at home. The classic one calls for white bread cheddar. but there are variations that have mozzarella and tuna on Italian bread. The sandwich starts out with tun a salad spread on a slice of white or whole wheat. A slice of mild cheddar or American cheese  is then added .it's finished with another slice of bread and fried. A less greasier version is a baked version. Make it the same way as the original, just skip the second slice. Bake at 350 degrees F for twenty to thirty minutes. A can of tuna can also make a great sauce.Use the basic tomato sauce recipe and add drained , flaked tuna. Capers can also be added for a bit more saltiness.  What kind of tuna should you use?I would go with the one in olive oil and cut back on the olive oil used in the recipe (usually three tablespoons. Cut it back to a tablespoon). The sauce is great with penne or rotelli along with the longer pastas such as spaghetti and angel hair.Not surprising a can of tuna can also top a pizza too for a different take on a seafood pie.

Get creative with a can of tuna. There's so much you can do with it. You can even come up with brand new recipes and if you do - share it here.

Just A Bowl Of

One of the easiest meals is one involving a bowl and a slew of good for you ingredients. It's not only an easy lunch or dinner to whip up but also a nutritious one.it can be made fresh or with ingredients. Another plus is that even novice chefs can create something delicious and complex.

Bowl meals are not new. Most of Asia have some form of this.One of the most famous and one that's gaining speed here in the States is bibimbap. It's a mix of fresh stir fried veggies and rice,topped with a fried egg. what is good with this is that it can be customized. Cabbage lovers can add both savoy and bok choy . Those who enjoy crunch can add some raw peppers and carrots. Meat lovers can tip it in their favor with extra chicken, beef, or pork, while veggie lovers can add extra greens such as kale and fiddlehead ferns,Bibimbop also gets some zing from Korean hot pepper paste or gochuchang. Rice is the base ,of this melding the flavors all together while being the grain requirement. For the dish, the veggies should be julienned however if you want to chop everything in bigger chunks you can. The same idea for the gochuchang. If it's too fiery then sub in soy sauce. It's still make the dish flavorful but won't have that mouth numbing bite. You can also get rid of the eggs as well and sub in rice noodles for the rice.

For a simpler bowl you can't get much simpler than polenta mixed with butter and Parmesan cheese. It's tasty, and filling, an easy hot meal for after a hard day's work. Again it can be varied. Sliced sausage can be added along with grape tomatoes and mushrooms.Shrimp goes surprisingly well with the grain and you can easily add it to cooked polenta. Chicken is another meat that can give the corn meal a boost.Even  left over polenta can be transformed into a tasty bowl , being reheated in the microwave with tomatoes, butter and/or cheese.An American spin on it is a grits bowl. This can even be made for breakfast with the addition of cheddar and butter. Like bibimbap, it can be topped with fried eggs for more protein.Breakfast sausage or bacon can also be tossed in. A grits bowl is also a good lunch or dinner bowl. Chicken and gravy could also work with it,. One of the simplest bowls to make is just taking plain white rice, topping it with beans and then build on it with meats, tofu and/or veggies. Black beans in sauce , topped with shredded cheese is  a tasty dinner. Stir fried steak and veggies , soaked in soy sauce would be a great topper for any wild rice variety.

A bowl meal is a filling one. It's also fun because favorite ingredients are added to create something unique. It's a chance to get creative with a simple container and just grains, proteins and veggies.

.

Cereal's Other Side

Cereal has always served as THE breakfast food for one hundred and forty years.It's  a great starter for sure, yet cereal can be used in a variety of other recipes, both sweet and savory. It's not just for breakfast  but for lunch, dinner and even snacking.

