Baked Autumn Cassoulet

Voila! Autumn Cassoulet!

A cassoulet is a typical French stew traditionally made with sausage, flageolet beans, and bouquet garni. It is delicious, hearty and warming, but not always accessible. Flageolet beans can be hard to find and some people don't go for greasy sausage or sausage at all. I have a favorite vegan version of a cassoulet where I have replaced the butter with olive oil added veggies, and tried to duplicate the sausage's essence without actually adding sausage (or sometimes worse,  vegetarian soy sausage). As with most vegetarian versions of things, I usually try to modify seasoning and texture of a dish to come close to it's meaty counterpart without adding the processed stuff. I'm not ripping up all veggie meats. Some are healthy and tasty and definitely have their time and place. For something with so many great ingredients, though, there really is no reason to use it here.

In garden season, I like to take these really simple ingredients and stew them together slowly all afternoon. Then I pop them in the oven about 30 minutes before dinner and have a great French (inspired) meal. Since it is no longer the season for these veggies to be at their peak, but the winter squashes are pouring in all over, I thought I would incorporate a diced butternut squash into the mix and modify the seasonings a teeny tiny bit to give my autumn cassoulet a hint of spice to showcase the squash. If you think you will miss having sausage in it, add some chicken and apple sausage with chardonnay or some such thing. . .I have used the one just mentioned, but can't remember the brand. Aidell's? Al Fresco? Find a sweet and sage-y autumnal variety, brown it, slice it, and pop it in to stew.

Cook it all slowly till the flavors come together.

Autumn Cassoulet

1/4 c extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup diced shallots
1 cup sliced celery with tops
1 t finely minced garlic
1 cup diced green pepper
1 small butternut squash, peeled and diced (about 2 1/2 cups)
2 bay leaves
1/2 t dried sage
1/2 t dried thyme
1/2 t dried rosemary
1/4 t ground nutmeg
1/4 t smoked paprika
1/4-1/2 t sea salt
2 cups diced tomatoes
1 can crushed tomatoes
3 cups cooked flageolet beans or navy beans (or approx 2 cans, rinsed)


Warm oil in a cassoulet pan (or medium pot). Add shallots, celery, garlic, pepper, and squash. Cook over medium until everything begins to get fragrant. If you are using sausage, slice it up and throw it in now and let it brown before you continue.

Add herbs, spices (omit smoked paprika if using sausage),  sea salt, and pepper. Cook 3-4 minutes, then add fresh and canned tomatoes. Stir to incorporate everything and add drained beans. Stir again and bring the heat up to a rapid simmer/almost a boil to get it hot, then lower to medium-low and set it on the back burner for an hour or so. If you would like to let it go longer, check it for liquid and add a little water or stock (you should maybe do this anyway so it doesn't dry out. Preheat the oven to 350F.

Taste for seasoning after you are happy with it and pop it in the oven for 20-30 minutes. This part is optional, but I think it really adds something to the finished product.

Serve as an entree with crusty baguette or as a veggie side.**

**a great potluck dish!
**freezes well

Mediterranean Bruschetta with Fava Bean Puree

If you are lucky enough to have a market that carries fresh fava beans in season, then be sure to pick some up when you see them. They are typically found fresh in June in the northeast, but are now available in cans and jars. There are even cooked favas in water in a vacuum seal pack at Whole Foods in the produce section so, while fresh is best, your fava season can be extended if you love them as much as I do. Fava beans have an earthy, green flavor that hold their own as an hors d'eouvre or are often seen sauteed and as an accompaniment to fish or chicken. They are fresh, bright green, and addictive.

Drain and rinse.

I bought a huge batch this spring and shelled, peeled (the tender, beany outer skins), blanched, and froze a bunch to extend my fava season. Unlike canned, jarred, or dried, they kept their perky green color and taste so fresh I thought they should be showcased on a baguette. Served with zucchini pancakes and roasted tomato sauce, this is a fantastic late-summer vegetarian/flexitarian meal or it's perfect as an appetizer.

Mediterranean Bruschetta with Fava Bean Puree

3-5 large cloves garlic, unpeeled

Cool roasted garlic before peeling.

extra-virgin olive oil (about 1/4 cup total)
1 1/2 cups cooked fava beans

Artichoke, Asparagus, and Butter Bean Salad

Spring has sprung, the veggies are looking decent, and my sick computer is well again.  Don't think for a second I haven't been cooking.  I have been stir-frying, roasting, broiling, and grilling throughout my entire blog absence.  To celebrate the season that seems to finally be here, this is a simple entree salad or side dish that takes only a few quick minutes to make and it is excellent.

 Artichoke, Asparagus, and Butter Bean Salad

1 package (or can, drained) artichoke hearts, sliced in half
1 shallot, sliced
1 can butter beans, drained
2 T extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 t white wine vinegar
1/4 t sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 bunches asparagus, washed and cut into 2-3" segments
1/4 c sliced almonds, lightly toasted
juice of 1/2 lemon 


Preheat oven to broil.

Prep ingredients, tossing artichokes, shallot, beans, olive oil, vinegar, sea salt, and black pepper. Line a broiler pan or baking sheet with foil and distribute seasoned vegetable mixture evenly on the foil in a single layer on half of the sheet. Toss asparagus in the bowl with remaining marinade and distribute them evenly on the other side of the baking sheet.

