Local Cookbooks

[cnspriggs]

How is everyone making out with these recipes?

I've found a few things I'm struggling with. First, his liquid measures sometimes seem too much to me. For example I was making 'Beef Short ribs in cinnamon and red wine curry' and it calls for 5 cups of stock. By the time the 4 hours simmering was over I had soup that looked nothing like a curry and was very thin (there is a picture of this curry on the foodtv website from when Vij was on christine cushing). I wondered if perhaps his instruction to simmer the ribs covered was a mistake and should read uncovered? A similar experience happened in he Yam stock for the 'Seared Pacific Halibut with black chickpea and yam curry'.

Also when I make the 'masala' part of many of his recipes I must be doing something wrong. I start my spices (usually cumin seeds) for the 30sec or 1 min on med-high heat as suggested. Then I put in the onions. I end up having t turn the heat down so the cumin in the pan doesn't burn but then the onions take way longer to brown than the suggested times. Can I leave the heat high and somehow stop the cumin from burning? Then if there is tomato going in after until the 'oil glistens on top' I haven't quite figured out if I've got oil on the top or not but again the recommended time seems too short.

Further, I'm on Vancouver island and can not find Black chickpeas, or asafoetida-any suggestions? Even if you know where to get these in Vancouver let me know and on my next trip I'll stock up.

Overall I'm loving the book and have heaps of fun trying the recipes and nothing has been a disaster-just doesn't quite taste like when Vij makes it....Not that I mind still having to go to dinner at Vijs!

Vikram Vij's new book "Vij's: Elegant and Inspired Indian Food" should be available shortly.  I believe the release date is September.  I am eagerly awaiting to cook from it!

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[samasutra]

great topic, zuke!

i love the rebar cookbook as well.  i'm embarrased to admit that i've only used it for their salads.  i will definitely try that cake that you just talked about.  sounds delish!

i made the vij's lamb popsicles from the vancouver cooks cookbook and it was so easy and yummy.  i think that the sauce is going make a lot of appearances in my kitchen to pair with various things.  sooooo good. 

there's also the roasted carrot and brie soup from chef bernard's in whistler that i've made from a little book called whistler weekend cookbook.  so rich and delicious.

i've just picked up the la regelade and feenie's books and have plans to make the coq au vin from la regalade very soon. 

geez, i'm hungry now 

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You sure got me hungry!

Is there any way I could beg you to PM me  the recipe," the Carrot and Brie soup" from Chef Bernard in Whistler. That sounds divine. Where did you pick up that cookbook?

Samasutra

edited to add:  deborah, that tart looks so good!

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Edited October 1, 2006 by samasutra (log)

[makanmakan]

He's been pretty free with Lamb Lollipop recipe - it shows up in Mark Bittman's new cookbook as well as being available from Don Genova's website.

I made them a few weeks back (I had 4 racks of lamb to use up) - and let me tell you  - they were really good and damned easy to make.  Big payoff for a little effort.  Served with roasted potatoes (a la Nigella Lawson), and garlic sauteed green beans.  Looked like a superhero.  However - once you see the recipe - there is no denying how decadent it is...  it starts with a litre of whipping cream!

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It's also found in the Vancouver Cooks cookbook that came out last year(?). I made it for Christmas last year and sprinkled pomegranate seeds over the finished dish. Pretty!

Samasutra, I'll pm you that recipe.

[Bon Appetit Cookbooks]

New to the board. Live in Montreal, but born and bred in Vancouver.

I did a cooking class not to long ago on Rob Feenies Iron Chef Recipes from the Feenies book.

Everything turn out pretty good. The one that stood out for me was the Tom Yum soup. Clarifying it is a pain in the ass, but well worth it.

I do admit in not following it word for word, but I always say recipes are guidlines, not rules.

I made all the recipes from the iron chef show, except the Crab Panna Cotta. Not to sure how the customers would react to it. But all in all, they tasted pretty good.

A note on the Lamb Lollipops:

I had Vikram in the shop last week doin a cooking class and he mentioned he really doesn't like the Lamb Lollipops. He wishes he could take them off the menu. But they are the most popular item, and you know what happens when you take the most popular item off...

My theory is that he give it out to everyone and then no one will order them anymore and he can take it off the menu. Smart man that Vikram Vij.

J

[canucklehead]

How is everyone making out with these recipes?

I've found a few things I'm struggling with. First, his liquid measures sometimes seem too much to me. For example I was making 'Beef Short ribs in cinnamon and red wine curry' and it calls for 5 cups of stock.  By the time the 4 hours simmering was over I had soup that looked nothing like a curry and was very thin (there is a picture of this curry on the foodtv website from when Vij was on christine cushing). I wondered if perhaps his instruction to simmer the ribs covered was a mistake and should read uncovered? A similar experience happened in he Yam stock for the 'Seared Pacific Halibut with black chickpea and yam curry'.

