Kaddo Bourani (Afghani Pumpkin w/Yogurt & Beef Sauce)

This dish is a change from the norm, but ’tis the season to show off pumpkins. Today’s dish is kaddo bourani, which originates in Afghanistan.


Now I’m going to guess that you’re in one of two crowds in your reaction to this dish: (1) I’ve never had Afghani food before and have absolutely no idea what its like or (2) I’ve had Afghani food before from some amazing restaurant called Helmand and they had something just like this!

Well to the number oners, Afghani food is really tasty. My impression of it is sort of like Indian food as far as flavor and style goes, but “drier” (compared to the more stew-like curries that we all know and love). Definitely worth trying if the opportunity ever presents itself. To the number two folks out there, my first (and sadly only) exposure to Afghani food was at Helmand in the Boston area, and yes, that place was excellent and I had a memorable meal. There’s a reason that this dish looks familiar–it comes from the original recipe which got me very excited as this dish was one of their creations that I had the pleasure of eating when I was in Boston (and I still remember two years later!).

This dish is intended to be an appetizer (and is served as such at The Helmand), but you could always go the lazy route, eat a larger portion, and call it a light meal (which is what I did ). So by now, you’re probably wondering what is it like? Basically, the already sweet pumpkin is further sweetened and cooked long and slow to the point where it just wants to fall apart. It is then topped with a tangy yogurt-based sauce (spiked with garlic and mint for a surprisingly balanced, delicious taste–again, coming from somebody who isn’t a big fan of yogurt) and finished off with tomato-based, lightly spiced beef sauce. With all of these components together, you get a really interesting presentation and an incredible marriage of flavors that’s strange to read about but a pleasure to taste. I’m sure other Helman patrons out there can back me up on this one.

1 sugar/pie pumpkin, about 3-5 lbs
1/8 cup vegetable oil
1 cup sugar
Yogurt Sauce
1 cup plain yogurt
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 tsp dried mint
at least 1/4 tsp salt
Tomato Meat Sauce
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3 shallots
1-1.5 lbs ground beef
1 large tomato
2 garlic cloves
1.25 tsp ground coriander
1.5 tsp salt
1 tsp freshly ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1 1/3 cups water

The most laborious part of this recipe is prepping your pumpkin, so between that and the long baking time, start this well in advance. Also, on the note of pumpkins, be sure to get a sugar/pie pumpkin because getting a gigantic decorative pumpkin will really make this dish pretty bland.



With a vegetable peeler or a small knife, peel off the rind of the pumpkin. Its ok to take a little “too much” off as that part is still rind-like as well (like the white part of a watermelon).

Once you’ve peeled as much off as you can, cut your pumpkin in half and remove the seeds and stringy fibers. And of course, be sure to save your seeds for an easy snack!

Preheat your oven to 300?F and slice your pumpkin into about 8 pieces. Now this part will raise some eyebrows: coat your pumpkin pieces with all of that oil and then coat it with all of that sugar. Yes, you read the amounts correctly–it is a lot and it seems like there’s no way this can work (if you can believe it, I actually reduced the original amount of sugar from 1.5 cups to 1 cup!). Just rub it all on and lay each piece hollow-side up in a pan and cover the whole thing with some aluminum foil.

Let the pumpkin pieces bake until they turn dark and translucent. They should become really tender, but that will cost you at least 3 hours in the oven. Baste the pieces once with the pan juices after about 2.5 hours of baking. See why I suggested you start early? Slow cooking the pumpkin in all of that sugar and oil is going to not only bring out the pumpkin’s own natural juices, but it will also carmellize and absorb all of those sugars. Mmm, very healthy fruit.


Now, to prepare the yogurt sauce, you really don’t have a lot of work to do. Simply mix the yogurt, finely minced garlic, dried mint, and salt. Cover and refrigerate until serving time. I know–good thing you have 3 hours to get this step done!

The other component to prepare for this dish: the meat sauce (you mightlvery well have extra meat sauce leftover relative to the pumpkin and yogurt sauce). You’ll want to start this close to the time when your pumpkins should be coming out of the oven (e.g. 30 minutes prior), as you want both the pumpkins and this sauce to be hot. The original recipe called for a large onion, but much to my dismay, onions are not allowed in my kitchen (which is why you’ll see me so often using chives, scallions, or shallots instead ), so instead I went with shallots.

Whatever you’re using (onions vs shallots), mince it pretty finely and brown in a saucepan with all of the oil on medium-high heat. Add the beef and keep that crumbled and moving, cooking until no longer pink. Seed and peel your tomato and then finely chop it and mince your garlic cloves. Add these and everything else (except for the water and tomato paste). After about five minutes, add your water and tomato paste, heat things up so that the water starts boiling (shouldn’t take long), and finally lower the heat and let all of this simmer together for about 15 minutes. Things should go from looking meaty to looking pretty saucy.

