confetti salad with buttermilk-dill dressing

serves: 6

the ingredients:

for the salad:

1
 clove shallot, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced

3 
ears of fresh, uncooked corn, the kernels scraped from the cobs with a sharp knife (about 2 3/4 cup)

4
 mini cucumbers, sliced (or quartered if you’re using english)

1 
long red sweet pepper, seeded, ribs removed and diced

1/4
 cup minced fresh parsley

1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese

for the dressing:

1/4
 cup buttermilk

2/3
 cups plain greek yogurt

1 
tbsp. champagne vinegar

1 tsp. agave

3 
tbsp. minced shallots

1
 small clove garlic (minced)

2 tbsp. fresh dill (about 4 smallish sprigs), minced

1/4
 cup extra-virgin olive oil

kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

the method:

throw all of the vegetables in a large serving bowl (or airtight container if you’re making this ahead of time). combine the buttermilk, yogurt, vinegar, agave, shallots, garlic, and dill in a small bowl, and whisk everything together. gradually add in the olive oil, whisking as you do. season to taste with salt and pepper.

when you’re ready to serve the salad, add the feta and shallots, and toss to combine. add a little bit of dressing at a time until you’re content with the dressed-ness of the salad. toss to coat, and serve.

adapted from a food52 recipe.

mushroom, spinach and swiss crustless quiche

musings: i was very happy with the way this turned out. on a different occasion, i wouldn’t be using fat-free cheese, but i wanted something on the healthier side. i also can’t vouch for any other brand of fat-free cheese other than what i used, which was skinny cheese, a line from red apple cheeses. all things considered, the taste was pretty enjoyable. the melting consistency was a little funny, though. i would recommend using feta in the quiche and sprinkling parmesan on top to make nice crust. this is the perfect dish to make ahead for lunch or dinner, eat it cold or warm it up, serve it with mixed greens or on its own. simple and delicious.

the ingredients:

1 tbsp. exra-virgin olive oil

8 oz. fresh mushrooms (sliced)

kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 cloves garlic (minced)

1 bag baby spinach (zapped in the microwave for 30 seconds until it begins to steam and leaves are pliable)

4 large eggs

1 cup low-fat milk

3/4 cup shredded fat-free swiss

the method:

preheat the oven to 350, and spray a pie dish. 

in a medium skillet, heat the olive oil, and add the mushrooms. add a good pinch of salt and pepper. When the mushrooms begin to release their juices (five to seven minutes), add the garlic, and cook until aromatic. 

 spread the partially cooked spinach across the bottom of the pie dish, and add the cooked mushrooms and a half-cup of the cheese.

in a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk until combined. add a pinch of salt and pepper. pour this mixture into the pie dish over the vegetables and cheese, and sprinkle the remaining cheese on top. bake until the top is golden brown, and the center is set, about 45 minutes to an hour. serve with mixed greens or on its own.

adapted from a budget bytes recipe.

quinoa tabbouleh

musings: traditionally, lebanese tabbouleh is made with mostly herbs, some tomatoes and a few grains of bulgur here and there. i wanted more of an “equal parts” dish. then, i thought i had a brilliant idea: what if i make it with quinoa? clearly not the first person to come up with this. but given that it is a vegetarian recipe, i wanted a way to incorporate some protein for my lunches this week (this is totally not a sad desk lunch and is super simple to make on sunday and pack for the week). the original recipe called for scallions, but i had my fair share of scallion cream cheese this week at russ & daughters this week, so i decided to go with shallots. this is also why i added a bit of honey (to bring out their sweetness). the result was bright, refreshing and delicious.

the ingredients:

1 1/2 cups quinoa (rinsed well)

1 lemon (zested and juiced)

1 tsp. honey

1 garlic clove (minced)

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 large english cucumber (chopped into half half-moons) 

1 pint cherry tomatoes (halved)

2/3 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley (i used a kitchen scissor to cut the leaves off; you want big pieces in here, and don’t worry if some stems get in as well.)

