the thin chef

I’ve seen this beautiful zucchini preparation a few times recently in magazines and around the internet, so when I picked up two pounds of the pretty green squash from our co-op, I thought I’d give it a try myself.

I love cooked zucchini, but thinly sliced, zucchini is also really tasty raw. Simply dressed with lemon zest, lemon juice, and olive oil, and studded with fresh basil and mint, it’s a lovely little salad. I sprinkled some feta over top (my crazy cheese-hating husband doesn’t like it, which is why it’s only on half), which added a perfect creaminess and saltiness. It would probably also be delicious with shaved parmesan or creamy fresh ricotta (or both).

Summer squash is crazy abundant right now, and this is the perfect use for it. It’s a perfect accompaniment for just about anything, but I imagine it would be most delicious next to some grilled fish. If you don’t have a V-slicer or mandoline for cutting the zucchini, you could always peel them into long strips with a vegetable peeler, or just use your best knife skills to cut them as thinly as possible.

Zucchini Carpaccio
Serves 4

2 medium zucchini, stem tops and bottoms removed, sliced paper thin
Zest and juice of 1/2 lemon
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Coarse salt
Freshly ground black pepper
4 basil leaves, torn into small pieces
4 mint leaves, torn into small pieces
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

Arrange zucchini slices on a serving plate. Sprinkle with lemon zest and juice, then drizzle with oil. Season with salt and pepper, and evenly distribute herbs over the plate. Top with feta.

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In an effort to eat more cleanly, more locally, more healthfully, Jason and I have cut meat out of most of the meals we eat at home. I was a vegetarian for about a year in high school (and even flirted with veganism until I remembered how much I love cheese), and even though I do enjoy eating meat—hello, did you read my last post about bacon?—I am usually completely satisfied with meals created without it.

Perusing the recipes at vegetariantimes.com, I stumbled upon this brilliant idea to cook sushi rice like risotto (it’s short-grained and high-starch, after all, just like arborio or carnaroli), using miso broth instead of stock. I didn’t follow their recipe exactly…I just took the method and tailored it to the vegetables I had on hand. Even if you don’t love miso soup—Jason doesn’t—the nutty, salty flavor adds a perfect something extra to the flavor. And of course, I used copious amounts of garlic and ginger for even more flavor.

Totally satiating, a bowlful of this vegetarian risotto is a perfect dinner paired with sliced cucumbers simply dressed with soy sauce, rice vinegar, and toasted sesame oil.

Sushi Rice Risotto
Serves 4

3 tablespoons white miso paste
2 tablespoons peanut oil, divided
1 red bell pepper, diced
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
3 or 4 large cloves garlic, minced
6 green onions, sliced (about 1 cup)
1  1/2 cups short-grain sushi rice
2/3 cup sake or dry white wine
1 pound baby bok choy, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

Combine miso with 6 cups water in a saucepan, whisking to combine. Bring broth to a simmer, and adjust heat to keep at a simmer.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a stockpot over medium heat. Add pepper, and cook until just tender. Transfer to a plate, and set aside. Heat remaining tablespoon oil in the stockpot over medium heat. Add ginger, garlic, and green onions. Cook, stirring constantly, until very fragrant, about 1 minute. Add sushi rice, and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Add sake, and cook 1 or 2 minutes, until liquid is almost completely absorbed.

Ladle in 1/2 cup miso broth; cook and stir until broth is almost absorbed. Continue adding broth, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring often and allowing rice to absorb most of liquid before adding more. When rice is mostly done, stir in bok choy, stirring until wilted. Keep adding broth until rice is tender and cooked through. Add red pepper back to pot, stirring to combine. Taste for seasoning, and add salt and pepper, as needed. Add sesame oil, and serve immediately.

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I really thought I had turned over a new leaf with this here blog…I had three, count ‘em, three consecutive posts in less than as many weeks, which was quite a feat (for me). And then…and then. Then I didn’t post. And now it’s been 10 days, and I know it’s not as bad as 3 weeks, which has been the average span between posts in the past, but it’s not exactly the regular pattern I was hoping I’d started. Anyway…there’s always tomorrow. (Or today, as the case may be.) I’m trying for regularity. Fingers crossed.

Earlier this summer, Jason and I were on an avocado kick, where we’d eat at least one a day. Calorie-wise, it’s not the best idea to consume so many of these little green orbs, which are, in essence, all fat. But we were comforted by the fact that it’s heart-healthy fat, which somehow seemed to excuse the actual fat grams. I digress. I have always loved avocados, with their silky texture and their barely there flavor. I used to say, when I was little, that they tasted like water, which I now realize makes zero sense. I’ll eat them any way I can get them, and sometimes they’re brilliant with just a squeeze of lemon and a bit (or a lot) of salt on top of a saltine cracker.

