Plate and Pour

46 Vegetarian Super Bowl XLVI Party Recipes

2012-02-02T17:00:00.000-08:00

Whether you are watching the Super Bowl for the commercials or to cheer on your team, one thing is for sure, it's about the food. We have 46 irresistible game day recipes to make your Super Bowl XLVI party delicious and healthier!

...XLVI is 46 in case you are having trouble remembering Roman numerals

I love game day food. Maybe it's my Texan roots, but nothings gets me more excited than food for football games. When I was a kid, watching football in our house meant eating guacamole, 7 layer bean dip, and ... queso. As I embarrassingly admitted previously, the Super Bowl is the *only* time of year I crave Velveeta in the form of chile con queso (not to be confused with chili con queso). Folks from Texas have a very special place in our hearts for Velveeta, especially when it is melted with Rotel (canned diced tomatoes and green chiles). No, chile con queso is not local. No, it's not good for you. No, it's probably not even natural. Yes, it is pretty darn delicious.

Even though the Niners lost, we will still be hosting a Super Bowl party and eating game day food. Of course I will be making my famous best guacamole ever and my two favorite "salsas": a cumin-and-chili-powder-scented black bean, corn, and avocado salad and a mango jalapeno salsa with red onion and cilantro. Try serving the southwestern black bean and corn salad with Terra Spiced Sweet Potato Chips; it's a nice mix up from the usual tortilla chips.

After much research I found a worthy vegetarian chili recipe from amateaur gourmet that will definitely make an appearance this year. Inspired by the girl who ate everything I plan to serve my 7 layer dip in individual cups!

Aren't these truffled footballs from bakerella darling?

As promised here are 46 Vegetarian and Vegan Super Bowl Recipes to make your Super Bowl XLVI party delicious and healthier!

Dips
guacamole- the best ever
roasted tomato salsa
southwestern black bean, corn, and avocado salad
mango, jalapeno, and lime salsa
cannellini bean "hummus" spread
eggplant caponata
tzatiki with pita chips
queso fundido with roasted poblano peppers and mushroom
baked ricotta with herbs
7 layer dip
williams-sonoma tried and true french onion dip

Things on toast

leek ragu on crostini
feta salsa verde crostini
spicy chickpea bruschetta
pan-fried bruschetta (inspired by Julia & Julia)
roasted radishes on crostini

Finger foods
smoky fried chick peas
kale chips, spicy
truffled popcorn with parmigiano reggiano
oven-roasted tomatoes with goat cheese and basil
padron peppers with coarse salt
sweet potato wedges, spiced
monkey bread with dill, butter and sea salt
rosemary roasted fingerling potatoes with crème fraîche and chives
spanakopita triangles and caramelized onion goat cheese triangles
samosas with potato and pea
kachori with peas
asparagus wrapped in phyllo

Flatbreads
cherry tomato margherita pizza
mushroom truffled flatbread
broccoli rabe (spigarello) pizza with oil cured olives, garlic and fresh mozzarella
summer squash pizza with thyme

Tacos (and stuffed pepper)
black bean taco with avocado and radish and cilantro-lime salsa
black bean and sweet potato tacos with smokey chipotle salsa
braised greens tacos with tomato chipotle salsa and queso fresco (or feta)
roasted poblano peppers, mushroom and roasted corn tacos
gypsy peppers stuffed with roasted corn, manchego and queso fresco

Chili
don't miss the meat vegetarian chili

Cookies and Brownies
cranberry, white chocolate and macadamia nut cookies
dulce de leche brownies
chewy chocolate chip cookies

Cocktails
Askim (mezcal)
Caipirinhas (cachaça)
Cinder (tequila and mezcal)
Jalapeno margarita (tequila)
Silver monk (tequila)

Southwestern Black Bean, Corn, and Avocado Salad

1 15 oz can of black beans, rinsed and drained OR 2 cup cooked black beans

1 cup corn, if using frozen rinsed and thawed

1 to 2 plum tomatoes, seeded and diced

1/4 red onion, finely diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 jalapeno, stemmed, seeded, and finely diced

1 large avocado, peeled, seeded, and diced

1 lime, juiced

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp chili powder

kosher salt

In a large bowl, combine black beans, corn, tomatoes, red onion, garlic, and jalapeno. Drizzle with lime juice, and stir to coat well. Add cumin, chili powder, and kosher salt, tossing gently to combine. Cover and refrigerate for 15 to 30 minutes to let the flavors combine. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Just before serving, add avocado and gently toss to combine.

Serve with Terra spicy sweet potato chips, Terra vegetable chips, or tortilla chips.

Mango, Jalapeno, and Lime Salsa

2 mangoes, peeled, seeded, and diced into 1/2" cubes

1/2 red onion, finely diced

1 jalapeno, stemmed, seeded, and diced

2 plum tomatoes, seeded and diced

1/2 cup cilantro, chopped

4 green onions, both white and green parts sliced

1 lemon, juiced

1 lime, juiced

1 tbsp olive oil

kosher salt

In a small bowl, combine lemon and lime juice. Whisk in olive oil, season with kosher salt. Combine mango, red onion, jalapeno, and tomato in serving bowl. Pour dressing over, and gently toss to combine. Add green onions and cilantro. Gently toss to mix. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Let sit for 10 minutes to let the flavors meld together.

Serve with tortilla chips.

Spicy Winter Squash with Penne

2012-02-01T06:00:00.000-08:00

I see so many wonderful winter squash recipes out there, from risottos to soups, emphasizing the natural sweetness of winter squash. But let me share with you a new winter squash recipe that balances the sweet qualities of winter squash with spice and savory notes.

It might sound weird to add butternut squash to pasta, but you love ravioli filled with butternut squash don't you? And you add zucchini to pasta, right? So of course it makes sense to try spicy winter squash pasta.

What works about this recipe is that the spicy crushed red pepper, earthy red onions, fragrant garlic and thyme, and salty pecorino balance the natural sweetness of winter squash. And the result is a deliciously satisfying dish that is a welcome change in the dead of winter.

I used red kuri squash from my CSA (Farm Fresh to You), which kind of looks like a pumpkin, in this dish but butternut squash would work equally well.

I began by quickly peeling and dicing the winter squash. The trick is to peeling a hard winter squash is to use a really good vegetable peeler. Once your squash is free of its tough skin, halve it, and grab a spoon to scoop out the seeds and the stringy mess inside.

Next dice the squash into 1/2" cubes. You are probably used to roasting winter squash in the oven, but this time you are going to try a different technique- pan roasting winter squash. Chop up some red onion and garlic into thin slices. Heat olive oil in a large skillet and toss in the sliced red onions, cooking until soft. Add the thinly sliced garlic and crushed red pepper, stirring until fragrant but not browned. Stir in the diced winter squash and some fresh thyme; let it all cook for a few minutes over moderately high heat. Season well with sea salt and pepper. Then cover the skillet and cook over low heat, until the squash becomes tender.

Meanwhile you want to bring a pot of water to a boil, and once boiling, add salt and the pasta, cooking until al dente. This is important, you want to reserve about a cup of the pasta cooking water before draining the pasta. When you add the pasta to the skillet with the squash you will also add some of the pasta cooking water. Toss in some freshly grated pecorino or parmesan. As you stir it all together, the pasta cooking water will work its magic, melding everything together into a fabulous, light, and spicy sauce. Serve immediately, passing extra pecorino or parmesan at the table.

The spicy red kuri pasta was a huge, huge hit in my house. And the leftovers made for a great lunch to take to work the next day!

Spicy Winter Squash with Penne
2 cups winter squash (butternut, red kuri, etc), peeled, seeds removed, and cut into a 1/2" dice
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
2-3 large cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
1 sprig fresh thyme
1.5 tbsp olive oil
sea salt
pepper
1/4 cup pecorino or parmesan, plus more for serving
1/3 lb penne

Use a good vegetable peeler to peel the winter squash. Use a large knife to carefully halve the squash and then scoop out the seeds and the stringy mess inside with a spoon. Then dice the squash into 1/2" pieces.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet and toss in the sliced red onions, cooking until soft. Add the thinly sliced garlic and crushed red pepper, stirring until fragrant but not browned. Stir in the diced winter squash and some fresh thyme; let it all cook for a few minutes over moderately high heat. Season well with sea salt and pepper. Then cover the skillet and cook over low heat, until the squash becomes tender, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.

Meanwhile bring a large pot of water to a boil, and once boiling, add salt and the pasta, cooking until just before al dente. This is important, you want to reserve about a cup of the pasta cooking water before draining the pasta.

Once the squash is cooked tender, add the pasta along with 1/4 cup of reserved pasta water. Stir to combine. Toss in some freshly grated pecorino or parmesan. Add more pasta water as needed to create a loose sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Continue to toss over low heat until sauce is well incorporated. Serve immediately, passing extra pecorino or parmesan at the table.

Three Dal :: Meatless Masala Monday

2012-01-30T06:00:00.002-08:00

This dal, or Indian lentil stew, is made of a mix of three different dal, or lentils. Yes, the word dal refers to both the lentil, stripped of its outer hull and split, and the spicy stew made from these lentils.

Traditionally dal is served over rice (and sometimes with roti) but honestly I prefer eating a bowlful of dal by itself. Dal is low in fat and high in protein, making it an ideal source of protein for a balanced vegetarian diet.

The three dal is infused with garlic, ginger, and green chile, finished with cumin and coriander scented oil with curry leaves, and topped with freshly squeezed lemon juice. If you don't have curry leaves, you can add fresh cilantro. Another variation of three dal is to add onions and chopped tomato.

For three dal, I like to use a combination of toor dal (split yellow pigeon pea), chana dal (Bengal gram dal), and masoor dal (split red lentil). Bengal gram dal looks similar to pigeon pea, but it is more similar to chick peas and doesn't boil down to a mush. Truth be told you can use any combination of the above mentioned dals and moong dal (yellow moong) and udad dal (white gram).

If you are familiar with dal, you might want to skip ahead to the recipe. For those of you new to dal, below is brief note about the different types of dal- there are many!

Top row, left to right: Chana dal, moong dal, urad dal, masoor dal
Middle row, left to right: rajma, whole moong, whole urad, whole masoor
Bottom row, left to right: whole vatana, toor dal

Dal, or split, hulled lentils
Chana dal... yellow, the outer skin of kala chana removed and the inside split
Moong dal... yellow, the inside of whole moong, split
Urad dal.. white, the inside of whole urad, split
Masoor dal... red lentils, the inside of whole masoor, split
Toor dal... yellow pigeon peas (oily or plain), split

Whole lentils (i.e., outer hull not removed)
Rajma...dark red kidney beans
Moong... dark green, whole moong is excellent for sprouting; also available as split but with skin
Urad... black whole, also available as split but with skin
Masoor...brown whole lentils
Vatana... green or white peas
(not pictured) Kala chana... small dark brown chick peas
(not pictured) Kabuli chana... chick peas used for chole

If you live an area with an Indian grocery store, you can easily find any of these dals at a relatively low price. I've seen the dals at Whole Foods as well. Otherwise, I've been told that Amazon, Kaluystan's, Bob's Red Mill have many of the Indian lentils available for sale online.

Three Dal
1/3 toor dal
1/3 chana or moong dal
1/3 masoor or udad dal
1 tsp salt, or to taste
1/2 lemon juiced, or to taste

For tempering
2 tbsp oil
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
pinch of asofetida
2 dried red chilis
3 garlic cloves, minced
1" ginger, peeled and minced
1 green chile, seeded, diced
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/4 to 1/2 tsp red cayenne pepper, to taste
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander

optional 8-10 curry leaves

Wash dal. Pressure cook dal with 2 cups water for 10 to 15 minutes until cooked. Once the pressure is released, open the pressure cooker and stir the dal. Add more water if necessary.

In a medium skillet, heat 2 tbsp oil until shimmering. Add the mustard seeds and cook over moderate heat until the seeds start to pop.

Quickly add the cumin seeds, dried red chili, and asofetida, cook about 30 seconds.

Add ginger, garlic, and green chili, cook about 30 seconds, stirring frequently. Do not overcook the garlic or let it brown.

