What do you do when you want to invite a new friend over for dinner, but they live thousands of miles away? You start a monthly series with them about local, seasonal foods in each prospective person’s country—at least, that is what happened with Sandee and me. Sandee Mangas is a fantastic cook, recipe developer, photographer, mother, and professor who lives in Spain. Her blog, La Receta de la Felicidad (The Recipe For Happiness) is fresh, inspiring, and downright different—which is hard to find these days. I was immediately transfixed with her distinct style of cooking and presenting food. So we started tweeting, then emailing, and finally, we decided it would be fun to do a cross continental project together.
Each month, we choose a seasonal ingredient and create a dish to share share with each other and you. This month, it’s red cabbage—a beautiful, versatile, spring-time vegetable. The idea behind this project is to not only share recipes, but to share a little bit of our culture, our countries, and ourselves via our food; to create another conversation that allows us to experience the flavor—the essence—of a place. The language of food is universal because everybody eats. It’s a beautiful and accessible way to connect with those who are near or far, similar or different, or just want to share a good meal with the people they love.
The recipes we made this month were a surprise for us both. As it turns out, Sandee and I are not that far after all…
Make sure to travel over to La Receta de la Felicidad for Sandee’s Cabbage Filled Puff Pastry recipe, it’s amazing. Below you’ll find my Red Cabbage and Radicchio salad recipe in both English and Spanish. Cheers!
Red Cabbage and Radicchio Salad
Rough chop the cabbage and radicchio. Finely chop the parsley and mince the garlic. Toss everything together with the olive oil and lemon juice, then salt and pepper to taste. Optional: grate a little salty, pecorino romano cheese on top for an added layer of nuttiness and depth. Enjoy!
En Español
Ensalada de lombarda y achicoria
Trocea groseramente la lombarda y la achicoria. Pica el perejil, y lamina el ajo. Mezcla todo con el aceite de oliva y el zumo de limón, y salpimenta al gusto. Opcionalmente, puedes rallar por encima un poco de pecorino rallado… y a disfrutar!
Full disclosure: I hate(d) beets. Those sad, cold, gelatinous things they at least called beets at salad bars were my first experience with them. And ever since trying one at probably somewhere around the age of six, I couldn’t make myself eat one again. This was strange for me, normally I’m a highly adventurous eater. So I decided to give them another go about a year ago—roasted. Not bad, not bad at all, I remember thinking to myself as the jewel toned juice colored my teeth and my new-found appreciation. I went on analyzing: I do love the color, absolutely another reason to like them for me, and the earthy smell isn’t quite so repulsive anymore. In fact, it’s kind of settling.
Fast forward to last week, I was flipping through Color Me Vegan and saw a recipe for beet burgers. There’s something alluring about the semi-confusing, non-conventional set up of this cookbook that has absolutely captivated me. Maybe it’s Ms. Patrick-Goudreau’s talk of color in food, her simple dishes, or her explanations about what exactley each color does for you, but I dig it.
I still can’t figure out what compelled me to make these burgers, because they are not something I would normally gravitate to. But questioning my motives aside, I’m sure as heck glad I did. Colorful, spicy, fantastic texture with crispy edges and completely satiating, you can even freeze these bad boys and whip one (or two) out for lunches or those nights you need a “freezer special” for dinner. I found that not only did I like them as a “burger” or sandwich, but they are great over a bed of greens (try arugula). Don’t forget to top them with a generous squeeze of fresh lime juice, a few slices of avocado (or a half an avocado) and a few spoonfuls of your favorite salsa. And get ready to have a new favorite to add to the weekly rotation.
Beet Burgers, via Color Me Vegan
Don’t be shy with the cayenne or tamari/salt. I added a little bit more of all three in the latest batch and it really brought the flavors of the rest of the fresh ingredients to new heights.
* To cook bulgar: place in a pot and pour 1 2/3 cups boiling water on top. Cover tightly with lid and let sit for 25-30 minutes. ** To roast sunflower and sesame seeds: preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Pour seeds in a jelly roll pan and shake gently to even them out. Place in the oven for 10 minutes, take out, toss a little, then place back in the oven for 5-10 minutes more. You will smell them as they get closer to being done.