Or, on toast. One day, I found myself craving this simplest form of avocado consumption, but I was lemon-less. So I reached for the closest acidic thing my pantry could offer, which happened to be rice vinegar. So then I sprinkled it with soy sauce, because—let’s be honest—those two Asian condiments sing a bit louder when put together. And the whole thing was delicious. So, this isn’t exactly a recipe, but more of an encouragement… go get a ripe Hass avocado (no offense to my sweet Sunshine State, but the avocados that grow here are not so good), smoosh it on some toast (the crustier the better) and then sauce it with some rice vinegar and soy sauce (organic tamari if you have it). A few drops of sambal olek or sriracha definitely don’t hurt. Chow. Enjoy. Try to keep it to one avocado, for your girlish figure’s sake.

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I remember the first time I had edamame…I was at Fuji Sushi in Winter Park with my best friend Lainie and her mom, Becky. Becky ordered edamame for the table, and I after one bite, I was hooked. The fuzzy little pods covered in flakes of sea salt gave way to smooth, chewy, chartreuse-colored beans, and they seemed so exotic and interesting. These days, I see edamame all over the place, not just in sushi restaurants, but also on menus in upscale bars and cafes.

Nutty-tasting and healthful, edamame is such a versatile vegetable. It’s great tossed into stir fries, cooked into succotash, or just eaten from the pod as a snack. Lately, my favorite way to eat the little green soybeans is in this simple, six-ingredient dip. It’s great with corn chips, pita bread, cucumber slices, or slathered onto a hunk of crusty bread as a sort of East-meets-West bruschetta. It requires no cooking, and comes together in a snap, which is practically a requirement in my kitchen during these steamy August days.

Miso-Edamame Dip
Makes about 2 cups

If you’ve never used miso (fermented soy bean paste) before, it’s a versatile and delicious ingredient to have on hand. I get it at an Asian-foods market, but I’ve seen it at Whole Foods and other health food stores. It keeps for a long time in the fridge, and it adds a subtle salty-nuttiness to everything it touches, which I just love. Cilantro-haters, take note: you can sub mint or parsley. It will change the flavor slightly, but it’ll still be delicious.

2 cups frozen shelled edamame, completely thawed (almost 1 full 16-ounce bag)
4 green onions, sliced
1/4 to 1/2 cup cilantro leaves
1/4 cup lime juice
2 heaping tablespoons white miso paste
1/4 cup peanut or vegetable oil

Combine all ingredients except oil in a food processor. Pulse until very finely chopped, scraping down the sides of the bowl every few pulses. With the processor running, slowly drizzle in oil, processing until the dip is well combined and creamy-looking, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed.

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One of the best parts of my former job as a magazine editor was working with the wonderful, talented ladies in the company’s test kitchen. All culinary school grads, these women create dishes that not only look beautiful in the magazines, but also taste as good (or sometimes even better) than they look. I worked closely with two of these gals—Loren and Chantel. We spent many long, tiring, but ultimately fun and rewarding days together, and I miss them so much. They became friends and colleagues, which I think is a difficult balance to actually attain.

The food they make is creative and always delicious. I had a really hard time at photo shoots waiting to eat the leftovers. (Sometimes I would sneak a bite, but I think they always knew.) There are many recipes of theirs I have tried, but I want to share this recipe with you, one that Chantel created, because I’ve made it many, many times, and it’s always wonderful. I often make substitutions according to what I have on hand, but the quinoa, dressing, and crumbled pecorino stays the same. There’s something magic in that combination. The recipe below includes my suggestions for substitutions I’ve made.

Chantel and Loren, I miss you girls. But you’re often in my kitchen with me when I cook your recipes, which makes me miss you just a little bit less.

