Turkey Shiitake Asian Fusion Risotto

By this time, you've carved up the leftover turkey and made some stock.  You might have even gotten sick of traditional comfort food, no matter how many group walks you take.  So use your leftovers in a completely different way.

Time for variety - we took the crew out for awesome Fusion Asian, Friday night after Thanksgiving, at Yama Zakura, just outside of Boston.  Besides their creative sushi [try the Lobster Bomb] they make a delicious Pad Thai with subtle sweet and sour notes, which I pull together in a risotto here.

Alessandro, my dear Italian friend, I hope I'm not going to hell for this!

1 carrot, peeled and finely diced
1 leek, cleaned and diced
1-1/2 cups short grain white rice
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1/2-inch fresh ginger, peeled and minced
1 quart turkey stock (low salt)
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp Nam Pla, Thai fish sauce
2 Tbsp rice vinegar
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
1/4 cup frozen peas
12 dried shiitake mushrooms
1 cup dried kizami nori, shredded roasted seaweed

Heat a slug of canola oil in a pot or small wok.  Toss in the carrot and cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes.  Add the leek and the rice and continue cooking, stirring often.  Add the garlic and ginger after about 5 minutes. Cook until the rice turns from translucent to white and the veggies begin to brown, about 8-10 minutes in total. Be careful not to let the rice burn.

Meanwhile, heat the stock to boiling.  Turn heat down to a low simmer.  Spoon a ladle of stock into a small bowl and add the dried mushrooms.  Stir them up to mix with the hot stock.  Set aside.

Add the wine and a ladle of stock to the rice and stir well.  Continue cooking, over a heat just high enough so the risotto gently bubbles.  Stir fairly often. Streak a wooden spoon across the rice, scraping the bottom of the pan.  When you can see the bottom of the pan, without rice and liquid re-filling the trough, you know you are ready for another ladle of stock.  Add another ladle of stock and continue cooking in the same way, until all the stock is used up.

While the rice cooks, check the mushrooms.  After about 10-15 minutes, they will be softened.  Pick them out of the stock and slice.  Return the stock to the pot with the remaining stock. 

Continue cooking the rice until you have only about 2 ladles of stock left.  Check the rice for doneness; it should begin to be al dente.  Add the soy sauce, fish sauce, rice vinegar and sesame oil, along with the mushrooms, peas and chicken to the rice.  Add the last ladles of stock.  Cook through until risotto is creamy and just al dente.  If necessary heat another cup or two of water in the microwave and add to rice as needed, until just cooked.

At the last moment, stir in the seaweed and serve in bowls, topped with a bit more seaweed.

Serves 4.

Chick Pea Veggie Pie with a Pistachio Quinoa Crust

Still looking for something festive, regal, yet vegetarian for a Thanksgiving day feast centerpiece?  This outstanding torte will fit the bill.  Start with a soup, accompany with a few crispy vegetable sides and end with pies.  Now get to work - you only have a few hours...
3/4 cup brown rice
1/4 cup red quinoa
2 cups water
1 tsp salt

2 Tbsp olive oil plus 2 Tbsp butter
2 cups sliced Brussels Sprouts, about 12-18
2 cups sliced cabbage
2 carrots, diced
1 onion, sliced
1/2 tsp Pimenton, Spanish smoked paprika
1 can chick peas, rinsed and drained

1/2 cup shelled roasted pistachio nuts
1 Tbsp golden raisins
1 clove garlic, cubed

3 eggs
1/4 cup half and half
1 tsp Tabasco or other hot sauce
dash freshly-ground nutmeg
18 grape tomatoes, sliced lengthwise
1 cup cubed melt-able cheese, such as mozzarella or Monterrey Pepper Jack

In a small 1-quart pot, toast the rice and quinoa in a tablespoon canola oil for about 5 minutes, stirring almost constantly.  Let the grains change color - the rice will go translucent, and their aroma will become very nutty.  Add the water and salt and bring to a boil.  Stir, reduce heat to a gentle simmer, cover and cook 20 minutes. 

Meanwhile, saute the veggies.  Melt the butter and olive oil in a large skillet.  Tip in the cabbage Brussels sprouts, onion and carrot.  Salt and pepper to taste.

Sauté for about 15 minutes, add the pimenton and chick peas and cook another 15 minutes, allowing the veggies to soften and color up a bit.

Put the pistachios, raisins and garlic into a small food processor and pulse 10-12 times, until you get a coarse grind.

