Chili à la courge

 

Ce n’est pas encore l’automne au Texas. En fait, on n’a pas vraiment d’automne au Texas ! Mais pour ceux et celles qui veulent un plat réconfortant, voici une idée de Coup de Pouce. (Ou plutôt, deux : je n’ai pas de photo à vous montrer, mais si vous mangez du porc, je recommande leur filet de porc à l’oignon rouge.) Là, je vous présente une recette végétalienne, un chili à la courge. Servi nature, c’est comme un ragoût, et je recommande de ne pas négliger les accompagnements (crème sure sans lactose, fromage râpé, avocat, coriandre, etc.).

5 tasses de bouillon de légumes à teneur réduite en sel (ou +, au goût)
1 ¾ tasse de protéine végétale texturée
3 c. à soupe d’huile d'olive
1 oignon ciselé
2 carottes, pelées, en petits dés
3 branches de céleris, en petits dés
2 gousses d’ail, hachées
3 c. à soupe d’assaisonnement au chili
1 ½ tasse de purée de citrouille
1 tasse de sauce tomate
1 ½ tasse de courge butternut, en petits cubes
1 boîte de haricot blanc, rincés et égouttés
sel et poivre
crème sure sans lactose et coriandre fraîche, pour garnir (facultatif)
croustilles de maïs, pour le service (facultatif)

Verser 2 tasses de bouillon dans un bol, puis ajouter la protéine végétale texturée. Laisser reposer 5 minutes. Égoutter et réserver. Dans une grande casserole, chauffer 1 c. à soupe d'huile à feu moyen-élevé. Faire revenir la PVT de 2 à 3 minutes, puis réserver dans une assiette.

Chauffer le reste de l'huile puis faire revenir l'oignon, les carottes, le céleri et l'ail 2 minutes. Ajouter l'assaisonnement au chili, le reste du bouillon, la purée de citrouille, la sauce tomate, la courge et les haricots. Saler et poivrer, puis mélanger.

Porter à ébullition, puis réduire le feu à moyen et cuire 13 minutes ou jusqu'à ce que les légumes soient tendres, en remuant régulièrement. Ajouter la PVT réservée, mélanger et chauffer 2 minutes de plus. Ajouter un peu de bouillon si nécessaire, au goût. Garnir de crème sure et de coriandre, puis servir avec des croustilles de maïs, si désiré.

Leek and Prosciutto Frittata

 

I got this recipe from America’s Test Kitchen’s book Paleo Perfected. I immediately changed it around: I used leftover bacon and salami instead of prosciutto, and melted butter instead of ghee (which I find too funky). This was really good! I served it with a winter salad.

12 large eggs
2 Tbsp. water
kosher salt and pepper
4 oz. thinly sliced prosciutto, cut into ½-inch pieces
¼ cup chopped fresh basil or parsley
3 Tbsp. ghee (I used melted butter)
1 lb. leeks, white and light green parts only, halved lengthwise, thinly sliced, and washed thoroughly

Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position, about 6 inches from heating element; heat broiler. Whisk eggs, water, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper in medium bowl until thoroughly combined and mixture is pure yellow; do not overbeat. Stir in prosciutto and basil.

Melt ghee in 10-inch nonstick ovensafe nonstick skillet over low heat until foaming subsides. Add leeks and ½ teaspoon salt; cook covered, stirring occasionally, until softened, 8 to 10 minutes.

Add egg mixture to skillet and, using a heat-resistant rubber spatula, constantly and firmly scrape along bottom and sides of skillet until large curds form and spatula leaves a trail on bottom of skillet but eggs are still very wet, about 2 minutes. Shake skillet to distribute eggs evenly and continue to cook, without stirring, for 30 seconds to let bottom set.

Transfer skillet to oven and broil until frittata has risen and surface is puffed and spotty brown, 3 to 4 minutes; when cut into with paring knife, eggs should be slightly wet and runny.

Remove skillet from oven and let stand 5 minutes to finish cooking; using spatula, carefully loosen frittata from skillet and slide onto platter or cutting board. Cut into wedges and serve warm or at room temperature.

Thin-Crust Pizza

 

Here’s a quick pizza recipe, where the thin crust doesn’t need to rise. This makes two small pizzas, and you can top them as you wish! It was a very satisfying meal that was quick to prepare.

For the dough
¾ cup lukewarm water
1 tsp. active dry yeast
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for kneading
¾ tsp. salt
2 tsp. olive oil, divided

For the toppings
½ cup pizza sauce, such as classic red sauce or a white sauce
1 to 2 cups shredded lactose-free cheese: one or a combination of mozzarella, provolone, parmesan, fontina, romano, or asiago cheese
Topping options: sautéed onions or mushrooms, sliced red peppers, pepperoni, cooked sausage, cooked bacon, etc.

Arrange a rack in the bottom third of the oven, place a rimmed baking sheet on the rack, and heat the oven to 450 °F. Meanwhile, make the dough.

Pour ¾ cup lukewarm water into a medium bowl. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon active dry yeast over the water, and let stand until the yeast is dissolved and foamy, 3 to 5 minutes.

