Turkey Meatballs w. Creamy Polenta, Carrots & Pan Sauce

In my world, there is one rule for cooking: cook smarter not harder…

That makes this the perfect holiday recipe. It uses just one pot and one pan and combines all the savory winter flavors you love.

Herbaceous turkey meatballs are perfectly complemented by creamy polenta flecked with grated parmesan and all finished with a perfect simple pan sauce and a hint of sweetness from carrots.

This really echos my ethos: making meals that pack restaurant quality-flavor at home, should be easy. It should be accessible. And it should make mealtime actually feel joyful. Especially at the holidays.

 
 

Turkey Meatballs with Creamy Polenta, Carrots
and Pan Sauce

  • 2 + 3/4 cups bone broth (or any broth)

  • 1 + 1/2 cups half-and-half

  • 1/2 cup water

  • 1 tsp salt

  • Black pepper

  • 1 cup coarse ground polenta

  • 1 Tablespoons unsalted butter

  • 1 cup grated fresh parmesan

  • 2-4 sprigs of fresh thyme

  • A drizzle of good olive oil

  • 1 lb ground turkey

  • 2 tsps herbs de provence 

  • 1 tsp garlic powder

  • 1.5 tsp salt 

  • dash smoked paprika

  • 1 large finely minced shallot

  • 4-6 small multi-color carrots, ideally no more than 1 inch in diameter

  • 1-2 sprigs fresh rosemary, or use dried instead

Start polenta first: in a pot add 2 cups bone broth, 1 cup half-and-half and 1/2 cup water. Bring to a boil over medium heat.

Once boiling, add Marsh Hen Mill or other coarse ground polenta. Season with 1 tsp salt & a few cranks black pepper.

Turn down the heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally to prevent burning on the bottom, for 15-20 minutes.

At the end add 1/2 cup of fresh grated parmesan and 1 tbsp of unsalted butter. Mix in a glug of good olive oil and the little leaves from 2 sprigs of fresh thyme. Put on a lid and set aside off the heat, just keeping it warm.

Season the ground turkey in a bowl: add 2 tsps herbs de provence, 1 tsp garlic powder and 1.5 tsp salt with a dash of smoked paprika. Mix to evenly distribute spices and roll 12-15 small meatballs.

Heat a stainless steel pan until water droplets dance on the surface. Immediately add a glug of olive oil & about half the meatballs, with space in between meatballs. Don’t overcrowd the pan. Cook without disturbing on the first side for 3 mins until brown and golden then flip.

Cook another 4-5 minutes on the second side, until golden and meatballs are cooked to 165F internal temp. Remove cooked meatballs and place in a covered bowl or Tupperware while you cook the remaining raw meatballs.

Once all meatballs are cooked, remove from the pan and turn down the heat to medium to make a quick pan sauce.

To the pan add 1 med-large finely minced shallot and sweat 4-5 minutes, scraping up the brown fond from the bottom of the pan. Then add 3/4 cup broth and thinly sliced carrots.

Then put on a top to steam carrots 4-5 mins. You should be able to put a fork in them while retaining a little bite.

At this point - reheat and loosen polenta as needed with a bit of broth or milk.

Finally remove the top from the pan with the carrots, turn the heat to low and add 1/2 cup of cream, fresh thyme and 1 sprig of fresh rosemary sprig. Stir to combine, loosening with water or broth as needed. Season with salt to taste, remove rosemary sprig,

Serve meatballs over the creamy polenta, drizzled with the pan sauce and more fresh parmigiano.

Sweet & Tangy Marinated Tofu Bowl w. Pickled Strawberries

In my world, there is one rule for cooking: cook smarter not harder…

so when you make this recipe, it’s basically like making lunch WHILE doing meal prep. Convenient, eh? (If you have low spoons, there are tweaks for you too!).

The reality is, so many people I talk to are simply sick of cooking, and it’s a daily chore they handle with varying levels of exasperation. Some are driven by the simple need to get fuel into their body, while others trudge through mealtime, bored & wishing they had more motivation, energy and creativity to cook tastier meals.

My cooking ethos is simple; making meals that pack restaurant quality flavor at home, should be easier. It should be more accessible. And it should be less exhausting. This recipe embodies those principles.

A combination of a few simple ingredients, given a tiny bit of extra TLC, can (and will) blow you away. And if I am ever going to present you with a recipe that involves many ingredients and numerous steps, I promise it’s because it’s going to pay off.

Making a large batch of each of this dishes numerous components means you’ll have delicious food to reach for all week long. From a crunchy quinoa topping you will want to put on everything, to tangy pickled strawberries that will blow your mind, to simple savory lentils that will help keep you fed. And when you sit down to enjoy how this orchestra of flavors and textures comes together in one bowl, you’re going to be SO glad you trusted me on this.

 
 

Sweet and Tangy Marinated Tofu Lentil Bowl with Pickled Strawberries

4-6 servings (store each component individually for ideal use throughout the week)

  • 1 cup lentils of choice, or 1 cup pre-cooked lentils

  • 1 cup rinsed quinoa, or 1 cup pre-cooked quinoa

  • 14 oz block of extra firm or firm tofu

  • 1/3 cup coconut aminos or tamari (soy sauce works too)

  • 1.5 Tbsp rice vinegar

  • 3/4 Tbsp honey, brown sugar or maple syrup

  • 1/2-1 medium garlic clove, finely grated

  • 1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger, finely grated

  • 1 tsp Mr. Bing sriracha, or to taste

  • 1/2 lb (8 oz) of firm, clean strawberries 

  • 1 cup white balsamic or other mild vinegar like rice vinegar

  • 1 tsp sugar

  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

  • 1 small bunch scallions

  • 1 mild or hot red pepper, Thai chili 

  • 1 small ripe avocado 

  • Extra virgin oil

Prep Lentils

If not using pre-cooked lentils, which is a great time-saving hack, start by cooking 1 cup of lentils in a pot according to package directions. You can prepare more if you want an extra big batch for a large household or to freeze some.

Prep Quinoa

While lentils cook, prepare quinoa (again, if you have low spoons use a pre-cooked option). Cook at least 1 cup so you have leftovers. Once the quinoa is cooked, drizzle with olive oil.

Pre-heat an air fryer or your oven to 400F. Lay quinoa out in a single even layer (on air fryer insert/basket with a piece of parchment, or on a sheet pan) and toast for 15 minutes, stirring every 5 or so minutes, until crispy and dark golden brown. Toss with sea salt when hot and store in a Tupperware.

Prep Marinated Tofu

Drain liquid from tofu packaging & then to remove additional excess liquid, microwave tofu in a bowl for 2 minutes.

Pour out any released liquid, then press tofu under a heavy object between 2 sheets of paper towels another 15-30 minutes. Then cut tofu into small squares and in a bowl, marinate with below ingredients: 

  • 1/3 cup coconut aminos or tamari (soy sauce works too)

  • 1.5 Tbsp rice vinegar

  • 3/4 Tbsp honey, brown sugar or maple syrup

  • 1/2-1 medium garlic clove, finely grated

  • 1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger, finely grated

  • 1 tsp Mr. Bing Sriracha, or to taste

Marinate for at least 10-15 minutes. Then top with 1/2 cup scallions cut on the bias, and 1/4 cup red chili cut on the bias, adjusting the amount of chili for how hot your pepper is. Store in the fridge up to 5 days.

Final Step: Prep Pickled Strawberries

While that marinates, to a 12 oz mason jar, add:

  • 1/2 lb (8 oz) of firm, thoroughly cleaned strawberries with tops removed, cut in halves and quarters if large

  • 1 cup white balsamic or other mild vinegar like rice vinegar

  • 1 tsp sugar

  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 

Let strawberries pickle for 15-30 mins and then strain from pickling liquid. Store strawberries in the fridge and use within 2-3 days to avoid mushiness. Pickling liquid can be stored separately in the fridge up to 7 days, and used as a salad dressing, or re-used to pickle more strawberries.  

