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Saag Murgh, an Indian Classic, Creamed Spinach & Chicken!

March 23, 2020 by Cherie Scott

Saag Murgh | Spinach Chicken 🐔

This luscious spiced infused creamed spinach dish originated in Northern 🇮🇳 Saag Paneer (Indian Whole Milk Cheese), Saag Gosht (Spinach Lamb) are other variations of the dish.

If you choose to eat chicken or lamb you should cut up boneless skinless chicken thighs or a boneless leg of lamb into 2”. (Vegetarians please substitute chunks of  paneer 😉)

Marinate these chunks in a bowl with turmeric, cardamom, cumin, coriander powder, garlic and ginger paste. Add thick Greek yogurt, salt and the juice of an entire lemon. This will tenderize the chicken or lamb. Let it sit and get happy in the fridge for at least two hours.

Meanwhile, blanch the baby spinach in hot water and then place it into an ice bath to chill out.

Using only premium Indian spices (you can order them online at SKORDO- an award-winning small Maine family business – roast them gently on a pan on medium heat, then grind in small batches and set aside.

Next sauté the roughly chopped the onions in ghee with the ground spices and then add the tomato paste for the perfect acid balance to the warm spices. Now add the spinach.

Simmer this spice-infused spinach mixture gently until you are almost giddy with happiness. The kitchen should smell divine. You may now use your blender and purée this spinach. Add in the cream (because it’s the right thing to do!!!)

Do not skip the cream!!!

If wouldn’t blame you if you wanted to stop here and bathe in this luscious creamed spinach.

Now with two knobs of ghee melted into a Dutch oven on medium heat, sauté the marinated chicken or lamb or paneer for 4 minutes.

Add in the purée spinach (saag) and stir well. Bring to a simmer and cover for twenty minutes.

Now chill a bottle of Gewurztraminer – it pairs perfectly with spicy Indian food.

Set the table, heat up some Stone-fired garlic naan and brush generously with melted ghee and sprinkle with cilantro.

This is when I’m reminded I’m an impatient human being with no self-control.

I tear off a chunk of Naan and dunk it right into the pot of luscious, rich and creamy saag Murgh!

 

Saag Murgh - An Indian Classic...Creamed Spinach & Chicken!
 
Print
Prep time
2 hours
Cook time
45 mins
Total time
2 hours 45 mins
 
Indian spiced-infused cream of spinach and marinated chicken
Author: Cherie Scott
Recipe type: Entree
Cuisine: Indian
Serves: 8
Ingredients
  • Saag Chicken
  • Indian spiced-infused cream of spinach and marinated chicken
  • Yields 6-8 servings
  • PART 1: To marinate the chicken
  • 2.5 pounds of boneless and skinless chicken thighs, cut into 2-inch pieces
  • 1.5 cups thick Greek yogurt
  • 2 teaspoons turmeric
  • 2 teaspoons of coriander powder
  • 2 teaspoons of cardamom powder
  • 2 teaspoons of cumin powder
  • 2 tablespoons ginger paste
  • 2 tablespoons garlic paste
  • 1 teaspoon of salt
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • PART 2: To makes the Spinach puree (SAAG)
  • 20 ounces of fresh baby spinach
  • 8 tablespoons ghee
  • 2 teaspoons of cumin seeds
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 2 black cardamoms, use only seeds
  • 3 serrano chilis,
  • 2 onions, roughly chopped
  • 2 teaspoons Kashmiri (mild) chili powder
  • 2 tablespoons garam masala powder
  • 1 tube of tomato paste (no spices added, salt-free)
  • ¼ cup of heavy cream
  • Handful of dried crushed fenugreek leaves or fenugreek seeds
  • Salt to taste
Instructions
  1. Directions for Part 1:
  2. Marinate: Mix the yogurt, turmeric, cumin, cardamom, coriander powder, garlic and ginger pastes, salt and lemon juice together in a large glass bowl. Add the chicken pieces and coat with the marinade. Cover with plastic, refrigerate and let the chicken marinate overnight or at least 2 hours. Remove the marinated chicken from the refrigerator and let it reach room temperature for a full hour. This is an important step, do not skip it.
  3. Direction for Part 2:
  4. Toast & Grind Spices: In a frying pan, on medium heat, toast the bay leaves, cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, coriander seeds, cardamom seeds, black cardamom seeds (no husks). Set aside the whole spice mixture and allow it to cool down. Now grind these whole spices together in a spice grinder until fine.
  5. Meanwhile, in a large Dutch oven, add the ghee on medium heat. Add the roughly chopped onions and sautee for 5 minutes until golden brown.
  6. Now add the green chilis, the spice powder mix, garam masala, Kashmiri chili powder and stir for a minute.
  7. Add the tomato paste stir well and allow it to cook on medium heat for another 5 minutes until the mixture separates from the oil in the pot.
  8. Now add the spinach mixture and stir well.
  9. Take your handheld blender and puree this mixture. Set it aside.
  10. In a fresh pot, add the ghee on medium heat. Add the marinated chicken and stir well. Cover the pot and cook until the chicken changes color, about 10 minutes. Now add the pureed spiced-infused spinach mixture. Stir well and cover to cook for another 10 minutes on low heat. Add salt to taste. Give it another good stir. Now gently add the heavy cream (the creamier the better) and let it all simmer for another 5 minutes on low.
3.5.3251

Filed Under: Uncategorized

ROB DUMAS: The Food Science Innovation Go-to Guy!

March 2, 2020 by Cherie Scott

Rob Dumas, U of Maine’s Food Science Innovation Coordinator and Manager of the Dr. Matthew Highlands Pilot Plant. Check out that pasta maker!

Have you ever had a fabulous food idea that you wanted to develop and bring to the marketplace, like an Impossible Red Hot Dog or Maine’s Mushroom Burger, but didn’t know where to get started? Look no further than Rob Dumas, University of Maine’s Food Science Innovation Coordinator and the Manager of the Dr. Matthew Highlands Pilot Plant, a state-of-the-art research facility that aims to elevate, diversify and innovate Maine food products alongside big and small Maine food producers. The Pilot Plant is decked out with top-notch food processing equipment, including a pasta maker, meat chopper, dehydrator, blast freezer, steam cooker, cheese making equipment and packaging equipment.

