Entrées

Yellow Curry & Lemongrass Tilapia

Ingredients:
2 Tilapia Fillets
1/2 cup Brown Rice
2 Scallions
1 stalk Lemongrass
2 cloves Garlic
10 oz Baby Bok Choy
1 Tbsp Honey (room temperature)
1 Tbsp Soy Sauce
1 Tbsp Yellow Curry Paste
1 Tbsp Rice Vinegar
6 oz Carrots

Directions:
1. Fill a medium pot 3/4 of the way up with salted water; cover and heat to boiling on high.

2. Thinly slice the scallions, separating the white bottoms and hollow green tops.

3. Peel and roughly chop 2 cloves of garlic.

4. Cut off and discard the ends of the lemongrass. Peel away the fibrous outer layers to reach the pliable white core; finely chop the core to get 2 tablespoons.

5. Peel the carrots and thinly slice on an angle.

6. Cut off and discard the root ends of the bok choy; roughly chop, separating the stems and leaves.

7. In a bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, vinegar, honey, and 1 cup of water.

8. Add the rice to the pot of boiling water. Cook, uncovered, 17 to 19 minutes, or until tender. Drain thoroughly and return to the pot.

9. Season fish with salt and pepper on both sides. In a medium pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium-high until hot.

10. Add the sliced white bottoms of the scallions, chopped garlic, and chopped lemongrass. Cook, stirring frequently, 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until slightly softened.

11. Add the sliced carrots and chopped bok choy stems; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 3 to 4 minutes, or until slightly softened.

12. Add as much of the curry paste as you’d like, depending on how spicy you’d like the dish to be. Cook, stirring constantly, 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until thoroughly combined.

13. Add the broth (carefully, as the liquid may splatter). Heat to boiling on high. 

14. Once the broth is boiling, place the seasoned fish and chopped bok choy leaves on top of the cooked vegetables and broth. Loosely cover the pan with foil and reduce the heat to medium-high. Cook 7 to 9 minutes, or until the fish is opaque and cooked through.

15. Turn off the heat. Serve the cooked fish, vegetables, and broth with the cooked rice. Garnish with the sliced green tops of the scallions.

* Recipe from Blue Apron

Soup

Farro, Kale & Peanut Butter Soup

Ingredients:
2 tbs. extra virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced (about 7 ounces)
1 jalapeño pepper, de-seeded, diced
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced or grated
1 cup farro, rinsed (can substitute quick-cooking farro, see notes below)
2 tbs. tomato paste
6 cups unsalted or low-sodium vegetable stock (plus more as desired)
1 bunch (12 ounces) lacinato/Tuscan kale stemmed and thinly sliced
1/4 cup smooth peanut butter

Directions:
1. In a large pot over medium heat, add oil and heat until shimmering.

2. Add onion, jalapeño, salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion starts to soften (about 5 minutes).

3. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

4. Add the farro and cook for two minutes, stirring occasionally.

5. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring regularly, for about 1 minute.

6. Add vegetable stock, scraping up any bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook with the lid slightly ajar for about 20 minutes, stirring once or twice. NOTE: this step is not needed if you’re using quick-cooking farro.

7. Add the kale and continue simmering, stirring once or twice until the flavors come together and the farro and kale are tender but still retain some bite (about 20 minutes more).

8. Stir in the peanut butter until fully combined. If you prefer a thinner soup, add 1/2 to 1 cup more of stock to reach desired consistency.

* Recipe from Washington Post/Aaron Hutcherson

Nutrition:
Calories: 429
Total Fat: 17 grams
Saturated Fat: 3 grams
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 757 mg
Carbs: 60 grams

Side Dishes

Nancy’s New Mexico Red Chile Sauce

Ingredients:
12 dried Red Chile Pods without seeds or stems
4 garlic cloves
2 Chipotle Chiles from a can
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon all spice
2 cups chicken of vegetable broth
1/4 onion (optional but recommended)
3/4 stick unsalted butter
2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons Chipotle Chile Powder
3 or 4 tablespoons New Mexican Red Chile
Salt to taste

Directions:
1. Toast pods over medium heat until dry.

