Mexican Food Class: Continues....

Black Bean and Mango Chile (Mollie Katzan)

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

2 cups minced red onion

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 3-inch jalapeno chile, seeded and minced

1 1/2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger

1 1/2 teaspoons cumin seeds

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

6 cups cooked black beans (3 15-ounce cans, rinsed and drained)

6 tablespoons fresh lime juice

2 large ripe mangoes, minced

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Minced fresh cilantro (optional)

Squeezable wedges of lime

1. Heat the oil in a medium-sized skillet. Add about 1 3/4 cups of the onion, and the garlic, chile, ginger, cumin seeds, and salt. Sauté over medium -high heat for about 5 minutes.

2. Turn the heat down to medium-low, and add the black beans and about half the lime juice. Sauté for about 5 to 10 minutes, or until everything has mingled nicely, and the beans are heated through. Mash the beans slightly with the back of the spoon, and transfer to a bowl.

3. Stir the remaining lime juice and about 2/3 of the chopped mangoes directly into the hot beans, mashing the mangoes a little as you stir. Grind in some black pepper, then cover and let stand for about 15 minutes to let the sauce develop.

4. Serve warm, at room temperature--or even cold--topped with the remaining red onion and mango, and some minced cilantro, if desired. For a finishing touch, tuck a juicy wedge of lime on the side of each serving.

Mexican Food Class! This class is dedicated to some of our favorite Mexican flavors. Most of these recipes can be adapted and used in other favorites like burritos and tacos.

Mole Enchiladas

2 T lard (can use coconut oil or olive oil instead)

½ onion, peeled and sliced

2 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced

1 t salt

1 T cumin seeds

1 poblano pepper, seeded and thinly sliced

1 Anaheim pepper, seeded and thinly sliced

4 skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into chunks

4 C chicken broth

Sauce

2 C broth from cooked chicken

1 dried quajillo chili, stemmed and seeded

1 dried ancho chili, stemmed and seeded

1 corn tortilla, cut into 1-inch strips

4 tomatoes, cut in half crosswise

3 tomatillos, cut in half crosswise

2  T lard (or coconut oil)

½ onion, sliced

5 cloves garlic, sliced

2 t cumin seeds

2 C chicken broth

Salt to taste

1 t white sugar, or more to taste

3 oz. dark chocolate, chopped

12 corn tortillas

½ bunch cilantro, coarsely chopped

½ C crumbled queso fresco

Melt 2T coconut oil in a large stockpot, stir in the ½ onion, 2 cloves garlic, 1 t salt, 1 T cumin seeds, poblano peppers, and Anaheim peppers; cook  and stir until unions are soft, 5-8 minutes.   Add chicken thighs and 4C broth, cover and simmer until the chicken is cooked, about 40 minutes.  Strain reserving liquid.

Place 2 C hot broth in blender.

Toast guajillo chilies and ancho chilies in a dry skillet on medium-high heat until soft and aromatic, 3-4 minutes.  Place the toasted chilies and tortilla strips in the blender, press them down so they are submerged and let them sit in the hot broth until they soften, about 10 minutes.

While the chiles sit in the broth cook the tomatoes and tomatillos in a dry skillet on medium high heat until soft and blackened.

Heat 2 T coconut oil in a large skillet over medium heat, stir in the ½ sliced onion, 5 garlic cloves, cumin seeds, and cook stirring frequently until vegetables are soft and golden.  Add onion mixture to blender jar, along with the tomatoes and tomatillos. Blend until smooth.

Pour chile mixture into a large skillet.  Add 2 C chicken broth, salt, sugar, and chocolate and bring mixture to a simmer and cook and stir until chocolate is melted, about 5 minutes.

Heat tortillas in a dry skillet until soft and pliable.  Lightly oil a 9x13 pan.  Fill each tortilla with 1/3 C of cooked chicken, place seam side down in the pan.  Top with mole, chopped cilantro, and queso and heat 375 until the enchiladas are cooked through.

Greek Week ends... but on a high note. Cookies!

