West Indian Chickpeas, Beet Greens, and Chapatis

Cooking vegetarian for lent has been bringing me back to my University years, when I spent 6 years as a vegetarian.  Dishes like these bring back glorious memories of those years, of whipping up fresh flat bread every day after class as I cut my teeth in the kitchen.  My friend from that era, Laura Gangoo, whose birthday it is today, she and her family were the first to introduce me to the delights of West Indian food.  

West Indian Chana Aloo (Chickpea and Potato)

Serves 4-6 (with side dishes)

1 tbsp butter (preferably clarified, like ghee)

1 large diced onion

1 tbsp chopped fresh ginger (1/2 inch piece)

1/2-2 habanero peppers (seeds removed; adjust for desired heat)

1 tsp cumin

1 tbsp garlic  (2-3 cloves)

4 sprigs thyme

1 tbsp dark sugar (jaggery, palm sugar, or regular brown sugar will do)

1/2 tsp black pepper

1.5 tsp curry powder (see below)

1 tsp roasted ground coriander (mine start whole then get ground)

2 small potatoes, cubed (1 cup chopped)

1 cup chickpeas (pre-cooked or rinsed from a can)

1.5 tbsp tamarind

1.5 cups water

2/3 tsp salt

1 tbsp lime juice

First, bake your potatoes (400F for 45 mins) or use leftover potatoes or boiled potatoes; dice them when cooled.

Drop the ghee in a hot medium-sized pot or a wok.  Once it is hot, but before it is smoking, toss in the diced onion, lower the heat to medium-low and cover the pot until the onions have softened.  Plug the ginger, cumin, and habanero into the pot and crank the heat back up to medium-high, stirring frequently.  As the ginger begins to soften, toss in the garlic and thyme for a few minutes, continuing to stir.  In a couple of minutes these 3 essential components (onions, garlic, ginger) of your mother sauce should be golden.  Add in the sugar and spices continue to cook for another 2 minutes.  Lower the heat to medium-low and add the potatoes and chickpeas and continue to cook for another couple of minutes.

Add in the water, tamarind, and salt and finish cooking until thickened (~10 mins).

Add in the lime juice just prior to serving. 

Curry Powder: You have a few choices here, you can use any Chana Masala spice mixture, you can take Garam Masala and toss in a tsp of tumeric, you can use a store-purchased Madras or other "curry powder" (although I do not recommend it), or you can do it this way:

1 tbsp Coriander seeds

1 tbsp Cumin seeds

1 tbsp Black Pepper

3 pods Black Cardamom

3 pods Green Cardamom

4 Cloves

1 stick Cinnamon (2-3 inch piece, preferably Indian Bark; not rolled)

1 Star Anise

1 Dried Bay Leaf

2 tsp Turmeric

Optional1/2 tsp Ajuwain (Bishop's weed; Caraway is a possible substitute)

2 tsps roasted White Poppy Seeds

1 tsp Amchur (dried mango powder)

1 tsp dried Pomegranate seeds

Roast spices individually and grind.  To be quite honest, I probably rarely use the same seasoning, but adjust depending on my mood that day -- you know, the way all the West Indian mom's I know make it, which is why they can never impart their secret recipes -- they can only ever show them [off] to you.  :D

Indian Chana Masala: My friend Ali Hassan has a great Indian Chana recipe on his blog Bland is Boring: Chana Masala. You'll notice the difference in the flavour profiles between Indian and West Indian cooking are the kinds of chilies used, the use of tomato sauce, and thyme.

Chapati

Yields 10+ chapati

Chapati is the simplest and therefore the fastest flatbread to make and became a quick staple for the pressed university student that I was.

2 cups whole wheat

2/3 tsp salt

3/4 cup water (+2 tbsps)

Butter, Olive Oil, or some other greasy substance

Mix the ingredients together in a food processor, mixer with a dough hook, or by hand (knead for at least 10 minutes by hand).

Roll it into a cylinder with parchment, plastic wrap, or just set it on the counter with a slightly damp tea towel to cover it.  The key is really to prevent it from drying out.  Let it sit for at least one hour.  Letting the dough relax after kneading is the only way to achieve a thin roll.

Slice off rounds of chapati and roll them as thinly as possible with a dusting of flour; roll only on one side.  Waggle them a bit to get off the excess flour.  Slap the rolled on side onto a hot to very hot and ungreased griddle.  When the dough bubbles, flip it to the other side and let it sit for a minute or so until brown spots begin to form.

Now is the tricky part.  If you have a gas stove, slide the chapati over the direct flame until it puffs up as fully as possible.  Flip it onto your stack of hot chapatis and paint on a bit of oil, butter, or similarly greasy goo.  

If you do not have a gas stove, I highly recommend a VERY hot pizza stone, in the oven, which should do the trick.  If you have neither, you're probably going to need to get some oil on the griddle and make sure the edges of the chapati are solid (purposefully squeeze them down a bit with your flat edged cooking implement of choice).