2. Add garlic, chiles, cumin, oregano, all spice broth and onion into a blender and purée.

3. Add toasted pods and blend until pods are pulverized.

4. Melt butter in a large skillet.

5. Add flour, Chipotle Chile Powder and Red Chile to the butter and whisk to make a roux.

6. Add blended ingredients to the roux and whisk together.

7. Add more broth to get your desired consistency.

8. Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt, taste and add more salt until it tastes right (usually more than you’d think)

* Thanks to Nancy Duncan from Madrid, NM

Entrées

Miso-Curry Delicata Squash & Kale

Ingredients:
12 ounces delicata squash (2 small or medium squash)
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup white miso
3 Tbsp red Thai curry paste
1 package extra firm tofu, cut into small cubes
4 medium new potatoes, unpeeled, cut into chunks
Juice of one lemon
1 1/2 cups chopped kale, tough stems removed
2/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/3 cup toasted sunflower seeds

Directions:
1. Preheat your oven to 400F with a rack in the middle of the oven.

2. Cut the delicata squash in half lengthwise, and use a spoon to scoop out all of the seeds (discard the seeds). Cut the squash into ½- inch thick half-moons.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk together olive oil, white miso, and curry paste. In a large bowl, gently combine the tofu, potatoes, and squash with about half of the miso-curry-olive oil mixure. Use your hands to toss well, taking care not to break apart the tofu too much and to make sure every piece is covered with a bit of dressing, and then turn the vegetables onto a rimmed baking sheet and arrange in a single layer.

4. Roast the vegetables 25-30 minutes, until everything is tender and browned, tossing occasionally – I found that I needed to roast mine much longer, closer to 45-50 minutes, to get browned and tender vegetables and caramelized tofu. I would recommend going less by timing here, and more by looks – if the potatoes and squash are tender and the tofu is browned, it’s done; if not, keep roasting. Keep an eye on it though, as the sugar in the miso will caramelize quickly once it gets going, and you don’t want to scorch it, and the vegetables can go from browned to burned in a flash.

5. In the meantime, place the kale in the large bowl where you mixed the squash, potatoes, and tofu (no need to rinse it out). Whisk the lemon juice into the remaining miso-curry-olive oil paste, pour over the kale, and mix well until coated. This works best using your hands to massage the mixture into the kale.

6. When the vegetables are lovely and caramelized, remove them from the oven. Toss the roasted vegetables and sunflower seeds gently with the kale and cilantro. Serve family style in a large bowl or on a platter.

Adapted from a recipe originally posted on theAmusedBouche.com.

Entrées, Soup

Ribollita

Ingredients:
5 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
1 tablespoon minced garlic
Salt and ground black pepper
2 cups cooked or canned cannellini beans
1 1/2 cups of fresh cherry tomatoes or 1 15-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes (or whatever tomatoes you have)
4 cups vegetable stock
1 fresh rosemary sprig
1 fresh thyme sprig
6-12 oz. baby spinach (we prefer more)
4 large, thick slices whole-grain bread, toasted
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Directions:
1. Put 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large soup pot that can go into the oven; a dutch oven is good. Heat over medium. When hot, add chopped onion, carrot, celery and garlic. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are soft, 5 to 10 minutes.

2. Heat the oven to 500 degrees. Drain the beans, if they’re canned, rinse them as well. Add them to the pot along with tomatoes and their juices and stock, rosemary and thyme. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat so the soup bubbles steadily. Cover and cook, stirring once or twice to break up the tomatoes, until the flavors meld, about 15 to 20 minutes.

3. Fish out and discard rosemary and thyme stems and stir in spinach. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Lay bread slices on top of the stew so they cover the top and overlap as little as possible. Scatter red onion slices over the top, drizzle with the remaining 3 tablespoons oil and sprinkle with Parmesan.

4. Put the pot under the broiler on high and broil until the bread, onions and cheese are browned and crisp. Take care not to burn. Divide the soup and bread among 4 bowls and serve.

This recipe originally was posted on the New York Times.

