Refrigerator Pickled Jalapeños

I'm back! And hopefully, with a bit of a bang. I've missed this!

I've been doing a ridiculous amount of writing to finish the process of amending a few extra letters to the front of my name, which was definitely worth it. But, it detracted from the time I could spend writing here. Forget detracted- it destroyed it. And, most days felt somewhat like this:

 The last thing I wanted to do during my time off was choose words, type, and stare at a computer screen. Honestly, all I really wanted to do was this:

On with the food- Say goodbye to soggy jalapeños. Or, adios if you want. Either way, this recipe produces crisp and crunchy pickled jalapeños. Not cooking the jalapeños does two things. First, it makes this recipe super quick and easy. Second, the jalapeños never have a chance to soften. Not pickling these peppers the old fashioned way shortens their shelf life, but they'll be just fine if you keep them in the fridge. And, you'll eat them so quickly it shouldn't be a problem. Try them on salads, egg scrambles, sandwiches, and all the mexican classics. If you're heat/spice sensitive you can remove the jalapeño seeds to moderate the heat level.

Grilled Corn Tacos

I eat tacos year round, but they are a weekly meal during the summer. Perfect avocados, sweet tomatoes, and warm weather, hot everywhere else, makes tacos a popular, minimal kitchen heat and time recipe. These particular tacos recipe are great with this slaw and can be vegan or vegetarian, just substitute black beans for the chicken thigh meat. For other vegan and vegetarian taco recipes take a look at my black bean and kale tacos.

I grilled my corn on my gas stove burner since I don't have a grill. Just place the shucked corn ear on your stove burner over medium/medium low heat and rotate frequently so the entire ear is evenly roasted. A few kernels may pop, not into popped corn, and hiss a bit but if you use tongs or wear an oven mit to move the corn you should escape the process unscathed. You can roast both ears of corn in this recipe, but I find that the 1:1 ratio of roasted to un-roasted corn balances the corn's sweet and roasted flavors.

Slaw with Lime, Cliantro, and Mint

Don Pisto's, a Mexican street food restaurant, is a great place to grab a taco and a glass of sangria or two. When I was there last week I shared their pork chop with a dear friend of mine and it was accompanied by a tart, fresh slaw. The chop and the slaw were both fabulous but when I received a head of savoy cabbage in my csa farm box, I thought I'd attempt to remake the slaw. This recipe isn't an exact clone, but I took the general idea and ran with it, so to speak. Give it a shot with your favorite taco, grilled fish, or pork chop recipe. The mint is optional, but it adds a little additional freshness and spunk to the slaw.

Roasted Tokyo Turnips

    

We’ve had a heat wave the past few weeks, which is a pretty wimpy heat wave at that, but I still didn’t want to turn on my oven. My farm box didn’t cooperate, however, as it was chock full of beets and large turnips and I still had a handful of new potatoes left over from a few boxes ago. Finally, we had a classic coastal grey day and I jumped at the chance and threw all my vegetables in the oven. Well, not ‘threw’, but you know… 

I figure I might as well roast several different vegetables while I’m at it. The last time I received a bunch of Tokyo turnips they were radish size and tasted great sliced in salads raw. As you’d expect, the turnips were larger a few weeks later so I thought I’d quarter them lengthwise, toss them with a bit of olive oil, salt and pepper, and roast them. I really like how they turned out and hopefully you will too… Oh, and I also roasted some purple carrots with the potatoes, the recipe for turnips below also works well for carrots and potatoes. Did you know purple carrots have orange centers?? Fun!

One quick note: If you love oven roasted veggies but hate waiting 1++ hours for them to cook for dinner try this.
If you make roasted vegetables in advance, let them cool all the way and store them in your fridge. (Not novel information but keep reading) I like to re-heat the vegetables without the microwave if it can be avoided but I use whatever cooking technique I'm using the night of to re-heat the vegetables. For instance, if I'm pan frying a ribeye steak for dinner I'll reheat the oven roasted veggies in that pan while the steak is out and resting so they get to hang out with the glorious butter/pepper pan juices from cooking the steak. Or, throw them on the grill loosely wrapped in foil (with a vent) so they don't get soggy. Yes, the roasted vegetables are better the night you roast them, but leftovers don't have to be doomed to the microwave.

