Florence Fennel and Catfish Chowder

     New England clam chowder is the most famous chowder recipe of all.  I posted a nice New England Clam Chowder recipe in this blog a few months ago.  There are many other varieties of chowder that are very popular too.
     Chowder cooking is fishing village cuisine.  Chowder is not always made with clams.  Fish chowders are very hearty and are great for a cold winter day.  This Florence Fennel and Catfish Chowder recipe is very soothing and nice tasting!
     Catfish is a delicate flaky white fish that is perfect for stewing.  I have cooked a few sail cat tomato stews in the past.  Sail cat has the lightest flavor of all ocean catfish.  Farm raised fresh water catfish are of high quality.  Catfish adds a nice light flavor when it stewed in a white chowder.
     Florence fennel, finocchio, fennel bulb and anise bulb are all the same vegetable.  The very mild flavor of fennel bulb does add a very light anise like flavor to this chowder.  The flavor of the salt pork can be easily noticed in this chowder.  Therefore, this recipe only calls for a little bit of salt pork.
  
     Florence Fennel and Catfish Chowder Recipe:
     This recipe makes 1 large bowl of chowder!
     Heat a sauce pot over medium low heat.
     Add 3 pats of unsalted butter.
     Add 1 tablespoon of finely chopped salt pork.
     Saute till some of the grease is rendered out of the salt pork.
     Add 2 tablespoons of small chopped onion.
     Add 2 tablespoons of small chopped celery.
     Add 1/3 cup of chopped fennel bulb.
     Raise the temperature to medium/medium low heat.
     Saute the vegetables, till they just start to become tender.
     Add just enough flour, while stirring, to soak up the excess grease in the pan and to form a pan roux.
     Cook and stir the roux for one minute.
     Add 1 1/2 cups of fume.  (white fish stock)
     Add 1/2 cup of milk.
     Add 1/2 cup of cream.
     Stir the chowder often, till it starts to simmer and thicken.
     Add 1/2 cup of medium diced potato.
     Reduce the temperature to medium low/low heat.
     Simmer till the potatoes start to become tender.
     Cut a 5 ounce catfish filet into small bite size pieces.
     Add the catfish to the soup.  (Dot not stir the chowder after adding the fish or the fish will break up into tiny pieces!)
     Add sea salt and black pepper.  (The salt pork is already quite salty, so taste the soup before adding sea salt!)
     Add 1 small pinch of nutmeg.
     Simmer the chowder for 5 minutes, so the flavors meld.
     Ladle the Florence Fennel and Catfish Chowder into a soup bowl.
     Garnish with a green fennel top sprig.
  
     Rich, warm and comfortable!  That is what chowder is all about.  This catfish white chowder has an interesting delicate anise flavor.
     I made this chowder with farm raised catfish.  Farmed fish have become more popular since the tragic oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico fishery.  If you are like me, then you probably do not trust public officials who say that gulf seafood is now safe to eat.  With all those chemicals on the ocean bottom, I am sure that it will be many years before I will trust seafood from the Gulf of Mexico.  Till then, farmed fish and Pacific seafood may be a wiser choice.
     If you happen to catch a few catfish from your favorite fishing pond, be sure to try this recipe.  This is a delicious chowder!  ...  Shawna        

Off The Scale Chili Mac!

Extra super spicy hot!
   
     Chili Mac is a traditional favorite in many households and cafeterias.  The simple chili mac recipe is ground beef, onions, chili powder, tomatoes, beef broth and macaroni pasta.
     I rarely use pre-mix chili powder in my recipes.  I prefer to mix my own dried chiles to suit each recipe.  As the name of this "Off The Scale Chili Mac" implies, there is a very bold, hot and spicy mix of chiles in this recipe.  If you prefer a milder chili mac, then only use the guajillo, pasillo, ancho, chipotle and serrano peppers to make this recipe.  Those dried chiles will give the chili mac a classic mild medium spicy flavor.  If you want your chili mac to go "Off The Scale" on the Scoville heat range, then simply follow this recipe!
     There are only a few varieties of ghost peppers.  I used one dried bhut jalokia ghost pepper in this chili mac recipe.  I also used one fresh red habanero pepper.  Pequin peppers are known as bird peppers.  Pequins are about number four or five on the list of the worlds hottest chile peppers.  Pequin peppers have a superb flavor of their own.  Habaneros are number two on the list, but a Red Savina Habanero pepper is easily as hot as a ghost pepper.  Ghost pepper is the hottest commonly available chile pepper and it is a breed of habanero.  Trinidad scorpion peppers are also from the habanero or scotch bonnet family of peppers and recently they took the title of the hottest peppers on earth.  Scorpion peppers are not a commonly available pepper and they are very limited in numbers.
     If you have been looking for a very spicy chili mac recipe, then you will be very pleased with this recipe.  Just to be honest, I made the portion of Off The Scale Chili Mac in the pictures above for my own personal taste.  That batch of chili mac had 2 ghost peppers and 3 habaneros in the chili mac sauce.  Some like it hot and I like it blazing insanely hot!  I did tone the written recipe down a few notches, so this recipe could be enjoyed by more than just a few hard core hot pepper heads worldwide.
     Beans are an optional ingredient in any chili mac recipe.  The best beans for chili are pink beans, red beans, pinto beans or mayocoba beans.  I added mayocoba beans to my plate of chili mac.
  