Kourambiethes

Ingredients:

2 cups unsalted butter

3/4 cup powdered sugar

1 egg yolk

1 jigger(3 tablespoons or 1-1/2 ounces) of Brandy

4-1/2 cups (apprx.) flour

Whole cloves (optional)

Powdered sugar

Preparation:

Greek Week Continues! Fresh Garbanzo Beans. Bet you didn't know they were green?

Sauteed Garbanzo Beans

1 Pound of fresh garbanzo beans

1 pinch of salt

1 pinch of red pepper flakes

1 tables spoon of olive oil.

Greek week Continues!  flaky goodness..... yum

Spanakopita

1 pound filo

1 container ricotta

1 lg. package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry of excess liquid

1 C crumbled feta

3 green onions, sliced

¼ C finely chopped fresh mint

1 egg

Salt and pepper to taste

1 C butter, melted or a mixture of  melted butter and olive oil

Heat the oven to 375.  Remove the filo from the fridge and let stand a room temperature, it’s easier to use if it’s not super cold.

In a medium bowl combine the ricotta, spinach, feta, onion, egg, and salt and pepper and mix well.  Set aside.  

Butter a 9x13 pan.  Place a sheet of filo in the bottom of the pan and butter it, top with another sheet, brushing it with butter as well.   Butter and layer the sheets until you have 8-10 sheets of filo.  Place the filling evenly in the pan and top with a sheet of filo.  Brush it with melted butter and butter and layer another 8-10 sheets of filo.  Once done brush the top sheet of filo, and pour any remaining melted butter into the pan.  Using a sharp knife make a vertical slit down the center of the pan.  Place in the preheated oven for 35-45 minutes or until the filo is golden brown.  Allow to cool 10-15 minutes before cutting and serving.  Cut into 8 servings for an entrée sized serving.

Greek Week Continues! Ummmmmm.... Salad

Horiatiki Salad

1 English cucumber, peeled and sliced in ¼ inch slices

3 ripe tomatoes, cored and cut into 8ths

½ C thinly sliced red onion

¼ C olive oil

2 T red wine vinegar

Salt and pepper to taste

½ C pitted olives

¼ C chopped mint

1 T chopped oregano

1 C crumbled feta

In a large bowl combine the cucumber, tomato, and red onion.  Add the olive oil and red wine vinegar and toss to combine.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Place in a serving bowl and garnish with olives, mint, oregano, and feta.

Greek Week Continues! delicious, sweet and salty Dolmas!

Dolmathes

For the dolmathes:

60 grape leaves, fresh or jarred

1 pound ground beef ***(if you want to make them vegetarian, omit the beef, increase the cooked rice to 2C)

1/2 medium yellow onion, finely chopped

1 cup cooked white rice, such as jasmine or basmati

6 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley

1/4 cup chopped fresh mint

4 teaspoons kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

For the avgolemono:

3 large eggs

1/4 cup lemon juice (from 2 medium lemons)

1 cup hot reserved cooking liquid from the dolmathes

Instructions

For the dolmathes:

If using fresh grape leaves, prepare an ice water bath by filling a bowl halfway with ice and water and set aside. Bring a medium pot of water to a rolling boil over high heat, add grape leaves, and cook until leaves are tender but still hold their shape, about 5 to 10 minutes (depending upon the size of the leaves). Remove grape leaves from the water and submerge them in the ice water bath. Drain.

If using jarred grape leaves, place leaves in a strainer and discard the liquid. Carefully separate the leaves, rinse with cold water, and let drain.

Meanwhile, combine beef, onion, rice, 4 tablespoons of the olive oil, parsley, mint, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl and mix until thoroughly combined.

Lay out one grape leaf and remove the tough stem. Place about 1 tablespoon (or less, depending upon the size of the leaf) of filling in the center. Carefully fold the top and sides of the leaf over the filling. Roll tightly into a cylinder (it should look like a miniature football) and place in a large saucepan. Repeat with remaining leaves and filling, arranging dolmathes side by side until the bottom of the pan is completely covered. Continue layering dolmathes until they are all in the pan.

