Minty Carrot Chicken from Claudia Roden.

This dish, from Claudia Roden, from her 1996 "Book of Jewish Food".
Here, the last-minute stirring-in of fresh mint takes a combination of ordinary ingredients to someplace special.
The dish is loaded with more savory turmeric- and ginger-tinged vegetables than with meat.

For fast cooking, boneless and skinless chicken is the way to go; when you have time to let the ingredients cook longer in the pot, use bone-in chicken, and you'll be rewarded with more flavor.
Serve with rice or warm naan.
It's delicious!


Ingredients
3 tablespoons sunflower oil
7 bone-in, skinless chicken thighs (1 kg total)
2 large white onions (I prefer red!)
4 carrots (sliced lengthways and cut into 3cm lengths)
1 teaspoon ground turmeric ( I have 1 tablespoons)
4 cm piece of Fresh Ginger grated
2 Cloves Garlic, crushed or finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon Dried Chilli Flakes
Kosher salt
Water - enough to cover chicken
Leaves from 4 to 6 stems fresh mint

Method
- heat the oil in a in a large saute pan or deep-sided skillet until it is very hot, and just starts smoking
- make sure the chicken is dry; pat it with paper towel if needed, season lightly all over with salt.
- lay the seasoned chicken down in the pan in a single layer.
- You should hear loud sizzeling, if you don’t - the pan is not hot enough.
- remove the chicken and let the pan to get hotter
Don’t flip the chicken for at least 3 minutes.
It needs time for that sear to develop and if you flip the chicken, or even shake it around the pan, you lessen the amount of heat – which at best means you have to wait longer to get a sear, or at worse you’ll never get it at all
After 3 – 4 minutes on high heat, peak at the underside of the chicken.
If it’s golden brown, flip it, and sear the other side with the same technique until the chicken is lightly browned on both sides (It will not be cooked through).
Remove from the pan and set aside.

Reduce the heat to medium-high.
Add the onion to the pan and fry until soft.
Add the ginger, garlic and chillies if using, then the turmeric and stir.
Add the chicken to the pan.
Add the carrots and just enough water to cover the chicken.
Cook uncovered for a further 25-30 mins until the liquid has reduced.
If necessary, transfer the chicken and carrots to a warming dish at the end of cooking in order to quickly reduce the remaining liquid in the pan.
The chicken should be cooked through, the carrots should be tender and the liquid in the pan should have reduced a bit.
Add the mint, cook very briefly.
Turn off the heat and serve, preferably with Indian bread or rice.

Frittata.

Frittata for brunch is brilliant because you just assemble it and stick in in the oven while you take a shower and make coffee or set a beautiful table.
You can serve it warm or at room temperature, so you don’t have to worry about serving it hot or tardy guests throwing off your timing.
And it’s gluten free (unless you offer it with pieces of torn baguette, as I do).
Toss together a salad with some nice greens, and your work is done.
Here’s how to make a frittata without a recipe:
- Heat your oven to 180C, and put a well-seasoned cast-iron skillet on the stovetop.
Sauté some sliced onion in plenty of olive oil until it softens (you could throw in some Swiss chard stems or mushrooms, too).
Add a handful of greens for each person—baby spinach or chopped chard leaves are great—and cook just until they wilt and there’s no liquid in the pan.
Meanwhile, crack your eggs into a bowl (two or three per person).
Whisk them together with some full-fat dairy—whole milk, cream, sour cream, whole-milk yogurt—about 1/2 cup for a dozen eggs.
Don’t forget to sprinkle in some salt and pepper.
If you’ve got a bit of parsley in the crisper or some herbs on the windowsill, mince a handful and throw that in as well (save a pinch for garnish).
If you like cheese, mix in up to a cup of something melt-y like cheddar or Gruyère for a dozen eggs, half a cup for six; you can sprinkle more on top, too.
Spread out the veggies in the bottom of the skillet.
Maybe add a little more olive oil for good measure (it’s a healthy fat, anyway), and make sure it coats the sides of the pan as well.
Pour in the egg mixture.
If you want more cheese on top, go for it.
Bake until it’s mostly set but still jiggles in the middle if you shake the pan, 20 to 40 minutes, depending how big it is.
Err on the side of undercooking:
You can always stick it under the broiler for a minute or two if it doesn’t set when it cools.
Serve the frittata warm or at room temperature; it’s fine to let it sit out for hours (I make sandwiches with the leftovers).
Toss together some nice salad greens with a squeeze of lemon, a drizzle of olive oil, and some salt and pepper.

The perfect leek and potato soup.

How to make the perfect leek and potato soup | Life and style | The Guardian:
(serves 4)
1 or 2 large baking potatoes or 375g floury potatoes
2 large tbsp butter
450g trimmed leeks (about 3 medium)
1 litre light chicken or vegetable stock, or water
4 tbsp sour cream, to serve
4 tbsp chopped chives, to serve

Heat the oven to 200C (400F) fan.
Prick the potato several times with a skewer, then bake for about an hour and a quarter until cooked through.
Allow to cool slightly.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large saucepan over a gentle heat.
Rinse the leeks, then roughly chop.
Fry with a pinch of salt until soft and silky, then scoop out a couple of spoonfuls and set aside.

