Tag: tomatoes
Scrambled Eggs with Potatoes and Tomatoes
I love making eggs for breakfast on the weekend. I usually do scrambled- either plain or with some cheese. Some crunchy toast and a steaming cup of coffee- what else do you need?? Well, in my case, nothing else- okay some fruit as well.
My husband was watching food television- yes, most of us watch that channel at our house- and some food contest was going on where they made a huge amount of scrambled eggs with potatoes and peppers. When I asked him what he wanted for breakfast, he of course wanted scrambled eggs with potatoes.
I had purchased potatoes and garlic from the farmer’s market the day before and was excited to use the super fresh vegetables. I also had a big bowl full of cherry tomatoes from my backyard.
The dish was simple to make. I shredded a potato and cooked it on a non-stick frying pan with some oil. Once it started to develop a golden brown color, I added garlic and tomatoes with the green onions. A Serrano chili was added as well- it was super hot but so worth the flavor. Eggs with cilantro and cheese were added to the vegetable mix and stirred on a low heat until the eggs are the right consistency.
I served them with some toasted whole-wheat bread and coffee… a perfect breakfast…
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Spicy Calamari Salad
This is my version of a spicy calamari I had at a new Thai restaurant in Chatham- Thai Passion. I reviewed it a couple weeks ago.
This salad got my attention- it was fabulous- although I realized it was a bit over the top with the flavoring. I really enjoyed it but while I was trying to decide how to replicate this salad, I decided to tone it down a bit. At the same time, I didn’t want to lose the essence of the dish- which was a lot of spicy, savory, tangy and a bit of sweet. Writing about it makes me want to eat some- my mouth is salivating. If you live in the area- you should go try it in Chatham. If you don’t live in the Jersey area, try the recipe I have created.
As I mentioned before, this version is a bit toned down. I used tamarind concentrate, lime juice,Worcestershire sauce, palm sugar, sriracha sauce, etc. Once the dressing was made, all I had to do was to cook the calamari. I will attach the video that goes with this recipe.
Try this salad- it is a great dish to make in the summer time…
- ¼ pound calamari, defrosted and cut into ½ inch rings
- 1 tablespoon extra light olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
Heat a non-stick frying pan and add the olive oil on high heat. Add the calamari and sprinkle salt. Saute on high heat for two minutes just until the rings turn opaque. Turn the heat off and drain on a paper towel.
- 2 cups mixed greens
- ¼ cup fresh basil, chopped
- ¼ cup fresh mint, chopped
- ½ cup green beans, blanched
- 1 medium tomato, cut into 1-inch squares
Toss the mixed greens with the basil, mint, green beans and tomato. Add the calamari and mix well.
Vinaigrette
- ½ teaspoon tamarind concentrate
- Juice of half a lime
- ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon tamari
- 2 teaspoons sriracha sauce
- 1 teaspoon fish sauce
- 1 teaspoon palm sugar
- 1 tablespoon extra light olive oil
Add the tamarind, limejuice, Worcestershire sauce, tamari, fish sauce, sriracha and palm sugar into a small bowl. Drizzle the olive oil while whisking the dressing. Pour the dressing on top of the salad and toss lightly before serving.
Migas Tacos- An Austin, TX Favorite..
I made these tacos for the New York Times, Local a few weeks ago. It was right after my daughter and I returned from our trip to Austin. We go there almost every year to visit family and really enjoy the Mexican food- it tastes a lot more authentic and it is available almost everywhere.
One of the things I really enjoyed was something called migas tacos. Eggs were cooked with onions, jalapenos, tomatoes and topped with cheese. The one ingredient that makes these tacos different are the tortillas chips- yes thats right- crunchy tortillas strips are added to the eggs while cooking. The chips provided a great texture and flavor to the eggs. The cooked eggs are placed on a tortilla and topped with cheese- what could be better than that? Well, how about a roasted poblano and avocado crema…
I made this yummy, creamy sauce to complement the tacos. It was delicious on top of warm, savory tacos.
