Cold Chile Noodles

A bowl of cold, spicy noodles with a pile of crunchy vegetables is just the ticket for a hot summer day, don't you think?  And very healthy to boot.  This recipe is extremely simple to make and can varied according to whatever crunchy vegetables you happen to have on hand, although the red cabbage is really nice.  If you really like spice, add a sliced jalapeno or Fresno chile.  And of course some rotisserie chicken or leftover roast pork would be a nice addition for a more substantial bowl, but we really like it as a vegetarian meal.  The herbs play an important part in terms of freshness and taste, and it's best to use a combo - I used cilantro, mint, basil and dill.  Try to use at least two or three of your favorites.

Tip: if it's a really hot day, refrigerate the pasta, chile oil and serving bowls in advance and take them out right before serving.  That's a trick that fancy restaurants sometimes use with salad bowls to make the salad seem really cold and crisp.  It's a fun surprise compared to your usual bowl of pasta and sauce.

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Cold Chile Noodles

Serves 4

For the noodles:

½ cup canola oil

1 tablespoon fennel seed

1 tablespoon red pepper flakes

2 garlic cloves, grated

1 lb spaghetti

2 tablespoon rice wine vinegar

Salt and pepper

For the vegetables:

½ head red cabbage, thinly sliced

Salt and pepper

1 tablespoon lemon zest

¼ cup fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 green onions, thinly sliced

4-6 radishes, thinly sliced

1 cup loosely packed chopped fresh herbs – any combination of cilantro, dill, basil, mint, parsley

½ cup coarsely chopped or crushed peanuts

Heat the oil, fennel seeds, red pepper flakes and garlic in a small saucepan over the lowest heat possible.  Cook, stirring frequently, until you start to see the garlic and spices frizzle in the oil, 5-8 minutes.  Keep cooking at the lowest heat setting until the spices are toasted, another few minutes, but don’t let the garlic get too brown.  Remove from the heat.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to package directions; drain and rinse in cold water.  Drain again, then place in a large bowl and toss with a small amount of canola oil to prevent sticking.  If not using right away, the pasta can be put in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Place the cabbage in a medium bowl and toss with the lemon zest and juice.  Season with salt and pepper and toss with the 2 tablespoons of olive oil.

When ready to serve, toss the pasta with the vinegar and season with salt and pepper.  Add just enough chile oil to coat and toss again.  Divide between shallow bowls and top with cabbage, green onions, radishes, herbs and peanuts.  Pass any additional chile oil at the table.

Sheet Pan Trout and Broccolini

I recently discovered trout.  It's sustainable, healthy, very mild, boneless (when purchased in fillets), easy to cook and reasonable in price.  What's not to like?  In terms of taste, rainbow trout tends to be a little milder than red trout, which has just a touch of salmon-ish flavor.  I particularly like red trout because of the flavor and because they're so pretty - check out how they look when raw (below).

This is a great recipe for trout because it's so easy and foolproof.  If you can't find Aleppo pepper for the sauce, consider ordering it online because it's delicious and very versatile.  It has just a hint of heat and a wonderful warm taste that goes well on fish, chicken, eggs, pasta, veggie dishes, you name it.  If you don't want to buy Aleppo pepper use just a touch of red pepper flakes or chili powder instead.

I served the trout and broccolini with herbed polenta, but mashed potatoes would be equally good.

I think trout is probably the easiest fish to cook because it cooks evenly and fast and doesn't dry out or become tough.  If you've ever ruined a $20 piece of halibut or sea bass you know what I'm talking about.

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Sheet Pan Trout and Broccolini

Serves 4

½ garlic clove, finely grated

2 teaspoons Aleppo pepper (or 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes)

¼ olive oil, plus more for drizzling

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, plus 1 lemon, thinly sliced

Kosher salt and black pepper

4 trout fillets, about 6-8 ounces each

2 bunches broccolini, ends trimmed

2 tablespoons capers

Heat oven to 450d.

To make the sauce, combine garlic, Aleppo pepper, ¼ cup olive oil and 2 tablespoons lemon juice in a small bowl and season with salt and pepper.  Set aside.

