Lemon Tahini Cookies

A quick experiment, based on a RR base I found online:

zest of 2 lemons
juice of 1 lemon
1 stick of butter, chilled (I used 1/3 tub of whipped butter)
1 1/2 c flour
1 c sugar
2 T tahini
1 egg
1/4 t salt
1/4 t baking soda

Preheat oven to 350. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper, set aside. Using an electric mixer, combine the butter, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice until fluffy. Add egg and tahini and beat until incorporated. Add flour, baking soda and salt. Mix until a uniform dough begins to form.

Scoop and slightly flatten 1-inch balls of dough onto cookie sheets. Bake for 15-20 minutes. I got 1 dozen medium-sized cookies out of this. The tahini wasn't really identifiable as a flavor, but I think it added a nice undertone to the bright citrus. I'll probably play around with this recipe some more. Also, I imagine if I wasn't in such a hurry and refrigerated the dough for a while before baking, they'd have been a little flakier. As it is though, they had a pretty good crumb.

Commencement

Celebrating J's hooding this weekend began with tapas (some highlights: tortilla, vieriras con salsa azafran (grilled sea scallops, spinach and saffron sauce), salman a la parrilla (grilled salmon, asparagus, tomato, basil and alioli) and ended with friends, a bottle of Villa Sandi Prosecco and a lemon mousse cake from Rolf's Patisserie. The latter was a particularly sublime combination.

Green Peas and Tofu Curry with Indian Rice

Green Peas and Tofu Curry
This is almost Matar Paneer, but I'm not a big fan of paneer cheese. Cubed tofu makes a nice substitute and picks up the color and flavor of the curry well. This could have vegan had I used canola oil instead of ghee, and soymilk instead of regular yogurt. Even so, it was a light curry, not very saucy and rich. And, even though the tomatoes were from a can, their acidity contributed an essential flavor foil to the creaminess.

8 oz. extra firm tofu, cubed
1 1/2 c fresh green peas
1/2 c yogurt (I used Wallaby nonfat plain)
1/2 c tomatoes, chopped
1/2 c onion, diced
2 tiny chili peppers
2 T cilantro, chopped
2-3 T ghee
Spice:
1 teaspoon ginger paste
1 teaspoon garlic paste
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon garam masala powder
salt to taste

Preparation

Heat 1 T ghee in a pan over medium heat. Fry tofu in ghee until it's a golden light color. Remove tofu from pan. Heat remaining 1-2 T's ghee. Add the onions and fry until light golden brown. Add all spices, chili pepper and salt. Stir few seconds. Add tomatoes. Stir again for few minutes, take care that spices do not scorch. Add yogurt, peas and tofu. Stir gently. Cover and reduce heat. Allow to simmer for 20 minutes or until peas begin to break apart. Garnish with cilantro and serve with rice or Indian bread.

Indian Rice
Into the rice cooker, add:
2 c basmati rice, rinsed
4 c water
1 cinnamon stick
4 whole cloves
1 t cumin seeds
1/2 t ground turmeric
3 cardamom pods, bruised
pinch of sea salt

It all cooks together in the normal cycle and the steam smells amazing. The finished rice is flavorful, bright yellow, and a delicious complement to the Green Peas and Tofu Curry.

Rejuvenated by fiddleheads and ice cream cones

With one too many meals consumed hurriedly in front of a computer for the last two weeks, this weekend we issued a corrective.

Friday night to Lula, my favorite restaurant in all the land, where we dined on an appetizer of pan seared sea scallops with fiddlehead ferns, pinenuts, sorrel and mandarin; (my entree) stinging nettle, farro, green and white asparagus, young garlic, hazelnuts, and poached farm egg 'noisette'; (J's) lake superior whitefish with morel mushrooms, dandelion greens, walnuts and applewood bacon. I had a taste of the whitefish which I usually love but all I tasted was bacon, which I haven't eaten in years and now I realize I have not missed at all. Dessert was a jasmine rice pudding with mandarine champagne broth and lavender, a nice sweet finish to a meal that was wholly satisfying. We had a white wine with this meal that was good, but not memorable.