In a large bowl, combine grated beets, bulgur, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, onion, bread crumbs, oil, flour, parsley, garlic, tamari, cayenne and salt. Toss well and see if you can make a patty. These are pretty crumbly even if you can make a patty, but if it is being super stubborn, just add a little more flour and toss again. Make your patties and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until some of the edges or edge pieces get crispy. Feel free to bake longer if you want it to be more crunchy.
Serve on a bun, on toast, or on a bed of greens. Top with sliced avocado, fresh lime juice, red onion rings, sliced tomatoes, and/or a few scoops of your favorite salsa. Enjoy!
I like surprises. And changing things up every now and then. I also love butternut squash. It’s one of those fall foods that I never seem to get enough of and am always looking for new ways to devour. Butternut squash is creamy, colorful, grounding, warming, and (ful)filling. My normal tendency is to use it in a soup, but sometimes a girl just doesn’t want to make soup! So I searched around a little and found an old Gourmet magazine recipe I needed to try.
This week, a group of us are also detoxing together. So far, so good! We’re not fasting, we’re eating only whole foods–no sugars, white flours, or processed foods. In fact, we’re eating recipes a lot like this Mediterranean Butternut Squash. Soups, stir-frys, curries, whole grains, legumes, and greens are all part of the package. I know I am feeling pretty great from it! If you are detoxing with me, make sure you use a whole wheat couscous, quinoa, short grain brown rice, or some other whole grain instead of the Israeli Couscous. Israeli couscous, while delicious and a favorite of mine, is ultimately made out of white flour. However, if you are just making this for the good eats, go for it! Or mix it up a little and try a different grain that you like.
I loved this dish because all the flavors are present: salty, sour, sweet, pungent, bitter, and astringent. It is bright, not only in color, but in flavor and smell. Bright smells like lemon and parsley, bring out the flavors of the more subtle foods like the butternut squash and grains. The golden raisins bring together everything in perfect taste-harmony. It’s different, it’s fresh, it’s delicious, and it is even healthy. Enjoy!
Mediterranean Butternut Squash, via Epicurious
1 preserved lemon (or, I used just one regular fresh lemon and it came out great–just zest the entire thing and use all of it’s juice) 1 1/2 pound butternut squash, peeled and seeded, and cut into 1/4-inch dice 3 tablespoons olive oil 1 large onion, chopped 1 3/4 cups Israeli couscous or acini di pepe (tiny peppercorn-shaped pasta), about 1 pound 1 (3-inch) cinnamon stick 1 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley 1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted 1/2 cup golden raisins 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Preheat oven to 475°F.
Halve lemons and scoop out flesh, keeping both flesh and peel. Cut enough peel into 1/4-inch dice to measure 1/4 cup. Put lemon flesh in a sieve set over a bowl and press with back of a spoon to extract juice.
Toss squash with 1 tablespoon oil and salt to taste in a large shallow baking pan and spread in 1 layer. Roast in upper third of oven 15 minutes, or until squash is just tender, and transfer to a large bowl.
Cook onion in 1 tablespoon oil in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until just beginning to turn golden. Add to squash.
Cook couscous with cinnamon stick in a large pot of boiling salted water 10 minutes, or until just tender, and drain in a colander (do not rinse). Add couscous to vegetables and toss with 2 tablespoon oil to coat.
Add lemon peel and juice, parsley, nuts, raisins, ground cinnamon, and salt to taste. Toss to mix well.
I look forward to roasted vegetables because to me, they signify one of the many tastes of fall. This autumn, however, has been so beautiful up here in the Pacific Northwest (and the weather has been pretty warm around the rest of the country too) that roasting somehow just hadn’t felt appropriate yet. It has everything to do with enjoying these last warm days, eeking out as much summer-like weather as possible. That’s why I hadn’t jumped on the roasting wagon yet–until yesterday.
