Let’s Make Some Indian Curry Spice Blends

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When I was 15 – many, many years ago – I had the awesome experience of living in India for a year. We were 120 miles SW of New Delhi in the state of Rajasthan and the town of Pilani. It was absolutely a wonderful year for me. I met Jawaharlal Nehru – First Prime Minister of India, Rajendra Prasad – Former and First President of India, Lady Mountbatten, Haile Selassie – Former Emperor of Ethiopia and several other heads of state. The people and the food was superb. I will never forget, and have not forgotten, the people and the food. When I walk into an Indian restaurant here in Boise, or overall in the USA, I want to smell the fenugreek and the spices. Then I know it is authentic. If in Boise, go into the Bombay Grill at 10th and Main and inhale the spice odors. There you will be introduced to true and authentic Indian cuisine. Or into the Punjab Market in Yuba City, CA. If you want some really good Indian recipes that use these spice blends or you want to learn how to make Naan, look at Demuths Blog Indian Recipes.

Indian spices

Here are two very basic, but very good, Indian spice recipes from the Southern India area. (The blends will differ from area to area.) [Demuths Blog] Most, if not all of these spices, can be found in an Indian or Asian market.

Homemade Curry Powder
An essential ingredient for numerous Indian recipes.
Ingredients:
1 T whole Coriander Seeds
1 T whole Cumin Seeds
1 t whole Black Peppercorns
1 t whole brown Mustard Seeds
2 t whole Fenugreek Seeds
3 hot dried Red Chillies, crumbled. Careful!
3/4 t ground Turmeric
Directions:
Dry fry all the spices except the turmeric until fragrant, but don’t let them brown as it will ruin the flavor.
Add the turmeric and quickly stir. Decant onto a plate and leave to cool.
Grind in a spice grinder/coffee grinder as finely as possible. Store in an airtight container.

Homemade Garam Masala Powder (Bese Bele)
This is an aromatic sweet blend of spices favored by the Brahmins of Bangalore. Used in numerous Indian recipes, including our masala dosas and masala vada (split pea dumplings in masala gravy).
Ingredients:
1 T Cardamom Seeds
1 t whole Cloves
1 t Black Peppercorns
1″ stick of Cinnamon
1/3 of a Nutmeg
a curl of mace
1 sm dried Chilli
6 Curry Leaves
1 T un-sweetened Coconut Flakes
Directions:
Dry fry all the spices until fragrant, take off the heat and add the coconut flakes. Grind in a spice grinder/coffee grinder as finely as possible.
Store in an airtight container.

Marsala Spices

Masala Spice Mix – Northern Indian Curry powder
Ingredients – Whole Spices:
2 T Coriander Seeds
1 T Cumin Seeds
1/2 Cinnamon Stick
1 t Fennel Seeds
1 t Mustard Seeds
1 t Fenugreek Seeds
1 t Kalongi/Nigela (A common ingredient in Middle Eastern cuisine, it is in the same family as caraway, dill or parsley. Cumin seeds are a good substitute because they have a peppery and nutty flavor that is similar to nigella seeds.)
10 Curry Leaves
1 Bay Leaf
Ingredients – Ground Spices:
1 t ground Turmeric
1 t ground Ginger
1 t Chilli Powder
pinch of salt
Directions:
Dry fry the whole spices, until fragrant, cool and grind. Add the ground spices and mix in. This will store in airtight container for a month, or you can make a paste.
To make a paste mix the spice blend with a little vinegar and water until it resembles a paste. Leave to stand for 10 minutes.
Heat some oil in a pan and add the paste. Gently stir fry for about 5 minutes until the paste start to make a bubbling noise.
Remove from heat and leave to cool. The oil should rise to the surface.
Store in sterilized jars. The layer of oil on top adds to the storing process. Keep in the fridge.

