My mom came for dinner the other night and I wanted to make something new—something refreshing that felt healthy and filling. I turned to 101 Cookbooks for inspiration and found this little gem. Apparently it originally comes from a San Francisco restaurant called Pomelo and is on their menu as “otsu.” Also apparently it’s delicious. I think I’ve found a new way to cook tofu, too—it holds together nicely in a pan without any oil. And of course, it showcases the king of all herbs, cilantro. Cilantro cilantro cilantro. I made a few augmentations for simplicity and learned that if you can’t find soba noodles (which I couldn’t on my last-minute shopping trip), whole grain linguine works rather nicely. I also pressed the tofu between two plates and put a heavy book on top to help squeeze out the excess moisture. In the end, this can be served hot or cold and is delicious either way. Dressing Fresh ginger, cut into a 1-inch cube, peeled, and grated 1 tbsp honey 3/4 tsp cayenne 3/4 tsp salt 1 tbsp lemon juice 1/4 cup unseasoned rice vinegar 1/3 cup soy sauce 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil 2 tbsp sesame oil 12 oz dried soba noodles 12 oz extra-firm tofu 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro 4 green onions, thinly sliced 1 small cucumber, peeled, cut in half lengthwise, seeded, and thinly sliced 1 small handful of cilantro sprigs, for garnish 1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds, for garnish Make the dressing by combining the zest, ginger, honey, cayenne, salt, lemon juice, rice vinegar, and soy sauce in a food processor and process until smooth. With the machine running, drizzle in the oils. (I actually did all this with a stick blender, but it got a little sloppy so I think the food processor works best.) Cook the soba in plenty of rapidly boiling salted water just until tender, then drain and rinse under cold running water. Set aside. While the pasta is cooking, drain the tofu, pat it dry, and cut it into rectangles roughly the size of your thumb (½ inch thick and 1 inch long). Cook the tofu in a dry nonstick (or well-seasoned) skillet over medium-high heat for a few minutes, until the pieces are browned on one side. Toss gently once or twice, then continue cooking for another minute or so, until the tofu is firm, golden, and bouncy. At the same time, toast the sesame seeds in a small dry pan over medium heat, stirring frequently, until golden brown. In a large mixing bowl, combine the soba, cilantro, green onions, cucumber, and about ⅔ cup of the dressing. Toss until well combined. Add the tofu and toss again gently. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and a few cilantro sprigs for garnish. Serves 4-6 Add Comment Tomato, Goat Cheese & Caramelized Onion Tart 04/04/2011
Ina does it again. I saw this on her show last year and made it immediately. Unfortunately the first time I used plain old phyllo dough instead of puff pastry (bad idea!) and it's taken me this long to get around to making it the right way. I served it alongside an arugula salad, which is great because you can double time the shaved parmesan. Together they were heaven. I've augmented Ina's recipe just a titch, making an easy-but-sophisticated dinner even easier. And more sophisticated. Okay, maybe not more sophisticated, but, dare I say, tastier? Serve this at your next dinner party and people will think you’re the bee’s knees. To serve, I simply cut the square tarts in quarters, and served each person two of them. The next time I do this I might cut each puff pastry sheet in half, so everyone gets their own long rectangle tart of goodness. Serves about 4. 1 package (17.3 ounces/2 sheets) puff pastry, defrosted Olive oil 4 cups thinly sliced Yellow Onions (2 large onions) 3 large Garlic cloves, cut into thin slivers Salt and freshly ground black pepper 3 tbsp dry White Wine 2 tsp minced fresh Thyme or Rosemary leaves 6 tbsp shaved Parmesan (use a vegetable peeler) 3 oz Goat Cheese (herbed if you like) 1 large Tomato, cut into thick slices 5 tablespoons Basil, julienned Thaw puff pastry. Once it’s flexible, unfold it onto a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 425*. Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium to low heat and add the onions and garlic. Saute for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onions are limp and there is almost no moisture remaining in the skillet. (You may think that this is a long time to cook onions, but have patience with them. They get soo much better when they’re all brown and crispy.) Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, the wine and thyme/rosemary and continue to cook for another 10 minutes. Remove from the heat. Using a sharp knife, score 1/4-inch-wide border around each pastry square. Prick the pastry inside the score lines with the tines of a fork and sprinkle two tablespoons of the parmesan on each square, staying inside the scored border. Place 1/2 of the onion mixture on each square, again staying within the scored edge. Crumble the goat cheese on top of the onion mixture. Add tomato slices, sprinkle with olive oil, basil, salt, and pepper. Finally, scatter the remaining parmesan on each tart. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown. Serve hot or warm. Kale Chips 01/24/2011
Ah, kale. You are so delicious. Why wouldn't I sprinkle oil and salt on you and put you in the oven? Seriously, I've been wanting to try these for awhile and I was amazed at just how easy it was. I made them for my birthday party the other night and they were a great complement to the White Bean Dip and pita chips I set out. (Though they are kind of messy--I picked up a lot of little green kale-ness off the floor the next day.) This one comes from the Smitten Kitchen. Delish! 1 bunch Lacinato Kale 1-2 tbsp Olive Oil Salt and pepper, to taste Preheat oven to 300*. Rinse kale and pat dry. Remove thickest stems and chop into chip-size pieces. Spread on a cookie sheet (or two) and sprinkle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Bake for 20 minutes, or until crisp. Banana Cream Pie 01/24/2011
I’ve mentioned before that my dad is one of the world’s great pie makers, which fascinates people because how many fathers make pies? I don’t know how he got onto it, but he sure does love to do it. I think it’s sort of meditative. I stayed with him over Christmas and asked to go through the whole process with him, to practice and watch his little finesse tricks. It was fun because a) he has a giant kitchen with lots of gadgets, b) he acted as my “prep cook” and got everything out and ready for me and c) he has a working dishwasher that makes cleaning up a lot easier than in my kitchen. I learned that when he’s making pies he keeps his ancient Betty Crocker cookbook out to follow along. Adorable. Also, I should mention that this is one of my favorite desserts in the world. I made it for my birthday party the other night and everyone was more interested in the cake so I got the whole pie to myself which is just so much better because I get to reap the rewards of all my hard work. Graham Cracker Crust (The crust is a slight variation on the crust I make for the Dutch Apple Pie) 9 sheets Graham Crackers (or one of the little internal packages in a box) 6 tbsp butter, melted ¼ cup sugar Preheat oven to 375*. Put crackers in a ziploc bag and seal well, smashing with a rolling pin until crumby. Transfer to a medium bowl, and add butter and sugar, mixing with your hands if necessary to integrate. Transfer the cracker and butter combination into a pie pan and press down evenly until it looks like a pie shell. Bake for about 8-10 minutes. Let cool before filling. Slice three bananas onto the cooled crust. Filling 2 cups Milk 1/3 cup Flour ¾ cup Sugar ¼ tsp Salt 3 Egg Yolks 2 tbsp butter 1 tsp vanilla Put milk, flour, sugar and salt in a sauce pan, mix well and turn on medium heat. Stir occasionally, and bring to a boil. Stir consistently for two minutes (my dad even sets a timer). Temper in the egg yolks by adding a little of the mixture to the eggs, then pour everything back into the pan. Stir for another two minutes, or until thick. Add butter and vanilla and stir again. Remove from heat and pour onto banana-filled crust. Set aside to cool. Whipped cream ¾-1 cup whipping cream Whip in a mixer until fluffy. Dollop on top of pie once it has set. White Bean Dip 01/24/2011
