Category Archives: uncategorized

Red Lentil Soup

Posted on April 3, 2024 by nina in the kitchen

We all love this soup!! It’s a Melissa Clark recipe from the New York Times. The added punch here is carrots, cayenne, cumin and fresh lemon juice!! These all give the soup a wow flavor!

The lentils don’t separate as in some soup recipes. That’s because half of this soup is puréed after cooking is completed. This technique adds creaminess without removing all the texture. Great idea!!

I often double the recipe and share jars full with family and friends

I’m also generous with my carrots. How big is 1 large carrot? I often use 3 average carrots

I’m also generous with the tomato paste. I love that intense flavor!

The NYT recipe adds cilantro at the end, but I don’t. It’s your choice

Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1-3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon cumin
1-2 dashes cayenne or chili powder
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Salt
3 carrots, peeled and diced
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
2 cups water
1 cup red lentils
1/4 -1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped

Instructions

Heat a large Dutch oven or stock pot. Add the olive oil.
Add onions and sauté until softened
Add garlic and stir 30 seconds
Add cumin, cayenne, black pepper and tomato paste. Stir and simmer 2 minutes
Add broth, water, carrots, and lentils. Use lid and leave partially uncovered. Simmer 30 minutes
Add salt if needed
Remove from heat and ladle 1/2 of soup into a large bowl. Purée mixing bowl of soup with a stick blender. Return puréed soup to Dutch oven.
Reheat soup. Add lemon juice and cilantro
Serve soup hot. Sprinkle with cayenne if you like
Voila!

Let me know if you make the soup!!

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Posted in main dishes, soups, uncategorized and tagged antioxidants, high fiber, New York Times, NYT, red lentils, vegetarian. Bookmark the permalink.

Pastina

Posted on March 19, 2024 by nina in the kitchen

This Italian soup historically is made for sick family members. It’s called “Italian Penicillin” and is said to help illnesses go away!

It’s very simple and quick. Simmer, puree and serve. The secret ingredient is a rind from Parmesan Reggiano which is simmered with the vegetable soup. Keep these rinds in your freezer after you’ve finished the cheese. It adds a sweet umami flavor to this soup and many other sauces and soups

Homemade chicken broth is a perfect base for Pastina but a quick alternative is broth made from Better Than Bouillon

Ingredients

7 cups chicken broth

4 large carrots, peeled and cut in 4 inch pieces

2 medium onions, peeled and quartered

4 ribs celery, cut in 4 inch pieces

4 inch piece of Parmesan Reggiano rind

Salt to taste

1 1/2 cups tiny pasta such as Acini di Pepe by DeCecco

Finely grated Parmesan Reggiano for serving

Chopped parsley for serving, optional

Directions

In a Dutch oven or large saucepan combine broth, vegetables and Parmesan rind
Bring to a boil, cover and simmer till vegetables are very tender. At least 30 minutes
With a slotted spoon remove vegetables from soup and place in a food processor. Remove Parmesan rinds and discard.
Purée vegetables until very smooth. Return this purée to the pot of broth and whisk together. Cover and simmer 2 minutes
Add salt if needed
Now you have 2 options with adding the pasta. My choice is to cook the tiny pasta in water as directed on its package. Drain and add some pasta to each bowl and pour the soup over it
The second option is to cook the pasta in the soup until tender. Either method is good
Make sure to use the tiny pasta. I use the Acini de Pepe style of pasta by DeCecco
When serving the soup and pasta make sure it’s piping hot and for sure top with finely grated Parmesan!
The added chopped parsley is for color and can be added to each bowl if you like
Voila!

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Posted in main dishes, soups, uncategorized and tagged Acini de Pepe pasta, DeCecce, Italian penicillin, Parmesan Reggiano cheese rind, pastina, vegetable soup. Bookmark the permalink.

Hard Boiled Eggs

Posted on April 13, 2022 by nina in the kitchen

Cooks Illustrated is a cooking magazine I use a lot. This is their perfected method of making hard boiled eggs which do not explode!

At Easter I make my Russian family’s eggs dyed in dried onion skins. I buy extra onions to make sure I have enough!!

Ingredients

6-24 white large eggs
Dried onion skins from 3 lbs yellow onions

Directions to Cook Eggs

Gather 6 large white eggs that are cold and straight from the frig. Check them closely for cracks
In a 2-3 quart saucepan bring 1 inch water to a boil
Either place a steamer in the water or use a pair of prongs to gently place each egg in the boiling water
Cover and reduce to a low simmer for 13 minutes
In a medium bowl place 2 cups of cold water and 2 cups of ice
Place cooked eggs in ice water and let sit 15 minutes
This method should give you perfectly cooked eggs ready fo dying or peeling

Use a pair of tongs that safely hold an egg

Directions to Onion Dye Eggs

Peel dried brown skins from 3 pounds yellow onions and place in a 6-8 quart pot
Cover skins with water. Cover pot and bring to a boil. Let cool to room temperature
Add eggs. I usually make 18-24 eggs with this amount of onion skins
The longer the eggs soak in the water the darker they get. Sometimes the dye seeps into the egg white
You can get a marble like effect if you wrap the skin around each egg and keep them in place with string or rubber bands
If you soak the eggs more than 2 hours, cover the pot and refrigerate

Cooked eggs soaking in dried onion skins and water

Voila!

