Spicy Arugula & Cantaloupe Salad with Chili-Lime Pistachios

I have the hardest time remembering how to spell A-R-U-G-A-L-A and C-A-N-T-A-L-O-U-P-E. I've decided that I'm going to start posting what I listened to whilst making a dish. Not because you're particularly interested in what I'm listening to, but because my dear husband put up some new speakers in the kitchen to keep me entertained while cooking (as if cooking weren't entertaining enough!)

What I listened to: Carla Bruni, first lady of France and new momma.

This cool, very unusual recipe is adapted from my dear favorite, Moosewood New Classics. It originally features endive, not arugula, and comes with an embarrassing story. I made this last weekend with a cantaloupe. That I bought a month ago. Here it is:

 I had purchased this at the farmer's market 1 month prior and stored it in my fridge. It still tasted perfect. Makes me wonder how old the melons are in some supermarkets!

The chili-lime pistachios are a holdover from trying to recreate my favorite cheap restaurant snack, the 95-cent chili-lime peanuts from Destihl. I was disappointed with my attempt, and they hung out in my kitchen for a bit, but they made an ideal garnish for this salad.

Spicy Arugula & Cantaloupe Salad with Chili-Lime Pistachios (serves 4)

• 3 C arugula, loosely packed
• 1 small cantaloupe, cut into chunks
• 1 Tbsp cilantro, chopped
• 4 Tbsp olive oil
• 4 tsp cider vinegar
• 3 Tbsp lime juice
• 3 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp cayenne
• 3 tsp coriander, ground
• salt & black pepper to taste
• chili-lime pistachios (see below)

1. Toss together the arugula, cantaloupe, and cilantro. Set aside. 
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, lime juice, lemon juice, cayenne, coriander, salt and black pepper. 
3. Pour half the dressing on the salad and toss well. Sprinkle with chili-lime pistachios and serve immediately. 


For chili-lime pistachios (makes 1 C)

• 1 C raw pistachios
• juice of 1 lime
• 3/4 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp cumin, ground
• oil

1. Preheat the oven to 350. Lightly oil a baking sheet and spread the pistachios as a single layer.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the lime juice, chili powder & cumin. Smear over the pistachios, until coated.
3. Bake for 7 mins, watching carefully. These burn quickly!

 Kitchen Notes: I was skeptical of the amount of coriander in this recipe, but it works. I recommend only pouring on half the dressing, since a little goes a long way, and the salad is still tasty, dressed, the next day. The arugula does wilt some, but I tolerate wilted arugula far better than most greens. I think the arugula is a better choice than the endive, but this is opinion. This salad would be fantastic if the cantaloupe were replaced with mango, and I cautiously think nectarines or peaches would work great too.

Verdict? This recipe is a bit wacky, but it brings cantaloupe into the category of a salad fruit, much like a strawberry, apple or blueberry. Chili and cantaloupe complement each other well, the sour or the vinegar/citrus, sweetness of the melon, zest of arugula, and spice of the chili, along with the crunch of the salad, works to create a terrific summer salad. I wish I had made this earlier in the season!

Chipotle Roasted Veggie Omelet

In the continued quest for Things that Would Be Delicious with Chipotle Sour Cream, indexed in recipe, Smoky Lentil Soup, we revisited Baked Goat Cheese Quesadillas, which took to the flavored sour cream well. This time for veggies we used: (1) red pepper, (1) zucchini, (1) green bell pepper, (1) poblano pepper, (3) very tiny Yukon gold potatoes, (1/2) red onion, (1/2) yellow onion, seasoned with chili powder, garlic powder, Goya Adobo seasoning, and McCormick Montreal Steak Seasoning. We used the leftover veggies to make a kick-butt omelet.

  A beautiful, warm, October day...Great for eating on the porch, but not for taking photos!

I must give credit where credit is due. This idea to throw our leftovers in an omelet comes from my husband. Problem is, I didn't really know how to make an omelet. Sad, no? So, it was Google, You Tube, and Jacques Pepin to the rescue:

I selected the country style omelet. I haven't quite developed a taste for the class French omelet. The video is worth a watch, even if you have graduated from the French Culinary Institute, just because his accent is so charming. I recommend that you follow his directions, rather than my paraphrased ones, the result will most likely be far better.

