Silver Palate recipes have become favorite easy family meals. This one is a delicious alternative to traditional TexMex style chili, just as lush and spicy as those with lots of beef and pork.
Silver Palate recipes have become favorite easy family meals. This one is a delicious alternative to traditional TexMex style chili, just as lush and spicy as those with lots of beef and pork.
Place eggplant in a colander and sprinkle with the course salt. Let stand for one hour, then pat dry with paper towels.
Heat 1/2 cup of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
Add the eggplant and sauté until almost tender, adding oil if needed. Remove the eggplant to a Dutch oven.
Heat the remaining 1/4 cup oil in the same skillet over low heat. Add the onions, garlic and green peppers; saute until just softened--about 10 minutes. Add to the eggplant in the Dutch oven.
Place the Dutch oven over low heat and add the canned tomatoes with their liquid, fresh tomatoes, chili powder, cumin, oregano, basil, pepper, salt, fennel and parsley. Cook uncovered, stirring frequently for 30 minutes.
Stir in the kidney beans, chick peas, dill and lemon juice and cook for another 15 minutes.The eggplant peel should be tender.Stir well and adjust the seasonings.
Serve with a dollop of sour cream or pain yogurt and a sprinkling of shredded cheese.
Combine the celery root, fennel, apple, and lemon juice in a large bowl, and season with salt and pepper.
Toss the ingredients together, and set aside for at least 30 minutes but no longer than 2 hours. This will tenderize and marinate the vegetables, and also prevent them from turning brown.
Combine the mayonnaise, sour cream, vinegar, honey, and mustard in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper.
Pour the dressing over the vegetables and toss well.
Fold in the dried cranberries.
Taste, and season with salt and pepper if needed. Enjoy!
Okra, known as “lady’s fingers” in India, has a beautiful bright green color and looks wonderful on the table. This simple and easy way to cook okra will leave you with a delicious dish, without any of the okra “slime!”When buying fresh okra, avoid the flimsy, flexible ones. Look for crisp ones in which the tail end can be snapped off. Avoid the very hard okra that are over-ripe with brown seeds instead of the ideal white seeds. I also never cover okra when cooking because doing so will darken its color. Okra can be eaten with Indian flatbreads, such as Naan or Chapathi, and goes well when paired with lentil dishes. – Shubhra
If you’re using frozen okra, do not defrost. If you’re using fresh okra, wash the okra and pat dry with a kitchen towel. Trim the tip and head and discard. Slice each okra into ¼-inch (6-mm) pieces.
Pour the oil into a large nonstick skillet and place over medium heat. (Place over high heat if using frozen okra.) When the oil is heated, add the okra and lime juice. Sauté for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the onion, turmeric, red pepper, salt, and black pepper. Stir to combine. Sauté until the okra is tender and the onion becomes transparent, stirring frequently, about 30 minutes.
Enjoy now or let cool to room temperature and refrigerate or freeze for later!
Recipe Notes
Okra has a peculiar, slimly substance to it that is released when the okra is cut and washed. The first time I cooked okra, I washed it after I chopped it and had slime everywhere! That is why it is important to wash it and pat dry before chopping to reduce the release of the sticky material. If you’re using frozen okra, it is best not to defrost it first, as it will become flimsy and release a lot of slimy substance. When okra is cooked with lime juice, any slime disappears as the okra cooks.
Preheat oven to 400F. Roast the sweet potatoes until fully cooked & very soft – approximately 45 minutes or longer depending on the size. Cool to room temperature.
In a small mixing bowl, combine the sliced dried figs, vinegar, salt & pepper, and minced ginger. Lightly toss. Allow the figs to marinate for approximately 10 to 15 minutes.
In a skillet over set on medium high, heat the banana leave pieces just until they become flexible.
Lay the banana leaves on a work surface.
Slice the sweet potatoes in half lengthwise. (If using smaller sweet potatoes, split the sweet potatoes open & press lightly to flatten.) Place a piece of sweet potato on each banana leaf.
Distribute the fig mixture over the sweet potatoes.
Distribute the cashews over the sweet potatoes.
Place a piece of butter on top of each sweet potato. Fold up the banana leaf to enclose the sweet potato. Tie with a piece of string to secure.
Place the sweet potato packages in a broad skillet in a single layer. Add just enough water to cover the bottom of the skillet – approximately 1/8 inch deep.
Cover the skillet with a lid or with aluminum foil. Heat the skillet to gently steam the sweet potato packages – approximately 15 to 20 minutes.
Remove the packages from the skillet. Cut the string and unfold on dinner plates keeping the sweet potato and any juices in the center of the banana leaf.
Sprinkle the minced Serrano chile (optional) and the crème fraiche & crumbled cheese over the sweet potato. Garnish with a wedge of fresh lime.
Recipe Notes
Substitutions: dried corn husks soaked in water until flexible or parchment paper.
