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Connecting Food, Family and Culture Lynne Christy Anderson |
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Rolling pasta with my
son, Sam. Follow me on…
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These
are some of my favorites from the book:
XIU FEN’S SCALLION PANCAKES Makes 6 These
are easy and my kids love them—both cooking and eating them! They go nicely with a stir-fry or any of
Xiu Fen’s Shanghai specialties you can find in my book. Her recipe for winter bamboo, soybeans,
gingko nuts, and tofu is amazing. 2 cups flour ½ teaspoon salt 1 cup water 3 tablespoons
vegetable oil, plus more for frying 1 cup scallions,
chopped, white and first half of green part Salt
and freshly ground pepper In a medium bowl, combine the flour and
salt. Slowly add the cup of water and,
using a wooden spoon, mix the dough until it can be gathered into a ball. If the dough crumbles, add more water. If it is too wet, add flour. Turn the dough
onto a lightly floured surface and knead it by folding it end to end, then
pressing it down with the heel of your hand and folding it forward. Repeat for 2 to 3 minutes. Form the dough into a ball, place it in a
bowl, cover with a cloth, and let rest for 10 minutes. On a lightly floured surface, roll the
dough into a large oval, about 9 by 18 inches and ¼ inch thick. Using a pastry brush, spread the 3 tablespoons
of oil over the dough and sprinkle with the chopped scallions, salt, and
pepper. Working from the long end,
roll the dough jelly roll-style, and cut crosswise into 6 equal pieces. On a lightly floured surface, roll each
piece to about 8 inches in diameter and ¼ inch thick. In a 10-inch skillet, heat 1-2
tablespoons of oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add one of the scallion pancakes and fry
until the edges are golden brown, about 2-3 minutes. Turn the pancake over and cook the other
side until golden, about 2-3 minutes more.
Sprinkle with salt and pepper, cut into quarters, and serve
immediately. YASIE’S KASHK-O-BEDEMJAN Serves 4 for dinner or 6 to 8 as an
appetizer The
first time I tried this was when Yasie and her mother served it to me with
another Persian favorite, kou kou sabzi,
which is in my book. I remember
feeling as though I had been transported to an enchanted Tehran, where Yasie
once lived, because I’ve never tasted anything quite like it. Since then, I’ve made it a number of times
for family and friends who immediately ask for the recipe. It’s quite easy, really no more difficult
than making an omelet. The hardest
part is chopping all the herbs, but you can use a food processor like Yasie
does. 1 cup cilantro,
finely chopped 1 cup flat-leaf
parsley, finely chopped 1 cup dill, finely
chopped 1 cup chives or
scallions, including green tops, finely chopped 1/2 cup spinach
leaves, washed and finely chopped 4 large eggs, beaten 1/3 cup fine
breadcrumbs 1 teaspoon cinnamon ¼ teaspoon turmeric ½ teaspoon saffron
liquid (recipe follows) 1/4 cup dried
fenugreek leaves (optional) 1 teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon freshly
ground pepper 3 tablespoons
vegetable oil In a
bowl, combine the fresh herbs and spinach.
In another bowl, mix the eggs, breadcrumbs, cinnamon, turmeric,
fenugreek, saffron liquid, salt, and pepper.
Pour the egg mixture over the herbs and combine. In a large non-stick skillet, heat the
oil over medium heat until shimmering.
Spread the oil around the pan to coat the bottom and sides. Pour the herb mixture into the pan,
spreading it evenly with a spoon.
Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, covered, until the egg is
cooked through, about 10 to 12 minutes.
To serve, carefully invert onto a
serving platter. Cut into wedges. Can be served hot or at room temperature. SAFFRON LIQUID 1 teaspoon saffron 2 ½ tablespoons hot
water Break up the saffron threads with your
fingers. Add the water and stir. (This will keep for several weeks in the
refrigerator.) JOHANNE’S SOUPE JOUMOU Serves 4 to 6 I’ve
tried many versions of this Haitian specialty, typically served on January 1st
to celebrate the country’s independence.