Great Shellfish Boil


Since Boise State was playing the University of Connecticut, (BSU 62, UConn 7) we thought it would be fitting to have a shell-fish boil. Just did not have any sea water to boil the packs in nor any sea weed. Nonetheless, it was good. No! It was fantastic!
Per package, we used 1 lobster tail, 9 clams, 6 mussels, 1/2 ear corn and 8 small potatoes that we left whole. That was plenty per person. Wrapped the articles in cheese cloth, tied it into a package and placed it in sea salted boiling water for 20 minutes. Made some brown butter for dipping and some good wine and had a feast. Here are some photos. Left Click them to see enlarged. Enjoy!

Making the cheese cloth packages.

After cooking and plated.

Earlier this week, we had an awesome Scallops and Peas with Garlic Pasta. Here it is. Easy to do – Sear the sea scallops (the large ones), 4 per person, in butter with a little minced garlic. In the meantime, make about 1/4 pound angel hair pasta until adente. Add frozen peas and cook until peas are soft, if using frozen ones. Add to the seared scallops and mix well. Plate and top with chopped Italian parsley. Eat slowly and enjoy!

Scallops and Peas with Garlic Pasta

And then tonight, we had an awesome Baked Salmon with Green Beans, Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Israeli Melon. Simply delicious and quick and simple.

Baked Salmon with Green Beans, Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Israeli Melon

Winter Is Coming – Time For Jagerschnitzel

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That ‘s great and I do love a good Jagerschnitzel. But, what is Jagerschnitzel?

Jägerschnitzel means “hunter’s cutlets” in German, and the dish was originally made with venison or wild boar backstrap, pounded thin. … Jägerschnitzel at its core is a thin cutlet of meat served with a mushroom gravy. [Honest Food]

A schnitzel is meat, usually thinned by pounding with a meat tenderizer, that is fried in some kind of oil or fat. … Originating in Austria, the breaded schnitzel is popular in many countries and made using either veal, mutton, chicken, beef, turkey, reindeer, or pork. [Wikipedia]

You get the idea. Personally, I like the pork or, when you can afford and find it, veal. Here is one recipe.

Jägerschnitzel with Mushroom Sauce
(Hunter’s Schnitzel)

Source: adapted from Oma’s Kaffeeklatsch
Bob and Robin Young, Boise, ID
Ingredients:
4 Veal Cutlets, pounded lightly (use pork for Schweineschnitzel)
1 T fresh squeezed Lemon Juice
½ t Celtic Sea Salt
about ½ c Flour
3 T Water
1 Egg
about 1 cup Bread, or panko, Crumbs
3 T unsalted Butter
3 T Vegetable Oil
1 Lemon, sliced

Instructions:
Trim fat from meat and clip edges to stop edges from curling during cooking.
Sprinkle cutlets with lemon juice and salt.
Place 3 shallow bowl on counter. In first one, put flour. In second one, mix egg and water. In third one, put breadcrumbs. Coat schnitzel, first with flour, then egg, and then breadcrumbs. Heat butter and oil over medium heat in skillet. Fry cutlets until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side.
Serve immediately, garnished with lemon slices.

Jägerschnitzel Sauce

Ingredients:
1 T unsalted Butter
3 slices Bacon, diced
1 Onion, diced
1 lb mushrooms, sliced
2 t Tomato Paste
1 c Water
1½ c White Wine
2 T Paprika
fresh Thyme, Celtic Sea Salt, fresh ground Tellicherry Black Pepper, to taste
2 T Parsley, chopped
¼ c Sour Cream

Instructions:
In a skillet, brown bacon and onion in butter. Add mushrooms and fry until tender.
Add tomato paste, water, and white wine. Add paprika. Season with thyme, salt and pepper. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes until sauce thickens slightly. Add parsley and sour cream. Stir. Serve over Schnitzel

Here is another recipe. Enjoy!

