Black bean soup two ways

I love to cook and often become happily obsessed with trying new recipes. That said, I can also be rather lazy. When the slug in me wins out (but my appetite remains voracious), my saving grace is the much maligned leftover. I LOVE leftovers!! I cook, for example, a big batch of spicy black bean soup and freeze a portion of it for future hectic Wednesdays or boozy football Sundays. I eat said soup, eat it again (and probably again-I have a high tolerance for repetition and, luckily, so does my boyfriend). Then, when I finally tire of eating the same old delicious soup, I use it to make a brand-spanking-new dish. Enter baked potato skins with black beans and three cheeses. Then I retire to the couch.














Chipotle Black Bean Soup
Serves a small army

olive oil
2 large onions, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 7.5 oz. can chipotles in adobo sauce, chopped (this will be messy:)
4 15 oz. cans black beans, drained, and divided in half
2 28 oz. cans whole peeled tomatoes
hot water
2 bay leaves
4-5 sprigs cilantro, plus more for garnish
salt to taste

optional garnish: chopped cilantro, cheese (I like cojito or feta), sour cream, avocado, toasted pepitas, etc.

• In a large stock pot over moderate heat, use enough oil to coat bottom and cook onions and peppers until soft, about 10-15 minutes. Salt onion mixture to taste.
• Add chipotles and adobo sauce, and then half the black beans. Stir to coat beans with oil and adobo. Again, add salt to taste.
• Add tomatoes and enough hot water to cover beans by about two inches (your pinkie is a good measuring stick). Turn heat to high and bring to a slow boil, stirring often.
• Once soup has boiled, turn heat down to medium low, add bay leaves and cilantro and cook for about an hour. Again, salt to taste.
• Remove bay leaves and cilantro and puree soup until it's almost smooth. I highly recommend that you get an immersion blender, if you don't have one, because they are super handy. If not, puree the soup in batches in your standing blender. Make sure not to fill your blender more than half way unless you want to wear your soup!
• Add remaining black beans and cook until they're warmed through, 15-20 minutes. Add salt, one last time, if necessary.
• Serve hot and enjoy!

A quick note: Because you salt the soup a number of times while you are making it, don't be heavy handed; a small pinch will do. Most importantly, make sure to taste throughout the process. And, trust those taste buds of yours!

Freeze soup, cooled completely, for up to six months. Defrost under running hot water.














Turn your soup into...
Baked Potato Skins with Black Beans and Three Cheeses
Serves 2-4

1 1/2 cup black bean soup
4 baked potato skin halves leftover from making hash browns
1/4 cup each, shredded and combined: cheddar and jack cheese
1/4 cup feta cheese
cilantro, chopped

• In a small sauce pan over moderate heat, cook down the black bean soup until it has thickened and you have about one cup
• Preheat broiler
• Place potato skins in an oven safe baking dish. Fill each potato with one quarter of the black beans. Cover beans evenly with the cheddar and jack cheeses. Broil until cheese is bubbling and starting to brown.
• Top baked potato skins with feta cheese and cilantro, serve hot and enjoy!

Hash browns

I like to bake the potatoes the night before (as I am NOT a morning person). With this step taken care of, the hash browns will take all of 15 minutes. Order up!

Hash browns
serves 2

2 baking potatoes, scrubbed and dried
butter or oil
1 medium onion, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

• Preheat heat oven to 350. Prick spuds a few times with a fork and brush lightly with oil and bake for about an hour, or until soft to the touch. Allow to cool enough to handle, cut in half and scrap insides into a small bowl. Set skins aside for another use.
• In a small saute pan over moderate heat, cook until soft, about 7-8 minutes. Increase heat to high and add potatoes and season well with salt and pepper. Cook until golden brown, 5-6 minutes, flip and cook for another 5ish minutes. Serve hot.
• Enjoy!

Use the leftover potato skins to make Baked Potato Skins with Black Beans and Three Cheeses

Roasted Eggplant Dip

I implore you to double, triple or quadruple this recipe. Seriously, so that no one gets hurt in the rush to scoop up every last bit of dip. It's THAT tasty! The roasted eggplant is silky smooth after a whiz in the food processor. And with loads of parsley and a touch of lemon, it's herbaceous and bright. The perfect antidote for a blustery fall day.














