Baked Cod with Vegetable Matignon

August 28, 2015 by Aurel Pop in Main Dish

Roni and I are currently spending a few days of vacation in Sonoma and San Francisco. This is our first vacation of the year. Although short, we are excited about relaxing, sleeping in, eating and drinking fine wines all day. As a matter of fact, I just woke up from a post-wine tasting nap and am chilling on a lounge chair on the patio of our little rental cottage with a cool breeze soothing my sunburnt face. It's a beautiful thing to be out of Texas in August, especially in a place like northern California where cool summer breezes exist.

Fresh seafood is the ultimate summer dinner food. Nothing can beat fresh fish sprinkled with fresh lemon juice on a hot summer evening. Fish is easy and quick to cook. The worst thing that can happen when cooking fish is to overcook it, but with a little bit of attention, that can be avoided. Whenever you are cooking fish, remove it from the heat a few minutes before you think it's going to be done. For example if you think it will take 10 minutes to cook, just take it off after 8 or 9 minutes and check the middle with a fork. In just a matter of minutes your fish can go from nicely cooked and moist to dry and tasteless.

Another good tip when following a recipe for a fish dish is to check the thickness of the fish. Thicker fish fillets are going to take longer to cook, whereas the thinner ones are going to be done within minutes. As a matter of fact, when I made this recipe I was cooking two fillets of different thickness and it took one about 8-10 minutes to cook and the other one 12-15. If I left the thinner one on the grill for longer it would've turned rubbery and dry.

Thyme is my favorite herb to use when cooking fish. I like rosemary as well, but I find it a bit more overpowering especially for delicate fish like cod, flounder, snapper, haddock or tilapia. The vegetable matignon adds a lot of color, flavor and texture to this dish making it even more appealing for the ones who find cod a bit bland. You can also choose to add a tablespoons of vegetable stock along with the lemon juice to make it extra moist. I served this dish with fondant potatoes (recipe coming soon), but you can serve it with butter sautéed carrots or sweet peas, rice or even grilled vegetables. Enjoy!

BAKED COD WITH VEGETABLE MATIGNON

Serves 2
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 10-15 minutes

Ingredients

2 cod fillets (about 1 lb)
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
4 tsp olive oil
1/4 cup green bell pepper, finely diced
1/4 cup red bell pepper, finely diced
1/2 small red onion, finely diced
1 celery stalk, finely diced
2 Roma tomatoes, deseeded and finely diced
1 medium lemon, juiced (about 3-4 TBS fresh lemon juice)
2 lemon slices (1/4 inch thick)
4 sprigs fresh thyme
2 TBS stock (vegetable or chicken) - optional

Instructions

Preheat oven or grill to 400F (200C) degrees.
Pat fillets dry with a paper towel. Sprinkle with salt and pepper on each side.
Lay out two, one-foot long aluminum foil sheets. Sprinkle the middle of the foil with a bit of olive oil and then place one fish fillet on each sheet. Sprinkle more olive oil on the fish.
Top fillets with diced vegetables, lemon juice, lemon slice and thyme. If you choose to add stock, fold the foil upwards and sprinkle each fillet with a tablespoon of stock.
Fold the edges of the foil to form enclosed packets.
Place the packets in the oven on a baking sheet and cook for 10-15 minutes. If using the grill place the packets straight on the wire rack, close the cover and bake for about 10-15 minutes as well.
After 10 minutes, open the packets carefully to avoid burning yourself with the hot steam that built up inside the packets. If the fish is undone, continue cooking. Serve in open foil packets to avoid spilling the delicious juices. Eat as soon as you cooked it, as fish doesn't reheat well.

Pork Belly and Oyster Mushroom Potato Hash

August 24, 2015 by Aurel Pop in Breakfast/Brunch

The time has come for me to post a heartier and manlier dish here on gourmetcubicle. As of late, I committed to getting back in shape by losing the extra weight I gained during my business trip. I picked up running again and, for the first time since college, I started lifting weights. Getting enough exercise has never been a concern of mine though, as I've always been active, either playing soccer in Zilker Park or volleyball on various leagues around town. The biggest challenge for me when it comes to losing weight is to hold back from eating so much. I severely lack discipline in the kitchen.

