Chicken in Red Wine

In an attempt to finish (and not waste) a really cheap bottle of red wine that we had bought, we tried this recipe from Food Network. It was so good I went back to the grocery store and bought another bottle of the same cheap wine to make this dish again. Try it!!

I didn't have any mushrooms in the house, so substituted them with celery.

Food Network: Classic Chicken in Red Wine

Sausage and Cauliflower Bake

Sausage and Cauliflower Bake

This is one of those what-can-I-make-that’s-quick-and-easy recipes. The flavors of the cauliflower and the sausage blend together quite well, and make the dish rather meaty in taste and texture.

Cauliflower and Sausage Bake
2 pkts frz cauliflower, thawed
½ pkt Eckrich’s Polish Kielbasa, cut into pieces 

1 pkt onion soup mix
2 tbsp Italian seasoning
1-2 tsp chili flakes (optional)
2 eggs
¾ cup milk
¼ cup water
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. In a bowl toss the cauliflower with some salt and the sausage. In a separate bowl, mix the onion soup mix with the water, and then add in the eggs, beat well. Next add the milk, Italian seasoning, and chili flakes and beat again, until well blended.

Transfer the cauliflower and sausage to a glass baking dish, and pour the egg and milk mixture over it. Bake for 30 minutes and then reduce the heat to 300 Fahrenheit and bake till firm. Serve hot.

Leek and Potato Soup

This recipe is from a book I got in the library called Master Recipes. The soup turned out really nice. The flavors were a lot stronger than I thought. The recipe said to only use the leek whites, but I included all the greens so that it would have a nice color to it. It makes a pretty large quantity, so be prepared to eat for the few meals.

Leek and Potato Soup

3 leeks
1 medium onion
5 cups chicken stock
About ½ tsp nutmeg
Salt to taste
Pepper to Taste
2 tablespoons Butter
1 teaspoon lemon juice
½ cup light cream

Trim the leeks and cut into equal sized pieces. Peel onion and cut into same size as leeks. Melt the butter in a soup pot, then add in leeks and onions. Cover and cook till soft but not brown. While the leeks are cooking, peel the potatoes and slice thin. Add the potatoes to the stock pot, and then add the stock, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Cook till the potatoes are soft. Remove from stove. Use an immersion blender and blend till smooth. Return the soup to the pot and give a boil. Remove from heat, add lemon juice and cream. Taste for salt. Serve hot with bacon bits.

Sausage And Potatoes Stew In Lemon Rosemary Broth

This recipe really turned out well. It's from a book I own called Soups and Stews. The flavor of the hot Italian sausage really comes out in the broth. As my husband put it, "what can be better than sausages and potatoes".

Sausage And Potatoes Stew In Lemon Rosemary Broth

2 tbsps olive oil
12 hot Italian sausages
Six new potatoes, cut into chunks
3 cloves garlic, minced
¾ tsp chopped fresh rosemary
½ cup dry white wine
2 cups chicken stock
1 ½ tsps salt
1 tsp grated lemon zest
One head escarole, cut into 1 inch pieces
¼ tsp fresh ground black pepper

In a large pot, heat the oil over moderately high heat. Add the sausages and brown well, about 10 minutes.

Reduce the heat to moderate. Add the potatoes, garlic, and rosemary. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are lightly browned, about five minutes. Add the wine and simmer until reduced to about ¼ cup. Stir in the stock and salt. Cover and simmer until the potatoes are tender about 20 minutes.

Add half the lemon zest and the escarole to the stew, pressing the leaves into the broth. Cover and cook until the escarole is soft, about 3 minutes. Add the Pepper. Sprinkle the remaining lemons zest as garnish and serve with toasted French bread.

Baked Macaroni and Cheese

I dreamed all night, last night, about Mac n' Cheese, so when I woke up this morning I thought I'd make some - which made me realize that I have never made a proper Mac n' Cheese. Thanks to Google and Food Network, I found this recipe by Alton Brown and holy Batman! It's Amazing. Try it...

Food Network: Alton Brown: Baked Macaroni and Cheese

Apple Chips

Apple Chips

I don’t know why I've never thought to make these before! They are healthy, easy to make, and delicious. After coming home from apple-picking with a half bushel of apples, I started to think of everything I can make with them and chips was one of many ideas. So I Googled around and found this recipe. I’m simply coping and pasting it here with the link, because I followed her instructions to the tee. The only difference, I baked them for about 1 hour 15 minutes. Thank you Snack Girl.

Apple Chip Recipe

from Ontario Apple Growers
(makes 2 cups)

2 large apples
2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 200 Fahrenheit.
2. Thinly slice apples crosswise about 1/8-inch (2 mm) thick with a mandolin or sharp knife.
3. Arrange apple slices in a single layer on two parchment-lined rimmed baking sheets. In small bowl, combine sugar and cinnamon. Put mixture into a sieve and sprinkle evenly over apple slices.
4. Bake in the top and bottom third of the oven until apples are dry and crisp, about 2 hours. Remove from oven and let ‘chips’ cool completely before transferring to a sealed container for up to 3 days.

Apple Chip Bowl

Notes: 

*Buy a mandolin if you don't have one. They work beautifully.

*The photo I've posted is one that I took of the chips I made. 

Spinach and Burger Pie

With barbecue season over, and our barbecue all packed up for winter, I've been wondering what to do with these last few burgers sitting in my freezer. So I concocted this recipe, which turned out much better than I thought it would. I would have liked to have mixed in a little cheese too, but kept it simple for my lactose-intolerant husband.

Spinach and Burger Pie
1 frz. pie crust
1 pkt frz. chopped spinach, thawed
2 beef burger patties, thawed
1 onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced fine
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
½ tsp paprika
1-2 tsp Italian seasoning
1 egg
2 tbsp milk

Bake pie crust as per instructions, until golden brown. In a pot, heat a little oil, and fry the onions till the edges start to brown. Add in the garlic and cook for a few minutes. Next add in the salt, pepper, seasoning, and paprika, stir well and add spinach. Sauté till the spinach is almost cooked then add the beef patties. As the patties cook, break them up into pieces. Once the patties are done, switch off the stove and cool.

In a small bowl, beat the egg and milk together. Once the spinach has cooled, fill the pie crust till it is full. Then pour the egg mix over the spinach until there is no place in the pie dish. Using a fork, poke a few holes in the spinach so that the egg seeps in. If there is any egg left, use a pastry brush and egg wash the top of the pie.

Bake it at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 20 to 30 minutes or till the egg is firm and the top is browned. Serve immediately.

