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< all recipes Lamb w/ Mint Chimichurri My Sis and her hubs are on their honeymoon right now in South America - probably arriving in Argentina at this very moment. Despite generously offering the pleasure of my company (and services as a very good sherpa) for all or parts of their trip, I have had to make do with a shared photo stream. Argentina is known for its steaks - cooked very simply, usually on a grill, and served with an herb sauce called chimichurri. It is most often made with parsley and oregano but I am sure it has countless regional and seasonal variations - so I thought why not mint for Easter lamb!? So instead of just waiting for the next photo upload, I have been eating this and imagining I am also riding a horse down the beach or sipping wine by the infinity pool...or just not in another snowstorm. This sauce is perfect with any cut of lamb - I first tried a shoulder roast, which was tasty but for some in the ole peanut gallery it was not quite fatty enough so I went for the rack of lamb next. You really can't go wrong, it is just a matter of taste and how many people you are serving - I found this site very helpful in picking out the right cut. Assuming it ever gets warm enough to grill outside, I would recommend making the chimichurri for any grilling occasion - you can use this recipe as a guide, keeping the proportions but mixing up the herbs. Or go rogue! You do not really need a recipe for a sauce like this once you get the gist (hint: herbs + oil = chimichurri). Try adding some jalapeños or roasted poblanos. Get saucy with your fish or chicken. Go Wild! Lamb w/ Mint Chimichurri Serves: serves 6 Ingredients 2 racks of lamb, frenched* Chimichurri Ingredients 3 cups fresh mint leaves, about 2 bunches 1 cup fresh parsley leaves, about 3/4 of a bunch 3 cloves of garlic zest and juice of 1 lemon 2 tsp red pepper flakes 1 tsp kosher salt 1 tsp black pepper 1 cup olive oil * 1 rack has 8 chops and weighs about 2 lbs. "Frenched" means that the bones have been cleaned, making a nice handle as well as an elegant presentation - if you do not see this at the grocery store, just ask the butcher Print Preparation Make the chimichurri: combine all ingredients except olive oil in a food processor and pulse until everything is evenly minced. Turn processor on and slowly drizzle in the olive oil - you want to do this in a slow,steady stream so that the sauce emulsifies and won't separate later. Store in the fridge if not using immediately - the chimichurri can be made a day or two in advance, just bring to room temp before serving (do not microwave!!! just let it sit out). Preheat oven to 400˚F. Heat a large ovenproof sauté pan with a few tablespoons of oil and generously season the fatty side of the racks with salt and pepper. Once the pan is really hot (almost smoking), place the fatty sides down and let sear untouched for 2-3 minutes, or until a dark golden brown. Flip the racks and put pan into the oven to finish cooking, about 10 minutes.* Let meat rest 5-10 minutes before serving. *Insert a thermometer into one end of the rack (right in the center of the chop so you do not hit any bone). Medium Rare: 145˚F Medium: 160˚F Well-Done: 170˚F Click [b][url href=" http://www.americanlamb.com/lamb-cooking-temperature-chart/ " target="_blank"]here[/url][/b] for a full time/temperature chart. Previous Next hungry for more?

