Lebanese Lentil Soup

Last winter, my husband an I stayed for a few days in Trieste, Italy. We enjoyed the local cuisine, which was like mountain Italian food (beefy goulash soup with gnocchi, for example), but I was so excited to find a Lebanese restaurant there. That's hard to find where we live. We went there for a meal and enjoyed some lentil soup when it was very cold outside. After we came home, I found this recipe and re-created the soup, but I liked it even better made at home. I was able to make it a little thicker. I made it about 5 times last winter and my 14-year old son loved it too. It's still warm here right now, but the weather is getting a little cooler, so maybe I can make this one again soon. 

When this is freshly made, it is thinner than shown in the photos. The photo is some of the soup that I had frozen, then warmed up. It thickens a lot in the fridge, and especially in the freezer. But I can report that it freezes really well!

Lebanese Lentil Soup

adapted from Plant Based Folk

1 tablespoon Olive oil
1 large Brown onion diced
2 medium Carrots diced
2 small Celery stalks diced
2 cloves Garlic crushed
1½ cups dry red lentils 

¼-½ cup Short grain white rice or medium grain
8 Cups Vegetable stock or 10 cups (you can adjust the thickness of this lentil soup)
1 medium Fresh lemon juiced
1 teaspoon Ground turmeric
1 ½ teaspoon Ground cumin
1 handful Fresh parsley chopped, divided into two portions (use 2 TBS dry if you don't have fresh)
1 pinch Salt or to taste
½ teaspoon Cracked black pepper or to taste
 Lemon wedges, for serving

1. In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the diced onion, crushed cloves of garlic, and spices. Cook until the onions have softened. Add the red lentils and stir until they are coated in the olive oil. Pour in the vegetable stock and add the rice. Cover and cook on medium heat for 15 minutes.
Add the diced celery and carrot. Simmer for another 10 minutes with the lid on. Turn off the heat and stir in half of the chopped fresh parsley and the lemon juice.

2. Blend the soup with an immersion blender until the soup is partially smooth but still has some chunky bits. Do a taste test and adjust with salt if needed. Garnish with additional parsley and serve with lemon wedges to squeeze into the soup to your liking.

-Leftovers are great in the fridge! Also, this soup freezes well. I thawed overnight in the fridge and then warmed it up gently on the stove.-

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Brazilian Vinaigrette

This salad is SO good!! The name makes it sound like a salad dressing, but it's actually a salad. We actually first had this in Puglia- southern Italy- at an authentic Brazilian restaurant. I loved how fresh it was and how it went with grilled meat so well. I brought this to a BBQ and people mistook it for salsa- lol- it's actually really good with tortilla chips too! But it's meant to go with grilled meats. (There is parsley- not cilantro- in this.) Note: The original recipe called for a green bell pepper. I prefer red, orange, or yellow, so I with an orange one instead.

Brazilian Vinaigrette 
adapted from Our Best Bites

4 large tomatoes diced small (about 2 cups)
1 medium white onion or 1/2 large diced small (about 1 cup)
1 green (or any color) bell pepper diced small (about 1 cup)
1/4 cup minced flat-leaf parsley
1/2 cup avocado or olive oil
4 tablespoons white vinegar or white wine vinegar, or half and half
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1. Add all ingredients to a bowl and toss to combine. Chill for at least an hour (and up to a few) before using. Keep in mind that flavors, including salt, intensifies after sitting so taste when ready to serve and you can always add additional salt, if needed. You may also add more vinegar if you prefer.

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Greek White Bean Soup- Fasolada

I loved this soup- and so did my husband and son. I made it three times in three weeks, I think. It's vegan if made with veggie broth- which I did.  (But the feta garnish makes it non-vegan, obviously.) You could also use chicken stock. I used small white beans for this (navy beans, I think), but I think white cannelini beans would be better for this. I bought some so I have them on hand for next time. I made this No-Knead Bread with it; you do most of the work the night before. The two recipes go very well together. 

