Chickpea Fries Recipe from great restaurant Ubuntu

I've got to try these fries.
Chickpea Fries
Recipe created by Jeremy and Deanie Fox

Chickpea Fries
Photo: Coral von Zumwalt
Fries get reinvented with chickpea flour (the protein! the crunch!), and the dipping sauce is no ordinary side. Romesco, a zesty Spanish sauce, is a mixture of roasted red peppers, garlic, paprika, and more.

Try them also with "Carta da Musica" Flatbread with Arugula and Truffled Pecorino.

This recipe is from Ubuntu's Garden-Fresh Menu.

Ingredients:
Serves 4

* 2 1/2 cups chickpea flour , plus more for dusting
* 1 cup cornmeal
* 2 cloves garlic , finely grated
* 3 Tbsp. kosher salt , plus more to taste
* 1/4 cup chopped parsley
* 1 Tbsp. chopped rosemary
* Zest of 2 lemons
* Vegetable oil , for frying
* Romesco , for serving (for recipe, see Romesco sauce below)

In a stainless steel pot over high heat, combine chickpea flour, cornmeal, 7 cups of cold water, garlic, and salt. Whisk gently to prevent sticking on the bottom; over-whisking will cause the final product to "soufflé" and fall.

Once the mixture begins to thicken and bubble (after about 3 to 4 minutes), reduce heat to medium and switch to a rubber spatula. Add remaining ingredients except oil, stir to combine, and continue stirring to prevent sticking. When mixture pulls from the sides of the pot like a dough (after about 6 to 8 minutes), transfer it to a rimmed sheet pan lined with nonstick aluminum foil. Spread mixture out evenly, cover with a sheet of plastic wrap, and top with another sheet pan. Refrigerate for 4 hours until completely cold and set.

Carefully remove mixture from pan by gently lifting the bottom layer of aluminum foil onto a cutting board. Remove plastic wrap, then cut into "fries" about 3 inches long.

Heat oil in a large pot until it reaches 375° on a deep-fat thermometer. Toss fries lightly in additional cornmeal, and deep-fry them in small batches until crispy, about 3 minutes. Remove and set on paper towels. Sprinkle with kosher salt to taste and serve with romesco on the side.


More info on Jeremy Fox
http://www.foodandwine.com/bestnewchefs/?year=2008&chef=1722DBFF-ED7F-49A4-BF7541BECABC3F66



Grilled Figs with Burrata and Romesco Toast
Recipe created by Jeremy Fox

Grilled Figs with Burrata and Romesco Toast
Photo: Coral von Zumwalt
Crusty, romesco-smeared toast pairs well with grilled figs and ultra-creamy burrata cheese.

This recipe from Ubuntu's Garden-Fresh Menu yields enough romesco to also use as a dipping sauce for the Chickpea Fries, and if you are making the Roasted Pepper Consommé with Okra and Almonds, save the peppers to use here in preparing the romesco.

Ingredients:
Serves 4

* 1/2 cup toasted unsalted almonds
* 2 Tbsp. toasted hazelnuts
* 16 roasted red peppers
* 3 cloves garlic , peeled and finely grated
* 5 Tbsp. olive oil , plus more for grilling
* 2 tsp. smoked paprika
* 2 Tbsp. sherry vinegar
* 3/4 tsp. salt

Note: If you cannot find burrata, fresh mozzarella is also fine to use.

Prepare a gas grill or grill pan, then make romesco sauce: In a food processor, chop almonds and hazelnuts. Add peppers, garlic, and olive oil; process until combined. Mix in paprika, vinegar, and salt. Set aside.

Brush bread with olive oil and grill, flipping once, 2 to 3 minutes per side.
put sauce on

**

Pea Consommé with Mint

* Recipe by Jeremy Fox

Rate & Review
(23 people have added this recipe to their favorites.)

The Good News This delicate broth is full of vitamin C, thanks to the pea pods Jeremy Fox simmers. (Snow peas are just as delicious and easier to find.) He tops the consommé with shards of white chocolate because he likes the way it brings out the peas’ sweetness while adding only a little fat.
Pea Consommé with Mint

* Recipe by Jeremy Fox

(23 people have added this recipe to their favorites.)
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Pea Consommé with Mint

* Recipe by Jeremy Fox

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© Tina Rupp
Pea Consommé with Mint

* ACTIVE: 25 MIN
* TOTAL TIME: 2 HRS 25 MIN
* SERVINGS: 4

* Healthy
* Make-Ahead
* Vegetarian

Ingredients

1. 2 pounds English peas in the pod, peas shelled and pods reserved, or 1 pound snow peas plus one 9-ounce box frozen peas, thawed
2. 1 garlic clove, smashed
3. 1 medium shallot, thinly sliced
4. 1/3 cup small mint leaves
5. 1 quart water
6. 2 teaspoons Champagne vinegar
7. 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
8. Salt
9. 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
10. 2 tablespoons roasted macadamia nuts, chopped
11. 2 tablespoons chopped white chocolate
12. 1/2 cup pea shoots


Directions

1. In a 12-inch piece of cheesecloth, wrap the pea pods or snow peas with the garlic, shallot and 1 tablespoon of the mint leaves into a flat bundle; tie with kitchen twine. In a large saucepan, cover the bundle with the water and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook over very low heat for 2 hours.
2. Strain the consommé into a bowl, pressing on the bundle. Return the consommé to the saucepan. Add the peas, vinegar and lemon juice and season with salt. Cover and reheat gently. Ladle the consommé into bowls and drizzle with the olive oil. Garnish with the nuts, white chocolate, pea shoots and the remaining mint leaves; serve

Paradise India is heavenly

We love Thai and Indian food and I have eaten at such places all over the US and in the Kansas City area. We ate here at the buffet when it first opened and instantly proclaimed it one really liked. Since then we brought a big group of my food club group and they loved it too. We’ve eaten at several Indian places in KC (Indian Palace, Kormu Sutru and others which have come and gone or still remain). This is one of our top three ( we don’t care for Rucci). These 3 are always great but this place offers a little more vegetarian and slightly different flavors then the other places we like to give a hint of difference.
The grilled meats are nicely done, the Chicken Tikka Masala and Butter Chicken have great flavor. The crunchy vegetable pakoras and naan bread , the goat dishes are nicely done and have the right flavors.
We skip the "salad bar," items. I skip the chai as it goes through me like a “sieve” but my wife and others like it along with mango lassi ( which I love and is fine). The orange hued tandoori chicken and nicely browned chickpea pakoras are always good as well as the biryani rice peppered lamb.
I love the condiments but even I don’t try the hot pickle relish made with mustard, chili, fenugreek and more because it has a nasty type of heat and taste for my liking. The dark tamarind brown black tangy lemony sauce is always good and I love it as well as the minty green and other condiments. That is what I like about this and other Asian buffets, you pick what you want to choose and explore along the way. What could be better.One time then had spinach lamb or chicken saag (which my wife loves) and she was in heaven even more.
The rice pudding always finishes off our meals and it is glorious and silky.
The wait staff is most hospitable and cordial and it has fine quiet atmosphere.

Recipe Finds: Chef Jeremy Fox, his Zulu named restaurant called Ubuntu

I love waking up to Wednesday and Thursday mornings, and raiding the Kansas City recipes/ food/ chef/ restaurant review sections. Finding any one of these four for my cuisine oriented brain / mouth excitement is rare but it does happen. Finding all four in one posting is even more rare but when it does come I am overjoyed for several reasons. There is something refreshing for me in finding new and vibrant information from newspapers that is fresh and bold and gives me better insight into learning and using the internet for further means and getting my mind going as well. Today was one such day about Chef Jeremy Fox, his Zulu named restaurant called Ubuntu and much more.

