Danielle's sweet potato gratin

It's nearly summer here and the mercury is climbing, but for some reason our vegetable box keeps including sweet potatoes. On the one hand, it's given me a new appreciation for a vegetable I rarely seek out. On the other hand, this dish feels more in tune with seasons in the Northern hemisphere than here where it's expected to reach 40C this weekend. Unlike many Thanksgiving side dishes, this recipe doesn't feel the need to add more sweetness to the sweet potatoes. I paired it with balsamic-glazed steak on a bed of rocket (arugula!) which worked beautifully. In a colder climate, some roasted meat would be a great, comforting pairing.

Two years ago: Sole Stuffed with Crab
Three years ago: Galveston Crab Cakes
Four years ago: Quick and Easy Chinese Greens
Five years ago: Goat Cheese and Asparagus Risotto
Six years ago: Pasta with Sundried Tomatoes and Pine Nuts

Danielle's sweet potato gratin (from Ottolenghi)

Ingredients
6 medium sweet potatoes (1.5kg)
5 tbsp roughly chopped sage or thyme
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp coarse salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
250 ml whipping cream

1. Preheat oven to 200C.
2. Wash the potatoes, but don't peel. Cut them into disks 5mm thick.
3. In a bowl, mix together sweet potatoes, sage, garlic, salt and pepper.
4. Arrange the sweet potato in a deep ovenproof dish by packing them standing up next to each other. Any extra garlic or sage can go on top.
5. Cover dish with foil, place in oven and roast for 45 minutes.
6. Remove foil and pour cream over the potatoes. Roast, uncovered for 25 minutes until tender. Serve.

Surfing Goat Chevre with Cherry Tomatoes, Spinach, Dill and Gemelli

This recipe reminds me a lot of the food I was cooking when I started this blog. Even better, it's cheesy comfort food with the bright flavors of lemon and dill and a bit of celebration of summer's delicious cherry tomatoes.

One year ago: Cinnamon and Hazelnut Meringue
Two years ago: Imperial Potatoes
Three years ago: Grilled Chicken with a Cashew-Tomato Sauce
Four years ago: Chana Masala
Five years ago: Caramel Apple Blackout Cake
Six years ago: Asparagus, Goat Cheese, and Lemon Pasta

Surfing Goat Chevre with Cherry Tomatoes, Spinach, Dill and Gemelli (from Melt: The Art of Macaroni and Cheese)

Ingredients
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
12 ounces gemelli (spiral pasta)
2 cups whole milk
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp ground white pepper
2 cups chopped baby spinach
1 tbsp finely chopped dill
2 tsp lemon zest
8 ounces chevre, crumbled
4 ounces Monterey Jack

1. Line a plate with four paper towels and set tomato halves cut side down. Top with another plate and put a weight on it to press down (a cast iron skillet works great). Drain for 15 minutes, changing the towels once and pouring liquid from the plate as necessary.
2. Cook pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente. Drain and return to pot.
3. Meanwhile, prepare the sauce. Heat milk in a small saucepan over medium heat. Once it starts to bubble, turn off the beat. (You could also just warm in the microwave.)
4. Place butter in a medium saucepan and melt over medium heat. Add flour and stir until roux begins to take on a light brown color, 3 minutes.
5. Slowly add milk to the roux and stir until sauce thickens.
6. Stir in salt, pepper, spinach, dill, and lemon zest, cooking for 2 minutes while stirring. Remove from heat.
7. Add cheese to sauce, stirring until melted.
8. Pour sauce over pasta and toss to coat. Serve pasta, topping with tomatoes and more dill if you like.

Persimmon and Pomegranate Salad with Arugula and Hazelnuts

Fall has never been my favourite time of year. I know some people relish the cooling weather and changing leaves, but for me it signals the end of summer, beginning of winter, and end of most of my favourite produce. Of course, San Francisco lacks a real winter and our produce options are better than most year-round, so I'm trying to learn to embrace the change. Produce-wise, fall here means that raspberries, strawberries, and figs are replaced with persimmons and pomegranates. I had never really had persimmons before moving here and pomegranates always seemed exotic, but here the markets overflow with them in early October. The persimmons somewhat remind me of apples, so if you can't find them, I think you could get away with those as a substitute. I was completely surprised by how much I loved this salad. Crunchy, tangy, and just a little bit of sweet. It also reminded me of how much I love hazelnuts.