A few months ago, I was researching how to start a specialty food product in Maine. The first link that popped up led me to Dr. Beth Calder, Food Science Specialist for the University of Maine Cooperative Extension and School of Food & Agriculture. Dr. Calder has been an invaluable resource to me in launching my culinary collection, ‘Journey in a Jar’ – signature shelf-stable Indian sauces, spreads and marinades.

Dr. Beth Calder, Food Scientist, holding my first product: Journey in a Jar’s Buttery Masala simmer sauce, heading for testing at University of Maine’s product testing lab.

Dr. Calder suggested I attend a training at MOFGA( Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association) and that is where I first met Dumas who happened to be a presenter at the training. I was on the heels of launching Maine’s Bicentennial Food Podcast – Maine’s food story past, present and future. Intrigued by how Dumas’ role could shape Maine’s food landscape in the future, I invited him to share his thoughts and his vision on the podcast.

Dumas has the most fascinating food story, one that started in the southern state of Louisiana, and ended up in the northern state of Maine. He’s cooked in kitchens large, small and even presidential. From a submarine off the coast of Virginia, to the White House Navy Mess and even cooking for the Obama family while on the road. Yet, if you met him he would tell you he is facing his biggest challenge yet!

My head is already brimming with ideas I might want to develop alongside Dumas’ expertise and the top notch commercial equipment at the Dr. Matthew Highland’s Pilot Plant. It seems like a no-brainer to leverage the tremendous resources that the University of Maine’s School of Food & Ag have in place. Check them out here. There is a fee associated with the service and its based on the scope of the product being developed.

But first, be sure to tune into Rob’s insightful podcast to find out how a latchie kid from Slidell, Louisiana curated a deep understanding of food… one that greatly influences his gig as Maine’s food innovation go-to-guy!

Rob Dumas and Dr. Beth Calder in The Dr. Matthew Highlands Pilot Plant, University of Maine, Orono.

Filed Under: Podcast

Maine’s Modern Day Willy Wonka

February 23, 2020 by Cherie Scott

It’s not everyday that a talented chocolatier and chocolate-maker stops by bearing hand-crafted organic bean-to-bar candy, cacao soap, cacao-infused spices and nibs of dark chocolate to share. This past Holiday I was thrilled to host Kate McAleer, co-founder of Bixby & Co, located in Rockland, to share her entrepreneurial story on Maine’s Bicentennial Food Podcast.

Bixby & Co. is an organic chocolatier and chocolate-maker based in Rockland, Maine. Women owned, co-founders, Kate and her mother Donna, recently made Maine food history as the state’s first chocolate-maker of organic bean-to-bar vegan smoothie bars– innovation in chocolate making at its best!

It took hours of additional paperwork, federal and state regulations, grant-writing, demonstrations and testing in the kitchen with their talented team to innovate at this level. It didn’t come easily, but it paid off. There are only a few other organic bean-to-bar chocolate makers in the country.

The thing I love the most about Kate is her grit. Kate has won multiple entrepreneurial pitch competitions and written multiple grants to fund her business from the ground up in the last 8 years with no outside investment. She’s not afraid of the paperwork nor the regulations. She’s also not interested in an exit strategy.  She’s in this for the long run and truly wants to build a chocolate company with a moral conscience. A creative collaborator, Kate recently worked on incorporating her chocolate nibs with Gelato Fiasco, Maine’s beloved gelateria. Last year, two-time James Beard award-winning chef Melissa Kelly and owner of Primo restaurant in Rockland reached out to Bixby & Co. to launch her 20th Anniversary ’20 Karat Primo Bar’ featuring Primo’s popular and addictive signature bar snack, roasted almonds with a touch of Calabrian chili and rosemary. The bar was uniquely sweet, salty but also contained spicy notes infusing the 70% dark chocolate. Hundreds of bars were produced but only 5 bars contained a hidden golden ticket.

Its fun collaborative creative experiences like these that inspire Bixby & Co. to continue embracing Maine and its community of outstanding makers while growing its brand. Kate recently collaborated with Maine’s only organic bourbon maker, Split Rock Distilling, located in Newcastle, Maine, to create a chocolate bar (Split Rock Bourbon 70% Dark Chocolate Bar.)

Bixby & Co. retail store located in downtown Rockland also houses Maine’s first bean to bar chocolate factory. The production area is fun to watch through a glass window. I stopped by with my family and enjoyed sampling our way through Pumpkin Caramels, Needhams, Maine Blueberry Jam Bonbons and Dark Chocolate Almonds. We even got lucky and got to watch a chocolatier at work.  I’m sure you’ll find it hard to leave without a 2 lb dark or milk chocolate handcrafted Lobstah in your hand! For now, check out the pictures below and be sure to listen to Kate’s inspiring story on the podcast.  If you can’t squeeze in a visit to Maine soon Bixby & Co. also ships its delicious candy through its website.

Kate enjoying her Mumbai to Maine chai before we hit the studio.

Co-founders of Bixby & Co., Kate and her mother and inspiration, Donna McAleer.

“Kate the Great!”

Sampling Maine Sea Salt and nibs of organic chocolate.

Award-winning restaurant Primo’s 20 Karat Bar made with Bixby Chocolate

What a feast for the eyes or for any Vegan chocolate lover!

Chocolate making in action

A two-pound dark chocolate hand-crafted LOBSTAH!!!

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MAINE FOOD FOR THOUGHT

January 18, 2020 by Cherie Scott

Sarah and Bryce Hach

Sarah and Bryce Hach, co-founders of the international award-winning educational based food tour, Maine Food For Thought, sharing their story in the studio.

Meet Sarah and Bryce Hach – Maine’s food ambassadors!!! They are one of the reasons I felt inspired to produce this Bicentennial Food Podcast series.