Add 2 cups all-purpose flour and ¾ teaspoon salt. Mix with a stiff spatula or wooden spoon until floury, shaggy dough forms. Turn the dough out onto a work surface and knead until it forms a smooth, slightly tacky ball that springs back when you poke it, 5 to 8 minutes. If the dough sticks to your hands like bubblegum, add a tablespoon of flour at a time until it’s easier to work with; avoid adding too much flour if possible.

Cover the dough with the upside-down bowl or a clean kitchen towel and let sit while you prepare the pizza toppings, about 10 minutes.

Divide the dough into 2 equal pieces. Working with one piece of dough at a time, stretch or roll it into a thin, 10- to 12-inch round. Form from the middle of the dough outwards, using the heel of your hand to gently press and stretch the dough until it's about a ¼-inch thick or less. For an extra-thin crust, roll it with a rolling pin. If the dough starts to shrink back, let it rest for 5 minutes and then try rolling again.

Carefully remove the preheated baking sheet from the oven and place it upside down on a wire rack. Transfer the dough directly onto the upside-down baking sheet. Brush the dough with 1 teaspoon of the oil. Spread ¼ cup sauce into a thin layer onto dough, leaving a ½-inch border. Sprinkle on the cheese and other toppings.

Bake until the crust is golden-brown and the cheese is melted and browned in spots, 8 to 12 minutes. Remove the pizza from the oven and cool for about 5 minutes before slicing and serving. Repeat with the remaining dough and toppings.

Spicy Tuna Avocado Wrap

 

Here’s a lunch idea that my kids actually liked: spicy tuna avocado wraps. For the vegetables in the wrap, I used grated carrots and lettuce because that’s pretty much the only ones the Fox would eat, but for myself, I would add strips of red bell pepper and cucumber too!

I am still looking for the perfect way to pack wraps and tacos in the lunchbox. This held together with toothpicks, though now I often use wax paper. I am open to suggestions!

2 (5-oz) cans albacore tuna, drained
1 avocado
2 Tbsp. sriracha
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
2 to 3 Tbsp. celery, finely chopped
2 Tbsp red onion, finely chopped
2 green onions, chopped
1 Tbsp. fresh cilantro, chopped
salt and pepper, to taste
2 heaping cups leafy green lettuce
1 cup raw veggies thinly sliced into matchsticks (cucumber, red bell pepper and carrots)
4 (8-inch) whole wheat tortillas

In a small bowl, mash together the tuna and avocado, until combined. Stir in the sriracha, Dijon mustard, celery, red onion, green onions, cilantro and salt and pepper, mixing well.

To assemble the wraps, top each tortilla with leafy greens, sliced veggies and divide the spicy tuna mixture evenly among the wraps. Tightly roll up the tortillas. Slice and enjoy!

Poulet sucré à la confiture d'abricots

Voici une bonne recette de poulet sucré à la confiture d’abricots. Je pense que ce serait très bon avec du riz, mais puisque je surveillais les glucides, j’ai plutôt servi ça avec des légumes.

¾ de tasse de confiture d’abricots
½ tasse d’échalotes françaises hachées
1/3 de tasse de bouillon de poulet
¼ de tasse de sauce tamari (ou de sauce soya)
2 gousses d’ail, hachées
2 c. à soupe de vinaigre de vin blanc
1 c. à soupe de gingembre frais râpé finement
1 c. à soupe de feuilles de thym frais ou ½ c. à thé de thym séché
½ c. à thé de sel
¼ de c. à thé de flocons de piment fort ou plus, au goût
¼ de c. à thé de cumin moulu
poivre, au goût
12 hauts de cuisse de poulet désossés et sans la peau
½ tasse d’abricots séchés coupés en deux

Préchauffer le four à 375 °F et placer la grille au centre.

Dans un grand bol, mélanger tous les ingrédients, sauf les hauts de cuisse et les abricots. Ajouter les hauts de cuisse et bien les enrober de la sauce. Transvider dans un grand plat de cuisson et cuire au four 30 minutes.

Ajouter les abricots et arroser le poulet. Poursuivre la cuisson au four 30 minutes, puis servir.

Chickpea Nuggets

 

I found this recipe for chickpea nuggets on The Kitchn ages ago and finally got around to making it, then posting about it a year and a half later – please clap. It’s actually really good! I served the nuggets with Greek salad (I like it without olives) and a delicious Greek-inspired lemon rice. (The rice is from Minimalist Baker and I will not repost the recipe, because they are being weird about it. By law, a recipe cannot be copyrighted, so it can be shared, while pictures are copyrighted and cannot be shared without permission. But they insist on doing things the other way, allowing people to repost their photos while cracking down on recipe posting. So… just go see the original link, I guess. It’s really good rice!)

½ cup panko or gluten-free breadcrumbs
½ cup rolled oats
1 (15-oz) can garbanzo beans (do not drain)
1 tsp. kosher salt
½ tsp. garlic powder
½ tsp. onion powder

Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 375 °F.

Place the panko on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until toasted and golden-brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and set aside to cool while preparing the nuggets. Line the baking sheet with parchment paper.

Place the oats in a food processor fitted with the blade attachment and process into a fine flour. Transfer to a large bowl and reserve the food processor.

Drain the chickpeas over a bowl or measuring cup, then save the chickpeas and ¼ cup of the liquid. Place the chickpeas into the food processor; add the salt, garlic, and onion powder; and pulse until crumbly. Keep mixture in the food processor.