Frankly, when I made these as a student on my cast iron skillet, I could hardly wait for them to puff up.  I greased the bubbled bread and jammed its hot crust down my gullet, slathered with steaming legumes, as quickly as I could without choking.

Beet Greens, Italian Style

These?  These are just some beet greens.  I sauteed 1 onion and 2 cloves of garlic with some olive oil in my wok until they softened, and tossed in chopped beet greens. Stir until wilted and serve warm with a sprinkling of sea salt.

Other Side Dishes for this Meal included: Slice Mango and chopped coriander marinated in Lime Juice Chaat Masala and Habanero, Fresh Yogurt, Cucumber Slices with Sea Salt and Shiso Leaf.

You should probably also bust out some fresh habanero, habanero-based West Indian hot sauce, kuchela, lime pickle, or other spicy pickle or relish.

Eggplant Patties: Polpette di melanzane

Eggplant Patties in Tomato Sauce with Mozzarella

These eggplant patties are probably my favourite way to prepare eggplant.  They're packed with flavour, hearty, and quick to make.  Every time that I buy eggplant and run out of time to make the time-consuming dishes of my imagination (which is 9 times out of 10), I usually turn to this classic Italian fare.

Preamble on Variations

Every recipe that I've seen, from Marcella Hazan to Mario Batali, for these tasty fritters has the following main ingredients:  eggplant, ~1 egg per eggplant, ~1/3 cup breadcrumbs, cheese, herbs, garlic, etc.  

It's in the etc that chefs express themselves. Some roast them in foil and throw in the skin to add bitterness, some flour the outside with flour, other with cornmeal, some do neither.  

Marcella Hazan goes simple and traditional, with parsley and parmesan, Batali wilds out with currants and pine nuts, and me?  Well, I'm from a small fishing village where we beat the need for refrigeration with salted and smoked meats and fishes (not unlike the Italians, really).  Most off, however, we loved to live off the BBQ for that smokey taste, so I use a technique to add a smokey flavour to the eggplant that I actually learned from my experience cooking Indian food.  

This is a recipe to make after you've completed a BBQ dinner for friends (directions below for oven method):

Recipe

Ingredients

2 Eggplants

5 cloves Garlic

¼ Red Onion

2 Eggs

1 cup Parmesan (fresh grated)

½ cup Parsley (chopped)

6 sprigs Sage (chopped)

1/2 cup Breadcrumbs
½ tbsp crushed Black Pepper

Olive Oil

Sea Salt

Charcoal BBQ

Directions

When the coals on your BBQ have dimmed; when your burgers are all already lined up for your guests; run into the kitchen before sitting down to eat and rub down 2 fat eggplants with olive oil and sea salt.  Poke a few fork holes in the flesh and toss them on the Q (directly on the coals).  When you've scarfed your burgers, they'll be done.  Also, I've only done this on a Hibachi, so you might want to scarf quickly if you  are using a large charcoal BBQ.  When done, those eggplants should be soft on the inside and crunchy on the outside.  

Remove the skin from the eggplant -- if it's not too charred you can always split the fruit in twain and scoop out the flesh.  It will probably be coming out in strings, so cube it up and toss it into a large mixing bowl.  Let it cool.

Once cooled, add all of the other ingredients, cover and let sit 30 minutes (it can sit longer, but cover it and put it in the fridge if you're going to let it sit longer).  Roll the mixture into balls, about the size you'd make for burgers and then flatten them so that they look like burger patties.  Note:  If you like humongous burger patties or McDonald's size thin ones, then you'll need to adjust (maybe a small fist-sized ball?).  

Add a generous amount of olive oil to a pan and brown them on each side.  And, I mean generous, so try to put your health concerns aside, it's oil, I know, but it's olive oil if that makes you feel any better.  Mind you, they'd probably be crazy tasty if you did them in lard (note to self).

Garnishes: These patties are amazing just on their own, they need no accompaniment.  But, I like to slap them in a delicious tomato sauce, sometimes in a spicy arrabiata (as in the picture), sometimes covered in cheese. 

Gas BBQ or Oven Method:  If you are unable to BBQ them, cook them the same way (with olive oil and salt), but on a high heat (pre-heated to 475F; you can go higher).  They will not blacken on the outside and they will not get smokey.  However, the sugars on the edges of the eggplant should carmelize to a delightful dark golden hue and this will add its own unique flavour to the dish.  If they have not carmelized then you took them out of the oven too early or your oven is lying to you and needs to be more hot (the size of your eggplant does matter).  Make it hotter next time.  Note: The eggplant pictured above were done using this method. 

Troubleshooting Tip (Patties too soft): If your patties are too soft, they probably have too much liquid in them.  You can let them sit uncovered longer and cross your fingers, or you can bite the bullet and add breadcrumbs (add 1 tbsp at a time).

Note to Vegans:  Your egg substitute will work just fine here.

