Kerala Shrimp Curry

Most of the time, what I make for you guys is a very personal interpretation of a dish. I think of it like my little fantasy, how I’d like to eat a dish regardless of its origin or culture and using ingredients I can get to. I think everyone that loves to cook does this on some level – cooks things the way they like it. But, there are times when I do crave the original! That’s when I research (eating and reading) and try to recreate it from scratch, adjusting the spice level and seasoning where necessary but keeping to the unadulterated tradition as much as possible, which is the case with this Kerala-style shrimp curry.

This is actually a traditional curry I created for Junoon. I did a ton of research and found out that in the south of India, in Kerala, they use this (very hard to come by) ingredient called kodampuli, which is also called Malabar or smoked tamarind. And smoky is right – it’s used as a souring agent and has a tart, smoky, complex quality that I love! That said, if you can’t find it, kokum or regular tamarind also works really well here to create that tart flavor.

People usually think curries are heavy, and they certainly can be. I know I have to be in a mood to eat them. But not so with this one – despite the coconut milk, this curry feels a lot lighter. The flavors are bright and fresh and not overly spiced. There’s heat from the chilies, depth from the curry leaves, and that brightness from the cilantro. I like to sear the shrimp and develop a nice brown on them before putting them into the curry. Some simply fried shallots create a beautiful crunch on top and spooning this over some warm, basmati rice is pure heaven. Enjoy!

Ingredients
Serves 4

4 pieces kodampuli*

3/4 cup boiling water

1 yellow onion, peeled and roughly chopped

2 shallots, peeled and roughly chopped

1 2.5-inch generous knob of ginger, peeled roughly chopped

8 cloves garlic, peeled

1 Thai green chili, stemmed

5-7 tablespoons coconut oil

2 teaspoons brown mustard seed

1 tsp white cumin seeds

pinch of fennel seeds

10 curry leaves

2-3 dried red chilies

¼ tsp Indian hot chili powder

½ tsp paprika

1 tsp turmeric

1 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp ground cumin

½ tsp garam masala

1 ½ cans coconut milk

1 ½ tsps palm sugar

squeeze of lemon juice

1 ½ lbs shrimp, cleaned and shelled

kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

small handful of cilantro, chopped

fried shallots (optional, as garnish)

grilled lime (optional, as garnish)

Procedure

In a metal or heat safe bowl, pour boiling water over the kodampuli. After 10 minutes, remove one piece from the water. Blend remaining in a blender and strain. Set aside strained liquid and one piece.

To the bowl of a food processor, add the onion, shallot, ginger, garlic, and green chili. Process to a smooth paste.

Heat 3 to 4 tablespoons of coconut oil in a medium pot over medium-high heat. When hot, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, curry leaves, and dried red chilies. Move around in the pot – it will sputter and pop so be careful! Cook for about 30 seconds and then add the onion paste along with all of the dry spices. Cook until the paste dries up and the onions turn golden brown, stirring to make sure it isn’t sticking too much or burning.

Add the single kodampuli, the strained liquid, the coconut milk, and the palm sugar. Lower heat and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes until the sauce thickens. Squeeze in a bit of lemon juice, and adjust the seasoning here adding salt and freshly ground pepper as necessary.

Dry shrimp and season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of coconut oil and sauté shrimp, working in batches if necessary. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, drain of excess oil and then transfer to the pot with the curry.

Add the cilantro to the curry right before serving and remember to remove the hot, dried red chilies so no one eats them! Serve hot, preferably with basmati rice or naan, garnished with fried shallots and a grilled lime.

*Kodampuli is not the easiest to find, so you can substitute kokum or a piece of a tamarind block in its place. You want a relatively tart liquid to flavor the curry.

Quick Use-Your-Veggies Quinoa Soup

I know what you’re thinking. This chick went to Peru and came back plumb-quinoa-crazy since she just posted a quinoa recipe 2 weeks ago. I feel you guys deserve an explanation, so I’m going to level with you. I was actually working on an exciting recipe for some black sesame Arabic donuts with date molasses (sounds pretty delicious, no?), but I had a yeast malfunction issue. TWICE. And after 2 trips to the store in the cold and a bit of heartache (I’m not a yeast novice. I blame the yeast!), I decided to warm myself up with this soup and share it with you guys. Donuts tbd…

I did, in fact, learn a version of quinoa soup in the Sacred Valley in Peru. And I’ve made this soup a few times. What I LOVE about it is that it gives you a chance to use up all of the random vegetables you might have sitting in your fridge. I like to save onion scraps, carrot halves, any little bits of a vegetable – and all of that works well in the soup. Not overcooking the veggies also adds a beautiful, textural crunch.

