chiptole sofritas

  • 1 poblano pepper or green bell pepper,kept whole
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil or avocado oil,divided
  • 1 medium yellow or red onion, finely chopped
  •  4 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
  •  1 teaspoon Mexican oregano or regular oregano
  •  ½ teaspoon ancho chile powder
  • 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt, divided
  •  A generous amount of freshly cracked black pepper
  •  1 (12 to 16-ounce) block of super firm tofu (also sold as high-protein tofu)*
  •  2 roma tomatoes, chopped
  •  1 chipotle pepper in adobo + 1/2 tablespoon adobo sauce**
  •  2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
  • ½ cup (120 mL) water
  • Lime juice to finish
  • Broil the poblano pepper or green bell pepper. You have two options; the gas flame gets you a smokier flavor. No need to peel or remove the seeds when done.a. 
  • Cook the aromatics. Heat 1 ½ tablespoons of oil in a medium nonstick frying pan over medium high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the onions and season with a pinch of salt. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes, or until just starting to get some color. Add garlic and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add tomato paste, cumin, oregano, chile powder, 1 teaspoon of salt, and pepper and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and cook until they’ve softened, about 5 minutes.
  • While the onions are cooking, cut the tofu into 4 slabs. Squeeze out as much water as you can. Crumble tofu into small pieces, about the size of a blueberry.
  • Transfer the onion-tomato mixture to a blender or food processor. Add the broiled poblano pepper, chipotle peppers in adobo, vinegar, and water. Blend until relatively smooth. Taste the sauce, adding any sweetener as needed or more vinegar or salt.
  • Heat the remaining 1 ½ tablespoons oil in the frying pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the tofu and spread out in a single packed layer and season with ½ teaspoon kosher salt. Allow to cook 2 to 3 minutes undisturbed. Flip and continue cooking for a total of 12 minutes, stirring only every 2 to 3 minutes, until most of the tofu is browned.
  • Pour in the sauce and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. It’ll start to thicken, so turn the heat to medium or medium-low and cook for another 5 minutes, or until flavors have developed and tofu is saucy. If it gets too thick, add a few splashes of water.
  • Taste, adjusting seasonings as needed. If it’s a bit tangy, add a pinch of organic brown or cane sugar. Finish with a squeeze of lime juice.

NOTES

* If super firm tofu is not available, use extra firm tofu. Crumble the tofu into small pieces but not as small as the super firm tofu: if you crumble really small, it will get mushy. Check out the reference photo in the FAQ section. Then, coat the tofu crumbles with 1 tablespoon cornstarch and ½ teaspoon kosher salt. Coating the tofu in cornstarch improves its texture quite a bit, giving it a slightly crisp coating and more chew, similar to Chipotle’s sofritas.

** Use ½ teaspoon adobo sauce for mild heat.

*** Want to save ~10 minutes? Cook the tofu in a separate pan while you cook the aromatics. 

Kim Chee Dip From Sheldon Simeon

  • For the Kim Chee Dip:
  • 8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
  • 1/4 cup sour cream
  • 6 ounces cabbage kim chee, roughly chopped (about ¾ cup), with juice reserved
  • 1 teaspoon sugar, plus more as needed
  • 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese
  • 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon kochugaru Korean chile flakes, plus more to taste
  • Kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon fried garlic
  • Wonton chips, crackers, Doritos (Cool Ranch preferred), Fritos, Tostitos, or any other available -ito, for serving
  • For the Microwave Fried Garlic:
  • 1 heaping tablespoon minced garlic (about 4 cloves)
  • Neutral oil
  • Kosher salt
  • Sugar
  1. For the Microwave Fried Garlic:
  2. Place the garlic in a microwave-safe bowl and add enough oil to cover (at least 3 tablespoons). Microwave for 1 minute, then stir. Repeat, stirring and microwaving in 30-second increments until the garlic begins to brown. Then repeat, stirring and microwaving in 15-second increments, until the garlic is deep gold. (This could take between 2 and 4 minutes total, depending on your microwave. In a sieve set over a bowl, drain the garlic, reserving the oil. Transfer the garlic to a plate lined with paper towels and season with a pinch each of salt and sugar. Set aside to cool.

