Miso Corn Soup!

Gotta try this: Miso Corn Soup (made with fresh sweet corn)

Ingredients

Servings: 4

• 8 ears of corn
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 5 tablespoons white miso
• Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped chives
• Chili oil (for serving)

Preparation

• Cut kernels from cobs and place in a large bowl. Place cobs in a medium pot and add water to cover. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until stock is infused with corn flavor, 40–45 minutes.

• Heat butter in another medium pot over medium. Cook onion, stirring often, until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add miso and ½ cup corn stock and stir to dissolve miso. Add corn kernels and another ½ cup corn stock and cook until corn is bright yellow and just cooked through, about 2 minutes. Let cool slightly, then transfer to a blender and blend, streaming in 2 cups corn stock to thin, until smooth. Strain soup through a fine-mesh sieve back into pot; season with salt and pepper. Heat over medium-low until warmed through. 

• Divide soup among bowls; top with chives and drizzle with chili oil.

 

Sesame Soba Noodles

This recipe for Sesame Soba noodles is terrifically easy, and pretty fast. They're a bit too sweet for my taste - I'll reduce the proportion of honey next time.

Liege Waffles // Gaufre de Liège

This waffle recipe is excellent – and not that hard (though the batter must rise overnight).

Slow Cooker: Tomato, Kale, and Quinoa Soup

This one's delicious... a good way to use up a big pile of kale. Serve with crusty bread and cheese.

Slow Cooker: Tomato, Kale, and Quinoa Soup

Polenta!

Basic and delicious. 

Ingredients

6 cups water
2 teaspoons salt
1 3/4 cups yellow cornmeal
3 tablespoons unsalted butter

Directions

Bring 6 cups of water to a boil in a heavy large saucepan. Add 2 teaspoons of salt. Gradually whisk in the cornmeal. Reduce the heat to low and cook until the mixture thickens and the cornmeal is tender, stirring often, about 15 minutes. Turn off the heat. Add the butter, and stir until melted.

I also added some fresh herbs. Paprika would be nice.

Carbonnade Flamande

Made this last night, for Christmas dinner, and it rivaled the best Carbonnades I've had in Belgium! I've turned out many plates in my career, but only certain dishes have become meals I feed my own family, like boeuf carbonnade à la flamande. I was taught to make this Flemish beef and onion stew by my mentor, Belgian chef Leon Dhaenens, when I was a young cook. Unlike French beef stews made with wine, carbonnade relies on the deep, dark flavor of Belgian abbey-style beer. But what really gives carbonnade its distinctive character is the addition of brown sugar and a fillip of cider vinegar, a sweet-sour combination that plays beautifully against the caramelized onions and rich beer. 
—Charlie Palmer, chef-owner of Aureole in New York City and Las Vegas

SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS
2 lb. beef chuck, cut into 2″ x ½″-thick slices (In the Boucherie Moroccaine they sell "Carbonnade" meat)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
¼ cup flour
4 tbsp. unsalted butter
4 slices bacon, finely chopped
6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced lengthwise
2 cups Belgian-style ale (I used Maredsous Tripel - CF)
1 cup beef stock
2 tbsp. dark brown sugar
2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
3 sprigs thyme (I used at least double)
3 sprigs parsley (I doubled this too)
2 sprigs tarragon (I didn't have any tarragon)
1 bay leaf
Bread, for serving

INSTRUCTIONS
Season beef with salt and pepper in a bowl; add flour and toss to coat. Heat 2 tbsp. butter in a 6-qt. Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add beef; cook, turning, until browned, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a plate; set aside. Add bacon; cook until its fat renders, about 8 minutes. Add remaining butter, garlic, and onions; cook until caramelized, about 30 minutes. Add half the beer; cook, scraping bottom of pot, until slightly reduced, about 4 minutes. Return beef to pot with remaining beer, stock, sugar, vinegar, thyme, parsley, tarragon, bay leaf, and salt and pepper; boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook, covered, until beef is tender, about 1 ½ hours. Serve with bread.

