One of my fondest food memories is of the tiny round potatoes known as papas criollas from Colombia. The Colombian papas criollas grow wild in the Andes highlands and have a thin, tender skin and a buttery yellow interior that yields an amazing flavor. They are a favorite for soups such as Ajiaco or served as appetizers or sides either roasted, fried, mashed, boiled, or skewered and grilled. Here in the United States you can buy them frozen in some stores or in jars from various online grocers (see Where to Buy below). I have searched for years but still have not found frozen, canned, or fresh papas criollas in any of our local Hispanic or international grocery stores.

If you’ve ever had a memory of food so strong that you still dream of it 15 years later, you’ll understand my excitement when I spotted tiny yellow potatoes in Trader Joe’s last week. Small potatoes have been in vogue for a few years, but the little yellow Dutch creamers in our area stores are bigger than papas criollas and I’ve never been quite happy with them. When I saw these petite gems my heart went pitter patter and I jumped with glee and clapped. In Trader Joe’s. Yes, people stared.

These tasty little potatoes are only 1-inch in diameter, a perfect bite size. Michael was thrilled that I found them and assumed I was going to make Ajiaco, but I shocked him when I announced that I planned to fry these. I don’t like to fry, it always makes a big splattery mess leaving me with a big cleanup, but the memory of crispy fried papas is burned in my brain and I wanted to share that experience with my family without buying plane tickets to Bogotá.

My next step is to test the papas in Ajiaco. If they are a true match, they will break up and dissolve into the soup, and then I will set up some space to grow my own papas criollas. What a dream come true.

Just for fun: If you want to experience papas criollas the way I first did years ago, listen to Clasicos de la Provincia by Carlos Vives while eating. For something instrumental, The Rumba Foundation by Jesse Cook offers some great Colombian-inspired sounds that will give you rumba fever.

FRIED PAPAS CRIOLLAS

Makes 1 pound, serves 2 to 4.

Equipment

steamer basket
large heavy bottom pot with lid
cast iron pot or frying appliance
splatter screen
plate or platter lined with paper towels

Ingredients

1 pound (~450 g) papas criollas or similar tiny yellow potato (about 1-inch in diameter)
cooking oil (I use canola.)
sea salt

Preparation

1. STEAM OR PARBOIL: Pour water into bottom of large pot and insert the steamer basket. Add the potatoes, cover, and bring to a boil. Steam the potatoes for about 4 to 5 minutes, then drain and pat dry. If you don’t have a steamer basket, you can parboil the potatoes. Add enough water to cover the potatoes, bring to a boil, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Drain and dry.

2. FRY: While cooking the potatoes, add oil to the cast iron pot or frying appliance. There should be enough oil for the potatoes to float, but it doesn’t need to be very deep. Add potatoes, about 10 to 15 at a time. They will probably bubble and splatter, so keep a screen handy. Some of the potato skins may burst open, and that’s ok, the skin will be particularly crispy. Fry for about 2 to 3 minutes, then remove and drain well on the plate lined with paper towels. Allow to cool for a minute or two. Salt generously and serve.

Where to Buy Canned Papas Criollas

Hatogrande

Amigo Foods

More Colombian Recipes

More Bloggers with Authentic Colombian Recipes

Nikas Culinaria

My Colombian Recipes

Thanks for reading Andrea’s Recipes through a feed! Copyright © 2005-2009 Andrea’s Recipes.

Have I ever mentioned that purple is my favorite color? I find the color exhilarating and like plants that bear purple fruits and vegetables, including tomatillos.

Our tomatillo plants were slow this year along with everything else in the garden. The extended cold, wet spring put a damper on things, making everything slow to grow and blossom. We finally harvested some tomatillos a few weeks ago, much later than last year, and with the early cold snap this week we didn’t get much of a growing season at all. All we can do is preserve what we have and hope for better next year.

This was our second year for growing tomatillos, and we planted two green and two purple, both of which took off in late July and shot up to about nine feet tall. The purple tomatillo fruits are generally smaller than the green, with shades ranging from bright amethyst to almost black.

The interiors are only slightly lighter in color than the exterior, and the salsa is a brilliant purple.

When the cold snap hit this week we started pulling things off the plants, hoping to save as much as possible. The tomatillos stopped producing but still have hundreds of little paper lanterns hanging from the four plants. Fortunately they stand up to cold better than tomatoes and peppers, so we have a little time to finish the harvest. We’ll roast the rest, make them into salsa, and freeze it for the winter. I don’t like to process salsa because it tastes cooked rather than fresh, but I do recommend using the salsa within a couple months before it gets freezer burn and loses flavor.

