Posts filed under 'Savory Recipes'
If you're entertaining and need something green to snack upon, here are some lovely and simple spreads to put out with carrots or crackers of your choice. Radishes offer a gorgeous color contrast to these verdant springtime dips.
Homemade dips and spread are great make-ahead appetizers. Any leftovers are perfect for vegetarian sandwiches. I love how these dips have variations of green color.
Our friend Becky of The Organic Dish in Boulder shared her green pea hummus with us a while back. Kimberly has made Becky's recipe with 1/2 green peas and 1/2 edamame and happily reports that it was super yummy. I have also made it with fresh mint and no tahini with equally refreshing, delicious results.
This lima bean skordalia was inspired by one I bought at Market Hall in the Rockridge neighborhood of Oakland, CA. Like the green pea hummus, it's easy to make and yummy. Fava bean puree takes a bit more time as you need to shell the fava beans.
Lima Bean "Skordalia" with Feta
1 bag frozen lima beans
Juice from 1 lemon (about 2 Tbsp., more to taste)
4 cloves of garlic
1 tsp freshly chopped oregano
4 to 6 Tlbs. best quality EVVO
Salt and pepper to taste
6 ounces Feta cheese (I recommend a French Sheep's Feta), crumbled
Cover the lima beans,and 4 cloves of garlic with water and bring to a boil for 5 minutes. Turn off heat and let limas cool in the water.
Strain off the water, reserving at least 1/2 a cup for adding to the puree later. Place the beans in the bowl of a food processor.
Add the garlic, oregano, lemon juice and the EVVO. Process until smooth, adding some of the hot water to make the puree smooth. Remove to your serving dish and stir in the crumbled feta. Season with salt and pepper.
Fava Beans Puree
This recipe is adapted from the Chez Panisse Vegetables cookbook. This puree has always been a harbinger of summer for me. Fava beans are very earthy, do not try and make this with the canned variety. You will be disappointed.
2 lbs. fresh fava beans, parboiled, cooled in iced water and shelled
Splash of dry white wine
1 small leek, white part sliced very thinly
1/4 cup EVVO (preferably a different one from the lima bean skordalia, something fruity like Puget from France.
2 cloves garlic
1/4 of a bay leaf
1 sprig of fresh thyme
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1/4 tsp. finely grated lemon zest
salt and pepper to taste
Heat the olive oil in a large pan under medium to low heat, add the leek and cook until soft. Add the minced garlic and fresh thyme and bay leaf. Now add the shelled fava beans and splash of white wine.
Once you can smash the favas with the back of a spoon easily, remove from heat. You can now either smash the mixture with the implement of your choice or remove the bay leaf and place the beans in the bowl of a food processor and puree until smooth. Adjust seasoning and serve.
June 11th, 2011
Move over macaroni and cheese this is my new go to one pot pasta dinner. This recipe which appeared in the Wall Street Journal on March 26th is off da' hook! Another hit by one of our Flavorista favorties, Dorie Greenspan. What makes this recipe stand out is flavor and texture of the pasta. It cooks in a fraction of the time and differently from what you would usually do – treating it more like a risotto and less like pasta (without all the stirring).
There are many ways you could pump this up and add different flavors -diced proscuitto or Serrano ham, a medley of wild mushrooms, some blanched broccoli, grilled asapargus or baby spinach. Make it plain for the kids and add whatever you want for the adults.
The first night I made it I did not have any mascarpone so I substituted cream cheese. This dish is perfect for Better than Bouillon (a Flavorista fave and pantry staple – I am so happy they sell very large jars of it now in our Costco).
This product is not only better than bouillon, it's better than stock-in-a-box by a landslide. I used the chicken base but the vegetarian and mushroom bases are also delicious and would be well suited for a Meatless Monday. Tubetti is a must for this dish. The shape makes for the perfect texture.
The only other divergence from the original recipe I did was to cook it in my La Chamba and place it in a 250 degree oven with some fresh mozzarella balls sliced on top for 20 minutes before serving. My new go to comfort food!
"Risotto" Pasta a la Dorie Greenspan
2 Tbsp. butter
1 small onion, diced
3 3/4 cups chicken stock (3 tsp. of Better Than Bouillon dissolved in 3 3/4 boiled water)
1 1/3 cups tubetti
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan (pecorino and asiago would be excellent choices too)
3 1/2 Tbsp. mascarpone (or regular cream cheese)
Salt and Pepper to taste
Melt the butter in a large pot and saute the onions, stirring occasionally for a good 10 minutes. You can season with salt and pepper now or after the dish is done.
Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and add the pasta. Cook, stirring occasionally for 20 to 25 minutes. Pour in the cream and stir well. Allow to simmer for about 3 minutes. Stir in the parmesan and cream chesse and cook for another minute. Let the dish rest for about 3 minutes, adjust the seasoning then serve.
May 4th, 2011
This is one of my favorite recipes for steamed or roasted asparagus. It's perfect for a spring brunch. This would also be delicious as a Meatless Monday dinner item alongside a nice salad and roasted potatoes.
Asparagus Salad with Almonds, Eggs and Parsley with a Whole Grain Mustard Vinaigrette
2 Tbsp. whole grain mustard (Dijon will do too but whole grain is much prettier)
2 medium cloves of garlic, minced
2 Tbsp. Capers, chopped roughly
2 Anchovies(not packed in salt, but marinated), chopped (optional)
1/4 cup Sherry Vinegar
(You can use any vinegar you like, infact fruit or herb infused vineger, like tarragon, work exceptionally well)
Juice of 1 Orange (about 1/2 cup)
1 cup EVVO
2 bunches asparagus, cooked to your liking
(I like to blanch them, shock them in ice water than dry them off.)
3 eggs, hard boiled, peeled and coarsley chopped
(Best way to do this is to put eggs in a pan of cold water, bring to a boil. Boil for 3 minutes. Cover, turn off heat and let eggs sit for 1 minute. Cool and peel.)
1 cup almonds (Marconas, as pictured, work well but slivered will suffice)
2 to 4 Tbsp. Italian flat leaf parsley, chopped and a few leaves left whole for garnish
Salt and pepper to sprinkle on top just before serving
Place the mustard, capers, anchovies, and garlic into a bowl or glass jar. Add the orange juice and sherry vinegar. Now add the olive oil (listed as EVVO) while whisking (if using a glass jar then pour oil in place lid on and shake it baby).
Place the cooked and cooled asparagus on to a platter. Sprinkle the chopped eggs, parsley and almonds on top. Pour the dressing over the top, reserving some fo serve alongside. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve.
April 25th, 2011
Spring's fickle weather is upon us. Somedays summer seems just a few days away and then….it snows. Ah well. Still time to enjoy a few one bowl dinner stoups. This one was inspired by the Bread Works here in Boulder. Top it with a 1 teaspoon of this lovely harissa from Les Moulins Mahjoub.
It is one of the best harrissas I've had and is very unique as far as most harissas go. Instead of being a paste, it's actually more flaky, as seen in the picture above. I use this harissa like I would Sirachca as a garnish on all different types of dishes for an added element of heat.
Moroccan Chicken and Couscous Soup
Serves 5 to 6
1 medium sweet potato
1 small zuchini, cut into large 2-inch chunks (optional)
1 medium yellow or white onion, diced
2 medium carrots, diced
1 tsp. turmeric
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. cumin seed, toasted then ground (or you can use regular ground cumin)
1 (12-ounce) can crushed tomatoes (or diced, whatever you happen to have in your cupboard)
6 chicken thighs or breasts
salt and pepper
olive oil
6 cups homemade chicken broth
1/2 to 1 Cup Israeli or Jordanian Couscous (depending on how thick you like your soup)
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Peel and cut the sweet potato in large 2-inch chunks. Toss with a little olive oil, salt and pepper and spread out over a cookie sheet. Place in the oven and roast until the potatoes are just beginning to brown and get soft when touched with the end of a knife. Do the same thing with the zucchini, if using.
Meanwhile, heat a large casserole over medium heat and cover the bottom with nice thin layer of olive oil. Add the diced onion and cook until translucent. Add the carrots and stir to incorporate and coat all the vegeables with the oil. Season with the spices and stir well. Add the tomatoes, cover and let cook for a few minutes.
Bring the broth to a boil in another pot and cook the couscous, about 8 minutes.
Once the vegetables are done roasting, add them to the casserole on the stove and pour in the broth and couscous. Lower heat and allow to simmer. You might want to add more liquid depending if you want more of a soup or a stew.
Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper. You can roast the chicken or grill it. Once it is cooked, cut it into large chunks on the diagonal. Adjust seasonings on the stoup and ladle into large bowls. Top with the cooked chicken pieces, a heaping teaspoon of harrissa and enjoy. Optional garnishes include chopped fresh cilantro and crumbed feta cheese.
April 14th, 2011
You may say, why bother to eat cauliflower, but really it can be very good. With winter in full swing, fresh produce will continue to become repetitive and very cruciferous so I would like to offer up some creative things to do with cauliflower to get you through the somewhat bleak winter months.
BTW – Look at all the caratenoids in the above photo of the yellow cauliflower! You could make this dish really fabulous by mixing some white with yellow cauliflower.