Build Your Bowl
YOU DID IT! It’s time to build your delicious bowl!

Cut open a ripe avocado and, carefully, using a sharp knife, cut thin strips into the avocado horizontally, then vertically, leaving you with small squares to be spooned into your bowl.

First lay down a bed of lentils. Top with marinated tofu and a spoonful or two of the marinade. Add your avocado and finish with pickled strawberries and plenty of crispy quinoa. Add a drizzle of sriracha if desired & enjoy! 

*This recipe includes links to my Amazon store which earns commission that supports my recipe development. I only recommend products I truly love!

Birria Nachos w. Avocado Crema & Pickled Onions

Nachos are my idea of a good time.

In fact, I’d say they are one of my favorite meals of all time and I’ll explain why…

First, a bit of nacho history: nachos really do originate in Northern Mexico, and these traditional nachos are a simple, exquisite experience. My nachos, however, are closer to the Tex-Mex variety most of us have come to know and love.

Now let’s get back to my love affair with nachos: they are an explosion of messy toppings that embodies everything I love about food. When I tell people I’m a chef or that I write recipes they always ask, “What’s your favorite thing to cook?”. The answer is simple. Anything that has layers of flavor.

And the best nachos are inherently a multi-layered flavor experience, with each chip carrying a world of flavor on it’s crispy surface and each bite a choose your own adventure of toppings. Nachos are an endless pursuit of joyous flavor, which is why this recipe gets easy at the end — once your sauces are done. Then you can kick back, relax & get to exploring your flavor masterpiece.

 
 

Birria Nachos with Avocado Crema and Pickled Onions

For Avocado Crema

  • 1-2 Tbsps Sour cream, plain yogurt, crema etc

  • 3-4 limes

  • 1 tsp salt, to taste 

  • 1 Avocado

  • 1/2 - 1 cup loosely packed fresh Cilantro, washed

For Pico de Gallo

  • 16-20 cherry tomatoes, halved or 1 large tomato, diced 

  • 1/2 medium red onion, finely diced

  • 1 lime

  • Fresh cilantro to taste, finely chopped

For Homemade Queso (from Homer Murray’s recipe)

  • 8 ounces cheddar cheese, grated

  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch

  • 1 cup heavy cream

  • ¼ cup finely chopped pickled jalapeños

  • 2 tablespoons hot sauce

  • Kosher salt, to taste

OPTIONAL: Pickled Onions

  • 1/2 medium red onion, sliced into thin half rounds

  • 1/2 cup white vinegar and 1/2 cup water (enough to fully submerge onions)

  • 2-3 tsps sugar/honey

  • 2-3 tsps salt

  • 1 mason jar or tupperware

Start by prepping your salsas. They really do come together quickly and will keep in your fridge for leftovers, or for eating with other meals throughout the week!

To a blender or food processor add: 1-2 Tbsps sour cream, plain yogurt or crema, juice of 3-4 limes, 1 tsp salt, 1 avocado and 1/2 - 1 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro. Blend until smooth. Adjust salt as desired.

Make your pico. To a medium bowl or tupperware add: 16-20 cherry tomatoes cut in half (or 1 large tomato, diced),  1/2 medium red onion, finely diced, juice of 1 lime, along with chopped fresh cilantro and salt to taste.

If you are opting to make pickled onions which uses some basic pantry staples: cut the remaining half of your red onion into thin half rounds and add to a jar or tupperware with 1/2 cup white vinegar and 1/2 cup water (or enough to fully submerge onions), 2-3 tsps sugar/honey and 2-3 tsps salt.

The last thing to do is make the homemade queso, which I PROMISE is worth the extra steps!! In a medium saucepan but off the heat, toss 8 ounces of grated cheddar cheese with 1 teaspoon of cornstarch. Transfer the saucepan to your stovetop over medium heat and immediately add 1 cup heavy cream, ¼ cup finely chopped pickled jalapeños and 2 tablespoons hot sauce. Stir constantly as the cheese melts. When cheese has fully melted, salt to taste if needed and reduce the heat to low, stirring only occasionally as you warm up your birria.

Follow the package instructions to reheat birria in the microwave, or on the stovetop. Then place a piece of parchment down onto a sheet tray to build your nachos, starting with a layer of chips and then your birria beef, using a slotted spoon to pull out the whole pieces of beef from the liquid (keep the liquid for dipping at the end). Then, drizzle on your warm homemade queso before adding another layer of chips, birria and nacho cheese. Finally, finish with some grated low-moisture mozzarella or cheddar and place in your oven under the broiler on high for 1-3 minutes, keeping an eye so the nachos don’t burn. You just want to get your cheese all melty.

When the nachos come out, top with your pickled onions, pico de gallo and avocado crema. Serve birria liquid and extra queso on the side for dipping.

Tacos w. Slow Roasted Cod in Avocado Tomatillo Salsa

This hobby led to my favorite meal of the moment…

At the bookstore I’m that person idling with 10 cookbooks at my feet, slowly flipping through one at a time. I’ll never take any of them home with me, but I like to grab flickers of flavor inspiration & soak up inventive ingredient combinations.

Recently at the McNally Jackson Bookstore in Williamsburg I was flipping through Molly Baz’s Cook This Book when something caught my eye: a crunchy tostada, tender fish, a vibrant green salsa-ish. And I knew I had to make my own. That night these tacos were born and I simply cannot get enough of them. Don’t let the recipe intimidate you: it’s just a bit of easy prep work you can totally handle while sipping your favorite drink & chatting with a friend. The fish cooks in 15 minutes and then you’ll be happily feasting on these bright, spicy & creamy tacos that will (hopefully) blow your mind.

 
 

Tacos with Slow Roasted Cod in Avocado Tomatillo Salsa

Serves 2-3

  • 6 Tortillas, I strongly recommend Trader Joe’s Corn and Wheat Tortillas

  • Hot sauce, I like it with Trader Joe’s Habanero Hot Sauce

For Fish

  • 2-3 filets of fresh cod, 3/4 lb total

  • 3 garlic cloves, grated or very finely minced

  • 1.5 Tbsps Extra virgin olive oil

  • Approx. 1 tsp Coarse kosher salt

For Avocado Tomatillo Salsa

  • 1 medium - large avocado

  • 3-4 limes (sometimes they don’t render much juice so I like to buy extra)

  • 3 small-medium tomatillos

  • 1 small bunch cilantro (here’s what to do with leftover cilantro)

  • 2 large garlic cloves

  • A splash of olive oil if needed to loosen the salsa

For Quick Pickled Veg

  • 1/2 cup white vinegar

  • 1/4-1/2 cup sweet vinegar, like white balsamic or sherry vinegar (rice vinegar, white wine vinegar or ACV also work)

  • 1/2 tsp coarse salt

  • 1/2 tsp sugar (any kind will work)

  • 1-2 small Persian cucumbers, cleaned and cut into thin rounds

  • 1 small red onion, thinly sliced into half moons

  • 1 red thai chili, with seeds if you want it hotter, or use a __ if you don’t like hot pepper

Chipotle Mayo Drizzle

  • 2 Tbsps mayonnaise

  • 1 small can chipotle en adobo, usually in the International aisle of your grocery store or hot sauce of choice

Turn your oven on to 300 F. Take 3/4 lb cod out of the fridge to bring to room temp. You can also opt to quickly sear your cod in a hot pan with a bit of oil.

In the meanwhile, let’s make our quick pickle. to a large jar add about 1/2 cup white vinegar and then fill the jar to the 3/4 mark with another sweeter variety of vinegar like white balsamic or sherry vinegar. If you have neither, rice vinegar, white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar will do. Pour all of your liquid into a small bowl.

To the vinegar in the bowl add 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp sugar. Stir well until dissolved into the vinegar (you can also do this in a small saucepan over low heat if you want to speed up the dissolving process).