One year ago: Turkey and Sweet Corn Meatballs with Roasted Pepper Sauce
Two years ago: Aromatic Green Beans with Pounded Garlic and Cardamom
Three years ago: Lamb Stir-Fry
Four years ago: Apple and Cheddar Scones
Five years ago: Mexican Rice

Persimmon and Pomegranate Salad with Arugula and Hazelnuts (from Sunday Suppers at Lucques)

Ingredients
2/3 cup hazelnuts
1 tbsp plus 1 tsp hazelnut oil, divided
1 tbsp finely diced shallot
2 small shallots, thinly sliced
3 tbsp fresh pomegranate juice (if you have pomegranate molasses on hand, you can cheat and use a bit of that watered down)
1/3 cup pomegranate seeds
1 tbsp sherry vinegar
2 tsp rice vinegar
3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 small Fuyu persimmons, thinly sliced
1/2 lemon, for juicing
1/2 lb arugula

1. Preheat oven to 375F.
2. Spread hazelnuts on baking sheet and toast 8 - 10 minutes, stirring once or twice. Let cool, coarsely chop, and toss with 1 tsp hazelnut oil and a pinch of salt.
3. Place diced shallot, pomegranate juice, both vinegars, and 1/2 tsp salt in bowl. Let sit five minutes.
4. Whisk in olive oil and remaining 1 tbsp oil to pomegranate mixture.
5. In a large salad bowl, toss persimmons, sliced shallots, and pomegranate seeds with the dressing. Season with salt, pepper, and a squeeze of lemon.
6. Toss in arugula, scatter hazelnuts on top, and serve.

Marinated Romano Peppers with Buffalo Mozzarella

Somehow with work travel, I seem to have missed most of the pepper season. Luckily, I managed to catch some beautiful looking peppers still at the farmers' market. Initially I was disappointed that my bag of lovelies wasn't all bell peppers, but then I stumbled across this recipe (and bonus we had leftover arugula and buffalo mozzarella in the fridge!). Thin skinned peppers such as romanos work great in this recipe since they aren't peeled. I think ghost peppers would also work very well here. The recipe calls for letting the peppers marinade for at least 2 hours, but mine probably had less than an hour of time marinating and we had no complaints about flavor.

One year ago: Cubed Pork with Potatoes, Yogurt, and Tamarind
Two years ago: Moroccan Carrots
Three years ago: Basil, Hazelnut, and Chocolate Cupcakes
Four years ago: Lemon and Cranberry Scones
Five years ago: Easy Buttermilk Cake

Marinated Romano Peppers with Buffalo Mozzarella (from Ottolenghi)

Ingredients
6 romano peppers
120 ml olive oil, divided
2 1/2 tbsp finely chopped cilantro
2 1/2 tbsp finely chopped parsley
1 garlic clove, crushed
3 tbsp cider vinegar
100g arugula
200g buffalo mozzarella
coarse sea salt and pepper

1. Preheat oven to 400F. Spread peppers on a roasting tray, drizzle with 2 tbsp olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Mix and roast for 12 - 15 minutes until tender and beginning to color.
2. Meanwhile, mix together cilantro, parsley, garlic, vinegar, and 80 ml olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
3. Put warm peppers in a bowl, pour marinade over them, cover, and leave at room temperature for at least 2 hours (if you have the time!).
4. To serve, lay peppers and arugula on a serving plate and spoon marinade over them. Dot peppers with chunks of the mozzarella. Drizzle with remaining oil and serve.

Avocado and Citrus Salad with Green Olives

The combination on grapefruit, avocado, and olives seemed like an odd choice, but I had faith and my faith was rewarded with a refreshing side salad. It was a little surprising how well the avocados and olives fit into everything. The full recipe below makes a lot of salad. Goin says you should aim for about 1/2 cup of citrus per person. For us, 1 grapefruit and 1 orange seemed the right amount for two people with about 1/2 of an avocado and other pieces scaled haphazardly. The original also calls for a mix of watercress and frisee, but I needed baby spinach for something else, so I decided to just keep things simple. I think it's fair to say this could work with any tender greens of your choice.

