Recipe: Cranberry Bean "Fool Mudammas" (aka Borlotti Beans)

Cranberry Bean "Fool Mudammas" (aka Borlotti Beans)

I'd never worked with Cranberry beans (also known as Borlotti beans) before. By appearance they reminded me of pinto beans with more spots. I knew they were best known for use in Italian soups. But when I boiled them up and tasted them, the flavor immediately reminded me of dried fava beans. And that got me craving Foul Mudammas. (Which can also be spelled Fool Mudammas, or Ful Medames, or Foul Moudammas, yikes!).

Foul is a dish that originated in Egypt and is eaten all over the Middle East and East Africa. It is most often served for breakfast, with a flatbread. And of course there are many local variations. I've had it with a mix of fava beans and garbanzos (chickpeas), thick as refried beans or thin as a soup, insanely garlicky or totally mild, topped with a hardboiled egg or not, and even served with Italian bread at an Ethiopian restaurant, with lots of sliced chilis.

For American tastes, most people (sadly) wouldn't want this for breakfast but would love it for a healthy, vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free dinner.

Nonetheless, I'm pretty sure cranberry beans are not an authentic choice! I suppose not by definition since "foul" means favas. But the flavor and texture was so close, I thought it would work, and it did to my taste.

For the recipe below, you can of course use canned beans, just skip to step 2. Feel free to switch back to fava beans instead of the borlotti beans.

Cranberry Bean (aka Borlotti Beans) "Foul Mudammas" 
Vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free
Serves about 4 as a main course, or more as part of a meze

• 1.5 c. dry cranberry (borlotti) beans or 3 c. canned beans of your choice
• 6 cloves garlic
• juice of 1-2 lemons
• 2 T. olive oil plus more for garnish
• salt
• cherry tomatoes, cut in half
• green onions, white parts only, cut in half lengthwise and then 1/4" pieces
• radishes, sliced thin
• black pepper

1. If using dried beans, rinse them, pick over to get rid of any extraneous material, and boil in a large amount of unsalted water until tender. You can also soak them overnight beforehand to reduce the cooking time.
2. Crush the garlic to a paste in a mortar and pestle with a bit of kosher salt. If you don't have a mortar and pestle, use a garlic press or a knife.
3. Drain the beans and return them to a saucepan with water to just cover. Bring back to a boil and reduce to a simmer for five minutes.
4. Add the garlic, the lemon juice, olive oil and 2 t. of salt. Turn off the heat.
5. With the bottom of a glass, or something else large and flat, carefully crush some of the beans to create a thick broth with about 1/2 the beans remaining semi-whole.
6. Taste and adjust with more salt and/or lemon juice.
7. Put the beans in a bowl, and garnish with a good quantity of tasty olive oil, cherry tomatoes, green onions, radishes, and black pepper. Sliced hard-boiled egg is nice too.
8. Serve with pita bread or other flatbread.

 

Recipe: Sesame Corn Muffins

Sesame Corn Muffins

I'm completely crazy for corn. Corn on the cob, corn sautees, tofu corndogs, and of course cornbread and corn muffins. Mini-me and I were plotting some of those muffins the other morning, and the inspiration struck to add sesame seeds. Sesame and corn go great together, emphasizing the earthy flavors in each. We added them to the batter and sprinkled more on top.

A couple of notes about ingredients. This recipe, based on one from Joy of Cooking, normally calls for buttermilk. I didn't have any on hand, but I had Saco buttermilk powder, which is quite convenient to keep in your refrigerator. I used that according to the package directions - 2 1/2 T. of powdered buttermilk to 2/3 c. of water, but that made the batter a bit thin, so in the recipe below I've dropped the water a bit. Add the powder to the dry ingredients and the water to the wet.

Sesame seeds are sold either hulled or unhulled, and either toasted or raw. I used hulled, untoasted ones because that is what I had. But any of the choices will work. If you use untoasted ones,  you might want to give a quick toast to the ones that go in the batter for more flavor. Don't pretoast the ones for the topping, or they might burn.

Recipe: Sesame Corn Muffins
Makes 12 muffins
Vegetarian, not vegan or gluten-free

• 1 1/4 c. coarse or medium cornmeal
• 3/4 c. all-purpose flour
• 1/2 c. sesame seeds + more for topping
• 4 T. sugar
• 2 t. baking powder
• 1/2 t. baking soda
• 1/2 t. salt

• 2 eggs
• 2/3 c. whole milk
• 2/3 c. buttermilk OR
  1/2 c. water and 2 1/2 T. buttermilk powder OR
  2/3 c. yogurt
• 3 T. vegetable oil

1. Preheat the oven to 425 F. Convection is fine if you have it.
2. Line a 12-muffin pan with paper cups or grease with butter.
3. Combine the dry ingredients in one bowl. If using the buttermilk powder, include it in the dry ingredients. Stir thoroughly
4. Combine the wet ingredients in a second bowl and stir thoroughly.
5. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, and mix just well enough to moisten. It is ok if there are some lumps. Do not overbeat or they will become tough.
6. Sprinkle lots more sesame seeds on top. See the picture above.
7. Divide the batter in the 12 cups, and bake until a toothpick comes out clean. About 20-25 minutes normal, or 15 on convection.

Recipe: Fresh Spinach Fettuccine With Goat Cheese, Jerusalem Artichokes, Morels And Leeks

Fresh Spinach Fettuccine With Goat Cheese, Jerusalem Artichokes, Morels And Leeks

When we got to the farmer's market at noon last Saturday, I hadn't thought about how little might be left. It is early in the season, and Seattle's throngs of organic produce devotees had snapped up just about everything edible.

Still, I spied beautiful fresh spinach fettuccine from La Pasta. And then there were dried morels from one of the best local foragers. The fresh ones are due soon, but morels are one of the few mushrooms that really survive drying and rehydrating well; if anything the taste becomes more concentrated. Another booth had a few baby leeks and Jerusalem artichokes (aka sunchokes). I was beginning to see a plan, and some fresh goat cheese (chevre) completed the picture.

I hadn't worked with Jerusalem artichokes too much. Oddly, that afternoon I happened to be reading The Curious Cook: More Kitchen Science and Lore and one chapter was about that very tuber. The main takeaway is that they give you gas, and that you can reduce that by boiling them for awhile in plenty of water. I didn't do that, and let's just say I can confirm the diagnosis.

Anyhow, back to the recipe at hand. I made a simple sauce by reducing heavy cream with garlic and melting the goat cheese in it. The Jerusalem artichokes were peeled, sliced and sauteed, which gave them a sweet caramelized exterior while still leaving a satisfying crunch. The morels were rehydrated and sauteed, and then the leeks went in the same pan.