With stellar non-profit backgrounds and a passion for all things food, they moved to Maine back in 2012 and came up with the brilliant idea to start a food tour with an educational twist. The tour was called Maine Food For Thought. (Isn’t that the perfect name for an educational based tour?)

Shortly after they kicked off the tour, in an almost prescient launch, Portland was voted the 2018 Restaurant City of the Year, Bon Appetit.

Sarah and Bryce are committed to sharing Maine’s food story – behind the plate.  They partnered up with restaurants and chefs who feel the same way. Each notable chef has created a dish that showcases a specific Maine food system while also bringing their own respective personalities and culinary flair to the featured dish. Check out the beautiful pictures below. 

UNION, The Press Hotel

New England Clam chowder with a Thai twist, a dish inspired by Union’s Executive Chef Josh Berry’s travels to Thailand. This East meets West, fusion-style chowder captures the essence of land and sea in Maine: clams, haddock, lobster oil, potatoes and celery but in a coconut-milk base, inspired by a Thai ‘Tom Ki Guy’- soup.

UNION’s gorgeous display of pumpkins sourced from farms all over the state of Maine.

EVO Kitchen + Bar  (Hyatt Place Portland- Old Port) 

Check out Matt Ginn’s Mediterranean-inspired Harra dish showcasing Maine’s humble but hearty potato.

A true reflection of “Maine’s urban sophistication and the rural yankee work ethic”- Bryce.

Per the tour: “Rural meets urban” potato dish flavored by an array of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern ingredients like leeks, garlic, fresh turmeric, and spices including coriander, cayenne, and cumin.

“Evo Kitchen + Bar’s Head Chef Matt Ginn marries Mediterranean techniques and traditions with the incredible bounty of Maine produce, fish and meat – connecting Maine’s urban and rural lifestyles into a single dish.” Matt was recently a ‘Chopped’ Champion! Go Matt!

Solo Italiano

It’s not everyday that a World Pesto Champion moves to Maine and opens a restaurant as beautiful as Solo Italiano.

Meet Chef Paolo Laboa who is a master at handcrafting handkerchief pasta (a work of art) tossed in an authentic Genovese basil pesto. The pasta is made with 00 grade flour and the pesto is made with Langorian Olive oil, both ingredients imported from Italy. The star of this vibrant dish is the Genevose basil grown right at Olivia’s Garden (a state-of-the-art pesticide-free greenhouse garden up in New Gloucester, about 45 minutes north of Portland.)

The pasta was as smooth as silk with a thin coating of the freshest pesto making this dish an explosion of delicate flavors.

No garlic overload in this award-winning pesto! I was in heaven and didn’t want this bite to end.

Solo Italiano’s owner and chef Paolo Laboa is from Genoa, Italy, where he was awarded the Best Young Chef in all of Italy and the winner of the Pesto World Championship.

Scales

So, I have to admit, I’ve been dreaming about this seafood dish since I left the tour. As we casually walked over to Scales where I devoured some of the best Mussels I’ve had in the longest time Maine’s sustainable initiatives with seafood farming, fisheries, aquaculture, kelp farming, lobster and climate change were all on the table for discussion as we dug into that cast iron skillet filled with Bang Island mussels. I tried to be as polite as I could waiting to see if anyone was interested in snagging  that last piece of crusty bread from Standard Baking co. 

Tender and sweet, these sea jewels were swimming in a broth that was so delicious, it was almost distracting. Bryce almost had my full attention. I wish I didn’t have to share that afternoon. 

Don’t you simply love the old fashioned scale and the sunlight pouring right into this glorious open kitchen?

Bangs Island mussels prepared with Maine cider, Raye’s Mustard, cream and dill served with bread with Maine grains from Standard Baking Company. Raye’s Mustard, located in Eastport, Maine, hasn’t changed since it opened in 1900. The mustard was originally used in the packing of sardines. Maine no longer produces sardines but Raye’s mustard is going strong.

East Ender

I was so stuffed by the time we left Scales, but somehow I managed to make room for yet another bite – an ooey-gooey lobster melt. This melt was so next level with 100% Maine lobster meat dressed in a lobster mayo that they make in-house with reduced lobster stock and fresh chives. The sandwich is topped with local Monterey jack cheese from Pineland Farms. The bread is from Southside Production bakery in South Portland.

Piccolo

After almost three hours of exploring the restaurant scene and eating one tasty bite after the next, we buttoned up this thought-provoking tour with a scrumptious dessert at Piccolo where Bryce shed light on food insecurity in Maine and global food waste. Piccolo is a leader in the restaurant community addressing food insecurity. Their culinary teams at Piccolo and Chaval (their sister restaurant) host community events to raise funds for various non-profit organizations focussing efforts on diminishing food insecurity.

Bryce addressing food insecurity, food waste as he wrapped up the tour at the Piccolo.

I loved that this walking tour was only about a mile long with approximately 5-6 minutes between restaurants. I can’t think of a better way to restaurant hop, and take in the historic district of Old Port on a beautiful late fall afternoon. Each dish was expertly crafted and tied right into a discussion about Maine’s food systems. I had the best time chatting it up with fabulous foodies from all over the country.  On my ride home from Portland to Boothbay, I felt a deeper connection to Maine. Bryce’s closing resonated with me all the way home:

“If you really think about it, we really do have a wide array of the food choices at our disposal everyday and what we decide to put on our plate is a reflection of our values and our circumstance. Hopefully today’s tour will spark in you changes you might make with your palate, your health, and your community in mind.”

Maine Food For Thought was an intimate culinary exploration that went beyond the plate.

It’s no surprise that within three years, Bryce and Sarah have already won a prestigious international award: WINNER, BEST FOOD OR BEVERAGE TOUR EXPERIENCE, by the World Food Travel Association’s 2019 FoodTrekking Awards for “Excellence & Innovation in Food and Beverage Travel Experiences.”

It was an honor to have Sarah and Bryce in the studio sharing their journey.  If you are ever in Maine, please do carve out time to take this tour and also eat at these award-winning restaurants.