I love carbs. It doesn't matter if it's pasta, fresh crispy breads or starches, I embrace them all. I like to blame my weakness for carbs on the Romanian and Hungarian food culture. Bread and potatoes are two things that are never missing from the dining table. Abundance is the word that best describes both these cuisines. You'll never walk out of the house of a Romanian or Hungarian feeling hungry or anything short of being completely full.

It all comes down to our culture of hospitality, and Romanians take hospitality extremely seriously. We greet our guests and visitors with fresh baked bread and salt. It's a tradition that dates back to before Christianity and it is seen as a symbol of acceptance and kindness. But why two simple things like bread and salt, you may ask? Well, bread was the main source of food representing the wealth of the fields for the peasants, whereas salt, for a long time in history, was one of the most expensive and valuable assets in trading.

Fun Fact: the word companion, which is defined as a person or animal one shares significant time with, comes from Latin and has at its roots the words com- meaning "with" in English, and panis, which is "bread".

Moving on to our recipe today, this is a dish so versatile that you can serve it for breakfast, brunch or even dinner. It is a savory, flavorful and filling dish, easy enough to be prepared even by a beginner cook. The pork belly can be substituted with bacon if that's something that is more accessible, and the brussels sprouts can be replaced by broccoli florets of roughly chopped cabbage. Enjoy!

PORK BELLY AND OYSTER MUSHROOM POTATO HASH

Serves 4
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 45-50 minutes

Ingredients

1 lb pork belly, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1/2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
1/2 tsp kosher salt
2 TBS sunflower seed oil (or peanut)
1 yellow onion, roughly chopped
2-3 jalapeños, sliced (remove seeds and membrane for milder version)
1 1/2 lbs medium potatoes, unpeeled and diced into 1 inch pieces
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
1 tsp smoked paprika
3/4 lb brussels sprouts, cleaned and halved
4-5 green onions, roughly chopped
1 lb oyster mushrooms, rinsed
1 TBS unsalted butter
1/2 medium lemon juiced (about 1-2 TBS fresh lemon juice)
1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
4 eggs, pasture raised
1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped (for garnish)
1 tsp smoked paprika (for garnish)
salt, to taste

Instructions

Sprinkle the pork belly with salt and pepper.
Heat one tablespoon oil in an oven proof cast iron or stainless steel skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is shimmering, add pork belly and cook for about 10 minutes until the bits become crispy and golden brown. Stir occasionally.
Remove the pork bites from the pan and transfer them to a paper towel lined plate or a wire rack. Add the rest of the oil to the skillet.
Preheat oven to 400F (200C) degrees.
Add onion to the skillet carefully. Be careful not to toss it in because you risk getting burned by the splattering oil. Cook for 3 minutes. Add jalapeños and cook for another 2 minutes. Add potatoes and sprinkle with salt, pepper and one teaspoon smoked paprika. Continue cooking for 5 more minutes stirring every now and then. Add the brussels sprouts. Cook for 10 minutes and then add green onions, mushrooms, butter, lemon juice and quarter cup parsley (half of the total amount). Cook for 5-7 more minutes. Toss and stir occasionally.
Remove skillet from the heat. Toss in the pork belly bits and gently stir. Crack the eggs on top of the hash and place the skillet in the oven. Cook for 10-15 minutes until the eggs are cooked to your favored consistency. 10 minutes baking will yield a runny egg (my favorite) whereas 15 minutes will get the egg cooked all the way through.
Sprinkle with the rest of the parsley and smoked paprika. Taste and adjust saltiness. Serve hot.

