On a Theme of Threes

As I am bringing in recipes from my website (which I am giving up soon, for many complicated reasons), I have been adding in recipes, here to my blog, for ease of access, ones that had previously been only in the website. 
 

Szechuan Hot Sour Cabbage

It has worked well in sets of threes, with recipes in a single theme. Today, I am adding in three side dishes that have long been favorites. One of these is grilled, and I call it Grilled Portobellas 'Richard," after our friend Richard. Another is a truly delicious way to make green beans, especially for a special occasion. I made a slew of these for a birthday dinner, and the bowl was scraped clean at end of meal. The third recipe is a cabbage dish (above) that is one my husband will actually eat. It has enough great flavors that he will tolerate the fact that it is cabbage.

What to do With Huge Portobello Mushrooms?

Our friend Rich thought up this idea, and had some very definite ideas on how it should be made, ideas that I implemented with my own knowledge and expertise. I have to say, these turned out with absolutely exquisite flavors, and truly are satisfying enough as a main dish, should you be vegetarian (or even if you're not!). As a matter of fact, they can be used in place of a hamburger on a bun, which I did for a vegetarian friend who came to dinner.
 
His idea started out like this:
Rich: How about if we grill some big portobello mushrooms to top our burgers for supper?

Me: Sure, lets go get some at the store.

Rich: I think if we season them and let them set all afternoon before grilling, they will taste great on the grill.

Me: That would certainly make them tasty.

Rich: Let's grill some slices of onion to set on top!

Me: That sounds good, too!

Rich: Then we could set some smoked provolone to melt on top of  them.

Me: Yep, sounding better and better.

Rich: So, I think if we mashed up a LOT of garlic with some olive oil and spread that all over the inside of the mushroom, that would taste really great.

Me: We can do that, plus, I think some smoked salt would add to the flavors. Maybe some minced rosemary? Or maybe some smoked paprika?

Grilled Portobellas Richard

And thus went the day. We went and bought the foods we needed, and proceeded with the marinade and the grilling later on. And the recipe came out so far better than even expected. Don't be afraid of the garlic - these are great just as the recipe stands. Totally unbelievable.

Grilled Portobellos 'Richard'

Stacking Grilled Portobellas with Onion and Cheese

Serves 4

4 very large Portobello mushrooms
1 large onion
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons butter, melted
6 to 8 garlic cloves, minced (Richard loves garlic)
1 teaspoon salt, preferably Hickory Smoked
½ teaspoon smoked paprika, optional
½ teaspoon finely minced fresh rosemary leaves, optional
Black pepper, freshly ground, to taste
4 slices smoked Provolone cheese

Early in the day, or even the day before, mix together the olive oil, melted butter and garlic. Add in the smoked paprika and minced rosemary, if using. Remove the stems from the portobellas. Brush the oil and garlic mixture all over the mushroom, first on the outside of the cap, and then leaving the mushroom cupped upwards, make sure there is a lot of the garlic mixture inside. Sprinkle with some of the salt. The hickory smoked salt can be found in some specialty stores, but regular salt will do. Sprinkle on some pepper, as desired. Wrap in plastic wrap, or place in a sealed container until needed.

When ready to cook, light a grill. This works better if you have a grill pan, so the mushrooms and the onions don’t slip through the grate. Slice an onion into thick slices, about ¼-inch thick or more. Grill the onion slices on both sides, until well done and a little bit charred. Have the mushrooms grilling alongside; first grill the outside of the cap downwards and then turn them over. Be prepared! This will flare the flame, as the butter and oil will come running out. Once the mushrooms and the onion slices are cooked through, flip the mushroom cup side upwards and place one slice of the grilled onion onto the cup side of the mushroom. Top with a slice of Provolone cheese and allow the cheese to melt slightly.

Prepare for some of the best mushrooms, ever!

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A Delicious Preparation for Green Beans

Creamed Green Beans with Bacon

I remember, as a kid, my Mom making something similar to this recipe, without the bacon. Without the fresh green beans, for that matter. She would make a roux with butter or bacon grease and flour, then drain the can of green bean liquid into the mix and cook till thickened, then add the can of green beans in to heat through. They were good. But, it's been a long time since then, and my body does not tolerate that much salt anymore.

I love green beans now - the fresh kind. I make them "French-cut" all the time. I guess I like that they seem easier to eat, easier to chew than blunt cut green beans, less "squeaky" between the teeth. My husband also loves my green beans, so for one of his birthdays he was quite specific what he wanted for his birthday and green beans were part of the requested meal. Since it was his birthday, I opted to make them a bit fancier than normal. I made the roux, just like Mom made, but as I fried minced bacon to add to the dish, I used the resultant bacon grease in the pan for the roux, and water for the liquid - there were plenty of other flavors going on. These came out with such stellar flavor. At the table, it was close to a fight over the last bits of beans in the bowl.