The result was delicious, and satisfying because I'd found a way to go from making-do with the sparse early season produce to a dish I'd be happy to eat anytime. You can use this blueprint to improvise a wide range of fresh pasta dishes by varying the type of noodle, the vegetables, and the seasonings. Just keep in mind that generally speaking, fresh pastas like cream-based sauces better than tomato-based ones. Another option is to simply dress the noodles with olive oil or butter and leave the chevre in chunks.

As I was writing down this recipe, I was struck by how many times I ask you to taste and season one of the elements with salt. I can't stress this enough. You will get a much better dish by salting each component to taste instead of waiting until the end, or relying just on the sauce. It is hard to explain why, but try it and see if you don't agree.

Fresh Spinach Fettuccine With Goat Cheese, Jerusalem Artichokes, Morels And Leeks
Serves 4
Vegetarian, not vegan or gluten-free

• 3/4 c. heavy cream
• 6 cloves garlic
• 1 lb. fresh goat cheese (chevre) - Laura Chenel is an excellent brand
• 1.5 oz dried morels or 4 small handfuls fresh ones
• 1.5 lbs. Jerusalem artichokes (aka sunchokes)
• 8 baby leeks or 3 large leeks
• chili flakes
• 1.5 lbs. fresh spinach fettuccine
• olive oil
• flat leaf parsley
• Parmesan cheese
• salt and pepper

1. Put a large pot of salted water on to boil for the pasta.
2. If using dried morels, put them in a small bowl and just barely cover with boiling water.
3. In a small saucepan, bring the heavy cream to a simmer with the garlic, turn heat to low, and reduce, stirring occasionally. Reduce by half or as long as you have patience for. Add the goat cheese and whisk until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. While the cream is reducing, peel the Jerusalem artichokes and slice them about 1/4" thick. Saute in a very hot skillet with plenty of olive oil until nicely browned and somewhat tender. Remove to a plate lined with paper towels, and season with salt.
5. Remove all but the white part of the leeks, slice in half lengthwise and wash carefully. There tends to be dirt between the leaves. Slice thin. Add to the skillet and saute until soft. Season with salt, and remove.
6. Drain the morels if they were soaking (and reserve that stock for something, it is delicious). Slice the larger morels, and leave small ones whole. Add to the skillet, still at high heat, and get a nice caramelize on them. Season with salt and chili flakes to taste.
7. When the morels are about done, add the pasta to the boiling water. Fresh fettuccine will probably take about 3 minutes. Don't overcook it.
8. Add the Jerusalem artichokes and leeks back to the skillet and bring them back up to temperature. Give the mixture a final tasting for salt.
9. Drain the noodles and reserve some of the cooking water. Toss them with the sauce, and add back a bit of the cooking liquid if needed to loosen it up.
10. Divide among four bowls, top with the vegetable mixture and toss lightly. Top with a hearty shot of freshly grated Parmesan, black pepper and a few leaves of parsley.

Oh, and by the way, fettuccine is also often spelled fettucine or fettuccini or fettucini. Yipes!

Recipe: Vietnamese Sandwiches with Tofu (Banh Mi Chay)

Vietnamese Sandwiches with Tofu (Banh Mi Chay)

I must be a sandwich, 'cuz I'm on a roll. Ba dum dum. Yeah. Anyhow, when I last wrote about Vietnamese sandwiches  (banh mi), it was to tell you where to find them in Seattle. Until last night I'd never made them at home.

Considering that they retail for under $2, there isn't much reason to make them yourself unless you don't have access to them or you want to vary the ingredients, which was my motivation. I thought I would use the outstanding tofu from Thanh Son Tofu on 12th Ave, and add avocado and mint leaves. I picked up the rolls from Seattle Deli. (Which is also a fine place to have a sandwich, but you have to ask them not use fish sauce if you want a vegetarian one.)

My Banh Mi turned out decent, but I think it could use more of a bump in flavor next time. Some ideas would be to flavor the mayo intensely with a chili sauce and/or citrus, marinate the tofu, or add some drops of chili-flavored sesame oil.

For the baguette rolls, you want ones that are about 10" long, seriously crusty on the outside, and fairly soft in the crumb. I believe the Vietnamese ones are made with part rice flour, which would add to the crispy crust, but if you can't find those, the best French baguette you can find will do well.

Vietnamese Sandwiches with Tofu (Banh Mi Chay)
Vegetarian, vegan if you omit the mayo
Serves 4

• 1 large carrot, peeled and cut into small batons
• 1/2 daikon radish, peeled and cut into small batons
• 1/2 c. water
• 1/2 c. white vinegar
• 1/4 c. sugar
• 1/2 English cucumber, cut into small batons
• 1/2 white onion, sliced thin
• 1 or more jalapeno or other hot pepper (to your taste), sliced thin
• 1 avocado, sliced
• mint leaves
• cilantro leaves
• 1 pound firm tofu, sliced into 1/2" thick slabs
• oil for pan--frying
• mayonnaise to taste, seasoned with sriracha or other flavoring as desired
• 4 crusty baguette-style rolls

1. Marinate the carrot and daikon in the water, vinegar and sugar.
2. Pan fry the tofu in a small amount of oil until nicely browned on both sides. Drain, pat dry with a paper towel, and season with salt and pepper.
3. Cut the baguette part way through. Dress it with mayo. For my taste, rather heavily.
4. Fill each sandwich with all of the ingredients, and offer additional sriracha sauce on the side.

Recipe: Sabich - Iraqi Jewish Eggplant Sandwich

Sabich - Iraqi Jewish Eggplant Sandwich

So I'm at that Men Cook event I've been telling you about, and my friend Aaron starts telling me about this amazing sandwich he'd had in Israel. He had me at fried eggplant and hardboiled egg, and I missed the rest because I was too busy drooling and scheming when I was going to make it. I'd been in Israel this past fall, and was heartbroken that while I'd eaten untold falafel, I'd had nary a sabich.

I did a little web research on sabich, but was waylaid by the fact that I'd need to buy or make a pickled mango condiment named amba. A few days later, Sarina and I were in a Middle Eastern grocery in Bellevue, and there was an enormous jar of it! So I snapped that up. It is the bright orange stuff you see in the back of the picture. And actually the jarred stuff wasn't that great, kind of harsh for my taste. Maybe a small amount, but this recipe sounds better.

And then, not more than a few days later again, I'm skimming Food and Wine as usual, and here it is again. Some chef in Philly has been traveling in Israel, training up on dishes for his new place and sabich is high on his list. Something is clearly alive in the global food consciousness, and I want in!

