Curry Up

Sean pressed me to try Indian food. I know 'Toosa and Ickie have always praised it's merit, but I had seen lots of orange colored goop on chicken and was not impressed. We went to a local restaurant and really liked it. However, Indian food just shuts you down for the rest of the day. I mean, you have to really recover from it; even if you want dessert, don't even think about trying it.

I love vegetables and vegetarian cooking because I don't have to clean anything that used to have a face. Since our marriage, I have often avoided meat and Sean hasn't complained, so while we are not rabbits, we can still enjoy lots of food without animals. We also had a Cooks Illustrated subscription for awhile (thanks, Heidi) and have made several of their recipes. Many of them have wandered into Pretentious Salad, as you well know. So, continuing the tradition, here is their version of Vegetable Curry. It doesn't take too long, even for C. I., so I call it Curry in a Hurry.

They offer two varieties, and we have now had both of them as of last night. In an effort to be fair and balanced, I thought it was only right that I make both kinds before submitting them for your kitchens. The first one we had was the version with sweet potatoes, eggplant and green beans; this we loved, even though KK forgot the green beans. It makes a whole bunch, so we had it on night #1 with rice, and night #2 with quinoa (my favorite grain of all time). It was even better the second day, as the flavors had really jived with each other and the quinoa was absolutely far better than the plain rice. Healthier, too.

Last night we made the version with cauliflower, potatoes and peas. It was definitely more photogenic, so that is the one in the picture. Although we had it with quinoa, I forgot to cook it in mostly chicken broth so it lacked a bit of flavor, and Sean didn't drain his properly. Tonight, we dine on leftovers with properly kicked-up quinoa.

A note to quinoa: Quinoa, I absolutely love your soft, nuttiness. Quinoa, due to your incredibly balanced set of amino acids, you complete me. You blow my mind that you are so healthy and yet I still long for you... Everyone should love you. And you're so easy to cook, with your one part to water's two, and even sometimes even broth instead (you're so open-minded). And, best of all, you are nothing like brown rice. There, I've said too much. Way, way too much.

I'll try to make sense of the two varieties below, but just know that there is a version with cauliflower, potatoes and peas, and then there is a version with sweet potatoes, eggplant and green beans. They both have all the other ingredients.

Vegetable Curry in a Hurry for the Masses

2 T sweet/mild curry powder
1 1/2 t garam masala (can't find it? see below)
4 T. vegetable oil
2 medium onions chopped fine, about 2 c. (or less, like me)
Version 1:
12 oz Red Bliss potatoes, scrubbed and 1/2 in. dice, about 2 c.
1/2 medium head cauliflower, trimmed into 1 in. florets (about 4 c.)
8 oz frozen peas
or Version 2:
12 oz peeled sweet potatoes, diced 1/2 in pieces
1 medium eggplant, 1/2 inch dice
1 1/2 c green beans cut in 1 inch pieces
3 medium cloves garlic, minced
1 T finely grated fresh ginger
1-1/2 serrano chiles, or other red chile you can handle, minced
1 T tomato paste
14.5 oz can dived or crushed tomatoes
1 1/4 cups water
15 oz can chickpeas, drained, rinsed
1/4 cup heavy cream or coconut milk

Condiments:
whole milk yogurt or sour cream
Mango chutney, purchased
other relishes that are Indian from the store
chopped cilantro (my idea)

Toast curry powder and garam masala in a small skillet over medium high heat until fragrant and slightly darkened (about 1 minute). Remove from skillet and set aside.

Heat 3 T. oil in a large Dutch oven over medium high heat until shimmering. Add potatoes and onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are caramelized and potatoes are golden brown on the edges. (I don't have a Dutch oven, so I use a Calphalon One which is sort of non-stick. Just cook till they're soft, about 10 minutes.)

(Start your quinoa or rice a-cookin' at this point)

Reduce heat to medium. Clear the center of the pan and add remaining 1 T of oil, garlic, ginger, chile and tomato paste; cook, stirring constantly, for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Add cauliflower (or eggplant) and cook 2 minutes longer until coated with spices.

