I don't know, what do YOU want to eat?

Nostalgia: Coconut Custard Pie

2012-01-30T21:23:00.002-05:00

Hey y'all. Anyone remember the Entemann's Coconut Custard pie that our mother used to love? I do, and it's been on my mind.
Turns out, it's a really easy recipe. I usually have all the filling ingredients in my pantry. Just picked up a ready made pie shell from the Meijer store...you can make it yourself, though.

Make this and love it.

1 (9 inch) pie shell
4 eggs
3/4 cup white sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups milk
1 cup shredded coconut

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
In a large bowl beat eggs then stir in sugar, salt, nutmeg or cinnamon, and vanilla extract.
Heat milk in a small saucepan then pour milk slowly into egg mixture, whisking constantly. Stir in coconut, then pour mixture into pastry shell.
Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Serve slightly warm or chilled. Store in refrigerator.

Friday Night: Return of the Urban Family Dinner (Mexican feast-style)

2012-01-28T08:58:00.000-05:00

Friday night dinner parties can be a bit of a challenge, especially when you are unfortunate enough to see one of your card tables collapse and three of your lovely dinner plates smash on the floor. But good friends and a healthy glass of wine can heal a lot of wounds and once the shards of glass were discarded, my spirits were buoyed.

So onto the food: It was a Mexican-inspired feast, which I was proud to produce without even an ounce of cheese. The main events were vegetarian enchiladas and a Southwestern saute of chicken, which were accompanied by chips and guacamole, Mexican red rice, and an improvised cabbage-cilantro slaw. Dessert was Bittman's excellent chocolate pudding.

All the dishes posted here serve four to six folks, so double the recipes if you have 11 friends showing up at your door.

Note: if you happen to run out of tortillas mid-way through the assemblage of the enchiladas, an adequate stand-in is a leaf of green cabbage. It's not an enchilada per se, but rather an extremely tasty Eastern European-Mexican fusion treat. And they were all gobbled up!

Potato and Kale Enchiladas with Roasted Chile Sauce
From Veganomicon

Enchilada Chile Sauce:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, diced
3 large green chiles, roasted, peeled, seeded and chopped coarsely
2 – 3 teaspoons chile powder
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon marjoram or mexican oregano
1 can diced tomatoes with juice
1 teaspoon sugar
1 1/2 – 2 teaspoons salt

Potato and Kale Filling:1 pound waxy potatoes
1/2 pound kale washed, trimmed and chopped finely
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 cup vegetable broth or water
3 tablespoons lime juice
1/4 cup toasted pepitas
1/2 teaspoon salt
12 – 14 corn tortillas

Preheat the oven to 375F and have ready a shallow casserole dish (we usually need two for this recipe).

Prepare the enchilada sauce first: In a large, heavy bottomed saucepan over medium heat, saute the onions in oil for 4 to 7 minutes, until softened. Add the remaining sauce ingredients, bring to a simmer and remove from the heat. Puree with a blender until the mixture is smooth and even.

Prepare the filling: Peel and dice the potatoes, then boil them until tender. Drain and set aside. Cook the oil and minced garlic over low-medium heat, stirring occasionally until the garlic is slightly browned. Add the kale, sprinke with salt and raise the heat to medium stirring constantly to cover the kale with oil and garlic.

Partially cover the pot to steam the kale until it has wilted – 4 to 6 minutes. Remove the lid and mix in the potatoes, vegetable stock, lime juice, pumpkin seeds and salt. Use the back of a wooden spoon to mash some of the potatoes. Cook for another 3 – 4 minutes.

Ladle a small amount of the enchilada sauce into the bottom of the casserole dish. Heat a corn tortilla (30 seconds in a fry pan) dip the tortilla in the enchilada sauce so that it is covered in the sauce.

Place the soaked tortilla on a plate and place some potato mixture inside. Roll it up and put it in the casserole dish. Repeat with each of the enchiladas until you have lined them all up in the dish. Cover with enchilada sauce (saving some for topping) and cover with foil, place the casserole dish in the oven and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for a further 10 minutes. Top individual servings with the remainder of the enchilada sauce once cooked.

Chicken Machaca
from The Border Cookbook, posted on We (heart) Food

2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast
1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
2 roma tomatoes, chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1/2 green bell pepper, diced
1 jalapeño, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp cumin seeds, toasted and ground
cilantro, for garnish

Pound the chicken breasts to 1/2-inch thickness, then cut in long 1/2-inch wide strips. In a large skillet over high heat, warm the oil. Swirl the oil around the pan to coat completely, and add the chicken. Cook the chicken, stirring often, until just done. Remove with a slotted spoon to another plate and set aside. Add the onions, tomatoes, bell peppers, and jalapeño and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and stir in the garlic, soy sauce, vinegar, and cumin. Cook another 2 minutes, then add the chicken back to the pan and heat through.

Garnish with cilantro.

Mexican Red Rice
from The Border Cookbook, posted on We (heart) Food

1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup uncooked basmati rice
2 roma tomatoes, chopped
2 cups chicken broth
1 tbsp chile powder
3/4 tbsp salt

In a medium saucepan, warm the peanut oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and saute until softened. Add the rice and tomatoes, stirring for a couple of minutes so that the rice is coated with the oil. Add the stock, chile, and salt, and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook for 15-18 minutes until all the liquid is absorbed. Remove from the heat and let steam, covered, for 5 to 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

Wednesday: Spicy Peanut Ginger Kale Salad

2012-01-25T20:50:00.000-05:00

I've kind of been cuckoo for kale the last little while, so have been on the prowl for different ways to vary my standby massaged kale salad. This recipe, adapted from Healthy Happy Life, hit on so many of my favorite - notably ginger (two kinds) and peanut butter that I couldn't wait to get it on the menu. I added the grilled tofu to the recipe to bulk it up for dinner purposes, and you could certainly do grilled shrimp or even chicken if you like. It will hold up well in the fridge for the second day.

Spicy Peanut Ginger Kale Salad
Adapted from a Healthy Happy Life

Salad:
2 bunches of kale
1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced into matchsticks
1/4 cup peanuts - fold in
1 Tbsp pickled ginger, chopped
1 block of tofu, sliced into 2x4" slices, marinated for a few minutes in a bit of soy sauce and rice vinegar and grilled

Spicy Ginger Peanut Sauce:
2 Tbsp crunchy peanut butter
1/2 cup water
1 tsp sesame oil
1 Tbsp pickled ginger, chopped
1 tsp fresh ginger, peeled/chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2-3 tsp tamari or soy sauce
2 Tbsp rice vinegar
2 tsp agave nectar or honey
A few squirts sriracha sauce

Place a pot over med-high heat on your stove top. Add all the sauce ingredients and stir briskly until they melt and blend together. Reduce heat to medium and simmer/stir for about two minutes. Turn heat to low.

Pull the leaves in bits from the thick stalks of your kale. Wash if needed. Add the kale leaves (toss thick stems) - add kale to the pot until filled to the brim. Fold the kale into the hot sauce. Fold well. The hot sauce will wilt the kale.

Turn off heat and add the remaining amount of kale. Also add in the pickled ginger, peanuts, and red onion. Fold the kale salad well for about a minute - until all the kale has wilted and the leaves and onion mixed with the sauce.

To serve, fill a bowl with your kale salad and top with two slices of grilled tofu. Pass more sriracha on the side.

Monday Night: Creamy Cauliflower Soup with Greens

2012-01-24T10:14:00.005-05:00

The deliciousness of this soup COMPLETELY belies how few ingredients it has. It owes its success to the magical properties of cauliflower to create creaminess without dairy and the amazing fragrance of fresh dill. Definitely make this - it's elegant enough for a dinner party, easy enough for a weeknight, and good to make ahead.

Funny detail: The post on the Bitten Word where I found the recipe contained a teeny typo. It meant to say sprinkle with a "pinch" of sea salt, but it actually said sprinkle with a "pink" of salt. In my quick reading, I thought it meant to sprinkle with pink sea salt, which we actually had on hand! I'm sure regular sea salt would have been great, but ours was extra delicious thanks to our sprinkling of alaea sea salt (which pink, due to the deposits of iron oxide on the Hawaiian islands).

Creamy Cauliflower Soup with Greens
Martha Stewart Living (January 2012)

Active Time: 15 Minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Makes 8 cups

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 medium onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
4 cloves garlic, chopped
Sea salt
1 medium head cauliflower (about 3 pounds), florets and stems cut into 1-inch pieces (8 to 9 cups)
4 1/2 cups filtered water
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill, plus more for garnish
5 large kale leaves, tough ends removed and leaves roughly chopped
Freshly ground black pepper

Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat; cook onion, covered, until soft, 4 to 5 minutes. Add garlic and a pinch of salt, and cook for 3 minutes more. Add cauliflower and pour in filtered water until it reaches just below the top of the cauliflower.

Bring to a boil over high heat. Add 2 tablespoons dill. Reduce heat to low, and simmer until cauliflower is just tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in greens, and simmer for 3 minutes.

Let sit for 5 minutes to cool slightly. Stir in remaining 2 tablespoons dill. Puree soup in batches in a blender until very smooth, adding more water (about 1/2 cup) if it's too thick. Return to pot and reheat. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with dill, black pepper, a drizzle of oil and a pinch of sea salt.

Black Bean and Sweet Potato Casserole

2012-01-23T10:01:00.004-05:00

So this is a new twist on a standby of this blog. Heading to a birthday party with an assignment of "main dish," this seemed the perfect January dish to prepare. It was easy, healthy, can be made vegetarian/vegan, and very tasty.

Black Bean and Sweet Potato Casserole
-2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
-1 cup of brown or multi-grain rice
-1 can of black beans, rinsed and drained
-1 can of diced tomatoes
-1 large red pepper, diced
-1 medium onion, diced
-1 bag of fresh spinach
-1/2 cup chicken/vegetable broth
-1 tablespoon ground coriander
-1 tablespoon ground cumin
-1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
-3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
-salt, pepper, and olive oil
-1 avocado (optional)

1. Cook the brown rice according to package's instructions.
2. Peel and dice the sweet potatoes and steam them in the microwave for about 7 minutes. (I roasted mine in the oven)
3. Heat one tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat and saute the onion and red pepper for 5 minutes. Add the fresh spinach and the chicken broth. Turn heat to low and cover the pan. Allow to cook for about 5 minutes, or until the spinach wilts and cooks down.
4. Add the steamed sweet potatoes, black beans, tomatoes, cumin, coriander, cayenne pepper, and salt and pepper to the pan. Mix all together and turn off the heat.
5. In a large baking dish, layer the rice and then the sweet potato mixture. Top with the shredded cheese and cook in a 375 degree oven for 20 minutes.
6. Add chopped avocado on top before serving (optional)

A gift, a besmirchment, a memory, and a meal

2012-01-21T21:08:00.000-05:00

For Hanukah this year, Dr. S and Koko gave me two gifts that were absolutely perfect for Honeycrisp the cook - the pasta maker attachment for the Kitchenaid mixer and a prized fresh black truffle (along with the appropriate tool for shaving it). We were so looking forward to making our first batch of housemade pasta and shaving paper-thin slices of truffle atop it.

Sadly, we had not fully understood the rules of truffle storage and when we busted into the package today, the poor little truffle was covered in mold and smelled horribly. Through my disappointment, I assured BP that we'd find a different way to serve our homemade pasta and all would be okay.

Moments later, he asked me if I remembered a passage from the book, Heat, by Bill Buford, where he makes/eats a transcendent version linguine with clams at family meal at the restaurant Babbo (where he - a journalist - is interning). I did remember - quite vividly. I have filed it away in my memory as a combination of swimming in the Mediterranean, eating pasta at your grandmother's table, and receiving a big hug - all at the same time. So without further discussion, we went about recreating that passage. (Incidentally, our 2nd cousin Oliver - who turned 4 yesterday - also had a hankering for linguine with clams. It's what he requested for his birthday dinner. Classy kid.)

It turns out that actually, we weren't the only ones who were carrying around that dish in our minds. In fact, Blake Royer (aka the Paupered Chef and a contributor to my favorite Serious Eats column - Dinner Tonight) attempted it four years ago and helpfully blogged about it so we didn't have to dig up our old copy of the book to sort it out.

If you're into the recipe, scroll down for the details. We doubled the recipe for the two of us. Or, if you just want to live vicariously through our pasta-making/Bill Buford adventure, check out the photos.

These are the sheets of pasta, once they came out of the the first stage of pasta rolling. They are beautiful and uniform thanks to the amazing Kitchenaid mixer.

Here's our linguine, all cut and arranged into nests and awaiting a hot pot of salted, boiling water.

The supporting actors in tonight's dinner were garlic, onion, pancetta, parsley, and wine (not pictured).

And here's the final product, full of delectable littleneck clams. Yum!!

Linguine with Clams, via Bill Buford

**Note: if you use fresh pasta, like we did, your pasta won't need 6 1/2 minutes to cook. It's more like 2-3 minutes. So start the clams before the pasta and follow the rest of the instructions as written.

olive oil
small pinch chopped garlic
small pinch red chili flakes
medium pinch finely chopped onion
medium pinch pancetta
"slap of butter" (a couple tablespoons)
"splash of white wine" (1/4, perhaps)
4 ounces pasta
1 big handfuls clams (cockles, the little ones, are preferred)

From Heat:

...begin by roasting small pinches of garlic and chili flakes and medium pinches of onion and pancetta in a hot pan with olive oil. Hot oil accelerates the cooking process, and the moment everything gets soft you pour it away (holding back the contents with your tongs) and add a slap of butter and a splash of white wine, which stops the cooking. This is stage one.

[...]

In Stage two, you drop the pasta in boiling water and take your messy buttery pan and fill it with a big handful of clams and put it on the highest possible flame. The objective is to cook them fast--they'll start opening after three or four minutes, when you give the pan a swirl, mixing the shellfish juice with the buttery porky white wine emulsion. At six minutes and thirty seconds, use your tongs to pull your noodles out and drop them into your pan--all that starchy pasta water slopping in with them is still a good thing; give the pan another swirl; flip it; swirl it again to ensure the pasta is covered by the sauce. If it looks dry, add another splash of pasta water; if too wet, pour some out. You let the whole thing cook away for another half minute or so, swirling, swirling, until the sauce streaks across the bottom of the pan, splash with olive oil and sprinkle with parsley: dinner.

Thursday Night: Salmon Burritos with Chile Roasted Vegetables

2012-01-19T20:25:00.000-05:00

For those of you who have been thinking that I've gone off the deep-end with uber-healthy and hippy-dippy sounding dishes, this recipe is for you. Easy, delicious, and amenable to the choose-your-own-adventure school of gastronomy, these burritos are certain to garner mass appeal.

We used a new chile powder we picked up in Old Pueblo and it contributed measurably to the flavor. If you have a really good chile powder, do use it. Feel free to sub-in or out any veggies or type of fish you like (though a thinner, flakier fish won't take as much time to cook).

Wish I had taken photos of these babies, because they looked so great too!

Salmon Burritos with Chile Roasted Vegetables

Sunset

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons lime juice
4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 1/2 teaspoons ground dried chiles
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 pound boned salmon fillet (about 1 in. thick)
1 large Garnet or Jewel sweet potato, peeled, quartered lengthwise, then sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 zucchini, halved lengthwise, then sliced 1/3 inch thick
1 red onion, peeled, halved lengthwise, and cut into 1/4-inch-thick wedges
1 fresh poblano chile, stemmed, seeded, and chopped
6 whole-wheat flour tortillas (10 in. wide), warmed
Chopped cilantro, shredded cabbage, salsa and/or sour cream, and lime wedges

Preheat oven to 425°. Line two 12- by 15-inch baking pans with aluminum foil.

Whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, garlic, ground dried chiles, and salt.

Rinse salmon and pat dry. Brush flesh side of salmon with 2 tablespoons of the lime-chile marinade. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, toss the sweet potato, zucchini, onion, and chile with the remaining marinade. Arrange vegetables in a single layer on the baking pans.

Roast vegetables for 10 minutes, then add salmon, skin side down, to one pan and return to oven. Continue roasting until potatoes are tender when pierced and salmon is opaque but still moist-looking in center of thickest part, 10 to 15 minutes.

Remove skin from salmon and slice fillet into six equal portions.

Spoon vegetable mixture equally onto warm tortillas. Top each with a piece of salmon and a little cilantro, cabbage, and salsa/sour cream. Fold tortilla over the filling. Serve with the lime wedges.

Tuesday Night: Moroccan Chickpea Barley Salad

2012-01-17T20:06:00.002-05:00

Other fans of the blog Dinner: A Love Story may remember that one of Andy's resolutions for Jenny for 2012 was "more barley, less quinoa." I don't know the backstory there and frankly, I'm not slowing my quinoa consumption (I don't care what the NYT says), but reading that resolution did get me thinking about getting more barley into our diets.

