Shubhra Ramineni’s “Palak” Paneer

I first met the genteel and beautiful Shubhra Ramineni at a pasta class hosted by fellow Chowhound Jay Francis.  With her handsome husband and the cutest baby in tow, she graciously allowed us a first look at her cookbook, Entice with Spice, Easy Indian Recipes for Busy People which was in the process of publication. 

Upon opening the book, I was greeted by a collage of family photos, travel images of India and of course, Indian food and markets.   Particularly catchy to me was a colorful map of Shubhra’s motherland citing family members’ birthplaces, notable monuments and regional food products.  What followed was a listing of over 90 recipes and a veritable account of how a successful engineer became a cook and author:  it came from a need to drop the unhealthy eating habits she had developed as an overworked corporate individual and go back to the nutritious diet on which she was raised.  

Shubhra naturally turned to her family for recipes and developed them with a busy lifestyle in mind.  The novice cook will find an invaluable 25-page mini-encyclopedia within the book which includes sections headed Indian Cooking Made Easy; Cookware and Tools; Tips and Techniques; Freezing, Refrigerating and Reheating Methods; and Essential Indian Ingredients.  Did you know that in India “curry” is a plant and also means ‘gravy’ or ‘sauce’ and not the blend of spices developed by English colonists; that the bright red color of tandoori chicken comes from the addition of coloring (!); and that carom seeds (a new one for me) aid in settling upset gassy tummies?   The book has helpful tips accompanying many recipes; some including instructional photos showing the important steps.

I have had limited success with cooking Indian food because I was usually following recipes with a mind-boggling array of spices and complicated and long-winded cooking methods.  After less than stellar results, my family would drop hints about “going out for Indian” more often!  That’s not the case with Shubhra’s Saag Paneer.  It’s my favorite Indian dish and the first recipe I made from her book.   Hubs and I finished it off quickly and I made more a few days later.  It is easy to make and it’s full of spicy flavor!  For part of the spinach, I substituted chard and kale that I harvested in the beautiful garden of Ralph Smith Photography.   The garden is an organic wonder that provides herbs, fruits and vegetables year round, some of which are used in Ralph’s photo shoots.

  

A colorful feast for the eyes

Creamy and spicy with home made paneer

“Palak” Paneer slightly adapted from Shubhra Ramineni’s Saag Paneer. 

Serves 4

1 pound (500g) fresh chard, washed, de-ribbed and coarsely chopped

1 pound (500g) fresh spinach, washed, trimmed and coarsely chopped, or a 10-ounce (285g) package of frozen spinach

2 ripe tomatoes, quartered

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

¼ to ½ heaping teaspoon cayenne pepper

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

3 teaspoons finely grated fresh ginger

1 small onion, diced

1 – 2 serrano peppers, diced

1 recipe Paneer (Indian cheese), cubed and pan-fried, see recipe below

½ cup (125ml) heavy cream, or more to taste

Place chard, spinach and tomato in a medium saucepan over medium heat. If you’re using frozen spinach add ½ cup water. Cook for 7 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add turmeric, red pepper, salt and black pepper. Stir to combine and cover. Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. The greens will become soft and tender and the tomatoes will become mushy. Remove from heat and puree using an immersion blender or transfer contents to a blender and puree until smooth.

Pour the oil into a small skillet and place over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the ginger, onion and serrano pepper. Sauté until the onion is browned, stirring frequently, about 4 minutes. Pour into the saucepan with the greens. Add the paneer (cheese cubes) and heavy cream and stir to combine. Simmer for 5 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Enjoy immediately or cool and refrigerate for later.

Paneer (Indian cheese)

Makes ¼ pound (125g)

4 cups (1 liter) whole milk

juice of 1 lime

Pour milk into a heavy medium pot. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat, stirring frequently as it comes to a boil. Don’t let it boil over. Immediately reduce the heat to medium-low.

Add lime juice and stir for about 45 seconds or until the milk separates into curds (solids) and whey (liquid). If the milk does not separate add more lime juice - 2 teaspoons at a time – until it separates.

Fold a large piece of cheesecloth to create four layers. Line a colander with cheesecloth and place it over a large bowl to catch the whey. Pour the curds into the cheesecloth. Let the whey drain through the cheesecloth into the bowl.

Gather the sides of the cheesecloth to create a bundle and press it against the side of the pot to squeeze out the excess whey. Be careful as it will be hot.

Place the bundle on a plate. Unfold the cheesecloth and with your hands, mold the cheese, now paneer, into a square block about ¾-inch thick. Fold the cheesecloth back over the paneer.

Pour the whey into the pot that the milk boiled in. Place the pot on top of the paneer and allow the rest of the whey to drain out, about 30 minutes.

