Latest Recipes from CHOW.com

Pesto and Pea Lasagne

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 15:30:00 GMT

This vegetarian lasagne requires making a couple of components, but it comes together quickly because those components don’t need to be cooked. Just blend basil, Parmesan, pine nuts, and garlic in a food processor for the pesto. Use the same food processor—you don’t even need to wash it—to make the pea, ricotta, and Parmesan cheese filling, and layer that along with the pesto between no-boil noodles. Top it with mozzarella cheese and bake it for a new twist on vegetarian lasagne that’s as satisfying as a meat-and-tomato-sauce version.

What to buy: Be sure to buy whole-milk ricotta, or you can make your own.

This recipe was featured as part of our lasagne recipe slideshow.

Basic Lasagne

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 15:30:00 GMT

Making a proper lasagne is all about a harmonious ratio of filling, cheese, sauce, and noodles. For this basic version we’ve skipped the béchamel sauce found in traditional lasagnes to make the dish fast and easy to assemble. Combine frozen spinach, Parmesan cheese, ricotta cheese, and an egg for the filling and layer it with sauce, noodles, and mozzarella cheese. Bake until browned and bubbly, and serve with a simple salad or vegetable side for a cozy vegetarian meal.

To see this recipe with illustrated steps, check out The Basics: How to Make Lasagne.

This recipe was featured as part of our lasagne recipe slideshow.

Turkey Sausage Lasagne

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 15:30:00 GMT

Turkey Italian sausage is a slightly lighter alternative to pork that still adds plenty of flavor. Here it’s fried with onions, garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes, then simmered with tomatoes for about half an hour to make a sauce. When it’s ready, just layer the sauce with no-boil lasagna noodles, ricotta whipped with a little parsley and Parmesan, and some shredded mozzarella, then bake it all until it’s browned and bubbly. If you can’t find turkey sausage or just enjoy pork, feel free to sub in sweet Italian sausage.

What to buy: Be sure to buy whole-milk ricotta cheese, or you can make your own.

Game plan: You can prepare this recipe a day ahead up through step 2 of assembling the lasagne. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and refrigerate for up to 1 day; allow to come to room temperature before baking.

This recipe was featured as part of our lasagne recipe slideshow.

Noodleless Zucchini Lasagne

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 15:30:00 GMT

This noodleless vegetarian lasagne replaces the pasta with thin ribbons of zucchini, roasted for about 15 minutes first to keep them from watering down the dish. Make a quick tomato sauce flavored with capers, then mix cottage cheese with Parmesan for a creamy filling. Once your sauce and filling are ready, just sauté mushrooms and artichoke hearts, then toss them with flour to help thicken the lasagne sauce as it bakes. To assemble, simply scatter the vegetables along with some mozzarella between the layers of zucchini, filling, and sauce for a hearty, vegetable-packed meal without a load of carbs.

What to buy: We prefer zucchini squash over yellow or crookneck squash because it’s hearty enough to stand up to roasting without falling apart or sticking to the baking sheet.

Game plan: For a gluten-free lasagne, substitute 1 1/2 teaspoons of ground arrowroot or cornstarch for the flour.

This recipe was featured as part of our lasagne recipe slideshow.

Chicken and Smoked Andouille Jambalaya

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 21:55:00 GMT

With loads of spices and the Southern “holy trinity” of onions, celery, and green bell peppers as its base, this classic Cajun dish is comforting and satisfying. Sautéing sausage and tasso ham together with onions, peppers, and spices starts building the flavor. Then add chicken, tomatoes, chicken stock, and rice and bake in the oven slowly so the bold, smoky flavors meld and the rice forms a crispy layer on the bottom of the pot. This version of jambalaya from San Francisco’s Town Hall restaurant takes a bit of prep, but it’s worth it when you need a filling dish for a crowd.

What to buy: Andouille is a smoked pork sausage that can be found in many gourmet markets or online.

Tasso is cured pork, usually shoulder, that’s rubbed with a mixture of filé (dried, ground sassafras leaves) and other spices, then smoked. It’s a Cajun specialty that adds another layer of flavor to this dish, but if you have a hard time finding it, you can substitute a different variety of smoked ham.

Game plan: The spice mix can be prepared up to 1 week ahead and stored in an airtight container at room temperature. The meats and vegetables can be cut up, placed in separate airtight containers, and stored in the refrigerator up to 1 day ahead.

This recipe was featured as part of our Mardi Gras recipe slideshow.

