Indian-Spiced Mashed Potatoes

Did you know that there are 5,000 types of cultivated potatoes worldwide and approximately 200 types of wild species and subspecies? Me either. These days, you're lucky to find anything beyond the usual suspects (Yukon Gold, russet, red-skinned, Idaho bakers, etc.) at most grocery stores, which, instead, choose to stock their shelves with, for example, a dozen brands of "maple syrup" -- since when do corn syrup + maple flavoring equal maple syrup? That is one of the reasons, among many others (taste, quality, supporting small farmers, etc.), that I am committed to shopping at the farmer's market. Varietals of vegetables, some on the verge of extinction, are being preserved and re-introduced by small farmers. Lack of genetic diversity and reliance on just a few species pose a risk to our food supply.

And these purple Peruvian potatoes just look so cool. How could you not like purple vegetables?

In addition to these beauties, I picked up an assortment of other varieties (Russian banana, "All Blue", and Ozette) for a simple-to-prepare, flavorful, Indian-spiced mashed potato recipe -- adapted from The Art of Indian Vegetarian Cooking.

For this recipe you will also need:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh grated ginger

1 green chile (serrano or jalapeno), minced

1 1/2 teaspoons cumin seeds

1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander seeds

2 1/2 cups mashed potatoes

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/4 teaspoon cayenne

1/2 teaspoon tumeric

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 tablespoon lemon juice

3 tablespoon chopped cilantro

Bring a medium sized pot to a boil. Add the potatoes and cook until fork tender. Mash the potatoes, skins and all (the skins are loaded with nutrients). Heat the oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the ginger, chile, and cumin seeds, and fry until the seeds turn brown (just a few minutes). Add the mashed potatoes, ground coriander, paprika, cayenne, tumeric, salt, lemon juice, and cilantro. Stir to combine ingredients and cook for another minute or two. Simple and delicious!

Traditionally, the mashed potato is used as a filling for a Potato-Stuffed Whole Wheat Bread called Aloo Paratha, but the filling is so flavorful, I really just enjoy it on its own. 

 

Homemade Flatbread Crackers with Oven-Dried Tomato Spread

Is it taboo to cook really good locally-grown tomatoes? Went a bit overboard at the farmer's market (as usual) and wound up with a few extra pounds of tomatoes. Decided to make an oven-roasted tomato spread. This was inspired by a trip to Pastoral, a great specialty food shop in Chicago. This unique shop has a European feel with its great selection of artisanal cheese, charcuterie, and wine. Oh yes, I do love cheese [and charcuterie, and wine, and...], but that's a topic for another day. Anyway, Pastoral's tomato tapenade and rye flatbread made for a great snack, and inspired me to make my own. 

I've made oven-dried tomatoes before, but decided to take it a step further and process the tomatoes to a puree to accompany some homemade Parmesan herb flatbread crackers. It's really easy to make oven-dried tomatoes. Simply halve the tomatoes, drizzle with olive oil, add fresh chopped herbs (thyme, oregano), salt, and pepper, and then bake at 275 F for about three hours.  P.S. Take the garlic out when soft -- check after one hour.  

After about 3 hours, most of the water in the tomatoes will have evaporated. The tomatoes will look like the below photo and will have developed a concentrated, intense tomato flavor.

You could stop at this point, pour yourself a glass of wine, and enjoy the tomatoes just as they are. They taste great and would make a nice addition to an antipasti platter (along with some grilled vegetables, salumi, cheese...), or you can take it one step further and process the tomatoes to a smooth puree.

I finished the tomato spread with a drizzle of olive oil, a pinch of sea salt, and a sprig of oregano for garnish.

Parmesan Herb Flatbread Crackers

Before Baking

1 cup flour (I used King Arthur whole wheat)

1 cup semolina

2 tablespoons sesame seeds

3/4 tsp kosher salt

3/4 cup warm water (6 fluid oz.)

Extra virgin olive oil for brushing

Chopped herbs (thyme, oregano)

Parmesan cheese, grated

After Baking

These flatbread were also very easy to make. Preheat the oven with a baking stone to 450 F. If you don't have a baking stone you can bake them on a cookie sheet.

Mix the dry ingredients -- flour, semolina, sesame seeds, and salt -- in a medium bowl. Add water and mix to incorporate the dry ingredients. Knead the dough for 3 minutes. Cover and let rest for 15 minutes. Knead the dough for another 2 minutes and then cover and let rest for 20 minutes.

Divide the dough into balls about the size of a golf ball. I used a pasta machine to roll out each flatbread. I started with the thickest setting and adjusted each successive setting until I got to setting "6" on my pasta machine. Alternatively, roll out the dough as thin as possible with a rolling pin.

Brush each flatbread with olive oil and top with Parmesan cheese and chopped herbs. Place each flatbread on the hot baking stone and bake until golden brown, about 8 to 10 minutes.

Your dinner guests will be impressed and not realize how truly easy they were to make. You can make the flatbread with any combination of flour (next time I will try rye) or seeds (flax, pumpkin) or herbs (rosemary)...

"If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world." - J.R.R. Tolkien, author of 'Lord of the Rings'

One Big Fat "Greek" Salad

Is there anything better in the summer than a vine-ripened tomato, particularly the really ugly, misshapen ones that are loaded with flavor and vibrant in color (unlike those pale, tasteless, store-bought tomatoes that are available year-round).

Did you know that there are over 7,500 varieties of tomatoes?