If you're also looking to get on the barley train, check out this hearty and flavorful salad. We really dug it. I'm a sucker for all things "Moroccan" and it fit the bill for a mid-week dinner: vegetarian, reasonably quick to throw together, and enough for leftovers.

Plus, if you make it, you might have occasion to say the words "ras el hanout" out loud. Fun...

Moroccan Chickpea Barley Salad

Adapted from Simply Recipes

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cups pearl barley
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
2 1/2 cups water (or more)
1 teaspoon salt
Olive oil
1 15-ounce can of chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and strained
1/2 cup shelled pistachio nuts
1/2 cup diced dried apricots
1/2 cup diced carrot
1 cup chopped flat leaf parsley
Zest and juice of a lemon
1 Tbsp of ras el hanout spice mix*
Salt to taste

*Ras El Hanout Spice Mix:
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon cardamom
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon turmeric

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot on medium high heat. Add the barley and sauté for 3-4 minutes, stirring often. Add the broth, water, and a teaspoon of salt. Bring to a simmer and simmer until the barley is tender, about 45-50 minutes.

Strain the cooked barley through a colander or sieve and run cold water over to cool it quickly. Transfer the barley to a large bowl and toss it with a few glugs of olive oil.

Add the chickpeas, pistachios, apricots, carrots and parsley and mix well. Add the zest and juice of the lemon and the ras el hanout spice mixture and mix well. Taste, and add salt if needed.

Serve over mixed greens.

Sunday-Monday Nights: Two ways with a happy chicken

2012-01-16T21:16:00.000-05:00

Recently, BP and I bought a Groupon for a farm club in our area, which basically allows us to get fresh and delicious foods from the same kinds of producers who come to the farmers markets, with two major differences/benefits - 1) they operate all year round (instead of just May to November) and 2) they deliver the goodies right to your front door!

One of the highlights of this arrangement is getting to order chickens from Polyface Farms, a Virginia-based purveyor of happy chickens that you may have read about in the Omnivore's Dilemma or seen in Food, Inc. This week we ordered two such birds to roast up for our inaugural dinner party in our new pad.

For our inaugural feast, we hosted my delightful coworkers KD and KM, along with their lovely significant others A and A, and also KD's friend M who was visiting. I think K and K are pretty much the bees knees, but I also had the ulterior motive of wanting to connect BP with KM's beau, who is a master home beer brewer. A fine crowd, if I do say so.

The menu was simple: appetizer course of mushroom bruschetta, followed by a main course of roasted chicken, roasted brussels, braised squash, and mixed green salad.

The feast!

Look good? Here's how: The bruschetta recipe is below and the roast chicken I did in the manner that Melissa Clark instructs. Except, instead of putting chickpeas and carrots under the chicken during the roasting, I put the brussels there (great idea). The squash was braised with maple and fresh thyme and the salad had thinly shaved fennel and orange (vaguely adapted from here).

_________________________________________________________________________________

Creamy Mushroom Bruschetta

from April Bloomfield in the WSJ

5 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra as needed
1 pound mushrooms (I used crimini), sliced into ½-inch pieces
Salt
2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped (about 1 tablespoon)
1 tablespoon butter
3 tablespoons roughly chopped flat leaf parsley
2 tablespoons crème fraîche
4 (¾-inch) slices rye bread

Set a large, heavy pan over medium heat. Add 3 tablespoons oil. Once very hot, add mushrooms and a pinch of salt. Sauté them, stirring from time to time, until browned and tender, about 6 minutes. Once mushrooms cook down, traces of their juices should streak the pan. If too dry, deglaze with splashes of water.

Stir in garlic, butter and parsley. Cook until garlic is golden, 3-4 minutes. Season to taste with salt. Remove pan from heat. Stir in crème fraîche until evenly distributed.

Toast the bread on a cookie sheet under the broiler or for 10 minutes in the oven on at 450.

Spoon mushroom topping over toasts. Top with a little more parsley.

_______________________________________________________________________________

For dessert, KM brought an amazing banana cream pie, which she crafted using the Momofuku Milk Bar cookbook. The crust was made of homemade chocolate cookies crumbled and pressed into the pie plate and the filling had fresh banana in it. Needless to say, it was too delicious to delay eating and photograph.

When it was all said and done, everyone went home full and happy (I think) and BP and I tucked the leftovers in the fridge. When I suggested this afternoon that we eat them for dinner, he asked whether I might turn the leftovers into some kind of chicken pot pie. I agreed, on the grounds that it would bear a biscuit crust and would contain most (if not all) of the previous night's leftovers.

To produce the tastiness you see below, I loosely adapted this recipe from Faith Durand's cookbook Not Your Mother's Casseroles.

Lemony Chicken Pot Pie with Parsley Biscuit Crust

The results were scrumptious - super comforting, with a lovely brightness from the lemon. The softness of the squash lends a nice creaminess to the texture. Also, I always feel so virtuous when I find a pleasing way to use up leftovers. BP was delighted!

Plenty of room for Mushrooms

2012-01-14T21:47:00.001-05:00

Even though I like mushrooms and I like wine and I love cheese, I've never ordered chicken Marsala in a restaurant or made it at home.

This was my first attempt. I wanted one that was baked although this recipe starts in the pan with quite a bit of butter.

Mrs Broil claims to hate mushrooms but she basically licked her plate and said this was one of the best things I've made.

I served with whole wheat pasta which I was planning on making fresh but ran out of time. We tried the Barilla 51% whole wheat pasta, the actual name escapes me. We spooned the extra Marsala sauce and mushrooms over the pasta and covered with parm cheese.

Baked Chicken Marsala Recipe from Melanie at tastebook.com

ingredients

8 medium skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/3 cup all purpose flour
6 Tbsp butter
2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
1 cup dry Marsala
2/3 cup chicken broth
salt and pepper
1 cup shredded mozzarella or fontina cheese
2/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions

directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 and pound chicken to 1/8 inch thick and coat chicken with flour.

2. In a 12-inch skillet melt one-third of the butter over medium heat. Brown the chicken for 2 mts on each side.

3. Melt the remaining butter in the skillet; add mushrooms. Cook and stir until tender; stir in Marsala, broth, salt, and pepper. Bring to boiling; boil gently for about 5 minutes or until mixture is reduced to 1 cup. Pour over the chicken.(BD Broil- mine never cooked down to a cup but the flavor still came out great. My sauce filled the baking dish and covered the chicken about 3/4 of the way. )

4. Combine mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, and green onions; sprinkle over the chicken. Bake, uncovered, in a 375 degree oven about 20 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink.

Source: Melanie

Copyright © 2007 - 2011 TasteBook, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

One more Melissa Clark recipe: Fragrant Lentil and Rice Soup with Spinach and Crispy Onions

2012-01-11T21:17:00.000-05:00

Tonight's recipe from Melissa Clark's book jumped out at us right away. It sounded tasty, and plus, we had many of the ingredients and the others weren't hard to find. It wasn't until I started making it tonight that I realized why it appealed so much: it's because it's almost exactly like one of our favorite recipes of all time - red lentil dal with charred onions.

Fragrant Lentil and Rice Soup with Spinach and Crispy Onions

It's the same aromatics, the same spices and almost the same ingredients, except MC calls for spinach whereas the traditional one calls for tomatoes. And MC's soup has you cook the rice in with the lentils, instead of serving the dal atop the rice. I salute her for efficiency. And as expected, it was extremely tasty and there's plenty leftover.

What to cook NOW - a recipe round up from Melissa Clark

2012-01-10T19:21:00.001-05:00

Recently I heard someone say that you know you are famous enough to publish a paper cookbook if you have 10,000 Twitter followers. I have a Twitter account, but I don't really "tweet" (see, I had to put it in quotes, suggesting a bit of discomfort in that realm), so I don't have 10,000 followers. Even this blog only has about 80-90 hits on a good day. So I'm not going to try to turn this blog into a cookbook.

But I know there's a market for a cookbook full of the everyday recipes that sassy gals like myself cook for/with their families, because Melissa Clark published a book with that very bent. Cook This Now is a compilation of a year of recipes she cooked for her husband and daughter and is filled with delicious and reasonably easy recipes. We got the book at a reading where we met MC back in December, but with all the excitement, it took us until this week to actually dig in.

Here's what we've made (buy the book for the 2nd two recipes):

Roast chicken with chickpeas and carrots and parsley gremolata - An absurdly easy and delicious roast chicken recipe. The bird roasts on a rack atop the chickpeas and carrots (which we didn't actually have, but no matter) and all the juices drip down onto them. It was an awesome Sunday dinner, which we served with a simple arugula salad.

Curried Tomato Coconut Soup - This is the simplest of tomato soups - the kind of soup that makes you want to dunk a grilled cheese sandwich into it - but because of the curry and coconut, it has a little something extra, a little something special. I didn't think of this last night when we ate it (after teaching and practicing yoga), but a grilled cheese with cheddar and mango chutney would actually be fantastic.

Spicy Black Beans with Chorizo and Jalapeños - MC learned about tonight's recipe from her college roommate, and it has that appeal. A big saute of easy ingredients, and full of flavor. Don't skip the fried egg on top.

Welcome to the fold, BD Broil!

2012-01-10T19:03:00.000-05:00

2012 is really off to a great start. BP and I have a new house, BP has a new job, we have a new bakery installed right around the corner, and most importantly for you, we have a new blogger in our midst.

BD Broil is my first cousin, son of Dr. Schmeckman's brother, brother to Haroset Honey, husband to Mrs. Broil, and dad to Baby Broil!

If you've read the blog in the last day, you have already seen some of his work and I'm sure you'll agree it look fantastic. Please help me welcome him to the fold.

Lamb Balls

2012-01-09T21:26:00.001-05:00

So here in bd broil's household we have been cooking less with a baby in the house and also a smaller percentage of new dishes are being added to our rotation. My goal this year is to cook things I haven't cooked or cook using methods I have not. As the cousin of the famous Honeycrisp, I felt it was only right to put it out there somewhere. This is the ideal somewhere. I'm going to try to cook different food or differently about once a week, if it doesn't happen the world will not implode and I will not start over not will I starve.

Tonight I made three components of the meal. Lamb meat balls from the meatball shop cookbook with a spinach-basil pesto sauce. And a vegetable bake with eggplant and zucchini.

Veggies: I sliced and place eggplant in a pan and covered with zucchini and rings of onions. Then I covered it all in oregano, onion power, salt, pepper, and a can of crushed tomatoes. Covered and baked for 40 min. It was good enough.

Pesto: I worked off a recipe but didn't stick to any of the measurements. Mrs. Broil's would be so proud. She always makes fun of me for measuring. This was basically spinach and basil in a 2-1 ratio in a food processor with walnuts, salt, olive oil, and parm cheese. 2 things I learned, toasting the walnuts keeps them crunchy and was completely worth it while blanching the greens, ice bath, and draining them is annoying and I'm not sure what it brings to the flavor/texture.

The lamb balls were the star. Daniel Holzman and Michael Chernow opened the meatball shop in NYC and its awesome. For the holidays, my sister got me their cookbook.

Mediterranean Lamb Balls

2Tbsp olive oil
2lbs ground lamb(I was lucky enough to have the butcher grind it for me this afternoon)
3 eggs
1c dark raisins, chopped
1/2c chopped walnuts
1/2c chopped parsley
1/2c chopped mint
1/2c bread crumbs
2tsp salt
1tsp black pepper

Glaze a baking dish in the olive oil. Combine all other ingredients in a bowl by hand. Roll about 2 dozen golf ball sized balls and place the balls in the dish tightly packed together in rows roast them for about 20 min at 450*f.

The were perfect. Tender. Sweet. Juicy. And slightly browned and crunchy on the outside. The pesto helped to balance out the sweetness.

I've never cooked with lamb until today. Honeycrisp told me it'd be easy and she was right. Mrs Broils doesn't like lamb but really liked these. There are a lot of things she says she doesn't like, I wonder what else I can get her to start eating.

Comfort in a bowl - Spinach Tomato Orzo Soup with Chicken and Lemon

2012-01-09T10:18:00.004-05:00

http://blogs.babble.com/family-kitchen/2011/03/01/spinach-tomato-orzo-soup/

When you're feeling a little under the weather, nothing hits the spot more than a homemade chicken soup with comforting stuff in it - and that's exactly what this is. This was a joint vision from L&O, taking the below recipe but adding in 1 lb of skinless, boneless chicken thighs in the cooking process. We also added lemon juice to taste. The recipe, as is, is a great vegetarian soup.

I do not have the scientific evidence to prove it, but I believe that this soup has helped put my cold-stricken body on the mend.

Spinach Tomato Orzo Soup

Ingredients

1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 lb spinach, fresh or frozen, defrosted
1 – 15 oz can diced Italian tomatoes (with oregano and basil)
1 lb package orzo pasta
2 quarts chicken or vegetable stock
2 quarts water
olive oil

Method

1. Preheat a large soup. Drizzle with olive oil. Add onions and saute until tender. Add garlic and saute for 2 – 3 minutes. Add canned tomatoes, spinach, chicken or vegetable stock and water. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to medium.

2. Add orzo cook for 12 – 15 minutes, or until orzo is tender.

Tuesday Night: Greek Kale Salad

2012-01-03T23:28:00.002-05:00

Some days are meant for compromises - like when you let your honey sit on the couch watching football all Sunday and don't make a peep about the laundry or the dishes. But other days, a girl has got to do what a girl has got to do - like insist on a Tuesday night excursion to Ikea to buy a storage piece for the bathroom, followed by assembly of said piece. Or maybe to press for yet another veggie-filled dinner. Or whatever your pleasure, really.

Tonight BP humored me and accompanied me to Ikea, built my new bathroom shelves, and ate my greek kale salad, along with some leftover pickle soup from Sunday. I think he liked it, but I might be pushing my luck a little with the veggies. I promised more meat for next week and I probably won't demand that he accompany me back to Ikea to buy 4 more of the Knipsa baskets (probably).

The recipe was simple but lovely. I adapted it a bit, keeping the kale raw and massaging in the olive oil instead of blanching it as MC suggested in her version. I think the raw kale is especially great, because it holds up well for a few days. This will be super tasty for lunch tomorrow - at least for me. BP will be having lunch with a coworker.

p.s. Did you know this is our 1000th post?! Woop woop!

Greek Kale Salad

Adapted from Melissa Clark's recipe in Food and Wine

1 3/4 pounds kale, washed, large stems discarded (3/4 pound leaves), and chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
2 whole-wheat pita breads
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus 2 tablespoons, plus a bit for brushing
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
1/3 cup pitted Kalamata olives, cut lengthwise into slivers
2 ounces feta cheese, crumbled (2/3 cup)

Preheat the oven to 400°.

Place the kale into a bowl 2 T of olive oil and a bit of salt. Using your hands, massage the oil into the kale until it's bright green and yields, about 2 minutes.

Brush both sides of the pita breads with olive oil and bake for about 8 minutes, or until crisp. Break the pita into pieces.

In a small bowl, combine the 1/4 cup of olive oil with the lemon juice and crushed red pepper and season with salt and pepper. Add the grape tomatoes, olives, pita and crumbled feta to the kale and toss. Add the dressing and toss to coat.

Monday Night: Quinoa with Dried Apricots and Butternut Squash

2012-01-02T21:41:00.001-05:00

Looking for a way to feel great in the new year? Eat more quinoa. If you don't already know, it's the Incan super food and it's pretty much delicious anyway you cook it. Tonight's dinner was an adaptation of an Ottolenghi recipe involving couscous, but it worked great with quinoa. Was great for a post-yoga dinner and will be even tastier for leftovers tomorrow. If you're looking to jazz it up even more color and flavor-wise, maybe add some dried cranberries or some pomegranate seeds?

Quinoa with Dried Apricots and Butternut Squash
Adapted from the Amateur Gourmet and Ottolenghi

1 large onion, thinly sliced
6 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup to 1/2 cup dried apricots
1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into small dice
1 cup quinoa
2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
A pinch of saffron strands
3 tablespoons roughly chopped mint
3 tablespoons roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Grated zest of 1/2 lemon
Coarse sea salt and black pepper

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Place the onion in a large frying pan with 2 tablespoons of the oil and a pinch of salt. Saute over a high heat, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes, unti golden brown. Set aside.

Meanwhile, pour enough hot water from the tap over the apricots just to cover them. Soak for 5 minutes, then drain and cut into 1/2 inch dice.

Mix the diced squash with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and some salt and pepper. Spread the squash out on a baking tray, place in the oven and bake for about 25 minutes, until lightly colored and quite soft.