     Off The Scale Chili Mac:
     Soak these dried chile peppers in water over night:
     - 2 guajillo chiles
     - 2 pasillo chiles
     - 1 chipotle chile
     - 12 pequin chiles
     - 1 ghost chile
     - 1 ancho chile.
     Remove the peppers from the soaking liquid.
     Slice each of the reconstituted chile peppers in half lengthwise.  (Just set the tiny pequin peppers aside.)
     Remove the stems.
     Rinse the seeds out of the split chiles with cold running water.
     Set the soaked and seeded chile peppers on a cutting board.
     Add the pequin peppers.
     Finely chop the chile mixture.
     Heat a saute pan over medium heat.
     Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
     Add 6 to 8 ounces of ground beef.
     Add 1/3 cup of finely chopped onion.
     Add 2 minced garlic cloves.
     Add 1 finely chopped fresh orange habanero pepper.
     Add 1 finely chopped fresh green serrano pepper.
     Stir the ground beef as it cooks and break up any clumps into tiny pieces.
     Saute till the ground beef becomes fully cooked and lightly browned.
     Sprinkle a tiny amount of maza harina (Prepared Tortilla Corn Flour) on the excess grease in the pan while stirring.  The maza harina will combine with the grease to form a rustic pan roux.
     Add 1 1/2 cups beef broth.
     Add 2 ounces of canned crushed tomato.
     Add the reserved chopped soaked and seeded chile peppers.
     Add sea salt and black pepper.
     Add 4 pinches of cumin.
     Add 2 pinches of Mexican oregano.
     Add 4 pinches of coriander.
     Add 3 pinches of paprika.
     Stir the chili and bring it to a gentle boil.
     Reduce the temperature to low heat.
     Gently simmer the chili for one hour.
     Stir the chili occasionally.  Add water if the chile gets too thick.
     If you want to add some cooked beans to the chili mac, then this is the time to do so.  About 1/2 cup of rinsed cooked or canned beans is enough.  I used myocoba beans, but pink beans or red beans are good for this recipe too.
     Cook 1 portion of macaroni pasta in salted boiling water.
     When the pasta becomes cooked al dente, drain off the water.
     Add the macaroni to the chili mixture in the pan.
     Stir the ingredients together.
     Simmer the chili mac for 10 minutes before serving.
     Place the "Off The Scale Chili Mac" in a shallow casserole dish.
     Place the casserole dish on a serving plate.
     Garnish with a parsley sprig.
  
     This "Off The Scale Chili Mac" entree is hot and spicy!  The mild dried chile peppers give this chili mac a classic southwestern chili flavor.  The hotter chile peppers add flavor and plenty of scorching spicy heat.  The traditional masa harina helps to form the thin chili "gravy."  A chili that is not slightly thickened will be very loose and runny.
     If you chose to use the peppers that I wrote in the recipe, then there will be a steady comfortable rise in chili pepper heat.  This chili is not overwhelmingly hot, but it is hot enough to release endorphins in your body and it may cause some perspiration.  Spicy hot chili mac!  Yum!  Aye Chihuahua!  ...  Shawna

Kotleti

Russian style ground meat patties!
   
     Kotleti is a delicious Russian recipe!  You can use ground beef, pork, chicken, turkey and even fish to make kotleti.  I made this recipe with ground pork.
     Kotleti is described as Russian meatballs or a Russian burger by many food writers.  When you consider the ingredients of this recipe, then kotleti could be better described as being a breaded Russian meatloaf patty.  Kotleti are baked or broiled and should be slightly crispy on the outside when finished.
     There are a variety of Russian sauces that can be served with kotleti and many of the sauces have foundations of sour cream or ketchup.  Ketchup was created in northern China, but many say that it was created in eastern Russia.  Ketchup was originally intended to be used as a cooking sauce and not a condiment.  Russian chefs do know how to use ketchup properly in recipes.  If you wish to learn how ketchup is really used for cooking, then eastern Russian cuisine is a good place to start.
     Some people like sauce with anything, including kotleti, but kotleti is usually served with no sauce.  Sauteed mushrooms, mashed potatoes or French Fries are traditional accompaniments for kotleti.
  