When the rice has cooked 20 minutes, remove from the heat, uncover, and place a clean kitchen towel on the pot.  return the cover and let sit another 10 minutes.  Then remove the cover and towel, and turn rice out onto a large baking sheet to cool down a bit.  When it is nearing room temperature, tip grains into a bowl and mix well with the pistachio mixture.

Preheat oven to 375F.  Line a well-butterred 9-inch springform pan with the grain mixture, forming an even crust.

Now in a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, half-and-half, nutmeg and tabasco.  Tip in the veggies, tomatoes and cheese, and mix well with the eggs.  Tip the veggie mixture into the crust and even out. 

Bake for about 45 minutes.

When the top has browned well, remove pan from the oven and carefully run a thin knife around the crust.  Release the springform and slide pie into a serving platter.  Cut into slices and serve.

Serves 4-6.

Creamy Mirepoix Soup with Roman Beans

Thanksgiving is coming and many are getting back to family and back to basics.  We are giving thanks for all our bounty - today we have the potential to eat so well compared to so many generations past.

We just got the most beautiful head of celery from our CSA farm and it reminded me of how our Mother would simply braise celery in a bit of broth, wine and butter as a veggie side dish. 

Basic, good cooking with simple, fresh ingredients.

Here's a celebration of the fresh and simple: a cream of celery soup.  I use the basic ingredients of the mirepoix, which is the triad of celery, onion and carrot.  But I use the beautiful green leaves on top of the carrot in this green soup.

10 stalks celery, cleaned and coarsely diced, leaves desirable!
1 large onion, peeled and sliced
Green tops of about 4 fresh carrots, trimmed, washed and spun dry
2 medium potatoes, diced
1 quart stock, vegetable or chicken
Freshly ground nutmeg, about 1/4 tsp
2 cans Roman (or Pinto) beans, drained
freshly grated nutmeg. about 1/4 tsp

Nutty Roux:
2 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp canola oil
1/4 cup flour

Saute the celery, onion and carrot tops in a bit of olive oil, in a 5-quart Dutch oven or pot, for about 15 minutes.

The veggies should soften and brown a bit, as they sweeten.  Add the potatoes, stock and nutmeg and bring to a boil.  Reduce to a simmer, cover and set to cook about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, melt the butter in the oil and add the flour.  Cook together, whisking almost continuously, for about 5-8 minutes.

Cook until you form a nutty, light brown brown roux, about another 8-10 minutes.  This will be a relatively thick roux, which is needed for the volume of soup.  Set aside off the heat.

When the veggies have cooked about 30 minutes, and the celery is softened, use a slotted spoon to transfer the veggie solids into a food processor.  Work in about 3 batches to purée the veggies until very smooth.  Return pureed veggies back into the pot.  You could also use an immersion blender to cream the soup.  After all the veggies are added back to the soup, raise to a gentle boil and then whisk in the roux mixture.  Allow the soup to thicken.  Adjust consistency with water if necessary.  Add the beans and simmer gently for another 10-15 minutes.  Remove soup from heat and serve soup in bowls.  Adorn soup with cilantro or shaven Parmesan cheese.

Serves 6-8 as a first course.

Cook's note: If you can't find good fresh carrot tops, you could substitute the carrot root itself, say 2-3, diced.  It may darken the color a bit, but will be wonderful nonetheless.

Veggie Stuffing with Chick Peas and Apple

12-oz box favorite cornbread stuffing mix
water and butter according to package directions

1 lb frozen pearl onions
2 carrots, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
2 cans chick peas
6 sage leaves
1 tsp fresh (or 1/4 tsp dried) thyme leaves
1 Tbsp fresh (or 1 tsp dried) rosemary leaves, chopped
2 Tbsp butter
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and diced
3 cups grated cheddar cheese

Prepare the stuffing according to package directions.  Set aside.

Preheat over to 375F.  Meanwhile saute the veggies with a bit of olive oil in a large skillet.  Cook over medium heat for about 10-15 minutes, until the veggies are really beginning to brown and caramelize a bit.  Add the sage, thyme and rosemary about halfway through.

Melt gutter in a medium non-stick skillet and stir in the apples.  Sauté for about 3-5 minutes over medium-high heat to brown the apples just a bit.

Fluff the stuffing in a lage mixing bowl.  Toss with the veggies, apples and half the cheese.  Pour mixture into an oiled 13x9-inch casserole.  Bake for about 20 minutes, until the cheese is bubbly and browned and the stuffing is cooked through.