Add turmeric, red cayenne pepper, ground cumin, and ground coriander to the oil, cooking until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Add curry leaves, if using, and turn off heat.

Pour the oil spice mixture over the dal, scraping everything out of the skillet. Simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, about 8-10 minutes until flavors meld together. Season dal with salt and lemon juice to taste.

Variations:

If you wish to use onion, add onion to the oil before adding the ginger, garlic, and green chile. Saute the onion until translucent, about 5 minutes. Then add ginger, garlic, and green chile and follow recipe as above.
You can add tomato just after you add the garlic, ginger, and green chile and cook for 2-3 minutes until broken down. Continue recipe as above.

Heavenly Spinach Quiche

2012-01-27T06:00:00.000-08:00

I am quite certain that this is the most heavenly quiche I have ever tasted. It might be the farm fresh spinach and onions or the wonderful fontina cheese or maybe it was the incredibly flaky homemade crust. Whatever the reason, each slice of this spinach quiche was absolutely like a slice of heaven with the most perfect consistency.

I made the delicious quiche for Sunday brunch and then we had to test whether it would make a delicious Sunday night dinner with some greens (it did).

I don't have to tell you how good Spinach is for you. We are always trying to find ways to eat more spinach (other than just adding it to salad greens). We love this wonderful spinach, cannellini beans spaghetti with garlic chips and using spinach in these quick, easy, and healthy tacos for no-fuss weeknight dinner. But more often than not, spinach ends up being part of brunch: spinach, tomato, feta scrambled eggs, baked eggs with spinach in a tomato cream sauce, spinach, cheddar, red onion omelets, and now this heavenly spinach quiche.

For the crust I used my go to dough recipe but if you would rather not make your own crust, use a pre-made crust. Or if you are like me and can't find a decent store bought crust, skip the crust (and the extra calories) altogether for a delicious crustless quiche!

I find that quiche is very forgiving, so I like to play around with different types types of cheeses. Some quiche recipes rely on cream cheese to make the quiche silky and creamy and subsequently cut back on the amount of half and half. For this quiche, I added a bit of goat cheese to add creaminess, but you can skip this if you wish.

I used a combination of fontina, parmesan, and fresh goat cheese, but you can just as easily use gruyere in place of fontina and skip the goat cheese or use cream cheese instead. I sauteed onions and tossed in fresh spinach until wilted. If you wish to use frozen spinach instead, be sure to squeeze out as much of the water as possible otherwise you will end up with a runny quiche!

Then I simply whisked all of the ingredients together and poured into the parbaked crust (or buttered pie dish if going crustless).

Bake for about 25 minutes, or until set. The center of the quiche will puff up and then come to rest once it cools slightly.

Heavenly Spinach Quiche
2 bunches of spinach, thick stems removed, washed and spun dry, if leaves are large, coarsely chop into 1" ribbons OR 10 oz package of frozen spinach, thawed, drained, and excess water squeezed out
1 medium onion, diced
1 tbsp butter
4 large eggs
1 cup half and half
pinch of nutmeg
optional 4 oz goat cheese or cream cheese
1 cup fontina or gruyere, grated
1/4 cup parmesan, grated
1/2 tsp sea salt, or more to taste
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper, or to taste
1 ball of galette dough or pie crust

Preheat oven to 375F.

Roll out dough on lightly floured surface to 12 inch round. Transfer to a 10" tart pan with a removable bottom. Trim edges, leaving a overhang. Fold overhang in to form double thick sides. Press tart edges to raise dough 1/8 inch above pan. Chill for 30 minutes.

Remove tart pan from refrigerator. Line crust with foil. Fill with pie weights or dried beans and bake until golden, about 15 minutes. Keep the oven on.

In a large skillet, heat butter over medium heat. Add onions, cook until translucent, about 5 minuets. Add about half of the spinach, as much as fits in the skillet, and toss with tongs until it starts to wilt. Add remaining spinach and toss until wilted, about 2 to 3 minutes. Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.

In a large bowl, beat eggs, half and half, nutmeg, goat cheese, salt, and pepper until combined. Mix in fontina, parmesan, spinach, and onion.

Pour mixture into pre-baked crust. Bake until crust is golden brown and filling is set, about 25 minutes. Cool slightly; serve warm or at room temperature.

Crustless Spinach Quiche
2 bunches of spinach, thick stems removed, washed and spun dry, if leaves are large, coarsely chop into 1" ribbons
1 medium onion, diced
1 tbsp butter
4 large eggs

1 cup half and half
pinch of nutmeg
optional 4 oz goat cheese or cream cheese
1 cup fontina or gruyere, grated
1/4 cup parmesan, grated
1/2 tsp sea salt, or more to taste

1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper, or to taste
butter for ramekin, grain, or pie plate

Preheat oven to 325F.

In a large skillet, heat butter over medium heat. Add onions, cook until translucent, about 5 minuets. Add about half of the spinach, as much as fits in the skillet, and toss with tongs until it starts to wilt. Add remaining spinach and toss until wilted, about 2 to 3 minutes. Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.

In a large bowl, beat eggs, half and half, nutmeg, goat cheese, salt, and pepper until combined. Mix in fontina, parmesan, spinach, and onion.

Combine all ingredients as above. Pour into 6 buttered ramekins or a buttered gratin or pie plate. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, until almost firm. Cool slightly; serve warm or at room temperature.

Roasted Root Vegetables with Fennel

2012-01-25T06:00:00.000-08:00

I'm a lover of root vegetables in any shape or form, whether in a gratin or simply oven roasted. This simple preparation is a wonderful way to enjoy an assortment of root vegetables. Yukon gold potatoes, baby white turnips, and fennel bulbs roasted to perfection with rosemary, onions, and whole cloves of garlic. It is simple yet full of depth and complexity from the contrasting flavors. Roasting brings out the earthy, sweet flavors root vegetables and makes them absolutely delicious.

A very wise man said to me, "The only problem with this dish is that there won't be any leftovers." I couldn't agree more. We did, after all, eat it like candy.

This is one of those side dishes that I'm certain would outshine any meat that is served next to it. For a vegetarian dinner, serve it alongside braised winter greens with roasted winter squash and cannellini beans for a balanced meal.

Roasted Root Vegetables with Fennel
1 lb yukon gold potatoes, unpeeled, scrubbed, quartered
1 bunch white baby turnips, unpeeled, scrubbed, quartered (or any other root vegetables)
2 medium fennel bulbs, cored, halved and each halve cut into thirds or fourths depending on the size
1 medium onions, cut into 1" pieces
5 garlic cloves, peeled
1 tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 400F. Spray a heavy large baking sheet with olive oil or a nonstick spray. Combine potatoes, turnips, fennel, onions, and rosemary in a large bowl. Add olive oil, salt, and pepper. Toss to coat well. Transfer to a baking sheet.

Roast 30 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally. Add garlic cloves to the dish. Continue to roast until tender and brown in spots, about 30 minutes longer. Serve hot.

Pav Bhaji :: Meatless Masala Monday

2012-01-23T06:00:00.000-08:00

This post marks the start of a new series called Meatless Masala Mondays. Many food bloggers share vegetarian recipes as part of Meatless Monday, an increasingly popular movement that encourages people to go meatless on Mondays to improve their health and the health of the planet. Since every day is a meatless day at Plate and Pour, every Monday I will share an Indian vegetarian recipe with you.

Pav bhaji is Indian fast food, a kind of street food originating in Mumbai and widely popular in Gujarat. Pav means bread and bhaji is a mixture of vegetables and generally pav bhaji is enjoyed as an afternoon snack or a light dinner. In graduate school, I absolutely loved going to Devon, the little India of Chicago, for pav bhaji and other Gujarati snacks at Sukhadia's. If you ever find yourself amongst the crowds at the food stalls on Chowpatty Beach in Mumbai, pav bhai is a worthy challenger to kathi rolls for the most delicious midnight snack.

What I love the most about pav bhaji is that it is packed with so many different vegetables: cauliflower, green cabbage, carrots, peas, and potatoes in a tomato, onion, ginger and garlic gravy scented with masala. It's a great way to incorporate a ton of vegetables into your diet!

If you live in an area with an Indian grocery store, you can find Pav Bhaji masala, a blend of spices used in the gravy. I have also provided a pav bhaji masala recipe if you are inclined to make your own.

Not surprising, the time consuming step in this dish is chopping all of the vegetables. Once chopped, boil the vegetables until tender. Drain and set aside.

Then in a dry large heavy bottomed pot heat oil, add mustard seeds. Once the mustard seeds pop, add cumin seeds and a pinch of asofetida. Add onions, sauteing until transparent, and then add garlic, ginger, and green chile, sauteing for a minute.

Add chopped tomatoes and cook until a gravy forms. Add spices and cook until fragrant. Stir in boiled vegetables. Taste and add salt and lemon juice as needed. Sometimes the vegetables are mashed to create a smooth consistency. Personally I prefer to leave each vegetable in tact, but you may mash it gently at this point if you wish. Traditionally the bhaji is finished with butter, but it can be skipped without much consequence.

Toast bread (I used a whole grain loaf) or hamburger buns and slather with butter. If you wish to skimp on the butter in this dish, skip the butter in the bhaji but please, please generously butter the toasted bread. It is absolutely worth the extra fat. Top the buttered toasted bread with bhaji and garnish with finely chopped red onion.

Pav Bhaji Masala
2 tbsp coriander seeds
1 tbsp cumin seeds
4 dried red chiles1 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp back peppercorns
6 cloves
1 cinnamon stick
seeds from 5 cardamom pods, pods removed

1 tbsp dried mango powder (amchur)

Dry roast all the whole spices until slightly darken and fragrant. Remove from heat and let cool. In a coffee grinder or powerful blender, combine roasted whole spices and ground spices (dried mango powder). Grind to a fine powder.

Pav Bhaji
3 medium potatoes, peeled and diced about 2.5 cups
1 medium cabbage, cored and chopped into thin ribbons
1/2 medium cauliflower, cored and cut into small florets
1 cup carrots, chopped
1 cup frozen peas, rinsed
1 1/2 onions, diced
3 medium tomatoes, about 1lb in total, diced
2 tbsp ginger, finely chopped
2 tbsp garlic, finely chopped
1 green chile, chopped
2 tbsp canola or vegetable oil
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
pinch of asofetida
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp red cayenne pepper
*3 tsp pav bhaji masala, See recipe above; also available at most Indian grocery stores
2 tsp salt, or to taste
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 tbsp butter

8 slices of bread or 4 hamburger buns, toasted
butter for toasted bread
garnish 1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped

Chop all vegetables to a small dice. In a large pot, add vegetables and just enough water to cover the vegetables. Boil the vegetables until tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile in a large heavy bottomed pot, heat oil, add mustard seeds. Once the mustard seeds pop, add cumin seeds and a pinch of asofetida. Add onions, sauteing until transparent, and then add garlic, ginger, and green chile, sauteing for another minute.

Add chopped tomatoes and cook until a gravy forms. Add spices and cook until fragrant. Stir in boiled vegetables. Taste and add salt and lemon juice as needed. Traditionally the bhaji is finished with butter, but you can skip that step if you wish.

Toast bread or hamburger buns and slather with butter. If you wish to skimp on the butter in this dish, do so in the bhaji but please, please butter the toasted bread. It is absolutely worth the extra fat. Top the buttered toasted bread with bhaji and garnish with finely chopped red onion.

Scallion Pancakes with soy ginger dipping sauce

2012-01-20T06:00:00.001-08:00

I really meant to write this post when I got several bunches of scallions in my CSA box. Many many months ago. Then I waited so long that it just seemed worth waiting a little longer to write about scallion pancakes in time for Chinese New Year, which starts on January 23 this year. So now, after all this time, I am finally sharing my experiments making scallion pancakes with you!

I have always wanted to make scallion pancakes and after talking to a coworker at length about hot water dough, I felt as ready as ever to take on the challenge.

If you are like me and have never worked with a hot water dough before, I urge you to read this highly informative Serious Eats post.