     Kotleti:
     Trim the crust off of some stale French bread and coarsely chop the bread.  About 3/4 cup of chopped bread pith is needed for this recipe.   
     Wet the bread pith with 2  to 3 ounces of milk.
     When the bread pith becomes very soft, squeeze the excess milk out of the bread.
     Place the soaked pith into a mixing bowl.
     Boil 1/2 of a peeled russet potato, till it becomes very soft.  
     Drain the water off of the potato.
     Mash the potato, till it becomes very smooth.
     Add 1/3 cup of the mashed potato to the bread pith in the mixing bowl.
     Add 7 ounces of ground pork.
     Add 2 tablespoons of very finely minced onion.
     Add 1 minced green onion.
     Add 1 teaspoon of minced ginger.
     Add 2 pinches of cumin.
     Add sea salt and black pepper.
     Add 1 tablespoon of chopped fresh dill weed.
     Add 1 pinch of marjoram.
     Add 2 tablespoons of whisked egg.
     Thoroughly mix the ingredients in the mixing bowl, till they are very smooth.  (If the meat mixture looks like it is too wet, then add a little bit of fine bread crumbs.)
     Form the meat mixture into two equal size patties.
     Dredge the kotleti in plain fine bread crumbs and press the bread crumb onto the patties.
     Heat a non-stick saute pan over medium heat.
     Add 2 pats of unsalted butter.
     Add 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil.
     Place the 2 breaded kotleti in the pan.
     Saute the kotleti, till the bottom of the kotleti turns a golden color.
     Carefully use a spatula to flip the kotleti over in the pan.
     Immediately place the saute pan with the kotleti in a 325 degree oven.
     Slowly roast the kotleti.
     When the kotleti become about halfway done, flip the kotleti in the pan.
     Bake the kotleti, till they become fully cooked and crispy golden brown.
     Set the kotleti on a wire screen roasting rack to remove any excess grease.
     Keep the kotleti warm on a stove top.
   
     Mushroom Garnish:
     Heat a saute pan over medium heat.
     Add 4 pats of unsalted butter.
     Add 1 sliced green onion.
     Add 1 clove of minced garlic.
     Add 1 teaspoon of minced shallot.
     Saute till the shallots start to turn clear in color.
     Add 5 or 6 thick sliced button cave mushrooms.
     Add sea salt and black pepper.
     Saute till the mushrooms start to become tender.
     Add 1 cup of water.
     Simmer and reduce, till the water completely evaporates.

     Kotleti Presentation:
     Place the two kotleti on a plate.
     Place the mushroom garnish around the kotleti on the plate.
     Sprinkle a little bit of chopped Italian parsley over the kotleti and mushrooms.
     Garnish the plate with an Italian parsley sprig.
     Serve with some sour cream on the side.
     Horseradish on the side is nice with kotleti too.
  
     Russian kotleti are so very delicious!  Kotleti are moist and tender on the inside and a crispy on the outside.  The flavor of kotleti is very aromatic and comfortable.  I made these kotleti with ground pork, but kotleti can be made with any ground meat that you choose.  Yum!  ...  Shawna

Dolmeh Felfel

Iranian stuffed bell pepper!
   
     There is no end to the great flavors in this Iranian style stuffed pepper entree!  There is no garlic in this recipe.  The mixture of herbs that are used to make the sabzi gives this stuffed pepper a very interesting aroma and flavor.
     A common Sabzi recipe is sauteed finely chopped herbs, fenugreek leaves, green onion and leek.  Dried fenugreek leaves can be found in Arabic or Persian markets.  Fenugreek is actually a vegetable, so the entire plant can occasionally be found at markets too.
     Ground lamb or ground beef can be used to make this entree.  I chose beef today.  Persian cuisine has many old traditional stuffed vegetable entrees.  This is a stuffed pepper recipe that is worth trying!
     Las Vegas has many fine Persian, Iranian and Arabic restaurants.  I chose to do sales representative work a few years ago in Las Vegas, while recovering from chemo therapy.  I was not able to do physical work at that time.  Our sales office was located next to one of best Persian restaurants in Las Vegas.  When we got out of the office in the evening, the aroma of great Persian food was in the air.  The aroma of the food from that Persian restaurant was very good advertising.  The aroma of the Persian food was a customer magnet!
  
     Sabzi Recipe:
     Place 6 to 8 finely minced mint leaves in a small bowl.
     Add 2 teaspoons of finely minced fenugreek leaves.
     Add 1 tablespoon of minced Italian parsley.
     Add 1 minced green onion.
     Add 1 tablespoon of minced leek.
     Heat a saute pan over medium low heat.
     Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
     Add the minced sabzi mixture.
     Gently saute the sabzi mixture, till it becomes aromatic.  (About 1 to 2 minutes)
     Add 1/4 cup of water.
     Reduce the liquid, till it is nearly evaporated.
     Set the mixture aside in a bowl.  (You can add a little bit of mashed fava bean or sesame paste to the sabzi to make it thick or leave it as is.)
  
