RECIPE EIGHT. Wednesday March 22 - Spinach tofu stir fry

BACK STORY:
Saw this on the daily NY Times digest. I thought - that looks good and I think I have all the ingredients! (spoiler alert - I didn't)

NOTES:
Even the recipe title is misleading - I used arugula instead of spinach because that's what I had, and it was getting wilty so I thought this recipe would be perfect. (This entire blog seems to be filled with recipe substitions!) I also didn't have canola oil, sesame oil or sesame seeds. Oh well. I cooked the tofu for a long while because I like it crunchy, then tossed in the arugula for about a minute. It claims you'll have "leftover liquid" but I didn't. Once I put it in the bowl to eat over quinoa I added a little more soy sauce and some Green Dragon hot sauce from TJ's. I think using this as a base for a more robust veggie stir fry (with onions, peppers etc) would also be really good. 

STARS: 
3 out of 5. Easy 15 minute meal and a good way to use up wilting lettuces. 

RECIPE:
https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1012494-spinach-tofu-and-sesame-stir-fry?login=smartlock

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• ½ pound tofu, cut in small dice
• 1 large garlic clove, minced
• 1 teaspoon grated or minced fresh ginger
• ¼ teaspoon red chili flakes
•  Soy sauce to taste
• 1 6-ounce bag baby spinach, rinsed
• 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil

PREPARATION

1. Heat the canola oil over medium-high heat in a large nonstick skillet or wok, and add the tofu. Stir-fry until the tofu is lightly colored, three to five minutes, and add the garlic and ginger. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about one minute, and add soy sauce to taste. Add the spinach and stir-fry until the spinach wilts, about one minute. Stir in the sesame seeds, and add more soy sauce to taste. Remove from the heat.
2. Using tongs, transfer the spinach and tofu mixture to a serving bowl, leaving the liquid behind in the pan or wok. Drizzle with the sesame oil, and add more soy sauce as desired. Serve with rice or other grains, or noodles. You may also use it as a filling for whole wheat pita bread.

RECIPE THREE. Sunday February 26 - roasted carrots

BACK STORY:
This looked amazing on the Smitten Kitchen Instragram and I love roast vegetables and citrus so I had to try it.

NOTES:
This recipe was a lot of set-up for little pay-off. It might have been the pan I used, but the carrots didn't cook uniformly and the citrus dressing crusted on the edges which was disappointing. The avocado and yogurt helped bring a fun flavor, but overall I would rather have just eaten roasted veggies instead of this carrot dish. I added arugula instead of sprouts and that was a nice touch.

STARS: 
2 out of 5. Good flavor but the overall dish was disappointing.

RECIPE:
https://smittenkitchen.com/2016/05/roasted-carrots-with-avocado-and-yogurt/

FOR THE CARROTS

• 1/4 cup water
• 1 1/2 teaspoons teaspoon cumin seeds, toasted and cooled if you have the patience, ground will work here as well
• 1 1/2 teaspoons coriander seeds, toasted and cooled if you have the patience, ground will work here as well
• 2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
• 1 teaspoon coarse or kosher salt, plus more to taste
• Red chile flakes, to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 4 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 3 pounds thin-to-medium carrots, scrubbed, not peeled; mixed colors are prettier here but not essential

TO FINISH

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons orange juice (from about 1/4 orange)
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice (from about 1/2 lemon)
• 1 large or 2 medium firm-ripe avocados, cut in thin slices
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 to 2 cups radish sprouts, other sprouts or light salad greens of your choice
• 1/4 cup plain yogurt
• 2 tablespoons roasted hulled pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, toasted sesame seeds or a mix thereof

Heat your oven to 400 degrees F. Cover 1 large (half-sheet) or 2 smaller (quarter-sheet) roasting pans with foil for easy cleanup. Pour 1/4 cup water in bottom of pan (or divide between both).

Make your spice paste by either pounding the cumin, coriander, thyme, salt and peppers in a mortar and pestle until roughly ground, using an electric spice grinder (i.e. a coffee grinder you don’t mind smelling like spices) or small food processor to do the same, or, if using ground spices, just combining them in the bottom of the large bowl you’re about to use. In the bottom of a very large bowl, combine prepared spices, salt and pepper, garlic, vinegar and 1/4 cup olive oil and whisk to blend. Add carrots and toss to coat.

