Fearless Kitchen

Recipe: Quince Stew

Recipe Source: Saberi, Helen.  Afghan Food & Cookery.  Hippocrene Books, New York, 2000 p. 182

You already know that I'm obsessed with quinces.  I'm especially happy to find quince recipes that are savory.  I love quinces, but sugar does not love me.  I was exceptionally excited therefore to make this recipe.  I've loved just about everything I've made from this cookbook and this was QUINCE!  Unfortunately, this dish did not turn out to be the joyful wonder I wanted.  It wasn't bad, don't get me wrong.  It just wasn't very exciting at all.  I substituted rabbit for the lamb because the store I went to that week didn't have the right cuts of lamb.  I don't think that this was the problem.  I love rabbit, so it shouldn't have had a negative effect on the dish.  I used more quinces than called for in the recipe.  The quinces I got this year have been flavorful and delicious, so I don't think that was the problem.  I reduced the amount of sugar to accommodate my stunted sweet tooth, and while honey is strongly flavored it is not more strongly flavored than molasses, which the original required.  I used more ginger than the original required, and maybe a little more spice.  That wasn't the problem either.

The problem was that none of the flavors stood out.  I love the flavor of quince, but this could have been apple or even banana for all the quince flavor the final product had.  I love the flavor of rabbit, but this could have been chicken or tofu for all the rabbit flavor I got.  I couldn't tell that there was ginger in this at all, regardless of what the proportions were.  Even the honey flavor was muted and indistinguishable.  So sad!

I'm not sure why this dish turned out so bland, but it was certainly nourishing and filling.  Maybe I was coming down with a cold or something so my taste buds were asleep.  I don't know.  Try it for yourself and let me know how it comes out.

Quince Stew (serves 4; approx. $6.45/serving)

5 quinces, peeled and chopped

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 red onions, finely chopped

2 regular onions, finely chopped

1 rabbit on the bone, cut up

1 tablespoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon ground cardamom

1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric

1/4 cup honey

Kosher salt to taste

Equipment:

• Large saucepan

1. Heat the oil in the saucepan.
2. Add the onion with kosher salt to taste.  Fry until golden brown.
3. Add the meat.  Fry until brown.
4. Add the quince.  Cook for about a minute.
5. Add the spices.  Cook for about a minute.
6. Add water to just cover the meat and quinces along with the honey.
7. Cook gently until the meat is tender and the quinces soft, about an hour.

Recipe: Lamb and Turnip Stew with Rice (Shalgham Chalau)

Recipe Source: Saberi, Helen.  Afghan Food and Cookery.  Hippocrene Books, New York, 2000 pp. 167, 168 - 9 and 154 - 5

Turnips don't seem very exciting, do they?  They're kind of permanently ensconced in the imagination as something peasants back in the dark ages ate because they hadn't much choice, or something related to eight-mile bread lines in Eastern Europe.  At least that's what I always thought of them.  We never, ever ate them growing up.  I knew what they were - I saw them in the produce section of the supermarket, so someone had to be eating them but it sure wasn't anyone I knew.  That's what I thought of them, at least, until I moved in with my husband.  He loves turnips.  He just can't get enough of them.  I have to wait until he's out of the house before prepping turnips, because he will sneak them out of the prep bowl and eat them.  I've learned to be okay with turnips.  They grow just fine in the New England climate, they store well, and unlike many late fall and winter vegetables they aren't sickeningly sweet.

I had bought some turnips because I found them for a good price, and I decided I wanted to do something with them for a Sunday open house.  This recipe had everything I wanted in it.  It had meat.  It had turnips.  It had spice but not so much spice that my guests wouldn't be able to eat it.  It had carbohydrates, which many of our open house guests crave after a workout.  I could make those carbs healthy.  All in all it was a tasty dish that satisfied everyone present.  I did make a few changes.  The first change is the rice.  I used brown rice because I've learned to strongly prefer it.  It's significantly healthier than white rice, although I still enjoy white rice when I have it.  I increased the cumin and I added some cinnamon.  I also added 2 garlic cloves to the stew part, along with some cloves, cardamom and turmeric.  I'm not sure why I added them, I think I just felt like it and that's just fine.  I didn't have lamb on the bone so I used boneless leg of lamb.  Bone-in lamb tends to be cheaper so use that if you can.  (It is also more flavorful.)  I reduced the amount of sweetener and used honey in place of molasses or brown sugar; I just like the flavor better.

