New York Monday #138: Asia Society

August 31, 2008 | Filed Under New York Monday | 9 Comments

From the archives:

Banner of an exhibit at the Asia Society

This an exhibit banner hanging in front of the Asia Society, an organization that provides information and education on over 30 Asian countries. Founded in 1956 by a Rockefeller family member, the Asia Society provides art exhibits, performances, films, lectures, seminars, conferences, publications, media assistance and school material to the public.

There are several centers worldwide but the headquarters is located here in NYC. If you visit their museum gallery, you can enjoy their nice Garden Court Café, too.

Happy Monday, all!

Paz

Stone carving in front of the Asia Society building

Egg Curry

August 25, 2008 | Filed Under When My Soup Came Alive, Guest Bloggers, Fellow Bloggers, Eggs | 29 Comments

Please help me welcome guest blogger Sra of When My Soup Came Alive! Thanks for being here, Sra!

Paz

I’m honoured to be a guest blogger for Paz, whom I came to know even before I set up my own blog.

When Paz invited me to write for her blog, I only had one dish in my drafts, and no story to go with it. And I had promised to send her the post as soon as I could, so ever since we spoke to each other before I sent this post, my hours were filled with thoughts about how to put the egg curry in context.

I’m no great believer in the happy statement that things have a way of falling into place but that’s exactly what happened with this post. I came around to deciding how, in India, when there is no meat readily available to feed visiting guests or even not-so-staunch vegetarian guests, eggs come in handy. Today, I had a guest, and because of having to accompany her on her rushed schedule, we made do with leftovers for lunch, but back home for dinner, we made omelettes with coriander and curry leaf and our meal was made! Immediately special! Despite the presence of a dozen eggs in my refrigerator, I wouldn’t have thought of the omelettes if I hadn’t been thinking about the post.

Guests or not, eggs are a sort of a halfway house - they are seen as making up for the lack of meat, somewhat, and they are dressier than vegetables, or even an elaborate all-vegetarian meal. If you simply don’t have the energy to rustle up a full-fledged non-vegetarian dish, just the presence of eggs will liven up the dining table, and everyone’s minds. It’s as if you’ve made a fair effort to cook something special. Of course, you can even resort to eggs when you don’t want to spend money on meat J

Eggs are friendly - they are easy to cook, are versatile and are done fast. And the egg curry, or should I say sauté, I’m talking about here is a nifty dish that takes only relatively little time to make, and is satisfying as well.

Ed. Note: This dish takes about 10-15 minutes to make, once the eggs are boiled and shelled.

Eggs Curry

When My Soup Came Alive

Eggs, boiled, shelled - 4

Onions, minced - 2 cups

Coriander/cilantro, chopped - ½ cup

Curry leaves (optional, but recommended) - 5-6

Green chillies - 3, chopped (or fewer)

Red chilli powder - 1 tsp

Ginger-garlic paste - 1-½ tsp (or very finely chopped ginger and garlic - 3/4 tsp each)

Mustard seed - 1 tsp

Cumin seed - ½ tsp

Turmeric - ½ tsp

Garam masala - ½ - 1 tsp (http://indianfood.about.com/od/masalarecipes/r/garammasala.htm)

Salt, to taste

Oil - 3 tsp

Score the eggs with a piece of the shell - this is to allow the spices to seep in. Three or four gashes will do.

In a wok, heat the oil. Pop in the mustard seed. Once it begins to splutter, add the cumin.

Now turn the heat down, add the onion and sauté. If you’re the impatient sort, add a bit of salt to the onion and continue to sauté - this is to hurry the process. Sweat the onions as much as you can. Wait long enough to let them turn pink and transparent, at the very least.

Now add the green chillies. Sauté. (If you’re using red chilli powder, wait.)

Add the ginger-garlic paste. Mix it well with the onions and cook for a couple of minutes.

Add the curry leaves, stir for a few seconds.

Add the salt, turmeric, a pinch of the garam masala and red chilli powder, if you’re using it, at this stage.

Mix it all up.

Now add the eggs to the onion mixture and keep turning them around frequently (not constantly). They will break a little, or they may break up into thirds and halves but that’s the fun - they get coated with the spices, and the white, now yellow with all the spices, turns a crusty brown here and there as the heat roasts it. A slow fire is the key.

Sprinkle the rest of the garam masala over the curry and fold it in. Garnish with the coriander.

Bon appetit!

New York Monday #137: Two Ducks and a Park

August 24, 2008 | Filed Under New York Monday | 18 Comments

From the archives:

As I passed by the pond in Central Park, to my delight two ducks came out to play. I’m told these are Mallard ducks. It was fun to stop and watch them for a while.

