First Principles

This blog exists because I’m lazy and because only the exact recipe text can be copyrighted. That is, the words chosen to describe the method can be, but method and ingredients list can’t be.

At least, that’s what I’ve been told.

So, recipes here may be taken from elsewhere, but they are edited, imperfectly transcribed, and/or modified from my experiences in making them.

The whole purpose here is to collect the stuff I make. Thus, for convenience, recipes are at the top, notes and blah blah at the bottom, because scrolling past all the blah blah at the top of most food blog posts is the most annoying part of trying to use such recipes from my phone.

Baked chicken with pesto, cheese, and tomato

Makes: more than you think
Takes: 10-15 min prep + 40 min cooking

Ingredients

• Chicken breasts
• Pesto sauce
• Tomato (fresh)
• Mozzarella
• Salt
• Pepper
• Olive oil

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400F.
2. Butterfly the chicken and/or pound flat-ish so you have reasonable portions that the pesto won’t slide off of. Slice the tomato into 1/4″ rounds.
3. Put a little oil in the bottom of a baking dish, then add chicken in a single layer.
4. Salt and pepper the chicken to taste.
5. Spoon pesto onto the chicken to taste.
6. Put a single layer of tomato slices on top of the pesto.
7. Put mozzarella on top of that.
8. Bake for 40 minutes.

Notes

This is a very “to taste” recipe. Just eyeball it.

This recipe comes from Tasty.

Red Currant Shrub

Makes: slightly less than 2cups shrub mixer
Takes: 2 weeks (10 min prep, 2 weeks steeping, 10 min finishing)

Ingredients

• 2 cups red currants (fresh or thawed)
• 1 cup sweetening blend (see Notes)
• 1 qt mason jar
• 3/8 cup vinegar blend (see Notes)

Instructions

1. FOR THE SWEETENING BLEND: mix a ratio of sugars (white, raw sugar, Turbinado, honey, etc.) that is pleasing. The purpose of this is to macerate the red currants and create a syrup, so artificial sweeteners probably won’t work for this. I used:
   1. 1/2c white sugar
   2. 1/3c raw sugar
   3. 1/6 honey
2. Put the red currants in the jar with the sweetening blend and stir.
3. Put the jar in the fridge and let sit for at least two weeks.
4. Take the jar out of the fridge and strain the liquid, squishing the currants for extra liquid.
5. This should result in approximately 1 1/5c (12oz) of syrup.
6. Use small quantities for testing ratios and varieties of vinegar. I recommend starting with a 1/4 ratio, mostly syrup, and adjust to taste. I used:
   • 2 tbsp champagne vinegar
   • 4 tbsp red wine vinegar
7. Put in a new jar to store in the fridge. To drink, mix with water to taste (about 1-2 tbsp shrub to 8oz water)

Notes

Some recipes call for hot steeping methods or boiling at the end. Try that if you like, but I’m somewhere between lazy and “if I’m boiling it, might as well make sekanjabin”.

Other recipes call for much closer ratios of vinegar to syrup. Try that if you like, but I find the vinegar taste overwhelms the fruit.

I’ve also made this with sour cherries in place of red currants and I recommend it. If so, consider using a balsamic vinegar in place of the champagne vinegar. In both cases, the red wine vinegar keeps the other one from overwhelming the fruit.

Tart Cherry Pie

Tart Cherry Pie

Makes: 1 pie
Takes: 2 hours (1 hour thawing, 20-25 min cooking/prep, 35-40 min baking)

Ingredients

• 5 1/2 cups (about 2 lbs) tart cherries, pitted (fresh or frozen)
• 1 cup sugar, split in half (see Notes)
• 3 tbsp cornstarch
• 1 tsp lime juice (or lemon)
• 1 tsp cinnamon (ground) (see Notes)
• 3/4 tsp almond extract
• 2 pie crusts
• 1 egg (optional, for egg wash on crust)
• 1 tbsp milk (optional, for egg wash on crust)
• Turbinado / raw sugar (optional, for sprinkling on crust)