White Bean and Chard Stew

I suppose you could classify this dish as a soup if you'd like and you could even make it more soup-y by adding additional vegetable broth after the chard cooks. I like using red chard in this recipe as it adds a bit of color to the broth. The original version of this recipe suggests that you cook the chard in boiling water prior to adding it to the stew, but I chose to cook the chard in the stew instead. Not only does this color the stew nicely, it also keeps the chard's vitamins and goodness in the stew instead of the losing it with the cooking water. Serving the stew with a delicately poached egg on top alongside a hefty piece of crusty bread and was fantastic.

Spicy Black Beans

This dish is hearty, healthy, spicy, versatile, fast, and reheats well. Use as a side dish, in taco salad, in tacos, in breakfast burritos, and much more. You can add different peppers (sweet bell peppers instead of anaheims) or include other vegetables that you enjoy or have around. I've substituted leeks for onions in the past as well. If you have the time, you could also use dried beans.

Spicy Black Beans

2 14.5 ounce cans black beans, drained and rinsed
2 cloves of garlic, pressed
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 large green anaheim peppers, seeded and chopped
1 chipotle pepper (canned in adobo), minced (add to taste)
1 small yellow onion, chopped fine
kosher salt

-Heat olive oil in a large skillet and add garlic and chipotle pepper. Add onion and pepper, season with salt, and sautée until the vegetables begin to soften, about 3-5 minutes. Add black beans and continue to cook until the beans are cooked through, about 2-4 minutes. Serve.

Cucumber, Mango, and Radish Salad

As varied in flavors as it is in colors, this salad combines sweet, tart, spice, bitter and is finished with a satisfying crunch. I cut all the salad components in small pieces so each bite would contain a bit of each element, but left the pieces big enough so each was recognizable. You can peel the cucumber if you please, but I used an English cucumber which tend to have a more tender and thin skin and less seeds. Serve with Mexican food, grilled fish, grilled chicken, or pan-seared scallops-

Cucumber, Mango, and Radish Salad
1 English cucumber, halved lengthwise, seeded, and diced
1 small red onion, diced
1 bunch of radishes, diced
1-2 mangoes, diced
1/4 cup of cilantro leaves, chopped
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Juice of one lime

-Combine cucumber, red onion, radishes, mango, and cilantro in a medium bowl. Toss with salt, chili powder, rice vinegar, olive oil, and lime juice. Let salad stand for ~30 minutes before serving to allow flavors to meld.

Chipotle Hummus

Chipotle peppers are not to be taken lightly. I have a reasonably high spice tolerance and love the smokey flavor that Chipotle peppers bring to any dish, but they pack a punch. I've certainly underestimated their spiciness in the past which yielded tasty but painful meals. Be careful!
This recipe is easily adjusted to suit not only your preferred spice level but also your preferred hummus consistency. I use a combination of tahini, olive oil, and the garbanzo bean can liquid to prepare my hummus until it's the consistency I like. Want creamy hummus? Add more tahini and olive oil. Want a healthier/diet friendly hummus? Use a bit more of the can liquid. Adding each liquid slowly will allow you to adjust accordingly without over-adding and ending up with hummus soup. This hummus is not only great with veggies and pita chips, but also is a great addition to any pita sandwich or as a replacement for mayonnaise in bread sandwiches. 

Chipotle Hummus
2 15.5 ounce cans garbanzo beans, drained with liquid reserved
1 chipotle pepper (canned & packed in adobo sauce)*
1 teaspoon adobo sauce *
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil*
1/3 cup tahini*
1 tablespoon lemon juice*
3 teaspoons kosher salt*

* ingredients that are added to taste.

