By polina, on February 2nd, 2013%  This is the ultimate Russian winter comfort food, and it’s very easy to make. The only secret is, the potatoes and the mushrooms have to be cooked separately, then combined just before serving. Why can’t we make it a one-skillet meal? Because the mushrooms need salt early, to help them release their water and become crisp; the potatoes, on the other hand, cook best without salt, that will make them break down and lose their shape, if added too early.
Here I made this dish with store-bought crimini mushrooms. Back in Russia we used any type of foraged forest mushrooms, with even more delicious results, or, in the middle of the winter, when no fresh mushrooms were available, we would rinse pickled mushrooms to remove the brine, and then proceed with the recipe.
I like to season my mushrooms with a little thyme, garlic, and fresh ground pepper. Most Russian cooks go for sautéed onions, and leave out the pepper. Try it both ways. Both are good.
 Sautéed potatoes with mushrooms
Serves four
For the potatoes:
2 Tbsp olive oil
5 large Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
Sea salt
Heat oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the potatoes, cook, stirring occasionally, until almost tender. Season with sea salt, continue cooking until cooked through.
For the mushrooms:
2 Tbsp olive oil
8 oz crimini mushrooms, sliced 1/8 inch thin
Sea salt
Fresh ground black pepper
2 large garlic cloves, minced
5-6 thyme sprigs, leaves picked, stems discarded
Heat oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, season generously with salt and pepper. Cook until the mushrooms release the liquid and it evaporates. Add garlic and thyme. Continue cooking until mushrooms and garlic are browned.
Combine potatoes with mushrooms, serve as a side to braised meat, or on their own.
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By polina, on January 23rd, 2013% 
Short days, cold rains, the flu season… This is when we need more vitamins in our diet, to fight off this cold, and more colors on our plates, to add cheer to the long nights in front of the fire. Luckily, here in California, the winter farmers market supplies both.
Winter vegetables come in a palette of soft whites, muted purples, deep greens, and warm yellows; they go well with the gold of roasted chicken and duck, deep browns of braised meats, and the neutral tones of earthy grains. They prefer slow, thoughtful cooking techniques; they are complimented with sturdy winter herbs – thyme, rosemary, sage, oregano, parsley. Winter vegetables are full of vitamins, minerals, and micro-nutrients that help us survive the cold and boost our energy when we need it most.
Beets come in a rainbow of colors: red, pink, golden, white. Slice very young, tender raw beets for salads, both roots and tops. Roast larger beets for salads, soups, or to serve as a side dish: trim the greens, leaving 1 inch attached (save the greens to add to soups or braised greens), wash the beets, place them in an oven-proof dish, add 2-3 Tbsp water, cover with aluminum foil, roast at 400 degrees until tender (pierce with a wooden pick through the foil to check), 30-60 minutes, depending on the size; let cool, peel. The beets are complimented with balsamic vinegar, roasted garlic, truffle oil, thyme.
Broccoli adds emerald green color and a wealth of minerals to the plate. Separate the florets, peel and slice the stems, steam in a steamer or in a microwave until tender, refresh in ice water to stop cooking and to preserve the color. My favorite way to serve the broccoli is as a cold salad with dried cranberries and sliced almonds, with a dressing of almond butter, Tamari soy sauce, and olive oil.
Brussels sprouts like to steam, sauté, or roast. They are complimented by garlic, lemon (grate the rind over them, squeeze the juice), and mild olive oil.
Cabbage comes in green and red, and in plain and crinkled Savoy varieties. The large outer leaves, blanched, make wrappers for cabbage rolls, with rice, vegetables, meats, or anything. The tender center leaves go into soups and sautés. Green cabbages have an affinity with apples, pears, caraway seed, white wine, and onions. All cabbages go beautifully with bacon and smoked meats.
Carrot adds sunny color, sweetness and vitamins to everything it touches. There are white, gold, and purple varieties too. Love it raw!
Cauliflower is not just a white flower. It’s also gold, green, and purple flower! All colors do well steamed until almost tender, then sautéed, or prepared ou gratin. Cream of cauliflower soup is a life-saver for people who can’t tolerate milk products: the pureed cauliflower supplies the creamy texture, no cream needed.
Celery: the crunchy stalks are a perfect snack, great for dipping; the classic combination of chopped onions, celery, and carrot, sautéed in a mixture of olive oil and butter, can enhance any soup or transform a grain dish. Celery also makes a great soup on it’s own. Did I mention Bloody Mary?
Chard is a close relative of beets, and the leaves come in the same palette of jewel colors, and can be used the same ways as the beet tops. Steam, sauté, braise.
