Mattar Paneer

Ah, what a productive week! Last week, not only did I complete my second class of circuit training, jump started my projects at work, I also got to make my first Indian dish ever! (and in the process I finally learned what I have been allergic to this whole time!)

Last week, I made Matar Paneer (or is it mutter..??)

Recipe follows (courtesy of IndianFoodForever.com):

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450gms /1lb shelled Mutter (green peas) 
250gms / 1/2lb Paneer
2 medium onions (chopped) 
6 cloves garlic (crushed)
1 tbsp grated ginger
2 green chilies (chopped)
250gms / 1/2 lb tomatoes (peeled and sliced)
Salt To Taste 
1cup curd / plain yogurt 
1 tsp turmeric powder 
1 tbsp coriander seeds 
4 bay leaves 
2 cups water 
1/2 cup ghee / vegetable oil 

To Garnish :
Garam masala powder 
Chopped coriander leaves

• Make a paste by grinding together half the onions, the garlic and coriander seeds.
• Heat the ghee in a frying pan and cut the paneer into 2.5-cm/1-inch cubes. Fry the paneer to a light brown and remove to drain on a plate.
• Add the remaining onion and the ginger to the ghee / oil in a pan and add the bay leaves and fry until the onion is golden brown.
• Add the turmeric and the paste mixture and fry until the ghee starts to separate.
• Add the paneer and mutter (peas) along with the yogurt, chili, tomato and salt. Stir for 5-6 minutes over low heat.
• Pour in the water and simmer gently for 20 minutes. Serve the matar paneer sprinkled with garam masala and coriander.

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So first off, Indian food is not easy to cook. Talking to most of my friends, they tell me that you can't really follow a recipe, but it's all about just having that experience and special touch that their mothers and grandmothers usually have. 

Well I am determined to get that touch!

So with this recipe, I was fortunate to find out that I am extremely allergic to tumeric... so sadly, I couldn't eat much of it! I was able to get the taste and enjoy the sweetness of the paneer, but at the end of the night, I was very let down by my inability to enjoy my first indian dish ever!

Now I do realize that this recipe probably needs some tweaking so I welcome any suggestions and tips (Pragna, I'm talking to you)- I have two more pounds of paneer in my fridge!

I found the tumeric a bit overpowering and was looking for more of that creamy, tomato based gravy- which I did not get. 

I'm willing to try out new recipes (even though I am allergic) and hope that I can one day overcome this allergy! 

Now time to desensitize!

Taste: 7

Difficulty: Easy

Time: 40 minutes

Egg Topped Soba Noodles with Asparagus and prosciutto

So thanks to my coupon addiction, I happened to get 4 dozen organic eggs for a fraction of the cost. I was really excited about my purchase and my efficient use of coupons and couldn't wait to brag to my mom about how great of a couponer I had become!

Although I did eventually get sick of having 4 dozen eggs to myself, I was able to find a recipe from epicurious.com and try a new recipe, using soba noodles- something I've actually never had before! Wow am I a bad asian...

So I made Egg-Topped Soba Noodles with Asparagus and Prosciutto:

Recipe follows:

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4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

5 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped

1 3-ounce package thinly sliced prosciutto, cut crosswise into strips

8 large eggs

1 9.5-ounce package thin soba noodles

1 pound asparagus, ends trimmed, cut on sharp diagonal into 1/8-inch-thick slices

1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese plus additional cheese shavings

Heat 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic; stir 30 seconds. Add prosciutto strips; cook until slightly crisp. Remove from heat. Set aside.
Heat 1 teaspoon oil in each of 2 nonstick skillets over medium heat. Crack 4 eggs into each skillet. Cook on 1 side until eggs begin to set, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Cover; set aside.
Cook soba noodles in large pot of boiling salted water 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add sliced asparagus to pot; cook until noodles are cooked through and asparagus is just tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain noodles and asparagus, reserving 1 cup cooking liquid.
Add drained noodles and asparagus to prosciutto mixture in skillet. Cook over medium heat until heated through, tossing and adding reserved cooking liquid by 1/4 cupfuls to moisten.
Remove skillet from heat. Add grated Parmesan cheese and remaining 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil and toss to coat. Divide among 8 plates. Top each serving with 1 egg and cheese shavings. Serve immediately.

