Tag: James Cameron

I more or less invented this dish based off of different recipes that were on Japanese TV shows. I like to eat this when I’m in the mood for a bit of Italian but not too much Italian. It’s really easy to cook, so when I’m feeling lazy, this is my go-to. It also uses only one pot so there are fewer dishes to wash.

4 Italian tomatoes

2 zucchini or ½ eggplant

2 potatoes

200 grams sliced beef

1 or 2 cloves garlic

2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. sugar

3 tbsp. ketchup

3 cups water

olive oil to cook with

-Cut tomatoes into pieces, slice the zucchini and chop the potatoes into small pieces. Chop the beef into bite-sized pieces. Dice the garlic.

-Pour some olive oil in the pot and stir fry the garlic until you smell the flavor. Put the beef in the pot and stir-fry until the color changes.

-Put all the vegetables in and stir-fry until all the vegetables are coated in oil. Add the salt, sugar, ketchup, and water in the pot.

-Cover with a lid and cook for ten minutes on medium-low. Stir occasionally.

-After ten minutes, check the pot. If it’s not too watery, then it’s done.

This delicious Bavarian recipe comes from my mother. It smells wonderful and tastes even better with some vanilla sauce, whipped cream or a scoop of ice cream. Perfect for “Kaffe und Kuchen” (coffee and cake for all you non-Germanophiles) it’s an excellent afternoon snack, but it can also go as a meal for those of you who like it sweet. It’s not too hard to make Apfelstrudel and it contains just a couple of simple ingredients such as flour, apples, sugar and cinnamon. However, one thing you’ll need for this recipe is time and patience.

Ingredients

(This makes 1 large loaf or two smaller loaves)

For the dough:

2 ½ cups bread flour (300 g)

¼ tsp. salt

3 tbs. vegetable oil (30 ml)

¾ cups lukewarm water (200 ml)

For the filling:

5-6 large apples, sliced (apples such as Gala or Granny Smith)

¾ cups granulated sugar (150 grams)

4 tbs. dark rum (optional) or orange juice

½ cups raisins (60 grams)

¼ tsp. ground cinnamon

1-2 tsp. lemon zest

4 tbs. lemon juice

Melted butter (unsalted) for brushing dough (almost a whole stick or ½ cup)

Powdered sugar for decoration

Preparation

To make the dough:

Place the flour in a bowl with the salt and add the water and then the oil. Knead the mix into a medium-firm dough. Let sit for 1 hour, room temperature.

To make the filling:

Soak the raisins in the rum (or orange juice if you don’t have rum). Peel, core and slice apples into small pieces. Add the sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, raisins, and cinnamon and mix well.

Roll out the dough with a rolling pin on a lightly floured strudel sheet (or you can use a dishtowel), and then stretch the rolled dough on the sheet with the back of your hands. Stretch the dough thin on all sides until it starts to look translucent in spots.  Brush the dough with the melted butter. Spread apple filling over the dough but keep a little space around the edge of the dough. Tear off edges and shape the strudel into a roll by lifting the dishtowel. Place the strudel on a buttered baking sheet and brush with melted butter.

Bake strudel for 60 to 90 minutes in a 350 degrees F to 400 degrees F oven (175-180 Celsius). Bake with less temperature when making two small loafs. (350 F)

Serve with powdered sugar on top, and/ or vanilla ice cream.

An Guad’n! (Enjoy!)

It’s that time of the week again. Your housemate brings home a box of assorted fruits and veggies and you think, how am I supposed to combine zucchini and oranges? What are collard greens? Here are a few recipes for your vegetables and although I didn’t write any for your fruits, I have no doubt that kiwis, oranges, and apples would make a lovely fruit salad. Remember, live life on the veg.

Sautéed Zucchini coins

–       Dice a few cloves of garlic and throw in a pan with some olive oil.

–       After a few minutes, throw in some diced onions or shallots and cook until they start to soften.

–       Chop the zucchini into thin coins and arrange in a single layer in the pan so they can brown.

–       Stir occasionally and flip over to brown both sides until tender.

Garlicky Collard Greens

(Similar to the sautéed chard recipe in the last issue)

-Wash and chop the collard greens into four inch slices.