This chef is fast becoming an Epicurean rock star for his creative vegetable entrees and dishes. Jeremy recently was named a “Best New Chef” 2008 by Food & Wine magazine and a “Rising Star” by the San Francisco Chronicle. Originally trained at the prestigious Johnson and Wales University in Charleston, S.C., he began working in his first kitchen at the five-star restaurant Anson in Charleston, SC.

It is interesting to note that meals here are more about “celebrating what comes from the gardens “( what shows up at the door and the relationships with Napa area farms)”. The chef and restaurant don’t just focus on offering a philosophy at Ubuntu of “no meat”. This intent also includes the focus even more inventive and creative and also why the article, the chef, the restaurant and the recipes intrigued me even more. Digging finally further, I found more about the name for the restaurant and the previous information made sense indeed.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ubuntu_(philosophy)

“Ubuntu is an ethic or humanist philosophy focusing on people's allegiances and relations with each other. The word has its origin in the Bantu languages of southern Africa. Ubuntu is seen as a classical African concept.[1] The Ubuntu operating system was named for this principle. “

http://www.ubuntunapa.com/media.html

It may be a long time or if I ever can if ever visit this place and the chef. What makes this article so engaging is all that article talks about. There is always more to find, research and find new recipes which I want to try myself and share on my blog. And this article, found more and more to find, research and try.

Here is more that I found about recipes, restaurant, special spices that made this reading an adventure in itself.

When I try these meals, spices etc, I will let you know. Meanwhile if you try the restaurant, the spice, the meals before I can, please let me know and I will give you full credit on the blog.

Enjoy more below :)
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27183606/ns/today_food_and_wine-today_food_recipe/

reviews by others of this place and recipes ( one I tried myself )below

http://www.herbivoracious.com/2009/07/ubuntu-restaurant-napa-ca-restaurant-review.html

http://www.foodnut.com/402/ubuntu-restaurant-review-napa/

http://foodsnobblog.wordpress.com/2009/04/12/ubuntu-napa/

http://singleguychef.blogspot.com/2008/09/dish-on-dining-ubuntu-restaurant-yoga.html

Ubuntu Napa
1140 Main Street
Napa, CA 94558
707.251.5656
httP://www.ubuntunapa.com


Ubuntu - great as reported
great other insights into much more (what others ate too)
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/647168

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/629014

In particular, the focus was how inventive vegetarian dishes can be with this chef. And how the articles are portrayed and what is expounded upon is fimanal. One in particular involved a special dish using cauliflower. However the dish was not shown but I found on the internet with the recipe and more.

And now for some of the great recipes. I had to do a little extra digging for this recipe which was proclaimed in the article but was not listed. Glad I did because I need to find a way to make it sometimes soon and report back what we think about this prodigious dish.

Garden-fresh cauliflower in cast iron
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27183606/ns/today_food_and_wine-today_food_recipe/

The dish also used a spice I had never heard of before which made such a recipe even more exciting. This recipe calls for “Vadouvan” , (http://www.vadouvan.com/ ), a French spice blend which is an interpretation of Indian curry ( find at www.le-sanctuaire.com).

However I found another source to make it myself that I also wanted to share with you all.

( I made this dish below and made the spice myself. I did not know what to think. I came out great. The spice sauce on the cauliflower is very addictive. You can be sure I will try it again and use the condiment on other foods.)



Vadouvan (Indian Spice Blend)
Makes about 3 cups

* Active time:45 min
* Start to finish:3 hr

September 2008
There are many versions of vadouvan, but we like the one that Grimes came up with, starting with a formula by chef Inaki Aizpitarte, of Le Chateaubriand, and roasting it for an exotic meatiness. Make one big batch and keep it in the freezer for weeks—we’re sure you’ll be tossing it into all kinds of dishes.

Learn the story behind this dish in our series The Recipe.
http://www.gourmet.com/food/2008/08/the-recipe-fricassee-hen-with-vadouvan

* 2 lb onions, cut into 1-inch pieces
* 1 lb shallots, halved
* 12 garlic cloves, peeled
* 1/4 cup vegetable oil
* 1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
* 1 tablespoon thinly sliced fresh curry leaves (optional)
* 1 tablespoon ground cumin
* 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
* 1 teaspoon brown mustard seeds
* 3/4 teaspoon turmeric
* 1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
* 1/2 teaspoon hot red-pepper flakes
* 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

*
Equipment:
an electric coffee/spice grinder or a mortar and pestle

*
Preheat oven to 350ºF with rack in middle.
*
Pulse onions in 3 batches in a food processor until very coarsely chopped (there may be a few large pieces remaining), transferring to a bowl. Repeat with shallots, then garlic.
*
Heat oil in a deep 12-inch heavy nonstick skillet over high heat until it shimmers, then sauté onions, shallots, and garlic (stir often) until golden and browned in spots, 25 to 30 minutes.
*
Grind fenugreek seeds in grinder or with mortar and pestle. Add to onion mixture along with remaining ingredients, 1 Tbsp salt, and 1 tsp pepper and stir until combined.
*
Transfer to a parchment-paper-lined large 4-sided sheet pan and spread as thinly and evenly as possible. Bake, stirring occasionally with a skewer to separate onions, until well browned and barely moist, 1 to 1 1/4 hours.

Cooks’ notes:

* Vadouvan keeps in the refrigerator 1 month (cool before covering) or in the freezer 6 months.
* We’ve also got a web-exclusive recipe using the leftover

**

I did try this recipe by making the spice blend myself. This recipe took awhile to make but well worth it. The spice with the C a u l i f l o w e r was rather addictive. The only thing I might do is see if I can find the blend in an Indian store to see how good it was compared to my blend. I also would blanch the veg just slightly before dusting with the condiment.

C a u l i f l o w e r i n a c a s t - i r o n p o t i s s e r v e d a t U b u n t u f o r $ 1 3 . T h i s r e c i p e m a k e s f o u r r e s t a u r a n t s e r v i n g s .

C a u l i f l o w e r i n a c a s t - i r o n p o t
J e r e m y F o x , e x e c u t i v e c h e f o f U b u n t u

S e r v e s 4

I N G R E D I E N T S

" 2 h e a d s c a u l i f l o w e r
" 2 t a b l e s p o o n s e x t r a - v i r g i n o l i v e o i l
" 1 c u p w h o l e m i l k
" 1 / 4 p o u n d b u t t e r
" 2 t a b l e s p o o n s v a d o u v a n ( f r o m w w w . l e - s a n c t u a i r e . c o m )
" 1 t e a s p o o n I t a l i a n p a r s l e y
" D a y - o l d b r e a d f o r t o a s t i n g
" F i n e s e a s a l t t o t a s t e

R e c i p e c o n t i n u e s b e l o w !ì a d v e r t i s e m e n t

D I R E C T I O N S

S t e a l T h i s R e c i p e Æ S t e p b y S t e p I n s t r u c t i o n s :
S l i c e t h e c a u l i f l o w e r a b o u t 1 / 8 o f a n i n c h t h i c k . S e a s o n 1 a n d º o f c a u l i f l o w e r w i t h o l i v e o i l a n d s e a s a l t t o t a s t e . R o a s t i n a 3 5 0 - d e g r e e o v e n u n t i l s l i g h t l y c h a r r e d a n d t e n d e r .

S t a r t t h e b u t t e r i n a c o l d s a u c e p o t a n d p l a c e o n m e d i u m h e a t . A l l o w t h e b u t t e r t o m e l t , b e c o m e f o a m y a n d t u r n g o l d e n b r o w n . R e m o v e t h e b r o w n b u t t e r f r o m h e a t a n d a d d t h e v a d o u v a n . L e t t h e v a d o u v a n a n d b u t t e r s i t f o r a n h o u r .

