Author: Yotam Ottolenghi from his book Jerusalem

ITAL CURRY EGGPLANT RUNDOWN RECIPE

Ingredients:
1 large dried coconut
3 medium sized eggplants.
1 small onion finely chopped
3 coves of garlic finely chopped
1 medium tomato pureed
2 teaspoons of grated ginger
3/4 teaspoon salt or to taste (optional)
1 heaping tablespoon of curry powder
1 teaspoon thyme

Process: Eggplants

a) Bake eggplants in oven at 400 degrees for roughly 45 minutes or until soft to the touch
b) Cool eggplants, and remove the skin
c) Cut into one inch pieces

Process: Coconut Rundown

Most recipes for rundown use canned coconut milk instead of fresh coconut for ease of use. This recipe uses real coconut. (However, you can substitute two cups of canned coconut milk.) Rundown is really boiling down coconut milk to form a custard and coconut oil.

Break open the coconut. Taste to ensure they coconut is fresh. Remove the coconut “meat” from the shell with a knife. This is dangerous as you run the risk of cutting yourself. Therefore you should proceed cautiously until you get the hang of it. Cut the coconut “meat” into small pieces and chop up in a blender using the chop setting. Use just enough water to chop coconut in blender. Chop coconut in batches so as not to overload the blender.

Blend the coconut in batches until the coconut is a fine consistency and the liquid resembles milk. Use a large strainer to separate the coconut from the milk. Hand squeeze any remaining milk from the residue. 

In a large uncovered cooking pot bring the coconut milk to a rapid boil then reduce the flame to medium and cook until the water evaporates and about a cup and a half combination of clear liquid (oil) and custard (see picture below) remains. This takes approximately 1 to 11/2 hours.

Process: Combine

Add onion, garlic, ginger, salt, tomato puree, and curry powder to coconut rundown. Simmer for about 8 to 10 minutes. Add chopped up eggplant. Cook for 15 minutes.

Pureed Beetroot with Yoghurt and Za’atar – Ottolenghi, Jerusalem

6 medium beets trimmed
2 small garlic cloves, crushed
1 small red chilli, seeded and minced
250g plain Greek yogurt
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons Date syrup (or pure maple syrup works too)
1 tablespoon Za’atar
Salt
Handful roasted, crushed hazelnuts
2 tablespoons goat cheese, crumbled
2 spring onions, thinly sliced

Preheat the oven to 350°. Wash and trim the beetroot and wrap each one individually in silver foil. Place in a baking tray and cook for about an hour – until you can pierce them with a sharp knife.

Once cool peel the beetroot, cut into wedges and transfer to a food processor. Add the garlic, chilli and yoghurt and pulse until blended. Add the olive oil, date or maple syrup and za’atar and puree. Season with salt. Scrape into a wide, shallow bowl. Scatter the hazelnuts, goat cheese and spring onion on top and serve.

Salad

Reprinted from Jerusalem: A Cookbook by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi

Author: Yotam Ottolenghi from his book Jerusalem

Pureed Beetroot with Yoghurt and Za’atar – Ottolenghi, Jerusalem

6 medium beets trimmed
2 small garlic cloves, crushed
1 small red chilli, seeded and minced
250g plain Greek yogurt
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons Date syrup (or pure maple syrup works too)
1 tablespoon Za’atar
Salt
Handful roasted, crushed hazelnuts
2 tablespoons goat cheese, crumbled
2 spring onions, thinly sliced

Preheat the oven to 350°. Wash and trim the beetroot and wrap each one individually in silver foil. Place in a baking tray and cook for about an hour – until you can pierce them with a sharp knife.

Once cool peel the beetroot, cut into wedges and transfer to a food processor. Add the garlic, chilli and yoghurt and pulse until blended. Add the olive oil, date or maple syrup and za’atar and puree. Season with salt. Scrape into a wide, shallow bowl. Scatter the hazelnuts, goat cheese and spring onion on top and serve.

Za'atar: Middle Eastern Spice Mixture

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup sumac
• 2 tablespoons thyme
• 1 tablespoon roasted sesame seeds
• 2 tablespoons marjoram
• 2 tablespoons oregano
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt

Preparation:

Salad

Reprinted from Jerusalem: A Cookbook by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi

Filfel Chuma

20 garlic cloves, minced
4 teaspoon hot paprika (or cayenne)
4 tablespoons sweet paprika
1 Ancho pepper
3 teaspoon ground cumin

2 tsp caraway seeds
5 tablespoons oil, divided
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Toast spices in frying pan or on oven sheet.

