Recipe: Cumin Cole Slaw

Posted on September 15, 2021 by Burnt My Fingers
Cumin Cole Slaw

Cumin Cole Slaw. This stuff’s so good, it was almost gone before i could get a picture.

Cumin Cole Slaw relies on one simple ingredient for a refreshing twist on a classic. We used napa cabbage because we had bought a huge head at H Mart in San Francisco and it turns out napa, aka “Chinese” cabbage, is great for cole slaw because of the way it shreds. Fine to use regular if you don’t have napa or it’s too expensive where you live. (As it in New York, while in California it’s cheaper than green cabbage. Go figure.) Makes 8 servings.

Ingredients
4 cups shredded cabbage, napa or green
¼ c neutral oil
2 T cider vinegar
1 t Kosher salt
½ t ground black pepper
½ t ground cumin

Method: mix all ingredients well. Refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving. Goes great with southern foods like pork chops and black eye peas.

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A special offer from Half Time Beverage

Posted on September 10, 2021 by Burnt My Fingers
Half Time IPAs

Here are my beers from the Half Time Beverage IPA sampler. Yours are guaranteed to be different.

I first encountered Half Time Beverage through the Extreme Beer Fest in Cyberspace this past winter. I was impressed with the way they packaged the rare (and expensive) beers chosen for tasting. So when I was offered a sample pack in return for writing about them, I jumped at the chance. (Full disclosure: that’s right, I got free beer for writing this article. Life Achievement #47 unlocked!)

Half Time is a retail beer store down the road from me in Poughkeepsie, NY with a second location in Mamaroneck. They have built a very busy side business shipping beers nationwide and it’s surprising how many ZIP codes are eligible. (Depends on alcohol regulations in your state or region.) The selection available for shipment changes frequently, but it’s huge and almost certainly includes beers that are not available to you locally. You can order beers individually or in sample packs and gift packs. I received the IPA sampler pack and of six cans there was only one beer I’d encountered before and I’ve had quite a few IPAs.

Half Time Packaging

Half Time packaging keeps your beers safe and happy en route.

This wondrous convenience does not come cheap. There’s a markup on the beers, and you will have to pay for shipping as well on most items (some items, like gift packs, have shipping built in). If you are a serious beer head like the folks who pony up for $30 four-packs at my local beer store, you probably won’t mind. Right now, though, there is a special underway due to the unfortunate circumstance that their warehouse in Mamaroneck was flooded in last week’s hurricane.

While they last, you can get a “Mystery Box” of IPAs, lagers, sours or mixed craft beers for as low as $12 a six pack. The beers are certified to be clean and tasty. A mystery box (or one of the samplers) is the way I would order anyway… it’s a pleasure to discover a new brewery that makes delicious product. This offer is only good until their flood inventory is sorted out, so don’t wait. And don’t be surprised if you come back for more at their regular prices.

Get your order started at halftimebeverage.com; the link to the mystery boxes is in the top menu and there’s a search box if you want to look for something special. (I was delighted to discover they currently have 3 selections from a recent favorite, Drowned Lands.) You’ll be asked to input your ZIP code almost immediately to be sure you’re eligible. Cheers!

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Food for Thought: Gastro Obscura Recreating Ancient Recipes

Posted on September 1, 2021 by Burnt My Fingers
Pigeon Pie

Here’s the Babylonian Pigeon Pie you’ll make in the first session of Recreating Ancient Recipes. Photo by Manoocher Deghati.

