Sunday, August 20, 2017

The Ultimate Gazpacho


Ingredients:

  • 2 ½ pounds ripe red tomatoes (about 4 large or 9 small)
  • 1 small Vidalia onion (½ pound), peeled and cut into rough 1″ chunks
  • 1 small cucumber (½ pound), peeled and seeded
  • 1 medium red bell pepper, cored and seeded
  • ¼ cup fresh basil leaves, plus extra for garnish
  • 1 large garlic clove, peeled
  • ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
  • ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions:

  • To prepare your veggies, place your blender bowl, a medium serving bowl, and a small bowl on the counter. Core the tomatoes and cut them into rough 1″ chunks. Reserve about ¼ cup of the juicy tomato seeds and place them in your small bowl (we’ll use them as a garnish later). Add half of the tomato chunks to the blender, and the other half to your serving bowl. Add all of the onion chunks to the blender.
  • Cut off about one-fourth of the cucumber. Finely chop that piece and place it in the small bowl. Slice the rest of the cucumber into rough 1″ chunks, and divide them between the blender and the serving bowl. Cut off about one-fourth of the bell pepper, finely chop that piece, and add it to the small bowl. Slice the rest of the bell pepper into rough 1″ chunks and divide them between the blender and the serving bowl.
  • To the blender, add the basil, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, salt and about 10 twists of black pepper. Securely fasten the lid and blend, starting on low and increasing to high speed, until the mixture is completely smooth, about 2 minutes.
  • Pour the contents of the serving bowl (the remaining chunks of tomato, cucumber and bell pepper) into the blender. Fasten the lid and blend for just 10 to 20 seconds, until the ingredients are broken up into small pieces. Stop there, or blend a little longer if you prefer smaller pieces.
  • Add a small pinch of salt to the small bowl of garnishes, stir, and store it in the fridge. Chill the soup for at least 2 hours, or up to 24 hours.
  • Before serving, taste, and add additional salt (I sometimes add another ¼ teaspoon) and/or black pepper if necessary. To serve, divide the soup into small bowls or cups, and top with the reserved cucumber and bell pepper. Top with a few tiny or torn basil leaves and a light sprinkle of pepper. Leftover servings keep well, covered and refrigerated, for 3 to 4 days.
  • NOTES
  • MAKE IT QUICK (SHORTCUT/SMOOTH SOUP METHOD): You can just cut the tomato, onion, cucumber and bell pepper into 1″ chunks, place them in the blender with the remaining ingredients, and blend until smooth. Chill for at least 2 hours, add more salt or pepper if necessary, and garnish your soup with black pepper and a few tiny or torn basil leaves.

Kimchi


Ingredients:

  • 1 medium head (2 pounds) napa cabbage
  • 1/4 cup sea salt or kosher salt (see Recipe Notes)
  • Water (see Recipe Notes)
  • 1 tablespoon grated garlic (5 to 6 cloves)
  • 1 teaspoon grated ginger 
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons seafood flavor or water (optional, see Recipe Notes)
  • 1 to 5 tablespoons Korean red pepper flakes (gochugaru)
  • 8 ounces Korean radish or daikon, peeled and cut into matchsticks
  • 4 scallions, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces

Instructions:

  • Slice the cabbage: Cut the cabbage lengthwise into quarters and remove the cores. Cut each quarter crosswise into 2-inch-wide strips.
  • Salt the cabbage: Place the cabbage and salt in a large bowl. Using your hands (gloves optional), massage the salt into the cabbage until it starts to soften a bit, then add water to cover the cabbage. Put a plate on top and weigh it down with something heavy, like a jar or can of beans. Let stand for 1 to 2 hours.
  • Rinse and drain the cabbage: Rinse the cabbage under cold water 3 times and drain in a colander for 15 to 20 minutes. Rinse and dry the bowl you used for salting, and set it aside to use in step 5.
  • Make the paste: Meanwhile, combine the garlic, ginger, sugar, and seafood flavor (or 3 tablespoons water) in a small bowl and mix to form a smooth paste. Mix in the gochugaru, using 1 tablespoon for mild and up to 5 tablespoons for spicy (I like about 3 1/2 tablespoons).
  • Combine the vegetables and paste: Gently squeeze any remaining water from the cabbage and return it to the bowl along with the radish, scallions, and seasoning paste.
  • Mix thoroughly: Using your hands, gently work the paste into the vegetables until they are thoroughly coated. The gloves are optional here but highly recommended to protect your hands from stings, stains, and smells!
  • Pack the kimchi into the jar: Pack the kimchi into the jar, pressing down on it until the brine rises to cover the vegetables. Leave at least 1 inch of headspace. Seal the jar with the lid.
  • Let it ferment: Let the jar stand at room temperature for 1 to 5 days. You may see bubbles inside the jar and brine may seep out of the lid; place a bowl or plate under the jar to help catch any overflow.
  • Check it daily and refrigerate when ready: Check the kimchi once a day, pressing down on the vegetables with a clean finger or spoon to keep them submerged under the brine. (This also releases gases produced during fermentation.) Taste a little at this point, too! When the kimchi tastes ripe enough for your liking, transfer the jar to the refrigerator. You may eat it right away, but it's best after another week or two.

