Cali Succotash

- sunny, sunny california food-

somehow over the short span of a 3 day visit to LA to see josh i found myself stumbling around at 8am in the little bare-bones apt the theater has him in trying to figure out what i was going to make for this impromptu bbq the company was putting on for the everyone. hmmm, what's quick, easy and doesn't have mayo in it? oh and because i have a genetic strain of southern in me - how can i use bacon? well, enter succotash. i really just winged this as per what trader joe's had to offer that morning. usually lima beans (also known as butter beans) would be in place of the edamame, but i figured - hey its california don't they eat a lot of soy and you know other healthy stuff that doesn't have a nickname with "butter" in it? yeah ok, toss it in. to give back some of the creamy sweetness that was lost with the exclusion of the lima i threw in a bit of sweet english peas. all in all i liked it and it appeared that i wasn't the only one.

this makes a ton, enough to feed about 10-15 as a side and you can easily half this if needed.

1lb grape tomatoes

2 1/2c corn

1c english peas

2 1/2c edamame (soy beans)

4 slices apple smoked bacon, diced

2 shallots, chopped

handful fresh basil leaves, chopped chiffonade style

*allow corn and peas to defrost (if they are frozen)

*cook edamame according to package, seasoning well

*heat a large pot over medium high

*add chopped bacon, cook long enough to render the fat and allow bits to crisp

*remove with a slotted spoon, leaving the fat and add the shallots

*cook stirring occasionally for 3-4 minutes until translucent

*add tomatoes, cook for 2-3 minutes more or until skins begin to wrinkle / burst

*add corn, peas and edamame and cook about 5 minutes more to allow everything to heat up and come to same temp.

*add reserved bacon, stir to combine

*taste for seasoning then take off heat

*add the chopped basil and stir to combine

*serve warm or chilled.

Pan Seared Scallops w/ Lemon & Thyme

on a recent trip home my older brother and i took my parents out to dinner. this particular place is were we've celebrated just about every special / important occasion. in a city where strip malls abound amongst dive bars that double as places to get superb po-boys (check this review out - my favorite write up ever) this particular place is my comparatively tranquil little family's oasis. really though, i would venture to say its the amazing soufflés - a-mazin' - that began our love affair. i would believe you if you told me these two chefs taught the french. but besides the souffles; everything on the menu is just exemplaire and this visit didn't change that one bit. my mom order the scallops. hmm yes, scallops. how had i gone so long without scallops in my life. it seems i had totally overlooked them. what's wrong with me?!

quickly i gathered up a wild batch and let my stomach day dream about the wonderfulness i was about to embark on. simple, slightly sweet, slightly salty, light but yet filling and did i mention delicious? make sure to start with rinsed & dried scallops, a hot pan, season well and whatever you do - DO NOT over crowd (if you do they will steam and turn into tiny gummy bear textured hockey pucks). i seared some brussel sprouts and asparagus to accompany but you can do as you please.

PAN SEARED SCALLOPS w/ LEMON & THYME

8oz wild bay scallops

1-2 tbs olive oil (enough to coat large pan)

2tsp chopped fresh thyme

fresh squeezed juice from 1/2 lemon

salt

white pepper

*heat oil in pan over medium high heat

*rinse scallops in cold water, pat dry with paper towel

*season with salt and pepper

*add the scallops to the pan, allowing plenty of room between each, do not overcrowd!

*sprinkle half the thyme over the scallops

*cook 2-3 minutes or until the scallops give on their own from the pan (if you have to pull, its not ready)

*you should have a nice brown crust, this is what you need. if needed turn the heat up a tad

*cook the other side 2 minutes or so until they are give and are browned

*remove the scallops to a plate

*turn heat back up and quickly deglazed pan with the lemon juice. make sure to scrape up any brown bits and thyme

*let sauce simmer a few minutes then pour over scallops as you serve.