In the meantime, to the empty jar add:

  • 1-2 Persian or mini hothouse cucumbers, cut into thin rounds

  • 1 small or 1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced into half moons

  • 1 red thai chili, with seeds if you want it hotter, or use a __ if you don’t like hot pepper

Finally, pour your vinegar into the jar over the vegetables. If you heated the vinegar, allow it to cool before adding back to your jar.

Now, to make the avocado tomatillo salsa - the magic behind this recipe. Lightly oil a stainless steel pan, cast iron pan or cast iron griddle with a neutral oil (avocado, sunflower, safflower, canola, etc). Place over medium heat. Cut three tomatillos in half and two garlic cloves in half, and lay flat side down in your pan. It should be sizzling. Sear until browned, then flip and sear another few minutes on the other side. We’re looking to get browning on the garlic and a little char on the tomatillos (they may soften and that’s totally okay). When sufficiently charred remove from the pan carefully using tongs, set aside and turn off the pan. 

Get out a blender or food processor. To the bowl of the blender add large handful of cilantro with stems, half your avocado, juice of 1-2 limes (you can always add more later), and finally the charred tomatillos and garlic. Blend until smooth and then add a pinch or two of salt, tasting until it hits the sweet spot. This salsa should be citrusy and bright, so if you only used one lime consider adding another. Add to a jar and set aside.

It’s time to cook your fish: place your fish filets in an oven safe skillet or baking dish. Drizzle with 1.5 Tbsps olive oil, 1 tsp of coarse kosher salt (use less if you have fine salt), and 3 very finely minced or grated garlic cloves. Rub the filets with the salt, garlic and olive oil so they are evenly coated. 

Place in the oven and roast for 12-20 minutes, depending on the size of your fish filets. You want it to be flaky and tender, so try to avoid overcooking. If smaller filets finish first, transfer them to a plate and place on a plate tented with aluminum foil. When all of the fish is done, transfer it onto the plate.

While the fish cooks, your final steps to prepare:

  • This is optional but really makes the dish spectacular so I recommend it. In a small ramekin or bowl, add 1 tsp chipotle en adobo or hot sauce with 2 Tbsp mayonnaise and juice of 1/2 a lime. Mix until combined. You could also use a pre-made chipotle mayo but homemade is way better.

  • Warm your tortillas: you can do this in the microwave with this trick, but I like to warm mine over the small to medium burner on my stovetop carefully using tongs. Keep the flame low but not so low that it doesn’t reach the tortilla. It may need 30 seconds - 1 minute on each side. Look for a little charring and that it’s warm. Transfer to a plate as you warm the tortillas and cover with a clean kitchen towel or foil.

  • Take the other 1/2 of the avocado leftover from making the salsa, peel the skin off the outside, lay flat side down and dice. Add to a bowl to serve with the tacos.

It’s time to serve. Uncover the covered fish and using a fork, gently flake it apart into small pieces. Drizzle with plenty of your avocado tomatillo salsa. Then build your tacos - a little fish, a drizzle of chipotle mayo, some avocado and pickled veggies. Enjoy this flavor train!

Cucumber & Fresh Herb Salad with Tamarind BBQ Chicken

My top tip for women trying to stay nourished? Bring meals together with sauce…

Specifically, high-quality, pre-made sauces. That’s why I am SO excited to be partnering with woman-founded Haven’s Kitchen as a brand ambassador. This means I get to bring you delicious 15, 20 and 30 minute meals using their line of inspired, easy-to-use sauces. These sauces are incredible meal starters and can be used for anything — from marinades to dressings, pasta sauces, dipping sauces & more.

This 30-minute salad is my personal new fav for summer weekday-eats. It’s satisfying, satiating and refreshing, using cool crunchy cucumber & tons of fresh herbs to bring the taste of summer to your plate in no time. Chicken thighs marinated in Haven’s Kitchen Tangy BBQ sauce are seared in a cast iron, turning into a caramelized sweet-and-savory masterpiece.
Click here and grab 10% off this sauce (and others) using code ‘thekitchenbymicole’ at checkout.*

*This is not a paid affiliate link but does help me continue to bring you trusted brands I love!

 
 

Cucumber & Fresh Herb Salad with Tamarind BBQ Chicken

SERVES 1-2

  • 1lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs

  • 2.5oz pouch Haven’s Kitchen Tangy BBQ Sauce (half the pouch)

  • ¼ - ½ cucumber, cut into rounds

  • ⅛ - ¼ red onion, cut into half rounds

  • ⅛ cup chopped fresh cilantro

  • ⅛ cup chopped fresh mint

  • ½ cup loosely packed arugula

  • Rice vinegar

  • Coarse kosher salt

  • Chili crisp or Mama Lam’s Malaysian Hot Sauce

  • Neutral oil

Marinate 1lb boneless skinless chicken thighs in about half pouch of Haven’s Kitchen Tangy BBQ sauce, or until all chicken is thoroughly coated. Let sit 30 minutes, or up to 1 hour in the fridge. Make sure to bring chicken back to room temperature before cooking.

Place 8-10 inch cast iron over medium high heat. Once the pan is warm, add 1-2 Tbsps of neutral oil, just enough so the bottom of the pan is coated.

When the oil is hot add chicken thighs to the pan, letting excess marinade drip off before adding. The chicken should sizzle when it hits the pan. If it doesn’t, remove and let the oil continue to heat. Cook 7-10 mins or until chicken has nice brown color on the first side, then flip.

While chicken is cooking, cut clean cucumber into thick rounds. Then by hand, break into smaller pieces.

Dice 1/8-1/4 of a red onion into thin half moons. First cut your onion in half from the root end through the bottom. Then cut both the top (root) and the bottom of the onion so it’s flat on both ends. Then holding your knife at a slight angle at first, work your way across the onion, cutting into thin half rounds.

Place cut onions in a bit of cold water to remove some of the sharpness.

When the chicken is browned, flip to the second side and continue cooking another 3-5 mins, or until 165F internal temperature is reached on a meat thermometer.

Build your salad: to a plate add arugula, cucumber and red onion. Sprinkle with a little coarse kosher salt and drizzle with rice vinegar. Gently toss and massage. On top place sliced, cooked chicken.

Sprinkle with chopped cilantro & chopped mint. Add a drizzle of Mama Lam’s Malaysian hot sauce or your favorite chili crisp. Toss and enjoy!

Cardamom & Hazelnut Banana Bread

Thank you, Kristen Miglore…

Kristen is a founding editor at Food52. She is also the share-er of my favorite banana bread recipe - a recipe her mom discovered in a community cookbook. As the best recipes are, it seems this one is meant to be passed on and tweaked in all the amazing ways banana bread can be, with a change of nut here, and a dash of something unexpected here.

In this version of Kristen’s banana bread I use hazelnuts and a hint of ground cardamom to make a banana bread that’s just extra-extra special in all the right ways. Of course I hope you will try this recipe, as well as Kristen’s OG version here, which is an undeniably good classic. I’ve also made this using Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free AP Flour and it came out GREAT.

Cardamom & Hazelnut Banana Bread

Makes one 9”x5” loaf

  • 1/2 cup (226 grams) unsalted butter, melted, plus more for buttering the pans

  • 3 very ripe large bananas (frozen and thawed work great)

  • .87 cups (175 grams) granulated sugar

  • 2 large eggs

  • 1 1/4 cups (157.50 grams) all-purpose flour, or Gluten Free Baking Flour

  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

  • 1 teaspoon baking soda

  • 1/2 cup (113 grams) finely chopped hazelnuts

  • 1/4-1/2 tsp ground cardamom, depending how much cardamom you want to come through

  • Turbinado or other sugar for sprinkling on top (optional)

Preheat your oven to 350F.

Mash your ripe bananas in a medium sized bowl using a large fork. Once mashed add butter, sugar and eggs. Mix until well-combined.

In another medium sized bowl add your dry ingredients: flour, salt, ground cardamom and baking soda. In lieu of sifting, whisk all the dry ingredients together to make sure there are no lumps, and that they are thoroughly combined.

