Gelato al Parmigiano Reggiano (302x167)

Gelato al Parmigiano Reggiano

Dave DeWitt Leave a Comment

From the book Il Gelato Secondo Matteo, by Carlo Correra.

Ingredients

1 quart fresh pasteurized whole milk
4 eggs
7 ounces granulated sugar
7 ounces sugar syrup (about 1 cup)
Pinch of salt
A few drops of vanilla
7 ounces freshly grated Parmesan cheese from Parma

Instructions

Combine all the ingredients except for the cheese in a bowl, whisk well, and then transfer to a pot.  Heat the mixture to 185 degrees F. and stir well until thickened, about 5 or 6 minutes, taking care that it does not boil.  Remove from the heat and allow to reach room temperature.  Mix in the cheese and transfer to an ice cream maker, then follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

Cassoulet de Fruits de Mer (Curried Seafood Stew)

Cassoulet de Fruits de Mer (Curried Seafood Stew)

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This Pondicherry favorite is Chef Mody’s southern Indian version of bouillabaisse. You can use any combination of available seafood, but I recommend that mussels and shrimp should always be included. This dish is very quick to make—about 15 minutes. Serve it with or over the Lime Rice recipe included here, or with your favorite version of saffron rice.

Ingredients


The Spice Paste:
4 small hot red chiles, such as santaka or cayenne, stems and seeds removed
1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and chopped fine
4 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
2 teaspoons coriander seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon powdered turmeric
6 black peppercorns
1 tablespoon malt vinegar

The Cassoulet:
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 sprig fresh curry leaves, or dried curry leaves that have been rehydrated and patted dry
1/2 mild onion, chopped
1 one-pound assortment of seafood, including shrimp, cooked mussels (removed from the shells), scallops, crab meat, lobster meat, and fish of choice
1 cup coconut milk (not sweet coconut cream)
2 teaspoons lemon or lime juice
Salt to taste
Cilantro leaves for garnish

Instructions

To make the paste, combine all the ingredients in a blender or food processor and grind to a fine paste.  Set aside.

To make the Cassoulet, heat the oil in a large, deep frying pan and add the curry leaves and the onion; stir-fry until the onion is soft. Add the spice paste and sauté for 2 minutes.

Add the seafood except for the fish, lower the heat, and simmer for 2 minutes. Add coconut milk, bring to a boil, add the fish and lower the heat and simmer for 5 to 7 minutes or until you can flake the fish.

Season with the lemon juice and salt, stir gently and serve garnished with the cilantro leaves along with rice.

Heat Scale: Medium

Chicken in a Creamy Red Sauce

Poulet Rouge (Chicken in a Creamy Red Sauce)

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Chef Mody calls this easy-to-prepare dish “mild and sinfully rich,” and it’s one of the top sellers at La Porte des Indes. Serve it with naan bread and your favorite chutney.

Ingredients

5 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespooons masala powder
1/4 cup yogurt, Greek preferred
1 cup Onion Sauce (see recipe below)
1 cup whipping cream
4 legs roasted young chicken, meat cut from the bone in strips
Salt to taste

Instructions

Crush the garlic in a mortar with a little water to make a paste. Melt the butter in a large frying pan and lightly brown the garlic paste in it.

Add the masala powder and sauté for a few seconds, then lower the heat and add the yogurt. Simmer the mixture for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally and add the onion sauce, mixing it well. Add the cream, bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

Add the chicken strips and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until the meat is heated through. Adjust the salt if needed and serve.

Heat Scale: Mild

Mirichi ka Salan

Mirichi ka Salan (Mild Chiles in a Nutty Sauce)

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Chef Sundeep Bhagat from Lucknow, La Porte’s specialist in vegetarian cuisine, created this marvelous recipe for chile lovers that combines the fresh pods with coconuts and other nuts.

Ingredients


For the Nutty Sauce:
2 cups freshly grated coconut meat
1 ounce raw peanuts
1/2 ounce raw cashew nuts
2 teaspoons sesame seeds
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon tamarind sauce

For the Chiles:
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon turmeric
5 teaspoons Onion Sauce (see recipe above)
1 small fresh tomato, chopped
1/2 teaspoon New Mexico red chile powder
Salt to taste
1/2 cup yogurt
8 fresh New Mexican chiles, sliced on the side to remove the seeds, stems left on
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
2 sprigs fresh curry leaves, or 1/2 teaspoon dried curry leaves, rehydrated and patted dry
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

Instructions

To make the nutty sauce, dry-roast all the ingredients except the tamarind sauce in a frying pan, then add them to a blender with the tamarind sauce and a little water and process to a fine paste.  Set aside.

To make the chiles, heat 2 tablespoons of the vegetable oil in a large frying pan, add the turmeric and onion sauce, and heat gently. Add the tomatoes, chile powder, and salt.

Whisk in the yogurt and mix well. Continue to stir until the mixture thickens, about 5 minutes. Add the nutty sauce paste and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally.

In another frying pan, heat the remaining oil and lightly sauté the chiles for 2 to 3 minutes, turning several times. Transfer the chiles with tongs to the yogurt mixture and add the mustard seeds and curry leaves to the oil and heat until the mustard seeds pop.

Then transfer this oil to the yogurt mixture and stir everything together. Cook on low heat for an additional 2 to 3 minutes. Check for salt and add the lemon juice.

Heat Scale: Medium

Yelemecam Sadam

Yelemecam Sadam (Lime Rice)

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This is a popular Southern Indian recipe that is either served as a side dish to curries or on its own with mango pickle or chutney. Note the tradition of adding a thinly sliced chile to the rice. Channa dal is dried yellow chickpeas, available in Asian markets. Note: This recipe requires advance preparation.

Ingredients


2 cups Basmati rice, washed and soaked in water for 1 hour
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 level teaspoon mustard seeds
1 tablespoon channa dal
1/2 medium Spanish or mild onion, sliced
2 serrano chiles, stems and seeds remove, very thinly sliced
1 sprig fresh curry leaves or 1/2 teaspoon dried curry leaves, rehydrated and patted dry
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 quart water
Juice of 4 limes
Salt to taste
Chopped cilantro, whole cashew nuts, and lime wedges for garnish

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F. Drain the rice.

Heat the vegetable oil in a casserole on top of the stove and add the mustard seeds and channa dal. As soon as the mustard seeds pop, add the onions, chile slices, and curry leaves. Fry until the onion is soft, and then add the turmeric powder.

Pour in the water, bring to a boil, and add the lime juice and salt to taste. Mix in the drained rice, bring to a boil, lower the heat a little, and boil gently until the water evaporates to the level of the rice, about 5 minutes.

Cover the casserole with a lid and transfer to the oven. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes. Serve the rice garnished with the cilantro, cashew nuts, and lime wedges.

Heat Scale: Mild