Comfort Food

Blueberry Muffins

These are the famous Jordan Marsh department store muffins.

1/2 cup (8 tablespoon/4 ounces) butter, at room temperature
1 cup (7 ounces) sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups (8 1/2 ounces) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1/2 cup (4 ounces) milk
2 1/2 cups (12 1/2 ounces) blueberries, fresh preferred
1/4 cup (1 3/4 ounces) sugar, for topping

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a standard 12-cup muffin tin; or line the tin with papers, and grease the papers.
In a medium-sized bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until well combined.

Add the eggs one at a time, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl and beating well after each addition.

Beat in the baking powder, salt, and vanilla.

Add the flour alternately with the milk, beating gently just to combine. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl.

Mash 1/2 cup of the blueberries. Add the mashed and whole berries to the batter, stirring just to combine and distribute.
Scoop the batter by the heaping 1/4-cupful into the prepared muffin pan; a muffin scoop works well here.

Sprinkle about 1 teaspoon granulated sugar atop each muffin, if desired. It’s traditional — go for it!

Bake the muffins for about 30 minutes, until they’re light golden brown on top, and a toothpick inserted into the middle of one of the center muffins comes out clean.

Remove the muffins from the oven, loosen their edges from the pan, and after about 5 minutes transfer them to a rack to cool.

Yield: 12 muffins.

Can you use coarse white sparkling sugar instead of granulated sugar on top of the muffins? Sure; but they won’t be “true” Jordan Marsh muffins.

If you use frozen berries, don’t crush any of them. Rinse several times in cold water, then pat dry with paper towels before using; this will help prevent the muffins from baking up blue-green.

Room-temperature butter is easier to work with than ice-cold butter when preparing muffin batter. If possible, remove butter from the fridge an hour or so before starting the recipe.

Pressure Cooker Grits with Cheese, Jalapeño, and Bacon

4 slices of bacon chopped
2 jalapeño peppers chopped with seeds removed
1 cup stone ground grits
3 cups water
1 cup heavy cream
8 oz sharp cheddar cheese shredded
2 oz cream cheese
Salt to taste

Add bacon to insert. Turn on Sauté function and select “Normal” heat. Allow bacon to sit undisturbed until it gets cooked on one side, about 8 minutes. Then stir your bacon pieces until all pieces are cooked. Remove from insert and place on a paper towel to drain.
Remove excess bacon grease from Instant Pot, leaving about 2 Tbsp.
Add chopped jalapeño to the insert and stir until softened, about 2 minutes.
Add grits and stir for about 10 seconds.
Add water and use wooden spoon to stir up any brown bacon bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. Stir in heavy cream and salt.
Press Cancel on your instant Pot. Then select “Pressure Cook” and cook on High Pressure for 10 minutes. Once done, allow your Pressure Cooker to natural release for 10 minutes, then manually release any remaining pressure.
Open lid and stir in cheddar cheese and cream cheese.
Allow grits to cool for 5 minutes.
Top with pieces of bacon. Enjoy!

Notes: Remeber 1:3:1. Use 1 part grits, 3 parts water or broth, and 1 part heavy cream to the pressure cooker cycle.
Allow grits to cool for at least 5 minutes once done pressure cooking. This will allow your grits to thicken up to a nice consistency.

Basic Stir-Fry Sauce

1 1/2 cups chicken stock
1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
1 tablespoon brown sugar (or granulated sugar)
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
In a jar with a tight lid (must hold 2 cups of liquid), combine all of the stir fry sauce ingredients together and shake well.

This sauce should keep for a few weeks in the fridge.

To use:

MARINATE YOUR PROTEIN

Marinate 12 ounces of sliced beef, chicken or pork with:

2 tablespoons water
A pinch or more of baking soda (for beef only)
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon cornstarch

PREPARE AROMATICS

Mince 3 cloves of garlic, grate a teaspoon of ginger, and perhaps slice 1 or 2 scallions into 2-inch lengths.

SLICE VEGETABLES

Prepare the vegetables ahead of time, slicing celery, carrots, bell peppers, snow peas, onions, mushrooms, zucchini, eggplant, and/or broccoli. Use whatever you like and make sure to cut the vegetables small/thinly enough so that they’ll cook quickly (i.e. a couple of minutes).

