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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).

Paneer

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  • 1.5 litres whole milk
  • 1 lemon
  1. To make the paneer, line a sieve with a large piece of muslin and place over a bowl. Heat the milk in a large heavy-based pan over a medium heat. Gently bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer.
  2. Gradually add 4 tablespoons of lemon juice, stirring continuously so the curds and whey separate. Carefully pour the mixture into the sieve so the curds collect in the muslin. Place under cold running water to get rid of any whey, then gather up the muslin and squeeze out the excess moisture. Keeping the muslin bundle in the sieve, cover it with a plate and top with a few heavy weights (a couple of tins work well). Place in the fridge for 1 hour 30 minutes to set.

 

Roast Salmon with Mustard and Brown Sugar

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  • Salmon fillets
  • Dijon mustard
  • Brown sugar
  • Salt and black pepper
  1. Heat your oven to 400 degrees.
  2. Make a mixture of Dijon mustard and brown sugar to the degree of spicy-sweetness that pleases you. Salt and pepper the salmon fillets.
  3. Place the salmon fillets skin-side down on a lightly oiled, foil-lined baking sheet. Slather the tops of the fillets with the mustard and brown sugar glaze and slide them into the top half of your oven. They ought to be done in 12 minutes or so, and they pair beautifully with greens.

 

Sweet Potato and Broccoli Miso Bowl

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For the bowl
1 cup dried rice or another cooking grain of your choice
1 to 2 sweet potatoes (about 1.5 pounds)
1 large bundle broccoli (about 1 pound)
1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
Coarse or kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon white sesame seeds
1 teaspoon black sesame seeds

For the miso-sesame dressing
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 small garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons white miso (the mildest kind)
2 tablespoons tahini (other nut butters can work in a pinch)
1 tablespoon honey
1/4 cup rice vinegar
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
2 tablespoons olive oil

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Place rice or grain and cooking liquid in a rice cooker or on the stove. Cook according to package directions.

Peel sweet potatoes and cut into 1-inch cubes. Cut tops off broccoli and separate into bite-sized florets. If your broccoli stems feel especially woody, I like to peel them (with the same vegetable peeler), then cut them into 1/2- to 1-inch segments.

Coat one large or two smaller trays with a thin slick of olive oil. Layer sweet potatoes on tray(s) and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 20 minutes, until browning underneath. Flip and toss chunks around, then add broccoli to the tray(s), season again with salt and pepper, and roast for another 10 to 20 minutes, until broccoli is lightly charred at edges and sweet potato is fully bronzed and tender. Toss chunks around one more time if it looks like they’re cooking unevenly.

In a small skillet, toast black and white sesame seeds until fragrant. (You can do this in the oven if using an oven-proof skillet.) Let cool.

While vegetables roast, prepare sesame-miso dressing: Combine everything in a blender and run until smooth, scraping down sides once. Taste and adjust ingredients if needed, but try to resist adding more honey if it tastes salty, as that extra pop of saltiness is exactly what I think sweet potato needs.

Assemble bowls: Scoop some rice/grains into each, then pile on the roasted sweet potatoes and broccoli. Coat lightly with sesame-miso dressing and finish with toasted sesame seed duo. Serve with extra dressing on the side.

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Place rice or grain and cooking liquid in a rice cooker or on the stove. Cook according to package directions.

Peel sweet potatoes and cut into 1-inch cubes. Cut tops off broccoli and separate into bite-sized florets. If your broccoli stems feel especially woody, I like to peel them (with the same vegetable peeler), then cut them into 1/2- to 1-inch segments.

Coat one large or two smaller trays with a thin slick of olive oil. Layer sweet potatoes on tray(s) and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 20 minutes, until browning underneath. Flip and toss chunks around, then add broccoli to the tray(s), season again with salt and pepper, and roast for another 10 to 20 minutes, until broccoli is lightly charred at edges and sweet potato is fully bronzed and tender. Toss chunks around one more time if it looks like they’re cooking unevenly.

In a small skillet, toast black and white sesame seeds until fragrant. (You can do this in the oven if using an oven-proof skillet.) Let cool.

While vegetables roast, prepare sesame-miso dressing: Combine everything in a blender and run until smooth, scraping down sides once. Taste and adjust ingredients if needed, but try to resist adding more honey if it tastes salty, as that extra pop of saltiness is exactly what I think sweet potato needs.

Assemble bowls: Scoop some rice/grains into each, then pile on the roasted sweet potatoes and broccoli. Coat lightly with sesame-miso dressing and finish with toasted sesame seed duo. Serve with extra dressing on the side.