Good gracious it’s been awhile since I’ve posted. It’s not like I haven’t been cooking, maybe it’s just that I’ve been cooking the old standards for awhile. I do that a lot—buy the staples that’ll make a few easy dinners and appetizers so that I always know I’ll have something on hand. One of those things is the Lemon Curry Hummus I always make, filled with protein and easy to take to parties. But I’ve been making it so long that I decided it was time to swap it out for something new and exciting. A friend told me about this easy white bean dip from Giada de Laurentiis. She’s the queen of easy and delicious and I always feel fancy cooking her food. That being said, I took this on our annual hut trip in December along with some pita chips (sturdier than crackers when you’re getting stuffed in a backpack with 30 pounds of other goodies). True to form, it was easy and delicious. 1 15 oz can Cannellini Beans, drained and rinsed (these are also called White Kidney Beans, I’ve learned) 2 cloves Garlic 2 tbsp Lemon Juice 1/3 cup Olive Oil 1/4 -1/2 cup Fresh Parsley Salt and pepper to taste Put all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until smooth. (You can also use an immersion blender, but I found that it tends to chop up the parsley a little too finely and you end up with a green white bean dip, which confuses people.) Put in a fancy bowl and serve with pita chips, homemade or otherwise. Pad Thai with Tofu 04/01/2010
This is one of those dishes that I try in every Thai restaurant I go to, hoping it will be the fresh, non-greasy, non-fishy version I dream of. My friend M came to town last week and I finally bit the bullet and tried it. This recipe is a great at-home version, easy, tasty and healthy. Note: I definitely did not have Mirin and rice vinegar on hand…but now I do and I’m hoping I’ll be more likely to make this in the future! The noodles were easy too—Annie Chun’s even has “pad thai” noodles on the shelf at Whole Foods. Sauce: 1/4 cup Soy Sauce 2 tbsp Rice Vinegar 1-2 tbsp Hot Sauce (I used Sriracha and it was plenty spicy) 1 tbsp Mirin (sweet rice wine) 1 tbsp Maple Syrup Noodles: 1 tbsp Vegetable oil 2 cups Shiitake Mushroom Caps, thinly sliced (about 5 ounces) 1 cup Carrot, grated 1 clove Garlic, minced 1 pound Extra-Firm Tofu, drained and cut into 1/2-inch cubes 1 cup light Coconut Milk 1 cup fresh Bean Sprouts 1 cup Green Onion tops, sliced 1 cup fresh Cilantro, chopped 1/3 cup dry-roasted Peanuts 8 oz. Wide Rice Stick Noodles, cooked and drained 1 Lime, cut into wedges Preparation To prepare sauce, combine first 5 ingredients, stirring with a whisk. Cook noodles according to package directions. Drain and set aside. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add tofu, cook for a few minutes on one side, then flip and cook until both sides are light brown. Add mushrooms, carrot, and garlic; sauté 2 minutes. Add sauce and tofu; cook 1 minute. Stir in coconut milk; cook 2 minutes. Stir sprouts, onions, cilantro, peanuts and noodles; combine well and cook 1 minute. Serve with lime wedges. Makes about 5 servings Black Truffle Mac n Cheese 02/11/2010
 Check out 30 Days 30 Ways with Macaroni and Cheese for more amazing takes on this old classic. 1 lb short-cut pasta, such as Gemelli 3 oz Black Truffle Butter 1/2 cup all-purpose Flour 1 quart Whole Milk, heated 1/4 cup Brown Mustard 12 oz Wisconsin Gruyere Cheese, grated 4 oz Wisconisin Sharp Cheddar, grated 4 oz Wisconsin Fontina, grated 1 tsp freshly ground Black Pepper 1-1/2 tbsp salt 3 slices Rye Bread 1 tbsp Butter 1 tsp Garlic Salt Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Prepare pasta according to package directions, removing it from the water a minute or two before cooking time to make sure it’s appropriately al dente. Drain pasta and set aside. While pasta is cooking, toast the rye bread. When finished, lightly butter toast, then coarsely chop and throw in the food processor. Add garlic salt and pulse until bread is crumby. Set aside. Empty the quart of milk into one large saucepan, on medium-high heat. Stir occasionally. In another large saucepan, melt the truffle butter. Once liquid, stir in the flour. Cook for a few minutes, stirring continuously, until butter and flour are thick and creamy. Slowly begin whisking in the hot milk until you have one great white sauce, then add the mustard and combine. Pour mixture into a large bowl with gruyere, cheddar and fontina and combine. Season with salt and pepper, then add drained pasta. Mix well, then transfer to a 13x9 casserole dish. Top with bread crumbs and bake for 35 to 45 minutes, until the sauce is bubbly and the crumbs are golden brown. Serve nearly immediately. Cilantro Pesto Pizza 01/12/2010