Paz

Queen of Puddings

August 18, 2008 | Filed Under Guest Bloggers, Puddings, About New York, The House in Marrakesh, Fellow Bloggers, Desserts/Sweets, Cooking Adventures of Chef Paz, Blog Anniversary, Baking | 26 Comments

Please help me welcome this week’s guest blogger, Elizabeth of The House in Marrakesh and About New York. It is especially fitting that she’s made a tasty dessert because today happens to be the three year anniversary of The Cooking Adventures of Chef Paz. Yay! So, we can celebrate with her delicious-sounding Queen of Puddings. Help yourself, everyone! Thank you, Elizabeth!

Paz

Photo from DeliaOnLine.com

I am honored to be a guest blogger for chef Paz!

Some while ago, we were discussing our favorite dessets. We like dessert!

In these days of increasing food prices it is good to be thrifty. What better way to use of stale white bread than a delicious

Queen of Puddings?

Also called Queen Pudding, this dish, based on a 17th Century version, was created for Queen Victoria by her chefs at Buckingham Palace. You can tell Chef Paz and I like to be in important company! This is a great favorite with my family and is easy to make.

Serves 6-8

You need:

2 cups stale white breadcrumbs (you can make these in your blender from any stale loaf)

1 tbl sp castor sugar

2 tsp vanilla essence

1 tsp grated lemon rind

2 1/2 cups milk

60 gm butter

4 eggs separated

1/4 cup raspberry jam

3/4 cup caster sugar (extra)

2 tsp crystal sugar

Method:

1. Combine breadcrumbs, castor sugar, essence and rind in large bowl.

2. Heat milk and butter in pan until almost boiling, stir in to bread mixture; stand 10 mins

3. Stir yolks into bread mixture, pour into shallow ovenproof dish (five cup capacity).

4. Bake uncovered in moderate oven about 35 mins until set.

5. Carefully spread top of pudding with warmed jam.

6. Beat egg whites in small bowl with electric mixer until soft peaks form, gradually add extra castor sugar, beat until sugar is dissolved.

7. Spread meringue over pudding, bake in moderate oven about 10 mins or until lightly browned.

Serving Suggestion: Recipe best made before serving, not suitable for freezing or microwaving.

New York Monday #136: Morning Rush Hour

August 17, 2008 | Filed Under New York Monday | 9 Comments

From the archives:

On Fifth Avenue, different buses headed on different routes to pick up and drop off its transit passengers. Happy Monday! Have a great week, all.

Paz

Cold Bean and Tomato Soup with Parsley and Cucumber

August 11, 2008 | Filed Under Beans, White Beans, Cucumbers, Tomatoes, Parsley, Guest Bloggers, Fellow Bloggers, Herbs, Lucullian Delights, Fruits, Soups/Chowders/Gumbos | 28 Comments

Please help me welcome guest blogger Ilva of Lucullian Delights. Thanks, Ilva!

Paz

Paz was one of the first steady commenters on my blog, one day I started to get these nice and cheerful comments from her and since then she never fails to visit me several times a week. We have now known each other for almost three years and I hope we will remain friends for much much longer.

I think I can safely say that our secretive Paz is one of the nicest and most positive food bloggers you can find in our food blog community, not only does she leave sweet comments but now and then she even sends me emails to see how I am doing. Several times she has honoured me by posting about my recipes on her blog but this time I am posting myself here on The Cooking Adventures of Chef Paz and what a treat this is! To be able to write a lot of things about her here on her own blog and knowing her, she is probably cringing like a worm on a hook in her chair right now! (Ha Paz, you should never have asked me you know!) When Paz asked me to be one of her guest bloggers, I was more than happy to yes, she is a very special person and she deserves all the help she can get when she asks for it so here I am.

I have decided on a simple recipe now when she needs to rest. Well she has to do (read: cook) something to keep going but she mustn’t overdo it, we don’t want her to slip into a non-cooking state of being again now when she has conquered her former kitchen demons so well do we? So here Paz, a simple tasty soup for you to cook that hopefully won’t tire you, I hope you’ll like it!

COLD BEAN AND TOMATO SOUP WITH PARSLEY AND CUCUMBER

Lucullian Delights

2-3 servings

250 ml/ 1 cup white beans, cooked

600 ml/ 2,5 cups tomato sauce

100 ml/ 0,43 cup water if needed, it depends on how thick the tomato sauce is

chili pepper

2-3 tblsp parsley, chopped

cucumber, finely chopped

salt

extra-virgin olive oil

- Put beans, tomato sauce, chili pepper, water (if needed) and olive oil in a pan and let it simmer for about 15 minutes.

- Add parsley and then run in a mixer until smooth. Add salt.

- Before serving, top with large tablespoon of chopped cucumber.

