Baqala Polow, Another Iranian Treat

Tender pieces of lamb falling off the bone; melting in your mouth. Dill infused fava bean saffron rice. Yes, its the recipe to another delectable Iranian dish. This was not like anything I had tried at an Iranian restaurant. It was a home cooked meal by my Persian friend, Leila, who definitely knows how to cook.

Leila brought over her beautiful cookbook "New Food of Life," and showed me a picture of the Baqala polow we were about to make. The photo itself was enough to make my mouth water and jump started our cooking endeavor. I quickly appointed myself sous-chef and we were on our way.

First we washed the lamb shanks and kept them aside. I chopped up two onions and Leila put them into a large pot along with some garlic and dill. She added the lamb shanks and seared them quickly on both sides. For seasoning, she added a generous sprinkling of salt, pepper, cinnamon, lime powder, and saffron. She then added water until the meat was almost all covered and brought it up to a gentle boil. After the water began to boil, she brought it down to medium heat, covered the pot, and let it cook for three hours turning the shanks every half hour.

While the lamb was cooking we washed the rice and made it like you would ordinary rice. While the rice was cooking, Leila emptied the frozen fava beans into the pan and sautéed them with some salt, pepper, cinnamon, and lime powder until they were cooked.

Once the rice was done she layered the rice with beans and dill. First she put a layer of rice at the bottom of the pot. On top she added a layer of beans with dill, garlic, cinnamon, and a little saffron, and repeated the layers, until she reached the top of the pot. Once the layers were done, she covered the pot with a dish towel (to prevent the steam from escaping) and put the lid on top. To ensure the rice was completely infused with the herbs and spices, she cooked it for 45 mins over low heat.

After three hours on the stove, the lamb shanks were perfect. The way to tell whether they are done, is to tear a little piece off with a fork and if it falls off the bone easily, its ready to eat. She arranged the saffron-flavored rice in the middle of the platter and arranged the meat around it.

The smell of the fresh lamb permeated the air and I took a bite of the delicious rice richly flavored with cinnamon, garlic, saffron, dill, and fava beans. I started to dig into the extremely tender, juicy, chunks of lamb which were literally melting in my mouth, when I looked over at Leila, and discovered her eating mushrooms with the rice. It turns out she's a vegetarian and I had no idea! She claims though, that this is one of the only dishes, that really tempts her to eat meat. I think that speaks for itself...

Recipe for Baqala Polow (by Carolyn Dille adapted from New Food of Life)

Ingredients

• 3 to 3 1/4 pounds lamb shanks, cut in thirds
• 2 onions, thinly sliced
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 6 cups loosely packed fresh dill, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1 teaspoon ground saffron threads, steeped in 1/4 cup boiling water
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime or lemon juice
• 3 cups basmati rice
• 4 quarts water
• 3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 1/2 pounds fresh or 1 pound frozen fava beans, shelled, or 1 pound frozen baby lima beans, thawed
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 2 tablespoons plain yogurt
• Reserved saffron water
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 4 tablespoons oil
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/2 cup water

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF.

2. In a 3-quart baking dish, combine the meat, onions, half the garlic, and 2 tablespoons of the chopped dill. Add 1/2 cup water, the salt and pepper, 2 tablespoons of the saffron water, and the lime or lemon juice. Cover and bake for 2 hours.

3. Rinse the rice in warm water until the water runs clear; drain.

4. Bring 4 quarts water to a boil in a 6-quart or larger pot. Add 3 tablespoons salt, the rice, and the fava beans or limas. Stir in the turmeric. Boil, uncovered, for 10 minutes, then drain the rice and beans, rinse with lukewarm water, and drain again.

5. Combine 3/4 cup of the rice mixture with the yogurt and a teaspoon of the reserved saffron water.

6. Heat the butter and oil and pour half of the mixture into a large nonstick pot. Spread the yogurt rice over it to form the traditional rice crust. Place the pot over medium heat.

7. Mix the remaining garlic and dill with the cinnamon in a bowl. Layer the rice and beans on the yogurt rice alternately with the dill mixture in a loose pyramid, ending with rice. Combine the remaining butter mixture with the reserved saffron water, 1/2 cup warm water, and 1 teaspoon salt, and drizzle over the rice pyramid.

