Cucumber Bok Choy Salad with Chick Peas

1/2 cucumber, peeled and sliced
2 stalls book choy, sliced
1/2 cup baby carrots, thinly sliced on a bias
2 green onions, sliced

1 cup cooked chickpeas, drained
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil

1 Tbsp dried cranberries
1 Tbsp slivered almonds

Dressing:
2 Tbsp seasoned rice wine vinegar
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 tsp fresh lemon juice

Soak the chick peas in the soy sauce and sesame oil in a bowl for at least half an hour, or more.  Turn often.  Whisk together the dressing.  Toss the cucumber, bok choy, carrots and onions together with the dressing.  Strain the chickpeas and fold in with the veggies.  Top with the cranberries and almonds.

Shrimp and Tuna Chowder

Here again, I am using my favorite Brussels sprouts as a veggie in a dish.  Sweet and wonderful, as long as you don't overcook them.
2 stalks celery, finely diced
1 onion, diced
1 pint Brussels spouts, sliced
1 carrot, finely diced
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp canola oil
1/4 cup flour
6 cups milk
1/2 tsp dill weed
Freshly grated nutmeg
1 lb fresh tuna, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 dozen shrimp

In a soup pot, sauté the celery, onion, Brussels sprouts and carrot for about 10 minutes.  Set aside in a bowl.  In same pot, melt the butter in the oil and whisk in the flour.  Cook until bubbly, for about 5 minutes.  Whisk in the milk and bring to a boil, whisking often, until thickened, about another 5 minutes.    Reduce to a simmer, add the dill and nutmeg and return the veggies to the soup.  Salt to taste.  Add the tuna and the shrimp and heat through to cook the seafood, about 3-5 minutes.

Cook's note: you can use other fish than tuna; whatever is freshest is best.

Malaysian Chicken Sambal

During a recent visit to Singapore, I was able to meet up with Teun, an old friend from Belgium who lives in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.  We ate a delicious chicken Sambal - Malaysian chicken curry - in Singapore's Chinatown.  We also found wonderful pots in a kitchen supply store, with a round bottom and curved sides, that allows easy stirring for mixing stews.  Teun gave me some nice curry pastes from Malaysia, and one was a Sambal. Sambal is a Malaysian red curry paste made typically from ground chili, ginger, garlic and lemongrass with aromatic spices such as cumin, turmeric, coriander and fennel.  It is used to flavor meat, fish or vegetarian curries, often mixed with coconut milk.  So upon my return, I fired up my new pot and worked up this chicken Sambal.

2 lb chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 onion, sliced
1 carrot sliced
1/2 lb green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 waxy potatoes, peeled and cut into Piet-sized chunks
1 15-oz can coconut milk
4 Tbsp Malaysian Sambal paste

Heat a glug of canola oil in a 4-quart pot and sauté the onion, carrot and green beans for 10 minutes.  Add the garlic and cook another 2-3 minutes. Add the coconut milk and the Sambal paste, stirring to mix well.  Stir in the chicken and potatoes and bring to a boil.

Stir, reduce heat to a simmer.  Cook covered for about 30 minutes, stirring several times.  Serve with rice and lime slices.  Serves 6.

 Singapore Marina skyline.

Cucumber Radish Raita

Cool, creamy, tangy yogurt.  Crisp cucumbers and radish.  Best way to tame any unruly curry.

1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and finely diced
4 red radishes, finely diced
1 cup Greek yogurt
1 Tbsp spiced rice vinegar
1/2 tsp dried dill

Place cucumber in a strainer and toss with 1 tablespoon Kosher salt.  Let drain for 20 minutes, then rinse and pat dry with a towel.  Mix cucumbers with the remaining ingredients in a bowl.  Allow flavors to meld for about 30 minutes.

Beef and Bean Enchiladas

8 corn tortillas
1 lb ground beef (preferably local grass fed)
1/2 jalapeño (or to taste), diced
1 onion, finely diced
1 can light red kidney or pinto beans, drained
2 Tbsp chili powder
2 tsp cocoa powder
1 8-oz can tomato sauce
3/4 lb cheddar or Monterrey Jack cheese, grated
1 recipe tomato, cored and diced for topping
Palmful cilantro or parsley for topping

Sauce:
2 ripe tomatoes, cored and coarsely diced
4 ripe tomatillas (1 lb), peeled and quartered
1 small onion, finely diced
1/2 jalapeño pepper, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp cumin powder

Start the sauce.  In a medium saucepan, fry the onion for about 5-8 minutes to soften and begin to caramelize.  Add the garlic and jalapeño and cook another 2-3 minutes.  Add the tomatoes, tomatillos and cumin, and cook down over medium heat, until they break apart.  Stir often to keep bottom from burning, and to break up the veggies into the sauce.   In about 15-20 minutes, you should have a fairly smooth sauce.  If necessary, add a bit of water or broth to make a pourable sauce. Salt and pepper to taste.