1/2 cup chopped fresh mint (see parsley note) 

1 shallot (minced)

the method:

bring the quinoa, three cups of water and a good pinch of salt to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until quinoa is tender, about 10 minutes. remove from the heat and let stand, covered, for five minutes. fluff with a fork.

meanwhile, whisk the lemon elements, honey and garlic in a small bowl. gradually whisk in the olive oil, and season to taste with salt and pepper.

in a large bowl, add the cucumber, tomatoes, herbs, and shallots along with the cooled quinoa, and toss to coat with the dressing. season to taste with salt and pepper, and enjoy. 

slightly adapted from a bon appetit recipe.

mushroom, farro and spinach soup

yields: 6-8 servings

the ingredients:

1/2 oz. dried porcini mushrooms

2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

1 yellow onion (chopped)

1/2 lb. cremini mushrooms (cleaned, trimmed and sliced thick)

2 garlic cloves (minced)

1/2 tsp. kosher salt (plus more to taste)

3/4 cup farro

6 cups low-sodium chicken stock

1 tbsp. sage

1 tsp. rosemary

1 dried bay leaf

1 5-oz. bag baby spinach

freshly ground pepper to taste

the method:

place the dried porcini mushrooms in a bowl or a pyrex measuring cup, and pour two cups boiling water over them. let sit for 30 minutes. remove the mushrooms, and roughly chop them. reserve the now-porcini broth.

heat the oil in a large soup pot or dutch oven over medium heat, and add the onion. cook, stirring often, until just about tender, about five minutes, and add the sliced fresh mushrooms. cook, stirring, until the mushrooms are beginning to soften, about three minutes, and add the garlic and salt. continue to cook for about five minutes, until the mixture is juicy and fragrant. add the reconstituted dried mushrooms, the barley, the mushroom soaking liquid, chicken broth and herbs. bring to a boil, reduce the heat, cover and simmer 45 minutes.

remove the bay leaf, taste and adjust salt, and add a generous amount of freshly ground pepper. add the spinach to the simmering soup, and continue to simmer for another couple of minutes (the spinach should wilt pretty quickly because of the heat). the farro should be tender and the broth aromatic. serve with a crusty baguette.

adapted from a ny times recipe.

sweet potato and white bean dip

the ingredients:

1 medium sweet potato (12-14 oz.)

1 can cannellini beans (drained and rinsed)

large pinch dried rosemary

1/4 tsp. dried ginger

1 tsp. salt

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

freshly ground black pepper (and perhaps a bit more salt to taste)

the method:

to make your life easier, cook the sweet potato in the microwave. poke holes all over it with a fork, and cook on high for about 12 minutes (or maybe a little longer depending on your microwave). the sweet potato should be tender all throughout, including the center (feel free to cut it open to be sure).

meanwhile, add everything else to the bowl of  a food processor. once the sweet potato is cool enough to handle, scoop out the flesh, and add it to the rest of the ingredients. with the motor running, pour the olive oil through the top spout. pulse until well blended but not silky smooth. transfer to a serving bowl, and drizzle with a little more olive oil (i also sprinkled some flaky salt on top; i wouldn’t recommend this if you’re serving it with a salty chip). serve with something crunchy, and enjoy.

eggplant palle

this summer, after having to revamp our backyard due to super storm sandy, we decided to plant a garden. and am i glad that we did. i know i’ve said it before, but i love being able to walk out the back door and have ingredients at the ready. on sunday, we harvested our first eggplant. it was a big moment at 45 harris. the eggplant itself was gorgeous, and i knew immediately that i wanted to make something to highlight it. i’d found a recipe quite some time ago for eggplant balls, so i crafter my own version based on what was in the fridge and what was growing in our garden (i also used a pepper we picked that day and fresh parsley). the recipe is simple and fresh and could be tossed with pasta, served as an app, or on the side. you can always mix and match the cheeses or herbs depending on personal preference. i loved the homage it paid to the eggplant, and i hope you do, too.

yields: 12 palle

the ingredients:

1 eggplant (around 500g)

1/2 cup pine nuts (toasted)

2 tbsp. parsley (i used flat leaf and curly because both are growing.)