Greek White Bean Soup- Fasolada

adapted from By the Forkful

1 white onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 carrots, diced
2 celery sticks, diced
2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon tomato paste
600g white beans (2 cans, drained a bit)
400g (1 can) chopped/diced tomatoes
1 litre (4 cups) vegetable stock
2 bay leaves
Salt and pepper to taste
Feta to top (½ cup/125g)

Lemon juice, optional
Parsley, to garnish

Extra virgin olive oil, optional 

1. Heat the oil in a large pan, and add the onion and garlic. Saute for 4-5 minutes until the onions have softened and then add in the diced carrot and celery and cook for another couple of minutes. Add the dried oregano, salt, and pepper, then stir in the tomato paste and cook it down for a minute or two until the sauce begins to turn fragrant. Add the tomatoes and the white beans, followed by the vegetable stock.  Add the bay leaves and then let the soup simmer for 20 minutes. (I put the lid on here.) 

2. For a thicker consistency, remove 2-3 ladles of the soup and blend it, then add it back into the soup for a creamier sauce. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper as needed. (I've never done this, but it would be good.) Top the soup with crumbled feta, diced parsley, optional lemon juice, and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

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Almond Croissants- Croissants aux Amandes

These are so good! And I had no idea how easy they were to make until I read David Lebovitz's newsletter and accompanying recipe. You just need day old croissants and a few other ingredients. Luckily for me, day-old croissants are super cheap at one of my local stores. I made 6 of these and they were gone in no time. I really need to make them again soon. 

Croissants aux Amandes 

from David Lebovitz

Syrup
1/2 cup (125ml) water
1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
2 tablespoons dark rum, amaretto, or kirsch (optional)

Frangipane
1/2 cup (50g) almond flour 
1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
3 1/2 tablespoons (50g) butter, at room temperature
A few drops pure almond extract (I used a little more than 1/4 tsp)
Pinch of salt
4 day-old croissants
1/2 cup (40g) sliced almonds
Powdered sugar

1.  Make the syrup by heating the water and sugar in a medium saucepan until the mixture comes to a boil, stirring occasionally. When the sugar is dissolved, remove from heat, let cool to room temperature, then add the liquor, if using.

2.  Preheat the oven to 375ºF (190ºC). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

3.  Make the frangipane by beating the almond flour, sugar, egg, butter, almond extract, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or by hand) at medium-to-high speed until the frangipane is light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

4.  Slice each croissant in half horizontally, stopping just before you reach the other side, so it can open like a book. Place them on the prepared baking sheet. Liberally brush the insides, both top and bottom, with the syrup. You want to make sure both sides are completely saturated with the syrup. Don’t be shy- you really want to saturate the croissants. 

5.  Spread the inside of each croissant with 2 tablespoons of the frangipane. Press down firmly on each croissant so the top is relatively flat. Spread the remaining frangipane over the tops of each croissant.

6.  Sprinkle each croissant with 2 tablespoons of sliced almonds and bake the croissants until golden brown, about 15 minutes, but check them a few minutes before the recommended baking time. Let them cool a few minutes, then sprinkle them with powdered sugar. Serve warm or at room temperature.

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Slow Cooker Cuban Pork

This pork was so good! We had it twice in two weeks. I just made the marinade the night before for an easier workday morning. To serve, we just used regular canned black beans and plain white rice (made in the rice cooker). You could totally use a seasoned black bean recipe and cilantro-lime rice, though. We spooned the flavorful sauce over the plain rice and beans and it was plenty of flavor for them. After shredding the pork, instead of broiling it, we sauteed it in a large non-stick skillet on the stove. It got some nice crispy edges that way. 

Slow Cooker Cuban Pork 

adapted from Valerie's Kitchen 

3-4 pound boneless pork shoulder (Boston butt roast)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divide

3/4 bunch fresh cilantro (save some for garnish)

1 tablespoon minced garlic

½ or 1 whole jalapeño pepper, seeded and chopped into big pieces, optional

1 tablespoon cumin

1 tablespoon dried oregano

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

½ cup low-sodium chicken broth

⅓ cup orange juice

¼ cup lime juice

Optional, for serving

fresh cilantro

lime wedges

steamed white rice

black beans, warmed

1. Place the pork into the crockpot. Place all of the other ingredients (up to the optional ones) in a food processor or blender and process until smooth. Pour the mojo sauce over the pork in the slow cooker.

2. Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours or on HIGH for 4 to 6 hours, until the meat is tender enough to shred with a fork. Right in the crock pot, shred the pork with 2 forks. Remove any large pieces of fat. Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat and drizzle with some olive oil. Place some pork on the skillet and sear, turning occasionally to get some crusty edges. Drizzle with the sauce from the crockpot. Remove from heat. 

3. Serve the pork with warmed black beans and and cooked white rice garnished with cilantro leaves and lime wedges, if desired. Use the remaining sauce from the crockpot to drizzle over the meat, rice and beans. Enjoy!

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Risotto Carbonara

This risotto recipe was SO good. The fam enjoyed this one. The photos are of the leftovers, and I think all of the pancetta was picked out by that point, lol. So it doesn't look very carbonara-y, but it is. (You can use either smoked pancetta or guanciale for this.) 

This was a bit too salty with all that cheese, but delicious. Next time, I'd use unsalted broth and add a bit of salt to taste. Also, there are onions in this recipe. If you are a Carbonara purist, this probably isn't for you, anyway. :) They sell eggs in Italy that have extra-yellow yolks for homemade pasta and other things. I did not use them for this recipe because I didn't have them on hand, but I would next time. 

Risotto Carbonara 

adapted from Delicious Australia

2-4 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, as needed
1 onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
200g smoked pancetta OR guanciale, finely chopped
2 eggs, plus 3 yolks
2 cups (160g) finely grated parmesan, plus extra to serve
250g arborio rice
5 cups (1.25L) low-sodium chicken stock* 

freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1.  Heat oil in a large non-stick saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, garlic and bacon and cook, stirring, for 15 minutes or until onion is completely translucent and bacon is fragrant and the fat has rendered.

2.  While the onion is cooking, combine eggs, yolks and parmesan in a bowl. Season with freshly ground black pepper.

3.  Stir rice into onion mixture and cook for 1 minute to coat the grains, then add stock*, 1 ladleful at a time, stirring at each addition, for 20 minutes or until all the stock has been used and rice is al dente. Remove from heat and cool for 2 minutes, then add egg mixture and stir for 2-3 minutes to create a rich, creamy risotto. Return to low heat for 1 minute, then remove from the heat. If you used unsalted stock, taste for salt and add some if necessary. Scatter over extra parmesan and freshly ground black pepper to serve.

Note: To reheat any risotto, use a nonstick pan on the stove on medium-low heat. Add some water or broth (or milk, if you want it creamier) and stir with a silicone spatula until heated. Add more liquid as the risotto soaks it up, until the risotto is warm enough. You want it to remain creamy. 

*This was too salty for me even with the reduced-sodium stock, and I even used 4 cups broth, 1 cup water. It was because of the amount of cheese. I would either reduce the cheese next time (gasp!) OR use more water with my stock, OR unsalted stock and then add salt to taste. 

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Swedish Cardamom Cake (Kardemummakaka)

After enjoying some delicious Swedish sweets on our trip to Sweden last year, I wanted to make this Cardamom cake. I actually made this a long time ago; I just don't blog very often anymore. This was delicious. You could really taste the cardamom and it had a good pound-cake texture and crumb. 

Swedish Cardamom Cake (Kardemummakaka)

adapted from True North Kitchen

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon fine salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon ground cardamom
¾ cup buttermilk
1 tablespoon freshly-squeezed lemon juice
18 tablespoons (2 ¼ sticks) butter
2 cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs room temperature
1 egg yolk room temperature
Powdered sugar for serving

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 10-cup capacity bundt pan OR spray the interior or the pan with baking spray. Set aside.

2.  Whisk flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cardamom together in a medium bowl. Set aside.

3.  Combine buttermilk and lemon juice in a small bowl. Set aside. Combine butter and granulated sugar in the work bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Add eggs and egg yolk one at a time, allowing each one to fully incorporate into the batter before adding the next.

4.  Reduce the mixer speed to low. Add one third of the flour mixture, followed by one half of the buttermilk mixture. Repeat, finishing with the flour mixture (do not over mix). Transfer the batter to the prepared bundt pan and smooth out the top with a rubber spatula. Tap the pan on the counter a few times to eliminate any air bubbles. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until a skewer or toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.

5.  Cool the cake in the pan for 10 minutes. Lay a wire cooling rack over the top of the pan and invert the cake onto the rack. Remove the pan, leaving the cake behind. Cool the cake to room temperature and dust with powdered sugar before serving.

