La Cucina

This is a page where we can share recipes we make and enjoy, our favorite cookbooks, restaurants of special interest, etc. I didn't do much cooking in 2024, but that will change significantly this year, and I'll post old recipes and new ones that I particularly like.

I'm inspired to share a simple dish that reminds me of the Near East, a variation on the za'atar pie:



Here I cheated by using a commercial roti, as I do when I'm too hungry/lazy to prepare the dough (with yeast, two risings, can refrigerate or freeze for future use). The roti is about 9 inches. Make a paste out of the za'atar mix, olive oil, and just a touch of water. It should be spreadable but not runny. Spread it generously all over the roti (or dough pie. Pierce the latter with a fork in a criss-cross pattern first.) Bake at 350F for about 10-15 minutes, or until the roti puffs. A thicker pie might take longer.

I always have yogurt to go with. I recommend buying imported Middle Eastern za'atar if possible. The mix in the photo is Palestinian made, bought at Rabba (local chain) and mixed with a Syrian blend. Since it's made from local herbs, every mix will taste differently. Note that so-called Syrian oregano or wild thyme does not correspond to the oregano and thyme one would find in the Western markets, so it's not that easy to reproduce by oneself.

>2 LolaWalser: Thanks, Lola!

I plan to consume more beans going forward, especially because I need to consume more iron containing foods now that my red meat intake is very minimal. Yesterday I made one of my favorite soups, African sweet potato, bean and peanut soup, which contains a sweet potato (in this case a Korean sweet potato with a purple skin and pale flesh), black eyed peas, white beans (I used cannellini), black beans, a yellow bell pepper and a jalapeño pepper, with plenty of herbs and spices. Here's the recipe:

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon light olive oil or peanut oil
1 tablespoon red or green gluten-free curry paste- hot or mild, to taste (start with less if you prefer it mild)
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 medium red onion, peeled, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium sweet potato or yam, peeled, diced
1 large yellow bell pepper, cored, seeded, diced
1 jalapeño or other hot chile pepper, seeded, diced fine
1 14-oz. can black-eyed peas, rinsed, drained
1 14-oz. can white beans, rinsed, drained
1 14-oz. can black beans, rinsed, drained
1 quart light broth
1/2 cup 100% natural peanut butter melted in a half cup of boiled hot water (for one cup total)
1/2 teaspoon crushed hot red pepper flakes, or more, to taste
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
Juice from 1 big juicy lime
2-3 teaspoons organic brown sugar or raw agave nectar, to taste
Sea salt and black pepper, to taste

For garnish:
Chopped fresh cilantro or parsley

Instructions:

Heat the light olive oil in large soup pot. Add the curry paste and cinnamon; stir for a minute to infuse the oil with spice. Add the onion, garlic, sweet potato, yellow pepper and jalapeño. Stir and cook the veggies for 5-7 minutes, until softened.

Add the black-eyed peas, white and black beans, broth, melted peanut butter, red pepper flakes and cilantro.

Bring the soup to a high simmer, cover, and lower the heat; keep the soup on simmer and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 25 to 30 minutes.

Stir in the lime juice and brown sugar or agave. Season with sea salt and ground pepper, to taste. Warm through and taste for seasoning adjustments.
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This recipe makes nearly a full pot of soup, so it makes far more than the four servings the author claims. This is great as an entrée or a side dish, and it freezes and reheats well. Those with sensitive palates or who plan to make it for family members or guests may want to cut back on the peppers, though!

ETA: This recent article mentions that the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) will likely recommend that adults consume at least 2.5 cups of beans and legumes per week, so I'll incorporate half a cup of this soup or something similar into my diet on a daily basis.

2/3 cup flour
pinch of salt
3 lg eggs
2/3 cup milk

Heat oven to 425F. Beat eggs lightly then add milk. Sift in flour & salt and beat just until bubbly. Pour into oven-proof skillet and place on lowest rack. Bake 15 minutes without opening the oven. After 15 minutes, pierce the peaks with a knife, lower the temperature to 375F and bake for 10-15 more minutes.

A simple oven pancake recipe that many people are familiar with. But growing up, in our household, these were "booby pancakes" and only made on special days.

>5 ELiz_M: Would that be equivalent to a Dutch baby, Liz?

My brother came over for Christmas yesterday, and we had a traditional Southern meal. He brought a ham and cornbread, and I made collard greens and macaroni & cheese:



Here is a good recipe, courtesy of the Food Network:

Ingredients:

2 bunches collard greens or 2 bunches two bags of pre-washed collard greens
3 tablespoons olive oil or 3 tablespoons a mixture of olive oil and bacon grease
1 onion, sliced
2-3 garlic cloves, smashed
2 bay leaves
1 smoked ham hock (can also add 3 slices of chopped cooked bacon, if desired)
2 quarts chicken broth, warm
2 tablespoons cider vinegar (great for cutting out any bitterness)
1 teaspoon sugar (I never add sugar to my greens!)
salt & freshly ground black pepper
add a dash hot pepper sauce, if desired, when serving (I prefer to use Louisiana tabasco peppers in vinegar, which are sold in stores or online)

Directions

To prepare greens, cut away the tough stalks and remove all stems from the collards. Discard any leaves that are bruised or yellow. Wash the collards thoroughly to remove the grit, 2 or 3 times, until the water runs clear. Dry thoroughly -- you can do this easily by rolling them up in a clean dish towel. (I sometimes use two bags of pre-cut and prewashed collard green pieces from the produce section, but I still break off any large pieces of stem as they tend to be tough even after cooking.).