The soup I had in Peru was super rich, cooked with evaporated milk, egg, and luscious cubes of cheese. I omit the egg, leave the cheese optional here and opt for a bit of heavy cream to thicken instead, but I have to admit the cheese is an amaaaazing part of the soup. It’s so warm and comforting and really pops with flavor (while you get your protein punch from the quinoa). If you keep cooked quinoa in your fridge like I do, this takes no time to make – 15 minutes (half an hour if you have to make the quinoa). Either way, this is a perfect winter weeknight meal – enjoy!

Ingredients

Serves 4 to 6

2-3 tbsps olive oil

1 red onion, finely chopped

1 jalapeno, finely chopped

2 scallions, thinly sliced

1 ½ cups finely chopped mixed vegetables (carrot, celery, zucchini, etc.)

4 to 6 garlic cloves, minced

4 cups cooked quinoa*

2 quarts vegetable or chicken stock

1 cup cubed Monterey jack cheese (optional)

½ cup heavy cream

Handful of fresh cilantro, roughly chopped

salt and freshly ground black pepper

Procedure

Heat a medium-sized pot over medium heat. Add olive oil and throw in the red onion and jalapeno as well as a bit of salt to draw out the moisture. Cook for a few minutes until the red onions start to turn translucent. Add in the scallions and mixed vegetables. You want to cook for another few minutes but you want the vegetables to retain some crunch (so don’t overcook).

Add the garlic and sauté another 30 seconds and then throw in the quinoa and stock. Bring the mixture up to a boil and then lower to a simmer. Add in the cheese, if using, and the heavy cream and simmer for another 2 minutes so the flavors come together. Add the cilantro and season to taste.

*As a rule of thumb, I assume quinoa triples in size. So I made 1 1/3 cups of quinoa (in 2 2/3 cups water) for this recipe.

My Classic Braised Short Ribs

Inevitably, there are certain dishes in a cook’s culinary arsenal that get whipped out from time to time and become their signature. It’s usually something that’s a big crowd pleaser, that they can basically do in their sleep, and that fools others into thinking they slaved for hours making it. The dish often becomes something close friends (close enough to get repeat dishes) associate that cook with, and other friends (who may not get the repeat) leave asking for a detailed recipe. For me, and you can ask any of my friends, it’s my classic braised short ribs (I know, not exactly exotic, but damn good).

I happened to serve these at Thanksgiving this year, and, like any cook who is cooking from muscle memory and not a recipe, I decided to tweak my method a bit based on timing, what’s on hand. I thought my short ribs were already delicious but this version outdid all the previous ones! SO the time has come for me to actually write this recipe down, and I’m now sharing it with you.

When you look at any classic short rib recipe, there are some basic truths – sear the ribs, cook vegetables down, add wine and stock, simmer for hours. Most of the recipes start with the ribs, salt and freshly ground pepper and go from there – and they are fantastic. But what I did differently this year was simple – I marinated the ribs in some onions and garlic and a few spices the night before I cooked them…and it just took this dish to the next level! This has now become my classic braised short ribs – rich, red wine-infused, flavorful, fall completely and utterly off the bone….Enjoy!

Ingredients

Serves 4 to 6

For the marinade:

1 onion, quartered

8 garlic cloves

1 small red chili pepper

1 ½ tsps whole black peppercorns

2 tsps Spanish paprika

¾ tsp onion powder

1 tsp garlic powder

¾ cup of vegetable oil

5 lbs short ribs, bone-in (5 to 6 ribs)

For the braise:

2 medium onions, cut into a medium dice

1 leek, thickly sliced

1 stalk celery, cut into a medium dice

5 – 6 garlic cloves, minced

1 small plum tomato, roughly chopped

1 cup red wine

small bunch thyme

1-2 fresh bay leaves

3 ½ cups chicken stock

2-4 tbsps heavy cream (optional)

vegetable oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Procedure

In the bowl of a food processor, add the onion, garlic, chili pepper, black peppercorns and ground spices. Pulse until finely chopped, scraping down the sides. With the food processor on, stream in the vegetable oil until a uniform paste forms. Place short ribs in a resealable plastic bag and toss in the marinade. Try to remove as much air as possible before resealing. Move ribs around until all are coated with the marinade. Refrigerate for a minimum of 6 hours.

