Grapefruit orange bitters

 Zest of 2 grapefruits

1/4 cup chopped dried grapefruit peel or orange peel

1/2 tsp gentian root

1 tsp coriander seeds

6 green cardamom pods, cracked

1 tsp dried hops

1 cup Spirytus 192-proof alcohol, or 2 cups 100-proof vodka

2 tbsp honey? Maybe simple syrup instead?

Combine everything except the honey. Store for 2 weeks, shaking daily. Strain out the solids, put the solids in a pot with water (3c minus the amount of alcohol used) and simmer 10 min. Store the water infusion for 1 week, shaking daily. Add everything together, add honey, store 3 more days.

(The books says add honey, but when I do, it doesn't really mix in. Maybe I should add it to the water infusion while it's hot, or maybe just use sugar/syrup.)

Source: Bitters by Brad Thomas Parsons

Tomato Sauce

olive oil

2 red or yellow onions, sliced thinly

salt

4 garlic cloves

4 lbs ripe tomatoes, or 2 28oz cans San Marzano or Roma tomatoes

16 basil leaves or 1 tbsp dried oregano

Heat olive oil. Add onions, cook on medium for about 15 minutes until translucent, don't let them burn. Crush or blend tomatoes. Add a little more oil and then garlic to the onion pan, then add tomatoes. Cook on low, stirring every so often to avoid burning, about 25-40 minutes until the tomatoes stop tasting raw/tinny. Then bring to a simmer, add 3/4 cup olive oil, remove from heat. Add pasta to sauce, mix. Thin with pasta water or olive oil as needed.

Source: Salt Fat Acid Heat by Samin Nosrat

Caesar salad

4 anchovies or 8 filets

3/4 cup basic mayonnaise (or 3/4 cup olive oil and 1 egg yolk; whisk olive oil into egg yolk very gradually)

1 garlic clove

3-4 tbsp lemon juice

1 tsp white wine vinegar

3oz chunk parmesan, grated (about 1 cup)

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

A bunch of lettuce, like romaine, little gem, kale, chicory, endive

Croutons: toast bread chunks with olive oil for like 20 min

 

Mash anchovies and garlic in mortar and pestle as well as possible. Stir together everything in the dressing. Combine lettuce, croutons, and dressing.

 

Source: Salt Fat Acid Heat by Samin Nosrat

Tuscan bean and kale soup

Olive oil

Optional: 2oz pancetta or bacon, diced

1 medium yellow onion, diced

2 celery stalks, diced

3 carrots, diced

2 bay leaves

2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

2 cups crushed canned or fresh tomatoes

3 cups cook beans, from about 1 cup raw (or canned)

1 oz grated parmesan

parmesan rind

3-4 cups stock or water

2 bunches kale, thinly sliced

1/2 small head green or savoy cabbage, core removed, thinly sliced

Heat oil and pancetta until starts to brown. Add onion, celery, carrots, bay leaves, salt, pepper. Cook 15 min. Add a little more olive oil in the center and garlic, then tomatoes, cook about 8 min. Add beans, parmesan and rind, and stock or water to cover. Add about 1/4 cup olive oil, simmer. Add cabbage and kale, simmer again. Cook about 20 min.

Source: Salt Fat Acid Heat by Samin Nosrat

Gado-gado 3

 4 garlic cloves

1 lemongrass stalk

2 tbsp sambal oelek

2 small pieces galangal or peeled ginger

4 medium shalots

1/3 cup oil

2 tsp salt

7 tbsp sugar

1/2 tbsp sweet paprika

2 tbsp thick tamarind water

1 1/2 cups roasted unsalted peanuts

1 1/2 cups water

1 cup coconut milk

1 tsp turmeric

2 potatoes, peeled and cut into wedges

1/2 cabbage, in chunks

1 cup bean sprouts

1 cup green beans, trimmed

1 small cucumber, thickly sliced

4 hard boiled eggs, quartered

4 oz firm tofu, in slices

cassava chips or fried croutons or wonton skins

3 tbsp cilantro

fried shallots

Puree garlic, lemongrass, sambal, galangal, and shallots, adding a little oil if needed. Cook paste on low heat for 40-50 min or until the oil starts separating, stirring regularly. Add salt, sugar, paprika, and tamarind water. Cook 10 min more.

Crush peanuts roughly in a food processor, simmer with a little water 20-25 min or until the water has mostly evaporated. Add to the spice paste, then add coconut milk, keep warm.

Put turmeric in water, cook potatoes in turmeric water until tender, drain. Blanch cabbage for 1 min, blanch bean sprouts 30 sec, blanch green beans 4 min.
Pile everything together and serve.

Source: Plenty by Yotam Ottolenghi

Cashew Coconut Green Beans

1/2 c grated coconut

2 tbsp oil

1/2 tsp black mustard seeds

4 large shallots, sliced

1 c unsalted cashews

1 1/2 lb green beans, trimmed

1 1/2 tsp tamarind paste

1 red chile

Fry coconut a couple minutes until toasted and golden, set aside. Heat mustard seeds, fry shallots about 8 minutes, then add cashews until golden, set aside. Boil green beans about 4 minutes until still pretty crisp, then drain. Add everything together.

Source: Fresh India by Meera Sodha

Tomato Uttapam

1 c rice flour

3/4 c all purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

2 tbsp plain Greek yogurt

1 c warm water

2 eggs

 

For topping:

2 red onions

2 green chiles

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/2 lb cherry tomatoes, sliced

Put flours, baking soda, salt, and yogurt in a bowl, make a well, add water and eggs, whisk to smooth and set aside.

To make the topping, heat oil, red onions for 12-15 min, then add chiles, salt, and pepper, then the sliced tomatoes.

Cook like pancakes, but put the tomato mixture on the uttapam before you flip it.

Source: Fresh India by Meera Sodha