Green Papaya Salad (Som Tum)

August 19, 2015 by Aurel Pop in Salad

Austin is pretty much an oven these days. My appetite decreases, but oddly enough I crave spicy foods. Really spicy. Not your average Tex-Mex spicy, but more like habanero level heat. I just realized that I eat something spicy with every each meal I ate. I add a few spoonfuls of my Fiery Jalapeño Salsa to my scrambled eggs for breakfast, a few drops of Sriracha or chili oil to my lunch and then when dinner comes I add a jalapeño or chili to whatever salad we're having. It's pretty crazy if you ask me.

Have you ever wondered why cultures from hotter climates eat really hot food? Just think about traditional Latin American, Indian, African and Southeast Asian food. We love our favorite Ethiopian, Mexican and Indian restaurants for how hot and spicy their dishes are. There is something about spicy food that makes you feel good.

In my opinion it only gets better during the hot summer days. I mean, come on, if you are already sweating, at least do it with a purpose. Spicy food cools you down. Yes it will first make your forehead sweat, but soon after you'll feel a lot better. This is not something that I made up, it's science, bitch, to quote Jesse Pinkman. The scientific term is called gustatory hyperhidrosis also known as gustatory sweating. What happens when eating spicy food is that your internal temperature goes up trying to match the outside temperature. Your blood circulation increases and then you start sweating. Sweat helps the body cool down by producing fluid that evaporates from our skin. If you've ever used a sauna, the effect is similar although the process is different.

I was inspired to make this salad by Roni's latest trip to Thailand and Bhutan. While she was gone, I annoyed her daily with texts asking for pictures of the food she was eating there. This green papaya salad, called Som Tum in Thai, is one of the most common salads that you can find in Thailand. It is a sweet, sour and spicy delight made fresh to order. One suggestion for eating in Thailand is to specify how many chilies to put in your dish at the time of ordering. This rule applies not only to this salad, but to every dish that you eat in Thailand. The level of heat they're accustomed to may be unbearable to us farang (“westerner” in Thai).

The ingredients for this salad can be found at any Asian store. You can even add dried shrimp to make it more authentic. Although I like the taste and texture of dried shrimps, I found that it's not everyone's cup of tea. I usually add 8-10 thai chilies to this dish and the level of heat is higher than the average, but not too crazy. I had a few of my friends over for dinner last week and I served this salad as an appetizer without any major incidents. To cut the heat, just add more tomatoes, lime and if you don't like your salad too sour, a bit more sugar too. Enjoy!

Green Papaya Salad (Som Tum)

Serves 4-6
Prep time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

5-10 Thai chilies, roughly chopped (depending how spicy you like it)
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1 TBS palm sugar (or brown sugar)
1 TBS fish sauce (replace with seaweed sauce if vegetarian/vegan)
2 limes, juiced
2 tomatoes, quartered
1/4 cup roasted peanuts
1 green papaya, shredded
1/2 cabbage, shredded
1 cup green beans, cut into 2 inch pieces - optional
1/4 cup roasted peanuts
salt or soy sauce, to taste

Instructions

In a mortar combine chilies and garlic. Smash them with the wooden pestle until they release the flavor and the oils, about 2-3 minutes. Add sugar and pound until it dissolves into the chili and garlic mix. Add the fish sauce next. Use a spoon (or spatula) in conjunction with the pestle to push the mixture stuck to the sides of the mortar down.
Squeeze lime wedges and add tomatoes, a handful of peanuts and pound more with the pestle while pushing down the ingredients stuck to the sides of the mortar with the spatula, about 1-2 minutes. I toss a few whole lime wedges in the mortar and only discard them when eating the salad, too.
Taste and adjust sweetness and sourness, by adding more lime juice or palm sugar.
In a large mixing bowl, combine papaya and cabbage. Pour the chili concoction from the mortar over the salad and mix well until it is evenly coated. Sprinkle with the rest of the peanuts and serve cold.

