Falafel, Tahini and Tomato and Onion Salad

This really took be back. In the mid 1980s I worked in mid-town Manhattan and in the basement of the building across the street there was a tiny Kosher take out only restaurant that served amazing falafel. Owned, I guess, by Israelis as it was certainly staffed by Israeli immigrants, they would wrap falafel, tahini, lettuce, and tomato in pita bread and drizzle it with a hot sauce. Absolutely killer. With those memories in mind I gave a try to Mark Bittman's version found in The Best Recipes in the World. His recipe for falafel and tahini can be found at the NYT Diner's Journal. It's all pretty straight forward and to expedite things I used canned chick peas. I do, though, have a recommendation. Make your falafel patties SMALL. Any bigger than a rounded tablespoon and they broke apart. Don't fuss with them in the oil, one flip and then onto a paper towel. Remember, make them small! The tahini recipe is found in the introduction and then I decided to make Bittman's Tomato and Onion Salad as a topping for the pitas...wise choice.
Tomato and Onion Salad
Middle East, 4 servings
adapted from Mark Bittman, The Best Recipes in the World
Ingredients:
1 large red onion, chopped
Salt and black pepper, to taste
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp ground cumin
4 medium tomatoes, cored and chopped
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
Directions:
Soak the onion in salted ice water for about 30 minutes, then drain and dry.
Whisk together garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, and cumin. Salt and pepper to taste.
Toss tomatoes, onion, and parsley with dressing - adjust seasoning to taste.

Once I got over the frustration of the breaking falafels and remade my patties at half their original size, the meal came together nicely and served at room temperature was a nice dinner.

Grilled Octopus?

With some time on my hands I decided to try something unique and Mario Batali's Octopus and Potato Salad, from Italian Grill, fit the bill nicely. I've cooked and eaten smaller octopus before but never grilled it and certainly have not ever wrestled with a 2 lb octopus. So I thought I'd give it a try. This was a special order item from our local fish store and it took a few days to arrive. I did ask for it to be cleaned (eyes, sac, and beak removed) but alas it came with the beak so I did that myself. I followed the directions for boiling the octopus, even going so far as to throw in a couple of corks. The cork seems to be an old Italian wives tale as there may be a better way to ensure tenderness as described in a New York Times article. From the stewing pot onto the grill and then off to the cutting board. I'm not sure if I would cook this again...but if I did I would not "slice into 1/2 inch pieces" but rather slice into thinner slices to give the salad dressing a chance to compete with the Octopus.
I served this with turkey sausage grilled grilled with Vidalia onions and a mixed pepper compote that was really quite good. Together this made for a nice warm weather dinner.

Fish Tacos with Papaya Salsa

We went south of the border for this dinner and managed to work in a completely new ingredient experience, that being papaya. Alas, I can't find an online copy of the Mark Bittman recipe for Fish Tacos from his Best Recipes in the World cookbook. I did use a halibut fillet and cut it into about 8 small pieces. They were breaded and fried and the tacos were served with shredded red cabbage. The recipe called for steamed corn tortilla which I used and will not use again. I just don't get it, they end up wet and rubbery and they stick together. Next time I'll use small flour tortillas. The meal was made special by the addition of a papaya salsa which turned out quite nice. Never cooked with papaya and I have to say its similarity to a melon; color, texture and flavor, took me by surprise. You can guess that when you mix it with some red onion, minced hot pepper, and cilantro, you end up with a colorful, flavorful salsa.