Preheat oven to 325° F.

Remove ribs from the marinade, wiping off all excess (should be dry). Let ribs come to room temperature. Season all sides generously with salt and freshly ground pepper.

Heat a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over high heat. Sear ribs in the pan for about 2 minutes per side to develop a nice brown. You don’t want to overcrowd the pan, so it’s best to work in batches of 2 to 3 ribs at a time. Set ribs aside and drain pan of any excess oil.

Turn heat down to medium-low and add onions, leeks, and celery with a bit of salt to draw out the moisture. You want to cook the vegetables until they have softened and the onions are translucent, about 7 to 9 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds and then throw in the chopped tomato. Cook for another 2 minutes.

Add red wine and use your wooden spoon or spatula to scrape the bottom of the pan. You want to dislodge all of the brown bits from the bottom of the pan so they really flavor the cooking liquid. Let the red wine simmer and reduce until the vegetables are almost dry.

Nestle the browned ribs back in the pot amongst the vegetables. Don’t forget to throw in any accumulated juices from the plate where you were resting the ribs as well. Add in the thyme, bay leaves, and chicken stock and increase the heat to bring it all up to a boil.

Immediately, cover tightly with a lid or foil-line and then place a lid on top. Place pot in the oven and cook for 3 to 3 ½ hours until the meat is fork tender (or basically falling off the bone…). Season to taste.

Now, these are absolutely delicious like this. You have a number of choices depending on what kind of time you have:

(1) You can serve as is with a bit of the cooking liquid (thin). Completely delicious.

(2) You can remove the ribs and skim off as much fat from the top of the cooking liquid using a ladle. Then, reduce the liquid by half over a medium flame, strain through a mesh strainer into another pan, and add heavy cream to thicken. The ribs can be simmered in this if you want to heat them up a bit.

(3) This is what I like to do. I like to make the night before and cool the ribs in the cooking liquid. The fat solidifies in the fridge, so it’s really easy to spoon off. Then, I just follow #2. I love to just throw the ribs back into the strained sauce and reheat.

Saffron Fried Chicken

Is there anything more satisfying than biting into a salty, flavorful, crisp piece of fried chicken? I know I have a particular weakness for the stuff (umm, it’s my post-workout week splurge) and if I head down to visit my family in Florida, driving by a particular chain that starts with a “P” and has the same name as an old children’s cartoon and NOT hitting the drive-thru is next to impossible. Perfecting fried chicken is not easy, and it’s taken me years, a bit of a fried chicken connoisseur myself, to create a recipe that I’m fully happy with. Of course, leaving it well alone is not an option, so I created my own twist with saffron.

A friend of mine gave me this beautiful gift of Persian saffron that I am treasuring and using sparingly. Saffron is used in a lot of Middle Eastern and South Asian marinades, oftentimes with yoghurt, and it complements the flavor of chicken amazingly. Fried chicken was my perfect reason to break into the saffron stash.

So the reality is that there are a few (worthwhile!) steps here. I marinate the chicken in saffron buttermilk that serves to brine the chicken, make it even juicier, and deeply infuse it with all of the marinade ingredients – a pinch of saffron, garlic, a touch of mustard. I then double dip the chicken to create a super-crisp crust, and let it air-dry while the meat loses its chill. Finally, frying at the perfect temperature ensures fried chicken nirvana – crisp, flavorful, aromatic, tender and juicy. Enjoy!

