Tag: half and half
Morel Mushroom Risotto
I served the risotto with lamb chops- yum!
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium shallot, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 pack wild mushrooms, sliced (about 2 cups)
- 1 cup Arborio rice
- 3 to 4 cups mushroom broth
- Salt
- Pepper
- 3 to 4 dried morel mushrooms
- 1 cup warm water
- 1/3 cup half and half
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1/3 cup Pecorino cheese, grated
Soak the mushrooms in the warm water for 3 to 4 hours. Take the mushrooms out and strain the water of any sand/impurities. Keep the water aside. Chop the mushrooms and add the wild mushroom heap.
Heat the morel broth and the packaged mushroom broth in a medium saucepan and keep warm (use 3 cups of packaged broth in addition to the morel broth; use 4 cups of packaged broth if not using morels).
Heat a wide frying pan with the olive oil. Add the shallot and garlic and sauté on medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the wild and morel mushrooms and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes on medium high heat. Add the rice and sauté for a minute. Add a half cup of warmed broth to the rice mix and stir on medium low heat. As soon as the liquid is cooked off, add the next half-cup. Stir and cook till the rice grains are cooked through- it should take about 20 minutes. Add half and half, butter, cheese and salt. Mix well and check for seasonings. Add pepper and serve hot.
Shrimp in Poblano Sauce
- 3 poblano peppers, seeded and cut in half
- 3 green tomatoes, cut in half
- 1 large yellow onion, cut in half
- Drizzle of olive oil
- Salt
- Pepper
- 1 cup cilantro, chopped
- ½ cup chicken broth
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil. Transfer the vegetables onto the sheet and drizzle olive oil. Sprinkle salt and pepper and roast for about 30 minutes until the peppers and onion are soft. Let cool and carefully take the pepper skins off. Place in a blender with the cilantro and broth. Blend till smooth. Keep aside.
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound jumbo shrimp, deveined and shelled
- Salt
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ cup half and half
- ½ cup chicken broth
- ½ cup cilantro, chopped
Heat a large saucepan with olive oil. Saute the shrimp on high heat for 30 seconds on each side. Take out and sprinkle with salt and smoked paprika. Add the blended sauce and sauté on medium heat for 5 to 6 minutes. Add the half and half and broth. Bring to a boil and add the shrimp. Cook on medium heat for just a few minutes till the shrimp are done- careful not to overcook. Check for seasonings and garnish with cilantro. Serve with fresh polenta.
Dal Makhani- Black Lentils with a Cream Sauce
Diwali is coming up and this is a must in our house… people typically make this lentil dish for a special occasion but it is so simple… you can make it any day you want… yum!
- 1 cup whole urad dal (black lentils)
- ¼ cup rajma (red kidney beans)
- ¼ cup channa dal (gram lentils)
- 4 cups water
- 1 cup crushed tomatoes
- 1 small yellow onion, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 inch piece of ginger, minced
- 2 teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 teaspoons coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 tablespoon ghee or butter
- 2 teaspoon garam masala
- 3 tablespoons half and half
In a pressure cooker or sauce-pan, add the urad dal, rajma, channa dal, water, crushed tomatoes, onion, garlic, ginger, salt, cayenne pepper, coriander powder, turmeric and ghee. If using a pressure cooker, then close the lid and cook on high till the pressure is built, then turn the heat on low and cook for an hour. Turn the heat off, and take the lid off- check the consistency. The dal should be like a thick soup or a think stew. If there is excess liquid, then turn the heat on high and begin to evaporate the liquid. Add the garam masala and half and half. Cook till the dal reaches desired consistency. Taste for seasonings.
If using a sauce-pan, then bring the mixture to a boil and lower the heat, cook for at least 2 hours or till the lentils are soft and mushy. Add the garam masals and half and half. Cook till the dal reaches desired consistency. Taste for seasonings.
A Restaurant Classic – Chicken Tikka Masala
Another staple for Diwali dinner… yum!
- 2 pounds boneless skinless thighs, cut into 1 inch pieces
- 5-6 wooden skewers, soaked in water for at least an hour
- 3 garlic cloves
- 2 inches fresh ginger
Process the garlic and ginger into a paste and add to a medium sized bowl.
- ½ cup non-fat greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons half and half
- 1 teaspoon red food coloring (optional)
- Juice of one lemon
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 3 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- ½ cup cilantro, chopped
- ½ cup raw cashews, ground
Preheat broiler on high.
Add the yogurt, half and half, food coloring, lemon juice, coriander powder, salt, garam masala, cilantro and cashews into the bowl with the ginger and garlic. Mix well and add the chicken pieces. Marinate over night or at least two to three hours.