Shalgham Chalau (serves 8; approx. $2.82/serving)

8 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1 1/2 pounds leg of lamb, boneless, cut into cubes

5 turnips, peeled and cut into cubes

2 teaspoons ground ginger

2 teaspoons ground coriander

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric

1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom

3 tablespoons honey

Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

1/4 teaspoon saffron

2 1/2 cups brown rice

Kosher salt to taste

1 1/4 teaspoons ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Equipment:

• Medium saucepan with lid
• Large saucepan with lid

1. Wash the rice repeatedly, until the water runs clear.
2. Soak the rice in water for a minimum of one hour.
3. Bring 6 cups water to a boil in the medium saucepan.
4. Add the salt along with the drained rice, cumin and cinnamon.
5. Cover, reduce heat and cook until all the water is absorbed.
6. Meanwhile, heat the oil in the large saucepan.
7. Add the onion, garlic and kosher salt to taste.  Fry until the onion is golden brown.
8. Add the meat.  Cook until the meat is browned.
9. Add the turnip.  Fry until browned.
10. Add the spices and honey.
11. Stir well and add 1/2 cup water.
12. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until the meat is tender.
13. When you're ready to serve, pour the rice onto your serving platter.  Make a well in the center.
14. Pour the stew into the well in the center of the rice and serve.

Recipe: Yogurt Dip

My husband recently celebrated his 40^th birthday. We decided to have a little party to celebrate. It was hard for me; I wanted to do a lot more than I did, but I couldn't start prep until the day of the party. I couldn't even do the shopping until the day of the party. I had a lot of cooking to do between the Friday birthday party, our Sunday open house and a party at the neighbors' house to which I wanted to contribute. I therefore reined myself in and limited my production, and that's a good thing.

Anyway, I wanted there to be something for people to eat as they arrived. I knew arrivals would be staggered, since traffic in the Boston area is questionable at best and heading south on a Friday between Memorial Day and Labor Day is a challenging proposition. I bought chips and stuff, no problem, but we're all getting to an age where eating chips is perhaps not the best proposition. I threw some vegetables onto a platter and invented this dip to go with them.

The dip is kind of inspired by some Afghan dishes (you can find them here and here) that I've been craving lately. It's incredibly simple to throw together and seems to be well received. Try it the next time you're in a hurry or don't want to heat up your kitchen.

Yogurt Dip (serves about 20; approx. $0.27/serving)

4 cups Greek fat-free yogurt

8 garlic cloves, crushed

1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper

Equipment:

• None

1. Combine all the ingredients in your serving bowl.
2. Whisk to combine thoroughly – you can use a fork or whatever.
3. Serve with vegetables.

Recipe: Mustard Greens with Rhubarb

Recipe Source: Saberi, Helen. Afghan Food & Cookery. Hippocrene Books, New York, 2000 p. 197

I was very excited to discover rhubarb last year. I'd heard about it of course. I remember that the girls across the street couldn't come over and play because they were cutting rhubarb. I'd heard a great deal about rhubarb pies. I had simply never sampled the stuff for myself. Last year I finally had some and I regretted having missed out for so long! Still, rhubarb is one of those ingredients that are almost always involved with dessert in some way. I did not want dessert. I wanted something savory. I was therefore quite excited to find this Afghan recipe.

Unfortunately the old adage that we taste with the eyes is true in this case. I made this dish ahead of time and re-heated it when it was time to eat. This had a very unpleasant effect on the color of my greens and also caused a lot more of the liquor to seep out. This dish did not look pretty. It did not even look appetizing. I emphatically did not want to eat it. It tasted fine – quite fine, actually, and my husband (who purports to loathe greens) had thirds. I think that if you make this just when you're planning to serve it you should be fine.