Entrées

Spiced Chickpea Stew with Coconut & Turmeric

Ingredients:
1/4 cup olive oil
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 large yellow onion, chopped
1 thumb-sized piece ginger, finely chopped
Salt and black pepper
1 1/2 tsp ground turmeric, plus more for serving
1 tsp red chili flakes, plus more for serving
2 cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 cans full-fat coconut milk
1 cup vegetable or chicken stock
1 bunch Swiss chard, kale or collard greens, stems removed, torn into bite-size pieces
1 small bunch mint leaves, for serving
Yogurt, for serving
Toasted naan, pita or other flatbread for serving (we prefer naan bread)

Directions:
1. Heat 1/4 cup oil in a large pot over medium.

2. Add garlic, onion and ginger. Season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally until onion is translucent and starts to brown a little at the edges (3 to 5 minutes).

3. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons turmeric, one teaspoon red chili flakes, and the chickpeas, and season with salt and pepper.

4. Cook, stirring frequently, so the chickpeas sizzle and fry a bit in the spices and oil, until they’ve started to break down and get a little browned and crisp (8 to 10 minutes). Remove about a cup of chickpeas and set aside for garnish.

5. Using a wooden spoon or spatula, crush the remaining chickpeas slightly to release their starchy insides. (This will help thicken the stew.) Add coconut milk and stock, and season with salt and pepper.

6. Bring to a simmer, scraping up any bits that have formed on the bottom of the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until stew has thickened, 30 to 35 minutes. If after 30 to 35 minutes, you want the stew a bit thicker, keep simmering until you’ve reached your desired consistency.

7. Add greens and stir, making sure they’re submerged in the liquid. Cook until they wilt and soften, 3 to 7 minutes, depending on what you’re using. (Swiss chard and spinach will wilt and soften much faster than kale or collard greens.) Season again with salt and pepper.

8. Divide among bowls and top with mint, reserved chickpeas and a sprinkle of chili flakes. Serve alongside yogurt and toasted naan if using.

This recipe originally was posted on the New York Times.

Entrées

Romanesco Cauliflower Pasta with Olives & Capers

Ingredients:
1 head of romanesco (or cauliflower)
2 heaping tbsp. extra virgin olive oil, divided
kosher salt
black pepper
3 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives, sliced lengthwise
2 tablespoons capers, roughly chopped
large pinch red pepper flakes
1 heaping cup chopped Italian parsley leaves, lightly packed, plus more for garnishing
1 lb dried linguini or fettuccine pasta
Grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese, for serving

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees with a rack in the center position.

2. Trim and discard the base of the romanesco and cut it in half, then quarters. Trim the florets from the core sp they are no larger than an inch in diameter.

3. Place the florets on a half sheet pan and toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil, kosher salt, and freshly ground pepper. Distribute the florets cut-side down into an even layer, making sure that the florets aren’t touching one another if possible.

4. Roast at 450 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes, tossing halfway, or until caramelized and tender.

5. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta.

6. Heat the remaining olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring continuously, or until fragrant. Do not allow it to gain color.

7. Add the kalamata olives, capers, and red pepper flakes to the pan, and sauté for an additional minute or until warm. Taste for salt and pepper.

8. Add half of the parsley to the skillet and keep the mixture warm – off the heat – as you cook the pasta.

9. Boil the pasta until it is al dente, reserving a cup of cooking water. Return the pasta to the pot and add the kalamata olive and caper mixture and roasted cauliflower.

10. Toss the mixture together gently, adding the remaining chopped parsley, and a touch of extra virgin olive oil and reserved cooking water if dry. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

11. Serve immediately and garnish with chopped parsley and parmigiana cheese.

Entrées

Spicy Shrimp & Orzo

Ingredients:
10 – 12 oz. Shrimp (tails removed nd de-veined)
1 lemon
2 cloves of garlic
1 1/2 tsp. Calabrian chili paste (available on Amazon)
4 oz. orzo pasta
5-6 Cherry tomatoes
2 tbsp. crème fraîche (greek yogurt is a good substitute)
1 tbsp. capers
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Olive oil

Directions:
1. Fill a medium pot 3/4 of the way up with salted water; heat to boiling and cook orzo according to package directions (generally 7 to 9 minutes)

2. Halve the tomatoes

3. Quarter and de-seed the lemon

4. Peel and roughly chop the garlic

5. In a bowl, combine the shrimp, garlic, capers and as much of the chili paste as you’d like. Drizzle with olive oil.

6. Heat a large pan, heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium-high. Add the prepared shrimp in an even layer and cook without stirring for 2 to 3 minutes or until slightly browned.