Cut the potato into cubes, skin and all.
Add to the pan and saute for another couple of minutes, then add the stock or water.
Bring to a simmer, then cook for 10 minutes.

Allow to cool slightly, then puree.
Season to taste, then stir in the reserved leeks.
Divide between bowls and top with a spoonful of sour cream and a sprinkle of chives.

Leek and potato: is it the perfect spring soup?
How do you make yours, and how do you like to ring the changes when serving it cold as a fancy vichyssoise?

Then:
- Mary Berry's leek and potato soup - Saga: "soups and stews recipe collection"

- Marmaduke Scarlet: leek and butterbean soup

The Invisible Ingredient in Every Kitchen.

The Invisible Ingredient in Every Kitchen - The New York Times
It’s hard to measure and hard to control. It’s not a material like water or flour, to be added by the cup. In fact, it’s invisible.

It’s heat.

My Kimchi!

Ingredients
1 Chinese cabbage, weighing 600g
44g sea salt (coarse salt)

Water (not chlorinated water)
1/2 tablespoon very-finely minced garlic (3 cloves)
1/2 teaspoon very-finely minced ginger
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoons seafood flavor or water (optional, see Recipe Notes)
1/2 to 2.5 tablespoons Korean red pepper flakes (gochugaru)
120g Korean radish or daikon, peeled and cut into matchsticks
2 spring onions, trimmed and cut into 2.5cm pieces

Instructions
Slice the cabbage:
Cut the cabbage lengthwise into quarters (1/4).
Cut each quarter crosswise into 5 cm-wide strips.
Salt the cabbage:
Place the cabbage and salt in a large bowl.
Using your hands (gloves optional), massage the salt into the cabbage until it starts to soften a bit.
Put the cabbage in a zipper-lock plastic bag of water, or whatever is handy, to keep it submerged.
Leave it out overnight.

Rinse and drain the cabbage:
Rinse the cabbage under cold water 3 times and drain in a colander for 15 to 20 minutes.

Make the paste:
Combine the garlic, ginger, sugar, and seafood flavor (or 3 tablespoons water) in a small bowl and mix to form a smooth paste.
Mix in the gochugaru, using 1 tablespoon for mild and up to 5 tablespoons for spicy (I like about 2 tablespoons).

Combine the vegetables and paste:
Gently squeeze any remaining water from the cabbage and return it to the bowl along with the radish, scallions, and seasoning paste.
Mix thoroughly: Using your hands, gently work the paste into the vegetables until they are thoroughly coated.
The gloves are optional here but highly recommended to protect your hands from stings, stains, and smells!
Pack the kimchi into the jar: Pack the kimchi into the jar, pressing down on it until the brine rises to cover the vegetables.
Leave at least 2.5cm of headspace.
Seal the jar with the lid.
Let it ferment: Let the jar stand at room temperature for 1 to 5 days.
You may see bubbles inside the jar and brine may seep out of the lid; place a bowl or plate under the jar to help catch any overflow.
Check it daily and refrigerate when ready: Check the kimchi once a day, pressing down on the vegetables with a clean finger or spoon to keep them submerged under the brine. (This also releases gases produced during fermentation.)
Taste a little at this point, too!
When the kimchi tastes ripe enough for your liking, transfer the jar to the refrigerator.
You may eat it right away, but it's best after another week or two.

Recipe Notes
Salt: Use salt that is free of iodine and anti-caking agents, which can inhibit fermentation.
Water: Chlorinated water can inhibit fermentation, so use spring, distilled, or filtered water if you can.
Seafood flavor and vegetarian alternatives: Seafood gives kimchi an umami flavor.
Different regions and families may use fish sauce, salted shrimp paste, oysters, and other seafood.
Use about 2 tablespoons of fish sauce, salted shrimp paste, or a combination of the two.
For vegetarian kimchi, I like using 3/4 teaspoon kelp powder mixed with 3 tablespoons water, or simply 3 tablespoons of water.
- 40ml white rice vinegar?

Gochugaru Substitute:
Gochugaru is a coarse-grind Korean chile powder made from dried Gochu chiles.
- According to wikipedia, gochugang has a scoville rating of 1,000 - 2,500 - about the same as New Mexico or Poblano peppers.
- Substitute for Gochujang:
Gochujang is a fermented Korean condiment made with red chili, glutinous rice, fermented soybeans and salt.
Per tablespoon - Make a paste of 1 tablespoon red chilli pepper flakes moistened with soy sauce and add a little sugar.
This will not replicate the complexity but a similar flavor profile.