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So a few things... first off, don't overcook  your soba noodles. They cook really fast and you can easily overcook them, making them really mushy and starchy. A big no no. So keep an eye out on them!

This recipe was interesting, a unique Japanese twist with an italian influence! The crispy, salty prosciutto was great (especially as a cooking snack)

The crunchy asparagus provided great contrast (do not over cook them either), and in the end the dish came out really successful!

Maybe I just find a runny egg incredibly sexy and delicious, but having the yolk mix in with the garlic infused olive oil made a great 'sauce' and really took the soba noodles to another level. 

And of course, make sure to use fresh eggs and good olive oil! Especially when olive oil is 'sauce' of the dish, you want nothing but the best (yes, i used my special olive oil that i got from my summer trip in Italy for this dish)

I really enjoyed this dish but I would say that the recipe made way too much for one person. The tastes are subtle and not over powering and the dish itself is very light, but I'm not a pig! (Ok, I am)

Very simple and easy to make, i would say it would be good to give it a try. This is great for those who are busy and don't have more than 30 minutes to make a meal.  I'm not sure how often I would make it, but it is something new a refreshing- enjoy!

Taste: 8
Time: 30 minutes
Difficulty: Easy

Braised Beef Shank with Sweet Corn Tomato Risotto

Ah, the power of braising... who knew such a simple and effortless technique can result in such sweet, succulent dishes?? Not me! Well, until now. 

After going to Borgata last month, I couldn't stop dreaming about making some risotto with braised beef short ribs (Eric got it at Wolfgang Puck's)

I got a recipe from Emeril for braised lamb shanks with gorgonzola crust and sweet corn tomato risotto. I decided to simplify it and make beef shanks without the crust and sweet corn tomato risotto:

Recipe follows:

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For Beef:

• 4 beef shanks, each about 1 pound
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 2 1/4 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper, divided
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup chopped yellow onions
• 1/2 cup chopped carrots
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
• 2 cups dry red wine
• 6 cups rich chicken stock, veal or lamb stock
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves

Season the shanks on all sides with the kosher salt and 2 teaspoons of the black pepper.

Put the flour on a large plate. Dredge the shanks in the flour and shake to remove any excess.

Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or large, heavy pot over high heat. Add the shanks and sear until well browned on all sides, about 8 minutes. Transfer the shanks to a platter. Add the onions, carrots, and celery, and cook, stirring, for 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the wine and cook, stirring, to deglaze the pan, stirring to loosen any brown bits on the bottom and sides of the pan. Cook until slightly reduced, about 5 minutes.

Return the shanks to the pot and add the stock, bay leaves, and rosemary, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover with the lid slightly ajar, and simmer until the shanks are tender, 1 hour and 45 minutes to 2 hours, skimming to remove any scum that rises to the surface.

Remove the pot from the heat and discard the bay leaves. Transfer the shanks to a large plate and let rest until cool enough to handle. Bring the braising liquid and vegetables to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until reduced by 1/3 in volume, about 30 minutes, skimming occasionally to remove any scum that rises to the surface. Remove from the heat.

• For Risotto:

  5 cups chicken stock or canned, low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
• 2 tablespoons minced shallots
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 1/4 cups fresh corn kernels, from about 2 ears of corn
• 1 cup Arborio rice
• 1 cup peeled, seeded, and chopped tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan

Combine the stock, salt, and pepper in a small saucepan and bring to a low simmer over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low and keep warm.

Heat the olive oil in a medium pot over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon butter and when foamy, add the shallots and garlic, and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the corn and rice and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Add 1/2 cup of the stock and cook, stirring constantly, until it has been absorbed. Add all of the remaining stock to the risotto, 1/2 cup at a time, and cook, stirring constantly, until the previous amount has been absorbed before adding more. (This should take 15 to 18 minutes.) Add the tomatoes, chives, and parsley and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.

Remove from the heat. Add the cheese and 2 tablespoons butter and stir well. Adjust seasoning, to taste, and serve immediately.

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What a hearty meal! The meat was fall off the bone and was infused with flavor while the sweet corn risotto was exactly that- immensely sweet! The creamy risotto (without the cream) was great- definitely a stand alone dish on its own, but adding the tender juicy meat was the cherry on top. 

I do have to say that I didn't cook this dish in the right type of cookware (I have now learned the importance of cookware) and thus my sauce came out a lot runnier than I had hoped. Being that it couldn't reduce as well as I would have wanted it to, I am sure this dish would have even been more amazing with the creamy sauce. I will make sure to do it right next time!