Guy Fieri featured a puree of cauliflower in milk combined with roasted cauliflower served his with a butterflied chicken cooked under 4 bricks. Yum.
Flavorista Tracey, my sister-in-law whose photos have often graced this blog, was here recently so I made my favorite – cauliflower couscous and tossed it with a vegan pesto made from spinach, cilantro and ginger. The textures were fantastic. I highly recommend it. This would pair perfectly with roasted vegetables for a Meatless Monday. I served in with grilled ono and ladolemono.
Almond, Ginger & Coriander Pesto with Cauliflower Couscous
Pesto
4 cloves garlic
2 Tbsp. freshly grated ginger
2 bunches cilantro, leaves picked off
1 1/2 cups spinach (I used the baby spinach which is already pre-washed. It’s far more tender. Do not use frozen)
1/4 cup sesame oil
1/4 cup peanut oil
1 cup almonds
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
Place all the ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and pulse together. Don’t just run the food processor. The beauty of this pesto is the texture.
Click here for the procedure to make the couscous. Omit the scallions and peppers.
Once the couscous is tender, place the pesto in the pan with heat off and stir all the pesto and cauliflower together. Place on a platter and top with roasted vegetables (like yellow squash, red bell peppers and zucchini), pan-fried tempeh slices or the fish and sauce
March 7th, 2011
Traditionally made with pork and chicken, posole made with the right ingredients can also be delicious vegetarian. In Mexico, this dish is consumed like menudo, to help quell the effects of a hangover. I just love the buttery, crunchy texture of hominy.
Two "secret" ingredients for me were my vegetable stock (see the post on Soup Swap for the recipe)and the new (but hard to find) fire roasted tomato with chipotles from Muir Glenn. I’ve been a huge fan of the fire roasted with green chilies for a while, and those are in this recipe too. The fire roasting flavor of the tomatoes helps to add the needed depth to this hearty "stoup". A few classic Mexican cooking techniques are also essential.
I
Vegetarian Posole
¼ cup olive oil
2 Ancho chilies, top stem removed
2 large onions, diced
2 cloves garlic, smashed and chopped finely
2 Tbsp. whole coriander seed, crushed
1 Tbsp. whole cumin seed crushed
4 cans Muir Glen Fire Roasted Tomatoes with Green Chilies
Or 2 of Fire Roasted Tomatoes with Chipotle Chilies and 2 with Green Chilies, your choice
4 cans of hominy (2 yellow and 2 white), rinsed and drained
4 Quarts homemade vegetable stock (I added an ancho chilie and guillio chilie to this batch), hot
Procedure:
Heat a large heavy bottomed pan on the medium heat. Add the olive oil, the whole ancho chilies, onions and garlic. Add the ground spices and stir until they are fragrant. Allow to cook for 10 minutes. Now add the hominy and stir well. Add the tomatoes of your choice.
Remove the ancho chili and place in a blender with some of the hot stock, just enough to cover. You can add the garlic to this as well. Puree until smooth. Add the hot vegetable stock to the posole and then stir in the chili puree.
Allow to cook for 30 minutes over low heat stir every so often. You may now season with salt and pepper to your heart’s content. If you want to make it thicker and have a more potent masa punch, place whole corn tortilla in with the posole and let it soften for 5 minutes. Now remove it with some of the broth and puree it with your immersion blender as you did for the chilies. Add back into the posole and stir well.
Serve garnished with freshly chopped avocados, cilantro, fresh lime and slices of radish.
February 28th, 2011
Happy Lunar New Year! February 3rd is the start of the Year of the Rabbit. There is plenty of time to plan a celebration as the festivities go on for a week in China!
Kimchi Crepes
Duck Pancakes
Here are some ideas from my Tiger celebration last year. Most items turned out as planned but some really stand out and will be repeated. Both the green beans and broccoli are stellar recipes and are good anytime. The Kimchi crepes (first picture above) came as a last minute inspiration and they were delicious. Below is the recipe for the duck pancakes (pictured second).
I "cheated" and purchased assorted dim sum but I made some yummy spare ribs too.
The almond cookies (recipe soon) are now a family favorite and are so much better than the hard ones available at most Asian grocery stores. These recipes are super easy but do require a trip to a well stocked Asian grocery store for pantry items. Stay tuned for the rest of the recipes over the next several weeks.
Kimchi Crepes – an inspiration from David Chang, Chef at MomoFuku and the Milk Bar (to name just two) in New York (recipe soon).
