Pasta Puttanesca

Adam was craving some seafood, so we decided to make homemade pasta with a puttanesca sauce. We found this recipe online and altered it slightly to make it more veggie friendly. We omitted the anchovies and cooked the squid (and shrimp and scallops) separately. I ate vegetarian Italian sausage as my protein. This was absolutely delicious and definitely a way to impress guests.

Calamari Puttanesca Recipe (www.dinnertool.com/recipe/view/34529/Calamari-Puttanesca)

We omitted the rice and chose to prepare homemade pasta instead. Any type of grain that soaks in the sauce will work perfectly.

Boiled rice, preferably made with medium-grain rice

1 medium onion, chopped

3 anchovy filets in oil, rinsed and chopped, or 1 tsp. anchovy paste

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 can (28 oz.) Italian plum tomatoes in puree, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup (4 oz) black Mediterranean olives, pitted

1/3 cup red wine

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil or 1 1/2 tsp. dried oregano

3 Tbs. small capers, rinsed

1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper, or more to taste

1 lb. squid, tentacles cut off and coarsely chopped, sacks cut off into 1/4-inch rings

salt

1. In a dutch oven or flameproof casserole, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, until golden, about 5 minutes. Add the anchovies and garlic and stir, breaking up the anchovies, for 1 minute.

2. Stir in the tomatoes with their puree, the olives, wine, basil, capers, and crushed red pepper. Bring to a boil. Simmer briskly until slightly reduced, about 5 minutes.

3. Stir in the squid and cook until the squid is just tender and opaque, about 3 minutes. Salt to taste.

4. Spoon the rice into individual soup bowls and top with the squid and sauce. Serve immediately.

Slow Cooker Veggie Chili

To follow in the theme of slow cooker recipes, here's another one that is absolutely fantastic. Again, as all slow cooker recipes should be, it was easy. This one though has so much fantastic flavor, with a meld of sweet and warm flavors that you definitely have to try when you are in the mood for a bowl of something cozy.

Chickpea Chili (Cooking Light, March 2011)

1 cup dried chickpeas
2 quarts boiling water
2 Tbs. olive oil, divided
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbs. tomato paste
1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. ground red pepper
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground turmeric
2 1/2 cups fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth [or veggie broth]
1/2 cup water
2/3 cup pimiento-stuffed olives
1/2 cup golden raisins
1 (28-oz.) can whole tomatoes, undrained and crushed
4 cups chopped peeled butternut squash
1 cup frozen green peas, thawed
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
6 cups hot cooked couscous
8 lime wedges

1. Place chickpeas in a saucepan; add 2 quarts boiling water. Cover and let stand 1 hour; drain. Place beans in a 6-quart slow cooker.
2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 Tbs. oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add onion; saute 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic; saute 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in tomato paste and next 5 ingredients (through turmeric); saute 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add onion mixture to slow cooker. Add broth and next 4 ingredients (through tomatoes) to slow cooker; cover and cook on HIGH 8 hours.
3. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add remaining 1 Tbs. oil; swirl to coat. Add squash; saute 5 minutes. Add squash to slow cooker. Cover and cook on HIGH 1 hour; stir in peas. Sprinkle with cilantro. Serve over couscous with lime wedges.

Slow Cooker Enchiladas

Although it has been a long time since I created most of the dishes I'm about to post, and many of them are no longer seasonal, they are a few of my favs. I think it's worth posting them for reference when they are seasonal again (or perhaps just another chilly day in the Bay Area).

At Christmas time I went to one of my favorite gift stores on Piedmont Avenue in Oakland, Nathan's. I meant to pick out little gifts for the Petes family grab bag, but I ended up only buying The Gourmet Vegetarian Slow Cooker cookbook for myself. Oops. It was definitely a good buy though, as there are hardly any slow cooker recipes for vegetarians. The Stacked Cauliflower Enchilada with Green Chile Sauce is absolutely delicious and really easy. I prepped everything the night before, put everything in the slow cooker in the morning, and came home in the evening to a wonderful meal.