Creamed Green Beans with Bacon

Creamed Green Beans with Bacon

Serves 6 - 8

1 pound green beans, stem end removed, cut as desired
6 slices thick-sliced bacon (about 4 - 5 ounces)
2 tablespoons reserved bacon grease
1 tablespoon butter
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, stripped from stems
1 cup water
salt and pepper, to taste

Cut the bacon strips across the grain into ¼-inch pieces. Fry the bacon until almost crisp. Remove the bacon pieces to paper toweling to drain and set aside. Remove all but 2 tablespoons of the bacon grease for another use. Add the butter and garlic to the pan and saute the garlic gently for 2 minutes. Add the flour and thyme leaves and stir to combine. Add in the water and stir. Bring the mixture to a boil stirring for about 5 minutes until the mixture is like a gravy. Set aside and keep warm.

Prepare a steamer and set the green beans into the steamer basket. Sprinkle Kosher salt all over the green beans. Bring water to a boil and steam the green beans for about 8 to 12 minutes, or until the green beans are just barely tender. Drain well and add the green beans to the sauce in the skillet. Add in the bacon, reserving 1 tablespoon for garnish. Stir together and bring the mixture back to full heat. Taste for seasoning, adding salt and pepper as desired. Garnish with reserved bacon pieces. Serve immediately.

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Taking Cabbage to New Heights

Cabbage is one of those love or hate type of vegetables. It can certainly be made badly and tasteless. This recipe is not one of those. While my recipe is quite similar to one I found in a book somewhere long ago, it is the first time I came across reference to Szechuan "peppercorns." And, after hunting them down and making the recipe, I found that while the peppercorns did have a particular flavor, there just aren't that many in the recipe to really gauge how the overall recipe tasted with or without them. While I would urge you to try and find some to try in this recipe, I believe there are enough other much more easy to find ingredients that make the recipe taste so great.

What Are Szechuan "Peppercorns"?

Szechuan Peppercorns

Just to be clear, Szechuan "peppercorns" are not pepper at all. Unrelated to pepper, these little pinkish, petal-like pods are extensively used in Southeast Asian cuisines. An essential component of Chinese Five-Spice Powder, they are also used on their own in many dishes. Their flavor is unlike pepper or chilies and has no heat but instead a slightly lemon or citrus flavor. They are said to cause a slight numbness or tingling in the mouth when eaten. The pods are used whole or slightly crushed, unless ground into a spice mixture. Avoid them if too many of the inner black seeds are present, as they are gritty to chew. The name is also found spelled as Szechuan, Sichuan or Szechwan.

Szechuan Hot Sour Cabbage

Szechuan Hot Sour Cabbage

Serves 6 - 8

1 pound cabbage
1 green bell pepper
1 red bell pepper
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons vegetable oil, I use olive oil
4 dried hot chilies, optional
12 Szechuan peppercorns, or black peppercorns if preferred
1 tablespoon Asian dark sesame oil

Thinly shred cabbage and green and red peppers. For sauce, in a small bowl, combine soy, vinegar, sugar and salt; set aside.

Preheat a wok or a large skillet over high heat. Add vegetable oil. When oil is hot, add chilies and peppercorns and stir-fry a few seconds. Add shredded cabbage and bell peppers and stir-fry for 1 - 1½ minutes, or until slightly wilted. Add sauce mixture and stir until blended. Place cabbage mixture in a serving dish. Discard chilies and peppercorns if desired. Sprinkle cabbage mixture with sesame oil and serve either hot or cold.

My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.

Homely Vegetables Made Grand

Beets, Brussels Sprouts and Cabbage. Homely vegetables that seem to be either loved or hated. I learned very young to love cabbage in the form of cole slaw, a love that continues to this day, though cabbage in most any form is high on my list of loves. I also loved beets, as my Mom would can them each summer and at a very young age I enjoyed helping her slip off their skins after boiling, as well as popping some of the tiny ones into my mouth. Beets also figured large at Easter each year, when my Yugoslav (these days her hometown would be in north Serbia) paternal grandmother made Beets with Horseradish to go with her ham. To this day, ham doesn't taste right unless I have some beets with horseradish on hand.

Lots of beets and healthy greens

Brussels sprouts on the other hand, took me a lot longer to come to terms with. I was a highly picky eater as a child. Once I married in 1970 at age 20 and moved to Guatemala, I was exposed to all sorts of foods I'd never heard of before and learned to like and to cook most of them. Brussels sprouts were not on that list, as I never once saw them while down there. So it wasn't until much more recently, like in the early 2000's, that I finally tackled learning how to make Brussels sprouts taste good. 

