wheat berry salad

http://www.purewow.com/entry_detail/recipe/4863?media=print

INGREDIENTS

Kosher salt 2 cups soft wheat berries, rinsed
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
½ medium yellow onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
2 large carrots, peeled and finely chopped (about 2 cups)
1 teaspoon thyme leaves, finely chopped
1 finely chopped chipotle en adobo (about 1 tablespoon), plus 1 teaspoon chipotle en adobo sauce
1 cup toasted walnut halves, roughly chopped
½ cup golden raisins
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons honey
3 scallions, light-green and green parts only, thinly sliced
¼ cup flat-leaf parsley leaves, roughly chopped

Start to Finish: 1 hour 15 minutes

DIRECTIONS

1. Fill a medium saucepan with salted water and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the wheat berries, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until tender but still chewy, about 40 minutes. Drain the wheat berries and spread in a single layer on a baking sheet to cool slightly. 2. In a medium skillet set over medium-high heat, warm 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Add the onion and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Add the carrots and a pinch of salt and cook until the carrots are barely softened and still retain some bite, about 5 minutes longer. Stir in the thyme, chipotle and chipotle sauce and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute longer. Remove the skillet from the heat and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, combine the reserved wheat berries with the onion-carrot mixture, the walnuts and the raisins. In a small bowl, whisk the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil with the vinegar and honey until combined. Pour the dressing over the wheat-berry mixture and mix until just combined.
4. Let the salad marinate at room temperature for 15 minutes. Stir in the scallions and parsley. Season to taste with salt, then serve.

Read more: http://www.purewow.com/entry_detail/recipe/4863?media=print#ixzz2Ly4sFnNX

pad thai

http://food52.com/recipes/20938-pad-thai-redux

Serves 4

• 4 ounces rice noodles
• 2 tablespoons neutral oil (like grapeseed or canola)
• 1 large garlic clove, peeled and thinly sliced
• 2 bell peppers (whatever color you like), seeded, stemmed and thinly sliced
• 2 baby bok choy, thinly sliced
• 1 handful snow peas, ends trimmed, thinly sliced lengthwise
• Coarse salt
• 2 handfuls watercress, roughly chopped
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
• 1 lime, halved
• 1 handful mint leaves, roughly chopped
• 1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced (white and light green parts only)
• 1 handful peanuts, roughly chopped
• 1/2 green jalapeño, thinly sliced (optional)
• Fish sauce for serving (optional)

1. Place the rice noodles in a large bowl and cover with nearly-boiling water. Let them sit until just softened, about 10 minutes. Drain them, cut them up a bit with scissors if they’re very long and set them aside.
2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet set over high heat. Add the garlic and cook until it’s just fragrant, only about 30 seconds. Add the peppers and cook, stirring a bit, until beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the bok choy and the snow peas and cook until they begin to soften a bit too, just another minute or 2. Season the vegetables with a large pinch of salt and then stir in the reserved noodles and then fold in the watercress.
3. Turn off the heat and stir in the toasted sesame oil and another pinch of salt while you’re at it. Squeeze all the juice from the lime over the pad thai and stir to combine. Serve immediately with the herbs, scallions, peanuts and jalapeño. If you’re not totally vegan, serve with a splash of fish sauce too.

ramen

adapted from: http://food52.com/recipes/20680-bacon-egg-ramen?utm_source=FOOD52+Subscribers+List&utm_campaign=789aea52e2-digest2_24_122_22_2013&utm_medium=email

• 1 quart vegetable broth
• 1 inch fresh ginger
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 piece about 2" from a stalk of lemongrass
• 1 package of ramen noodles (toss the soup packet)
• 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon black vinegar
• 2 eggs
• 1 handful chopped scallions
• 1 drop Srirachia or your favorite hot sauce
• 2 more cloves of garlic
• 1 handful julienned mustard greens, baby spinach leaves, or kale

1. Place ginger, garlic & lemongrass in a pot. Add stock and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 30 to 45 minutes.
2. In a separate pot, bring water to a boil and cook ramen noodles according to directions. Drain and set aside.
3. Remove lemongrass, and ginger. Add in greens (unless using baby spinach), soy sauce, and vinegar. Taste and check for salt, then add salt and pepper to taste.
4. Add sliced garlic cloves to a pan and fry until crisp.
5. Drop eggs one at a time into the stock. (if you crack them in a bowl first, it is less likely that you will accidentally get a shell in your soup.)
6. Place ramen noodles (and baby spinach if using) in a bowl. Carefully remove the eggs before they are completely cooked (a slotted spoon works best). Ladle the hot broth over the eggs and noodles.
7. Cover with fried garlic, and scallions. Garnish with a squirt or two of hot sauce.