None, however, was as delicious as Johanne’s. She is, after all, a professional chef and
knows how to balance a dish, here with the perfect amount of fresh thyme and
recao to create a delicately flavored, yet hearty soup. And, for you vegetarians, I have made
this without meat, for my daughter, Lillian, who hasn’t touched the stuff
since she was four. Although I prefer
the version with beef (bring on the steak!), it’s quite good with just the
vegetables. Substitute water or
vegetable stock for the beef broth and add the garlic, lime juice and adobo
(called for to make the beef stock) to the pot of simmering squash. 1 ½ pounds beef
stewing meat, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces 2 large cloves
garlic, minced Juice of 1 lime,
about ¼ cup 1 tablespoon Adobo seasoning* 2 tablespoons
vegetable oil 2 medium butternut
squash, about 2 pounds, peeled, seeded, fibers removed, and cut into 2-inch
pieces 4-5 sprigs fresh
thyme 4-5 sprigs fresh
recao * (You may substitute with fresh cilantro.) 1 stalk celery,
chopped 3 carrots, chopped 1 cup dried pasta such
as rotini, spirelli, or vermicelli broken into one inch pieces Salt and freshly
ground black pepper Marinate
the meat in garlic, lime and Adobo seasoning (optional) overnight. Season the meat with salt and
pepper. In a large pot, heat the oil
over medium-high heat until shimmering.
Working in batches, add a few pieces of beef at a time to the pot and
cook until lightly browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Add more oil between batches if
necessary. Return all of the beef to the pot and
add enough water to cover by 2 inches.
Bring to a slow simmer. Cover and cook until the beef is tender,
about 1 1/2 hours. Add the butternut
squash, thyme, recao, celery and carrots.
Continue to simmer, uncovered, until the vegetables are soft, about 30
minutes. Remove the pieces of squash
from the pot and puree in batches, with a small amount of broth from the
soup, until smooth. Pour the batches of squash puree back
into the pot of soup. Simmer,
uncovered, for 30 minutes. Just before
serving, add pasta and cook according to instructions on package or until the pasta is firm to the
bite. Remove recao and thyme sprigs and serve. *Found in markets
specializing in Latino and Caribbean products . 1 ½ teaspoons of ground cumin, ½ teaspoon
black pepper, and ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper can be substituted. SONI’S BHARTA Serves 2 to 3 for dinner or 4 to 6 as a
side dish In
the past, whenever I went to Indian restaurants, I’d order the bharta. I don’t so much anymore because I make it
myself, the way Soni does, with garden fresh eggplant, tomatoes, and
cilantro. I love this with her roti,
also in my book, as well as the lamb biriyani, tali machi, matur paneer, and halwa
she cooked for me. 5-6 small eggplants
(preferably Asian), approximately 3 pounds 2 tablespoons ghee
(recipe follows) 1 medium red onion,
minced 1 ½ teaspoons whole cumin seed 3 medium-sized fresh
tomatoes, coarsely chopped 1-3 teaspoons finely
minced Indian jwala* peppers (more or less depending upon the heat intensity
you desire) Salt and pepper 2 tablespoons fresh
cilantro leaves, finely chopped Preheat
oven to 450°F. Wash eggplant and pat
dry with paper towels. With a small,
sharp knife, cut several 1/2 –inch-deep and 1-inch-long gashes into the
skin. Place the eggplant in a shallow
baking dish and bake in the middle of the oven until tender and almost
falling apart, about 30 minutes. (The
eggplant also can be roasted over a medium flame until soft. Turn frequently
so that the skins do not get overly charred.)
Transfer the eggplant to a large plate
or bowl. Cut it in half lengthwise and
carefully scrape the pulp away from the skin.
Discard the skins. Coarsely
chop the pulp. Meanwhile, in a large, heavy skillet,
heat the ghee over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion and cumin seed and cook,
stirring constantly, until the onions begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and hot peppers and
continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes begin to soften,
about 5 minutes. Add the eggplant and
continue to cook until the eggplant is very soft, about 10 minutes. If eggplant begins to stick to the pan, a
small amount of water may be added.
Season with salt and pepper.
Transfer to a serving dish and sprinkle with the chopped
cilantro. *Also
known as Indian finger hot peppers.
Found in markets specializing in Indian products. Jalapenos can be substituted. GHEE Makes about 1/3 cup 1 stick (1/4 pound) unsalted
butter, cut into pieces In a
heavy saucepan over very low heat, melt the butter. Remove from the heat and let stand for 5
minutes. Skim
the foam from the top and dicard. Pour
the melted butter slowly into a container, discarding the milk solids in the
bottom of the pan. Ghee can be stored,
tightly covered, for 1 month at room temperature and up to 6 months in the
refrigerator. AURORA’S FILIPINO ADOBO Serves 4 When
I first tested this recipe, my husband’s enthusiastic response was,
“Wow! What country was that from?” Aurora said they’d eat
this at least once a week in Manila, where she’s from. I can see why. The dish is great for a picnic because it’s
just as good served at room temperature as it is hot. And, for you non-meat eaters, Aurora sometimes
makes this with tofu. (Adjust cooking
time.) 1 cup cane vinegar*
(cider or rice vinegar may be substituted) 1/3 cup dark soy
sauce* 1/3 cup whole black
peppercorns ¼ cup finely chopped
garlic 3 tablespoons
vegetable oil 2 ½ pounds assorted
chicken legs, thighs, wings, and split breasts In a
large bowl, mix vinegar, soy sauce, peppercorns, and garlic. Add the chicken and toss gently so that all
of the meat is coated with the marinade.
Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Remove chicken from marinade (reserving
the liquid). In a large pot, heat the
oil over medium-high heat until shimmering.
Working in batches, add a few pieces of chicken at a time to the pot and
cook until lightly browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Add more oil between batches if
necessary. Return all of the chicken to the pot and
cover with the reserved liquid from the marinade. Bring to a gentle simmer.
Cover and cook until the meat is done, about 30 minutes. Can be served immediately or, as is typical
in the Philippines, the dish can be refrigerated overnight, reheated, and
served the next day. *Found in markets
specializing in Asian products LIZ’S PEIXADA Serves 4 I
just love the concept of this dish: toss
a piece of fresh fish and some vegetables into a pot, sprinkle with fresh herbs and lemon juice,
simmer, and in twenty minutes you have a dinner that tastes like something
you’d get in a very posh restaurant.
In Brazil, Liz and her grandmother always used surubin, a firm white
fish. Here, she uses swordfish, but
something like halibut, snapper, even cod could be used. I think it would also be delicious with
shrimp, even cherrystone clams, as long as you cooked the vegetables ahead so
as not to overcook the shellfish. If
you don’t like cilantro, try basil. If
you’re out of lemons, use a lime. It’s
a dish that would lend itself nicely to variation, so be creative. In Brazil, this is served with a puree
made of toasted yucca flour, which is detailed in my book. You could also serve it with rice or even
just a crusty loaf of French bread to sop up all the wonderful broth. 1 ½ pounds swordfish
or other firm white fish such as halibut or monkfish, cut into 1-inch thick
steaks or fillets ¼ cup, plus 2
tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided 1 small red onion,
cut into very thin rings 4 plum tomatoes, cut
into thin wedges ½ bunch cilantro,
leaves chopped, (about ½ cup) ¼ cup fresh lemon
juice 3 whole scallions,
chopped 1 clove garlic, chopped Salt and freshly
ground black pepper In a
medium-sized Dutch oven or heavy bottomed pot fitted with a cover, add the ¼
cup of olive oil. Arrange the
vegetables in layers by first placing half of the sliced onions in the bottom
of the pot, followed by half of the tomatoes, and finally, half of the
chopped cilantro. Spread the fish over
this. Sprinkle with the lemon
juice. Cover fish with remaining onions,
tomatoes, and cilantro. Sprinkle
scallions and garlic over vegetables and drizzle with remaining 2 tablespoons
of olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and
freshly ground pepper. Cook, covered, on medium-high heat until
the liquid from the fish and vegetables begins to boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook until fish
is done, about 10 minutes. (The
cooking time will depend on the thickness of the fish. Allow for approximately 10 minutes per
1-inch thickness of fish.) JOSÉ’S MOTHER’S QUESADILLA Serves 8 Not
to be confused with the Mexican dish of the same name, Salvadoran quesadilla
is a slightly sweet, rich cake that I love to eat in the morning with a cup
of coffee or in the afternoon, with my tea.
This is the easiest cake in the world to prepare—only one bowl and a
mixing spoon needed! If you like to
bake with kids, here’s your recipe. 1 cup heavy cream ½ cup ricotta cheese 1 large egg ¼ cup cream cheese,
softened 1 tablespoon freshly
grated parmesan cheese ¾ cup sugar 1 ½ cups harina de arroz (rice flour)* ¼ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon baking
soda 1 tablespoon sesame
seeds Adjust
oven rack to center and preheat the oven to 350° F. Mix the heavy cream, ricotta, egg, cream
cheese, and parmesan in a large bowl until smooth. Add the sugar and mix well. In a separate bowl, mix the rice flour,
salt, and baking soda. Add this to the
cream mixture and mix just until the ingredients are incorporated. Spread it into a lightly greased 9-inch
cake pan and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Bake until the cake springs back when touched in the center, about 30
minutes. Let stand for 10
minutes. Can be served slightly warm or at room
temperature. *Found
in the ethnic cooking sections of large supermarkets and in markets
specializing in Caribbean and Latino products. If
you’d like to try more of the recipes from Breaking Bread, buy the book now! |
Recipes and Stories from Immigrant Kitchens |
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Copyright: Lynne
Christy Anderson 2010 Puddingstone
Design |
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