The Golden Globes, a Mighty Manhattan, Samosas, and Eggplant Curry

 I love Award shows and last year I missed the Golden Globes so this year I thought I would watch them in style! I really have been enjoying bourbon lately! It must run in my family. I have a grandmother who  loves Bourbon and my mother introduced me to a good tasty Manhattan. Plus, my brother has great bartender skills and I've gotten to try many of his wonderful creations. So we will start the night with an apertif of a Mighty Manhattan. Awhile back I picked up a bottle of Stirrings Blood Orange Bitters at TJ Maxx. It looked good and my review of it is an A+!  This is a recipe on the front of the bottle and it's a great way to do a Manhattan. You can buy this online or I'm sure you could find it at a local specialty store. So here is a toast to Hollywood!  Cheers!!

Mighty Manhattan


2 oz Bourbon
1/2 oz sweet vermouth
dash Stirrings Blood Orange bitters

Add the ingredients to a shaker half full of ice cubes. Shake and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a maraschino cherry if desired!

     Last night we were wasting time before meeting friends for dinner at Barnes and Noble. I've been wanting to get Mollie Katzen's classic the Moosewood Cookbook for a long time. I have two other cookbooks by her but this one seems like such a must have for cooks to have in the kitchen. They had one copy left on the shelf and I had leftover Christmas money to spend so I bought it!! I was going to make pizza tonight but had a change of plans when I couldn't find all of the ingredients. Instead I picked up the ingredients for two recipes from the cookbook and gave them a try! I was very impressed and had lots of fun making these two entrees. I slightly adapted the curry recipe because I didn't have any brown rice in my pantry. I cooked up some Kashi 7 Whole Grain Pilaf and mixed it in with the curry which was a perfect match. I hope you can try them too! Bon Appetit!

 EGGPLANT CURRY
*adapted from the Moosewood Cookbook

Makes about 6-8 servings

1 packet Kashi Pilaf (follow package directions)

2-3 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon mustard seeds
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
2 teaspoons cumin seeds
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
1 1/2 - 2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons turmeric
1/4  teaspoon cayenne
2 medium eggplants (8 inches long with 4-inch diameter at roundest point) cut into 1-inch cubes
water, as needed
2 cups fresh or frozen green peas
1 small bunch fresh cilantro, minced  (optional)

1) Cook the Kashi Pilaf. This will take about 25 minutes.

2) Heat butter over medium heat in large, deep skillet or Dutch oven. Add seeds and saute for about 5 minutes until they begin to pop.

3) Add onion, salt, turmeric, and cayenne. Cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent.

4) Add eggplant and a little salt. Cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring from the bottom regularly, until the eggplant is soft. Cover the pan between stirrings. (Add water as needed, if mixture gets too dry and sticks to pan.)

5) Steam the peas in a separate pot until they are just tender and bright green. Add to the eggplant mixture and Kashi Pilaf. Serve the curry  topped with freshly minced cilantro.

  SAMOSAS

*from The New Moosewood Cookbook

Ingredients

The Dough:

• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup buttermilk or yogurt (Instant buttermilk: Mix 1 tablespoon white vinegar or lemon juice with 1 cup milk!!)
• Extra flour as needed

The Filling:

• 2 large potatoes (the size of a large person's fist)
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 cup finely minced onion
• 2 medium cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1 teaspoon dried coriander (if available)
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups uncooked green peas (frozen, thawed=fine)
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• Cayenne, to taste

Directions:

Dough 1) Place the flour in a medium-sized bowl. Mix in the salt. 2) Make a well in the center, and add the buttermilk or yogurt. Mix first with a spoon and then with your hand, to make a smooth dough. 3) Add extra flour, as needed, to keep the dough from being sticky. The dough will be quite soft. knead in the bowl for about 5 minutes. Cover tightly and refrigerate until you are ready to assemble the pastries.

Filling: 1) Peel the potatoes and chop them into 1-inch pieces. Place in a saucepan, cover with water, and boil until very soft. Drain and transfer to a medium-sized bowl. Mash and set aside. 2)Melt the butter in a heavy skillet. Add onion, garlic, ginger, mustard seeds, coriander, and salt. Saute over medium heat about 8 to 10 minutes, or until onions are quite soft. Add this to the mashed potatoes, along with the remaining ingredients. Mix well, but try not to smash the peas. Cool for at least 15 minutes before filling the pastries.

To Assemble and Bake: 1) Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Generously oil a baking sheet. 

2) Keep a small container of flour, a fork, a small bowl of water, and a pastry brush close at hand. Flour a clean surface, and, one by one, roll 1-inch balls of dough into 5-inch circles, using a rolling pin.

5) Serve within 5 minutes of baking, with Dipping Sauce. A nice way to serve the sauce is in individual saucers or tiny bowls, so each person can hold both samosa and sauce directly under his or her face while eating, and the sauce bowl can catch the drips. (It does drip, but that's one of the charms of this ritual.)

The Dipping Sauce:

• 1/2 cup cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup water
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 small clove garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon salt

1) Place all ingredients in a small saucepan. Stir until the sugar dissolves. 2) Heat to boiling, then let simmer uncovered for about 10 minutes. it will reduce slightly. 3) Serve warm or at room temperature with hot samosas.