Sweetwater Tavern Salads

Sweetwater Tavern Salads

Monday, January 27, 2020

Field Greens Salad......
grape tomatoes, sun dried cranberries, dates, pine nuts, garlic croutons & champagne vinaigrette...blue cheese or Laura Chenel goat cheese, add $1


Caesar......
hearts of romaine & baby greens with Reggiano parmesan


Chop House Salad......
mixed greens, fresh corn, tomato, scallions & basil, tossed with buttermilk herb...with monterey jack & cheddar, add $1...with bacon, add $1


Traditional Iceberg Wedge......
blue cheese, bacon, onion & tomatoes


Warm Goat Cheese & Spiced Pecan Salad......
field greens with grape tomatoes, sun dried cranberries, garlic croutons & champagne vinaigrette


Monterey Salad With Spiced Pecans......
lightly fried chicken on greens with avocado, fresh corn, tomato, crisp tortillas, sun dried cranberries & buttermilk herb


Southwest Chicken Salad......
avocado, fresh corn, black beans, mixed greens, jack & cheddar, tomato salsa, buttermilk herb & a smidge of BBQ sauce


Sweetwater Roast Chicken Salad......
field greens, fresh corn off the cob, tomato, sun dried cranberries, dates, pine nuts, Laura Chenel goat cheese & champagne vinaigrette


Grilled Tuna & Field Greens Salad*......
sesame crusted tuna drizzled with cilantro ginger sauce & served over field greens tossed with champagne vinaigrette, tomatoes, dates, sun dried cranberries, pine nuts & garlic croutons


Short Smoked Grilled Salmon Salad*......
field greens with champagne vinaigrette, sun dried cranberries, dates & pine nuts...Laura Chenel goat cheese, 

GARLICKY LEBANESE LENTIL SOUP WITH SWISS CHARD AND LEMON

GARLICKY LEBANESE LENTIL SOUP WITH SWISS CHARD AND LEMON

GARLICKY LEBANESE LENTIL SOUP WITH SWISS CHARD AND LEMON

SERVINGS: 4

RECIPE BY: MAUREEN ABOOD

You'll be tempted to eat up the garlicky chard and onion sauté before it goes into the soup. And that’s just fine because it tastes so delicious like that. But if it’s soup you’re after, just taste and then stir the fragrant mix into the lentils. This soup tastes best when it’s not piping hot, but has cooled down a bit and flavors can really shine through. A classic rushta also contains cooked pasta noodles like linguine, which can easily be added to the recipe below. Once the chard mixture is added to the lentils, the longer it is cooked the more the chard will lose its vibrant green color and the more the lentils will soak up the liquid, so keep that cooking to a minimum.

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 cup brown or green whole lentils
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 cups finely diced yellow onion
• Few grinds black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon coriander
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 bunch Swiss Chard, cleaned, trimmed, and chopped into 1-inch pieces
• 3/4 cup cilantro, coarsely chopped
• 1 1/2 teaspoons unbleached all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a 2- or 3-quart soup pot, bring lentils, 4 cups water, and ½ teaspoon of salt to boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, just until lentils are tender, about 15 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in a medium sauté pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and season with 1/2 teaspoon of salt, the coriander, and pepper. Sauté until very soft and translucent. Add the minced garlic and sauté just until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the Swiss chard and cilantro and sauté until bright green and tender. Sprinkle with flour and stir to combine, still over the heat.
3. Add the Swiss chard mixture to the lentils, stir in the lemon juice, and heat through for just a few minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning.
4. Serve warm, but not piping hot, for best flavor. Top bowls of soup with chopped cilantro. 

Sel Roti

Sel Roti

Saturday, January 18, 2020

http://tasteofnepal.blogspot.com/2013/07/momos-or-dumplings.html


The following recipe is handed down from a centuries old tradition.  Here's what you need to make small-size (10-12 pieces) Sel-Roti: 

Ingredients - 

• 3 cups of white rice, 
• 1 medium very ripe banana, peeled and mashed, 
• 1 cup sugar, or to taste, 
• 3/4 cup unsalted melted butter or clarified butter (gheu), 
• 1/2 cup rice flour, as needed, 
• 4/5 cups of vegetable oil for deep-frying.  