Chantel’s Quinoa Salad
Serves 8 to 10

1/3 cup white quinoa (feel free to use all white, if that’s all you can find)
1/3 cup red quinoa
2 pounds asparagus, trimmed and roasted, cut into 1-inch pieces (green beans work here, too)
1 cup cooked yellow split peas (I often use green when I don’t have the yellow on hand)
3/4 cup crumbled pecorino Romano cheese
1/2 cup toasted chopped pecans (walnuts and almonds also work nicely)
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion (green onions are fine, too)
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon roasted garlic puree (sometimes I use a small clove of very finely minced garlic)
1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1. Place quinoa and red quinoa in a fine-mesh sieve. Rinse under cold running water, using your fingers as a rake. Drain well. Cook quinoa, uncovered, in a saucepan of salted boiling water, until almost tender, about 10 minutes. Drain in the fine-mesh sieve.
2. Fill the saucepan with 1 inch of water, and bring to a simmer. Set sieve with quinoa over saucepan (sieve shouldn’t touch water). Cover with a folded kitchen towel, then place a lid on top (lid does not need to fit tightly). Steam until quinoa is fluffy, and dry, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat, and remove lid. Set aside, still covered with towel, 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
3. Place cooked quinoa and red quinoa in a large bowl. Add asparagus, split peas, pecorino, pecan pieces, and red onion. Stir gently to combine.
4. In a small bowl, whisk together oil, lemon juice, roasted garlic puree, salt, and pepper. Pour dressing over quinoa mixture, and gently toss to combine. Serve immediately, or keep in fridge for up to 4 days.

*Note: If you’ve never made quinoa before, the cooking method above is my favorite way to make it, no matter how you’re planning on eating it. It ensures fluffy, separate grains. Also, quinoa (if you didn’t know) has a very high protein content, so this could really be a one-dish complete meal.

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I don’t know what summer is like where you live, but here in Central Florida? It’s hot. As in plants-are-wilting, hair-is-sticking-to-your-neck, asphalt-is-melting, feel-like-fainting-after-one-minute-outside hot. It’s all we can do to take the dogs to the park in the morning before the sun gets so oppressive even they don’t want to spend time outdoors. (And who ever heard of a dog who didn’t want to go outside?)

On days (or weeks, or months) when the heat is such that even turning on the stove to boil a kettle of water seems inhumane, the meals we crave tend to be cool, light, and easy to make. Snacks should be the same, and that’s exactly what these popsicles are—cold, refreshing, and so simple. I have always been a popsicle fan…I lived for the tri-color rocket pops that counselors handed out in the afternoons at summer camp. If I spotted a Frozfruit coconut bar in a freezer case, I had to have it. I loved the strawberry popsicles in the Disney World ice cream cart so much that one time, my tongue got stuck to the bar when I couldn’t wait even one second to take my first lick. (The painful incident was eased by the sweet pink treat.)

I digress. Popsicles are lovely, satisfying summertime snacks, and when you make your own, you can experiment with lots of different flavors. Below are two we’ve been enjoying on these endlessly blistering, humid days.

Watermelon Popsicles with Lime and Salt
Makes 8 (1/4-cup-capacity) popsicles

3 cups diced seedless watermelon
1 to 4 tablespoons sugar, depending on the sweetness of your watermelon
1 lime, cut into 8 wedges, for serving
Coarse sea salt, for serving

Combine watermelon and sugar in a blender; puree until very smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing on solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Pour into popsicle molds, and freeze overnight.

Serve popsicles with a lime wedge and a small pile of salt. Squeeze the lime over popsicle, and sprinkle with or dip into salt.

Striped Tropical Popsicles
Makes 8 (1/4-cup-capacity) popsicles

1/2 cup diced seedless watermelon, pureed and strained
1/2 cup guava nectar
1/2 cup passion fruit juice

Pour watermelon puree evenly among popsicle molds. Freeze for at least 4 hours, or until frozen solid. Top with guava nectar; freeze for 4 hours, or until solid. Top with passion fruit juice; freeze for 4 hours, or until solid.

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Today’s healing recipe is along the lines of warm, creamy comfort food…but without the heavy cream or cheese that often comes along with thick soups. Red lentils, unlike their green and black cousins, almost melt when you cook them. They lose all sense of the little hard rusty red discs they once were and become lush, soft orangey goodness with a creamy texture that’s oh-so comforting.

Full of fiber, protein, and iron, lentils are a perfect food to eat when you’re not feeling 100%. This soup also has turmeric in it, which has lately been the darling of health scientists who believe the marigold-hued ground root can ward off myriad ailments from melanoma to arthritis to Alzheimer’s. Impressive, no? Plus its vivid color pumps up the color of the soup, taking it from sun-faded orange to the gorgeous gold of a fiery sunset. (The addition of saffron does the rest.)

A drizzle of cool harissa-spiked yogurt gives this soup an added creamy-salty-spicy kick that I think completes it. When you deliver this soup to your ailing friends, place the yogurt in a separate container and leave a note about what to do with it.

Healing Red Lentil Soup with Harissa Yogurt
serves 6

1 tablespoon olive oil
3 large shallots, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon hot paprika or 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 pinch saffron threads
1/4 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
1 quart organic chicken or vegetable stock
2 cups water
1 1/2 cups red lentils
1/2 cup Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon harissa*
Juice of half a small lemon
2 teaspoons water

Heat oil in a stockpot over medium heat. Add shallot, and cook until it’s soft and golden, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, and cook until it’s fragrant and tender, about 2 minutes. Add spices and salt, stirring well, and cook 1 minute. Add stock, water, and lentils.