Sesame Banana Bread

Sesame Banana Bread As I mention up above, I use a mix of black and white sesame seeds. More than anything, it makes the seeds more visible. 1 cup / 4.5 oz / 125g all-purpose flour
 1 cup / 5 oz / 140g whole wheat flour
 3/4 cup / 4.5 oz / 125 g dark brown sugar (or muscovado) 
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
 1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt 
1 1/3 cups / 7 ounces / 200 g toasted sesame seeds 
1/3 cup / 80 ml extra-virgin olive oil 
2 large eggs, lightly beaten 
1 1/2 cups / 12 oz / 340 g mashed, VERY ripe bananas (~3 bananas)
 1/4 cup / 60 ml plain, whole milk yogurt
 1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest

 
For the glaze: 
1/2 cup / 3 oz / 85 g sifted dark brown sugar (muscovado)
 1/2 cup / 2 oz / 55g confectioners' sugar
 4-6 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Beef Stew with Beer and Paprika | The Pioneer Woman Cooks | Ree Drummond

Beef Stew with Beer and Paprika | The Pioneer Woman Cooks | Ree Drummond

Ingredients

• 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 1 Tablespoon Butter
• 2 pounds Stew Meat
• 1 whole Medium Onion, Diced
• 3 cloves Garlic, Minced
• 1 can Beer, 12 Ounce Can
• 4 cups Beef Stock (or 4 Cups Water + 4 Beef Bouillon Cubes)
• 2 cups Water (additional, If Needed)
• 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
• 2 Tablespoons Tomato Paste
• 1/2 teaspoon Paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt
• Freshly Ground Black Pepper
• 1-1/2 teaspoon Sugar
• 4 whole Carrots, Washed, Unpeeled, And Roughly Sliced
• 4 whole New Potatoes, Quartered
• Minced Parsley (optional)

Preparation Instructions

- Heat oil and butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Brown meat in two batches, setting aside on a plate when brown. Cut pieces in half. Set aside.
- Add diced onions to the pot. Stir and cook for two or three minutes until softened, then add garlic for another minute. Pour in beer and beef stock, then add Worcestershire, tomato paste, paprika, salt, pepper, and sugar. Add beef back into the pot. Stir to combine. Cover and simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
*UPDATE: The liquid should cook down to a thicker state. If it gets too thick/reduces too much, add additional water as needed.
- Add carrots and potatoes, then cover and cook for an additional 30 minutes. (If stew gets dry, just add a cup of hot water at a time to replenish the liquid.) Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
Serve in bowls next to crusty French bread. Sprinkle with minced parsley, if desired.

Stoemp aux choux de Bruxelles // Brussels-Sprouts Stoemp!

Ingrédients pour 4 personnes :

    400 g de pommes de terre farineuses (bintje)
    450 g de choux de Bruxelles
    50 g de beurre doux
    Sel et poivre noir du moulin

Stoemp aux choux de Bruxelles

Préparez les légumes. Épluchez, lavez et coupez les pommes de terre en gros morceaux. Épluchez et lavez les choux de Bruxelles. Coupez-les en deux.

Faites cuire séparément les deux légumes, pendant 15 à 25 minutes, en surveillant leur cuisson à l’aide de la pointe d’un couteau : la chair doit être très tendre. Préférez une cuisson à l’eau bouillante (voir : Cuisson des choux de Bruxelles). Égouttez-les.

Écrasez les légumes ensemble au moulin à légumes manuel : au presse-purée ou à la fourchette, mais à la main, sinon vous obtenez une purée collante très désagréable. Vous devez obtenir la consistance d’une purée assez ferme. Laissez fondre le beurre sur la purée. Salez et poivrez. Mélangez bien. Servez chaud.
Conseil du chef

Servez en accompagnement de boudin noir ou de belles grosses saucisses (Morteau ou chipolatas) grillées ou cuites dans l’eau des légumes. Dans les assiettes de service, moulez le stoemp en parts individuelles où creuser un trou pour y verser le jus de cuisson des saucisses.

de MEXICO à BRUSSELAS

Last Friday I made lots of traditional (though lesser-known) Mexican Tacos Guisados (that is, stewed tacos - as opposed to tacos made from grilled meat).