Spread carrots, drizzling with any extra marinade, in prepared pans and cover tightly with foil. Roast for 25 minutes covered then remove the foil and roast for 35 minutes more, until the carrots are lightly browned and tender but not falling apart.

Meanwhile, combine 2 tablespoons olive oil, orange and lemon juices in a small dish with salt and pepper. When carrots are done, scatter with avocado and sprouts then drizzle with this citrus dressing all over. Dollop yogurt over the top and sprinkle with seeds. Dig in.

RECIPE FIVE. Sunday March 5 - curried red lentil soup

BACK STORY:
I wasn't sure I had made this before but then when I made it, I realized I had. But I wanted to use the frozen kale I had in the freezer. And I had all the other ingredients, and sometimes that's all the excuse you need.

NOTES:
This is a delicious warm recipe. I would probably halve it and it would still be plenty. I didn't use tomato paste but it was still very tomato-y.

STARS: 
3 out of 5. Good and easy and it smells delicious when cooking!

RECIPE:
http://joanne-eatswellwithothers.com/2014/02/curried-red-lentil-kale-and-sweet-potato-soup.html

Curried Red Lentil, Kale and Sweet Potato Soup

Print

This curried red lentil, kale and sweet potato soup is the perfect way to warm up from the cold snowy outsides. It is full of rich, warm spices, sweet potatoes, and lentils for the ultimate satisfaction.

Yield: 5 servings

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, finely diced
• ½ jalapeno, seeded, diced
• 2 tsp grated ginger
• 1 large garlic clove, minced
• 2 tsp curry powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 tbsp tomato paste
• 5 cups water
• 14 oz light coconut milk
• 1 cup red lentils
• 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and diced into ½-inch cubes
• 2 bunches lacinato kale, stemmed and coarsely chopped
• 2 tbsp minced cilantro

Instructions

1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot. Add the onion and cook over medium heat. Add a pinch of salt and cook for about 5-8 minutes, or until onion becomes tender. Stir in the jalapeno, ginger, garlic, curry powder, and salt. Stir for about a minute, stirring frequently.
2. Add the tomato paste and cook for about 2-3 minutes, or until it starts to darken in color, stirring constantly. Add the water, coconut milk, red lentils, and sweet potato. Bring to a boil, and then lower to a simmer. Cook, partially covered, until the sweet potatoes are tender and the lentils are cooked through, about 30 minutes.
3. Stir in the kale and cook for about 5 minutes, or until wilted and tender. Stir in the cilantro and serve.

Notes

Barely adapted from The Bojon Gourmet

Nutrition Information

Serving size: ⅕th of recipe

RECIPE FOUR. Wednesday March 1 - one-pan farro with tomatoes

BACK STORY:
I thought - what's farro? Worth checking out!

NOTES:
This is a very easy recipe, but I wanted a little more. It is really nice to make it all in one pot. All the onion was delicious. I made it with fresh tomatoes but I think a can would be fine. I didn't have parmesan for the topping but think that would be amazing.

STARS: 
3 out of 5. Good and easy prep time. Try making with can of tomatoes along with fresh - more tomatoes = more flavor!

RECIPE:
https://smittenkitchen.com/2013/07/one-pan-farro-with-tomatoes/

Serves: 4 as a side, 2 as a hearty main

2 cups water
1 cup (updated) semi-pearled farro (see Note above for farro types)
1/2 large onion (I usually use a white one, for mildness)
2 cloves garlic
9 ounces grape or cherry tomatoes
1 1/4 teaspoons kosher or coarse sea salt
Up to 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (to taste)
1 tablespoon olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
Few basil leaves, cut into thin ribbons
Grated parmesan cheese, for serving (optional)

Place water and farro in a medium saucepan to presoak (I find just 5 to 10 minutes sufficient) while you prepare the other ingredients. Adding each ingredient to the pot as you finish preparing it, cut onion in half again, and very thinly slice it into quarter-moons. Thinly slice garlic cloves as well. Halve or quarter tomatoes. Add salt, pepper flakes (to taste) and 1 tablespoon olive oil to pan, and set a timer for 30 minutes. Bring uncovered pan (no lid necessary) up to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally. When the timer rings, the farro should be perfectly cooked (tender but with a meaty chew), seasoned and the cooking water should be almost completely absorbed. If needed, though I’ve never found it necessary, cook it for 5 additional minutes, until farro is more tender.