Whisk ¼ cup of the chickpea liquid in a small mixing bowl until foamy. Add the foamy chickpea liquid and ½ cup of the oat flour to the food processor. Pulse until the mixture forms a ball. You may have a little oat flour leftover, which you can add to the chickpea mixture 1 tablespoon at a time if the mixture is loose.

Divide the chickpea mixture into 12 equal portions and shape each one into a nugget. Coat each nugget completely in the toasted panko and place on the parchment-lined baking sheet.

Bake until crispy, 15 to 20 minutes. Serve warm with your favorite dipping sauce.

Bowls with Turmeric Potatoes, Eggs, and Lemon Dressing

 

I really like making myself bowls for lunch, so this bowl with turmeric sweet potatoes, an egg, and lemon dressing was right up my alley! The original recipe had a mix of red rice and quinoa, but I used up some leftover black rice I had frozen. I made a fried egg (over easy) instead of poached. This was delicious!

For the turmeric mashed sweet potatoes
2 large sweet potatoes, cut into chunks
a swish of olive oil
1–2 tsp. turmeric
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups vegetable broth

For the lemon herb dressing
¼ cup lemon juice
1/3 cup olive oil
1 small clove garlic
2 tsp. agave
¼ cup parsley leaves
¼ tsp. salt (or more to taste)

For the bowls
poached or scrambled eggs (mine were over easy)
brown rice or quinoa (I used black rice)
arugula or spinach or other greens
pistachios or other nuts for topping (optional)

Heat the sweet potatoes with olive oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Add the turmeric and toss to coat. Add the garlic and vegetable broth. Simmer until the potatoes are soft and the liquid is almost all absorbed. Transfer to a small bowl and mash. Season with salt and pepper and/or a touch of lactose-free cream if you want to be lush about it.

Pulse all dressing ingredients in a blender or food processor (I used a stick blender). Season to taste.

Toss the greens with a little dressing. You can also stir a little dressing into the sweet potatoes if you wish. Serve each bowl with the mashed sweet potatoes, brown rice, greens, and a scrambled or poached or fried egg. Top with more dressing and a handful of pistachios.

Golden Soup

 

Here’s a nice soup recipe for fall: golden soup from Pinch of Yum. I used less liquid than called for, but now I think you should definitely use broth instead of water, so that’s what I’m writing below. I’m also adding to soak the cashews ahead of time – the boiling won’t cut it.

Note also that since turmeric can be used as dye, it might stain a food processor or blender (in which case, leaving it out in the sun would help), so I used my immersion blender so that only the metal part came in contact with it.

The original recipe had a topping of crisp, roasted chickpeas and herbs, which would be great if you have time to make them.

2 Tbsp. olive oil
½ onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 head of cauliflower, chopped into about 5 cups of chunks or florets
1 cup cashews, soaked overnight
1 Tbsp. turmeric
7–8 cups vegetable broth (I used 4)
2 tsp. salt (less if your broth is seasoned)
a squeeze of lemon juice

Heat the oil in a deep soup pot. Add the onion, garlic, cauliflower, cashews, and turmeric. Sauté for 10 minutes or until very fragrant.

Add the broth (start with 4 cups and add more later as needed) and salt. Simmer until softened.

Transfer the soup to a blender and blend into a creamy consistency; it’s best to do this in batches. (This is where I recommend an immersion blender instead!)

Return to the soup pot and add any additional water or broth (remaining 2-3 cups) if you need to thin it out. Also a good time to season with more salt and a squeeze of lemon juice.

Plaque de légumes rôtis et de tofu

 

Voici une recette végétarienne simple (une « crisse et cook ») : une plaque de légumes rôtis et de tofu de Ricardo. C’était bon, mais ma sauce n’a vraiment pas l’air de celle sur la photo – je pense qu’il faudrait en effet quelque chose qui ressemble davantage à la sauce barbecue de chez St-Hubert!

Pour les légumes
675 g (1 ½ lb) de pommes de terre grelots, coupées en deux
340 g (¾ lb) de choux de Bruxelles, parés et coupés en deux
3 c. à soupe d’huile végétale
2 poivrons de couleurs variées, coupés en gros dés
1 oignon rouge, coupé en dés
2 gousses d’ail, hachées
1 c. à thé d’origan séché
3 c. à soupe de persil plat ciselé

Pour la sauce et le tofu
3 c. à soupe de mayonnaise
3 c. à soupe de ketchup
1 c. à soupe de moutarde de Dijon
1 c. à soupe de vinaigre de cidre
1 c. à soupe de cassonade
½ c. à thé de paprika fumé
1 c. à soupe de fécule de maïs
675 g (1 ½ lb) de tofu ferme, coupé en gros dés
1 c. à soupe d’huile végétale


Pour les légumes
Placer la grille au centre du four. Préchauffer le four à 425 °F. Tapisser une plaque de cuisson de papier parchemin.

Sur la plaque, mélanger les pommes de terre et les choux de Bruxelles avec 2 c. à soupe de l’huile. Cuire au four 20 minutes.

Entre-temps, dans un bol, mélanger les poivrons, l’oignon, l’ail et l’origan avec le reste de l’huile.

Retirer la plaque du four. Ajouter le mélange de légumes sur la plaque. Saler, poivrer et mélanger. Poursuivre la cuisson au four 15 minutes.