As nerdy as it sounds, after reading the Serious Eats post, I couldn't wait to try experimenting with the number of folds and amount of scallions in my scallion pancakes. I tried three techniques of which the second yielded the best results.

Technique 1, the basic approach, with 1 iteration: Start with hot water dough rolled into a pancake shape. Brush with sesame oil. Sprinkle with scallions. Roll up like a cigar, make a tight rose spiral, flatten and re-roll out into a pancake. Pan fry. Drain and sprinkle with salt.

But like the Serious Eats post, I wanted more layers and more scallions.

Technique 2 with 2 iterations: Start with hot water dough rolled into a pancake shape. Brush with sesame oil. Roll up like a cigar, make a tight rose spiral, flatten and re-roll out into a pancake. Brush with sesame oil. Sprinkle with scallions. Roll up like a cigar, make a rose spiral, flatten and re-roll out into a pancake. Pan fry. Drain and sprinkle with salt.

Technique 3 with 3 iterations: Start with hot water dough rolled into a pancake shape. Brush with sesame oil. Roll up like a cigar, make a tight rose spiral, flatten and re-roll into a pancake. Brush with sesame oil. Roll up like a cigar, make a rose spiral, flatten and re-roll out into a pancake. Brush with sesame oil. Sprinkle with scallions. Roll up like a cigar, make a rose spiral, flatten and re-roll out into a pancake. Pan fry. Drain and sprinkle with salt.

Below is how each attempt turned out. Technique 3 with 3 iterations resulted in scallions breaking through the dough and a pretty sticky mess.

Technique 2 with 2 iterations was a perfect combination of flaky layers and scallion dispersion.

Technique 1, the basic approach, with 1 iteration turned out a bit too dough-y relative to scallion-y.

All in all, it was fun to work with hot water dough and experiment with layers. It felt a bit like a Goldilocks moment, with the moderate approach coming out "just right."

Scallion pancakes with soy ginger dipping sauce (Serious Eats)
pancakes
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting work surface
1 cup boiling water
Up to 1/4 cup toasted sesame seed oil
1 to 1.5 cups thinly sliced scallion greens
1/4 cup vegetable oil
Kosher salt

dipping sauce
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp finely sliced scallion greens
1/2 tsp grated fresh ginger
1 tsp sugar

Place flour in bowl of food processor (see note). With processor running, slowly drizzle in about 3/4 of boiling water. Process for 15 seconds. If dough does not come together and ride around the blade, drizzle in more water a tablespoon at a time until it just comes together. Transfer to a floured work surface and knead a few times to form a smooth ball. Transfer to a bowl, cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap, and allow to rest for 30 minutes at room temperature, or up to overnight in the fridge.

In a small bowl, combine soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, scallions, ginger and sugar. Set aside.

Divide dough into four even pieces and roll each into a smooth ball. Working one ball at a time, roll out into a disk roughly 8-inches in diameter on a lightly floured surface. Using a pastry brush, paint a very thin layer of sesame oil over the top of the disk. Roll disk up like a jelly roll, then twist roll into a tight spiral, tucking the end underneath. Flatten gently with your hand, then re-roll into an 8-inch disk.

Paint with another layer or sesame oil, sprinkle with about 1/4 cup scallions, and roll up like a jelly roll again. Twist into a spiral, flatten gently, and re-roll into a 7-inch disk. Repeat steps two and three with remaining pancakes.

Heat oil in an 8-inch nonstick or cast-iron over medium-high heat until shimmering and carefully slip pancake into the hot oil. Cook, shaking the pan gently until first side is an even golden brown, about 2 minutes. Carefully flip with a spatula or tongs (be careful not to splash the oil), and continue to cook, shaking pan gently, until second side is even golden brown, about 2 minutes longer. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Season with salt, cut into 6 wedges. Serve immediately with sauce for dipping. Repeat with remaining 3 pancakes.

Braised Winter Greens Tacos with Queso Fresco and Tomato Chipotle Salsa

2012-01-19T06:00:00.001-08:00

After the gastronomic sins of December, we are on the search for healthy dinner options and I suspect many of you are also looking to eat healthier this year. Given hectic schedules and unpredictable work hours, it can be challenging to find healthy dinner options that are quick, easy to make, and use accessible ingredients.

These tacos are perfect for an easy, nutrient-rich weeknight dinner. Simply braise dark greens with onions, garlic and some crushed red pepper. I used what I had on hand - a mix of spinach, beet greens (hence the pink onions in the photograph), and turnip greens- but any combination of nutrient-rich, dark greens would work well. If you are using heartier, more mature greens, simply blanch them before sauteing so that they will cook faster.

What elevates these tacos to another level is the tomato chipotle salsa. The tomato chipotle salsa is super easy to make, and even more so if you already have the chipotles around. I generally buy a can of chipotles en adobo sauce, use two chiles and keep the rest in the freezer for use in a pinch. Just blend two chipotle chiles with a little adobo sauce, an 8 oz can of tomato sauce, and 2 cloves of garlic.

Previously I made a roasted tomatillo chipotle salsa which was wonderfully tangy, smokey, and spicy. This tomato chipotle salsa isn't roasted and is much quicker to make while still having the tangy flavor of the tomato sauce and the smokey spiciness from the chipotles en adobo sauce.

Heat tortillas on a hot griddle pan or wrap in a paper towel and microwave for 30 seconds. Spoon in sauteed greens, tomato chipotle salsa, and top with crumbled queso fresco or feta. Delicious!

Tomato Chipotle Salsa

1 8oz can of tomato sauce
2 chipotles en adobo sauce with some sauce
2 whole cloves of garlic
sea salt

Blend all of the ingredients until coarse puree. Taste and adjust salt as needed. Makes 1 cup. Will keep covered in refrigerator up to a week.

Braised Winter Greens Tacos with Queso Fresco and Tomato Chipotle Salsa

2 bunches of dark greens (chard, collard greens, mustard greens, beet greens or turnip greens), rinsed thoroughly, stemmed and chopped into 1" ribbons
1 medium onion red or yellow, thinly sliced
3 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper, or to taste
sea salt
1/2 cup queso fresco, crumbled
1 cup tomato chipotle salsa
12 corn tortillas

In a large skillet heat oil over medium heat. Add onion, cooking until translucent but still crunchy. Add garlic and crushed red pepper, cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add greens and season lightly with salt. Cook covered on low heat, until greens are almost tender, anywhere from 2 minutes for spinach, 5 minutes for Swiss chard, and 8-10 minutes for beet greens, stirring occasionally. Remove lid and increase heat to medium and stir until the mixture is nearly dry. Taste and adjust salt as needed. Set aside. Can be made a day in advance, store covered and chilled.

Heat tortillas on a hot griddle pan or wrap in a paper towel and microwave for 30 seconds. Spoon in sauteed greens, tomato chipotle salsa, and top with crumbled queso fresco.

Butternut squash risotto with winter greens

2012-01-17T06:00:00.000-08:00

My CSA box has taught me that summer brings heaps of corn and tomatoes and winter brings armloads of potatoes and winter squash. Descriptions like butternut squash ravioli with crisp fried sage in a brown butter sauce and butternut squash soup spiced with nutmeg appear on menus across town. Just one month into the season, I find myself tiring of the same preparations when we dine out.

In the Plate and Pour kitchen, there is no shortage of variety of winter squash, like delicata, butternut, kabocha, red kuri, spaghetti squash, and acorn. In my search for "novel" preparations of winter squash, the star has been my butternut squash galette with caramelized onions, goat cheese and sage. With my next delivery of butternut squash, I wanted to incorporate its luxoruius, creamy texture into a risotto.

I never thought to add greens to risotto, but I love adding all sorts of greens to pasta, like this orecchiette with broccoli rabe or this swiss chard ragu with penne or spaghetti with spinach and cannellini beans, so it seems natural that greens would taste just as wonderful in a risotto. Butternut squash adds a wonderful nutty, sweetness to the creamy, rich risotto and an incredible vibrant color. And the collard greens bring a lovely earthiness and chewy texture to the risotto.

Butternut squash, like other winter squash, is full of vitamin A, which has powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, vitamin C, potassium, fiber, manganese, folate, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin B1, copper, vitamin B6, and niacin. Needless to say it is packed with nutrients!

Roasting butternut squash lightly caramelizes it, making it even sweeter. I stirred in a third of the roasted butternut squash into the creamy risotto at the start of the cooking process, so that it falls apart and adds beautiful color and a luxurious texture, and then I add the rest of the butternut squash at the finish to enhance the flavor. As mentioned here collard greens are also highly rich in nutrients. I blanched the collard greens first and added them in the beginning of the cooking process so the greens become tender. The rich risotto is finished with fresh sage and parmesan.

A note about cooking with Dry White Wine vs. Dry Vermouth
Most recipes for risotto involve adding dry white wine to the rice while cooking. I like to use dry vermouth instead of dry white wine in risotto, mostly because I don't drink (or buy) white wine nearly as often as I drink red wine, so I would much rather use vermouth than open a bottle of white for a small amount! But does it really have the same effect?

Dry vermouth adds a bright, herbaceous flavor to the risotto and dry white adds a bright, clean flavor. It's not surprising because dry vermouth starts out as a dry white wine, and then it is flavored with botanicals to develop herbacious characteristics and fortified with alcohol. With that in mind, I recommend dry vermouth as a good substitute for dry white wine when the recipe calls for 1/2 cup or less and you are using a stock to balance the flavors. However, you probably want to avoid substituting in vermouth for white wine in a dessert dish!

Butternut squash risotto with greens

1 medium butternut squash, about 2 lb
1 bunch of collard greens (about 1 lb), washed and stemmed
1 medium onion, finely diced
2 large cloves of garlic, finely minced
8 sage leaves, chopped
a pinch of saffron
6 to 7 cups of vegetable broth
2 cups of Arborio rice
1/2 cup vermouth or dry white wine
1/2 cup grated parmesan, plus extra for garnish
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tbsp olive oil, divided

Preheat the oven to 425F. Cover a baking sheet with foil.

Peel the butternut squash, cut into half starting at the bulbous end of the squash and continue cutting up towards the neck. Cube the peeled fresh into 1/2" pieces and toss with 2 tbsp olive oil, sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Roast for 30 to 40 minutes until tender on a foil lined baking sheet, shaking the pan a few times. Remove from heat and set aside.

Bring 1/2 inch water to a boil in a large heavy bottomed saute pan. Add collard greens, tossing with tongs, about 4 minutes. Remove with a spider skimmer or slotted spoon, drain in colander and squeeze out excess water. Coarsely chop. Wipe saute pan dry.

Bring the vegetable stock to a low simmer in a saucepan.

In the same large heavy bottomed saute pan, heat 1 tbsp olive oil and saute onions until soft, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and salt, stir and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Increase heat to medium, add the rice, cook and stir until the grains are separate and the edges of rice begin to look translucent, 3 to 4 minutes.

Stir in the vermouth or dry white wine and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly. When the wine is almost evaporated, stir in 1/2 to 3/4 cup of simmering stock, enough to just cover the rice. Add one third of the roasted squash, the collard greens, and a pinch of saffron. The stock should bubble, cook and stir until almost all broth is absorbed. Continue adding broth a ladle at a time, stirring until almost all broth is absorbed before adding more, until rice is tender but still firm to bite and risotto is creamy, about 25 minutes. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.

Add remaining roasted squash and another 1/2 cup of stock to the rice. Stir in the parmesan and sage. Risotto should be creamy, add more stock if it is not. Immediately remove from the heat. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed. Serve hot and pass extra parmesan at the table.

Root vegetable gratin (parsnip, celery root, rutabaga, turnip and yukon gold potatoes)

2012-01-12T06:00:00.001-08:00

Compared to vibrant spring and summer produce, winter vegetables are often overlooked and unloved by the food community. The season's bounty of produce like leeks, fennel, root vegetables, carrots, and dark greens may not stir up the same sort of gushing emotion as colorful heirloom tomatoes, asparagus, and elusive fava beans, but when prepared well, winter produce can be surprisingly enticing. Winter wouldn't be winter without soul-satisfying gratins, delicious and hearty soups, and comforting braised winter greens with nurturing root vegetables.