Here are the Recipes:

* TACOS DE TORTA DE COLIFLOR *

for the tortitas:
1 small cauliflower
4 eggs
3 tablespoons of flour

for the salsa:
3 medium tomatoes
1 clove garlic
chipotle chile (optional)
chicken stock
salt
((note - i used part of the same sauce when i made the Tinga, and this worked well, though this sauce for the tortitas should be a bit less spicy.))

Directions:
- cut cauliflower into smallish pieces and steam or boil until soft.
- mix up the eggs and flour until it forms a slightly thick batter.
- take a small handful of cauliflower pieces, cover with batter, and fry in (peanut) oil.
- drain excess oil / rest on paper towels.
- mix up the sauce in a blender.
- heat up the sauce on the stove.
- add tortitas to this sauce to reheat them, and let them absorb the sauce's taste.
- serve on tortillas as tacos, or with rice. delicious alone, but you can also add queso fresco and/or guacamole.

===========================
* TACOS DE TINGA DE POLLO *

1 whole skinless chicken breast
1 clove of garlic
2 large onions
4 tomatoes
3 Chiles Chipotle Adobados o Enlatados (canned Chipotle peppers)
Cooking oil
Salt

Directions:
(1) Cut the onion in long, fine pieces. In a large pot cook the chicken with the onion, and some salt. Cook until soft.
(2) Drain the chicken stock from the onion and save it. Put the drained onions in a pan and fry until golden. Tear the chicken into long, thin pieces.
(3) Use a blender to mix the tomatoes with some of the chicken stock, the garlic, and chipotle chiles.
(4) Now add the salsa to the golden onions (you can add a 1/2 teaspoon of white vinegar), and let simmer for 10 minutes. Add this sauce to the chicken and salt to taste.

==============================
* TACOS DE PAPAS CON CHORIZO *

1 kilo fingerling potatoes
2 links of spicy (cooking) chorizo (NOTE: this is NOT the same as chorizo that you eat in slices! and it's much cheaper)
1 yellow or white onion
tortillas

- wash and cut the potatoes into small pieces. boil until soft. drain.
- meanwhile finely chop the onion and sautée it until it becomes soft, then add the chorizo (note - depending on the chorizo you may need to remove its casing and cut it into pieces before adding it to the sautée pan.)
- add the chorizo/onion to the potatoes. salt only if necessary.
- serve on tortillas.
===========================
* TACOS DE CALABACITAS *

onion
zucchini / summer squash
fresh or canned corn
jalapeño (or other chile pepper)
oregano
cilantro

- sautée the onion first, then add the other vegetables.
- season with cilantro and oregano, and salt to taste.
- serve on tortillas as tacos, with queso fresco and/or guacamole.

====================
* CEVICHE TROPICAL *

Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless halibut, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1/3 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup tequila
1 habañero pepper, seeded and minced
1 mango - peeled, seeded and diced
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
1/2 bunch chopped fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

Directions:
- Combine cubed halibut, lime juice, tequila, minced habañero, and diced mango in a non-metallic bowl. Cover and refrigerate for 1 1/2 hours.
- After the ceviche has sat for 1 1/2 hours, add the remaining vegetables. Mix well, then recover and refrigerate another 30 minutes.
- Fold in the remaining cilantro, and season to taste with salt before serving.

==================
* SALSA HABAñERO *
1-2 medium tomatoes
3 habañero chiles
2 cloves of garlic
salt to taste

put everything in the licuadora (blender), and mix it up. vary proportions to control spiciness (habañeros can knock your socks off!)

=================
* PICO DE GALLO *

tomatoes
onion (red or white)
chile peppers (traditionally jalapeño, though others work fine)
lime juice
salt 
=============
* GUACAMOLE *

2 avocadoes
2 cloves of garlic
1 chile pepper
2 cherry tomatoes
cilantro
lime juice
salt

- fry in olive oil the garlic and diced chile pepper
- mix into the avocado
- add juice from 1 lime, diced cilantro and tomatoes, and salt to taste.

