Stuffed Grape Leaves
1 jar (1 pound) grape leaves in vinegar
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
2 tablespoons butter
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 pound ground beef
1 cup uncooked white rice
1-1/2 teaspoon dried mint
2-1/4 cups water
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup water
Dressing:
1/2 cup lemon juice (about 4 lemons)
1 tablespoon snipped fresh dill
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 cup olive oil
• Boil grape leaves in 6 cups boiling water until tender, 20 to 25 minutes.
• In second saucepan, sauté onion in butter 3 minutes, until slightly softened.
• Add garlic and cumin; cook 2 minutes.
• Add beef; cook, breaking apart with wooden spoon, 5 minutes.
• Add rice and mint; cook, stirring, 3 minutes.
• Add water, salt, pepper.
• Simmer, uncovered, stirring, 7 minutes.
• Cover; simmer 13 minutes.
• Whisk flour and 1/2 cup water in small cup.
• Add to rice; cook 2 minutes.
• Remove from heat.
Dressing:
• Mix juice, dill, salt, pepper, sugar and mustard in bowl.
• Whisk in oil.
• Drain leaves; rinse with cool water.
• Add 1/3 cup dressing to rice.
• Place steamer or steamer insert in large pot with 2 inches of water.
• Lay 1 leaf flat, smooth side up, on work surface.
• Place 1 tablespoon filling on center of base of leaf.
• Fold over one side of leaf, and then fold over other side.
• Beginning at bottom of leaf, roll up tightly to leaf point.
• Place, seam side down, into steamer basket.
• Continue with remaining leaves and filling.
• Steam 35 to 40 minutes, until tender.
• Remove to platter.
• Drizzle with remaining dressing.
Yield: 4 dozen.
Pistachio Party Mix
1 tsp. cayenne
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon curry powder
3 teaspoons ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
2 cups unsalted shelled pistachios
2 tablespoons olive oil
• Line a shallow baking pan with wax paper or parchment paper.
• Stir together sugar, salt, and spices in a small bowl.
• Cook pistachios in oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until a shade darker, about 5 minutes.
• Stir sugar mixture into nuts and cook over moderate heat, stirring constantly, until sugar begins to melt and coats nuts evenly, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Immediately transfer nuts to baking pan and cool.
Yield: 2 cups.
Curried Stuffed Eggs
6 hard-cooked eggs
1 1/2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 1/2 tablespoons sour cream
1 1/4 teaspoons curry powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon sweet relish
1 green onion, chopped fine
1/2 teaspoon fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon Tabasco
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Garnish: thinly sliced green onion
• Cut a paper-thin slice off both ends of eggs and halve eggs crosswise.
• Mash yolks with a fork.
• Stir in remaining ingredients.
• Salt and pepper to taste.
• Fill each egg with the mixture to that it mounds attractively in the egg bowls.
• Garnish with sliced green onion.
Yield: 12 stuffed eggs.
Portuguese Pork With Lemon
2 pounds pork boneless shoulder
2 garlic cloves — chopped
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup pitted ripe olives
Trim fat from pork. Cut pork into 3/4-inch cubes.
Toss together pork, garlic, lemon juice, 1 tablespoon oil, salt, cumin and red pepper in glass or plastic bowl. Cover and refrigerate, stirring occasionally, at least 8 hours.
Remove pork from marinade. Reserve any remaining marinade.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in skillet until hot. Cook and stir pork in oil over medium heat until liquid has evaporated and pork is brown, about 25 minutes. Drain.
Add water and reserved marinade. Cover and simmer until pork is tender, about 30 minutes. (Add water if necessary.) Stir in olives.
Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 398 Calories; 29g Fat (66.7% calories from fat); 31g Protein; 2g Carbohydrate; trace Dietary Fiber; 83mg Cholesterol; 539mg Sodium. Exchanges: 0 Grain(Starch); 4 Lean Meat; 0 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 3 Fat.