Two years ago: Bulgur Salad with Apricot, Radicchio, and Parsley
Three years ago: Dan Dan Noodles
Four years ago: Bolognese Meat Sauce

Avocado and Citrus Salad with Green Olives (adapted from Sunday Suppers at Lucques)

Ingredients
4 lbs mixed citrus fruit (grapefruit, oranges, clementines, tangerines, etc.)
2 tbsp finely chopped shallot
1 tsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 ripe avocados
1/2 cup pitted green olives
1 bunch watercress, cleaned and tough stems removed
1 bunch frisee, cleaned

1. Zest citrus to get 1 tsp of zest.
2. Cut stem and blossom ends from fruit. Peel fruit and slice into segments, discarding seeds. Retain juice if possible. If not, that's okay too.
3. Combine shallots, 1/4 cup citrus juice from slicing (or just increase other acidic components), vinegar, lemon juice, and 1/2 tsp salt in small bowl. Let sit for 5 minutes.
4. Whisk in olive oil and zest to shallot mixture.
5. Place citrus segments and olives in a large bowl. Spoon 3/4 of vinaigrette over top and sprinkle with 1/4 tsp salt. Toss in watercress and frisee [or other greens of your choice].
6. For plating, you can plate on a platter gently adding in the avocado slices in between a salad sandwich or you can just gently fold the avocado into your salad bowl and serve as I did.

Long-cooked Cavolo Nero

Kale sometimes gets a bad rap, because it's so trendy, but it's a great green to work with. This preparation is time intensive (although not complicated), but it's worth the effort to infuse the greens with rosemary, garlic, onion, and just a bit of heat.

Two years ago: Japanese Noodle Salad with Ginger-Soy Vinaigrette
Three years ago: Blueberry Rhubarb Deep Dish Pie
Four years ago: Penang-Style Stir-Fried Kuey Teow Noodles

Long-cooked Cavolo Nero (from AOC Cookbook)

Ingredients
4 bunches cavolo nero, cleaned, center ribs removed
1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 small sprig rosemary
2 chiles de arbol, crumbled
1 cup sliced onion
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
kosher salt and pepper

1. Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Blanch cavolo nero for 2 minutes, drain, let cool, and squeeze out excess water.
2. Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium high heat for 2 minutes. Pour in 1/4 cup olive oil and add rosemary and crumbled chiles. Let sizzle for a minute.
3. Turn heat down to medium-low and add sliced onion, 1/2 tsp salt, and a pinch of group pepper. Cook for 2 minutes.
4. Stir in sliced garlic. Cook for 5 - 7 minutes, stirring often until onion is soft.
5. Add cavolo nero, remaining 2 tbsp oil, and 1/4 tsp salt. Cook over low heat for 30 minutes, stirring often.
6. Remove rosemary and serve.

Humboldt Fog with Grilled Peaches and Orzo

While I was gone, the peak of interesting berry season came and went, so I find myself back in San Francisco at the peak of stone fruit season instead. You can't wander through the markets without admiring the beauty of a wide range of stone fruits - peaches, pluots, apriums, oh my! This pasta salad captures the beauty of the summer season and pairs it with one of my favourite nuts here - pistachios! We paired it with a grilled rib eye for a low-fuss summer meal. If you can't find Humboldt Fog, substitute with another chevre of your choice.

Two years ago: Farro and Roasted Pepper Salad
Three years ago: Chocolate Gravy
Four years ago: Peppers Stuffed with Cherry Tomatoes and Basil

Humboldt Fog with Grilled Peaches and Orzo (from Melt: The Art of Macaroni and Cheese)

Ingredients
3 yellow peaches
2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp olive oil
10 ounces orzo
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1/4 cup chopped mint
1/3 cup chopped pistachios
6 ounces Humboldt Fog, rind removed and coarsely crumbled

1. Preheat grill. Scrub the peaches of extraneous fuzz. Cut peach in half lengthwise and discard pits.
2. Combine honey, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and a pinch of sea salt in a ziplock bag. Add peaches and marinate 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, cook orzo in salted boiling water. Drain and set aside.
4. Reserving marinade, cook peaches on grill for 5 - 8 minutes until soft and they have grill marks. Chop into bite-sized pieces.
5. Combine peaches, reserved marinade, orzo, parsley, spearmint, and pistachios in a bowl and toss. Add salt and pepper to taste. Gently mix in cheese, trying to maintain the chunks and serve.

Spinach Lovage Gratin

Spinach sometimes gets a bad rap, but this dish is simple yet rich. He recommends several herb substitutes for the lovage. I opted for dill which brightened the dish with a bit of anise flavor, keeping it from being too heavy.