Mustard Greens with Rhubarb (serves 4; approx. $2.53/serving)

2 bunches mustard greens, roughly chopped and rinsed

2 ounces rhubarb, cut into 1" pieces

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 leeks, chopped into small pieces

Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

2 tablespoons powdered dill weed

Equipment:

• Large saucepan with lid
• Frying pan
• Cooking spray

1. Heat the oil in the saucepan.
2. Add the leeks and fry over medium-high heat until soft, but not browned.
3. Add the mustard greens and stir until the greens reduce. Don't worry about adding water; anything clinging to the leaves will be more than enough.
4. Reduce heat, cover and cook about 15 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, lubricate your frying pan with cooking spray.
6. Fry the rhubarb over medium heat until slightly softened. Do not let it brown.
7. Add the rhubarb with the salt, pepper and dill to the mustard greens.
8. Cook about 15 minutes – ½ hour longer (I did 15 minutes.) How long you let it cook depends on how soft you want your rhubarb.
9. Serve.

Recipe: Fish and Radish Stew

Recipe Source: Saberi, Helen. Afghan Food & Cookery. Hippocrene Books, New York, 2000 pp. 161 – 2

This dish looks kind of fussy, but it really isn't. It's quite easy and since it sits for a while you can certainly do other things while you work on it. It is traditionally made with mooli, which is described as a kind of long white radish. I don't know if mooli and daikon are the same thing, but I've seen daikon as a substitute for mooli elsewhere. Since I've never seen mooli in the store, I used daikon. I increased the spices somewhat and added some chilies to use up chilies from our garden. I also increased the garlic – you're shocked, I know. The end result was a delicious and satisfying dish that even our little daughter enjoyed.

Fish and Radish Stew (serves 4; approx. $5.03/serving)

2 pounds firm white fish (I used cod)

6 tablespoons olive oil

2 pounds daikon, peeled and sliced

½ tablespoon turmeric

2 Serrano chilies, chopped

1 onion, chopped

8 garlic cloves, crushed

14 ounces canned diced tomatoes

1 teaspoon ground coriander

½ teaspoon Aleppo pepper

1 cup water

Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

Equipment:

• Sauté pan
• Large saucepan
• Medium saucepan

1. Heat the oil in the sauté pan.
2. Quickly sear the fish on both sides and set aside.
3. Add the onion, garlic and chilies and cook until softened.
4. Add the tomatoes. Fry until the liquid reduces.
5. Add half the turmeric, coriander, Aleppo pepper and salt along with the water. Stir well, then cover and simmer about half an hour.
6. Meanwhile, put the daikon in the medium saucepan and add water to cover.
7. Add the remaining turmeric. Bring to a boil and cook gently until soft. Drain.
8. When the tomato sauce is ready, put half the daikon on the bottom of the large saucepan. Top with the fish, then add the remaining daikon. Pour the sauce over the lot of it and simmer 15 – 20 minutes. Do not overcook or boil vigorously!
9. Serve.

Recipe: Afghan Okra Stew (Qorma-e-Shast-e-Arus)

Recipe Source: Saberi, Helen. Afghan Food and Cookery. Hippocrene Books, New York, 2000 p. 198

I love my father-in-law. There are many reasons that I think he's wonderful, starting with him being the father of my wonderful husband and grandfather of my delightful small offspring. However, I look forward to his visits for one important additional reason that is purely selfish:

I get to cook with okra.

That's right. I love okra. No one else does, or at least none of my usual dining companions. (I've recently found out that one of our frequent Sunday guests is also a big okra fan, but that is a very recent discovery.) I therefore have to wait until my husband's parents come to town to make anything with okra in it. And because none of his usual dining companions will eat okra either, we eat the entire dish. We wallow in our love of okra and then wait until we see each other again.

I made this dish the last time my in-laws came here. It was especially delightful because my supermarket actually had fresh okra on hand and I didn't have to resort to frozen okra. I used fresh dill in place of powdered dill because I couldn't find powdered dill. (It may exist in my market, but it seems so strange to me that I've probably just never seen it.) I also reduced the amount of oil and used fresh tomatoes (from my father-in-law's garden) in place of canned. The result was everything that I wanted it to be.

Okra Stew (serves 4 unless you're particularly okra-starved, in which case it serves 2; approx. $1.12/serving)

1 pound okra

4 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 onion, chopped

1 ounce split peas

2 fresh tomatoes, chopped

Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

About ¼ bunch chopped fresh dill

Equipment:

• Large sauté pan

1. Heat the oil in the pan.
2. Add the onion and cook until well browned.
3. Add the okra and fry gently until well coated with oil. Stir very gently to avoid releasing the okra's thickening agent.
4. Add the split peas, tomatoes, salt and pepper. Stir well.
5. Cook over medium heat for just a few minutes.
6. Add enough water to just cover the okra. Add the dill.
7. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 30 – 45 minutes or until the oil has come to the surface of the sauce.
8. Serve.