Brussels Sprouts

Along with many other members of the cruciferous vegetable family (cabbage, kale, cauliflower, broccoli, arugula radishes, bok choy and others), Brussels sprouts can be pungent and sometimes bitter. However, as they are now believed to trigger anti-inflammatory and antioxidant responses, we are encouraged to eat more and more of these vegetables that are sometimes hard to enjoy. 

What I discovered is that Brussels sprouts become bitter when they are over cooked. If steaming, ensure they are cooked just until they are bright green and can be pierced with the tip of a knife. Once the color darkens into the olive range, they become bitter. I steam my Brussels sprouts more often than not, and this recipe for a "sauce" makes them quite palatable. My husband, far more picky than I ever was, has finally come to enjoy eating these little veggies based solely on this recipe, and that is a true coup!

Dijon Caper Brussels Sprouts

Dijon Caper Brussels Sprouts

Serves 6 to 8

1 pound Brussels sprouts
Salt, for sprinkling
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
¼ cup capers, drained and chopped
1 tablespoon lime zest
Salt and pepper, to taste

Trim the Brussels sprouts so they are of a fairly uniform size. Place trimmed Brussels sprouts in a very small amount of boiling water and sprinkle with salt. Cook until just barely tender. Better yet, steam them. Watch that they stay bright green. This can take about 6 to 8 minutes, depending on the size. They become bitter when overcooked.
 
While sprouts are cooking, mix all the rest of the ingredients together into a paste. When sprouts are tender, drain and return to pan. Mix in the flavored butter and toss until melted. Serve immediately.

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Cabbage

Another of the cruciferous vegetables, as mentioned above, cabbage is supposed to be exceedingly healthy for the body. That does not mean it is palatable to everyone. As I mentioned, I love cabbage. Whether it is plain boiled or served raw, I just love it. My husband however, will not eat it raw under any circumstances. Cooked? Depends. I have gotten creative with some recipes to tempt him. Often, it is better if he isn't aware of it at all. In that way of thinking, I have made this noodle dish, in which the noodles and the cabbage are pretty much all the same color, as well as a similar looking size, so it isn't as noticeable that there is cabbage in the recipe. He does love noodles, and most any pasta. So this recipe is perfect. If, perchance, you like the flavor of caraway seeds, do add a half teaspoon or so to the cabbage when it is being cooked. As my husband also dislikes caraway, I leave it out.

Noodles with Cabbage

Noodles with Cabbage

Serves about 6 to 8

6 ounces wide egg noodles
2 onions, sliced thin
6 tablespoons cider vinegar
1½ tablespoons unsalted butter
(¾ teaspoon caraway seeds)
¼ teaspoon salt
12 ounces cabbage, cored and cut into ½-inch strips
1 tablespoon paprika, preferable Hungarian
¼ cup dark brown sugar, or more, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper

Put 6 ounces of water into a large pan. Add the onions, vinegar, butter, caraway seeds (if using) and salt, and bring the mixture to a boil. Cook, stirring frequently for 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium low, and stir in the cabbage, paprika and brown sugar. Cover the pan and cook for 35 minutes, removing the lid three times during this period to stir. Add water, if necessary, to ensure that the liquid in the pan remains about ½-inch deep.

Approximately 5 minutes before cabbage finishes cooking, drop the noodles into 2 quarts of boiling water, with 1 teaspoon of salt and cook them for 5 minutes. The noodles will be undercooked. Drain them and add them to the cabbage mixture, along with some ground pepper. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until all the liquid has evaporated and the noodles are al dente, 5 - 7 minutes. 

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Beets

Unlike the above vegetables, beets are not cruciferous vegetables. This does not mean they aren't also healthy eating. Also anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and detoxifying, beets, in the chenopod family along with chard, spinach and quinoa, also have edible greens, making this great root a twofer in terms of great healthy eating. Beets come in various colors. I find the lighter colors such as in golden beets or in the lovely striped Chioggia beets to be lighter in flavor also. Maybe just me, but to me, if you object to the dark red beets, give one of the lighter colored ones a try. Beets are touted as possibly having anti cancer benefits, and the type of fiber in beets can provide special health benefits in the colon.

While I have loved beets since little, I have yet to persuade my husband to try any of them (Except by subterfuge, in my Chocolate Beet Cake!) That does not stop me from trying out new recipes, and this particular recipe is so good that I just cannot stop eating the beets when they are done.

Lemon Garlic Beets

Lemon Garlic Beets

Serves about 6

14 to 16 ounces fresh beets, peeled
1 teaspoon lime zest
juice of one juicy lime (1 - 2 tablespoons)
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
2 - 3 cloves garlic, sliced thinly
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon olive oil

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a rimmed sheet pan with foil and spray the foil with cooking spray. 

Slice the beets into ¼-inch thick slices, then slice the pieces into quarter-rounds. Place the beets into a bowl and combine with the remaining ingredients. Toss well to coat. Spread the beets into a single layer in the sheet pan, then spray another piece of foil with cooking spray and place the oiled side down over the beets, crimping the edges to seal the pan. Bake the beets for about 40 minutes, until tender when pierced with a fork. 



