Gharnu Gourmet

April  23 2013, Tuesday Dinner  (Modification to the recipe by Anar Mehta) WHAT: Olive oil 1 Onion - chopped in small pieces 1 Potato - chopped in small pieces 1.5 Broccoli head - chopped in medium pieces  20 - 25 almonds - blanched  1 cup milk 2 cups or more vegetable broth 1 Tbsp. Balsamic vinegar 1 Tbsp. chili vinegar  2 Tbsp. Fennel fronds ( optional) Salt and Pepper per your taste Some alfalfa sprout for garnish french bread and garlic for crostini HOW: Heat little olive oil in pot at medium heat Saute onion for 2-3 minutes Add potato pieces and saute more for about 5-7 minutes Add Broccoli pieces and saute for few more minites Add 1/2 cup of veg. broth and let all vegetables cook till soften Once done, let the mixture cool and then add half of almonds and blend to a puree Add the blended mixture back in the pot on medium heat Add rest of the veg. broth and ...

February  3 2013, Super Bowl Sunday Snack Note: I just made minor changes to the original recipe found here . WHAT: 16 tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter, 1 stick at room temperature, 1 stick cold 4-5 tablespoons of picked jalapeño, finely chopped ( you can also use 1/2 fresh jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped -about 2 tablespoons ) 1 teaspoon agave nectar red chili flakes (option) salt, pepper 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon baking powder 4 ounces (about 1 cup) shredded cheddar cheese 12-15 scallions, thinly sliced 3 eggs, divided 1/2 cup half and half HOW: In a medium bowl combine 1 stick room temperature butter, jalapeno, agave, and a pinch of salt. Mix with a spatula until ingredients are evenly incorporated, then taste for seasoning adding additional salt if necessary. Refrigerate until ready to use. Add extra red chili flakes if need more heat. Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat to 400 °F.  In a large bowl combine fl...

Updated July 6 2020, Monday Dinner WHAT: Oil (1 Tbsp) 2 Shallots / 7-8 Spring Onion white part (finely chopped) Garlic (10-12 cloves, finely chopped) Ginger (About 1 inch piece, finely chopped) Soyrizo (2-3 inch pack) Soft Tofu (1lb) Pixian Doubanjiang paste ( 3/4Tbsp corrected) Sambal (1tbsp) Laoganma Spicy chili crisp sauce (1 Tbsp) Laoganma Black bean chili sauce  (1 Tsp) Hoisin sauce (1 Tbsp) Sugar (1 Tbsp) Rice Vinegar (2 Tbsp) Soy Sauce (1.5 Tbsp/corrected) Corn Starch (2 Tsp) Veg. Broth ( 1.5 cups) Roasted Peanuts (about 1/3 cup) Sichuan Peppercorn oil (1 Tsp) Green part of spring onion for garnish HOW: Heat oil in a wok at high temp. Add onions and fry until golden.  Add soyrizo and cook Add garlic and ginger and cook for 1-2 mins.  Add spicy sauces, hoisin sauce, sugar, vinegar, soy sauce and  peanuts Add stock and boil Add cubed tofu, gently mix. Lower the heat to medium and cover the wok and cook for 5-10 mins. Add scallions, and the corn ...

January  6 2013, Sunday Lunch WHAT: For Upma: Upma rava flour(2 cups)  ginger garlic paste (1/2 tb spn) mustard seeds ( 1 tea spn) moong daal (1/2 tb spn) oil (3-4 tb spn) Ghee (2-3 tb spn) cashew, raisins carrot ( half,  shredded) cilantro (about 3/4 cup finally chooped) water (3.5 cups) salt For stuffing and tamale: Onion (1 large, sliced) red capsicum (chopped in small pieces) corn ( or any other veg. you have on hand) chili garlic paste (1 tb spn) sugar ( 1 tea spn) salt corn husks pomegranate seeds (optional) HOW: Making Upma and Stuffing: put 5-6 dry corn husks in warm water for about 30 minutes so they are re-hydrated and easy to work with add some oil in skillet and add sliced onion and them caramelize on low temperature you can add little salt and sugar once you see brown color to fasten the process. after onion is caramelized, add corn and red capsicum and cook for 3-4 minut...

October 4 2012, Thursday dinner WHAT: Heirloom tomatoes  arugula steamed and peeled beet (i used from TJ's ) goat milk brie  (from   TJ's  ) balsamic glaze (I have  TJ's ) salt, pepper olive oil (use good quality OO) HOW: add approx. 1 tea spoon olive oil in arugula, add some salt and pepper and mix well so that oil,  salt and pepper are evenly distributed on all leaves make a bed of arugula on a plate slice tomatoes and beets and add them in a circle over arugula add more arugula in tomato center  drizzle some more olive oil and sprinkle some more salt and pepper to season tomatoes and beets slice brie wheel length wise in half (save other half for later) put on an oven dish or aluminum foil and broil for about 2-3 minutes till the cheese top starts to turn brown and melt. carefully take the cheese out of the oven and slide over the center arugula leaves drizzle balsamic glaze over e...

October 2 2012, Monday dinner WHAT: 1 1/2 cup Orzo (italian) or kritharáki (greek) (I had Misko brand) approx.. 3.5 cups veg. broth  or water garlic (paste or minced) onion (cut square pieces) mushroom (or any vegetables you have handy) cherry or grape tomatoes (halved) basil (julienned)  balsamic vinegar olive oil parmesan cheese sunflower seeds (or any other nuts or seeds you have handy) Truffel oil (optional) salt, pepper, red crushed pepper oregano HOW: add garlic in olive oil and saute for few minutes until fragrant add onion and saute for few minutes add mushroom, salt, pepper, oregano and crushed red pepper and saute till mushroom are 60% done add orzo and saute in oil until slightly brown add veg. broth and cook until orzo is done al dente - about 10 minutes. You can add little less or more broth/water if needed. add a spoon of balsamic vinegar, cherry tomatoes, basil, sun...

August 4 2012, Saturday brunch WHAT: 1 package TJ's organic Polenta  1 bottle TJ's greek gigante beans  egg onions oregano salt, pepper rosemarie balsamic vinegar glaze hot sauce (optional) slices of olive (or any other) bread for crostini olive oil HOW: Cut Polenta log length wise and make 5-6 long slices grill polenta  slices on both sides with some oil in a pan until slightly brown and crispy.  once done, add some oregano, salt and pepper and let it rest on side caramelized some onions heat the beans in separate pan cook 1 egg at a time - sunny side up add some salt and pepper on top of the egg to serve, put 2 slices of polenta on bottom, add some beans on top, slowly slide egg on top of the beans. Add some onions on top. garnish with some balsamic vinegar glaze and rosemarie. Add hot sauce if needed.  Make some olive bread crostini and drizzle it with some good olive oil and  balsamic vinegar glaz...