German Schnitzel with Mushroom Cream Sauce
(Rahmschnitzel)

Prep time: 10 mins Cook time: 20 mins Total time: 30 mins
Author: Goodie Godmother, adapted from Cooking With Christine Serves: 4-6
Bob and Robin Young, Boise, ID

Ingredients – For the Pork Schnitzel:
1.5-2 lbs Pork Cutlets, or Pork Loin pounded thin
3 T Lemon Juice, approximately the yield from 1 fresh lemon
⅓ c All-Purpose Flour
1 t Celtic Sea Salt
½ t fresh ground Tellicherry Black Pepper
1 t ground Paprika
Ingredients – For the Mushroom Cream Sauce:
½ c unsalted Butter, 1 stick
⅓ cup dry Sherry Wine or a dry White Wine
16 oz sliced Crimini Mushrooms
2 T chopped fresh Chives, minced
3 cloves Garlic, minced
3 T All-Purpose Flour
¼ t fresh ground Nutmeg
¾ c Heavy Cream
Celtic Sea Salt and fresh ground Tellicherry Black Pepper to taste

Directions:
Place the sliced pork between two pieces of plastic wrap and pound thin with a heavy rolling pin or the flat side of a meat mallet.
Place the pork cutlets in a shallow dish with the lemon juice. Cover and refrigerate about 30 minutes, flipping the pork once. When you are ready to prepare the schnitzel, remove the cutlets from the lemon juice and pat dry on paper towels.
Combine the flour, salt, pepper, and paprika in a shallow bowl and coat each cutlet with flour, shaking off excess.
Melt 2 tbsp of butter in a large skillet over medium heat while you preheat the oven to the lowest temperature setting. Turn off the oven when it reaches temperature, you just want a warm place to store the schnitzel while you prepare the sauce.
Working in batches, cook the flour coated pork cutlets for 3-4 minutes per side, until cooked through and lightly browned. Melt another tbsp or so of butter about halfway through the cooking process if the cutlets start to stick too much. Place the finished cutlets on a paper towel lined plate and store in the warmed oven.
Turn the heat up to medium high and pour the cooking wine into the skillet, using a wooden spoon to scrape any flour bits that may have stuck to the pan.
Melt the remaining butter in the pan and add the mushrooms, garlic, chives, and nutmeg. Cook, stirring frequently, for 5-7 minutes until the mushrooms are soft and slightly golden in parts.
Stir in the flour, cook for an additional 2 minutes, then turn off the heat.
Stirring constantly so that the sauce stays smooth, pour in the heavy cream, stirring until a smooth sauce forms. Add salt and pepper to taste and adjust any seasonings if necessary.
Remove the pork schnitzel from the oven, plate, and pour the sauce over top of the schnitzel, adding additional fresh chives for garnish if desired. Serve immediately.

Types of French Breads

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I have had several questions on what is the difference between the types of French bread. Here is a good graphic from Cooks Country. Hope it helps. Left-Click the graphic to see it enlarged.

And then why not have some of the bread with garlic and butter and a good Spaghetti Carbonaro.

Spaghetti Carbonaro

Or actually with any of these dishes!

Shrimp with Pasta

Chicken Devine

Zucchini and Beets in Brown Butter over Pasta

Camel’s Crossing

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I don’t know where that name came from. We can not rate it yet, we have not been there. From their website,

Hello everyone ~ After a brief hiatus while we got State & Lemp up and running, entrées and full dinner service return to Camel’s Crossing on July 31! Click below to reserve your table.
For Reservations, Click Here
And here is their New Menu
Or just Visit Their Website!

Chef Christian’s new menu is full of summer veggies from the farm – eggplant, squash, peppers, tomatoes. Individual dishes are available to order a la carte, or create your own four-course dinner.

Hours
Tuesday – Friday 4 to 10 p.m.
Saturday 5 to 10 p.m.
Happy Hour 4 to 6 p.m. Tuesday – Friday

Our mailing address is:
Camel’s Crossing
1304 W Alturas St.
Boise, Id 83702

Buffalo Roast for Friends and Dinner

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This was such a delightful meal to make for friends Krista and Jess – Krista helps weed the flower beds. And she even gave us a beautiful White Daisy plant for the front bed. – A couple of weeks ago, we made breakfast for Donna who also helps us in the garden. The breakfast was Eggs Benedict! – The buffalo was local from Brown’s Buffalo Ranch in Nyssa, Oregon. Phone: 1-(541)-372-5588 or 208-741-5449, 720 Stephens Blvd., Nyssa, OR 97913. Hump roasts can be tough. But this one cooked for 6 hours on low in the crockpot 1/2 cup bone stock and 1 cup sherry and it was awesome! Spring vegetables – baby carrots, baby turnips, spring onions and rutabaga – were placed in the broth at different times. Here are some photos. Enjoy!