From what little I've been able to glean, sabich is a popular sabbath food for Iraqi Jews, and when they emigrated to Israel and set up a community in Ramat Gan, the sandwich came with them. It has since gained widespread popularity, and of course in typical Israeli fashion spawned N variations and N * 2 arguments about which one is better.

Above you can see my first try, which I'm not too modest to say tasted damn good. There is something about the creaminess of the egg and the fried goodness of the eggplant that work really well together, and then the garnishes of Israeli salad (tomatoes and cucumbers with a bit of lemon juice) hummus, onions, pickles, parsley and amba give your mouth the full workout of sweet, spicy, sour, herbacious, smooth and crispy.

A quick note on hardboiled eggs. Mine have gotten drastically better since I read How To Hard Boil an Egg. The basic summary is: eggs in enough cold water to cover, covered pot, bring to a boil, remove from heat, sprinkle in a little salt, leave covered for 20 minutes, drain, ice bath, peel, enjoy. Read the site for more tips, but that has been working great for me. They say 30 minutes but I find 20 is perfect. Nice and soft and absolutely no green around the yolk (see the picture above).

Here's the sabich recipe:

Sabich - Iraqi Jewish Eggplant Sandwich
Vegetarian; vegan if you omit the egg; gluten free if you omit the pita and serve as a salad
Makes 4 sandwiches

• 4 pieces good pita bread
• 4 hard boiled eggs (see note above), peeled and sliced
• 1-2 large eggplants, peeled and sliced 1/4" or so thick
• vegetable oil for frying
• 2 roma tomatoes, finely diced
• 1/2 English cucumber, finely diced
• juice of 1 lemon
• hummus (bought or make your own)
• prepared tahina (bought or make your own)
• 1/2 flat leaf parsley
• 1/2 small white onion minced
• 1/2 c. pickle, cut into small slices or cubes
• amba - mango pickle, or failing that, hot sauce of your choice - harissa maybe?

1. Make a simple salad of the tomatoes, cucumber, and lemon juice, with salt to taste.
2. Fry the eggplant in batches until thoroughly tender and browned; drain on paper towels and sprinkle with salt.
3. While the eggplant is frying, put each of the other ingredients in bowls so everyone can build a sandwich to their own specifications.
4. Toast or grill the pita bread.
5. Serve it forth, preferably with cold beer, make yourself a gigantic sandwich, and chill.

Recipe: Syrian Style Labneh (Spiced Yogurt Cheese) - Vegetarian

Syrian Style Labneh (Spiced Yogurt Cheese)

This recipe is adapted from Poopa Dweck's  cookbook, Aromas of Aleppo, The Legendary Cuisine of Syrian Jews. I wrote more about that book in this post on Syrian Red Lentil Soup.

Labneh, aka Lebneh, is eaten all over the Middle East. The term can cover a wide range of yogurt-based products from very thick liquid all the way through to a firmly pressed fresh cheese. It is made by draining the liquid from plain yogurt through cheesecloth, and then optionally adding flavorings, and it is quite easy to do at home.

You'll get the best results if you start with a good yogurt, such as Fage or Greek Gods. I made this batch with full fat, but I think 2% will be fine too. If you try it with non-fat, let me know how it turns out.

Dweck flavors her version with cumin, dried mint and Aleppo Pepper. She doesn't specify, but I used spearmint and it worked really well. If you don't have the Aleppo Pepper, red chili flakes would be a decent substitute. Serve this with wedges of toasted pita bread and you've got a delicious snack.

You can easily vary the flavorings with other Middle Eastern herbs and spices, citrus zest, garlic and so on. If you feel compelled to make sun-dried tomato Thai Curry labneh, please, don't tell me!

By the way, if you like this post, please give it a Thumbs Up on Stumbleupon!

Syrian Style Labneh (Spiced Yogurt Cheese)
Vegetarian, not vegan

• 1 quart thick Greek-style yogurt or 1.5 quart thinner natural yogurt
• 1.5 t ground cumin
• 1.5 t. dried spearmint
• 1/2 t. Aleppo pepper or chili flakes
• 1.5 t. sea salt
• olive oil
• cheesecloth

1. Put a large colander in a bowl. Line the colander with a double layer of cheesecloth. Pour in the yogurt, and tie the cheesecloth into a ball. For bonus points, tie cheesecloth around a wooden spoon or something you can hang over the colander rim so it is suspended. That will help it drain faster, using its own weight.
2. Put the whole apparatus in the refrigerator overnight. Make sure there is enough room in the bowl to catch the liquid, we don't want a mess in your fridge.
3. Remove the yogurt from the cheesecloth into a clean bowl. It should be firm enough to form somewhat decent balls at this point. If not, drain it more. Mix in the cumin, spearmint, pepper and sea salt.
4. To serve, fill a shallow bowl with about 1/8" of olive oil. Grease your hands and form balls a bit smaller than a golf ball. Arrange in the dish, and garnish with roughly chopped parsley or cilantro.

Recipe: Syrian Vegetarian Red Lentil Soup (Shurbat Addes)

Syrian Red Lentil Soup (Shurbat Addes)

This recipe, and the next couple that I post, are adapted from Poopa Dweck's spectacular cookbook, Aromas of Aleppo, The Legendary Cuisine of Syrian Jews.

Aleppo was home to a major Jewish population from the time of the Babylonian exile (600 BCE). They experienced golden ages under the Byzantines and Ottomans, and remained there until the horrendous pogroms of 1947. Their Aleppo Codex is the oldest surviving document of the Old Testament other than the Dead Sea Scrolls, and resides at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem. Much of the Aleppan community has resettled in New Jersey. Aleppan Jewish cuisine contains elements similar to those found in the other Sepharic cultures, with strong Middle Eastern and Levantine flavors.

I tend to favor cookbooks that have a particularly strong individual point of view, and Aromas has that in spades. Dweck's book reminds me of those wonderful church, mosque or synagogue cookbooks that every immigrant congregation seems to put together after the first generation is well established, to ensure that their kids can carry on the traditions. Only this one somehow got printed in a gorgeous coffee-table sized hardback with world class photography and an outstanding historical introduction. If you like to cook with Middle Eastern flavors, it deserves a proud place on your shelf.

This particular soup is awfully easy to do. Basically you  just boil red lentils until they puree themselves, add a seasoning sautee and a quick garnish. I prefer to make it a little bit thinner than Dweck's version, so that it serves as a relatively light first course, but it also works in a larger and thicker portion as the main dish of a simple meal.