Broccoli and Peanut Salad & Sesame Green Beans(previously featured as a Meatless Monday post)
EZPZ Peanut Noodles – Made with Sisters Pantry Peanut Sauce and fresh Chinese noodles
Sticky Spare Ribs – stay tuned
Nian Gao (this time I made it vegan and it was even better)
Almond Cookies – these are good anytime, especially with tea.
Vegan Mango Jelly
The duck pancake recipe came from a caterer I used to work for in San Francisco named Betty Zlatchin. I have always loved them as an hors d’oeuvres.
Duck Pancakes
This makes enough to feed at least 30 people as an hors d’oeuvres. The key to this recipe is a tea smoked Chinese Duck. These are available at Chinese butchers, some Chinese restaurants or if you have a Chinatown near you, they are plentiful.
1 Chinese Duck, from Chinatown, cut into long pieces, skin removed
(Use the carcass to make duck stock!)
1 package Menlo Lumpia wrappers (available in the freezer section of Asian grocery stores)
1 jar Hoisin Suace
1 bunch scallions, sliced thinly lengthwise
1 bunch cilantro, several sprigs cleaned
Place a lumpia skin on a kitchen work surface and have all your other ingredients around and ready. Brush some of the hoisin sauce on the lumpia then scatter some scallions and cilantro over the top. Place some nice meaty pieces towards the bottom end of the wrapper.
Now roll the wrapper up with the longest side facing you. Make sure they a not too loose. Place on a cookie sheet and continue making the remaining rolls. These can be done a day ahead. Wrap them well in plastic wrap trying not to get them stuck together as when you try to pull them a part they will tear.
Once you are ready to cook, place on a parchment-lined cookie sheet. Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees. Slice the rolls on the diagonal into 1 1/2-inch wide pieces. Place on the cookie sheet and bake for 10 minutes.
Enjoy! Gung Hay Fat Choy.
February 3rd, 2011
Saturday, January 22 is National Soup Swap Day. What? You didn’t know?
It’s actually a grand idea. Make 6 quarts of your favorite soup and freeze it in clearly labeled, 1-quart size containers. Make a plan for a soup swap with six friends and take home 6 different soups!
Here are a few of our soups you can use to organize a soup swap in your neighborhood.
Roasted Red Pepper and Potato Soup
Vegetable Barley Soup
Slow Cooker French Onion Soup
Clam and Kale Soup
Deborah Madison’s Lentil Minestrone – Sorry no picture!
Coconut Red Lentil Soup
Revithia (Greek chickpea soup)
January 10th, 2011
Here is a recipe I picked up while traveling in Thailand in 1989. I attend a cooking school at the Intercontinental Hotel in Bangkok. It was a great class covering the basics of Thai cooking. This is one of my favorite recipes for parties.
I usually offer it with beef tenderloin and chicken breast. Grilled they are superb but they broil well too. I serve it with a cucumber dipping sauce. If you have any leftovers, you can chop up the cooked meat and toss it with the cucumbers for a delicious salad. Place on your favorite greens.
Beef and Chicken Sate
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. lime zest
1 can coconut milk (lite works well too)
1/2 tsp. turmeric
1 tsp. toasted cumin seeds
1 1/2 tsp. curry powder
3/4 to 1 lb. boneless chicken breast, cut into evenly sliced long pieces
3/4 lb. beef tenderloin, cut into long thin strips
24 (6) inch wooden skewers soaked for at least 6 hours in water
Mix all the ingredients (except for meats) together well. If you are making chicken and beef sates, then divide the marinade up between two bowls. Allow the meat to marinate for at least 1 hour.
Thread the meat onto the skewers and place onto a parchment lined broiler pan. You can grill these for about 4 to 6 minutes or broil them for the same amount of time. Serve with Cucumber Chutney (recipe below).
Cucumber Chutney
1/2 cup water
1/8 cup sugar
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup rice wine winegar (non-seasoned variety)
1 cup diced English hot house cucumber
1 shallot, diced
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
Place all ingredients into a bowl and allow to sit for about 20 minutes. Serve with the sates.
December 28th, 2010
These cheese crisps couldn’t be easier to make and are perfect for noshing. I highly recommend that you grate the Parmesan as opposed to purchasing the already grated variety. Parchment paper is also a necessity.
I served these alongside my curried apples. You can make some with almonds and some without for a little variety. They last for about 3 days in an air tight container, depending on the humidity where you live.
For 16 crisps
1 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup sliced almonds
Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Heat the oven to 400 degrees.
As pictured, make small slightly compact piles of grated cheese and then place some of the almonds on top. place in the oven and bake for 6 to 7 minutes or until lightly browned on the edges. Remove from oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes.
These are also delicious with soups and salads. Enjoy!
December 27th, 2010
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