New York Monday #135: Step through the Port Hole

August 10, 2008 | Filed Under New York Monday | 11 Comments

From the archives:

You can find this interesting-looking sculpture in Central Park, near 59th Street. Looks like if you step through the door shape, you’ll enter another dimension. What do you think? Have a great week, all!

Oh, and if you want more NYC photos and don’t want to wait for Monday, remember you can always stop by here.

Paz

For Sher: Mushroom Meatballs and Cat Tales

August 9, 2008 | Filed Under What Did You Eat?, Confessions of a Cardamom Addict, Tributes, Fellow Bloggers | 9 Comments

Shortly after I returned from the hospital, I received sad news that Sher of What did You Eat? had suffered a fatal heart attack (July 20, 2008). The Bread Baking Babes and those involved in Weekend Cat Blogging planned a memorial food event in Sher’s honor, where everyone was invited to participate.

Since I’ve been unable to do any cooking, Jasmine of Confessions of a Cardamom Addict kindly volunteered to make something and post on my behalf as well as her own. Thank you, Jasmine. She made scrumptious-looking meatballs from a recipe that Sher had once featured on her blog. The tribute also includes a wonderful cat story that I think Sher would appreciate.

So, where are the Mushroom Meatballs and the cat story? You’ll have to head on over to Jasmine’s site to see and read about it.

Sher, you’ll be missed but not forgotten. Rest in peace.

Paz

Pollo Arrosto per Paz (Roast Chicken for Paz)

August 4, 2008 | Filed Under Briciole, Guest Bloggers, Fellow Bloggers, Poultry | 26 Comments

Please help me welcome Simona of Briciole, this week’s guest blogger! Thanks so much Simona for helping out!

Paz

One of my favorite posts by Chef Paz is (Christine’s) Sunday Night Whole Roasted Chicken, which I refer to as "the disappeared roast chicken" post, because of the great photo of the empty serving dish where the roast chicken of the title once was. Reading that post made me laugh heartily and generated a lasting memory. The photo of the suggestively empty serving dish came back to my mind in the occasion of the production of my first roast chicken ever.

Let me back step a second to give some background information on my meat-eating habits. On December 25, 1997, at the end of a traditional English Christmas dinner, I told my husband that I would stop eating meat, which I proceeded to do for many years. (Clarification: the dinner was nice and was not the cause of my decision, which I had been mulling for a while.) Fast forward to the summer of 2008, when good influences of various nature have inspired me to taste meat again, and you will find me buying a Red Broiler, described as the true "slow food" chicken by the young woman who raises this variety (in small flocks that enjoy "sunshine, fresh air, grubs, green pasture, room to stretch their wings, and protection from predators") at a local farm (Wild Chick Farm). I went to pick up my order at the appointed time and location and brought it home, not a little intimidated and wondering what I would do next. You see, my mother never liked to use the oven, so, growing up, for me pollo arrosto always meant roast chicken from a rotisserie.

On Epicurious, I found Thomas Keller’s recipe for My Favorite Simple Roast Chicken, and decided to go with it. The word "simple" in the title was quite tempting, since I needed something extremely simple for my first venture. But I was also charmed by the way the famous chef describes eating the roast chicken. I followed the recipe as is, and the result was excellent. Of course, I had no benchmarks in my career of amateur cook against which to measure the result, but I also needed encouragement for future endeavors, so I declared it excellent and my husband agreed. We didn’t put anything on the cooked meat: no butter, no mustard, just the salt and pepper I had added before roasting. Delaying a bit my reward for not much toil but a lot of anxiety, I took a photo before carving the chicken.

Thomas Keller suggests serving it with a simple salad on the side. I love roast potatoes and since the oven is already on, there is no excuse for not making some, like fingerling potatoes, tossed with a bit of freshly-ground pepper and a mix of fresh herbs from my garden, finely chopped (rosemary, dill, sage). I added them half-way through the cooking time of the chicken, so they would be ready at the same time, or shortly thereafter, while the meat is resting before it is cut. Unfortunately, I have no photo of the potatoes: I can assure you, they were good.

Dear Paz, this pollo arrosto is dedicated to you, with heartfelt wishes for a speedy recovery, a big hug (Italian-style) and many thanks for our blog-friendship.

New York Monday #134: Artists’ Gate

August 3, 2008 | Filed Under New York Monday | 13 Comments

From the archives:

There are about 20 entrances to Central Park. Each entrance is named after the occupation or backgrounds of New Yorkers. For example, there’s Stranger’s Gate, Explorers’ Gate, Womens’ Gate, Engineers’ Gate and more. The above entrance, Artists’s Gate, is located on 59th street.

If you want to see more NYC photos and can’t wait till next Monday, stop here.

Have a good week!

Paz