Latest posting is just below: My Recipes: Table of Contents

You can check my latest posting in the post just below this table of contents.

Unlike in the past, I'm beginning my blog with a table of contents on the 250 recipes I've posted. My "analytics" show that a number of recipes are hit by internet surfers who simply key in a type of recipe. That will continue as before. But for those who simply visit my blog to see what I posted recently, they hit my most recent recipe rather than see what's available.

In the five years this web blog has been operating, I've posted a number of recipes and related commentaries. They're in no particular order, other than some seasonal dishes at certain times. That all makes it hard for anyone who checks the blog to find particular recipes, or even to check what is there to see if anything
interests them. That's especially true for things back in the archives.

To deal with the problem, I've created a table of contents and will update it as I add recipes. Unlike a usual table of contents, there are no page numbers because the blog does not have numbered pages. In their place I list the date a particular recipe was published.

I hope you find some recipes of interest.

(To locate recipes, go to the month/year [in the Archives on the right side of the blog] then find the posting for the day indicated; dates are in reverse order, from more recent to earlier)

Appetizers

Smoked Salmon Dip/Spread I -- 12/24/07
Smoked Salmon Dip/Spread II -- 3/2/08
Tangy Salmon Spread -- 6/25/08
Fish Pâté made with Tuna -- 1/10/10
Double-Fish Cream Dip -- 11/13/10
Pâté Saxonne, Liverwurst-based Spread -- 11/03/08
Smoked Salmon Tartare -- 10/27/07
Spanish Fish with Peppers, Olives, and Pine Nuts -- 8/19/08
Tomatoes Stuffed with Fruited Tuna -- 9/9/06
Spanish Tapas Meatballs -- 11/5/06
Korean American Sesame Chicken Cakes -- 8/6/10
Malabari Spicy Coconut-Fried Chicken Wings -- 8/09/09
Rillettes: French Charcuterie Appetizer -- 7/11/10
Jeweled Stuffed (Devilled) Eggs -- 1/2/10
Sherry-Almond Cheese Ball -- 1/3/10
Welsh Rabbit (aka "Rarebit") -- 3/8/11
Shrimp Scampi -- 7/23/08
Shrimp Newberg -- 8/25/08
Triple-fish Thai Nam Ya Curry over Rice Noodles -- 9/12/09
Crispy wontons with sweet-sour sauce -- 2/26/11
Hot Artichoke-Cauliflower Antipasto -- 11/27/07
Green Beans Sautéed with Garlic and Tomato -- 8/26/08
Roasted Stuffed Mushrooms -- 12/28/08
Braised Mushrooms à la Grecque -- 4/6/09
Fried Cauliflower Appetizer -- 10/3/10
Spinach-Artichoke Dip -- 2/16/08
Roasted Zucchini "Hummus" -- 6/21/09
Great Guacamole -- 5/16/07
Double Bean Salsa for Dipping -- 1/24/10
Lentils Sautéed with Cream (dip/salsa) -- 7/29/08
Lentil-Cream Dip for Maria -- 11/19/10
Hummus -- 7/22/08
"Terra Cotta" dip for Maria -- 12/10/10
Baba Ganouj, roasted eggplant spread -- 7/25/08
Cold Gazpacho -- 8/12/06
Tangy Asiago-Almond Spread -- 6/28/08
Fresh Mozzarella, Tomato, and Basil – Caprese -- 4/1/08
French Lentil Salad -- 8/6/08
Roasted Beets with Goat Cheese -- 8/18/07
Aioli: Garlic Mayonnaise for Roasted Vegetables -- 8/27/08
Quiche -- 7/21/08

Soups and Salads

Cold Gazpacho -- 8/12/06
Tomato-Basil Bisque Soup -- 8/16/10
Ancient Roman Dry Legume Soup with Greens -- 5/23/10
Lentil Soup with Greens -- 1/09/08
Grandma's Split Pea Soup with Ham -- 7/19/08
Dutch Split Pea Soup with Smoked Sausage -- 4/22/10
Vegetarian Split Pea Soup -- 7/19/08
Black Bean Vegetable Soup -- 11/17/08
Gingered "Pumpkin" Soup -- 10/30/11
French “Pumpkin” (Butternut) Bisque -- 5/1/10
Red Riot Soup, hot or iced -- 5/16/10
Mulligatawny Soup, Meatless -- 3/28/07
Turkey-Apple Chowder with Cheddar -- 12/4/06
Chicken and Sausage Gumbo -- 8/1/10
Green Chile with Pork -- 11/20/06
Red and Black Chili -- 7/17/08
Blond Chili -- 10/28/06
Competition-winning "Hot Blond" Chili -- 2/7/10
Orange-Rose Chili with Lentils -- 8/12/09
Vegetarian Chili -- 8/8/08
Delicious Meatless Chili -- 12/8/08
Summer Herb Salad Dressing -- 7/7/07
Green Salad with Mustard Vinaigrette -- 4/15/08
Easy Balsamic Vinaigrette -- 9/28/11
Fresh Mozzarella, Tomato, and Basil –- Caprese -- 4/1/08
French Cucumber Salad with Crème Fraiche -- 6/18/08
French Lentil Salad -- 8/6/08
Coleslaw, Deli-Style -- 6/5/08
Great Potato Salad -- 6/3/08
California Fruited Tuna Salad -- 9/22/07
Devilled Egg Salad -- 5/3/07

