Lentil Feta Arugula Sauté

Firm lentils are a beautiful thing, mushy lentils, not so much unless you’re making soup. So, you need only boil them for ten to fifteen minutes for al dente. And after placing them in a strainer to drain, immediately rinse with cold water to stop them from cooking further.

Another thing to know about lentils is that they go a long way, so figure about a quarter cup of dry lentils per person.

Ten minutes before your meal, heat some olive oil in large pan and sauté a minced shallot and a couple of cloves of garlic until translucent. Stir in the cooked lentils, a large handful of chopped arugula, some sunflower seeds or slivered almonds, and a generous grind of black pepper.

Cook for another five minutes, salt to taste, then serve with crumbled feta over the top.

Fried Corn Tortillas

Freshly fried corn tortillas are in a category of food I call, “why don’t I make these more often?” Because that’s what I say every time I make them.

Recently I’ve layered them under some beans and eggs for brunch, melted cheese on them in the oven and doused with salsa, made leftover veggie tostadas with kimchi, crumbled them on top of a chopped salad, and into chicken soup just before serving. Not to mention the one’s I’ve just eaten hot out of the oil with a little bit of salt.

They couldn’t be easier to make either, and if you use a small soup pot there’s not the mess you would think with frying. Heat a quarter inch of vegetable oil until hot but not smoking, you can test to see if the oil is ready by dropping in a small pinch of a tortilla. It should sizzle immediately; you can always adjust the heat down if it’s too hot once you start.

As they only take a minute or so per side to get golden brown and crispy, it really doesn’t take long to fry up quite a few…even one at a time. I use tongs, and set them to drain on a used paper bag and salt immediately.

Once you taste them, you’ll know why I always have a pack or two of tortillas in the freezer.

Creamy Coconut Greens

I love this recipe I adapted from Food & Wine for all the usual reasons, its easy, super flavorful, versatile, and takes only a few ingredients.

Empty a can of coconut milk into a small sauce pot and whisk until smooth. Bring to a boil then simmer uncovered for thirty minutes to thicken, then remove from the heat.

I used a bunch of collard greens this time around, but kale or Swiss chard would have worked just as well. Cut the leaves from the stems then chop the stems into quarter inch slices and the leaves into larger pieces. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and drop in the stem slices. After three minutes add the leaves, wait another minute, then drain well and set aside.

Heat some olive or coconut oil in a large sauté pan and cook two finely chopped shallots or a medium onion until translucent. Stir in the greens and creamy coconut milk along with a generous grind of black pepper. Minced ginger and, or, fresh lime juice would add some tanginess, but definitely not required.

Simmer for five minutes then salt to taste. Serve with pork, chicken, salmon, tofu, eggplant, garbanzo beans, and a whole lot more.

Fried Baked Potatoes

If you can bake a potato, you’re half way to making one of the best things you’ll eat this week. No joke, for the amount of effort these fried potatoes take, the results are off the charts.

It’s best to bake your potatoes at least a couple of hours before dinner as you want them to have some time to cool. You could even bake them the day before. Figure about 45 to 55 minutes in a 450 oven, you want them cooked through but still firm. Once cooled slightly, cut them into quarter inch slices and lightly salt both sides.

Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat and add just enough olive oil to barely cover the bottom of the pan. Once the oil is hot, slide the potatoes into the pan and fry approximately three minutes per side, or until golden brown and crispy. Remove from the pan, salt, and serve immediately.

Raw Beets

As far as a ranking of lockdown vegetables go, beets are high on my list; They’re tasty, easy to make, versatile, and most importantly, they last for weeks in the fridge.

I’m sure you’ve roasted, steamed, pickled, or boiled them before, but have you ever eaten a beet raw? What could be easier, right? I’m not recommending eating a peeled beet like an apple, but thinly sliced in a salad is a great way to liven up the routine with color, crunch, and flavor.

A quarter to half inch-thick slice of a medium beet goes a long way. After peeling and cutting it into 1/16th inch strips, give them a quick rinse with cold water to minimize the bleeding if you want…I didn’t as you can see. Then toss with your salad.

Wrap up the rest of the beet with saran and store it back in the fridge, even cut it will be fine for days.

Anchovy Toast

This is the best lunch I’ve had in a while....definitely in a category of one that I didn’t want to end. And I the best part of it all, I dug all the ingredients out of my fridge, pantry, and freezer.

Plan ahead by pulling enough butter out of the fridge for as many pieces of toast that you’re planning on. Once it’s soft enough, use a fork to mash it together with some minced anchovies.

For those of you in the 8 to 10 range on the anchovy loving scale, I’d figure three fillets per slice. For the 4 to 7 range, two fillets, and for those that are 1 to 3 on the scale, just one per slice. Any zero’s at your table? Try half a fillet per slice but don’t tell them what it is. Seriously, I use anchovy paste to punch up a lot of things and those anchovy deniers just gobble it up.

