2007 - Week 5
Stir Fried Amaranth with Coconut
2 bunches Amaranth leaves ½ tsp. ground tumeric
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil 1 tsp. chili powder
1 onion, finely chopped ¼ tsp. salt or to taste
1 tsp. crushed garlic 6 Tbsp. grated fresh coconut
1 tsp. grated fresh ginger
Wash the leaves and shake off the water.
Roll them in a bundle and shred finely
Heat the oil and fry the onion, garlic & ginger over low heat until fragrant, stirring frequently.
Add the ground spices, then the leaves.
Stir-fry for a minute, then sprinkle with salt and a few tablespoons of water.
Mix in the coconut.
Cover and simmer for 5 minutes or until liquid evaporates.
Serve with steamed rice.
Swiss Chard and Potatoes
Makes 6 servings
2 lbs. Swiss chard
4 quarts water
3 medium-size baking (russet) potatoes, peeled and cut crosswise into 4 pieces
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, crushed
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Trim stem ends of Swiss chard; Strip stems from leaves; cut the stems into ½” strips. Cut leaves lengthwise in half, then crosswise into ½” strips. Wash leaves and stems; drain well. In a large pot, bring the lasted water to a boil. Add the potatoes; cook for 10 minutes. Add the Swiss chard and cook until the potatoes and chard stems are very tender, another 20-30 minutes. Drain in a colander.
In a large skillet, heat 2 Tbsp. of the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic, cook just until it begins to brown, about 1 minute. Add the drained Swiss chard and potatoes; season lightly with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring and mashing the potatoes, until the liquid has evaporate and the potatoes are coarsely mashed; if the potatoes begin to brown, reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the remaining olive oil, season to taste with salt and pepper, stir, and serve hot.
Lidia Italy at Home, August 2006
Zucchini and Scallions with Vinegar and Mint
2 lbs. zucchini
½ tsp. salt
½ lb. scallions
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp. red or white wine vinegar, or more to taste
8 to 10 small fresh mint leaves, shredded or torn
Wash the zucchini well and pat them dry. Trim the ends and slice them crosswise into 1/3”-thick rounds. Toss the pieces in a bowl with ¼ tsp of the salt.
Trim the root ends of the scallions, remove all the wilted green and loose white layers, and cut into 1” lengths. Pour the oil into a 12 or 14-inch skillet and set over medium-high heat. After a couple of minutes, add the zucchini slices to the hot oil and spread them evenly to fill the skillet. Push down on the top of the zucchini with a spoon or spatula, pressing the bottom slices against the skillet. Scatter the scallions on top of the zucchini and sprinkle them with a pinch or two of salt.
Let the zucchini cook and caramelize on the bottom without disturbing for 8 minutes or so. When they’re nicely browned and a bit shriveled, turn the vegetables over so the top pieces can caramelize. Cook for a couple of minutes, turn again, cook a bit more, and turn, until all the zucchini pieces are golden, sizzling, and shrinking.
Set a colander in a small bowl, tilt the skillet over the colander, and let the vegetables slide in. Quickly scrape the oil out of the pan, shake the colander to drain the zucchini, then turn the vegetables back into the skillet; set on medium-high heat. Cook, shaking the skillet frequently and tossing the vegetables. When they sizzle again, push them to one side of the skillet, clearing a hot spot. Pour the vinegar into the hot spot, let it heat and start to bubble , then stir the zucchini in with the vinegar to coat.
Cook for a minute, and remove skillet from the heat. Salt if you like. Turn off the heat, scatter the mint on top, and toss with the vegetables. Makes 4-6 side-dish servings
Lidia Italy at Home, August 2006
Macaroni and Cheese with Tomatoes
2 cups uncooked macaroni 2 cups milk
4 Tbsp. butter 3 cups shredded Cheddar cheese, divided
2 Tbsp. minced onions 2 ripe tomatoes, blanched, peeled and sliced into
4 Tbsp. all-purpose flour ½”-thick slices
1 tsp. salt
¾ tsp. dry mustard
¼ tsp. paprika
Preheat oven to 375ْ Lightly grease a 13x9x2” baking dish. Boil 6 cups salted water, add macaroni, and cook until al dente. Drain. In a large saucepan, melt butter. Add onion and cook, stirring constantly, till tender. Add flour, salt, dry mustard, and paprika; mix well.
Add milk and stir till thickened. Add 2 cups shredded cheese and stir till melted. Stir in the macaroni and pour into dish. Cover with tomato slices and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake for 45-50 minutes.
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