Add dry ingredients to the bowl with the wet banana mixture. Stir until the flour is nearly all the way combined with the wet ingredients.n Add your chopped hazelnuts and finish stirring until no flour is visible, making sure to scrape down bottom and sides of the bowl.

Butter the sides and bottom of a 9”x5” inch loaf pan. Before putting in the oven, add this special, but optional, touch that I love from Kristen’s recipe - sprinkle the top with a thin layer of turbinado or other raw sugar.

Bake for about 35-45 minutes, until a cake tester, paring knife or toothpick can be inserted into the center and come out with no visibly wet batter (as Kristen says moist crumbs clinging are okay. If you use a shallower pan, bake for less time.

Once removed from the oven, let the loaf cool, 15-30 minutes, then unmold and wrap tightly in parchment and then a layer of tin foil or beeswax food wrap. Keep covered at room temperature.

Tangy Carrot Salsa

Fight the battle against carrots that are shriveling in your fridge once & for all…

In my series ‘What To Do With the Leftover Sh*t In My Fridge’ I find easy culinary solutions for the pesky ingredients that somehow always find their way to the bottom (or back) of your fridge, only to see the day of light again once they’re past their prime.

This time around, the focus of my efforts was carrots and it took some time before I landed on the thing to save them from imminent death: carrot salsa. You didn’t misunderstand me - this 4 ingredient condiment is the thing you’ll be putting on your fish tacos & salads all summer long.

Tangy Carrot Salsa

  • 1 cup of thin carrot rounds from clean, peeled carrots

  • 1/4 cup diced red onion, large dice

  • 1/2 cup loosely packed cilantro, leaves and stems

  • 3 Tbsps of fresh lime juice, from 2-3 limes

  • Kosher salt

  • OPTIONAL: rounds of hot pepper of choice (jalapeńo, habanero, birds eye chili), Cubed avocado

If you are using carrots that have been lying around in your fridge for a while, you’ll want to revive them first by soaking them for a few minutes in an ice bath comprised of ice and water. This will give them back a bit of the moisture they lost while sitting in your fridge.
Clean and peel the carrots, and then cut into thin rounds (roughly 1/4-1/2 inch thick). A mandolin helps make quick work of this, but if you don’t have one, don’t fret — cut them by hand and don’t worry so much about your knife skills. This is a rough chopped salsa, after all. Do a large dice on a bit of red onion, about 1/4 cup. Finally, if you want a spicy salsa, cut a few rounds of your hot pepper of choice.

In the bowl of a food processor combine all ingredients with your squeezed lime juice. Pulse for about 15-30 seconds, just until you’ve created a rough chop. Don’t go too long or you will puree the mixture!

Empty into a bowl and season, adding a pinch of kosher salt and more lime if you like. You could even add some cubed avocado to this salsa before serving to give it texture and flavor contrast.

Enjoy with any meal you’d normally add salsa to (tacos, nachos, quesadillas, salads, grain bowls, toast, eggs!).

 
 

The Easiest Creamy Pinto Beans (Vegan)

Creamy, soft pinto beans are one of my favorite comfort foods…

This is how I make mine using nothing more than a can of beans and two cloves of garlic. They’re amazing on tacos, in my Shiitake Mushroom Burritos or just served as a side with some savory rice.

The Easiest Creamy Pinto Beans (Vegan)

  • 1 can Pinto Beans (I love Brad’s Organic beans)

  • 2 whole cloves fresh garlic, peeled and crushed 

  • 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

  • Pinch kosher salt

To a pot add the entire can of pinto beans, unstrained. Add your 2 peeled & crushed garlic cloves, pinch of salt and extra virgin olive oil.

Bring to a boil. Then lower to a simmer and let cook until some of the excess liquid has cooked off, 15-20 minutes. Stir occasionally to make sure the beans are not burning on the bottom.

Once the liquid has reduced, remove the garlic cloves and use a large spoon or spatula to crush and break up the pinto beans. This helps them to get even more creamy. Continue to cook over a lower heat if you want them even thicker. When they are done cooking, add fresh cilantro and stir. Salt to taste, mix and enjoy!

Creamy Rigatoni w. Leeks, Sausage & Oregano

This dish is the perfect fall meal. You’ll have to make it and see what I mean…

The light has already started to slant into my apartment differently come mid day, and I’m reaching for a cozy sweater instead of flip flops for my evening walks. When dinner rolls around I look right past the raw greens for something cozy, like this rich, herbaceous rigatoni.

It comes as no surprise to me that this time last year I was publishing the recipe for my Baked Rigatoni Vodka, because any iteration of rigatoni will do when it comes to cold-weather comfort food. This sauce layers umami from browned pork sausage and tomato paste with the savory aromatics of oregano and leeks. Finished off with smooth heavy cream and starchy pasta water, it creates the perfect luscious jacket for al dente pasta. I served mine with a crisp white wine (because it’s not winter yet, okay?!) but I’ll leave the beverage choice to you.

Creamy Rigatoni with Leeks, Sausage and Oregano

Serves 2-4

  • 6 oz ground pork breakfast sausage, from a roll or removed from link casing

  • 1/2 cup thinly sliced leeks, washed, tops removed

  • 1 Tbsp loosely packed fresh or dried oregano

  • 3.5 heaping Tbsps tomato paste

  • 1/4 cup heavy cream

  • 1/4 cup white wine

  • 1/4 cup vegetable broth

  • 1/4 - 3/4 tsp red pepper flakes

  • 1/4 - 1/3 cup starchy pasta water, reserved when straining pasta

  • Coarse kosher salt

  • Fresh grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

  • Freshly grated black pepper

Fill a large pot with 2 Qt of water (8 cups) for your pasta. Place over medium heat while you make the sauce.

Place a 10-12 inch pan with high sides over medium heat (I love doing this in a cast iron). To the pan add a splash of olive oil. Add pork and break it up using a spoon or spatula. Pat down the pieces of pork into a single layer in the bottom of the pan. Let it brown, 3-4 minutes. Add 1/4 tsp of red pepper flakes and 1/4 tsp of salt. Stir, loosening the pork from the bottom of the pan. Then pat back down into a single layer and let brown another 3 minutes. At this point the pork should be brown and crispy. Turn the heat down to medium and add the leeks. Stir and sweat for 1-2 minutes until starting to soften.

Meanwhile, when your pot of water for the pasta is nearly boiling add 3 tsps of coarse kosher salt. Let dissolve.

To the pan with the pork and leeks add 3.5 heaping Tbsps of tomato paste, stir and let cook 1-2 minutes allowing the paste to deepen in color. Turn the heat down to medium-low and deglaze the pan with 1/4 cup of white wine, stir and then allow to simmer gently for a minute or two for the alcohol to cook off.

At this point your pasta water should be boiling. Add rigatoni and cook 10-12 minutes until al dente.

To your sauce, add the 1/4 cup of heavy cream and stir to combine. Let simmer a minute or two, then taste. Add more salt as needed and a few cranks of fresh black pepper. For a spicier sauce add another 1/4 - 1/2 tsp of red chili flakes. To the sauce add your oregano and 1/4 cup of vegetable broth. Let simmer over low heat while pasta cooks.

When the pasta is ready, strain making sure to reserve 1/4 - 1/3 cup of the starchy pasta water. Add cooked pasta to the pan with the sauce. Gently stir, and pour in starchy pasta water until all noodles are thoroughly coated in sauce. You may not need all of the water: add until sauce is loosened to desired consistency.

Serve with fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano on top, a little more oregano and black pepper - and dig in immediately! (Cozy clothes optional but recommended).

Chili & Cilantro Fairytale Eggplant w. Labneh

Fairy Tale eggplant are a summer delight.

If you love eggplant but avoid large, globe eggplant, which can be bitter and require time & love to bring out their tender side, then this tiny eggplant cousin is for you.