Saturday morning I woke up at 6 and bicycled to the Green City Market in Lincoln Park. The weather was pristine and I walked about as the vendors arrived and set up, beating the post-8 a.m. crowd and finding a lot of opportunity to talk with the growers. Fresh strawberries and rhubarb were in abundance and I tried to imagine some time this week to bake with them, but 4 deadlines in the next 7 days say nein. I still brought a few stalks of rhubarb for J, since he recalls it growing in abundance in his yard growing up and ate it raw with a little sugar. But, I wonder, isn't this a plant with a toxicity caveat? Without having much of a cooking plan, I did pack a bag full of things that could be quickly stir-fried in the next few evenings: purple asparagus (growers were saying this could be asparagus's last week), wild watercress, some greens called Spignorello which I'd never heard of before, fresh mint, flat-leaf parsley, blush-red turnips. was also tempted by the armloads of young garlic and spring onions and their three foot long tender greens, but they looked like they might be around next time, and the nano-greens (arugula sprouts, sunflower sprouts, etc.). A fresh baguette, a jar of apple butter, a bouquet of peonies and a tomato, cheese and herb crepe made and eaten on the spot rounded out my morning's entertainment.

Bicycling home wasn't too difficult, but getting back baskets is clearly in order if my grocery shopping is to exceed one shoulderbag-full.

A last minute dinner with an old friend inspired me to attempt a re-creation of Lula's stinging nettle and farro with watercress and wild rice instead. For young garlic, old garlic; for hazelnuts, pinenuts; for green asparagus, purple asparagus, etc. It came together in a similar presentation, but ultimately the garlic broth that tied it all together was lacking a little punch, or salt, or maybe it was miso it needed. In any case, we all felt quite energized afterwards we took a long(ish) walk to Margie's (the wait at 10 pm. to eat dessert at Hot Chocolate was 2 hours! That's a Brooklyn wait, so screw that) for an ice-cream cone to go (crowds were waiting outside for one of the few booths to open up, definitely a place to return to for the full-on banana split in the clam-shell bowl. The atmosphere made me mourn something I hadn't realized had been so completely lost from my youth when those old joints from the 1920's were still in service and hardly exceptional.)

One more note on a redemptive 24 hours of food and relaxation: two excellent wine recommendations from the outpost down the street where the owner is incrementally enlarging my wine education and has never steered us wrong in the dozen bottles we've drunk in the short time his store has been open. La Cappuccina 2005 Soave proved to be a refreshing glass by itself, and paired well with the white bean pate that preceded last night's dinner and with the garlic-infused and bitter-astringent greens and nuttiness of my watercress and wild rice experiment. Later, the perfectly proportioned red J picked out was an easy drinker, excelling in all the characters he and I like in a red: not too full-bodied, but dry with a bit of earthiness and spice. That one's the Abad Dom Bueno Roble.

Quinoa Salad with Pistachios

As I was saying, my acupuncturist is also big into nutrition and she and I often talk about our vegful kitchen experiments. Since Traditional Chinese Medicine views food as a living medicine that is part and parcel of one's qi harmony, or disharmony as often has it, much of what we in the West know of as healthful eating is reiterated: for most people's dispositions, TCM suggests avoiding processed foods, choosing fresh, whole foods, limiting the sugar, dairy, wheat gluten and alcohol. There are some folksy notions about certain kinds of meat nourishing one's particular qi deficiencies, otherwise it's quite vegetarian friendly, and my practitioners have always been flexible and respectful of my refusal to eat chicken liver, in spite of some good it's supposed to be for one persnickety meridian.

So she recently self-published a cookbook- for her women clients in particular.. those of us overly yin and in need of foods to fire up some yang to keep the energy moving productively.
This one sounded good, and even though I was out of the parsley it calls for, the combination of mint and cilantro is a revelation.. one I'll be playing with much more in the future.

Apparently the green onion, pistachios and quinoa boost yang while the cilantro and mint are harmonizing influences (I think by harmonizing it is meant spleen and liver qi... one of them is always lagging behind the other it seems).

