Bharati's Meethi Tamatar ki Subji (Sweet Tomatoes)

Woman Connected to Recipe: Bharati Sharma

Submitted by Pallavi Dixit (Bharati’s daughter)

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About Bharati:
When my mother immigrated to America in 1975, she couldn't cook. Away from her family, her country and anything familiar, she spent long hours alone in a tiny apartment in New Jersey while my father worked. This was before FaceTime, Whatsapp, social media, the internet; when overseas phone calls were expensive and unreliable. She waited weeks to receive letters in thin blue aerogrammes from India that were her primary connection to home.  

Though she faced immense solitude and what must have been crippling sadness to be away from all she knew, she didn't let it crush her. She learned and adapted. She made friends, learned to drive, took endless photographs of snow, had two babies and learned to cook.

She learned from books and from neighbors, who hailed from all over India. She uncovered the best places to buy produce and she learned to roll rotis with a very skinny rolling pin because that's what was available to her. She mastered chana masala, rajma, a spectrum of dals and subjis. She cooked and cooked and learned the ways of this country and now, if ever I crave food, I crave her food.

About Bharati's Meethi Tamatar ki Subji (Sweet Tomatoes):
This is an Indian recipe which my mom used to make as a side dish, often along with chana and poori (a type of roti). My best friend Priya used to come over and ask specifically for this dish because it was so delicious and not all that common. That was 30 years ago. She still asks for it.

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INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups chopped tomatoes (or 1 15oz. can diced tomatoes)

• 1 tbsp canola oil

• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds

• 1/4 tsp mustard seeds

• 1/4 tsp fennel seeds

• 1/2 tsp black onion seeds

• 1/2 tsp coriander powder

• 1/4 tsp turmeric

• 1/4 tsp red pepper

• 1 tsp ginger (fresh, grated)

• 1/2 cup water

• 1/4 tsp sea salt

• 2 tbsp cilantro (finely chopped)

• 2-4 tbsp sugar (or more, if you want)

INSTRUCTIONS

Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed pan or pot for tempering whole spices. To check if the oil is hot enough, add a couple of cumin or mustard seeds. If the seeds start to sputter, the oil is at the right temperature. Add cumin, mustard seeds, black onion seeds and fennel seeds. Let sputter.

Once the sputtering slows (be sure not to burn the spices), add grated ginger, coriander powder and turmeric. Stir for a few seconds. 
Add the tomatoes and salt. Stir and let cook for 5 minutes on medium-low heat. Add water and let the mixture cook for another 15 minutes or until the tomatoes are cooked through. 

Add the sugar and let cook for 5 minutes, mashing the tomatoes as they cook to create a sort of mushy paste texture. Add chopped cilantro and remove from heat.

Note: When I attempted to write down this recipe from my mother, it involved no precise measurements, but instead said things like, “a little bit of” and “a handful of.” There were no time guidelines, but rather “you’ll know when it looks done.” So, I guessed to the best of my ability to type this recipe up. There may be little to no accuracy. But you’ll know what to do when you see it :)

Patti's Ceasar Salad, Gazpacho, Risotto, Leg of Lamb, and Fish Boil

Woman Connected to Recipe: Patti Brown

Submitted by Maribeth, Mark, David, Chris, and Matt Brown (Patti’s five kids)

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Our family has a group text thread called The Brown Family Circus that helps keep us connected across the miles.

While we are scattered across the country, we are united by growing up in Iowa under one (often very loud) roof.

One thing is clear with pulling together this recipe story is that our mom instilled in each of us a strong sense of voicing our opinions — we couldn’t agree on just one recipe.

So here are five of our mom’s favorite recipes, one for each of her opinionated kids!

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CEASAR SALAD (submitted by Maribeth)
Our family would eat most meals out in the gazebo for nearly 8 months of the year (April through November). When my son was little, he called it the ZA-BE-BO. We didn’t correct him. This salad reminds me of summer evenings eating dinner in the gazebo. Cicadas buzzing and lightning bugs twinkling outside the screens while we sat inside eating, talking, laughing. My mom makes the best Ceasar salad I’ve ever had. In fact, I don’t really order them anywhere else because they just aren’t as good.

