food inspired by the news

[alumanate]

Soba w/ Soft Boiled Egg (Japan) 8/11/15

This is a real easy, 20 minute, throw it together meal and it’s delicious. Just make sure to have sesame seeds and soba sauce on hand. I usually add green onion but opted for a twist with peas this time.

[alumanate]

Kofta AKA Kebabs (Iraq) 8/6/15

My wife requested meat for the first time in 20 years! So I had to make a meal befitting a queen. She was craving hamburgers, so I made her one even better, beef kebabs with onions, garlic, parsley, nutmeg, all spice, salt, pepper, and a pinch of sugar. All topped with homemade Tahini. She loved it!

[alumanate]

Sabih, Tahini, Zhoug, Pureed Beets & Labneh (Iraq) 8/5/15

We had traditional Iraqi food for dinner tonight and it was delicious. My father’s family is from Iraq so this food comes natural to me. Sabih is the whole dish with fried eggplant, hard-boiled eggs, tahini and all the fixins. The zhoug is a spicy herb paste, and the pureed beets had za’atar which added a nice texture. This would be an epic brunch meal!

[alumanate]

Thai Red Lentil Soul w/ Chile Oil (Thailand) 7/27/15

The chile oil you see drizzled on this soup was hand-made from many peppers and spices, it was a delicious kick to the creamy and fresh soup. The soup itself required visits to the local Thai market, Bangkok Market on Melrose and a Mexian market for the red lentils. Lemongrass, curry paste, coconut milk, ginger, red chiles, and star anise made this soup flavorful and delicious. 

[alumanate]

Persian Sweet & Sour Fish (Iran) 7/16/15

Start with onions and coriander cook for a few minutes, add red and yellow peppers cook for a few more, then add garlic, bay leaves, tomatoes, and curry powder and cook for a few more, then add sugar, cider vinegar, salt, and pepper and cook for a few more.

Dust the Wild Alaskan Cod in flour, then coat in eggs and fry for a few minutes, add it to the pan of veggies and put it in the oven for a few minutes. Boom! Delicious fish for days!

[alumanate]

Shirin Polo AKA Saffron & Herbed Rice (Iran) 7/15/15

This recipe from my favorite chef, Ottolenghi is a twist on the traditional Shirin Polo from Iran. It calls for Barberries, a sweet currant like dried fruit - we used currants soaked in lemon juice and sugar because even Whole Foods doesn’t carry barberries. Also a lot of herbs, saffron and pistachios. It was a great rice dish that would pair well with lamb, vegetables or fish. Both my wife and I loved it for days. 

[alumanate]

Bourou-Bourou AKA Spicy Vegetable Soup (Greece) 7/13/15

Start with a mix of onions (green onion, red onion, white onion, sweet onion) - cook, add jalapenos and/or spicy red pepper - cook, add leeks - cook, add potatoes, parsnips and carrots - cook, add veggie broth - cook, add vegetables (summer squash, zucchini, peeled and seeded tomatoes, baby bok choy, corn) - cook, finally add fresh herbs (ginger, sage, parsley, thyme) in with a string or in a metal colander - cook. The great thing about soup is you can slow cook it for hours and it just gets better. For Bourou-Bourou you should add some pasta and then... Eat!

[alumanate]

Mushroom & Pea Pappardelle w/ Homemade Pink Sauce (Italy) 7/11/15

I love when Italy is in the news. Italian food was the first I learned to cook and I’m still learning. I made a pink sauce with fresh tomatoes, onions, carrots, basil, oregano, milk, and spices. Then topped off the Pappardelle with fried mushrooms and peas. Pappardelle, a flatter and wider noodle than fettuccine, comes from the root word ‘gobble up’ in Italian. And gobble it up we did!

[alumanate]

Pomelo Sweet Relish (Vietnam) 7/8/15

The pomelo pictured here (lemon for scale) is the South East Asian cousin of the grapefruit. We put this sweet relish made from the Pomelo and inspired by Vietnamese cuisine on brussels sprouts but it could be used for desserts as well. The cinnamon, star anise, lemon juice, and sugar made it a delicious flavorful treat.

[alumanate]

Turkey & Zucchini Burger & French Fries (U.S.A.) 6/26/15

I made a twist on the typical American meal. The turkey burgers had grated Zucchini, cilantro, cumin and green onion and were cooked in oil first and then finished in the oven. The French Fries were Russet Potatoes fried in Sunflower Oil, fried to perfection and topped off with garlic salt. 

[alumanate]

Braised Quail (India) 6/23/15

Quail is tricky to eat because of the numerous small bones, but if you like duck, it’s worth a try. They retain flavor well and have that rich gamey taste. This recipe called for Tamarind which made it inherently Indian. It was sweet and delicious. 

[alumanate]

Macaroni Bechamel (Egypt) 6/16/15

You wouldn’t conclude that a dish like Macaroni Bechamel is inherently Egyptian but it most certainly is! I imagine there were Greek and Italian immigrants in Egypt who colluded on this dish. There’s savory herbs and garlic in it, as well as sweet spices like cinnamon and nutmeg. I substituted the traditional ground beef for lentils so my wife could partake. 

[alumanate]

Domatesli Pilav (Turkey) 6/7/15

Domatesli Pilav AKA Tomato Pilaf AKA Red Rice is simple to make and goes well with so many dishes. I’ve probably been making this dish for 10 years but occasionally look for new recipes. This one found in The New Book of Middle Eastern Food by Claudio Roden is pretty standard; onion, garlic, tomato paste, tomatoes, salt pepper, and the secret ingredient, sugar. These pictures do not do this dish justice.

[alumanate]

Brussels Sprout Risotto (Italy) 5/31/15

Lemon, blue cheese, parmesan, tarragon, garlic, onion, white wine, vegetable stock, brussels sprouts, and risotto make for an excellent combination. The dish was creamy, crunchy, and full of flavor. A good risotto is a must for all aspiring chefs, my wife had made me numerous mushroom risottos before, this was my first crack at the quintessential North Italian dish.

[alumanate]

Dill Pickles (Poland) 5/25/15

Pickles are perhaps my favorite snack food. Independent or amongst a smorgasbord, they are delicious either way. A past president agrees.

Thomas Jefferson notes: "On a hot day in Virginia, I know nothing more comforting than a fine spiced pickle, brought up trout-like from the sparkling depths of the aromatic jar below the stairs of Aunt Sally's cellar." I didn’t perfect the pickle though, these did not turn out good. I followed a recipe, but went wrong somewhere. But I wanted to display my failures here too, especially since this one looks so pretty still. I know someone who makes a great pickle and I plan to learn the lesson from her this year so stay tuned!

[alumanate]

Blintzes (Poland) 5/24/15

These Blintzes took 3 hours to make, and were not easy. You’ve first got to make the crepes from scratch, then stuff and fry them, and then finish them off in the oven. They weren’t easy but they sure were delicious.

[alumanate]

Baja Fish Tacos (Mexico) 5/22/15

Baja Fish tacos are all about the great sauce and battering the fish right. I used Negro Modelo to beer-batter my black cod and then made the sauce with just the right amount of sour cream, mayo and spices.