Roasting the tomatillos is easy, just spread them out onto a sheet pan lined with aluminum foil and cook under the broiler until they char, about 6 to 8 minutes. Once roasted, the tomatillos can be thrown into a blender with your own blend of chiles, cilantro, garlic, onion, limes, whatever sounds good, and you’ll have roasted tomatillo salsa. This works with either the green or purple tomatillos, and we make both. This year the tomatillos, garlic, and serrano chiles all came from our garden.

This is my contribution to Grow Your Own, a blogging event that celebrates the dishes we create from foods we’ve grown, raised, foraged, or hunted ourselves. I am the host for this final event of 2009, and you can send your post information to me at andreasrecipesgyo AT gmail DOT com. Posts are due on October 30. Grow Your Own is taking a winter break this year while we tend to some family matters, but we’ll be back in the spring ready for more fun. If you would like to host in 2010, please drop me a note. If you are new to the event, you can read more about the rules for participating and find the links to previous events at the Grow Your Own page.

OVEN-ROASTED TOMATILLO SALSA

Makes about 24 ounces/710 ml.

Equipment

baking sheet lined with heavy duty aluminum foil
blender

Ingredients

3 pounds (1.4 k) tomatillos, color of your choice, husked and rinsed
1/2 medium onion, quartered (red for purple tomatillos, white for green tomatillos)
1 fresh chile, stemmed (serrano or jalapeno work well)
3 cloves garlic, peeled
handful of cilantro leaves and tiny stems, rinsed and patted dry
1/2 lime, juiced

Preparation

1. Spread the tomatillos out on the lined baking sheet stem side down. Place under broiler until charred, about 6 to 8 minutes. Some will crack and release juice, and that’s ok. Add tomatillos and juice to the blender jar.

2. On a dry skillet, toast the onion, chile, and garlic, turning until charred on all sides. Add to the blender jar. (Note: Remove the seeds of the chile if you want a milder salsa.)

3. Add the cilantro and lime juice to the blender jar. Blend all for a few seconds. Pour into a large bowl and serve, or pour into jars and refrigerate for up to 1 week. Can also freeze in plastic containers. I use the Ball Plastic Freezer Jars.

More Grow Your Own Recipes

More Tomatillo Recipes From Around the Blogs

Simply Recipes – Tomatillo Chicken Stew

Cookworm – Chickpea and Tomatillo Soup

What’s Cooking? – Mexican Tomatillo Rice

Kalyn’s Kitchen – Grilled Halibut with Southwestern Rub and Tomatillo Salsa

Thanks for reading Andrea’s Recipes through a feed! Copyright © 2005-2009 Andrea’s Recipes.

Zucchini season will soon come to an end, but there’s still time to enjoy this icon of the summer garden. We’ve made salads, pasta, bread, gratins, and all sorts of things with zucchini, even though it was a sad zucchini year for us after losing all our zucchini plants to garden pests.

Risotto is comfort food for me anytime of the year no matter what I put into it, and this one with zucchini and our fresh homegrown basil and garlic does not disappoint. The Grana Padano cheese adds a slightly nutty yet delicate flavor that is worth the search, but you can also substitute Parmigiano Reggiano if you can’t find Grana Padano. The recipe is adapted from My Italian Garden, by Viana La Place (in my personal collection), a lovely little book with watercolor illustrations based on cooking from her own Italian garden in San Francisco. The book is divided into seasons, making it perfect for cooking with seasonal produce.

This is my contribution to Grow Your Own, the blogging event that celebrates the dishes we create from foods we’ve grown, raised, foraged, or hunted ourselves. Praveen of Masala Heaven is our host for this round, so be sure to visit her blog for more information about submitting your post. If you are new to the event, you can read more about the rules for participating at the Grow Your Own page. I hope you will join us!

ZUCCHINI RISOTTO

Adapted from My Italian Garden, by Viana La Place.

Makes about 4 to 6 servings.

Equipment

3-quart sauce pan with heavy bottom
2-quart sauce pan
box grater (optional)

Ingredients

6 cups (1.44 liters) vegetable broth or water
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 medium yellow onion, finely diced
2 medium zucchini or striato d’Italia, diced (I grated them.)
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 cups (360 g) Arborio rice
8 fresh basil leave, chiffonade
sea salt, to taste
fresh ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 cup freshly grated Grana Padano cheese (You can substitute Parmesan if necessary.)