Brian L. Frye writes: The cocktail I made for Penny was just a classic sour: 1.5 oz. beet gin, 0.75 oz. Cointreau, 0.75 oz. lemon juice. It was the color & consistency of blood! The beet gin has an interesting, earthy sweetness. I also made a Negroni variation, with 1 oz. beet gin, 1 oz. sweet vermouth & 1 oz. Campari. Nice.

STOEMP ! ! ! ! ! ! !

whoah this is good! traditional belgian stoemp.



* 5 leeks (poirot)
* 5-6 medium sized potatoes
* carrots (we used yellow and red heirlooms)
* fresh sausage (saucisse de campagne)
* butter
* cream

clean and peel the potatoes, quarter and boil for about 20 minutes.

meanwhile cook the leeks and carrots in a big pot, covered, with butter. (you can use lots of different vegetables - brussel sprouts, turnips, etc. - but the important thing is to have the same quantity of potatoes to the other vegetables. perhaps you could even have a couple sweet potatoes with the regular ones!)

cut the sausage into small pieces and fry (no additional oil). you can instead use bacon, etc.

drain the potatoes, add to the cooked vegetables, and mash them all together. then add the sausage & its oil, and salt and pepper to taste.

Neepa's Dahl

okay, so use the cumin seeds, then fry onions, let them fry a long time

then really simply add some fresh ginger and curcuma (turmeric).

you can add dhaniya powder (a smidge, if you wish, corriander poweder I think)

add tomatoes and fresh cilantro

add the lentils, fry a bit

add water and salt to taste

Compote de pommes

Compote de pommes (Applesauce): 1 kg de pommes
2 cuillères à soupe de sucre en poudre
2 cuillères à soupe d'eau
1 petite cuillère de Sucre vanillé
demi citron



(1) Épluchez 1 kg de pommes, coupez les en quatre et retirez le coeur de chaque quartier, ensuite coupez chaque quartier en petits morceaux que vous mettrez dans une casserole.

1er point important : Il faut que les morceaux de pomme soient petits, et de taille régulière, comme ça ils cuisent vite, et en même temps.

(2) Versez sur les pommes coupées 2 cuillères à soupe de sucre en poudre, et 1 petite cuillère de Sucre vanillé, versez ensuite 2 cuillères à soupe d'eau et le jus de ½ citron.

2ème point important : ne pas mettre trop d'eau, il en faut le minimum pour bien avoir une compote et pas une soupe.

(3) Couvrez et mettez sur feu moyen, jusqu'à ce que les pommes soient à peine tendres (5 minutes environ).

3ème point important : couvrir, car le peu d'eau qu'il y a reste dans la casserole, et empêche les pommes de brûler.

(4) Retirez du feu et découvrez.

4ème point important : ce n'est pas la peine de cuire longtemps, plus vous cuisez, plus les fruits perdent leurs vitamines.

(5) Donnez un coup de mixer pour obtenir la consistance voulue : avec des petits morceaux (peu mixé) Ou bien lisse (beaucoup mixé).

(6) refroidir.

Bulgur and Kale Casserole with Yogurt Topping — Recipes for Health - NYTimes.com

Bulgur and Kale Casserole with Yogurt Topping — Recipes for Health - NYTimes.com



This comforting kale and bulgur casserole is modeled on the casserole I made a few weeks ago for Recipes for Health, with eggplant and bulgur.

For the tomato sauce:

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 small or 1/2 medium onion, chopped

2 to 4 garlic cloves (to taste)

2 pounds fresh tomatoes, quartered if you have a food mill, peeled, seeded and chopped if you don’t, or 1 (28-ounce) can chopped tomatoes, with juice, or crushed tomatoes in purée

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

For the gratin:

1 pound kale, stemmed and washed, or a 10-ounce bag of stemmed, washed kale

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 garlic clove, minced

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1 cup coarse bulgur (No. 3), cooked

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh dill

2 ounces (approximately 1/2 cup) freshly grated Parmesan

3 eggs

1 cup thick plain low-fat yogurt

Salt, pepper and paprika to taste

1. Make the tomato sauce. Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat and add the onion. Cook, stirring, until tender, about 5 minutes, and add the garlic. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about a minute, and add the tomatoes, salt to taste, pepper, sugar, cinnamon, paprika and allspice. Turn the heat up to medium-high and cook until the tomatoes are bubbling. Stir together, turn the heat back to medium-low, partly cover and cook, stirring often, until the tomatoes have cooked down and the sauce is thick and fragrant, 25 to 30 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning. Remove from the heat. If your sauce is chunky, put through a food mill or pulse in a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Set aside.