Garlicky Roasted-Eggplant and Red Pepper Soup with Chèvre

Fall is here! The leaves are changing into golden, flaming orange, and dark purple shades, and with it is coming all these colorful squashes and variety after variety of apples and pumpkins. After struggling with the fact that winter is soon going to follow, I've given up on denial and am fully embracing the colors and the cold. I’m even going apple picking this weekend!! Yes, Fall heralds the winter, but it also means I can permanently fire up my oven and welcome that warm cup of soup. Come on apples, pumpkins, and harvest festivals – I’m ready!

I tried this recipe from a book I own, Soups And Stews. I've copied the method exactly, but I've modified the quantities because I felt the eggplant flavor was very strong, and the other flavors extremely mild. I also found, that you have to keep the cheese at room temperature and the soup extremely hot, so that the cheese melts well.

Garlicky Roasted-Eggplant and Red Pepper Soup with Chèvre
1 lrg eggplant
1 lrg red pepper
1 tbsp olive oil
1 lrg onion
1 small pod garlic, minced
1 32oz box chicken broth
2 tsp fresh thyme
Salt to taste
Fresh ground pepper to taste
2 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
2 medium-thick goat cheese

Heat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Oil a baking sheet. Cut the eggplant in half, lengthwise. With a sharp knife, cut 5 slashes, about ½ inch deep, on the cut side of each eggplant. Arrange the eggplant, cut side down, and the whole bell pepper, on the baking sheet.

Roast the vegetables in the oven, turning the bell pepper occasionally, until the pepper is black on all sides and the eggplant is very soft, about 40 minutes.

In a medium frying pan, heat oil over moderately low heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Allow to cool. Transfer to food processor.

When the pepper is cool enough to handle, pull off the skin. Remove the stem, seeds, and ribs. Put the flesh in the food processor. Scrape the eggplant from it’s skin and add the flesh to the food processor. Puree until smooth.

Transfer the vegetable pure to a large pot. Add the stock, thyme, and salt. Simmer uncovered, 15 minutes. Stir in pepper. Ladle the soup into bowls, sprinkle with basil and top with a slice of goat cheese.

Herb Peas and Carrots

Herb Peas and Carrots

I usually put in just one or two herbs into this dish, so that I can change it around often, which makes it taste like a different dish every time.

Herb Peas and Carrots
1 pkt, frz, peas and carrots, defrosted
1 tbsp butter
1/3 cup fresh thyme
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste

Place the peas and carrots in a microwave steamer and steam as per instructions. In the mean time, separate the leaves and stalks of the thyme, discarding the stalks and chopping the leaves fine. In a pan, on medium heat, melt the butter. Add in the thyme and cook for a minute or so. Then add the peas and carrots, salt, and pepper. Mix thoroughly, and cook for 5 to 8 minutes so that the flavors blend together. Serve hot.

Chili Brussels Sprouts

Chili Brussels Sprouts

This is my absolute favorite way of cooking Brussels sprouts. I got the recipe from a cousin, and I can’t stop eating them.

Chili Brussels Sprouts
1 pkt frozen Brussels sprouts, thawed
Chili flakes to taste
Salt to taste
Oil spray

Line a baking pan with silver foil, and spray with oil. Place the Brussels sprouts in a bowl. Spray it with a little oil and then sprinkle generously with salt and chili flakes. Toss so that they are evenly coated. Place in the baking tray and bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for about 30 minutes or until they start to brown. Remove from the oven, and drizzle with lime juice. Serve immediately.

Notes:
*If I am only cooking one packet, then I do it in the toaster oven.

Garlic Broccoli

Garlic Broccoli

Occasionally, I’ll buy a ready marinated meat at the grocery store for a quick and easy dinner. As an accompaniment, we often have these three dishes: Garlic Broccoli, Herb Peas and Carrots, and Chili Brussels Sprouts. These go-to dishes are very easy to make and my husband loves them all. They go with everything from steaks to roast chicken or baked fish.

Garlic Broccoli
1 head broccoli, cut into small florets
1 tbsp butter
Garlic powder to taste
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste

Cut the broccoli into small florets and wash well. Discard the stalk. Steam the broccoli in a microwave steamer, till done. In a frying pan, melt the butter. Add the steamed broccoli, salt, pepper, and garlic powder, and toss so that it’s well mixed. Keep on a high flame for a few minutes, so that the garlic powder has a chance to cook. Stir occasionally. Remove from heat and serve immediately.

Classic Baked Acorn Squash

Acorn Squash

Last week, I got an acorn squash in my CSA basket. I’ve never seen or eaten one before and so I looked it up on Google and found this recipe. I didn’t modify it in any way, and so I’ve simply copy-pasted it onto my blog, with a link to the original recipe at the bottom. After eating it though, I think I would have done it a little differently. First, I baked it for 1 hour and 15 minutes, but feel like it might have needed another 15 minutes. Secondly, I think it needs more of the butter-sugar syrup. Next time I’m going to make a little extra in the microwave, to add to the squash while we eat it. Lastly, I had to keep adding more water to the dish, ¼ cup wasn’t enough. I would add a full cup in the future.

We ate it like a dessert, and I think it’s going to become a Fall favorite. Taken from Simply Recipes.


Classic Baked Acorn Squash

 
INGREDIENTS

· 1 Acorn squash 

· 1 Tbsp Butter
· 2 Tbsp Brown Sugar
· 2 teaspoons Maple Syrup
· Dash of Salt

Classic Baked Acorn Squash

METHOD
1 Preheat oven to 400°F.

2 Using a strong chef's knife, and perhaps a rubber mallet to help, cut the acorn squash in half, lengthwise, from stem to end. Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and stringy stuff in the center of each half. Score the insides of each half several times with a sharp knife. Place each half in a baking pan, cut side up. Add about a 1/4 inch of water to the bottom of the baking pan so that the skins don't burn and the squash doesn't get dried out.

3 Coat the inside of each half with 1/2 a Tbsp of butter. Add a dash of salt if you are using unsalted butter. Add a Tbsp of brown sugar to the cavity of each half. Dribble on a teaspoon of maple syrup to each half.

4 Bake in the oven for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes, until the squash is very soft and the tops are browned. Do not undercook. When finished, remove from oven and let cool a little before serving. Spoon any buttery sugar sauce that has not already been absorbed by the squash over the exposed areas.