Ingredients

Yields 3 to 4 servings

1 (3 to 4 lb) broiler / fryer chicken, cut into 8 pieces

Marinade / Brine:

3 cups buttermilk

1 generous pinch saffron

2 eggs

3 cloves garlic

½ tsp dijon mustard

2 tbsps kosher salt

1 tbsp sugar

Crust:

1 cup all purpose flour

½ cup cornstarch

1 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp black pepper

1 ½ tsps garlic powder

1 ½ tsps onion powder

1 tsp paprika

pinch of cayenne pepper

Vegetable shortening or oil for frying

Procedure

In a small saucepan, heat a ½ cup of the buttermilk until it comes up to a simmer. Add saffron and switch off heat. Let it sit for 10 minutes.

Pour this mixture along with the remaining buttermilk and the rest of the marinade ingredients into a blender and blend on high until smooth. Place chicken in a bowl or casserole dish and cover with the marinade. Refrigerate for a minimum of 6 hours and up to 24.

In a large bowl, paper or plastic bag, combine the crust ingredients thoroughly. Remove chicken from marinade and place in a colander for a few minutes to drain, reserving the marinade. Dredge or shake chicken pieces individually in the flour mixture and place on a wire rack fitted over a baking sheet.

Dip chicken once more in the marinade, letting any excess drip off. Coat again in the flour mixture and place back on the wire rack. Let chicken sit on the rack for an hour to dry / come up to room temperature.

In a large, heavy-bottomed pot, heat 2 inches of oil to 350º F. You actually want to fry the chicken at 325º F for the entire time, but the temperature will drop once you add it in. Place chicken in the hot oil and fry for 13 to 17 minutes making sure the temperature stays at 325º F. I like to take the wings out at 13 minutes , and fry the rest between 15 and 17 minutes depending on the size of the pieces and the type of meat. White meat cooks faster than the dark meat, and fatter pieces will cook slower. If the juices run clear, the chicken is cooked through.

Serve hot! It can be held uncovered in a 250º F oven to stay warm, but it’s preferable to serve immediately.

Smoky Lamb Burgers w/ Mint-Chili Pickled Cucumbers

Smoky Lamb Burgers with Mint-Chili Pickled Cucumbers

Does anyone else have summer fever? I seriously have been dreaming about barbecues for months, and now that it’s upon us I’m living for summer Sundays, hanging with friends and family and eating simple, flavorful meals that can be done on the grill. The recipe for these smoky lamb burgers came out of wanting to create a kicked-up burger that was no-fuss and would taste delicious with an ice-cold beer…

I have two (not one, but TWO) secret ingredients in this burger that give it that smoky, peppery edge. The first is black cardamom, which you may remember me writing about a few months back. The flavor is a bit lighter than green cardamom – earthier and with a woodsy smokiness. Black cardamom is used throughout North and East African cooking, in South Asian and Middle Eastern cuisine, and even in Sichuan cooking.

But, don’t worry if you only have the green kind. It works beautifully here as well because there is still the second secret ingredient: pimentón de la Vera. If you’ve never used it before, this dish is a great intro – it’s smoked paprika and is a key ingredient in Spanish cooking. Both of these spices meld together here and bring out what’s best about lamb.

Now, I’m a burger-with-pickles kind of gal, so I had to do a super quick pickle (ready in an hour!) to go with these. Thinly sliced cucumbers get quick-pickled with Thai green chilies, some fresh mint, garlic and thinly sliced shallots. The shallots pickle too, so I use both along with some fresh chopped mint and a nice piece of butter lettuce to top this burger. And these burgers are not for the faint of heart – they are big and bold! Feel free to turn this recipe into sliders or more modestly-sized patties if you so desire. Smoky, earthy, juicy lamb burgers with mint- and chili-pickled cucumbers on a gorgeously toasted bun is the perfect summer bbq food (and I WILL be serving these this weekend…) Enjoy!

Ingredients

Serves 4

Lamb Burgers:

6 tbsps butter

2 shallots, finely chopped

4-5 garlic cloves, minced

2 tsps ground black cardamom*

1 ½ tsps black pepper

2 tsps cayenne**

2 ½ tsps pimentón / smoked paprika

1 tbsp kosher salt

2 lbs ground lamb

vegetable oil

Mint-Chili Pickled Cucumbers:

¾ cup rice vinegar

¾ tsp kosher salt

1 ¼ tsps sugar

2 Thai chilies, halved

1 shallot, thinly sliced

2 garlic cloves thinly sliced

2 mini seedless cucumbers, sliced thin

handful of mint, roughly torn

Procedure

For the lamb, in a medium skillet, heat butter over medium heat. Swirl the pan as the foam subsides and continue to heat until butter starts to brown. Don’t let it burn! Immediately, throw in the shallots, garlic and spices and cook stirring continuously to prevent sticking for 2 to 3 minutes until shallots are translucent and cooked through. Remove and let cool briefly.