I had this little combo at a tapas joint in Victoria, British Columbia. I’ve never made pesto, so I decided to try it with my favorite herb ever, cilantro. You can top it with other things too (Feta? Tomatoes?) but I loved the combo of apples and walnuts, especially with the lime to give it that Latin flair. This recipe makes two 12-inch pizzas, so you can experiment with different toppings. One other note: Make sure you get good parmesan, since it tends to out-flavor a lot of other things in the pesto. I made it with my classic pizza dough recipe, though I used Hodgson Mill’s 50/50 Flour that’s half whole wheat and half white flour, ideal when you want just a little wheatiness. Dough 1 cup of warm water 2½ tsp Active dry yeast (1 package) 2½ to 3 cups Flour 2 tbsp Olive Oil ½ tsp Salt In the food processor, using the blade, place 1½ cups of the flour, water, and yeast and mix. Add the oil, salt, and remaining flour (a little at a time–you may not need it all) and mix. Place the dough in a lightly oiled 2-quart bowl (i.e. spray with Pam) and cover it with plastic wrap and let it rise until it doubles in size, usually about an hour. Meanwhile, start making the toppings. Cilantro Pesto 1 bunch Cilantro leaves ¼ cup Parsley leaves 2 cloves Garlic, coarsely chopped 2 tbsp Pine Nuts 1/8 cup Parmesan, grated ½ cup Olive Oil Juice of half of a Lime Salt and freshly ground black pepper Combine all ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Remaining toppings 1 Granny Smith Apple, sliced thinly –OR- 1 Roma Tomato, sliced 8 oz. Smoked Mozzarella, shredded ½ cup Walnuts, crumbled ½ Lime After dough has risen, divide it into two parts, cover and let rest again for 15 minutes. Roll out the two balls on a cookie sheet or pizza stone, topping each with half of the pesto, mozzarella, apple slices, and walnuts. Bake at 500* for 10-15 minutes, until it’s golden brown. Let sit for a few minutes, squeeze with lime juice, and serve. Serves about four people. Roasted Brussels Sprouts 01/04/2010
They're all the rage this year, right? I've never loved brussels sprouts, but I guess it's all in the cooking. My friend Carolyn raved about this recipe, especially the smoked paprika, which I went out and bought specifically for this dish. Man oh man is it good! I even put some in with some tomato sauce and pasta. 1 pound Brussels Sprouts, washed and cut in halves 1 tbsp Butter 1 Onion, cut into big wedges 1/2 clove Garlic, chopped into big pieces Salt Pepper Smoked Paprika Preheat oven to 425*. Sweat the onion and garlic in butter, about 4-5 minutes. Add brussels sprouts and saute for a minute more, adding salt, pepper, and paprika. Transfer to a large cookie sheet, and roast, uncovered, for 35 to 40 minutes. Serves 4-6. Hearty Lentil and Veggie Soup 12/13/2009
Last weekend we went on a hut trip with a bunch of friends (20, to be exact). The huts in Colorado's 10th Mountain Division System are amazing--comfy beds, great wood-burning stoves, and kitchens stocked with pretty much everything you need to make a great dinner. While some people think it's easier to just bring in the dehydrated stuff (and keep your pack lighter for the several-mile snowshoe/ski in), I think the meals are an important part of the whole experience. We divided our 20-some into groups, and my group was responsible for dinner one night. As we brainstormed interesting options, I came across a lentil soup recipe from Food and Wine mag. The ingredients were simple enough, and I thought I could tweak it to make it tastier without the smoked turkey the original recipe called for. We chopped the veggies ahead of time in the food processor and brought them up in well-sealed bags. Here's what I ended up with--the most amazing lentil soup I've ever had! It got great reviews from the hungry hut-trippers, too. 1 tbsp Olive Oil 3 Garlic cloves, minced 2 Celery stalks, finely chopped 2 Carrots, finely chopped 1 Onion, finely chopped 3 Tomatoes, chopped 1 small can Tomato Juice 1 Bay Leaf 4 Rapunzel Vegetable Bouillon Cubes (or other good veg version) 2 quarts Water 1 cup Green Lentils 4 small Red Potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick Salt and freshly ground pepper In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic, celery, carrots, and onion. Saute until soft, stirring often, about 7 minutes. Add tomatoes, juice, bay leaf, bouillon cubes, water, and lentils. Mix thoroughly, and allow soup to come to a boil. Partially cover, and reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer for one hour, stirring once in awhile, until the lentils are tender. Add the potatoes, season with salt and pepper, and cook for about 10 minutes, until potatoes, too, are soft. Remove bay leaf before ladling out into small bowls. We served with some amazing rosemary-sourdough grilled cheese sandwiches...a perfect and hearty combination. | good eats
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