Dive into Endive

We recently came across two recipes featuring a vegetable as the main ingredient that we had never prepared before – endive. You’ve seen it – it’s sort of like a lettuce, but it’s firm and smooth and traditionally used in salads. The first recipe, is just that – a salad featuring endive, but with apples, tomatoes, and tangy cheese to bring it all together. The second recipe, from the Hannaford Supermarket magazine, takes endive off the salad plate and into the oven, baking it with lemon and spices, creating a terrific side dish for meats or even just served with crusty bread. Enjoy!

Endive Salad with Warm Apple Cider Vinaigrette

(serves 4)

4 tsp. apple cider vinegar

4 tbsp. olive oil

1 tsp. Kosher salt

1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

4 endives

2 cups mixed greens

1 red apple, cored and diced

3 oz. walnuts

3 oz. blue cheese

1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved

In a small saucepan, mix together the vinegar, oil, salt and pepper and warm over med-low heat. Arrange the endive and mixed greens on 4 plates. Top with apples, walnuts, cheese, and tomatoes. Drizzle warmed dressing over the salads. Eat!

Belgian Endive Gratin

(serves 6)

8 each Belgian endive

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

3/4 cup low-sodium vegetable broth

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

2 tbsp. chives

2 tablespoons golden raisins

1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Trim endives: remove any discolored parts, rinse, and slice each endive in half lengthwise. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium high heat. Add salt and nutmeg, then endives. Brown pieces quickly, turning once or twice, about 3 minutes per side. Add broth and lemon juice, cover pan, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and simmer for 7 minutes. While endives simmer, chop chives and set aside. Spray a gratin pan or an 8-inch square baking pan with vegetable cooking spray. Pour enough of the cooking liquid to cover the bottom of the pan (about 1/2 cup), and then transfer endives to the pan.Sprinkle raisins between the endives, then sprinkle cheese over the top. Cover dish with foil, bake for 4 minutes, then uncover and bake another 4 minutes, until cheese has melted. Transfer endives to a serving platter and sprinkle chives over the top. Serve hot.

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Egg-ceptional

Ok, call off the dogs – we’re still here. Sorry for the huge lapse in posting – to be honest, we hadn’t tried any new recipes or any new restaurants for a while anyway, so you really haven’t missed much. But we now have a few new recipes to share, along with a review of a local eatery. And there was much rejoicing. So today’s recipe stems from a redesign of a Hannaford supermarket magazine recipe. Their dish contained okra, which we have never really cooked in the MHK, so I was looking forward to giving it a shot. But apparently – and maybe it was just me, I don’t know – okra goes bad in four days. I had it in a plastic bag in the fridge and when I pulled it out, it had white gunk (technical foodie term) all over it. Disappointment set in, but we rebounded magnificently. The original dish seemed Indian in nature, but without any typical Indian spice. Years ago in California, we had eaten an egg curry dish at an Indian place, so we decided to substitute eggs for the okra, and added some garam masala (very typical Indian spice blend). The result was terrific. The flavors of the onion, garlic, and hot peppers soak into the tomatoes and broth, and the eggs provide a nice texture (plus they soak up the bright flavors too). Serve this over rice with some naan too. Enjoy!

Spicy Tomatoes with Egg

(serves 4)

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, minced
1 medium red Fresno or jalapeno chili, seeded and minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 each (28 oz.) can diced tomatoes, drained
1/2 cup low-sodium vegetable broth
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 tsp. garam masala
4 eggs, beaten
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat until hot. Add onion, peppers, and garlic. Cook 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add tomatoes, broth, sugar, salt, and cayenne. Stir well. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, cook the eggs in a separate pan until just cooked through. Place eggs into the saucepan, stir to combine and cook for one minute. Remove from heat, stir in cilantro. Serve over rice. Eat!

