On the Table: Curried Cabbage

I had planned to make braised cabbage one day last week but it never seemed to go with anything else I was making, so last night I decided to try something a little different with the red cabbage.  I started experimenting with a dish that could still use a little refinement, but I am going to share it anyway because (1) it still tasted good and (2) y'all could do some experimenting with it on your own!  Specifically, I think the proportions of the spices may need to be adjusted.  To prepare:

Take half a head of red cabbage and cut it in half again, through the stem.  Thinly slice the quarters.  Coat the bottom of a large skillet with canola oil and put it over medium heat.  When the oil gets warm, add in 3/4 teaspoon of cumin, 3/4 teaspoon of coriander, and 1/2 teaspoon of celery seed.  Allow the spices to cook for just 1-2 minutes.  The spices should start to get fragrant (but don't let them cook too long or they will burn!).  Add the sliced cabbage to the pan and stir well.  Add in 1/8 teaspoon of nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and a dash of black pepper.  Cook for about 5 minutes, or until the cabbage starts to soften, stirring often.  Add to the pan 6 ounces of plain yogurt and 2/3 of a cup of rice milk.  Stir well.  Cover the pan and turn the heat down to low, and allow to cook for about 20 minutes, or until the cabbage is tender.  Remove the lid and allow to cook for about 15 more minutes, or until most of the liquid has evaporated.  Taste and adjust seasoning.

For an extra treat, toss in a handful of raisins during the last 15 minutes of cooking.  The raisins provide a nice contrast to the cabbage and spices.

Enjoy!

In the Neighborhood: BBQ in DC (and MD, and VA)

For the best BBQ in the (DC) area, you've got to go to Rocklands.  I always go for a pulled pork (they call it chopped pork) sandwich, but the beef brisket is also delicious.  The BBQ chicken is also very good...and that's about all I can say about the meats.  I haven't tried the others.  Really, it is impressive that I ever made it past the pork.  As for the sides, Rocklands offers pretty standard BBQ options, and they are done very well.  The Texas corn pudding is their specialty, and it is very good.  The collard greens (I love green leafy vegetables!) are respectable (though sadly not as good as those at many Southern restaurants, they will satisfy your craving).  The side that is not to be missed, however, is the mac and cheese.  I have left many restaurants disappointed that the mac and cheese was not better than the version I make at home.  But this is not one of those restaurants.  Condiments abound at Rocklands; there is plenty of extra BBQ sauce, should you find yourself needing more (you probably won't NEED it, but you'll want it!), as well as a healthy selection of hot sauces, in case you want to amp up the spice. 

Last night was my first time visiting the Rocklands in DC (it is in Glover Park, and it is actually the original location), and any potential future visitors should be forewarned that it is very small.  The location in Arlington (the one that got me hooked!) is bigger and offers a lot more seating, so that is something to keep in mind if you are looking for a (very casual) sit-down meal, and especially if you have a large group.  Rocklands also has restaurants in Rockville, MD, and Alexandria, VA, and all of the locations offer take-out, so you can enjoy the experience at home as well!

On the Table: Onion and Mushroom Quesadillas

Quesadillas are one of my go-to foods because they are just so easy to make.  In desperate (and time-crunched) situations, just put some grated cheese in a tortilla, fold it in half, microwave for 45 second, and eat.  However, I think the quesadilla also provides a great canvass for experimentation, and with a little time and creativity, you can get some awesome results.  Last night I made quesadillas filled with sweet balsamic onions and sauteed mushrooms, and the quesadillas were both delicious and filling enough for a meal.  (A side note: if you are not super crunched for time, I would highly recommend the oven rather than the microwave.  The oven doesn't take THAT long, and the results are much better.)

To prepare (amounts given will produce two quesadillas):

Prepare the Sauteed Mushrooms

Clean and thinly slice 1/4 of a pound of mushrooms.  Coat the bottom of a large frying pan with canola oil and put it over medium heat.  When the oil gets warm, add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occassionally, until tender.  Season to taste.  Set aside the mushrooms.