Ingredients:

• 6 anchovy fillets packed in oil, drained

• 1 small garlic clove

• Kosher salt

• 2 large egg yolks

• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, plus more

• ¾ teaspoon Dijon mustard

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• ½ cup vegetable oil

• 3 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan

• Freshly ground black pepper

• croutons

• 3 romaine hearts, leaves separated

• shaved or shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions:
Chop together anchovy fillets, garlic, and pinch of salt. Use the side of a knife blade to mash into a paste, then scrape into a medium bowl. Whisk in egg yolks, 2 Tbsp. lemon juice, and mustard. Adding drop by drop to start, gradually whisk in olive oil, then vegetable oil; whisk until dressing is thick and glossy. Whisk in Parmesan. Season with salt, pepper, and more lemon juice, if desired. Skip the tongs. Use your hands to gently toss the lettuce, croutons, and dressing, then top off with the Parmesean.

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GAZPACHO (submitted by David)
My mom's gazpacho recipe reminds me of summers growing up in my home in Des Moines. We played all day out in the blistering hot sun and needed something that was both nutritious and refreshing in order to revitalize our sweaty bodies. Nothing contrasted and complemented the summertime better than this fresh and cool soup. It took her years to perfect the recipe.

Ingredients:
Broth: 

• 32oz. Low Sodium V8 Juice

• 32oz. Bone Broth

• 1/2 cup Red or White Wine Vinegar

• 1/2 cup Olive Oil

• 1 Tbsp Cumin Powder

• 1 tspn Minced Garlic

• Salt to Taste

• Pepper to Taste

• 1-2 tspn Tabasco Sauce (optional)

Salsa:

• 2-3 Chopped Tomatoes

• 1/2-1 Red Onion (depending on size)

• 1 Yellow Pepper, chopped

• 1 Green Pepper, chopped

• 1 Red Pepper, chopped

• 1 Bunch of Cilantro for garnish

• 1 Avocado, thinly sliced

Directions:
Mix together all ingredients for the broth into a large pot or container that will fit in the refrigerator.
Refrigerate the broth mixture for 24 hours to allow the flavors to mix.
Cut and mix the peppers with the red onion to make the "salsa."
Chop the cilantro and set aside for garnish.
Slice the avocado to top the gazpacho.
When ready to serve, ladle 1-2 scoops of the broth into a bowl, add 2-3 tablespoons of the salsa to the broth.
Finally, add a few slices of avocado and a pinch or two of cilantro.

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RISOTTO (submitted by Chris)
I really like the risotto mom makes for Christmas every year. It’s as much a tradition as turkey for thanksgiving. As with all things, mom just seems to do it better than anyone else, and it simply isn’t the holidays without mom and her inimitable ability to feed the masses that are our family.

Ingredients:

• 6 cups chicken broth, divided

• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided 

• 2 pounds mushrooms (portobellos and morels are delicious!)

• 2 shallots, diced

• 1 ½ cups Arborio rice

• ½ cup dry white wine

• sea salt to taste

• freshly ground black pepper to taste

• 3 tablespoons finely chopped chives

• 4 tablespoons butter

• ⅓ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:
In a saucepan, warm the broth over low heat. Warm 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in the mushrooms, and cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Remove mushrooms and their liquid, and set aside.

Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to skillet, and stir in the shallots. Cook 1 minute. Add rice, stirring to coat with oil, about 2 minutes. When the rice has taken on a pale, golden color, pour in wine, stirring constantly until the wine is fully absorbed. Add 1/2 cup broth to the rice, and stir until the broth is absorbed. Continue adding broth 1/2 cup at a time, stirring continuously, until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is al dente, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Remove from heat, and stir in mushrooms with their liquid, butter, chives, and parmesan. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

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LEG OF LAMB (submitted by Matt)
A leg of lamb is a staple of holiday foods with our family.  My mother and I, and I'd say most of my siblings, share an intense love for this dish.  Mom will usually serve this meal on Easter with the family and it is so good there are usually no leftovers.  This dish reminds me of my mom, my siblings, growing up in Iowa, and that a good meal can fill you up with love and joy.   This dish pairs well with a dark fruity red wine, roasted potatoes (which can be cooked with the lamb), and green beans.

