Tip: Storing Tomatoes

From a recent Cooks Illustrated article, I learned that the way to store tomatoes is stem side down, at room temperature. Either that, or tape over the stem scar to prevent moisture and bacteria from getting in. Needless to say, just turning them over is easier!

Gujerati-style Green Beans

These are nice with all sorts of meals, not just Indian cuisine. You can make the beans as hot or as mild as you like by adjusting the red chili. The recipe calls for fresh beans, but you can get acceptable results using frozen beans that have been thawed, just skip the blanching. Around here, you won't find black mustard seeds in the spice aisles of the ordinary grocery stores; you'll have to look for them in specialist south Asian shops.

Source: Madhur Jaffrey's Indian Cookery (1982).

450 g fresh green beans
4 tablespoons vegetable or peanut oil (I actually use less than this)
1 tablespoons whole black mustard seeds
4 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
1/2 - 1 dried red chili, coarsely crushed (red pepper flakes will do)
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon sugar
Freshly ground black pepper

1. Trim and cut the beans to 2.5 cm lengths. Blanch them in rapidly boiling water for 3-4 minutes, then drain and rinse in cold water. Set aside.
2. Heat the oil in a large frying pan or wok over medium heat. When the oil is hot put in the mustard seeds. When they start to pop, put in the garlic, stirring them until they turn light brown (not too dark!). Put in the chili, and stir for a few seconds. 
3. Add the beans, salt and sugar. Reduce the heat to medium low, cooking for 7-8 minutes, stirring frequently. 
4. Add the black pepper, mix, and serve.

Salmon with Mango Sauce

This is what we serve guests in the summer when we want something a little showy, that won't take too long, and won't heat up the kitchen too much! It is very nice with basmati rice and steamed or grilled vegetables.

Source: Skinny Feasts (Dee Hobsbawn-Smith, 1997).

Step 1
Make the Mango Sauce!

Step 2
Combine:

1 tablespoon pureed ginger root
zest of one (1) orange
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme
1 tablespoon  oil (the original recipe specifies canola, but we use olive or peanut)
freshly ground black pepper

Step 3
Spread as evenly as you can over both sides of

4 5-oz. (140 g) salmon filets or salmon portions

Let stand for 10 minutes.

Step 4
Grill on medium-high until salmon is done.

Pool some mango sauce on each plate and place the salmon on top and serve.

Mango Sauce

This tasty and colourful sauce goes well with steamed or grilled fish and vegetables. A great summer recipe, you can make it ahead and quickly grill the fish or steam the vegetables at the penultimate minute. It comes from Skinny Feasts (Dee Hobsbawn-Smith, 1997). I can't find that cookbook on the shelf in the regular bookstore anymore but you might find a used copy somewhere.

Peel and puree:
2-3 ripe mangoes

Add all the remaining ingredients

2 tablespoons pureed ginger root
2 oranges, juice and zest
1/4 cup white wine
2 tablespoons, minced red bell pepper (optional, but it is a pretty contrast in the sauce)
1-2 tablespoons honey to taste
2 tablespoons minced fresh thyme
1 tablespoon minced flatleaf parsley
salt and hot chili flakes to taste

Thin the sauce with orange juice if desired. Taste the finished sauce and balance the flavours with salt and chili flakes.

Makes about 1.5 cups (375 ml) depending on the size of the mangoes.

This sauce can be frozen if you leave out the fresh herbs, adding them after thawing.

Spinach Salad with Strawberries and Poppy Seed Dressing

Today I went to the new branch of Marqt in the Utrechtsestraat in Amsterdam. The store specializes in local products, organic, and fair trade food. They have a great fresh herb selection, a cheese counter that includes cheeses from small producers in Holland, France, Italy, and even a white cheddar  from England. They also have organically raised meat and poultry and MFC fish, all very attractively presented. Needless to say, I picked up lots of stuff just to try (smoked mozzarella, fresh chervil, spiced smoked mackerel, a chunk of Pecorino) and some good-looking fresh spinach and beautiful local strawberries (in August!)