PREPARE YOUR THICKENER

2 tablespoons water mixed with 2 tablespoons cornstarch.

SEAR MEAT

Add 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil to your hot wok (it should be almost smoking). Add the meat, sear on both sides, and set aside.

ASSEMBLE STIR-FRY

Add another tablespoon of oil and add the garlic and ginger. (If you also sliced scallions, you can add the white parts of the scallion at this stage.)

After a few seconds, add the vegetables and stir fry for 1 minute or until just softened.

And add in the seared meat.

Bring to a boil and stir in the cornstarch slurry until the sauce is thick enough to coat a spoon (you may need a little more or a little less cornstarch slurry depending on how much sauce you added and how high your heat is). Add the green parts of your scallions (if using), and cook for another 15 to 20 seconds.

Serve over rice.

Peach Streusel Muffins

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon kosher salt
4 tablespoons butter melted
2 tablespoons oil preferably pecan or grapeseed
2 large eggs beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups diced peaches

For the streusel:
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Pinch nutmeg
4 tablespoons butter melted
1/4 cup chopped pecans

Preheat the oven to 375°F and lightly grease a standard 12-cup muffin tin or line them with muffin cups.

To make the muffin batter, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
In a separate bowl, stir together the melted butter, oil, eggs, vanilla, and sour cream until creamy, then add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, stirring gently until well combined and a thick batter is formed. Fold in the peaches.

To make the streusel, stir together the granulated sugar, flour, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg until well combined. Stir in the butter and pecans until everything well combined.

Fill the muffin cups 3/4 full with the batter, then evenly top with streusel. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned on top and when a knife inserted into the muffin comes out clean. Serve warm.

Pork Chops with Caramelized Onions & Smoked Maple

Vegetable oil
2 large onions, any color, peeled and sliced
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 – 2 Tbsp Runamok Smoked Maple Syrup
2 Tbsp chopped parsley
2 bone-in pork chops
Salt and pepper

In a large pan, heat several tablespoons of oil on medium-high heat. Add the sliced onions and stir to coat them in the oil. Sauté for a few minutes and then reduce the heat to low. Let the onions brown without disturbing them, only giving them a stir to prevent burning every ten minutes or so. Keep an eye on moisture and if the pan looks too dry, add extra oil. To properly brown onions can take up to half an hour so be patient and wait until they have developed that deep brown color. They will have reduced in size considerably.

When they are just about done, add the balsamic vinegar and smoked maple syrup to taste. Season with salt and pepper.

For the pork chops, preheat a grill or broiler. Generously salt and pepper the chops. Coat with a little vegetable oil and place on the grill or under the broiler.

Broil or grill for approximately five minutes a side on high heat (more for thick chops, less for thin). When fully cooked through, remove from the heat, place on a plate and top with the caramelized onions and a sprinkling of parsley.

Roasted Cabbage with Maple, Horseradish and Cream

1 medium cabbage
3/4 cups heavy cream
1/4 cup horseradish
1/4 cup dry vermouth
1 Tbsp Sugarmaker’s Cut Pure Maple Syrup or Pecan Wood Smoked Maple Syrup
Salt and pepper
3 Tbsp butter cut into pieces

Preheat oven to 400. Remove any wilted leaves from the outside of the cabbage then cut it into wedges, removing the center core. Place the wedges, slim side up in a wide, oven-proof pot. They should be fairly snug.

Whisk together the cream, horseradish, vermouth, and maple syrup in a bowl and then pour over the cabbage. Season with salt and pepper and then dot with the pieces of butter.

Put a lid on the pot and place on the stove on medium-high heat. Bring to a boil and let the cabbage steam in the pot until the leaves have wilted a little, about 8 minutes. Remove the lid and take the cabbage off the heat.

Tilt the pot to gather some of the cream to baste over the tops of the cabbage. Put the pot in the oven, uncovered and bake until the center is tender and the tops have started to brown a little, about 35 minutes. Keep an eye on the liquid and add some extra cream if it gets too dry.

Serve with pork chops or sausage.

