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. 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. 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. Butternut Squash Enchiladas 10/22/2009
I picked up a good-looking butternut squash when we were out at the corn maze farm the other day. Not wanting to just roast it, I searched for something interesting to do with it. I found a version of the following on the Delicious Living site, upping a few things and downing a few others. I basically halved the recipe because I had way too much filling, but you could always double it and freeze one. Find squash baking instructions here. 1 cup cooked Quinoa 1-1/2 cups cooked Black Beans 1/2 baked Butternut Squash, flesh scooped out and diced 1 small Onion, diced 1 Bell Pepper, cored and diced 14 oz. can Diced Green Chilies, drained 1 cup Cilantro, chopped 8 oz. Cheddar Cheese, grated and divided Salt, to taste 16 oz. Red Enchilada Sauce 2 dozen Corn Tortillas, fresh if possible 2 15 oz. cans Green Enchilada Sauce Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine rice, beans, squash, onion, pepper, chiles, cilantro, and four ounces of the cheese in a large mixing bowl. Season with salt and mix well. Pour red enchilada sauce into a deep plate; dip each tortilla to coat. Fill each tortilla with one large spoonful of enchilada mixture, roll tightly, and place in a 9" x 13" baking dish or lasagna dish. When dishes are full, cover each dish with one can green enchilada sauce. Cover with foil and bake 45 minutes. Remove foil and top enchiladas with remaining cheese. Bake 10 more minutes. Serve immediately. Seitan and Veggie Fajitas 09/25/2009
Seitan is one of my favorite meat substitutes, great to have around to add a little protein and texture to dishes like fajitas. Last night I looked around the kitchen at a fab looking red pepper I found on sale at Whole Paycheck, the rest of a very large squash from our garden, a just-ripe avocado, and some juicy cherry tomatoes and came up with this…the best fajitas I’ve ever made. Makes about three servings. Fajitas 1 lb carton of Seitan (the non-soy-sauce marinated kind works best for this) 1 small can Mushrooms, or a few fresh mushrooms 1 tbsp. Olive Oil 1 tbsp. Lemon Juice ½ of a Red Onion, cut in one-inch strips 1 medium Red Pepper, cut in one-inch strips (green works too) 1 cup Yellow Squash, diced 1 tbsp Olive Oil 1 clove Garlic Dash Salt 3 large Flour/Whole Wheat Tortillas 2/3 cup Cheddar Cheese, shredded In a large skillet, put the seitan and mushrooms in the olive oil and lemon juice. Saute on medium-high heat for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently. The goal is to get both ingredients to sear up a little, creating those crispy bits we all love in our fajitas. In a separate skillet, heat the olive oil for the veggies. Add the onion first, giving it extra time to cook. After a minute or two, add the pepper, squash, garlic, and salt. Saute on medium-high heat for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Meanwhile, whip together a quick guacamole topping like so: Guacamole 1 ripe Avocado 1 tsp. Lemon or Lime Juice Dash Garlic Salt 4 Cherry Tomatoes, diced 3 tbsp. Red Onion, diced 3 tbsp. fresh Cilantro, minced Smash everything together. Add additional salt to taste. Fill tortillas with seitan and veggie mixture, and top with shredded cheese and guacamole. Enjoy. Summer Vegetable and Sourdough Panzanella 08/07/2009
This little recipe came floating into my inbox yesterday via MNN...perfect since we had made plans with our garden friends to cook dinner with ingredients from our bounty. At this point we were able to supply the squash and basil, but we're hoping that the peppers and tomatoes will soon come from the backyard too! We used rosemary sourdough bread (fresh from the store, no need for it to be stale) which added a ton of flavor. We also took the liberty of setting out some feta cheese to top it off. Note: Give yourself plenty of time--the finished bread and veggies need 30 minutes to marinate together before serving. 3 cups Sourdough Bread, cut into 1″ cubes (try rosemary) 3 tbsp Olive Oil 1 clove Garlic, finely chopped 1 Yellow Squash, sliced on a diagonal 2 Bell Peppers, seeded and cut into 1″ squares 6-8 Cherry Tomatoes cut in half 1/2 Red Onion, cut in 1″ squares 6-8 Fresh Basil leaves, cut in strips 3/4 cup Feta Cheese, crumbled (optional) Vinaigrette 3 tbsp Olive Oil 1 tbsp Red Wine Vinegar 1 tsp Dijon Mustard Salt and Pepper to taste Preheat oven to 350*. On a baking sheet, spread the chopped garlic, onion, squash, peppers and tomatoes and coat with one tablespoon olive oil (no need to overdo it on the oil). Roast for 15-18 minutes, stirring once, until just starting to soften and release juices. In a large frying pan, heat the remaining two tablespoons of oil. Toss in the bread cubes and season lightly with salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently until the cubes are crusty and slightly browned. Remove from heat and set aside to cool. To make vinaigrette dressing, firmly whisk together all ingredients until blended. Season with salt and pepper. In a serving bowl, toss together the bread cubes and vegetables. Pour dressing over the bread and vegetable mixture and then set aside for thirty minutes to let it absorb the flavors. Before serving, stir in strips of fresh basil, and set out feta for diners to sprinkle on if desired. Baked Ziti 07/14/2009
This is one of my Italian restaurant faves, with a few tasty veggies added. I got the recipe from my new friend Eowyn, a real Italian girl who's considering becoming a veg too. I told her to consider swapping half of the ricotta for tofu (like I do in the lasagne recipe). Baked Tofu with Peanut Sauce 07/01/2009
I just served this at my bf’s family Thanksgiving. Even his meat-loving uncle loved it! The kicker is the peanut sauce, which goes well with pretty much anything. Add it to a meal or serve as an appetizer. | good eats
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