Classic Baked Acorn Squash

Sweet and Spicy Channa Dal

Sweet and Spicy Channa Dal

We eat this dal at home all the time, maybe even once a week. It is my all-time favorite channa dal recipe. Actually, it’s the only recipe I really like with channa dal. If it’s not cooked like this, I tend to give channa dal a skip. This recipe is simple, and can be made in large quantities and frozen to eat later.

Sweet and Spicy Channa Dal
1 onion, chopped fine
1 ½ cups channa dal
½ tsp ginger paste
½ tsp garlic paste
½ tsp chili powder
1 tsp sugar

 Soak the dal in water for 20 to 40 minutes. Heat oil in a pressure cooker, and when hot add the chopped onions. Fry till it is translucent, at this point; add the ginger and garlic pastes. Cook for a few minutes, stirring occasionally, until the raw smell goes. Next, add the chili powder and the sugar. Mix together well, and put in the dal. Add water only enough to cover the dal. Mix it well, and put on the lid and whistle. Turn the heat down to medium.

Cook till the whistle blows, then turn the heat to low and continue to cook for 15 to 20 minutes. Switch off the stove and allow the pressure to come down for another 20 minutes. Open the pressure cooker (using the appropriate instructions) and check if the dal is cooked. If not, repeat the process. If it is cooked, but there is still a lot of water in the cooker, then turn the flame on medium-high and cook without the lid, till most of the water evaporates. Serve hot with chapatti.

Notes:
* IF YOU ARE USING A PRESSURE COOKER, PLEASE FOLLOW ALL INSTRUCTIONS THAT COME WITH THE COOKER. IT CAN BE VERY DANGEROUS IF NOT USED PROPERLY! My recipe instructions are written with the assumption that you know how to use one and this blog is not responsible for your use of a pressure cooker. Every cooker has a slightly different cooking time, and water absorption. If there isn't enough water in the cooker, your food will burn and cleaning that cooker is a pain in the backside!

Masala Liver and Kidney

Masala Liver and Kidney

I realize a lot of people are squeamish about eating liver, kidney, etc. but this dish is popular among the Parsis – At least the less squeamish ones – and it is delicious! If you like spicy food, be open-minded and give it a try.

Masala Liver and Kidney
¼ lb liver
¼ lb kidney
Salt to taste
1-2 tsps turmeric powder
1-2 tsps chili powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp cumin powder

Chop the liver and kidney into pieces about the same size and wash thoroughly. Marinate in all the spices, cover and allow it to sit for a minimum of 20 minutes. Heat a little oil in a frying pan. When it’s hot, put in the liver and kidney. Cook till it’s done, stirring occasionally. Just before serving, drizzle with lime juice. Serve hot.

Notes:
*I use beef liver and kidney, but chicken and pork are just as good. If you have a preference stick with it.
*I usually make this as an accompaniment to the Spicy Zucchini Frittata or a Masala Dal.

Spicy Zucchini Frittata

Here is an easy weekday dinner recipe that uses all those summer vegetables that are on sale at the grocery stores right now. Dig in!

Spicy Zucchini Frittata
1 Zucchini, chopped
1 summer squash, chopped
1 tomato, chopped
2 green chilies, like Serrano, chopped
½ tsp chili powder
½ tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp coriander powder
Salt to taste
6-8 eggs, beaten

Chop the zucchini, summer squash, and tomato into approximately the same size pieces. In a skillet-shaped-frying-pan or a deep frying-pan, heat a little oil, and put in the vegetables and the chopped chilies. After letting it cook for a minute, mix in all the spices. Cook till the zucchini and squash are soft. Add a little water only if needed.

In the mean time, beat the eggs well. Once the vegetables are cooked, turn the flame down to low, pour the eggs over the vegetable mixture and immediately cover with a well-fitted lid. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes or till the eggs are fully cooked. Serve immediately with some French bread.

Garlic Pork and Sweet Potato Hash

This recipe is from the September issue of Better Homes and Gardens. It had all the ingredients that I love most – garlic, pork, and sweet potatoes. It had to be made! And it was delicious. So I thought I’d share it with you. The ingredients are all the same as the original recipe, and the method is almost exact too, however, it is written in my own words and I have made a couple of changes. It works well, as a last minute, one-pot (or pan) weekday dinner. 

Garlic Pork and Sweet Potato Hash

Garlic Pork and Sweet Potato Hash
3 small sweet potatoes, scrubbed and chopped (4 cups)
1 ½ lb pork tenderloin, cut into 1” slices (I used thin-cut boneless pork chops)
2 tbsp reduced-sodium soy sauce (I used regular soy sauce)
8 cloves garlic, peeled, sliced thin
3 tbsp cooking oil
2 green onions
2 tbsp honey
Pepper for taste

Place the potatoes in a microwave-safe bowl, sprinkle with salt, and put in ½ to 1 cup of water. Cover with a microwave lid and cook on high for 8 to 10 minutes on high. In the mean time, marinate the pork chops in the soy sauce and pepper.

In a skillet or frying pan cook the garlic in hot oil, just until it starts to turn golden brown. Remove and set aside. Cook pork in the same pan for 2 to 3 minutes on each side or until cooked, leaving the extra marinade in the bottom of the bowl for later. Transfer to a plate and keep covered. Add the potatoes to the pan and brown on all sides. Then add the onions and cook for another minute or so. Spoon onto individual plates, then place the pork chops over it.

For the sauce, whisk together the honey, remaining soy sauce (from the marinade bowl) and 2 tablespoons of water in the hot pan till it bubbles. If you feel the garlic has cooled down then add it to the sauce right at the end. Sprinkle the pork chops with garlic and then spoon over it some sauce. Serve immediately.

Sautéed Eggplant and Summer Squash

   Sautéed Eggplant and Summer Squash 

Sautéed Eggplant and Summer Squash

3 eggplants, the long, thin type
1 medium summer squash
1-2 tsps Oregano
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
2 tbsp oil, for sautéing

Slice the eggplant and summer squash at a slight angle to give it an oval-like shape. Place it in two separate bowls. In each bowl sprinkle salt, pepper, and oregano, and toss so that the herbs are well mixed.

In a frying pan, heat a little oil (just to coat the pan well). Place the eggplant in, in a single layer, with enough space to flip them. Allow it to fry for a minute or two and then check to see if it has browned. If so, flip it over and fry till the other side is brown too. Add more oil if needed, then do the same with the summer squash. After it’s done, mix the two together and serve hot. Garnish with a little parsley,

Notes:
*Eggplant absorbs a lot of oil, so put only enough to grease the pan and add more as needed.
*Eggplant cooks a lot faster than summer squash, which is why it is cooked separately.