Increase heat to high, and bring to a boil. Lower heat to medium-low, and simmer until lentils are soft and falling apart, about 30 to 40 minutes. Taste, and add more salt if needed.

In a small bowl, whisk together yogurt, harissa, lemon juice, and water. Add more water if needed to reach a drizzle-able consistency.

To serve, ladle soup into serving bowls and drizzle with yogurt.

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Maybe you’re like me. When someone is hurt, sick, going through a life change (like having a new baby), or otherwise in need, I bring food. I cook because I know that when I’m out of sorts in any way, sometimes dinner (or lunch, or breakfast for that matter) falls to the bottom of my priority list. It’s always a relief to look in the fridge and see a lovingly prepared dish waiting for me.

Oftentimes those dishes are comfort food. Creamy, cheesy pasta casseroles, hearty pot roast, chili, and things like that. Finding comfort in a big bowl of warm, homey food can be perfect. But sometimes—especially when someone is sick or recovering from surgery or from having a baby—lighter, more wholesome foods seem to fit the bill.

Something that can stay in the fridge for up to a week, or—even better still—freezes well, is the only way to go when delivering food to someone. The next few days, I’m going to share some go-to things you can prepare with love and bring to someone who needs a little TLC.

First up is a simple salad that combines whole grain (brown and wild rice), dark leafy greens, bright red peppers, and a sweet-salty dressing to bring it all together. It’s super healthy, mild enough for recovering/sensitive stomachs, and it only gets better as it sits in the fridge. I’d call it just about perfect for a feel-better nosh.

Healing Rice + Vegetable Salad
serves 4 to 6

2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 cups finely chopped kale
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup finely chopped roasted piquillo peppers (or regular red peppers)
2 tablespoons white miso paste
3 tablespoons mirin
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 cups cooked brown and wild rice mix (about 1 cup uncooked)

Heat oil in a large saute pan over high heat. Add pepper flakes, and cook for 30 seconds. Add kale (be careful! it will splatter if it’s wet) and stir with tongs until it’s coated in the oil. Sprinkle with salt. Cook, stirring, until kale is bright green, somewhat wilted, and browned in places, about 4 minutes.

Transfer cooked kale to a large bowl. Add chopped peppers, and stir to combine. In a small bowl, whisk together miso, mirin, and vinegar until combined. Add rice to the bowl with kale and peppers, stirring very well to combine. Pour dressing over everything, and toss again until everything is coated. Taste, and add salt if you think it needs it. (But it likely won’t because miso is salty!)

Refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving…overnight is even better. Salad keeps, refrigerated in an airtight container, for up to 1 week.

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For our Christmas party in December, I made bite-size meatballs inspired by the ones I’d had a few weeks earlier at my parents’ annual backyard party. I should back up—this party my parents throw is no typical backyard BBQ. Anyone who knows my family knows we simply cannot throw a party without this-is-why-we-came-to-the-party food.

A fabulous gastropub here in Winter Park called Ravenous Pig catered the party, and it was outrageously delicious. I managed to take a few pictures between the bites of food. For starters, there were miniature duck ruebens, Greek lamb meatballs, corn-and-crab fritters, mini biscuit BLTs, chicken liver mousse (I die. It was so good.), as well as artisanal cheeses and house-made salumi. For the main plates, we had braised swordfish (yes, braised, and it was awesome) and venison saddle. Dessert…oh, my. Root beer floats with malt ice cream, lovely little puffs of fried dough shaped like curlicue pigtails and propped in a puddle of rich dark chocolate ganache, and pumpkin crème brûlée with pepitas brittle.

Pictured here: Lots of amazing house-made salumi and artisanal prosciutto; Cowgirl Creamery Red Hawk cheese, aged gouda, Miniature duck reubens; root beer floats; and the pigtails.

So, yes, back to the post at hand. The meatballs. I failed to get a picture of them, probably because I was too busy, you know, eating them. But they were perfect little bites perched atop dollops of cool tzatziki.  When it came time for me to make party food our Christmas get-together, these were at the top of my list. (For the record, they were a big hit…but that’s not what this post is about.)

This post is, actually, about dinner. The other night, I was thinking about those party meatballs, and how I could make dinner around them. I thought it might be fun to do a Greek-inspired twist on that ever-loving Italian classic spaghetti and meatballs, using orzo and the aforementioned Greek meatballs. I used ground chicken, but I think I’ll try lamb next time. The result was a quick weeknight meal with lots of interesting flavors and textures. And it all started with those little party hors d’oeuvres.