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Syrian Ouzi Beef Rice

I love this recipe from An Edible Mosaic and so did my family, especially my 18-year old son, who keeps asking for it. The recipe is supposed to be made with ground lamb, but I can never find it here, so I finally just made it with ground beef. I was glad I did. If I ever do find ground lamb, I'll try it, but it's so good with beef. I made my own spice mix for this, from the same blog/cookbook, and I'll list that recipe here too. We always have this with roasted cauliflower- so good. I've used Northwoods Fire or Garlic Salt from Penzey's on the cauliflower. The original recipe cooks the meat first, then the rice. When I make this, I start the rice first, since it takes longer. Then start the meat, and hopefully, they are done at about the same time. 

Syrian Ouzi Beef Rice  

adapted from An Edible Mosaic 

Topping/Garnish:

1/2 tablespoon ghee or olive oil
6 tablespoons blanched almonds or pine nuts
3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley, optional

Rice:

3 tablespoons ghee or olive oil
1 cup diced yellow onion
1 1/2 cups basmati rice soaked in water for 10-15 minutes, then rinsed under cool running water in a fine mesh sieve and drained well
1 bay leaf
1 cinnamon stick
4 pods cardamom cracked open
2 whole cloves
1 1/2 cups frozen peas and carrots (I just use the whole 12-oz bag now. It's prob a little more than 2 cups)
1 tablespoon 7-spice mix, see below

1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
3 cups chicken stock 

Plain yogurt, for serving

Lamb (Or Beef):

1 pound ground lamb or 85% lean ground beef; if you use leaner meat, add 1 tablespoon ghee or olive oil
1 cup diced yellow onion
4 large cloves garlic crushed
1 tablespoon 7-spice mix, see below
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper

For the Topping: Preheat a small skillet over medium-low heat. Add the ghee/oil; once melted, stir in the nuts. Cook until the nuts are golden and fragrant, about 5 minutes, stirring often. They can burn easily. Remove the nuts from the heat and transfer them from the skillet to a paper towel-lined plate to cool.

For the Rice:Preheat a 4 to 5-quart non-stick pot over medium heat. Add the ghee/oil; once melted, add the onion. Cook until the onion is softened but not browned, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the rice and cook 1 minute, and then stir in the bay leaf, cinnamon stick, cardamom pods, and cloves, and cook 30 seconds. Stir in the peas and carrots, 7-spice mix, salt, Aleppo pepper, and turmeric. Add the chicken stock, and stir it briefly (try for just one stir!). Let it come up to a gentle boil. Cover the pot, turn the heat down to low, and cook until the liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes (don’t open the lid during this time). Remove from the heat, let the rice sit (covered) for 10 minutes, and then fluff it with a fork.

For the Lamb: Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the lamb/beef (and oil/ghee if using) and use a wooden spoon to break up the meat in the skillet. Stir in the onion. Cook until the meat is browned and the onion is softened, about 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to break the meat into smaller crumbles. Turn the heat down to medium, stir in the garlic, and cook 30 seconds. Stir in the 7-spice mix, salt, and Aleppo pepper, and remove from the heat. Cover the skillet and set it aside for now.

To Serve:If the meat cooled too much, reheat it for a couple minutes on the stovetop. Transfer the fluffed rice to a large serving platter and top with the meat, nuts, and parsley. Serve. (I just put both pots on the table/counter and let everyone dish up rice, then meat on their own plates.) 

7-Spice Mix 

adapted from An Edible Mosaic

1/2 tablespoon black pepper 

1/2 tablespoon allspice 

1 teaspoon sweet paprika 

3/4 teaspoon coriander 

3/4 teaspoon cumin 

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1. Mix all spices together and store in a spice container. (Pictured below.)

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Three Sisters Bison Stew

I loved this stew featuring corn (hominy), beans, and squash. It's inspired by Native American cuisine, using the "Three Sisters", or beans, corn and squash, often planted together. According to Food and Wine, where I found this recipe, "The three sisters signifies corn, beans, and squash that are planted together in a method called companion planting. Originating in North America 3,000 years ago, these three vegetables support the growth of each other by providing nutrients for each to thrive." 