Instructions

1. Put a colander or fine mesh strainer in a large mixing bowl and add the cherries and 1/2 sugar. (If you put sugar in before freezing, don’t add more!) Let the cherries sit for about an hour, stirring occasionally. A bunch of liquid will come out; probably more if using frozen cherries.
2. While that’s draining, get one of the crusts into the pie dish and put it in the fridge to chill.
3. Put the drained cherries into a saucepan with the lime juice and cinnamon and put it on medium-high heat.
4. Take 1/2 cup of the liquid and mix it with the cornstarch and remaining 1/2 cup sugar until smooth. Add it to the cherries in the saucepan. If there’s extra liquid, just set it aside and use for other things (see Notes).
5. Keep stirring the cherries until they start to bubble and thicken (once it bubbles, thickening will be quick, don’t step away!).
6. Take the cherries off the heat and stir in the almond extract.
7. Pour the filling into the chilled crust. Put it back in the fridge for a few minutes while you get the top crust prepped (and then you don’t burn yourself on molten filling when setting the crust on, especially if doing a lattice top).
8. If doing an egg wash, whisk the egg and milk together in a bowl.
9. Put the top crust on. If you are doing a mostly solid crust, be sure to cut some small holes for venting.
10. If doing an egg wash, brush that on now. (If there is an egg allergy, you can use just milk or cream. If a dairy allergy, you can thin the egg with plain water.) Optionally, sprinkle with turbinado or raw sugar.
11. Put the pie back in the fridge.
12. Preheat the oven to 400F.
13. Put the pie on a cookie sheet to catch any bubble-over and bake for 35-40 minutes.
14. Cool completely on a wire rack. Do not be tempted to cut it early – it needs to fully set or you’ll get a sloppy mess.

Notes

If you are as fortunate as I am, to have a tart cherry tree, and will be freezing your own cherries, mix 1/2 cup of sugar directly into the bag before you freeze them. If you do this, do not add sugar in the thawing step!

You will also likely get far more than 1/2 cup of liquid out of them during thawing – do not be tempted to put it all back in to the filling or you will get a loose watery filling. Save that liquid for mixing with seltzer for a lovely summer cherry drink or boil and reduce to make a syrup.

For the cinnamon, I grind my own true cinnamon when possible. It’s milder, but many folks who have allergies to cassia (what gets labelled as “cinnamon” most places) can still have true cinnamon. It’s available from places like World Spice Merchants. (not affiliate link)

This recipe is based on one by Lindsay Landis (on Love & Olive Oil: Tart Cherry Pie). Hers uses lemon juice and omits cinnamon and includes a pie crust recipe. I’m a lazy person and use commercial crusts and prefer the lime/cherry combo over lemon/cherry.

Crispy Roasted Butternut Squash

Crispy Roasted Butternut Squash with Sesame Seeds and Yogurt

Makes: more than you think
Takes: 10-15 min prep + 40-55 min cooking + 5 min to make yogurt sauce

Ingredients

For the roasting:

• 1 large (2 1/2- to 3-pound) butternut squash
• 3 tbsp butter (unsalted, melted)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper

For the sauce:

• 3 tbsp yogurt (plain, Greek)
• 4 tsp olive oil
• 4 tsp water
• Salt
• 1 tsp sesame seeds (toasted)
• 1 tsp coriander seeds (toasted and crushed) (or just use a bit less of ground coriander)
• 1/4 tsp dried thyme
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves (optional)

Instructions for roasting squash

1. Preheat the oven to 425F and put a rack on the lower level.
2. Peel your squash. More than that – you want to get all the light colored parts off. Cut in half and scoop out the seeds. (Set those aside to roast separately, because all winter squash seeds are delicious roasted.)
3. Put it flat side down to cut into 1/2″ slices. If the resulting arcs/semi-circles of squash are too big, cut in half.
4. In a bowl, mix that up with the melted butter, salt and pepper.
5. Make a single flat layer on a baking sheet.
6. Bake squash until bottom of squash near the back is well browned, 25 to 30 minutes.
7. Meanwhile, make the sauce, see below.
8. Rotate sheet and bake until bottom of squash near the back is well browned, another 6 to 10 minutes.
9. Pull sheet out oven and flip each piece.
10. Continue to bake until squash is very tender and the new bottoms are browned, 10 to 15 minutes longer.
11. Put on platter and serve. Either pour the sauce on and sprinkle with spice mix or serve the sauce/spice mix on the side for people to manage on their own.

Instructions for sauce

1. In a bowl, mix yogurt, oil, water and a pinch of salt. If you’re using not-Greek yogurt, skip the water.
2. In a separate bowl, mix the sesame seeds, coriander seeds (or ground coriander), thyme, and a pinch of salt.
3. (Optional) if you’re lazy, just mix the spices in with the yogurt stuff.

Notes

I don’t think I can sufficiently describe how this gets crispy crunchy on the outside and a bit airy inside and just amazing if that’s a texture you like.

