Sautéing

Bombay Vegetable Omelette

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Although most egg dishes which I have encountered in India and Pakistan use hard-boiled eggs, this dish, which I make often when I have some leftover curry sauce in the fridge, seems to capture (for me) the spirit of Indian and Pakistani breakfast dishes I had in hotels and private homes while living (Pakistan) and traveling (India) in both countries 🙂
Serve with naan and / or rice
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Bon Appetit ! कृपया भोजन का आनंद लीजिये ! (kripyā bhojan kā ānnaṅd lijīyai)
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Link to “EASY DOES IT # 11 – CURRY”

Link to Naan Recipe
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Link to Chelo / Polo
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Link to Rice
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Bombay Vegetable Omelette

Bombay Vegetables

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Preparation :
To read instructions, hover over pictures
To enlarge pictures and read instructions, click on pictures
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: saute botton mushrooms in clarified butter until starting to brown

: add diced onions, saute until opaque

: add diced peppers, blanched broccoli and blanched cauliflower

: add curry sauce (see link to”easy does it – curry)

: add spinach leaves and a dollop of greek yogurt

: add plenty of chopped cilantro, check / adjust seasoning

: plate veggie-curry

: whisk whole eggs with kosher salt and cayenne pepper

: transform eggs into omelette 🙂

: place egg atop of veggie-curry, add a small dollop of greek yogurt and more chopped cilantro

: Bombay Vegetable Omelette

: Bombay Vegetable Omelette

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Bologna & Cheddar Sandwich – Boss Level

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If you’ll have a sandwich, you might as well make a good one ! This one certainly qualifies 🙂
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Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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Bologna & Cheddar Sandwich – Boss Level

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P.S.
You might want to stop after step 3 – “gratinate until golden” and just enjoy one of the best garlic breads you’ll ever find 🙂
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Preparation :
To read instructions, hover over pictures
To enlarge pictures and read instructions, click on pictures
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: mix finely grated parmesan, garlic paste and garlic oil

: spread generously on two slices of sour dough bread

: gratinate until golden

: top both slices of bread with sharp cheddar, then top one slice with sliced cucumbers , season with kosher salt and chili flakes

: top with sliced mortadella

: top with sliced tomato, add horseradish to other slice of bread

: put both breads together, brush both slices with garlic oil

: saute or griddle bread on both sides until golden

: cover sandwich , keep cooking SLOWLY until cheese starts to melt. Meanwhile, make a salad with tomato, cucumber and vinaigrette, serve with sandwich

: Bologna & Cheddar Sandwich – Boss Level

: Bologna & Cheddar Sandwich – Boss Level

: Bologna & Cheddar Sandwich – Boss Level

: Bologna & Cheddar Sandwich – Boss Level

: Bologna & Cheddar Sandwich – Boss Level

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Chili/Duck Rice Sticks

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The other day I roasted a whole duck to have for dinner but when it was almost done a friend called me to invite me for dinner, so I put the whole shamuckus in the fridge for the next day to be used. The following dish was the result and I must say – what an extraordinary satisfying result it was, both visual and taste-wise, which just goes to show (again) that sometimes leftovers are better than the original. (Mind you – not alway’s – but often enough)
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Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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Chili/Duck Rice Sticks

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Preparation :
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: soak rice sticks in water for five minutes, drain

: remove all bones from duck,, discard bones

: saute slivered garlic in peanut oil until crisp and golden, set aside

: saute sliced onions in peanut oil until caramelized but not crisp, set aside

: pure goodness………

: saute duck in very hot peanut oil until skin is crisp but meat still juicy

: add chilies and grated ginger, saute a few seconds until chilies blister

: add rice sticks, equal parts of hoi sin sauce, chicken stock, oyster sauce, soy sauce, sweet thai chili sayce and ketchup )don’t scoff on the ketchup, it adds acidity and sweetness as well as richness to the dish

: mix all ingredients well, add a dash of sesame oil, check / adjust seasoning

: add bean sprouts and scallions

: almost there………..

