TasteFood

Breads, Pasta, Rice, Grains, Fish and Shellfish, Pasta

Spaghetti with Lobster

Lobster Holidays

Holiday festivities are muted and gatherings reduced this year, inspiring feelings that toggle between a yearning for glitter and a craving for comfort. How to celebrate and what to eat strive for a balance between these mixed desires. In my mind, the following recipe achieves just that. It’s simple yet elegant, special but not pretentious, and relies on a short list of honest ingredients that drive wonderfully fresh flavor.

I grew up in New England, where lobster is ubiquitous. It’s the quintessential summer food, associated with the seashore and bare feet, picnic tables and messy eating, accessorized by dribbling butter, nutcrackers, and paper bibs. Now, many years and moves later, I rarely eat lobster. When I do, it’s usually on special occasions. The once standard summer fare has morphed into a celebratory splurge, and there’s no time better for such an indulgence than the holidays, when shellfish and crustaceans go ever so well with a glass of bubbly.

This is a recipe for this time. It’s understated and comforting, yet carries the swag of fresh cooked lobster meat. The method is simple, allowing the lobster to shine without bogging it down with heavy or precious ingredients; it humbly yet elegantly gives the lobster (and its necessary splurge) the respect and appreciation it deserves.

If you prefer not to use lobster meat, shrimp are an excellent and more economical alternative, and they will bump this recipe onto your roster of easy weeknight meals. When using shrimp, simply sauté them in olive oil with a pinch of salt before adding them to the dish.

Spaghetti with Lobster

Serves 4
Active Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes

1 pound spaghetti or bucatini
Salt
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound grape tomatoes, halved
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for garnish
1 pound cooked lobster meat, as chunky as possible
1/2 cup loosely packed basil leaves, torn, plus extra for garnish
Lemon wedges

1. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a rolling boil. Add the spaghetti and cook 1 minute less than al dente. Drain, reserving 1 cup cooking water.

2. While the pasta is cooking, heat the oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Add the tomatoes and cook until they begin to break down and their juices release, 8 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in the garlic and red pepper flakes and continue to cook until fragrant and the tomatoes soften further, 2 to 3 minutes. Season with the salt and pepper and taste to adjust.

3. Add the lobster meat to the skillet and stir to coat. Add the drained pasta and 1/4 cup reserved cooking liquid. Continue to stir over medium heat until the dish is well combined, adding 1/4 cup more liquid at a time to your desired consistency. The sauce should be glossy and evenly coat the spaghetti without being stodgy. Stir in the basil.

4. Divide the pasta between serving plates and garnish with additional basil, freshly ground black pepper, and a squeeze of lemon.

Appetizers, Autumn, Fall, Breads, Pasta, Rice, Grains, gluten-free, Vegetables and Salads, Vegetarian

Delicata and Radicchio Salad

Featuredby Lynda Balslev

Bring on the layers when it’s cold outside. And before you reach for your fleece or parka, let’s be perfectly clear: we’re talking about salads. That’s right, salads have a place in the fall and winter, and when the brisk seasons invite layering hefty, nourishing ingredients into our meals, this principle also applies to salads. They can handle it.

This vibrant salad is a perfect example. It’s layered with nutty black rice, crisp radicchio leaves, and spice-roasted delicata squash rings. Each ingredient brings flavor, texture, and nutrients to the salad party, and when composed together in a serving bowl and drizzled with a thick balsamic vinaigrette, they produce a unified and highly decorative salad, that will please and wow everyone at the dinner and holiday table.

Delicata squash is a winter squash that is often by-passed for the ubiquitous butternut squash. Delicata is a small oblong squash with green and yellow striated skin that is edible, so there is no need to peel it. It cooks quickly, and roasting is an easy method which amplifies its mildly sweet and creamy flavor. The squash can be halved lengthwise and roasted, or, better yet, sliced into thin rings, which resemble decorative flower shapes.

If you need any further encouragement to make this salad, note that it can be easily prepped ahead of serving, since the rice and squash rings should be cooked and cooled to room temperature. The final assembly takes minutes, which is a cook’s gift during the busy holiday season.