2 Comments

Posted in side dishes, uncategorized and tagged Cooks Illustrated, hard boiled eggs, Russian Easter eggs. Bookmark the permalink.

Scalloped Potatoes au Gratin or Gratin Dauphinois

Posted on April 13, 2022 by nina in the kitchen

Also known as Gratin Dauphinois, this is the very popular style of potato served all over France! The recipe is from Julia Child’s The French Chef Cookbook. The recipes in this cookbook are all from her PBS cooking show.

Ingredients

2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled
1 cup milk
1 small clove garlic, peeled & smashed
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
3-4 tablespoons butter
6 cup oven proof and flame proof baking dish, 2 inches deep

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees
Slice potatoes 1/8 inch thick and place in a bowl of cold water. I like to use a mandoline to slice the potatoes
Bring milk to boil on the stovetop with salt, pepper and garlic
Drain potatoes and add to milk
Cut up butter into tiny pieces and distribute over potatoes
Bake for 25 minutes or until milk is absorbed and potatoes are tender and browned.
Use the broiler to brown if needed.
Bon Appetit!!!

Bring milk, salt, pepper and garlic to a boil

Slice potatoes 1/8 inch thick and place in cold water

Place potatoes in milk and distribute butter over potatoes

As Julia always said at the end of each episode Bon Appetit!

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Posted in side dishes, uncategorized and tagged Julia Child, potatoes dauphinois, scalloped potatoes au gratin, The French Chef Cookbook. Bookmark the permalink.

Lemon Tahini Dressing

Posted on February 10, 2021 by nina in the kitchen

Blanched Baby Broccoli Drizzled With Tahini Sauce

Tahini, Olive Oil, Lemon Juice, Garlic & Water!
That’s all you need!

Rachel AMA’s “Vegan Eats” introduced me to this recipe. It reminds me of the flavors of Turkey. Tahini, lemon, garlic. The sauce can be drizzled over cold salads, hot steamed vegetables, as a dip with naan or pita bread, or a sauce for anything!

It’s a mix of tahini, lemon juice, water, olive oil, garlic, & salt. Whisk it all together in a bowl and you’re done. Keeps well in frig too. I use it up in a few days

I’ve used various brands of tahini. Some are thicker and heavy and some are thin and syrupy. Rachel lives in London, so metric weights are used. It was extremely helpful to know 50 grams of tahini was needed since the various concentrations of tahini make a difference in the same volume. I have a new OXO digital scale I love and I use it daily! It weighs in metric and non-metric.

Hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do!

I grilled this baby broccoli on a grill pan. It was a new blackened broccoli flavor!

Ingredients

50 grams tahini
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons water
1 garlic clove, finely minced
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon salt, optional

Directions

In a small bowl combine all ingredients
Whisk together
I added the salt. It’s up to you. I’ve been using more salt since reading “Salt Fat Acid Heat” by Samin Nosrat

Voila!

2 Comments

Posted in side dishes, uncategorized and tagged lemon juice, Rachel AMA, tahini, vegan Eats, vegetables. Bookmark the permalink.

Puréed Corn with Cherry Tomatoes and Concord Grapes

Posted on September 9, 2018 by nina in the kitchen

This recipe was inspired by a photo on Instagram. It’s a bed of puréed corn that is warmed and topped with colorful cherry tomatoes and seedless Concord grapes. The original picture idea had melon balls but I could not pass up these seedless Concord grapes! Serves 8

Ingredients

6 ears fresh sweet corn

3 tablespoons melted butter

1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper flakes

1 pint colorful cherry tomatoes

1/2 pint seedless Concord grapes or other fruit or vegetable of your choice

Extra virgin olive oil to drizzle

Aged thick balsamic vinegar

Flaked sea salt

Procedure:

Bring a large cooking pot of water to a boil
Add the corn and cover
Bring to a boil
Turn off heat and let sit 10 minutes
Drain and cool
Using a sharp knife cut the corn off the cob
Place corn in a food processor
Purée
Add melted butter and pepper flakes
Purée until completely smooth
Season with salt and pepper
Serve warm. Reheat if you make this ahead and refrigerate before serving

Assemble the salads:

Arrange about 1/2 cup of corn on the plate. Make a shape or smear it around. Think of it as painting on a plate
Top with an arrangement of sliced or halved tomatoes and whole grapes
Drizzle with a tiny bit of olive oil and balsamic vinegar
Sprinkle with flaked sea salt

Voila!