8. Cover the pot tightly with a lid wrapped in a tea towel and steam for 30 minutes over medium-low heat. The rice may be held over very low heat for 15 minutes while the meat finishes cooking.

9. To serve, reserve a few tablespoons of the top saffron-scented rice. Mound the rice in a loose pyramid on a large serving platter. Break up the crust and scatter it over the rice. Surround the rice with the meat and its juices. Sprinkle the reserved saffron rice over the platter.

Summer Mint Basil Smoothie

Summer has hit in full force!!!! Yes, I meant to put those four exclamation marks. It might seem a bit odd that I would be so excited about the weather, in a city that boasts great weather year round, which it does for the most part, with the tiny exception of the month of June. One day in early June, the sun suddenly got lazy and decided to take an extended vacation, and to my dismay, disappeared for the entire month. I began complaining to people about the clouds that just wouldn’t go away. They nodded sympathetically and gently informed me about a phenomenon called ‘June gloom.’ Funny, how guide books conveniently omit such phenomenons resulting in European speedo-clad men shivering their way off our gloomy windy beaches.

Then it happened, a few days ago I awoke to sunshine pouring through the blinds at 8am. Summer has arrived and its here to stay. Its not the suedo-summer experience. It’s the real thing. It’s the sweltering let-me-melt-you-now, leave-your-windows-open-all-day, ice-cream-dripping, hot, beautiful, wonderful summer, and I’m thrilled!

Today I decided to celebrate the gorgeous weather, so when I woke up I went down to the ocean and soaked in the rays while doing yoga poses. The second item on my summer list was a beautiful much needed pedicure. In the afternoon, feeling a little hot and lethargic, I passed on having a soda and decided to come up with a summery but healthy concoction. I created a deliciously simple (or simply delicious) mint basil smoothie. I’m a big strawberry smoothie fan but I wanted to try something a little different. This is easy to make, extremely refreshing, and very healthy. Just mix in some mint and basil with plain yogurt and a little milk, add some sugar syrup, squeeze in a little lemon juice, and mix it up in the blender with some ice. The minty frothy tangy drink is perfect for any hot day. I’m sipping it now while writing this and raising my glass to you. Lets toast to the beginning of summer. Cheers :)

Recipe for Mint Basil Smoothie

(Makes 1)

Ingredients

1 cup non-fat or full-fat yogurt

1/2 cup of milk

1/2 cup sugar syrup

1/2 of a large lemon

1/4 cup basil (handful - add more if not strong enough)

1/4 cup mint (handful)

4 or 5 ice cubes

Directions

First make sugar syrup by adding 1/4 cup sugar to 1 cup of water and bringing it to a low boil for 5-7 mins until the sugar has completely dissolved.

Put the yogurt, basil, mint, milk, and lemon juice in a blender and then pulse. Add the ice. Finally add the sugar syrup a little at a time until you have the sweetness you desire

Serve with a sprig of mint and enjoy.

Zereshk Polow

One of the most flavorful cuisines that I've ever encountered is that from Iran. When eating out, the typical Iranian dish served is Kebab, which though delicious, makes up only a sliver of what Iran has to offer. I have borrowed a beautiful cookbook from a Persian friend which contains over 400 pages of non-kebab recipes ranging from delicious yogurt and eggplant dips, to dozens of kukus (I stuck that one in for its name), to polows containing a wide variety of meats and vegetables.

What initially struck me, when I was going through the cookbook, were some of the similarities between the farsi names and urdu. I'm from Pakistan so the Zereshk polow, instantly made me think of the pulaw I would have at home. For those who aren't familiar with pulaw, it is similar to biryani in that it contains chicken or lamb with rice which are layered and then mixed together making for a very flavorful dish. Zereshk polow is the Iranian version of pulaw containing chicken mixed with colorful barberry dotted rice.