-Combine beans, chipotle pepper, adobo sauce, and tahini in a food processor work bowl. Blend and slowly add in olive oil/garbanzo bean liquid until the mixture starts to form a consistent, smooth paste. Adjust consistency with additional oil, bean liquid, and tahini until the hummus reaches the desired consistency. Season to taste with salt, lemon juice, (and additional chipotle, if desired).

Heirloom Tomato Salad with Cannellini Beans and Basil Chiffonade

Creamy cannellini beans, spicy basil, and juicy heirloom tomatoes. Simple is good. Heirloom tomatoes don't need any help, just a little salt and pepper to enhance their unique flavors. Toss it together with some extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar to add a little pop! The weather may be heading towards fall in this neck of the woods, but dishes like this remind me that summer is still here for a bit longer.

Heirloom Tomato Salad with Cannellini Beans and Basil Chiffonade

3-4 cups of sliced heirloom tomatoes
generous portions of kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 can of cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
8-10 large basil leaves, rolled and thinly sliced

-Combine beans, tomatoes, and basil in a large bowl and season with salt, pepper, oil, and vinegar. Gently toss with your hands and serve.

Grilled Portobello Mushrooms

To hot to turn on the stove? Grill! Grilled portobello mushrooms can be added to many dishes: salads, pasta, crostini, sandwiches, or even eaten straight. This recipe uses a grilled portobello as a base for sautéed vegetables which you can modify to suit your personal tastes or what you have on hand. Bottom line- it's all about the foil pouch. You may not get grill lines or as much smokey flavor, but your portobellos won't dry out, toughen, or burn.

Grilled Portobello Mushrooms

4 medium portobello mushrooms
olive oil
4 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped fine
kosher salt
freshly ground pepper

1 sweet red onion, sliced thinly
2 bell peppers (red, orange, or yellow) diced
1/2 -1 red chili, seeded and finely chopped (to taste)
goat cheese

-Clean and de-stem portobellos and place gill side up on a large sheet of lightly oiled aluminum foil.
-Drizzle the portobellos with olive oil and season well with garlic, pepper, and salt.
-Form a pouch around the mushrooms with the aluminum foil leaving a few small openings to serve as vents.
-Grill over medium heat until the mushrooms are cooked through, tender, and bubbly.

Topping:
-Over medium heat, sautée onion in 2 tablespoons of olive oil and a large pinch of salt until softened. Add the peppers, chili, and another pinch of salt and continue to sautée until the vegetables have all softened and lost their excess moisture.
-Note: You can make this before you grill the mushrooms and keep it warm until serving.
-Divide mixture between the portobellos and top with large crumbles of goat cheese and freshly ground pepper.

Peanut Barbecue Tofu

I found this recipe just in time to post it for the upcoming 4th of July picnics, potlucks, and parties. A hearty and satisfying meat free bbq option, the peanut butter really shines and compliments the barbecue sauce well. Use your favorite store bought or homemade barbecue sauce as I believe the tangy/spicy and sweet/smokey sauces will both work well. Serve with greens, in a sandwich, or in a salad.

2 lb. extra firm tofu, frozen and thawed, cut into 1/3 inch slices
1 cup natural peanut butter
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp salt
2 tsp garlic powder
freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup vegetable oil
barbecue sauce (Nancy's or Stubbs works well)

-Preheat oven to 350° F.
-Mix peanut butter, paprika, salt, garlic powder, pepper, and vegetable oil in the bottom of a 9x13 glass baking dish using a spatula. Gently toss the tofu with the peanut butter sauce. If the peanut sauce doesn't spread easily, bake the tofu for ~10 minutes and toss again.  Bake for about 1 hour, tossing halfway through baking. Coat the tofu with barbecue sauce and toss to coat. Bake for another 30 minutes. 

Adapted from: Bark & Grass Number 2, 1994

Mango Avocado Salsa

I hiked the Arch Rock trail at Pt. Reyes last weekend and it was a beautiful trip. The marine layer burned off early leaving many hours of gorgeous sun and sights-

My first taste of summer, my hike left me craving more and I made the following salsa to curb my Pt. Reyes cravings. Try to use avocados that aren't too ripe and will maintain their shape. Light, fresh, and sweet, serve this salsa with tacos, tortilla chips, or on top of grilled fish.