Gastro Obscura: Recreating Ancient Recipes. We are long time readers of the Gastro Obscura website devoted to arcane food cultures and history, and we noticed they have started offering virtual “experiences” in these times of less getting together in person. Recreating Ancient Recipes is especially interesting: a three-part series in which you will “become a culinary archaeologist as we recreate dishes from ancient Mesopotamia, ancient Rome, and the Mediterranean Middle Ages.” More blurbage from the website:

“Together, we’ll turn our kitchens into vessels for gastronomic time travel, using historical recipes and modern ingredients to create dishes from ancient Mesopotamia, ancient Rome, and the Mediterranean Middle Ages. We’ll focus on the Middle East, Southern Europe, and the Mediterranean region, tracing ancient foodways and trade routes along the Mediterranean Sea and the lasting legacy they had on several regional cuisines. From Babylonian fowl pie to Mustacei, we’ll treat each recipe we cover as a portal to the past, looking at the traditions, culinary innovations, and societal values it was steeped in. We’ll explore how various foods, cooking methods, and notions of “healthy eating” were viewed across time, and what a profession in the food industry of yore may have entailed. By the end of the course, you’ll not only have a deeper understanding of ancient Babylonian, Roman, and Mediterranean cuisines, but also the knowledge and skills to weave elements of them into your own cooking practice.”

Tuition is $235 for three seminars, each of which lasts two hours with the first one on September 25 with “Babylonian: Fowl pie and Mersu”;  registration and more information on this page. The seminar leader is culinary historian Ursula Janssen, whose ancient foods cookbook Garum (affiliate link) can be purchased on Amazon. There’s also an Apple podcast interview with her if you want to brush up on the topic before the seminar (or maybe instead of, if $$ is an issue). Check it out!

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Recipe: Best Way Pesto

Posted on August 26, 2021 by Burnt My Fingers
Finished Pesto

Best Way Pesto in its finished state, after cheese and olive oil are added.

Best Way Pesto starts with a mortar and pestle, finishes in a food processor. This creates maximum flavor because the plant cells are broken down through pounding, then chopped into an even consistency which we found was not possible without exposure to a sharp blade. (Kenji has a special mortar and pestle that break up the leaves, but our method works fine with what is already in your kitchen.) Makes about ¾ c, enough for 3 plates of 4 servings of each when tossed with spaghetti along with more oil and parmesan.

Ingredients:
2 c fresh basil leaves, loosely compacted
½ t Kosher salt
3 cloves garlic, peeled
3 T walnuts or pine nuts*
½ cup grated Parmesan or Parmesan-Reggiano cheese
1/3 c extra virgin olive oil

Pesto in Mortar

This is the best I could do at grinding the basil with mortar & pestle. Leaves are squashed but still discrete.

Method: pound/stir the garlic and salt with the mortar and pestle until pulverized; add nuts and mix to a paste the consistency of peanut butter. Add basil leaves a handful at a time and pound. Transfer to food processor and add cheese and a little oil; blend till smooth then add the additional oil in 2 more steps, blending till smooth each time. If using the same day, transfer to a refrigerator dish and pour a little oil on top so the pesto won’t cover; otherwise spoon ¼ cup at a time onto a piece of plastic wrap then fold up and freeze till needed. When serving, mix with hot cooked pasta adding additional cheese and oil to taste.

*Pine nuts are traditional, but very expensive these days. The nuts are mostly an emulsifier and don’t add a lot of flavor so walnuts are fine.

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The yin and yang of In-N-Out

Posted on August 24, 2021 by Burnt My Fingers
In N Out Hot N Cold

The yin and yang of In-N-Out: onions, tomato and lettuce are cold, burger, cheese and bun are hot.

On my frequent return trips to San Francisco, I have a routine. The night I arrive (or sometimes the next night, if the trip out has been too long and strenuous) I go to the same In-N-Out and order the same meal, two cheeseburgers with double raw onions, mustard instead of sauce and pickles. (Ideally there will be an order of extra-crispy fries as well, but this trip the hateful Dr. Ludwig shook his finger at that.)

The first bite of this burger is about as close as you can come to nirvana in a public place, and this time I realized one of the key benefits is the juxtaposition of hot and cold elements in a combination that initially perplexes but ultimately delights the palate.

The burger and cheese are warm, of course, and so is the lightly toasted bun. But the lettuce, tomato and onion go straight from the refrigerator to the prep area and are slightly chilled or at worst room temperature. The pickle and mustard, my custom additions, are also chilled. The mouth does not know what to make of this combination and simply opens wider in happy submission.

Smithsonian mcdld

McDLT styrofoam box, photo courtesy of The Smithsonian.

