Skillet Socca

Have you ever heard of Socca?  I read about it for the first time a few days ago on The Edible Perspective and was intrigued.  Socca is basically a flat chickpea cake, which originated in Nice, France, and in its simplest form is a mix of chickpea flour, olive oil, water, and salt.  I just happened to have a bag of chickpea flour on hand (yes, who am I?) that deserved to be put to good use, so I decided to give it a go.

Since this was my first time making Socca, I kept it pretty basic and used a recipe inspired by this one on Pure2Raw.  The Pure2Raw girls actually have a whole "Socca Tribute" tab on their blog; I guess I'm a little late to this party...

My first attempt at Socca turned out fabulous.  For one thing, the recipe couldn't be easier and the preparation couldn't be simpler.  There was zero fuss involved in this recipe, which makes me like it even more.  Perfect for a quick dinner on the side of soup or a salad! What really sealed the deal though was the taste and texture.  Lemme break it down for you-- if you love hummus and you like doughy pancakes (or fudgey brownies?), then you'll probably love Socca.  Warm, doughy, fudgey, hummus-flavored flat bread AND it's healthy? Yes, please.

P.s- I can't wait to make a sweet version! Ashley already did if you don't feel like waiting on me.

Skillet Socca
Adapted from Pure2Raw

Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon chickpea (garbanzo bean) flour
1 teaspoon salt
generous pinch garlic powder and Hungarian hot paprika (optional)
1 1/4 cup water

Preparation
Preheat olive oil in a skillet or a cast iron pan over medium heat. In a medium bowl whisk together chickpea flour, salt, garlic powder, and hot paprika. Continue whisking as you add the water. Mix until no lumps remain (the batter will be very watery-- this is normal). Pour the batter into the hot oiled skillet and cook over medium-high heat for 5-7 minutes on one side.  Flip and continue cooking until the other side has browned.  Enjoy hot.

Harissa and Goodness

When my roommate left she took the sriracha. 

I've taken quite a liking to hot sauce, so the situation had to be remedied.  I know there are tons of options in the supermarket but, I think that's part of the problem.  As with barbecue sauce, and salsa, and pasta sauce, and pretty much everything nowadays, there are too many choices.  Not the best situation for someone as indecisive as I am.  I compare price points, ingredient lists, brands, everything and, if after all that, nothing jumps out at me, I usually walk away empty handed and make my own.  I've already done this a few times with barbecue sauce and I do it pretty much all the time with marinara sauce; just a few weeks ago it was with crackers and this time, it's hot sauce.

Technically though, harissa is not a 'sauce' per se; it's more of a paste.  A delicious, vibrant red paste that will dye your wooden cutting board where it hits (not that I speak from experience or anything...).

I've never worked with dried chiles before but they weren't as intimidating as I'd imagined.  And the smell as they re-hydrated was kind of wonderful.  I was worried that such a high concentration of hot peppers would create an end product so spicy that I'd hardly be able to handle a teaspoon at a time but surprisingly, I found the heat from the harissa to be much more mild than I'd expected.

It's unlike any hot sauce I've used before and it compliments a number of dishes quite nicely.  I've had it on egg and avocado sandwiches in the morning, and with this millet and chickpea dish below, which was inspired by Heidi's Harissa Spaghettini.  As you can see, it's a very versatile condiment and one I would definitely suggest trying.

Harissa
Make sure to wear gloves when you work with and de-seed the chiles. I learned this lesson the hard way, and more than once, with with a jalapeño. Most recipes call for whole spices/seeds but since I don't have a grinder I went with pre-ground. Also, the chiles I found were sold in 1 1/2 oz bags, so I just used 2 bags. No need to buy a whole 'nother bag just to used 1/2 an oz.
Adapted from Saveur and The Wednesday Chef

Ingredients
8 dried guajillo chiles, stemmed (about 2 oz)
8 dried new mexico chiles, stemmed (about 1 1⁄2 oz.)
1⁄4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika (optional)
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
1 1⁄2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 clove garlic
Juice of 1/2 a lemon (optional)

Preparation
Put chiles into a medium bowl, cover with boiling water, and let sit until softened, about 20 minutes. With gloved hands de-seed the chiles while immersed in water. Alternatively, you could drain them and then de-seed. (I found de-seeding in the water to be extremely easy-- by just lightly rubbing them between my fingers, the seeds would loosen and then I could dump them out).