     Persian Bell Pepper Stuffing Recipe:
     Soak 1/2 cup of basmati rice in water for one hour.
     Rinse the rice 5 times with water.
     Place the rice in a sauce pot.
     Cover the rice with 1 1/2 cups of water.
     Bring the rice to a boil.
     Cook the rice for 5 minutes.
     Drain the water off of the rice.
     Set the partially cooked rice aside.
     Heat a saute pan over medium/medium low heat.
     Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
     Add 2 tablespoons of finely chopped onion.
     When the onions start to turn clear in color, add about 4 ounces of lean ground beef.  (The amount of ground beef and stuffing, depends on the size of the pepper.)
     Break the ground beef into little pieces as it cooks.
     When the ground beef starts to brown, add the sabzi mixture.
     Add sea salt and black pepper.
     Add 2 pinches of marjoram.
     Add 2 pinches of tarragon.
     Add 2 pinches of turmeric.
     Add just enough water, to cover the ground beef in the pan.
     Add 2 tablespoons of imported Italian canned crushed tomato.
     Simmer and reduce the liquid by half.
     Add some of the partially cooked rice.  (The amount of rice should be almost equal in volume to the amount of beef in the pan.)
     Stir the ingredients.
     Simmer till the liquid has nearly evaporated.
     Add 1 small squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
     Set the stuffing aside.
  
     Dolmeh Felfel:
     Cut a circle shaped opening on the top of a red bell pepper.
     Use a spoon to remove the pulp and seeds inside the pepper.
     Rinse the pepper seeds out of the bell pepper with cold running water.
     Shake out any excess water.
     Spoon the stuffing into the pepper.
     Pour a little bit of water in a small sauce pot.
     Set the stuffed red bell pepper upright in the sauce pot.  (Baking the pepper in a small sauce pot will keep it from falling over!)
     Drizzle a little bit of olive oil over the stuffed pepper.
     Partially cover the sauce pot with a lid.
     Place the sauce pot and pepper in a 325 degree oven.
     When the stuffed pepper becomes hot and it is still firm, uncover the sauce pot and place it back in the oven.
     When the stuffed pepper becomes cooked tender, then it is done baking.
   
     Presentation:
     Place a small amount of cooked basmati rice that is seasoned with sea salt, black pepper, saffron and turmeric on a plate.  (Any leftover partially cooked rice from making the stuffed pepper can be finished and cooked for the bed of rice on the plate.)
     Set the stuffed pepper on the bed of rice.
     Garnish the rice with pomegranate fruit.
  
     This Iranian stuffed red bell pepper has a very nice aroma and flavor.  Iranian style stuffed pepper is not heavy, greasy or garlicky.  The bed of pomegranate jeweled rice adds a nice touch to the plate.
     This Persian style stuffed pepper recipe is a very nice change from the standard eastern european style stuffed green pepper with tomato sauce recipes.  Iranian food is aromatic and full of great healthy flavor!  Yummy!  ...  Shawna

Poached Eggs on Toast with Creme Spinach and Smoked Bacon

     At many American restaurants, it seems like every recipe that is made with creme spinach is called Florentine.  In reality, Florence Italy has nothing to do with spinach.  Spinach is not a major crop in Florence.  There are no traditional Florence recipes that have spinach as an ingredient.  There is an American breakfast entree called Eggs Florentine that has creme spinach and hollandaise sauce that is quite nice, but eggs Florentine has nothing to do with Florence Italy, other than its use of the region's name.
     Better American restaurant menus use the words spinach creme or crème epinards.  Call it what it is!  Cream is used in American and French spinach recipes, but in Italy, cream is almost never used in a spinach recipe.  If menu writers knew what Florentine cuisine was, then they would not use the word Florentine to describe spinach entrees.  Florence Italy is renowned for great offal entrees and pork entrees.  Florence is a major wine growing region and it is not some kind of a spinach farm!
     Creme spinach is nice on its own as a vegetable and it is a great accompaniment for many plates of food.  Creme spinach and eggs is a very nice breakfast combination.
  
     Creme Spinach Recipe:
     Do not make the creme spinach too far ahead of time or the spinach will lose its bright green color.
     Heat a small sauce pot over medium/medium low heat.
     Add 3 pats of unsalted butter.
     Add 1/2 of a minced clove of garlic.
     Add 1 teaspoon and of minced shallot.
     Gently saute till the shallots turn clear in color.
     Add just enough flour while stirring to make a small amount of white roux.
     Stir the roux for 1 minute.  The roux should be white in color.
     Add 1/4 cup of cream while stirring.
     Add 1/2 cup of milk while stirring.
     Stir the sauce as it heats and thickens.
     Add 1 small pinch of nutmeg.
     Add sea salt and white pepper.
     Add 2 1/2 cups of trimmed fresh baby spinach leaves.
     Stir the spinach into the hot cream sauce as it wilts.
     When the spinach becomes cooked tender in the cream sauce, then the creme spinach is done cooking.
     The creme sauce should be a medium thin bechamel sauce consistency.
     Keep the creme spinach warm over very low heat.
  