Not only was this delicious, it was ridiculously simple. This dish embodies all the earthy, lovely flavors of early fall. It certainly got me in the mood for crisp air, freshly fallen leaves, and rosy cheeks! Go home and make this tonight–it’s so fast and easy you’ll be amazed and literally thanking yourself. (I know I did.) Get those red grapes out of the back of the fridge, grab a red onion, a garlic bulb, and a can of chickpeas from the cabinet. If you don’t have any peppers (red, orange, or yellow work best for this–sorry green pepper lovers!) already, pick some up on the way home. Then here’s what you do: turn on your oven to preheat to 450 degrees F. Chop the peppers, the onion, and take the garlic’s out of their skins (just throw a bunch of whole cloves on there, don’t worry about chopping them). Drain and wash the chickpeas, rinse off and detach the grapes from their stems. Toss everything together on a baking sheet with a few tablespoons of olive oil, some sea salt, and fresh pepper. Bake for 30 minutes and serve. Done and done. See? Simple. Enjoy your dinner!
Versatile, seasonal, and low-cost. Those words are music to my ears! Especially when it comes to fantastic tasting summer salads for the many BBQ’s, get togethers, and parties the warmer months spur on. I’ve been really enjoying two salads in particular: a pesto pasta heirloom tomato salad and a wheat-berry spinach salad. Pesto is super versatile and is the perfect playground for imaginative flavor combination. You simply start with a green base: basil, mint, Italian parsley, or spinach to name a few. Then you add in a little zest: fresh garlic, scallions, red onion, green onion, etc. Next, you might want to bulk it up a little, try: pine nuts, fresh crumbly parmesan (Trader Joe’s sells some of my favorite Parmigiano-Reggiano), sun-dried tomatoes, etc. Of course, don’t forget the olive oil, nothing less than 1/4 cup will do–it needs to be nice and juicy. And there you go! This particular pesto salad I used Italian Parsley, sun-dried tomatoes, fresh garlic cloves, salt, pepper, and olive oil. It was fresh, summery, and delicious! Next time, I think I may try adding some Parmesan too, just to mix it up a little.
Parsley Pesto 1 bunch fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley 4 cloves fresh garlic 4 sun dried tomato halves, soaked in hot water for 15 mins 1/4 cup olive oil salt and pepper to taste optional 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
Pulse in your food processor until a past, fold into pasta (I used Oreccheti pasta, one of my favorite shapes). Add sliced heirloom tomatoes and stir. Serve and enjoy!
Wheat berries are one of my favorite grains. I love their chewy texture and how satiating they are! I also love them because their flavor expands and develops the better you chew them. As someone who tends to eat on the fast side (or more like wolfing down food! I just get excited I guess), this has been a great food to eat for me to meditate a little more on the amazing range of flavors and textures a food can provide. Wheat berries tend to be more of a winter food, however, I’ve found that using them in cool summer salads have been great. I like the tangy flavor of the feta mixed with the subtle sweetness of the wheat berry and the green crunch of the fresh spinach. A dollop of olive oil, a squeeze of fresh lemon, a little pepper and wha-la, summer wheat berry salad!
Wheat Berry Salad 1 cup wheat berries, boiled in 4 cups water for 70 mins on low 1 package of feta cheese (I say the more the better, but this is total personal preference) 1 clove fresh garlic or 1 scallion, minced 1 bag or package of fresh baby spinach 1/2 small lemon juice 1/8 cup olive oil salt and pepper to taste
Wash wheat berries in a strainer until the water runs clear. Boil 4 cups water and add the washed berries, cook on low heat for 70 minutes. Strain berries from cooking water and transfer to a bowl. Add feta, garlic or scallion, spinach, lemon juice, and olive oil and stir. Let sit for a few minutes to let the spinach soften just a bit. Serve at room temperature and enjoy!
I made the avocado cake again and decorated the top with fresh raspberries (from my Aunt’s garden) and fresh strawberries (from Mt. Hood). I like cake.
Andrew and I went on a trip through Central Oregon for the holiday weekend. Oregon never ceases to amaze me–the coast is so beautiful but central Oregon has sun (and more sun!), desert, fantastic hikes, views of the Cascade’s that will blow your mind, and cute towns with good brew pubs. We first went to Crater Lake. We tried to go last year but the lake was hidden beneath a thick blanket of smoke from smoldering forest fires (they happen naturally from lightning). So we went again to get the full majestic and breathtaking views it has to offer.
Looks a lot like the Caribbean! Crater Lake’s water is clear and amazing.
We also went to Bend and Smith Rocks. The desert was beautiful–hot sun, but the air was cool. The temperature did not rise above 78 degrees F. We camped there then drove home the following day on some scenic back roads.
From left: Mt. Bachelor, The Three Sisters, Mt. Jefferson.