For this recipe, I used canned black beans, bison stew meat (I can get that frozen here), and a mixture of canned hominy and frozen corn. You roast butternut squash and it is later pureed to form part of the broth of the soup. I bought pre-cut squash to make this recipe easier. I loved all the flavors of this stew.

Make sure you read through the recipe before starting; it is a little time-consuming because of simmer time, and it helps to be aware before starting this recipe. 

Three Sisters Bison Stew 

adapted from Food and Wine

1 pound butternut or kabocha squash
2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided, plus more to taste
1 pound bison ribeye or bison stew meat, cut into 1-inch stew cubes
4 tablespoons cooking oil, divided (I used olive)
2 medium yellow onions, cut into 1/4-inch slices (about 3 cups)
1 tablespoon minced garlic
Water, as needed
8 cups bison or beef stock, divided
2 (15.5-ounce) cans hominy, drained and rinsed (about 3 cups) (can sub in some frozen corn)
2 (15.25-ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed

1.  Preheat oven to 400°F. Cut squash in half lengthwise, and remove the seeds; place squash, cut side up, on an aluminum foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt. Roast in preheated oven until tender, 40 to 50 minutes. (I roasted pre-cut squash cubes for about half the time.)

2.  Meanwhile, sprinkle bison with 1 teaspoon of the salt. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot. Add bison, and cook until browned on all sides, about 6 minutes total, adjusting heat as needed to prevent overbrowning. Remove bison, reserving drippings in pot; add the other 2 tablespoons oil, onions, and garlic, scraping bottom of pot to dissolve any browned bits. Cook onion mixture over medium-high, stirring frequently, until very softened and caramelized, about 20 minutes. (Add water, 2 to 4 tablespoons at a time, as needed, to deglaze and prevent browned bits from burning.)

3.  Scoop roasted squash flesh into a blender, and discard skins (if any); add onion mixture and 4 cups of the stock. Process until smooth, about 30 seconds to 1 minute.

4.  Return squash mixture to pot; add bison, remaining 4 cups stock, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to a simmer over medium, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low; partially cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until bison is fork-tender, about 1 hour, 20 minutes to 1 hour, 40 minutes. Add additional water, 1/2 to 1 cup at a time, if needed, to keep bison submerged; adjust heat as needed to maintain a simmer.

5.  Stir hominy (and corn, if using) and black beans into pot; cook, uncovered and stirring occasionally, until heated through, 5 to 8 minutes, adjusting consistency with water as needed and seasoning to taste with salt, if desired.

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Swedish Carrot Cake

We took a trip to Stockholm, Sweden back in March for Spring Break. I absolutely loved Sweden. It has so much to offer. One thing I really loved was how much they enjoy dessert there, and make time for it every day with their Fika, or coffee break. In every restaurant we went to, there was always a dessert table laid out with so many delicious things that one could choose for either dessert or Fika. I saw this carrot cake everywhere. It took me awhile to try it, since I don't love carrot cake. But I did try it, and I absolutely loved Swedish Carrot cake! It's so good- a nice thick slice with cream cheese frosting. Don't use pre-shredded carrots for this; you want the moistness from carrots you shred yourself.

Swedish Carrot Cake  

adapted from True North Kitchen

Note: Makes an 8x8 inch pan. I doubled this and put in a large 9x13 pan

For the Carrot Cake:

¼ cup unsalted butter
1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon ground cardamom
½ cup packed light brown sugar
¼ cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
½ cup canola oil or vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 ½ cups packed grated carrots about 8 ounces

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:

6 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup powdered sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract

*vanilla bean paste, optional, about 1/2 tsp

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour an 8 inch square cake pan. set aside. Place the butter in a medium saucepan or skillet (preferably not nonstick or cast iron so that you can more easily see the color change) and heat over medium low heat, swirling the pan frequently. Once the butter has melted, continue to cook over medium low swirling the pan frequently until the butter has a nutty aroma and is golden brown in color. Don’t walk away from the stove! Brown butter can go from perfect to burnt in a matter of seconds. Transfer brown butter to a bowl to cool.

2.  Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and cardamom in a medium bowl. Whisk together and set aside.

