Tag: cumin
So Eat It, Just Eat it (Roasted Cauliflower with Cumin, Turmeric and Lemon)

So Eat It, Just Eat it (Roasted Cauliflower with Cumin, Turmeric and Lemon)

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When I was a kid there was a definite hit list of vegetables we absolutely hated.  My brother and I had all sorts of tricks to avoid eating them.  We would stuff our mouths full of peas, run to the bathroom and spit them out.  We weren’t too big on brussels sprouts or cauliflower either, we would drop them in our napkins and again run to the bathroom to toss them out.  In defense of these veggies, our vitriol came not from the veggies themselves, but from the method of preparation.  Peas were often from a can (uh-huh, how many of you remember canned peas, greenish-gray mush balls-bleah). Cabbage and cauliflower were boiled-just the smell emanating from the kitchen would make us run and hide.  Brussels sprouts were absolutely horrible, bitter, sulfurous, and barely edible.

These days the quality of today’s produce is so much better. We can go to our local farmer’s market and find just picked brussels sprouts and cauliflower, vine-ripened tomatoes or corn that was still on the stalk that morning.  We have also discovered new ways to cook said vegetables that are INFINITELY better than boiling or steaming.

FOR EXAMPLE. I love roasted vegetables.  Roasting brings out the sweetness in veggies like cauliflower or brussels sprouts, making them absolutely delicious. Perusing Meera Sodha’s Made in India I came across a recipe for Roasted Cauliflower with Cumin, Turmeric, and Lemon. My first thought? Oh yeah, SO making that.

The recipe, like many in the book, calls for a mortar and pestle to grind the spices.  I know what you are thinking, oh please, you don’t have a mortar and pestle do you?  Way back when I graduated from pharmacy school I received a set of spatulas from Eli Lily (pharmaceutical gorilla) and a mortar and pestle.  They have served me well…just not in my profession.  The spatulas and the mortar and pestle were long ago re-purposed and added to my culinary gadget collection.  The mortar and pestle proved to be the perfect tool for grinding spices and making the spice paste for this dish.

The cauliflower is blanched for a quick minute, seasoned with the spice oil which gives it a vibrant golden yellow hue.  Pop it in the oven for a quick roast and yep, dunzo, dinner is ready.  A bowl of warm cauliflower, crispy on the edges, creamy in the center seasoned with cumin and turmeric in just thirty minutes.  I am thinking about adding cubed potatoes the next time I make this, a riff on Aloo Gobi.

Excuse me it’s time for me to run TO the dinner table.

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Roasted Cauliflower with Cumin, Turmeric and Lemon

Ingredients

  • 1 large head of cauliflower around 1 1/4 pounds
  • 2 teaspoons cumin seeds
  • 1 to 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 5 tablespoons canola oil
  • 1 lemon

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two oven trays with foil and bring a deep-sided pan of water to a boil.
  • Wash the cauliflower, pull off the leaves from around the side, and discard. Break the cauliflower into small, fairly even-sized florets and set aside.
  • Put the cauliflower into the saucepan of boiling water and blanch for 1 minute, then drain really well. Let it dry for around 5 minutes in its own steam; if it is waterlogged it won’t crisp up nicely in the oven.
  • Using a mortar and pestle, grind the cumin along with the salt, then add the chili powder and turmeric, followed by the oil. Mix it all together really well.
  • Lay the cauliflower out onto trays in one layer and drizzle the spicy oil over it. Make sure the cauliflower is well coated
  • Put trays in the oven for around 30 minutes, shaking them every 10 minutes or so to ensure the florets roast and brown evenly. If they start to burn, loosely cover them with foil.
  • Put the roasted cauliflower in a dish or bowl, and squeeze the lemon over the top before serving.
  • Adapted From “Made in India” by Meera Sodha

Happy birthday Claire!
What’s Up Doc? (Roasted Carrots with Avocado)

What’s Up Doc? (Roasted Carrots with Avocado)

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Though I am not a vegetarian by any stretch of the imagination we have definitely cut back on our carnivorous ways.  I find myself perusing cookbooks, favorite blogs or magazines for recipes that showcase vegetables.  This recipe for Roasted Carrots and Avocado Salad from Smitten Kitchen caught my eye and with Jamie home for the weekend, it was time to give it a whirl.