Ingredient notes

Red lentils are available at any natural food or health food store; do not substitute brown/green/black/french lentils. Aleppo pepper is a red pepper that is specific to Syrian food, and is quite hard to find in the US. One source is ChefShop.com. Instead of the cumin and Aleppo pepper, another great garnish alternative is dukka, a spice blend from Egypt that is available from World Spice Merchants.

Syrian Red Lentil Soup (Shurbat Addes)
Vegetarian and Vegan
Yields 8 cups, enough for 8 appetizer servings or 4 main course servings

• 2 c. red lentils (see note above)
• 6 cloves garlic
• 1 t. coriander seed
• 1 T. kosher salt
• 2 T. olive oil
• Garnish: fresh cilantro, ground cumin, Aleppo pepper (see note above) or chili flakes, lemon wedges

1. Rinse the lentils, pick them over for stones or other miscellaneous material, and bring them to a boil with 2 quarts of water. Lower to a simmer. Stir occasionally to make sure they aren't sticking in a large lump on the bottom, otherwise they may scorch. Simmer for about 40 minutes, until they have dissolved into a puree.
2. While the lentils are cooking, grind the garlic, coriander seed and salt in a mortar and pestle or a small food processor into a coarse paste. Fry this paste in the olive oil for about 1 minute, being careful not to burn the garlic. Add to the soup and let simmer a bit longer.
3. Taste and adjust first for texture first (by adding water). I like it moderately thin, but thick is good too. Then add salt as needed to make it flavorful.
4. Serve in individual cups garnished with a sprig of cilantro and a pinch of the cumin and pepper, and a lemon wedge on the side.

Recipe: Raw White Asparagus Salad with Watercress and Romano - Vegetarian

White Asparagus Salad with Watercress and Romano

I'm starting to test recipes for my first Herbivoracious dinner party. My first event is going to be an asparagus tasting menu, a celebration of Spring coming to the Northwest. It isn't for a few weeks, and neither is local asparagus! I'm having to test with California spears for now.

(By the way, the first dinner is full, but if you are interested in attending a future event in Seattle, drop me a line at herbivoracious [at] gmail [dot] com, with "dinner" in the subject, and I'll keep you posted).

This salad has been marinating in mind for a bit. No pun intended. I wanted to do something with thinly sliced raw white asparagus, which has a nice vegetable sweetness and crunch to it. In this version I paired it with watercress, cipollini onions, aged pecorino romano, and a grapefruit vinaigrette. Everything worked really well, but the vinaigrette needs some work to bring out more of the citrus flavor. Grapefruit is a lot less acidic than lemon, so that makes sense to me. I think next time I will try using more of the zest and a little bit of a neutrally flavored  vinegar.

Here's an approximate recipe:

White Asparagus Salad with Watercress and Romano
Vegetarian
Vegan if you omit the cheese
Serves 1 - multiply as needed

• vinaigrette: 2 parts good olive oil, 1 part fresh squeezed grapefruit juice, 1/2 t. grapefruit zest, salt to taste
• 2 spears of thick white asparagus
• a few paper thin slices of cipollini onion or shallot
• handful of watercress, arugula, or mache
• 4-5 paper thin slices of pecorino romano, or parmigiano reggiano
• salt and pepper

1. Drizzle and whisk the olive oil into the lemon juice vinaigrette to emulsify, then add the zest and salt to taste.
2. Snap off the tough ends of the asparagus, peel, and slice very thinly on a diagonal bias.
3. Cut the cheese with a vegetable peeler.
4. Just before serving, toss the asparagus, onion, and greens with the dressing, arrange on plate and top with the cheese and a bit of finishing salt and black pepper.

Recipe: Vegetarian Urad Dal Patties (Vada) with Black Pepper

Urad Dal Patties (Vada) with Black Pepper

Vada (also spelled Bada) are a species of Indian fritter or cake made with various types of lentils (dals). This particular dish is made with urad dal, which is readily available at any Indian market. While you are there, stock up on chana dal, toor dal, moong dal and all the other delicious pulses that aren't used enough in Western cuisine. If you can't find them locally, you can also order them from Amazon.

The basic technique for making vada is to soak the dal for a few hours, blend it into a coarse paste with spices, and then shallow fry. They can be made in various shapes, but here I just made simple patties.

The recipe I followed comes from the wonderful (and freshly reprinted) Lord Krishna's Cuisine: The Art of Indian Vegetarian Cooking by Yamuna Devi, which is a wonderfully written, 800 page tome of the food favored by the Hare Krishna (ISKCON) community. Devi (born Joan Campanella) spent 8 years as the personal cook for Srila Prabhupada. The book includes traditional foods from all over India, but they are generally on the mild side. The version below has the spices amped up to suit my pathetically overstimulated palate.

I served these vada with red quinoa which you can barely see peeking out from under the roasted cauliflower and caramelized onions, a bit of creme fraiche (but yogurt would be good too), and a quick grilled half of a Meyer lemon. On balance, yeah, this plate has a lot of brown to golden-brown hues! But it was just a quickie dinner, whaddaya want, Picasso?

Urad Dal Patties (Vada) with Black Pepper
Makes about 12 patties; 2 or 3 make a nice serving
Vegetarian, vegan (if you don't garnish with dairy), and gluten-free

• 3/4 c. urad dal (without skins), available at any Indian grocery
• 2 tsp. coarse freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp. asafetida powder or 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 2 tsp. kosher salt
• oil for frying (or ghee)
• garnish: Maldon or other finishing salt, creme fraiche or yogurt (optional)

1. Pick over the dal to remove any foreign material, and rinse thorougly. Cover with plenty of water and leave to soak for 4-6 hours.
2. Drain the dal. In a blender, grind half of the dal with 6 tbsp. of water until thoroughly smooth and fluffy, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed. Remove from blender.
3. Put the other half of the dal in the blender with 5 tbsp. of water and grind briefly, until it is a coarse paste but retains some texture. Add to the first batch of dal in a bowl.
4. Mix in the pepper, asafetida, cayenne and kosher salt. Taste and adjust seasoning.
5. Heat a frying pan with enough oil or ghee to fill about 1/2" deep to a temperature of about 340 F.
6. Carefully drop in portions of the dal mixture and lightly press with a spatula to form patties. About 1/4 c. will do fine.  Put as many as you can in your pan without crowding them to close. Fry until golden brown on one side (maybe 4 minutes), then flip and brown the other side. Remove from the pan, drain on a paper towel, and hit it with some finishing salt. Hold hot while you fry the rest and serve them forth. Like anything fried, they are at their best minutes after leaving the oil and deteriorate rapidly, so be ready to chow!