Tender and easy to cook with a deliciously mild flavor, these eggplant have been coming home with me week after week from the farmer’s market. All they need is a little oil and 3-5 minutes cut side down in a hot cast iron. Slightly larger ones may need another few minutes on the other side, and then they’re ready to be served any way you like. This dish is definitely one where you can flex your creativity and choose your own adventure: I like mine served warm over labneh, with a drizzle of chili oil, one final dash of salt and fresh cilantro.

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Chili & Cilantro Fairytale Eggplant with Labneh

Serves 2

  • 10-12 Fairy Tale Eggplant

  • Neutral oil, like Avocado, Safflower or Sunflower

  • Kosher salt

  • Freshly ground black pepper

  • 2-3 heaping spoonfuls labneh

  • Chili oil, like Fly by Jing or Chili Onion Crunch from Trader Joe’s

  • Fresh cilantro or other fresh herb

Heat a well seasoned cast iron over med-high heat.

In the meantime, wash and cut Fairy Tale eggplant in half lengthwise. Drizzle the cut side with neutral oil, sprinkle with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

When the cast iron is hot, place the eggplant cut side down until they’re golden and seared, 3-5 minutes. Larger eggplant may need another few minutes on the other side to become tender throughout. Remove eggplant from the cast iron and let cool a few minutes.

Plate over a few heaping spoonfuls of labneh. Drizzle with your favorite condiment like chili oil or zhug. Finish with fresh cilantro and/or other fresh herbs. Enjoy!

Maple Citrus Plum Jam w. Ginger

Tangy, seasonal & sweet…

This plum jam recipe was born out of a collaboration with Fraiche Kiosk for their 2021 Seasonal Fruits & Vegetables Calendar. In July, plums are exquisite and now is the time to take advantage, so go on — get jammin’ [was that a dad joke?].

Print and digital copies of the Seasonal Calendar are still available here! 10% of proceeds from sales are donated to Rethink Food, a nonprofit working to reduce food insecurity in the New York area. Each month features seasonal ingredients, monthly recipes (including mine!) & Fraîche’s suggestions for a more environmentally friendly life.

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Maple Citrus Plum Jam with Ginger

  • 2 lbs ripe plums, Empress or other variety

  • ½ cup of maple sugar, or natural sweetener of your choice

  • ½ cup water

  • Juice of ½ - 1 whole lemon or lime, to taste

  • ½ - 1 tsp raw grated ginger, to taste

Thoroughly rinse your plums, then cut in half and remove pits. Make sure there are no small pieces stuck to the plum flesh. Cut plum halves into quarters and add to a med-large sauce pot. Add water and sugar or other sweetener to the plums, and mix. Start the mixture over a medium heat. When it starts to simmer, turn down to a low heat and cook, stirring very often to make sure the sugars don’t burn on the bottom of the pot.

Cook about 45 minutes - 1 hour, or longer, until jam has reached desired thick consistency. Test thickness using an ice cold spoon from the freezer — when the jam sets on the cold spoon it reflects how thick the jam will be once cooled. At this point add fresh squeeze citrus juice , strained of any solids, and raw grated ginger to taste. Mix thoroughly. Let cool before storing in a jar in the fridge.

 
 

Seared Cumin Pork Chops w. Mango Salsa

I’ve been working at mastering seared pork chops…

Even though I had a clear idea of the general technique, my chops still seemed to lack something very important: juiciness. I decided it was time to roll up my sleeves and write a recipe for pork chops that won’t disappoint.

The key is to do everything you possibly can to avoid dryness: pork chops are a lean cut of meat so even when just slightly overcooked, they become tough and dry. That said, have no fear: this recipe employs numerous techniques that will protect you from this pork-pitfall.

First, use bone-in chops: the extra fat and connective tissue protects the meat from drying out (and of course, fat adds flavor!). Next, brining: this seasons and moistens the pork from the inside out. And finally, using a meat thermometer so you avoid cooking the pork any longer than is absolutely necessary (if your meat thermometer isn’t your best friend yet, it is now). Once you’ve moved the pan off the heat you baste with butter, cumin seeds and crushed garlic. Finish with a quick summery mango salsa for peak pork chops.

 
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Seared Cumin Pork Chops with Mango Salsa

  • 2 bone-in pork chops, approx. 10-12 ounces each

  • 8 small-medium garlic cloves, crushed

  • 2 Tbsps grass fed butter

  • 1 Tbsp cumin seeds

  • 1 Tbsp neutral oil

  • 3 cups room temperature water

  • 1/2 cup kosher salt

  • 1/2 cup packed brown sugar, or granulated brown sugar

  • Freshly ground black pepper

  • Kosher salt

  • OPTIONAL: 1 ripe mango, 1/8 cup finely diced red onion, cilantro, pinch of kosher salt

First up is our brining process. This seasons and moistens the pork chops from the inside out.

Place your 2 pork chops on a cutting board or baking sheet. Prick pork chops on both sides with a fork, not sinking the fork in very deeply - if you’re being technical, about 1/8 inch deep.

In a gallon Ziploc or Stasher bag, add 3 cups of room temperature water, 1/2 cup kosher salt, and 1/2 cup packed brown sugar. Use a spoon to stir until the salt and sugar has mostly dissolved. Add the 2 pork chops, seal the bag and lay bag down again on the baking sheet or cutting board so that the pork chops sit in a single layer in the bag. Place in the fridge for 30 minutes, or up to 8 hours.

Before you are going to cook the chops, remove them from the brine. Discard brine and pat your chops dry. Bring them to room temperature. Get the butter, cumin seeds and crushed garlic cloves ready for when it’s time to baste. You don’t want to be scrambling to get these later.

If you are serving with quick mango salsa, make that now. Cut off the top of the mango and from this opening, peel off the skin. Remove the cheeks of the mango, cutting around the the hard inner core.

Once room temperature and RIGHT before cooking, season your pork chops all over with just a little kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. These have been seasoned during brining, so you only need a little.

Start to heat a cast iron pan over medium high heat (make sure your pan can comfortably accommodate both chops without crowding — this is important). After about a minute, add 1 Tbsp of neutral oil to the pan, tilting the pan so that the oil evenly coats the bottom. After another minute or so, when the oil is shimmering and you see a little smoke, add your pork chops. They should sizzle when they hit the pan. If they don’t, remove the pork and wait another minute before continuing,

Once the pork chops are in the pan, start a timer for 8 minutes total. Cook the first side of the pork chop for 1 minute, undisturbed. Then, flip and cook the second side undisturbed for 1 minute. Next, using tongs to hold the chop, cook the flat, meaty side of the chop with the fat cap on it (not the bone side) for a minute, gently rocking it so the whole side gets contact with the pan. Repeat the entire process, cooking each of those three sides for 1 minute before flipping. At about 4-5 minutes you should start to see the golden brown sear developing. At 8 minutes, insert your thermometer into the thickest part of the meat: if the thermometer reads 130-135, turn off the heat and move on to basting. If it doesn’t, continue searing and flipping for another minute or two until it reaches this temperature.

Once the meat has reached 130-135 and you’ve turned off the heat, immediately add your butter, cumin seeds and crushed garlic cloves to the pan. Tilting the pan away from you, use a large spoon to baste the pork with the foamy butter, cumin seeds and garlic. Baste on both sides, and then check the internal temperature again: leave the meat in the hot pan until it’s reached 140-145F. Once it has, remove the meat from the pan and set on a clean cutting board. Let rest a few minutes before cutting into thin slices and serving immediately. Drizzle with garlic and drippings from the pan, as well as the quick mango salsa. Enjoy!

Basmati Rice w. Dates, Cardamom & Clove

There are few things more comforting than a great bowl of rice.

This sweet, savory, fragrant basmati rice is no exception. Serve it as a side with just about anything from vegetables to proteins, or add chickpeas and make this the main event, finished with a drizzle of yogurt and Tamarind chutney.