Also when I make the 'masala' part of many of his recipes I must be doing something wrong. I start my spices (usually cumin seeds) for the 30sec or 1 min on med-high heat as suggested. Then I put in the onions. I end up having t turn the heat down so the cumin in the pan doesn't burn but then the onions take way longer to brown than the suggested times. Can I leave the heat high and somehow stop the cumin from burning? Then if there is tomato going in after until the 'oil glistens on top' I haven't quite figured out if I've got oil on the top or not but again the recommended time seems too short.

Overall I'm loving the book and have heaps of fun trying the recipes and nothing has been a disaster-just doesn't quite taste like when Vij makes it....Not that I mind still having to go to dinner at Vijs!

Vikram Vij's new book "Vij's: Elegant and Inspired Indian Food" should be available shortly.  I believe the release date is September.  I am eagerly awaiting to cook from it!

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I got the book very recently and I am enjoying leafing through it - it is nice to see ingredient lists (halibut, venison, etc...) that are so tailored to the PNW. The recipes look like they will produce lighter and brighter food then the usual Moghul cooking that is found in restaurants and other cookbooks.

I know what you mean about the liquid measures - they seem very high. How has the seasoning tasted? If it seems adaquately seasoned - then it would seem that's the expected final product.

I was eating at Vij's recently and I noted just how light the sauces were (perhaps some would say watery) - but the flavors were still bright and fresh. I am looking forward trying out some of the recipes soon.

[barolo]

If you need some inspiration, I noticed that Vikram Vij and Meeru Dhalwala will be at Barbara Jo's this Sunday at noon to tape a North by Northwest Cooking Club. Details: here.

Come meet the team that has earned an international reputation for excellence and innovation with one of Vancouver’s finest restaurants.

In their new cookbook, Vikram and Meeru are sharing the recipes and secrets behind their famous dishes like Lamb Popsicles with Fenugreek Cream Curry.

I wish I could be there, but I'll be out of town.

How is everyone making out with these recipes?

I've found a few things I'm struggling with. First, his liquid measures sometimes seem too much to me. For example I was making 'Beef Short ribs in cinnamon and red wine curry' and it calls for 5 cups of stock.  By the time the 4 hours simmering was over I had soup that looked nothing like a curry and was very thin (there is a picture of this curry on the foodtv website from when Vij was on christine cushing). I wondered if perhaps his instruction to simmer the ribs covered was a mistake and should read uncovered? A similar experience happened in he Yam stock for the 'Seared Pacific Halibut with black chickpea and yam curry'.

Also when I make the 'masala' part of many of his recipes I must be doing something wrong. I start my spices (usually cumin seeds) for the 30sec or 1 min on med-high heat as suggested. Then I put in the onions. I end up having t turn the heat down so the cumin in the pan doesn't burn but then the onions take way longer to brown than the suggested times. Can I leave the heat high and somehow stop the cumin from burning? Then if there is tomato going in after until the 'oil glistens on top' I haven't quite figured out if I've got oil on the top or not but again the recommended time seems too short.

Overall I'm loving the book and have heaps of fun trying the recipes and nothing has been a disaster-just doesn't quite taste like when Vij makes it....Not that I mind still having to go to dinner at Vijs!

Vikram Vij's new book "Vij's: Elegant and Inspired Indian Food" should be available shortly.  I believe the release date is September.  I am eagerly awaiting to cook from it!

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I got the book very recently and I am enjoying leafing through it - it is nice to see ingredient lists (halibut, venison, etc...) that are so tailored to the PNW. The recipes look like they will produce lighter and brighter food then the usual Moghul cooking that is found in restaurants and other cookbooks.

I know what you mean about the liquid measures - they seem very high. How has the seasoning tasted? If it seems adaquately seasoned - then it would seem that's the expected final product.

I was eating at Vij's recently and I noted just how light the sauces were (perhaps some would say watery) - but the flavors were still bright and fresh. I am looking forward trying out some of the recipes soon.

←

[annanstee]

How is everyone making out with these recipes?

Also when I make the 'masala' part of many of his recipes I must be doing something wrong. I start my spices (usually cumin seeds) for the 30sec or 1 min on med-high heat as suggested. Then I put in the onions. I end up having t turn the heat down so the cumin in the pan doesn't burn but then the onions take way longer to brown than the suggested times. Can I leave the heat high and somehow stop the cumin from burning? Then if there is tomato going in after until the 'oil glistens on top' I haven't quite figured out if I've got oil on the top or not but again the recommended time seems too short.

Vikram Vij's new book "Vij's: Elegant and Inspired Indian Food" should be available shortly.  I believe the release date is September.  I am eagerly awaiting to cook from it!

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I just got the book and am still in browse mode. I wonder if there is any reason why you couldn't add the onions immediately after the cumin etc? The onions could then sweat a bit and that might help keep the spices from burning? Anybody know if this would inhibit the spice from toasting properly?