Place chicken broth in a small saucepan and bring just to a boil over medium-high heat. Pour broth over dolmathes, along with remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Cover pan with foil and place in a preheated oven for 30 minutes (to cook the beef).  Remove dolmathes to a serving platter. Strain and measure remaining cooking liquid, reserving 1 cup to make the avgolemono sauce. Cover dolmathes loosely with foil to keep warm.

For the avgolemono:

Pasta Class: Last week we learned how to make pasta from scratch and how to dress it up to make a variety of dishes. For dessert we made Semolina Cookies.

Spinach Pasta

2 cups packed fresh spinach

2 egg yolks, plus 1 egg

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup semolina flour

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

To make the spinach pasta, in a food processor, puree the spinach with the egg yolks and whole egg until smooth. Combine the flours and kosher salt and add to the spinach mixture in the food processor. With the machine running, add the olive oil. Pulse until the mixture resembles cornmeal with small pebbles. Remove the dough to a bowl, and, using your hands, form it into a ball. If the dough is too dry, add 1 or 2 drops of water. Do not let the pasta get too wet; it needs to be on the dry side so it can be rolled out and cut easily. Knead the dough for a few minutes. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough as thin as possible using a rolling pin (or roll out with a pasta machine).

Plain Fresh Pasta

2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (can add semolina flour as part of the flour)

4 extra-large eggs

Pinch salt

Place the flour, eggs and salt in a food processor.  Run machine until it forms a dough.  If it’s too dry add a bit of water a little at a time until it just holds together.  Knead a little bit until smooth, shape into a ball and cover and let rest 30 minutes before rolling. 

Homemade Tomato Sauce

1 chopped onion,

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

1/4 c. olive oil

1 - 2 lb. (3 oz.) can Italian style whole tomatoes and juice

1 (6 oz.) can tomato paste

2 tsp. basil, crumbled or 2 T chopped fresh basil

1 tsp. salt

Dash of sugar

1 c. water

Saute onion, garlic, in oil until tender. Add tomatoes, juice, (break up tomatoes), tomato paste, basil, salt, sugar, and water. Bring to boil, simmer uncovered, stirring often. Cook for 30 minutes or until sauce thickens.

  Cream Sauce (Bechemel)

5 tablespoons butter

4 tablespoons all-purpose flour

4 cups milk

2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

In a medium saucepan, heat the butter over medium-low heat until melted. Add the flour and stir until smooth. Over medium heat, cook until the mixture turns a light, golden sandy color, about 6 to 7 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the milk in a separate pan until just about to boil. Add the hot milk to the butter mixture 1 cup at a time, whisking continuously until very smooth. Bring to a boil. Cook 10 minutes, stirring constantly, then remove from heat. Season with salt and nutmeg, and set aside until ready to use.

You can freeze it in 2C containers so that you have it on hand when you need it.

Classic Meat Lasagna

1 pound lasagna sheets (uncooked if using fresh, cooked if using dry)

1 recipe tomato sauce

8 oz. Italian sausage, crumbled and sautéed

15 oz. ricotta cheese

8 oz. fresh mozzarella cheese

2 C Bechemel

½ C grated parmesan cheese

Oil one 9x13 pan.  Sprinkle ¼ C parmesan cheese on the bottom of the pan.  Ladle a small amount of tomato sauce on the bottom of the pan.  Place on layer of pasta on top of the sauce.  Top with some more tomato sauce, ½ of the sausage, ½ of the ricotta, and ½ of the mozzarella.  Ladle more tomato sauce over ingredients and top with another layer of pasta.  Repeat the layering and end with a final layer of pasta.  Spread a thin layer of tomato sauce on top and carefully ladle the bechemel sauce over the tomato sauce.  Sprinkle with the remaining ¼ C grated parmesan.

Spray the lasagna with olive oil spray if you have it (this helps to keep the toppings from sticking to the foil.  Cover the lasagna with foil and bake 375 for 30 minutes.  Remove the foil and bake an additional 15 minutes or until lasagna is golden brown.  Allow to sit at least 20 minutes before serving.  Serves 12.

