A fairly amazing-sounding Better Beer Society brown bag series event at Butcher & the Boar, some revised menus at local restaurants, a local foodie’s epic Mother’s Day feast, tasting notes for Summit Pilsner and Steel Toe’s Provider, the Star Tribune’s Taste 50, and a new urban farm in Minneapolis.
Becca Dilley / Heavy Table
Back when we lived in Cambridge, MA, my wife and I spent a fair amount of time in an Afghan restaurant called Helmand. Owned by the Karzai family (yes, those Karzais), Helmand served skillfully made traditional Afghan dishes in a welcoming environment, the dining room dominated by a gorgeous roaring brick bread oven that produced piece after piece of fresh hot flatbread. One of Helmand’s specialties was an appetizer called kaddo — pieces of baked sweetened pumpkin topped with a lightly garlic-flavored yogurt sauce. The refreshing pungent tang of the yogurt perfectly set off the warm, sweet taste of the pumpkin, making a dish that was a real stimulator of the appetite, but would have also made for a fine, sophisticated dessert. (The restaurant also offered a variant with a meat sauce, but we preferred the simpler vegetarian variety.)
Becca Dilley / Heavy Table
Lacking a local source for the stuff, Becca reverse engineered the recipe which appears below. It’s one part harvest comfort and one part exotic flair, and an inspired way to take advantage of one of the season’s most distinctive vegetables. Continue reading Afghan Pumpkin Kaddo »
Katie Cannon / Heavy Table
Mandu, vareniki, pierogi, jiaozi, siu mai, tamales, pasties… if you’ve got a national cuisine, you’ve got a stuffed dumpling. Rashmi Bhattachan, the enthusiastic proprietor of Curry Lane, has taken up the project of popularizing the Nepali take on the dish: momo, which she sells at the Mill City Farmers Market every Saturday during the market’s season.
Bhattachan “grew up eating momos. It’s a very popular in Nepal as a street food and restaurant item. I’m sure that 80 percent of the people who dine out in Nepal order momos first.”
The momo’s popularity in Nepal also means that there are infinite variations on the recipe. Bhattachan’s recipe is the final result of many comparisons with friends and family; as she discovered more and more variations on the dish, she incorporated them into her own version.
“I think the unique part of momos is the chutney that they’re served with. We serve it with a tomato-based chutney. You can do tomato and cilantro, tomato and mint, anything like that would be good.”
Though the recipe below is specifically for meat-filled momos, Bhattachan also serves a popular vegetarian version, which includes potatoes, cabbage, onions, and peas.
Katie Cannon / Heavy Table
Turkey Momo
Serves 4 to 5
Filling
1 lb ground turkey meat
1 small cabbage, shredded
1 c onion, finely chopped
1 c green onion, finely chopped
2 tsp garlic, minced
2 tsp fresh ginger, minced
½ tsp turmeric
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp red chili powder
2 tsp salt
1 c vegetable or corn oil
1 package dumpling wrappers*
- Combine all the ingredients in a mixing bowl. Mix the ingredients well and refrigerate for an hour so that the flavor of the spices are infused in the filling.
- Fill a small bowl or cup with warm water. Take a wrapper on one hand. Dip a finger in the water and tap around the edges of the wrapper so that it will stick together well. Take one teaspoon of the filling mixture and place it in the middle of the wrapper. Then with the other hand, fold the edges of the wrapper in the form of pleats to eventually form the shape of a potsticker.
- Fill the bottom portion of the steamer with water. Bring to a boil. Spray oil on the top rack of the steamer to prevent sticking. Place the wrapped momos in the steamer. Close the lid and steam for around 15 minutes for meat momos and 10 minutes for veggie momos. Once the momos are cooked, they will look shiny and smooth.
- Take the momos off the steamer and serve immediately with chutney or any kind of sauce.
*Bhattachan advises home cooks to use these rather than making scratch dumpling wrappers; they’re quicker and easier.
Katie Cannon / Heavy Table
Condiments are, by definition, used to enhance the flavor of a food. Often overlooked but rarely underused, they are staples on nearly every restaurant menu. Although available for purchase, many local restaurants choose to craft their own. Following are three establishments that take scratch-made dishes to heart, all the way down to their condiments.