Wow.

Just wow.

Aside from being visually stunning.  This salad is absolutely delicious!  The different textures and flavors play off of each other.  The warm carrots with the cool yogurt and avocado, the crunch from the seeds against the creaminess of the avocado.  Sweetness from the citrus dressing compliments the cumin and coriander.  I could go on and on but I think you should just stop reading, skip to the recipe at the end of this post and MAKE this salad.  Really.

 

carrots

Great dishes invite imitation but often with a personal twist or tweak by each chef, this is no exception.  I found versions of this salad on NYT cooking, Jamie Oliver and the Spotted Pig.  Variations included using sour cream instead of yogurt, different spices, pumpkin seeds instead of sesame seeds, arugula for the sprouts.  Use you imagination.  I plan on adding orange segments, a pinch of smoke paprika next time and maybe some cilantro.  Can’t wait to make this dish again!

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What’s Up Doc? (Roasted Carrots with Avocado Salad)

Ingredients

For carrots:

  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons teaspoon cumin seeds toasted and cooled or ground cumin
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons coriander seeds toasted and cooled, ground coriander instead
  • 2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
  • 1 teaspoon coarse or kosher salt plus more to taste
  • Red chile flakes to taste
  • Freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 4 garlic cloves minced or pressed
  • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 3 pounds thin-to-medium carrots scrubbed, not peeled; mixed colors if possible
  • 1 -2 oranges cut into segments, reserve 1/2 of an orange uncut for the dressing (segments optional)
  • 1/4-1/3 cup cilantro leaves optional

To finish

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons orange juice from about 1/4 orange
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice from about 1/2 lemon
  • 1 large or 2 medium firm-ripe avocados cut in thin slices
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 to 2 cups radish sprouts other sprouts or light salad greens of your choice
  • 1/4 cup plain non-fat or 2% Greek yogurt or sour cream
  • 2 tablespoons roasted hulled pumpkin seeds sunflower seeds, toasted sesame seeds or a mix thereof

Instructions

  • Heat oven to 400 degrees F.
  • Cover 1 large baking sheet or shallow roasting pan with foil. Pour 1/4 cup water in bottom of pan
  • Make your spice paste by either pounding the cumin, coriander, thyme, salt and peppers in a mortar and pestle until roughly ground or using an electric spice grinder or small food processor to do the same.
  • If using ground spices, combine them in the bottom of a bowl large enough to fit carrots.
  • In bottom of bowl, combine prepared spices, salt and pepper, garlic, vinegar and 1/4 cup olive oil and whisk to blend. Add carrots and toss to coat evenly.
  • Spread carrots in prepared pan, drizzle with extra marinadeand cover tightly with foil. Roast for 25 minutes covered then remove the foil and roast for additional 35 minutes, until the carrots are lightly browned and tender but not falling apart.
  • Meanwhile, combine 2 tablespoons olive oil, orange and lemon juices in a small bowl with salt and pepper.
  • When carrots are done, scatter with avocado, sprouts or greens of choice and orange segments then drizzle with citrus dressing
  • Dollop yogurt or sour cream over the top and sprinkle with seeds.
  • Enjoy!

 

 
Chicken Tortilla Soup from The #2 Jamigo-Jamie

Chicken Tortilla Soup from The #2 Jamigo-Jamie

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Hello! Before you get all excited to read what cool new post this blog has to offer, let me stop you right there.  It’s time to get really excited because, yes, this is not Debbie writing.  Fortunately, good ‘ol Deb here decided to let her daughter, Jamie, (that’s me!) take a whack at blogging.  So buckle up readers and followers (all 3 of you?) for an exciting glimpse of what it’s like to be a 19 year old girl living all alone for the first time, a good 2,000 miles away from her family in the—rather stormy—city of Houston, Texas.  

Whenever I tell people that I’m living in Houston for the summer, they always ask…..why..?  Why would you ever leave the great state that is California, equipped with superb weather surrounded by mountains and beaches and awesome food? And for a second, I nod and smile, and in my head wonder if I am, in fact, a crazy person for doing such a thing. Houston definitely is different from Los Gatos.  It rains here, a lot.  And I’m not talking just a light drizzle every now and then.  I’m talking hurricanes and tropical storms(whaddup trop storm Bill?) that DUMP rain and wind onto Houston and cause flash floods and rattle the windows in my room. 