A d d a l l b u t 1 / 4 o f t h e r e m a i n i n g r a w c a u l i f l o w e r t o a s a u c e p o t . A d d t h e m i l k a n d j u s t e n o u g h w a t e r t o c o v e r c a u l i f l o w e r . A d d a t e a s p o o n o f s e a s a l t a n d c o o k o n l o w - m e d i u m h e a t u n t i l c a u l i f l o w e r i s c o m p l e t e l y s o f t . P u r e e t h i s m i x t u r e a n d s t r a i n t h r o u g h a f i n e s i e v e .

S l i c e t h e d a y - o l d b r e a d a s t h i c k a s y o u w a n t a n d b r u s h l i g h t l y w i t h t h e v a d o u v a n b u t t e r . B a k e i n a 3 5 0 - d e g r e e o v e n f o r a b o u t 5 - 6 m i n u t e s . ( A t t h i s t i m e c o r r e c t y o u r s e a s o n i n g o n t h e r o a s t e d a n d p u r e e d c a u l i f l o w e r . )

S e a s o n t h e r e m a i n i n g r a w c a u l i f l o w e r w i t h a t o u c h o f t h e v a d o u v a n , p a r s l e y a n d s e a s a l t .

O n t o p , a d d t h e r a w c a u l i f l o w e r a n d t h e d i s h i s r e a d y t o s e r v e w i t h t h e t o a s t e d b r e a d .
T I P S

T o c r e a t e f o u r i n d i v i d u a l s e r v i n g s , h a v e 4 s m a l l s e r v i n g p o t s , s u c h a s m i n i c a s t - i r o n p o t s . L a y e r t h e r o a s t e d a n d p u r e e d c a u l i f l o w e r a n d t h e n t h e v a d o u v a n b u t t e r c o n t i n u o u s l y u n t i l t h e p o t i s f i l l e d .
**
also some of the entrees one day included these on the night menu and more recipes are below

april 29th

bites

castelvetrano olives marinated in CARROT TOP pesto (v)

marcona almonds LAVENDER sugar, sea salt (v)

chickpea fries with HERBS romesco sauce (v)


today’s dish

chilled “forager’s chowder” enriched with NETTLE ice (v)
WILD SORRELS, BORAGE condimento, MINER’S LETTUCE, etc…

our log-cultivated SHIITAKES, young RADISH, and nori coulis (v)
jus roti with akitabare sake, CHIVE BLOSSOM, and preserved lemon

three BROCCOLI salad: ‘violet queen’, ‘romanesco’, and ‘crown’ (v)
classic italian flavors in modern preparations…and miso

cool english peas and GOLD PEA SHOOTS in a consommé of the shells *
white chocolate, CHOCOLATE MINT, macadamia, PURPLE SNAPS

gargouillou of the ubuntu SPRING GARDEN (v)
today’s LEAVES, FLOWERS, ROOTS, and SHOOTS…hazelnut “soil”

roscoe’s asparagus in various forms, a “virtual” egg *
black trumpet and brioche terrine, BORDEAUX SPINACH, “bordelaise”

carta da musica, our crispy sardinian flatbread *
SYLVETTA ARUGULA with truffled pecorino and meyer lemon

rustic rancho gordo ‘yellow eye’ bean stew (v)
torn bread, ROSEMARY, chili and RED RUSSIAN KALE

‘PURPLE VIENNA’ KOHLRABI, in the philosophy of “nose to tail” (v)
braised SWISS CHARD with a puree of the STEMS, napa smith ale

CARROTS: whole roast ‘OXHEART’ and tiny raw ‘PURPLE HAZE’ (v)
north african spice with citrus, NASTURTIUMS, and caramel oil

homemade toasted WILD FENNEL bucatini (v)
long-cooked FAVAS in pepper “tears”, salsa maro of roast FAVA PODS

organic yellow corn grits from arbuckle infused with goat’s milk whey
caramelized WILD ONION BULBS, “62.5” egg, AGRETTI, GARLIC FLOWERS

strawberry pizza margherita with hand-pulled mozzarella *
three-day napa strawberry soffrito, first BASILS of the year, saba

mushroom pizza bianco with homemade goat’s milk ricotta *
royal trumpet confit with a puree of the trimmings, three THYMES

cauliflower in a cast iron pot
roast-puree-raw, our vadouvan, CILANTRO sprouts, brown butter toast


***

I found more recipes from the restaurant to share.

Slideshow: Dinner at Ubuntu, Napa, California | Vegetarian ...
Apr 15, 2009 ... Earlier this year, I made the trip up to Napa, CA, to visit Ubuntu, a restaurant that's garnered national acclaim for a new kind of ...
www.yumsugar.com/3035406

Ubuntu Recipes

Photographed by Caren Alpert
Marcona Almonds with Sea Salt and Lavender Sugar

Marcona Almonds with Sea Salt and Lavender Sugar

Ingredients

• 2 cups Marcona almonds
• 1 tsp. dried lavender
• 1 tbsp. sugar
• 1 tbsp. sea salt
• 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 300°F. Roast the almonds on a baking sheet until fragrant, 10 to 12 minutes.

2. Grind the lavender very fine in a coffee grinder, or with a mortar and pestle.

3. In a bowl, toss the almonds with the lavender, sugar, s

***
Ubuntu Recipes (continued)

Beets Roasted in Spiced Salt with Asian Pears and Whipped Blue Cheese

Beets Roasted in Spiced Salt with Asian Pears and Whipped Blue Cheese

Ingredients

Beets:
• 1 lb. kosher salt
• 1 tsp. each fennel seed, coriander, juniper berries
• 40 baby chioggia beets
• 4 tbsp. balsamic vinegar

Poached Pears:
• 2 cups white wine
• 4 cups water
• 2 cups sugar
• 3 star anise
• 12 black peppercorns
• 2 cloves
• Grating of nutmeg
• 1 lemon, zest removed in strips with a vegetable peeler, and juiced
• 5 Asian pears, peeled, halved, cored, and stored in a bowl of water acidulated with juice of 1 lemon
• 1⁄2 lb. blue cheese, at room temperature
• 2 tbsp. heavy cream
• 1⁄4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• Salt
• 25 leaves arugula

Directions

1. To roast the beets: Preheat the oven to 350 F. In a small bowl, mix the salt and spices. In a 9-by-13-inch baking dish or an ovenproof vessel with a lid, pack the beets in the spiced salt mixture. Cover with foil or the lid, and bake until beets are tender, 45 minutes to 1 hour. While still warm but cool enough to handle, peel beets with a towel, rubbing off the skin, and transfer to a covered bowl to keep warm. Add 2 tablespoons of the vinegar, and toss. (Warm beets will absorb liquid better.) Halve or quarter beets, depending on size; set aside.

2. To poach the pears: In a nonreactive pot large enough to hold the pears, bring the wine to a boil, and cook until reduced by half. Reduce the heat so that the liquid barely simmers. Add the water, sugar, spices and lemon juice and zest, and cook until sugar dissolves. Add pears, setting a plate on top to keep them submerged, and simmer until they are tender, about 30 minutes. Remove pot from heat; allow pears to cool completely in poaching liquid.