< all recipes Mint Chocolate Chip Cake As promised, Mint Chocolate Chip Cake! I hope you have all made your Fresh Mint Meringues and are ready to dive into making this tasty treat. When making a cake, or anything really, I try to visualize the recipe like the image above – I first read through the recipe so I know which ingredients go together and at what point they will be incorporated into the recipe. I usually write directly on my recipe, bracketing each group of ingredients, labeling it A,B,C, and writing “cream” or “alternate”. What makes this technique most effective is that it forces you to read through and really understand a recipe before you start, helping you work more efficiently and be more successful. Mint Chocolate Chip Cake Serves: 2 9" cakes Ingredients Cake 3 sticks unsalted butter, at room temp 2¼ cups sugar 4 eggs ¾ cup cocoa powder ¾ cup hot water ¾ cup sour cream 1 tbl vanilla extract 3 cups cake flour 1 tsp baking soda ½ tsp salt Mint Buttercream 16 oz unsalted butter, room temperature 2 lb (4cups) confectioner’s sugar pinch of salt 2 tsp mint extract green food gel color (optional) Chocolate Ganache 1 cup dark chocolate chips 1 cup heavy cream Print Preparation Make Cake: Preheat oven to 350˚F. Grease 2 9in cake pans and line with parchment paper. Beat butter and sugar in electric mixer with paddle attachment until light and fluffy. While you are doing this crack eggs into a small bowl and add vanilla. In a separate bowl pour hot water over cocoa powder and whisk until smooth, whisk in sour cream. Finally combine the rest of the dry ingredients. With mixer on med-low add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition (about 30sec), scraping bowl halfway through and after last egg has been incorporated. Add dry ingredients in two parts, alternating with cocoa/sour cream mixture. Give a scrape with a spatula to incorporate anything on the bottom. Divide batter between pans and bake 45-50 minutes, until a cake tester (or toothpick or even a small knife) inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool cakes on a wire rack completely before icing. Make Icing: Beat butter in electric mixer with paddle until light and fluffy (2-3 minutes). Turn mixer to low and slowly add confectioners sugar and pinch of salt. Beat on high for 5-7 minutes until slightly glossy. Add mint extract and food color (add a little at a time until you get the color you want). Ice the cake and let set in the fridge while you make the ganache. Make Ganache: Heat heavy cream in a small saucepan just to a boil, immediately pour over chocolate chips, let sit a minutes then whisk until smooth. Pour ganache on top of cake, spreading gently so it just drips over the edges. Decorate with Fresh Mint Meringues and/or sprinkles. Previous Next hungry for more?

< all recipes Funfetti Cake Remember that thing I said about trying to embrace imperfections in the kitchen? Yeah. That did not happen here. But my sprinkle-obsessive behavior paid off big time. Third time's a charm!! What I learned: artificial sprinkles are best, the more natural kind bleed into the batter (hence the weird color of the first two tries). A crumb coat is key to keeping the crumbs contained. God forbid we have rogue crumbs that end up on the outside of the cake, marring your beautiful fluffy white frosting. I decorated with nonpareils (round sprinkles) on the first cake and then these cute fondant cutouts on the second - which were quite a bit of work to color separately, roll and cut, and then dry on a curved surface so they fit the curve of the cake. Whew! I am tired just explaining all of that. I would recommend sticking with sprinkles as it gives you an idea of what is inside. Funfetti Cake Serves: 1 multi-tier 8" cake Ingredients Cake Ingredients 8 oz unsalted butter, at room temp 2 cups sugar 5 eggs 1¼ cups buttermilk 2 tsp vanilla extract 2½ cups cake flour 1 tsp kosher salt 1 tbl baking powder ⅔ cup sprinkles Icing ingredients 1 lb unsalted butter, room temperature 2 lb confectioner’s sugar pinch of salt 2 tsp vanilla extract Print Preparation Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease pans and line with parchment paper. Cream the butter with the paddle attachment of an electric mixer, on medium speed for 3 minutes. In those 3 minutes, whisk* together the cake flour, salt, and baking powder and mix the vanilla into the buttermilk. Set both of these aside. With the mixer on medium speed, slowly add the sugar and beat for another 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides and return speed to medium. Add the eggs, one at a time, allowing each to fully incorporate before adding the next (about 1 minute in between each egg). Scrape down the sides. With the mixer on low, alternate the flour and buttermilk in 3-4 additions and mixing until just incorporated. Mix in sprinkles. Pour batter into prepared cake pans. To release air pockets, lift each cake a few inches off the counter then allow it to drop (making sure it hits evenly and with a loud bang), repeat 3-4 times. Bake for 45-60 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through. The cakes are done when a toothpick inserted into the center of a cake comes out clean. Make Icing: beat butter about 2 minutes (until it coats the sides of the bowl). With mixer on lowest speed, slowly add the confectioner’s sugar, pinch of salt, and vanilla. Beat on medium-high speed for 6-8 minutes until super fluffy. Keep covered with a damp paper towel until ready to use. Crumb coat: ice cake layers with a very thin coating of icing then refrigerate the cakes for 15 minutes to let icing harden slightly. Ice cakes and decorate! Previous Next hungry for more?