Did I mention that it’s a constant 90-plus degrees, too?

I also am not in possession of a car, which is quite inconvenient to get around Houston, and if it weren’t for my 8-5 job, I would probably stay holed up in my room watching Netflix all day—which is what I do after I get home from work.  But after that second is over, I realize that I wouldn’t trade it for the world. Houston is an awesome city, once you get out and about.  It’s diverse and fast-paced and always fun to explore.  For once in my life I’m earning a steady paycheck, paying rent, buying my own food, navigating through a completely new city, and making my own decisions.  I feel like a grown-up, and I’m pretty darn proud of myself.

Have You Eaten Yet?

But what you never realize before you start living on your own is how much you’ll miss your mom.  I never notice until I go home and follow her around like a puppy dog.  So, on days when I especially miss her, I like to cook recipes that she always makes me.  The other day, I decided to make her chicken tortilla soup—a slightly spicy, warm, and cheesy bowl of goodness that reminds me of home.

Note:  Skip the tortillas and serve tortilla chips on the side for folks to add with other garnishes, Or fry tortilla strips and serve them on the side instead of adding to the soup. Yes, they thicken the soup but sometimes I’m going for a lighter soup.

Sometimes my mom will add corn or black beans to the soup transforming the soup into a hearty meal in a bowl!  It is a super flexible soup, add any veggies you like, chayote, and squash would go well.  Think of this as a yummy version of Stone Soup.

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Chicken Tortilla Soup

A delicious South of the Border Chicken Soup!
Course soul food, Soup
Cuisine Mexican, tex-mex
Keyword Chicken Tortilla soup
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Servings 6

Ingredients

The Soup

  • 1/2-1 cup chopped yellow onion Oh for goodness sakes, 1 medium onion, use the whole thing
  • 3 cloves garlic peeled and finely chopped
  • 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin like cumin? Add more
  • 3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/4 teaspoon chili powder spicier? Add more
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 8 cups fat-skimmed chicken broth
  • 14 ounces fire-roasted tomatoes (canned) diced canned tomatoes can be substituted
  • 4 ounce can of Dice Green Chilis or use any fresh pepper, green bell pepper, Anaheim pepper, saute' with onions. Or you can char-grill them and peel and dice and add to soup.
  • 1 1/2 pounds boned, skinned chicken breasts or start with bone-in chicken breasts, bones add flavor. Allow to simmer a little longer,~ 15-20 minutes.
  • Salt
  • 6 corn tortillas 6 in. wide See notes for substitute

The Garnishes

  • 1 firm-ripe avocado cubed or thinly sliced
  • 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro chopped
  • 8 ounces Any cheese that melts would work Cheddar, Monterey Jack, Mozarella, Cotija
  • Diced green onions or white onions
  • Tortilla strips or chips
  • 1 lime cut into wedges

Adds-feel free to add more veggies or beans to this soup!

  • 1 cup Corn, canned or frozen
  • 1 15 ounce can Black Beans, drained
  • 1 chayote, zuchinni-diced and added to soup during simmer

Instructions

  • In a 5- to 6-quart nonstick pan over medium heat, stir onion, garlic, cumin, oregano, chili powder, and pepper until spices are fragrant, about 1 minute. Add broth, tomatoes (including juice), and green chilies. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat.
  • Add chicken breasts to the broth and return it to a boil over high heat then reduce heat immediately and simmer until chicken is cooked through (cut to test), about 10 minutes. Remove chicken and set aside to cool.
  • Meanwhile, stack tortillas and cut into 1/8-inch-wide strips. Add to boiling broth. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. This is the traditional way of making tortilla soup. Add optional vegetables, corn or beans at this point also. See notes for blasphemous shortcuts, lol...
  • Shred chicken. Cut the avocado in half, remove the pit and peel it. Thinly slice or cube and place in a shallow bowl. Shred cheese and place in a bowl.
  • Before serving, season soup to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle into soup bowls, garnish with cilantro, avocado, green onions and cheese. I usually leave all these fixings in bowls for folks to help themselves!