If the broccolini stems are relatively thick, cut each stem in half lengthwise to facilitate cooking.

Lay the trout fillets skin side down on a sheet pan next to each other.  Place lemon slices on the trout and scatter broccolini and capers around it.   Drizzle everything with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

Place the sheet pan in the oven on the middle rack and roast until broccolini has started to lightly char around the edges and the trout is opaque and cooked through, 8-10 minutes.  Remove from the oven, push the lemon slices off the top of the trout, and immediately drizzle everything with the sauce.  Let the flavors mingle for a minute or two before dividing among 4 plates.

Tuna and Hummus Sandwiches

I know this sandwich sounds weird - it did to me too.  That's why I didn't make it for over two years after seeing it on Ina Garten's TV show.  She said she had a tuna and hummus sandwich with radishes at Le Pain Quotidien restaurant in Brussels and loved it.  But it still sounded weird, and beige.  Fast forward two years and I happened to catch the re-run and decided I had to make it just to satisfy my curiosity if nothing else.  I did tweak her recipe to include cucumbers, herbs and lemon zest to brighten it up, and used crusty French rolls in place of sourdough bread for more texture since both the tuna and hummus are soft.

First I made the tuna salad, and really liked her version which has much less mayo than a normal version.  She includes a little olive oil and some lemon which I liked as well - the lighter dressing really lets the tuna shine.  Speaking of tuna, I know you should use tuna packed in water if you're watching calories but tuna packed in oil has so much more flavor.  I specifically like Genova canned tuna if you can find it - the flavor is delicate and not fishy, much like fresh tuna.  (And no, I don't get any paid endorsements, I just like it.)  If I can find it at Fry's, you can probably find it in your store also.

The hummus adds a layer of creaminess and a little earthiness to the light and lemony tuna salad that I really liked.  I also really liked the crunchy veggies and bright herbs as a contrast to the tuna and hummus - the radishes and cucumbers reminded me just the littlest bit of a banh mi sandwich, one of my favorites.  

All in all, this is an unusual tweak on a tuna sandwich that I really enjoyed, and I'm very picky about my tuna sandwiches.  Give it a try and see what you think.

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Tuna and Hummus Sandwiches

Serves 2

The tuna mixture should be refrigerated for a few hours for the best flavor so plan ahead.

1 - 5 ounce can tuna in olive oil

¼ cup diced celery

2 tablespoons minced red onion

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1-2 tablespoons mayonnaise

1 tablespoon olive oil

½ teaspoon Dijon mustard

Pinch of kosher salt and pepper

Hummus

Sliced radishes and cucumbers

Fresh herbs – parsley, dill, cilantro

2 crusty French rolls

Drain the tuna and flake it into a medium bowl.  Add the celery, red onion, lemon juice, 1 tablespoon of mayonnaise, olive oil, Dijon, and salt and pepper.  Mix well and decide if you want to add the second tablespoon of mayonnaise.  Taste and adjust seasonings if needed.  Cover and refrigerate for a few hours to let the flavors develop.

Cut the French rolls in half horizontally and pull most of the bread out of the top part (save the bread in a bag in the freezer to make bread crumbs or croutons later).  Spread a layer of hummus on the bottom of each roll, then top with the tuna mixture, radishes and cucumbers, and herbs of choice.  Sprinkle with grated lemon zest.  Replace the top of the roll and press together gently.  Serve at once.

Spring Carrot Pasta with Herbs

The James Beard awards were just announced, and Arizonans were excited to hear that Charleen Badman of FnB restaurant in Phoenix was named "Best Chef - Southwest".  FnB has been on my list of restaurants to try for several years but I haven't made it there yet, and I suspect reservations are going to be pretty hard to come by for a while.  I was looking at a sample menu on their website in anticipation and one entry made me pause: "pasta, carrots, marjoram, goat cheese, crispy prosciutto".  What?  Pasta and carrots?  Never heard of that particular combination. Chef Badman is known as "the vegetable whisperer" because of her delicious and innovative use of vegetables, so I decided I needed to investigate further.  I did some research online and came up with a recipe that sounds similar even though I haven't actually seen Chef Badman's creation.

