RECIPE SIXTEEN: Sunday July 30 - hot and sour seared tofu

BACK STORY:
Another New York Times recommendation in the daily email. I liked the combination of flavors so decided to try it on a night where I didn't want to cook anything else.

NOTES:
I started draining the tofu when I started the rice, mixed up the sauce, then cooked the tofu. I didn't have fish sauce so put in an extra dash of soy sauce instead. I diced the jalapeno pepper and ginger instead of grating, but the flavor seems the same. The oil heated up fast (and was hot to my sunburned stomach!) but the tofu did crisp up nicely - definitely leave without touching for good crispiness. I didn't have snap peas so used green beans instead, which I steamed in a separate pan for a minute or two first. I also didn't have any cilantro or basil to top it with - I bet the fresh herbs would add a nice punch at the end.

STARS: 
3 out of 5. A long prep time for good flavor, but not something I'd make every day. Might be worth trying again in the winter for comfort food.

RECIPE:
https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1014774-hot-and-sour-seared-tofu-with-sugar-snap-peas

INGREDIENTS

• 1 (14-ounce) package extra-firm tofu
• 4 large garlic cloves, grated
• 2 small jalapeño chiles, seeds and veins removed if desired, thinly sliced
• 1 ½ tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 ½ teaspoons grated ginger root
• 1 ½ tablespoons fresh lime juice, more to taste
• 1 ½ teaspoon toasted (Asian) sesame oil, more for drizzling
• 1 ½ teaspoons Asian fish sauce
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 2 tablespoons peanut oil, more if needed
• 6 ounces sugar snap peas, trimmed and thinly sliced
• 3 scallions, thinly sliced
•  Sesame seeds, for serving
•  Cooked rice, for serving
•  Chopped cilantro or basil, for serving

•  

  Nutritional Information

PREPARATION

1. Drain tofu, wrap it with a clean dish towel or several layers of paper towels and place on a rimmed plate; top with another plate and a weight (a can works). Let drain further.
2. Meanwhile, make the sauce: In a small bowl, combine garlic, chiles, soy sauce, ginger, lime juice, sesame oil, fish sauce and honey.
3. Unwrap tofu and cut crosswise into 3/4-inch-thick slices. Pat slices dry.
4. Heat a large skillet over high heat until very hot, about 5 minutes. Add peanut oil and let heat for 30 seconds, then carefully add tofu. Don’t touch tofu for 2 to 3 minutes, letting it sear until golden brown. Flip and sear for another 2 to 3 minutes. Move tofu to one side of pan (or stack pieces on top of one another to make room in pan), then add sugar snap peas, scallions and, if needed, a few drops more peanut oil. Stir-fry vegetables until they start to soften, 1 to 2 minutes. Add sauce and stir well, cooking until peas are done to taste, another minute or two. Spoon sauce all over tofu, unstacking it if necessary.
5. Sprinkle sesame seeds over tofu and vegetables and serve over rice, sprinkled with cilantro or basil.

RECIPE FIFTEEN: Sunday July 23 - herb and radish salad

BACK STORY:
This was the salad recommendation in a daily New York Times email, and my love of radishes in the summer made it an easy sell. 

NOTES:
Despite the complexity of ingredients, this was quite easy to whip together. Cutting the radishes and cucumber took time but wasn't complicated. I roasted the walnuts in a dry saucepan on the stove instead of in the oven to save on heat. And I didn't have a lemon so used lime juice for the dressing instead. I also eliminated dill because I had forgotten to buy some. I blended all the ingredients together as I prepared them, but mixing the oil and lime juice together separately was a good idea to keep the dressing blended. The mint was good for the salad and for the side mojito with dinner.

STARS: 
4 out of 5. Small amount of prep but a great side salad that could be eaten with fresh bread and other fixings for a hearty meal. I'm excited for the leftovers. Incredible taste and perfect for summer!

RECIPE:
https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1018648-herb-and-radish-salad-with-feta-and-walnuts

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup walnuts
• 2 bunches small radishes, trimmed (about 15 radishes)
• 3 Persian cucumbers, ends trimmed
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
•  Salt and ground black pepper
• 3 ounces sheep’s milk feta cheese, crumbled (preferably French feta)
• ½ cup chives cut into 1-inch pieces (about 1 bunch)
• 1 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves and tender stems (about 1 bunch)
• 1 cup loosely packed dill fronds, stems removed (about 1 large bunch)
• ½ cup loosely packed mint leaves (about 1 small bunch)
• 2 sprigs tarragon, leaves stripped

•  

  Nutritional Information

PREPARATION

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spread walnuts in a single layer on a baking sheet and toast for 10 to 12 minutes until lightly golden. Let cool, then chop roughly. Place in a sieve and shake away loose skin and crumbs. Set chopped nuts aside.
2. Use a sharp knife or mandoline to slice the radishes and cucumbers into thin coins roughly 1/8-inch thick. Place in a medium bowl. Add walnuts.
3. In a small glass or jar, whisk together lemon juice and olive oil to make the dressing. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Just before serving, season radishes, cucumbers and walnuts with a pinch of salt and dress lightly with 3 to 4 tablespoons of vinaigrette. Toss well to combine. Add crumbled cheese and toss gently to combine without breaking the cheese down too much. Arrange in a loose mound in a shallow serving bowl (or on a platter).
5. Place herbs in the mixing bowl, season with a pinch of salt, and dress very lightly with about 1 tablespoon vinaigrette. Toss to combine, then pile the herb salad atop the radishes and cucumbers. Serve immediately.

