Huge thanks again to @hthrrloooo for responding to my desperate ask the other day. I wish I’d had the energy to actually make it that day, but I finally did yesterday, totally forgetting that it also needs to be chilled overnight to separate the fat.
I’m just back from the most aggravating dog walk ever, hangry, wiped out, and all snotty again from the cold air, and am sipping a mug of this pure medicine with minced fresh cilantro and I can feel it working on my battered immune system. I was too lazy to slice the chili pepper but gave the mug a dash of Aleppo pepper flakes
Here’s hoping it helps with my shitty attitude, too. I think next weekend I will do a big stockpot full of this and freeze containers to have on hand for whatever next garbage germ invades my worn out system. My ears are still completely fucked with constant tinnitus and feeling like they’re full of water. Methinks a bath and maybe some Mullein-Garlic Oil drops at bedtime. I really want a hot toddy but that’s a slippery slope I know I shouldn’t climb.
RECIPE: Tawa, Kurdish Eggplant Casserole (Serves 4-6)
Ingredients:
3 waxy potatoes, slices
2 eggplants, sliced
2 tomatoes, sliced
1-2 onions, sliced
1 green bell pepper or 4 small pointy peppers
1 small bunch parsley, finely chopped
flaky sea salt
Oil for frying
Tomato broth:
6-8 tbsp tomato paste
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp 7 spice blend (can be found att Middle Eastern stores)
1 tsk bild red pepper flakes (such as e.g. Aleppo Chili)
1 tbsp vegetable stock powder
Salt & pepper to taste
400 ml boiling water
Instructions:
- Pre-heat oven to 200 C / 390 F.
- Sprinkle the eggplants with some flaky salt, place in a colander and put an heavy object on top, let sit for at least 2 minutes then brush off liquid and salt with a clean kitchen towel.
- Heat oil in a pan and fry eggplants on each side until golden. You can do this over high heat since they don’t have to cook through and that way they won’t absorb as much oil either. Let excess oil drip off when removing them from pan. Fry peppers for 30 seconds on each side as well.
- Place potatoes in an even layer at the bottom of you oven dish. Layer the eggplant and the rest of the veggies as you wish. Sprinkle with parsley.
- Mix together all ingredients for the tomato broth and pour over the veggies. Cover the pan and bake for 45 minutes. Remove cover and bake for another 20-30 minjutes, cover again if top layer is getting too browned.
- Serve with rice or bread.
omg what??? gnocchi and brussel sprouts sounds SO GOOD
I've been holding onto this ask until I got my laptop and could post the entire recipe from the NYT. This is about the closest thing I have to comfort food and I highly recommend it.
Some notes:
If you don't have a fan, your kitchen is gonna get smokey as hell. the suffering WILL be worth it but you should know if you have asthma/lung issues or a very sensitive smoke detector
KEEP THE HEAT UP. You'll see annoying ass people in the comments of the recipe like waaaah my brussel sprouts didn't cook, yeah probably because you were a wuss about temperature, ya fool.
I think the red-pepper flakes aren't enough and either use more, or sub for something spicier. Aleppo pepper is also really good here.
Related, I add more honey and let it go with the browned butter a bit longer. Mike's Hot Honey is great here, again if you like spice
I've tried omitting the lemon peel because if you hit the pith or chop the zest too finely, it adds some very unpleasant bitterness
Be sure to put a lid/cover on the gnocchi when they're cooking, the texture isn't right otherwise.
You can cut down on the butter, i.e. 4 tbsp, but the olive oil amount is p much essential.
The parmesan isn't a make or break thing for me but I'm not a big fan of grated cheese to begin with.
You can eat this at any temperature above lukewarm. Make it for lunch, leave it in the skillet to soak in the flavours, and pick at it throughout the day. Zero regrets.
If you ARE going to reheat it, do it in the skillet, not the microwave for smell purposes and for maximum crispiness.
This is the original pilaf style dish. It is rice cooked in a slowly simmered broth and is a popular dish of Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Afghanistan. It is also eaten in Russia and across the former Soviet Union. You can also find similar rice-cooked-in-broth dishes around the world (from pilaf to risotto to jolof rice to jambalaya). These are all dishes from places to the west of Central Asia and it's a pet theory of mine that everyone who got rice after the Central Asians made their own version of this dish.
I derived my recipe from this one https://arbuz.com/recipes/uzbek-palov-osh-recipe/ since has many little steps and techniques which make it perfect. You could just follow that one (although I think it uses too much water) but that would be less fun.
For my version you will need:
A 2-3 lb roast of beef or lamb (ideally mutton from fat tailed sheep). I used chuck roast. Cut it into big chunks.
4-5 medium carrots, julienned into matchsticks
2 yellow onions, sliced (I used sweet onions)
3.5 cups of rice, thoroughly rinsed
A fuckton of oil. Canola, vegetable oil, safflower or sunflower oil are all good. Flax seed oil is known for particularly tasty, dark and nutty plov but I can only find it as a health supplement. You'll also need to cook the beef and onions at a lower temperature if you use it due to its low smoke point. We'll be getting a dark color and nutty flavor from caramelizing the onions.