If you do try this recipe out before I do again, please let me know how good the sauce was- I'm dying to know!


Time: 3 hours
Difficulty: Medium
Taste: 9

Banana Walnut Bread

My new rotation has started and I have finally settled in to Yardley, PA. I anticipate many more days of baking and cooking as there is nothing to do here.. seriously, I live next to a farm. Great.

Now that I've moved to my new apartment, I finally was able to buy my standing mixer!! You can ask anybody.. I've been wanting a standing mixer for months now! 

I especially wanted it when my hand mixer broke right as I was making my Banana Walnut Bread a few weeks ago..... Good thing I'm really buff and can mix bread batter by hand. 

The recipe follows (courtesy of Food Network):

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• 1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for preparing the pan
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 very ripe bananas, peeled, and mashed with a fork (about 1 cup)
• 1/2 cup toasted walnut pieces

Sift the flour, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl, set aside. Whisk the eggs and vanilla together in a liquid measuring cup with a spout, set aside. Lightly brush a 9 by 5 by 3-inch loaf pan with butter. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or with an electric hand-held mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Gradually pour the egg mixture into the butter while mixing until incorporated. Add the bananas (the mixture will appear to be curdled, so don't worry), and remove the bowl from the mixer.

With a rubber spatula, mix in the flour mixture until just incorporated. Fold in the nuts and transfer thebatter to the prepared pan. Bake for 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean. Cool the bread in the pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Turn the bread out of the pan and let cool completely on the rack. Wrap in plastic wrap. The banana bread is best if served the next day.

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So most of you know that I usually bake these goods and rarely eat them myself. (I more enjoy the baking itself than the treats that result from it!) Well this time it was different!

I usually only have a bite of my creations and bring them into work the next day to share with a few coworkers... Well after my first bite, I did not want to share. The slightly crispy crust on the outside paired with the sweet, moist bread on the inside was delicious. The banana flavor was out of this world and the small walnut pieces added a bit of extra crunch you wouldn't expect!

Such a simple recipe (and yes, I mixed this by hand!!!) with amazing, delicious results. 

Being that this is Eric's favorite, I would have to say that I am putting this one in the permanent recipe pile and will be making this again and again!

Give it a try- it will surely be a hit!

Difficulty: Easy

Taste: A

Time: 1 hour 20 minutes

Scallops Provencal

After making my Traditional Osso Bucco again, I realized that I needed to venture into something new, and give up the meat- just this once.

After a nice dinner with a few Pikes in the city, I was inspired to try something new- especially after Dorian ordered his scallops!

So scallops it is!

I made Scallops Provencal- an Ina Garten dish (so I knew it would be good and fattening, just like her)

Recipe follows:

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• 1 pound fresh bay or sea scallops
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• All-purpose flour, for dredging
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, divided
• 1/2 cup chopped shallots (2 large)
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
• 1/3 cup dry white wine
• 1 lemon, cut in 1/2

If you're using bay scallops, keep them whole. If you're using sea scallops, cut each 1 in half horizontally. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, toss with flour, and shake off the excess.

In a very large saute pan, heat 2 tablespoons of the butter over high heat until sizzling and add the scallops in 1 layer. Lower the heat to medium and allow the scallops to brown lightly on 1 side without moving them, then turn and brown lightly on the other side. This should take 3 to 4 minutes, total. Melt the rest of the butter in the pan with the scallops, then add the shallots, garlic, and parsley and saute for 2 more minutes, tossing the seasonings with the scallops. Add the wine, cook for 1 minute, and taste for seasoning. Serve hot with a squeeze of lemon juice.

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Who knew making something that sounds so complicated could be so simple? Pretty easy huh?

This dish is meant to serve 3 and has around 350 calories for each serving- not bad huh?

I cut my portions so that it ended up being 4 meals and served it with some crimini mushroom quinoa to add a little more protein and sustenance. I also used bay scallops (they're cheaper and helped me control my portions better)

So yes, this does have butter and thus is fattening, but its deliciously filling! Hey at least I added some color to make it prettier?

