My wife and I generally do not celebrate Valentine’s Day. Our first date was on February second, and that is the day we mark as ours—at the time, groundhogs were the furthest thing from our minds. This year, however, Jan took a fancy to a deli dinner with heart shaped crackers. Anything for my wife.
Karl’s Rosemary Valentine Crackers
with Brie and Fig Jam
Filed under bread, California Fusion, Side Dishes, Vegetarian
I have been craving oxtails recently. I do not make them very often, because of Jan’s dietary restrictions and because, for the same reason, they are not exactly a health food—they are very fatty. One way to reduce the fat is to make them the day before, skim off the congealed lard, and reheat them the next day.
Karl’s Spanish Style Oxtails
Filed under Beef, California Fusion, Main Dishes
I have been craving oxtails recently. You may wonder what does “oxtail” have to do with “mushroom” soup. It all comes down to my wife’s, Jan’s, gallbladder—or rather the lack of the same.
Karl’s Five Mushroom Soup
Filed under California Fusion, Side Dishes, Soups, Vegan, Vegetarian
Jan, my wife, is an anthropologist at SJSU. When she can, she arranges for her students to do “real world” projects for their assignments. This semester, she will be and her students will be part of a team, organized by NUMU Los Gatos, interviewing relocated American Indians who live in the South Bay. Having moved to the city—from the reservations in the 1950s, ‘60s, and 70s—their stories will soon be lost to history, if they are not recorded now.
Karl’s Asian Salad for a Crowd
Filed under Chinese-American, Salads, Sauces and Spices, Side Dishes, Vegan, Vegetarian
Jan, my wife, is an anthropologist at SJSU. When she can, she arranges for her students to do “real world” projects for their assignments. This semester, she will be and her students will be part of a team, organized by NUMU Los Gatos, interviewing relocated American Indians who live in the South Bay—having moved to the city from various reservations in the 1950s, ‘60s, and 70s—if they are not recorded now their stories will soon be lost to history.
Karl’s Ham and Beans for a Crowd
Filed under Beans, Main Dishes, Pork
A friend of Jan’s, Heidi, gave us a jar of wild plum sauce and Jan asked me to think up a dinner to go with it. Jan does not particularly like duck, so the most obvious use—Peking Duck—was right out. As I was reading a Chinese menu, I saw “lettuce cups with plum sauce” and that gave me an idea for a California Fusion Asian pork “taco.”
Karl’s California Fusion Asian Pork “Tacos”
Filed under California Fusion, Main Dishes, Pork
I am making California Fusion Asian pork “tacos” for dinner. I thought it would be nice to have a cool tart slaw to cut the heavy meaty flavor of the filling. Sort of an Asian “taco” with leafy tortilla, filling, and slightly sour Asian “salsa.”
Karl’s Mung Bean and Cabbage Slaw
Filed under Salads, Side Dishes, Vegan, Vegetarian
I am making Asian pork lettuce cups this week. The filling for lettuce cups is meat heavy with a deeply flavored sauce. I wanted my second dish to be simple and elegant. Last week, I made Szechuan salt & pepper shrimp and it was so popular Jan wanted something similar this week. Anyone for Szechuan salt & pepper scallops?
Karl’s Szechuan Salt & Pepper Scallops
with Oyster Mushrooms
Filed under California Fusion, Main Dishes, Seafood
It’s my birthday dinner and this almost always means lamb. I have done a variety of grilled lamb dishes—like Greek lamb, Moroccan lamb, and kefir lamb. My favorite is Uyghur Shashlik, in Kashgar, these are small bits of lamb coated in a cumin based spice blend.
Karl’s Uyghur Shashlik Flavored Lamb
Filed under California Fusion, Lamb, Main Dishes, Sauces and Spices
I am making a California Fusion birthday dinner with Uyghur lamb and naan. If I was trying for a traditional Uyghur menu seafood would be right out—the closest ocean to Kashgar is at least 2,000 miles away over the Himalayas. But hey, this is California and I’ll make what I like.
Karl’s Szechuan Salt & Pepper Shrimp
with Grilled Pearl Onions and Mushrooms
Filed under California Fusion, Main Dishes, Seafood, Shrimp
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Miriam
Jabberwocky Stew 