Every American kid has memories of their mom making Rice Krispies treats. It was our first time in thinking outside the cereal box.Who would think that what we had for breakfast would make an awesome dessert? Even though you can buy these low cal treats, they're super easy to whip up.The basic recipe is melting three tablespoons of butter and one package or about forty marshmallows and melting the two ingredients together in a saucepan. Add six cups of Rice Krispies, mix until cereal is completely coated and pour into a buttered  13 by 9 two inch pan. Wait until completely cooled and cut into squares.  The fun thing about this recipe is that it can be varied. They can made gourmet by increasing the butter to half a cup or one stick. If doing this, then up the amount of cereal by ten cups. Vanilla is added for a richer flavor.  Marshmallow creme can also be used instead of the puffs. Go wild with additions. Most just toss in sprinkles and chocolate chips but there are some who would toss a handful of crumbled bacon into the mix.The recipe isn't exclusively that cereals' You can also make them with Cheerios, Fruity Pebbles and even the diet driven Special K. Any of these can also be turned into holiday shapes.  You can mold them into chocolate dipped footballs for a Super Bowl party or cute red sprinkled laced hearts for Valentine's Day.,

Cereal can have a savory side too.Rice Krispies can easily be used in breading chicken or fish. It's taking one cu and a quarter of coarsely crushed pieces mixed with flour and seasonings such as salt and pepper, dried parsley and a kick of cayenne. You can also use cornflakes - usually one and a half cups for three pounds of various parts. The recipe can either be deep fried or a healthier baked.. The chicken is first dipped into melted margarine first then rolling them into the crumbs. The result is a crunchier texture that works well with the bird. Fish can also be coated in the cereal. It's actually healthier because the coating doesn't absorb as much oil, creating a lighter, less greasier piece. Cormflakes can also be used. Both have to be mixed with flour to get that exact texture or the batter could fall off during frying.Cereal can also be used in other recipes as well.The ancient grain version of Cheerios (this has quinoa and millet along with amaranth) can be turned into a croquette. Asparagus , zucchini,carrots and pepper are added along with goat cheese to the ground up rings. They're then coated in bread crumbs and fried to create a tasty and unusual dinner.

Cereals aren't just for breakfast. They can be turned into savory and sweet meals and desserts everyone will like.  Just think outside the cereal box.

The Maine Shrimp Drought

Once again global warming is ruining how we eat. This time it's the Maine shrimping industry that's being hit. What that translates into is shutting down fisheries and locals losing jobs. It also means that the taste of Maine shrimp will be a memory.

Mary Pols who's more into sustainability than cooking and a regular contributor to Down East wrote this extensive and in depth look into her native Maine's  shrimp industry.It's the main story in today's New York Times Food section. This won't be the first time the industry will be closed. It first happened in 2014 when regulators shut down fishing. The hope was that the shrimp would reproduce enough to replenish the waters and jump start a local industry that was ion the verge of dying. Now the fisheries are being closed through the upcoming year - and it's not the fault of local fisherman. Rather it's climate change - and in effect - all of us that are responsible for this problem. To the average person Maine waters may still seen chilly - even in the summer but water temps have been rising four and a half degrees since 1906. This results in poor egg production and even poorer survival rate for shrimp larvae. Fisherman still want to bring them in. After all, they reason, why not reap what's left?There's also a plus in all of this. Prices for them will rise thanks to the scarcity which means a bigger profit.

Maine shrimp isn;t really widely known outside the state. They're a very small breed, usually used in shrimp cocktails, soups and shrimp salads. They similar to Oregon shrimp in color - a bright reddish pink and size.  Many Downeasters prize it, using it in all sorts of dishes. There have always been cookbooks written about it, the first starting in 1906 with the Proved And Tested Cooking Receipts by The Ladies of The Universalist Society of Rockland. The dish reflected the times, shrimp a la creme, a dish similar to Lobster Newberg. Local home chefs even canned it.Politicians tried to raise its' profile as did Everett F Greaton, the executive secretary of Maine's Development Commission and a booster of all Maine products.He served Maine apples stuffed with the crustaceans (!!) to the governor of the time. Mind, you this was back in 1942.More modern recipes include the roadside favorite, deep fried shrimp served piled high in a paper tray and doused with ketchup. For home chefs interested in cooking Maine shrimp, be warned. They are very expensive.Prices can range from $70  fro just two pounds!use them in bisque or salads, They're not really good for kabobs or as an hors d'ouevres.

