Indian-Spiced Sauerkraut

This is our first attempt at making sauerkraut since taking the fermentation class over a year ago. In the interim,  friend gave us some wonderful homemade sauerkraut that had Indian style spicing, but we were not successful at getting to recipe. Thanks to the power of Google, we found a recipe to use as a base for experimentation.

Credits: this is from a recipe by Alex Hozven

We bought  3 cabbages from the farmer's market that weighed in at about 6.25 lbs. The original recipe was for 4 lbs so we modified accordingly. I'm listing the original amounts this time since I'm too lazy to change them.

Ingredients:

• 4 lbs green cabbage, sliced coarsely on a mandoline
• 1 Tbs cumin seeds
• 1 Tbs coriander seeds
• 1/2 Tbs fennel seeds
• 1/2 Tbs black peppercorns
• 1 tsp brown mustard seeds
• 1 tsp fenugreek
• 1 tsp tumeric
• 1 tsp paprika
• 2 Tbs plus 2 tsp coarse sea salt

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine all of the ingredients in a very large bowl. Squeeze the cabbage to release some liquid. Press a heavy plate on the cabbage to weigh it down and let stand at room temperature, tossing and squeezing the cabbage 4 or 5 more times, until it has released enough liquid to cover, about 4 hours.
2. Pour the cabbage and its liquid into a clean ceramic crock or tall glass container. Top the cabbage with a clean plate that just fits inside the crock. Place a glass or ceramic bowl on the plate and put a heavy can in the bowl; the cabbage should be completely submerged in its brine by at least a 1/2 inch. Cover the crock with a clean kitchen towel and set it in a cool, dark place to ferment for about 6 weeks.
3. Every 3 days, clean and replace the plate that sits on the cabbage, carefully skimming any foam or mold that forms on the surface of the liquid. Discard the cabbage and its liquid if it's foul-smelling, or if anything brown, moldy or slimy has penetrated below what can easily be scraped off the surface. If too much liquid evaporates before the sauerkraut is sufficiently fermented, dissolve 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt in 1 cup of spring water and add it to the crock. When the sauerkraut is ready, it should have a light crunch and a bright, pleasantly tangy taste, with an acidity similar to that of a lemon.

The sauerkraut can be refrigerated in its brine in a glass or ceramic jar for up to 6 months. Drain before serving.

Baba Ghanoush

This recipe is from "The Complete Mediterranean Cookbook" in my Kindle library. 

2 eggplants (1 pound each), pricked all over with fork 

2 tablespoons tahini 

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for serving 

4 teaspoons lemon juice 

1 small garlic clove, minced 

Salt and pepper 

2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley 

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 500 degrees. Place eggplants on aluminum foil–lined rimmed baking sheet and roast, turning eggplants every 15 minutes, until uniformly soft when pressed with tongs, 40 to 60 minutes. Let eggplants cool for 5 minutes on baking sheet. 

2. Set colander over bowl. Trim top and bottom off each eggplant and slit eggplants lengthwise. Using spoon, scoop hot pulp into colander (you should have about 2 cups pulp); discard skins. Let pulp drain for 3 minutes.

3. Transfer drained eggplant to food processor. Add tahini, oil, lemon juice, garlic, ¾ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Pulse mixture to coarse puree, about 8 pulses. Season with salt and pepper to taste. 

4. Transfer to serving bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour. (Dip can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours; bring to room temperature before serving.) Season with salt and pepper to taste, drizzle with extra oil to taste, and sprinkle with parsley before serving.

Fennel and Kohlrabi Salad

The Boone farmer's market had some lovely kohlrabi roots this weekend, but unfortunately they did not come with the leaves. I normally buy kohlrabi with leaves and make a tasty salad with lemons, sea salt & olive oil based on a recipe from Sheila Neal which I also modified very slightly and will also have to post someday.

Today's salad used the following ingredients which just happened to be in the fridg:

2 kohlrabi roots
1 fennel, bulb + leaves
1/2 large red onion
2 champagne mangos
1 medium jicama
3 celery stalks
cilantro, cut finely
2 limes, juice + zest
4 Tbs olive oil
sea salt

All the veggies were quickly sliced with a mandoline. The mango was diced. Combine all in a bowl and toss. This was served with crackers & goat cheese.

Mujaddara

 We discovered Mjadarah when living close to Neomonde, a Lebanese deli on the short list of what I miss most about Raleigh, NC. I lived there for over 20 years, lots of memories, but I miss Neomonde. Sigh.

So I tried to recreate this most wonderful of their dishes ... and it turns out that it isn't that hard. Lentils, rice, caramelized onions. My version is different, probably not traditional (typical recipes call for more rice than lentils) but often, it is every bit as good, maybe better. This tastes like I always wished home would taste.  Comfort food.