Poultry and Meat

Chicken and Sausage Gumbo -- 8/1/10
Pâté Saxonne, Liverwurst-based Spread -- 11/03/08
Rillettes: French Charcuterie Appetizer -- 7/11/10
Korean American Sesame Chicken Cakes -- 8/6/10
Malabari Spicy Coconut-Fried Chicken Wings -- 8/09/09
Malaysian Soy Sauce Chicken -- 2/2/08
Black Soy Sauce Chicken w/ Broccoli -- 4/20/09
Spicy Coconut Chicken -- 2/21/08
Jerk Chicken -- 8/31/08
Chicken Breast stuffed with Spinach and Feta -- 3/26/08
North African Chicken Medallions (for Wedding) -- 7/5/08
Marinated Chicken Shish Kebabs -- 5/31/08
Oven-roasted Chicken Kebabs -- 11/29/09
‘Tandoori’ Chicken Tikka Kebabs -- 6/10/08
Mediterranean Herbed Chicken for Sandwiches -- 8/10/08
Chicken Sautéed with Dijon-Cream Sauce -- 11/26/06
Chicken à la Créole -- 3/19/08
Haitian-style Chicken Creole -- 1/22/10
Alsatian Chicken in White Wine and Cream -- 1/14/08
Autumn Sautéed Chicken with Fruit -- 11/4/07
Chicken Marsala -- 5/31/07
Chicken Sautéed with Mushrooms and Cream -- 3/29/09
Chicken Cacciatore -- 7/12/08
Chicken Sautéed with Red Wine and Sun-Dried Tomato -- 8/24/08
Chicken Stewed with Sun-Dried Tomatoes -- 5/15/11
Alsatian Chicken braised in Beer -- 7/3/11
Easy Mediterranean Chicken Stir-Fry -- 8/24/06
Malaysian-Chinese Braised ("Red-Cooked") Chicken -- 5/25/09
Vietnamese Chicken (or Pork) in Caramel Sauce -- 6/03/09
African Peanut Sauce Chicken -- 2/22/07
North Indian Chicken and Spinach Curry -- 11/9/08
Malabari Coconut Chicken Korma -- 5/17/09
South Indian Chicken Curry -- 8/11/08
Brightly Flavored North Indian Chicken Curry -- 3/2/10
Kofta Curry with Chicken and Cashew Cream -- 7/31/11
Chicken Keema Gobi (Chopped chicken curry with cauliflower) -- 10/24/10
Braised Turkey Pot Roast -- 12/04/10
Turkey Kofta Korma (Meatball Curry with Cashew Cream) -- 8/20/11
Persian Beef and Nectarine Stew (Koresh) -- 8/11/10
Indian Kofta (Meatball) Curry -- 9/23/08
Pakistani Beef Meatball and Potato Curry -- 10/5/09
Keema -- "Minced" Meat Curry with Peas and Potatoes -- 2/6/10
Spicy Pork Vindaloo Curry -- 10/1/09
"Ceylonese" Pork or Beef Curry -- 10/25/09
Malay Beef Curry -- Kari Lembu -- 4/24/10
Afghan Qorma of Lamb or Beef with Green Beans -- 8/05/09
Dansak -- Chicken and Lentil Curry -- 2/29/09
Thai Yellow Curry with Chicken and Butternut -- 1/25/08
Thai Chicken Panang Curry -- 8/12/06
Spiced Ground Meat Kebabs -- 8/10/08
Thai Beef Panang Curry -- 10/16/10
Butternut and Lentils braised with Beef -- 9/23/09
Easy Chicken Pot Pie -- 9/13/07
Chicken Chilaquiles: Mexican Casserole -- 1/11/09
Paprika Schnitzel -- 4/12/08
Basque Pork or Beef Stew -- 6/14/08
'Chopped' Beef Stoganoff /08
Transylvanian Goulash -- 10/18/06
Stout-Molasses Marinated Pork Tenderloin -- 3/25/11
Autumn Pork Stew with Fruit -- 9/30/06
Pork stewed with Quince 1 -- 11/12/08
Pork stewed with Quince 2 -- 11 15/09
Balkan Pork Stew with Eggplant -- 6/17/09
Braised "Country-Style" Pork Ribs -- 12/26/10
Pork braised with Bananas and Apples -- 11/27/11
Pork and Lentils stewed with Cream -- 11/08/08
Garnished Sauerkraut with Smoked Meats -- 3/12/11
Carbonade Flamande I, Belgian Beef and Onion Stew with Beer -- 3/6/11
Carbonade of Chicken, Belgian Chicken stewed with Beer -- 9/12/08
Baked Kibbeh (Middle Eastern stuffed Meatloaf) -- 9/15/08
Red and Black Chili -- 7/17/08
Green Chile with Pork -- 11/20/06
Blond Chili -- 10/28/06
Competition-winning "Hot Blond" Chili -- 2/7/10
Orange-Rose Chili with Lentils -- 8/12/09
Bourbon-Glazed Pork (or Chicken) Burgers -- 1/24/08
Mushroom-Caper Smothered Chopped Steaks -- 1/20/08
Swedish Meatballs -- 10/30/07
Prussian Meatballs with Caper-Curry Sauce -- 9/06/09
Green Peppercorn Meatballs in Spiced Cream -- 10/13/07
Mediterranean Meatballs -- 8/27/07
Stuffed Lamb (or Beef) Meatballs -- 5/21/11
Spanish Tapas Meatballs -- 11/5/06
Turkey and Basil Meatballs with Peppers sautéed in Red Wine -- 9/7/08
Frikkadels -- South African Curried Meatballs -- 1/12/11
Meatballs and Tomato Sauce for Pasta -- 4/07/10
‘Sausage’-style Meatballs and Spaghetti Sauce -- 3/9/08
Spicy Lentil Stew with Meatballs -- 9/19/10
Bolognese Meat Sauce for Pasta -- 9/15/06
‘Russian’ Meat Pie -- 1/17/07
Polish Easter, and Wedding, Sausage -- 3/13/10
‘Philadelphia’ Scrapple -- 2/12/08
Creole Zucchini (with pork and ham) -- 7/8/09
Zucchini Jambalaya (with ham and chicken) --8/18/09
Sausage Jambalaya -- 4/21/09
Greek rice dressing for turkey or lamb -- 11/01/08
German-style Sautéed Cabbage topping for Burgers -- 3/19/10
English-style Mushroom Sauce for Beef -- 9/28/11

Seafood

Tangy Salmon Spread -- 6/25/08
Fish Pâté made with Tuna -- 1/10/10
Double-Fish Cream Dip -- 11/13/10
Smoked Salmon Tartare -- 10/21/07
Sweet and Sour Fish -- 4/24/07
Spanish Fish with Peppers, Olives, and Pine Nuts -- 8/19/08
Irish-style Salmon with Mint-Watercress Sauce -- 4/25/11
Lemon-Dill Roasted Salmon -- 1/10/07
3-Peppers Salmon -- 1/15/08
Roasted Salmon with Fruit Glaze -- 9/7/07
Indian Fish Curry ("Korma") -- 8/16/09
Triple-fish Thai Nam Ya Curry over Rice Noodles -- 9/12/09
Thai-Chinese Stir-Fried Shrimp with Asparagus -- 9/13/09
‘California’ Fruited Tuna Salad -- 9/22/07
Pasta with Smoked Salmon and Peas -- 10/31/07
Smoked Salmon with Grits -- 6/9/07
Shrimp Scampi -- 7/23/08
Shrimp Newberg -- 8/25/08
Shrimp Grits -- 6/9/07
Pasta alla Putanesca: Spicy tomato and anchovy sauce -- 5/31/10

Eggs and Cheese

Jeweled Stuffed (Devilled) Eggs -- 1/2/10
Devilled Egg Salad -- 5/3/07
Tangy Asiago-Almond Spread -- 6/28/08
Fresh Mozzarella, Tomato, and Basil – Caprese -- 4/1/08
Sherry-Almond Cheese Ball -- 1/3/10
Welsh Rabbit (aka "Rarebit") -- 3/8/11
Quiche -- 7/21/08
Jalapeño-Wine-Cheese Grits -- 8/23/08
Sicilian Orange Cheese Tart -- 8/28/08
Italian Ricotta Cheese Cake (Torta) -- 6/14/09
Guava and Cheese Turnovers -- 2/12/09

