Garlic Scallion Edamame

Shelled edamame are one of my freezer staples. They’re so incredibly versatile, I use them in salads, soups, pastas, curries, stir fries, or simply sauteed as a veggie side dish. In fact, sautéed edamame are one of my go to sides on those, not in the mood to cook, kind of evenings.

They don’t require any prep, just remember to pull them out of the freezer a couple of hours before dinner. And even if you forget, you can put them in a strainer and run them under some warm water to defrost quickly.

Unlike most sauteed vegetables which I do at high heat, I do edamame a little differently. I start with a generous pour of olive oil in a large sauté pan and a couple of minced garlic cloves over low heat to let the garlic impart its flavor into the oil.

Then, after a few minutes I turn up the heat to medium low, add the edamame, a couple of chopped scallions, some salt and pepper, and cook for five minutes and done.

The Best Chili Ever

Bacon, coffee, and beer are amazing on their own, but would you ever think of putting them all in your chili? I gave it a try, and I’ll never make chili any other way again.

Over a medium flame, use a pair of tongs to char two large poblano peppers on one of your stove’s gas burners. Once they are completely blackened place them in a bowl and seal tightly with saran.  Wait ten minutes, remove the charred skin with your hands, deseed, cut into one-inch pieces, then set aside.

In a large pot, lightly brown two pounds of ground beef then remove and set aside. Add a third of a pound of diced bacon and a large chopped onion to the pot, sauté for ten minutes or until the onion starts to brown.

Add a can of tomato paste, a tablespoon of cumin powder, two tablespoons of chili powder, a teaspoon of Dijon mustard, two minced garlic cloves, two chopped jalapeno peppers, and three finely chopped canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. Stir often and adjust the heat if necessary to ensure the spices don’t burn.

After a couple of minutes, return the ground beef to the pot along with three14oz. cans of diced tomatoes, a large cup of strong coffee, six cups of chicken stock, and a 12 oz. beer of your choice. Cover, bring to a quick boil, then turn down the heat and simmer for an hour.

Rinse three cans of black or pinto beans in a strainer, stir into the chili with the poblano pepper pieces and simmer for another hour covered.

If it’s too soupy after it’s finished cooking, continue to simmer uncovered until it reduces to your desired thickness.  Salt to taste.

Gochujang Glazed Salmon

Tired of the same old broiled salmon? Create a dinner that’s restaurant worthy, it only takes an extra ten minutes.

Preheat your oven to 400, then, in a small bowl stir together three tablespoons of gochujang paste, half a teaspoon of grated fresh ginger, and a tablespoon each of sesame oil, honey, and rice wine vinegar.

Heat a frying pan over medium heat with just few drops of vegetable oil. Salt and pepper your salmon filet and set it in the pan skin side up. Wait two minutes, flip, brush the glaze over the top, cook for another minute, then pop it into the oven for 10 to 15 more depending on how you like it cooked.

Gravy

January is all about comfort food, and gravy makes most anything way more comfy. Pour some over pork cutlets, roast chicken, mashed potatoes, meatloaf, biscuits…the list goes on and on.

Gravy comes down to two things, a stock and a roux. As far as a stock goes, I use Better Than Bouillon chicken, beef, vegetable, or mushroom base, all available locally. If you are roasting chicken or beef, you can add the drippings as well. Whichever stock flavor you use, it’s best to dissolve the base in hot water beforehand and set aside to cool slightly while you’re making the roux.

The roux is what will thicken the stock into a gravy, it’s simply equal parts butter and all-purpose flour. For four cups of stock, melt four tablespoons of butter in a medium sauce pan over medium to medium-low heat. Once melted, add four tablespoons of flour and let it cook for approximately ten minutes, whisking frequently. You’ll know it’s done when you get a faint smell of toast and the color starts to brown…but be careful not to let it burn.

When your roux is ready, add the pot of stock a ladle at a time, whisking as you go to keep it from getting lumpy. Then turn the heat to low and simmer for another 15 minutes to let it fully thicken, salt and pepper to taste.

