Halibut Cream Curry

2 tbls coconut oil                                          1 cup heavy cream

1 onion, minced                                           1 tbls garam masala

2 tbls finely chopped fresh ginger        Salt

4 garlic cloves, minced                        1 lb. halibut fillets, cut into 4-inch pieces

1 tsp cayenne pepper                           Small red potatoes, quartered

1 tsp turmeric                                           A pinch of saffron threads, crumbled

1 tsp ground coriander                         Peas

1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt            Basmati rice

In large wok, heat the oil. Add the onion, ginger and garlic and cook over moderate heat, stirring frequently, until lightly browned, about 6 minutes. Add the cayenne, turmeric and coriander and cook for 1 minute, stirring. Whisk in the yogurt, then add the cream, garam masala and saffron and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer the sauce until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Season with salt.

Add the halibut to the sauce and turn to coat. Cook over moderate heat, turning once, until the fish is cooked through, about 10 minutes. 

Pot boil quartered potatoes. Add rice, potatoes, and frozen peas to the wok, turning over gently. Cover for 5 minutes. Serve with a large salad and fruit.

Hummus and Pakistani Lamb (Mutton) Stew

Peeled and de-seeded cucumbers, tahini, lime juice, strained yogurt, olive oil and chickpeas blended until smooth. Cool and refreshing, this hummus was a perfect accompaniment to the spicy Pakistani stew.

The stew was cubed lamb, diced de-seeded tomatoes, diced onions, yogurt, garlic powder, ginger, cracked peppercorns, whole cloves, black cardamon pods, cinnamon, cumin seeds, crushed coriander seeds, red chilies, salt, oil, and fresh cilantro. Served over basmati rice seasoned with cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, and green cardamon pods along with creamy garlic potatoes and spinach salad with onion cream dressing and naan.

Beef Stew and Biscuits

2 lbs stew beef, 4 carrots, 4 large potatoes, 1 large onion, seasonings of your choice (this had paprika, chili powder, salt, pepper and vinegar)

2 cups water cooked on high in a crock-pot for 4 to 6 hours. Cool over night. This will thicken the stew and bring out the flavor.

Put in a deep pie dish and layer biscuit dough on top. 2 cups flour, 1 tbls baking powder, 1 tsp. salt, 1 tbls sugar, 1/3 cup shortening or refined lard, and 1 cup of milk.

Cut the fat into the dry ingredients well using two table knives and then blend in the milk without stirring to much. Bake at 380 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes to allow stew to jell slightly before serving.

Taralli

On Saturday I had the first International Dinner of the year, our second year at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Buffalo. We celebrated Italy, Sicily and Sardinia with food, music and excellent conversation.

One of the dishes I prepared was Taralli, a heavenly umami flavored pretzel. With freshly ground and whole fennel seeds, it had a delightful earthiness.

 One cup of warm water, 3 tsp. of yeast, a sprinkle of sugar, 10 minutes to do it's magic!

 2 1/2 cups of white whole wheat flour, salt, freshly ground and whole fennel seeds, 3 tbls olive oil, and 3 tbls of sugar.

Knead gently until a shaggy loaf forms. Let rise in a bowl covered with a towel for one hour.

 The loaf will have an elastic rubbery feel when it's time to make the Taralli.

Separate into small balls, roughly 2 inches in diameter.

Roll each out to about 4 inches in length and bring the ends to meet, overlapping slightly.

 Lay out on a well greased pan and bake for about 20 minutes in a pre-heated oven set at 375 degrees. Let cool and serve with highly flavored foods, coffee, or a bottle of wine.

Gingersnap Gingerbread Geodesic Domes

3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup brown sugar and 1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 cup unsulphured molasses
1 large egg
1/2 tsp pure vanilla
2 cups mix of whole grain wheat and white flour

1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground ginger1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugars until light and fluffy (about 2 - 3 minutes).

Add the molasses, egg and vanilla and beat until smooth. In a separate bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and spices. Add to the butter mixture and mix until well combined. Cover and chill the batter for about 30 minutes or until firm. 

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. Roll out the dough and cut the necessary number of shapes to create your gingerbread "house". This dome used trapezoids, pentagons, and hexagons. A regular house might use rectangles and triangles. Design one on paper, mock it up in cardboard and then use those cardboard pieces as patterns for your final product.

Bake for 12 minutes. You'll need to recut the cookies once they're done baking to give them nice sharp clean edges.

Do this while they are still warm so the cookies don't snap or shatter. Make the 1 inch snaps out of the left over dough.

The houses will not be for eating as you will be using Royal Icing to put them together. Royal Icing is made using 1 lb powdered sugar, 1 tsp of water and two egg whites. Beat until smooth and glossy. If you want it colored, drip in food coloring now and mix until the color is fully incorporated.

Use the icing as mortar, sticking tiles to your frame, together, or to add details. Use your imagination!

Leto's dome for school got plugged with orange candies at each corner, creating a blue and orange igloo.
Short i sound...
i...i...igloo!

Mannie's dome had curly peaks of icing in the corners.

