brussels sprouts salad

extreme way to enjoy them…raw and shredded.  But I guess that really means I love them, even when they aren’t braised in cream.  Maybe it’s a sign that my taste buds are about dead, but I really love this salad.  It’s so crisp and crunchy and delicious in the winter.  I based the components on a salad at at restaurant in Chicago, and found the perfect dressing from Food52.

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

For the salad:

20 young brussels sprouts

1/2 c sliced dates (or dried cherries)

1/2 c cubed Manchego cheese

1/2 c toasted almonds, chopped

For the dressing:

1/3 c olive oil

1/8 cup lemon juice

3 T mirin rice wine vinegar

1 1/2 T honey

1 1/2 T Dijon mustard

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

To make the salad: Trim the young brussels sprouts very well until you only have the very light green leaves. Using a mandolin or slicer, slice them paper thin leaving the stem.

To make the vinaigrette: In a bowl whisk together mustard, honey, rice vinegar, lemon juice and the salt. While whisking, slowly add the oil.  Taste and add more oil or honey as needed to get the balance you like.

In a bowl, toss the shaved Brussels sprouts with the dressing and let sit for 10-30 minutes.  When ready to serve, toss with the dates, cheese and almonds.

salmon with vegetable sauce

the dish would turn out.  It called for a lot of vinegar…so much that I was a little leery and cut back on it, substituting some of it for white wine so the dish took on a more  traditional flavor.  Regardless of what the original recipe was supposed to taste like, I loved the end result.  It has a kind of Asian fusion flavor from the sweet chili sauce, and the wine and vinegar give it a slightly sour caponata flavor.  I played off that Italian component and served the dish over fettuccine and added lots of Parmesan on top at the table.   I definitely recommend this dish, adapted from Allegra McEvady’s recipe.  This recipe serves 4.

Ingredients:

4 salmon fillets

4 T olive oil

2 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced

1 small eggplant, cut into 3/4″ dice

1 2″ piece fresh ginger, cut into matchsticks

1 red bell pepper, cut into 3/4″ dice

1 yellow bell pepper, cut into 3/4″ dice

1/4 c white wine vinegar

1/2 c white wine

1/2-3/4 c vegetable or chicken stock

1 carrot, cut into ribbons with a vegetable peeler

3 T sweet chili sauce

2 T chopped fresh Italian parsley

2 t lime juice

4 Lime wedges, to serve

1 Pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper

Fettuccine, cooked

Parmesan for serving

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350°F.  Rinse salmon, then pat dry and season with salt and pepper.

Put a wide frying pan on a high heat and add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Allow to heat until smoking, then add the eggplant and cook, stirring so it won’t stick, until softened, about 3-4 minutes.  Add the garlic and ginger, and once you can smell them, add the peppers and stir. Bring the vegetables to a sizzle, then add the white wine vinegar and wine, followed a minute later by the stock.  Cook on high heat and simmer, uncovered, until it reaches a saucey consistency, about 8-10 minutes.  The eggplant helps to thicken the sauce, so add more stock or water if needed.

Meanwhile, cook the fettuccine.  Then, heat a frying pan over high heat for the salmon.  Add the remaining olive oil into the pan and shake it around to coat the pan.  Lay the salmon pieces in the oil, skin side down, and press them against the bottom of the pan.  When you see the fish is just beginning to brown along the edge of the skin, move the pan into the oven for 8 minutes.

Add the carrot ribbons to the rest of the vegetables, then add the sweet chili sauce and salt and pepper to taste. Take off the heat once the carrots have softened.

