Coconut vegetable curry

Left bowl on the picture

This is the recipe I cooked as a final test at the Indian restaurant during my externship. They liked it and asked to write it down in order to put on the menu.

Coconut vegetable curry

Yield 15-20 portions

Ingredients                                                   Amount

Potatoes, Yukon gold large                           2 ea

Cauliflower, medium                                    1 head

Butternut squash                                           1 ea

Onion red, large dice                                    3 ea

Garlic chopped                                             2 tbsp

Ginger minced                                              2 tbsp

Turmeric, divided                                         5 tbsp

Coriander, divided                                        3 tbsp

Salt, divided                                                  4 tbsp or as needed

Cumin                                                           2 tbsp

Garam Masala                                                2 tbsp

Chili powder                                                  2 tbsp or as needed

Canola oil                                                       ¼ cup

Ghee                                                               1 c

Coconut milk                                                  3 qt

Lemon juice                                                   ½ c

Tempering

Black mustard seeds                                     1 tbsp

Curry leaves                                                 1 c

Dry red chili peppers                                    1 c

Ghee                                                             ½ c

Method

1. Peel potatoes, cut into bite size pieces. Steam the potatoes until 75% done. Toss with 1 tbsp turmeric, ½ tbsp. coriander, and 1 tbsp salt. Set aside, preferable overnight.
2. Break cauliflower into florets (bite size), steam until 75% done. Toss with 1 tbsp turmeric and ½ tbsp. coriander. Set aside, preferably overnight.
3. Peel butternut squash, remove seeds, and cut into bite size pieces. Season with 1 tbsp turmeric, ½ tbsp. coriander, and canola oil. Mix well and roast at 375 F for 7-8 minutes (until almost done). Set aside.
4. Heat ghee and add onion. Sauté for 2-3 minutes, until slightly soft. Add garlic and ginger, sauté for another 2 minutes and add spices (turmeric, coriander, garam masala, chili powder). Sauté until fragrant 2-3 minutes.
5. Add coconut milk , bring to simmer, reduce the heat and simmer very gently for 15-20 minutes to allow flavor to combine and infuse coconut milk.
6. Add reserved vegetables, bring to simmer and cook until heated through and vegetables are ready and tender.
7. Add lemon juice. Check and adjust seasoning if necessary with salt and chili powder.
8. Temper mustard seeds, curry leaves, and chili peppers in ghee (tempering means frying spices in very hot oil until they become fragrant). Add to the coconut mixture.
9. Mix together and serve hot.

Snickerdoodles

Cookies ready for freezer

Another recipe made during my externship. I like these cookies, so decided to share it here.

Snickerdoodles

Flour                            578 g
Baking powder                6 g
Butter                             12 oz
Sugar                              508 g
Eggs                                  3 ea
Method:
1. Cream butter and sugar in a mixer. Scrape sides.
2. Add eggs, continue to beat. Scrape sides
3. Add flour and baking powder. Mix to combine. Do not over mix. Make sure that the sides of the bowl are scraped and mixture is even consistency.
4. Using ice cream scoop, scoop the dough, making balls. Freeze them.
5. Before baking roll each cookie in cinnamon sugar. Place on a baking sheet tray covered with parchment paper and bale at 325 F for 8-10 minutes.

French macarons and buttercream filling

French macarons is one of my favorite dessert. It seems easy to make, however I tried many times and only the first one was successful. This is the recipe we used during my externship at Google to make them.

Almond meal (flour)                               204 g
Powdered sugar                                      360 g
Egg whites (room temperature)               216 g
Sugar                                                       234 g
Vanilla extract                                          1/4 tsp

Method
1. Combine almond meal and powdered sugar, sift twice.
2. Whisk egg whites to the soft peak, gradually add sugar and vanilla. Whisk till stiff and glossy. Do not over whisk.
3. Add merengue to the almond mixture in three stages (1/3 each time), fold.
4. Pipe macaroons on a baking sheet tray lined with a parchment paper or silicon mat (no grease!)
5. Let rest 30-60 minutes
6. Bake at 325 F for 9-11 minutes


Buttercream filling

Egg whites                            82 g
Sugar                                    138 g
Cold cubed butter                 203 g
Flavoring of your choice.
Method:
1. Dissolve sugar into egg whites over a double boiler whipping whites to a soft peak.
2. Add butter and flavoring. First it will deflate and you will think that you ruined it. Continue whipping and the cream will come back together

P.S. The crazy amounts of all ingredients are due to the fact that I have to scale the original recipes down ten times...