Prepare the Sweet Balsamic Onions

Thinly slice one small white onion.  Coat the bottom of a large frying pan with canola oil and put over medium heat (you can use the same pan as for the mushrooms, to reduce the number of dirty pots and pans).  When the oil gets warm, add the onions and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are tender.  When the onions start to get translucent, add in 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar, 2 tablespoons of brown sugar, and salt to taste.  Stir until the sugar and vinegar fully coat the onions (you may need to add more vinegar, if the sugar doesn't entirely dissolve).  Cook until any excess liquid has evaporated.

Prepare the Quesadillas

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grate 1/4 of a pound of cheddar cheese (or the cheese of your choice).

On a baking sheet, arrange two 8" tortillas (I use flour tortillas, but you could certainly use corn or whole wheat).  On each tortilla, arrange half of the cheese, onions, and mushrooms. 

If you want to make sure the quesadilla gets sealed closed, you can split the cheese between the bottom and top of the stack.  (I always eat mine with a fork and knife, so that wasn't as much of a concern.  However, if you wanted to cut up the quesadillas and serve them as appetizers, for example, I would recommend splitting the cheese.)  Top with another tortilla.  Bake in the preheated oven for about 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.  Serve with your favorite toppings.

Enjoy!

On the Table: Braised Kale with Raisins

I love love love green leafy vegetables (spinach, collard greens...really any of them), and as a bonus they are REALLY good for you.  I picked up some kale at the grocery store and decided to try a little twist on basic braised kale.  Raisins give this dish a great little hint of sweetness that balances out the slightly bitter kale and the nice acidic vinegar; the raisins also partially rehydrate during cooking, so the nice plump raisins provide a textural contrast to the still-somewhat-crisp kale.  To prepare:

De-stem and clean one big bunch of kale.  To get the leaves off the stems, (if you are right handed) hold the stem steady in your left hand, and pull your right hand along the stem to strip off the leaves (if you are left handed, reverse the hands in these instructions).  Put the leaves into a collander and rinse them well, and throw away any pieces that are discolored or mushy.  Tear the leaves into bite-sized pieces.  You can use a knife to cut them up, but I think it is easier to just use your hands since the leaves tear really easily. 

Finely chop three medium slized garlic cloves.  Thinly coat the bottom of a large skillet with canola oil and put it over medium heat.  When the oil gets warm, add the garlic to the pan and allow it to cook for just a few minutes, stirring frequently (garlic burns REALLY easily so be careful - if it starts to brown, turn down the heat!).  When the garlic is nice and aromatic, add the kale to the pan.  Also add 1/2 cup of apple cider vinegar, 1 cup of chicken stock (or vegetable stock, to keep the dish vegetarian or vegan), about 1/4 cup of raisins (or more, if you really like raisins!), a healthy dash of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper.  Stir the kale so all of it gets exposed to the liquid (tongs would be good for this step - just flip over bunches of the kale), and when the liquid comes to a simmer, cover the pan and turn the heat down to low.  Allow the kale to cook for about 20 minutes, or until the kale is tender but still retains some body.  Taste and adjust seasoning.

Enjoy!

On the Table: Glazed Chicken Drumsticks

For the past few days, I have been wanting to experiment with homemade chicken wings.  Chicken drumsticks were on sale at the grocery store, however, so I decided to give those a try instead.  I figured they would be pretty similar to wings, though they might take a bit longer to cook (and honestly, I think it is easier to get the meat off a drumstick than a wing).  I made a seasoning mixture and used it to glaze the drumsticks during cooking.  The drumsticks were a distant, but equally delicious, cousin to chicken wings!  To prepare:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a medium sized bowl, whisk together: 1/4 cup of canola oil; 1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar; 1/8 cup of honey; 1/2 teaspoon of salt; 2 teaspoons of sriracha; 2 teaspoons of spicy brown mustard; 1 teaspoon of soy sayce; and 1 teaspoon of worcestershire sauce.  Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.  Arrange 4-6 chicken drumsticks in a baking dish and spoon about half of the mixture over the chicken.  Bake in the preheated oven for about one hour, or until the drumsticks are cooked through.  Every 15 minutes during cooking, spoon another layer of the seasoning mixture over the chicken.

(I really should have wiped off the plate before taking this picture...)

Another option when preparing the chicken would be to marinate the chicken in the seasoning mixture for an hour or two before cooking it.  I served the chicken over rice.

Enjoy!