Eggs Benedict

Fresh Beet Salad

Buffalo Hump Roast and Fresh Garden Vegetables. Served with Acme Bakeshop Garlic Scapes and Rosemary Bread.

Skillet Apple Pie with Cinnamon Fresh Whipped Cream (Recipe – Skillet Apple Pie)

The dinner

Ed Wilsey – A Superb Friend


In Remembrance of Ed Wilsey

Ed Wilsey passed away this morning, leaving an empty spot in our hearts and a big hat to fill.

Ed was a founding board member and was instrumental in the formation of the Boise Farmers Market. Due, in part, to his efforts and his big personality, the Market is a Saturday fixture in downtown Boise and a routine stop for thousands of Boise shoppers each week.

Through his outspoken and genial nature, Ed was an eloquent spokesman for the land and the people who work it. He was able to “talk up a storm” about cattle and ranching, and through his enthusiasm, created a community conversation about the importance of our food, where it comes from and the people who produce it.

Ed was a true spokesman for bridging the divide between our rural and urban communities, and he was our good friend. We will miss him and we wish him Godspeed and beautiful green pastures on his next journey.

With deepest condolences to Debby and the rest of the Wilsey family.

This Friend and The Board and Staff of the Boise Farmers Market

It’s That Time of Year ……….

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No. It’s not Christmas! It’s Spring. Time to eat what is in your garden. Edible flowers and the most popular are pansys and nasturtium. Here are two photos that I took – one of a potato salad and the other of crab cakes. You eat with your eyes first, so make an impression. But remember – Never Serve Anything on a Plate That You Cannot Eat! If you don’t know if it is edible, Do Not Serve It!

Edible Pansy in a Potato Salad

CS Crab Cakes, Asian Salad with edible Pansy

Edible flowers are flowers that can be consumed safely. Flowers may be eaten as vegetables as a main part of a meal, or may be used as herbs. Flowers are part of many regional cuisines, including Asian, European, and Middle Eastern cuisines … With their powerful and unique flavors, textures and colors, edible flowers have gained popularity as a creative and innovative ingredient for the culinary world; they are added to foods to provide flavor, aroma, and decoration. They can be eaten as part of a main dish and can be incorporated into salads. Flowers can be added to beverages as flavorings, or be used to make beverages such as tisanes and wines. They are added to spreads such as butter or fruit preserves, and to vinegar, marinades, and dressings.

Flowers are also consumed for subsistence. Many flowers that are technically edible can be far from palatable.

For best flavor, flowers should be fresh and harvested early in the day. Wilted and faded flowers, and the unopened buds of most species, can be distasteful, often bitter. The taste and color of nectar widely varies between different species of flower; consequently, honey may vary in color and taste depending of the species of flower. Many flowers can be eaten whole, but some have bitter parts, such as the stamens and stems. [Wikipedia, et al]

Here are some edible flowers. Enjoy.
Arugula (Eruca sativa)
Basil (Ocimum basilicum)
Broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica)
Cauliflower (Brassica oleracea)
Chamomile (Chamaemelum nobile)
Chervil (Anthriscus cerefolium)
Chives (Allium schoenoprasum)
Chicory (Cichorium intybus)
Chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum spp.)
Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale)
Dill (Anethum graveolens)
Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare)
Mint (Mentha spp.)
Nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus)
Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus)
Pineapple sage (Salvia elegans)
Red clover (Trifolium pratense)
Rose (Rosa spp.)
Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis)
Sage (Salvia officinalis)
Snapdragon (Antirrhinum majus)
Squash (Cucurbita pepo)
Sunflower (Helianthus annuus)
Thyme (Thymus vulgaris)
Violet (Viola odorata)

You can find more information at Edible Flower or at What’s Cooking America – Edible Flowers. There is vast information on the web for edible flowers. Please check it out and be careful what you eat.