Recipe Notes

  • Salt: Use salt that is free of iodine and anti-caking agents, which can inhibit fermentation.
  • Water: Chlorinated water can inhibit fermentation, so use spring, distilled, or filtered water if you can.
  • Seafood flavor and vegetarian alternatives: Seafood gives kimchi an umami flavor. Different regions and families may use fish sauce, salted shrimp paste, oysters, and other seafood. Use about 2 tablespoons of fish sauce, salted shrimp paste, or a combination of the two. For vegetarian kimchi, I like using 3/4 teaspoon kelp powder mixed with 3 tablespoons water, or simply 3 tablespoons of water.

Spicy Coconut-Salmon Curry


Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin coconut oil or vegetable oil
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 piece fresh ginger (1 inch), peeled and thinly sliced
  • Coarse salt
  • 2 tablespoons Thai green curry paste
  • 1 can (14 ounces) unsweetened coconut milk
  • 1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 2 heads baby bok choy, trimmed and cut crosswise into 1-inch slices
  • 2 frozen wild-salmon fillets (each 6 ounces and 1 inch thick), thawed, skins removed

Instructions:

  • Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium. Add onion, garlic, ginger, and a pinch of salt; cook, stirring, until softened, about 6 minutes. Add curry paste; cook 1 minute. Add coconut milk and 1 1/2 cups water; bring to a simmer. Add bell pepper and cover; cook 10 minutes. Add bok choy, cover, and simmer until vegetables are crisp-tender, 2 minutes more.
  • Season salmon with salt; add to curry. Remove pan from heat and cover. Let stand until salmon is just cooked through, about 3 minutes. Gently break up salmon into large pieces. Serve, with lime wedges.

Sautéed Dandelion Greens with Eggs


Ingredients:

  • 4 cups chopped dandelion greens, thick stems removed (about 1-2 large bunches)
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, clarified butter, or ghee
  • 1 large leek, white and light green parts only, finely chopped
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

Instructions:

  • Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the chopped dandelion greens and blanch for 1 to 2 minutes. Drain the greens thoroughly, using a wooden spoon to drain and press out as much liquid as possible.
  • Melt the butter or ghee in a 10-inch sauté pan set over medium heat. Sauté the leeks until tender, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the drained dandelion greens one handful at a time. Cook each handful until wilted, then add more.
  • When the greens are wilted, crack the eggs into the pan on top of the greens. Top with feta cheese and cook uncovered until the whites of the eggs are set, about 5 minutes.

Roasted Beets


Ingredients:

  • 12 beets
  • 3 tablespoons good olive oil
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, minced
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons raspberry vinegar
  • Juice of 1 large orange

Instructions:

  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
  • Remove the tops and the roots of the beets and peel each one with a vegetable peeler. Cut the beets in 1 1/2-inch chunks. (Small beets can be halved, medium ones cut in quarters, and large beets cut in eighths.)
  • Place the cut beets on a baking sheet and toss with the olive oil, thyme leaves, salt, and pepper. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, turning once or twice with a spatula, until the beets are tender. Remove from the oven and immediately toss with the vinegar and orange juice. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve warm.

Ground Cherry Chutney

Ingredients

  • • 1 cup sugar
  • • 2 tablespoons water
  • • 1/2 cup minced onion
  • • 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • • ¼ cup Champagne vinegar
  • • 3 cups ground cherries
  • • 1 sprig of rosemary, chopped

Instructions:

  • Mix sugar and water together in a sauce pan and cook, stirring consistently so it does not burn. Add onion and stir until softened. Add the Dijon mustard, vinegar and ground cherries. Cook until it starts to thicken and the ground cherry skins start to crack. Remove pan from stove, add rosemary and transfer to a proper container to be stored in the refrigerator. Be sure to properly label with date prepared.