1 1/2 c water
2/3 c uncooked quinoa
1/2 t sea salt
1/3 c goji unsweetened goji berries, quartered
1/3 c golden raisins
1/3 c shelled, dry roasted pistachios
1/4 thinly sliced green onions
1/4 c fresh chopped cilantro
2 T fresh chopped mint
1/4 t black pepper

(Vinaigrette)
1/2 t grated lime rind
3 T fresh lime juice
2 T mirin
1 T olive oil
1/4 t sea salt
1/4 t ground cumin
1/4 t ground coriander
1/4 t paprika

Combine water, quinoa and salt in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Reserve 3 tablespoons of the remaining liquid and drain off the rest. Combine quinoa and next 7 ingredients in a large bowl and set aside.

To prepare the vinaigrette, combine reserved 3 T cooking liquid, lime rind, and remaining ingredients in a bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Pour vinaigrette over quinoa mixture, and toss well to coat.

Spiced Watercress

I would have used a shallot in this if I had one. The only member of the onion family not shriveled beyond recognition in my veg drawer this week (too busy to cook... makes me a bad mood) were a few chives.

This is also adapted from a recipe in my acupuncturist's cookbook (which is comprised, in turn, of recipes she adapted from sources online, so the circle of life, sans Sir Elton).

2 T olive oil
1/2 t sea salt
2 heaping T's of garlic paste (this jar of Swad garlic paste I got from the Indian grocery is magical.. it featured into a Mother's Day salad dressing with ease too. Oh, I mean to record for posterity the contents of that salad: microgreens, dried cherries, avocado, sunflower seeds, and a homemade dressing of garlic, dijon mustard, sherry vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper.)
2 t ground cumin
1/2 t ground coriander
1/2 t cinnamon
1/4 t nutmeg
1 pound watercress, washed and trimmed
1 T diced chives

Heat oil in a skillet on medium heat. When the oil is hot add garlic and spices. Stir for a minute until fragrant and coming together as a paste. Deglaze pan with a few tablespoons of water. Add greens and toss to stir fry for a few minutes, until greens are tender, wilt slightly and turn bright green.

Veganfitti

It's no Banksy, but I have a soft spot for this tagger that's recently been quite ambitious in my neighborhood. J and I report in to one another with new sightings daily. The best so far is "vegan" across a closed down rib shack restaurant on Ashland Ave.

Lemon Poppyseed Muffins

In preparation for the brunch of the Mothers I am hosting tomorrow, the Lemon Poppyseed experiment.

3 c all-purpose white flour
1 t salt
1 t baking soda
1/2 t baking powder
1 c poppy seeds
3 eggs
1/2 c canola oil
1/2 c unsweetened applesauce
3/4 c sugar
2 c lowfat, plain, unsweetened kefir
juice of 2 lemons
zest of 1 lemon

Sift together the flour, salt, soda and baking powder; stir in seeds. Beat the eggs in a large bowl. Add the oil, applesauce and sugar; cream well. Add the kefir, lemon zest and lemon juice. Spoon into 12 greased muffin cups and 1 mini loaf pan. Bake in a 325 degree oven for 1 hour.

Sekihan 2.0

So my abundance of azuki beans and rice made high-octane lunches for a week and formed the basis of a daily improvisation of toppings. Here is one of the more tweaked additions:

Exotic mushrooms sauteed in mirin and sesame oil, sauteed spinach and sesame seeds, hard-boiled egg.

Carrot Cake

I decided to make a cake for someone in our office who is going back to India, and was thrilled for the opportunity to understand her dietary restrictions a little better. Each day is a tribute to a different god, so one day meat is OK, another day is vegetarian, another day omits all meat and eggs, etc. So Monday meant she would do dairy but no eggs. Viola, a vegan cake with a very dairy frosting. Turns out she had never had carrot cake before and appreciated the sweet and the salty (cream cheese in the frosting) flavors she thought uncharacteristic of American sweets.

This cake was my first: carrot cake, layer cake, and baking with egg replacement (used arrowroot in its place). I made two batches actually. One batch of the same recipe with eggs and in cupcake form (for us)-- this batch also used Earth Balance vegan butter instead of butter in the frosting. The cake had a nice density that disguised the lack of poof afforded by the eggs. The arrowroot just added some thickening power. They were both good-- and the entire office requested the recipe for the cake, but I have a slight preference for the cupcakes J and I devoured to a Bogart and Bacall movie.