Combine all but olive oil, and puree.

With motor running, pour oil into mixture.

Za'atar: Middle Eastern Spice Mixture

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup sumac
• 2 tablespoons thyme
• 1 tablespoon roasted sesame seeds
• 2 tablespoons marjoram
• 2 tablespoons oregano
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt

Preparation:

Filfel Chuma

20 garlic cloves, minced
4 teaspoon hot paprika (or cayenne)
4 tablespoons sweet paprika
1 Ancho pepper
3 teaspoon ground cumin

2 tsp caraway seeds
5 tablespoons oil, divided
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Toast spices in frying pan or on oven sheet.

Combine all but olive oil, and puree.

With motor running, pour oil into mixture.

Green Onion Oil Recipe

Ingredients

1 big bunch of green onions finely sliced
3 tablespoons of ginger finely minced
1 tablespoon each of finely minced garlic and shallots

1/4 cup grapeseed or other neutral oil
splash of sesame seed oil

salt to taste

Directions

Heat up the grapeseed oil in a saucepan over high heat until the oil is shimmery and hot, but not smoking. Add the green onions, ginger, garlic and shallots at once, but be careful, the oil will bubble and splatter. The onions will sizzle and wilt almost immediately and turn a bright green. Take the pan off the heat and stir the sauce with a wooden spoon. Add a splash of sesame seed oil and salt to taste. Toss with your favourite noodles, hoisin and sriracha.

Chuy's Deluxe Cream/Tomatillo Sauce

This is an easier recipe than the one above.

Ingredients:


1 (4 ounce) can green chilies
1 3/4 cups canned tomatillos, drained
1/4 cup cilantro leaf
3/4 cup heavy cream
1 egg
1 teaspoon salt

Directions:


Blend all ingredients, in blender or food processor.

Cover whatever you're cooking generously with this sauce, as it soaks in, as it cooks(but make sure it does cook, on top of your enchiladas, burritos, etc, as it contains raw egg).

Tomatillo Crema

For sauce:

For the enchiladas:

Preparation

Place the tomatillos and chiles in a saucepan with water to cover. Bring to a boil and cook until the tomatillos are tender. Drain and reserve ½ cup cooking liquid.

Put the tomatillos, chiles, garlic, cilantro and reserved liquid in a blender and puree until smooth.

Heat the oil in the saucepan in which the tomatillos and chiles were cooked, add the puree in a slow stream, and cooked over medium heat for 10 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in cream and add salt to taste.

Heat oil as necessary to soften tortillas, first on one side until it puffs up, then on the other. Tortillas should remain pliable. Drain on paper towels.

Dip each tortilla in sauce, fill with chicken, and return to the skillet in which the tortillas were softened. Spoon any remaining sauce over the enchiladas, sprinkle cheese on top, cover and heat briefly, just long enough for the cheese to melt. Do not overheat or the tortillas will become soggy.

These are richer than most other enchiladas, so two enchiladas, plus a side dish, is an average serving. Serves 4.

Cilantro Crema

1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons buttermilk
1 cup chopped cilantro leaves
2 tablespoons lime juice
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Combine the heavy cream and buttermilk in a glass bowl or jar with a lid and stir or shake well to blend thoroughly. Allow to sit in a warm place, unrefrigerated, until cream is thickened and somewhat "set," up to 6 hours. Shake well and refrigerate overnight before using. When ready to serve, add cilantro, lime juice and salt and pepper.

Good over plantains or whatever sounds good.

Tomatillo Crema

For sauce:

• 1 pound tomatillos, husked
• 2 serrano chiles (seeded, if desired, for less heat)
• 2 large cloves garlic, peeled and coarsely chopped
• ¼ cup cilantro leaves
• 1 tablespoon oil
• ¼ cup Mexican crema, crême fraiche or sour cream
• salt to taste

For the enchiladas:

• 8 medium corn tortillas
• oil as necessary
• cooked, shredded chicken for filling
• cheese for melting on the enchiladas: Chihuahua, Mexican manchego, jack or Gouda

Preparation

Place the tomatillos and chiles in a saucepan with water to cover. Bring to a boil and cook until the tomatillos are tender. Drain and reserve ½ cup cooking liquid.