Recipe: Mustard Greens with Oyster Sauce

Recipe Source: Le, Ann.  The Little Saigon Cookbook.  Insider's Guide, Guilford, 2006 p. 94

I think mustard greens are probably my favorite green leafy vegetable.  I love them.  I love their kind of peppery flavor, I love their texture, I love the fact that they cook up so quickly.  They're versatile, working well in a wide variety of cuisines and dishes.  And they're so tasty!  I served this with a spicy shrimp and cilantro dish and think they really made a great combination.

I made a couple of small changes, as I usually do.  I reduced the amount of olive oil, doubled the garlic, and omitted the sesame seeds.  It was such a simple dish that it would be hard to make more changes!  Try this sometime on a weeknight when you're pressed for time. 

Mustard Greens with Oyster Sauce (serves 2; approx. $2.07/serving)

1 tablespoon olive oil

12 garlic cloves, crushed

1/4 cup oyster sauce

3 tablespoons fish sauce

1 teaspoon fresh-ground cubeb

1 bunch mustard greens, trimmed

Equipment:

• Small bowl
• Wok or saute pan

1. Combine the oyster sauce, fish sauce and cubeb in the small bowl. 
2. Heat the oil in the wok over medium heat. 
3. Add the garlic and cook until the garlic is threatening to brown.
4. Add the greens to the pan along with the oyster sauce concoction.  Cook until the greens have wilted. 
5. Serve. 

Recipe: Pasta, Yogurt and Meatballs (Aush-e-Asli)

Recipe Source: Saberi, Helen.  Afghan Food & Cookery.  Hippocrene Books, New York, 2000 pp. 80 - 2.

Hmm.... I started writing this recipe up twice, and got interrupted both times.  That was before the Fearless Baby put in her appearance.  I wonder if I can remember what I wanted to say about it?  I guess there's nothing to do but find out.  It was too good a dish to just keep to myself! 

I made this dish on New Year's Eve.  The holidays can be kind of challenging for anyone with any kind of dietary restriction, whether it be a food allergy, a diet, or whatever.  I've generally found it easiest to make something to eat before I go to a party - not something too heavy, so I can snack politely, but something that will make me feel satiated.  That way if the cheese tray is the only thing I can eat, it's easier to walk away! 

Anyway, this recipe fit the bill.  It offered protein and carbs, just what I like before I go to a party (even when I'm not drinking!)  I did make a few changes, like increasing the garlic as per usual.  I also made one large, fundamental change.  You see, this dish is usually served as more of a soup.  At least, it is according to the author.  I did not want soup.  I wanted this to be a pasta dish.  First of all, I've had horrible luck adding yogurt to liquid lately.  It just curdles and becomes vile.  I also was really craving that kind of yogurt and garlic sauce that seems so prevalent in the recipes in this book.  So that's what I did with it.  It was delicious, if I do say so myself, and it was very easy to prepare. 

Aush-e-Asli (serves 4; approx. cost per serving not available)

1 lb ground lamb (use beef if you can't get lamb)

1 medium onion, grated

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 egg

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 onions, minced

1 14-oz can diced tomatoes

Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

8 oz fresh spaghetti

16 ounces fat-free Greek-style plain yogurt

1 tablespoon Aleppo pepper

6 cloves garlic, crushed

Equipment:

• 2 bowls
• Plate
• Large saute pan

1. Combine the ground lamb, grated onion, coriander, cumin and egg in one of the bowls.  Mix thoroughly with your hands.  Knead until relatively smooth.
2. Form the meat mixture into little balls, about the size of a walnut each.  Place the meatballs on the plate and set aside.
3. Heat the olive oil in the saute pan.
4. Add the minced onions and fry gently until softened and browned. 
5. Add the tomatoes.  Fry until the sauce turns "brownish." 
6. Add about 6 tablespoons water and bring to a simmer.
7. Add the meatballs in a single layer and cover, leaving the lid slightly ajar.
8. Simmer gently until the meatballs have a browned look and the sauce has thickened.  This should take about half an hour, but every stove (and pan) is different so I'd keep a close eye on it if I were you. 
9. Cook the fresh pasta according to package instructions.  Drain.
10. Meanwhile, combine the yogurt, garlic, salt, pepper and garlic.  Mix well.
11. Put half the garlic-yogurt mixture on the bottom of your serving vessel.
12. Top with the drained noodles.
13. Top the noodles with the meatballs and sauce from the saute pan.
14. Top the meatballs and sauce with the remaining garlic-yogurt mixture.  Sprinkle with the Aleppo pepper and serve. 