Delicata, Radicchio, and Black Rice Salad

Serves 4
Active Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes, plus rice cooking and cooling time

Dressing:
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 small garlic clove, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Salad:
1 cup black rice, rinsed
Salt
1 large delicate squash, scrubbed clean
1 to 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 large head radicchio, cored, leaves torn into shards
3 scallions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup coarsely chopped Italian parsley leaves
2 tablespoons pumpkins seeds (or pomegranate arils)

1. Whisk the dressing ingredients in a small bowl.
2. Cook the rice until tender, according to package instructions. Season to taste with salt and set aside to cool to lukewarm or room temperature.
3. Heat the oven to 400°F.
4. Cut the squash crosswise in 1/3-inch thick slices, and scoop out the seeds. Place the rings in a large bowl. Add the oil, 1 teaspoon salt, the cumin, paprika, and black pepper and toss to coat. Arrange the squash rings on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment. Transfer to the oven and roast until golden brown in spots and tender, about 25 minutes, flipping once. Remove from the oven and lightly brush with the dressing. Cool to lukewarm or room temperature.
5. Spread the radicchio in a wide shallow serving bowl. Stir the scallions into the rice and then spoon the rice over and around the radicchio. Arrange the delicata rings around the salad, tucking some of the rings under the radicchio leaves. Sprinkle the parsley and pumpkins seeds (or pomegranate arils) over the salad. Drizzle with the remaining dressing.

Appetizers, Chicken, Condiment, gluten-free

Tomatillo Salsa and Chicken Stew

Featuredby Lynda Balslev

If you’ve had a green salsa or salsa verde, then you’ve had a tomatillo.

For a long while I steered clear of tomatillos, not because I had an aversion – I simply didn’t know what do with them. Well, I am here to tell you that tomatillos are easy to use and a delight to eat. Their flavor is tart and vegetal with a hint of fruit, and they add pucker-y brightness to salsas and stews.

Tomatillos are in fact classified as a fruit (like tomatoes) and are a member of the nightshade family. They are wrapped in a papery husk, which, when removed, reveals a crab apple-sized green fruit that resembles a tomato. Tomatillos are native to Central America, which helps to explain why they are a prominent ingredient in salsas.

A fresh tomatillo should be firm, unblemished, and bright green in color. They can be eaten raw or cooked. When eaten raw, their tartness will be pronounced. Roasting tempers their acidity, coaxing out their natural sweetness, while adding a smoky charred note. To prepare a tomatillo, remove the paper husk and wash the fruit to remove the sticky film that coats the surface. When roasting, halve the tomatillos crosswise and broil, cut side down (or grill skin-side up) to get a light char on the skins. You want those skins in the salsa for the extra flavor.

The salsa in this recipe can be enjoyed straight up on a chip, spooned over tacos and casseroles, and dolloped over grilled meat, fish, poultry, and vegetables. In this recipe it’s the base for a simple and bright chicken stew. For extra depth of flavor, I’ve marinated the chicken in citrus and herbs to amplify the salsa.

Tomatillo Chicken Stew

Active Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour, plus marinating time
Serves: 4 to 6

Marinade:
3 garlic cloves
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs, halved

Salsa:
1 pound tomatillos
1 to 2 jalapeño peppers, seeded, halved lengthwise
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 small white onion, coarsely chopped
1 small poblano pepper, seeded, coarsely chopped
1 cup packed cilantro leaves and tender stems
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste

1 tablespoon olive oil
Cooked long grain rice
2 scallions, white and green parts thinly sliced
Chopped cilantro for garnish

1. Marinate the chicken: Whisk the marinade ingredients in a large bowl. Add the chicken and stir to coat. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours.
2. Make the salsa: Remove the papery husks from the tomatillos. Rinse the tomatillos to remove the sticky film. Halve the tomatillos cross-wise and arrange with the jalapeños, cut-sides down, on a rimmed baking sheet. Place under the oven broiler and broil until the skins are lightly charred, about 5 minutes. Cool slightly and then combine the tomatillos, jalapeños, and the remaining salsa ingredients in a food processor and pulse to achieve a salsa consistency.
3. Heat the oven to 350°F.
4. Heat the oil in a large skillet. Remove the chicken from the marinade and discard the marinade. In batches, cook the chicken on both sides to give them a little color, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
5. Pour the salsa into the pan, scraping up any brown bits. Nestle the chicken into the salsa. Transfer the skillet to the oven and cook until the chicken is cooked through, about 25 minutes.
6. To serve, ladle the chicken and sauce over the rice. Serve garnished with the scallions and cilantro.

