Tag: bay leaf

Indian Fish Curry

This recipe is inspired by a bengali fish curry. It doesn’t have any tomatoes or yogurt as a base for the gravy. It is mostly flavored with spices including mustard seeds and onion seeds- which is one of my favorite combinations. It is quite simple and quick to make…

2 pounds fish fillets, (any white fish will do)
Juice of one lemon
1 teaspoon turmeric
2 teaspoons salt

Marinate the fish fillets with the lemon juice, turmeric and salt.

4 tablespoons coconut oil
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
2 teaspoons kalonji (onion seeds)
2 tablespoons garlic, grated
2 tablespoons ginger, grated
2 medium yellow onions, chopped fine
2 teaspoons coriander powder
1 bay leaf
2 cups water, fish or chicken broth
Salt

Heat a non stick pan with the 2 tablespoons coconut oil. Saute the fish pieces briefly on high heat. Keep aside. Add the leftover oil from the non-stick pan to a saucepan and add the remaining coconut oil. Heat the pan and add the mustard and onion seeds on medium heat. Saute for a minute. Add the garlic and ginger and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the onions, coriander powder and bay leaf. Saute for 4 to 5 minutes. Add the liquid and salt and bring to a boil. Add the fish pieces and simmer for a few minutes till the fish is cooked through but not over done. Check for seasonings and serve with rice.

Chicken and Chorizo Paella

4 to 5 chicken thighs, with bone, skinless
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons smoked paprika

Sprinkle the salt and smoked paprika all over the chicken thighs and let sit for 2 to 3 hours.

2 to 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
½ cup dried chorizo, chopped
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 medium red pepper, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 bay leaf
½ teaspoon Spanish saffron
½ cup tomato puree
2 cups short grain rice
4 cups chicken broth
Salt
1 cup frozen peas
½ cup cilantro, chopped
½ cup parsley, chopped
1 small tomato, chopped

Heat the olive oil in a paella pan. Brown the chicken thighs on both sides, about 3 to 4 minutes each. Take out and add the chorizo. Saute on medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the onion, pepper and garlic. Saute on medium heat for 3 to 4 minute. Add the bay, saffron and tomato puree. Saute for a minute. Add the chicken thighs and cover with lid and cook for 15 minutes or till the chicken is cooked through. Take out and let cool. Add the rice and mix well. Add the chicken broth and check seasonings. Add salt. Bring to a boil and in the meantime, take the chicken meat off the bones and shred. Add the shredded chicken to the pan and mix well. Cook the rice on a simmer for 5 minutes, lower the heat and cover till rice is almost cooked through, about 15 minutes. Add the peas and tomatoes. Sprinkle with salt. Cover and cook for another 5 minutes till the peas are warm. Stir in cilantro and parsley and serve warm.

Shrimp and Sausage Gumbo

Gumbo

1 pound jumbo shrimp, cleaned
2 teaspoons bay seasoning
Salt
1 pound andouille sausage, casing taken off

Sprinkle the bay seasoning and salt on the shrimp and keep in refrigerator for 2 to 3 hours.

¼ cup extra light olive oil
¼ cup all-purpose flour
1 large yellow onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
½ large green pepper, chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
3 to 4 fresh thyme sprigs
1 bay leaf
½ cup white wine
2 cups tomato sauce
1½ cups chicken broth
2 cups fresh or frozen okra
Salt
½ cup parsley, chopped

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan. Add the flour and cook on medium heat to create a brownish red roux- it should take about 6 to 7 minutes. Add the onion, garlic, green pepper, celery, thyme and bay. Saute on medium heat for about 10 minutes. Add the white wine, tomato sauce and chicken broth. Add the okra and sausage. Break the sausage with the back of spatula. Bring to a boil and lower the heat. Place the cover and cook for 20 minutes. Take the lid off and cook for another ten minutes. Check for seasonings. Add the shrimp and cook for another 5 to 7 minutes. Garnish with parsley and serve with rice.

Garlic Cilantro Shrimp

I adapted this recipe from Saveur magazine. We had some friends over for a tapas party and I made this dish. It is a bit involved but so worth the extra work. The good thing is that the sauce can be prepared ahead of time. It worked out very well, as I was able to attend to my guests and cook the shrimp right before serving. Try this dish next time you want to have garlic shrimp.