Vegetables and Vegetarian

Cold Gazpacho -- 8/12/06
Tomato-Basil Bisque Soup -- 8/16/10
Ancient Roman Dry Legume Soup with Greens -- 5/23/10
Lentil Soup with Greens -- 1/09/08
Grandma's Split Pea Soup with Ham -- 7/19/08
Dutch Split Pea Soup with Smoked Sausage -- 4/22/10
Vegetarian Split Pea Soup -- 7/19/08
Black Bean Vegetable Soup -- 11/17/08
Gingered "Pumpkin" Soup -- 10/30/11
French “Pumpkin” (Butternut) Bisque -- 5/1/10
Red Riot Soup, hot or iced -- 5/16/10
Mulligatawny Soup, Meatless -- 3/28/07
Dhal, Indian stewed lentils -- 12/31/08
Vegetarian Chili -- 8/8/08
Delicious Meatless Chili -- 12/8/08
Gourmet Mashed Potatoes -- 1/17/08
Cajun Hash Browned Potatoes -- 10/12/08
Collards -- 2/22/08
Braised Kale with Apple -- 5/9/11
Roasted Beets with Goat Cheese -- 8/18/07
Roasted Beets with Aioli -- 8/27/08
Broccoli with Mock Hollandaise Sauce -- 2/23/07
Zucchini sautéed with Olive Oil and Garlic -- 7/9/07
Creole Zucchini (with pork and ham) -- 7/8/09
Zucchini Jambalaya (with ham and chicken) -- 8/18/09
Butternut and Lentils braised with Beef -- 9/23/09
Green Beans Sautéed with Garlic and Tomato -- 8/26/08
Sautéed Kabocha Squash with white wine and cream -- 2/01/09
Tomatoes Provençal Style, 'Tomates provençale' -- 9/02/08
Provençal Eggplant Casserole -- 11/01/09
Gratin of Winter Squash -- 2/01/09
Ratatouille (medley of summer vegetables) -- 8/1/07
Braised Mushrooms à la Grecque -- 4/6/09
Fried Cauliflower Appetizer -- 10/3/10
Sautéed Brussels Sprouts with Apple and Cream -- 2/25/10
Sautéed Brussels Sprouts with Cream or Balsamic Vinegar -- 1/9/11
Sautéed Chickpeas and Spinach -- 7/18/08
Spicy Braised Eggplant with Lentils -- 10/4/09
Sautéed Butternut over Jalapeno-Wine-Cheese Grits -- 1/1/09
Stir-fried vegetables with oyster sauce and cashews -- 10/27/08
Thai-Chinese Stir-fried Broccoli -- 5/26/09
Thai-Chinese Stir-Fried Shrimp with Asparagus -- 9/13/09
Fresh Corn Curry -- 6/29/08
Indian Cabbage Curry -- 11/9/10
Chickpea Curry, Chole or Chana Masala -- 2/25/09
Red Bean Curry: Rajma -- 2/18/10
Lentil (or Black Eye Pea) Masala Curry -- 3/6/08
Slow-cooked Indian Black Lentils: Dhal Makani -- 3/18/09
Lentils sauteed with cream (dip/salsa) -- 7/29/08
French Lentil Salad -- 8/6/08
French Cucumber Salad with Crème Fraiche -- 6/18/08
Coleslaw, Deli-Style -- 6/5/08
Great Potato Salad -- 6/3/08
Hummus -- 7/22/08
Baba Ganouj, roasted eggplant spread -- 7/25/08
Roasted Zucchini "Hummus" -- 6/21/09
Double Bean Salsa for Dipping -- 1/24/10
Lentil-Cream Dip for Maria -- 11/19/10
"Terra Cotta" dip for Maria -- 12/10/10
Roasted Stuffed Mushrooms -- 12/28/08
Hot Artichoke-Cauliflower Antipasto -- 11/27/07
Spinach-Artichoke Dip -- 2/16/08
Fresh Green "Salsa" -- 10/17/11
Tomato Coulis -- 7/12/09
Thai Sweet-Sour Cucumber Condiment, Ajaad -- 2/3/10
Fresh Red Cabbage Chutney for Curries -- 8/15/09
German-style Sautéed Cabbage topping for Burgers -- 3/19/10
Carrot Halva, an Indian dessert -- 8/22/10

Rice, Noodles/Pasta, etc.

Cooking Great Rice -- 1/26/08
Golden Coconut Rice -- 1/30/08
Middle Eastern Rice Pilaf -- 1/5/07
Rice Pilaf, another version -- 3/30/08
Rice Pilaf with Fresh Peaches -- 8/7/11
Zucchini Jambalaya (with ham and chicken) -- 8/18/09
Sausage Jambalaya -- 4/21/09
Créole Rice, ‘French Exotic’ -- 3/18/08
Rice with Lentils -- 8/30/08
Pad Thai Noodles -- 9/20/07
Thai Rice Noodles with Chicken and Greens -- 2/6/07
Triple-fish Thai Nam Ya Curry over Rice Noodles -- 9/12/09
Greek rice dressing for turkey or lamb -- 11/01/08
Pasta with Smoked Salmon and Peas -- 10/31/07
Pasta with Ham, Tomato, and Cream -- 1/17/09
Pasta Primavera -- 4/29/07
Winter Pasta with Butternut Squash -- 12/27/06
Sweet Pasta with Butternut-Brown Butter Sauce -- 3/15/08
Pesto with pasta -- 9/4/08
Meatballs and Tomato Sauce for Pasta -- 4/07/10
‘Sausage’-style Meatballs and Spaghetti Sauce -- 3/9/08
Bolognese Meat Sauce for Pasta -- 9/15/06
Great Marinara Sauce for Pasta -- 8/7/06
Pasta with Green Olives, Basil, and Garlic -- 6/22/08
Pasta alla Putanesca: Spicy tomato and anchovy sauce -- 5/31/10
Crispy wontons with sweet-sour sauce -- 2/26/11
Chicken Chilaquiles: Mexican Tortilla Casserole -- 1/11/09
Jalapeño-Wine-Cheese Grits -- 8/23/08
Sautéed Butternut over Jalapeno-Wine-Cheese Grits -- 1/1/09
Smoked Salmon with Grits -- 6/9/07
Shrimp Grits -- 6/9/07

Thai, Malaysian, Indian, Chinese, Vietnamese, Etc.

Korean American Sesame Chicken Cakes -- 8/6/10
Triple-fish Thai Nam Ya Curry over Rice Noodles -- 9/12/09
Thai Yellow Curry with Chicken and Butternut -- 1/25/08
Thai Chicken Panang Curry -- 8/12/06
Thai Beef Panang Curry -- 10/16/10
Pad Thai Noodles -- 9/20/07
Thai Rice Noodles with Chicken and Greens -- 2/6/07
Thai Sweet-Sour Chili Dipping Sauce -- 12/15/07
Dipping Sauce for Grilled Chicken or Shrimp -- 6/17/07
Stir-fried vegetables with oyster sauce and cashews -- 10/27/08
Thai-Chinese Stir-fried Broccoli -- 5/26/09
Thai-Chinese Stir-Fried Shrimp with Asparagus -- 9/13/09
Thai Sweet-sour Cucumber Condiment, Ajaad -- 2/3/10
Malaysian Soy Sauce Chicken -- 2/2/08
Black Soy Sauce Chicken w/ Broccoli -- 4/20/09
Malay Beef Curry -- Kari Lembu -- 4/24/10
Spicy Coconut Chicken -- 2/21/08
Persian Beef and Nectarine Stew (Koresh) -- 8/11/10
Indian Fish Curry ("Korma") -- 8/16/09
South Indian Chicken Curry -- 8/11/08
Indian Kofta (Meatball) Curry -- 9/23/08
Pakistani Beef Meatball and Potato Curry -- 10/5/09
Keema -- "Minced" Meat Curry with Peas and Potatoes -- 2/6/10
North Indian Chicken and Spinach Curry -- 11/9/08
Brightly Flavored North Indian Chicken Curry -- 3/2/10
Malabari Coconut Chicken Korma -- 5/17/09
Chicken Keema Gobi (Chopped chicken curry with cauliflower) -- 10/24/10
Kofta Curry with Chicken and Cashew Cream -- 7/31/11
Turkey Kofta Korma (Meatball Curry with Cashew Cream) -- 8/20/11
Spicy Pork Vindaloo Curry -- 10/1/09
Malabari Spicy Coconut-Fried Chicken Wings -- 8/09/09
"Ceylonese" Pork or Beef Curry -- 10/25/09
Afghan Qorma of Lamb or Beef with Green Beans -- 8/05/09
Dansak -- Chicken and Lentil Curry -- 2/29/09
'Tandoori’ Chicken Tikka Kebabs -- 6/10/08
Dhal, Indian stewed lentils -- 12/31/08
Slow-cooked Indian Black Lentils: Dhal Makani -- 3/18/09
Fresh Corn Curry -- 6/29/08
Indian Cabbage Curry -- 11/9/10
Chickpea Curry, Chole or Chana Masala -- 2/25/09
Red Bean Curry: Rajma -- 2/18/10
Lentil Masala Curry -- 3/6/08
Mulligatawny Soup, Meatless -- 3/28/07
Fresh Red Cabbage Chutney for Curries -- 8/15/09
Crispy wontons with sweet-sour sauce -- 2/26/11
Malaysian-Chinese Braised ("Red-Cooked") Chicken -- 5/25/09
Sweet and Sour Fish -- 4/24/07
Vietnamese Chicken (or Pork) in Caramel Sauce -- 6/03/09