Roasted Eggplant Dip
serves 2

3 small eggplants
2 garlic cloves
juice of half a lemon
1/2 cup parsley, roughly chopped
1/3 cup olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

• Preheat oven to 400.
• Pierce each eggplant with a fork several times. Roast until tender, 25-30 minutes. Allow to cool slightly and remove the pulp from the skin.
• In the bowl of a food processor, combine the eggplant, garlic, lemon juice and parsley. Pulse until combined.
• With the processor running, slowly add the oil. Combine until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste.
• Serve with toast, pita, bread sticks, vegetables...
• Enjoy!

peach jalapeno "salsa"

This really isn't salsa at all. It's basically sliced peaches, sliced jalapeno and a squeeze of lime. Savor the last-of-the-season peaches with a little bit of bite. (If you don't like it hot, dice the pepper and use sparingly.) Serve alongside turkey burgers or grilled chicken. Dinner is served.














peach jalapeno salsa

2 ripe peaches, sliced
1 jalapeno, ribs and seeds discarded; thinly sliced
juice of 1 lime
pinch sugar

• Combine all ingredients and allow to rest for 20 minutes-ish so the flavas meld.
• Enjoy!

Creamed corn

I've noticed a bunch of food bloggers workin' the "Wordless Wednesday"; I'm adopting the quietude today because this straight-forward and delish side dish requires no introduction. Just eat it!

Creamed corn
serves 12

16 ears corn, shucked and brake in half (I find braking the cobs easier than cutting them)
2 cups water
2 T butter
1 T flour
1 cup heavy cream
4 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

• Cut corn from cobs.

• In a large saucepan, combine corn, water, 1 1/2 t. salt and 1/2 t. pepper. Simmer over medium heat, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until tender, 6 to 7 minutes.
• In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the butter and stir in the flour. Increase the heat to medium and whisk in the cream. Bring to a boil, whisking constantly, and continue to whisk 1 minute after thickened mixture boils.
• Transfer cream and 2 cups cooked corn to a blender or food processor; puree until smooth-ish.
• Stir cream mixture into corn and simmer for 5 minutes.
• Stir in chives and season with salt and pepper.
• Enjoy!

Leek + goat cheese frittata

Supper is served and lunch is in the fridge!! When I'm pinched for time, I often defer to the incredible egg. I always have some in the fridge for moments like these and, because the urge to bake might hit me at any moment and (the idea of) a trip down and back up to my 5th floor walk-up to buy bland eggs from the corner bodega will surely blot out my desire. So, pick up some huevos.... They're an inexpensive (even when you buy them at a farmers market) source of protein and a blank canvas ready for anything that looks good at the market or whatever's past its prime in the fridge.

I like eggs (point taken) and I like to use them to make frittatas. Again, it's that pressed-for-time thing. This omelet, of sorts, comes together in less than 10 minutes. And the leftovers are perfectly flat for a sandwich. For this particular frittata, I used leeks and goat cheese.

Leek + goat cheese frittata
serves 2 with leftovers

2 large leeks, dark green parts discarded; washed and cut into 1/4 inch rounds
6 eggs
splash milk
salt and pepper to taste
4 oz. goat cheese

• In a medium saute pan, heat enough oil to coat bottom of pan over medium heat. Add leeks and cook until soft, 10 minutes.
  
• Combine eggs, milk, salt and pepper. Whisk well.
• Preheat broiler
  
• Add leeks to egg mixture and pour into a nonstick pan over medium-low heat. Cook slowly, without stirring, for about 4 minutes, or until the bottom has set. Scatter teaspoonfuls the cheese around the top of eggs (it should sit on top of the liquid eggs) and continue to cook for another minute.
  
• Put the saute pan with eggs under the broiler until the eggs have set and the cheese is warm, 3 minutes. Remove from broiler and top with freshly cracked pepper.
• Serve with a green salad and potatoes.

Potato "salad"

1 onion
olive oil
jalapeno, minced
salt
2 large potatoes
vinegar
pepper

• Caramelize onion (look for purple ink), adding jalapeno at end of cooking time. Season to taste.
• Cook potatoes (purple ink), cool slightly under cold water and cut into cubes. Add 1 T vinegar and onions. Season with salt and pepper and add more vinegar, if necessary.
• Enjoy!
  

