Author Archives: vanessa

Baked Spinach Rice

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  • 1 pound spinach (about 2 bunches), washed
  • 1 ½ cups long-grain white rice, such as Carolina or jasmine
  • Salt and pepper
  • 2 tablespoons butter, plus more to butter the baking dish
  • 1 cup grated Parmesan
  • ½ cup slivered almonds
  • 1 cup ricotta
  • 1 cup grated Gruyère or other Swiss cheese
  • ¼ cup currants
  • Pinch of grated nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
  • 1 teaspoon chopped thyme
  • 1 teaspoon chopped sage
  1. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add spinach and wilt for 30 seconds. Remove with a wire mesh spider or tongs and rinse in a colander with cold water. Squeeze dry and chop roughly.
  2. In the same pot, boil the rice for 10 minutes, keeping it slightly underdone. Drain and spread on a baking sheet to cool, then transfer to a large bowl.
  3. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 2-quart soufflé dish (or other baking dish) and dust with about 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan.
  4. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add almonds and cook, stirring, until golden, about 2 minutes. Season lightly with salt and add contents of skillet to rice.
  5. Add remaining Parmesan to rice, along with the ricotta, Gruyère, currants, nutmeg, lemon zest, thyme and sage. Season lightly with salt and add pepper to taste. Add chopped spinach and gently toss rice with hands or wooden spoons to distribute ingredients evenly. Transfer mixture to prepared baking dish. (May be prepared up to this point several hours in advance of baking.)
  6. Cover and bake for 30 minutes, then uncover and bake 10 minutes more, until top is browned.

Honey Vanilla Lip Balm

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1 oz. (approx. 2 tbsp.) sweet almond oil
-1 oz. (approx. 2 tbsp.) shea butter
-1/2 oz. (approx. 3 tsp.) beeswax
-1/4 oz. (approx. 1 1/2 tsp.) raw, organic honey
-1/2 teaspoon vanilla oil

  1. In a small pot or double boiler over low heat melt the almond oil, shea butter, and beeswax. Stir continuously until all is melted and well blended.
  2. Remove the pot from the heat and add raw, organic honey and vanilla oil. Whisk well — this can be done my using a small whisk, fork, or with a chopstick — and attempt to distribute the honey throughout the oil.
  3. Pour the mixture into lip balm tubes and/or tins.
  4. Let them cool on the counter until hard.

 

Bison Short Ribs

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  • 8 whole Short Ribs
  • Kosher Salt and Pepper To Taste
  • 1/4 cup All-purpose Flour
  • 6 pieces Pancetta, Diced
  • 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
  • 1 whole Medium Onion, Diced
  • 3 whole Carrots, Diced
  • 2 whole Shallots, Peeled And Finely Minced
  • 2 cups Red Or White Wine
  • 2 cups Beef Or Chicken Broth (enough To Almost Cover Ribs)
  • 2 sprigs Thyme
  • 2 sprigs Rosemary

Salt and pepper ribs, then dredge in flour. Set aside.

In a large dutch oven, cook pancetta over medium heat until complete crispy and all fat is rendered. Remove pancetta and set aside. Do not discard grease.

Add olive oil to pan with the pancetta grease, and raise heat to high. Brown ribs on all sides, about 45 seconds per side. Remove ribs and set aside. Turn heat to medium.

Add onions, carrots, and shallots to pan and cook for 2 minutes. Pour in wine and scrape bottom of pan to release all the flavorful bits of glory. Bring to a boil and cook 2 minutes.

Add broth, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and plenty of freshly ground black pepper. Taste and add more salt if needed. Add ribs to the liquid; they should be almost completely submerged. Add thyme and rosemary sprigs (whole) to the liquid.

Put on the lid and place into the oven. Cook at 350 for 2 hours, then reduce heat to 325 and cook for an additional 30 to 45 minutes. Ribs should be fork-tender and falling off the bone. Remove pan from oven and allow to sit for at least 20 minutes, lid on, before serving. At the last minute, skim fat off the top of the liquid. (Can also refrigerate mixture, then remove solid fat from the top.)

Serve 2 ribs on bed of creamy polenta, spooning a little juice over the top.

Chicken Shawarma

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  • 2 lemons, juiced
  • ½ cup plus 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 6 cloves garlic, peeled, smashed and minced
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 2 teaspoons paprika
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric
  • A pinch ground cinnamon
  • Red pepper flakes, to taste
  • 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
  • 1 large red onion, peeled and quartered
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
  1. Prepare a marinade for the chicken. Combine the lemon juice, 1/2 cup olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, cumin, paprika, turmeric, cinnamon and red pepper flakes in a large bowl, then whisk to combine. Add the chicken and toss well to coat. Cover and store in refrigerator for at least 1 hour and up to 12 hours.
  2. When ready to cook, heat oven to 425 degrees. Use the remaining tablespoon of olive oil to grease a rimmed sheet pan. Add the quartered onion to the chicken and marinade, and toss once to combine. Remove the chicken and onion from the marinade, and place on the pan, spreading everything evenly across it.
  3. Put the chicken in the oven and roast until it is browned, crisp at the edges and cooked through, about 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from the oven, allow to rest 2 minutes, then slice into bits. (To make the chicken even more crisp, set a large pan over high heat, add a tablespoon of olive oil to the pan, then the sliced chicken, and sauté until everything curls tight in the heat.) Scatter the parsley over the top and serve with tomatoes, cucumbers, pita, white sauce, hot sauce, olives, fried eggplant, feta, rice — really anything you desire.

