1 pound Idaho potatoes
Salt
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 large clove garlic, sliced
1 pound cherry tomatoes, quartered if large
4 ounces pitted black or calamata olives
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup flour
1 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, more for serving
2 large egg yolks, beaten
2 1/2 tablespoons black olive paste
20 fresh basil leaves, slivered (more)
1. Place potatoes in a saucepan, cover with salted water and boil until tender, about 25 minutes. Meanwhile, heat oil in a skillet, add garlic, cook over medium heat until barely starting to color; stir in tomatoes. Coarsely chop olives and add half to the skillet. Cook briefly, until tomatoes collapse. Season with salt and pepper, and remove from heat.
2. When potatoes are tender, peel and rice them into a large bowl. Mix all but 3 tablespoons flour with 1 1/4 cups cheese, toss with potatoes and pile in a mound on work surface. Make a well in center. Mix egg yolks and olive paste, and place in well. Chop remaining olives finely and add to well. Knead to blend ingredients and form a soft dough. Shape into a ball and divide in 8 portions. Roll each into a rope about 10 inches long and 1/2 inch in diameter. Cut into 1/2-inch dumplings (gnocchi). Dust with remaining flour and lightly pile in a bowl.
3. Bring 4 quarts salted water to a boil. Reduce heat to a fast simmer, add gnocchi and as they rise to the surface, use a slotted spoon or skimmer to remove to a colander. Drain.
4. Reheat sauce in skillet, fold in basil and add gnocchi. Heat, mixing gently. Check seasoning and serve, with extra cheese alongside.
Yield: 4 servings.
Time: 1 hour, plus 1 hour for soaking rice
1 1/2 cups long-grain jasmine rice
1.5 pounds rib-eye steak, cut in 1-inch cubes (I used stew beef)
Salt and coarsely ground black pepper
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 large onions, peeled and diced
2 large beets (about 1 pound), peeled, 1 cut into 1/2-inch dice and 1 grated
beet greens from beets, leaves left whole and stems cut into 2-inch pieces
1 pound Swiss chard, leaves left whole and stems cut into 2-inch pieces
6 teaspoons sugar, or as needed
6 tablespoons fresh spearmint leaves
4 cloves garlic, peeled and finely diced
Juice of 3 lemons (about 1/2 cup), or as needed.
1. Place rice in a mixing bowl and cover with water. Stir, drain off cloudy water, and repeat until water runs clear. Cover rice with fresh water and let soak for about 1 hour.
2. Season beef with salt and pepper to taste. Place Dutch oven over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of oil. When oil is shimmering, add beef and sauté until well-browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Remove beef and set aside. Return pan to low heat and add 2 more tablespoons of oil. Add onions and sauté until transparent, about 5 minutes. Add diced beets and sauté for another 5 minutes. Add two-thirds of the Swiss chard/beet green stems and continue cooking until onions are golden, about 5 more minutes. Stir in beef, cover, and simmer over low heat.
3. Drain rice and return to a bowl. Sprinkle with salt to taste, 4 teaspoons of sugar, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, and 4 tablespoons fresh mint. Stir to blend, and add garlic, grated beet, remaining oil and juice of 1 lemon. Spread one-third of Swiss chard/beet green leaves in Dutch oven, on top of beef mixture. Spoon half of rice mixture on top, and cover with another third of chard/beet green leaves. Spread with remaining rice, and top with remaining Swiss chard/beet green leaves and stems.
4. In a small bowl, mix 1 1/2 cups water with remaining 2 teaspoons sugar and juice of another lemon. Taste and, if necessary, add more sugar or lemon juice so mixture is both sweet and sour. Pour over Swiss chard/beet greens and bring to a boil. Cook partially covered until greens begins to wilt, 3 to 5 minutes. Add 1/2 cup water if pan is very wide and there is little liquid on bottom. Poke handle of a wooden spoon into mixture in three places, making holes to let steam rise through chard. Cover, reduce heat to very low, and cook until rice is tender, about 30 minutes. Remove from heat and let rest for 15 minutes. Just before serving, sprinkle with remaining lemon juice and remaining fresh mint.