Gazpacho

Hooray, it's tomato season! For the next month or so I can think outside of the can and use fresh tomatoes to my heart's content (literally). The irresistible sweet and acidic fruit never comes cheap and this summer the prices have been inflated due to devastating "late blight", a fungal disease that has knocked out a huge number of the tomatoes in the Northeast. Our cold and wet spring made for unhappy tomatoes. And, in turn, unhappy farmers, who often rely on tomatoes to turn a profit. So, all the more reason to get out there and buy what's left of this years not-so-bumper crop. Make some gazpacho...no cooking required!

Gazpacho

6 ripe tomatoes, cut into chunks
1/2 large cucumber--peeled, halved, seeded and cut into chunks
1 green bell pepper, coarsely chopped or, for added flavor, roasted and cut into strips
2 garlic cloves, smashed
1 cup water
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons sherry or red wine vinegar
salt to taste

optional garnish:
diced cucumber
sliced onion
hot sauce

• In a blender or food processor, combine the tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, garlic, water, oil and vinegar and process until coarsely pureed. Season with salt and adjust amount of vinegar if needed. Refrigerate until chilled.
  
• Serve in chilled bowls with garnish.
• Enjoy!

Farro w eggplant + tomatoes

Hitting the farmers market late in the day might not be the best time to find a wide variety of produce, or if you're looking for something in particular. But, it is the best time to find a bargain. I brought home a bounty without spending a fortune!

Among other things, I got a big eggplant that I typically would've skipped in search of a couple of smaller ones, but it was slim pickins and the reduced price was right. With an eggplant in my possession and pasta on the brain (always), I bought some super sweet plum tomatoes to make a quick summer sauce. I ended up using farro instead of pasta and purslane (the guy at the market was practically giving it away) instead of basil in the sauce, so the following is merely a base recipe. Whatever you do though, this is a bowl full of summer goodness.

Farro w eggplant and tomatoes
serves 2 with a leftover lunch

3 T olive oil
1 large eggplant, cut into cubes
5 plum tomatoes, cut into a large dice
1 cup semi-pearled farro
1/4 cup sherry vinegar
1 T pine nuts, toasted
use any herbs you have on hand as garnish

• In a large saute pan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat and saute eggplant until soft and caramelized, 10 minutes. Lightly season with salt, add tomatoes, reduce heat to medium and cook until most of the liquid has evaporated, 10 minutes. Add herbs and season to taste.
• Meanwhile, cook the farro in boiling salted water until al dente, about 20 minutes, drain and add vinegar.
• Serve sauce over farro and sprinkle with pine nuts.
• Enjoy!

Orecchiette w lentils + kale

Quick and easy. Cheap as chips. Yummy:)

Orecchiette with lentils and kale
serves 2 with leftovers

1/2 cup lentils
2 cups water
3/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 pound kale
3/4 pound orecchiette

• In a small saucepan, simmer lentils in 2 cups water with 1/4 teaspoon salt, uncovered, adding more water to keep lentils barely covered, until tender but not falling apart, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from heat and season with salt.
  
• While lentils simmer, caramelize the onions following the directions in purple here...
  
• Meanwhile, cut and discard stems and from kale. Cook in a large pot of boiling salted water, uncovered, until just tender, 5 to 8 minutes. Transfer kale to a colander to drain, pressing lightly.
  
• Add orecchiette to boiling water and cook according to package.
  
• Squeeze all excess liquid from kale, coarsely chop and add to caramelized onions along with lentils in there liquid. Simmer, stirring, 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper.
  
• When pasta is al dente, reserve about 1 cup pasta-cooking liquid, and drain. Add pasta to lentil mixture along with enough cooking liquid to keep the pasta moist and cook over medium-high heat, tossing, 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle with remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Top with grated Parmesan cheese if you like.
  
• Enjoy!

Corn with miso butter and bacon

This recipe is adapted from David Chang of Momofuku in NYC. However you may feel about the chef and his empire, I would highly recommend that you make this deeply savory and satisfying side dish. Skip the restaurants' long lines and bring a bit of the "Lucky Peach" into your home.