Start by soaking the rice at least 4 hours or overnight.  Drain and place in a blender or food processor with the banana, sugar, butter and process, adding up to 1 1/2 cups of water to make a semi-thick puree.  You may have to do this in two batches.  

Remove the batter and place in a mixing bowl and beat with hand vigorously to make it fluffy semi-thick smooth batter.  Cover and set aside to rest for 20 to 30 minutes.  

When the batter is well rested, mix it  again with your hand until all the ingredients in the batter are fully mixed - this process is called "peenako chaamal lai beskaree faaune" in Nepali.  The consistency should be similar to thick pourable heavy cream.  If the batter is too runny, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of rice flour and mix well.  If it seems too thick, gradually add 1 to 2 tablespoons of water and mix well.  

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat until it is hot (350 to 375 degree).  Test the readiness by placing a small drop of batter into the hot oil.  If it bubbles and rises to the surface immediately, it is ready.  

Pour about 1/4 cup of batter into the oil slowly, making a large circle.  You can use your hand, or a squeezable paper or plastic cup or a pastry bag with a medium-size opening to pour the batter.  Stretch and move the batter using a spoon or a thick wooden sticks (khaptero) to create  round shape.  As the Sel-Roti puffs and rises, push it into the oil with the back of a spoon until it is light golden brown.  Flip and fry the second side until brown.  Remove with a slotted spoon and drain it on paper towels. Repeat with the rest of the batter. 

Sel-Roti is delicious by itself, but can also be served with plain yogurt, fried vegetables, and Nepali radish or cucumber pickles.  Sel tastes best when it is fresh; it becomes somewhat chewy and tough the next day, although it still tastes good this way. It is a non-perishable bread, and can be kept at room temperature for more than a week.

Making Sel-Roti may appear straightforward, but there are several tricks to make it perfect.  While frying the bread,  keep the temperature constant for even cooking. If the oil is too hot, the batter will brown too quickly and the insides may remain undercooked and doughy.  If the oil is not hot enough, the batter will absorb a lot of oil.  Before adding another batch of batter, the temperature should be adjusted.  The right amount of clarified butter in the batter (gheu) helps to make Sel-Roti light buttery-crisp.  

Check frequently for the right consistency and texture of the batter.  The sugar content in the batter makes a difference, as too much sugar will make extra crispy and brittle Sel-Roti.  The shape of the pan is equally important - heavy frying pan is preferred and should be deep enough for the bread to float easily.  Too less oil in the pan will make a flat and sunken Sel-Roti.  One has to get used to pouring the batter into the hot oil, always go close to the oil and use slow and steady motion.

This photo is taken at the most famous local sweet shop at Maru Tole, Kathmandu, named Shree Purna Ashok Bhandar.  The sweet shop staff is showing me a copper kitchen equipment specially made to pour the batter to prepare the bread.  First, he places a finger at the bottom opening and fills the batter on top.  When ready, he removes his finger from the plugged hole, and allow the batter to fall directly into the bubbling oil in a circular motion to create perfect Sel-Roti.  

Alternately, you can use many other equipment to pour the batter in the oil. Many cooks prefer to use half of a coconut shell with a hole on the middle to pour the batter.  Some use reusable pastry bag (piping bag) made out of heavy thick cloth with the opening at the bottom end.  The batter is filled in the cloth, then squeezed and pressed through the hole to shape the Sel-Roti.  Some prefer leaf plates (Tapari - Bota) to squeeze the batter into the hot oil or even inexpensive squeezable large bottle with a opening is used.

In the next block almost near the Annapurna Temple, Ason Tole, another Sel-Roti is being fried.  Two women have set up a road side snack stall and are carefully placing the batter in the hot oil to make several small Sel-Roti for breakfast delights.