The Occupy Buffalo Food Tent got this one in honor of their dome that allows them to gather together in the cold and wind in general comfort to talk about different issues. They are one of the very few Occupy groups in the United States treated with respect and dignity and the City of Buffalo is actually listening to and working with them.

These gingersnaps are easy to make with applesauce as substitute for eggs. You end up with a snap more like the Swedish Anna's Ginger Thins, which are super duper scrumdiddlyumptious!

Rennisance Chicken Stewed in La Fiera Puglia's Moscato, Shallots, Apples, and Dried Fruits

Chicken fried then stewed in La Fiera Puglia's Moscato, dried cherries and currants, a sliced Pink Lady apple, minced ginger and shallots, and freshly grated cinnamon and nutmeg.

 Dredge chicken thighs in flour, salt and pepper and fry in olive oil. Then remove from the pan and drain on paper towels.

Add 1 1/2 cups Moscato to the pan and scrape up the flour bits. Add dried fruits, minced shallots and ginger, sprinkle in the cinnamon and nutmeg.

Stir well and then layer in the apples. Cover and reduce the heat, cooking for 10 minutes. Then add in the chicken and continue to cook for 20 more minutes.

Serve with bread and butter and the the rest of the Moscato.

Mile High Apple Pie

3 ounces (6 tablespoons) butter, chilled
1 ounce (2 tablespoons) lard, chilled
6 ounces (approximately 1 cup) all-purpose flour, plus extra for rolling dough
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1/4 cup ice water, in spritz bottle

Place butter and lard in freezer for 15 minutes. When ready to use, remove and cut both into small pieces.

In a large glass or ceramic bowl, combine flour and salt pulsing 3 to 4 times with a  hand mixer. Add butter and pulse 5 to 6 times until texture looks mealy. Add lard and pulse another 3 to 4 times. Spritz surface of mixture thoroughly with water. Pulse 5 times. Add more water and pulse again until mixture holds together when squeezed. Place mixture in large zip-top bag, squeeze together until it forms a ball, and then press into a rounded disk and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Chill your pie pan in the fridge.

Remove the dough from the refrigerator. Cut along 2 sides of the plastic bag, open bag to expose dough, and sprinkle both sides with flour. Cover again with plastic and roll out with a rolling pin to a 10 to 11-inch circle. Open plastic again and sprinkle top of dough with flour. Remove pie pan from the fridge and set the pan on top of the dough. Turn everything upside down and peel plastic from bottom of dough. Set aside the second disk of dough. Trim edges if necessary, and then place back in the fridge for 15 minutes.

Peel, core and cut up 10 to 12 nice sized Ginger Crisp or Golden Delicious apples and pile into the center of pie. Sprinkle liberally with sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add several pats of butter. Layer second crust on top and pinch edges. Make no less that 4 slits. Wash crust liberally with heavy cream, half & half or whole milk and then sprinkle well with sugar. Bake at 375 degrees until golden brown.

Serve warm with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream!

Creamed Potato, Leek, and Shredded Zucchini with Yellow Fin Tuna, Asiago, and Ditalini Pasta Casserole

Cream together potatoes, leeks, heavy cream, shredded asiago, parsley, chili powder, salt, pepper, and celery salt.

 Shred the zucchini and add to the cream. Then add in the flaked tuna. Boil the ditalini pasta, drain, then mix into the veggie cream sauce.

Serve hot and enjoy!

Alternative to going out for Sushi - Pan Seared Rainbow Trout and Tuna in Vodka Blush Sauce

As an alternative to going out for sushi, consider serving two types of sustainable fish for dinner. The body requires certain nutrients; with trout and tuna combined, everything the body needs to function beautifully is served up in one meal. Consider serving with rice pilaf, barley risotto, or herbed amaranth.

Tuna in Vodka Blush Sauce

1 chopped medium onion
2 tbls butter
2 mince cloves garlic
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1 large can, about 28 oz, of crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup Vodka
1 lb Tuna

Saute onion and garlic in butter, add tomatoes then simmer 30 minutes. Add cheese and cream. Simmer for about 3 - 5 minutes. Slice tuna into 1/2 inch strips. Stir in Vodka and allow to simmer for five more minutes. Slide in tuna strips and continue to cook until tune is firm. Serve hot.

Day 14 - Chili and McKenzie's Black Cherry Hard Cider

 

Breakdown cost of this meal.

McKenzie's Black Cherry Hard Cider $6.99
Cayuga Pure Organics Beans $3.99
Sorrento Cheese Mozzarella $2.99
Tomatoes $4.87
Mixed herbs and spices
Byrne Dairy Sour Cream $1.99
23 Meatballs (broken down) made at the beginning of the challenge

Total cost for 4 servings = $20.83

Peach Cobbler

8 peaches, scrubbed and chopped

Cinnamon
Nutmeg
Vanilla Bean Paste
1/3 cup of sugar

Pancake mix with milk from Lexington Co-op. Though any mix will do, theirs comes from a NY state business that uses organic ingredients.

Layer the peaches on top and bake at 375 degrees for 35 minutes.

Dish with ice cream or whipped cream.