My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.

A New Delicious Indian Style Side Dish

I may have mentioned a time or two 😉 how much I love Indian food. Everything about the flavors just hit the spot, for me. Some time ago I made a recipe for Cauliflower in Indian Spices, but had yet to try making something with cabbage. I chanced to see a recipe in passing, a few days back, and looked at it more closely. I took the usual route of looking at other similar recipes before sitting down to compose something that fit my own criteria. 
 

Indian Cabbage and Rice

My husband and I had been in Denver over the recent holidays, and while there I went to Whole Foods Market. We have nothing at all like that near us, so when the opportunity strikes, I take it. While there I bought quite a few turmeric roots, fresh. I always put turmeric powder into my oatmeal in the morning, mainly for health benefits, and since returning with the fresh roots, I have been grating that into my oatmeal instead. So when I sat to compose a recipe for Indian Cabbage and Rice, my plan was that fresh turmeric would be an ingredient. Hurray! Another use for the fresh turmeric. I will be sad to see it gone, truly, because the flavor is so different when it is fresh!

Turmeric - Curcuma longa

Fresh Turmeric Root

Turmeric is a plant of the ginger family, and native to southwest India. It is used throughout south Asia in cooking for its pungency and color as well as for deep golden dyes. The part used is the root, in actuality a rhizome. The roots are lifted out and sold fresh or dried and ground. When fresh, the roots are a deep orange color and the favor is described as peppery, warm and bitter. Ground turmeric is most often found in areas where the plant will not grow, and it is easily found most anywhere. It is known for the deep, golden yellow color it gives, particularly to things like yellow mustard. It is also usually a significant ingredient in commercial yellow "curry powders."

When using turmeric, whether fresh or dried, care is needed when using it, as it will stain. The intense yellow color will stain hands, nails, cutting boards and anything else it comes in contact with. 

In cooking, the use of turmeric is an excellent way to brighten colors in a dish Adding a small bit to a food that is already yellow, such as egg salad, makes the color more appealing. Turmeric is an excellent addition to bean and lentil dishes as the flavors compliment these legumes. Indian lentil and dal recipes most often call for turmeric. 

Indian Cabbage and Rice

Turmeric is most often used in savory culinary applications, although it can be used in sweet applications. A tiny pinch in a bread, cake or cookie recipe will impart golden color without imparting much flavor.  

Back to My Cabbage and Rice

I love rice, and I love cabbage. I love Indian spices. I figured this whole dish would be a match made in heaven. Speaking for myself, I just couldn't get enough of this dish last evening. I kept sneaking bites while waiting for the pork chops to finish cooking. I snuck more bites after dinner while cleaning up after the meal. While the flavors didn't jump out and scream at you, they were certainly a lovely mixture. If you look closely at the photos, you can just pick out the little bits of bright orange turmeric in the dish. Of course, dried turmeric can be used instead, and once my precious fresh roots are gone, I will make this dish again with dried turmeric powder.

Indian Cabbage and Rice

Indian Cabbage and Rice

Makes 6 or more servings

RICE:
1 cup basmati rice
2 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon butter or ghee

WHOLE MASALA:
2 whole green cardamom pods
2 whole cloves
1-inch true cinnamon, broken
1 teaspoon crushed coriander seeds
1 teaspoon brown mustard seeds
½ teaspoon cumin seeds
1 "tej patta" or "tamal patra" leaf, optional
1 pinch asafoetida, optional

CABBAGE:
2 tablespoons oil or ghee

1 medium onion, finely chopped
1-inch fresh ginger root, minced
2 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
1 - 2 jalapeno chilies, minced
1-inch fresh turmeric root, grated, OR use ground, below: 
½ small cabbage, shredded (about 5 cups)

1 teaspoon Garam Masala
½ teaspoon ground turmeric, if no fresh is available
2 - 3 teaspoons vinegar
½ cup chopped cilantro

Set the rice ingredients into a medium saucepan, bring to boil and reduce to a strong simmer. Cover with a lid and time for 15 minutes. Rice should be cooked through and no more liquid visible. Set aside once cooked.

In a large skillet, heat the oil or ghee. Add in all the Whole Masala ingredients and swirl the pan until the spices begin to crackle and sputter. Add in the onion, reduce heat and cook, stirring often, until the onion is translucent. Add in the ginger, garlic, chilies and turmeric root, if available. Cook and stir until the mixture is very fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add the cabbage and stir well, mixing and tossing often while the cabbage cooks, about 10 minutes, or until it is as tender as desired. Once cooked, stir in the remaining 4 ingredients and stir well. 

Add in the cooked rice and stir well to completely combine and serve immediately. 


My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.