The Dahlhouse Recipes

Ceviche

I've always made another ceviche recipe with squid that is really tasty, but it takes so much forethought. I came across this in Mark Bittman's book The Best Recipes of the World, and it looked easy and quick, always a nice combo. But it was also delicious, which makes it a real keeper in my book.

Ingredients:

1 lb scallops (or any white fish)
1/2 cup finely chopped bell pepper
1/4 cup lime juice (1-2 limes)
salt to taste
cayenne pepper to taste
garnish w/ cilantro

Directions:

Mix everything together except the cilantro and sit at room temperature for 15 minutes or more. Toss with cilantro and serve.

Yield: 4 servings (as an appetizer)
Source: Mark Bittman's The Best Recipes in the World

Granola

Ingredients:

5 c old fashioned rolled oats
2 c wheat bran cereal
1 c blanched whole or slivered almonds
1 c pecans (pieces)
1/2 c sunflower seeds
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 c maple syrup
1/2 c sunflower or canola oil
1 c dark seedless raisins

Directions:

Heat oven to 300 degrees. Line large roasting pan (or broiling pan would work too) with aluminum foil.

In large bowl, combine oats, bran, nuts and cinnamon. In a quart saucepan, heat syrup and oil until bubbles appear around the side of the pan. Pour mixture over dry ingredients and toss to mix well. Spread over foil lined pan. Bake 30-40 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes, until crisp and golden. Don't let it get too dark.

Stir in raisins after cooled and store in an air-tight container.

From Marcia Naveh.

Yield: 2-3 quarts.

Vegetable Risotto

Ingredients:

1 pound thin asparagus, tough ends snapped off and reserved, spears cut on bias into 1/2-inch lengths
2 medium leeks, white and light green parts halved lengthwise, washed, and sliced thin (about 4 cups), 2 cups roughly chopped greens reserved
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
Table salt
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
3 cups water
Ground black pepper
1/2 cup frozen peas
2 medium cloves garlic, minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 2 teaspoons)
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
1 cup dry white wine
1 1/2 ounces grated Parmesan cheese (about 3/4 cup), plus extra for serving
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley or mint leaves
2 teaspoons juice from 1 lemon

Directions:

1. Pulse asparagus tough stems and leek greens in food processor until roughly chopped, about 10 one-second pulses. Heat 1 tablespoon butter in large saucepan over medium heat; when foaming subsides, add processed vegetables and pinch of salt. Cover and cook until vegetables release liquid and soften slightly, about 5 minutes. Stir in broth and water; increase heat to high and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, partially cover, and simmer for 20 minutes. Strain broth through fine-mesh strainer into medium bowl, pressing on solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Return strained broth to saucepan and discard solids in strainer; cover saucepan and set over low heat to keep broth warm.

2. Heat 1 tablespoon butter in large Dutch oven over medium heat; when foaming subsides, add asparagus spears, pinch of salt, and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring occasionally, until asparagus is crisp tender, 4 to 6 minutes. Add peas and continue to cook for 1 minute. Transfer to plate and set aside.

3. Melt 3 tablespoons butter in now-empty Dutch oven over medium heat; when foaming subsides, add leeks, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until leeks are softened, 4 to 6 minutes. Add rice to skillet and cook, stirring frequently, until grains are translucent around edges, about 3 minutes. Add wine and cook, stirring frequently, until fully absorbed, 2 to 3 minutes.

4. When wine is fully absorbed, add 3 cups hot broth to rice. Simmer, stirring every 3 to 4 minutes, until liquid is absorbed and bottom of pan is almost dry, about 12 minutes.

5. Stir in about 1/2 cup hot broth and cook, stirring constantly, until absorbed, about 3 minutes; repeat with additional broth 2 or 3 more times, until rice is al dente. Off heat, stir in remaining 1 tablespoon butter, Parmesan, parsley, and lemon juice; gently fold in asparagus. If desired, add up to 1/4 cup additional hot broth to loosen texture of risotto. Serve immediately, passing grated Parmesan at table.

Yield: 4 servings as main course, 6 servings as first course
Source: Cooks Illustrated

Lamb Biryani

This is a fantastic recipe that my parents have saved over the years - well worth the effort!

Ingredients:

1 ½ pounds boneless lamb shoulder, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
1 ½-inch cube of peeled ginger, quartered
6 garlic cloves
20 peppercorns
12 cloves
10 cardamom pods worth of seeds
1 tsp cumin seed
¾ tsp coriander seed
¼ tsp mace
¼ whole nutmeg
1 ½-inch cinnamon stick
1 cup ghee or vegetable oil
1 ½ + ½ cups onion, thinly sliced
½ cup plain yogurt
½ cup sour cream
¼ tsp saffron threads
2 tbsp warm milk
1 ½ cup basmati rice
¼ cup shelled pistachio nuts
¼ cup sliced blanched almonds
¼ cup golden rasins
2 hard boiled large eggs, quartered

Directions:

1. Sprinkle lamb with salt, let it stand on paper towels for 30 minutes and pat it dry.

2. With the motor running in a food processor fitted with the steel blade or a blender add and mince fine the ginger and garlic. With the motor still running, add 1/3 cup water in a stream and blend the mixture until it is a thin paste.