Recipe: Risotto Cakes With Sherry Gastrique - Vegetarian

Risotto Cakes With Sherry Gastrique

Any time I cook risotto, I try to make enough extra that I can fry up a few risotto cakes the next day. I'm kind of a sucker for any sort of savory pancake, and these have that creamy risotto goodness that is easy to love.

You don't need a precise recipe; all I do is add a beaten egg or two until they seem bound enough to hold together, along with any additional flavors I might want. Then I pan fry them and maybe make a quick sauce, or just serve with a bit of good yogurt or creme fraiche.

This time I made a sherry gastrique. A gastrique is just a reduction of a vinegar or wine with some type of sugar, and often a fruit. I omitted the fruit this time, I and just used a good sherry vinegar and white sugar. You cook it over a moderate flame so that the sugar caramelizes. The result should have an intensity of sweetness and acid so that it only takes a small amount to add an intense counterpoint to a dish.

Here's a basic recipe for the whole dish to get you started, but be sure and improvise!

Risotto Cakes With Sherry Gastrique
Makes 4 cakes (a light lunch for two, or the basis of a larger meal)
Vegetarian, not vegan

• 1 c. sherry vinegar
• 1/3 c. sugar
• 1.5 c. creamy leftover risotto, cool
• 1 or 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 t. kosher salt
• 1/2 t. cayenne pepper (or more to taste - make it fairly spicy to offset the sweetness of the gastrique)
• small amount of oil for frying cakes
• 4 small sage leaves
• Maldon salt or other finishing salt
• black pepper

1. Combine the vinegar, sugar, and a pinch of salt in your smallest pot and bring to a simmer over a low heat. Reduce until it will coat a spoon and turn off heat.
2. Meanwhile combine the leftover risotto, eggs, teaspoon of salt, and cayenne.
3. Heat up a griddle or skillet like you would pancakes, and lightly grease.
4. Put about 1/3 c. of batter on the griddle and quickly shape into a patty about 1/2" thick. Repeat with the remaining batter. If you want, you could press some panko or sesame seeds into the uper side before flipping.
5. Fry until quite brown on the first side, cautiously flip, and cook until finished. They taste better the darker you can get them without burning.
6. Throw the sage leaves in a bit of the oil off at the edge of the pan and crisp them up.
7. Serve 2 cakes with a couple sage leaves, finishing salt, fresh ground pepper, and a tablespoon or so of the gastrique.

Recipe: Beet Greens with Pumpkin Seed Oil and Cherry Vinegar

Recipe: Beet Recipe: Greens with Pumpkin Seed Oil and Cherry Vinegar

Devra Gartenstein over at the Quirky Gourmet got me thinking about how many good odds and ends of produce I waste with this article about how she uses chard stems. I was boiling beets for a salad tonight, and resolved for once not to toss the greens. Now I adore beet greens (and every other kind of leafy green), but usually I just have a handful and they don't seem to fit into what I'm making, so they end up in the trash or compost.

But today I was feeling a little snacky anyhow, so while I was boiling the beets, I quickly stripped the greens, rinsed 'em, and tossed them in the boiling water too. Five minutes later I pulled them out, gave 'em a quick chop, and dressed them with:

(this recipe is vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free)

• pumpkinseed oil
• cherry vinegar
• Maldon salt
• quick-toasted fennel seeds
• a few strips of lemon zest

Man that was good! It would make a perfect side dish anywhere you might conventionally think to serve spinach or kale. This is one of those dishes that mainly comes together by using those nice ingredients, more than any real skill of the chef. Speaking of which, over at ChefShop.com they have a listing of my "Herbivoracious pantry". The Maldon salt is in there, and the oil and vinegar will be there soon. (This isn't an affiliate deal for me, I just like what they have to offer.)

Recipe: Veggie Chili Beans with Cornbread Dumplings

Veggie Chili Beans with Cornbread Dumplings

Sarina likes what I cook at home, but sometimes she wishes I'd make more "comfort food". I'm admittedly an oddball; comfort food for me ranges from Waffle House hash browns (scattered, smothered, and covered please) to idli with sambar and everything in between. But I know what she means, and it seems only fair to try and hook her up sometimes.

I figured anything with a biscuit or dumpling top is a guaranteed winner, so I made some simple cornbread batter and dropped it on a casserole dish full of beans, onions and veggie sausage. It is pretty darn rare that I make anything that involves so much canned food, but this came out tasty. I served it with grated cheddar, Louisiana hot sauce, and a quick salad of diced cucumbers and radishes with dill, parsley and mint and a lime dressing.

The cornbread was based on this Emeril recipe, adjusted to what I had on hand. Heck, if I'm busting out the canned food, might as well make with the Food Network starts too, right?

Veggie Chili with Cornbread Dumplings
Serves 4 as a main course
Vegetarian, not vegan or gluten-free but could be adjusted

• 1 white onion, medium diced
• 2 small cans pinto beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can diced tomatoes, preferably Muir Glen fire-roasted (nice smoky flavor)
• 2 links Field Roast Mexican Chipotle vegetarian sausage (kinda spicy), or 8 oz. other veggie meat of your choice, cut into bite size chunks
• 2 T. olive oil
• salt
• optional: tabasco, chili flakes, chili powder, ground ancho chilis, green chilis, whatever heat you like
• grated cheddar for serving

• 3/4 c. cornmeal (I used de la Estancia polenta, which has a wonderful fresh-corn flavor)
• 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 t. baking powder
• 1/2 t. salt
• 1/4 c. yogurt
• 1/4 c. whole milk
• 1 egg
• 2 T. vegetable oil

1. Preheat the onion to 400 degrees.
2. Put the onions, pinto beans, tomatoes, veggie sausage and olive oil in a casserole. Season with salt and add optional heat to your taste. Cover and put in oven to start heating while you make the dumplings.
3. Mix the cornmeal, flour, baking powder and salt in one bowl. Beat the yogurt, milk, egg, and vegetable oil in another. Quickly mix the wet and dry ingredients without overbeating.
4. Remove the casserole from the oven, remove the lid, and drop the dumpling dough on in chunks a bit smaller than a golf ball, leaving spaces between them. (See picture above)
5. Bake about 20 minutes or so (uncovered) until the beans are hot and the dumplings are golden brown and baked through. Check them with a toothpick if you aren't sure.
6. Serve it up with grated cheddar and hot sauce on the side.