Corned Beef and Vegetable Quinoa

Quinoa seems to be all the rage at present. It's supposed to be extremely healty and full of nutrients. Well, I like it because it's tasty. It has this subtle nutty flavor to it that makes we want to eat it plain by the spoonful. White rice is slowly being replaced by quinoa in this household.

Corned Beef and Vegetable Quinoa
2 cups quinoa
1 onion, chopped
1 zucchini, diced
1 patty-pan, diced
1 green pepper, chopped
1-2 poblano peppers, chopped (optional)
1 tsp oregano
½ tsp rosemary
½ tsp sage
½ tsp serachi sauce
1 tbsp ketchup
2 dashes Worcestershire sauce
2 dashes soy sauce
5-10 olives, chopped in half
4-5 sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
6-8 slices corned beef, chopped 

Little olive oil

In a small pot, cook the quinoa as per instructions on the bag. In a separate pot, heat a little olive oil and fry the onion until it’s soft and translucent. Then add the green peppers and let it cook for a few minutes. Now mix in the zucchini, patty-pan, and poblano peppers. After giving it a stir, mix in all the sauces and herbs. Cover and simmer until the zucchini and scallop squash is soft. Remove the lid and add in the tomatoes, olives, and beef. Simmer for another minute then switch off the stove and mix in the quinoa. Serve immediately.

Pepperoni Grilled Cheese

Pepperoni Grilled Cheese

To placate my husband's unhappy looks, when he found out we were having soup for dinner, I decided to make him this sandwich to eat with the soup. As you might have guessed... he does not like soup very much. 

Pepperoni Grilled Cheese
2 slices bread, whole wheat
2-4 Slices Pepperoni
1 slice Cheddar cheese
Mayonnaise
Fresh Ground Pepper

Spread some mayonnaise on one slice of bread. Place the pepperoni on it. Then put a generous amount of crushed pepper. Next add the slice of cheese and top it with the second slice of bread. Place it in the toaster oven and, well…. toast. When it’s browned, remove and cut into triangles. Serve immediately with Cucumber and Basil Soup.

Cucumber and Basil Soup

In an effort to do something new with the cucumbers piling up in my fridge, I decided to make this soup. There are several versions of it on the internet, but I wanted to try to make it without adding any cream or half & half.

Cucumber and Basil Soup

Cucumber and Basil Soup
3 (medium) Cucumbers
1 (large) white onion
½ cup (packed) fresh basil
1 box chicken stock
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
½ tsp oregano, dried
½ tsp marjoram, dried
2-3 cloves garlic, chopped fine
Olive oil
2 tsp cream cheese

Chop the onion roughly, and set aside. Remove the skin off one cucumber only, and chop all three about the same size as the onions, leaving the skin on on two cucumbers. Heat a little olive oil in a stock pot or a soup tureen. Once it’s hot add in the onion and fry till it starts to brown. Next add in the chopped garlic, and cook till it begins to change color. Next add in the cucumber, salt, pepper, and dry herbs. Mix it up well and allow it to cook for a few minutes. Now add in the chicken stock, until the cucumber is almost completely covered. Put a lid on the pot and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Switch off the stove when the cucumber is very soft and mushy.

While it’s simmering, chop the basil as fine as possible. Set aside 2 teaspoons for garnishing. Once the cucumber has cooled a little, put it in a food processor, and blend till it is smooth, adding a little chopped basil in every batch. When it’s done, pour it back into the soup tureen and allow it to sit, till it’s time to serve. If the soup is too thin, then put it back on medium heat and bring to a boil till it is the consistency desired.

To serve the soup, re-heat it well, and spoon out into a soup bowl or plate. Put in a dollop of softened cream cheese and sprinkle the basil over it as garnish. The heat of the soup should slowly melt the cheese. Serve with a Pepperoni Grilled Cheese Sandwich.

Notes:
*The reason you allow the soup to cool before putting it in the blender is to protect the food processors blades. The heat from the soup can cause the blades to lose its sharpness faster. This is the same reason I never put my knives in the dishwasher.

Cabbage Karimbhoy

This recipe is one of my favorites. It’s quick and simple, and extremely filling without being too heavy. The spice the chilies add to it makes a huge difference so don’t shirk on them.

Cabbage Karimbhoy
1 small cabbage (or ½ a large one), chopped very fine
2-3 green chilies (like Serrano)
2 eggs, hard boiled
1 small sweet onion, sliced fine
½ to ¾ cup mayonnaise
Salt to taste
Fresh pepper to taste

Chop the cabbage to create fine, long, thin strands. Keep aside in a large bowl. Next slice the onion quite fine. Cut the chilies into thin slices as well. Using an egg slicer, slice the boiled eggs horizontally, and then vertically, to make it have a diced appearance. Add all these ingredients to the cabbage and keep in the fridge till time to serve. (Prepare ahead of time up to here.)

In a separate bowl, mix the mayonnaise well with the salt and pepper. Then add the mayonnaise to the cabbage and toss well. If more mayonnaise is needed, mix it with salt and pepper before adding to the cabbage. Do not over-power the cabbage with the mayonnaise. Serve cold, immediately.

Notes:
* I use light or fat free mayonnaise. Because the consistencies of these mayonnaises are thicker than regular mayonnaise, I usually mix about a tablespoon of milk in with the mayonnaise to thin it out.

Tomato Sauce

This was the only thing I could think of doing with all the perfectly ripe tomatoes I'd got in last weeks CSA basket. Holding on to them and eating them slowly would have resulted in the last few going bad. So, I made a tomato sauce that can be used for several thing. 

Tomato Sauce

Tomato Sauce
5 (large) tomatoes
2 tsp Italian seasoning
1 tsp oregano, dried
1 large sweet onion, chopped fine
4-5 cloves garlic, chopped fine
Little olive oil
1-2 tsp smoked paprika powder
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
1 stick cinnamon

Blanch the tomatoes and remove the skin. Chop the tomatoes roughly and keep aside. In a pot, heat a little olive oil and cook the onions till they are soft and starting to brown. Now add the garlic and cook till fragrant. Next add all the herbs and spices; allow the flavors to mix well for a minute or two. Only add a tablespoon of water if its burning. Put in the tomatoes, mix it well, and simmer with a lid on for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to stop the bottom from sticking. When the tomatoes are completely cooked, take a potato masher and mash the tomatoes till the pieces disintegrate into a rough paste. Cook for a few more minutes to remove any extra water from the sauce. Remove from stove, cool, and can.