-Put a little olive oil in a pan on medium heat, and sauté some onions if you have any.

-After five minutes or so, add some diced garlic and the collard greens.

-Stir around and cook for 7-8 more minutes until it cooks down a lot. Pour some soy sauce on top for flavor.

– It will turn to a kind of ugly green. Collards take a while to cook so it may take a bit longer to get tender enough.

Broccoli Cheddar Soup

(Adapted from 101cookbooks.com, uses the yellow onion too!)
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 shallot, chopped
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 large potato, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch cubes (1 1/2 cups)
2 cloves garlic, diced
3 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1 large head of broccoli, cut into small florets

2/3 cup grated cheddar cheese
1 – 3 teaspoons dijon mustard
smoked paprika to taste

Sauté the shallots, onion, and a pinch of salt for a couple minutes on med-low heat. Add the potatoes and cover and then cook for a few minutes until they are soft enough to stick a fork in. Uncover, and add the garlic and then the broth. Bring to a boil until the potatoes are tender, and then stir in the broccoli. Simmer until the broccoli is tender throughout, so about 2-4 minutes.

Remove the soup from the heat and puree in a blender. Add half the cheese and the mustard. Add more water if you want it to be soupier. Taste to flavor.

Serve with croutons, the remaining cheese, and a little paprika.

Crêpes: A Homemade Alternative to Brunch

Overslept again? Too cold to trek across Andrus Field? Tired of waiting in line as you watch the omelet chef fill order after delicious order—all of which aren’t yours? Roll out of bed, make the trip to your frosh kitchen and create your own brunch.

This week, we tell you how to make homemade crêpes. As students who have studied abroad in France, we know there is nothing quite as marvelous as a warm, buttery crêpe. These deliciously thin French pancakes can be stuffed with anything from ham and cheese to jam and powdered sugar. It is your duty to search your minds for the wildest, most unexpected crêpe-stuffers and experiment with new combinations of flavors.

Now to solve every breakfaster goer’s dilemma: sweet or savory. In the spirit of freshmen gluttony we suggest indulging yourself in both. In this spirit, we offer you three delicious recipes: bananutella, simple peanut butter and jelly, and spicy-southwestern.

The sweet version

Before you let your imagination get carried away considering the possibilities of the three-week old strawberries and half block of feta cheese lodged away in your roommate’s icebox, prepare the crêpe batter.

1)    Begin by procuring flour, eggs, and milk (could be soy milk, though it’s not recommended), a large bowl, and a big spoon.

2)    Add one cup of flour, one cup of milk and three eggs to the bowl, beat until lump free. Add water sparingly until you achieve a runny consistency. If the mixture strongly resembles pancake batter, add water.

3)    On the side, sauté some sliced bananas (courtesy of your Usdan Eco to-go container) in butter and the leftover sugar until the slices are crispy brown on both sides, feel soft, and smell heavenly.

4)    Place the bananas aside and spread another thin layer of butter onto the pan. Pour the batter into the pan until you achieve a well-proportioned, thin layer on the bottom of the pan. Rotate the pan slightly, getting a feel for your desired thinness. Once the edges are slightly brown and begin curling inward, flip the crêpe in one smooth motion. Cook until the top is golden brown.

5)    Once the crêpe is done, flip it onto a spare plate and add your banana filling. For an even stronger sugar rush to rev you up, spread a thin layer of Nutella onto the warm crêpe, letting it softly melt into the buttery goodness. The combination of flavors is sure to break the fog of even the most intense all-nighter.

Repeat the crêpe-making process for as many guests as you are serving, or for as many as you feel you personally can eat. A tip for keeping your crêpes warm while you prepare more delectable fillings: stack them one by one on a plate and cover with a paper towel.

The PB&J version

Getting back to the basics, craft a crêpe that includes the quintessential staples of the college dorm diet: peanut butter and jelly. Spread peanut butter on one half and jelly on the other. Fold the crêpe together while still warm to get the best infusion of flavors. Once you have had one of these you will never want to eat another cold, soggy PB&J again.