Veggie Chili Beans with Cornbread Dumplings and Cucumber & Radish Salad

Recipe: Crostini with White Beans and Basil

Crostini with White Beans and Basil

This is the last of the three crostini toppings I did for the recent Kavana Men Cook event, and it is admittedly similar to the other white bean dip I posted awhile back with grilled onions. This version is pared down further, focusing simply on clear flavors from the Meyer lemon and basil. Garlic and/or chili flakes would be appropriate additions, and you could use fresh parsley, tarragon, or oregano instead of the basil.

Crostini with White Beans and Basil
Serves 6 as an appetizer
Vegetarian and vegan

1 baguette

1/4 c. peppery olive oil

one 15. oz cans cannelini, drained and rinsed (or cook your own)

juice of 1 Meyer lemon

1/3 c. basil, chiffonade

1 t. sea salt

1/2 t. fresh ground black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 400 F.
2. Lightly mash the beans and mix in 2 T. of the olive oil, the lemon juice, basil, salt, and pepper. Adjust seasoning as needed.
3. Slice the baguette thinly, arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet. and brush with the remaining olive oil.
4. Toast until golden brown, and serve immediately.

Recipe: Polenta with Blue Cheese, Grilled Fennel And Apples - Vegetarian

This was the entree we made for the recent Kavana Men Cook event. We've got a creamy polenta with lots of parmesan, topped with grilled fennel, grilled apples and blue cheese, and garnished with parsley, Maldon salt, fennel pollen, and a spectacular apple balsamic vinegar from ChefShop.com.

One small regret I had at the dinner was that the polenta had cooled a bit too much by the time we'd added all of the other ingredients and got them to the table. So I recommend you pre-warm the bowls to make sure it comes out hot and delicious.

Notice how we've got two apple flavors (grilled and balsamic) and two fennel flavors (grilled and pollen). This is a great trick for increasing the depth of flavor in a dish by using two facets of the same ingredient. The dish would still be fine without the vinegar and pollen but they definitely take it up a level.

For the blue cheese, I stopped by the Cheese Cellar near Seattle Center for a recommendation. They suggested St. Agour or Blue D'Auvergne, which are both creamy and melt well. Cambozola or Gorgonzola Dolce would be good options if you can't find the other two.

If you don't have 30 minutes to make the polenta, look for the De La Estancia brand of Argentinian cornmeal at Whole Foods or some gourmet retailers; it is so finely ground it cooks in minutes and tastes great too.

Leftover polenta can be stored in oiled cookie sheet overnight and then cut into squares and grilled or pan-fried the next day.

This recipe is vegetarian, and could be made vegan by omitting the cheeses.

Polenta With Grilled Fennel and Apples, Blue Cheese And Apple Jus
Vegetarian, not vegan
Serves 4 as an entree

• 1 1/4 c. polenta
• 5 c. water
• 5 oz. parmesan, grated
• 1 large or 2 small bulbs fennel
• 1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil
• 1 apple suitable for cooking (Rome, Grannysmith, Pink Lady)

For garnish:

• 4 T. Apfelbalsam Essig vinegar
• 6 oz. blue cheese (see note above)
• 2 T. minced parsley
   
• flaky salt (such as Maldon)
• fresh ground black pepper
• fennel pollen

1. Bring the water to a boil and whisk in the polenta. Reduce to a simmer and stir frequently for about 30 minutes, until quite smooth. Add more water if it gets too "tight". Stir in the parmesan cheese until melted. Taste and add salt if needed.
2. Put your serving bowls in a very low oven to warm.
3. While the polenta is cooking, discard the fennel tops, and slice the bulbs thickly in the vertical direction. Brush with olive oil and grill until thorougly tender and starting to get black spots. Allow to cool and then cut into medium dice.
4. Peel and slice the apples thickly, and grill as with the fennel, but leave in slices. You just want to get them somewhat tender.
5. When you are just about ready to serve, heat a saute pan over a high flame, add 2 T. of the olive oil, and give the the fennel a quick saute to reheat. Add a couple pinches of salt.
6. To serve, put 1 c. polenta in a warmed bowl, top with fennel and apples and blue cheese, drizzle 1 T of the apple vinegar, sprinkle on generous pinches of flaky salt and fennel pollen, and add a final grind of black pepper.

Recipe: Crostini with Spanish Green Olive Tapenade

Crostini with Spanish Green Olive Tapenade

This is the second of three crostini toppings I made for our Kavana Men Cook event. This one has straight ahead Spanish flavors with the green olives, orange zest, and smoked paprika. It goes together in just a minute in a food processor. This tapenade is on the thicker side and works better as a crostini or bruschetta topping than as a dip.

One small trick here is to soak the olives in hot water for a few minutes to remove some of the saltiness. You can do the same with black olives or capers in similar recipes.

Crostini with Spanish Green Olive Tapenade
Makes 1 c. for use as a crostini topping
Vegetarian and vegan

• 1 oz. roasted red peppers (or better, piquillo peppers) drained
• 1 c. high quality pitted green olives
• zest and juice of 1/2 orange
• 1/2 t. chili flakes
• 1/2 t. smoked paprika (like pimenton dolce)

1. Soak the olives in hot water for 5 minutes or so and then drain them.
2. Combine all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until it holds together but is still somewhat coarse.
3. Taste and check seasoning.

 

Recipe: Citrus Salad with Sherry Vinaigrette

This is the salad course we did for the Kavana Men Cook event. We used a combination of arugula and mache, two very flavorful greens that have the slight bitterness to combine well with the bright citrus fruit. The blood oranges and grapefruit supremes looked great, and the sharp sherry vinaigrette brought the whole thing together. A few thin slices of red onion seal the deal.

When I use raw onions like this, I like to keep the slices in ice cold water until just before serving. The cold keeps the sulfur compounds from being as volatile, so the onion tastes sweeter. Just drain them well before plating.

Citrus Salad with Sherry Vinaigrette
Serves 4
Vegetarian and vegan

• 2 T. sherry vinegar
• 1/2 t. dijon mustard
• 6 T. olive oil
• salt to taste
• pepper to taste
• 2 blood oranges or mandarins, cut into supremes
• 1 grapefruit, cut into supremes
• 1/2 small red onion, cut in to paper thin slices
• 4 handfuls of arugula and/or mache, trimmed, washed and thoroughly dried

1. Chill the serving plates in the refrigerator.
2. Combine the sherry vinegar and dijon mustard. Whisking continuously, add the olive oil drop-by-drop at first and then in a thin stream until it is emulsified. Add salt and pepper to taste. The dressing should be highly seasoned.
3. Prepare the citrus, onions, and greens.
4. To serve, toss the greens with the dressing and place them on a cold plate. Top with the citrus and onions, and a final sprinkle of sea salt and black pepper.