Maine shrimp are just the latest victims in the climate change disaster. Hopefully the ban starting January 1st will help in saving them. However, it's up to us to also try to preserve them.

Scallions Decorative And Tasty

Want to add color and zest to any savory meal? Then think scallions. These emerald green stalks are wildly popular in Chinese cuisine but  they can also be added to any other recipe. Try them  - for some zing and oomph!

Scallions are part of the allium family, and are first cousins with bulb onions and second cousins to garlic,leeks and chives. They're sometimes called green onion, spring onion and salad onion. Due to their age, they not to have a  fully developed bulb at the end of their stalks. The stalks themselves are round, hollow and tubular, growing from a small knob. They originated in far eastern Europe and the name for it came from the Greek word ashkelon which is also where the word shallot derived from. There are about seven different types. The ones we see in supermarket is the Welsh variety and it is also used quite often in Asia. The other type, A cepa is also sold here. The onion is divided into two parts, the white which has  a sweeter, more flavorful taste than the green section. Most professional and home chefs use the green part a lot , simply for color. You can use these instead of chives ,especially on baked potatoes. They will definitely give them more flavor. Peak season is usually Spring and summer but they can be bought all year long. Scallions are always sold in bunches . Do not buy if the white part is yellowed or if they look wilted.

One of the most famous and most delicious recipes is scallion pancake from China. This is an easy cook at home.It's a simple flour pancake with an entire bunch of chopped green scallions added. They then fried in peanut or vegetable oil until crispy and brown . Each pancake receives about a tablespoon of the greens. They're usually served with soy sauce or a sweet sauce, made from soy sauce, ginger root and brown sugar.Scallions add zing too,  to hot and sour soup, giving it a nice fresh flavor after all the heat and tang. Slice them very thin and toss  them into a fennel salad . They give the usually mild salad green some zing and zest. They do this for other recipes such as cauliflower fritters and seared salmon.They can be added to bland mashed potatoes for color and dash along with being deep fried in corn flour and bread crumbs.  The Chinese are not the only ones who love scallions. The Mexicans often incorporate them in tortillas and even guacamole.

Scallions are a great way to enhance any savory dish. Try them n classic Chinese pancakes, salads, or guacamole. They are sharp and tasty, a perfect way to add  excitement to lunch or dinner.

Kerala Cuisine Brought To Light

Indian cuisine is more than just curry and naan. The cuisine is varied and different, especially in the south. Kerala has recipes that surprisingly echo the American South.One chef is letting America know that - and also rediscovering her past.

Kin Severson wrote about Chef Asha Gomez in today's New York Time's Food section. Chef Gomez not only is returning to her roots but also highlighting a cuisine not well known here in the States. Many think it's just cheap eats - good only for buffets - laden with rice. American chefs have ruined biryani and dosa, not to mention curries.  There are also the food snobs who dismiss it  because there it doesn't command the respect of European or American cuisine. They also feel that eating cheap food doesn't deserve a second glance. However charge too much of it as Chef Gomez did at her former restaurant , Cardamon Hill, and diners will complain.It was for a $32 for a complex fish curry spiked with smoked tamarind while the Southern cuisine restaurant in  the area charged the same for a fish dsh.it is insulting and maybe spurred a PBS sponsored show inspired by her YouTube series, "Curry and Cornbread".

What is the food of Kerala.It's inspired by the Portuguese traders that visited the region for spices (and how Chef Gomez 's family acquired their last name and do not shun meat eating ). They brought with them a love of pork and chiles that would define the region's food. In some ways it's reminiscent of the American South . There is fried chicken, braised pork, and vegetables like okra and field peas. There is also a thriving street vendor culture called thattukadas where Chef Gomez used to head for chunks of chicken with crunchy fried shallots,garlic and curry leaves crisped in coconut oil.It was eaten with flaky wheat parathas, or flatbreads. There is a recipe for this called Kerala Roadside Chicken that combines a variety of different spices, from the traditional garam masala to the particular Kashmiri chile powder. The chicken is fried in coconut oil and then garnished with the highly flavored fried shallots, dried chiles and curry.Serve with any kind of flatbread.