     Poached Eggs on Toast with Creme Spinach and Smoked Bacon:
     Chop 1 or 2 slices of smoked bacon into small pieces.
     Heat a saute pan over medium/medium low heat.
     Add the chopped smoked bacon.
     Saute the chopped bacon, till it becomes brown and crispy.
     Place the ingredients in a strainer over a container to drain off the excess grease.
     Set the smoked bacon pieces aside.
     Heat a saute pan over medium heat.
     Add 3 pats of unsalted butter.
     Add 2 thick mushroom slices.
     Saute the mushroom slices, till they become tender.
     Set the mushrooms aside and keep them warm.
     Trim the crust off of 2 slices of bread.
     Cut the bread slices into 2 round croutons that are as wide as a poached egg.  (About 3 to 4 inches.)
     Brush the croutons with melted unsalted butter.
     Grill the croutons in a saute pan over medium/medium low heat, till they become toasted.
     Set the croutons on a plate.
     Poach 2 eggs in gently boiling salted water over medium/medium high heat.  (Never add vinegar to the water when poaching eggs.  Gourmet chefs know that vinegar will give poached eggs an undesirable texture and flavor!)
   
     Presentation:
     Use a slotted spoon or slotted spatula to set the poached eggs on the toasted croutons on the plate.
     Spoon a generous amount of the creme spinach over the eggs.
     Sprinkle the crisp smoked bacon pieces over the eggs.
     Place 1 sauteed mushroom slice on top of each egg.
     Serve with home fry potatoes of your choice.
     Garnish the plate with a parsley sprig.
  
     This egg recipe is gentle and delicious!  The lightly seasoned creme sauce does not overpower the flavor of the spinach.  The pieces of smoked bacon add a very nice rustic flavor to this recipe.  The sliced mushroom garnish adds a nice look to the eggs.  This is a very nice looking breakfast entree with a very appealing flavor!  Yum!  ...  Shawna        

Bucatini Finocchio Melanzane e Salsa di Pomodori All'Acciuga

     Bucatini pasta with fennel bulb (anise bulb), eggplant and an anchovy tomato sauce!

     Anchovies are traditionally used as a salty seasoning in many Italian recipes.  It only takes a few anchovy filets to add flavor.  Fennel bulb and anise bulb are the same thing.  The thin green leafy tops of a fennel bulb are aromatic and edible too.
     This sauce is made "a la minute."  This entire pasta recipe only takes about 20 minutes to make.  Imported Italian San Marzano tomatoes are required for this sauce.  This kind of tomato is the best tomato that there is.  San Marzano tomatoes require very little cooking time!
    
     Eggplant and Florence Fennel:
     Select a small eggplant.
     Cut 4 or 5 thin lengthwise slices of eggplant.  (Leave the skin on the eggplant.)
     Cut the long thin eggplant slices into wide bite size pieces.
     Cut 3 or 4 slices of fennel bulb (anise bulb).
     Heat a saute pan over medium heat.
     Add1 1/2 tablespoons of blended olive oil.
     Add the eggplant and fennel bulb pieces.
     Add 1 pinch of sea salt and black pepper.
     Saute the eggplant and fennel bulb slices till they start to caramelize on the edges and the sliced fennel bulb becomes cooked al dente.
     Place the sauteed eggplant and fennel bulb aside on a dish.
   
     Bucatini Finocchio Melanzane e Salsa di Pomodori All'Acciuga:
     Cook 1 portion of bucatini pasta in salted water till it become al dente.  The sauce can be made while the pasta cooks!
     Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil in a saute pan over medium/medium low heat.
     Add 2 thin sliced garlic cloves.
     Saute the garlic slices, till they become a golden color.
     Add  1 1/4 cups of imported Italian caned crushed San Marzano plum tomatoes.
     Add 3 chopped anchovy filets.
     Add 1 pinch of basil.
     Add 1 pinch of oregano.
     Add 1 teaspoon of finely chopped Italian parsley.
     Add 1 teaspoon of chopped fennel bulb green leaf top.
     Add 1 small pinch of crushed dried red pepper.
     Add black pepper.
     Taste and add salt if necessary.  (The anchovies are salty and they are used like a salt!)
     Add the reserved sauteed fennel bulb slices and eggplant slices to the sauce.
     Bring the sauce to a gentle boil.
     Reduce the temperature to low heat.
     Stir and simmer the sauce while the pasta finishes cooking.
     When the bucatini pasta becomes cooked al dente, drain the water off of the pasta.
     Add the bucatini pasta to the sauce.
     Toss the sauce and pasta together.
     Mound the pasta on a plate and be sure to expose some of the eggplant and fennel bulb on the surface of the pasta.
     Sprinkle a little bit of grated parmesan cheese over the pasta.
     Garnish the plate with an Italian parsley sprig.
    
