Monday, September 22, 2014
pumpkin spice tacos
- 1 sugar pie pumpkin
- 2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon cardamom
- 1 cup yogurt
- 1 chipotle chili in adobo (canned), plus 1 teaspoon of adobo sauce
- 1 clove garlic
- kosher salt, to taste
- 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 12 corn tortillas, warmed
- 2 avocados, sliced into wedges
- 1/2 cup roasted, shelled pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
- 1 cup fresh cilantro, stems removed and roughly chopped
- 2 limes, cut into wedges
- coarse sea salt, to taste
INSTRUCTIONS
- Microwave pumpkin on high for 7 minutes. Let stand until cool enough to handle, then use a vegetable peeler to remove tough outer skin. Halve pumpkin and remove seeds. Reserve half of pumpkin for another use, and chop the other half into 1″ cubes.
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees. On a foil lined baking sheet, toss cubed pumpkin with 1 1/2 tablespoons oil, honey, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and cardamom. Roast for about 20 minutes, until pumpkin is soft throughout and turning golden brown on the edges. Toss once halfway through cooking.
- Meanwhile, make the chipotle sauce by combining yogurt, chipotle, adobo sauce, garlic, and a pinch of salt in a blender. Blend until smooth, then transfer sauce to a bowl for serving.
- In a large skillet, heat remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat, then sauté red onion just until it begins to soften, 3 – 4 minutes. Add black beans and warm through, then add pumpkin. Mix everything together, then add a pinch of kosher salt to taste.
- In each warmed tortilla, spread about 2 teaspoons of chipotle sauce down the center. Top with 1/4 cup pumpkin mixture, one or two avocado wedges, a sprinkle of pumpkin seeds and cilantro, and a squeeze of lime. Eat!
Sunday, September 21, 2014
charred corn salad with creamy tomatillo dressing
black bean salad with mango, cilantro and lime
charred corn salad with vinegarette
lemon basil potatoes
potato and green chile stew
- 1 or 2long green chiles or poblano chiles, roasted and peeled
- 1tablespoon sunflower seed oil or other vegetable oil
- 1small onion, diced
- 1/2teaspoon teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/4teaspoon teaspoon ground cumin
- 1garlic clove, minced
- 1large russet or 5 smaller potatoes (a scant pound) peeled and chopped into 1 1/2-inch chunks
- Salt and pepper
- 1cup chicken stock or water
- Sour cream (or Greek yogurt) to finish
- Chopped cilantro to finish
- Chop the chiles coarsely. Heat the oil in a wide pot; add the onion and cook over medium-low heat, stirring frequently until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the coriander, cumin, garlic, and potatoes, followed by the chile, along with 1/2 teaspoon salt and give a stir. Cook together of a few minutes, then add the water or stock. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer.
- Cook and cover until the potatoes are completely softened, about 25 minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper. At this point you can mash the potatoes, or at least a few of them to give the dish a creamy sort of background, if desired.
- Pour into a bowl; add a dollop of sour cream and the chopped cilantro.
artichoke pasta salad
charred corn and avocado salad
- 5 ears of corn
- 1 poblano pepper, cut into small pieces
- ½ red onion, thinly sliced
- olive oil
- kosher salt + freshly ground black pepper
- 1 large or 2 small avocado, cut into small dice
- ½ cup cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered
- 2 T lime juice, plus lime wedges for serving
- ½ tsp honey
- cayenne or Aleppo pepper, to taste
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- handful of fresh basil and mint leaves, roughly torn
- Preheat your broiler to medium-high and place your oven rack about 4" to 6" from your heating element.
- Shuck your corn and remove the silks. Cut the kernels from the cob using your favorite technique and set them aside in a bowl. Add the diced poblano and sliced red onion. Toss with a teaspoon or two of olive oil to evenly coat, and season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a sheet pan (you can line with foil for easy cleanup) or large skillet and spread out in an even layer. (Use something that's nice and sturdy -- flimsy pans may warp or buckle under the heating element.)
- Broil the corn, poblano and red onion for 3 to 5 minutes, shaking the pan a few times, or until charred in spots. You're looking for some noticeable char, but be mindful to not overcook. Remove the pan, add the avocado, and broil for a minute or two longer. (If you don't like your avocado warmed, just skip this step and add it at the end.) In the process of broiling, you may hear or see a few corn kernels starting to jump around on the hot pan -- a good indication that they’re done. Remove sheet pan from oven.
- To make lime vinaigrette: whisk together lime juice, honey, and cayenne, and then slowly drizzle in the extra virgin olive oil, whisking until emulsified. Season to taste.
- Transfer contents to a serving bowl, add cherry tomatoes, mint and basil, and drizzle in the lime vinaigrette, a few teaspoons at a time. You may not need the full amount. Toss and taste for seasoning. Serve with lime wedges.
spicy peanut udon with kale
- 1/2teaspoon sesame oil
- 2teaspoons soy sauce or tamari
- 1teaspoon Sriracha
- 1/8teaspoon fish sauce, plus an extra dash at the end
- 2tablespoons peanut butter (any type)
- 3ounces udon or soba noodles
- 1/2bunch kale, deribbed and sliced into 1/2-inch pieces (1 packed cup)
- Chopped scallions, for serving
- Chili flakes, for serving
- Chopped peanuts, for serving
- Heat 1 quart of water in a saucepan to boil.
- In a sauté pan over low or medium-low heat, add sesame oil, soy sauce or tamari, Sriracha, and fish sauce. Stir ingredients or rotate pan to combine and let cook for about 30 seconds. Add peanut butter, stir to combine, then turn off heat.