Souped Up Corn Chowder

After our recent post about a recipe from the Sriracha Cookbook, the book’s author Randy Clemens commented on that post. I love this internet thing. Anyway, on to today’s recipe which we adapted from – guess what – the Sriracha Cookbook by Randy Clemens! It’s another soup; this time a spicy take on corn chowder that’s full of flavor, with some delightful heat. The onions, bell peppers and Sriracha give it a robust orange-red color, and the roasted corn kernels really enhance the dish. The amount of cream is fairly small, so it’s not a heavy soup at all. You can of course adjust the amount of Sriracha – the amount listed here makes it quite spicy, but not lip-burning spicy. It’s perfect for these cold weather nights. Enjoy!

Fire Roasted Corn Chowder

(serves 4)

3 ears fresh sweet corn, husked
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1/2 red onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups vegetable stock
1/4 cup Sriracha
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup heavy cream
Smoked paprika, for garnish
Torn leaves of fresh cilantro or flat-leaf parsley, for garnish

Roast 2 ears of corn over a direct flame (on a preheated grill or over a gas burner) until the corn kernels begin to blacken, turning every few minutes until all sides have roasted. After the roasted ears have cooled, scrape the kernels from the cobs, and reserve. Heat the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the bell peppers and onions and cook until softened slightly, 5 to 7 minutes. Meanwhile, scrape the corn kernels from the remaining ear of corn. Add the raw corn kernels and garlic, and cook until the garlic is aromatic, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the stock, Sriracha, thyme, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 30 minutes. About 10 minutes before the soup is finished, gently heat the cream over low heat, keeping it just below a simmer. Once the soup has cooked for 30 minutes, discard the thyme and bay leaf. Puree the soup using an immersion blender. (A food processor or blender can be utilized with caution, pureeing the hot liquid in small batches.) Mix in the warm cream and add the reserved roasted corn. Cook for an additional 3 to 5 minutes, until thoroughly heated. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with a generous sprinkle of smoked paprika, and torn cilantro or parsley leaves. Eat!

How Not to Make Bread

Although some would argue that the performance in this video is the ONLY way you should make bread. Either way, this is beyond awesome. Enjoy!

No Meat, No Problem

I think I’d go vegetarian if I didn’t think I’d eventually get sick of tofu. This dish is just as satisfying, if not more so, than many meaty meals. The flavors of the marinade absorb into the tofu and then explode in your mouth, intensified by the sweet and subtly spicy peanut sauce. You can make your own peanut sauce if you like, but there are some good store-bought brands (make sure you get one fromThailand though). The pickled vegetables make for a nice contrast in texture and taste; serve it with some rice and it’s a healthy and delicious complete meal. The recipe is borrowed from what seems to be a defunct food blog (there have been no posts since September of 2010); they did not provide a standard recipe format for the dish, so what follows is the recipe we used. You can marinate the tofu and veggies up to 24 hours, but we only did so for about an hour and they were great. Enjoy!

Tofu with Peanut Sauce and Pickled Vegetables

(serves 2 hungry people)

¼ cup rice wine vinegar

¼ cup water

1 tsp. salt

½ tsp. black pepper

1 tsp. sugar

1 cucumber, sliced thin or diced

1 carrot, julienned or diced

½ a bell pepper (red, yellow, or orange), sliced thin or diced

1 clove garlic, smashed

1 tsp. fresh ginger

15 oz. extra firm tofu, sliced into ½-inch slices

1 tbsp. turmeric

½ tsp. cumin

½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

½ tsp. fennel seeds

½ tsp. ground coriander

1/3 cup soy sauce

2 tbsp. peanut oil

1 scallion, diced

Add vinegar, water, salt, pepper, and sugar to a bowl; whisk until salt and sugar dissolve. Add cucumber, carrot, bell pepper, garlic, and ginger; toss to combine. Cover tightly and refrigerate up to 24 hours, turning periodically if necessary to keep the veggies coated. Combine the turmeric, cumin, red pepper flakes, fennel, coriander, and soy sauce in a bowl; mix well. Lay the tofu slices in a shallow bowl; cover with the soy sauce mixture, turning slices to coat. Cover and marinate up to 24 hours. Heat oil in large skillet on med-high. Drain the marinade from the tofu; add tofu to the pan. Cook tofu on both sides until golden brown, about 5 minutes per side. Remove tofu to a paper towel; pat dry. Plate tofu slices, top with peanut sauce and scallions. Serve with rice and the veggies. Eat!