Mark McClusky's DIY American Cheese

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 20:01:00 GMT

Mark McClusky, Wired magazine’s special projects editor, adapted this Velveeta-like cheese recipe from the Modernist Cuisine. He melts Comté, cheddar, and Gouda cheeses, adds sodium citrate and iota carrageenan to emulsify and gel the cheeses, then pours the mixture into a loaf pan to cool. Once it sets, the cheese can be shredded to use in macaroni and cheese, or sliced to top burgers for a supremely melty and gooey cheese. Watch McClusky make the cheese and use it in a grilled cheese sandwich in his My Go-To Dish video for CHOW.com.

Special equipment: Because the amounts of the chemicals used in this recipe are so small, we recommend a digital ingredient scale that weighs down to the hundredths of a gram to measure out the sodium citrate, iota carrageenan, and salt.

You will need a 9-by-5-inch silicone loaf pan for this recipe. A metal loaf pan can also be used, but you’ll need to line the inside with parchment paper first in order to easily remove the cheese.

What to buy: Sodium citrate (a.k.a. sour salt) is a preservative and emulsifying salt that helps keep the fat and water from separating in the cheese. Iota carrageenan is made from farmed and processed red seaweed. It gels and thickens very well in the presence of calcium and also helps the cheese hold up to freezing and thawing.

French Dip Sandwich

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 22:16:00 GMT

The French dip, supposedly created in Los Angeles in the early 1900s, is a classic sandwich composed of nothing more than a French roll stuffed with roast beef that’s been dipped in roast beef juices or jus, with more jus served on the side for extra dipping. A good jus is the foundation of a tasty French dip sandwich, and the CHOW test kitchen has developed an easy, flavorful one by simmering browned beef bones with red wine and beef broth. You’ll have to spend about 30 minutes on it, browning the bones, deglazing your pan with the wine, and simmering it all with the broth until the flavor is deeply beefy. To put together your sandwich, broil buttered French rolls, dip sliced roast beef into the homemade jus, and serve with plenty of extra jus. Deli counter roast beef works just fine here, but for the ultimate French dip sandwich, thinly slice some Slow-Roasted Prime Rib and add some horseradish mayo.

What to buy: For the meaty beef bones needed to make the jus, ask your butcher for the bones used to make beef stock, as these probably won’t be displayed in the case. You’ll need to ask for marrow or knuckle bones cut into 2- to 3-inch pieces.

Grilled Shishito Peppers

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 19:08:00 GMT

Shishito peppers are the Japanese cousin to Spain’s famed Padrón peppers. Delicately sweet and usually mild, they are an easy snack to throw on the grill. Simply toss with olive oil, cook on a hot grill, and sprinkle with togarashi (a Japanese spice mix) and coarse salt.

What to buy: Togarashi powder, a Japanese mixture of spices that always contains chiles, can be found in ethnic markets. (It may also be labeled shichimi togarashi.) Or you can make your own.

Sprinkling coarse sea salt over the grilled peppers gives them a nice crunch and burst of flavor. Try some fleur de sel or Maldon salt. Both can be found at gourmet grocery stores.

Coconut Ice Cream

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 19:54:00 GMT

Stirring shredded coconut into the base of this ice cream gives the finished product a pleasant, chewy texture. To make the ice cream, you’ll heat coconut milk, cream, sugar, and powdered milk together, temper whole eggs with the hot mixture (i.e., whisk the hot mixture into the eggs slowly so they come up to temperature without any cooked bits), then cook the ice cream base for a few minutes. Strain the base, stir in the coconut flakes, chill, then freeze according to your ice cream maker’s instructions. Top your coconut ice cream with diced mango for an easy tropical dinner party dessert.

Game plan: Be sure to get the bowl of your ice cream maker in the freezer and fully frozen before starting this recipe.

The unfrozen ice cream base can be made up to 2 days in advance.

Grasshopper Ice Cream

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 00:27:00 GMT

Mint, chocolate, and brownies are swirled together in this classic ice cream flavor. It’ll still taste minty without the food coloring, but we like the nostalgic green touch. To make the ice cream, heat up cream and milk and stir in sugar until it dissolves, then temper egg yolks with the mixture (that means slowly adding the heated milk to the yolks and whisking fast so they come up to temperature without forming nasty cooked chunks), and then cook the custard for a few minutes. Add mint extract and green food coloring, chill the ice cream base, freeze according to your ice cream maker’s instructions, and fold in the brownie chunks and chocolate. For extra chocolaty goodness, pour some homemade Chocolate Shell Ice Cream Topping on it.

