Vegetables
Indian Cauliflower with Ginger and Fenugreek (Methi Gobi)
2 tbsp. oil
1 tsp. mustard seeds
1 medium red onion, diced
1 1/2 tsp. freshly grated ginger
1 medium sized cauliflower, chopped
1/2 cup frozen green peas
1/2 tsp. turmeric
1/2 tsp. red chili powder
Salt to taste
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 tbsp. dried fenugreek
2 tbsp. yogurt
1/2 tsp. sugar
Cilantro, chopped, to garnish
Heat the oil on medium heat for about one minute. Add the mustard seeds and heat until the seed begins to crackle. Add in the onion and the ginger and saute the onion for 3-4 minutes. Add in the cauliflower and cover and cook for 3 minutes. Stir in the green peas. Mix in the turmeric, chili powder and salt and stir well. Add in the tomatoes and cover and cook for five minutes. Remove the cover and stir well. Mix in the dried fenugreek, yogurt and the sugar and cover and cook for another 5 minutes until the vegetables are nice and soft. Stir in the cilantro and serve.
Roasted Cauliflower with Annatto Seeds
1 tbsp. annatto seeds
2/3 cup olive oil
2 1/2 pounds cauliflower
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preheat oven to 500 degrees F. (The very high heat is crucial in making this so delicious!) Cover a baking sheet with foil and set it aside. In a small saucepan, gently simmer the annatto seeds with the oil for about four minutes. The oil will become a deep golden, reddish color. The longer it sits, the darker it will become. When you are satisfied with the color, strain the oil into a jar, and discard the seeds. (Oil can be kept indefinitely chilled and covered.) Trim the greens and the stalk off the cauliflower and cut it into approximately 1/2 inch slices. Pour about half of the annatto seed oil on the foil-lined baking sheet and place the cauliflower on top. Drizzle with the remainder of the annatto seed oil and season generously with the salt and pepper. Roast in the preheated oven until the underside of the cauliflower is golden. Use metal kitchen tongs to flip the pieces over and then brown the other side. Each side should cook for about 10 minutes and ultimately both sides will be beautifully caramelized.
4 servings
Yellow Rice with Pigeon Peas
For Sofrito
1 Cubanelle pepper (Italian frying pepper), seeded and chopped
5 fresh aji' dulce (small sweet chiles), halved and seeded
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 cup coarsely chopped cilantro
3 fresh recao leaves (cilantro), chopped
1 plum tomato
For Rice:
1 (1/4 pound) piece smoked ham, diced
1/4 cup annatto oil (see above cauliflower recipe for directions for annatto oil)
1/3 cup chopped pimento-stuffed olives
1 tbsp. drained bottled capers
2 cups long-grain white rice
1 (15-oz.) can pigeon peas, rinsed and drained
3 1/2 cups water
Puree all sofrito ingredients in a food processor.
Cut out a round of parchment or wax paper slightly larger than diameter of a wide 4-5 quart pot. Pat ham dry and cook in annatto oil in pot over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until starting to crisp, about 4 minutes. Add sofrito, olives and capers and cook, stirring until liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes. Add rice and cook, stirring, until it sizzles, about 2 minutes.
Stir in peas, water, and 1 1/4 tsp. salt and bring to a simmer. Simmer, uncovered, over medium-high heat until almost all of liquid is absorbed, about 10 minutes, reducing heat to medium once water is below level of rice.
Gently stir bottom to top, then smooth top of rice. Place parchment round directly over rice and cover pot with a tight-fitting lid. Reduce heat to low and cook, undisturbed, 30 minutes.
Remove from heat, then discard parchment and gently fluff rice with a fork. Cover with lid and let stand 10 minutes.
Note: Pork can be marinated up to 3 days.
2 tbsp. oil
1 tsp. mustard seeds
1 medium red onion, diced
1 1/2 tsp. freshly grated ginger
1 medium sized cauliflower, chopped
1/2 cup frozen green peas
1/2 tsp. turmeric
1/2 tsp. red chili powder
Salt to taste
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 tbsp. dried fenugreek
2 tbsp. yogurt
1/2 tsp. sugar
Cilantro, chopped, to garnish
Heat the oil on medium heat for about one minute. Add the mustard seeds and heat until the seed begins to crackle. Add in the onion and the ginger and saute the onion for 3-4 minutes. Add in the cauliflower and cover and cook for 3 minutes. Stir in the green peas. Mix in the turmeric, chili powder and salt and stir well. Add in the tomatoes and cover and cook for five minutes. Remove the cover and stir well. Mix in the dried fenugreek, yogurt and the sugar and cover and cook for another 5 minutes until the vegetables are nice and soft. Stir in the cilantro and serve.
Roasted Cauliflower with Annatto Seeds
1 tbsp. annatto seeds
2/3 cup olive oil
2 1/2 pounds cauliflower
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preheat oven to 500 degrees F. (The very high heat is crucial in making this so delicious!) Cover a baking sheet with foil and set it aside. In a small saucepan, gently simmer the annatto seeds with the oil for about four minutes. The oil will become a deep golden, reddish color. The longer it sits, the darker it will become. When you are satisfied with the color, strain the oil into a jar, and discard the seeds. (Oil can be kept indefinitely chilled and covered.) Trim the greens and the stalk off the cauliflower and cut it into approximately 1/2 inch slices. Pour about half of the annatto seed oil on the foil-lined baking sheet and place the cauliflower on top. Drizzle with the remainder of the annatto seed oil and season generously with the salt and pepper. Roast in the preheated oven until the underside of the cauliflower is golden. Use metal kitchen tongs to flip the pieces over and then brown the other side. Each side should cook for about 10 minutes and ultimately both sides will be beautifully caramelized.
4 servings
Yellow Rice with Pigeon Peas
For Sofrito
1 Cubanelle pepper (Italian frying pepper), seeded and chopped
5 fresh aji' dulce (small sweet chiles), halved and seeded
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 cup coarsely chopped cilantro
3 fresh recao leaves (cilantro), chopped
1 plum tomato
For Rice:
1 (1/4 pound) piece smoked ham, diced
1/4 cup annatto oil (see above cauliflower recipe for directions for annatto oil)
1/3 cup chopped pimento-stuffed olives
1 tbsp. drained bottled capers
2 cups long-grain white rice
1 (15-oz.) can pigeon peas, rinsed and drained
3 1/2 cups water
Puree all sofrito ingredients in a food processor.
Cut out a round of parchment or wax paper slightly larger than diameter of a wide 4-5 quart pot. Pat ham dry and cook in annatto oil in pot over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until starting to crisp, about 4 minutes. Add sofrito, olives and capers and cook, stirring until liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes. Add rice and cook, stirring, until it sizzles, about 2 minutes.
Stir in peas, water, and 1 1/4 tsp. salt and bring to a simmer. Simmer, uncovered, over medium-high heat until almost all of liquid is absorbed, about 10 minutes, reducing heat to medium once water is below level of rice.
Gently stir bottom to top, then smooth top of rice. Place parchment round directly over rice and cover pot with a tight-fitting lid. Reduce heat to low and cook, undisturbed, 30 minutes.
Remove from heat, then discard parchment and gently fluff rice with a fork. Cover with lid and let stand 10 minutes.
Note: Pork can be marinated up to 3 days.