With Rice On Our Side

The MHK had some guests for dinner last weekend, and at the behest of Mrs. MHK, we made our becoming-famous Ja-Mexican Jerk Pork Tacos. But I wanted to find something good to serve alongside, and keeping with the Jamaican theme, I found some recipes for Jamaican rice. The recipes were similar but not identical, so the recipe that follows was culled from a few different ones. If you aren’t into spicy, leave the habanero intact – you’ll get a slight pepper flavor but no heat. The fresh thyme is key – it gives the rice a great aroma and a subtle lemony flavor. The coconut milk makes the rice somewhat sweet, but it’s balanced by the garlic and pepper. It’s a great side dish to any meal, but especially one that features super spicy jerk pork. Enjoy!

Jamaican Rice

(serves 4)

2 cups rice
5 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 scotch bonnet (habanero) pepper, quartered.
3 scallions
1 one cup coconut milk
1 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of black pepper
2 sprigs of fresh thyme
Boil 6 cups of water in a pot. Add the garlic, coconut milk, rice, salt, black pepper and thyme to the pot. Stir. Crush the scallions (do not chop) and add to the pot, along with the scotch bonnet pepper. Cover and cook for about 30 minutes, until liquid is absorbed and rice is just tender. Discard scallions and pepper quarters. Eat!

Get Edgy With Ejjeh

I never thought I would learn about new foods from a supermarket magazine, but the Hannaford one has done just that. Their latest issue features this recipe for ejjeh (pronounced “edgy”), a delicious treat from the Syria/Lebanon area of the Middle East. These are basically egg “pancakes,” or mini-omelets, and they are packed with fresh flavor. The tang of the onions and the aromatic parsley and mint make for a fresh, vibrant taste, with the chewy pita bread lending great texture. It was suggested to serve these with yogurt or hummus – we chose yogurt. I made a cucumber-less tzatziki, and it elevated the dish to a new level of deliciousness. Serve this with a fresh salad and it’s a unique twist on brunch, lunch, or even dinner. Enjoy!

Ejjeh

(serves 4)

6 eggs

1 small onion, finely chopped

2/3 cup finely chopped parsley

1 tablespoon finely chopped mint leaves

1 garlic clove, minced

¼ cup milk

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

4 tbsp. canola oil, or as needed

4 pieces pita bread, cut into quarters

In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, onion, parsley, mint, garlic, milk, salt, and pepper. In a large nonstick skillet, heat 2 tbsp. of the oil over medium-high heat until very hot. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of egg mixture into the pan, making 4 “pancakes” per batch. Cook until the bottoms are lightly golden, about 30 seconds, then turn and cook the other side for 30 seconds. Transfer pancakes to a plate. Repeat with the next batch, adding more oil as needed. To serve, place one pancake in a pita quarter and place on a serving platter. Eat!

First Time for Everything!

Today’s recipe is probably something just about everyone has had before, but for whatever reason, we at the MHK had never made it ourselves. But this recipe, which comes to us yet again from Women’s Day Magazine, is super easy to make and tastes delicious. The original recipe called for frozen spinach, but we used fresh and I think it made a big difference (it also called for frozen broccoli florets, but we omitted those out of personal preference). The sweetness of the ricotta, the nutty accent of the parmesan and the gooey mozzarella combine for a great filling along with the bitter spinach, and the marinara adds just enough moisture to bind it all together. Serve with salad and/or bread for a complete meal. Enjoy!