Braised, roasted, stewed or pureed, root vegetables can truly stand out in the winter months without being too fussy or complex. Root vegetables like turnips, rutabaga, and celery root contain nutrients like fiber, magnesium, potassium, thiamin, vitamin B6, and vitamin C. In addition, turnips are high in calcium and rutabagas are packed with vitamin A. Yukon gold potatoes are high in fiber, potassium, and vitamin C.

I had not worked with celery root before making this dish and found it rather daunting. Celery root may sound unappealing if you don't like celery, but don't be so quick to judge, celery root can be full of wonderful spicy and refreshing flavor. Celery root is about the size of a grapefruit with a few tough, dark green stalks growing on top and roots growing on the bottom. Choose the celery root that is the heaviest for its size as it is more likely to be dense and tender. Slice off the top and bottom of the root and peel the outside with a good vegetable peeler. If not using immediately, submerge the celery root into cold water with lemon or vinegar to prevent from discoloring as you would do with artichoke.

Rutabagas are part of the Brassica napus family and originated as a cross between cabbage and turnip. These yellow and purple delights are used much like turnips and should be peeled. When roasted with other root vegetables, such as celery root and parsnips, sweet, young turnips or Brassica rapus add balance. The smaller, tender skinned turnips do not need to be peeled and only require a thorough scrubbing (and their greens are wonderful sauteed). Larger, thicker-skinned turnips need to be peeled.

Parsnips look like pale, wide carrots and can be pureed, roasted, or sauteed to a crisp. Lightly peel the outside before using. They are often pureed and combined with potatoes and other root vegetables. Parsnips are high in fiber, potassium, and vitamin C.

A root vegetable gratin is a great way to become better acquainted with the intriguing fall and winter root vegetables. In this rich and creamy root vegetable gratin I used yukon gold potatoes and baby white turnips from the CSA box and rutabaga, parsnip, and celery root from the farmer's market. If you layer the vegetables separately, you can taste the remarkable flavors of each of the root vegetables individually. The gratin comes together with nutty parmesan, cream, garlic, fresh thyme, fennel fronds (or parsley) and a touch of nutmeg. This is hands down the best preparation of root vegetables that I have ever tasted!

Root Vegetable Gratin
5 small potatoes, peeled
1/2 of a large celery root, top and bottom removed and peeled
1/2 of a medium parsnip, peeled and cored
2 to 3 small baby white turnips
2 small rutabagas, peeled
1 1/4 cup heavy cream or whole milk
pinch of nutmeg
1 cup + freshly grated parmesan

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 tbsp thyme
optional 1 tbsp fennel fronds or parsley

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 425F. Butter a 9 by 13 gratin dish.

Slice the potatoes on a mandoline into 1/16" thick slices. Repeat with each of the root vegetables, keeping them separate.

Stir garlic, nutmeg, fresh thyme, and fennel fronds into the heavy cream. Season with salt and pepper.

Arrange potato slices in overlapping rows on the bottom of the gratin dish. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add a layer of rutabaga, sprinkle with salt and pepper, then add a layer of celery root and seasoning again. Repeat with a layer of parsnip and then turnip, seasoning in between each layer. Sprinkle with half of the parmesan. Repeat starting with a layer of potatoes, seasoning between each layer. Finally, top with a final layer of overlapping potatoes. Pour the milk mixture over the top until it comes to the edge of the top layer. Press the vegetables down into the milk with a spatula.

Cover with foil and bake for about 1 hour. Remove the foil and lightly press the gratin down with a spatula. Sprinkle with remaining parmesan and continue baking until the vegetables are tender the top is golden brown, 15 to 30 minutes more. Remove from the oven and let stand for 15 minutes before serving.

Kachori

2012-01-10T06:00:00.001-08:00

Growing up, whenever we had guests, my mother would offer a plate of hot kachori or samosas along with a cup of masala chai, instead of the cookies or cheese and crackers my American friends' mothers would offer when I was a guest in their home. Similar to samosas, kachori are small fried balls filled with either a spicy pea mixture or a spiced lentil mixture. In our house we would make both, but the pea filled kachori was my all time favorite.

Like most kids, I wasn't crazy about peas, but there was something magical about the way my mother transformed the peas into a wonderful mixture infused with more spices than I could name. As a child I would always ask my mother to make "purses", my word for kachori,and pani puri on my birthday.

She would tell me repeatedly that I should pay attention to how she makes the dough as it wasn't something you could read in a book. Sometimes I would stand next to her and help make the purses and dream about the day I would make kachori for my own family.

Years later, when I would visit home during college and later graduate school, my mother would ask me what I wanted to eat and kachori always made it to the top of the list. Even after all those years, I would sit at the breakfast bar and watch her painstakingly prepare each kachori with a smile on her face.

It is with great love and appreciation that I share my mother's kachori recipe with you all on this particular day. Enjoy!

Kachori

Filling

8 oz frozen peas, rinsed

1 green chili or jalapeno, halved, seeded and deveined

1 tbsp canola or vegetable oil

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

1/2 tsp sesame seeds

1/2 tsp fennel seeds

pinch of hing

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp turmeric

1/4 tsp red cayenne pepper

1/4 tsp ground coriander

1/4 tsp ground cumin

1/4 garam masala

2 tsp fresh lemon juice or 1/2 tsp dried mango powder

pinch of sugar

Combine jalapeno and peas in blender or food processor. Pulse until coarsely chopped.

In a heavy bottomed, lidded saute pan, heat oil over moderate heat. Add mustard seeds, sesame seeds, and fennel seeds and saute until fragrant and the mustard seeds start to pop. Add a pinch of hing. Reduce heat to low, add chopped peas and jalapeno mixture, cook for 1 minute, stirring. Cover and let cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add salt and all spices except for garam masala, and lemon juice. Stir for 30 seconds. Taste and add a pinch of sugar and more lemon juice or salt if needed. Stir in garam masala and remove from heat. Let cool.

Prepare Dough

1 cup flour

1/4 tsp salt

2 tbsp oil

1/2 cup cold water, may not use all of it

Combine flour and salt and drizzle with oil. Gently mix together well using your fingers and add cold water a little at a time to moisten the dough. It should be soft but not sticky. Cover the dough with a clean kitchen towel and let sit for 15 minutes. Once the dough has rested, lightly knead it and divide the dough into 12 equal parts. Cover with a clean towel so it does not dry out.

Make Kachoris

Take one piece of the dough and roll it into a ball and press down to flatten. Roll into a small circle about 3" in diameter.

Place about a teaspoon of filling in the center of the dough. Bring the sides of the dough up towards the center above the filling, pinch the edges together so the dough forms a little purse. Pinch off the extra dough at the end and gently pat to evenly distribute filling. Set the kachori aside, cover with a clean towel to avoid drying out. Repeat with remaining dough and filling.

Heat about 1 1/2" oil in a deep skillet over medium heat. When the oil is ready, add a few kachoris to the oil, do not crowd, and fry about 3 minutes on each side, until golden brown and crispy. Do not fry at a high temperature or they will be soggy instead of crispy. Repeat with remaining kachori.

Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels to drain excess oil. Serve hot with cilantro garlic chutney and tamarind (brown) chutney.

Vegetarian Camping in Big Sur

2012-01-05T06:00:00.001-08:00

Oh how I love Northern California. I feel so lucky to live here, surrounded by inherently spectacular places like Big Sur, Carmel by-the-sea, Santa Cruz, Half Moon Bay, Point Reyes, Yosemite, Tahoe and, of course, Napa and Sonoma.

We recently had the most amazing camping trip to Big Sur. The winding, cliff-hugging drive down Highway 1 itself generated spectacular views from the car window each more breathtaking than the last.

The splendid coast line at Big Sur is rocky and jagged, a sharp contrast to the sandy, easily accessible beaches of Southern California.

We set up camp just across the ocean at the Southern end of Big Sur and then hiked down to the rocky beach protected by bluffs. What a beautiful scene we encountered- massive waves crashing down on huge rocks set against a glittering ocean in the background.

We arrived back at the camp before sunset to start preparing dinner. Knowing me, you might have already guessed that we didn't eat hot dogs and canned food on this camping trip. That's right, we took gourmet cooking outdoors! (All recipes are after the jump).

The first night we made nachos with black beans, fresh jalapenos, tomatoes, and cilantro in a cast iron skillet and then grilled a bunch of delicious veggies for me (and a leg of lamb for the rest) throughout the night. The night sky shined brilliantly with an endless number of stars and the only sound we could hear was that of the waves crashing.

As we gathered around the campfire, a flood of memories from camping as a Girl Scout came back to me- mostly involving food! Aside from the usual favorites of roasting marshmallows and making s'mores, one of my absolute favorites as a Girl Scout was wrapping a Pillsbury crescent roll on a whittled green stick and roasting it to a crisp in the fire. (You really have to get close to the fire, otherwise the inside remains raw)

The next morning we were up super early and warmed ourselves around the fire, sipping on our own version of mochas- "cowboy" coffee mixed with hot chocolate topped with marshmallows and a dash of cinnamon- and feasting on Mexican scrambled eggs which we then wrapped up in tortillas.

To burn off the calories (mostly so we could eat more later), we hiked to Jade cove and then Limekiln state park, with beautiful Redwood groves and rocky lush streams. We spent the afternoon playing bocce on the rocky beach. Note to self, bocce balls definitely crack (sometimes in half) when hitting a big rock.

That evening around the campfire we sipped on wine and wonderfully peaty Ardbeg Uigeadail as dinner was cooking. And what a glorious feast it was: spinach and mushroom veggie lasagna with three cheeses- ricotta, mozzarella and parmesan, fire roasted root vegetables (potato, turnip, celery root and parsnip with onion, garlic, thyme and parmesan), fire roasted butternut squash with sage and onion, and grilled corn on the cob. Not too shabby!

The next morning for breakfast we filled Pillsbury crescent rolls with mushrooms, garlic and fresh thyme and roasted them over the fire in foil packets and made biscuits and gravy. Yes, while camping.

After our feast, we hiked over to Julia Pfeiffer Burns Beach and caught stunning views of the ocean and waterfall. As we made our way north, we stopped at Nepenthe and took in the gorgeous ocean views on the sun-soaked roof deck. I sipped a beautiful glass of pinot noir, Lucia Gary's vineyard from nearby Santa Lucia Highland. It was the perfect finish to an amazing trip! Thanks N & N!

All recipes are after the jump.

Veggie Lasagna in a cast iron skillet
4 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 onion, diced about 1 cup
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
28 oz can crushed tomatoes
1 cup ricotta cheese
5 oz mozzarella, sliced or shredded
6 sheets no-boil lasagna noodles or 6 regular noodles precooked
1/4 cup parmesan
10 oz bag of baby spinach
10 oz mushrooms, sliced about 2 cups
sea salt and pepper
Tools needed: can opener, aluminum foil, cast iron skillet, bowl, spoon, propane camp stove
Knife and cutting board or pre-chop everything and keep in ziploc bags until needed

In a cast iron skillet, heat 2 tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Add mushrooms, cooking 5 minutes. Set aside leaving oil in the skillet. Add garlic and onions to skillet, cooking until onions are translucent. Given the high temperature, be sure to stir frequently. Add crushed red chili flakes, cook for 30 seconds.

Add crushed tomatoes, setting can aside. Season with sea salt and pepper. Transfer about 2/3 of the sauce back into the can, leaving the remaining 1/3 of the sauce in the pan.

Layer noodles over the sauce, add ricotta, then spinach and sauted mushrooms, top with mozzarella and drizzle with remaining olive oil. Repeat layering until all ingredients are used, ending with mozzarella. Top with grated parmesan.

Cover with a lid or aluminum foil and simmer until the lasagna noodles are cooked and cheese is melted. Remove from heat and let the lasagna cool for a few minutes before serving.