Shortbread

Shortbread - cut and ready to be served

Shortbread

Another recipe I made during my externship. This one again is the master recipe. You may flavor it with anything you like. When we made it the flavor was lemon zest and poppy seeds.

The result was great. Delicious, very soft shortbread.

For the amount of ingredient given, you get three half size baking trays. So feel free to

Vanilla Cupcakes

Baked cupcakes

Vanilla Cupcakes

These cupcakes I made at one of the cafe during my externship. The recipe is quite simple and what is more important for baking is forgiving.

The recipe is forgiving, because you may play with flavour. The lead cook told me that once she substituted buttermilk for the citrus juice to get citrus flavour. And it worked.

We substitutes approximately half of buttermilk for chai and added spices - cardamom, cloves, ginger. Our cupcakes were

Tidewater Cole Slaw

Tidewater Cole Slaw (for a crowd)
Ingredients:

Green cabbage, cored, chiffonade very fine  2 gal volume
Red cabbage, cored, chiffonade very fine  1/2 gal volume
Red peppers, very fine julienne  3 ea
Yellow pepper, very fine julienne  3ea
Horse carrot, very fine julienne 3 ea
Red onions, minced 3 ea

Dressing
Sour cream 1 pt
Mayonnaise 1 pt
Cider vinegar 1/2 cup
Dry mustard 3 tbsp
Gulden's mustard (the name of the brand for prepared mustard, 
you may substitute with Dijon) 2 tbsp
Canned horseradish 4 tbsp
Sugar 1/2 cup
Salt, large grind black pepper, Tabasco t.t.
Ground celery seed 2 tbsp
Method:

1. Prep the cabbage, peppers, and onions and reserve. Combine all the ingredients for the dressing and reserve separately from the slaw. Be precise on the vegetable cuts.
2. Mix the slaw anytime before service time (but not the day ahead) and allow a couple of hours to marinate. 

Pizza dough

This is recipe for a pizza dough we used to make calzone in a class. The dough was excellent.

Ingredients:
makes 500 grams dough

Flour (all purpose) 262 gr (100%)
Water warm           178 gr (68%)
Yeast                        2.6 gr (1%)
Salt                           5.2 gr (2%)
Extra virgin olive oil 52 gr (20%)

Mix yeast with water. Mix Salt and flour. Combine all ingredients and knead dough for about 10 minutes to develop gluten.
Let it proof twice until doubles in size.
Roll for the desired shape. Add feeling.
Bake at 500F until golden in colour.

Funnel Cake

Ready to serve

Here is the recipe for Funnel Cake we made on Friday.

FUNNEL CAKE WITH MAPLE SYRUP AND SUMMER FRUIT SAUCES
Ingredients 

Milk, room temperature 24 oz 
Yeast 2/3 oz
AP flour 1 lb 5 oz
Salt 1 pinch
Egg yolks 1 1/2 oz 
Confectioners sugar 3 oz
Maple syrup
Fruit sauce

Method

1. Combine the milk and yeast with 10 ounces of flour. Cover and allow it to ferment for 45 minutes.
   
2. Add the remaining flour, salt, and egg yolks and mix; allow to ferment until doubled in size.
   
3. Stir the batter and pipe into 182° C/360°F oil to form cakes. Fry until golden brown; turn and repeat.
   
4. Remove them and allow them to drain on towels.
   
5. Dust funnel cakes liberally with confectioners sugar. Place in parchment bags. 
   

Blue Cheese Dressing

Blue Cheese Dressing

This is really nice creamy dressing for salad I have made at work today.

Makes 36 fl oz.

