Month: June 2015

Creamy Greens and Coconut Linguini

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Serves: 6

Ingredients

1 lb linguine
1 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic
1 jalapeno (ribs and seeds removed if less heat is preferred)

11⁄2 tbsp finely grated ginger

1 can coconut milk
1 bunch kale, stems removed, chopped

1 bunch spinach, chopped
1⁄4 cup (loosely packed) fresh mint leaves

salt

Instructions

  1. Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling, salted water until al dente, 8-10 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic, jalapeno and ginger; cook until garlic is soft, about a minute. Add coconut milk, cover and turn up heat to bring to a simmer.
  3. Add kale and spinach; cover and cook until just wilted and bright green (depending on the size of your pot, you may need to add it in bunches, letting a handful wilt then tossing in another handful).
  4. Add mint and remove from heat. Puree sauce using an immersion blender (or a regular stand blender – just puree in batches or the steam created can blow the lid off). Add salt in big pinches, tasting as you go, until the flavours pop – then it is properly seasoned.
  5. When the pasta is cooked, scoop out a cup of the pasta water before draining it. Toss the pasta with the sauce,adding splashes of pasta water if needed to thin out to desired consistency.
  6. Recipe by Foodess.com at http://foodess.com/2014/01/creamy-greens-coconut-linguine/

I Like Pie

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IMG_0297

These are cherry pies that our family still talks about.  They were baked by my brother-in-law (who is an amazing cook) for our family reunion a few years ago. We came together in Michigan from all over the US including Oregon, Washington, and California. Everyone, children and adults, pitched in to help.  We all picked the sour cherries during an outing to a local cherry orchard, and then watched the amazing machine that pitted the cherries. We took them home, Stephan baked them and we ate them with vanilla ice cream after a BBQ dinner and games of croquet and badminton on the lawn. Food can be more than sustenance. It can foster memories that can last a lifetime.

White Peach Salad with Burratta and Tarragon

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A Sporty original recipe!

Ingredients:

White Peaches, peeled and sliced

Couple balls of burrata cheese

White sherry vinegar or white basalmic vinegar

Large handful of tarragon

A nice sea salt: Pink Hawaiian is especially good on this salad

freshly ground pepper

Preparation

Make Tarragon oil first:

Set a coffee filter in a sieve set over a heatproof measuring cup or bowl.

Purée 3 handfuls tarragon and 1 1/2 cup grape seed oil in a blender until well blended. Transfer to a small saucepan and heat over medium, stirring occasionally, until mixture is hot but not yet sizzling, about 3 minutes.

Remove  oil from heat, cool until safe and then strain though prepared sieve (do not press on solids or oil won’t be clear.) You can keep at room temp for about 2 weeks. Also good on steamed vegetables and to make vinegrette.

Prepare salad next:

Place about 1 sliced peach on each plate.  Tear one small burratta ball into pieces on top of the peach, top with chopped tarragon. Sprinkle on the vinegar, then sea salt and pepper. Put dribbles of tarragon oil on the peach/burrata tower and on the plate along the side.  Repeat with all plates.

Spaghetti alla Carbonara di Zucchine

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From Bon Appétit | May 2005

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 garlic clove, peeled

1 pound medium zucchini, trimmed, cut into 1/4-inch-thick rounds (about 3 1/2 cups)

2 large eggs, room temperature

3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (about 2 1/2 ounces)

12 ounces spaghetti

6 large fresh basil leaves, torn into pieces, divided

Preparation

Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and sauté until pale golden, about 1 minute. Add zucchini and sauté until beginning to color, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat; discard garlic.

Meanwhile, whisk eggs and Parmesan in large bowl to blend. Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Save some pasta water and put aside.  Drain pasta; add to egg mixture and toss to coat (heat from pasta will cook eggs). Add additional pasta water back to get to creamy consistency.

Add zucchini mixture and half of basil to pasta; stir gently to blend. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with remaining basil and serve.

Potato Tacos (Tacos de Papas)

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SERVES 8

Ingredients:

1 tbsp. finely chopped cilantro

1/2 tsp. finely chopped fresh Mexican oregano (optional)

2 ripe tomatoes, cored and chopped

1 or 2 red and/or green jalapeños, stemmed and finely chopped while wearing gloves

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

1 tbsp. unsalted butter

1 lb. russet (best) or yukon gold potatoes, peeled

2 tsp. kosher salt

1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste

1 tsp. ground cumin

1/2 cup canola oil or avocado oil

18 corn tortillas

You can top with any or all of the following: Thinly sliced green cabbage or lettuce, chopped tomatoes, pickled jalapeños, avocados and crumbled cotija or feta cheese or even cheddar in a pinch.

Preparation:

Mix cilantro, oregano, tomatoes, jalapeños, and garlic in a small bowl; set salsa aside.

Bring a medium saucepan of salted water to a boil, add potatoes, and cook until tender, about 25 minutes. Drain potatoes and transfer to a large bowl. Add minced garlic, butter, salt, pepper, and cumin, and mash until smooth. Set potato mixture aside.

Heat oil in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Spread 3 or four heaping spoonfulls potato mixture over half of each tortilla, and fold over to form a taco. Working in batches, add tacos to oil and fry, turning once, until golden brown and crisp, about 3 minutes.

Stuff the cabbage, tomatoes, and cotija or others into tacos or spread on top; drizzle with salsa and sour cream (optional) before serving.

Kale, Feta and Dried Cherry Salad with Pomegranate Dressing

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4 servings

A Sporty original recipe with variations! Kale becomes very tender when massaged.

