Category Archives: Side Dishes

by | March 7, 2015 · 5:09 pm

Karl’s Maafe II (West African Sweet Potato and Peanut Soup)

Jan’s friend needed a soft soup after her oral surgery and Jan’s family is descending upon us. Blended soups are the order of the day. In addition to Ezo Gelin and Avgolemono, I will be making Maafe. Maafe, at its simplest, is a sauce made with peanuts and tomatoes with onions and sweet potatoes being a frequent additions. After that, the variations for this soup/stew are near endless.  Traditionally, this dish is probably served “chunky,” but I will blend it into a smooth creamy soup for people with problems chewing.

Karl’s Maafe II (West African Sweet Potato and Peanut Soup)

Karl’s Maafe II
West African Sweet Potato and Peanut Soup

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Filed under Main Dishes, Potatoes, Soups, Stews, Vegan, Vegetarian

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by | February 23, 2015 · 2:33 am

Karl’s Asian Mushroom and Wild Rice Soup

Adapted from an Americas Test Kitchen recipe

I am incapable of following a recipe, even my own. I know that the chefs at ATK have spent days perfecting their recipe, but I have to make changes. I cannot help myself—I watch cooking shows more for tips and techniques, rather than instructions.

Karl’s Asian Mushroom and Wild Rice Soup

Karl’s Asian Mushroom and Wild Rice Soup

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by | February 23, 2015 · 2:18 am

Karl’s Salt Pickled Cabbage with Japanese Chilies, Kyabetsu Shio-zuke Tsukemono

Japan has many Tsukemono, literally “pickled things.” When my father came back from Japan in the fifties, he introduced my family to Japanese cuisine. One dish that he learned to make was salt pickled cabbage (kyabetsu shio-zuke; キャベツ塩-漬け ).

Karl’s Salt Pickled Cabbage with Japanese Chilies, Kyabetsu Shio-zuke Tsukemono

Karl’s Salt Pickled Cabbage with Japanese Chilies
Kyabetsu Shio-zuke Tsukemono

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Filed under Green Vegetables, Pickles, Side Dishes, Vegan, Vegetables, Vegetarian

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by | February 22, 2015 · 10:05 pm

Karl’s Asian Apple Cabbage Salad II

This seems to be my week for trying to improve recipes I have made recently. Last week I made an Asian influenced salad to go with my salmon teriyaki. I am making salmon again and the salad was good enough that I wanted to try and make it better.

Karl’s Asian Apple Cabbage Salad II

Karl’s Asian Apple Cabbage Salad II

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Filed under California Fusion, Salads, Side Dishes, Vegan, Vegetables, Vegetarian

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by | February 22, 2015 · 8:05 pm

Karl’s Red Pepper Tapenade II

Jan requested fresh crackers for her dinner with her friends. While they are good all by themselves—“Crack”ers, as Jan calls them—I thought I would add a spread for them while my diners waited for me to finish the other dishes. A tapenade is a primarily made from chopped olives, with a bit of oil to make it a paste.

Karl’s Red Pepper Tapenade II

Karl’s Red Pepper Tapenade II

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by | February 19, 2015 · 6:44 pm

Karl’s Asian Apple Cabbage Salad

I had decided to have salmon teriyaki for dinner on a week night. Usually I would serve rice and Japanese pickles with this. I decided that I wanted something different, maybe some kind of Asian salad.

Karl’s Asian Apple Cabbage Salad

Karl’s Asian Apple Cabbage Salad

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Filed under Salads, Side Dishes, Starches, Vegan, Vegetables, Vegetarian

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by | February 16, 2015 · 3:30 am

Karl’s Steamed Artichokes with Tarragon Caper Butter Sauce

I am making chicken cacciatore and rustic bread for Sunday dinner. I wanted a hot veg to go with these dishes. It has been a while since I made steamed artichokes.

Karl’s Steamed Artichokes with Tarragon Caper Butter Sauce

Karl’s Steamed Artichokes with Tarragon Caper Butter Sauce

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by | February 16, 2015 · 3:23 am

Karl’s Rustic Italian Bread

I am making a chicken cacciatore for Sunday dinner and I wanted fresh bread to go with it. While I have made white bread and other baked goods many times, I have never ventured into crusty bread territory. Bread is simply a mixture of flour, water and some kind of leaven, but the results can vary widely depending of the differences in handling—both before and during baking—and with the addition of a variety of ingredients.

Karl’s Rustic Italian Bread

Karl’s Rustic Italian Bread

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by | February 12, 2015 · 5:04 am

Dad’s Salt Pickled Cabbage, Kyabetsu Shio-zuke Tsukemono

Japan has many Tsukemono, literally “pickled things.” When my father came back from Japan in the fifties, he introduced my family to Japanese cuisine. One dish that he learned to make was salt pickled cabbage (kyabetsu shio-zuke; キャベツ塩-漬け ).

Dad’s Salt Pickled Cabbage Kyabetsu Shio-zuke Tsukemono

Dad’s Salt Pickled Cabbage
Kyabetsu Shio-zuke Tsukemono

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by | February 12, 2015 · 4:38 am

Karl’s Miso Pickled Cucumbers, Misozuke Tsukemono

I had the urge to make Japanese pickles this week. There are many types of Japanese pickles—Tsukemono—and I am on a quest to learn them all. This week it was misozuke, miso flavored pickles.

Karl’s Miso Pickled Cucumbers, Misozuke Tsukemono

Karl’s Miso Pickled Cucumbers
Misozuke Tsukemono

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