Ingredients

• 1 cup dried chickpeas [canned chickpeas work better–JP]
• 1/2 large onion, roughly chopped (about 1 cup)
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2-1 teaspoon dried hot red pepper
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 4-6 tablespoons flour
• Soybean or vegetable oil for frying
• Chopped tomato for garnish
• Diced onion for garnish
• Diced green bell pepper for garnish
• Tahina sauce
• Pita bread

Preparation

1. Put the chickpeas in a large bowl and add enough cold water to cover them by at least 2 inches. Let soak overnight, then drain. Or use canned chickpeas, drained.

2. Place the drained, uncooked chickpeas and the onions in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Add the parsley, cilantro, salt, hot pepper, garlic, and cumin. Process until blended but not pureed.

3. Sprinkle in the baking powder and 4 tablespoons of the flour, and pulse. You want to add enough bulgur or flour so that the dough forms a small ball and no longer sticks to your hands. Turn into a bowl and refrigerate, covered, for several hours.

4. Form the chickpea mixture into balls about the size of walnuts, or use a falafel scoop, available in Middle-Eastern markets.

5. Heat 3 inches of oil to 375 degrees in a deep pot or wok and fry 1 ball to test. If it falls apart, add a little flour. Then fry about 6 balls at once for a few minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Stuff half a pita with falafel balls, chopped tomatoes, onion, green pepper, and pickled turnips. Drizzle with tahina thinned with water.

Source: Joan Nathan

Ingredients

• 1 cup soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons dry Sherry
• 2 tablespoons (packed) dark brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
• 2 large garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon oriental sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 5-pound duck, thawed if frozen, rinsed

Preparation

Combine first 9 ingredients in medium bowl; whisk to blend. Place duck in jumbo resealable plastic bag. Pour in soy mixture. Seal bag; turn to coat duck. Refrigerate 2 days, turning occasionally.

Preheat oven to 400°F. Drain duck well; discard marinade. Arrange duck, breast side up, on rack set on rimmed baking sheet. Pat duck dry inside and out with paper towels. Roast duck 45 minutes. Turn duck over. Roast until tender and glazed deep brown, about 15 minutes longer. Insert long wooden spoon into main cavity of duck and tilt, allowing juices to drain onto baking sheet. Transfer duck to platter. Let rest 15 minutes before serving.

Bon Appetit, September 2001

Ingredients

• 1 c unsalted peanut butter
• 1/4 c rice vinegar or white vinegar
• 2 tbl light soy sauce [plus more if necessary–JP]
• 1 tsp dark soy sauce
• 1 garlic clove, chopped
• 1 to 3 serrano or other chili peppers, seeded and chopped
• 1 1/2 tbl sugar or honey
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 c + 2 tsp toasted sesame oil
• 1 tbl chili oil [this makes it a bit spicy, reduce to ~2.5 tsp–JP]
• 1/2 c freshly brewed black tea
• 1 lb chinese egg noodles or spaghetti
• 4 c shredded cooked chicken
• thin strips of peeled seeded cucumber
• cilantro leaves
• chopped peanuts

Preparation

Combine peanut butter, vinegar, both soy sauces, garlic, chili peppers, sugar or honey, salt, 1/4 c sesame oil, chili oil and black tea in a food processor or blender and blend throughly. The sauce can be covered and refrigerated for 1 to 2 days. Allow to return to room temperature and stir well before using.

Cook the egg noodles in boiling water, drain in a colander and rinse under cold water until cool. Toss with 2 tsp sesame oil. Add chicken and sauce and stir together. [Chicken can be omitted to make the dish vegan–JP] Garnish with cucumbers, cilantro, and peanuts.

Joy of Cooking Calendar

Ingredients

• 1 cup beef stock or canned beef broth
• 1 cup chicken stock or canned low-salt chicken broth
• 1 pound veal scaloppine
• All purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons (about) olive oil
• 1 cup whipping cream
• 3/4 cup chopped seeded plum tomatoes
• 6 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 2/3 cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese

Preparation

Boil both stocks in medium saucepan until reduced to 1 cup, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat.

Sprinkle veal with salt and pepper. Dredge veal in flour to coat; shake off excess. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in heavy large skillet over high heat. Working in batches, add veal and sauté until cooked through, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer veal to platter; tent with foil to keep warm. Repeat with remaining veal, adding more oil to skillet as necessary.

Add reduced stock mixture, cream, 1/2 cup chopped tomatoes, 4 tablespoons basil and tomato paste to skillet. Simmer until reduced to sauce consistency, whisking frequently, about 5 minutes. Add 1/3 cup Gorgonzola; stir until melted.

Pour sauce over veal. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup chopped tomatoes, 2 tablespoons basil and 1/3 cup Gorgonzola.

Bon Appetit, April 1999

Ingredients

• 1/3 c mayonnaise
• 1/4 tsp five-spice powder
• 2 tbl Asian fish sauce
• 2 tbs soy sauce
• dash of sugar
• 4 mini french bread loaves or hoagie buns
• 8 strips cucumber–6"x1/4"
• 8 oz thin strips deli or leftover roast pork or Asian barbecue pork
• 1/2 c julienned carrots
• 8 strips seeded deveined jalapeno chili
• 12 sprigs cilantro (leaves and thin stems)

Preparation

Combine mayonnaise and five-spice powder in a small bowl. Combine fish sauce, soy sauce, 1 tsp water and sugar in another bowl.