2. Meanwhile, blanch the kale in salted boiling water for 4 minutes or steam for 5 to 8 minutes, until tender. Rinse with cold water and squeeze dry. Chop fine (you can do this by pulsing in a food processor fitted with the steel blade.)

3. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy skillet and add the garlic. When it begins to smell fragrant, in about 30 seconds, stir in the chopped kale. Toss together and season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper. Stir in the bulgur and dill, combine well and remove from the heat.

4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Oil a 3-quart baking or gratin dish. Spoon a small amount of tomato sauce on the bottom of the dish, and spoon in the bulgur and kale. Spread in an even layer. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of the Parmesan on top and cover with the remaining tomato sauce, spread in an even layer.

5. Beat together the eggs, yogurt and 2 tablespoons of the remaining Parmesan. Season with salt, pepper and paprika. Spoon over the tomato sauce and spread in an even layer. Sprinkle the remaining Parmesan on top. Place in the oven and bake 30 to 35 minutes, until golden. Remove from the heat and let sit for 10 minutes or longer before serving.

Yield: Serves 6 to 8

Advance preparation: All of the elements of this casserole will keep for 2 to 3 days in the refrigerator, as will the assembled casserole, without the egg-yogurt topping. Make the topping right before baking. The casserole can be baked ahead and reheated.

To cook the bulgur, bring 2 cups water with salt to taste to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the bulgur, and when the water comes back to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer 15 to 20 minutes, until all of the water has been absorbed. Remove from the heat, place a clean dish towel over the pan and cover with the lid. Let sit 10 minutes.

turkish hummus

This is much like the familiar Middle Eastern chickpea purée, but instead of tahini, the chickpeas are blended with yogurt. It’s lighter than the version made with tahini, and it’s nice either warm or at room temperature. Skinning the chickpeas makes a more delicate, smoother purée, and it doesn’t take as long as you’d think, but I leave the step as an optional one.

6 ounces (1 cup) dried chickpeas, rinsed, picked over and soaked for 4 to 6 hours, or overnight

Salt to taste

2 garlic cloves, green shoots removed

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

3 to 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, to taste

1/4 cup thick Greek-style or drained yogurt

For garnish (optional):

Fresh pomegranate seeds

Ground cumin

Black olives

1. Drain the soaked chickpeas and place in a pot with 1 quart of water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer 1 hour. Add salt to taste and continue to simmer for another hour, or until chickpeas are thoroughly tender. Remove from the heat. Drain but retain about 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid. You should have 2 cups cooked chickpeas.

Optional step: Run some cold water over the chickpeas, then take them up by the handful and pick off the loose skins. Discard the skins.

2. Turn on a food processor fitted with the steel blade and drop in the garlic. When the garlic is chopped and adhering to the sides of the bowl, stop the food processor and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the chickpeas, salt and cumin, and turn on the machine for about 30 seconds. Stop the machine, scrape down the sides, and start the machine again. With the machine running, add the lemon juice, olive oil and yogurt, and blend until smooth. Taste and adjust salt. Thin out as desired with cooking broth from the chickpeas, or with more yogurt. Transfer to a wide bowl, and garnish if desired. Serve with warm pita bread.

Note: If you choose to use canned chickpeas, drain and rinse before proceeding with Step 2. You will need 2 cups.

Yield: 2 cups, serving 8 to 12

Advance preparation: Cooked chickpeas will keep for three or four days in the refrigerator. The hummus will keep for a couple of days but will become more pungent.

Nutritional information per serving (8 servings): 124 calories; 1 gram saturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 4 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 milligram cholesterol; 13 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 7 milligrams sodium (does not include salt to taste); 4 grams protein

Nutritional information per serving (12 servings): 83 calories; 1 gram saturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 3 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 milligram cholesterol; 9 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 5 milligrams sodium (does not include salt to taste); 3 grams protein

Okra!