Broil 7-15 minutes, depending on the strength of your broiler. Check it after 7 minutes.  It is done when the veggies are browning at the edges and the beans are beginning to split.  The asparagus may cook fast and need to be pulled out sooner than the other veggies.

Let cool for few minutes and finish with lemon juice. Top with toasted almonds.

Tuscan Ribollita

Simplify, simplify, simplify.  Things are kooky, nutty, and chaotic here with me having one of my busiest seasons yet and my husband, Will, in his first semester of grad school.  Working around the clock with end-of-semester projects at one end of our railroad apartment.  At the other end, mounds of shopping bags, lists, cookbooks, recipes jotted on scratch paper, food labels, filthy food-splashed clogs, and somewhere that tube of hand cream that I can never quite locate.

The crack of dawn at Union Square

The place as a whole is surprisingly not trashed since we have been steadily trying to tidy up as we go to prevent a complete lifestyle meltdown.  No strolling around 'marketing' for our veggies right now.  We have been almost exclusively Fresh Direct (online grocery delivery, for the non-New Yorkers who don't know what that is).  I feel lucky on days where I have one normal meal, hit the gym at some point, and sleep at least 6 hours.  Wellness Fizz and green juice are a part of my agenda when I remember.  .  .That's where I am.  It's sad to not have time to reflect on the new experimental dishes and old favorites that I pretty much live with as my main focus every day.  The produce in season has long since changed since I had a moment to walk around at the greenmarket, photograph pretty veggies, and create a recipe to go with them. 

Brooding root vegetables, beautiful like Gothic architecture.

This past week, I was fortunate enough to have a cook-at-home day.  The client just wanted a homemade soup delivery and was craving a hearty Tuscan something with lots of seasonal veggies, plus one other of my choice.  With zeal and zest, I trotted down to our neighborhood's health food store at 8am on the dot.  I wanted to get this work day over with so I could catch up on other things.  I found big waxy looking bunches of lacinato kale, beautiful green cabbage with streaks of purple in the curly outer leaves, decent Roma tomatoes, local fennel bulbs, and a nice organic fresh herb mix.  Yes! Tuscan soup in the making!

I also gathered my ingredients for Black Bean Soup (this is my go-to black bean soup since I tried this recipe from my friends at Grapes and Greens, FYI.) and headed home to get this soup party cooking, finished, and delivered.  Time's a wastin'.  As I chopped and prepped, I kept reminding myself to simplify.  Just focus on the soup and I can make our dinner, mop the floor, plan client menus, and sort laundry later.  Just because I can multi-task doesn't mean I always have to multi-task--a continually difficult concept for a chef, a New Yorker, or a high-energy person to accept and live with. 

As I sliced the fennel and munched on scraps, shredded cabbage and started simmering these pungent and earthy veggies, I simplified.  Focusing on each step, I stood over the pot while the fennel became translucent. This Tuscan soup gave me some much-needed respite from the frantic pace I'm used to.  It reminded and amused me that this fragrant traditional soup from Italy caused those around it to take on an easy Italian pace, each step producing new colors, textures, and fragrances to appreciate.   I highly recommend making some of this Tuscan Ribollita and slowing down the pace rather than rush out to the holiday crowds.  It is so good and packed with dark leafy veggies.  It might even ward off a cold if you are starting to run down.
I'm off to have another bowl right now.

Ribollita in the works!

Tuscan Ribollita

Extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 large celery stalks, diced
1 medium carrot, sliced
1 large unpeeled Yukon Gold potato, scrubbed and cubed
1 small fennel bulb, trimmed and sliced crosswise
1 large pinch of dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried sage
1 bunch of lacinato kale (aka dinosaur kale), cut
     into 1” ribbons
4 cups thinly sliced savoy cabbage
5 large plum tomatoes, chopped
1 2-inch Parmesan cheese rind
2 cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
Pinch of crushed red pepper
2-4 cups vegetable broth

(opt.) serve with crusty ciabatta bread

Heat 3 tablespoons oil in large pot over medium heat.  Add onion; sprinkle with sea salt.  Cook until onion is translucent, stirring often, about 5 minutes. 

Add celery, carrot, potato, fennel, thyme, and sage; cook until vegetables are tender and bring t turn brown in spots, stirring often, 15-18 minutes. 

Add kale, chard, cabbage, tomatoes, cheese rind, 5 cups water and 1 teaspoon sea salt.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until vegetables are very tender, about 1 ½ hours.

Kale and White Bean Saute

Dark, leafy greens are in at the farmer's market!  What to do with them?  A simple steam or saute preserves their nutrients while making a healthy and tasty side dish.  Or you could add in some onions, peppers, apple cider vinegar, and honey and make them spectacular!  Here is one of my favorite kale recipes.

 Kale and White Bean Saute

2 T extra-virgin olive oil

1 vidalia onion, sliced

1 red or yellow bell pepper, seeded and sliced into strips

1 large bunch curly kale (green or purple)

1 can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

1/4 cup unfiltered apple cider vinegar (like Braggs)

2 T honey

1/2 t sea salt

lots of freshly ground black pepper

dash of crushed red pepper

In a large saute pan with a lid or a large Dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat.  Add onions and peppers and cook them, uncovered, about 20 minutes, until they are soft, sweet, and beginning to brown.  

While that cooks, wash and roughly chop the kale.  Remove the stem if it is very thick.  When onions and peppers are ready, add as much kale to the pot as will fit.  Cover and reduce heat to low/medium-low.

