Etti's Herb Salad

Adapted from Ottolenghi THE COOKBOOK

serves 6

2 cups cilantro leaves

1 1/4 cups flat-leaf parsley leaves
2 cups dill leaves
1 cup tarragon leaves
1 1/4 cups basil leaves
2 cups arugula leaves
3 1/2 Tablespoon unsalted butter
heaping 1 cup whole unskinned almonds
1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 Tablespoon lemon juice
1 Tablespoon olive oil

Method:

1. Gently immerse the herb leaves in cold water, be careful not to bruise them.  Drain in colander, then dry in a salad spinner or spreading them out on a clean kitchen towel.
2. Heat butter in a frying pan, add almonds, salt, and pepper.  Saute for 5 to 6 minutes over low to medium heat, until almonds are golden.  Reserve the butter left in pan.  Once the almonds cooled, coarsely chop them.
3.  Assemble the salad: Place the herbs in a large bowl, add almonds, cooking butter, lemon juice, and olive oil.  Toss gently and season to taste.  Serve immediately.

Notes:

• This salad is VERY labor intensive, BUT it is worth every minute. =)
• We like to use Earth Balance Vegan Butter.
• Marques de Valdueza Extra Virgin Olive Oil is perfect.

Arborio Stuffed Heirloom Tomatoes

adapted from Smitten Kitchen

Serves 6

Onion, garlic, red pepper flakes and Arborio rice

Basil and Parsley

Arborio Stuffed Heirloom Tomatoes served with Gordon Ramsay's Coriander, Ginger, and Chile Butter Chicken

My wife came across this recipe from Smitten Kitchen when we were thinking of what would go well with Coriander, Ginger, and Chile Butter Chicken.  I knew right away that I wanted to use Heirloom Tomatoes (since they are in season).  To me an important element of cooking is taking an ingredient and allowing its natural flavors to present itself.  You can use any tomato for the recipe, but I just love the natural beauty and clean flavor of the heirloom variety.  These came out amazing and delicious!  I hope you enjoyed them just as much as we did.

Ingredients:

• 6 medium to large Heirloom Tomatoes
• 1/2 cup Arborio Rice
• 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• sea salt
• red pepper flakes, to taste
• 1/2 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 6 Tbsp Parsley, Oregano and/or Basil, chopped
• Bread Crumbs, Panko 

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F, lightly coat an ovenproof baking dish with olive oil
2. Tomato Prep: Cut the tops off the tomatoes and scoop out tomato seeds and flesh into a large bowl.  I used a paring knife to make the initial cut on the tomatoes so that it'll be easier to scoop out the seeds.  
3. Lightly salt the inside of the hollowed out tomatoes, turn them upside down and allow the excess water to drain onto the plate.
4. Stuffing Prep: Using a food mill or blender - coarsely puree the tomato flesh/seeds.  
5. In a large pan, heat olive oil on medium.  Add onion, garlic, and red pepper flakes.  Sauté for 2 minutes.
6. Add Arborio rice and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent burning.
7. Add tomato puree and bring to simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low.  Season with salt and cover pan with a lid.  Allow it to simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until rice is par-cooked.  
8. Reassemble Tomatoes: Remove from heat, stir in 4 Tbsp of the herb mixture. Arrange tomatoes right-side up in baking pan.  Spoon mixture into tomatoes, leaving some room on top for the bread crumbs.  (Mix the remaining herbs with the bread crumbs, adding salt and black pepper)  
9. Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes or until rice is finished cooking.  Serve hot. Enjoy!

Greens, Herbs, and Roasted Radishes

(adapted from Happyolks)
serves 4-6

endive

butter lettuce

romaine

Ingredients:

• 3 bunches of radishes
• 1 head butter lettuce
• 1 head romaine
• 4 endives
• 2 avocados 
• juice of 2 lemons (meyer lemons)
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, divided
• 1/4 cup shallot, minced
• 2 tablespoon dill, minced
• 2 tablespoon mint, minced
• sea salt & ground black pepper

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Rinse and remove greens from radishes.  Halve or quarter (depends on the variety*) and coat with olive oil, sea salt and black pepper on a baking sheet.  Roast for 20-25 minutes until blistered but not totally browned.  Set aside to cool.
3. Combine chopped butter lettuce, romaine, and endive (cores removed) in a large bowl. 
4. Slice and dice avocado into cubes over the bowl.  Then add cooled radishes.
5. For the dressing: Whisk together olive oil, shallots, dill and mint with the lemon juice in a bowl.  Pour over the salad, add some sea salt and fresh pepper, and toss with your hands or tongs.

*I like using french radishes, but this variety is hard to find at the grocery store.  I have found them sold at the local farmers market.

Bok Choy Noodle Bowl

Adapted from Rachael Ray
serves 4
This recipe was my attempt at duplicating my favorite vietnamese soup "Pho."  Although it was unsuccessful, the soup that resulted from my inspiration turned out to be delicious!  The "fresh" taste comes from cilantro, scallions, and bok choy.  The savory notes are from the stock and shiitake mushrooms.  It is both hot (spicy) and sour.  Since my "first attempt," I have made this soup twice more.  Perhaps one day I will try to re-create the Pho soup (again)...