< all recipes Beet & Avocado Salad w/ Miso Braised Beet Greens I am always drawn to beets at the farmers market but usually stand staring at them for a good 5 minutes trying to think of something brilliant to do with them, before deciding that I always make them the same boring way and awkwardly moving on. Today I decided was the day to a) not look like an idiot at the farmers market and b) explore the exciting possibilities out there of beet cookery. What draws me to beets is the ability to use the whole thing, root to leaf, but not many recipes take advantage of this. Beet greens get very little love but they are just as delicious and versatile as swiss chard - and they come already attached to the beet. Bonus! So while there are more steps to this recipe than I might normally like, it is totally worth it. Beet & Avocado Salad w/ Miso Braised Beet Greens Serves: 4-6 side servings Ingredients 1 lb beets, greens removed and set aside 1 lb baby bok choy 2 tbl Dijon mustard 3 tbl rice vinegar ½ cup toasted sesame oil, plus more for sautéing greens 1 avocado 3 scallions, white and green parts sliced thinly 2 tbl soy sauce 1 tbl grated fresh ginger 1 tsp miso paste Print Preparation Preheat oven to 425˚F. Wrap each beet in foil (individually wrapping the beets allows for more precise cooking) and place them all on a rimmed baking sheet or in a shallow casserole dish. Cook for 20-45 minutes – start testing the small beets after 20 minutes, they are done when a knife pierces to the center. Meanwhile, clean and dry beet greens. Remove stems, roughly chop the leaves, and keep in the fridge until ready to use. Do the same with bok choy. When the beets are cool enough to handle, use a paper towel to rub off the skins, cut beets into bite-sized pieces, and set aside. Wisk together the mustard and rice vinegar, whisk in the sesame oil. Cut avocado into cubes (same size as the beets), combine with beets, scallions and dressing. Heat 2-3 tablespoons of toasted sesame oil in a sauté pan, add beet greens and bok choy and stir until just starting to wilt (1-2 minutes). Pour ¼ - ½ cup water into the pan (enough to just cover the bottom of the pan), cover and let simmer 5-7 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk together soy sauce, ginger, and miso paste. When greens are done, turn off heat and stir in the soy sauce mixture. Plate with greens underneath beets and avocado or toss everything together – either way will be delicious. Previous Next hungry for more?

< all recipes Fish and Shrimp Tacos Fish and shrimp tacos are always a favorite of mine when eating out. Most of the time the fish/shrimp is battered and fried…something I try to avoid when cooking at home, because unless you are Paula Deen with a deep fryer installed in your kitchen, it can be quite an undertaking. Oh and its also pretty unhealthy and although I tease Chris that one day I will just let go and end up looking like Mario Batali, that time has not yet come. Every time I enter the kitchen, I challenge myself to make each dish better and healthier. I don’t believe eating something just because it is “low fat” but tastes like cardboard and I certainly would not waste time MAKING anything I don’t want to eat…I mean where’s the fun in that!? Therefore, I set out to make this once-in-a-while restaurant indulgence into a healthy and delicious homemade staple. The response from the peanut gallery (yes, Chris that would be you) was a resounding “yummmmmm” and a request for tacos once a week. You can really play around with the flavors. Next time I might try going with a more asian-inspired palate: using daikon radish instead of jícama, and either wasabi or sriracha instead of the adobo – use wasabi powder or one of those little packets you get when ordering sushi. I served the tacos alongside my smoky black beans but if you are going the asian route, you could sub in a seaweed salad perhaps. Fish and Shrimp Tacos Serves: 4 Servings Ingredients 1 lb shrimp 2 tbl oil (high burn temp oil such as canola, grapeseed, or safflower) ½ of a red onion ½ jícama 1 cup white wine vinegar 1 tsp salt 1 tsp sugar 1 avocado 1 lime 6 oz greek yogurt 1 tbl chipotles in adobo 8 tortillas Print Preparation Slice the red onion and jícama into thin strips, place in a bowl and add in the vinegar, salt, and sugar. Let sit for about an hour, stirring once or twice, and strain. If you like things spicy, chop up one of the chipotles and mix it into the yogurt – or, just use a tablespoon of the adobo sauce to mix into the yogurt. Set aside until ready to eat – you can put it in the fridge if making ahead but take it out 30-45 minutes before eating to take the chill off. The avocado and shrimp should be done last and just before you are ready to eat. Slice the avocado in half lengthwise, remove pit, and slice thinly. Cut the lime into wedges, squeeze one onto the avocado to keep it from browning, and set the rest on the table for each person to spice up their own tacos. Heat up the tortillas while you are cooking the shrimp, either in foil in the oven or in the microwave. Heat up the oil in a large skillet, season shrimp with salt and pepper, and toss into the hot pan. Sauté until they turn from translucent gray to opaque pinkish-white, about 3 minutes. Previous Next hungry for more?