I am not the first to take note of this appealing balance of opposites: for several years McDonald’s sold the McDLT, a burger in which the lettuce and tomato were literally separated from the burger in a styrofoam tray so the diner could combine them at the critical moment. The McDLT, which was immortalized by a pre-Seinfeld Jason Alexander commercial in 1985, was discontinued in 1996 for environmental concerns.

Please note you cannot experience this bliss in the Animal Style, which we reviewed against our “Texas Burger” a while back. It has grilled onions, eliminating that coolness factor, and the mustard is heated up along with the meat on the griddle. Avoid.

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Review: Ken’s Tableside Caesar Dressing

Posted on August 19, 2021 by Burnt My Fingers
Ken's Tableside Caesar Dressing

This bottle of Ken’s Tableside Caesar Dressing is almost gone. Luckily I have more!

Daniel Berman is a friend and erstwhile food blogger who has strong opinions which have earned him the sobriquet “Profusser” (as in “fussy”). When we helpfully posted hints for improving bottled salad dressing, he commented that the best thing to do was to throw the bottle in the garbage.

I expect the Profusser will eat his words, along with his greens, when he has his first mouthful of Ken’s Tableside Caesar Dressing.

Where has this stuff been all my life? Amazon reviewers sing its praises, including one who claims it’s the dressing served at the Crown Plaza near the Phoenix airport. (Pro tip for restauranteurs: if you’re using a bottled dressing, don’t broadcast that fact to customers.) And “tableside” really does carry some magic, since many of us have had the experience of having a Caesar mixed in front of us a la the original location in Tijuana.

What makes it so good? It’s tart, salty and cheesy, characteristics which are typically missing in bottled dressing. Maybe it doesn’t taste exactly like the Caesar of my dreams (no eggs) but it does include anchovies, dried mustard and even a jolt of Tabasco. The only drawback is that it’s only available in 9 oz bottles so you’re going to be buying a lot of them—which I did when I found them on sale at my local supermarket.

If you’d like to experience Ken’s Tableside Caesar Dressing and there is none available locally, you can order a test bottle from Amazon (affiliate link!). Sure there’s a premium for Prime shipping, but you’ll still pay less than if you ordered a Caesar in your favorite red sauce place. Check it out!

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Recipe: Minita’s Toor Dal

Posted on August 17, 2021 by Burnt My Fingers

Minita Sanghvi is a Skidmore professor who’s running for office in my town. The long hours of campaigning have kept her from cooking for her six-year old son as often as she’d like, so when she made Minita’s toor dal for him he ate four plates of it. You may do the same—it’s simple but delicious. Makes 8 servings. P.S. If you would like to know more about Minita and her campaign, here is her website

Ingredients:
1 to 1 ½ c* dried toor dal (split yellow pigeon peas)
½ t nigella (kalonji) seeds**
½ t cumin seeds
3 T neutral cooking oil
1 onion, chopped
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 inch piece of ginger, peeled and minced or grated
1 jalapeño, seeded and chopped, or more if you like
½ c chopped cilantro leaves, plus more for garnish
1 large tomato, chopped
¼ t turmeric
1 t Kashmiri red chili powder**
Salt to taste, maybe 1 t
1 T anchur (dried mango) powder**

Method: rinse the dal and simmer in 4 c water until they are tender but still hold their shape, maybe 25 minutes. Drain and reserve. Sauté cumin and nigella seeds in oil till fragrant, then add onion, garlic and ginger and sauté until onion is translucent. Add tomato, chili and cilantro and simmer until tomato softens and the mixture clears the bottom of the pan when stirred. Add turmeric and chili powder and simmer for several minutes. Add cooked toor dal, salt to taste and anchur powder plus a little water if too thick. Serve hot over basmanti rice, with a garnish of chopped cilantro.

*Minita starts with 1 ½ c dried toor dal, but I prefer the flavor balance with a lower ratio of dal to spice mixture.
**These spices should be easy to find at a well stocked Indian or Asian market. There are no substitutes.