Spicy Ethiopian Red Lintel Stew

-the tony chacheres of ethiopia-

i love love love ethiopian cooking. when i lived in DC as a vegan and pre-sensitive tummy issue developmented, i would gorge myself weekly on the spicy exotic fare. to be honest, i think the injera (aka the tasty crepe-ish edible plate that is served with in place of all that ridiculous clumsy western silverware) is what got me hooked, and i haven't spoken to one person who shared my love of this cuisine that doesn't claim the same thing. but alas, over the years i've learned the hard way that the loads of garlic (amongst loads of just about everything tasty) that is traditionally used means no more enjoyment for me. but, like pesto, i make it myself sans the edible trouble makers.

ethiopian food relies heavily on spice blends composed of a laundry list of items and this particular recipe is no exception. so the first thing you need to do is make the blend; this one: Berbere, its like the tony chacheres of ethiopia. just a note here: one of my pet peeves is buying spice mixes. don't do this people, take a few minutes, scavenge your spice rack (everyone's is underused anyways) and pull it together! i know this is a long list of seeming exotic stuff, but believe me here, fresh ground spices are light years better than the dusty stuff you get from the grocery - actually i seriously doubt you'll even find this mix at your grocer, unless you live in the Shaw district of DC.

so make the spice a few days ahead to cave yourself a few minutes then all you have to do is sweat some onions, stir a little, simmer some lentils and let the spices do their magic. you will have a little left over spice, use it in anything - with good judgement - sprinkle over some grilled asparagus --delicious.

**oh and as a fun side note: i did in fact attempt to make injera. hahahah, yeah you do not want to know the details of that adventure but i'm still working it and will keep you posted. the good news about it though; its a gluten free item made with just teff, water and a tad of yeast - oh and time and know-how, the ladder i have yet to attain.

BERBERE SPICE

2 tsp cumin

4 whole cloves (or 1/4 tsp ground)

3/4 tsp cardamon seeds

1/2 tsp whole black peppercorns

1/4 tsp allspice

1 tsp fenugreek seeds

1/2 tsp whole coriander seeds

10 small red chile peppers (dried)

1/2tsp ginger

1/4 tsp turmeric

1 tsp salt

2 tbs smoked paprika

1 1/2 tsp sweet paprika

1/8 tsp cinnamon

*quickly toast cumin, clove, cardamon, peppercorns, allspice, fenugreek & coriander in a small pan over medium-low heat. you will know its done when you start to hear the whole seeds "pop"

*let cool slightly and add to spice grinder

*add in remaining ingredients and grind to a fine powder

*use as needed and store the rest in an airtight container

SPICY ETHIOPIAN RED LENTIL STEW

adapted from Cooking LIght May 2010

2tsp oil

2c chopped red onions

1 tbs finely minced fresh ginger

3 tbs tomato paste

1 1/2 tbs Berbere spice (see above)

3c stock (i used veggie)

1c red lentils, rinsed and drained

salt to taste

1/4c chopped dill

*over medium heat heat oil in large dutch oven

*add onions, cook 10-15 minutes until very tender

*add ginger, cook 5 minutes stirring often

*add tomato paste and berbere spice, mix well to combine and cook 1 minute

*slowly whisk in the broth to throughly combine

*increase the heat to medium-high and bring to simmer

*add lentils and simmer partially covered for about 35 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally

*season with salt and stir in the dill.

*serve over whatever grain you wish (i suggest whole grain teff or amaranth to keep it traditional & GF) - or injera if you have the needed skills.

-tasty, vegan and makes me feel less white bread-

Chicken Veggie Soup

-can you handle all this comfort?-

i've made this soup so many times and with so many variations that i hesitate to give a "recipe" for this other than one of those old school "hand-ful of this, dash of that" kinda of instructions. the invariable items here are firstly the stock - don't even thing of substituting with canned, i will disown you (no i won't) - use what i gave you, just trust me. secondly are the root vegetables, use whatever variations you want but always include them. Root veggies have a particular earthy sweetness that pairs perfectly with buttery, warm comfort of the stock. i know the poetic imagery is a little overbearing in that last sentence - sorry. there is a third, not to invariable but highly recommended addition: a parmesan rind. you should all be saving your parm. rinds. pop em in the freezer and save for moments like this. add to soup when you add the stock and remove as you are ladling into bowls / containers. if you've never used your rinds to flavor soup, start today and you will never look back. you can thank me later.

like i said; i've made this uncountable times in the past and every time its a little different depending on what i have in the frig. on that particular sunday afternoon. adding the dark greens and parsnip (as in this version) makes more of "take the fall chill off" dinner. try making with a bundle of large leeks and english peas for a lighter, summer friendly version. or leave the chicken out completely and make with white beans - !