Transfer to a wide serving bowl. If there’s enough leftover cooking liquid to be bothersome, simply use a slotted spoon to leave the amount you wish to behind. Drizzle farro lightly with additional olive oil, scatter with basil and parmesan. Eat immediately. Repeat tomorrow.

RECIPE SIX. Saturday March 11 - brussels sprout salad

BACK STORY:
I originally planned to make this on Thanksgiving but made a kale salad instead.

NOTES:
I cooked the brussels sprouts - first by steaming them in about 1/2 cup water, then roasting in oil for about 5 minutes to cook them. This made them easier to chop and added a roasty flavor to the salad. I also didn't have any pomegranate seeds so we went without. I would add a little more dressing if there are any leftovers.

STARS: 
3 out of 5. Good and easy prep time. Try making without cooking brussels sprouts first for cleaner flavor.

RECIPE:
https://smittenkitchen.com/2016/11/brussels-sprouts-apple-and-pomegranate-salad/

Brussels Sprouts, Apple and Pomegranate Salad

• SERVINGS: 4 TO 6
• TIME: 30 MINUTES
• SOURCE: ADAPTED FROM MICHAEL SOLOMONOV'S ZAHAV

This is a crunchy, bright abundantly November-ish salad that hails from Michael Solomonov’s Zahav cookbook. In the book, he calls it tabbouleh and explains that while in the U.S., tabbouleh is usually made with bulgur wheat, parsley and chopped tomatoes, in Israel, you’re unlikely to find it made the same way twice, and I’d say the same for Solomonov’s versions too. In the book, he’s swapped kale for parsley but I’ve also seen him do the same with shredded brussels. He says he enjoys swapping quinoa for the bulgur, and adding pomegranate when it is in season. In the fall, he said he enjoys adding apples and walnuts, and will sometimes even replace the grain entirely with walnuts. And it from here that we’ve ended up with a dish I won’t even call tabbouleh, so not to confuse anyone, but a salad, and an excellent one at that. Between his book and the various outlets that have published versions of this salad, I found almost no two recipes alike so I instead set out all the ingredients and added them at the levels I liked most. You, too, can and should adjust the flavors to taste.

• 1/2 large red onion, diced small
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoons ground sumac
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to season salad
• 2 cups shredded brussels sprouts
• 1/2 cup fresh pomegranate seeds (from about 1/2 a large one)
• 1/2 a large unpeeled apple, cored and diced (I used Granny Smith, the book recommends Pink Lady or Honeycrisp)
• Juice of half a lemon, plus more to taste
• 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons honey, plus more to taste
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 3/4 cup toasted, cooled walnuts, lightly crushed or coarsely chopped
• Ground chipotle chile pepper, urfa biber peppers, hot smoked paprika or another chile flake, to taste

Make the sumac-pickled onions: Combine red onion, wine vinegar, sumac and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt in a small dish and set aside while you prepare the other ingredients, or ideally at least 15 minutes.

Combine all salad ingredients, including red onions and their pickling liquid, in a medium bowl and season to taste with salt and red pepper. Taste and adjust ingredients as desired — I’ve seen versions of the recipe with more honey, olive oil and lemon; I didn’t need them but you might find you do.

This salad can be prepped ahead, but I’d keep the dressing off of it until at most an hour before serving so it doesn’t discolor the sprouts.

RECIPE TWO. Saturday February 18 - roasted cauliflower gratin

BACK STORY:

This was the featured recipe in the New York Times daily digest. Looked delicious and easy to make.

NOTES:

This was another cauliflower recipe that took forever to cook. It was delicious but I think the cauliflower could be steamed or sauteed to eliminate 40 minutes of the cooking time. Eating it with goat cheese and eggs added dimension and flavor.