Curries and Similar Dishes

Indian Fish Curry ("Korma") -- 8/16/09
South Indian Chicken Curry -- 8/11/08
North Indian Chicken and Spinach Curry -- 11/9/08
Brightly Flavored North Indian Chicken Curry -- 3/2/10
Malabari Coconut Chicken Korma -- 5/17/09
Kofta Curry with Chicken and Cashew Cream -- 7/31/11
Chicken Keema Gobi (Chopped chicken curry with cauliflower) -- 10/24/10
Malabari Spicy Coconut-Fried Chicken Wings -- 8/09/09
Dansak -- Chicken and Lentil Curry -- 2/29/09
'Tandoori’ Chicken Tikka Kebabs -- 6/10/08
Thai Yellow Curry with Chicken and Butternut -- 1/25/08
Chicken Panang Curry -- 8/12/06
Turkey Kofta Korma (Meatball Curry with Cashew Cream) -- 8/20/11
Thai Beef Panang Curry -- 10/16/10
Triple-fish Thai Nam Ya Curry over Rice Noodles -- 9/12/09
Spicy Pork Vindaloo Curry -- 10/1/09
"Ceylonese" Pork or Beef Curry -- 10/25/09
Pork braised with Bananas and Apples -- 11/27/11
Afghan Qorma of Lamb or Beef with Green Beans -- 8/05/09
Persian Beef and Nectarine Stew (Koresh) -- 8/11/10
Indian Kofta (Meatball) Curry -- 9/23/08
Pakistani Beef Meatball and Potato Curry -- 10/5/09
Frikkadels -- South African Curried Meatballs -- 1/12/11
Keema -- "Minced" Meat Curry with Peas and Potatoes -- 2/6/10
Spicy Lentil Stew with Meatballs -- 9/19/10
Malay Beef Curry -- Kari Lembu -- 4/24/10
Fresh Corn Curry -- 6/29/08
Indian Cabbage Curry -- 11/9/10
Chickpea Curry, Chole or Chana Masala -- 2/25/09
Red Bean Curry: Rajma -- 2/18/10
Lentil Masala Curry -- 3/6/08
Mulligatawny Soup, Meatless -- 3/28/07
Dhal, Indian stewed Lentils -- 12/31/08
Slow-cooked Indian Black Lentils: Dhal Makani -- 3/18/09
Fresh Red Cabbage Chutney for Curries -- 8/15/09
Carrot Halva, an Indian dessert -- 8/22/10

Mediterranean and Nearby Region

Spanish Tapas Meatballs -- 11/5/06
Stuffed Lamb (or Beef) Meatballs -- 5/21/11
Rillettes: French Charcuterie Appetizer -- 7/11/10
Hot Artichoke-Cauliflower Antipasto -- 11/27/07
Roasted Stuffed Mushrooms -- 12/28/08
Shrimp Scampi -- 7/23/08
Hummus -- 7/22/08
Roasted Zucchini "Hummus" -- 6/21/09
Baba Ganouj, roasted eggplant spread -- 7/25/08
Fresh Mozzarella, Tomato, and Basil – Caprese -- 4/1/08
French Cucumber Salad with Crème Fraiche -- 6/18/08
Cold Gazpacho -- 8/12/06
Ancient Roman Dry Legume Soup with Greens -- 5/23/10
Lentil Soup with Greens -- 1/9/08
Gingered "Pumpkin" Soup -- 10/30/11
French “Pumpkin” (Butternut) Bisque -- 5/1/10
Braised Mushrooms à la Grecque -- 4/6/09
Fried Cauliflower Appetizer -- 10/3/10
Sautéed Brussels Sprouts with Apple and Cream -- 2/25/10
Butternut and Lentils braised with Beef -- 9/23/09
Spanish Fish with Peppers, Olives, and Pine Nuts -- 8/19/08
Chicken Breast stuffed with Spinach and Feta -- 3/26/08
Chicken Cacciatore -- 7/12/08
Chicken sautéed with Red Wine and Sun-Dried Tomato -- 8/24/08
Chicken Stewed with Sun-Dried Tomatoes -- 5/15/11
Chicken Sautéed with Mushrooms and Cream -- 3/29/09
Easy Mediterranean Chicken Stir-Fry -- 8/24/06
North African Chicken Medallions (for Wedding) -- 7/5/08
Marinated Chicken Shish Kebabs -- 5/31/08
Oven-roasted Chicken Kebabs -- 11/29/09
Baked Kibbeh (Middle Eastern stuffed Meatloaf) -- 9/15/08
Spiced Ground Meat Kebabs -- 8/10/08
Mediterranean Herbed Chicken for Sandwiches -- 8/10/08
Chicken Marsala -- 5/31/07
Basque Pork or Beef Stew -- 6/14/08
Balkan Pork Stew with Eggplant -- 6/17/09
Braised "Country-Style" Pork Ribs -- 12/26/10
Sautéed Chickpeas and Spinach -- 7/18/08
Spicy Braised Eggplant with Lentils -- 10/4/09
Sautéed Kabocha Squash with white wine and cream -- 2/01/09
Mediterranean Meatballs -- 8/27/07
Turkey and Basil Meatballs with Peppers sautéed in Red Wine -- 9/7/08
Meatballs and Tomato Sauce for Pasta -- 4/07/10
‘Sausage’-style Meatballs and Spaghetti Sauce -- 3/9/08
Spicy Lentil Stew with Meatballs -- 9/19/10
Spiced Meatballs braised with Gingered Butternut and Apple -- 10/10/11
Bolognese Meat Sauce for Pasta -- 9/15/06
Pasta Primavera -- 4/29/07
Winter Pasta with Butternut Squash -- 12/27/06
Sweet Pasta with Butternut-Brown Butter Sauce -- 3/15/08
Great Marinara Sauce for Pasta -- 8/7/06
Pesto with pasta -- 9/4/08
Pasta with Green Olives, Basil, and Garlic -- 6/22/08
Pasta with Smoked Salmon and Peas -- 10/31/07
Pasta with Ham, Tomato, and Cream -- 1/17/09
Pasta alla Putanesca: Spicy tomato and anchovy sauce -- 5/31/10
Middle Eastern Rice Pilaf -- 1/5/07
Rice Pilaf, another version -- 3/30/08
Rice Pilaf with Fresh Peaches -- 8/7/11
Zucchini sautéed with Olive Oil and Garlic -- 7/9/07
Green Beans Sautéed with Garlic and Tomato -- 8/26/08
Tomatoes Provençal Style, 'Tomates provençale' -- 9/2/08
Provençal Eggplant Casserole -- 11/01/09
Gratin of Winter Squash -- 2/01/09
Ratatouille (medley of summer vegetables) -- 8/1/07
Yogurt-Cucumber Sauce (Cacik, Tsadziki) -- 4/25/08
Aioli: Garlic Mayonnaise for Roasted Vegetables -- 8/27/08
Tahini (sesame) and Lemon Sauce -- 7/4/10
Easy Balsamic Vinaigrette -- 9/28/11
Tomato Coulis -- 7/12/09
Sicilian Orange Cheese Tart -- 8/28/08
Italian Ricotta Cheese Cake (Torta) -- 6/14/09
Biscotti -- 11/12/06
Crème Caramel – Caramel Custard - Flan -- 5/17/08
Creamy Rice Pudding -- 6/8/08
Greek rice dressing for turkey or lamb -- 11/01/08
Pita Bread or Pizza Crust -- 7/14/11