Snail Fettucini: The Last Supper of Epiphany

Snail Fettuncini

Today marks the end of the season of Epiphany for us Anglicans, and tomorrow begins the fast of Lent.  This year Maria and I have decided to relinquish, among other things, the delights of meat for this season of fasting.  Although we are not overly religious, ritualistic fasting holds a special place in our hearts for many reasons, if for no simpler reason than as an annual test of our will to ensure that it is indeed still free.  Benedica.  

This evening we planned to end Epiphany at a French restaurant, le Surcouf, in our new neighborhood of Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, which boasts an excellent $25 table d'hote from Sun-Thurs.  Grace, however, had other plans for us, which she expressed by wearing an delightfully odd hue of purple on her face and through a surprisingly complex coloratura soprano.  

Plan B sprung into action: Jeff to his newfound local market to fetch salmon for Maria and steak for himself.  A base hollandaise, he figures, can easily be transformed into a bearnaise and we can both have some delicious sauce.  Upon arriving at said Marché, our energized protagonist discovers wafer-thin rib-eye and ne'er a fish is to be found.  Sullen, the quester arrives home empty handed.  He mauls through the cold box and the cupboards and find leftover tinned snails in the box and an additional tin in the pantry.  Meh.  Counts as flesh right?  Still fulfilling my promise, hey?

Flashback: My last encounter with snails was awesome. 

Seville.  Forty-five degrees centigrade.  You did not walk down the street to the Alcazar, you strolled slowly in the shade.  Down the street from our Hesperia on Eduardo Dato, just before you get to the old city, out in the blazing sunshine there was an abandoned snail stand with a pair of scales and the most vivacious and delicious escargot I've ever seen: fat, succulent, with large loose and thin shells for easy extraction.  Dear reader, I have always wanted to travel Europe and to have a kitchen at my disposal in every port, but never so much as I did that day.

Fettucini: Snail Aioli with White Wine, Fenugreek, and Watercress

Ingredients

1 cup (1 large) onion, small dice

1/4 cup olive oil

5 cloves garlic

1 red chili or to taste (the spice of 1 chili, with the seeds removed, is undetectable)

1 cup escargots

2 sprigs thyme

1 tbsp capers, chopped coarsely

3/4 cup white wine (I used a vinho verde, but a chardonnay is probably best)

1 tbsp fish sauce (optional)

1 tsp black pepper

1/2 cup watercress

1/2 cup methi

Add Parmesan and/or Pecorino to taste.  I tossed in about a half cup mixed.

Olive oil in the wok.  Onion in the olive oil.  Cook the onion on a medium heat until softened (you can cover it with a lid if you're short on time).  Once the onion is soft, toss in the garlic and the chili and crank the heat up to high.  When the onions suggest they are about to start browning, add the snails, the thyme, and capers.    Continue to fry on high for another minute before adding in the rest of the ingredients.  Reduce until the ingredients are no longer floating in the wine, but sitting on the pan.  

Remove the thyme sprigs.  

Add in your cooked fettuncini (al dente please) and continue cooking for a couple of minutes, to work the flavours into the pasta.  Even after these couple of minutes the pasta should still be toothsome and not soft.  Add the cheese while it's the pasta is hot and toss.

I garnished with a bit of a tomato.

Fish Sauce in Italian Cooking: Reader, if you're ever in a pinch and you can't find any anchovies, but you happen to have some fish sauce kicking around...  Don't worry, that delicious stuff is made from anchovies, and I actually prefer it in Caesar salad dressing, because it mixes in smoothly with the emulsification.

Troubleshooting Tip (Pasta added too early): If it is far too hard, but the pasta has already been added to the sauce, just add a bit more wine or some veggie/chicken stock if you've already finished the wine.  Add it in 1 tbsp at a time and let it steam the pasta.  I'd go wine first though, stock will pollute the clean flavours of this pasta.

Herb Lovers Variation:  Any herbs will do, really.  Ask an Italian mom and she'll tell you that she just put in what she had handy, half the time.  That's what I did here anyhow.  Be careful with Sage and Tarragon, but go wild with Chervil, Basil, and Oregano (okay, not too wild with oregano).  Also, if you really want those herbs to pop, add them at the end and cook them just long enough for them to wilt.  The flavour will be much more herbaceous, as they won't have had the same opportunity to suffuse the broth with their aroma.  

Note: If you're not cooking on a gas stove, it may be better to reduce the wine before hand, to prevent overcooking the herbs.  

Shrimp Burger

Nothing beats a good shrimp burger right?

Shrimp Burger 

1 lb shrimp

1 tsp black pepper

3 green onions

1 tbsp parsley

2 shallots

1 egg

1 tbsp roasted and fine ground coconut

½ tbsp capers

1 tsp bean paste

¾ cup bread crumbs

pinch of salt

Simple: buy shrimp with the shells on them.

Remove the shells.

Chop them up

Chop everything else that is choppable up.

Mix it all together.

Fry off.

Makes 6-10 patties.

I dressed mine with Korean mushroom pickle, arugula, roasted red pepper, a spicy homemade aioli, and avocado.  Onion sprouts are also delicious.