Cook for about 10 minutes.  When kale has wilted and there is room in the pot for you to stir it, combine kale with onions and peppers if you haven't already, then add remaining kale and the beans.  Stir gently, cover, and cook about 5 more minutes.

When that has wilted, turn the heat up to high or medium-high and add vinegar, honey, salt, and pepper.  Add a little crushed red pepper if you're into spice.

Cook on high, uncovered,  to evaporate most of the excess liquid and serve right away!  This works great with other dark leafy greens, too.  It's great with collards, chard, mustard greens, or a combination! 

Vegetarian Cassoulet

Here is a great one-dish meal for a chilly week. A cassoulet is a French casserole, traditionally made with sausage, beans, herbs, and vegetables. This one has similar seasonings and gets it's depth from smoked paprika. It is hearty, filling, and healthy and goes great with a warm baguette. Flageolet beans are the classic cassoulet bean. They can be found at Citarella or other specialty food store. Navy beans are a decent substitute. You can also use canned beans, if you like. I have never seen canned flageolets, but it's always possible. If you use dried, soak the beans in the morning, so they are ready to go when you begin the recipe.

Vegetarian Cassoulet

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 cup diced shallots
¾ cup chopped celery
1 t minced garlic
1 cup diced green pepper
2 cups diced tomatoes
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 bouquet garni
Dash of smoked paprika or smoked sea salt
Sea salt and white pepper
3 cups dry flageolet beans, or navy beans
1 cup water or vegetable broth

Soak dry beans for 6-10 hours and drain. Fill a pot with fresh water. Add soaked beans, 2 Tbsp sea salt, and a bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then lower to medium. Cook until beans are tender, about an hour. Drain when done; set aside.

Heat oil in a medium pot, Dutch oven, or cassoulet. Cook shallots for 4-5 minutes on low. Add celery, garlic, green pepper, tomatoes, and spices. Bring to almost a boil, then lower heat. Cook for 30 minutes.

Add cooked beans and about a cup of broth or water.

Simmer one hour on low until liquid thickens (uncovered). Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Bake for 30 minutes in large ramequins or cassoulet dish to serve. This is great to make ahead. Just do the last step when you’re ready to eat.

Simple Lentil Dal with Whole Cinnamon, Cardamom, and Cloves

Today I want to feature my new favorite cookbook author. Suvir Saran is the chef of Michelin starred restaurant Devi and author of Indian Home Cooking and American Masala. Both cookbooks make using exotic spices and preparing Indian food straightforward and absolutely perfect every time and are a great learning experience for the novice home cook-- even for those who feel intimidated by exotic recipes

Indian Home Cooking is filled with authentic recipes that one may find in the kitchen of an Indian grandmother. Truly, everything I have tried out of this book has put the cuisine of most Indian restaurants to shame. I don't know whether his techniques are his own or a regional Indian style, but I was surprised at how little oil he uses. He doesn't use much ghee at all. In most recipes, there is just a few tablespoons of canola oil. His recipes' flavors come from the frying of the spices and layering them with skill, not by dolloping extra ghee into the pot. The result is fragrant, rich, and contains "the aromas of the ages", as stated by one of my clients. He takes the mystery of out the layered spices and fragrances of this richly woven cuisine and makes the flavors accessible to all.

American Masala is an equally fantastic book that offers recipes of Indian food altered for the American palette, American-inspired Indian food, and Indian-inspired American food (if you can believe that!). A few examples from this book are Spicy-Sweet Chicken Wings that use honey and garam masala, Tamarind-glazed Meatloaf, and Stir fried Carrot Salad which has cilantro, lime, coriander, and cumin.

An important thing to note for both cookbooks is the importance of "gathering your mise". The recipes are simple and easy to follow, but you MUST have your ingredients ready/measured/chopped/pureed. I like to take a few prep bowls and prep each grouping of ingredients together before I start cooking anything, so when the recipe says to quickly add seven ingredients (or something like that), they are ready to go. This prevents most mishaps such as burning your spices and makes the preparation virtually fool-proof.

Check your supermarket for the spices and even for things like tamarind paste and mango powder(although for some things he suggests easier to find substitutions, if needed). It's really not that hard to find this stuff. There are some great spice stores online, too. If you live in NYC, head to little India in Jackson Heights, Queens (E, V, R to Roosevelt Ave.). Patel Bros. is amazing. In Manhattan, there is Spice Corner and Kaluystans.

I will keep cooking my way through these books and when I'm done, I will most likely start over and do it again. This food is just that good. Well, here is a teaser recipe. Get ready. Before long, you, too, will be totally immersed in this guy's food.

Simple Lentil Dal with Whole Cinnamon, Cardamom, and Cloves
from Indian Home Cooking, by Suvir Saran

1 1/2 Tablespoons canola oil
1 1-inch piece cinnamon stick
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
3 whole cloves
4 green cardamom pods
1 cup pink lentils, picked over, washed and drained
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
4 cups cold water
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

Tempering Oil
1 Tablespoon canola oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, mashed to a paste
1 Tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 fresh hot green chile, minced

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Juice of 1/2 lemon or lime


Heat the oil with the cinnamon stick in a large saucepan or kadai over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring, until the cinnamon unfurls, 1 to 2 minutes.