: plate noodles on a deep plate or bowl

: sprinkle with more scallions

: add onions

: sprinkle with crispy garlic

: Chili/Duck Rice Sticks

: Chili/Duck Rice Sticks

: Chili/Duck Rice Sticks

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Steamed Bok Choy In Oyster Sauce & Grilled Chicken Breast In Sweet Chili Sauce

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Link to : “Hans’ Lighter, Healthier Comfort Food ”
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Baby bok choy – must be one of the best vegetables anywhere. I just love the looks, the taste and especially the texture. Of course, as far as the taste is concerned, there is not much of it’s own, so I usually add oyster sauce or fermented black bean sauce among other strong ingredients to bring out the best of these beauties 🙂
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Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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P.S.
In case you wonder why I did not toast the sesame seeds –
I sometimes prefer the taste of un-toasted sesame, it is milder as if you toast them, – just a personal preference 🙂
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drizzle vegetables with oyster sauce mixture

top with chicken, sprinkle with sesame seeds and cilantro

Steamed Bok Choy In Oyster Sauce & Grilled Chicken Breast In Sweet Chili Sauce

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Preparation :
To read instructions, hover over pictures
To enlarge pictures and read instructions, click on pictures
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: make a sauce by simmeringoyster sauce, hoi sin sauce and soy sauce with garlic paste, grated ginger and cayenne pepper until reduced by half

: season bok choy with kosher salt and cayenne pepper

: saute in peanut oil until leaves start to wilt, add oyster sauce mixture, cover, steam for ca 3 minutes or until bokchoy is heated through

: remove bok choy, from sauce, set aside, add beansprouts and radish julienne, steam until heated through, remove veggies from sauce, set aside

: meanwhile, season chicken breast with salt and pepper, grill, brush generously with sweet chili sauce

: serving platter….

: arrange vegetables on platter

: drizzle vegetables with oyster sauce mixture

: top with chicken, sprinkle with sesame seeds and cilantro

: Steamed Bok Choy In Oyster Sauce & Grilled Chicken Breast In Sweet Chili Sauce

: Steamed Bok Choy In Oyster Sauce & Grilled Chicken Breast In Sweet Chili Sauce

: Steamed Bok Choy In Oyster Sauce & Grilled Chicken Breast In Sweet Chili Sauce

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Corned Beef And Cabbage – Happy St Patrick’s Day

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After a week of corned beef almost daily, (I bought too much meat, as usual), I am happy that today St Paddy’s day is finally here, the mountain of corned beef is devoured and we can move on to other goodies. 🙂
However, today’s dish, Corned Beef and Cabbage, has been served in so many different versions that most of it has become just a shadow of its former glory. I hope that I can help resurrect people’s interest in this lovely dish. My version is a simple one, yet pretty to look at and most important, VERY tasty and sumptuous.
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Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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Click Here For Corned Beef Recipe
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Corned Beef And Cabbage

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Preparation :
To read instructions, hover over pictures
To enlarge pictures and read instructions, click on pictures
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: rainbow potatoes, onions, herb/garlic butter

: saute vegetables in herb/garlic butter

: add beef stock, simmer until potatoes are almost done

: add cabbage

: add corned beef, ladle butter/stock from the bottom of the pan over the meat and cabbage, cover, simmer until cabbage is done, about 15 to 25 minutes, depending on your preference of texture

: plate cabbage and potatoes

: top with beef, ladle stock / butter over the top, sprinkle with scallions

: Corned Beef And Cabbage

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Braised Turkey Leg With Bell Peppers And Great Northern Beans

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Week Three – Monday Dinner – “Hans’ Lighter, Healthier Comfort Food” meal plan
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While most folks think Turkey is only appropriate as a thanksgiving meal, I enjoy turkey all year-long. Braised turkey legs, turkey giblet adobo, grilled turkey hearts and turkey neck soup are some of my favorite dishes, while the whole turkey serves mostly as a showpiece for family celebration on thanksgiving.
Turkey legs are a lean cut, so they fit perfectly into my meal plan at “Hans’ Lighter, Healthier Comfort Food” meal plan.
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Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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Braised Turkey With Bell Peppers And Great Northern Beans

Aaahhhhhh

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Preparation :
To read instructions, hover over pictures
To enlarge pictures and read instructions, click on pictures
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: season turkey leg with kosher salt, cayenne pepper and granulated garlic, saute in olive oil on both sides until golden

: add diced onions, sliced chilies and peppers

: saute veggies until fragrant

: add fresh chopped thyme ,oregano, garlic paste and diced tomatoes, saute another minute, cover vegetables with chicken stock

: simmer covered until turkey legs are done, about 20 minutes

: almost there…….