Ingredients:
4-6 large white onions (or yellow)
no garlic, that's right no garlic
1 cup brown rice (I use especially like the asian mixed rice shown below
1 cup green lentils (or brown, if you can't find green)
1 cinnamon stick
roasted cumin seeds
veggie bouillon (optional)
black pepper

First quarter the onions and slice crosswise into thin strips. Saute in a generous amount of olive oil unless you are on a diet. Stir cook for at least 30 minutes until the onion is caramelized to a nice dark brown.  The  olive oil is very tasty is I think more is better than less. If you are on a diet, this will be so delicious that you will not need the extra oil.

Feel free to stir the onions as often as you like. Sometimes I cover them, sometimes not.  They smell wonderful.

While the onions are cooking, rinse the rice. I always rinse rice 3 times so the grains separate nicely when cooked. Add water to cover and simmer. Unfortunately, I never measure the water. I cover the rice in enough water to have a little over 0.5 inches above the rice. I measure against a known point on my finger from the bottom of the pot I cook the rice in. Not helpful, I know. Cover the pot and turn the rice on high until it starts boiling, then lower to a simmer.

Stir the onions.

While the rice and onions are cooking, pick through the lentils, discarding the bad ones, keeping our eye peeled for the occasional pebble. I've only seen a couple over several years, but you don't want anyone to accidentally crunch down on one. Wash the lentils, cover and simmer in 2.5 cups of water with the cinnamon stick.

Stir the onions.

Occasionally test the lentils and turn off when the lentils are soft enough to eat, but before they get mushy (about 30 minutes). Some lentils get mushy quickly, but the green ones are not so delicate. Towards the end of cooking, optionally add bouillon. Bouillon is suggested, but totally optional.This dish has plenty of flavor without.

Stir the onions and add generous grind of roasted cumin seeds.

The mixed brown rice I use takes about 30 min to cook, but most brown rice takes 45 minutes. When the rice is tender and has absorbed most of the water turn it off.

Stir the onions.

When everything is done, mix together in the cast iron pan with the onions. Add a generous grind of black pepper. If you didn't use bouillon,  add salt to taste. Let it rest for a while if you aren't hungry. I'm usually hungry, or I wouldn't have started cooking. It will be even better tomorrow.

Feel free to improvise. I've added mushrooms & ginger,  fire roasted tomatoes, more or less rice & lentils, different spices. I've cooked it all in one dish when feeling lazy (caramelize onions then add rice, lentils & water & cook). It is always tasty.

If this is for company, make LOTS of onions and only mix in half. Use the rest as a decorative topping. This is traditional, but it seems to miss the point of distribution the wonderful onions through out the dish.

Kale and Potato Soup with Red Chili

This recipe came from The Greens Cookbook by Deborah Madison. A wonderful book that all veggie lovers should own. The recipes in this book are from the Greens Restaurant when it was in it's hey-day. We usually make a double recipe.

The Stock
The ingredients of this soup supply plenty of flavor, so use water to prepare a simple stock using the stems of the kale.

The Soup
1 bunch kale
3 Tablespoons virgin olive oil
1 medium red or yellow onion, diced into ½ inch squares
6 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
1 small dried red chili, seeded and chopped, or ½ teaspoon chili flakes
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon salt
4 medium red potatoes (about 1 pound), scrubbed and diced into ½ inch cubes
2 teaspoons nutritional yeast (optional)
7 cups water or stock
Pepper
Creme fraiche or sour cream (optional)

Update: Replaced onion with 2 thinly sliced leeks, sweated down in 2Tbs butter - reduced olive oil to 2 Tbs; replaced kale with collards. added 1/2 cube bouillon. Oh my, this was the BEST!

Using a sharp knife or kitchen shears cut the ruffled kale leaves off their stems, which are very tough and take a long time to cook. Cut the leaves into pieces roughly 2 inches square, wash them well, and set them aside.

Heat the olive oil in a soup pot, add the onion, garlic, chili, bay leaf, and salt, and cook over medium-high heat for 3 or 4 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the potatoes and the yeast, if using, plus a cup of the water or stock. Stir together, cover, and cook slowly for 5 minutes.

Add the kale, cover, and steam until it is wilted, stirring occasionally. Pour in the rest of the water or stock, bring to a boil, and then simmer slowly, covered, until the potatoes are quite soft, 30 to 40 minutes.

Use the back of a wooden spoon to break up the potatoes by pressing them against the sides of the pot, or puree a cup or two of the soup in a blender and return it to the pot. This will make a unifying background for the other elements.

Taste the soup for salt and add a generous grinding of black pepper. If possible, let the soup sit for an hour or so before serving to allow the flavors to further develop. If desired add a spoonful of creme fraiche or sour cream. Serves 4 - 6.

Fried Plantains

Slice and fry in enough peanut oil to immerse the bottom edge. We used setting 4 on the electric stove.

Cottage Cheese Pancakes

This recipe came from a friend of a friend. I'm not sure of the original source, but this seem less doughy than most pancakes to me. Low carb, high fat, easy to make, everyone likes them. I made 1 dozen 4 inch pancakes from this recipe, 67 cal per serving. 

