Healthy and Delicious Cooking

 For Christmas my brother, Vijay, gave my husband the Charcuterie cookbook by Michael Ruhlman and Brian Polcyn.  Michael decided to work through the book from start to finish. His first attempt at Home Smoked Bacon was fantastic. It took a week for the pork belly to dry out and a few hours to slow roast, and it was well worth the wait. I love bacon, and what I love most about these salty, smoky, crispy morsels, is that you can use a very small amount to achieve enormous  flavor. 4 ounces crisped up in a cast-iron pan, are ample for a flavor-packed meal serving 4-6 people. I sauté it with broccoli rabe and either add it to pasta or cannellini beans, or just enjoy it on it own, with a side of grains. Add a couple of ounces of bacon to your basic tomato sauce for a rich smoky flavor. Bacon is a great way for us carnivores to increase our grains and vegetables, reduce our  meat intake, and still feel very satisfied. Lots of recipes tell you to blanch the ...

Nutritious eating is linked to seasonal food. Have your tomato in August, squashes in Fall, root vegetables in the Winter, and bring on the asparagus by Spring. That being said, sometimes we get tired of the seasons offerings, and deviate. Eggplants, peppers and zucchini are vegetables I need to eat all year round, and they are available, though hardly local. However, the flavors make a winters day a little warmer, and my disposition a lot sunnier. Ratatouille is a dish from Provence, France, that can be served warm or cold, as a side or a main. My version is not the classic way. I like to roast the vegetables and toss it with a rosemary flavored tomato sauce. The vegetables keep their shape, and the entire dish can be kept for a few days. It can be served with roasted meats or served on toast points as an appetizer. As a main dish, I warm a baguette with a nice runny cheese, pour a crisp white wine, and savor the flavors from the South of France. Sometimes we need to bend the rule...

All you guacamole lovers, I am one of you!  Those bright flavors mingling with creamy avocado tastes  rich and decadent, and is actually good for you. It is packed with anti-oxidants and omega-3-fatty acids, boosting our immune system and preventing heart disease and strokes. And that is probably why it is the most over produced dip of our times, and we have gotten into a bit of a rut. Let me offer an Indian twist to this Mexican classic, just for a change. It is spicy and cooling, quick and easy, and still South of the border, just the Indian border. RECIPE Serves 4-6 1 large avocado, cubed Juice of 1 lime 1/4 cup coriander, chopped salt 1 tablespoon oil 1 teaspoon mustard seeds 1 teaspoon garlic minced 1 small onion minced 1 teaspoon curry powder 2-4 green chilies 1/2 red onion. chopped In a bowl, mix the avocado with the lime, coriander and salt. Heat oil in a small pan and add the mustard seeds. Be sure to cover immediately, and wait until the seeds s...

Holidays are wonderful but they can be bittersweet We share good times, and a bounty of food, with friends and family, and we toast those whose absence weigh heavily. This Thanksgiving my son and daughter-in-law, rightfully, stayed with our family in Rochester, to give thanks and to celebrate Jareds' father-in-law, Tonys', miraculous recovery from adversity. I had to prepare far less food without Jared at the table, and he begged for leftovers to be frozen and shipped. With a house full of kids for the entire weekend, there was barely a crumb left in the cupboard. So much for leftovers! Then much to our surprise, Jared and Sonia came for a week in December, and I planned a Thanksgiving recreation. It didn't happen. The week was packed with events, a continuous stream of family and friends, and then they were gone. But surprises are a plenty, and lo and behold, Jared (sadly without Sonia), returned to welcome in the New Year with his New York family. This time I was deter...

How wonderful to reconnect with old friends, after a long absence, and all because of Cauliflower! I had no idea that this vegetable had such a "cult following", but after I posted a couple of cauliflower blogs, both strangers and friends responded with calls for more. My friend, Bob, from Chicago, was one of those people.A few years had passed since we last spoke. Both of us, along with our partners, Skyped for over an hour, catching up on times gone by. Let that be a lesson to us all. If an embarrassingly long period of time has passed, don't ponder or procrastinate.  Reach out and retrieve your friends. Life happens, time rushes by. It happens to all of us, but it is no excuse for abandoning good friendships. Bob saw a woman at Patel grocery store , with a cart loaded with cauliflower. He surmised that she was going to prepare Alu Gobi, a classic Indian dish of cauliflower and potatoes. I have been making Madhur Jaffreys' version for years, and it remains a fami...

The theme this year was an Indian Thanksgiving (Indian-American, not Native American), and I revamped all the side dishes with an Indian spiced twist. My Spice Rubbed Roast Chicken marinade was doubled for a 12 pound turkey. We seated 14, had 2 main dishes, 7 sides, 3 desserts, and the bar was hopping. I always moan at having made far too much food, and I, actually, forgot to serve one of them. The Creamed Corn with Garam Masala Butter remained on the stove, and, when discovered later that evening, was devoured with spoons, right out of the pot, by the late-nighters. The house rang with youthful laughter and noise, for the rest of the weekend, during which time, all the left-overs were consumed. By Sunday evening, the kids were gone, the house was sadly quiet again, and the fridge was bare. Thanks for the memories. RECIPE Serves 8 4 pounds frozen corn 1 large onion, chopped 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 stick butter (8 tablespoons) 2 tablespoons garam masala* salt  to tas...