Other European Dishes

Irish-style Salmon with Mint-Watercress Sauce -- 4/25/11
‘Russian’ Meat Pie -- 1/17/07
Polish Easter, and Wedding, Sausage -- 3/13/10
Chicken Sautéed with Dijon-Cream Sauce -- 11/26/06
Garnished Sauerkraut with Smoked Meats -- 3/12/11
Alsatian Chicken in White Wine and Cream -- 1/14/08
Alsatian Chicken braised in Beer -- 7/3/11
Autumn Sautéed Chicken with Fruit -- 11/4/07
German-style Sautéed Cabbage topping for Burgers -- 3/19/10
Carbonade Flamande I, Belgian Beef and Onion Stew with Beer -- 3/6/11
Carbonade of Chicken, Belgian Chicken stewed with Beer -- 9/12/08
Butternut and Lentils braised with Beef -- 9/23/09
Easy Chicken Pot Pie -- 9/13/07
Chicken Chilaquiles: Mexican Casserole -- 1/11/09
Paprika Schnitzel -- 4/12/08
Basque Pork or Beef Stew -- 6/14/08
'Chopped' Beef Stoganoff /08
Transylvanian Goulash -- 10/18/06
Stout-Molasses Marinated Pork Tenderloin -- 3/25/11
Autumn Pork Stew with Fruit -- 9/30/06
Pork stewed with Quince 1 -- 11/12/08
Pork stewed with Quince 2 -- 11 15/09
Braised Kale with Apple -- 5/9/11
Spiced Meatballs braised with Gingered Butternut and Apple -- 10/10/11
English-style Mushroom Sauce for Beef -- 9/28/11

Condiments and Sauces

Easy Horseradish-Caper Sauce -- 7/14/10
Great Guacamole -- 5/16/07
Double Bean Salsa for Dipping -- 1/24/10
Fresh Green "Salsa" -- 10/17/11
Thai Sweet-Sour Chili Dipping Sauce -- 12/15/07
Dipping Sauce for Grilled Chicken or Shrimp -- 6/17/07
Homemade Whole Cranberry Sauce -- 11/27/11
Cranberry-apricot chutney -- 11/01/08
Fresh Red Cabbage Chutney for Curries -- 8/15/09
Thai Sweet-sour Cucumber Condiment, Ajaad -- 2/3/10
Yogurt-Cucumber Sauce (Cacik, Tsadziki) -- 4/25/08
Tahini (sesame) and Lemon Sauce -- 7/4/10
Marinara Tomato Sauce -- 8/7/06
Pesto for Pasta -- 9/4/08
Tomato Coulis -- 7/12/09
Marinade for Summer Grilling -- 6/10/07
Bourbon and Coke Marinade -- 10/15/06
German-style Sautéed Cabbage topping for Burgers -- 3/19/10
English-style Mushroom Sauce for Beef -- 9/28/11

Baking

Crispy Waffles -- 6/8/08
Great Corn Bread -- 6/29/07
Easy Herb Rolls (non-yeast) -- 3/25/10
Irish Soda Bread -- 3/16/07
Pita Bread or Pizza Crust -- 7/14/11
Easy Chicken Pot Pie -- 9/13/07
‘Russian’ Meat Pie -- 1/17/07
Quiche -- 7/21/08
Gratin of Winter Squash -- 2/01/09
‘Cinnamon Flop’ Coffee Cake -- 9/23/06
Grandma's Chocolate Cake -- 7/13/08
Plum Cake -- 7/20/08
‘Swedish’ Apple Torte -- 10/08/06
Sicilian Orange Cheese Tart -- 8/28/08
Italian Ricotta Cheese Cake (Torta) -- 6/14/09
Guava and Cheese Turnovers -- 2/12/09
Louisiana Bread Pudding with Bourbon Sauce -- 9/01/08
Biscotti -- 11/12/06
Christmas Fruitcake Bars -- 12/7/09
Baked Apples -- 10/09/07

Desserts

Crème Caramel – Caramel Custard - Flan -- 5/17/08
Creamy Rice Pudding -- 6/8/08
Grandma's Chocolate Cake -- 7/13/08
Mum's Boiled Chocolate Frosting -- 9/1/09
‘Swedish’ Apple Torte -- 10/8/06
Sicilian Orange Cheese Tart -- 8/28/08
Italian Ricotta Cheese Cake (Torta) -- 6/14/09
Guava and Cheese Turnovers -- 2/12/09
Plum Cake -- 7/20/08
Louisiana Bread Pudding with Bourbon Sauce -- 9/1/08
Biscotti -- 11/12/06
Christmas Fruitcake Bars -- 12/7/09
Baked Apples -- 10/9/07
Carrot Halva, an Indian dessert -- 8/22/10

Drinks and Miscellaneous

Hot Chocolate -- 1/1/11

Pork braised with Surprizing Fruit

A reader of my column accidentally challenged me to create an unusual dish when he referred to the paper I publish in as the "Athens Banana-Herald."

Bananas are used in plenty of sweet dishes from fruit salad to fried bananas to banana bread and, of course, banana cream pie. But what about savory dishes?

I'm not referring to plantains, which must be cooked and are often part of savory dishes, particularly in tropical countries. I was challenged to cook with the sweet, tender fruit that are usually eaten raw.

I checked my fruit cookbooks then online for savory recipes made with bananas, and only found a couple of random stews from places like Sri Lanka. There are also some chutneys made from bananas to accompany curries.

So at that fairly vague starting point, I sought to make a spicy, though not exactly curry-like dish with the meat that seems to cook best with fruit, pork.

My trial produced a dish I quite like. We ate it with brown rice. I need to experiment with it more to see what the possibilities are. It seems most suited for rice as an accompaniment.

I haven't figured out what wines might go, but a rich white wine with at least some acidity would be where I'd start, maybe an Albariño or Chenin Blanc or Viognier.

The recipe will serve six or more.

Pork braised with Banana and Apple

2 1/2 pounds lean pork (butt or country "ribs") in 1 1/2-inch pieces
3 tablespoons olive oil or rendered pork fat
1 medium onion, diced
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
3/8 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
2 bananas, peeled and sliced
2 apples, peeled, cored and cut up
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 cups water

In heavy Dutch oven or casserole, fry pork, half at a time until seared on the outside.

With all the meat back in the pot, add and fry onions over medium heat, stirring frequently, until onions soften.

Reduce heat and add spices and herbs. Fry, stirring frequently, 2 minutes.

Add bananas, apples, salt and water. Simmer, covered, but stirring frequently and scraping bottom of pot, until pork is tender and fruits have fully broken down. The sauce becomes a little stickier after the fruit disintegrates. Add a little water if sauce is too thick.

Taste as the mixture cooks and add a little salt, if needed.

Homemade cranberry sauce a simple task

Throughout my childhood, my mother made her own cranberry sauce for Thanksgiving dinner. Everything else for that holiday feast, and for most of her dinners, she also cooked from scratch.

To my mother, the boring canned, aspic-like cranberry sauce, which I secretly liked back then, was worthy of the cafeteria steam-table. And we didn’t spend money in those days on “eating out.”

Mum made the classic whole-berry sauce, the one on the Ocean Spray package: boil one cup sugar, one cup water and one bag of berries until berries pop.