Shiitake and Cremini

Cilantro and Scallions

Ingredients:

• 2-3 tablespoons of vegetable oil (preferably Canola Oil)
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes 
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 inches ginger root, peeled and cut into very thin matchsticks or grated
• 1/2 to 1 pound shiitake mushroom caps, sliced (you can also use baby bella or cremini)
• 2-3 medium bok choy, trimmed and cut into 3-inch pieces
• sea salt and black pepper
• 1 quart chicken broth (I like to use 365 brand from Whole Foods, organic and low sodium)
• 1 cup seafood stock** or 1 cup clam juice
• 100 % buckwheat noodles, vermicelli, or thin spaghetti (optional)
• 4 scallions, cut into 3 inch pieces, then shredded lengthwise into thin sticks
• juice of 1 lime
• bunch of fresh cilantro

**Note: To me, the best tasting seafood stock (comes frozen) - Golden Harbour Wild caught fish stock, all natural, no preservatives or additives.  I buy mine at Whole Foods in the frozen seafood section, Net Wt. 1 lb (454g).  After thawing this out, I use the whole package for the soup.  

Method:

1. Using your largest soup pot, over medium-high heat, add vegetable oil and crushed red pepper flakes.
2. Add garlic and ginger, saute for 1-2 minutes.  Then add the mushrooms.  Continue to cook for several minutes allowing the mushrooms to soften.
3. Season with a pinch of sea salt and black pepper.
4. Add chicken broth and seafood stock (or clam juice).  Put a lid on the pot and bring soup to a boil.
5. As soon as the soup boils, add lime juice and bok choy**.  Cook for another 2-3 minutes.
6. When you are ready to serve, ladle soup into bowls.  You may serve the soup with or without the noodles*.  
7. Top the soup with fresh chopped cilantro and scallions.

*Note: Buckwheat noodles are easy to prepare.  Once the water boils, drop a handful of noodles into the pot.  Cooking time is 2-5 minutes.  Drain the noodles and add to the soup before serving.  We like to use the brand SHIRAKIKU - Japanese style- Zaru Soba with Yam, buckwheat noodles.  

**I decided to modify a step in the method by adding broth first then the bok choy. (In the pictures above, the broth was added after I had sautéed the bok choy).  I wanted the bok choy to have a "crunch," in contrast to the soup.

perfect roast chicken

Serves 4

organic free range chicken

 herbs and such

Ingredients:

• 1 (3 to 4 pound) roasting chicken
• sea salt 
• ground pepper
• a bunch of fresh thyme (10-15 sprigs)
• fresh rosemary (6-8 sprigs)
• 1 bulb of garlic, cut in half crosswise
• 1 lemon, whole, (use the zest of the lemon for the herb mixture) 
• extra virgin olive oil (I like the 365 brand from Whole Foods -100% Italian cold pressed) 4-6 Tablespoons
• 1 tablespoon vegan butter 

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F. 
2. Rinse the chicken inside and out.  Pat the outside dry. Remove any excess fat and giblets.
3. Bring the chicken to room temperature (30 minutes) prior to putting it in the oven. 
4. Place the chicken in a roasting pan 
5. Prepare the herb mixture: remove the "leaves" from the sprigs, roughly chop or mince rosemary and thyme - place herbs into a bowl and add olive oil, zest of 1 lemon, sea salt, and black pepper.
6. Using the tip of a sharp knife, carefully prick the lemon all over
7. Stuff the cavity with half of the herb mixture, half of the garlic bulb, and the whole lemon.
8. Rub the rest of the herb mixture under the skin of the chicken breast. Season the top of the chicken with a pinch of sea salt and ground black pepper.  Coat the skin with 1 tablespoon of vegan butter - this produces a crispier skin.
9. Cover the chicken with aluminum foil (Turn oven down to 425 degrees F) and bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes or until juices run clear between leg and thigh with temperatures at 165-175 degrees F.
10. Remove from oven and allow chicken to rest for 10 minutes before serving. 

Roasted Vegetables

organic carrots (farmer's market at Cobblestone farm - Ann Arbor, MI) and parsnips

organic butternut squash

Ingredients:

• 1 medium sweet potato
• 2 parsnips
• 1 medium butternut squash
• carrots (optional)
• sea salt
• ground black pepper
• 1 -2 tablespoons, fresh sage (chopped)
• extra virgin olive oil  (drizzle over vegetables, 2 tbsp)

Method:

1. Cut the vegetables into pieces and place onto a baking sheet.  Then evenly coat with olive oil and sprinkle sea salt, ground black pepper, and sage.    
2. While the chicken is roasting (the last 30-40 minutes), put the baking sheet into the oven.  
3. To make sure the vegetables are cooked through, insert a fork - the fork should slide in without resistance, but still have some firmness to it. (of course, that depends on your preference, you may bake another 5-10 minutes for a softer texture.)
4. Enjoy these roasted vegetables alongside the roasted chicken or by itself.  It's wonderful either way.