Add the cumin, cloves, and cardamom and cook, stirring, until the cumin turns a golden brown color, about 1 more minute. Add the lentils, turmeric, water, and salt. Bring to a boil and skim well, Turn down the heat and simmer, covered, until the lentils are soft, 20 to 30 minutes. Add more water during cooking, if necessary. Taste for salt and add more if you need to.

Ladle about 1/2 cup of the lentils into a small bowl and mash them with a spoon. Return the mashed lentils to the pot and give the dal a stir. Continue cooking at a simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes to thicken. If you like a thicker dal, use a whisk to break up the lentils into a puree. If you like a thinner dal, add water. Remove the cinnamon stick.

For the tempering oil, heat the oil in a small saucepan or kadai over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until it just begins to brown around the edges, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic paste, ginger, and minced chile and cook just to mellow the raw taste of the garlic, 10 to 15 seconds.

Stir half of the tempering oil into the dal along with half of the cilantro and all of the lemon or lime juice. Simmer very gently for 5 minutes Transfer the dal to a serving bowl, pour the remaining tempering oil over the top, and sprinkle with the remaining cilantro. Serve hot.

Sun-dried Tomato Hummus with Whole Wheat Pita Chips

It's a good day for hibernating, watching movies, and munching. Here is one of my favorite homemade snacks for a rainy, chilly weekend.

The chips are super easy and taste so much better than the store-bought kind. The hummus is versatile and can be made spicy with a little cayenne or hot sauce or freshened up by adding in fresh grape tomatoes and red onions, then topping with finely chopped cucumber or fresh herbs.

Whole Wheat Pita Chips

4 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
juice of 1 lemon
1 1/2 tsp sea salt
1 clove minced garlic
1 package pocket-style, whole wheat pita bread
paprika

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and garlic. Set aside.

Cut a pita in half. Then cut each half into 3 triangles of approximately the same size. Peel each triangle apart into 2 thin pieces. Continue to do this with all eight pitas. When you have prepped all of your chips, transfer them to the mixing bowl with olive oil mixture. Using clean hands, toss gently together so the pitas are all coated fairly evenly.

Line up in a single layer on a baking sheet or two. Sprinkle paprika lightly over so each piece has a little color. Bake, uncovered, for 25 minutes. Toss chips from the corners into the center and from the center to the outside edges so they are all toasting evenly. Toast about 25 minutes more. Watch them closely. Depending on your oven, the weather, and the freshness of your pita, they may be done quickly or may need fifteen more minutes.

When chips are mostly dry, but not dark brown, turn oven off and leave chips in. Let oven cool with oven door closed and chips in for about an hour. Serve right away with hummus or let cool completely and store in an airtight container for up to two weeks.

While they are toasting, make some hummus!

Sun-dried Tomato Hummus

1 can chickpeas, drained
2-3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice (or more, as needed)
1 T minced garlic
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 cup tahini
1 tsp sea salt
extra-virgin olive oil
1 10-12 oz jar marinated sun-dried tomatoes
sweet paprika


Combine chickpeas, lemon juice garlic, cumin, and tahini in a food processor. Puree until very smooth, adding 2 or 3 tablespoons of olive oil as you blend.

When mixture is very smooth, add sun-dried tomatoes with their marinade. Pulse until they are almost blended, but there are still a few small pieces distributed throughout.

Taste and season with salt, lemon, and olive oil, as needed. With a spatula, scrape out into a serving bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and garnish with a healthy dash of paprika. Serve with pita chips and raw veggies.

Casbah Couscous Salad

Okay, who has overdone it with cookies and candy and junk food? I have. Sugar doesn't even sound good to me right now... Here is a great recipe for a light lunch, snack, or side dish. It's tart lemon-y dressing really tastes good after all the sweets and rich foods.

Casbah Couscous Salad

1 cup cooked whole wheat couscous
1 cup diced tomatoes
1 cup diced cucumber
1/2 cup chopped scallions
3/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
3 cloves minced garlic
1 tsp sea salt

Combine in a bowl and serve cold or room temperature with warm whole wheat pita.

Linda McCartney's Bean Burgers

Here is one of my favorite vegetarian recipes. Yes, Linda used eggs in her veggie burgers. I find egg-replacer or a healthy sprinkle of arrowroot holds them together well if you are avoiding eggs for one reason or another. These are so good and seasoned just right! Enjoy!

Linda McCartney’s Bean Burgers

Makes 8-10


4 T olive oil
2 onions, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 t cumin
1 c cooked cannellini beans
½ c cooked lentils
½ c cooked small red beans
½ c grated carrot
½ c grated zucchini
½ c grated beet
4 T chopped parsley
2-2 ½ c fresh bread crumbs
2 eggs
½ t chili powder
Salt and pepper

Saute onion and garlic in oil until soft. Add cumin.

Remove from heat. Stir in beans and grated veggies and mash together.

Add remaining ingredients and mix well.

Shape into patties. Chill if mixture is too gooey. Pan-fry in olive oil.


*These freeze well so make a double batch!

Chili, Chili, Chili

I have never in all of my life made the same pot of chili twice. I love Tex-Mex seasonings, ingredients, and flavors so much that there is no possible way that I could dislike a well-made pot of chili. Whenever I am in the mood for some, I dig through the pantry and usually find a theme to base that pot of chili on. Whether I find a can of chipotles in adobo sauce, powdered ancho chiles, black beans, or tomatillos, I usually get inspired and base all the other ingredients around it.