Andrew took this photo!
We stumbled upon these beautiful falls and a lake most appropriately called Clear Lake. Row boats beckoned us, so we went out on the lake for a break from our drive. This alpine lake was a gem to stumble upon!
Cheers for summer!
Thank you all for playing along with Where in the World! I was, in fact, on a cruise hopping along the south east coast of Alaska–so kudos to those of you who threw that one out there! Norway, Patagonia, and Sweden were all fantastic (and places I plan to visit sometime) guesses. I chose the winners based on if they knew the exact location of the picture which makes Mary, Rebecca, Rainbow, and Grace the winners! Congratulations!
Day One: Glacier Bay
Day Two: Juneau
Day Three: Sitka
I didn’t post pictures of these places (only so many hours in the day!) but we also went to Ketchikan…
…and Victoria, B.C.
The trip exceeded our expectations with the beauty, lush sea life, forests, and diverse landscapes. From the baby hump back who wanted to play with us to the still waters and quiet forest we kayaked in, the people, rich history, and stunning vistas in south east Alaska absolutely blew us out of the water–pun intended 
.
Winners: please email me your address and which picture (choose any of the ones posted from the trip) you’d like. Congrats again!
And now I leave you with a picture of our first garden harvest: heirloom French (also known as breakfast) radishes! We ate them sliced with a fresh avocado, a squeeze of lemon, and some sea salt.
Last weekend, Andrew and I went to visit his brother and sister-in-law for a little mini-vacation. It had been a while since we had gone anywhere, and when the opportunity arose to get out of town for a bit, we jumped at it. We did some skiing and snowboarding–well, I attempted with the snowboard. I was down in the snow more than I was up on the board! Andrew, on the other hand, is an incredible skier–but he was really patient with my foibles and wipe-outs, never leaving me in the dust (or powder!–what they call that soft, powdery snow in the Rocky Mountains), and always encouraging.
I also had the chance to see a little bit of Salt Lake City itself. The scenery around this city is absolutely stunning. Stunning! Surrounded by mountains on all sides looking like they’ve been lightly dusted with powdered sugar this time of year and the city spreads out across the valley.
While there, Alana (Andrew’s sister-in-law) and I teamed up to make dinner one night. She made her famous prosciutto wrapped scallops with apples and sage–it was fantastic! The combination of flavors and textures was flawless–the apples paired with the sage and browned together with the scallops were like magic. And, surprisingly easy to do! On the side, she made some crispy yet tender roasted asparagus and then threw in some tomatoes to roast too. Together we made a basic french bread loaf and a lovely panna cotta with blackberry compote for dessert. I had so much fun! I really love cooking with others, especially people who are just as excited about good food.
Prosciutto wrapped sea scallops 4 servings 12-16 large scallops, washed and dried 8 slices Prosciutto, halved lengthwise 1 bunch fresh sage 1/4 cup butter (60 ml) 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for garnish (30 ml) 2 apples (pink lady, gala, golden delicious), peeled and cored 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar (15 ml) Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice (5 ml) 1 tablespoon butter (15 ml)
Pat the scallops dry and wrap one half-slice of the prosciutto around the equator of the scallop. You can use toothpicks or kitchen twine. Melt 2 tbsp. of butter and olive oil together in a sauté pan. Bring to a slight smoke.
Toss in the sage leaves and sliced apples wedges into the pan. Season with salt and pepper. Turn up the heat and add the sherry vinegar. Cook until soft and caramelized. Finish the sauce by swirling in butter until just melted. Add lemon juice.
Season the scallops with salt and pepper and place in the pan. Cook for 2 minutes per side, or until golden.
Image by Andrew Owen
Panna Cotta via David Lebovits
4 cups (1l) heavy cream (or half-and-half) 1/2 cup (100g) sugar 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract, or 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise 2 packets powdered gelatin (about 4 1/2 teaspoons) 6 tablespoons (90ml) cold water
Heat the heavy cream and sugar in a saucepan or microwave. Once the sugar is dissolved, remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
(If using a vanilla bean, scrape the seeds from the bean into the cream and add the bean pod. Cover, and let infuse for 30 minutes. Remove the bean then rewarm the mixture before continuing.)
Lightly oil eight custard cups with a neutral-tasting oil.
