Category: Recipes by Ingredient + Prep

Recipes by Ingredient

Cauliflower Pilaf

Adapted from delicious. Magazine

Ingredients:
cauliflower, cut into florets
3 cups of basmati rice
4 tbsps of curry powder
3 cups of vegetable stock
1 onion, finely chopped
2 bay leaves
1 cinnamon stick
a handful of cilantro leaves, finely chopped
oil

1. Heat oil in a large skillet. Cook onions until soft. Add cauliflower and rice and cook, while stirring, for 5 minutes. Add curry powder and cook for another minute. Add stock, bay leaves and cinnamon and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook for about 15 minutes, or until rice is cooked and all water has been absorbed.
2. Fluff rice with a fork and sprinkle with cilantro.

Grilled Squid with Parsley and Caper Salad

Adapted from a delicious. Magazine recipe using caperberry

Ingredients:
4 squid hoods, cleaned
1 small bottle of capers
a handful of flat parsley, finely chopped
1 preserved lemon, sliced thinly
red wine vinegar
croutons
olive oil

1. Rub the squid all over with olive oil. Heat a chargrilled pan and cook for 3 minutes per side. Remove from heat, drizzle with more olive oil and sprinkle with some of the parsley.
2. Combine the rest of the parsley with the lemon slices, capers and croutons. Toss with red wine vinegar and serve with the squid.

Italy: Cianbotta or Cianfotta

Lisa’s dad said that this Italian version of ratatouille has two names, depending on whether you live in the south of Italy or the north. Whether you grew up calling it cianbotta or cianfotta, it means “tasteful and colorful.” It’s a rural dish that farm folks learned to make after experiencing the hardships caused by the second World War. Lisa’s mom remembers this as very delicious and nutritious; the vegetables taking the place of meat, which was unaffordable during those times. Even though the recipe still represents poverty to a lot of the older generation, it’s a comfort food that evokes unforgettable childhood memories. Harold McGee recommends you salt the eggplant pieces after you slice them. This draws out the moisture and collapses their spongy texture, so they don’t absorb all the oil when you start cooking them.

Ingredients:
1 large red bell pepper
6 small red-skinned potatoes
3 plum tomatoes
1 zucchini
1 eggplant
1 large onion
a handful of fresh basil leaves
olive oil, salt and pepper

1. Cut all vegetables into 1/4-inch pieces. In a small pot, boil potatoes in salted water until half cooked. Set aside.
2. Heat oil in a large skillet. Add onions and cook until soft. Add potatoes and peppers. Cook for about 10 minutes on low heat. Add the rest of the vegetables including the basil. Add salt and pepper to taste.
3. Cook until vegetables are soft, about 15 minutes. Enjoy as a side dish or as a main course, served with fresh Italian garlic bread.

Related post/s:
About Cooking the World: Global Gastronomy Food Project
Ratatouille is the French version

Kofta, Lamb Tagine

Adapted from delicious. Magazine

Ingredients:
2 pounds ground lamb
2 large onions, 1 finely chopped, the other grated
2 tbsps flat parsley, finely chopped
2 tbsp coriander, grounded
1 can chopped tomatoes
4 eggs
1 garlic clove
2 tbsps cilantro, finely chopped
1 tbsp cumin, grounded
a pinch of saffron
juice of 1 lemon
olive oil, salt and pepper

1. Make the spice paste: pound garlic to a purée with a pinch of salt using a mortar and pestle. Add cilantro, grated onion, cumin and saffron and work into a paste. Stir in lemon juice. Set aside.
2. In a glass bowl, mix lamb with chopped onion, parsley and coriander and salt and pepper. Make meatballs with your hands.
3. In a large and deep skillet, heat oil over medium-heat. Brown meatballs, remove and set aside. Add paste and stir for a minute until aromatic. Return meatballs, add tomatoes and simmer over low heat for about 30 minutes until meatballs are cooked and sauce thickened.
4. Crack eggs on top for the final 5 minutes. Top with cilantro leaves before serving.

Related post/s:
Chicken tagine

Moules Marinieres

I love making this mussels dish because it only takes a splash of white wine and some herbs I usually have handy anyway.

Ingredients:
1 bag of mussels, about 2 pounds, beard and barnacles cleaned and scraped off
1 cup dry white wine
2 shallots, chopped
2 tbsps unsalted butter
a handful of flat parsley, chopped

1. Put the shallots and white wine into a large stainless steel pot. Add the mussels and cover. Steam them over high heat until the mussels have opened, about 5 minutes. Shake the pot to be sure that all the mussels are cooked.
2. Drain the mussels into a large bowl, saving the liquid. Discard unopened mussels. Return the liquid to the pot and bring to a boil. Add the butter and chopped parsley. Pour this sauce over the mussels and serve immediately.