Roasted Vegetable Omelet (serves 2)

• 1 C roasted vegetables ( from baked goat cheese quesadillas, following the recipe below, or based on your own  whims)
• 1 chipotle pepper & adobo sauce, chopped
• 4 eggs
• salt & pepper
• butter 

1. Combine the chipotle pepper with the vegetables and set aside.
2. Place 2 tsps of butter in an omelet or (gasp!) fry pan and begin to heat. Meanwhile, crack open the eggs and place in a bowl, whisk vigorously with a fork until the albumin begins to break down. Add salt & pepper to the eggs and continue to mix. 
3. When the butter has begun to brown, add 1/2 the eggs. Very lightly stir with a fork or chopstick (I drew lines across the pan, like cutting a pizza).  Cook for about a minute, or just to your level of doneness.
4. Add 1/2 C veggies on half of the egg mixture, then fold the other half of the egg over the mixture. 
5. Invert the omelet onto a plate (really, you need to watch Jacques do this). Repeat the above with the 2nd omelet. 


For the roasted vegetables:

• 1 red pepper, sliced thin
• 1 zucchini, sliced thin
• 1 green pepper, sliced thin
• 1 poblano pepper, sliced thin
• 3 very small Yukon gold potatoes, scrubbed and sliced thin
• 1/2 red onion, sliced thin
• 1/2 yellow onion, sliced thin
• olive oil
• chili powder
• garlic powder
• Goya Adobo seasoning with cumin
• Montreal steak seasoning 
• pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a roasting pan, toss all of the vegetables and drizzle with olive oil. Toss the veggies until well coated with the oil.
2. Liberally add the above seasonings to your liking. I probably used about a 1/2 tsp for each. Stir the veggies until coated with oil, seasoning mix.
3. Bake for 40 minutes, stirring every 10 mins to avoid sticking. 

Kitchen Notes: This recipe can take poetic license regarding the seasoning and veggies used. This recipe for me was based on the convenience of what I could cobble together quickly.


Verdict? This recipe was just fun for me. It rivaled a good quality omelet from a fancy brunch joint, allowed me to use up some leftovers, and to learn how to cook something new that I really should have mastered long ago!

Zucchini Pancakes

My motivation for trying this recipe comes from the category Things that Would Be Delicious with Chipotle Sour Cream, indexed in the recipe, Smoky Lentil Soup with Chipotle Cream. Zucchini continues to be dirt cheap (ha, ha) at the Farmer's Market, so I had a few zukes hanging out in the crisper.

This recipe comes from Kevin of Closet Cooking . I followed his recipe pretty closely, though rather than tzatziki I used Chipotle Sour Cream.

Zucchini Pancakes with Chipotle Sour Cream (serves 2-3)

• 2 cups zucchini, shredded, drained, and squeezed
• 1 handful of fresh dill, chopped
• 1/3 C onion, finely chopped
• 1/4 C feta, very finely crumbled
• 1/2 C flour
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• salt & pepper to taste 
• peanut oil
• Chipotle Sour Cream, for garnish

1. Once the zucchini is drained with the moisture squeezed out, mix thoroughly it with the dill, onion, feta, flour, egg and salt & pepper. Set aside.
2. Meanwhile, pour 1/2 inch of peanut oil into a heavy skillet. Heat over medium high heat (about 375 on my stove).
3. Form the zucchini mixture into patties, approximately 1/2 inch thick. Fry a few at a time, for about 3 minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Drain and keep warm until ready to serve. Serve with chipotle sour cream. 

 Kitchen Notes: I prefer the feta very finely crumbled so it seasons evenly. These pancakes are pretty awesome fresh, but don't reheat well, so challenge yourself to eat them the day they're made. In contrast though, I bet the mixture refrigerates well, so pack some away to fry later if you'd like. The pancakes themselves are not highly flavored--if you're not using the chipotle sour cream, or some other sauce with punch, add extra salt, pepper, or change up the herbs a bit. Definitely get as much water as possible out of the zucchini or the cakes will be soggy.

Verdict? Leave it to me to make zucchini unhealthy. A tasty alternative to potato pancakes. The outside texture is light and crispy, the inside rich and creamy. It's also now my personal mantra that anything with chipotle sour cream is delicious.

Greek (and German) Mac N' Cheese

Preposterous! Greek (German) Mac N'Cheese? What? Why?
Before I answer that, thanks to Food Hunter's Guide to Cuisine for hosting Presto Pasta Night  #237 for hosting this week. Now that the weather is (sometimes) cooler, I'm finding a lot more pasta in my rotation.

Anyway, back the original question, why Greek/German Mac N'Cheese? I had leftover cooked spatzele from Swiss Chard Spatzele and some leftover feta in the fridge that demanded it be used. I also had a block of goat cheese mozzarella that was approaching its farewell from the fridge. When I think feta, I think spinach, and when I think spinach and feta, I think spanakopitas. I didn't want to mess with philo dough for a weeknight meal, so I used pasta instead.