Put the tomatillos, chiles, garlic, cilantro and reserved liquid in a blender and puree until smooth.

Heat the oil in the saucepan in which the tomatillos and chiles were cooked, add the puree in a slow stream, and cooked over medium heat for 10 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in cream and add salt to taste.

Heat oil as necessary to soften tortillas, first on one side until it puffs up, then on the other. Tortillas should remain pliable. Drain on paper towels.

Dip each tortilla in sauce, fill with chicken, and return to the skillet in which the tortillas were softened. Spoon any remaining sauce over the enchiladas, sprinkle cheese on top, cover and heat briefly, just long enough for the cheese to melt. Do not overheat or the tortillas will become soggy.

These are richer than most other enchiladas, so two enchiladas, plus a side dish, is an average serving. Serves 4.

-----------------------------------------------

Chuy's Deluxe Cream/Tomatillo Sauce

This is an easier recipe than the one above.

Ingredients:


1 (4 ounce) can green chilies
1 3/4 cups canned tomatillos, drained
1/4 cup cilantro leaf
3/4 cup heavy cream
1 egg
1 teaspoon salt

Directions:


Blend all ingredients, in blender or food processor.

Cover whatever you're cooking generously with this sauce, as it soaks in, as it cooks(but make sure it does cook, on top of your enchiladas, burritos, etc, as it contains raw egg).

Green Onion Oil Recipe

Ingredients

1 big bunch of green onions finely sliced
3 tablespoons of ginger finely minced
1 tablespoon each of finely minced garlic and shallots

1/4 cup grapeseed or other neutral oil
splash of sesame seed oil

salt to taste

Directions

Heat up the grapeseed oil in a saucepan over high heat until the oil is shimmery and hot, but not smoking. Add the green onions, ginger, garlic and shallots at once, but be careful, the oil will bubble and splatter. The onions will sizzle and wilt almost immediately and turn a bright green. Take the pan off the heat and stir the sauce with a wooden spoon. Add a splash of sesame seed oil and salt to taste. Toss with your favourite noodles, hoisin and sriracha.

Green Onions Salsa

Ingredients List

• 2 large bunch of green onions including greens(about 4 ounces), chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled
• 1 cup lightly packed fresh cilantro leaves
• 1/2 cup rice vinegar
• 1/2 cup fresh lime juice
• 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

Puree. Let rest in fridge for 1 hour.

Collard Greens with Bacon Recipe

Chef's tip: don't overcook the bacon. It should be barely brown around the edges and still somewhat raw-looking in the middle.

Ingredients

4 strips thick-sliced bacon, sliced crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces
1 small yellow onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbsp sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Several dashes hot sauce
1/4 cup apple-cider vinegar
2 pounds collard greens, stems removed, sliced into 3-inch-wide strips (can substitute kale or chard)
1 cup chicken broth (or water)*

Method

1 Heat a large skillet on medium heat. Cook the bacon in the skillet until it just begins to brown around the edges, stirring occasionally. Add the onions and cook until they have softened and are just starting to brown.

2 Add the garlic, salt, pepper, sugar and hot sauce. Cook until the garlic becomes fragrant, about a minute. Add the vinegar, bring to a simmer, and cook until the amount of liquid is reduced by half, stirring and scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.

3 Add the collard greens and the chicken broth (or water) and bring to a simmer. Reduce the temp to medium-low. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the collard greens have wilted and have lost their brightness. Season to taste with additional vinegar and hot sauce. Serve with some of the pan juices from the pan.

Serves 6 to 8.

[Note: You can omit the bacon and use a ham hock if you'd prefer]

Deborah's Louisiana Fried Spicy Cabbage

{Lord, it's got BACON!}

Ingredients:

2 pounds finely diced cabbage
1 pound finely chopped bacon
1 medium onion
2 tablespoon Red Pepper Flakes
1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions:

Fry bacon until crisp and well browned.
Add chopped onion and stir until limp.
Add pepper flakes, cabbage, salt & pepper.
Stirring well so that all the cabbage is coated.
Cover and cook over low heat until cabbage is limp and tender.