CAULIFLOWER AND PASTA CHEESE

Recipe adapted from Recipe Tin Eats

Ingredients:

8 oz cavatappi pasta, cooked al dente

1 head cauliflower, cut into medium florets, tossed in oil, and roasted at 430°F for 15 minutes

4 T unsalted butter

3 1/2 T flour

2 c milk

1/2 t salt

1 1/2 - 2 c (1/4 lb) aged gouda, grated

1 c cheddar, grated

Methodology:

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

For the sauce Mornay: melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium low heat, add the flour, and whisk until the flour just begins to take on color, about 3 minutes.  Whisk in the milk and continue cooking until the sauce has thickened.  Mix the cheeses and add all but 1 c, whisking until they melt, and the sauce is smooth. 

Pour half the sauce into a medium bowl, and toss with the pasta.  Scrape into one half of a 9" square pan.  Toss the roasted cauliflower with the sauce remaining in the saucepan, and scrape into the other half of the square pan.  Top with remaining 1 c combined cheeses.

Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, cool for 10, and serve.

POTATO FRITTERS

Ingredients:

1 red potato

1 shallot, minced

1 egg

1/2 t salt

ground black pepper

1/4 c olive oil

Methodology:

Grate, rinse, and squeeze the potato out in a clean kitchen towel.  Add it to a bowl with the remaining ingredients, aside from oil, and mix well.

Fry flattened tablespoonfuls of mixture over medium heat until very golden on both sides.  Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and serve warm.

SCALLION, GINGER, CHICKEN SOBA SOUP

Recipe adapted from the Carbivore cookbook

Ingredients:

2 T shallot oil, or olive oil

2 T minced ginger

8 scallions, thinly sliced, white and green parts separated

2 shallots, quartered and thinly sliced

4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1/2 t ground coriander, or the same of whole coriander

4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, skin removed from half

8 c chicken broth, or a mixture of water, better-than-bouillon, and knorr chicken cubes

2 T soy sauce

4 baby bok choy, torn into quarters

2 T rice vinegar

2 t toasted sesame oil

10 oz soba (or 3 bundles), cooked according to package directions, drained and rinsed

1/2 c cilantro stems and leaves, chopped

Methodology:

Heat a large dutch oven over medium heat and add the oil.  Add the ginger, white scallion parts, and shallots, and sauté until just turning golden, 2 or 3 minutes.  Add the garlic and coriander, and cook, stirring, until it takes on the slightest color, 2 more minutes. 

Deglaze with broth, nestle in the chicken, and simmer until the chicken is done, 30-45 minutes.  

Remove the chicken to cool.  Once cool, shred the meat.

Add the bok choy to the broth and cook for 4 minutes.  Return the chicken to the pot, until reheated, and remove from heat.  Add vinegar and sesame oil, and serve over soba, garnished with cilantro.

GERMAN POTATO SALAD

From epicurious, now behind a paywall

Serves 6

Ingredients:

2 1/4 lb medium yukon gold or red potatoes

6 bacon slices, chopped (optional)

1/2 c finely chopped red onion

1/2 c red wine vinegar

1/2 c water

2 t coarse-ground mustard

2 t sugar

2 t salt

1/2 t black pepper

1/4 c fresh dill, chopped

Methodology:

Boil the potatoes until done, then cool until you can peel and slice them into 1/4" slices.

Sauté bacon in a medium saucepan until brown.  Remove, reserving 2 1/2 T grease in pan.  Discard remaining grease.  Sauté onion for 2 minutes, or until translucent.  Whisk in remaining ingredients, aside from dill.  Simmer until reduced to 2/3 c, about 4 minutes.  Remove from heat.

Add potatoes and toss to coat with dressing.  Let stand 3 minutes.  Add dill and bacon, season to taste and toss again.  Serve warm.

BROCCOLETTE

Ingredients:

1 bunch broccolette (1/2 lb), dry ends trimmed, stalks cut into 1 1/2" lengths, florets separated from stalks

2 t lao gan ma chili crisp

2 t (or 3 glugs) maekrua oyster sauce (LKK is saltier, so use half)

Methodology:

Add stalks to a pot of well-salted, boiling water.  Cook for 2 or 3 minutes, depending on how thick the stalks are.  Add the florets and cook for another minute or two.

Strain broccolette from water, blanch, and place in a serving bowl.  Add chili crisp and oyster sauce, mix thoroughly, and serve.

ROAST CHICKEN WITH VEGETABLES AND CRÈME FRÂICHE

Inspired by Tarragon Chicken

Ingredients:

1 T olive oil

1 T butter

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs cut in bite-sized pieces

2 yukon gold potatoes, quartered lengthwise and cut into 1/8" thick slices

1 shallot, minced

3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1/3 c chicken stock

1 T sherry or champagne vinegar

2 T cognac (or marsala)

1 t Dijon mustard

1/3 C crème fraiche*

Salt & pepper to taste

1 leek, halved lengthwise, cleaned and cut into 1/4" half-moons

10-12 marinated artichoke heart quarters, drained

1/4 c minced Italian parsley

Methodology:

Preheat oven to 350 F, 180 C

Heat the oil in a sauce pan and quickly cook the chicken pieces over medium heat, until no raw meat is showing. Add the potato slices and toss.

