Fastest Way to carmelize Garlic

From the nytimes website:
http://www.nytimes.com/video/2013/04/19/dining/100000002179029/the-fastest-way-to-caramelize-garlic.html

To make it, smash several garlic cloves and then peel off their skins. Heat 1/4-inch or so of olive oil in a skillet and add the garlic. Let the garlic cook over medium to medium-low heat until the edges turn golden, about 2 to 6 minutes. If the garlic starts to turn dark brown, lower the heat.

The garlic and garlic oil will last for at least 2 weeks in the refrigerator if you don’t use it all before then. And if you do, making more is a snap. 

Veg Paella

From Mark Bittman's Paella Recipe. I have to try this yet, but recently I had Paella served during a Business Lunch. I thought it was light and flavorful and the overall texture was different than the Pulao or Biryani. I will be trying this out soon.

Paella Master Recipe

INGREDIENTS

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 bell pepper, minced
• 2 cups rice
• 1 pinch saffron
• 3 1/2 cups liquid (vegetable stock; water; wine, etc., or a combination)
• 1/2 pound vegetables, like olives, tomatoes, snow peas, mushrooms

1.

Put 3 tablespoons olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add one chopped onion and some minced bell pepper at the same time if you like and cook until soft. 

2.

Add 2 cups rice and (if you have it) a pinch of saffron and cook, stirring, until shiny. Add 3 1/2 cups of your liquid of choice, heated, and stir until just combined.

3.

Cook over medium-high heat, undisturbed. If the pan is too big for your burner, move it around a little; but after that initial stirring, leave it alone. When the mixture starts to dry, begin tasting the rice; if the liquid amount seems O.K., keep going. If the rice seems quite tough, add another 1/2 cup or so of liquid. And if you can smell the bottom starting to burn, lower the heat a bit. About halfway through the cooking (about 10 minutes), add any vegetables, adjust seasonings and stir gently, just once.

4.

The rice is done when tender and still a bit moist; if the mixture has stuck to the bottom of the pan, congratulations: you have socarrat, a characteristic of good paella. This should be served in the pan, in the middle of the table, and dinner guests — up to six — should fight over it.

Vegetable Soup with a light broth

This is the soup that I made for tonite's dinner. Yum!

It is a wonder that a simple mix of vegetables add so much flavor in this simple but immensely satisfying soup.
Flavor base: 2 cloves garlic, 2 carrots; 2 stalks of celery; 1 med onion - all diced and lightly sauteed in olive oil.
To this add coarsely sliced vegetables: 3 small potatoes, 1 red peper, 1 yellow squash, 3-4 tomatos, 1/2 cup spinach, 1 cup frozen green peas (or other veggies in similar amounts, not a whole lot). Sautee some more.
Add 1 carton of veggie stock, bring to a boil and then simmer for 40-60 mins after adding Seasoning: i.e. 1 tsp of thyme powder (or dry thyme), 2 tbsp chopped basil, 1 tsp red pepper flakes, 1 tsp pepper, salt to taste

Croutons make this into a meal. Cut white bread slices to triangles (it is more fun that way), sprinkle 1 tbsp olive oil and optionally dice 1 tbsp butter into small pieces and sprinkle over the bread slices. Bake at 350 deg for 8 mins; turn the broiler on for 2 mins watching carefully in the oven so it doesn't get burnt.

Pita Bread

I got this recipe from: http://www.thefreshloaf.com/recipes/pitabread
and I am going to try this tomorrow. Since I baked Naan Bread on my pizza stone and it came out always good, I am going to try this one.

Pita Bread

Makes 8 pitas

3 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 Tablespoon sugar or honey
1 packet yeast (or, if from bulk, 2 teaspoons active dry yeast)
1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups water, roughly at room temperature
2 tablespoons olive oil, vegetable oil, butter, or shortening

Steps

• Warm the water in microwave for 30 secs and add sugar/honey in it. 
• Add active dry yeast to proof it for about 10 mins. If you are using instant yeast skip this step and add the yeast to the dry ingredients.
• Mix all ingredients in a bread machine for 10 mins
• Put the dough in a bowl coated with oil/spray and cover it with kitchen towel and let it raise for 90 mins
• After this punch down the dough; divide into 8 balls; put it back into the bowl and let it raise for 30 mins.
• At this point you can make the pitas or store the dough in the fridge for several days
• Load the pizza stone into the oven and put the oven on maximum temperature, in the broil mode.  
• Roll each ball into 1/8 or 1/4 inch thick disc
• Place the discs on the pizza stone and bake for about 3 mins until they are puffy. 
• If you need them crispy bake them for an additional 3-5 mins.
• 
  

Mushroom Pulao

I made this today and it turned out to be a fairly easy recipe:

Ingredients:

• 2 Med onions thinly sliced or diced
• 2 med tomatos diced
• 2 Garlic pods chopped finely
• 1-2 cups of sliced mushrooms 
• 1/2 cup of peas (optional)
• 2 Green Chillies
• 2 Cloves
• 1 Stick cinnamon
• 1 Bay leaf
• 1 Star Anise
• 1 tbsp Garam Masala Powder
• Salt
• 2 cups Basmathi Rice
• 2 tbsp oil
• 1 tbsp ghee/butter
• Coriander leaves to garnish

Method:

• I used a Pressure Pan for this dish. You could use a wide skillet with a lid also but you need to adjust cooking time and water accordingly.
• Soak rice for 10-20 mins and drain water and set aside
• Heat oil and ghee in pressure cooker.
• Add cloves, cinnamon, bay leaf and star anise.
• After a few seconds, add garlic, onion and green chilli. Saute for a couple of minutes.
• Add mushroom and peas and Sautee for 5 mins
• Add rice and saute for 5 mins
• Add Tomato and Saute for 5 mins
• Finally add 4 cups water and cover the pressure cooker and cook for 3 whistles.
• Cool and garnish with coriander leaves.
• Serve with Raita.