Asparagus, Artichoke, and Shittake Risotto

Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

serves 4

This has been the coldest winter in all the years we've lived in Michigan.  For the past month, temperatures have dipped down into the negative 20s and wind chill -35.  In the winter, I enjoy making soups or anything rich and hearty.  This risotto is amazing.  You get that crunch from the asparagus and everything works so well together.  It does take some patience and time to make, but it's well worth the effort!  The recipe from Smitten Kitchen called for fresh artichoke, but I wanted to use up the can of artichokes we had left from another recipe.  It's better to use what you have than to accumulate random items in your pantry from other dishes.  It makes perfect sense, especially when you are on a budget.  Hope you enjoyed making and savoring this dish like we did!  I can't wait to make it again.         


5 cup chicken broth
1 cup water
1 pound asparagus, trimmed, cut to 1/4 inch slices with tips at 1 1/2 inch long
4 Tablespoon unsalted butter
3/4 pound shittake, caps cut 1/4 inch slices, discard stems
1 can whole artichokes, cut into fourths
2 shallots, finely chopped
1 1/2 cup Arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup parmesan (optional)

1. In a large heavy bottomed pot, bring water and chicken stock to a boil.  Add asparagus and cook uncovered for 3-4 minutes.  Remove asparagus and place in an ice bath, drain, and pat dry.  Keep the broth on a low simmer, covered.

2. Using another pan, on medium high heat, add 1 Tablespoon butter.  Add mushrooms after butter melts. Saute for 4 minutes, season with salt and pepper.  Remove from heat and set aside.

3. Add 2 Tablespoon butter in same pan. Add shallots and sauté for 3 minutes.  Then add rice for another minute, then add white wine, constantly stirring for 1more minute.  Turn heat to medium.

4. Ladle 1 cup simmering broth into pan, stir until absorbed about 2 minutes.  Continue to simmering while adding 1/2 cup of broth at a time until all the broth is incorporated, stir until rice is al dente and creamy.  About 20 to 30 minutes.

5. Remove from heat, stir in parmesan (optional), add 1 Tablespoon butter, stir in asparagus, artichoke, and mushrooms.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Cover pan for 1 minute then serve.

Israeli Salad and Pita Chips

Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

2 medium roma tomatoes, cubed
1 (1 pound) English cucumber, cubed
1/2 medium red onion, cubed
3 Tablespoon flat leaf parsley, minced
juice of 1/2 lemon
2-3 Tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoon sumac powder
sea salt and black pepper to taste
Crumbled or cubed feta (optional)
1 bell pepper, cubed (optional)
chopped olives (optional)

Method:
Combine and mix all the ingredients and serve with pita chips.

Pita chips:
Cut into wedges, lightly brush olive oil on each pita wedge, sprinkle sea salt and sumac powder.  Bake in oven at 350 degrees F on a baking sheet, using a silpat or parchment paper.  10-15 minutes or until done.

Chickpeas and Spinach with Honeyed Sweet Potato

Adapted from Ottolenghi The Cookbook

serves 6-8

2 - 15 oz cans garbanzo beans

2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 teaspoon coriander seeds

1 Tablespoon tomato paste

14 oz canned tomatoes, chopped

1 teaspoon superfine sugar (caster sugar)

1 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

3 cups baby spinach leaves

2/3 cup cilantro, garnish

sea salt 

black pepper

Honey Sweet Potato:

1 pound sweet potato, peeled, cut into 1 inch slices

scant 3 cup water

3 1/2 Tablespoon unsalted butter (we use Earth Balance Vegan Butter)

4 Tablespoon honey

1/2 teaspoon salt

Method:

1. In a large pan, combine sweet potatoes with water, butter, honey, and salt.  Bring to a boil then lower heat to simmer for 30-45 minutes, or until tender.  Turn the potatoes over 1/2 way through, then remove from heat.

2. Make the sauce for the chickpeas, heat olive oil in a pan with onion, cumin seeds, coriander seeds for 8 minutes.  

3. Then add tomato paste, tomatoes, sugar and ground cumin.  Cook for 5 minutes then add salt and pepper

4. Stir in spinach, then chickpeas and cook for another 5 minutes

5. Serve and Enjoy!

Notes:

• I served this dish with Shawarma spiced chicken wraps and a cucumber and poppy seed salad.

Cucumber and poppy seed salad (adapted from Ottolenghi The Cookbook), recipe follows: 

6 small baby cucumbers

2 mild red chilies, thinly sliced

3 Tablespoon coarsely chopped cilantro

4 Tablespoon white wine vinegar

1/2 cup sunflower oil

2 Tablespoon poppy seeds

2 Tablespoon superfine sugar (caster sugar)

sea salt and black pepper

Method:

1. Chop off and discard ends of cucumbers.  Slice cucumber at an angle.

2. Mix together all ingredients in large bowl.  Use hands to massage flavors gently into cucumbers.  

3. Taste and adjust the amount of sugar and salt according to the quality of the cucumbers.  It should be sharp and sweet like a pickle.