Skillet Nachos
1/2 bag of tortilla chips
1 can black beans, drained
8 oz shredded cheddar jack cheese
1 small onion, diced
1 jalapeno, diced
1 tomato, diced
1 to 2 tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup fresh cilantro
optional: avocado

Tools needed: can opener, aluminum foil, cast iron skillet, spoon, propane camp stove
Knife and cutting board or pre-chop everything and keep in ziploc bags until needed

In a cast iron skillet, add olive oil to lightly coat the bottom and heat over medium heat. Layer chips on the bottom of the pan. Add black beans (without liquid) on top. Sprinkle with onion, jalapeno, and cheese. Cover with aluminum foil or lid and let the cheese melt. Remove from heat, top with tomato, fresh cilantro and avocado. Serve with salsa if desired.

Fire roasted root vegetables
4 cups of root vegetables, mix of potatoes, turnips, celery root, and parsnip, peeled and chopped into small pieces in advance
1 cup sliced onion
4 cloves of garlic, minced
4 sprigs of thyme
sea salt and pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
optional: 1/4 cup grated parmesan
6 large square sheet of aluminum foil - makes 2 packets

Tools needed: aluminum foil, tongs
Knife and cutting board or pre-chop everything in advance and keep in ziploc bags until needed

Take one large square sheet of aluminum foil. Place half the root vegetables, onion, garlic, and thyme in the center of the foil. Sprinkle with 2 tbsp olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and use hands to mix together. Place another sheet on top. Roll edges up tightly. Wrap in another sheet of aluminum foil to secure the contents. Repeat with remaining ingredients to make an additional packet.

Place both packets directly in fire, turning with tongs every 10 minutes, cooking for 20 minutes. If place above fire, cook for 40 minutes, turning every 10 minutes. Remove from heat and open carefully, as steam will be very hot. Top with parmesan cheese if desired. Serve hot. Each packet serves 2 as a side.

Fire roasted butternut squash
4 cups butternut squash
1 cup onion
12 sage leaves
1/4 cup olive oil
sea salt and pepper

Tools needed: aluminum foil, tongs
Knife and cutting board or pre-chop everything in advance and keep in ziploc bags until needed

Take one large square sheet of aluminum foil. Place half the butternut squash, onion, and sage in the center of the foil. Sprinkle with 2 tbsp olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and use hands to mix together. Place another sheet on top. Roll edges up tightly. Wrap in another sheet of aluminum foil to secure the contents. Repeat with remaining ingredients to make an additional packet.

Place both packets directly in fire, turning with tongs every 10 minutes, cooking for 20 minutes. If place above fire, cook for 40 minutes, turning every 10 minutes. Remove from heat and open carefully, as steam will be very hot. Serve hot. Each packet serves 2 as a side.

Biscuit and gravy
3 tbsp butter
1 cup of mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup onions, sliced
1/2 cup flour
4 cups milk, heat separately
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
salt and pepper
1 can of 6 Pillsbury biscuits
2 large sheets of aluminum foil

Tools needed: cast iron skillet, pot, spoon, fork, aluminum foil, tongs
Knife and cutting board or pre-chop everything in advance and keep in ziploc bags until needed

Arrange biscuits in center of a large sheet of aluminum foil. Cover with another sheet of foil and roll up edges. Place on grill over fire and cook for 15 minutes, until down. Turning halfway with tongs. Remove from heat and open carefully, as steam will be very hot.

In a pot, bring milk to a simmer. In a large cast iron skillet, add butter and onion, saute until soft over medium heat. Add flour, stirring constantly. Cook over low heat, whisking frequently. Pour about half the warm milk into the skillet and whisk until smooth. Add the remaining milk and stir until thickened. Add mushrooms, cooking for a few minutes. Season to taste with crushed red pepper, salt and pepper.

Spoon the gravy over warm biscuits and serve hot.

Rustic Cabbage Soup with Cannellini beans and Parmesan

2012-01-02T06:00:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! Sal mubarak! Hope you rang in the new year surrounded by friends, family, good food, and love! Our new year started off with a lovely brunch of an irresistible spinach quiche with a wonderfully flakey homemade crust (recipe to come), tasty leek ragu, decadent fromage d'affinois, and blue bottle coffee. Carrying on my mother's tradition (with a new twist), we ate blacked eyed peas and collard greens Indian style to bring good luck and prosperity for the new year.

Then we celebrated our first family dinner of the new year with old favorites, parmesan roasted broccoli with Meyer lemon and penne with my famous heavenly tomato vodka sauce.

If January 1st is any indication of the days to come, then 2012 is looking to be a delicious year!

Continuing with the theme of family dinners, this healthy, comforting cabbage soup is full of nutrients and is a great way to incorporate winter vegetables into your meals. I think of winter as a time to cook rustic, peasant-style dishes that satisfy cold-weather cravings. It is a time when one pot meals shine and are best at creating a bowl of "comfort." There are days when nothing satisfies more than a bowl of steaming hot khichdi with yogurt or spicy chole and roti. Other days, especially relaxing Sundays, are perfect for simple hearty soups, and who doesn't love having leftovers for the upcoming weeknights.

To be honest, this cabbage soup is more than just boiled cabbage, it is a pot of winter vegetables delicately infused with thyme and parmesan. The recipe is very forgiving, you can mix the vegetables in whatever proportion you have on hand and add or remove ingredients freely. And it makes for great leftovers.

In a dutch oven, sweat onion and garlic in a little olive oil and butter. Add a bay leaf and fresh thyme. Add vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Plop in a parmesan rind to infuse a hearty, savory flavor to the soup as it simmers. It will add a wonderful umami flavor to the soup. Stir in leeks, diced potato, diced turnip and sliced cabbage, seasoning with sea salt and freshly ground pepper. To make the soup more hearty, add cooked (or canned) cannellini beans. Simmer until cooked through. Taste and adjust salt until the flavors pop. Sometimes the parmesan rind will dissolve into the soup, if it did not dissolve, simple fish it out with a slotted spoon before serving. Serve with freshly grated parmesan and crusty, toasted whole grain bread.

If you wish, you can ladle the soup over the toasted bread to soak up the liquid and make a heartier meal.

Rustic Cabbage Soup with Cannellini Beans and Parmesan

1 small cabbage
4 small potatoes, peeled
2 small turnips, tops and bottoms removed, no need to peel if using baby turnips and peeled if using larger turnip
2 leeks, tops trimmed
1 small onion, thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
parmesan rind
1 15 oz can cannellini beans, or 2 cups of cooked cannellini beans
5 cups vegetable stock

Halve the leeks lengthwise, slice crosswise into 1/2" pieces. Transfer to a large bowl filled with cold water and let stand until dirt and sand falls to the bottom. Rinse thoroughly and drain in a colander. Trim and core the cabbage, slice in half and slice into 1/4" ribbons and half crosswise. Halve potatoes and cut into a 1/2" dice. Halve turnips and cut into a 1/2" dice.

In a dutch oven, heat the olive oil and butter over medium heat. Add onions and garlic, stir, and cover and let sweat for 5 minutes. Add bay leaf and fresh thyme, stir for 1 minute. Add vegetable stock and bring to a boil, plop in the parmesan rind. Add potatoes, turnips, leeks, and cabbage. Season with salt and pepper. Reduce heat and simmer for 25 minutes. Add cooked cannellini beans to the soup and simmer for 10 minutes. Sometimes the rind will dissolve into the soup, if it did not dissolve, simple fish it out with a slotted spoon before serving. Serve hot with grated parmesan on top and alongside toasted crusty bread.

Cranberry, white chocolate, and macadamia nut cookies

2011-12-30T06:00:00.002-08:00

I'm not much of a baker and as shocking as it sounds, I don't have much of a sweet tooth. I really only ever make things like this decadent flourless chocolate cake or a heavenly light as a feather vanilla semifreddo or a spring rhubarb crumble with orange zest. And the only other sweets I make are Indian sweets like kheer and burfi for Diwali. But there is one sweet that I just love love love: a cranberry, white chocolate, and macadamia nut cookies.

When I was in college, I often studied at the student run 24 hour coffeeshop, Coffeehaus, on the third floor of the student center. Once in a while they had these amazing cranberry and white chocolate scones that would sell out instantly. But I was lucky; the guy working the late night shift would save one for me whenever they were delivered.

Years later I started to make these cranberry, white chocolate, and macadamia nut cookies with a little whiskey. There was something oh-so-wonderful about the way the tartness of the cranberry balances the sweetness of the white chocolate and the unexpected crunch of the macadamia nut. They have a wonderful balance of sweet and salty that many cookies lack. And using a little whiskey or brandy gives the cookies a warm, wintery feel.

I usually make a batch of these around the holidays. Recently I brought a batch of these cookies into the office and they disappeared so fast. Everyone who eats them asks me for the recipe!

I baked the cookies on a Silipat which resulted in the most perfect texture, crispy on the outside and dense and chewy on the inside, without the bottom browning. They turned out moist and absolutely wonderful!

Cranberry, white chocolate, and macadamia nut cookies

1/2 cup butter softened, unsalted

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

1 egg

1 tbsp whiskey or brandy

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

3/4 cup white chocolate chips

3/4 cup dried cranberries

3/4 cup coarsely chopped macadamia nut

1/4 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease cookie sheet. In a large bowl, cream butter, brown sugar, and white sugar together until smooth. Beat in egg and brandy or whiskey. In a separate bowl, whisky together flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir into sugar butter mix. Using a spatula, stir in white chocolate, cranberries, and macadamia nuts. Drop by level tablespoonfuls onto a Silipat lined cookie sheet about 1 1/2 inches apart. Bake between 10 to 12 minutes, take out while still doughy. Allow to cool for 2 minutes on the cookie sheet before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Fennel gratin with leek and potato

2011-12-29T06:00:00.000-08:00

Happy holidays to you all! As much as I love the holidays, it can sometimes be a little overwhelming to constantly host and cook for crowds at home or cook for various parties and potlucks. This fennel gratin is beautiful enough to serve at a holiday party and easy enough to prepare for your next potluck or get together in the midst of other holiday craziness. Not only is it wonderfully comforting and delicious, it is easy to prepare in advance and very transportable.

The creamy fennel gratin is a wonderful way to use fennel bulbs in cold weather dishes and I imagine that it would be delicious served with fish. I made the delicious fennel gratin for a friend's birthday dinner and it disappeared in minutes! It was really, really good! And it paired surprisingly well with Swedish mulled wine, glögg. If you are planning to transport the dish, you can bake it for 1 hour at home and bake the last 30 minutes just before serving.

Given the large size of the fennel bulbs I was using, I decide to half the fennel bulb and thinly slice it lengthwise, but if you have smaller bulbs, you can cut the bulbs into quarters. A gratin is really one of those dishes that is infinitely easier to prepare if you have a mandoline. Using a mandoline really, really helps here because you want to slice the potatoes into 1/16" inch even slices so that it will cook evenly.

Saute the fennel and leek in butter until soft, seasoned with salt and pepper, fresh thyme, and fennel fronds. Overlap thinly sliced potatoes on the bottom of a buttered 9 x 13 (really a 10 x 13) gratin dish, season with salt and pepper, top with leek and fennel, and add a layer of parmesan.

Repeat once more starting with a layer of potatoes and if you have potatoes remaining, add a final layer on top. Whisk red cayenne pepper, a pinch of nutmeg, and salt and pepper into the milk and pour on top of the vegetables, pressing down with a spatula so that the vegetables are just covered. If you want to emphasize the fennel flavor, you can toast some fennel seeds over medium high heat until fragrant and then grind coarsely using a mortar and pestle and add to the milk before pouring over the gratin.

Cover with foil and bake for 1 hour, pressing the layers down every half hour and adding a little bit of milk if needed to reach the top layer. Uncover, sprinkle with remaining parmesan and bake uncovered for 30 minutes until golden brown and cooked through.

Fennel gratin with leek and potato

1 lb fennel (about 2 large bulbs), stalks and fronds removed
1.5 lbs yukon gold potatoes or other waxy potatoes, peeled
2 leeks, dark green tops removed or 1 1/2 cups thinly sliced onions
4 tbsp butter
optional 1 tbsp fennel seeds
leaves from 3 sprigs of thyme
2 tbsp chopped fennel fronds
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
pinch of nutmeg
2 1/2 cups of whole milk
1 1/2 cups of finely grated parmesan
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 425F. Butter a 9 by 13 gratin dish.