   
     Anchovy lovers really do like this sauce!  Fennel bulb has a delicate anise flavor.  This is a nice, rich and tasty Italian pasta!  Ciao Baby!  ...  Shawna    

Dolmeh Barg of Arabic Fresh Cheese and Saffron Rice with Za'atar Khubz Arabi and Persian Pickles

     Many people in the western world think of stuffed grape leaves as being Greek in origin.  Persia and Arabia are a source of plenty of traditional stuffed grape leaf recipes.
     Fresh cheese is popular in the middle east.  Some of the earliest cheeses in history are from this region.  Goat, sheep and cow's milk fresh cheese can found in nearly every Persian and Arabic market. American mediterranean markets stock many cheeses from this region.
     Saffron is one of the most sought after spices of them all.  The health benefits of saffron are astounding.  There many varieties of saffron and some can be quite pricy.  The lower the price does not always mean the lower in quality.  Safflower saffron is very cheap, but a couple extra pinches are required to deliver a nice saffron flavor.  Higher price crocus sativa saffron only requires a small pinch.
     Za'atar roasted sesame seed and wild thyme spice mixture has been popular since the days of ancient Egypt.  Za'atar spice mix can be found in Arabic markets everywhere.  Pre-mix za'atar can contain a long list of spices in the recipe.  Pre-mix za'atar spice mix is a bargain price, when compared to purchasing each ingredient separately.
     Khubz Arabi is pita bread.  Persian style pickled vegetables are commonly served with meals or as a mezze item.  There is a wide variety of Persian pickle products that are available in middle eastern markets.
     Keep in mind that most middle eastern food is finger food.  Sharing a plate of food that is placed on a fancy woven fabric mat on the ground, while sitting on pillows or on the floor and eating with fingers is a traditional social style of dining!  It is fun to dine with fingers instead of utensils too!
  
     Arabic Fresh Cheese and Saffron Rice Stuffing:
     The rice is cooked to a "risotto texture" for this recipe.
     Soak 3/4 cup of basmati rice in water for one hour.
     Rinse the rice twice with cold running water.
     Place the rice in a sauce pot.
     Add 1 1/4 cups of water.
     Place the sauce pot over medium high heat.
     Add 3 pinches of turmeric.
     Add sea salt and black pepper.
     Add 1 minced garlic clove.
     Add 1 or 2 pinches of saffron.
     Bring the liquid to a boil.
     Reduce the temperature to low heat.
     Cover the pot with a lid.
     Simmer the rice, till it becomes fully cooked.
     Heat 1 cup of water in a saute pan over medium low heat.
     Add 3/4 cup of the saffron rice.
     Simmer the rice, till the rice becomes mushy and pasty.
     Stir occasionally and add water as necessary.
     Simmer till the rice becomes sticky and paste like.
     Add 1/2 of  chopped Arabic Fresh Cheese of your choice while stirring.
     Note:  Be sure to select a fresh cheese that has a high enough fat content that the cheese will melt.  Some Arabic fresh cheese has a very low fat content.  If no Arabic Fresh Cheese is available in your area, then Mexican Queso Fresco or farmer's cheese is a good substitute.
     When the rice and cheese mixture becomes starchy enough to gather like a ball in the pan, then it is ready to stuff the grape leaves.  There should be no excess water in the mixture at this point.
     Remove the pan from the heat.
     Allow the fresh cheese and saffron rice stuffing to cool to room temperature.
   
     Dolmeh Barg of Arabic Fresh Cheese and Saffron Rice:
     Carefully trim the thick grape leaf vein and stem off of 6 or 7 Persian Pickled Grape Leaves.
     Place a small dab of the rice stuffing on the stem end of the leaf.
     Roll the leaf one turn.
     Fold the leaf's sides over the stuffing.
     Roll the leaf so it becomes a small sealed cylinder shape, like a cigar.
     Place the stuffed grape leaf on a baking pan.
     Repeat theses steps to make several stuffed grape leaves.  (Roll the stuffed leaves, so they are uniform in size.  You may have to trim the larger grape leaves.)
     Be sure to place the stuffed grape leaves on the baking pan, so they are placed snuggly against each other in a row.
     Drizzle virgin olive oil over the stuffed grape leaves.
     Squeeze about 11 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice over the stuffed grape leaves.
     Cover the baking pan with foil or a lid.
     Bake in a 350º oven for about 4 to 7 minutes, till the stuffed grape leaves become hot.
     Keep the stuffed grape leaves warm on a stove top.
  