 

Recipe: Crostini with Fromage Forte

Fromage Forte

This is the second recipe in the series of dishes we did at the recent Kavana Men Cook event. I learned it from a Jacques Pepin cookbook ages ago. Fromage Forte of course means "strong cheese", and it is the best way I know to use up all those odds and ends of good cheese in your refrigerator. You can use just about any mixture of quality cheeses, but this isn't a good place for "grocery store" cheddar type products. I like to have a mix of strong, mild, hard, and creamy, and blue cheeses to maximize the flavor.

The version I did for the Kavana event didn't have much blue cheese because I was serving a hunk of it with the polenta course (recipe coming soon). We served it with simple crostini, just slices of baguette brushed with olive oil and toasted briefly under the broiler.

All you do is trim any rinds and mold off, add a little white wine, garlic, and black pepper, and spin the whole thing in a food processor until it is pretty creamy. If it is too thick and you don't want to add more wine, you can use a little yogurt. It should be thick enough to stand up though, you don't want it runny.

Fromage Forte (also sometimes spelled Fromage Fort)
Vegetarian (and obviously not vegan!)
Makes about 2 cups for a crostini topping or dip

• 1/2 lb. cheese scraps (see note above)
• 1/2 c. dry white wine
• black pepper to taste
• 1 clove garlic (or more to taste)
• salt if needed
• yogurt if needed

1. Trim rock hard or gross parts off of the cheese.
2. Put the cheese, wine, pepper, and garlic in a food processor and spin for a few minutes until no large chunks remain and the texture is fairly smooth.
3. If needed, add more wine or yogurt, and salt.
4. Store in the refrigerator. The flavor improves over a couple of days, but it is very tasty right away.
5. Serve on crostini, either as is or you can run it back under the broiler to make the cheese brown.

Recipe: Valentine's Day Crepes with Chocolate Ganache And Raspberry Compote

Valentine's Day Crepes with Chocolate Ganache And Raspberry Compote

This is the first of several posts of the dishes I did for the men's cooking group of Kavana, a cooperative Jewish organization that we have been involved with recently. Eric L., the creator of CellarTracker.com normally leads the group, but he's down with a shoulder injury. So he and his family hosted at their beautiful house and provided amazing wine, and I led the cooking with a  group of 13 enthusiastic sous chefs. It was great fun!

Normally I'd post the recipes in order starting with appetizers, but with Valentine's Day right around the corner, we better begin with a dessert to knock your sweetie's socks off. (Or other items of clothing). Although there are a few steps, it really isn't much harder than making pancakes.  Add a chocolate ganache, quick raspberry compote, and whipped cream and I dare you not to be happy. Eric paired this with a Heitz ruby port which I think was ideal.

The batter recipe is classic Julia Child. You can make it a day ahead if you like. If you have Mastering the Art of French Cooking, she goes in to her characteristic fine detail for perfecting your crepe technique. Page 190 in my well-worn old hardback copy that I inherited from my Mom. Definitely worth a look.

Valentine's Day Crepes with Chocolate Ganache And Raspberry Compote
Serves 4-5

• 4 T. melted butter
• 1 c. cold water
• 1 c. whole milk
• 4 eggs
• 2 c. sifted all-purpose flour
• 1/2 t. kosher salt
• vegetable oil for the pan
• 8 oz. good bittersweet or semi-sweet (Scharffen-Berger or Callebaut are fine choices)
• 1 pint heavy cream (for ganache and whipped cream)
• 3 T. powdered sugar
• one small bag frozen raspberries
• sugar as needed

1. Combine the melted butter, cold water, milk, eggs, flour and kosher salt in the blender and whir for a minute. Refrigerate the batter until ready to use. Better if it chills for an hour, but not mandatory. The consistency should be like a quite thin pancake batter. Stir in a bit more cold milk if necessary.
2. Roughly chop the chocolate, add 1/2 c. of the heavy cream, and melt in the microwave or double boiler, whisking occasionally until smooth. Add more cream if needed to make a fluffy ganache. Do not refrigerate. (To do this in the microwave, heat at full power for 30 seconds at a time in a microwaveable bowl, stirring in between, until melted and smooth).
3. In a small pot, melt the raspberries, and whisk occasionally until they turn into a sauce. Add sugar, and a pinch of salt to taste. Continue to simmer until slightly thickened. A little lemon juice or zest is nice here too.
4. Whip the cream with the powdered sugar.
5. To cook the crepes, heat one or two crepe pans or 8" non-stick skillets over a medium flame. Wipe with a bit of vegetable oil. Pour in 1/4 c. of batter, and quickly swirl to coat. Let cook until just slightly brown but not crisp, about 60 seconds, then flip and cook for another 30 seconds.
6. To serve, put a spoonfull of the ganache in the center of each crepe and roll or fold. Place on plate with a spoonful of the raspberry compote, drizzle with more ganache, and add dollop of the whip cream. Two crepes makes a good serving.

Recipe: Mexican Matzo Brei or Jewish Chilaquiles?

Mexican Matzo Brei or Jewish Chilaquiles

Matzo Brei is a classic Jewish egg dish, often eaten during Passover when leavened bread is forbidden. (Matza can also be spelled Matzo, Matzoh, or Matzah). Everyone has their own preferred technique. Some like to soak the matza in water first and the drain it, some soak it in the egg like French toast. Some break it up large and some small. Some fry it up like an omelette in a solid cake and others break it up like scrambled eggs.

Chilaquiles are a classic Mexican dish in which corn tortillas are fried up crispy with scrambled eggs. Again, everyone has a style, with different choices of cheese, sauces, chilis, etc.

We happened to have Trader Joe's "Handmade" Corn Tortillas on hand today, and I felt like making chilaquiles. But these thicker tortillas don't easily fry up crispy, they develop more of a tender texture that reminded me of the matzo brei. Absolutely delicious! Here's the recipe:

Mexican Matzo Brei or Jewish Chilaquiles
For 1

• 1 Trader Joe's "Handmade" corn tortilla, torn into small pieces
• 1 T. canola oil
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 3 T. grated cheddar cheese
• salt, pepper
• hot sauce

1. Heat a non-stick skillet over a high flame. Add the canola oil, and a few seconds later toss in the tortilla pieces.
2. Fry for a few minutes, shaking occasionally until the strips are a little crispy but still chewy.
3. Add the eggs, salt and pepper and cook like normal scrambled eggs.
4. When the eggs are just about done, add the cheese and cook til melted
5. Serve with your favorite hot sauce. I've been enjoying Bullard's Louisana Habanero lately.