Preparation

1. In the 2-quart sauce pan, bring the vegetable broth to a simmer. Keep it hot but not boiling.

2. In the 3-quart sauce pan, heat 1/4 cup olive oil over low heat. Add the onion and sauté slowly until soft. Add the zucchini and garlic and sauté over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the rice and stir until the rice is translucent, about 1 to 2 minutes.

3. Reduce temperature to low. Add the hot broth to the rice mixture one ladleful at a time, stirring frequently. Wait until the liquid is absorbed before adding the next ladleful of broth. Midway during cooking, add the basil and salt and pepper to taste. Continue cooking until all the broth has been added.

4. Test the risotto to make sure it’s al dente, but not too hard. If it’s still a little crunchy, add a ladleful of water and continue stirring. When risotto is ready, remove from heat and stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and the Grana Padano cheese. Serve immediately.

Other Italian Recipes

More Zucchini Recipes From Around the Blogs

Simply Recipes – Zucchini Breakfast Casserole

Karina’s Kitchen – Pesto Zucchini Tomato Gratin

Wasibomon – Light Zucchini Hummus

A Veggie Venture – Eight Ball Stuffed Zucchini

Thanks for reading Andrea’s Recipes through a feed! Copyright © 2005-2009 Andrea’s Recipes.

My first cookbook from Sheila Lukins was the 1980s classic Silver Palate Cookbook, a popular book that led many people in the United States to change the way they cooked and viewed food. I’ve collected just about all of the books she wrote and have cooked from them many times over the years, learning something new with each dish. My favorite book of hers is the All Around the World Cookbook because it complemented my taste for authentic regional foods, and I’ve gifted copies many times over the years.

After learning of Lukins’ untimely death from brain cancer on August 30, I felt the urge to cook from her books again as a reminder of her importance in my own cooking. I opened my copy of All Around the World Cookbook and chose her Spiced Vegetable Dal, one of my favorites. I often play around with the flavors, using three or four shakes rather than the pinch of turmeric listed just because I like the warm yellow color it lends to the dish, sometimes adding a touch of cinnamon, or using cilantro instead of parsley. It’s uncomplicated fare that I’ve eaten for breakfast, lunch, and dinner over the years, but sometimes simple is best.

Because we lost Sheila to cancer, it seems fitting to share her healthy dish with this years A Taste of Yellow event, hosted by the beautiful Barbara of Winos and Foodies. Barbara started A Taste of Yellow in 2007 as a way to show her support for the Lance Armstrong Foundation while she herself battled cancer, and we are so glad that we still have her today. Thank you, Barbara, for keeping this event going and continuing to bring awareness to cancer causes. Livestrong Day is October 2, and if you would like to participate in cancer awareness activities in your community, you can find more information at Livestrong.org.

SPICED VEGETABLE DAL

Adapted from All Around the World Cookbook, by Sheila Lukins.

Serves 6 to 8.

Equipment

strainer
4-quart pot with lid

Ingredients

1 cup red lentils, rinsed and drained
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 large onion, halved and slivered
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
pinch of ground turmeric (or more as desired)
4 cups vegetable broth
4 plum tomatoes, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch dice
1/2 cup coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley
salt, to taste
fresh ground black pepper, to taste

Preparation

1. In the 4-quart pot, heat the butter and canola oil over medium-low heat. Add the ginger, garlic, and slivered onions, cooking and stirring until wilted, about 10 minutes.

2. Stir in the drained lentils, add the vegetable broth, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to around medium and simmer uncovered for about 20 minutes, until the lentils are soft but not mushy, stirring occasionally. Skim off the foam as it rises to the top.

3. Stir in the tomatoes and parsley. Continue to cook and stir for another 15 minutes. The lentils should be very soft. Add salt and pepper to taste.

4. Serve hot or at room temperature. Will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

More Sheila Lukins Recipes

More Sheila Lukins Recipes From Around the Blogs

Farmgirl Fare – Kohlrabi Purée

Sticky, Gooey, Creamy, Chewy – Chicken Marbella

Champaign Taste – The Silver Palate Smoky Pumpkin Soup

The Perfect Pantry – Pasta Puttanesca

Thanks for reading Andrea’s Recipes through a feed! Copyright © 2005-2009 Andrea’s Recipes.