Autumn, Fall, Italy, Main Course, Tians and Casseroles, Vegetarian

Lasagna with Kale

Featuredby Lynda Balslev3 Comments

Layer it on with this cheesy-rich lasagna:

Behold the lasagna. The cooler season begs for layers – and not just when it comes to clothing. This hefty casserole is stacked and loaded with three cheeses, a meaty tomato sauce, and – wait for it – kale. Now before you roll your eyes, realize this: the lasagna can handle it. In fact, it will put the kale leaves in their place, allowing them to shine without overtaking this admittedly non-vegetarian recipe with excessive leafiness. It will invite a layer of freshness into an otherwise robust, gooey, and dense lasagna. And if you are trying to sneak a few vegetables into someone’s diet – this may do the trick.

With that preface, let me add that this recipe can easily be made vegetarian by simply omitting the meat from the tomato sauce. The choice is yours, and both versions are delicious. I’ve provided a meat sauce in the recipe, but you can simply omit it, if you prefer. And if you have a favorite prepared sauce that you swear by, then by all means, make your life a little easier and use it.

Now, back to the layers. Layer your lasagna as high as your dish will allow. And do try including kale leaves in the mix. They will soften and melt into the lasagna, tempered by the rich cheese and bright sauce, while providing layers of freshness, color, and, of course, extra nutrients. You might even have room for seconds.

(Note: a double recipe is photographed)

Lasagna with Kale

Active Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour and 45 minutes
Makes one 9-inch square lasagna. For a larger rectangular lasagna (pictured), double the ingredients.

Sauce:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 pound ground beef
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 (28-ounce) crushed Italian plum tomatoes
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon sugar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Ricotta:
16 ounces whole milk ricotta
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan
2 tablespoons half and half
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 box lasagna sheets
One bunch Tuscan (Lacinato) kale leaves, ribs removed, torn into large pieces
8 ounces fresh mozzarella, shredded
1 cup finely grated Parmesan and/or Pecorino Romano cheese

1. Make the sauce: Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the beef (if using) and cook until lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes, stirring as needed. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 3 minutes, stirring often. Add the garlic and crushed red pepper and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the remaining sauce ingredients and simmer uncovered, for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Whisk the ricotta ingredients in a bowl until smooth.
3. Heat the oven to 375°F.
4. Spoon a thin layer of sauce in bottom of a baking dish. Place a layer of lasagna sheets over the sauce, breaking them to fit to size as necessary. Smear some of the ricotta over the lasagna sheets. Arrange the kale leaves over the ricotta and drizzle some of the sauce over the kale. Scatter the mozzarella over the kale and sprinkle with grated cheese. Repeat the layering process, gently pressing down on the layers as you stack the lasagna. (You may not use up all of lasagna sheets).
5. Cover the dish with foil, transfer to the oven, and bake for 40 minutes. Remove the foil and continue to bake until the lasagna is sheets are tender when pierced with a knife, the cheese is bubbling, and the top is golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting and serving.

Appetizers, Fish and Shellfish, gluten-free

Fiesta Shrimp Salsa

October 6, 2020by Lynda Balslev1 Comment

When Salsa is the Party

This bright and festive starter is part-salsa, part-ceviche. It’s not meant to be a simple dab to complete a chip, but rather a command to attention with a jumble of shrimp in a kaleidoscope of colorful ingredients. In this concoction, sweet and briny shrimp are lightly poached and steeped in a bright citrusy sauce that continues to “cook” and infuse the shrimp with flavor. A whole bunch of fresh ingredients, are added to the mix, including chile peppers, tomato, and corn, which add substance and round out the flavors with juicy sweetness and heat. Serve the salsa with tortilla chips for scooping, or simply spoon it over garden greens and call it a salad. You can also wrap the salsa lettuce leaves for fun finger food (just pass the napkins). No matter how you serve it, it’s guaranteed to steal the show.

