Victoria Kabakian

eens mix at Trader Joe's jumped out at me immediately since I'm planning an upcoming trip to Paris, and was in a very French mood. I recently caught up with an old friend who told me about her work with Catskill Provisions , an artisanal food and craft spirits company based in the Catskills of New York, specializing in small-batch products featuring local honey

Serves 42 tablespoons vegetable oil1 large onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup)2 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tablespoon)2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger1 1/2 teaspoons salt, plus more as needed1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander1 1/2 teaspoons garam masala1 teaspoon ground turmeric1 teaspoon ground cumin1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom1/4 teaspoon Indian chili powder or cayenne pepper, or to taste1 tablespoon tomato paste1/2 cup water8 ounces baby spinach (or trimmed regular spinach, washed and dried)1 pound chicken breast or tenders, cut into 1-inch pieces1/4 cup plain yogurt, preferably thick Greek-style Over medium heat, add the salt, coriander, garam masala, turmeric, cumin, cardamom, and chili powder, and stir on medium-low heat until fragrant, about 30 seconds or so. Add the tomato paste and water, and stir gently to dissolve the tomato paste and all the spices into the water, creating a thick spiced sauce. Meanwhile, wipe the skillet clean with a paper towel, return it to medium-high heat, and add another tablespoon of oil.

Makes 6(Adapted from Once Upon a Chef 2 cups all purpose flour, plus more as needed3 teaspoons sugar1 teaspoon active dry yeast1 teaspoon kosher salt3 tablespoons plain yogurt2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil2 tablespoons melted butter, for brushingIn a medium bowl, dissolve the active dry yeast and 1 teaspoon of the sugar with 3/4 cup warm water (about 100°F). quart3/4 cup canola oil1 1/2 cups shallots, peeled, sliced thin6 tablespoons kosher saltl tablespoon ancho chili powder2 tablespoons paprika2 tablespoons Madras curry powder1 1/2 tablespoons cayenne pepper powder1 cup sugar1 cup white vinegar2 tablespoons lime zest1/2 cup lime juice, fresh squeezed2 cups fresh jalapeno, stems removed, sliced 1/4 inch weeks.20 ounces fresh tomatoes, diced12 ounces red onion, diced4 ounces scotch bonnet or habanero peppers, stems and seeds removed, diced2 tablespoons canola oill ounce minced garlic2 1/2 tablespoons white vinegar2 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice2 tablespoons chopped cilantroPreheat the oven to 400 F. I reduced the above recipe to the following measurements, and yielded about 1/2 cup:2 ounces peeled whole garlic cloves1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric1/4 + 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt1 tablespoon rice vinegar1 1/2 teaspoons (1/2 tablespoon) tamarind paste1 tablespoon canola oil1/4 teaspoon chili powderPinch black/brown mustard seedsPinch fenugreek (I used the whole seeds and fished them out after, but in the future would grind them in a spice grinder instead for more flavor)Pinch cayenne2 cups cilantro, washed and dried, large stems removed1/2 cup mint leaves, washed and dried1/4 small jalapeno pepper, seeds and stem removed2 teaspoons peeled minced ginger2 tablespoons finely chopped yellow onionJuice from one lemon1 teaspoon sugar2 teaspoons

It may sound a little odd at first to mix your sausage meat with cold water, but it really yields a smooth meat sauce rather than having large chunks of sausage throughout the sauce. On Top of Spaghetti 8 ounces sausage meat or 2 hot Italian sausages (8 ounces), casings removed1 cup finely chopped onions1 plump garlic clove, peeled and finely minced1 1/2 cups cold water1/2 teaspoon fennel (optional)1 teaspoon kosher salt1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil4 cups tomato juice, preferably organic1 pound dried pasta shells, rigatoni, or spaghetti1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more to pass at the tableCombine the sausage meat, onions, garlic, and fennel seeds in a bowl with the cold water. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring often, over moderate heat until all the water has cooked away and only the oil remains to moisten the ingredients.