Recipe posting shortly.

Sekihan 1.0

3 cups leftover brown rice and wild rice mix
2/3 c dry azuki beans
1/4 c black sesame seeds
1 carrot, thinly and diagonally sliced
2 scallions, diced
2 T sesame oil
2 T tamari

Should have soaked first, but I figured, why soak when you can boil? Boiling took longer than probably necessary- 2 hours, but left behind a beautiful red liquid after I spooned the cooked beans out and then I boiled the carrots in the liquid.

In a separate pan, toast sesame seeds.

Heat sesame oil in a wok. Add rice. Stir and cook for 1 minute, then add 1 c carrot/bean water. Add carrots, sesame seeds, and beans and heat through, stirring often, about 15 minutes.

Serve with fresh scallions.

*I had hoped to add some soaked hijiki until I read all over the place online about its arsenic profile.

Date Bundt

My first bundt! Craving sugar and trying to keep it healthy, I devised a use for a container of old dates in the back of the fridge...

1/3 c canola oil
1 c brown rice syrup
1 c unsweetened applesauce
3 T molasses
1 t vanilla
1 egg
1 c white flour
1 c whole wheat flour with wheat bran
2 t cinnamon
1 t nutmeg
1 t salt
1 t baking soda
1 c chopped dates

Whir rice syrup and oil together; beat in molasses, vanilla, applesauce, and egg.

Sift together the flours, spices, salt, and soda. Add to creamed mixture; beat well. Fold in dates. Pour batter into a greased bundt pan.

Bake at 350° for 45 minutes to an hour.

VERDICT: It tastes like a very sensible, Germanic breakfast cake. Not rich and decadent, but the rice syrup holds its own in giving it a good measure of sweetness.

Sekihan and Chile Relleno

Yesterday was the warmest day this year, which means one finds every excuse to be outdoors. Eating along the way, we passed many old standbys to try a few new restaurants that have been on our list.

Breakfast at Dodo is my new favorite meal. An affectionate pet name for the owner's Japanese grandmother, Dodo's menu masters and innovates on breakfast classics (tiramisu French toast, for one), etc. while offering a few dishes informed by Japanese cuisine. Eating from the weekend's seasonal specials, J had an asparagus and mushroom ragout omelet with fontina cheese and a watercress aoli with roasted potatoes on the side. And though I was tempted by the pillowy, syrupy toasts and cakes being set down on nearby tables, I was excited for the opportunity to try some Japanese home cooking (which, I realize, is hard to come by when S isn't in town.. sushi is only half the story...).

So I got their version of sekihan, a traditional celebratory dish in Japan consisting of azuki beans and rice. Dodo's sekihan was a hearty skillet saute of brown rice, azuki beans, mixed vegetables including brussels sprouts, cauliflower and bean sprouts, seitan, roasted red potatoes and sesame seeds. The bitterness of the greens complimented the nuttiness of the beans and rice nicely, and while I tasted a bit of soy sauce, it was very subtle and not all that salty. Something turned the plate yellow too- turmeric? This was so substantial, I made 3 meals out of the portion they served me.. each one fueling me through the day.

This is also an exemplary qi meal- containing all the foods my acupuncturist tells me to eat more of: azuki, brown rice, greens and sesame. Good for yang building, apparently.

Yang's heyday got the kibosh with dinner- a deliciouso bunch of tequila and cheesey goodness at Las Palmas. We started with their cucumber margaritas, one of which was shockingly easy to dispense with over chips and salsa before out food even arrived. The salsa, by the way, is stellar... smoky and peppery with a good kick. Realizing how easy it would be to polish off another of the not-too-sweet or tequila-tasting cucumber yummies, we opted to share the special sommelier flight of 3 tequilas. I don't remember the brand, but none were as smooth, in my opinion, as a good Petron. Not that we left a drop to be debated... I even took a bite out of the chaser cup.. a sculpted cucumber vessel containing spiced tomato juice.

J got salmon somethingorother with a plantain chip planted in the center of it.