Pour la sauce et le tofu
Entre-temps, dans un bol, mélanger au fouet la mayonnaise, le ketchup, la moutarde, le vinaigre, la cassonade et le paprika. Saler et poivrer. Réserver la moitié du mélange dans un petit bol pour le service. Incorporer la fécule au premier bol. Y ajouter le tofu et mélanger délicatement pour bien l’enrober.

Dans une grande poêle antiadhésive à feu moyen-élevé, chauffer l’huile. Dorer la moitié du tofu à la fois, sans remuer, 2 minutes. Remuer et poursuivre la cuisson de 2 à 3 minutes ou jusqu’à ce que le tofu soit bien doré. Réserver sur une assiette. Ajouter de l’huile, au besoin.

Sur la plaque avec les légumes, répartir le tofu. Parsemer du persil et arroser de la sauce réservée.

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Salad Bowl

 

This is another recipe from Marco Borgres’s book The Greenprint. I love this salad bowl for lunch and I’ll be making it again! I also added some roasted, salted pepitas as a topping at one point, used microgreens, and I switched up the dressing based on what I had on hand (a lime vinaigrette tastes better to me than straight-up lime juice, and I also had an herby garlicky dressing).

2 small sweet potatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes
¼ tsp. paprika
½ Hass avocado, sliced (I used more)
1 large tomato, sliced
1⁄3 sweet onion, diced
juice of ½ lime (see note above)
pinch of dried parsley flakes (I omitted that)
sea salt
2 cups spinach
1 cup canned corn, drained and rinsed
1 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed
¼ cup hummus, store-bought or homemade

Preheat the oven to 400 °F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Spread the sweet potato over the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle with the paprika and roast for about 30 minutes, flipping once halfway through, or until tender and golden.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine the avocado, tomato, onion, lime juice, and parsley. Season with salt to taste.

Divide the sweet potato, tomato-avocado salad, spinach, corn, and black beans between two bowls. Top with the hummus and serve.

Hawaiian Meatballs

 

I tried this recipe for Hawaiian meatballs.I served it once with broccoli salad, though it was also good with rice. We loved the meatballs, but the sauce was not what I expected – and I have to take the fall for that because I had to make last-minute adaptations. I didn’t have enough soy sauce, so I decreased the amount of sweetener to compensate. It was still chunkier than I would have liked, but oh well, that’s life. I did make the meatballs smaller – the below is my size and I got 44 meatballs.

For the meatballs
2 lbs. lean ground beef (I used 1 lb. beef and 1 lb. turkey)
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
¼ cup lactose-free milk
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 Tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. garlic powder
½ tsp. onion powder
freshly ground black pepper
1 cup white OR brown rice, cooked according to package directions

For the sauce
12 oz. crushed pineapple, OR finely minced fresh pineapple
¾ cup water (I omitted it, but did not drain the pineapple)
½ cup low-sodium soy sauce (I only had ¼ cup)
⅓ cup honey (I used ¼ cup; see note above)
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
3 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar
1 Tbsp. freshly grated ginger
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
2 Tbsp. water
fresh cilantro, chopped, for garnish
sesame seeds, for garnish

Preheat oven to 400 °F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine ground beef, breadcrumbs, milk, egg, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, Worcestershire, garlic powder, onion powder, and pepper. Use your hands (I used a fork) to gently mix ingredients until thoroughly combined but not packed down. Scoop meat into 3-tablespoon mounds (I used a 3-Tbsp. cookie scoop and made 2 balls from a scoop) and gently roll into balls (which should measure a bit more than 1 inch across).

Arrange meatballs on prepared baking sheet, at least an inch apart. Bake meatballs for 20 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through to the center (cut into a meatball to check for doneness; internal temperature should be 165 °F if using a thermometer). Remove to a paper towel-lined plate to drain any grease and cover with foil to keep warm.

While meatballs are baking, cook rice according to package directions.

At the same time, in another saucepan set over medium heat, prepare the sauce by combining pineapple, water, soy sauce, honey, rice wine vinegar, brown sugar, and fresh ginger. Bring sauce to a boil, stirring occasionally, and then reduce to a simmer. In a small bowl, use a fork to whisk together 2 tablespoons cornstarch and 2 tablespoons water. Stream cornstarch mixture into simmering sauce while stirring. Allow sauce to cook for a few minutes until thickened and glossy, stirring occasionally.

Serve meatballs over rice with sauce poured on top. Garnish with fresh cilantro and sesame seeds, if desired.

Chicken Noodle Wonton Soup

 

I tried making a chicken potato soup in the Instant Pot. Honestly, it was good, but my kids weren’t crazy about it. Plus, I had to go out of my way to get white sweet potatoes. And using the Instant Pot doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a fast recipe, you know? But then I made this chicken noodle wonton soup, which is all about shortcuts. This one is super fast AND delicious! Plus, I can keep the ingredients on hand easily. It’s reminiscent of chicken noodle soup in its flavors, but it has chicken wontons instead of noodles. I made this for a quick lunch and I’m planning to do so again soon! This makes about 2 servings for me.

4 cups chicken stock
1 cup frozen mixed vegetables, such as peas and carrots
20 frozen chicken and vegetable wontons (I prefer them on the smaller side)
½ tsp. kosher salt
¼ tsp. ground black pepper
dried thyme, optional

In a large pot, bring the chicken stock to a boil over high heat.