     Za'atar Khubz Arabi:
     Brush an 8" to 10" wide pita bread generously with virgin olive oil.
     Place the pita bread on a baking pan.
     Sprinkle a generous amount of Za'atar toasted sesame spice mix on the pita bread.
     Gently rub the za'atar on the oiled pita bread.
     Bake the pita bread in a 350º oven, till the sesame seed and spices become aromatic and the bread becomes warm.  (This only takes a couple of minutes to bake.  Do not cook the pita till it becomes crisp or the spice topping will burn!)
     Place the za'atar pita on a cutting board.
     Cut the pita bread into 4 pie slice shaped pieces.
     Keep the za'atar khubz arabi warm on a stove top.
  
     Dolmeh Barg of Arabic Fresh Cheese and Saffron Rice with Za'atar Khubz Arabi and Persian Pickles:
     Place the Dolmeh Barg of Arabic Fresh Cheese and Saffron Rice on a plate.
     Place the za'atar khubz arabi slices on the plate.
     Place some parsley sprigs on the plate.
     Place a couple of Persian pickled wild cucumbers on the plate.
     Place a pickled mild pepper on the plate.
     Place rolled roasted red pepper strips on the plate.
     Place a few olives on the plate.
     Sprinkle some fresh pomegranate fruit on the plate as a garnish for the stuffed grape leaves.
  
     This is a very satisfying plate of food for a casual afternoon meal or snack!  Yum!  ...  Shawna  

Smoked Bratwurst and Lentil Soup

A comfortable hearty soup for a cold day!
   
     I have cooked a few lentil bean soups for this recipe blog in the past.  Most bean soups are flavored with some kind of pork or or ham.  Bratwurst is a German style pork sausage.  Smoked bratwurst has a very rich smokey flavor and bratwurst is usually mildly spiced.
     Many countries make smoked or dried sausages that are only used to flavor other recipes.  Calabrese sausage, sopressata, chorizo and andouille are good examples.  Smoked bratwurst can be used to flavor a recipe or it can be served on its own.  It only takes a few pieces of smoked bratwurst to add a nice smokey sausage flavor to a lentil bean soup.
  
     Smoked Bratwurst and Lentil Soup:
     This recipe makes enough for 2 medium size servings of soup!
     Heat 3 a sauce pot over medium/medium low heat.
     Add 2 pats of unsalted butter.
     Add 2 tablespoons of finely chopped carrot.
     Add 2 tablespoons of finely chopped celery.
     Add 2 tablespoons of finely chopped onion.
     Add 1 tablespoon of finely chopped green onion.
     Saute the vegetables, till they start to become tender.
     Add 4 cups of light beef broth.
     Rinse 1 1/2 cups of dried brown lentil beans under cold running water.
     Add the lentil beans to the pot.  (The amount of the lentils should be just about one third of the volume of the broth.)
     Add 1 bay leaf.
     Add 1 pinch of thyme.
     Add 1 pinch of marjoram.
     Add 1 pinch of oregano.
     Add sea salt and black pepper.
     Add 1 pinch of cayenne pepper.
     Add 1 pinch of paprika.
     Raise the temperature to medium high heat.
     Bring the soup to a boil.
     Reduce the temperature to low heat.
     Gently simmer the soup.
     Cut a 6 ounce smoked bratwurst sausage in half lengthwise.
     Slice the smoked bratwurst halves into bite size pieces.
     Heat a saute pan over medium/medium low heat.
     Add 1 tiny splash of vegetable oil.
     Saute the smoked bratwurst pieces, till they become aromatic and slightly caramelized on the edges.
     Add the sauteed smoked bratwurst pieces to the soup.
     Cover the sauce pot with a lid.
     Simmer, till the lentils become tender.
     Stir the soup occasionally.
     Add water if the beans soak up too much broth.
     When the lentil beans first become tender, mash about 1/3 of the of the beans in the pot with a potato masher.
     Cover the pot and simmer, till the lentils become very tender.
     Ladle the soup into a soup bowl and serve.
  