Fresh Tomato Chutney for momos

Fresh Tomato Chutney for momos

Momo with Pemba Lama (from the Ultimate Nepalese Cookbook)

Momo with Pemba Lama (from the Ultimate Nepalese Cookbook)

3-INGREDIENT BANANA OATMEAL BREAKFAST COOKIES

3-INGREDIENT BANANA OATMEAL BREAKFAST COOKIES

1.5 cups oatmeal (I used 1/2 cup rolled and 1 cup quick) 2 medium bananas 1/3 cup mini chocolate chips DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a rimmed baking sheet with a silpat mat or coat with some cooking spray. Using the back of a fork, mash bananas in a medium bowl until they are broken down. Add in oats and gently stir until all of the oats and bananas are mixed together and look like a thick cookie batter. Now your ready to add the chocolate chips! Sprinkle them into the dough and stir until they are just mixed throughout. Scoop one heaping tablespoon of the dough into your hands and free form into a cookie*. Place on cookie sheet and continue until you have 12 cookies. Cook for 12-15 minutes or until set through and lightly golden. Cool and enjoy! *NOTE: these cookies will not spread in the oven so be sure to form them into a cookie before placing on baking sheet. Makes 16 cookies Nutrients per cookie: Calories: 67; Total Fat: 2.1g; Saturated Fat: 1g; Cholesterol: 0mg; Carbohydrate: 11.8g; Dietary Fiber: 1.3g; Sugars: 5g; Protein: 1.3g

Christy Tiegan's Banana Bread

Christy Tiegan's Banana Bread

How to Make Chrissy Teigen’s Banana Bread

You’ll start by mashing bananas and mixing them with eggs and oil. Whisk the flour, granulated sugar, vanilla instant pudding mix, baking soda, and salt together in a separate mixing bowl. Pour the dry ingredients into the banana mixture and mix, by hand, until just combined. Fold in chunks of dark chocolate and unsweetened coconut flakes. Pour the batter into a buttered and floured Bundt pan (or two standard loaf pans, but Chrissy prefers the Bundt). Bake until the cake is richly browned and springs back when pressed.

Ingredients

• 2 cups mashed very ripe bananas - 6 very ripe bananas
• 4 eggs
• 2⁄3 cups canola oil, plus a little more to grease the pan
• 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus a little more for dusting the pan
• 2 cups sugar - I just used 1 and 1/4
• 1 (3.5-ounce) box vanilla instant pudding mix
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1½ teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut - I used 3/4 unsweetend and 1/4 sweetened
• 1 (3.5-ounce) bar dark chocolate, chopped into chunks
• Salted butter, for serving

David Murray's Summer Splash

David Murray's Summer Splash

Wednesday, January 15, 2020

1 x 12 oz can frozen Pink Lemonade concentrate
1 quarter cup sugar
4 sprigs mint
1 x 750 ml bottle lemon flavour sparkling water
half a lemon

• Combine the lemonade concentrate, sugar and mint in a saucepan.  Bring to the boil and boil for 1 minute.  
• Remove from the heat and let it cool.  
• Remove the mint.  
• Slice the lemon and add to the mixture.  
• Add the bottle of lemon flavoured sparkling water.  
• Serve over ice.  

Goes well with vodka!

Isan Grilled Chicken

Isan Grilled Chicken

Sunday, January 12, 2020

Isan, or Isaan is a northeastern region of Thailand, bordering Laos and Cambodia that has its own style of food. Not that it stems too far away from the main culture, but I find it to be a bit spicier, and commonly the food is eaten with sticky rice (known as khao neow). This grilled chicken is common in the region and is one that you will really love, whether you grill it (preferred) or bake it until you have crispy skin. I have made variations of this style of chicken over the last 15 years or so, but this one is a bit different as I brined the chicken in advance to make it even more juicy. If you are looking for in introduction into Northern Thai cooking, and one without a ton of spice but packed with tons of flavor.

