Karl’s Roasted Garlic Couscous

After living in Chengdu, Sichuan, China, my family has always really loved garlic—a lot! I had an idea that popped into my head about a side dish to go with my Moroccan lamb—large chunks of roasted garlic floating in a sea of fluffy couscous.  My thought was that as you took a bite of couscous you would get a burst of roasted garlic goodness.

Karl’s Roasted Garlic Couscous

Karl’s Roasted Garlic Couscous

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Filed under Pasta, Side Dishes, Starches, Vegan, Vegetarian

Karl’s Lemon Grass Chicken Soup II

When I join my wife for lunch by the university we sometimes go to Café Pomegranate. While this is primarily a Persian restaurant, sometimes they go a bit wild with their soup of the day. Last week it was lemon grass soup. It was so good that I decided that I would have to deconstruct it.

Karl’s Lemon Grass Chicken Soup II

Karl’s Lemon Grass Chicken Soup II

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Filed under Chicken, Main Dishes, Poultry, Soups, Vegetables

Karl’s Grönsakskaka, Swedish Potato and Vegetable Medallions

Based on an Ikea recipe

I went to Ikea last week and, after buying Eilene a bunch of furniture for the updating of her room, I stopped off to buy Swedish meatballs, fish egg paste, and pickled herring. I saw a thing called Grönsakskaka and—always interested in new things—I bought a box to go with the meatballs.

Karl’s Grönsakskaka, Swedish Potato and Vegetable Medallions

Karl’s Grönsakskaka
Swedish Potato and Vegetable Medallions

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Filed under Potatoes, Side Dishes, Vegetables, Vegetarian

Karl’s Chicken Curry

This dish started out as a butter chicken, but as I read about the confusion of this dish with Chicken tikka masala, the only conclusion I could come to was that neither one was a traditional Indian dish before about sixty years ago. Both dishes were adaptations of traditional Indian dishes to British tastes. One origin story for chicken tikka masala is a chef in Scotland, although this is disputed in Punjab.

Karl’s Chicken Curry

Karl’s Chicken Curry

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Karl’s Carrot and Red Lentil Dhal

Just Miriam is joining us for dinner this Sunday, Chris is off to New York for the week. She is on the Atkins diet, so I still have to adapt my cooking to her desires. She is entering Phase two, so I thought I would make a dhal to go with my chicken curry and palak paneer.

Karl’s Carrot and Red Lentil Dhal

Karl’s Carrot and Red Lentil Dhal

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Filed under Side Dishes, Stews, Vegan, Vegetarian

Karl’s Palak Paneer II

Adapted from Sinful Curry

From my research on the web I understand that the difference between Palak Paneer and Saag Paneer is that if you only use only spinach it is a Palak (spinach) and if you use a mixture of green vegetables it is a Saag (greens). The paneer in the title is an Indian cheese with a very high melting point.

Karl’s Palak Paneer II

Karl’s Palak Paneer II

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Karl’s Greek Honey Lemon Chicken

Last year, I made a heavy chicken and “roasties” dinner that Jan had requested. For this weekday meal I wanted something similar, but much lighter. I am making a spinach and orzo salad, so I wanted just the chicken and the Greek flavors tonight.

Karl’s Greek Honey Lemon Chicken

Karl’s Greek Honey Lemon Chicken

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Karl’s Greek Spanakorzo Salad (Spinach and Pasta Salad)

I am making some Greek lemon chicken for a weekday meal. I made Spanakorizo (Greek spinach and rice) as a hot side dish last Easter. Today, I want to use the same flavors to make something lighter. This is more a fresh spinach salad with pasta, not orzo with a bit of spinach.

Karl’s Greek Spanakorzo Salad (Spinach and Pasta Salad)

Karl’s Greek Spanakorzo Salad
Spinach and Pasta Salad

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Filed under California Fusion, Salads, Vegan, Vegetarian

Karen’s Pear Chutney

Adapted from Joy of Cooking (1997)

My sister, Karen, moved to a new home in Port Townsend, WA and there is a pear orchard in the back. In our Christmas exchange this year, I gave her marmalade and she sent me the pear chutney she had made from her crop.  We ate it with an Indian dinner I had made and it went very well. I asked for the recipe to share.

Karen's Pear Chutney

Karen’s Pear Chutney

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Filed under Sauces and Spices, Side Dishes, Vegan, Vegetarian

Karl’s Italian Sausage Lasagna with Vegetable “Noodles”

The kids are on one of their low-starch diets—South Beach this time—so I have to adapt my Sunday meals to this. Personally, I believe that the secret losing weight is in not eliminating any particular “evil” food group, but in eating healthy and eating less—a bit of exercise wouldn’t hurt (the pot calling the kettle). There is no healthy way to eat massive amounts of food and still lose weight—still I try to accommodate.

Karl’s Italian Sausage Lasagna with Vegetable “Noodles”

Karl’s Italian Sausage Lasagna with Vegetable “Noodles”

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Filed under California Fusion, italian, Main Dishes, Pork