< all recipes Zucchini Pasta w/ Parmesan and Black Pepper Zucchini Pasta w/ Parmesan and Black Pepper Serves: 4-6 servings Ingredients 4 zucchini 1 lb pasta* 2-3 tbl olive oil ½ cup / 4oz Parmigiano Regiano, grated ½ cup / 4oz Gruyere, grated salt and pepper Print Preparation Cut each zucchini into pieces that are roughly the same size and shape of your pasta. You can prepare the zucchini a day or two in advance and store it in an airtight container in the fridge. Bring a pot of water to a boil, tossing in a generous amount of salt. Cook the pasta according to the label - i like to go with the lowest number in the given range so that the pasta comes out of the water slightly al dente. While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan. Add the zucchini, a large pinch of salt and cook for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally. You want the zucchini to just begin to cook on the outside while maintaining its refreshing snap on the inside. Stir in both cheeses and the cooked pasta. Season with salt and lots of black pepper. Serve immediately. Notes * I use Gemelli pasta for this because i really like the zucchini cut in this way - it cooks beautifully and does not fall apart. If you can't find gemelli or want to use something else there is no law against it, just cut your zucchini to match the pasta's shape. Previous Next hungry for more?

< all recipes Raw and Charred Corn Salad I recently went to a new salad place in my neighborhood called Sweet Greens that offered raw corn as topping. I had never thought to taste corn before cooking it, but it was delicious!! This recipe is really meant to be a guideline for using whatever you have on hand right now. If you have some eggplant or zucchini, throw that into the sauté pan with the onions. Swap out the sage for some fresh basil (added at the very end). You could even get rid of the pan all together! Just toss raw corn with tomatoes. It does not get any simpler than that. Raw and Charred Corn Salad Serves: 4-6 side servings Ingredients 2 tbl butter (or oil) 5 sage leaves, roughly chopped 1 small yellow onion, diced 4-6 ears of corn 1 cup chopped tomatoes (any kind of tomato you like/have) salt and pepper Print Preparation Remove the corn kernels from the cob and set aside in a bowl with the tomatoes. Heat butter in a large sauté pan. Once melted, add the sage and let cook for about 30 seconds before adding the onion. Season with 1 tablespoon salt. Sauté for about 10 minutes (on med-low heat), until the onion is translucent. Turn the heat up and add half of the corn to the sauté pan. Once the corn has charred a bit and is beginning to stick to the pan, pour in the white wine, making sure to scrape up all the browned bits on the bottom. Previous Next hungry for more?

< all recipes Miso Black Cod This dish has always been my favorite restaurant indulgence. I don't eat out all that often, so when I do, I try to have something I could not make at home - and until now, I assumed Miso Black Cod was in that category. I was inspired to give it a whirl after receiving my weekly Goop email - usually containing scraps of the high-life, graciously passed down from Gwenyth herself. Her recipes are great for inspiration but i find them slightly pretentious and highfalutin for a layman such as myself. I always end up feeling slightly worse about myself and my commitment to whatever wacky health food trend is in vogue - for example, her recipe calls for nama shoyu with no explanation of what that might be...it is unpasteurized soy sauce in case you were wondering, a common ingredient in raw food cuisine. If you happen to have nama shoyu in your pantry, please feel free to use it. I used soy sauce. This is one of the easiest recipes I have ever made, the only thing required is planning ahead so that the fish can marinate for 24-36 hours. I let it sit 24 hours and it was flaky and delicious, but I think with 36 hours it would have only gotten better. The active prep time is about 10 minutes. It doesn't get any easier than that. Miso Black Cod Serves: 4 servings Ingredients 1 lb black cod, cut into 4 fillets ¼ cup mirin (or white wine) ¼ cup soy sauce 1 tbl maple syrup (can use agave, honey, or brown sugar) ½ cup shiro (white) miso paste 1 tbl safflower oil (or other oil with a high burn temperature: canola, grapeseed, etc) Print Preparation Place fillets into a container (with a lid) that is just big enough to fit the fish if possible. In a small pot, combine mirin, soy sauce, and maple syrup. Cook until just bubbling at the sides, turn off the heat and stir in the miso paste. Let cool completely. Set aside ¼ - ½ cup of the marinade to use as a sauce later, refrigerate. Pour the rest of the marinade over the fish. The fillets do not have to be completely submerged but make sure they are fully coated. Refrigerate 24-36 hours, flipping the fillets halfway through. Preheat the oven to 400°F and start to warm the reserved marinade in a small pot, stirring occasionally. Remove the fish from the fridge and scrape off the marinade. Heat oil in an oven-safe sauté pan until almost smoking (just get it really hot). Sear the fillets 1-2 minutes on first side, until a dark caramelized brown, flip over and put the pan into the preheated oven. Bake for 10 minutes and serve hot with reserved marinade. Previous Next hungry for more?