Place lamb in a bowl and make a well in the center. Add cooled shallot and spice mixture and mix thoroughly. Do not overmix or the meat will get tough. Form mixture into 4 equal patties, keeping the center a bit thinner than the edges. Conversely, you can make this mixture up to a day ahead of time and the flavors will come together even more beautifully.

Heat a grill pan or skillet over medium-high heat and coat with a thin layer of oil or grill on the outdoor grill. Cook for about 4 minutes per side to get to a medium rare and longer for more well-cooked burgers.

For the cucumbers, in a bowl, whisk together vinegar, salt and sugar until dissolved. Add remaining ingredients and toss to coat. I like to put the cucumbers in a wider, shallow container to increase the surface area as they are pickling. Let sit at least an hour before serving, but it can also be refrigerated and will keep for a few days.

Serve burgers on a toasted bun topped with the pickled cucumbers and a few of the pickled shallots.

*I use my spice grinder to grind the whole pods of black cardamom, and then I pass it through a fine mesh sieve to get rid of the coarse bits. If you only have green cardamom on hand, that works; it’s still delicious.

**Go easier if you like less heat.

Smoked Herring Croquettes

One of the infinitely amazing things about living in New York City is the rich food culture and history we have. There are grocers or markets or shops to cover every ethnic cuisine, and, if you are a boutique food shopper like me, there is so much pleasure to be derived from sourcing ingredients, exploring shops, and developing your “go-to’s”.

If you live in the city and haven’t been to the Lower East Side institution, Russ and Daughters, you are missing out on some world famous smoked salmon and one of the best sources for Eastern European Jewish foods. The shop has been around since 1914, and they have everything from hand-rolled bagels and spreads to caviar and halvah.

This is another recipe I developed for the event I’m cooking for in April. Smoked herring is eaten throughout the Caribbean, and Russ and Daughters has some lovely, really woodsy fillets. I was inspired by a Haitian dish that has smoked herring in a Creole sauce to create these crisp and fluffy croquettes. I’m still working on a recipe for a Creole ketchup of sorts to dip these into so look out for that, but these would be delicious with an aioli, a mustard-based sauce, or just by themselves.

I love using beautiful Yukon gold potatoes in croquettes like these. You get all of the flavor of the smoked herring, which is pretty intense (warning: use gloves when handling the herring unless you want your hands to smell like them for days…), but the potatoes lend a pillowy lightness. You can bread them in Panko if you like, but I went for old-school Progresso plain breadcrumbs to get the texture I wanted. Crispness followed by a delicate bite, smoky, salty, a touch of heat…these are fantastic as hors d’oeuvres but could be made bigger or flatter into a cake and pan-fried for a great appetizer or entrée. Enjoy!

Ingredients

Yields approximately 2 dozen croquettes

2 medium-sized Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and quartered

2 smoked herring fillets*

2-3 tbsps unsalted butter

1 shallot, finely diced

½ habanero, minced

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 green onion, finely minced

1 ½ tbsps cilantro, finely chopped

1 egg yolk

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1 egg, beaten

½ cup plain breadcrumbs

Frying oil

Procedure

In a saucepan or small pot, cover potatoes with cold water by 1 inch. Bring up to a boil and boil, uncovered, for 20 minutes until very tender. Drain and set aside.

In another medium-sized saucepan, bring water up to a simmer. Add herring filets and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, just until cooked through. Remove and drain / dry off thoroughly. Flake into a bowl and set aside.

Heat a small sauté pan over medium-low heat. Add butter. Once foam subsides, add diced shallot, habanero and a pinch of salt to draw out the moisture. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes until shallot is translucent. Add garlic and cook for another 30 seconds to a minute and remove from heat.

In a bowl, mash potatoes. Add flaked herring, shallot mixture, minced green onion, chopped cilantro and egg yolk. Combine thoroughly and season to taste.