One year ago: Vietnamese Braised Scallops
Two years ago: Chicken Curry with Whole Spices, Cream, and Tomato Sauce
Three years ago: Beef Enchiladas with Chipotle-Pasilla Gravy
Four years ago: Peanut Butter Cheesecake Brownies

Spinach Lovage Gratin (from The Herbal Kitchen)

Ingredients
3 tbsp unsalted butter, divided
1 large shallot, finely chopped
12 ounces spinach (baby or regular with stems trimmed), washed and spun dry
kosher salt
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
3 tbsp chopped lovage OR 1/4 cup chopped dill or mint OR 1 cup chopped sorrel
1 1/2 tbsp melted butter, divided
1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp dry bread crumbs, divided
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

1. Preheat oven to 375F.
2. Melt 1 tbsp butter in large saucepan over medium high heat. Add shallots and stir for a minute.
3. Add spinach and 3/4 tsp salt. Toss spinach until it wilts, adding more spinach as you go if it doesn't all fit in the beginning. Once wilted, transfer spinach to a bowl and return to heat.
4. Melt remaining 2 tbsp butter in saucepan and whisk in flour.
5. When roux bubbles, pour in milk and whisk until sauce boils and thickens.
6. Stir in spinach, herb of your choice, 3/4 tsp salt, and a bit of ground pepper.
7. Coat inside of a 6x10 baking dish with 1/2 tbsp of melted butter. Sprinkle with 2 tbsp of butter and shake to distribute.
8. Pour sauced spinach into pan.
9. In small bowl, mix together remaining 1/4 cup bread crumbs, cheese, and remaining 1 tbsp melted butter. Sprinkle on top of gratin.
10. Bake gratin for 25 - 30 minutes until bubbly and browned.

Avocado Macaroni and Cheese

This recipe takes mac & cheese and makes it even more decadent with creamy avocado. The jalapeno, lime, and herbs give it a little bite and brightness to cut the richness just enough. For the cheese, any high quality cheddar works as a good substitute. I was able to find Jasper Hill Cabot Clothbound Cheddar which the author recommends as a substitute. My only caution with this recipe? The leftovers will discolor when exposed to air, so it's most appetizing the day of!

One year ago: Sweet-and-Sour Fish tiles
Two years ago: Chili and Basil Scallops
Three years ago: Egg Drop Soup
Four years ago: Rosemary Parmesan Popovers

Beecher's Flagship Cheddar with Avocado, Lime, and Shell Pasta (from Melt: The Art of Macaroni and Cheese)

Ingredients
1 jalapeno, stemmed and cut in half
zest and juice of 1 lime
2 green onions, green parts only, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
3 ripe avocados, divided
10 ounces shell pasta
1 1/2 cups milk
2 tbsp butter
3 tbsp flour
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
10 ounces Beecher's flagship cheddar, shredded
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1. In a food processor, combine jalapeno, lime zest, lime juice, green onions, garlic, and flesh of 2 avocados. Process until smooth.
2. Cook pasta in salted boiling water until al dente. Drain and set aside.
3. Meanwhile, heat milk in a small saucepan over medium heat until tiny bubbles form. Turn off heat.
4. In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add flour and stir until light brown, ~ 3 minutes.
5. Slowly add milk to flour and butter and stir until sauce thickens. Remove from heat.
6. Stir in salt, pepper, and cheese into milk until completely melted.
7. Add avocado-onion paste to cheese sauce and stir until well-blended.
8. Add pasta and cilantro to sauce.
9. Dice remaining avocado, toss with mac and cheese, and serve.

Avocado and Sumac Whip

This of this as a cross between guacamole and hummus ... in other words, the perfect snack. This works great as a dip with bread or as a side dish to some fish that's been crusted with toasted cumin and a bit of sumac.

One year ago: Chile-Smothered Pork with Vinegar
Two years ago: Hare and Chocolate Sauce
Four years ago: Lemon Sugar Cookies

Avocado and Sumac Whip (from Purple Citrus and Sweet Perfume)

Ingredients
2 ripe avocados
juice of 1 small lemon
1/4 cup tahini
3 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp crushed sumac
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cumin
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp black sesame seeds

1. Peel and cube the avocados, discarding the pits.
2. In a food processor, blend avocado with lemon juice until smooth.
3. Add tahini, olive oil, sumac, cinnamon, cumin, and garlic and mix until the consistency of mayo.
4. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve.