While waiting for the butternut squash, cook the quinoa. Bring the quinoa, stock, and saffron in a pot and bring to to the boil. Then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for about 15 minutes, until liquid is absorbed and the "tails" of the quinoa come out.

Use a fork or a whisk to fluff up the quinoa, then add the onion, butternut squash, apricots, herbs, cinnamon and lemon zest. Mix well with a spoon, trying not to mash the butternut squash. Taste and add salt and pepper if necessary. Serve warmish or cold.

Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 40 minutes

What to Make When Your Friends Have a New Baby: Moroccan Lentil Pot Pie

2012-01-01T23:17:00.001-05:00

While BP and I were in Old Pueblo last week, we visited M and L and their adorable new offspring, Malcolm Gabriel. As new parents, M & L really seemed to have it together, but they knew better than to refuse our offer to bring them dinner.

We improvised a moroccan-spiced chicken pot pie by swapping in lentils and using a homemade savory tart crust instead of puff pastry. The filling was amazingly delicious and made enough for two pies, so we ate one with them on Thursday and they had another for the freezer. It's a little labor intensive, but so is having a kid, so we didn't feel bad about it. We also brought a simple carrot salad from Alice Waters and a massaged kale salad with pomegranate seeds and clementines.

Moroccan Lentil Pot Pie
Adapted from Bon Appetit - December 2007

1 cup brown lentils
3 tablespoons olive oil

1 sweet potato in 1/2-1 inch cubes
1 turnip in 1/2-1 inch cubes
1 carrot in 1/2 inch disks
1 large onion, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

2 teaspoon paprika
2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup imported green olives, pitted, coarsely chopped
1/3 cup golden raisins (optional)
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 cup low-salt chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
1-2 teaspoons of honey
2 recipes, savory tart crust

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Combine 3 cups cold water, lentils, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in medium saucepan; bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until lentils are tender, 25 to 30 minutes. Drain; set lentils aside.

Coat sweet potato, carrot, and turnips with a small amount of oil. Place on a baking sheet and cook for about 15 minutes, or until the veggies are tender.

While lentils and veggies are cooking, if you're making the pot pies the same day, you can make the pie crust.

Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and saute until it is almost tender, about 4 minutes. Add spices, olives, and raisins. Add roasted veggies and lentils and heat through. Sprinkle flour over; stir 1 minute. Add broth and bring to boil, stirring occasionally. Add honey if desired. Transfer filling to 9-inch-diameter deep-dish glass pie dish. At this point the filling can be put in the fridge for a day or so.

Heat oven to 375°F. Place pie crust over dish and seal dough edges to rim of dish. Using small paring knife, cut several slits in pie crust. Bake pot pie until crust is golden brown and juices are bubbling thickly, about 30 minutes.

Great Savory Tart Shell
From Smitten Kitchen, adapted from Le Pain Quotidien, also seen here

1 1/4 cups flour
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons butter, diced
1 egg

In a large bowl, combine the flour, cornstarch and one-fourth teaspoon salt. Cut the butter in with a pastry blender, fork or two knives until it is in very tiny bits. Add one egg and mix with a fork until a dough forms. If this does not happen easily, toss it out onto a counter and knead it together. This dough is rather tough but with a little elbow grease, it does come together nicely. (Dough can also be made in a food processor, or as the original recipe suggests, in a stand mixer, though I have not tested in in the latter.)

On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to a 12-inch circle. Place the dough in a 9-inch pie plate or tart pan and press to remove any air bubbles. Crimp the edges, and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Proceed with a filling of your choice, no parbaking required.

Sunday Night: Pickle Soup

2012-01-01T23:02:00.000-05:00

When we saw Melissa Clark a few weeks back, she had a number of really great tips that BP and I took home. One was to put pickles and capers into soups and stews as a way to really jazz up the flavor. I loved the idea and even threw a bunch of capers into a chicken soup (excellent move), and was so delighted that I posted about it on Facebook. Happily, it prompted my dear friend JBR to share this great vegetarian "pickle soup" recipe with me.

We made it tonight (in our new kitchen!) and it was delicious! Also, it makes a ton, so would be good for a crowd or to have plenty of leftovers for a rainy day. We had 3 quarts of soup left AFTER we ate dinner.

Pickle Soup
Adapted from Love Soup

½ cup pearl barley
1 ½ tsp sea salt, plus more to taste
2 T olive oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 ½ cups chopped leeks, white and light green parts
2 cloves garlic, minced
12 oz portobello, cremini, or other brown mushrooms, chopped
thyme
8 oz Yukon Gold potatoes, diced
1 cup diced carrots
¾ cup diced celery
1 medium turnip, peeled and diced
½ bunch green chard (5 oz)
1 wedge Savoy cabbage (5 oz)
½ cup chopped fresh dill (or 1-2 tsp dried if you're desperate)
3 cups vegetable broth
1 cup finely diced dill pickles, plus more to taste
freshly ground black pepper

Rinse the barley, put it in a large soup pot with 8 cups water and 1 teaspoon salt, and simmer, covered, for about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat 1 T olive oil in a skillet and add the chopped onion. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Add the chopped leeks and continue cooking for another 10 minutes, or until the onions and leeks are soft and beginning to color. Transfer the onions to a bowl and set aside.

In the same pan, heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and add the mushrooms, a dash of salt, and a pinch of thyme and sauté the mushrooms until their excess liquid cooks away and they are sizzling, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Add the potatoes, carrots, celery, and turnip to the barley, along with another half a teaspoon of salt. You can add a cup or two of water if needed to keep everything submerged. Bring the liquid back to a simmer and cook, covered, for 15 more minutes.

While the root vegetables are cooking, wash the chard, remove the tough stems, and chop the leaves coarsely. Shred the wedge of cabbage into ½ inch strips.

Add the onion, leeks, and mushrooms to the soup, deglazing the pan with a bit of water. Stir in the chard, cabbage, dill, parsley, and vegetable broth. Simmer for 10 minutes, then add the pickles and simmer a few minutes more.

Taste the soup and adjust seasoning as needed. The pickles become milder over time, so when reheated you may want to add more pickles.

Makes about 10 meal-sized servings.

Spinach Stuffed Mushrooms

2011-12-31T15:29:00.002-05:00

On this last day of 2011, here is an easy and delicious finger food for your holiday fete. However I liked it so much, I think I'll make it for dinner in large portobella tops in the upcoming weeks. Fast, easy, cheap - and very tasty!

Happy New Year everyone!

Recipe courtesy of Whole Foods: http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipes/2627

Makes about 2 dozen

Ingredients

2 tablespoons 365 Everyday Value Extra Virgin Olive Oil, divided
2 (8-oz) packages button or baby bella mushrooms, stems removed and finely chopped, caps left intact
1 small yellow onion, chopped
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 (1-pound) pkg frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed of excess water
6 ounces Feta cheese, crumbled
Method

Preheat oven to 350°F. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushroom stems, onions, salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl along with spinach, toss well; set aside to cool. Arrange mushroom caps in a single layer on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Add Feta, salt and pepper to spinach mixture then divide filling evenly between mushrooms, mounding it in the center of each. Drizzle mushrooms with remaining 1 tablespoon oil and bake until softened and juicy, about 20 minutes.
Nutrition

Per serving (1 stuffed mushroom): 40 calories (25 from fat), 3g total fat, 1g saturated fat, 5mg cholesterol, 140mg sodium, 2g total carbohydrate (1g dietary fiber, 1g sugar), 2g protein

Fruit Salad from Thing #1

2011-12-29T16:51:00.002-05:00

Today I felt like cooking so I made this tasty fruit salad while my mom helped Thing#2 with the lego set. Here's what I put in it: 1 ripe banana,8 dates, 2 clementines,1 apple, 1 small handful of golden raisins, 1 small handful of purple raisins,1 pear, and 1 small handful of currants. Now I'll tell you how to make it. #1 =Cut each of the dates in half vertically then, cut each half in half horizontally. #2 = Cut every thing except the raisins ,currants, and clementines in bite size pieces.
#3= Peel and separate the clementines.#4= Put everything in a bowl except for the dried fruit.
#5= Sprinkle raisins & currants in bowl. #6 Toss your salad & if you don't have tongs use forks (I had to.) DRESSING
Ingredients: Half cup of plain yogurt, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice ,& 2 table spoons of honey. Mix it together and drizzle it on your salad. Enjoy!!

-Thing #1

Monday Night: Feast of Remembrance

2011-12-19T19:34:00.002-05:00

I hadn't planned to eat brisket tonight at the kitchen table at my parents' house.

But over the weekend, we lost my grandpa Ben, who was 93 year old and had been married to my grandma Lillian for 68 years. This is a sad time for the Honeycrisp clan, but his passing is an occasion for all of us siblings, cousins, and friends to gather to remember him. He was a truly remarkable person. Patient, thoughtful, and kind (SO KIND). In fact, I never once heard him say a mean or even remotely negative thing about anyone or anything. In addition to being the proudest husband, father, grandfather, and great grandfather, he was a diamond setter, a ham radio operator (W2JGD), a crack tennis player, and a reading tutor. I wrote down one of his stories a few months back about his time as a radio operator in the army.

So BP, Figgy, the Nutty P, Things #1-3, ZZ and I descended upon Koko's house to be together and to support Dr. Schmeckman (our dad) during this hard time. And if there's anything we know to do to help smooth rough roads, it's to cook.

Tonight's dinner was comfort food at its best. The brisket was cooked in the slow cooker (with 1 sliced onion, most of a bottle of BBQ sauce - stubbs, and some beef broth) and served on fresh challah/onion rolls. Along side, I made a braised red cabbage with cider vinegar and a schissel of rosemary roasted vegetables (brussels sprouts, fennel, yellow beets, cauliflower, and sweet potato). Figgy whipped up a lovely green salad with hearts of palm, shallots, and marinated artichokes.

Monday Night: Black eyed peas with coriander and greens

2011-12-12T21:22:00.000-05:00

So I've already made enough of Deborah Madison's Vegetarian Suppers book that I probably ought to stop posting the recipes online and encourage you to buy her book. It's terrific and its in paperback!

Tonight's dinner was simple, healthy, and totally delicious. We started with black eyed peas from a can, which shortened the cooking time and served it over bulgur with a feta garnish.

Black eyed peas with coriander and greens - over bulgur

Splendid post-yoga dinner and will be even better as leftovers, me thinks!

p.s. Prepare yourselves for a few weeks of limited posting. Between the holiday travel we have planned and some big changes underfoot here in our nation's capital, we won't be making as many new recipes. But come 2012, we'll be back and better than ever!

Make these cookies right now

2011-12-12T21:19:00.002-05:00

Salted Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

But I'm warning you...it's very difficult to stop eating them. I thought I could curb my consumption by putting them in the freezer, but it's so easy to pop one (or 4) in the microwave.

Yum.

Thursday Night: Saffron Fried Rice with Dried Apricots and Almonds

2011-12-08T21:04:00.001-05:00

I've said it before and I'll say it again - I love fried rice. No, not the stuff from the Chinese carryout so much, but the stuff you make at home using just a few ingredients, maybe even leftovers. It's so simple and yet so satisfying. I knew I had to make this fried rice - a slightly Middle Eastern variation - as soon as I saw the recipe, because I had recently received a gift of Turkish saffron from Rookie Cookie (who honeymooned there).

BP prepped the ingredients before yoga and we whipped it up when we got home - 20 minutes tops. Was delicious as written and even more so with a spritz of lemon on top.

Saffron Fried Rice with Dried Apricots and Almonds

from Serious Eats

serves 4 people, active time 45 minutes, total time 45 minutes

1/4 cup half-and-half
pinch of saffron threads
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons finely chopped shallots (from 1 to 2 shallots)
1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic (from about 2 garlic cloves)
1/2 cup diced dried apricots
1 1/2 cups basmati rice, rinsed and drained
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 large eggs, lightly beaten together in a small bowl
4 scallions, green parts only, chopped into 1/4-inch lengths
freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (chives or cilantro also work)

Pour the 1/2 and 1/2 into a small bowl and add the saffron. Place in the microwave and cook for 30 seconds. You can also warm the 1/2 and 1/2 in a small saucepan over low heat for 1 minute.

Pour two tablespoons of the vegetable oil into a medium-sized saucepan set over medium-high heat. When oil is shimmering, add the shallots, garlic, and apricots. Cook, stirring often with a wooden spoon, until shallots are soft, about one minute.

Add the rice and salt, stir well, and toast for a few seconds. Then pour in 1 1/2 cups water and the milk and saffron mixture. Bring to a boil. Stir well, cover the saucepan, and turn the heat to low. Cook until the rice has absorbed the liquid, 10 to 12 minutes. When done, turn off the heat, remove the cover, and fluff the rice with a fork, and then cover the pot again.

After the rice has been fluffed, pour the remaining tablespoon of oil into a large wok or skillet set over medium heat. When warm, add the beaten eggs and swirl to cover the bottom. Stir occasionally with a spatula until you get small, firm lumps, one to two minutes. Add the chopped scallions, stir well, and cook for another minute.

Add the rice mixture to the eggs. Stir often with a wooden until everything is well mixed and the rice is hot, one to two minutes. Turn off the heat, season to taste with black pepper and salt, and add the toasted almonds and parsley. Serve immediately.

What we're eating while the laptop is on the fritz

2011-12-07T14:29:00.001-05:00

Apologies for the radio silence. The computer is on the fritz. So this will have to be quick and dirty.

Her are a few tasty things we've eaten for dinner this week:

Sweet potato and black bean burritos (adapted, we upped the spices considerably and used whole wheat tortillas)

Brussels sprouts and pine nut hash with quinoa (adapted, we subbed in quinoa for the pasta - v. delicious and virtuous too, so much so that we felt entitled to walk out to the frozen yogurt place for a treat afterwards)

And I almost forgot about a lovely brunch I had with my lovely friends from yoga teacher training.

I made these lovely individual crustless quiches (I subbed a 1/2 lb of sauteed mushrooms for the bacon and added a bit of parmesan cheese) and KLL made this baked oatmeal. I'm definitely keeping the baked oatmeal recipe close - it was phenomenal.

Thursday Night: Curried Lentil, Squash and Apple Stew

2011-12-01T20:31:00.001-05:00

I will admit, I honestly didn't expect tonight's dinner to be as delicious as it was. I knew that the combination of the ingredients wasn't going to be gross, but I was expecting a kind of ho-hum vegetarian dinner. But I was wrong - this stew rocks. It's a pretty simple "saute, then simmer" kind of recipe, but the flavors totally rock. And it couldn't be healthier.

Curried Lentil, Squash and Apple Stew
from Chloe Coscarelli, NY Times

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, diced
1 carrot, peeled and diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
1/2 cup dried lentils
2 1/2 cups vegetable broth
2 tablespoons tomato paste
3 cups peeled butternut squash (1/2-inch cubes)
1 large unpeeled apple, diced
5 ounces baby spinach

In a large pot, heat oil over medium-high heat, and sauté onion and carrot until almost soft. Add garlic, ginger, curry and salt, and let cook a few more minutes until fragrant.

Stir in lentils, broth and tomato paste. Bring to boil, cover and simmer for 25 minutes. Add squash and apple, cover and simmer for another 25 minutes, or until vegetables and lentils are tender. Remove lid and stir in spinach until wilted. Add salt to taste and serve.

Tuesday Night: Steamed Eggplant With Spicy Peanut Sauce

2011-11-29T20:54:00.001-05:00

Do you know what steamed eggplant tastes like? We didn't either, until tonight. It pretty much tastes like whatever you put on top of it, which in tonight's case was a super tasty Asian-y peanut sauce.

This was a GREAT weeknight dish from Melissa Clark (who we are going to see speak next week!). If you were in a hurry, you could pick up your brown rice from the Chinese takeout and the whole thing could be on the table in 20 minutes. In our case, BP made the sauce and rice earlier and we steamed up the eggplant when we came home from yoga. And if it passes the post-yoga speed test, you know it's quick.

A note on the photography: I know it sucks. But the truth of the matter is, I am not a skilled photographer and my blackberry isn't really helping the situation. But I think it adds some authenticity to the whole food blogger endeavor, so bear with me until I improve my photo skills or break down and get an iPhone.

Steamed Eggplant With Spicy Peanut Sauce
from Melissa Clark, NY Times

Eggplant + peanut sauce = so tasty!

1/2 cup natural chunky peanut butter
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon finely grated lime zest
Juice of 1 lime
2 teaspoons sambal olek or other chile paste
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
3 small organic eggplants, trimmed and sliced lengthwise into wedges
1/4 cup chopped, roasted peanuts
1/4 cup sliced scallions

In a bowl, whisk together peanut butter, 1/3 cup water, soy sauce, sugar, lime zest, lime juice, sambal olek and garlic.