Overall, the meal was a big success. I made some vegetarian refried beans and roasted potatoes on the side. I made them for dinner and everyone loved them- including my daughter. For her, I skipped the jalapenos and tomatoes. She had some of the beans but doesn’t like potatoes.
Try these tacos for a brunch or dinner – you will love them.
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Easy Breakfast Dish-Kerala Style Scrambled Eggs
I somehow always forget to make eggs for dinner or even lunch. I take them out for breakfast on the weekends or unless I am baking- which seems to more and more often these days.
A cousin was in India recently and told me about her trip down to Kerala and described the cuisine. One of the things she couldn’t stop talking about were scrambled eggs cooked south indian style. She carefully described the ingredients or whatever she could decipher. While I was listening, I thought I will definitely make these but didn’t think of writing down the ingredients (duh). Anyway, a couple weeks went by and suddenly the scrambled eggs came to mind. It was one of those evenings where there wasn’t much in the fridge and I wasn’t in the mood to make an elaborate meal.
Now, I had forgotten most of the ingredients for the dish- but I was able to come up with what ever I thought belonged in there considering the part of India we are talking about. Mustard seeds, curry leaves and coconut were the main ingredients- and I had all of them. I also had fresh cilantro, tomatoes, onions and green chilies-perfect.
I used all the ingredients and came up with a fantastic, quick and delicious dinner. I made fresh rotis with it. That is what my husband and I ate. For my daughter I made plain scrambled eggs- she is not into fresh tomatoes, green chilies, etc.
I added extra cayenne pepper for myself. I like things spicy but my dear husband likes it really mild. It was really enjoyable- I plan to use more eggs for dinner in the future. Maybe a nice mushroom omelet with gruyere- yum, that sounds delicious. Try the easy scrambled eggs for your next quick meal.
- 1 tablespoon extra light olive oil
- ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
- 4-5 curry leaves, chopped
- 2 tablespoons shredded unsweetened coconut
- 1 teaspoon ginger, minced
- ¼ cup white onion, chopped
- 1 serrano chili, chopped
- 1/3 cup chopped tomatoes, or halved cherry tomatoes
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ¼ cup cilantro chopped
Beat the eggs salt, cayenne pepper and cilantro. Keep aside.
In a large frying pan, heat the olive oil. Add mustard seeds and sauté for minute on medium high heat or till the seeds begin to sizzle. Add the curry leaves, coconut, onion, chili and ginger. Saute for 2-3 minutes on medium heat or till the onions are soft. Add the tomatoes and sauté for 4-5 minutes. Lower the heat and add the beaten eggs, stir till the eggs are cooked yet still soft. Serve with fresh rotis or tortillas.
Spinach and Potatoes- Saag Aloo
This is a very popular Indian dish- especially amongst vegetarians. For me, this is a great side dish especially since it does not have any protein. I like to make sure I am giving my family a well balanced meal every chance I get – I usually make a chicken, pork or fish dish to serve with the spinach and potatoes.
I think this side dish would be ideal for a holiday meal- especially since it combines a green and a starch- you get two dishes in one. A roast or a bird would be delicious with this side dish. It is also ideal since you can make this a couple of days in advance- perfect for the busy holidays. Like most Indian dishes, this one is yummier the next day. Just like a stew or a soup gets better in the fridge- it is the same concept. The flavors get a chance to know each other and get really close.
Besides being an ideal dish for the holidays, this is especially good for a weekday meal. The spinach I use in here is frozen- always in my freezer, I consider this a pantry must have. The potatoes are also always in the pantry- so both the star ingredients are already in your house- the dish can be made in 20 minutes. Make some kebabs or meatballs on the side and you have a nice, healthy meal!
- 3-4 medium yellow potatoes
- 2 cups frozen chopped spinach
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 2 tablespoons extra light olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 inch ginger, minced
- ½ cup crushed tomatoes
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
In a wide saucepan, heat the olive oil and add the cumin seeds. Saute on medium heat for a minute, or till the seeds begin to sizzle. Add the onion, ginger and garlic. Saute on medium high heat, stirring constantly for 3-4 minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the spinach and potatoes and mix well. Add the salt, turmeric, cayenne pepper and coriander powder. Mix well and lower the heat and cover. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes or till the potatoes are cooked. Take the lid off and turn the heat up to cook the excess moisture off. Check of seasonings and add the garam masala.