Stacked Cauliflower Enchilada with Green Chile Sauce (The Gourmet Vegetarian Slow Cooker, Lynn Alley)

1 head cauliflower
1 white onion, cut vertically into 8 pieces
1 cup sliced pitted California olives, drained [or green olives with pimentos]
2 tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1 (15-oz.) can black beans, drained
6 to 9 corn tortillas
1/2 lbs. smoked or regular cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese, grated
1 (28-oz.) can green enchilada sauce
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish
1/2 cup sour cream, for garnish

1. Trim and core the cauliflower, then wash and slice the head vertically. (You will be placing it in layers in the casserole, so you want the pieces fairly thin.) Pull the onion layers apart.
2. In a large bowl, combine the cauliflower, onion, olives, tomatoes, and beans using your hands.
3. Oil the inside of the slower cooker insert. Place 2 or 3 overlapping tortillas in the bottom of the insert. Add a layer of half the mixed vegetables and top it with a generous sprinkling of cheese (about one-third of the cheese). Pour 1/2 cup of the enchilada sauce over the layer.
4. Add another layer of tortillas, then half of the remaining vegetables and another one-third of the cheese. Pour on another 1/2 cup of sauce. Finish with an additional layer of tortillas and the remaining 2 1/2 cups sauce. (Even though you may appear to have an excess of sauce, much of it is absorbed into the tortillas and vegetables as they cook.)
5. Cover and cook on low for 5 to 6 hours, or until the cauliflower is tender. Top the casserole with the remaining cheese, cover, and cook for an additional 30 minutes, or until cheese is melted.
6. Turn off the heat and allow the contents of the insert to sit for 10 to 15 minutes to set, then carefully scoop up generous individual servings of the enchilada into bowls. Top each serving with a sprinkle of cilantro and a dollop of sour cream.

Artichokes, Mm Mm

I have incredibly fond childhood memories or sitting down to the dinner table with a whole artichoke on my plate and a bowl of hollandaise sauce close by. Peeling the leaves, dunking them in the hollandaise, and scraping the flesh off of the leaf with my teeth is the epitome of summer and happy times for me. Naturally, I am drawn towards any recipe with artichokes. This artichoke ragout uses frozen artichoke hearts, making the prep incredibly easy (peeling artichokes just for their hearts is ridiculously labor and time-intensive). The saffron in this dish adds the perfect je ne sais quoi. We served the ragout with some homemade bread to sop up the sauce and brie.


Artichoke Ragout with Saffron and Olives (Vegetarian Times, March 2010)

1 1/2 Tbs. olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
3 cloves garlic, minced (1 Tbs.)
1/4 tsp. crushed saffron threads
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
1 large red bell pepper, sliced
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup crushed tomatoes
2 1/2 cups white mushrooms, quartered
1 8-oz. package frozen artichoke hearts
1/4 cup kalamata olives

1. Heat skillet over medium heat. Add oil, then onion and garlic. Saute 1 to 2 minutes, or until garlic turns gold. Stir in saffron and black pepper.
2. Add bell pepper and wine. Increase heat to medium high, and cook 3 to 4 minutes, or until wine is reduced by half. Add tomatoes, and cook 3 minutes more.
3. Stir in mushrooms, artichoke hearts, and 1 cup water, and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium, and simmer 15 to 20 minutes, or until vegetables are tender. Remove lid, and cook off any excess moisture, if necessary. Stir in olives, and season with salt and pepper, if desired.

Spiffed-up Spaghetti

For an easy change from regular spaghetti with tomato sauce, spice it up with a little sausage (or veggie sausage), kalamata olives, and feta cheese. We had extra sausage in the house (of both varieties) and a jar of my mom's homemade tomato sauce. Trying to be a bit creative, I decided to combine those two ingredients into a wonderful pasta. And that we did.


Pasta with Sausage, Kalamata Olives, and Feta

1 lbs. whole wheat penne
1 Italian sausage link per person, approximately 6-8 for this amount of pasta, sliced into bite-sized pieces
3 cups tomato sauce, either homemade or your favorite brand
1/2 cup Kalamata olives, halved
1/4 feta cheese, crumbled
crushed red pepper flakes, to taste
salt, to taste

1. Prepare the pasta according to package directions.
2. Cook the sausages in a non-stick skillet until browned on all sides and cooked all the way through.
3. When the sausage is thoroughly cooked, add the tomato sauce until heated. Add the olives, feta cheese, and drained pasta. Stir to combine. Add red pepper flakes and salt to taste, tossing to coat all the pasta. Serve and enjoy!