The savory version

Switching gears to savory, rinse out your crêpe batter bowl and crack three eggs into it. While beating the eggs, throw in some cheese, ham, cherry tomatoes, and mushrooms, or any other interesting ingredients you’d like to test (the more the merrier!). Add another spoonful of butter into the pan and fry up the mixture until the eggs assume an omelet-like appearance. Flip the eggs out of the pan onto a spare crêpe, roll up and enjoy. To give this bad boy a true southwestern kick, add a few dollops of hot salsa—the spicier the better—onto the top of the crêpe. Jessie Jackson ’14 recommends Louisiana Hot Sauce, while Rowan Converse ’14 says she prefers her native New Mexican green chili. Bon Appétit!

The Spanish Tortilla Recipe

There is no better way to recover from a long night’s work than a big breakfast or lunch. Another simple “frosh recipe” that can be tried out is a delicious Spanish tortilla. An alternative to the classic omelet, it is simple, straightforward and satisfies both the lunch and breakfast components of a hearty brunch.

Ingredients:

• 6 large eggs
• 1 large onion
• 2 baking potatoes
• Olive Oil
• Ham or Cheese (optional)

1. Coat a medium-large frying pan or iron skillet with several tablespoons of olive oil. Extra virgin tends to give you the best flavor.
2. Cut the onion in half vertically and slice into one-inch thick slices. Place in pan and cook over medium heat until soft but not brown. Remove from pan into a separate bowl.
3. Peel, quarter, and slice potatoes into one-inch pieces. Place them in the same pan and cook until soft. Do not let them turn brown—they just need to be softened. If you need to add more olive oil, do so. The more the better!
4. Preheat oven to 350°F.
5. In a separate bowl beat six eggs.
6. Add onions to potatoes and then pour the eggs into the pan swirling it around so that the egg fills to the edges of the pan. If you would like to add any other ingredients do so at this time. Let this cook for about 15 minutes on medium heat. If you have a lid for the pan you can cover it during this time.
7. Place pan in oven for 10-15 minutes. The key is to make sure the egg has been cooked entirely (there should be no liquid).
8. Once out of the oven, let the tortilla cool for about five minutes, and then flip it onto a spare plate. Serve either warm or let it chill and serve it cold as tapas.

These are reactionary scones. Borne out of years of being told that the likes of Golden Grahams, Reese’s Puffs, and Lucky Charms were the equivalent of dessert for breakfast, this is revenge. I’m rejecting the bland legacy of shredded wheat and oatmeal. This is college. Sure you can get a Clif bar or a bagel, but wouldn’t you rather be gourmet, tick off a league of dietitians, and have cheese and sugar together? Even better, like all Dis-batch recipes, the key ingredient can be taken to-go (read: not furtively stolen) from Usdan. Success.

Apple Jack, Apple, and Cheddar Scones
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

Makes about 15 scones

2 apples

1 1/2 cups flour

2 cups crushed Apple Jacks cereal
1/4 cup sugar plus extra for sprinkling

1/2 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
7 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cut into 1/2-inch dice

1/2 cup sharp cheddar, shredded

1/4 cup heavy cream
2 large eggs

Preheat oven to 375 °F. Butter baking sheet.

1. Peel and core apples, then cut them into cubes. Placed them in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake them about 20 minutes. They will be mushy. Let them cool completely. Leave oven on.

2. Whisk flour, Apple Jacks, sugar, baking powder and salt together. Set aside. Rub the cold butter into the flour mixture with your fingers, hand-chop the apples coarsely and mix the cheese, cream, and one egg together with a wooden spoon until combined. Do not overmix.

3. Flour your counter top and place the scone dough on top of it. Sprinkle with flour. Use your hands to form 12 triangular globs—about ½ an inch thick each. Or just make globs, much easier. Transfer them to a buttered baking sheet. Leave at least two inches between each scone.

4. Beat remaining egg in a small bowl with a pinch of salt. Brush the scones with egg wash and sprinkle them with the remaining tablespoon of sugar. Bake until firm and golden, about 14 minutes. With a spatula, lift them to a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes.

This is the best pizza ever consumed in Connecticut. It is a combination of recipes from Naples, the pizza capital of the world, and Parma, the food capital of Europe.