Indian food is much more than just curry and rice. There are so many dishes, from each of the various states. They all reflect the diversity of an interesting culture and cuisine.

Cook On A Hot Tin Roof

What happens when an early heat wave arrives? Don't cook. Adopt a summer attitude when it comes to cooking and baking. Look more towards lighter fare and less time in the kitchen. Wipe off the grill and get it fired up.. It's too hot to cook indoors..

An unexpected burst of high temps leaves most home chefs flummoxed . After all, they've planned a week of dinners and even lunches that require preheating the oven and roasting or cooking.Air conditioning should be turned on full blast but if you don' t  have it installed yet take heart. The microwave is your best friend during these times. If it can be microwaved do it. Those meat pies and pizzas can be zapped quickly instead of  baking in a hot 375 degree F ovens. Even preheating can be bad because it turns a kitchen into a proofing drawer. Most meat pies take almost an hour  to thoroughly cook up - which means being stuck and eating in a steam bath. Another idea is to just get cold cuts and make sandwiches along with getting premade salads. If the cold cuts don;t cut it  for you nitrates , then buy a whole roasted chicken or ribs at your local grocery. Acme now has roasters that are already cut into pieces and Stop & Shop has bags of fried chicken.

If the temps get too irritating, then get out the grill. You can still grill those steaks and salmon you planned  on cooking in the oven. They may even taste better than what you originally had planned for them originally. Marinate them in teriyaki  or barbecue sauce. The roast chicken and Cornish hens can even be put on the barbecue.. They do need to be spatchcocked or split open for grilling. Even if you planned on cooking a small turkey, it can be spatchcocked or butterflied and cooked on the grill as well. As for those veggies, put them in foil packets next to the meat. It's an easy fuss-free way of cooking them during an early heat wave. Add butter or olive oil along with herbs and spices to the packets. Again this may be better than what you originally had planned.A grilled dinner leads into a grilled dessert. It's never too early for s'mores. Some stores are already pushing the components so take advantage of that. Try something fun, like subbing in dark chocolate for milk  chocolate or chocolate graham crackers for the regular. You can also have grilled fruit kabobs, using apple and pineapple chunks along with grapes.

Don't let a heat wave leave you hot and bothered. Be cool - and keep your lunches and dinners the same way. It'll be a breeze to make - and to eat.

Riffs On recipes

Some of the best chefs are the most creative ones. They can take a basic recipe or basic ingredients and turn them into something special.Is it magic? Alchemy? No, it's just thinking outside the culinary box.

One of the most versatile mediums to work with is rice. It's good on its' own, but cook it in any kind of stock, add butter or margarine and it's a light meal . Add some veggies such as peas and broccoli some herbs and voila - a great side with chicken.It can also  be part of a main dish , soaking up stews and chiles. Rice also is a tasty filling in stuffed peppers. Try mixing it with ground beef, and tomato paste, two other basics. For zip  add chile powder or ginger that's been grated. Rice can also be deep fried for a real treat of a lunch or dinner. Throw in chicken or beef  along with some water chestnuts and broccoli. Pasta is another simple ingredient that can be made a variety of ways. Everyone knows spaghetti, It's usually served with meatballs and either a marinara , Bolognese or butter sauce. However , it can turn up in a soup. Try it with a beef based vegetable one or have it as the surprise ingredient in a minestrone. Fried ravioli is a new spin on a very traditional dish. They're easy to cook up that way, Use olive oil or even vegetable oil to deep fry them in a fryer or skillet.. Serve with a side of hot marinara sauce.