Remove pot and discard the whey. Unfold the cheesecloth. Transfer the paneer to a plate and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for a minimum of one hour and up to one day before using.

To fry Paneer:  Cut the paneer into ¾-inch cubes. You should get about 16 or so. Pour 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil into a non-stick skillet over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the cubed paneer. Fry the cubes until they are lightly browned on all sides, turning very carefully to retain their shapes. Remove from skillet and drain on a plate that has been lined with a paper towel.

Prijatno!

Sautéed fresh garbanzo beans

If you blink at the wrong time during early spring, you may miss the fleeting presence of fresh garbanzo beans, still in their small, fuzzy green pods.   Also known as chickpeas, ceci beans, Indian peas, Bengal gram and Kabuli chana, we are much more familiar in the US with garbanzos in canned or dried forms before they become the key ingredient in hummus, falafel, Indian vegetarian curries and Italian salads. 

I first spied fresh garbanzos as recently as last year.   Popping the beans out of their pods and savoring their green, sweet, and slightly nutty essence transported me far from the hectic, crowded city to a spacious country porch, a rocking chair and visions of me shelling garbanzos…I was well on my way to eating the entire bag by the time I arrived home!   Similar to green pea pods but smaller, their shells are thinner, hairy and paper-like.  One or two peas occupy each pod.  This picture shows how they are sold at markets in Mexico - fresh pods still attached to their branches.  The leaves are used to make sun tea and the branches are fed to the burros!   In the US you will pay a little more since you’re only buying the pods.   If you a lucky enough to come across some at your market or grocery store, grab some! 

This is how I found them

Sadly, most of the crops in California support the dried garbanzo market.   Hopefully, with more families embracing a farm-to-table approach to their diets, these wonderful legumes will become a seasonal staple .   I recently read about a California farmer and his support of his Hispanic foreman’s “agricultural fantasy” - selling fresh garbanzos to “Gringos”!  When they introduced them at a market in San Francisco, Hispanic women delighted in the fresh crop, while the “Gringas” were not so easily charmed, especially put off by the chilling thought of, heaven forbid, shelling the beans themselves!!!  (Link to the entire article).     For people as particular as they are, sautéing them in their shells as I did below saves shelling time and they can be eaten like edamame – each person shelling his or her own.

In Mexico and from the Eastern Mediterranean to India, fresh garbanzos are eaten raw as well as cooked, and in many areas they are considered the poor man’s protein.  Aside from being high in protein, these nutritious little gems are also high in fiber and potassium .   My recent batch made it home with only a few beans eaten!   I decided to process them minimally so that they retain some of the raw “green” nutty taste that I hunger for.  A quick sauté did the trick for me, but you could also toss the pods in a little bit of olive oil and roast them at 425F for 25 – 30 minutes for a creamier texture.

Heat a little bit of olive oil in a pan.  Carefully add the fresh garbanzo beans.  They will quickly begin jumping like popping corn!  

When the shells are charred on both sides, sprinkle with chile powder, cayenne pepper and kosher salt, to taste.  Finish with a squeeze of fresh lime juice.

This simple snack is my entry to Magic Bullet To Go Giveaway, for which you can find details @ Fun and Food Cafe. You could win a Magic Bullet Food processor!  It’s easy!

Prijatno!

Apple galettes with Vanilla bean goat’s milk ice cream and Blue Heron Farm cajeta

I have never met a goat cheese I didn’t like!  Who can resist the rich layered cake-like wonder that is Humboldt Fog, a perfect French crottin or the red wine-soaked Drunken Goat?   I’ll never forget my first taste of chèvre.  It was a young crottin, covered in chopped walnuts and then toasted so that the cheese was warmed through. It garnished a green salad at lunch years ago at the Château de Chenonceaux in the Loire Valley.  The setting: perfect, the chèvre: a revelation!

But I had never tasted fresh raw goat’s milk until recently.  It is marvelous!   While preparing for a dinner for our wine group, I visited Blue Heron Farm in Field Store Community near Waller, Texas.  Owners and artisans Lisa and Christian Seger were our special guests and provided their highly regarded chèvres for several items on the menu.  Expecting a gaminess beyond what my cow’s milk-trained palate could savor, I poured some over my granola for breakfast and was blown away by the mild sweetness and ever so subtle tang (which becomes more prominent when the milk is transformed into chèvre).  It was a delicious treat I enjoyed all week.  .

