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!

Fantastic Juicing Recipes

My colleague (Kirsten) and I were talking about the health benefits of a juice cleanse and the 3-day juice cleanse that Babo in A2 offers.  She recommended that we watch the documentary "Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead." So we did.  Here's the synopsis written by my wife (Link).  The documentary was good, however like us if you need the "clinical aspect" of how vegetable and fruits can reverse poor health - I recommend that you watch the documentary: "Hungry for Change".        

So...
Before we invested in a juicer, I wanted to try "juicing" with our blender. I figured we had the Breville Hemisphere Mini and it was worth the shot.  I was wrong.  What we needed was a machine that was designed to extract the juice out of the fruits or vegetables instead of "blending" everything together.  (1 apple, 2 beets, 2 carrots, and a piece of ginger was wasted because I was being stubborn.)  

We bought our juicer (Breville, Ikon multi-speed juice fountain)  from Bed Bath & Beyond because their 20% coupons NEVER expire (expired coupons are accepted) and they had the best pre-coupon price.  Another added bonus, if we weren't completely satisfied with our purchase (EVEN after using it) - with the receipt, we can get a refund or store credit without one.  

3 oranges, 2 beets (raw), & 1 inch piece ginger

Success! It was really really good.

   Tropical Juice

• 1 Fuji apple
• 1 whole pineapple, quartered and cored
• 3 mangos, seeded (we used Ataulfo mangos)
• 1 beet, raw and remove stem
• 1 orange, peeled
• 7 carrots 
• 1 inch piece of ginger
• Put ingredients in Juicer and Enjoy!

Another Benefit of Juicing: Having FUN!

"Fresh" Apple Juice

• 10 Fuji apples, quartered and seeded
• 3 cucumbers, peeled
• 1 inch piece of ginger 
• 2 cups of spinach
• Put ingredients in Juicer and Enjoy!

Pineapple & Greens

• 1 whole Pineapple, quartered and cored
• 6 Fuji apples, quartered and seeded
• 4 navel oranges, peeled and cut in half
• 2 cups spinach
• 8-10 celery stalks
• Put in Juicer and Enjoy!

For more Juicing Recipes:

• 30 Days of Juicing - The Williams Sonoma Blog
• 3-day Juice Cleanse - Babo: A Market by Sava, Ann Arbor, MI
• Juice Cleanse 101 - What's Gaby Cooking
• Green Kitchen Stories blog
• 3 Day Detox Plan - Hungry for Change
• Juicing Recipes - Reboot with Joe - "Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead"
• Smoothie Recipes - Martha Stewart
• Healthy Blends - Women's Health Magazine

    

Simply, Cod

garlic, ginger, shallots, green onions

Ingredients:

• ginger root, 2 inches, matchstick
• 8 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup green onions, chopped
• 2 shallots, minced
• cod, 2 portions
• 4 shiitake mushrooms
• 1 Tablespoon soy sauce (Yamasa brand, low sodium)
• 1/2 cup of water
• asparagus, bunch, chopped in half
• extra virgin olive oil
• 1 Teaspoon korean dried red pepper flakes (optional)
• sea salt
• ground black pepper

Method:

1. In a smaller pot, combine soy sauce, water, red pepper flakes, a third of the ginger root, a third of the green onion, 2 minced garlic cloves and the shiitake mushrooms.  At medium to medium high heat, braise the mushrooms for 5 minutes then turn heat down to low to cook for another 10 minutes.
2. In a large bowl, marinate cod with olive oil, the rest of the ginger, garlic, green onions, shallots, black pepper and sea salt. 10 minutes.
3. Pan fry the cod on medium high heat with 2 Tablespoons of olive oil.  Cook 5-7 minutes each side.
4. After you flip the cod, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in another pan on high heat.  Add asparagus, black pepper and sea salt.  Sauté for 5-10 minutes.  I like the asparagus to have some crunch, I keep them on high heat until some of them have become charred.  
5. Plate and Enjoy!

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.