Transfer drained chiles to the bowl of a food processor with the ground spices, olive oil, salt, garlic, and lemon juice. Purée, stopping occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl, until the paste is very smooth, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a glass jar or other receptacle and cover with a thin layer of olive oil. Refrigerate, topping off with more oil after each use. Paste will keep for up to 3 weeks.

Goodness
Serves 1

Ingredients
1/2 cup cooked millet (about a scant 1/4 cup dry)
1/2 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 a small yellow onion, chopped
4 large leaves dinosaur kale
1/2 cup cooked chickpeas
5 black or kalamata olives, quartered
1 roasted red pepper, thinly sliced
1- 2 tablespoons harissa
2 tablespoons 2% greek yogurt (optional)

Preparation
Warm the millet in a small pot with a bit of extra water to moisten, or begin boiling water if you don't already have cooked millet on hand.

Sauté the onion in olive oil until translucent and then add the kale.  Continue to sauté until the kale has cooked down a bit.  Add the chickpeas, olives, and roasted red pepper.  Mix until warmed through.  Add the harissa and stir until everything is evenly coated.

Plate the millet and pour the harissa chickpea mixture over top.  Top with a large dollop of greek yogurt if desired.

Simple, Healthy Mexican

Most people don't associate Mexican food with being healthy, or at least I didn't.  When I think of Mexican food I think of fried, heavy, cheesy deliciousness that makes you feel a little less than delicious after your meal.  But when you think about it, a lot of the ingredients in Mexican cuisine are pretty good for you: avocado, beans, tomatoes, onions, peppers, corn-- all good.

I got the idea for this dish from Angela's savory oats.  It's so simple I feel silly giving you a recipe, so I'm not going to.  Basically, I just cooked up some brown rice, heated a can of black beans and mixed them with a little chili powder and hot red pepper flakes- sauteed onion and peppers would be a great addition here but I was in a rush (read: lazy).  Then, I cut up a ripe avocado, pulled out a jar of salsa, and broke up a few Mary's Crackers (a great addition for crunch).  I plated (bowled?) it neatly for some visual appeal but ended up mixing and combining it as I ate.  Another happy edition would be a generous dollop of Greek yogurt (aka healthy sour cream) but unfortunately, I was out and, as previously mentioned, lazy.  The picture below is from another time I made this using extra veggies and nutritional yeast.

As much as I enjoy cooking and appreciate complexity, sometimes I just crave simple food.  This just makes me feel nourished.

Salad Niçoise

Just as the weather was starting to get nicer, I started to crave a fresh niçoise salad.  Niçoise salad could be thought of as the French equivalent to an American cobb salad but, instead of chicken and bacon, the French use tuna.  There are a few other differences as well, such as the absence of cheese, the presence of green beans, and of course the niçoise olives from which the salad gets it's name. 

My salad niçoise wasn't exactly traditional (what exactly is traditional is arguable anyway) but I can assure you that it didn't fall short.  I love love love haricot verts but don't buy them that often since they're more expensive than regular green beans.  I splurged for this occasion though and I advise you to do the same.  The dressing is also wonderful and very classic.  I made some slight alterations in order to use less oil and it still tasted great (I am a vinegar lover though...)

Since I absolutely abhor canned tuna, mostly because I can't get over it's pungent aroma, I tried out these frozen yellowfin burgers that I found at Whole Foods.  I've seen similar frozen salmon burgers on other blogs and they looked pretty tasty, so I thought these would be a perfect substitute.  Unfortunately, the burger didn't live up to my expectations.  It was a little fishy for my liking and the texture was off.  I'm still kind of bummed about these because not only were they $6.99 (a good price for 4 patties if you actually enjoy them) but I'd like to add more fish to my diet since it's a good source of protein, omega-3's (blah blah blah), and usually, it's something I enjoy.  I'm not going to totally give up on these burgers yet though; I still have three more left.  Maybe a nice grilled bun and some ketchup could remedy the situation.  I'm sure the French would be appalled.

Salad Niçoise
No exact measurements here because I didn't use them and you don't really need them.  Since I had such a bad experience with the tuna burger, I added avocado instead on the two days I had the salad as leftovers- I thought it made a great addition.
Ingredients

haricot verts (french green beans), steamed, cooled and halved
niçoise olives, sliced
artichoke hearts, chopped
butter lettuce
tomatoes, chopped
hard-boiled egg, peeled and sliced
some sort of tuna
avocado (optional)

Preparation
Arrange all ingredients neatly over a bed of lettuce.

