Alu Bhaatey (Bengali style mashed potatoes): Boil and mash russet potatoes and add chopped red onions, green chillies, cilantro, salt and mustard oil . Make into small balls and eat with plain rice.
Gotta be a plate of pan fried minced pork & chive dumplings for me! I keep a few bags of frozen dumplings in the freezer at all times. In older age have appreciated a touch of black vinegar to cut through the fat, but love topping with the heat of sriracha, sweet chili sauce, or chili crisp. Still working on perfecting the lacy crust/skirt that can truly elevate the dish.
Meatballs and gravy (gravy is tomato-based, no one in my family knows of another type). My meatballs are different than I enjoyed growing up but cooked in the same manner. I use a ground turkey mixture with coarse bulgur (and the usual other ingredients: milk, breadcrumbs, egg, etc.). They are hand-rolled carefully, about golf ball size and gently placed into a simple tomato sauce barely simmering. Within minutes, the meatballs firm up from the braise and cook an hour or so at a gentle simmer. I believe the bulgur, as it braises with the meat, makes for a surprisingly good meatball with pleasing texture (no bulgur is perceptible in the final meatball) that makes me, my wife and daughter sated with no desire for the traditional beef/pork version. These are served with pasta and extra gravy. The end of the dish is spent sopping up the extra gravy with bread (fresh or stale).
I recall sitting beside my grandfather, Francesco during Sunday dinner. He was dressed in a white shirt and tie and very high waist dress pants while we ate bread dipped in gravy. He would often drift off to sleep at the table, wake up after a few minutes unaware he dozed, and we'd resume eating. My grandparents' meatballs were beef. I think they'd be suspicious of my turkey variation. (sorry so long)
I'd have to go with my Mom's homemade mac and cheese. The Classic Baked Macaroni and Cheese Casserole recipe from Serious Eats is a good approximation.
Alu Bhaatey (Bengali style mashed potatoes): Boil and mash russet potatoes and add chopped red onions, green chillies, cilantro, salt and mustard oil . Make into small balls and eat with plain rice.
Mmmmmmmm...Thank you for sharing, Bidisha!
Gotta be a plate of pan fried minced pork & chive dumplings for me! I keep a few bags of frozen dumplings in the freezer at all times. In older age have appreciated a touch of black vinegar to cut through the fat, but love topping with the heat of sriracha, sweet chili sauce, or chili crisp. Still working on perfecting the lacy crust/skirt that can truly elevate the dish.
Meatballs and gravy (gravy is tomato-based, no one in my family knows of another type). My meatballs are different than I enjoyed growing up but cooked in the same manner. I use a ground turkey mixture with coarse bulgur (and the usual other ingredients: milk, breadcrumbs, egg, etc.). They are hand-rolled carefully, about golf ball size and gently placed into a simple tomato sauce barely simmering. Within minutes, the meatballs firm up from the braise and cook an hour or so at a gentle simmer. I believe the bulgur, as it braises with the meat, makes for a surprisingly good meatball with pleasing texture (no bulgur is perceptible in the final meatball) that makes me, my wife and daughter sated with no desire for the traditional beef/pork version. These are served with pasta and extra gravy. The end of the dish is spent sopping up the extra gravy with bread (fresh or stale).
I recall sitting beside my grandfather, Francesco during Sunday dinner. He was dressed in a white shirt and tie and very high waist dress pants while we ate bread dipped in gravy. He would often drift off to sleep at the table, wake up after a few minutes unaware he dozed, and we'd resume eating. My grandparents' meatballs were beef. I think they'd be suspicious of my turkey variation. (sorry so long)
Thank you for sharing, David, and I will have to try your bulgur approach next time I make meatballs. I love that image of your grandfather:)
It's fun how many variations of meatballs there are! I often make Julia Turshen's turkey meatballs. She uses ricotta to add some fat and moisture to the turkey mix and I like the tenderness of them. https://www.food.com/recipe/turkey-ricotta-meatballs-from-small-victories-530995
I'd have to go with my Mom's homemade mac and cheese. The Classic Baked Macaroni and Cheese Casserole recipe from Serious Eats is a good approximation.
Good one! My mom also makes a killer baked mac, one with bechamel sauce and ground beef.
Sounds great. Have you tried the mi la Xiao long bao? I get them mail order.
I haven’t!! I’ll have to try
Mac and cheese is a great comfort food.