Corn with Miso Butter and Bacon
serves 4 to 6

1/4 1b bacon, cut crosswise into 1/8 inch strips
1 T unsalted butter, softened
1 T miso (preferably white miso, but use whatever you can find)
1 small onion, halved lengthwise and sliced crosswise into half moons
10 ears corn (6 to 7 cups), halve cob and place cut side down and cut kernels from cob from top to bottom
1/2 t black pepper
1/2 cup water
2 or 3 sliced scallions

• Cook bacon in 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until browned and crisp, 6-8 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to paper towels to drain.
• Meanwhile, combine softened butter and miso paste.
• Cook onion in bacon fat over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until golden, 5-8 minutes. Add corn and pepper and increase heat to medium-high and cook, stirring constantly, 3 minutes. Add water and butter mixture and cook until corn is tender, about 4 minutes. Stir in reserved bacon, scallions and salt and pepper to taste.

Because of it's complex flavors, I like to serve this alongside simple poached fish or shrimp.

Poached Fish

4 fillets salmon or shark (dog fish)
salt and pepper
1 T butter, softened
1 shallot, diced

• Season fish with salt and pepper
• Rub softened butter over the bottom of a deep, heavy-bottomed 10-or 12-inch sauté pan.
• Sprinkle the shallot over the bottom of the pan and set the fish fillets on top.
• Pour clam juice and wine over and around the fish to come about 2/3 up the sides of the fish.
• Cover the pain tightly with a lid or aluminum foil, set over medium-high heat, and bring the liquid to a rolling boil, about 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and cook the fish for another minute.
• Remove the cover and use a spatula to carefully remove the fillets from the sauté pan and transfer them to a large plate or platter. Cover loosely with foil so that the fish will continue to cook from the carryover heat.
• To serve, spritz with lemon and sprinkle with fresh basil.
• Enjoy!

Hand rolled egg noodles

I love to spend the day in the kitchen cooking, that seems pretty obvious, no? Throw in a gal pal (did I just write that?) and life is pretty much perfect. Good food, gossip and an ice cold Greyhound compliments of Gils...Yes, please.

This was Gillian's first foray into noodle making and she did a damn fine job. The noodles were toothsome and tasty and didn't need much in the way of sauce. We went with a quick saute of garlic and zucchini. Make these to impress someone. Seriously, homemade noodles, that's pretty special. Just like Gillian.
































Hand rolled egg noodles
serves 4

1 cup flour
1/2 t salt
2 large eggs, lightly beaten

• In a large work bowl, combine flour and salt and make a well in the center. Pour the eggs into the well and, using a fork, gradually incorporate the flour into the eggs. Continue until the dough comes together. It will be wet dough and look shaggy; not to worry.
  
• Turn dough out onto a well-floured surface and with well-floured hands knead until dough is smooth and no longer sticky. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or as long as 24 hours.
• Using half the dough at a time, on a well-floured surface, roll out the dough, making sure to rotate it after each pass of the rolling pin to prevent sticking, until it is about 1/8 inch thick. Don't be afraid to add flour.
• Using a sharp knife or a pizza cutter, cut dough into whatever shape you like. Whatever you chose, try to be consistent in size and shape so the cooking time for your noodles is the same. Place cut noodles onto drying racks to air dry. Use immediately or dry until hard and store in an air tight container for a few days.
• To cook, bring a pot of water to boil, salt water and add noodles. Cooking time will vary. I would recommend that you start checking after about 3 minutes. Gillian's took about 4 minutes.
• Serve with whatever sauce you like. We sauteed garlic in olive oil, added thinly sliced zucchini and about a 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid, turned the heat off, covered to steam and added the noodles when they were ready. Yum!

Porgy with Peas, Potatoes and Garlic Scape Pesto

My boyfriend wanted to practice cleaning a fish, so yesterday I picked up a whole porgy at the Union Square Greenmarket. The woman who I bought it from looked at me with skepticism and reminded me twice that I'd need to gut it. I assured her that I understood what the future held for me and my porgy; she gave up and told me to have fun. Was it ever (especially considering I wasn't the one doing the dirty work)! And, woo hoo, now we have fish bones for fumet! Anyway, if you don't have a hankering to play butcher, go ahead and buy fillets. Porgy, also known as sea bream, is great (and relatively cheap), as are sea bass and red snapper.

On the side, I served simple roasted potatoes with a bracing garlic scape pesto. If you don't like garlic, you probably won't like this pesto...the garlicky flavor is no joke. The almonds and cheese mellow the pesto (feel free to add more) and the lemon brightens it up. It would be nice on toasted bread with lots of olive oil or on pasta, just add a bit of the water you cooked the pasta in to loosen it up.