Asparagus Salad with Ricotta Salata, Fava Beans, Mint, and Farfalle

This salad is a celebration of spring. While limes are at a price premium now, the acid really brightens this salad and the zest adds a few beautiful green flecks. If you can't find ricotta salata, the author suggests that feta is a good substitute. I remember very early in my cooking on here (before I had a full appreciation of the amazingness of fresh mint) suggesting that you could skip the mint in an orzo salad. That was just crazy talk. Don't skip the mint here! This is a quick weeknight pasta salad.

One year ago: Creamy Lamb Meatballs
Two years ago: White Chocolate and Raspberry Tartlettes
Four years ago: Tomato and Olive Penne

Asparagus Salad with Ricotta Salata, Fava Beans, Mint, and Farfalle (from Melt)

Ingredients
1 cup shelled fava beans (1 lb in the pod)
10 ounces farfalle
1 lb asparagus, woody ends broken off, cut diagonally into 1" sticks
3 tbsp avocado oil, divided (or olive)
8 ounces ricotta salata, broken into small chunks
1/4 cup mint leaves, cut into chiffonade
juice and zest of 1 lime

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Blanch the fava beans for 1 minute (or until they begin to float). Scoop out with a slotted spoon, rinse under cold water, and when they cool remove the outer skin. Do NOT discard the water.
2. In the same water, cook pasta until it's al dente. Drain and set aside.
3. Meanwhile, heat 1 tbsp oil in saute pan over medium-high heat. Add asparagus, season with salt and pepper, and cook until asparagus is slightly blistered, 4 minutes.
4. Toss fava beans, pasta, asparagus, ricotta salata, mint, lime juice, and lime zest in a large bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Drizzle with remaining 2 tbsp oil and serve.

Dilled Celery, Asian Pear, and Hazelnut Salad

Celery in general gets a bad rap. It's a flavor base for stews and soups or a vector for peanut butter, but so rarely appreciated on its own. This salad manages to highlight the celery in a way that works so well that it's surprisingly bright and refreshing. While I was in Seattle for work, I was happy to be able to eat in Jerry Traunfeld's new restaurant and just as his cookbooks show, he is a master of mixing herbs and spices. He suggests this would be nice served alongside a wedge of blue cheese and I agree.

One year ago: Boneless Pork Cooked with Toasted Coconut
Two years ago: Spicy Greens Salad
Three years ago: Breakfast!
Four years ago: Roasted Acorn Squash and Gorgonzola Pizza

Dilled Celery, Asian Pear, and Hazelnut Salad (from The Herbal Kitchen)

Ingredients
1 1/2 tbsp sherry vinegar
2 tsp whole-grain mustard
1 tsp kosher salt
1/4 cup hazelnut oil or extra virgin olive oil
2 cups thinly sliced celery
1/4 cup coarsely chopped dill weed
1 medium unpeeled Asian pear or Bosc pear, cored and cut into thick matchsticks
1/2 cup coarselly chopped toasted hazelnuts

1. Whisk together vinegar, mustard, and salt in small mixing bowl.
2. Whisk rapidly as you slowly pour in oil.
3. Toss celery and dill with dressing in large mixing bowl.
4. Toss in pear and hazelnuts and serve.

Pizza Bianca with Roasted Mushrooms and Fontina

It's been a while since we had homemade pizzas for dinner, despite having quite a few homemade pizza doughs hiding in the freezer. None of the usual suspects sounded quite right for pizza, so we decided to take inspiration from this recipe. While the original calls for 3 smaller rectangular pizzas, we decided to make one standard-sized one using our existing dough. The combination of roasted garlic, earthy mushrooms, and rich cheese was outstanding. My one complaint? There was a little too much cheese (did I just say that?) for the amount of mushrooms. The adjusted ratios are below, with 3/4 the amount of cheese and an extra cup of mushrooms. I also reduced the olive oil a bit (the original calls for 1 1/4 cups total!). One other bonus for this recipe that makes it a great weeknight dinner? The cheese is diced instead of grated, saving a bit of time and/or cleanup.

P.S. Do you often buy cookbooks from Amazon? If so, you should check out their Smile.Amazon.com program. A small portion of all of your purchases will go to support a charity of your choice. Note that once your sign up, it won't always redirect you from amazon.com to smile.amazon.com, so you have to pay attention to the URL and/or logo image.