Greek Pasta and Meatballs
Serves 4

2 teaspoons olive oil, divided
1 small yellow onion, finely diced
2 large cloves garlic, minced, divided
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
3/4 teaspoon salt, plus additional for sauce
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper, plus additional for sauce
1/4 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
2 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill, divided OR 2 teaspoons dried dill, divided
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint, divided
3 tablespoons dry breadcrumbs
3/4 pound ground meat (i.e. beef, lamb, turkey, or chicken)
1 egg white
2/3 cup uncooked orzo
2 cups canned crushed tomatoes or great-quality jarred marinara sauce
Crumbled feta cheese, to taste

Preheat oven to 400º. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.

Combine oil and onion in a small skillet over medium heat. Cook until mostly translucent, about 3 minutes. Add 1 clove minced garlic, cumin, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Stir, and cook until very fragrant, about 2 minutes. Transfer onion mixture to a small bowl, and set aside to cool for 5 minutes.

Combine 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh dill (or 1 teaspoon dried dill), 1 tablespoon mint, breadcrumbs, and cooled onion mixture in a medium bowl. Add ground meat and egg white. Use your hands to mix everything thoroughly, being careful not to squish or compact the meat too much.

Roll meat mixture into 1-inch meatballs (you should end up with about 20 total). As you roll them, place meatballs on the prepared baking sheet. Bake meatballs until tops are golden brown and insides are cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes, depending on the kind of meat you choose.

While meatballs bake, cook orzo according to package directions. Heat the remaining oil in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add remaining garlic, and stir until fragrant and just turning golden. Add crushed tomatoes or marinara, and remaining herbs. Stir, and taste. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cook until heated through.

To serve, divide orzo among 4 serving bowls. Spoon 1/2 cup sauce over each serving, and top with 4 or 5 meatballs. Top with crumbled feta, or pass it at the table so everyone can add the amount they prefer.

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Well hello there. I’m so glad you’re reading this, because it means two things: one, I didn’t lose every single reader I ever had during my little blogging hiatus, and two, it means I finished my first blog post in two months. I don’t usually post much (if anything) about my life outside of the kitchen here, but I figure that if you stuck around this long, you deserve an explanation.

Let’s see…it all started with a slight (but short) lull in my desire to cook. OK, pretty normal. We had pasta for a few nights. Well then the holidays hit, with after-work cocktail parties, dinners out, and days off. And I left my Canon in Florida when we were home for Thanksgiving, so the meals I actually did cook while I was cameraless went undocumented. (Bad excuse, you say? Sigh. I know.) Then came the Big Changes.

First, I decided to leave my job at the magazines to pursue a freelance career. That was Big Change number 1. Big Change number 2 came when we decided that since our families live in Florida and—aside from our incredible friends—the main thing keeping us in Birmingham was my job, we were ready to move back to the Sunshine State. Big Change 3 was the decision to buy our first house…which we found, put and offer on, and closed on within a month. We weren’t wasting any time!

So, all the changes afoot, the month of January became a whirlwind that is a cross-state move. That, along with numerous last dinners out and some lovely farewell parties, meant I didn’t cook a real meal in four weeks. Four! A whole month!

But now, we’re here. We’re officially Florida residents again, and we’re getting settled into our new (to us) bungalow. We’re still working on the cardboard-box-as-furniture thing, but one of my favorite parts of the house is the gorgeous kitchen. New appliances, great lighting, and granite countertops…oh, guys, it’s an absolute dream compared with our old kitchen. There are many culinary adventures to be had in there! I promise to show you soon.

If you’re still reading, this is where I will wrap things up, since I’ve been blathering on for paragraphs. I’m so happy you’re still with me…and I promise there are good things to come. For now, I’ll leave you with the first thing I made in the new house: healthy hummus. It’s a Cooking Light recipe, so I’ll link it and give you my modifications.

Classic Hummus
Adapted, ever so slightly, from Cooking Light magazine
Makes 3 1/4 cups

2 (15.5-ounce) cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 to 3 big garlic cloves (depending on how much you like garlic), smashed and peeled
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup tahini (sesame seed paste, find it on the ethnic food aisle of grocery stores along w/ matzah and other kosher foods)
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Place beans and garlic in a food processor; pulse until chopped. Add the water, tahini, lemon juice, 3 tablespoons oil, salt, and pepper; run processor until very smooth, scraping down sides as needed.

Note: I like to stir in about a teaspoon of sambal olek into 1/4 cup of hummus and use cucumbers to scoop. It adds a nice tang and spiciness.

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