I hope you enjoy their podcast. I can almost wage you’ll be catching the next flight to Portland or tempted to get in your car and make a reservation to enjoy some of that award-winning pesto or those Bang Island mussels.

Happy Listening!

 

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A Culinary Journey with Susan Axelrod

January 17, 2020 by Cherie Scott

I’m so honored to kick off the inaugural episode of Maine’s Bicentennial Food Podcast with Susan Axelrod.

As Food + Special Projects Editor for Maine Magazine, Maine Home + Design and Eat Maine, Susan has covered scores of lifestyle features on Maine’s finest culinary tastemakers, innovators, designers, artists and philanthropists.

Susan is deeply anchored into the Maine food scene and has a way of staying ahead of the culinary pulse of this state. Her love affair with Maine goes back to her childhood when her family would summer here in the mid-coast Maine region. Although she grew up in D.C., Maine stayed close to her heart.

I asked Susan to share some of her most memorable food stories. As you’ll hear in the podcast ( click below to take a listen) we take a deep dive into Maine’s food culture discussing cheesemaking, craft-beer brewing, distilling, bread-making, sustainable fishing and aquaculture, modern-farming initiatives, the ever-growing and award-winning restaurant scene and finally the collaborative ethos between Maine chefs and their commitment to supporting local farmers.

Join Susan as she takes us on a culinary journey from her first batch of disastrous donuts as a teenager to her deep admiration for all things Julia Child, to her success as a food writer from New Jersey to Maine.

I hope you’ll understand that we simply had to kick off this food podcast and signature bicentennial series by indulging in some locally sourced, hand-crafted cheeses, freshly baked sourdough bread, late fall harvested apples, Stonefire naan slathered with Chaat Masala-infused home-made ghee and local lavender honey! (Check out the chopping board below!)

Go ahead, it’s okay to drool!

Susan Axelrod, Food + Special Projects Editor for Maine Magazine, Maine Home + Design and Eat Maine. Check out her podcast below!!! Be sure to share it on social media and hit the subscribe button for future episodes.

Maine sourced – Winter Hill Farm Blue Cheese, Toddy Pond Farm Fromage Blanc, Skordo Chaat Masala blend, Ricker Hill Apple, Stonefire Naan, Night Moves Bread + Pie Sourdough, Michelle Peels Lavender Honey.

Sourdough loaf from Night Moves Bread + Pie Bakery in Biddeford, Maine.

Filed Under: Podcast

WATCH THE MUMBAI TO MAINE PILOT EPISODE!

July 11, 2019 by wpadmin

Filed Under: Mumbai to Maine Video Series

Mumbai to Maine signature Masala Chai featured in the TrendZone at Maine Expo 2019!

June 28, 2019 by Cherie Scott

I was honored to kick off the 2019 Maine Expo TrendZone global breakfast demonstrations with my signature masala chai – hot steamed milk infused with heady notes of freshly mortar-and-pestle-ground SKORDO cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, fennel, star anise, peppercorns, nutmeg, ginger and my unique blend of malty Assam and floral Darjeeling tea leaves from Vadham Teas. Although chai has been around Southeast Asia for centuries, in the last two decades it has become a trendy beverage of choice in the West.  I enjoyed handcrafting small batches of chai for scores of attendees. In Hindi, chai means “tea.” So if you ask for a cup of chai-tea, you are literally asking for a cup of tea-tea. You might get a confused look from your chai-wallah.

In the southern part of India, masala chai is ubiquitous. “Masala” in Hindi means spices. So if you ask fora masala chai expect a potent version of chai: black tea brewed and blended with a powdered version of the spices. Masala chai is primarily made with whole milk, no water, in an attempt to mellow and balance out the robust spicy flavors.

If you’ve ever had the pleasure of brewing a strong cup of chai the entire process is as therapeutic as drinking the exotic beverage. Back in Mumbai, chai was an intrinsic part of our daily lives, no matter how hot it got!

My morning ritual begins with the hottest water in an oversized mug. (Bigger is always better.) I adore watching those black tea leaves get christened with the scalding water slowly staining my porcelain cup with its mahogany goodness. Embracing the mug in both hands, I take long deep breaths as the blend of crushed spices disperse among the black tea leaves and permeate one another. As the heat warms my hands and the steam hits my face I can almost picture a Mumbai chai-wallah (a street vendor who makes chai for a living) pouring the strong brew from one glass to another like a silting Himalayan waterfall. I get lost in the aromatic fog. The whiffs of chai give my sleepy face a cardamom facial while the chai cools down. On quiet mornings when I’m not hurrying out the door, making a cup of chai also brings back memories of my childhood in the city of Mumbai.One of my fondest memories as a young girl was surprising my dad with a perfect cup of tea as he got home from work. Barely old enough to stand by a stove, I would open the stainless steel can filled with Nilgiri tea leaves and dig right in to get an oversized heap. Gently, I’d add in the raw milk that was hand delivered promptly at 5a.m. Occasionally, a little bit of heavy cream would slide in…ah, creamy perfection! I knew dad loved that extra treat. I watched impatiently as it came to a boil. I would then throw in the tiniest stick of cinnamon, a couple of cardamom pods, cloves, peppercorns, and if I felt adventurous a big knob of ginger.

I could always time my father and knew exactly what time he would walk in the door with his newspaper in hand. He was punctual to a fault and routine was his middle name. I didn’t need to ask him how his day went because with a cup of chai in his hand I knew life was good! His shoulders would relax as he took in his first whiff of his evening chai after a long day at work. I could sense the tension of his day melt away as he took his first slurp. It was always too hot to sip. Dad chose to slurp it instead.