Basic Vinegarette
Ingredients

1 tablespoon dijon mustard [I used Grey Poupon 'Country Dijon']
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon finely minced shallot
a sprinkle of salt, pepper, dried oregano, basil, and thyme to taste

Preparation
Pour all ingredients into a small clean jar and shake vigorously until the mixture is uniform.

West African Chicken and Peanut Stew

I made this back in February. Wow, does time fly. For some reason, last month, I didn't really feel like blogging. Sometimes I just want to eat my food without taking pictures or writing down my recipe modifications. But don't get me wrong, I love having all my recipes together in one place and watching my cooking style evolve. More than that, I love hearing feedback from people-- especially if they've had success with one of my recipes.

This stew was really wonderful, though maybe there was a tad too much peanut butter if that's even possible.  If you're a vegetarian, I think it would be great with tempeh or tofu, and maybe even chickpeas?  It was also extremely filling-- probably all that peanut butter.  Since I'm not a big meat eater, I only used half the amount of chicken called for but kept the measurements for the sauce the same.  Needless to say, I had a lot of sauce so I served it over a bed of spinach to get some more vegetables into the meal.  The sauce is definitely a keeper; it's thick, creamy, rich, and just perfect for soaking up with warm pita wedges.

West African Chicken and Peanut Stew
The recipe below contains my modifications.  I halved the amount of chicken so I would have more sauce, halved the amount of ginger, and increased the amount of jalapeno.  In the recipe below, I also decreased the amount of peanut butter from 1/2 cup to 1/3 cup.  I didn't do this when I made it, but as I said above, I think it had a bit too much peanut butter, which made it a little too filling for me-- I wanted to eat more because it tasted so good but I was stuffed!
Adapted from Kalyn's Kitchen

1 tablespoon olive or canola oil
1/4 cup finely diced red onion
1 1/2 teaspoons finely minced ginger root
1 finely minced jalapeno
salt to taste
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 cup chicken broth
1/3 cup natural chunky peanut butter
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 cups diced, cooked chicken
fresh ground black pepper to taste
3-4 green onions (scallions), thinly sliced

Finely chop the red onion, ginger, and jalapeno, and roughly chop the chicken. Heat oil in a heavy pan, add finely diced onion, ginger, and jalapenos, season with salt, and saute about 2 minutes. Add the chili powder, stir into other ingredients, and saute about 1 minute more.

Add chicken stock, peanut butter, tomato paste, and apple cider vinegar, stir, and bring to a slight boil. As soon as it starts to boil, lower heat to a very gentle simmer, add roughly chopped chicken, gently stir to combine, and let simmer 10-15 minutes.

While mixture simmers, wash, dry, and slice green onions. After 10-15 minutes, gently stir again if the oil from the peanut butter has separated. Serve hot, with a generous handful of green onion slices on each serving.

Mushroom Bourguignon

Liking mushrooms is new to me.  Let's just say I had a bad experience a couple of years ago because I thought buying (and subsequently cooking) frozen mushrooms was a good idea... it wasn't.  Prior to, oh, yesterday, I never appreciated the meaty texture or earthy taste of mushrooms but I think they're really starting to grow on me-- and partial credit for that goes to this recipe.

I've never had beef bourguignon before but I have no doubt that it's delicious.  I'm not sure what wouldn't be amazing covered in this thick, rich sauce of beef broth, red wine, tomato paste, and butter.

Don't be fooled into thinking this bourgingnon is lacking anything because it's "missing" the beef.  As Deb notes, this version is just as indulgent as the traditional but not quite as heavy, which is a plus in my mind.  I decreased the amount of oil and butter used to one tablespoon each (instead of two) and to my surprise, I was still full and satisfied after only a modest serving.

Another plus is that this dish comes together much more quickly and easily than if you were to use beef.  It's the perfect meal for a cold winter night and, lately, we've been having plenty of those.