Reduce the heat to medium and add the frozen vegetables, chicken wontons, salt, pepper, and dried thyme, if using, and simmer until the wontons are warmed through and float to the surface, 8–10 minutes.

Divide the soup among 4 bowls and serve immediately. The soup will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Salade automnale aux légumes rôtis

 

Voici une délicieuse salade automnale aux légumes rôtis. J’ai adoré ça comme lunch!

1 chou-fleur (pour une touche colorée, opter pour le mauve ou l’orangé)
1 petite courge butternut
2 patates douces
4 carottes
2 avocats
4 poignées de verdure au choix (épinards, laitue frisée, roquette, chou frisé, fanes de betteraves, etc.)
4 poignées de noix (noix de Grenoble, pacanes, noix de cajou, mélange du randonneur, etc.)
8 tranches de fromage à griller sans lactose de type halloumi (ou le fromage de votre choix)
1 grenade
2 c. à soupe d’huile d’olive
vinaigrette de type balsamique du commerce ou votre recette maison (au goût)
poivre et sel (au goût)

Préchauffer le four à 385 °F.

Éplucher la courge butternut, les carottes, les patates douces. Couper la courge en grandes lamelles, les carottes en deux sur la longueur et les patates douces en rondelles. Déposer tous les légumes dans un saladier. Verser 2 c. à soupe d’huile d’olive, saler et poivrer. Mélanger afin de bien enrober les légumes.

Couvrir une plaque de cuisson de papier parchemin et y déposer les légumes en une couche uniforme. Cuire 30 minutes en retournant les légumes de temps en temps.

Pendant la cuisson des légumes, couper les sommités de chou-fleur en morceaux de taille similaire. Déposer le chou-fleur dans un mélangeur et pulser 4 ou 5 fois afin d’obtenir la consistance du riz.

Chauffer un filet d’huile dans une poêle et y ajouter le riz de chou-fleur et un peu de sel. Cuire de 1 à 2 minutes pour attendrir. Réserver. Cette étape est facultative.

Faire chauffer une poêle à blanc et y torréfier les noix quelques minutes en brassant continuellement pour éviter qu’elles brûlent. Réserver.

Griller les tranches de fromage dans une poêle avec un peu d’huile.

Extraire les arilles de la grenade.

Avant de servir, éplucher et trancher les avocats. Arroser d’un filet de jus de citron.

Disposer dans un bol le riz de chou-fleur, la verdure choisie, les légumes rôtis et le fromage. Garnir avec l’avocat, les noix et les arilles de grenade. Assaisonner et arroser de vinaigrette.

Mochi Latkes

 

I saw this recipe in an old issue of Celebrate magazine, and I traced it back to Kristin Eriko Posner (it has this photo by Blaine Moats and is similar to this recipe from Posner’s website). These latkes were delicious; we all love mochi here, and it was fantastic paired with Asian pear sauce and matcha salt! Plus, it’s gluten-free. I’ll be making these again! The amounts below make about 8 latkes, and I would definitely want more next time.

For the mochi latkes
1 Russet potato (1 lb.), peeled
1 medium yellow onion
1/3 cup + 2 Tbsp. mochi flour (also called sweet rice flour or mochiko)
2 eggs, lightly beaten
½ tsp. kosher salt
3 cups vegetable oil, for frying (I always shallow-fry my latkes and use way less oil, but I’m the shiksa)

Using a box grater, grate potato and onion. Place on a double thickness of 100% cotton cheesecloth (I used the tea towel that I have dedicated to latkes); squeeze to remove liquid. Transfer potato and onion to a large mixing bowl. Add mochi flour, eggs, and ½ teaspoon salt. Stir to combine.

In a heavy 12-inch skillet, heat oil to 325 °F over medium-low. Place a wire rack on a cookie sheet. Pat potato mixture into 2 ½-inch rounds. Cook a few at a time in hot oil 5 to 7 minutes or until golden brown, turning once. Remove from the pan and cool slightly on the wire rack.


For the Asian pear sauce
1 lb. cored Asian pears
1 small cored Fuji apple
2 Tbsp. water
1 ½ tsp. lemon juice
½ tsp. vanilla
¼ tsp. ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp. kosher salt

Combine ingredients in a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, for 30-40 minutes or until fruit is very soft, stirring every 10 minutes.

Uncover and let cool. Transfer to a blender (I used a stick blender) and blend until smooth.


For the matcha salt
1 tsp. culinary matcha
1 Tbsp. kosher salt

Sift the matcha into the salt and mix.

Serve the latkes with a sprinkle of matcha salt (you will have extra leftover) and a side of Asian pear sauce.

Beef Wellington

 

At some point last year, I started thinking of beef Wellington – namely, how I really wanted to eat some! But to me it’s more of a winter dish, and not the kind of thing I would eat on a Texan summer, so I waited until closer to the holidays (I am catching up on my blogging). Meanwhile, the Little Prince has started being *very* interested in cooking, and he’s watching a lot of YouTube videos starring Nick DiGiovanni (who, I’m told, trained with Gordon Ramsay). It just so happens that one of his most-watched videos is him making beef Wellington. So when I told the Little Prince that I wanted to make it, he was all in!

