Madhu Knits and Cooks

"Tandoori" Paneer - Needs Some Work, But a Start

A few years ago, I made a fantastic "tandoori" tofu that recently came back into my mind when I wanted to eat an Indian-spiced protein.  I decided to adapt this recipe to suit some leftover paneer cubes in my fridge, and put together the below recipe base on not only that 2011 tandoori tofu, but also a few non-tandoor techniques found online.

Unfortunately, while I did get my Indian-spiced protein dish from this new recipe, I didn't quite get what I wanted.  The spice ratios I used were definitely off, as was the overall amount used of dried spices.  In addition, I used an All-Clad skillet which didn't work because the paneer kept sticking to the pan and I wasn't able to get a nice sear to the outside of the pieces.   The lemon juice did add a nice flavor though, as it did to the tofu version. 

While I go back to the drawing board on this dish, I'll share this failed attempt for my memory for the future and if this can be of help to anyone else out there with a similar hankering.

(Finished Paneer in Pan)

Tandoori Paneer - a Starting Place

Approx. 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 1/2 block of paneer, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• 1 tbsp. olive oil

Marinade - 

• 2 tbsp nonfat plain yogurt
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 2 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp coriander
• 1/2 tsp cayenne
• 1/4 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 1/2 tsp ginger minced
• 1/5 tsp lemon juice (approx.)

Directions:

• Combine marinade ingredients, and toss in the paneer, coating each piece well.  Let sit for 30 minutes.

• Heat olive oil in medium saucepan on medium-high heat, and when hot, add paneer.

• Cook paneer on each side until the paneer is hot and you reach your desired consistency of marinade-to-paneer.

Sweet Potato and Leek Gratin - Solid Winter Side Dish, But Not a Main Course

For my December holiday party, I intended to have a vegetable side dish to complement the baked pasta I served.  Unfortunately, while prepping food for the party, time became my enemy and I decided to shelf my intended vegetable side - a baked sweet potato and leek gratin - to another day.

 

(fully baked gratin)

When I made the dish a week later, I definitely wished I had prepared it for the party.  While the gratin would have been a great side dish for a large party, it did not equally suit to a dinner main course.  While the sweet potatoes and leeks made for a nice sweet and salty contrast, the flavors did not feel complex enough for a main course that one would go back to again and again.

(partially baked gratin without breadcrumbs)

I did make a number of modifications to the Vegetarian Times recipe while putting it together.  First, I substituted 2 jumbo sweet potatoes for the 2 lbs, which probably made for more sweet potatoes than intended.  Second, I used water instead of vegetable broth which did not seem to reduce its flavor.  Third, I substituted Parmesan for the Romano cheese.  Fourth, I used homemade breadcrumbs from white bread instead of the dried Italian breadcrumbs.

(with breadcrumbs, unbaked)

I think a future modification would be to add some other herbs to the dish (e.g., thyme, sage) to add more complexity than just the rosemary.  But otherwise, I think this will be a repeat recipe, but for a large winter gathering instead of a week night meal.

(interior cut of gratin, to see potato/leek layers) 

Treat Yourself! Salted Rosemary Garlic Butter

Leftover rosemary and dinner rolls - what to do?  Impromptu salted rosemary garlic butter!

I cannot emphasize how simple and easy it was to make this butter, which made a huge difference to both our leftover takeout dinner rolls and my mood the day I put it together.   It was really flavorful and light with the salt and fresh diced herbs, and felt amazingly indulgent while eating.  Definitely a great way to make a weeknight dinner or brunch feel special!

Salted Rosemary Garlic Butter

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp. butter, room temperature
• 1 small clove garlic, minced
• Approx. 1/2 tsp. fresh rosemary, diced
• a few pinches of sea salt (to taste)

Directions:

• Mix ingredients together.  Either form into your preferred mold or shape, wrap in wax paper, and place in fridge to firm up; or just place in a small container and refrigerate.

 

Four Cheese Pasta Two Ways - Hearty (or maybe just Unhealthy) Winter Dish

For a recent holiday gathering, I wanted to make a baked pasta dish to serve as a simple anchor to the otherwise appetizer and dessert-heavy offerings.  Unlike past holiday parties, I wanted to try something different from macaroni and cheese, and found Cook's Illustrated Creamy Baked Four Cheese Pasta recipe.

And given that I had almost equal parts leftover cheese and cream, the following week I decided to make the Baked Four-Cheese Pasta with Tomatoes and Basil varient of the original recipe.

Both recipes were very pretty easy to construct, particularly for CI recipes, but definitely used a number of large dishes (pot for pasta, saucepan for bechamel, bowl for melting cheese, baking dish) which made clean up somewhat onerous.  That being said, the result was pretty tasty though each bite definitely felt heavy and rich, even with the second version which had more lightness from the tomatoes (I omitted the fresh basil for a bit of dried basil).  I am not sure if this will be a repeat dish in the future, but I do think it's a good hearty winter main course or side.

(with Tomatoes)

Fall Apple Gorgonzola Salad - Great Brunch Accompaniment or Simple Lunch

For a recent post-Thanksgiving brunch, we had to figure out what kind of side salad to bring.  Should we do a fall roasted vegetable salad, a simple green salad, or something else that would be light and yet tasty?  

While driving to the grocery store, I was struck by inspiration that I should make a salad with crisp red apples to fit the tremendous apple growing season in NY this time of year.  A salad with apples quickly led me to think about adding in some blue cheese, a bit of shallots or red onion, and maybe some sort of hard crunch (I am allergic to walnuts and pecans, so maybe something else?).  Below is the final salad I assembled, which I later prepared a few more times later in the week for fantastic work lunches.  

The great thing about this salad (actually with all salads) is that you can customize the ingredient ratios to meet your needs, and it can still be a great seasonal salad that works as a main lunch dish or a side for a large brunch.  And the preparation time is all of five minutes, so even better for a large event or a weekday lunch.

Apple Gorgonzola Salad

Salad Ingredients:

 

• 4 cups spring lettuce mix
• 1 apple, cored and chopped into 1/2 inch chunks
• 2 tbsp. crumbled gorgonzola
• 2 tbsp. chopped red onion

Vinagrette Ingredients:

• 1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
• 2 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 - 3/4 tsp. Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp. finely chopped red onion
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• salt (to taste)
• pepper (to taste)

Directions:

• Toss the salad ingredients together in a large serving bowl.  If you would like, you can also just layer the ingredients for presentation, with the lettuce on the bottom of the bowl and then apple, gorgonzola, and red onion on top.
• Blend the vinagrette in a small bowl with a fork or whisk, and toss with salad immediately before serving.