Greek (and German) Mac N' Cheese (serves 4 hungry people)

• 4 C cooked spatzele
• 2 C raw spinach, loosely packed
• olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• handful fresh dill, chopped
• 6 oz feta, finely crumbled
• 6 oz mozzarella, shredded (I used goat mozzarella)
• salt & pepper
• 3/4 C panko bread crumbs
• parmesan
• oregano 

1. Preheat the oven to 350. Heat a small amount of olive oil over medium low heat. Add the garlic and saute for a few minutes, or til slightly golden. Add the spinach, and saute til wilted. Turn off heat, and mix in the dill. Set aside.
2. Lightly grease a casserole dish with a bit of oil or butter. Add the cooked spatzele. Crumble in the feta and mozzarella and mix thoroughly. Add the spinach, and continue to mix in--be sure to save the saute pan from the spinach. Add a bit of salt, if desired, and pepper.  
3. Add a tiny, tiny bit more oil to the saute pan if necessary. Toss in the bread crumbs, a a bit of salt and pepper, and a bit of oregano. Stir constantly, and add a bit of parmesan if desired. 
4. Sprinkle the bread crumbs over the top of the casserole. Cover, and cook for 30 mins. Remove cover, and cook an additional 30 mins or until the top is golden brown. 

                                                          Fresh Out of the Oven...

                                                          ...and a few minutes later

Verdict? Yummy stuff. I like the idea of a pasta version of spanakopita. It was a bit dry, I think it would benefit from a bit of cream cheese to smooth out the texture, not enough to change the flavor though. What surprised me the most, was that it reheated fabulously, and didn't dry out in the microwave.

Smoky Lentil Soup with Chipotle Sour Cream

As often happens when I cook, a (small) chain reaction developed. I googled a recipe for cashew cream, became familiar with vegan chef Tal Ronnen, and borrowed one of his cookbooks from the library.

                                    
   I only took 1, really crummy picture because 1) I was really hungry; 2) I didn't want to keep dinner guests waiting!

One of my closest friends, and her sweet pal and colleague were visiting as a break from a long, dull drive. It was rainy, they were tired, and having worked at the hospital most of the day, I didn't have time to cook anything complex. And I was cooking for non-vegetarians.

So what did I do? Make smoky lentil soup. Lentil soup is a dish that surely makes many carnivores and dive into a steak. My husband and friends assured me (and maybe they were just being polite) that this was a winner. I was really sad I didn't make more, and it would freeze beautifully.

This recipe is adapted from The Conscious Cook, by Tal Ronnen. It was originally a split-pea soup recipe, and I de-veganized it and tweaked it some.

Smoky Lentil Soup with Chipotle Sour Cream (serves 4-6)

• 4 Tbsp butter
• 2 minced shallots
• 2 leeks, sliced thin
• 1/2 onion, minced
• 2 carrots, coarsely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp dried rosemary
• 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
• 3 bay leaves 
•  2 tsp smoked paprika
• 2 qt vegetable broth/faux chicken broth
• 1 1/2 C red lentils, picked over & rinsed
• handful chopped parsley
• juice of 1 lemon
• smoked salt
• pepper
• cilantro (optional)
• toasted pumpkin seeds (optional)

1. In a large soup pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter. Add the shallots, leeks, garlic and onions and saute for about 5 minutes. 
2. Add the carrots, and saute for about 5 minutes more. Add the rosemary, bay leaf, paprika, and crushed red pepper and saute for a couple more minutes.
3. Add the broth and lentils and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and allow to simmer, uncovered for 1 hour. 
4. Add smoked salt & pepper to taste. Add the lemon juice and parsley and cook for an additional 10 mins. Serve with a dollop of chipotle sour cream (see below) and toasted pumpkin seeds and cilantro if desired. 


For the chipotle sour cream:

• 1 C sour cream
• 1/2 canned chipotle with adobo sauce
• 1 tsp adobo sauce from the can
• salt & pepper
• juice of 1 lime

1. Place sour cream, chipotle, adobo sauce and lime in a food processor and pulse til smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste. Pulse again and re-season if needed. If possible, make 1 hour before serving to allow the flavors to blend.

Kitchen Notes: The chipotle sour cream really makes this soup. If you don't feel like making it, at least chop some chipotle peppers and drop them in the soup pot.