1) You can make or buy the dough. If you make the dough, use King Arthur’s flour with non-carbonated mineral water and follow a common pizza dough recipe.

2) Buy a can of Red Pack canned tomatoes chopped in mini bits. Put them in a bowl with sea salt, 1/2 tsp salt per can. One can is enough to make two pizzas.

3) Make the crust as thin as possible, so thin that if pulled on it will rip. Do this by using a roller.

4) Grease the pizza pan with olive oil and then sprinkle on bits of course cornmeal. I don’t think there is really a big difference in using a pizza stone or a pan, so it doesn’t really matter.

5) Take the tomato bits and spread it on the pizza, not too thick and not too thin. Drizzle on olive oil.

6) Get the freshest Parmesan, preferably shipped from Parma, and grate and sprinkle on the pizza.

7) Put on the 3 cheese mix of Mozzarella, Parmesan and Adagio, and sprinkle on liberally.

8) Add 3-4 basil fresh basil leaves and sprinkle on top.

9) Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

10) You will know the pizza is done when the bottom is brown. Heat until you are satisfied with the bottom of the pizza.

Eat with a good Cabernet and some sparkling mineral water!

When the meals at Usdan are not quite up to par and the frozen food section at Weshop has been cleaned out, make the journey to your local dorm kitchen and create your own masterpiece. Looking past the lack of utensils, questionable cleanliness of kitchen counter tops, and grimy pots and pans, any Wesleyan student can turn this space into a culinary tour de force. Just stick to simplicity and balance, and deliciousness will surely follow.

The well-balanced yet delicious meal we cooked last week included Spanish beans and rice, pasta and marinara sauce, pan-fried sausage, and a tossed salad. Ingredients for this delectable meal were bought, gathered, and pillaged from Weshop, the refrigerators of our fellow Clark hallmates, and the Usdan salad bar. As freshmen, chefs must be innovative, fearless, and above all, resourceful. Furthermore, frosh cooks must be willing to scavenge for ingredients throughout campus and employ creative methods when cooking.

Step one: Inspect the cooking space. When a large group of teens are still under the impression that their mothers are present to clean up after them, the kitchen sometimes suffers from the tragedy of the commons. The first rule in culinary expertise is a clean workspace. In a frosh dorm, cleaning could involve anything from scraping the glued-on macaroni from the pots and pans to wiping the exploded pizza sauce off the microwave to attacking the film of grease covering the counter tops. Once the area is clean, lay out the ingredients and assemble the utensils. You can get by on just a fork, knife, and spoon if that’s all you can find, but feel free to rummage through the drawers and cabinets for additional cookware.

Step two: Begin boiling water for the rice and pasta. Include a spoonful of marinara sauce and any available spices that an RA with plenty of dorm cooking experience may have left behind. Once the water is boiling, add the pasta (which could be anything from linguini to penne) and a pinch of salt. Cover the rice and let each item cook for their prescribed times.

Step three: While the rice and pasta are cooking, begin preparing the beans and heating the left over marinara sauce. Leave the beans on low heat to simmer and sprinkle the marinara sauce with dashes of garlic salt and oregano, compliments of your friendly RA. Although this meal can be left vegetarian, chefs may also fry up some sausage on the side and toss it into the marinara sauce for flavor. If burners are limited, we have found that sausages can be fried in a panini maker (however we do not necessarily endorse this idea because, upon trying this with bacon, the panini maker began to spark and hiss violently).

Step four: Since strainers are a luxury item freshmen simply cannot afford, drain the pasta using a spare plate. For a rich, creamy taste, add any butter found in the communal refrigerator. Gently fluff the rice with a fork and then add the beans, including the juice. Set both aside to cool slightly. With the remaining produce from the Usdan salad bar (lettuce, chickpeas, cucumbers, shredded carrots, olives, diced onions), toss the salad together in the largest bowl available. Once the salad is assembled, have the chefs draw straws to see who will go door to door asking for dressing. To put the cherry on top of this creative endeavor, craft a playlist with which you can sing along loudly and thoroughly annoy everyone else in the dorm. Recommendations from the authors include Fleetwood Mac, The Beatles and Regina Spektor. Bon Appetit!