Ingredients

1 small shallot, finely chopped

2 tablespoons red wine or sherry vinegar

2 teaspoons pomegranate molasses (can be found in middle eastern grocery stores)

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Sea salt, freshly ground black pepper

1 bunch red Russian kale, ribs and stems removed, leaves torn into 2″ pieces

1/2 cup dried cherries or toasted walnuts or pepitas

2 ounces feta or blue cheese or ricotta salata

Preparation

Combine shallot, vinegar, olive oil and pomegranate molasses in a large bowl; season dressing with salt and pepper and let sit at least 5 minutes. Dressing can be made 4 hours ahead, just cover and chill.

Add kale to dressing, season with salt and pepper to taste, and gently massage dressing into leaves. Add cherries, walnuts or pepitas and toss to combine. Serve topped with cheese of choice.

Pasta al pomodoro

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Recipe from “New Italian Cooking,” courtesy of chef Scott Conant of Scarpetta

Total Prep: Roughly 40 minutes, 4 servings
This is a straightforward, traditional, fresh tomato sauce in which ripe tomatoes — and little else — get cooked quickly to retain their vibrant flavor. Why then is it such a hit? The key is in the finish. Here’s how I put the dish together at the restaurant: I take a single portion of pasta cooked just shy of al dente and add it to a sauté pan that holds a single portion of hot, bubbling tomato sauce. To toss the pasta and sauce together I use that pan-jerking method we chefs are so fond of. I do this to look cool. Just kidding. The real reason is that this technique not only coats the pasta evenly with the sauce, but it also introduces a little air into the process making the dish feel lighter and brighter. To accomplish this aeration with larger portions and without fancy wrist work, cook the sauce in a pan with a lot of surface area. When you add the pasta to the sauce, gently toss the pasta with a couple of wooden spoons (tongs can bruise and break the strands), lifting the pasta high above the bottom of the pot. Finish the dish with some butter, some cheese, and some basil.
Ingredients
About 20 ripe plum tomatoes

About 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more to finish the dish

Pinch of crushed red pepper

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 tbs. unsalted butter 1 oz. freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (about half a cup)

6 to 8 fresh basil leaves well washed and dried, stacked and rolled into a cylinder and cut thinly crosswise into a chiffonade

1 lb. spaghetti, either high-quality dry or homemade
To peel the tomatoes: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Have a large bowl of ice water nearby. Cut a small X on the bottom of each tomato. Ease about 5 tomatoes in the pot and cook. Let boil for about 15 seconds and then promptly move them to the waiting ice water (do this with the remaining tomatoes). Pull off the skin with the tip of a paring knife. If the skin sticks, try a vegetable peeler using a gentle sawing motion. Cut the tomatoes in half and use your finger to flick out the seeds.
To cook the tomatoes: In a wide pan, heat the 1/3 cup of olive oil over medium-high heat until hot. Add the tomatoes, red pepper flakes, and season lightly with the salt and pepper (I always start with a light hand with the salt and pepper because as the tomatoes reduce, the salt will become concentrated).

Let the tomatoes cook for a few minutes to soften. Then, using a potato masher, chop the tomatoes finely. Cook the tomatoes for 20 to 25 minutes, until the tomatoes are tender and the sauce has thickened. Refrigerate for up to 2 days or freeze it for longer storage.
To serve: Bring a large pot of amply salted water to a boil. Cook the spaghetti until just shy of al dente. Reserve a little of the pasta cooking water. Add the pasta to the sauce and cook over medium-high heat, gently tossing the pasta and the sauce together with a couple of wooden spoons and a lot of exaggerated movement (you can even shake the pan) until the pasta is just tender and the sauce, if any oil had separated from it, now looks cohesive (If the sauce seems too thick, add a little pasta liquid to adjust it). Take the pan off the heat and toss the butter, basil and cheese with the pasta in the same manner (the pasta should take on an orange hue) and serve immediately.

Kung Pao Brussels Sprouts

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A vegetarian twist on a Chinese take-out standard, these sprouts deliver crunch, spice, and zing.

From Bon Appetit Feb 2015
SERVINGS: 6

Ingredients:

2 pounds Brussels sprouts, halved
5 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon cornstarch
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tablespoons finely chopped peeled ginger

2 tablespoons hot chili paste (sambal oelek)

6 dried chiles de árbol, lightly crushed
1⁄2 cup soy sauce
3 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons unseasoned rice vinegar
1⁄3 cup unsalted, roasted peanuts

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 425°. Toss brussels sprouts and 4 Tbsp. oil on a rimmed baking sheet; season with salt and pepper. Roast, tossing once, until softened (but not soft) and browned, 20–25 minutes. Set aside.
Meanwhile, mix cornstarch and 1 Tbsp. water in a small bowl until smooth.
Heat remaining 1 Tbsp. oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high. Add garlic and ginger and cook, stirring often, until garlic is golden brown, about 2 minutes. Add chili paste and cook, stirring, until darkened, about 2 minutes. Add chiles, soy sauce, sugar, vinegar, and 1⁄2 cup water and bring to a boil; stir in cornstarch slurry. Simmer, stirring, until sauce coats spoon, about 2 minutes. Let cool slightly.
Toss brussels sprouts with sauce and serve topped with peanuts.

Rhubarb Scones

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3 cups almond meal
3 Tablespoons turbinado sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cardamom
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
1/8 cup grapeseed oil or olive oil
1/2 cup cooked rhubarb and a couple mashed strawberries (unsweetened)

Mix all ingredients well and spoon on to greased cookie sheet (or use parchment paper). Bake in preheated oven at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Test by sticking with knife. They are done when lightly browned and knife comes out clean. For best flavor cool before serving. Makes about 15 scones.