Verdict? I realize it's odd to be so excited about lentil soup but this stuff is g-o-o-d! The smoky flavors of the paprika, smoked salt and chipotle give the soup more substance without making it heavy. The chipotle sour cream is outstanding, and super simple. It will make a cameo in a couple future posts, and will keep the Cuisinart busy.

Coconut Quinoa Pudding

Growing up in a Portuguese community in Massachusetts, Portuguese rice pudding, or sweet rice, was a very common dessert, served warm or cold. Recently, on a cold rainy weekend, I wanted dessert. I didn't want to drive to the store, and I didn't want something that required a lot of hands on time. I know, picky, picky.

For some reason, rice pudding popped into my head. Then, coconut rice pudding (very un-Portuguese) popped into my head. Then quinoa as a replacement for rice popped into my head (couldn't be because I had cooked quinoa in the fridge, could it?). I googled coconut rice pudding, got a handle on the basic technique, and went to work.

Coconut Quinoa Pudding (makes 4 small servings)

• 1 1/2 C quinoa, cooked
• 1 can coconut milk (13 oz can)
• pinch of salt 
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 
• 2 Tbsp sugar
• 2 pods ground cardamom 
• 1 tsp lemon or lime juice (optional)
• flaked coconut and/or toasted almonds for garnish (optional)

1. In a small sauce pan, mix together the quinoa, coconut milk, salt, vanilla and cardamom and bring to a boil, stirring carefully to avoid scorching. 
2. Simmer, uncovered, on low heat, stirring often, until thickened.
3. Stir in the lemon or lime juice if using. Sprinkle on the coconut and almonds if desired. 

Kitchen Notes: In this recipe, the bitterness of the quinoa can ruin the flavor. Be sure to rinse the quinoa before cooking. It's possible that this would have been better using raw quinoa cooked in the coconut milk, but I was trying to use leftovers efficiently. Normally, I love my spice grinder, but for cardamom, my mortar and pestle make far faster work than the spice grinder.

Verdict? I really enjoyed this, but it's certainly not for everyone. A mild bitterness from the quinoa is unavoidable. Using quinoa is a nice alternative to, but not substitute for, rice. Let's not kid ourselves--the use of quinoa did not transform this dessert into healthfood, but it did boost its nutrition content.

Curried Zucchini Soup

Back in grad school, I used to frequently eat at The Red Herring, a non-profit, typically student run vegetarian (and when I was in school, strictly vegan) restaurant. It was charming and eclectic, and typically served a killer bowl of soup for $3. One of my favorites was their curried zucchini soup. I've tried to make it at home before, never with much success.

 I recently started experimenting with cashew cream, an ingredient used in a lot of vegan recipes to simulate heavy cream. I thought that this might be the ingredient that finally brings me success with this soup, especially since it's what the Red Herring used to give soups a creamy texture and mouthfeel. 

Curried Zucchini Soup (serves 4)

• Vegetable Oil 
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 2 shallots, miched 
• 1 large zucchini, diced (about 3 C)
• 1 Tbsp garam masala
• 1 Tbsp curry powder
• 1/2 tsp cayenne 
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 2 C faux-chicken or veggie broth
• salt & pepper
• 1-1.5 C cashew cream 

1. Heat a bit of oil in a small Dutch oven or soup pot. Add the garlic and shallots and stir over medium heat until the shallots begin to soften. Don't allow the garlic to brown. 
2. Add the diced zucchini. Add more oil if required. Add the garam masala, curry powder, cayenne & turmeric and sautee for about 5 minutes or until the zucchini begins to soften.
3. Add the broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and allow to simmer for 30 mins. Taste, adding salt & pepper & additional spices as needed. 
4. Stir in the cashew cream until well incorporated. Once well mixed, (carefully!) scoop a few ladlefuls into a food processor and pulse til smooth. Add back to the soup.
5. Add additional broth, or cashew cream if desired to achieve preferred consistency. If you'd like, process more of the soup for a smoother consistency.
6. Adjust seasonings, and cook for a few more minutes over med-low heat. Garnish with onion relish if desired. 

Kitchen Notes: I threw this soup together pretty haphazardly, & this soup will be forgiving regarding the spices you use, so feel free to experiment depending on your whims.


Verdict? Help! This soup is good, but it's not quite what I remember. The texture was perfect--really spot on, and it's surprisingly that there's no dairy. You can see by the sheen on the soup that it looks like proper cream--this would be a good alternative for someone with a dairy/lactose allergy or high cholesterol. The flavor, however was a bit too mild for me, and in past experiences, adding copious amounts of curry powder makes a food gritty. Does anyone have a favorite curry brand? Or a recommendation of other spices?