Optional Toast fennel seeds in a small saucepan over medium high heat for 3 minutes, until they release their aroma. Using a mortar and pestle, pound the seeds coarsely.

Peel off any browned or bruised outer layers of the fennel bulb. Cut the bulb in half and slice each half thinly lengthwise.

Halve the leeks lengthwise and then chop crosswise into 1/2" pieces, using the white and pale green parts only. Transfer to a large bowl filled with cold water and let sit until dirt falls to the bottom. Rinse thoroughly and drain in a colander.

Heat 1 tbsp butter in a large saute pan. Add half of the fennel slices and saute until soft, about 5-7 minutes. Season with sea salt and pepper. Transfer to a medium bowl. Add 1 tbsp of butter and repeat with remaining fennel slices. Repeat with leeks in two batches. Combine fennel and leeks in the bowl, season with thyme, 1 tbsp fennel fronds, and if using, ground fennel seeds. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.

Slice the potatoes on a mandoline into 1/16" thick slices. Stir cayenne pepper and nutmeg into the milk. Add a pinch of salt.

Arrange potato slices in overlapping rows on the bottom of the gratin dish. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add half of the fennel and leek and spread evenly. Sprinkle with parmesan. Top with another layer of overlapping potatoes, season with salt and pepper, top with fennel and leek, parmesan. Top with last layer of potatoes, season with salt and pepper. Pour milk over the top, sprinkle with parmesan.

Cover with foil and bake for 1 hour. As needed, add a little bit of milk to reach the top layer of vegetables, pressing down each time. Remove the foil and lightly press the gratin down with a spatula. Sprinkle with remaining parmesan and continue baking until the vegetables are tender the top is golden brown, 15 to 30 minutes more. Remove from the oven, garnish with fennel fronds. Let stand for 15 minutes before serving.

Martha's mac and cheese with gruyere, sharp cheddar and bread crumbs

2011-12-22T06:00:00.002-08:00

Oh. My. Goodness. This has to be the best creamy, rich, grown-up mac and cheese EVER. It is utterly divine and comforting and so easy to make. And it reheats to perfect creamy, gooey-ness without separating or becoming oily. Seriously, this is the king of all macaroni and cheese.

You may have come across Martha Stewart's mac and cheese recipe before, as it has been popularized by Serious Eats and Smitten Kitchen. It really is that amazing.

To make it "grown up," I used a mixture of nutty, aged gruyere and sharp English cheddar with coarse sourdough breadcrumbs. The sharp cheddar was so wonderful, with tiny little crystals that pop in your mouth.

I made this mac and cheese for a friend's wedding in Tahoe for 60+ people. After figuring out how to boil pasta in a massive pot at a high elevation and stirring massive pots of milk and cheese sauce, making a single batch of mac and cheese was a simple feat.

If prepared according to the recipe, the mac and cheese will serve 12 people, but you can easily halve the recipe. 12 people isn't an exaggeration. You may think that you can eat it all but you WILL have leftovers, unless you have 12 hungry mouths to feed.

But having leftovers of this mac and cheese is a good thing. I am convinced that it tastes better the next day. Be sure to serve it hot so it will be nice and gooey.

I made a tray for Thanksgiving and we ate leftovers for dinner on Friday, breakfast the next morning (don't judge) and for dinner again on Saturday.

Sadly there are no more leftovers. I cannot wait for an excuse to make it again.

Martha's mac and cheese (The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook: The Original Classics)

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for casserole
*6 slices white bread, crusts removed, torn into 1/4- to l/2-inch pieces I used 1/3 of a fresh sourdough boule, did not remove the crust and processed into coarse breadcrumbs
5 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons coarse salt, plus more for water
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
4 1/2 cups (about 18 ounces) grated sharp white cheddar cheese
2 cups (about 8 ounces) grated Gruyère or 1 1/4 cups (about 5 ounces) grated Pecorino Romano cheese
1 pound elbow macaroni

Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter a 3-quart casserole dish; set aside. Place the bread in a medium bowl. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Pour the melted butter into the bowl with the bread, and toss. Set the breadcrumbs aside.

Warm the milk in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Melt the remaining 6 tablespoons butter in a high-sided skillet over medium heat. When the butter bubbles, add the flour. Cook, stirring, 1 minute.

While whisking, slowly pour in the hot milk a little at a time to keep mixture smooth. Continue cooking, whisking constantly, until the mixture bubbles and becomes thick, 8 to 12 minutes.

Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in salt, nutmeg, black pepper, cayenne pepper, 3 cups cheddar cheese, and 1 1/2 cups Gruyère (or 1 cup Pecorino Romano); set the cheese sauce aside.

Cover a large pot of salted water, and bring to a boil. Cook the macaroni until the outside of pasta is cooked and the inside is underdone, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the macaroni to a colander, rinse under cold running water, and drain well. Stir the macaroni into the reserved cheese sauce.

Pour the mixture into the prepared dish. Sprinkle the remaining 1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, 1/2 cup Gruyère (or 1/4 cup Pecorino Romano), and the breadcrumbs over the top. Bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes. Transfer the dish to a wire rack for 5 minutes; serve.

Artichoke and Fennel Ravioli with Tomato Fennel Sauce

2011-12-19T06:00:00.001-08:00

Whenever I get a bulb of fennel in my CSA box, I struggle with ideas for using the fennel in ways that showcase the fennel other than a simple arugula and fennel salad with lemon and parmesan. And I always try to come up with uses for fennel fronds. Fennel is in season from autumn through early spring is an excellent source of Vitamin C for the winter months as well as fiber, folate and potassium.

It seems that I just love fennel in salads, like this shiitake and fennel farro salad with parsley oil, in shaved carrot, radish and fennel quinoa with lemon and in a wonderful antipasti of grilled zucchini, fennel, cherry tomatoes and cannellini beans. But those are all things I crave in the spring or summer, not in the winter.

Sometimes grocery stores sell fennel bulbs with the stalks and leaves chopped off, but usually the fennel bulb comes attached to long stalks topped with feathery leaves, called fennel fronds. I never knew what to do with the fennel fronds; my instinct told me to throw them into a vegetable stock but the flavor of fennel is far too strong and overpowering for most stock uses.

After spending much time wondering what to do with fennel fronds, I have come up with the following uses for fennel fronds. Usually I end up using fennel fronds as I would use dill, mixed with yogurt and garlic for a refreshing dipping sauce, or as a garnish for a dish, like roasted golden beets. I don't eat fish, but I've heard that roasting a fish over a bed of fennel fronds is simply wonderful.

I have also used fennel fronds in a "feta salsa verde". If the words "salsa verde" make you think of a green tomatillo salsa, you are not alone. I, too, was once confused but learned from Suzanne Goin that "salsa verde" can also mean a green sauce made of herbs- usually parsley and other herbs, lemon and olive oil, with unmistakeable Mediterranean flavors. Simply chop fennel fronds and parsley, toss with lemon zest, garlic and sea salt, coarsely pulse with olive oil and lemon juice and mix in crumbled French feta. It makes a wonderful sauce for topping cannellini bean crostini or fish.

In my search for vegetarian main dishes starring fennel, I came across a wonderful recipe in Bon Appétit for an artichoke and fennel ravioli in a beautiful tomato fennel sauce. It is so festive and perfect for the holidays! The ravioli filling is a blend of fennel seeds, garlic, diced fennel bulb, artichoke hearts and fennel fronds. The recipe calls for frozen artichoke hearts but I used a can of artichoke hearts in water from Whole Foods.

And the tomato fennel sauce, oh my, the tomato fennel sauce has garlic, fennel seeds, diced fennel, san marzano tomatoes, crushed red pepper, oregano and ground cloves. Such an elegant, holiday-appropriate vegetarian dish!

For a perfect first course for a dinner party, spoon the tomato fennel sauce on to an appetizer plate and top with artichoke fennel ravioli. Garnish with fennel fronds and a grind or two of cracked black pepper.

To make the wonton ravioli, cut into rounds with a biscuit cutter and brush with egg white.

Place 1 tsp of filling in center. Fold into a halfmoon and press firmly to push out any air.

I had some of the tomato fennel sauce leftover so the next day I toasted a crusty slice of bread and topped it with cannellini beans sauteed with tomato fennel sauce.

For the Artichoke and Fennel Ravioli with Tomato Fennel Sauce recipe, see Bon Appétit

Glögg (Swedish mulled wine)

2011-12-15T06:00:00.001-08:00

It's often hard to feel in sync with seasons in San Francisco given that it can be sunny and 60 degrees in December and unbearably chilly in the summer months. If you aren't yet feeling the Christmas spirit, gather your friends for a night of glögg, a wonderful Swedish mulled wine guaranteed to bring out the warmth and joy of the holiday season.

Many years ago my very dear, old friend Kristi first introduced me to glögg back when we both lived in Boston. It was the perfect drink for a chilly wintery night, and was sure to make you warm and toasty inside. To be fair, glögg isn't just mulled wine, it is mulled wine topped off with brandy (sometimes vodka). So it definitely has a kick!

Although San Francisco doesn't compete with Boston or Chicago in the cold factor (let's be honest, we don't really need a reason to drink), we gathered friends (and maybe a Swedish dad to play judge) for a little glögg competition. My Swedish friend brought over bottled glögg, apparently no one makes homemade glögg anymore in Sweden. I, of course, made homemade glögg. And the taste off began!

It is pretty easy to make glögg at home. Simply simmer red wine or a mixture of red wine and port with spices including cardamon, cinnamon, cloves and orange rind, but do not let boil. Add sugar along with blanched almonds and raisins. Continue to simmer for about an hour, taking care to keep the wine from boiling. Serve hot in small cups and top with brandy or vodka, if desired. I should warn that the glögg will be ridiculously strong if you do add brandy or vodka.

Be sure to include some almonds and raisins in the glass, but avoid serving the spices. You can tie the spices in a bundle of cheese cloth or leave them loose.

In case you are wondering, it was a close call, but ultimately the homemade glögg was the absolute favorite.

Glögg

2 bottles of red wine (something robust and fruity) OR 1.5 bottles of red wine and 0.5 bottle of port

20 cardamom pods

2 cinnamon sticks

10 cloves

rind of 1 orange

1/2 cup blanched almonds

1/2 cup raisins

1/2 cup of sugar

optional brandy

In a large pot, add 2 bottles of red wine or a mixture of 1.5 bottles of red wine and 1/2 bottle of port. Heat over medium heat, add cardamon, cinnamon, cloves and orange rind. You can tie the spices in a bundle of cheese cloth or leave them loose. Reduce the heat to low and do not let boil. Add sugar along with blanched almonds and raisins. Continue to simmer for about an hour, taking care to keep the wine from boiling.

Ladle the glögg into small cups along with some almonds and raisins and top with a little brandy or vodka, if desired. Avoid serving the spices.

Monkey Bread with Dill, Butter and Sea Salt

2011-12-14T06:00:00.000-08:00

When I got a huge bunch of dill in my CSA box, I struggled to find uses for the dill. It felt a bit out of season, but then again it is still warm in California in early November. I've made tzatiki with pita triangles, zucchini dill and feta patties, dill feta and scallion scrambled eggs and even dill pilaf.

Then I remembered a wonderful meal I had during my last few days in Chicago at The Bristol and the incredible monkey bread pull apart with dill, butter and salt.

This isn't sweet Monkey bread, you know the kind with cinnamon, caramel and cream cheese icing; this is monkey bread for grownups. Buttery, warm and fluffy pull-apart pieces of bread flavored with dill and sea salt and dipped into a dill butter sauce.

And it is so much fun to eat! You "pull apart" the warm fluffy bread balls from the loaf and dip into a salty, dill butter sauce.

And the chef even shared his wonderful recipe with Chicago Magazine with a fabulous short video demonstrating the steps!

You knead the dough in a stand mixer with fresh dill and then let the dough rise for 30 minutes.