1/4 cup red pepper

1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs

1/4 parmigiano regianno

1/4 feta

1 egg (beaten)

kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

the method:

preheat the oven to 425.

cut the eggplant lengthwise. rub both halves generously with olive oil, and bake for about 30 minutes (or until the flesh is soft enough to scoop out).

while the eggplant is baking, combine all of the other ingredients. add the eggplant, and season to taste with salt and pepper. chill the mixture for at least 30 minutes if not longer.

adjust the oven temperature to 400. using a small ice cream scooper, scoop the mixture onto a baking sheet, and bake for 15-20 minutes. once baked, transfer the palle to a serving platter, and enjoy.

fusilli with fresh corn pesto

the ingredients:

1 lb. fusilli

6 large ears of corn (trimmed of their kernels)

1 large garlic clove (minced)

1 1/4 tsp. coarse kosher salt

3/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup freshly grated parmigiano reggiano (plus more for serving)

1/3 cup pine nuts (toasted)

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 cup coarsely torn fresh basil leaves

the method:

bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil.

in a large skillet, heat two tablespoons of olive oil. add the corn, garlic, one and a quarter teaspoons coarse salt and pepper. sauté over medium-high heat until corn is just tender but not brown, about four minutes. transfer a heaping cup of corn kernels to a small bowl, and reserve. scrape the remaining corn mixture into the food processor. add a half cup parm and the pine nuts. with the machine running, add the olive oil through feed tube and blend until pesto is almost smooth. set  aside.

cook the pasta until just tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally. drain, reserving a cup of the pasta water. return the pasta to the pot. add the corn pesto, reserved corn kernels and basil leaves. toss the pasta mixture over medium heat until warmed through, adding reserved pasta if desired (i used very little because i like a thicker sauce). season pasta to taste with salt and pepper.

transfer the pasta to a serving bowl. sprinkle with more parm, and serve.

adapted from a bon appetit recipe.

grilled romano beans

the ingredients:

fresh romano beans

extra-virgin olive oil

freshly ground black pepper

maldon salt (or another type of large-flake sea salt)

the method:

preheat the grill to medium-high.

toss the romano beans with olive oil (they should be well-coated but not drenched) and some pepper. throw the beans on the grill, making sure they’re in a single layer. as the start to blister, flip the beans to prevent them from burning. these won’t take long to cook (just keep an eye on them so that they don’t burn). once the beans are appropriately blistered, remove them from the grill, and transfer to a platter. sprinkle with the salt, and serve.

balsamic-grilled jersey tomatoes

yields: 10 servings

the ingredients:

5 juicy tomatoes (halved crosswise)

4 cloves garlic (minced)

2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar

1 tsp. dark brown sugar

1 tsp. kosher salt

1 tsp. fresh thyme (plus more for garnish)

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

the method:

preheat the grill to high on one side and medium-low on the other (give it a good 30 minutes before grilling).

in a small bowl, add the garlic, vinegar, sugar, salt, and thyme. gradually drizzle in the olive oil, whisking while doing so. brush the marinade over the tomatoes until thoroughly coated, and let them rest at room temperature (cut side down) for 15 minutes.

once the grill is hot, place the tomatoes (cut side down) on the hotter side of the grill, reserving the marinade, until slightly charred (a few minutes). flip the tomatoes, and relocate them to the cooler side of the grill. brush the marinade  over the tops. allow them to rest here until they begin to caramelize, another five minutes or more. remove from the tomatoes from the grill, and plate them cut side up. garnish each with a pinch of fresh thyme, and serve hot or at room temperature.

ajo blanco

the ingredients:

450g blanched almonds

1.5 liters ice water

150g stale bread

4 cloves of garlic (peeled)

6 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

6 tbsp. sherry vinegar

kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

the method:

drench the bread in water, and then ring it out. set aside.

pulse the almonds in a food processor. add about five tablespoons of water until a paste forms. add the ice water, bread, garlic, olive oil and sherry vinegar, and pulse until smooth. season to taste with salt and pepper. transfer to a large bowl, and chill for at least four hours. garnish with more olive oil or sherry vinegar when ready to serve.

slightly adapted from a cortijada los gázquez recipe.