Slice bread horizontally without cutting all the way through. Spread about 1 tbs mayonnaise mixture on the inside of each loaf. Top each side with 1 cucumber slice, fill with pork. Top with carrots, chile and cilantro; drizzle lightly with fish sauce mixture.

Ingredients

• 5 lbs. chuck or pot roast, cut in 1 1/2 in cubes
• 6 tbs. butter
• 2 large onions
• 2 tsp curry
• 1 tsp ginger or mace
• 2 tbs. Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1/2 to 1 c white wine
• 1 c sour cream
• 2 tbs horseradish
• 2 tbs chopped parsley

Preparation

Brown meat in butter, place in casserole. Brown onions in the same pan; add to casserole with all spices and wine. Bake at 300 degrees uncovered for 3 h or until meat is tender. Just before serving, combine sour cream and horseradish and stir into meat with parsley. Serve over egg noodles.

Ingredients

• 3 tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 oz. pancetta, finely chopped
• 1 large carrot, peeled and minced
• 2 small celery ribs, minced
• 1/2 med. onion, minced
• 1 1/3 lb. coarsely ground beef skirt steak or ground chuck
• 3/4 c. chicken or beef stock
• 2/3 c. dry white wine
• 2 tbl. tomato paste
• 1 1/2 c whole milk

Preparation

Heat olive oil and pancetta in a large saucepan over medium-low heat and cook until pancetta releases its fat but is not browned, about 8 minutes. Increase the heat to medium and add carrot, celery and onion. Cook, stirring until the onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Add ground beef and brown. Stir in stock, wine, and tomato paste. Reduce heat to low and simmer gently, partially covered and skimming occasionally and add milk 2 tbl. at a time from time to time as the sauce simmers. Cook until the sauce is the consistency of a thick soup, about 2 hours. Remove from the heat and let cool. Cover and refrigerate for up to 24 h. Skim the fat off the top before reheating. Serve over wide noodles.

Ingredients

• 4 (3/4-inch-thick) center-cut pork chops (about 2 lb total)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 6 oz small shallots (about 8), quartered and peeled, leaving root ends intact
• 2/3 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar

Preparation

Pat pork dry and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then cook pork (in 2 batches if necessary) along with shallots, turning pork over once and stirring shallots occasionally, until pork is browned and shallots are golden brown and tender, about 5 minutes total. Transfer pork with tongs to a plate and add vinegar, sugar, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper to shallots in skillet. Cook, stirring until sugar is dissolved and liquid is thickened slightly, about 1 minute.

Reduce heat to moderate, then return pork along with any juices accumulated on plate to skillet and turn 2 or 3 times to coat with sauce. Cook, turning over once, until pork is just cooked through, about 3 minutes total. Transfer pork to a platter and boil sauce until thickened and syrupy, 1 to 2 minutes. Pour sauce over pork.

Gourmet, March 2006

[N.B.: This is the chile relleno recipe as well; just make the batter, omitting the cayenne pepper and Old Bay.]

Ingredients

For the fries:

• 1 gallon safflower oil
• 4 large Russet potatoes
• Kosher salt

For the batter:

• 2 cups flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• Dash Old Bay Seasoning
• 1 bottle brown beer, cold
• 1 1/2 pounds firm-fleshed whitefish (tilapia, pollock, cod), cut into 1-ounce strips
• Cornstarch, for dredging

Preparation

Heat oven to 200 degrees F.

Heat the safflower oil in a 5-quart Dutch oven over high heat until it reaches 320 degrees.

Using a V-slicer with a wide blade, slice the potatoes with the skin on. Place in a large bowl with cold water.

In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cayenne pepper, and Old Bay seasoning. Whisk in the beer until the batter is completely smooth and free of any lumps. Refrigerate for 15 minutes. Note: The batter can be made up to 1 hour ahead of time.

Drain potatoes thoroughly, removing any excess water. When oil reaches 320 degrees, submerge the potatoes in the oil. Working in small batches, fry for 2 to 3 minutes until they are pale and floppy. Remove from oil, drain, and cool to room temperature.

Increase the temperature of the oil to 375 degrees. Re-immerse fries and cook until crisp and golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove and drain on roasting rack. Season with kosher salt while hot and hold in the oven.

Allow oil to return to 350 degrees. Lightly dredge fish strips in cornstarch. Working in small batches, dip the fish into batter and immerse into hot oil. When the batter is set, turn the pieces of fish over and cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Drain the fish on the roasting rack. Serve with malt vinegar.

Alton Brown, FoodNetwork.com

Ingredients

• 2 large onions, thinly sliced
• 1 beef rump roast, about 3 pounds, or 1 chuck roast, about 4 pounds
• 1 can (14 1/2 ounces) chicken broth
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 cup strong brewed coffee
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
• Freshly ground pepper

Preparation

1. Place half of the onions in a slow cooker; top with roast. Top roast with remaining onions, broth, garlic, bay leaves, coffee, soy sauce, oregano and pepper to taste.

2. Cover; cook on low until beef is tender, 6-8 hours, turning roast once or twice. Slice beef; serve with broth and onions.

Chicago Tribune