Serves 6-8 as a side dish.

Mother Earth Roasted Veggies with Peanuts

What makes this mix of roasted carrots, potatoes, onion and peanuts so wholesome?  The fact that each ingredient was nurtured and grown within a soil womb, and is therefore so connected to Mother Earth?  Or is it just the sweet, brown, crispy caramelization that happens to each one when roasted in a hot oven?  Either way, this is a rich, warming side dish for either turkey or a vegetarian Thanksgiving main dish.

1-1/2 lb mixed fingerling potatoes, cut into wedges
2 cups baby carrots
1 large onion, sliced
3 green onions, diced
1/3 cup roasted peanuts
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp fresh (or 2 tsp dried) rosemary
1 tsp chili powder
2 tsp Pimenton, smoked Spanish paprika
generous dash salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 450F.  Toss all the ingredients together in a large bowl. 

 Spread out in a single layer in 1-2 rimmed jelly roll baking pans.

Roast for about 30-45 minutes, turning once or twice, until the veggies are softened and well browned.

Serves 6-8 as a side dish.

Acorn Squash Stuffed with Sausage and Mushroom

More and more people are coming out of the closet - and admitting they don't really like turkey.  Not that there's anything wrong with that.

If you are looking for an alternative Thanksgiving main course, rich enough for a King - stuff some acorn squash with a rich mixture of rice, sausage, mushrooms and golden raisins. What's not seasonal about acorn squash?

Want vegetarian?  Swap the sausage for black beans - just keep those herbs going. 

1 large acorn squash, quartered lengthwise, and seeded
2 Tbsp dark brown sugar

1 cup short grain brown rice
1 Tbsp canola oil
2 cups water
1 tsp salt

10-12 oz fresh button mushrooms, chopped
1 Tbsp butter

1 onion, diced
1 lb pork sausage
1/4 cup golden raisins
2 Tbsp sundried tomatoes, minced
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
2 Tbsp fresh (or 1 tsp dried) rosemary, chopped
6-8 leaves fresh sage (or 1/2 tsp dried)

Heat oven to 400F.  Place acorn squash quarters on a baking pan.  Salt and pepper generously and sprinkle the brown sugar evenly on top of each quarter. 

Bake for 45-60 minutes, until the squash are soft to the tip of a knife and well browned.

Set the rice to cook.  Toss the rice and oil in a small pot and sauté over medium heat about 5 minutes, stirring almost constantly.  When the rice is fragrant and starting to change color, add the water and bring to a boil.  Add the salt, stir, reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile sauté the mushrooms in a large skillet over very high heat with a bit of canola oil.  When they have lost most of their water, add the butter and continue cooking over lower heat to lightly brown the mushrooms.  Set aside in a bowl.

Add the onions and a bit of olive oil to the skillet and sauté over medium-high heat, for about 5 minutes to color a bit, and then add the sausage and the rest of the ingredients. 

Brown the sausage well for about 10 minutes.  By this time, the rice should be done.  Remove the top, fluff with a fork and allow to dry out a few minutes.

Add rice to the sausage in the skillet along with the mushrooms, and mix well.  Salt and pepper to taste. 

Now check the squash - they should be done.  Plate each squash and top with a quarter of the sausage-rice mixture.

Serves 4

Cod Braised with Mushrooms and Tomatillos

Eat as much sustainable fish as you can, and enjoy the heck out of it!  Here is a great way to keep it festive, healthy and delicious.
12 oz fresh button mushrooms, thickly sliced
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1/4 tsp cumin powder
4-6 tomatillos, hulled, washed and cut into wedges
1 cup chicken broth
1 Tbsp cornstarch
About 1 lb Cod fillets, cut into four portions
Red pepper flakes
1 ripe avocado, halved, pitted, peeled and sliced
Fresh cilantro leaves
Fresh lime

Toss the mushrooms into a hot skillet and sizzle for a few minutes, turning often.  Add a bit of olive oil, the garlic and cumin, and continue cooking as the mushrooms release their water, dry out and begin to brown.  Add the tomatillos and raise the heat to bring to a vigorous sizzle/boil.  Cook the tomatillos down for a few minutes, stirring often.  They should just become soft, but not disintegrate.  Salt and pepper to taste.