Yield: 6 to 8 servings.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Wash and cut up a bunch of kale. Reserve tough stems for another use. Place on a baking sheet and spray with olive oil Pam. Top with seasonings you like — salt or whatever.
From the May 2004 issue of Gourmet magazine.
This recipe, adapted from Kathy Sullivan and Janine El Tal, international educators and longtime residents of Jordan, is a scaled-down version of that country's national dish, which is usually served in large quantities at important gatherings. Mensaf is eaten standing up, using the right hand to form a little ball of rice and meat. Traditionally, jameed, a ball of reconstituted sun-dried yogurt, is used to make the sauce, but it is replaced here by regular plain yogurt that has been stabilized (with egg white and cornstarch) for cooking. Buy the richest, tangiest yogurt you can find.
Active time: 55 min Start to finish: 3 1/2 hr
Makes 6 to 8 servings.
1. Combine lamb and 4 cups water in a wide 5-quart heavy pot (add more water to just cover lamb if necessary). Bring to a boil over moderate heat, skimming froth from surface. Once liquid is clear and at a full boil, add pepper and 1 teaspoon salt, then cover and simmer 30 minutes.
2. While meat is simmering, heat butter in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat. Add pine nuts and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 5 minutes. Transfer nuts with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain. Add onion to skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and golden, about 12 minutes. Stir in turmeric, allspice, cardamom pods, and cinnamon and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add onion mixture to lamb and simmer, covered, 1 hour. Remove lid and briskly simmer until liquid is reduced by half, about 1 hour more. Add yogurt, gently shaking and swirling pot to incorporate.
3. Simmer lamb over moderately low heat, uncovered, stirring occasionally in one direction only (or yogurt may curdle), until sauce is slightly thickened and meat is very tender, 30 to 40 minutes. Season sauce with salt and pepper if necessary and discard cinnamon stick. While sauce simmers, bring remaining 3 cups water with remaining teaspoon salt to a boil in a 3-quart saucepan with a tight-fitting lid. Add rice and stir once, then reduce heat to low and cook, covered, 20 minutes. Slide pan off heat (do not lift) and let stand, covered, 5 minutes. Fluff rice gently with a fork.
4. Line a 3-quart shallow serving bowl with a single layer of pita halves (reserve remaining pita to serve alongside), then mound rice on top of bread. Spoon 1/2 cup sauce over rice to moisten and arrange meat over rice. Sprinkle with pine nuts and spoon 1/2 cup sauce over meat, then arrange reserved pita and red onions around edge of bowl. Pour remaining sauce through a sieve into a sauceboat or small bowl and serve on the side.
Cook's Notes
Stabilized Whole-Milk Yogurt
Yogurt curdles easily when heated, but mixing it with egg white and cornstarch, and then simmering it, makes the yogurt more heat-stable without changing the flavor signigicantly.
Whisk together all ingredients in a small heavy saucepan. Cook over moderate heat, stirring, until mixture just comes to a boil, 8 to 10 minutes, then reduce heat to moderately low and simmer until thickened, 3 to 5 minutes more.
*Available at Middle Eastern markets.
Aji- Homemade Colombian Hot Sauce Recipe
great with empanadas!
Method of Preparation:
This sauce is also great served with grilled meats or chicken or as a spicy condiment to any of your favourite Latin-inspired foods.
Whisk together milk and chipotle puree until smooth.
In a 9 by 9-inch casserole dish, arrange the potatoes in even layers. Drizzle with 3 tablespoons of the milk mixture and season with salt and pepper. Repeat with the remaining potatoes, milk, and salt and pepper to form 10 layers.
Cover and bake for 30 minutes, remove cover and continue baking for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the milk has been absorbed and the potatoes are cooked through and the top is browned. Inspired by Food Network recipe.