Honestly, my first thought was to make the version in Maya Angelou’s Hallelujah! The Welcome Table, because the story that accompanies it is great and had really stayed with me (you can read it in two parts starting here). That being said, when I read the recipe and compared it with Nick DiGiovanni’s, I had to admit that his just sounded like it would be way better, so that’s the direction we went. I didn’t make my own mustard because I have a life, I used store-bought chicken bouillon because it’s faster, and I made a few other adjustments here and there, but I really like the result! My only criticism of our version is that the duxelles was a bit too dry. And, well, the sauce was too salty and we don’t think it’s necessary, so I’d skip it next time. (And obviously, since this is both labor-intensive and expensive, I won’t be making it often. But maybe for Christmas?) I served it with carrots (you could try roasting carrots and just starting them in the oven prior to the beef Wellington.)

You can see the recipe ingredients in the description here, the short version of the video here, and compare to Gordon’s Ramsay’s written instructions here. Below is my interpretation.

For the beef
1.5-lb. beef tenderloin
salt and pepper, to taste
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
½ cup Dijon mustard (my estimation of the quantity)
2 sheets puff pastry
6 slices prosciutto
2 egg yolks + water (for egg wash)
flaky salt, to taste
finely chopped chives (for garnish)

For the duxelles
1 lb. assorted mushrooms
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 shallots, finely chopped
3-4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 Tbsp. red wine
3 bay leaves
salt and pepper, to taste

For the crepes (or you can use your own trusted recipe) 1 cup all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp. granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 pinch of salt
3 cups lactose-free milk

For the sauce (see note above)
2 Tbsp. lactose-free butter
6 sprigs thyme
½ cup chopped shallots
1/3 cup red wine
1 ½ cups reduced chicken stock


For the beef tenderloin
Make sure your beef tenderloin is relatively cylindrical. (You can trim it, and use the trimmings in another recipe.) Liberally salt and pepper the beef tenderloin on all sides.

In a pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Sear the beef tenderloin for a few minutes on each side. So here’s one place where we deviated: you want your beef to be just about done to your taste at this point, and we both felt like rare was too raw. We put our seared tenderloin in the oven at 475 °F for 15-20 minutes. We were aiming for medium and perhaps undershot a bit, I blame this on not having a Thermapen, but all this to say, once your beef is seared, feel free to cook it longer, because past this point in the recipe it won’t cook any more, just get warmed up a bit.

Once done, take it off the heat. Brush the beef tenderloin with Dijon mustard on all sides. Set aside.

For the duxelles
Finely chop the mushrooms. (I did this in the food processor.)

In a pan (I would use the same one as for the beef, without even washing it), heat the oil over medium heat. Add the shallots and garlic and sweat until they are translucent, but not browned.

Add the mushrooms and cook down; add the wine, bay leaves, and a generous amount of salt. Cook until the moisture has evaporated and you are left with a paste. (See, mine was perhaps a bit too dry and not pasty enough.) Set aside.

For the crepes
Mix together all the ingredients.

In a clean pan, melt some butter over low to medium heat. Cook your crepes, one at a time. You will probably need two for this recipe; the rest make a great breakfast.

On a work surface like a big cutting board, lay two crepes so that they overlap. Cover at least one crepe (the one furthest away from you) with the prosciutto, then spread out the duxelles over that. Place the beef tenderloin crosswise on the edge furthest away from you, then gently roll it toward you, keeping the crepe around it. Wrap the log in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 20 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 400 °F.

Meanwhile, spread out your two sheets of puff pastry in the same fashion. Beat together the egg yolks and water to create an egg wash, then brush it over the puff pastry. Unwrap the log of crepe-wrapped beef, then place it crosswise on the side of the puff pastry that is the furthest away from you. Gently roll it forward, wrapping the pastry around it as you go, making sure you pinch the dough over the short ends as well. Trim away the excess pastry and place the roll seam-side down on a baking sheet (I covered mine with parchment paper). Brush the puff pastry with the rest of the egg wash (you can get fancy with the decoration of the dough here). If you are using it, you’ll want to make the sauce now (see below) so that it is ready by the time the beef Wellington is done.

Cook the beef Wellington for 15 to 20 minutes or until the puff pastry has a golden-brown crust.

For the sauce
Heat the butter in a small saucepan, then add the thyme and shallots. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the shallots turn golden brown. Add the wine and boil until almost completely reduced. Add the stock, bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer until you have the desired consistency. (I ended up making a slurry with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch and 1 tablespoon of water and mixing that in to help things along.)

When everything is ready, slice the beef Wellington, sprinkle with flaky salt and chives, and serve with the sauce. (I also made carrots.)

Roasted Sweet Potato Wraps with Caramelized Onions and Pesto

 

These roasted sweet potato wraps with caramelized onions and pesto were very well received by my family! It’s the kind of thing that I would normally make for lunch for myself, but I made it as a family dinner, and it worked! I ended up wrapping them in foil just so that they would keep their shape, even though it’s a but awkward to eat.

6 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
3 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes
3 large portobello mushrooms (10 to 12 ounces total), stems removed and sliced ¼-inch thick
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
2 Tbsp. water
8 large whole-wheat tortillas (or a low-carb version)
½ cup basil pesto
¾ cup grated parmesan cheese
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper

Arrange 2 racks to divide the oven into thirds and heat to 400 °F.