Ingredients:
4 oz crumbled blue cheese 
16 fl oz Mayonnaise 
8 fl oz sour cream 
6 fl oz buttermilk 
3 fl oz milk 
1 oz puréed onion 
2 tsp garlic paste 
1 tbsp lemon juice, or as needed 
Worcestershire sauce to taste 
Salt to taste
Ground black pepper to taste 
Method:
1) Combine the cheese, mayonnaise, sour cream, buttermilk, milk, onions, and garlic in a medium bowl and mix until smooth. 
2) Add Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper and adjust seasoning with lemon juice, if necessary. 
3) Serve immediately or refrigerate for later service (it will keep well refrigerated for a couple of days)

Pineapple-Jicama Salsa

We made this is class today. The salsa is great with grilled fish in a hot day like today.

Makes 32 fl oz.

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
3 tbsp lime juice
Salt and groung black pepper as needed
1 tbsp roughly chopped cilantro
6 oz jicama, cut into fine julienne
8 oz pineapple, small dice
4 1/4 oz red onion, minced
4 1/4 oz red pepper, small dice
1/2 oz jalapeño, minced

Method
1. Mix together the oil, lime juice, salt pepper, and cilantro
2. Add the remaining ingredients and toss to coat.
3. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. The salsa is ready to serve now, or may be refrigerated for later use.

Annatto Rice

This is another recipe we made in class and served with vegetarian chili.

Basically, this is rice pilaf with mexican flavor. I like it and it was really good.

Serves 10.

Ingredients:
2 cups long-grain white rice 
1 oz butter 
¾ fl oz annatto paste 
1 lb small-dice Standard Mirepoix or White Mirepoix 
½ Scotch bonnet, seeded and minced (be careful! it's really hot. we used serrano)
3 garlic cloves, minced 
1 bay leaf 
28 fl oz Chicken Stock 
Salt and black pepper, as needed

Method:
1. If desired, rinse the rice in a strainer under cold water until the water runs clear. Drain the rice well.
2. Heat the butter in a heavy-gauge medium pot over low heat and add the annatto paste. Stir to dissolve the paste. 
3. Add the mirepoix, Scotch bonnet, garlic, and bay leaf. Cook over medium heat until the onions are translucent, about 10 minutes. 
4. Add the rice, stock, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer. Cover, and cook in a 350°F/177°C oven for 12 to 15 minutes. 
5. Allow the rice to rest for 5 minutes, fluff it with a fork, and serve immediately or hold hot for service

Vegetarian Chili

Vegetarian Chili.

We made this Chili in class and it was 'sold out' in 25 minutes.

Do not be scared by the long list of ingredients. The method is not difficult at all.

serves 10.
Ingredients:
1 lb dried black beans 
Salt, as needed 
2 fl oz olive oil 
8 oz small-dice onion 
8 oz small-dice green pepper 
8 oz small-dice red pepper 
8 oz small-dice yellow pepper 
½ oz minced garlic 
½ to 1 chipotle in adobo sauce, finely chopped 
1 tsp adobo sauce 
2 poblanos, roasted, seeded, and peeled, small dice 
2 tsp Chili Powder 
1 tbsp ground cumin 
¾ tsp ground coriander 
Pinch ground cinnamon 
2½ oz tomato paste 
6 fl oz white wine 
28 fl oz Vegetable Stock 
5 oz small-dice tomato 
½ oz masa harina, mixed with vegetable stock to make a slurry 
Ground black pepper, as needed 
Sugar, as needed 
8 oz grated Monterey Jack 
5 fl oz sour cream
3 tbsp cilantro

Method:
1. Sort the beans and rinse well with cold water. Soak the beans using the long or short method. 
2. Drain the soaked beans. 
3. Transfer the beans to a large stockpot and add water to cover generously. Simmer for 1 hour. 
4. Add salt and continue to simmer until the beans are tender to the bite, 20 to 30 minutes. Drain well and reserve. 
5. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onions, peppers, garlic, chipotle, adobo sauce, and poblanos and sauté until aromatic and just turning golden. 
6. Add the chili powder, cumin, coriander, and cinnamon and cook until aromatic. Stir in the tomato paste, and cook for 2 minutes. 
7. Add the wine and reduce by two-thirds. Add the stock and tomatoes, bring to a simmer, and cook gently until the vegetables are tender, 8 to 10 minutes. 
8. Add the drained beans and cook 5 minutes more. 
9. Add the masa slurry to the chili, mix well, and bring back to simmer. Season with salt, pepper, and sugar. 
10. Serve immediately, garnished with cheese, sour cream, and cilantro, or hold hot for service