Mango Avocado Salsa

1/2 cup diced sweet red onion
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 large avocado cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 large mango cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and diced
1 lime, juiced
1 ts kosher salt
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
~ 1 tsp. cayenne pepper (to taste)

- In a medium bowl, combine red onion, vinegar, lime juice, avocado, mango, jalapeño, and salt. Let mixture rest for 20-30 minutes
-Add cilantro and cayenne pepper. Gently toss and serve.

Adapted from: Everyday Greens, Annie Somerville

Thai Red Coconut Curry

It's hard for me to choose my favorite aspect of this recipe as it is quick to make and accommodates many seasonal vegetables that you enjoy or have on hand. The amounts of seasonings I've listed make a medium spicy curry but can be adapted to suit your own personal taste preferences. If you use different vegetables add them based on length of time needed to cook and use the separation of sweet potatoes and bell pepper as your guide. Here are a few other curry addition suggestions- shrimp, bok choy, carrots, mushrooms, thai eggplant, etc.

Thai Red Coconut Curry

1 lemongrass stalk-  remove ends and roughly cut into 1 inch pieces (do not eat!)
1-2 tablespoons red curry paste (I use Mae Ploy Curry Paste)
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 can coconut milk
1-2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 cup chicken or vegetable stock
2 garlic cloves- pressed or minced
2 inches of ginger- peeled and finely grated (~2 tablespoons)
2 sweet potatoes- peeled and diced into 1/2 inch cubes
1 package extra firm tofu- cut into ~1/2 inch cubes
2-3 bell peppers- diced into 1 inch cubes
1 bunch of asparagus- ends trimmed and cut into 1 inch stalks
1 bunch of thai basil- 1+ cup of leaves

Place coconut milk, stock, lemongrass, curry paste, brown sugar, soy sauce, fish sauce, garlic, and ginger in a large saucepan and whisk until it is well combined. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and add the sweet potatoes. Adjust the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Once the sweet potatoes are fork tender, add the tofu, bell peppers, and asparagus and simmer. Gently stir occassionally until the vegetables are tender but still slightly crisp, about 5 minutes. Taste curry sauce and adjust flavors as necessary. Remove from heat and add the thai basil leaves. Serve over rice.

Roasted Vegetables with Couscous

Quick, healthy, and easy to adjust to suit the contents of your refrigerator and pantry, roasted vegetables are a great weeknight meal. The chopped chiles add a bit of spice to the dish but not enough to overpower the delicate flavors from the roasted vegetables whereas the sugar and salt amplify those flavors. I tend to prefer the larger Israeli couscous for this dish but I've also served it with quinoa and short pasta. The vegetables can be exchanged or added to but be sure to account for different roasting times. If you choose vegetables that require longer or shorter roasting times place these vegetables in their own roasting dish and add/remove it from the oven when necessary.

Roasted Vegetables with Couscous

2 medium eggplants, halved lengthwise and cut into 1 inch wedges
1 pint of cherry tomatoes
3 medium portobello mushrooms, halved and cut into 1/2 inch thick strips
2 bell peppers (not green), cut into similar size pieces as the mushroom
3 garlic cloves, pressed or finely chopped
2-3 red chiles, finely chopped
1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 1/2 cups couscous (I used Israeli couscous)
3 cups boiling chicken/vegetable stock
1/4 cup chopped parsley
plain yogurt

-Preheat oven to 400° F.
-Divide 1/3 cup of olive oil, chiles, garlic, sugar, and salt between two glass roasting dishes. (I used two 9x13 pyrex pans)
-Divide the vegetables between the pans and toss in the oil and seasonings thoroughly, using your hands. Bake for 40 minutes, turning vegetables occasionally, until the vegetables are tender and starting to brown.
-Meanwhile, mix the couscous with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and add the boiling stock. Cover and let stand until stock is absorbed, about 15 minutes.
-Plate couscous, followed by the vegetables and garnish with the parsley and a dollop of yogurt.