The spinach, strawberries, and Pecorino were the inspiration for today's post. I found a poppy seed dressing recipe, but even on paper it looked way too sweet, so I cut the sugar in half. When I taste tested, it was still too sweet, so I added more vinegar and oil and eventually got them to balance out. The pink color comes from the red onion. I had two helpings of the resulting salad!

Poppy Seed Dressing

Source: Adapted from Food.People.Want

2 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoons dry mustard 

2 tablespoons finely grated red onion (1 small onion)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1/2 cup oil

1 teaspoon poppy seeds

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

If you have a small blender, use it. Otherwise, you can mix this by hand.

1. Thorough mix the sugar, mustard, grated onion, salt, and vinegar until the sugar is dissolved.
2. Gradually add the oil, mixing constantly to emulsify the oil and vinegar.
3. Add the poppy seeds and ground pepper. The dressing can be stored in the fridge for several weeks.

Salad

I never bother measuring amounts for salad, since it depends on how many you are feeding, and you can adjust the proportions of ingredients as you please. The cheese and nuts provide a nice contrast with the sweetness of the fruit and dressing.

fresh spinach leaves, washed and torn into bite-size pieces
sliced strawberries (I think 2-3 strawberries per serving is about right)
shaved pecorino or Parmesan cheese
toasted pecans, walnuts, or pine nuts

Rustic Onion Galette

On one of my last evenings visiting home with Mom, I made an onion tart, or more accurately an onion galette, that was inspired by some fresh red onions bought in a farm produce market in the Valley. This recipe makes two small galettes, 6-7 inches in diameter, but you could also make a single larger one. Serve with a green vegetable and/or a salad. (We ate it with Chickpea Salad with Roasted Red Peppers)

Sources: The crust comes from  3-Onion Leek Tart by Kelly of Sass & Veractiy, and the filling from Onion Tart with Mustard and Fennel by Deb Perlman of Smitten Kitchen.
Servings: 4 as a main course, more if you cut it into wedges for appetizers

Crust:

3 tablespoon buttermilk
1/3 cup ice water
1 cup flour
1/4 cup cornmeal
1 teaspoon sugar
l pinch salt
7 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, chunked

Filling:
3 red onions, cut in half and thinly sliced
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1/2 treaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
2 teaspoons grainy French or Dutch mustard
1/2 cup grated Gouda cheese


To make the crust:

1. Mix the buttermilk and ice water in a small nowl and keep it cold.  
2. In a medium bowl, mix the flour and cornmeal, then pinch in the butter with your fingers until the mixture resembles a coarse meal of uneven sized crumbs.  
3. Sprinkle a bit of the buttermilk-water mixture over the meal a bit at a time and mix lightly with a fork until it begins to hold together. Only add as much liquid as needed to form a soft but not sticky dough.   (You probably won't need all the liquid.) 
4. Gather the dough into a ball and flatten it, wrap well in plastic and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

To make the filling: 

1. Heat the oil in a skillet until it shimmers. 
2. Add the fennel seeds, cooking until a shade darker, about 30 seconds. 
3. Add the onions, salt, and pepper. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cover, cooking for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onions are very tender and golden brown.

To assemble:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 F.
2. Take the cold dough, divide it in two, and roll out two rounds of about 12 inches in diameter. You can leave the edges rough--this is a rustic tart!
3. Place a round of dough on a baking sheet.
4. Spread a teaspoon (or slightly more) of mustard over the center of the dough.
5. Spoon half of the filling into the center, spreading it to leave 3 inches of dough free at the edge.
6. Sprinkle with half of the grated cheese.
7. Fold the edge over the filling, forming pleats in the dough and leaving the center open.
8. Repeat for the second tart. You should be able to fit both galettes on one baking sheet.
9. Bake for about 40-45 minutes until the crust is golden.