Use the sauce in a pasta dish, or spread it on a pizza, or marinate and cook some meat in it.

Vegetable Stir Fry

Vegetable Stir Fry

About 5 oz spaghetti, whole wheat
1 (small) Bak choy
½ Chinese cabbage
 1 Zucchini, julienned
1 bunch asparagus
1 green pepper, sliced thin
1 (large) sweet onion, sliced thin
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp teriyaki sauce
1 ½ tbsp oyster sauce
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
1 tsp chili powder (optional)
1 star anise, whole
3-4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
Little olive oil

After removing the excess dirt, chop the bak choy into equal sized pieces, separating the stalk from the leaves. Put the stalks into a bowl of cold water and the leaves into another bowl of water. Toss them a little and then let stand so that all the mud/ dirt goes down to the bottom of the bowl. Remove the bak choy gently, shaking out the leaves over the sink to remove excess water and place in two separate dry bowls. When cooking bak choy and Chinese cabbage, stalks need to cook longer than the leaves, which is why the stalks and leaves need to be kept separate. Clean the Chinese cabbage exactly the same way, keeping the stalks separate from the leaves and cutting it into the same size as the bak choy.

Boil a pot of water, and when it comes to a rolling boil, put in the Chinese cabbage stalks. Allow it to sit in the boiling water for about 10 minutes and then drain into a colander. In the mean time chop all the vegetables, and keep separate. Clean the asparagus and cut each into stalk into about 3 pieces. In another saucepan, boil some water with a little salt and olive oil. Break the spaghetti into roughly 3 pieces and cook till al dente. Remove into a colander and keep.

In a wok, heat a little olive oil, on a high flame, then put in the onions and green pepper. Cook till it starts to brown. Then add in the garlic and cook till it too browns. Next put in the bak choy stalks and the cabbage stalks. Cook them of a few minutes, stirring only to stop from burning. Now add the asparagus and after stirring it in, add the zucchini (almost immediately). Cook for a few minutes tossing occasionally. Then put in the chili powder, salt, pepper, star anise, and all the sauces. After blending the sauces in, mix in the bak choy and cabbage leaves. Put a lid on the wok and cook for about 5 minutes on a medium flame, or until the leaves wilt. Mix in the spaghetti. Serve Hot.

The trick to making this stir fry good, is having most of the vegetables be half cooked. They need to be soft outside but slightly crunchy inside.

Chicken and Vegetable Frittata

My weekly CSA is still churning out scallop squash and zucchini faster than we can eat them, and so in an attempt to use as much of it as possible, I decided to make this Frittata. To my understanding, a frittata is a big, fat omelet full of vegetables or meats, and can have an infinite number of fillings. In fact, you can put in anything you like. So here is a quick and easy dinner idea.

Chicken and Vegetable Frittata

 Chicken and Vegetable Frittata
1 breast roast chicken, shredded
2 Scallop squash, diced fine
1 zucchini, diced fine
3 sweet peppers (any variety), diced fine
1 tsp oregano
2 tsp Italian Seasoning
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
1 tbsp chili flakes
Ground smoked paprika for seasoning
6 eggs, well beaten
1 ½ cups milk

Place all the vegetables in a frying pan with a tall lip. Put on the stove, on high. Mix in all the herbs except the paprika. Once the vegetables start to soften, add the chicken. Cook for another minute or two so that the chicken mixes with the herbs well. Add a tablespoon of water at a time, if need be.

In a bowl, beat together the eggs and milk. Add a little salt, if desired. Pour the eggs into the frying pan and turn the stove down to low. Place a lid on the frying pan to help the egg cook. DO NOT STIR. When about half cooked, sprinkle the top with smoked paprika. Remove from stove when the egg is fully cooked. Serve hot.

Spiced Squash and Feta Bake

We have been getting a lot of patty-pans and zucchinis in our CSA basket these past few weeks. So, in an attempt to empty my vegetable tray and to make a quick and easy dinner, I decided to make this baked dish. I used as many different colored zucchinis and patty-pans as possible to make the dish more colorful; so if you are going to buy the ingredients for this dish, I suggest you do the same.

Spiced Squash and Feta Bake

1-2 zucchini, chopped
2-3 scallop squash, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
Approximately 7oz penne, cooked
2 eggs
2 cups milk
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
1 tsp oregano
½ cup fresh basil leaves, chopped fine
1-2 tsp chili flakes (optional)
2-3 tbsp feta cheese, crumbled
1 tsp marjoram

Cook the pasta until al dente and keep aside. While it’s cooking, chop the zucchini, patty-pans, and pepper into roughly the same size, and place in a large bowl. Chop the basil, and add it to the zucchini mixture with the all the spices (Do not add the cheese) mixing it well. In a seperate bowl whisk the eggs with the milk.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. In an oven-proof, glass baking dish, put in the pasta. Next, evenly cover the pasta with the zucchini mixture. Sprinkle the feta cheese over the entire dish, and then pour in the egg and milk mix. Bake in the oven for about 30 minutes or until the top starts to brown. Serve hot.

Breaded Fish Burger with Sun-Dried Tomato Coleslaw

Here is a fish burger recipe in which I used the Sun-Dried Tomato Coleslaw. 

Breaded Fish Burger with Sun-Dried Tomato Coleslaw

2 filets tilapia
About 2 tbsp Italian bread crumbs
Approximately 2 tbsp flour
1 egg
Oregano to taste
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
Burger buns (preferably Hawaiian style)
1 recipe Sun-Dried Tomato Coleslaw
1 sweet onion, sliced in rings

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Marinate the fish in salt, pepper, and oregano. Set aside for 10 minutes. In a plate, beat the egg. In two other plates take out some flour and some bread crumbs. Coat the fish in flour, shaking off any extra. Then dip it in the beaten egg, and then coat generously with the bread crumbs. Place in an oven proof dish and put in oven for about 10-15 minutes. Once it's done remove from the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes.

Toast the burger buns and spread a little mayonnaise on the top bun. Place the bottom bun on a plate and top with coleslaw. Next place a piece of fish on the coleslaw and then some onion rings. Close the bun and serve with sweet potato fries.

Sun-dried Tomato Coleslaw

Last week, I got a huge head of lettuce in my CSA basket and we are slowly but surely making our way through it. Here is one of recipes I used some cabbage for.