Mushroom Bourguignon
Adapted from smitten kitchen

Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter, softened
12 oz cremini or portabello mushrooms, cut into 1/4 inch thick slices [I used a mixture]
1 carrot, finely diced
1 small yellow onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup full-bodied red wine [I used merlot]
2 cups beef or vegetable broth [I used beef broth]
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (1/2 teaspoon dried)
1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup pearl onions, peeled (thawed if frozen)*
Egg noodles, for serving
Sour cream and chopped chives or parsley, for garnish (optional)

*pearl onions are a pain in the butt

Preparation
Heat a half tablespoon of the olive oil and a half tablespoon of butter in a medium Dutch oven or heavy sauce pan over high heat. Sear the mushrooms until they begin to darken, but not yet release any liquid-- about three or four minutes (mine began to release liquid at this point :/ ). Remove them from pan.

Lower the flame to medium and add another half tablespoon of olive oil. Toss the carrots, onions, thyme, a few good pinches of salt and a several grinds of black pepper into the pan and cook for 10, stirring occasionally, until the onions are lightly browned. Add the garlic and cook for just one more minute.

Add the wine to the pot, scraping any stuck bits off the bottom, then turn the heat all the way up and reduce it by half. Stir in the tomato paste and the broth. Add back the mushrooms with any juices that have collected and once the liquid has boiled, reduce the temperature so it simmers for 20 minutes, or until mushrooms are very tender. Add the pearl onions and simmer for five minutes more.

Combine remaining butter and the flour with a fork until combined; stir it into the stew. Lower the heat and simmer for 10 more minutes. If the sauce is too thin, boil it down to reduce to the right consistency. Season to taste.

To serve, spoon the stew over a bowl of egg noodles, dollop with sour cream (optional) and sprinkle with chives or parsley.

Mole Chili

I've been busy lately.  So busy that I missed my blog-iversary which, for the record, was October 14th.  It's strange to think that I started this blog a year (and 4 days) ago; before then, I hardly ever read food blogs and I was totally unaware that such a vast array of them existed.  Now, reading other food blogs, as well as keeping up my own, is something of a habit that I can't quite imagine my life without.

Unfortunately, ringing in a new blogging year came with a lot of flops.  In the past few weeks I've made a handful of things which weren't terrible by any means but were certainly nowhere near outstanding either and thus, in my limited time, not worth posting.  It wasn't until I came back to an old favorite, and one of the first real meals I started to cook from scratch, that I finally had some success.

The chili recipe below is a re-vamped version of a recipe I fell in love with a few years ago.  As I mentioned a while ago, it was my friend's Dad who first introduced me to homemade chili.  His was a hearty, healthy, and simple vegetarian chili that was comfort food without the subsequent bloating.  My recipe below is a spin on his simple chili with added cocoa powder and cinnamon for complexity and depth of flavor, lean ground beef for slightly more body, and fire roasted tomatoes for even more warmth.  This is my idea of the perfect cold weather fare.

Mole Chili*
This recipe is extremely adaptable.  Aside from the flexibility you have with seasonings, you can easily leave out the ground beef for a vegetarian version and add more beans or veggies such as zucchini, mushrooms, corn, peas, or celery.  In addition, you can play around with texture by using a food processor to prepare the vegetables or chopping them slightly larger by hand.

Ingredients

2 small sweet onions (or one large), diced
2 carrots, diced
1 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
1- 2 tablespoons olive oil or canola oil
2 bell peppers (red, green, yellow, whichever), diced
1 small jalapeño, seeded and minced
1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 28 oz can diced fire roasted tomatoes
1/2 lb lean ground beef
1 14 oz can kidney beans

1/3- 2/3 cup water, broth or wine added as needed
salt and pepper to taste

Preparation
Prepare all the vegetables, then coat the bottom of a 6 quart or larger stock pot with cooking oil and add the hot red pepper flakes.  When the oil is hot, but not smoking, add the onions and carrots and cook until the onions are translucent, about 5 minutes.

Add the peppers and stir all together.  Let the veggies wilt another two minutes or so and then add the remaining spices and herbs.

Add the tomatoes.  Bring mixture to a boil and then reduce heat to a low simmer.  As you wait for the mixture to simmer, brown the ground beef in a medium sauté pan with a few spinkles of chili powder, salt and pepper.

Add the beans and the ground beef and simmer on low for at least 45 minutes adding extra liquid (water, broth, wine) as needed.  Stir occasionally to make sure the chili doesn’t burn or stick to the bottom of the pot. Taste to correct for seasoning (hotter?).