< all recipes Fall Farro Bowl w/ a Chipotle-Maple Dressing Like most people, I find it hard to let go of summer, but since food is literally all i think about what I am most sad about is the fact that it will be a whole year until I get to eat tomatoes still warm from the sun or peaches so juicy you have to eat them over the sink. I am still a little emotional about it. But a few chilly rain-filled days have lessened the pain and stirred those fall cravings for warm spices, fuzzy sweaters, and harry potter ahem i mean a really serious book to cozy up with. This grain bowl recipe will ease us into all of that while keeping it simple and light. The chipotle maple combo is just out of this world. My Dad liked it so much at dinner he actually had it for breakfast which says a lot given that he is a serious yogurt/granola parfait guy, so yeah I am going to just stop rambling here and let the pics do the rest. How perfect is this for lunch!!? Or a picnic in nature to experience fall foliage! Exciting stuff. Fall Farro Bowl w/ a Chipotle-Maple Dressing Serves: 4-6 servings Ingredients 2 cups farro 1 cup apple cider vinegar 1 butternut squash, peeled and cubed 2-3 tbl olive oil 2-3 tbl maple syrup 2-3 apples (my fave are honeycrisp) a few handfuls of arugula dried cranberries toasted walnuts Chipotle-Maple Dressing: 1-2 tsp chipotle puree 3 tbl maple syrup 3 tbl apple cider vinegar ½ cup olive oil salt and pepper Print Preparation Preheat oven to 450˚F. Toss cubed squash in olive oil and maple syrup, season with salt and pepper and spread out on a baking sheet. While the oven heats up, cook the farro. Combine the farro, cider vinegar and 3 cups of water in a pot - always look at the packaging for grain to liquid ratio but for farro it should be 1 cup grain to 2 cups liquid. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 30 minutes, until the farro is tender but still slightly al dente. Drain off any excess liquid. Roast the squash for 15-20 minutes, until it is fork tender. To make the dressing, whisk together the chipotle puree, maple syrup and cider vinegar then slowly drizzle in the olive oil while continuing to whisk. Season with salt and pepper. Toss everything together and when ready to eat, add the dressing (you may not need all of it depending on how much arugula you have added). Previous Next hungry for more?