Fiesta Shrimp Salsa

Active Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes, plus chilling time
Serves 6 as an appetizer

1 pound medium shrimp, shelled, deveined
2 roma (plum) tomatoes, seeded, diced
1 poblano pepper, finely chopped
Corn kernels from one ear of yellow corn
1/2 red bell pepper, finely chopped
1/2 small red onion, finely chopped, about 1/2 cup
1 jalapeño chile pepper, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chipotle chile powder
1 cup cilantro leaves and tender stems, chopped

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the shrimp, cover the pot and remove from the heat. Let the shrimp poach until bright in color and just cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes. Drain and cool the shrimp to the touch, then coarsely chop.
2. Combine all of the remaining ingredients, except the cilantro, in a large bowl. Add the shrimp and mix well to combine. Taste for seasoning.
3. Cover and refrigerate the salsa for at least 2 hours or up to 6 hours, stirring occasionally. Stir in the cilantro before serving.

Appetizers, Fish and Shellfish, TasteFoodTravel, Travel

Butter and Garlic Clams

Featuredby Lynda Balslev3 Comments

When summer fades and the season tilts to autumn, this steamy bowl of buttery clams hits the spot.

I experienced a bowl like this one day last fall. I was researching a travel story on the northern coast of the Olympic peninsula in Washington. If there’s a furthermost corner of the northwest U.S., then this is it. The peninsula is dominated by the Olympic National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site, which sprawls several ecosystems, including mountainous peaks and old-growth forests. Numerous cultural, archeological, and historic sites are woven throughout the landscape, spanning millennia of human occupation from indigenous first cultures to more recent histories of exploration, homesteading, and community development.

On this trip of discovery, the weather was gray, foggy, and misty with intermittent (i.e. frequent) rain showers in true Pacific Northwest form. Yes, it was seasonally wet (the fall season brings the rain). It was also magical, mystical, and magnificent. The horizon loomed with teetering mountains, shrouded in swirls of clouds and fog and bedecked with garlands of waterfalls cascading into serpentine lakes. It was desolate, due in part to the weather and also the season. I had the roads to myself snaking through canyons, interrupted occasionally by logging trucks barreling past and shocking me out of my reverie. I hiked to a ridge, rain be damned, with distant views to British Columbia, through a mist-laden rain forest lush with moss. I traced a river to a roaring crescendo of water tumbling from a precipitous ledge, and I saw salmon spawn.

By the end of the day, cold, soggy, and famished, I returned to sea level to a small fishing town anchoring the mountains to the sea. There were no restaurants open at 4 pm, but for one lone storefront illuminated in the drizzle, with a fish market that provided counter service, where I ordered a simple bowl of garlicky clams steamed in wine and swimming in their buttery juices, buttressed with slabs of garlic bread for soaking up the sweet broth. The singular accompaniment was an icy glass of snappy local riesling. It was perfect.

Since then, I’ve recreated this dish at home a number of times. It’s simple and consistently rewarding. The only thing missing is the weather.

Butter and Garlic Clams

Littleneck clams are my preferred type of clam for this recipe. They are the smallest Quahog clam with sweet and tender meat. Depending on their size, one pound yields 8 to 12 clams. When cleaning clams, discard any opened clams or clams with broken shells before washing. Rinse the clams under cold water, gently scrubbing them clean. Once cooked, discard any unopened clams before serving.

Active Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Serves 2 to 4

3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 cups un-oaked white wine
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 pounds littleneck clams, about 24, rinsed and scrubbed clean
1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley leaves
Lemon wedges for serving

1. In a large deep skillet with a lid melt the butter with the oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté until soft and fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the wine, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt and black pepper. Bring to a simmer and add the clams. Cover the pan, reduce the heat to medium-low, and steam the clams until the shells have opened, shaking the pan from time to time, 6 to 8 minutes, depending on the size of the clams.