One year ago: Burrata with Asparagus, Pine Nuts, and Golden Raisins
Two years ago: Grilled Cumin and Chile Veal Meatballs
Three years ago: Potato Latkes
Four years ago: Tex-Mex Comfort Food

Pizza Bianca with Roasted Mushrooms and Fontina (adapted from The Cheesemonger's Kitchen)

Ingredients
4 cups mixed mushrooms (oyster, cremini, chanterelle, etc.)
3/4 cup olive oil, divided
salt and pepper
9 garlic cloves, peeled
coarse cornmeal
9 oz Fontina Valle d'Aosta cheese, trimmed of rind and diced
pizza dough of your choice

1. Heat oven to 425F.
2. Spread mushrooms out on baking try and toss with 3 tbsp olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Roast mushrooms for 10 - 12 minutes or until tender and golden. Set aside to cool. Increase oven heat to 500F for the pizza.
4. Meanwhile, in a small frying pan, combine 1/2 cup olive oil with garlic and cook over very low heat for 7 - 8 minutes or until soft and slightly golden. Remove garlic from oil and set aside to cool. Save oil for other uses.
5. Scatter cornmeal on a pizza peel and place shaped pizza dough on peel.
6. Squeeze garlic cloves with your fingers and spread over dough.
7. Scatter mushrooms on top of dough and follow with fontina. Drizzle with remaining tbsp olive oil (or more if you desire).
8. Shake pizza onto pizza stone in hot oven. Cook for 10 - 12 minutes or until dough is cooked and cheese is melted and golden.
9. Remove pizza from oven and serve.

Three-Bean Chili with a Cashew-Pistachio Sauce

Those of you who know me well are probably wondering what a chili that includes beans is doing on this blog (not only beans, but tomatoes as well!). This is an Indian-flavored chili, so I think it's okay to bend the rules. If you don't like heat, you'll want to scale back the chilies or cayenne a bit. The sweetness of the nuts makes a nice contrast to the heat and Indian spices though. Feel free to top this with cheese, yogurt, or sour cream.

One year ago: Shredded Beef with Sweet Peppers
Two years ago: Potato Rendang
Three years ago: Pork and Sweet Potato Stew
Four years ago: Pasta with Roasted Red Pepper Pesto

Three-Bean Chili with a Cashew-Pistachio Sauce (from 660 Curries)

Ingredients
1/4 cup canola oil
1 large red onion, finely chopped
2 celery ribs, finely chopped
1 medium carrot, peeled and finely chopped
6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
4 fresh green Thai, cayenne, or serrano chiles, finely chopped
1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes
1/2 tsp ground cayenne
1 1/2 tsp sweet paprika
2 tsp Toasted Cumin-Coriander blend (a 2:1 blend of coriander and cumin seeds toasted and ground)
1 1/2 tsp coarse salt
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1/2 cup pine nuts
1/2 cup cashew nuts
1/2 cup pistachio nuts
3 cups water, divided
1 can pinto beans, drained and rinsed (or 1/2 cup dried, cooked)
1 can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed (or 1/2 cup dried, cooked)
1 can black beans beans, drained and rinsed (or 1/2 cup dried, cooked)
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion, celery, carrot, garlic, and fresh chiles and cook, stirring, until vegetables soften and brown, ~20 minutes.
2. Stir in tomatoes, ground chiles, cumin-coriander blend, salt, and turmeric. Lower heat to medium and cook until tomato softens, 5 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, pour 1/4 cup water into a blender jar and add 3 types of nuts. Puree to a thick, slightly gritty paste. (If you need to add more water, you can take it out of the water you're adding in step 5 to the blender. Just be careful you don't add too much. You want the nuts to grind evenly and if you add all the water, they won't.)
4. Add nut paste to the vegetable mixture.
5. Pour 2 3/4 cups water into the blender jar (or whatever you have left out of 3 cups total). Whir blades to wash out any stuck bits of nut paste. Pour into vegetable mixture.
6. Add pinto, kidney, and black beans and stir.
7. Bring chili to a boil, lower heat to medium-low, cover pan, and simmer for 15 minutes.
8. Reduce heat to low, stir, and simmer another 15 minutes or until sauce is thick.
9. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve.

