David Rubel's Blog, page 4

Braising Greens with Shallots and Crispy Pepperoni

This side dish is so robust that you could serve it as a (mostly) vegetable main course, paired with either a hearty soup or some bread and cheese. The most important step is the draining of the blanched greens. If they're too wet when you add them to the skillet, the dish will come out unpleasantly watery. For the same reason, don't reheat the greens too long or they will begin to weep moisture.

(serves two adults and two children)

1 large bunch braising greens (such as collard greens or kale)...

Party Cake

This light, sweet cake suits any celebration, but I especially like to make it during strawberry season. You can use all-purpose flour, if you like, but using cake flour ensures a soft texture and delicate crumb.

2¼ cups cake flour
1 Tbs baking powder
½ tsp kosher salt
1¼ cups buttermilk (or whole milk)
4 large egg whites
1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
1½ cups sugar
1 pint (or more) strawberries
1 pint (or more) heavy cream
confectioners' sugar, to taste

1. Place a rack in the center of t...

Lemon Chicken Kebabs

These kebabs pair nicely with a rice pilaf and some quickly braised greens. Remember that metal skewers stay hot for quite a while, so be sure to use oven mitts to handle them.

(serves two adults and two children)

The Kebabs
1½ lb boneless chicken thighs
2 lemons
8 cloves garlic
3 Tbs olive oil
1 tsp brown sugar
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
1 Tbs kosher salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 sweet onions (such as Vidalias), p...

Tandoori Chicken on the Grill

To make authentic tandoori chicken, you need a tandoor (an Indian clay oven). But this is a pretty fair substitute. The marinade is so easy that you can make it on a weekday morning, add the chicken before you leave for work, and grill it when you get home.

(serves two adults and two children)

The Marinade
6 oz plain yogurt
juice of a lime
1 tsp chili powder
½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp turmeric
1 tsp kosher salt
6 cloves garlic, peeled and coarsely chopped
3-inch piece fresh ginger, coarsely chopped
red fo...

Grilled Leg of Lamb with Cinnamon-Cardamom Pilaf

(serves eight)

Because you begin marinating the lamb the night before, this recipe makes an easy weeknight meal. But given the high cost of lamb, I usually reserve it for dinner parties. The ease of preparation is still an important benefit, though, because it allows me to spend more time with my guests. The pilaf—which tastes great with the lamb, picking up its Indian flavors—is another easy, make-ahead recipe.

The Lamb
small butterflied leg of lamb, about 3 pounds

The Marinade
⅓ c canola oil
juic...

Carrot Paté

This spread tastes even better a day or two after you make it. I like to serve it on garlic toasts, which I make using thin slices of baguette. Just mix pressed garlic with some softened butter, spread the result on the bread, and bake in a moderate oven for 20-30 minutes.

3 large carrots
1 small onion
1 Tbs olive oil
¼ c orange juice
¼ c cold water
½ tsp (or more) curry powder
kosher salt, to taste
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 Tbs mayonnaise
1 tsp coarse-grained mustard

1. Peel the carrots a...

Cilantro-Mint Chicken Curry

The reason I recommend making the chutney in two batches is that most food processors can't hold all the ingredients at once.

(serves two adults and two children with leftovers)

The Cilantro-Mint Chutney
2 bunches fresh cilantro, stems included
1 bunch fresh mint, stems removed
2 jalapeno peppers, trimmed and seeded
1 large red onion, coarsely chopped
2-inch piece fresh ginger, coarsely chopped
1 c cold water

The Curry
2 Tbs cumin seeds
1 Tbs coriander seeds
3 cloves garlic
½ c canola oil
1 c yogurt
1 Tbs k...

Indonesian Lime and Coconut Chicken

I love this dish because it tastes great and also because it never fails to impress guests. It seems so complicated; and yet, as you can see, it's a snap. The trick is that the marinade doubles as a sauce.

(serves two parents and two children)

The Marinade
1 14-oz can coconut milk
3 Tbs peanut oil
2 Tbs soy sauce
2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp curry powder
2 Tbs sugar
2 tsp kosher salt
1 fresh jalapeno, minced
grated zest of a lime
cayenne pepper, to taste

The Chicken
4 boneless chicken bre...

New England Clam Chowder

The worst thing about commercial chowders is how glutinous they are. The second worst thing is the predominance of potatoes over clams. Fortunately, you can rectify both problems by making the chowder yourself. Any type of hard-shell clam will do, but I use the large ones, sold as "quahogs," because they're by far the cheapest. What's most important is that the clams are fresh.

(serves eight)

8 lb fresh hard-shell clams (about 20 quahogs)
¼ lb pancetta (or bacon)
2 large onions
2 lb potatoes
2 Tbs ...

Kung Pao Chicken

You'll probably have to visit an Asian food store before making this dish. However, if you've never been to one, you're in for a treat. The Chinese grocery that I frequent, in addition to being unbelievably inexpensive, has fabulous vegetables and the freshest fish around.

(serves two parents and two children)

The Chicken
2 boneless chicken breasts (about 1¼ lb)
1 egg white
1 Tbs cornstarch
large pinch of kosher salt

The Sauce
1 tsp sugar
1 Tbs cornstarch
2 tsp (or more) chili paste with garlic
2 Tbs s...