The upcoming release of the movie Julie & Julia (August 7, 2009) has ignited discussions about cooking and blogging and caused me to reflect on my own cooking journey. Cooking always seemed like a big mystery to me when I was growing up. My grandmothers were both talented Southern cooks and seemed to hardly measure anything. Though I truly adored their food, to my mother’s dismay I was never interested in things involving the kitchen, especially the cleaning part, so I really didn’t put forth any effort to learn. I didn’t grow up watching Julia Child and my culinary point of view was fairly limited to Southern and Midwest American foods, so it wasn’t until I tasted good Chinese food at a restaurant in the Chicago suburbs during my high school years that I realized I was missing a whole culinary world. An overseas move in 1989 and exposure to Asian and island cuisine ignited my passion for authentic regional foods.

Everywhere I have lived and traveled (twenty-five countries on five continents so far), I have tasted local foods and endeavored to learn how to make my favorites. I eagerly seek out authentic ingredients and can easily spend an afternoon at an international grocery store and farmers market, and my pantry is stocked full of many types of condiments and spices.

My cookbook collection grew slowly at first, but when I moved back to the United States in 1997 it began to grow in earnest. My first Julia Child cookbook was The Way to Cook, a book I purchased with encouragement from a friend who wanted me to make Julia’s chocolate mousse for her. Last year I acquired a hardcover boxed set of the two volumes of Mastering the Art of French Cooking when eCookbooks.com had an unbelievable good deal, and a few others have followed since. Every time I cook, no matter if I’m cooking from a cookbook or from a family recipe or making one up on the spot, I try to focus on improving my technique and learning something new each time, while trying to remain mindful of the enjoyment of preparing and tasting good food and sharing it with others.

So today in honor of this week’s release of Julie & Julia, I am posting a recipe, actually two, adapted from Mastering the Art of French Cooking. This eggplant gratin uses a fresh tomato puree from Volume 1 and puts it all together in Volume 2. Julia also included another tomato puree recipe from canned tomatoes, but I wanted to use the fresh tomatoes from our garden. I would typically use San Marzano or Roma tomatoes for something like this, but we didn’t have enough so supplemented with some Early Girl and Mr. Stripey tomatoes. Some of them were pretty sweet, so I omitted the sugar.

Due to the amount of active preparation required, I would save this for a weekend dish or make it ahead then reheat on a busy weeknight. You can make the sauce ahead and save it for up to three days in the refrigerator or freeze it, or you can make the entire dish ahead and partially cook then reheat before serving. Of course for easier prep you can lay the eggplant flat and build horizontal layers instead of vertical, though I agree with Julia’s thought that the vertical layers are attractive.

The combination of eggplant, tomato puree, and cheese gives full, fresh flavor in a home-style dish, making this gratin comfort food at its best.

In honor of Julia’s birthday this month, Champaign Taste is hosting a Julia Child Event, and I’m excited to participate. You can find the full list of all the Julia Child posts at Champaign Taste on August 15.

EGGPLANT GRATIN (GRATIN D’AUBERGINES, PROVENCAL)

Adapted from Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Volume 1 and Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Volume 2, by Julia Child.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Equipment

3-quart saucepan with heavy bottom and lid
4 to 5-quart saucepan with heavy bottom
skimmer or slotted spoon
tray covered with layers of paper towel
11-inch frying pan, preferably nonstick
platter
5 to 6-cup gratin dish (preferably one that can also go on the cooktop), lightly coated with olive oil
aluminum foil

Ingredients

TOMATO SAUCE
1/3 cup minced yellow onion (about 1 small onion)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
3 pounds (1.36 k) ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded, juiced, and chopped (recommend San Marzano or other meaty tomato)
1/8 teaspoon sugar (If your tomatoes are very sweet, you can probably omit.)
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 sprigs parsley (You can make an herb bouquet if desired, just tie the parsley, bay leaf, and thyme up into a piece of cheesecloth.)
1 small bay leaf
1 sprig fresh thyme
1/8 teaspoon fennel
1/8 teaspoon fresh chopped basil
small pinch saffron
small pinch coriander
1-inch piece dried orange peel
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 to 2 tablespoons tomato paste (optional)
salt
fresh ground black pepper

CASSEROLE
2 pounds (~900 g) eggplant (firm, fresh, shiny)
water
salt
olive oil
4 ounces (113 g) Swiss cheese, thinly sliced (or Emmentaler, Gruyere, Jarlsberg, Fontina)

Preparation

1. TOMATO SAUCE: In the 3-quart saucepan, sauté the onions in the olive oil until the onions are tender but not browned, about 10 minutes. Stir in the flour and cook for about 3 minutes. Do not brown.

