Recipes

Rye bread
Mix:
1 cup water
2 cups rye flour
.5 Tbsp salt
some starter
Let develop overnight. Shape, cover surface with flour, leave for another couple of hours. Bake at around 400.
Pizza Dough
From The Pizza Lab
In baker's notation:
Flour: 100%
Sugar: 2%
Salt: 1.5%
Instant yeast: 1.5 %
Olive oil: 5%
Water: 67%
200g flour per pizza.
Mix, knead, divide. Let rise in fridge 1-5 days, then bring to room temperature before cooking. Bake at maximum temperature (usually 550F) on a pizza stone. Use parchment paper for easy transfer.
Biryani
From 1000 Indian Recipes.
1 1/2 tsp garam masala
1/4 tsp saffron threads
1/2 cup cream
1 1/2 cups deep-fried onions (3-4 onions)
1/4 cups deep-fried ginger
peanut oil
2 cups coarsely chopped nuts
1/4 cups raisins
1 1/4 cups basmati rice
2 1/4 cups water
salt
1 teaspoon coarsely ground green cardamom seeds
Corn Bread
From Cooks Illustrated.
1 1/3 cups cornmeal
1 cup flour
2 Tbsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 1/4 tsp salt
3 ears of corn
5+1 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 cup buttermilk
2 eggs + 1 yolk
cast iron pan (10-inch)
1. Set stove to 400.
2. Mix dry ingredients.
3. Blend corn kernels, cook in saucepan 5-8 minutes.
4. Remove corn from heat, mix in 5 Tbsp butter, then buttermilk, then eggs and yolk.
5. Mix corn mixture with dry ingredients.
6. Butter the pan, and bake for 23-28 minutes.
7. Cool for 5 minutes, remove from pan, cool for 20 minutes.
Chocolate Mousse
8 oz semisweet chocolate
4 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/8 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla extract
4 large eggs
1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
2 Tbsp granulated sugar
3/4 cup whipping cream
1. Melt the chocolate with butter in a double boiler (I use a small pot inside a bigger pot with water).
2. Stir in the salt and vanilla.
3. Remove from heat. Whisk in the yolks, one at a time. (This is the hardest part - if the mixture is too hot, the yolks cook and clump up.)
4. Beat the egg whites with cream of tartar until soft peaks begin to form.
5. Add sugar and beat until the whites are firm but still glossy and smooth.
6. Whisk 1/4 of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture, then fold in the rest.
7. Whip the cream and fold it into the mixture.
8. Spoon into individual serving dishes, and refrigerate for 2 hours.
Serve as is, with whipped cream, or with candied bacon on top.
Hummus
Chickpeas-based dip, from here.
One can chickpeas (15 oz)
1/4 cup lemon juice (1 large lemon)
1/4 cup tahini
Half of a large garlic clove, minced
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp ground cumin
2-3 Tbsp water
Dash of ground paprika
Blend in food processor in the following order (1 minute each):
1. Tahini and lemon juice.
2. Olive oil, garlic, cumin, salt.
3. Half the chickpeas.
4. The rest of the chickpeas.
Serve, sprinkling with olive oil and paprika.
BBQ Sauces
East Carolina Barbecue Sauce
2 cups cider vinegar
2 Tablespoons molasses
1 Tablespoon ground dry mustard
1/2 cup butter
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
4 teaspoons cornstarch
Mix everything but the cornstarch in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Separately, mix the corn starch with 4 tsp water and carefully stir in.
Kansas City Barbecue Sauce
(enough for 4 racks of ribs):
2 cups tomato sauce or ketchup
1/2 cup apple juice
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup brown sugar
5 Tbsp butter
3 Tbsp paprika
2 Tbsp chili powder
1 Tbsp chipotle powder (optional)
4 finely chopped garlic cloves
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
Salt to taste
Cayenne to taste
In a small pot:
1) Heat up the butter, fry up the onion until brown, add garlic and fry for another 2 minutes.
2) Add everything else, simmer for at least half an hour, the longer the better.
Dry rub for ribs
Kansas City Rib Rub
(enough for 2 racks of ribs):
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup paprika
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 teaspoon cayenne
Ribs
I'm assuming a standard Weber grill.