Basic meats such as chicken and beef can lend themselves to a variety of different and unique dishes. Chicken cutlets can be turned into something exciting such as pulled chcken. Try cooking it with a smoky barbecue sauce and serve on potato buns. Cutlets can also be oven fried, It's first dredging them in melted butter and mustard mix and then coating them with crushed Saltines. Bake at 400 degrees Farenheit for only twenty minutes.Everyone loves legs and wings.Marinate them in a mix of pinapple juice , orange zest and garic along with such spices as ginger and crushed red peppers for a fiery twist onBuffalo style wings.. Every loves any cut of beef. Suppose it's added on top of a pizza for extra oomph? It's a nice way of marrying two classics and making them even better. A steak salad is a nice alternative toa regular one.Use a hearty greens like romaine or spinach along with deep red grape tomatoes. Salt and pepper almonds are a must to add crunch and more flavor.Steak strips can also be subbed in for roast beef in a chef's salad for surprise and flavor. It can also be turned into a club sandwich with lettuce  and,tomato served on toasted pumpernickel or rye bread.


A good chef is a creative one. Think outside the culinary box.It will result in more delicious dishes, using just basic ingredients.

Vegan For The Summer

One of the best aspects of summer is that you can nix the meats and live off the land - literally. This is a great time to take that long promised stab at vegetarianism, thanks to all the harvests right now. It's time to discover all these hot weather veggies and the dishes that go with them.

Squash is always popular and is in full harvest right now. Many home farmers have an abundance of them, thanks to their hardiness and ability to thrive. They are versatile from their delicate flowers to the mature vegetable. Squash flowers, those fragile yet delicious blooms, are best made into a kind of fritter. This Provencale and Piedmontese recipe is easy,The flowers do have to be picked early morning before they close for the day. They're then washed and patted dry , ready for battering. The batter is a simple mix of  one cup each of flour and water. One egg and one tablespoon oil are also added for body. The flowers can be fried in margarine,oil, or the preferred French way, butter until crisp. Mature squash is another great versatile veggie.It can be turned into a green version of spaghetti, thanks to a neat little gadget called Veggetti. This hourglass shaped spiralizer turns any squash into a tasty pile of noodles. They can be made with sauce but a better and healthier way is sauteing them in olive oil, tempered with margarine and minced garlic. The spiralizer can also be used to make a tasty cucumber slaw too. Serve with an apple cider based vinaigrette for a nice cool salad.

Of course it's the season of the tomatoes. These bright red gems are the stars of any summer harvest and rightly so. They can be made into any type of dish., from starters to even dessert (technically they classified as fruit). Try them as bruschetta, piled on top of toasted crunchy rounds of Italian bread or as a flavorful salsa. The last can also highlight other summer stars green peppers and onions. This is the time to make homemade sauces for those fall and winter pasta dinners. Fresh ones are great in a pasta crudo where  they 're mixed raw with just cooked spaghetti or angel hair pasta. One of the best way to have them is in a sandwich.Toast your favorite bread, slather on mayo and them layer on the tomato slices Tomaotes can even be turned into a sorbet for an unusual but flavor packed dessert..Another use for them along with eggplants and onions are the French classic ratatouille.Novice home chefs may be put off by the name's fanciness but it's really easy to make.It's basically sauteing sliced the veggies in a garlic and oregano spiced olive oil.They're then cooked down until tender. It's usually served with crusty baguette slices to sop up the juices however it can also be served with rice too. Green and red peppers can be added along with zucchini to mix it up a bit.

Anyone can go vegan on a summer diet thanks to all these abundant harvests. Take advantage of them of them and cook healthy. It's a great boost to your health and to your taste buds!