Place the eggplant wedges in a steamer basket set over a pan of simmering water. Cover and cook until tender, about 10 minutes.

Transfer eggplants to a platter, cut side up. Spoon peanut sauce over eggplant. Garnish with peanuts and scallions. Serve with brown rice.

Yield: 6 servings as an appetizer; 3 to 4 as a main dish, if served over rice.

Sunday Night: Greek Greens Pie With Cornmeal Crust

2011-11-27T19:52:00.001-05:00

Some recipes are just perfect for Sunday cooking - long and slow braised meats, slow cooker soups, and tonight's dinner. This recipe - a lovely cornmeal pie with Greek-inspired greens - wasn't terribly complicated, but the cooking time of nearly an hour followed by a resting time of 30 minutes disqualifies it from consideration for a weeknight meal. But if the sun has gone down and it's 5:30, your honey is tied up watching your football team eke out a victory, and you've got some emails to write, it's a perfect thing to make.

And did I mention it's delicious? The herbs and feta complement the chard splendidly and the cornmeal crust is super comforting. We served it with a simple salad.

Greek Greens Pie With Cornmeal Crust
By MARTHA ROSE SHULMAN

Ok, the photography isn't great, but you get the gist...

2 bunches Swiss chard, coarsely chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 bunch scallions, chopped
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
5 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 cups milk
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup water, as needed

Bring a pot of salted water to boil and have a bowl of cold water at the ready. Blanch the chard for about 2 minutes and transfer the wilted greens to the cold water, then drain and squeeze out moisture. Chop medium-fine and set aside in a large bowl.

Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy skillet and add the onion. Cook, stirring, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the scallions and cook for another minute, then stir in the greens and chopped herbs. Toss everything together, season to taste with salt and pepper, and remove from the heat. Add the feta and stir together.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 10-inch cast iron skillet or earthenware dish with cooking spray.

Combine the milk and 1/2 cup water in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Add salt to taste and slowly stream in the cornmeal while stirring with a whisk or a wooden spoon. If you don’t add it in a very fine stream it will lump. Stir until the mixture is thick, like polenta. Remove from the heat and place half of the mixture in your oiled baking dish. Using a spatula sprayed with cooking spray, spread the cornmeal mixture over the bottom of the pan in a thin, even layer.

Spread the greens over the cornmeal bottom crust in an even layer. Dilute the remaining cornmeal mixture with water until it is the consistency of wet sand. Stir in the remaining olive oil. Spoon it over the greens and spread, using a rubber spatula, in an even layer. Don’t worry if it doesn’t cover every bit of the top.

Bake 45 minutes to 1 hour in the preheated oven, until the top is browned. Remove from the heat and allow to sit for 30 minutes before cutting.

Yield: 6 servings.

p.s.

2011-11-26T19:36:00.001-05:00

p.s. Can you believe it's been 4 years since we started writing (and cooking for) this blog?! It was right after Thanksgiving 2007 that we got inspired to start this little project. Crazy how time flies. Despite the time passing (during which we got married, BP got a masters degree, one nephew and one niece were born, among other life milestones), our first recipe is still one of our favorites and a restaurant we told you about then remains our go-to spot for special night out.

Here's to another four years of cooking and eating together!

What to do with your turkey on day 3: Turkey Tortilla Soup

2011-11-26T19:12:00.001-05:00

If you have a fridge full of Thanksgiving leftovers, are you already sick of them? Love leftovers as I do, I usually get sick of eating them after 1 or 2 go-rounds. So it's nice to have recipes that will transform your somewhat tired (but still good) leftovers into something exciting. This turkey tortilla soup was just the trick for this year's leftover turkey.

A tortilla soup has such a radically different flavor profile from anything on your traditional American Thanksgiving table, that eating it is like taking a culinary airplane straight out of your holiday kitchen to somewhere a lot spicier and quite a bit more interesting. Plus, this one comes together reasonably quickly, giving the kitchen-weary cooks a break from the stove. If you're lucky enough to have local Hispanic markets, you may already have some of these dried chiles on hand. If not, hopefully you have an easy supply nearby.

If I get the hankering for a tortilla soup again, I'll definitely make this recipe using leftover chicken or a rotisserie chicken from the grocery.

Turkey Tortilla Soup
from Serious Eats

Serious Eats says you can use store-bought tortilla strips or crumbled tortilla chips if desired. For a milder flavor, remove one ancho and one pasilla chili and replace 1 cup chicken stock in step three with 1 (14.4-ounce) can of diced tomatoes with their juice.

Serves 4 to 6, active time 30 minutes, total time 30 minutes

1 cup peanut oil for frying tortilla strips (see note)
4 corn tortillas, cut in half, then sliced crosswise into 1/2-inch strips (see note)
Kosher Salt
2 pasilla chilies
2 ancho chilies
2 whole chipotle chilies canned in adobo sauce plus 1 tablespoon sauce
2 quarts low sodium canned or homemade chicken or turkey broth
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large onion, finely diced
1 whole poblano pepper, seeds and stem removed, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, grated on a microplane grater
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 pound leftover turkey meat, shredded by hand into rough 1-inch pieces
sliced scallions, sliced cilantro, diced avocado, diced jalapeño and lime slices for serving

Heat peanut oil to 350°F in a dutch oven or wok over high heat. Add tortilla strips and fry, agitating with a metal spider or slotted spatula until strips are crisp, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate, season with salt, and set aside.

Combine all chilis in a medium saucepan and add half of the chicken broth. Simmer over medium-high heat until the chilies are completely tender, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a blender or hand blender cup and blend until completely smooth.

While chilies are simmering, heat vegetable oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over high heat until shimmering. Add the onions and poblano pepper and cook, stirring frequently, until softened but not browned, about 2 minutes. Add garlic and cumin and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add remaining chicken broth. Add chili purée from step 2 as soon as it is ready.

Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce to a simmer, add turkey meat, and cook until flavors have blended, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt. Serve hot, passing tortilla strips, scallions, cilantro, avocado, jalapeños, and lime wedges at the table.

Thanksgiving in our nation's capital

2011-11-25T08:59:00.001-05:00

Can you guess what's in this photo? Anyone? Yes, you in the back, you're right! It's a palette cleansing course - a refreshing and hauntingly delicious lemon-thyme sorbet, served in a frozen lemon rind. We went there. Yes we did. And this was only part of the action at last night's Thanksgiving feast here in our nation's capital.

BP and I had the sheer pleasure of hosting Koko, Dr. S, Sweet Pea, String Bean, Dr. Science, LME and MH for the holiday yesterday. I don't have all the photos ready to share, but I wanted to get the recipes and our notes up before I lost momentum. Stay tuned for more pics of Koko's stunning holiday table adornments and some action shots of the cooking process.

In the meantime, our warmest wishes to all. I hope you have lovely, peaceful, and delicious holidays, wherever and however you celebrated. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

thanksgiving 2011

menu

firstcourse: mixed greens salad with roasted beets and hazelnut vinaigrette

cook's note: this was inspired by palena's cafe salad, just wing it

then: herb-roast turkey with sourdough, apple, and sausage stuffing

mushroom, leek, and wild rice salad

cooks note: we substituted a sherry-thyme vinaigrette instead of the balsamic

roasted brussels sprouts with shallots and balsamic

parsnip and cauliflower mash

cook's note: we added a T of butter, a handful of chopped chives, and omitted the lemon

bourbon baked cranberry sauce

and then:lemon thyme sorbet

cook's note: serve these in the leftover lemon "cups." freeze them until you're ready to use

and finally: bittersweet chocolate and pear torte

pumpkin bread pudding

cook's note: if you can, get yourself a loaf of pumpkin yeast bread (not quick bread) instead of putting canned pumpkin in the custard; also, a splash of bourbon in the custard never hurt anyone

props to the growers

turkey and sausage for the stuffing from groff's content

apples for the stuffing and pears for the cake from reid's orchard

beets for the salad from ridgefield farm

sourdough bread from our very own BP!

Monday Night: The Meatball Shop’s Veggie Balls

2011-11-21T21:18:00.001-05:00

If the people who run a business called The Meatball Shop think that a vegetarian meatball is both legitimate and delicious, who are we to argue?

We made these veggie meatballs from a recipe from the guys who run The Meatball shop and they were fantastic! Quite "meaty" in texture and flavor (the mushrooms are especially good for this) and super tasty with a little dab of pesto we pulled out of the freezer from earlier this summer. We served them along side sauteed spinach, but you could make some nice "meatball" subs with some tomato sauce and a bit of mozzarella. Also, these would be great made ahead of time and frozen.

The Meatball Shop’s Veggie Balls
from the NYT's Well Blog

2 cups brown lentils
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
2 teaspoons salt
3 tablespoons tomato paste
8 ounces button mushrooms, wiped clean and sliced
3 large eggs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts

Combine the lentils and 2 quarts water in a medium stockpot and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the lentils are soft but not falling apart, about 25 minutes. Drain the lentils and allow to cool.

Add 1/4 cup of the olive oil to a large frying pan and sauté the onions, carrots, celery, garlic, thyme and salt over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes, until the vegetables are tender and just beginning to brown. Add the tomato paste and continue to cook, stirring constantly, for 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring frequently, for 15 more minutes, or until all the liquid is absorbed. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and allow to cool to room temperature. When cool, add the lentils to the vegetable mixture.

Add the eggs, Parmesan, bread crumbs, parsley and walnuts to the cooled vegetables and lentils and mix by hand until thoroughly incorporated. Place in the refrigerator for 25 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil into a 9-by-13-inch baking dish and use your hand to evenly coat the entire surface. Set aside.

Roll the mixture into round golf ball-size meatballs (about 1 1/2 inches), making sure to pack the vegetable mixture firmly. Place the balls in the prepared baking dish, allowing 1/4 inch of space between the balls and in even rows vertically and horizontally to form a grid.

Roast for 30 minutes, or until the meatballs are firm and cooked through. Allow the meatballs to cool for 5 minutes in the baking dish before serving.

Wednesday Night: Fideos

2011-11-16T19:56:00.001-05:00

My wonderful friend ST - a former classmate from grad school - has opened my eyes to many wonderful things about Southwestern cuisine. His tortilla soup was a hit of the soup swap and his tostadas were the delight of many grad school dinner parties. I remember a while back asking S what was his favorite dish that his mom cooks and he told me about fideos, which are thin egg noodles. I'd never been presented with them, or even seen a recipe, until I was perusing Deborah Madison's great book, Vegetarian Suppers from Deborah Madison's Kitchen. And since I have yet to be disappointed by one of her recipes, we gave it a whirl.

Just like her other recipes we've made this week, the fideos required a number of steps. But if you aren't scared away by the prospect of dirtying a couple of pans and your blender, you will be rewarded with a super delicious dinner that comes together in a relatively short time. We garnished it handsomely, as suggested, and served along side a mixed green salad dressed with some lime juice and green chile sauce.

Our dinner - fideos and salad with spicy dressing.

Fideosfrom Vegetarian Suppers from Deborah Madison’s Kitchen

½ large red onion
olive oil
3 dried pasilla, New Mexican, or guajillo chiles
4 garlic cloves, unpeeled
3 T canola oil
1 15 oz. can fire-roasted tomatoes
½ c. yellow or white onion, chopped
Salt and fresh ground pepper
3/4 lb. short, skinny egg noodles (fideos)
3 sprigs parsley, plus a little chopped parsley for garnish
1 avocado, sliced, for garnish
Sour cream, for garnish
Queso fresco, or other semi-soft Mexican cheese, or feta, for garnish

Make the pickled onion: Thinly slice half a large red onion and place in a bowl. Pour in equal amounts of water and white vinegar, just to cover the onions. Stir in 1 tblsp. of sugar and one tblsp. of salt. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside for 15 minutes, or while you prepare the fideos. Lift the pickled onions out of the liquid with a fork or slotted spoon and use as garnish.

Cover the dried chiles with hot water and set them aside to soften while you make the tomato sauce. When soft, tear or cut the flesh into strips. Discard the seeds.

Moisten the unpeeled garlic cloves with a little of the oil, then cook them in a small skillet over medium-low heat, occasionally sliding the cloves around the pan, until the skins are toasted and the cloves are soft, 10-15 minutes. Squeeze the garlic from the skins into a blended and add the tomatoes and their juice, 1 tsp. salt, the onion, and ½ c. water. Blend until mostly smooth. Taste for seasoning and consistency, adding an extra ¼ to 1/2 c. water if the sauce is very thick. The consistency should be a little thinner than canned tomato sauce.

Heat 1 to 2 T of oil in the skillet over medium heat. Add the noodles, breaking up longer noodles if using, and stir to coat lightly with the oil and stirring until the noodles brown lightly. Add the tomato sauce, the parsley sprigs, most of the chiles and stir. Lower the heat so the sauce is at a gentle simmer, cover and cook for about 10-15 minutes, or until the noodles are done.

Top each serving with sliced avocado, the reserved fresh parsley, a dollop of sour cream, a few pickled onions and a sprinkling of queso fresco. This could serve 4, but 2 hungry people could easily eat it all.

Tuesday Night: Hearty Irish Lager Stew

2011-11-16T07:14:00.001-05:00

Who knew that you could combine parsnips, tapioca, and beer and get something delicious? The Vegetarian Times, did, that's who. This is an amazingly rich and hearty dish. BP made it and he told me he added a bit of red wine to deglaze the mushrooms, which I thought was a nice touch. The whole thing had the look of a boeuf bourguignon in a fraction of the time and vegan!

Good one for the cold winter nights to come.

Hearty Irish Lager Stew
from Vegetarian Times

1 Tbs. vegetable oil
8 oz. button or shiitake mushrooms, halved
2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)
1 medium leek, white part only, diced (1 cup)
3 small red potatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes (1 1/2 cups)
2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced (2 cups)
2 small parsnips, peeled and sliced (1 1/2 cups)
1 1/2 tsp. tomato paste
1 15-oz. can crushed tomatoes
1 1/2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
2 sprigs fresh thyme, tied in bundle, plus 1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme, divided
1/2 cup lager beer
1 1/2 Tbs. quick-cooking tapioca
1 cup shredded cabbage
2 Tbs. chopped parsley

Heat 1/2 Tbs. oil in large pot over medium heat. Add mushrooms and garlic; sauté 8 minutes, or until mushrooms are browned. Remove from pan. Add remaining 1/2 Tbs. oil to pot. Add leek, and cook 5 minutes. Add potatoes, carrots, parsnips, and tomato paste. Cook 2 minutes. Add tomatoes, broth, and thyme sprigs; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add lager, tapioca, and mushrooms. Simmer 10 to 15 minutes, or until thickened, stirring often. Remove thyme sprigs, stir in cabbage, and simmer 4 to 5 minutes, or until cabbage softens. Stir in chopped thyme and parsley, and season with salt and pepper, if desired.

Monday Night: Sweet Potato Red Curry with Tofu and Bok Choy

2011-11-14T07:17:00.000-05:00

Busy day, but need to share this. Another great dish from Deborah Madison.

Sweet Potato Red Curry with Tofu and Bok Choy
from Deborah Madison's Vegetarian Suppers Book

Brown or white basmati rice
1 pound plus a little more small sweet potatoes, scrubbed
1 tablespoon roasted peanut oil
Sea salt
1 to 2 teaspoons Thai red curry paste, or more, to taste
1 15-ounce can coconut milk (lite is fine)
1 pound carton firm tofu, packed in water, drained and cut into 1-inch cubes
6 big shallots, peeled and sliced in rounds
few teaspoons mushroom soy sauce or San-J soy sauce
4 baby bok choy, cut lengthwise into sixths
1/2 cup chopped cilantro, plus branches for garnish
1 lime, quartered

Start your rice. Cut the sweet potatoes lengthwise into wedges about 3/4 –inch wide. Steam them over boiling water until tender, about 20 minutes.

Heat the coconut milk with a cup of water in a wide skillet. Stir in the chile paste and chopped cilantro. Add the cooked sweet potatoes and lower the heat.

Meanwhile, put the tofu in a non-stick skillet in a single layer, over medium heat. Cook until the water has evaporated and the tofu is golden, adding a little oil for flavor and to give it a crisp surface. Season with salt, douse with a few teaspoons mushroom soy sauce, and shuffle the pan until the sweet potatoes are evenly coated and dark lustrous brown. Add the tofu to the sweet potatoes, wipe out the pan, and return it to the heat.

Add 2 teaspoons of the peanut oil to the pan. When hot, add the shallots. Season with salt and cook over medium high heat, stirring occasionally, until golden. Set aside. Simmer the bok choy in salted water until tender, 4 to 5 minutes, then remove and toss with 1 teaspoon peanut oil.