Recipe: Georgian Cheese-Filled Quick Breads (Emeruli Khachapuri)

Recipe Source: Alford, Jeffrey and Naomi Duguid.  Flatbreads & Flavors.  HarperCollins Pubilshers, New York, 1995 pp. 292-3.

Are you afraid to make your own bread?  Has it always seemed like a daunting task to you, the kind of alchemy that should be better left to people with extensive training and possibly better insurance?  I used to feel that way.  I used to be terrified to bake bread.  I've never been a very good baker in the first place, and bread just seemed so much more complicated.  I've gotten over it, although my husband's breads still always turn out better.  This recipe will help you get over it too.  It is a very quick bread to make, and it is delicious. 

The filling seemed oddly familiar to me as I was making it.  I sat there and I thought about it, and it occurred to me that the filling was almost the exact same filling as tiropita, a cheesy Greek dish that I usually serve as an appetizer.  As soon as my husband tasted the bread, he said, "Hey, this tastes kind of like a tiropita!"  He was very into the breads.  I thought they were good, but filling.  I served them up with the Vietnamese beef stew for New Year's Day.

Emeruli Khachapuri (makes 8 breads; approx. $0.84/serving)

4 ounces Cheddar cheese, grated

2 ounces feta cheese, crumbled

2 tablespoons plain, fat-free Greek yogurt

1 egg

3 - 4 cups flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoons salt

2 cups plain, fat-free Greek yogurt

Equipment:

• Medium mixing bowl
• Large mixing bowl
• Rolling pin

1. Preheat your oven to 450 degrees.
2. Combine the cheeses in the medium bowl with the egg and 2 tablespoons yogurt.  Mix well and set aside.
3. In the large bowl, combine one cup flour, the baking powder and salt. 
4. Add the yogurt and stir well. 
5. Start adding flour until you can work the dough with your hands easily. 
6. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead 3 - 4 minutes. 
7. Divide the dough into 8 pieces. 
8. Roll each piece out into a (rough) circle. 
9. Spoon 1/8 of the filling into the middle of the circle, then fold up the sides of the circle to overlap in the center.
10. Repeat with the remaining circles.
11. Bake on the bottom rack of the oven 5 - 6 minutes, or until golden. 

Recipe: Afghan Ginger Preserve (Muraba-e-Zanjafeel)

Recipe Source: Saberi, Helen.  Afghan Food & Cookery.  Hippocrene Books, New York, 2000 pp. 206 - 7

This is one more jam that I made for the Christmas Project.  It had a wonderful flavor, and the aroma that filled the air as I was cooking it was indescribable.  Unfortunately, it made precisely two eight-ounce jars.  Two.  That's it.  You can insert a string of expletives of your choice here if you like.  That's too bad, because this was a really delicious jam that would have warmed a lot of people this past holiday season.  I only made one change, and that was to omit the nuts. 

Muraba-e-Zanjafeel (makes 2 8-oz jars; approx. cost per serving not available)

12 ounces fresh ginger, peeled and grated

2 cups sugar

1 cup water

1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom

2 tablespoons lemon juice

Equipment:

• Saucepan
• Large stockpot
• 2 8-oz home canning jars, with lids and bands
• Boiling water canner
• Ladle

1. Prepare your canning equipment.  Put the jars, lids and bands into the stockpot, cover with water and heat to 180 degrees.  Maintain heat at 180 degrees for at least 10 minutes.  Fill the boiling water canner with water and heat to 180 degrees. 
2. Put the ginger in the saucepan and add 1 cup of water.
3. Bring the water to a boil, then boil gently until the ginger is softened. 
4. Add the sugar and cardamom.  Bring to a boil over high heat.
5. Just before the mixture starts to set, add the lemon juice.
6. Boil a few moments until set, then ladle into the jars.
7. Process 30 minutes in a boiling water canner.
8. Cool, label and store.