3. In a spice or coffee grinder, pulverize the peppercorn, cloves, cardamom, cumin, coriander, mace, nutmeg and cinnamon.

4. In a large heavy skillet, brown the lamb in batches in ½ cup of ghee over moderately high heat and transfer it with tongs as it is browned to a bowl. Add 1 ½ cup onion to the skillet and cook it over moderate heat, stirring until it is golden brown. Add the garlic ginger paste and cook the mixture, stirring until the liquid is evaporated and the oil separates from the mixture. Add the spice mixture and cook the mixture, stirring constantly and being careful not to let the spices burn, for 2 minutes or until the spices turn several shades darker. If the mixture sticks to the bottom of the skillet, stir in 1-2 tbsp water. Add the yogurt and sour cream and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring. Add the lamb and any juices that have accumulated in the bowl, simmer the mixture, covered, stirring occasionally, for 45 minutes or until the lamb is just tender and transfer the lamb with tongs to a bowl. Reduce the sauce over moderately high heat, stirring constantly, to about 1 cup, add it to the lamb, and stir the mixture to coat the lamb with the sauce. (The lamb mixture can be made up to this point 24 hours in advance and kept in the bowl, covered and chilled.)

5. Toast saffron and combine them in a small dish with the milk and let the mixture stand for 30 minutes or until it is bright yellow.

6. In a large bowl, cover rice, well picked over, with cold water, stir the mixture, and pour off the water. Continue to wash the rice in the same manner until the water runs clear. Add enough water to cover the rice by 1 inch, let the rice stand for 30 minutes, and drain it well.

7. In a heatproof bowl, pour boiling water to cover over the pistachios, let the nuts stand for 1 minute, and drain them in a sieve. Turn the nuts out onto a tea towl and immediately rub off the skins.

8. Transfer the lamb mixture to a flame-proof casserole just large enough to hold it in one layer and heat it over low heat until it is hot. Sprinkle the rice into a kettle of boiling salted water, stirring and boil it for 5 minutes. Drain the rice, arrange it over the lamb in the casserole, and drizzle the saffron mixture in a zigzag over it. Immediately cover the casserole tightly with foil and the lid and bake the mixture in a preheated slow oven (300o F) for 30 minutes.

9. In a large heavy stainless steel or enameled skillet heat ½ cup ghee over moderately high heat until it is hot, add ½ cup onion, halved, and sauté them until they are golden brown. Transfer the onions with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain. Add almonds to the skillet, sauté them until they are golden, and transfer them with the slotted spoon to paper towels to drain. Add the pistachios to the skillet, sauté them until they are lightly golden, and transfer them with the slotted spoon to paper towels to drain. Add raisins to the skillet, sauté them until they are plumped, and transfer them with the slotted spoon to paper towels to drain.

10. Transfer the rice to the center of a heated large platter, fluffing it with a fork. Arrange the lamb mixture around the rice and garnish the biryani with the hard boiled eggs, the almonds, the pistachio nuts, the raisins and the onions. Serve the biryani with raita, banana tamarind chutney and lime pickle.

Serves 4
Source Gourmet, February 1981

Crisp Chicken with Sherry-Vinegar Sauce

Ingredients:

4 chicken breast halves (2 to 2 1/2 lb total), with skin and bone
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3/4 teaspoon paprika
1/3 cup Sherry vinegar
1/3 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 teaspoons mild honey
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Directions:

Put oven rack in upper third of oven and preheat oven to 450°F.
Pat chicken dry and sprinkle evenly with salt and pepper. 3Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sear skin side of chicken until golden brown, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer chicken, skin side up, with tongs to a large shallow baking pan (reserve skillet) and roast until chicken is just cooked through, 20 to 25 minutes. Let chicken stand 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook garlic in reserved skillet over moderately high heat, stirring, until pale golden, 15 to 30 seconds. Add paprika, then immediately add vinegar, stirring and scraping up any brown bits, and boil 1 minute. Add broth and honey and simmer, stirring occasionally, until liquid is reduced to about 1/2 cup, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, until incorporated. Season with salt and serve with chicken.

Notes:

I used boneless chicken breast, and as a result it was a bit overcooked, but the sauce was delicious. I would probably make a bit more sauce next time to have more to pour over the accompanying side (we used couscous).

Yield: 4 servings
Source: Gourmet 2006