: remove legs, set aside

: add canned, drained northern beans, simmer another 2 minutes, check / adjust seasoning, return turkey to heat through

: plate vegetables in deep plate

: top with turkey leg, sprinkle with chopped italian parsley

: Braised Turkey With Bell Peppers And Great Northern Beans

: Braised Turkey With Peppers And Great Northern Beans

: Aaahhhhhh

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EASY DOES IT # 22 – Quiche Lorraine

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This dish will make you the hero at the next pot luck party, office party or any other gathering where the usual (tired) contribution is chicken salad, spinach dip or potato salad (nothing wrong with those – but………..)
A properly prepared Quiche is elegant, beautiful and delicious, done with a minimum of effort, cooking skills, time and $.
It will be a guaranteed success for any occasion, because it’s easy to make, has no boundaries for your creativity and can be served cold (room temperature), warm or hot. So at a fancy or basic cocktail party, in the office, at the beach or when you bring a snack to my house – go ahead, make my day 🙂
As for creativity, step up a basic Quiche lorraine (bacon, Swiss cheese and onions) by adding / replacing the standard ingredients with the following goodies:
Roasted, small diced vegetables or potatoes, seafood (no cheese in this one please), pickled onions and feta cheese, spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, sautéed ham, small diced corned beef, lots of fresh herbs, etc, etc.
The constant in any Quiche should be a great pie crust and a mixture of 3/4 whisked whole eggs / 1/4 half & half, seasoned with salt, pepper and a small amount of nutmeg, everything else is up to your fancy and willingness to experiment 🙂
As for myself, I love a warm Quiche with lots of bacon, onions and cheese when sitting in front of the TV and watching a great movie, always pairing the Quiche with a salad of simple greens and usually washing it all down with a torrent of iced peach tea.

Blind-bake the pie crust until golden.
Add dry ingredients, add egg mixture, bake until a toothpick inserted in the filling comes out clean. DONE !
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Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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Click here for more “Easy Does It”
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Quiche Lorraine

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Preparation :
To read instructions, hover over pictures
To enlarge pictures and read instructions, click on pictures
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: soak finely sliced red onions and romaine hearts in ice water for 20 minutes, drain, pat dry, dress with lime vinaigrette

: Quiche Lorraine

: Quiche Lorraine

: Quiche Lorraine

: Quiche Lorraine

: Quiche Lorraine

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Salad Florentine

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Link to Hans’ Lighter, Healthier Comfort Food
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Chicken livers – these once universally beloved little morsels have fallen out of favor with most diners in recent years. I assume that lack of availability , rising cost and most importantly (and sadly), the inability of most un-trained or little-trained cooks in many kitchens to turn these unassuming little buggers into a tasty, yummy looking dish has greatly contributed to their demise in the restaurant scene. Not so in my kitchen 🙂
I love a chicken liver mousse, chicken liver dumplings, fried chicken livers on toast or as a tasty addition to an otherwise plain and simple salad, as presented below.
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Bon Appetit ! Live is Good !
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P.S.
For those of you who can not warm up to chicken livers, use duck livers – just kidding ! – as usual, replace the chicken livers with a protein of your choice, such as shrimp, sausages, calamari, salmon, chicken breast or tights, etc.
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Salad Florentine

serve with vegetable chips and dried fruits

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Preparation :
To read instructions, hover over pictures
To enlarge pictures and read instructions, click on pictures
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: clean chicken livers, season with kosher salt, granulated garlic, sweet paprika and cayenne pepper

: saute in VERY HOT peanut oil until nicely browned on the outside but still medium and creamy on the inside

: remove to an absorbent paper

: add to raw spinach, romaine hearts, onion rings, cashew nuts, dried diced fruits and mild chili slices, dress with a honey / mustard dressing

: serve with roasted vegetable chips and dried fruits

: Salad Florentine

: Salad Florentine

: Salad Florentine

: Salad Florentine

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Karachi Butter Chicken

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Link to Hans’ Lighter, Healthier Comfort Food