3. In a bowl, whisk the blue cheese and cream until blended; set aside at room temperature.

4. To serve, purée two of the pears with just enough poaching liquid to blend; strain through fine sieve. Slice the remaining pears about 1⁄2 inch thick. Spread the pear purée over the bottom of a serving plate. Toss the beets in the remaining 2 tablespoons vinegar, the olive oil and a pinch of salt, and arrange evenly over purée. Spoon any beet vinaigrette over. Top with sliced pears and spoonfuls of whipped blue cheese. Garnish with arugula leaves. Serves 6.
***
Ubuntu Recipes (continued)

Cassoulet of Shell Beans and Farm Eggs with Smoked Tomato

Cassoulet of Shell Beans and Farm Eggs with Smoked Tomato

Ingredients

• 1⁄2 cup hickory chips
• 6 tomatoes, halved
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 carrot, diced
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 1 lb. yellow eye beans, soaked overnight in refrigerator in water to cover, and drained*
• 2 quarts water
• Salt
• 1 lemon, zest stripped off with vegetable peeler, and juiced
• 1⁄2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• 12 cloves garlic, grated or minced
• 1 tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 tsp. chili flakes
• 3 tbsp. tomato paste
• 1 small baguette (about 7 oz.) or other bread, torn into rough pieces
• 3 tbsp. chopped Italian parsley
• 6 large eggs
*Yellow eye beans are available in specialty grocery stores or online at RanchoGordo.com

Directions

1. Arrange one oven rack in the bottom of a cold oven, and a second in the middle. Light the hickory chips in a cast-iron pan and place on the bottom rack. Put the tomatoes, onion, carrot and celery on a baking sheet and set on the middle rack. Close the oven door and let vegetables smoke for 1 hour. (Check the chips every now and then; you may need to relight them.)

2. Transfer the smoked onion, carrot and celery to a large pot; reserve the tomatoes. Add the beans and the water to pot, bring to a simmer, and cook over low heat, uncovered, until the beans are tender, about 45 minutes. Stir in 2 teaspoons salt and the lemon juice, reserving zest.

3. In 1⁄2 cup of olive oil, cook the garlic, rosemary, chili flakes and tomato paste in a sauté pan over medium-low heat until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Scrape into the pot with the beans and stir.

4. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Transfer the bean mixture to a large ovenproof serving pot. Scatter torn bread, parsley, lemon zest and reserved smoked tomatoes over to cover. Crack eggs on top, evenly dispersing them. Drizzle with olive oil and bake until eggs are cooked but yolks are still runny, about 10 minutes. Serves 6.
**

Ubuntu Recipes (continued)

Farro with Caramelized Baby Root Vegetables and Saba

Farro with Caramelized Baby Root Vegetables and Saba

Ingredients

• 2 lb. crimini mushrooms
• 1⁄2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, grated or minced
• 1 lb. farro
• 1⁄2 cup red wine
• Salt and pepper
• 24 baby carrots, peeled
• 24 baby turnips, peeled
• 24 baby radishes
• 18 Brussels sprouts, separated into leaves
• 1⁄4 cup saba*
*Saba is available in specialty stores and online at Cooking.com

Directions

1. Put mushrooms in a large pot with 1 quart of water. Bring to a simmer and cook over low heat, partially covered, 3 hours. Strain stock through cheesecloth into a bowl. When cool enough to handle, squeeze mushrooms to extract as much liquid as possible; discard mushrooms. Reserve mushroom stock.

2. In a nonreactive saucepan, heat 1⁄4 cup of the olive oil over low heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until translucent, 5 to 8 minutes. Raise heat to medium. Add the farro and cook, stirring often, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the wine and cook until evaporated, about 5 minutes. Add the reserved mushroom stock, bring to a simmer, and cook until farro is tender, 45 minutes to 1 hour. (Check the pan after about 30 minutes, and add 1⁄2 cup water if needed.)

3. Meanwhile, prepare a bowl of ice water. Bring about 3 quarts water to a boil with 2 teaspoons salt in a large saucepan. Add the carrots, turnips and radishes, return water to a boil, and cook 2 minutes. Strain, and transfer vegetables to ice water to chill.

4. To serve, warm farro over low heat. In a skillet, heat the remaining 1⁄4 cup olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the blanched vegetables, the Brussels sprouts leaves, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1⁄4 teaspoon pepper, and sauté until vegetables are warmed through. Add the saba, stir, and remove from the heat. Transfer farro to a large serving plate and spoon the vegetables over or around the grain. Serves 6.
**

Ubuntu Recipes (continued)

Honey-Roasted Figs with Brown-Butter Shortcake and Rosemary Cream

Ingredients

Rosemary Cream:
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 (4-inch) sprigs rosemary
• 2 tbsp. sugar

Brown-Butter Shortcakes:
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tbsp. sugar
• 1 tbsp. baking powder
• 1⁄2 tsp. salt
• 3⁄4 cup buttermilk
• Heavy cream, for glazing
• Raw sugar, for sprinkling

Honey-Roasted Figs:
• 1 pint ripe figs, halved
• 1⁄4 cup honey
• 1 (4-inch) sprig rosemary
• Zest of 1 orange, stripped off with vegetable peeler
• Salt

Directions

1. To make the rosemary cream: Bring cream to a simmer in a small saucepan. Remove from heat, add rosemary, and set aside to steep for 30 minutes. Strain; chill for at least 3 hours. Transfer cream to bowl, or the bowl of a standing mixer, add sugar, and whisk or beat to soft peaks.

2. To make the shortcakes: Cook the butter in a small saucepan over medium-high heat until it turns an amber color, about 5 minutes. (First you'll see brown specks appear; continue cooking until the liquid fat browns.) Pour into a shallow, flat-bottomed container and refrigerate until solid and very cold. (You'll have about 7 ounces brown butter.) Weigh out 4 ounces of the chilled butter (reserve remainder for another use) and cut into 1⁄2-inch cubes. Place flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Add chilled butter cubes and pulse about 4 times, until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add buttermilk and process just until dough comes together. Shape into a disk, wrap in plastic, and chill at least 30 minutes.

3. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Butter a baking sheet. On a lightly floured work surface, roll dough 3⁄4 inch thick. Cut out six 2 1⁄2 inch rounds with a cookie cutter. Arrange shortcakes on baking sheet. Brush tops with cream and sprinkle with raw sugar. Bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Transfer to wire rack. Let stand at room temperature until ready to serve.

4. To make the figs: Lower oven heat to 275 F. Toss figs in a bowl with honey, rosemary, orange zest and a pinch of salt. Place them, cut side up, in a single layer in a shallow baking pan and bake, basting occasionally with juices, until figs are juicy but still have texture, 30 to 40 minutes.

5. To serve, place a shortcake on each of 6 serving plates and spoon some of the figs on top. Top with dollops of rosemary cream. Spoon any remaining juices from figs over the shortcakes and around the plates. Serves 6.
Page 5 of 6
**
U b u n t u R e c i p e s ( c o n t i n u e d )

C o n c o r d G r a p e a n d ≠ M a s c a r p o n e I c e C r e a m F l o a t s w i t h G i n g e r S o d a a n d C i t r u s

C o n c o r d G r a p e a n d ≠ M a s c a r p o n e I c e C r e a m F l o a t s w i t h G i n g e r S o d a a n d C i t r u s

I n g r e d i e n t s

M a s c a r p o n e I c e C r e a m :
" 3 c u p s m i l k
" 1 0 l a r g e e g g y o l k s
" 3 D 4 c u p s u g a r
" 8 o z . m a s c a r p o n e
" 1 D 2 c u p c r Ë m e f r a Ó c h e
" 1 t s p . p u r e v a n i l l a e x t r a c t
" S a l t

C o n c o r d G r a p e S o r b e t :
" 1 l b . C o n c o r d g r a p e s , s t e m m e d
" 1 D 2 c u p s u g a r
" 1 t s p . l e m o n j u i c e
" 1 D 2 t s p . C h a m p a g n e

O r a n g e G r a n i t e :
" J u i c e o f 8 o r a n g e s , s t r a i n e d ( a b o u t 2 c u p s )
" J u i c e o f 1 D 2 l e m o n
" 2 t b s p . s u g a r

G i n g e r S o d a :
" 1 D 2 c u p s u g a r
" 2 c u p s w a t e r
" 1 o r a n g e , z e s t s t r i p p e d o f f w i t h v e g e t a b l e p e e l e r , a n d j u i c e d
" 1 l e m o n , z e s t s t r i p p e d o f f w i t h v e g e t a b l e p e e l e r , a n d j u i c e d
" 1 l i m e , z e s t s t r i p p e d o f f w i t h v e g e t a b l e p e e l e r , a n d j u i c e d
" 2 t b s p . c h o p p e d g i n g e r
" 1 D 2 c u p s o d a w a t e r ( o p t i o n a l )
" 2 o r a n g e s , b r o k e n i n t o s e g m e n t s , f o r g a r n i s h
" 1 2 C o n c o r d g r a p e s , h a l v e d , a n d s e e d e d , f o r g a r n i s h

D i r e c t i o n s

1 . T o m a k e t h e i c e c r e a m : I n a s a u c e p a n , b r i n g t h e m i l k t o a s i m m e r . M e a n w h i l e , i n a h e a t p r o o f b o w l , w h i s k t h e e g g y o l k s w i t h t h e s u g a r . G r a d u a l l y p o u r a l i t t l e o f t h e h o t m i l k i n t o t h e b o w l w i t h t h e y o l k s , w h i s k i n g c o n s t a n t l y . W h i s k t h e e g g y o l k m i x t u r e b a c k i n t o t h e s a u c e p a n o f m i l k . S e t o v e r l o w h e a t a n d c o o k , s t i r r i n g c o n s t a n t l y , u n t i l t h e m i x t u r e t h i c k e n s e n o u g h t o c o a t t h e b a c k o f a s p o o n , a b o u t 8 m i n u t e s . R e m o v e f r o m h e a t a n d w h i s k i n t h e m a s c a r p o n e , c r Ë m e f r a Ó c h e , v a n i l l a a n d a p i n c h o f s a l t . S t r a i n i n t o a b o w l a n d c h i l l u n t i l c o l d , 2 t o 3 h o u r s . T r a n s f e r t o a n i c e c r e a m m a c h i n e , a n d f r e e z e a c c o r d i n g t o m a n u f a c t u r e r ' s i n s t r u c t i o n s .

2 . T o m a k e t h e s o r b e t : C o m b i n e a l l i n g r e d i e n t s i n b l e n d e r ; p u r È e . S t r a i n t h r o u g h a f i n e s t r a i n e r . T r a n s f e r t o a n i c e c r e a m m a k e r a n d f r e e z e a c c o r d i n g t o m a n u f a c t u r e r ' s i n s t r u c t i o n s .

3 . T o m a k e t h e g r a n i t e : I n a b o w l , s t i r t o g e t h e r o r a n g e a n d l e m o n j u i c e s , a n d s u g a r . P o u r i n t o a s h a l l o w d i s h a n d p l a c e i n f r e e z e r . W h e n c r y s t a l s b e g i n t o f o r m , s t i r w i t h a f o r k t o b r e a k u p c r y s t a l s ; r e t u r n d i s h t o f r e e z e r . C o n t i n u e i n t h i s w a y , s t i r r i n g e v e r y 2 0 t o 3 0 m i n u t e s , u n t i l m i x t u r e i s c o m p l e t e l y f r o z e n .

4 . T o m a k e t h e s o d a : I n a s a u c e p a n , b r i n g s u g a r a n d w a t e r t o a s i m m e r . A d d c i t r u s z e s t s a n d c h o p p e d g i n g e r . R e m o v e f r o m h e a t a n d s e t a s i d e t o i n f u s e 1 5 t o 2 0 m i n u t e s . S t r a i n t h r o u g h a f i n e s t r a i n e r , a n d c h i l l a t l e a s t 1 h o u r . A d d c i t r u s j u i c e s . L o a d i n t o s o d a s i p h o n , o r a d d s o d a w a t e r .

5 . T o s e r v e , l a y e r t h e m a s c a r p o n e i c e c r e a m , g r a p e s o r b e t a n d g i n g e r s o d a i n s i x p a r f a i t g l a s s e s . T o p e a c h w i t h a s p o o n f u l o f o r a n g e g r a n i t e . G a r n i s h e a c h w i t h 3 o r a n g e s e g m e n t s a n d 2 h a l v e d g r a p e s . S e r v e s 6 .
P a g e 6 o f 6


***
P i s t a c h i o - c r u s t e d g o a t c h e e s e s a l a d
H e a t h e r T e r h u n e , A t w o o d C a f È

6 r e s t a u r a n t s e r v i n g s

I N G R E D I E N T S

" 1 / 2 c u p f r e s h l e m o n j u i c e a n d z e s t o f o n e l e m o n
" 1 t e a s p o o n D i j o n m u s t a r d
" 1 / 4 t e a s p o o n h o n e y
" 1 s h a l l o t , f i n e l y c h o p p e d
" 1 / 2 c u p c a n o l a o i l
" 1 / 4 c u p o l i v e o i l
" S a l t a n d p e p p e r t o t a s t e
" 1 p o u n d m i x e d g r e e n s , o r y o u r f a v o r i t e s a l a d m i x
" 1 0 s m a l l r e d b e e t s
" 1 ( 6 - o u n c e ) l o g f r e s h g o a t c h e e s e
" 1 / 2 c u p f i n e l y c r u s h e d p i s t a c h i o n u t s , n o t t o a s t e d
" 1 / 4 c u p a l l - p u r p o s e f l o u r
" 1 e g g b e a t e n w i t h 2 t b s p w a t e r

R e c i p e c o n t i n u e s b e l o w !ì a d v e r t i s e m e n t

D I R E C T I O N S

H e a t t h e o v e n t o 4 0 0 d e g r e e s . P l a c e t h e b e e t s o n a p i e c e o f a l u m i n u m f o i l o n a b a k i n g s h e e t a n d m a k e a p o u c h o u t o f t h e f o i l , s e a l i n g i t t i g h t l y .

B a k e b e e t s f o r 4 0 m i n u t e s . R e m o v e f r o m o v e n a n d l e t b e e t s s t e a m f o r 1 0 m i n u t e s . O p e n t h e p o u c h a n d l e t t h e b e e t s c o o l s l i g h t l y . T h i s c a n b e d o n e a d a y i n a d v a n c e .

W h i s k t o g e t h e r l e m o n j u i c e , l e m o n z e s t , m u s t a r d , h o n e y a n d s h a l l o t i n a s m a l l b o w l . S l o w l y w h i s k i n t h e o i l s a n d s e a s o n w i t h s a l t a n d p e p p e r . S e t t h e v i n a i g r e t t e a s i d e .

A f t e r t h e b e e t s h a v e c o o l e d e n o u g h t o h a n d l e , r e m o v e a n d d i s c a r d t h e s k i n s a n d c u t i n t o b i t e - s i z e p i e c e s . M i x t h e b e e t s w i t h h a l f o f v i n a i g r e t t e , t h e n m i x t h e s a l a d g r e e n s w i t h t h e r e s t o f t h e v i n a i g r e t t e . T r a n s f e r g r e e n s t o p l a t e s a n d t o p w i t h b e e t s .

C u t g o a t c h e e s e l o g i n t o s i x p o r t i o n s a n d f o r m t h e g o a t c h e e s e i n t o d i s k s . U s i n g t h e b r e a d i n g p r o c e d u r e , d u s t g o a t c h e e s e d i s k s i n f l o u r . N e x t , d i p i n t h e b e a t e n e g g m i x t u r e , a n d t h e n r o l l i n p i s t a c h i o s . F o l l o w t h i s p r o c e s s w i t h a l l s i x g o a t c h e e s e d i s k s .

W h e n y o u a r e r e a d y t o s e r v e , h e a t 2 i n c h e s o f c a n o l a o i l i n a s m a l l s a u c e p a n . H e a t t h e o i l t o 3 5 0 d e g r e e s a n d d e e p - f r y t h e g o a t c h e e s e d i s c s u n t i l g o l d e n b r o w n .

S e r v e o n t o p o f t h e s a l a d m i x t u r e . T o g a r n i s h , a d d a f e w c h o p p e d p i s t a c h i o s a n d d r i z z l e w i t h m o r e
h o n e y .

Culinary Explorations - I was not in Kansas but in Providence

I came out East last week to watch my son play a recital for his senior year at Juliard Music School in New York City. Before that happened , I flew back into Providence, to visit family and sampled several of its great restaurants in and around Providence. There were new places to try and one from last year that I only found out last year Apsara Palace.

I love Apsara Palace.There are several reasons for me to come back to a restaurant: reasonable prices, food that is a level above your ordinary fare, varied menu, good service and ambiance. This place meets all of those criteria points and we love it.

For the second time, my good friends from Newton, Mass met us for another memorable feast. The food is so good and the menu so expansive, its just a lovely place to tantalize your taste buds. So why not because they love it too.
We had crispy vegetarian spring rolls, vegetarian There is a little art to making your food for these little duck sandwiches so I photographed each step with information at this link. (I will post a link soon)

There are quite a few eateries on Hope Street from Wickeden Street (near my brother's store Atomic Appliances and Flescher Furniture) and goes North towards the
On Hope Street restaurant row, I ducked into this gourmet food shop and bought a spicy condiment that I had never heard of make primary from spicy plum and other spices. It is a national condiment and called Tkemal. It comes in yellow, bright green and a darker hue. All give a real plum sour taste. Well spoken for, I had to buy it and try it. It is great on chicken, vegetarian burgers and more . It's great.




I had tried Cambodian recipes and I wanted to discover what it had for lunch.


I was looking for a more authentic Cambodian dish.A rather small but personable place, very intimate looking with nice tones inside. I decided to do take out. I spied the menu to decide which dish to take. The lemon grass- basil chicken seemed a good bet as I did not want to try a curry dish at this time. I love basil and this might have a different twist on its theme with the red pepper and lemongrass. I love the delicate flavor of lemongrass.
The green jalapeno gave the dish a little heat which stayed on my lips. The lemon grass flavored the chicken well. The big basil leaves did not add much to the dish but there was a subtle flavor.

When I came to Providence my brother mentioned this place.I knew of the restaurant India a few blocks away but I did not see dishes that I thought were unusual.
I wanted someplace to lunch on Sunday.

I had passed Chef Pascal. It is rated very highly. I might try it someday but not now. The fare is not my usual style and its more fine dining with a high price tag to match . Still maybe someday. But I headed for the Indian restaurant just over the line in Pawtucket.



I had never seen as Rasoi as it is tucked a little ways from the street, clustered in the middle of a vegetarian restaurant and a BBQ place and a pizza place. I am glad my brother mentioned this place because it has some fine dishes on the buffet. What better way to try a number of dishes? I really like to find and eat new and different ethnic cuisine and this place handled that assignment eloquently.

The inside has this azure blue coloration on the floors with more muted tones on the walls.

The buffet rims the side window near the front door and has quite a few tasty dishes. Going clockwise, I passed on the regular salad greens and went for the mushroom soup and then the entrees.

There were quite a few so I actually had to make another pass to get the others I missed going clockwise. I quickly found that the entrees had all types of flavors and textures, colors and were from different regions of Indian as it seemed. I have sought out and sampled Indian food at restaurants New England, Washington DC, the West Coast and many other places, besides making my own dishes at home, but this creative restaurant offered several entrees I had never heard about.

I spooned some mushroom soup into my cup. It was very interesting because it was actually mushroom - chicken soup. The chicken soup added a more velvety and smooth flavor to the soup. My young nephew loved it too. I will have to find some recipes for this mushroom soup refinement. Onward to the entrees.
There was the regular Naan bread which we loved (left). At another table we spied another more cracker like bread that does not come with this buffet (maybe we will try this in the future).

That big white object (on the right bottom) is a big hard boiled egg that sits in the middle of the egg curry.
A winner was also the potato vegetarian dish with its intricate flavors.The curry was also excellent. There was also a shrimp dish too.

I could not pass on the yellowish bread pudding (I loved bread pudding- top right hand corner). What made it unusual was the yellowish hue on the top that made it a butter bread pudding. Smooth it caped off a memorable buffet and Sunday brunch.
The service was efficient and they constantly filled our glasses so I could clean my thirst and palate.

I can see that quite a few people have already frequented this place. The price ($12) was very reasonable for the amount and excellent quality. Plus the dishes some like the potato dish and egg curry were different then I had ever seen and. When a place offers offers food "a level above ordinary (Indian) fare well I am impressed. I rate this places very high and will come back. I believe the dishes rotate so next time I will sample more and write about them again.



Going down Hope Street again , I ducked into Blaze to see what it was all about . Quite an eclectic menu with items from different parts of the world. My mother has eaten Salmon here and liked the meal. This place is a combination bar and cafe restaurant. I talked with the waitress, looked over the menu and decided on a small snack to go. I love jerk spiced items and there was a fried jerk chicken with a coconut sauce that seemed unusual The chicken were mildly crisped and not too overally fried, which was good. I was surprised that instead of a whitish sauce it was muddy brown. I dunked the chicken into it and tasted it. It was more like a tamarind type sauce with a slightly tangy lemony flavor.

I then headed down to Wayland Square to check out some of the other restaurants for future reference. La Laiterie at Farmstead had good reviews (but it would have to wait for the future for sampling). People like the authentic Asian fare at Hakura East. I can see why. It has sushi, Japanese and other Asian items. I would like to try this pricey bistro or at least one item sometime in the future too.
Also there was>, a breakfast shop with mostly American breakfast menu. I see that is has won several awards and my mother she has been here. Its quaint and maybe someday for breakfast. But my target was a Vietnamese restaurant I heard about.




I heard a lot about Pho Horn'. Last but not least, Vietnamese was on the menu before I left for Kansas. I had found that this Vietnamese restaurant was near where many years ago, I did weekend bowling. Now there is a little strip mall just West. Instead of defunct Chinese Buffet nearby there is a thriving and well spoken for Vietnamese restaurant which for all indications should be around for for along time. Here's why!

Upon entering this small area, one can't but notice the nice tropical aquarium with a huge carp or is it a goldfish? A constant stream of people constantly shuttled in to sample the Asian food, Vietnamese flavors transform chicken, beef and more into flavor nevertheless and packs good flavor, many different then regular Chinese fare. I was particularly interested in finding different Vietnamese entrees, soups etc that might be a little different from the great restaurant in Kansas City near Westport, MO and downtown. My main intent was to not to Kansas City restaurants or food but find different entrees in this case Vietnamese/ Asian fare. I am always looking for different flavors. I am also always searching for different recipes to try at home too and find other resources. In quest of tastes that cause me to say "aha" called "satori (japanese).

From the reviews this place seemed to tell me that my mother and I would like this restaurant as the Phoenix RI magazine has reviewed it favorably. The menu has plenty to choose from for myself and my mother.

I tried the marinated chicken wings with the pink colored duck sauce. The 8 wings were lightly fried has a pink duck sweet sauce with it . I finished the wings while I waited for the soup and entrees.

The unusual sweet and sour soup has to be something that I had to try. I chose the salmon.Huge chunks of the salmon swam in the pineapple sweetened and red pepper spicy soup broth. There was also bean sprouts, basil and more .

The salmon was succulent with many small bits intermingled with beansprouts, vegetables and more. I added rice to the little bowls. The broth was sweet but had a hint of heat which lingered on my lips. It was a little sweeter then I thought (maybe due to the pineapple) but it was good and very different.

My mother decided on the fried whole flounder. The one thing we should have done was ask how much it was going to be ($24).

Nevertheless, it was delicious and we feasted on almost all of it! The slightly sweet brown sauce melded well with the fish. We had to pick through the bones which was a chore but it was worth it.

I liked chewing on the fried bones and much of the rest of the fish, besides the flesh which was rather crunchy. There were tomatoes and more to go with it. Pancakes would be been good to stuff with the fish and would have made it even better.
We were stuffed so no dessert for us. Another memorable meal.

Now where can I find the recipes?
I passed by the Blue Cottage which I might try in the future for breakfast. Then it was time to head to New York City.

This placed is known for its vegetarian fare

When I journeyed back to A2 (I got my masters at U of M and lives here for 6 years) we tried this place. Vegetarian is not my style usually but this place was recommended and my family wanted to try it out. We had brunch fare and the egg and vegetable burrito like entree was very good. It does a lot of vegetarian dishes well here and everyone was happy. I just don't remember more. I guess vegetarian places don't provide enough "brain food " for me.

Guadalahara Cafe : classy place, good prices, excellent Mexican Food

We have been to this place near State Line over the years. The inside is very classy looking with the white tableclothes and flowers on the tables but has a casual atmosphere yet elegant. I like bringing my wife here and I think it is a nice place to bring a date, significant other etc. It has great luncheon specials at most reasonable prices and it's menu has something for anyone. There are starters, children plates, desserts, combinations, beef/steak, pork, shrimp, chicken dishes, house specials, seafood dishes, salads, burritos and vegetarian offerings. Most of the entrees for lunch are under $12. My wife loves the vegetarian burrito with cactus (you will be surprised how succelent it tastes almost a little like tomatillo with kiwi combination), sweet peppers, tomatoes, onions, mushrooms with cheese and guacamole. The Guadalahara vegetarian with tangy sauce was good. I liked the steak ranchero (nicely done tenderloin chunks with onions, tomatoes, jalapenoes, in the house special sauce which has a nice tangy bite to it. The chimichangas are not bad either (I love those ). Most dishes come with rice , beans and when needed tortillas. There are spicy dishes The portions are huge, the staff attentive and there are " clapping hombres" to announce a birthday (hey I still like other places that do this). If you like great Mexican fare at reasonable prices with a little flare, try this restaurant. We love it for the variety, the prices, the look and feel of the place and of course the food!

You be the judge: Cheddar Scalloped Sweet Potatoes

I scour the Food Network for interesting recipes . When I see one I want to try I see if there are any review that people have left regarding whether it was good or bad. This recipe is had the most yeyyys or neysss that I have ever seen. Most are either great or say the recipe is terrible. The comments are really intersting too. You be the judge and let me know if you try it and I will let you know what I think.
Supposedly it might be better to use less half and half

Cheddar Scalloped Sweet Potatoes
From Food Network Kitchens
Show: How To Boil Water
Episode: Mid-week Know How
3 large sweet potatoes
2 to 3 cups half-and-half
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
Freshly grated nutmeg, to taste
Salt and pepper
1 1/2 cups grated sharp Cheddar
1 to 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into bits, plus extra for dish

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Peel potatoes and cut diagonally into 1/4-inch thick slices.

In a saucepan combine 3 cups of the half-and-half, garlic, freshly grated nutmeg and salt and pepper, to taste. Bring to a boil over moderate heat.

Butter a 1 1/2 quart oval gratin dish, layer potatoes and cheese (reserving 1/4 cup of the cheese for the topping) and pour the cream mixture over the potatoes. Sprinkle the top of the gratin with the reserved cheese and dot with the butter. Transfer the gratin to the oven and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until bubbling and golden. Remove from the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Good but could be better
12/17/2006 at 10:15am
User: Melissa from Mingoville, PA User Rating: [3 stars]
3 cups 1/2 and 1/2 was too much, next time I'll back off to 2 cups - not all liquid fit into my casserole dish plus it was too liquidy even after sitting for 5-10 minutes before serving. While the flavor was good, it was VERY mild. I'll try to experiment in ways to ramp up with flavor of the sweet potato....perhaps add a little brown sugar and slightly less cheese?



Wonderful!
11/26/2005 at 08:34pm
User: Rhonda from Midland, TX User Rating: [5 stars]
It was great. My husband loves sweet potatoes and this will now be a traditional holiday favorite of his.



a nice change on a regular scalloped potatoes
11/25/2005 at 01:38am
User: Ava from south san francisco, CA User Rating: [5 stars]
this scalloped sweet potato recipe was a nice change for the regular scalloped potatoes that my aunt laura makes. some of my family members love it but not all of them. thank Ty TY



Bad, Really Bad
11/05/2005 at 01:22pm
User: MEECHI from Lindenhurst, IL User Rating: [1 star]
I should have read the reviews first. This wasn't worth the time or money. It wasn't creamy like they said it would be on the show. I threw mine away too. What a waste.



Very Disappointing
10/24/2005 at 11:51am
User: Robin from Stony Point, NY User Rating: [1 star]
My husband and I really enjoyed watching this episode. The sweet potato dish looked sooo yummy, but what a big disappointment. The 1/2 & 1/2 currdled and looked so gross, and the sweet potatoes were far from sweet. The kids were not to happy that we ruined their usually yummy sweet potatoes. No wonder why they didn't spoon some of this dish onto their plates!



sucks
10/21/2005 at 03:30pm
User: Anonymous User Rating: [1 star]
This recipe sucks. I made it last night for my daughter and after the first bite we had to throw it all away.



Curdled Cream
10/20/2005 at 07:24pm
User: Anonymous User Rating: [2 stars]
This is a very tasty dish, however the cream curdled while baking. We got past the cottage cheese look and enjoyed it anyway. Glad I wasn't serving this to guests. Next time I will use milk,flour, and butter, like Mom used to do.



sounded better than it was
10/17/2005 at 09:00pm
User: Dena from ST PETERS, MO User Rating: [2 stars]
I followed the recipe to the letter. The half and half curtled in the casserole and it lacked flavor.



Horrible recipe
10/16/2005 at 09:17pm
User: kirsten from ponte vedra, FL User Rating: [1 star]
This was the worst recipe that I have ever made and I was sooo disappointed in it. Tyler made it look so easy even though I was hesitant about the cooking time and my instincts were right. I even cut the liquid in half and it was still a runny curdled mess. Definitely not up to Tyler's normal standards. I wish that I had read the reviews ahead of time!!



Think about it....
10/16/2005 at 11:07am
User: James from Alexandria Twp., NJ User Rating: [4 stars]
I just saw the show and then read the scathing reviews. I'm going to bet there is a mistake with the printed recipe. Based upon other scalloped potato recipes, this probably should have said "2/3 cup of half-and-half". I'll let you know.



So Good!
10/13/2005 at 12:25am
User: KAREN from Lancaster, CA User Rating: [5 stars]
We loved this as an alternative to the traditional!



yuk!
10/11/2005 at 10:47am
User: janice from warrenton, MO User Rating: [1 star]
half and half curdled. Yuk. I served this for a dinner party and was embarassed.