Whisk the broth and corn starch together and stir into the skillet.  Stir mixture together over high heat as the sauce thickens considerably.  Place the portions of fish into the bed of sauce.  Cover, reduce to a simmer, and cook for about 10 minutes.

Plate each piece of fish in a shallow bowl or plate on a generous bed of mushroom/tomatillo sauce. Shake a dash of red pepper flakes on the fish.

It's always a good idea to have lime wedges, cilantro and warmed tortillas on the side, here.

Serves 4.

Pork Tournedos Pimenton on a Bed of Balsamic Roasted Red Pepper Coulis

This is a quick, but elegant dish, great for last-minute weeknight entertaining.  You could also use beef tenderloin if you prefer. 

2 pork tenderloins, cut into 1-1/2 inch disks
2 red peppers
1 Tbsp pimenton, Spanish smoked paprika
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 Tbsp fresh (or 1/2 tsp dried) thyme, chopped
2 Tbsp Balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese

Toss the pork disks in a large bowl with the pimenton and some salt and pepper.  Allow to sit until the peppers have roasted.  Now roast the peppers on a gas flame or grill (or in a 450F oven), turning often  until they are charred and withered. 

Throw them into a paper bag and wrap up, to allow them to further soften while you cook the pork.

Meanwhile, heat a bit of olive oil in a large skillet.  Sear the tournedos over high heat to brown each side, about a minute.  Continue cooking over lower heat to cook the pork through (internal temperature should reach 140F), about 3-5 minutes total per side.   Remove pork from skillet, and cover with foil for about 5-8 minutes. Add another tablespoon olive oil and toss the garlic and thyme into the skillet and sauté for the 2-3 minutes.

Remove the charred skin, ribs and seeds from the peppers (they should still be warm).  Coarsely chop and place in a food processor. Add the vinegar and a dash of salt and pepper.  Scrape in all the garlic, thyme and browned bits from the skillet into the processor.  Pulse just enough to form a smooth coulis sauce.

Plate a few tablespoons of sauce and place a tournedo on top.  Sprinkle with a bit of blue cheese. Serve immediately.

Serves 4-6.

Cook's note:  I char my peppers on my gas stove.  Alternatively, you can use a gas grill, which works nicely.  A hot oven will also work, but you won't get as much charring.  I'd cut the peppers in half, seed them and lay them skin-side up in a single layer on a jelly roll baking pan.

I left the sauce a bit chunky because I like the texture.  A coulis is more often pureed to a very smooth consistency, and often strained.  The consistency is up to you.

Seasoned Tofu Noodles on a Bed of Roasted Squash with Avocado Arugula Cream

Looking for something vegetarian for Thanksgiving?  These days, a meat-based Thanksgiving meal can be tricky when serving a diverse crowd. Here's something fancy enough for guests and hearty enough to give thanks over.

1 large spaghetti squash
1 brick extra firm tofu
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
2 Tbsp fresh thyme
1 cup frozen chopped spinach, or 2 cups fresh chopped baby spinach
1 large fresh ripe tomato, diced
8 oz. soba noodles or any other kind of spaghetti noodle

Avocado Arugula Cream:
1 ripe avocado, peeled and cored
1 green onions, roughly chopped
small palmful cilantro leaves
small palmful parsley leaves
small palmful baby arugula leaves
1 clove garlic
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
about 1/2 cup milk

Preheat oven to 400F.  Carefully cut the squash in half at the waist (not lengthwise) and scoop out all the seeds.  Then carefully slice the squash into 1-inch rings.  Lay the rings on 1-2 rimmed jelly roll baking pans in a single layer and brush both sides with canola oil.  Generously salt and pepper them, and roast for about 45 minutes, until will browned and soft.

Meanwhile, get 2-3 quarts of salted water to boiling in a pot.  Blend the cream sauce ingredients in a blender, adding only enough milk to make a saucy consistency.

Sauté the tofu in a large non-stick skillet, seasoning generously with the garlic and onion powders, thyme salt and pepper.  After about 15 minutes, the tofu should have browned up a bit.  Add the spinach and set on a very low simmer.

Cook the pasta in the water until just al dente.  Drain, and toss with a bit of olive oil.  Add the tomatoes to the tofu and raise heat to sizzle them up and just heat them through. 

Now plate each squash ring and twirl a bit of spaghetti into the center.  Spoon some tofu mix over the spaghetti and top with a bit of cream sauce.

Serves 4-6.