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup coarsely chopped shallots

• 1/2 cup crushed garlic cloves  

• 1/3 cup each thyme leaves, parsley leaves and chopped rosemary

• 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard

• 1/3 cup plus 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

• 1 stick plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

• One 5-pound well-trimmed boned and butterflied leg of lamb  

• Kosher salt

• Pepper

• 2 pounds cherry tomatoes

• 2 thyme sprigs

• Olive butter

Directions:

1. In a blender or food processor, combine the shallots, garlic, thyme, parsley, rosemary, mustard and 1/3 cup of the olive oil; blend until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the butter.


2. Arrange the lamb fat side down on a rack set over a rimmed baking sheet. Spread the herb butter all over the lamb, leaving a 1-inch border. Refrigerate until the butter is semifirm, 30 minutes. Roll up the lamb with the butter inside and tie securely with kitchen twine at 1-inch intervals. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

3. Preheat the oven to 400°. Rub the lamb with 2 tablespoons of the oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for about 1 hour and 45 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part registers 130° for medium-rare. Transfer the lamb to a cutting board and let rest for 20 minutes. Leave the oven on.

4. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss the tomatoes with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and the thyme sprigs and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 20 minutes, stirring, until softened.

5. Discard the strings and thinly slice the lamb. Serve with the roasted tomatoes and olive butter.

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FISH BOIL (submitted by Mark)
There used to be a big hammered copper pot that housed old newspapers in the back room of our parents house. One summer, after the family went to help clean up in New Orleans after the devastation from Hurricane Katrina, the copper pot became our mother’s favorite cooking utensil. In the back yard, over a very old outdoor fireplace, my mother would boil fish, corn, shrimp in the hammered copper pot and we would feast on one of the most flavorful summer bounties. The meal reminds me of the sound of cicadas, the damp smell of their old backyard creek, and a large family squished around a round table inside a screened-in gazebo. She always made sure we were well fed.

Ingredients:

• 8 quarts water

• 1/3 cup canola oil

• 6 yellow onions, unpeeled

• 4 celery stalks, halved crosswise

• 2 lemons, unpeeled and quartered

• 12 garlic cloves

• 5 bay leaves

• 2-inch piece fresh ginger, thickly sliced

• Crab boil spice mix (see above) or 6 oz. packaged whole-spice crab boil

• 1/2 to 3/4 cup sea salt, or to taste

• 1 Tbs. cayenne pepper, or to taste

• 1 Tbs. black peppercorns, or to taste

• 2 to 3 lb. small red-skinned potatoes, unpeeled

• 24 live blue crabs or 4 to 6 small live Dungeness crabs (you can substitute small portions of white fish tied up tightly in cheese cloth)

• 6 ears of corn, husked and halved crosswise

• 5 lb. large shrimp, with heads attached

Directions:
Pour the water into a large stockpot. Add the oil, onions, celery, lemons, garlic, bay leaves, ginger, crab boil spice mix, salt, cayenne and black peppercorns and bring to a boil over high heat. Boil for 10 minutes.

Add the potatoes and boil for 5 minutes. Add the crabs and boil for 15 minutes. Add the corn and boil for 5 minutes.

Add the shrimp and boil for 1 minute. Turn off the heat and let the mixture stand for 5 minutes.

Using tongs or a skimmer, retrieve the seafood and vegetables from the pot and serve them warm atop several thicknesses of newspaper or large sheets of parchment paper, or transfer to a large serving platter. The seafood can also be served at room temperature or chilled. Use a nutcracker or a table knife to crack the shells.

Dorothy's Creamed Corn

Woman Connected to Recipe: Dorothy (Moon) Becker

Submitted by Amanda Becker (Dorothy’s granddaughter)

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About Dorothy’s Creamed Corn:
I didn't have the opportunity to get to know my grandmother very well, as we often lived far away from my grandparents, so seeing her handwritten recipes and simple instructions gives me some insight into the kind of person she was....and makes me feel some kind of connection to her.