Austrian Shredded Pancake (Kaiserschmarrn)

1/2 cup (75 grams) raisins (optional)
2 tablespoons (30 ml) fruit juice or rum (only if using raisins)
4 large eggs, separated
2 tablespoons (25 grams) granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 cup (100 grams) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (120 ml) milk, any kind
2 to 3 tablespoons (30 to 40 grams) unsalted butter or ghee (clarified butter)
Powdered sugar
Jam, applesauce or another fruit sauce, or stewed plums/plum compote (recipe below) to serve

If you’re using raisins, soak them in the hot rum or juice and set aside until needed.
Make batter: In a large bowl, whisk together egg yolks, sugar, salt, and baking powder. Whisk in milk, then flour, whisking just until mostly smooth. (A few tiny lumps proved inconsequential.) Let rest for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a second (medium-large) bowl or the bowl of an electric stand mixer, beat egg whites until they hold firm peaks. Fold into egg yolk mixture, trying not to deflate the egg whites. Gently fold in raisins, if using.

Cook pancake: Heat a medium-large skillet (10? to 12?) over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons butter or ghee and let warm. Pour batter into pan and spread smooth. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, lifting an edge to peek occasionally, until it’s a deep golden brown underneath; reduce the heat if it’s browning very quickly. If you feel like you can pull off flipping it in one piece, go for it. I cannot and loosen the edges to slide it onto a large plate. With a potholder on each hand, invert empty frying pan over pancake and plate, grab both together tightly, and quickly flip the pancake back into the pan. Continue cooking until deeply golden underneath on the second side, about 3 minutes.

Shred/tear pancake: There are two ways to do this: You can use two forks or the edge of a sharp spatula to tear/chop the pancake into 1? to 2? pieces right in the skillet. However, I prefer to slide it back onto the plate I just used to flip the pancake and chop it there. This allows me to melt another tablespoon of butter in the pan for extra-buttery and lightly crisp edges in the final pancake. Return pancake shreds and any batter that has spilled out — it’s supposed to still be very runny in the center at this point — to the skillet and cook, stirring, until pancake shreds are mostly but not fully cooked through. A custardy center in each bite is ideal.

To serve: Scrape pancake shreds onto plate and sprinkle generously — and I mean generously — with powdered sugar. Serve with lemon wedges, jam, a fruit sauce (applesauce is a popular accompaniment), fresh berries or as shown, with stewed plums/plum compote (zwetschgenröster), directions below. Eat right away.

A quick plum compote (zwetschgenröster): Combine 1 pound fresh black or prune plums* (unpeeled, pitted, and cut into quarters or eighths), 1/3 cup granulated sugar, 1/4 cup water, 1 cinnamon stick or 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon and 1/8 teaspoon (or more to taste) ground cloves over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until fruit is saucy and tender enough that you can break a piece in half with the side of you spoon, about 20 minutes (and up to 25 minute for fruit that’s more broken down). Stir in juice of half a lemon and set aside to cool until needed.

Grilled Flank Steak Carne Asada

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup reduced sodium soy sauce
Juice of 1 orange
Juice of 1 lime
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeno, seeded and diced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 1/2 pounds flank steak

In a medium bowl, combine cilantro, olive oil, soy sauce, orange juice, lime juice, garlic, jalapeno, cumin and 1 teaspoon pepper; set aside 1/2 cup of the mixture in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

In a gallon size Ziploc bag or large bowl, combine steak and remaining cilantro mixture; marinate for at least 4 hours to overnight, turning the bag occasionally. Drain the steak from the marinade.

Preheat grill to medium high heat. Using paper towels, pat both sides of the steak dry; season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Add steak to grill, and cook, flipping once, until desired doneness, about 6 minutes per side for medium rare. Let rest 5 minutes.

Thinly slice steak against the grain and serve with reserved 1/2 cup cilantro mixture.

Kesar Ras Malai

for the thickened milk:
800 mls whole milk
200 gms of condensed milk
100 gms caster sugar
1/4 tsp cardamom powder
A good pinch of saffron

For the milk dumplings/paneer:
2 pints whole milk
juice of 2 lemons

for the syrup:
200 gms caster sugar
400 mls water
Pinch of saffron
Chopped pistachio and silver varkh to garnish

Get all the milk sauce ingredients together in a heavy bottom sauce pan. Bring to a gentle boil for 1 hour 30mins or so until it has reduced by half and is a bit thick. Turn the heat off and cool. Refrigerate until the milk dumplings are ready.