Carrot Soup

Velvety, smooth, and rich, this soup embodies these qualities without any added cream or milk. Young spring carrots tend to be much sweeter than their older siblings and I highly recommend spending a bit more money to get young carrots for this recipe. Be sure to balance the soup's sweetness with a couple healthy grinds of black pepper or prepare the ginger carrot soup variation listed below.

Carrot Soup

2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 medium leeks, white and green sections thinly sliced (one medium onion, diced can be substituted)
1 quart of chicken or vegetable stock
2 large springs of taragon
1.5-2 pounds of young carrots, scrubbed and sliced
kosher salt
Juice of one orange (~1/2 cup of freshly squeeze orange juice will work)
1 tablespoon maple syrup
freshly ground pepper

-In a large soup pot over medium heat, melt one tablespoon of butter and the olive oil. Add the leeks and sauté until translucent, about 3-5 minutes.
-Add 1 quart of stock, the carrots, taragon sprigs, one teaspoon of salt, and bring the mixture to a boil while stirring occasionally. Once boiling, reduce the heat until the soup maintains an active simmer and cook, still stirring occasionally, until the carrots are fork tender, about 20-30 minutes (depending on the thickness of your carrot slices).
-Remove the taragon sprig, add the orange juice, maple syrup, and last tablespoon of butter. Use an immersion blender to blend soup until it is completely smooth. Alternatively, let the mixture cool and purée soup using a blender. Please be careful when puréeing hot soup in a blender- hot soup explosions are not fun. Season with salt and pepper and serve.



Variation: Omit the tarragon and add 2 tablespoons of finely grated ginger to the soup pot when the carrots are almost tender and ready to be blended.

Spicy Lemongrass Tofu

Another success from the Flavors of Asia cookbook, this dish brings Vietnamese food home without ordering takeout. If you know you'll be short on time in the evening, dice the tofu and marinate it overnight in the refrigerator which will make dish preparation that much easier.

To make this dish more health conscious I think you could bake the tofu instead of pan frying it in vegetable oil. To make this adjustment I suggest baking the tofu at 350°F until it is golden brown, gently stirring occasionally. Then, sauté the onions, garlic, and shallots as described below and toss in the baked tofu at the end.

Spicy Lemongrass Tofu

1/4 cup lemongrass stalks, finely chopped (white center only)
3 tablespoons soy sauce
4 teaspoons serrano chiles, chopped (1-2)
1 teaspoon dried chili flakes
2 teaspoons ground tumeric
4 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
~1 pound firm tofu, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
6 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 yellow onion, roughly chopped
1/4 cup minced shallots
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 cup Thai basil leaves
1/2 cup roasted peanuts, chopped

-Mix the finely chopped lemongrass, soy sauce, chopped chiles, chile flakes, tumeric, sugar, salt.
-Dice tofu into ~1/2 inch cubes and gently toss in the marinade and let sit for 15+ minutes.
-Add 3 tablespoons of the vegetable oil to a large skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Add the tofu so it has space to brown (you may need to do this in two batches) stir gently until the tofu is lightly browned, about 4 minutes.
-Remove the tofu from the pan, add the other 3 tablespoons of oil to the pan and sauté the onion until it has softened, about 10 minutes. Add the shallots and garlic, cook for 30 seconds, add the tofu and stir gently until it has reheated. Add the Thai basil, half of the peanuts and serve, garnishing each serving with the remaining peanuts.
-Serve with rice.

Vegan Cupcakes

are taking over the world. I would say my first attempt at vegan baking was a success thanks to the book Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World. If you would like to surprise a friend with a delightful cupcake or two this book gracefully takes the guesswork out of creating vegan cupcakes that are not only moist and delicious but are accompanied by rich and creamy frostings. I chose to prepare the Gingerbread Cupcakes with Lemony Cream Cheese Frosting and they were lovely. Each cupcake was topped with a piece of crystallized ginger for a bit of extra zing. Being a dairy-eater I believe you would have a hard time telling the difference between these cupcakes and their egg & dairy filled counterparts.