To form the croquettes, I like to use a small ice cream scoop or medium melon baller to get uniform pieces. Then, I use my hands to shape them into balls.

Set up a breading station with a bowl each for the egg and breadcrumbs. Dip croquettes in the egg and then coat with breadcrumbs, shaking off any excess.

In a dutch oven or pot, heat 3 to 4 inches of oil to 360° F. Carefully, drop croquettes into the oil, working in batches. Fry until a deep golden brown and remove to a paper towel-lined plate.

Serve warm with dipping sauce of your choice.

*The smoked herring fillets I got were deboned for the most part (except for a few pin bones). They also were not extremely salty. If you are using salt-crusted or salt-cured smoked herring, you want to soak the herring in several changes of boiling water to remove some of the saltiness. Again, use gloves when handling unless you want to smell like smoky fish for days…

Crab & Callaloo Quiche

So I’ve been flushing out dishes for an event for April. The event is for Heifer International and honors their Pass on the Gift tradition, specifically for their Haiti projects. It’s an incredible organization that promotes sustainable solutions for impoverished families worldwide, and I’m really excited to be involved with them.

I’m designing some Haitian-inspired dishes for the event, and this one comes from a popular West Indian side called callaloo, made from the eponymous greens. The greens are the leaves of the dasheen bush or taro plant and are also used in Pacific Island and Asian cooking. They can be found at West Indian markets but swiss chard, spinach and even collards make a great substitute here.

Callaloo, the side, is thick and stew-like with roots tracing back to West Africa. The greens are flavored with salt pork, shallots or onions, garlic, ginger, habanero pepper and bouillon. The mixture is roughly blended and coconut milk is used to thin it out. Oftentimes, crab is added, and it’s such a rich, distinctive dish. I was eating a spinach and bacon quiche one day, and the callaloo just mentally translated. I had to see what would happen if I changed its form.

My husband went a bit nuts for this, I have to admit. He grew up eating callaloo and couldn’t get over how the flavor of the dish could transplant into a quiche. The greens, the crab, a salty porkiness, garlicky and heat from the chilies – it’s an exciting combination. Oh, and this crust recipe, though involved as most tart shells are, is pretty easy and foolproof as far as crusts go – crunchy, buttery and neutral (could definitely work for sweet applications). It’s my go-to crust. Enjoy!

Ingredients

Crust:

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

¾ tsp salt

¼ tsp sugar

1 stick unsalted butter, cold and cut into small cubes

1 egg

1 tsp water

Filling:

1 slice thick-cut bacon, cut into small dice

½ habanero pepper, seeded and ribs removed, minced

1 small shallot, cut into a small dice

¼ tsp minced ginger

2 or 3 cloves garlic, minced

1 bunch callaloo, spinach, or swiss chard, roughly chopped, blanched and squeezed of excess water* (equivalent to 1/3rd cup cooked)

¼ lb peekytoe, lump, or jumbo lump crabmeat

1 scallion, finely chopped

1 tsp fresh thyme, finely chopped

1 tbsp cilantro, finely chopped

1 egg

2 egg yolks

3/4 cups coconut milk

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Procedure

Preheat oven to 375° F.

For the crust, in a food processor, pulse together flour, salt and sugar. Scatter the cold cubes of butter over the dry ingredients and pulse until the butter is cut in and the texture looks like sandy peas or a coarse meal. In a small bowl, lightly beat together the egg and water. Add in increments, pulsing, until the dough sticks together. There will still be a lot of crumbly bits that haven’t incorporated – that’s okay.

Turn the dough out onto a work surface or a piece of parchment paper. LIGHTLY, knead the dough to make sure everything is incorporated. I literally just press it together a bit. Place into plastic wrap and create a flattened disk. Refrigerate for a minimum of 2 to 3 hours (and up to a day).

On a floured work surface or in between pieces of parchment paper (with flour), carefully roll out the dough with a rolling pin until uniform thickness and large enough for a 9 or 9 ½ inch tart shell. Carefully transfer to the greased tart shell and press carefully into the sides. Try not to stretch the dough at all. Trim any excess edges and dock or prick holes all over the surface of the dough with a fork. Wrap shell in plastic wrap and freeze for a minimum of a half hour.