The recipe on the Ocean package remains the same. However, the bag that once held a pound of berries has shrunk over the years to contain a mere 12 ounces. Thus the proportions of sugar, water and cranberries in the classical sauce changed.

But no matter. I have edged beyond my mother’s formulas on many dishes, including cranberry sauce.

I typically slip in other ingredients and seasonings to heighten flavors and effects.

Cranberries are a modest, if widespread, woodland and marshland berry. Like their cousins the lingonberries (of Swedish and Ikea fame), cranberries are firm, sour crimson fruits from dwarf-growing bushes or swamp-growing vines indigenous to colder latitudes in North America and Europe.

They are distant relatives of blueberries and huckleberries.

Native peoples have gathered cranberries as food for centuries. In the wild, cranberries are a favorite of bears (how cool is that) but birds, squirrels and chipmunks also eat them.

The fruits are cultivated in watery bogs in a number of U.S. states and Canadian provinces.

As a teenager I saw cranberries growing nearly wild in a small wetland on an old Central Connecticut farm.

Native Americans combined unsweetened cranberries with venison to make their dried pemmican.

The fruits nowadays usually are prepared with sugar to balance their tart taste and mild tannic bitterness.

As sauce, cranberries accompany meats, particularly turkey. Thanksgiving turkey in North America and Christmas turkey in England virtually demand cranberry sauce. Similarly, in Scandinavia, lingonberry sauce traditionally enhances reindeer steak and Swedish meatballs.

Yet sauce is an infrequent use of cranberries, having long been overtaken by cranberry juice and dried, sweetened cranberries. The one-time specialty fruit now is big business.

In addition to their stimulating taste and iconic color, another quality has made cranberries popular in recent decades. The berries, like many red fruits, contain antioxidants, considered beneficial for health.

Here’s my recipe for the sauce. Despite the salt and horseradish, cranberry sauce left over from Thanksgiving dinner goes admirably into “jam” bars and onto Brie or cream cheese for the Christmas party appetizer table.

Make extra. It keeps for weeks in the fridge.

Whole Cranberry Sauce

1 (12-ounce) bag fresh cranberries
1 orange, preferably organic
1 cup sugar
7⁄8 cup water
1⁄4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons prepared horseradish

Pick over and rinse cranberries. Set aside to drain.

Rinse and dry orange. With vegetable peeler, cut strips of zest off half of the orange. Place strips in a stainless steel pot along with the juice squeezed from the orange.

Add sugar, water and salt. Bring to a boil and simmer 5 minutes.

Add berries and return to a boil, stirring occasionally. When most of the berries have popped (several minutes), remove from heat. Stir in horseradish.

Let cool. Remove orange zest strips.

The sauce is tastiest if allowed to age for at least a day, refrigerated. It will keep for weeks if stored cold.

Strozzapreti pasta shows wicked Italian humor

The special pasta from North-Central Italy called “strozzapreti” (priest stranglers) is a rolled, then twisted, noodle of irregular length.

Provocatively anticlerical — like some sentiment in Catholic Italy — the name strozzapreti (STROTE-tzuh-PRAY-tee) exemplifies the Italian culinary tradition of fanciful titles for delicious foods.

Consider other pastas like linguine (little tongues), vermicelli (little worms), ziti (bridegrooms) and mostaccioli (little mustaches).

Italy gave the world spaghetti “alla puttanesca” ([filtered word]’s style) and “Fra Diavolo” sauce (addressing the Devil as a Catholic monk).

On the darker side, the small, red-tipped Sicilian cakes “Minne di Sant’Agata” commemorate the severed body parts (I’m not making this up; but I’ll let you do the translation) of Saint Agatha, an early Christian martyr in Sicily who was tortured to death for not giving up her chastity to a lecherous Roman official.

But then, Italy also is where Church tradition designated St. Lawrence as patron saint of chefs.

Laurentius, an educated Roman not known to have cooked, was a third century deacon, friend of the pope and archivist for the early church. Martyred during the Valerian persecution, Laurentius was roasted to death on a gridiron, giving him, apparently, the culinary credentials to become my avocation’s patron saint.

Where were we headed with this? Oh, yes, pasta.

Strozzapreti noodles are hard to find here. But some gourmet shops carry them, as do online vendors — including Amazon.com.

However substitutes are available, short of making your own. These include “gemelli” (twins), “campanelle” (little bells) and “rotini” (twists).

Kroger carries more varieties than Publix.

The Dekalb Farmers Market in Decatur sells fresh homemade “radiatori” (little radiators) large enough and complex enough to choke a priest, or maybe even a bishop.

To be fair, they probably could do damage to a minister or rabbi, too.

Strozzapreti is served with a variety of sauces, usually chunky. I’m using a walnut-containing sauce adapted from one created by my daughter and co-restaurateur, Anna.

For Anna’s walnut and kale sauce with gorgonzola (she actually uses blue cheese plus bacon), a medium-bodied dry red wine is the call. Sicilian Nero d’Avola does particularly well. Otherwise, try a Chianti, Tuscan red or Malbec.The recipe serves six.

Walnut, Kale and Gorgonzola Sauce for Strozzapreti Pasta

3⁄4 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 large cloves garlic, minced
8 large leaves curly kale, stems removed, leaves coarsely chopped
1⁄4 teaspoon salt (somewhat less if using bacon)
3⁄4 cup crumbled gorgonzola or 1⁄2 cup blue cheese
1 cup light cream
1⁄2 cup water
3 slices bacon, fried, drained and crumbled (optional)
3⁄4 pound (12 ounces) strozzapreti or other short, twisted pasta
Grated Parmesan cheese for topping, optional

Make sauce before boiling pasta.

Toast walnuts on a plate in microwave, starting with 2 minutes, then 20 seconds at a time until toasted. Or toast them in oven. Set aside.

Heat frying pan to medium hot. Briefly fry garlic in oil, stirring, until fragrant. Add kale. Stir and fry briefly. Add salt plus several tablespoons water. Simmer, covered, until kale becomes tender, 8 to 10 minutes.

Add toasted walnuts and gorgonzola or blue cheese. Heat to melt cheese, stirring often.

Add cream and water. When mixture bubbles, remove from heat. Add bacon, if used. Taste, and add salt, if needed. Keep warm.

Cook pasta in plenty of boiling, well-salted water, stirring while adding pasta. Boil until just tender to the bite.

Drain and toss with sauce. Top with grated Parmesan, if desired.

Pumpkins are for more than jack-o'-lanterns

Jack-o’-lanterns were once large, hollowed-out turnips, carved hideously like a head. The original, though mythical, Jack-of-the-Lantern was illuminated by a burning ember from hell. It was to light the way for Jack, a rascal in Irish folklore who was condemned to wander the Earth, since although he had cheated the devil, he was too sinful for heaven. Jack’s wanderings became associated with Oct. 31, the ghostly night (the “eve” or “even”) before the religious feast of “All Hallows,” that feast now called All Saints’ Day.

The turnip jack-o’-lantern, lit by a candle, became a folk custom on “All-Hallows-Even” — “Hallowe’en” — in Ireland and Great Britain. Irish and British immigrants who came to America adopted the more convenient pumpkin for their jack-o’-lanterns.

For many pumpkins, jack-o’-lanterns are the only suitable role. Beautiful, round, orange, ribbed and big, but watery and bland, these pumpkins were bred for carving and lighting. They are best then composted.

The contemporary American pumpkin variety good for cooking, in my opinion, is the small “New England Pie.” But there are French and Italian heritage pumpkins worthy of the plate, too. And several American cousins of pumpkins, termed winter squash, are excellent in the kitchen.

