Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place beef, onion, garlic, peppercorns and broth in an oven-proof casserole. Add water to cover by 1 1/2 inches. Bring to a boil. Cover and bake in the oven about 2 hours, until beef is very tender. Remove meat and cool. Shred from bones, discarding any fat and the bones. […]

Wash your lentils well, and check them for rocks and bugs, etc. Combine the lentils and the vegetables in a big pot with about 4 cups of water (thats an estimate, use a little more if that doesnt seem like enough, but try not to use *too much*). Bring this to a boil, and then […]

Pressure cook about two fistfuls of mung beans with water adding 1/4 tsp turmeric powder to it. (I usually put one fistful for one person if daal is not the main dish in the meal. Otherwise , you might want to add two fistfuls per person. It is probably surprising, but this measuring scheme works […]

Peel shrimp before cooking & devein. Make a roux… use oil and flour in a heavy iron skillet. Over medium-low heat, place flour in the oil and let cook , slow , until the flour starts to brown. Adjust heat so that the flour does not burn. You want the flour to turn dark brown, […]

Melt butter in heavy saucepan. Add fennel and onion, cook over medium heat until soft but not brown, about 5 minutes. Add potatoes, stock and parsley, bay leaf, peppercorns and thyme enclosed in a small cheesecloth pouch. Simmer 30 minutes then remove. Pass soup through food mill or puree until smooth in a food processor […]

Place margarine and frozen vegetables in 3-quart able casserole. Cover tightly and microwave on high 8 to 10 minutes or until hot. Stir in remaining ingredients. Cover tightly and microwave on medium- high (70%) 10 to 12 minutes, stirring after 5 minutes, until hot.

Cover beans with water in large pot or soup kettle and soak overnight. Rinse beans well and return to pot with ham bone and 3 quarts of water. Simmer, uncovered, for 2 hours. Add parsley, onions, garlic, celery and tops, salt and pepper. Simmer, uncovered, for 1 hour or until vegetables are tender. Remove ham […]

* if soup is not thick enough, add 2 more spoons of cornstarch (mixed into cold water) into the soup PREPARE AHEAD: 1. In a small bowl, cover the mushrooms with 1/2 cup of warm water and let them soak for 30 minutes. Discard the water. With a cleaver or knife, cut away and discard […]

In a 3-quart saucepan, combine the oil, potatoes, onion, bell peppers, ham and celery. Cook over low heat 10 minutes stirring occasionally. Add the hominy, chilies, flour, thyme, salt and pepper. Gradually stir in the milk, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, simmer, covered, for 30 to 40 minutes or until soup is […]

Melt butter in sauce pan and add onion and celery. Saute for 5 minutes (do not brown). Add flour and mix well. Stir in chicken broth and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove from heat and strain. Add peanut butter, celery salt, salt, and lemon juice. Sprinkle ground peanuts on top before serving. Makes 20 1/2 […]