We have had hurricane Sandy and a Nor'easter Storm that carpeted our town with 4" of snow. It is cold and dark by 4:30, petrol is at a shortage, and public transportation is packed and slow. I cant think of a more perfect time to rush to the kitchen to cook up something warm and comforting. My Turkey and Carrot Stew with a Puree of Cauliflower would hit the mark. You may rethink Mashed Potatoes with this dish. The cauliflower is light, airy and decadent. It soothes the soul and warms the heart and chases away those Stormy Blues. RECIPE 4 Servings 1 small cauliflower 1/2 cup whole milk 2 tablespoons butter cayenne pepper (optional0 salt to taste Preheat the oven to 325°. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the cauliflower florets until tender, about 7 minutes. Drain well. Spread the cauliflower on a large rimmed baking sheet. Bake for about 5 minutes, to dry it out. In a small saucepan, combine milk, and butter and bring to a simmer...

When I met my husband he ate 2 vegetables - spinach and broccoli. I like spinach and broccoli so I thought I could accommodate. After a month I did not want to look at either spinach or broccoli ever again. So I decided that I was going to make myself any vegetable I felt like, and he could just abstain. Cauliflower is the side dish that I prepared, and barely consumed, since Michael devoured most of it. The "spinach-broccoli era" had come to an end. Thank God! The moral of the story is that one can rethink their likes and dislikes when foods are prepared differently. I like to introduce people to simple Indian recipes because cooking Indian food seems daunting to many, my daughter, Layla, included. Here you roast the cauliflower with the onions and spices, sprinkle with herbs, and enjoy! RECIPE Serves 4-6 1 mediium cauliflower florets 1 medium red onion, peeled, and sliced 1 teaspoon coriander seeds 1 teaspoon cumin seeds 1/4 cup olive oil 2 tablespoons red...

I served this with Roast Chicken, but it is a quick and healthy side dish that can accompany a variety of main courses. Both mustard seeds and cumin boost your immune system to ward of  cold and flu, and cumin has, for centuries, been used in India, as a digestive. Simple, delicious and healthy too? Who could ask for anything more? RECIPE (SERVES 4) 1 pound green beans 2 teaspoons canola oil 2 teaspoons mustard seeds 2 teaspoons cumin seeds salt and pepper to taste Trim ends of beans and cut into 2" lengths. Heat the oil in a skillet, and add the mustard seeds. Immediately place a cover on the pan, keeping the heat at a medium flame. You will hear the mustard seeds popping and hitting the top of the lid. The minutes the sound ends lift the lid and add the cumin seed for 20 seconds, stiirring to coat with oil. Now, add the beans, salt and 1/2 cup water. Cover, lower flame and simmer for 5-10 minutes, until the beans are done.

The Glorious Foods of Greece by (once again) Diane Kolichas, is a history, anthropology and culinary treasure, all  rolled up in one. I delve into it as if it were a novel of suspense, and, before I know it, several hours have passed.  This recipe is so pretty. It make me feel as though I just created a work of art, and, when consumed, I realize that I have. Thanks again, Diane! RECIPE (4-6 servings) 5-6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 4 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed salt and pepper 4 garlic clove 1 cup fresh mint 2 medium tomatoes, diced 3-4 medium zucchini, diced freshly ground pepper Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a skillet, and add potatoes, 1/3 garlic and 3 tablespoons mint. Sprinkle with salt, cover and cook on medium low flame for 8 minutes. Next, spread 1/2 the tomatoes over the potatoes, more mint, 1/3 garlic and salt. Layer the zucchini and, again, sprinkle with mint, salt and pepper, the remaining garlic and the remaining tomatoes. Pour the ...

When I think back on the amazing restaurant meals that I have consumed, 2 immediate visuals pop into my head. both were probably the most expensive  and so I quickly shove them out of my thoughts. However, restaurant Primaveras Truffle Pasta and Gray Kuntz' Truffle Risotto (notice the recurring theme?) were both Heaven on earth. Truffles are definitely not in my budget so I didnt even attempt to recreate either of these dishes. Then I discovered Truffle Pasta (yes, the truffles are in the dough), truffle oil, and truffle salt. All affordable, and tossed together, my Nirvana. RECIPE SERVES 2 4 oz truffle pasta 1 tablespoon butter + 1 tablespoon olive oil 8 oz mushrooms, chopped 2 teaspoons fresh sage, chopped 1/4 cup parmesan 1 teaspoon truffle oil sprinklling of truffle salt balck pepper to taste (optional Cook the pasta according to directions. Saute mushrooms in butter and oil for 2-3 minutes. Add the pasta, sage, and half the cheese, with 1/4 cup of the pasta wa...