Salmon with Sweet Chili Glaze, Sugar Snap Peas, and Pea Tendrils

I think that this was the cover recipe of the April 2010 Bon Appetit magazine, but don't hold me to that.  Anyway, I'll take any excuse to grill salmon and Salmon with Sweet Chili Glaze was a good one.  Just a few notes on this great salmon meal; the pea tendrils proved elusive so I settled for bean sprouts which were fine and fit in nicely with the decidedly Asian feel of the meal; the recipe sent me out to purchase Asian Sweet Chili Sauce which was a great find and a wonderful addition to my pantry.  Since buying it I've used it a few times as a marinade (mixed with fish sauce and soy sauce) for grilled shrimp.  It has a nice sweetness and heat that some might find OK but I like to make it spicier by mixing in Huy Fong, Chili Garlic Sauce which is HOT and tasty.  I used to buy this by the case from the manufacturer, now it is carried by my local supermarket.  In addition to the snow peas and sprouts, I served the fish with a Leek Salad from Mark Bittman's The Best Recipes in the World.  If someone suggests that a recipe can be made with black olives, I give it a shot, it was a good addition.  

Shrimp and Avocado in Tamarind Sauce

Let's get something straight. This is the kind of dinner that is so good you'll eat until you're uncomfortable. It nails an Asian flavor so thoroughly you'll be amazed that you made it. And I had those thoughts about Shrimp and Avocado in Tamarind Sauce using a substitute for real tamarind paste. So tamarind paste is made from the prune-like pods of a tropical Asian tree. The paste is reconstituted in boiling water. After reading a bit about the product and possible substitutes online, I settled on a 1/4 cup of mixed dried fruit, including a few prunes, soaked in a 1/2 cup of boiling water and then poured the fruit and liquid through a sieve mashing the fruit to draw any liquid that I could get to pass through. This then was mixed with the sugar, soy sauce, fish sauce, lime juice, and when it was blended, I tasted it and knew that I was in for something special. Really the whole dish was out of sight; the shrimp, the avocado, the fried shallot rings, the dry-roasted peanuts... just killer. I served it over jasmine rice.

Sautéed Chicken Paillards with Artichoke Hearts

When I set out to make this recipe I had every intention of using fresh artichokes. Granted, they're a pain in the neck to prepare but the flavor is fantastic and they add a nice wow factor to the meal. Alas, none to be found in two supermarkets and when I looked and saw that my recipe for Sautéed Chicken Paillards with Artichoke Hearts came from the April, Bon Appetit I realized I was out of season and so settled on canned...and I mean settled. Not being sure what a Paillard is, I went searching and found out that it refers to a cut of meat pounded thin, in this case a chicken pounded to about 1/4 inch thickness. I like doing this although it sends our dog into the bathroom, her refuge from thunder, pounding chicken breasts, and pitting olives by whacking them with the side of a knife. The breasts were then dredged in flour and sauteed and since they were rendered of a uniform thickness, they cooked quickly and evenly. Some adjusting of the recipe had to occur since I was no longer cooking the artichokes, and it all came together nicely. I served it with Quinoa (pronounced Keen-wa) that I cooked in a mix of vegetable and chicken stock, both on hand I was introduced to Quinoa on one of my favorite cooking blogs called 101 Cookbooks and I've cooked it a few times. We think of it as a grain but it is actually a grass and I love to inform people that it was cultivated in South America 6,000 years ago. I recommend that you use it as a component in a recipe (such as this one for Double Broccoli Quinoa which I've tried and loved) and not just as a side.

Sea Scallops alla Caprese

Still in Mario Batali's Italian Grill, I had planned an entire week of outdoor cooking but the weather didn't cooperate and in fact it got down right cold so this one I moved indoors with no ill effect. Sea Scallops Caprese was the menu. "Caprese" means, in the style of Capri, an island in the Gulf of Naples. What you can expect from something "Caprese" is that it will have tomatoes and basil as in this recipe. For much of the grilling in Italian Grill, Batali uses a piastra which is a flat griddle over a hot fire. Sometimes I take a ridged iron griddle out to the grill and use that to toss around peppers and potatoes. For this recipe I heated the griddle up indoors and used it for the onions and the scallops. So all your doing here is making a tomato, basil and grilled onion salad and tossing it with olive oil, salt and pepper. Next, set the seared scallops on top and serve. Classic, simple Italian food that will knock your socks off!
I did serve this with a Chickpea Salad with Provencal Herbs and Olives. Nicoise Olives, red onion and chickpeas; great combination. It ended up being a salad and a salad but we survived.