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Basmati Rice with Dates, Cardamom and Clove

  • 1 cup basmati rice

  • 3-4 dates, pits removed and loosely chopped 

  • 11 whole cloves

  • 2 whole cardamom pods, crushed 

  • 1 Tbsp coconut oil 

In a pot add 1 Tbsp coconut oil, 2 lightly crushed cardamom pods, 11 whole cloves and 3-4 dates chopped into small pieces.

Cook together for a minute or two over medium heat, letting the spices get fragrant. Then add your rice to the pot and stir to combine. After a minute, add 1 3/4 cup water to the pot.

Bring to a boil. Once boiling, lower the heat, cover and simmer for 12-15 minutes, or until cooked (follow directions for the brand of rice you’ve chosen).

Once cooked, remove whole cloves and cardamom pods. Add a pinch of kosher salt, mix and enjoy.

Cool Rose Cardamom Pudding w. Coconut Creme & Raspberries

Cardamom and rose are an effortless combination.

I love to start my day with a bowl of this cool pudding, or have it as an easy dessert after a savory meal. Top it with anything you please, but it’s really wonderful with a spoonful of fluffy SoDelicious Cocowhip, these addictive pistachios, a quick raspberry mash & lemon zest.

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Cool Rose Cardamom Pudding with Coconut Creme and Raspberries

1 Serving 

PUDDING

  • 1 cup whole milk

  • 6 whole cardamom pods

  • 1/2 Tbsp sugar (any kind will do)

  • 1 1/2 tsp rose water

  • 1 Tbsp cornstarch loosened with 1 3/4 Tbsp milk

GARNISH

Add 1 cup whole milk and 6 crushed cardamom pods to a small pot. Bring to a boil, mixing occasionally. Then immediately lower to a simmer, another 3-4 mins.

Remove from the heat to steep while cooling, 10 mins. Then using a fine mesh strainer, strain milk into another pot or a bowl. If you plan to use the same pot, just clean off any milk that stuck to the pot before adding the strained milk back to the pot. You don’t want any chunks in your pudding.

Mix a slurry of 1 Tbsp cornstarch and 1 ¾ Tbsp milk. Place pot with strained milk back over a medium heat & bring to a simmer. Add ½ Tbsp sugar & 1 ½ teaspoons rose water. 

In order to activate the thickening power of the cornstarch, the milk must reach a gentle boil before you add the slurry (cornstarch and milk). Once it is boiling, pour in the slurry while mixing. Turn the heat down and simmer, mixing frequently, 2-5 minutes. The milk should have thickened and it will continue to firm up more once cooled in the fridge.

Pour pudding into a small dish and allow to cool before putting in the refrigerator at least 3 hours.

When ready to serve, mash fresh raspberries (the more ripe the raspberries, the better) and add a spoonful to the top of the pudding along with some Honey & Za’atar Smokey Roasted Pistachios, lemon zest and edible dried rose petals if you have. Finish with a dollop of SoDelicious Dairy Free Coco Whip and enjoy immediately!

Honey & Za'atar Smokey Roasted Pistachios

Addictive and very snack-able.

These pistachios have found themselves a consistent presence in my fridge. I reach for them as a solo snack, tossed into nearly every salad I make, on top of morning kefir bowls and also crowning a soon-to-arrive recipe for Rose Cardamom Pudding.

 
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Honey & Za'atar Smokey Roasted Pistachios

1 Serving 

  • 1 cup raw shelled pistachios

  • 1/4 tsp smoked paprika

  • 1/2 tsp za’atar

  • Kosher salt

  • Honey

  • OPTIONAL: zest of a clean lime

Preheat your oven to 300 F

Put some parchment down on a half sheet baking tray.

Add 1 cup of raw shelled (or unshelled) pistachios to the parchment. Drizzle with honey and then sprinkle with 1/4 tsp smoked paprika, 1/2 tsp za’atar and a good pinch of kosher salt.

Use a utensil to give the pistachios a mix before flattening them into a single layer.

Place in the oven for 15-20 minutes. They should be fragrant!

You can finish them with a bit of lime zest if you want! Serve immediately warm, or bring to room temperature before storing in the fridge up to 2 weeks.

Date Roasted Carrot Salad w. Burrata, Mint & Chili

I love the transformation of humble ingredients.

Carrots are so simple and a thought I had recently was that I don’t make them enough. Though I occasionally think of baby carrots as a counterpart for hummus, for the most part, right size, whole carrots fall out of my consciousness when it comes time to grocery shopping. I find that, like eggplant or other certain vegetables, the deliciousness of a carrot is all about knowing how to treat it: not well seasoned or well cooked, a carrot would gladly be easily forgotten. So, yes, you are going to be sure to bathe these in a mixture of butter and sweet date (or fig) jam and cook until caramelized and completely melt in your mouth tender. To go the no-food-waste mile, be sure to use some of the carrot stem as a garnish.

 
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Date Roasted Carrot Salad with Burrata, Mint & Chili

Serves 2

  • 7 thin carrots, or cut in half if they are wide, total 8 oz

  • 1.5 Tbsps unsalted butter 

  • 1 Tbsp date jam (or use fig jam)

  • Small bunch of fresh thyme

  • Toasted sunflower seeds

  • 1 ball of burrata 

  • 1/2 small hot red chili, finely sliced

  • Fig balsamic

  • Fresh mint for garnish

  • OPTIONAL; carrot stems very finely minced

  • Kosher salt

  • Freshly ground black pepper

  • Neutral oil

Preheat your oven to 400F. First rinse & scrub your carrots. Trim the carrot stems down so that just a short stem remain. Keep a few of the stems without any of the leaves.

Dry your clean carrots and in a high-heat, oven safe pan (like stainless steel or cast iron), heat a little neutral oil over high heat until hot and just barely smoking. Add the carrots, making sure they can sit in a single layer. You’ll probably need a 8-10 inch pan. Add two pinches of kosher salt and a few cranks of freshly ground black pepper and toss the carrots a bit in the pan. Sear, turning occasionally, 5-7 minutes, until golden brown on all sides.

In the meantime, mix 1.5 Tbsps of melted unsalted butter with 1 Tbsp of date (or fig) jam. Add a pinch of kosher salt and stir well.

When the carrots have a slightly golden hue all over, remove the whole pan from the heat. Set on a cool burner and wait a few minutes to allow the pan to cool slightly.

Using tongs, lift carrots and place your bunch of thyme down in the pan. Place carrots back on top of the thyme, brush evenly with the butter and date (or fig) glaze and then put the pan in the oven 12-15 minutes or until carrots are fork tender all the way through.

While the carrots are in the oven, very, very finely chop a bit of thin, clean carrot stems.

Slice a hot red chili into very thin rounds. When the carrots are ready, carefully remove the pan from the oven. Pull off the bundle of thyme and move carrots to a cutting board.

Cut them on the bias into smaller segments and place into 2 bowls, layering the carrot. Cut burrata open and place a half of burrata in each bowl next to the carrots.

Top with rounds of hot chili, a few small leaves of fresh mint, toasted sunflower seeds a sprinkle of the very finely cut carrot stem.

Cut burrata open, and drizzle with fig balsamic.

Sichuan Peppercorn Skirt Steak Tacos w. Black Garlic Labne, Scallions & Honey

Tangy Sichuan peppercorns, savory black garlic, and fresh habanero…

One of my favorite kitchen tools is the humble mortar and pestle. Sure, I don’t whip this thing out everyday, but on the occasion I do I feel so connected to my food and in control of flavor. While I use it mostly for grinding whole spices, I also love it for making marinades, like this one, or sauces like a mortar-and-pestle Pesto. Start by grinding whole ingredients and finish with fats or liquids. Here I combine Sichuan peppercorns with black garlic, fresh habanero and a mix of other smokey, savory spices to get a crusty layer of flavor on the steak once seared.