I tweaked the recipe by adding sauted cabbage to underscore the carrot's natural sweetness, and added a bunch of fresh herbs from my garden for flavor.  The carrots, pasta, goat cheese and crispy prosciutto work together wonderfully well in terms of contrasting flavors and textures.  You could leave the prosciutto out if you want it to be vegetarian, but it really does add a lot in terms of flavor and texture.

If possible, don't use a box grater to shred the carrots and cabbage because you end up with short shreds that don't work as well with the spaghetti - longer shreds are easier to twirl together with the pasta.  You can buy bags of shredded carrots at the store that are longer, and it's easy to make your own long shreds of cabbage by buying a head of cabbage and thinly cutting it with a sharp knife.

I was really pleased with this recipe and decided to call it a spring pasta because it's light, healthy and full of fresh herbs but it would be great any time of the year.

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Spring Carrot Pasta with Herbs

Serves 4

Note: long shreds of carrot and cabbage work well here because they mimic the shape of the spaghetti and are easy to twirl with the pasta.  You can buy bags of long shreds of carrots at the store, and you can make your own long shreds of cabbage by thinly cutting a head of cabbage with a knife. 

1 lb spaghetti

3 tablespoons olive oil

6 slices prosciutto, chopped into ½” strips

¼ medium yellow onion, chopped

3 cups shredded carrots (preferably long shreds)

2 cups shredded green cabbage (preferably long shreds)

2 garlic cloves, minced

½ teaspoon caraway seeds

Salt and black pepper to taste

½ cup chopped fresh herbs such as basil, thyme, dill (or a mix) plus a few more for garnish

3 ounces soft goat cheese, crumbled

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add a generous pinch of salt.  Cook the spaghetti according to package directions.  Drain, reserving about ½ cup of pasta water.

While pasta is cooking, heat oil in a large deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat.  Cook the prosciuttos until crispy, then remove with a slotted spoon to a paper towel lined plate to drain.  (Do not drain the olive oil from the skillet.)

In the same skillet, sauté the onion for about 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add the cabbage and a pinch of salt and stir often until wilted, about 5 minutes.  Add the carrots and another pinch of salt and cook for an additional five minutes until tender but not mushy.  Stir in the caraway seeds and add salt and pepper to taste.

Add the pasta to the pot and toss well with tongs to combine, adding some of the reserved pasta water if it looks a little dry.  Add the herbs and toss again, then divide immediately between shallow bowls.  Top with the crispy prosciutto, goat cheese, and extra herbs for garnish.

Taco Salad with Homemade Tortilla Strips

This vegetarian taco salad comes together very quickly since the only thing that's actually cooked is the tortilla strip garnish.  While they bake you whip up an avocado dressing and chop up some onion, tomatoes, cheddar and jalapeno and you're good to go.  It's a filling main dish salad for those days you want to go vegetarian, but of course you could add chicken or any leftover meat if you want.  My favorite part of the salad and the thing that sets it apart from most taco salads is the homemade tortilla strip garnish (aka "crunchies").  They're very dramatic, easy to make, and irresistible as a snack.

You simply slice up a few corn tortillas, spray them with cooking spray and sprinkle with chili powder (or any other favorite seasoning) and salt, then bake for 12-13 minutes until crunchy.  Be sure to make extras because about half get eaten as snacks before they ever make it to the salads.

If you wanted to make this salad even easier you could substitute a store-bought southwestern ranch dressing.  In that case you might think about adding sliced avocado to the salad.  Or not. That's the great part about homemade salads, it's totally up to you.