Chilis almost always have a few base ingredients in common. They start with onions, garlic, and peppers (sometimes bell peppers, sometimes poblano or spicy chiles). From there they could have ground meat, shredded pork, fish, beans of many varieties, tofu, veggies, or almost any other savory morsel you can come up with. If it's seasoned right, it will probably turned out tasting good.

Often chilis are red and tomato based. I love these, but also appreciate green chilis which are tomatillo-based and white chilis which have neither and are typically white bean-based and simmered with chicken, hot chiles, and other various pale ingredients.

I like to use a good amount of garlic in my chili. The flavor marries with the other seasonings, mellows, and really rounds out the aroma. Chopped fresh or garlic powder are both good and lend different notes to the pot.

Other herbs and spices that I love to use in various combinations are:

Ground Cumin
Sweet Paprika
Smoked Paprika
Good old Fashioned Chili Powder
Cayenne Pepper
Dried Chipotle or Ancho Chile Powder
Cocoa Powder
Dried Thyme or Oregano (sounds weird but a GREAT chili seasoning along with cumin--see Pork Chili Verde recipe below)
Dried and/or Fresh Cilantro
Smoked Sea Salt
Lime juice/Lime zest

**By the way, "chile" is a type of pepper and "chili" is the stuff you eat with a spoon.**


Here are two recipes that I often use as base ideas for the chilis I invent. They are both excellent as written, but when you add your own twists, the chili recipe will be all yours. After all, who doesn't love homemade chili with a secret ingredient?

Three-Bean Chili

This one is a classic tomato-based chili with traditional red chili seasonings and kept vegetarian. If you are looking for a meaty red chili, use this as a starting point and brown beef and/or chicken and add them when you add the beans.

¼ c extra-virgin olive oil
2 medium onions, diced
2 large green peppers, seeded and diced
3 lbs chopped roma tomatoes
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeno, minced (remove seeds for less spicy)

3 T sweet paprika
3 T chili powder
2 t ground cumin
Cayenne to taste
Sea salt
Black pepper
1 t smoked paprika (optional)

1 15.5 oz can black beans, rinsed
1 15.5 oz can kidney beans, rinsed
1 15.5 oz can pinto beans, rinsed
1 28 oz can diced tomatoes (regular or fire-roasted)

Optional, but yummy topping:
Grated cheddar cheese
Shredded lettuce


Heat oil in a large pot. Cook onions, peppers, tomatoes, garlic, and jalapeno over medium heat for about 10 minutes.

Season with spices, salt, and pepper. Stir and cook 3-4 more minutes.

Add beans and canned tomatoes.

Cook for at least an hour and up to 3 hours over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, tasting, and adjusting seasonings as you go. Serve with shredded lettuce and grated cheddar on top!

Pork Chili Verde
This one takes all day to cook, but is so worth it! The prep is basic, then it goes into a low oven for 5-6 hours.

Also, chicken or a white bean and potato combo works really well if you are looking for something a little healthier than the authentic pork version. Keep the seasonings the same and reduce the cooking time to 3 hours.

4 T chopped garlic
2 t ground cumin
2 t sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
6 springs of fresh thyme
3-4 cups diced onion

3-4 lb pork butt or shoulder (with bone)
Extra virgin olive oil

3 green peppers, diced and seeded
8 cups tomatillos, removed from papers, washed,roughly chopped (canned is okay, use the juice!)
a large handful/about 1/2 bunch cilantro, washed and roughly chopped
2-4 jalapenos, washed and minced

2 jars Recaito (Goya makes one in jars or tubs in the freezer section)*
1 cup dry white wine
2 t ground cumin
about 4 cups water or chicken broth


Preheat oven to 250 degrees.

Combine garlic, cumin, salt, and pepper. Rub pork with seasoning, using all of it. Press thyme sprigs into sides of meat. It's okay if they don't stick well. They just need to get into the pan and brown with the meat.

Heat oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add pork, thyme, and diced onions. Brown all sides of the pork, about 7 minutes per side. Stir onions around occasionally if they are browning fast.

Transfer meat, onions, and thyme to a deep roasting pan when meat is nicely browned.

Evenly distribute prepped green peppers, tomatillos, cilantro, and jalapenos over and around meat. Add recaito, wine, cumin, and water or broth. You want the liquid the mostly cover the veggies and go up about 2/3 of the meat so depending on your roasting pan, you may need more or less liquid.

Roast in the oven, covered, for about 2 hours. Uncover and roast 2-3 hours more or until meat is very tender. You may want to occasionally check in with the veggies and give them a stir. You can also flip the meat halfway through if you so desire. If it gets very dry and things are charring a lot, you can add more water or broth.

When it's done, remove the meat from the veggies and liquid carefully and place in a large bowl or on a large cutting board. Let cool for 30-60 minutes.

Remove thyme stems or other unwanted stuff from the mix and discard. Shred meat with a fork and/or clean hands and transfer back in to the pan. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Serve warm with fresh tortillas.

*If you cannot find recaito, substitute a mild or medium green salsa/salsa verde.

OR

If you're feeling surly, here is an authentic recaito recipe I just copied and pasted from recipezaar.com. The extras can be frozen and used to make enchilada sauce or other Mexican concoctions!