Cook's Note:  I used Trader Joe's corn noodles, which were very good.  But you could use soba noodles or really any other noodles you would like. I used a striped spaghetti squash from our CSA - about 8-inches long by 3-4 inches wide.  I got six rings from mine; if you are serving more than 4, you might need two squashes.  I can only find yellow spaghetti squash in our grocery stores, which would work just as well.

Cabbage Leek and Bean Soup

First snow of the year?  I know its early, but don't fret - make soup.
4 cups chopped cabbage
1 leek, cleaned and sliced
2 carrots, sliced
2 stalks celery, sliced
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 quart stock (vegetable or chicken)
1 can Roman beans, drained
1/4 cup rice
1 large potato, diced
2 cups baby arugula or spinach
palmful cilantro or parsley leaves

Heat a bit of olive oil in a soup pot.  Sauté the cabbage, leeks, carrot and celery with the cumin and fennel seeds, for about 8-10 minutes over medium-high heat, to soften and color a bit.  Add the garlic and cook another 2-3 minutes.  Add the stock, beans, rice and potato, and bring to a boil.  Salt and pepper to taste, reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for about 15 minutes, stirring every so often.

Add the arugula and cilantro and cook another 5 minutes.  Add a bit more water if necessary to form a nice soup consistency.  Serve into bowls, with a dollop of plain yogurt, pesto or better yet, Chimichurri sauce.

Serves 4.

Carrot Top Chimichurri

There's a million reasons to love your CSA (Community Sponsored Agriculture).  As an analytical chemist in my day job, designing instrumentation that can determine pesticides in foods, I especially appreciate that our CSA is certified organic.  We also want to support local agriculture for many reasons, including reducing the carbon footprint of our food supply and getting in closer touch with our food source.  Michael Pollen and others like Mark Bittman articulate a strong case for 'eating local' and shifting more to plant-based protein. 

So when I get that big box of veggies every Wednesday, I try to figure out how to use everything inside.  And when I look at the gorgeous green tops to the organic carrots, I simply can't see throwing them away.  Last week I combined carrot top greens with the Swiss chard and beet greens for a great mixed green saute.  This week I blended the carrot tops with other aromatic greens to make chimichurri, a spicy Argentinean sauce.  A sort of mix between pesto and salsa, this is a great hot sauce to spice up meats, fish, soups, omelets, sandwiches, you name it, nom, nom, nom...
Green tops from 3 carrots
1/2 cup cilantro leaves
1 cup arugula leaves
1 small jalapeño pepper, quartered
2 cloves garlic
Juice of 1 lime
Dash salt
About 1/3 cup olive oil

Trim the leaves off the stems of the carrot greens and wash well.  Spin dry in a salad spinner and place in a small food processor.  You may have to pulse them down in several batches.  Pulse in the remaining greens and add the remaining ingredients except the oil.  Processes about 5 seconds and then add enough oil, pulsing until you get a smooth paste the consistency of pesto.

Makes about 1-1/2 cups.

Grilled Chicken and Roasted Delicata Salad

Delicata squash has an appropriate name.  It's light and tender and you can definitely eat the skin. Forget the deep fried onion rings - roast up some delicata rings; serve 'em as an appetizers, on sandwiches, or adorn a fresh salad.

2 boneless chicken breasts
2 delicata squash
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp brown sugar
2 fresh ripe tomatoes, cut into wedges
4 cups lettuce greens
1 cup radiccio leaves, broken up
6-8 radishes (red or white), sliced
4 Tbsp crumbled bue cheese
4 Tbsp sunflower seeds
crushed red pepper flakes

Dressing
juice of 1 lime
1/4 olive oil
1 tsp Dijon mustard
dash salt and pepper

Heat grill, and heat oven to 425F.  Cut squash in half at the waist (not lengthwise) and scoop out seeds with a soupspoon.  Now slice squash into rings, about 1/4-inch thick.  Toss rings in a bowl with the oil and brown sugar.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Tip squash onto a rimmed jellyroll pan and roast for about 20-30 minutes, turning once.  The rings should brown well and be soft to the tip of a knife.

 

Meanwhile, salt and pepper chicken breasts, and grill over medium heat, about 5-8 minutes per side, until chicken is cooked through.  Remove to a platter.

Whisk together the dressing.  Then assemble the salad by distributing the greens and radiccio evenly about 4 plates.  Slice the chicken thinly on a bias, and lay in a pinwheel pattern, alternating with the tomatoes, on top of greens.  Top with even portions of the squash and radishes.  Then scatter the blue cheese and sunflower seeds on top of salad.  Dress with dressing and the red pepper flakes.