Honey - Poppy Seed - Citrus Dressing

Honey - Poppy Seed - Citrus Dressing
makes 36 fl oz

Ingredients:
24 fl oz plus 2 tsp olive oil 
½ oz minced shallot 
3 fl oz ketchup 
4 fl oz red wine vinegar 
2 fl oz orange juice 
2 fl oz grapefruit juice 
4 tsp honey 
½ tsp dry mustard (you may substitute with Dijon) 
1½ tsp poppy seeds
Salt and ground black pepper as needed
Method:1. Heat 2 tsp/10 mL of the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat and sweat the shallots until translucent. Add the ketchup, vinegar, juices, honey, mustard, and poppy seeds. Bring to a simmer and cook over low heat until bubbly and smooth, 1 minute. Remove from the heat and cool the mixture to room temperature. 
2. Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl and gradually whisk in the remaining oil. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Serve immediately or refrigerate for later service

Faux Balsamico

You can make this balsamic vinegar reduction to use in salads or as condiment (from the New York TImes).

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp white sugar
3 cups balsamic salad vinegar
2 juniper berries, cut in half
1/2 inch vanilla bean, split
20 needles fresh rosemary
2 black peppercorns
6 raisins
1/4 teaspoon dried figs
1/4 inch cut of star anise
1 Tbsp honey
1/8 teaspoon molases
Worcestershire sauce, optional

Method:
1. Simmer white sugar with 1 Tbsp water until dark caramel stage (but not burned). Remove from heat, add 1 cup of vinegar - be careful, it will splash at the beginning, add it in stages very slow at the beginning, otherwise you will get a big lamp of caramel in vinegar. Lower heat and simmer until the mixture is a very thick sirup.
2. Carefully add the remaining vinegar, stirring constantly. Add all other ingredients except for honey and molasses. Continue simmering until liquid reduced by nearly two thirds (to yield 1.5 - 2 cups)
3. Add honey, bring to simmer and remove from heat. Cool to room temperature. Taste and adjust flavor with molases (for a darker caramel tone) or Worcestershire sauce (to enhance the spice tone). Strain.

It came out very good, flavor was really enhanced from a flat (cheap) balsamic vinegar to something very reach, reminding a good balsamic vinegar. Can you say that this faux balsamico tastes like $150 a bottle? Positively NO. Does it worth to go for this? I think so. If your kitchen allows you to do this (you have good hood vent otherwise you home is going to smell like vinegar for the next two weeks), go for it. You should realize, that ingredients here is a guideline. No need to count needles of rosemary... If you make this you can use it for a salad without any taste of guilt (once I made a salad dressing with an excellent balsamic vinegar - and still thinking about it as a crime, that vinegar was so good you can drink it as digestive).

Apricot Mostarda

Yield about 4 cups

Ingredients:

Sugar 2 cups

Water 1 1/2 cups

Dried apricots (or similar fruits or mix) chopped 2 cups

Mustard seed, whole 1/4 cup

Dijon mustard 1/2 cup

Horseradish, fresh, grated 1/2 cup

Method:

1. combine sugar and water in a pot, bring to boil

2. add dried fruits and mustard seeds; return to a boil, then lower heat and simmer until mixture is reduced to a syrup consistency, about 45 minutes

3. whisk in Dijon mustard and horseradish; cool. Store in a refrigerator.

Note.

Full recipe makes about 4 cups, but can be halved or doubled, as desired. For the best results, make it at least a few days ahead of planned use, as flavours develop and mellow with age. Stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, it will keep for several weeks. Also great as an accompaniment to a cheese plate, or with any grilled or roasted poultry. If you wish you can mix in some fresh fruits, such as peaches, to lighten its intensity.

Prepared horseradish (not cream style) can be used instead of fresh, however fresh will provides the best result.