Preheat oven to 375F.  Brown the ground beef in a bit of canola oil in a large fry pan.  Add the onion and jalapeño as the meat releases all its liquid and begins to brown.  Stir in the cumin and cocoa powder and cook a few more minutes to incorporate the flavors.  Add the beans and the tomato sauce and simmer while you prepare the tortillas.  Salt and pepper to taste, and add just a bit of water if meat mixture seems too dry.

Heat 2 Tbsp canola oil in a small 6-inch fry pan.  Using tongs, heat each corn tortilla in the oil, flipping after 10 seconds or so, just to develop the corn flavor and brown a bit.  Remove to a paper towel.  Repeat for all the remaining tortillas, adding more oil as necessary.  This step really develops the flavor of the otherwise bland raw corn tortilla.

Spread about 1/2 cup meat mixture in the center of each tortilla and top with a bit of cheese.  Roll up tortilla and place seam-side down in a large 13x9-inch casserole dish.  Pour sauce over enchiladas and top with remaining cheese.  Bake about 20 minutes.  Remove from oven and top with tomatoes and cilantro.  Serve with sour cream or Greek Yogurt on the side.  Serves 4-6.

Enchilada Sauce Verde

Tomatillos are very common in Mexican cuisine and cook down nicely to a saucy consistency as do tomatoes.  You can make a green sauce using only tomatillos, or mix with tomatoes for a bit richer flavor as in this recipe. This is a great sauce for enchiladas or burrito casseroles.
1 lb ripe tomatoes, cored and coarsely diced
1 lb ripe tomatillos, peeled and quartered
1 small onion, finely diced
1/2 jalapeño pepper, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp cumin powder

In a medium saucepan, fry the onion for about 5-8 minutes to soften and begin to caramelize.  Add the garlic and jalapeño and cook another 2-3 minutes.  Turn the heat to high and add the tomatoes, tomatillos and cumin, and cook down, until they break apart.  Lower the heat to a simmer and stir often to keep bottom from burning, and to break up the veggies into the sauce.  After about 15-20 minutes, you should have a fairly smooth sauce.  If necessary, add a bit of water or broth to make a pourable sauce.  Salt and pepper to taste.

Tofu Vin Rosé

1 package extra firm tofu, drained and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
10-oz package fresh mushrooms, quartered
1 Tbsp Balsamic vinegar
2 tsp soy sauce
1/2 lb peeled pearl onions (I used Trader Joe's frozen)
1 orange pepper, diced

Sauce:
4 Tbsp butter
1/4 cup flour
3 cloves garlic
2 green onions, sliced
1/2 cup red wine
1/2 cup white wine
1 cup half and half or skim milk

In a wide non-stick skillet, sauté the tofu in a few tablespoons olive oil for at least 12-15 minutes, turning often to brown all sides well.  Set tofu aside in a bowl.

Heat the same skillet to high and sauté the mushrooms dry until they release their water.  Add a touch of olive oil and continue cooking at a bit lower heat until the mushrooms brown, stirring often.  When well browned, remove to bowl with tofu and toss with the Balsamic vinegar and soy sauce.

Meanwhile in another non-stick skillet, sauté the yellow pepper and pearl onion for at least 12-15 minutes, until the veggies are softened and beginning to brown well. Toss into bowl with tofu and mushrooms.

In one of the large skillets, melt the butter for the sauce. Add the flour, garlic and green onion, and cook for a few minutes until bubbly and well incorporated.  Add the wines and then the cream/milk.  Whisk until boiling to form a nice thick sauce. 

Return the tofu/veggie mixture to the pan and mix well with the sauce.  Adjust thickness with water or milk.  Serve tofu mixture over rice or noodles, topped with fresh parsley.

Serves 4.

Cauliflower Cheddar Gratin

1 head cauliflower, broken into bite sized pieces
2 Tbsp chives, minced
2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup Panko bread Crumbs

Bechamel sauce:
3 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup flour
2 cups milk, or light cream

Preheat oven to 350F.  Microwave the cauliflower for 3-5 minutes with about a tablespoon water, covered, just to begin to soften.

 Meanwhile prepare the sauce by melting the butter in the oil in a small saucepan.  Whisk in the flour and cook the roux for about 3-5 minutes, until bubbly but do not brown the roux.  Add the milk and heat while whisking, until thickened.  Adjust the thickness with more milk if necessary.  Salt to taste. 

Drain the cauliflower and turn into a large mixing bowl. Toss with 3/4 of the sauce and the chives.  Oil a large casserole dish and pour half the cauliflower into the casserole.  Top with half the cheese and breadcrumbs.  Pour over the remaining cauliflower and top with the remaining cheese and sauce.  Top with the remaining bread crumbs.  Bake uncovered for about 45-60 minutes, until bubbly and browned.  Serves 4-6 as a side dish.