1) Start the coals. I usually start a fire and then place a chimney of coals over it. It's possible to start the coals without the fire.
2) While the coals heat up, pat the ribs dry, slash the back side thoroughly with a knife (you're supposed to take "film" off, but I never manage), and cover both sides with the rub. Ideally, marinade in the fridge overnight.
3) Spread the coals out in the grill, just on the right side of it, and add some wood.
4) Place a loaf pan full of water over the coals, on the right side of the grill. This will keep the the coals cool.
5) Place the ribs on the left side of the grill, in a rib rack if you have one.
6) Close the grill, leaving the vent on top and the vent on the bottom just barely open.
7) Grill for 2 hours, then wrap the ribs in foil and grill for two more hours.
8) Uncover the ribs and smother them in bbq sauce. Grill for another hour.
One chimney of coals is enough for the full 5 hours, as long as you keep the temperature low. Don't open the grill unless you need to, but make sure there's a stream of smoke&steam coming out the top. Add water to the pan as necessary.
Boston Cream Cake
The recipe is a bit complicated, but worth the trouble. Taken from the Fannie Farmer Cookbook.
Batter
Ingredients
6 Tbsp butter
1 c sugar
2 eggs, separated
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 3/4 cups cake flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 c milk
Cooking
1) Preheat oven to 350F, butter and lightly flour two 8-inch round pans.
2) Microwave butter on low until a little soft, then beat (cream).
3) Slowly add the sugar, beating until light.
4) Add yolks and vanilla, beat to blend well.
5) Sift flour, baking powder, and salt into a bowl, mix together.
6) Alternate blending dry ingredients and milk in, in 3 stages. Beat until smooth.
7) Separately, beat the egg whites until stiff. Stir 1/3 in, fold the rest in gently.
8) Bake 30-35 minutes, then cool.
Filling
Ingredients
1 c milk
1/2 c sugar
3 tbsp flour
1/8 tsp salt
2 egg yolks
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
Cooking
1) Assemble the ingredients.
2) Heat milk in a pan until very hot, stirring constantly.
3) Add sugar, flour, salt very quickly.
4) Cook until very thick (~5 minutes), stirring constantly.
5) Add the egg yolks, cook another ~5 minutes, stirring constantly.
6) Remove from heat, add vanilla, and cool, stirring occasionally.
7) Cover and refrigerate.
Combining
Ingredients
4 1/2 oz semisweet chocolate (Ghirardelli is good)
3 Tbsp butter
Assembly
1) Spread filling between the two pieces of cake.
2) Microwave chocolate and butter together in the microwave on low until butter melts.
3) Blend the chocolate/butter mixture and cover the cake with it.
4) Refrigerate.
Борщ (Borsh)
Standard Russian/Ukranian soup, based on my dad's recipe. Takes about 2 hours to make, but it's not difficult - just a lot of chopping. I'm usually not very precise with the amount of each ingredient, so I'll give ranges rather than precise numbers. Careful with the beet - it'll make everything red.
Ingredients:
Beef - 2-3 lb
Beet - 1 (standard-potato-sized)
Potatoes - 2-3
Carrots - 3 (medium carrots)
Onion
Red bell pepper
Cabbage - about 3 potatoes' worth
Tomato paste - half a can
Dry dill weed - teaspoon? tablespoon?
Salt, pepper, oil
Instructions:
There are three things to do - make a broth, chop the ingredients, and make a зажарка (zazharka). Then you combine everything to make the soup.
1. Wash the meat off beforehand so you get a clear broth.
2. Put it in a big pot with about 2 liters of water a tablespoon of salt and some black pepper, and boil.
3. Meanwhile, peel the beet, potatoes and carrots (for the latter, I scrape the skin off with a knife).
4. On a small grate, grate a third of the carrots, beet, and bell pepper.
5. Cut up the remaining beet, potatoes, carrots and bell pepper into bite-size pieces (about 1/2 an inch).
6. Chop up the onion, and fry up in some oil until it starts to get golden.
7. Continuing to fry on high heat, add the grated ingredients, dill, and a good bit of black pepper, then the tomato paste. This should give you a thick paste. If it's too dry, add oil.