Learning to Love Okra — Recipes for Health - NYTimes.com



Mediterranean Okra and Tomato Stew

Okra is stewed with tomatoes and onions throughout the Middle East and in Greece, where the vegetable goes by its Arabic name, bamyeh or bamyies. Traditionally, the stews are made with about three times as much olive oil as I use here.

2 pounds small okra

Salt

1 cup red wine vinegar

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 medium onions, cut in half lengthwise then sliced thin across the grain

3 to 4 garlic cloves (to taste), minced

1 pound tomatoes, preferably plum tomatoes, seeded and grated, or else peeled, seeded and chopped; or 1 14-ounce can, with juice

Freshly ground pepper

1 tablespoon tomato paste diluted in 1/2 cup water

1 teaspoon ground allspice

1 teaspoon sugar

2 to 4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, to taste

1/4 cup finely chopped parsley

1. Trim the stems off the okra, and place in a large bowl. Salt generously, douse with the vinegar and let sit for 30 minutes to an hour. Drain the okra, and rinse thoroughly.

2. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large, lidded skillet or casserole. Add the onions. Cook, stirring, until tender, about five minutes. Add the okra, and cook, stirring, for about three minutes until the edges begin to color. Add the garlic, stir together for about half a minute until fragrant. Stir in the tomatoes. Bring to a simmer, and cook, stirring often, until the tomatoes have cooked down a bit and smell fragrant, about 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

3. Stir in the dissolved tomato paste, allspice and sugar. Add water if necessary to just cover the okra. Bring to a simmer, cover and reduce the heat to low. Simmer 45 minutes until the okra is very tender. Add the parsley and lemon juice, and simmer another five minutes. Taste and adjust salt. Remove from the heat, and serve hot, warm or at room temperature.

Yield: Serves four as a main dish with rice, six as a side.

Advance preparation: You can make this up to a day ahead of serving. Reheat, or serve at room temperature.

Nutritional information per serving (four servings): 248 calories; 2 grams saturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 10 grams monounsaturated fat; 0 milligrams cholesterol; 30 grams carbohydrates; 10 grams dietary fiber; 40 milligrams sodium (does not include salt to taste); 6 grams protein

Masters of Disguise Among Meatless Burgers

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/23/dining/23meatless.html?_r=1&src=me&ref=homepage

He will get no argument from Adam Fleischman, the owner of the expanding Umami Burger chain in Los Angeles. Even though his Earth Burger includes no meat, it offers the taste buds a gooey, decadent tradeoff by dandying up a mushroom-and-edamame patty with ricotta, truffle aioli and cipollini onions.

At Cru, a largely vegan and raw-food-focused cafe in that city’s Silver Lake neighborhood, the dietary and structural restrictions only seem to open up pathways of metamorphosis. Cru’s South American sliders are made of sprouted lentils and cooked garbanzo beans pulsed with garlic and spices. They’re deep-fried, dressed with a mojo sauce of blood orange and paprika and Peruvian aji amarillo chilies, and served on leaves of butter lettuce instead of a bread bun.

Sometimes that sense of play leads to accidental discovery. The three Westville outposts around Manhattan serve a daily array of fresh vegetables. One day about four years ago, Sammy Victoria, a Westville chef, had an impulse to combine some of that garden produce into little cakes. “It went over amazingly well,” said Jay Strauss, an owner of Westville. “And Sammy said, ‘Let’s try this as a veggie burger — the exact same ingredients, just larger.’ ” Westville’s deep-fried blend of corn, cauliflower, broccoli, roasted red pepper and other ingredients now sells out on a regular basis.


At Blue Smoke, the barbecue restaurant on East 27th Street, the team creates patties out of French lentils, quinoa, carrots, onions and cauliflower and smokes them over hickory. If they seemed like a fluke when they were introduced in 2008, they now feel like a perennial. “It’s one of those items that I wouldn’t take off the menu because there’d be some kind of backlash,” said Kenny Callaghan, the executive chef.
At 5 Napkin Burger, another joint unapologetically devoted to meat, you’ll find a veggie option that derives a loamy richness from mushroom duxelles while getting its ballast from sunflower seeds, wheatberries and brown rice.

