Tag: Spring

Hummus

Appetizers & Sides, Vegetarian

Makes 1½ cups

Ingredients

  • 15-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 4 tablespoons (¼ cup) olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons tahini
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon paprika

Directions

  1. In a food processor, puree the chickpeas and garlic with the olive oil, lemon juice, tahini (if using), cumin, and ¾ teaspoon salt until smooth and creamy. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons water as necessary to achieve the desired consistency.
  2. Transfer to a bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with the paprika before serving.

Photo by Samira via Flickr used with CC Attribution, Non Commercial, Share Alike license

Chilled Cucumber Mint Soup

Soups & Stews, Vegetarian

Serves  4

Ingredients

  • 4 cucumbers, peeled and seeded
  • 1 small or ½ large clove garlic
  • 1 cup plain (or soy) yogurt
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, plus more to taste
  • 4 scallions, white and green parts, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • ¾ cup fresh mint leaves, loosely packed
  • ¼ cup water
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

  1. Cut 1 cucumber into small dice, and set aside for garnish. Cut others into large chunks. Combine cucumber chunks, garlic, yogurt, lemon juice, and water in a blender, and puree until smooth.
  2. Add scallions and mint leaves, reserving some of the mint for garnish, and puree briefly. Season with salt and pepper, and add more lemon juice if a tarter flavor is desired.
  3. Chill until ready to serve. Stir well before serving, and ladle into bowls or mugs, garnishing each serving with a big spoonful of diced cucumber and a sprig of mint.

Photo by Mike Licht via Flickr used with CC Attribution license

Penne with Swordfish Mint and Pine Nuts

Fish & Seafood, Pasta & Grains

A pasta dish from Sicily that celebrates fresh fish and mint. Serves 4

Ingredients

  • 1 pound swordfish steak, about 1 inch thick
  • ¾ pound penne
  • ½ cup chopped fresh mint
  • ¼ cup plus ½ tablespoon olive oil
  • ¼ cup pine nuts
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper

Directions

  1. In a small frying pan, toast the pine nuts over moderately low heat, stirring frequently, until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Or toast them in a 350° oven for 5 to 10 minutes.
  2. In a large nonstick frying pan, heat the ½ tablespoon oil over moderate heat.
  3. Sprinkle the swordfish with ¼ teaspoon of the salt and the pepper. Add the fish to the pan and cook 4 minutes.
  4. Turn and cook until the fish is just done, 2 to 3 minutes longer. Remove.
  5. When the fish is cool enough to handle, cut it into 1-inch cubes.
  6. Wipe out the pan. Add the remaining ¼ cup oil to the pan and heat over moderately low heat.
  7. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Stir in ¼ cup of the mint and remove the pan from the heat.
  8. In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the penne until just done, about 13 minutes.
  9. Drain and toss with the swordfish, the garlic-and-mint oil, the pine nuts, the remaining ¼ cup mint, and ½ teaspoon salt.

Photo by  Max Straeten via morgueFile used with license

Lemony Chickpea Salad

Salads

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons pure olive oil
  • 1 yellow onion, quartered
  • 2 carrots, halved
  • 1 celery rib, halved crosswise, plus 4 small celery ribs, finely diced
  • 1 pound dried chickpeas, soaked overnight and drained
  • 4 rosemary sprigs and 4 thyme sprigs, tied together with string
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 1 medium red onion, finely chopped
  • ½ cup red wine vinegar
  • Finely shredded zest and juice of 1 lemon
  • 2 garlic cloves, very finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon finely chopped rosemary
  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1½ teaspoons finely chopped peperoncini
  • 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • ¾ cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

Directions

  1. In a large soup pot, heat the pure olive oil. Add the quartered yellow onion, carrots and halved celery rib and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are golden, about 10 minutes. Add the drained chickpeas, the herb sprig bundle and enough water to cover by 2 inches and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer over moderately low until the chickpeas are tender, about 1½ hours. Add a large pinch of salt and pepper and cook the chickpeas for 10 minutes longer. Remove from the heat and cool for 15 minutes, then drain the chickpeas. Discard the herb sprigs, onion, carrots and celery.
  2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, soak the red onion in the vinegar for 15 minutes. Drain, discarding the vinegar. Return the onion to the bowl and add the diced celery, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, chopped rosemary, oregano and peperoncini. Add the chickpeas and olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Fold in the parsley and serve.

Adapted from Tom Colicchio via Food & Wine

Fish Stew with Tomato and Parsley

Fish & Seafood, Soups & Stews

Serves: 6

Ingredients

  • 6 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1½ cup chopped onion
  • 5 large garlic cloves, chopped
  • ⅔ cup chopped fresh parsley
  • 2 cups crushed or diced tomatoes
  • 1⅓ cups cold water
  • 1 cup dry white wine
  • 1¼ pounds mixed fish fillets (such as sea bass, shark, orange roughy, cod and snapper), cut into 2-inch pieces

Directions

  1. Heat olive oil in heavy large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add chopped onion and garlic and sauté 4 minutes.
  2. Add parsley and stir 2 minutes.
  3. Add tomato and cook 2 minutes longer.
  4. Add 1⅓ cups cold water, dry white wine, and fish and simmer until fish is cooked through, about 10 minutes.
  5. Season stew to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls and serve.

Adapted from Bon Appetit via Epicurious. Photo by Jules via Flickr used with CC Attribution license

Cold Szechuan Sesame Noodles

Pasta & Grains, Salads, Vegetarian

Ingredients

  • 8 oz udon noodles
  • 2 tbs sesame oil
  • 2½ tbs freshly ground peanut butter
  • 1 tbs sesame seed paste
  • 2 tbs soy sauce
  • 2 tsp rice vinegar
  • 2 tsp hot chili oil
  • 1⅓ cup vegetable stock
  • 2 tbs thinly sliced scallions
  • Chopped drained cucumbers optional

Directions

  1. Cook noodles al dente (about 5 min), drain with cold water
  2. Put noodles in bowl with sesame oil and refrigerate uncovered for 1 hour
  3. Mix everything else together, pour over noodles
  4. Refrigerate

Andrea McFarren’s recipe adapted from Szechuan Noodles at Oasis in Ithaca, NY. Photo by Stacy Spensley via Flickr used with CC Attribution license

Skillet Shrimp with Couscous

Fish & Seafood, Pasta & Grains

Serves: 6

Ingredients

  • 1 cup couscous
  • 1½ pounds medium shrimp, shelled and deveined
  • 2 leeks, sliced into ½-inch half-moons
  • 2 carrots, shredded
  • 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
  • 5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
  • Coarse salt and ground pepper for seasoning

Directions

  1. In a 12-inch skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Toss shrimp with salt and pepper. Saute, tossing, until just cooked through, about 3 minutes. Remove.
  2. Add remaining tablespoon olive oil to pan; stir in mustard seeds. Cook until seeds begin to pop, about 30 seconds. Add leeks, carrots, and garlic. Cook, stirring often, until leeks are tender, about 5 minutes.
  3. Stir in couscous, peas, and 2 cups boiling water; season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat. Cover; let stand 5 minutes. Add shrimp; stir gently.

Adapted from Martha Stewart. Photo by Gnawme via Flickr used with CC Attribution, No Derivatives license