Add tomatoes, water, chickpeas and 1 t. salt; increase heat to medium high and bring to a boil. Stir/scrape the bottom of the pan to loosen browned bits. Add green beans for Version 2. Cover and reduce to medium. Simmer briskly, stirring occasionally until veggies are tender, about 10-15 minutes. Stir in peas for Version 1, adjust seasoning with salt and serve over quinoa or rice immediately.


If you can't find garam masala, you can substitute 2 t ground coriander, 1/2 t ground black pepper, 1/4 t ground cardamom and 1/4 t ground cinnamon. But let's face it, that's a lot of different spices to buy. Just find it.

Off the Beaten Pasta

This week Sean and I both had something to celebrate (he got some much-deserved attention at work, and I finished a concert stress cycle the weekend prior which was well received. What better for celebration than wine? And food, of course. Wine and food is often our weekend entertainment, as well. And nothing says "good job" or "remember summer?" or "don't forget to pick up the dry-cleaning" like a Sauvignon Blanc. We had been saving a Foffani SB for several months, and it's day was due.

Have you ever noticed how really hard it is to recouperate from being out of town for a weekend? I hadn't done enough laundry to barely leave town and now here I am home again, nothing to wear for Monday. Who cares! Call out for pizza and turn your skibbies inside out! Time enough for groceries on Monday afternoon. So I went to the store blind with some idea of what I wanted. This is it, the unique non-tomato pasta that we love. We have yet to make it according to the recipe, renegades that we are, but it still pleases. It is from the lemon+lime section of Flavours by Donna Hay. All you tomato haters, unite!

Note: I make this without the pancetta or bacon all the time and it makes a great vegetarian meal. Wait, maybe I made it with pancetta once, but still I forget it at the store and make it without.

Spaghetti with Lime and Rocket (Arugula)

16 oz spaghetti or linguine fine
2 T extra virgin olive oil
1 T lime zest
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 red chili (red jalapeno or red pepper flakes will do)
2 T capers
8 slices prosciutto, chopped (or bacon rashers)
5 oz arugula (I hate calling it 'rocket'), sliced in thin ribbons
3 T lime juice
5 oz marinated feta in oil, or goat cheese, or any yummy soft white cheese

Heat up a large saucepan of water for the pasta. While it is coming to a boil, chop your garlic, zest your limes, chop your chili, and save the lime juice in a little bowl for later. Chop the prosciutto. Cook the spaghetti in large saucepan of rapidly boiling water until al dente. Drain.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet or pan over medium heat. Add the lime rind, garlic, chili and capers, cook for 1 minute or until fragrant. (Note: if you are skipping the bacon part, wait until the pasta is almost done to do this part, since you are just adding the pasta and greens to it). If using, add the prosciutto and cook, stirring for 2 minutes or until crisp. Add the pasta to the pan and toss to coat and heat through. To serve, toss the arugula and lime juice through the pasta and pile into serving bowls. Top with the marinated feta or goat cheese, a little of its oil and cracked black pepper. Serves 4.

If using bacon rashers, first figure out what a rasher is, since I don't know. I think any bacon product will work, but rashers for some reason need to have the rind removed before proceeding with the dish.

Quickest Pizza Delivery EVAH!

We are becoming increasingly picky about our pizza. Our dream pizzeria, Zu Roma, we suspect of changing owners and quality, so they are no longer dreamy. Plus, we can only afford it on Mondays (2 for 1!), although Zu Roma will deliver them unbaked and ready for the freezer. We are somewhat satisfied with I Fratelli, but their quality is spotty. One Sunday after returning to town, we even tried the pizza place on our corner. Bad decision.

So, we are back to making our own, which we have loved to do anyway. We made it on a double date in the summer (also a bad idea; Dallas is HOT, and so is our oven-baked apartment all summer long!). It makes for ideal customization, since you can make individual ones with whatever you like.

The crust is the tricky part, but please keep an open mind. There is thick, bready Sicilian style crust, which takes a few hours to rise, and there is thin, manageable crust that whips up pretty quick. I'll post the thick one someday, but for now I'm using the thin one. And let's face it, nothing makes you hungrier for pizza than waiting for pizza. Am I right? Remember all those 45 minute waits in Pizza Hut?