Once it rises, you punch it down, section it off into pieces and form into balls and arrange into a loaf pan. Allow the loaf to rise again for 20 minutes, brush with melted butter and dill, sprinkle with sea salt. Then bake at 375 degrees for 12 minutes, brushing with melted butter and dill again and serve hot with a dill, butter and sea salt dipping sauce.

The recipe suggests placing 7 balls in a 4 oz loaf pan, but I only had a full sized loaf pan and it worked just fine.

We feasted on the warm dill monkey bread right out of the oven for brunch along with our favorite herb and parmesan baked eggs.

Chris Pandel’s Monkey Bread with Dill, Butter, and Sea Salt (Chicago Magazine)
Yield: 4 loafs (8 oz pans)
Total prep time: 2 hours

Yeast Mixture
Proof time: 10 minutes
2 tbsp warm water (about 110-115 degrees)
1 1/2 tsp dry active yeast
1 tsp white sugar

Method
1. Mix yeast, sugar, and warm water in a small mixing bowl. Set aside for ten minutes to allow yeast to proof (bubbles will form at the surface).

Dough Preparation
Prep time: 10 minutes
Rise time: 30 minutes
2 ¼ cups bread flour
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 cup whole milk
1 egg
1 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
2 tbsp fresh dill, torninto small pieces

Method
1. Mix flour and salt in large mixing bowl. Set bowl on mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment.
2. With the mixer set on medium speed, slowly add the proofed yeast mixture to the dry ingredients, followed by the milk, egg, and melted butter. Add the dill.
3. Mix on medium speed just until the dough releases from the side of the bowl, about 6-to-8 minutes. Knead dough together lightly with your hands.
4. Transfer dough to a lightly greased bowl, cover bowl with plastic wrap and place in a warm place. Allow dough to rise for 25-30 minutes.

Monkey Bread Loaves
Prep time: 15 minutes
Rise time: 20 minutes
Bake time: 12 minutes

Ingredients
4 tbsp melted unsalted butter
2 tbsp fresh dill, torn into small pieces
1 tbsp sea salt

Method
1. After 30 minutes, punch dough down and roll into 56 balls, about 1 inch in diameter.
2. Mix 2 tablespoons of the melted butter and dill together, roll balls in the mixture, and arrange in 8 lightly greased 4-ounce aluminum loaf pans (7 balls per pan).
3. Allow loaves to rise once more in a warm spot for 20 minutes.
4. Brush loaves again with melted butter, and sprinkle with sea salt. Bake in a 375-degree oven for 12 minutes, brushing twice throughout the baking with the remaining two tablespoons of melted butter.
5. Serve loaves hot out of the oven with a mixture of melted butter, fresh dill, and sea salt.

Spaghetti Squash with herbs

2011-12-12T06:00:00.001-08:00

Isn't that a gorgeous plate of pasta? Oh, wait... that's not spaghetti... it's spaghetti squash!

I am embarrassed to admit that I have never used spaghetti squash before it showed up in my CSA box. It is very unfortunate because I find the whole concept of vegetable spaghetti strands extremely exciting. And there really isn't an easier way to prepare winter squash (other than maybe roasted delicata squash). Spaghetti squash contains folic acid, potassium, vitamin A and beta carotene.

Personally I don't have a taste for winter squash recipes with brown sugar, cinnamon or apple. I like to contrast the subtle sweetness of winter squash with bold, tangy and spicy flavors like red cayenne pepper and lemon, ginger and thyme, and cumin and garlic.

I found spaghetti squash to be pretty bland on its own, especially compared to other winter squash varieties like butternut squash or kabocha squash. But when treated like spaghetti and tossed with garlic and fresh herbs, spaghetti squash takes on a whole new personality!

Carefully halve the spaghetti squash using a large sharp knife. It takes a bit of effort, as the squash is hard. Then place halves on an oiled baking sheet and roast for 40 minutes (for al dente spaghetti, up to 45 min for softer strands) until can easily pierce skin with a paring knife. Let cool slightly and then scrape inside crosswise with a fork to pull spaghetti strands away from the skin. Shout with glee that there is spaghetti growing inside and transfer to serving bowl.

The dish comes together even quicker if you microwave the squash instead. Carefully pierce the skin of the spaghetti squash in several places. Microwave for 10-12 minutes and let cool slightly before handling. Halve the squash and use a fork to scrape out the inside.

You could, of course, just toss the spaghetti squash with marinara sauce. Or stir fry it with veggies. I opted to toss it with garlic and crushed red pepper infused olive oil, fresh herbs, toasted pine nuts and finely grated parmesan. Either way, it is a fabulous pasta substitute!

Spaghetti squash with herbs (baked or microwaved)

3 tbsp olive oil
1/4 to 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
3 large garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp chopped fresh herbs like basil, oregano, thyme
parmesan cheese
optional 2 tbsp toasted pine nuts

Preheat oven to 375. Halve squash lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Coat a baking sheet with olive oil and lay each half, flesh side down on sheet. Bake 40 minutes until can easily pierce skin with a paring knife. Remove from oven and let cool slightly.

Alternatively, you can microwave the squash in less time. Carefully pierce the skin of the spaghetti squash in several places. Microwave for 10-12 minutes and let cool slightly before handling. Carefully halve the squash.

Scrape inside crosswise with a fork to pull spaghetti strands away from shell (It is pretty awesome). Place strands in a serving bowl.

In a large skillet, heat olive oil, add minced garlic and crushed red pepper, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Do not brown. Stir in squash strands and season with salt and pepper. Toss until infused with garlic chili oil and heated through, about 4 minutes. Remove and transfer to a serving dish. Top with pine nuts if using, garnish with fresh herbs and top with finely grated parmesan. Serve immediately.

Cheese Course - Cypress Grove and Cow girl Creamery

2011-12-08T06:00:00.000-08:00

I miss Chicago. I miss the dramatic Gothic architecture looming over the bustling streets contrasted by piercingly tall modern glass structures. Something about the dramatic height of the buildings and the lights against the black night sky grounded me whenever I felt uprooted or lost. There is something magical about the way the vast Lake Michigan sparkles just so when hit with sunlight and something visceral about the way the brisk wind makes you acutely aware of your face. I miss the captivating, poignant beauty of the Monet room at the Art Institute. I miss living a few blocks away from my foodie haven, Fox & Obel, with its incredible cheese counter, wine room, cooking classes and tomato soup and grilled cheese pairing, and of course, I miss the heavenly vodka sauce at Volare.

But what I miss the most of all about Chicago, you know, the kind of miss that makes your heart ache, is RG, my dearest, fabulously wonderful in every conceivable way, best friend. Today is her birthday, and I want nothing more than to celebrate it with her.

From dirty tramps and morals, dirt cake (in a flower pot, complete with gummy worms), and chicks and salsa to wine and cheese hour in our cubicles (grad school doesn't always have to suck), Dom Perignon and Caymus Special Selection (the latter accompanied by our very own fabulous dance to Forever), and Arun's, RG and I have shared quite the culinary journey over the years. And it has continued in SF with feasting on dosa until it hurts at Udupi Palace in the Mission, buying out the farmer's market, Cowgirl creamery and Acme bread, followed by an impromptu picnic in oh-so-charming Sausalito.

It is only appropriate that this post about cheeses is attributed to RG because she is the one who introduced me to the wonderful, exquisite world of French cheeses, like delice de bourgogne, comte, pont l'eveque, and creamuex de bourgogne.

In the Midwest, I fell in love with Wisconsin cheeses, like Pleasant Ridge, Little Darling and Dante, but didn't know too much about California cheeses, other the more popular ones like Cypress Grove's acclaimed Humboldt Fog and Purple Haze.

When I first moved to California, my Saturday routine was to walk over to the Ferry Building, grab a latte from Blue Bottle coffee and prepare myself for the mobs of people at Cowgirl Creamery.

I sampled many Cowgirl cheeses, like Mt. Tam and Red Hawk, as well as the collection of other local California cheeses, like Cypress Grove's Truffle Tremor and Midnight Moon.

Below are my tasting notes on some of my favorite local California cheeses, including Cowgirl creamery's mysterious, rare cheese Sir Francis Drake.

Happy Birthday, my dearest RG. I love you millions.

Source: Artisanal

Humboldt Fog, pasteurized goat, California

Mary Keehn at Cypress Grove

Humboldt fog is a complex goat's milk cheese with a vein of vegetable ash running through the middle of the bright white cheese. The cheese is creamy and melty near the bloomy, white ribbon rind and dense like a fresh, tangy chevre in the center. When you bite into the delightful cheese your palate is hit with pleasant tangy, lemony notes. Humboldt fog is one of my favorite, go-to cheeses and is widely available.

I like to serve humboldt fog with walnut levain bread, honeycomb and pears. I pair Humboldt fog with either an oakey chardonnay, like Far Niente's Oakville Chardonnay, or with a fruit forward Russian River Pinot Noir.

Source: Artisanal

Purple haze, pasteurized goat, California

Mary Keehn at Cypress Grove

I've reviewed Purple Haze before, but to recap it is a delightfully fresh,white as snow goat's milk cheese dusted with golden fennel pollen and lavender. It is creamy, smooth, tangy, lemony and oh so refreshing.

I like to serve Purple Haze with an arugula salad with lemon and olive oil and pair it with a bright, grassy and citrusy Sauvignon Blanc.

Source: Cow girl creamery

Truffle tremor, pasteurized goat, California

Mary Keehn at Cypress Grove

Mary Keehn's newest cheese is Truffle Tremor, A ripened, creamy and lush goat's milk cheese noticeably infused with earthy black truffles from Italy. Specks of black truffle dust the dense interior of the tangy, velvety cheese. Similar to humboldt fog only in that it has a fresh chevre center and is melty and creamy just below the bloomy rind. One of my favorites!

Some may suggest pairing the cheese with a sparkling wine but personally, I love love love ripe Truffle Tremor paired with a cherry, spiced oak Pinot Noir or a full bodied Cabernet.

Midnight moon, pasteurized goat, California

Mary Keehn at Cypress Grove

Midnight moon is a firm, dense goat's milk cheese that is ivory in color and slightly grainy and nutty. It has notes of brown butter and hints of caramel, like gruyere or an aged gouda. You won't believe it is goat's milk!

I loved serving Midnight Moon with figs and pairing it with a fruit forward Cabernet or a fruity, medium intensity Zin, like Ridge Geyserville Zinfandel. If you prefer a white wine, try an oaked Chardonnay.

Source: Cow girl creamery

Mt. Tam, pasteurized cow, California

Cowgirl creamery

Mt. Tam is a wonderful triple cream, silky, buttery and lusciously rich with a mild mellow earthy flavor, slightly salty. The cheese ripens from the outside in so it is softer near the bloomy rind and slightly more firm in the center. You may except the cheese to be more like an oozey brie but it is supposed to be a firm not-so-oozey cheese.

Personally, I prefer the salty, ooziness of the beloved fromage d'affinois, but Mt. Tam is certainly a noteworthy cheese.

As with most luscious, creamy cheeses, I like to pair with a sparkling wine or a champagne.

Source Reluctant Gourmet

Red hawk, pasteurized cow, California

Cowgirl creamery

Red Hawk is a soft, supple, pungent washed rind triple cream that has a luciously creamy texture. It has intense aromas of earth and mushrooms, but is mellower than you would expect from the pungent smell. This sensuous cheese just screams Northern California Coast.

I haven't played with pairings for Red Hawk but Janet Fletcher recommends pairing Red Hawk with Gewurztraminer.

Source: Flickr user BudgetBougie

Sir Francis Drake, cow, California

Cowgirl creamery

Sir Francis Drake is a mysterious, rare cheese by Cowgirl creamery. It is hard to locate and the only bit of information I came across said that Sir Frances Drake is a delicious mistake that only appears when something happens with Mt. Tam. It is washed with a dessert wine and sprinkled with a few currants.

Whatever the reason, if you can find this cheese, TRY IT. It has the aroma of salty ocean air, like the Pacific Ocean, and is creamy and luscious like Mt. Tam but not as briny and pungent as Red Hawk.

