Sopapillas!

Sopapillas are wonderful, fried, donut-like Mexican treats that are super fun and easy to make at home. Perfect for a movie night and again for breakfast the next morning (store them in a paper bag overnight, they won't last any longer than that). We were inspired by the Homesick Texan to make these this weekend. Be sure to serve them with a really good quality honey. I love the blueberry honey from Andrew's Local Honey. You can find him on Wednesdays at the Union Square greenmarket.

Enjoy!

Couscous Salad with Beets and Fennel

This is a quick and yummy salad that can serve as a meal itself. I like to serve with lemony grilled shrimp for a more substantial meal.

Here is what you'll need:

1 box whole wheat couscous

3 small yellow beets, scrubbed, trimmed, and cut in halves (quarters if they are on the large side)

1 bunch of arugula

1 small fennel bulb, thinly sliced

1 large or 2 small shallots, sliced

6 dried apricots, diced

zest of one meyer lemon

juice of one meyer lemon (zest it before you juice it!)

Dijon mustard

olive oil

Start by drizzling the beets with olive oil and roasting them at 375F in an ovenproof dish for about 20 minutes. In the meantime, heat 2 T olive oil in a saute pan and cook shallots over medium-low heat until caramelized. Cook the couscous in according to directions using your favorite broth instead of water, remove from the pot, and place in the refrigerator to cool.

Now make the dressing by combining 1t of mustard with the juice of 1 meyer lemon. Slowly add 1/4 c olive oil the this mixture, season with salt and freshly ground pepper, and set aside.

The beets should now be done (they should be easy to pierce with a knife). Place these in the refrigerator to cool as well. While the beets cool, combine the fennel, arugula, couscous, caramelized shallots, apricots, and meyer lemon zest in a large bowl. Cut the cooled beets into eighths and add to the salad. Dress generously and finish with salt and pepper.

Enjoy!

Meyer Lemon Pasta

I absolutely adore meyer lemons. I have been busy this meyer lemon season, so have been getting by on meyer lemonade. I did manage to make this simple pasta dish inspired by a dish I had at The Mark Restaurant. So, so yummy and simple. Because of the simplicity of this dish, the quality of the cheese and the pasta you use really matters. I am obsessed with Cipriani's dried pastas. They are super thin and tasty. Perfect for this dish. I have only been able to find them at Citarella but you can order them on Amazon too! A thicker pasta really calls for a more substantial sauce, so I would skip this recipe if you can't find a thin egg pasta.

Here's what you'll need:

1 8oz package of Cipriani Tagliarelle (or other very thin flat egg pasta)

2 meyer lemons, zested then juiced

1/4 c finely grated aged parmigiano-reggiano cheese, plus more for topping

1/2 c heavy cream

salt

freshly ground pepper

First boil salted water for your pasta. Heat the lemon juice and half of the zest in a saute pan over medium heat. Let the juice reduce by about half, season to taste with salt and fresh pepper. Add cream and reduce heat to simmer, stirring occasionally for about 3 minutes. Cook the pasta according to directions. Remove saute pan from heat and add pasta, stirring to coat with sauce. Add grated cheese and stir to combine. Transfer pasta to a serving dish and top generously with more grated cheese, freshly ground pepper, and remaining lemon zest. Serve alone or with a simple green salad.

Enjoy!

Tofu Noodles with Oyster Sauce

I crave this veggie-filled dish after super busy, I-can't-believe-I'm-just-getting-home kinds of days. I often vary the vegetables to suit what I have in the fridge. You can use this combination of oyster sauce, soy sauce, Shao Hsing rice wine, and honey to make really delicious stir-fry with your choice of ingredients.