My sister, Sana, was visiting us for a few weeks over the summer, and she suggested making this dish. Zereshk is the farsi word for barberry; a deep crimson raisin-resembling fruit. I was suspicious, to say the least, because I prefer not to mix sweet and savory. Sana ensured me that I would love it and I left her to make the meal. The result was a beautiful herb infused chicken, atop a bed of saffron tinged rice, dotted by crimson barberries. It turns out I do like barberries. They're sour rather than sweet and go well with this dish. It was delicious and I plan to recreate it sometime very soon.

Compliments to the chef!

Here is the recipe. If you have a little time on your hand you should definitely try it out.

INGREDIENTS (from New Food of Life)

• 3 cups long-grain basmati rice
• 1 frying chicken, about 3 lb, or 2 Cornish game hens
• 2 peeled onions, 1 whole and 1 thinly sliced
• 2 cloves of garlic, peeled
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon ground saffron dissolved in 4 tablespoons hot water
• 2 cups dried barberries (zereshk), cleane, washed and drained
• 2/3 cup clarified butter (ghee), or oil
• 4 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons plain yogurt
• 1 teaspoon Persian spice mix (advieh) or 1 tablespoon ground cumin seeds
• 2 tablespoons slivered almonds
• 2 tablespoons slivered pistachios

1. Clean and wash 3 cups of rice 5 times in warm water.
2. Place the whole chicken in a baking dish. Stuff the bird with one of the whole onions, the garlic, and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and 1 teaspoon saffron water. Cover and bake in a 350°F oven for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
3. Clean the barberries by removing their stems and placing the berries in a colander. Place colander in a large container full of cold water and allow barberries to soak for 20 minutes. The sand will settle to the bottom. Take the colander out of the container and run cold water over the barberries; drain and set aside.
4. Sauté 1 sliced onion in 2 tablespoons butter, add barberries and cumin, and sauté for just 1 minute over low heat because barberries burn very easily. Add 4 tablespoons sugar, mix well, and set aside.
5. Bring 8 cups water and 2 tablespoons salt to a boil in a large, non-stick pot. Pour the washed and drained rice into the pot. Boil briskly for 6 to 10 minutes, gently stirring twice to loosen any grains that may have stuck to the bottom. Bite a few grains; if the rice feels soft, it is ready to be drained. Drain rice in a large, fine-mesh colander and rinse in 2 or 3 cups lukewarm water.
6. In the same pot heat 4 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons water.
7. In a bowl, mix 2 spatulas of rice, the yogurt, and a few drops of saffron water and spread the mixture over the bottom of the pot to form a tender crust (tah dig).
8. Place 2 spatulas full of rice in the pot, then sprinkle the cumin over the rice. Repeat these steps, arranging the rice in the shape of a pyramid. This shape allows room for the rice to expand and enlarge. Cover and cook for 10 minutes over medium heat.
9. Mix the remaining melted butter and saffron water with 1/4 cup of water and pour over the pyramid. Place a clean dish towel or paper towel over the pot; cover firmly with the lid to prevent steam from escaping. Cook for 50 minutes longer over low heat.
10. Remove the pot from heat and allow to cool, covered, for 5 minutes on a damp surface to free crust from the bottom of the pot.
11. Remove lid and take out 2 tablespoons of saffron-flavored rice and set aside for use as garnish.
12. Then, gently taking 1 spatula full of rice at a time, place rice on a serving platter in alternating layers with the barberry mixture. Mound the rice in the shape of a cone. Arrange the chicken around the platter. Finally, decorate the top of the mound with the saffron-flavored rice, some of the barberry mixture, and almonds and pistachios.

Morning craving

I woke up this morning craving something sweet.

I know eating pastries at ten in the morning is not the proper thing to do and might be considered gross by some but then again aren't chocolate croissants, hot buns, danish pastries, all really glorified morning desserts?

So began my search for a quick sweet breakfast dessert in La Jolla. I've been searching for one in the area since I got here, and though it has an abundance of fantastic restaurants, the desserts have been rather disappointing. I made the mistake of walking into a nearby cupcake shop after dinner one night, the atmosphere was cheesy with an aspiring DJ churning out country music-ish sounding songs. The cupcakes lacked flavor and I left most of the frosting. I NEVER leave the frosting.