Pumpkins and squashes are distinguished based on appearance, not botanical difference. Technically “fruit,” they come from four separate species of the genus Cucurbita, all of Middle-American origin. The four species each include both “pumpkins” and “squash.”

Available winter squashes for cooking in the manner of pumpkin include kabocha and butternut.

Kabocha squash resembles a European pumpkin, green, lightly ribbed and squat. They were grown in Japan for some 400 years, having been introduced there from the Americas by Portuguese sailors, and reintroduced to the Western Hemisphere in recent decades.

By contrast, smooth, tan-skinned and pear-shaped butternut squash is a 20th century development from Massachusetts.

These squashes have largely replaced the old-fashioned Hubbard squash. And, like Hubbards, both produce wonderful “pumpkin” pie.

Pumpkins and winter squash, with spices, are made into breads, cakes, pies and cookies or baked as a vegetable.

In France, pumpkins, herbed rather than spiced, are cooked into soups and gratins, and in Italy are stuffed into ravioli or worked into the pasta sauce.

For American Halloween, here’s a hearty, spiced soup creation of pumpkin or, preferably, winter squash. The recipe serves six.

Gingered "Pumpkin" Soup

1 medium (about 2 pounds) kabocha, butternut, or small “pie” pumpkin

1 medium-small onion, finely diced

1 large carrot, peeled and finely diced

1 large or 2 medium sticks celery, minus leaves, finely diced

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 clove garlic, minced

11⁄2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger

4 cups unseasoned chicken or vegetable broth

11⁄2 teaspoons salt, plus to taste

2 bay leaves

1⁄2 teaspoon savory or oregano

1⁄4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1⁄4 teaspoon grated nutmeg

1 tablespoon minced parsley for finishing

Peel, seed and cut squash or pumpkin into 1⁄2-inch cubes.

In soup pot, fry onions, carrot and celery in olive oil, stirring frequently, until tender and just starting to brown.

Stir in garlic and ginger for 1 minute.

Add squash or pumpkin. Stir and fry 2 minutes.

Add broth, salt and dry seasonings.

Simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until squash or pumpkin begins to break up. Add water if soup is too thick.

Mash vegetable somewhat with back of spoon.

Taste, and add salt as needed. Remove bay leaves.

The soup is best if made ahead, refrigerated and reheated to serve.

Stir in minced parsley before serving.

Fresh Green "Salsa"

This salsa was suggested by one we ate at a road-side restaurant in Dolores Hidalgo, in Guanajuato state, Mexico. The mixture of green vegetables and herbs, combined with mashed avocado gave a fresh and creamy sauce.

I’ve toned down the amount of hot jalapeño chili, used green tomato rather than tomatillo, and added diced cucumber. The result was somewhere between a Mexican salsa, an Argentinean chimichurri and an Indian fresh chutney.

This was used to tone down an especially hot white chili I made for my wife’s church staff meeting lunch. It was not intended to be as hot as it turned out, but the habanero peppers I used must have been particularly intense.

Make the salsa an hour or two before use, keeping it cold. Stir and taste it for salt, adjusting if needed, just before serving.

Fresh Green “Salsa”

1 ripe avocado
1 long “European-style” (nearly seedless) cucumber
1 large green tomato or 3 medium tomatillos
1 small bunch scallions (green onions)
1 jalapeño pepper
1/2 cup coarsely cut cilantro leaves
Juice of 1 medium-large lime
1/2 teaspoon salt
A sprinkle of black pepper

Scoop avocado flesh into bowl and mash it coarsely with fork.

Rinse off all vegetables before preparing them.

Quarter cucumber lengthwise, line them up together and slice very thinly. Add to bowl.

Core then chop tomato or tomatillos fairly finely. Add to bowl.

Cut off scallion roots and remove any bad tops. Line scallions up and slice both white and green parts very thinly. Add to bowl.

Remove stem, seeds and membranes from jalapeño. Slice thinly lengthwise, then cross cut into fine mince. Add to bowl.

Add cilantro, lime juice, salt and pepper. Mix well. Taste for salt and add some if needed.

Make at least an hour before using, keeping it cold. Mix again and check for salt before serving.

Meatballs with Spiced "Pumpkin"

In preparation for my newspaper column that will be published the Wednesday before Halloween, and which I will post to the blog after it's published in the Athens Banner-Herald, I was working with pumpkin (actually its close relatives, winter squash) and ginger.

The newspaper column will be on a gingered "pumpkin" soup along with a discussion of the origins of jack-o'-lanterns and Halloween and how pumpkins got involved.

In the process, I also came up with a savory dinner dish in which spiced meatballs are cooked in with squash or pumpkin.

This is a hearty dish that should be accompanied by noodles, brown rice, or roasted potatoes.

A spicy dry red wine, such as a Grenache or Garnacha, or a Syrah/Shiraz would accompany it well.

Spiced Meatballs braised with Butternut Squash and Apple

1 pound ground pork
1 pound ground ground beef
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup unseasoned breadcrumbs
1/4 cup quick oatmeal
2 tablespoons minced onion
2 teaspoons finely minced fresh ginger
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoons ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
-----

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 large stick celery, diced
1 inch fresh ginger, finely minced
1 clove garlic, finely minced
1 (2-pound) butternut squash, peeled, seeded, in 1/2-inch cubes
1 large apple, peeled, seeded and chopped
1 cup water
3/4 teaspoon salt, plus to taste
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

Make meatball mixture: Combine meats, eggs, breadcrumbs, oatmeal, salt and seasonings. Knead well. Set aside.

Make vegetable "sauce": Gently fry onion and celery in oil, until softened. Fry in ginger and garlic 1 minute.

Add butternut and apple, and fry in, stirring frequently, 2 minutes.

Add water , salt, and spices. Simmer, covered and stirring occasionally, until squash and apple are becoming tender (test with toothpick).

Shape meat mixture into golf-ball sized meatballs, rolling them with moistened hands. Drop them as they are formed into the simmering vegetables. Cover and let simmer 10 minutes, gently shaking the pot from time to time.

Gently turn meatballs as they start to become firm, and when they are fully firm, stir under them to scrape bottom of pot. Simmer meatballs a total of 20 minutes.

Taste sauce, and add salt, if needed.

The flavors are best if chilled, then reheated. Serve with buttered noodles, salted brown rice, or roasted chunked potatoes.

Easy Balsamic Vinaigrette

This summer in the Adirondack Mountains in Northern New York state at our camp overlooking an inlet between two lakes, with scenery as gorgeous as it is extensive, and weather crisp and cool, cooking ingredients were limited while appetites were hearty.

In Saranac Lake, I could buy excellent fresh "spring mix" of various lettuces and other salad greens.

More correctly it was "mélange du printemps" that I could buy, since it came from the nearby Canadian province of Québec.

Back in camp, I needed to make a vinaigrette to dress the assorted young leaves for our salad. Fortunately, in the cupboard, left behind by earlier-visiting family members, were Progresso brand balsamic vinegar, canola oil and sea salt. From these I fashioned the vinaigrette in 30 seconds. Freshly dressed, the spring mix made a delightful, as well as colorful, salad.

Vinaigrette is the French culinary term for salad dressing, a diminutive of the French word "vinaigre" (which became "vinegar" in English).

Vinaigre, in turn, simply means "sour wine," etymologically indicating the vinegar-making process in winegrowing countries like France. Exposing the alcohol in wine to air results in oxidation to acetic acid, the tart, or sour, element in vinegar, through the action of special bacteria.

Balsamic vinegar is a more complex and sweet type of vinegar than standard soured wine. It is a slightly thick, deep brown liquid with a balanced sweet and sour flavor. The fragrances and overtones can be remarkable.