Take the salmon out of the oven and transfer to warm plates over the fettuccine. Tip all the vegetables into the ex-salmon pan and stir, watching them sizzle while the liquid reduces. Add the parsley and lemon juice to the vegetables. Adjust the lemon if necessary. Serve the vegetables with the salmon and a wedge of lime, and top with Parmesan if desired.

bibimbap

be so fantastic?  It’s really just rice, vegetables, sesame oil and chile sauce…but it comes together like magic.  This is a very simple version of what is a dish with a million variations.  But that simplicity makes it perfect for weeknight meals.  I changed the recipe up a bit because the servings were kind of small for us, and added some soy sauce at the end when served.  Next time I’m going to serve it with a fried runny egg on top and some sliced shiitake mushrooms.  This dish comes from Food52 and serves 4.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 c sushi or short grain rice

1 medium sweet potato, cut into 3/4″ cubes

About 6 small potatoes (like Yukon gold), quartered (I skipped these)

1 large carrot, cut into matchsticks

1 zucchini, cut into matchsticks

1 8 oz package shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced

1 cup mung bean sprouts

5 scallions, sliced

3/4 cup frozen edamame beans, shelled and defrosted

2 T toasted sesame seed

1 pound shrimp, cleaned and de-veined (omit for vegetarian)

1 T grated fresh ginger

1 T grated garlic

1 T sesame oil

1 t hot sauce (like Sriracha, or other Asian chili)

1-2 T safflower or canola oil

Soy sauce for serving

4 fried eggs for serving

Directions:

In a small bowl, combine the cleaned shrimp with the grated garlic and ginger and season with salt and pepper.  Keep in the fridge for half an hour or longer, while you’re preparing the vegetables.

Rinse the rice in several washes of cold water until water runs clean. Add it to a small pot with 1 1/2 cups water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. When the water boils, turn heat to very low and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit covered for another 15 minutes.

For the potatoes: preheat the oven to 350°F. Toss the sweet potatoes and potatoes separately with about 1 teaspoon of oil each, then spread on opposite sides of a baking sheet. Roast, flipping once, for 35-45 minutes, until the potatoes are tender and browned.

For the carrots, zucchini and mushrooms: warm a large saucepan or wok over high heat. Add a tiny bit of oil or a coat of cooking spray, season with salt and pepper, then add the carrot matchsticks and toss until they’ve softened and gotten a tiny bit brown. Remove and set aside, then repeat for the zucchini.

Re-coat the wok with the canola or safflower oil and spread the rice on the bottom. Top with the mung beans, scallions, edamame, carrots, zucchini and mushrooms, in separate wedges. Sprinkle with one tablespoon of sesame oil and the chili sauce.  Sprinkle with soy sauce if desired.  Cover the wok with a lid or with foil, and set the whole wok over medium heat for 10 minutes, until the vegetables are warm and the rice has developed a slight crust.

Meanwhile, warm 1/2 teaspoon of oil in a smaller frying pan. When hot, add the shrimp and cook, stirring, until they are pink through. Pile the shrimp on the vegetables and rice and garnish with sesame seeds and fried eggs if using.  Serve straight from the wok.

vegan lentil stew

this seemed like a perfect early Winter dish, especially served over polenta.  I changed it up a bit though- I increased the lentils and decreased the carrots, added some red wine for richness, and some mushrooms because I love ‘em.

Ingredients:

For the stew:

1-2 T olive oil

1 small onion, diced medium

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 t dried thyme

1/2 t celery seed

Several dashes fresh black pepper

1 t salt

3/4 c green or brown lentils

3/4 c baby carrots

2 lbs plum tomatoes, chopped (I used 1 28 oz can whole Italian tomatoes)

4 c vegetable broth

1 c red wine

1 lb small yukon gold potatoes, sliced in half (if using large ones, cut into about 1 inch pieces)

2 bay leaves

3 leeks, white & light green parts only, in 1 inch chunks (and washed well) (I skipped this)

1 8 oz package baby portobello mushrooms,cut in half

For the polenta:

4 c vegetable broth

1/2 t salt

2 T olive oil

1 c dry polenta

Directions:

For the stew:  Heat a large pot over over medium heat and add the olive oil, onion and a dash of salt and saute for 5 minutes. Add the garlic, thyme, celery seed, pepper and salt and saute a minute more.