Just before serving, taste your yogurt sauce and add more salt to taste. Arrange one or more slices of pumpkin per plate (depends if you intend this to be an appetizer or a meal–I chose the latter, hence my larger serving), drizzle and spread at least 2 tablespoons of yogurt sauce on top and around the plate, and finally, the arc de triomphe, top with a good sized scoop of meat sauce. Yes, serving the yogurt sauce cold while everything else is hot seems a little strange, but it will warm up really quickly and if it started out any warmer, it would be pretty messy.




Enjoy!

From: http://mikes-table.themulligans.org/2007/11/07/kaddo-bourani/

confirmed at: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/1998/10/28/FD78824.DTL&type=printable

Southwestern Stuffed Acorn Squash

Sweet and creamy acorn squash balances the slightly spicy sausage filling.

Makes 6 servings

ACTIVE TIME: 45 minutes

TOTAL TIME: 1 1/2 hours

EASE OF PREPARATION: Easy

3 acorn squash (3/4-1 pound each)
5 ounces bulk turkey sausage
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 medium red bell pepper, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 cups chopped cherry tomatoes
1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed
1/2 teaspoon salt
Several dashes hot red pepper sauce, to taste
1 cup shredded Swiss cheese

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray.
2. Cut squash in half horizontally. Scoop out and discard seeds. Place the squash cut-side down on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until tender, about 45 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, lightly coat a large skillet with cooking spray; heat over medium heat. Add turkey sausage and cook, stirring and breaking up with a wooden spoon, until lightly browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Add onion and bell pepper; cook, stirring often, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, chili powder and cumin; cook for 30 seconds. Stir in tomatoes, beans, salt and hot sauce, scraping up any browned bits. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer until the tomatoes are broken down, 10 to 12 minutes.
4. When the squash are tender, reduce oven temperature to 325°. Fill the squash halves with the turkey mixture. Top with cheese. Place on the baking sheet and bake until the filling is heated through and the cheese is melted, 8 to 10 minutes.

NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per serving: 259 calories; 7 g fat (4 g sat, 1 g mono); 29 mg cholesterol; 38 g carbohydrate; 15 g protein; 7 g fiber; 482 mg sodium; 884 mg potassium.
Nutrition bonus: Vitamin C (80% daily value), Vitamin A (45% dv), Calcium (20% dv), Iron (15% dv).
1 Carbohydrate Serving
Exchanges: 2 starch, 1 vegetable

French Silk Pie

Bittersweet chocolate and Dutch-process cocoa meld with a shot of fresh brewed coffee to give an ultra-rich flavor to this creamy French silk pie.

Makes 10 servings

ACTIVE TIME: 30 minutes

TOTAL TIME: 4 1/4 hours (including chilling time)

EASE OF PREPARATION: Moderate

Crust
30 chocolate wafers (see Makeover Tip)
2 tablespoons chopped pitted dates
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon canola oil

Filling
1 tablespoon brewed coffee
1 tablespoon water
1 1/2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
1 large egg
1/2 cup low-fat milk
8 tablespoons packed light brown sugar, divided
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, preferably Dutch-process
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 tablespoons dried egg whites (see Ingredient Note), reconstituted according to package directions
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Coat a 9-inch deep-dish pie pan with cooking spray.
2. To prepare crust: Combine chocolate wafers and dates in a food processor; process until finely chopped. Add water and oil and process until moistened. Press into the bottom and sides of the prepared pan.
3. Bake the crust until crisp, about 10 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack.
4. To prepare filling & garnish: Combine coffee and water in a small bowl. Sprinkle gelatin on top and set aside to soften.
5. Whisk egg, milk, 3 tablespoons brown sugar and cocoa in a small saucepan until smooth. Cook over low heat, whisking constantly, until thickened and an instant-read thermometer registers 160°F, 5 to 7 minutes. Do not let the mixture come to a simmer. Remove from the heat. Add the reserved gelatin mixture; stir until dissolved. Add chocolate and vanilla, stirring until melted. Set aside to cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes.
6. Beat reconstituted egg whites and cream of tartar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on low speed until frothy. Increase speed to high and beat until soft peaks form. Gradually add the remaining 5 tablespoons brown sugar, beating until the meringue is smooth and glossy.
7. Whisk one-fourth of the meringue into the cooled chocolate mixture until smooth. Scrape the chocolate mixture into the remaining meringue and fold in with a whisk. Spoon the filling into the crust and chill, uncovered, until set, about 3 hours.

NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per serving: 172 calories; 6 g fat (1 g sat, 1 g mono); 22 mg cholesterol; 29 g carbo hydrate; 4 g protein; 2 g fiber; 88 mg sodium; 106 mg potassium.
2 Carbohydrate Servings
Exchanges: 1 1/2 other carbohydrate, 1 fat

TIP: Makeover tip: Many commercial cookies and wafers contain partially hydrogenated oil, a source of trans-fatty acids. Look for brands made without these oils, such as Newman’s Own Organics and Mi-Del, which fortunately are every bit as tasty. Find them in the natural-foods section of large supermarkets.

Ingredient note: Dried egg whites, such as Just Whites, reconstituted, can be substituted for fresh egg whites.

MAKE AHEAD TIP: Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days. | Equipment: 9-inch deep-dish pie pan

Deep-Dish Apple Pie

Whole-wheat pastry flour adds a bit more fiber to the crust of our healthy apple pie. We lowered the fat by replacing some of the butter with canola oil. To achieve a juicy filling with plenty of tender bits of apple, we combine two types of tart-sweet apples, then precook part of the filling before adding it to the pie shell to avoid that unfortunate hollow spot that can occur when the filling shrinks away from the top.

Makes 10 servings

ACTIVE TIME: 1 1/4 hours

TOTAL TIME: 4 hours (including cooling time)

EASE OF PREPARATION: Easy

Crust
1 1/4 cups whole-wheat pastry flour
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons granulated sugar, plus 1 teaspoon for sprinkling
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream
3 tablespoons canola oil
4 tablespoons ice water
1 egg white, lightly beaten, for brushing

Filling
6 cups thinly sliced peeled McIntosh apples (about 2 pounds) (see Tip)
6 cups thinly sliced peeled Granny Smith apples (about 2 pounds) (see Tip)
2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Pinch of ground allspice
Pinch of salt
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1. To prepare crust: Whisk whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons sugar and salt in a large bowl. Cut butter into small pieces and, with your fingers, quickly rub them into the dry ingredients until the pieces are smaller but still visible. Add sour cream and oil; toss with a fork to combine with the dry ingredients. Sprinkle water over the mixture. Toss with a fork until evenly moist. Knead the dough with your hands in the bowl a few times—the mixture will still be a little crumbly. Turn out onto a clean surface and knead a few more times, until the dough just holds together. Divide the dough in half and shape into 5-inch-wide disks. Wrap each in plastic and refrigerate for 1 hour.
2. To prepare filling: Combine apples, brown sugar, lemon juice, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and salt in a large bowl. Reserving 4 cups, transfer the rest of the apple mixture to a Dutch oven. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until the apples are tender and beginning to break down, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in the reserved apples and 2 tablespoons flour; let cool for about 30 minutes.
3. To assemble & bake pie: Position a rack in the lower third of the oven; preheat to 425°F.
4. Remove the dough from the refrigerator; let stand for 5 minutes to warm slightly. Roll one portion between sheets of parchment or wax paper into a 13-inch circle. Peel off the top sheet and invert the dough into a 9 1/2-inch deep-dish pie pan. Peel off the remaining paper. Scrape the filling into the crust. Roll the remaining portion of dough between sheets of parchment or wax paper into another 13-inch circle. Peel off the top sheet of paper and invert the dough onto the fruit. Peel off the remaining paper. Trim the crust so it overhangs evenly. Tuck the top crust under the bottom crust, sealing the two together and making a plump edge. Flute the edge with your fingers. Combine remaining 1 teaspoon of granulated sugar and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon in a small bowl. Brush the crust with egg white and sprinkle with the cinnamon-sugar. Cut 6 steam vents in the top crust.
5. Bake the pie for 20 minutes; reduce the oven temperature to 375° and continue baking until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbling, 25 to 35 minutes more. Let cool on a wire rack for about 1 1/2 hours before serving.

NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per serving: 352 calories; 10 g fat (4 g sat, 3 g mono); 14 mg cholesterol; 65 g carbohydrate; 4 g protein; 7 g fiber; 153 mg sodium; 234 mg potassium.
Nutrition bonus: Vitamin C (15% daily value).
4 Carbohydrate Servings
Exchanges: 2 starch, 2 fruit, 2 fat

TIP: Tip: The best apple pie filling combines “saucy” apples (that cook down to a saucelike texture) and “shapely” apples (that hold their shape after baking). Pick one variety from each category—here we used McIntosh and Granny Smith. Saucy: McIntosh, Cortland, Macoun, Mutsu (Crispin), Paula Red or Empire. Shapely: Granny Smith, Golden Delicious, Jonathon, Jonagold, Northern Spy or Ida Red.

MAKE AHEAD TIP: Prepare the crust (Step 1), wrap tightly and refrigerate for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 6 months. | Equipment: 9 1/2-inch deep-dish pie pan

Indian Vegetable Stew

Sweet sautéed onions and a rich mixture of spices create a complex, flavorful base for this extraordinary vegetarian stew.