Roasted New Potatoes with Garlic Scape Pesto

For the potatoes

12 small potatoes, leave whole or cut in half if large

olive oil

salt and pepper

• Preheat oven to 400.
  
• Coat potatoes with olive oil, salt and pepper and bake for 45 minutes or until soft when pierced with a fork.
  
• Remove from oven and cover with foil to keep warm. When you add the peas to the fish (see below), remove foil and return potatoes to oven to reheat.

For the pesto

5 garlic scapes, roughly chopped to fit into the bowl of a food processor

1/4 cup almonds

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

juice of half a lemon

1/2 cup olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

• In the bowl of a food processor, combine the scapes, almonds, cheese and lemon juice. Pulse until combined.
  
• While processor is running, slowly add the olive oil and mix until emulsified. Add salt and pepper to taste.
  
• Serve on top of or next to roasted potatoes.

Long Island Porgy with Peas

2 fillets porgy

salt and pepper

1/8 cup white wine

1 cup peas, fresh or frozen

• Preheat oven to 450.
• Liberally season fish with salt and pepper and place in an oven safe baking dish or skillet and pour wine around fish.
• Cook for about 10-12 minutes or until opaque and warm to the touch. Add the peas to the skillet for last 5 minutes of cooking (Put the potatoes back in the oven now too).
• Enjoy!

Avocado Mango Salsa + Honey Mustard Chicken

I served this salsa with leftover honey mustard chicken (recipe below). The sweetness of the mango brought out the subtle honey glaze on the chicken and the avocado and onion add a deeply savory note. The cilantro adds great freshness...you really can't have enough of it. The salsa is cool, light and creamy; I could absolutely eat it straight out of the bowl like I would a bowl of ice cream.

Avocado mango salsa
serves 2-4

juice of 1 lime
1 ripe mango
2 ripe avocados
half small onion, fine dice
handful cilantro, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

• Squeeze lime juice into a medium bowl
• Cut mango into cubes: 1) A mango has a flatish oblong pit in the center of it. Your goal is to cut along the sides of the pit, separating the flesh from the pit. Holding the mango with one hand, stand it on its end, stem side down. With a sharp knife in your other hand, cut from the top of the mango, down one side of the pit as close to the center (pit) as possible. Then repeat with the other side. You should end up with three pieces - two halves, and a middle section that includes the pit. 2) Take a mango half and use a knife to make lengthwise and crosswise cuts in it, but try not to cut through the peel. Turn the mango inside out so that the flesh of the mango protrudes. 3) Use a small paring knife to cut away the pieces from the peel. Finally, I like to pick up and eat the bit of mango left on the pit (it gets a touch messy and makes me feel like a kid again:), but you can use a knife to cut it off and add to your salsa. Add cubed fruit to bowl with lime juice.

• Cut avocado into cubes: halve each avocado, remove the pit and, as you did with the mango, use a knife to make lengthwise and crosswise cuts in the flesh. In this case, use a spoon to scoop out the avocado into the bowl with the mango.
• Add onion and cilantro to mango and avocado and stir to combine. Add salt and pepper to taste. If you don't eat right away, add one of the avocado pits to the bowl and use plastic wrap to top the salsa directly (the plastic wrap should touch the mixture). These methods will keep the avocado from oxidizing (as will the acid in the lime juice).
• Enjoy!

Honey mustard chicken
serves 4

1 whole chicken, cut into 8 pieces (or, if you don't want to break down the chicken, buy the pieces that you prefer)
1/8 cup olive oil
salt
1/2 cup honey
1 T Dijon mustard
1/2 t pepper

• Preheat oven to 400, place rack in middle position and line a baking sheet with foil (it'll make fo a much easier clean up).
  
• On a baking sheet, toss chicken with oil and salt, place skin side down and bake. Remove the breasts and wings after 2o minutes and continue to cook the legs and thighs for 5 more minutes.
  
• While the chicken is baking, combine the honey, mustard, pepper and a pinch salt in a small sauce pan over medium heat. Stir occasionally and bring to a boil. Remove from heat.
  
• Remove chicken from oven and transfer to platter. Discard the fat from the baking sheet. (This is super important because the excess fat will smoke in the broiler and likely set off your fire alarm.)
  