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Taco Salad with Homemade Tortilla Strips

Serves 4

tortilla strips:

3 (6-inch) corn tortillas

Cooking spray

Chili powder

Salt

lime avocado dressing:

1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt

2 limes, juiced

1 avocado

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika

Pinch of salt and pepper

salad:

12 cups salad greens

1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved (assorted colors are nice)

1 cup black beans

Chili powder

Salt

1 cup fresh cooked (or frozen thawed) sweet corn

1/2 red onion, sliced

1 cup ½” cubes white cheddar cheese

1 jalapeno or serrano pepper, sliced

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Slice the tortillas into 1/4 or 1/2 inch thick strips. Place them on a baking sheet and lightly spray with cooking spray. Sprinkle with chili powder and salt. Bake for 12-13 minutes, until crispy and golden brown. (Watch closely during the last few minutes, they can burn quickly.)  Cool.

While the tortillas are baking, make the dressing. Add all of the ingredients to a food processor or blender and puree until smooth and creamy. Taste and season as desired.  If you want a thinner dressing, add a little water or milk.

Add chili powder and salt to taste to the black beans and toss to combine.

To build the salads, divide greens between 4 plates.  Add piles of tortilla strips, black beans, tomatoes, onion, cheddar cheese, and jalapeno slices.  Drizzle with the dressing and garnish with cilantro.

Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken

Whenever I find boneless skinless chicken thighs on sale I always think of the slow cooker because they become wonderfully tender and don't dry out with the long slow heat.  I'm normally not a big fan of sweetness in savory foods but I decided to try this recipe anyway and was surprised at how very delicious it is. It's only slightly sweet and slightly garlic (mellow garlic, not harsh) with a very flavorful Asian sauce infusing that delicious, fall-apart tender chicken.

Served with white or brown rice and some sugar snap peas it makes a great Asian bowl dinner.  Maybe an egg roll to start?  This would be perfect for the next time you'll be busy in the afternoon and want a hot, nutritious and delicious dinner waiting when you get home.

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Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken

Serves 4-6

1 package  (5-6) boneless skinless chicken thighs

½ cup low sodium soy sauce

½ cup honey

2 tablespoons hoisin sauce

1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar

1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 green onions, sliced thin, white and green parts divided

Sesame seeds for garnish (optional)

Trim any extra fat off the chicken thighs and place in the bottom of a slow cooker.  

In a medium bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, honey, hoisin, vinegar, sesame oil, ginger, garlic, and the white parts of the green onions.  Pour evenly over the chicken.

Cover and cook on low for 6 hours.  Serve garnished with green onions and optional sesame seeds.

Walnut Pesto Pasta

It's finally spring!  That calls for something light and fresh for dinner even though it's not quite salad weather yet in most places.  This vegetarian pasta fits the bill perfectly with hints of lemon, fresh basil and toasty walnuts. I actually like the walnut pesto better than regular pesto because the walnuts (and walnut oil) give it a depth of flavor.  I encourage you to buy the walnut oil rather than using regular olive oil because it does make a difference.  You should be able to find it with the other oils in most grocery stores. I like it in salad dressings as well - particularly if the salad will have some nuts - because it's so aromatic and delicious and will echo the nut flavor.

This pasta dish is very easy to make, and very fast.  Serve with a green salad and crusty bread and you've got a great vegetarian meal.

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Walnut Pesto Pasta

Serves 6

2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped

2 cups firmly packed fresh basil

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more to taste

Ground black pepper, to taste

1 teaspoon lemon zest

1/2 cup lightly toasted walnuts, plus finely chopped walnuts for garnish

6 tablespoons walnut oil

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano or Pecorino Romano cheese, plus more for garnish

1 pound fresh fettuccine or linguine

Top of Form

Bottom of Form

Combine garlic, basil, salt, pepper, lemon zest and walnuts in a food processor and pulse until combined, scraping down sides of food processor bowl as needed. Slowly add walnut oil and olive oil, pulsing until combined. Add cheese and process briefly. Do not over process or pesto will have very little texture. Taste and adjust the seasoning, keeping in mind that cheese adds salt, so additional salt may not be needed.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente, about 3 minutes. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup cooking water. Thin pesto with 1 to 2 tablespoons of the reserved pasta cooking water to achieve a sauce that will coat pasta. Drizzle pesto over pasta and toss to combine. Garnish with chopped walnuts and grated cheese.