Original recipe:
1 cup creamed cottage cheese (about 1/2 pound)
4 eggs
5-6 level tablespoons flour
3 tablespoons butter, melted but not browned

pinch of salt

Modified recipe:
1 cup creamed cottage cheese (8 oz)

2 eggs

1/2 banana

5 Tbs flour (1/3 cp)

scant 1/4 tsp baking soda

2 tablespoons butter, melted but not browned

pinch of salt

water to thin

Using a spatula, rub the cottage cheese through a fine sieve set over a small mixing bowl. Beat the eggs with a fork or whisk only long enough to combine them, and stir them little by little into the cheese. When they are completely absorbed, beat in the flour, a tablespoon at a time, then stir in the melted butter and salt. If the mixture appears too fluid - it should hold its shape briefly in a spoon - stir in a little more flour, a teaspoon at a time, until the batter reaches the proper consistency.

Or you can just dump everything into a blender :).

Lightly oil the bottom of a heavy 10 - 12 inch skillet, and place it over high heat. When a drop of cold water flicked
across it splutters and evaporates instantly, drop in the cheese mixture, a large tablespoon at the time, leaving about an inch between pancakes, they will spread out.  Our cast iron skillet equilibrates at the lowest setting after a very long warm up period.

Lightly brown the pancakes for about 2 minutes on each side.

Serve at once for breakfast or cool and refrigerate or freeze for a meal later in the week. You can add a sweet topping, but I like them plain.

Fish Tacos Friday

This is more of a weekly habit than a recipe, but it has become de rigueur during the time we have been living in SFO. This is actually my brother's recipe, but he doesn't blog, so I will be the recorder.

Fish Taco Fridays (FTF) is what we have done for many Fridays. It is often, but not always served with margaritas which deserve a dedicated post.

1 lb fish (often salmon from Trader Joe's, but can be any firm tasty fish)
6 Primavera tortillas

Prepare and arrange condiments

Condiments:

• diced garlic & onions
• shredded cabbage
• cilantro leaves
• 1-2 jalapenos, cut in long thing strips
• diced tomatos (optional, if in season)
• radishes (optional, if in season)
• salsa of your choice

Bread fish lightly with fine cornmeal & spices (roasted cumin, chili, ...)
Fry fish in peanut oil, set aside

Fry tortillas in butter

Assemble and consume with margaritas (or beverage of your choice).

Salmon Patties

Blame it on the rare hot weather, the abundance of tomatoes & fresh vegetables or just plain homesickness, but I've been doing more Southern cooking lately.

Tonight will be Salmon Patties as I remember them from my childhood - almost. Actually, I can't stand anything from my childhood without substantial modification. Except tomatoes and peaches.

I used the Whole Foods brand of salmon, but I think any reasonable brand or type would do. I mixed the 2 types because I couldn't decide. There is no significance in this strange behavior.

• 1 14.75 oz can of Pink Salmon with liquid
• 1 7.5 oz can of Red Sockeye Salmon with liquid
• 2 eggs
• 1 box Ak-Mak crackers (20 crackers)
• seasoning to taste - one time I used:
• 1 tsp ground roasted cumin seeds
• a generous grind of black pepper
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• a dash of ground cayenne
• 1 Tbs El Yucatan Chipotle Sauce (smoky, a little hot  & sweet

Crush the crackers as fine as you care to, mix with other ingredients and feel free to experiment. Smash up and mix well to get the lumps out. Use more or less crackers, or add water, milk or other liquid if needed. No salt is needed, the salmon and crackers have enough already.

Shape into patties - I used a 1/3 cup portion per patty. Press in hot skillet to about 1/2 inch thick.

Fry in light oil (peanut, safflower, ...) in medium heat until browned on both sides. This should not be rushed. Give the eggs time to get cooked under not too hot heat.

Pepper Vinegar

Recently,my brother reminded me of the pepper vinegar that was a staple in my house when I was growing up. At some point, my dad started growing the peppers and making his own. I hadn't seen either the prepared vinegar or even the peppers for some time. Not a trendy item in the city, I guess.

About 3 weeks ago, we found beautiful bunches of pepper plants that looked very much like the peppers in the vinegar bottle - or at least that's what I remembered them looking like.

We only bought one bunch, which was way too few to fill the nice bottle I wanted to use, so when I saw more this week, we bought three bunches. It takes quite a few bunches to fill a jar with peppers. Too bad you can't eat the leaves - or can you?

To make your own pepper vinegar, just get a jar full of nice clean peppers, add white vinegar to cover and wait 3 weeks. This is a staple for turnip, collard or mustard greens in the South. You can replace the vinegar several times when the vinegar starts to be used up.

I heated the vinegar before pouring over the peppers and keep my pepper vinegar in the fridge. I also added peppercorns - probably less than 2 tsp to this jar.