2. Stir in the tomatoes, sugar, garlic, herbs, and seasonings. Cover the pan and cook slowly for about 10 minutes, so the tomatoes will render more of the juice. Uncover and simmer for about 30 minutes. Add spoonfuls of water or tomato juice as necessary if the puree becomes too thick. The puree is done when it tastes thoroughly cooked and is thick enough to form a mass on the spoon. Remove the herb bouquet (or individual parsley and thyme sprigs and bay leaf). If the puree needs a little extra color, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of tomato paste. Taste and add salt and pepper as necessary. (You can make this ahead and keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer.)

3. Preheat the oven to 375° F/190° C.

4. EGGPLANT: Halve the eggplant vertically and cut into 3/8-inch (~1 cm) slices.

5. Bring water to boil in the 4 to 5-quart saucepan. Add salt, about 1-1/2 teaspoons per quart, and place eggplant slices in the hot water, about 10 to 12 at a time. Cook just for 2 minutes, then remove from the water with a skimmer or slotted spoon. Drain on the tray lined with paper towels. Pat the slices dry.

6. In the skillet, pour a layer of olive oil about 1/8-inch (3 mm) thick. Heat till very hot but not smoking. Sauté eggplant slices about 1 minute on each side, and remove to the platter. Add more olive oil as necessary for the rest of the eggplant.

7. ASSEMBLE: In the oiled gratin dish, arrange the eggplant slices purple side up in overlapping rows, with tomato sauce and cheese slices between each row. Pour about 1/2 cup of the tomato puree on top.

8. BAKE: Place the gratin dish on the cooktop and heat briefly until the sauce starts to bubble. Cover loosely with foil and bake in the preheated oven for 45 to 60 minutes. Remove the foil during the last 10 minutes to brown the cheese and thicken the liquid. Serve hot.

More Julia Child Recipes

More Eggplant Recipes From Around the Blogs

Simply Recipes – Eggplant Parmesan

Kalyn’s Kitchen – Spicy Grilled Eggplant

White on Rice Couple – Roasted Eggplant with Mint

Apple Pie, Patis, & Pate – Grilled Eggplants, Japanese Style (Yakinasu)

Thanks for reading Andrea’s Recipes through a feed! Copyright © 2005-2009 Andrea’s Recipes.

We’ve reached that magical point in the summer where the tomatoes are starting to ripen. For a couple days we brought in only a handful of sweet cherry, grape, sun gold, or yellow pear tomatoes, but in the last few days we’ve brought in almost nine pounds of tomatoes and have more on the way. As long as something devastating doesn’t happen (knock on wood) we’re set to have a good crop of tomatoes. Right now we are harvesting Early Girl, Brandywine, Mr. Stripey, Cherokee Purple, and Roma, and we have some other varieties that aren’t ready yet but should be soon.

On the other hand, the zucchini is not doing so well. We had a cold wet spring that went all the way through the end of May and slowed plant growth, plus the plants can’t seem get on a coordinated flowering schedule. Zucchini needs both male and female flowers open at the same time in the morning for pollination, and we’ve only had one flower open at a time. So we are stuck buying zucchini for now but still hopeful that we’ll get at least a few zucchini from the garden this summer.

The basil is starting to perk up after toughing out the really wet spring. The plants looked like they wouldn’t thrive but have finally taken off. One of the parsley plants was lost to the overwhelming rains but the other seems to have survived and is slowly coming around.

This dish is my take on a classic that is easy to prepare and full of some of our favorite flavors. We layer the tomatoes and zucchini and tuck basil chiffonade and chopped parsley in between the layers, then top it off a drizzle of olive oil, sautéed onions and garlic, and a sprinkle of grated Parmesan. It’s simple, healthy fare that works as a side dish or a light main course.

This is my contribution to Grow Your Own, the blogging event that celebrates the dishes we create from foods we’ve grown, raised, foraged, or hunted ourselves. MomGateway is our host for this round, so be sure to visit the blog for more information about submitting your post. Posts are due on August 15. If you are new to the event, you can read more about the rules for participating at the Grow Your Own page. We hope you will join us!

ZUCCHINI AND TOMATO GRATIN

Makes one 3-quart casserole.

Equipment

3-quart (2.8 liter) baking dish
10-inch heavy skillet

Ingredients

1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
3 (6 to 8-inch/15 to 20 cm) zucchini, thinly sliced on the diagonal
2 pounds (~900 g) tomatoes, thinly sliced
10 basil leaves, cut in chiffonade
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
pinch of sea salt
2 or 3 grinds fresh black pepper

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 350° F/175° C.