 

Miso Chicken

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  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
  • ½ cup white miso
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar (do not use seasoned rice vinegar)
  • Black pepper, to taste
  • 8 skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs, approximately 2 1/2 to 3 pounds
  1. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Combine butter, miso, honey, rice vinegar and black pepper in a large bowl and mix with a spatula or spoon until it is well combined.
  2. Add chicken to the bowl and massage the miso-butter mixture all over it. Place the chicken in a single layer in a roasting pan and slide it into the oven. Roast for 30 to 40 minutes, turning the chicken pieces over once or twice, until the skin is golden brown and crisp, and the internal temperature of the meat is 160 to 165 degrees.

suggestions:
can add tahini, reduce butter
can add soy sauce
can add cubed sweet potato and onion

Jamaican Jerk Chicken

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  • 6 green onions (white and green parts), coarsely chopped
  • 4 Scotch bonnet or habanero peppers, coarsely chopped
  • 4 sprigs fresh cilantro
  • 4 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
  • 1 tablespoon minced gingerroot
  • 1 tablespoon ground allspice*
  • 2 teaspoons each dried oregano and sweet paprika
  • 1 teaspoon each ground coriander, ground cloves, freshly grated nutmeg, and salt
  • 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (about 3 limes)
  • 2 tablespoons each soy sauce and olive oil
  • 4 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
  • Sea salt
  • Lime wedges
  • 6 green onions (white and green parts), coarsely chopped
  • 4 Scotch bonnet or habanero peppers, coarsely chopped
  • 4 sprigs fresh cilantro
  • 4 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
  • 1 tablespoon minced ginger root
  • 1 tablespoon ground allspice*
  • 2 teaspoons each dried oregano and sweet paprika
  • 1 teaspoon each ground coriander, ground cloves, freshly grated nutmeg, and salt
  • 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (about 3 limes)
  • 2 tablespoons each soy sauce and olive oil
  • 4 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
  • Sea salt
  • Lime wedges

Preparation

  1. In food processor fitted with the metal blade, combine green onions, Scotch bonnet peppers, cilantro, garlic, thyme, ginger root, allspice, oregano, paprika, coriander, cloves, nutmeg, and salt. Pulse until finely chopped, about 12 times, scraping down side of bowl as necessary. Add lime juice, soy sauce, and oil, and process until incorporated.
  2. Place one layer of chicken in a large nonreactive bowl or dish, and cover with some of the marinade, rubbing it into the skin. Repeat layering with chicken and marinade, and pour any remaining marinade over top when completed. Cover and refrigerate at least four hours or up to overnight.
  3. When you are ready to cook, preheat barbecue to high. Place chicken on preheated barbecue and grill, turning once, until instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Season to taste with sea salt. Serve immediately with lime wedges.

Rosemary Olive Oil Bread

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3 cups all-purpose or bread flour, plus more as needed
2 teaspoons instant yeast
2 teaspoons coarse kosher or sea salt
1/3 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves

3 cups all-purpose or bread flour, plus more as needed
2 teaspoons instant yeast
2 teaspoons coarse kosher or sea salt
1/3 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves

1. Combine the flour, yeast, and salt in a food processor. Turn on the machine and add the olive oil through the feed tube, followed by 3/4 cup water. Process for about 30 seconds, adding more water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the mixture forms a ball and is slightly sticky to the touch.

2. Turn the dough onto a floured work surface and, by hand, knead in the rosemary until the dough feels smooth. Put it in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise until the dough doubles in size, about 2 hours. (You can cut this rising time as short as 1 hour if you are in a hurry, or you can let the dough rise more slowly, in the refrigerator, for up to 8 hours. At this point, you may also wrap the dough tightly in plastic and freeze for up to a month; defrost in a covered bowl in the refrigerator or at room temperature.)

3. Lightly dust a work surface with flour. Shape the dough into a boule, sprinkling with flour as necessary but keeping it to a minimum. Line a colander or large bowl with a well-floured kitchen towel, set the loaf in the bowl, and cover with another towel (this keeps it from spreading too much). Let the dough rise for at least an hour and preferably longer, up to 2 hours.