Ideas for Meat Lasagna Fillings

Chopped meat balls

Sausages

Ground Cooked Roast Beef or Pork

Sautéed Ground Meat

Roasted Salmon (a salmon butternut squash lasagna would be delicious)

Shrimp

Classic Vegetable Lasagna

1 pound lasagna sheets (uncooked if using fresh, cooked if using dry)

1 recipe tomato sauce

15 oz. ricotta cheese

2 T pesto sauce

2 C roasted vegetables

8 oz. fresh mozzarella cheese

2 C bechemel

½ C grated parmesan cheese

Combine the ricotta and pesto and follow the directions as if you are making a meat lasagna using the roasted vegetables instead of the Italian sausage.  Serves 12.

To make it vegan layer pasta, tomato sauce, and roasted vegetables in a casserole.  If you like vegan cheeses you can use it in between the layers.  You can also add tempeh to the filling or use crumbled tofu for a ricotta like filling.

Ideas for Vegetarian Lasagna Fillings

Roasted Vegetables

Sautéed Mushrooms

Tempeh

Ricotta

Summer Squashes and Corn

Fettuccini Alfredo

1 pound dried fettuccini

1 C cups heavy cream

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 cups grated Parmesan

2 teaspoons grated lemon zest

Pinch freshly grated nutmeg

Salt and freshly ground white pepper

Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to the bite ,(check package cooking directions) stirring occasionally.   Drain.

Stir 2 cups of the cream and the lemon juice in a heavy large skillet to blend. Add the butter and cook over medium heat just until the butter melts, stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Add the pasta and toss. Add the remaining 1/2 cup of cream, and Parmesan to the cream sauce in the skillet. Add the lemon zest, nutmeg, salt, and white pepper. Toss the pasta mixture over low heat until the sauce thickens slightly, about 1 minute.

Serves 4-6

To Add Chicken:

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

Olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Gremolata:

¼ C chopped Italian parsley

1 clove garlic, minced

Zest of one lemon

1 T lemon juice

Heat oven to 375.  Brush the chicken breast with olive oil and season to taste with salt and pepper.  Heat a stove top grill or skillet over a high heat until hot.  Sear the chicken on both sides.  Place the chicken on a small cookie sheet and bake 15-20 minutes or until chicken is cooked through (I’ll show you the “skin” test, or 150 on a meat thermometer).  Let the chicken rest while making the fettuccini.  When ready to serve, slice the chicken on the diagonal and arrange on top of fettuccini, top with gremolata and serve.  Serves 4-6.

Pasta Aglio Olio

1 pound dried pasta (I like Bucatini for this but spaghetti works too)

½ C extra virgin olive oil

2 T minced garlic

1 t red pepper flakes (or to taste)

¼ C finely chopped flat leaf parsley

Freshly grated parmesan cheese

Cook pasta according to the package directions.  While the pasta is cooking place the olive oil in a large skillet on a low flame.  Add the garlic and cook so that the oil is infused with the garlic.  Add the pepper flakes and turn off the heat.  Drain the pasta and pour the pasta into the pan of the sauce and cook a minute or two over a low flame tossing the pasta and coating with the sauce.  Place in a serving bowl and sprinkle the parsley and parmesan cheese on top.

Serves 4.

*a note about gluten free pasta’s- we did a taste test and found the dried rice pasta’s to be the best of the dried.  Most of the fresh gluten free pasta’s I’ve tried have been good.

Semolina Cookies - Ici Berkeley, CA

3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup semolina flour

2 1/4 teaspoons ground cardamom

4 sticks unsalted butter, softened

1 3/4 cups sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 large egg yolks

1 teaspoon orange-flower water, available at gourmet markets, or substitute orange extract or liqueur

Sift together both flours and 2 teaspoons cardamom in a large bowl; set aside.

Using a mixer, beat the butter, 1 1/4 cups sugar and the salt in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then add the egg yolks; mix well. Add the dry ingredients and mix until just incorporated. Mix in the orange-flower water.

Divide the dough in half; place each half on a sheet of wax paper. Using the wax paper, roll each piece of dough into a 12-by-1 1/2-inch log. Wrap tightly and chill until firm, at least 1 hour.