Monthly Archives: December 2016

Hot Honey Shrimp

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  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • ⅛ teaspoon cayenne
  • ¼ teaspoon grated lime zest
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly grated ginger
  • 1 garlic clove, grated on a Microplane or finely minced
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 pound cleaned extra-large shrimp, patted very dry with paper towels
  • 1 tablespoon very cold butter, cubed
  • Lime wedges, for serving
  • 1 jalapeño, halved, seeded and very thinly sliced, for serving
  • 1 tablespoon chives or scallion greens, finely chopped, for serving
  1. Heat oven to 500 degrees.
  2. In a medium bowl, combine honey, cayenne, lime zest, ginger, garlic, salt and pepper. Toss in shrimp to coat.
  3. Spread shrimp on a large rimmed baking sheet and dot with butter. Roast until shrimp is pink and opaque, but before the edges have started to curl, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle generously with fresh lime juice and toss with jalapeños and chives or scallions. Serve with mayonnaise if you like.

 

Buckwheat Pancakes

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  • 1 large egg
  • ½ cup buckwheat flour
  • ⅓ cup milk
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 tsp coconut oil, for cooking
  1. Whisk together the egg with milk.  Add the buckwheat flour and baking powder, whisk until smooth. The batter should be thick but pourable, feel free to add a touch more liquid or flour for your desired consistency.
  2. Heat a frying pan on low to medium heat.
  3. Roughly pour ¼ cup of the pancake batter into the frying pan and cook for 2-3 minutes or until small bubbles appear. Flip and cook for another 1-2 minutes.
  4. Transfer to a plate and continue cooking the remaining batter.

Dal (Bengali Cholar)

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  • 1 3/4 cups chana dal
  • 2 tablespoons mustard or canola oil
  • 3 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 1 1/2 inches ginger, grated
  • 3 medium, ripe tomatoes, chopped
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons nice red chili powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1/3 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • One 14-ounce can coconut milk
  1. Wash the chana dal in a few changes of cold water until the water runs clear, then cover with twice the amount of water and boil for around 45 minutes, or until cooked through and tender then leave to one side.
  2. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat and, when hot, add the garlic and ginger. Stir-fry until the garlic starts to brown, then add the tomatoes and cook the tomatoes for around 5 to 8 minutes, or until they reduce and become quite paste-like.
  3. Add the turmeric, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, salt, and sugar to the tomatoes. Stir-fry for a couple of minutes, then add the tomato mixture and the coconut milk into the chana dal and stir to mix.
  4. Bring the dal to the boil, then turn the heat down and simmer for 5 to 7 minutes to bring all the flavors together. Taste your dal, adjusting salt as need be and topping up with hot water until it’s the perfect consistency for rice. Scatter with the toasted coconut and serve with hot steamed basmati rice.

 

Butternut Squash Fettucine

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3 cups (1-inch) cubed butternut squash (about 1 1/4 pounds)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
Pinch ground nutmeg
1 pound dry fettuccine
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley

Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 425°F.

Toss the cubed squash with the garlic and olive oil in a large bowl and season with salt and pepper. Transfer the mixture to a rimmed baking sheet and spread into an even layer. Roast until tender and caramelized, about 30 minutes.

Remove the squash from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes. Transfer to a blender or food processor. Add the cream, broth, cheese, and nutmeg, and blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper as needed; set aside

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the fettuccine and cook until al dente, about 10 minutes or according to package instructions. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water, then drain the pasta. Return the pasta to the pot.

Add the Alfredo sauce and toss with the pasta. If needed, add some of the reserved pasta water, tablespoon by tablespoon, to loosen the pasta and evenly coat it with the sauce. Sprinkle with the parsley and more Parmesan and serve immediately.

Black Bean Burgers

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  • 2 cans black beans, drained, rinsed, and patted dry
  • 1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
  • 3/4 cup finely chopped bell pepper
  • 1 cup finely chopped yellow onion
  • 1 tbsp. minced garlic
  • 1.5 tsp. ground cumin
  • 1 tsp. chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1/4 tsp. paprika
  • 1/2 cup bread crumbs
  • 1/2 cup feta cheese
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tbsp. ketchup, mayo, or BBQ sauce
  • Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C). Spread beans evenly onto a lined baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes until slightly dried out.
  • Meanwhile, sauté olive oil, chopped pepper, onion, and garlic over medium heat until peppers and onions are soft, about 5-6 minutes. Gently blot some of the moisture out. Place in a large bowl or in a food processor with the remaining ingredients (cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, bread crumbs, cheese, eggs, worcestershire, ketchup, salt, and pepper). Stir or pulse everything together, then add the black beans. Mash with a fork or pulse the mixture, leaving some larger chunks of beans.
  • Form into patties– about 1/3 cup of mixture in each.
  • To bake: Place patties on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and bake at 375°F (191°C) for 10 minutes on each side, 20 minutes total. To grill: Place patties on greased aluminum foil and grill 8 minutes on each side. Heat temperature is personal preference as all grills differ. Generally, black bean burgers should grill on medium-high heat about 350°F (177°C) – 400°F (204°C).