Isan Grilled Chicken Recipe

I used boneless, skinless chicken thighs on this particular recipe, but feel free to use a halved chicken, or spatchcock a chicken and go that route, especially for a crispy skin.

Ingredients for the brine:

• 1 gallon of water
• 1/2 cup of kosher salt
• 1/2 cup of white sugar
• 1 whole chicken, cut into pieces, or 6 boneless and skinless chicken thighs

Ingredients for the Marinade: (if you have a mortar and pestle use it, otherwise your food processor)

• 6 cloves of garlic
• 1/2 cup of thinly sliced lemongrass
• 1/2 cup of cilantro, leaves and stems
• 1/4 tsp MSG, optional
• 3 tbsp oyster sauce
• 1/2 tbsp curry powder, or turmeric
• 1 tbsp fish sauce
• 2 tbsp canola oil

Start by bringing the salt, sugar and water to a boil. Once the sugar and salts dissolve into the water, remove from the stove and let it cool.

Once the brine is cool, add in the chicken pieces, cover, and let this brine for 4 hours, and up to 24.

Isan Grilled Chicken Ingredients

Make the marinade, either by using your food processor which many of you probably have, or go the authentic route and use the mortar and pestle. Make the mixture into a wet paste. Scrape into a sealable jar until the chicken is ready.

When the chicken is ready, remove it from the pot, and rinse and pat dry. Add the chicken pieces to a large sealable plastic bag, and pour in the marinade. Massage the marinade into the chicken and marinate for another 4-24 hours. The longer the better in my opinion.

Before you are wanting to grill, set the chicken out to get some of the chill off of it. I grill over charcoal, but again you can grill over wood, gas, or cook at 400 degrees until you get your internal temperature. My preference is grilling over coal for a more authentic taste.

When you have your grill going, I like to heat one side of the grill with coals and keep a warmer side with no coals. This way I can adjust the heat if things get too hot.

Place the chicken on the grill, near the coals, cover, and adjust the vents. You kind of want to go low and slow with this, slowly cooking the chicken, while any skin will get nice and crisp.

Isan Grilled Chicken Recipe

As this is cooking, feel free to whip up some dipping sauce that includes fish sauce, lime juice, chili, and a bit of sugar. Also feel free to serve this with jasmine rice, or better yet sticky rice (this is take a bit more planning, but recommended). When the chicken comes to your desired temperature, remove, and serve. Again, I used thighs, so I ended up chopping mine up as my kids love to eat stove like this in the style of larb.

Dig in and enjoy. The flavors are out of this world. A bit smoky from the charcoal, juicy from the brine, and just packed full of awesome flavor from the marinade. This is a great introduction to Northern Thai food, so give this one a try. Hope you enjoy!

http://www.simplecomfortfood.com/2018/02/01/isan-grilled-chicken/

Spinach Feta Breakfast Wraps

Spinach Feta Breakfast Wraps

Tuesday, January 7, 2020

SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS

• 10 large eggs
• 1/2 pound (about 5 cups) baby spinach
• 4 whole-wheat tortillas (about 9 inches in diameter, burrito-sized)
• 1/2 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
• 4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
• Butter or olive oil
• Salt
• Pepper
• 1. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs until the whites and yolks are completely combined. Place a large skillet over medium heat and add enough butter or olive oil to coat the bottom. When the butter is melted or the oil is hot, pour in the eggs and stir occasionally until the eggs are cooked. Stir in a pinch of salt and a generous amount of black pepper, then transfer to a large plate to cool to room temperature.
  2. Rinse or wipe down the skillet, place it back over medium heat, and add another pat of butter or oil. Add the spinach and cook, stirring often, until the spinach is just wilted. Spread the cooked spinach on another large plate to cool to room temperature.
  3. Arrange a tortilla on a work surface. Add about a quarter each of the eggs, spinach, tomatoes, and feta down the middle of the tortilla and tightly wrap (see How To Wrap a Burrito). Repeat with the remaining three tortillas. Place the wraps in a gallon zip-top bag and freeze until ready to eat. If freezing for more than a week, wrap the burritos in aluminum foil to prevent freezer burn. To reheat, microwave on high for 2 minutes.