4. If you're not serving it immediately, drain some liquid off later and adjust seasoning again.

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.

Heirloom Tomato Salad

Ingredients:

• Heirloom Tomatoes various colors
• Sunflower Sprouts
• local radishes (from Ann Arbor's Farmer's Market)
• Colavita Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• sea salt
• fresh ground black pepper (Teliicherry peppercorns)

Method:

1. Your design =)
2. Enjoy!

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!

Chickpea Edamame Salad

adapted from Cookie and Kate

serves 4 to 6

Ingredients:

• Two cans of Chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 1 cup edamame* soybeans, shelled
• 1 cup roasted red and/or yellow peppers, diced
• 1/4 cup pitted kalamata olives, sliced 
• 1/2 cup grape tomatoes, sliced
• Small bunch of parsley, minced
• Scallions, chopped
• 2 clove garlic, minced
• Juice of 1/2 to 1 lemon 
• Zest of 1/2 lemon (optional)
• extra virgin olive oil
• salt and fresh ground black pepper

Method: 

1. In a large bowl, combine chickpeas, edamame, roasted peppers, kalamata olives, tomatoes, parsley, scallions, garlic, and lemon zest.
2. In a small bowl, whisk olive oil and lemon juice. Add fresh ground black pepper and salt to taste.  Then drizzle over salad and Enjoy!

Edamame Notes:

• We like 365 brand Edamame from Whole Foods Market.  Any brand will be fine. 
• Cooking instructions should be on the package.  If it is not, bring 4 to 6 cups of water to a boil, then add frozen edamame pods and bring to a boil again.  Cook for 4 to 6 minutes, drain and take edamame out of the shell.  
• They also have shelled edamame, that may be easier.  We like the shells because you can serve them by itself with a pinch of sea salt and it is delicious! 

Black Bean Sweet Potato Enchiladas

adapted from Cookie and Kate
serves 6-8

Ingredients (Filling):

• 1 - 15oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
• Juice of 1 lime
• 2 cups sweet potatoes, cubed & baked beforehand
• 1/2 cup chopped roasted green chiles 
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp chipotle powder
• 1/4 tsp cayenne powder
• 2 tsp minced garlic
• 1 Jalapeño, diced
• 1 Fresno pepper, diced
• Sea salt and ground pepper, to taste

Ingredients (other):

• 1 jar of salsa verde - 16oz (Herdez brand is the best)
• 12-14 corn tortillas
• Monterey Jack cheese (shredded or sliced from a block)
• Chopped fresh cilantro
• Avocado, sliced
• Your favorite Salsa!

Method:

1. Preheat Oven to 425 degrees F.  Bake sweet potatoes with a drizzle of olive oil, salt & pepper for 20-30 minutes, or until cooked through. Then remove from oven and set aside.
2. Turn oven down to 350 degrees F.
3. In a baking pan or large pyrex pan, pour enough salsa verde to lightly cover the bottom.
4. In a large bowl, mix together the filling ingredients.
5. Warm your tortillas, one-by-one, in a pan at medium heat - so that they won't break when you bend them.  Add filling to each tortilla, sprinkle with cheese, wrap and place in the baking dish.  Repeat for all the remaining tortillas.
6. When all the tortillas are filled, top with more salsa verde and cheese.  Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until cheese has melted and tortillas look slightly golden.
7. Sprinkle with fresh cilantro, serve with avocado and your favorite salsa! Enjoy!

Pan Roasted Corn with peppers

adapted from Clean Start, Terry Walters

Pan Roasted Corn served with Fried Asparagus and Indian-inspired Chicken 

Ingredients:

• 8 ears of sweet corn
• 1/2 red bell pepper, diced
• 1/2 jalapeno, minced
• 1/2 red onion, diced
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp. lime juice
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• pinch of paprika
• pinch of cayenne
• 2 tbsp. cilantro or parsley, minced
• 1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

Method:

1. To prepare corn: remove husks and silks.
2. In a large pot, cover the corn with water and boil for 5 minutes or until kernels are tender.  Remove from heat and allow corn to cool.
3. Once cooled, slice the kernels from the cob and set aside.
4. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet at medium-high, add garlic and onion.  sauté until onion is translucent. 3-5 minutes.  
5. Add red pepper and jalapeno.  Cook for 3-5 minutes.  Then add corn, paprika, and cayenne.  
6. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in lime juice. Heat for another minute and serve with cilantro or parsley on top.  Enjoy!

Note:

•  This dish is good on it's own, but best with a protein such as ribeye steak, grilled chicken, pan seared fish or scallops, or on fish tacos.