Toss the sweet potatoes with 3 tablespoons of the oil and 1 teaspoon of kosher salt. Arrange in a single layer on 2 rimmed baking sheets. Roast until the potatoes are tender and browned around the edges, about 35 minutes total, stirring halfway through. Cool for about 5 minutes, then transfer the sweet potatoes to a large plate, reserving the baking sheets.

Toss the mushrooms with 1 ½ tablespoons of oil and ½ teaspoon of salt. Place in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Toss the tomatoes with ½ tablespoon oil and arrange cut-side up on the second rimmed baking sheet. Roast for 15 minutes, stirring the mushrooms once about halfway through. Cool on the baking sheets.

Meanwhile, caramelize the onions. Heat the remaining 1 ½ tablespoons oil in a large skillet over low heat until shimmering. Add the onions and ½ teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring every 5 to 10 minutes, until the onions are soft and deeply browned, scraping any fond from the bottom of the pan, about 40 minutes total. Add the water to deglaze the pan and allow the moisture to cook off.

Place the tortillas on a work surface. Spread 1 tablespoon of pesto on a tortilla. Add ½ cup of sweet potato over the tortilla, just below center. Top the sweet potatoes evenly with a couple mushroom slices, and a tablespoon each of caramelized onions, tomatoes, and Parmesan cheese. Roll tightly by folding the sides over the filling, then rolling from the bottom up. Repeat with assembling the remaining wraps.

Poulet et riz au curcuma dans un poêlon

 

J’ai adoré ce plat de poulet et riz au curcuma dans un poêlon, sauce yogourt, lime et coriandre! Regardez comme la couleur du riz est belle. Et c’était super bon!

Pour la sauce yogourt, lime et coriandre (donne environ 1 tasse)
1 tasse de yogourt grec nature 2 % sans lactose
1 tasse de coriandre fraîche
1 c. à thé de zeste de lime râpé
1 c. à table de jus de lime
sel et poivre

Au pied-mélangeur, réduire en sauce lisse le yogourt et les feuilles de coriandre, le zeste et le jus de lime. Saler et poivrer. (La sauce se conservera jusqu’à 5 jours dans un contenant hermétique au réfrigérateur.)


Pour le poulet et le riz au curcuma
6 à 8 hauts de cuisses de poulet désossés (environ 1 ¼ lb/625 g)
2 c. à thé de curcuma moulu
1 c. à thé de thym séché
2 c. à table d' huile de canola
1 c. à table de gingembre frais , râpé
2 gousses d'ail hachées finement
1 oignon haché finement
1 ½ tasse de riz basmati rincé et égoutté
1 2/3 tasse de bouillon de poulet à teneur réduite en sel
1 tasse d' eau
¼ tasse de coriandre fraîche , hachée
quartiers de lime (facultatif)
sel et poivre

Préchauffer le four à 425 °F. Dans un bol, mélanger le poulet avec 1 c. à thé du curcuma et le thym. Saler et poivrer. Dans un grand poêlon allant au four muni d’un couvercle, ou dans une grosse cocotte, chauffer la moitié de l’huile à feu moyen-vif. Ajouter les hauts de cuisses et cuire de 3 à 4 minutes ou jusqu’à ce qu’ils soient dorés de tous les côtés (les retourner à mi-cuisson). Retirer du poêlon et réserver.

Dans le poêlon, chauffer le reste de l’huile à feu moyen. Ajouter le gingembre, l’ail et l’oignon, et cuire, en brassant, de 2 à 3 minutes ou jusqu’à ce qu’ils aient ramolli. Ajouter le riz et le reste du curcuma, et cuire 30 secondes en brassant. Verser le bouillon de poulet et l’eau. Saler et poivrer. Porter à ébullition. Déposer les hauts de cuisses réservés sur le riz.

Couvrir le poêlon et cuire au four de 20 à 25 minutes ou jusqu’à ce que le riz ait absorbé tout le liquide et que le poulet soit cuit. Parsemer de la coriandre. Servir avec la sauce au yogourt et des quartiers de lime, si désiré.

Turkey and Sweet Potato Chili

 I’m not sure how I came across this turkey and sweet potato chili, because it’s from a website that I typically don’t have anything to do with, but hey, this looked good! I’m a sucker for variations on chili, and even though I tweaked the spices, this one did not disappoint.

3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 large yellow onion, finely diced
4 cloves of garlic, minced
½ serrano chili, minced (I omitted it)
1 Tbsp. chili powder (I used 1 tsp. Korean pepper)
1 Tbsp. ground cumin
1 Tbsp. sweet paprika
½ tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon salt
1 lb. dark meat ground turkey
2 medium sized sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into half-inch cubes (or about the size of a pinto bean)
1 quart chicken stock or chicken bone broth
1 15-oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 15-oz. can pinto beans, drained and rinsed

In a heavy bottom pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat.

Add the onion, garlic, serrano chili, chili powder, cumin, paprika, cayenne, and salt. Cook down until caramelized and fragrant, about 15-20 minutes (in my case, the onion was cooked, but not caramelized, and I decided that was good enough given the time that I had).

Add the ground turkey and cook until crumbled and combined with the onions. Add the sweet potatoes and chicken stock (or bone broth) and bring to a simmer, then cover and let cook for another 20 minutes (I did 30 minutes).