2. Remove the lid and discard any unopened clams. Taste the broth and season with additional salt and pepper if desired. Divide the clams and cooking liquid between serving bowls and garnish with the parsley. Serve immediately with garlic bread or crusty bread.

Breads, Pasta, Rice, Grains, Main Course, Pizza, Uncategorized

Grilled Pizza with Cauliflower, Chiles, and Olives

Featuredby Lynda Balslev1 Comment

An end of summer pizza recipe for the grill:

Late summer reaps a kaleidoscope of peppers. Homemade pizza is a great way to show off a fresh and feisty chile pepper combination. On this white (no tomato sauce) pizza, there are four distinctive peppers. Highly decorative Jimmy Nardello chile peppers are long, slender, and gnarly with a mild fruity flavor. Hatch chile peppers are a seasonal specialty, prolific from August through September. They are earthy and buttery in flavor and slightly smoky when roasted. If Hatch chiles are unavailable, mild Anaheim peppers are a good substitute. Poblano chile peppers are the fresh version of dried ancho peppers. When fresh they are relatively mild and earthy with a bite and are great for roasting. Calabrian chiles are small bright red peppers, round or conical in shape, with a moderately high heat level. They are available fresh and are also sold jarred in the Italian or condiment section of your grocery store. They make an excellent garnish with a kick of heat. Feel free to mix and match your own combination of peppers, depending on taste and availability, but try to include a colorful range of sweet to hot for the most flavorful result.

When possible, I make my pizza on the grill. Not only does it keep the heat outdoors in the warm weather, grilling yields a wonderful charred and smoky flavor to the crust. Bear in mind a few tips when preparing your pizza:

1. Store-bought dough is OK! I confess, that while I make my dough from scratch from time to time, I often purchase fresh pizza dough at the store to use immediately or freeze for later use. Prepared doughs are usually sold in one-pound packages, and yield one large rectangular pizza or two small round pizzas.
2. Don’t overload your pizza. If the pizza has too many toppings, it will be heavy and the crust can be soggy. The amounts below are for one large rectangular pizza, using one pound of fresh dough, thinly rolled or stretched. Have all of your ingredients prepped and ready, so that once you roll out the pizza, all you need to do is assemble. Use your judgment when layering the ingredients, and don’t feel compelled to use every last piece. When stretching the dough, it’s fine if it’s irregular in shape. The key is to make it uniform in thickness to ensure even cooking.
3. Parchment paper is your friend. I find it easiest to assemble the pizza on parchment paper, which is easy to slide on and off of the pizza stone. You can trim any excess paper around the edge of the pizza to prevent charring on the grill. If you don’t have a pizza paddle, you can use a rimless cookie sheet to slide under the paper.
4. A pizza stone is ideal. Whether you make a pizza in the oven or on the grill, a pizza stone is a terrific way to transmit the heat evenly to the bottom of the pizza. If you don’t have a pizza stone, then a perforated pizza pan or a baking sheet will also work, but the cooking times may vary.

Pizza with Roasted Cauliflower, Chile Peppers, and Green Olives

Active time: 20 minutes
Total time: 35 minutes
Makes one rectangular thin-crust pizza, approximately 10 by 15-inches