To finish this off, cut an unpeeled garlic clove and half and rub your hot toast with the exposed center of the clove…kind of like lightly greasing a pan. Then smear it with the anchovy butter and serve immediately.

I had it along with a thinly sliced celery, shaved parmesan, and lemon salad. Perfect!

Grits

Are you getting tired of potatoes, beans, and pasta? Then get some grits! You don’t hear much about grits up this way, but I actually prefer them to their closest cousin, polenta. While both are made from corn, grits are a finer ground, making for a creamier more desirable texture…at least I think so.

Cheesy grits are pretty satisfying on their own, but they’re even better topped with shrimp, pork, chicken, or veggies in a tomatoey onion sauce. A bit of spice never hurt either.

To cook, gently boil a cup of grits in four cups of lightly salted water for about 20 minutes….you’re looking for a Cream of Wheat kind of consistency. Remove from the heat and stir in a few tablespoons of butter, a half a cup of shredded cheddar or grated parmesan, and a healthy grind or two of black pepper.

They reheat nicely for days so don’t be shy about making extra.

Roast Asparagus

The asparagus is looking mighty fine these days, and just in time for Easter. Whether you’re planning an intimate meal with your fellow self-isolationists, or a larger virtual one, no need to fuss over the veggie. One of my favorite ways to make asparagus is also one of the easiest.

Pre-heat your oven to 400, and cut off the coarse bottom ends from the asparagus spears. Place in a large shallow Pyrex, or on some parchment lined cookie sheets.

Drizzle with a little bit of olive oil then toss until it’s well coated. Generously salt and pepper and roast for approximately 10-15 minutes depending on the thickness. I like it best when it just starting to char at the tips.

You can stop there without feeling like an underachiever, it’s delicious as is right out of the oven or at room temperature. But, if you're looking for a bit more, a big squeeze of fresh lemon juice, or some grated Manchego or parmesan work well.

Mushroom Cacio e Pepe

I know many of you have a cabinet full of pasta because there’s hardly any left at the market….so a pasta recipe seems appropriate this week. Cacio e Pepe is one of my favorites, a perfectly simple Roman dish whose main ingredients are spaghetti, pecorino, and black pepper. I added some sautéed mushrooms to make it more of a one dish meal, sautéed spinach would work too.

Thinly slice and sauté some mushrooms in a little bit of olive oil until soft, salt and pepper then set aside. Boil a pound of spaghetti until el dente making sure to save a cup of the pasta water just before draining.

Drain the noodles and slide them back into the pot. Stir in a teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper, the reserved pasta water, and a cup and a half of parmesan, pecorino, or a combination of both. Mix together until the pasta is completed coated, stir in the mushrooms, then salt to taste and serve immediately.

Spiced Roast Chicken

Here’s how to make a perfect roast chicken with just ten minutes of prep time.

Rinse and dry your chicken thoroughly, the drier the skin the crispier it will be. If you’re not pressed for time, it would be even better to leave it uncovered in the fridge for at least an hour.

Once it’s dry, season liberally with kosher salt and whatever dry spice you’re in the mood for. You could try some smoked or sweet paprika, cumin, curry, or chili powder, Korean chili pepper, harissa, garlic powder, or black pepper. Old Bay would even work.

Place in a shallow roasting pan and pop it into a preheated 500 degree oven for approximately 35 to 50 minutes depending on the size of your chicken. But at this heat, it doesn’t take as long as you think.

Parmesan Roast Cabbage

Preheat your oven to 500 while you mix up a dressing of extra virgin olive oil, two minced garlic cloves, and the juice and zest from half a lemon.

Cut a small to medium size cabbage into 8 equal wedges, core and all. Coat a non-stick, or parchment lined baking sheet with some olive oil then space the wedges out evenly. Brush the exposed surfaces with some olive oil, and salt and pepper liberally. Roast until you start to see some char on the edges, approximately ten minutes.

Flip the cabbage wedges onto the other side, roast for another five minutes, then remove and lightly cover with some freshly grated parmesan. Roast for another few minutes and drizzle with the dressing before serving.

Peanut Noodles

Your food processor is the secret to easy peanut sauce. Throw in all the ingredients, hit the button, and done. For more of a workout, whisk everything together in a large bowl.

Combine a quarter cup each of peanut butter and soy sauce, a teaspoon of sesame oil, two tablespoons each of rice wine vinegar and honey, three minced garlic cloves, and a tablespoon of finely minced fresh ginger. Process or whisk until smooth, then add some Sriracha to taste.

In a large bowl, toss the sauce with a package of cooked lo mein, soba, or half a pound of thin spaghetti, a couple of grated carrots, half a chopped red pepper, two thinly sliced scallions, and some chopped cilantro. Cooked chicken or tofu are also good options.