• Preheat broiler
• Toss chicken with honey mustard and place on baking sheet skin side down. Broil for 5 minutes. Turn the chicken over and cook 4-5 minutes longer. During last 5 minutes, check every couple of minutes because the glaze will burn quickly. Remove from broiler and let rest for 5-10 minutes. Chicken is great hot or at room temperature.
• Enjoy!

Pretty in Pink

This is a super simple side dish. Just make sure to leave yourself enough time to roast the beets. Or, better yet, roast them the day before and this dish will come together in five minutes. The honey in the yogurt brings out the natural sweetness of the beets and the scallions add a nice savory crunch. Use in place of tzatziki, next to a grilled steak or, if you're like me, as lunch.

Roasted beets in honeyed yogurt

1 bunch beets
1/4 cup plain yogurt, I use low fat, but any will work
2 T honey
3 scallions, thinly sliced

• Preheat oven to 400°F.
  
• Wash beets and cut off and discard stems. Wrap each beet in foil, place on baking sheet and roast until tender when pierced with fork, about 1 hour 30 minutes. Cool until you are able to handle. Peel beets and slice or cut each into 8 wedges. Place in medium bowl.
• In small bowl, combine yogurt and honey. Mix well. Add to beets and combine.
• Sprinkle scallion over beets.
  
• Enjoy!

On a budget? Chickpeas do the trick.

Ever since I listened to NPR's "How Low Can You Go" with chef Jose Andres, I've wanted to make this dish. I love chickpeas, am always looking for new and satisfying vegetarian meals and, woohoo , this one is as cheap as chips. In fact, the premise of the show is to feed a family of four for under $10. Taking that even further, I increased the amount of chickpeas from 9 oz to 1 lb. (I left the remaining ingredients alone and the flavors were plenty strong.) The additional chickpeas stretch this, making it even more wallet-friendly, but when reheated the spinach became rather slimy and unappealing. I would recommend making a big pot and adding a handful or two of spinach to each individual bowl you dish out. One last note, the original recipe called for a pinch of saffron, but I didn't add it because I didn't have any...that's the way it goes in these here parts. Don't know what I missed and I'm okay with that; this was delish nevertheless!

Moorish-style chickpea and spinach stew

1 lb dried chickpeas
Pinch baking soda
6 garlic cloves, peeled and left whole
1/4 cup olive oil
2 oz white sliced bread, with the crusts removed
2 T Spanish sweet paprika
1 t ground cumin
2 T sherry vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 pound spinach, washed and cleaned

• The day before you cook, soak the chickpeas in cold water with a pinch of baking soda.
  
• Drain and rinse the chickpeas.
• In a large saucepan, add rinsed chickpeas and add cold water to cover by about 1 inch. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer for two hours, until the chickpeas are tender. Every 10 minutes or so, add 1/2 cup of cold water to slow down the simmering. By the end, the water should have reduced so it is barely covering the chickpeas. (I cooked the chickpeas a day ahead and cooled in the refrigerator over night. Before resuming the recipe, I warmed the chickpeas over low heat until just simmering.)
  
• In a small saute pan over medium to low heat, brown the garlic in oil, about 3 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside. Add the bread and brown on both sides, about one minute per side. Remove the bread and set aside.
• Turn of burner and allow oil to cool for a few minutes. Add the paprika, cumin and vinegar to the oil and whisk to incorporate.
  
• In a mortar, smash the reserved garlic and the browned bread to make a very thick paste.
• Add the spice mixture along with the garlic and bread paste, to create a thick, stew-like sauce. Simmer for another 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Ladle into bowls and top each with a big handful of spinach. (It's also great ladled onto prepared couscous.)
  
• Enjoy!

Here's the radio show with the original recipe and great tips from chef Andres (like serving a fired egg on top of the beans and spinach!). In the interview, Michele Norris is a little skeptical about "talking" to the chickpeas, as Andres recommends, because she's not "fluent in chickpea". Good thing touching and tasting them works as well!
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=102854605

You take such darn good care of me, Quinoa.

The basics, yo.

Quinoa is the seed of a dark leafy plant related to Swiss chard and spinach, but because of its texture, it is usually grouped with the grains. It is light and fluffy, has a nutty flavor and is easily substituted for rice and couscous. It cooks quickly, is easy to digest and is a bona fide nutrient powerhouse. Need I say more? Not really, but I will...

-Quinoa is packed with protein. In fact, it's the only grain that is a complete protein, making it especially good for vegetarians and vegans.