Mediterranean Delight

Roasted vegetables and couscous. What could be better (except for the meat-eaters who got a side of grilled rack of lamb)? Not much is the answer. And, to make matters even better, it's a pretty simple meal to create. Vegetables are roasted in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes and then mixed with couscous that takes about 15 minutes beginning to end. And, the lamb is grilled to perfection until just pink inside. The only part that takes time at all is prepping the lamb with a paste and letting it sit overnight. I don't think you need to have the lamb sit with the paste overnight, so this meal could come together even faster.


Roasted Vegetable Couscous with Lemon Vinaigrette
1 crown broccoli, chopped into florets
3 medium zucchini, cut into thick matchsticks
1/2 red onion, thickly sliced
1 eggplant, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 1/2 cups dry whole-wheat couscous
1 large tomato, chopped
10 Kalamata olives, halved
1/4 cup parsley, minced
1 lemon, juiced
1/4 cup olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 to 1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled

1. Preheat the oven to 425. Place the broccoli, zucchini, onion, and eggplant in baking dishes. Drizzle with a bit of olive oil, salt, and pepper. Toss to coat. Roast the vegetables in the oven for approximately 30 minutes, or until crispy and brown. The eggplant may take a little less time than the zucchini and broccoli.
2. Prepare the couscous according to the package directions, omitting half the fat.
3. Toss together the rest of the ingredients with the couscous and roasted vegetables. Top with the feta cheese.


IPA Spice Paste (Grilling with Beer, Lucy Saunders)

1/2 cup minced onion
1/4 cup walnut oil
1/4 cup IPA
1/3 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1/3 cup fresh parsley, chopped
2 Tbs. minced garlic
1 Tbs. paprika
1 Tbs. cinnamon
1 Tbs. grated orange zest
2 tsp. salt (kosher)
1 tsp. cumin

1. Place all ingredients in a food processor fitted with the metal cutting blade. Pulse on HIGH until pasty. Rub on chicken or lamb chops.

Veggie Orzo

Adam found this recipe and was adamant that we make it this week. It's a fantastic weeknight meal, because it doesn't take a long time to put together and it's full of veggies. As suggested by the cookbook, I served this orzo dish with some crusty bread and a dipping sauce of olive oil. I have to say that this isn't the most flavorful dish I've ever made, but every once in a while I got a bite bursting with goodness.


Orzo with Olives, Broccoli, and Basil (Vegetarian Planet, Didi Emmons)

1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup minced shallots
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups small broccoli florets
1 1/2 cups sliced fresh shiitake mushroom caps
10 oz. orzo
1 large ripe tomato, chopped
20 Kalamata olives, pitted and chopped coarsely
1 cup basil leaves, lightly packed
1 Tbs. fresh thyme leaves
1 Tbs. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. salt, or more, to taste
fresh-ground black pepper to taste

1. In a large skillet, heat 2 Tbs. olive oil over medium heat, and add the shallots. Saute them for a few minutes, until they soften. Add the garlic, broccoli, and shiitakes. Cook the mixture, stirring, for 1 minute, being careful not to burn the garlic. Then add 2/3 cup water, and let the vegetables simmer for about 3 minutes or until the broccoli softens slightly and most of the water is evaporated. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl.
2. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the orzo, and boil the pasta, stirring occasionally, until it is just tender. Drain it, and keep it hot.
3. Add the tomato, olives, basil, thyme, and remaining olive oil to the bowl of broccoli. Add the orzo, and combine well. Stir in the lemon juice, and add the salt and pepper to taste. Spoon the mixture onto plates, and serve.

Wine Country Salads

My parents came to visit directly after Alex and Dan left--literally hours later. Good thing we LOVE company! But, poor Adam had to go to wine country twice in three days. We normally bring an assortment of breads, cheese, and fruit with us for a picnic, but we decided to give Adam a bit of a break from the bread and cheese meal and make various salads. Unfortunately, I forgot to take pictures of them (I wonder why), but trust me, these are salads you will definitely want to make for any picnic.