A True Taste Of Rome

Nothing beats Roman life, especially  the culinary life.There are mouth watering cold cuts, heavenly gelati and the best part of the city,tons of fresh air markets selling fresh verdure or vegetables and frutti, fruit.Now there's a new book, a hybrid of cook book and tour guide to show you around the Eternal City,

Elizabeth Minchilli has given us this interesting book, Eating Rome:Living The Good Life In The Eternal City (St. Martin's Griffin Press) and it is a view into Italian life and cooking. It is the perfect guide for those not only spending a holiday in Rome but two or three months. Every aspect is covered, from breakfasts to desserts. She dispenses useful advice and tips when eating at trattorias along with how to properly eat pizza. There is a mini dictionary and lesson how to cook and serve roman veggies such as artichokes,There is even a chapter on cooking like an Italian mama and how to make it perfectly like she does. The book is also a great travel guide with dozens of ristorantes, gelaterias, and trattorias reviewed in short, punchy paragraphs. This is perfect for first timers, wanting to experience the entire Roman food holiday.Ms. Minchilli lists coffee shops to enjoy an espresso and also explains why tourists should never end a meal with a cappuccino (it's a breakfast coffee). There are also a chapter on the head to tail dining as well and how to enjoy that everyday luxury- a  fresh tripe sandwich .

The book is also excellent for true Roman and some Puglese recipes (Ms. Minchella's husband is from Bari)It's perfect for recreating dishes and giving the family table that dolce vita feeling. There are traditional dishes such as rabbit vignarola, a spring stew made with rabbit, fava beans ,peas and artichokes.Unlike other Italian cookbooks, Ms. Minchilli  features many green or verdure recipes There is an entire chapter on the star of the local cuisine, artichoke. It is popular, first being made in the Jewish Ghetto. She gives the recipe for  carcioffi de giudea , crispy deep fried chokes that are easy to make and easy to eat How to make a good Panini, always a puzzle to American home chefs is demystified along with a helpful guide regarding the breads used.Another treat of Roman dining is coffee and there are some delicious recipes such as an almond coffee, made with homemade almond milk, PIzza and pasta are also included along with some  very versatile pancetta recipes.She wrote about  grappa too, that dessert must have , perfect for relaxing and curling one's toes.

For anyone going to Rome or just those home chefs who love the city's unique cuisine , Eating Rome:The Good Life In the Eternal City is the perfect gift. It captures the flavors of a city known for delicious meals an desserts, coffees and sweets. It is the a sweet paean to a flavorful city, full of good foods and yummy treats!

A Basket Of Eggplants

Gardens and farmers markets are yielding up the fleshy, delicious beauties otherwise known as eggplants.Like their cousins,the tomatoes, these veggies have all different kinds and can be grilled, fried or roasted to create interesting and exotic dishes.A home chef can get lost in the many sorts and with them create a different meal every day. David Tanis wrote about them in yesterday's A City Kitchen column in yesterday's New York Times Dining section,The eggplant world is expanding.Not that long ago there was only the deep purple kind, thickly sliced and then dipped in egg and breadcrumbs and fried.These were known as " poor man's oysters" and served only with a lemon wedge and salt.To add more zing tomato sauce and mozzarella were put on the already cooked sliced, baked almost like a casserole and called Eggplant Parmesan.Both dishes are still tasty but it's time to try other kinds and other recipes?Italy may have given us the second dish but they're also given us another genus, the Rosa Bianca, a pale lavender colored ones, now gracing farmers markets throughout the US..Home chefs looking for something unique should visit Chinese markets .These sell the magenta hued kind.There are also eggplants from Southeast Asia, the size of a cherry tomato and multicolored.Japanese stores carry sleek, shiny elongated ones from their country. The eggplants that Americans use should be a glossy deep purple.It's called the Black Beauty.It should be firm with a green calyx, the caplike pod that attaches the fruit(and yes the eggplant is a fruit) to the stem. This ensures that the eggplant's flesh will be sweet with very little seeds.Mr Tanis has included a baba ghanouj type recipe.This is a great way to enjoy them and also a good dip for any summer party.It starts with charring the fruit until the skin blisters.The flesh should be smooth right now and ready to be pureed.Cut it into quarters and then scoop it out.Put this in a food processor along with tahini paste and lemon juice.Add toasted and crushed cumin seeds along with cayenne and paprika.Drizzle in olive oil for smoothness..Throw in parsley and mint.Toasted pita chips work well with it but you can also have toasted and thinly sliced baguettes to dip in too. This is the height of season for eggplants.Try an exotic and smokey spread or have slices dipped in egg and bread crumbs, fried to a golden crunchiness.Anyway you have it, just enjoy the eggplant's earthy sweetness.