I am a soap-taster for cilantro – nasty stuff – but I mention it because the original recipe does and other folks do like it. Enjoy, you genetic mutants!

I found this recipe online via KCET, which got it from America’s Test Kitchen.

Stroganoff Mushrooms

Stroganoff-ish Mushrooms

Makes: somewhat less than you think
Takes: 10 min prep + 15 min cooking on the stove

Ingredients

• 1 ¼ pounds mushrooms
• ¼ cup water
• Some butter (unsalted)
• 2 tbsp garlic (minced)
• Some pepper
• 1 tsp thyme
• ½ cup chicken or veggie broth
• A splash of heavy cream
• Freshly grated nutmeg

Instructions

1. Wash and trim mushrooms. I always use criminis, quartered, but you do you. Just get em down to about 1/2″ by 1-1.5″.
2. On high heat, put the water and mushrooms in a flat pan/skillet until the water is almost gone, about 4-8 minutes.
3. Turn the heat down a little and add some oil/butter and cook until browned, about 4-8 minutes depending on your fungus.
4. Turn the heat down a little more to medium, make a space in the middle for more butter and the garlic and pepper and thyme. Let that cook for maybe 30 sec.
5. Add the broth, let that cook down a bit, then splash in that cream.
6. Season with salt and pepper, and grate a bit of nutmeg into it.

Notes

This recipe is based on the Soy Ginger Mushrooms recipe on here, but one day when I wanted to stay Western instead of Asian and had cream handy. Once I had cream and mushrooms, thyme and nutmeg to emulate a stroganoff seemed like a good plan.

Fair warning, I was making this with maybe 1/4lb of criminis, so proportions may be off here. Experiment. Go with what tastes good to you.

Soy Ginger Mushrooms

Soy Ginger Mushrooms

Makes: somewhat less than you think
Takes: 10 min prep + 15 min cooking

Ingredients

• 1 ¼ pounds mushrooms
• ¼ cup water
• Some oil and butter (unsalted)
• 1 tsp grated fresh ginger
• Some pepper
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp mirin
• ½ cup chicken or veggie broth
• 1 tbsp sesame seeds (toasted)
• 1 tsp toasted sesame oil (optional)
• 2 scallions (optional, sliced for garnish)

Instructions

1. Wash and trim mushrooms. I always use criminis, quartered, but you do you. Just get em down to about 1/2″ by 1-1.5″.
2. Toast the sesame seeds in a dry skilled for a minute or so, then set aside so they don’t get burnt.
3. On high heat, put the water and mushrooms in a flat pan/skillet until the water is almost gone, about 4-8 minutes.
4. Turn the heat down a little and add some oil/butter and cook until browned, about 4-8 minutes depending on your fungus.
5. Turn the heat down a little more to medium, make a space in the middle for more butter and the ginger and pepper. Let that cook for maybe 30 sec.
6. Add the soy sauce and mirin and let that all cook down until the liquid is almost gone.
7. Add the broth, let that cook down until you’ve got a nice glaze going.
8. Add in the sesame seed and oil (if using) and season with salt and pepper.
9. Serve with scallion garnish if you like that kind of thing.

Notes

This recipe is based on one from Cooks Illustrated. You might also add a bit of garlic.

Garlicky Spinach

Garlicky Spinach

Makes: much less than you’d think
Takes: 5-10 min prep + 5-10 min cooking

Ingredients

• A big wad of fresh spinach (5oz will maybe be enough for 2 people as a side dish, so maybe go with the 11oz container)
• Some butter
• Diced bacon or pancetta (optional)
• 2 big heaping eating spoons of minced garlic
• Salt to taste
• Pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Wash your spinach. Even if it says pre-washed. I like to pinch the stemmy bits off. Drain, but let it stay damp.
2. If using fresh garlic, mince up a bunch. No, more than that.
3. Meanwhile, warm up the pan over medium heat.
4. If using bacon or pancetta, put that in and let it cook and render out some fat. Just leave it all in there.
5. Add enough spinach to fill the pan and stir gently until it all starts to wilt. It’s going to shrink in volume a lot.
6. Add the rest of the spinach in batches until it’s all in there.
7. Add some salt and pepper to taste.
8. There will probably be some liquid at the bottom (released from the spinach leaves). Let it keep cooking until that’s mostly gone.
9. Possibly add more butter.
10. Put it in your facehole.

Notes

Yes, this is hella by the seat of the pants. Just go with it. When in doubt, more garlic and maybe more butter.

If you want this to be vegetarian, skip the bacon/pancetta and use all the butter.