Pickling at Grand Cafe
Katie Cannon / Heavy Table
It’s fitting that pickling is used often at Grand Cafe. Sous chef Ben’s last name happens to be Pichler. “As far as our condiments go, it’s probably our biggest,” says Chef Jon Radle. “If we can pickle something, we will.” The preservation method adds an acid or brine to produce in order to lengthen its window of edibility. Because of their long shelf life, pickled condiments allow the restaurant to serve local produce year-round. For example, diners might find ramps (a cross between a garlic bulb and a leek) that are harvested during the spring on their winter menu.
One pickling method Radle and Pichler use incorporates a house-made vinegar made from yarrow (an herb). Another is brining the produce of choice in a salt solution, either hot or cold. Cold brines take longer, but preserve texture and crunch, a key requirement for softer vegetables. Radle and Pichler don’t discriminate when it comes to pickling. They’ve tried everything from beets, to white asparagus, to kohlrabi (a member of the cabbage family). “Growing up, my family canned and pickled things throughout the summer, so when I came here we revamped some of the recipes,” says Pichler.
Currently they offer a spicy pickle relish served on both Smoked Tuna Belly Canapes (available on the menu until they run out), and the Cubanesque (their take on the sandwich, available year-round). Dill pickles are served during lunch alongside sandwiches. Pickled ramps are used in the Duck Confit Salad, and the house-pickled hot peppers (made with young scotch bonnet and cherry bomb peppers) are served with the Laughing Bird Shrimp and Grits appetizer. They have quite the kick, so be prepared.
Preserves at Lucia’s
Katie Cannon / Heavy Table
“The Habanero and Sweet Pepper Preserves have always been a staple at Lucia’s,” says Chef Heidi Binglee. The recipe was developed by Susan Dietrich, Binglee’s predecessor. The ingredients are simple: locally grown habanero and sweet peppers, cider vinegar, pectin, and sugar. The first bite — spread on a cube of house-made flax millet bread — was pleasantly cleansing. A shot of heat from the habaneros reveals itself from underneath the sweetness of the other peppers. It’s served on the to-go lunch menu with a vegan three-bean chili. However, rather than serve the the preserves alone, they mix it first with sour cream to make a habanero cream. Binglee also recommends eating it at home by spreading a smear of cream cheese on top of a cracker and topping it with the pepper preserves.
Two additional highlights are the wild blueberry preserves, made with blueberries picked around Rainy Lake in northern Minnesota, and the blueberry grape preserves, made with grapes provided courtesy of Chef / Owner Lucia Watson’s neighbor in Minneapolis. Both are made using only two ingredients, fruit and sugar. (Recommendation: try either with a homemade popover, found on both the to-go side and brunch menu.) Sourcing local fruits is an important virtue at the restaurant. Watson has also been known to use harvested ingredients from her own family. Lucia’s used to sell mint jelly: The mint was picked from Watson’s mother’s garden by her aunt Betty. Jams and preserves are available for purchase on the to-go side ($7 for a 9.5 oz. jar). Continue reading Scratch-Made Condiments »
Tags: chutney, condiments, Grand Cafe, jam, ketchup, Lucia's, mustard, pickles, pickling, preserves, Spoonriver, tartar sauce
Katie Cannon / Heavy Table
You’ve read about La Loma‘s NACCE Entrepreneur of the Year Award, thoughts on Day of the Dead Traditions, and nomination for the Heavy Table’s Silver Whisk Award for Best Purveyor, 2009; perhaps you’ve even tasted their tamales at Mercado Central or Midtown Global Market in Minneapolis or purchased them from the freezer case at Cub Foods or other grocery stores around town.
Now, finally, try for yourself the recipe that started it all.
Katie Cannon / Heavy Table
Noelia Vasquez, together with her husband Enrique Garcia Salazar, co-owner of La Loma, tells me: “Tamales aren’t just for Christmas. They take a lot of time to make, so, in Mexico you make them whenever you gather your family. Mothers and grandmothers teach their daughters, so you have something to make together that is traditional.”
“There are 20 ways to wrap tamales. This method [demonstrated in photos below] is traditional, simple, and easy. You can also get fancy by cutting off strips of corn husks and tying the ends candy style. But, that takes longer.”
“In Mexico, we don’t serve [them] with extra sauce. But, you do need to serve it with atole, a hot beverage made with milk and flavors — strawberry, tamarind, vanilla, chocolate, arroz con leche – or hot chocolate.”
Chicken Tamales in Green Sauce
Yield: 30 tamales
Chicken and Green Sauce
Yield: chicken for approximately 30 tamales and 40 oz green sauce
3 lbs chicken, cut into pieces
½ tsp salt
2 ½ lbs tomatillos, skin removed
8 (or more, to taste) serrano chile peppers (if you want to add flavor, but minimal heat, reduce the number of peppers to 2-3)
½ onion
4 cloves garlic
Chicken bouillon to taste
- Add chicken meat and salt to water and simmer for 30 minutes.