Creamy Mascarpone Polenta

Polenta is such a rich satisfying side for braised meat. It generally doesn't need much help, but this recipe pushes it over the edge with a decadently rich and definitely not diet-friendly polenta. Will this become my standard polenta recipe? No, but it's perfect for a little extra indulgence.

One year ago: Red-braised Mushrooms
Two years ago: Chicken Satay
Three years ago: Doughnut Muffins
Four years ago: Oscar baking

Creamy Mascarpone Polenta (from Stir: Mixing It Up in the Italian Tradition)
Ingredients
4 cups milk
1 cup coarse-ground cornmeal
6 tbsp butter, divided
1/2 cup mascarpone or cream cheese

1. In a large saucepan, bring milk to a gentle boil.
2. Pour cornmeal slowly into milk, whisking to prevent clumping.
3. Reduce heat to simmer, add 3 tbsp butter and season with 2 tsp salt and a few grinds of pepper.
4. Cook polenta, stirring occasionally, until thick and tender.
5. Stir in remaining 3 tbsp butter and then mascarpone and cook for an additional 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
6. Season to taste and serve.

Oven-Braised Forest Mushrooms

You may be noticing a theme for which cookbook I've been enjoying the most lately. Thus far, the recipes that I've tried from The Herbal Kitchen are bursting with flavor from fresh herbs, but relatively simple to make. Even better, the cookbook itself is beautiful and inviting (while I very much appreciate The Herbfarm Cookbook which is its predecessor, the other book isn't quite as attention grabbing). This recipe was not exception to the full flavor with minimal prep. The mushroom absorb the butter, shallots, and vermouth as well as the flavorful herbs. Even better for me, there's no chopping required for all of the herbs.

One year ago: Cauliflower with Tahini
Two years ago: Spicy Coriander Salad
Three years ago: Lemon Souffle Pancakes
Four years ago: Sun-dried Tomatoes, Spinach, Feta, and Pine Nuts

Oven-Braised Forest Mushrooms (from The Herbal Kitchen)

Ingredients
2 lbs assorted mushrooms, cleaned and cut into bite-sized pieces
small bunch thyme sprigs (1/2 ounce)
5 bay leaves
2 large sprigs sage
1/4 cup finely chopped shallots
3 tbsp butter or olive oil
2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 cup dry vermouth or white wine

1. Preheat oven to 375F.
2. Layer mushrooms, herbs, and shallots in a lidded covered casserole that's just large enough to hold them.
3. Dot with butter or drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt.
4. Pour vermouth on top.
5. Cover tightly and bake for 1 hour, stirring halfway. Serve hot.

Avocado, Quinoa, and Fava Bean Salad

I had plans to make this with the beans, but that plan fell through. Even without the beans though, this was a lovely side. The one thing I might change is considering cutting back on the cumin. It didn't work for me quite as well in the mix. I served this as a side to the chicken and haloumi, but it could easily stand on its own.

One year ago: Chicken with Chiles
Two years ago: Fettucine, Pine Nuts, and Cilantro
Three years ago: Fettucine Alfredo
Four years ago: Spinach Pomegranate Salad

Avocado, Quinoa, and Fava Bean Salad (from Plenty)

Ingredients
200g quinoa
500g shelled fava beans
2 medium lemons
2 small ripe avocados
2 garlic cloves, crushed
200g breakfast radishes, halved lengthwise
50g purple radish cress (or small purple basil leaves or watercress)
1 tbsp ground cumin
75 ml olive oil
1/4 tsp chili flakes
salt and pepper

1. Place quinoa in saucepan with plenty of water, bring to boil and simmer for 9 minutes. Drain, rinse with cold water, and leave to dry.
2. Bring pot of water to boil, add fava beans, bring back to boil, drain, refresh with cold water, and leave to dry. Discard skins.
3. Remove skin from lemons and place in bowl. Juice lemons into bowl.
4. Peel, stone, and thinly slice avocado, adding it to the lemon juice.
5. Add dry quinoa to the bowl along with fava beans, garlic, radishes, cress, cumin, olive oil, chili flakes, and salt and pepper to taste. Toss and serve.

Green Risotto

Risotto is one of my favorite side dishes, so creamy and comforting. This is a bright, green, clean-out-your fridge risotto. I paired it with some nice roast beef. The author suggests several variations of the recipe. In particular, the variation of 1 1/2 cup chopped basil, 1/4 cup chopped marjoram, 1/2 cup chopped mint, and 1/2 cup chopped parsley sounds very appealing. Feel free to play around with the mixtures. I didn't have sorrel for the recipe below, so I ended up adding some spinach and then a little bit of lemon zest to add brightness.