7. Add the halved tomatoes and stir frequently 1 to 2 minutes until the shrimp is opaque.

8. To the pot of cooked and drained pasta, add the shrimp & tomatoes, crème fraîche (or yogurt if substituting) and the juice of two of the lemon wedges. Stir to combine.

9. Serve the shrimp and pasta garnished with cheese with the remaining lemon wedges on the side.

NOTE: This recipe is very similar to this recipe, but with tomatoes instead of zucchini.

Entrées

Spicy Cold Sesame Noodles

Ingredients:
2 Eggs
1/2 lb. fresh ramen noodles
6 oz. carrots
10 oz. bok choy
1 tbsp. Sambal Oelek or ground chili paste
1/4 cup tahini
2 tbsp. soy sauce
1 tbsp. sesame oil
1 tbsp. sugar
1 tbsp. rice vinegar

Directions:
1. Fill a medium pot with water and a big pinch of salt; cover and heat on high until boiling.

2. Prepare vegetables. Cut off and discard the root end of the bok choy; thinly slice crosswise. Peel and grate the carrots to shred.

3. In a large bowl, combine the sliced bok choy, grated carrots, sesame oil, and vinegar; season with salt and pepper. Set aside to marinate, stirring occasionally, at least 10 minutes. Taste, then season with salt and pepper.

4. Make the sauce. In a large bowl, whisk together the tahini, soy sauce, sugar, 2 tablespoons of water, and as much of the sambal oelek/chili paste as you’d like, depending on how spicy you like it.

5. Cook the eggs. While the vegetables marinate, carefully add the eggs to the pot of boiling water. Cook 6 minutes for soft-boiled, or until your desired degree of doneness. Leaving the pot of water boiling, using a slotted spoon or tongs, transfer the cooked eggs to a strainer and rinse under cold water 30 seconds to 1 minute to stop the cooking process. When cool enough to handle, carefully peel the cooked eggs; season with salt and pepper.

6. Cook the noodles. Add the noodles to the same pot of boiling water, stirring gently to separate. Cook, stirring occasionally, 2 to 3 minutes, or until tender. Drain thoroughly and rinse under cold water 30 seconds to 1 minute to cool the noodles and prevent sticking.

7. Add the cooled noodles and marinated vegetables to the bowl of sauce; stir to thoroughly combine. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired. Serve the finished noodles topped with the seasoned eggs.

Optional: can top with sesame seeds, furikake seasoning or chopped scallions.

Entrées

Roasted Red Pepper Pasta

Ingredients:
6 oz. Pasta (we recommend cavatelli, fusilli or similar)
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup cream
2 tbsp. butter
2 tbsp. tomato paste
1 tbsp. capers
1 oz. sliced roasted red peppers
1-2 tsp. Calabrian chili paste (any chili paste will do, can add a dash of smoked paprika or pinch of red pepper flakes to give it a boost).

Directions:
1. Cook the pasta. Add the pasta to the pot of boiling water. Cook, according to package directions for al dente (still slightly firm to the bite). Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water, drain thoroughly.

2. While the pasta cooks, peel and roughly chop 2 cloves of garlic. Finely chop the peppers.

3. While the pasta continues to cook, in a medium pan, heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the capers and chopped garlic and peppers; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, 1 to 2 minutes, or until softened. Add the tomato paste and as much of the chili paste as you’d like, depending on how spicy you like it. Cook, stirring constantly, 1 to 2 minutes, or until thoroughly combined. Turn off the heat. Add 1/4 cup of water (carefully, as the liquid may splatter) and the cream (shaking the bottle before opening). Stir to combine. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired. 

4. To the pan of sauce, add the cooked pasta, butter, and half the reserved pasta cooking water. Cook on medium-high, stirring constantly, 1 to 2 minutes, or until the pasta is coated (if necessary, gradually add the remaining cooking water to ensure the pasta is thoroughly coated). Turn off the heat. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired.

We love this dish served with a side of broccoli. Garnish with parmesan cheese.