I’ll write about my Indian feast in manageable amounts. If I posted it all at once it would just be too huge to focus on. The Paneer was the first recipe I made yesterday. I followed the instructions in Nancy McDermot’s ‘The Curry Cookbook’. It called for 6 c. whole milk and 1 1/2 c. whole fat plain yogurt. Other recipes have called for mixing lemon juice or vinegar with the milk to acidulate, but I followed Nancy’s because I love her cookbook.

To start, line a colander with four layers of cheesecloth and place in the sink. Heat the milk to boiling (i used a 6-qt dutch oven), stirring constantly to prevent burning. Make sure it is rolling at a boil, then add the yogurt and stir gently. The milk will suddenly break into curds and whey, stir for about three minutes, then take the pan and carefully pour it all into the colander to drain. When it is cool enough, bring the edges of the cheesecloth together and squeeze out any excess whey, twisting the top of the cloth tight and squeezing repeatedly to wring out moisture. Tie to faucet and allow to drain for about 30 minutes. Place on a plate, put another plate on top of it, and weigh down the top plate to press the cheese. I used a lot of weight! Make sure it’s not too tippy. Leave it for 30 minutes. Carefully unwrap the cheesecloth and cut the cheese into 1/2″-1″ inch pieces. Chill in airtight container. It should keep for up to five days according to McDermot. I used it that evening in making Palak Paneer.

Black Bottom Cupcakes

Combine:

8 oz. cream cheese

1 egg

1/3 c. sugar

1/8 t. salt

Stir well, add 1 c. chocolate chips and set aside

Mix together:

3 c. flour

2 c. sugar

½ c. cocoa

2 t. baking soda

1 t. salt

Add to dry ingredients, beating well:

2 c. water

2/3 c. oil

2 T. vinegar

2 t. vanilla

Pour batter into lined muffin pan. Top each with 1 T. cream cheese mixture. Top with sugar and chopped nuts if desired. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes.

This cake is amazingly tart and sweet at the same time.

Lemon Lovers Pound Cake
From the 2004 Taste of Home Annual Cookbook

1 c. butter, no subs
3 c. sugar
6 eggs
5 T. lemon juice
1 T. lemon peel, grated
1 t. lemon extract
3 c. AP flour
1/2 t. baking soda
1/4 t. salt
1 1/4 c. sour cream.

Icing:
1/4 c. sour cream
2 T. soft butter
2 1/2 c. powd. sugar
3 T. lemon juice
2 t. grated lemon peel

In large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes; Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each one; Stir in lemon juice, peel and extract; Combine flour, baking soda and salt, add to creamed mixture alternately with sour cream. Beat until just combined. Pour into greased and floured 10-in. fluted tube pan. Bake at 350 for 55-60 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing to wire rack to cool completely. For icing, beat sour cream and butter until blended, gradually add confectioners sugar then beat in lemon juice and peel. Drizzle over cake. Store in refrigerator.

Every year at Christmas my Mom would make these sinfully rich, decadent bars. I make them for our Christmas still, kudos to my Mom’s memory

Three Layer Bars

Base:

½ c. (1 stick) butter

¼ c. granulated sugar

5 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder

1 egg, slightly beaten

1 tsp. vanilla

2 c. graham cracker crumbs (from 32 square crackers)

1 c. coconut

½ c. chopped almonds

Filling:

¼ c. (½ stick) softened butter

2 tbsp. vanilla instant pudding mix

2 tbsp. milk

2 c. powdered sugar

Glaze:

2/3 c. (4 oz.) semisweet chocolate chips

2 tbsp. butter

Prepare the base layer: Melt the ½ cup of butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, and stir in the granulated sugar and cocoa powder until well blended. Add egg, and cook, stirring, until the mixture begins to thicken. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla, crumbs, coconut and almonds. Press into an ungreased 9-by 9-inch pan.

Prepare the filling: In the small bowl of an electric mixer, beat together the ¼ cup of softened butter and the pudding mix. Beat in the milk and then the powdered sugar. Spread over the base layer. Chill at least 15 minutes.

Prepare the glaze: Melt the chocolate in a saucepan over very low heat, stirring. Remove from heat, add the 2 tablespoons of butter and stir until butter is melted. Allow to cool slightly, then pour and spread over the filling. Refrigerate until set; cut into small bars.

A perfectly cooked piece of fish is a thing of beauty. This is delicious, quick and nutritious.

Olive Tomato Tapenade

6 Roma tomato, cored, seeded and diced (feel free to skin if you wish)

¼ c. kalamata olives, chopped

1 medium shallot, diced

2 clove garlic, minced

1 T. capers, chopped.

1 T. lemon zest

2 T. lemon juice

Dash balsamic vinegar

In sauté pan, cook shallot until clear in a small amount of olive oil. Add garlic and cook until just fragrant, about 20 seconds. Add tomato and lemon zest, cook until tomato breaks down. Add olive, capers, vinegar and lemon juice, stir to combine and heat through.

For dredging tilapia (tastes good but not required- the fish is just as good seared plain)

1/2 c. yellow cornmeal

1/4 c. flour

1 t. each ground mustard, garlic powder, onion powder, dill weed, cracked black pepper, and kosher salt

Mix together on plate and dredge one side only of the filets well, then place in HOT saute pan with a little olive oil and allow to cook until well browned on bottom. Flip over and cook until fish flakes easily with a fork. Serve topped with tapenade.

By coating only one side of the fish, you get the crisp, crusty flavor of a fried fish without using a lot of oil or coating. Notice you don’t dip the filet in any liquid as is normal with coating fish for saute purposes. If the pan is hot enough, you will get a good sear on the flesh with the liquid it naturally contains. Don’t be too quick to rescue it once it’s in the pan, you should see the fish almost halfway cooked before you flip it over. And you will go  “Ooooohhhh” when you see how delicious and browned the bottom will be. One more tip: Coat the flat side of the filet with the cornmeal mix. It sears best that way.

Tilapia is a very forgiving fish. It works well when it is slightly over-cooked even given the fact that most fish over-cooked tastes like eating shoe strings. Tilapia is mild and works well with anything you want to put on the top. It’s great baked with lemon and dill, grilled plain or on a plank, seared in a pan or broiled. This fish turned out perfectly, moist, tender and so flavorful with the tapenade. The olives give it a slight briny taste with little jolts of the crisp caper nuance. There is the bite of the garlic, the sour of the lemon and balsamic, all working in tandem with the pleasant flavor of the Roma. A great multi- layered taste to deeply compliment the firm, meaty flesh of the fish. We ate it with steamed asparagus, which also came out very well cooked.

Vegetable Lo Mein

1# whole wheat spaghetti

4 scallions, thinly sliced

¼ c. oyster sauce

¼ c. rice vinegar

3 T. reduced sodium soy sauce

2 t. sugar

2 t. sesame oil

1/8. t. crushed red pepper

1 clove garlic, finely minced

1 t. finely minced fresh ginger root

2 T. canola oil

1 c. shredded carrot

1 red pepper, cored, seeded and thinly sliced

1 c. snow pea pods, de-stringed and thinly sliced

Peanuts for topping (optional)

Cook spaghetti according to package directions. Drain.
Stir together scallions, oyster sauce, vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, garlic, ginger and red pepper until sugar is dissolved.

In a large non stick skillet, heat canola oil over medium high heat. Add peppers and carrots, stir fry for 3-5 minutes. Add pea pods, stir fry about 2 minutes. Add in spaghetti noodles and cook, stirring occasionally until hot, about 5 minutes. Pour in sauce and toss pasta and vegetable to coat. Top with chopped peanuts if desired.