STARS: 

3 out of 5. Good flavor but took so long to make. Try without roasting the cauliflower.

RECIPE:

https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1015968-roasted-cauliflower-gratin-with-tomatoes-and-goat-cheese

INGREDIENTS

• 1 medium-size head of cauliflower
•  Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 small or 1/2 large red onion, cut in half or quarters (if using a whole onion) lengthwise, then sliced thin across the grain
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
• 1 (14 8/10-ounce) can chopped tomatoes in juice
• ⅛ teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon coriander seeds, lightly toasted and coarsely ground
• 2 eggs
• 2 ½ ounces soft goat cheese (about 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons)
• 2 to 3 teaspoon chopped chives

• 
  

  Nutritional Information

PREPARATION

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment or foil. Cut away the bottom of the cauliflower stem and trim off leaves. Cut cauliflower into 1/3 inch thick slices, letting the florets on the edges fall off. Toss all of it, including the bits that have fallen away, with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, salt, and pepper. Place on baking sheet in an even layer.
2. Roast for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring and flipping over the big slices after 8 minutes, until the slices are tender when pierced with a paring knife and the small florets are nicely browned. Remove from oven and cut large slices into smaller pieces. You should have about 2 cups. Transfer to a large bowl. Turn oven down to 375 degrees.
3. Oil a 1-1/2 to 2-quart baking dish or gratin. Heat remaining oil over medium heat in a medium-size skillet or a wide saucepan and add onion. Cook, stirring, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add a generous pinch of salt and the garlic and thyme and continue to cook, stirring, until garlic is fragrant, 30 seconds to a minute. Add tomatoes, cinnamon, ground coriander seeds, and salt and pepper to taste and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring often, over medium-low heat, for 10 to 15 minutes, until the tomatoes have cooked down and the sauce is fragrant. Taste and adjust seasoning. Add to bowl with the cauliflower and stir everything together. Scrape into prepared baking dish.
4. Set aside 2 tablespoons of the goat cheese. Beat eggs, then add the remaining cheese and beat together until smooth. Pour over cauliflower mixture, making sure to scrape out every last bit with a rubber spatula. Dot top with small pieces of the remaining goat cheese and sprinkle on chives.
5. Bake 30 minutes, until top is beginning to brown in spots. Remove from oven and allow to sit for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

RECIPE ONE. Tuesday February 14 - baked cauliflower casserole

BACK STORY:
Read this on the Smitten Kitchen website. I love cauliflower so I decided to give it a try.

NOTES:
This took forever to cook and the ingredients were expensive. The extra step of roasting the cauliflower before baking felt unnecessary. After all that baking it ended rather dry. Overall a disappointment.

STARS: 
1 out of 5. Will not make again, or recommend. (Disappointing because I love cauliflower.)

RECIPE:
https://smittenkitchen.com/2017/01/crusty-baked-cauliflower-and-farro/

Crusty Baked Cauliflower and Farro

• SERVINGS: 6
• TIME: 1 HOUR
• SOURCE: A BIT LIBERALLY TWEAKED FROM INA GARTEN

The original recipe has you saute the cauliflower in 2 parts with 3 tablespoons of olive oil each for 5 to 6 minutes to get the florets lightly browned and tender. I got away with using less oil but it never really got tender and I’m fairly convinced that roasting would be more hands-off and get a better flavor, so I’m suggesting this as an alternative below. I’d be hesitant to boil or steam, although it is faster, because the extra liquid wouldn’t be welcome here.

• 1 cup (210 grams) dried farro
• 3 cups water or broth
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Olive oil
• 2 1/4 to 2 1/2 pound (1 to 1 1/8 kgs) head of cauliflower, cut into small florets
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh sage leaves
• 2 tablespoons capers (brine-packed), drained
• 2 large or 3 regular cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
• Crushed red pepper flakes, to taste
• 2 cups (6 ounces or 170 grams) coarsely grated, lightly packed Italian Fontina (Val d’Aosta variety, if you can find it) (buy about 8 ounces with rind)
• 1/2 cup (125 grams) ricotta cheese
• 1/2 cup (25 grams) panko (plain Japanese-style breadcrumbs)
• 1/3 cup (30 grams) finely grated pecorino romano cheese
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley leaves

Cook farro: Rinse and drain farro. There are many, many ways to cook farro and any of them work here. You can follow the package directions on any farro you buy for best results.