Greek Egg Salad (Moosewood Restaurant: New Classics)

8 eggs
4 cups cold water
1 1/2 Tbs. pitted, chopped kalamata olives (about 6 olives)
3 Tbs. chopped walnuts, toasted
1 1/2 Tbs. chopped fresh dill
1/4 cup prepared mayonnaise
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp. salt, or to taste

1. Bring the eggs and water to a boil in a covered 2-quart saucepan. Reduce the heat to a rapid simmer and cook for 10 minutes.
2. While the eggs cook, prepare the rest of the ingredients. Submerge the cooked eggs in cold water and crack the shells to facilitate peeling. As soon as the eggs are cool enough to handle, peel them and transfer to a large bowl.
3. Mash the eggs well with a potato masher or fork. Add the remaining ingredients (except the salt and pepper, if you want to add them to taste). Stir everything gently to combine and serve.


Marinated Sweet Potatoes and Broccoli (The New Moosewood Cookbook)

If you have leftover salad, have no fear! Just place the salad on a baking tray, trying to leave most of the marinade in the bowl. Roast it in a 350 oven for 40 minutes or until perfectly chewy and caramelized. The roasted salad is wonderful on its own, cold or hot, or in a quesadilla with cheddar cheese.

3 medium-sized sweet potatoes or yams (1 1/2 to 2 lbs.)

Marinade
1/2 cup walnut oil (if unavailable, use olive oil)
1 large clove garlic, minced
3 Tbs. lemon juice
2 Tbs. raspberry vinegar (if unavailable, use red wine vinegar)
1 to 1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 Tbs. dry mustard [didn't have any, so used Dijon mustard]
1 Tbs. honey
freshly ground black pepper

1 large bunch broccoli (1 to 1 1/2 lbs.), cut into small spears

Optional Garnishes
thin slices of green apple
chopped, toasted pecans [we only used the pecans]

1. Peel the sweet potatoes, cut them in halves or quarters, then into thin slices. Put them up to cook, either in or over boiling water (in a steamer). Meanwhile, prepare the marinade.
2. Combine the marinade ingredients in a medium-large bowl. As soon as the sweet potato slices are tender, add them, still hot to the marinade. Mix gently.
3. Steam the broccoli until bright green and just tender. Rinse until cold running water and drain completely. Lay the broccoli spears carefully on top of the salad. Cover tightly and marinate for several hours.
4. Within 15 minutes of serving, mix in the broccoli from on top. Serve garnished with thin slices of green apple and chopped, toasted pecans.


Chilled Asparagus in Dilled Mustard Sauce (The New Enchanted Broccoli Forest)

My dad had the leftovers of this salad for breakfast in an eggs-florentine type way. He toasted some bread, placed the asparagus on top, and then topped that with a fried egg and the remaining sauce. Let me say, I wish there had been more leftovers so that I could have had one too!

1 lb. asparagus (as thin as possible)
1 cup firm yogurt
1/4 cup mayonnaise (optional) [We didn't use, and it wasn't missed!]
2 Tbs. Dijon mustard
2 Tbs. minced fresh dill
2 Tbs. minced fresh chives
salt to taste (optional)
fresh black pepper to taste

1. Snap off and discard the tough bottom ends of your elegantly thin asparagus.
2. Steam the spears over boiling water until just tender. Remove them immediately from the heat, rinse under cold running water, and drain well. (At this point, you can leave them at room temperature or chill until serving time.)
3. In a small bowl, combine yogurt, optional mayonnaise, mustard, and herbs, and whisk until smooth. Season to taste with salt (or not).
4. To serve, arrange the asparagus in a shallow dish, drizzle on the dressing, and grind some fresh black pepper over the top. That's it!

Farmers' Market Perfection

This past Saturday Adam and I went to the Oakland Farmers' Market on Grand and Lakeshore Avenues. I've been inspired by the book Animal, Vegetable, Miracle to eat more locally produced foods. Going to the Farmers' Market was the first step. At the market, we found a bunch of beautiful leeks and a sack of potatoes. Instantly, we decided to make Potato Leek Soup--and tonight was the night. To accompany our soup, I strayed from our usual bread recipe to cookbook No Need to Knead's Kalamata Olive Filoncino. Each component of the meal was spectacular, as was the pairing. The meal takes a bit of time to prepare, but it's absolutely worth it.