NOTES

If using a food processor, combine chilies and garlic and pulse for a few times. Add the rest of the ingredients (do not leave the lime wedges in when using the food processor) and give it a few more pulses. Remember, you want a paste with some texture and not completely smooth, so don't overdo it.
Most Asian stores carry pre-shredded green papaya. If you can't find that shred it yourself by using a julienne peeler. You can also grate the papaya on a box grater, although I like the papaya crunchier. Alternatively, you can use the traditional way of shredding, but I recommend that you watch a video before as it requires above average knife skills. Stop grating/shredding when you get close to the center. Those white immature seeds are not pleasant to taste.
I prefer consuming this salad fresh so that the papaya and cabbage don't lose their crunchiness, but it stays good for a couple of days in the refrigerator.

Vegetable Coconut Curry

August 15, 2015 by Aurel Pop in Main Dish

A few weeks ago I was asked to participate in a curry cook-off fundraiser through which my dear friends Antonio and Nicole from Science in a Suitcase were raising money for volunteers to go on a trip to Dindigul, Tamil Nadu, India. Their organization sends engineer volunteers to third-world countries to expose children to science.

I got to know Nicole and Antonio through my job, but we really got to be friends when earlier this year I volunteered for them in Siem Riep, Cambodia teaching elementary school kids Lego Robotics. I spent three days at a local school teaching with legos and building cool stuff like motorized tuk-tuks and boats with a group of super shy yet creative kids. Even though it was exhausting spending 8-10 hours in a hot classroom with no A/C, it was so rewarding. It felt so good to share my passion for science and engineering with such a bright and eager group--they even came to school on a Saturday just so they could spend an extra day learning from me. Education isn't a given in that part of the world, and children don't take it for granted like is often the case here at home.

The trip to Cambodia wasn't work-related though. Everything was organized by my amazing girlfriend Roni, who singlehandedly made all the arrangements to make sure we had a great time there. I haven't mentioned it yet here, but Roni has a social business called krama wheel that empowers women in Cambodia to work from home and help kids get access to education: for each handmade scarf or beach throw sold she donates a school uniform to a child in need.

If you aren't familiar with recent Cambodian history, in the late 70's during the Khmer Rouge regime under the leadership of Pol Pot, over 25% (2-3 million out of 8 million people) of Cambodia's population was executed or died in forced labor camps due to strenuous working conditions, malnutrition and lack of medical care. Most of the victims were intellectuals ranging from doctors to teachers. Pol Pot's idea was to create an agrarian socialist country where only peasants were needed. According to his calculation, to achieve this utopia he needed only one or two million people.

The effects of those horrible crimes are still noticeable in Cambodia. Literacy and education rates are low and poverty is peaking. On this trip I had the chance to experience what fuels Roni's drive to succeed with krama wheel. She took me to some of the most isolated villages in rural Cambodia where families cannot afford to send their children to school for various reasons, one common one being that they don't have the funds to buy school uniforms (which are mandatory), another being that families require their children to help in the fields to ensure a successful harvest to make ends meet.

I come from a poor country and lived under the communist regime of Ceausescu. I know what is it like to have meager food rations. I know what is it like to have no freedom of speech, to live in fear of the secret police agency (Securitatea). It was bad, but at least I had access to education. Education is what helped me be the person I am today. That's why I feel so strongly about education and wanting to help others in need. I truly feel that education is the most powerful tool for changing the world.

As for the curry, I didn't win the cook-off. An absolutely amazing lamb curry came in first and a duck curry in second. Mine was one of the top-voted among the vegetarian curries and I received praises by many of my Indian co-workers, which honestly made me feel more honored than any award could. The vegetable list in the recipe is pretty extensive. I added so many, because I had to cook for 8-10 people, but you can opt to add less. Enjoy!

