Happy New Year!

I just wanted to take a quick moment to wish everyone a happy, prosperous and safe new year! Last year was a good year for me, my cooking and my blog.  I posted a record number of blog posts, which were read by visitors from more than one hundred countries.

Most importantly, I had some amazing cooking experiences.  I was a guest chef for a night.  My personal culinary challenge, Around the World in 80 Dishes, has taken me (culinarily speaking) to Cuba, Libya, Paraguay, the Philippines, Mozambique and Uruguay.  Working with my beautiful wife, Clare, we hosted the second Savage Boleks BBQ and a dinner for our Wine Club friends.   

As we enter 2012, I have a lot of plans for my culinary hobby and this blog.  I have improved the format of the blog posts, particularly the directions.  These improvements will hopefully make the directions a little easier to follow.  I plan to go back and make these changes to old posts, so that all of the posts have the same, user-friendly format.

Another change will improve the pairing of dishes with beers and wines (as well as pairing beers and wines with dishes).  Each recipe posted on the site will include pairings with at least one beer/wine.  I am adding this feature to improve my own personal ability to pair dishes based upon the ingredients of the dish and the particular flavors of the beverage.

I think these changes will help to improve the blog, both for myself and those who visit, even though it may mean that there are fewer (but hopefully better) posts.  There will be additional changes and improvements to this blog as the new year unfolds.   And, all the while, I will continue to pursue new goals with my cooking and my culinary challenges.

The New Year is exciting for me.  I hope you will continue to visit and share in my culinary adventures.  Until next time ...

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Parmigiano Reggiano "Flatbread" with Ribeye, Porcini and Heirloom Tomatoes

Almost all of the "Chef Bolek Original" recipes are posted after I have made them for the first time.  There is no test kitchen.  There are no repeats to see if I can do a better job.  Some recipes are complete disasters, and, those never see the light of day.  Other recipes are okay, and, I usually post them with a few caveats.  And, every one in a while, I have a very successful Chef Bolek Original.

Recently, I was trying to think of recipes for what we had in our refrigerator.  One thing that caught my attention was the bowl full of grated Parmigiano Reggiano.  I knew of various recipes for Parmesan Crisps, but, I had way too much grated cheese to make crisps.  

So then my mind turned to a "flatbread" made entirely of Parmigiano Reggiano.  This idea was both intriguing and risky.  I had never heard of a "flatbread" made of anything other than bread.  Yet, Parmigiano Reggiano is rather salty, which means that you would need to make sure whatever tops the "flatbread" can offset the saltiness of the cheese.  Ultimately, I decided to plate a salad, with porchini mushrooms and slices of heirloom tomatoes.  I also decided that I would put slices of ribeye on top as well.  

Overall, this dish turned out well.  The one thing that I did not add to this recipe that I would definitely add the next time I make it is a good drizzle of aged balsamic vinegard.  The fruitness of the vinegar will offset the saltiness of the cheese very well.

PARMIGIANO REGGIANO "FLATBREAD" WITH RIBEYE

PORCINI AND HEIRLOOM TOMATOES

A Chef Bolek Original

Serves 3-4

Ingredients:
1 grass-fed ribeye steak, about 1 pound
2 cups of mixed greens
1/2 to 1 heirloom tomato
1/4 to 1/2 cup of dried porcini mushrooms
2 cups of chicken broth
2 tablespoons of Sangiovese wine
2 cloves of garlic, diced finely
1 tablespoon of fresh rosemary, chopped finely
2 teaspoons of dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon of crushed red pepper
Finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano
Sea salt, to taste
Ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:

1.  Prepare the marinade for the steak.  Add the red wine, garlic, rosemary, 1 teaspoon of the dried thyme, 1/4 teaspoon of crushed red pepper to a bowl.  Add the ribeye and make sure that it is coated with the mixture.

