Monthly Archives: September 2012

September 11, 2012 · 11:00 am

recipe goodness :: heidi swanson’s harissa spinach chop salad

A few good ingredients

I know a few people who would rather leave the lettuce eating to the rabbits. But they like cooked greens — spinach, collards, amaranth greens will all be happily stabbed with a fork and consumed. I also know a few vegetarians who roll their eyes when people suggest all they eat are salads. So when I came across Heidi Swanson’s {a well-known vegetarian cookbook author} recipe for a warm spinach chop, with hard-boiled eggs, garlic, almonds and harissa, not only did my mouth begin to water, but I felt like I discovered a solution to a salad that’s not just another salad.

Everything on this ingredient list I usually have on hand, except the spinach — so it’s an easy last minute menu saver if you can get your hands on some fresh cooking greens. And with the spice of the harissa, the crunch of the almonds, the tartness of the lemon and the substance of the egg, you’ll find this chop combines complex flavors and doesn’t leave you feeling like a peckish rabbit.

Heidi Swanson’s Spinach Chop

Heidi Swanson’s Spinach Chop

1 lb. spinach {or other good cooking green — kale, collards}
1 tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbs. harissa
4 large hard-cooked eggs, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup slivered or whole almonds, toasted
Scant 1/2 tsp. fine-grain sea salt
Grated zest of 1/2 lemon

Remove any tough spinach stems. Add ½-inch water to a pot and bring to a boil.
Add spinach and stir constantly until the spinach collapses entirely, about a minute. Drain spinach and run cold water over it until cool. Spin-dry very well in a salad spinner, or press-dry in a clean kitchen towel.
Finely chop the spinach. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in the garlic and cook for about a minute, without letting it brown. Remove pan from heat and stir in harissa and spinach. Add eggs, almonds, salt, and lemon zest and stir again gently to combine well.
Serve warm or at room temperature.

Stab-Worthy Salads:
Julia Child’s Salade Nicoise
Lime-Kissed Peach and Corn Summer Salad
Orzo, Spinach & Feta Summer Salad
Spinach, Strawberry & Halloumi Salad
Tomato, Basil & Feta Salad
The Ultimate Summer Slaw

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Filed under @home {recipes to love}

Tagged as Almonds, Chop, Egg, Entree, Harissa, Heidi Swanson, Recipe, Salad, Side, Spinach, Vegetarian

September 7, 2012 · 11:00 am

recipe goodness :: lime-red chili grilled swordfish

Lime-Red Chili Swordfish

The beautiful thing about swordfish is the heartiness of the meat. It’s the perfect grilling fish for someone whose worried about their filet falling through the cracks. And it’s just begging to be topped with a heaping spoonful of some lovely fresh salsa you whipped up — like the smooth spicy tomatillo blend or the bright avocado & peach salsa. I like to marinate it with a little olive oil and the juice of a lime with some red chili and fresh cilantro {or parsley for cilantro haters} just to add a little love to the fish itself. And if you don’t have time for a salsa topper, the marinated fish alone will please a crowd.

Grilled Swordfish with Tomatillo Salsa

Lime-Red Chili Grilled Swordfish

6-8oz fillet per person
1 lime, zested and juiced
Drizzle of olive oil
1/2 red chili chopped
2 sprigs cilantro or parsley chopped
Salt and pepper to taste

Lay the swordfish in a small casserole dish with sides.
Juice, zest, drizzle all the marinade ingredients over the top and turn each fillet to coat.
Cover and let it all hang out in the fridge for as little as 15 minutes or 2-3 hours if you have the time.
Heat a grill to medium heat and cook for 3-4 minutes. Flip and cook for an additional 3-4 or until the fish is cooked through.
Serve as is or with a fresh tomatillo or avocado & peach salsa topper.

Swim with the Fiddies:
Introducing grilled blowfish
Julia Child’s Fillet of Sole Meuniere
Sesame Ginger Lime-Poached Cod
Spicy Balsamic and Fennel Fish Stew

recipe goodness :: grilled zucchini & summer squash pesto “pasta”

Grilled Zucchini & Summer Squash Pesto Pasta

Summer is a time of agricultural abundance. A stroll through the weekend farmers’ markets is like a rainbow connection — ruby tomatoes, sunshine orange nectarines, golden summer squash, enviously green zucchini, deep purple eggplant. It doesn’t take a lot of effort to take your booty home and make a stellar meal. I’m a proponent of grilling just about anything {I’ve even been known to grill berries} — a little olive oil, salt and pepper is all you need and you can focus on the complexities of your wine paring, not your meal planning.

However, after making a large batch of basil-walnut pesto, I fell compelled to use that precious pairing before it went bad. A likely partner: pasta. But with the mercury rising to high 90s for much of July, a heavy meal was the last thing that appealed to my cravings. Enter zucchini & squash “pasta.” A few swipes of across my mandolin created thin, long strips that mimicked a tagliatelle noodle. Grilling only required enough time to make the squash tender and add some flame flavor. Once done, everything was tossed with the bright herby pesto, a handful of pine nuts for texture and we had ourselves a bowlful of fork twisting goodness.

Grilled Zucchini and Summer Squash

Grilled Zucchini & Summer Squash Pesto Pasta

1 zucchini per person
1 summer squash per person
olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
~1 tablespoon pesto per person
~1 tablespoon pine nuts per person

Pesto {makes ~1 cup}:
1 large bunch of basil, leaves only, washed and dried
1-2 cloves of garlic
1/4 cup walnuts or pine nuts {pine nuts are expensive, so walnuts are a nice sub}
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
A few tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil

In a food processor add all the ingredients for the pesto and whiz until blended. Taste and add more garlic, nuts or olive oil to your liking and desired consistency.
Pour pesto into an air tight container and cover with a thin layer of olive oil to protect from the air. Cover and store in the fridge or freezer if not immediately using.
Remove the stem from the squash and zucchini and slice thinly lengthwise using a mandolin or sharp knife. Lay on a large baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
Grill 1-2 minutes on each side until slightly tender and shows grill marks.
Toss in a bowl with pesto and top with pine nuts.

Grilled Goodness:
Gourmet Grilled White Truffle Corn
Grilled Thyme-Cumin Vegetable Kabo bs
Lemon Herb Roasted Chicken
Some Like it HOT Pollo alla Diavola
Bison, a Better Burger Worth Biting Into