Sun-dried Tomato Cole-slaw
4-5 cabbage leaves, washed
3-4 sun-dried tomatoes, chopped fine
¼ red pepper, chopped fine
1 ½ tbsp mayonnaise
1 tbsp sour cream
Salt to Taste
Pepper to Taste
1-2 tbsp ketchup

Slice the cabbage into thin ribbons and add to the chopped pepper and sun-dried tomatoes. In a separate bowl, mix together all the other ingredients. Add to the cabbage and mix well. Serve cold.

Cucumber and Basil Salad

Cucumber and Basil Salad

2 medium cucumbers, julienned
½ cup fresh basil, chopped fine
2 tbsp mayonnaise
1 tbsp sour cream ( I use reduced-fat or fat-free)
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
1 green chili, chopped fine
1-2 dashes of Tabasco (optional)

Cut the cucumber into juliennes, about 1-1 ½ inches long. Toss with the basil, chilies, salt, and pepper. In a separate bowl mix together the rest of the ingredients. Then mix the cucumber and the mayonnaise mixtures together. Keep in the fridge till ready to serve and serve it cold.

Grilled Scallop Squash

This scallop squash recipe works as an easy but tasty side dish.

Grilled Scallop Squash

2 medium patty pans (scallop squash)
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
Oregano (dried) to taste

Cut patty-pans length-wise into ½ inch slices. Rub on the salt, pepper, and oregano. Allow to sit for 10-20 minutes. Put onto hot grill. Brown on both sides and serve hot.

Bacon CheeseBurgers

Bacon CheeseBurgers

When I was growing up, a beef burger was hard to come by in India; so we often made ours at home. However, we always used to fry our burgers and never grilled them, until last night. Last night, I decided to try grilling these burgers, which would make them a little less of a calorie abomination and would save me from cleaning the oil of my stove. Admittedly, the bacon and cheese quickly nullified that calorie-conserving-halo that had started to glow over my head. Anyway, the burger turned out great and I am going to start making it more often.

Bacon CheeseBurgers

1 pound ground beef
About ¼ cup ketchup
Approximately 3-4 dashes Worcestershire sauce
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
2-3 tsp dried oregano 

1 tbsp (heaped) bread crumbs
5 strips thick sliced bacon
4-6 slices cheese
4-6 leaves lettuce
1 medium tomato, sliced thin (optional)
Some Mayonnaise, ketchup, and mustard

Mix together the ground beef, oregano, Worcestershire sauce, ¼ cup ketchup, breadcrumbs, salt, and pepper. Form into patties and place on a hot grill. Do not turn the burger until the underneath has browned. Flip over, after it's brown, and grill the other side. Once cooked place a slice of cheese over the patty and allow it to melt. Remove from grill.

Cut bacon into half to make it fit on the burger. Place in a baking tray and broil for 20 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit or until crispy. Remove and allow to cool a little.

Toast buns on the grill. When done, remove and spread some mayonnaise on the bottom bun and ketchup and mustard (or any other condiments) on the top. Place the cheeseburger on the bottom. Top with 2-3 pieces bacon. Sprinkle a little salt and pepper to taste. Then put some lettuce and tomato and close the bun. Serve hot.

Notes: Your options with this burger are endless. You can add onion rings, raw or caramelized, and an unlimited amount of toppings like avocado, coleslaw, or lettuce tossed in vinaigrette. I occasionally also add a couple of finely chopped green chilies and/or chopped garlic to the beef mixture.

Chicken Burger with Avocado and Bacon

Chicken Burger with Avocado
 and Bacon 

This year to help me create new stuff in the kitchen and to introduce us to new vegetables and ideas, I decided to join a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture). So far, it’s working great. I’m dealing with vegetables I’ve always seen at the grocery store but never had the courage to buy. We’ve been eating more salads and more assembling of food so I’ve had to do less slaving-over-the-hot-stove cooking. Here is another burger we’ve had that my husband absolutely loved.

Chicken Burger with Avocado and Bacon

4 thin chicken breasts
1 avocado
4 burger buns
1-2 tsp dried oregano
4-6 slices thick cut bacon
Kraft hot and spicy mayonnaise
10 leaves iceberg lettuce
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
1 medium scallop squash, sliced
½ cups fresh oregano, chopped fine

Marinate the chicken in salt, pepper, and dried oregano. Set aside for at least 20 minutes. Cut bacon strips in half (to fit the burger bun), then fry or broil till crisp. Set aside.

Cut the scallop squash into medium round slices. Bake at 350 in a toaster oven for 25 minutes. Then place a slice of cheddar cheese on each slice of squash and broil at 450 for 5 minutes or till the cheese starts to brown.

Preheat the oven to 350 and place chicken in an oven proof dish. Cook for about 20 minutes, or till cooked.

In the mean time, scoop out avocado into a bowl and mash, mixing in some salt, pepper, and oregano to taste. (Use fresh oregano in the avocado if possible).

Toast buns if you like. To assemble burger, spread some hot and spicy mayo on the bottom bun. Then place a chicken breast, cutting it to fit the burger bun. Put one slice of cheesy scallop squash on the chicken and then two strips of bacon on it. Spread the avocado mixture on the top bun as thick as possible. Place some lettuce over the bacon and then close to form a sandwich. Serve hot with baked sweet potato fries.

Zucchini Boats with Egg Salad

1 large zucchini
3 eggs, hard boiled
2 green onions, chopped fine
1 1/2 cups fresh oregano, chopped fine
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 red pepper, chopped fine
1-2 green chiles, chopped fine (optional)
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
A pinch of chili powder


Remove the head, then cut the zucchini in half length-wise. Bake in toaster oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 25-30 minutes. Broil for the last 5 minutes. Allow the zucchini to cool. Once cool enough to handle, scoop out the seeds with a teaspoon to create a boat. Discard the seeds.

Chop the boiled eggs, red pepper, green onions, chilies, and oregano and keep aside. In a medium-sized bowl, mix the mayonnaise with a little salt, pepper, and chili powder. Add the egg mixture to the mayonnaise and blend well. Warm the zucchini in a toaster oven. Place the egg salad in the cavity of the zucchini and serve.

Chorizo Burger with Caramelized Onions and Roasted Peppers

Hello Food-Loving-People!

First off, I apologize for not having put up any recipes in the last few months. Spring always heralds a hectic routine. There is spring cleaning to do, gardens to tend to, celebratory picnics and dinners to throw, and family visiting from India. Couple all that with a failed attempt at dieting and I was left with a slump in my cooking. I ended up using a lot of recipes I’ve already put up and ergo had nothing new to add.