When the 5 Napkin team originally tested contenders in their kitchens about three years ago, they found themselves pondering the Zen koan of veggie-patty enlightenment: If a burger is not a burger, how do you make it stick together? “They were falling apart,” said Andy D’Amico, a chef and partner. “They would just kind of collapse in the roll.” The solution was something familiar to the home meatloaf maker: seal the mix with eggs and panko crumbs.

The veggie-burger pendulum of peril swings between too dry and too wet, and sometimes, achieving the right balance of moisture and texture has to do with knowing which seeds, nuts and vegetables to mash and which ones to leave whole.

There are other challenges. A patty made of puréed vegetables may be healthy, but “you might say it doesn’t have much tang to it,” said Mr. Strauss of Westville. To give it flavor layering, Westville tops the patty with mushrooms and a spicy tartar sauce. (With a successful veggie burger, Mr. Ronnen observed, “so much of it is the condiments.”)

If you need extra evidence that this hippie-town mainstay is venturing into territory that once might have been seen as hostile, look no further than Shula Burger, a chain scheduled to open this summer in Florida. Shula Burger is the latest food enterprise from the family whose patriarch is Don Shula, the legendary football coach. One of his sons, Dave, said in a telephone interview that Shula Burger’s test kitchens were in the midst of “trying a lot of different versions.”

The root conundrum of a veggie burger, he said, comes down to its “bite profile” — or what happens at the moment of impact between teeth and patty. And what bite profile does a restaurant want to avoid? “Picture taking a bite out of a hockey puck,” said Mr. Shula, also a former N.F.L. coach. “And the other end of the bite profile to avoid is when it’s really squishy and mushy.”

Mr. D’Amico wanted his version, in keeping with the 5 Napkin mission, to have the traditional cheek-smeared pleasure of a beef burger. But sometimes it seems as if he’s been almost too successful with that, thanks in part to the incorporation of beets, which give the patty a color reminiscent of rare steak. “I have to tell you that my veggie burger has freaked out some vegetarians,” he said. “They’ve been put off by the color of it. They feel like it looks too much like meat.”

Brian Stefano, the chef at the Hillstone branch on Park Avenue, has had similar moments with the restaurant’s lauded griddled, crispy-exterior version. If you eat one, it’s hard to miss the presence of beans, rice and beets. What’s less obvious is that another ingredient — the one that gives the mix a touch of sweetness and stickiness — is prunes. “We’ve had vegetarians think that it is meat and send it back,” Mr. Stefano said.

Still, Mr. Capon zagged in a different direction. He found inspiration during a Saturday night “family meal” with his cooking crew when Ryan Schmidtberger, the chef de cuisine at another of Mr. Capon’s restaurants, made falafel for the team. In converting the chickpea fritter to a burger, Mr. Capon amped up the herbs, smeared on plenty of tzatziki sauce and chose a coarser, crunchier grind.

“It gives you a lot of room to create,” said David Burke, the chef behind New York restaurants like Fishtail and David Burke Kitchen. At Fishtail, Mr. Burke eventually went with the tried-and-true pleasure-delivery system of a portobello mushroom with roasted peppers, basil mayo and mozzarella. “We treat it like an Italian sandwich without the meat,” he said.

Talking about the topic sent Mr. Burke into something of a creative reverie on the phone. “Falafel makes a good burger,” he started musing. “A corn risotto cake. Even a potato pancake, because a good burger has a little crunch, a little snap.”

The Minimalist Chooses 25 of His Favorites - NYTimes.com

The Minimalist Chooses 25 of His Favorites - NYTimes.com

links to 25 great-sounding recipes...



Picking 25 favorites out of more than 1,000 recipes from The Minimalist — the last weekly column appears this week — is an awesome task. But each of these, listed in order of appearance, represents something special either to me or to regular readers of The Minimalist, or in a couple of cases — most notably Jim Lahey’s bread — to a wider audience. It’s a list that will make you want to cook, I think. What are your favorites?