3.  Combine eggs, brown sugar and granulated sugar in a large bowl and whisk until fully combined and no lumps of sugar remain. Slowly whisk in oil followed by cooled brown butter and vanilla extract. Keep whisking until the mixture is emulsified and cohesive.

4.  Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir with rubber spatula until just a few streaks of flour remain. Fold in carrots until the batter is just combined. Using a rubber spatula, transfer cake batter to prepared pan. Bake for 25-40 minutes or until a tester poked into the center of the cake comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs attached. (Start testing at the lower time.) Set cake aside to cool.

5.  Meanwhile, make the frosting: Combine butter and cream cheese in work bowl of a stand mixer. Beat with the paddle attachment on medium until fully combined, scraping down the bowl with a spatula as necessary. Reduce speed to low and add powdered sugar, vanilla (and optional vanilla beans paste) and a pinch of salt. Return the speed to medium and beat until the frosting is completely smooth, about 1-2 minutes, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl once or twice, as necessary. 

6.  Once cake has cooled completely, spread evenly frosting on top. Serve or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

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Mexican-Inspired Corn Salad (Esquites)

This is my third recipe for Esquites, not to mention some other Esquites-inspired recipes on this site (soup, dip, etc). I love the flavors. This recipe is a little different and I really, really liked it. I made it for the first time recently for a potluck, and everyone loved it. I didn't get enough of it then, so I made it again after that just for our family. You can make this with fresh corn off the cob (see the original recipe link, below.) Here, I cannot get that, so I just use good-quality frozen corn. 

Mexican-Inspired Corn Salad (Esquites)

adapted from An Edible Mosaic

Salad:

4 large cups frozen corn, thawed and drained
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 jalapeño de-seeded and minced (I used pickled)
¼ cup diced red onion
¾ cup crumbled cotija OR Feta cheese, divided
2 scallions green and white parts, thinly sliced, divided
¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves for the top (I mixed about 1/2 cup into the actual salad)
1 jalapeño thinly sliced, for garnish (optional)
1 lime cut into 6 wedges, for serving (optional)

Dressing:

3 tablespoons mayo
3 tablespoons sour cream
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (or bottled key lime)
¼ teaspoon chili powder
¼ teaspoon cumin
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper (can sub 1 heaping tsp TJ's Elote Seasoning for all spices except smoked paprika)
⅛ teaspoon smoked paprika

1. Add the corn, red onion, garlic powder, jalapeno, ½ cup crumbled cotija cheese, and ½ of the sliced scallion to a large bowl. Toss gently. If you want cilantro in the salad, add that in now.

2. Stir together all ingredients for the dressing in a medium bowl. Add the dressing to the corn mixture and toss gently. Top with the remaining ¼ cup crumbled cotija cheese, ½ of the sliced scallion, the cilantro leaves, and the sliced jalapeño. Serve along with the optional lime wedges to squeeze on top.

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Risotto with Zucchini & Smoked Pancetta

 

I've wanted to make risotto at home lately ever since I made some at a recent cooking class. I haven't made any at home for a while. I was able to use some special rice an Italian friend gifted me. I used 2 medium-small zucchini and a little container of smoked pancetta. We all had this for lunch a few days ago. It's nice to have more time over the Christmas break to actually cook. I feel like I haven't done any cooking in a really long time. 

Risotto with Zucchini & Smoked Pancetta 

adapted from here 

2 medium-small zucchini, sliced 

2 Tbs. olive oil

1/2 medium yellow onion, finely chopped

1/2 cup (more or less) cubed, smoked prosciutto (can sub chopped ham, bacon or Canadian bacon)

4-6 cups chicken broth

2 cups water 

(2 cups- about 377 grams) arborio, vialone nano, or carnaroli rice 

1 oz. (2 Tbs.) butter, cut into 4 pieces

1/2 to 1 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Grana 

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. In a wide heavy-duty 5- to 6-quart pot, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the onion and chopped prosciutto and cook, stirring occasionally (a wooden spoon is best), until soft and translucent, 5 to 8 minutes. After you get this set up, in a skillet, heat some olive oil and cook the zucchini slices until crisp-tender. Stir occasionally so they don't burn. 