Corn is cut off the cob and placed in a food processor

Melted butter and hot red pepper flakes are added

Purée again and season with salt and pepper if desired. I don’t think it needs salt

The corn mix is puréed to a very smooth consistency and arranged on serving plates with colorful tomatoes and grapes.

When I find the pineapple tomatillo I will add that for a sweet taste. It should be ripening in September in Michigan.

I really want to grow them in my garden. The paper like husk is beautiful and a nice addition to food presentation

The dressing is not really needed but just a few drops finishes it off. You can apply the oil and vinegar artfully to look like abstract strokes or drops of a modern painting

Below is the original photo which inspired me. TheJamLab was out to dinner here

Enjoy!

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Posted in salads, side dishes, uncategorized and tagged corn salad, layered salad, pineapple tomatillos, puréed corn, seedless Concord grapes. Bookmark the permalink.

Roasted Carrot and Ginger Soup

Posted on November 23, 2016 by nina in the kitchen

This is a recipe I found at The Mediterranean Dish! It’s similar to pumpkin or squash soup, but for those who don’t like pumpkin or squash, it’s super! Very easy with a food processor or stick blender.

Roasted carrots get a caramelized glow

Puree the carrots with grated ginger and minced garlic, adding some of the stock.

Pureed mix is quite thick at this point

Ground coriander and allspice ready to be added to the pot

The puree is poured into a cooking pot. Then more stock is added with the allspice, coriander and finally the half and half.

A bit of chopped parsley or mint is layered on the bowl of soup. Voila!

On a large baking sheet, drizzle some olive oil. Then place 4 pounds peeled whole carrots and drizzle with more olive oil.
Sprinkle with salt and pepper
Roast at 425 degrees. Turn the carrots after 20 minutes. Bake another 20-30 minutes or until carrots are browning and fork tender.
Cut into 1/3s and place in the food processor, scraping the oil from the baking sheet
Add

2 teaspoons minced garlic

1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger

2 cups warm chicken, turkey or vegetable stock

Puree until silky smooth
Scrape into a medium saucepan
Add

1 teaspoon ground allspice

1 teaspoon ground coriander

2-3 cups stock

Whisk together and bring to a simmer
Add slowly

1-2 cups half and half

I give the range of stock and half and half. If you want a stronger carrot flavor add less liquid.
This makes about 8 cups.

Isn’t it pretty in my Ball canning jars! I love to store food in these containers.

6 Comments

Posted in soups, uncategorized and tagged Ballcanningjars, carrots, ginger, roastedcarrots, soup. Bookmark the permalink.

Quick Thai Spicy Coconut Shrimp

Posted on November 3, 2016 by nina in the kitchen

We’ve made this dish several times this year. It’s a New York Times recipe. I hope you love it too!

I’ve found you can serve this as a soup with a little rice or as a stew with a lot of rice. To make as a soup use only 1 pound of shrimp. To make a stew, use 2 pounds shrimp and more broccoli. I think using the frozen broccoli flowerettes works well. Just thaw them and add to the pot!

Ingredients

2 tablespoons red curry paste

2-4 tablespoons fish sauce

1/4 cup sambal

1/4 cup sweet chili sauce

2 pounds medium raw, deveined, shelled shrimp. Remove tails too!

3 tablespoons light sesame oil

1 cup scallions

2 cups steamed fresh or thawed frozen broccoli pieces

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1-14 ounce can coconut milk

1 bunch cilantro, chopped coursely

Rice for serving

Directions

In a medium bowl combine curry paste, fish sauce, sambal olek and sweet chili sauce. Add shrimp and mix together.
Heat a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add sesame oil. After it is hot add shrimp mixture. Heat and cook 1 minute. Don’t cook shrimp through yet.
Add scallions and broccoli. Heat through
Add soy sauce and coconut milk. Heat through and bring to a simmer. Stir and simmer 1 minute or until shrimp is just cooked and not overdone.
Add cilantro to the saucepan and/or at the table and serve with rice.

Voila!

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Posted in main dishes, uncategorized and tagged brown rice, coconutmilk, fishsauce, sambal, sesameoil, shrimp, spicy, thai. Bookmark the permalink.

Three Bean Salads

Posted on July 9, 2016 by nina in the kitchen

This cold marinated salad became popular in the 1960’s and was commonly served at picnics, BBQs and as a side salad. I’ve adapted the original recipe by using fresh rather than canned green beans and yellow wax beans. I’ve also cut the sugar way back and used no added salt canned kidney beans and garbanzo beans.
Here is the green, yellow and kidney bean salad.

This is another version made with sugar snap peas, dark red kidney beans and garbanzo beans! Everything else is the same as the above 3 bean salad.

Snap peas are peas with an edible pod. The pod and peas are very tender and sweet and easier to prepare than peas. All you have to do is break off the stem end and in one continuous motion, tear off the string from one side of the pod. Voila!

Beans are trimmed and cut in thirds