For the dumplings, bring the whole milk to a gentle boil in a heavy bottom non stick sauce pan. Now add the lemon juice and leave it to boil for 30seconds or so until you start to see it curdling. Take it off the heat and strain it through a muslin. Rinse the curdled mix under cold water; this helps it to come together and also takes away any sour taste. Keep the muslin on a sieve and leave to drain through for an hour to get rid of any excess water.

In the meanwhile, bring all the ingredients for the syrup together and bring to a boil. Knead the dumpling mix well to bring it together. Divide into 6 equal portions and flatten. Tip them into the syrup and cook for 7-10 minutes until they are firm.

Remove them from the syrup and cool slightly. Add them to the chilled milk sauce to soak in the thickened milk flavours. Chill the Ras malai for 4-5 hours. To serve put the dumplings in a bowl with the sauce. Topped with chopped pistachios and silver foil.

Grilled Cheese with Honey

Softened unsalted butter, for spreading
Eight 1/2-inch-thick slices of sourdough boule
1 pound Taleggio cheese, rind removed and cheese sliced
Honey (preferably bitter), for drizzling
Flaky sea salt
Coarsely ground black pepper

Preheat a large griddle or very large skillet over moderate heat. Spread butter on one side of each slice of bread and arrange them buttered side down on a work surface. ?Top 4 bread slices with the cheese. Close the sandwiches, pressing lightly to flatten.

Cook the sandwiches over moderate heat, turning once, until golden on the outside and the cheese is melted, 3 to ?4 minutes per side. Transfer the sandwiches to plates. Drizzle with honey and season with salt and pepper. Serve right away.

Grilled Cheese with Gruyere and Sweet Onion

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced crosswise (4 cups)
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Eight 1/2-inch-thick slices of whole-grain bread
Dijon mustard 8 ounces imported Gruyère cheese, thinly sliced
2 half-sour pickles, thinly sliced lengthwise

In a deep skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in the oil. Add the onion, cover and cook over high heat, stirring once or twice, until softened, about 5 minutes. Uncover and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the onion is very tender and caramelized, about 25 minutes longer. Add water to the skillet as necessary, 1/4 cup at a time, to prevent the onion from scorching. Season the caramelized onion with salt and pepper.

Spread the bread with the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and arrange, buttered side down, on a work surface. Spread a thin layer of mustard on each slice. Top half of the slices with the onion, Gruyère and pickles and close the sandwiches.

Preheat a skillet or panini press. Grill the sandwiches over low heat until the bread is toasted and the cheese is melted, 10 minutes. If using a skillet, press the sandwiches with a spatula and flip them halfway through. Cut in half and serve right away.

Grilled Ham and Cheese with Apple

8 slices of pumpernickel bread
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup mango chutney
1/2 Granny Smith apple—peeled, cored and coarsely shredded
8 ounces thinly sliced sharp cheddar cheese
8 ounces thinly sliced Virginia ham

Spread the bread with the butter and arrange, buttered side down, on a work surface. Spread each slice with the mango chutney. Top half of the slices with the apple, cheddar and ham and close the sandwiches.

Preheat a skillet or panini press. Grill the sandwiches over low heat until the bread is toasted and the cheese is melted, about 10 minutes. If using a skillet, press the sandwiches with a spatula and flip them halfway through. Cut in half and serve right away.

Grilled Ham and Gruyere Cheese

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
8 slices of bakery Pullman bread
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1/2 pound sliced Swiss cheese, preferably Gruyère
8 ounces thinly sliced ham
Dill pickle slices (optional)
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/4 cup apricot preserves

Butter each slice of bread and sprinkle with Parmigiano, pressing to help it adhere. Invert the slices onto a work surface, cheese side down. Top 4 of the slices with the Swiss cheese, ham and pickles. Mix the mustard and preserves and spread on the remaining 4 slices of bread. Close the sandwiches and griddle over moderate heat, turning, until golden, crisp on the outside and melted inside, about 3 minutes. Cut in half and serve right away.