Russian bliny pancakes

Russian bliny pancakes

- In Britain, pancakes are often unleavened, and resemble a crêpe.
English pancakes are similar to French crêpes and Italian crespelle.
A blini (sometimes spelled bliny) is a thin crêpe-like variety of pancake common in Central and Eastern Europe.

- All About Pancakes | Serious Eats:

- Around the World in Pancakes | Serious Eats:

- Ed Levine's Golden Rules of the Perfect Pancake | Serious Eats:

Перечень журналов отличных кулинаров.

newvas::
http://abugaisky.livejournal.com/
http://annarouss.livejournal.com/
http://aspiri.livejournal.com/
http://cuinera-catala.livejournal.com/
http://diabelek.livejournal.com/
http://elaizik.livejournal.com/
http://irica-summer.livejournal.com/
http://kare-l.livejournal.com/
http://monailana.livejournal.com/profile
http://old-cookery.livejournal.com/
http://shakherezada.livejournal.com/
http://stalic.livejournal.com/

'via Blog this'

Spaghetti with lemon, parsley, garlic and chilli.

A food-writing prescription to cure clean-eating | The Millers Tale
Please don’t be afraid of food and don’t be afraid of your appetites.
Shop for ingredients when you need them, cut down on food miles where possible and learn to scratch-cook using fresh and seasonal ingredients where possible.
This is good food, not clean food.
If you want to learn how to take greater pleasure in what you cook and eat then I’ve compiled a reading list by authors whose love of life is expressed in the way they write about food.
If eating has become a bit of a minefield, their words might help you see how rigid boundaries and self-denial can suck all the pleasure out of life.

- Rachel Roddy’s spaghetti with lemon recipe | Kitchen sink tales | Life and style | The Guardian
How much you make of this is of course entirely up to you, depending on how many somersaults you want to happen in your mouth.
However you make it, it is an invigorating, but comforting meal – just the thing for these January days, maybe.

Serves 4
2 large unwaxed lemons
A big handful of flat-leaf parsley
500g spaghetti
1–2 garlic cloves
A small dried chilli or pinch of red chilli flakes
6 tbsp olive oil

1 Grate the zest from the lemon and very finely chop the parsley, then mix the two together and set aside.

2 Bring a large pan of well-salted water to a fast boil, add salt, stir, then add the spaghetti and cook until al dente.
Meanwhile, very finely chop the garlic and chilli.

3 In a large frying pan, very gently warm the olive oil, garlic and chilli over a low flame until fragrant – do not let it burn.
Once the spaghetti is cooked, drain it – or better still, use a sieve or tongs to lift the spaghetti and a just a little residual water into the frying pan.
Stir, add the lemon and parsley, a pinch of salt and if you like a squeeze of lemon, stir again, divide between plates and eat immediately.

Stroganoff, Ricotta, Herbs, Stock.

Serious Eats: The Food Lab | Serious Eats

- The Ultimate Beef Stroganoff | Serious Eats

- The Food Lab: Fresh Ricotta in Five Minutes or Less | Serious Eats

- Use the Microwave to Dry Your Herbs for Long-Lasting Intense Flavor | Serious Eats

- How to Make The Best Chicken Stock | Serious Eats

Herb Rub
Makes 1 small jar

A very large bunch of fresh sage, two to three times as much as the rosemary
A large bunch of rosemary
8 garlic cloves, peeled
1 heaping tablespoon Maldon salt

1. Pick the leaves off the sage and rosemary stalks. In a small food processor, chop up the herbs with the garlic cloves and salt until the mixture is pretty fine. Discard any sticks or seeds.

2. Spread the herb mixture on a baking sheet and let it dry for about three days. Once dry, store your herb in a tighly-sealed in a jar for up to a year.

Meat Piroshki - Belyashi - Yeast doughi.

Beliashi is a Tatar dish, a form of fried bread with meat filling.
Tatarstan is a republic, a part of Russian Federation.
The filling is made from raw ground beef mixed with finely chopped onions, salt, pepper, and a bit of water.
makes 2 1/2 lbs of dough
605g all purpose flour
10g compressed yeast
10g salt
39g sugar
415g water
20g non-hydrogenated margarine

Prepare a batch of soft , fairly wet dough.
Let it ferment, covered, at room temperature, for 4 hours.
Once or twice during that time fold it gently.

Divide the dough into several pieces weighing 55g each and flatten each piece with your hand.
Piroshki: place in the center of each round 55-60 g of filling of choice (2 oz) and seal the bun.
If making beliashi, then place a tablespoon of raw meat filling in the center of each piece and do not close the bun completely, but leave a small hole in the centre, so that the steam can escape as it fries.

Let the buns rest for about 10-20 min on the counter and deep fry them in Dutch oven in oil preheated to 180C/360F for 7min, turning them from time to time during that time to achieve even color of the crust.
I got about 20 beliashi from that batch of dough and fried them in 1 liter of corn oil in a Dutch oven, 5-8 buns at a time.

Source: