Grilled Chicken

This is one of my favorite and easiest recipes. It also happens to be very frequently requested. The important part is not to skimp on the seasonings or the time it takes to marinate. It’s best to let the chicken sit in the spices for about 24 hours, or even longer, but even overnight will be good. This keeps well in the fridge for a few days, and travels well in a cooler if you’re going tailgating or to a grill-out somewhere.  This even works on an electric grill.  But a real grill (the kind with actual flames), or an oven, work much better.  Though, the chicken was just as tender as if it were on a real grill or in the oven.

Enjoy!

Ingredients:
Chicken legs, as many as you want. Clean it as you would normally.
Spices (salt; I also use the following blends from Penzey’s: Tandoori, Southwest, Northwest; or you can use your favorite chicken rub/seasoning blend).

Steps:
1. After you clean the chicken, pull back (but don’t remove) the skin. Sprinkle the seasoning liberally. Pull the skin back to cover the seasoning.
2. Season the outside of the chicken leg.
3. Place into a container and into the fridge for about a day. The longer it sits, the better it will be.
4. Grill using your favorite method.

*IMPORTANT NOTE*
DON’T MIX THE SEAONINGS. Each leg gets its own blend. For example: one leg gets Tandoori, another leg gets Northwest. Don’t mix Northwest with Tandoori; it will taste nasty.

Season Outside

Season Inside

Grilled Chicken

Grilling

Grandpa’s Mashkurda (Машхурда)

After a long but unintentional absence from the blog, I have a recipe to make up for the absence.  I don’t know if this recipe is “authentic Uzbeck”, but this is how my grandpa does it, so that’s how I made it.  Having been making this for ages and ages, he wasn’t really clear on all the quantities and such, so I had to improvise a little and guess at times as well.

Ingredients:
1.5-2 lb of lamb (diced into large-ish pieces since the meat will shrink during cooking)
1 large onion
2 medium carrots (cut thinly into half or quarter moons)
1.5 cups of mung bean
3/4 cup of rice
1-2 TBSP of each: ground cumin, ground corriander, corriander, cumin (yes, I used both ground and whole)
Salt, pepper to taste.
6.5-7 cups of water (depending on how well done you like the beans and rice and how “liquidy” you like the dish)
Olive oil

Lamb pieces cut up

Lamb pieces

Steps:
1. In a dutch oven, brown the meat and cook for about 5 minutes.
2. Add the onions and cook till they’re translucent. Reduce heat to medium or medium-low.
3. Add water, carrots, and mung. When adding the water, I added it about a cup or so at a time. Mainly so I would know how much I’d need since I didn’t get a measurement for it from grandpa. So just keep adding water to keep things pretty moist, so things don’t dry out and stick to the pan. Cook this until the mung starts to “split” or get really soft. For me, it took about 5-6 cups of water.
4. Add rice. You might need to add more water at this point, so the rice can cook.
5. Place a lid and reduce to low. Cook for about 10-20 minutes. Depending on how “wet” or “soft” you want the final dish. I think I cooked it just a few minutes too long when I set it to 20 minutes. But hey, this is my first attempt.

Lamb, Mung, Carrots

Lamb, Mung, Carrots, Rice

Nearly done

Done!

*IMPORTANT NOTES*
1. When I got the meat home, I salted it before sticking into the fridge. I think it makes it much more tender and flavorful when cooking.
2. Season the meat after cutting it up and let it sit for a bit and absorb the cumin and corriander.
3. Season the dish as you go along. I add spices, salt, pepper throughout the cooking process.

Food Festivals in WI

Contrary to popular belief, we actually do have things to do in this state, though most of these activities are packed into the extremely short summer.  Here is a great resource to find food festivals all summer long, all over the state.

Meat “Sauce”

Initially, I wanted to make pasta sauce, but when I started to cook, I changed my mind. Instead, I decided not to add tomatoes or pasta and to leave the grain as a decision for a different day. I got this ground beef at Grassway Organic Farm and was excited about the possible meal I’d make with it. So when I started cooking, I decided not to add the tomatoes so as not to hide the taste, and added veggies and some spices instead. Basically, you can use any veggies you like or have on hand.  The spices definitely added the warmth I was seeking without making the dish spicy.

Spices

Ingredients:
1 large onion, diced
1 lb of ground beef
Spices (salt, freshly ground black pepper, turmeric, sweet curry, ground chipotle, adobo, garlic powder, ground cumin; all spices and mixes are from Penzey’s but you can use what you like)
1 medium zucchini, diced
1 medium summer squash, diced
2 bell peppers (I used orange and red), diced
Olive oil

Steps:
1. In a large pan, heat olive oil and saute the onion.
2. Add the meat when the onion is soft and translucent.
3. Add spices, to taste. Cook till the meat is just about done.
4. Add the veggies.
5. When the veggies are just getting soft, reduce heat to low and let cook for a bit, until the veggies are done to your desired tenderness.

Beef, onions, and spices

Added the Zucchini and Summer Squash

Added the Bell Peppers

Done!

Grassway Organics Farm

Kay and Wayne Craig

Living in the city, we often forget where food comes from.  Yes, it comes from the store, but where does it come from before the store?  We all know that milk comes from cows and eggs come from chickens, but when was the last time you actually saw that chicken lay an egg?  Put on your comfy shoes and head to a farm to help you remember and to see the farm animals many of us see only on TV or in pictures. So on a recent weekend, I (and some friends) made the trip to Grassway Organics in New Holstein, WI.

Calf looks like a deer to me

There we were met by Kay and Wayne Craig who were the most gracious hosts.  Kay told us some pretty interesting information about the farm and how they got into farming and Wayne showed us around.  So with cameras in hand, we set off to take the tour of the farm.
We walked to see the calves that are absolutely adorable and look a little bit like deer.  Then Wayne showed us the calves that were already weaned.

Chickens and Eggs

After that, we walked across the road to the field where the chickens were.  Boy were they loud!  Lots of clucking and noise-making by the roosters and chickens.  The chickens run around to their heart’s content, plucking away at the grass and the feed that they’re fed a few times a day. Wayne lifted the side of the cart where the chickens hang out and the chickens that were inside laying eggs protested the intrusion quite loudly.  But we got to see the eggs right there. Of course, I couldn’t pass up eggs from free-range chickens so I picked up a dozen at their store. My family and I found the eggs to be quite tasty, even my dad commented on how much he liked them.

Cows at Grassway Organics

Then, Wayne took us to see the cows that were grazing in a different part of the farm. He said that the cows are milked twice a day (6 AM and 4:30 PM, if I remember correctly). The cows are also moved to different pasture land every 12 hours or so, ensuring plenty of grass for them.

We also so the place where the cows are milked. It looks so clean, like it’s never been used. Gives me reassurance, since Grassway Organics contributes milk to Organic Valley (a brand of milk I often purchase).

So cute! Chicks

In addition to all that, Wayne showed us the cutest goslings and chicks ever. They’re so cute. Definitely brings back memories of growing up with chicks and chickens, even though I’ve always lived in the city. Hmmm…. I wish I could raise chickens where I live now, but I think the condo association would have something to say about it…

Check out a different review and more pictures from Yulinka Cooks.

Tea (Rishi) and Anaba Tea Room

Anaba Tea Room

I really wasn’t planning on writing a review about this tea tasting. When I got there, I was greeted at the door by two lovely women who offered me ice tea. I’m not a huge fan of cold drinks, especially tea, and seeing just the one table with two varieties, I was rather disappointed that I wouldn’t get to try more teas. But was also confident in my decision not to blog about it.
But then I tried the tea. Amazing. Even for a cold tea. Good thing I try to carry my camera with me at all times.  Never know when it might be useful.  They also told me that there are tea demonstrations on the rooftop as well as in the tea room. (When you first walk into the building, it looks like a garden shop and the tea room is on the level below.) So I went downstairs and found the place to be rather charming. The skylight lets light into the tea room even though it’s in the basement and you feel like you’re outside, with the fountain adding to the feeling.

Tea Tasting

Walking around, I realized there were two areas where representatives from Rishi were offering teas for tasting as well as a plethora of information. I found both representatives to be incredibly knowledgeable and approachable.
Then I started tasting the teas. I tried the Jade Oolong in both cold brew and hot and liked it enough to purchase a sample. I also tried a few other varieties and ended up settling on Silver Needle as another sample purchase. These teas are not cheap by any stretch of the imagination, but they’re so good and so worth it. The different profiles of the teas are evident depending on how it’s brewed.
For this event, the appetizers/finger food was provided by the Anaba Tea Room. When I looked at the menu, nothing looked like something I would want to order. I was actually surprised at how good the food was and how well it went with the different teas. One of the representatives talked about tea in terms of wine, and I think that metaphor worked well not only for the food pairings, but also for our general comprehension.

After spending ample time in the tea room, I decided to make my way up to the roof garden.

Rooftop Garden at Anaba Tea Room

Rooftop Garden at Anaba Tea Room

It’s a wonderful urban oasis. You sit on the top of the roof, in this gorgeous garden, drinking the most delectable tea, enjoying life. It’s perfectly chic and urban without being a cliche. The teas served on the roof were interesting. One of them had a very strong citrus flavor and I could pick out grapefruit. This is the only tea I didn’t like, but I didn’t like it because I don’t like grapefruit. I’m sure if there was no grapefruit, I’d have a different reaction. The other tea served on the roof was with a hint of peach. It was so refreshing. As a cold brew, it would be wonderful, almost like a peach bellini but better, in my opinion.

I also didn’t know that Rishi is a local company and was glad to find out that it is.  The representatives also told us that Rishi just won first place for one of their teas at the World Tea Championships.

A few hours later when I was doing grocery shopping, I did pick up another canister of Rishi tea to try.  Sendik’s stores have a really wide selection, so why not try something new.   As a side note, I’ve been drinking Jade Oolong all day today and I love it.  What a wonderful find.  I wish Rishi would do these tastings every weekend so I can try all their teas.    But for now, here is their events schedule.

Tomato and Spinach Soup

Tomato-Spinach Soup

This was a completely unexpected and impromptu soup. I’m sure you’ve noticed that I’m not much into soup since I have so few soup recipes. But this just came together suddenly, since I didn’t even get into to the kitchen until about 8 in the evening. What can I say, I was bored so I started cooking. I had some things I wanted to use up before they go bad and wanted something easy, light, healthy, and packed with nutrients. And since I’m fond of throwing a bunch of stuff in one pot and seeing what develops, I got a really yummy soup that is perfect for this cold and rainy weather. I hope, one of these days we’ll have spring.

Ingredients:
1 (1lb) jar of tomato sauce
2 bell peppers (red and yellow, or whatever you want)
1 large onion
1/2 lb carrots
1/2 cup of brown rice (optional)
1 lb spinach
Water (at least as much as the tomato sauce; I used two times the tomato sauce)
basil
bay leaves (optional; I used a few small ones)
Spices (salt, freshly ground black pepper, cumin, corriander, paprika, Pensey’s Chile Con Carne, Pensey’s Sweet Curry)

Steps:
1. Saute the onion and bell peppers. Season a little bit.
2. Heat the tomato sauce in a pan (I used a 3.5 QT pan). Add water (as much as you used for the tomato sauce. I just used the empty jar of sauce).
3. Add the sauted vegetables and cook a few minutes.
4. Add brown rice, if using and carrots.
5. Add spinach.
6. Add the rest of the water and bay leaves.
7. Add the spices, whichever you are using, and basil.

Tomato Soup ingredients

Tomato soup and veggies

Tomato soup and spinach

Shashlik (shish-kabob/ шашлык) – authentic Uzbek dish

I have to admit something.  I am a bit of a purist when it comes to certain things and Uzbek food happens to be one of them.  See, some of my friends try to tell me that they make great kabobs and then they go into great detail telling me how they marinate it in vinegar (eek!) and that they use pork (oy!).  I grit my teeth and smile and since “sounds nice”.  But to me, that’s just meat on a stick.  Actually, anything that deviates from the shashlik I grew up with is just meat on a stick.  The recipe that follows is a little unusual, but trust me, if you make it this way, you’ll never call anything else “shish-kabob”. Actually, my friends who have tasted this divine food, are still talking about it longingly, nine years later. We don’t do this often because as you can see, it’s very labor intensive. But it’s SO GOOD AND SO WORTH IT!

But first things first.  The ingredients.  Shish-kabob (shashlik) is made mostly from lamb and sometimes from calf liver.  I can’t remember ever eating chicken shish-kabobs, but I’m sure there are some varieties.  Also, meat can be ground and then shaped around the skewer, but it has a different name then (I forgot what it is).  Then you need spices (salt, cumin, coriander) and seltzer water.

1. You start with a leg of lamb in a quantity that depends on how many people you’ll feed (I’d recommend at least a pound per person).  Cut up the meat and the fat into bite-sized pieces.  Don’t forget the fat.  It’s delicious.  Trust me.