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 garlic cloves, minced
Salt
1/2 head small cauliflower, florets broken into bite-size pieces, about 1 1/2 cups
3 assorted chile peppers, such as Jimmy Nardello, Hatch, and Poblano, thinly sliced
Freshly ground black pepper
1 pound fresh pizza dough
1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes, or more to taste
1/4 cup plus 1/2 cup loosely packed finely grated Pecorino Romano cheese
1 pound fresh pizza dough
8 ounces fresh buffalo mozzarella (1 ovaline or 8 ciligiene balls), thinly sliced or shredded
2 Calabrian chiles, thinly sliced (or 2 tablespoons chopped jarred Calabrian chiles)
1/2 cup pitted green olives, such as Castelvetrano or Pichonline, coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
Freshly ground black pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 500°F or prepare the grill for direct cooking over high heat. Preheat a pizza stone on the lowest oven rack or on the grill grates for at least 10 minutes.
2. Whisk 3 tablespoons olive oil, the garlic, and a pinch of salt in a small bowl.
3. Toss the cauliflower and sliced peppers with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium bowl. Lightly season with salt and black pepper and toss again.
4. Roll out or stretch the pizza dough to your desired shape and thickness on parchment paper. I prefer to stretch my dough thin in a large rectangular shape.
5. Lightly brush the dough with the garlic oil, leaving a 3/4-inch border clear around the edges. Sprinkle the red chili flakes and 1/4 cup pecorino cheese over the dough. Spread the cauliflower and peppers over the crust, keeping the border clear.
6. Arrange the mozzarella over the pizza, gently nestling around and over the vegetables. Scatter the Calabrian chilies and green olives over the top and sprinkle the remaining pecorino cheese over the pizza.
7. Slide the pizza onto the preheated pizza stone. Bake until the cauliflower is tinged, the crust is golden brown and crisp, and the cheese is melted, 13 to 15 minutes, depending on the size and thickness of the crust.
8. Transfer the pizza to a cutting board and immediately brush the crust with some of the garlic oil. Drizzle any remaining oil over the pizza. Sprinkle the lemon zest and black pepper over the pizza. Let stand 5 minutes before cutting into serving pieces.

Chicken, Condiment, gluten-free, Main Course, Marinades, Poultry

Sheet Pan Chermoula Chicken and Cauliflower with Smoky Red Pepper Sauce

Featuredby Lynda Balslev

Winner Winner Chicken (Sheet Pan) Dinner:

You’ve probably heard of sheet pan dinners. The term may be trendy, but the concept is not. It simply means arranging all of your dinner components on a rimmed baking sheet, coating them with oil and seasoning, then roasting in the oven – and, voilà, you have a complete dinner on a tray. While the emphasis is certainly on ease of preparation, with the right ingredients this cooking method ensures maximum flavor. Oven roasting coaxes out the flavors of vegetables and meats and is a sure-fire (no pun intended) way to cook to crispy, golden perfection. The key to building great flavor is the ingredients you use to coat and bind the dish. They can be as basic as olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper, or more elaborate with aromatic marinades, spices, herbs, and citrus.

This recipe combines two ingredients that are well suited for roasting: bone-in chicken thighs and romanesco, a green brassica, which looks like a cone-headed cauliflower. Importantly, they both require a similar amount of cooking time, so they can happily team up on a baking sheet without one ingredient over-cooking while the other keeps on roasting. (You can also use white cauliflower in this recipe.) A potent, herbaceous chermoula sauce, robust with garlic, lemon, and spices, coats the whole lot and drives in flavor.

The finishing touch to this recipe – not required, but recommended – is a smoky red pepper sauce for swiping and drizzling. It’s inspired by Spanish romesco sauce (not to be confused with the romanesco vegetable!) and traditionally consists of roasted tomatoes and ground almonds or hazelnuts. This smoother rendition uses roasted red peppers to create a sweet and smoky condiment.

Chermoula Chicken and Cauliflower Sheet Pan Dinner

Active time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour, plus marinating time
Serves 4

Chermoula Sauce:
1 1/2 cups Italian parsley leaves and tender sprigs
1 1/2 cups cilantro leaves and tender sprigs
1 cup fresh mint leaves
Juice and finely grated zest of 1/2 lemon
4 garlic cloves
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes
1/2 cup olive oil

8 bone-in chicken thighs with skin

Red Pepper Sauce:
2 jarred roasted red peppers, drained and rinsed, coarsely chopped
1 red jalapeno pepper, seeds and membranes removed (optional), coarsely chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 medium head romanesco (or white cauliflower)
Cilantro sprigs for garnish
Lemon wedges for serving