Sprinkle the gelatin over the cold water in a medium-sized bowl and let stand 5 to 10 minutes.
Pour the very warm Panna Cotta mixture over the gelatin and stir until the gelatin is completely dissolved.
Divide the Panna Cotta mixture into the prepared cups, then chill them until firm, which will take at least two hours but I let them stand at least four hours. (Judy told me American refrigerators are colder than European ones. )
If you’re pressed for time, pour the Panna Cotta mixture into wine goblets so you can serve them in the glasses, without unmolding. Run a sharp knife around the edge of each Panna Cotta and unmold each onto a serving plate, and garnish as desired.
For the blackberry compote: 2/3 bag frozen blackberries thawed or 1 carton fresh blackberries a dash of cinnamon a pinch of nutmeg a splash of vanilla
In a saute pan over medium high heat, combine all the ingredients, stirring with a wooden spoon to break up some of the berries for more juice. Heat until about half of the berries are juicy and serve warm over the cooled panna cottas.
The past few weeks have been tireless. I honestly have no one to blame other than myself–being one’s own workhorse has it’s benefits and drawbacks. The benefits of finding my own path, and choosing how best to accomplish my goals definitely outweigh the negatives. However, I tend to get wrapped up in worries–incessant, ceaseless, never ending lists of worries that try their damnedest to bring me down. This winter, I took a lot of time to pin point the sources of these worries and get to the root of some of my core fears. This, my friends, was challenging! I realized that I fed off of some of my fears, basing my reality in what was little more than a distant childhood memory. How liberating is has been to even just realize this–and now, to be able to take steps and move forward.
The past few days have been especially challenging–I can trace back most of my angst to one little place: impatience. And there are two sides to everything–on the upside, impatience gets a fire lit for me, get’s me going in areas that I may dawdle or procrastinate unnecessarily on. But on the other hand, when I’ve done everything that there possibly could be done, or better yet, I am in the MIDDLE of doing something (like research or planning…) I imagine the final result so clearly, that I just want it NOW. Does this ever happen to you? This is when try to remind myself “Hey girl, slow down. Good things come to those who wait…”, well, I certainly hope that’s true, chimes in my cynical side.
Today I had one of those serendipitous moments where I met with a friend and she was having some of the same concerns. It is interesting, and in a way calming, to hear your own questions being voiced by someone else. It’s like, ‘Hey! That’s what I was thinking too!’ in that way that really brings people closer together. I don’t know why I get in the rut of thinking I’m alone, or I’m the only one who thinks/feels… but it is just not true, for any of us. And that fact is really such a wonderful thing to dwell on for a moment.
Verde means green in Spanish. It’s the color of my city 365 days a year, the color of my eyes, and the color of millions of living things. It is also a color that I’ve been wanting to eat more of. If you are not convinced, check out my post on kale I did a few months ago–talk about a super food. To welcome the warmer weather (WELCOME WARM WEATHER!!! I’ve MISSED you!), I decided to make a green smoothie–just to see how it would go. Would it be palatable? Delicious? Or spit-it-out so bad? I decided it wouldn’t kill me to try, in fact, it would do just the opposite! So what the heck. But after making it, I was so convinced by its great flavor (and especially the way it made me feel long term)I decided that this was going to become a new habit. Green smoothie making would be something I did each week and if I made enough, I would only have to do it once, maybe twice, a week–perfect!
The smoothie I made was juicy and full of pulp, just the way I like it–it had undertones of green but vibrant flavors of mango, ginger, and a little coconut. There are so many combinations, I’ll give you a list to get your creative juices (no pun intended, or maybe there is…) flowing. I found that having a glass of this for breakfast, I wasn’t hungry until lunch–no crazy hunger pains or blood sugar drops mid morning and I felt great. I’ve been drinking the rest of it for the past few days which has been a nice treat and snack. It’s so easy to grab for this, instead of a hunk of cheese or something of that sort (which I normally do), and feel satiated. I’m glad I took the challenge!
Tricia’s Green Smoothie 3-4 leaves dino kale, washed and stem removed, rough chopped 1 hunk (about the size of your thumb) fresh ginger, skin removed 1 tablespoon flax seeds 1/2 cup coconut kefir (you can use yogurt, regular kefir, or just juice instead here) 1 cup pinapple juice 1 fresh mango, skin removed and sliced 1 stick celery, washed and cut into 4-5 pieces, easier for the blender
Blend it and drink up!