Loco Moco (Hawaiian Beef and Rice Bowl)

1 pound ground beef, at least 15 to 20 percent fat
1 medium Maui or yellow onion, peeled (1/4 of the onion chopped; 3/4 sliced)
2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely grated
3 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, plus more as needed
2 1/2 tablespoons neutral oil
8 ounces cremini mushrooms, cleaned and sliced (optional)
2 cups beef broth
2 teaspoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons cornstarch
4 cups steamed white rice
4 large eggs, fried, sunny side up or over easy
2 chopped scallions, for garnish

In a large bowl, combine the beef, chopped onion, garlic, 1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Mix with your hands or a wooden spoon until just combined, being careful not to overmix. Form into four patties about 1/2-inch thick. Place the patties on a plate, cover with plastic wrap and transfer to the refrigerator for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large 12-inch skillet over medium. When the oil is hot and shimmering, add the sliced onion and sauté, stirring occasionally, until almost translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and continue cooking, stirring often, until soft and caramelized, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

Add 1 tablespoon oil to the skillet and heat over medium. When the oil is hot, swirl the pan around to evenly coat it, then gently place the patties in the pan, spacing them out evenly. Cook until browned, about 4 minutes per side. Using a spatula, transfer patties to a clean plate to rest.

Add the remaining 1/2 tablespoon oil to the pan and heat over medium until hot. Add the mushrooms (if using) and sauté until tender, about 10 minutes. Season the mushrooms with salt and pepper, then add the caramelized onions, beef broth, soy sauce and the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low.

Place the cornstarch in a small bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of the broth from the skillet and whisk until smooth. Stir the cornstarch slurry into the skillet and simmer until the sauce has thickened, 5 to 7 minutes.

Place 1 cup steamed rice on each plate and top each serving with one patty, then the gravy, a fried egg and chopped scallions.

Baked Lemon French Toast

6-10 slices day-old bread (challah, miche, white etc.)
6 large eggs lightly beaten
2 cups half & half (10%) cream
1 cup milk (whole (3%) milk, if possible)
1 Tbsp vanilla
Zest of 1 large lemon
1/4 cup brown sugar
To serve:
Fresh blueberries, blackberries or raspberries, for topping
Icing/confectioners’ sugar for dusting
Mint leaves for garnish
Maple syrup for drizzling

Grease your baking dish with butter. Lay your bread slices in the dish in a single layer, slightly over-lapping, but ensuring that the layer is as flat to the bottom of the pan as possible.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, half & half, milk, vanilla, lemon zest and brown sugar. *Note: You may not need to use all of the soaking liquid. A lot will depend on the thickness and type of bread you are using.

Pour mixture over bread slices only until the bread is almost all covered, with only the top edges of the bread slices exposed. Use a fork to gently move the slices so that the soaking liquid seeps between the slices, as well.

Allow to stand at room temperature for 20-30 minutes, pressing down with a fork and adding a bit more of the soaking liquid if necessary, once some has been absorbed by the bread before putting in the oven.

Preheat oven to 350 F. Bake in preheated oven for 45-50 minutes, or until set and lightly golden. *If necessary, loosely cover with aluminum foil for the last part of baking if top seems golden enough before the bake is set.

Remove from oven and allow to stand 5 minutes. Dust with icing sugar and scatter fresh fruit over top. Serve with maple syrup, for drizzling.

Baked Cheesy Grits

8 cups water
2 cups coarse, stone-ground white grits (not instant) (12 ounces), rinsed
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 stick unsalted butter, cut into chunks
1/2 pound sharp white cheddar cheese, coarsely shredded
3 large eggs, beaten

Preheat the oven to 350°. Butter a 13-by-9-inch baking dish. In a large, heavy pot, bring the water to a boil. Sprinkle the grits into the water, stirring constantly, and return to a boil. Cook over low heat, stirring frequently, until the grits are just tender, about 30 minutes. Season generously with salt and pepper and cook, stirring, until the grits are very thick and tender, about 10 minutes longer. Off the heat, stir in the butter and cheese, then stir in the eggs.