1. Combine all of the chermoula ingredients, except the oil, in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse to chop. Add the oil and pulse to blend. The chermoula should have a runny salsa consistency. If too thick, add more oil to loosen.
2. Place the chicken in a large bowl. Pour in the chermoula and stir to thoroughly coat, rubbing the marinade between the skin and meat. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or overnight. Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before roasting.
3. Combine all of the red pepper sauce ingredients in the cleaned bowl of a food processor and process to blend. Taste for seasoning. (The sauce may be prepared in advance and stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.)
4. Heat the oven to 375°F.
5. Cut the cauliflower from crown to stem in 3/4-inch slices. Cut out the cores and cut the cores into bite-size chunks. (The cores are sweet and edible, so don’t discard them.)
6. Remove the chicken from the marinade and arrange, skin-side up, on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment. Brush the cauliflower steaks and pieces on all sides with the residual marinade and arrange around the chicken. Season everything with salt and black pepper.
7. Transfer the tray to the oven and roast until the romanesco is tender and the chicken is golden brown and cooked through (it should register 165°F when a meat thermometer is inserted into the thickest part closest to the bone), about 30 minutes.
8. Garnish with fresh cilantro and serve with lemon wedges.

Appetizers, Breakfast, Eggs, Main Course, Vegetables and Salads, Vegetarian

A Very Green Frittata

Featuredby Lynda Balslev

Put your carrot tops and beet greens to use in this healthy frittata recipe:

When I buy beets, carrots, and turnips at the market, they are often presented as bright bunches, crowned with exuberant stalks sprouting a cascade of green leaves. While it may be tempting to chop off the stems and discard the mountain of greens left behind with the trimmings … don’t do that. These greens are delicious on their own, sautéed in olive oil, blitzed into pestos, folded into omelets, and baked in frittatas. Rich in nutrients and ranging from sweet to peppery to earthy in flavor, they are an under-appreciated bonus attached to your roots and crucifers.

Lately, I’ve been on a beet green kick. Yellow or golden beets are sweet, nutty, and less earthy than their red brethren, and their mildness is reflected in the flavor of their leaves. I remove and store the leaves in a plastic bag in the refrigerator, where they can last for up to one week, ready for use in a simple side dish or, in this recipe, a frittata.

It’s safe to say that this frittata is a very green frittata, with just enough egg to bind the leaves but not dominate. If you prefer a more eggy dish, feel free to add 2 more eggs and 1 additional tablespoon of half and half. You can use just one or any combination of greens, including the tops of beets, carrots, and turnips, as well as chopped kale and chard leaves. (If using kale or chard leaves, remove the stems and ribs before adding them to the mix.) I blanch sturdy greens, such as kale, chard, and beet greens, to wilt them just enough for a quick sauté in olive oil and garlic before adding the eggs. When using more fragile greens such as wispy carrot tops, you can omit the blanching step.

Green Frittata

Active Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Serves 4 to 6

1 pound greens, such as kale, chard, beet or turnip greens
4 large eggs, room temperature
2 tablespoons half and half
1/2 cup (packed) finely grated Pecorino Romano cheese, divided
1/4 cup Panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small yellow onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced or pushed through a press
1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1. Wash the greens and tear into large pieces. Remove any tough stems or ribs from the greens.
2. Heat the oven to 350°F.
3. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the greens and blanch until bright in color, about 1 minute. Drain the greens in a colander, pressing to remove any excess liquid.
4. Whisk the eggs and half and half in a bowl and stir in half of the cheese. In a separate bowl, mix the remaining cheese and breadcrumbs and set aside.
5. Heat the oil in a 10-inch oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and sauté until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and chili flakes and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the greens, season with the salt and black pepper, and sauté until the greens wilt, 2 to 3 minutes.
6. Remove the skillet from the heat. Pour the eggs over the greens, gently nudging the greens around to evenly distribute the eggs. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs evenly over the frittata.
7. Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake until the eggs are set, and the top of the frittata is golden brown in spots, 25 to 30 minutes. Let stand for at least 5 minutes before serving. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Appetizers, Condiment, gluten-free, Middle Eastern, Vegetarian

Mad for Mezze

July 31, 2020July 31, 2020by Lynda Balslev3 Comments

Traveling abroad may be on hold right now, but there’s no reason why we can’t bring the taste and ambiance of travel home to our kitchens and gardens with mezze.