I got the vegetarian churrito, which was supposed to 3 things, but they were out of a bunch of them, so they brought me some other stuff. One of them was like lasagna but with potato or chayote thinly sliced where one would expect noodles to be. The other components were hard to discern, something that looked like a ranchero sauce but didn't have much flavor, or maybe the starchy layer absorbed all the flavor. I think there was a melty cheese layer, but only because the slab of lasagna leaked a pool of oil onto the plate as it sat there. The salad in the middle was awesome. Simply greens and crumbled fresco cheese and a creamy lime vinaigrette. The chile relleno, which I wouldn't have chosen otherwise, was not the paragon of savory cheese I recalled.

This said, J's thing was excellent, and the salsa, margaritas and service were so good, I'm looking forward to going back and trying other things on the menu.

POST POST:: Went back and everything was fabulous. The cucumber margaritas are fully confirmed as favorite new summer drink ever. We shared a jicama salad that was a palette of bright fresh flavors and crunch. And I had tacos de pescado that were, next to the ones we make at home with turbot on the grill and mango, A-list. Jeff's fish thing, red snapper Veracruz, was sultry gooood. We went early and were seated in the almost-outside, sunny atrium. It was clearly family hour... all else was parents and fidgety 2 year olds. Later, as we were leaving the datey couples started to arrive, and exiting through the restaurant we realized we had been missing a stunning guitar trio doing traditional tunes with a female vocalist who could really belt it out. We hung out inside for a while enjoying them before shoving off.

Adobo

Hungry after a 20 minute wait at the post office, we walked over to a favorite non-Taqueria Mexican place. Adobo gives it to you fresh and with a flair, with flavor combinations like huitlacoche with goat cheese, or seared tuna and rose petal sauce (ala Like Water for Choc). Last night, we were seated in an intimate corner with a vantage point of the cavernous bustling dining room, which became increasingly boisterous with parties of 8 pouring in the closer to 9 p.m. Service has always been exceptional and food quality and creativity has the aura of Frida Khalo's table.

The tableside guac and chips is always a good start, and while I watch the preparation intently, it's still a dash of salt tastier than mine at home. Maybe I can't join the guac majors without the lava mortar and pestle.
J ordered a nice Tempranillo which I stole a few sips of when I realized how well it complimented my meal-- Camarones: 9 grilled shrimp in a pipian (a classic Mayan sauce made from pumpkin seeds) rojo sauce with zucchini sofrito and a light fluffy, deconstructed corn tamale.
J had Veracruz style red snapper with plantains and cilantro rice.
An oven-baked apple casserole (apples in a warm cinnamon-sweet sauce with pecans) topped with shortbread-like crumble topping and a scoop of flan ice cream (which I think was really more like dulce de leche).
Ouch. It was hurry-home-and-get-in-stretchy-pants good.

I am intrigued with pipian sauce: waiter described it as a sauce made with ground sesame and pumpkin seeds.. nutty richness layers powerfully with the smoky chile.. a mild-medium heat, lots of flavor. Paired very well with an earthy tempranillo.

Greek Picnic Pie, Dilly Rice and Roasted Asparagus

Dilly Rice with Spinach

Made rice (2 cups dry, but I planned to have leftovers/extra.. what was needed for this recipe was about 1/2 c dry) (a combination of brown rice and wild rice) in rice cooker. Sauteed 1/2 a diced onion although next time I think I'll make it a whole onion). When rice was done cooking and still warm, I tossed it with 3 T chopped fresh dill and 2 cups of chopped fresh spinach and the sauteed onion. The heat from the rice wilted the spinach nicely and the rest of the flavors came together by sitting together for 5-10 minutes. I also added 3 T olive oil, juice of 1/2 lemon and salt and pepper to taste. Made a yummy, warm rice salad. Packs well in a lunch with a little extra vinaigrette as a cold rice salad too.