4. About 45 minutes before the dough has risen, heat the oven to 425°F. Put an ovenproof skillet (preferably cast iron) on the floor or the lowest rack while the oven heats. If you’re using a baking stone, put it on the rack above the skillet while the oven heats; if not, line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

5. Once you’re ready to bake, slide or turn the dough out onto a lightly floured peel or flexible cutting board, seam side down, or just transfer it to the prepared baking sheet. Rub the loaf with a little flour (this helps prevent scorching) and slash the top with a sharp knife or razor blade. Use the peel or cutting board to slide the loaf onto the baking stone or slide the baking sheet into the oven. Partially pull out the rack with the heated skillet and very carefully pour 1 cup hot water into the skillet (it will create a lot of steam). Slide the rack back in and immediately close the oven door.

6. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, turning the bread or the baking sheet halfway through, until the crust is golden brown, the bottom sounds hollow when tapped, and the internal temperature reaches 200°F on a quick-read thermometer. If the bread is browning too quickly, lower the temperature to 400°F. Remove and cool on a wire rack.

 

Sprouted Whole Wheat French Loaf

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  • 4-5 cups sprouted whole wheat flour
  • 2 cups warm water — 110°
  • 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup
  • Egg wash (we used a small amount of organic olive oil instead)
  1. In a large bowl or stand mixer, combine water, yeast, and maple syrup. Allow to stand 5 minutes for yeast to soften. Mix in the salt and half the flour (about 2 1/2 cups) until smooth. Cover with a towel and set aside at room temperature for 3 hours.
  2. Mix in the remaining flour, up to a total of 5 cups, until dough is smooth. If using a stand mixer, mix with the dough hook for 5-8 minutes. Otherwise, turn dough out on a lightly floured surface and knead by hand for 5-8 minutes. (Dough will be more sticky and less firm than dough made with white flour).
  3. Lightly oil a bowl with olive oil. Place dough in bowl, then turn over so oiled surface faces up. Cover with plastic wrap and a dish towel and let rise for 1-1 1/2 hours, or until double in size.
  4. Preheat oven to 450°. Place dough on a lightly floured surface and gently knead again. Divide dough into two parts. Roll each half between your hands and the counter to stretch the dough into a long loaf shape, about 15″ in length. Place on a baking sheet or in a baguette pan (see photo). Slice the tops of the loaves diagonally about 1/4″ deep with a razor blade or sharp knife. Let rise for at least 20-30 minutes.
  5. Place a shallow pan of hot water (about 1 1/2 cups) on the lowest bottom rack in the preheated oven.
  6. Bake baguettes on the middle rack for 12-14 minutes, watch to be sure the loaves do not become too browned–tent with foil if browning too fast. While the loaves are baking, prepare the egg wash by gently mixing 1 egg white and 1 tablespoon of cold water.Tap the bottom of the loaf and if it sounds hollow its ready. Allow to cool fully on a wire rack.
  7. Remove the pan of water and brush the loaves with the egg wash. Return loaves to the oven and bake for 3-5 more minutes or until loaves are golden brown.
  8. Cool completely before slicing. Serve with butter or olive oil or dipping.

Note: Baking the bread with a pan of water to replicate the steam ovens used in French baking creates a crust that has pull and is pleasantly chewy. However, in areas of high humidity, it is not necessary and can make the bread seem under-baked when finished. Simply bake the bread as directed without that step.

Roasted Fish

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  • 1 small bunch fresh lemon or regular thyme
  • 1 ½ pounds hake, cod or flounder fillets
  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt, more as needed
  • Black pepper
  • 3 large bell peppers, preferably 1 red, 1 orange and 1 yellow, thinly sliced
  • 4 ½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, more for drizzling
  • ¼ cup pitted, sliced black or green olives, or use a combination
  • 1 teaspoon sherry vinegar
  • 1 garlic clove, grated
  • 1 cup loosely packed Italian parsley leaves, chopped
  1. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Pull 1 tablespoon thyme leaves off the bunch and finely chop.
  2. Season fish all over with a large pinch or two of salt and pepper and rub with chopped thyme leaves. Let rest at room temperature while you prepare peppers.
  3. Spread peppers on a rimmed sheet pan and toss with 1 1/2 tablespoons oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and the black pepper. Top peppers with the remaining thyme sprigs. Roast, tossing occasionally, until peppers are softened and golden at the edges, 15 to 20 minutes.
  4. Increase oven temperature to 500 degrees. Push peppers to the edges of the pan, clearing a space in the center. Lay fish out on that empty space and drizzle with oil. Scatter olives over the top of fish and peppers. Roast until fish turns opaque and is just cooked through, 6 to 10 minutes.
  5. Meanwhile, combine vinegar, garlic and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Whisk in remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil, then whisk in parsley. Taste and add more salt or vinegar, or both, if needed. Serve fish and peppers drizzled with vinaigrette.