Remove tart shell from freezer and plastic wrap and place on a baking sheet. Fit a piece of parchment paper on the surface of the dough and weight down with dried beans or baking weights. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove baking weights or beans and parchment paper and bake for another 10 minutes to brown. Let cool slightly.

Turn oven temperature down to 350° F.

For the filling, heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add bacon and brown. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Turn heat down to medium-low, and add pepper, shallot and ginger. Add a touch of salt to draw out the moisture. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes until shallots are translucent. Add garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant. Remove to a bowl and let cool.

Add to the shallot mixture, the browned bacon, blanched callaloo, crab, scallion, thyme and cilantro. Mix thoroughly and season to taste.

In a separate bowl, beat together egg, egg yolks and coconut milk and lightly season.

Spread crab and callaloo mixture evenly over the bottom of the tart shell. Pour egg / coconut milk mixture evenly on top. Bake for 25 minutes. The edges should be firm and the middle slightly jiggly.

*Callaloo should NOT be eaten raw. It contains a toxin, calcium oxalate, that can cause itching and constriction of the throat. Always cook callaloo thoroughly before consuming. To blanch the callaloo or other greens, bring water in a medium-sized pot up to a boil. Add a great deal of salt. Also, prepare an ice bath (a bowl with ice and cold water). Add callaloo to pot. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Strain and plunge into the ice bath to stop cooking. Remember to wring out any excess water from the greens.

Lamb Biryani

So I’m going to disclaim this recipe by pointing out that I generally try to showcase recipes that are relatively easy to recreate in the home. But every now and then, in order to achieve that superlative dish or in keeping with the authenticity of a food, the recipe requires a little more blood, sweat and tears…this happens to be one of those. The spice list alone is daunting! It looks like the kitchen sink (of spices, so to speak) is thrown in here but I swear that it is all additive to the flavor…

My mother-in-law is to blame. You see, this is a celebratory food, had at weddings or other special occasions, and so a lot of time and care is taken with the preparation. She had this at our wedding celebration a few years back and recently developed a craving. I promised to show her how to make this and so created this slightly modified recipe for her (yes, it could get even MORE complicated).

The dish originated in Persia but was brought by traders to South Asia where it’s been popularized. It’s eaten all over the region as well as in the Middle East. There are a million different versions out there – meat, chicken, mutton, game, fish, vegetables, potatoes, egg, different spices, nuts, and dried fruits. Each family has its own secret ingredients and preferences, and I’m sharing mine with you…

At first glance, this looks a lot like pilau, but the flavors are completely different. This is a layered casserole – with a rich thick meat stew forming the base and rice, fried onions, nuts, saffron and other spices layered on top. The dish is rich and heady, not so much from heat but the spice blend packs a punch. The meat is cooked until falling apart, the fried onions a bit crispy, soft rice texture and then some crunch from the almonds. This is the type of dish that sits in the fridge and can be eaten for days as its taste improves…enjoy!

Ingredients

3 lbs trimmed boned lamb shoulder or beef chuck, cut into 1 ½- to 2-inch cubes

2 medium white onions, cut into thick strips

4 black peppercorns

4 cloves

2 cinnamon sticks

3 black cardamom pods, cracked open

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp nigella seeds

½ tsp aniseed

1 tsp dill seeds

2 crushed, dried bay leaves

2 pinches of saffron

1 tsp garlic powder

¾ tsp turmeric

1 ½ tsps chili powder

¾ tsp ground fenugreek

1 tsp ground cumin

½ tsp ground coriander

½ tsp paprika

1 or 2 green chilies, finely chopped (jalapeno or serrano)

6 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsps ginger, minced

2 plum tomatoes, chopped

1 cup chicken, beef or lamb stock

1/3 cup yoghurt, beaten*

¾ cup milk

8 to 10 mint leaves, chopped

Large handful of cilantro, chopped

lemon juice to taste

3 ½ cups of rice, half-cooked with 1 clove, 2 peppercorns, 1 cinnamon stick, and 1 black cardamom**

¾ cup sliced almonds, toasted

2 tsps black cumin seeds, toasted

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Canola oil

Procedure

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Heat a dutch oven or other heavy bottomed pot that has a fitted lid over medium-high heat. Season cubed lamb or beef generously with salt and pepper. Add a few tbsps of oil to coat the bottom of the pan, and sear the meat for 2 minutes per side in batches to avoid overcrowding the pot. You want to develop a nice brown and overcrowding will steam the meat. Remove to a plate and set aside.