2.  Rehydrate the Mushrooms.  Heat the chicken broth over medium heat.  Once the broth is heated, add the dried porcini mushrooms to rehydrate.  After about five minutes strain the mushrooms and set aside.

3.  Cook the steak.  Cook the ribeye under the broiler for about eight to ten minutes per side or until cooked to the desired doneness.  Let the steak rest for fifteen minutes.

4.  Make the Parmigiano Reggiano flatbread.  Line a cooking tray with parchment paper.  Brush the paper with extra virgin olive oil.  Place a spoonful of the grated Parmigiano Reggiano in the middle of the paper and use the spoon to gently spread out the cheese until it is a consistent thickness. Repeat along the edges of the cheese until you have reached the desired size of the flatbread.  Sprinkle the remaining thyme and crushed red pepper over the cheese.  Add the cheese to the oven.  Cook until golden brown, anywhere from five to ten minutes depending upon the size of the "flatbread." 

5.  Plate the dish.  Prepare the "flatbread" by placing it on a plate.  Place the mixed greens in the middle of the "flatbread."  Sprinkle the mushrooms and tomatoes over the greens.  Slice the ribeye and place slices over the greens.

 PAIRING THIS RECIPE

The principal component of this dish is two-fold: ribeye steak and the Parmigiano Reggiano flatbread.  Given Parmigiano Reggiano is perhaps one of the signature foods of Emilia-Romagna, I think that the most appropriate pairing for this dish is a wine from that region.  A Sangiovese di Romagna is very much like a Tuscan Sangiovese, which can stand up to not only the "flatbread," but also the steak, which has been flavored with a marinade that draws from the flavors of Tuscany, such as rosemary and garlic.  The wine belows is one Sangiovese di Romagna that I have previously reviewed.

Collina dei Lecci -- Sangiovese di Romagna Reserva (2004).

85% Sangiovese, 15% other

Emilia Romagna, Italy

Flavors of cherries and raspberries

ENJOY!

Monte Antico Toscana (2007)

IGT.  If you google that acronym, you are most likely find the American company that specializes in developing, manufacturing and distributing gaming equipment.  All of that is fine and good if you are looking to buy slot machines.  However, if you are like me and are trying to learn more about wine, then IGT means "Indicazione Geografica Tipica," one of the classifications established by the Italian government.   

These wines got this classification because of a "failing" on their part, namely, the wines fail to qualify for one of the two big classifications (DOC and DOCG) for Italian wine.  This failing is usually because of the blend of grapes used to produce the wine or because of where those grapes are grown.  Despite such a "failing," if you can really call it that, some of these wines are of high quality and are much more than any Vino da Tabola or red table wine.  (Personally, I think some of these wines are better than some DOC and DOCG wines out there.)  Therefore, in 1992, the Italian government created the IGT designation to give these particular wines their proper due.

One such "IGT" wine is the Monte Antico, which is a blend produced in Italy.  According to the label, this blend is the "result of the synergy" between Italian wine dspecialist Neil Empson and renowned winemaker Franco Bernabei.  Empson and Bernabei say that they pick the finest grapes from the best Tuscan hillsides.  The wine is aged 1 year in oak barrels and then six months in the bottle.

The Monte Antico is an interesting blend of fruity grapes, like Sangiovese, with darker, earthier grapes such as Cabernet Savignon.  In fact, the exact blend of the wine is 85% Sangiovese, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Merlot grapes.  these proportions have a lot to do with the appearance, aroma and taste of the wine.  The wine pours a dark crimson red. The wine has aromas of red cherries, with a little floral element to it.  These aromas clearly remind the drinker that the Sangiovese grapes are the predominant grape in this blend.  The Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot grapes contribute to the taste of the wine, providing some additional layers beyond the cherry flavors provided by the Sangiovese grapes.  There is a little earthiness in the background.  