Serves 4.

Cook's Note:  Delicata squash is usually about 6 inches long and about 2 inches in diameter.  On the East Coast US it can be hard to find, but seems to show up at the grocery stores in early fall.  Buy up a bunch when you see them!

Pork and Black Bean Tortilla Strata

1 lb ground pork
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 Tbsp fresh rosemary leaves, chopped
6 fresh sage leaves, julliened
1 6-oz can tomato paste
2 Tbsp chili powder
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
About 1 cup water

1 onion, diced
1 bell pepper, diced
1 jalapeño pepper, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced

5-6 6-inch flour tortillas
2 cups grated cheddar or jalapeño jack cheese, or a mixture
Palmful fresh cilantro leaves
12 grape tomatoes, halved lengthwise
4 cups arugula
1 ripe avocado, peeled, cored and sliced

Dressing:
Juice of 1 lime
1 Tbsp seasoned rice vinegar
2 Tbsp walnut or olive oil

Sauté the pork in a bit of olive oil in a large skillet.  Add the cumin, fennel, rosemary and sage.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Once the pork is very well browned, after about 10-15 minutes, add the tomato paste and chili powder to the skillet and mix well.  Cook the mixture for another 10 minutes, over medium-low heat, watching not to burn the tomato paste (you may have to add a bit more olive oil). This really develops the tomato flavor.  Add the beans and enough water to make a saucy consistency and cook at least another 10-15 minutes.

The longer you can simmer this, the deeper the flavors will become.  Add as much water as you need if the mixture dries out; it should resemble a moist chili dish.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375F.  Sauté the onion and peppers in a separate skillet, until the veggies soften and begin to brown up well, at least 10-15 minutes.  Add the garlic and cook for the last 3-5 minutes.  Add the onion mixture to the beans and pork, and mix well.

Now assemble the strata.  Pour about half the bean mixture into an oiled 13x9-inch casserole.  Lay a tortilla half on the beans, half hanging out the left side of the casserole.  Spoon in about half a cup bean mixture in a line along the middle of the tortilla, and sprinkle on some cheese. Fold tortilla over to form a half moon.  Lay the next tortilla half over the first tortilla and half on the beans and repeat the filling.  Fold tortilla in half and shift to the left a bit.  Continue layering, filling, and folding the remaining tortillas.  You should fill the casserole with the tortillas shingled, partially overlapping one another. 

Sprinkle the remaining bean mixture about the tortillas and follow with the remaining cheese. 

Cover casserole with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes.  Remove foil and bake another 10 minutes.  Remove from oven and let rest a few minutes before serving.  Top with cilantro and tomatoes.

Whisk together dressing and toss with the arugula.  Distribute the arugula among 4 plates.  Top with a serving of casserole.  Decorate with avocado slices and serve with lime wedges and plain Greek yogurt, or sour cream.

Serves four.

Sweet Potato Bean Bake with a Broccoli Sunflower Seed Topping

This is autumn in a bowl.  A larger than life, rich and hearty casserole, promising to satisfy an appetite after a long walk through fall foliage.
1 onion, peeled and diced
1 green pepper, cored and diced
1 jalapeño pepper, diced
1 15-oz can diced tomatoes, drained and liquid reserved
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut lengthwise into wedges
2 Tbsp fresh rosemary leaves (or 2 tsp dried)
1 15-oz can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 15-oz can Navy (or canellini) beans, rinsed and drained

4 cups broccoli flowerets, cut into bite-sized pieces
1/4 cup flour
2 Tbsp olive oil and 2 Tbsp butter
2 cups milk
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
1/4 cup sunflower seeds, or mix of sunflower and pumpkin seeds

Sauté the onions and peppers with a bit of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat for 10-15 minutes.  Pull the veggies aside and turn up the heat.

Add the drained tomatoes and allow them to sizzle loudly for another 5 minutes, stirring every once in a while.  Add the beans and the tomato liquid and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat and add a bit of water if necessary to maintain a moist mixture.  Salt and pepper to taste. Leave this to simmer.

Preheat oven to 375F.  Toss the sweet potato wedges with the rosemary and a bit of olive oil in a glass bowl.  Microwave for 5 minutes, stirring once.

Then place broccoli in a glass bowl with a dash of water and salt.  Microwave for 5 minutes and then drain well.