Recipe: Chana Chaat in a Papadum Bowl

Chana Chaat in a Papadum Bowl

Chaat (or chat) is a whole family of delicious Indian snacks, served either as street food or in shops that specialize in these treats. and generally cold or at room temperature. They aren't very popular in America, but you can sometimes find a few items on a menu, especially at a South Indian restaurant.

I believe Udupi Palace in Bellevue, WA has Pani Puri, which is one of the all time great chaat items, though I don't see it on the online menu. Those of you lucky enough to live in the Bay Area can visit the legendary Vik Distributors in Berkeley, where you can load up on Indian groceries and have some of the best chaat snacks in the country. When I got a chance to travel to India, my coworkers Delhi Treats and Ayusman, among others, took me to some of the best chaat places in Delhi and I think I left my heart there, or at least my palate.

If you know of a great chaat emporium elsewhere, please add a comment below!

Anyhow, I was longing for those flavors, and I had the idea to see if I could do a slightly upscale presentation. The main trick here was to make a bowl out of a papadum. All you have to do is cut a pie shaped wedge and put it on top of a ramekin, then toast it in the toaster oven and carefully press down on it until it forms a partial bowl. I topped that with spicy chickpeas, yogurt and cilantro, and on the plate we've got a bit of tamarind gel and slices of crystallized ginger. Here's the recipe:

Chana Chaat in a Papadum Bowl
Serves 4
Vegetarian, vegan if you skip the yogurt

• 2 T. tamarind concentrate
• 2 T. boiling water
• 1 t. agar-agar powder
• 2 t. sugar
• 1 black pepper (or other flavor) papadum, cut into 4 wedges
• 2 c. cooked and cooled (or opened, rinsed, and drained) chickpeas
• 2 T. chaat masala (or mix your own)
• 1/2 c. high quality yogurt
• 1 t. mild chili powder
• sprigs of cilantro
• 4 pieces of crystallized ginger, sliced thin

1. Stir together the tamarind concentrate, boiling water, agar-agar powder, and sugar. Taste and add more sugar if needed. Cool in refrigerator. When gelled, whisk vigorously to make a viscous liquid.
2. Working one piece at a time, put a papadum on top of a small ramekin and place in a toaster oven. Toast for a few minutes until golden brown and blistering, occasionally and carefully applying slight pressure to form a bowl shape. Remove from oven and leave in ramekin for a few minutes to cool.
3. Mix chickpeas with the chaat masala. You could also add diced cucumbers, potatoes, or onions.
4. To serve, put a few drops of tamarind sauce on the plate with a medicine dropper, place a few slices of the ginger, add the papadum bowl and top with 1/4 of the chickpeas, 2 T. of yogurt, and a bit of the chili powder and cilantro.

Recipe: Grapefruit And Avocado Salad

Chef Janine over at Cafe Flora showed me the other day how to cut sections of citrus fruit properly. Technically these are called "supremes" as in in "we need to cut grapefruit supremes". I've tried to do them before and always had a lot of trouble, with bits of pith leftover and broken segments and frustration.

Anyhow, I had always tried to go in with my knife on both sides of the membrane between the segments. The way she showed me, you go in on one side, flip your knife around, and come back towards you on the other side, maybe leaving a bit of "meat" behind. Works like a charm, you end up with clean segments and a beautiful cup of juice too. If enough folks are interested maybe I could put up a video of the technique.

So I was itching to try this new found skill at home, and we had a grapefruit and an avocado just begging to become a salad. There is a famous crabmeat version of this salad at Etta's, which I'm sure is great. And we have one with these ingredients at Cafe Flora too, but with an Asian-inflected twist of shiitake mushrooms and a ginger-miso dressing, all on greens. Delicious.

My take is below. Possible variations would be to use different citrus (blood oranges!), or add feta cheese and/or cilantro.

Grapefruit And Avocado Salad
Serves 2
Vegetarian, vegan, and gluten free

• 1 grapefruit, cut into supremes over a bowl (see discussion above)
• 1 ripe avocado, cubed or sliced
• 1/4 red onion, sliced paper thin
• 1/4 c. best quality extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 t. kosher salt
• 1 t. prepared dijon mustard (like Grey Poupon)
• black salt and black pepper for finishing

1. Squeeze the leftover bits of grapefruit and the juice gathered while cutting the supremes, and measure 1/4 c. of it. Drink the rest, cook's treat.
2. Mix the 1/4 c. of juice with the olive oil, kosher salt, and mustard in a jar and shake intensively to emulsify. Taste and add a little good vinegar if it needs more acidity. Leave it underseasoned so you can finish with the black salt.
3. Arrange the grapefruit, avocado, and onions on a plate, either individually or on a platter. Just before serving, drizzle on the salad and sprinkle with the black salt and black pepper.

Recipe: Kaffir Lime Dipping Sauce

This simple sauce is similar to a vegetarian version of Vietnamese nuoc cham, suitable for serving with spring rolls or or pouring over a rice bowl. I've been wanting to find a good way to get a strong flavor of kaffir lime leaf, and this really worked out great.

I should mention that kaffir lime is considered an offensive term, although it is by far the most commonly used name for this plant. Makrut lime is more acceptable. But I've never actually heard it used. The leaf infuses a big, round citrus flavor without any acidity. The closest substitution would probably be normal lime rind but it is by no means the same. You should be able to find it at a good Asian specialty market, especially one that offers a Southeast Asian selection, or an Indian grocery.

The idea with this sauce is to get a nice balance of sweet, sour, spicy, salty, and the citrus. Once you mix it up, give it a good taste and adjust any of the components to get exactly what you want.

Kaffir Lime Dipping Sauce
Yields about 1 cup
Vegetarian, vegan, and gluten free if you use a wheat-free soy sauce

• 3/4 c. water
• 1.5 T. sugar
• 6 kaffir lime leaves
• 2 t. salt
• 1.5 t. chili flakes
• 1/4 c. rice vinegar
• 1 t. tamari or soy sauce

1. Bring all of the ingredients except the rice vinegar and tamari to a boil in a small saucepan and remove from the heat.
2. Allow to steep for 15 minutes, then remove the lime leaves and allow to cool.
3. Stir in the vinegar and tamari.
4. Taste and adjust the seasonings. You should be able to clearly taste all of the components except the tamari.

Variations: you could add some or all of finely sliced scallions, ginger, garlic, or cilantro. The rice vinegar could be replaced with a coconut or citrus vinegar. The chili flakes could be replaced with a minced fresh chili of your choosing.