Given the high percentage of Sangiovese grapes, this wine could be paired much like a Chianti.  More specifically, this wine could be paired with pastas with red sauces, as well as roasted chicken and pork dishes.   The Monte Antico could also be paired well with any of the hard cheeses from Tuscany, such as the Pecorino Toscano. 

The magazine Wine Enthusiast gives this vintage a score of 88, which is very respectable. This wine is available at most wine stores and grocery stores for about $8.99 to $10.99 a bottle. 

ENJOY!

Almond Crusted Tilapia

We had a bag of sliced almonds lying around after Clare made the Warm Cheese Tart with Cinnamon and Sliced Almonds. Looking to work a little creativity in the kitchen, I decided to use the leftover almonds as breading for a couple of fish fillets.

I first ground the almonds into "bread crumbs."  Then I consulted The Flavor Bible to decide what I could add to flavor the almond crumbs.  I decided on three additional flavors ... green cardamom, paprika and cayenne pepper.  All three flavors work well with almonds.

As I prepared the almonds, I realized that the texture of the ground almonds presented some issues when it came to breading.  The ground almonds tended to clump together, as if there was some moistness in the almonds.  I feared that this would present some difficulty when it came to cooking the fish.  I had planned on sauteing the fish in a pan with only a little oil; but I became concerned that the breading to come off of the fish.   I ultimately decided that, rather than sauteing the fish, I would increase the amount of oil and basically fry the fish.  The additional oil would cook the breading faster and help keep it bound together during the cooking process.  

I should note that the almonds created a rather thick breading, which was fine for both Clare and myself.  If you would like to lighten the breading, I would suggest adding a cup or two of flour in place of a cup or two of ground almonds. 

ALMOND CRUSTED TILAPIA

A Chef Bolek Original

Serves 2

Ingredients:
2 Tilapia fillets
4 cups of sliced almonds, ground into powder
8 green cardamom pods, toasted and ground into powder
1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon of paprika powder
Salt, to taste
Pepper to taste
1 large egg, beaten
1/4 to 1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil

Directions:
1.  Make the breading.  Put the ground almonds, ground cardamom, cayenne and paprika on a plate, salt and pepper to taste.  Mix all of the breading ingredients together. 

2.  Bread the Tilapia fillets.  Beat the egg in a bowl.  Dip the tilapia fillets in the egg and then in the breading mixture.  Let the tilapia fillets sit for five minutes or so before cooking them.

3.  Cook the Tilapia fillets.  Heat the oil on high heat.  When the oil begins to shimmer, reduce the heat to medium-high heat and place the fillets in the pan.  Cook for about four minutes and then flip.  Cook for about four minutes more or until the fillets are opaque and begin to flake.

PAIRING THIS RECIPE

Looking at this recipe, the pairing must take into account, not only the fish, but also the almond breading.  Given the richness and weight of the almond breading, a lighter wine or beer seems appropriate. Here are a couple of suggestions:

Dr. H. Thanisch -- Bernkasteler Badstube Kabinett 2009.

100% Riesling

Mosel Valley, Germany

Flavors of apples and bartlett pears

Le Chapeau -- Pinot Noir Cuvee Napoléon (2010).

Pinot Noir

Corsica, France

Light body with strawberry and raspberry flavors

Pub Dog -- Hoppy Dog Pale Ale.

India Pale Ale

Gaithersburg, MD

Lighter than average hop flavor

ENJOY!

Cacciucco

One of my favorite Italian dishes is a seafood stew that varies region-by-region.  I have made a couple versions of this stew, inspired by the brodettos of Abruzzo.  The Tuscans have their own version called "Cacciucco" (kah-CHOO-koh).  I thought it was time to learn a little more about the Tuscan stew and try to make it for myself and my beautiful Angel, Clare.