Take out the pieces out of the marinade and place them evenly onto the skewers. Broil on a broiling pan on high for 5 to 6 minutes on both sides or till the chicken is golden brown. Take the chicken out of the skewers and keep aside.
- 3 tablespoons extra light olive oil
- 2 teaspoons cumin seeds, toasted
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 2 teaspoons minced ginger
- 2 cans (14 ounces) tomato sauce
- 1/3 cup milk
- ¼ cup half and half
- Pinch of sugar
- Salt
- 2 teaspoons coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 3 tablespoons dried fenugreek
- ½ cup cilantro, chopped
In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil and add the cumin seeds on medium high heat. Saute for a minute and add the ginger and garlic. Saute for another minute and add the tomato sauce. Add the milk, half and half, sugar, salt, coriander powder and garam masala. Mix well and add half of the chicken pieces (the rest can be used for another recipe). Bring the sauce to a boil and simmer on low heat for 10 minutes. Add the fenugreek and fresh coriander. Check for seasonings.
Chicken Curry with Dill and Cilantro
If you like going out for Indian food but are too scared to try cooking something at home… try this dish. It is easy to make and the ingredients are readily available. The garam masala is a challenge as the varieties available in stores are not as good but you can still use one or just eliminate it. Either way, the result is delicious and healthy…
- 2 pounds chicken thighs, skinless, with or without bone
- ½ cup greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons half and half
- 2 inch fresh ginger, grated
- 3 garlic cloves, grated
- Juice of half a lemon
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
Mix the yogurt, half and half, ginger, garlic, lemon juice, salt and garam masala in a small bowl. Transfer the chicken and the marinade to a zip lock bag for at least 2 hours if not over night in the fridge. Take out half an hour before cooking.
- 1 cup fresh dill
- 1 cup fresh cilantro
- 10 to 12 green onions
- ½ cup water
Blend the greens and water in a blender till smooth. Keep aside.
- 3 tablespoons extra light olive oil
- ½ cup tomato sauce, homemade or store bought
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Heat a heavy saucepan with the oil. Add the green dill sauce and sauté on medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes. Add the tomato sauce, coriander, turmeric and cayenne pepper and sauté for another minute. Add the chicken with the marinade. Bring to a boil and cover with a lid and simmer on a low medium heat for 20 minutes. Take the lid off and turn the heat up to cook away any extra liquid in the sauce, stirring constantly. Check for seasonings. Serve warm with fresh rotis.
Roasted Garlic and Cilantro Mashed Potatoes
This was a big hit! I added delicious roasted garlic, cilantro and green onions. I blended the aromatics with half and half and milk. I then added this delicious green sauce to the cooked potatoes. To make it even yummier, I added some grated cheese inside and on top. Everyone loved it!
1 large head of garlic, top trimmed, wrapped in aluminum foil, drizzled with olive oil
Roast the garlic in a 400 degrees F oven for 30 to 40 minutes. Let it cool and squeeze the soft garlic out and keep aside.
- 1 cup cilantro, chopped
- 4 to 5 green onions, chopped
- ¾ cup half and half
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup milk
- 2 teaspoons salt
- Soft roasted garlic
Place the cilantro, green onions, half and half, olive oil, milk, salt and garlic in a blender. Blend till smooth.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- 3 pounds baby yellow potatoes, peeled and cut in half
- 1 cup plus ½ cup shredded pepper cheese
Cover with water and bring to a boil. Simmer till soft. Drain and put through a food mill or potato ricer. Transfer the mashed potatoes back to the saucepan. Add the cilantro sauce and mix well. Add one cup shredded cheese and mix well. Transfer to a serving bowl and top with ½ cup cheese. Bake in oven covered for 30 minutes, take the aluminum foil off and bake for another 15 minutes or till the top is golden brown. Serve hot.
Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Garam Masala and Cilantro
These Brussels sprouts are very similar to the ones I have made in the past. I just changed up the spices a bit. I added garam masala to the mix. Cilantro finished the process and made this dish absolutely delicious!
- 2 pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed and cut in half
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- Salt
- Pepper
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Place the sprouts onto a lined cookie sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Mix well and roast for 30 to 40 minutes, till the sprouts are golden brown. Take out and keep aside.
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- ½ cup pancetta, chopped
- ½ cup walnuts, chopped
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- ½ cup half and half
- Salt
- ½ cup cilantro
Heat a pan with the olive oil. Add the pancetta and cook on medium heat till the fat is rendered. Add the walnuts and garam masala. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes on medium heat. Add half and half and the roasted sprouts. Mix well and add salt if necessary. Garnish with cilantro and serve hot.