However, summer is here - I know it’s been here for a while – but my guests/ family is gone, and I finally have some time to experiment and to put up some recipes. I have a new obsession with burgers but haven’t been able to make too many. Here is one that I made for a little bicycling picnic we took a few weeks back.

Chorizo Burger with Caramelized Onions and Roasted Peppers

1 pnd ground beef
About 7oz chorizo, removed from skin
Some smoked paprika (optional)
Salt to taste
1/2 onion,  finely chopped
1-2 chilies, finely chopped
Oil for frying

12-15 small sweet peppers
1 onion, cut into rings
8-10 leaves lettuce
Some mayonnaise
Ketchup to taste
Burger Buns

Chorizo Burger - Squeeze most of the water out of the ground beef. Mix together ground beef, chorizo, smoked paprika, salt, chilies, and finely chopped onion, until well blended.  Form the mix into burgers slightly larger than the bun. In a frying pan, heat the oil, fry the burgers on both sides till well browned. Allow to cool slightly.

Caramelized Onions - In the mean time, in another frying pan, heat a little oil. Toss in the onion rings. Sprinkle over them a pinch of chili powder, some salt and pepper, and about 1-1 ½ teaspoons sugar. Toss until onions are brown and the sugar starts to caramelize on the onions. When the edges start to burn remove from heat and set aside.

Roasted Peppers - Turn your gas stove onto high and using a pair of tongs hold the entire pepper directly over the flame. Allow to burn slightly, then turn the pepper over and repeat. Put in a plate to cool.

Spread a liberal amount of mayonnaise on the top and bottom of the bun along with a little ketchup. Place the chorizo burger on the bottom of the bun. Next put in 3-4 rings of onion and a leaf or two of lettuce. Top with the top of the bun and serve with the peppers on the side.

Wafer pur Eedu (Eggs on Chips)

As I’d mentioned on my Eggs on Turnip Greens post, we Parsis love, love, love eggs on almost anything; and eggs on chips is everyone’s favorite. I’ve yet to meet someone who does not like this recipe. I wouldn’t call this a very healthy recipe; however, I do not add any oil to it at all. My husband and I were reminiscing about it recently and so, last night, we had it for dinner as part of my birthday celebration. All in all, it’s an easy, can’t-go-wrong kind of recipe.

Eggs on Chips

1 large bag Lays Salted Potato Chips

Eggs (2 per head)

Chili powder to taste

Salt to taste

Pepper to taste

2-3 chilies, finely chopped (increase or decrease depending on your tolerance for spice)

1 bunch cilantro, finely chopped

Lime for garnish

In a deep frying pan spread out a generous portion of chips, in an even layer. Sprinkle the chopped chilies over it. Next break the eggs over the chips. Place the pan on a medium flame. Sprinkle some salt, pepper, and chili powder over each egg. Cover the pan with a lid, and allow the eggs to fry. Remove from flame when eggs are cooked to your liking. Garnish with cilantro and lime juice, and serve with hot toast or chapatti.

Notes:

*The eggs should be the consistency of fried eggs. If you like a hard yolk, then break the yolk when you put the eggs in or they will not harden properly. These eggs can’t be flipped, so the lid forces the top of the eggs to cook, by retaining the heat and moisture from the pan.

*The flame must be medium or medium-low. If it’s too high the chips may start to burn.

Pancakes

This is a family recipe that we have been eating as long as I can remember. Pancakes were a special breakfast for mornings after all our friends had slept over or when we had a special family breakfast on a Sunday morning. We would drown them in butter and honey, or a preserve or jam, or sugar and lime and they were spectacular.  They are extremely easy and inexpensive  to make.

Pancakes

1 cup flour

1 cup milk

1 egg

Pinch of Salt (optional)

1 tbsp sugar (optional)

1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)

Butter for frying

Place the flour, milk, and egg in a bowl and beat until smooth. Heat a frying pan, and place a little butter in it, to coat the pan well. Pour in a little batter, and tilt the pan to evenly spread across it. Allow the pancake to brown and then flip it over and cook the other side. Serve hot.

Notes:

* Makes 6-8 pancakes, depending on the size of your frying pan.

*Beat the sugar and vanilla into the batter to make the pancakes sweet, and salt when making them savory. 

*Stuff with Barbeque Pork and Beans for a delicious dinner. 

Barbeque Pork and Beans in Pancakes

Barbeque Pork and Beans in Pancakes

This is a time consuming recipe to do from scratch, but very convenient if you've got everything lined up in the fridge.

We had a few friends over for brunch this past weekend, and had a lot of pancake batter left. So I decided to go ahead and roll them into something savory for dinner. Now, growing up at home, we didn’t make pancakes the way you get them at a Denny’s or IHop. They were sort of a smaller version of a crepe, and a little thicker. Perfect for stuffing with chicken or something.

Click on the links for my pancake batter recipe and for the pork loin recipe.  

8-10 pancakes

1 cup shredded barbeque pork loin

1 lrg can BUSH’S Onion Baked Beans

3 tbsp ketchup

2 tbsp Kroger Sweet and Spicy BBQ Sauce

1 tbsp Worchester sauce

3-4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 tsp chili powder

Salt to taste

1 cup cilantro leaves, finely chopped

Little oil

Stuffed Pancakes

In a pot, heat a little oil, on medium heat. Add the garlic and fry till brown. Next add the ketchup, Worchester sauce, barbeque sauce, salt, and chili powder. Mix together well and allow to simmer for 2-3 minutes so that they cook. Now add the beans, and stir well. Cook for about 5 minutes before adding the pork, and then cook for another 5.

In a platter, place a pancake, fill with 1-2 tablespoons of pork and beans and roll up as tight as possible. Fill all the other pancakes, and arrange on the platter. Sprinkle the cilantro on top as garnish, and serve immediately. 

Spiced Eggplant

There are a lot of Indian recipes that use eggplant; unfortunately, this is one vegetable that I do not know how to cook very well, except when making it like this. This is another dish we used to eat at home a lot. But the eggplant was always fried. Fried till it was crispy - mmmmmmmm. 


The key to success with this recipe is to cut the slices to the right thickness. If it’s too thick, it takes much longer to cook and the skin does not get that slight crispiness. If it’s too thin, then it becomes dry, leathery, and tough. I usually cut my slices about 3/4^th cm thick.

