Month: July 2009

Punjabi Gobi with Onion and Garlic Naan

/ Ren

Gobi is a dry curry of cauliflower, tomatoes, ginger, onions and toasted spices.  Naan is an  oven-baked flatbread commonly served in South Asia..

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Punjabi Gobi with Onion and Garlic Naan

For the naan (adapted from Anjum Anand)

3 oz organic all-purpose flour
1 oz organic whole wheat flour
1 tsp non-refined sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp aluminum-free baking powder
2 oz organic plain yoghurt
2 oz filtered water
3 cloves garlic
2 green onions

Sift the dry ingredients together in a glass bowl.  Combine with yoghurt and water and let stand in a cool place for 2 hours to break down some of the phytic acid.

Roll dough into a ball, set in an oiled bowl, cover and let stand in a warm place until doubled, about 1-2 hours.

Knead the dough by hand for 10 minutes, adding very small quantities of flour or water as may be needed to achieve a soft, flexible dough.

Roll the dough out into 1/4 inch thick ovals and cook on a pizza stone in a 450 degree oven until brown, about 2-3 minutes per side.

For the Gobi

Core, trim and wash cauliflower (1/2 head per 2 servings) and split into individual florets.  Steam until partially cooked, then plunge into ice water to stop the cooking process.

Chop 1 plum tomato, 1 small yellow tomato, 1/2 yellow onion, 1 tablespoon ginger, 1 or 2 green chilies and a handful of fresh cilantro.

Gather 1 tablespoon each turmeric and chopped curry leaves, 1 teaspoon each of cumin seed, methi and paprika, and 1/2 teaspoon each of black pepper, nigella, ajwain and sea salt.  These spices are commonly available in Indian food markets or by mail order.  Don’t worry about it if you don’t have this exact combination.

Toast the whole spices in a dry skillet until fragrant, about 3 minutes.

Add the tomatoes, onions and peppers and cook until just softened, about 2 minutes.

Add the remaining ingredients (except cilantro) and cook over medium-low heat, stirring often until cauliflower is tender, about 15 minutes.

Add cilantro and 1 tablespoon ghee.  Toss to combine and serve with hot naan.


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Meatless Monday: Summer Squash Quiche

/ Ren

Edible Aria has been reviewed by Meatless Monday

Yellow and green zucchini, bell peppers and scallions in an egg and cream custard with mace and a pinch of red pepper flakes in a whole wheat shell..

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Summer Squash Quiche with Black Grapes and Beemster Garlic Cheese

For the pie dough (adapted from Michael Ruhlman)

6 oz whole wheat flour
4 oz (1 stick) pastured butter
1 oz filtered ice water
1/4 tsp sea salt

Combine the flour and butter in a mixing bowl and rub the butter into small beads.  Add the ice water and salt and mix gently until just combined.  Refrigerate 15 minutes until ready to roll out.  Roll the dough out to about 1/8 inch thickness and place inside of a buttered glass or ceramic pie tin.  Use a fork to poke a few holes in the bottom of the crust to allow the steam to escape, then bake blind at 325 degrees for 10 minutes.  Set aside to cool.

For the filling

Lightly sauté sliced green and golden zucchini, scallions and bell peppers in a little olive oil until just softened. Seat aside to drain.

Mix together 4 pastured eggs, 1 cup fresh milk, 1 cup fresh cream, 1/2 teaspoon mace, 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes and season with sea salt and cracked pepper.

To assemble

Spread the drained vegetables evenly on the bottom of the crust.  Fill the shell with the custard mixture and bake at 325 degrees for about 75 minutes or until set in the middle.  Don’t overcook.

Allow to cool, then refrigerate overnight.  Serve cold with a wedge of cheese and some fruit or reheat slices in a 375 degree oven for 10 minutes.


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Sunday Chicken

/ Ren

You might also like this recipe for Zuni Roast Chicken with Bread Salad

Roast chicken and vegetables is a densely nutritional, healing meal. Here’s a really tasty all-in-one-pan recipe using olive oil, lemon and fresh herbs..

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Herb Roasted Chicken with Root Vegetables

Partially peel and par-boil a few potatoes in salted water.  Drain, bash and set aside.

Wash a fresh, pastured chicken inside and out with plenty of kosher salt and cold, filtered water. Pat dry.

Stuff the cavity of the bird with fresh rosemary, sage and thyme and set in a large heavy skillet.

Surround the bird with potatoes and coarsely chopped garlic, leeks, purple carrots, beets or whatever root vegetables you have on hand.

Cut a lemon in half and squeeze the juice over the contents of the pan.  Add fresh herbs and drizzle everything with olive oil and season with sea salt and cracked pepper.

Roast at 400 degrees until juices run clear, about 1 hour.  Allow to rest 10 minutes before carving and serving with pan juices.

Save the bones for soup stock.

Belgian Chocolate Bread with Crème fraîche

/ Ren

A not-too-sweet quick bread of whole wheat pastry flour, Belgian chocolate, plain kefir, pastured eggs and butter..

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Belgian Chocolate Bread with Crème fraîche and Blueberries

For the bread (measure flour by weight, liquid by volume)

6 oz organic pastry flour
2 oz organic whole wheat flour
1 tsp sea salt
2 tbl baking powder
2 oz non-refined sugar
4 oz natural cacao powder
4 oz Belgian chocolate chips
4 oz filtered water
4 oz plain kefir or yoghurt
2 lg eggs
4 oz melted butter

Chart from The Prepared Pantry

Chart from The Prepared Pantry

Mix the dry ingredients (except chocolate chips) together in a bowl.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, water, kefir and butter.

Gradually whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined.  Don’t over-mix.  Fold in the chocolate chips.

Pour batter into a buttered 4×8 loaf pan and bake at 350 degrees until just set, approximately 45 minutes. Don’t overbake.

Allow loaf to cool on a rack for 15 minutes.

For the Crème fraîche

Crème fraîche is similar to sour cream, but thicker and slightly more sweet than sour.

Mix together 3 parts fresh heavy cream and 1 part buttermilk or plain yoghurt. Cover and allow to stand on the counter overnight before refrigerating.


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Cocoa Lanka

/ Ren

Raw milk, cacao beans, star anise, Ceylon cinnamon, raw almonds, hemp seed and vanilla bean.  Hot cocoa for grownups..

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Simmer raw milk, split vanilla bean and fresh stevia leaves over medium-low heat.  Do not allow to boil.

Meanwhile, toast raw cacao beans, anise, cinnamon, almonds and shelled hemp seed in a dry skillet over medium-low heat until fragrant, about 5-10 minutes.

Crush toasted spices in a mortar, add to the milk and simmer another 15 minutes.

Strain into a coffee mug, swirl in a little fresh cream and garnish with cinnamon and stevia leaves.

Sleep tight, friends..

Lanka is the name given in Hindu mythology to the island fortress capital of the king Ravana in the epics Ramayana and Mahabharata, and is the ancient name for present day Sri Lanka. The fortress itself was situated on a plateau between three mountain peaks known as the Trikuta Mountains Trincomalee.

Rama preparing for war against Ravana

Rama preparing for war against Ravana

This post is part of Food Renegade’s Fight Back Fridays


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