On the stove: If you plan to cook this on the stove and want to save time, you can presoak the grains overnight in their 3 cups of liquid and they should then cook in only 10 minutes of simmering. Otherwise, simmer the farro in water or broth for about 30 minutes, until quite tender. Drain any excess liquid. Transfer farro to large bowl.

In a rice-cooker: I cook mine on the quick setting and have been very happy with the results. Drain any excess liquid once the farro is tender. Transfer farro to large bowl.

Meanwhile, parcook cauliflower:

In the oven: Heat oven to 425 degrees. Brush a large baking sheet with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Spread florets in one layer, drizzle with 1 more tablespoon olive oil and sprinkle with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Roast for 20 minutes until lightly browned and crisp-tender (they will finish baking with the farro). Reduce heat to 400 degrees.

One the stove: Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add half the cauliflower and cook, tossing occasionally, until lightly browned and tender, about 6 to 7 minutes. Add to bowl with farro. Repeat with more olive oil and second half of cauliflower, then add to bowl. Heat oven to 400 degrees.

Assemble casserole: Add the sage, capers, garlic, lemon zest, red pepper flakes, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper to cauliflower and farro and stir to combine. Stir in fontina. Transfer half of the mixture to an oiled 10-inch ovenproof frying pan or equivalent baking dish. Dollop rounded tablespoons of ricotta all over. Sprinkle remaining cauliflower and farro over the ricotta, leaving the pockets of it undisturbed.

In a small dish, combine panko with pecorino, parlsey and 1 tablespoon olive oil until evenly mixed. Sprinkle over cauliflower and farro.

Bake casserole: For 20 minutes, until browned and crusty on top. Dig in.

Do ahead: Farro can be cooked up to 3 days in advance, kept in an airtight container in fridge. Cauliflower can be cooked 2 days in advance. Casserole can be assembled and baked a day later, easily, although the crumbs might lose their crisp from absorbing the moisture below if not added right before baking. Casserole keeps for several days in fridge and longer in freezer.

RECIPE SEVEN. Sunday March 19 - shakshuka

BACK STORY:
Elizabeth served this to me last time I visited her house in Moorhead. It was delicious so I wanted to make it on my own.

NOTES:
I didn't have jalapenos so I overcompensated with garlic and spices. I also didn't have any feta so I just left that out. The taste was still good but a little uneven. I also cooked the eggs too long I think. But the tomatoes and onion broth was delicious! Halved the recipe (only one 14 oz can of tomatoes, 3 eggs) and still made enough for leftovers. Would make again for sure.

STARS: 
3 out of 5. Easy but not crazy wow. Maybe with all the ingredients it will be a 4 or 5!

RECIPE:
https://smittenkitchen.com/2010/04/shakshuka/

Shakshuka [Eggs Poached in Spicy Tomato Sauce]
Adapted from Saveur

Serves 4 to 6

1/4 cup olive oil
5 Anaheim chiles or 3 jalape&#241os, stemmed, seeded, and finely chopped (I was nervous and only used 2 Anaheims; I would go for 3 or 4 next time for a more moderate but still gentle kick)
1 small yellow onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, crushed then sliced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon paprika
1 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes, undrained
Kosher salt, to taste
6 eggs
1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
Warm pitas, for serving

Heat oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add chiles and onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden brown, about 6 minutes. Add garlic, cumin, and paprika, and cook, stirring frequently, until garlic is soft, about 2 more minutes.

Put tomatoes and their liquid into a medium bowl and crush with your hands. Add crushed tomatoes and their liquid to skillet along with 1/2 cup water, reduce heat to medium, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened slightly, about 15 minutes. Season sauce with salt.

Crack eggs over sauce so that eggs are evenly distributed across sauce’s surface. Cover skillet and cook until yolks are just set, about 5 minutes. Using a spoon, baste the whites of the eggs with tomato mixture, being careful not to disturb the yolk. Sprinkle shakshuka with feta and parsley and serve with pitas, for dipping.