Warm Salad of Grilled Vegetables With Peas

1 red pepper, seeded and quartered
1 yellow pepper, seeded and quartered
1 zucchini, sliced lengthwise in quarters
1 purple Bermuda onion sliced into 1/4-inch slices
1 cup frozen petit peas, thawed
White Balsamic Sesame Mint Dressing

Spray or toss veggies with cooking oil and pepper them generously. Grill on hot grill for about 3-5 minutes per side. Blacken the side of the peppers with the skin. Meanwhile, cook the the peas in a microwave for one minute. Drain and set aside in a bowl. Make the dressing by whisking all ingredients together in a small bowl.

Put well-charred peppers in a paper or plastic bag, seal and allow to steam the skins for at least 5 minutes. Cut the other veggies into bite-sized pieces and tip into the bowl with the peas. Remove the blackened skin from the peppers and cut them into bite-sized pieces. Add the peppers to the bowl of veggies.

Add the dressing to the warm veggies and toss gently together. Allow to marinate for at least 15 minutes.

White Balsamic Sesame Mint Dressing

2 Tbsp white Balsamic vinegar
2 tsp low-salt soy sauce
1/2 tsp sesame oil
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 clove garlic, pressed
2 tsp fresh mint, minced

Whisk all ingredients together.

Curried Lime-Dill Shrimp Kebabs

24 large fresh shrimp, peeled
Juice of 1 lime
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 tsp favorite curry powder or Garam Masala
1 tsp dried dill weed
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 inch fresh peeled ginger, minced
Dash red pepper flakes
1 tsp Nam Pla, Thai fish sauce
1 red bell pepper

Toss the shrimp with the remaining ingredients except the bell pepper in a large bowl and allow to marinate for at least half an hour. Meanwhile soak six wooden skewers in water, to keep them from burning when cooking, and preheat a grill. Skewer four shrimp on each wooden skewer, alternating with the bell pepper. Grill over very high heat about 3 minutes a side. Serves four to six.

Chickpea Sandwich Spread

1 carrot, peeled, cut into 6 pieces
2 green onions, cut into 6 pieces
1 clove garlic, peeled
palmful fresh cilantro, or parsley
1 15-oz can chick peas, drained
½ tsp salt
½ tsp favorite curry powder
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
2 Tbsp good real mayonnaise
juice of ½ lime

In a small food processor, chop the carrots until very fine. Turn into a mixing bowl. Then chop the onions, garlic and cilantro until minced. Tip into mixing bowl with carrots. Then process the chick peas by pulsing and stirring several times, until chick peas are finely chopped but not puréed. Turn into mixing bowl with carrots. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well. Serve over crackers or in a sandwich.

Tofu & Zucchini Parmesan

1 brick extra firm tofu
1 large zucchini
1 rounded cup fine Italian bread crumbs, or more as needed
1 egg
2 Tbsp milk
1/4 cup pesto
1/2 lb Mozarella cheese, sliced
About 2 cups pasta tomato sauce
2 cloves garlic, pressed
4 fresh sage leaves, minced

First slice the tofu about 1/4 inch thick and press between paper towels to remove excess water (I put a cutting board on top of the slices with a few cans of beans to weigh it down). Slice the zucchini steeply on a bias to get oblong ovals, about 1/4 inch thick - you should have about 10 slices. In a shallow dish or plate, beat the egg and the milk together well. Place the bread crumbs in a shallow dish.

Preheat oven to 375F. Heat about 1 cup canola oil in a large skillet to medium high. Dip the zucchini and the tofu into the egg and then the crumbs. Brown in batches in the oil until brown and crispy, and then drain on paper towels.

Spread the pesto on the bottom of an oiled casserole. Layer the tofu on the pesto. Top with half the cheese and sauce. Layer the zucchini onto the tofu layers. Top with the remaining cheese, the garlic and sage leaves and then the sauce. Bake for about 30 minutes uncovered, or until hot and bubbly.

Quick Tomato Sauce

Grilled Tofu Pimenton

1 pkg extra firm tofu, drained and sliced 1/4-inch
1 Tbsp Pimenton Spanish smokey paprika
2 Tbsp olive oil

In a flat dish, stir together the oil and paprika. Flip the tofu in the oil mixture several times and allow them to sit for about 10-15 minutes, for some of the spice to absorb into the tofu a bit. Salt and pepper tofu generously.

Meanwhile, heat a grill. Grill tofu slices carefully on the oiled grill, until browned, flipping once. You could also use a grill pan. Serve with a Tsatsiki yogurt sauce.

Curry Raita Sauce

I use non fat Greek Yogurt - it does not have the fillers like carrgeenan etc., and it is thick and rich. You could also use regular yogurt and strain it in a coffee filter to remove much of the moisture. You can also add finely chopped cucumber (peeled and seeded for a nice crunch).

1 cup Greek Yogurt
1 tsp curry powder or favorite masala
1 tsp smokey Pimenton paprika
1 Tbsp minced fresh cilantro
1/4 tsp powdered cayenne pepper
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

Mix all ingredients together and allow flavors to meld for at least 20 minutes.

Garbanzo Falafel Burgers

My quest for the perfect veggie burger continues with this version, which is basically Falafel. You can vary this with curry powder or other veggies for many fine alternatives, I am sure.
1/3 cup bulgur wheat
¼ cup Besan (chick pea flour)
1 15-oz can chick peas, drained
1 small carrot, coarsely chopped
1 small onion, coarsely chopped
2 cloves garlic
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp smokey Pimenton paprika
1 tsp ground cumin
½ tsp ground coriander
¼ tsp red pepper flakes
palmful of fresh cilantro leaves
freshly-ground black (or mixed-color) pepper

First soak the bulgur by bringing 1-cup water with 1-teaspoon salt to a boil in a small saucepan. Add the bulgur, stir, cover, take off the heat and let soak for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, place two-thirds of the chick peas in a food processor along with all the remaining ingredients (that is except the bulgur and Besan). Pulse to form a mixture with coarse texture (the chick peas should be well chopped, but NOT pureed). Tip into a bowl.