A can of chickpeas
3 heads of garlic, kept whole with the outer white peels removed
1 tablespoon of salt
1 teaspoon of black pepper
2 teaspoons of ground cumin
1.5 teaspoons of whole cumin seeds
1.5 teaspoons of coriander
1 teaspoon of chili powder (I used Aleppo chili flakes. This is optional, plov isn't really supposed to be spicy but a touch of heat is nice)
I'll be serving it with my version of shakrob/Shirazi salad (will show you the recipe for that when I get to making it) and Greek yogurt. If you live in a place where you can find Uzbek/Tajik chakka (i.e. you live in Brooklyn, Queens, or somewhere in Russia or Central Asia) or you can make your own use that instead of yogurt.
the most shallow list of cooking spices ive ever seen….where is berbere where is turmeric where is ANY CURRY BLEND any spice other than red pepper flakes. this is not the pizza parlor at least get some dried anchos or aleppo peppers please 🙏
Mushrooms, sliced
Kale, de-stemmed and torn
3+ Cloves Garlic, chopped
1 Onion, Chopped
kielbasa
chicken stock
water
salt
pepper
nutmeg
cayenne
those really good pepper flakes, aleppo? ones? the god of Arepo in my soup here y'all
potato
cream
Boil noodles.
Mise en place.
Pop the onions, garlic, kielbasa in the pot together. When you get bored, add the spices and potato and simmer for twenty minutes. Add mushrooms. Taste; ensure potatoes are cooked enough. Add a wee bit of cream.
It was very spicy and umami, and then I added the cream and everything just... shifted. A very strange (and good!) experience.
Anyway, serve over noodles because noodles and soup are yes. In this case, shell noodles, which can make little pockets of broth, mmhmm!
In principle it starts from this Blackbeard Soup on The Devil Wears Parsley Dot Com.
Bring a pot of water to the boil, add 1/4 cup salt, potatoes and cook for 20-30 minutes (use a fork to make sure the potatoes are soft enough).
Once soft, drain and let the potatoes cool down.
Preheat the oven to 400F.
In a bowl mix together garlic, chili oil, paprika, aleppo pepper, olive oil and mix until combined.
Place the potatoes in a baking sheet. With the bottom of a cup or potato masher squish the potatoes gently. The thinner the potatoes the crisper it will be.
Brush the potatoes with spicy oil mixture.
Place in the oven for 35-50 minutes (depending on how crispy you like it). Add flaky salt, chilli flakes, parsley and serve.
Lime Aioli:
In a small bowl mix together mayonnaise, lime juice, lime zest and parsley. Mix together until combined.
I may be failing at that one thing but I’m winning at cooking. I invested in a good knife set and have made some really delicious, fairly easy things lately, such as:
15 Minute Garlic Parmesan White Beans This took longer than 15 minutes because I needed to roast the halved cherry tomatoes in the oven first, my personal preference. Also, cannellini beans are the best. This is stupid good.
Yukon Gold and Sweet Potato Home Fries Chopped the potatoes smaller than 1 inch, didn’t have chipotle powder so I used regular chili powder, added a little Aleppo pepper flakes and a bit of smoked paprika.
Easy Greek Red Lentil Soup Used Aleppo instead of red pepper flakes, and the juice of one lemon instead of two. Kept out a little soup for texture before immersion blending the rest.
Instant Pot Lasagna Soup Perennial favorite that can be made on the stovetop although I’ve never done that. Also, I never have pesto around when I make it and it’s still good. Don’t skip the nooch (nutritional yeast) though.
Funny story (to me). I went out to get some things for Layered Hummus Dip, which I haven’t made yet, and died laughing at ~$59 per pound for pine nuts at my local Middle Eastern specialty spice and nut store. I’m definitely in my treat yo self era but no, although I did consider it in a Chris Rock’s character in I’m Gonna Git You Sucka way.
edit 4:51 pm: Just made this one with sweet Italian turkey sausage, no other changes: Easy Sausage Tortellini Soup
"Leap into Spring with Whipped Cottage Cheese and Asparagus Pesto" ~Chef Ilona
While many Canadians reach for yogurt over cottage cheese when in the dairy case, but when it comes
to nutritional value, cottage cheese may just be the superior cultured dairy product. According to Health
Canada, roughly one half-cup serving of 2% cottage cheese contains 90 calories, 12 grams of protein, 5
grams of carbohydrates, and 2.5 grams of fat. Additionally, cottage cheese is an excellent source of
calcium, which plays an important role in maintaining bone health.
If the nutritional statistics on cottage cheese isn’t enough of a motivator to include more cottage cheese
into your diet, I find its inherent versatility highly engaging. Cottage cheese is suitable for both sweet
and savoury preparations.