Monday, August 7, 2017

Carrot Pizza with Fontina and Red Onion

Ingredients:

  • For the carrot purée:
    • 2 tablespoons olive oil
    • 1/2 medium onion, chopped
    • 1/2 pound carrots (about 3-4 medium carrots), peeled and thinly sliced
    • 1/2 cup white wine
    • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
    • 1/4 cup mascarpone
    • 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • For the pizza:
    • 1/2 pound prepared pizza dough, room temperature
    • All-purpose flour (for surface)
    • Olive oil (for brushing)
    • 8 ounces Fontina cheese, grated (about 2 cups)
    • 1/2 medium red onion, root intact and thinly sliced lengthwise into wedges
    • 1 cup (loosely packed) carrot fronds or baby arugula

Instructions:

  • For the carrot purée:
    1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high until shimmering. Add onions and cook, stirring often, until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add carrots and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, about 5 minutes, then add wine and cook, stirring often, until reduced by half, about 2 minutes.
    2. Reduce heat to medium-low, add salt and 1 cup water, and stir to combine. Cover and simmer until carrots are tender and most of the liquid has evaporated, about 15 minutes.
    3. Transfer mixture to a blender. Add mascarpone, cayenne, and 1/4 cup water. Remove stopper from lid or leave lid slightly ajar, cover with a towel (hot liquids can splatter), and purée until smooth.
  • For the pizza:
    1. Place 2 overturned rimmed baking sheets in the upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat to 450°F.
    2. Divide dough in half on a lightly floured surface and form into 2 balls. Roll out balls into ovals about 6x10 inches in size (make sure they fit on baking sheets). Remove preheated sheets from oven and brush bottoms with oil. Carefully place dough on sheets and brush with more oil. Return to oven and bake until dough is beginning to brown, about 5 minutes.
    3. Spread reserved carrot purée evenly on pizzas, then sprinkle with cheese and onion. Return to oven and bake pizzas, rotating the sheets and swapping their positions on the oven racks halfway through, until cheese is melted and bubbling, 10–12 minutes. Transfer pizzas to cutting boards, top with carrot fronds, and slice.
  • Do ahead:
    Carrot purée can be made up to 2 days in advance and stored in the refrigerator until you're ready to assemble the pizza.

Coconut Curry Tomato Sauce

Ingredients:

  • 2 tablespoons peanut or canola oil
  • 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1 jalapeño, seeded and minced
  • 1/2 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons mild curry powder
  • One 28-ounce can peeled tomatoes, chopped and juices reserved (Or, try roasting your CSA tomatoes and then peeling them out of their skins)
  • One 14-ounce can unsweetened coconut milk
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

Instructions:

  • In a large saucepan, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the onion, garlic, jalapeño and ginger; cook over moderately high heat, stirring, until softened, 5 minutes. Add the curry powder and cook until fragrant, 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and their juices, the coconut milk and sugar; bring to a boil. Season with salt and pepper and simmer over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, 20 minutes. Stir in the cilantro and transfer to a bowl.

    Make Ahead

    The sauce can be refrigerated for up to 5 days.
    Applications
    Use as a poaching liquid for chicken, shrimp, lamb, pork and vegetables. Add to a sauté at the last minute. Toss with boiled potatoes or serve over rice. Mix with chicken stock and vegetables or seafood for a quick soup.

Caponata

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ pounds eggplant (1 large), roasted
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 2 stalks celery, from the inner, tender stalks (the heart), diced
  • 3 large garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 red bell peppers, diced
  •  Salt to taste
  • 1 pound ripe tomatoes, preferably romas, peeled, seeded and finely chopped, or 1 14-ounce can crushed tomatoes (in puree)
  • 3 heaped tablespoons capers, rinsed and drained
  • 3 tablespoons coarsely chopped pitted green olives
  • 2 tablespoons plus a pinch of sugar
  • 3 tablespoons red or white wine vinegar or sherry vinegar (more to taste)
  •  freshly ground pepper to taste

Instructions:

  • Roast the eggplant, allow to cool and chop coarsely.
  • Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium heat in a large, heavy nonstick skillet and add the onion and celery. Cook, stirring, until the onion softens, about 5 minutes, and add the garlic. Cook together for a minute, until the garlic begins to smell fragrant, and add the peppers and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Cook, stirring, until just about tender, about 8 minutes. Add another tablespoon of oil and the eggplant, and stir together for another 5 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. The eggplant will fall apart, which is fine. Season to taste.
  • Add the tomatoes to the pan with about 1/2 teaspoon salt and a pinch of sugar. Cook, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan often, for 5 to 10 minutes, until the tomatoes have cooked down somewhat and they smell fragrant. Add the capers, olives, remaining sugar, and vinegar. Turn the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring often, for 20 to 30 minutes, until the vegetables are thoroughly tender and the mixture is quite thick, sweet, and fragrant. Season to taste with salt and pepper and remove from the heat. Allow to cool to room temperature. If possible, cover and chill overnight. Serve at room temperature.