Serve the sweet potatoes and their sauce over rice, garnished with the bok choy, shallots, cilantro sprigs and lime wedges.

Saturday Night in the Windy City

2011-11-14T07:13:00.001-05:00

If you think the spread we prepared for dinner on Saturday looks good (see below), it was nothing compared to the spread of lovely individuals who were seated around the table. BP and I escaped our nation's capital for a brief jaunt to the windy city to see some of our favorite people - including many of this blog's celebrity bloggers.

The Windy City Feast!

We had:
Fig Sister and her food-centric neighbor and canner extraordinaire, H
L-Money (and her honey, O-Money)
Ms. Davis and the future Mr. Ms. Davis
BP's bigger little sister, the amazing baker, A
And of course, BP and I.

The feast was autumn-inspired and consisted of many of our most favorite seasonal ingredients: kale, butternut squash, cranberries, brussels sprouts - and of course, the food for all seasons - quinoa. Check out the links and recipes below - all would be great on your Thanksgiving table.

Figgy brought the desserts from Michigan - a rich cocoa mousse cake and an apple-maple-cheddar pie. Both were smashing. Perhaps she'll be kind enough to share those recipes with us!

Assorted Roasted Vegetables (cauliflower, broccoli, brussels sprouts) (improvised the recipe, pictured above)

Greek Roast Chicken

Massaged Kale and Avocado Salad

Black and White Quinoa Dressing
from the NYT - Recipes for Health

1 cup regular (golden) quinoa
3/4 cup black quinoa
5 1/4 cups water, chicken stock or vegetable stock
Salt to taste
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3/4 pound butternut squash, cut in small dice
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 cup diced celery
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup lightly toasted pecans, coarsely chopped
1/3 cup dried cranberries
2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
Freshly ground pepper to taste

Keeping the quinoas separate, wash in several changes of water. In separate saucepans, combine the golden quinoa with 3 cups water or stock and the black quinoa with 2 1/4 cups water or stock. Add salt to taste, bring to a boil, cover and simmer 15 to 25 minutes, until the quinoa is tender and the grains display a coiled thread. The black quinoa takes longer to cook, and the thread will not pop out of all of the grains. Drain through a strainer and return both quinoas together to one of the pots. Place a clean kitchen towel over the pot and return the lid. Let sit while you prepare the other ingredients.

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium-high heat in a large, heavy skillet and sauté the squash, stirring often, until it is tender and lightly browned, 15 to 20 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper and transfer to a bowl. Turn the heat down to medium and add the remaining oil and the onion.

Cook, stirring often, until the onion begins to soften, about 3 minutes, and add a generous pinch of salt and the celery and thyme. Cook, stirring often, for 3 minutes, until the onion is completely tender and the celery is just tender, and add the garlic. Stir over medium heat until the garlic smells fragrant, 30 seconds to a minute, and transfer to the bowl with the squash.

Add the quinoa and the remaining ingredients and stir together. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to an oiled or buttered baking dish and cover with foil.

Warm for 20 to 30 minutes in a 325-degree oven before serving.

Yield: Makes about 7 cups, serving 12 to 14.

Cumin roasted cauliflower with salted yogurt, mint, and pomegranate seeds

2011-11-09T19:46:00.002-05:00

I just scored us tickets to see Melissa Clark, food writer and all-around inspired gal, speak at the Historic 6th and I Synagogue in a few weeks. To get our palettes primed for the event, we made one of the recipes from her new cookbook, which seems to be a favorite of the blogosphere. Lots of other food bloggers have made it recently - and now we know why. It's delicious!

Such a tasty combination of flavors and textures - roasty/soft cauliflower, crunchy/tart pomegranate seeds, cool/salty yogurt, and fresh mint. We made ours with a purple cauliflower, which added to the excitement. We don't often have purple dinners!

Cumin roasted cauliflower with salted yogurt, mint, and pomegranate seeds
from 'Cook This Now’ by Melissa Clark

1 large head cauliflower, cut into bite-size florets
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 cup plain yogurt
Large handful fresh mint, chopped
3 tablespoons pomegranate seeds

Set the oven at 425 degrees. Have on hand a rimmed baking sheet.

In a large bowl, toss the cauliflower with the oil, cumin seeds, salt, and pepper. Spread the mixture in an even layer on the baking sheet. Roast the cauliflower, tossing occasionally, for 20 to 30 minutes or until it is tender.

In a bowl, whisk the yogurt with a pinch of salt. Spoon the yogurt on the cauliflower and sprinkle with mint and pomegranate seeds.

Monday Night: Turkish Red Lentil Soup with Sumac

2011-11-07T21:04:00.000-05:00

There are a lot of things to be happy about with tonight's dinner.

First, I am once again compelled to sing the praises of red lentils, which are delicious, healthy, and so easy to cook. As BP remarked tonight, the red lentil is for anyone who has been burned (literally or figuratively) cooking lentils before. It's never demanding and always forgiving. No need to soak ahead of time and it cooks in a flash.

I was also really jazzed about the spices in this soup. It's a little different than the always delicious Lebanese red lentil soup we used to eat in college from Cedars of Lebanon. The paprika adds a warmer note, the sumac is slightly tart, and the mint is refreshing. Even better, the sumac was a gift from the lovely HN from a trip she took to Turkey a few years back. (Thanks, lady!)

We served it with some slices of multigrain baguette and a little green salad.

Turkish Red Lentil Soup with Sumac
from e-curry

Delicious red lentil soup

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, finely chopped
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 cup red lentils, washed and picked over
1 1/2 tablespoons tomato paste
6 cups water or stock, or more if the soup thickens too much
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 1/5 tablespoons dried mint leaves, crumbled
1 tablespoon sumac

Garnish: a few mint leaves (optional), sumac

To serve: lemon/lime wedges and bread

Heat the oil in a large saucepan and saute the onions and carrots over low heat until they are light golden–about 5 minutes. Stir in the paprika, cumin, the tomato paste, and hot pepper flakes; cover and cook for another 5-7 minutes.

Add the lentils and stir everything together so the tomato and the spices combine with the lentils. Add the water/stock and cover and cook until everything is tender for about 30 to 40 minutes.

Crumble the mint leaves and add into the soup. Stir and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Remove the soup from the heat. Sprinkle some of the sumac (save the rest to garnish). Stir to combine.

Ladle into bowls, serving lemon wedges/or squeeze of lemon juice and some fresh mint leaves (if available) or crushed dried mint.

NOTE: This soup will thicken a lot as it stands. Loosen with some hot water and re heat, if you are not serving immediately.

Turning the Tables on Food Advice: Ask Figgy!

2011-11-07T17:13:00.001-05:00

Dear Fig Sister,

I hope you don't mind me turning the tables on you, but this is a very important matter: Thanksgiving desserts. As you know, Koko and Dr. Schmeckman will be joining BP and I in our nation's capital, and you know how serious they are about desserts.

One of the desserts I am contemplating is a pumpkin bread pudding. Already, I am planning to use a pumpkin yeast bread as the base instead of a typical brioche, but I haven't found a bread pudding recipe that I can be sure will be successful. Do you have a basic sweet bread pudding recipe to recommend? Also, what are your thoughts on accoutrements - caramel sauce or creme anglaise, or whipped cream?

Please help!
Love and turkeys,
Honeycrisp

Sunday Night: Fishermen's Stew Of Graciosa

2011-11-06T19:49:00.000-05:00

BP and I are eternally indebted to National PublicRadio. It prepares us with keyfacts about the world to help us face the day at work and fuels us with halfthe dinner party stories we retell. Now that I have a friend who works there (yey BH!), I value the hardwork of the folks who make it all happen even more.

So when NPR comes through with delicious recipes, it's like the cherry on top. So not necessary, but so delicious. This Portuguese fish stew is brimming with flavor, and super comforting. Even better, it comes together in under 30 minutes. Serve with some crusty bread to sop up the broth and a salad along side. (Note: if you don't have a mortar and pestle, feel free to make the spice paste in the food processor.)

Fishermen's Stew Of Graciosa

Adapted from Ana Patuleia Ortins' Portuguese Homestyle Cooking (Interlink 2003) and NPR

Stew

2 pounds any thick cuts of white fish (halibut, hake, pollockor cod), cut into 2 inch chunks

Enough water to barely cover the fish

3 sprigs parsley

2 medium onions, thinly sliced (about 2 cups)

3 bay leaves

1 1/2 tablespoons coarse salt

1 tablespoon olive oil

In the bottom of an 8-quart pot, layer the fish and pour inenough cold water to barely cover it. Add the parsley, onions, bay leaves, saltand olive oil.

Cover tightly, place over medium-high heat and bring to aboil. Reduce the heat and simmer gently until the fish is opaque, about 10minutes.

Seasoning Paste

7 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped

2 teaspoons coarse salt

1 1/2 teaspoons cumin seeds

1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley

1 pickled jalapeno peppers, finely chopped (optional)

1 teaspoon paprika

3 tablespoons tomato paste

1 tablespoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 cup olive oil

1/4 cup wine vinegar

Using a large mortar and pestle, mash the garlic with thesalt, forming a paste.

Mash in the cumin, parsley, jalapeno and paprika. Stir inthe tomato paste, sugar and nutmeg. Drizzle in the olive oil followed by thevinegar. Stir toblend the ingredients well.

With a slotted spoon, transfer the cooked fish to a bowl.Cover and keep warm. Whisk the seasoning paste into the fish broth, making sureit is well dispersed. Simmer about 5 minutes over medium-low heat. Put the fish back into the pot and mixthrough. Ladel pieces of fish inindividual soup plates and spoon the broth over it.

Thursday Night: Indian Spiced Scrambled Eggs with Cilantro Chutney

2011-11-03T19:26:00.000-04:00

Cauliflower and potatoes in curry-style spices are a favorite of ours, but they've never had a menage-a-trois with scrambled eggs on our watch - until tonight. What a great combination! (BTW, I'm becoming increasingly convinced that everything tastes good with eggs on top/mixed in.) And the cilantro sauce rocks. Even if we don't do the eggs again, we're definitely trotting the chutney out for our next Southasian feast.

I know the list of ingredients and instructions here seems long, but this dish is deceptively simple. You can do a lot of the chopping while the veggies par-boil, so the whole thing can be executed in 30 minutes. And most of the ingredients are dried spices you may already have in your cupboard and the rest can be procured easily and cheaply from the grocery.

Indian Spiced Scrambled Eggs with Cilantro Chutney
The Washington Post, November 22, 2009

1 bunch cilantro

1 medium-to-large jalapeño pepper
2 tablespoons honey
5 tablespoons olive oil
1 or 2 limes
Salt
1 large (8 ounces) Yukon Gold potato
2 cups cauliflower florets
1 medium yellow onion
1-inch piece peeled ginger root
1 tablespoon ground coriander
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
6 large eggs
2 tablespoons water

Cut the potato into 1/2-inch cubes; place them in a medium saucepan and cover with salted water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Cook for 4 minutes.

While the potato cooks, wash and dry the cilantro. Cut enough of the leaves and tender stems to yield 2 cups, and place in the jar of a blender. Stem and seed the jalapeno pepper, then coarsely chop and add to the blender along with the honey and 1 tablespoon of the oil. Cut the lime(s) in half and squeeze into the blender (about 3 tablespoons' worth). Add a pinch of salt and blend on low speed to combine, then on high speed to form a sauce. Taste; adjust seasoning or add juice as needed. Transfer to a bowl or small pitcher, such as a creamer. The yield will be 3/4 cup.

Also, cut the cauliflower into bite-size (or smaller) pieces, and cut the onion into small dice to yield 1 cup. Grate the ginger to yield 1 tablespoon.

Add the cauliflower to the potato; after the water returns to a boil, cook the cauliflower for 1 minute. Drain the vegetables in a colander.

Heat a large skillet, preferably cast-iron, over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of the oil, then add the onion and cook for 5 minutes, stirring often, until softened. Add the cooked cauliflower and potato, coriander, ginger, cumin, mustard seeds, cinnamon, turmeric, cayenne pepper and a pinch of salt, stirring to mix well. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl and cover to keep warm while you prepare the eggs.

Crack the eggs into a mixing bowl; add the water and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Whisk for 2 minutes, until quite foamy.

Return the skillet to the stove over medium-high heat. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil. Pour in the eggs and let them set slightly before stirring. Use a spatula to gently push the eggs toward the center of the skillet, tilting the skillet as needed to evenly distribute any egg that is not quite set. As soon as the eggs are barely firm, turn them over and cook for 15 to 20 seconds. Remove from the heat.

Return the vegetable mixture to the skillet and stir gently to incorporate into the eggs. Divide among individual plates; drizzle with a tablespoon or two of cilantro-jalapeno sauce and serve hot.

Wednesday Night: Brussels Sprouts and Mushroom Ragout with Herb Dumplings

2011-11-02T19:59:00.001-04:00

Have you ever seen a stalk of brussels sprouts? It's pretty much the cutest thing at the farmers market. It is so cute, it almost doesn't look real. It's this large, thick, leafy stalk with these little tiny cabbage-y sprouts growing on the trunk of it. We bought one for the first time last weekend (before this our sprouts came exclusively from those tubs from the grocery store) and were anxious to find something special to make with the tender green morsels.

Happily, Deborah Madison (and her Vegetarian Suppers book, which we recently acquired) came through with this lovely dish. Like last nights dinner, those wary of lots of steps might be put off by this preparation, but if the idea appeals to you in any way, I urge you to go for it. The mushroom broth is luscious, the veggies just sing, and the dumplings are light and fresh. It's a beautiful cold weather dinner. We'll definitely make it again, maybe even for company.

Brussels Sprouts and Mushroom Ragout with Herb Dumplings
from Vegetarian Suppers by Deborah Madison

Mushroom Stock (see recipe below)4 teaspoons olive oil
2 medium to large onions, sliced about ½-inch thick
¾ pound white mushrooms, crimini, shiitake, or a mixture, rinsed and sliced
3 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 tablespoon chopped tarragon
1 plump garlic clove, minced
½ large lemon
1 pound Brussels sprouts, halved or quartered

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/8 teaspoon sea salt
¾ cup milk, heated with 3 tablespoons butter or oil
3 tablespoons mixed chopped parsley and tarragon
1 egg

If using homemade mushroom stock, make the stock. This can be done a day or two ahead of time. Once it’s simmering bring a pot of water to a boil for the Brussels sprouts.

Heat the oil in a wide nonstick skillet. Add the onions and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until aromatic and nicely colored, about 10-12 minutes. Meanwhile slice the mushrooms and chop the herbs and garlic.

Once the onions are a rich color, raise the heat to high and add the mushrooms, herbs, and garlic to the pan. Squeeze the lemon juice over the mushrooms and sauté until the mushrooms are browned in places, 5 to 7 minutes, then reduce heat to low.

Add salt to boiling water, then the Brussels sprouts along with any loose leaves. Boil until nearly tender 4 to 6 minutes, depending on size. Check by piercing with a fork. Drain, then add them to the pan and pour in mushroom stock. At this point you can turn off the heat and let the vegetables stand until you’re ready to make the dumplings.

For the dumplings, mix the flour with the baking powder and salt. Pour in the milk, herbs, and egg and stir quickly together with a fork. Add the dumpling batter by the spoonful to the ragout, making 12 small dumplings in all. You’ll have extra batter, but don’t use it all or else the dish will be too bready. Cover the pan with tented foil or a lid, bring everything to a simmer, and cook for 10 minutes.

Serve in soup plates, with 3 dumplings in each bowl.

Mushroom Stock
½ cup dried porcini mushrooms
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 onion, coarsely chopped
1 carrot, chopped1 large garlic clove, sliced
2 mushrooms, sliced, plus any trimmings
2 teaspoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon fresh marjoram or 1 teaspoon dried
½ cup dry white or red wine
1 tablespoon flour
salt and freshly ground pepper

Cover the dried mushroom with 3 cups hot water and set aside.

Heat the oil in a saucepan over high heat. Add the onion, carrot, garlic, and fresh mushrooms and their trimmings. Saute, stirring occasionally, until well-browned, about 10 minutes.

Reduce the heat to medium, stir in the tomato paste, marjoram, wine, and sprinkle on the flour. Once the wine has reduced to a syrupy consistency, after about 3 minutes, add the porcini, their soaking water, and ½ teaspoon salt, and a little pepper. Simmer for 20 minutes, then strain. The stock can be frozen.