Vegetable and Three-Cheese Stuffed Shells

(serves 4)

16 jumbo shells (from a 12-oz box)

2 cups marinara sauce

4 oz. baby spinach, chopped

15 oz. container part-skim ricotta cheese

½ cup parmesan, grated

4 oz. part-skim mozzarella, grated

Kosher salt and pepper

Heat oven to 400°F. Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water to cool. Spread the sauce onto the bottom of a large broiler-proof baking dish. Place spinach in a large bowl. Stir in the ricotta, parmesan, ½ cup of the mozzarella, and ½ tsp. each salt and pepper. Spoon the mixture into the shells (about ¼ cup each) and place on top of the sauce. Sprinkle with the remaining ½ cup mozzarella and bake until the shells are heated through, 10 to 12 minutes. Increase heat to broil. Broil the shells until the cheese begins to brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Eat!

Cajun Up Your Kitchen

Well first of all, hello everyone. Some of you may have noticed a lack of posting the last couple of weeks – this month the MHK owner’s day job is quite hectic, hence the lack of posts. But we’re still at work here as well, and we are happy to share today’s recipe with you. We have made mention a few times of the lack of spicy food in this area, but this recipe, a nice surprise from the Hannaford Supermarket magazine, packs a marvelous wallop – and we didn’t even have to enhance it ourselves! This is a pretty classic Cajun recipe, from the “holy trinity” – onions, peppers and celery, the base of many Cajun dishes – to the Cajun seasoning, but the addition of the chipotles is a nice twist. If you don’t have pre-made Cajun seasoning, you can make it yourself – here’s a general recipe: ¾ cup salt, ¼ cup ground cayenne pepper, 2 tablespoons ground white pepper, 2 tablespoons ground black pepper, 2 tablespoons paprika, 2 tablespoons onion powder, 2 tablespoons garlic powder, 1 tablespoon thyme. You can add chili powder or oregano too. We removed the whole chipotles from the soup before serving, but you could chop them up instead of leaving them whole for even more spiciness. The beer adds some nice depth to the dish, and the rice makes it a hearty meal. Plus it’s vegan and it will fill you up – healthy and hearty, can’t beat that. This recipe will serve 8, but we cut it in half. Enjoy!

Fiery Vegetarian Gumbo

(serves 8 )

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 yellow onion, diced

2 bell peppers (any color), diced

2 celery ribs, diced

1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning

¼ cup all-purpose flour

12 oz. bottle dark lager beer

4 cups low- sodium vegetable broth

14.5 oz can no-salt-added diced tomatoes

7 oz. can chipotle peppers in adobo sauce

2 cups rice, cooked

5 oz. spinach leaves

In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add onion, peppers, and celery. Sauté until soft, about 3 minutes. Add Cajun seasoning and flour and stir to combine. Add beer and deglaze the pan by scraping up the brown bits from the bottom. Add vegetable broth and stir to combine. Add diced tomatoes and chipotle peppers, with sauce. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to medium low to maintain a low simmer. Add spinach and simmer for 10 more minutes. Divide rice evenly into soup bowls. Ladle gumbo into bowls and serve immediately. Eat!

Chocolate Avocado Whaaaat??

A neighbor of the MHK, who is responsible for a couple of the delicious recipes posted here, informed us that she had come across a recipe for vegan chocolate avocado cake. I know, those words don’t seem right together. But she made it, and generously supplied us with a slice yesterday. And it was…not bad. The icing was actually quite good, consisting of avocados, lemon juice, sugar and vanilla. The avocado served as a vegan substitute for butter, and the frosting tasted pretty close to regular buttercream. The cake was not nearly as successful, utilizing avocados in place of butter and eggs, and cocoa powder in place of any actual chocolate. The texture was ok, but it had no flavor at all. It didn’t taste like chocolate, and really wasn’t sweet enough. But when eaten with the frosting, it was certainly palatable as a healthier version of chocolate cake.

Here’s the link to the recipe if you want to give it a shot. Let us know what you think. Enjoy!