SPOILED GOATS, FRESH CHEESE exclaims the banner at the entrance to the Seger’s ten-acre property.  Forgoing quantity for quality, they have chosen the sweet-natured, long-eared Nubian goats that produce milk that is high in butterfat and mild in flavor.  It’s kidding season, and after meeting the adorable babies and their curious mamas, I left with a variety of creamy chèvres, cajeta (caramel) for dessert, and two quarts of freshly harvested goat’s milk.   The milk that I didn’t consume with breakfast I used to make a lovely Vanilla bean ice cream (recipe below). 

If you live in the Houston area you can find the Seger’s chèvre at several outdoor markets.  I suggest you reserve your portion…they are always the first to sell out!  You can also arrange for a tour and tasting at the farm. 

Our dessert was warm individual Apple galettes made by our friend Helen.  Vanilla bean goat’s milk ice cream and Blue Heron Farm cajeta were the perfect accompaniments.  If you have never tasted cajeta from Blue Heron Farm, I urge to do so!  It’s always fresh, all natural and contains no fillers.  It’s the perfect pouring consistency and I admit that I’m addicted to it!

Vanilla bean goat’s milk ice cream

Makes 1 1/2 quarts

1 cup sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

2 pinches of salt

4 cups fresh raw goat’s milk (No guarantee that it will be good with commercially produced goat’s milk)

½ vanilla bean pod

2 eggs

Bring a little water (about ½”) to a simmer in the bottom of a double boiler.  Whisk sugar, cornstarch and salt in the top bowl of a double boiler. Place on top of simmering water.  Slowly add goat’s milk, whisking continuously until the mixture is hot and thickens a little, about 20 minutes.

On a cutting board, split the vanilla bean pod in half lengthwise with a pointed knife.  With the sharp tip of the knife, scrape the vanilla seeds (caviar) out and add the bean pod and seeds to the milk mixture.

Beat eggs in a separate bowl until the yolks and whites are combined.  Ladle about ½ cup of the hot milk into the eggs and whisk together quickly to prevent them from curdling.   Add the eggs to the rest of the milk mixture and cook over the simmering water for an additional 5 minutes, but make sure that it doesn’t boil.

Cool milk custard in an ice water bath, stirring every few minutes.  Chill overnight in the refrigerator.

Strain the chilled custard through a sieve and discard the vanilla bean.  Freeze the custard by following the directions to your ice cream maker.

 

Apple galettes

Adapted from Susan Spungen’s Almond Berry Tart  from More magazine.  Makes 8 galettes.

Crust

½ cup sliced or slivered almonds

1½ cups flour

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

1½ sticks cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

¼ cup ice water

Filling

4 cups thinly sliced peeled, cored and quartered apples

½ lemon, juiced or 2 tablespoons

½ cup sugar

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

For the top

Sliced almonds

Coarse ‘crystal’ sugar or Turbinado sugar

To make the crust, combine the almonds, flour, salt and sugar in food processor.  Pulse to combine.  Add butter and pulse until the pieces are the size of peas.  With the machine running, quickly add the water.  Stop the machine just when the dough begins to come together.  Remove the dough and knead once or twice.  Shape into a disc and wrap in plastic.  Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 375F.  Line a large cookie sheet with parchment or a silpat.

In a medium bowl, combine the filling ingredients. Set aside.

On a well-floured surface, cut the dough into 8 equal pieces.  Roll each piece with a rolling pin until it measures about 6 – 7 inches.   Pile sliced apples evenly on each piece of dough, leaving a 2-inch border. Fold the border over the filling, leaving some of the apples exposed.  Brush the dough gently with cold water and then sprinkle with crystal sugar and sliced almonds.

Bake until the crust is golden brown, about 30 - 45 minutes.

Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes before serving with goat’s milk ice cream and cajeta.

Prijatno!

Animal Farm, chef Randy Evans and an Outstanding in the Field dinner

One long table winding through the trees on Gita and Cas van Woerden’s Animal Farm was the setting for last Saturday’s Outstanding in the Field dinner. Founded by Jim Denevan, OITF’s mission is “to re-connect diners to the land and the origins of their food, and to honor the local farmers and food artisans who cultivate it.” With that in mind, and anticipating another sizzling afternoon in Texas, we donned our casual shoes, linens and hats and headed west to Cat Spring, Texas.

With the help of a creative chef like Randy Evans (the executive chef of Brennan’s before Ike) and several other remarkable artisans who are mentioned below, close to 200 eager participants feasted on delicious local, organic and seasonal produce from Animal Farm and the surrounding area. A flight of tasty wines from Flat Creek Estate near Marble Falls accompanied every course. With a glass of their 2008 Pinot Grigio in hand and being surrounded by calming woods, it was easy to forget the bustling city only sixty miles away.

This friendly fellow walked in on the party. He came to check on his old barn nearby.