I was lucky enough to try Sir Francis Drake at Local Mission Eatery. And boy was it wonderful!

Roasted radishes on crostini with bagna cauda

2011-12-07T06:00:00.000-08:00

Have you tried roasted radishes yet? Simply delicious. Unlike crisp and pungent raw radishes, roasted radishes are sweet and mellow. They make a wonderful side dish or light snack on crusty bread. Who knew radishes could have two strikingly different personalities like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde?

Lately I seem to regularly get a bunch or two of radishes in my CSA box. Continuing with my research about the nutritional value of things I eat, I recently learned that radishes are rich in asorbic acid, folic acid and potassium and are a good source for Vitamin B6, riboflavin, magnesium, cooper and calcium.

At a dinner party celebrating Spring a couple years ago, I sliced up beautiful French breakfast radishes at the beloved Green City market, bathed them in vegetarian bagna cauda and served with crusty bread. The crisp, raw radishes complemented the pungent, savory bagna cauda.

Now that roasted radishes are appearing all over menus, I pan roasted radishes in olive oil, seasoned with salt and pepper and drizzled with warm (vegetarian) bagna cauda made of butter, loads of garlic, crushed red pepper, capers and kalamata olives (instead of anchovies). For an appetizer you could spoon the bagna cauda onto crusty toasted bread, arrange radish wedges on top, and spoon additional bagna cauda on top, garnishing with thyme or parsley.

Elegant, while satisfying my craving for savoriness!

Alternatively, try pan roasted radishes in a single layer in olive oil simply seasoned with salt and pepper. Or pan roast with thinly sliced shallots, season with salt and pepper, top with fresh thyme and maybe crumbled French feta. For a slightly sweeter version, pan roast, season with salt and pepper and drizzle with balsamic vinegar.

Roasted radishes with bagna cauda

1 bunch radishes, stems and tails trimmed, large radishes sliced lengthwise into sixths and smaller radishes sliced lengthwise into quarters
1 tbsp olive oil
salt
pepper
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp olive oil
4 large garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp kalamata olives, pitted and minced
1 tbsp capers, rinsed and crushed with back of a spoon
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
optional 8 thin slices crusty bread, toasted
for garnish 1 tsp fresh thyme, chopped or 1tbsp parsley, chopped

Heat a large skillet over medium high heat for two minutes. Add 1 tbsp olive oil and arrange radishes in a single layer, cut side down. Do not crowd the radishes. Season with salt and pepper, cook without moving until light brown, about 3 minutes. Shake the skillet and continue cooking until tender, about 3 to 5 minutes.

In a small skillet over low heat, add olive oil, crushed red pepper, crushed garlic, kalamata olives, and capers. Slowly cook for 8-10 minutes. The garlic should fall apart but do not let it brown.

If using bread: Brush each slice of toast with sauce and top with radish wedges. Spoon additional sauce on top. Garnish with fresh thyme or parsley.

Otherwise: Arrange radishes in a serving bowl and pour sauce on top. Garnish with thyme or parsley.

Warm red cabbage with balsamic infused currant, feta and spicy pepitas

2011-12-05T06:00:00.002-08:00

I got a beautiful head of red cabbage (also known as purple cabbage) in my CSA box. Did you know that red cabbage is even more nutritious than green cabbage as it contains anthocyanins, which likely have powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, and sulfur compounds, in addition to lots of Vitamin C? And the deep purple reddish hue is a stunning addition to any dinner table.

This particular head of red cabbage was such a vibrant purplish red, almost the color of roasted red beets, that I immediately wanted to contrast it bright white feta cheese, purely from an aesthetic point of view. I quickly sauteed the red cabbage with shallots and garlic, seasoned with sea salt and pepper and tossed it with crumbled, tangy French feta.

For a textural contrast and to add some spice to the dish, I added spicy toasted pepitas. I simply rubbed a cup of raw pepitas with olive oil, seasoned with sea salt and half a teaspoon each of chili powder, red cayenne pepper and ground cumin and toasted in the oven for 5 minutes at 350 degrees.

To counter the salty tangy feta, I added some dried red currants soaked in warmed balsamic vinegar. The result was a slightly crunchy, savory, tangy, spicy and sweet wonderful red cabbage salad. It was a huge hit as a side dish at my vegetarian Thanksgiving dinner and we can't wait to have it again!

Spicy toasted pepitas
1 cup pepitas
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp red cayenne pepper
sea salt
olive oil

Preheat oven to 350.

In a medium bowl, toss the pepitas with olive oil and use our hands to coat well. Season with chili powder, red cayenne pepper, cumin and sea salt. Use your hands to coat each seed. Taste for seasoning and adjust as needed. Bake for 5 minutes. Watch carefully to avoid burning the seeds. Let cool.

Store spicy pepitas in an airtight container.

Warm red cabbage with balsamic infused currants, feta and spicy pepitas

1 small shallot, diced about 2 tbsp
1 large clove of garlic, minced
1.5 tbsp olive oil
1/2 head of red cabbage, thinly sliced lengthwise and then crosswise into 1 1/2 to 2" strips
5 oz feta, crumbled
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup dried red currants
1/2 cup of spicy toasted pepitas

sea salt
pepper

Place currants in a small bowl. In a small saucepan, heat balsamic vinegar until warm, do not boil. Pour over currants and let soak for 15 to 20 minutes.

In a large high sided skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add shallot and garlic, stir, cooking about 2 minutes. Do not brown. Add cabbage, season with sea salt and pepper, stir to coat, and reduce heat to low. Let cook for just 2 minutes, the cabbage should be tender crisp. Set aside.

Toss cabbage with balsamic and currant mixture, season lightly with sea salt and pepper, top with crumbled feta and scatter spicy toasted pepitas on top.

Wilted Arugula Orecchiette in a Lemon Mascarpone Sauce

2011-12-01T06:00:00.002-08:00

I don't think I can ever tire of my go-to arugula salad with shaved parmesan in a shallot lemon olive oil vinaigrette (toasted pine nuts optional). And I certainly never thought I could improve on the salad in either taste or time required to assemble. I love the slight bitterness of baby arugula and it is an added bonus that arugula is a good source of folate and calcium and an excellent source of Vitamin A, C and K, as well as cooper and iron.

Then I had ricotta ravioli with wilted arugula in a lemon sauce at Zazie in Cole Valley. While dining on the charming garden patio underneath beautiful strings of lights, I made a mental note that I must create a wilted arugula pasta dish at home the next time I have a generous bunch of arugula in my CSA box.

Let's face it, while we love arugula salads, sometimes we just need other uses for the massive bag of greens sitting in the fridge (other than throwing it onto a pizza, which is a delicious way to convince yourself that eating pizza is healthy).

When arugula arrived in my next box, I immediately washed and spun-dry the arugula, wrapped the leaves in a paper towel and stored the bunch in a plastic bag. To keep the arugula as fresh as possible, it is important to store the leaves wrapped in a paper towel to absorb moisture.

We love orecchiette around here so I decided to create a lemon mascarpone sauce for the pasta and then add the arugula. Mascarpone is gently folded with the juice of one lemon, lemon zest, roasted garlic and crushed red pepper and then the cooked pasta and arugula is gently stirred in with some of the cooking water until the arugula wilts. And you are done!

The dish has the perfect amount of lemony-ness and the mascarpone makes the dish silky and creamy but still light. I was pretty happy with how quickly the dish came together- it only took about as long as it takes to boil the pasta.

I think I will stick to my favorite arugula salad most nights, but for a quick weeknight meal, wilted arugula pasta with lemon mascarpone sauce is a welcomed change.

Oreccheitte with wilted arugula in a lemon mascarpone sauce
1 bunch arugula, wild or baby, tough stems removed
zest of 2 small lemons
3 to 4 tbsp fresh lemon juice (about one lemon)
8 oz mascarpone (I love Crave brother's)
1/2 lb orecchiette (penne or farfalle would work fine too)
sea salt
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper, or to taste
2 large garlic cloves, minced

Bring water to a boil in a large heavy bottomed saucepan over high heat. Once water is boiling, salt generously and then add pasta. Cook pasta until just before al dente, 1-2 minutes before cooking time listed on package instructions. Drain, reserving 1 cup of cooking water.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine mascarpone, lemon juice and lemon zest. Season with sea salt. In a small saucepan, heat olive oil until shimmery. Add garlic cloves and crushed red pepper, stirring until fragrant. Pour onto lemon mascarpone sauce, stirring to combine. Add 1/4 cup reserved cooking water. Mix well to form a sauce.

Gently stir in cooked pasta and arugula until wilted. If using wild arugula, may need to add additional pasta water to help wilt the greens. Taste and adjust salt and lemon juice as needed.

Serve hot and can pass additional lemon wedges at table if you wish.

Spigarello (Heirloom Broccoli Rabe) Pizza

2011-11-29T06:00:00.000-08:00

Our absolute favorite pizzeria in San Francisco has to be Pizzeria Delfina. And our absolutely favorite white pizza at Delfina is the broccoli rabe pizza- fresh mozzarella and parmesan topped with broccoli rabe sauted with garlic and red chili flakes and oil cured black olives. There is something wonderful about the combination of bitter, intense broccoli rabe and salty oil cured olives.

The best thing about powerfully flavorful broccoli rabe is that it is also intensely packed with sulforophanes and indoles, Vitamin K, A and C, folate, potassium, fiber and calcium.

I recently got a bunch of spigarello, a type of heirloom broccoli rabe, in my CSA box. Spigarello has a deep blue green color, similar to Tuscan kale, and far less bitter than broccoli rabe, almost sweet in flavor. It is considered the "granddaddy" of broccoli rabe and is a California ~~favorite~~ obsession. Seriously, ramps step aside, there is spigarello fever in this part of the country.

I prepared the spigarello in a similar manner as broccoli rabe: tough stems removed, quickly blanched the leaves for 2 minutes in boiling water, drained the leaves in a colander and sauteed it in olive oil with shallot, garlic and crushed red pepper for about 5 minutes, seasoning with salt and pepper.

I used about half of the sauteed spigarello for our version of a broccoli rabe pizza and tossed the rest with cannellini beans for a quick (and healthy) lunch.

For the pizza, we turned to our favorite pizza dough recipe, stretched it into a 12" round, and parcooked it in a hot cast iron pan. We mixed fresh mozzarella, parmesan, salt and pepper in a small bowl, sprinkled the parcooked crust with the cheese mixture, topped with sauteed broccoli rabe and split oil cured olives and placed it under the broiler for about 5 minutes.

It was absolutely amazing and tasted very similar to Delfina's- minus the bitterness of typical broccoli rabe. Although we do love Mario Batali's pizza dough recipe, next time we are going to try Delfina's pizza dough recipe.

Broccoli rabe pizza (Inspired by Pizzeria Delfina)
8 oz fresh mozzarella, roughly 2 balls
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
salt
1 large bunch broccoli rabe (or spigarello), tough stems removed and cut into 1" ribbons
2 garlic cloves
2 tbsp olive oil
about 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
freshly ground pepper
sea salt
1/4 cup oil cured black olives, pitted and torn in half
2 parbaked pizza crusts (see recipe for pizza dough)

Preheat broiler.

Dice one ball of mozzarella into 1/2" pieces and with a flat side of a chef's knife, mash the other ball flat. In a small bowl, mix both mozzarella cheeses with parmesan and season with sea salt and pepper.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Blanch broccoli rabe for 2 minutes. Remove with a spider or slotted spoon and drain in a colander.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat for 2 minutes. Add 2 tbsp olive oil and then add shallot and garlic, stirring for 1 minute until fragrant. Add crushed red pepper, stirring for 30 seconds. Add broccoli rabe, season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Stir to coat well, continue to cook for about 5 minutes, until tendercrisp.

Sprinkle cheese mixture on a parbaked pizza crust. Top with sauteed broccoli rabe and scatter with oil cured black olives. Finish with a couple grinds of black pepper. Slide under the broiler for 5 minutes until the crust gets good color, moving around in the oven as needed.

Remove from oven and slice into quarters. Repeat with remaining crust. Serve hot.