I can’t even talk about chai without reminiscing about our evening family-tea time back in Mumbai. Marie and Parle-G biscuits were a staple to go along with our tea. If we were out of our stash, I was charged with 5 rupees in hand to walk to the convenience store at the end of our street and pick up biscuits to go along with our chai. Now, I can’t walk past the ethnic aisle at our local grocery store without picking up at least a couple of packs of those golden-wrapped Marie biscuits. I’ve gotten my daughter hooked on them, too. She won’t ask for them every day, but on days when she needs some special mommy time she knows to come up to me and ask for chai and biscuits. She even dunks the biscuits into her chai the way I did. We sit quietly at the kitchen table and share a pack. Sometimes she over dunks and a few chunks fall in and she scoops them out. She might not know how to make chai from scratch or realize how trendy it has become these days, but she does know that with mommy by her side, chai and her favorite biscuits in hand, life is good!

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Mumbai to Maine’s pilot episode screening coming soon…

November 26, 2018 by Cherie Scott

What a journey its been getting to Maine…celebrating with my family and friends at dinner!

Check out the Pilot Episode of Mumbai to Maine! Mumbai to Maine – (my third child), was born right here in this kitchen, at this very kitchen table.

My hubby, Guy, pictured above, is my BIGGEST cheerleader, my BEST friend and the LOVE of my life! It took Guy almost three years to build this beautiful kitchen for me. No detail was overlooked, every appliance I could wish for was thoughtfully purchased and carefully built in to ensure efficient workflow without compromising any aesthetics. Guy called this labor of love – his Taj Mahal for his wife, Cherie (his Mumtaz)! Only in this case there were only a few hands that did all the work, not 20,000 laborers.

He knew I loved to cook and to be candid I’m sure he was tired of hearing me talk about food. One day he surprised me with a book on food photography and  said, “For heaven’s sake please stop talking about food and now go blog about it!” The kitchen would have been enough to keep me busy for a long time experimenting with Indian inspired dishes. But Guy just knew that would not be enough for his wife.  When I left Mumbai 23 years ago, I never imagined in my wildest dreams that Boothbay, Maine would one day be my home, my happy place, my creative muse. I knew I had to find a portal to share my passion for Mumbai and Indian cuisine and tie it into my deep love for my new hometown -– Boothbay and Maine’s dynamic food scene.

I created my culinary blog: Mumbai to Maine

Flash forward a couple of years, in the midst of what felt like the longest winter ever, between loads of laundry on a quiet Sunday afternoon, I felt this wave of inspiration come over me. I took out my laptop and sat down at my kitchen table and outlined what would become Mumbai to Maine’s six-part tv series.

I listened to my intuition and knew that I would only produce this series if I could collaborate with two incredibly talented filmmakers – Ryan Leighton, of Walking Home fame and Cody Mitchell, renowned cinematographer and BRTV Media Center’s station manager. Before I could talk myself out of it, I composed an email to them both and hit send. I went back to folding laundry relieved that I reached out and didn’t chicken out. Within minutes I heard from them both – they were on board.

My happy place, my Mumbai to Maine incubator, my kitchen.

Mumbai To Maine series will feature what life IS like in Maine and not just how it SHOULD be. ( Maine’s state slogan: Maine, the way life should be.)

Both Ryan and Cody were born and raised in the coastal Boothbay Harbor Region.

Ryan Leighton, directing Cody Mitchell for a scene. The incredibly talented Kim Martin, co-owner of Eventide Epicurean Specialties store in Boothbay Harbor, Maine showing me how to make Naan!

I’ve always been a big fan of Ryan’s award-winning work as a news reporter for the local newspaper, the Boothbay Register, and his award-winning documentary, Walking Home. (We once found ourselves in an html coding class together  – how random is that?) Ryan is an exceptional storyteller. He just knows how to curate a richly layered narrative and I knew he would know how to bring out the best in me on paper and on the screen. I was lucky enough to catch him at the right time as he was in between projects. Ryan was intrigued by Mumbai to Maine because it gave him an opportunity to delve into a creative blend of culinary and documentary narrative on screen.

Cody is a formidable cinematographer, a sensitive and deeply thoughtful human being.  A true artist. I am convinced Cody screens the world around him like no one else does.  I knew this series needed someone with Cody’s creative eye and who would approach it with a unique perspective – one of a native, a local artist with a cinematic lens for a brush. So many of us are guilty of not being able to appreciate the simple beauty in the chaos of our daily lives.  Cody has a way of capturing all the intangibles. His captures are cinematic gold and take my breath away. Just take a look at the Boothbay Region promo shot by Cody and directed by Ryan. Guy, my hubby, produced an original score for the promo!

Cody capturing a dock sunrise -March, 2018. I had a cup of chai in my hand; he had a 40 pound camera. And yet a smile on his face.

My dock. My sunrise. My Maine.

I can’t wait for this pilot to air on December 11, 2018, in the very town it was created in. Here we are in the winter of 2018 working hard in post-production to produce a meaningful cinematic story that we hope will be embraced by a local and international audience. Driven by a love for culinary arts and “foodie culture,” the first season of Mumbai to Maine consists of 6 episodes; each taking a different narrative approach that highlights the characters and culture inherent to life here in Maine. What surfaces is a beautiful cinematic journey that seeks to connect us by our relationships through the people and places we call home.

We all have a story to share.

This is my story!

I hope you are captivated by it and feel inspired to perhaps one day share your story!

Kim Martin sharing her story on how she and her partner Denise Demeter decided to launch their dream store in Boothbay Harbor, Maine: Eventide Epicurean Specialties.

If you would like to attend the screening, check out this link to purchase tickets. We would love to see you there!

If you can’t join us, Mumbai to Maine will be available on demand via Roku, Apple TV, and the BRTV website boothbaytv.com.

 

 

 

 

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Madras Curried Pumpkin Soup – Inspired by SKORDO- Maine’s Spice Monger

October 4, 2018 by Cherie Scott

Madras Curried Pumpkin Soup

Ask my husband and he’ll tell you that I’m a sucker for great branding. Place an artfully crafted logo and a great jar together… and I’m SOLD! He always pokes fun at me saying it doesn’t matter what’s in the jar as long as it looks cool.  Well a few months ago, he gifted me a couple of spice collections from SKORDO for my birthday. This time it did matter what was in the jar.