Other smoothie ideas: 2-3 cups any greens of your choice, 2 cups papaya, 2 oranges, 3 dates
1 handful lettuce leaves, 1 handful mint, 4 bananas, 1/2 cup water
Winter Smoothie – 1 cup organic frozen berries (any kind), 2 cups fresh spinach, 1/4 inch fresh ginger, water
Spring Smoothie – fresh orange juice, ripe bananas, frozen mangoes, and several large leaves of kale (extra frozen mango gives lovely thick consistency you eat with a bowl + spoon)
1/2 bunch romaine lettuce, 1 cup strawberries, 2 bananas, water
4-5 kale leaves, 4 apples, 1/2 lemon juiced, water
2 big handfuls mixed baby greens, 2 pears, 2 mangoes, 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
Choc-mint – 2 cups spinach, 10-12 mint leaves, 3 bananas, 2 Tbs. carob powder, 1 cup water
1 handful of spinach, 2 stalks of celery, 2 bananas, 2 pears, 1 apple, 1 cup water
1 small handful of spinach, 2 cups arugula, 2-3 mangoes, 1 cup water
1/2 head romaine lettuce, 1 small pineapple, 1 large mango, 1-inch fresh ginger
1 handful wild greens (e.g. dandelion), 1 small handful mint leaves, 3 cups honeydew melon
3-4 stalks celery, 2 ripe persimmons, 1 banana
1 handful chard leaves, 5-6 kale leaves, 3 large bananas, 1 cup water
1 handful parsley, 3 cups of peeled papaya
I’ve been using what is in my refrigerator and cupboards to find inspiration to think of some new (or old, but haven’t eaten in a long time) snack ideas. Forcing myself to turn on a different part of my brain, to actually try to see what I have differently, has been a challenge! But a good one–I do love a challenge. Thankfully, I’ve been good about buying “whole foods” for the most part–nuts, seeds, dried fruits, vegetables, grains. But sometimes seeing foods like this in their raw, or native forms, can be overwhelming. What the heck can I make with all of this? Once I get over that initial shock of seeing, my brain goes into create-mode.
Yesterday, I found some celery that needed to be eaten, seed butter, and raisins—the perfect combination for the classic Ants on a Log. I don’t even remember the last time I ate this snack, but it was all around satisfying. It tasted of playgrounds, elementary school lunch-time, and I thought I may have even heard the shrill laughter of young kids playing as I crunched into this memory-laden snack. Try making it with a variety of nut or seed butters–almond, cashew, and sunflower seed butter are all great. Instead of just using raisins, experiment with dried blueberries, cherries, or cranberries. You can even sprinkle some sliced almonds on top as well, for a little added crunch!
In the fridge, there was also an abundance of heirloom carrots and a big ginger root. (I always keep a ton of ginger around, especially during the winter months.) So I juiced them and drank the sweet, spicy juice with my logs! This juice is a great pick me up in the afternoon–especially if you are craving something sweet.
During my hunt, I also came across several cans of beans, some frozen chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, and cilantro. Recently, I had read about tortas, a Mexican style sandwich that is as versatile as it is delicious. And since hadn’t had one since I’d last been in Mexico City four or five years ago, I suddenly had a craving! I used to get them from a small sandwich shop in La Condesa; they were slightly crunchy on the outside and absolutely filled a with combination of refried beans, pork, sausage, salsas, tomatillos, avocado (either as guac or straight up), mayo, vegetables (fresh or stir-fried), cheese (either crumbled on or melted over)–basically you name it, you got it. My favorite was pretty simple—beans, avocado, salsa (red with chunks of tomato and onion), and crumbled cheese. So I used some left over ciabatta and toasted it for the bread; Andrew and I made the most amazing refried bean recipe ever; we sliced up some avocado, drizzled on the salsa, and crumbled some good feta on top (yes, feta, and it is fantastic on this sandwich!) and wa la! A torta that took me right back to La Ciudad de Mexico.
Chipotle Refried Beans, via FOODday
Makes more than enough for 4-6 sandwiches
This recipe makes more beans than you likely will need. Save the rest for quesadillas, burritos, huevos rancheros or future tortas.