RECAITO

• 1 medium Spanish onion, cut into big chunks
• 8 garlic cloves, peeled
• 6 ajies dulces, hot peppers, cored, seeded, and cut into chunks or 1 cubanelle pepper, cored, seeded, and cut into chunks
• 4 leaves culantro (if you can't find culantro, increase the amount of cilantro by half)
• 1 cup packed fresh cilantro, stems and all, coarsely chopped

Directions

1. 1

   Place the onion and garlic in the work bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade.

2. 2

   With the motor running, add the remaining ingredients, one at a time and process, until the mixture is smooth.

3. 3

   Set aside the amount you need for the recipe you're preparing.

4. 4

   Pack the remaining recaito in ½-cup portions in sealable plastic bags and store in freezer.

So Long, Summer. See Ya Next Year!

Today is the first day back to school in the five boroughs. It's not cold yet, but like every year, the week after Labor Day has that little bit of crispness to the air that just wasn't there the previous week. I was reminded this morning that my feet get cold when I just get out of bed (three seasons of the year, that is). Summer is over, folks. It's always a bittersweet realization. I LOVE summer for summer, plain and simple. It's officially my favorite season. . .but it's gone till 2010. Unofficially, I love fall, too, though, for it's food, sweaters, hot drinks outside, pumpkin carving, the smell in the air, and the feeling of simply getting back to the tasks at hand after a three-month abandonment.

The farmer's market at the height of summer seems like it would be the best, but let us not forget the fall market with the shiny, waxy-skinned winter squashes in every shade of yellow, orange, red, and green, bunches of brown and gold maize wrapped together, potted mums, and bundles of wheat.

The markets in NYC aren't quite there yet, but the rainbow of veggies from the height of summer is winding down. Here is a late summer recipe that is great for chilly evenings and is best when the fresh veggies in the markets are still looking good.

It is an adaptation of one that my friend, Sarah, composed on a coffee table circa 1996 with a can opener, a spoon, and a pot. It has been evolving over the years and changed a little, but it's the same in spirit. The creamy pesto is the bee's knee's! Just wait till you try it!

MINESTRONE with creamy pesto

1/4 c extra-virgin olive oil
2 T butter, (optional but good)
1 1/2 c onion, diced small
1 cup sliced crimini mushrooms
1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and chopped into roughly 1"x.25" strips
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped into roughly 1"x.25"strips
1 c celery slices
1 c thin carrot slices
1 c potatoes, diced into roughly 1/2" cubes
1 c zucchini, cut into half-moons
2 T minced garlic
2 T dried oregano
1 T dried basil
1 T sea salt
lots of freshly ground black pepper
2 c chopped Roma tomatoes
6-8 cups vegetable broth or water (or some of each)
about 2 oz/1/2 can tomato paste (freeze the other half)
1 15 oz can diced tomatoes (plain or with Italian herbs, whichever you prefer)
1 15 oz can kidney beans
2 cups dried pasta (fusilli and wagon wheels are my favorites)
1 1/2 c broccoli, cut into small-ish florets
1 1/2 c cauliflower, cut into small-ish florets
2 c green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-1 1/2" pieces
3 T minced fresh oregano
fresh basil for garnish

1 recipe Creamy Pesto (below)

Heat olive oil in a soup pot.

Cook onion, mushrooms, peppers, celery, carrots, pototoes, zucchini, and garlic, about 12-15 minutes, or until veggies begin to soften and brown just a tiny bit. Season with dried oregano, dried basil, sea salt, and black pepper. Add chopped tomatoes and cook about 5 more minutes.

Add broth and simmer until warm. Ladle a cup or so of hot broth into a bowl. Add tomato paste and mix together until paste is dissolved. Add back to soup along with the can of tomatoes (with juice). Simmer about 15 minutes until vegetables are nice and tender.

Open and drain a can of kidney beans. Rinse with water in a colander and add to the soup.

If you are making this ahead of time, to be served later. Let cool and chill at this point and finish the soup when you reheat. If you are preparing it to eat right away, continue.

With soup simmering, add pasta, broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, and fresh oregano.

Cook until veggies are tender-crisp and pasta is al dente.

Ladle into serving bowls.
Top each bowl with creamy pesto and a handful of basil.


CREAMY PESTO

1/2 cup pine nuts
about 3 cups fresh basil leaves, washed
3 t chopped garlic
about 1/3 c grated parmigiano reggiano or pecorino romano cheese
3 T extra-virgin olive oil
sea salt
black pepper
2 T freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/3 cup cream cheese

Heat oven to 325 degrees. Toast pinenuts, uncovered for 7-9 minutes, until just toasted--watch closely!

In a food processor, blend basil, garlic, grated cheese, pine nuts, oil, salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Blend, scrape down sides, and blend again until uniform. Add cream cheese. Continue blending until uniform. Taste for salt, pepper, and lemon.

Austin Baked Beans

Want to show up at the picnic or barbeque with baked beans that have been taken to a whole new level? These have some Texas-style twists in the seasoning and are truly outstanding. They are sure to impress the whole crowd.


To honor the great Sheila Lukins who passed away this week, this is an adaptation of one of her recipes. Sheila was an influential chef and food writer who co-wrote The Silver Palate series of cookbooks and authored three of her own, including U.S.A. Cookbook, which is where this particular recipe has been adapted from.

Her recipe for "Austin Baked Beans" is delectable, but to accommodate the health conscious and lighten up the dish without sacrificing flavor, I have modified it by omitting the bacon, pork, and ham from the original recipe. To replace the savory, smoky, salty sweet effect that they offer, I have added some seasoning changes.