SKORDO’s Hot Curries Spice Collection

The instant I opened my first jar of SKORDO’s spice blends I was overcome with nostalgia and felt transported to the streets of Mumbai where I grew up. It was clear to me that only someone who really understood Indian food or lived in India could possibly craft an Indian curry collection with such accuracy. I just had to know the story behind the brand.

The Karonis family — John, Cari and his daughters – Erin & Annie, collectively launched the online SKORDO store back in 2016 and decided to open their brick and mortar store in Freeport, Maine the following spring and yet another in the food-centric downtown area of Portland, Maine later that summer. From the beginning their instincts were spot on. Portland recently won the Best Restaurant City of 2018 by Bon Appetit.

One morning I called to speak with Anne but her dad, John, the founder and co-owner of SKORDO, picked up the phone instead. After a brief introduction, John regaled me with stories of his extensive travels around the world while in the Navy and then as a retail consultant in Asia and India, specifically Mumbai and Delhi. I could hear the joy in his voice as he shared with me how much he fell in love with Indian food and its exotic spice blends.

John’s dream to launch a spice store (SKORDO) stayed with him for years. When John had the full support of his business savvy family SKORDO was finally born.

“My dad, Cari, my sister Erin and I always talked about a way to combine our interest in business and entrepreneurship with our love of food to create a shop that we wish existed… that’s how SKORDO came about.”

Anne Karonis

Anne shared a bit of her dad (John’s) story with me via email: “My Grandfather retired when my dad was in high school and that’s when they moved to Cushing, Maine. My dad (John Karonis) graduated from high school there and went to the Naval Academy in Annapolis, was in the Navy for 9 years . He left the Navy, got his MBA, and was in a career as a retail consultant for many years before retiring from that career several years ago and moving back to Maine. My dad, Cari, my sister Erin and I always talked about a way to combine our interest in business and entrepreneurship with our love of food to create a shop that we wish existed… that’s how SKORDO came about.”

I was so inspired by the Karonis’ family narrative as it was similar to mine in that they shared a deep love and passion for food, family and creating meaningful narratives through their authentic spice collections. I launched Mumbai to Maine back in 2015 in an effort to reconnect with my Portuguese-Indian roots and  to share culinary anecdotes of my childhood in Mumbai and my new home in Boothbay, Maine.

SKORDO’s mission is to empower the home cook with the freshest spices and handcrafted spice blends.

One thing’s for sure, my life has become much easier since I have an array of their jarred spices in my pantry. I don’t have to pull out a slew of Indian spices: cardamom, coriander, cumin, cloves, cayenne and cinnamon, then dry roast them and grind them all together to make up a fragrant Rogan Josh Lamb Curry. I enjoy the process of grinding and blending spices but the truth of the matter is I know its tough to get it done during a work week. When I walk in the door after a long day, I prefer to use that time to bond and catch up with my kids and husband knowing that SKORDO’s got my back in the kitchen.

Last weekend was the first day of fall.  I ADORE fall! The crisp fall air and making the first fire of the season inspired me to get in my kitchen and make a batch of wholesome spicy Madras Curry Pumpkin soup for my family. I visited our local farm stand in Boothbay and bought a couple of sugar pumpkins.

Brown’s Farm Stand, Boothbay, Maine

Locally sourced sugar pumpkins

I love the idea of using real pumpkins to make pumpkin soup. Canned pumpkin just doesn’t seem to lend the same flavor and chunky texture that a real pumpkin brings to a soup. I carefully cut them in half and pulled out the guts and seeds. I sprinkled a generous amount of the Skordo Madras Curry Powder and heavy-handedly drizzled some extra virgin olive oil over the pumpkins. The oil blended right in with the curry powder.

I could almost picture these pumpkins curry-melizing with the cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, turmeric, fenugreek and cumin. After a solid 50 minutes, I pulled them out of the oven and let them rest for 20 minutes.  I couldn’t help but snap some beautiful images of these roasted pumpkins now infused with the heady aromas of Indian spices.

These sugar pumpkins from a local Maine farm were now transformed into spiced-up curried pumpkins.

Perfectly curry-melized pumpkins

I pulled out my favorite cast iron pot, sautéed up some chopped shallots, leeks and garlic with extra virgin olive oil and a generous knob of Kate’s butter.

The foundation of the soup – leeks, shallots, garlic, SKORDO’s Madras Curry powder

What’s better than a combination of butter, olive oil, leeks, shallot and garlic? Well, SKORDO’s curry powder of course! I added in a generous tablespoon of curry powder and allowed it to infuse the shallot-garlic-leek mixture for a minute.  I quickly deglazed the pot with some of my favorite white wine – Gewurtztraminer – that pairs perfectly with Indian food.  I then added in some heated organic chicken stock and threw in a couple of fresh bay leaves. The plan was to use sage of course, but it was not available at the store that evening and nothing was going to stop me from making this soup. So I went with fresh bay leaves instead. Fresh bay leaves are so fragrant and lend a subtle earthiness to Indian cooking, so I knew they would work in this soup. In went a stick of cinnamon. I like how the spicy but sweet notes of cinnamon pair with anything pumpkin. I stayed away from adding in more cloves and cumin as I knew they were already in the SKORDO spice blend .

After the pumpkins cooled down, I gently scooped out the almost burnt-orange colored chunks and added them to the pot. I gave it all a good stir, covered the pot and allowed it to simmer for 25 minutes.

Roasted Pumpkin ready to be transformed into soup

Now for the final touches: my roasted curried chick peas.  Instead of a crouton I thought the crispy and curried chickpeas would bring yet another level of texture and nuance to the soup . I opened a can of chick peas, rinsed them well, patted them dry and laid them on some parchment paper resting on a cookie sheet. I sprinkled a loaded tablespoon of the Curry powder, some olive oil, mixed it all around and roasted them off for 20 minutes at 400 degrees making sure they did not burn.

Chickpeas prepped for the roasting

Roasted Curried Chickpeas also make a protein rich snack!