butternut squash soup

http://www.cookscountry.com/recipes/Roasted-Butternut-Squash-Soup/17436?Extcode=L3BN4AA00

Because the bulbous end of butternut squash contains the seeds and stringy fibers, purchase squash with a relatively long neck—they have more usable flesh. You can replace the chicken broth with vegetable broth for a vegetarian version of this soup.

Ingredients

• 1 medium butternut squash (about 3 pounds), peeled, seeded, and cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks (see related Step by Step)
• 1 1/2 pounds Golden Delicious apples, peeled, cored, and chopped
• 3 medium shallots, peeled and quartered
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
•   Salt and pepper
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth (see note)
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon cider vinegar
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 cup heavy cream

Instructions

• 1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Toss squash, apples, shallots, oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper in large bowl, then arrange in single layer in large roasting pan. Roast, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are golden brown and softened, about 45 minutes. Add ½ cup broth to pan and scrape up any browned bits with wooden spoon. Return to oven and cook until liquid has reduced and vegetables are glazed, about 5 minutes.
• 2. Working in 2 batches, puree squash mixture and remaining broth in blender until smooth. Transfer pureed squash mixture to large saucepan and stir in syrup, vinegar, nutmeg, and cream. Bring soup to simmer over medium-low heat, adding ¼ cup water at a time as necessary to adjust consistency. Serve. (Soup can be refrigerated in airtight container for 3 days.)

cauliflower steak

http://food52.com/recipes/20792-dan-barber-s-cauliflower-steaks-with-cauliflower-puree
http://food52.com/blog/5775-dan-barber-s-cauliflower-steaks-with-cauliflower-puree?utm_source=FOOD52+Subscribers+List&utm_campaign=63ed4ebbf4-2_15_2013&utm_medium=email

• One 1 1/2-pound head of cauliflower
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 cup whole milk
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil plus more for brushing
• Salt and freshly ground pepper

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Using sharp heavy knife and starting at top center of cauliflower head, cut two 1-inch-thick slices of cauliflower, cutting through stem end. Set cauliflower steaks aside.
2. Cut enough florets from remaining cauliflower head to measure 3 cups. Combine florets, water, and milk in medium saucepan, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bring to boil and cook until cauliflower florets are very tender, about 10 minutes. Strain, reserving 1 cup cooking liquid.
3. Transfer florets to blender. Add reserved 1 cup cooking liquid and puree until smooth. Return puree to same saucepan.
4. Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in heavy large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Brush cauliflower steaks with additional oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add cauliflower steaks to skillet and cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer skillet to oven and bake cauliflower steaks until tender, about 10 minutes.
5. Rewarm cauliflower puree over medium heat. Divide puree between 2 plates; top each with cauliflower steak.

vegetarian pot pie

http://www.tastingtable.com/entry_detail/chefs_recipes/12497?media=print&printEntry=true&allowDraft=true

• INGREDIENTS
1 large yellow onion, quartered and sliced crosswise into ½- to ¾-inch-thick pieces
1 tablespoon kosher salt, divided, plus extra if needed
2 cups vegetable or chicken broth, divided
12 large garlic cloves, peeled, plus 2 garlic cloves, very finely chopped
6 medium carrots, peeled and sliced on a bias into ½-inch pieces
1 medium rutabaga, peeled and chopped into ½-inch cubes (about 4 cups)
1¼ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper, divided
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
5 fresh thyme sprigs plus 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme, divided
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
½ medium head Napa cabbage, sliced crosswise into ½-inch-thick pieces (about 6 cups)
8 medium radishes, trimmed and quartered
1 large egg
1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
Flaky salt