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INGREDIENTS

• 1 can creamed corn

• 2 eggs

• 2 T butter

• 2 T flour

• 1 C milk

• 1/2 t salt

INSTRUCTIONS

Make a cream sauce with the above ingredients - add the creamed corn.

Grease a pan and bake for 45 minutes (350 degrees).

Janet's Quasi-Indian Beans

Woman Connected to Recipe: Janet Sharma

Submitted by Nina Sharma (Janet’s daughter)

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About Janet:
I'm the daughter of immigrants. My mom's family was in the first round, arriving to America several years before the Mayflower. My dad was in a later round, arriving with much of the Indian diaspora in the late 1960s.

Their marriage is a clash of cultures, a mix of religions, and a daily lesson in compromise and innovation. And, so is my mom's cooking.

As a kid, we were relegated to iceberg lettuce salads, mac and cheese, or chipped beef and mashed potatoes-- standbys that were economical, hearty, and quick. If left to her own tastes, she'd make a delicious pasta, a savory fish, or anything with fresh garden herbs. In a restaurant, she'll always pick a wedge salad and roasted chicken.

About Janet’s Quasi-Indian Beans:
Janet’s 50-year roommate's (my dad's) tastes have encouraged her to dabble in the complexities of Indian home cooking from time to time. At the beginning, this did not go so well. There are horror stories of food poisoning from her early attempts at making chapatis (Indian flat bread).

When she'd asked for recipes from his childhood, two things got in her way: 1) her mother in law spoke no English and 2) no one had ever written down a family recipe. So she improvised - a dash of this, some simmering of that, and a few hours later, voila.

Janet is a resourceful, resilient, and radiant human and her self-proclaimed Quasi-Indian Beans are just the tip of her culinary iceberg.

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Janet's Quasi-Indian Beans

INGREDIENTS

• 1 lb fresh string beans (use cut frozen green beans if necessary)

• 2-3 russet potatoes

• 2 Tbsp oil

• 1 medium onion, chopped

• 1 tsp ground cumin

• 1 tsp ground coriander

• 1/2 tsp turmeric

• 1/4-1/2 tsp cayenne pepper if you wish

• salt & pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

Trim ends of beans and cut into 1-1/2' pieces - set aside

Peel potatoes and cut into pieces about 1 to 1-1/2" - set aside

Saute chopped onion in a little oil until wilted (5 minutes or so).  

Add cumin, coriander and turmeric (and red pepper) stir for a minute or two.  (Add more spice if you wish)

Add beans and potatoes to onion mixture.  Stir to coat everything with the spices.

Cover tightly and cook over very low flame for 1/2 hour to 45 minutes,  or more, until potatoes are soft.

Stir every 5-10 minutes to avoid burning.

Add salt & pepper to taste.

Serve with naan and yogurt.

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Gail's Easy Cheesy Potatoes

Woman Connected to Recipe: Gail Freeberg

Submitted by Jennie Sewell (Gail’s daughter)

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About Gail:
Gail Freeberg is a child of the 50’s and took on the role of first born ruler follower in her family. Just like her mom, she has a magnetic witty side, and puts a high priority on having fun.

About Gail's Easy Cheesy Potatoes:
Growing up, her style of cooking was an economical Midwestern approach that often involved a can of Campbell’s cream of something. One of these quick and easy staples is “Easy Cheesy Potatoes”. Now I use this crowd-pleasing side anytime I want buy in from kids and adults alike.

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Gail's Easy Cheesy Potatoes

INGREDIENTS

• 1 bag frozen Ore-Ida Hash brown Potatoes

• 1 small carton of Half and Half

• 1 stick of butter

• 1 cup grated parmesan cheese

INSTRUCTIONS

Mix all together in a greased pan.
Cook uncovered at 350 for 1 hour, until crispy on top.
(Double the recipe and cook for 1 ½ - 1 ¾ hours)

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