RED PEPPER PURÉE The first Minimalist. Check out the roasting technique; it works. (Published Sept. 17, 1997)

CHICKEN UNDER A BRICK So popular that a group in Santa Cruz, Calif., made a T-shirt that reads, “We love chicken under a brick.” (Oct. 22, 1997)

PEAR, GORGONZOLA AND MESCLUN SALAD Not my invention, but truly a ’90s classic. (Nov. 19, 1997)

SPAGHETTI WITH FRIED EGGS Made this the other night; insanely easy and soothing. (March 10, 1999)

BRAISED SQUID WITH ARTICHOKES Braised fish, artichokes, sometimes potatoes, always garlic and powerful olive oil; that’s Liguria. (April 28, 1999)

PASTA ALLA GRICIA The basis for some of the simplest and best pasta dishes I know. (Nov. 8, 2000)

PUMPKIN PANNA COTTA The headline on this Thanksgiving column said it all: “No Time for Crust? Who Needs It, Anyway?” (Nov. 22, 2000)

WATERMELON AND TOMATO SALAD A Jean-Georges Vongerichten special; especially good with feta. (July 24, 2002)

45-MINUTE ROAST TURKEY Many readers swear by this one. (Nov. 20, 2002)

CRISP-BRAISED DUCK LEGS WITH AROMATIC VEGETABLES This has many of the qualities of duck confit — but no fussiness. (Dec. 25, 2002)

SICHUAN CHICKEN WITH CHILIES Overcook the chicken, overdo the chilies, you’ll be happy. (Sept. 3, 2003)

BLACK COD BROILED WITH MISO Yes, you can do this at home. (April 14, 2004)

STIR-FRIED CHICKEN WITH KETCHUP Perhaps the highest and best use of ketchup. (May 12, 2004)

CORN SALAD WITH SOY AND TOMATO Soy and tomato is a marriage made in heaven; the corn adds crunch. (Aug. 17, 2005)

PARSLEY-HERB SALAD Think of parsley as a green, not an herb, and you get the idea. (Sept. 7, 2005)

SOCCA (FARINATA) From my first taste of this, I’ve been an addict. Best made at home. (Oct. 19, 2005)

STIR-FRIED LAMB WITH CHILI, CUMIN AND GARLIC As soon as I tasted this, in Flushing, Queens, I knew I had to make it. (Sept. 20, 2006)

NO-KNEAD BREAD My most popular recipe, and it isn’t even mine. Credit Jim Lahey. (Nov. 8, 2006)

SCRAMBLED EGGS WITH SHRIMP I know of no dish that exploits the texture of shrimp better. (Jan. 17, 2007)

PERNIL Just the other day, a guy stopped me on the subway and said, “Your pernil is terrific.” It’s not really mine, but I made it that weekend, and it is terrific. (Jan. 2, 2008)

SOUTH INDIAN EGGPLANT CURRY If you are an eggplant fan, this will really turn you on. If you’re not, this will make you one. (April 2, 2008)

BRAISED TURKEY Cooked this way, turkey will remind you of pork. (Nov. 12, 2008)

FENNEL AND CELERY SALAD My wife’s staple. Try it with toasted hazelnuts or pine nuts. (Nov. 26, 2008)

MEXICAN CHOCOLATE TOFU PUDDING What? Yes. (May 20, 2009)

MORE-VEGETABLE-LESS-EGG FRITTATA Just enough eggs to hold it together. One of those transformative recipes. (July 15, 2009)

short ribs

an exceptional recipe from my dad:

3 lbs boneless short rib meat-sometimes I use 5 or 6 lbs of short ribs with bones instead.
1/4 cup olive oil
black pepper, seasoning salt, salt
fire roasted tomatos, diced fresh tomatoes, tomato boullion or tomato paste--generous quantities
1 cup dry red wine.
3 crushed garlic cloves ( or 6)
a finely chopped oinion
1 can beef stock

Salt and pepper the meat, then brown short ribs in a hot skillet, then transfer to braising pan over med heat, add tomatoes, beef stock and red wine, cook 4 hours, then add onion and garlic and cook for another 1/2 hour.  can be accompanies wioth snow peas, and polento wi parmesan.

((brown the onions... then add the garlic... before adding them to the final))