In the same food processor, puree the remaining one-third of the chick peas to paste. Add to mixture in bowl. Strain the bulgur and press to remove most of the water. Add the bulgur and the Besan to the mixture on the bowl. Stir to mix well. Allow to chill in refrigerator for about 1-2 hours (I have not experimented with this, but read this in MANY bean burger recipes – it allows the patties to form better.)

Form chick pea mixture into 4 patties. The mixture uncooked will look like this.
Heat about ¼ inch canola oil in a large non-stick skillet. Cook burgers about 4-5 minutes per side over medium-high heat, so that the surfaces crisp up well. Take care to flip burgers carefully (I use two spatulas) as they will split easily.

Tomato and Avocado Salad with Feta

2 large ripe tomatoes, cut into wedges
2 ripe avocados, halved, pitted, peeled and sliced
½ cup Feta cheese
¼ cup Balsamic Vinaigrette

Gently toss tomatoes with vinaigrette in a bowl. Fan the avocado slices onto four salad plates.

Balsamic Vinaigrette

¼ cup Balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp soy sauce
2 cloves garlic, pressed in garlic press
1/3 cup canola oil
2/3 cup olive oil
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp Dijon mustard

Whisk all ingredients together. Makes 1 cup.

Warm Potato Salad with Whole Grain Mustard

2 lb red skinned potatoes
3 green onions, sliced
Palmful fresh parsley, minced
1 Tbsp small capers

Dressing
2 Tbsp whole grain Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp seasoned rice vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 tsp salt
Freshly ground pepper

Place the potatoes in a pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, add a tablespoon of salt and cook at a low boil, just until tender. Drain in a colander and allow to cool.

Meanwhile whisk dressing ingredients together. Put onions, parsley and capers in a large bowl. Slice the potatoes and tip into bowl. Pour dressing over veggies and fold gently to mix. Tip into serving bowl. Top with a small crumble of feta if desired, mostly for looks.

Chili Duck Thai Catfish with Snap Peas

There is a small Thai restaurant I went to often on Boylston St. in Boston, the Chili Duck, that serves the best catfish dish. These crispy seared catfish with Thai-flavored vegetables brought back memories of Bancock. Funny how aromas, like music, bring back strong memories...4 catfish fillets
1 package fresh snap peas, about 12 oz
1 large carrot, peeled and sliced
1 red pepper, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2-inch fresh ginger, minced
1 can coconut milk
1 Tbsp Thai red curry paste
1 Tbsp Nam Pla, Thai fish sauce
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 lime, quartered

Sauté the carrot and pepper in a skillet in a bit of canola oil over medium heat. Meanwhile, heat a large non-stick skillet with a bit of canola oil, until the oil shimmers hot. Slip in the catfish and sauté over high heat to brown each side well. Flip the fillets carefully half way through (about 2 minutes). Toss the snap peas into the skillet with the carrots. Cook another minute and then add the garlic and ginger. Cook another 1-2 minutes, until very fragrant. Set the veggies aside in a bowl. Add the coconut milk to the skillet used for the veggies, and reduce the liquid by about a third. Add the curry paste and fish sauce to the coconut milk, and return the veggies to the skillet. Stir gently and heat through.

Plate the catfish fillets and top each with one quarter of the veggie mix. Serve with a lime quarter.

Asian Asparagus With Purple Kale

1 bunch asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/8 lb bacon, diced
2 cloves garlic, sliced
½ inch piece fresh ginger, minced
Dash red pepper flakes
½ cup white wine or chicken broth
1 bunch purple kale, chopped
2 tsp sesame oil
1 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
2 tbsp white wine
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp sesame seeds

Sauté bacon in a large skillet until browned. Remove to a paper towel. Leave about a scant tablespoon of drippings in pan and add asparagus. Sauté for about 2 minutes, then add the garlic, ginger and pepper flakes. Cook another two minutes, until fragrant. Remove to a bowl.

Add wine or broth to skillet and toss in kale. Salt and pepper to taste. Cook for about 10 minutes, covered, until kale softens, stirring every so often. Add remaining ingredients and return asparagus mixture to skillet. Heat through and tip into serving bowl.

Roasted Chicken with Chick Peas and Tomatoes

1 large onion, diced
1 large carrot, diced
1 roaster chicken, cut up into serving-sized pieces
2 cans chick peas, drained
2 cans diced tomatoes, drained
8-10 fresh sage leavers, jullienned

Heat oven to 375F.  Heat a heavy roasting pan on the stovetop and sauté the onions and carrots for about 5 minutes, just to begin to soften.  Pour in the chick peas and stir.  Nestlé the chicken pieces among the chick peas. Scatter the tomatoes over the chicken and sprinkle with the sage.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Lightly spray the chicken with a bit of canola oil.

Bake for 35-45 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.  Serves 4-6.

Cook's note: An alternative is to remove the back from the chicken using shears, and to flatten the chicken with the palm of your hand.  Roast the chicken whole (along with the back beside it, if you wish), then carve the chicken after roasting. I was told this keeps the breasts more moist, and I have to say they were moist.  But I'd say its up to you how you bake this, and both ways will be delicious.