Game plan: To make this ice cream completely gluten-free, use these wheat-free brownies.

Be sure to get the bowl of your ice cream maker in the freezer and fully frozen before starting this recipe.

The unfrozen ice cream base can be made up to 2 days in advance.

Propeller

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 00:01:00 GMT

Vodka gets a bad rap for being flavorless and boring. But it can be extremely versatile, like in this cocktail, developed by bartender Shaher Misif at San Francisco’s Cantina. This combination of Chartreuse, maraschino liqueur, vodka, and a touch of crème de violette is sort of like a mash-up of two classic cocktails, the Aviation and the Last Word, with vodka taking the place of the gin.

What to buy: Maraschino liqueur is a relatively dry liqueur with a subtle bitter-almond flavor; it can be found at any well-stocked liquor store.

Crème de violette is a floral and sweet liqueur flavored with violet flowers. It should be used sparingly in cocktails, as it can easily overwhelm other spirits.

Fettuccine Alfredo

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 20:55:00 GMT

This easy, classic pasta dish is fast, comforting, and versatile—top it with a variety of things like Porcini-Parmesan Salt, blanched peas, seared and sliced chicken breast, or sautéed mushrooms. To make it, simply heat butter, cream, and Parmesan cheese, then toss cooked fettuccine noodles and a little pasta cooking water in the pan over low heat to create a rich, creamy sauce.

Chole (Chana) Masala

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 22:07:00 GMT

Chole (or chana) masala is a popular vegetarian dish throughout Northern India. In this easy recipe, chickpeas and tomatoes are simmered with a mixture of fried garlic, ginger, onion, and serrano chiles plus traditional Indian spices like cumin, garam masala, coriander, and turmeric. Top this spicy, fragrant dish with cooling yogurt and a drizzle of sweet-tart pomegranate molasses, then spoon it over steamed rice or scoop it up with naan.

What to buy: Pomegranate molasses is a sour, syrupy liquid that adds both sweet and tart flavors to this recipe. It can be found in Middle Eastern markets and in the Asian section of grocery stores.

Garam masala can be found in the spice aisle of most grocery stores or you can make your own.

Thai red curry paste can be found in the Asian aisle of some well-stocked grocery stores or online.

Game plan: We liked our chole masala on the spicy side, but if you want to dial the heat back a bit, omit one of the serrano chiles.

This recipe was featured as part of our Easy Weeknight Vegetarian Main Dishes.

Thai Red Curry with Kabocha Squash

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 22:07:00 GMT

Using prepared red curry paste is an easy and fast way to add traditional Thai flavors to this vegetarian one-pot meal. Start by sautéing onion, bell pepper, garlic, and ginger with red curry paste, then add coconut milk to create the base for the stew. Chunks of kabocha squash simmer in the base for about 20 to 25 minutes, enough time for the curry to thicken, creating a creamy and slightly sweet dish. Spoon it over steamed white rice or brown rice and pack up any leftovers for a hearty lunch.

What to buy: Kabocha is a squat winter squash with tender, sweet, orange flesh and a thin, dark green skin. Acorn or butternut squash is a good substitute if you can’t find kabocha, but cooking times may then vary, so be sure to keep an eye on the squash while simmering.

Game plan: Check out this CHOW video on safe ways to cut hard squash.

This recipe was featured as part of our Easy Weeknight Vegetarian Main Dishes.

Japchae (Korean Stir-Fried Sweet Potato Noodles)

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 22:07:00 GMT

This classic Korean noodle dish combines translucent sweet potato noodles with lots of stir-fried vegetables and a sweet-savory sauce. To make it, sauté mushrooms, carrots, onion, garlic, and spinach, then throw in the cooked noodles with some soy sauce mixed with brown sugar. Once it’s all evenly heated, top with scallions and toasted sesame seeds and serve with a Korean barbecue meal, or take it to work for a light vegetarian lunch.

What to buy: Korean sweet potato noodles, also known as starch noodles or Korean vermicelli, are made from sweet potato starch and water. When cooked, these dried gray noodles turn clear. Do not confuse them with Korean “cold noodles,” which are made from buckwheat. Korean sweet potato noodles can be found in Asian or Korean markets.

Game plan: If fresh shiitake mushrooms are not available, substitute dried. Cover 1 ounce of dried whole shiitake mushrooms with hot tap water and let sit until softened, at least 4 hours or overnight. Trim off the tough stems and slice the caps thinly. They need more time to cook than fresh mushrooms, so cook with the onions and carrots and then proceed with the recipe.