Curried Chicken #1
6 Green thai chiles; stemmed &
2 ts Coriander seeds
1 pn Fresh ginger; 1 inch, sliced
1 ts Toasted rice*
1 tb Toasted coconut
2 ts Ground cumin
14 c Cashews
1/4 ts Ground cinnamon
1/8 ts Ground nutmeg
3 Small onions; chopped
3 lb Chicken; cut in serving piec
3 tb Vegetable oil
1 Large tomato; peeled, seeded
16 oz Coconut milk
Place the chiles, coriander, ginger, rice, coconut, cumin, cashews, cinnamon nutmeg, and half of the onions in a blender or food processor and puree to make a paste. Rub the spice mixture on the chicken and marinate for an hou at room temperature. Saute the remaining onions in the oil until golden. Add the chicken, along with the seasoning paste, and brown, adding more oil if necessary. Add the tomato and the coconut milk. Simmer until the chicken is done and the sauce has been reduced, about 45 minutes to an hour.
To toast rice: Place the rice along with a little vegetable oil in a frying pan, and heat until the rice turns brown.
Tuna Appetizers
1 can tuna or salmon
8 ounces cream cheese — softened
4 tablespoons salsa
1 teaspoon dried cilantro
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
8 flour tortillas
Drain tuna, in a small bowl combine tuna,cream cheese,salsa,parsley and cilantro. Spread about two tablespoons of tuna mixture over each tortilla. Roll each tortillas up tightly and wrap individually with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours. Slice into bite size pieces and serve.
Arjay’s Sand Springs Chili - Southern
2 lb Coarse ground beef
1/2 lb Flank steak 1/4″ cubs
1/2 lb Reg. ground beef
15 oz Tomato sauce
12 oz Beer
12 oz Tomato paste
1 tb Yellow cornmeal
1 tb Red wine vinegar
1/4 c Instant minced onion
1/4 c Chili powder
1 t Crushed red pepper
1 t Ground cumin
1/4 ts Basil leaves
1/4 ts Caraway seeds
1/4 ts Coriander
1/4 ts Marjoram
1/4 ts Ground red pepper
1/3 ts Ginger
1/3 ts Tarragon
1/3 ts Dill seed
1/3 ts Paprika
1/3 ts Ground tumeric
1/3 ts Ground caramon
1 d Curry
1 d Dill weed
1 d Rosemary
1 d Saffron
1 d Thyme
1 Bay leaf, crushed
1 Cinnamon stick
1 1/2 ts Minced garlic
1 1/2 ts Salt
1 tb Orgeano leaves
2 tb Salad oil
In a large saucepan, heat oil until hot. Add beef cubes; brown on all sides, remove and set aside. Add ground beef, both grinds, brown , stirring to crumble. Add tomato sauce, tomato paste, one cup of water, vinegar and all the other dry ingredients listed. (Mix the cornmeal, onions, all the spices in a bowl then add them after the meat has been cooked). Also add the browned beef cubes, stir well, then add the beer and stir some more until all the ingredients are mixed well. Simmer, covered, strring occasionally, for at least 2 hours. This can be prepared early in the day and kept on low heat to let spices blend togather. Add more water if needed. Remove cinnamon stick before serving.
Sweet and Spicy Pecans
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 cups pecan halves
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon paprika
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
Salt to taste
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and set a rack on the middle level. Line a cookie sheet with foil. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the pecans and sauté, stirring about 3 minutes. Stir in the brown sugar and cook, stirring, until lightly caramelized, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the paprika, chili powder and cumin. Add the vinegar and cook, stirring, until all the liquid has evaporated, 2 to 4 minutes. Season to taste with salt. Spread the pecans in one layer on foil-lined baking sheet and bake until crisp, 3 to 5 minutes. Cool, then store in an airtight container or at room temperature until ready to serve.
LONE STAR STEAK SAUCE
1/2 c Butter
2 T Worcestershire Sauce
3/4 t Black Pepper
2 Drops Tabasco
1/2 c Lemon Juice
1 Sm. Clove Garlic, Minced
1/2 t Dry Mustard
Salt To Taste
Combine all ingredients, heat until butter melts. Broiler juices may be added. Serve with Steak Salt.
Indian Beef Patties In Pitas With Cucumber Yogurt
Cucumber Yogurt; (see recipe)
INDIAN BEEF PATTIES:
1 ounce fresh ginger root; (1″ cube)
2 large cloves garlic
3 medium jalapeńo chiles, seeded; roughly chopped
2 tablespoons fresh mint leaves
1 medium onion; quartered
1 pound lean ground beef
2 teaspoons ground cumin
Salt
4 large pita bread
TO PREPARE: For the patties, mince first 4 ingredients in a food processor. Add the onions; pulse until minced. Add the ground beef, cumin, and 1 teaspoon salt; pulse to combine.