     Delicious!  Lentil beans have a very nice deep flavor of their own.  The smoked bratwurst flavor compliments the flavor of the lentils.  A beef broth is used instead of a pork broth for this recipe, because the smoked bratwurst flavor is more pronounced when a beef broth is used.  The mirepoix vegetables and herbs add a nice aromatic flavor.  This is a nice version of lentil bean soup!  Yum!  ...  Shawna

Turkey Portabella and Leek Pot Pie

     I posted a free standing chicken and asparagus pot pie recipe in my blog a few months ago.  That freestanding style pie can be difficult to make.  I decided to make a relatively easy to prepare turkey pot pie for those who do not want to be challenged with extra cooking steps after a long work day.  This pot pie crust is made with puff pastry, instead pie dough.  Frozen puff pastry sheets can be found at nearly any grocery store.
     In the 1990's I worked at a star rated French Provence Cuisine restaurant during the daytime.  At night, I worked in their sister restaurant that was located on the second floor of the building.  The third floor was a private dining room for very elite guests.  The second floor restaurant was French cafe.  We cooked some nice creative modern French cuisine.  We also had a menu section devoted to comfort food items.  Turkey pot pie was one of the comfort food menu items.
     I was a tournant at that time.  The sous chef made the pot pie filling in large batches and it was not all that good looking or tasting.  The filling looked like the chef modeled his pot pie filling recipe after cheap frozen pre-made grocery store pot pies.
     The sous chef used puff pastry dough for the crusted top of the pot pie.  The customers liked the puff pastry crust!  I thought that the puff pastry crust was a nice idea.
     Later, another sous chef took over the production menu management.  This sous chef chose to heat the filling and place it in a crock serving bowl.  A piece of pre-baked puff pastry was placed on top of the filling and it was sold as a pot pie.  Nobody liked that version of a pot pie!  The pot pie did not even resemble a pie.
     At least the pastry dough top crust should seal the filling inside of the crock.  The pastry dough should cover the filling when it is baked in an oven.  The pot pie should bake till it turns golden brown, just like a real pie.  Placing a piece of pre-baked pastry on top of a crock full of warm pot pie filling does not qualify as a pot pie!
     The pot pie filling for today's recipe is not a traditional turkey pot pie filling.  There are no peas in the recipe.  A cream sauce takes the place of a veloute sauce.  Leeks and portabella mushrooms give this pot pie a flavor that is richer than a standard pot pie!
     You can make the puff pastry for this recipe if you wish to, but that can take hours of work.  I chose to use grocery store pre-made frozen puff pastry sheets for this recipe, because I wanted to keep this recipe simple and easy.  Home made puff pastry is much better than store bought pastry and it also can be frozen for later use.
  
     Turkey Portabella and Leek Pot Pie Filling:
     Heat a sauce pot over medium heat.
     Add 2 ounces of unsalted butter.
     Add  5 ounces of turkey breast that is cut into bite size pieces.
     Saute the turkey, till it becomes halfway cooked.
     Add 1/4 teaspoon of finely chopped garlic.
     Add 1/2 teaspoon of minced shallot.
     Add 1 tablespoon of chopped onion.
     Add 1/4 cup of thin sliced leek.
     Add 3 or 4 thick slices of carrot.
     Add 1/4 cup of medium diced celery pieces.
     Add 4 small portabella mushrooms that are cut into wedges.
     Saute the ingredients, till the vegetables start to become tender, but not browned.
     Add just enough flour, while stirring, to soak up the excess butter in the pan and to form a roux.
     Stir until the roux is well combined.
     Add 1/2 cup of cream.
     Add just enough milk to almost cover the ingredients.
     Stir as the sauce heats and thickens.
     When the sauce becomes hot, check the consistency.  The sauce should be a medium thin cream sauce consistency.
     Reduce the temperature to low heat.
     Add sea salt and black pepper.
     Add 1 pinch each of:
     - marjoram
     - ground sage
     - dill weed
     Add 1 bay leaf.
     Simmer the pot pie filling, till the vegetables become tender.
     Remove the pot from the heat and allow the pot pie filling to cool to room temperature.
   
     Turkey, Portabella and Leek Pot Pie:
     Remove the bay leaf from the pot pie filling.
     Place the pot pie filling into an oven proof ceramic baking dish, souffle ramekin or crock.  The filling and sauce should fill the crock to about 1/4 inch from the top.
     Drape a sheet of puff pastry dough over the baking dish and filling.
     Use a paring knife to poke small slits over the entire surface of the pastry dough.
     Gently stretch the pastry dough slightly, so the holes open up a little bit.
     Wrap and press the pastry against the rim of the bowl.
     Trim the excess pastry dough, so the pastry topping is 1/4" wider than the crock, all the way around.
     Press the edge of the pastry topping firmly onto the crock's rim, so it looks like a simple pie crust.
     Brush the pastry topping with egg wash.
     Place the pot pie on a baking pan.
     Bake in a 375 degree oven, till the pastry topping browns and becomes flaky.
     Remove the pot pie from the oven.
     Allow the pot pie to cool for 2 minutes before serving.
     Place the pot pie on a serving plate.
     No garnish is necessary.
  
     Creamy, savory, rich and delicious!  This pot pie is a great meal to warm up with on a cold winter's night.  The leeks and portabella combine with the mirepoix vegetables to create a very nice pot pie flavor.  The turkey becomes very tender after baking sealed in a crock style pot pie.  Yum!  ...  Shawna