Meanwhile, fry the flour in the oil and butter in a medium saucepan until the mixture is bubbly and just begins to color and smell nutty, about 5 minutes.  Add the milk and raise the heat to a boil.  Whisk regularly until smooth and thickened.  Whisk in half the cheese.  Salt and pepper to taste and then toss with the broccoli.

Now assemble the casserole.  Tip the bean mixture into an oiled 9x13-inch casserole.  Scatter the sweet potato wedges on top of the beans.

Then pour the broccoli on top of the potatoes.  Scatter the remaining cheese over the broccoli and top with the sunflower and pumpkin seeds.

Bake for 30-45 minutes, until bubbly and browned.

Serves 4-6.

This is Autumn in the Mid-Atlantic

Spaghetti Eggplant Arrabbiata

What could you possibly have against a rich, warm, cheesy, saucy casserole spiced up with hot pepper, aromatic seeds, and garlic - with dollops of smooth Ricotta, melted cheese and caramelized vegetables throughout?  OK you don't like eggplant?  Understood - go to next blogpost below - there's a great chicken dish waiting for you.  You like buttery, sautéed eggplant and zucchini and a good 'Parmigiana'? Try this - a must.
1/2 lb spaghetti, snapped in half
1 eggplant, diced
1 zucchini, diced
1/2 purple Burmuda onion, sliced
1 jalapeño pepper, diced
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 generous cup ricotta cheese
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated or shaved
1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
1 16-oz jar favorite Arrabbiata spaghetti sauce
1 tsp dried Italian herbs

Preheat oven to 375F.  Bring 2 quarts water to a boil in a medium pot, and add 1 Tbsp salt.  Stir in the spaghetti and cook until just al dente.

Meanwhile heat a glug of olive oil in a large non-stick pan. Toss in the eggplant, zucchini, onion, jalapeño, cumin and fennel. Cook over relatively high heat until the eggplant begins to brown nicely.  Add the garlic and cook another few minutes, until the veggies are soft and colored. Salt and pepper to taste.

Drain the pasta, return to the pot and toss with just a bit of olive oil. Pour half the sauce onto the bottom of an oiled 13x9-inch casserole.  Top with half the spaghetti.

Top the spaghetti with the eggplant mixture.  Nestle in the ricotta by single tablespoons, forming little islands.  Sprinkle on half the Parmesan cheese, then add the remaining spaghetti and sauce.  Finally, top with the mozzarella, the remaining Parmesan and the herbs.  Decorate with some fresh parsley.

Bake for about 45 minutes,or until bubbly and browned.  Serves 4.

Chicken Goddess Melissa

I call out a nod to Melissa Clark in this recipe.  Not so much because I consider her an unsung Goddess of cuisine; so much as this is basically her recipe for tenderizing and flavoring chicken.  As she says, using yogurt to tenderize chicken is common in Indian cuisine - as for example in Tandoori chicken.

Here, I come close to Melissa's New York Times recipe, but did not use basil or buttermilk.  First, all my basil at this point is preserved as pesto.  But, I didn't want to overpower the subtle flavor of the dressing with pesto.  Secondly, I rarely have buttermilk on hand but always have plain Greek yogurt. Melissa does say you can use yogurt, and you need good salt.  All other herbs are negotiable.
2 green onions, coarsely sliced
large palmful cilantro leaves
large palmful parsley leaves
2 cloves garlic
juice of 1 lime
1-1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp salt

1 roasting chicken, cut in half

Place first group of ingredients into a blender and process until you have a smooth, pourable Green Goddess dressing.  You may have to scrape down the sides to get everything to mix in well.  Pour about a cup of sauce in a bowl, cover and refrigerate.

Place chicken in a very large bowl or casserole and pour remaining dressing over chicken.  Rub the dressing in well, and turn chicken pieces over, bone-side up, so meat is well immersed in sauce.  Wrap with plastic and allow to marinate 24 hours.

The next day, preheat the oven to 500F.  Oil a large rimmed baking sheet or roasting pan.  Remove the chicken from the marinade, wiping marinade away from the meat.  Place in pan, bone-side down.  Pat the skin a bit with a paper towel to remove most of the marinade - this will allow the best browning and crisping of the skin.

Bake 30-45 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the skin is nicely browned.  Remove chicken to serving platter and top with some of the reserved dressing.  Pass remaining dressing at table.


Serves 4.  Thank you Melissa.