So yes, this isn't exactly for the health conscious, but I would say with 350 calories per serving, it isn't entirely bad. You can even substitute EVOO for the butter (it course, wouldn't taste as good)

This is a great dish to welcome the spring- each morsel is light but perfectly decadent at the same time. It's also something you can make very quickly if you don't have time after work but you're craving something delicious! Plus it saves you a ton of money if you're thinking about going out to a restaurant to get scallops to begin with!

So as my coworkers were ordering their chicken fingers from the cafe, I was eating my scalllops provencal with crimini mushroom quinoa, at half the price.

I'd say it was a job well done.

Taste: A

Time: 20 minutes

Difficulty: Easy

Red Velvet Cupcakes

Cupcakes.. ah, the little treat that makes everyone in the office smile!

This past weekend was a co-workers birthday and so I was inspired to bring in some Red Velvet Cupcakes to work yesterday! Deliciously sinful with cream cheese frosting, who could resist Red Velvet?!

Recipe follows (thanks Ina Garten):

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• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, such as Pernigotti
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup buttermilk, shaken
• 1 tablespoon liquid red food coloring
• 1 teaspoon white vinegar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
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• For the frosting:
• • 8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
  • 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 3 1/2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar (3/4 pound)

  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line muffin tins with paper liners.

  In a small bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a large measuring cup, combine the buttermilk, food coloring, vinegar, and vanilla.

  In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed for 1 minute, until light. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat until combined. With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients and the wet ingredients alternately in 3 parts, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients, and mix until combined. Stir with a rubber spatula to be sure the batter is mixed.

  Scoop the batter into the muffin cups with a 2 1/4-inch ice cream scoop or large spoon. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the centers comes out clean. Cool completely in the pans and frost the cupcakes with Red Velvet Frosting.

  
  

  Frosting Instructions:

  
  

  Place the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, and mix on medium speed just until combined. Don't whip! Add the sugar and mix until smooth.

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So first off, who knew that Red Velvet cupcakes were really just chocolate cupcakes with a lot of red food coloring? Surprising huh? Fortunately (or I guess, unfortunately) I ran out of red food coloring and was only able to add about a 1/2 tsp. Oops. So my cupcakes didn't really turn out red - but hey it was still delicious!

Moist and chocolate-ly, Ina Garten hits it out of the ball park again with her recipe. Pretty simple and quick to make, this was a hit in the office and people claimed that it was 'out of this world!'

Taste: A

Time: 1 hour

Difficulty: Easy

Traditional Osso Bucco

Recently, I've been trying out new recipes on allrecipes.com. I was getting a bit bored with Food Network and thought I could learn a lesson or two from some every-day cooks, rather than those celebrity chefs.

I found a great and simple recipe on Traditional Osso Bucco and have made it twice within the month! Now who doesn't like Osso Bucco?!

Recipe follows:

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• 2 pounds veal shanks, cut into short lengths
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup Butter
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 large carrot, chopped
• 2/3 cup dry white wine
• 2/3 cup beef stock
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest

1. Dust the veal shanks lightly with flour. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Add the veal, and cook until browned on the outside. Remove to a bowl, and keep warm. Add two cloves of crushed garlic and onion to the skillet; cook and stir until onion is tender. Return the veal to the pan and mix in the carrot and wine. Simmer for 10 minutes.
2. Pour in the tomatoes and beef stock, and season with salt and pepper. Cover, and simmer over low heat for 1 1/2 hours, basting the veal every 15 minutes or so. The meat should be tender, but not falling off the bone.
3. In a small bowl, mix together the parsley, 1 clove of garlic and lemon zest. Mix into the veal just before serving.

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Voila. Simple eh?

Alright, so this recipe does take quite some time to make, but believe me, it is all worth it at the end. The rich, fatty sauce with the tender veal meat is to die for (and sure beats the $40 price tag at the restaurant). Besides, who knew osso bucco was this easy to make?!

The recipe instructed us to not have the meat 'falling off the bone' but after a few warm-ups in the pot (contrary to popular belief, i can't eat 2 lbs of meat in one sitting) the tender meat just fell right off!

Packed full of flavor, this is a great recipe if you want to impress the boyfriend (or girlfriend)! Your house will also be filled with the delicious aroma! The first time I served it with some mushroom orzo but then opted for some plain rice the second go around.

Yes, i did spend around $10-$12 a pound for the meat, but it sure beats buying the entree in a restaurant!

Give it a try, you'll be impressed (and full), promise.

Difficulty: Medium

Time: 2 hours

Taste: A