2. Meanwhile, in a 3-quart saucepan, bring the broth and water to a bare simmer over medium-low heat.

3. Add the rice to the onion and stir with a wooden spatula until the grains are coated with oil, slightly translucent around the edges, and opaque in the center, 2 to 3 minutes.

4. Using a large ladle, add about 3/4 cup of the broth. Stir, mixing any rice sticking to the pot’s sides back into the mixture, until most of the broth is absorbed, the rice no longer seems loose when you shake the pot, and a wide trail forms when you run the spatula across the bottom of the pot.

5. After about 10 minutes, add your cooked zucchini. Continue to add broth in 3/4-cup increments, stirring constantly and scraping around the edge of the pot, until the rice is al dente (still a bit firm to the bite but without a hard or crunchy center) and most of the broth is absorbed, 18 to 22 minutes. (You may or may not use all of the broth; if you run out, use hot water.) (If you want the risotto a little softer, go ahead and cook it longer, adding extra liquid if needed.) 

6. Immediately turn off the heat. Add another bit of broth and the butter, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and salt and pepper to taste, and stir quickly. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and let sit for 5 minutes. Stir again and serve. (I skipped the resting period and we just dug in immediately... lol). 

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Thai Pork & Peanut Red Curry

I had some sliced pork for stir-fry in the freezer that I wanted to use up, so I googled a pork Thai curry and found this recipe from BBC Food. It was good; the only change I made was to include some fish sauce to amp up the savory flavor. I also added a dried kaffir lime leaf and a lemongrass stalk, but it's not necessary. I use Thai Kitchen red curry paste currently, and I was afraid 4 Tbs would be too much, so I used 2. I couldn't taste any spice at all, so I added an additional tablespoon. I think start with 2 Tbs, and add to taste (taste after the meat is cooked all the way through, of course). The recipe called for baby corn, but I couldn't find any at the store, so I subbed baby zucchini instead.

Thai Pork & Peanut Red Curry

adapted from BBC Good Food

1 tbsp vegetable or coconut oil
bunch spring onions, sliced (I forgot these at the store, so omitted)
small bunch coriander (cilantro), stalks finely chopped, leaves saved for later
400g pork tenderloin, sliced (I used sliced stir-fry pork)
2-4 tbsp Thai red curry paste
4 tbsp peanut butter (I used smooth)
1 tbsp soft brown sugar OR coconut sugar
1 tbsp soy sauce

1 teaspoon fish sauce
400ml can coconut milk
3 baby zucchini, sliced
1 tbsp lime juice
steamed jasmine rice, to serve

1.  Heat the oil in a large saucepan or flameproof casserole. Add the spring onions and coriander (cilantro) stalks and cook for 1 min. Add the pork slices and cook for 5 mins until starting to brown. Stir in the curry paste and peanut butter. (For curry paste- start with 2 tablespoons. Can add more later, in step 2.) After 30 secs, add the sugar, soy and coconut milk, plus ½ can of water (I used less water than that, but ended up adding more later. Use it if you want to). Mix well, put a lid on and leave to simmer for 15 mins over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally.

2.  Remove the lid, add the baby zucchini and increase the heat. Simmer for 3 mins until the zucchini is cooked and the sauce has thickened a little. Stir in the lime juice and check the seasoning. At this point, add more red curry paste if you want more spice/flavor. Can also increase the sugar, fish sauce, and lime juice. Serve with chopped coriander (cilantro) leaves and rice.

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Thai Drunken Noodles

There is no alcohol in this noodle dish, but different stories about the name. The dish is very flavorful and full of veggies. One can do lots of prep work the night or morning before, if needed, so this has the potential to come together very quickly. This pic was taken with the leftovers; in the process of re-heating on the stove, some of the noodles broke up, but it was still tasty. (Best way to reheat- in a small non-stick pan/skillet with some water added as it cooks slowly, while stirring with a silicone spatula.)