Make this. Eat this.

Quick and Decent Pizza Dough for Thin Crust

(one 12 inch thin-ish crust)

1/4 oz packet of yeast

1/4 t sugar

3/4 c warm water

1 3/4 c flour
1/2 t salt

Dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water (around 110 degrees). If you get the water too warm, it kills the yeast and your dough goes nowhere. Too cool, and you get no action either. Use a thermometer if you're iffy.

Mix flour and salt together in a large bowl and pour yeast water over. Mix with a heavy or wooden spoon. I have even drizzled olive oil into the water before adding, but it is not necessary. Turn out the dough on a floured surface and knead for 2 minutes. At this point you can get let it rest whilst you prepare the toppings, or just roll it out right away. Aim for a 12 inch circle or your desired thickness. Pat it out on a baking sheet that has been greased (to avoid tragedy) and even sprinkled with cornmeal if you have it. From here, you can either top it and bake the whole thing all at once (500 degrees, 8-12 minutes), or toast the crust slightly until it can exist on its own, then top it and put it directly on the oven rack to get nice and toasty.

Got sauce?

(enough for 2 large pizzas, so half it if necessary)

1 medium onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

2 T oil

1/2 qt tomato sauce, or crushed tomatoes

12 oz tomato paste (2 cans?)

dash red wine

1 t salt

1 t oregano

1 t basil

Cook the onion in the oil until soft. Add the garlic, cook till fragrant. Add the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Add everything else and simmer for as long as you can stand it (one hour seems excessive, so just simmer as long as it takes you to prepare everything else.We toppped our pizza that night in two halves: one with sausage (pre cooked) and mushrooms, one with green pepper, olives and mushrooms. The veggie side won that night.

Coocoo for (Cocoa?) Puffs

On most holiday mornings, we experience some sort of let-down. I think this results from years of societal pressure to exalt the "eve" rather than the day. Think of it: all of your Christmas parties and festivities absolutely must conclude before Christmas Eve. When is the largest national party held on television? When is most of the year's champagne holdings consumed? New Year's Eve.

I think we need to plan exciting and anticipated events on the actual day so we don't feel a let down on a holiday. Christmas is about Christmas day, although I much prefer the worshipful attitude of Christmas eve to the hoopla of the following day. But Christmas breakfast... well, there's something for which to be thankful. New Year's morning is filled with meaningless television and (for some) bubbling headaches. What is there to look forward to in that? Breakfast, then, can be the great equalizer, as food can be a comfort. And since I have missed the traditional turkey and dressing at every major holiday this year since Labor Day, I need some culinary stability in my life.

Special Breakfasts have lots of possibilities. Mine are limited, since I hate eggs and milk. But I do love syrup and jam! We made French Breakfast Puffs this morning, from a Southern Living Annual Recipes Cookbook (20th Anniversary Edition). If you've got it, check out page 49; if you don't, here it is. These are so simple, but I absolutely love them. If you forget the nutmeg, you've robbed yourself, as it makes the whole handful of muffin-lovin' worthwhile.

French Breakfast Puffs

1/3 c melted butter (plus more for tops)
1/2 c sugar
1 large egg
1 1/2 c flour, all-purpose
1 1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
1/4 ground nutmeg
1/2 c milk
1/3 c sugar
1/2 t cinnamon
2 T melted butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a muffin tin pan of your choice: miniature muffins work well, baking for 14-16 minutes; regular muffin pans are supposed to bake for 20-25 minutes and only yield 10 muffins, but I don't bake them this long.

Beat first three ingredients in an electric mixer on medium speed until creamy and well blended.

Combine flour and next 3 ingredients; add to butter mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour. Beat at low speed after each addition until blended. Spoon into greased muffin tins.

Bake at 350 for 14-16 minutes (minis) or a bit longer for regular size muffins. Remove from pans immediately.

Combine the 1/3 c sugar and 1/2 t cinnamon in a small bowl, and melt the 2 T butter in another small bowl. Dip the tops of the muffins in the butter then the sugar.