Fennel, thinly sliced, adds subtle anise flavor to salads, soups and stews. It’s also great prepared au gratin.
Garlic is love, and an indispensable ingredient in almost every savory, and some sweet dishes. Every time I heat up an oven to roast anything, I also toss in a head of garlic, wrapped in aluminum foil. Serve roasted garlic with a cheese and fruit plate, add it to mashed potatoes, spread it on top of steaks, mix it into sauces for roasted meats and vegetables. Large garlic cloves, sliced thin and fried in olive oil, make garlic chips, a nice garnish to meat dishes.
Grapefruit – juice it! This time of the year, we need tons of vitamin C, and the grapefruit delivers it, together with the tangy and pleasantly bitter flavor, and a wonderful aroma. Like most citrus fruits, it’s a natural antidepressant.
Kale is a leafy cabbage, and it works well in the same types of preparations. I love to use kale leaves to wrap rice, vegetables, and meats, to make kale rolls. I also like it braised with onion, bacon, and white wine. Black Tuscan kale, aka Dino kale, aka “the favorite”, is the darkest of them all, and has the deepest flavor and the highest vitamin content. It is friends with white beans, tomatoes, onions and garlic.
Leek, a mild, subtle green onion, works well in delicate soups. Also, try browning it in butter, than braising it with white wine and shallots, low and slow, until it’s melting tender. Addictive. The white part is to eat; I use the green part to flavor stocks.
Lemon, my second main staple after garlic, is indispensable with fish and shellfish; it takes any green vegetable dish to the next level (think garlic and lemon green beans, or Meyer lemon roasted Brussels sprouts), and it’s one of the best flavorings for a roasted chicken.
Mandarin: eat it out of hand, or add it to a green salad.
Onion, you already know… I like to marinate thin slices of red onion in 1 part sherry vinegar, 3 parts boiling water, with salt, sugar, and spices (whatever I’m in a mood for; say, allspice, cloves and cinnamon), to top burgers
Parsley root adds deeper, earthier flavor than parsley leaves to soups and stocks. My grandma always used the whole parsley plant, tops and roots, to make a soup. I like it her way. The root also roasts well, and is a nice, flavorful addition to roasted root vegetables.
Parsnip used to be a European staple food, before the potatoes arrived. It still mashes well, and a combination of mashed parsnips and potatoes is even better.
Potato. They say that the classic chefs toque has 101 pleats that represent 101 potato dishes that the chef knows how to make. I’m not there yet: I routinely make about 40 potato dishes. But my toque only has 17 pleats! I need a new toque. My latest favorite potato dish is smashed potatoes with garlic and herbs: boil gold, red, and purple potatoes until tender; let cool; mince garlic, thyme, rosemary, and parsley with some sea salt; spread the herb mixture on the cutting board; with the palm of your hand, smash the potatoes into the herb mixture; heat 1 Tbsp olive oil and 1 Tbsp butter in a large pan over medium heat; transfer smashed potatoes to the pan, cook until fragrant and golden, turning once.
Radish: winter radishes have thick skins and strong flavors. I like to peel them and cook them. Black Spanish and Watermelon radishes are great roasted.
Rutabaga: the big gentle “Swede” is sweet, and is at it’s best roasted, or as a puree.
Turnip is sweet and crunchy. Peel it and roast it, boil it, or sauté it, then glaze it with honey and apple juice, balsamic vinegar, or soy sauce.
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Location:San Carlos, CA
By polina, on August 30th, 2012% A few more recipes that I learned from my Indian client’s mom, not all of them spicy.
Vegetable curry
2 Tbcp olive oil
1 tsp black mustard seed
1-1/2 tsp cumin seed
1-1/2 tsp turmeric
5 medium potatoes, cubed
1 large eggplant, cubed
1-1/2 tsp ground cumin
1-1/2 tsp ground coriander
1-1/2 tsp goda masala
2Tbsp jaggery
Salt
Chopped cilantro, to garnish
In a heavy pan over medium-high heat heat the olive oil. Add mustard seeds, heat until the seeds begin to pop. Add cumin seeds and turmeric. Add potatoes; cook, turning, until potatoes are browned and almost cooked through, about 10 minutes. Add eggplant, cook until both eggplant and potatoes are tender. Add ground cumin, ground coriander, goda masala, and about 1 cup water to thin the sauce. Season with jaggery and salt. Reduce heat to medium, cook 5 more minutes. Sprinkle chopped cilantro on top.