1/4 inch piece of fresh ginger, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

3 scallions, trimmed and chopped

2 c mushrooms, cleaned and sliced

1 bunch of Tuscan kale, roughly chopped

3 carrots, peeled and chopped

2 8oz packages of tofu noodles, rinsed and drained

1 T oyster sauce

1 T Shao Hsing rice wine

2 T soy sauce

1 t honey

1/2 t sriracha, optional

1/4 t sesame oil

salt

freshly ground pepper

Heat oil of your choice over medium-high heat in a flat-bottom wok or saute pan. Add ginger, garlic, and scallions and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add the carrots and mushrooms and cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Add kale and cook, stirring frequently for 5 minutes. Season with a pinch of salt and freshly ground pepper.

Add oyster sauce, soy sauce, Shao Hsing wine, honey, sriracha, and sesame oil. Add noodles (I don't cook them, though the package instructs that you to do so) and toss to coat. Cook just long enough to heat the noodles through.

Enjoy!

Tuscan Kale and Orange Salad

I love to serve this hearty salad with a simple roasted chicken. It is so flavorful and filling, there is no need to serve additional side dishes. The kale in this recipe is uncooked, so be sure to slice it as thin as possible. You could substitute spinach (not baby spinach, normal sized spinach) in a pinch, but the kale really is much more tasty.

Here's what you'll need:

1 bunch Tuscan kale (also called lacinato or dinosaur kale), cut into thin strips

2 cara cara oranges, sectioned over a bowl to reserve juice (yum!)

1 small shallot, finely diced

1 t your favorite dijon mustard

1 T good olive oil

In a large bowl, combine the kale and half of the orange sections. Set the remaining sections aside. You will want to top the salad with them before serving. Add the shallot and mustard to the juice you collected while sectioning the oranges (you should have about 4 tablespoons, squeeze the leftover orange parts if you think you need more juice). Slowly add the olive oil. Add dressing to the kale and oranges and toss to coat. Top with remaining orange sections.

Enjoy!

Perfect Roasted Chicken

This chicken was so delicious, I couldn't stop to photograph it! We had to dig in while it was still hot and crispy. It's not my recipe, it is Thomas Keller's Simple Roast Chicken. It's just so amazing, I had to make sure that you knew about it.

The key to making such a simple recipe taste so amazing is the quality of the chicken. I have been cooking heritage chickens at home for the last six months or so. The flavor is incredible and it seems that you can't dry them out. Even my dark-meat-only husband is giving me some competition for the breast meat!

This is a Pollo Buono from Epicurean Farms. You can get them on Fresh Direct, so no need for scavenger hunt.

I serve this with a simple kale salad for a perfect mix of hearty and healthy.

Enjoy!

Rice and Bean Bowl

So quick and yummy. This dish satisfies our cravings for fresh Mexican flavors in a hurry. Top with your favorite condiments. We love to add homemade crema and our favorite hot sauce from Caracas. I often cook the rice and beans over the weekend while I am cooking something else and just assemble the dish when we want to have it during the week. Don't pre-make the salsa. This is best eaten fresh!

Here's what you'll need:

1 c brown rice

1 c dried black beans (soaked in water overnight)

1 ripe avocado

1 pint cherry tomatoes

1 small red onion finely chopped

cilantro

1 lime

chicken or vegetable broth

2 cloves garlic

cumin

olive oil

Start by preparing the rice. It will take the longest to cook.

Prepare the beans according to your fave recipe. I like to start by softening over medium heat half of the onion, a small handful of cherry tomatoes and the garlic in enough olive oil to cover the bottom of a small saucepan. Season with salt, pepper and 1t cumin. Add the beans, cover with the broth of your choice and turn your heat down to a simmer. Let simmer for 30 mins. If you forgot to soak overnight, don't worry. Just add more water and plan on about an hour of cooking time.

While your beans and rice are cooking, prepare the salsa. Just give a rough chop to the tomatoes and cut the avocado into cubes about the same size. Mix the tomato, the remaining onion, one T of finely chopped cilantro and the juice of one lime in a bowl. Gently mix in the avocado. Season with salt and pepper.

To assemble, fill half of your bowl with beans, the other half with rice, and top with the avocado salsa mixture. Add hot sauce and crema to your taste.

Enjoy!