Add the lentils, baby carrots, tomatoes, vegetable broth and red wine.  Cover pot and bring to a boil. Stir occasionally for about 20 minutes, until lentils are slightly softened.

Meanwhile, make the polenta by bringing the vegetable broth and salt to a boil in a 2 quart pot. Add oil and lower the heat to a simmer. Add the polenta in a slow steady stream, stirring constantly with a whisk. Whisk for about 5 minutes, until polenta is thickened. Keeping heat low, cover and let cook for 20 more minutes or so, stirring occasionally.

When the stew has cooked for 20 minutes, add the potatoes, mushrooms and leeks (if using).  Lower the heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for about 20 to 30 more minutes, until potatoes are fork tender and lentils are soft. Let sit for 10 minutes or so to allow the flavors to meld.  Serve over the polenta and sprinkle with Parmesan for a not-so-vegan dish.

To make the polenta:

green chile cheeseburger

is fast enough for a weeknight.  I found this recipe in a Saveur magazine, which I really love.  It’s a classic dish with roasted green chiles and melty cheese.  I used ground turkey instead of beef, but either will work.  I served this with some sweet potato fries for a good old-fashioned burger and fries meal.  Serves 4.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 -2 lb. ground turkey (depending on how large you like your burgers)

1 T plus 1 1/2 t New Mexico chile powder (or substitute ancho chile)

1 1/2 t ground cumin

Kosher salt and freshly ground blackpepper, to taste

1/3 c mayonnaise

2 T ketchup

4 cloves roasted garlic, mashed to a paste

2 T canola oil

6 roasted poblano chiles, peeled, stemmed, seeded, and roughly chopped (do this by blackening the whole chiles over a gas flame, putting them in a covered bowl, then skinning them)

4 slices cheddar cheese (I used shredded Mexican cheese blend)

4 hamburger buns

Directions:

In a bowl, combine the ground turkey, 1 T chile powder, cumin, and salt and pepper.  For into four patties and chill.  Whisk the remaining chile powder, mayonnaise, ketchup, garlic, and salt and pepper in a small bowl and refrigerate sauce until needed.

Heat oil in a cast-iron skillet over medium heat.  Working in 2 batches, cook the patties, turning once, until a thick crust develops on both sides, about 10 minutes for medium-rare (less if you used less meat).  Top each patty with 1/4 of roasted chiles and cheese and cover the pan with a lid to melt the cheese.  To serve, place 1 patty on each bottom bun and spread top buns with some of the sauce. Cover burgers with top bun and serve immediately.

smoky tortellini soup

are and I never tire of them…plus, they’re like winter’s salads.  Chock full of vegetables, but warm and hearty.  This soup features tortellini, makes it quick for a weeknight.  The recipe contains bacon, but I skipped it and instead added some smoked paprika to give it the smokiness.  This recipe comes from Food52 and serves 4-6.

chicken with tomatoes and goat cheese

I changed it up a bit and stirred goat cheese into the tomato sauce, so it melted and had a tangy, creamy consistency.  You could serve this with simple sauteed zucchini and pasta, or as I served it with a zucchini rice gratin.  It’s nice enough for entertaining and quick enough for a weeknight.  This recipe was adapted from Big Girls, Small Kitchen and serves 4-6.

Ingredients:

2 T  unsalted butter

6 chicken cutlets

Sea salt

Paprika

1 clove garlic, thinly sliced

1 1/2 pints cherry tomatoes, halved

1 t sugar

1/4 c chicken stock

2 T fresh basil, slivered

4 oz goat cheese, crumbled (or 1/4 pound fresh mozzarella)

Directions:

In a large cast iron skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of butter over medium-high heat. Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels and season them generously on both sides with salt and paprika. Add the chicken to the pan and cook, lowering the heat to medium if your pan starts to smoke, until nicely browned on both sides and just pink in the middle, about 2-3 minutes per side.  Remove to a plate and tent with foil.