Here are chef Randy and sous chef Kevin finishing the wild boar terrine and free-range deviled eggs, and answering our many questions at the same time. They were charming and highly personable throughout the evening, even when the power went out and the water pump took a while to replenish the supply. When you’re trying to feed 200 people, that’s stressful! Look for the opening of Randy’s restaurant Haven, which will feature its own raised-bed and sustainable vegetable garden behind the restaurant, green building solutions and a specially designed water filtration system. There has never been a restaurant opening so highly anticipated in Houston in many years.

Gita van Woerden has a soft spot in my heart. Aside from being a very gracious hostess, she also lived and studied art in South Africa, where I spent 16 years of my youth. She explained permaculture and it’s importance to our land, resources and general well-being of all that occupy it. Read about the history of the farm and her family’s quest to live in harmony with nature. It’s fascinating. As it turns out, you will have the opportunity to experience the farm during an Open House (click for more info) this coming Saturday, October 3.
Gita is a pioneer in many ways. The farm is “off the grid” and gets all of its electric energy from solar power. Designing their home without air-conditioning and central heating was the main challenge for their architect. I wonder if the parameters were met considering our temperatures during August? Transportation on the 78-acre farm takes the form of golf carts which are battery operated. The batteries are re-charged every evening. Independent of outside water supplies, the farm relies on an 180’ deep well which supplies the intricate water system.
Of several varieties of eggplant harvested on the farm, Gita’s favorite is the Cambodian Green Giant. It is green when ripe. With a sandy soil rich in minerals (composting puts nutrients back into the soil), it’s not surprising that the gardens produce superior tasting and nutritionally balanced vegetables. The vegetables are sold to several restaurants in Houston and Austin and at many markets, including the Bayou City Farmer’s Market.
The Yoga Retreat below is elegant and functional. Open on one end (remember, no air-conditioning) and with large windows and pleasing stained-glass and furniture, who wouldn’t be ready to don yoga pants and begin the ‘Salute to the Sun’?
Here’s the outstanding top half of the menu. All delicious; thank goodness I didn’t have to pick a favorite! Purple hull peas were transformed into a hummus and then spread on flatbread that was baked in Gita’s wood-burning oven. The wild boar terrine was hearty with an additional flavor punch from the mustard and relish. And the free-range devilled eggs from Gita’s roaming chickens – heavenly!

At the table, we were served squash vichyssoise with a roasted corn salsa on the bottom:

Here’s Lisa Seger, a goat cheese making wonder. You know she must turn heads everywhere she goes with her fiery mane, especially in rural Waller, Texas! She and husband Christian, tend to many amusing Nubian goats on their Blue Heron Farm. Chosen for their high protein, high fat and mild flavored milk, Nubian goats’ cheese is not gamey or dry. Don’t walk… run to the Bayou City Farmer’s Market to try her chèvre.
We enjoyed Lisa’s mild and creamy goat feta on the spicy arugula photographed below. She also provided a phenomenal cajeta we drizzled on the pound cake biscotti. Yes, I brought some cajeta home and have been snacking on it since……what diet? Swede Farm (also in Waller) provided the goat buttermilk for the lovely pecan pie I slathered with cajeta…

Shaded by the trees, we enjoyed the company of new friends during the family-style dinner. Find my Honey – he’s looking at me and has a silver mane.

The bottom half of the menu featured tender grilled shrimp with Animal Farm’s grilled baby vegetables. Head-on Gulf shrimp were provided by Texas Wild, owned by Jennifer and Dimitri Georgantas (Greek accent included!) This charming couple moved from table to table, explaining their ‘shrimping’ techniques and journeys deep into the Gulf.

Now ‘heads-off’ Gulf shrimp…

Animal Farm’s squash and eggplant:

Unfortunately darkness set in and the rest of my pictures are not acceptable. Chef Randy’s fried chicken balantine (purse) included a delicious crust that surrounded the rolled chicken. It was paired with a respectable Flat Creek Estate 2008 Super Texan. The 2007 Muscato Blanco was perfect with the various dessert elements in that it was not overly sweet. And did I mention the cajeta…?

And you never know who you will bump into! From a city with over 4 million people, I reconnected with a friend I had met in the early 80’s, when I first moved to Houston. This is Diane in her cool I.M.Pei glasses.
Reluctantly, we walked to the car down the sandy path following the softly lit paper lanterns; the cool light of the half moon peeking through the trees. My friend, Barbara and I, joked about what we would do if we got lost. We decided that it wouldn’t be a bad idea to just bed down on the thick, lush pad of leaves and enjoy Mother Nature’s generosity! The pioneers did it, so why shouldn’t we?
Prijatno!