Remove from heat and pour into a buttered 8"x8" baking dish.

Add butter to pan and cook shallot over medium heat until it softens and begins to take on color.  Add leeks and cook for one minute, stirring to break up.  Add garlic and cook, stirring, until the smallest pieces begin to turn golden.  

Add chicken stock, vinegar, and Cognac, scraping up any caramelized bits.  Add mustard, crème frâiche, salt & pepper, stir to combine.  Add artichoke hearts and half of parsley.  Pour over chicken in baking dish and bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Remove from oven, sprinkle on reserved parsley. 

Serve with potatoes or buttered egg noodles.

________

*Crème frâiche recipe: 

1 c heavy cream

1 T real buttermilk or greek yoghurt

Place both ingredients in a mason jar, close tightly, shake lid, and leave on the counter overnight.  Shake before going to bed.  In the morning, you'll have crème frâiche!

LENTIL, BACON AND FRISÉE SALAD

Ingredients:

For the salad:
4 slices bacon*, sliced crosswise into lardon-like pieces
½ c. onion, finely diced

1 carrot, diced

1 celery stalk, diced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 c. French or Puy lentils
2 heads frisée (baby chicory)

For the vinaigrette:

3 T olive oil
3 T red wine or sherry vinegar
1 shallot, finely sliced
1 T Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper to taste

Methodology:

Cover lentils with water and simmer gently until crisp-tender, then drain, 15-20 minutes.

Meanwhile, fry bacon until crisp and remove from pan, reserving 2 T fat.

Sauté onion, celery, carrot and garlic in bacon fat over low heat until soft.

Combine lentils, garlic and onion. Season to taste.

Toss frisee with half of vinaigrette.

Place frisee on plate, top with 1/2 c. lentils, bacon pieces, and drizzle with remaining vinaigrette.

_____

*can be replaced with shiitake bacon, then add 2 T additional olive oil to fry vegetables.

CREAMY SPINACH SALMON

Recipe from the back of a Trader Joe’s salmon package

Serves 2 very hungry people

Ingredients:

1 16-oz package of frozen chopped spinach
2 c half and half
3 T soy sauce
2 t Dijon mustard
½ t ground nutmeg
Salt and pepper to taste
1 lb frozen salmon fillets

Methodology:

Combine all ingredients but salmon in a 12” skillet, stir well.  Place the salmon atop the spinach mixture, skin down.  Cook at a slow simmer for 20-25 minutes, or until the salmon is cooked through.  Periodically spoon spinach and cream over fish while it’s cooking.

You can also make just the spinach, modifying the recipe as follows:

Ingredients:

1 16-oz package of frozen chopped spinach, thawed
1 c half and half
2 t soy sauce
2 t Dijon mustard
1/4 t ground nutmeg
Salt and pepper to taste

Methodology:

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan, bring to a simmer and cook, stirring, until almost all liquid has evaporated.

SIMPLE CHIA PUDDING

 Recipe from the back of the bag, Navitas Organics

Ingredients:

1 c milk

3 T chia seeds

1 T maple syrup

1/4 t vanilla

Methodology:

Combine all ingredients in a mason jar.  Seal, shake thoroughly, and refrigerate for 15 minutes, then shake again and refrigerate overnight, or at least 30 minutes. 

CHICKPEAS, TWO WAYS

Cooked chickpeas, from dry:

Ingredients:

1 lb dry chickpeas, sorted, rinsed and soaked overnight

1 t salt

Methodology:

Add the chickpeas and salt to a large pot, and cover in 2" of cold water.  Bring to boil, lower heat, and cook on the barest simmer for 1 1/2-2 hours, or until tender.  Refrigerate in cooking liquid.

Crispy oven-roasted chickpeas, from the Cool Beans cookbook

Ingredients:

5 c cooked chickpeas (or chickpeas from 2 cans), drained, rinsed, and very well drained again

2 T olive oil

1 t salt

2 T za'atar

Methodology:

Preheat oven to 300°F.  Put chickpeas on a rimmed baking sheet, drizzle with oil, and sprinkle with salt and za'atar.  Mix to completely cover the chickpeas, and roast in the oven for 1 hour, stirring once.  Leave in the extinguished oven to cool for 2 hours, then store at room temperature for 1 week. 

GARLIC SHRIMP

Ingredients:

3 T olive oil

15 shrimp, tails on or off (20-25/lb size)

1 head garlic, or 8-12 cloves, thinly sliced

1 lemon cheek

2 T Italian parsley, minced

Salt, pepper

Methodology:

Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Add the garlic and stir constantly until the smallest pieces begin to turn golden brown.  Add the shrimp and a pinch of salt, and cook, stirring continuously, until the shrimp are done, 1-2 minutes?  Remove to a bowl, top with parsley, pepper and more salt to taste, and squeeze the lemon over.  Toss.