Arnabit

Arnabit

Makes: as much as you can fit in your fryer OR 1/2 head cauliflower
Takes: 10 min prep + 20 min per batch frying

Ingredients

• 1/2 head cauliflower, washed
• Enough oil to deep fry in
• Tahini

Instructions

1. Put the oil in the frying container and start to heat. 
2. Cut the cauliflower into stemmed florets and cut big ones in half lengthwise.  Think bite size ish. 
3. When the oil is ready, deep fry the cauliflower until golden brown and delicious.  Note: this may take longer than you expect. 
4. Drain. 
5. Drizzle with tahini.

Notes

For something so very very simple, it is really tasty. 

My choice of spelling is somewhat arbitrary – it gets transliterated differently by different folks. 

Roasted Broccoli

 Roasted Broccoli

Makes: as much as you can shove in your oven OR 1 head of broccoli 
Takes: 10 min prep + 20 min baking

Ingredients

• 1 head broccoli, washed
• 2 tbsp olive oil or walnut oil
• Salt to taste
• Pepper to taste
• Red pepper flake and/or powdered garlic and/or minced garlic and/or spices that appeal to you
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese (100% optional) 

Instructions

1. Put the rack in the middle and pre-heat to 350 deg F.
2. Cut the broccoli into stemmed florets and cut in half lengthwise.  Peel the stem and cut into spears. 
3. In a mixing bowl, toss the broccoli with the oil, salt, pepper, and other spices (and parmesan cheese if using).
4. Spread on baking sheet in a single layer, cut sides down. 
5. Bake for 20ish minutes.

Notes

The broccoli florets may appear burnt. Try them anyway, they are still good. If they really are burnt, sorry, roast less time or lower temperature. 

Yes, eat the stems.

This recipe is flexible on spices.  Do what tastes good to you. Personally, I like the intermittent hits of heat from the red pepper flake, but other folks prefer a more even sprinkling of chile powder.

Saag Paneer

Saag Paneer

Makes: less than you might think because spinach cooks down a lot, but probably a quart
Takes: 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 1/2 lb paneer cheese
• 1 lb chopped spinach
• 3 Tbsp ghee or oil (do NOT use butter)
• 1 fresh green chile (deseeded, finely chopped)
• 2 cloves garlic (crushed) OR 1 1/2 Tbsp jarred minced garlic
• 1/4″ piece fresh ginger (grated) OR 2 tsp frozen grated ginger (thawed)
• 1 tsp salt (to taste)
• 1 1/2 tsp ground coriander
• 2 cardamom pods (cracked)
• 1 small cinammon stick
• 1/2 cup light cream, half-n-half, or yogurt
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg (grated if you can, ground otherwise)

Instructions

1. Cook down the spinach in a covered pan with a bit of water – approximately 4-5 minutes. Be amazed by how small it gets. Put cooked spinach in a colander to drain.
   (Tip: save the drained liquid for drinking or making stock or whatever, it is full of good stuff)
   Alternately, defrost the frozen spinach. I use fresh because I hate stems; you do you.
2. Cut the cheese into 3/4″ cubes (basically, bite-sized).
3. Heat the ghee/oil in a frying pan and fry the cheese until it’s deliciously golden on the outside. You probably want the ghee/oil hotter than you think.  Keep them moving around and flipping them so they don’t stick.  It’s better to do them in multiple batches than sticking together.
4. Add the garlic, spices, and salt to fry briefly (lower the heat a bit).
5. Squeeze/press the spinach a bit to get more liquid out and then stir it into the pan with everything else.
6. Let simmer for a minute.
7. Add the dairy and simmer a couple minutes until all the flavors blend.
8. Take out the cinnamon stick and serve with rice.

Notes

This is a combination of a couple recipes I have in a little cheap cookbook of curries, 1 for lamb saag and 1 for saag paneer, that I’ve tinkered with until it does approximately what I want.  I cannot vouch for the authenticity of this recipe, and would be interested opinions on that.

DO NOT USE BUTTER TO FRY THE PANEER. You will get a lot of splatter and probably 2nd degree burns on your hand from the splatter.  Learn from me and just go buy ghee or use oil!

Paneer is an Indian farmer’s cheese.  I hear it’s pretty easy to make, but it is available at better regular grocery stores with an “ethnic” section.  It may be in with other cheeses.

The choice of chile pepper is yours, though I would recommend not going to the habanero end of the Scoville scale.  Jalapenos do pretty well and are readily available.