As of late, I have become a fanatic of whipping the cottage cheese for about 45 seconds using an
immersion/stick blender. I use the whipped cottage cheese as the base for various toppings and for
spring, charred asparagus pesto is going to be my go-to.
The traditional version of pesto is made with a glut of fresh basil, pine nuts, parmesan cheese and olive
oil. In my iteration of the herbaceous, verdant sauce, I use roasted asparagus, a splash of lemon juice,
pistachios, parsley, tarragon, parmesan cheese and olive oil. The resulting flavour is very fresh while still
have enough depth of flavour to carry throughout the cottage cheese base.
I live to garnish my springtime platter with some of the reserved tips of roasted asparagus, Aleppo chili
flakes, additional Parmesan, olive oil, and parsley, but feel free to use your own creative license to
garnish or not garnish at your own discretion. I live to serve assorted vegetables including the first of the
radishes of the season, cucumbers, and crostini.
Whipped Cottage Cheese and Asparagus Pesto
Chef Ilona Daniel
Serves 4-6
For the whipped cottage cheese:
2 cups cottage cheese
2 Tbsp olive oil
Using an immersion blender or a food processor, whip ingredients together until smooth, about 1
minute. Taste and season with salt as desired.
For the asparagus pesto:
2 bunches asparagus, trimmed
3 Tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, crushed
¼ cup pistachios
½ cup parsley
2-3 sprigs tarragon, de-stemmed
½ cup parmesan, grated
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
½ cup olive oil
Set oven to high broil.
Toss asparagus with olive oil and sprinkle with a bit of salt and pepper to taste. Place asparagus on a cookie sheet and broil until the asparagus is lightly charred. Allow to cool before moving the next step.
Place the asparagus, garlic, pistachio, parsley, tarragon, parmesan, and lemon juice in a food processor.
Process until finely chopped. With the motor running, gradually pour in the olive oil and process until
the mixture is combined. Season well with salt and pepper to your preference.
Spread the cottage cheese over a serving platter, and dollop with pesto. Sprinkle with additional herbs,
chili flakes, parmesan or lemon zest according to your own whim. Drizzle with olive oil. Serve with
crackers or crostini, and assorted veggies for dipping.
I haven’t posted here forever but I still live the hotplate life 2/3rds of the time so here’s a new one pot that makes 2-3 servings.
Ingredients:
2-3 links precooked spicy sausage like chorizo (or veggie sausage of your choice). I used local chorizo that’s bigger than the typical precooked links so 2 worked for me. I’d you’re using a brand like Aidells or Field Roast I’d use 3.
1/2 can butter or white beans
1 pre-made bag of brown rice and quinoa mix (of course you can cook your own but this is a one burner recipe)
1 bag washed spinach
Juice of half a lemon
Something spicy- pepper flakes, hot sauce, a jalapeño- anything you have on hand
Olive oil, salt and pepper
(Optional garlic and onion. Scallions work great if you’re cooking in a space without a lot of storage for half used veggies)
1) Heat a little olive oil in a pan
2) (add garlic and onion if using and stir until a little soft) add sliced sausage and let this get brown and fragrant
3) add beans and rice mix and season with salt and pepper and your hot thing. I used Aleppo pepper flakes because that’s what I have.
4) let everything cook together until it looks like things are combined well - a couple minutes
5) add spinach and lemon juice, toss together, and cover your pan to let the spinach wilt down. I like it still a little leafy but you can let it basically melt like spinach does.
6) adjust salt and pepper and eat!
Optional toppings could be Parmesan or even a little sour cream if that’s your thing
2 large leek, white part only, finely sliced (about 5 ounces)
1 large shallot, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3 cups sliced shiitake mushrooms
1 lemon, halved
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 lbs penne
4 cups stock
2 Tbs unsalted butter
½ cup chopped fresh parsley, plus more for garnish
Kosher salt and black pepper, as you build the dish
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
½ tsp Aleppo pepper flakes
Directions:
Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high. When hot, add the olive oil and leeks, reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring constantly, until softened and lightly golden, ~ 5 minutes.
Stir in the shallots. garlic, red pepper flakes and mushrooms. Cook, undisturbed, for 2 minutes, then stir and cook, until the mushrooms start to caramelize and stick to the bottom of the pan, another 2 to 3 minutes. (This allows the water from the mushrooms to evaporate, encouraging caramelization.)
Add the white wine and juice of one lemon half to deglaze the pan and stir to combine.
Add the pasta and stock; stir well. Cover with lid and cook on medium heat ~ !5 – 20 minutes. Begin tasting pasta 10 minutes after you add it. (All pasta shapes and brands will have different cooking times. You want the pasta to be just tender.)
Once the pasta is cooked, turn off the heat and add butter, parsley and half the cheese. Squeeze in the juice from the remaining lemon half and stir until butter is melted and cheese is dispersed. Season with salt and pepper.
To serve, top with cheese and more chopped parsley.