Although common in this country only in recent decades, "Aceto Balsamico" goes back to the Middle Ages in Italy, where it is made in the adjacent regions of Modena and Reggio Emilia.

Traditional and modern balsamic vinegars differ in cost and culinary uses.

The classical version, Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale, is vinegar very slowly made from "must," a sweet, cooked-down concentrate of freshly pressed grape juice.

Over 12 years or more, the mixture is transferred from wooden barrel to wooden barrel as it evaporates down and intensifies in flavor and color. Extraordinarily expensive and rare, real balsamic vinegar is dripped sparingly on cheeses, meats, fish and desserts by high-end chefs and gourmet food lovers. This is not something for salad dressings.

More common, and much cheaper, "Aceto Balsamico di Modena," or Balsamic Vinegar of Modena, is a modern mixture that attempts to imitate the original. It typically contains wine vinegar and cooked-down grape juice must -- like what is used in the traditional method -- and is colored with caramelized (burnt) sugar. Influencing their price and quality, modern balsamic vinegars are barrel-aged for differing periods.

Balsamic Vinegar of Modena, the modern vinegar, is the correct one for salad dressings. It also is the vinegar for cooking down to make a "balsamic reduction" to drizzle onto foods.

Since balsamic vinegar already is somewhat sweet from the grape must it contains, I used no additional sugar in making the vinaigrette. The balanced sweet-sour tanginess needed for an exciting vinaigrette already is there. All this vinegar requires to make a great dressing is salt and salad oil. It couldn't be easier.

The recipe makes enough to dress salad for six to eight people. Leftover vinaigrette remains fresh at room temperature for a few days.

Simple Balsamic Vinaigrette

1/3 cup balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup canola oil or mixture of olive and canola oils

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Mix well.

Moisten lettuce and other salad ingredients with vinaigrette and toss the salad just before serving.

English-style Mushroom Sauce for Beef

My wife Christina's Uncle Fritz, the surviving family member of that generation, has wide culinary tastes.

They include much-maligned British cuisine, a result of his 50 years in England.

Since he was born in Eastern Pennsylvania and once again resides there, you may wonder at the substantive English sojourn.

A teenager during World War II, when Fritz turned 18 he left college -- and his college sweetheart -- to join the Marines.

He was aboard a ship headed for the dreaded invasion of the Japanese homeland when, following the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan precipitously surrendered, sparing countless Allied and Japanese lives.

Mustered out of military service and supported by the G.I. Bill, Fritz finished his university studies at the Sorbonne in recently liberated Paris. He then drifted to England, began working for an international firm, married and raised a family. After being widowed 10 years ago, and with his children grown, he returned to the U.S., tracked down his old college sweetheart and married her.

We met with them for lunch this past summer during our vacation up North.

Several days before that lunch with Fritz and Margie, we had enjoyed one of Fritz's specialty dishes, though prepared by my wife's brother in Virginia.

A mushroom-and-cream sauce touched with sherry, the condiment is intended for topping grilled beef -- in this case a marinated London broil. Fritz's recipe now is "company food" at my brother-in-law's. It does pair well with seared beef.

The sauce seems archetypically British.

However, Fritz told us the actual recipe came from an American grilling cookbook. Clearly, though, a sauce of mushrooms, cream and sherry intended for grilled beef fit with the classic English cooking Fritz had come to appreciate.

The sour cream should have been the giveaway. That is much more typical of American than British cooking, which would more likely employ heavy cream.

Learning that the recipe is only virtually, not purely, English, I had few qualms taking minor liberties with it to intensify several flavors.

The recipe will serve six when spooned over a suitable amount of steak or good-quality burgers. "English" peas or peas and carrots, or alternatively asparagus, along with hearty mashed potatoes might round out the meal.

To accompany a British-style dinner of beef topped with a mushroom-and-cream sauce, I would probably choose a lager beer (chilled is my preference, unlike the style in England) or even a fairly dry hard cider. Otherwise a full-bodied red wine is in order, but the cream and sherry in the sauce make pairing a little tricky. I'd go with a Zinfandel or Merlot.

FRITZ'S MUSHROOM SAUCE FOR GRILLED BEEF

1 small onion, shredded lengthwise

1 pound fresh mushrooms, cleaned and sliced 1/4-inch wide

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons dry sherry

3/4 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 cup sour cream

1 teaspoon lemon juice at the end

Prepare the vegetables.

Heat large frying pan to medium hot. Fry onions in butter, stirring frequently, until limp. Add mushrooms. Cover and simmer, stirring frequently, 5 minutes.

Stir in sherry, salt and pepper. After 1 minute, add sour cream. Stir until thoroughly heated. Remove from heat. Stir in lemon juice.

Taste, and add salt if desired. Keep warm, but not hot, to serve over grilled beef.

Turkey Kofta Korma, a rich dish of meatballs in cashew-cream gravy

Turkey kofta korma is an actual dish from South India. The turkey meatballs typically contain spices, chilies and cilantro, and the smooth gravy includes ground white poppy seeds, coconut and curry leaves.

My recipe is an amalgam, with the basically southern turkey meatballs but a more northern style korma gravy enriched with ground cashews rather than poppy seeds and coconut.

As with many Indian dishes, the list for seasonings for this one is extensive. And, sadly, curries are somewhat tedious to make. But they can reward the effort.

This dish goes well with lightly salted basmati rice and a fresh chutney of diced tomato, onion, cucumber, a little hot chili, and chopped cilantro, finished with salt and lime juice to taste.

The recipe serves six generously.

Turkey Kofta Korma (Meatballs in Cashew Cream Gravy)

Meatballs
2 tablespoons golden raisins, finely minced
1/4 cup unseasoned breadcrumbs
2 pounds ground turkey
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground coriander
3/8 teaspoon ground fennel
3/8 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro

Mix minced raisins and breadcrumbs together with fingers to loosen raisins. Add remaining ingredients and knead all together well. With moistened hands, shape into walnut-sized meatballs and flatten them slightly. Set on oiled cookie sheet and hold until needed for the recipe.

Gravy
2 medium-large onions, diced
3 tablespoons canola oil
4 whole cardamoms
4 whole cloves
1 small stick cinnamon, broken in half
2 cloves garlic, finely minced or pounded in mortar along with ginger
3/4 inch fresh ginger, finely minced or pounded in mortar along with garlic
2 teaspoons turmeric
4 teaspoons ground cumin
4 teaspoons ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground fennel
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup yogurt
2 cups water
6 tablespoons ground cashews or cashew butter whisked with 3/4 cup water
Coarsely chopped cilantro for topping

In wide pot, fry onions in oil over medium-high heat, along with whole spices. Stir often, until becoming golden colored.

Meanwhile, prepare garlic and ginger. Measure ground spices and salt into a small bowl.

When onions are golden, stir in garlic and ginger. Lower heat and fry, stirring frequently, 2 minutes. Add spice mixture and fry, stirring, 2 minutes.

Beat yogurt in a bowl until smooth. Stir into pot. Raise heat and simmer mixture 2 minutes. Add water and let simmer, uncovered, 5 minutes.

Drop meatballs into simmering mixture. Do not stir them, or they can break. Shake ans swirl pot gently from time to time. Simmer, covered, 10 minutes, shaking or swirling pot occasionally. Meatballs will become more firm. Stir carefully. Simmer 10 more minutes.

Whisk cashews and water. Stir into korma. Heat until it returns to a gentle boil. Simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes. Taste sauce and add salt, if needed.

Serve with rice. Sprinkle korma with chopped cilantro.