Absolutely AWFUL Dish!!!
10/02/2005 at 11:11pm
User: DIANNE from wethersfield, CT User Rating: [1 star]
I, like many other viewers, was sooooo excited to try this recipe. I prepared a special turkey dinner tonight for my family and I tried this as an experiment for the holidays, and I'm so glad I tested this before actually entertaining with it! My kids were so gracious and appreciative of my efforts, but no one went NEAR this one! It was a curdled, YUCKY mess, not to mention an incredible waste of money! DON'T TRY THIS ONE. It's a disappointment, and I normally trust Tyler's recipes, as I've LOVED them! I'm so bummed! YUCK!!!

Try this fries that can take you to the next culinary level

Fried made with sweet potato and baked are not only better for you, they are healthier, will cut down on the cholesterole and are more flavorful. I've tried several recipes like this but this one takes it to another level.

Sweet Potato Oven Fries with Avocado Dip
Recipe courtesy Ingrid Hoffman, 2007
See this recipe on air Saturday Mar. 29 at 1:30 PM ET/PT.
Show: Simply Delicioso with Ingrid Hoffmann
Episode: Game Night
Sweet Potato Oven Fries with Avocado Dip
Sweet Potato Fries:
2 large sweet potatoes, peeled or unpeeled, cut into 4-inch long and 1/4 to 1/2-inch thick fries
2 tablespoons olive oil, or more as needed
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
Coarse ground rock salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Avocado Dip, recipe follows

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and set aside.

Place the sweet potatoes in a large bowl and toss with olive oil until the sweet potatoes are coated. Add the paprika, chili powder, coriander, salt, and pepper; toss to distribute evenly.

Arrange the coated fries in a single layer on the prepared pan. Bake for 20 minutes on the lower rack until the sweet potatoes soften. Transfer the pan to the upper rack of the oven and bake 10 minutes longer, until fries are crispy. Serve with Avocado Dip.

Avocado Dip:
1 avocado, see Cook's Note*
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup cream cheese
1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped.
2 scallions, white and light green part only, chopped
1 lime, juiced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Place the avocado, mayonnaise, cream cheese, jalapeno, scallions, and lime juice into a blender or small food processor. Blend for 1 minute or until you have a smooth paste. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Serve as a dip for the Sweet Potato Oven Fries.

* Cook's Note: We find that Hass avocados make the smoothest and best tasting Avocado dip.

Did you see the movie Ratatouille? Its a real fodo dish.

Did you see the movie Ratatouille? The name is a real food dish though and usually uses Eggplant. I love Eggplant as it is very versatile. One of the tricks is to salt it first and let it sit for awhile and then dab off the extra water that comes up. That will take away a bunch of the water inside the vegetable and make it better for frying , baking etc.

In Providence, RI, when I was young and we went out, I usually had Eggplant Paremesan and spaghetti. My wife makes Eggplant Parmesan for us.

Here is a recipe takeoff on it.

Also stuffed eggplant is different.

**
Grilled Ratatouille
From Derrick Riches,
Your Guide to Barbecues & Grilling.
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This is a tasty grilled vegetarian recipe that is full of flavor and makes a delicious meal. Ratatouille is a traditional French Provincial made from the last things harvested from the garden.
INGREDIENTS:

* 1 eggplant, cut into 1/2 inch circles
* 1 zucchini, cut in half lengthwise
* 1 summer squash, cut in half lengthwise
* 1 medium onion, quartered
* 1 can stewed tomatoes
* 1/4 cup fresh parsley
* 1/4 cup fresh basil
* 3 tablespoons olive oil
* 2 cloves garlic, minced
* 1 teaspoon basil
* 1 teaspoon oregano
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

PREPARATION:
Wash eggplant pieces and sprinkle with salt. Let sit for 30 minutes. Put 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large resealable plastic bag. Add eggplant, zucchini and squash. Toss to coat all the pieces. Remove vegetables and add the onion.

Toss to coat. Preheat grill. Place eggplant, zucchini, squash and onion to grill. The onion might be handled more easily if it's on skewers. Grill onions about 10-12 minutes, turning about 3 times. Grill the remaining vegetables for 4-5 minutes on each side. Remove from grill and let cool. Cut eggplant into cubes and the other vegetables into thin slices. In a large sauce pan heat the garlic in 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add remaining ingredients except for the fresh basil and heat on low for 30


**

Ratatouille
Submitted by HOST JCOMM Aviva
(Recipe from Debra Wasserman's No Cholesterol Passover Recipes)

This is a relatively easy dish to prepare. Serve with mashed potatoes.

1/4 cup water
1 Tbs oil
3 ripe tomatoes, cubed
1 large zucchini, diced
1 small eggplant, peeled and cubed
1 large green pepper, diced
1 large onion, chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, minced

In large frying pan saute all the ingredients over medium heat. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Serve warm. Serves 5-6.

**
Stuffed Eggplant
Author: Clove
Time:
1 hr
Difficulty:
Easy
Serving Size:
2
Description:
Stuffed Eggplant
Ingredients:

1. 1 medium eggplant
2. 8 oz of ground lamb shoulder
3. 4 oz of feta cheese - crumbled
4. 1/2 Tbs of fresh rosemary - chopped
5. 1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
6. 1 large egg - lightly beaten
7. Salt and pepper to taste


Instructions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 375 F
2. Place whole eggplant on a baking sheet and place in the oven for about 45 minutes
3. Let it cool and then slice it in half the long way and carefully remove the fruit with out piercing the skin. Discard as many of the seeds as possible too.
4. (That should give you 2 shells of eggplant to stuff )
5. Place the eggplant meat in a large mixing bowl and break it up as much as possible.
6. Add the lamb, rosemary, nutmeg, feta, salt and pepper and egg.
7. Mix throughly to combine.
8. Stuff have the mixture into each of the two eggplant shells
9. Place back on the baking sheet.
10. Return to the oven and bake for 35 minutes at 375F.
11. Raise to temperature to 450F for the next 5 minutes to brown up the top of the meat.
12. Remove from oven.
13. Let cool for 5 minutes
14. Serve.

**
Eggplant Parmesan
Recipe courtesy Juan-Carlos Cruz
Show: Weighing In
Episode: M&Ms
1 cup Italian-seasoned bread crumbs
1/2 cup egg substitute
1 medium eggplant, sliced into 6 (1/2-inch) rounds
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small yellow onion, sliced
3 cloves garlic, crushed and then minced
1 teaspoon crushed red chili flakes
2 (15-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella
1/2 cup grated Parmesan

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Place bread crumbs on a shallow plate. Pour egg substitute onto another shallow plate. Place a wire rack on top of a cookie sheet. Take a round of eggplant, dip it into the egg substitute until fully covered, and then drag through the bread crumbs until completely coated; transfer to a wire rack. Repeat for each round of eggplant and then bake in oven for 15 minutes.

While eggplant is baking, heat olive oil in a 5-quart nonstick saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic and saute until soft, about 1 1/2 minutes. Add the chili flakes and stir to incorporate. Add the crushed tomatoes and tomato paste and stir to blend completely. Bring to a simmer and simmer for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, stir in the basil, and remove from heat.

Remove eggplant from oven and leave oven at 350 degrees F. Line the bottom of a medium-sized casserole dish (about 13 by 11 inches) with the eggplant rounds. Pour the tomato sauce over the eggplant. Top with the cheeses. Bake for 30 minutes until cheese is soft and bubbly. Remove from oven and let stand for 5 minutes before serving.