VEGETABLE COCONUT CURRy

Serves 6-8
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

1 can coconut paste (about 14 oz) (or coconut milk with 1 tsp potato starch)
6 oz Greek yogurt - optional (add more coconut paste if you want it vegan)
6 oz tomato paste
3 TBS ghee (or unsalted butter)
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp coriander, ground
1 TBS kosher salt
1 lb sweet potatoes, peeled and diced to 1/4 inch cubes
1 lb carrots, peeled and sliced to 1/4 inch slices
1 1/2 lbs ravaya eggplants, trimmed and quartered to 1 inch chunks (or regular eggplants)
1 lb cauliflower florets
3 cups vegetable broth (4 cups for more curry sauce)
1/2 lb French beans, trimmed and cut in half
1 can (15oz) garbanzo beans, drained - optional
1/2 cup cilantro leaves, finely chopped
1/4 cup roasted cashews
salt, to taste

Paste

3/4 cup unsalted cashews, soaked in warm water for 15-20 minutes
3-4 Thai chilies, roughly chopped
1/2 cup cilantro stems, roughly chopped
7 garlic cloves, crushed
2 inch ginger root, crushed and roughly chopped
4 large ripe tomatoes, roughly diced
1 TBS kosher salt

Tempering

1 bunch fresh curry leaves (about 15-20 leaves)
1 cinnamon stick
8-10 cloves, whole
8-10 green cardamom pods, whole
2-4 black cardamom pods, whole
1 tsp black mustard seeds, whole
1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds - optional
2 dried bay leaves
1 star anise, whole

Paneer

1 tsp peanut oil (or canola, or sunflower seed)
14 oz paneer, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1/2 tsp coriander, ground
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp chili powder
2 tsp peanut oil (or canola, or sunflower seed)
1 tsp salt

Instructions

In a bowl combine coconut milk, yogurt and tomato paste. Whisk until all ingredients are combined. Let the mixture sit at room temperature while you proceed with the rest of the recipe.
In a food processor mix all the ingredients under paste. Pulse until you reach a smooth consistency. Set aside.
In a large deep stainless steel skillet heat one tablespoon ghee over medium-high heat. When it melts and starts smoking add all spices under the tempering section. Toast until mustard seeds start to pop and spices become aromatic, about 1 minute. At this point you can remove and discard the larger spices (cloves, anise, cardamom, bay leaves, fenugreek seeds) if you'd like, as the spices already released their aromatic oils.
Add the rest of the ghee, let it melt and then mix in onions. Sauté for 5-7 minutes until onions are translucent.
Pour in the paste mixture and cook until it thickens, about 10 minutes. Add turmeric, chili, coriander powder, and one tablespoon salt. Stir well.
Add sweet potatoes (do not add the regular potatoes yet, if using), carrots, eggplant and cauliflower. Pour in the veggie broth and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to medium, cover with a lid and cook for 10-15 minutes until the vegetables are tender, but not mushy. Remember that you'll cook them more so don't overcook them.
Meanwhile, in a bowl combine one teaspoon oil, paneer cubes, coriander, turmeric and chili powder. Mix well until the paneer is evenly coated. In a non stick pan heat the rest of oil (2 teaspoons) over medium heat. When the oil is hot and it easily slides across the pan, add paneer cubes. Cook until golden brown on each side, about 5-10 minutes. When done, sprinkle with salt, transfer the paneer to a plate and set aside.
Return to the large skillet. Temper the coconut and yogurt mixture by transferring one ladle at a time of the hot curry into the mixing bowl. Once tempered, pour the mixture into the skillet, and stir to combine.
Add potatoes, beans, chickpeas and paneer and cook for another 8-10 minutes. Taste and adjust saltiness. Chances are that the curry will need a lot more salt.
Remove from heat, sprinkle with cilantro and more cashews if you'd like.

NOTES

Some of the spices used for tempering are unpleasant to bite into. I personally don't mind them (except for the fenugreek which is very bitter) and usually just leave them all in the curry and remove them when eating. Alternatively you can use a tea ball for the more intense spices after you toasted them.
Don't be surprised by the amount of salt you'll need to use. It's normal when working with vegetables.
Serve hot over basmati rice or with naan bread with a side of raita.