2. Warm the skillet over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Sauté the onions until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for another 2 minutes. Remove from heat.

3. Lightly brush the bottom of the baking dish with olive oil. Arrange zucchini slices around the bottom of the pan, then add a layer of tomatoes. Sprinkle on the chopped parsley. Repeat with another layer of zucchini and another layer of tomatoes, then sprinkle on the basil chiffonade. Add the final layer of zucchini, then the tomatoes.

4. Arrange the onions and garlic around the top of the casserole. Sprinkle on a pinch or two of sea salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Drizzle the remaining olive oil around the top and sprinkle on the Parmesan cheese.

5. Bake in the preheated oven for 45 to 60 minutes. At the 45 minute mark the zucchini will be tender but not soft, so bake longer if you want it very tender. Remove from the oven and allow to rest about 5 minutes before serving. There will be plenty of juice in the bottom of the pan, and you can drizzle it over the top for more flavor.

Other Summer Vegetable Recipes

More Zucchini Recipes From Around the Blogs

Kalyn’s Kitchen – How to Grill Zucchini Perfect Every Time

Smitten Kitchen – Lemony Zucchini Goat Cheese Pizza

FatFree Vegan Kitchen – Zucchini Spirals with Fresh Vegetable Sauce

A Veggie Venture – Feta Stuffed Zucchini

Thanks for reading Andrea’s Recipes through a feed! Copyright © 2005-2009 Andrea’s Recipes.

When we planted tatsoi last October, I didn’t realize that it wouldn’t sprout until spring. I had heard it would even grow in the snow, so I impatiently drummed my fingers while checking the garden daily, waiting for signs of life. I had planted the seeds under a cold frame and thought for sure we would have greens in December. When the seeds finally sprouted in March, they grew slowly at first, then as spring went on the leaves suddenly jumped from just four or five centimeters long to as much as 15 centimeters. We will continue to plant tatsoi as a cool weather green because we like the flavor and it grew very well in our garden, much better than the spinach which never grew any taller than a few centimeters.

Tatsoi is a cool weather green and will bolt in hot weather. You can eat the young tender leaves raw, but as they get larger they need to be sliced and cooked, and they work great as stir-fried greens. Ours went from being about 20 centimeters tall to almost 1 meter tall with the flower stalks when it bolted. It was rather dramatic and I should have taken photos but forgot to take my camera out to the garden that trip.

We used the last of our spring tatsoi in this dish and adapted the recipe from a spinach dish by Madhur Jaffrey, one of my favorite cookbook authors. It makes a delicious side, and you can add sliced mushrooms if you like for another layer of texture and flavor.

Garam masala is one of my favorite spice mixes, and you can usually find it in Asian grocery stores or you can make your own. Many variations on the spice mix exist in Indian cuisine depending on the region of origin and the dish in which it will be used. I’ve included Jaffrey’s recipe below.

This is my contribution to Grow Your Own, a blogging event that celebrates the dishes we create from foods we’ve grown, raised, foraged, or hunted ourselves. The deadline is June 30 and Graziana of Erbe in Cucina is our host for this round, so be sure to visit her blog for more information about submitting your post. If you are new to the event, you can read more about the rules for participating at the Grow Your Own page.

TATSOI WITH GARAM MASALA

Adapted from Madhur Jaffrey Indian Cooking.

Serves 4 to 6.

Equipment

large frying pan with lid

Ingredients

4 tablespoons canola oil or ghee
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 pounds (900 g) tatsoi, washed and trimmed, cut crosswise into 1 cm strips.
1 fresh hot chile, finely chopped (or less to taste)
1 teaspoon peeled and finely grated fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup (120 ml) water
1/4 teaspoon garam masala

GARAM MASALA (Grind all these together. Makes about 3 tablespoons.)
1 tablespoon cardamom seeds
2-inch (5 cm) stick of cinnamon
1 teaspoon black cumin seeds (or regular cumin seeds)
1 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
1/4 of a nutmeg nut

Preparation

1. Warm the oil in the large pan over medium-high heat. Add the onions and stir for 3 minutes.

2. Add the sliced tatsoi, chile, ginger, salt, and sugar, stirring and cooking for 5 minutes.

3. Add the water and bring to a simmer. Cover tightly and and turn heat down to low, cooking for 10 more minutes. Remove the lid and boil away some of the extra liquid. Sprinkle garam masala over the top and stir.

