Wilted Chinese Cabbage

Wilted Chinese Cabbage

Dave DeWitt Vegetables, Vegetarian and Other Leave a Comment

For a variation, or to make a more substantial salad course, serve the radish salad over wilted Chinese cabbage:

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic
1 cup white wine
1 head of Chinese cabbage, separated, rinsed
Fresh cumin seeds (use powdered if you don’t have fresh)
Salt & Black pepper

Instructions

Melt the butter in a wok or other large pan, add the onion and sauté until translucent.

Add the garlic and sauté for an additional 1-2 minutes.

Add the wine and bring to a boil, then add the cabbage all at once (don’t worry, it shrinks). Use a pair of tongs to turn the cabbage in the pan as it cooks.

When the cabbage has wilted down, add a sprinkle of cumin, then salt & pepper to taste.


Serve the wilted cabbage on a plate, topped with the radish salad.

Birinj Kabuli

Birinj Kabuli (Kabul Party Rice)

Dave DeWitt Recipes Leave a Comment

This is a special dish prepared for celebrations when guests are expected. If pine nuts aren’t available, pistachio can be substituted. The Afghans use lamb tail fat to sauté the onions, but since this is not readily available, I suggest butter.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon chopped fresh green chile, such as serrano
2 large carrots, peeled and grated
3 large onions, chopped
4 tablespoons butter
2 1/2 cups cooked white rice
1/2 cup shelled piñon or pine nuts
1/2 cup seedless raisins
1 tablespoon each, ground cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, cumin

Instructions

Place the carrots in a saucepan and add water to cover. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 5 minutes, then drain. Melt the butter in a skillet at medium temperature, add the onion, and sauté until lightly brown. Combine the drained carrots, rice and onions, and stir in the remaining ingredients while simmering over low heat for about 10 minutes.

This is an excellent side dish with meat, fish or poultry.

Heat scale: medium

Grilled Avocado with Strawberry-Mango Salsa

Grilled Avocado with Strawberry-Mango Salsa

Dave DeWitt Recipes Leave a Comment

Now let’s go wild and whip up a fancy-dancy dessert from something no one else uses for that purpose. The lowly—but elegant—avocado is actually a fruit, so let’s treat it like one for this refreshing, healthy, and surprising dessert.

Ingredients

4 avocados, just turning soft, not fully ripeGrilled Avocados
1 medium mango, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 pound strawberries, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 cup honey mixed with 1/4 cup olive oil

Instructions

Preheat a well-oiled BBQ grill to medium-high, 300-400 degrees F.  

Slice the avocados in half lengthwise and carefully remove the seed. Brush the exposed flesh with the honey-olive oil mixture, cover with plastic wrap and set aside in a cool place (do not refrigerate).

Chop the mangos and strawberries and mix them with the vinegar, orange juice, and lemon juice, let rest at least 20 minutes so the ingredients can blend. Stir occasionally.

Spray your grill very heavily with PAM or another grilling spray.

Grill the avocados skin side down directly on the grill for 2 to 3 minutes, until the skin begins to lightly char and take on grill marks. Re-spray the grill and brush the flesh side of the avocados again with the honey-oil mixture and place the halves flesh side down on the hot grill for another 2-3 minutes.

With a spatula carefully remove the avocados from the grill and place them on a serving plate covered with a bed of lettuce, two halves per person. Fill the seed cavity with the mango-strawberry salsa, generously dribbling some on the top of each half. Serve with a spoon to scoop out the avocado flesh and salsa.