Serve over brown rice, polenta, millet, egg noodles or with a side of cornbread (or whatever else you'd like) and garnish with chopped sweet onion and shredded cheddar cheese.

* I know this isn't a traditional mole, per se, but the complex blend of spices in mole is what inspired this recipe.

Peanut Sesame Noodle Salad

A few weeks ago (yes, that is how long ago I made this), I was really in the mood for some cold noodles. We were in the middle of an unfortunate heat wave here in St. Louis and the air conditioning in my apartment just wasn't cutting it. I had a lot of smoothies that week, and also lots of cold noodles. I actually made two similar Asian noodle dishes in one week, but like my air conditioning, the other one just didn't make the cut.

This one was just so much better. Maybe it's because I love peanut butter so much (who doesn't?) but this dish has so many other high points. For one, it's light and refreshing with hints of heat from the sriracha and coolness from the ginger. The crisp vegetables also lend a pleasant crunch and freshness. It's perfect for summer when you want something substantial without having to turn on the oven or the stove. "Yum" is really all I have to say- eloquent, isn't it?

Peanut Sesame Noodles
Adapted from smittenkitchen
makes 6 side-dish or 4 vegetarian main-course servings

For peanut dressing
1/2 cup creamy natural peanut butter
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup warm water
1 tablespoon chopped peeled fresh ginger
1 medium garlic clove, chopped
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon red chile paste
1 teaspoon sriracha

For noodles
3/4 lb dried soba nooodles [dried spaghetti also works well]
4 scallions, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/8-inch-thick strips
1 seedless cucumber, thinly sliced
1 cup firm or extra-firm tofu, cubed
3 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted

Preparation
Puree the dressing ingredients in a blender until smooth, about 2 minutes, then transfer to a large bowl.

Cook pasta in a 6- to 8-quart pot of boiling salted water until tender. Drain in a colander, then rinse well under cold water.

Add pasta, scallions, bell peppers, cucumber and tofu to dressing, tossing to combine. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds and serve immediately.

Chana Masala

I've had this can of whole peeled tomatoes sitting in my pantry for months. This kind of thing (un-eaten/un-used food) usually doesn't happen to me, but I had bought the can in preparation for making these Giant Lima Beans with Stewed Tomatoes and Oregano Pesto featured in Food & Wine. Soon though, I realized that without a Cuisinart or the possibility of getting one in the near future, this recipe was going to have to wait. So instead, I decided to do the only other natural thing one would do with a can of whole tomatoes: make Chana Masala.

And I'm quite glad I did. Although I didn't use the exact spice blend this recipe called for (I couldn't bring myself to buy the $10 cardamom at the grocery store), I didn't feel like the flavor or complexity were lacking in the least.

The heavily caramelized and charred onions make the dish wonderfully aromatic right from the beginning, and the cumin, which I sometimes find to be overwhelming, is actually somewhat subtle here against the garam masala and tomatoes. As the recipe says, the addition of yogurt is optional so I added some to the side of my plate and mixed it in when my mouth was hot and my nose was runny from the from the cayenne (I added more than the recipe calls for because I like it spicy despite these unpleasant side-effects).

I finished off the meal with some coconut milk yogurt (just plain greek yogurt mixed with coconut milk- yummy) and frozen mango- the perfect end to a delicious and homemade Indian dinner.

Chana Masala
Adapted from Orangette

Ingredients
Good-quality olive oil
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
2 medium cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp cumin seeds [I used ground cumin]
½ tsp ground coriander
¼ tsp ground ginger
1 tsp garam masala

1/2 tsp turmeric
3 cardamom pods, lightly crushed [left this out b/c I didn't have it]
1 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes
1 tsp kosher salt, or to taste
1 Tbs cilantro leaves, roughly torn, plus more for garnish [I left this out b/c I abhor cilantro]
A pinch cayenne, or to taste
2 15-ounce cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
6-8 Tbs plain whole milk yogurt, optional
A few lemon wedges, optional

Preparation
Film the bottom of a large saucepan or Dutch oven—preferably not nonstick—with olive oil, and place the pan over medium heat. Add the onion, and cook, stirring frequently, until it is deeply caramelized and even charred in some spots. Be patient. The more color, the more full-flavored the final dish will be.