- Once the chicken is cooked, shred and set aside.
- Boil the tomatillos, serrano peppers, onion, and garlic in water until cooked.
- Discard the water and process the sauce ingredients in a blender with the chicken bouillon.
- Add 12 oz of the sauce to the shredded chicken; set the remainder aside for use in the following dough preparation.
Katie Cannon / Heavy Table
Tamale Dough
1 ½ lbs dried corn husks for tamales, picked clean of stringy fibers
5 lbs La Loma Tamale® Masa Dough*
24 oz green sauce (from recipe above)
1 lb lard or vegetable oil
- Soak the corn husks in warm water for 10 minutes.
- Wash the corn husks and allow them to drain.
- Mix the dough, green sauce, and lard or oil together.
- Knead the dough until it obtains a uniform texture.
- Press a small, 4-oz ball of dough and spread evenly onto the corn husk.
- Add desired amount of meat and sauce on top of the dough and wrap with the corn husk.
- After all tamales are assembled, place them upright (closed end down) in a 20-qt tamalera (tamale steamer). Steam for two hours.
- Serve immediately.
* La Loma Tamale® Masa Dough is available for $5 in the refrigerated case at Cub Foods. Otherwise, try 6 cups of Maseca Brand Corn Masa (do not use corn meal) plus 3 ¾ cups of chicken stock.
Katie Cannon / Heavy Table
by Lori Writer on November 20, 2009
Lori Writer / Heavy Table
Fire Lake Restaurant‘s Executive Chef Paul Lynch (PDF) says of this recipe: “It’s a great alternative to steadfast caramelized yams with little marshmallows that people serve at Thanksgiving. Once you try this you’ll never go back. It’s a great local recipe; it goes so well with so many things. We will be featuring this recipe as part of our Traditional Thanksgiving dinner. In fact, we serve it year-round with our signature apple pecan smoked honey-cured pork rack at the restaurant.”
If you want to watch him in action, Chef Lynch will be participating in Do it Green! Minnesota’s Low Carbon Food Print Cook Off from 12-2pm, Saturday, November 21 at Midtown Global Market in Minneapolis.
Maple-Glazed Yams and Apples
Serves 10
Ingredients:
2 ½ lbs (about 12) tart cooking apples, such as Harrelson
1 ½ lbs yams
5 tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped
⅛ c brown sugar
1 stick (4 oz) of unsalted butter, sliced
salt and white pepper to taste
Directions:
- Using an apple peeler machine, peel, core, and slice the apples. Cut them in half. Alternatively, peel and slice them by hand.
- Peel the yams, cut them in half end-to-end and slice into ⅜ inch thick half moons.
- Layer in a pattern of 1 yam slice to 2 apple slices (i.e. yam-apple-apple-yam…) in a baking dish.
- Drizzle with maple syrup and chopped rosemary.
- Sprinkle with brown sugar and dot with slices of cold butter.
- Add salt and white pepper.
- Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 350ºF for 1 hour.
Tags: apples, Fire Lake, FireLake, Harrelson, maple syrup, Minneapolis, Paul Lynch, recipe, seasonal, Thanksgiving, yam
Lori Writer / Heavy Table
Chef Nina Wong, of ChinDian Cafe in Minneapolis, offers up this colorful, simple, and versatile recipe, saying: “Enjoy it with crackers, toast, crostini, or on a sandwich! Or in place of mashed potatoes for Thanksgiving.” We think it would be especially suitable as an appetizer for Thanksgiving dinner. In the spirit of family togetherness, you can even enlist your kids to help with the final step of mashing all of the ingredients together.
Savory Sweet Potato Spread
Serves 4
Ingredients:
2 lbs sweet potatoes
8 oz cream cheese (softened)
1⁄2 c milk
1 tsp curry powder
pinch of salt
Directions:
- Bake sweet potatoes at 400°F on a baking sheet until tender.
- Once potatoes are tender, remove the skin.
- Mash sweet potatoes in a mixing bowl, then add cream cheese, milk, curry powder, and salt, and mix until well combined.
Wong’s seasonal recipes previously published on the Heavy Table:
Southeast Indian Beet Relish
Salsa Soup (plus a little more about Wong’s ChinDian Cafe)
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