2 15oz cans black beans, well drained and rinsed 2 cloves garlic 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin 2 tablespoons minced cilantro leaves – I used some flat leaf parsley here and it still tasted great 1 to 3 canned chipotle peppers–you can use chipotles in adobo sauce, also excellent! 1/2 cup water 1 to 2 tablespoons firmly packed brown sugar 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil pinch of salt 1 lime, squeezed
In a food processor combine the beans, garlic, cumin, cilantro, chiles, water, brown sugar, and lime juice; process until smooth, scraping down sides as necessary with a rubber spatula. Pulse in 3 tablespoons of olive oil and adjust seasoning accordingly.
Heat remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil in large nonstick skillet set over medium-high heat. Once shimmering, add the bean mixture and cook, stirring frequently, until texture has thickened and flavor has mellowed, 8 to 10 minutes on medium high heat. Prepare sandwhiches immediately or transfer to bowl and keep warm.
Salud!
In the past few days, I’ve had several encounters with the wonderful root vegetable, the parsnip. On Sunday, my friend Blake made me brunch and she was gushing about parsnips. She is going to have a weekly cooking spot on a local news channel and is going to talk about seasonal produce and demonstrate simple recipes–the first one is going to be about the parsnip. “No one knows what it is, much less how to cook with it!” she mused with me, “and they’re easy to grow too!”.
It’s true. My run-ins have been much fewer and farther between than I’d like with the parsnip– and all root vegetables in general. I’ve used them in projects and have cooked with them a few times (see the Uprooted Dinner) but buying them and making them on a regular basis has escaped me. Blake rattled off the recipe she was going to demonstrate on the show and I just felt my eyes get wider as I heard words like “balsamic vinegar…apples…roasting…and wa la!” I made a mental note to get the whole recipe from her and try it out…
The following day was my first day of lectures at Integrated Nutrition. To make connecting and discussion easier in an online format, all of the distance learning students were broken up into groups, each with the name of a root vegetable. Maybe you’ve already guessed what group I am in, but none other than the Parsnip Group! I had a good laugh–but was sort of surprised how many people in my group had never tried a parsnip themselves. I emailed Blake, confirming her statement that parsnips go pretty much unloved (and unknown) by the general populace, and asked for her roasted-winter-vegetable-wonder-goodness that she had rattled off to me the day before in order to share with my fellow Parsnippers and you!
She was so gracious to share this recipe with me! And she’s one of the most talented Chefs I know–she is exceedingly passionate about cooking, food, and farming–and you can taste it in her meals. It’s a rare but wonderfully quality to experience this in someone who cooks for you 
. So go ahead, make this and taste the variety winter root veggies have to offer! And if you make it for someone you love, you will definitely taste that in there too. Cheers!
Roasted Winter Vegetables with Apple and Pancetta, via Blake at Good Keuken
Roasting rutabagas is a wonderful way to take advantage of this lesser-known of our winter root vegetables. The flavors of the carrots, apples and balsamic glaze compliment the sweetness of the rutabaga while adding color. And lets be frank, everyone loves the addition of pancetta. –Blake
Serves 8
2 large rutabagas
2 large parsnips, or 4 smallish ones
2 carrots
1 yellow onion
1/4 cup golden raisons
1/4 lb pancetta
2 Granny Smith apples
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
olive oil
2 tbsp chopped parsley
salt & pepper
Preheat oven to 400°.
Peel and chop vegetables. Chop the apples (do not peel) and hold aside.
In a small saucepan, combine the balsamic vinegar and sugar. Bring to a simmer and reduce by half, creating a syrup.
Drizzle olive oil in a roasting or Pyrex pan, at least 9”x13”.
Spread vegetables and raisons in the pan, drizzle with more olive oil and salt to taste (about 1 1/2 tsp).
Pour the glaze over the vegetables. Top everything with chopped pancetta (leaving the pancetta on top allows it to crisp).
Roast at 400° for 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and toss with the apples. Cook for another 20 to 25 minutes until apples are tender and the vegetables have caramelized. Add more salt and pepper as needed and parsley.
Enjoy!
Blake Van Roekel
503.753.1655
blake@goodkeuken.com
www.goodkeuken.com