After the sweet potatoes have cooked, add the beans, stir to combine and cook for another 20 minutes uncovered (I just warmed it up at that point).

Taste for salt and spice, then garnish with your favorite toppings, such as avocado, cilantro, scallions, lactose-free cheese or lactose-free sour cream.

Gemellis à la saucisse et aux poivrons

 

Et puis voici un plat principal, des gemellis à la saucisse et aux poivrons, également de Ricardo. J’ai apporté quelques modifications : pour me simplifier la vie, et parce que j’ai comme un ras-le-bol des saucisses italiennes, j’ai utilisé des saucisses déjeuner à la dinde émiettées de Jimmy Dean, et j’ai omis le fenouil ainsi que le piment broyé. J’ai passé les légumes au robot, et à défaut de trouver des gemellis, j’ai utilisé des casarecce. Je recommande également d’utiliser moins de bouillon de poulet, car la sauce n’a pas épaissi. Malgré tout, c’était de très bonnes pâtes!

2 courgettes, coupées en petits dés (j’en ai pris une seule)
2 c. à soupe d’huile d’olive
15 g (1/3 tasse) de persil plat ciselé
340 g (¾ lb) de chair à saucisse italienne (environ 3 saucisses; j’avais 9,6 oz ou 272 g de viande)
3 poivrons de couleurs variées, épépinés et coupés en dés (au robot pour moi)
1 oignon, haché (au robot pour moi)
2 gousses d’ail, hachées (au robot pour moi)
1 boîte de 398 ml (14 oz) de tomates italiennes en dés
1 ½ tasse de bouillon de poulet (je recommande moins)
1 c. à soupe de pâte de tomates
1 c. à thé de graines de fenouil moulues
1 pincée de flocons de piment broyé
340 g (¾ lb) de gemellis
35 g (½ tasse) de fromage parmesan frais sans lactose râpé

Dans une grande poêle à feu élevé, attendrir les courgettes dans l’huile. Saler et poivrer. Transvider dans un bol. Ajouter le persil et mélanger. Réserver.

Dans la même poêle à feu moyen-élevé, cuire la chair à saucisse en l’émiettant à la cuillère de bois jusqu’à ce qu’elle soit dorée. Ajouter de l’huile au besoin. Ajouter les poivrons, l’oignon et l’ail. Poursuivre la cuisson 4 minutes en remuant fréquemment jusqu’à ce que les légumes soient tendres. Saler et poivrer.

Ajouter les tomates, le bouillon, la pâte de tomates et les épices. Porter à ébullition et laisser mijoter à feu moyen-doux de 15 à 20 minutes ou jusqu’à ce que les légumes soient bien cuits et que la sauce épaississe légèrement.

Entre-temps, dans une grande casserole d’eau bouillante salée, cuire les pâtes al dente. Prélever ½ tasse d’eau de cuisson. Égoutter les pâtes.

Dans la poêle avec la sauce, ajouter les pâtes. Poursuivre la cuisson 1 minute en remuant pour enrober les pâtes de la sauce. Ajouter de l’eau de cuisson pour détendre la sauce, au besoin. Rectifier l’assaisonnement.

Dans des bols, répartir les pâtes. Garnir du mélange de courgettes et parsemer du parmesan.

Korean Chicken Meatballs

 

I saw this recipe for Instant Pot Korean chicken meatballs, which I immediately modified to use the oven instead of the Instant Pot. I used less of the red pepper flakes and I doubled the quantities to make about 8 servings (27 meatballs); the amounts below are mine. They were a hit! I served them with coconut quinoa with lime zest.


For the Korean BBQ sauce (I made it while the meatballs are cooking)
½ cup liquid aminos or soy sauce
1/3 cup + ¼ cup brown sugar (this is confusing but add both; it adds up to .58 of a cup which doesn't exist)
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
1 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar
1 tsp. sambal oelek
1 tsp. toasted sesame oil
½ tsp. grated fresh ginger
¼ tsp. pepper
1 Tbsp. water
2 tsp. cornstarch

Bring all the ingredients (except for the water and cornstarch) to a boil over medium heat in a small saucepan.

In a small bowl, make a cornstarch slurry by mixing the cornstarch and water together until the cornstarch dissolves.

Add the cornstarch to pot and whisk over medium-low for 5-10 minutes and it’s rich and thick.

Store in a jar for up to a week.


For the meatballs
2 lb. ground chicken
2 eggs
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbsp. grated ginger
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 Tbsp. toasted sesame oil
½ tsp. salt
1 cup panko crumbs
sliced green onions, for garnish (optional)

Preheat the oven to 425 °F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray it with oil. Set aside.

Combine the ground chicken, eggs, garlic, ginger, red pepper flakes, sesame oil, and salt to a bowl and mix together.

Sprinkle the panko crumbs over the chicken, mix and let the panko soak into the chicken mixture for 5 minutes.

Form into 30 balls or so. Place them on the prepared baking sheet, then bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes or until they are cooked all the way through. (This cooking time is perfect for making the Korean BBQ sauce and a side dish.)

Serve the Korean chicken meatballs over quinoa or cauliflower rice. Drizzle the Korean BBQ sauce over the meatballs. Garnish with green onions, if using.