The word "Cacciucco" comes from the Turkish word, Kϋçϋk, which means "small."  This is a reference to the fish used to make the dish, all of which are usually small, boney fish.  These fish are the pesce povero or "poor fish," which were left over from the catch.  The fish were left over because they were too small or too boney to sell in the market. The pesce povero usually included Black Scorpionfish, Atlantic Stargazer, Dogfish and Weeverfish. 

Few of those fish are available around where I live, so the suggested fish for this recipe include sole, mullet, catfish, eel, hake, monkfish, and John Dory.  Many of these fish -- such as sole, hake and monkfish -- are endangered because of overfishing or are unsustainable because the fishing methods used to catch the fish result in an unacceptable amount of bycatch or environmental damage.  I try hard to make sure that I follow the guidelines for sustainable seafood in my cooking.  Therefore, for my Cacciucco, I decided to use Rockfish and Vermillion Snapper, both of which have been designated as sustainable. I also used some squid and some cherrystone clams.  This dish was very good and, like the brodettos, I will definitely make it again.

CACCIUCCO

Adapted from LivornoNow

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds of fish and shellfish

1 onion, sliced
1 carrot, sliced
1 stalk celery, sliced
3 cloves garlic, diced
1 small handful of parsley, chopped
1 can of San Marzano, whole peeled tomatoes 

8 thick slices Italian bread
Extra virgin olive oil
1 bayleaf
Thyme
Sage
Chile pepper
2 teaspoons of vinegar
1 glass dry red wine (e.g. Chianti)
Salt and pepper

2 cups of seafood broth

Directions:

1.  Prepare the seafood.  Wash all the fish. Clean the squid and wash shellfish.  Wash shellfish carefully and place in a large pan to open them.  Conserve the liquid and half of the shell with the clam or mussel.

2.  Prepare the base of the Cacciucco.  In a large frying pan, heat olive oil and lightly fry the onion, carrot, celery, garlic and parsley, all finely chopped. Add the chile, thyme, sage and bayleaf.

3.  Add the squid, followed by the vinegar, red wine and tomatoes.  Add the squid to the base and cook for a few minutes.  Add the vinegar. When the vinegar has evaporated, add the red wine and cook til this has evaporated as well. Add the tomatoes, chopped, and season to taste with salt and pepper.

4.  Add the remaining ingredients.  When the  squid is tender, add the fish stock (strained), the remaining fish, and in the last few minutes the shellfish.  Cook until the fish and shellfish are cooked through, with the fish about to flake apart and the shell fish are opaque/

5.  Plate the dish.  Toast the bread and rub with garlic. Place the slices in the bottom of a dish and pour the Cacciucco over the bread. Serve hot.  (there should be plenty of sauce, but the Cacciucco should not be too liquid).

ENJOY!

For more information about Cacciucio, check out LivornoNow.

Roasted Apples and Fennel with Walnuts

Every dish deserves a good side.  When I made my Garlic-Fennel Rubbed Pork Loin Roast, I struggled mightily to come up with a good side dish.  At first, I thought about mashed potatoes, and then truffled mashed potatoes.  Potatoes did not seem to be the best side for the dish, at least for me. 

My thoughts then turned to what is traditionally linked to pork ... apples.  Maybe it was all of those images of a whole pig with an apple stuffed in its mouth.  Wherever that image came from, I had the start of my side dish. 

I then consulted The Flavor Bible for additional ingredients to use in this side dish.  The first ingredient that jumped out at me was fennel, which is a good ingredient to pair with apples.  I was a little cautious at first because the pork roast used both fennel seed and ground fennel in the rub. However, I came to remember something I learned a long time ago ... the taste of the seed and the taste of the fruit or vegetable are not always the same.  Fennel seed and ground fennel provide strong anice flavors, which include some flower, spice and peppery notes.  While fennel itself also provides these flavors, roasting the fennel helps to mellow them. When roasted apples are added, the fennel does not stand out as much. 