Mezze is an appetizer tradition essential to the cuisines of the Middle East, Turkey, and Greece. The word “mezze” derives from the Arabic term t’mazza, which translates as “savor in little bites.” The tradition consists of just that – a sampling of simple and fresh bites enjoyed with a refreshing drink, meant to whet the appetite before a meal. It’s a daily ritual and social tradition enjoyed with family and friends, centered around the table, often al fresco in the warm weather season.

This is a tradition we can all get behind. What could be a more convivial and pleasurable way to begin a meal with than with a sampling of mezze accompanied by a glass of something cool and sparkling on a warm summer evening? Mezze can vary from a simple bite or two to a substantial spread. It almost always includes a sampling of dips, such as hummus, tsatsiki, or baba ganoush, along with fresh crudités, pickles, and olives. For a more substantial selection the samplings are endless, including brochettes of meat and keftas (ground meat patties and meatballs), grilled calamari or octopus, simple salads, and dolmas (stuffed vegetables and filled grape leaves.) The portions should be small and be served in stages, encouraging mingling and lingering at the table.

Here are two basic mezze recipes you can can make in advance and stash in the refrigerator, ready for serving or last minute guests. Get started with these, then pour yourself a glass and enjoy a moment in the sunshine.

Smoky Eggplant and Chickpea Dip

This recipe is inspired by baba ganoush, which is a traditional Middle Eastern dip made with roasted eggplant, tahini, and lemon. In this version, extra flavor-boosting spices are added, as well as chickpeas for more structure. Select an eggplant that is firm, shiny, and smooth and has a nice heft to its weight.

Active time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes, plus draining and cooling time
Makes about 2 cups

1 medium globe eggplant, 1 to 1 1/4 pounds
1 cup cooked chickpeas or canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup tahini
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
2 large garlic cloves
1 teaspoon ground cumin
3/4 teaspoon salt, or more to taste
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Chopped Italian parsley leaves for garnish
Pita bread for serving

1. If grilling, prepare the grill for direct and indirect cooking over medium-high heat. Pierce the eggplant all over with a fork. Grill the eggplant over direct medium-high heat first, until charred on all sides. Move to indirect heat and continue to grill until the eggplant is slightly collapsed and very soft when pierced with a knife, about 40 minutes, depending on the size of the eggplant. Remove and cool to the touch, then slice in half.

2. If using an oven, preheat the oven to 450°F. Slice the eggplant in half, lengthwise. Brush with olive oil and arrange cut-side-down on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment. Roast in the oven until collapsed and very tender, 35 to 40 minutes, depending on the size of the eggplant. Remove and cool to the touch.

3. Scoop the eggplant flesh into a strainer over a bowl and let drain for 30 minutes. Discard the skins.

4. Combine the eggplant and all of the remaining ingredients to the bowl of a food processor and pulse to blend to your desired consistency. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to let the flavors develop. Serve at room temperature with pita bread and crudités for dipping. The dip may be prepared up to 3 days in advance and refrigerated. The flavors will diminish slightly with time.

Marinated Feta with Lemon

This appetizer is impossibly easy to make and best made ahead of serving. The longer the feta can marinate, the better the flavor.

Active time: 10 minutes
Total time: 10 minutes, plus marinating time
Makes about 2 cups

8 ounces feta cheese, rinsed and patted dry, cut in 3/4-inch cubes
Zest of one lemon, peeled with a vegetable peeler
2 to 3 thyme sprigs
2 to 3 oregano sprigs
1 teaspoon cracked black peppercorns
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or more to taste
Extra-virgin olive oil, about 1 cup

Thoroughly clean a 16-ounce glass jar with a lid. Layer all of the ingredients, except the olive oil in the jar. Pour in the olive oil to cover. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes for immediate serving, or cover and refrigerate for up to 1 week. Bring to room temperature before serving. Serve with crostini, fresh bread or pita bread.

Note: If you desire to add garlic to the oil for flavor, add 2 thinly sliced garlic cloves to the oil and refrigerate the marinated cheese. Do not store at room temperature or allow to stand at room temperature for more than 2 hours to prevent the potential growth of bacterium. Optionally, stir 1 to 2 minced garlic cloves into the oil mixture when serving.