Feta and Herb Quick Bread

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  • 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
  • 150 grams (1 1/4 cups) all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 3 large organic eggs
  • 60 ml (1/4 cup) olive oil
  • 150 grams (1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons) plain unsweetened yogurt
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  • 200 grams (7 ounces) sheep’s milk feta cheese (substitute goat cheese)
  • 1 bunch fresh herb leaves (flat-leaf parsley, basil, chervil, chives, mint, preferably a mix), about 20 grams or 1 cup loosely packed, roughly chopped

 

  • Preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F).
  • Butter a 24-by-12-cm (9-by-5-inch) loaf pan and sprinkle half the sesame seeds onto the bottom and sides, shaking the pan to coat.
  • Combine the flour and baking powder in a bowl.
  • In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, oil, yogurt, salt, and pepper. Stir in the cheese and herbs.
  • Fold the flour mixture into the egg mixture. Don’t overmix the batter, it’s okay if a few lumps remain.
  • Pour the batter into the prepared pan, level the surface with a spatula, and sprinkle with the remaining sesame seeds.
  • Put into the oven to bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until the loaf is golden and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
  • Allow to cool for a few minutes and run a knife around the pan to loosen. Unmold and transfer to a rack to cool.
  • Cut in slices or cubes just before serving, slightly warm or at room temperature.

 

 

Gyro Chicken Salad

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  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • Zest and juice of 1 lemon
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 3/4 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/4 teaspoon hot smoked paprika, plus more to taste
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano, crumbled
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 10 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 3 pounds)

 

  • 2 cups (554 grams) plain, unsweetened Greek yogurt
  • 1 hothouse, English or seedless cucumber, unpeeled (about 1 pound)
  • 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh dill
  • 2 medium cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

 

  • 1 head romaine lettuce, chopped
  • 1 red onion, thinly sliced
  • About 1 pound small-medium tomatoes, chopped
  • 1 hothouse, English or seedless cucumber, chopped
  • 4 large pitas (intending 1/2 per person) or more as needed

 

 

 

Mushroom Gnocchi with Walnut Pesto

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  • 1 cup walnuts
  • ½ cup Parmesan cheese
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 1 clove garlic
  • juice of 1 lemon
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 16 ounces fresh sliced mushrooms
  • gnocchi
  1. Toast the walnuts in a nonstick skillet over medium low heat, shaking or stirring to make sure they don’t burn. Pulse the walnuts, parmesan, olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, salt, and pepper until a textured paste forms. Set aside.
  2. Bring a pot of water to boil. Add the gnocchi and cook until they float to the top of the water. Drain and set aside.
  3. While the gnocchi is cooking, heat the butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the mushrooms and saute for a few minutes until the mushrooms are browned. Remove from heat and set aside.
  4. Add the gnocchi to the mushrooms in the pan. Over medium high heat, stir in about half of the walnut mixture. Things will get a little sticky because of the Parmesan, but if you keep browning it, you will end up with gnocchi pieces that have that perfectly golden brown textured exterior (and mushrooms, too). Add the herbs and toss gently to combine.

Apple Pork Roast

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  • Pork
  • 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
  • 1 whole Pork Shoulder Roast (also Called Pork Butt)
  • Salt And Pepper, to taste
  • 4 cups Apple Juice
  • 1 cup Beef Stock
  • 3 whole Apples, Cored And Cut Into Wedges
  • 3 whole Medium Onions, Sliced
  • 1 whole Bay Leaf

o make the pork roast, heat olive oil in a large pot over high heat. Salt and pepper pork roast, then sear on all sides to give it some color. Reduce heat to low. Add apple juice, apple slices, onions, and bay leaf. Cover and simmer for 3 hours. (Or you may place in a 300 degree oven if you prefer.)

When the roast is done, remove the roast, apples, and onions to a platter. Raise heat to medium-high (to high) and boil liquid, reducing it until thick and rich.

Spoon thick sauce over the roast, then cut the roast into slices. Serve with apples, onions, and wild rice.

 

Cauliflower Soup

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1 head cauliflower
olive oil
1 onion
2 cloves garlic
1L low-sodium chicken stock
1/2 c. grated Parmesan
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp. ground coriander
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. ground turmeric

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan or soup pot over medium heat and add the onion and garlic. Cook until softened, but not browned, about 5 minutes.

Add the chopped cauliflower and stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook until the cauliflower is very soft and falling apart, about 15 minutes.

Remove from heat and, using a hand held immersion blender, puree the soup, or puree in small batches in a blender and return it to the pot.

Add the Parmesan and stir until smooth.

Season, to taste, with salt and black pepper. Keep warm until ready to serve.

Stir-Fried Noodles

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  1. Prepare the noodles as needed, then rinse the noodles with cold water. Drain the noodles and shake the strainer a few times to get the noodles as dry as possible.  Toss the noodles with a little vegetable or peanut oil: Return the noodles to the pan you used to cook them and toss them with a little oil. This prevents them from sticking and forming a big mass in the wok.  Cut the noodles.
  2. Heat the wok and add peanut oil.  Stir-fry garlic.
  3. Add meat or vegetable ingredients: Start with stir-frying the meat. Sear for 1 minute without stirring, then stir-fry another minute to work in the aromatics. Add the vegetables. Stir-fry another minute or so until everything nearly cooked, another 1 to 2 minutes.
  4. Add the noodles: Swirl another tablespoon of oil around the hot wok. Add the noodles and mix in with ingredients.
  5. Add the stir-fry sauce: Season the stir-fry with the salt, and swirl in any liquid sauce ingredients, like soy sauce or chicken broth. Stir and toss the noodles and other stir-fry ingredients to coat evenly.
  6. Stir-fry one more minute: Once the sauce has been added, stir and toss the stir-fry just another minute or so, until the noodles are warmed and any meat you’re stir-frying is cooked all the way through.