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Greek Picnic Pie (adapted from The Complete Book of Greek Cooking) (can also make this with eggplant instead of zucchini)

2 medium zucchini
1 cup cooked rice (I used a mixture of brown rice and wild rice for a substantial, nutty flavor)
1 frozen pie crust (I used a whole wheat, all natural, no lard havin' bugger)
1 onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
5 oz. fresh spinach
3-4 T fresh basil
4 eggs
3 oz. feta cheese (I used a variety that was already trumped up with herbs)
2 T olive oil
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350. Roast slices of zucchini on oiled (1 T olive oil) cookie sheets for about 15 minutes on each side, or until brown. Saute garlic and onion in 1 T olive oil. Finely chop fresh spinach and basil. Combine in a bowl with garlic, onion, feta cheese, eggs (beaten), salt and pepper. (The orig recipe called for milk and yogurt, but I forgot to add them and it still turned out good, though more vegetal than creamy.)

Line the bottom of the frozen pie crust with about a cup of cooked rice. Then form another layer with the spinach and egg mixture. This should fill the pie crust to the brim. Top with a layer of roasted zucchini and bake for 30-40 minutes.

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The other thing is just roasted asparagus... only not just. It's their time, after all. Roasted asparagus was the catalyst, actually, of my kitchen esprit that has gotten a little out of control since last summer. Just oil em up, throw a lemon's worth of juice over them and flip them around occasionally in a 400 degree oven. They take between 25 and 30 minutes.

Potato Dosa

Tonight I made a way-too-spicy sambar soup, dosas from a container of pre-made fresh batter bought at Patel's over the weekend, and a spicy ginger potato filling for the dosas. P ended up dropping by and I do believe it was him who, 10 years ago, fed me my first home-cooked curry. Also one of the first in a string of "let me cook for you" friends.

The dosa mix- a thin batter of lentils, rice and salt- can be further thinned with water and easily cooks up into thin, crispy crepes ready to be stuffed with goodies. Goodies in this case was Chili-Mashed Potatoes with Ginger, adapted from the Vege Table book I've been cooking from all week. This was excellent topped with the Coconut Chutney I made on Saturday, and with some store-bought mango chutney.

2 1/2 lbs. baking potatoes
1/2-2 jalapeno chilis
1 1/2 c yogurt
salt and freshly ground pepper
1 1/2 T of ginger paste
2 T cilantro for garnishing

Peel potatoes and cut into 1-inch pieces. Cook in a large pot of boiling water until tender, about 25 minutes. Drain, and using a potato masher, mash them coarsely. Add the chilies, ginger paste and yogurt and continue to mash until mixture is smooth.

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I've got to either dump or doctor up the sambar. I'm not sure what went wrong with it, but all notion of HOT overwhelms any of the other flavors.

Curry two times

These are two more of the dishes I made on Saturday, shown as reheated office lunch-- but yum, do they hold up well as leftovers!

Again, from The Vegetarian Table: India cookbook. This series has been indispensable. The Veg Table France and North Africa have also gotten a thorough workout (with the splattered and encrusted pages to show for it).

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Curried Cauliflower

1 large cauliflower (2 lbs., trimmed into small florets)
1 T coriander seeds
1 t cumin seeds
1/2 t fennel seeds
2-3 T ghee or oil (I used olive oil)
1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely julienned
1/4 t cayenne powder
1/2 t turmeric
1/2 T sugar (Sugar in the raw)
salt and freshly ground pepper
3 T chopped cilantro

In a mortar, pound the cumin, coriander, and fennel until crushed (I gave them a whirl in the Vita-Mixer instead). Heat all but 1 t oil in large pan or wok over medium heat. Stir in ginger and fry for about 20 seconds, then add the crushed spices, cayenne, turmeric, sugar and a sprinkle of water. Within seconds, add the cauliflower and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes. (I added about 1/4 c water to keep cauliflower from scorching. All of the water evaporated off and/or kept the cauliflower from drying out.) Reduce heat to low, cover and cook to the desired tenderness, shaking the pan occasionally; 15 to 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, drizzle with remaining oil, and garnish with cilantro.