Be sure to allow plenty of time to make this recipe. I like doing it a day ahead, so I can be sure the beans will get plenty of cooking time. If you are in a rush, you can buy canned beans, but you still must allow 2-3 hours to bake them in the sauce. It's worth it , I promise. These are iNsAneLy good!

Austin Baked Beans

1 lb dried navy beans (or 4 cans?)
3 T butter
1 large onion, diced
1 large green bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 large red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1-28oz can diced tomatoes, drained with tomatoes in a bowl and reserved juices in another
2 T minced garlic
1 jalapeno, minced (I leave the seeds in so it's spicier. You can de-seed the pepper to keep it mild)

1 cup natural ketchup
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup dark molasses
1 T worcestershire (use a vegetarian one like Annie's if you are feeding a veg crowd)
2 t dry mustard
1 t thyme
1 T smoked chile powder (smoked paprika, chipotle powder, or whatever somewhat mild smoky seasoning you have)
2 T smoked sea salt (if you have some--if not you can compensate with smoked chile powder)

2 Granny Smith apples, cored and diced small
sea salt to taste



Pour beans into a bowl and fill with water. Sort through, discarding any pebbles or debris, and place beans in a large pot. Fill with water and soak overnight or 6-8 hours. You can do the "quick soak method" written on the package, if you need to. If you have decided to use canned beans, drain and rinse and skip ahead to the next step.

After beans have soaked, drain and fill pot with water again. Boil 45 minutes, or until beans are tender. Skim off any foam as they boil and discard it. Drain and set aside.



Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Melt butter in a large pot and cook onion and peppers about 10 minutes, until browned a little bit. Add tomatoes (not reserved juice), garlic, and jalapeno and cook 5 more minutes. Add drained beans to the mixture.

Add all remaining ingredients except for apples, reserved tomato juice, and plain sea salt. Stir to combine, bring to a simmer, and taste for sweetness and smokiness. Adjust seasonings according to your own tastes. I like the sweetness and smokiness to be dominant at this point. The seasonings will blend and mellow as it cooks and you can adjust the salt at the end.

Transfer to a large casserole dish, cover, and bake in the oven for 2 hours. After this, you can move on to the next step, but not finish baking the last hour if you are taking it to a potluck. The last hour of cooking can be done as you reheat.

Remove from oven and stir in the apples and reserved tomato juice. Taste for salt and spice; adjust. Uncover and bake for 1 more hour.

If you are planning to bring these to a barbeque, transfer the beans to a grill-safe dish (such as cast iron or disposable aluminum). If there is ample grill space, heat and finish with the last hour of baking on the grill. It will really send the flavor over the top! Enjoy your last summer barbeque of 2009! Beanlicious!

Summer is almost over so I will be publishing my favorite recipes of the season. Soon I will be moving on to squash, apples, and sage, so let's enjoy the hot weather Caribbean flavors while we can! Here is an old favorite that I return to year after year when the weather heats up and it's too hot to eat anything heavy.

Enjoy these Barbados Black Bean Cakes as an appetizer, hors d'oeuvre, 1st course, or light entree. They are healthy, hearty, and a little bit exotic.

Barbados Black Bean Cakes with Mango Salsa

adapted from The Vegetarian Times Cookbook

This is one of my favorite recipes. It is delicious and filling and can be elegant or casual, depending on presentation. If you want to make it vegan, replace the egg with "egg replacer" or arrowroot. Don't simply omit it or they will fall apart in the frying pan.

MANGO SALSA:
2 c peeled, diced mango
1/2 c diced red pepper
1/4 c finely diced red onion
1 serrano pepper, seeded and minced
2 T coarsely chopped cilantro leaves
2 t minced ginger
1 T fresh lime juice

Combine salsa ingredients in a mixing bowl and set aside. This can be made up to 12 hours in advance and chilled. If you do this, be sure to remove the take the salsa out to come closer to room temperature before serving.


BLACK BEAN CAKES:
Two 15 oz cans black beans, rinsed and drained
¼ c chopped fresh cilantro leaves
½ c chopped red onion, sauteed in olive oil 2 minutes
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 t ground cumin
1 t minced garlic
½ t ground allspice
1/8 t cayenne pepper
1/3 c whole wheat bread crumbs
Canola oil
Freshly chopped cilantro and lime wedges to garnish


Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine salsa ingredients and set aside.

Place beans in a large bowl and mash them together a bit. Add the cilantro, onion, egg, cumin, garlic, allspice, and cayenne. Mix until well blended.

Divide the mixture into 8 equal parts. Shape into ½ inch thick patties. Set up a plate or bowl with bread crumbs. Dredge the patties in bread crumbs and pan fry in batches using olive oil.

Serve on mixed greens with mango salsa on top as a light entree or first course. Make patties into tiny 1" rounds for elegant hors d'oeuvres.