In the end, I scoured the Internet to see if there was a recipe that I could use as a guide.  I found one from Country Living and adapted it for my dish.  I also added walnuts to the side dish, which was a suggested pairing for both apples and fennel.  When I served this dish, I added some walnuts, but, in the rush of things, I forgot to toast them.  I would suggest toasting the walnuts and sprinkling them over the apples and fennel just before serving the dish.

ROASTED APPLES AND FENNEL WITH WALNUTS

Recipe adapted from Country Living

Serves 4-5

Ingredients:
1 fennel bulb, trimmed and cut into 1/4 inch wedges
1.5 pounds of apples, such as gala apples
1 tablespoon of honey
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/4 teaspoon of ground black pepper
1 cup of walnuts

Directions:
1. Prepare the apples and fennel.  Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.  Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and toss.  Lay the apples and fennel out on a baking sheet in a single layer.

2.  Roast the apples and fennel.  Roast the apples and fennel for twenty minutes.  Turn the apples and fennel.  Roast for twenty minutes more until they are golden and cooked through.

3.  Toast the walnuts.  Heat a pan on medium heat.  Add the walnuts.  Toast the walnuts for a minute or two, shaking the pan to prevent any burning. 

4.  Plate the dish.  Sprinkle the toasted walnuts over the apples and fennel just before serving the dish.

ENJOY!

Elk Run Vineyards Cabernet Franc (2010)

I am still amazed, not only by the fact that Maryland has a wine movement, but also by the quality of the wines.  I never knew that Maryland had a budding wine movement.  My introduction to Maryland wine was with the Slate, which is an excellent blend produced by a local Maryland winery called Black Ankle Vineyards.  And, when I was recently strolling the aisles of a local grocery store, I came across the wines of another Maryland winery called Elk Run Vineyards.

Elk Run Vineyards is named after a local river, but the vineyards have a lot of history.  The winery is located on a pre-revolutionary farm in the Piedmont region near Frederick Maryland.  Elk Run has two vineyards ... the Liberty Tavern Vineyard and the Cold Friday Vineyard.  The name of the latter vineyard  comes from the description on a deed.  It is not just any deed, but the deed given by the King of England to Lord Baltimore.  The property on that deed is described as "Resurvey of Cold Friday," and, hence, the Cold Friday Vineyard.   

The old world also finds its way, not only into the names of the vineyards, but also in the practices of Elk Run's wines, including its Cabernet Franc.  The inspiration for this Cabernet Franc are the wines of Bordeaux, which stand in stark contrast to the Cabernet Franc wines found in the Loire Valley or other parts of France.    Bordeaux-style Cabernet Franc wines are fuller bodied wines with darker fruit both in the aroma and tastes.  The difference between a Bordeaux-style Cabernet Franc and a Chinon-style Cabernet Franc became very clear when I tasted this wine and the Domaine Gouron Chinon.  

The Elk Run Cabernet Franc pours a dark red, with aromas of dark fruit and minerality greeting the nose.  The winemaker describes this wine as having "rich raspberry and currant flavors, and a cassis nose with pungent, spicy and black olive like aromas."  I think the aromas are more mineral than spice, but that could just be my olfactory senses.  As for the tastes, the description is spot-on, definitely raspberry and current, along with dark cherry flavors.  

Like many Bordeaux-style wines, the Elk Run Cabernet Franc can be paired with red meat dishes, such as many of the dishes that I make as part of my Steak Nights.   This wine could also be paired with pork or chicken dishes, particularly if there are earthy ingredients, such as mushrooms, squash, and/or pumpkin.  If you want to pair this style of Cabernet Franc with a fish, tuna is probably the best option, but it would depend upon the other ingredients used in the recipe. 

This wine is available in local wine stores or grocery stores (you can check availability on the winery's website).  I found this wine at Roots Market in Olney, Maryland.  A bottle sells for $21.99.

ENJOY!