I was pleasantly surprised when I came across the Michele Coulon Dessertier. It is a small quaint shop tucked away in a corner of La Jolla. Michele Coulon's father was Belgian and she spent her high school years in Paris learning the skills of pastry making from her mother.

I walked into the store and my eyes rested on a platter full of mini pastries. They were exactly what I was looking for. Enough variety to satisfy my sweet craving and small enough to ensure that I wouldn't have to put in extra time at the gym. I chose a berry tart, a German chocolate layered cake, and a pecan pie tart.

The berry tart had a light flaky crust filled with a white chocolate custard, topped with a lemony layer, and covered with a blackcurrant, blueberry, and raspberry. The sweetness of the chocolate custard was cut perfectly by the tanginess of the lemon layering and the juicy berries on top provided the perfect finish.

The German chocolate cake had layers of belgian chocolate, toasted coconut, and pecans. The flavors blended well together and the pecan provided a nice crunchiness to the pastry. It had a mille-feuille structure to it and was my favorite of the three.

The pecan tart was also delicious. I have a special place in my heart for pecan pie. I have been known to devour entire pies by myself. This pecan and caramel concoction was cruchiness all the way through from the caramel coated pecans to the surrounding deliciously crunchy exterior.

If you are in the area I would recommend stopping by this wonderful little store and trying out their mini pastries with a hot cup of cappuccino or cafe latte. It made my morning....

I'd like s'more please...

This weekend I attempted something outrageous, something daring, something I never thought I would do.

Have you conjured up images of skydiving feats or me devouring Anthony Bourdain style animal delicacies? Well, it wasn't quite as dramatic as that, but I did something that should warrant the same level of awe in my books. I went camping...

I never understood the excitement surrounding this primitive notion of "fun." Why willingly subject yourself to a place where there are no toilets (or public ones which are worse than the alternative), creepy crawlies, and no beds, when you could be exploring nature in all its glory from the comfortable bounds of a bed and breakfast?

My husband and some of his friends wanted to go so I put my apprehension aside and decided to give it a shot. The trip began splendidly when he got a text from someone already at the camp site saying they had just encountered a 'man-eating' rattlesnake. I demanded we turn back but he convinced me that it was just a joke and we continued on our way. Upon arrival, I was greeted with an iphone image of the supposedly imaginary rattlesnake.

It was evening soon and a burning bonfire was built. We all gathered around as it became chillier and began grilling burgers, baked potatotes, and veggie skewers. I felt surprisingly ravenous outdoors and before I knew it I was making my way through much of the food, talking and laughing, toasting my hands on the fire, and gasp, I have to admit, really enjoying myself.

We polished off our meal with a traditional camping dessert that I loveddddd! S'mores! We put the marshmallows on the ends of some skewers, roasted them until they were deliciously soft and gooey, sandwiched them between two graham crackers coated with chocolate chips, and then bit into one of the best "sandwiches" I've ever eaten. It was a messy marshmallowy chocolatey crunchy piece of gooey heaven.

Something this good should not be restricted to outdoor barbecues and camping trips. Keep a box of graham crackers, marshmallows, and some chocolate chips at home and whip it up as a delicious snack when you're having a movie night.

S'mores

Marshmallows

Chocolate Chips

Graham Crackers

If outdoors roast the marshmallow over a flame until it becomes charred on the outside. If indoors, put the marshmallow and chocolate chips on a cracker and microwave until the chocolate chips have melted and the marshmallows are gooey. Remove and top with the other cracker.

Chocolate Covered Strawberries

I know. Thats the way to eat fruit...

I was inspired to make these because of a trip we made to a farm over the weekend. Each week we pick up our vegetable box at the farmer's market which comes from J.R. Organics farm in Escondido. Each year, the owner, Joe Rodriguez, thanks his customers by inviting them for a tour of his farm and a home cooked meal. We decided to take advantage of it and find out what it entails to grow vegetables organically.