Reduce the heat to low. Add the garlic, stirring, and add a bit more oil if the pan seems dry. Add the cumin seeds, coriander, ginger, garam masala, turmeric and cardamom pods, and fry them, stirring constantly, until fragrant and toasty, about 30 seconds. Add ¼ cup water, and stir to scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook until the water has evaporated away completely. Pour in the juice from can of tomatoes, followed by the tomatoes themselves, using your hands to break them apart as you add them; alternatively, add them whole and crush them in the pot with a potato masher. Add the salt.

Raise the heat to medium, and bring the pot to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, add the cilantro and cayenne, and simmer the sauce gently, stirring occasionally, until it reduces a bit and begins to thicken. Taste, and adjust the seasoning as necessary. Add the chickpeas, stirring well, and cook over low heat for about five minutes. Add 2 Tbs water, and cook for another five minutes. Add another 2 Tbs water, and cook until the water is absorbed, a few minutes more. This process of adding and cooking off water helps to concentrate the sauce’s flavor and makes the chickpeas more tender and toothsome. Taste, and adjust the seasoning as necessary.

Stir in the yogurt, if you like, or garnish with lemon wedges and cilantro. Serve.

Miso Soup

While I was at the Asian Market here in St. Louis shopping for ingredients to go into the Japanese Noodle Salad I made for a potluck, I also picked up a few more things I have been meaning to try.  One of them being miso paste.  

You see, a while back I read Heidi's post about miso soup and was surprised at how simple the process of making it seemed.  I'm not sure what I had expected it to be like, but I guess I thought it would be more time consuming since it usually takes quite some time to make most American soups from scratch.  

But it was just as simple as it seemed - a few minutes prepping the ingredients you'd like to add (and the combinations are pretty endless) and little bit of waiting for the water to boil, but that's about it.  And it tastes just as good as if you had gotten it from your favorite Japanese restaurant.

Also, the miso paste was relatively cheap to purchase (a little more than $5) and contains about 1 1/2 cups, enough for many many more bowls of soothing miso soup.

Miso Soup

Ingredients

3 cups water

3 tablespoons miso paste

1/3 block firm tofu, cut into small cubes

1/4 head napa cabbage, shredded

1 sheet dried seaweed, cut into thin strips (I found that scissors worked best to cut this)

2 stalks scallions, thinly sliced

dash of shichimi togarashi 

Preparation

Heat 3 cups of water in a large pot.  When the water boils add the cabbage and cook for 2- 3 minutes, then turn the heat down so the water is no longer boiling and add the miso paste.  Stir until dissolved. Add the tofu and seaweed and cook for about 2 minutes more.  Remove from heat, sprinkle with scallions and shichimi togarashi and serve.

Shichimi Togarashi

I just found out that the lovely and mysterious Japanese spice blend hailed in my last post on Japanese Noodle Salad is actually called shichimi togarashi.  

Gourmet Sleuth defines is as "7-spice blend that typically includes red chile pepper, roasted orange peel, yellow and black sesame seeds, Japanese pepper, seaweed, and ginger." Need I say more? It's absolutely delicious.

Mediterranean Pasta Salad

I know it's not the season for pasta salad but I had all the ingredients on hand (including some stuff I needed to use up) and with a glass of hot tea to balance out the coldness, it's definitely manageable.  Plus, the richness of the feta cheese, nuttiness of the whole wheat pasta and bold vinegar-y flavor of the kalamata olives make this more of a comfort food pasta salad than a light summer side dish.

Mediterranean Pasta Salad

Ingredients

3/4 cup whole wheat orzo

about 7 kalamata olives, chopped

1 1/2- 2 oz feta cheese

1/4 bag spinach, chopped

2 tbsps red wine vinegar

Preparation

Cook and drain the orzo reserving a bit of the hot pasta water.  Do not rinse the noodles.  Add about half the feta, all the olives, spinach and red wine vinegar to the orzo in the pot you used to cook the pasta (or a large bowl) and combine well.  Add reserve pasta water to make the sauce thinner if needed.  The heat from the noodles and pasta water should wilt the spinach. 

Transfer the pasta mixture to a refrigerator safe container and top with the other half of the feta.  Let cool to room temperature and move to the refrigerator until cold. 

My Own Moroccan Chicken

The flavors I used in this dish were inspired from a Moroccan lamb stew I made a couple months ago. I don't love lamb and the stew took at least a few hours to prepare but the sauce was amazing so I wanted to make something with similar flavors that was quick and easy.