A SUMMER DINNER PARTY

Spinach Salad with Black Grapes, Mixed Olives, and Lemon Zest Vinaigrette

Pistachio-encrusted Halibut with Spicy Yogurt

Moroccan Chickpea Stew

White Wine-poached Pears with Creme Patisserie

MAKE AHEAD:

Lemon Zest Vinaigrette
Pistachio Crust
Spicy Yogurt
Moroccan Chickpea Stew
White Wine-Poached Pears
Creme Patisserie

THE DAY OF:

Set up spinach salad
Warm stew
Warm pears
Coat and pan-fry halibut

Spinach Salad:

1 clamshell baby spinach
1 1/2 cups mixed olives, pitted (find a mix with kalamata, nicoise, moroccan, and spanish green)
1 cup seedless black grapes
1 cup seedless champagne grapes

Lemon Zest Vinaigrette:

1 clove garlic, minced
1 t dijon mustard
1/4 c white wine vinegar
1/4 c fresh lemon juice
1 T very fine lemon zest (I use my microplane grater for this)
1 t honey, maple syrup, or agave nectar
1/2 t sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
1/2 c extra-virgin olive oil

Whisk together all ingredients, except for olive oil. Drizzle oil in slowly while constantly whisking. Taste for salt, sweetener, and oil. Adjust seasoning.

Toss spinach with about 1/2 of dressing. Add grapes and olives to salad bowl or sprinkle generously on individual salad plates. Serve.

Pistachio-encrusted Halibut with Spicy Yogurt

Spicy Yogurt:

1 c Greek yogurt
1/2 cucumber, diced very small
2 T fresh dill, chopped
1/4 c onion, finely chopped
1 T fresh lemon juice
2 t hot paprika or cayenne pepper
1/2 t ground cumin
1 t sea salt
dash of paprika for garnish

Whisk ingredients together and taste for salt and lemon. Adjust, cover, and chill, if you are making it ahead of time.

For Halibut:
4 6-8 oz pieces halibut
1 c milk

2/3 c shelled pistachios
6 T yellow cornmeal
1/2 t sea salt
1/2 t black pepper
1/4 c extra-virgin olive oil

In a food processor, blend nuts, cornmeal, salt, and pepper. Set aside. Heat olive oil in frying pan over medium heat. Dip fish fillets in milk, then dredge through nut mixture. Pan in 1/4 cup olive oil-- fry 5-7 minutes on each side on medium heat, until cooked through the middle. Top with spicy yogurt and serve. (If the nuts start getting really dark before fish is done, transfer to a baking dish, and finish in a hot oven (375 degrees or so?)

Moroccan Chickpea Stew

1 onion, diced
2 cloves minced garlic
1 zucchini, cut into half moons
1 lg green pepper, seeded and diced
2 lg vine tomatoes, diced
2 cups crimini mushrooms, sliced
1 c diced carrot
1/4 c extra-virgin olive oil

2 T paprika
2 T ground cumin
2 T garam masala
1 t ground cardamom
1/2 t saffron threads
1 t ground cinnamon
1/2 t ground cloves
1/2 t ground allspice

1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
2 14 oz cans chickpeas, drained

sea salt and black pepper

Prep veggies and put them all in a large soup/stock pot with olive oil. Cook 10-15 minutes on medium until veggies begin to soften. Stir frequently.

Add spices, canned tomatoes, and chickpeas. Bring to almost a boil, lower heat, and simmer 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally. When mixture has thickened a bit and flavors have become uniform, taste, and adjust salt, pepper and spices.

This lasts in the fridge for a few days or freezes well. I like it on it's own as stew or it's a good accompaniment to the halibut. I usually ladle one cup to the center of a plate, place the halibut in the center and garnish with spicy yogurt.

White Wine-Poached Pears with Creme Patisserie

White Wine-Poached Pears
from frenchfood.about.com

2 cups moscato wine (or other sweet white wine)
3 1/2 cups water
1 cinnamon stick
1 vanilla bean
1 lg piece lemon zest
1 T fresh lemon juice
4 ripe pears, carefully peeled with stems intact
2 c sugar

Stir together the white wine, water, cinnamon stick, vanilla bean, lemon zest, and lemon juice in a large saucepan. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium-high heat and add the prepared pears. Poach the pears, uncovered, for 7 to 9 minutes, until they turn tender, but not mushy.

Use a large slotted spoon to transfer the pears onto a serving plate. Return the poaching liquid to a simmer, add the sugar, and allow the mixture to reduce by half in volume, about 6 to 8 minutes. The syrup is ready when it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove the cinnamon stick and vanilla bean from the syrup.

Arrange the pears on individual serving plates and drizzle with the wine syrup.

This poached pears in white wine recipe makes 4 servings.

Creme Patisserie

from cooksrecipes.com

3 cups milk
Seeds scraped from one vanilla bean (*or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract)
8 egg yolks
3/4 cup granulated sugar
6 tablespoons cornstarch, sifted
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

1. In a 3 quart saucepan combine the milk and vanilla bean seeds. Heat just below the boiling point (scalding).
2. Using an electric mixer (with whisk attachment if available) beat the egg yolks and sugar in a large mixing bowl until they lighten in color. Stir in the cornstarch.
3. Pour about 1/3 of the hot milk into the egg mixture (this is called tempering), whisking continuously to incorporate. Whisk the tempered egg mixture back into the remaining hot milk, and place the saucepan back on the heat. Cook on medium, stirring constantly with the whisk, until the mixture comes to the boil. Reduce heat and boil for about 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and gently whisk in the butter.
4. Strain the pastry cream into a bowl, place plastic wrap directly on the surface, and chill completely. Can be made up to 3 days ahead.
   

Makes about 3 1/2 cups.

To serve: place one pear on each serving plate. Spoon reduction syrup over pear, and spoon or pipe 2-3 T creme patisserie next to the pear. Top with a raspberry, if you like, and serve.