RECIPE FOURTEEN: Wednesday July 19 - punjabi-style black lentils

BACK STORY:
I saw this on the Smitten Kitchen website and had all the ingredients on hand, so it was an easy dinner decision.

NOTES:
While time consuming to cook the lentils and rice, this was very very good. If you have all the spices on hand it is really quite a simple dish. I used a can of tomatoes instead of fresh. At the end I didn't melt any butter in, and poured a generous amount of cream into my dish as well as the leftovers to steep in. I ate the first meal hot over rice, but the rest of it cold straight from the fridge. Delicious on hot summer days!

STARS: 
5 out of 5. Good hot or cold, and is excellent as a side dish or main meal.

RECIPE:
https://smittenkitchen.com/2017/03/black-lentil-dal/

Punjabi-Style Black Lentils

• SERVINGS: 4
• TIME: 1 HOUR

Black lentils, if you haven’t bought them before, are wonderful: tiny, pretty and they stay perfectly intact when you cook them, meaning they also scatter well over salads. Also called beluga lentils, I like to think of them as luxurious as caviar without the price. [Note: This dish was previously named “Black Lentil Dal.”]

BASE

• 2 tablespoons oil, butter (regular or ghee)
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1-inch piece of ginger, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon garam masala (optional but traditional)
• Ground chile powder, to taste (I started with a 1/2 teaspoon, but I have to keep things weak for kids)
• 1 cup finely chopped or pureed tomatoes, fresh or from a can
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more to taste
• 1 cup dried black lentils
• 4 1/2 cups water, plus more to taste

TO FINISH

• 4 teaspoons butter (salted is lovely here)
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• Handful chopped fresh cilantro

Make the dal: Heat oil (or oil and butter) over medium. Once hot, add onion and cumin seeds and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion browned in spots. Add garlic and ginger, cook for 1 minute more, then the rest of the spices and tomato and cook for 3 minutes more, scraping up any stuck bits. Add water and salt, then lentils. Bring to simmer, then reduce to low and cover and cook until lentils are tender, between 35 and 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. For a looser dal, you can add more water. Adjust spices and seasonings to taste.

To finish as shown: Ladle into four bowls. Place a 1-teaspoon pat of butter in the center of each, letting it begin to melt before swirling in 1 1/2 teaspoons cream and finishing with cilantro.

RECIPE THIRTEEN: Sunday July 16 - zucchini grilled cheese

BACK STORY:
I saw this on the Smitten Kitchen website and thought it looked delicious for a hot day when I wanted something filling but didn't want to cook. 

NOTES:
This was easy to make and delicious - would probably be perfect with soup in the winter. The recipe calls for twice as much mix as is needed, but hopefully is good for leftovers. I wasn't able to drain out all the liquid from the zucchini, it would be good to let it sit longer or try to press more out in the colander. I used a mix of gruyere, provolone and mozzarella cheese with the zucchini, which was gooey and delicious when cooked. 

STARS: 
4 out of 5. Quite good, with a few tweaks it will be great!

RECIPE:
https://smittenkitchen.com/2017/06/zucchini-grilled-cheese/

Post navigation

Previous post: easy drop berry shortcakes

Next post: best hot fudge sauce

• 1 pound (about 2 large) zucchini or other summer squash, trimmed
• 1 1/4 teaspoons fine sea or table salt, plus more if needed
• 1 cup (3 ounces or 85 grams) coarsely grated gruyere cheese
• 3/4 cup (2 1/2 ounces or 70 grams) coarsely grated fontina or provolone cheese
• 1/4 cup (20 grams) finely grated parmesan or pecorino cheese
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 8 thin slices bread of your choice, I used a country-style white bread
• A couple tablespoons softened butter or olive oil for brushing bread

Prepare zucchini: Use a food processor with a grater attachment or the large holes of a box grater to grate the zucchini. In a large colander, toss together the zucchini and salt. Let stand for 20 to 30 minutes, until the zucchini has wilted and begun to release liquid. Drain the zucchini in a colander and then use your hands to squeeze out as much water as possible, a fistful at a time. Place wrung-out zucchini on paper towels to drain further.

Make filling and assemble sandwiches: Mix zucchini with grated cheese, a lot of freshly ground black pepper, and more salt if needed.

Brush or spread the bread sides that will form the outsides of the sandwiches with olive oil or softened butter. Spread zucchini-cheese on insides and close the sandwiches.

Cook the sandwiches: Place sandwiches on a large griddle or frying pan over low-medium heat. I like to cook grilled cheese slowly to give the centers a chance to really melt before the outsides get too brown. When the undersides are a deep golden brown, flip the sandwiches and cook until the color underneath matches the lid. Cut sandwiches in half and dig in. Perhaps some pickled vegetable sandwich slaw on the side?