I've had my share of Greek salads (aka Horiatiki salata or village salad) as I've traveled through Greece. I've had a few really good ones, many typical ones, but have yet to find one made with anything other than your standard red tomato. That's what's great some times about preparing dishes yourself at home. You can put whatever you like in your Greek salad, including an assortment of ripe, juicy heirlooms bursting with flavor. 

I've added a few suggestions for "traditional" and "not so traditional" ingredients to incorporate in your salad.  Add whatever is in season, top with a generous amount of good quality extra virgin olive oil, a sprinkling of coarse sea salt, and you can't go wrong.   

Make [food] simple and let things taste of what they are [Curnonsky (Maurice Edmond Sailland].

"Traditional" Ingredients:

Tomatoes

Goat's milk feta

Fresh oregano

Cucumbers (prefer the slender Persian or Armenian; they have much smaller seeds)

Bell pepper (red, green, yellow)

Onion (place in colander and rinse under cool water to make less pungent)

Good quality extra virgin olive oil
Coarse sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Capers
Olives

"Not-So-Traditional" Ingredients:

Purslane

Fresh basil leaves
Garlic chives

Pumpkin seeds (dry roasted in a skillet, until they start to pop)

Hot peppers (such as Hungarian hot wax pepper) to add a little kick
Sea beans

A Note on Purslane (Glistrida, pronounced ghlee-STREE-dah in Greek):  Purslane, considered a weed by some, is probably growing in your yard right now. This succulent green has more omega-3 fatty acids (alpha-linolenic acid) than any other leafy vegetable. But aside from nutrition, purslane actually tastes quite good. It has a lemony citrus flavor and adds a nice crunch to salads. You can use the leaves, tender stems, and all.

I ♥ Greece

I've been traveling to the Greek Islands for over a decade. Wow time flies, can't believe its been ten years.  Ten truly amazing years.

"Travel is more than seeing the sights; it is a change that goes on, deep and permanent, in the ideas of living." - Miriam Beard

There is a term in Greek called filoxenia (pronounced fee-lohk-sen-YAH).  It roughly translates into hospitality.  It is a kindness to strangers, a generosity of spirit that words cannot fully describe.  It is the reason I return year after year.

Each chain of islands and individual islands within those chains have their own feel.  Some are heavily touristed, such as the island of Santorini (in the Cyclades Chain), rightfully so, as it is one of the most picturesque places I've ever seen; others, such as the Island of Chios (in the Aegean Chain), are serene, a place to truly get away from it all and unwind.  But, my heart belongs to Crete.  The largest and most populous of the Greek Islands, it offers a little bit of something for everyone.  It's rugged and mountainous, with dramatic gorges, and an expansive coastline. Crete is also know for its agriculture, especially the production of some of the best olive oil in the world.

I've just scratched the surface; there is so much more to see, not to mention mainland Greece, which I must explore further as well.








But of course you want to know about the food.  Greek food is simple.  Given the simplicity of the cuisine, it demands the freshest ingredients. Take a morning stroll near the water on any Greek island and you will invariably see fishermen bringing back the day's catch on their tiny, colorful fishing boats that line the local harbor. The restaurant owners, many of whom are also fishermen and come from fishing families, take great pride in their fish and are always eager to invite you into the kitchen to see what's fresh.

 

These are a few meals that I've enjoyed along the way -- some of the best grilled fish I've ever tasted, including plenty of sardines, grilled octopus, squid, sepia, sea urchin, snails, favas, horta (wild greens)....along with plenty of local Greek wine.

Of course, it doesn't hurt to have a view like this to accompany your meal...

And, no shortage of breathtaking beaches to spend a lazy afternoon...

Karpathos

Crete

Santorini

Crete

Crete

Antipaxos

Crete

Lots of mountain goats and sheep roaming around...






Time to relax, bask in the sun, and unwind...

The "Rebirth" of Sardines

Whenever I mention to people that I like to cook sardines, they usually give me a strange look. However, these small, oily fish are packed full of nutrients (including omega-3 fatty acids) and flavor, are in large natural abundance, can be fished sustainably, and are an inexpensive source of protein.  I first discovered sardines (sardelles) in Greece and was happy to be able to find fresh sardines back in the states.

The Pacific sardine (Sardinops sagax caerulea) has experienced a remarkable comeback after populations dropped drastically in the 1950s. Today, this species is thankfully, thriving once again.

Fresh, Cleaned Sardines

Seasoned with hot, smoked paprika

Fellow sardine lover

You don't need to do much with them. They are really flavorful on their own and have a stronger flavor (in a good way) than most white fish. I just add a little salt and pepper or smoked hot paprika. They are now ready to be grilled. Make sure to oil the grill or they will stick. They just need 3 to 4 minutes per side. When you feel them start to give way from the grate, they are ready to flip.

On the barbie

They are great on their own (with a squeeze of lemon and parsley) or you can accompany them with a warm, Sicilian olive oil and oregano sauce known as Salmorigano (from salamoia which means a light brine).

Salmorigano
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

2 tablespoon fresh oregano (finely chopped) or 1 tablespoon dried oregano

1/2 cup olive oil

sea salt 

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
pinch dried chile flakes

1/2 lemon

2 tablespoon simmering water

Place the garlic slices in a mortar and pound into a rough paste. Add a pinch of salt and pound until smooth. Add the oregano, olive oil, black pepper, and dried chili flakes, pounding lightly. Cover and store at room temperature. Just before serving, add the simmering water, squeeze in the lemon juice, and whisk. Spoon over the fish and eat immediately. 

"Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you what you are."  Anthelme Brillat-Savarin