Tuesday Night: Wine-braised lentils with wilted greens over toast

2011-11-02T07:20:00.001-04:00

Delicious as they may be, lentil dishes aren't always the most beautiful ones we serve. But braise those babies in some red wine for a half hour and add some lovely greens and pearl onions, and you'll want to break out your camera. (Full disclosure, I didn't break out my camera, but it was after 8pm and we were hungry! The photo is from someone else's site.)

Photo credit: No Meat Athlete

Admittedly, this dish is a little fussy for a weeknight. You have to make the lentils, the greens, and the onions separately. But if you have a little patience or can collaborate with your cooking/dining partners, it's not too bad. Or make it on a Sunday.

Wine-braised lentils with wilted greens over toast
"Vegetarian Suppers From Deborah Madison's Kitchen" by Deborah Madison

Serves 4

3/4 cup green, black, or brown lentils, cleaned and rinsed
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil, divided use
1/3 cup diced onion
1/3 cup diced carrot
1/3 cup diced celery
2 garlic cloves, 1 crushed, 1 halved
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 1/2 cups dry red wine
1 teaspoon prepared Dijon-style mustard
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
12 pearl onions
1 big bunch of spinach or other greens, such as Tuscan kale, leaves only, washed
1 tablespoon butter or walnut oil, or to taste
4 slices sturdy country bread (we made a loaf of speedy no-knead bread)

Parboil lentils for 5 minutes and drain.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a 2- or 3-quart saucepan. Add diced onion, carrot and celery and cook over medium-high heat for several minutes, browning them a bit. Add crushed garlic, mash tomato paste into the vegetables, then pour in the wine and stir in the mustard. Add 1 1/2 cups water, the drained lentils, and 1 teaspoon salt. Simmer, covered, until lentils are tender, 30 to 40 minutes.

While lentils are cooking, blanch pearl onions in boiling water for 1 minute, then drain. Peel off
skins, then put them in a pan with the remaining 1 teaspoon olive oil and cook over medium heat, sliding them in the pan now and then, until tender and beginning to color, about 5 minutes. Add a splash of wine or water toward the end and deglaze pan. Season with salt and pepper.

Wilt spinach in a skillet in the water clinging to its leaves. Season with salt and pepper. (Tuscan kale will take about 7 minutes.) Stir cooked greens into the lentils, add 1 tablespoon of butter or walnut oil, taste again, and season to taste.

Toast bread and rub it with the halved garlic. Cut each piece in thirds and arrange them on the plates. Spoon lentils over the toast and garnish with onions.

Snowy Day Soup: Fall Minestrone with Kale and Butternut Squash

2011-10-31T22:09:00.000-04:00

While the rain and snow fell outside on Saturday, BP and remained indoors and nourished our bodies and souls by cooking up a pot of soup and watching the last 5 episodes of Friday Night Lights. I could go on for pages about much I loved the series, so I will just say that it's brilliant and completely wonderful, and let's move onto the soup.

This recipe is a lovely departure from your traditional minestrone or run-of-the-mill pureed butternut squash soup. In true Alice Waters-style, it lets great ingredients speak for themselves. If you make the beans from dried (which I encourage you to do - the texture is better and you can use the bean broth to thicken your soup), it takes a little while, but it's not much hands on work. We'll definitely be making this one again.

Fall Minestrone with Kale and Butternut Squash
(Adapted from The Art of Simple Food, by Alice Waters, published in 2007)

1 cup dried cannellini or borlotti beans (this will yield 2½ to 3 cups of cooked beans), or in a pinch, a large can of cannellini beans, drained
¼ cup olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
1 bunch kale, stemmed, washed, and chopped
3 to 4 tomatoes, chopped, or 1 small can tomatoes, drained and chopped
4 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
½ teaspoon chopped rosemary
1 teaspoon chopped sage
1 bay leaf
2 teaspoons salt
1 leek, diced
½ butternut squash, peeled and cut into ¼-inch cubes (about 2 cups)
Parmesan cheese

Prepare beans and set aside. Reserve the cooking liquid. Heat olive oil, onion, carrots, and celery in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat for 15 minutes, or until tender. Add kale, tomatoes, garlic, rosemary, sage, bay leaf, and salt and cook for 5 minutes longer.

Add 3 cups of water and bring to a boil. When boiling, add diced leek. Cook for 5 minutes longer, then add squash and cook for an additional 10 to 15 minutes. Taste for salt and adjust as necessary.

Add the cooked beans, along with 1 cup of the bean cooking liquid, and cook for 5 minutes longer. If the soup is too thick, add more bean cooking liquid. Remove the bay leaf and serve, garnished with grated Parmesan cheese.

What to eat when you're freezing your butt off in your apartment

2011-10-31T17:54:00.002-04:00

It is too damn cold for this girl! Sometimes, you just need to make something warm and comforting for this New York winter.....in October. This is a delicious, cheap, and hearty meal from my childhood (with a side dish!) that will make you feel very comforted, even when the heat is turning on and off at random.

Winter Stew

1 lb Ground Beef
1 md Onion, diced
2-3 large Carrots, peeled and sliced
4 Celery ribs
1 can beef broth + 1/4 can chicken broth
1 Package of frozen peas or 1 can sweet corn, drained
4 TB butter
4 TB flour
Salt, Pepper to taste

Brown the beef and the onions in a medium soup pot. Once the meat is browned, pour out some of the excess fat, and return the pan to the heat, adding the carrots and celery, season with salt and pepper. After 3-4 minutes, add the can of beef broth, cover and simmer on medium-low heat for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the chicken broth, recover, and simmer for another hour, or until root vegetables are soft. Add the peas, or corn.

In a separate pan, melt the butter and then whisk in the flour, until it is fully combined and the consistency of icing. Add the mixture to the stew, and continue simmering for another 10-15 minutes. Always remember to check for seasoning and adjust to suit your taste.

Garlic Mashed Potatos

1 md head of garlic
Olive oil
6 small russet potatoes, peeled
3 TB butter
1/2 Cup of Chicken broth

Preheat the oven to 350. Cut the top off of the whole head of garlic and place it in a pie plate or baking dish and drizzle it with olive oil. Bake until the cloves appear to be a light brown, and have separated somewhat from the garlic peel, basting occasionally with olive oil. When the garlic has cooled to the touch, remove the cloves from the peel.

Cut the potatoes into small chunks, and cook in a pot of salted water until they are fork tender. Drain the water and return the potatoes to the pot. Add the roasted garlic cloves, butter, and chicken broth. Mash to combine and serve immediately..

Honeycrisp breakfast

2011-10-26T12:24:00.002-04:00

So, thanks to this blog, you all basically know what I eat for dinner. And lunches are 99% of the time leftovers.

But ever wonder what I eat for breakfast? Probably not, but I wanted to share my latest morning meal anyways, because I have been loving it.

I was inspired to make this because I had half a can of pumpkin puree leftover from the pumpkin pecan bread I made on the weekend. I may start keeping the canned stuff on hand (or make my own pumpkin puree) for future morning treats.

Pumpkin Oatmea l

Adapted from Everybody Likes Sandwiches

1/2 cup rolled oats (not instant)
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup almond milk
1/4 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
Pinch of nutmeg, ground ginger
Maple syrup or agave nectar to drizzle

In a small sauce pan or pot over medium heat, bring the oats, water and almond milk to a gentle bubble. Stir occasionally. When the oats start to look creamy (4-5 minutes), add the pumpkin puree and spices and stir, continuing to cook until the oatmeal reaches your desired consistency. I sometimes like a little chewiness to the oats, but other times I prefer a fully soft and creamy texture. Taste, adjust spices, and drizzle with maple syrup or agave nectar to taste.

Soup Swap - Sophomore Year

2011-10-25T19:36:00.001-04:00

Well folks, it's happened again. Another Mount Pleasant Soup Swap has come and gone and my expectations have once again been completely surpassed. We know some seriously crafty folks and their soup-crafting skills are impressive. The photo below shows only a subset of the stunning soups, many of which came with garnishes AND beverage pairings.

In case you missed last year's run-down, here's how it worked:
- local foodies each made 3 quarts of their soup of choice and brought said soup (along with garnishes and pairings) to our house on the night of the swap
- BP and I whipped up some tasty treats (like this, this, and this) to fuel the swappers
- we kicked off the night with introductions (of people and soups), then proceeded through 3 rounds of soup selections
- swappers ate, drank, and chose their soups and everyone went home with 3 different quarts of soup
- deliciousness ensues.

I've listed the 2011 soups with the recipes I have so far below. Click through the linked recipes for the details; others are pasted below. As I can gather the other recipes, I'll update the post.

The offerings - mid-swap.

Ours: Roasted Butternut Squash Soup with Tomatoes and Thyme

GO: Spicy Chickpea and Lemon Soup (G suggests adding a hefty dose of red pepper flakes, as well as to fry the cumin and sesame seeds in olive oil for a garnishing drizzle)

CI: Asparagus-Pea Soup
TM: Roasted White Sweet Potato Soup (recipe and photo below)
LE: Kale and White Bean Soup with Turkey Sausage

JM: Coconut Red Lentil Soup

LC: Curried Sweet Potato Soup (recipe below)
AK: Moroccan Chicken and Lentil

E from AID: Roasted Butternut Squash

SS: Very Veggie Gumbo (recipe below)

ST: Chicken Tortilla Soup

Our #1 soup swap pick - with accoutrements

Roasted white sweet potato soup
Serves 6-8 (2.5-3 quarts)

4-5 medium to large white sweet potatoes
1 medium yellow or white onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, diced or minced
2 T butter
1 rosemary sprig
1 thyme sprig
2T brown sugar (or to taste)
1 tart apple such as Mutsu Crispin or golden delicious, diced
pinch cayenne
4-6 cups chicken or vegetable broth (depending on texture preference)
1 cup cream
salt and (white) pepper to taste

Clean and then roast sweet potatoes in oven at 400' for 45-60 minutes (until juices are starting to be pushed out).

Melt the butter in a dutch oven or stockpot over medium heat.

Saute the onion and garlic until softened.

Add the potatoes and 1/2t salt; stir and cook for 2 minutes.

Add the sugar, cayenne, rosemary, thyme, and the apple; stir and cook for 2 minutes. If sugar starts to burn, turn heat down and skip to next step.

Add 3C chicken broth or more if you prefer a thinner soup. Bring to a boil then immediately reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer covered for 30-45 minutes, at least until the apple and sweet potato are very soft.

Remove from the heat. Remove the thyme and rosemary sprigs. Let cool for 2 minutes.

Add cream.

Using blender or immersion blender, blend soup until smooth. Add broth or water to adjust consistency. Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper.

Let cool and work through a food mill -- totally optional.

Serve with homemade croutons or other bread.

Curried Sweet Potato Soup

Diced onion
Sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into 1/2 inch cubes (I think I had at least 3 or 4 lbs)
Masala and madras curry in a 1:2 ratio. (As in 1 tsp of garam masala to 2 tsp madras curry for 4 lbs of sweets)
Veg oil (I used canola for it's lighter taste but olive or other types would be fine)
Salt and pepper
Broth or water (I often use Better than Boullion veg broth in my veg soups)
Applesauce, naked (no sugar or spicing. I had homemade applesauce that I used. As an alternative just peel and chop 2 or 3 apples and cook with the sweet potatoes.)

Sauté onions in oil for a long time until very soft and melty. Stir in both curry powders until dissolved.

Add sweet potatoes and toss until coated and cook for a few minutes stirring occasionally. Add a pinch or two of salt, especially if using water instead of broth.

Add broth or water-enough to cover to top of sweet potatoes.

Bring to boil, then reduce to simmer and cook until potatoes are very soft.

Add a pint of unsweetened, unspiced applesauce.

Purée until smooth using an immersion blender (my favorite kitchen tool). Soup was initially very very thick. Add hot water, incorporating with blender, until desired consistency is achieved.

S and p to taste.

Very Vegetable Gumbo

from Fresh from the Vegetarian Slow Cooker by Robin Robertson

1 T extra virgin olive oil

1 large yellow onion, chopped

1 celery rib, chopped

½ large green bell pepper, seeded and chopped

1 large garlic clove, minced

3 c veg stock

2 c tomato or veg juice

One 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes, drained

2 med size zucchini, cut in half lengthwise and sliced into ¼-inch thick half moons

1t file powder (optional)

1t dried thyme

Salt and fresh ground black pepper

1 t Tabasco sauce, or to taste

½ t Liquid Smoke (optional)

2 C hot cooked long grain rice.

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over med heat. Add onion, celery, bell pepper and garlic, cover and cook until soft, about 5 minutes.

Transfer to a 4-6 qt slow cooker, add the stock, tomato juice, tomatoes, zucchini, file powder, if using, and thyme, and season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook on Low for 8 hours.

Just before serving, stir in the Tabasco and Liquid Smoke, if using. Taste to adjust seasonsings. To serve, divide the cooked rice evenly into four soup bowls and top with the gumbo. Serve hot.

Monday Night: Bulgur and Kale Casserole with Yogurt Topping

2011-10-25T19:11:00.002-04:00

It's at least been a few weeks since I sang the praises of my girl, Martha Rose Shulman, of the NYT Recipes for Health. Ok, maybe it's an overstatement to say she's my girl. I've never met her, but it would be an awesome day if I did. Her contribution to my culinary life is significant. And unlike other NYT food contributors who will not be named (cough, cough, Bittman), she has never led me astray.

Despite how hippie/crunchy/new agey this recipe sounds, this is a delicious and sophisticated casserole. I would make it again for breakfast, lunch, or dinner - for BP and I, or guests. It's also a good one to make ahead - you just fix the topping and bake when you're ready to eat.

Bulgur and Kale Casserole
from Martha Rose Shulman, NYT

For the tomato sauce:
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 small or 1/2 medium onion, chopped
2 to 4 garlic cloves (to taste)
2 pounds fresh tomatoes, quartered if you have a food mill, peeled, seeded and chopped if you don’t, or 1 (28-ounce) can chopped tomatoes, with juice, or crushed tomatoes in purée
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

For the gratin:
1 pound kale, stemmed and washed, or a 10-ounce bag of stemmed, washed kale
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 cup coarse bulgur (No. 3), cooked
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh dill
2 ounces (approximately 1/2 cup) freshly grated Parmesan
3 eggs
1 cup thick plain low-fat yogurt
Salt, pepper and paprika to taste

Make the tomato sauce. Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat and add the onion. Cook, stirring, until tender, about 5 minutes, and add the garlic. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about a minute, and add the tomatoes, salt to taste, pepper, sugar, cinnamon, paprika and allspice. Turn the heat up to medium-high and cook until the tomatoes are bubbling. Stir together, turn the heat back to medium-low, partly cover and cook, stirring often, until the tomatoes have cooked down and the sauce is thick and fragrant, 25 to 30 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning. Remove from the heat. If your sauce is chunky, put through a food mill or pulse in a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Set aside.

Meanwhile, blanch the kale in salted boiling water for 4 minutes or steam for 5 to 8 minutes, until tender. Rinse with cold water and squeeze dry. Chop fine (you can do this by pulsing in a food processor fitted with the steel blade.)

Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy skillet and add the garlic. When it begins to smell fragrant, in about 30 seconds, stir in the chopped kale. Toss together and season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper. Stir in the bulgur and dill, combine well and remove from the heat.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Oil a 3-quart baking or gratin dish. Spoon a small amount of tomato sauce on the bottom of the dish, and spoon in the bulgur and kale. Spread in an even layer. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of the Parmesan on top and cover with the remaining tomato sauce, spread in an even layer.

Beat together the eggs, yogurt and 2 tablespoons of the remaining Parmesan. Season with salt, pepper and paprika. Spoon over the tomato sauce and spread in an even layer. Sprinkle the remaining Parmesan on top. Place in the oven and bake 30 to 35 minutes, until golden. Remove from the heat and let sit for 10 minutes or longer before serving.

Serves 6 to 8

Advance preparation: All of the elements of this casserole will keep for 2 to 3 days in the refrigerator, as will the assembled casserole, without the egg-yogurt topping. Make the topping right before baking. The casserole can be baked ahead and reheated.

To cook the bulgur, bring 2 cups water with salt to taste to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the bulgur, and when the water comes back to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer 15 to 20 minutes, until all of the water has been absorbed. Remove from the heat, place a clean dish towel over the pan and cover with the lid. Let sit 10 minutes.

Thursday Night: Golden Potstickers

2011-10-20T20:19:00.000-04:00

Last night's dinner wasn't a real success. We didn't have to order a pizza or anything, but afterwards BP and I mutually agreed that it wasn't worth keeping for lunch.

So come noontime, I needed something to eat! I normally go for a salad or sandwich from a so-so lunch spot near my office, but today I had the foresight to check out the Food Truck map and happily discovered that the fusion-y Korean taco truck (aptly named Takorean) would be on Mass Ave. I waited in line and got my caramelized tofu bowl, which had some kimchee-like slaw and other Korean condiments - v. tasty. I was still happy about my choice tonight when telling BP about it, even though he berated me for not actually getting a meal that was "fusion." "If you don't get the tortillas," he said, "it's not fusion." I didn't care.