I knew the soup was ready for my immersion blender when my kitchen was filled with aromas similar to my mother’s tiny spice laden kitchen back in Mumbai.

I added a drizzle of cayenne oil and a few roasted curried chickpeas and snipped chives for color. For the final touch, I gently poured some light cream to tame the spiciness of the cayenne oil.

This pumpkin soup, inspired by SKORDO’s Madras Curry spice blend, had just the right balance of spice, sweet and savory – a perfect way to to mark the first day of fall in my kitchen. I can’t wait to make it again for Thanksgiving.

Mumbai was in Maine. At least in my kitchen.

Rich, velvety, luscious curried pumpkin soup

If you are as intrigued with SKORDO’s spices as I am and interested in being updated on any upcoming collaborations with Mumbai to Maine, click here to subscribe.

Madras Curry Pumpkin Soup
 
Print
Prep time
55 mins
Cook time
30 mins
Total time
1 hour 25 mins
 
Author: Cherie Scott
Recipe type: Soup
Cuisine: Indian
Serves: 4-6 servings
Ingredients
  • 3 cloves of garlic
  • 2 tbsps of extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tbsps of butter - I used a Maine-made Kate's Butter
  • 1 large leek
  • 4 shallots
  • 1 stick of cinnamon
  • 4 fresh bay leaves
  • 2 medium size sugar pumpkins (this yields approximately 30-oz of pumpkin puree or use two 15.5oz cans of organic pumpkin puree)
  • 1 - 32-oz Low Sodium Organic Chicken Stock
  • ¼ white wine – preferably Gewürztraminer ( this lends a subtle balance of sweet lychee notes to a spiced up soup)
  • ¼ cup of light cream
  • Salt to taste - I use Maldon salt as a finishing salt
  • 2 tbsp SKORDO Madras Curried Powder
  • Garnish: Fried Sage leaves or Bay leaves, Garlic Naan toast points
  • Cayenne Oil drizzle - this can be bought from Eventide Specialties or Fiore Oils and Vinegars
Instructions
  1. In a cast iron pot, sautee the leeks and shallots on medium heat until lightly brown.
  2. Add the garlic and1 tbsp of Madras Curry Powder, stir for a minute, do not burn. This allows the powder to bloom and infuse into the garlic and onions.
  3. Add the white wine and heated organic chicken stock to de-glaze the pot.
  4. Gently add the pumpkin puree to the pot and stir well.
  5. Now throw in the whole cinnamon stick , bay leaves and give it a good stir.
  6. Allow it to come to a gentle boil, cover with a lid, turn the heat down and allow it to simmer for 25 minutes on low heat.
  7. Take out the cinnamon stick, bay leaves and add in the light cream, stir gently.
  8. Turn off the heat and take off the stove to rest for 5 minutes.
  9. Use your Immersion blender on medium speed for 2 minutes to mix throughly.
  10. Add salt to taste. I use Maldon salt crystals.
  11. Garnish with fried sage leaves, cayenne drizzle, light cream, curried chick peas, garlic naan toast points.
  12. To reheat, gently simmer on stove, do not boil again or it will break down.
  13. Roasting the Pumpkins:
  14. Pre-heat the oven to 400.
  15. Slice the top stem off the pumpkins. Cut in half, scoop up the seeds and discard.
  16. Wash out the pumpkin, dry and set on parchment paper, cut side up.
  17. Drizzle generously with olive oil and 1 tbsp of Madras curried powder
  18. Turn them over and roast for 50 minutes.
  19. Cool for 20 minutes. Peel off the skins and scoop out the pumpkin flesh in a bowl.
  20. Garnish:
  21. Curried Chick Peas:
  22. One can of chick peas. Rinse them well, pat them dry and lay them on some parchment paper resting on a cookie sheet. Sprinkle a hefty tablespoon of the Madras Curry powder, some olive oil, mixed it all around and roasted them off for 20 minutes at 400 degrees making sure they did not burn.
  23. Fried Sage or Fresh Bay Leaves:
  24. Heat 1 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil. Add the sage or bay leaves and allow to brown lightly for 1 minute until crisp. Lay on a paper towel.
  25. Garlic naan:
  26. I use store bought garlic naan, its too easy. Heat it gently in a warm oven after the pumpkins have been roasted. Brush generously with butter. I cut them in triangles to make toast points to go with the soup.
3.5.3251

 

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Stonewall Kitchen – MUMBAI MEETS MAINE

September 28, 2018 by Cherie Scott

I almost fell off my chair  this past January when I received an email from the head of Stonewall Kitchen’s cooking school, Kate Ellingwood, wondering if I would be interested in teaching a couple of Indian cooking classes this summer and fall.  One of the guest teachers at the school, who is a highly successful cookbook author and award-winning chef in her own right, knew I had a blog, had only met me once in person and thought I would have the right personality to teach a class at the school. GO FIGURE! Big thanks to the talented Dana Moos, author of The Art of Breakfast, for sticking her neck out for me!

It was one of the coldest days in Maine, but my head was filled with warm thoughts of summer. More than anything I knew that the most important goal for me was to help demystify Indian cuisine: make it accessible, approachable and less intimidating for those who had the courage to sign up for it.

The class was August 30, 2018, a few days before Labor Day weekend. I wanted the attendees to feel inspired when they walked out of my class. I would hope they would head right to the food store and pick out some key Indian spices and fresh produce right off the shelf (no online shopping involved. ) What could be better than taking an Indian cooking class and then hosting a Labor Day cookout with a bit of Indian flair!

Flash forward several months later, I was ready to make my debut at Stonewall Kitchen. I was restless the week before as I knew it was coming up. I had lost my dear mother a few month’s prior and wanted more than anything to make her proud of me. I could hear her voice in my head reassuring me I was going to do great because I was her daughter first and foremost…! I knew she would have loved to attend my class and sit in the front row – gleaming from ear to ear with pride.