Add the remaining butter to the pan, along with the garlic and tomatoes. Cook until the tomatoes are beginning to fall apart, stirring occasionally and scraping up any brown bits of chicken from the bottom, about 5 minutes. Add the stock and sugar and using the back of your spoon, gently crush the tomatoes so they give up all their juices. Simmer the sauce for another 3 minutes until it’s thickened and the acidity has mellowed.  Stir in the basil and taste for seasoning, adding more salt as necessary. Add the chicken back to the pan and simmer until it’s cooked through. Dot the top with the goat cheese and stir to incorporate.  Remove from the heat, garnish with basil or Parmesan, and serve immediately, family style.

hummus and vegetable tart

crust sound great, but it’s far greater than that.  The olive oil tart is what makes it and it’s so simple to put together you can do it on a weeknight.  I did shortcut this recipe by using prepared sun-dried tomato hummus.  I used a thick, chunky one from Publix, but you could make your own if you want to spend the time.  I also wanted to be sure I had enough, so I upped the ingredients for the tart a bit.  It made 2 6″ x 12″ tarts, perfect for 6 people served with a side salad.  This recipe was adapted from from e-curry.  

Ingredients:

For the tart:

2 1/2 c all-purpose flour

1/3 c + 3 T olive oil

1/3 c cold club soda

3/4 t salt

freshly ground black pepper

1 t dried Italian herbs

For the grilled vegetables:

1 medium red onion, thickly sliced

2 zucchini, sliced

1 small eggplant, sliced

2 Roma medium tomatoes, sliced lengthwise

6 cloves of garlic, minced or grated

salt and pepper

1/2 t crushed red pepper

2-3 T olive oil

1 t dried Italian herbs

8 oz prepared sun-dried tomato hummus

Grated Parmesan for serving, optional

Directions:

To make the tart:  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  In a bowl combine flour,  salt, black pepper, herbs with a whisk.  In a smaller bowl, whisk together club soda and oil until almost creamy, for about 2 minutes.

Pour the oil and water mix in to the flour mix and stir together with a fork, until the flour come together in a dough form.  Add some more club soda if the mixture is much too dry to form a dough, but use sparingly.  Dump the dough onto a floured surface and give it a knead or two just to pull the dough together.  If you overwork it, it will get tough.

Divide the dough into two parts and gently pat each ball into a 12″ by 6″ rectangle, about a 1/4″ thickness.  Prick the crust with a fork in a few places.  Transfer tarts to greased baking sheets and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the crust is golden.

Grill the vegetables:  Meanwhile, prepare the vegetables by whisking the olive oil, salt, herbs, crushed pepper and minced garlic together.  Heat a cast iron skillet or grill pan over high heat and cook the vegetables on a stove top cast iron grill/skillet drizzled with garlic oil.  Alternatively  you can roast the vegetables in the oven by placing them in a single layer in a baking tray; drizzle the garlic oil.  Roast at 400 degrees for 30 minutes, flipping them half way through baking.

To assemble the tart, heat oven to 350 degrees.  Spread a half cup of the hummus over each baked tart.  Layer on the grilled vegetables.  Bake for 10-15 minutes or until heated through.  Grated Parmesan on the top is great for serving.

pavlova

Pavolva’s are a large merinuge that bakes at a really low temperature and turns crisp on the outside and nice and gooey marshmallowy in the center.  This seems like a celebratory New Year dessert (although I made it way back at Mother’s Day), and it’s both over the top and not as indulgent as it looks.  Pile on some fresh mixed berries and a raspberry sauce, and you’ve got a light dessert, perfect for a luncheon, or after a rich meal with champagne preferably.  I skipped the whipped cream because it didn’t seem necessary.  I am definitely making this again for a special celebration.  This recipe comes from Smitten Kitchen and serves 6.

Ingredients:

For the meringue

4 large egg whites

Pinch of salt

1 c granulated sugar (superfine if you have it)

1 t white vinegar

1/2 T cornstarch

For the raspberry sauce

1 10-ounce bag frozen raspberries, thawed

3 T sugar

For the mixed berry topping

1/2 pint fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced

1/2 pint fresh blueberries

1/2 pint fresh raspberries

Directions:

For the meringue: Preheat oven to 250°F and place rack in center of oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and draw a 7 inch (18 cm) circle on the paper.