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This dish of course got got its world wide fame from the omnipresent version sold in Indian restaurants all over the planet, and since India existed long before Pakistan, it is safe to say that Butter Chicken was born in India, not Pakistan.
However, the version I am featuring here is the version which my sous chef Said taught me while I was working and living in Karachi, Pakistan.
If you wonder – Pakistan was one of the most beautiful, interesting and fascinating places Maria and I have lived. We only met very nice, gracious, openhearted, kind people who wanted to have nothing to do with the stuff that has turned the world off to this wonderful place.
Sadly, as in many other areas around the world, ignorant, devilish minorities spoil the country and make it a hell for hardworking, straight, honest people who want to live their life in peace and harmony.
But – this is of course another subject for another time and place to discuss……
Ok now, back to happier, tastier thoughts:
The food in Pakistan’s larger cities is marvelous, varied and highly seasoned, mostly Indian in origin but with a great influx of Persian-, Chinese- and Afghan-cuisine among others. While I was living in Karachi, I was lucky to be able to learn a lot of home-style recipes from my cooks and sous chefs, (besides the commercial food we served in the hotel), who took special pride in showing me the great food their families had cooked for generations. The meals Maria and I had in Pakistan were truly among the best we were lucky to enjoy anywhere in the world 🙂
So many happy memories of gracious people, amazing food and wonderful friendships……….
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Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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Click here for more info about Pakistani Food
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Link to Garam Masala

Link to Naan
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Pakistani Butter Chicken

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Preparation :
To read instructions, hover over pictures
To enlarge pictures and read instructions, click on pictures
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: saute chillis and cinnamon sticks in ghee

: add finely diced onions, garlic paste, grated ginger, garam masala, turmeric, saute until fragrant, add finely chopped tomatoes,

: add tomato paste, saute another ninute, add coconut milk, simmer until thickened

: meanwhile, season chicken with kosher salt, turmeric, cayenne pepper and yoghurt, cook in very hot cast iron pan without fat

: cut into bite size pieces

: return chicken to simmering sauce, remove from heat, cover and let steep in sauce for 30 minutes

: meanwhile, cook white rice

: meanwhile, cook naan, brush with ghee, sprinkle with kosher salt

: to serve, add a dollop of yogurt and lots of cilantro

: Pakistani Butter Chicken

: Pakistani Butter Chicken

: Pakistani Butter Chicken

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Mafaldine Alla Riccione

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I dedicate this dish to the city of Riccione, where I had my first moment of culinary ecstasy.
When I was 16 years old and an cook-apprentice in the Black Forest of Germany, I thought life, and particular working life, was too hard for me to handle, so I decided to run away from it.
I hitchhiked through southern Germany to Austria and from there over the Brenner Pass in the Dolomiti Alps down to Riccione in Northern Italy in the hopes of finding happiness and love in a life of leisure on the beach (well, I was 16 years of age in an area before the internet – ignorance and naïveté prevailed in 16 year old’s at that time :-).
When I left Baden Baden for my adventure I had 26.00 German Marks to my name, most of which I spend the first night on steins of beer in the “Englisher Garten” in Munich. I remember I crossed the border from Austria into Italy with 6.00 DM in my pocket. After breakfast that day, it was four weeks of sleeping under the stars and asking (begging actually) shop owners and restaurant owners for donations to support, in the form of food and drink, my escape from a working life to the bohemian life of my dreams. These were different times altogether. I was a skinny kid without a home, and most people I met had pity and gave me a good meal, most often a sandwich and/or some fruit and soft drinks. Also, everyone offered a free smoke of the good stuff, which made a penny less life on the road so much brighter 🙂
However, I remember when I got to Riccione, on the first day I spend there, the chef in a seaside restaurant handed me a simple plate of pasta with shrimp. This was the first time I saw shrimp of that size and had a dish that was so exotic and wonderful, both in its taste and its looks. To this day I remember the awesomeness I felt by smelling this food, feasting on its looks with my eyes and then devouring it all in a happy flash.
After one month of some happy, some frightening but never boring moments, even skinnier than before I left, but maybe just a bit wiser, I crawled back to my apprenticeship at the Hotel Wiedenfelsen, finished it and became a professional cook, never again to regret my earlier decision to follow this lifelong, tough, underpaid, but in so many other way’s rewarding career path of a cook and chef.
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Bon Appetit ! See you in Riccione 🙂
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>riccione,

Mafaldine Alla Riccione

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Preparation :
To read instructions, hover over pictures
To enlarge pictures and read instructions, click on pictures
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: saute bread crumbs in olive oil or butter (according to your preference), season with kosher salt and cayenne pepper

: cook mafaldine in salted water, drain, toss in (according to your preference) garlic oil or melted butter with garlic paste, add a spritz of maggi

: almost………

: season shrimp with kosher salt and cayenne pepper, add to pangrattato, saute until shrimp are done and breadcrumbs are golden in color, add sliced scallions and chili flakes