My big note with this recipe — don’t be turned away by the ingredient list. If you can’t get access, substitutions can be made: instead of black garlic use whole roasted garlic cloves, and swap labne for a thick, whole fat, tangy greek yogurt. That being said, the Sichuan peppercorns are sort of a must and these are a great opportunity to expand your flavor library. I also encourage you to try and get your hands on my new favorite Red Habanero hot sauce from Queen Majesty, based a whole 11 minutes from my apartment right here in Long Island City, Queens!! Lastly, you can always rely on me to deliver food full of unexpected flavors so there were some creative decisions, like finishing with honey, that I'll just need you to trust.

 
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Sichuan Peppercorn Skirt Steak Tacos with Black Garlic Labne, Scallions & Honey

STEAK MARINADE

  • 1/2 Tbsp cumin

  • 1/2 Tbsp Sichuan peppercorns

  • 1 clove black garlic, steamed to soften, or 1 clove of roasted regular garlic

  • 1/2 tsp smoked paprika

  • 1 tsp natural turbinado sugar, or any kind of granulated brown sugar

  • 1/4 - 1/2 of a small fresh habanero, finely chopped with seeds for more heat (.1 -.2 oz)

  • 3/4 tsp salt

  • Shy of 1/4 cup neutral oil

  • 2 tsp tamari

BLACK GARLIC LABNE

  • 1/2 cup labne

  • 4 cloves black garlic, steamed to soften, or 4 cloves of roasted regular garlic

  • Juice of 1/2 lime

For this recipe, I loved using black garlic: it’s an aged garlic that is less sharp than raw garlic and super savory. You can find it online and in some specialty food stores and while it’s a bit of an investment, it’s great to have on hand in your flavor library. If you can’t get access to it, slow roast garlic and use that throughout instead. Also, if you can’t access labne, use a thick, full fat, tangy greek yogurt instead, like Fage.

Start by making your marinade. If you have a mortar and pestle, use that. Otherwise, blend everything with the oil and tamari in a food processor. You are going to need: 1/2 Tbsp cumin, 1/2 Tbsp Sichuan peppercorns, 1 clove black garlic, steamed to soften (or 1 clove of roasted garlic), 1/2 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp natural turbinado sugar, or any kind of granulated brown sugar, 1/4 - 1/2 of a small fresh habanero, finely chopped with seeds for more heat (.1 -.2 oz), 3/4 tsp salt, shy of 1/4 cup neutral oil and 2 tsp tamari.

Add the steak and marinade to a Tupperware or reusable Ziploc bag, making sure the steak is covered all over. Put in the fridge for 1 hour, but ideally up to 24 hours.

Next, prepare the black garlic labne. I find that steaming the black garlic cloves first allows them to fold into the labne more uniformly. Place 4 black garlic cloves in a steamer, or you can do what I did and simply suspend the cloves inside a small pot over about 1/2-1/4 cup of boiling water using a small mesh strainer. Cover with a top and let steam for a few minutes. Skip this step if you are using roasted garlic. Blend garlic, labne and juice of a half a lime until smooth.

When it’s time to sear the steak, be sure to bring the steak to room temperature first. Using a cast iron (or stainless steel pan), heat the pan until very hot with a bit of smoke coming off of it. Then add the marinated steak, searing over high heat 2-4 minutes per side for medium rare, depending how thin your cut of steak is. Go a little longer if you want it more well done. Let the steak rest, 5-7 minutes.

While the steak rests, char your tortillas carefully over a low-medium flame on your stovetop burner, using tongs to flip them every 30 seconds or so. If you don’t have a gas stovetop, crisp them a little under your oven broiler.

When ready to serve, cut the steak into strips or cubes. Spread a spoonful of black garlic labne on each tortilla and top with steak. Top each taco with scallions cut on the bias, a drizzle of honey and this Queen Majesty Red Habanero & Black Coffee hot sauce. I love how it has a balance of heat and flavor. Find out where you can buy it here.

Plant Based Roasted Sweet Potato Queso-Style Dip w. Caramelized Onions

Seriously, who doesn’t love a dip?!

I’m obsessed with female owned nut milk brand Three Trees. When I worked with them last year I fell in love with their incredible, creamy milks and instantly knew it would make the perfect base for a plant based dip. I’m also going to recommend some of my favorite tortilla chips from Xochitl for their ratio of thinness to dip-carrying-capacity.

Yes, this is a plant based “queso-style” dip and I put that in quotations in case you’re someone who does not believe in veganizing: I would hate for you to miss out on this dip for that reason. It’s just a great dip trying to be great! Made with simple plants and lots of flavor, we start by roasting the sweet potato and sautéing onions. This may seem like an extra step but don’t skip it, please. The name of the game to great food is LAYERING FLAVOR. When we roast and sauté our ingredients, we impart them with flavor before we’ve even blended and seasoned our dip. You can do this up to 2 days in advance, and then blend up later. Come over and make the recipe with me here!

 
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Plant Based Roasted Sweet Potato Queso-Style Dip with Caramelized Onions

Serves 6-8

  • 2 x medium sweet potatoes, 1 lb total

  • 1 medium yellow or Spanish onion

  • 1 Tbsp unsalted butter

  • 1 small white onion

  • 1/2 tsp cayennne powder

  • 1/2 tsp cumin powder

  • 1/2 tsp smoked paprika

  • 1/2 tsp chili powder

  • 2 cups Three Trees original almond milk

  • 2 Tbsp nutritional yeast

  • 4 Tbsps white wine or apple cider vinegar

  • 2 tsp chipotle Cholula, and more for serving

  • Fresh cilantro

  • 1 lime

  • Kosher salt

  • Coconut oil

  • Olive oil

  • OPTIONAL: 1.5 tsps corn starch for thickening

  • Xochitl Organic Blue Corn Tortilla Chips

Preheat oven to 380F degrees.

Peel and cut sweet potatoes into rounds. Add to a mixing bowl with 1.5 Tbsp coconut oil and a sprinkle of kosher salt. Toss to evenly coat.

Lay sweet potatoes on a baking sheet in a single layer and bake for 30 mins or until golden on both sides, flipping halfway through. When finished, cut rounds down loosely into quarters for easier blending.

In the meantime, let’s make caramelized onions: take your medium yellow or Spanish onion and remove the top and bottom root end so that it’s flat on both ends. Peel off outer skin. Cut onion in half, top to bottom, and then slice into thin, half moons. Add all the onions to a large pan with a splash of olive oil. Cook 15-20 mins over low heat, stirring frequently. If the pan gets dry, add a splash of water and mix. If the onions are cooking too fast and burning, turn the heat down.

When the onions are significantly cooked down, add 1 Tbsp butter to the pan and continue to cook over low heat until they are a deep golden color. Add a sprinkle of kosher salt. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a pot with a splash of olive oil, sauté 1  cup of loosely diced white onion. After a few minutes when the onion has started to soften, add a sprinkle of salt and 1/2 tsp cayenne, cumin powder, smoked paprika and chili powder. Mix and cook together another minute or so.

Then remove from the heat and add sweet potato pieces to the pot along with 2 cups Three Trees almond milk. Blend using a food processor, immersion or standard blender until smooth.

Taste and add a touch more salt if it needs. Also add 2 Tbsp nutritional yeast, 4 Tbsps white wine or apple cider vinegar and 2 tsp chipotle Cholula. Once all blended, place back in the pot and bring to a simmer, mixing frequently so you don’t burn the dip on the bottom of the pan. Once it’s bubbling, add a slurry to the pot to thicken - 1.5 tsps corn starch with 2 tsps water. The heat will activate the starch, thickening the dip, so continue to cook and mix for a minute or two after adding.

Remove from the heat and let cool a few minutes. Top with plenty of fresh cilantro, juice of half a lime, and all of the caramelized onions. You can even add another splash Cholula if you like. Live your best dip life!

Crispy Skin Bass w. Mandarin Brown Butter & Arugula Salad w. Lemon Castelvetrano Olives & Pickled Grapes

As if you needed more reason to make this than mandarin brown butter…

Brown butter is magical. Full stop. It’s nutty, slightly sweet and oh-so rich. I enjoyed finding different ways to counter that richness in this dish. First by adding citrus to the brown butter, and second by serving with a tart, peppery arugula salad. And I have no doubt you saw ‘pickled grapes’, and went… really? But trust me on this. Slightly tangy and sweet, mixed with creamy castelvetrano olives and brine, a bit of lemon peel. My hope with this dish is to leave you feeling as inspired as I was creating it.