Peach Tart from Amanda Hesser

  • 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2-3/4 cup plus 1 teaspoon sugar-depnding on sweetness of fruit
  • 1/4 cup vegetable or canola oil or coconut
  • 1/4 cup mild olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons whole milk
  • 1/2 teaspoon almond extract (opt)
  • 2 tablespoons cold, unsalted butter
  • 3 small ripe peaches (up to 5), pitted and thickly sliced (about 1/2-inch wide)
  • Heat the oven to 425 degrees. In a mixing bowl, stir together 1 1/2 cups flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon sugar. Stirring enables the salt and sugar to sift the flour, so you don’t need to sift it in advance. In a small bowl, whisk together the oils, milk and almond extract. Pour this mixture into the flour mixture and mix gently with a fork, just enough to dampen; do not over work it. Then, transfer the dough to an 11-inch tart pan (you can use a smaller one if needed), and use your hands to pat out the dough so it covers the bottom of the pan, pushing it up the sides to meet the edge. This will work if you pat firmly and confidently, but not if you curl your fingertips into the dough. It should be about 1/ 8-inch thick all around; trim and discard excess dough.
  • In a bowl, combine 1/2 -3/4 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons flour, 1/4 teaspoon salt and the butter. (If your peaches are especially juicy, add 1 tablespoon additional flour.) Using your fingers, pinch the butter into the dry ingredients until crumbly, with a mixture of fine granules and tiny pebbles. 
  • Starting on the outside, arrange the peaches overlapping in a concentric circle over the pastry; fill in the center in whatever pattern makes sense. The peaches should fit snugly. Sprinkle the pebbly butter mixture over top (it will seem like a lot). Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, until shiny, thick bubbles begin enveloping the fruit and the crust is slightly brown. Cool on a rack. Serve warm or room temperature, preferably with generous dollops of whipped cream.

notes: first time I made it with too many peaches as in too much juice and used spring form pan. It’s better made in 10” pie pan. Based on sweetness of fruit adjusted sugar.

pie crust from jennycancook.com

  • 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour (aerate before measuring)
  • 2 Tablespoons sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup milk (low fat or whole milk)
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil (I use avocado oil)
  1. Preheat oven to 400° F.
  2. Combine flour, sugar, and salt in a bowl.
  3. Stir in milk & oil all at once and combine using a fork. Shape into a ball by hand.
  4. Divide dough in two. Shape each into a 5-inch disc. Wrap one in wax paper.
  5. Roll the other half between floured wax paper into a 12-inch circle and place into the ungreased pie pan. Patch where needed, trim edges, and add leftover dough to the other half.
  6. Refrigerate both while you prepare filling. (Do not put the other half of the dough inside the pie pan)

carrot cake and frosting from hali taylor

Combine:
2 cups sugar
1 cup oil
4 eggs
3 cups grated carrots
1 cup chopped walnuts and/or 1 cup raisins

 In another bowl, combine:
2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp salt

Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients, stirring well. Pour into greased 9 X 13 pan.

Bake at 350° for 45-50 minutes

Frosting:

½ cup butter
8 oz. cream cheese
1 box XXX sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

shrimp and cauliflower curry from Floyd Cardoz

  • 1 1/2 pounds144-145_Shrimp-Curry-with-Cauliflower_0/680 grams (21–25 count) head-on shrimp
  • Sea salt
  • 1 tablespoon canola oil
  • 1 1/2 cups thinly sliced onions
  • 5 garlic cloves, finely minced
  • 1 tablespoon turmeric
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin seeds, ground
  • 1 teaspoon black peppercorns, finely ground
  • 1 serrano chile, sliced lengthwise in half
  • 1 tablespoon Tamarind Paste
  • 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
  • 3 cups cauliflower florets
  • One and a half 13.5-fluid-ounce cans Chaokoh-brand coconut milk (stir well before measuring)

1. Remove the heads and shells from the shrimp, reserving both. Devein the shrimp and rinse them well. Season the shrimp with salt and refrigerate.

2. Place the shrimp heads and shells in a medium saucepan, add cold water to cover, and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat and simmer until the liquid is reduced to 3 cups, 25 to 30 minutes. Strain the stock and set aside.

3. Heat the oil in a 4- to 6-quart pot over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the sliced onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic, turmeric, cumin, and pepper and cook until the garlic is lightly colored and the spices are fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes.

4. Add the reserved stock, the chile, tamarind paste, and vinegar and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

5. Add the cauliflower and coconut milk and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Season with salt. Reduce the heat and simmer gently until the cauliflower is just beginning to soften, 3 to 4 minutes.

6. Stir in the shrimp and cook until the shrimp are firm, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove and discard the serrano, if desired. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve hot.

Changing It Up

Sometimes I make this with fish instead of shrimp, using one 4- to 5-ounce (113- to 142-gram) halibut or fluke steak per person. (The steaks come from cutting a whole fish crosswise into 1/2 – to 1-inch-thick slices. It’s a very pretty cut, resulting in a nice oblong shape with a bone in the middle and the skin ringing the steak.) Use fish stock or plain water in place of the shrimp stock; the fish’s bones and skin add depth and richness to the curry, just as the shrimp shells do. Add the fish steaks where the recipe instructs you to add the shrimp and cook until the fish is opaque and flakes easily.