Moroccan Chicken with Jalapeño Garlic Yogurt Dipping

August 10, 2015 by Aurel Pop in Appetizer, Condiment

Nothing says summer like grilling and a cold beer. Grilling meats ranks very high up on the "manliest things to do" list. It's such an ego boosting experience to serve your partner or friends a perfectly cooked piece of sizzling meat. If you think about the amount of effort that goes into grilling you realize that it's the best possible return on time and skills investment. I'm not to say that grilling is the most simple type of cooking, but in all honesty, I strongly believe that any man is able to do it. Especially if there is cold beer involved.

In my opinion, the secret to perfectly grilled meat lies in the marinade or rub that you used. This recipe calls for an exotic North African mix of fragrant spices like cumin, cinnamon and coriander that will elevate the bland flavor of the chicken breast. Chicken breast is actually one of my least favorite meats to cook. It's bland and hard to cook. If you undercook it, you risk getting yourself and your guests sick with salmonella. If you overcook chicken breast, it gets dry and ends up tasting how I imagine a rubber shoe sole tastes.

Personally I prefer making these kabobs with boneless chicken thighs or lamb. If you decide to use lamb, you'll need to marinade it a bit longer, preferably overnight. As far as cooking is concerned, grilling lamb may take less than 15 minutes if you like it medium or rare. If you're afraid of the strong and bold gamey flavor, be assured that the fragrant spices in this recipe will neutralize it a bit.

I usually serve these kebobs with warm pita bread and a garlicky, slightly spicy yogurt sauce that contrasts well with the sweetness of the meat. Besseha!

Moroccan Chicken with Jalapeño Garlic Yogurt Dipping

Serves 2-3
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Inactive time: 2 hours

Ingredients

1 lb boneless chicken, cut into 1-inch cubes (breast or thighs or lamb)
1 lemon, juiced
2 garlic cloves, crushed and finely chopped
1/2 inch ginger, crushed and finely chopped
3 TBS olive oil
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp coriander
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp chili
1 tsp Spanish paprika
1/2 tsp smoked paprika, optional
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp olive oil
1/3 cup fresh parsley, roughly chopped
coarse sea salt, to taste

Jalapeño Garlic Yogurt Dip

1 garlic clove, crushed and roughly chopped
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp sunflower seed oil (or peanut, canola, or vegetable)
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 medium lime, juiced (juice of 3 key limes or 2-3 TBS fresh lime juice)
2 tsp sunflower seed oil (or peanut, canola, or vegetable)
1 cup plain yogurt
1/2 jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped
1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
2-3 fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
1/2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground

Instructions

Put the chicken chunks in a large ziplock bag or in a non-metalic medium sized bowl. Add lemon juice, garlic, ginger, olive oil, dried oregano, coriander, cumin, chili, Spanish paprika, smoked paprika, cinnamon, black pepper and salt. Mix them well, massaging the marinade into the meat. Put the ziplock in the refrigerator and let it rest for at least two hours.
While the chicken is marinating, mix garlic, salt and one teaspoon oil with a pestle and mortar. Crush garlic and mix until you get a smooth garlic paste. Add mustard, lime juice and remaining oil. Mix well. Move the paste into a small bowl and mix in yogurt, jalapeño, parsley, mint and black pepper. Give it one more stir, taste and adjust seasoning. Let the sauce cool in the refrigerator while you take care of the chicken.
Preheat grill to 450F (230C ) degrees. Prepare a few metal skewers or bamboo sticks. Remove chicken from the marinade. Discard the marinade. Thread an equal amount of chicken chunks on the skewers. Make sure you're not threading them too tightly, as they won't cook evenly and you don't want to serve uncooked chicken.
Place skewers on a hot grill and cook for 15-20 minutes turning them every now and then. If you have a thermometer make sure the inside temperature of the chicken reaches 162-165F (72-73C) degrees.
When done, remove the skewers from the grill, cover with aluminum foil and let them rest for 5-10 minutes.
Sprinkle with olive oil, parsley and coarse sea salt. Serve warm with garlic jalapeño sauce.

Notes

If using bamboo skewers, make sure you soak them in cold water for at least half an hour. That will prevent the sticks from burning while grilling the meat.