 
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Crispy Skin Bass with Mandarin Brown Butter & Arugula Salad w. Lemon Castelvetrano Olives & Pickled Grapes

SERVES 2

MANDARIN BROWN BUTTER

  • 3/4 stick of grass fed butter (6 Tbsps)

  • 4 small mandarins, juiced and strained of solids (4 Tbsps)

SALAD

  • 2 fistfuls fresh arugula

  • 1/2 cup whole pitted Castelvetrano olives in brine, 3.5 oz (or pits removed)

  • 1 tsp extra fine strips of lemon peel

  • 20 red seedless grapes, 6.5 oz

  • 1 tsp granulated sugar and 1 tsp kosher salt

  • 1/2 cup white wine vinegar

  • 1/2 tsp whole black peppercorns

  • Extra virgin olive oil

FISH

  • 2 x 8.5 oz striped bass filets with skin, tail ends which tend to be more even thickness all over

  • Kosher salt

  • Black pepper

  • 1.5 Tbsps neutral oil

First, let’s prepare our pickled grapes, lemon castelvetrano olives and mandarin brown butter.

For the pickled grapes, rinse 20 grapes and then cut in half across and place into a clean jar with a tight fitting lid. Add 1 tsp granulated sugar, 1 tsp kosher salt, 1/2 cup white wine vinegar and 1/2 tsp whole black peppercorns. Set aside.

Next, roughly chop 1/2 cup castelvetrano olives, removing pits first if need be. Place in a bowl. From a lemon, using a sharp knife or a vegetable peeler, remove a few pieces of lemon peel. If it has any white pith on the back, be sure to remove that, as it will taste bitter. Cut the lemon peel into fine, thin strips and mix in with the olives. Add 1 tsp of the olive brine and 1 tsp of good olive oil, mix and set aside.

Next, let’s make our brown butter. In a medium sized pan, add 3/4 stick of butter cut into a few small pieces (TIP: using a stainless pan or a pan with a light colored bottom will help you to identify when the brown butter is ready). Place over med heat. Allow the butter to completely melt as you start whisking, to keep the butter moving as it cooks so that it will brown more evenly. It will take a few minutes but don’t walk away or stop whisking. You will first see the butter get foamy before the milk solids suddenly turn caramel brown and it smells incredibly nutty. Straight away remove the pan from the heat and pour the butter into a heat proof container. You can make brown butter 2-3 days in advance and store it in the fridge. It will solidify so just warm to melt before using.

Next squeeze your mandarins through a fine mesh sieve, to remove seeds and solids. Mix together 6 Tbsps of the brown butter with 4 Tbsps mandarin juice. Add a small pinch of kosher salt. This will be the sauce for our fish.

Take your 2 pieces of fish and pat them very dry. Salt and pepper both sides.

In another stainless steel or cast iron pan, add 1.5 Tbsps neutral oil. In order to get crispy skin on the fish we need to make sure the pan is hot enough: when the oil is shimmering, add fish to the pan skin side down. It should sizzle. If it doesn’t, take it out and let it get sufficiently hot. Allow the skin to completely get crispy, about 8 minutes. It should release from the bottom of the pan with just a little help. At this point you should also see that the fish on top is cooking through all around the edges, except for in the center. Remove from the heat and tilting the pan away from you, flip and cook the fish the rest of the way through in the hot oil, a minute or two. If your fish is a thicker cut and still needs more time, put it back over a low heat until cooked through.

Cut fish into two smaller pieces. Drizzle with mandarin brown butter. Serve next to your fresh arugula topped with the pickled grapes and lemon casteltrevano olives. Drizzle arugula salad with a touch of extra virgin olive oil and a little sprinkle of kosher salt.

A Fancy Roast Chicken

It felt like time to make roast chicken exciting again.

First, allow me to make the argument for a whole bird in case you’re still not convinced. Once seasoned, you put it in the oven and forget about it … for an entire hour and half. Talk about leisurely. Out of the oven comes multiple meals (and a veg, too, if you have the forethought), PLUS bones you can use for broth. It’s a no brainer. Raw chicken fears? I’ll address those below.

This recipe was born of one simple goal: roast chicken, deliciousness dialed way up. Start by building flavor from the inside out, stuffing your chicken with herbs, garlic and citrus. I added coriander seeds to the mix, which are tart and flowery, then coated the whole thing in a vibrant, savory spice blend of smoked paprika, kashmiri chili and garlic powder. Yeah, all you need to do when this chicken is ready is try not to drown an entire bowl of rice in the insanely delicious rendered juices.

 
Micole Rondinone Roast Chicken
 

A Fancy Roast Chicken

  • 4 lb whole Bell & Evans chicken

  • 1 whole lemon

  • 1 small head of garlic

  • 1 bay leaf

  • 1 tsp whole black peppercorns

  • 1 tsp whole coriander seeds

  • 1/2 tsp smoked paprika

  • 1 tsp garlic powder

  • 1 tsp kashmiri chili

  • Olive oil

  • OPTIONAL: sturdy root vegetable of choice, like potato, sweet potato, parsnip, carrots, etc

  • OPTIONAL: medium grain sushi rice for serving

Preheat your oven to 350F. Get out a cast iron large enough to accommodate the entire chicken (10-12 inches). You could also use a large dutch oven or baking dish with high sides. Before you intend to roast your chicken, take it out and let it start to come to room temperature.

Place the chicken in a large bowl so you easily avoid any fear of getting raw chicken on your surfaces. Take off the packaging and remove any giblets stored inside. Pat the chicken dry all over. Set aside.

Next, remove stickers from the lemon, rinse and cut in half across. Cut your head of garlic across to expose the cloves. In a small bowl, combine 1 bay leaf, 1 tsp whole black peppercorns and 1 tsp whole coriander seeds. Set aside.

In another small bowl, combine 4 Tbsps of olive oil with the remaining spices: 1/2 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp garlic powder and 1 tsp Kashmiri chili. Mix well.

If you plan to roast any root vegetables along with your chicken, clean and cut those now and place in the bottom of the cast iron or baking dish. Keep in mind that the veg will cook underneath the chicken for an hour and a half, so stick with bigger, thicker pieces that will do well with a long cook time (as opposed to small and thin).

Using one hand to hold your chicken, use the other to liberally salt both inside and out (yes, sprinkle salt along the inner cavity of the bird). Next stuff the bird with your 2 lemon halves, garlic halves, bayleaf, peppercorns and coriander seeds.

Once stuffed, place the bird into your cast iron or baking dish, on top of any veggies: using a silicone pastry brush, brush the entire chicken with the mixture of oil and spices. Do this here as opposed to in the bowl your chicken was in previously to allow excess oil and spices to just drip into the bottom of the pan and not go to waste.

Make sure to brush underneath any folds of fat near the front and back end of the bird, as well as underneath the wings, legs, etc. Once you’ve used up all of your spice mixture, place chicken right side up, tuck legs and wings close to the bird and stick in the oven for roughly 1.5 hours or until it reaches 165F internal temperature. I do not make chicken without my handy meat thermometer - you’ll never have to worry about either falling ill or overcooking chicken again. A perfectly timed chicken is insanely juicy.

When the chicken is done, let it rest before serving. I like to eat the thighs and drumsticks fresh from the oven, and found they were especially good over a bit of plump sushi rice with lots of the rendered juices drizzled over top. Throw the roasted veg on the plate and you’ve got a meal. Reserve the wings and breasts, and all the other bits you can pull off, which I like to use for a quick chicken salad. And don’t forget when you’re done with the chicken to place the whole carcass in an airtight bag and stick in the freezer. When you’ve made this twice, you’ll be all set for homemade broth.