Easy Skillet Enchiladas

This is a great one for a New Year’s Eve gathering or some end of the season football!  Not only is it sure to please, but it can be prepped beforehand, and will soak up three times its weight in alcohol. These quantities are plenty for a group of four to five, double or triple as required.

In a small sauce pot, heat a can of enchilada sauce on low. You could add three to four finely chopped canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, but not a deal breaker if you don’t. Love those things!

While that’s simmering, sauté a large shopped onion for five minutes over medium heat in a large sauté or straight sided pan. Add a pound of ground beef, a half a teaspoon of kosher salt, and a teaspoon each of cumin and chili powder. Once the meat is browned, if you’re using black beans or corn, now’s the time to stir them in. 

Next, pour in the enchilada sauce along with 12 corn tortillas cut into bite size pieces. Stir well, cover, and leave on low heat for about fifteen minutes, stirring occasionally.

To finish, spread two cups of shredded Monterey Jack or Mexican blend cheese and a chopped scallion over the top, then either remove from the heat and cover, or place uncovered in a 350 oven until the cheese is melted. Serve with your favorite salsa, and/or sour cream.

Cheers to 2022!

Shrimp with Parsley Lemon Pesto

I honestly can’t say enough about the importance of a quality food processor, it’s a life changer in the kitchen. I’ve had the same one for nearly 30 years, with a couple of replacement parts, and use it at least twice a week. Treat yourself this holiday season, it’s one of the easiest ways to elevate your cooking.

One of the things I use mine most for are “pestos.” They aren’t all technically pestos, but almost always include some garlic, greens, salt, and extra virgin olive oil. For this shrimp appetizer, I used a chopped bunch of parsley, stems and all, and a handful of spinach.

I always start by finely pulsing a coarsely chopped garlic clove with a sprinkle of kosher salt. Next in goes the greens, then, with the food processor running I drizzle in the olive oil until I’ve reached the desired thickness and consistency. It usually takes around a quarter of a cup.

For this parsley lemon pesto, I squeezed in the juice from a quarter of a lemon along with the greens. And no matter the ingredients,” basil, arugula, cilantro, parmesan, or a splash of vinegar, you always have to taste for salt before unplugging your processor.

Anchovy Olive Skewers

These anchovy olive skewers, or Pinchos Gilda as they’re called in Spain, are the perfect nibble along side a holiday cocktail. There are many variations, but all include a pitted manzanilla olive, an anchovy, and a hot pickled pepper.

They go together quickly, and can be made hours ahead of time. If you can’t find plain manzanilla olives, the pimiento stuffed ones will do. And for the peppers, the Matiz piparra are best…and you can find them at Mehuron’s. You could also use a pepperoncini, or for something less spicy, a dilly bean.

Start by wrapping an anchovy fillet around the olive then skewering it together with a toothpick. Slide the pepper up against the olive on one side, and a cube of Manchego cheese on the other. Done.

Cheers!

Steamed Cauliflower and Celery

Time for a cleanse before the next round of holiday indulgences begin. Steaming doesn’t have to be boring; a flavorful mix of vegetables and a tangy vinaigrette will liven up any dinner.

Start with the vinaigrette by combining the juice from one lemon, three times as much extra virgin olive oil, a small minced shallot, some finely chopped parsley, and a quarter teaspoon each of sugar, salt, and black pepper. Mix well and set aside.

Next, cut a head of cauliflower into florets, and a couple stalks of celery into eighth-inch slices. Bring your water to a boil then add the vegetables to the steamer basket and cover. Cook until tender, about five minutes, but check after four by sticking a knife into the thickest part of a stem. You don’t want it to get too soft.

When it’s done, drain the hot water, let the vegetables sit for half a minute to drain, then toss them in a bowl with the vinaigrette.

Potato Latkes

Potato latkes were actually one of the first recipes I wrote about ten years ago when I started doing this column. Since then, I’ve tweaked a few things and if I do say so myself, they’re even better than they were all those latkes ago.