8. Set the зажарка aside.
9.Get the meat out (it should be cooked by now, at least half an hour boiling) and set aside.
10. Add the potatoes to the broth and boil for 10 minutes. Then add the beets and carrots. In another 15 minutes add the bell pepper.
11. Slice the cabbage into very long and thin strands and add that to the mix.
12. After 5-10 minutes, add the зажарка and mix it in.
13. Cut the meat into bite-size pieces and add to the soup.
14. Taste for salt and pepper. I usually add quite a lot at this point.
15. Enjoy with sour cream and bread. Note: my борщ is usually better the next day.
Fudge
I make fudge from scratch, and after a few tries it is very quick and good. Here's the recipe, based on this:
Ingredients:
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 cup whipping cream
4 Tbsp butter
Candy Thermometer
Instructions:
1. Combine sugar, cocoa and milk in a medium-size pan (don't use a small pan!)
2. Bring to a boil, stirring the whole time.
3. Simmer without stirring until it gets to 238 (soft ball). Watch it carefully the first time so it doesn't boil over.
4. Take off the heat and stir in the butter.
5. Stir with a wooden spoon for a long time. The longer the better. I usually stir for 5-10 minutes, until the fudge is more cohesive than adhesive.
6. Add extra ingredients (if you're using any): vanilla (1 tsp), chopped nuts, red pepper, etc.
7. Pour into a flat container. The original recipe recommends a greased 8x8 pan. I've started lining a smaller bread pan lined with wax paper. That way you get the usual fudge brick.
Coffee Cake
Ingredients:
1 cup sugar
1 3/4 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
4 Tbsp butter
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/2 cup milk
1 Tbsp sugar mixed with 1 tsp cinnamon
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 375 F.
Mix sugar, flour, baking powder, then use fingers to mix in butter.
Add egg and milk and mix up.
Put into 8 inch square pan (buttered) and sprinkle with mixture.
Bake for 20 minutes.
Tzatziki
Oriental cucumber sauce. Works well as a dip with pita or on Kofta Kebabs. Based on this.
Ingredients:
2 cups plain yogurt
1 medium cucumber
2 tsp kosher salt (1 tsp normal salt)
1/2 clove garlic
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp lemon juice
Instructions:
Drain the yogurt of excessive water (e.g. by placing it in a coffee filter over a sieve).
Peal the cucumber, take out the seeds, and grate it on a large grate. Mix with the salt, and in half an hour squeeze out the juice.
Press the garlic and mix with some salt.
Mix everything together.
Kofta Kebab
Spiced ground beef kebab, based on this.
Ingredients:
1 llb ground meat (beef, pork, or lamb)
4 cloves garlic
1 Tbsp kosher salt (Note: half a Tbsp normal salt, at most. I used 1 Tbsp normal salt and it was way too much.)
3 Tbsp grated onion
3 Tbsp fresh chopped parsley
1 Tbsp coriander
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp ground red (cayenne) pepper
1/4 tsp ground ginger
some freshly ground black pepper
olive oil
Instructions:
Combine the oil and spices in a frying pan and fry up a little.
Press the garlic, mix with some salt.
Mix and let sit for 1-12 hours.
Put on skewers and grill (or just grill).
Note: Goes well with pita and tzatziki.
Pita
Ingredients:
1 Tbsp yeast
1 Tbsp sugar
2 1/2 cups warm water
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp oil
6 cups flour (I use 2 whole wheat, 4 regular)
Instructions:
In a big mixing bowl, dissolve sugar and yeast in the water (which should be warm but not quite hot to the touch).
Once the yeast is bubbly, add salt, oil & flour. Mix with a spoon, then knead until the dough is of uniform consistency. It should be soft, but not sticky. Add flour/water as necessary.
Let rise at least twice. I let the dough rise overnight in the fridge.
Split into 16 pieces and flatten out, 4 to a baking sheet. A rolling pin works well.
Let rise again, then bake at 450F for 10 minutes, swapping the sheets half way through.