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(a new favorite thing)

Curried Eggplant and Spinach

3 medium eggplants (1 1/2 pounds)
3 yellow bell peppers (I used red)
1/4 c chickpea flour
1 t turmeric
2 T Garam Masala
1 1/2 t salt
2 or 3 T ghee or evoo (I used evoo)
1/2 c water
cooking oil spray
1 1/2 T brown mustard seeds
2 T grated fresh ginger
1-3 hot green chilies, minced
1/2 t cardamom seeds, crushed
1 T sugar (Sugar in the Raw)
2 lbs. plum tomatoes, seeded and coarsely chopped
1 1/2 lbs. spinach, trimmed and chopped (I used one whole package of ready to eat organic baby spinach leaves)

Preheat oven to 400. Peel and cut eggplants into 1/2 inch cubes. Quarter, seed, devein, and cut the peppers into 1-inch pieces. Combine the eggplant, peppers, chickpea flour, turmeric, 1 T garam masala, salt and half of the oil in a bowl. Pour in the water and toss to mix. (Next time: spray baking sheets thoroughly with canola oil spray before spreading mixture out on them. Spread the vegetables in a single later on two baking sheets and roast the vegetables until they are browned and tender; 20 to 25 minutes. Set aside.

Heat the remaining oil in a large, nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the mustard seeds and fry until the seeds pop. Add the ginger, chilies, cardamom, sugar, and tomatoes and stir-fry until tomatoes are somewhat pulpy; 4 or 5 minutes. Add the spinach, cover and cook until the spinach is bright green and softened. Stir in the eggplant, season with salt and simmer together for 15-20 minutes.

Lemon Sesame Bread

Looking for a bready breakfast and a way to use up the big tub of yogurt in the fridge. This may make it onto the Mother's Day brunch menu. Original recipe is here.

My version makes one loaf and uses plain yogurt with fresh lemon juice and zest instead of lemon-flavored yogurt.

1 1/2 c all-purpose flour
1/2 t salt
1/2 t baking soda
1/4 t baking powder
1/2 c sesame seeds (could also use poppyseeds)
1 egg
1/2 c canola oil
1/2 c sugar
1 c yogurt
juice and zest of 1/2 lemon

Sift together the flour, salt, soda and baking powder; stir in seeds. Beat the eggs in a large bowl. Add the oil and sugar; cream well. Add the yogurt and lemon juice and zest. Spoon into a greased loaf pan. Bake in a 325 degree oven for 1 hour.

The next time I may bump up the lemon zest and juice to a whole lemon. I used low-fat yogurt and the bread still came out moist and rich.

J's Indian Benedict

While it was all by the book, the feast for 6 involved 4 dishes I'd never made before with everything needing to be prepared or finished within 15 minutes to serving, so the kitchen was a little chaotic as our guests arrived, and I wasn't able to sit much with the appetizers and soup course, but once everything else came together it was a banquet I could enjoy (with another bottle of the St. Michelle Reisling). Things got too busy for a photo op-- as it is, I'm called the "food paparazzi." But as the leftovers get eaten, I'll post the feast redux.

In the meantime, J invented "Indian Benedict" (pictured above with coconut chutney) this morning.

One of the curries from last night was the egg curry posted on this yummy blog.

So one egg poached in this curry sauce assembled atop sauteed fresh spinach over a whole wheat English muffin.

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Coconut Chutney
from Yamuna Devi's The Vegetarian Table: India

1 c grated fresh or dried coconut (I used dry)
2 cups yogurt
2 t unrefined corn oil (I used olive oil instead)
1 t brown mustard seeds
1 large jalapeno chili, seeded and slivered (I used 2 or 3 of the tiny Thai hot chilis I keep in the freezer)
1 t split urad dal
1/4 t yellow asafetida
15 fresh curry leaves

Whisk coconut and yogurt together in a bowl. Fry the oil, mustard seeds, chilis and dal in a small pan until the dal turns brown and the mustard seeds crackle and pop. Add the asafetida and curry leaves and let them sizzle for about 10 seconds. Pour the seasoning into the yogurt and stir to mix.

Chateau Ste. Michelle

The 2005 vintage of Riesling from this winemaker was a bargain and drunk mostly on its own (and with Boca hot dogs!), but another bottle is definitely in order as I gear up to try some new Indian curry recipes this weekend. Dry, not too sweet, and well-balanced.

Also, a new wine shop is slated to open a block away from our place! That, I'm expecting, will further my education greatly.