< all recipes Pesto On the first day of culinary school, as a silly get to know your classmates exercise (before you start burning each other and setting things on fire), we each said what our last meal would be. My Mom's pesto made its way into every one of my courses. It can pretty much go on anything, pasta being the obvious choice, but it is great on roasted chicken, grilled cheese, tomatoes and mozzarella, a spoon...I could go on all day. The most time-consuming part of this recipe is washing and drying the basil as it tends to attract a lot of dirt. A salad spinner is the most efficient method of drying but if you do not have one, put the washed basil in a towel (or pillowcase) and, standing outside or in the shower, spin it around. It sounds ludicrous but it is amazing how much water will come out that way! The majority of store-bought pestos use pine nuts; personally I much prefer the walnut flavor, but feel free to use pine nuts or to experiment with any other nut you like! Parmigiano Reggiano is a hard cow's milk cheese with a sharp nutty flavor. Under Italian law only cheeses made in the provinces of Parma, Reggio Emilia, Modena, and Bologna, may be labeled "Parmigiano Reggiano". Outside of Europe, imitation cheeses are labeled under the generic name Parmesan, which can vary greatly in quality and flavor - with cheese I find you really get what you pay for and the bargain buy is rarely worth the cost. Pecorino Romano is an Italian sheep's milk cheese that adds a great saltiness to the pesto. If you can not find pre-grated Parmigiano and Pecorino, it is very easy to grate both in the food processor with the blade attachment. Freeze your extra pesto for at least 6 months and defrost in the fridge when ready, just make sure to date each one!! Pesto Serves: 2 cups Ingredients 2 cups / 4oz fresh basil leaves, tightly packed 4 garlic cloves 1 cup walnuts, lightly toasted (optional) 1 cup olive oil 1 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano 1/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano salt and pepper Print Preparation Combine the basil, garlic, and walnuts in a food processor, fitted with the blade attachment, and pulse a few times to chop. With the motor running, drizzle in the olive oil - this will allow the oil to emulsify with the basil mixture so it won't separate out later on. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add in the two cheeses and pinch of salt and lots of pepper. Blend to thoroughly combine. Store in the fridge only what you will use in the next month or so and freeze the rest. Previous Next hungry for more?

< all recipes Summer Farro Salad I have never been a fan of caprese salads, my reasoning being threefold: 1) from a nutritional standpoint, they are pretty lame 2) slabs of mozzarella just don’t do anything for me 3) in general, I try to avoid any dish that involves dousing with olive oil. Having gotten that off my chest, here is a caprese dish I can get along with. Farro and barley are nutritional superstars of the grain world – packed with dietary fiber, minerals, amino acids, and protein. From a culinary standpoint, they are incredibly versatile and add a nuttiness and depth of flavor to any dish. Summer Farro Salad Serves: 8-10 side servings Ingredients 2 cups uncooked farro or pearled barley 1/2 tsp salt 8oz mozzarella 1 pint grape tomatoes ¼ cup fresh basil salt and pepper, to taste dressing: 2 tsp balsamic vinegar 2 tsp honey ¼ cup olive oil Print Preparation Add the farro and salt along with 2 3/4 cups water to pot. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce to a simmer, and cook for 10 minutes. Turn off burner and let sit, covered, for 5 more minutes. Spread out on a rimmed sheet pan and let cool completely. While the farro cools, cut the mozzarella into small cubes, and the tomatoes in half or quarters, depending on the size. Whisk together the vinegar, honey, and oil to prepare the dressing. Pour the dressing over the ingredients and stir well to combine, using a long wooden spoon or rubber spatula. Season with salt and pepper. The salad is ready to serve, but can also be made and stored in the fridge to have on hand for snacking. Previous Next hungry for more?

< all recipes Preserved Lemons I get so angry with myself every time I see preserved lemons in a recipe because it reminds me that I didn’t make them the last time this happened. Or the time before that. But today I am breaking the cycle! Yay me. I might even add a jar of preserved Meyer lemons to my new collection because why not! I really encourage you all to join in because once these babies are ready they are likely to be in a recipe or two (or ten) and I would hate for anyone to miss out on such fun. I will be accepting suggestions for what we should make first so start brainstorming! Preserved Lemons Serves: ​ Ingredients 12 lemons* kosher salt (about 1 cup) whole peppercorns (optional) Print Preparation Sterilize your jars - I like to run the jar and lid through the dishwasher without soap (on the quick cycle). Cut 8 of the lemons into quarters, the rest will be used for juice. Fill the bottom of your jars with a layer of salt. Add a layer of lemon wedges, pressing them pulp-side down into the salt. Repeat this, mashing/pressing the lemons as you go, until you have filled the jars to about ½ inch below the rim. Squeeze the juice of your remaining lemons into the jars. Let the jars sit on the counter for 2-3 days then put into the fridge for 4 weeks, giving it a shake ever once in a while. After the 4 weeks they are ready to use but will keep for 6 months. Notes *Unwaxed lemons are key here since the rind is what you will be eating.Meyer lemons can be used here as well. Previous Next hungry for more?