Other Indian Recipes

More Tatsoi Recipes From Around the Blogs

Kalyn’s Kitchen – Chilled Wilted Tatsoi Salad with Sesame-Ginger Dressing

Food Blogga – Gingery Sautéed Tatsoi with Tofu Steaks

Eating, Etc. – Tatsoi Salad with Warmed Maple Syrup Dressing

Appetite for China – Brown Butter Pasta with Tatsoi

Thanks for reading Andrea’s Recipes through a feed! Copyright © 2005-2009 Andrea’s Recipes.

“Can I have one?” asked Builder Guy and Top Gun as I took the roasted asparagus out of the oven. I handed a spear to each of them, and they noshed on it while I plated the asparagus and drizzled the orange ginger glaze on top. Roasting is one of my favorite ways to cook vegetables, and I enjoy the fresh flavor a fruity glaze adds. I’ll take a light glaze such as this over a heavy cream sauce any day. This recipe makes a family-sized amount, but you can cut it in half for a smaller group. You can also make this with green beans, if you prefer.

Always taste the marmalade first to judge the sweetness. If it’s really sweet you can omit the honey. I created this recipe using real orange marmalade made from Seville oranges (bitter oranges), so look for that in the jams and jellies section at your grocery store, or better yet, make your own orange marmalade if you have access to bitter oranges.

ROASTED ASPARAGUS WITH ORANGE GINGER GLAZE

Makes about 2 pounds, serves 6.

Equipment

baking sheet
1-quart sauce pan

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil + more for the roasting
2 slices of Vidalia onion, finely chopped
1/2 inch (5 mm) fresh ginger, peeled and grated
1/2 cup (120 ml) orange marmalade
2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons honey (optional, more or less, to your taste)
2 pounds (~900 g) asparagus, washed, patted dry, ends trimmed
coarse sea salt or kosher salt

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 450° F/230° C.

2. While the oven heats, warm 2 tablespoons of olive oil in the small pan over medium heat. Add the chopped Vidalia onion and sauté until the onions are soft and glistening. Add the grated ginger and cook for one more minute.

3. Add the marmalade and soy sauce. Stir and cook until the marmalade has melted and the mixture is combined. Taste for sweetness. Add honey as desired. Turn the heat down to low to keep warm.

4. Spread 3 or 4 tablespoons of olive oil around the baking sheet, then arrange the asparagus on the sheet. Brush with the olive oil, then sprinkle on some coarse sea salt.

5. Roast in the preheated oven for about 12 minutes, shaking the pan and turning the spears after 6 minutes.

6. Remove from the oven and transfer to a serving plate. Pour the warm glaze on top and serve.

Variations

Cut the asparagus into 2-inch chunks and stir-fry with the onions and ginger. Add the marmalade, soy sauce, and honey and cook until the sauce comes together.

More Vegetable Recipes

More Asparagus Recipes From Around the Blogs

Kalyn’s Kitchen – Pan Fried Asparagus Tips with Lemon Juice and Lemon Zest

Karina’s Kitchen – Asparagus with Maple Tahini Dressing

Steamy Kitchen – Slow Butter Braised Asparagus

House of Annie – Quinoa Salad with Shrimp and Asparagus

Thanks for reading Andrea’s Recipes through a feed! Copyright © 2005-2009 Andrea’s Recipes.

Bok choy is one of my favorite types of cabbage because it’s both leafy and crispy, lending a nice mix of textures in a dish, and I like it stir-fried simply with chicken, garlic, and ginger. This time I tried Jaden’s technique for starting with a cold wok, which was totally contrary to any wokking I had done before, but I like it. The garlic and ginger infused the oil and imparted lots of flavor to the chicken and bok choy. I hardly ever measure ingredients when stir-frying, so the measurements below are an approximation.

We planted some bok choy this spring, and I wish the bok choy came from our garden, but it’s not ready yet. We do has some little seedlings sprouting, so hopefully in a few weeks we’ll have some baby plants ready to pick and enjoy.

CHICKEN BOK CHOY

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Equipment

wok

Ingredients

1 pound bok choy (or 1 pound baby bok choy)
4 tablespoons canola oil
3 (about 1 pound/454 g) boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips 1/2 inch/5 mm thick
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 inch piece of ginger, peeled and grated
2 scallions, cut into 2-inch pieces
3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
2 ounces (4 tablespoons/60 ml) chicken stock or broth

Preparation

1. Trim off the stem of the bok choy, separate the stalks, and rinse each clean of dirt and debris. Cut each stem into 2-inch pieces, then spit them in half or thirds lengthwise. Set aside. (If using baby bok choy, just trim the stems and rinse well.)