Makes 6 servings, 1 1/4 cups each

ACTIVE TIME: 20 minutes

TOTAL TIME: 1 hour

EASE OF PREPARATION: Easy

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
3 large onions, coarsely chopped (4 cups)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon cumin seed
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cardamom
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 pound new potatoes, scrubbed and quartered
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 19-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed
1 14-ounce can crushed tomatoes, preferably fire-roasted
1 pound mini carrots
3/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
3/4 cup low-fat plain yogurt (optional)

1. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onions and cook, stirring often, until fragrant and beginning to brown, 5 to 6 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add cumin seed, ground cumin, coriander, cinnamon, cardamom and cayenne; cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 to 60 seconds. Add potatoes, water and salt; bring to a simmer. Cover and cook for 10 minutes.
2. Add chickpeas, tomatoes and carrots; stir to combine. Bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and simmer, partially covered, stirring occasionally and adding 1/2 cup water, if needed, until the potatoes and the carrots are tender, 30 to 35 minutes. Stir in cilantro. Serve with yogurt, if desired.

NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per serving: 264 calories; 4 g fat (1 g sat, 2 g mono); 0 mg cholesterol, 51 g carbohydrate; 9 g protein; 10 g fiber; 603 mg sodium; 997 mg potassium.


Nutrition bonus: Vitamin C (53% daily value), Fiber (40% dv), Folate (25% dv).

3 Carbohydrate Servings

Exchanges: 2 starch, 2 vegetable, 1 very lean meat

Jambalaya Jubilee!

INGREDIENTS:

* 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - diced
* 3 cups chicken broth
* 1-1/2 cups long grain white rice
* 1/2 pound smoked sausage, sliced
* 2 tablespoons vegetable/sunflower(from kansas yeah!)/peanut oil
* 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
* 1 onion, finely chopped
* 2 carrots, thinly sliced
* 1 stalk celery, thinly sliced
* 1/2 (8 ounce) can mushroom pieces, drained
* 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
* salt and pepper to taste
* 3 cloves garlic, minced
* 1 orange habanero, finely chopped (the most important ingredient)
* 1 16oz can of diced tomatoes (our’s were in cilantro and lime)
* 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
* 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
* 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
* bag of frozen shimp

DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently until soft. Add the chicken and continue cooking and stirring so that it does not stick. When the chicken is browned, add the carrots, celery, mushrooms, bell pepper and sausage and shrimp.
2. Pour in the broth, and bring to a boil. Add the rice, and season with cayenne, salt and pepper. Cover and cook over low heat for 20 minutes, until rice is tender and broth has been absorbed.

Pecan-Crusted Chicken

This recipe coats tender chicken breasts with a buttery pecans flavored with spicy chipotle and zesty orange. Serve with a spinach salad.

Makes 4 servings

ACTIVE TIME: 30 minutes

TOTAL TIME: 30 minutes

EASE OF PREPARATION: Easy

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (1-1 1/4 pounds), trimmed (see Tip)
1/2 cup pecan halves or pieces
1/4 cup plain dry breadcrumbs
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly grated orange zest
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground chipotle pepper (see Note)
1 large egg white
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon canola oil, divided

1. Working with one piece of chicken at a time, place between sheets of plastic wrap and pound with a meat mallet or heavy skillet until flattened to an even 1/4-inch thickness.
2. Place pecans, breadcrumbs, orange zest, salt and ground chipotle in a food processor and pulse until the pecans are finely ground. Transfer the mixture to a shallow dish. Whisk egg white and water in a shallow dish until combined. Dip each chicken breast in the egg-white mixture, then dredge both sides in the pecan mixture.
3. Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add half the chicken and cook until browned on the outside and no longer pink in the middle, 2 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and cover to keep warm. Carefully wipe out the pan with a paper towel and add the remaining oil. Cook the remaining chicken, adjusting the heat as needed to prevent scorching. Serve immediately.

NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per serving: 281 calories; 15 g fat (2 g sat, 8 g mono); 66 mg cholesterol; 7 g carbohydrate; 29 g protein; 2 g fiber; 430 mg sodium; 376 mg potassium.
Nutrition bonus: Selenium (34% daily value), good source of omega-3s.
1/2 Carbohydrate Serving
Exchanges: 1/2 starch, 4 lean meat, 1/2 fat

TIP: Tip: It can be hard to find individual chicken breasts small enough for our recommended 4-ounce (uncooked) portion size. If yours are closer to 5 ounces each, remove the tender (about 1 ounce) from the underside to get the correct portion size. Wrap and freeze the leftover tenders; when you have gathered enough, use them in a stir-fry, for chicken fingers or in soups.

Note: Chipotle peppers are dried, smoked jalapeño peppers. Ground chipotle can be found in the specialty spice section of most supermarkets.