Spicy Avocado Toast

Korean chili powder is another spice I find myself reaching for more often these days, just another way to add some zip instead of the same old thing. You can find it at most bulk spice counters. Try it on this simple but incredibly satisfying avocado toast and you’ll see what I’m talking about. If not, you can always use red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper.

Scoop out a perfectly ripe avocado onto some toasted bread or pita and mash down gently with a fork. Drizzle with a little bit of extra virgin olive oil, sprinkle with some kosher salt and chili powder, and enjoy. Good right?

Roast Brussel Sprouts with Fish Sauce

Okay, here’s a quicky that packed with flavor and crunch…great as an appetizer or side dish. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees then in a small bowl combine a tablespoon each of olive oil, fish sauce, and rice vinegar. After that, coarsely chop a large handful of peanuts.

Next, trim and halve a pound of Brussel sprouts then toss with a bit of olive oil and kosher salt. Spread flat side down on a baking sheet and roast for twenty minutes, flip, then cook for another ten…crispy edges are good. Immediately toss with the sauce and chopped peanuts and serve.

Spaetzle

I always thought you needed a special kitchen gadget to make spaetzle, but according to Mark Bittman you don’t. And it turned out this version of his recipe I adapted was even easier to make than fresh pasta. After setting a large pot of salted water on high heat combine a cup of milk, three eggs, and a half a tablespoon each of salt and black pepper then beat well. Add two cups of flour and stir until it’s the consistency of pancake batter.

Turn the water down to a soft boil then with a spoon drizzle about half of the batter into the pot. Try to cover the bottom evenly, but no problem if it gets a little messy looking. Give it a few minutes, scrape any pieces from the bottom, then scoop out with a slotted spoon directly into a large bowl of ice water. Repeat with the second half of the batter then drain and toss with a little bit of olive oil to keep it from sticking together.

Before serving, brown well in a frying pan with butter or oil. And while it’s plenty good as is, it’s even better combined with some caramelized onions, fresh herbs, or Gruyère cheese. The best side dish ever…at least this week.

African Peanut Stew

If you’ve been looking for a reason to throw that bag of frozen okra into your cart at the market, this is your chance. For this stew it’s best to start with a little prepping, salt six boneless chicken thighs, finely chop an onion and a large piece of ginger , peel and cube a large sweet potato, and defrost a large handful of the okra pieces.

Heat a large splash of oil in a soup pot and brown the chicken for four minutes on each side. Set aside for five minutes then cut into chunks. Add another splash of oil to the pot and sauté the onion and ginger for five minutes. Stir in a few teaspoons of curry powder, a half teaspoon of black pepper, a quarter teaspoon of cayenne pepper then cook for another five minutes on medium low heat.

Next, add a small can of diced tomatoes, two tablespoons of tomato paste or ketchup, a cup of chunky peanut butter, the cubed sweet potato, and six cups of chicken stock. Simmer for thirty minutes. Add the okra and cut up chicken and continue to cook for another twenty minutes or until the chicken is cooked through, add salt and cayenne to taste.