Black-eyed peas with Dill

(A little late coming, but I'm just catching up to everything, including my RSS feeds....)

2 cups water
2 fresh dill sprigs plus 2 tablespoons chopped dill leaves
2 large scallions, white and pale green parts cut into 1-inch pieces and dark green parts chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 (10-oz) package frozen black-eyed peas

Accompaniment: lemon wedges

Bring water, dill sprigs, white and pale green parts of scallions, salt, and 2 tablespoons oil to a boil in a 2-quart heavy saucepan, covered. Reduce heat to moderately low, then add peas and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until peas are tender, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool, uncovered, then transfer mixture with any liquid to a serving dish and stir in chopped dill, scallion greens, and remaining 2 tablespoons oil.


Cooks' note: Black-eyed peas can be cooked, cooled, and dressed 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Makes 4 servings (as part of mezedes).

We still get love from far away

You never really leave cooking night, even if you stop coming.

[18:16] Sean: i saw this today, and thought of cooking night.
[18:16] Sean: http://www.porn-bread.com/

Rice with Spinach, Lemon & Dill

from Deborah's Madison's Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone

This was a super tasty, simple rice dish that had enough moisture in it that I ate it the next day for lunch cold and it was still good.

2T olive oil, butter, or mix
1C finely chopped scallions, including an inch or 2 of greens KC: I probably used 3/4 C of scallions
1C long-grain white or brown rice KC: I used white
1 large bunch of spinach leaves, finely chopped
2T chopped dill or 2t dried KC: I used dried
Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
Salt & pepper

Warm oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add scallions and cook, stirring frequently, until wilted, 3-4 minutes. Add the rice, spinach, dill, lemon zest, and 1/2t salt. Cook until the spinach has wilted. If using white rice, add 1 3/4C water (brown rice- 2 1/4C). Bring to boil, then lower heat and cover and cook until liquid is absorbed, 15-18 minutes for the white rice (30-40 min for brown). Add lemon juice and gently loosen grains with a fork. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Season with pepper and serve.

nian gow - a chinese bean cake to celebrate the new year

(from about.com)

INGREDIENTS:
16 oz. Mochiko sweet rice flour (glutinous rice flour), plus a bit extra for sprinkling on the baking dish (mmv - i couldn't locate sweet rice flour, used white rice flour instead)
1 stick of butter or 3/4 cup of vegetable oil
3 eggs
2 1/2 cups milk
1 to 1 3/4 cup sugar--depending on if you like it sweeter (mmv - i only used 1 cup. because i use regular flour, i should have possibly upped the sugar amount)
1 Tb baking soda
One can of red azuki beans
PREPARATION:
Mix everything* but the beans with an electric mixer at medium speed for 2 minutes. Beat for 2 more minutes at high speed.Sprinkle Mochiko flour over a 9"x13" baking dish that has been oiled or sprayed with Pam.Spread half of the batter on the bottom of the baking pan Spread the red azuki beans (you can mix some batter into the beans if they are too thick to spread).Spread the other half of the batter over the red azuki beans. Bake in oven at 350 degrees for 40 to 50 minutes.Test for doneness by inserting a chopstick (this is Chinese New Year’s Cake after all)—if it comes out clean, it is done.Recipe by Frances Kai-Hwa Wang, Asian American Village contributing editor.
* mmv: i softened the butter in the microwave, but then adding the cold milk hardened it again. this made it a pain in the rear to mix. i suggest setting the milk out to bring it to room temp before adding it. maybe nuking it for 20-30 seconds would suffice?