Turn heat down slightly, and add the onions to the same pot. You want to brown the onions to develop the signature taste of biryani. Cooking time will vary for this, but it takes about 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove onions to a separate plate.

Add all of the whole and ground spices (use only 1 pinch of the saffron), chilies, garlic and ginger and cook for 3 to 4 minutes being careful not to burn (reduce heat if necessary). You are looking for a change in the smell, a toasted nuttiness that will signify the spices are cooked.

Add back in the meat (along with any juices), half of the onions (reserving the other half for later), as well as the tomato and stock. Bring mixture up to a boil, cover tightly and place in the oven. Cook for an hour. Remove from the oven, stir in the beaten yoghurt, and place back in the oven for another 30 minutes.

In the meantime, heat the milk in a small saucepan over medium heat until simmering. Add the saffron and turn off the heat. The saffron should infuse the liquid with its flavor and color, and we are going to pour this over the rice at the end.

Remove pot from the oven, place on the stovetop, take off the lid, and simmer on medium uncovered for another 5 to 10 minutes. You want to remove any excess liquid as the resulting stew should be pretty thick. Add in the chopped mint and cilantro (reserving some for garnish), add lemon juice and season to taste.

Layer half of the partially cooked rice right on top of the meat mixture. Cover with the remaining browned onions, half of the toasted almonds, and chopped herbs. Create another layer with the rest of the rice. Pour the saffron-milk mixture all over the top. Add the remaining toasted almonds as well as the black cumin seeds and chopped herbs. Cover tightly and place back in the oven for another 20 to 25 minutes until the rice is cooked through.

*It is a well-known “secret” that beating yoghurt with a whisk before adding it to a curry or stew will prevent it from breaking.

**When you partially cook the rice, remember to season with salt generously and include some of the whole spices for added flavor. If you are boiling or using a rice cooker, strain any excess water before adding it to the meat mixture.

Berbere-Spiced Lamb Chops

So I made this recipe (1) because it tastes ridiculously good, (2) because I’m also doing these for my holiday party this week so thought I would kill 2 birds with 1 stone and (3) because I thought I might be able to come up with an adequate substitute for berbere for those with limited access to ethnic food stores. #3 is giving me a really hard time.

Berbere is a key ingredient in Ethiopian cooking. It gives their stews that blood-red color and signature spiced flavor. Berbere comes in a ground form that’s a complex blend of dried chilies, garlic, ginger and red onion with such spices as fenugreek, ajwain, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, cumin, nutmeg, black pepper, turmeric…Sometimes it’s mixed with red wine to form a paste. Like masala, it’s a subjective blend, and I am still perfecting mine…

Berbere as a dry rub on lamb chops is just heavenly. This dish is truly elegant and sinfully easy to make, particularly for a party. The chops come out a bit charred with a smoky, red pepper flavor, a bit garlicky with hints of the spice blend. I gave a quick and dirty substitute (without measurements) below, but I would advise going and tasting the real thing. Either pick up a packet of the spice at a local ethnic store or online or even walk into an Ethiopian restaurant and ask for a bit to try. Enjoy!

Ingredients

Serves 4

2 tsps berbere*

½ tsp ground mustard

¼ tsp finely ground black pepper

½ tsp garlic powder

kosher salt

1 rack of lamb, frenched and cut into single or double chops

olive oil

Procedure

Preheat oven to 400° F.

Combine berbere, ground mustard, pepper, and garlic powder. Rub onto chops. Season both sides with salt as desired. Let chops sit for about a half hour until they come up to room temperature.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add enough olive oil to thinly coat the bottom of the pan. Place chops in pan and cook 4 minutes each side for double chops and 2 to 3 minutes each side for single chops for medium rare.

Finish in the oven to desired level of doneness.

*To approximate, start with dried New Mexican chilies, which are a great base for the blend. I would seed and rib and then blend to a powder. Mix with a touch of paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, fenugreek, cumin, coriander, cardamom, black pepper, and ajwain if you have it. Good luck!

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