“Tandoori” Carrots with Vadouvan Spice and Yogurt


Ingredients:

  • 2 tablespoons vadouvan-- What’s vadouvan, you ask? It’s an exotic spice blend, a French-Indian formula that includes onion, shallots, and garlic added to a currylike mix.
  • 2 garlic cloves finely grated, divided
  • ½ cup plain whole-milk Greek yogurt, divided
  • 5 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 pound small carrots, tops trimmed, scrubbed
  • ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • Very coarsely chopped cilantro leaves with tender stems and lemon wedges (for serving)

Instructions:

  • Preheat oven to 425°. Mix vadouvan, half of garlic, ¼ cup yogurt, and 3 Tbsp. oil in a large bowl until smooth; season with salt and pepper. Add carrots and toss to coat. Roast on a rimmed baking sheet in a single layer, turning occasionally, until tender and lightly charred in spots, 25–30 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, heat turmeric and remain­ing 2 Tbsp. oil in a small skillet over medium-low, swirling skillet, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
  • Whisk lemon juice, remaining garlic, and remaining ¼ cup yogurt in a small bowl; season with salt and pepper.
  • Place carrots (along with crunchy bits on baking sheet) on a platter. Drizzle with yogurt mixture and turmeric oil and top with cilantro. Serve with lemon wedges.

Grilled Zucchini and Leeks with Walnuts and Herbs


Ingredients:

  • ⅓ cup walnuts
  • 1 garlic clove, finely grated
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 5 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 large leeks, white and pale-green parts only, halved lengthwise with some root attached
  • 2 large zucchini (about 1 lb.), halved lengthwise
  • ½ cup (lightly packed) fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves with tender stems

Instructions:

  • Prepare grill for medium-high heat. Toast walnuts in a dry small skillet over medium heat, tossing often, until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Chop very coarsely. Toss warm walnuts with garlic, lemon juice, and 3 Tbsp. oil in a large bowl; season with salt and pepper.
  • Brush leeks and zucchini with remaining 2 Tbsp. oil; season with salt and pepper. Grill vegetables, turning often, until tender and charred in spots, 5–8 minutes for leeks, 8–10 minutes for zucchini.
  • Transfer vegetables to a cutting board. Trim roots from leeks and cut leeks and zucchini into bite-size pieces. Add vegetables and parsley to bowl with walnuts and toss to combine; season vegetables with salt, pepper, and more lemon juice, if desired.

Creamy Roasted Tomato and Eggplant Sauce

Ingredients

  • 2 cups eggplant cubed
  • 1 onion, roughly chopped
  • 3 cups tomatoes, roughly chopped - I used heirlooms but cherry or any other version will work as well
  • 3 large or 4 medium cloves of garlic
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ½ tsp pepper
  • 2 tsp Italian seasoning - I used a pre-made blend but it's basically a mixture of basil, oregano, basil, thyme, parsley, etc.
  • 2 cups non dairy milk (soy, almond, etc.)
  • 16 oz pasta ( you can also put this over polenta, veggies or another grain if pasta ain't your thing...)
  • 1 cup basil, diced

Instructions:

  • Preheat oven to 375. In order to not have to reheat the sauce, it's best to have the milk heated or at room temp so you can take out of the fridge.
  • Place eggplant, tomato onion and garlic on a roasting pan. Add olive oil and spices. Mix until well coated.
  • Roast in oven for 40 minutes or until eggplant begins to brown and tomatoes soften.
  • Meanwhile, cook pasta according to directions.
  • If milk is chilled, slightly heat in a pan until warm. Skip this step if milk is at room temperature.
  • Add all the veggies from your roasting pan and milk into a high speed blender. Mix until combined. Taste and add any additional spices. I added a dash more of the salt, pepper and Italian seasoning. You can also add red pepper flakes to spice it up! If sauce is not warm enough, you can heat further in a pan.
  • Once pasta is cooked and drain, top with sauce and a sprinkle of basil and enjoy.