POST 3: CHICKEN VEGGIE SOUP

1 1/2 tbs olive oil

1 large yellow onion, chopped

2-3 celery stalks, chopped

3-4 medium carrots, peeled, chopped

1-2 medium parsnips, peeled, chopped

3-4 stalks fresh thyme

1 bunch kale (about 4c), leaves only roughly chopped

2 qts homemade chicken stock

1 medium parmesan rind

3 - 1"strips lemon peel (use your potato peeler)

1c shredded chicken, reserved from roasted chicken if possible (more if you wish)

*in large dutch oven heat oil over medium high heat

*add onions, cook stirring until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes

*add celery, carrots and parsnips, cook stirring occasionally about 5 more minutes. season with salt and pepper

*add thyme and any other herbs (oregano is nice too), cook stirring until fragrant, about 1 minute

*add the kale and cook just to evenly begin to soften - should only take a minute or two

*add the stock, rind and lemon peel.

*bring to boil, lower heat and simmer uncovered for 20-30 minutes until the carrots and parsnips are cooked.

*add the chicken and simmer another 5-10 minutes

*taste for seasoning. remove the lemon peel and rind before serving / freezing.

Pesto!

- pine nut and basil -

while i've always really liked the idea of pesto - tons of fresh herbs, earthy nuts and always lovely parmigiano reggiano all bound together with good olive oil - its the presence of raw garlic that i can't handle. basically, i'm a vampire. just the mention of garlic and i hiss. i've spent years avoiding anything that included pesto and considering its not used just for pasta anymore, the list is gets pretty long - and kinda bland.

because of this extensive time away from pesto i've learned to

just kinda wipe it from my mental recipe index and that's about it. then about a month ago i was skimming through a foodie magazine and was jolted back into the world of pesto. what was the reason i never made it again? oh right the toxic garlic. well that's the plus of cooking for yourself - you delete as you please. and that is exactly what i have done. not to mention played around with the nut / herb roster. toss with whole wheat penne and you've got yourself a delicious and nutritious meal!

- walnut and parsley -

WALNUT & PARSLEY PESTO

1/4c walnuts

2c parsley

1/4c olive oil

1/2c parm. reggiano (keep it real)

*pulse the nuts in a food processor

*add the parsley with the oil and process to smooth

*add in the parm. and pulse to combine

*chill or freeze any leftovers

PINE NUT & BASIL PESTO

1/4c pine nuts

2c basil

1/4c olive oil

1/2c parm. reggiano

*repeat as above

Rosemary Fig Almond Crackers

the newest indulgence in our apt is crackers. i think we are somewhere around a box of kashi a week. so that's my usual cue to get in the kitchen, be weird and make them homemade - and ultra nutritious. i found this recipe from elanaspantry and got to work. these guys are gluten free and pretty addictive. the only thing i -personally- would change is cut back a tad on the salt, but that's just me being sensitive otherwise they are delish. josh said they "tasted good" and our friend dom seemed to honestly be infatuated with them; sneaking back and forth to the kitchen to snag more.