Farming is tough as I soon discovered. The Rodriguez family are fourth generation farmers who bought eighty five acres of land in the 1950s. Joe Rodriguez took us on a tour of his farm and patiently explained the necessity of crop rotation in preventing the rapid depletion of minerals in the soil. He discussed the advantages of using beneficial insects such as ladybugs and mites over the pesticides used by most farmers. We walked past a field of compost brought from nearby animal farms to fertilize the soil and were told that any excess was given to poor farmers to prevent wastage. We were also taken to the greenhouse where plants such as lettuce and chard were being nurtured until they were large enough to be planted in the fields. It was definitely an educational experience and interesting to see where our vegetables came from and the reason they tasted so much better than those found in large supermarkets.

Our tour ended at the strawberry field where we picked strawberries and ate them to our hearts content. California strawberries, in general, are delicious but these ones were just out of this world. We picked them straight off the stems and ate them in all their juicy sweetness.

The next day we picked up our vegetable box from the farmer's market and there, sitting right on top, was a box full of those mouth watering strawberries. I was tempted to eat them then and there but I resisted and decided to dress them up a little bit. The only thing better than juicy sweetness is chocolate-coated juicy sweetness. Can you think of anything better?

Here's a simple and delicious recipe for chocolate covered strawberries.

Recipe

16 strawberries

1/2 pack of chocolate chips (8 0z)

1/3 cup heavy cream

Parchment paper

Directions

To melt the chocolate chips put them in a glass bowl and place the bowl on top of simmering water on the stove. The water should not touch the bowl. When the chocolate begins to melt slowly add the cream and stir until the mixture has a smooth consistency. Remove the chocolate mixture from the heat. Dip the strawberries, one at a time, into the mixture and then place them on some parchment paper. When they are all coated place them in the fridge until the chocolate has hardened.

Shrimps by the Sea

I can proudly say that I've successfully hosted my first lunch party. The food was edible. The guests were happy. The day was perfect.

The day before was an entirely different story.

The lunch was to celebrate my husband's birthday and a good opportunity to put my cooking skills to the test (or so I thought). We've had people over before but only two or three at a time and usually its some sort of potluck arrangement. This was the first time I was cooking for eight people and I slightly overestimated the quantity which could have fed a small hungry army. I set to work on my rather ambitious menu comprising of shrimp orzo pasta, chicken satay skewers with peanut sauce, eggplant and tomato dip, chicken avocado and roasted red pepper bruschetta, and a vegetable couscous salad followed by the birthday cake.

I started off at 10 am the day before, happily chopping up vegetables, boiling, blending, baking, roasting, and singing along to the radio. Five hours later the singing had turned into an angry growl, I felt like throwing all of the food out the window, and getting takeout from the nearest Chinese restaurant was seeming like a fabulous idea.

I'm glad I stuck it out. The next day we laid out a beautiful spread by the ocean. The weather was perfect, a little overcast so we weren't sweltering in the summer sun, and the food was much appreciated by everyone there. It was well worth all the effort. My husband's favorite dish from that day was the shrimp orzo pasta which is light, delicious, full of fresh herbs, crunchy onions, chunks of feta cheese, and of course shrimp. Its perfect for the summer months.

Roasted Shrimp and Orzo (from Barefoot Contessa Food Network)

Ingredients

• Kosher salt
• Good olive oil
• 3/4 pound orzo pasta (rice-shaped pasta)
• 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (3 lemons)
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 pounds (16 to 18 count) shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 cup minced scallions, white and green parts
• 1 cup chopped fresh dill
• 1 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 hothouse cucumber, unpeeled, seeded, and medium-diced
• 1/2 cup small-diced red onion
• 3/4 pound good feta cheese, large diced

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Fill a large pot with water, add 1 tablespoon of salt and a splash of oil, and bring the water to a boil. Add the orzo and simmer for 9 to 11 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it's cooked al dente. Drain and pour into a large bowl. Whisk together the lemon juice, 1/2 cup olive oil, 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Pour over the hot pasta and stir well.

Meanwhile, place the shrimp on a sheet pan, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to combine and spread out in a single layer. Roast for 5 to 6 minutes, until the shrimp are cooked through. Don't overcook!

Add the shrimp to the orzo and then add the scallions, dill, parsley, cucumber, onion, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Toss well. Add the feta and stir carefully. Set aside at room temperature for 1 hour to allow the flavors to blend, or refrigerate overnight. If refrigerated, taste again for seasonings and bring back to room temperature before serving.