Chicken fried rice
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 medium yellow onion, chopped
3 spring onions, white parts chopped (reserve green parts for garnish)
1 tsp ground black pepper
2 cloves garlic, grated
1 inch ginger, grated
2 chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 green bell pepper, cut into short strips
1 carrot, cut into short strips
4 cups cooked rice
Heat oil in a heavy pot over medium heat. Add onions, cook until tender and beginning to brown, about 10 minutes. Add black pepper, grated garlic and ginger, chicken. Cook until chicken starts to brown. Season with soy sauce.
Add green bell pepper and carrot. Cover and cook until the vegetables are crisp-tender, 7-8 minutes. Add cooked rice, stir, top with chopped green onion, cover, let stand 5 minutes.
Spinach salad
2 bunches spinach, chopped, cooked, drained
1 cup yogurt
Salt
1 Tbsp brown sugar
Tadka: 2 Tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp black mustard seed, 1-1/2 tsp ground cumin, 1-1/2 tsp turmeric, 5 large cloves garlic, chopped, 4 red chili peppers, broken down, with seeds.
Lightly mash the spinach with your hands. Mix spinach with yogurt, season with salt and sugar.
Make tadka: Heat olive oil in a small heavy pan. Add mustard seed, keep heating until mustard seeds start to pop. Add cumin, turmeric, garlic, cook to brown the garlic. Add chilies. Brown lightly.
Pour tadka over the salad.
Salmon Bhapey
(from http://www.muslimrishtey.com/indian_food_recipes/indian_salmon_bhapey.php)
1-1/2 lb. thick salmon fillet from the centre of the fish, skinned
2 teaspoons black mustard seeds
½-1 fresh, hot green chilli, finely chopped
½ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
¾ teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
4 oz. very ripe tomatoes, peeled and finely chopped
3 tablespoons mustard oil
1 tablespoon water
Cut the fish fillet into 2.5 cm (1 inch) squares. Grind the mustard seeds coarsely in a clean coffee-grinder or mortar.
In a shallow bowl large enough to hold the fish, combine the mustard seeds, green chilli, cumin, turmeric, salt, pepper, cayenne, tomatoes and mustard oil. Mix well. Add the water and mix. Add the fish and mix gently. Cover with a plate or aluminium foil and set aside for 10 minutes.
Place the covered bowl in the steamer, cover the steamer and steam gently for 10 minutes. Remove the bowl, toss its contents gently to mix, then cover the bowl and put it back in the steamer. Cover the steamer and steam for 10-15 minutes or until the fish pieces are opaque.
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Location:San Francisco, CA
By polina, on June 6th, 2012% 
It’s California king salmon season! Everyone here is excited about our local salmon. The market price reflects this excitement – the whole fish goes at $10.99 a pound, and fillets are $17.99 a pound. Bu the glorious fish is totally worth it, and we can afford it once a year, right?
The fishermen bring the salmon in early in the morning, it hits the Bay Area stores a couple of hours later, and then you have to catch it the second time: it’s usually gone by noon.
This morning I caught about 1.5 pounds of the freshest local king salmon fillets at Sigona’s Farmers Market in Redwood City. I cut it into 6-ounce portions, and made a healthy version of the classic salmon with dill sauce for 4.
Salmon with Dill Sauce
Serves 4
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp butter
4 salmon fillets, skin on
Salt, pepper
6 oz plain Greek yogurt
1 small bunch fresh dill, finely chopped
2 strips of lemon rind, yellow part only, cut with vegetable peeler, very finely chopped
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Salt
Heat olive oil and butter in a large non-stick skillet. Season salmon fillets with salt and pepper. Place fillets flesh side down in the skillet; let them sizzle without disturbing for 2-3 minutes. Using a large spatula, carefully turn the fish over. Cook for 2-3 minutes more, or until just cooked through but still juicy.
Mix yogurt, dill, lemon rind and lemon juice. Season to taste.
Spoon the sauce over the fish, garnish with lemon slices and dill sprigs.
Other ideas for cooking your local fresh salmon:
Poach it. Prepare court bouillon with white wine, lemon, black peppercorns, carrots, celery, parsley, onion, bay leaf, and enough water to cover the fish, in a deep sauté pan. Simmer 20-25 minutes to extract the flavor from the vegetables, season to taste. Remove and discard the vegetables. Place the fish fillets in the court bouillon skin side down. Simmer until just cooked, about 10 minutes, more or less depending on the thickness of the fish. Serve in soup bowls, with strained court bouillon and julienned blanched carrots and celery.
Grill it. Season the fillets with salt and pepper, brush with olive oil. Grill on preheated medium grill until just cooked, 6-8 minutes, turning (carefully, with a large spatula) once.
Here grilled king salmon is served with grilled yellow squash and a sauce of fava beans with tarragon and lemon.
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Location:Redwood City, CA
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