Thai Drunken Noodles
adapted from Carlsbad Cravings

CHICKEN

12 ounces chicken thighs, chopped into bite size pieces
1 tablespoon reduced sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon cornstarch

SAUCE

3 tablespoons oyster sauce
3 tablespoons reduced sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar (may sub light)
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 teaspoon molasses *don’t skip!
1/2 tsp EACH ground coriander, ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon pepper

NOODLE STIR FRY

3 tablespoons vegetable or peanut oil, divided
8 ounces wide rice noodles, fresh or dried
2-3 Birdseye/Thai chili peppers, deseeded and finely chopped, optional (I left out)
½ medium white onion, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
6 ounces baby corn, halved
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup Thai basil leaves, loosely packed (may sub regular basil)
½ cup grape tomatoes, halved

1. Chicken: Whisk together 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 teaspoon sesame oil and 1 teaspoon cornstarch in a medium bowl. Add chopped chicken and toss to evenly coat; set aside.

2.  Noodles (skip this step if using fresh noodles): Place the wide rice noodles in a large bowl and pour boiling water over top until completely submerged and give them a good stir. Let them soak until softened, pliable, and limp but not fully tender/still al dente, stirring occasionally so they don’t stick together, about 12-15 minutes (less for thinner noodles). Rinse noodles in cold water, while separating any stubborn noodles with your fingers. Drain and toss with 1 teaspoon sesame oil. Set aside.

3.  Sauce: Whisk all of the Sauce Ingredients together in a medium bowl; set aside.

STIR FRY

4.  Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a wok over high heat or large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Once very hot, add chicken, onion, and chilies and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add bell peppers, corn and garlic and stir fry 2-3 minutes.

5.  Leave the chicken mixture in the pan. IF USING A WOK, add 1 Tablespoon additional oil and heat over high heat. IF USING A NONSTICK SKILLET, heat 1 teaspoon additional oil over medium-high heat (the oil helps prevent the noodles from sticking).

6.  Add the noodles and sauce to the pan and toss to combine. Spread the noodles over the surface of the pan and let them sit without touching for about 30 seconds. Flip the noodles and spread them out again; repeat 2-3 times until the noodles soak up the sauce, start to caramelize and reach desired tenderness.
Add the tomatoes and basil and toss to combine. Stir fry another 1 minute. Serve immediately.

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Thai Red Curry with Beef

I totally meant to make this the intended way- with chicken- but I had a package of stir-fry beef in the fridge, already cut-up and ready to go. I could not resist the ease of just throwing that in and not having to cut raw meat. I hate cutting raw meat. I was pleasantly surprised to realize this tasted super, super amazing with the beef. I might like this better than my fave Panang Beef Curry.  I don't know..... the flavors on this Red Curry were just amazing. So perfect. I'm still thinking about it and I made it almost 2 weeks ago. It IS a bit more work than my Panang, since this one requires chopping veggies.  But, because of said veggies, it also feels like a healthier dish. You've got to try this one. I used Thai Kitchen red curry paste and it was not too spicy at all. I want to try this with chicken soon and see which one I prefer. (PS: Some of the pics look like ground beef, but it's not... it's thinly sliced steak.)

Thai Red Curry with Beef  

adapted from Carlsbad Cravings

1 1/2 tablespoons coconut oil
1 pound thinly sliced steak (such as stir-fry steak) OR 1 pound chicken breasts, sliced thin
1/2 large onion, chopped
2 tablespoons red curry paste
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced then chopped into 2” pieces
1 orange or yellow bell pepper thinly sliced then chopped into 2” pieces
1 small zucchini, sliced
2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
4 garlic cloves, minced (I used garlic/ginger paste for the ginger + garlic)
1 13.5 oz. can quality coconut milk
1 tablespoon Asian/Thai Sweet Chili Sauce (like Mae Ploy)
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoon fish sauce
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon coconut palm sugar OR brown sugar
1 kaffir lime leaf OR 1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon salt more or less to taste
1/4 teaspoon pepper
sriracha to taste/Asian chili sauce (optional)

GARNISH

fresh basil
fresh cilantro
fresh lime juice

Steamed Rice, for serving

1.  Heat oil over medium high heat in large nonstick skillet. Add chicken or beef, onion and red curry paste and cook just until meat is no longer pink. Add bell peppers, zucchini, ginger and garlic and sauté 1 minute. Add the coconut milk. Add all remaining ingredients (expect Garnishes).

2.  Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for 5 minutes or until the sauce thickens and the vegetables reach desired crisp-tenderness. Discard kaffir lime/bay leaf. Garnish with additional optional fresh basil, cilantro, lime juice and Sriracha to taste. Serve with rice.

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