One year ago: Frisee with Chevre
Two years ago: Sichuanese Roast Duck
Three years ago: Orzo with Everything
Four years ago: Tortellini with Walnut and Mascarpone Sauce (sadly this recipe STILL reminds me of having the flu)

Green Risotto (from The Herbfarm Cookbook)

Ingredients
5 1/2 to 6 cups chicken or vegetable stock (I used goose)
5 tbsp unsalted butter, divided
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups arborio or carnaroli rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 tsp salt (less if using canned stock)
1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped basil
1 cup coarsely chopped sorrel
1 cup coarsely chopped arugula
1/2 cup coarsely chopped parsley
1/2 cup finely chopped or snipped chives or green onions
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmigaino-Reggiano

1. Bring stock to a simmer in a medium saucepan and set over very low heat.
2. Melt 2 tbsp of butter in a large saucepan over medium heat.
3. Add onion and cook until softened but not browned, 5 minutes.
4. Add rice, reduce heat to medium-low and stir for 1 minute.
5. Add wine and salt. Stir until wine is absorbed.
6. Ladle in 1 cup of stock. Stir often, let bubble until rice absorbs the stock. Continue ladling in stock 1 ladle at a time until rice is puffed and tender, but with a little bit of bite still, 25 - 30 minutes.
7. Stir in remaining 3 tbsp butter over low heat until it melts.
8. Stir in herbs and cheese. If needed, add more stock. Season with black pepper and additional salt if needed. Serve.

Cumin Seed Roasted Cauliflower with Salted Yogurt, Mint, and Pomegranate Seeds

I've been meaning to make this recipe for a very long time, but somehow never gotten around to it. Finally, an overabundance of pomegranates gave me the perfect reason to stop putting this off. I topped this with a sparing amount of yogurt, just enough of an accent to not overpower. The addition of mint and pomegranates gives a nice contrast to delicious roasted cauliflower.

One year ago: Chicken Breasts Diable
Two years ago: Pork and Tomatillo Stew
Three years ago: Black Bean Pumpkin Soup
Four years ago: Creamy Carrot Soup

Cumin Seed Roasted Cauliflower with Salted Yogurt, Mint, and Pomegranate Seeds (from Cook This Now)

Ingredients
1 large head cauliflower, cut into bite-size florets
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp whole cumin seeds
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp ground pepper
plain yogurt
chopped fresh mint
pomegranate seeds

1. Preheat oven to 425F. Toss cauliflower with oil, cumin seeds, salt, and pepper. Spread on baking sheet.
2. Roast until cauliflower is tender and edges are toasty, 20 - 30 minutes.
3. Whisk a pinch of salt into yogurt. Dollop yogurt on top of cauliflower. Top with mint and pomegranate seeds.

Fennel and Feta with Pomegranate Seeds and Sumac

We have an overabundance of pomegranate seeds right now thanks to a thoughtful dinner guest (some people apparently have backyard pomegranate trees??? I'm officially jealous!). This simple side salad is a bit on the sour side, but pairs beautifully with fish. The mix of sour sumac, lemon juice, salty feta, and sweet pomegranates is a winner.

One year ago: Pot Roast Studded with Almonds and Bacon
Two years ago: Chocolate Pumpkin Cake
Three years ago: Blue Cheese and Red Potato Tart
Four years ago: Asparagus, Oka, Pine nuts, and Lemon Pasta

Fennel and Feta with Pomegranate Seeds and Sumac (from Ottolenghi)

Ingredients
seeds from 1/2 pomegranate
2 medium fennel heads
1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp sumac
juice of 1 lemon
4 tbsp tarragon leaves
2 tbsp roughly chopped parsley
70g Greek feta cheese, sliced (or crumbled)

1. Remove leaves from fennel, keeping a few for garnish. Trim base. Slice very thinly lengthwise.
2. In a bowl, mix together olive oil, sumac, lemon juice, and herbs (You can also add salt and pepper, but be careful with the feta).
3. Add fennel to oil and toss well.
4. In individual serving dishes, layer fennel, then feta, and then pomegranate seeds. Garnish with fennel leaves and serve.