This chicken is smoky, sweet and mildly spicy. It tastes rich but instead is rather healthful. I love using a dried fruit in the sauce because it soaks up some of the liquid and fills with juices. I think chopped dried apricots would also work really well here. Additionally I think chickpeas and rice pilaf would be a nice complement to the dish as a whole.

Moroccan Chicken

Ingredients

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts

2- 3 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp hot hungarian paprika

1- 2 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2- 3 fresh tomatoes, diced

1 small yellow onion, diced

3 dates, chopped

chicken broth as needed

Preparation

Mix all spices together in a small bowl. Dice onion, tomatoes and dates and set aside. Lay chicken breasts on a plate, coat both sides of each breast with olive oil, rub spices on both sides until covered. Add about 1 tbsp olive oil and diced onions to a large skillet over medium high heat. Once the oil is hot, place chicken breasts into the skillet. Sear on each side for 4- 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and dates, turn heat down to medium and cook until chicken is cooked through. If there is not enough liquid in the pan add chicken broth as needed (I probably used about 1/4 cup).

Marinated and Grilled Tofu

I really like tofu... when it's done well. Tofu, although a protein, has similarities to grains and pastas in that it works like a canvas for a variety of flavors. Its own flavor is very mild, which allows it to soak up the flavors of what it is paired with. Unlike grains, however, the meaty texture of tofu lets it act as the centerpiece of a dish because provides a heartiness.

One of my favorite ways to eat tofu is marinated and grilled, but it must must must have those grill marks because not only do they make the dish rather aesthetically pleasing but they also add a smokiness that's quite satisfying. I marinated the tofu in a spicy asian inspired marinade because it is so damn cold here in St. Louis right now. "Feels like -13 degrees." You have got to be kidding me.

Marinated and Grilled Tofu

*I paired mine with cooked frozen peas and quinoa for a quick balanced meal but if you have more time, tofu works very well with bok choy or broccoli and brown rice or Chinese noodles with soy sauce and sesame oil.

Marinade

Covers 9- 12 squares tofu (use a firm or extra firm variety- I used firm)

1 1/2 tsp siracha

2- 3 tsps madras curry powder

1 1/2 tbsp soy sauce

1/2 tsp sesame oil

1 tbsp rice wine vinegar

1 tsp ground cayanne pepper

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp salt

Preparation

Cut the tofu into 1/2- 3/4 inch thick squares. Mix all ingredients for marinade in a small bowl or ramekin. Lay tofu squares out along a small slightly indented serving dish or plate. Taste the marinade to make sure you do not need to adjust the spices. Pour marinade evenly over the plate of tofu.

Take out a grill pan and spray with olive oil or use 2- 3 teaspoons to grease the entire pan. Turn on the heat to medium high and allow the pan to heat up (heating the pan before placing in the tofu helps create the sear marks). Flip tofu to make sure it is evenly coated.

Once the pan is heated, put tofu in and grill for about 8 minutes of each side. Grilling time varies depending on the kind of tofu you are using, your grill pan as well as your stove. It is easy to check if a side is done by lifting up the edge to see if grill marks are present.

Greek Salad

For some reason I have really been craving Greek food lately.  In the past week I've had a delicious Mediterranean wrap, with Greek salad and grilled chicken inside, at an NYC diner, a Greek salad topped with falafel and a side of grape leaves from a Greek restaurant in my home town and now this Greek salad that I made for dinner tonight.  This is probably the most Greek food I've had in, well, forever.  

As I mentioned in a previous post, I just started liking olives and now I must mention that I also just started liking feta cheese.  So who knows what the cause of these cravings is; all I know is that I want some Greek salad; now.

One problem I have with making salads at home is that I always feel like they are never as good as the ones I get at restaurants.  I'm not quite sure why this is, but I do have the sneaking suspicion that it might be because I never have as many ingredients on hand as they do at a restaurant so I always feel like my homemade salads are missing something.  Either I don't have the right kind of cheese or the right kind of dressing or a big enough variety of fresh produce to use.  It's always something.  But not this time.

Since I just got back to school, today it was time to take a trip to the grocery store and since I knew exactly what I wanted for dinner tonight (i.e. greek salad) I picked up everything I would need.  And for the first time, this salad was just as good as any greek salad I've had at a restaurant.  The feta makes it rich and creamy while the fresh dill brightens up the flavor and the romaine and cucumbers provide a satisfying crunch.