Pour the vanilla and vinegar into a small cup. Stir the cornstarch into the sugar in a small bowl.

In a large bowl of a heavy-duty mixer, fitted with whisk attachment, whip egg whites and salt, starting on low, increasing incrementally to medium speed until soft peaks/trails start to become visible, and the egg white bubbles are very small and uniform, approximately 2 to 3 minutes.

Increase speed to medium-high, slowly and gradually sprinkling in the sugar-cornstarch mixture. A few minutes after these dry ingredients are added, slowly pour in the vanilla and vinegar (if you didn’t use cream of tartar.) Increase speed a bit and whip until meringue is glossy, and stiff peaks form when the whisk is lifted, 4 to 5 minutes.

Gently spread the meringue inside the circle drawn on the parchment paper, smoothing the edges, making sure the edges of the meringue are slightly higher than the center. (You want a slight well in the center of the meringue to place the whipped cream and fruit.)

Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes or until the outside is dry and takes on a very pale cream color. Check on meringues at least once during the baking time. If they appear to be taking on color or cracking, reduce temperature 25 degrees, and turn pan around. Turn the oven off, leave the door slightly ajar, and let the meringue cool completely in the oven. (The outside of the meringue will feel firm to the touch, if gently pressed, but as it cools you will get a little cracking and you will see that the inside is soft and marshmallowy.)  Don’t wait too long to take the pavlova off of the parchment, or trim the parchment down.  Mine cracked (although it still looked great).

For the raspberry sauce: Puree the raspberries in a food processor, blender or immersion blender. Press the puree through a fine-mesh strainer with the back of a spoon, removing the seeds (you have to really work at this to get the sauce out).  Heat the puree in a small pot with three tablespoons of sugar, until it is heated through and the sugar is dissolved.  Cool the sauce.

Mix the berries with 1/2 cup of the raspberry sauce and set aside.

To assemble the Pavlova:  When the meringue disk is cooled, put it on a plate.  Add the mixed berries and sauce mixture, spooning them carefully into the middle of the pavlova, leaving a border of cream and meringue. Serve immediately in large scoops with extra raspberry sauce.

sweet potato, sausage and kale chowder

potatoes, sausage and kale…I wanted to add sweet potatoes to give it a seasonal feeling and a little sweetness, but I didn’t want to go overboard on the sweet potatoes, so I mixed it up.  This chowder gets it’s creaminess from pureeing some of the potatoes, so there’s not much cream in it at all, making it a reasonably healthy dish…if you compare it to a Christmas feast.  This chowder serves 6-8.

Ingredients:

1 T olive oil

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1 1/4-1/2 lb ground spicy turkey sausage

3 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4″ cubes

1 baking potato (Idaho or Russet), peeled and cut into 3/4″ cubes

1 T fresh thyme leaves

6-8 c chicken stock

1/4 c half and half1 15 oz can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

1 16 oz bag kale, coarsely shredded

Parmesan for sprinkling

Directions:

Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat, then add garlic and cook for about a minute.  Add the turkey sausage and brown, breaking it up into bite size pieces.  Add the thyme leaves and potatoes and saute for about a minute.  Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil.  Simmer for 10 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.  Carefully scoop about 2 cups of potatoes out of the pot and put them in a food processor or blender.  Ladle in about another cup of just the broth from the pot.  Carefully puree (you may need to let it cool down so it doesn’t blow the top off the blender).  Add the puree back to the pot and add salt and pepper to taste.  The soup should be the thickness of a chowder.  You can puree more potatoes if you would like it thicker, or add more water or brother to thin it.  Add the half and half, beans and begin adding the kale by handfuls, stirring to incorporate.  Simmer the soup for another 5 minutes or so, until the kale is tender and it’s warm throughout.  Serve sprinkled with Parmesan cheese.