linguini with fresh mozzarella, basil, garlic, tomato, olive oil, and aeoli sauce (like an italian mayonnaise with lots of garlic). simple, but delicious—and pretty too. freshness makes it work.i've found that linguini is the ideal pasta, because its elliptical cross section maintains a nice al dente texture in the middle, without any sogginess on the outside. this brand had a nice flour finish on the outside, which helps it hold sauces nicely.
my first ever efforts at chicken korma. i bought sauce, which turned out to be too mild, so i added a few cayenne peppers, which put things right. chicken, carrots, tomatoes, and shallots with lentils and chick peas over rice and served with yogurt. for a first attempt, it wasn't bad, though i cooked the chicken a little long, so it was a little dry, and my dry lentils produced a little bit of a paste when cooked that messed up the texture a bit. not bad, but i might leave them out next time.my favorite, of which i don't have a picture, is pépé, a little bead-like pasta (imagine 1/4 inch spaghetti chopped into little cylinders), with Chevroux, a commercial goat cheese, a little butter, and pepper. it's deliciously irresistible.
most recently, i made clear rice noodles in chicken bouillon broth, plus a simple teriyaki sauce i made with sugar dissolved in soy sauce with a few spices. it was very simple (all the stores were closed, so i couldn't get any vegetables or meat), but very good. kind of like a less chemically composited and generally better ramen.
i also discovered that it is incredibly easy to make a great white sauce to turn into fettuccini al fredo with french milk, which has a lot more fat than american milk. unfortunately no hard italian cheese (or really any cookable cheese) was available when i did that, so i ended up with a kind of mildly sad and very garlicky white sauce on my pasta, which was still palatable.
the one food i cannot find a quality instance of in France is bagels (sad). if anyone has a good recipe, let me know, and maybe i'll try it.
1 comment:
Hello Alistare,
It is very nice to see a young man exploring the kitchen and experiencing the joys and satisfaction cooking can bring.
After reading your blog and comments on your attempt at chicken korma I had to write and offer to you the very best recipe I have ever had for chicken korma. It is delicious and since chicken korma is one of my favorite dishes( I crave this stuff weekly)I wanted to share with you.I hope you will give it a and enjoy it as much as I do. I have many Indian friends and this recipe is basically a blending or adaptation of the very best of the best recipes shared with me by them.
CHICKEN KORMA
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic
2 teaspoons finely chopped ginger
4 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon cumin
1/8 teaspoon turmeric
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 medium tomato, pureed
1/2 cup water
2 pounds boneless chicken, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk
(I use the whole can,added slowly)
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/3 cup cashew piecees of halves
Chopped cilantro, for garnish (optional)
1/8 cup raisins (optional)
Steamed basmati rice, for serving
In a Dutch oven or enameled cast-iron casserole, heat the oil, then add the onion and cook until nicely browned around the edges, about 7 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for 1 minute. Add the coriander, cumin, turmeric, cayenne and black pepper and stir for 1 minute. Add the salt, tomato and water and cook over medium- low heat, stirring constantly, until the tomato is softened. Add the chicken and cashews and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes or until thickened.
Add the coconut milk and simmer, partially covered, for another 15 minutes, or until the gravy thickens and the chicken is cooked. Add the cinnamon and cloves and simmer another minute.
Remove the chicken from the heat and garnish with the cilantro. Serve with steamed basmati rice.
Yield: 6 servings
Bon appetite,
Andrea
Georgia, USA
any questions, email me.. amaletta
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