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Recipe: No-Potato Mashed Potatoes

Posted on August 12, 2021 by Burnt My Fingers
No Potato Mashed Potatoes

No Potato Mashed Potatoes, served with some nice midsummer short ribs cooked in stout.

No-Potato Mashed Potatoes are another creation from the laboratory of the irrepressible Dr. Ludwig. They provide a pleasant paleo base for whatever stew or gravy you want to pour on top when you’re avoiding straight carbs. You can taste the cauliflower and beans but the flavor is mild and will complement whatever you serve it with. Makes about 8 servings.

Ingredients:
1 medium cauliflower
1 can (approx 14 ounces) cannellini or other white beans, drained, or 1 ¾ c cooked beans made from dried
2 T olive oil or butter
¾ t Kosher salt
¼ t ground pepper

Method: core the cauliflower and cut into chunks. Steam until the stems are tender, maybe 20-30 minutes. Drain and add drained beans, oil and spices. Mix with an immersion blender (or use a potato masher) to the consistency of coarsely mashed potatoes. Serve hot.

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Recipe: No-Lasagna Lasagna

Posted on August 10, 2021 by Burnt My Fingers
No Lasagna Lasagna

No Lasagna Lasagna

Recent excesses have driven us back into the clutches of the wily Dr. Ludwig. Fortunately, there are plenty of tasty dishes that follow the low-carb precepts of his Always Hungry diet. No-Lasagna Lasagna, in which eggplant slices take the place of the pasta sheets, is a good example. Vary the ingredients according to what’s on hand; the only mandatories are the eggplant and a good tomato sauce fortified with extra tomato paste. Makes 6-8 main dish servings.

Ingredients:
1 eggplant, about 1 ½ lb
Kosher salt (maybe 1 t total)
Olive oil
1 lb Italian sausage
Lots of garlic, maybe 8 cloves, chopped
½ pound mushrooms, sliced
¼ c green pepper, diced
½ c parmesan cheese, or more if you like
1 ½ c good tomato sauce (marinara, primavera etc)
½ can (3 oz) tomato paste
1 t dried oregano
1 t fennel seed

Method: peel the eggplant, slice into rounds ¾ inch thick, salt each side and rub it in so the surfaces are thoroughly coated. Stand the slices in a colander over a sink or plate so they can drain the liquid produced. Crumble the sausage into a skillet and sauté, along with the garlic, until the sausage loses its pink center. Reserve. Drain the eggplant slices, pat dry with paper towel and sauté using very little oil till both sides are lightly crisped and the eggplant is tender.

Assemble the dish in a 9” square baking pan. Mix tomato paste and sauce, adding a bit of water if it is too thick to pour, then coat the bottom of the dish. Make a layer of eggplant then add sausage, mushroom, green pepper, spices and half the cheese. Add a second eggplant layer, pour over the rest of the sauce and top with the remaining cheese. Bake in a 375 degree oven 35 minutes until the sauce is bubbly and the cheese is nicely crisped. Serve hot, with a garnish of chopped parsley if you like.

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Recipe: Grilled Avocado

Posted on August 6, 2021 by Burnt My Fingers

 

Grilled Avocado Pieces

Serve grilled avocado pieces on top of the skin, with a sprinkling of seasoning.

Grilled avocado: why not? Grilling gives them a bit of extra flavor plus crisps the surface so pieces are more likely to stay intact. Serve in their jackets sprinkled with seasoning salt or furikake, or add the chunks to a salad. Important note: the avocados need to be just-ripe, not hard but definitely not mushy, to hold their own on the grill.

Ingredients:
Ripe avocados (see note above)
Olive oil for brushing
Seasoning salt or other condiment as desired

Grilled Avocado

Quarter a ripe avocado (removing the pit), brush surfaces with oil and grill with skin on.

Method: cut the ripe avocados into quarters without peeling. One of the quarters will have the pit stuck in it; carefully scoop it out with a spoon. Brush the interior surface with olive oil and grill until lightly charred. The skin will slip off easily when done; you can discard it or use it to serve the individual pieces.

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