Make the Cucumber Yogurt recipe.
TO COOK: Heat the broiler. Divide ground beef mixture into 8 portions. Form each portion into a patty, 3 inches in diameter. Transfer patties to a broiling pan. Broil patties, turning once, until they are browned on both sides, about 6 minutes.
TO SERVE: Place 2 beef patties into each pita bread. Then spoon a portion of the Cucumber Yogurt into each pocket. Serve immediately.
NOTES : A Subcontinental spin on Gyros, about as easy as hamburger.
You can substitute ground lamb or chicken for the beef in these meat patties. Or you can substitute 1-inch cubes of lamb, chicken, fish or beef for the ground meat patties and use the remaining patty ingredients listed as a marinade for the meat or fish cubes, which are then broiled.
Beef And Millet Pie With Indian Spices
1/2 cup millet
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion; minced
1 medium green bell pepper; cut into small bits
1 medium red bell pepper; cut into small bits
3 stalks celery; cut into small bits
2 medium cloves garlic; minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger root
1 pound ground beef (optional)
1/3 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
3/4 cup fresh bread crumbs
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 eggs; beaten
1 cup tomato juice (optional) (omit in vegetarian version)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
3/4 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
3/4 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
1/2 cup cilantro, minced, loosely packed
Salt
Ground black pepper
VEGETARIAN VERSION-ADD THESE:
4 ounces mushrooms; minced
1/2 cup millet
1 egg
1 medium potato; peeled and diced
TO PREPARE: Bring millet and 2 1/2 cups water to boil in a small saucepan; simmer until just tender, about 15 minutes. Drain and set aside.
Heat oil in a large skillet. Add next 6 ingredients; sauté until vegetables soften, about 5 minutes. Mix millet, vegetable mixture, and remaining ingredients, including 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl.
TO COOK AND SERVE: Heat oven to 375°F. Press mixture into a 10- by 2-inch round baking dish, cover with aluminum foil, and bake for 1 hour. Remove foil and bake until top of pie is browned, about 20 minutes longer. Remove pie from oven and let stand for 5 minutes. (Can be cooled, covered, and refrigerated up to 4 days.) Cut pie into wedges and serve warm or at room temperature.
FOR VEGETARIAN VERSION: Omit the beef and tomato juice. Increase the millet to 1 cup, the water to 1 quart, the tomato paste to 2 tablespoons, and the eggs to 3. Also, add 4 ounces minced domestic mushrooms and 1 peeled and diced medium potato. Shape and bake this mixture as directed.
Serves 8-10.
Ceylonese Sweet and Sour Chicken Curry
2 small frying chickens; cut into 1″ pieces
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons Madras-style curry powder
1 teaspoon cayenne
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
4 cloves garlic; minced
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1 large onion; chopped
40 ounces pineapple chunks in juice
drain but reserve juice
1/2 cup pineapple juice
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup distilled vinegar salt
2 medium onions; cut into 1″ chunks
2 celery stalks; cut into 1″ chunks
1 medium red bell pepper seeded and cut into 1/2″ strips
1 medium green bell pepper seeded and cut into 1/2″ strips
2 small seedless oranges cut into thin rings with skin on
1 lemon cut into thin rings with skin on
1 cup canned litchis; drained
1 cup preserved kumquats; drained
1 teaspoon minced fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 1/4 cup water
Put the chicken backs, necks, and giblets into a saucepan, cover with water, and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer until the meat is falling off the bones. Strain and reserve the broth. If it is not very flavorful give it a little help with powdered bouillon. Melt the oil and butter together in a large, heavy skillet or casserole. Add the curry powder and stir about until slightly singed. Add the next 8 ingredients and saute until the onions are soft but not yet browned. Add the chicken and brown well on all side. Pour in the pineapple juice and reserved broth and simmer covered until the chicken is tender. Add the sugar and vinegar and simmer for about 2 minutes. Taste. If you want a more distinct sweet and sour flavor add more sugar and vinegar at this time. Also add more cayenne if you want it hotter. Add salt to taste. Add the pineapple chunks and all the remaining ingredients except cornstarch mixture, stir gently, and simmer for 5 minutes. Add cornstarch mixture; stir and simmer until sauce is glossy and slightly thickened.
NOTES : Serve hot with steamed rice and steamed chapatis or flour tortillas. Yield: 6 to 8 servings.