Achari Gobi Aaloo- Cauliflower and Potatoes Sauteed in Pickling Spices
As I have mentioned many times before, my darling husband loves cauliflower. To say he loves it, is an understatement. I like it as well but don’t make it often enough for him. I keep trying to explain to him that I need new ways of cooking the same vegetable if I want to post the recipe on the blog.
I found a fabulous looking head of cauliflower at the supermarket and picked it up immediately. I wasn’t sure how I was going to cook it. As I was going through my pantry, I came across some Indian condiments including spicy pickles. Most Indian pickles consist of fennel, cumin and onion seeds, etc.
I decided to use these spices in the cauliflower dish and make it with potatoes- which is the classic combination most people are familiar with.
I also used mustard and fenugreek seeds with a combination of onion, ginger, garlic and tomatoes. This is the type of dish you will find at Indian weddings in India. It’s rich, vibrant and full of flavor. It is also very appealing to the eye and did I mention delicious! The sweet cauliflower is a great complement to the flavorful spices in there.
I cannot tell you how my husband devoured this dish. He didn’t want me to share it with anyone- which I normally do since I churn so much food out of my kitchen- I like to give some away. He wanted to have it all to himself and asked me to make this dish again.
I guess its back to drawing board for me- trying to come up with new cauliflower recipes…. Enjoy- this one is a keeper.
- 1 large head cauliflower, cut into florets
- 3-4 white potatoes, cut into wedges
- 3 tablespoons extra light olive oil
- 1 teaspoon onion seeds
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- ½ teaspoon fenugreek seeds
- 2 medium white onions, sliced
- 3 garlic cloves, sliced
- 3 inch ginger, sliced thin
- 3 serrano chilies, deseeded and sliced
- 1 cup crushed tomatoes
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 teaspoons coriander powder
- 2 teaspoons garam masala
- ½ cup cilantro, chopped
In a large wok like pan, heat the olive oil. Add the onion, cumin, fennel, mustard and fenugreek seeds. Saute for a minute on high heat, or till the seeds begin to sizzle. Add the onions and sauté for 2-3 minutes on medium high heat. Add the garlic, ginger and Serrano chilies. Saute for 5-7 minutes on medium heat, stirring constantly. Add the crushed tomatoes and cook for another 5 minutes on medium heat. Add the cauliflower and potatoes. Mix well and add the salt, turmeric, cayenne pepper, coriander powder and garam masala. Mix well, turn the heat to low and cover and cook for 15 minutes. Take the lid off to check if the potatoes are tender. Turn the heat up and cook the excess moisture accumulated at the bottom of the pan. Stir and cook for 3-4 minutes on high. Check for seasonings and add the cilantro before serving.
A Rustic Panzanella Salad Recipe
This salad is delicious. I have watched people on food television in the past making many different versions of it.Panzanella salad is essentially a way to use up day old or even up to a week old bread and any other things you may have in the fridge. Italian cuisine is well known for using leftovers and coming up with new, innovative dishes- I love it!
I had it first in Umbria last month when Paola made it for us. She made a 6 course meal for us- which was delicious. We started with this salad which she put together in a matter of minutes. We bought a big loaf of rustic bread earlier that day. She sliced it and topped it with a combination of greens, cucumbers, fresh extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice. I have seen different versions of this – but never this particular one- so simple!
I was a bit hesitant to replicate this easy dish as I wasn’t sure if my ingredients would stand up to the one Paola used. I bought everything from the farmer’s market, including the bread. I made the salad the same day and served it with the sausage and peppers pasta. Well, it was delicious! The ingredients were fresh and exactly how they are supposed to taste. Everything worked really well together and the bread was soaked just the right amount and was a bit mushy and crunchy at the same time. I think you could definitely make a meal out of it- especially if you add some protein like shrimp or chicken.
It took me back to the kitchen in Spello where we sipped wine and watched Paola cooking. I love how food takes you back…
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