I especially didn't care because tonight's dinner allowed me to check my "fusion" box for the day. These potstickers from Heidi Swanson could easily be sold out of a truck called Chine-stan. From the outside, they look like your basic potstickers, but on the inside, it's all dal. I know the recipe looks long and may seem a little intimidating, but it's a fun weekend project or a weeknight dinner if you have someone at home prepping your ingredients.

Golden Potstickers
from Heidi Swanson, 101 Cookbooks

1/2 cup sunflower oil
8 scallions, white and green parts, thinly sliced

1 small serrano chiles, thinly sliced, or to taste
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup soy sauce 
1/4 cup water

4 tablespoons sunflower oil, plus more for pan-frying
1/2 cup chopped shallots (4 medium)
1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt, or to taste

2 cups / 11 oz / 310 g cooked yellow split peas, ideally at room temperature, then process in a food processor until uniform and fluffy

1 package round potsticker or wonton wrappers

Start by making a scallion oil. Heat the oil in a small skillet or saucepan over medium-high heat. When hot, add the onions and stir well. When they soften, after about 30 seconds, remove from the heat. Set aside. Note: You can refrigerate this for later use, but bring to room temperature before using.

Make a dipping sauce by sprinkling the chiles with sugar. Chop and smash a bit with a knife. Place in a jar or small bowl, add the soy sauce and water, and stir to combine. Taste and adjust to your liking - more sugar, water, etc.

To make the filling, in a large skillet, fry the shallots in the sunflower oil over medium heat until golden brown, 5 minutes or so. Sprinkle with salt, and stir in the yellow split pea meal. You want to stir until the shallots are evenly distributed. And you want the filling to hold together if you pinch a bit between your fingers. If it's too dry, work in water a small splash at a time. Now give it a taste - you should want to eat it straight, if not tweak with more salt until you do.

Now, fill and shape the dumplings. Very lightly dust your counter top with a bit of flour. Place 12 wrappers on the floured countertop, and add a small dollop of filling just off-center of each dumpling. Run a wet finger around the rim of each wrapper, press the edges together well, and try to avoid trapping air bubbles in the dumplings if you can. Crimp each dumpling, and gently press it down against the counter to give it a flat base, so it sits upright. This base is also what gets brown and crunchy - one of the things you're after. Repeat until you run out of wrappers or filling. Place the dumplings seam side up on a well-floured plate or baking sheet. The extra flour that sticks to the base gives extra crunch.

At this point you can freeze any dumplings you know you aren't going to cook.

To cook the dumplings, heat another scant tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Arrange dumplings in the pan, seam side up, with a sliver of space between each (so they don't stick together). Pan-fry until the bottoms are golden, a few minutes. With a large lid in one hand, carefully and quickly add 1/3 cup / 80 ml water to the pan, immediately cover, and cook the dumplings for a few minutes, or until the water is nearly evaporated. Uncover and finish cooking until all the water is gone - another minute or so. Dial back the heat if the bottoms are getting too dark. Cook in batches, and serve drizzled with the scallion oil and spicy soy sauce.

Tuesday Night: Saffron Fregola with Potatoes and Peas

2011-10-18T21:08:00.000-04:00

A few months back, our girl CDP sent us a bag of what looked like toasted Israeli couscous. Turns out, it was fregola, a cousin of Israeli couscous from Sardinia. According to Wikipedia, fregola comes in varying sizes, but typically consists of semolina dough that has been rolled into balls 2-3 mm in diameter and toasted in an oven. Here it's cooked like a risotto, with potatoes and peas, for a comforting and lovely one-pot dish.

p.s. BP says don't be afraid to add more liquid than the recipe calls for to make sure the fregola is fully cooked. He also says to feel free to add some wine to the broth/water for depth of flavor.

Saffron Fregola with Potatoes and Peas
from Serious Eats

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium shallot, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, smashed
2 medium, waxy potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch cubes (about 8 ounces)
1 cup chicken or vegetable broth
1 cup water
1 teaspoon saffron threads
1 bay leaf
2 sprigs of fresh thyme
A small pinch of red chili flakes or peperoncino
1 teaspoon kosher salt
A few grinds of black pepper
1 cup fregola
1 cup frozen peas
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
1/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano
Extra virgin olive oil for finishing

Heat the oil over medium heat in a large, heavy, deep sauté or sauce pan with a tightly fitting lid. Add the shallots and smashed garlic and sauté briefly, moving them around the pan with a wooden spoon. Season with a pinch of salt and add the potatoes to the pan, coating them with the oil; sauté the potatoes for a minute, moving them around the pan often.

Add the broth and water to the pan, followed by the saffron threads, bay leaf, thyme sprigs, chili flakes, salt and pepper. Allow the mixture to come to a simmer, then lower the heat slightly and cover the pan.

After five to seven minutes, test the potatoes with the tip of a paring knife. They should begin to turn tender, cooked about halfway. Add the fregola to the pan and stir, bringing the liquid back to a simmer. Cover the pan and continue to cook the fregola, stirring frequently as the liquid evaporates, for 10 to 12 minutes.

Uncover the pan and test the fregola for doneness, remove and discard the bay leaf and thyme, and adjust the seasoning. If necessary, you can add more water to pan as the fregola continues to cook, a few tablespoons at a time. When the fregola is almost completely tender, add the frozen peas and lemon juice to the pan and simmer for three more minutes, stirring until the peas are tender, the fregola cooked and the liquid almost completely evaporated.

Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the parsley, grated cheese, and a generous drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil. Serve immediately.

Monday Night: Hearty white bean and kale casserole

2011-10-17T20:43:00.003-04:00

With the cooler weather having fully arrived, it's getting to be time for hot ovens and long-cooked casseroles, soups, and stews that warm the body to the core. Tonight's vegetarian adaptation (admittedly a loose one) of a French cassoulet definitely fits that bill.

Hearty white bean and kale casserole
From Bistro Katie

Serves: 4
Time: about 1 hour

3 T olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped small
1 celery rib, chopped
2 T minced garlic (about 3-4 cloves)
6 T tomato paste, dissolved in 1 3/4 cup vegetable broth, water, bean cooking liquid, or a combination
2-3 thyme sprigs
1 bay leaf
1 t herbes de Provence
1 bunch kale, chopped (about 3 cups)
4 1/2 c white beans, such as navy or cannellini, cooked and drained (if using canned beans, about 3 cans)
1 t salt
Freshly ground pepper – a generous amount
1 c whole wheat bread crumbs or panko

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat in an oven-and-stovetop-safe casserole or, if you don’t have one, a heavy-bottomed pot. Add the onions, carrots and celery, and cook for about 5 minutes until the onions are soft and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for a minute more.

Add the tomato paste solution, thyme sprigs, bay leaf and herbes de Provence and bring to a simmer. (If you want, you can pre-warm the tomato paste solution in a little pot while the onion mixture is cooking so it comes to a simmer faster.)

Add the kale, stir, and let the kale cook down for a few minutes. Then add the beans, salt, and pepper. Bring the mixture to a simmer again.

Turn off the heat. If you’re not using an oven-safe dish, very carefully transfer the mixture to a casserole dish (I used a 2 1/2 quart dish). In a separate bowl, toss the bread crumbs with the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Sprinkle the bread crumbs on top of the casserole and bake, uncovered, for about 30 minutes.

Sunday Night: Broccoli, Cheddar, and Swiss Chard Pizza

2011-10-17T13:42:00.000-04:00

Last Sunday's dinner was inspired by a pizza that Honeycrisp and I recently shared from our neighborhood pizzeria, Radius. I'd say that Chef/owner Todd Wiss is under appreciated for his use of locally-sourced tasty veggies and house-made items--try the pickled vegetables and sausage--but the full restaurant we encounter on our visits suggest folks are keen on trying his seasonal creations.

The sight of swiss chard at our farmers' market prompted this attempt to emulate one of our new favorites. A little digging around on the tubes, led to a recipe for a similar pizza from In Praise of Leftovers, Broccoli, Chard, and Chévre Pizza. The key to making the recipe work is to cook the veggies before baking the pizza to keep the crust from getting soggy. Plus, a Q&A about leftover pizza follows the recipe.

Broccoli, Swiss Chard, and Cheddar Pizza

-1 bunch of swiss chard, coarsely chopped and thick veins removed (often unavailable out of season at our supermarket--or even in season, go Giant!--so feel free to use another similar dark leafy green. The Leftoverists suggest kale, which I think would taste great.
-2 cups of broccoli florets, usually enough from 3-4 heads of broccoli
-about 7 ounces of sharp white cheddar, either thinly sliced or grated
-half lemon
-2-3 cloves of garlic minced
-olive oil
-salt and pepper to taste
-pizza dough, either purchased from some place like Vace or make your own with Rose Levy Beranbaum's help.
-Tbsp of corn meal

Get your oven ready:
1. Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Place a baking sheet (you'll use another sheet for the pizza) or a pizza stone in the oven.

Cook those veggies:
1. With a tablespoon or two of olive oil in a skillet on medium-high heat, saute the broccoli florets for a few minutes, sprinkle on some salt and black pepper to taste. Don't burn them but let them get some brown spots. Remove from heat, give a squeeze of lemon and set aside.
2. On medium high heat, saute the garlic for less than a minute and then throw in the swiss chard. Cook for 10 minutes, until softened. Remove pan from heat and drain water that was released from the cooking process. I pressed a slotted spoon against the swiss chard and the side of the pan to drain the water.

Pizza prep:
1. With a bit of flour on your counter top, shape your pizza dough. You can follow either Rose or the Leftoverists' instructions on shaping pizza as linked above. You're basically pressing and stretching the dough to fit on a baking sheet in a circle or square shape. Sprinkle a little cornmeal on the baking sheet to prevent sticking and place the shaped pizza dough on the pan, shaping to fit the pan if needed.
2. Brush dough with olive oil and a little freshly ground pepper.
3. Setting aside a 1/2 cup or so of cheese, sprinkle the remaining cheddar as a base on the pizza. Then place the broccoli and swiss chard on the pizza. Sprinkle the remaining cheddar on the veggies.

Bake the pizza:
1. Place the baking sheet in the oven on top of the preheated baking sheet/pizza stone and bake the pizza for about 10-12 minutes, rotating the baking sheet halfway through to bake evenly. The crust should be golden on the edges. Don't worry if it needs a few more minutes of baking, just keep an eye on it to keep from burning.

It's the next day and I've got leftover pizza.

Q: Should I be sad that I'm stuck with either eating a cold slice or a hot but soggy slice from the microwave?

A: Heck no, don't settle for sad leftovers. Heat a skillet on medium heat, place the slice(s) in the skillet, and cover with a lid or, in a pinch, aluminum foil. Heat for a few minutes, taking care not to burn the bottom of the crust, and you'll have hot pizza with a crispy crust and no sadness.

Tuesday Night: Roasted Cauliflower Soup

2011-10-11T21:44:00.000-04:00

This recipe is very similar to this one, which I made back in March for my girl ES. If you're less inclined in the spice department, go to the March version. But, if you prefer to "kick it up a notch," as they say, or you like things with "some tang" (you know who you are Dr. Schmeckman), make this version. It's got a bit more depth and certainly more heat.

Serve with a salad or some crusty bread to mop up every last roasted cruciferous morsel.

p.s. We used our newly homemade vegetable stock. Tasty!

Roasted Cauliflower Soup
from Food52

1 head cauliflower (about 2 1/4 pounds), cut into florets (about 6 cups)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon chopped butter
3 onions, sliced 1 inch thick
½ teaspoons turmeric
½ teaspoons dried coriander
½ teaspoons hot paprika or chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
4 cups water
2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 cup yogurt (optional; adjust to suit tastes)

Preheat oven to 450°F . On a baking sheet, toss cauliflower with vegetable oil and 1 teaspoon salt. Spread out and roast until the florets turn brown, about 25 minutes. Set aside ½ cup of the crispiest florets for garnish.

Melt butter in a pot over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in curry powder, cauliflower, water, and broth; cover, and bring to a boil. Uncover, lower heat, and simmer 5 minutes.

Using an immersion blender, blend the soup until a desired consistency is reached. Stir in yogurt if using. Season with salt and pepper and serve in bowls, garnishing with the reserved cauliflower florets.

Monday Night: Vegan Eggplant Rollatini

2011-10-10T20:44:00.002-04:00

This is another recipe that falls in the category of "My ancestors (the Italian ones) are rolling over in their graves but I don't care because it tastes great and is healthy." It's also in the category of "my siblings are definitely rolling their eyes and calling me a kooky new age hippie." Again, I don't care.

This lovely approximation of eggplant rollatini is vegan by virtue of its ingenuity around the filling.

Did you know that you can make a pretty reasonable facsimile of ricotta with tofu and this really interesting substance called nutritional yeast? You can. I learned of this possibility (as well as procured the nutritional yeast) from my local vegan bakery. If you don't live near Sticky Fingers, you might be able to get yours at a health food store, or barring that, for sure online. Apparently, many people also like to sprinkle the nutritional yeast on their popcorn - it adds a kind of cheesy, umami flavor.

We served ours with a green salad for a tasty, healthy, and filling post-yoga dinner. Make this - and even if everyone else in your life judges you, I won't.

Vegan Eggplant Rollatini
from Choosing Raw
Serves 4

2 large eggplant, sliced lengthwise into 1/4 inch thick slices
1 package (16 oz or so) extra firm tofu, pressed for 10 min or more to release extra water
1/2 10 oz. package frozen spinach, drained thoroughly (I press mine through a sieve)
1/3 cup nutritional yeast
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsps dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2-1 tsp minced garlic (or garlic powder to taste)
Black pepper to taste

For tomato sauce
1 tbsp fruity olive oil
1 clove garlic
1 28 oz can of fire roasted diced or crushed tomatoes

2 tbsp organic tomato paste
1 tsp agave nectar
Handful of coarsely chopped fresh basil

Place eggplant slices onto baking sheets and sprinkle well with sea salt or kosher salt. Let sit for 30 minutes; this decreases bitterness and removes excess moisture. Pat the slices dry, and spray them or brush them lightly with coconut or olive oil.

Make the tomato sauce. Heat the olive oil in a saucepan and saute the garlic till fragrant. Add the diced tomatoes, paste, agave, and heat thoroughly. Toss in basil at the end, and remove from heat.

Heat oven to 400 degrees Farenheit. Roast eggplant till browning (about 20-30 min) flipping slices halfway through.

While eggplant cooks, transfer tofu to a bowl and crumble it with hands. Add the nutritional yeast, salt, pepper, garlic, basil, oregano, and spinach. Mix it well with hands, crumbling through fingers until it resembles a bowl of crumbly ricotta cheese.

When eggplant is finished, transfer slices to a cutting board (wait for them to cool, of course) and add about 3 tbsp of the ricotta mixture to the end of one side. Roll up from that side, and place seam down in a baking dish of choice till you’ve finished all slices.

Reduce oven to 350 degrees. Smother the eggplant rolls with tomato sauce, and bake, uncovered, for about 20-25 minutes, or until hot.

Make or buy? The IDKWDYWTE edition

2011-10-10T16:29:00.000-04:00

Because I get so much joy out of cooking, thinking about cooking, and planning to cook - even before I get to the eating stage - I usually don't spend a lot of time thinking about the buy vs. make question. If I can make it (within some reasonably parameters), I like to do so. And our grocery carts confirm it; we buy fewer and fewer processed foods each week.

But lately I've been encountering lots of conversations around the internet about this very question: what should I buy and what should I make? Even the New York Times had a little blurb in their special food-focused magazine a few weeks back. (Spoiler: they say to make your own condiments.)

If you've been following the blog, you know we started with the homemade yogurt and pickles this summer and lately, we've been making a lot of our own bread. All of the above definitely fall into the category of things I like a lot more homemade.

So this weekend I tried making two of the processed holdouts that we have been regularly buying instead of making: vegetable stock and granola bars. Neither require any particular skill (or really that much time), but the convenience factor seemed to predominate. Happily, this long weekend gave me a few extra hours to linger over these simple foods, which DEFINITELY taste better homemade (not to mention how much better they are for you).