Yea! The BFM is open!

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Just a little cloudy and cool, but still fun to see all of the “new”, fresh produce. Great to see some new vendors, too. And with new vendors, comes new “kitchen” ideas and menus. And here are just a few. And with that, comes some new products. The first is Lions Mane Mushrooms. CAUTION: Know your wild mushrooms and the distributors before eating. Some are toxic!

Hericium erinaceus (also called lion’s mane mushroom, monkey head, bearded tooth mushroom, satyr’s beard, bearded hedgehog mushroom, pom pom mushroom, or bearded tooth fungus) is an edible and medicinal mushroom belonging to the tooth fungus group. Native to North America, Europe and Asia it can be identified by its long spines (greater than 1 cm length), its appearance on hardwoods and its tendency to grow a single clump of dangling spines. Hericium erinaceus can be mistaken for other species of Hericium, all popular edibles, which grow across the same range. In the wild, these mushrooms are common during late summer and fall on hardwoods, particularly American beech. [Wikipedia]

Common name: Lion’s Mane, Bearded Tooth, Hedgehog Mushroom, Satyr’s Beard, Old Man’s Beard, Unbranched Hericium.
Description: The bearded tooth fungus is white when fresh and yellowish with age. It has long spines. The fungus is 4-10” (10-25 cm) across. It is an oval to rounded solid mass of spines which hang in a beardlike fashion. The spines cover the sides and are formed in lines. This fungus is attached to the tree by a tough, thick, root like structure. The spines are .4 – 1.5 “ (1-4cm) long.
Ecology/associated hosts: The bearded tooth can be parasitic, found on living trees; especially oak, maple, and beech, and saprotrophic, found on decaying hardwoods. The season is from August – November.
Harvest: Harvest of bearded tooth mushrooms can be difficult as often the fungus is growing high in a tree. The best method is to cut the fruit body at the base, close to the tree and thus remove it in one piece.
Many wild picked Hericium mushrooms may house various tiny beetles and/or sawdust, appearing like bits of decayed wood. Thorough cleaning by shaking and hand removal of such nuisances is often needed. If the mushroom has begun to discolor to a yellowish tone, it is too old and likely will have a sour or unpleasant flavor after cooking. [Midwest Mycology Org]

With all of this information in mind, here is one use – A Lion’s Mane Mushroom Omelet!

Lion’s Mane Mushroom and Garlic

Sautéed Lion’s Mane Mushrooms with Garlic

Lion’s Mane Mushroom Omelet
Raspberries and Blueberries
Bacon
Garlic Toast

And then there is seafood. I grew up on seafood – which I did not particularly like at the time. But it was either seafood or liver. I really don’t care how you cook liver or what you do to it – It’s still liver! If you like crab cakes, and Robin and I do, here is a recipe we came up with. Give it a try. CS Crab Cakes. These are mostly East Coast Style, less the saltine crackers. But still made with Blue Crab (Phillips). It’s an Atlantic thing.

Crab cakes in egg rings and getting ready to cool down. The cooling is important!

CS Crab Cakes
Asian Salad

But you can not have dinner without breakfast. Here are two to try. Differently good!

Lemon Pancakes
Over Easy Eggs

Avocado Eggs
Toasted Acme Bakeshop Sourdough Logs
Fruit
Polenta Cakes

(Remove the seed from 1/2 an avocado and place a poached or soft cooked egg in the hole. Top with micro greens.)

Whisky Cured Salmon (Lox)

Shepherd’s Pie

And the good thing about all of these meals? 95% of the ingredients came from the Boise Farmers Market or their vendors. (Eggs, lamb, polenta, micro greens, bread, bread crumbs (from Acme Bakeshop sourdough bread), mushroom, etc. We eat well and know where our products come from. Thank-You BFM and vendors!