Clam Season

One of the biggest thrills of any summer is clamming.Many enthusiasts love he idea of clam digging and then cooking Them in a variety of different ways.This is what summer at the shore is all about ,especially for foodies.Get wet, splash about and dig up some plump clams for an ocean fresh dinner, perfect for a summer's night. Most Americans eat three different types of clams One is the Mercenaria Mercenaria, or hard clam,along with the soft shell,Mya arenaria and the quahog Artica Islandia. Some die hard lovers like to go clam digging.Unlike fishing ,there's really no equipment ,save for a bucket and possible small specialized rake if you're on the beach.If you're doing it by boat you need to get clam tongs(check the Internet for places that sell them)"These are scissor like and scrape the bottom of the shallow ocean floor(you should be out in about ten feet of water, just off the shoreline).They dig a couple of feet down below the surface, churning up the bivalves .You can also do this on land, too,using a Shinnecock rake.Walk out onto wet sand at low tide and , using it, scrape away.Another shallow water technique of gathering is the millennia old treading.Go in knee to waist deep , feel with your feet and them bend over.This should be done preferably in a bay or inlet where there's no danger of waves or undertow.Throw back clams that are too small and remember not to overfish the area that you're in.Before you clean them ,let them soak for about twenty minutes?They will spit out the sand during this time.When you're ready to cook lift each from the water and give them a good scrubbing with a veggie brush. Now that they're ready ,decide on how to make them.Clams are good steamed and this is the easiest method too.Steam them in a combo of grape seed or olive oil, white wine and onion, Add the clams and the clam juice as well and steam for ten minutes until they've opened.Serve with slices of crusty French bread and white wine.You can also steam them with just garlic and butter.For a fancier meal make a pot of linguini and have linguine with white clam sauce.Want the hungry surfer experience? Fry them.Clam shacks on both UScoasts are known for this fun treat.Use corn flour mixed with a scant pinch of cayenne pepper along with salt and pepper.First bathecem in milk or buttermilk and then dredge in the dry coating.Fry in vegetable , peanut or grape seed oil.Drain immediately on paper towels and serve hot with just lemon wedges.If you want some zing also have a bottle of hot sauce at the ready,Serve with fries and ice cold beer for a true clam shack experience. Enjoy not just the beach but the bounty that comes with it. there is nothing like fresh harvested and cooked clams. Savor their plumpness and brininess while enjoying a cool ocean breeze.

Risotto Cakes A Spin On The Classic

Risotto is always a good dish to make. Arborio rice goes well with almost any ingredient from tomato to saffron.As versatile as it is ,it becomes even more so with twisting it into a new idea. Risotto cakes are a different way of serving this Northern Italian classic. They can be made into holiday hors d'ouevres or a light lunch or supper.

Dsvid Tanis wrote about these gems in his A CIty Kitchen column in Wednesday;s New York Times Dining section. He adds the earthy fall flavor of butternut squash for both taste and body. Cheeses such as the Northern Italian classic Fontina and Parmesan are also added for binding.It is then lightly fried in oil after a thin coating of just flour and egg. Mr. Tanis also suggests bread crumbs which give the cakes more of a crunch. For this , try ground up French or Italian bread for added flavor.

There are other risotto cake recipes out there as well.Sandra Lee gives a pretty simple one that would make for great Christmas party appetizers. Hers are a simple blend of  leftover rice, Parmesan cheese and roasted garlic.They're shaped into walnut sized balls  and then fried.Risotto cakes can also be stuffed.You can try a smoky mozzarella or even a minced portobello stuffing. For parties you can try a marinella sauce Ora saffron infused mayo based one.Another party trick is wrapped a thin piece of prosciutto around them to serve to guests. Risotto cakes are a great way of using left over arborio rice.They also make for a delicious light lunch or supper or a perfect party appetizer. Try them this way to appreciate risotto even more.