1 large eggplant

Salt to taste

Chili Powder to taste

½ bunch cilantro, cleaned and chopped fine

Lime juice to taste

Slice the eggplant into medium-thick rounds. Rub the powders on to each slice on both sides. Set aside for 5 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray an oven proof dish with oil, and place eggplant in the dish. The slices should not overlap each other. Once the dish is full, spray oil over all the eggplant and put it into the oven. Bake till cooked and well browned, about 20-25 mins. Garnish with the lime juice and chopped cilantro and serve hot as a deliciously easy side dish.

Notes:

*I’ve also made this exact recipe on the grill. However, you have to cut the slices a little thicker, so that they do not fall in as they cook. It makes for a great eggplant burger. 

Sweet and Spicy Peas and Carrots

In my efforts to stick to my diet, my cooking has been repetitive and unadventurous. However, every little while, something new (or newish) gets created, and so here is a new recipe that I tried. The basis of the recipe is from a friend; I, of course, just couldn’t resist adding a few things. So here is a sweet and spicy peas and carrots dish, with very little oil.

In most of my recipes, I do not give the amount of oil, because every cook has their own comfort levels when cooking with fats. Generally, when I say a little oil, it means 1 – 2 tablespoons or just enough to coat the onions or garlic that I am trying to brown.

Peas and Carrots

2 pkts frz peas and carrots

3-4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 can petite diced tomatoes

2-3 green chilies, finely chopped (remove seeds if you don’t want it too spicy)

½ tsp chili powder

½ tsp turmeric powder

Salt to taste

1 tsp (heaped) sugar

1 tbsp white vinegar (or to taste)

Little oil

In a pot, heat a little oil, on medium heat. Brown the garlic, stirring occasionally, so that it doesn’t burn. Add the peas and carrots, salt, chili and turmeric powders. Stir well. Next add the tomatoes and the chilies. Allow it to cook for a minute or so. Stir in about 1/2 – 1 cup water, cover with a lid, and simmer until carrots are cooked. Once the vegetables are done, remove lid and allow any liquid to evaporate. Add the vinegar and sugar, and simmer for 5-8 minutes without the lid. This dish should be dry and without any gravy. Serve hot with chapatti or bread.

Shrimp Patia

This past Wednesday was Navroze, which is the first day of a new year for us Zoroastrians. We have a lot of traditions for Navroze and of course, some of them revolve around food. Growing up at home, we always had to eat Patia or Fried Fish on Navroze, with a plain (mora) dal and white rice. Fish is considered to be a symbol of good luck and protection from evil. Now, I’m not sure if we eat prawn/ shrimp on that day for the same reason, or if the stuff is just too tasty to pass up; either way, we always eat one or the other. This recipe can be made with prawns/ shrimp or fish.

200 gms raw shrimp, shell removed

3-4 whole peppercorns

2-3 whole cloves

1 2” stick of cinnamon

1 tsp (heaped) cumin seeds

2 medium onions, finely chopped

2-3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2-3 dry red chilies, broken into pieces

Salt to taste

½ tsp chili powder

A pinch of turmeric powder

1 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp white vinegar

2-3 tbsp oil

In a pot, heat the oil on a medium-low flame. When hot, add the onions. Fry until golden brown. Next add the garlic, and fry for a minute or so. Now put in the turmeric and chili powders, and salt, stir and immediately add the peppercorns, cinnamon, cloves, red chilies, and cumin seeds. Cook for a few minutes, stirring occasionally. When the raw smells of the spices have gone, add the shrimp. Stir it in well, and cook till they are almost done. Mix in the vinegar and sugar, and simmer for 3-4 minutes, or until the shrimp is completely cooked. Serve hot with mora dal and rice. 

Notes:

*I use frozen shrimp, thawed before removing the shell, however, if you do get fresh shrimp or prawns I suggest you buy those. 

Eggs Kejriwal with Ham

Eggs Kejriwal is a dish that is rumored to have been created at the Willingdon Club in Mumbai, India. No one is very sure who Mr. Kejriwal actually was. Some say he was the head chef, and some say he was a patron who frequented the Club, and asked for his eggs to be cooked this way. My dad says that this particular recipe is a lot fancier than the original Eggs Kejriwal. According to him, the right way to do it is - toast, fried egg, lots of chopped chilies, topped with cheese, melted in the oven and served. No fancy-pants ham, or tomatoes or anything else. My husband says they used to make it at home, and it always had ham. So, I decided to mix the two together and add a little something of my own.

Eggs Kejriwal with Ham

4 slices bread, toasted

4-8 slices honey roasted ham or smoked ham

2 green chilies, finely chopped

1 tomato, finely chopped, seeds removed

4-5 green onions, finely chopped

1-2 cups white sauce

½ bunch cilantro, finely chopped

4 Eggs, fried

Salt to taste

Pepper to taste

Chop all the ingredients and keep aside. This dish can only be assembled right before you eat, or the toast becomes very soggy.

Toast the bread till light brown but crisp. In the mean time, fry the eggs. To assemble, place a toast on an oven proof plate. Top with 1-2 slices of ham, then add a generous amount of tomatoes, green onions, and chilies, salt and pepper. Place the egg on top and cover it with white sauce. Put the dish in the oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit, and broil till the top is well heated. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve hot.

Notes:

*I use white sauce because my husband is lactose intolerant. I would prefer to use a cheese sauce instead, and suggest that you try it with cheese.

*If you are not using cheese and only using white sauce, you could heat the white sauce on a slow flame, and skip the broiling step I have mentioned above.

*Here is a very easy White Sauce recipe.

Basic White Sauce

Most chefs will tell you that white sauce is one of the basics you have to know to be a good chef. Personally, I find this to be one of the most difficult sauces to make, mainly because I always misjudge the consistency that it will become once it cools, and I, almost always, end up adding a little milk, and reheating, and re-whisking right before I use it. But yesterday, I found that these proportions make a great tasting sauce, and I did manage to get it to the perfect consistency, for my Eggs Kejriwal, without adding more milk! Looks like I’m ready for culinary school or maybe even a spot in Gordon Ramsay’s kitchen?

2 tbsp butter

1 tbsp flour

1 cup milk

Salt to taste

Pepper to taste

In a sauce pan, on low heat melt the butter, add the flour, salt, and pepper, stirring constantly. Try to remove as many lumps as possible. Then slowly add the milk, a little at a time, so that you can keep whisking the sauce and keep it smooth. Keep stirring after all the milk is added. As soon as it starts to bubble on the sides or starts to thicken, remove from the stove. Continue stirring it for a few minutes to help it cool without forming a thick coating on top. 

Notes:

*I use Lactose-Free, Fat-Free milk for my sauce, but I imagine it would be much creamier and thicker with full-fat milk.