ROSEMARY FIG ALMOND CRACKERS

1 1/2 c almond flour

1/2 tsp sea salt

1 tsp finely chopped fresh rosemary

3-4 black mission figs, chopped

1 egg

1 tbs olive oil

*preheat oven to 350F, line a baking sheet with parchment

*in a bowl whisk together the almond flour, salt, rosemary and figs

*stir in the egg and oil to well combined and forms a ball

*roll out the dough between two sheets of wax paper to 1/8" thick

*cut into 2" squares

*cook for 10-15 minutes until browned

*let cool completely

Zucchini Herb Phyllo Pie

being the creature of extreme habits that i am i find myself checking the NYtimes "dining & wine" section every single day at lunch and every ungodly early morning on saturday and sunday (i don't sleep much). so there is the mark bitman blog bitten and then there is the semi-new bit in the health section called "recipes for health". ahh yes - the ideal section for your truly. so i was checking it out midweek and found that the healthy recipes for this week focused on greek pies. it struck me, not because the greece and pie aren't really a notorious couple but because these healthy recipes called for the use of phyllo dough.

now i know what puff pastry is and it is anything but healthy. somehow after all that baklava i never pieced it together that those flaky light layers where absolutely not puff pastry. phyllo is in fact "healthy" - quotations because its not like i offers nutrients or fiber or anything like that - it is made with very little oil and mostly just flour and water. because its rolled so thin you use multiple sheets and thus all the light flaky layers. yippee! my new favorite food item. thanks NYtimes health section.

ZUCCHINI HERB PHYLLO PIE

12 sheets phyllo dough

2 1/2 lbs zucchini , washed and grated

salt

2 tbs olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

1c chopped dill

1/2c chopped mint and parsley mixture

1c crumbled feta

3 eggs, beaten

fresh ground pepper

*place the grated zucchini in a large colander, salt generously and let drain for 1 hour. push down it ever now and then to help along the draining

*place the zucchini in a paper towel and squeeze out as much liquid you can, place in a bowl

*preheat oven to 350F

*place 7 sheets of the phyllo in a 10" cake pan, brushing with oil between each sheet and rotate 180 so the overhang is is even.

*saute the oil and onion over medium heat until translucent

*combine the onions and remaining ingredients in the bowl with the zucchini, stir to combine

*pour mixture into the prepared cake pan

*fold the phyllo sheets on top of filling

*place the remaining 4 sheets of phyllo on top, brushing between each sheet and alternating like before

*tuck the edges into the edges of the pan, cut vent holes

*cook for 1 hours until golden

Curried Couscous

so i am huge fan of ina garten. several of her recipes have become staples in our little apartment. mind you every now and again i just can't bring myself to make the full fat versions of her creations, but again they are always on the mark. so when i found out there was a barefoot blogger's community out there - i signed up immediately. so bi-weekly i will be turning my kitchen into semi-ode to my cook crush mrs. garten.

first up is the curried couscous. typically i don't like curry but knowing there are some many beneficial spices in curry i've been tell myself to just try it until i like it. great logic right - i think that may be the definition of insanity. anyways the original recipe called for chopped red onions and scallions. i don't do very well with raw onions, not to mention i didn't have any in the frig so i omited them. also i used raisins because my mom had sent me a few tons of them a while back, but you should use currants or cranberries if you have them. and my customizations aren't over (told you i just can't leave something alone); i al

ways, always always use whole wheat couscous. there is no reason to use anything else, no one can convince me otherwise. annnnd i used fat free yogurt... ok you know what if you want the real ina garten recipe check it out here. if you want to be insane like me see my adaptation below. as usual though th

e finished product was delish and i will make it again.

so with all that said below is my altered version of ina's curried couscous. i quickly baked a fillet of salmon and it was a perfect meal!

CURRIED COUSCOUS

1 1/2c whole wheat couscous

1 1/2c boiling water

1 tbs butter

1/4c fat free plain yogurt

1/4c olive oil

1 tsp apple cider vinegar

1 tsp curry powder

1/4 tsp turmeric

1 1/2 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp black pepper

1/2 c grated carrot

1/2c raisins

1/2c parsley, finely chopped

1/4c chopped raw almonds

*melt butter in boiling water

*pour in couscous, stir to combine and cover tightly, let sit for 5 minutes then fluff with a fork

*in a separate bowl whisk together the yogurt, oil, vinegar, turmeric, curry, salt and pepper

*stir yogurt mixture into the couscous

*stir in carrots, parsley, raisins and almonds