1 to 2 pounds medium shrimp, shelled and deveined
1 to 2 teaspoons salt

Sprinkle the salt on the shrimp and let sit for 1 to 2 hours.

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, smashed
2 two inch baguette slices
4 garlic cloves, grated
½ cup slivered, blanched almonds
½ cup parsley, chopped
½ cup cilantro, chopped
2 cups fish stock (2 tablespoons separate)
1 bay leaf
Salt

Add olive oil and garlic cloves to a medium saucepan and cook on medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes, making sure the garlic cloves don’t burn. Take out the garlic and discard. Turn the heat up and fry the bread slices 1 to 2 minutes on each side. Take out and place on a paper towel. Turn the heat off.
Transfer the fried slices, garlic, almonds, parsley, cilantro and 2 tablespoons of fish stock. Process till smooth.
Add the remaining fish stock to the garlic olive oil. Turn the heat on and bring to a boil. Add the bay leaf and cook for 5 to 7 minutes. Add the processed mixture and bring to a boil and cook on a simmer for 10 minutes. Add the shrimp and gently cook till they are cooked. Serve immediately.

Braised Short Ribs with Citrus Gremolata

I would highly recommend this dish for the holidays. I served it with polenta and it was an amazing dinner. Oh, and don’t forget a copious amount of red wine…

4 pounds short ribs, excess fat removed
2 teaspoons salt
Pepper
1 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped
1 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped

Place the short ribs in a large glass dish and sprinkle the salt, pepper, thyme and rosemary. Refrigerate overnight. Take out an hour before cooking.

2 tablespoons extra light olive oil
1 cup carrots, chopped
2 medium onions, chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tablespoons tomato paste
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 sprigs fresh thyme
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
1 fresh bay leaf
4 cups chicken broth
2 cups red wine
Salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Heat a heavy saucepan with the olive oil until smoking. Brown the ribs on both sides for 4 to 5 minutes each in two to three batches. Keep aside. Add the carrots, onions, celery and garlic. Saute on medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the tomato paste and sauté for minute. Add the flour and sauté for another minute. Add the thyme, rosemary and bay leaf. Add the chicken broth and red wine and bring to a boil. Add the ribs back into the liquid and transfer to the oven. Bake for 2 to 3 hours or till the meat is falling off the bone.
Take out of oven and take the ribs out onto a platter. Strain the braising liquid and squeeze all the moisture out of the solids. Discard the solids and return the liquid to the saucepan. Reduce to desired consistency- there should be about a cup and a half to two cups of liquid remaining. Check for seasonings and return the ribs back into the liquid. Top with gremolata and serve.

Citrus Gremolata

1 tablespoon thyme, chopped
1 tablespoon rosemary, chopped
1/3 cup parsley, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
Zest of one lemon
Zest of two clementines or half a navel orange

Mix all the ingredients in a small bowl, cover and keep aside.

Paella with Chorizo and Chicken

This was a great hit at a get together I had recently at our home. I love making paellas, especially because they fit the ‘one pot meal’ category really well. This particular one is very flavorful with lots of chorizo and smoked paprika. The great thing is I was able to make it in advance and it actually tastes better as it sits.

4 to 5 chicken thighs, with bone, skinless
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons smoked paprika

Sprinkle the salt and smoked paprika all over the chicken thighs and let sit for 2 to 3 hours.

2 to 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
½ cup dried chorizo, chopped
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 medium red pepper, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 bay leaf
½ teaspoon Spanish saffron
½ cup tomato puree
2 cups short grain rice
4 cups chicken broth
Salt
1 cup frozen peas
½ cup cilantro, chopped
½ cup parsley, chopped
1 small tomato, chopped

Keema Mattar (Ground Turkey with Peas)

Keema Mattar This is a very simple, weeknight meal one can whip up in no time. Keema is one of my favorite things to eat and make. Keema is essentially ground meat cooked in spices, onion, ginger and garlic- the rest is up to you. I love pairing the meat with different vegetables to make a great one pot meal. Brown rice or fresh make whole wheat rotis can be served to create and delicious and wholesome meal.

I made this one with peas but I also added a variety of different spices- which are not my usual. I used curry leaves and mustard seeds. The mix of spices gave this dish a fabulous flavor. My daughter loves keema- her favorite is the one I make with cauliflower. She devoured it with two big rotis and a glass of milk….
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