- When water is boiling, blanch kale for about 15 seconds. Drain the kale and add it to the sauce in the sauté pan and stir to coat.
- Bring clean water to boil. When the water is boiling, add the noodles and cook until al dente. Fresh noodles will cook very quickly; dry noodles will cook in 3 to 4 minutes.
- Use tongs to add the noodles straight from the water to the sauté pan with the peanut sauce and the kale. The unstrained noodles will carry enough water to dilute the peanut sauce; if you decide to strain the noodles and then add them to the sauce, add 1 tablespoon water, as well. Add a dash of fish sauce to finish.
- Garnish with chopped scallions, chili flakes, and chopped peanuts.
fusili with creamed leeks and spinach
- 3/4 pound fusilli
- 1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 large leek, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 4 cups packed baby spinach (4 ounces), coarsely chopped
- 1/2 cup lightly packed basil leaves, finely chopped
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the fusilli until al dente, then drain.
- Meanwhile, in a large, deep skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the leek and cook over moderate heat until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the cream and simmer over moderate heat until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Add the spinach and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes.
- Add the cooked fusilli to the skillet and toss over moderately low heat until coated with the leek sauce, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat, add the chopped basil and toss. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon the fusilli into bowls and serve.
quick white bean stew with tomato and swiss chard
- 2 pounds Swiss chard, large stems discarded and leaves cut crosswise into 2-inch strips
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 1 cup canned tomatoes, chopped
- One 16-ounce can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- Salt
- Bring a saucepan of water to a boil. Add the chard and simmer over moderate heat until tender, 8 minutes. Drain the greens and gently press out excess water.
- In the saucepan, heat the oil. Add the garlic and crushed red pepper and cook over moderate heat until the garlic is golden, 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and bring to a boil. Add the beans and simmer over moderately high heat for 3 minutes. Add the chard and simmer over moderate heat until the flavors meld, 5 minutes. Season the stew with salt and serve.
NOTES One Serving 274 cal, 13 gm carb, 16 gm fat, 2.1 gm sat fat, 9 gm protein, 11 gm fiber.
smoky shrimp and grits
- 3/4 cup quick-cooking grits
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 ounces sharp white cheddar cheese, shredded (3/4 cup)
- 1 1/2 cups baby spinach, coarsely chopped
- 1/4 cup snipped chives
- 1/4 cup canola oil
- 2 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1 pound shelled and deveined medium shrimp
- 1/2 teaspoon hot paprika
- 1/4 cup dry white wine
- In a medium saucepan, bring 3 cups of water to a boil. Gradually add the grits and a generous pinch of salt. Cover and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the grits are thick and porridge-like, about 7 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper and stir in the cheddar cheese, baby spinach and chives; stir until the cheese is melted and the spinach is wilted. Cover the grits and keep warm.
- In a large skillet, heat the canola oil with the garlic over high heat until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the shrimp and paprika, season with salt and black pepper and cook until the shrimp are opaque, about 2 minutes. Add the white wine and cook until the shrimp are white throughout and the garlic-paprika sauce is slightly reduced.
- Spoon the grits into bowls, top with the shrimp and sauce; serve.
bucatini with cauliflower and brussels sprouts
- 12 ounces bucatini or perciatelli
- 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 pound cauliflower florets, cut in 1-inch pieces
- 1/2 pound brussels sprouts, halved or quartered if large
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 4 plump oil-packed anchovies, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 1 teaspoon chopped rosemary
- 1 teaspoon chopped thyme
- 1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for serving
- In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta until al dente. Drain the pasta, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking water.
- Meanwhile, in a large, deep skillet, heat 1/4 cup of the oil. Add the cauliflower and brussels sprouts and season with salt and black pepper; cover and cook over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until lightly charred and crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Add 1/4 cup of oil to the skillet along with the onion, garlic, anchovies, crushed red pepper, rosemary and thyme; cook, stirring, until the onion is slightly softened, about 3 minutes. Cover and cook over low heat until the cauliflower and sprouts are tender, about 3 minutes. Keep warm.
- In a small skillet, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the bread crumbs and cook over moderately high heat, stirring, until golden and crisp, about 4 minutes. Season with salt and transfer to a bowl.
- Add the pasta and reserved cooking water to the vegetables and cook over moderate heat, tossing, until the water is nearly absorbed. Remove from the heat and stir in the 1/2 cup of grated cheese. Serve the pasta in wide bowls, passing the bread crumbs and additional cheese at the table.
corn and summer squash quesadillas
Makes 4
- 2ears of corn
- 8mini tortillas
- 1heaping cup shredded pepper jack cheese
- 1small summer squash or zucchini, sliced into 1/4 inch-thick rounds
- 4ounces goat cheese
- Freshly ground pepper
- Tomatillo salsa (homemade or store-bought), for serving
- To grill corn: Use a grill if you are a lucky bastard with a grill, also if so I’m coming over. For the rest of us, turn the burners on a gas stove up to medium and place the corn directly on the grate or coils. The ears will pop as they cook. Don’t be scared of this. I set the fire alarm off all the time, but this particular action has never done that. Using tongs, rotate the corn periodically until it is evenly brown and awesome, and then remove from heat. When cool enough to handle, slice kernels off the cob.
- Place a tortilla in a pan over medium heat. Cover with pepper jack and corn, and then sliced zucchini arranged in a flat-ish layer. Add an additional small sprinkling of pepper jack and a few cracks of pepper. Spread about an ounce of goat cheese on a second tortilla, and then flip it to top the first one. Press them together to melt, and flip after a few minutes of cooking. Cook for an additional two minutes on the reverse side, then remove from heat, slice, and serve with salsa. Repeat with the remaining tortillas.