DIRECTIONS 1. Adjust an oven rack to the uppermost position (about 3 inches from the broiler element) and preheat the broiler to high. On a rimmed baking sheet, add the onion in a single layer. Broil the onions until they are charred, rotating the baking sheet midway through cooking, 6 to 8 minutes (watch the onions closely, as broiler intensities vary). Remove the baking sheet from the oven, sprinkle the onions with ½ teaspoon of the salt and pour 1 cup of vegetable broth over the onions, then transfer the mixture to a medium bowl.
2. Reduce the oven temperature to 425°. To the baking sheet used for the onions, add the 12 whole garlic cloves, the carrots, rutabaga, 1 teaspoon of salt and ½ teaspoon of pepper. Drizzle with 3 tablespoons of the oil and toss to combine. Place the thyme sprigs on top. Tightly cover the baking sheet with aluminum foil and roast the vegetables until tender, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and discard the foil. Use tongs to gather all of the roasted garlic cloves, then use a fork to smash them into a paste.
3. In a small bowl, mash together the butter and flour. Heat a large, deep, oven-safe skillet (cast iron works well) over medium-high heat for 2 minutes, then add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Stir in about half of the cabbage and cook, stirring occasionally, until it wilts, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the remaining cabbage along with the radishes, the 2 cloves chopped garlic and the chopped thyme, and cook until the cabbage is wilted completely and the garlic is fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes longer.
4. Stir in the remaining 1½ teaspoons of salt and ¾ teaspoon of pepper, then pour in the remaining 1 cup of vegetable broth. Add the roasted vegetables, mashed roasted garlic and onion-broth mixture and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium and stir in the butter-flour mixture, cooking until the sauce thickens slightly, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn off the heat, taste and adjust with more salt, if needed.
5. Whisk together the egg with a pinch of kosher salt. Place the puff pastry on a cutting board and use a sharp knife to lightly mark the dough with a crosshatch pattern, making sure you don’t slice all the way through the dough. If your skillet isn’t oven-safe, transfer the vegetables to a baking dish. Lay the piece of dough on top of the vegetables in the skillet and lightly brush with the beaten egg. Sprinkle with flaky salt and place the skillet in the oven. Bake until the pastry is golden-brown, 18 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Read more: http://www.tastingtable.com/entry_detail/chefs_recipes/12497//A_vegetarian_potpie_with_a_few_surprises_under_the_hood.htm#ixzz2KpZ9Mm2q

eggplant parm

http://souschefseries2012.com/detail/scs/12296#recipe

Sauce
Extra-virgin olive oil, 1 cup
Garlic cloves, 15 (peeled and left whole)
Whole fennel seeds, 1½ teaspoons
Whole canned tomatoes (preferably San Marzano tomatoes), two 28-ounce cans (one can drained of juice, the juice from the other can reserved)
Dried red pepper flakes (preferably Calabrian chile flakes), ½ teaspoon
Kosher salt, ¾ teaspoon
Large basil sprig, 1
Eggplant Parmesan
Extra-virgin olive oil, 6 tablespoons
Japanese eggplant, 2 (sliced on a bias into ¼-inch-thick pieces)
Garlic clove, 1 (very thinly sliced)
Dried red pepper flakes (preferably Calabrian chile flakes), ½ teaspoon
Fresh mozzarella cheese, ⅓ pound (thinly sliced crosswise into 9 pieces)
Finely grated Pecorino cheese, ½ cup
Leaves of 2 marjoram sprigs
Breadcrumbs
Extra-virgin olive oil, 1½ teaspoons
Unsalted butter, ½ tablespoon
Fresh breadcrumbs, ½ cup

DIRECTIONS

1. Make the sauce: To a heavy-bottomed small saucepan set over low heat, add the:

• 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 15 whole garlic cloves

Cook gently until the garlic is golden and tender (a paring knife will easily slip into the center of the biggest clove), stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes.
While the garlic poaches in the oil, in a small skillet set over medium heat, add the:

• 1½ teaspoons fennel seeds

Toast the fennel seeds until fragrant and golden, 1½ to 2 minutes. Cool, then pulverize until powder-fine in a spice grinder.
In a medium bowl, add the:

• Whole canned tomatoes

Use your fingers to roughly shred the tomatoes, placing the shredded tomatoes in a separate medium bowl and discarding the seeds. Once the garlic is golden and tender, transfer the garlic and half of the oil (save the remaining infused garlic oil for another use) to a medium saucepan set over medium heat. Add the shredded tomatoes to the pan along with the:

• Reserved tomato juice (from the can of whole tomatoes)
• Ground fennel seeds
• ½ teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
• ¾ teaspoon kosher salt

Simmer the sauce for 1 hour, then add the:

• Basil sprig

Turn off the heat and cool slightly before removing the basil sprig and passing the sauce through a food mill (if using a food processor, remove the basil sprig and garlic cloves and pulse until the sauce is semi-smooth).
2. Make the eggplant Parm: Preheat the oven to 350°. To a medium skillet set over medium-high heat, add:

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Half of the eggplant slices

Make sure the eggplant is in an even layer without overlapping. Cook until the eggplant is browned, 2 to 3 minutes, and then use the tongs to turn the eggplant over. Around the edges of the pan, drizzle in:

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Once the eggplant starts to sizzle, add:

• Half of the sliced garlic

Cook the eggplant until the other side is browned, 1 to 2 minutes longer. Transfer the eggplant and garlic to a paper-towel-lined baking sheet and repeat with the remaining olive oil, eggplant and garlic until all of it is browned.
3. To the 1-quart baking dish, add 2 tablespoons of the tomato sauce and cover with one-third of the cooked eggplant. Top with one-third of the:

• Sliced mozzarella
• Finely grated Pecorino cheese

Repeat twice, creating 3 layers and ending with the last one-third of the Pecorino.
4. Bake the eggplant Parmesan until the cheese is melted, about 10 minutes. Adjust an oven rack to the uppermost position and heat the broiler to high. Move the baking dish to the top rack and broil the eggplant Parmesan until the cheese is browned and bubbling, 1 to 2 minutes (watch the cheese closely, as broiler intensities vary). Remove from the oven and cool for 10 minutes.
5. While the eggplant Parmesan cools, make the breadcrumbs. In a small skillet set over medium heat, add the:

• 1½ teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• ½ tablespoon unsalted butter

Swirl the pan often until the butter is melted, then add the:

• ½ cup breadcrumbs

Cook, stirring often, until the breadcrumbs are golden-brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn the toasted breadcrumbs out onto a plate.
Sprinkle the cooled eggplant Parmesan with the toasted breadcrumbs and the:

• Marjoram leaves

Slice into pieces and serve.

pasta and beans with garlic rosemary oil

http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2013/01/pasta-and-white-beans-with-garlic-rosemary-oil/

1 medium onion, cut into big chunks
1 medium carrot, in big chunks
1 celery stalk, in big chunks
6 garlic cloves, 4 left whole, 2 finely chopped
1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (or to taste)
1/2 cup olive oil, divided
Coarse or kosh salt
2 to 3 tablespoons tomato paste
3 1/2 cups cooked, drained beans (save cooking liquid for water in recipe, if desired) or 2 15-ounce cans small white beans, rinsed
1 pound short tube pasta (see suggestions above)
1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary

Pulse onion, carrot, celery, whole garlic cloves, parsley, and red pepper flakes (to taste) in a food processor until finely chopped. Heat 1/4 cup oil in a large, heavy pot over medium heat and add vegetable mixture to pot. (Quickly rinse, but no need to fully wash, food processor as you’ll use it again shortly.) Season generously with salt. Cook, stirring from time to time, until vegetables take on a bit of color, about 10 minutes. Add tomato paste (original recipe calls for 2T but we enjoyed it with 3) and cook it into the vegetables for another minute. Add 1 cup water or bean cooking liquid and use it to scrape up any bits stuck to the pot. Let simmer until liquid has almost disappeared, about 5 to 8 minutes.
Add beans and 2 more cups of water (or bean cooking liquid) to the pot and simmer until the flavors meld, about another 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook pasta until al dente, or still a little firm inside. I know you didn’t ask for one, but can I insert an argument for al dente pasta here? The thing is, you don’t want your pasta to fully cook in the water. If you do, it won’t have any absorbency left to drink up and become with that delicious sauce. I have really found that finishing pasta in its sauce is the single thing that most swiftly improved the quality of my pasta dishes.
Reserve 1 1/2 cups cooking water from your drained pasta.
Transfer one cup of the bean mixture to your rinsed food processor and purée it until smooth, then stir it back into the sauce to thicken it. Add drained pasta and 1/2 cup cooking liquid to bean sauce and cook the mixture together, adding more pasta cooking liquid as needed, until the sauce coats the pasta, about 1 to 2 more minutes.
To serve: Heat remaining 1/4 cup olive oil in a tiny saucepan over medium-low heat with garlic and rosemary, until sizzling stops. Divide pasta between serving bowls and drizzle garlic-rosemary oil over each. If you’re us, you’ll finish this with a few flakes of sea salt. Eat at once.