Place a large pot or cast iron Dutch oven over medium heat and add the olive oil. When it is heated, add the onion, bay leaves and ham hock. (If using bacon, cook beforehand and then add when the greens go in.) Cook the mixture until the onions are soft and are starting to brown, about 8-10 minutes. To prevent the garlic from burning, add it just a few minutes before the onions are done.

Pack in greens, pushing them down into the pot. Add the broth, vinegar and sugar. Bring up to a boil, turning the greens over occasionally with a wooden spoon as they wilt. Lower to a simmer, cover the pot and cook for 1 hour. Taste the "pot liquor" (broth) and check the seasoning, adding salt and pepper as desired.

Cover again and let cook for an additional 2 to 2½ hours. Some recipes use a lot less cooking time, but this additional time really helps all the flavors come together. (If using the bagged pre-cut collard greens, they may only have to cook for another 1 to 2 hours.) Remove the bay leaves and ham hock, dicing up and adding any meat from the ham hock, drain off excess cooking liquid, and serve.
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The biggest essential take away IMO is the need to cook the greens for at least three hours; this ensures that they will be tender and not overly bitter. You can also substitute a smoked turkey neck bone in place of a ham hock, and vegetarians could use smoked paprika and additional spices to give it more flavor; I suspect that cumin would work well.

After many attempts of tinkering with it, in the manner of the engineer that he was, my late father came up with a recipe for Southern macaroni & cheese that was widely beloved. I follow his recipe, and although it turns out very good it still doesn't quite reach the height of his best ones. Here is his recipe, which he gave permission to share when he was alive:

Dad's Macaroni and Cheese

Ingredients
16 oz elbow macaroni (I often use an equal amount of cavatappi, which I like much better than plain old macaroni)
26 oz extra sharp cheddar cheese
6 large eggs
1¼ sticks margarine (10 tbsp)
12 oz evaporated milk
4 oz 2% or regular milk
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 375° F
2. Cook pasta until al dente, per package instructions
3. Drain and toss pasta in a bowl with margarine, then sprinkle with salt and pepper
4. Cut cheese into ¼ inch cubes
5. Beat eggs and milk
6. Add liquid, cheese and pasta to a bowl, toss to mix well
7. Add to well greased baking dish
8. Bake uncovered for 50-60 minutes, or until top is golden brown.
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I checked this pan at 50 minutes, and looking at it I probably should have pulled it out 5 or more minutes before then, as it's a wee bit browner on top than it ideally should be, although it still tasted great.

Proper Southern macaroni & cheese should always be baked in the oven, and it should be firm enough to cut into slices, with the approximate consistency of cornbread. IMO it should also not have any weird additives in it. I love this hilarious video by the comedian and YouTube personality Kaelin Allen when he commented on a hideous version of macaroni & cheese that was made on the Food Network several years ago. My only comment is that my White friends from the Deep South were also horrified by that macaroni & cheese, as they also know what it's supposed to look and taste like!

Both of those recipes look delicious, Darryl.

For Christmas dinner, my husband smoked a turkey in his smoker. We had mashed potatoes, a salad with watermelon radishes and goat cheese, and I made these rolls with my younger son. They were delicious. We've always bought Hawaiian rolls at the store for holidays, but when I got them for Thanksgiving we all thought they taster sweeter and more "fake" than they used to, so I tried baking these from scratch instead. They were easy and so much better!

https://www.gimmesomeoven.com/1-hour-soft-buttery-dinner-rolls/

This is an appetizer that my family serves at various events during the holidays.

Salmon Ball

1 15oz can Red Sockeye Salmon
1 8oz package of Philly cream cheese
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 cup chopped pecans
a bunch of parsley, finely chopped
1 tablespoon Liquid Smoke
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons horse radish

-Drain snd clean salmon of all gray matter and large bones; do not concern yourself over small white bones.
-Add softened cream cheese, blend and eliminate all signs of the cream cheese to reach a consistent salmon color.
-Mix in the finely chopped onion, liquid smoke, horseradish, and lemon juice.
-Using a spatula, form the salmon into a ball in the bowl.
-Cover and chill for at least one hour.

-Chop the parsley (cleaned and dried). On a sheet of wax paper, layer the parsley and then the pecans. The area of pecans and parsley should be about 9-10” square
-Scoop the salmon onto this square. Pulling up the ends of the wax paper, wrap the mixture into a ball.
-Wrap in foil and place in the fridge for at least half an hour until chilled.
-Unwrap the ball (exposing the top only, and tip onto a platter.

Serve with crackers of your choice.

You can prepare this in advance with just the final placement left for the moment before guests arrive.

It freezes well.

>9 japaul22: Ooh, I love Hawaiian rolls! Thanks for that recipe, Jennifer.

>10 ELiz_M: That recipe sounds very interesting, Liz; I had no idea red sockeye salmon came in cans!

>10 ELiz_M: this reminds me of my Grandma's "shrimp ball". I'll have to see if I can scrounge up her recipe.

>11 kidzdoc: It does, but sometimes you have to stop by 3-4 stores to find it!