This recipe was featured as part of our Easy Weeknight Vegetarian Main Dishes.

Soba Noodles with Swiss Chard–Miso Pesto

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 22:07:00 GMT

Swiss chard, with its tender leaves and crisp stalks, is a leafy winter green full of vitamins. This easy soba noodle recipe uses all parts of the chard: The blanched leaves go into a food processor with red miso, rice vinegar, and garlic for a Japanese-inspired pesto sauce. The stalks are chopped up and sautéed with carrots. Then everything’s folded into cooked soba noodles for an easy, healthy vegetarian dish.

What to buy: Swiss chard comes in many varieties and colors including rainbow chard, which is not a variety itself but a mixture of various colors. Any type of Swiss chard will work in this recipe, but white chard makes the brightest-colored pesto.

Miso is a Japanese culinary staple made by fermenting rice, barley, or, most commonly, soy. The two main types are white or shiro miso, which has a sweet, mild flavor, and red or aka miso, which is aged and has a salty, umami flavor. You can find miso paste refrigerated at most grocery stores.

Soba noodles are Japanese buckwheat noodles and can be found in gourmet grocery stores or in Asian markets. If you’re having a hard time finding them, you can substitute whole-wheat linguine or spaghetti.

Dried seaweed (or nori) can be found in the Asian section of most supermarkets and at Asian grocery stores. We like the flavor of the roasted variety for this recipe.

This recipe was featured as part of our Easy Weeknight Vegetarian Main Dishes.

Beet, Squash, and Radish Moroccan Stew

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 22:07:00 GMT

Stew doesn’t need to be thick, meaty, and time-consuming; instead it can be packed with vegetables, healthy, and an easy weeknight meal. Just sauté some onion and garlic with spices, add harissa and root vegetables, and cook for about 45 minutes to infuse all of the flavors and cook the vegetables through. Sweet raisins, honey, and tangy preserved lemons balance things out in this Moroccan-inspired, one-pot, vegetarian dish. Serve it over couscous and top with crunchy almonds and fresh cilantro.

What to buy: Preserved lemons are a popular ingredient in Moroccan cooking. They’re preserved in a salt-and-lemon-juice mixture and are sold in jars. Look for them in gourmet grocery stores and online, or make your own.

Harissa is Tunisian spice paste that ranges in consistency from smooth to slightly chunky and from fiery hot to mild. It’s available in tubes and jars at many Middle Eastern and gourmet markets, or online. You can also make your own.

This recipe was featured as part of our Easy Weeknight Vegetarian Main Dishes.

Eggplant and Mushroom Polenta Bake

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 22:07:00 GMT

Eggplant has a reputation for either being breaded and fried in oil, or watery and flavorless. In this Italian take on a vegetarian shepherd’s pie, eggplant is oven-roasted in a heavy-bottomed pan, then combined with sautéed mushrooms, onions, crushed tomatoes, and olives to make a thick, chunky vegetable filling. This is then covered with a layer of cooked cheesy polenta and broiled until bubbly for an easy vegetarian meal. Serve it with a fennel salad.

Special equipment: If your cast iron skillet isn’t well-seasoned, use a heavy-bottomed ovenproof skillet or enameled cast iron pan.

This recipe was featured as part of our Easy Weeknight Vegetarian Main Dishes.

Kale and Mushroom Stroganoff

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 23:52:00 GMT

Stroganoff is best known as a beef dish, but you won’t miss the meat in this vegetarian version. To keep the flavor deep and umami-rich, we add the soaking liquid from dried porcinis to sautéed cremini mushrooms, onions, and kale, then reduce the mixture with wine. The sauce is finished with some sour cream, butter, and pasta cooking liquid, then tossed with egg noodles. While this dish strays far from the classic, it still has plenty of rich flavor, plus extra toothsomeness from the greens.

This stroganoff was featured as one of our recipes to Turn Boring Winter Produce into Inspired Dishes.

Blood Orange Margarita

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 23:48:00 GMT

Swapping in some fresh-squeezed blood orange juice for a bit of the lime juice gives this margarita a distinctive sweet-tart taste and punchy crimson color. Blood oranges start popping up at markets in December, providing the perfect excuse to shake up a margarita in the dead of winter.

This cocktail was featured as one of our recipes to Turn Boring Winter Produce into Inspired Dishes.