Greek Salad

Serves 1

Ingredients

1/4 bag of pre-chopped and washed romaine lettuce

1/3 of a large cucumber, washed, chopped and de-seeded (optional)

1/4 of a small red onion, very thinly sliced

4- 5 pitted kalamata olives, chopped

2- 3 sprigs fresh dill, chopped

about 1 tbsp feta cheese, crumbled

1 tbsp red wine vinaigrette (I used Trader Joe's brand)

* I also added some white beans marinated in harissa I got from the olive bar at Whole Foods

Preparation

Make a bed of romaine in a large plate or bowl, add all ingredients on top, mix and enjoy.

Easy Homemade Hummus and a Light Lunch

I started making my own hummus about 2 years ago when I realized how simple and how much more cost efficient it is.  Also, when you make it yourself you can control how much oil and other flavorings you put in.  Before, when I made hummus I used to reserve some of the water from the canned garbanzo beans and add that to the hummus to thin it.  But recently (aka today) I've started adding water instead and I think it makes a pretty big difference; no more of the unpleasant can-like flavor I just couldn't seem to pinpoint before.  Anyway this took about 5 minutes to make.  All you need is a good blender or Cuisinart and you're set.

Below is the pita sandwich I made for lunch.  I just started liking olives (I know, what is wrong with me?) but I have always loved cucumbers.  They are so light, crisp and always wonderfully fresh tasting so they make a great sandwich filler.  I also think they go really well with hummus and olives because they help balance out the strong flavors and somewhat heavy texture that both provide.  

I think this sandwich would also be great with chopped roasted red peppers, feta or white beans in addition to the cucumbers, olives and hummus.

Easy Homemade Hummus

Ingredients

1 can garbanzo beans, drained

1 large clove garlic, minced

1 tsp salt

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1- 2 tbsp water

paprika for sprinkling on top

lemon wedge

Preparation

Add all ingredients to the Cuisinart, starting with 1 tbsp water.  Blend until a paste forms.  Scrape the sides to make sure all of the beans are incorporated.  Add more water if needed. Blend again until the mixture becomes your desired texture (I like mine a bit grainy). Sprinkle hot paprika over top and garnish with a lemon wedge.

Everyday Yellow Dal

I've always loved going out for indian food but for some reason I never thought about making it at home. Probably because a lot of the time international cooking calls for really specialized ingredients that are either difficult to find, expensive or things you'll use once and then end up sitting in your cabinet collecting dust. But then I read about this Everyday Yellow Dal on smitten kitchen and it seemed pretty inciting. After reading the ingredients I was surprised to realize that I already had basically everything (except the yellow split peas and cilantro, which i hate anyway) on hand. I made it last night and it was very simple but did take some planning because you need to soak the split peas for an hour and simmer the dal for about an hour as well. I was a little bit nervous that it wouldn't be that great because there weren't many ingredients, just a lot of spices, but it ended up tasting amazing. To make it healthier I added less oil because I thought a 1/4 cup was just too much and less butter. I don't think it affected the flavor or texture at all. Aside for being a great meal with a side of rice or naan, today I used it as a spread on my turkey sandwich and that was good as well.

Everyday Yellow Dal
Adapted from Ruta Kahate via smittenkitchen

Ingredients
1 cup yellow split peas, soaked in cold water for 1 hour
1 large tomato (about 8 ounces), cut into 8 wedges
1 1/2 tablespoons canola oil
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds [I used ground cumin]
1 medium red onion, finely chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
5 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon coriander seeds, finely ground [I used ground coriander]
3/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/4 cup cilantro [I omitted this]
1 teaspoon salt

Preparation
Drain the dal (split peas) and place in a large saucepan. Add the tomato and 3 cups of water and bring to a boil.

Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover and cook until peas are tender, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Pick out any tomato skins and whisk dal to emulsify it. Keep warm over very low heat.

Heat the oil in a medium skillet over high heat. When the oil begins to smoke, add the cumin, covering the pan with a lid or splatter screen. After the seeds have stopped sputtering, add the onion and saute over medium heat. About 3 minutes later, add the garlic and saute until most of the onion has turned dark brown, about 5 minutes altogether. Add the coriander, turmeric and cayenne, stir and pour mixture over the dal. Add the butter and salt to the dal and simmer for another 5 minutes. Serve hot.