2. Set the cold wok on the burner, pour in 2 tablespoons of the canola oil down the side of the wok and swirl to distribute. Add the garlic and ginger and turn on the heat, cooking until the wok is hot. Keep an eye on it so the garlic and ginger don’t burn.

3. Add the sliced chicken and cook for about 2 minutes, until the meat starts turning white. Remove to a plate and cover.

4. Pour in the rest of the canola oil and the bok choy (can do it in two batches if necessary). Stir for about 2 minutes, then add the scallions and cook until the vegetables are bright green and just tender.

5. Return the chicken to the wok and add the soy sauce and chicken stock. Cook for form 1 to 2 minutes, until evenly heated.

6. Serve with steamed rice.

More Asian Recipes

More Bok Choy Recipes From Around the Blogs

Rasa Malaysia – Baby Bok Choy with Garlic and Shrimp

Steamy Kitchen – Bok Choy Stir Fry

A Veggie Venture – Bok Choy Salad with Chinese Salad Dressing

Limes & Lycopene – Tofu Salad with Asparagus & Bok Choy

Thanks for reading Andrea’s Recipes through a feed! Copyright © 2005-2009 Andrea’s Recipes.

Mashed potatoes were a staple in our home when I was growing up because it’s a simple and inexpensive dish that compliments many of the foods we ate. Fried chicken and country ham just aren’t the same without mashed potatoes and gravy, and they go well with many other dishes. My mother used to make potato pancakes with mashed potato leftovers, but as the kids grew up there were fewer and fewer leftovers. We still laugh about my brothers and the amount of potatoes they could eat as they grew into the teen years. We passed the bowl around the table until it reached my brother Jeff, and he would always ask, “Anyone want any more potatoes?” then proceed to empty the bowl onto his plate. He still jokingly says it when the family gathers for the holidays, but now he’s got more competition for the potatoes.

I don’t remember Mom ever baking mashed potatoes, but I’ve had them a few times with special dinners and they make a perfect accompaniment to Easter ham. The top takes on a slightly crispy crunch and I add fresh parsley, sage, thyme, and chives from our garden to brighten the flavor. We recently built some raised beds and I transplanted the existing herbs to their new home and seeded some cilantro and dill, both of which like the cool spring weather. Next month we’ll add the basil seedlings and the herb garden will be complete.

This is my contribution to Grow Your Own, a blogging event that celebrates the dishes we create from foods we’ve grown, raised, foraged, or hunted ourselves. Nate and Annie of House of Annie are our hosts for this round, so be sure to visit their blog for more information about submitting your post. Deadline for this month is April 30. If you are new to the event and would like to join us, you can read more about the rules for participating at the Grow Your Own page.

Update: The roundup is posted at House of Annie. Thanks Nate and Annie!

Other Potato Recipes

BAKED GARLIC MASHED POTATOES WITH HERBS

Serves 6 to 8.

Equipment

3-quart pot with lid
2 quart baking dish, greased
hand mixer

Ingredients

2-3 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed, peeled, and cut into 1-inch chunks
4 cloves garlic, peeled
water
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup plain yogurt or sour cream
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 sprig fresh thyme, leaves removed
2 sprigs fresh parsley, chopped
3 leaves fresh sage, chopped
1/4 teaspoon paprika
3 chives, chopped

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 350° F/175° C.

2. In the 3-quart pot, cover the potatoes and garlic with water, add salt, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook until potatoes are fork tender. Drain.

3. Stir the butter into the drained potatoes, then add the yogurt and Parmesan cheese. Whip with the hand mixer, then stir in the thyme, parsley, and sage.

4. Spread in the prepared baking dish, then sprinkle on the paprika. Bake in the preheated oven until heated through, about 15 to 20 minutes.

5. Sprinkle the chopped chives over the potatoes and serve hot.

More Potato Recipes From Around the Blogs

House of Annie – Roasted Aioli Potatoes

Cooking with Amy – Mustard Roasted Potatoes

Closet Cooking – Potatoes Au Gratin

101 Cookbooks – Kale and Olive Oil Mashed Potatoes

Thanks for reading Andrea’s Recipes through a feed! Copyright © 2005-2009 Andrea’s Recipes.