Kalamata Olive Filoncino (No Need to Knead)

There is no need to have a bread maker to prepare this wonderfully delicious bread. And, best of all, it's pretty easy. I used a combination of all-purpose and whole wheat flour, but you could certainly use your preference of whole wheat and white flours.

1 1/4 cups lukewarm water (85 to 95 F)
2 tsp. active dry yeast
4 1/2 cups unbleached bread flour
1 tsp. salt
3/4 cup chopped Kalamata olives (or leave some whole, if you like)
2 Tbs. olive paste (olives pureed in a blender until mostly smooth)
3/4 cup Kalamata olive brine (if there is not enough brine in the bottle add water to the full 3/4 cup measure and add 1/4 tsp. salt)
2 tsp. olive oil
1 tsp. kosher or sea salt

1. Measure the water into a large bowl. Sprinkle with yeast over the water and stir to dissolve. Stir in 2 1/4 cups of the flour, salt, olives, and paste, and stire until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the remaining 2 1/4 cups flour and the brine and stir. The dough will be fairly wet, the consistency of a very thick batter. If the dough seems too wet, add an additional 1/4 to 1/2 cup of flour.
2. Same day method (what I used): Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, 30 to 45 minutes. With a scraper or spatula, fold the dough by gently lifting it up from underneath and turning or folding it over on itself three or four times. Let the dough rise a second time in a warm place until doubled in volume, 30 to 45 minutes. Proceed with shaping instructions.
or
Overnight Method: Cover the dough and refrigerate overnight. The dough will rise in the refrigerator and acquire flavor from the slower yeast action. Remove the dough from the refrigerator 2 hours before shaping and let stand, covered, in a warm place. The dough will rise for the second time. Proceed with the shaping instructions.
3. To shape into loaves: Preheat the oven to 500. Spray a three-loaf baguette pan with nonstick spray or rub with olive oil. [I just heated the pizza stone in the oven and baked the bread on that.] With your left hand (or right hand if you are left-handed), hold the bowl and tip it over the opening of a groove and pour the dough along and into the groove by loosening the dough with a spatula. Carefully move along the groove as the dough pours, keeping it as inflated as possible. With the spatula, cut the dough off at the rim of the bowl as it falls into the groove. The dough should form a nice, rounded cylinder that fills the groove and stands about 1/2 inch above the rim of the pan. Fill the other two grooves. Brush the tops of loaves with the olive oil and sprinkle with kosher salt.
4. To bake loaves: Place the pan in the oven and reduce the oven temperature to 400. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the top is browned and the loaves sound hollow when tapped. Remove baguettes from the pan and cool on wire racks.


Golden Potato-Leek Soup with Cheddar Toasts (Cooking Light, October 2006)

This recipe calls for topping the soup with broiled cheddar toasts. We left this part of the recipe out to accommodate for the olive bread. I'm sure it would be delicious with the toasts, but the soup is flavorful enough to be eaten on its own. It's so easy and takes so few ingredients yet tastes absolutely amazing. Literally, Adam is commenting on how wonderful it was as I am typing this.

Cheddar Toasts
8 (1/4-inch-thick) slices diagonally cut sourdough French bread baguette
cooking spray
1/2 cup (2-oz.) shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1/4 tsp. ground red pepper

Soup:
1 Tbs. butter
3 cups thinly sliced leek (about 3 medium)
6 cups cubed peeled Yukon gold potato (about 2 1/4 lbs.)
2 cups water
1/2 tsp. salt
2 (14-oz.) cans organic vegetable broth (such as Swanson Certified Organic)
2 thyme sprigs

Remaining Ingredients:
1/3 cup whipping cream
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
thyme sprigs (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. To prepare Cheddar toasts, place baguette slices in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake at 375 for 7 minutes or until toasted. Turn slices over; coat with cooking spray, and sprinkle 1 Tbs. cheese over each slice. Bake 5 minutes or until cheese melts. Sprinkle evenly with red pepper.
3. To prepare soup, melt butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add leek; cook 10 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally (do not brown).
4. Add potatoes and next 4 ingredients. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, 20 minutes or until potatoes are very tender.
5. Remove pan from heat; discard thyme sprigs. Partially mash potatoes with a potato masher (or beaters, if you don't have one, like us); stir in cream. Sprinkle with black pepper. Serve with Cheddar toasts. Garnish with thyme sprigs, if desired.