raisins

  • Armenian Bulgur Salad

    Armenian Bulgur Salad
    Armenian Bulgur Salad
    (Serves 4)


    1 cup bulgur #3 or #4 (larger variety)
    1-2 tablespoons butter, to taste
    1 shallot, minced
    1 1/4 cups broth (either chicken or vegetable)

    1 teaspoon cumin 1 tablespoon tomato paste
    1/4 cup pomegranate seeds
    1/2 cup parsley, chopped
    1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped
    1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled
    1/4 cup sultanas (golden raisins or use any dried fruit you like)
    1/4 cup shelled, roasted, and salted pistachios
    1/2 cup garbanzo or cannellini beans (canned)
    Salt and pepper to taste

    Dressing:
    1 large bulb black garlic (or 1 teaspoon garlic powder)
    1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses
    1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
    2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
    Salt to taste


    NOTES: One time I had no pomegranate seeds, so I substituted for barberries.
     

    Heat butter in a saucepan. Add the shallots and sauté until translucent. Add the bulgur, tomato paste, cumin, about a half teaspoon salt, and the broth. Stir and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat and cover. Simmer for 20 minutes (or follow package directions).

    For the dressing, in a small food processor, whirl together the black garlic (or garlic powder), orange juice, pomegranate molasses, salt and olive oil. Let the cooked bulgur cool then add the rest of the ingredients (from the pomegranate seeds to the garbanzo beans).

    Add salt and pepper to taste, then drizzle the pomegranate molasses dressing over the bulgur mixture, and toss gently to combine.

  • Bread Pudding (New Orleans's Style)

    Bread Pudding (New Orlean's Style)
    Bread Pudding (New Orleans's Style)
    (Serves 12)
    2 loaves, Stale french bread
    ¼ lb butter
    ¼ cup brown sugar
    1¼ cup white sugar
    3 eggs beaten
    ¼ lb raisins
    1 can crushed pineapple, 8 ozs
    1 can evaporated milk
    3 tblsp vanilla
    ½ tsp nutmeg
    ½ tsp cinnamon
    NOTES:

    Instructions

    Pre-heat the oven to 350° F.

    Melt the butter, and set aside, tear bread into chunks, douse with water, then squeeze the water out.

    Mix all the ingredients together.

    Grease a 9" x 5" or similarly sized baking dish with butter.

    Spread the mix evenly into the dish. Place in the center of the oven, for 40-45 minutes.

    Serve with Bourbon or Rum sauce. (¼ cup liquor, ¼ cup sugar, ¼ lb butter all melted together in a blissful-scintillating way!)

     

  • Vegetable Biryani (Indian Style Rice and Vegetables)

    Vegetable Biryani
    Vegetable Biryani (Indian Style Rice with Vegetables)
    (Serves 4-6)

    3-4 cups (total) of chopped vegetables all roughly the same size:
    Carrots
    ½ head of Cauliflower, florets
    1 Sweet Potato, diced small
    1 large yellow onion
    ¼ cup Peas
    1 Carrot, sliced small or diced small
    8 string beans (optional)
    1 Tomato, diced (optional)
    1 cup basmati rice
    3 tblsp Canola or Vegetable oil (or Ghee)

    In the water for the rice
    8 cups water
    1 tblsp salt
    5 whole cloves
    slice of fresh ginger root
    several saffron strands
    1/2 tsp turmeric

    2 tblsp of broken cashews or sliced almonds (optional)
    2 tblsp of raisins or dried plums cut in half (optional)
    1 Serrano Chili (optional)(or 2 for high heat)

    Spice Batch One: Whole Garam Masala
    3/4 tblsp cumin seed (keep separate)
    4 cloves garlic, minced to paste
    1 inch chunk of ginger, peeled, minced to a paste
    2 whole cloves
    6-8 peppercorns (I use schezuan peppercorns and black peppercorns)
    1 cinnamon stick, broken in half
    2 green cardamom pods, slit open
    1 black cardamom pod, slit open (optional)
    1 tsp or less of black cumin seed (optional)

    Spice Batch Two: Biryani Spices
    3/4 tsp turmeric powder
    3/4 tblsp red chili powder
    1 tblsp coriander powder
    ½ tsp mace
    2 tsp dried cilantro
    1 tblsp salt

    Finishing Spices
    ¼ tsp cayenne pepper (optional)(another layer of heat)
    2 tsp Garam Masala Powder
    ½ cup thick plain yogurt (optional)
    Fresh cilantro leaves, garnish (optional)

    NOTES: You can also use spinach (squeeze all excess water from it first it was frozen), squash, turnips, parsnips, potatoes, and tomatoes. Also, once you peel the ginger, cut it into 4 or 5 small rings, place the rings down, and one by one, using the flat side of a large and heavy knife, smash down the ginger, and then mince for the quickest way to reduce it to a paste.

    Cut up and set the vegetables aside in a large bowl mixed together.

    Mix up your 2 spice batches, keep them separate, I usually do this omitting the cumin seed, so I can add it for the first 30 second..

    Put 3 tblsp of oil in a large fry pan over low heat. Add the cumin seeds first and toast them in the oil for 30 seconds or so before adding the minced garlic and ginger. Stir and continue cooking over low heat for another minute.