Bridgeport Brewing Company's Ebenezer Ale

With the holidays quickly approaching, craft brewers have begun to roll out their Christmas Ales, Holiday Ales, and Winter Ales.  I have reviewed a few of them last year, such as the Great Lakes Christmas Ale, the Abita Christmas Ale and the Breuwerij Huyghe Delirium Noel.  This year, it is Bridgeport Brewing Company's Ebenezer Ale. 

Bridgeport Brewery is Oregon's oldest craft brewery. The origins of the brewery lie with one of the families in Oregon's well established wine movement, the Ponzis.  Richard and Nancy Ponzi worked with brewer Karl Ockert to establish Columbia River Brewing in 1984.  Columbia River Brewing eventually became Bridgeport Brewing Company.  Today, Bridgeport Brewing Company has grown in size and capacity, producing more than 100,000 barrels of beer per year.

My beautiful Angel and I visited the Bridgeport Brewpub and Bakery during our honeymoon. When I planned our honeymoon, it was to be a foodie, craft beer and wine experience.  The craft beer part of the experience appropriately began with the first craft brewer in Oregon.  We stopped in for a couple of beers, such as the India Pale Ale and the Blue Heron.  We both enjoyed the beers a lot.  Unfortunately, we have not been able to enjoy Bridgeport beers since our honeymoon because the craft brewer does not distribute to the East Coast.  However, I was able to find Bridgeport Brewing Company's Ebenezer Ale during a recent trip to Chicago.  So, I bought a six pack for the holiday. 

The Ebenezer Ale is a beer produced in the Winter Warmer Ale.  The brewer uses four different roasted malts and a few different hops. The beer pours an orangish-brown in color with a thin layer of foam.  The aroma of the beer highlights the roasted malts, with hints of the hops.  There is also an aroma of caramel.  The taste of the beer suggests cinnamon and, perhaps, a faint cardamom, nutmeg and/or clove flavor.    The flavors of this beer are lighter and more subtle than I expected.  This is not a bad thing, because it provides a contrast to other holiday ales or winter warmers that I have tried. 

Generally speaking, winter warmer ales are meant to be enjoyed alone, not necessarily paired with food.  These ales are usually a digestive, enjoyed after a good meal. Nevertheless, if you have some Christmas cookies, there is nothing wrong with having a couple with a beer like the Ebenezer Ale. 

Bridgeport Brewing Company's Ebenezer Ale has an ABV of 6.4% with an IBU of 40.  I found this beer at a Binny's outside of Chicago, Illinois, where a six-pack sold for about $8.99.

ENJOY!

Garlic-Fennel Rubbed Pork Loin Roast

A pork loin roast can be an amazing cut of meat to work with.  The most important thing to consider with respect to this roast is the rub.  Recently, I decided to prepare a pork loin roast, but I did not know what rub to use.  I scoured the Internet to find the right rub. I ultimately stumbled across a recipe provided by Chef Ryan Hardy to Food and Wine Magazine.

Hardy's recipe draws its inspiration from his personal experience eating roasted pork served by a street vendor in Siena, Italy.  The principal ingredients of the rub are garlic and fennel seeds, with ground fennel and crushed red pepper also being used.  The combination of garlic and fennel give this roast a very earthy and flowery aroma as it cooks in the kitchen, which is very nice.  I prepared the rub ahead of time, rubbed the roast, and let it sit in the refrigerator for a few hours before I began to cook.  You could also let the roast sit in the refrigerator overnight, but make sure that it has returned to room temperature before you begin cooking.

The recipe calls for the use of a ten rib pork loin roast.  I opted to go with a pork loin roast without the bones, because it was cheaper. Although a boneless piece of meat tends to cook faster, the particular cut I bought took a little longer to cook than what was called for in the recipe.  It took about one hour and fifty minutes from start to finish, rather than the one hour and thirty five minutes.  For this reason, it is always important to watch the temperature of the roast to ensure that you do not undercook or overcook the meat.  In the end, I think it turned out well and I would make this recipe again.