I still use russet potatoes, but no longer bother peeling them. And instead of the food processor, I grate everything by hand on a box grater…wearing goggles. I’ve changed up the quantities a bit as well, but otherwise, the ingredients are the same.

Coarsely grate a pound of potatoes and a large onion into a bowl. Add three tablespoons of flour, a half a teaspoon of baking powder, two teaspoons of kosher salt, half a teaspoon of black pepper, and a lightly stirred egg. Mix well, your hands work best.

Place a large heavy skillet on medium low heat with just enough vegetable oil to barely cover the bottom. When the oil is hot, take a quarter cup of the mixture with a slotted spoon and squeeze out as much of the liquid as you can using the palm of your hand. Tip the spoonful of mixture into the pan and flatten slightly with a spatula.  Repeat until your pan is full but not overcrowded.

Cook five to six minutes, flipping, rotating, and adjusting the heat to get them just right. When they’re golden brown on both sides, transfer to a paper bag and sprinkle with some more salt. Serve immediately, or keep them warm in the oven until you’re ready.

Quick and Easy Falafel

Thanksgiving eve can be a little stressful for the cooks of the house, so keep it light and tasty with some quick and easy falafel. The quantities below will yield seven or eight patties, and can be prepped earlier in the day on Wednesday.

Rinse, and drain a can of garbanzo beans. Then, combine a 1/3 of a cup each of parsley and cilantro in a food processor with a large chopped shallot, four chopped garlic cloves, a couple of tablespoons of sesame seeds, a teaspoon and a half of cumin, and a quarter teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Pulse until it forms a coarse spread.

Add the garbanzo beans and four tablespoons of flour to the mixture then pulse in spurts.  You don’t want it to get too smooth, you’re looking for more of a chunky paste. If it seems too runny, add some more flour. Transfer to a bowl, cover with saran, and refrigerate for at least a couple of hours.

To cook, form into two-to-three-inch patties and brown in a large frying pan over medium heat with just enough oil to cover the bottom. They don’t take more than a few minutes per side. Serve with some tzatziki, your favorite hot sauce, or to keep it real light with just a squeeze of lemon.

Shaved Brussel Sprout, Kale, and Pecorino Salad

I’m a big believer in a big fresh crunchy salad as part of our Thanksgiving meal. Don’t get me wrong, I love creamed spinach and green bean casserole, but it’s also nice to have something a little more refreshing at the table.

This one hits all the right texture and flavor buttons with a mix of Brussel Sprouts, lacinato kale, salty pecorino, sweet cranberries, and a citrus dressing. What makes it even more perfect for Thanksgiving is that it can be prepped hours ahead of time, won’t get soggy, and because it has dried cranberries, spares you from having to make cranberry sauce for the two people that actually eat it.

Thanksgiving morning, shave the Brussel Sprouts and devein and finely chop the lacinato…equal amounts of each. Combine and store in a plastic bag in the fridge.  You can also shave the pecorino and do the same.

The vinaigrette is simply some fresh lemon or orange juice with your best extra virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper. Shake well in a mason jar, then set aside.

A half an hour before you sit down, throw the greens and shaved cheese together in a large bowl with some dried cranberries, then dress, toss, and salt to taste.

Egg Kimchi Tacos

While I was savoring every bite of these kimchi egg tacos, I couldn’t help but think of one of my most trustworthy mantras, it doesn’t have to be difficult to be good.  A few quality ingredients and five minutes are all it takes sometimes.   

I always keep a pack of corn tortillas in the freezer, and have learned over the years that it pays to take the time to throw a wax paper divider or two between them so you don’t have to defrost the whole pack when you only want a couple.

Reheat the defrosted tortillas in the toaster oven at 300, or in a dry pan over a low flame on the stove.

When they’re soft, warm, and pliable, top them with a fried egg, salt, a pile of kimchi, and a squirt of Sriracha. A few chopped scallions or sliced avocado are nice too if you have them around.

So perfect…any time of day or night!