-It's wheat and gluten free making it ideal for restricted diets and people with food allergies.

-It's low on the Glycemic Index and won't spike blood sugar levels. Great for diabetics.

-Full o' fiber. 'nuf said.

-Aaand, it's uber-packed with vitamins and minerals like potassium, magnesium and iron.
Woo hoo!

Now, get a hold of your excited self and make some quinoa!

Quinoa with black beans and tomatoes

2 t lime zest
2 T fresh lime juice
3 T olive oil (or whatever kind you like)
1 cup quinoa
15 oz. black beans, canned or soaked, rinsed
2 medium tomatoes (cherry or plum is fine too), diced and tossed with a pinch of sugar if needed
4 scallions, chopped
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

• Whisk together lime zest and juice, oil, 1/2 t salt, and 1/4 t pepper in a large bowl.
• Rinse quinoa VERY well in a sieve and drain.
• To cook quinoa, remember, 2 to 1. 2 parts water to 1 part quinoa. Combine water, rinsed quinoa and a good pinch salt and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 10-15 minutes. You will know when the quinoa is cooked when: the water is absorbed, it's translucent and the germ of the seed shows a little white ring around the outside.
  
• Add quinoa to dressing and toss until dressing is absorbed, stir in remaining ingredients and salt and pepper to taste.
• Enjoy!
  

Corn Souffle

Here's that corn souffle I mentioned yesterday. Light and fluffy to taste, but surprisingly rebounding in it's rise...it still had height when I went back for seconds. I will definitely make it again; maybe for guests because it looks pretty fancy and it's soo delicious!

Corn Souffle

3 T unsalted butter, additional for greasing

3 T all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cup milk (I used 2%, but I think any would be fine)

1 lb package frozen corn, pureed

1 cup coarsely grated colby-jack cheese (again, any would work)

1 t. sugar

3/4 t salt or to taste

1/4 t cayenne

3 large egg yolks

4 large egg whites

• Preheat oven to 425. Using the additional butter, generously butter a 2 quart shallow ceramic or glass baking dish and set aside.
• Melt 3 T butter over moderate heat in a heavy saucepan until foam subsides, add flour and cook roux for 2 minutes, whisking constantly making sure to get into edges of saucepan. Add milk in a slow stream, whisking, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 3 minutes. Stir in corn, cheese, sugar, salt and cayenne until fully incorporate (will be lumpy). Transfer to large bowl and whisk in egg yolks.
• Beat egg whites with a pinch of salt until they just hold peaks. Fold one forth of the whites into the corn mixture to lighten and then gently fold in remaining whites. Spoon into prepared baking dish.
• Bake, uncovered, 15 minutes. Rotate baking dish and cover top loosely with foil and continue to bake until puffed, golden brown and just set, 20-25 minutes longer. Serve immediately with freshly ground pepper.
• Enjoy!

I cooked my souffle for about 5 minutes too long. As you can see, it's a little bit dark. I was worried that it would be a bit dry and grainy, but it wasn't at all. This is one resilient souffle! A great start for beginners.

When I want to eat NOW

I am by no means a vegetarian, but on any old week night, I tend to lean that way. Last night I got home late and wanted something to eat that was good and satisfying, but above all else, quick and easy to prepare. This farro salad is just that. It takes all of 20-25 minutes to make and that's only because the farro takes that long to cook. If you are hungry (like I was) don't bother to cool the farro to room temp before dressing...all the better to soak up the balsamic vinaigrette. The firm and chewy farro makes this salad hearty enough to be a main dish for me, but for those of you who need a bit more, a grilled sausage rounds out the meal perfectly.

















Farro with Cherry Tomatoes and Arugula

1 cup farro
1/4 cup olive oil
1/8 cup balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper
1/3 lb. cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered if large and tossed with a pinch of salt
1/2 lb. arugula
lemon wedge

• Cook farro in amply salted water until al dente, 20-25 minutes, drain. Cool slightly before dressing with vinaigrette.
• Emulsify (combine) oil and vinegar. I like to use an old jam jar to shake to combine. Add salt and pepper to taste. Pour over farro and mix well.
  
• Add tomatoes. (Salad can be prepared up until this point a few hours in advance.)
  
• When ready to serve, toss farro and tomatoes with arugula. Add a squeeze of lemon and freshly ground pepper, if you like.
• Enjoy!