The school was so kind and graciously put me up at the charming York Harbor Inn, the night prior. I drove 2 and half hours from Boothbay and got there at midnight after a long day at work; feeding my family and putting my two kids to bed.  I was so excited I could barely sleep, so I gently leafed through some of my favorite Indian cookbooks to help me unwind. I woke up bright and early and headed over to the school, only 6 minutes down the road. The parking lot was already full of tour buses. Stonewall Kitchen fans getting an early start to their day- enjoying the Labor Day sale tent outside, the gorgeous cafe inside and the MASSIVE store.

Pictured above: Stonewall Kitchen Cooking School

I’ll never forget walking into the building at 7:59 a.m. and looking through this glass window pictured above. I wanted to explode with happiness. It felt unreal to be the one teaching the class. The culinary team had just walked in and went right to work prepping, chopping, etc, putting together all my mise en place trays for each dish I was going to have to demonstrate with later. They worked seamlessly together, almost in silence — so focused and completely engaged.

Pictured above: Jane St. Pierre , my chef leader, who also teaches sold out classes at Stonewall Kitchen. Jane put me right at ease and gave me the warmest welcome.

Earlier that week, I wrote to Kate (head of school) to let her know that if she could make my garam masala from scratch and then marinate the lamb overnight that would be great, but its not necessary, a couple of hours of marinating time on the day itself would do.  Well it came as no surprise that Kate and her team actually did make a big batch of the spice blend the night before and prepped the lamb. The culinary team at Stonewall Kitchen Cooking School wowed me in every way. They wanted to make sure those folks who signed up got the real deal -no shortcuts, no compromising of any flavors here!

Garam Masala: Brown and black cardamom, cumin, black peppercorns, cinnamon, dried red chillis, turmeric, black cumin seeds,coriander and bay leaves.

Pictured above: Getting ready to demo my Mumbai Masala Fish Pakoras.

Pictured above: Lisa Corsi, prepping my Warm Roasted Curried Chickpea salad. She fell in love with the recipe. We both high-fived at least 5 times when trying it. It was so darn good!

Pictured above: Saffron-Infused Basmati Rice Pilaf mise en place.

Saffron Infused Basmati Rice Pilaf: I took on making this dish myself only because I had so much time before the class. Click here for the recipe!

Pictured above: Marinated skewers of Mughlai Lamb Kebabs ready for to hit the grill.

Pictured above: Jane St. Pierre, chef lead, taking no shortcuts. Jane went outside and fired up that grill. In no time, the entire parking lot smelled divine. You know your recipes work when the head of R & D  at Stonewall Kitchen pays a visit to the cooking school in person. 🙂

Pictured above: Only the freshest Maine corn to make up a batch of Indian street corn slathered with cayenne-red chili lime butter.

Indian Street Corn: Once these were grilled to perfection, I drenched them in the spice infused butter as a side dish to go with the lamb kebabs.

Pictured above: Noah, prep assistant,  mixing the mango puree into the Mango Kulfi.

Interesting story about this ice cream (kulfi.) When I came into the school in the morning, it was already done churning in the ice cream machine. But it tasted more like pistachio ice cream rather than Mango ice cream (Kulfi). I took one look at Noah and said, “its missing the essential ingredient – mango!” It was late summer and hard to find fresh ripe mangoes when Noah prepped this the night before. Within minutes the team had sent for 2 pounds of frozen mango. It was thawed in the oven and blended and immersed right into the ice cream. This was a teaching lesson for me later in the class as well. I shared this story letting guests know that no cooking experience is flawless. You simply have to think on your feet and make decisions and save the dish!

Seen above, are the 12 brave women who took a chance on me and signed up for the class. I know they all learned so much that afternoon from their awesome reviews they filled out after the class. But to be honest, it was me, this rookie teacher, who ended up learning the most! The wonderful part of this experience for me was engaging with these ladies, hearing them share about their personal experiences with cooking Indian food or going to a restaurant and not knowing what to order on the menu.  I do regret not taking pictures of every course that went out to guests. I was super focused on demonstrating these dishes from scratch and really listening to all the great questions. All this, while the the culinary team plated all three courses so beautifully for guests. This was the only shot I was able to snag as I was done teaching at this point and the ladies were filling out their reviews. At the end of the class, one of the attendees came over to me and said,

” Cherie, I came with a friend and we decided to make a day of it, so we went to a big brunch and shopped at the store before we came to the class not realizing that we were going to be served three courses of incredible Indian food. So now we have a ton of left overs!” So now you know folks: please know come hungry to a Stonewall Kitchen Cooking kitchen class!

This post was truly to archive one of the most amazing days in my life.  I would encourage you to bring a friend,a date or come by your lonesome and treat yourself to this culinary experience. Stonewall Kitchen does it right! I was so impressed that the school allowed me the freedom to create and develop my own recipes. Not once did they intimate nor ask that I incorporate any Stonewall Kitchen products. If you have ever thought about attending a class there or know of a foodie that might love this culinary setting where you eat, watch and learn, consider adding it to your Holiday gift giving guide. I know I will definitely ask for a gift card to the school on my Christmas list.  I was fortunate enough to attend a class during the week of Julia Child’s birthday celebrations and it was a quite the culinary experience.

If you are interested in learning more about Indian food and always been intrigued, simply click here and sign up for my last class of the season on October 27, 2018 – Fall Indian Feast.

I’ll close this post with one last anecdote of that day. In the picture below, there is a lady on the right dressed in blue. She asked me a question that afternoon after the class was done. I thanked her for asking a great question and asked her to share her name with the class. She replied, ” it’s Regina.”  At that moment, I burst into tears and ran over to her in the front row and gave her the biggest hug. Regina was my mom’s name. And, she told me she was Portuguese by birth too! Isn’t it amazing how my mother found a way to be at my first Stonewall Kitchen cooking class? She wasn’t going to miss it for the world. Love you mom…you continue to amaze me!

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About Me

Hi, I'm Cherie Scott. Welcome to Mumbai to Maine where I reconnect with my cultural roots through family recipes and nostalgic anecdotes. I hope this blog inspires you to dig deep and share your culinary connections with me so we can journey together. I would love to hear from you.

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