GARLIC-FENNEL RUBBED PORK LOIN ROAST

Adapted from a recipe by Ryan Hardy, provided to

Food & Wine Magazine
Serves 10

Ingredients:

6 large garlic cloves

2 tablespoons of rosemary, coarsely chopped

1 tablespoon of whole fennel seeds

1 teaspoon of ground fennel

2 teaspoons of crushed red pepper

2 teaspoons of ground black pepper

1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil

1 ten rib pork loin roast (about five pounds), bones frenched.

Directions:

1.  Prepare the rub and marinate the meat.  Preheat the oven to 400° Fahrenheit.  In a food processor, combine the garlic, rosemary, fennel seeds, ground fennel, crushed red pepper, black pepper and olive oil.  Process the ingredients to a past.  Set the pork roast on a large rimmed baking sheet and cut shallow score marks all over the fact.  Spread one tablespoon of the paste on the underside of the roast and the remaining paste all over the scored fat and meaty parts of the roast.  Season all over with salt.

 2.  Roast the pork.  Roast the pork, fat side up for one (1) hour.  Reduce the oven temperature to 325° Fahrenheit for about thirty-five minutes longer or until an instant read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat registers 150° Fahrenheit.  Transfer the roast to a carving board and let rest for 15 minutes.  Carve the roast and serve at once.

ENJOY!

Chef Bolek's Catfish "Curry"

My experience with curries comes primarily from eating them, not cooking them.  I love Indian curries and one of my personal culinary goals is to learn how to make various types of curries and to learn the differences between the curries of the different regions of India, as well as learn the differences between curries of India and other countries, such as Thailand and Malaysia.

For this particular recipe, I drew from my limited experience in making Lamb Korma.  I bascially borrowed the spice ingredients, with a few tweaks.  I made this dish for my beautiful Angel, who does not eat meat.  This led to the first change ... I made it with catfish instead of lamb.  The Lamb Korma recipe I made called for two masalas ... a curry masala and a garam masala.  For the second change, I used the garam masala, but used a sweet curry powder (with fenugreek and turmeric powders) instead of the curry masala.  The third change was the addition of some vegetables, like eggplants and bell peppers.  Finally, I decided to use Sanaam chiles, which are chiles from India, to provide a little heat to the dish.

Overall, this dish turned out well, but it falls short of being a curry.  It is more like a "Chef Bolek-ized" curry. Still, I have to start somewhere.  And this was a tasty starting point.

CHEF BOLEK'S CATFISH "CURRY"

A Chef Bolek Original

Serves 2-3

Ingredients:
1 pound of catfish, cut into even sized pieces
1 small eggplant or 1/2 of a large eggplant, diced
1/2 onion, diced
1 large shallot, diced
1 cup of bell peppers, diced or thinly sliced
3 cloves of garlic, diced
1/2 tomato, diced
1 teaspoon of garam masala powder
1 teaspoon of sweet curry powder
1/4 teaspoon of fenugreek powder
1/4 teaspoon of turmeric powder
2 dry Sanaam chiles, ground into a powder
1 teaspoon of minced ginger
2 cups of water
3 tablespoons of non-fat yogurt

Directions: 

1.  Saute the vegetables.  Heat the vegetable oil in a deep skillet.  Add the onions and the shallots, sauteing the vegetables for about ten minutes.  Add the garlic and continue to saute for a minute.  Add the bell peppers and the eggplant, along with the garam masala and sweet curry powders.  Continue to saute for about eight minutes.

2.  Add the tomato and liquid.  Add the tomato and 1 cup of water.  Bring to a simmer and continue to cook for eight minutes.  Add the remaining cup of water, cover, and simmer for twenty minutes.

3.  Add the fish.  Add the catfish and continue to simmer for about five minutes or until the catfish is cooked.  Remove from the heat and stir in the yogurt.

ENJOY!