2. Marinate the meat and the fat with the spices and a bottle of seltzer water.  Never use anything sour like vinegar or wine when marinating lamb (at lest for shish-kabobs) since it will make the meat tough.  Be sure to turn the meat all around to make sure it’s evenly marinated.  It’s best to marinate at least 8 hours, but a full 24 hours is better.

3. You need a special grill called mangal (mahn-gahl).  You can use your regular charcoal grill, but it will take longer because a regular grill isn’t as large.  Cook till it’s done.

4. Serve with a tomato salad or with vinegared onions (soak onions in vinegar for a few hours and sprinkle with some paprika).

Skewers

Close-up of shashlik. See that fat? YUM!

Mangal emty

Shish-kabobs on Mangal

Served with onions

So, unless your shish-kabobs are like these, though tasty it might be, it’s just meat on a stick to me.

Steak and Potatoes

I love steak.  And potatoes.  But I’m trying to take a healthier approach to these foods and I know that cooking this at home would not only be healthier, but also much more cost effective.  Even in these economic times a steak and potatoes dinner is affordable, if you make it yourself.  And honestly, why pay $30 per meal and spend hours in a restaurant where you don’t know what you’ll get if this costs about $7 or $8, takes no time at all to prepare,  is really easy to prepare, and you know exactly what you’re eating.  So, without further ado, here is what I did.

Ingredients:
Steak
Sweet potatoes (I used 2)
Worcestershire sauce
Tamari or Soy sauce
Olive oil
Salt, pepper

Marinating steak

Grilling Steak

Steps:
For the steak:
1. Marinate the steak in olive oil, tamari/soy sauce, worcestershire sauce, and some freshly ground pepper, in a ziplock baggie. Let the steak marinate for at least an hour.
2. Grill the steak. I don’t have that option, so I used a grill pan. Oil the pan slightly and place the steak. You can flip it for grill marks on both sides. Grill until it reaches the desired level of “done”.
3. After the steak is done, transfer it to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm. Let stand for about 5-10 minutes so the juices redistribute back and don’t leak out when you cut into it.

Sweet Potato in Oven

Sweet Potato

For the potatoes:
1. Clean thoroughly with a brush, or peel the skin.
2. Cut into wedges.
3. Place the potatoes into a baggie and pour oil. This helps keep clean-up to a minimum.
4. Spread the potatoes on a baking sheet. Salt, pepper.
5. Place into a preheated oven (375 degrees) and bake for about 25 minutes or until done.

Steak and Potatoes

Restaurant Review: Shiraz

I know it looks like I haven’t cooked for months, but that’s not entirely true.  I have cooked things I already blogged about, eaten home-cooked food at other family members’ houses,  and have also visited a few restaurants.  I have also managed to snag a few recipes I’m waiting to try out, so stay tuned for those.  But for now, here is a review of Shiraz.

Shiraz Persian Grill

I’m sure you have noticed my penchant for Central Asian cuisine.  Middle-eastern food is a close approximation, though it’s not exactly the same thing, but I like it nonetheless.  So this time, a friend and I tried out Shiraz Persian Grill.  The atmosphere was perfectly “college town” and it fits well on the East Side of Milwaukee.  I was pleasantly surprised by the selection available, though I do wish they’d have lamb kabobs.  The long case you see in the picture carries several kinds of meat, rice, salads, toppings, and other things I can’t even remember.

I had the Beef Koobideh with raisin rice, hummus, and baba ganoush.  My friend had Spicy Chicken with rice as well as hummus and baba ganoush.  What can I say, we both like eggplant and chickpea dishes.

Beef Koobideh

The Beef Koobideh wasn’t as tasty as I would have hoped.  I didn’t have any preconcieved notions about what it’s supposed to be, but it was a little cold and a little tough.  The rice was really good and I think I’ll try to make something similar at home, but the rice seemed to have been a tad overcooked (the rice grains were split down the middle).  The pita bread you see in the corner seemed a touch stale/tough.

Spicy Chicken

I did take a piece of the Spicy Chicken to try and have to admit that it was really good.  I think this would be the dish I order the next time I go there.

The hummus was a hit, but the baba ganoush tasted a bit too sour to both of us.  Little garnishes of pickles and olives did little to mask the taste of the baba ganoush but worked really well with the hummus.  Maybe we were there just at the wrong time.  Maybe the food is better (hot and yummy all around) when there are more people.  I will certainly give this place another try, but will probably stay away from the beef koobideh.