Pour the mixture into the prepared dish and bake for 1 hour, until bubbling and the top is golden. Let the grits casserole cool for 20 minutes before serving.

The baked casserole can be refrigerated overnight. Reheat before serving.

Khichri (Buttery Lentils and Rice)

5 handfuls of basmati rice
2 handfuls of husked moong daal
Salt to taste
1 garlic cloves, sliced thinly
1 small red onion, cut into rings
1 tbsp butter mixed with a teaspoon of oil or 1/2 tbsp of ghee
1/ tsp cumin

Begin by mixing the lentil and rice and giving it a good rinse. Then soak for up to an hour (minimum 30 minutes)

Drain the rice and lentil. They should look like the photo below after being drained. Now pour into a saucepan and add enough tap water to cover it.

Bring to a boil then leave to simmer until cooked. This should take about 4-5 minutes. The rice shouldn’t be mushy and the lentil should still have bite. All the moisture should leave the pan. take of the heat.

In a small frying pan, heat the butter and oil or ghee, once piping hot add the cumin until they splutter, then the garlic until it’s slightly crisp and finally the onions and stir until soft.

Pour this flavoured butter/ghee over the rice and stir. Serve with some plain greek yoghurt, full fat natural yoghurt and if you’re lucky to find this; thick buffalos’ milk desi yoghurt!

Mujaddara (Rice and Lentils with Caramelized Onions)

4 medium garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
4 bay leaves
2 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
1 cup brown lentils, rinsed and drained
1 cup basmati rice, rinsed and drained
1/3 cup peanut oil
2 medium yellow onions, halved and thinly sliced
1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced
Plain whole-milk yogurt, to serve

In a large Dutch oven over medium-high, combine 5 cups water, the garlic, bay, cumin, allspice, 1 tablespoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Bring to a boil, then stir in the lentils and reduce to medium. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally and adjusting the heat to maintain a simmer, until the lentils are softened but still quite firm at the center, about 10 minutes.

Stir in the rice and return to a simmer. Cover, reduce to medium-low and cook until the liquid is absorbed and the lentils and rice are tender, about 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the onions and cook, stirring only occasionally at the start then more frequently once browning begins at the edges of the pan, until the onions are deeply caramelized and crisped, 10 to 15 minutes; adjust the heat if the onions brown too quickly. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the onions to a paper towel–lined plate and spread evenly. Sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon salt and set aside; the onions will crisp as they cool.

When the lentils and rice are tender, remove the pot from the heat. Uncover and lay a kitchen towel across the pan, then replace the lid and let stand for 10 minutes.

Using a fork, fluff the lentils and rice, removing and discarding the bay. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Stir in half the scallions, then transfer to a serving bowl. Top with the fried onions and remaining scallions. Serve hot, warm or at room temperature with yogurt on the side.

Extra Billowy Dutch Baby (Sweet or Savory)

2 to 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 large eggs
1/2 cup (65 grams) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup milk (ideally whole milk but most varieties will work)
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

If savory: Freshly ground black pepper, wilted spinach or sauteed greens, bacon or ham cheese, herbs or comte, herbs (shown here with ham, gruyere, and chives)

If sweet: Powdered sugar, lemon juice, syrup, fresh berries, shaved chocolate or chocolate sauce
1 tablespoon sugar both optional)

Bhutanese Spicy Chicken Stew (Jasha Maru)

INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs (cut into 1-inch cubes)
4 cloves garlics (peeled finely minced)
3 shallots (peeled and chopped)
2 Tbsp of finely grated ginger
1 medium-size leek (cut into slices and wash properly-refer to notes)
1 large tomato (dice)
4 red chilis (seeded if you like and cut into small pieces)
Salt to taste
1 cup chicken stock
1 small bunch of cilantro leaves for garnish
2 Tbsp of oil

Preheat a wok or skillet with lid and add in oil. Add in the garlic, ginger, onion, chili, and leeks. Stir-fry until the vegetables are soft. Tip in the chicken and tomatoes and continue to stir-fry until the chicken started to turn opaque in color. Pour in the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and cover with the lid and let it gently simmer until the chicken is cooked through.

Serve warm with a bowl of steamed rice. Garnish the stew with cilantro leaves.