  RECIPE NOTES

  I usually prefer soft scrambled eggs, but find the process overly fussy for a wrap I'll be freezing. If you're eating these fresh, though, give it a try!

  Microwave times may vary, but 2 minutes works for us.

Olive Chicken (BRAISED LIGURIAN CHICKEN )

Olive Chicken (BRAISED LIGURIAN CHICKEN )

Adapted from Jamie Oliver

Time: 40 minutes

2 heaping tablespoons flour

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 4-pound chicken, cut into 8 pieces

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

4 to 5 fresh rosemary sprigs

6 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced

1 1/2 cups white wine

4 anchovy fillets (optional)

1/2 cup calamata olives (with pits)

3 ripe plum tomatoes, halved, seeded and coarsely chopped.

1. In a large bowl, combine flour with salt and pepper to taste. Add chicken pieces and toss until evenly coated.

2. Place a large flameproof casserole dish over medium-high heat, and heat olive oil. Add chicken pieces, and fry until golden underneath, about 5 minutes. Turn chicken, and add rosemary and garlic. Continue to fry until garlic is softened but not colored, about 3 minutes. Add wine. When it comes to a boil, add anchovies, olives and tomatoes.

3. Partly cover pan, and reduce heat to medium low. Simmer until chicken is cooked and tender, and broth is reduced to a rich sauce, 15 to 20 minutes. To serve, discard rosemary sprigs, and season well with salt and pepper to taste. Place a piece or two of chicken on each plate, and top with a spoonful of sauce.

Yield: 4 servings.

Indonesian Stewed Beef (Rendang) - Saveur

Indonesian Stewed Beef (Rendang) - Saveur

Saturday, January 4, 2020

This luscious Indonesian dish, from a recipe in James Oseland's book Cradle of Flavor (W.W. Norton, 2006), is traditionally eaten with white rice, but it is also wonderful with crusty Italian bread. This recipe first appeared in our May 2013 issue with James Oseland's article Worth the Wait.

Yield: serves 4-6

Ingredients

• 5 whole cloves
• 1 whole nutmeg, slightly crushed in a mortar and pestle
• 6-8 red Holland chiles, or 3-4 Thai chiles, stemmed and roughly chopped
• 6 small shallots, roughly chopped
• 5 candlenuts or macadamia nuts
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1 (2") piece fresh or frozen turmeric, peeled and roughly chopped, or 1 1/2 tsp. ground turmeric
• 1 (2") piece ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1 (2") piece galangal, peeled and thinly sliced
• 2 lb. boneless beef chuck, cut into 2" pieces
• 7 fresh or frozen Kaffir lime leaves, plus 4 very thinly sliced, for garnish
• 3 stalks lemongrass, trimmed, smashed with a mallet, and tied into knots
• 2 sticks cinnamon
• 2 ¹⁄₂ cups unsweetened coconut milk
• Kosher salt, to taste

Instructions

1. Pulse cloves and nutmeg in a food processor until very fine. Add chiles, shallots, nuts, garlic, turmeric, ginger, and galangal; purée until a slightly smooth paste forms, about 2 minutes. Transfer paste to a 12" nonstick skillet with beef; using your hands, mix together.

1. Add 7 lime leaves, lemongrass knots, cinnamon, coconut milk, and salt; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook, stirring occasionally to prevent coconut milk from scorching, until the consistency of thick pea soup, about 1 ¹⁄₂ hours. Continue to cook, stirring frequently to prevent burning, until sauce and beef turn a dark caramel color and the sauce coats the beef, 2 ¹⁄₂-3 hours. Discard whole spices before serving; garnish with thinly sliced lime leaves.