    Now add the rest of the Whole Garam Masala spices. Saute over low heat for five minutes (make sure nothing burns).
    At this time start boiling 8 cups of water with a tblsp of salt, if your using them, add the cloves, turmeric, saffron threads and ginger slice. When the water is boiling put the rice in and start to time it when it reaches a boil again (turn to low boil) for 7-8 minutes and at that time taste and see if they need another minute (until done). When done drain the rice and set aside.

    Add the 3-4 cups of vegetables to the large frying pan with the garam masala, ginger and garlic. Mix well until everything is coated in the oil and spice mixture.

    Turn the heat up slightly to medium and let the vegetables sit there for 5 minutes, then stir a little and let sit for another 5 minutes. Repeat 2 more times, so in a bout 20 minutes the vegetables should be close to fork tender.

    Now it's time to put it all together. Add all the Biryani Spices over the vegetables, 1/2 at a time stir then the other half. Add the cooked and drained rice to the vegetables and spices. Toss several times until well mixed. Add the optional nuts and raisins/dried plums now if you are using them.

    You can sprinkle with 1 tsp Garam Masala and flip the rice to the other side and add another 1 tsp Garam Masala if you choose. Serve with the optional thick plain yogurt and lemon wedges. Garnish if you have it with fresh cilantro.

     

  • Vegetable Biryani (Indian Style Rice and Vegetables)

    Vegetable Biryani
    Vegetable Biryani (Indian Style Rice with Vegetables)
    (Serves 4-6)

    3-4 cups (total) of chopped vegetables all roughly the same size:
    Carrots
    ½ head of Cauliflower, florets
    1 Sweet Potato, diced small
    1 large yellow onion
    ¼ cup Peas
    1 Carrot, sliced small or diced small
    8 string beans (optional)
    1 Tomato, diced (optional)
    1 cup basmati rice
    3 tblsp Canola or Vegetable oil (or Ghee)

    In the water for the rice
    8 cups water
    1 tblsp salt
    5 whole cloves
    slice of fresh ginger root
    several saffron strands
    1/2 tsp turmeric

    2 tblsp of broken cashews or sliced almonds (optional)
    2 tblsp of raisins or dried plums cut in half (optional)
    1 Serrano Chili (optional)(or 2 for high heat)

    Spice Batch One: Whole Garam Masala
    3/4 tblsp cumin seed (keep separate)
    4 cloves garlic, minced to paste
    1 inch chunk of ginger, peeled, minced to a paste
    2 whole cloves
    6-8 peppercorns (I use schezuan peppercorns and black peppercorns)
    1 cinnamon stick, broken in half
    2 green cardamom pods, slit open
    1 black cardamom pod, slit open (optional)
    1 tsp or less of black cumin seed (optional)

    Spice Batch Two: Biryani Spices
    3/4 tsp turmeric powder
    3/4 tblsp red chili powder
    1 tblsp coriander powder
    ½ tsp mace
    2 tsp dried cilantro
    1 tblsp salt

    Finishing Spices
    ¼ tsp cayenne pepper (optional)(another layer of heat)
    2 tsp Garam Masala Powder
    ½ cup thick plain yogurt (optional)
    Fresh cilantro leaves, garnish (optional)

    NOTES: You can also use spinach (squeeze all excess water from it first it was frozen), squash, turnips, parsnips, potatoes, and tomatoes. Also, once you peel the ginger, cut it into 4 or 5 small rings, place the rings down, and one by one, using the flat side of a large and heavy knife, smash down the ginger, and then mince for the quickest way to reduce it to a paste.

    Cut up and set the vegetables aside in a large bowl mixed together.

    Mix up your 2 spice batches, keep them separate, I usually do this omitting the cumin seed, so I can add it for the first 30 second..

    Put 3 tblsp of oil in a large fry pan over low heat. Add the cumin seeds first and toast them in the oil for 30 seconds or so before adding the minced garlic and ginger. Stir and continue cooking over low heat for another minute.

    Now add the rest of the Whole Garam Masala spices. Saute over low heat for five minutes (make sure nothing burns).
    At this time start boiling 8 cups of water with a tblsp of salt, if your using them, add the cloves, turmeric, saffron threads and ginger slice. When the water is boiling put the rice in and start to time it when it reaches a boil again (turn to low boil) for 7-8 minutes and at that time taste and see if they need another minute (until done). When done drain the rice and set aside.

    Add the 3-4 cups of vegetables to the large frying pan with the garam masala, ginger and garlic. Mix well until everything is coated in the oil and spice mixture.

    Turn the heat up slightly to medium and let the vegetables sit there for 5 minutes, then stir a little and let sit for another 5 minutes. Repeat 2 more times, so in a bout 20 minutes the vegetables should be close to fork tender.

    Now it's time to put it all together. Add all the Biryani Spices over the vegetables, 1/2 at a time stir then the other half. Add the cooked and drained rice to the vegetables and spices. Toss several times until well mixed. Add the optional nuts and raisins/dried plums now if you are using them.

    You can sprinkle with 1 tsp Garam Masala and flip the rice to the other side and add another 1 tsp Garam Masala if you choose. Serve with the optional thick plain yogurt and lemon wedges. Garnish if you have it with fresh cilantro.