Coconut-Flax Granola Bars
Adapted from Martha Rose Shulman

1/4 cup canola oil
7 ounces (2 cups) rolled oats
1 1/2 ounces (1 heaped cup) shredded or flaked coconut
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 cup flax seeds (optional)
1/4 teaspoon salt (optional)
1/2 cup agave nectar or mild honey
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 ounces (1 cup) lightly toasted nuts, like almonds and pecans, coarsely chopped

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the oats in a bowl and toss with the oil until thoroughly coated. Line a baking sheet or pan with parchment and spread the oats in an even layer on the parchment. Place in the oven and toast for about 20 minutes, stirring halfway through, until the grains are lightly toasted. They should have darkened slightly and should smell toasty. Remove from the oven, return to the bowl, and add the coconut, spices, flax seeds salt, and nuts. Stir together. Turn the oven down to 300 degrees.

Place the agave/honey and vanilla in a saucepan or container that can accommodate at least three times the volume of the honey, and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and pour over the oat mixture. Stir until the oat mixture is evenly coated with honey.

With cooking spray, spray a 9-by-13-by-2-inch pan and line with parchment. Also spray the parchment. Scrape the granola mixture into the pan and spread in an even layer. Place in the oven for 25 minutes, until just golden. Do not allow to become too brown, or the bars will be too hard. Remove from the heat and allow to cool completely, then cut into 2-inch squares. Some of the mixture may crumble when you do this, but crumbles are tasty little morsels! Store in a tin or container.

One-Hour Vegetable Stock
from Mark Bittman, How to Cook Everything Vegetarian.

Makes: about 1 quart. Double the quantities here if you want to make enough stock to freeze.

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 carrots, sliced
1 onion, quartered (don’t bother to peel)
1 potato, sliced
1 celery stalk, chopped
2 or 3 cloves garlic (don’t bother to peel)
5 to 10 white mushrooms, halved or sliced
10 to 20 parsley stems or stems with leaves
2 tablespoons soy sauce
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Put the oil in a deep skillet or broad saucepan or casserole over medium-high heat. When hot, add the carrots, onion, potato, celery, garlic, and mushrooms. Cook without stirring for about 5 minutes, then stir once or twice and cook until the vegetables begin to brown. (If you have more time, brown them well, stirring only infrequently.)

Add the parsley, 6 cups water, the soy sauce, and some pepper. Bring to a boil, then adjust the heat so the mixture simmers steadily but gently. Cook for about 30 minutes, or until the vegetables are very tender. (Longer is better if you have the time.)

Strain, then taste and adjust the seasoning, adding more soy sauce or a bit of salt, before using or storing.

Thursday Night: Eggs Over Smoky Potatoes

2011-10-06T20:04:00.003-04:00

This is a simple and rather ordinary dish that becomes extraordinary when you use really good ingredients. From our farmers market, we had an assortment of small, thin-skinned pink and purple potatoes and a dozen farm-fresh free range eggs, which were so special, this dish didn't need much else to make it sing.

It's basically a free-form Spanish tortilla and would work equally well for a weeknight dinner at home as a lovely weekend brunch. Serve with a salad (hopefully your greens are in better shape on Thursdays than ours were) and a glass of crisp Albarino.

Eggs Over Smoky Potatoes
from Vegetarian Suppers from Deborah Madison's Kitchen

Ingredients
2 pounds potatoes, preferably small and thin skinned, rinsed and cut into 1/2 inch dice
2 tablespoons olive oil
sea salt
1/2 to 1 teaspoon Spanish smoked paprika (pimentón), to taste
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 scallions, including a few inches of the greens, thinly sliced
4 or more eggs
minced parsley to finish

Heat the oil in a large, well-seasoned cast-iron or nonstick skillet. Add the poatoes to the pan and cook over medium heat, turning them every so often so they brown on all sides. When they’re tender, after 15 minutes or so, season them with salt, toss them with the smoked paprika, garlic, and scallions, and cook for 1 minute more.

Break the eggs over the potatoes. You can add more as long as there is room for them. Cover the pan and cook over medium-low heat until the whites are set, about 5 minutes, or longer, if you want the yolk to set as well. Sprinkle with the parsely and serve.

Wednesday Night: Tamarind Lentils

2011-10-05T19:56:00.001-04:00

We recently acquired the vegan cookbook, Veganomicon, and I've been really excited to dig into it. Monday night, we did the masala cornmeal crusted brussels sprouts (pretty good, though not outstanding), Tuesday night we did the portobello salad with spicy mustard dressing (excellent!), and tonight, we turned to the tamarind lentils.

Don't let the boring look of these lentils deceive you. The flavor is bright and complex and calls out for a sprinkle of chopped cilantro, just to say to the world, "I'm special" We served it over rice for a simple weeknight dinner, but would also be good with some naan, or as one part of a Southasian smorgasbord.

Tamarind Lentils
from Veganomicon
serves 4

3 tbsp coconut or peanut oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 inch cube fresh ginger, peeled and minced
1 large onion, diced
1 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp whole cumin seeds
generous pinch of cayenne
1 cup dried lentils
2 cups vegetable broth or water
2 tsp tamarind syrup or paste
1 tbsp pure maple syrup or agave nectar
2 tbsp tomato paste
1/2 tsp salt

In a heavy-bottomed medium-size pot with a lid, heat oil over medium heat. Add garlic and ginger and let sizzle for 30 seconds. Add onion and fry until translucent and soft, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in garam masala, cumin seeds, and cayenne, and stir for 30 seconds until spices smell fragrant.

Add lentils and liquid, increase heat to high, and bring to a boil. Stir and lower heat to medium-low. Partially cover and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes. Stir occasionally until lentils have absorbed most of the cooking liquid and are very tender. The lentils will be very thick. If you want a thinner consistency, add a few more tablespoons of water.

In small bowl, combine tamarind, maple syrup/agave, tomato paste, and salt. Use a rubber spatula to scrape all of the mixture into the lentils.

Stir to completely dissolve all the flavorings. Simmer for another 4 to 6 minutes. Adjust salt to taste.

L'Shana Tovah: What to Eat on the First Night of Rosh Hashana

2011-10-02T18:44:00.001-04:00

L'shana tovah! Happy Jewish New Year, everyone. May it be particularly sweet for you and yours.

BP and I kicked off our new Jewish calendar year in a very sweet way, with two nights of dinners with dear friends and delicious foods. As an added treat for the holiday, BP baked up two gigantic challahs, which he lovingly crafted (with a little help from Rose Levey Beranbaum and The Bread Bible). Quite the beauty, no?

The first night was at our place and we made a relatively traditional Ashkenazi-type meal, which is atypical for me. But we were hosting newlyweds MC and MF, and MC (the ever enterprising shiksa) requested some tips for Jewish cuisine. Behold the menu, with new recipes below it and links to old recipes there too.

Menu
Carrot-Ginger Soup
Balsamic Roasted Chicken
Shredded Potato Kugel with Fried Shallots
Garlicky Green Beans
Sunken Apples and Honey Tart

Carrot-Ginger Soup
Adapted from Soup Chick

Serves 4.
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, roughly chopped
1 lb carrots, ends trimmed, washed and roughly chopped
1 Tbsp grated fresh ginger root
1 large clove garlic, thinly sliced
2 tsp curry powder1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/4 cup long-grain white, brown or basmati rice
1/2 cup orange juice
1 Tbsp agave nectar, or more to taste
Kosher salt and fresh black pepper, to taste
Pepitas or chopped flat-leaf parsley, for garnish

In a small Dutch oven or heavy stock pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and carrots, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3-4 minutes, until the onions are translucent. Add the ginger and garlic, and stir for 30 seconds; then, add the vaudovan (or curry powder) and coriander, and stir for 30 seconds more.

Add the rice, orange juice, and 3 cups of water. Bring to the boil, then reduce heat to simmer and cook, uncovered, for 25 minutes or under carrots are tender when pierced with a knife and the rice is cooked. Pureé with an immersion blender (or in a stand blender, carefully) until smooth. If the soup is thicker than you like, add a bit of orange juice. Stir in the agave nectar; if your carrots are garden-fresh and very sweet, you might not need a full tablespoon. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Garnish with pepitas, or parsley, and serve hot.

Shredded Potato Kugel with Fried Shallots
From Food and Wine

1 cup vegetable oil
4 large shallots, thinly sliced
5 pounds Idaho potatoes, peeled and coarsely shredded
1 large yellow onion, coarsely grated
1/3 cup potato starch
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
5 large eggs, beaten
2 large egg yolks, beaten
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup boiling water

Preheat the oven to 450°. In a medium saucepan, heat the vegetable oil until shimmering. Add the shallots and cook over high heat, stirring occasionally, until golden and crisp, about 6 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the shallots to a plate. Reserve the shallot oil.
Working in batches, squeeze out as much of the liquid as possible from the potatoes and transfer them to a large bowl as you go. Add the grated onion, potato starch, salt, black pepper and grated nutmeg and stir well. Stir in the whole eggs, egg yolks, olive oil and boiling water, then stir in the fried shallots.

Heat two 8-by-11 1/2-inch flameproof or enameled cast-iron baking dishes over high heat until they are very hot to the touch. Add 2 tablespoons of the shallot oil to each baking dish and heat until smoking. Carefully spread the potato mixture in the sizzling baking dishes.

Transfer the potato kugels to the oven and bake them for 20 minutes. Lower the temperature to 375° and bake the kugels for 40 minutes longer, until golden and crisp on the sides.

Preheat the broiler. Broil the potato kugels as close to the heat as possible for about 2 minutes, until they are browned and crisp on top. Let the potato kugels stand for 20 minutes before cutting into squares and serving.

Make Ahead:The baked potato kugels can be refrigerated overnight and reheated in a 375° oven.

Garlicky Green Beans
from Eating Well

2 pounds green beans, trimmed
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons minced garlic
3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon, or 2 teaspoons dried
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
Lemon juice, to taste

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Place a large bowl of ice water next to the stove.
Add half the green beans to the boiling water and cook until tender-crisp, about 4 minutes. Transfer the beans with a slotted spoon to the ice water to cool. Repeat with the remaining beans. Place a kitchen towel on a baking sheet and use a slotted spoon to transfer the beans from the ice water; blot dry with another towel.

Just before serving, heat oil in a large Dutch oven or large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the green beans and stir. Add parsley, tarragon, salt and pepper and cook, stirring, until heated through, 1 to 3 minutes. Sprinkle with lemon juice to taste, and serve.

It's time for another Edition of Ask Honeycrisp

2011-09-30T08:49:00.000-04:00

Dear Honeycrisp,

Now please forgive me if this question cuts too close, but I am curious about your favorite apple varieties. Now that apple season is really under way, there are lots of varieties to try. I myself have always been a fan of your namesake, but I recently tried a Sweetango, apparently spawn of the HC. However, I found myself disappointed. What are your thoughts?

Thanks,

Figgy

Dear Figgy,

It's true, I do love the Honeycrisp apples, but they are not necessarily my go-to type. If I'm buying apples from the grocery store, I find Honeycrisp to be a reliably crisp and sweet fruit - with much less chance of mealiness or leathery peel. But when I buy apples at the farmers market (which we can blissfully do for a few more months), I rarely buy them. First off, they are more expensive than the other apples on offer, and they are not nearly as interesting as the many varietals our farmers grow. This week alone, I bought Stayman-Winesaps, Mutsu Crispins, Ruby Jons, and a Northern Spy for good measure (see below). Don't ask me to tell you exactly which one is which (though I do know the Mutsu is the green-ish one and the Staymans' peels have a darker hue).

To the question of which ones I like best, I must confess it depends. For an eating apple, I like them crunchy, not-too-tart, with a full-bodied flavor. For baking, I'll definitely take them tarter.

What about you, Fig-ster? What's good on the tables of the Michigan farmers markets?

xoxo,
Honeycrisp

Tuesday Night: Roasted Tomato Soup with Broiled Cheddar

2011-09-27T23:46:00.002-04:00

If the air was about 15 degrees colder and whole lot crisper, this soup would be the perfect weeknight meal. It's warm and comforting, especially the French-onion-gratinee-style top. But even with a slow-to-arrive Autumn, this is a good dish. It was pretty simple to make and eat, which was de rigeur, as we are preparing for the Jewish holidays this week. Stay tuned for more on that, including BP's homemade challah.

Roasted Tomato Soup with Broiled Cheddar
from Smitten Kitchen

Serves 4

Soup
3 pounds plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 large or 4 small cloves garlic, unpeeled
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme leaves or 1/4 teaspoon dried
1/4 teaspoon (or more to taste) dried crushed red pepper
4 cups vegetable stock

Lid
4 1-inch slices from a large loaf of rye bread, whole wheat sourdough or bread of your choice, toasted until hard and lightly buttered on one side
1 cup coarsely grated cheddar (or more to taste)

Make soup: Preheat oven to 400°F. Wrap garlic cloves in a tight foil packet. Place tomatoes, cut side up, on large baking sheet. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Drizzle tomatoes with olive oil. Add foil packet of garlic to tray. Roast until tomatoes are brown and tender (garlic will be very tender), about 1 hour. Cool slightly.

Unwrap garlic packet and peel cloves. Transfer cloves, tomatoes and any accumulated juices to a blender or food processor and pulse machine on and off until tomatoes are a chunky puree. Transfer tomatoes to medium pot and add thyme, crushed red pepper and stock and bring to a boil Reduce heat to a simmer and cook, uncovered, for 25 minutes. Remove from heat and adjust seasonings to taste.

Create cheddar lid: Preheat oven to 350. Arrange four ovenproof soup bowls, crocks or large mugs on a large, foil-lined baking sheet. Float toast slice(s) in each bowl, buttered side up and divide grated cheese generously over top. (If you’re using a wide bowl, you might find that you want more cheese to create a thick, broiled lid.) Bake soups on tray for 15 to 20 minutes, until cheese on top is bubbling and brown at the edges. If you’d like it even more bronzed on top, preheat your broiler and finish soups for a minute or two under it. Serve immediately.

Do ahead: Soup can be prepared one day ahead, and kept covered in the fridge. Rewarm before serving, or before finishing with cheddar crouton.

Monday Night: Pineapple, Greens, and Tofu with Roasted Chile-Coconut Dressing

2011-09-26T22:32:00.000-04:00

Perhaps it's not a very food bloggery thing to say, but frankly, this salad rocks. It's the perfect mix of savory and sweet, fresh and cooked, crunchy and creamy. We ate it tonight after yoga with a crisp white wine (and multiple glasses of water, to replace what I sweat out onto my yoga mat!) and it was perfect - delicious, beautiful, and reasonably virtuous.

Definitely feel free to make this with another protein besides tofu if you're not into soy beans - chicken or shrimp, or even a nice piece of roasted salmon would all work great.

Pineapple, Greens, and Tofu with Roasted Chile-Coconut Dressing

from the Splendid Table, Weeknight Kitchen

serves 4, active time 25 minutes, total time 25 minutes

Roasted Chile–Coconut Dressing
½ cup expeller-pressed canola oil
4 generous teaspoons coarsely ground Aleppo chile or other flavorful medium-hot to hot ground chile
4 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
1¹⁄³ cups coconut milk, or to taste
2 to 2½ tablespoons Asian fish sauce
4 tablespoons sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
Juice of ½ large lime

Salad
3 large handfuls mixed tart greens, such as the tender yellow hearts of escarole, arugula, frisée, curly endive, mizuna, watercress, purslane, lamb’s ear, and baby spinach
8 to 10 leaves of napa cabbage, cut crosswise into thin slivers
4 scallions (white and green parts), thinly sliced
1½ cups bite-sized pieces fresh pineapple, or canned in pineapple juice and drained
½ cup roasted, salted, and broken cashews or peanuts
1½ to 2 cups diced cooked tofu, chicken, or shrimp
½ lightly packed cup fresh mint, cilantro, or basil leaves, torn
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Juice of 1 to 1½ large limes

Make the dressing: In a 12-inch straight-sided sauté pan, combine the oil, chile, and garlic. Heat slowly over medium heat so the flavors will open up but nothing will burn, about 2 minutes. Stir with a wooden spatula until the garlic begins to sizzle, but do not let it brown.

Quickly add the coconut milk, raise the heat to medium-high, and boil the coconut milk for 30 seconds, or until it’s a deep red-gold. Stir in 2 tablespoons  of the fish sauce, or more to taste. Then mix in the sugar and salt and boil for  30 seconds, or until the dressing is thickened with glossy bubbles and is the  color of light caramel.

Immediately scrape the dressing into a bowl to stop the cooking. Add the juice of half a lime. Rinse and dry the pan and keep it handy for reheating the dressing.

Make the salad: Toss the greens and cabbage and divide them among 4 dinner plates. Divide the scallions, pineapple, cashews, tofu, and mint among the plates, scattering them over the greens. Season the salads with salt and pepper to taste.

Warm the dressing in the pan to a bubble, then stir in the juice of ½ lime. Drizzle the warm dressing over each serving. Squeeze generous amounts of fresh lime juice over the salads and serve.  